#i refuse to make her wear dress that looks like scrub she will be one of those weird kids at school

[miusato]

People at school said they're just best friends 🤭

[live-laugh-lenney]

Love love the arthur lingerie fic. What about george version

i've been waiting for this to come in simply so i could write something smutty for george... CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT.

george is a sucker for lingerie.

granted; he'd always tell her that she could wear a stained, faded and ratty-looking t-shirt, with holes in the armpits, and he would still find her to be the most beautiful woman in the world.

in the beginning few months of seeing one another, finding out what each others turn ons were, their love-making started off sweet and soft and they would always plan ahead and it would happen in the most sensual way... like it was something written in a romance novel.

yn would always present herself nicely. she would dress nice, she would spray her perfume on her neck, she made sure she had matching underwear on (that didn't have holes in or elastic hanging loose from the waistband). he always made sure he had a clean room with clean bedsheets on his bed, a candle burning to give the room a relaxing feel and a lovely smell and that everything was within arms distance so he didn't have to leave the bed.

but now?

a year and a half into their relationship, having sex was never made into a big deal. not much anymore. the nights they spent together were spent being lazy on the sofa in her flat (because he was always surrounded by the two arthurs and chris and neither of them could have privacy with them around), eating meals from their take-out, binge-watching a television show that they were in the middle of watching.

their 'motto' being if it happens then it happens.

but every now and then, to keep their love and their romance alive, they would have a night dedicated to them. birthdays were always guaranteed, anniversaries always ended up with them in bed, but on the nights when they just wanted to feel close to one another, she would always surprise him by wearing a new set of lingerie...

she's fresh from the shower.

having given herself an 'everything shower' - she washed her hair, she deeply scrubbed her face, she shaved her legs and exfoliated her skin so she was soft to the touch, she got rid of every inch of body hair she could find and managed to do so without nicking any of her skin - she changed into the new set of lingerie once she was completely dried off, letting the lace perfectly cup her breasts and sitting low on her pubic bone, knowing that she had an eager george waiting for her on the other side of the door.

she gave him the task of making the room feel ready and that is just what he did; he lit their wax-burners and put in a relaxing scent so it emitted smells so relaxing and soft, the flickering of the flames being enough light to fill the room, curtains drawn shut and he'd even gone as far as scattering rose petals upon the bed to show the romantic side to him.

she opens the door, the bathroom light flooding into the room for just a moment, sliding her finger down the switch and turning off the light and closing the door behind her, exposed to his wandering eyes and she can already feel her cheeks heating up.

"i can feel you staring."

"can you blame me?" he questions her, looking from his phone screen and making eye contact with her as she stood in the middle of the room, locking the gadget in his hand and placing it down on the table by his bedside, "you're so gorgeous."

she takes in his appearance; stretched out down the bed with tousled hair that he hadn't really dealt much with that day, a fringe almost forming from how he hadn't styled his hair like normal, his facial hair looking a lot more desirable to her than normal, wearing nothing but a deep teal t-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts that peeked out from the hem of his tee, no socks on his feet (because he'd worn her slippers all day and refused to take them off), his ankles crossed at the end of the bed.

he takes in her appearance; a lilac-coloured, made from lace, lingerie set on her figure with her hair still damp but not completely sodden with water, painting her skin with droplets of water that glistened in the light of the candles flickering. and she smelt delicious and she looked fresh, a nervous smile on her lips as she looked at him.

"is this all for me?"

he smirks at his own question because he already knows the answer; her coming out in matching underwear was almost a given when they chose to switch off from the outside world and spend all evening in bed.

"you know it's for you, idiot."

"don't speak to me like that, baby."

she rolls her eyes playfully and he pushes himself up on the bed, the pillow squishing between his back and the headboard of the bed behind him, duvet scrunching up with his movements and she takes that as her moment to walk towards him. and he watches every step she takes towards him, every sway of her hips, and he couldn't take his eyes away from the way the swell of her breasts bounced every so slightly with the motion.

instead of clambering onto her side, she walks to his side. swinging her leg up and over his body and bringing herself to straddle him at his waist, legs either side of him.

"well, i like where this is going."

his hands cup her hips, the pads of his thumbs brushing over the naked skin of her hips and he's eager to dip his fingers into the band of her knickers and pull them away, revealing the one thing he was desperately eager to get a feel of. his eyes trailing from her eyes to her exposed collarbones and down the valley of her breasts which he just wanted to free from the constraint of her bra.

he could feel himself hardening beneath her, and she could feel his stiffening muscle against her thigh, forming an ache in her core for him that she really wanted to suffice. she couldn't let the night start so quickly and deep down, they both wanted to drag it out for longer than normal. they wanted to savour every passing second. drinking it in and feeling the emotions together.

"you really are so beautiful," he whispers softly, "i'm one lucky son of a bitch."

her fingers started playing with them hem of his t-shirt, moving it up ever so slightly to show a little bit of the skin of his stomach, boxers stretching across the growing hard-on that was seemingly bursting to be freed. and she wanted to. her fingers were there. but teasing him was something she loved to do.

"i think i'm the lucky one," she responds softly and he scoffs and his head shakes from side to side, "i am, george. i am. i'm just a nobody compared to you."

"nope," he shakes his head, "you're everything to me."

"oh, shut up," she retorts and pushes at his chest with her hands, soft enough to not hurt him, and he smiles warmly, "i am. you could have anyone and yet you chose me."

his hands wrap around her wrists and he brings them up to his neck, letting her bear her weight on his shoulders, a gentle groan escaping his lips as she shuffles on his crotch and brushes her warming core against his cock, bottom lip lodging between his teeth.

"i'm so in love with you."

"i love you," he smiles.

and yn's the one that closes the gap between the two of them. her lips melding together beautifully with him and her hands find his hair, fingers twisting between the strands at the nape of his neck, his hands dancing up her back. fingertips tickling her skin with the feathery touches he gives her bare skin, bringing her closer to him, chests flush together. their breathing was erratic, her hips moving slow motions, his fingers toying with the hooks of her bra in an eager attempt to tell her what she wanted without breaking the kiss.

and she lets him.

arching her back as a way of tell him to go for it and he doesn't need anymore than that to let both of his hands work on removing the bra from her chest, breaking the kiss for just a moment to pull it away from her, sliding it down her arms and throwing it aimlessly into the bedroom and hope it hit the floor instead of knocking anything from its place. chests rising and falling rapidly.

"i need you."

it's almost inaudible as it rolls off of her tongue. and he nods quickly, her fingers curling into the waistband of his boxers and she pulls them down just enough to free the boner that was leaking pre-cum and was twitching under her touch. his fingers working to slide down her knickers, without trying to tear the fabric or ruin them in his haste to feel her wrapped around him, and she adjusts herself on top of him so she can pull them down and chuck them towards the end of the bed.

as she throws them to the floor, his shirt comes off, revealing himself to her and she instantly feels her hands gravitate towards his bare shoulders, dragging her fingers down the skin of chest, with one hand continuing down his stomach until it wraps around his length, giving him a gentle few pumps and squeezes.

"so needy," she grins, "so so needy. for me?"

profanities rolling off of his tongue.

"always for you," he grunts out lowly, "see what you do to me?"

he can't stop himself from pushing his hips towards hers, feeling her legs tense as she feels his length slide between her folds, coming to a halt to allow her to adjust before his hips start the gentle thrusts he was desperate to make happen, her head rolling back as she let the deep and intense pleasure take over her body.

"you feel so good," he whispers and he lets her take over, grinding on his cock and twitching inside her every time she let out a whimper, the tip of his length reaching places he knew drove her crazy, her nails digging into his skin and leaving crescent indents behind, his arms wrapping around her waist and bringing her closer to his body, "so bloody good."

and he hides his face in her neck.

allowing her control gave him the opportunity to focus on giving her pleasure elsewhere on her body and his favourite place was her neck. leaving hickey after hickey behind down the stretch of skin below her ears and above her shoulders, nibbling and licking the skin as she lets him devour her.

"m'so close, baby," she hums and he brings his face from her neck, cheeks flush and his eyes hooded, lips swollen from being attached to her skin, and he can feel the burn in his belly that screamed how close he was to spurting out his release, "m'gonna-"

"wait for me," he begs, "wait for me, cum with me."

and she can feel her toes curling, her knees beginning to shake, her legs tensing. she quickens her pace, hearing his breathing getting caught in his throat, and his hands grip onto her hips to guide her at a pace that was getting him closer and closer, their eyes barely leaving each others. watery, hooded but lust-filled and darkening.

"m'gonna," he chokes off his sentence and lets his head drop to her chest, eyes clenching shut as he let his release fill her up, her own orgasm following behind him, squeezing him between the walls of her core, rhythm falling sloppy as she drops her head to his. her cheek resting upon the soft tufts of his hair. "fuck."

the room is filled with their panting, heavy breathing, and it smells like sex and the scent of candles melting, and they're seeing stars as they come down from their highs and allow themselves to fully regain their visions back to reality.

"i know what to buy you for christmas now."

"what?"

he grins lopsidedly up at her and she cups his face in her hands, thumbs catching the sweat coating his skin, soft and gentle.

"more lingerie," he says, "could go all night with you."

"give me half hour," she giggles softly, pressing a kiss to his lips and removing herself from his body, falling to the bed beside him, "we'll go for round two then."

thank you for reading if you managed to get this far! very thankful if you managed to make it to the end. george has such a special little place in my heart; i think it's split into four. my boyfriend has one, atv has the second, george has the third, arthur hill and chris can share the fourth... keep sending in your prompts/requests for arthur (and george!) and i'll slowly work my way through them during my days off from work and when i need a break from the locked in series. xx

[gingiesworld]

Nurse Wanda

Hello can you do millionaire male reader/g!p x nurse wanda? Where reader get into accident so reader need nurse to make sure they doing good for couple months, Since the first day nurse wanda come they immediately fall in love with her but refused to say anything. The last day nurse wanda working they decided to make a move by just bending her over the desk and start kissing her neck from behind, She try to push them away so they ask if she really want them to stop or not (of course she don’t want it to stop) and you know what happened after that ;) (Just imagine reader fucking her from behind while she still wearing nurse outfit!)

Wanda Maximoff x Male Reader

Warnings: Smut

18+ MINORS DNI

It was all over the news, Billionaire Y/N Y/L/N had been in a fatal accident, almost ending his life along with his driver. He had spent the better part of two months laying in a hospital bed until he was allowed to go home, on the pretense he would hire a live in nurse.

Of course that job had fallen on none other than Wanda Maximoff. As much as her best friend would tease her because she would be missing out on precious time with her on and off again boyfriend Vision, especially with needing to live in the Y/L/N manor.

“I just need to make sure everything is healing as it should be.” Wanda told him softly as she checked his dressings. Of course Y/N has thought about Wanda in some sinful ways, especially with her in her scrubs.

“Thank you.” He spoke sincerely when she was finished.

“Maybe we can try to go for a walk?” Wanda suggested as she took a seat.

“Sure.” He smiled at her as she nodded, heading straight to his closet to get him some comfortable clothes.

Over time he found himself falling for the woman before him. All of the little things she would do for him. He would listen to her whenever she spoke about something she cared about so deeply, which revolved around her brother and friends. He knew she was in some sort of relationship but she never spoke about it so Y/N would leave it alone.

When the time together was coming to a close, Y/N found himself wanting her more and more.

“Are you sure that you have to go?” he asked her as she nodded.

“I will have a couple of weeks off until my next job.” She told him as he rose from his desk.

“Stay here for two more weeks.” He suggested. “Relax by the pool, or even in the sauna.”

“Y/N, I have to go, I have my friends.” She told him sternly as she looked on his computer, booking her bus ticket.

“They can come here, there is plenty of room.” He told her as he stood right behind her. Pushing himself against her firm ass. “It can be like a mini vacation.” He started to push his growing bulge against her, she clenched around nothing as she bit her lip. His hands soon landing on her hips, pulling her back into him

“I’ve already paid for my ticket.” She told him as firmly as she could.

“I’ll reimburse you.” He told her as his hands soon reached the ties of her scrub bottoms.

“Y/N.” She whispered as he undone the knot. “This is wrong.” His hand soon found it’s way into her bottoms, cupping her clothed core.

“But you want this just as bad as I.” He told her with a smirk. She just gasped knowing full well that he is right. Wanting to answer him but only a whimper came out when he applied pressure to her clit. “Fuck Wanda, do you have any idea how much I have wanted this since the first month.” He pushed her underwear to the side, sliding a finger through her folds. Moaning at how wet she is. “I want to fuck you so bad.”

“Do it.” She told them confidently. Not expecting him to rip off her bottoms and underwear. Listening as he pulled his own down. She moaned as she felt his cock run through her folds as he held her hips, leaving bruises behind with the grip.

“Fuck Wanda.” He husked as he kissed her neck, one arm holding her flush against him as the other teased her clit, bucking his hips as Wanda became a moaning mess. “You’re so fucking sexy.” He sucked harshly on her neck as his hand reached under her shirt. Smirking as he felt her braless chest, pinching her perky nipple as she moaned loudly.

“Oh Y/N.” She reached around and held his head in place as her other hand kept her stable against the desk. “So close.” She whispered as he smirked, already reaching his own climax.

The two came with a moan, Y/N hid his face in her neck. The two regaining their composure before he pulled out. He turned her around, cupping her face as he gazed into her eyes. Closing the gap and kissing her softly. Letting her know his feelings with this one gesture.

[pascalscoffin]

Muñequita pt. II

Idk idk why I made a part two okay? I’m invested leave me alone

Full Pedro Masterlist

Series Masterlist

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Warnings: Minirs Go Away I Will Kick You In The Forehead. Girl!dad Javi. Javi struggles with his Colombian past. Javi falling in love with his daughter and reader (all over again) VERY fast. The man’s a simp for his family and he don’t even know em. Javi cries and opens up to reader (he’s still very vague). Valeria loves him literally immediately. Javi is actually scared she won’t and she’s just like “mine.” No season three they’ve got other guys on that case (Steve and Javi refused they just wanna be small town cops now)

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Javier had never been too worried about his clothes before, he didn’t spend very long choosing his outfit and usually just wore what he was comfortable in, but getting up the next morning he was thrown in a spiral. It’s weird, a guy being so worried about what he’s gonna wear to go meet someone.

But this isn’t just someone.

This is daughter. He wants to make a good impression.

And then of course, there’s you. He’s spent the last five years thinking about the night you shared together, not even just the sex. Don’t get him wrong the sex was absolutely magnificent and would most definitely cross his mind more than once.

But, he found himself thinking about the way you made him feel as lot as well, how your laugh had echoed in his brain and then spread into his chest and throughout his entire body, keeping the two of you laughing until your cheeks hurt, which was an odd feeling for Javier, he hadn’t laughed like that since he was a kid.

He hadn’t been looking to meet someone that night at the bar, if he wanted to get laid he would go to Gabriella and get what he wanted from her, but after the day he’d had trying to run down Escobar, he was just too damn tired to talk to anyone.

But then he sat next to you, subconsciously drawn to the warmth he felt near you, not a physical warmth but something that swirled around and warmed up inside him and he wanted more more more.

Eventually he had Steve on the phone.

“Little girls like pink, right?” There was a short silence. “First of all, hello to you too. Second of all, what?”

“Estoy tan harto de ti, pendejo.” Javier rubbed his forehead before sighing heavily. I'm so sick of you, asshole. “Little girls. Do they fucking like pink or not.” “I- usually, yes. But not always. Why the fuck are you asking me if little girls like pink?”

“I’m meeting Valeria today. I want her to like me, pendejo.” “So you think… wearing pink is… is gonna make her like you?” “I don’t know! It couldn’t hurt!” “Look, Javi. Your shirt doesn’t fucking matter.” Steve sighed heavily on the other side. “Where’s Connie.” Javier asked, she was better at advice. “She took Olivia and Jack for ice cream.” Javier groaned loudly.

“Just- she’s five years old, Jav and she’s about to meet her dad for the first time, I don’t really think it matters what you wear, she’s gonna be obsessed with you as soon as she meets you.” Steve chuckled softly and sighed. “… alright. Alright.” Javier stared down at the button ups he’d been staring at for an embarrassing amount of time before putting the white away and deciding to wear the pink one. “Bye.” He hung up and went to shower before getting dressed, trying to scrub every inch of any cigarette he’d had in the last 24 hours off his skin.

He’d been trying to stop but on the way to Steve’s he’d stopped to buy a couple looseys from the one gas station that would sell them.

After that he waited, impatiently, for an appropriate time to call about coming over. Nine was way too early, noon felt… eager, and anything later than one or two felt too late. It resulted in him dialing your number, staring at the numbers before shaking his head and deciding it was too early about four times.

Eventually he decided 12:30 was pretty much the perfect time, so he dialed your number one last time before hitting the green button instead of the red one this time.

When you picked up he heard your voice fade in. “Valeria, don’t climb on the counter. Vas a romperte el brazo.” You’re going to break your arm. “Hello?” Javier didn’t realize he had a huge smile on his face until he looked in the mirror hanging up on his bedroom wall, tucked away from Chucho and his bat-like ears. “Hey- uh- it’s Javi.” “Oh. Hey. So… you heard she thinks my house is a jungle gym.” Javier chuckled softly.

“She seems like the type.” Javi scratched his chin lightly, silence settling over the phone for a moment before he spoke again. “So uh when… when do you want me to.. come over?”

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Valeria had been practically bouncing around the house all morning. When you’d gotten up you sat her down at breakfast and explained to her gently while she was eating that her daddy was home and wanted to meet her. Her eyes had gotten so wide and so bright, she’d practically inhaled the rest of her food before running off to her room, screaming that she had to find something to wear.

You had to follow her and help, of course, she was independent but the truth was if you let her dress herself she’d end up either not wearing anything or end up wearing two dresses, a skirt, and a pair of jeans with one flat and one sneaker. If that seems like an oddly specific example, it’s because you have in fact let her dress herself and she tried to go to school wearing that exact outfit.

“Querida?” Javi’s soft voice through the receiver brought you back as you watched Valeria carefully climbed down off the counter. “I’m here. Sorry. Sorry I was.. just thinking. Um. You can come whenever now. Honestly, the sooner the better because Valeria wants to look pristine when you get here but I can see her resolve cracking every time she looks out the window.” You laughed softly.

Javi laughed a little harder this time. You watched as Valeria ran away from the windows towards you, grabbing your leg and jumping. “¡¿Es él, mami?! Is that him?!”

On the other end of the line Javier could feel his heart squeezing in his chest and you could hear his breath hitch in his throat. “I-I’ll be there soon.” His voice was softer, you almost couldn’t hear him but you did and a slow smile spread across your face. “Okay.” You said softly. “See you soon.”

You hung up the phone and took just a brief second to smile and feel giddy before being sucked into Valeria’s world again. “Is he coming? Is he coming?!” She whined. You laughed softly and knelt down to pick her up. “Yes, mi muñequita, he’ll be here soon.”

Valeria nodded and laid her head on your shoulder and you could sense her nerves start to build up in her tiny little body. “What’s on your mind, muñequita?” You asked softly, rubbing her back gently.

“.. do you think he’ll like me?” You looked down at her quickly. “What? Of course he will. He’s going to love you, Val.” You whispered softly, kissing her cheek gently, feeling that guilt from last night start to settle in your stomach again. Fuck. Is this what the day had planned for you? Constant unimaginable guilt? “He- you’re so smart and funny and energetic. He’s going to fall in love with you the second he sees you. Just like I did.” You kissed her forehead.

She played with the collar of your shirt. Being a mom who literally refused to enjoy herself you didn’t have ‘dress up’ clothes, sure you had nice clothes, but nice clothes for you meant things like shirts that weren’t stained from play time with Valeria or days where she’d be sick and couldn’t stop herself in time to make it to a trashcan- lets just say there’s a trashcan almost everywhere in your house now, just in case she gets sick.

You were, however, wearing your nicest clothes, which was a beige colored v-neck with a little pocket on the front that adorned a heart, your jeans were light wash, a few bleach stains from laundry mishaps, a missing back pocket, the bottoms frayed from dragging the ground, but they fit you really well and you couldn’t bring yourself to throw them away.

“Can I watch Elmo?” Valeria looked up at you hopefully and you laughed softly, nodding. “Of course. Go pick.” You set her down and watched her run over to the VHS collection of Elmo tapes and watched her fondly.

You were shocked how easily she could move on from things, how she could go from nervous and scared to excited and asking to watch Elmo. Though, if you thought back to your night with Javi, he seemed to be the same way, like he was constantly flipping between emotions, urging off certain ones in favor of others.

You wondered briefly if Valeria did the same thing, wanting to watch Elmo to stave off the nervous feelings. When you saw her pick her desired tape, though, you shook the thoughts out and made your way over, putting the tape in and starting it for her, kissing the top of her head as she sat down, immediately entranced.

You went to the kitchen to prep something to eat when Javi got there, figuring you would have lunch together and, hopefully dinner but you didn’t want to get ahead of yourself. The occasional peek in on Valeria told you no matter how glued in on Elmo, if she heard a car she was running to the window, staring out of it in hopes that a car would stop.

Until you heard her let out a loud gasp and tiny scream. “¡Mami! ¡Mami! ¡Él está aquí! He’s here!” She ran into the kitchen and grabbed your hand to yank you to the door. “Come on!” You were glad she was at least following your rule about not opening the door, the yelling inside was going to take more time.

You picked up your feet to walk to the door, she was surprisingly strong for such a small girl but you were just going to blame that on the excitement. As you got closer to the door you felt nervous, the feeling spreading when you heard a door close in your driveway.

“Mommy open it!” Valeria was jumping up and down, standing slightly behind you. “I am, I am.” You laughed and shook your head, reaching out to pull the door open just as Javi was stepping onto the porch.

Javi froze for a second and got that puppy dog look on his face again as he looked at you before his eyes fell down to the tiny figure behind you and his breath caught in his throat.

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Javier looked down at the little girl, his own eyes staring back at him as he swallowed thickly, she’d had a big floppy hat on yesterday so it’d been hard to see her face but god she was beautiful. Fluffy brown curls that reached her shoulders, some pieces sticking out in a way that reminded him of his own hair.

He hesitated a little before slowly kneeling down, wanting to get at her level as you did the same, stepping over a bit so that they could get a better look at eachother.

“Muñequita… this is your daddy.” Javi looked at you when you called her muñequita and wanted to laugh at the irony but all of a sudden a tiny body was slamming into his chest and little arms were throwing themselves around his shoulders.

He blinked rapidly, eyes widening a bit as he looked at you and then down at Valeria, slowly wrapping his arms around her, letting his eyes close as he soaked in the feeling. “Hola, papá.” She said into his neck, the voice so soft and tiny he was ready to give both of you whatever the hell you wanted.

He took a deep breath to steady the shaking feeling in his chest. “Hola, mi Valeria.” He whispered softly. After a moment Valeria was sliding away just a little bit and her tiny little hands were settling on his cheeks and rubbed lightly, giggling happily and hugging his neck again before looking back at you

“Mommy mommy! It really is him! He looks just like me!” Valeria jumped up and down, absolutely overjoyed that she got to meet her dad.

You laughed softly and felt your cheeks warm up a little under the heat of Javi’s gaze. “Come on. I… I made lunch.” The two of you stood up and Valeria bolted inside yelling about Dino nuggets and tater tots, despite you trying very hard to get her to have something else. “It’s my favorite, mommy! He has to know!” She’d insisted.

You’d laughed and shook your head but ultimately agreed and made enough for the three of you because she demanded you all eat the same thing, insisting you’re a family and families eat the same meal.

“Dino nuggets..?” Javier looked at you curiously as he stepped into the house. You laughed softly. “They’re chicken nuggets shaped like dinosaurs.” You smiled and closed the door behind him. “Oh.” He nodded slowly. “Huh. Okay.” He pursed his lips, making a mental note of that.

“Sorry. Hi. You look great.” Javier turned to you better with a soft smile. You felt your cheeks warm up and laughed a little as you shook your head. “I look as great as the mother of a five year old can look.” “Which is fucking fantastic, Querida.” Javier shook his head. He wasn’t going to get into that, not yet anyway.

So maybe Javi had a thing for milfs, could you blame him? Especially when they looked like you. “Come on! I’m hungry!” Valeria shouted from the table, whining loudly. You blinked rapidly and looked towards the kitchen with a laugh. “We should probably go. The last time I missed lunch- by two minutes mind you, she tried to make her own milk and spilled it… all over the counter and floor.” You spread your hands out and shook your head. “The whole carton.”

Javier raised his eyebrows and looked towards the kitchen, snorting a little. “.. well we better go, then.” He motioned for you to go so he could follow you, his hands rubbing nervously on his thighs behind you, trying so very very hard not to stare at your ass, thanking god when you got to the table and the two of you sat down, Valeria practically bouncing in her seat as she asked Javier to sit next to her, brown eyes big and shining. How could he say no to that face?

He sat next to her with a smile, you dropping yourself down in front of them before starting to deal out the tater tots and Dino nuggets.

Javier listened as Valeria explained the delicacy of biting a nugget, eating a tater tot, and biting the nugget again, even going so far as to show Javier and tell him that was the best way to eat them, to which you’d laughed but ultimately agreed with her.

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After lunch Valeria was finally allowed outside, screaming in joy as she ran, jumping up and down by her swing set. “Will you push me? Will you push me?” She asked Javier, grabbing his arm when the two of you walked over. “Please, daddy?”

Please, daddy?

The words echoed in Javier’s head as he nodded his head slowly, looking down at Valeria with a star struck look on his face. “Of course I’ll push you, Valeria.” He stood behind her on the swing and looked at you nervously as you nodded your head. “Just no trips to the moon.” You teased.

Javier laughed and nodded. “Yes ma’am.” He pushed Valeria on the swing, not too high but high enough to keep her satisfied as she told Javier all about being in Kindergarten, kicking her little legs happily.

Javier felt his chest swell as he listened to her, his heart pounding in his chest as he started to think about everything he’d done, everything he’d caused in Colombia. How one night, in the midst of that terrible shit he met you and had the best fucking night of his adult life, and it produced this sweet, tiny, innocent little girl that was just too perfect for this world.

And she loved him with every atom in her tiny body.

It made him sick.

Not because he didn’t want her to, or because he didn’t love her. But because he didn’t deserve it. He didn’t deserve to have someone love him so wholeheartedly like that, not with the things he’s done. “Javi?” He snapped his eyes over to you and blinked rapidly as you frowned. “Are you okay?”

Javier nodded rapidly. “I’m fine.” He smiled lightly. “I’m fine.” He repeated before looking down at Valeria, who was looking back at him with a tiny frown. The frown melted into a smile though and then she telling Javier he could stop the swing before jumping off the swing and bouncing on her heels.

“Jump rope! Jump rope! Jump rope!” She shouted before running to the box of outside toys to grab her longest jump rope. “Here, daddy! You hold one end. Mommy, you hold this one.” She gave you each one end.

Javier’s cheeks were red and he had a smile on his face as he watched her, looking at you for help on what the hell he was supposed to do here. “Just.. swing your arm back and forth.” You told him, laughing softly. “You’ll get the hang of it.” You teased.

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The day went pretty much like that, Valeria found all kinds of things to play with Javier, introducing him to all her favorite games and toys until she was almost completely tuckered out, thumb stuck in her mouth a telltale sign she was getting sleepy. You never discouraged this, it made her comfortable and it was the only time she did it and it would normally only last until she was asleep, which didn’t take long once the thumb was in place.

“Alright, it’s time for muñequitas around the world to go to bed.” You said softly, your chest squeezing at how she was glued to Javier’s side as you watched a movie, little eyes drooping, one of his arms around her while the other gripped tightly at the cushions. There was something wrong, that much you could tell, you just didn’t know what it was.

Thankfully, Valeria didn’t fight and in her sleepy state reached for you to take her to bed, letting out a big yawn. You laughed softly and gently pulled her from Javier’s side. She reached out last second, though and clung to his neck before pressing a sleepy kiss to his cheek. “Buenas noches, papá” she whispered sleepily before letting you tug her away.

Javier took a deep breath and smiled softly. “Buenas noches, Valeria.” He rubbed his hands on his pants and when you turned around he hesitantly got up and followed you.

You didn’t really hear him behind you, changing Valeria into her nightgown before tucking her into bed, pushing her hair back. “Did you have a good day, Muñequita?” You whispered. Valeria smiled sleepily and looked at you with that same love-filled look, none diminished like you were afraid.

“He’s just like I thought he’d be, mommy.” She whispered happily, her eyes absolutely shining. “He’s so nice and he smells good and he’s super strong! And really fast! I told you he was a superhero, mommy.”

You laughed softly and kissed her forehead as Javier felt his earth shatter and then come back together and then explode again. Hearing you say it was different from hearing her say it and it had him stumbling back to the couch, completely losing his nerve to finish watching your nightly routine. Maybe another night.

He lowered himself onto your couch and pressed his hands to his mouth as he stared at a picture of you after you gave birth to Valeria, completely alone with that tiny baby in your arms, nothing but a nurse next to you for moral support, it made him want to throw up. You were giving birth to his daughter and he was probably fucking a god damn hooker in his sleazy ass apartment. Or watching a fucking child get shot in the forehead, or-

Jesus fucking Christ is he crying right now?

He looked down at his hand and sure enough there was a god damn tear right there on his hand, mocking him. “Javi?” He looked quickly, your sweet voice bringing him back again, slowly pulling him back down to earth. “What’s wrong? Was it too much today? I’m so sorry I didn’t know she was going to-“ “no.” Javier shook his head and wiped his eyes quickly as he stood up, going over to you.

“No it’s not that. I love her. God I love her so fucking much. She’s amazing. She’s so- fucking happy. She’s so happy. And so- full of love- and that’s the problem.” You blinked rapidly and frowned deeply. “Excuse me?”

“I don’t deserve it.” Javier shook his head. “That’s what’s wrong. I don’t.. deserve to be loved by her like that. By someone so innocent.” “Javi- what are you talking about.” “I’m not a superhero- god I’m not even a fucking hero- or a side kick.” He scoffed and walked away from you, hands on his hips as he looked at the ceiling.

“.. Javi-“ “don’t give me that ‘no one feels like one’ bullshit.” Javier scoffed and looked back at you. You furrowed your brows and hesitated a little before making your way over to him and then guiding him down onto the couch. “… you need to talk to someone about it, Javi.” You said softly.

Javier scoffed. “Like a shrink?” You rolled your eyes. “Or a friend.” You closed your hands around his lightly and pulled them closer. “I’m here to listen. You don’t have to tell me everything, or go into detail if you don’t want to.” You rubbed his hand with your thumb.

Javier looked at your hands for a while, silent. After what felt like five minutes he looked at your eyes and took a deep breath. “A lot of… the bad shit that happened.. over there. I was.. around, in the area, when it happened. I saw a lot of it… head on. Explosions, shootings… the shit with Los Pepes. It was my fault” His fist tightened under yours.

“… I watched the news.” You nodded. “I wouldn’t let her but I… wanted to try and keep track of you somehow.” You looked down and brought his hand up to press a kiss to his knuckles. “I’m sorry you had to see stuff like that.” You looked up at him.

“But… Javi whatever you did over there. Whatever happened… you thought you were doing the right thing. You had to catch Escobar.” Javier looked at you for a minute and shook his head as he looked away. “One of em was a fucking kid.” He mumbled, his jaw tightening.

“Teenager, almost a teenager…” you moved closer to him. “We rounded up his lookouts.. it was just a bunch of kids, all of em…” he took a deep breath. “Carrillo… I thought we just.. were gonna bring them in..” he shook his head. You blinked rapidly as you put the pieces together. “I just fucking stood there. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t do anything.” He swallowed thickly.

You shook your head slowly. “Oh Javi… oh god I’m so sorry.” You let go of his hand and hugged him tightly, wrapping one arm around his shoulders while your other hand settled on the back of his head, running your fingers through the hair as he pressed his face into your neck and wrapped his arms tightly around your waist, his shoulders shaking.

“I don’t deserve to have her in my life I’m just gonna fuck her up. I’ll fuck it all up. I fucked everything up in Colombia. They didn’t even fucking catch him until I was gone. I don’t wanna fuck her up.” You shook your head as he rambled. “Javi… you’re not going to fuck anything up.” You frowned and pulled back, cupping his cheeks.

“She loves you and that’s not gonna change and you’re not gonna fuck her up because she’s too stubborn to let anyone change who she is.” You told him sternly, rubbing your thumbs along his cheekbones. “You love her too, I know you do. You can’t be around her without loving her.” You laughed softly.

Javier chuckled and shook his head as he looked down, nodding this time. “Yeah I.. I do I just.. I don’t know how to be a dad.” You shrugged. “Were your parents always perfect at it?” You raised a brow. Javier furrowed his brows. “Life sucks. We know that. It’s up to us to make it suck less. We can either wallow in the shit that isn’t our fault-“ you poked his chest a couple times.

“… or we can make the best of the situation at hand.” You smiled softly and Javier felt his heart jump in his chest and before he could stop himself he was clashing his lips into yours.

You gasped and grabbed his shoulders but quickly eased into the kiss, wrapping your arms around his neck and pulled him closer, letting your mouth fall open when he traced your lips with his tongue.

He tasted like you remembered, but less cigarette taste this time, the smokiness was still there but it was accompanied by a new minty sort of flavor.

The kiss didn’t go much further than this, one of his hands on your cheek while the other explored the expanse of your body, gripping lightly at your hips and breasts, moaning softly into eachother’s mouths.

Soon he had you laid back on the couch, his body lined along yours, draping over you and surrounding you in his wonderful scent and warm body. He made no movements to put his hands under your clothes, not wanting to push anything too far considering he hadn’t even thought this was going to happen. He’d planned to be a gentleman about the situation.

As it dawned on him he leaned back and panted softly. “Sorry.” He looked down at you, swallowing thickly as you shook your head quickly. “Don’t be sorry.” You shifted under him, your face and neck burning.

“I just- obviously I like you.” Javier chuckled and slowly moved off of you, taking your hand to sit you up. “I don’t wanna fuck it up, though and I was hoping… you would let me take you out?” He licked his lips.

“Just me and you- I mean I love Valeria but I… I wanna take you out, get to know you. I planned to in Colombia but… I never had any fucking time.” Javier took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “So… if I.. make us reservations.. would you wanna go to dinner with me?” He asked hopefully.

You looked at him quietly for a second before slowly starting to smile. “Javi… Javi I would love to go to dinner with you.” You reached out and grabbed his hand again, leaning in to kiss his cheek. “I’ll have to find a babysitter for Valeria. But I would love to.” Javier grinned and nodded. “Great.” He said softly.

As he looked at you he felt that bubbling in his stomach again, that urge to pull you in and wrap your bodies together for the rest of the night. “… I should probably go.” He said softly, squeezing your hand as you nodded. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

Javier smiled and stood up with you, walking out to his truck and turning to you as he opened the door. “I had a great day. Thanks for letting me meet her.” “Of course, Javi.” You laughed softly and shook your head. “Except- you can’t get rid of us now. You’re stuck.”

Javier laughed and nodded. “Good.” He teased, chewing on his lip before gently pulling you close to give you one last long kiss, sighing happily against your lips as his arms wrapped around your waist. You smiled against his lips and cupped your cheeks gently before pulling away, feeling your cheeks warm up as you laughed softly. “Okay go. Get away.” You teased, pushing him into his truck as you stepped back. “I’m gonna savor my peace and quiet. Maybe I won’t wake up with feet in my face tomorrow but I doubt it.”

Javier chuckled and nodded. “Alright, alright. Bye.” He got in his truck and started it, pulling out of the driveway as you waved, making your way inside. As you turned you made eye contact with Mrs. Sanders next door, a friendly old woman whose husband died not long before you moved in. Suffering an empty nest she was always eager to have you and Valeria over for dinner. When you looked at her she smirked at you and waved. You felt your cheeks warm up as you shook your head and went inside your house.

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When you got up the next morning you decided you'd spend the day buying a new outfit and making yourself not look like a tired mother for your date with Javier. As you got Valeria and yourself ready you couldn't stop thinking about the kiss, how any kiss since that night with Javier had seemed lackluster and... boring, how no man could make you feel the way Javier had even when you'd just been talking. And then how everything you’d thought you weren’t going to feel again was flooding your system, swallowing your sound and smothering you. He'd consumed every waking thought since that night and it had drove you crazy until you got another taste.

Once you and Valeria were dressed, you made your way next door to Mrs. Sanders, you knew she'd have questions about what she saw and you knew as soon as she heard the full story, she'd be taking Valeria and rushing you off to get ready for your date.

When you got to her porch she yanked the door open before you were even full onto it, which made you laugh. "Waiting for me, were you?" "Of course not, I just have a keen sense for visitors." Mrs. Sanders teased as you set Valeria down to greet her. The two hugged and then Valeria was sprinting off when Mrs. Sanders told her she already had Elmo in her VCR, which you'd taught her how to use when you'd learned she bought one so Valeria could watch her cartoons at her house as well.

"Now that she's occupied..." she pulled you to the kitchen where she had tea and cookies waiting for you, a glance into the living room would tell you Valeria was enjoying her own milk and cookies. "Who on earth was that handsome cowboy you had at your house last night?" You laughed and shook your head. "How do you know he's a cowboy?" "The way he walks- and by golly the way he kissed you." She fanned herself with a napkin. "Reminded me of my Randy before he passed." You raised a brow. "How long before he passed." She smirked at you this time and shook her head. "Enough about me. Who was he? An old flame? A new flame? No, not new, not with the way you looked eachother, held eachother. Tell me." She grabbed your hand, not even letting you get a word in to tell her.

You felt your cheeks warm up as you shook your head, laughing shyly. "... that was Valeria's dad." She gasped loudly and grabbed your hands tighter. "What?!" She practically screeched. "Oh, dear, why is he here?" "Well- I don't.. really know. I guess he grew up here before the whole… Escobar thing." Mrs. Sanders knew you’d met him in Colombia, knew that he was a DEA agent, but you still hadn’t shared his name with her yet, you weren’t sure why, maybe you wanted to keep him to yourself for a bit. You could see the gears turning in her head, though, and then she gasped again. "Javier Peña? Is that who that was?"

You blinked rapidly, opening and closing your mouth. "... how do you know Javier?" "Oh, gosh, I grew up with his parents, dear, look at me! I'm an old lady. not very many people here I don't know something about. I forgot he's been in Colombia! Oh his poor father Chucho must be so happy to have him home again. Gosh I need to call Chucho its been weeks." "Mrs. Sanders-" "Didn't I tell you to call me Sandy?" Sandra Sanders, you'd laughed a little when she'd introduced herself, you were lucky enough that she had the same sense of humor about it.

".. Sandy." You laughed as she gave you a smile and a nod. "Um... part of the reason I came over here was... because Javi wants to take me out, he’s supposed to call me with the reservation and everything later but... I have nothing appropriate for date night, my nails look horrible, I need to get my hair done, and I can't do that and keep Valeria occupied so I just... I was hoping you could watch her for a few hours?"

Sandy smiled and nodded. "Of course i can, darling." Her smile got wide and it was obvious she was excited for you. "Oh I'm so happy for you, dear. From what I remember Javier is a wonderful boy, he was young when I saw him last but his parents did a god job raising him. You'll be good for eachother. It'll be good for you to get out of the house, too, have some adult fun." You felt your cheeks get hot rather than warm this time and started shaking your head as Sandy smirked and the two of you stood up.

"Sandy.." "Alright, go on, say goodbye to your amorcita and then go be a singulatory adult human for one afternoon." Sandy waved you to the living room and you shook your head as you went over to Valeria, kissing her cheek. "Have a good day, Muñequita, I'll see you in a few hours." "Bye, mommy, be safe." Valeria barely returned your kiss, eyes glued to the television.

You stood up and shook your head before looking at Sandy. "Try and take her outside a little bit? I hate when she tries to watch tv all day." "Of course, now go, go." Sandy ushered you out the door, laughing.

You said one last goodbye and watched the door close before going to your car and driving into town, deciding to stop and get your nails done first, after standing there for almost an hour you decided on round semi-long French tips, which got you some annoyed scoffs but you tried not to let it bother you too much as you sat down and watched the nail tech work.

After your nails you went to get a dress and new shoes, which wasn't too hard since your nails didn't have any colors you had to match, eventually going with a dress that was about mid-thigh, with a halter top neckline, and a color that make your eyes and skin practically shine, you decided on a pair of shoes in the exact same color, as you were paying you heard your phone start to go off in your purse. You smiled apologetically and pulled the little cord out, flipped it open, and put it to your ear. "Hello?"

"Querida." "Javi. Hi." You smiled widely, paying the cashier before taking your dress and shoes and leaving. "Hey. What are you up to? I don't hear Valeria." You laughed softly. "I stuck her with the neighbor so I could do some shopping without worrying about her slamming into any dangerous strangers." You teased as you walked out of the store.

"Are you saying I'm a dangerous stranger?" You could hear the grin growing on his face. "You're a dangerous half stranger." You teased as he laughed on the other end, then you heard some rustling, a curse, and wind. "What was that?" "Nothing. It's nothing." You heard him mumbling, though, and heard the name Steve before he was speaking to you again.

"So- I made the reservations- uh- I didn't know when was too soon but uh... I was thinking in a couple days? I'll have the day off so I won't have to rush off of work. Like... seven o'clock?" "Yeah that sounds great, Javi." "Great." You smiled. "Great." "... great." You laughed and chewed on your bottom lip lightly.

"So, uh.. what did you buy?" You looked down at the bags in your hand and laughed. "A new dress and a new pair of shoes." "Seriously? You didn't have to go out and get-" "Trust me, yes I did. I don't own clothes that are even remotely appropriate for a place where you have to make reservations, Javi." You snorted. "I liked what you wore yesterday."

"And I'm sure the host at whatever place you chose would feel the same." You shook your head a little. "Ah, whatever." Javier chuckled and you heard a few hushed angry whispers before he was sighing heavily. "I'm sorry, Querida. But I have to go commit a workplace homicide right now, so I'll see you later." You laughed and hummed. "Uh-huh. Go get 'em, killer." "Steve I swEAR TO G-" You heard right as Javier slammed his phone down and shok your head, laughing as you dialed your hair salon to make an appointment.

An actual date with Javi.

You had an actual date with Javier fucking Peña!

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Is this a series now?

[owl-by-night]

Kembleford timeloop - more faerie fic

Having a bit of a week so posting more fic for the ‘only faeries can explain the Kembleford timeloop’ AU. This time it features Sid as a young evacuee. All you need to know from the previous fic is that the Kembleford timeloop is caused by Monty and Felicia who are not entirely human and can control time. Look, it makes about as much sense as the timeline does in canon…

“I think I met the queen of the fairies today,” Sid says at dinner. Then he regrets it because he’s much too old to admit to believing in fairies. Nor is he a soppy girl like the ones who whisper and giggle at him in the village school. He only said it because he has no other explanation for what he saw. 

“What nonsense,” says Mrs McCarthy, who is too busy worrying about ration books and feeding a growing boy who seems to be nothing but skin and bones and dirt. She scrubs him clean when she can but it never takes. 

“That sounds very interesting, Sidney,” says Father Brown. “Where did you meet her?”

“In uh…” Sid freezes suddenly, and when Father Brown reaches for the salt he flinches, expecting a cuff round the ear because he was trespassing somewhere even the local boys told him not to go. 

The Father notices and smiles reassuringly. He has a great understanding of the sins of small boys. He does not hit them either, which Sid is only just beginning to trust. “In the Montague orchards, was it? I thought I saw you walking that way this afternoon.”

“Uh… yeah.” Sid looks sideways at Mrs McCarthy, who tuts. 

“And what did she look like?” Father Brown smiles at him, all kindly curiosity. 

“Well… she was… she had bare feet and flowers in her hair and she was y’know… pretty.” Sidney blushes. He means beautiful but can’t bring himself to say the word. “And um… she climbed a tree and gave me an apple.”

“Climbing trees and flowers in her hair indeed.” Mrs McCarthy looks heavenward. “I hardly think so. And as for going barefoot in this weather! You’ve been dreaming, Sidney. You’re lucky the gardener didn’t catch you, trespassing like that.”

Sid closes his mouth sullenly. He refuses to say any more except to ask politely for seconds because Mrs McCarthy is strict about manners and more than happy to withhold a second piece of pie from a boy who doesn’t say please and thank you. 

Later, at bedtime, he finds a flower caught in his hair. He pulls it out and, without being quite sure why, puts it in his little tin of treasures hidden beneath the floorboard. 

On Sunday, scrubbed, scolded and half choked by his new best clothes, he sees the queen of fairies again. He gasps, and stifles it quickly because Mrs McCarthy has a sharp eye on his behaviour. The woman is perfectly ordinarily dressed today, in a suit and heels like all the ladies at church and wearing a perfectly ordinary hat instead of a crown of flowers. He thinks he’d recognise her anywhere though and even dressed according to Kembleford convention, everything about her is just a little more beautiful. When she walks past him to her pew he can smell flowers. 

He watches her, mouth agape, and Mrs McCarthy has to nudge him hard to make him stand up or sit down or sing during the still unfamiliar service. When it is over, he watches the lady walk out of the church and notes the way that the crowd always parts to let her through. 

“Mrs M,” he says in a whisper, “who’s that?” 

Mrs McCarthy looks to where he is pointing. “Lady Felicia Montague.” She purses up her mouth and sounds disapproving but Sid can’t understand why because he thinks Lady Felicia is magnificent, whether she’s standing here in St Mary’s church or climbing apple trees in an orchard and sharing the most perfect apple he’s ever eaten. 

Lady Felicia turns to look at him then and, so quickly he might have imagined it, winks. 

Outside the church Sid is kept waiting beside Father Brown, fidgeting with the catapult in his pocket, itching to escape and knowing it won’t be permitted until all the parishioners have gone. The lady walks over to them, heels clicking on the path. 

“Lovely service as always, Father Brown,” she says. “And who is this?”

She looks at Sid and he thinks in that moment that she can see right through him: right through all the dirt and the guilt about the broken window and the stolen apples, right into the heart of him. His innermost orphaned self where he knows that he is unwanted and scared because he can’t seem to stay out of trouble and he has nowhere else to go and Father Brown is leaving and the Germans are trying to kill them all. He is so afraid to be left alone if Father Brown doesn’t come back that it sits like a great dark shadow in his heart. 

“A pleasure to meet you Sidney,” the lady says and she puts out a hand for him to shake. “You must come up to the house some time. I have apples that need picking.” Her voice is like sunshine coming out from behind the clouds, all warm and golden, making all his fears seem smaller and less terrifying. As if she knows that everything is going to be alright and is telling him to believe it. 

He’ll tell her one day, when he’s grown up enough to joke about it. “You know, when I first met you, I thought you were queen of the fairies.” Then she’ll laugh as if it were a very good kind of joke and he’ll laugh too about the foolish boy he’d been. 

But he’ll see the flash of something in her eyes, something green and gold and not quite human and he’ll wonder. Just as he always wonders about the flower that he found in his hair and kept. The one he still has and now knows is an apple blossom, impossibly out of season when he found it, kept safe in his tin of treasures and looking as fresh as the day it was picked. 

[callahanisms]

I loved your recent post a lot 💜 it made me think of potential headcanons where reader choose side opposite to her lover and after their win she begs to spare her love' life. if you like the idea thn please do this p.p Can you imagine how rhaenyra would feel when reader starts begging aegon to spare her. And aegon is like i love you y/n but go take a walk :'D

ah! thank you so much. i just had the idea and decided to write it. anyways, i am happy to do that idea. but i'm writing specifically for rhaenyra and aegon since you bring them up. (i got like three character hc posts in the drafts that also call my attention ; i can do other characters at a different time on a different post)

also, just for future reference, please keep in mind that the reader i envision is not a specific gender. i write my posts without a specific reader in mind. it's part of my general mission and dedication to inclusivity with reader inserts.

anyways, potential spoilers for hotd in future seasons. because i am deriving from grrm’s material. not that the show will exactly follow the book but they serve as potential events in future seasons.

aegon targaryen

somehow, some way, you had managed to escape from the confines of your room in king’s landing. it took weeks of planning and bribing some guards and getting your clothes very dirty, but you managed to escape to dragonstone.

and yet, your efforts were in vain. you watched the black forces dwindle, the deaths of jacaerys and joffrey. and then, the reclamation of harrenhaal and eventually, king’s landing.

when aegon stepped foot in the throne room, he felt at home. he felt pride upon sitting upon the iron throne. his rightful seat.

traitors were to be dealt with immediately, amongst them were the princess rhaenyra and her children.

he would offer light sentences to her children. after all, what would his sister say? she was a compassionate woman, even if he resented her since their childhood.

but you? you didn’t belong chained up in the black cells. so he had you scrubbed clean and confined to a rather nice room. well, you would come to learn it was helaena’s room before she threw herself out of her window. all of her things had been removed by orders of aegon and that made you very sad.

you were more than confused when aegon had you dragged out to the throne room. it was time he was giving sentences to traitors. many of them were simply executed and their heads would be mounted at the traitor’s walk.

but you knew your sentence would be light. aegon had told you so himself with that lovesick look in his eyes that you recognized. your stomach dropped to your feet when he cupped your face amidst the candlelight.

“we can finally be together. there is no one to stand in our way.”

“you should let me go aegon. i’d rather die than serve you.”

he only laughed at your statement. “i will never let you go, beloved.”

your heart sank when you watched as rhaenyra was dragged into the throne room, wearing a dirty and torn dress and chained up. despite the fact that anyone in her position would be afraid, she still had that fiery look of defiance.

of course aegon would do this on purpose.

“rhaenyra of house targaryen, the realm’s delight, princess of the seven kingdoms. you are being charged with treason of your king for attempting to usurp the iron throne.” ser criston says. “if you bend the knee to king aegon, second of his name, then you may receive a lighter sentence.”

despite being at her lowest, she refused to let her flame go out. “he is no king.” rhaenyra proclaims this with her whole chest, head held up high.

criston looks at aegon, who leans forward in his throne. “then we will feed her to the dragons. and have her children watch.”

such a thing was horrific already. after all, aegon would be kinslaying. but to make his nephews watch? rhaenyra’s own children? such a thing was unfathomable. and your feet unexpectedly began to move.

but before you could place a foot on the raised platform that sat the iron throne, ser criston pulled out his blade to stop you. “i would not push it, (y/n).”

you paid no attention to the kingmaker. your eyes looked into aegon’s. “you cannot kill rhaenyra.”

“and why not?” your former lover asks.

“because...she is vital to the kingdom. she serves as an asset to your rule. to kill her would mean enraging all those that fought for her claim and possibly stirring more rebellion. that is not what you want.” you took a deep breath. “a good king has mercy on his subjects, even traitors. please show that you are a good, merciful king. like your father.” your voice cracked, pleading.

you didn’t notice the soft look on rhaenyra’s face and how her body retreated into itself slightly.

aegon stands, walking over to you. he waves his hand and criston puts his blade away. however, he stops at the edge of the raised platform so he is above you.

“where did being merciful get my father? died of sickness. without a mark left in history. i am not my father.” he cups your face with both of his hands. “and all rebellion must be quashed. and it starts with the death of their queen.”

“will you go as far as to make her children watch?”

“they should not get any ideas.” he smiles. “but to spare your heart, you don’t have to watch. you will hear her screams from afar.”

“aegon, please!” you plead. “you can send her across the narrow sea to exile. she won’t come back! and you can always kill her dragon to make sure.”

“oh (y/n). i love you so much. but you are naive.” he places a kiss on your forehead. “ser criston, take (y/n) on a walk. you can have my mother accompany her as well.” he pulls away.

your body feels heavy as you are dragged by your arm away from him and out of the throne room. you couldn’t even look at rhaenyra, your attempt to keep her alive having failed.

aegon lets out a sigh your body disappears around the corner. he looks at rhaenyra and smirks.

“to the dragonpit then, shall we?”

rhaenyra targaryen

despite the greens attempt to take back king’s landing and harrenhaal, they failed. miserably. the proof was, of course, dark sister having been cemented into aemond’s skull. one of their core leaders had fallen and daemon came back with the prince’s body, victorious. and then they stuck the boy’s head on the wall of traitors.

you were haunted by his dead face and the glint of his sapphire. blue would come to be a color that haunted you.

you had woken up in a cold sweat, heart pounding against your chest. your room was a lot smaller now, but rhaenyra was merciful enough to let you live. that was all you could really ask for.

the person that opened the door was none other than the king consort himself. his face was unreadable but judging from his eyes alone, he held some sort of contempt for you.

“your presence is requested in the throne room.” is all he says before leaving.

you’re left in your room to dress and eventually be escorted to the throne room. the sight before you is one that would be written in the history books.

rhaenyra sits on the iron throne, golden crown adorning her head. the crown of her father. she is dressed in black and the banners of red dragons on a black field have replaced the green dragons.

your stoic face falls slightly when you see aegon, head bowed and wearing nothing but his undershirt and pants, both dark with dirt. no doubt from being in the black cells.

they couldn’t even give him the courtesy of having shoes.

“aegon!” you exclaimed, running to him. there’s no objection from the queen on the iron throne as you turn the boy to face you. his eyes were red and his skin was pale. “oh aegon.”

“(y/n)? is that you?” he smiles. “gods. i never thought i would see you again.”

“it’s okay. i’m here. i’m here now.” you brush a few strands of his hair out of his face. you turn to rhaenyra. “what is the meaning of this?”

“there’s nothing else to it (y/n).” her voice is stable, not a single waver in her words. “my brother is to be tried.”

“tried for what?”

“tried for treason, for the killing of my children.”

“he didn’t kill your children.”

“they were killed in his name, killed for him. his brother killed my son. his soldiers killed joffrey. and his men attempted to kill aegon and viserys.” rhaenyra lets out a deep breath. “even if you were correct, he would still be responsible for the usurption of my throne.”

“it wasn’t his idea. it was his mother’s.” you stop, eyes glancing around. you don’t see a head of familiar brown hair or that familiar shade of green. “where is his mother? where is alicent hightower?”

you notice daemon’s mouth curling into a smirk at your question. “perhaps you can look at the traitor’s wall.” the king consort answers. “best we put her next to her vulture of a father and pathetic son.”

it didn’t take much to connect the dots.

“rhaenyra! rhaenyra please!” you move towards her, letting aegon go. “you must not do this!”

“what is a suitable punishment for treason then?” you cannot even read her eyes. it seems that fondness she held for you has dissipated, eroded away by the grief of war.

“not death.”

“what does it matter to you, hightower scum?” daemon asks.

“i swore to his mother that i would keep him safe.” your voice cracks as you feel your eyes water.

“could it not be because you harbor feelings for the usurper? or that you have been fucking him?” daemon’s words were vulgar and he was airing out your dirty laundry. but then again, a woman sat on the iron throne. all social conventions were going to break within the next few weeks. you knew that for certain. “personal feelings have no place here.”

“i cannot reason with king consort. but i know i can reason with the queen.” you look back at rhaenyra. “please! rhaenyra! i know you do not wish to kill your brother.”

there is silence met with your statement.

the black queen looks at her husband before letting out a sigh. you can easily read her face finally. i might regret this.

“you want my brother to live? then he must bend the knee. it’s quite simple. his life for pledging allegiance. and fully giving up his claim to the throne.”

that was the bone she threw.

you turn to aegon and he looks at you. he seems unsure but his face softens when he reads the look in your eyes. you were pleading with him, begging him to do as his sister said.

and while the feeling of power was great, the emptiness began to catch up to him. wasn’t this what he hoped for before this war anyways? to not become king so he can be free of responsibility?

aegon looks up at his sister and he falls to his knees. he looks back at the ground, bowing his head.

“i, aegon of house targaryen, hereby pledge myself to queen rhaenyra, first of her name, queen of the andals and rhoynar and first men, lady of the seven kingdoms, and protector of the realm. and i abdicate my claim as king.”

rhaenyra lets out a breath she had been holding for a long time. and her shoulder slouch slightly.

“so it shall be.”

[aajjks]

TC!JK “come for me yn.”

And she does. At the same time he cums too and collapses on top of her.

After coming down from their high he was getting up to clean her up but she refused to let him go pulling him back.

“I love you so much baby. And I love our baby too.”

They both drift off to sleep afterwards.

The next morning, Yn woke up and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

That woke him up as well.

The morning sickness really isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Li Xui's POV

She woke up this morning and ordered her maids to scrub her body off of any dirt or unwanted smell.

Her mother advised her in that letter to dress up more provocatively and smell extra nice in order to seduce the Prince.

Hopefully he will like the neckline of the dress she's going to wear today.

She was going to meet him outside his chamber a few feet away.

She was earlier told that the Prince doesn't like anyone else near his chambers.

The guards bow once they see her approach.

“Where is he?” she rudely asks. She doesn't like talking to any of these people. They're just mere peasants in her eyes.

“Your Highness, the Prince isn't inside.” one of the guards informs her.

She rolls her eyes and goes away.

You’ve been throwing up. It worries him but when you tell him that this is normal for a woman who is expecting, he’s not too worried now, but you have to take care of yourself

“Yn.. sweetheart I have to go now back to my chambers, but promise to me that you will take care of yourself and I will have a handmaiden picked out for you. Who will take care of you in my absence” he coos, looking into your beautiful eyes that have his heart fluttering

“You are carrying the dynasty honestly. Take care of yourself not only because you’re carrying my child but because I love you.” He presses a chaste kiss to your lips, and then reluctantly, he leaves your side

Once he’s back into his chambers, he makes his way to the bathroom and he gets into the tub, washing himself, when an eunuch enters.

“What is it?” He asks, lounging in the water.

“The princess was here, your highness.”

Jungkook rolls his eyes. “Fine. I’ll go see her on my own, but have yerim sent to yns chambers. Instruct her to take care of her. I don’t want any complaints. She is to be with her 24/7.”

[eleemosynecdoche]

Wrote up some fic for my recent OCs which perhaps meanders a bit. But it felt good to get out on the page.

"Can I call you Polly?"

"No."

And that's where Una Bryony began her relationship with Polyphony Xenonomia. A simple request, instantly denied. "But she was smiling when she said it," she told herself. "She doesn't really mind, right?" But she never dared the pet name. Even as she wanders the open polychromatic meadows, separated from her body, she holds it within the depths of her mind.

"Una?" Tyronoe is calling for her, back at her body. She returns to fleshliness, squeezing back into her physicality.

"Yes?" She blinks up at the feyqueen. Tyronoe smiles gently.

"Polyphony would like you to eat with her tonight." She tsks. "I decided to fetch you in advance so you could properly dress yourself for it, but I hadn’t realized you were going to lie on the grass for hours at a time."

"Why should I dress 'properly'?" Una raises herself to a sitting position. "Isn't that what we're against, the current demands of propriety and-"

"Not me," Tyronoe says cheerfully. "She might even tell you it was a good idea, she's funny like that. But I'm telling you, dressing in clean clothes and scrubbing a little before you sit and eat with our guiding spirit will make you and her feel better." She helps Una stand up, brushing her off.

"All right, all right, I'll do it," Una says. "See you at dinner." Tyronoe rolls her eyes, and, with Una's back turned, flips her off.

"Awful girl," she tells one of her attendants, who nods. "Absolutely oblivious."

*

Una's rooms are somewhat spare. She thinks now and again of trying to move more of her possessions from her earthly, ordinary life into this place, to decorate this apartment in this compound in this open expanse of paradoxical country. She thinks about it, and then makes excuses. She can only really move what she can carry, and something in her rebels at the thought of any of her new compatriots, or friends, or fellow philosophers, whatever she calls them- of any of them seeing the remnants of her previous life. So there's a fair amount of empty space to admire as she strips down, bathes, dries off, and puts together a near-identical outfit to what she was wearing prior. "Maybe I could get a TV, at least," she says. "There's signals, yeah? Clytie said something about-"

A knock. "Unlocked," she says, drawling it out. A short woman in a militaristic uniform, one of Clytie's subordinates, opens the door.

"The boss is ready for dinner," she says. "The big boss, I mean."

"You know she doesn't like you calling her that." Una stalks out of her room, alongside the junior gremlin. Or maybe this woman's a petty gremlin. She can't tell the difference.

"She doesn't know and'll never care," the gremlin replies. "If she even knows I exist, what my name is, that jazz." She covers the area where her name should be on her uniform with her hands when Una looks at her.

"I'm not gonna report you or anything, fuck," Una mutters. They're at the room Polyphony generally eats in.

"Go right on in," the gremlin tells her. "Don't keep her waiting."

The table could seat a dozen or so. It's set for two, and Una considers asking if anyone will join them. Looks at Polyphony, who's got an elbow on the table and a hand supporting her head. Reconsiders it. Sits.

"Una! How gracious of you to accept my invitation!" Polyphony's voice is bright, energetic, and she attempts to smile. It looks appalling, but Una smiles back.

"Why should I refuse? I'm here because of you, really." She unfolds her napkin and adorns her lap with it. Despite herself, her hair, the lip piercing she keeps a stud in still, and her manner, she understands this kind of dining instinctively. She looks back up, and realizes Polyphony is staring at her, smile broader, more genuine. "Don't take that too literally," she says. "I got here on my own power."

"Yes, you did," Polyphony says, eyes still rapt. "I doubt I could ever truly forget the way you arrived, drowning and choking it seemed, but on nothing at all. But it was like a dark sea you were swimming through, wasn't it? Or that was what it felt like..." she sighs. A faint little sound, but one that crawls up Una's spine. "Here, why don't we serve ourselves? I have the first course in the kitchen."

Una nods. "It's appropriate, yeah," she says, trying to sound as casual as she can. "Not that I wouldn't appreciate girls waiting hand and foot on me, but it's a symbol, yeah?" She stands up. Stretches a little.

"Exactly," Polyphony says, after a moment. "A symbol. It's like one of your... sigils, was it?" She stands up. "Many small symbols worked together into a larger one."

The first course is soup. Ladled into individual crocks. Meatballs in a rich, heavy tomato sauce. "This is more like what you're used to, isn't it?" Polyphony is humming as she watches Una judge whether to pick up her crock with her bare hands or not. Una touches it, picks it up, carries it halfway, then rushes to the table, yelping but setting it down gently, without spilling anything onto the tablecloth.

She covers her mouth to avoid whimpering, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "You're so fragile," Polyphony whispers in her ear. "So easily damaged. Prone to foolishness that ends up hurting you." Her hands lightly grasp Una's. "Here. Let's get them cared for." Una relaxes her grasp and lets her hands be pried from her face, her eyes closed. She feels something cool smeared over her palms, her fingers, wherever her hands were burned.

"Spread," Polyphony tells her. She spreads her fingers. Gloves are slipped on, one at a time. She finally opens her eyes. "Sit and eat," Polyphony says, in her ear. A gentle murmur. Polyphony's hand strokes the back of her wrist. Down to where her sleeve ends. Then back up again. She sits. Polyphony draws away, and sits too.

Her hands hurt, but not as much as they might, and Una finds she can eat easily. They eat the soup quietly, without speech to accompany it. When they're done, she and Polyphony attempt to speak at the same time. They both pause. Una tries to demur. Polyphony waves for her to go on. She opens her mouth. Says, "Thank you for the care you put into this food." She closes her mouth. Holds it shut.

Polyphony smiles. "I wish you treated yourself more gently," she says. "If you were to hurt yourself, badly enough you were bedridden, who would pour out wine for me? Whose hand would consign the black sow to the flames for me, hold her head down as she was offered to me?" Her eyes sparkle. "Or are you burdened by the demands we make upon you? Shall I have the gremlins do it instead?"

"Absolutely not," Una says. "Nothing I do for you, for any of the other members, is burdensome to me. If it ever were, I would hardly suffer in silence." She takes a breath. Lets it out.

"Then treat yourself more gently." Polyphony regards her flatware. "Or would that be a burden?"

"It wouldn't," Una says. She starts again. "It wouldn't be a burden on me. But, I-" she stares at the plate and the crock atop it. "The next course will be getting cold," she says.

"Yes," Polyphony says. "I will get it for you." She raises her head and smiles. "After all, you are injured, aren't you?"

Una watches as she goes, thoughts blurry. The second course is lamb, baked together with potatoes, and Polyphony serves her plate with a little flourish. A smile. "I left the oven at warming temperature, so it shouldn't be too cold. Eat up!" Little gestures, urging her on.

She takes a bite. Cuts another. "This is delicious," she says. She thinks for a moment it must sound insincere. Forced. Polyphony's still watching her intently as she eats, without any sign of hurt, and she keeps eating. Polyphony begins to eat her portion.

"One of my sisters paid a visit today," she says. "What do you think she wanted to talk about?" Her knife grinds a bit on the plate as she cuts.

"Whether she could move in?" Una says it instantly. "This place, this Meropis... it's beautiful, you know? I wouldn't be surprised if..."

Polyphony laughs. Like glass. "Oh, that would have been quite a conversation! No, no, she came here to accuse me. First of getting too big for my boots, then of being so utterly weak and frail as to depend on lesser beings, and thirdly..." her fork rattles on her plate. She massages her temples. "Thirdly, to say that it was improper of me to steal away a mortal, that I had arrogated what was a right of the proper gods, the Olympians, the truly chthonics, the rustics even, but not a daimon, an abstraction like myself and her and all we sisters who were born together."

Una eats slowly, eyes on Polyphony. "You kidnapped a human? When?"

Polyphony glares at her, eyes suddenly fierce. "You. She was talking about you, Una."

"You didn't steal me, I'm here of my own will." Una sets her fork and knife down. "She doesn't know anything."

"I didn't? You knew who I was, to seek me out, then?" Polyphony's hands are clasped together now. "Your actions were truly and totally uncompelled?"

Una shrugs. "Well, no, I didn't know who you were to seek you out. It was a pure accident, right? I know for a fact you didn't know who I was either. Your eyes weren't looking anywhere near where I was." She smiles. "I mean, you've never tried to detain me. I've eaten... well, I've never eaten a pomegranate you gave me specifically. But I'm eating your food right now. And I could leave at any time. If I desired it."

"If you desired it." Polyphony's fingers weave together and separate. "Well. Why don't you desire it? Why is that?" Her voice is uneven. Strained.

She wants to hear something, doesn't she? Una thinks, chewing. She's looking for some answer and afraid she won't get it. Well... She clears her throat. "A lack of desire? That's not a quantity. There is no force that pushes me away from here, and so it is natural for me to remain. As for why I came here, why I'm following you... pure whim. The decision of a moment. I thought, 'This sounds interesting!' and set my feet in your train. And here I am. Here I remain, until I go somewhere else." She realizes she's stood up in the middle of that declamation.

"You'd win but small prizes for oratory," Polyphony says. "You should have set all that into verse, and then you'd have a chance." Her smile is thinner, but her eyes are warmer. "But then again, if you were to show such talent, surely Apollo or Pallas Athene or even one of the proper Tychai would come to take you away."

"What reason would I have to go with them?" Una's own smile is a little brittle. "They don't interest me at all."

Polyphony bows her head. "I see," she says, after a moment of silence. "I slander the Tychai, when the greater Tyche blesses me so." Una scratches her head. Polyphony clears her throat. "I purchased ice cream for dessert, if you wanted any."

"It would be rude to decline an offered gift like that," Una says. "My will sets itself on enjoying some. With you." They rise together and return to the kitchen.

[saviorfoxowlis]

N:Era: Where We Lie Part 4: Plans and Prep

Cyras rarely thought of Owlis as gentle, but as she sat in a hardwood chair, the comb cascaded over her fur tuffs smoothly. The wildborn refused grooming from anyone else, and every servant who attempted got a sharp edge of teeth.

Ryvoh always yelled, screamed, or kept a strict order through the threat of slaps and bites. She was angry and melancholic, haunted, but ultimately protective and leaderlike. On the other hand, Owlis was angry, but in a fair way, and she was also easily humored. Elegant instead of crass, firm but gentle. Introverted, but caring. Still slapped but for logical reasons instead of merely speaking out of turn, in fact, Owlis permitted that Cyras stand up for herself.

Perfume sprayed hair. Nose wrinkling, Cyras thought, I'd rather my own musk instead of smelling like a strawberry's armpit.

Owlis rubbed some stray strands down. "Making oneself look respectable for a party requires several steps. This is step one, done." She picked Cyras under her arms and placed her down. "Next is dresses."

"I don't even know if I want a party." These parties required lots of planning and rules, like some kind of dance. Rituals held for no other reason than a mere accident of her being born on a specific day.

Owlis laughed, high-pitched. "If only." She walked through a door in the back of her room, leading Cyras through.

Fabrics hung on racks. Hooks scraped against metal as scarves and shirts and dresses flew by. "I hate my own birthday as well. Most celebrate theirs once every couple of years and I envy that. However, the party isn't for you, just about you."

"That doesn't even make any sense," Cyras protested, her tail shaking vigorously. She stomped her paw down. "Why do I have to have a party if I don't want one?"

"For your friends, your family, and for the people. And this is what the people want. And, this is what the people want you to wear."

The dress came in sight. A type of faint green-like vomit mixed in with a strong red. Nauseating.

"Avocadon't green," Cyras said, her voice trailing off. "Great."

Owlis' eyes glazed over. "The tailor did his best work, I'm sure."

"I'm not wearing that if I was freezing to death!"

"Just wear the dress at the event."

"No, that's disgusting."

"Look, just play with your friends for now," Owlis said as she shuffled the dress away. Back into the void of fabric.

Cyras smirked at the word "play" as Owlis' back was to her. She jumped.

As usual, the older fox grabbed her in midair and slammed her on her tailbone. But, Cyras lurched onto her side and bucked at Owlis' hips.

She slapped Cyras' soles, but several sparks came from the paws. Gasping, she retreated as a flaming tail came from the side.

Duck on the tail swing, jump over the other, but Cyras came with a flaming right punch, however, she got bit on the wrist. Tight grip. Owlis elbowed Cyras' core. She squeaked.

Swerving her hips, Owlis got Cyras on the floor. Bite still locked, she circled until the wrist almost faced the opposite way.

Claws flexing from the pain, Cyras rolled and dislodged the grip, but her tail was towards the Empress. She dodged a bite near her rump.

"Next time, I'll take a chunk of flesh," Owlis threatened. "I don't permit FIRE in the palace."

"If an enemy attacks me," Cyras said, "I'm hitting with anything I've got."

"You can't even hit."

Cyras growled and sulked away from Owlis.

She ran through the hallways and down the stairs, all while plotting. Owlis was clever, Owlis was quick, but Cyras was gonna beat her slick. Rigid and inflexible, versus careful and cunning.

She wasn't going to wear that stupid ugly dress under any circumstances. And she would punch her. Anyway, for today's work, ice cream shop.

Arriving, Cyras saw the girls around a TV. "Sorry I've been gone, party stuff."

Ahmond distantly stacked and scrubbed ice cream bowls. Lilu perked up and said, "Well, Pretty Foxy, you and Ahmond's little stunt has gotten lie detectors a great boost. Lemme see that remote control."

Lilu got her paws on a slender stick and fiddled with the buttons, clicking through the channels.

Rosod turned around her stool, as she sat by the counter, as she said, "I heard there will be more channels in the future. Perhaps 50."

Lilu laughed. "I don't really think people need 50 channels. They have a channel just for restaurants."

"Ooh, we could use that channel," Cyras said. "How do you get a show on the box?"

Lilu shrugged as she found what she was looking for. "You pay lots of money. Bowling channel. Extreme bowling channel. Nose picking channel. Shopping channel." The low sound didn't matter because the text was bright and bold: Lie Detectors, on sale.

"He must be working all day and night on them," Cyras said, "how could he remake the same thing with exactness each time? Even Ahmond's ice cream is a little different."

"That's heavy industry, baby," Lilu said. "Who knows how many he already had created. Now he's probably moved from knick-knacks in the technology places, meaning he's worth even more money."

Cyras rolled her eyes. The words mattered more than the experience. Organic fruit, gourmet meals, high-quality rice, pre-cooked beans, refried beans, jelly beans, deluxe refrigerators, and automatic toasters. These terrible temptations of corporate propaganda culminated in low-end, inferior merchandise overtaking the low-end, inferior Civic. Knick-knacks were cheap, technology was expensive.

"Maybe we should just give up," Lilu said.

"People are getting their heads ripped off," Rosod said.

"Yeah, but like, we're not here to stop every single issue in Wysdom." Lilu put the channel back on extreme bowling. "People will figure out in time this is a scam."

Cyras' eyes darkened. "Will they?" She hopped up next to Rosod-

"Cyras, get your dirty muddy feet off. People eat there," Rosod said.

"They eat from the bowl! Anyway, will anyone learn? Or will people still believe in tricks and advertisements years from now? Will words and language always control others, and if so, what's stopping them? If a lie gets repeated in a cycle, who will break the cycle?"

"Oh, they hit an old lady," Lilu said. "Extreme bowling gets some of the best television."

Rosod said, "Hey Ahmond, you haven't been speaking much."

Ahmond said, "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to get the last bits of money I can."

"Wow, she was a Twayt too, little gal. I think she's got at least some head trauma."

Rosod laid her cheek on her hand. "I'll try getting your money, Ahmond. I got the field trip permission slip ready, and when I show them, they'll give me the money."

Cyras said, "Regardless, preserving pudgy puppy's precious posterior poses potential problems perhaps. Presuming your parents pay you for the personal field trip, and you proffer that for Ahmond's profits, how will you- Uh..." She began repeating the "puh" sound.

Rosod said, "I've got everything taken care of."

Ahmond mumbled, "Your fingers are crossed."

"Yes, they are."

"Oh yeah, my point is," Cyras said, suddenly remembering why she arrived, "we can't back down now and we must find another plan and another solution towards stopping Daybreak and the epidemic we created."

Lilu said, "Lots of talking, not lots of solutions."

Rosod said, "Yeah Cyras, he'll still be here in a couple weeks."

***

Daybreak came back into Orch's shop of little gimmicky toys. The poor lighting seemed even darker in the light of his glory. "I have good news, my invention is finally popular." He threw his hands in the air, striking a pose. He laughed near maniacally.

"Finally." He swung around and laid against the counter. "After years of toiling, engineering, and learning, despite the scoldings of my parents, I am at the top of the world!"

Orch was busy not caring, instead reading a magazine about fancy living. "Oh, you're still alive, apparently."

"Please, you should have heard the news by now that my polygraph has succeeded. But, I have an offer for you."

"Oh?"

Orch went back towards fancy living digest until he heard a clanging of coins. He peered up, seeing a bag of Drakold. In disbelief, he grabbed one coin. The face of Owlis on front. He bit. Got a slight bend. "This is legit."

"I'm moving," Daybreak said.

"You're getting a house?"

"Have a house," Daybreak informed him. "All the way in Canth. That's why I came here. I want you to join me."

Caught unaware, Orch's mouth opened silently.

"This shop will likely let you go within the next couple of months. With my affluence, I can provide you with a place to stay. In a good neighborhood. You can live with me and even help me with my projects."

"Projects."

"I've got plenty more planned out."

"Why are you asking me? I've never been nice to you."

Daybreak produced a letter. From their parents.

Orch cut the manila with his index claw and looked through.

"Dear Daybreak,

We knew you would be fine after our recent argument, but we're beginning to miss you. You're a good kid and always have a home here, but your father became a little hasty. Honestly, you've always been my favorite.

You're smart, you’re charismatic, and you're intelligent. You have a permanent place in our home, and we would never kick you out forever."

Orch and Daybreak fell silent. Orch put the envelope in a paper shredder. Instead of making a classic shredder sound, the shredder came up with a song, going, "Shred shred shred, shred into threads oh shred shred shred, shred into threads..."

Daybreak had a glint in his eyes. "My own parents. They're lying because they just want my money. Guess what, at the store, your sister pretended like she couldn't afford groceries."

Daybreak shuddered and took a deep breath. "You don't use me. You're the only one who tried to help me during my darkest hour, and for that, I'm paying back your kindness."

Orch stood up abruptly so Daybreak retreated. "Okay maybe you need a bit of a reality check, but look here. You told me exactly how your device works and you're scamming a bunch of people with a toy that you're claiming is a scientific tool. Everyone will find out."

"I don't agree with characterizing this as a scam, not the words I would use. Like, the everlasting flavor gums don't last forever."

"Advertising, without proof, something like this, something you are selling to police, is certainly a crime. A major crime. If you think being kicked out of home is bad, then imagine being exiled from the kingdom. You'd be on the run."

"I thought you would support me and you would take the handout."

"I don't want anything to do with your immoral business plan and offering me this black market bootleg machine is an insult."

Daybreak's eyes narrowed. "I don't care if a bunch of morons are getting scammed." He put a claw to his chest. "This is me getting back at everyone in the world who has spat on me. Engineers like me, tech developers, creators, are the future. The rest of you are simply nipping at my heels. Yes, the lie detectors are faker than a politician's promise, but you better believe I would rip off everyone here a dozen times if that means progress. You can refuse to join me, but think of that as your loss."

As Daybreak headed out, he said, "...Maybe you're just being difficult, because you can't accept nice things. You've never had any, after all. I'll give you a couple of days to make a new choice, but afterward, I'll long be on the beach."

[let-love-run-red]

Daisies

His crown is made of daisies, his heart was made for you

Female reader

Ao3 Link

The Princess's knight was one of high pedigree. His father was a royal guard, his father’s father, his grandfather’s father, his family was the royal guard. Royal Guard ran in the man's blood. Which is why you were confused when he gave you a second glance.

You were Princess Zelda's hand maid. Really it was just a title, the Princess rarely needed or wanted help with the things you should do, such as helping her dress, doing her hair, she preferred to do it herself. That was something you admired about the princess; she took her life in her own hands. You were surprised she had heeded her father’s wishes of having an appointed knight.

When you saw the man following closely behind her you were even more surprised. That was Link, the son of Arn, the captain of the Royal Guard. You stepped out of the way of the Princess, bowing your head in the typical sign of respect.

"(y/n), how are you today?" She paused to ask. You lifted your head with a smile.

"I'm well Princess, and you?" You said kindly. She smiled.

"I'm doing very well." You heard a low huff from Link, and Zelda turned to him before rolling her eyes.

"I'm sure you know Link, (y/n)." She spoke. Link nodded his head slightly and you returned the nod with a curtsey.

"I've heard his name spoken, it's a pleasure to meet you." You said. He met your gaze evenly before turning his head away and scanning the corridor you were currently in. He surely was paranoid.

"Well, I should be heading off, have a lovely day." The princess said, turning back down the hall. You watched them go, paying close attention to Link. You wondered how things would change with him around the Princess more often.

***

As the months went on you grew closer to Link. He didn't talk very much, preferring to focus on his task of protecting the princess, but when the Princess was studying the guardians and the ancient technology you could often find him sitting a few feet away in the grass. He was more inclined for company then.

More often than not it was you talking to him, with little response. You would talk about your day, memories of the Princess, of her mother, you had managed to pull his age from him at one point. You had an inkling he was older than 18, but he confirmed he was in fact 20. The same age as you were. He was surprisingly stoic for someone so young, but you supposed that came from having Arn as his father. The man was not an easy one to impress.

"She seems to enjoy this technology." You said, plucking daisies from the grass and twisting them into a crown. You had made one for yourself already, you weren't sure why you were making another. You watched as Link pulled a daisy from the grass, pulling the tie from his hair and shaking it out. He tucked the daisy behind his ear so it nestled in his hair. You reached out tentatively, brushing your fingers through his blonde locks. He scooted back so he was sitting closer to you, pulling another daisy from the grass and handing it to you. You picked up his hint, slightly surprised.

You began to braid daisies into his hair, twisting the braids around the stems of the flowers to create a crown of daisies in his hair. He sat patiently, allowing you to put as many daisies as your heart desired. You looked up to see the Princess examining one of the guardians with Robbie at her side.

"I don't understand why, but it makes her happy." You said as you stopped braiding Lin's hair. It was now full of daisies and small braids. You toyed with the daisy crown you had set in in your lap, looking to Link to see him looking at the crown. He nodded to the crown sitting in your lap before tilting his head towards you. You set the crown atop his head, adjusting it so it was nestled into his blonde hair.

He sat up straight again, adjusting his position to hold his head high, wearing the daisies with pride. He remained silent for the rest of your "conversation," and when the time came for him to accompany the princess into the castle again, he stood carefully to keep the daisy chain on his head. As he walked away he turned back to you, giving you a small smile before following the princess into the building.

It grew from that moment. As you passed each other in the stairwell he would catch your hand, bringing it to his face to inhale the perfume on the inside of your wrist, and press a soft kiss to your knuckles before releasing it and following behind Zelda once again. A quick moment that left with heat burning in your cheeks for the rest of the day.

Sometimes, after the princess was sound asleep in her room, while he was supposed to be keeping watch outside the door, he would come find you. Often you were in the servants’ chambers, washing clothes or dishes, sometimes you would simply be relaxing. You weren't sure how he found the entrances; they were meant to be secret, but you supposed having grown up in the castle he had found nearly every secret there was in the old building.

Often times he would stand behind you, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed while you did you chores. His presence was comforting to you. He was someone to talk to when the other maids and cooks had gone to sleep. You started waiting up later and later for him, hoping he would make it a regular thing to come see you.

And he had. Every night he would come see you. He started coming sooner, staying later each night, walking you to your room to leave a kiss on the back of your hand before disappearing down the hall like a ghost.

"Link has seemed more distracted lately, I'm not sure what's gotten into him." Princess Zelda had said to you one day while you helped her re-organize her closet. She had been given gifts from the champions and wanted to keep them nicely organized. You hummed as you thought of Link, his lips on your skin, how warm his hands were when he held your own, how strong they were yet how soft his touch was.

"I wonder if it's Mipha." The princess mused aloud. You froze for a moment, running your hand over the opal circlet that was a gift from the Zoran champion. You wondered what she could mean.

"(y/n) I'm going to tell you something and you must promise to tell no one." The Princess said, laying across her bed with her chin in her hands as she looked at you. You poked your head out of her closet, giving her a solemn nod.

"I swear on my life Princess, I won't tell a soul." You said as you crossed your heart before disappearing back into the closet to move the Rito dress to a more desirable location.

"Mipha recently told me she made a set of armor for Link." Zelda said, sounding distressed. You tilted your head, wracking your brain. Why did that feel so significant?

"Oh, forgive me, I forget you probably don't know as much about Zora. They are quite secretive." Zelda said. You heard the bed shift before she appeared in the doorway of the closet.

"Zoran Princess's make a set of Zoran armor for their future husbands! To propose!" She exclaimed. At those words you nearly dropped the topaz bracelet Urbosa had gifted the Princess. Propose? To Link? You had met Mipha, you didn't think she was his type, but you knew you couldn't compete with the Zoran champion.

"I don't know what to do (y/n), I love Link I just don't know how to tell him." She said softly. At those words you did drop the bracelet. It landed on the floor with a clatter and you scrabbled to pick it up.

"I'm sorry Princess, I, it slipped." You said, standing and facing her. She took your hands gently in her own.

"It's alright, nothing was damaged." She said. You looked up at her and saw concern painting her features. She placed her hand against your cheek, still holding your hands in one of her own.

"Are you feeling alright? You look pale." She said. She guided you out of the closet, gently taking the bracelet and setting it on her bedside table before leading you to the door.

"You should go rest, you look sick. I can handle the rest of this." She said softly before dismissing you. You bowed your head before stepping out of the door. Link was standing against the door, head turned to look at you as you left the room. He was standing with his feet spaced apart, back straight, arms folded in front of him. He looked strong, you could see why Mipha and the Princess pined for him. You shook your head with tears in your eyes before walking towards the servants’ quarters. You could hear Link's boots on the stone floor. You could imagine him struggling to choose between following you and guarding the princess.

He stayed, in the end. He remained with the princess to fulfill his duty to protect her. But you could have predicted that yourself.

***

That night he came down to the servants’ quarters at the same time as always. You had tried to finish your chores early, so you could avoid him, but he caught you while you were washing up the dishes. You refused to speak to him, to even acknowledge he was standing behind you.

You angrily scrubbed at the plates and bowls, stacking them on the drying rack next to you to dry before they could be replaced. One of the plates slipped out of your hands, breaking into pieces. You reached down to pick up the pieces only to have the palm of your hand sliced open. You let out a hiss and pulled your hand from the water. Great, now you would have to rewash all the plates left in the basin. You examined the cut on your hand that was oozing blood, looking for a towel to press to it.

Link stepped forward, gently taking your hand in his own. You resisted the urge to pull away as he turned your hand palm up, taking the white kerchief from his pocket and wrapping it around your hand and tying a neat little knot on the back of your hand to cover your wound. He lifted your hand to his own, kissing your knuckles again before looking up into your eyes. You swore you could drown in his deep blue eyes. You could drown in him, his presence even.

"Mipha made you a set of armor." You whispered softly as you looked into his eyes. He seemed confused, before it clicked for him. He remained silent.

"And the princess, she has feelings for you as well." You said, pulling your hand away from his and turning back to where the plate had broken, carefully removing the pieces and setting them off to the side.

"You would be a fool to reject either one of them." You said as you continued your work. He was silent behind you, but you could tell he was there by the warmth that radiated from him. You could even tell he had stepped closer, could hear his breaths beside you.

"And I know I can't compete with royalty, so please, just tell me what to expect." You said. You doubted he would speak on the matter. You had sprung this on him so suddenly, he would of course need time to think.

"Should I be prepared for the princess’s wedding, or one of the Zoran princess's?" You asked him. He was silent. You let your shoulders sag. You knew he wouldn't respond, but, you had hoped.

Link reached towards you, gently resting his fingertips on your jaw to turn your head towards him. He moved his hand to rest on your cheek, meeting your gaze. He took your hand, the uninjured one, in his free hand and placed your palm against his chest. You felt his heart beating strong and slow under your fingertips.

"It beats for you." He said. His voice was smooth and comforting, you wished you could listen to him speak all day.

"Don't say that." You said, trying to pull your hand away. Although you didn't resist when Link placed his hand over yours to hold it against his chest.

"Don't say things you don't mean." You whispered. He stroked your cheek with his thumb.

"I'm not a liar, (y/n)." He said. He turned you so he was standing between you and the basin, placing both hands on your cheeks and looking into your eyes. He leaned in, closing the distance between the two of you. You could feel his heartbeat quicken as he leaned in, and you closed your eyes as your lips met. It was electrifying. His lips were soft and gentle, they moved in perfect sync with yours. You found yourself never wanting to pull away from him. He was warm and welcoming, strong, handsome, you could feel yourself being pulled in and you didn't mind.

Finally, when he pulled away you saw him holding a necklace with a diamond set in the center of a silver pendant. You cocked your head as you looked between his face and the necklace. What was it for?

"My mother," he paused, clearing his throat, "my mother told me to give this to the one who made me happy." He said, taking one end of the chain in each hand, offering to place it around your neck.

"She told me to give it to the one who made me laugh, who made me smile, who made me feel safe." He said. You turned around, and he expertly clasped the necklace behind your neck, letting the pendant rest against your chest.

"That's you." He said. You turned back around and placed your hand back against his chest. His heart was beating rapidly, you could almost hear it in the quiet room.

"What about the Princess? Or Mipha?" You asked in confusion as you touched the silver pendant.

"They're my friends," He said, "but you, I will love you until I die." He placed his hands on either side of your face, stroking your cheek with his thumb as he met your gaze evenly.

"And I will keep loving you until I'm forgotten." You rested your head against him, hearing his heart beating in his chest. You stood there with him for a moment, absorbing everything that had just been said.

When you finally pulled away, his face was concerned. He opened his mouth to speak, taking a deep breath.

"Tomorrow, the Princess is going to the Spring of Wisdom at Mount Lanayru." He said, running his hands up and down your arms, squeezing your biceps like he was making sure you were real.

"I'm aware, she told me last week." You said, confusion evident in your voice.

"Listen to me." He held your shoulders, looking earnestly into your eyes.

"When she leaves, sneak down to the stables, take a horse. A fast horse." He said. Now you were thoroughly confused, what was he talking about?

"Look at me (y/n), please. Run to Hateno village. There's a house over a bridge, it's mine, please stay there." He said. Was he asking you to run away with him?

"Link what are you talking about?" You asked. He pursed his lips, letting out a breath as his eyebrows furrowed.

"I have a bad feeling about tomorrow. Please, stay as far away from the castle as you can." He begged before pulling you into his chest for another hug. You felt him press his lips against your temple. You nodded against his chest, and finally felt him relax.

"I promise I'll come for you." He said. "When it's safe."

***

There was a picture on the sheikah slate. One that didn't make sense to him. He stood near the remains of the guardian he had just destroyed, avoiding the eye of the sky watchers as he looked to the clump of weeds and brambles near the building, where he had been sitting.

In the picture it was sunny. The sun shone on his back; he could feel the warmth emanating from the photo. He knew the location, remembered Zelda's routine of studying the guardians in the same area he was standing now. But, the girl. He didn't remember her.

In the photo he was sitting in the grass with his back to a girl of about his age. She had (h/c) hair and nimble hands. He had his eyes closed with a soft smile on his face while she braided daisies into his hair, with a crown of daisies sitting in her lap and a matching one on her head.

Something about the picture was familiar, calming, it made his heart beat faster and his palms sweat, but why? Why did it make his knees weak and make him wish he could go back, more than any of the other photos on the slate?

He took a step forward, digging through the bramble and finding a single white daisy growing hidden, tucked away from this evil in a safe thicket. He pulled it from the ground, inhaling the sweet scent of the flower. With that smell, everything came flooding back to him as it hit him like a guardian laser.

You.

He remembered you. He remembered the smell of your perfume, your soft skin against his own when he held your hands, coming to see you every night, stolen kisses in the stairwells and hidden corners. He remembered the night he gave you his mother’s necklace, telling you he would love you until he was forgotten. He remembered taking you to his bed that night and loving you until the sun peeked over the horizon.

He remembered the day he felt himself falling for you. The day in this picture, the day you braided daisies into his hair and placed a crown on his head, talking to him as if he wasn't the Princess's knight. As if he was nothing more than your friend, another Hylian who couldn't be plucked from a crowd of 100 instead of the Hylian champion.

He remembered your patience with him when he refused to speak. How you would watch his face closely for reactions rather than words as you spoke. He felt longing wash over him as his chest ached. It ached like he was dying again, it ached the way it did when he realized each of the champions was dead, but it hurt worse than that. He turned, leaping onto his horses back and turning it down the path away from the castle, riding straight to Hateno village.

***

You were working on chores around Link's small house when you looked down the hill and saw the white horse run wildly through the village. You shook your head. Sometimes the traveling merchants were in too much of a hurry to be cautious of the children around the village. You let out a sigh, dusting the photos on the night stand off while you toyed with the necklace sitting against your chest.

Purah had used you as a guinea pig for her anti-aging technology. It had worked on you, turning you back exactly 100 years. But on Purah, she had used more because she was older than you, but it had turned her into a six-year-old physically. You had laughed that day, for the first time in a while you laughed.

You opened the door with a basket full of clothes with the intention of washing them in the pond behind the stable. You closed the door behind you, turning to walk around the house. You froze in your tracks when you saw a man in a red tunic and brown pants standing in the field, stroking the nose of the black horse you had in the pasture with his back to you. You noticed the same white horse that had torn through town and huffed. Now the merchants had gone too far. You set the basket on the corner of the fence and wiped your hands on your pants before approaching him.

"Excuse me? You do realize you're on private property?" You called. He didn't turn to you, instead continuing to pet the horse. You huffed and stormed towards him. Your horse lifted his head, snorting with his ears pricked forward towards the man. What had gotten into him? You opened your mouth to speak again, only to be rendered speechless when the man turned to face you.

Standing in front of you, with his soft blue eyes and warm smile, was Link. Link, the same age as the day the calamity fell, with a single white daisy tucked behind his ear.

[from-a-reckless-writer]

dove down my rabbit hole of wips and one of my wips isnt a wip anymore! so here, have some gay shit....

“Kelly wants to get married in the woods, I want to get married in Midvale. So, apparently, our wedding will just happen via Zoom. Her in the woods, me at the beach. Ain’t that just fucking grand?”

Alex comes through the door like a hurricane covered in leather. Her helmet lands on Kara’s counter loudly. Her keys haphazardly thrown somewhere in the general direction of the bowl by the door.

“Then have two weddings.”

Alex follows the voice and her eyes zero in on her sister’s best friend.

Lena is sitting on the floor of Kara’s apartment, wearing an oversized sweater. Her dark hair spilling down her shoulders softly. A hand wrapping around a wine glass, the other typing on her laptop, not even jumping in the slightest at the commotion that is Alex’s entrance.

Alex plops down on the couch sighing loudly, not even batting an eye at this utterly domestic scene that is her sister washing the dishes with Lena Luthor on the floor of her apartment.

Lena doesn’t comment at the Danvers’ Sisters antics and Alex doesn’t call them out on the ridiculousness that Lena and Kara are still keen on keeping up.

The three of them already well desensitized to one another’s preferred brand of bullshitery.

“You know, sometimes I forget you're a rich-ass bitch and then you say shit like that and suddenly, I remember,” Alex says, smoothly snatching the wine from Lena’s hand.

She finishes the entire glass in one gulp and Lena rolls her eyes. Alex had finally proposed to Kelly the other week and well, that meant this week all of them had fallen victim to the Olsen-Danvers wedding debacle. It seems today isn’t the day that that whole dilemma is going to stop.

The wedding, of course, was still a few months away, but both parties were stressing about it as if it was going to happen immediately the next day.

Kara swoops in then, mussing up Alex’s hair, earning her an annoyed Hey stop it! before putting down another wine glass and pouring for Lena. Her arms are still wet from washing the dishes.

Lena murmurs her thanks and continues what she was saying, “Well, since you’ve finally remembered that I’m a billionaire. Let me pay for two weddings.”

Alex chokes on the wine.

“What? You’re kidding me, right?”

Lena continues typing, ignoring Alex’s shock, you’d think she didn’t just offer to pay for a wedding.

“Well, I mean, I’m never gonna get married,” Lena explains, “but if you let me do this, I can brag around that I’ve paid for two weddings. Not to mention I’m gonna make two brides very, very happy.”

“Or,” Kara interjects, lowering herself on the opposite side of the couch, perfect for Lena to lean back between Kara’s legs and lay her head on the side of her thigh. “You can just wait for Kelly to get here,” Kara says, pointedly. “Talk it out like normal adults and reach a compromise.”

Kara’s hands start to snake their way from Lena’s hair to Lena’s shoulders, massaging, all too aware that Lena won’t stop whatever it is she’s working on on her laptop till everybody gets here.

Lena lets herself melt and closes her eyes, sighing as Kara’s fingers dip at the junction of her neck and shoulder with just the right amount of pressure.

“I don’t wanna get married in the woods, Kara.”

Lena opens one eye to take a peek at Alex, who looks exasperated, her eyes pleading, gulping down another glass of wine.

“Don’t tell me,” Kara replies. “Tell Kelly.”

“The bugs, Kara,” Alex moans. “Imagine the bugs, and the moss and the ughhh.”

She dramatically thumps the back of her head on the couch.

“Imagine the soil. Clumpy wet soil. Eurgh. Ew. What if I fall face first in that? What if I trip over a stupid tree root in my heels? In my wedding dress?!”

“Alex, you don’t even have a dress yet,” Kara deadpans.

“I thought you were gonna wear a suit,” Lena adds.

“You two suck.” Alex pouts.

****

The rest of their friends arrive and Kara finally succeeds in prying Lena’s work laptop away from her. Alex was already teasing the line from tipsy to drunk by the time Kelly comes through the door.

“Let’s get married in Vegas!!!!” Is how Alex decides to greet her fiance.

Kelly laughs, gives her a peck then answers, “As much as that sounds like a very convenient wedding, I don’t think Eliza would appreciate that, baby.”

Alex frowns at being rejected, sags against the couch and crosses her arms. Why does Kelly always have to be right?

“How much has she had to drink?” Kelly turns to Kara.

“Uhh ask Lena. She made her switch to whiskey.”

Lena—who Kelly thinks was way too busy nuzzling against Kara’s neck to even answer her question—mumbles something that sounds like “S’was just two glasses.”

Kelly just shakes her head, makes Alex drink a glass of water. Her ring making a clink against the glass.

“Alright, what if,” Nia sing-songs, eyes sparkling with mischief, “we just settle this whole wedding thing with Charades?”

Nia claps her hands together like some gameshow host and Kelly takes a deep breath through the nose.

She’s been to enough Game Nights to know where this is headed.

Everybody else was intoxicated enough to accept the suggestion as a grand idea, not at all even thinking that: Hey, isn’t this something we should all take seriously?? Maybe ask the brides what they want, maybe???

Kara nods enthusiastically, agreeing immediately, “Oh!! That’s a great idea! Fun and fair at the same time!”

“Olsen vs. Danvers. Brides get to pick their teams.”

Nia pulls a white board out of nowhere, uncaps a marker and writes “Team Danvers”, “Team Olsen” separated by a neat line in the middle.

“Are we really letting Nia take charge of our wedding venue?" She hears Alex whisper from where she has her tucked at the crook of her neck.

Kelly sneaks a glance at the chaos happening before their eyes; Brainy already claiming to be on Kelly’s team, J’onn shaking his head opting to be the game scorer instead and refusing to participate, somebody’s shouting about: NIA, DREAM PROJECTIONS AT CHARADES IS CHEATING!!!!

Guess this is their life now.

Kelly smirks, boops Alex on the nose and says, “Scared you’ll lose, Danvers?”

****

Alex loses by three points.

“How was I supposed to know you were gesturing 'Transformers'!?!” She barks at Kara, throwing her hands in exasperation.

“I pointed at Nia!” Kara huffs, incredulous at the fact that her sister is blaming her.

Nia lost them a point too!

“What does Nia even have to do with it???” Alex’s voice grows higher in pitch. Her brows furrow in a mix of confusion and frustration.

“Trans, Alex. Trans.”

“Oh my God,” Alex groans. “How are you this dumb?”

And that was the story of how Kelly got her dream wedding.

****

The frenzy finally dies down, some time between Nia making up another drinking game and J’onn making her sit back down. A movie that none of them were watching provides a background noise to the almost lazy atmosphere. Kelly and Alex were pressed close on the far end of the couch, enjoying the temporary quiet.

“Guess we’re getting married in the woods, huh?” Alex murmurs.

“I guess we are,” Kelly whispers back. Alex beams at her, grinning dopily at the thought of finally getting the ending they deserve. It would be the perfect day, she has no doubt about that. No matter where they are. It would be perfect because they got there together.

Alex can’t wait.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing.”

Alex continues to smile stupidly, nudges her nose to Kelly’s.

“Just— I don’t really care where we get married, I guess.”

“Oh yeah?” Kelly raises an amused brow at her.

“Mm-hm. So long as you’re the one walking down the aisle.”

Alex presses their lips together, breathes Kelly in deep and for the first time that night, she feels that the future isn’t so scary, even though there is still a very large possibility that she might trip over a tree root on her wedding day.

Somebody interrupts their kiss.

“She’s only saying that ‘cos she lost.”

“Shut up, Luthor.”

****

“Text me when you get home!”

Lena hears Kara call loudly after her sister, before closing the door. Game Night has officially ended and as usual she’s still here. She’ll always be here, she thinks for a brief moment. The thought holding more depth than it should.

Kara didn’t even question her when everybody began filing out and Lena just started picking up the discarded dirty plates and walking them to the sink. They’re well past the point of asking each other if the other would stay over.

It was already some unspoken rule.

Already well past the point of Lena wanting to ask Kara what the hell it is they’re doing.

She’s bent over the sink, scrubbing—Kara doesn’t own a dishwasher for the sole reason that she finds doing the dishes therapeutic—when Lena takes a glance over her shoulder.

Kara is sitting on a high stool near the counter, casually flicking through her phone. It was Lena’s turn to do the dishes tonight. Once upon a time her doing the dishes would have resulted in a fight. “I can superspeed the dishes. Why would you even want to do them?” A statement that would be met with an eye roll.

Kara has learned not to fight her on it again, after around the 7th time that Lena had stubbornly insisted and Supergirl got doused with dishwashing liquid.

And now, it’s become some sort of routine, Kara does the dishes after lunch and Lena does the dishes after dinner. Oh, how the paparazzi would kill for this—Lena Luthor Knows What A Sponge Is?

“Is it true when you told Alex you’re never going to get married?”

Kara decides to break their quiet.

“Yeah, pretty certain about that one, why?” Lena turns around, cocks a curious brow. If she’s being honest she’s beyond certain that she’s not going to get married. She always jokes about how she’s married to L-Corp but it isn’t till now that she realizes how true that is, and...how lonely.

“I don’t know,” Kara murmurs, not meeting Lena’s eyes. “I just like the idea of you getting married, I guess.”

“What?” Lena chuckles at that; genuinely confused but still curious.

“Well, I mean—” Kara wobbles through her words.

“I guess, I just— I like the idea of you walking down the aisle...in a white dress,” Kara muses.

Then, “Or a suit!!” she quickly amends. “If you wanna wear a suit, that is. That can totally be arranged, you know?” Kara waves her hand around and it’s like now that she’s started, she can’t stop.

And Lena’s just standing there, water still dripping from her elbow, unsure of how to feel about Kara imagining her getting married. Quite an incredulous scene isn’t it? Her getting married? What a crazy thing to say, an even crazier scenario to imagine!

She snaps out of it, realizing Kara’s still rambling.

“I have no objections whatsoever with that, if you wanna wear a suit. And yeah, you know? I just— I like that idea. I like the idea of you dancing to your wedding song. The idea of you exchanging your vows, the idea of you-”

“Kara,” Lena decides to put a stop to it, since it’s clearly evident Kara won’t be stopping any time soon. And Lena's feeling way too many things that she doesn’t want to feel at the moment. She’s sure that she’s going to feel more, if she doesn’t put a stop to it herself.

“I’m well aware that it’s the best friend’s job to help with the bride’s wedding,” She says, “but, darling don’t you think you’re putting just a bit too much effort into this? Certainly seems like you’ve thought about it a lot.”

At that, Kara’s cheeks turn a light pink, squirming sheepishly under Lena’s questioning gaze.

Shouldn’t Kara be thinking about her own wedding? How beautiful she would look walking down the aisle. How her blonde hair would look so nicely with her dress. How happy she would finally be after finding someone she could share her life with. Not that Lena's been thinking about those kinds of things. No, of course not. That’d be hypocritical of her at this point. Why would she even— Why were they even talking about this again???

Lena tries to rein in it, tries to focus on Kara again; hands finally finding a dry towel, hesitantly walking into Kara’s space to hear the blonde more clearly.

“Well, I mean- Like I said, I do really like the idea of you getting married,” Kara repeats herself slowly.

And before Lena can come any closer, “Like the idea of you getting married…to me. More specifically,” Kara adds more quietly.

“What?”

Lena stands frozen.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard y- Kara, did you just?”

Lena’s heart is pounding away in her chest. Did she hear her right? Did Kara really just—

Lena’s a step away from her and Kara uses this to her advantage. She pulls Lena closer, tugging at her wrist, the towel dropping from Lena’s hands. Kara summons enough willpower to stare into Lena’s eyes.

“I like the idea of you getting married to me, Lena Luthor.”

“Kara, I’m sorry- What?” Lena jerks away from her, the words finally landing.

“Is that a no?”

Kara lets her go. She can’t focus on Lena’s heartbeat to assess the situation more. Kara’s own heart is betraying her, drumming so loudly in her ears.

“Uh- no, that's definitely not a no?” says Lena hesitantly, eyes wide, breathing nervously. She turns away from Kara for a minute to take a breath, hands fidgeting about.

She whirls around again to face, mutters, “You do realize marriages are for people who are—”

She pauses.

How do you exactly phrase that wedding proposals are for people who are actually in some kind of romantic relationship? And not for people who casually stay over every goddamn Thursday without fail?And okay, maybe sometimes, in a much different reality, would willingly commit fratricide to save the other? And in an also much different reality, willingly expose a secret identity to save the other?

Lena can’t find the right words.

“Oh, I don’t know, Kara,” Lena scoffs, shaking her head disbelievingly. “Marriage is for people who are actually dating each other.”

Kara takes her sarcasm as a good sign and pulls her in again.

“Well,” Kara begins. She can hear Lena’s heart thumping erratically, now that Kara’s gotten her bearings.

“We can always have our first date after the wedding, right?”

Aren’t they well past the point of dating anyway?

She’s got Lena standing between her legs now, her hands wrapping around her waist.

“First date and honeymoon all in one. That sounds great, doesn’t it? I can fly you wherever you want, Paris, Maldives, hell I even have a Fortress in the Arctic, if you’re into that.”

Lena stares at her, blinks once, twice; shakes her head and lets out a noise between a laugh and a scoff.

“Kara Zor-El, you are one ridiculous woman,” She breathes, putting a hand on Kara’s cheek. Because what else is there to say? This whole conversation really is ridiculous. But at the same time Lena feels like she’s floating? Like this may be the best moment of her life, and of course, it’s going to be ridiculous. This is Kara she’s dealing with, after all.

She doesn’t know what she’s going to do if Kara reveals this to be just some sort of joke.

But the way her blue eyes are piercing through Lena’s, so earnest and so warm, argues otherwise.

“So, what do you say? Wanna get married?”

“Are you serious right now?” Lena asks, still unbelieving. This is beyond crazy. They’ve fought aliens and monsters and traveled through time but this? This is just beyond crazy.

“Lena, do I look like I’m joking? And besides, you’d already offered to pay for two weddings, why not pay for our two weddings, instead?”

She shakes her head again, let’s herself fall closer to Kara, lets out a laugh against her neck.

“Mm. You want a Kryptonian ceremony too?”

“Yeah.” Kara’s voice turns shy. “If that’s alright by you.”

“Of course, that’s alright by me. I’d be honored.”

Her heart feels more than full at the thought of Kara wanting to share that part of her with Lena. She’s always had some doubts whenever the topic of Kara’s Kryptonian heritage arises, always half-afraid she’s overstepped on something that isn’t hers.

But looks like there was nothing to fear all along.

“So, we’re getting married, huh?” Kara wiggles her brows, her face breaking into a wide grin.

“Yes. Mm-hm,” Lena hums against her. “I do. I’d marry you. Let’s get married.”

“Seal it with a kiss?"

****

“Hi.”

Lena blearily opens her eyes, follows the soft voice, her bare back being caressed by the sun filtering through Kara’s curtains.

“Hi,” She whispers back. All this feels much too like a fever dream. She’s half-tempted to pinch herself just to check. She’s woken up beside Kara a million times before but she’ll never get used to the sight of soft golden hair and sleepy blue eyes.

Kara gives her a soft peck and the feel of her lips sends Lena reeling.

The previous night was a whirlwind in her mind’s eye. The moment Lena murmured her 'Yes, please.', Kara kissed her passionately. Once they broke away, Kara had zipped around the apartment, Lena too dazed to even ask what it was Kara was looking for.

She watched as Kara tore off a keychain from one of her bags, curled the keyring to fit Lena’s finger and whispered, “This’ll do. For now.”

Kara had kissed her knuckles reverently, her lips making Lena’s blood sing in her veins. The feel of mangled metal fitted just for her left hand is an imprint on her soul. A promise of more to come.

They didn’t make it out of the kitchen the first time. Kara had lifted her by the waist and set her down on the kitchen counter. Which was a good thing, because Lena couldn’t feel her legs after.

They didn’t make it to the bedroom the second time either. She had tackled Kara onto the couch, pinning her wrists together, licking at the shell of Kara’s ear. “My turn now,” Lena had whispered. The way Kara shivered underneath her was enough of a reward. How long had they been waiting for this?

Flashes of last night had her hips bucking slightly unto Kara’s leg sandwiched between her own, but before it could escalate further...

“I have exciting news to share,” Kara tells her.

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm,” Kara hums, now nosing at Lena’s hair.

“What is it?” Lena asks.

“I’m getting married.”

“Oh you are?” Lena plays along.

“Yes. I’m getting married to my best friend,” whispers Kara, almost conspiratorially. “How cool is that?”

Kara looks giddy with excitement and Lena knows she’s mirroring that exact same expression right now.

“Mm. Very cool, darling.”

Kara giggles and they trade more lazy kisses before Lena breaks away to breathe.

“Quite a coincidence though,” Lena husks out against Kara’s lips.

“Oh really? Why?” Kara asks, tries to keep a serious neutral face despite her nose scrunching up in that cute smile that Lena can’t resist

“I’m also getting married,” Lena confides, “To my best friend," she adds, eyes flashing. "Isn’t that great?”

“Very great.” Kara nods slowly, blonde hair falling into her face, a hand running through dark tresses.

“I love you,” Lena whispers, her lips brushing Kara’s softly.

“I love you, too.” Kara kisses her harder then, her hands lazily wandering along Lena’s skin.

They lie there quietly for a few moments, basking in the morning glow and then, “Alex will kill us.”

Lena snorts, twists in the sheets and says, “I think your sister is too busy planning her wedding to even think about plotting our murder.”

read follow-up here.

[i-am-robie]

 Thanks to @coffeeshib​ for letting me steal the amnesia + wife prompt... I couldn’t help myself. This is not what I thought would come out (content warning for canon typical violence and injuries), mostly this is just Kara being a whole entire idiot and Alex facepalming and Lena just being glad Kara is there for her, as her fake wife while she recovers from another quarterly attempt on her life:

“Supergirl! You have to go!” Alex is yelling at her as they roll Lena into the emergency room at National City General, but Kara is rooted to the spot - she can’t look away. Lena is pale, too pale, and there’s blood all over her dress, cuts and scrapes and bruises already blooming on every piece of exposed skin. She isn’t moving, isn’t breathing on her own right now; the only air making its way into her body is through the ambu bag being operated by a nurse, as women and men in scrubs crowd around the moving gurney, shouting orders. And all of that is terrifying enough, but it isn’t the thing that’s paralyzing Kara.

The reason Kara can’t move, the reason that she is barely breathing, is that she can’t hear Lena’s heart.

“Kara.” Alex is closer now, she steps gently in front of her sister, dropping her voice so that no one else can hear her. “Kara, you have to go, they’re getting away.”

“Alex - “ Kara takes a step forward, as if to walk around her sister, to head towards the doors that Lena and the medical team are disappearing behind.

“I know, Kara, I know,” Alex says, gentle and quiet. The doors shut, and Kara’s eyes snap away from it to her sister's face. Alex looks as terrified as Kara feels; she’s wearing an expression Kara has only seen on her before when it’s Kara who’s hurt. “You can’t do anything for her right now. But you can get the guys who did this.” She reaches for Kara’s arm, squeezes - the pressure is grounding. “You need to go. You need to go right now.”

So Kara goes.

__________________

She returns seven hours later, after dropping the men who carried out the attack on Lena at the DEO and declining to help in the interrogation. She nearly killed them, doesn’t think she has the stomach to listen to them talk. She’d still been in the field when the hospital reached out to let her know that they’d been able to stabilize Lena, restarting her heart, but that she hasn’t woken up yet. Alex had relayed the message to her, but now Alex only shakes her head when Kara asks if there are any updates.

Her sister pulls her aside when Kara says that she’s going to hospital to talk to the doctors, telling Kara quietly that she needs to go home and clean off her suit. When Kara looks down, she sees that Alex is right. She’s covered in blood - some of Lena’s, some of it the men she’s apprehended, none of it hers. It makes her want to sob.

But when she gets out of the bathroom after showering, pulling on soft joggers and a hoodie, Kara finds that she can’t settle. Every time she closes her eyes, every time she blinks, she sees Lena’s lifeless body in the rubble that had been her office, can feel Lena in her arms the moment her heart stopped, and the fact that Lena is supposedly stable doesn’t help at all because she hasn’t woken up.

What if she never wakes up?

Suddenly, Kara can’t breathe. Her chest is tight, the walls of her apartment seeming to flex and close in on her. Her heart rate speeds up and she’s taking choked half-breaths, clenching her fists and blinking away tears.

She can’t lose Lena like this, not after she worked so hard to get her back. Kara looks at the clock. It’s just after midnight. This is definitely not visiting-hours at the hospital, and Lena’s not awake anyway - but Kara needs to see her. Needs to know she’s alive.

Needs to hear her heartbeat again.

It’s all of this - the panic, the desperation, the single-minded focus on getting to Lena - that Kara will blame later when she’s trying to explain what happens next in the weeks to come.

The hospital is deserted except for the staff when Kara walks in through the main entrance and goes up to the ICU where she knows Lena will be. She heads straight for the desk at the front of the unit when she arrives, and introduces herself to a nurse before asking if she can see Lena.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Danvers,” the nurse says, and she does sound sorry in the face of Kara’s distress, “visiting hours aren’t until ten a.m.”

A man in a basketball sweatshirt and jeans walks past them, he scans a small badge that says ‘VISITOR’ in capital letters on a machine at the end of the desk, and nods at the nurse before he disappears down the hallway.

“He’s visiting,’ Kara tries, her voice bordering on frantic, “he’s visiting and I need to see her, you don’t understand, I’m not going to be okay if I don’t see her. Please, just let me...”

“I’m so sorry, honey, it’s immediate family only after hours.”

“I’m her wife,” Kara blurts out. “Please. I’m her wife.”

“You’re her…that’s not in the notes…” The nurse trails off, looking down at the computer in front of her.

“I’m her emergency contact, I’m her wife, please.”

““Oh, yes,” the nurse starts nodding, “I do see that marked here, they called you when she came in. Hmmm...Someone clicked the wrong box under ‘relationship to patient.’” She moves her mouse and clicks on something, then looks back up at Kara. “I’ve fixed that for you, Mrs. Danvers. Let me print you out a visitor badge so you can just scan it in next time.

Kara can feel her panic recede a little. She’s going to see Lena. The nurse takes a blank badge and feeds it into an electronic printer. She hands the finished product to Kara, then gets up and gestures for Kara to follow.

“Now,” the nurse starts as she walks Kara down the dark hallway, the lights on half since it’s night, “she looks a little rough, but I assure you, she’s receiving the very best care there is. Normally you would have been called for consent before we initiated the hypothermia protocol, but since she had an advanced directive on file already, the team went ahead and started it.”

Kara’s barely listening to her, has started to strain her ears for the only sound she’s wanted to hear all day. She nearly collapses in relief when she finds it, below the beeping and the whirring and the buzzing of the machines, unlike any other beat in the building. Lena’s heart is steady, slower than usual, slower than Kara’s ever heard it, but it’s there, rhythmically thumping away.

The nurse brings her to a halt in front of a patient room, Lena’s name on the board outside with a bunch of notations that mean nothing to Kara. She’ll ask Alex to translate.

“She’ll be cold to your touch, that’s alright,” the nurse continues. “The key right now is to try to stop or slow any of the damage she’s suffered as a result of going into cardiac arrest. She lost a lot of blood, and her left femur is broken, along with her right ulna, but there are a lot of reasons to be hopeful. We’ll know more in the forty-eight to seventy-two hours once the protocol is complete.”

Kara refuses to think about most of this. Lena is alive. She’s alive and she’s right on the other side of this door. She clears her throat. “How long...how long can I stay?”

“As long as you like, dear. We’ll round on her in the morning and if you’re still here you can talk to the attending. Also, we’ll be in to check on her, but most of the monitoring is electronic since she’s in a medically induced coma for at least the next two days. There’s a chair that reclines by the bedside, I can grab you a blanket?”

“Please,” Kara says. She stops with her hand on the door, turns back to the nurse. “Thank you.” It comes out wobbly.

“Of course.” The nurse smiles at her. “Go on in, I’ll be right back.”

_____________________

Kara’s woken up by the medical team the next morning during rounds, just as the night shift nurse had promised. She blinks awake and rubs at her eyes, stretching and going to stand up when the team enters.

“Hi Mrs. Danvers, we saw you’d arrived,” a tall woman in a white lab coat says, walking over to Kara on the far side of the room and sticking out her hand to shake. “I’m Dr. Sheldon. We’ll do our best to bring you up to speed now, I’m so glad you were able to make it last night.” She gives Kara a warm smile. “Believe it or not, it really does make a difference when patients are supported, even when they aren’t aware of it.”

The team walks her through their care plan for Lena, how long she’ll have to remain like this before they start the re-warming process, what they’re concerned about and what they’ll be looking for. Her arm and femur have been set and immobilized, but it’s likely that the femur will need to be rebroken and repaired surgically if and when Lena does wake up. Given the invasiveness of the procedure, the delicacy of her present condition, and the unknowns about her cognition, that decision will keep.

When they leave, Kara texts Alex. If the doctors think that it will make a difference for Lena’s recovery to have her here, then she’s going to stay. She’s owed time off anyway. This is the best use of it she can think of.

Two hours later, the door opens, and Kara looks up from the bed, relieved to see Alex standing there, holding a backpack with the food and change of clothing Kara asked her to bring.

“Oh gosh, am I glad to see you,” she says, letting go of Lena’s hand and standing up. She walks around the bed to where Alex has stopped.

“Yeah, yeah,” Alex says, and she’s frowning at Kara. “You have some fucking explaining to do.”

“What?” Kara stops abruptly.

“What?” Alex parrots. She narrows her eyes. “Are you being serious…?” At Kara’s confused expression, Alex rolls her eyes and reaches behind her to shut the door. She walks over to Kara, pulling some take out from the bag and handing it to her, before pulling up one of the swivel chairs a doctor had been using.

Kara takes the food and goes back to her seat.

“So?” Alex prompts.

Kara looks up from the styrofoam container, already having broken apart her chopsticks. “So what?”

“What do you mean...Kara!” Kara freezes, chopsticks frozen in midair clutching a piece of kung pao chicken. There is real frustration and confusion in Alex’s voice. “Imagine my surprise when I sign in at the front desk and the nurse says that my sister-in-law is stable right now. Wanna tell me why the fuck you’re playing house to visit your best friend in the hospital?”

Kara sets the chicken down. “Alex…”

“Kara, you have ten seconds to explain why the entire staff thinks you and Lena are married and the answer had better not actually involve marriage or I swear to god I’ll…”

“They wouldn’t let me in to see her!” Kara bursts out. “I got here last night and I needed to see her, Alex, I needed to. And apparently it’s immediate family only and I panicked, okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Alex says, pinching the bridge of her nose and closing her eyes. “I know Lena is important to you, but Kara, you could have waited ten hours and seen her.”

“I couldn’t.” Kara looks down at her food, not hungry anymore. “Alex, I couldn’t. I almost had a panic attack after you sent me home last night. I couldn’t wait.”

“Oh kiddo.” Kara looks up at that, all the frustration is gone from Alex’s tone. Her sister lets out a sigh. “Lena’s going to get through this and she’s going to get better. And when she does, you have got to tell her how you feel.”

“She’s my best friend.” Kara’s mouth twists. This is not a new conversation, but the stakes seem higher with Lena in the bed beside her, unconscious and battered.

“She is,” Alex agrees. “But she could be more.”

And oh, Kara wants more with every fiber of her being. But more than that, she wants Lena in her life, wants the easy love and affection they’ve finally gotten back to. And she’s been worried about rocking the boat.

“And by the way,” Alex says, pulling her back to the present, “lying to medical professionals is not a good look.” Kara grimaces and ducks her head.

“I know,” she says, glancing at Lena, the ventilator moving her chest up and down slowly. “But they said it’s good for Lena to have someone here, talking to her, holding her hand, even if she doesn’t know. And you know Lillian isn’t going to do that. And Lex is the one who put her here...just let me do this, okay?”

Alex hums. “You’re so lucky I didn’t blow your secret.”

Kara looks over at her sister. “Thank you.”

“Some of us are actually good at lying under pressure. I’m surprised you didn’t tell them she was married to Supergirl.”

“Well I wasn’t dressed as Supergirl.”

“Thank god for small mercies.”

______________________

Lena doesn’t wake up for the next three days.

In the interim, all of their friends visit, but Alex has already warned them about Kara’s new relationship status and other than Nia’s constant giggles, no one comments. Kara doesn’t leave the hospital. She keeps vigil in the chair, occasionally leaving for short periods of time to go down to the cafeteria, or to stretch her legs.

On day four, Alex convinces her to at least go to the DEO to shower and check in with J’onn about  the duties he and M’gann are covering for her.

She’s just getting ready to head back to the hospital when her phone rings.

“Mrs. Danvers?”

“Yes?”

“This is Dr. Sheldon. Your wife has woken up and she’s being evaluated now by neuro, but we wanted you to know first thing.”

Kara has to sit down in the middle of the DEO, the concrete hard and probably cold underneath her, but it’s better than the alternative, which was just going to be letting her knees give out. She closes her eyes tightly. “I’ll be right there.”

She flies back to the hospital, landing in a nearby alley and running into the building with just a touch of superspeed. She makes it onto the unit just in time to see Lena’s care team leaving her room and turning down the hall to the next patient, and as much as Kara wants to get an update from them, the urge to see Lena herself is too much. She walks through the open door and nearly runs into a nurse, who’s moving some of the equipment out, now that Lena is conscious. It’s a nurse Kara is familiar with, her name is Bernadette, she’s been on shift the last two days. Her eyes light up when she sees Kara.

“Your wife is here,” Bernadette says, over her shoulder before Kara can stop her. She smiles warmly as she turns back to Kara. “I’ll leave you two alone.” She slips past Kara and into the hallway.

“My…” Lena’s eyes go wide as she sees Kara standing helpless in front of the now closed door.  Her voice is still scratchy from the extubation. Her hair is greasy and all over the pillow, her right arm and left leg are completely immobilized, there are wires running through the top of her hospital gown, her whole body a tapestry of garish purples and greens and stitches. But she’s awake. Kara has never felt more relieved in her entire life, but it turns to ice in her veins as Lena struggles to speak, clearly confused. “My - my - oh god.” Her eyes start to fill with tears and Kara panics.

“No, Lena, no, it’s not - “ she starts saying, taking quick steps towards the bed.

“Oh god, oh god, Kara,” Lena chokes out, twisting a little in bed and flinching, “they said I only lost a week, they said my memory seemed okay, that there’s no - ”

“We’re not married!” Kara yells out trying to stop the clear spiral Lena is on. Lena’s eyes go wide, but she does stop looking like she’s about to start sobbing. “We’re not married,” Kara repeats, in a normal voice this time.

“Then why…”

Kara winces. “I might have told the hospital staff that we are. Married, that is.”

Lena looks wary, small and weak and confused in the bed, and she’s frowning a little at Kara now. It doesn’t even matter, though, because the feeling of seeing Lena awake is returning with every word she speaks, and Kara feels something in her chest open up. She has to resist walking over and climbing into bed with her and holding her, knows she needs to explain first.

In every single way Kara played out this moment all week in her head, not once is this how it went - she wants Lena to be smiling, to be okay, or at least as okay as one can be after coming out of a medically induced coma, with a number of near catastrophic injuries still to be dealt with. She certainly didn’t imagine she’d be contributing to the disorientation and isolation Lena’s projecting right now.

Lena’s eyes dart around Kara’s face. Kara takes a deep breath.

“The first night you were here, I had to see you.” She starts twisting her hands together, takes another step towards the bed. “And it was late, and even though I’m your emergency contact, they said no after hours visitors except for family and I panicked.”

“You panicked.” Lena sounds like she’s unsure how panic would lead someone to pretend to be married, and honestly, now that Kara is having to explain the decision, she’s not really sure either. The only thing she knows is that she doesn’t regret it. Would do it again, in fact.

“I knew if they thought I was your wife, they’d let me in to see you. And Lena, I had to see you. I had to. You were - “ Kara cuts herself off, can feel the tightness in her chest, closing around her heart like a vice. “Your heart stopped before I could get you to the hospital. The last time I saw you, I didn’t know if - “ A small sob works it’s way up her throat, and Kara’s eyes are burning. She feels a tear break free from her lashes. “I needed to hear your heartbeat.”

An unreadable expression crosses Lena’s face as Kara takes the seat by her bed that she’s occupied for the last week. To Kara’s great relief, Lena reaches out her left hand, lays it on the edge of the bed, palm up. Kara grabs for it with both of her own.

And Rao, the feeling of Lena’s hand, still cold, but undeniably warmer, squeezing back when Kara grips tightly - she doesn’t know how to describe this feeling. It starts a fresh wave of sobs in her, of relief this time, rather than terror.

“Hey,” Lena says, punctuating it with another flex of her fingers around the back of Kara’s hand. “Hey, I’m okay. I’m here. You saved me. I’m okay, see?”

And really, that just makes Kara cry harder.

“I’m supposed to be comforting you,” she chokes out.

“You are,” Lena says, disengaging their hands and bringing her fingers up to Kara’s face, wiping at the tears. “You are, god, I was just thrown. I thought...I thought, it doesn't matter what I thought.” She tries to laugh and ends up flinching.

“Oh no, are you okay, should I call the doctor?” Kara immediately reaches forward, lays a hand on Lena’s hip above the sheets and wipes furiously at her face with the other.

“It’s the broken ribs,” Lena grits out, jaw flexing as she drops her hand away from Kara’s face and back onto the bed. “Fuck that hurts.”

“I’m just so glad you’re awake,” Kara says, leaning forward again and brushing some of the hair out of Lena’s face, trying to tuck it behind her ear.

That’s how Bernadette finds them when she returns, Kara gently touching Lena’s forehead, and rubbing her hip, the two of them so close that Kara might as well climb in next to her.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” she says, smiling at the two of them. “The attending would like to pop in with the head of ortho to talk about surgical options for your femur. Should I tell her to come back later?”

Kara moves to stand up, she doesn’t want to delay anything about Lena’s care, but Lena reaches for her hand again, and Kara’s powerless to do anything but lace their fingers together and sit back down.

Lena takes a shallow breath, “Can my wife stay?”

My wife. Hearing it come out of Lena’s mouth does something to Kara that feels a little dangerous, makes the room spin a bit. Her heart feels as if it’s expanding and being squeezed at the same time. My wife. My wife. My wife.

“Of course, she’s more than welcome to stay,” Bernadette says. “It’s probably a good idea, actually, now that there are care decisions to make.”

_____________________

“Let me get this straight,” Alex says, her head in her hands. Kelly reaches out to rub her back. “You’re still pretending to be married, and Lena is playing along with it?”

Kara nods. They’re sitting down in the cafeteria while Lena gets a sponge bath, something that Kara is trying very hard not to think about. It’s been nearly three weeks, one major operation, and thankfully no more complications.

And Kara has been here through it all. She’s started leaving for blocks of time during the day (it turns out she didn’t have a month worth of vacation saved up and Alex had nearly had an aneurysm when Kara asked if she was allowed to use family medical leave act time), but she’s spent nearly every night in the hospital with Lena since. The medical team loves them, has started talking to them about how devoted Kara is. Maybe Kara’s playing into it a little, bringing flowers, and Lena’s favorite foods, and always, always touching her in some way when she’s in the room.

“You know they’re going to build her discharge plan around you, right?” Alex squints at her. “Have you considered that?”

Kara flushes. “Actually,” she brings a hand up to rub at the back of her neck, adjusts her glasses for good measure, “we’ve agreed that I’ll just move in with Lena for a little while. She can hire someone during the day, but I’ll be around at night and I can help with the rehab. So, um, it’s fine.”

“You’re both fucking idiots.”

_________________

“I’ve been home for an hour and I’m already regretting every choice in my life that’s lead to this point. This is humiliating.”

“Oh my gosh,” Kara laughs, “no it isn’t.”

“Kara, you’re washing my hair in the kitchen sink because I can’t even wash myself right now with this fucking cast and brace on.”

Kara grins, squirting shampoo onto her hand and setting the bottle down on the marble countertop. Lena is sitting in the wheelchair, left leg propped up on the supports. She’s leaning back with her head over the edge of the sink, rolled up towels supporting her neck and her eyes are closed. She’s frowning, but it’s the frown she wears when she’s trying too hard not to smile. It makes Kara want to kiss it right off her face. She takes a deep breath, instead.

Kara is just so grateful that she gets to see Lena like this, hair stringy from the hospital, oversize sweatshirt with one sleeve bunched up over the top of the lime green cast on her right arm. The post-surgical femoral fracture brace looks uncomfortable, but Lena hasn’t complained about it at all. So, fine, maybe this nearly debilitating urge to kiss her best friend, to ask her if the last few weeks could be real, instead of fake (not the marriage part, not now, anyway, but the relationship part sure), is getting more and more intrusive. That doesn’t mean Kara can’t continue to ignore it until Lena’s better.

She finishes washing Lena’s hair and if she takes extra time massaging in the conditioner and making sure the water temperature is absolutely perfect, well, that’s just being a good caretaker. She sets Lena up in her bedroom, then goes back to the kitchen to clean up 

“Ok, Lena,” Kara says, walking back into the bedroom. “You officially have zero edible things in your apartment. I’m going to make a list and head to the grocery store for supplies, ok? Your next meds can’t be taken on an empty stomach.”

“You’re underestimating my iron constitution.” Lena frowns unhappily in bed. “We can just order some, you don’t have to go.”

“I’ll be back in a jiffy, okay?” Kara smiles at Lena.

Sure, they could order groceries, but she wants to go get them, to pick them out herself, and bring them back. It makes her feel so good to be able to do things like this: wash her hair, go get groceries, make her something to eat. The best part of this whole terrible ordeal is that she’s gotten to take care of Lena, to show her, not just tell her, how important she is to Kara. It warms her up from the inside out.

“You sure I’m allowed to be by myself?” Lena teases, breaking Kara out of her thoughts. “I haven’t been left to my own devices in weeks now. Just imagine all the trouble I could get into.” She raises an eyebrow.

Kara laughs and shakes her head, drawn closer to Lena like a magnet. Lena’s tucked into bed, leg propped up on pillows to keep the brace comfortable, two books on the nightstand beside her, a glass of water within easy reach, and the next round of medications in a small porcelain bowl that Kara repurposed from the kitchen. Her hair is still wet from being washed, and although there are dark circles around her eyes, and her cheekbones are too sharp from the weight she lost in the hospital, Kara doesn’t think she’s ever seen anything more beautiful than Lena right at this exact moment.

She walks over to the bed and sits down next to Lena, reaching over to move the glass of water back from the edge of the nightstand and onto a coaster. “You’re going to be fine. I’ll bet you a whole order of potstickers that you’re asleep when I get back.” She reaches across Lena, adjusts the towel covering up her pillow to keep it from getting wet.

When she pulls back slightly, she’s startled by how close Lena’s face is to hers. Lena is looking at her with such unadulterated fondness, that Kara can’t help reaching up and tucking a wet tendril of hair back behind Lena’s ear. “I’ll be back so soon you won’t even know I was gone.”

“I always know when you’re gone,” Lena says, the corners of her mouth lifting up, her eyes crinkling lightly. Kara’s hand has drifted from Lena’s ear to the back of her head, her thumb brushing gently at the soft skin just below Lena’s jaw.

When she retells the story of what happens next later, Alex will roll her eyes and mutter under hear breath, but Kara will swear this is the truth: without even thinking about it, she leans forward and kisses Lena on the lips, quick and soft, then stands and turns to go, pulling her phone out of her pocket so she can start making a grocery list.

“You can drop the act now,” Lena says, a little stiffly.

“Huh?” Kara whips around, more at Lena’s tone than at her words, and looks at her in confusion. Lena’s face is bright red.

“Kara, we’re - I’m home, there’s no hospital staff to convince anymore.” She sounds a little upset and Kara, feels her forehead crinkle as she replays the last several seconds in her head: she moved Lena’s water, adjusted the towel behind her head, smoothed Lena’s hair, and…

“Oh Rao, oh gosh.” She takes a step forward, then back abruptly, as she realizes that she’s just kissed Lena on the mouth. She puts one hand on her forehead and the other on her hip, spins in a small circle. “Lena, I’m so sorry. I didn’t - ”

“It’s fine,” Lena says, her voice sounding calm and even now that Kara is having a meltdown, but her heart is doing some sort of high speed gallop in her chest and it’s giving Kara the impression that this is not actually fine.

Oh no, oh gosh… “Lena, I’m sorry, - ”

“I get it.” Lena cuts her off, holding up a hand to stop her. “The whole act, it’s a hard habit to break.” She drops her hand to the bed and laughs lightly, picking at the blanket. “Honestly I’m surprised we made it this long without accidentally doing that.”

“Accidently. Yes.” Kara’s nodding so hard, she feels like her head might come off. “It was an accident.” That might be a convenient way of putting it, but it doesn’t change the fact that Kara’s been wanting to kiss Lena, wants it to be as un-accidental as possible. And aren’t accidents things like tripping on the carpet, or spilling a drink at dinner? She may not have been thinking when she did it, but Kara knows there’s nothing accidental about that kiss.

But Lena’s giving her an out, and Kara can’t bring herself not to take it.

“I’m just going to - ” Kara gestures over her shoulder and then she flees.

“Alex, I kissed her.” Kara’s made it outside the apartment, but her heart hasn’t slowed down. She didn’t even bother making a list after walking out of Lena’s bedroom, just went straight to the elevator, dialing Alex before she’d even hit the lobby. Her stomach is squirmy, she feels like she might throw up.

“Finally,” Alex says, letting out what might be a relieved sigh.

“What do you mean finally?” Kara feels hysterical.

“I mean finally, idiot. Watching the two of you for the past three weeks has been the most painful experience of my life, I’m glad you finally did it.”

“She thinks it was because of the act!” Kara nearly yells. A man walking by looks at her, narrowing his eyes and giving her a wide berth. “She thinks it’s because of the act, Alex!”

There’s silence on the other end of the line for a moment.

“Kara Danvers, are you fucking kidding me right now?”

“No,” Kara wails. “I didn’t even mean to do it! Or, well. I meant to do it, but I didn’t know I was doing it. I was making sure she had everything she needed and then I was leaving to go to the grocery story and somewhere in the middle I kissed her! And she got kinda upset even though she said she wasn’t and she says it’s fine because it was an accident. And it was an accident, at least in the sense that I wasn’t thinking when I did it and god I didn’t even ask if she wanted to kiss me, but I meant it, Alex, I meant it.”

Kara can picture Alex right now: that tight, unhappy expression on her face, fingers pinching her nose between her eyes.

“Okay, I swore to Kelly I wasn’t going to do this, but that was before you lost your damn mind and kissed her.” Kara can hear Alex take a deep breath. “You need to go back upstairs right now and confess, Kara.”

“What?” Kara practically screeches. She spins in a circle. “No, this isn’t the right time. I’m supposed to be helping her, I’m supposed to be taking care of her, I can’t put this on her right now. What if she doesn’t feel the same, what if this ruins everything, what if - “

Thankfully Alex cuts her off. “That argument worked before you kissed her and decided to let her believe you didn’t mean to do it. And before you argue with me, you might not have known you were doing it, but you absolutely meant to do it, Kara.”

Kara is now facing Lena’s apartment and gently knocking her forehead against it.

“Kara, I heard that crack, stop headbutting the building.” Kara stops, keeps her forehead pressed to the cool limestone. Alex pauses, and her voice is gentle when she continues. “You gotta tell her, kiddo. You’ve been down the whole lying path with her before and while I don’t think this is the kind of lie that would cause her to try removing our free-will again, I do think that you guys decided on honesty as your way forward. You either own that, or you don’t.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right.” Kara squeezes her eyes shut. “If we can get through that, we can get through this.”

“That’s the spirit. And hey, if for some reason things don’t go well and you feel like you can’t stay with her? Kelly or I would be happy to swap out for you tonight. Just in case you need some space.”

“Thanks, Alex.”

“But Kara, I think you’re gonna be just fine.”

Kara doesn’t feel much better when she hangs up with Alex, but she knows her sister is right. She’s got to tell Lena.

And to be honest, Kara can’t imagine a world in which Lena would be upset with her for having feelings, regardless of whether they’re reciprocated. They’ll be able to work through this, even if it hurts for a while. She’s had friends fall in love with her before, and she’s always been able to keep them as friends afterwards. God, maybe Winn has some advice for me, she thinks.

So Kara takes a deep breath and goes back inside. Groceries can wait.

She’s trembling when she lets herself back into Lena’s apartment. It’s nerves, anticipation more than anything. She’s about to confess something that she can’t, won’t take back and it will change things between them, even if only for a while.

Lena looks up from her book when Kara makes her way back into the bedroom. She sets it down beside her hip on the bed and cocks her head.

“Well that was fast. Did Supergirl get my groceries?” She gives Kara a smile.

“I’m in love with you.” Well that’s one way to start this conversation. “And I didn’t kiss you accidentally.”

Lena’s smile drops, her eyes widening in surprise. Everything about her seems to freeze.

“Before you say anything, I need to get this out. I’m not telling you because I’m expecting anything. I don’t want anything to change, I mean, I do, clearly, but I don’t if that’s not what you want.” Kara squeezes her eyes shut and looks at the ceiling. She really should have thought this through. “I’ve known for a while, actually, I was just worried about what it might mean, if you didn’t feel the same way.” She drops her gaze back to Lena. “But then you almost died. And I pretended to be your wife. And I was planning on telling you once you’re totally recovered. Except then I kissed you without even thinking about it and I can’t lie about this, Lena. It isn’t good for either of us. So. Yeah. Just. Tell me what you need.”

Lena’s looking at her with an expression Kara can’t read, but she doesn’t look unhappy, or afraid, or upset...

“Kara, do you remember when that nurse told me my wife had shown up?”

“Yes,” Kara says, frowning, because she doesn't understand where Lena is going with this. “Of course I do, you were panicked that you’d experienced severe brain damage.”

Lena shakes her head, pats the space on the bed next to her.

Kara feels a weight lift from her shoulders: no matter how this goes, if Lena is asking her to come closer, then they’re going to be okay. She walks across the carpet.

“You’re right,” Lena says as Kara comes closer, “I was worried, but that wasn’t the only thing that made me panic.”

“What else was it?” Kara sits down and looks at her lap, bringing her hands together to fidget. She can feel Lena’s body heat next to her, but she doesn’t want to reach out unless Lena does it first. “Was it the idea of being married to me?” She laughs. She can laugh about this.

“No, darling,” Lena says. She reaches for Kara’s hands, smoothing her fingers across them to still them. Darling, that’s a good sign, right? “Kara, as terrified as I was that there was more damage, my first thought was that somehow I’d lost memories of us: of you falling in love with me, of dating and first kisses and someone proposing and a wedding.” Lena pauses and Kara stares at their joined hands. She hears more than sees Lena take a deep breath and let it out. “I’ve been in love with you for so long it broke my heart to think that those things had happened and I couldn’t remember them.”

Kara whips her head around to look at Lena. Her best friend is smiling, and her eyes are a little wet like maybe she’s overwhelmed and might cry and oh gosh, does Kara understand that feeling right now.

“You love me,” she says, feeling her own eyes start to fill with tears.

Lena nods.

“You’re in love with me,” Kara can’t help clarifying. This is something out of a dream.

Lena nods again.

“Can I…” Kara reaches for Lena’s face, trails her knuckles down Lena’s cheek and watches in awe as Lena leans into the touch.  “Can I kiss you now?”

“Yes,” Lena breaths out, smiling, and it’s blinding. “But only if it’s not an accident.”

[mythicamagic]

May I have one for "just wait for me here." "It's not like I can go anywhere." please.

Sesshoumaru arched a brow, staring across the sunlit glade towards a peculiar sight. His brother’s miko was acting strangely. She stood, clutching her bow tight- knuckles turning pale from the force of her grip. She tentatively used one end to feel around the grass, before prodding the ground with her shoe and inching forward.

Although they shared the same clearing, Kagome didn’t look up, nor acknowledge his presence.

Sesshoumaru gave in to curiosity, not particularly concerned about an enemy but too intrigued to ignore this display. She jerked when his boot crunched on a twig.

“Stay back!” Kagome snarled, voice shaking as she whipped her bow up defensively.

Sesshoumaru bit back a chuckle. What good would a mere bow do as a weapon without arrows? His humour soon abated however, staring into her murky blue eyes that gazed just over his shoulder.

Ah, I understand.

“W-who’s there?” she stammered, fear clouding her scent.

Inuyasha and her friends were clearly absent, always so foolish. They’d left a blinded miko vulnerable and alone?

Sesshoumaru gave the quivering woman a once over, noticing a few scrapes over her bare knees. Cut rope looped around her freed wrists. That strange white and green clothing she always wore was marred with dirt, torn in various places. She’d likely been kidnapped and escaped her captor on her own. Mildly impressive.

Still, she was nothing to do with him. Sesshoumaru turned on one heel.

“S-sesshoumaru?” Kagome called out tentatively. The words became firmer, more confident. “Sesshoumaru...wait. Please.”

The Daiyoukai paused, looking at her sightless blue eyes. “How is it that you knew who I was?”

She released a short, hard breath, clearly relieved to be speaking with someone. “I’m getting better at sensing stuff, I guess.”

“Hn,” he frowned, “and your eyes?”

Kagome touched her cheek, curling in on herself a little, “a demon blew a powder into my face and it blinded me. He kidnapped me...but I managed to get away. I just hope its temporary, ya know?” she gave a nervous giggle, despair threatening to take her under. Sesshoumaru hummed, attention drawing away to the forest surrounding them. He knew these woods well, and there was nothing around for miles. No villages nor clans. Just wild flatlands that eventually led to the mountains. She’d certainly ran a long way.

“I know we’re not friends- or even allies,” Kagome mumbled. “You’ve got no reason to help me-”

“That is correct,” he silkily agreed.

Her pretty features tightened with barely concealed frustration, amusing him. “But I’d owe you, hugely, if you just drop me off where Inuyasha can find me. I promise I’d return the favour- tenfold!”

Sesshoumaru chuckled, rather liking his position in this situation, studying his immaculate nailbeds in an unnecessary show of disinterest. “There is nothing a human could give to me that would be worth my time- nor do I need a favour.”

Blowing out a frustrated hiss of air through her teeth, Kagome stepped forward, gazing in his general direction. “So you’re going to just leave me here?”

“As previously established, miko,” he purred in a low tone. “We are not friends nor allies. Are we lovers?” he teased.

She instantly turned red, barking; “in your dreams!”

“Well then, if we are not friends, allies nor lovers, I have no need to heed your cries above those of the ants I crush beneath my feet when I walk,” Sesshoumaru turned away again, heading in the opposite direction.

“Wait!”

The desperate crunch of feet thundering through tall grass reached his ears, though the demon lord kept pace. Something knocked into his side- and Kagome stumbled, before latching tight onto mokomoko, wrapping her arms around his furs and hugging them to her chest.

Golden eyes widened at her audacity, pressing a palm against her forehead, trying to extract her from his person. “Off.”

“No way!” she twisted and tried to bite at his hand, narrowing sightless eyes. “Don’t be so heartless. At the very least, leave me at the nearest village- jerk!”

“You are doing a poor job of endearing yourself to me, wench,” Sesshoumaru lifted his hand, resting sharp claws against her damp forehead, slick with sweat. He prodded warningly. “Release this one.”

Kagome shuddered but refused to let go. “I-if I do, I’m as good as dead anyway,” she murmured, tightening her grip. “Please.”

Sesshoumaru flirted with the idea of releasing acid from his nails and reducing the nuisance into a pile of melted flesh and bone. However, even while blind- those blue eyes managed to fill him with a strange sense of intrigue. If this woman died, he ludicrously felt that the fates would turn their wrath upon him, not that he heeded the threat of any higher powers. She was so unusual in appearance, word and deed he could not help but think her a special existence, but even were she ordinary, Sesshoumaru felt his world would become less amusing without her presence in it. Encounters with Inuyasha would prove somewhat blander.

Sneering, his claws lowered. Continuing to walk with no acknowledgement of her trailing form hurrying after him, Sesshoumaru allowed her to hang onto mokomoko like it were a lifeline.

----

Kagome focused on keeping her footing, stumbling after the silent Daiyoukai. His furs pillowed her cheek, comfortable and silky. From what she could tell they’d left the wilder grass behind, her muddy loafers crunching on twigs and dry earth.

They didn’t talk often and she didn’t give voice to her exhaustion, closing her eyes after a while since it did little good to keep them open, her world endlessly black.

She tried not to fall prey to the dark feelings of dread and worry threatening to claim her, lingering on the outskirts of her tired mind. She’d come too far to give up now.

Kagome bumped into something solid and stopped. “What is it?” she mumbled.

“I am going to rest for the night.”

“Oh…”

His voice sounded a little light, which meant he found something entertaining. “I take it you are going to cling to me throughout?”

“Y-yeah, can’t have you running off on me.”

“Hn, if that is the case, measures will need to be taken.”

Kagome wasn’t sure she liked the sound of that. Nonetheless, she faithfully followed when he walked on, having little choice in the matter.

Warm, stuffy vapour began caressing her skin, rendering it slightly damp, her hair curling from the humidity. It began closing in around her like a shroud, the air thinning a little. Lapping water reached her keen hearing.

“Hot springs?”

“Indeed.”

Mild alarm raced through her bloodstream. Kagome squeaked- feeling herself being lifted up, a single hand grabbing her by the scruff and yanking so hard mokomoko was successfully pried from her grip, sending her flying through the air. Kagome cried out when water rushed up to meet her, warm and lulling, closing over her head. She quickly found her footing on the bottom of the pool and pushed up, sputtering as she broke the surface.

“You jerk! What the hell?!”

Sesshoumaru answered with a lofty chuckle. “You cannot expect to sleep near me while wearing such dirty clothes.”

“Throwing me into a hot spring isn’t the answer though!” she growled, splashing the water in his general direction, though she had no idea if it made contact or not.

“Hm? Would you have preferred being stripped bare to shudder against me all night long?” he suggested offhandedly.

“Of course not,” Kagome gritted out.

“Then I suggest you start bathing yourself, miko.”

Hesitating, Kagome wrestled with herself. The sound of his boots stepping over rocks and drawing further away loosened her tongue.

"J-just don't abandon me here, okay?"

He halted. "And what will you do if I decline to listen?"

"I'll haunt your ass once I'm dead."

"Hn."

He continued on, his answer not exactly assuaging Kagome's fears. With little else to do but tentatively trust him, she stripped out of her uniform and bathed as best she could. Without the use of soap or a sponge and being unable to see the dirt being washed away, it would likely be an unsuccessful bath. She tried her best to make herself 'clean', scrubbing at her uniform for good measure.

The silence was heavy, only broken by the sound of gently lapping water. She had no idea what time it was. How far away Inuyasha and her friends were. Kagome shivered, hugging her arms to her chest. She began to feel paranoid, suspecting the slightest sound. Dark youkai reached out, brushing her senses.

Kagome exhaled in relief, hanging onto Sesshoumaru’s aura.

“Step out of the water.”

She stiffened at the abrupt sound of his commanding voice. “And let you see me naked? No thank you.”

“There is no point in assuring you that I will not- since you cannot see if I am being truthful. I can merely promise that my curiosity about the human form will never be acted upon.”

Kagome flushed red. So he could look He just disliked humans too much to ever be ‘interested.’

She reluctantly supposed she had little choice in the matter. Standing, Kagome waded through the hot waters towards his voice, reaching out to feel for the side in order to climb out- only for her hand to be ensnared, captured by lithe fingers.

Kagome’s hazy eyes widened, climbing out with the aid of his grip, quickly covering herself with both arms as soon as she were able. “M-my clothes are wet…”

Something wrapped around her body, and she recognised the material to be a short towel. Quickly drying herself, Kagome paused when new, silky material nudged against her cheek. “Dress in this once you are done,” Sesshoumaru’s low voice rumbled.

Since she could sense his strong, dark presence linger close, she wondered if he were watching out for enemies or just plain watching her. Kagome fumbled with the silks, feeling around for the collar. Sesshoumaru’s rumbling chuckle made goosebumps race over her bare skin. She nearly bit out a comment- feeling hot breath fan over her forehead. His single arm nudged at hers, guiding her hand through a sleeve, before holding the parting open, allowing her to slip it on. Kagome blushed wildly, groping for the obi and hurriedly tying it at her waist.

A cool hand stilled hers once she was done, cutting into the rough rope still bound around her freed wrists. Kagome murmured her thanks.

“Where did you get the yukata?” she mumbled.

Mokomoko bumped her chest and Kagome held onto it reflexively as Sesshoumaru strolled away, the furs guiding her forwards. “I have many bases littered around the countryside, should I need to make use of them for trysts or shelter.”

“T-trysts?” she squeaked. “Is this clothing from...?”

“Do not worry, foolish one. That is an unused article of clothing. I keep them in case my lovers are in need of a spare change of clothes. I have been known to be...impatient.”

She arched a brow and used her free hand to measure the length of her sleeves, touching the seams. “This is a man’s yukata.”

“What of it?”

Kagome clicked. “Oh, nothing. I just didn’t know you were interested in guys.”

Sesshoumaru gave a tired, long-suffering sigh while wafting steam pulled away from their bodies, leaving them exposed to the cool air while they walked through what Kagome assumed to be a sparse forest. “Provided an individual captures my interest, gender has no bearing on who I share a bed with. It is inconsequential to me, unlike humans with your...limited choices.”

“Hey! Humans can swing both ways too. A-and look who’s talking! You’re getting all high and mighty about gender but species and blood purity matter a great deal to you. Sounds limiting to me.”

He became silent for a moment, which made Kagome feel slightly victorious. “Admittedly I have never lain with a human before,” he pretended to sound considering. “Are you volunteering yourself, miko?”

“As if,” she snorted, cheeks burning red. “You’ve tried to kill Inuyasha,” she quickly supplied as a valid excuse.

“Hn,” he gave an entertained noise, “so if we were not enemies, you would accept?”

Her mouth grew dry, feeling like she’d held her face over a flickering fire. “You’re way too arrogant to be my type.”

The sound of his quiet chuckle changed as they seemed to step into an enclosed space. Kagome reached out and touched a rocky surface, dragging her palm over it. The remnants of a demonic barrier littered the area. She suddenly stopped, yanking mokomoko and forcing Sesshoumaru to stop with her. “Have you just taken me into one of your trysting spots?"

“Where else are we to rest?”

“Not here!” she burst.

“You complain often, miko. I will leave you to the hungry animals outside if need be," he sneered. "Do not worry. This place has not seen use in a long time and is clean, I assure you,” his tone lulled into a patronising one.

Kagome held her tongue, uncomfortably settling down onto a silky bed of furs when he guided her over to it. She felt extremely weird. Staying in a place where Sesshoumaru had once had sex wasn’t exactly how she’d envisioned her Thursday going.

Something smooth and pronged was placed into her hand- and she gentled a little, quietly thanking him. Beginning to brush her wet hair, Kagome carded her fingers through the strands, making a soft noise of enjoyment.

All the while, she felt the keen sensation of being watched. Arranging herself into a more comfortable position on the bed, she sighed, gazing in his general direction. “I might be blind right now but I can feel your eyes on me. What’s up?”

“Up?”

“I mean- is something bothering you?”

“No,” he sounded briefly considering. “Rather...this one noticed your ears.”

“Hm? The fact that they’re round compared to yours?”

His thumb and forefinger closed around the sterling silver stud pierced through her earlobe. Kagome stiffened, soon relaxing. “Oh, my earrings? They’re not a big deal.”

“They are different from what I have seen before,” he stroked the shell of her ear consideringly, making her shiver. "I wish to test something.”

Since the demon lord had been magnanimous enough to offer shelter, provide new clothing and allow her to tag along with him, Kagome decided to indulge his curiosity. She sensed him move and root through something nearby, a box, she assumed.

I wish I could look around, her lips pursed, exceptionally interested in what one of his hideaways looked like.

“Remove the earrings.”

Nodding, Kagome fiddled with them, taking them out and rubbing her ears slightly. Removing them always felt weird. An inquisitive claw brushed her ear, and Kagome swallowed, holding still with mild confusion as Sesshoumaru donned her with new earrings. When he pulled away, Kagome brushed her fingers over them, finding some sort of stone dangling from her ears. They were cool to the touch and weren’t too heavy, a nice weight.

“What kind of stone are they?”

“Never you mind,” he rumbled, something tickling her brow. She wondered if it were his bangs sliding forward. Soft breath fanned over her nose before it pulled away. “Merely wear those for the duration of your stay. They suit you.”

Kagome tilted her head slightly, “well...okay? They’re not a keepsake from an old flame, are they?”

“No. Those are mine.”

She hummed, touching them again. “You can keep my earrings if you like. They can be my way of saying thanks. They kinda look like diamonds so maybe they’re to your expensive tastes.”

Even though they’re fakes.

Sesshoumaru made a rumbling noise that she assumed was positive, and wondered if they had been his true aim all along. She figured that would be all for the night- before feeling a touch against her hair. Kagome paused, fighting an exasperated smile. Who knew Sesshoumaru could be kind of… cute?

"Anything else?"

"Hn, your hair would suit this kanzashi. Hold still."

Kagome got the feeling their dress-up session was going to take a while.

---

When she awoke, the permanent darkness made it difficult to know exactly what time it was. Only the birds chirping in the trees outside let her know dawn had broken. The heat at her back that had warmed her throughout the night was gone. Kagome sat up, touching her bed hair and refusing to examine what the warmth had belonged to.

"Sesshoumaru?" she rasped.

She heard him shift and stand within the cave, "I sense something nearby. Wait for me here."

"It's not like I can go anywhere," she quipped, smiling slightly.

He made a noise of acknowledgement, walking away. His footsteps became softer until they disappeared completely. Kagome felt unnerved by it.

She reached out with her aura, but this time there was no assurance from his dark youki. Kagome steadied her breathing, trying not to freak out.

Strangely, the darkness was giving way to something. Murky shapes. Browns, whites and buttery yellows. Kagome’s heart burst with gladness.

“Holy shit,” she breathed. “It wasn’t permanent...thank God.”

She could see! Well, kind of. Colours were back though, and shapes were sure to follow.

A commotion was happening outside though. Distant cries could be heard, along with familiar shouting. Kagome stumbled to her feet, following the light source out into the open despite the lack of solid objects yet.

Inuyasha’s loud voice broadcasted his location, making him easy to find- a bold red blur to Kagome’s eyes. Other colours were nearby, purples, blacks, pinks, yellows, oranges and greens.

“Guys!” she breathed.

The murky shapes turned, sharpening slightly into hazy focus. She registered Inuyasha’s horrified features. “K-Kagome...what the hell?”

She blinked and frowned, wondering what his problem was. The Hanyou rounded on a white shape that had sprinkles of red mixed in. “Hey, bastard! Why the fuck is Kagome dressed up like that? W-why does she reek of you!”

Looking down towards a nearby puddle, Kagome crouched and squinted, curious about what Inuyasha was babbling about. Her face came into focus, and her lips parted in surprise.

It wasn’t just one kanzashi, a few were nestled into her fall of curling wild hair. They glittered in the morning light. Some made of ivory, the others were black and adorned with gems. The blue of her eyes linked beautifully with the sapphires hanging from her ears. Everything paired well with the yukata he’d given her, which was white with illustrated ocean waves and smoky clouds patterning its hem and sleeves.

After enduring kidnapping- stumbling about blind for many hours, falling into ditches and streams and not knowing if she would live or die- Kagome couldn’t help but appreciate being swathed in finery. It made it feel a bit...pampered. Happy.

“Kagome, are you alright?”

She raised her head to find Sango and the others drawing closer, Inuyasha was still engaged with a verbal sparring match with Sesshoumaru that would likely head south soon.

“I’m fine,” she murmured, Shippo’s cute face appeared near hers, clear as day.

“We were worried!” he exclaimed. “We couldn’t find you anywhere after Inuyasha caught up with that demon goat and killed him.”

Nice to know my kidnapper is dead, she thought dryly, murmuring an assurance to Shippo but soon standing. She hurried closer to Inuyasha just as he took out Tetsusaiga.

“Hey- stop,” she called firmly, grasping his trailing sleeve. “That’s enough. Sesshoumaru took care of me last night, that’s all.”

“Took care of you?” Inuyasha paled, ears pinning back.

Kagome turned red. “W-what? What’s weird about that? Nothing happened!”

“Then why are you dressed like- like...that!”

Sesshoumaru gave a velvety chuckle from where he stood further away, tilting his chin up and curling his lips with an air of disdain. “I amused myself with your miko, Inuyasha, that is all,” he sneered. “She struggled so sweetly beneath me when I forced the clothes on her.”

“Bastard!” Inuyasha snarled, confused when Kagome stepped in between them. She glared first at the Hanyou, “Quit it- both of you! You’re acting like children!”

Turning her dimmed sights on Sesshoumaru, she struggled to see him clearly since he stood further away. “I don’t know what you seek to gain from lying but...thank you for all that you’ve done up till now,” she murmured. “My offer still stands if you need a favour.”

Inuyasha blustered behind her, shouting up a storm. Kagome muttered a ‘Sit’ to get him to quiet, straining to hear Sesshoumaru’s reply.

To her surprise, with Inuyasha briefly incapacitated, Sesshoumaru drew closer. The sweep of his brows, regal nose and cupid’s bow of his lips caught her dazed attention- her breath halting. Familiar diamond style studded earrings adorned his ears.

“These will do nicely as payment, miko,” he rumbled.

Kagome blinked and slowly smiled, sharing a quiet moment with him. “I-I suppose you’ll want these back,” she murmured, closing her hands around the sapphires on her ears.

“I have plenty more.”

“Right, of course you do,” she giggled, hearing Inuyasha squeak out a ‘did you just giggle at Sesshoumaru?!’ from his crater.

“Hn, as I said, they suit you,” Sesshoumaru turned. “And miko?”

“Yes?”

He began walking away, but she could hear the smile in his voice without seeing his expression. “You have captured my interest.”

Kagome’s eyes widened, heart bursting into overdrive. Her stomach fluttered with butterflies, and she felt a mix of confusion and anticipation.

Ditto, she thought with a faint smile.

[talkingharrystyles]

https://talkingharrystyles.tumblr.com/post/682443199070994432/as-always-thats-it-some-are-allowing-their

🌌I forgot to add this yesterday. If “Covid restrictions before tour” was a legitimate reason as to why Harry was wearing a face covering yesterday… can someone logically explain why Olivia wasn’t? She’s vaccinated and boosted, as well. In fact, SHE’S the one who was visiting a different country and has to return to HER KIDS. Surely if “Covid” was such a concern for the both of them, and if Harry was truly stepdaddying, as shippers keep insisting based on zero evidence, why would he allow his “gf” to be in a vulnerable situation, where she could have contracted Covid, and unknowingly brought it back to and exposed both her children and the kids’ friends and classmates to?

Unless Harry’s has ulterior motives, and is embracing the lion’s mindset of eliminating cubs from a previous pride leader to make way for his own, he wouldn’t had allowed neither of them to be in the midst of a crowd since it was high risk environment.

It really is that simple. Harry conveniently wears the face coverings to cloak whatever expressions people can easily dissect the truth from, while Olivia goes bare to openly flaunt her smug smile that’s a personal 🖕🏼to critics and harries. The only times she’s worn her masks are to connect with Harry, disguise her visible disbelief that he refused to accompany her for the bday walk (in the salon pic, shipper or not, her eyes were red. She was pissed and had cried) and when the identities of them are questionable, as you all have now seen how others will dress like them, in the recognizable uniforms, and use the face mask to easily pass themselves off as Harry and Olivia.

If she was gnawing her lip that much, maybe she should look into staying properly hydrated, and acquiring a moisturizing lip balm? Maybe even a lip scrub? Who knows; Olivia probably was starving since her diet of air pie and wind pudding isn’t keeping her hunger at bay anymore. Everyone knows she’s skipping meals to stay slim after people critiqued her figure in the swimsuit and she’s threatened by the women Harry’s been linked to and seen with.

If Harry was such a “supportive boytoy” he would had given her one of his Keto power bars he stashes away in his hoodies/bags. But maybe he gets a secret kick, watching her make a fool out of of herself. Olivia’s not getting anything from anybody which is why she’s always starving for attention… and food.

Perhaps Holivians should start a Gofundme so that their queen can afford groceries and not get too hungry to where she’d accidentally go Pennywise and takes a chop out of Harry or the others during her usual fits of blinden rage.

I’ll be back on later to answer a question someone posted.

[seijorhi]

Outrunning Fate

As promised (though I am more than a little late for Shiratorizawa Week), the soulmate AU

Tendou x female reader x Ushijima

TW stalking, possessive behaviour, implied non-con

Soulmates were supposed to be a blessing.

It was a fairytale that you’d grown up hearing about. One person who was supposed to be wholly yours.

Your parents were soulmates, even if you hadn’t always understood the concept, the proof of that remarkable, unshakable bond was always right in front of you. It wasn’t in the big grand gestures, it was little things - the soft, adoring look in your father’s eye as your mother passed him his coffee every morning, the way she always sought out his touch when they were together, even if it was just to twine her fingers with his, or the way that they always seemed to be able to sense when the other was upset, and wordlessly found the perfect way to comfort them.

Your father never had to tell you that he loved your mother, but he did, every single day. He told her too, just to see her smile.

It seemed effortless, easy, as if their love for one another was as natural as breathing. How could you be blamed for looking at your bare wrist, waiting for the day that name would appear in scrawling black ink, feeling that excited fluttering in your chest because you knew one day you’d meet your soulmate and have that perfect, fairytale love all for yourself.

Except it wasn’t like that.

Something went wrong.

***

You’re fifteen and barely paying attention in class when your skin prickles uncomfortably. Your heart leaps into your chest as you tug up the sleeve off your blazer, watching wide eyed with bated breath as a name appears on your wrist.

Tendou Satori.

The beginnings of a smile start to curl at your lips, but it freezes in place as more inky black writing appears below the first.

Ushijima Wakatoshi.

A second name. 

And suddenly, it feels like your perfectly crafted world begins to fall apart. Two soulmates aren’t unheard of, but they’re incredibly rare and you can’t deny that there’s a certain… stigma attached to it. 

What kind of a person isn’t satisfied with just one? 

This is supposed to be some magical, thrilling moment for you, but instead all you can focus on is the pounding of your heart and the growing wave of nausea that rises in the back of your throat. Quickly you yank your sleeve back down and before you can even think to stutter an apology to your bewildered teacher, you’re out of your seat and sprinting down the hallway to the bathroom. You barely make it before hurling up your guts. 

After that, you start wearing long sleeves wherever you go.

It’s not that you’re ashamed, you tell yourself as you bite your lip and try your utmost to fade into the background whenever the topic comes up in conversation, it’s just that… other people aren’t always so accepting.

You’ve tried to get used to the disgusted looks, the invasive questions and the insults that follow you wherever you go, but it’s easier said than done. You hate that your cheeks still burn scarlet whenever you catch someone staring at your marks, almost as much as you hate the way you quickly duck your head in shame and race to fix your sleeve.

‘It’s okay, honey. I know it’s not what you expected but… it just means there’s one more person out there waiting to love you with everything they have. You’re twice as lucky as the rest of us,’ your father had told you on that horrible day. You just wished it hadn’t sounded like he was trying to convince himself at the same time.

***

You’re seventeen and the first boy who kisses you tries to shove your hand down his pants because he knows you’ve got two names on your wrist, and that means you’re up for anything, right?

You run home with tears streaming down your face and when you shower that night you scrub at the marks like you’re trying to erase them entirely.

What did having two names mean really? That one wasn’t enough? Would they be content sharing you? Would they even know of the other’s existence?

You could only imagine how horrifying it would be for them, spending months, years waiting for you only to realise that they didn’t really have all of you…

Would they hate you? Could you even blame them if they did?

Sometimes… sometimes you think it might be better if you didn’t have a soulmate at all, instead of this. It’s easier just to ignore it, pretend they don’t exist, pretend that you’re not gonna ruin their lives. Who knows, maybe you’ll be one of those few who never actually meet their soulmates. You can live with that, you think. You have a family who love you, a bunch of close friends who’d die for you - who needs stupid soulmates?

***

It’s the morning after your 18th birthday, your head is still pounding from the alcohol and bad decisions from the night before when your curiosity finally gets the better of you. It’s the modern age, most people live their lives online, you figure you’ll find a facebook page, a twitter account maybe.

Instead, the first item that comes up in your search is a video. It’s a news segment about a volleyball game - some high school team that you’ve never heard of, but you listen to the commentator talk and your heart leaps into your throat because they mention the Ace by name and suddenly there he is. Tall, dark haired and imposing - Ushijima Wakatoshi.

But you don’t even have a moment to breathe, to focus on the absolute beast that is your second soulmate and his terrifying spike because the camera shifts and suddenly there’s another player in focus. Tall, gangly with bright, spiky red hair and a too-wide grin, “-not the only player in the spotlight after today’s match; Shiratorizawa’s middle blocker, the so called ‘Guess Monster’ Tendou Satori-”

You close the browser window and slam your laptop shut.

They’re… friends, or teammates at the very least.

It feels like a bad dream you can’t wake up from. This whole thing is already messy enough, but you can’t get in the middle of that, you refuse to make everything worse for them just because the fates have decided to play a cruel joke on you.

If there were any lingering doubt left in your mind that you’re better off burying your soulmates, they’re well and truly put to bed.

That night, you dream of a cheering crowd, the thwack of a volleyball ricocheting off a vinyl floor and two menacing figures looming over you.

With your final exams around the corner, it’s almost too easy to put the video and your soulmates out of your mind as you throw yourself into studying. Months pass in the blink of an eye and suddenly you’re dressed in black robes and holding your high school diploma. You celebrate with your friends, dancing wildly with a care-free grin long into the night because you know you’re finally getting out of there for good. Tokyo’s a big city, you’ll lose yourself there and nobody, not a single damned soul, will know about the two names that grace your wrist. It’s as close to freedom as you’re ever gonna get - and god that makes you so fucking happy.

Your bags are packed and you’re holding your parents as they sob and then, like that, you’re gone. 

Tokyo awaits.

***

It’s not that easy to outrun fate.

Living in Tokyo ain’t cheap, even for the shitty little shoebox apartment you rent while you’re studying. You manage to find a job at one of the Americanised diner style cafes just down the road from where you live two weeks after moving in. It’s popular with students because it’s open till late, the coffee’s good and the waffles are exactly what the doctor ordered after a long night of drinking with your friends. You’re just happy because the pay’s pretty decent and your boss lets you bring in your laptop and textbooks so you can study when it’s not too busy. You’re not nearly as thrilled about the short, revealing blue dress that serves as your uniform, but you know when to pick your battles.

It’s a little after one o’clock on a slow Tuesday night, the cafe’s almost empty and you’re propped up on your elbows along the countertop, absentmindedly thumbing through one of your assigned readings for class tomorrow when you hear the tell-tale chime of the door opening.

You hastily shove your books aside, plastering a wide if not a little artificial smile across your face, you glance up to greet the customers, only to freeze in place.

Your heart skips a beat.

Of all the cafes in the sprawling city, of course your soulmate has to walk into this one.

With his wild, spiked red hair and easy, sloping grin, Tendou’s unmistakable as he strides through the cafe with two other guys you can only assume are his friends. You suppose you should be a little relieved that he barely spares you a glance as the threesome make a beeline for one of the corner booths, but it’s hard to feel anything other than blind panic at the sight of your soulmate only a few feet away. It’s purely out of habit that you reach for your wrist and the skin coloured bandage hiding your traitorous marks, and you allow yourself to breathe the tiniest sigh of relief when you feel it still in place.

A loud cackle bursts through the quiet atmosphere of the cafe and you dart a glance over to see Tendou with his head thrown back laughing at something one of the others has said. There’s an uncomfortable fluttering in your stomach and your cheeks redden just a touch. It’s not an awful sound (not at all), but your pulse is racing and you think you just might be sick because this is all… too much.

You’d left them in the past along with whatever fairytale fantasies you thought having a soulmate would bring. You… you’re happy being alone and coping just fine without either one of them! They were a dream - a distant possibility you’d long since locked away, you weren’t supposed to ever actually see them!

At least it’s only Tendou, you think you might actually combust if they were both here. Still, there’s a faint tremor in your hand as you brush a lock of hair out of your face and try to regain control of your breathing.

As much as you’d like to run, or preferably, have the earth suddenly open up and swallow you whole, you know you can’t. For one, you’re the only server left until close and your boss might be easy going but somehow you doubt he’d let you keep your job after a stunt like that. More importantly, you have a sinking suspicion that causing a fuss will only draw his attention and that’s the last thing you want. He doesn’t know who you are, your mark is safely tucked away under your bandages, this will be fine.

It’s an hour and a half until close, he and his friends will get some food, eat, drink and chat amongst themselves and then you can kick them out and it’ll all be over. You barely have to interact with him. For all he knows you’re just a server in a random cafe - this will be fine.

Robotically you force your legs to move, carrying you towards your oblivious soulmate. You’re pretty sure that your smile’s a little off and you haven’t quite managed to quell the shaking in your hands as you reach for your notepad, flipping it open.

It’s the best you can do, especially when there’s a voice inside your head that’s all but begging for you to turn around and pretend this whole thing never happened. 

Tendou appears to be thoroughly engrossed in whatever story he’s telling his friends, waving his arms around wildly when you reach their table. Normally you’d clear your throat politely and wait for them to settle down before introducing yourself and asking for their order, but when you open your mouth - nothing comes out. It’s like your whole throat has suddenly dried up and you’re just standing there gaping like an idiot, but Tendou hasn’t even noticed.

The ashy blonde to his left, however, does. His eyes flicker to you and you swear that you can see the faintest trace of amusement as he takes you in. He smirks, quickly shoving an elbow into the redhead’s side and jerking his chin in your direction. 

“Hey loudmouth, pipe down would you?”

Your breath catches as he turns around to look up at you and grins, “Ah, sorry. Didn’t see ya there!” 

The other two have picked up their menus again, but for whatever reason just as Tendou’s gaze starts to slide off of you, something catches his attention and stops him in his tracks. Like a magpie spotting something shiny in the distance, those big, droopy red eyes suddenly widen and zero back in with unnerving interest. Frozen with that fake, half hearted smile painted across your lips you feel strangely like a bug caught under a microscope as Tendou studies you - there’s really no other way to describe it. His head tilts to the side and he makes a low noise from the back of his throat that almost sounds pleased.

He can’t know, there’s no possible way, but if he doesn’t then why the hell is he staring at you like that?

It’s all you can do to remain rooted in place, your heart hammering so loudly against your ribs that you’re sure they have to be able to hear it too. Whatever he’s searching for he apparently finds because his grin widens and he leans back in his seat and chuckles. “Why’d you look so nervous, we’re not gonna bite - promise!” 

The other guy at the table rolls his eyes, “Tendou, don’t scare the pretty waitress, she’s just trying to do her job,” he chastises, offering you an apologetic smile that does little to ease your nerves. “Don’t mind him, he’s an idiot, but he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

You swallow and hum in faint acknowledgment, and he takes that as a sign to begin his order. 

You were hoping that they were just going to get some drinks and be out of your hair, but as he starts listing off various snacks and appetizers to share and the ashy blonde throws out a few more, it looks like your nightmare is only just beginning.

You nod dutifully, writing it all down. The cook is just going to love you for this, but there’s not a whole lot you can do about it. “Anything else?” you ask in a voice that just barely passes for what your boss deems ‘customer service appropriate’, decidedly not looking towards the redhead who is still staring at you.

He hasn’t looked at the menu once since you walked over, actually you doubt he’s looked at the menu at all, but it doesn’t seem to matter because he pipes up regardless, “Yep, one of those thickshakes, you know - the really good strawberry one, annnd-”

“Y/N, order up!!”

Your soul leaves your body at the exact same moment that Tendou’s pupils dilate and snap to your wrist.

The pen in your hand is shaking, your grip so tight that it’s a wonder the flimsy plastic doesn’t shatter as you turn to glance over your shoulder. The cook is leaning out across the overpass, staring at you with a scowl and vaguely you register the hot plate of food in front of him which can’t have been sitting there for more than a minute at the most. You give a weak nod, earning you a dismissive grunt in response, before turning back to the table.

All three of them are staring wide eyed and open mouthed at you. 

Fuck. 

They know. They have to know.

You should have legged it when you had the chance.

Breathe. Smile. Play dumb. This is fine.

“A-anything el-”

“Somethin’ wrong with your wrist?” Tendou asks slowly, eyeing the bandage like he wants nothing more than to snatch it up and rip it away from you. His fingers flex and you don’t even have time to brace before they’re shooting out towards you-

A hand catches his forearm before he can touch you - it’s his friend, the dark haired one with the crew cut, who’s currently staring down the erratic redhead with a distinct frown. 

It’s the blonde who speaks up, “Sorry, he’s had a few drinks tonight. The idiot sometimes forgets his manners in public.”

The music is still playing in the background, somebody laughs at the table a few down from theirs, but in this little pocket, trapped between the three of them with the tension thick enough to slice with a knife, the silence is oppressive.

And then Tendou’s attention shifts back to you and your stomach flips - it’s like the floor has disappeared beneath your feet and you’re suddenly careening through the empty air with no hope in hell of slowing down.

He looks… well, mad is the wrong word. Tendou is technically smiling, but his grin stretched slightly too wide, his eyes a little too intense. There’s an emotion you can’t name etched across his pale features, and it’s unsettling… it scares you a little, if you’re being honest.

You swallow and take a tiny, shaking breath. “I-it’s fine. I tripped last week and sprained it.”

“Clumsy, are you?” he asks, prying himself free of his friend’s grip.

A laugh forces its way out, grating and too sharp to be believable. “Yeah, I guess. Your food won’t be too long, if you need anything else, just- just let me know.”

You don’t give them a chance to respond as you all but flee the table. You’re shaking and almost in tears by the time you reach the kitchen, the cook takes one look at you, a grumpy admonishment on the tip of his tongue, and falters.

They stay until close, and you avoid them like the plague.

Hours later, lying tucked up in your bed your skin still prickles from the thought of Tendou’s piercing stare. Maybe if you’d kept some kind of a level head through it all instead of acting like a flustered school girl, he might have just passed it all off as a coincidence. 

But you hadn’t, had you?

It wasn’t just that he knew who you were to him (and to Ushijima) but that after all your blushing and stammering, the pitiful attempts at hiding your soulmate marks and the way you all but ran from him the very first moment you could, he had to know that you knew as well. That despite coming face to face with your soulmate, you lied - you rejected him.

You mom once told you that the first time she laid eyes on her soulmate the world stopped spinning and all she felt was joy. Maybe there’s something wrong with you after all, because despite the insistent tug in your heart, you just feel sick. Despite being exhausted after your long shift, sleep that night doesn’t come easy.

It’s two days later that you find yourself back in the cafe, working a rare day shift on your only week-days off from classes. You keep glancing up at the door every few minutes, half dreading the possibility that any moment, Tendou and his friends are going to walk in, but they don’t. 

Ushijima does, a little after the lunch rush dies down.

He looks so out of place against the vibrant backdrop of the 50’s style diner, all serious and stoic, that if he were anybody else you might think he was lost. 

But he isn’t lost, because he’s staring right at you.

You don’t notice one of your co-workers sliding up to you until they laugh and playfully nudge your side. “Ah, I see the eye candy is back. Try and pick up your jaw, Y/N,” they tease.

Back?

Instead of finding an empty table to sit himself down at (and give you a minute to mentally prepare) Ushijima is making his way straight over to the counter, unsmiling and huge. How was he even bigger in person?! He could crush you with his thighs alone!

“He’s been here before?” you ask quietly, unable to draw your gaze away from him. 

Your co-worker snorts. “Yeah, he came in last night, he even asked for you by name. Seemed kinda disappointed when I told him you weren’t on until today. You holding out on me, Y/N? I thought we were closer than that. You know you’re supposed to tell me when you start dating a hot ass dude!”

They slip away with a wink before you even have a chance to respond and you’re left floundering as Ushijima approaches. Your mouth is dry, your pulse racing. Just like with Tendou, you have no escape, nowhere you can run or hide.

He asked for you by name.

Fuck. You should have quit when you had the chance.

Ushijima isn’t smiling. Where Tendou had been beaming with chaotic energy from the moment he walked in, your second soulmate seems almost stony as he stares at you with serious olive eyes. You honestly can’t tell if he’s frowning or if that’s just the way his face is, but it makes your gut twist regardless. 

It might also be the fact that he’s towering over you without even trying to. He has to be at least 6’3” but it’s not just his height that’s imposing - he’s brawny and muscular and, yeah, huge. Briefly you remember the news clip you’d seen of him, the terrifying brute force behind his spike. 

He seems to be waiting for you to speak, so you swallow down the lump in your throat and try to remember how to breathe like a normal person. “Hi, can I get you anything?”

Something briefly flickers across his face, but otherwise his expression remains distressingly neutral. “… I would like some tea.”

You nod - it’s like pulling teeth. “Yeah, sure. We uh, we actually have a few different kinds…”

He makes a rough noise of acknowledgement and then… pauses. Instead of the menu, Ushijima studies you. His lips twitch into the faintest hint of a… smile? You can’t quite tell, but it looks out of place regardless. “I will have whichever you recommend.”

You can’t seem to be able to form words, so you settle with nodding, gesturing for him to take a seat while he waits. 

His eyes don’t shift from you, nor does he make any attempt to mask the fact that he’s staring right at you. When his tea is ready, you all but beg your co-worker to take it to him. 

“Trouble in paradise?” they ask, waggling their eyebrows.

“It’s not like that,” you mutter, but they take the tea regardless, and you busy yourself in wiping down tables and pretending that you can’t see the scowl from the volleyball player burning across the diner. 

It really isn’t. 

Even after tucking any thought of meeting your soulmates away there was always some tiny part of you - a part you were always so desperate to ignore - that wondered how it would feel to meet them, to be loved by them…

But while your heart squeezes with every glance, it’s not warm, dizzying bliss that floods your system and sends blood rushing to your cheeks. You don’t know what the feeling is that curls in your stomach and claws its way up your spine, but it’s nothing good. 

Something went wrong with you, this isn’t how it’s supposed to be.

Ushijima stays for an hour, finishes his tea and makes his way back to the counter to pay. 

He's wearing a grey hoodie, running gear underneath, and when he hands you the money, passing it directly into hands, his sleeve rides up. There, plain as day, is his soulmate mark.

Your name, written in black ink on Ushijima's wrist, forever marking you as his.

You jerk, flinching away from him, but he doesn’t make a move to cover it. 

“You cannot run from us, Y/N. We are your soulmates, we’re bound together.” His voice is little more than a murmur, but there’s an edge to it, sharp and pointed. Not so much a statement as a fact, as undeniable as your name on his skin, on Tendou’s.

He says it like it’s a promise, staring into your eyes with that impenetrable gaze and for a moment you forget how to breathe.

“Why are you so determined to fight it?”

You swallow, taking the cash from his hand and punching it into the till. “I’m sorry, whoever you think I am…” you trail off, finally raising your eyes to meet his penetrating stare. You’re quietly proud of the way your voice doesn’t shake, even as your heart races like a hummingbird in your chest and your palms sweat. “I’m not.”

The only sign that Ushijima hears you at all is the subtle furrowing of his brow and a distinctly displeased hum from the back of his throat. 

“I hope you enjoyed your tea.” The cutting barb slips from your lips before you can stop them, but there’s a certain vindictive satisfaction you get in watching his eyes widen, the brief hurt that flickers across his face. 

Of course, it only lasts a fraction of a second before his features school into a blank mask and he nods.

“Perhaps I will try another the next time I see you.”

And with a short bow, he walks away.

You leave your apron behind when you finish your shift at the diner, and you don’t come back.

There will be other jobs.

***

It’s not enough. 

They start showing around campus. 

The first time you catch sight of Tendou, you’re running between classing, cursing the ridiculous schedule that has you attending two back to back lectures on opposite sides of the campus. It’s just a glance - a flicker of red in the corner of your eye. The only reason you stop at all is because you're so focused on not being late that you fail to see the crack in the path until you’re tripping over it. The books in your hand go flying as you sprawl across the pavement.

“Huh, you really weren’t kidding about being clumsy, were ya?”

A pale hand stretches out before you, and just like with Ushijima, Tendou doesn’t bother hiding the soulmate mark as he grins down at you with those wide, creepy eyes. 

You ignore it entirely, waving it away as you pick yourself up with a grunt. The skin on one of your palms is grazed, and you’re pretty sure that your knees are too, but all in all it could be worse. It’s more your pride that smarts, that and the fact that of all people to see you trip, it has to be him.

“Aw, don’t be like that, baby. I’m only try’na help you!”

You scowl, snatching your textbooks out of his offered hands. “I’m not your baby, Tendou,” you mutter.

You regret the words immediately. His grin slowly widens and he makes a sound, somewhere between a shudder and a moan - it’s almost pornogaphic and wholly inappropriate and it sends blood rushing to your cheeks, but you don’t have time to think about it. 

“I’m already late, just-” you break off with a sigh, readjusting the strap of your backpack, staring resolutely at the ground. “I’m not what you want, what… what either of you want. Just leave me alone, okay?!”

Tendou doesn’t say a word as you walk away, but just like always you feel the burning stare following you until you’re out of sight. 

Somewhat stupidly, you think that’ll be the end of it. The gloves are off - you might not have said it in as many words, but there’s no point denying it any longer. They are your soulmates and it doesn’t change a thing.

There is something wrong with your bond.

But they don’t see it like that. 

They figure out your schedule, take it in turns to wait outside your classes, ambushing you whenever you’re alone. 

“I have a game tomorrow,” Ushijima tells you on a rainy Thursday afternoon as he follows you home. “I would like for you to come.”

It doesn’t seem to bother him that you walk a few steps ahead (or try to at least - his legs are ridiculously long) with your head bent down, ignoring the steady rainfall that threatens to saturate you. Tendou usually fights for your attention, grabs at your hands, your waist, any part he can reach just to touch you, but Ushiwaka seems content to merely be near - so long as you stray too far.

“I have exams to study for.”

He hums noncommittally, “Tendou will be there.”

All the more reason not to go. 

The silence between you two is heavy.

“It would make me… happy, if you came,” he tries again.

Your eyes squeeze shut for just a moment. You hate it when he does this, when he acts like you’re the one being stubborn. Like you haven’t told him, told them both to stop a thousand times before. Like they haven’t ignored it at every turn, blatantly refused to acknowledge that you don’t want them like they want you.

Shouldn’t ‘no’ have been enough?

You’ve considered reporting it to campus security, or even the police, maybe trying to get a restraining order or something like that, but what would you even say - ‘Please Officer, sir, my soulmates are stalking me’? Yeah, that’ll go down a real fucking treat. 

“Why…” you trail off with a sigh, forcing yourself to stop walking.

This time he does reach for you, taking your hand in his. It’s warm and rough from years of volleyball and hard work, and you hate that it’s already so familiar. His expression is as stoic as ever, but there’s a quiet reverence in his eyes as he looks at you, as if he can’t quite believe you’re really there with him. You suppose in another light, it might almost look romantic, the two of you holding hands under his umbrella, lost in your own little world as the rain pours down around you.

He seems to be waiting for you to finish your thought, so you buck up whatever dregs of courage you still have and try again, “Why can’t you just… move on? I don’t want this- this thing, whatever it is between us.” You sigh, tugging your hand back, “I just want to be alone, why can’t you respect that?!”

He doesn’t answer for a long moment, staring at you, his thumb rubbing back and forth along the back of your palm.

But then he shrugs, easily, as if you’re merely discussing the weather and not their continued overbearing and unwanted presence in your life. “We love you. More than anything, and despite your… reservations, we belong together, what other reason does there need to be?” He pauses, his gaze softening just a fraction, “You’ll come around eventually,” he adds.

A tiny part of you crumples at that. What’s the use in arguing with a brick wall?

***

It’s a minor relief when you walk out of your last lecture for the day the following afternoon. It might be because it’s a Friday and you, for once, have absolutely no plans for the weekend, but realistically it’s more to do with the fact that you know no one is waiting for you outside. Ushijima has his volleyball game, and Tendou will be there with him, cheering from the sidelines. 

You should be happier, really, but there’s a pit in your stomach that’s been there since Ushijima left you at your door last night. 

They’re not going to stop. 

Instead of listening to the professor talk, you’ve spent the last three hours searching university transfers. You love Tokyo University, you love Tokyo - the big, bustling city you’d gladly lose yourself in again and again, but it can’t be your home, not when they’re here too.

There’s a University in Kyoto, it has a similar program to the one you’re already in. It’s a surprisingly easy process to change - your grades are decent enough, all you have to is apply. One simple click of a button. It’ll take a few weeks for it all to go through, which’ll give you enough time to figure out how you’re gonna upend your entire life without them realising - assuming of course that Kyoto university accepts the request.

If you soulmates won’t let you go, you’ll run, and you’ll keep running. Maybe you’re wrong, maybe one day you’ll look back at them and feel that same love for them that you’d seen in your parents instead of that black, cloying unease that twists at your guts, but so long as they don’t give the choice, what options do you have?

You’re not stupid, this… thing that they’re doing, the stalking, monopolising your time, trying to drive your friends away, it’s not the end game. What happens when they get tired of you ignoring them?

“Hey, Y/N wait up!”

For a moment your heart seizes, but it calms almost immediately when you realise the voice isn’t the one you’re afraid of. 

You turn to find one of the guys from your last lecture walking over. He’s kinda cute, in a lost puppy kind of way, and he’s nice, for the three conversations you’ve actually had with him. Honestly you’re a little surprised he actually knows your name (considering you’ve definitely forgotten his) but you smile back regardless. “Hey, what’s up?”

“You doing anything tonight?”

Netflix and crashing early, but you’re hardly about to tell him that, “Not much, why?”

He smiles, and for a moment you’re taken aback by just how utterly endearing it is. He really is cute. “Me and a few friends are having a party tonight, you’re uh, you’re welcome to come. Y’know, if you’re not doing anything,” he says with a laugh, throwing in a wink for good measure.

But his smile fades a little as he catches a glimpse of something behind you. You frown at the odd reaction, turning instinctively to see what drew his attention when a weight drapes across your shoulders and you find yourself being pulled into a sideways embrace.

“There you are, baby! I was starting to think you’d gotten lost,” a familiar voice drawls. “Who’s your friend?”

You can’t see Tendou’s expression as he rests his chin on your shoulder, but from the way your classmate blanches you can imagine that it’s not pleasant. Still you have to give him credit, he only falters for a second before he’s rubbing the back of his neck and offering a sheepish smile, “Oh, hey, uh… yeah, I’m-”

“Punching a little above your weight, dont’cha think?” Tendou cuts him off with a snort, nuzzling in just a little closer. You can feel the warmth of his breath against your neck as he tilts his head to whisper in your ear, “I thought Ushiwaka told you about the game tonight.”

You shiver, although whether it’s from his softly edged words or the kiss he presses against your cheek, you’re not entirely sure. “He did, I-I told him that I had to study…”

Tendou laughs, squeezing you tighter, “Psh, is that all? Baby, we can help you study later. C’mon, or we’re gonna miss the start of the game.”

And like that he’s tugging you away. With Tendou’s arm wrapped snugly around you, you don’t even have a chance to turn around and apologise to the guy. He’s done it purposefully, a reminder you suppose of who you belong to - though for your classmate’s benefit or yours you honestly don’t know. 

Ushijima’s already on the court by the time Tendou and you arrive at your seats (front row of course) but he glances over as you both settle down and his lips quirk into the faintest hint of a smile.

It would make me… happy, if you came, he’d said.

You don’t miss the razor sharp, anticipatory gleam in his eyes, though. 

He destroys the competition. You still remember that brief clip you’d seen years ago of his brutal spike - it seems like time has only served to make it more lethal. The rest of his team is undeniably good, you doubt Ushijima would join a club made up of anything less than the best, but still, he’s in his element and without a single doubt the strongest on the court. 

For every point he scores, Tendou cheers wildly. Halfway through the second set you can see that every player on the other side hates Ushijima - if the scowls and muttered snarls they’re shooting his way are anything to go by. You can’t exactly say you blame them for it either. They’re demoralised and angry, frustrated by the huge Ace and his indomitable force and even though he’s not a part of the team, Tendou revels in it. There’s a song he starts to sing, some inane jig that flows too naturally to have been made up on the spot. You can almost imagine him on the court beside Ushiwaka, singing it after stealing point after point from the other team. The two of them must have made a formidable team on the court.

They still do, you suppose.

You’ve never been one for volleyball, or sports in general, but even you can’t deny the sense of feral anticipation in the air as Ushijima steps up to serve on match point. Tendou has his hand wrapped tightly around yours, leaning forward in his seat to watch the spectacle. You can’t say you blame him.

You might hate him, but you can’t deny that his serves are a sight to behold. Your heart thumps as he throws the balls up, runs and launches himself into the air. His legs are arched, his form perfect and you still can’t quite believe how high he manages to get considering his size -

And then he hits the ball, palm slamming into the leather with a resounding smack - it flies over the net, damn near knocks the poor Libero off his feet as he tries to save it, but even that isn’t enough to stop it. The ball ricochets off his receive, spinning into the crowd and just like that - it’s all over. 

Ushijima roars in victory, and Tendou turns to you, red eyes wild and delighted. You don’t have a moment to breathe, much less prepare yourself before his lips are crashing against your own. 

The deafening cheers of the stadium fade out. 

You can feel his racing pulse as he clutches you close, the unrepentant enthusiasm that pours through him as his tongue dances across your bottom lip, begging for entry. You’re stuck still, frozen in place as your soulmate steals his first kiss.

Somehow when you pictured this moment as a little girl, you didn’t imagine that it would be fear that floods your veins, that the soft, breathless laugh that Tendou gives as he pulls away and rests his forehead against yours would scare you instead of making you feel safe and loved.

They walk you home together. It’s unnerving enough with just one of them, but with both your soulmates flanking you you’re more on edge than usual. 

Or maybe it’s the slightly weird energy you can sense between the two of them. Tendou hasn’t stopped grinning since he kissed you and Ushijima still seems a little wired from his win. He hasn’t said much since the three of you left the stadium, but he’s holding you closer than normal, an arm slung low across your back, his fingers brushing possessively along your hip. 

God, Kyoto can’t happen fast enough. 

There’s a lump in your throat as you reach your apartment. They’d offered to take you out for dinner after the game finished - to celebrate Ushiwaka’s crushing victory over ‘those poor assholes’ as Tendou had put it - but despite the pit of hunger in your stomach, you’d politely refused. The less time spent with them the better.

Surprisingly, both Tendou and Ushijima had taken it in stride without so much as a peep.

But now you’re at the front door, keys in hand and Ushijima still has his arm draped around you. It’s not like they haven’t been in this position before, but despite all their gentle cajoling (well, gentle is relative - Tendou whines petulantly and Ushijhima just seems to hover silently like an overgrown bat) they’ve never actually been inside your apartment. 

It’s your one sanctuary, and you very much want to keep it that way.

“Y’know, ‘Toshi and I’ve been thinking,” Tendou begins, snatching the keys out of your hand before you can stop him, chuckling and swatting at you when you try and grab them back. “Me ‘n the big guy, we really do love you, baby - head over heels, heart racing, butterflies in your stomach kinda love. It’s kinda sappy, actually. You have no idea how happy you’ve made us.”

The key slides into the lock and he twists it, pushing your door wide open. His eyes flash to yours and he grins, bowing as he gestures towards the open apartment. Your open apartment.

An invitation.

You blanch. “Um, I-I don’t think-”

Stupid of you to think you ever had a choice in the matter - Ushijima’s arm is an iron wall against your back, pushing you forward as he crosses the threshold. 

Tendou follows behind the two of you, and the click of the door shutting behind you echoes far too loudly in your small apartment. He tosses the keys into the little dish on the kitchen counter - where they always go when you’re at home - and winks at you.

“I mean we are your soulmates so I ‘spose it’s kind of a given.” He shrugs, leaning back against the countertop, folding his arms over his chest. “But we can’t help but notice that you seem a little… uneasy around us. And I get it, baby, really I do. You’re just a little shy - it’s cool.”

Your heart leaps into your throat as Ushijima’s fingers curl around your jaw and he tilts your face to the side to meet his intense stare, “You’re being unnecessarily stubborn,” he elaborates.

A flicker of amusement dances in Tendou’s eyes at his bluntness. “We tried it your way - taking it slow and steady, trying to ease you in but, well… I think we can all agree your way isn’t working all that great.”

Your eyes snap back to him, “What?”

His grin widens, “So we figured it’s time we try it our way. We’ve been so good, baby! D’ya have any idea how hard it’s been to hold ourselves back?”

Ushijima’s grip is unrelenting, but that doesn’t stop you from frantically trying to fight your way out of it as Tendou pushes off the counter and stalks over to the two of you.

“You’re so fucking pretty,” he murmurs, “Been waiting so long for this. Wanted to fuck you on the tables back in the diner in that cute lil’ uniform of yours.” He smirks down at you, his pupils blown wide and dripping with lust. 

No. No, no, no! You shake your head frantically as he closes in, “Stop, wait! Let me go, LET ME GO! I-I don’t want-”

Your panicked words are cut off as Ushijima suddenly spins you around to face him. His hand cups your cheek, enveloping it entirely, and his broad thumb strokes the soft skin gently. “We’re not going to hurt you, little one. You just need to see - to feel what we feel for you.”

Whatever retort you have is swallowed up as he closes the gap between you and kisses you. He’s demanding - unrelenting - forcing your mouth open so that his tongue can taste yours. Distantly you register Tendou slotting in behind you, the unmistakable bulge that presses against your ass as he attaches himself to your neck. “Shh, baby,” he murmurs between kisses, fingers sliding to the hem of your top. “Let your soulmates take care of you, hm?”

It’s not like you’ve ever had a choice in the matter.

[frankiekatt]

Could you do a Thomas Hewitt with a insecure female reader who always wears clothes (hoodies, sweaters, etc) that cover her whole body 24/7, even on the most hottest days. And refuses to remove anything even if NSFW events occur. Would Thomas be annoyed by it and how can he convince her to change. (Sorry if this sounds like a weird request, I totally understand if you don't want to do it :)

You got it! I actually used to be like this and still am sometimes, so this was really nice to write. I hope you enjoy it!

TW: Implied murder, slight NSFW

Thomas Hewitt With An S/O Who Wears Long Sleeves 24/7

He feels you.

Thomas knows what it's like to not feel comfortable in his own skin, so there is absolutely no judgement coming from him.

He does, however, think you have nothing to be ashamed of.

You’re the most beautiful thing Thomas has ever seen and he wishes you knew that!!

Working around the Hewitt household in long sleeves can become very uncomfortable very fast – everyone in the house is expected to pull their weight, which means you have a variety of tasks to complete each day. Whether it's cooking, cleaning, gardening, luring victims to the house, fixing up the house, it all makes your body temperature rise rapidly.

Thomas is usually down in the basement during the day, so he doesn’t get to see the way you stumble around the house, trying your best to do your chores despite suffering a semi-heatstroke.

Luda Mae is the one who spots you sweating and panting while pulling weeds from the garden. It's no shock to her. You are wearing an oversized sweater while working under the Texas sun, but it does confuse her why you aren’t changing into something breezier. She doesn’t ask you why you wear what you wear, not wanting to pry, but she does worry about you, so she makes it a point to frequently bring you glasses of ice water to try and cool you down.

It gets to a point where Luda Mae cannot stand seeing you almost pass out each day with sweat dripping down your forehead, so she tells Thomas.

Once Thomas hears this, he becomes extremely worried about you. You were suffering each day and he never knew.

He goes upstairs after hearing this from Luda Mae and finds you in the kitchen scrubbing the counters. You were wearing a large hoodie, just like always, but now that Thomas knows your usual attire has been causing you discomfort, he decides to confront you about it.

You try to tell him that you just like to dress this way, that this is just your style, but he’s not buying it. He can tell you’re miserable in these clothes, that you’re hiding something from him.

He let’s it go for the time being since you both have to get back to your chores, but he plans on revisiting the matter later that evening.

When that evening does come around, Thomas finds you in the living room sitting on the couch, sipping ice water from a tall glass. He’s a bit hesitant to ask you about your clothes again, not wanting to upset you or make you feel uneasy, but he knows this is an important matter and he feels it’s his duty to help you.

So, he timidly approaches you, his nervous expression hidden behind his leather mask. You beam up at him once he’s standing in front of you. “Hey, Tommy! I missed you today!” you reach up to him, wanting to hug him close to you, which he accepts eagerly, wrapping his arms around you gently. You can tell something is off with how stiff he is; he’s usually so relaxed when around you, but now he seems to not want to be in your presence.

“Is something wrong, Tommy?” He lets out a quiet sigh before letting you go.

‘Why are you wearing that,’ he signs.

His questioning makes you look down at your feet. “I already told you, this is just how I like to dress.”

‘That’s not true. It’s too hot to be wearing that, I know it makes you feel sick to work in those clothes. I want to help you.”

You wished he would just drop the subject. Yes, he was right. Working around and outside the house in these warm clothes during the Summer season in Texas does take a huge toll on you. You’re constantly burning up, sweating, feeling fatigued and like you could hit the floor at any moment. But you prefer to endure all of this instead of bearing any part of your body besides your face.

“I just...I feel more comfortable with myself wearing this. That’s all.”

“Why?”

Your face burns at a million degrees from embarrassment. “Because I’m ugly, Thomas! I hate the way my body looks, okay? I don't want anyone to see my body, especially you.”

With that said, you got up from the couch and retreated to your room that you shared with Thomas.

Thomas could feel his heart breaking apart as those words left your mouth, as you walked away from him in shame. You thought of yourself as ugly? You? How could anyone possibly see you as anything less than stunning?

Thomas followed you to the room the two of you shared and found you laying on your side on the rickety bed in the middle of the room. He could see your shoulders shaking as you cried silently. Now it felt like someone had ripped his broken heart out of his chest and devoured it right in front of him. He hated to see you cry.

He ran over to your side of the bed and bent down on the floor in front of you. “Sweetie, please don’t cry! Please don’t be sad! You’re so beautiful and I love you so much,” he signed frantically.

“No I’m not,” you argued. “I’m so ugly and if you see my whole body you won’t want to be with me!”

There had never been a time where Thomas thought of you as any less than perfect, but right now he thought you were insanely absurd. He was the ugly one, he thought. He was the one who was afraid you would leave him if you saw him without his mask. He could never leave you - you were the best thing that ever happened to him. And that’s exactly what he told you.

You felt hurt that your boyfriend thought of himself that way. You knew he was beautiful underneath his mask, no matter what. It dawned on you that Thomas probably felt the same way knowing you thought of yourself as ugly too.

“Thomas, no. I know I haven’t seen you without your mask yet, but I just know that you’re so, so handsome. Please don’t think of yourself that way. I...I know that that’s what you want to say to me too.”

Thomas nodded, eyes filled with sadness. “Why won’t you believe me?”

It was hard to talk about. It made you feel embarrassed and small and ridiculous. “Tommy, when I was younger, just starting high school, I had my first boyfriend.”

Thomas was already shifting uncomfortably. He didn’t like hearing about another man getting to love you the way he does.

“There was this one night, my boyfriend and I decided to be more intimate, and…” your cheeks were on fire at this point, “And he didn’t like what he saw. The next day at school, he avoided me. A week after that, he was dating one of the school’s cheerleaders. And not long after that, they started spreading rumors about me. Mean, nasty rumors that got around pretty fast.”

Thomas hadn’t noticed, but tears began to leak out of his eyes at your story.

“I felt disgusted with myself. I never wanted anyone to see any part of me, so I covered myself up. And I just...never stopped, I guess.”

Thomas raised his hands slowly to begin signing to you. “They were liars and bullies. You are so pretty. The loveliest angel I’ve ever met. Please believe me! I would never lie to you. I just want to see you, all of you. But most importantly I want you to be comfortable with yourself.”

You didn’t reply, but you let Thomas’ hands run down from your shoulders to your wrists.

“Can I touch you?” he asked.

You wanted him to. You and Thomas had had sex before, a couple of times, but you had never taken your shirt off, and he had never taken his mask off. You wanted Thomas to love every part of you, even if you didn’t love yourself. You wanted to believe him when he said you were beautiful. You wanted him to believe he was beautiful.

“I’ll let you see me, if you let me see your face.”

Thomas stiffened. He had always dreaded this moment. He never wanted to show you his face if he could get away with it, but he knew one day he would have to. And he knew if he ever wanted to help you, to make you believe him, he would have to show you the same trust you were trying to show him.

So as the two of you lied yourselves bare to each other, kissing every part of each other’s bodies, whispering sweet words between trembling limbs and pounding hearts, you both began to believe that maybe the other was right. Maybe the two of you weren’t ugly monsters.

The two of you were beautiful together.