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lovextriangle · 3 years

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Imagine Kili after the Battle of the Five Armies

The battle was over. Yet, that didn’t mean much to Kili now, not when the price for such victory was too costly. He knew this was what everyone had hoped for, to beat the dragon, to reclaim their home no matter who stood in there way. Be it man, elf, or orc. At some point in time all had tried to stop them, events led to sides switching and the good prevailed against evil once more in Middle Earth. But losing them was never part of the plan.

The tears swelled up in his eyes as he thought back to his uncle, lying back on the frozen lake. He didn’t want to think about how the color of the ice had looked like Thorin’s eyes, so glazed over, no longer there. But the tears started to fall when he thought of his brother. Fili, his dearest brother, who had been ambushed by Azog. It was antagonizing to remember how the blade had been shoved through his twin’s chest. Kili clenched his fingers into his palms, Fili’s lifeless body being thrown to the bottom of the icy ridge.

Thorin had been the one to get revenge from Azog, which left Kili to the rest of the bottom-feeders. Pure rage was what had pushed him through, after it was all said and done he collapsed and was almost thought dead himself. Covered in blood of his and others. Death was too sweet of an escape from the reality Kili had to face now. A world where his family was ripped apart and thrown away and he had to fill in the place that was meant for others.

You knew of all these troubles that Kili was facing, that Kili was thinking of daily. Even three years after the Battle of the Five Armies, the funerals, and his enunciation as King Under the Mountain. That mountain being Erebor of course, the mountain that the company, and especially his Uncle had worked so hard to gain back. You had a feeling Kili still didn’t feel like it was his place or his right, he was a very young king for dwarf standards. His beard still peach fuzz and lack of growing.

It had been your duty ever since Kili was declared king to be his auditor. Almost like an advisor but for more personal, non-kingdom related issues. You were a great listener from an early age. All else that was needed was a soft tone, and kind eyes. Both of which you seemed blessed with. Today’s talk had been sudden as it was right after a council meeting with some of Kili’s old company members. Most had joined in high ranks, rightfully earned by their contribution to their journey and loyalty.

You sat across from the king, legs crossed underneath your dress. You sat upright and waiting for him to begin, but you had a feeling this session would be an intense one. So instead of keeping silent, you said, “Usually we stick to the planned schedule your Highness,” the upcoming meeting had been just two days later. “but you called for me sooner, may I ask why?” You had an idea as to why, but the process would only be helpful to Kili if he himself understood why he choose to seek you sooner.

“I couldn’t wait til then.” His words were clipped and on the other side of short table sat Kili. His hands holding the armrest on either side. He looked strained, nearly holding himself together. “What happened today?” Your tone was soft and soothing, trying to calm his nerves. What usually worked only had Kili flinching back, cringing at the thought of what put his mind into such unrest. “I thought I could get through the meeting..” his dark brown eyes were glued to the wall behind you. “but knowing them, things wouldn’t be over unless they were mentioned.”

Balin had called the meeting to a close, the diplomatic talk subsided into more friendly converse. Kili was happy to just sit and listen in on his old friends conversations, thinking more about what meal he would have. That is until he heard, “ah I still remember as if it were yesterday. Thorin herding us together, wee lads Kili and Fili…”

It only took their names for Kili to go into a shock of memories. What would have been happiness was replaced by loneliness and misery, a pain so heart-wrenching took over his lungs, as if he had been punched several times in the gut. He staggered to his feet, wanting to hear no more. “Kil- your Majesty?” Oin was just as startled from the abrupt motion from his left. “Are you alri-“

“Leave me be.” Kili bellowed and he shut his eyes tight, not wanting to see any of their pained faces. Knowing all of them would see him as weak, what they could get over was something he couldn’t bare to think about. Kili turned for the door, exiting the room and immediately his guards were by his side. “Tell y/n to meet me immediately.” No mention of the place was needed, his close guards knew where the both of you met regularly.

None of this needed to be stated for you to understand what Kili had meant by them or they. This hadn’t been the first time nor would it be the last, some things never healed. But you had hope for the healing, because no matter the severity time could mend the broken.

“I see their faces, cold and undead more often when their names are spoken aloud.” Thorin and Fili would have such a disdainful gaze, both staring from the ground which they were sprawled upon. Staring Kili down, eyes that said, “You didn’t save us” or “You should’ve joined us” it made chills run through the brown haired dwarf. He rubbed his thumbs against his temple, trying to ease the headache and make the images go away.

At times like these, words were hard to say. What could you say to someone who couldn’t stand to here the name of their own beloved uncle or twin because of such a tragedy. They were brutally killed by evil creatures who tortured for fun. They were killed for wanting their homeland back. They had been killed and it wasn’t Kili’s fault. But he felt the blame, and part of him didn’t want to exist in a world without his close kin.

The silence was thick and though it was your job to listen, you knew in this moment something needed to be said. “My king, no one but yourself blames you for the tragedy,” you continued on trying your best to maintain eye contact, “They risked their lives just like you did yours, and dare I say, they would be upmost proud to see how far you have come and how far you have carried your people.” Kili’s eyes met yours finally moving away from the wall. He felt heavy, in his chest, and his vision started to blur. He grieved his loss, the tears streaming down his face. He missed his brother so much, missed the guidance that Thorin gave. He longed so much to turn back time, to stick by his brothers side, to do so much differently.

You couldn’t stop yourself from getting up from your chair, crossing the couple of feet between the two of you, and kneeling down in front of your king. With a few more thoughts running through your head, if it was proper or the right thing to do, you pushed all things to the side you decided to stand and embrace him. Your arms easily wrapping around him in a comforting hug, to which he immediately leaned in, wanting the comfort you offered. This only made you want to do more, to ease his pain somehow, as your hands went up from his back to his neck, going into his hair. Combing through it with your fingers, one hand going back down to rub his back.

You both stayed like that for awhile. Kili’s tears had stopped after some time but still no one moved. In fact Kili moved closer, his face burying into your chest not wanting to leave. This was unprofessional but at the same time, you didn’t mind one bit. If this helped Kili in any way, especially with overcoming his strifes, then you would give him all the comfort and hugs he needed. Because even though he was going through such grief, he was a true King, and the best dwarf for the job in your opinion.

He deserved all the happiness in the world.

#jrr tolkien #the hobbit #kili durin #fili durin #thorin #angst #kili imagine #hobbit imagine #battle of the five armies #erebor #king under the mountain #middle earth #kili fic #hobbit fanfiction #fan fic #there and back again

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ships4you · 4 years

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flames & deception {zuko}

Request: Heyoo!! Can I request a zuko x reader where Zuko and y/n get into a fight, and Zuko accidentally burns y/n? But instead of y/n getting mad at Zuko, y/n forgives him, kinda like the scene where Zuko and Iroh reunite? Ty!! ❤️❤️❤️(It can be either headcanon, imagine, whatever you’re the most comfortable with!) (*´ω｀*)

Pairing: Zuko x Earth Kingdom!Reader

Prompt: After setting Appa free Zuko has a nasty fever that leaves him sick in bed for days on end. While the reader is watching over a sleeping Zuko he has a nightmare, causing him to accidentally hurt the reader.

I’m such a sucker for againsty Zuko😻

“You know I saw a wanted poster for the blue spirit the other day.”

Lee ignored your comment, continuing to pace around his apartment above Mushi’s tea shop.

“You do know what that means, right? If someone spots you they’ll send guards after you. Or even worse; the Dai Li.”

You’ve been dating Lee for about two months now. Even though you didn’t know much about his past, he seemed to be very open and comfortable with you. A couple weeks into the relationship he told you about his evening excursions as the ‘Blue Spirit’. It never bothered you, but after climbing through your window one night all bloody and cut up from a fight, you couldn’t help but worry about your boyfriend.

“Do you hear what I’m saying?!” you raised your voice, annoyed at his I-could-care-less attitude. “Yes.” he responded dryly, slipping his swords into its sheath. You sighed and marched up to him, placing your hands on his chest. “Lee…” you said rubbing your thumbs in circles against his black skin-tight suit, “I just want you to be safe… Please, isn’t there another way?” you reached up to brush his hair out of his face. Before you could reach the black locks he grabbed your wrist tightly.

“You wouldn’t understand.” He lowered your wrist back down to your side, “I have to do this.”

This made you furious. “Oh of course!” you seethed through your teeth, “Of course I wouldn’t understand! You know not everything can be fixed with this little ‘hero’ act you have going on. Am I just not supposed to worry about you anymore?!” you yelled at him.

“Yes (y/n)! You don’t know me! You don’t know the things I’ve been through, the shitty things I have done. Hell, the shitty things I am going to do! You only care because you think I am this wounded, helpless creature, but guess what? I’m. Not. I’ve been on my own for years now and I don’t need you telling what I can and can’t do. When will you get it. I. Don’t. Need. You.”

He was now merely inches away from your face, eyes filled with fire. You weren’t sure when exactly the lump in your throat appeared, but you could feel soft, subtle tears sting against your cheeks. “Well. The next time you’re covered in cuts and bleeding out, don’t come to me.” you said before walking out, slamming the door behind you.

***

Three days after your big fight you received a letter in the mail.

Dearest (y/n),

I am afraid Lee has fallen extremely ill. He has been under my constant care for days, yet cannot seem to break his fever. I know my nephew hurt you, he often speaks out of fear— lashing out at those closest to him. I sincerely apologize on his behalf.

I need to go across town to fetch medicine to hopefully help his temperature go down. Would you be willing to come and sit with him for an hour or two? You are more than welcome to decline. Either way please come by the shop for a cup of tea soon. Seeing your beautiful smile warms my heart.

With all my love,

Mushi

As angry as you were, you knew how much he loved his nephew. You could not stand to break his heart. So, the next day you swallowed your pride and walked into the tea shop with your head held high.

He greeted you with open arms, as if nothing had happened. “He has been asleep for days,” Mushi explained leading you up the stairs to the apartment. “He just needs someone near to refill his water and keep a damp cloth a top his head. He will occasionally become restless in his sleep and thrash around a bit,” he said with sad eyes, “I will be back as soon as possible. Thank you (y/n). Your act of kindness is a gift from the spirits.” Resting your palm against his arm you said, “Mushi, you know I would do anything for you.” He smiled gratefully, bowing before leaving the room.

He looked so peaceful for the first few minutes, despite the small beads of sweat you noticed dripping down his face and chest. You made sure to switch out the damp rag with a new, cool one and refilled the bucket with fresh water. As you were putting the bucket down you noticed a worried expression stretch across his face. Before you knew it he began writhing back and forth, “Lee?” you knelt down and reached out to wake him up.

Before you could reach him, he quickly sat up and hurled his arm in your direction. You quickly jumped out of the way, and that’s when you noticed it. Fire ripping past your body. Your body was far enough, but you left hand that had come up to instinctively block your face was grazed by a stray flame. You yelped and squatted down to the floor, cradling your hand.

“(y/n)?”

You opened your hand, a slash across your palm already fading into a bright red.

“(y/n)… Please tell me I didn’t do that.” His eyes began filling up with tears.

His eyes were fearful. Terrified of what he had just done. Then the pain started to hit you. Panicking you ran to the bathroom, latching the door behind you. Your mind racing as you submerged your hand underneath the cool faucet.

Lee was a firebender.

He pounded on the door, “(y/n) please let me help you”

Was he a spy?

“Shit! I’m so sorry, please don’t hate me.” his voice cracked. It was obvious to tell he was crying.

No. Not a spy. Then why was a firebender in Ba Sing Se?

“don’t-hate-me, dont-hate-me, please just- fuck! I can’t lose you. I need you.”

“Is your name even Lee?” you felt your mouth move before you could think.

You heard him exhale through the sliding door. “No.”

You turned off the faucet, waiting for his explanation. “My name isn’t Lee. My real name is Zuko… Prince Zuko. My father- he. He is the Firelord. Two years ago he he burnt my face for speaking out against him.” he paused, “I was banished from the Fire Nation after that… My Uncle, Iroh and I have been on the run since I was 14. We came to Ba Sing Se to start over.”

You slid the door open. You were terrified to ask, but your heart needed to hear his answer “Have these last two months been one big lie? Is this… Us-” He stood in front of you eyes red from crying, his hair still damp with sweat. “No.” He said sternly, “Not you. Never with you.” His chest heaved as he spoke, “You are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I pushed you away. I am so sorry. I don’t deserve you.” he swiped his hand down his face, “I lied to you. I was stupid to let myself forget who I am, the kind of person I am. Being around you just made me feel… Normal. I was lost and confused and I used you. You have every right to hate me.”

“Zuko.” your lips testing the sound of his name. “I could never hate you.”

He sighed heavily. He walked up to you wrapping his arms around your middle, tucking his head into your neck. You curled your arms around his shoulders, embracing his head with your hand, stroking your fingers through his hair. You could feel his breath quicken, his tears damp against your clothes, “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I love you.” your body tensed, “Please don’t leave me.” his voice whispered, muffled against your skin. Sliding your hands to his neck, you lifted his head from his chin. “I’m not going anywhere.” you reassured, hands now cupping the sides of his face, brushing the tears with your thumbs. “I love you too.”

He immediately pulled you into him, latching onto your lips. His hand slid up the length of your back, pressing your chest against his. You tilted your head downwards, resting your forehead against his. As he pulled away your hands fell to his chest. “Can I just say…” you sighed. He glance at you through his lashes, tightening his grip on your hip. “Yes. Anything.”

“I like your real name so much better than Lee.” you couldn’t help but giggle. He groaned throwing his head back, “Ugh, yea. My Uncle gave it to my as a joke. I got him back by calling him Mushi though.” You both shared a quick laugh.

“Yea I have to be honest, I had to hold myself back from moaning your name all those times. Lee is such an un-sexy name.” you joked, hooking your hands behind his back. He rolled his eyes jokingly, “I just told you I am the crowned Prince of the Fire Nation and that is what you take from it?!” You smiled giddily, “Mhmm, yup.”

“You are ridiculous.” He said before kissing you lightly. “Come on, I used to burn myself while training as a kid. I know a recipe to help it heal.” he said leading you to the kitchen.

***

Let me know if you guys want a part two, maybe a prequel or just more of this Earth Kingdom!Reader plot-line to carry throughout the storyline of the show. Maybe them reuniting on the outer walls with Iroh and the white Lotus or after the war is finished. Hope you guys liked this one <3

Tag List: @myexgirlfriendisthemoon

#Zuko #zuko x reader #zuko imagine #Avatar The Last Airbender #atla #atla fanfic #atla imagine #atla x reader #zuko fanfic #submission

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nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice · 4 years

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Zutara. My otp since I first watched as a 10 year old in 2005. Hopefully you'll be kind to them 😉 I'm convinced they'll be cannon in the live action 😅

Alright... *starts digging grave*, I think Katara and Zuko have a wonderful platonic relationship and for them to have a romantic relationship would (1) undermine Zuko’s redemption arc and (2) undermine the found family aspect of their friendship. I don’t have an issue with anyone who ships Zutara and I do not engage in shipping drama, but I think their platonic relationship is too damn important to favor a romantic relationship I don't really think has chemistry.

Personally, I have never gotten romantic vibes from them like... at all? I think the progression of their friendship was important in terms of the show’s themes of forgiving those who deserve it and finding support in people you least expect, but I just don’t get chemistry from them. I’ve always been a Kataang fan but how I feel about Zutara has nothing to do with that. Avatar is one of those shows where I would have been totally fine with it ending with no romantic pairings because the found family aspect of it is so much more powerful.

If anyone has spent 5 seconds on my blog, you know that Zuko is my favorite character and I think he deserves nothing but love and support after all the shit he went through. But a big aspect of why I care about him as a character is that he put the work in to make amends. He didn’t just show up one day saying “I’ve seen the error of my ways, sorry for all the stuff I did, I’m good now” and that was that. He had to work for forgiveness and he did it because he realized the fire nation was wrong, his father was wrong, and he was wrong. His decision to switch sides had nothing to do with any connection with the gaang because he didn’t really know them. His decision to switch sides stemmed from 3 very important things:

(1) He felt guilty not for betraying Aang and Katara in Ba Sing Se, but Iroh. He realized his uncle was the person who had given him unconditional love while Azula and Ozai’s “love” for him was entirely dependent on his ability to provide them results. From this guilt, he was able to realize that his uncle had made the right decision in siding with the Avatar and more importantly, that Ozai was wrong and that all the abuse he endured under him was undeserved.

(2) His experiences in the Earth Kingdom as a refugee. This post explains it really well, but Zuko’s realization that everything he’s believed about the Fire Nation has been wrong is rooted in his moment of empathy with Song and her matching burn scar, his empathy with Lee who lost his brother like Zuko lost Lu Ten, his empathy with Jet who lost his way going to extremes for a cause, and, yes, his empathy with Katara who’s mother was taken from her by the Fire Nation like his was. The reason he switches sides is because after all of those experiences, he can no longer be callous or unfeeling towards the Earth Kingdom like his father or sister. The people of the Earth Kingdom either empathized with him for the pain he went through and appreciated him for his desire to help the helpless (Song, Lee, Jet) or feared and hated him for being part of a country that caused their suffering (Lee, Lee’s mom, Jet, Katara). Throughout season 2, Zuko realized the extent of what the war meant for the other side.

(3) The realization of the extents his father would go to and the truth about Ozai’s amorality. This point is kind of just the culmination of everything in the last two points, but all that set up comes to fruition when Zuko attends the war meeting where Ozai decides to use Sozin’s Comet to commit genocide. By this point he’s racked with guilt over what he did to Iroh, he’s empathized with people who have suffered and is coming to terms with the fact that it’s not only the people of the earth kingdom that have unnecessarily suffered because of Ozai, but him as well. In that meeting, he expresses adoration for the Earth Kingdom being proud and strong and Ozai’s response is to burn it to the ground. It’s the same treatment he gave Zuko at the Agni Kai when he stuck to his morals and refused to fight and was met with abject cruelty. At that meeting, Zuko realizes that his father is wrong and that he was always wrong. He realizes that millions of people will suffer at the hands of this man who is so incredibly wrong and lacking in empathy.

SO, keeping all that in mind. His redemption arc doesn’t stop when he switches sides, it keeps going as he makes individual amends with Aang, Sokka, and Katara. It keeps going as he learns from the dragons, as he chooses what he believes in over his girlfriend, as he risks his life to protect the gaang from Azula, and as he tries to help Aang, Sokka, and Katara find emotional closure in different aspects. He helps Aang overcome his fear of firebending. He helps Sokka regain his honor. And he helps Katara address her grief regarding her mother’s death. These four episodes are some of the best in the series because it’s not just Zuko working to make amends because he wants them to trust him, but it’s him empathizing with their trauma, their guilt, and their fear of failure because he’s been there.

Alright, that’s a whole essay regarding why Zuko’s redemption arc works, now what does this have to do with Zutara? Here’s the deal: if any aspect of Zuko’s decisions for his redemption were influenced by romantic attraction to Katara, it would undermine the meaning of his choices for him. He made the choices to be better because he empathized with a nation of people who needlessly suffered. He made the choices to be better because he learned to cut himself off from the need to please his abusive father and accept the unconditional love of his uncle. His choice to help Katara find her mother’s murderer stemmed from empathy and his desire to be better than the people who hurt him and hurt others. The reason Katara’s resentment towards him hurt him so much was because he was trying so hard to be better than the people that were feared and hated. Katara treated him like Lee’s mom and Jet did when they realized he was a firebender (that being said, Katara was justified since Zuko’s decision to side with Azula resulted in the fall of Ba Sing Se and nearly resulted in Aang’s death), and he didn’t want to be that person. He didn’t want to be hated or feared anymore and he was willing to do anything to move past being viewed like that. So Katara’s decision to finally forgive him? It’s the point where she realizes he’s able to empathize with her over his mother’s death where her mother’s killer could not. She realized that he was different and had changed because he put the work in. And that’s huge for his redemption, not for any kind of forming relationship because that’s not the point.

Now, concerning the whole found-family aspect I love so much? Zutara as a romantic pairing would undermine the beauty of Zuko’s ability to find a loving, supportive group of people that he was missing his entire life. Katara does not work as a romantic partner for Zuko because she works as his replacement sister. The fact is that Zuko’s actual family experience was founded on fear and not love, but the idea of “usefulness”. Zuko and Azula were only valued by Ozai so much as they were useful to him, which is why he favored (not loved) Azula, she was useful to him and Zuko wasn’t until he “slayed the Avatar”. Iroh (and Ursa for a time) was the only person who showed him unconditional love and support, but that wasn’t enough to snap him out of the need to please Ozai. Zuko rooted his entire self worth in what his family thought of him and engaged in very self-destructive behavior throughout season 1 to prove himself because he “didn’t want [his] father to think [he was] worthless”. Even throughout season 3, he still thinks that his uncle’s love for him is conditional (”my uncle hates me I I know it”) until he’s proven otherwise because that’s what he’s been taught. So him joining the gaang, that’s the first time in his life he’s really met with the concept of people liking him for himself, not for his ability to be useful (his family, Jet) or because they think he’s someone he’s not (Song, Lee, Jin). He’s met with friendship: people making fun of him in a playful way instead of tearing down his insecurities and vulnerabilities (”mind if I watch you too jerks do your jerkbending?” “so all we need to do is make Zuko angry, that should be easy enough”, “look, it’s baby Zuko!”, “actually I think [the play portrayal] is pretty spot-on”), people trying to help him fix his problems (”you need to go back to the original source”) instead of making him feel weak for not being able to solve those problems in the first place, and showing him express appreciation and encouragement (”you’re pretty smart”, “to Zuko, who knew after all the times he tried to snuff us out, today he’d be our hero”, “I’m going with Zuko!”). And that’s so. Damn. Important for his ability to heal after how he was treated for his entire life. He’s introduced to the idea that people want him to be around and they want to include him in their circle for being him. Up until the finale, he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to reconcile with Iroh or if Iroh will accept his forgiveness, but these people have given him a home in their group and he’s not afraid or insecure around a group of people for the first time in his life.

And that’s why Katara has to be the one to defeat Azula: because Azula couldn’t be the sister Zuko had and Katara could be. It’s a tragedy that Zuko and Azula were driven apart by Ozai pitting them against each other, the corruption of firebending throughout the ages so it’s regarded for its power rather than its energy, and Azula’s own insecurities and fears of losing power because, like Zuko once did, she only considers herself to be worth anything so long as she’s better than him. The abuse he endured had an effect on her to because so long as she saw that Ozai’s “love” for Zuko was conditional, that meant that his “love” for her was conditional as well (”you can’t treat me like Zuko!”). Zuko and Azula could never support each other and they could never trust each other in the way that Sokka and Katara could. They wouldn’t sacrifice anything for each other because they were conditioned to survive, to leave behind the lesser sibling in order to get ahead. But at the Agni Kai, Zuko jumps in front of the lighting for Katara because unlike Azula, she has supported him since she forgave him and is there to back him up. She thinks he can be Firelord and she thought his uncle could forgive him in a way that Azula just never could. And that’s why Katara has to be the one to defeat Azula. Not because of any romantic attraction for Zuko, but because he’s protected Aang and Sokka and her and Toph and their little found family. It’s because he’s one of them. So in that moment where Azula is defeated, screaming and sobbing because she’s lost and that means that she’s the weaker sibling, she’s gone and it’s tragic. Zuko looks upon her and he wishes it didn’t have to be like this, but it is and it’s tragic. It didn’t have to be how it was but it did and it was awful and Azula is left broken, hating her brother with murderous fury. But he’s not alone.

He has a new sister who will protect him and fight for him when he’s lost his own.

(addition: I want to make it clear that this does not mean I think Azula is irredeemable. Her actions and outlook are 100% a product of Ozai’s abuse, as I explained. I do not think that’s she’s beyond redemption, but by the finale she was still a villain and her goal was still to kill her brother so she could be Firelord. That’s not to say that she couldn’t have eventually healed and been able to reconcile with him, but by the final Agni Kai that’s not where their relationship was. The fact that she and Zuko had a toxic relationship was not her fault, but they still had a toxic relationship built on distrust and competition where Zuko and Katara’s friendship was built on support and protection. I am entirely sympathetic towards Azula, but just because she was redeemable doesn’t mean she was redeemed and just because there was potential for her and Zuko to eventually have a better relationship doesn’t mean that they did by the end of the series.)

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omgrachwrites · 4 years

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The Princess and The Duke - Chapter Fourteen

Pairing: Sirius Black x Reader

Summary: As the Princess of Spain, you were always supposed to marry King James of England to make an alliance between Spain and England. When he marries a woman at his court for love, you are married off to his best friend, Sirius Black the Duke of Bedford to keep the alliance. However, the court is riddled with secrets and a rebel in the North starts to rise against the Throne. Royal AU.

Warnings: fluff, angst, James and Lily being adorable

Words: 2666

Disclaimer: The Spanish may be wrong and these gifs don’t belong to me!

Translations: lo prometo - I promise

Gracias, eres una maravilla - Thank you, you’re wonderful

A/N: This is a formal apology for the next chapter :( I’m so sorry again, the Spanish in this was used with Google Translate so I’m so sorry if it’s wrong! Hope you guys enjoy this and please let me know what you think and let me know if you would like to be tagged! I love you all! xxx

Chapter Fourteen - Beware of The City

It seemed like good looks ran in the family, Regulus’ face was alight with joy, happiness burning in his eyes as he met his niece and nephew, it was the first time that you’d brought them to see him. He was looking quite well, he’d been so gravely injured that James wouldn’t allow anyone to see him – not even Sirius – he was worried that visitors would make Regulus’ condition worse.

As soon as James deemed Regulus fit enough to see people, you and Sirius were there in a flash, Sirius had barely left his side and you were proud of how much of a good brother Sirius was. Sirius grinned up at you, almost turning your legs to jelly in the process, and you combed your fingers through his inky black hair that was beginning to get long again and he sweetly pressed his lips against your cheek.

“Elena and Johnathan really are so beautiful, Y/N, they obviously take after you in that respect,” he smirked, glancing over at his older brother.

Instead of acting offended, Sirius simply inclined his head in a nod, “they certainly do take after their beautiful mother,” he cupped your cheek as he turned to look at you. There was so much adoration and love swimming in his eyes that butterflies fluttered in the pit of your stomach as your breath was momentarily stolen away. God, you loved him so much, every day you were thankful for him.

Blushing, you averted your eyes to the grey stone floor, “God, if you two keep saying things like that then I’m afraid my head will get so large that it won’t even be able to fit through that door,” you giggled, gesturing to the golden arched doorway behind you. The two brothers laughed as Sirius kissed along your knuckles, lacing his fingers through yours.

The thud of hesitant footsteps against the stone floor captured your attention and you saw the easy smile slide of Sirius’ face and it drained of colour. Almost at once, the atmosphere in the room switched from something that was very happy and light, to something stifling and tense. You turned around to see James lingering in the doorway, he shot an apologetic look at Regulus and you could feel Sirius tense behind you, it was time.

“I’m so sorry to break this up, but the court is assembled.”

Regulus nodded as he forced a smile at you and Sirius as he passed the twins back to you, “you don’t have to do this, Reg,” Sirius sighed and you could hear the pain in his voice, you wished that you could take it all away.

“Sirius is right, Reg.”

Regulus shook his head as he got out of bed, wincing as he did so, rejecting Sirius’ silent offer to help, “I have to, the court needs to know, I’ll be fine, lo prometo,” he assured you in Spanish, forcing out a tight smile. He was much too noble. You and Sirius both exchanged a worried glance as you followed Regulus out of the chambers that he was currently residing in.

The atmosphere in The Throne Room was thick and the tension was only building as a hushed whisper fell across the room. Lucius Malfoy gave Regulus a murderous stare as he approached the throne, James and Lily looked nervous and rightfully so. Regulus didn’t seem to notice, in fact, he walked with his head held high.

“Regulus,” James started, “when the palace guards saw that you were hurt and went to get you some help, this bag was found with your possessions and you mentioned the importance of it,” James frowned, looking weary and you wondered if this great responsibility was exhausting him yet. He held up a small satin pouch that was tied with drawstrings, “can you tell me what’s inside?”

Regulus inclined his head, “certainly, Your Majesty. They are seals of nobility of houses that associate with Lord Voldemort, the rumours are true. He wasn’t killed as a child like we were told by our parents and grandparents,” there was a gasp and again, a hushed whisper rippled through the court. Dread ran through your veins like ice, “regretfully during my time in Cumbria, I could only accumulate a couple of seals before I could get away with my life.”

James nodded as he sat down on his magnificent golden throne, his Queen at his side and he pulled open the bag, “whoever is in league with this Lord Voldemort will be imprisoned for treason and you will spend the rest of your life rotting in prison,” he cleared his throat and pulled out a piece of parchment and his eyes hardened, “Malfoy.”

Lucius Malfoy only sneered as the guards came to arrest him, “long live the King!” he shouted sarcastically as he was led away.

“Mulciber, Lestrange, Rossier, Crabbe, Goyle.”

As the King called out the names of the traitors, they were arrested one by one. Some of the men went silently, some begged for their lives, trying to appeal to James’ good nature. You shuddered as a chill ran down your spine as you held your children closer. It was an awful thing to hear someone beg for their life. It had truly been the worst day; you wished you were back in France – or Spain – beneath the warm sun without a care in the world.

James sighed as he turned to address the court and Sirius pulled you close and you kissed his cheek, he was the light in all of this darkness, “the penalty for treachery will be imprisonment, perhaps even death,” you were shocked at his words but you knew that he had to keep his Kingdom safe, “I will not be made a fool of! Thank you, Regulus for bringing this to our attention.”

“If you permit me to return to Cumbria, Your Majesty, I will be able to get you more names.”

Before James could reply, Sirius spoke up and you heard the panicked tone in his voice, “you can’t! He’ll kill you, Regulus, I-I can’t lose you!” pain and worry flashed across Sirius’ handsome face, his voice growing thick. Your heart clenched as you saw your husband in such turmoil.

Regulus bit his lip as he glanced at his worried brother and he placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, “I’ll be fine, he won’t kill me because I’m going to blame this on someone else, someone who is so evil that they deserve to die.”

Almost instantly, Sirius’ face transformed into a sneer as his soft grey eyes grew hard, “it seems like you’ve got it all figured out,” he scoffed as he shook his head as he stormed out of The Throne Room.

Regulus gazed after his brother with a pained expression as he ran a hand over his tired face, “I’ll go after him, Reg,” you wanted to help so you offered him a small smile as you passed your children to Remus, and his wife, Mary,” he didn’t mean it, he’s just scared. We all are, everything will be okay.”

Regulus grinned at you weakly as he brushed a knuckle against your cheek, “Gracias, Y/N, eres una maravilla,” you were distracted as you spoke to Regulus so you didn’t notice someone hurry after your husband.

You sighed as you made your way down the castle hallways, it was a beautiful day outside, and it was such a contrast compared to the horror that had unfolded in The Throne Room. It was then that you heard her soft voice; it was amazing how far the sound travelled.

“I’m so sorry about your brother, Sirius, you’re both so brave,” Marlene’s voice was so breathy that it made your blood boil. He was your husband.

You quickly rounded the corner and saw red, feeling sick and angry, you were so angry. Marlene had her hands placed against Sirius’ chest and she brushed her lips against Sirius’. Instantly, Sirius pushed her away with a frown, “what the hell do you think you’re doing? I love Y/N and my family more than anything, I wouldn’t jeopardise that!” his rejection filled you with relief that almost eclipsed your anger.

When Marlene scoffed, you lost your temper, “how dare you?!”

Sirius and Marlene both turned to look at you with wide eyes, as soon as Marlene saw you, a look of boredom flashed across her face, while Sirius looked devastated as his eyes filled with tears.

“Y/N,” he choked.

“I graciously gave you a job! And you betray me, going behind my back to seduce my husband!” you pointed a finger at her angrily, you felt like a crazed woman but you didn’t care, “get out of my sight, you’re dismissed! I never want to see you again!” Marlene scowled at you as she shook her head and walked away.

“Y/N,” all of your anger dissipated when you saw the tears streaming down Sirius’ cheeks and you felt tears sting at your own eyes. Marlene was exactly the kind of woman that you imagined Sirius would be with if he hadn’t had to marry you, “she kissed me, I didn’t do anything, I didn’t want her to kiss me,” his face was pleading as he reached for you. You flinched slightly from his touch and his face crumpled as he choked on his tears, “I love you.”

You nodded, hot tears streaming down your cheeks, an unbearable ache in your chest, “I love you too, I know that you pushed her away, I don’t blame you, my darling,” it was true but you just couldn’t get the image out of your head.

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2 Years Later:

The pitter patter of little feet running down the hallway – the twins giggled as they chased each other – made Sirius grin. Elena and Johnathan were growing up so fast; they had the complexion and beauty of their mother, with their father’s thick hair and stormy grey eyes. Sirius grinned at his wife who looked like a Queen in golden robes and flowers in her long flowing tresses of hair. When Y/N spotted Sirius gazing at her lovingly, she lightly smacked his arm as a light melodic giggle escaped her lips.

Things had been going well between them, they had been rocky for a little while after Y/N had walked in on Marlene kissing him in that deserted hallway. Sirius was still devastated by the memory, Y/N had been heart broken and he was partly to blame. Though, they worked through their difficult feelings and were stronger than ever.

“You look so beautiful, Y/N” Sirius smiled as he reached down and laced their fingers together.

Y/N grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed a pretty colour, “you don’t look so bad yourself,” she smirked and raised an eyebrow as her gaze flickered down to Sirius’ lips.

Sirius chuckled and cupped Y/N’s cheeks as she pulled him into a deep kiss, her tongue tracing the seam of his lips before pulling away. Sirius missed the warmth of his wife’s lips and he tried to follow her lips with his which made her giggle and she pressed a teasing kiss against his nose. The twins giggle caught Sirius’ attention again and he sighed happily, shaking his head.

“Slow down, you two!”

Johnathan whined, “Papa!” while Elena pouted as her eyes went round.

“God, that’s your trick when you don’t get what you want.”

Y/N laughed as she leaned her head on his shoulder, it was a nice warm weight and her hair smelled of citrus, “moral of the story is to give me everything I want,” she teased as they caught up with the twins.

Both Elena and Johnathan were so excited, Lily and James had invited them – along with Remus, Mary and Peter – to an intimate banquet. Sirius vaguely wondered what the occasion was. As soon as they walked into the banquet hall, Sirius heard Y/N take a sharp intake of breath and Sirius could see why. Over a dozen flickering candles filled the diamond encrusted chandelier that created a warm orange glow. The spread looked absolutely amazing, Sirius almost expected the velvet covered table to groan beneath the weight. Beautiful golden tapestries lined the walls and Sirius had to wonder if this was some sort of celebration.

Elena and Johnathan ran full force at James and Lily who laughed as they lifted them into their arms, “hello, you two,” James grinned before looking over at Sirius and Y/N, “you look great guys.”

Y/N smiled as she waved back, “thank you! So do you,” that was when Sirius noticed that Lily looked amazingly happy and there was a glow to her cheeks.

Sirius smiled as he greeted Remus, Mary and Peter, “do you three know why we’re here? And why the Hall is decorating like something out of a portrait?”

Remus shook his head as he wrapped his arms around Mary, his hand resting on her pregnant belly, “I’ve got no clue, they just asked us to be here.”

Y/N grinned and let out a wistful sigh, “I think I know why we’re here.”

There were so many courses of wonderful food, the flavours danced across Sirius’ tongue and he groaned quietly, blushing when Y/N smirked at him. Sirius expected James and Lily to tell them why they were here straight away but by the time the dessert was served he was still none the wiser. He couldn’t stand the anticipation for much longer.

“So, why are we here?” Sirius smiled as he wiped the food from Elena’s face.

James and Lily exchanged bright and happy looks, “okay, I suppose we can tell you now. We wanted our closest friends to be the first ones to find out,” James grinned as he lovingly kissed his wife on the lips.

“We’re going to have a baby!” they said in unison and for a split second there was silence before everyone began talking over one another.

“Congratulations, I’m so happy for you two!” Y/N squealed as she pulled Lily into a hug, “you are just going to be the best parents!”

Remus shook James’ hand with a teasing smile on his face, “another James running around, how will we ever survive?”

Sirius laughed as a happy feeling ballooned in his chest as he pulled his friend into a hug, James’ hazel eyes looked teary as Sirius pulled away. He knew that they had been trying for a baby for so long and they deserved to be parents, “they’re going to be so loved!” he was so incredibly happy for his best friends, it would be great for Elena and Johnathan to grow up with another child.

The mood was jovial and happy as dessert was finished off and Sirius made a toast, “I can’t quite believe that you two are going to have a baby, and we couldn’t be happier! To baby Potter!”

“To baby Potter!” everyone laughed and clinked their glasses together; the smile never left James and Lily’s faces.

Unfortunately, the happy mood couldn’t last long because when the dishes were being cleared away, The Captain of the Guard came running in. His face was worried and a pang of worry filled Sirius’ chest.

“Your Majesty! The prisoners, the traitors have escaped!” a gasp filled the room and regret filled James’ face. He had chosen not to kill the traitors so to keep their families compliant and in good faith. Lord Voldemort had been rather quiet for the past two years, in England at least, he’d been causing terror all over Europe and Sirius was worried that he was gathering more followers to knock James off his throne. Voldemort believed that he was the real heir to the throne.

Sirius bit his lip as he looked at Y/N whose eyes were filled with worry and she squeezed Sirius’ hand; he knew that she was thinking the same thing that he was. With the followers of Voldemort out of prison, what did that mean for Regulus?

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@smiithys @elayneblack @amelie-black @siriuslyjanhvi @pregnant-piggy @lindatreb @mabelle-cherie @hxrgreeves @britishspidey @mads-bri @classicrocketqueen @sxtansqueen @hufflepuffzutara @missmulti @bruxa0007 @ourstarsailor @fific7 @galwithbluethoughts @2410slb @sunles @krismeunicornbaobei @theincredibledeadlyviper @deathkat657 @lonegryffindor2005

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lorelylantana · 4 years

Text

The Difference

I was inspired to write by some of the amazing @ghostgirl19posts‘s work for Febwhump and with permission I’ve decided to write a little epilogue for the Ganon’sChampion!Link chapters, the first of which can be found here but you should also read parts two and three for this to make sense.

Overall rating: T

Warnings: Emotional Manipulation, unhealthy relationship that grows to be slightly less unhealthy.

“Did you really believe that anything would be different?”

No, she supposes she didn’t. Not really. She isn’t that stupid.

Zelda sees the dead sincerity in his eyes when he speaks, but the relief at Ganon’s fall has sparked a rebellious streak in her. She won’t let him get off that easy, so she masks her dismay with an apathetic flip of her hair.

“Just as well,” she hums, the picture of a bored princess, “As far as I’m concerned, my job is done so long as the kingdom isn’t actively on fire. I see nothing wrong with lounging about for the rest of my days. If you want to do all the paperwork, be my guest. In the meantime, I’ll be in the library. It’s been too long since I’ve read a good book.”

She doesn’t wait for permission, slipping out of his arms and breezing out the door. He stands there a moment, shocked into silence. He likely would have called after her if he wasn’t rooted to the spot by the dread sinking in his body.

“ . . . Paperwork?”

Despite Link’s insistence otherwise, Zelda did begin to notice things were different. The changes were small, incremental, but no less potent. She was not so foolish as to let her guard down, but a drop of water can cut through stone through sheer persistence.

Zelda woke up in the middle of the night needing to go to the bathroom. This was an increasingly common occurrence as her midriff expanded to accommodate the child growing there. She lay on her side, Link curled around her back and his hand on her stomach. The day after Ganon’s assassination his rooms were cleared and refurbished to house the new royal couple.

The first difference. Their rooms were divided no longer. At first, Zelda assumed that he was tired of having to summon her and this unification was an attempt to streamline his path between her legs. She thought it a decision driven by lust, but she had to admit that their nightly escapades had decreased. He still took Zelda into his arms often enough, unwrapping her with painstaking, almost precious care and leaving her skin open to be devoured. But there were also nights like these, where the days were long and Link seemed to sense her fatigue and was content to simply lie wrapped around her, his hand never straying from her abdomen. Zelda wondered if he was as tired as she was, adjusting to kingship, but most of her husband’s mind was still a mystery to her.

Her husband.

There was no royal wedding. No dress. No grand feast to celebrate Zelda’s return to royalty. There was only an acolyte and a set of documents to be signed before she was once again dragged off to bed. They couldn’t find a priest, so they said their vows in front of the closest alternative.

Zelda yawned and slipped out of bed to relieve herself. While she was washing her hands she took a moment to consider her reflection.

Zelda knew there were aspects of her marriage that were unacceptable, she knew that.

But there was no denying the privilege afforded to her as queen, even if she was only a puppet. Her hair still shone, her eyes were bright, and her cheeks full. A far cry from the gaunt, weary state the servants were in. She shuddered to think of how her citizens looked outside the castle walls. The conquest of Hyrule was her fault. It was her failure to claim her birthright that brought this ruin upon him. Yet here she stood, safely tucked away, insulated from the Calamity’s devastation.

Sometimes, when she was honest with herself, Zelda had to admit there was a part of her that was grateful for Link’s command that she stay within the castle. His mandate, cruel though it was, gave her a plausible excuse to hide from her mistakes. The castle walls were high and thick, strong enough to shut out the guilt that was her obligation.

Zelda jerked her head to the side, unable to look herself in the eye any longer. She padded back into the room. Instead of heading straight back to bed, though the promise of warmth against the late fall evening was tempting, she was drawn to the window. The guardians still roamed the streets of the shattered Castle Town. They were malicious no longer, only patrolling out of ancient duty, but none dared approach. Above all the ruin, the sky was clear of Ganon’s hateful red. At least she could see the stars.

“Come to bed.”

Zelda turned to where Link lay, staring at her. She supposed he finally lost his patience with her idling. If she were a more fanciful woman, Zelda would think he was fussing over her standing in a room that chilled when the fire died in the hearth. She returned to the massive bed Link claimed as theirs and sat down, kicking her slippers off before sliding back under the lush, heavy comforter. Link’s hand was back on her stomach before she settled, an imitation of a caring husband so convincing it was cruel.

She didn’t cry, because tears were a cry for help she didn’t deserve.

Before her growing stomach prevented it, Zelda spent most of her days firmly ensconced in Link’s lap as he looked over documents. He refused to ask for the help any of the few conquered noblemen that still lived, as he insisted such an action was beneath him. Besides, what better way to remind the captive queen of her place than to make her explain all of this bureaucratic nonsense?

“What exactly is the point of a crop rotation?” he huffed as he read the agricultural proposal over lunch. Zelda finished off her sandwich before answering.

“Different plants require different nutrients from the land to grow. If you grow the same crop in the same field every year, eventually those nutrients will deplete. Switching things up gives the soil an opportunity to regain those specific nutrients while reducing the amount of bad harvests.”

Link hummed as he signed his approval of the proposal. All of this drivel was really giving him a headache. He reached for the last half of his sandwich, but Zelda got there first, plucking it off of his plate and sinking her teeth into it. Child crafting was a hungry business, after all.

Link disguised his failed reach by redirecting it around Zelda so his arms circled her waist, both hands resting on her stomach. He supposed a sense of entitlement was a good quality for a queen to have.

He didn’t need that sandwich anyway.

The powers that be must have finally resigned themselves that he was here to stay. They must have given up on his downfall, and instead must have focused on encouraging what little virtue he had. They must be, for such a petty generosity to be rewarded by the baby’s first kick.

“The baby kicked!” he gasped, craning his head over her shoulder to look down at where her tummy peeked out under her breasts.

“Yes, love, I noticed,” Zelda deadpanned, then they stilled in tandem.

Love. A word that had no business between them. Obsession, perhaps. Possession. But ‘love’? It was laughable. Link opened his mouth to say something castigating, something harsh enough to bring back the status quo.

“Careful.”

Link’s head jerked back in surprise. She didn’t turn to look at him, ignoring him in favor of taking the apple from his plate, so he pressed.

“What did you say?” Who was she to caution him?

“Merely making an observation,” she said, turning her hand this way and that, regarding the fruit with a critical eye, “After all, what upsets the mother threatens the child.”

A chill ran down Link’s spine. Perhaps, even after all this time, he had underestimated her. He didn’t have the luxury of composing himself at his own pace, because she had turned to him. The calculating, sharp look in her eye brought him to heel.

“Wouldn’t you agree?” she asked.

Link’s hands started rubbing again, and his lips dropped to her shoulder. He had surrendered, but he wasn’t sure if the victor was Zelda or his own traitorous heart.

“Yes, dearest.”

Zelda hummed in response, bringing a hand up to comb luxuriously through his hair. He sighed, and she brought the apple to her lips, biting into it with a satisfying crunch.

After all, a marriage bed is an arena of equals.

Perhaps the statement was insensitive, but being a pregnant queen of a ruined castle did have some perks. Primarily, it was the absolute lack of regard for decorum. Despite the circumstances, Zelda felt a lighthearted thrill of walking around the palace, once a place of rigid etiquette, in nothing but a nightgown and silk robe. Link’s insistence, of course. When her corset was no longer comfortable to wear, Link inferred that her dresses would be too tight as well. He could have had new ones made, but why bother with garments that would have to be altered half a dozen times? No, it was far more efficient for his queen to lounge about in her nightgowns.

Of course, the knee length hem had absolutely nothing to do with it. Link didn’t even notice when a knee length gown in the first trimester stopped at the top of her thighs in the third. Or the fact that Zelda stopped wearing anything underneath when putting something on became difficult. Irrelevant, all of it.

If he happened to capitalize on the opportunities it afforded to him, fine, but that was an entirely separate matter.

Zelda stretches, trying to release some of the tension in her back, before falling stiffly back into her chaise. It was absurd, but the moment he realized she could no longer fit in his lap he’d commissioned a modified chaise specifically for her and had it brought to the office. She said it was overkill, but he didn’t care. That said, her back had grown to appreciate the reclined seat and cushions.

Still, one couldn’t help the stiffness that came with sitting for long periods of time. Perhaps she should take a turn about the room? Zelda swung her legs down, then started probing for her slippers. Surely they must be in the same spot she left them? Still, with her stomach as large as it was she couldn’t really see.

Link knelt on the floor next to her, having gotten up the moment he saw her sit up. He took her foot in his hand gently while the other reached under the chaise to pull out the missing footwear. He delicately put the slipper on one foot, perhaps wary of hurting her swollen ankles. He repeated the action with her other foot before wordlessly helping her stand, even though he knew she didn’t need it.

At least, she thought she didn’t. Turns out, fate had other plans, and Zelda felt an intense cramping in her lower abdomen, causing her to double over with a start.

“Zelda!? Zelda, tell me what’s wrong?”

She looked him in the eyes, the same concern held in his grip supporting her arms shining in his eyes.

“Call the midwives.”

The night was quiet. Link would swear that it was the first peaceful moment since Ganon’s rise. Although, it’s entirely possible that this tranquility was an illusion born of the chaos of the day preceding. Now his lovely wife was sleeping, exhausted, in the bed while he sat in a chair next to her.

The baby in his arms huffed, and Link’s attention was drawn from the Zelda sleeping in the bed to the one resting in his arms.

They had to name her Zelda. Of course they did. Other names didn’t seem to fit.

The people of Hyrule couldn’t be trusted to look after his daughter, they were losers! How could they be trusted with someone so precious when they couldn’t even win one war? They couldn’t, simple as that. No, the only ones who were capable of looking after little Zelda were himself and his queen, no others.

But then who would run the country?

Link supposed he could carry on, leaving the childrearing to Zelda as he made sure any and all threats were eliminated before they even looked at the castle. Baby Zelda squirmed, one of her arms coming loose of her swaddling and slapping him in the face.

What was he thinking? Zelda couldn’t hone these raw battle instincts. She can’t even do a backflip, much less after giving birth. Besides, why should she get all the time with the baby? He’s the king! He should get to do what he wants, and he wants to raise his little girl. Zelda can handle affairs of the state well enough. Not right away of course, she needs time to recuperate, but after a few months she should be more than capable of take Hyrule’s reins while he looks after the little one.

“Come here,”

Link looked to the bed, Zelda was sitting up. He moved to help her, but she waved him away, pulling herself into a sitting position with a wince. Once she was settled he slid under the blankets. Zelda undid her nightgown, allowing their sweet daughter to latch on her breast. She winced.

“Does it hurt?” he asked with a frown. She shook her head.

“It’s a bit uncomfortable, I’ll get used to it.”

Link put an arm around her shoulders and gently pulled her to him. She leaned on him, resting her drowsy head in the crook of his neck, and Link was overcome. He couldn’t fight anymore. It was time to admit defeat.

He pressed his nose into her hair, “I love you.”

When his statement was met with silence, he thought she had fallen back asleep, or perhaps his whispered words were lost in the crown of her head. Then, like a dream, she answered.

“I love you, too.”

Outside, a cool breeze blows through the land, a sigh of relief as the first sprout pushes through the earth, marking the beginning of a new era.

#the legend of zelda #zelink #tw #emotional manipulation #botw zelink #link #zelda #Lantana Lore #LoZ AU #LantanaLore #tw pregnancy

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meltsyoutodeath · 3 years

Text

Fuck you I'm talking about KingdomStuck anyway

I made a post about it long ago but it deserves more!! bc I like it!!

Ok so basically most Princes end up being transfered to anothwr Aspect to study bc they keep destroying their classmates' cores on accident (or maybe it's on purpose. who knows). Dirk switches with Eridan, so he goes to Hope and Eridan goes to study on Heart. In College of Hopeful Futures he meets Jake, and the teachers pair them for training bc of the conversation their teacher had with the principal of the college which boils down to "Jake could fix him" "Dirk could make him worse". They fall in love. Dirk fucks shit up, a lot. Jake also fucks shit up, a lot. One day Dirk convinces him to skip class bc there's this really cool cave he found and he wants to take Jake to explore ans oh my god why is Cronus in there living like a raccoon

Also all Alpha trolls are sibs with their Beta counterparts (Damara and Aradia are sibs, Cronus and Eridan, etc). Their ancestors are their parents (only the Beta ones obv)

Davenepkat is re- *gunshots*

ok but for real it is. Dave meets Karkat at Knight camp. They go to this cool cave Dave found and oh my god why is Nepeta living there like a raccoon. Oh ok it's just catgirl things. Cool, cool. Wanna go walk around with these guys you just met? yeah sure why the fuck not. When they gey back to camp Dave brings her and it's like "hey teach looks at this cool cat i found" "DAVE WHAT THE FUCK!" "you know im right karkat" ":33< meow" the instructor looks at them dead in the eyes and sheds a single tear before adding "I have never been so proud of my campers"

The Time Kingdom vs Space Continent drama boils down to "please brother, let Us stop this madness u_u we can make things right again, like they once were! all can live in peace!" "LOL CANONS AND MuRDER AND WORLD DOMINATION GOES BRRRRR" "Calli0pe miss that man is insane and sick and twisted" "who are yoU" "I just hired myself as a spy f0r y0u. N0w we need t0 make a plan t0 st0p him 0r he'll kill us all" "ok"

Roxy runs an illegal bar with Rose, and Kanaya goes there frequently. it's right at the border between Breath and Hope. The Muse of Breath knows about it and simply doesn't care, meanwhile the Lord of Hope is too busy trying to find out how Chess works (they're failing). No one knows why the fuck a Rogue of Void and a Seer of Light dropouts are running an illegal bar so far away from their Aspects. Neither do them really. Another mystery is how Kanaya gets there. The answer is Jade Harley but no one has to know that

SPEAKING OF JADE HARLEY she's a powerful Witch (or, promises to be. she's learning, ok? she's really good tho). Everyday she wakes up and chooses kindness. Everyday she talks to her bestie Muse of Space who gave her the money to even pay to attend the best college in the Space continent (which is called "The Greatest College at the Space Continent"), where she met Kanaya Maryam, and eventually got paired up with her for training. That made them grow closer and Jade saw she was really in need of a partner and thought "She could fix Rose" and then she did

John and Jane are like siblings and John got sent to Life as a transfer student because of some... Issues, he had at his previous school. He basically gets sent to a rich kid school disguised as a dumpster school, and his last school's princilal had no idea about it. He learns a lot of stuff on how to handle his emotions better and how to overall be better at handling his own powers, while Jane struggles to find Life within her, even if she indirevtly manifests it 90% of the time. They end up figuring a lot of things out, togheter. Feferi and Meenah and up getting close to them and I think FefJane could be real here, it might work but idk.

Fun fact about the illegal bar is that Vriska was banned from all gambling unless it's against another Light-bound. She's not happy about this.

Kurloz is at Heart with Meulin and they run a karaoke. None of them can speak.

Sollux is really just vibing and watching stuff turn to ashes with arms crossed saying "Ii warned you". He's referring to the game of Fiddlespawn he's playing with Tavros

That's really all for now, tune in later for more great KingdomStuck lore

#kingdomstuck #homestuck au #hs au #I am not tagging all these characters I'm too sleepy

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pastelsandpining · 4 years

Text

I’ll Be Home (Coming Home After Being Away)

The seventh prompt in 12 Days of Christmas by @zelink-prompts | Prequel

Prompt List

Words: 4596

Summary: So, this is actually a sequel to tomorrow’s prompt but can be read separately?? I guess?? The rundown is that Link left years ago to search for his fairy and never returned. Zelda tried not to lose hope. He made her a promise, after all.

Ocarina of Time, child timeline?? Idk how the timelines work y’all please

Zelink-mas 2020 l Masterlist

“Your gown is ready, your highness.”

“Thank you,” Zelda answered, nodding in the direction of her lady-in-waiting. “I’ll be there shortly.”

When the door shut behind her, the princess turned her gaze back to the long dried flower. She set it carefully onto the page with the others and slowly closed the book, ensuring no petals or leaves crumbled in the process. The book was placed back on the shelf, right next to the Ocarina of Time and a dust-covered medal imprinted with the crest of Hyrule. She had no time to gaze at the reminders of her childhood this afternoon, because there was beckoning from all directions that insisted on getting her ready in time.

Zelda stepped through the doors of the washroom, where she was pleasantly surprised to see the water was still warm. A wash of her hair and a soap of lavender scent would treat her well and be pleasant to anyone in close proximity. She could not deny her maidens the credit--they always went above and beyond to make sure she was presentable in every fashion. A grand event called for twice the effort, so the princess sat without complaint in her robe as they brushed gentle powders over her face.

“Are you excited, Princess?” asked a maiden as she painted a color onto Zelda’s closed eyelids. “I hear there are princes from outside of Hyrule coming to get a glimpse of you.”

“Oh, is that so? I hope one takes a liking to you, Elizabeth,” she replied, folding her hands in her lap. “You would fare well with royalty.”

“You’re too kind,” Elizabeth said, and Zelda could hear the blush on her cheeks. “No man would notice me.”

“Hold yourself high,” Zelda encouraged as she pried her eyes open. “Everyone is deserving of love and happiness.”

“Do you hope to find love tonight?” asked the maiden behind her, who was busy twisting her hair into an elegant knot.

“I believe that whatever is fated will happen in time. If that time is tonight, then so be it.” It was a far better answer than telling them she had found love long ago and had no intentions of finding it again.

Zelda could hardly blame the maidens for their excited chatter and shared whispers. She pretended not to notice them, because their one form of entertainment was to gossip. Anyone who gossiped with ill intention was not worth troubling herself with, and while they were far from it, she didn’t pay any mind to them. It was not her business what anyone said about her, or about the anticipated guests, or about themselves. She had other matters to concern herself with.

An hour had passed by, and she was finally permitted to stand from the chair and move to the next room. A silken slip hugged her form and protected her skin from the rough edges of the corset. There weren’t many layers, but she was still grateful for the design of the dress.

It was a soft pink, a color to match the rose on her cheeks and paint on her lips. The skirt consisted of multiple layers that ruffled out into a pattern at the bottom. There were lace and glittering jewels sewed onto the bodice that caught the light. The neck cut low, but not low enough to be anything but modest. The top of her sleeves were rather poufy and the rest poured off in pink streams, but they were transparent and light. It fit her well.

The crown on her head, golden and sparkling with precious rubies made her look like a blossoming queen. She would turn heads tonight, more so than usual, and it was all thanks to her dressmaker and maidens. But she was already exhausted, and the ball hadn’t even begun.

Yet she was being escorted through the halls of the castle and steered towards the ballroom, which was already filling up with people. She could see that the maidens were right--there were people from everywhere, even outside of Hyrule. She wondered just how many suitors her father had contacted.

She supposed she would find out shortly, because her father had gathered the attention of the crowd and was now introducing her. With no more room to run, Zelda stepped out from the archway and down the stairs. The king took her hands and pulled her in for a kiss, and she had to fight back a smile.

“I’m not married yet, father,” she said, reaching up a hand to brush away a tear from his cheek.

“No,” he agreed and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You really do look like your mother.”

“So I’ve heard,” she replied with a laugh. “It’s not too late to call them off. I could refuse to marry, stay with you.”

It was the king’s turn to laugh as he leaned his forehead to hers.

“Go,” he urged.

She pulled her hands free and pressed a kiss to his cheek before gathering her skirts and descending into the crowd. Various diplomats were on her immediately, greeting her and complimenting her and talking her into a frenzy about their own nations and accomplishments, no doubt trying to impress her. All she could do was smile and nod and pretend she was interested until another person came along to sweep her away.

“My father owns quite the bit of land,” a lord whose name she’d forgotten boasted as he twirled her across the floor. “It could be an advantage for both kingdoms.”

“Yes,” Zelda agreed, but she didn’t voice her knowledge of where this was going. The kingdoms were far enough apart that they’d try to force her to move and give up the rule of Hyrule--which was not an option as far as she was concerned. So when the next person cut in for a dance, she was more than willing to switch partners.

“I hear Hyrule has been at the edge of not one, but two civil wars within the past century. I have no room to suggest anything, but I can offer some tactics that would help convince the provinces to obey,” said a prince from a nation she’d never heard of.

“Hyrule has managed quite well on our own,” Zelda replied, fighting to keep the bite out of her voice. “But thank you. Should we need assistance again, we will be sure to reach out.”

“My father believes in discipline. That’s the only way to make a child listen,” continued the prince, as if he hadn’t heard a word she said.

“I’ve found that competent parents can make do without the use of force,” she stated simply and used a passing server with a tray of wine to make her escape. She was not technically of age to be drinking, but no one knew that as far as she was aware, and if the night was going to continue like this, then a glass or two wouldn’t hurt.

She was happy to find the wine dry but sweet, and she recognized the danger of something so tasty. While a duke rambled away to her, she reluctantly reduced her number of glasses to one for the night. The last thing she needed was for these men to think she was under any sort of influence.

When she was granted a moment to herself again, Zelda ducked further into the crowd until she found someone familiar to her. Nabooru, the not-so-new Gerudo chief, was in attendance, dressed in glittering Gerudo jewels.

“Princess,” greeted Nabooru with her arms open for a hug. “You look as lovely as a rose.”

“It’s lovely to see you again. How is Gerudo Valley fairing?” Zelda asked, taking caution not to spill her drink during the hug.

“Very well, thanks to you. The funds your father lent us were enough to not only build a proper town, but to conduct repairs to the Desert Colossus. With Impa’s consistent transport of food and resources, we’ve managed to turn ourselves around.”

“It does no good to dwell on the past. We can only own up to our mistakes and move forwards from here. Had it not been for our mistreatment of the Gerudo in the first place, Ganondorf would never have felt the need to avenge the pride lost in the civil war.”

“Lighten up, kid,” Nabooru said with a grin. “Things are looking up. Have you found a suitor to your liking yet?”

“Hardly,” Zelda replied, leaning closer as she lowered her voice. “The men I’ve spoken to so far are so full of arrogance and a lust for power.”

“That’s men for you,” Nabooru answered as she took a seat at a table. Zelda smiled and slid into the seat across from her, setting her glass down on the white tablecloth. “Don’t let any of them fool you. Ganondorf had a winning smile and the charm of a king, but look what he truly turned out to be.”

“For all of your skill and beauty, I cannot believe you settled for him.”

“Hey, Gerudo men are in very limited supply. When you’re a naïve girl, a powerful man giving you attention is enough to cloud your mind. I’m happy you’re able to see through that.”

“I would offer to marry you if you were younger,” Zelda joked as she picked up her wine to take another sip. “If any of your warriors are available and interested, I’d be more than happy to comply.”

Nabooru laughed.

“It’s going that badly, huh?”

“I’ve danced with at least eight men so far tonight, and I think three of them were named ‘Edward’,” Zelda whispered with a laugh of her own.

“I don’t think you’re one to talk, Princess. Which ‘Zelda’ are you again? The thirtieth? The forty-seventh?”

Zelda rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t reply because it would seem her time was up. There was a prince who spoke from besides her with an “I’m sorry to interrupt” (oh, he’d better be) and a request to dance.

“Find your prince charming,” Nabooru said, waving Zelda away with her hand. The princess gave her friend a playful glare as she took the prince’s hand and was pulled back towards the center of the ballroom.

“Might I ask who requested my hand in dance?” she asked with a polite smile. Now that she was closer, this prince seemed younger than her. Not by much, but by enough for her to be a little taller than him.

“My name is Prince Henry of the Liles Empire, just off the north coast of Hyrule,” he replied. “It’s a pleasure to see your beauty up close.”

“Likewise,” she said, though she hardly meant it. He was not bad on the eyes, but those who approached her with comments on her appearance struck her as vain and, well, in it for just that. She could be reading them wrong of course, but she’d learned how to navigate her instincts and properly react after Ganondorf’s plan had been thwarted.

“If I’m being honest, I do not know how to hold a proper conversation with a lady such as yourself,” stated Henry as he led them in a circle.

“I could not tell,” she replied with a patient and gentle smile.

“My mother convinced me to ask you to dance. She believes an alliance would benefit our kingdoms.”

“A smart lady. Many of the others here tonight have said the same thing.”

“I don’t want to marry, though. You’re beautiful and kind, but I..”

Zelda gave the poor boy’s hand a squeeze. She knew his position quite well, if she was reading him correctly. All people had their secrets and anxieties. She would likely never see him again, so she felt she could be his peace, even if only for a moment.

“It’s an unpleasant position to be in,” she supplied, twirling him in the direction of a smaller crowd.

“It is. I couldn’t force myself to love anyone else.”

“Oh? Do you have someone in mind?”

A blush crossed the young boy’s face, but he looked eager to tell someone. He was the first of the night not interested in her or her land, so she was more than happy to indulge him.

“A kitchen girl back in my kingdom. She came to deliver breakfast one day when my servant fell ill and spilled tea on me.”

“Ah, a fairytale meeting,” Zelda replied with a small laugh.

“She’s beautiful. But my parents would never hear of it.”

“Stay true to your heart. I was always told that those fated to be together will find each other in time. To those who won’t agree, I say if you aren’t happy, how could you ever be expected to make a kingdom happy?

“They told me you were wise, but you speak as if you know the pain yourself.”

Zelda offered a sad smile. Perhaps one glass had been too many, because she was about to bare her soul to this young prince she’d met only minutes ago.

“I love a boy from my childhood,” she told him, cracking open old scars. “A little boy from the forest who helped me catch a tyrant. He disappeared years ago and no one has seen him since.”

“I’m sorry, Princess.”

“If I may offer advice, Prince Henry, tell your kitchen girl properly that you love her. But take care of your heart. It’s the only one you have.”

She tried to spend as much time around Prince Henry as possible. She found him pleasant company and he could be quite silly, but after an hour, the young prince could no longer keep the other suitors at bay. She was whisked away again, and she was growing very tired.

Her feet were sore in her heels, and her corset felt tighter with every tick closer to midnight. Yet she wasn’t dismissed yet, and she was determined to make it through this. No one could say she hadn’t tried.

Zelda searched the crowd for Nabooru again, longing for another conversation with a competent person, but she’d hardly taken two steps before another voice interrupted her.

“Princess Zelda, might I request a dance?”

She held back a sigh and plastered yet another polite smile on her lips as she turned, but she was not a good enough actor to keep it from slipping away. Her eyes widened and she took a step back, because she was convinced for a moment that she was dreaming.

His eyes were a striking blue, a color she’d accustomed herself with long ago. His smile was charming instead of crooked, but his dimples were just the same. He was taller now and he lacked the forest color he once ran around in, but something about him told her he hadn’t changed that much at all.

“Link..?” she whispered out, then clamped her hands over her mouth like she was afraid of someone hearing her. A breeze slipped past them when a couple whizzed by, but that wasn’t why she was trembling.

“I realize I’m six years late, and I apologize,” he replied, his cheeks reddening with shame. “But I made a promise to you, and I couldn’t bear to break it.”

“You..” For all of her wise words throughout the night, she found it very hard to speak. She took a hesitant step forward, then lifted her hand. Her fingertips brushed over his cheek and once she knew he was solid, she pressed her palm against his skin. He was warm beneath her touch. Warm enough to feel alive. “Is it really you..?”

“Yes,” he answered, his voice soft and filled with more emotion than she’d ever heard it before. He placed his hand over her own, making her skin burn under his touch, but she couldn’t pull away.

For a moment, all she could do was look at him. She looked at his eyes, took in his face and his features, and tried to blink the stinging away.

Perhaps the whole ballroom was watching, but Zelda dropped her hand and instead wrapped her arms wordlessly around his shoulders. She buried her face in his neck and squeezed her eyes shut as the first of the sobs escaped her. His arms circled around her waist and held her close, but it did nothing to stop the trembling. He was not the child she hugged all those years ago, but he still felt so familiar.

“Can.. can we go-“ She couldn’t finish her question.

She was aware of the scene she was making, and she didn’t want to embarrass her father any further, so she bit back another sob and kept her head down as Link led her out of the ballroom and onto a nearby balcony. The fresh air was icy on her skin and wet cheeks, but he took her face so gently into his hands that she felt like she would melt.

“I missed you,” he spoke. It was no louder than a whisper, but it reached volumes that deafened her to everything else. All she could do was hug him tight and cry harder.

“Goddesses, Link, I— where did you go?” she asked when she caught her breath again.

“Termina,” he replied. “I didn’t mean to be gone for so long, but they needed help.”

She’d never heard of it before, but she didn’t care because he was here.

“I thought.. I didn’t know if you were even alive.” But her love for adventure hadn’t changed and she sat him on a bench as she demanded, “Tell me everything.”

And so he did. He told her of the troublesome Skullkid and the malevolent mask. He told her of the overhanging moon that threatened to fall, and of the trials he had to overcome. He told her of the masks he collected and of the god he had to fight. And Zelda’s heart ached for her hero who could not catch a break. Trauma followed him everywhere he went, and he hadn’t even found Navi.

“Link.. I’m so sorry,” she said, gripping his hands tighter. “You’ve gone through so much..”

“It’s over,” he assured her. “Or at least, I hope.”

“I couldn’t imagine. I’m so happy you’re safe. Oh, you’ve grown so much..”

“And you look every bit the princess you were always meant to be.”

Zelda laughed, bubbly and weak, and buried her face in her hands.

“Goddesses, I missed you,” she murmured and wiped at her eyes. How he could still call her beautiful when she looked a mess, she didn’t know.

“I made a pinky promise. Besides, I recall you telling me you’d be very mad at me if I didn’t come back and I don’t think I could live with that.”

She lifted her head and sniffled.

“Well, you certainly took your time,” she joked and brushed some hair from his eyes.

“I hope this can make up for it.” Link pulled a box from his pocket and carefully pried it open. A sparkling blue jewel in the shape of a teardrop hung from a silver chain. It was almost glowing against the black velvet cushion.

“It’s lovely,” she breathed, running her fingers gently over the stone.

“It’s a Moon’s Tear,” he explained as he lifted it from the box.

“From the falling moon?” she asked. Link gestured for her to turn around, so she shifted on the bench and set her back to him.

“Clever girl,” he replied. She could practically hear the smile on his face.

The jewel was cold against her skin, but Link’s fingertips brushing the back of her neck as he clamped the necklace is what made her shiver.

“You’re quite ridiculous, I hope you know that,” she said as she turned to face him again.

“It’s no ring,” he answered and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. “But I hope it’ll do.”

Zelda blinked in confusion, fiddling with the Moon’s Tear as she watched him gather his thoughts.

“A ring?” she asked quietly.

“I.. promised to marry you when I got back. You’re perfectly allowed to decline, of course. I wouldn’t— I mean-.. is this weird?”

Her cheeks burned as she burst into a fit of giggles, pressing a hand over her mouth to muffle them. Link looked at her, flushed with embarrassment, and soon he was laughing too. The innocent promise of two children had lasted over years of distance, even if it was more of humor than anything else now that they were older. She leaned into him, holding her stomach as her muscles grew tighter. Goddesses, she missed his laugh so much. Six long years were not enough to change him at all.

When their laughter quieted, Zelda lifted her head and took his face into her hands. He smiled at her, sending her head spinning.

“I wasn’t sure you’d ever return,” she whispered as she ran her thumbs along his cheekbones, relishing in his warmth and presence. The thought crossed her mind that perhaps she was being too forward—she just got him back and would rather not lose him again. So she reluctantly pulled her hands back to herself and fiddled with the necklace again.

“There were times I didn’t think I would,” he admitted. With the stories he recounted, she believed him. And she was beginning to understand the Princess’s decision to send him back in time in the first place. But it didn’t seem like he was fated to have an easy existence.

“I’m sorry your search was in vain.” And even that wasn’t enough, but what could she offer him? What words could she say to him that could quell the sadness running deep in his veins, betrayed by his eyes despite how happy he looked to be back. For all the wisdom she held in her blood, she knew no answer.

“I wouldn’t say that,” said Link softly, turning his gaze on her. The more she looked at him, the harder it was to maintain the poise she’d so very recently returned her hold on. So she looked away with a small smile and tilted her head to gaze up at the stars.

“What would you say?” she asked, tracing the constellations painting the sky with her eyes. A thousand stories came with those stars, stories about their past and their future, stories about fate and things beyond their understanding. She always felt that the stars knew and could see everything, and hiding was a naïve comfort they were never really granted. Even when they were children, throwing themselves under a blanket and giggling, the stars could see everything--even the secrets they didn’t truly have. They had known all along what would become of her and of the Hero of Time. She didn’t know if she pitied the stars or envied them.

“I would say anything that leads me back to you is more than worth it.”

Zelda turned her eyes to him, where she found nothing but sincerity and a tired smile. She could remember a childish curiosity whenever he looked at her, but she couldn’t quite name the gaze his eyes held now. Heat blossomed over her cheeks again and with a laugh, she ducked her head.

“Welcome home, Hero,” she said as she shook her head. “I hope you’re able to find the life of peace you deserve.”

“To be honest, Princess, I think a life of peace would drive me to the brink of sanity. I didn’t return with the hopes of finding it. I don’t… I don’t think I’d even want it.”

There was no hiding the mix of confusion and surprise and concern that took over her features upon hearing his words. A life of peace did not interest him? She wondered for a moment whether he was already past the threshold of sanity, or if he’d simply left his mind in Termina.

“Then,” she began, treading lightly over what could possibly be dangerous waters, “what is it that you want?”

“I want a life by your side.” His cheeks were as pink as hers under the moonlight, but it could very well have been just an effect of the bitter cold. “I know we’re not kids anymore and.. and a lot has changed. But if I could be even just in your service, I would be satisfied.”

“You owe nothing more to Hyrule,” Zelda spoke quickly, taking back all sense of personal space as she held his cheek again. “You’ve done more for us than we could ever begin to thank you for. You reap scars and trauma we can’t even begin to imagine. We are happy to have you back, of course, but you needn’t swear your life to any more trouble, Link.”

“Serving you would be of no trouble at all, Princess.” His hands wrapped gently around hers, pulling it from his skin, and he brought her knuckles to his lips instead. His warm breath fanned over her skin and for the first time of the evening, she did not regret the gloveless design of her outfit.

She could hear her own words, hypocritical and laughable, pouring from her lips when she told little Prince Henry to follow his heart and to hell with those who disagreed. It was much harder to take her own advice--like it was a bitter medicine that brought her heart into her throat and made her tremble. But all she could see was the little forest boy giving her one last wave, so much alike with the man who sat before her now. Her heart lurched.

“I love you,” she said, hardly louder than the gentle breeze that circled them. “And I know that I’m not your Zelda--the Zelda you first defended Hyrule for-”

“You are every bit the same Zelda. The only difference is this time, we don’t have to say goodbye. Not if you don’t want to.”

“I don��t,” she begged, gripping his hands tighter.

“Then let me stay with you.”

He freed a hand and cradled her face. She leaned into his touch, into the warmth that batted away the cold, into the feeling that he really was here. And then he was leaning forwards, his breath fanning over her lips, and she closed the space between them with an eagerness that Impa would refer to as “unladylike”. His lips were soft and their kiss was slow and gentle, fanning a spark so that it blazed into a flame. In the years she had spent imagining how this reunion might go, she never quite got the magic of it right. It felt strong and peaceful, like something old and practiced but new and exciting all at once. And when they parted, Zelda was quick to recall that silly little promise.

“You meant to ask for knighthood,” she stated, a giddy feeling flooding her at the idea. “But how would you feel about prince consort?”

It was Link’s turn to laugh, and she laughed too as she closed a hand around the Moon’s Tear necklace glowing against her skin. Of course, they had a while to catch up on before any official announcement could be made. They were not granted the opportunity to grow into their relationship, and now was a better time than any to get started.

Her Hero had returned, and Zelda quite liked the idea of never having to face any of the men who tried to win her hand ever again. Apparently, it was made evident enough by their return to the ballroom floor.

Link had asked for a dance, after all. Who was she to deny him after so long?

#zelink #oot zelink #ocarina of time #zelink prompts #christmas prompts #hurt/comfort i guess #this is a masterpiece actually i'm proud of it

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roleplayfandom · 4 years

Text

Dance with me..

Korrasami fanfic-This takes place when Asami found out her father works for Amon and she's on the blimp with Korra and her friends, she’s feeling down but Korra knows how to cheer her up..With a slow dance. Enjoy!

Asami stares out the window watching her house leave her sight as they float far and far away. “I can’t believe my father would do this..why?” She thought to herself and hugs her chest feeling tears in her eyes.

In the corner Korra stares at her friend with a frown and furrowed brows, “What can I do..She doesn’t deserve this after how kind and generous she’s been towards Mako, Bolin and I.” She thought in her head. A radio was playing music in the background to fill the silent room between her and Asami. Korea head perks up when the guy on the radio speaks. “Hey citizens of Republic City! tonight is a nice night for a dance, so if you have a friend or lover with you hold them close and tune out to this song, O children by Nick Cave and the Bad seeds!”

Korra gave a small smile as the song started “Perfect..” She stood up and made her way towards Asami.

“Ooooo, Children”

‘Poor old Jim white as a ghost. He’s found the answer that we lost, we’re all weeping now, weeping because there ain’t nothing we can do to protect you”

Asami turned around when Korra taped her shoulder, they don’t speak and Korra held out her hand. Sami looked at her a little confused.

‘’Korra”?

Korra just smiled “Dance with me.”

“I don’t know..I’m not very good”

“O children, lift up your voice, lift up your voice”

“O Children..Rejoice, Rejoice”

Korea kept the smile on her face “Neither am I..but that’s the best part, we can work on it together.”

Asami stared at her hand, slowly she reached out her hand taking her hand into Korra’s warm, soft grip.

Korra took her to the middle of the floor and increase the volume of the radio and held both of her hands moving one of their arms forward and one of the arms back, switching the position of the arms slowly. “Hey little train We are all jumping on, The train that goes to the Kingdom. We’re Happy Ma, we’re having fun..and the train didn’t even left the station’’

Korra slowly moved their bodies in a circle, her glowing blue eyes never taking off of Asami green emerald eyes. Korra slowly spun Asami and went back to their arm movement dance holding both of her hands never letting go. Asami felt her cheeks blush and started to form a small smile when Korra spun her slowly.

“Hey little train wait for me, I once I was blind but now I see, have you left a seat for me? Is that such a stretch of the Imagination?”

Korra felt her heart beat faster when she saw Asami smile growing slowly “She’s so cute when she smiles..” She thought and her cheeks blushed a bit more giving Asami a gentle smile, she laughed when Asami spun her, stumbling a little but Asami held her close, giggling “I got you Korra.”

“Hey little train wait for me wait for me, I was held in chains but now I’m free, I’m hanging in there don’t you see in this process of elimination”

Asami followed Korra movement as they were pressed agains each other with an arm around their waist and their hand and arm pressed against each other slowly dipping back and forth.

“Hey little train, we are all jumping on, The train that goes to the Kingdom. We’re happy Ma we’re having fun, It’s beyond my wildest expectation.”

They both spun each other again, Asami who had the widest smile on her face was laughing as she and Korra shared this moment together, they both hugged each other slowly moving in a circle. Korra held Asami close to her, one arm around her waist and one arm against her back with her hand against the back of Asami’s head. Her eyes closed with her chin against her chin and her nose onto her shirt nuzzling her.

Asami’s arms were wrapped around Korra’s neck hugging her with her cheek against Korra’s. Asami closed her eyes feeling the warmth and comfort in Korra’s arms, she nuzzled her cheek against Korra’s and rest her cheek on Korra’s shoulder, her nose against Korra neck.

“Hey little train we are all jumping on, The Train that goes to the Kingdom, we’re happy Ma we’re having fun, the train didn’t even leave the station”

The two ladies stayed in their spot, slowly swaying their bodies side to side. The music starts to fade as they were lost in the hold. Feeling like they were in space, No worries, no problems, just the two of them in each others arms feeling warmth, safe..but something else, something they both feel as they felt their heart beat against each others chest..

“Hey little train, don’t be long the train, hey little train wait for me,, I was blind now I see, oooooh’’

The song was finishing, but they don’t stop moving. Asami moved her head back and stares back into Korra eyes. Korra stared back, their noses touching and mouths slightly open. Asami eyes moved down to her lips and back into Korra’s eyes.

“Wow, she’s so beautiful..I wonder why I feel safe and happy in her arms and not Mako. Sure I love Mako but...something about her held is..different to me,” Asami thought

Korra was struggling with herself, “What’s this? Why am I blushing? Why do I like holding Asami close to me? She’s with Mako but..Why do I feel nervous in my stomach when she’s smiling at me?’

They both stay lost in thought unsure what it is..Is it the safety they feel? Or the comfort in the warmth of their grasp? No.. it’s something else, something more special, they were surprised but kept a calm expression

“Love..” “Love..”

“No.. it can’t be, I’m with Mako..but I never feel like this when he holds me like this..moments like this I only feel it with Korra” Asami thought but she couldn’t deny it..She was in love with Korra, and Korra was in love with her, they just don’t know it 100% yet..

They don’t say anything..instead they slowly move their heads in closing their eyes, as their lips were inches away, Mako walked in and stared at the two girls.

“Korra, Asami?”

Both ladies stopped and quickly pulled away, both looking at Mako.

“M-Mako! Hi, what’s wrong?” Asami babbled, seeing that Korra and Asami were still holding hands, she lets go.

Mako didn’t say anything, instead he stares at the two.

“We’re about to land..just wanted to tell you that..”

Asami nodded and thanked him, after he left the two ladies looked at each other again

Korra and Asami were a little disappointed, The feeling was gone, and they were about to kiss Asami until Mako came in and ruined the moment, Asami looked at Korra held her hand giving a soft smile.

“Thank you, Korra”

Korra just smiled back at Asami holding her hand as well.

“You’re Welcome.”

End.

Ah, true love! This scene is actually from Harry Potter Dealthy Hallows part 1. The part was such a sweet moment and I had to do it with Korrasami. Thank you for reading this fanfic, check out the song too if you are interested, it’s on apple music and Spotify! Reblogs and comments are welcomed, I’ll post more Korrasami Fanfics soon!

#korrasami #asami sato #avatar korra #avatar: the legend of korra

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drstone-writings · 5 years

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Can I have a villager!fem!s/o with Senku in the hostage situation h/c. ?????? I’m not so sure if you ok with it. But pleaseeee

villager!fem!s/o with Senku in the hostage situation headcanon

It’s a bright and sunny day where it’s the perfect weather to fabricate their next invention that he had planned to defeat Tsukasa’s Empire. As usual, Senku gave them different tasks to start their work for the day.

However, unbeknownst to you, the science team plus Gen had something up under their sleeves. Kohaku even joined at the mentalist’s idea since it’s a perfect opportunity to get you and Senku together. Of course, he immediately discovered that you both held feelings for each other since we’re talking about Gen here; he’s a mentalist for goodness sake! He can point out your feelings and what’s in your mind because for he who studies psychology. Also, it’s really obvious on the way you act to each other, despite that your feelings are mutual, neither of you had the guts to tell one another and too oblivious to decipher it because of the fact that Senku’s full attention is on science and he doesn’t want to get distracted by his feelings, more importantly, he sucks when it comes to romanticism. And for you, well you just don’t have the courage to tell your feelings to the scientist.

Therefore, Kohaku managed to sneak into Senku’s lab and captured him with the help of the sack and carried him to the place where Gen had told her. Once the lioness reached the designated area, she threw Senku inside the abandoned hut of their village where you’re also at.

“What the hell is going on?!” Senku yelled and Gen immediately closed the door and locked it.

“Senku?” Once Senku heard your voice, his body went rigid and removed the sack away from him. He turned his gaze to you whose eyes were blindfolded and hands being tied. This shocked Senku a bit and he hurriedly untied your hands and removed your blindfold.

When he finally freed the cloth covering your eyes, his red coloured orbs met yours, staring into your eyes as if he was searching much deeper into your captivating gaze, as if like a he’s in a cave digging deeper to know the mysteries that lie ahead. The two of you didn’t tear your gazes and just stared into each other with the fast beating of your hearts. But the little sweet moment was interrupted by Gen’s teasing voice outside the hut.

“Senku-chan, (Name)-chan, you two are our hostages now, this hostage scene will be over until tomorrow. So enjoy your stay there!” Gen’s mocking voice echoed as it was slowly dying down, hearing the footsteps of the others as well.

Senku already knew on what his comrades were up to; specifically, he knew whose idea this was. It’s none other than the mentalist, Asagiri Gen. because he’s the only one who knows that Senku likes you, now everyone already knows it too but you. He knows as to why they had trapped you here in this abandoned hut, they want him to confess his feelings that he bears for you since Gen was pestering him almost every day. Which Senku instantly refused due to the fact that he’s a busy man and he’s not yet ready to enter in a relationship where he’s still working on his goal to rebuild civilization.

“Damn, that mentalist…” Senku muttered as he faced his back at you. He wants to avoid your intoxicating gaze and the awkward atmosphere inside the hut that was overwhelming, making him feel uneasy and apprehensive.

Every time you’re around he doesn’t know why he’s being self-conscious and cold sweats appearing on his head in all of a sudden. He could even feel his heart rate intensifying whenever you would just hold him and compliment him. You have no idea how he couldn’t help himself from grinning wide every time you would praise him.

But even though he admitted to himself that he indeed have feelings for you, he won’t ever admit it to you, because Senku knows that you don’t feel the same. How can a beautiful and kind-hearted like you would fall for some lanky guy and a nerd like him? There are more handsome than him in the village and he doesn’t deserve you, you’re too much for him.

“Senku… I’m sorry if you were being dragged to this mess…” you muttered while fiddling your fingers and looking down. This caught his attention and peered over you who have this crestfallen expression that made his heart throbbed for a moment.

“I know, this is Gen’s scheme to lock us up here because he won’t stop until I confess my… my feelings that I have for you…” you looked down, hiding your blushing face from the scientist,

Hearing your statement rendered him stunned. He’s staring at you with wide eyes while jaw-dropping, still absorbing the words you had said. Did he hear it right? You have feelings for him? Is he hallucinating or what? Is he dreaming right now? Because this dream looks so real that it was making him feel ecstatic yet scared at the same time. But in all honesty, he wants it to be real.

“What?” was the word that slipped from his mouth. Lifting your chin to meet his gaze, you sucked a breath once your eyes landed on his captivating crimson orbs that were seemingly gleaming in this dim hut.

“ I—I love you, Senku… and I know you don’t feel the same way so it’s really fine,” you assured and forced a smile.

Senku merely pursed his lips and loudly swallowed, his brain was a mess, and he’s having a dilemma whether he should use his brain or his heart first. He was feeling happy, not gonna lie, but if he’s going to choose, of course, he wants to pick his brain and think logically. However, his mind recalled the day where Gen had told him that even if he confessed his feelings for you, nothing’s gonna change; especially you’re not the type of person who’s nosy and would bother someone.

Gen told him how you wanted to be useful in his kingdom of science, even if you couldn’t keep up with his words, you still wanted to help, by all means.

Senku had finally decided. His once shocked expression switched into a gentle one and look at you with fondness coating those magnificent red eyes of his.

‘It won’t be bad if I try,’ he thought.

The scientist dragged himself towards you and chuckled once he’s now in front of you. The two of you stared into each other’s eyes as if the time had slowed down and the world was only revolving around the two of you.

Momentarily, Senku glided his hands on your cheeks and tenderly caresses it as if you were the most precious gem that he had ever held.

“You know, relationships are illogical and they are troublesome, but… I won’t know if I try, right?” Surprisingly, Senku’s voice was soft, the first time you have ever heard him speaking in a gentle manner. “And who says that I don’t have feelings for you as well? The feelings mutual, idiot…” Senku rested his forehead against yours and softly snickered.

“Who would have thought that a logical man like me would waver with as illogical as love? I like you as well, (Name).”

And suddenly, Senku kissed your forehead, feeling your heartbeats pounding vigorously inside your chests.

The next day, Gen and the others had finally unlocked the hut to see what happened to both of you.

“Senku-chan, (Name)-chan, wha—“ Gen didn’t finish his sentence once his eyes landed on the both of you, sleeping while snuggling to each other. Senku’s arms were wrapped around your waist as your left leg was on Senku’s.

Gen smirked, finding out that his idea is a success. Before Ginro and Chrome can peek inside, the mentalist rapidly closed the door and spun his body to face the others.

“It’s best if we leave the two love birds, don’t forget to congratulate them once they woke up,” he snickered.

And that being said, once you both woke up, all of them had congratulated you and Senku, making the pair of you to be a blushing mess.

#dr stone #dr stone x reader #senku ishigami x reader #ishigami senku x reader #dr stone imagines #dr stone scenarios #senku x reader #dr. stone

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cloudshapedpatch · 4 years

Text

Misguided Royalty

Chapter 1: The Royal Guard Ain’t Shit

💚 💚 💚 💚 💚 💚 💚 💚

The wind teased the small buds on the trees. The nearly bare branches swayed in the pleasant breeze. Far off yonder laid the mountains. They appeared blue against the cloudy sky, and the tips of the peaks shone white with glittering snowmelt.

Despite the gloomy weather, a girl crept among the bushes of her mother's garden. She was fourteen years old, and dreading her next birthday. This part is important, so you must listen closely.

A 15 year old girl was deemed a woman. A great party was held in her honor to celebrate her passing into adulthood. She would begin courting the young men of the town, laying her fate down in the hands of her father.

This particular girl, however, was not excited for her 15th birthday.

It was not because she thought her party would be boring. She was sure it would be the talk of the town.

It was not because she did not want to marry. She was quite the romantic, and had been dreaming of this for quite some time.

It was not because she wanted to remain a child, young and free. She was ready to be esteemed as a responsible adult.

Well, maybe she was a little nervous because of those things. But those thoughts gave her the warm flutters of anticipation. The real reason she did not want to turn 15 was because of the role it placed on her shoulders.

For at 15, she was set to become the next ruler of China.

So, what was the princess doing in the garden while the sky was preparing to weep? She was running from her scholar.

Marinette was not fond of most of her studies. She ~

Oh, I apologize. Did I forget to mention her name? Well, it's Marinette. Princess Marinette Cheng. I'll have to ask that you excuse my pardon.

As I was saying, Marinette liked to learn of her kingdom's history, and of it's geography. However, she did not enjoy her etiquette counseling. Poor child was constantly dropping tea cups and tripping over her own two feet. It seemed, for the young girl, that the list of rules to follow was ever-growing.

So Marinette, the esteemed princess, was crouching among the rose bushes and making her way to the stone arches on the other side of the statue of her mother. If she could just get there, then she could use the hidden passage and ~

“Your Highness! This is not very lady-like of you."

Marinette rolled her eyes whilst still hidden, but heaved a sigh and stood. Her hands fiddled with a ribbon from her dress.

"I apologize."

“Princess, you must master your studies. You must be a capable empress by the solstice."

It was true. Her birthday was on the summer equinox, fitting for royalty if I may say so. She would have to not only be ready to become empress, but also to become a wife.

"Oh, you and I both know I'd just be a consort." She said bitterly.

Her scholar, a stocky elder whose surname was Damocles, gasped.

"That is hardly befitting language to be coming from you. You are to be empress."

However, Marinette could only roll her eyes. Damocles gave her a wary look, and she looked to her feet in shame.

“Besides, Your Highness, it is not safe out here. We must go inside at once.”

Even I hate to admit it, but he was right. This was no time for the princess to be dawdling about in the open. Who knows who could be listening?

Well, I would know. But that is because I am the all-knowing narrator. You must find out of your own accord as the story progresses.

Sir Damocles led the upset princess back into the palace, where she was immediately summoned to her room. She was going to have dinner with the emperor tonight, she must look her finest.

Many maids fluttered about Marinette, tugging at her clothes and hair. She did not like this one little bit. She preferred the nightly routine better; it was much more gentle. But alas, soon her makeup was touched to match her fresh hair-do.

This was the dinner attire. The silk weighed heavily on her shoulders. And oh, how she fumed as she made her way to the dining hall.

At one end of the long table sat her mother with her shimmering eyes. Everyone adored Empress Sabine. She was just and kind to the entire kingdom, and was always making trips to far off cities to check on the people.

And at the other end of the table sat the Emperor himself. His large frame almost made the roast boar seem small in front of him.

“Thank you for joining us, Princess. Please, have a seat.”

Warily, Marinette sat at the middle of the long table. Silence filled the room as she was served.

Sabine cleared her throat after many long minutes. “So, honey, how were your studies?”

“They were fine, mother. They were the same as they always are.” She gave her steaming plate more attention than it deserved.

My goodness, I’ve never known how moody a child could be until Marinette came around.

Emperor Dupain looked up from his food to stare at Marinette. “Do we need to hire a new teacher?”

“NO!”

The only sound the could be heard was Empress Sabine’s chopsticks falling on the table.

“I mean... that won’t be needed, Your Majesty. Damocles is a fantastic teacher. Thank you.”

“If there is a problem with your studies, then it must be addressed.”

“No, Your Majesty. There is no issue.”

“I just want what is best for you.”

“I can’t say that I agree, tìdài. You want what’s best for the kingdom.”

“Marinette!” Empress Sabine scolded, but she had already stood from the table.

“If you will excuse me, I must be getting some rest. I have a lot more to learn from Sir Damocles in the morning.” And then, she was gone.

She had stormed up to her room. Very typical of her.

Marinette’s personal maids had followed her into her bedroom to remove her makeup and help her into her nightclothes, but she waved them away glumly. Thankfully for the sanity of everyone in the castle, they knew just what to do when the princess was feeling down. So they sent word for the apprentice messenger.

The sun was setting when Alya Cesaire arrived at the palace gates. A royal guard hurried her through a side entrance and immediately to Marinette’s bedroom.

Upon hearing the knock on her door, Marinette only groaned.

“Oh please, Your Exquisite Royalness, do let me in.”

Alya smirked to the guard as they heard something hard fall to the ground on the other side of the door, followed by a quiet grunt of pain. Then in a flash, Alya was pulled into the room and onto the bed.

“Alya! What are you doing here?” The blue haired girl practically shouted.

“I’m here to see you, of course! Why else would I have rode in at sunset?”

“An important message?”

“Possibly. I do have the latest gossip from the market square. Would you like to hear it?”

“Would I? You know it always cheers me up.”

Marinette settled herself on her bed while Alya dramatically cleared her throat.

“Well, everyone is still quite upset with Emperor Dupain. The raised taxes are causing some women to start selling pottery and jewelry. Although, no one is buying because everyone else is struggling.”

“Awful! What else?”

“Lady Haprele got a new hat and has been parading the streets with it. It’s absolutely heinous.”

The girls giggled quietly as Alya started to brush Marinette’s long hair.

Unbeknownst to them, a stranger lurked in the shadows of the princess’s balcony.

He had been watching her all day. He listened in the garden, he eavesdropped their dinner conversation. He had a plan for exactly how he was going to obtain the bounty over the princess’s head. 5,000 gold pieces was certainly worth the effort to kill her.

I don’t know. He seemed like a bitch when he accepted the job.

Now he was here, sitting behind a tall plant and listening to her and Alya chatting about the latest gossip and occasionally switching back to talk about her father.

Correction; her step-father.

Emperor Dupain was not liked among the people. He taxed them when he wanted to go on a trip and barley kept the kingdom in working order. Anyone who was willing to marry him surely was just as uncaring as him. You can imagine how surprised the citizens felt about meeting their new Empress. But they had never seen the heir to their throne yet. She had yet to make an appearance, and her absence reminded everyone of the Emperor. It was not unexpected for the people to be wary. But oh, how they hated her. Never even met her, and yet they wanted her dead.

Could you blame the bounty hunter for accepting? Perhaps the Emperor would be next, and their kingdom would be saved under the wise hand of Empress Sabine. He made a silent promise that he would never let the corrupt princess into power.

This, however, became a problem. As he spent more and more time listening, he started sympathizing for her. He had yet to lay eyes on her, but when he did he was sure that he would be able to go through with the treason.

His cat-like ears twitched as he heard the Princess’s sweet voice bid her friend goodbye. He readied to jump into action, dagger in hand, as she stepped out into the night.

“Hello, Princess. It seems you’ve run out of time.”

She spun on her heel and gasped. And that was when he saw her.

Beautiful. Was the first thing that came to to his mind. His heart stopped beating for a moment, then pumped double-time as her impossibly blue eyes glittered with unshed tears.

“You’re... you’re... you’re Chat Noir.” It came as a coarse whisper. His heart twinged to hear her so scared, and it confused him.

Hell, I’d be confused too.

Before he could process the situation, she had stepped back, her foot catching on a flower pot. His callused hand grabbed her own before she could fall.

She looked at him in fear and confusion, her eyes flitting to the sharp dagger dangling lazily in his free hand.

Almost hastily, he pulled her up until she got her footing.

“You’re here to kill me, aren’t you?”

Now that he wanted to speak, the words stuck in his throat.

“Um...”

Without thinking, he sheathed his knife. He looked away only to give in and gaze at her once again.

“That was the plan, yes.”

Much to his surprise, she took a deep breath and held her arms out at her sides, eyes shut tight. “Do what you must. I must be worth a lot. That is, assuming you’re getting paid off.”

“Are you sure, Your Highness? Does 5 grand seem enough?”

“Dear goodness, I’d have thought I was worth more than that.”

“Have you no sense of self preservation?”

“At this rate, I’ll be lucky to make it to the solstice.”

Now Chat Noir was heavily confused. On one hand, everything he had heard of the princess was malicious. But the girl standing valiantly before him was anything but.

“What’s happening on the solstice?”

Marinette opened one eye. “You don’t know?”

“I can’t say that I do, Princess.”

“Does anyone else know?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Her hand dropped dramatically to her hips. “I will be turning fifteen. I will begin courting and soon after I will be married. I suppose to just become a consort.”

Chat Noir stood slack-jaw to hear the princess speak in this way.

“But I guess I won’t get to see that day, hm? Do you make all your victims talk like this?”

“Well, you aren’t a victim.” He said confidently. Truth be told, he felt a little weak. Then and there, he decided he could not kill the princess. Something stirred inside that told him not to. And when your life is spent on the run, you learn to trust your gut.

He still seems shady to me.

“I’m not?”

“Not anymore.”

“I suppose that’s good.” She still looked troubled, but she slowly walked over to her door. “Um, good night?”

“Yeah. I... I mean, good night, Your Highness.”

She certainly had not let him off the hook. Good for her! Marinette looked at him quizzically before softly closing her door and closing the curtains.

As Chat Noir leapt off the dark balcony, he had many thoughts swirling in his mind. But the most prominent one was, ‘What will I tell Papillon?’

#@mikoriin #marichat #secret lovers au #ancient china #princess and a bounty hunter #miraculous ladybug #chat noir #marinette cheng

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ironfidus · 4 years

Text

Quid Pro Quo - Part II

Summary: Peter survives the Snap, and now it's up to him to bring the Vanished back to life.

Main Pairings: Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Peter Parker/Shuri

Read here on AO3 (@a_matter_of_loyalty)

:::

Chapter 2: The Queen Mother

Chapter Summary: Peter and Shuri go about inventing time travel. Later, Peter has a heart-to-heart with the Queen Mother and comes to a startling realization.

:::

Earth-199999: October 9, 2023

Kingdom of Wakanda, East Africa

By the time noon passed and the Queen Mother herself ventured into their lab to call them out for lunch, their success rate had crept up to 86.54%.

Ramonda took one look at them spread throughout the lab, her daughter lying sprawled out on the floor and Peter hanging upside down on the chair, and sighed heavily. “What are you two up to now?” she asked with the voice of a woman who’d seen too much mischief in one lifetime.

“The usual,” Shuri said through a yawn. “Saving the world and all that.”

Ramonda arched an eyebrow. When Peter didn’t contradict Shuri, she gave in and said, “All right, fine. I’ll have your food delivered to you guys. Make sure to eat up—you’ll need the energy if you want to ‘save the world and all that.’”

“Got it,” Peter agreed distractedly. “We’ll do that.”

Ramonda rolled her eyes and left the way she came from. She’d seen the look in her daughter’s eyes—Shuri had stumbled across a new puzzle to be solved. And if she knew her daughter—which she did—then she had no doubt that Shuri wouldn’t be able to rest until she’d figured out this latest problem.

Especially if Peter was encouraging her.

:::

“I don’t understand where we’re going wrong,” Shuri muttered under her breath hours later, their finished lunches pushed to the side. Despite their earlier successes, they seemed to have stagnated, settling at an even 88% successful.

It was close, but not close enough.

Peter groaned from where he was still draped over the chair, head hung in defeat.

“We’ve figured most of it out,” Shuri continued, “but we just can’t seem to make the last leap.”

Peter mumbled incoherently in agreement.

“Maybe we need to take a break,” Shuri suggested tentatively. “It pains me to say this, but it might benefit us to leave our work for a while and come back to it with fresh eyes.”

Peter sighed, reluctant, but ultimately he knew she was right. Being stubborn wouldn’t do anyone any good, especially considering the stakes on this.

“Yeah,” he agreed sullenly. “I’ll bring the plates up to the kitchen. Why don’t we meet back in the lab in an hour or two?”

“Thanks,” Shuri said absentmindedly, watching Peter scoop up their dirty dishes and walk away. She stayed where she laid for a moment or two longer, before she shook her head to snap herself out of her stupor.

With a tired sigh, she trudged out of the lab and headed outside to visit the farms.

:::

Peter was in the middle of rinsing the plates, mind still fixated on the puzzle that was time travel, when Ramonda’s voice startled him out of his thoughts: “Did my lazy daughter force you to do her dishes for her?”

Peter bit back a curse, relatively certain that the only reason he hadn’t dropped and broken a plate was his stickiness. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” he joked, switching off the tap and carefully sliding the plates and cutlery into the dryer. Once the dishes were safely secured, he spun around and shot Ramonda a small smile.

Ramonda smiled back. “Is it working?” she teased.

“A little bit,” he laughed. A second later, his mood sobered. “Shuri and I both need a break from tinkering. She’s clearing her head for a while. I needed to do the same, so I figured I might as well do the dishes.”

“What are you two really working on?” Ramonda asked, growing worried. She’d never heard either Peter or Shuri admit to ‘needing a break’ before, not when it came to something they were working on together. She hadn’t thought it was possible.

Peter bit his lip. “Something important,” he let on. He wasn’t sure how much he wanted to tell her; if they failed, if he failed, then Ramonda would be another person he’d disappointed. He didn’t want to let her down, too.

But Ramonda had become such an important person in his life over the last five years. She’d become someone he trusted, someone he needed.

She’d become something of a mother figure to him since he’d started dating Shuri and she’d unhesitatingly taken him in. She was his go-to source of advice nowadays; he wanted to be able to confide in her about this, too.

(Ramonda always knew what to say.)

“Shuri wasn’t exaggerating when she said we were trying to save the world,” he said at last, his voice soft and uncertain, timid. “It’s been five years, but... I can’t move on, Umama. I can’t forget. So when Steve Rogers came knocking on my door yesterday, bearing a ghost from the past and the key to a possible solution, I – I said no at first, because it seemed unlikely and I wasn’t ready to break my own heart all over again. But after he left, I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”

Ramonda’s expression was kind, free of judgement and criticism. It gave him the courage to continue speaking.

“I kept wondering, what if I’d made a mistake, turning him away? What if it wasn’t as unlikely as I first assumed? I couldn’t make up my mind.”

“You seem to have made up your mind now,” she said quietly, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. After a second, she pulled out another chair and patted the seat cushion in a wordless invitation for Peter to come join her. She had a feeling this wouldn’t be an easy conversation.

Peter swallowed and sat down, turning to face her anxiously. “I have,” he confirmed. “I just... I have to at least try. If there’s a chance—even a slim one—I knew I’d never be able to forgive myself if I didn’t try.”

“I don’t know what you’re attempting, but for what it’s worth, Peter, if there’s anyone who can make the impossible possible, it’s you,” she said, smiling openly.

Peter blinked rapidly. “A lot,” he said, his voice hoarse. “That’s – that’s worth a lot, especially coming from you.”

“Can I ask what solution Captain Rogers proposed?”

Peter stared off into the distance, partly because he didn’t want to see her reaction to his next words, and partly because he couldn’t bear to. “Time travel,” he whispered. “He wants to – to use time travel to bring back everyone we lost to Thanos.”

He couldn’t see her face, but he heard the sharp gasp coming from her. “And – and you and Shuri have been working on it? Time travel?” A hesitant pause, and then—

“After what you two have managed to accomplish so far, do you... do you think it’s truly possible?” Ramonda asked, and she sounded – afraid. She sounded fragile, like Peter had the power to make or break her with a single word.

Sitting across her, one of the most powerful women in the world, and watching her struggle not to break down right in front of him, Peter realized—with terrifying clarity—that it didn’t matter what he thought. It didn’t matter because he would give it his all anyway; it didn’t matter because he had people who were counting on him to do everything he could.

“Yeah,” he said instead, because it was easier to lie and make her smile than to explain the complicated truth. “I think—I believe—Shuri and I really can finish what we started and invent time travel, as long as we don’t give up.” He paused. He didn’t want to shatter her hopes, but...

But she deserved to know the road that loomed ahead of them.

“The difficult part,” he started, “comes after.”

“What do you mean?”

“Messing with time is a dangerous thing to do,” Peter muttered. “We can’t be sure we’ll succeed even if the technical aspect of time travel works out. Or, worse yet, we can’t be sure that we won’t make things worse.”

“Peter,”—Ramonda’s voice was wrecked—“I see where you’re coming from, I do, but...”

(Don’t you dare blame yourself for this, kid.)

(I don’t... I don’t know what’s happening, Petey, I’m so confused. Everything is in chaos. I just had a patient crumble to ash on the operating table. The head surgeon, too, oh god. I just... if this is the end—I need to tell you I larb you, Pete. Never forget that. I love you so, so much.

You’re – you’re my kid, and I—

Beep.)

(Ms. Potts, I... I’m sorry. I lost Mr. Stark. I lost him. He’s gone—

Peter would never forget the way Pepper Potts’s face crumpled with tears. She caved in on herself and broke down crying, Happy sweeping in and folding her into a crushing hug through his own misery.)

(Hi, Mrs. Leeds. I’m sorry to disturb you, but I just needed to ask—

He’s gone, Peter. Ned’s gone. I’m sorry.)

(Nobody told him MJ vanished. Her entire family had disappeared with her.)

“How can things be worse than this?” Ramonda whispered.

Peter slumped back in his seat, speechless. He’d been fretting for so long, racking his brain for all the ways they could ruin things more than even Thanos did—he’d worried that if things went awry, they could lose even the few things they’d gained since the war.

But in a way, Ramonda had a point. After everything he’d already lost, everything they’d lost, maybe Ramonda was right: they were already at rock bottom.

Peter swallowed. “You’re right,” he admitted. It was impossible to forget the lives they’d led before. “I – you’re completely right. I need to...” He shook his head, leaping up to his feet and crossing the room in a few swift strides. “I need to get back to the lab.”

“Peter!” Ramonda called out.

He stilled, looked back.

She was smiling at him, an expression forged from the beginnings of a tentative hope. “Good luck.”

He hesitated.

“Don’t you dare blame yourself for this, kid.”

He’d lost Mr. Stark.

Ramonda had lost her son. She’d had to bury him, had to live without him for five horrible years, and yet still she was willing to put her faith in Peter and trust that he would fix their broken reality.

She was willing to take a chance. And at the end of the day, so was he.

He smiled back. “I’m sure I’ll need it,” he said. Thank you for believing in me, he didn’t say.

(“A wife who loses a husband is called a widow. A husband who loses a wife is called a widower. A child who loses his parents is called an orphan. There is no word for a parent who loses a child. That’s how fucking awful the loss is.”)

:::

When Shuri finally re-entered the lab at the two-hour mark, the first thing she saw was Peter, staring up at the hologram with a dazed expression.

Shuri groaned. “Peter!” she admonished. “What happened to taking a break?”

He didn’t reply.

Shuri’s eye twitched. “I managed to drag myself out of the lab for two whole hours because I thought we’d agreed on giving our minds a rest,” she reminded him sharply. “And yet you’re still here. Do I need to remind you what a ‘break’ means?”

“No, I...” Peter faltered, trailing off into a stunned silence, and Shuri finally snapped out of her annoyance to notice that the look in his eyes was less confused, and more awed.

“Peter?” she raised an eyebrow, walking around the table to come to a stop behind him. She rested her hands on his shoulders and leaned back, peering up at the hologram. “What’s— oh, my god.”

“Yeah,” he said quietly, breathless in a good way.

“Is that...” Shuri stared. “99.8% successful?” she read aloud. “Holy shit, Peter, you did it. You did it.”

Peter hesitated. He still couldn’t be certain that things would go smoothly—there were over a million doubts running through his mind, but...

How can things be worse than this?

“Yeah,” he whispered, again. “Yeah, I did.”

Shuri hugged him close, beaming into his hair, and for a moment—only a moment—Peter let himself forget all of his concerns and just breathe.

For a moment, faced with Shuri’s hopeful smile, Peter let go. Because in this moment, with Shuri chattering excitedly into his ear, lively in a way she hadn’t been in five years, Peter knew he was doing the right thing.

He looked down at the framed picture of himself and Mr. Stark lying face-up on the worktable, mutual content grins on their faces and an upside-down certificate held between them, and smiled, too.

(Don’t you dare blame yourself for this, kid—)

:::

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3

#marvel #mcu #peter parker #spiderman #shuri #wakanda #post-snap #post infinity war #canon divergent au #time travel au #alternate realities #tony stark #iron man #iron dad #iron dad fanfiction #marvel fanfiction #spiderman fanfiction #peter x shuri #faye writes

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mage-cat · 5 years

Text

A Fire to Beat Back the Dark, Chapter 1

Welcome to my first She-Ra and the Princesses of Power fic. I am far from the only person who got to the end of the new episodes and found the tension of the cliffhangers unbearable. Add to that some theories I developed binging season 1 about a week before, and I finally found a way to power out of this writing rut I’ve been in.

Shadow Weaver has broken into Brightmoon with a message. If Adora doesn’t get Catra out of the Fright Zone soon, something permanent may happen to her. It’s something Shadow Weaver has feared for years. It’s something that will change everything. ~3,100 words

Story below the cut. Link to AO3 through here.

There may come a day when Adora, the mighty She-Ra, stops flinching at shadows. There may come a night when she can sleep soundly alone in a room in the middle of a stronghold without one hand gripping a knife hilt. But that time had not come yet and was only pushed further into her future when she woke in the middle of the night to the sound of her name being called out in an all too familiar voice.

Members of the Rebellion had quickly learned to be careful getting her out of bed in case her nightmares didn't fade quickly enough on waking. They would recognize Adora's actions in this moment, jerking up in bed already swinging a wickedly sharp knife. She only truly took in her surroundings after the blade made contact with Shadow Weaver's hanging sleeve.

Fortunately, Shadow Weaver was surprised enough by the attack that she didn't recover in the heartbeat that it took Adora to come to terms with the fact that this wasn't yet another dream of her former commanding officer and surrogate mother coming to take her from Brightmoon. The younger woman tackled her and had her tangled in the blanket she had been sleeping under in less than a minute.

It was only after her shouted intruder alert was met with the sound of hurried footsteps that she addressed her prisoner.

“What are you doing here?”

“I break out of a cell in the Fright Zone to visit my favorite student, and this is the welcome I get?”

“This is the welcome anyone who breaks into the castle to loom over my bed in the middle of the night gets.” Glimmer, Bow, Queen Angella, and a handful of guards arrived. One of them turned on the lights, giving everyone a clearer view of the situation. “What happened to your mask?”

“Catra happened with Hordak's sanction. I'm surprised that she didn't boast about severing my connection to the Black Garnet to you. I may well be the most powerless person here right now. Catra is his second-in-command for the moment, but it's not a role I prepared her for. You need to get her out of the Fright Zone before something permanent happens to her.”

“Since when do you care what happens to Catra? You hate her.”

“But I'm certain that it would grieve you to hear it if she came to harm.”

After several seconds of uneasy silence, Glimmer pulled Adora aside. “This screams 'trap',” she whispered sharply.

“But what if it's not?” Adora said softly before squaring her shoulders. “I'll take Swift Wind with me. Keep a constant watch on Shadow Weaver. At least two people at all times. Even if her sorcery is on the fritz, that was never the most dangerous thing about her.”

Catra resisted the urge to tear through the room that had once been Shadow Weaver's inner sanctum. The lingering memory of suffocating on the floor in Hordak's lab reminded her that she could not afford to be sloppy. Still, her frustration was starting to get the better of her.

“I guess it's too much to hope for a journal with an entry titled 'If I Ever Have to Escape From the Fright Zone'. I don't...” have any idea what here is a potential clue and what's just junk. Catra was glad she had stopped her voice before she finished that thought. The idea of Hordak's little Imp repeating it for him word for word, tone for tone chilled her.

Hordak would have let her die choking on the air of his home planet if Entrapta hadn't stepped in.

“Hey, hey, hey. If this is how you react to a slip up the only logical thing Catra could have done is not tell you until she had tried everything to fix it.”

Hordak grunted. “You may have a point.” He flipped a switch, and Catra gasped as the air changed to something her lungs could respond to again. “You have a three day extension to find Shadow Weaver and bring her to me. While you are doing that, I will search for someone more competent to ensure her transport to Beast Island. If you fail me again, you will be taking her place there.”

Catra shook off the memory as, for the hundredth time since she started searching the room, the Black Garnet caught her attention from the edge of her vision. Shadow Weaver had been so protective of this room and of that stone. She walked up and placed a hand on it, feeling a crackle of energy. “I don't suppose you could tell me anything?”

As if in answer, her hand turned hot, a feeling that traveled up her arm and into her chest, blooming outward until it filled her whole body. She would have called it searing if only for the fact that it didn't actually hurt. Still, it was nearing being too much. It needed a release. It needed…

There was a flare of light in the direction of her free hand. Catra jumped, breaking her hold on the runestone, when she recognized the light as flicking fire. The heat ebbed, but only slightly, which may have had something to do with the fact that no amount of jumping was going to get her away from the flames. They were in her hand, dancing across her palm like she had oil cupped there, assuming that holding flaming oil in her bare hand wouldn't burn her. She rotated her hand, and the fire moved to dance around her fingers. It is hot, of course, but there wasn't any pain. Just like the power she felt from the runestone.

An explanation hit her like a lead weight in her stomach, the fire dousing itself as if in response. “No. No, no, no, no, no. There is no way.”

She had never been so grateful at how easy it was to find Scorpia. She was in Entrapta's lab sorting through some files with Entrapta herself was nowhere in sight when Catra rushed up to her. “I need you to tell me everything you can about the Black Garnet.”

Scorpia blinked, her brain clearly taking a moment to switch to this new track. “There's not much to tell. It's the Fright Zone's runestone. My family gave it to Hordak. It's never worked for any one of us.”

“Why not?”

She fidgeted her claws together. “The history's so old it's basically a legend. My ancestors don't exactly come across as nice people in it.”

“I don't care what your ancestors did!” Catra hoped that this feeling like she was about to explode wasn't showing itself as actual flames coming off of her again.

If it was, Scorpia clearly didn't notice judging by the bright smile as she said, “Really?”

Catra took a deep breath. “Not past it explaining why the Black Garnet doesn't work for you.”

“Okay so, a really long time ago, my family didn't rule the Fright Zone. They ruled the Crimson Waste. But one day, like, a thousand years ago, something happened. Whatever it was made the Waste completely impossible to live in. Maybe it was called something different before. No one remembers.

“Anyway, my ancestors decided to conquer the next kingdom over, as in here. No one's sure what happened to the original royal family anymore. That's been kinda a black mark on us with the other royals ever since, and it turns out that runestones are tied really strongly to family lines, at least to use them the way Princesses do. I don't think the stuff Shadow Weaver or Entrapta have done with the Black Garnet has much to do with what the original royal family could have done with it.”

“Yeah.” Catra said, remembering a distinct lack of fire before today. “I think your right about that.”

“Why did you want to know?”

Catra schooled her expression. “Shadow Weaver's used the Black Garnet so much, I thought knowing more about it might help me track her down. Don't know if something's useful till you try it.” She turned toward the exit. “If anyone asks about me, I'm running down leads. Lord Hordak isn't trusting me with much else right now.”

All she knew right now was that the odds of Hordak being pleased with this development were low. Whatever this was was Princess nonsense, meaning there was only one place she could think to go, if only to walk in circles long enough to clear her head. At least if she burned down part of the Whispering Woods, she wouldn't regret it.

“Tell me again why we are risking going into the Fright Zone for someone who has repeatedly tried to kill you and/or people you care about,” Swift Wind said as Adora pushed a branch aside for him.

“Because she still doesn't deserve whatever Hordak is going to do to her. Because I think she's only ever attacked us to win Hordak's favor in the first place. And because she keeps stopping before she actually does us any permanent damage. She's not evil. I can't bring myself to think of her as evil. Not really.”

“And why are we walking through the Whispering Woods instead of flying over them?”

“To give myself as much time as I can to talk myself out of walking into a Horde trap. You are welcome to join in making me realize that this is a terrible idea.”

Back at Brightmoon, Glimmer and Bow had armed themselves and taken first watch over Shadow Weaver.

“I recognize that staff,” Shadow Weaver said. Glimmer narrowed her eyes at her. “And that glare of righteous indignation. Anyone who knew poor Micah could tell that you are his daughter. He was the most talented pupil I ever had during my time in Mystacor. Though it seems that all of my students are destined to disappoint me in the end.”

“Gee,” Bow said flatly, “maybe the problem is you.”

“No. I don't see how that could be.”

Castaspella had already been contacted, everyone reasoning that it would take sorcerers to best handle someone who had once been one of their own. She couldn't come fast enough.

Catra had done her best not to draw suspicion as she left the Fright Zone for the Whispering Woods. Unfortunately, that also meant taking no supplies with her. There was enough moonlight that navigating most of the Woods wasn't difficult, but as she passed through an area with a particularly dense canopy, she finally nearly tripped one time too many and tried to summon a flame to her hand again. It was almost unnerving how easy it was. She just wished that the resulting shadows didn't move so much. Only a minute of walking later, Catra found herself facing a structure somewhere between a cottage and a hut and caught the attention of an elderly woman with wild hair and thick glasses who had been about to enter it, a basket full of some sort of vegetation in her hand.

“Ah, a Magicat girl! Who makes her own light! It's been a long time since someone in your family has stopped by to see Madam Razz. Welcome, Princess.”

She winced and doused the flames. “Please, just call me Catra.”

“Welcome, Catra. Come in, and I'll make tea.”

“Oh, you don't have to...”

“Do you have someplace better to be tonight?”

She briefly considered her options: tea or more walking with no real destination. “I really don't.”

“Good! I don't get visitors very often, and you can start a fire under the kettle for me.”

The inside was cluttered but… cozy. That wasn't a word Catra had used for a whole room before. She had mostly used it for various crawlspaces she had discovered around the Fright Zone that she had once had the habit of hiding in. Then, she grew too much, and nowhere she could still fit had the security of knowing that no one with the right to order her around could get in as well.

“You seem like you've had a hard day, likely a hard few days. Madame Razz can mix up something calming. Best to leave out the catnip this time though. Sure you want to keep your wits about you.”

“That sounds good,” Catra said not entirely sure what Madame Razz was chattering about as she examined the wood and tinderbox by what seemed to be the main cooking space and did her best to remember her survival training so she could build a fire that would keep burning without her feeding power into it. Glimmer had talked so much about her need to recharge. Who knew how long it would be before Catra would be able to get close to the Black Garnet again?

She smiled as a light touch from her finger made a small spark that spread from a bit of fluff to one of the logs, starting a merry crackle.

“You said you knew someone in my family?” she asked standing up. The words 'my family' sat strangely on her tongue. She had still been a small child when she had stopped letting herself daydream about such a thing.

“Oh, that was long ago. Nearly as long as it's been since the last time I saw my Mara. Nearly a thousand years. She said that she was taking her children and her people as far away as she could get. I'm still a bit surprised that it took this long for one of you to get back.”

“My first memories aren't far from here.” No need to mention the Horde to the nice old lady if she hadn't noticed the Force Captain's badge yet. “I was raised with a bunch of other orphans. No one there ever looked even a little like me.”

“There aren't many of my species around these days either. It's hard for us to have children. Sort of a balance to the fact that we live so long. It can be a special kind of lonely, even with other people around. Oh, but the Whispering Woods brings all the visitors Madame Razz could want. Why, only a few weeks ago there was another Princess that come by here full of questions. Nice girl. Big sword.” The kettle whistled, and Madame Razz got up to pour the water into two mugs that she had measured her tea mixture into earlier. She motioned Catra to sit down and placed one of the mugs in front of her.

Catra stared into the water, watching it slowly change color. “I don't want any of this Princess mess.”

“It's rare for a Princess to be eager to take up her duties. They are responsibilities that weigh heavy on young shoulders. Still, most grow into the burden.”

She sighed. “Hasn't my life had enough burdens already? I spent my childhood getting yelled at and threatened by someone who was apparently drawing her power from my own runestone. I've nearly died more than once. I just want to land in a place where it all stops for a while.”

“Sounds to Madame Razz like that someone was trying very hard to keep you from your power so she could take it for herself.”

“Well, that didn't work for her. Shadow Weaver's connection to the Black Garnet is broken. I made sure of that.” Catra almost smiled at the memory. It had been satisfying, even if the satisfaction hadn't lasted.

“See! You've protected your runestone once already. That's a good start. The runestones need to be used. Why shouldn't you be the one to use it? Are you afraid of power?”

“Of course not!”

“Then why is being a Princess a bad thing? Princesses are the most powerful people on Etheria.”

“It still just means more fighting, and different fighting that I'm not used to. Princesses took the most important person in my world from me. Since then I've done things that I doubt they'll forgive me for.”

“They won't have much choice. All of the runestones are needed for the harmony of Etheria, and that means all the Princesses tied to them are needed. They may not be too friendly, but they can't hurt you. You don't seem to Madame Razz like someone who would wilt away at a few cold shoulders. Will your important person be there?”

“Yeah, she'll be there.”

“Do you not think she will be even a little happy to see you?”

“She's been trying to convince me to join her since she left.”

“Helping to bring Etheria back into it's intended harmony seems to Madame Razz like the best chance at peace that you're going to get. Your tea should be ready to drink. Not that you, of all people, have to worry about it getting cold.”

Adora and Swift Wind had reached a lull in their debating when they came across a landmark that they both recognized, a home that clearly had its fires lit against the night.

Adora called out, “Madame Razz?”

The woman in question soon appeared in the doorway and began chattering amiably as she came towards them. “Ah, Mara you're back! No, not my Mara. Adora. And Swift Wind. Forgive an old woman. I have a Magicat Princess visiting for the first time in a thousand years, and it is bringing me back to old times. She's just connected with the Black Garnet, and she's a little overwhelmed. Much like you were when you found that sword. Do you know how you can tell you are dealing with Magicat royalty? You can't go by how they act. Oh no, catch any Magicat in the wrong mood and they will be prideful to measure up against any queen. No, it's the eyes. Their eyes never match each other.”

“Magicat?” Adora said, taking a moment to process the stream of words that had just flown past her. “Eyes? Catra?”

“Hey Adora.” She had been so focused on Madame Razz that Adora hadn't noticed the second figure that had started following her once she was half-way to them. Now, the sound of the familiar voice caught her attention along with a plume of fire that bloomed from the figure's hand to illuminate a pair of blue and yellow eyes.

“Catra, you're...”

“A walking torch,” she said dryly.

Adora grinned. “And a Princess.”

“And too closely watched in the Fright Zone to have a chance of kicking Hordak out of my kingdom from inside the Horde. I may need some help. Know where I can get that?”

“Hey, what do you know?” said Swift Wind. “Best case scenario!”

Catra turned her attention towards him. “Talking horse. Cool. Nice to meet you.”

“Nicer to meet you than I was expecting, too.” He turned to Adora. “See this is the sort of reaction I should be getting more often instead of people screaming.”

Adora gave him a playful shove before telling Catra. “The Rebellion actually already had a scheduled meeting in the morning,” her expression turned serious, “and there's something else you should know about.”

Onwards to Chapter 2

#cat writes #she ra #fanfiction #catra

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star-munchies · 6 years

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Day 1: ThorQuill Week / Dance

Post-Infinity War: Finally after Thanos was defeated, all those who disappeared into dust peacefully returned to the real world and reunited with their loved ones happily.. apart from an unfortunate few that were not able to be brought back. However, Quill is still stuck in his own guilt and blames himself for killing half of the universe. Nobody but Thor is there to try cheer him up, even if he has trouble getting close to the other.

Author Note: This prompt went from angsty, cheery, to plain crack in a minimum of a few minutes. Dear god what have I done. It fits more in the ‘Comfort’ prompt but, I like it like this.

—————————————-

‘If you ever change your mind’

Quill’s thumb ghostly brushed across the smooth surface of the Zune softly in a slow pattern, treating it with such delicacy as if it were a rich fragile item that was rare to get a hold of. A soothing tune rung out from the mini pair of earphones that were connected by the music device by a cable. The man had his eye’s cast to the floor, a mixture of tenderness and sorrow painted in his forest-green orbs. A bashful of memories flooding in his head as the song wistfully continued to play in his ears.

‘About leavin’, leavin’ me behind’

He could only remember so much. The complexity of her beautifully toned skin, her eyes that held a powerful ferocity yet kind-hearted as well. That sharp gaze of hers that never failed to have him fall to his knees like a deer in headlights. My god, she was so smart and strong. Unlike he, stupid and weak compared to her god-like figure. She was one of the only beings in the entire galaxy that was able to pull him back up onto his feet, support him no matter the circumstances, had a shoulder for him to lean on when it was one of those days where he just needed to sit down and have a breakdown. Gamora was always there for him, but now she wasn’t. She was gone and it was all his fault.

‘Baby, bring it to me. Bring your sweet lovin’”

How could he be so stupid? They should have never gone to Knowhere in the first place, and none of this would have happened. They should’ve just gone with Rocket and Groot. It was naive of them to think they could go up against Thanos who had the power of two infinity stones in his hands. She should have just gone right. Why didn’t she go fucking right?

Was he even worth to be called their Captain anymore? He got who he thought to be his soulmate, his lover, killed by that purple nut-sack of chin asshole. Then he had the rest of the universe dissolve into a land of nothing, leaving their close ones to grieve. It was all his fault.

‘Bring it on home to me’

Warm tears brimmed from the corners of his eyes, as he felt them slowly roll down his pink cheeks. The agonising pain in his heart burned up in his chest like a raging fire of emotions, as he let out a small sob that was welling up in his throat for so long. He felt pathetic.

Quill was so lost in thoughts that he didn’t notice the sound of the door to his bedroom creak open behind him, until a annoyingly familiar voice chimed in.

“Lord of stars.”

It was that low and husky voice that pulled him out of his web of thoughts, oh how he hated it. The authority and intimidation that made him feel threatened, smaller in comparison. After the whole universe-decaying issue was fixed, not everything had gone exactly back to normal. There were still many problems that were still trying to be resolved throughout the galaxy, and some people were torn apart. Thor had no one left, his brother along with the rest of his people were no longer there by his side. The few survivors that chose to abandon this journey to ‘Rebuild Asgard’ had went on their own paths, choosing a new civilisation to blend in with. The other Guardians suggested he come join them on the Milano and offered him a place on their team, with the ignorance of Quill’s protests and disdain to the idea. Sometimes he questioned if he was even a leader at the amount of uncountable times that his team made their own decisions without any of his regard.

Despite all that has happened to him though, the man still had a smile on his face throughout the trip. And that made him angry. How could this mere being who has lost so much in his life uphold his emotions like a marshmallow on a stick? Every time Quill caught him laughing with his friends on the ship, there was always a pureness in his eyes that bloomed of contentment. It made zero sense how someone could express such a face that has experienced, possibly decades, of misery and agony in life, even for a god. He didn’t like to think that he was ‘jealous’ of him for handling it so ‘easily’ per say, just very uneasy.

“What do you want..” Quill grumbled, loud enough for the Asgardian to hear across the room but still a bit hushed in a sense.

Thor’s reply was hesitant, but sounded genuinely concerned, “You’ve been in here for quite awhile... everyone has grown a bit worried of you, even the rabbit, so I came to check if you were alright.” He had his back faced to the man, so he had no clue of what kind of expression the God of Thunder held on his face. Nor did he want to.

“I’m fine... just get out...” His tone rose a little louder this time, refusing to let this buffoon see him in his weakest state, it would make him feel more humiliated than previously. He just wasn’t in the mood at all today.

“Quil-“

“I said get out!” He snapped. He knew it was unfair to lash out on Thor because of his own misgivings, but right now he could care less.

The air grew awfully silent after Quill’s sudden outburst, the only audible sound in the room was the faint music from the Zune in Quill’s. He could feel the strong gaze from Thor glare holes in his back, causing a strange insecure and self-conscious feeling to rapidly dwell in the pit of his stomach. It made him undergo an uncomfortable sense knowing that the powerful being behind him was watching him. All he wanted was to be alone, asleep and to never wake up again.

When Quill heard heavy footsteps steadily approach from behind him, his shoulders tensed knowing that he couldn’t run from this. “Peter”

Quill’s breath got caught in his throat, freezing in place. Only Gamora had ever called him by his first name, ‘Peter’. She was the only one who wasn’t from Earth that was given permission to speak his true name. It truly manifested how close their bond was. So the peculiar sensation that wildly burned in his chest when he heard his name roll off Thor’s tongue almost pushed him off the edge. Why did he feel so tranquil when he said it? A man he barely knew, one that made him envious, lit a serenity in his heart that eased it down.

Quill slid his face into his palms and let a shaky sigh escape his mouth. He was to tired for this, he couldn’t muster up enough energy to get mad anymore at this point, “I don’t know what to do..” He admitted, feeling his nostrils flare and the tears fall once again, “I- fuck, I loved her so much! She was so... G-Gamora was so perfect. She would feel so disappointed in me if she learnt I got everyone killed... I-I don’t deserve her.. I feel so helpless without her. And now she’s.. A-and now she’s gone forever..”

From the other side of the bed, he felt the mattress sink down a bit, indicating that Thor had seated himself opposite of Quill, facing away from each other. A thunderstorm brewed in Thor’s eyes, sensing the sorrow of the Guardian behind him, his usual happy expression switched to one of understanding and profoundness.

A few seconds of silence passed, which didn’t seem to bother him but gave him more time to think, before he opened his mouth to say what he wanted Quill to hear, “..When I had first joined your crew, I was hopeless and lost. Not knowing why I lived and everyone else I knew didn’t. I felt like a failure, failing to succeed to the expectations of my father in my youth, allowing my kingdom too fall, failing to save my brother and mother from death... My only way of coping was by bringing joy to others.” Quill shut his mouth and listened intently to what Thor was trying to convey “I have killed a great deal of men in my life-time, upon the thousands. I’ve done stupid and unchivalrous acts without knowing the consequences of my actions until it was to late. I could’ve become a war-ridden tyrant and a corrupted ruler like my sister, but I didn’t. My father saved me from that fate by casting me out to find redemption. That I did... Looking back on that memory made me realise that my purpose had not died out yet, and I still had something to live for. Even if Asgard has fallen, not everything can last forever. Knowing that at least some of my people still stand among the rest of universe is enough for me. Your friends, that I have grown to care deeply for are some people I want to protect... that includes you as well.”

Quill let the words sink in slowly, finding he had no response to Thor’s words of wisdom. It felt like he just got plummeted by a stack of bricks. He couldn’t understand why Thor would treat him with such kindness, whilst all he has done is disrespect the man because his own precious ego was hurt. He didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve any of this. But before he could respond to Thor, he felt a rough tug at his wrist and he was turned around and pulled off the bed, “Gah!” He squeaked in shock, struggling to keep a hold of his Zune without it falling out of his grasp, “Thor what are yo-“

Unexpectedly, an arm was wrapped around his waist as his body was brought closer to the other’s impressively built one. A large hand grabbed onto his, intertwining their fingers together. The hand that was safely holding onto his zune propped up on Thor’s shoulder, to keep him steady. Looking up at the taller man in shock, confusion evident in his tear-glistened eyes, all he got in return was a warm smile, “..I am not exactly aware of the many forms of dance from your homeland, so bare with me here..” He said sheepishly, as he glided the to across the room slowly, spinning the pair around gracefully. The motion was slow, but Quill could hear his heart ramming in his chest as he felt his body heat connect with Thor’s, the vulnerability he felt when settled safely in Thor’s strong arms. The enchanting blue shimmer in his eyes that reflected upon his own green ones sent a shiver down his spine.

Was this okay? Should he be allowed to feel this way? It felt similar to how he felt when he and Gamora danced, but Thor wasn’t Gamora. Shouldn’t he be hating this man? Pushing him away and screaming at him? He didn’t know what to think anymore..

“Quill,” Said captain snapped out of his thoughts and concentrated his attention back on the Asgardian, “I know we may not have the best relationship, but I hope to get to know you better. Not only as my captain but as a person. So if you need a shoulder to lean on... i’m always here. Do not blame yourself for what happened, it was all on Thanos.. You acted out of pure love and sadness. You are not evil, Quill.” Thor said, his smile softening a bit as he stared deep into Quill’s eyes, showing his genuine support and care.

The former outlaw’s eyes widened a bit for a second. Quill couldn’t help but sigh, which quickly evolved into a light fit of laughter, “Man, how did I get stuck with an idiot like you..” He huffed, grinning up at the blonde which rose a flare in Thor’s chest, tightening his “...Thank you..” Thor chuckled, as the two smiled at each other. His former thoughts suddenly being rested away for now, as he felt his mood no longer waver. The pressure of his guilt no longer on his shoulders, as if the frustrations and pain was lifted up off him. Maybe he could try to get to know Thor a little bit better. The guy wasn’t half bad.

“OH MY GOD, CAN YOU TWO GET A ROOM?!”

“SHUT UP TRASH PANDA, WE ARE IN A ROOM- Wait, what?! Its not like that!”

“ITS EXACTLY LIKE THAT!”

#ThorQuill #Thor Odinson #Peter Quill #Angst #Dance #Rocket is a dicc

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