#i want to finish Unfamiliarity and work on things i have planned and be active and DRAW | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

aeoneri · 2 years ago

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Till Death Do Us Part

Summary:

A week of awkward, sweet, and even stressful moments before the big day.

– A “What We Don’t See” One-Shot. The story events happen immediately after the fourth one-shot, Your Past, My Present, Our Future up to the beginning of the final chapter of What We Don't See.

++++

Mirabel had her hands full.

The expectant feeling was far greater than what she had experienced when Antonio turned five. Maybe because then, she had been delegated to the sidelines to avoid stepping on the family's toes. Mirabel had wished for her own miracle, and they were answered a few days after. The family was reunited with her Tío Bruno, the problems with the cracks acknowledged and faced, and she became the hero that mended the family back together.

Change was new and unfamiliar, but this time she was the one pulling the reins.

"Mi bebé, are you sure about this?" Julieta asked Mirabel after the rest of the family retired for the night. The tension and uncertainty from earlier in the day rendered everyone exhausted, though there was something good that came out of it all.

"I'm positive, Mamá," Mirabel assured her with a grin. "It's the least I could do."

Julieta cracked a small smile at her daughter's enthusiasm. It had been a decade long wait, but the light at the end of the tunnel beamed brighter than before. It was as the planets aligned and the world became right again when Gabriela, their closest friend, returned, just as the last piece of Casa Madrigal was put into place. There weren’t enough tears of joy to shed before the two lovers broke the news in the presence of the people they love the most.

A wedding. The very one that they had so rightfully deserved.

It was the very definition of madness and insanity to have it held in a week’s time, but it wasn’t far off for the pair. Everyone knew they had always been the most unique Madrigal couple the whole of Encanto had ever seen. The thought made Julieta chuckle which earned her a curious glance from Mirabel. “Why are you laughing, Mamá? Did you think of something funny?”

“I did,“ Julieta mused, pulling Mirabel close into a hug which she returned as fiercely. “I was thinking about how short of a time we have to get everything ready. You’ll have a lot on your plate, Mira, and it’s crazy.”

“I don’t think it’s very much crazy as it is just wanting not to waste any more time? They have been planning this for years, haven't they?”

“Mmm, that’s true. But still, it’s a lot of work for just one person.”

Mirabel blinked up from her mother’s warm hands. “I’m just the coordinator who’ll wrangle all the details together. It’ll be a family affair after all, and I promise we’ll make it the best day of their lives.”

Julieta nodded with a faraway look in her eyes. “Just don’t push yourself too hard, ok?”

“Don’t worry, Mamá, I won’t. I’m honored they’ve asked me to do this for them.” Mirabel replied sweetly, hoping it’ll ease her mother’s worries. “Anyway, it’s getting late. I’m going off to bed since I have an early morning tomorrow. What about you?”

“You go on ahead, mija. I still have some things to finish here.”

“Okay. ¡Buenas noches, Mamá!”

“Buenas noches. Duerme bien, mi corazón.” Julieta replied, giving her youngest one last squeeze before watching Mirabel bound up the stairs to her room. For a brief moment Julieta swore she saw golden butterflies of light surrounding her, their shimmering wings fluttering about before disappearing into the night.

++++

The next few days were heavy with the flurry of activity. Each morning Mirabel left Casita right after breakfast, running a few quick errands before making her way to a small music shop nestled at the edge of the shopping district. She had been in the store many times before, often to buy new sheet music to learn or have her accordion tuned, but recently her visits had more to do with what the town dubbed as the “Wedding of the Century”.

“Buenos días, Tía!”

A woman with caramel skin and striking green eyes was quietly puttering about when Mirabel entered, greeting her with a wide smile. She beamed at the young teen, a radiant smile growing ever wider. “Oh, Mirabel!” Gabriela quickly motioned Mirabel to set her bag down and offered her a seat. “I wasn’t expecting you to come by so early today.”

“Oh, you know how it’s normal for the family to start the day bright and early.” Mirabel teased with an amused grin. “I almost forgot, this is for you!” She hands Gabriela the warm paper bag of pan de queso that she had stashed as a surprise. “The days have been quite hectic since there’s only five days till the wedding, so I thought to give you a nice pick-me-up.”

“Aw, thank you, Mirabel.” Gabriela gingerly opened the package, releasing the comforting scent into the air. “These look so inviting! Let me get you a cup of café and we can talk more about the details over some snacks.”

Once the coffee had been poured and served, the two began discussing the finer points of the upcoming nuptials. The centerpieces and decorations would be arranged by Isabela, who had agreed to decorate the church and the reception with beautiful flowers — provided they let her wing some unique plants in the mix.

“I promise there will be no carnivorous ones!” Isabela insisted. Mirabel feared that it would be the case, but the bride was willing to let her experiment. In the end, Mirabel had no choice but to begrudgingly agree.

Mirabel’s Tía Pepa had begun practicing controlling her tears to avoid raining down on her best friend’s special day, though Bruno looked horrified every time his sister looked his way with a grin that seemed like scheming.

“I swear Pepa might get back at me for her ruined wedding.” Bruno would grumble in the middle of fitting for his guayabera. “She’s scheming, kid.”

It was likely, but Mirabel had planned back-ups upon back-ups just in case, one of which involved Luisa setting up a tent to shield everyone from an expected downpour.

Mirabel’s strongest sister was also the one who volunteered to create a new mantilla for their Tía Gabriela, which was a small but welcome surprise to everyone that Luisa had finally learned to embrace her softer side. Gabriela had seen the sample, and she cried at how beautiful it was with its intricate and delicate lacing.

“So, that’s what we’ve completed so far.” Mirabel concluded, their cups now empty and bellies a little bit full. “Dolores and Mariano are working on the program flow, which I am leaving them to do…” She made a face before continuing. “And Antonio said his animal friends would like to make a performance to start off the party after.”

“I’m sure Dolores and Mariano are taking this seriously, Mira.” Gabriela’s eyes twinkled. “And I can’t wait to see little Tonio and his friends dancing.” She clasped a hand under her chin and tapped on the list between them both. “So since those are settled, the items left on the list would be the serenade, which I know your Tío must be sweating with, the cake and the gold coins for the padre to bless.”

“I can get the last two arranged, Tía.” Mirabel winked. “Leave them to me.”

++++

Elsewhere, Bruno found himself struggling with preparing his serenata. Mirabel had done an excellent job with the wedding planning with the rest of the family and even a few townsfolk, but this one was something she couldn’t help him with. So he dragged his brother-in-laws to help him as a one, tiny favor.

They had been stuck at their wits end for hours.

“Why are you stressing out over this, hermano? The serenata should be the last thing on your to-do list.” Félix said, watching Bruno pace back and forth. “Most men would be worrying about their vows first.”

“But I’ve already completed my vows,” Bruno muttered in response. “Also, most men don’t feel the pressure of having to impress their brides…whose entire family are well-known musicians.”

Bruno’s deadpan tone broke Félix’s composure and he laughed so hard that his voice echoed throughout the house. “Ay, Bruno, you never cease to amaze me.” He wheezed. “Of course you’d have the vows ready.”

“Oye, I think his concerns are genuinely valid,” Agustín interjected, looking through his record collection for some ideas. “We didn’t get a chance to do the serenata the first time around.”

“Man, you’ll do great though.” Félix waved a hand nonchalantly. “Whatever you pick, I’m sure Gabriela would like it.”

Bruno scratched the back of his neck in frustration, his hand itching to throw salt and knock on every wooden surface known to man, but he refrained. “That’s the problem, though. I don’t know what to pick. I know she’ll enjoy whatever song we perform, but I just can’t shake the feeling of wanting this to be perfect. If my vows convey how I truly feel about her,” He selected his words thoughtfully while carefully taking out a piece of paper from his breast pocket. “The song has to do so, too.”

The paper was worn with multiple creases that seemed like it had been in his pockets for more than a decade. Bruno held it like it was the most fragile china. “I’ve had this for way longer, even before I asked her to marry me the first time around. I did change a few lines though, while I was hiding away, and added a new one when we both came back recently.”

Bruno looked wistful and Félix thought he could pull a fast one to take the sheet off Bruno’s hands. He reached out to grab it, but Bruno instinctively dodged from Félix’s grasp. “What the hell, Félix? Careful with that!”

“Come on, hermano. The easiest way for us to figure out the perfect song is if you read out your vows! What’s on it?”

“No way, Félix! For a romantic I thought you’d get the gist just as is. Anyway, you’ll hear it at the church in a few days.”

“Pepa is different from Gabriela, and therefore I can’t help you until we know what feelings you want to convey!”

“They’re both women!”

“Different women! Just a quick peek?”

Agustín watched in amusement as the two men became locked in what could only be described as an intricate dance. Every time Félix thought he had Bruno cornered, the lithe man would somehow slide his way out. Agustín’s eyes glanced over the wall clock, knowing that his daughter may come home soon unless he intervened.

“Miércoles, we won’t get anything done this way.” He coughed, making both Félix and Bruno stop their roughhousing to look at him. Finally catching their attention, Agustín proceeded with a possible solution to their conundrum. “Okay, okay, how about this? Bruno, maybe you can just share the essence of what’s on your vows with us? That way Félix and I could get the idea, and you don’t have to divulge everything. It’s a win-win.”

“The essence?” Bruno contemplated for a bit.

“As you said, Félix here is the resident romantic, and if you’re able to paint a picture for us he’d be able to decode it like the suave lover that he is.”

Félix grinned while the seer made a face. “I don’t want to think about what kind of suave lover he is around my sister. Alright, I’ll try to put my thoughts into it so I could wipe out that mental image.”

Bruno proceeded to tell them the thoughts that’s been on his mind, from the very first moment he laid his eyes on his beloved up to the day he had lost her. He poured his heart, no doubt stunning anyone within hearing range of his sheer devotion to the woman who he can’t wait to spend the rest of his days with.

There was a short moment of silence when Bruno finished, before Félix clapped, soft and slow. It became a full-fledged applause and there were tears in his eyes, like he just listened to the world’s best play. “That is so beautiful it’s making me cry,” He sobbed and shared a knowing look with Agustín. “Great idea, Gus. I think we have just the song in mind for that.”

++++

Camilo stared at the girls’ fussing about with a bored expression plastered on his face. He knew the wedding was in three days’ time, but he had plans with a few of his friends that afternoon to play futbol. He had hoped he would be granted leave after the backbreaking work Mirabel had put him through previously.

“What backbreaking work are you talking about? You were just eating cake!” Dolores argued, pinching her brother’s cheeks. “Imagine, Mariano caught you stuffing your face with Tía Julieta’s cooking!”

“Ouch!” Camilo groaned, rubbing his sore face after swatting his sister’s hands away. “You would think it was just me eating cake, but I had to stretch my stomach for it!” He retorted with a sullen expression. “I don’t have the same sweet-tooth as Señor Osvaldo.”

“That isn’t backbreaking. Lifting heavy objects is!”

“I lifted multiple trays for Tía! And helped Isa with her plants!”

“Don’t you drag me into this, Camilo!” Isabela rolled her eyes at her cousin, unamused. “We all know you sneaked away after I asked you to carry the small cactus pots in. And, you didn’t even comment properly on the look of the arrangement. At least Luisa had something to say.”

“Well, I’m sorry for not being so useful to the conversation.” Camilo bristled. “I have no idea what flowers and plants look good together and whatnot. And, isn’t Tío Bruno allergic to them?”

“Pollen! He’s allergic to pollen!”

“Same thing.”

“No it’s not…you little…!”

“Okay, timeout.” Mirabel stopped Isabela from lunging towards Camilo and strangling him to death. “How about I make a deal with you?”

“What?” Dolores and Isabela screeched in unison.

Camilo ignored the two older girls and raised one eyebrow at Mirabel. “Hm, I’m interested. What’s in it for me?”

“I’ll take all of your chores for the next week if you help out with this one thing.” Mirabel offered, extending her hand. “No detours, then you’re free to do whatever.”

“Are you insane, Mirabel? It’s not worth it.” Dolores tried in vain to persuade her to not take the gamble. “You can’t possibly let him leave like that, can you? He’s just going to play futbol!”

Isabela nodded furiously. “Seconding the statement. He has a lot of unfinished work, and you’re already doing much more than the rest of us.”

“It’s okay, I’d rather take the chance.” Mirabel replied calmly. “I signed up for this. We don’t have enough time to put his usual shenanigans into the mix. So, what do you say, Milo? Do we have a deal?”

The contemplative look on Camilo’s face changed into a shit-eating grin. “Sweet. It’s a deal.” He shook Mirabel’s hand with such energy, making the rest suspicious of his intentions. “So, what do you want me to do?”

“A death sentence.” Isabela mumbled at the same time Dolores crossed her arms and clicked her tongue in disapprovement. Mirabel shrugged the disappointed expressions off and procured thirteen coins from the inside of her mochilla. She gingerly handed it off into Camilo’s open palms.

“Okay?” He looked at her questioningly. “These are a bunch of coins. What am I supposed to do with this?”

“Quite simple. Can you pass by the chapel and hand these off to Padre Flores?” She answered coolly. “It’s for Las Arras. You don’t have to do anything else after that. The padre will take care of the rest.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

His eyes turned into tiny slits. “Are you sure you’re not playing any tricks on me, prima? Because if you do, the deal’s off.”

“Nope.”

“So after that I’m free to go?”

“Absolutely.” Mirabel solemnly nodded. “Just, you know, be careful with them, okay? And it has to be delivered before six.”

“Okay then.” Camilo saluted, turning his back to walk out the door. “I’ll see you all later then.”

Before he could exit, Dolores gripped her brother’s arm tightly. “Go straight to the church first before doing whatever.” She hissed, tapping her ear as a threat. “We’ll know if you didn’t.”

In annoyance, Camilo haphazardly crammed the coins into his pockets. “Alright, alright!” He groaned as he shook his sister off. “Get the coins safe to the padre. Geez, Dolores, it’s like you think I’m doomed or something.”

The girls watched as Camilo ran off, leaping over the fence and disappearing into town. “He’s going to get himself into trouble, you know that, don’t you?” Isabela sighed. “For all we know he might scather the coins all over town and turn it into one, big, treasure hunt.”

“I have no doubt that that’s very likely.” Mirabel turned her attention back to her notepad. “But it’ll be his problem, not ours. He can handle it.”

“You seem so confident that it’ll happen.”

“Mirabel’s not far-off, though.” Dolores interjected with her doe eyes wide. “Maybe this will finally teach him a lesson.”

++++

The sun was starting to set when Camilo remembered the coins.

He had been a little spooked by his sister’s threat, knowing that she would most likely tattle him to their mother. Triggering lightning storms and getting grounded were enough to keep him on track for the first fifteen minutes, before he bumped into a friend who was on his way to the fields.

Then the threat was all but forgotten, and Camilo spent his entire afternoon playing with his friends, just as he had planned before everything else. Only with the ringing of the church bells to signal the approaching time jogged the memory of his quest. Saying a quick goodbye, he made his way quickly back into town, before realizing his pockets felt lighter than usual. His face paled when he reached his hand in and found them empty.

The urge to panic immediately kicked in and it took all of his energy to not break down in the middle of the road. “Okay, Camilo, don’t panic.” He chanted to himself as he retraced his steps. “You did not lose the valuable gold coins for your Tío’s wedding. It probably fell somewhere on the way and you would be able to find them as long as you recall where you’ve been. No one in town would dare take them or tell on you. Mamá isn’t going to ban you from leaving the house until you’re sixty.” Camilo patted his pockets down again, hoping it wasn’t a fluke. “Scratch that, I’m dead. Why did I forget that these pants needed to be mended?”

He was too busy worrying that he did not notice where he was going and bumped into someone, hard. “Hey!” They shouted. “Watch where you’re going…Camilo?”

Camilo froze. He knew that tone and the tell-tale rumble of thunder. He mentally kicked himself and tried to keep his cool, but failed miserably. “Mami, uh, hi!” He stammered. Why now, when he was in the middle of a crisis, would he bump into his mother? “Sorry, I wasn’t looking at where I was going. What are you doing here?”

Pepa stared at her son confusingly, the cloud above her head dissipating. “That’s an odd question. You know I went to run some errands this afternoon. Where are you going off in such a hurry? I taught you better to watch both ways when crossing…”

“It’s nothing!” Camilo felt the beads of sweat trickling down the side of his forehead. He knew he would be in a lot more trouble if his mother found out the truth right there and then. Camilo did not have enough time - the time for Angelus was fast approaching. He needed to shake her off his back. “I, uh, also needed to run an errand.”

Pepa looked at him skeptically. Something was off, but she decided not to pry. “Alright then.” She said after a long while, turning on her heels to go about her way. “Do what you need to do right now and I’ll see you back home in a bit. You know you’re going to join your Tío to do the serenata happening later tonight, so please don’t be late.”

“Yes, I got it Ma, Will definitely be on time later!” Camilo was desperate at this point that he was sure his spirit was separating from his body. He sprinted away without another word, leaving poor Pepa wondering what the hell was happening.

++++

“You’d think something shiny would be so easy to find, but no.” Camilo huffed, clutching his chest. It had been an hour since he realized he lost the coins, and close to thirty minutes when he escaped a potential questioning from his mother. He had scoured every nook and cranny known to man, but with no luck. “Maybe I should just give up and face the consequences.”

The rest of the townsfolk passing by looked at him weird as he slapped his cheeks and gave himself another pep talk. “No, this is my chance to show everyone that I can be responsible. Plus, if I give up now, I’ll not only be grounded for the rest of my days, I’ll lose the opportunity to get Mirabel to do my chores for a week.” With renewed determination, Camilo went back to searching. “If I were a bunch of shiny, gold coins, where would I be…?”

“Excuse me, what are you doing?”

Camilo turned to see three little kids staring at him. “Why are you crawling on your hands and feet on the ground?” One of the little girls asked.

“Maybe he’s looking for something, Cecilia.” The other girl answered. “Did you lose something, Camilo?”

“I lost something the other day too!” The boy in their small group spoke. “I cried when I couldn’t find my favorite coffee cup, but it turned out that my Papá misplaced it somewhere.”

Cecilia rolled her eyes at the boy. “Juancho, I don’t think that's what Alejandra meant. Camilo isn’t searching for a coffee cup.”

“Woah there, you three.” Camilo raised his hands to placate the little ones. “No need to get all huffy at one another. I was just looking closer at the ground, that's all. It’s interesting.”

The trio turned to look at one another. “I don’t think it’s very good to lie.” Alejandra quipped. “My abuela says liars’ pants will catch fire.”

Camilo sighed, knowing that there was no point to trick them. “Fine, I did lose something. Something valuable.” He did not want to be embarrassed by a five year old. “I’ve been looking for a while and there’s not enough time.”

“Maybe we can help?” Juancho jumped up and down all excitedly. “I’m really good at finding things!”

“Like how you found your coffee cup?” Cecilia teased.

“My dad misplaced it!”

“Okay, okay. No arguing.” He pinched the bridge of his nose to get his thoughts in order, and an idea clicked. “I’ll agree to have you three help me out if you behave. What do you say to a treasure hunt?”

He had to cover his ears for a bit due to the high-pitched squealing. “A treasure hunt?” They screamed excitedly. “Like buried treasure?”

“Not quite buried, but they are indeed shiny. They’re for the upcoming wedding.”

Juancho’s eyes grew big like saucers. “You mean for THE wedding?” He grabbed both Cecilia’s and Alejandra’s hands and dragged them off to start looking. “Then there’s no time to waste! Let’s go find it immediately, Camilo!”

++++

It was half past six when Camilo showed up at the church with the three in tow. He had gotten himself into his fair share of mess today which would not have happened had he followed through. Instead he and the little ones chased after donkeys and climbed trees and even fell into a pit just to get the coins back. Who knew that it could travel far when falling out of one’s pockets?

The padre didn’t look too pleased that the coins were a little muddy, but took them nonetheless. “I had been expecting you to come by earlier, Camilo.” Padre Flores chided gently. “But all is well and done now. I’ll let the Doña know that it has been delivered for blessing.”

Camilo felt like he missed something. “You’re not angry at me?”

“Heavens no!” The padre looked surprised. “Why would I be?”

The teen shifted on his heels and gestured to the trio apologetically. “I messed up, padre. My cousin made a deal with me, but I got distracted and didn’t hold up to my end of the bargain. If it weren’t for them I would’ve gone home empty handed and maybe in a lot more trouble.”

Camilo squeaked when the priest patted him gently on the shoulder, his tone full of understanding. “Son, we all make mistakes in life, but what is important is that we learned something from it. I hope you don’t take this lesson for granted.”

“I did learn something, I guess.” Camilo felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Padre Flores nodded as he straightened his cassock. “Thank you for your honesty. I am glad you’re setting a good example for them.”

“I’m not sure about that, but thanks?”

“It’ll take some time.” The priest laughed. “I’ll see you and your family soon for the wedding. Well then, I believe you better get going, we’re looking forward to Bruno’s serenata later tonight.”

“Ah, shoot! Mamá is going to kill me if I’m late!” Camilo groaned and took off back to Casita. “Thanks padre! And thanks for the help you three! I’ll play with you guys again sometime!”

++++

“You’re late.” Félix scolded his son when Camilo rushed through the door, panting and dripping with sweat. “Your Mamá had half a thought to ground you, but thankfully your sister persuaded her not to.”

Dolores smirked as she coolly handed her younger brother a towel to dry himself and his costume for tonight’s serenata. “What can I say? How else would you be able to keep up with your promises?”

Camilo’s face fell. “Please tell me you didn’t let Mami know.”

“Know what?” Félix asked, before Mirabel came calling for them to get themselves ready. “Nevermind. We can discuss whatever you both are talking about after the parties this week.”

The two siblings watched their father’s bouncing frame leave the room. “I’ll babysit Antonio for the next week if you don’t tell our parents about my mishap this afternoon.” Camilo whispered under his breath. “Deal?”

“If you add in helping me pick out outfits for my dates with Mariano and also not make a stupid face every time he's around, then we have a deal.” Dolores whispered back. “Consider it payment for telling the padre ahead of time that you’d be late.”

“When the heck did you even find the time to do that?” Camilo hissed. “Did you three know all this time I would mess up?”

“Ah, ah! Not at all. It was Mirabel who told me to call the padre up. She noticed you were wearing the pants that needed mending, and thought you’d realize it immediately, but I guess not.” Dolores covered her mouth to suppress a smile. “The deal should be off, but she said she’ll let it slide. Although, she did say she would hound you forever with it.”

“I would rather do the chores than have her rub my face with it.”

“Nah, that’s no fun though.” Mirabel poked her head by the door, startling Camilo. “Anyway, there you are. No time for chitchat, Milo, Tío’s ready to head off.”

++++

Gabriela was enjoying a quiet evening with her family when a knock at their door caught her attention. “Who could be here at this hour?” She bemused, slowly getting up from her seat to check. “You weren’t expecting any guests, were you, Papá? Julián?”

Mauricio and his son shook their heads, pretending to act as if nothing was out of the ordinary. “Nope.” They answered in unison, which she found odd.

In fact, everyone had been acting strange all day.

Mirabel had dropped by earlier at the shop like she always did, but left as quickly as she came, simply dropping off a dress that she made with a note that read: wear this later . Then when Gabriela arrived home, she was flustered to see her sister-in-law cooking something up. She wouldn’t have thought much of it on any normal day, but Lucía was making more food enough to feed an army.

Then Julián had quickly ushered Juancho into the bedroom to change when her nephew arrived home all muddied. She had an inkling that something was up, but knowing her wedding was only two days away, thought nothing much of it.

Until she opened the door and found the Madrigal men dressed to the nines, down to the shoes up to the sombrero vueltiao on their heads. Félix stood there beaming with glee while Agustín and Camilo tipped their hats.

“What’s going on?” She squeaked, covering her face to calm her red cheeks. Gabriela fought the urge to burst into tears when Bruno appeared behind them, and started to sing.

Tus besos se llegaron a recrear aquí en mi boca

Llenando de ilusión y de pasión mi vida loca

Las horas más felices de mi amor fueron contigo

Por eso, es que mi alma siempre está, qué dulce alivio

Félix swayed along while strumming the tiple. Agustín masterfully crafted the melodies on the piano that funnily enough, Luisa was carrying. Camilo provided backup vocals while his Tío belted out the next line.

Te puedo yo jurar, ante un altar, mi amor sincero

A todo el mundo le puedes contar que sí te quiero

Tus labios me enseñaron a sentir lo que es ternura

Y no me cansaré de bendecir tanta dulzura

Bruno took Gabriela’s hand and kissed it as he finished his song. “Te amo, mi sol, mi cielo, mi vida. I hope I did the song justice.” She was stunned into silence for a long time and everyone held their breath waiting for her response.

“I’m so sorry…” Bruno flustered when she began to cry. “I know I’m not much of a singer, but…”

“Oh, Bruno, no, no.” Gabriela shook her head, placing a hand on her beloved’s cheek. “I’m just…so…happy!”

“You are? But…?”

She leaned forward to give him a kiss, making the crowd that gathered outside to watch the serenata cheer with delight. “These are just tears of joy. I wasn’t expecting this surprise…”

Now it was Bruno’s turn to be embarrassed. “Heh, um, I didn’t have the chance to do it back then, you know? I thought that since it’s a new beginning, I’d do right by you this time.”

Gabriela knew all too well what he meant. Bruno gestured to the rest of his family. “A song couldn’t fully express what I feel, but I hope you know that I’ll always try to be the man worthy of you.”

They were about to share another kiss before Félix broke the moment. “Okay, lovebirds!” he whistled. “Sorry to intrude on your sweet atmosphere, but are we going to get this party started, or not?”

Right on cue, Mauricio and Julián appeared with their own instruments, signaling the start of the festivities. Bruno grinned sheepishly as he whispered into her ear. “Gabriela Álvarez, may I have this dance?”

++++

The night before the big day felt like a bundle of nerves twisting and turning in a million different ways. Gabriela knew just how much the entire Encanto banded together with Mirabel at the helm, to let her and Bruno have the moment they both longed for.

The thought of tomorrow consumed her so much that Gabriela found herself lying in bed, just staring at the ceiling. She had attempted to sleep multiple times throughout the night but without avail.

“It’s probably just the pre-wedding jitters.” She told herself.

As the minutes ticked by, Gabriela’s mind began to wander. She started reminiscing about the past, about how her family came to live in the quiet, magical town that was hidden from the world. She remembered the chance meeting that happened by the river and the almost awkward dinner party a few nights after, to where she finally met the Madrigals and the mystery man who eventually stole her heart away.

She finally felt tired enough that her eyelids were starting to get heavy when a loud knock at her window startled her awake.

“Mi amor? It’s me. Can you let me in?”

Gabriela almost fell off the bed. Bruno’s voice, though muffled by the glass, was clear. Wondering what he was doing at her house so late at night, she quickly unlatched the lock to let him in. “What are you doing here?” She hissed, squeezing her eyes shut. It was reminiscent of their early years together when he snuck out to see her. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“I can’t sleep.” Bruno answered matter-of-factly. Gabriela could not see the expression on his face, and she didn’t dare to. “For someone so superstitious, I didn’t expect you to break the biggest rule of them all.” She whispered, covering her face with her hands to quell the temptation to peek. “Isn’t it bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other the night before their wedding?”

“They say it is, but I wanted to see you.”

“We’re getting married tomorrow.”

“I know, but I couldn’t wait that long.” Bruno murmured. “There I was, in my room, just thinking about you. All I could think about was you, and it drove me crazy that I just needed to go, so I got up and snuck out. I’m glad I came.”

The confession made Gabriela drop her guard and her hands fell to her sides, though she kept her eyes closed. “Bruno…”

She felt something soft brush her lips. It was brief, but it made her face heat up. “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” He sighed, sounding every bit lovestruck.

“Do you want to stay over?” The words spilled out of Gabriela’s mouth before she could even stop herself. “I mean, at least before…”

Bruno chuckled. “If you want me to. And just so we won’t get in trouble with Mirabel or the rest of the family, I promise to be out before morning.”

“Okay then.” Gabriela felt her heart skip a beat. She cautiously took a peep, and thankfully, the room was dark enough that she could not see anything but his curls. She gingerly reached for his hand and guided him to her bed. The butterflies in her stomach dissipated the moment his arms wrapped around her waist, and a wave of comfort washed over her once more.

“Gabriela?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.” He whispered in her ear, low and deep, laced with sleep. “Tomorrow will be the start of our forever.”

++++

The moment the church doors opened and she walked down the aisle, Bruno knew there was nothing else in the world that could compare to that feeling of bliss. He had his worries beforehand, but it all disappeared the moment he laid his eyes on her. He didn’t even care when he suddenly had a vision in the middle of the ceremony, because he saw the future, as he predicted years ago.

When it came time to read their vows, Gabriela tried her best to hold back her tears as her beloved made his promise to her on the altar.

“I remember the day I first saw you.” Bruno began, his voice wavering with emotion. “And I thought to myself that you were an angel that had descended from the heavens. I fell in love with you, but I didn’t know until that day when the light danced around your eyes, with your smile so sweet as you followed the melody like you’ve known it a million times before.”

Recognition showed in her eyes as she listened to his words, and relieved the memories hidden in his heart.

“My beloved, as I stand here today, I am reminded how you are the gift that I never thought I needed, the one I’ve always thought I never deserved.”

“But you do, Bruno.” Gabriela whispered, her eyes shining. “And I needed you too.”

With trembling hands Bruno reached over and slipped the wedding band into Gabriela’s finger. “Gabriela, what we don’t see is the feeling in our hearts, the joy, the pain, the sorrow. I knew before we met that there would be something coming my way, even if I didn’t know when. And when you came into my life everything changed, for better or for worse, I would gladly live all of my lifetimes with you.”

“And I too would very much like that.” A tear finally escaped her cheek as she placed a ring into Bruno’s finger. “You came into my life without any warning, but everything fell into place. We had our fair share of laughter, of trouble, of years that felt like forever. Even then, it never changed how I feel about you. It made me realize that we may be flawed, but we are two people who brought out the best in each other.”

“You’re my kind of perfect, Gabriela. If you’ll have me, I’ll promise to be there surely as the day turns into night. I love you. All of you.”

“I promise to hold you, Bruno, to be by your side, through the good and the bad. All of your past, in my present, to our future. I love you too. All of you.”

There was not a dry eye in sight as the sounds of muffled sobs echoed throughout the church. Padre Flores cleared his throat, trying hard not to break down himself. He’d seen his fair share of emotional weddings, but this one took the cake. “Bruno Madrigal,” The padre questioned. “Do you take this woman, Gabriela Álvarez, to be your lawfully wedded wife, till death do you part?”

“Till death do us part.” Bruno breathed. “I do.”

“Gabriela Álvarez, do you take this man, Bruno Madrigal, to be your lawfully wedded husband, till death do you part?”

Gabriela nodded, her composure now flooded with a stream of happy tears. “Till death do us part, Padre. I do take Bruno. I do. I do!”

The world drowned itself out even before the last words were pronounced, and they couldn't care less as Bruno and Gabriela kissed, finally, husband and wife.

++++

Two Months Later

“Ay, I’m feeling exhausted lately.” Gabriela muttered as Bruno flitted about, pacing nervously around the kitchen. “Bruno insisted that you take a closer look at me.”

Julieta shook her head and handed her an arepa and a cup of hot chocolate. “I’m no doctor, though, Ella.” She said, calling Gabriela by the nickname she and Pepa gave her as an official member of the Madrigal family. “But from the way I see you, you look like you’re practically glowing.”

“I am?”

The question hung in the air as Dolores looked up from her cup, listening into their conversation. “It’s more than that, Tía.” She tapped her ear. “You’re probably pregnant.”

“Wait, what?” Bruno skidded himself to a halt and turned around too quickly that both his wife and sister clicked their tongues disapprovingly. He had no time to worry about whiplash if it meant his prediction would be coming true. “Gabriela’s pregnant?”

“When did you last…?” Julieta asked as Gabriela’s eyes grew wider in realization. They both glanced down at Gabriela’s belly, which looked flat…or did it?

“I didn’t think much of it when I didn’t…” Gabriela gasped, her hands flying to cradle her abdomen. “I thought I was…” She and Bruno exchanged glances. It explained everything she had been feeling lately if she was.

Julieta didn’t wait for an answer. “Congratulations!” She clapped her hands in glee. “If Dolores can hear them, it must mean you are. Oh, wait till the rest of the family finds out! I should prepare something nice for dinner tonight to celebrate…though, I can’t let you have wine, Ella!”

“Bruno?” Gabriela blinked back as he knelt down to her side and kissed her belly. “Can you believe it? It’s happening!”

He gave her a sweet smile and reached out to squeeze her hands. “I’m just as shocked as you are. The vision is finally coming true!”

“A baby!”

“Ours.” Bruno stood up to plant a chaste kiss on her lips. “We’ll do our best to be the best parents for our baby.”

Dolores then snorted and everyone turned to look at her funny. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to break the happy vibe.” She waved a hand away. “But I thought it would be funny to let you know that it’s not just one baby. It’s babies.”

Bruno’s smile suddenly turned into one of panic. “Babies…?” He had not thought of the possibility of having more than one, knowing his and Gabriela’s age. His vision from years before and even two months ago only showed one. “Dolores, how many heartbeats do you hear…?”

His niece cocked her head to the side, concentrating hard. “Two…?” She hedged, before covering her mouth in surprise. “Oh, no, wait. Three! I hear three! You’re having triplets! Congratulations!”

“Three? Oh, then we must be quite lucky, don’t you think, Bruno?” Gabriela sighed dreamily, turning her head towards her husband before quickly scrambling off her chair where she sat. “Bruno? Bruno!”

The shock of suddenly being a father of not one, but THREE made Bruno faint. It was more than what he had hoped for, but soon the memory would be something he would never, ever, forget.

++++

Glossary of terms (in order of appearance in-text): Duerme bien - Sleep well Guayabera - a men's summer shirt Serenata - Serenade. Part of the common Colombian Wedding preparations where the groom surprises the bride with a song. Futbol - Football (or Soccer, in the US) Mochilla - Colombian woven bag made by the Wayúu women in the Guajira region of Colombia. Las Arras - wedding paraphernalia used in Christian wedding ceremonies in Latin America. It is made up of thirteen gold coins that is blessed by a priest and is given by the groom to the bride. Sombrero Vueltiao - a traditional hat from Colombia

The following are the lyrics of Contigo by Trío Los Panchos Tus besos se llegaron a recrear aquí en mi boca - Your kisses came to recreate here in my mouth Llenando de ilusión y de pasión mi vida loca - Filling my crazy life with illusion and passion Las horas más felices de mi amor fueron contigo - The happiest hours of my love were with you Por eso, es que mi alma siempre está, qué dulce alivio - That's why my soul is always there, what a sweet relief Te puedo yo jurar, ante un altar, mi amor sincero - I can swear to you, before an altar, my sincere love A todo el mundo le puedes contar que sí te quiero - You can tell everyone that I love you Tus labios me enseñaron a sentir lo que es ternura - Your lips taught me to feel what tenderness is Y no me cansaré de bendecir tanta dulzura - And I will not get tired of blessing so much sweetness

-- Research links for this chapter: Colombian Wedding Traditions

Main Fic | Previous One-Shot

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nmojello260cmu · 2 years ago

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Blog #3

12/3/2022

So many things happened in the past few weeks reader. SO.MANY.

To start, on September 27 we had this activity called the "Spaghetti Tower Challenge". The objective of the lab is simple. Each group is given 20 pieces of spaghetti sticks, 1 meter of tape, and 1 large marshmallow. The groups will need to construct a tower supporting one large marshmallow at the top within 15-20 minutes. The group that builds the highest free-standing tower wins the competition. Not gonna lie, the challenge was very enjoyable. It showed interesting dynamics of our group I hadn't really noticed before. So did we win? Well...

You can see for yourself the results.

This challenge was supposed to be a way to test the group's design process: thinking, doing, prototyping, and iteration. It also encourages the design mindset of the team and supports basic engineering principles. Knowing that and comparing our results, well, it's telling. From my perspective, there were a lot of factors that influenced this outcome:

1) We didn't really establish a leader. It's not that everyone wants to be, it's that no one did.

2) We spent too much time planning. We kept changing and changing our ideas and we didn't realize we had little time left.

3) I kept breaking the spaghetti sticks in half, so we wasted more tape. (I cannot be trusted with fragile things.) ...and a lot more, but these are the top 3. We did laugh off and joke about our sad, wobbly tower but I felt like we could've done better. This challenge really made me learn the importance of model assumptions, experimentation, and iteration. This also taught me a lesson about failure. The ingenuity behind it, and the drive to turn a bug into a feature. Another thing that this lesson made me realize is the reason why business experiments replace business plans. To explain this, our instructor showed us how to make a Business Model Canvas.

When I was in 11th grade, we had a project where we had to create our own business plan. I was inept with it. It was too confusing and as someone not really that into the Business World, the unfamiliar terms hurt my head. The BMC though was far simpler to follow. It made sense as the Business Model Canvas helps us, the founder, to figure out the business model and design it accordingly. A business plan, on the other hand, is more for an external stakeholder to analyze the business. In a sense, the Business Model Canvas functions as a guide and helps in quick communication between the owners of the business and its stakeholders.

Here's our BMC for our product:

Upon finishing the Business Model Canvas, the next thing we had to do was create an Empathy Map. From what I've learned, an Empathy Map is a simple, easy-to-digest visual that captures knowledge about a user's behaviors and attitudes. In other words, it is a guide to get into the mind of the market of your product. It is an ingenious way to make sure we actually know the target well. For one to create an effective solution, one must require a good understanding of the true problems and the people experiencing it. After all that, once again, we were getting ready for another pitch. This time, we had to propose our idea to potential investors that our instructor brought in. So we got to work and we divided the tasks evenly between us.

Alexa and I were in charge of reconfirming our market's problem with Rachael in charge of finding a tailor to make a prototype and Angela and Paula in charge of calculating the costs. Me and Alexa went around to every level of the College of Nursing and chatted up any female student nurse we could to get their opinion. We asked them to name their top hassles of being a nursing student, and most agreed that having a neat bun all the time was one of the biggest hassles (but necessary) to maintain. Gel was sometimes a good solution, but it was not permanent and hair would still get messy halfway through the day, they said. They were thrilled we were working on a solution and were excited about it. Meanwhile, Rachael was having good success with finding a tailor, seeing as she had already known someone (a neighbor) who was willing to negotiate a reasonable price for their services with us. Angela and Paula were having slight problems with the calculation of the costs and adjusting to the budget we were trying to not go over the line with. It took a few hours and Alexa also joined in. Math isn't really my expertise, so I went and helped Rachael with finding a good cloth store that would donate their used clothes to us. Prep was hectic and we were all slightly (majorly) nervous because we didn't know if what we were doing was right. But we went and did it anyway.

This picture was taken on October 11, after our pitching. We weren't expecting anything, but the receptive comments from our panelists were very much welcome and it helped us think that our preparation was worth it. There were some critiques and corrections on how we should place our data but overall, I think we did well.

Our Lecture Series came after our final pitching and when I listened to the speakers, there were doors that were suddenly opened when I didn't even know they existed. They shared tips on starting startups, how to make your market be interested in your product, ways to improve your product based on what it is (e.g. food, clothing), experiences with their successes, experiences with their setbacks, etc. I may not be interested in going deep into the world of entrepreneurs and business, but it is wonderful to know that I have this type of knowledge ready for use when I need it to in the future.

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letcaleslack · 3 years ago

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Cale and co in Korea Part 4

[Part 1]

Dinner was finished and Choi Han tidied up, putting the left-overs in the fridge and gathering the plastic containers and used chopsticks in a trash bag. Cale meanwhile turned the TV on and was watching a news channel. The other group members joined him and tried to guess what the news commentator was talking about. If asked Cale would translate some parts.

He noticed that Choi Han had finished and walked up to him. “Let’s talk.”

To the group he said: “Choi Han and I will have a talk outside. Ah, Raon, you come, too.”

The three left the apartment, Raon turning invisible. Cale led them up the stairs and onto the roof. From there they had a good view over the city in the light of the setting sun.

Choi Han: “Cale-nim, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you.”

Cale: “With the phone? It’s fine. I understand. I shouldn’t have put you in the spot like that.”

Choi Han clenched his hands. “I know you don’t want your identity revealed. I also think you shouldn’t be forced to reveal your secrets because of this situation. I want to be helpful to you.”

Raon: “Choi Han, no one is helpful all the time. Even this great and mighty dragon has been useless at times. But those situations passed and things came up that I could help with. Even if you feel useless now, just tomorrow you might be the most useful of us all!”

Cale smiled. “That’s right. And I think you’ve helped a lot today. Didn’t you explain a lot of things so I didn’t have to? That you’re unfamiliar with technology is not your fault and though it’s unfortunate, it can be fixed easily enough.”

Choi Han: “Fixed?”

Cale smirked and pulled out a phone from his pocket. It was the phone of the second thug that had tried to attack them. “I’ll teach you some basic functionalities. Then we can use the phones to communicate when we’re apart.”

Choi Han was a fast student and got the hang of it quickly. Raon, too, observed how to navigate the smartphone menu.

Choi Han held the phone up: “Teaching me to use this so we can call each other, are you planning on going somewhere?”

Cale turned away and walked to the edge of the roof, looking into the distance. “I need to verify if this is really my old world and not a dimension that is just very similar to it.”

Choi Han: “I’ll accompany you!”

Cale: “No, Raon will come with me. I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave the group alone without anyone who is able to speak Korean. What if the neighbours want something? Or those thugs called the police? It’ll be a hassle.”

Choi Han stepped back. “I understand. I’ll wait for your return.”

Cale smirked: “If I’m lucky and that person has a night shift today, it shouldn’t take long.”

He jumped off the edge of the roof and small whirlwinds activated at his feet. “Raon, turn us invisible.”

******************

The office building was dark. Only a few of the numerous windows shone with artificial light. Cale flew to a specific window and looked into a familiar room, a room he had spent many day and night shifts in. As he had hoped Kim Rok Soo was indeed still working and he didn’t have to track him down. Cale observed the man. Kim Rok Soo looked the same as when they had briefly met during the battle at Puzzle City. He was filling out paperwork while sighing once in a while and carding a hand through his hair.

Raon turned to face him. He was visible only to Cale: “Human, I created a sound barrier. He can’t hear us. Is that the original Cale Henituse? Who is now in your old body?”

Cale: “Yes.”

Raon frowned. “He looks a lot older than I imagined. Almost as old as Granpa Deruth.”

Cale: “Well, we are middle-aged. Rok Soo is 43 and I’m 39 years old.”

Raon: “You’re old for a human.”

No, Cale thinks, you’re just too used to Dragons, Elves and Beast People who age a lot slower than humans. Didn’t I just say I’m middle-aged? Just because my old face has a few wrinkles-

Raon: “But, human, you’ll live a long life. I’ll make sure of it.”

Cale thinks that’s obvious. With the vitality of the heart and the essence of immortality from the world tree’s dagger of course he’ll live a long time.

Cale: “Let’s go in.”

He debated for a moment on how to open the window, before he simply knocked on it and signalled to Raon to disperse their invisibility. Rok Soo startled at the sound and whipped around, pointing a gun at the window. After seeing Cale and Raon he frowned and lowered the gun. He slid the window open and asked in the Roan common language: “What are you doing here?”

Cale: “It’s a long story.”

Rok Soo snorted. “It has to be considering you’re here which should be impossible unless the God of Death decided to meddle again.”

Cale: “Unfortunately, this time it’s not his fault.”

Rok Soo: “So, someone else is fucking with you.”

Cale scowled, Rok Soo smiled.

Cale: “Aren’t you going to let us in? What if someone sees?”

Rok Soo: “They’ll think they’re hallucinating because of lack of sleep. They’re used to terrifying monsters, not cute little dragons.” But he stepped aside and Cale and Raon climbed into the room.

Raon: “I’m not little! I’m already 7 years old! Nice to meet you, Cale Henituse, I’m Raon Miru.”

Rok Soo smiled. “Nice to meet you, too. I go by the name Kim Rok Soo now.”

#tcf #trash of the count's family #cale and co in korea

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mint-yooxgi · 4 years ago

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Gilded Gold - Yandere!Vampire Prince!Jaehyun X Reader

Yandere AU, Vampire AU, & Prince AU

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst, Smut (Someone goes a little feral at the end there)

Pairing: Jaehyun X Reader

Words: 22,845

Warnings: Jaehyun is pretty sadistic and manipulative in this one, as such there is a lot of violence and gore mentioned. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: It’s finally here! Omg, after months (again) of nothing, I'm really happy with the length of this one and how it turned out. Certain scenes are really good in my opinion, so hopefully you enjoy reading them just as much as I enjoyed writing them. I’ve nearly had this idea planned out for almost a year, so I'm happy that I've finally finished writing it all out. Tbh, certain scenes are pretty self indulgent... Anyways, I do really hope you enjoy this one, please do let me know what you think! Feedback is always appreciated!

“Is everything prepped and ready for tomorrow?” He asks, expression stern as he looks towards his adviser.

“Yes, my Prince,” with a nod from the adviser, a smirk begins to slowly spread itself across Jaehyun’s lips.

“Perfect,” a dark look takes over his features, smirk now fully formed as he thinks over his plan once more.

Tomorrow will change everything, and he can hardly wait. For too long he’s waited, watching in the shadows until this day would come. Until finally, he can have everything that he’s ever wanted. Tomorrow, he’ll finally have you.

From the first moment he saw you all those months ago, he knew he had to have you. The way you so willingly went out of your way to help your neighbours with their little market stand only confirmed to Jaehyun that you’re a kindhearted individual. However, if it weren’t for the way you cussed out an older man for attempting to hit on your younger sister, he would have assumed you to be too soft. That is what intrigued him: that you could look so innocent on the outside, but on the inside, contain a strong, level-head, is what drew him to you.

Since then, he’s been sneaking out of the castle at least five times a week to find you, and once he did, he couldn’t stop himself from simply observing you. He became another shadow in the night, and you were none the wiser as to the monster lurking just outside of your window.

The day he learnt that you had no potential suitors, he swears he had never been happier in all his long years of living. It took him a bit of persuading, but he eventually convinced his mother to let himself actively pursue you. She was a bit wary at first, having never met you, nor even having heard of you before. The fact that you’re a mere human, and a commoner, no less, concerned her greatly. However, he made sure to take care of everything before your arrival. After all, you’re his responsibility now, and he’ll make sure to take care of you in any and every way that he can.

Soon, the whole kingdom will know that you are meant to be his, the Crown Prince’s very own betrothed. The announcement might turn some heads, considering everyone is aware of the vampire society, and how the creatures of the night reign over them, but he’s counting on the support from those whom support interspecies relationships. It will be a huge step in a positive direction for his family to bring a common human into their inner circle. Not that you would have a choice, whether you know it or not.

That night, he barely gets any rest, too excited for what is to come tomorrow. He has it all planned out, the outfit he’s going to wear, how he’s going to make a grand entrance when meeting you for the first time, as well as the first thing he’s going to say to you once he sees you.

His eyes flash red. Fuck, he finally gets to see you in person with you actually aware of his presence this time. Oh, how he can hardly wait to see your reaction when you gaze upon him for the first time. A smirk slowly tugs at his lips as he envisions the scene in his head, your awestruck face, the wonder shining in your eyes, and the way you’ll bite your lip as you take him in with the realization that he’s all yours.

Tomorrow cannot come fast enough.

That next morning you are awoken by the sound of your mother answering the front door. Muffled voices reach your ears as you bury yourself deeper into the warmth of your comforter. The sound of your door creaking has your eyes flinging open as your mother storms into your room.

“Get up! There’s a royal advisor at our front door asking for you, personally,” she tears your blankets off of you before moving over to your dresser to pull out some of your nicest clothes. “Apparently he has a message from the Prince. For you.”

“For me?” Your head is reeling at the thought of a royal advisor visiting you with a personal message from the Prince himself. What would the Prince want with you? You have no idea.

“Yes, you,” your mother tuts at your confused look as you clamber out of bed. “Now hurry up and get dressed. Don’t keep him waiting.”

Without another word, your mother leaves your room, heading back downstairs so as not to keep the advisor alone for too long. She would have made your sister keep him company, but she had to go to work this morning.

Squinting at your now closed door, you shift your gaze over to the outfit she has so meticulously picked out for you to wear. The clothes are quite literally the nicest ones you own, and your frown deepens. What message could possibly warrant you wearing your nicest clothes?

Yawning, you rub at the sleep still in your eyes. Screw formalities, it’s just a message, it can’t be that serious. Forgoing the outfit, you quickly head to the bathroom to freshen up and at least make yourself look presentable. No matter what this message turns out to be, you’re going to hop right back into bed afterwards anyways, so you see no point in getting dressed.

Making your way downstairs, you hear soft chatter coming from the front room, and as soon as you enter you can feel your mother’s scrutinizing gaze on you for not changing. You briefly make eye contact with her before turning your attention to the unfamiliar man standing across from her. You can already tell from his proper stature and from the royal emblem hanging proudly on the left side of his uniform that he’s the advisor.

“Ah, good, you must be Miss (Y/n), it’s a pleasure to meet you,” he bows to you. “My name is Minho, and I come bearing a message from Prince Jaehyun himself.”

You bow back respectfully, nodding for him to continue as your mother smiles almost nervously from the side of the room.

“You are to be moved to the castle immediately,” he says as your eyes go wide. “You are to be betrothed to Prince Jaehyun effective immediately.”

“Excuse me?” Your jaw has dropped, disbelief clear on your face.

“You are to be moved-“

“No, no, I heard you,” you cut him off, “I meant, what the actual fuck?”

“(Y/n)!” Your mother scolds.

“What? You’re telling me that this completely unprompted visit is to tell me I am to become the prince’s fiancée without any say in the matter?” You ask, incredulously.

“I apologize, I should have been clearer,” Minho clears his throat. “You do get a choice, as it is the Prince’s intention to court you first. However, in doing so, it requires you to come stay at the palace for the time being.”

“I-“ your mouth gapes like a fish out of water, “do I have a choice in this?”

“Of course!” Minho immediately responds. “I understand this is very sudden, and probably very confusing, but the Prince promised to explain everything once you have arrived to the palace for the day. We really shouldn’t keep him waiting too long.”

“I-“ you’re about to object once more when your mother cuts you off.

“Go with him, sweetie,” you frown at the look she’s giving you. You don’t think you’ve ever heard her voice sound so tense, completely different to how she looked when she first entered your room not ten minutes ago. “He told me you would have to leave immediately, so I’ll send a few bags with your stuff later this week.”

“But mom-“

“No buts,” she smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the Prince chose you, no less. Please be on your best behaviour.”

“Great, then it’s settled!” Minho smiles, beginning to exit the room in order to walk towards the front door. He places a hand at the small of your back and guides you along with him, with you too stunned to say much else. “Thank you for your hospitality,” he bows to your mother once at the door, “we’ll be in touch.”

With those words, he is leading you out of the front and to the car that awaits at the end of the driveway. By now, a few of your neighbours have stepped outside their homes to view what is going on, and you can see them whispering to themselves as you are ushered into the back seat. You only wish you got to say goodbye to your sister before you had to leave.

“Guess leaving is so urgent that I can’t change out of my pyjamas, huh?” You joke, a hint of seriousness to your tone as you cross your arms.

Minho soon slides into the front seat beside the driver whom has been waiting in the car this whole time.

“I’m afraid not, Miss,” he replies, pulling out his phone. “We’re on a tight schedule today.”

You sigh, leaning your head on your hand as you look out of the window. You see more neighbours watching the car go down the road as you drive off, and you begin to wonder how you even got into this mess. Though you will admit, a part of you is intrigued. To catch the eye of the Prince, the Vampire Prince, no less, is causing your heart to race.

You’ve seen a few photos of the Prince before in passing, and he does look very handsome, so a part of you is curious to see if that’s actually true. Another part of you feels excitement at the thought of being sought after by the prince himself. Maybe that’s why you’re not putting up more of a fuss at this matter. A sigh escapes your lips at the thought, and you begin to wonder what exactly is in store for you once you arrive at the castle.

About forty-five minutes later, you arrive at the palace. Your breath is quite literally stolen away as you gaze upon the fortress in awe, taking in the arches and crevices in the architecture, along with its massive size.

“If you think the outside is grand, just wait until you see the inside,” Minho chuckles, noting your gaze of wonderment.

His words manage to pull you out of your admiration of the palace and back to the steps in front of you which lead up to the front doors. Shaking your head slightly, you clear your thoughts. You’re sure you’ll have plenty of time to admire and explore the castle once you get settled inside.

“So, uh…“ you trail off, following Minho up the steps, not knowing what to ask first.

“I’ll be leading you to your personal chambers while you’re going to be staying here, then some servants will be coming to prepare you for lunch with the Prince,” Minho explains, and you nod along absentmindedly, still too distracted by the grand stonework of the building, of which is much more intricate on the inside. “I’m sure His Royal Highness would gladly take you on a tour of the premisses, given how intrigued you seem to be by the grounds already.”

At this you can feel your face heat up in slight embarrassment, “sorry.”

“No, no, don’t apologize, Miss,” Minho smiles at you assuringly. “It’s quite nice to see someone admiring the architecture once more.”

“What do you mean?” You tilt your head slightly in curiosity.

“Oh, it’s just been quite a while since we’ve had a new guest who’s admired the detailing as you are,” he says.

“Must not get many new guests then,” you mutter, but he still manages to hear you.

“No, not really,” he sighs, eyes soon going wide as he’s come to realize what he’s just said, clearing his throat in the next moment. “I mean, I’ve said enough already.”

You simply hum in response as he leads you through some side corridors and up another set of stairs. You can feel your legs burning at the amount of flights you’ve climbed, not used to the amount of steps yet. Once you reach the tops of the stairs, you find yourself resting your hands on your knees in order to catch you breath.

“One second,” you hold up a finger, indicating to Minho to stop and let you catch your breath.

“Alright, but we really mustn’t delay, Miss,” he says, worry flashing briefly in his eyes, but it passes so quickly that you do not see it.

After a few moments, you right yourself, taking a deep breath before nodding at him to continue. He nearly breathes a sigh of relief as he continues to lead you down the hallway you’re now in, checking his watch on the way and noticing he’ll make it just in time. It’s important for everything to go according to schedule today, or so the Prince has reminded him countless times, along with the other staff. Everything has to be perfect.

Leading you to a set of doors near the end of the hallway, Minho pushes them both open to reveal a large room full of everything you could possibly think of. You’re pretty sure this room is the size of your entire main floor of your house, complete with a four post king sized bed, privacy screen which looks like it leads to another part of the room, along with various shelves, desks, and cabinets spread throughout. To say you are awestruck would be an understatement.

You take your time wandering around the room, opening one of the side doors to find an adjacent bathroom built for the gods. A large tub rests on one side, along with a set of double sinks, a large mirror that takes up the entire wall, along with a huge shower which you believe also works as a sauna. You are hardly able to believe what you’re seeing, this is all so unbelievable. To think, your lifestyle quite literally has changed in the blink of an eye.

Now, if only you could see what rests behind the privacy screen. You’ve avoided opening the doors so far due to the fact that you’re unsure what’s waiting for you on the other side. In the back of your mind, you hope it’s not another room. More particularly, that it’s not the Prince’s room.

The whole time that you spend exploring your new room, Jaehyun stands just off to the side beside the privacy screen where you cannot see him. A smirk is ever present on his face. He could smell your scent getting closer with every step you took down the hallway, only serving to make his dead heart race in his chest. He cannot help how his mouth salivates at the thought of you now only being one room away, nothing more than a thin set of doors standing between your bodies. He can hardly wait to meet you.

After a few more moments of you taking in your new room, you turn to look at Minho, “so, uh, am I allowed to see what’s behind those privacy doors,” you motion to them with your head, “or is that part off-limits?”

Your attempt at a joke earns a small chuckle from him, “actually, I believe the Prince should be joining us soon.”

“Is that the Prince’s room?” Your eyes widen as your suspicion is all but confirmed. You know you’re expected to become close with him, but you aren’t expecting to be literally sharing a room.

“Oh, no!” Minho is quick to answer, to which you breathe a small sigh of relief. “I believe His Highness went to inspect the second portion of your room earlier, before your arrival, in order to make sure everything is up to his standards.”

“Ah, I see,” you nod in understanding. “Glad to know he’s taking such precautions for me.”

Of course! He wants nothing but the best for you, after all. It’s what you deserve. Jaehyun’s smirk only grows, and he takes your words as his cue to finally make his presence known, and finally enter the room.

Ever so slowly, you notice a shadow forming behind the semi-transparent screen. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest, racing at the prospect of finally being able to meet the Prince in person. Little do you know, that this is not the first time that the Prince will be seeing you.

Just like a scene from a movie, the doors part, Prince Jaehyun stepping through the threshold. His gaze lingers on the ground briefly before finally looking upwards to lock gazes with you. Your breath hitches, and you can feel your heart skipping a beat, all of which does not go unheard by Jaehyun, only serving to make him more smug during this time. Besides, the smirk resting on his features only adds to his charming good looks as he takes a confident step forwards, slowly making his way over to you.

The whole time, your eyes never leave his. Again, to say you’re stunned would be an understatement. You don’t think you’ve ever seen a finer looking specimen in your entire life, and from the looks of things, he can read your expression like an open book.

For a brief moment, your gaze rakes over his entire body, and you have to stop yourself from inhaling sharply once more. He’s wearing the finest embroidered suit that you’ve ever seen in your life, the sharp gold thread contrasting with the black fabric. You know the suit must have cost a fortune, just from the design alone, not to mention the materials. The detailing of the floral design, combined with the surrounding leaves is stunning, but what catches your attention the most is the fact that he’s not wearing a shirt beneath the suit jacket. You can see the smooth skin of his chest on display, only serving to make you lick your lips in admiration, anticipation lingering in your chest. For what, you aren’t quite sure, but fuck, you’d be lying to yourself if you didn’t think he was extremely attractive.

His chest swells with pride. He knew you would react like this, only confirming to him that you also find him as attractive as he finds you. Well, considering all the peasants you had to endure back in your hometown, he’s not surprised. As if any of them ever stood a chance with you. Well, not if he had anything to say about it.

So far, everything is going exactly how he has planned it to, and he couldn’t be more happier in this moment. Minho was on time and everything, though Jaehyun worried at one point that you were running behind schedule. He cannot let that happen, everything needs to run like clockwork in order for things to be perfect.

The one thing that he wishes more than anything that he could do right now would be to take you into his arms, but he knows that would be overstepping boundaries at the moment. The last thing he wants to do is scare you off on the first day. After all, since you’re going to be spending eternity together, he doesn’t want to push you away now.

You don’t mean to stare as you have been, but you cannot help it. With wide eyes and slightly parted lips, you continue to stand there, almost dumbfounded by the current events. By now, you are most certainly regretting not listening to your mother to change into your nicest clothes. Meeting the Prince while still in your pyjamas is making you feel a bit self-conscious. How embarrassing, to meet him while you’re still in your sleep clothes.

On the other hand, Jaehyun thinks that it’s so endearing that you’re still dressed in your pyjamas. Were you that excited to meet him that you couldn’t even wait to leave, meaning you forwent changing? How adorable.

“Miss (Y/n), may I formally introduce you to Prince-“

“Jung Jaehyun,” he cuts Minho off, taking your hand into his own in order to bring it to his lips and kiss the back of it tenderly. Oh, how soft your skin feels against his own. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

Introducing yourself, your voice is a bit airy, still breathless due to everything that you’ve encountered so far. You’re especially impressed with the way he’s held himself, “the pleasure is all mine, Your Highness.”

“Please,” he smiles, running his thumb over the skin on the back of your hand before releasing his hold on you and returning his hands to his sides, “call me Jaehyun.”

You smile back politely, thoughts running through your head a mile a minute. All the while, your nerves begin to grow, and you begin to ponder why exactly it was you that he chose. You don’t necessarily think you’re anything special, but Jaehyun would beg to differ.

“Um, I was told that we were going to be dining soon?” You ask, shifting slightly from foot to foot as you attempt to break the small silence that has settled over the three of you. You figure Minho is probably avoiding saying anything right now out of respect for you and the Prince.

“Ah, yes,” Jaehyun nods once in confirmation. “That is, if you’re willing to join me for lunch. Of course, I’ll let you change first, unless you’d prefer to stay in those.”

At the motion of his head towards your choice in outfit, you can feel your cheeks heating up once more in embarrassment.

“Oh, uh…” you avoid his gaze for the first time today, and he can’t help but be reminded of how cute you are as you add quietly, “I don’t have anything else to wear.”

He simply quirks a brow in response, “has Minho not shown you your wardrobe yet?”

“No, I-“ you smile sheepishly, “I didn’t get a chance to pack any of my own clothes before I left. I mean, I didn’t even have a chance to change.”

He chuckles this time in response, “come with me, Princess.”

You cannot deny the way your heart positively flutters when he calls you that. A fact which only makes him smile subtly. You haven’t even known him for more than fifteen minutes and he already sets your heart racing. A fact which only serves to stroke his ego even further. This is going even better than anything he could have ever planned.

Leading you over to a side door that resides in the second half of your room, of which you notice is a lavish seating area complete with a chaise, he opens it. A grandiose closet is revealed to you, filled with the most lavish pieces of clothing you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Dresses, shirts, skirts, you name it, line the shelves. Rows upon rows of accessories cause your eyes to widen even further than they already have. You cannot help the surprised gasp that escapes your lips as you take it all in.

“Is this-“ you blink, attempting to wrap your head around everything as you try to get the words out, “is this-“

“It’s all for you, Princess,” Jaehyun smiles at your wide eyed expression.

“I-“ you turn to him, “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” he assures you.

“Honestly, I’m torn,” you bite your lip nervously.

He simply quirks a brow at you to continue, despite the fact a frown wants to pull onto his features.

“I’m torn between ‘I can’t accept this’, and ‘thank you so much’,” you admit, and you hear him chuckle once more. Out of the corner of your eyes, you notice Minho tense.

“Always so humble,” he hums. “Don’t worry about it, it’s a gift.”

“I-“ you take a deep breath, “thank you.”

He smiles, putting his hands in the pockets of his pants, “just promise me that you’ll use it.”

You notice how he motions to the closet with his head, and you immediately nod, “of course.”

“Good,” he nods once. “Well, I’ll let you get ready. Maria and Greta should be arriving soon to prepare you for lunch.”

As soon as he finishes speaking, a soft knock sounds at your bedroom door, signifying the arrival of the two aforementioned women. He could hear them walking down the hallway and figured now would be as good a time as ever to take his leave, even if it will be momentarily.

“I’ll see you soon, Princess,” with those words, he walks out of your room.

The two women whom have been patiently waiting in the hallway to come in now step inside as Minho steps out of the room following Jaehyun. You notice that they look somewhat nervous, approaching you carefully as if you’re someone to be cautious of. You send them a reassuring smile, introducing yourself shortly after.

“It’s nice to finally meet the woman the Prince has been talking non-stop about,” Maria admits, seeming to relax more now that you’ve talked to the two of them.

“Maria,” Greta hisses while elbowing her partner. Your brow furrows, it seems as if they’re not allowed to talk about that in front of you.

“He’s talked about me?” You question as they move you into the closet to pick out an outfit for the day.

“Oh yes,” Maria nods. “He’s been very… excited for you to come visit the palace.”

“I won’t warn you again,” Greta narrows her eyes at Maria disapprovingly.

“Am I not allowed to ask about it then?” You frown.

“Oh, you can ask any and all the questions you’d like,” Greta answers, pulling a simple gown down from the racks. “We’re just not supposed to talk about certain things.”

“Like the Prince?”

“Listen dearie,” Greta sighs. “If you knew what’s best for you, you’d run, and run far.”

Her words only serve to confuse you even more, especially at the nervous expression Maria now wears on her face.

“Is there something I should know?” You ask as they help you into the dress.

“Don’t listen to Greta, dear,” Maria pats your arm gently once the dress is secure. “The Prince is a wonderful gentleman, and from the looks of things, he’s completely smitten with you.”

“But he hardly even knows me,” you mumble as they start to work on your hair.

“He knows you better than you think,” Greta’s voice is barely above a whisper. In fact, it’s so faint, you don’t catch all of what she says.

“Pardon me?” You catch her gaze in the mirror they have you sitting in front of now.

“All the more reason for you to get to know him better,” she corrects herself with a smile, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

Maria manages to change the subject shortly after by asking you questions about yourself, and her telling you small stories about her life. The two of you are able to connect well quickly, and you know that if she continues to look after you while you’re here, you will have a friend in her. Greta, on the other hand, you’re not so sure about.

Not only does she continuously look at you with worry in her eyes, she scolds Maria any time she thinks Maria has overstepped any sort of boundary. The amount of times Maria has begun to tell you about the Prince, only for her to be cut off by Greta soon after is astounding. Hopefully you can get some answers from the Prince himself. After all, you are going to lunch together.

“There, all finished,” Maria smiles warmly at you as she helps you stand up.

“Thank you,” you smile back, smoothing out the front of your gown subconsciously.

“Come now,” Greta says, checking her watch, “or else we’ll be late.”

“Oh dear, we wouldn’t want that,” Maria suddenly looks worried. “We’ll lead you to the dining room. His Highness should already be waiting.”

“I guess I shouldn’t keep him waiting, then,” you joke as you three move to exit the room.

You fail to notice the brief glance the two of them share as Greta says, “no, you really shouldn’t.”

Without another word, you all make your way down the hallway, them leading you to where Jaehyun has instructed them to meet him. As he hears you approaching, a small smile tugs at his lips. He can’t wait to start his forever with you, and today is day one.

“Ready for lunch?” He asks, turning around just as you walk up to him.

You nod, humming your eagerness. You can’t wait to see what they decide to serve to eat, you are in a palace after all. Besides, the company is wonderful so far, and you really want to get to know him better.

Lunch with Jaehyun passes by far too quickly for either of your likings, and before you know it, you’re both finished. To say that you enjoy your time with him would be an understatement. Not only was the food delicious, but you also got to do what you wanted and get to know him better. One thing you know for sure, is that he has a beautiful smile, of which you hope to see more of. Plus, he’s got the cutest dimples you’ve ever seen.

After lunch, he gives you a tour of the castle, and once again, your breath is stolen from your lungs. The whole time you spend admiring the architecture, Jaehyun spends admiring you. His dead heart races in his chest every time he looks over to see that awestruck expression on your face. You’re so beautiful, and the fact that you’re admiring everything he shows you so far, along with how grateful you’ve been towards him, assures him that he’s made the best choice in choosing you as his fiancée.

Every so often, his hand will brush against your own as he walks with you through the castle. You cannot help the rush you feel each time he does this, his touch both innocent and teasing at the same time. Each brush only makes a subtle smirk pull at his own lips, knowing he already has such an effect on you.

All too soon, the afternoon comes to an end and he’s leading you back to your room for the evening. He’s told you that you’ll more than likely be meeting his mother tomorrow, so you should get as much rest as you can, considering how hectic the day has been for you.

“If you ever need me, I’m just down the hallway to your left,” he tells you, of which you find yourself nodding in response. “If an emergency ever arises, come and get me. No matter the time.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” you say, lips twitching upwards in a half smile. “Thanks.”

“Of course,” he returns your smile. “I’ll always be here for you.”

By now, the two of you have stopped just outside of your bedroom door. You stare deeply into his eyes, and you can see the sincerity reflected in them. Your lips part slightly as you take a small step backwards as he continues to stare intensely at you, almost as if he’s in a daze.

Before you know it, he’s blinking as if to clear his head while clearing his throat, “well, I’ve got a few things to attend to before dinner. I’ll have someone bring you something to eat for then. In the meantime, feel free to do whatever you’d like, just let Maria know where you’ll be.”

“Sounds good,” you smile once more.

“See you later, Princess,” he grins, grabbing your hand in order to place a gentle kiss onto the back of it, successfully making your face warm. Without another word, he takes his leave.

Watching his figure disappear down the hallway, you let out a blissful sigh. Lunch was enjoyable, and you can’t wait to see what else he has in store for you. Not only that, but you can’t wait to further explore the castle and find your favourite spots. Hopefully you can find a little nook to read some of the books from the massive library that caught your eye while you explored with Jaehyun.

Entering your room, you bite your lip. The only thing you’re particularly nervous about would be meeting his mother. Based off of what he’s told you about her so far, she can be very picky about mannerisms, and it can be difficult for anyone new to impress her. Maybe that’s what Minho meant by no one new has come to the palace for a long time. You just hope you can make a good impression, or at least good enough for her to at least tolerate you. After all, if you’re to marry her son, having her like you would be a huge success.

“You okay there?” Maria’s voice manages to pull you out of your own thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” you reply absentmindedly, walking further into the room as the door falls shut. Your brow furrows slightly as you notice Greta isn’t with her this time. “Where’s Greta?”

Maria stiffens ever so slightly, “she has this afternoon and evening off.”

“Ah, makes sense,” you nod, moving to sit on your bed.

“Is there anything I can get for you, Miss?” She asks politely.

“Not at the moment, thank you,” you shoot her a grateful smile. “I think I might just nap, I am a bit sleepy.”

“Alright, well, I’ll help you change,”

“No need, I can do it myself,”

“No, please, I insist,” she’s already begun to move around your room and grabs a fresh set of clothes for you to change into. “After all, it’s what I’m here for.”

“Well, okay,” you sigh softly, allowing Maria to help you change.

Once done, the two of you just sit together in your room talking about anything and everything. She tells you that her family has always served the Jung’s for as long as she can remember, but she doesn’t mind it here. Apparently, the job pays really well, and they get ample time off.

Before you know it, there is a knock on your door and another servant is there holding a tray for you piled high with plates containing your evening meal. You thank them and move to take the tray from their hands, but they insist on putting it down for you. They set everything up for you on the table in your room before bowing respectively and leaving you to your own with Maria still patiently standing off to the side.

Sitting back down, your eyes rake over the food now resting in front of you. This is one of your favourite meals, but Jaehyun couldn’t possibly know that. Could he?

“The Prince made special preparations for you before you came,” Maria says, noticing your stare.

“This is my favourite dish,” you comment.

“I take it everything is to your liking, then?” She smiles.

“Of course, but I still don’t understand how he knows this is my favourite dish,” you say.

“If I’m not mistaken, I believe he was informed by your mother,”

“He’s talked with my mom?” Your eyes widen slightly in surprise.

“Oh, I mean, Minho was told by your mother, who in turn told Prince Jaehyun when he got back to the palace today,” Maria is quick to correct herself.

“Ah, I see,” you turn back to the food spread out in front of you. “Oh my! Where are my manners? Would you like anything?”

Maria almost looks caught off guard by your offer of sharing your food with her, “oh, no, thank you! I couldn’t.”

“Nonsense,” you shake your head, pushing one of the many side dishes over to her. “I don’t like eating alone, anyways.”

“Are you sure?” Her voice is hesitant, gnawing her bottom lip in worry.

“Of course,” you confirm. “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”

“Thank you, Miss,” she graciously accepts the dish, grabbing a set of utensils to join you in eating.

You simply smile at her in response, happy to be sharing your favourite meal with someone else. Her presence brings you comfort in this still unfamiliar place, of which you know will take some getting used to, despite the tour you took today. After all, you are alone, and far from home.

Meanwhile, Jaehyun paces in his study. He sent Minho to gather Greta for him just before you came to meet him downstairs for lunch that day. He overheard what she told you, and to say he was not impressed would be an understatement. Is she trying to make him look bad in front of you? No matter, he’ll dispose of the problem soon enough.

“Minho, I still don’t understand what’s going on-“ Greta’s voice gets caught in her throat once she is escorted inside the study to see Jaehyun now leaning against his desk with his arms crossed.

“Your Highness,” she bows respectively. “How may I be of service to you?”

“I have a favour to ask of you, Greta,” the way he says her name sends a shiver of fear running down her spine: full of venom and malice.

“Y-yes, sir, what is it?” Her blood is rushing through her. She’s heard of the Prince’s famous glare but never having been on the receiving end, there’s nothing that could have prepared her for the look of bloodlust in his eyes that came about so suddenly.

“I want you to run, Greta,” he pushes himself off the edge the desk, staring directly into her eyes, “and run far.”

A gasp escapes her lips. He heard.

“Well?” He hums, tauntingly, amusement shining in his eyes as he stares at her now trembling form. “What are you waiting for? That’s an order.”

With a shaky nod from her, she’s bustling out of the room and down the hallway. He can still hear the sound of her racing heart even after she makes it to the floor below him.

The malicious grin never leaves his lips as he begins to make his way out of his study. Currently, he is a predator stalking their prey. This’ll be fun, he hasn’t had to chase his prey in a while, and he cannot wait to tear into her throat. How dare she even suggest that you run from him. He would never hurt you.

Anyone else, on the other hand? Fair game.

“Are you really sure this is necessary, my Prince?” Minho nervously watches Jaehyun as he passes through the doorway into the hall.

“Of course,” Jaehyun smiles, but it only serves to unnerve Minho as Jaehyun’s eyes flash red in the next moment. “She nearly lost me what is mine.”

In the blink of an eye, Jaehyun is gone from his sight, and Minho can only breathe a sigh of relief that he’s left unharmed this evening. Once Jaehyun sets his mind to something, there is no changing it. No one can stop him when he’s on a warpath, and Minho is just glad that he isn’t on the receiving end of one of the Prince’s violent episodes.

It takes Jaehyun mere seconds to catch up with Greta, who has been able to make it into the grand foyer before the main doors. He slams her against the wall, hearing a few of her bones fracture due to the impact. Her whimpers and pleas for her own life fall on deaf ears, even as more servants shuffle passed. They all know not to get involved, lest they want to suffer the same fate as Greta. Too many have learned that the hard way.

The last thing she sees is Jaehyun’s malicious smirk, fangs on full display as he tears into her throat. Once he’s sure she’s dead, he tosses her body aside, letting the blood spill over the floor. He spits the chunk of her neck he has in his mouth onto her body, a look of pure disgust on his face as he glares down at her corpse.

“Somebody clean this mess up,” he snarls out as he turns his back to her body. The others are frozen in fear, but his growl manages to have a few snapping immediately to their senses and rushing over to Greta’s dead body. “Now!”

He doesn’t stick around to see if they remove her or not, opting to head straight to his room for the evening. He wants to see you again, but he knows that it might be too soon. Besides, with his emotions heightened at the moment, he would potentially be putting you in danger. At least he’ll still be able to smell your scent, and hear whatever it is that you’re doing. That’s enough for him, for now.

A smile tugs at his lips as he faintly hears you conversing with Maria about something that happened to you during your childhood. He knew placing Maria with you as your personal assistant would be a good idea. Greta was his mother’s choice, and he had a feeling she was going to be nothing but a nuisance for him. Nothing is going to get in his way of winning your heart. Nothing. Everything has to go according to plan.

The following morning, he does a brief check of the front foyer to make sure everything has been cleaned properly, and that nothing remains of the events of that previous evening. The last thing he wants is for you to see something like that. Seeing that it’s been cleared of any evidence, he smiles, making his way back upstairs to finally greet you for the day.

To be quite honest, he is a little nervous himself for you to meet his mother. She didn’t exactly approve of him essentially stalking you, what he just calls taking a keen interest in making sure you’re doing alright. If Greta was any indication of how his mother will act, he knows she’ll probably devise a plan to take you away from him, or worse, make you afraid of him. After all, she knows exactly how her son can be.

Knocking gently on your door, he can hear your soft footfalls as you walk closer to him. He can’t wait to see you, and when you open the door to reveal yourself he most certainly is not disappointed with what he sees. How you look more beautiful every time he sees you is a mystery to him. One thing he knows for sure though, is that you’ve enchanted him since the moment he first laid eyes on you.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he smiles, noticing how you react positively to his words.

“Good morning,” you greet back politely, a small smile gracing your own features.

“Did you sleep well?” He asks, noticing Maria has already remade your bed.

“Quite,” you nod, smile only widening as you look at him. “Did you?”

“I did indeed,” he hums in response, though he would have slept better if you were in his arms. “Are you ready for today?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” you let out a nervous chuckle as you step into the hallway, closing the door gently behind you.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be with you the whole time,” he assures you, extending his arm out for you to loop yours with his. “Let’s get going.”

“Yes, let’s,” you hum back, taking his arm as you begin to walk down the hallway. “Any advice for me before we meet you mother?”

“Just be your usual charming self, and I’m sure you’ll be fine,” he squeezes your arm slightly, causing you to look over to already see him smiling at you.

You say nothing but choose to nod in understanding. You just hope your usual charming self doesn’t do or say anything that might embarrass you.

The two of you make idle chat as you make your way to the throne room to meet his mother. He manages to make you laugh, loosening your tense shoulders slightly as you relax the more he’s able to distract you. The whole time, he observes you fondly, glad to know that he can ease your nerves slightly, even if you’ve only officially known each other for a day. If only he could help you to relax in any and every other way he knows how.

All too soon, you’ve arrived just outside the doors to the throne room. Minho already stands waiting outside the grand set of double doors for the two of you, announcing your arrival to the queen as the doors part for you to walk through.

Your heart races in your chest, nerves momentarily returning as you’re faced with the task at hand. This is one of the most important moments in your mind, for if his mother doesn’t approve of you, you do not know what will happen. That being said, you want to make sure to make the best impression you can on his mother, no matter what happens.

Walking into the room, you see his mother already sitting on her throne, watching the two of you as you approach where she is seated. Her gaze is scrutinizing, though it seems as if she’s watching he son more closely than she’s watching you. A fact which confuses you slightly since you would have assumed she would be more interested in how you hold yourself around her son rather than how her son holds himself around you. However this may be, you’re only grateful for the momentary relief you feel as you finally stop just before her throne.

“Mother, I’d like to formally introduce you to the woman whom I’d like to become my betrothed,” Jaehyun introduces you, telling her your name shortly after.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Majesty,” you say, bowing politely in introduction to the queen.

“Please, Your Majesty sounds so formal,” the queen waves her hand slightly in the air as if dismissing the remark before leaning forwards slightly in her throne, “call me Cathy.”

“Huh,” you muse, “like mother, like son.”

“Oh?” Cathy’s amusement is clear on her face as she looks from Jaehyun over to you.

“Yes,” you confirm. “It seems not liking titles runs in the family. Jaehyun’s also told me to call him by his name instead of his title.”

“Has he now?” Cathy leans back, eyeing her son suspiciously. That’s very unlike her son, as he only ever allows people to call him by his title, no matter who they may be. You must be important to him then, a fact which only causes her worry for you to grow. None of her son’s other playthings ever got to address him by his first name. “And has he been treating you alright so far?”

Jaehyun’s eyes narrow ever so subtly at his mother, for he knows what game she’s playing. Like hell she’ll catch him slipping up.

“He’s been nothing but a gentleman since I’ve arrived,” you respond, and if your words don’t fill his chest with pride, nothing else will. He can hardly wait for you to see what else he has in store for you.

“I see,” she hums, placing her hands gracefully in her lap.

“I’d also just like to thank you very much for your hospitality, and for letting me stay at the palace during this time,” you bow deeply once more. “Thank you.”

“Of course, sweetie,” she smiles. “Anything for the one my little Jaehyunnie has been so obsessed with lately.”

“Mother,” Jaehyun’s reaction is a warning to her, but to you it just sounds like a boy being embarrassed by his mom.

You giggle, and normally he would think it’s the sweetest sound, if not for the circumstances. “So I’ve heard.”

“Ah, I see,” Cathy grins. “He’s already told you all about how he-“

“Are you quite content, mother?” Jaehyun interrupts, eyes flashing his warning towards Cathy who only appears to be amused at his antics.

“Oh, indeed,” she smiles back, though you fail to register the malice hidden behind her lips. “I was only hoping to be joined by Miss (Y/n) here for some morning beverages. I’d love to get to know her better, if she’s alright with that, of course.”

Before Jaehyun can even respond, you’re already speaking, “I’d love that.”

“Excellent!” His mother stands, descending the stairs and coming to stand before you. Having her this close really makes you realize the amount of power and regality she possesses. She extends her hand out for you to take. “If you’d be so kind as to join me.”

“Of course! Thank you,” you take her hand, allowing her to lead you out of the throne room as your arm slips out of Jaehyun’s grasp. With one final glance back, you see Jaehyun already staring after you, an unreadable expression on his face.

Turning back around, you notice Cathy leading you towards the gardens. Once outside, you see a nice table already set up facing the fountain, some of the finest cups and plates already set on top. Letting go of your hand, she motions for you to sit with her, a servant already pouring what looks like a steaming cup of tea for each of you.

“Thank you,” you repeat your words from earlier once you’re seated, graciously accepting the cup that is handed to you.

“I’m so glad you could join me this morning for a little girl talk,” she smiles, tilting her own cup in your direction in a mock ‘cheers’ gesture, of which you mirror.

“It’s nice to be invited,” you reply, taking a sip of your drink.

“I want you to know that you can come to me for anything, dear,” she says, looking you directly in your eyes and you’re momentarily stunned by how sincere she looks. “Absolutely anything.”

“Oh my,” you blink a few times in surprise, “that’s awfully kind of you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good,” her gaze lessens in intensity, allowing for your shoulders to relax slightly, not that you had even been aware of tensing them. “I know how my son can be, so your safety and happiness is my number one priority.”

“Thank you,” is all you can say, and you’re starting to feel like a broken record, but you truly are grateful for her words. Though, you don’t quite know exactly what she means by her most recent ones. Jaehyun, to you, seems like a really nice, caring guy, so the knowing look she sends you when she says that only serves to confuse you. Besides, she seems a lot nicer than what Jaehyun had made her out to be, of which you find a bit strange. Perhaps she’s just putting up a nice front for your sake at the moment. Either way, you’ll make sure not to do anything that would warrant her to dislike you.

“So, tell me about yourself,” Cathy sips her tea, leaning back in her seat to get comfortable as she watches you.

The rest of the morning is spent with the queen, getting a feel for each other and learning all about the other. She listens intently to everything you have to say and she looks genuinely so intrigued by you. The more time you spend with her, the more you seem to relax around her. She’s nothing like how Jaehyun described, which only makes you believe that that’s his familial side talking. Perhaps they’re not as close as the media makes them out to be.

By the time lunch rolls around, you find yourself eating alongside the Queen in the dining room, Jaehyun nowhere to be seen. Noticing your curious gaze, she mentions that he has some diplomatic council meeting to attend to, but he’ll probably be joining you for dinner that evening. You simply nod in response, continuing on with your conversation with the Queen.

Another hour passes with you spending time with Cathy, and the both of you enjoy this so much that you plan to make your little girl talk a weekly thing. You end up leaving with a smile on your face, as if a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders as you head back to your room. Honestly, you cannot wait for next week to be able to spend more time with the Queen, as she’s nothing at all like you were expecting. It’ll be nice to have another person that you can consider a friend while you’re staying here.

Making it back to your room, you’re greeted by Maria who seems to have been patiently waiting for your return. She asks you how your day has been so far, and you tell her honestly that you had a lovely morning with the Queen.

“I’m a little surprised though,” you admit.

“Why’s that?” She asks, brow furrowing in slight concern.

“Jaehyun told me that she was a hard woman to please,”

“Really?” Her voice comes out in mild disbelief. From what she knows of the Queen, she’s a lovely person through and through. The Prince on the other hand… though she would never tell you that. Not that she could without risk of losing her life and everything she holds dear.

“Still, I’m glad we made such a connection today,” you smile. “That’s good, right? Getting his mom to like me is a step in a positive direction.”

“Of course, Miss,” Maria returns your smile, though it seems a bit forced. She has to be extra careful around you now with how she acts and what she says, after all, by now, every servant in the castle has heard of what happened to Greta last night.

“By the way, how’s Greta doing? I haven’t seen her since yesterday,” you wonder aloud, almost missing the way Maria’s shoulders seem to tense at the inquiry.

“Oh, uh, about that,” Maria says, eyes shifting nervously around the room. She’s just grateful she’s facing away from you at the moment. “Greta took a vacation to go visit her family, so she won’t be back for a while.”

“Ah, I see,” you hum. “That’s nice, hopefully she has a lovely time with her family.”

If only you knew what kind of condition she was in when her body was sent back to her family. Maybe then you would have heeded her warnings.

“Yeah,” Maria replies, somewhat breathless. “Hopefully.”

The next few weeks pass by in a blur for you, each day bringing about a new adventure with Jaehyun. So far, he makes you very happy, and you’re beginning to settle into things at the castle. You especially look forward to the weekly girl talk dates with Cathy, of which she’s asked you to start calling her ‘mom’. Each time she does, you smile shyly and your heart warms, though when you told Jaehyun, he seemed quite shocked.

You’ve also discovered that some of the servants are humans and others are vampires, which was a bit of a surprise to you since you thought all of the servants were humans. At least most of the one’s you’ve encountered so far are. They’ve all been super nice to you, except for the odd one that either looks at you with pity or worry in their eyes. A few even go so far as to attempt to warn you against something, but Jaehyun always appears before they can finish whatever it is that they have to tell you. Whenever this happens, you can never understand the fear that seems to take hold of their body, eyes pleadingly looking towards Jaehyun. Oddly enough, you usually never encounter them again, only hearing brief mention of their names from passing servants.

Of course Jaehyun won’t tell you the amount of teeth he’s pulled, eyes he’s gouged out, or even tongues he’s cut off because of this. No, never. He always has to be the perfect prince in your eyes, keeping you blind to everything that might scare you away from him.

What really sets him off one day is when the two of you had just come back from riding your horses through the grounds. The stable hand, Shotaro, had given you a hand helping you off of your horse. Instead of Jaehyun being the one to help you, he was forced to watch as another male held your hand delicately and smiled at you softly.

Having had a few previous interactions with the vampiric stable hand, you thought nothing of this. A simple friendly gesture to you was near treason in Jaehyun’s eyes. Only he should be able to touch you like that. How else is he supposed to charm you and show you how much of a gentleman he can be towards you? How he can provide for you, even in the most basic of ways?

Luckily, Maria was waiting to lead you back to the castle in order for your weekly girl talk with the Queen. Using this opportunity as you’re walking away, Jaehyun rounds on Shotaro, already seeing the vampire visibly stiffen at the deathly gaze that is sent his way. In the blink of an eye, Jaehyun is in front of him, grasping the same hand Shotaro used to help you down from the horse.

“Scream, and I will end you,” Jaehyun seethes, not giving a second thought as he crushes Shotaro’s hand in his grip, hearing the bones snapping beneath the pressure. The tears he sees threatening to fall from this pest’s eyes only serve to widen the sadistic smile on Jaehyun’s face. “If you ever touch what’s mine again, your hand won’t be the only part of you I shatter. Do I make myself clear?”

“Y-yes, my Prince,” Shotaro stutters out, fear pouring off of him from every angle.

“Now, you better go get that hand of yours fixed up,” Jaehyun tilts his head slightly, a malicious gleam in his eyes. “We wouldn’t want any bones to set and start healing in the wrong place, now would we?”

“N-no, my Prince,” he shakes his head, clutching his broken hand to his chest as soon as Jaehyun releases his grip.

“Good,” Jaehyun hums, a dark expression taking over his features. “Now, get out of my sight.”

Immediately, Shotaro flees the scene, fearing the Prince might inflict more of his wrath upon him. How you haven’t noticed Jaehyun’s eccentric behaviour yet is a mystery. Then again, he purposely keeps you blind to everything bad about his personality, only willing to show you the good parts. Those good parts which are only reserved for you.

Meanwhile, you have just been softly conversing with Maria as she walks with you back up to the castle from the stables. It’s then that you realize that you’ve been walking alone with her for the past two minutes, causing your brow to furrow slightly.

“Where’s Jaehyun?” You verbalize your thoughts, and just as you’re about to turn around to look for him, you feel his comforting hand on the small of your back.

“Sorry to keep you waiting, I had to check up on something back at the stables,” his smile is dazzling and you can’t help but nod your head in understanding as you smile back at him.

Naturally, your arm slides around his, the two of you walking comfortably back into the castle with Maria at your heels. Soon enough, the two of you enter the throne room, a large smile breaking out onto your features as you greet the Queen. A smile which Jaehyun wants only for himself.

“Are you finally going to join us today, Jaehyunnie?” Cathy asks, standing from her seat and making her way towards the two of you.

“Oh, I’d love that,” you look towards him with a hopeful expression, eyes wide.

“Not today, unfortunately,” the look you’re giving him almost makes him change his mind immediately, the pout causing him to gently cup your cheek in his hand, running his thumb over your skin. “Maybe next time.”

“Alright,” you sigh, slightly disappointed. You love spending time with him, almost as much as he does with you. “You promise?”

“I promise,” he smiles, placing a gentle kiss onto your forehead as he reluctantly steps aways from you, only to see his mother observing him carefully. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Okay,” you respond, eyes following his figure as he turns and walks out of the room, gaze lingering ever so slightly on the doors even after they’ve closed behind him.

“Ready to go, dear?” Cathy’s voice manages to pull you out of your daze, you nodding in the next moment and following her out into the gardens for your weekly girl talk session.

The afternoon passes with the two of you conversing about how you’re liking staying at the palace so far. You tell her honestly that you’re having a wonderful time, and that everyone seems so nice, except for the odd few who seem to avoid you like the plague. She seemed to only hum in response at that, though you’re not quite sure why.

“How’s your family? Have you been writing to them like I suggested?” Cathy sips her drink, looking at you expectantly.

“Oh, I completely forgot,” you meant to send them a letter last week after she had suggested it, but you got caught up in the plans Jaehyun had made in the afternoon that you forgot all about it. Besides, he didn’t quite look too enthused when you mentioned writing to them, but that could just be your faulty memory. “I should write them today, I do miss them greatly.”

“Would you like to visit them?”

“I’d love to,” you smile softly, not believing it to be possible. “But-“

“Excellent! I’ll make arrangements for you to visit them tomorrow,” Cathy interjects, a chipper expression on her face.

“I don’t know how to thank you enough,” at this point you know not to question her decisions.

“Nonsense,” she places her hand gently on top of yours which has been resting on the table between the two of you. “It’s the least I can do. After all, with how much you talk about your family, I can tell they’re important to you.”

“They are,” you confirm, looking over to meet her fond gaze.

“You have a kind heart, (Y/n),” she hums, shifting her gaze to look out over the garden. “Guard it well.”

You can only smile in return, thoughts running wild as to you finally being able to go visit your mother and your sister since you first arrived at the palace two months ago. Finally, you’ll be able to catch up with them and tell them all about what’s been going on in your life. Maybe if you’re lucky, you can introduce Jaehyun to them as well.

That evening, after Jaehyun has bid you a goodnight, he storms into his mother’s chambers. Throwing the doors open, a loud bang reverberates throughout the room, a few passing servants looking on in fear. Sending a dangerous look their way, Jaehyun manages to scare them off before rounding on his mother.

“You promised to let her see her family tomorrow?” He seethes, voice booming as there’s no fear you may overhear. After all, your room is all the way on the opposite side of the castle.

“Oh, Jaehyunnie, what a pleasant surprise for you to drop by to finally come visit your dear mother,” she feigns interest, sparing him a side glance before going back to her nightly routine.

“Spare the small talk, mother,” he spits, brows furrowed in anger. “Why would you do something like this?”

“Are you that obsessed with isolating the poor girl?” Cathy hums, tilting her head questioningly at her son. “She needs to socialize with other people, she can’t just stay around you the whole time.”

“I’m the only one she needs,” his voice is low, a growl threatening to rise up his throat. “The only one she’ll ever need.”

“You do not own her,”

“I know,” he snaps. “I’ve worked too damn hard to let her go now.”

“You have a lot to realize before you should even think about calling her yours,” Cathy states, hearing her son let out the growl that he had been holding back this whole time. She only looks amused by his reaction. “You cannot control her.”

“Everything’s gone according to plan thus far,” he retorts, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Besides a few minor set backs which have been disposed of.”

“Ah, yes,” she muses. “I’d appreciate if you stopped mutilating my servants, let alone killing them.”

“It’s no less than they deserve,” he counters.

“And what does your beloved think about that side of you?”

A brief moment of silence settles around the room, speaking volumes in Cathy’s eyes, until he breaks it.

“She doesn’t know,” Jaehyun watches his mother move around her room carefully, eyes narrowed in distaste. “She never will."

“My child, there will come a day when her eyes are opened to see your true colours,” Cathy warns, pausing in her step to turn and look down upon Jaehyun with her nose upturned.

“Is that a threat, mother?” His eyes hold a crazed look in them at the mere idea of you finding out the truth. Hell, even the thought of you being taken away from him sets his instincts into overdrive, causing his eyes to bleed red and another growl to escape his throat.

“It’s not a threat if I only speak the truth,” she replies calmly, only causing his anger to flare more than it already has. “Do not expect her to return with you after visiting her family tomorrow. I have been keeping in touch with them regarding this entire situation and they know the lengths you are willing to go to ensnare her. The lengths you have already gone. I don’t know what you told Minho to tell her mother that first day that has her so terrified of the consequences, but her sister, Lori, was it? She seems to have a level head on her shoulders.”

Jaehyun’s blood boils, eyes filling with fury as they remain red, “you’ve been doing what?”

“Warning them about you and devising a plan to free the lovely Miss (Y/n) from your clutches,” her brow quirks as she watches her son fume before her very eyes.

“I’ll kill them if they so much as even try,” he hisses, chest heaving with every breath as he is thrown into this situation. He’s come this far, there’s no way he’s letting you go now.

“Not if I have anything to do with it,” Cathy’s voice is steady, firm in her command of the room. “Enough blood has already been spilt on your account.”

“Clearly, there hasn’t been enough,” Jaehyun growls, eye flashing once more at his mother.

Rising to her full height, the Queen does not take the underlying threat from her son lightly, “you dare threaten me? Let’s not forget who brought you into this world and who taught you all that you know. Be careful, boy, lest your ambitious lust go to your head.”

“I don’t care who you may be to me, mother,” he seethes, straightening his back and matching her ferocity with his own, “but if you so much as even attempt to take what’s mine away from me, I’ll kill you.”

Without another word between them, Jaehyun is storming out of his mother’s room, leaving her standing with a shocked expression on her face. Never, in all of her long years of putting up with his antics has she ever seen him look this serious, this deadly about something in her life. Her worry only grows for you as she thinks of what he may have in store for you in the future. Going forward, she’ll have to be extra cautious, preparing herself for whatever her son has planned to come.

The next morning, you wake up bright and early, excited to finally go visit your family again after being away from them for so long. You hardly got any sleep at all last night, considering how excited you are. Being able to catch them up to everything going on in your life will be like a dream come true, and besides, you never did get your clothes from your mom that she promised to send to the palace, and you really miss your favourite sweater.

“You’re awfully happy this morning,” Maria comments as she does your hair for the day.

“I am,” you agree. “I haven’t seen my family in months and I can’t wait to introduce them to Jaehyun.”

“That’ll be lovely!” Maria replies, though you catch her grimace in the mirror.

“What is it?” You question, eyes wide with concern.

“Nothing to worry yourself about,” she tells you, shrugging off your inquiries.

“Clearly it’s something,” you counter, to which she sighs.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Prince will not be joining you right away this morning,” Maria admits, to which your expression drops slightly.

“Oh,”

“But don’t worry! He told me to tell you that he’d be along as soon as he can,” Maria continues, giving your shoulders a quick rub in encouragement. “He just has a few things to tend to first. You know, political duties and such.”

“I understand,” you nod, still visibly disappointed you won’t be arriving at the same time, nor travelling together this morning.

“Come on, dear, let’s get you changed,” she gives your shoulders one final pat before leading you to the closet to finish getting you ready for the day.

After a quick breakfast with the Queen, you’re being ushered into the back of a car to head back home for the day. The whole car ride over feels like an eternity, the scenery not being able to distract you one bit.

Restless wouldn’t even begin to be able to describe you, your eyes flitting everywhere inside the car, then out the window, only to repeat the same process over and over again. Even your leg hasn’t stopped bouncing in anticipation, fingers toying with the edge of your shirt just to have something to do.

Eventually, after what feels like hours to you, you arrive in a familiar neighbourhood. Once the car is parked, you step out onto a familiar driveway, a smile gracing your features as you breathe in the fresh air. The driver has only been instructed to drop you off since Jaehyun will be by later, accompanied by Minho to take you back to the palace. Once he sees you’re safe, he’s starting the engine once more and pulling out of the driveway. This way you can have some privacy before the Prince arrives. Cathy made sure of that.

Making your way up your front porch, there’s a slight spring to your step, pushing open the front door in the next moment and calling out a cheerful ‘I’m home’! Oh, how good it feels, too.

“(Y/n)?” You hear your mother’s voice sound from the kitchen before her head is peeking out from the doorway, eyes wide with disbelief. “Is that you?”

“Hey, mom,” you greet, kicking off your shoes and running over to embrace her, her arms already spread open in anticipation.

“It’s so good to see you again, sweetie,” she says, hugging you even closer than before, almost as if she’s afraid you’ll disappear in a moment’s notice. “When the queen sent notice last night of you coming to visit this morning, I could hardly believe it.”

“More like you couldn’t believe it,” Lori’s voice sounds from the entranceway behind you, causing a large grin to spread on your face as you turn around to face your younger sister. “Where’s the Prince? I’m surprised you two aren’t joined at the hip.”

You roll you eyes at this, “it’s lovely to see you, too, Lori. I’ve missed you so much.”

She merely sticks her tongue out at you in response, coming over to squish you in a hug in the next second. “Yeah, yeah, I missed you, too.”

Despite her grumbling, you can tell she means what she says, if the tightness of her hug is anything to go by. You can tell she’s also missed teasing you, just as you’ve missed teasing her.

“If you must know,” you say, pulling away from Lori after a long hug. “Jaehyun will be coming by later, he’s just got a few things to attend to first. He sends his regards, though, for the time being.”

“Wow, first name basis with the Prince,” Lori whistles lowly. “That’s a shocker considering I’ve heard that he doesn’t let just anyone call him that.”

“Lori,” your mother shoots a warning look at your sister.

“What? It’s the truth,” she shrugs, only causing you to chuckle.

“Well, we are pretty close,”

“I’ll say,” Lori hums. “Speaking of, has he ever told you why he chose you, or how he even found out about you in the first place?”

“Lori, my word,” your mother shoots her another look, as if to tell her to quit while she’s ahead.

“Mom, it’s okay,” you chuckle, voice nothing but reassuring. “I always knew my little sister was concerned for me, no matter how badly she tries to hide it. As a matter of fact, yes. I have asked him before.”

“And?” She motions with her hand for you to continue.

“He told me that one day while he was out he saw me and overheard the conversation I was having with Jaemin - remember how we always banter back and forth?” Seeing her nod, you continue, “anyways, he apparently appreciated my wit and humour and decided to learn more about me. Well, here we are.”

The smile you send your mother and sister only serves to unnerve them slightly. They’ve been told not to tell you that Jaemin has gone missing since you’ve left for the palace.

“You believe him?” Lori gives you a ‘really’ look, brow quirked in disbelief.

“I have no reason not to,” you shrug.

By now, the two of you have sat down at the kitchen table, your mother busy with preparing lunch for all of you.

“You know how crazy that sounds, though, right?” She goes on to say. “After eavesdropping on your conversation he suddenly wants you to move to the palace so he can make you his wife? That’s very strange.”

“I mean, I was a little weirded out at first, but after he explained himself I felt better,” you say, leaning back slightly in your chair in order to relax. “I trust him.”

At your words, Lori only seems even more suspicious, your mother distracting you long enough for her to hide her concern.

“That’s nice, dear,” she smiles at you. “You must really like him, then.”

You hum in agreement, “I really do.”

“So,” your mother begins, sitting down to join you two at the table as the food heats up on the stove, “tell us everything.”

It takes you about an hour and a half to explain everything that’s happened to you since your arrival at the castle all those weeks ago. The whole while, your mother and sister listen patiently to what you have to say, chiming in here and there with little comments of their own. Your mother seems happy for you, but you can tell your sister isn’t all that convinced. Her comment about the Prince not being everything he seems to be certainly is enough to rub you the wrong way, putting a slight damper on your mood the longer you spend at home.

“All I’m just saying is that he seems too nice, from what you’re telling me,” her eyes hold the same suspicion you can hear clearly in her voice.

“He’s given me no reason to suspect otherwise,” you counter, a slight furrow to your brows.

“Yet he’s never once suggested visiting us, and when you do, he’s nowhere to be found,” Lori quirks a brow at you.

“It’s not his fault he has duties to attend to,” you defend him, upset that your sister doesn’t seem nearly as happy for you as you thought she’d be.

“Does he always have ‘duties’ to attend to when there’s something you want to do?” A knowing look is sent your way, as if she already knows how you’re going to answer. “If you’re always alone there, then why don’t you just come home? It sounds to me like you’d be better off that way, anyways.”

“No!” You immediately counter, crossing your arms in front of your chest, hurt that your own sister would even suggest something like this. “That’s not the case. He’s been nothing but caring and respectful towards me since I got there. I don’t expect him to wait on me hand and foot all the goddamn time. It’s nice having some space every once in a while, too.” You can tell you’ve momentarily stunned her with your answer as she looks at you, dumbfounded. Taking this opportunity, you continue, “if all you’re going to do is shit on my happiness, then I won’t bother to come home at all. I care about him and I know he cares about me, and all you’re doing is making your jealousy clear. I don’t want to move back home, I want to stay with him. I-“ you swallow, gathering your courage to utter your next words, “I’m in love with him.”

A soft gasp leaves your mother’s lips, “sweetie.”

“What?” You turn your attention to look at her, noticing how she’s already staring at you with an unreadable expression on her face, your sister sitting frozen in her spot at your admission.

“You love him,” comes your sister’s voice. Not a question, but a mere statement of facts, of which causes you to gape slightly before closing your mouth and steadying yourself. You let out a breath that you didn’t realize you’d been holding.

“I do,” you confirm, staring both women down as they stare back at you. Your mother with a dumbfounded expression, your sister with a stern gaze that feels as if it’s boring into your soul.

A moment of silence passes over the three of you as they let your confession sink in, only interrupted by a soft knock at the door.

“I’ll get it,” your mother sighs, heading towards the front door to see who it could be.

“He has you wrapped around his finger, doesn’t he?” Lori sighs, causing whatever last thread of patience you had to snap at her remark.

Your snappy retort dies in your throat as soon as you hear a familiar masculine voice coming from the front door, Jaehyun politely introducing himself to your mother after being invited inside.

“Speak of the devil, and he shall appear,” Lori mutters, shaking her head.

In an instant, you’re standing, the scraping of your chair against the floor enough to cause Lori to look up at you in surprise at the sudden action. You say nothing as you head out of the kitchen and towards the front door, Lori following shortly afterwards with a frown prominent on her face.

To everyone’s surprise, you start to slip on your shoes. Out of the corner of your eyes, you see Minho shoot you a worried look while your mother and sister share a glance. However, none look as concerned as Jaehyun does right now.

“Is everything alright?” He asks lowly, hand finding purchase on your lower back as you right yourself after fixing your one shoe.

“Fine,” you respond shortly, to the surprise of everyone in the room. “Thanks for lunch, mom. It was really nice seeing you again.”

You move over to give her a brief hug. It takes her a moment to return it, unsure of what exactly has transpired in the past minute to have you rushing out of the door so soon. You seemed so excited for them to meet the Prince earlier, so this only serves to increase her worry.

“Of course, dear,” she answers. “Is everything okay?”

You pull away, giving her a tight smile, “just a bad headache, is all.”

“Are you sure you don’t just want to lie down for a bit? You just got here,” she frowns, worry evident on her features along with a hint of what looks like sadness.

“I’m sure,” you reply, sending her a weak smile in return.

One thing you’ve always been horrible at is hiding your emotions. Anyone can read them clear as day on your face, especially right now. That’s one thing Jaehyun has learned about you during your stay at the palace, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t find out what happened. For now, he’ll simply go along with your wishes, playing the part of the concerned lover. Good thing, too, otherwise if a moment longer had passed, he probably would have torn Lori’s head from her shoulders for causing you such distress.

Even though he’s only just entered the house, he’s been outside far longer than any of you have suspected. Of course he overheard what the three of you had been talking about, and your family’s attitudes certainly rubbed him the wrong way. He knows his own mother definitely has something to do with the way Lori is acting. Thank fuck she won’t be a problem any more.

The only good thing his mind has latched onto at the moment is your loving confession. He has to remind himself to stay in control of his emotions for the time being, lest he want his plans to be ruined. After all, things are going far better than he could have ever hoped on this end.

“Okay, sweetie, if you’re sure,” even though she doesn’t look convinced, she doesn’t push the issue. “Come and visit again soon!”

“We will,” you give her another small smile that doesn’t quite reach your eyes.

Giving one final nod to your mother, you hardly even spare Lori a final glance as you bid her farewell, the both of them waving goodbye to you from the front porch. Once seated in the backseat of the car beside Jaehyun, you let out a sigh.

“Is everything okay, Princess?” His voice holds nothing but concern as he motions for Minho to raise the privacy screen.

You finally meet his gaze, and he curses whoever was the one to cause you pain, “honestly, not really.”

He shifts closer, placing a comforting hand on your knee, “did you want to talk about it?”

A few moments pass by in silence as you attempt to calm yourself down. Taking a deep breath, you meet his gaze once more.

“She called you a devil,” he inhales sharply at your words, feigning shock. “And I know how much you hate that word, let alone being called such a thing. I just couldn’t sit there and listen to any more of Lori’s bullshit slander of you.”

“I see,” he says, lips tugging downwards in a frown. On the inside though, he’s surprised that you even remembered him telling you that offhandedly one of the first times you went horseback riding together. It warms his heart that you would remember a detail like that of himself. Though, this only serves to confirm to him even further that you’re perfect for each other.

“I’m sorry,” you apologize for your family’s behaviour. “I just couldn’t stand how she was talking about you, or the fact that I felt like they were invalidating my feelings.”

“It’s not your fault,” he assures you, shifting so that his hand can now gently stroke your back as you lean forward to rest your elbows on your knees.

“I was looking forward to you meeting them, too,” you pout, disappointment clear in your voice. “I’m sorry about that.”

“It’s alright, Darling,” he sends you a reassuring smile. “If I’m being completely honest, I’m kind of glad we left early. I don’t think I would have had the heart to be proper company to your loved ones.”

This time, it’s your turn to look at him in concern, “is everything okay?”

“Not really,” he shoots you a weak smile, his facade cracking just as he had planned from the moment you decided to leave your house as soon as he had arrived. “No.”

“What’s wrong?” You cup his cheek tenderly, and he leans into your touch, briefly closing his eyes as he revels in the way your skin feels against his, though you take it as him seeking comfort for whatever it is he’s about to tell you.

“It’s my mother,” he pauses, swallowing a fake lump in his throat. “She’s been murdered.”

“Oh my god,” a gasp escapes your lips, a hand coming up to cover your mouth in shock.

“I was only just informed minutes before I arrived at your house,”

“Oh, Jaehyun,” your eyes hold nothing but sorrow as you embrace him, “I’m so sorry.”

“You’re doing an awful lot of apologizing today for things that aren’t your fault,” he comments, wrapping his arms securely around your waist as he pulls you closer into his chest.

“Still,” you whisper into his neck, “I’m sorry for your loss. Your mother was a wonderful person.”

A hum is all you receive in response, his grip tightening ever so subtly around you as he feels you start to shake slightly. He knew the two of you were close, but he wasn’t expecting you to shed actual tears when you learnt his mother had passed. Perhaps it’s the combination of emotions from your family mixed with this sudden news that has you curled up in his arms, seeking his comfort as much as you are comforting him. Either way, he’ll use this to his advantage, loving the feeling of having you pressed so close to him, clinging onto him like he’s the only one you’ll ever need.

Quietly, he shushes you, telling you that it’ll be alright. You’re quite surprised at how well he’s taking all of this, though you can tell he’s glad for the comfort you provide him during this time. However, what you fail to see is Jaehyun glancing briefly towards the window, eyes flashing as he catches his reflection in the glass. A look of smug content resides on his features as he continues to stroke your back in comforting circles.

You manage to fall asleep about halfway through the car ride back to the castle. Your head is resting on Jaehyun’s lap as he gently strokes his hand over your hair. A smile pulls at his lips when he hears you hum in content, shifting yourself closer to him in response.

Growing up the way he did, getting everything he ever wanted or could ever ask for, and hardly ever receiving punishments for his actions, he’s used to others shouting and crying about how unfair he can be. The amount of people he’s seen beg for their life with tears in their eyes has never made him blink one time. However, seeing you this upset, with tears in your eyes has made him promise himself to never see you cry again. You’re the only person in this universe he cannot stand to see in pain, and he will do anything and everything in his power to make sure that this never happens again. You deserve nothing but happiness, of which he knows only he can give you.

The news of the Queen’s death spreads throughout the nation like wildfire. Many demand answers as to how something like this could have happened, as well as who would do such a thing. Luckily, Jaehyun had prepared for this. A few servants, both human and vampire alike, that had tested his patience for far too long took the fall, information leaking that the murder was an inside job long planned out by said servants.

Jaehyun played his part well, condemning the criminals for their vile acts and taking his precious mother away from him, as well as the precious matriarch away from the citizens. The best part is that you were there the whole time comforting him and making sure he was okay.

Those were some of the best days for him, being able to stay by your side nearly twenty-four seven, being able to hold you in his arms as you slept beside him. Fuck, he can never get enough of you: your soft skin beneath his fingertips, the way your body feels pressed against his own, the way you stood by him and offered him condolence when he needed it, and especially the way you smell. There were a few times he nearly went feral during the night due to your scent spiking with arousal. He could tell you were having some pretty nice dreams about him, for the one time you moaned his name in your sleep, nearly driving him insane.

He only wishes he had done this sooner, maybe then your sister wouldn’t be even more suspicious towards him. The letters from her only seemed to increase after his mother’s death, but he has no time for them, nor does he even want to entertain them. Maybe then he can finally have you all to himself without worrying about what your stupid brat of a younger sister might do to take you away from him. No matter, he’ll make sure to dispose of her soon, if she doesn’t stay in line.

Approximately two weeks after his mother’s funeral, Jaehyun takes you on a small picnic beneath the willow tree that overlooks the gardens. The place is secluded enough that you know you won’t be disturbed. After all, after the commotion of the past few weeks, it’s nice to just get away for a while, especially with just the two of you.

Currently, his head is resting in your lap, the two of you finally able to relax and enjoy each other’s company without interruptions. Glancing down, Jaehyun catches your gaze.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look today yet?” He smiles softly up at you as he watches the evening sun kiss your skin.

“Hmm,” you pretend to ponder his question, gazing out over the gardens as you teasingly tap your chin. “I don’t think you have.”

“It’s a shame, then,” he clicks his tongue, shaking his head slightly. “All the stars in both heaven and on earth could never compare to your beauty.”

The way he looks at you, like you’re his entire world, sets your heart racing in your chest. You bite your lip, looking away bashfully.

Sitting up, he lets out a small chuckle at your reaction. How can you be so cute?

“Don’t hide that pretty face from me, Darling,” cupping your chin gently in his hand, he turns your head to face him, noticing how you avert your gaze slightly in embarrassment. Pride swells in his chest as he knows only he can get a reaction like this out of you. Only he can make you feel this way. “From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were the one for me.”

“Jae,” the whisper of his name from your lips sends a shiver down his spine.

“Getting to know you over these past few months has only confirmed my first thought I had of you,” he tells you, stroking his thumb slowly over your bottom lip as you watch him carefully.

“Oh?” Your gaze becomes hooded as you watch him, his own eyes focussed on the way his thumb is caressing your lip. “What might that be?”

“You’re perfect,” his voice is low, seductive, as he moves his hand to the back of your neck, thumb now stroking the nape.

“You must not have met many good people, then,” you lightly joke, the corner of your lip twitching upwards as your eyes flick to his lips, noticing how the space between the two of you grows ever smaller by the second.

“No,” he replies softly, “I haven’t.”

Your hand comes up to cup the side of his face, thumb rubbing his cheek tenderly as the two of you continue to stare into each other’s eyes. A moment of silence passes between the two of you before Jaehyun is breaking it.

“Can I kiss you?”

“I thought you’d never ask,”

You barely have time to finish your words when his lips are on yours, the hand he has placed on the back of your neck pulling you in closer. His touch is soft, lips delicate over your own, as if you’re the finest piece of glass that needs to be handled with the utmost care. Your eyes flutter shut.

This tender moment is enough to steal your breath away, something that Jaehyun never fails to do when you’re alone with him. How you got him of all people to fall for you is still a wonder, of which everyday you’re thankful for. Ever since he’s come into your life, you’ve never been happier. Each day with him is another where he makes you feel special. He cherishes you, just as you have come to cherish him, but more than all of that, he makes you feel loved.

Pulling away, he rests his forehead on yours, the hand on the back of your neck holding you in place as your eyes open to see him already gazing at you fondly.

“Like I said,” he breathes. “Perfect.”

“I could say the same about you,” you hum, pecking his lips once more and causing him to smile.

He hums back, content with how this evening is going so far, and with one final lingering kiss to your lips, he pulls away from you, albeit a bit reluctantly. If he’s honest with himself, he’s a bit nervous. The question he’s been meaning to ask you this entire evening sits at the tip of his tongue, unwilling to actually be formed into the proper words.

“I love you,” this is not the first time he’s told you this, but it still sets your heart aflutter. Maybe this time will be the time you say it back.

“I know,” you hum, lips tugging upwards as your eyes reflect the same love and want shining in his own.

“Even though we haven’t know each other all that long, no one makes me feel the way that you do,” he begins, again, somewhat nervously. You take his one hand into yours, letting him know he can take all the time he needs to in order to form the words he wants to say to you. “You mean the world to me, and I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life. I know it sounds ridiculous, but my life changed the day you stepped through those palace doors, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. You’ve changed my life for the better; you make me want to be a better man.”

“Jaehyun,” his name is but a whisper on your lips as he pulls out a ring from his pocket.

“Will you do me the honour of becoming mine?” He asks, gaze locking on yours as your hands come up to cover your mouth in shock.

All you can do at the moment is nod your head, a large smile breaking out onto your face before it morphs into a slight smirk as he slides the ring on your finger. “Does this mean I get to call you mine?”

“You can call me whatever you’d like,” he grins, eyes hooded as he pulls you onto his lap to admire the ring now glinting on your finger. “My perfect bride.”

Your giggle is like music to his ears as he pulls you in for another kiss. This one is more heated, full of passion and longing with an undertone of a promise of what is still yet to come.

Jaehyun could not be happier than he is in this moment with you. Everything has gone according to plan, and soon, he’ll get to call you his wife. Not that you would have had a choice in the matter, even if you had denied him. Now, you’re his, indefinitely, and nothing can change that. Now, he’s never letting you go.

As the sun begins to set in the distance, it’s your turn to rest your head on his thigh. He’s currently feeding you some red grapes, of which he’s been told are your favourite.

“What else we got?” You ask after a having a few more grapes.

“Hmm, let’s see,” he digs through the basket, pulling out and listing the different food options. “Why, do you not like the grapes?”

“I do, don’t get me wrong,” you smile reassuringly at him. “I’m just not the biggest fan of red grapes.”

“I thought they were your favourite,” Jaehyun replies, a small frown pulling at his features. Who was it again that told him that red grapes were your favourite? Ah, that’s right, Ben. If he had known they weren’t your favourite he would have never even dreamed of having them packed for you.

“Nah,” you scrunch your nose slightly while shaking your head. Jaehyun would think it’s cute were not for the situation he finds himself in. “Green grapes are where it’s at.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he smiles, though you don’t registered how it looks slightly forced.

Shooting him a smile back, the two of you turn your attention back to the sunset before you, making small comments here and there about the way the light reflects off of the surrounding areas. You feel completely at peace. Jaehyun on the other hand, is suffering from inner turmoil at this mistake. Something that is so small could have meant a world of difference to you, and the last thing he wants is to screw things up this far into your relationship. How is he supposed to be the perfect lover if he can’t even get your favourite foods correct?

The moment he bids you a goodnight and your door shuts behind him that evening, he’s speeding to the kitchen. The staff, whom had been finishing up for the day are startled by his sudden appearance. Immediately, they bow in respect, a few of the cook’s nerves spiking in fear that what they had prepared this evening did not please him.

“Where’s Ben?” His voice booms throughout the room, eyes deadly as they scan the area for the aforementioned man.

“He’s just gone to dispose of the trash, Your Highness,” one of the cooks tells him.

“How fitting,” he muses, already thumbing the coin in his pocket which he had grabbed from the cellar on the way here.

The side door to the kitchen creaks slightly when it opens, a lanky man walking through in the next moment. Sensing the tension in the kitchen, he freezes, the door falling shut behind him. Noticing Jaehyun standing at the opposite end of the counter, he immediately bows.

“Your Highness,”

“Red grapes, huh, Ben?” At Jaehyun’s words, Ben stiffens, already knowing something must have gone wrong for the Prince to be in the kitchen this late.

The rest of the staff share brief glances towards one another in confusion as they watch the scene before them play out. None are willing enough to move for fear of the Prince’s wrath.

“Do you know what this is?” Though his voice is calm, Jaehyun is far from it, only able to maintain his composure due to the fear radiating off of everyone in this room. He loves knowing the power he holds over each one of their insignificant little lives.

Ben eyes the coin now poised in Jaehyun’s hand warily, the metal glinting ever so slightly in the light of the kitchen.

“A coin, Your Highness,” Ben answers as Jaehyun looks at him expectantly, obviously wanting more than just that as his answer. “The ones which you use to pay us.”

“Very good,” he feigns amusement, eyes narrowing harshly in the next moment. “Now tell me, what’s the point in paying you when you provide me with the wrong information?”

Ben looks stunned momentarily, “I’m sorry, I don’t follow.

“Red grapes, Ben,” Jaehyun tuts. “Red. Grapes.”

It seems as if something clicks in his mind, “oh, yes, (Y/n)’s fav-“

“You dare speak her name in my presence?” Jaehyun’s voice booms, a few of the younger staff now visibly shaking in fear at his outburst. “Do not taint my love’s name with your tongue.”

“My apologies-“

“Silence, you scum,” he hisses between clenched teeth. Jaehyun’s anger currently knows no bounds, only serving to worsen the longer he has to deal with this situation. Taking a breath, he seems to visibly calm down slightly before speaking once more. “Did you know, Ben, that she prefers green grapes over red ones?”

It is then that Ben realizes his mistake. The information he had gathered proving insufficient and false. He starts to shake, unsure of what is to become of him now.

“I’m sorry, my Prince, it will not happen again,”

“You’re right,” Jaehyun smirks. “It won’t. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an engagement party to plan,” he turns to leave the kitchen, tossing the coin he’s holding in his hand in the air once before catching it between his fingers. “Oh, and somebody clean this mess up.”

In the blink of an eye, Jaehyun has flung the coin through Ben’s head, a dull thunk being the only sound heard as his now lifeless body falls to the floor. The whole kitchen remains silent, no one daring to even move a single muscle until Jaehyun has turned the corner, nothing but the coin embedded in the wall serving as a reminder of his presence mere moments ago.

The following week passes by in a blur to you, the whole castle bustling from the news of your confirmed engagement to the Prince. Now, there is cause for celebration instead of remaining in the period of mourning that had plagued the nation previously. You only wish his mother was still here to see it all.

You’ve planned to host an engagement party this coming Friday evening, and you can hardly wait. The two of you have been discussing plans for the event, and you don’t think you’ve smiled brighter than you have been these past few days. Jaehyun has been with you every step of the way, sharing in your excitement at the date grows near.

All too soon, the night of the party arrives and you’re dressed in the finest materials you’ve ever worn. Quite a few diplomats and vampires from surrounding kingdoms are coming to wish you a congratulations on your engagement to the Prince, and to say you’re nervous would be an understatement. You just hope you don’t make a fool of yourself in front of so many important people.

Jaehyun, on the other hand, cannot wait to show you off. Finally, he gets to profess his love for you in front of so many others, finally letting everyone know that you’re his and his alone. If anyone so much as dares to take you away from him, he’s prepared to do whatever it takes to keep you and make sure you never leave his side. Nothing, in all of the world, could tear the two of you apart.

Luckily, the evening goes by without a hitch, passing by much quicker than either of you two expect. Though, you have to say, you’re glad. With the way he’s been looking at you all night, the end of the party could not have come sooner.

Making your way back to your room, you think back to the events of the evening. A smile tugs at your lips as you recall the way the two of you danced, the way he held you close in his arms and made you feel loved. You couldn’t ask for a better man to have come to sweep you off of your feet. You only hope that the night doesn’t end here, and from the dark look you still see swimming in his eyes, you have a feeling that it’s only just begun.

With the way Jaehyun has been looking at you this entire evening, you swear he wants to eat you whole. His eyes are dark, a smirk on his lips as he backs you into the wall of your room, hands finding purchase on your hips as he leans into your neck, inhaling deeply.

“Fuck, you smell so good,” he breathes, eyes fluttering closed in bliss as he allows your scent to cloud his mind. A growl escapes him, finally allowing himself to indulge his fantasies, revelling in everything you. “All mine.”

You cannot deny the way your heart positively flutters at his words, and from the way his grip tightens, you can tell he is enjoying each and every one of your reactions. After weeks of tensions rising, interrupted moments and longing glances sent each other’s way, you know what you want, and you what you want, is him. Badly.

“I hope you don’t mind, Princess,” his voice is low, nose ghosting over the skin of your neck until his lips come to rest right beside your ear, “but tonight,” he hisses as you pull him closer, “tonight, I’m going to make you mine.”

Bringing his lips to yours, he steals a kiss, loving the way you hum approvingly in response. He loves all the reactions you’re giving him, he thinks they’re so cute. The way your heart is racing in your chest, excitement rolling off of you in waves, sets his own dead heart racing. He can smell your arousal building, a fact which only makes his chest swell, a growl of approval building from deep within.

He could get lost in you. The feeling of your lips on his, your scent, your touch. Everything about you drives him wild, and tonight, he finally gets to show you exactly what you mean to him. He’ll treat you like the royalty you are; whom you are meant to be.

Breaking the kiss, he leans back slightly to rest his forehead on yours, staring deeply into your eyes. You can see the love he has for you shining in them, along with the lust and desire swirling within his irises.

“I’m addicted to you,” voice nothing but a whisper, he cups your cheeks in his hands, “I can never get enough.”

“Then don’t,” your soft reply has his eyes widening slightly. “Because I don’t think I could ever love another as much as I love you.”

He swears his dead heart has once again stopped beating in his chest as he lets your words sink in. You love him. You finally told him that you love him.

A smile breaks out onto his face as he claims your lips with his own. You love him, and that’s all he’s ever wanted. Everything he could have ever asked for has just been granted to him. You’ve fulfilled his every wish, and tonight, he’s going to finally make you his, in every meaning of the word. Tonight, you’re his Queen, and his alone.

“Fuck, you don’t know how happy you’ve just made me, hearing you say that,” he says against your lips, needing to feel every inch of your skin beneath him soon, or he might just go crazy. Your giggle is music to his ears as he litters your face with kisses, “I love you.” He hums contently. “My Queen.”

Your breath hitches as you hear him call you that for the first time. You cannot deny the way your stomach clenches at hearing him call you that, and from the slight upturn of his lips, you know he heard your reaction loud and clear.

Feeling a surge of confidence wash over you, you look into his eyes once more, smirk dancing across your own lips.

“Then fulfill your promise and make me yours,” you purr. “My King.”

A shiver runs down his spine at your words, and he cannot help the snarl that escapes him, “with pleasure.”

In the blink of an eye, he has you pinned on the bed, hovering over top of you as he trails his lips over the skin of your neck. Pinning your hands at the side of your head by your wrists, he takes this opportunity to start sucking marks into your skin, biting down occasionally. Although he doesn’t let his fangs out yet, he makes sure to leave his marks. He wants everyone in the kingdom to know that you’re his, that he’s finally claimed you for all to see.

The sound of tearing fabric registers in your mind, and you glance down to see that Jaehyun has torn both your dress and his shirt from this evening from your bodies, eyes drinking in every curve of your figure beneath him. His hands come up to cup your breasts, thumbs brushing over your nipples as they harden from his touch.

“Beautiful,” he hums.

Giving your chest a slight squeeze, he emphasizes his approval, only serving to make you become bashful. In the next moment, you attempt to cover yourself with your arms, but he’s quicker. Grabbing your wrists, he pins them beside your head once more.

“Ah-ah,” he tuts, a gleam to his eyes, “don’t you dare hide from me.”

Before you can say anything in response, his lips are on yours as he successfully steals your breath away for the nth time that night. Ever so slowly, he parts from you, trailing kisses down your neck and to your chest, where his hands have returned to cupping your breasts gently.

A shiver runs down your spine once you feel him take one of your nipples into his mouth, sucking lightly as his tongue flicks over the pert bud. His opposite hand works at the other, making sure neither goes untouched. Your satisfied hum is all he needs to hear to know you’re enjoying yourself so far. Smirking against your skin, he trails kisses from one breast to the other as he takes his time to make sure each gets the attention you deserve. By the time he’s done with you, you’ll be screaming his name in ecstasy all night long.

A hand in his hair catches his attention as you guide his head back up to yours, lips meeting in a heated kiss. He can never get enough of you: your taste, your touch, your everything, and he’ll take everything you’re willing to give him, and then some.

Slowly, he grinds himself into you, your legs parting naturally for him to fit between them. The gasp you let out when you feel his hard cock rubbing against your core is music to his ears.

“Feel that, baby?” He hums, nuzzling his nose against your neck and scenting you once more. “That’s all because of you. You have no idea what you do to me.”

The breathless whisper of his name you let out sends a shiver of pleasure down his spine. His one hand grips your thigh, pulling you against him as your fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him in to kiss you again as he continues to grind himself into you.

Breaking away, he nips at the skin of your neck, trailing kisses down your body. The whole time, he mumbles against your skin about how he just needs to taste you, your panties being ripped off of your body not even a second later.

The full force of the scent of your arousal hits him as he settles between your legs, a pleased growl echoing from within his chest. He can already tell his eyes have bled red, your slight gasp confirming it when you meet his gaze.

Trailing kisses up your thighs, he notices how your chest rises and falls with each breath in anticipation. A smirk dances at his lips as he sees you close your eyes momentarily the closer to your entrance his mouth gets.

Testing the waters, he licks a tentative strip up your core, watching your every reaction and drinking it in. Fuck, if you aren’t the best thing he’s ever tasted in his life, and he’s sure to let you know.

At his words, you cover your face in slight embarrassment, feeling every breath he makes hit your core and send little jolts throughout your entire body. From the chuckle you hear him let out, he knows exactly what he’s doing.

“No, no, no, none of that,” he reaches up and pulls your arm down so you’re no longer covering your face. You meet his gaze once more, and your heart nearly stops at the carnal hunger you can see shining within them. “I want you to watch me as I devour you.”

A moan slips passed your lips as you watch him bring a hand up to spread your lower lips, tongue slowly dragging through your folds all the while he stares deeply into your eyes. Every sound you make, every reaction, is his tonight, and his alone.

Wrapping his lips around your clit, he sucks a few times before flicking the sensitive nub with the tip of his tongue. He alternates between this and bringing his tongue down to circle your entrance before thrusting it in to collect your juices, massaging your inner walls at the same time. Like hell he’s going to let anything go to waste, not after he’s waited this long to finally have you all to himself.

Your hips start to move in time with his tongue, and he lets out a snarl as your hand comes to tangle in his hair, only serving to pull him closer into you. His tongue continues to work you up in every way he knows how, wanting you to know that only he can please you like this. Only he can make you feel this good.

His eyes never leave yours the whole time, even when he starts to pick up the pace. Every twitch of your inner walls lets him know he’s doing something right, taking the opportunity to slide a finger in using his free hand. Now, he focusses his tongue on your clit, licking and sucking as his finger massages your inner walls. The way you’re clenching around him only makes him that much more eager to finally be inside you after all this time.

By now, multiple curses and moans of his name have slipped past your lips, whines only serving to becoming louder as he adds a second finger. Each movement he makes is precise, and you can feel the pressure building with each moment that passes by. With each flick of his tongue, you swear it will be the push you need to fall over the edge, but he purposely slows his movements, wanting to keep you on the brink for as long as possible and prolong your pleasure. By the time he adds a third finger, you feel as if you’re just about ready to fall apart.

“That’s it, darling,” he coaxes, moving his fingers along your inner walls in time with each flick of his tongue, the pressure within you about to snap. “Let yourself go.”

His words are all you need to hear in order to feel yourself falling over the edge, your orgasm crashing into you as a scream of his name tears from your throat. A smirk on his lips is the first thing you see once your vision clears, chest heaving with each breath you take as he laps up every last drop of your essence with his tongue.

“Such a good girl for me,” he hums, removing his fingers in order to crawl up your body and place them at your lips. “Suck.”

Immediately, you part your lips, taking his fingers into your mouth and tasting yourself on them. A moan bubbles in your throat as your tongue swirls around his digits, echoed only by his own groan as he sees the blissful expression on your features.

Taking his fingers out of your mouth, he kisses you once more, pulling your body impossibly closer to his own. He needs to feel every inch of you pressed against him, not wanting to leave any part of your body unexplored this evening.

“Jaehyun,” his name falling from your lips is one of the best sounds he’s ever heard in his life, and he could never tire of it. “Please, I need you.”

Those words are all it takes for him to be ripping off his pants and lining himself up with your entrance. He can’t help but tease you a bit, dipping the head of his cock into your folds to collect your wetness before pulling back out again just to hear you whine. You’re so cute when you’re needy for him.

“Don’t worry, baby, I’ll make you feel so good,” his voice is a low drawl that sounds right beside your ear.

Your arms are already wrapped around his torso, nails digging into the skin of his back as you feel the need to bring him closer. The next thing you hear is him let out a small chuckle, feeling him beginning to stretch you out in the next second as he begins to push into you.

Your mouth falls open in a soundless gasp as you feel him stretching you out. His own breath falters as he feels your walls pulsing around him, the soft warmth of your flesh feeling as if it were made for him. Considering the fact that you two fit perfectly together, he swears that’s the case.

He has to remind himself not to move before you’re okay, every instinct in his body screaming at him to ravish you as soon as he’s seated in you fully. However, he’s in no rush tonight, wanting to take his time in order to make the sweetest love to your body. Something only he can do.

As soon as he sees you nod, he’s resting his forehead against yours as he pulls out slightly and gives a shallow thrust to start. His movements are slow, precise, each movement of his hips a sensual grind to make you feel every inch of him buried within you.

“I fucking love you, you know that?” His voice is rough, strained as he attempts to control himself for the time being. This is your first time together, and he wants to make sure it’s special for the both of you, something neither of you will forget.

You let out a gasp at a particularly sharp thrust, “I love you.”

This is all he could have ever wanted, and more, as he begins to pick up his pace. His lips meet yours once more in a searing kiss, all of his passion, love, lust, and want for you being conveyed wordlessly through every movement he makes.

When his lips aren’t on yours, they’re sucking marks into the skin of your neck, teeth nipping at the skin shortly after. As he increases his pace, his one hand comes up to grab yours, fingers intertwining as the other grips your waist, holding you to him as close as possible. The way your free hand drags down his back, nails biting into his skin lets him know he’s doing all the right things. Your legs wrapping around his waist only serve to pull him that much closer into you, a pleased rumble escaping his chest.

Shifting slightly, he adjusts the angle he’s hitting you at, hearing your sharp intake of breath as he hits a specific spot inside you.

“Fuck, my King, right there,” your voice is desperate as it comes out, eyes closing in bliss as your head is thrown back.

The snarl that tears from his throat is feral, your words snapping any last bits of sanity he had left in his body as his hips snap into yours.

“That’s it, Darling,” he growls, eyes bleeding red once more as he takes in the beautiful expressions you’re making for him, “let your King take care of his Queen.”

The hitch in your breath at his own words causes a tightening in his abdomen, and he knows he’s getting close. He has to remind himself that you’re still only human as his grip tightens on your hand and waist, not wanting to hurt you, but needing you to feel just how desperate he is for you. Everything about you drives him insane, and he’ll be damned if he doesn’t treat you like the Queen you are.

With each thrust, he can feel your walls twitching around him, signalling that you’re getting closer to your second release of the night. Bringing his one hand down from your waist, he uses his thumb to circle your clit, feeling your whole body shudder beneath him as you near the edge.

“Come on, my Queen,” his chest rumbles in content each time he says those words, voice dangerously low. “Come with me. Come for your King.”

The way his thumb flicks at your clit, combined with his words and the angle he’s hitting inside of you is enough to push you over the edge for the second time that night. Seeing you shake beneath him in ecstasy, combined with the sinful way you’re moaning his name has him following shortly after, a loud cry of your own name escaping his lips.

Lazily thrusting into you a few more times as you both come down from your highs, he makes sure you’re okay before pulling out of you. In the blink of an eye, he’s got a damp washcloth ready in his hand, wiping you down gently while whispering soft praises in your ear, telling you how good you are for him, and how much he loves you. You can only smile softly in return, finally able to catch your breath once he returns from disposing of the washcloth.

Crawling into the bed, he tucks you both under the covers, pulling you close into his chest in the next moment. His hand strokes over your back gently as he places a tender kiss to your forehead.

“I love you,” he whispers. “My Queen.”

“And I love you,” you hum. “My King.”

Silence settles over the two of you as you each take comfort in the other’s embrace. Eventually, sleep overtakes you, leaving Jaehyun to watch over your sleeping figure with a smile on his face.

“Always and forever,” he whispers, allowing his eyes to close and his whole body to relax as he succumbs to his own darkness.

Dawn comes and Jaehyun manages to wake before you do, appreciating the way the morning light cascades over your naked form, painting you in golden hues for him to adore. His eyes trail over your back, tracing the curve of your spine as he remembers the events of last night. Licking his lips, he inhales the scents of the morning deeply, positively growling at the way you’re now covered in his scent.

As it should be. As it will always be. From this point onwards, you’re his and he’s yours, and last night serves as a confirmation of that fact. Now, you’ve given yourselves to each other, and all that’s left to do is set the date for the wedding.

A few minutes pass by with Jaehyun simply admiring you. Very lightly he traces his hand over your back, loving the way you shiver underneath his fingertips, for it only makes him recall how you were trembling beneath him in bliss merely hours before. He could stay like this with you forever, but unfortunately, he needs to attend to some final arrangements for the royal announcement of your wedding ceremony.

Letting out a small sigh, disappointed he has to leave you for the time being, he slides out of bed. The glint of the ring on your left hand in the morning light catches his gaze, only causing a small smile to form at his lips. Last night could not have been more perfect.

Moving as silently as he can so as not to disturb you, he exits your room.

It takes him longer than he would have liked to get ready that morning, his movements feeling a bit sluggish the more he has to move around. It’s almost as if his senses have dulled slightly for the time being, for his hearing isn’t as sharp as it usually is, nor his sense of smell. Perhaps these are simply side effects of his mood, for he knows when he’s overcome with emotions he can never think straight, let alone react in an orderly manner.

Making his way through the castle, he finally enters the throne room, having requested to meet Minho there to discuss everything that still needs to be done for the upcoming ceremonies. However, what he isn’t expecting to see is another person standing with their arms crossed in front of their chest beside a very nervous looking Minho.

“What is the meaning of this?” Jaehyun’s voice practically booms across the room, demanding their attention.

“Your Highness, I’ve been attempting to escort Miss Lori out of the castle and back to her home, but she simply will not go until she speaks with her older sister,” Minho explains, words coming out rushed as he looks towards Jaehyun frantically.

“Is there anything I can help you with? Your sister is currently still resting in her chambers,” Jaehyun continues to play the nice card. He’s gotten this far despite not needing anyone’s approval, but that still doesn’t mean he won’t try for you.

“Cut the bullshit, you’re not fooling me,” Lori narrows her eyes at him, only causing Jaehyun to raise his brows amusedly.

“Is there a reason that you’ve come to talk with your sister then?” Jaehyun asks, already bored with this conversation, yet still feigning interest and concern. Again, he’d do anything for you, even if it means something as trivial as this.

“I’ve come to collect my sister and take her back home,” Lori answers. “Away from you.”

Jaehyun’s expression falls, immediately darkening at the threat apparent in her voice, “I don’t think you understand the situation you’re in here.”

“No, I don’t think you understand your situation,” Lori counters, causing Minho to send her a look filled with nothing but distress. “I’ve seen through your little ‘nice guy’ act long ago thanks to your mother, and I’ve finally come to save my sister from whatever you plan to do to her. She’ll listen to me this time, she always has. I’m taking my sister back home with me, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

The confidence in which she says those words irritate Jaehyun to no end. Though, he supposes he finds this situation rather ironic, causing him to let out a few laughs in disbelief. How dare Lori threaten him of all people. Like she could ever do anything to tear the two of you apart now, considering what occurred last night. After all, the two of you are to be bonded for life.

“You came all this way to threaten me? Me, of all people?” He chuckles maliciously, shaking his head in disbelief. “You think I’m just going to let you waltz in here and steal what rightfully belongs to me? That I’d even let you near what’s mine?”

“Your threats don’t scare me, I know you won’t do anything to me,” Lori raises her chin in the air in defiance, a smug look resting on her face. Clearly the letters his mother had sent her are still giving her a false confidence on this matter.

In a flash, he’s in front of her, holding her in the air by her neck. The hold his hand has around her throat is firm enough for it to be a threat, but not hard enough to completely block her airway just yet. “You underestimate the lengths I am willing to go to keep what is mine. I’ve spent too long planning everything out and making sure things run smoothly in order for things to get where they are now. I’m not giving my love up so easily.”

“Then, obviously you wouldn’t harm her own sister!” She manages to choke out, gaze darting off to his right as if something, or someone has caught her eye. His grip only serves to tighten ever so slightly as his eyes flash red.

“Wouldn’t I?” He hums, tilting his head in false sympathy. “I mean, considering I disposed of my own mother who got in the way, what’s a measly little human girl compared to that?”

Minho can do nothing but watch as this event unfolds before his very eyes, taking a few steps back in order to give the Prince space to do what he has to. His own heart is pounding in his chest out of fear, so he can only imagine how Lori feels in this very moment.

“It’d be so easy for me to cover up your death, so don’t flatter yourself,” Jaehyun seethes, eyes crazed as he stares into hers. “I’ve done everything I can to rid myself of nuisances in my way. So, what’s one more?”

Shifting his predatory gaze, he locks eyes with Minho, waiting for the advisor to speak and confirm his words.

“Yes, Your highness, you’re correct,” Minho swallows nervously, he’s never seen Jaehyun like this before. The intense insanity in his eyes nearly has Minho stumbling over his own feet despite standing perfectly still. He knows something must have happened last night after the engagement party, otherwise there’s no way he would be looking like that right now.

“You’re nothing,” he hisses. “A measly little human whose life will end at the flick of my wrist, worth no more that the servants I’ve killed beneath my feet. Poor Greta, only wanted to warn the love of my life about me, and look what that got her,” he feigns a pout, “only her throat ripped out.”

Lori gasps, remembering how you mentioned to her that one of the servants you met on one of your first days here seemed to have suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again.

“Not to mention the countless other lives I’ve taken for even looking at my love the wrong way. Or maybe, perhaps I should say poor Ben, who only got his skull run through for providing the wrong information about my love’s favourite foods,” Jaehyun tuts, shaking his head. “Bastard could have ruined everything. Just as you are trying to do.”

Lori can feel the breath being squeezed out of her lungs as Jaehyun slowly crushes her airway. She attempts to claw at the hands around her neck to no avail, legs kicking out uselessly beneath her.

“Don’t you ever think for one second I’d let you take away what I’ve worked so hard to achieve,” he spits, venom dripping from every syllable as he crushes her throat, bringing his other hand up and tearing her head off in the next moment in his anger. “Worthless scum.”

Lori’s head hits the floor with a loud thump, her blood pooling around her now discarded body as lifeless eyes stare up at Jaehyun in fear. He shakes his head in disgust, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe off the blood that had managed to get on his hands.

“Clean this up,” he orders, turning to Minho to see him nod once in understanding.

Closing his eyes, he shakes his head. So much for his pleasant morning.

Turning around, Jaehyun sighs, eyes still closed. His face is still contorted into an expression of annoyance, brow furrowed as he takes a deep breath. He can feel his whole body tense as he recognizes a familiar faint scent in the air.

Slowly, he opens his eyes, realizing in horror that you stand in the open doorway of the throne room. Your hands are both raised over your mouth, as if to cover a silent scream as tears stream down your face. He can feel his dead heart falter in his chest as he watches you. The fear you look at him with is something he never ever wanted to see from you, especially directed towards himself.

A few moments pass by with the two of you just silently observing the other. Jaehyun hates how it’s only now that he can seemingly hear the loudness of your racing heart, your scent becoming stronger the more time you spend staring at one another. All that he had worked so hard to create, everything he’s done to impress you, to woo you and make you fall in love with him, is now ruined. It’s only all confirmed when he sees you turn and attempt to run away from him.

In an instant, he’s run to you, caging you in his arms and holding you tightly. Your screams and protests are falling on deaf ears as he holds you to his chest. His attempts to quietly shush you and calm you down are not working, with you only seeming to struggle harder against him, spouting insults and curses at him.

“Sweetheart, please,” he sighs, “I need you to calm down.”

“Calm down?” You’re hysterical at this point. “Calm down? You just murdered my little sister in front of my very eyes and you have the audacity to tell me to calm down?”

“I did it for us,” he replies calmly, voice sounding completely opposite to how he really feels inside at the moment. “She would have only gotten in the way.”

He’s not entirely sure how you managed to sneak up on him, but he assumes that he didn’t hear you due to his dull senses this morning. The fact that you’re covered in his scent is probably why he didn’t smell you right away, too. Either way, he’ll do his best to steer the conversation in a direction which suits him, considering he doesn’t exactly know how long you had been standing there for. However, your next words only serve to confirm just how long you had.

“And I suppose your mother, Greta, Ben, and who knows who else were all collateral, too?” You retort, anger and disgust shining in your eyes which only causes his grip to tighten ever so slightly around you.

“Yes,” he answers, but he isn’t stupid enough to believe you’ll willingly accept his reasonings. “They were. I don’t expect you to understand why I’ve done what I have yet, but if you think I’m ever going to let you go, you’re mistaken. And before you say you hate me, I just want you to think back on everything I’ve ever done for you since you’ve been here. I want you to remember all the moments we’ve shared together, especially the good ones. Especially last night,” a shiver runs down your spine as he whispers those words lowly in your ear before trailing his lips down your neck, pressing them against the same spot he did the previous evening. Your struggling lessens as he continues, “I’d never do anything to harm you, I think my actions towards you have shown that. I never wanted you to be scared of me. Why do you think I never showed you this side of me yet?”

“You really are a devil,” you spit, finally giving up your attempts to escape his hold for you know that it’s futile at this point. You’ve long been trapped in his clutches, you just only wish you’d realized it sooner.

“A devil who loves you,” he hums, nuzzling his face deeper into your neck and breathing in your combined scents. A shiver goes down his spine. At least now he doesn’t have to worry about hiding this side of himself from you any longer. Plus, you now know what he’s capable of; what he’s willing to do for you. What he’s always been willing to do for you. “I always get what I want, so don’t even think about leaving me. You sealed your fate the moment you agreed to become mine.”

“I hate you,”

He simply chuckles, “that’s not what you were saying last night.”

“Yeah, well, things change,” you reply, refusing to so much as look in his direction as he holds you from behind.

“That they do,” he hums once more, clearly amused by your stubbornness. In the next moment, his eyes are going dark, expression deadly serious as he turns you around to stare deeply into your eyes. A shiver goes down your spine. “One thing that hasn’t changed though, is the fact that whether you like it or not, you can never escape me. I love you, and I will always love you, so you better get used to that. After all, a King should never be without his Queen.”

2K notes · View notes

fckwritersblock · 4 years ago

Text

More Than Therapy

Bucky x black!reader

Warning: sooooo there is smut ahead. Okay like, not complete filth but it’s there! Who even knows what this is, but enjoy it!

Pic below from post by @afriendlyblackhottie

(Unedited.)

“Look, I’m not saying that she’s not a great therapist, I’m just think that she’s not your style.”

Bucky didn’t hide his eye roll.

For the past 2 weeks, Sam had been trying to convince him he needed a second option. Ever since he had his own encounter with Bucky’s therapist, which consisted of being forcefully included in one of their sessions, he could see it wasn’t really helping Bucky at all. Not that Sam was an expert or anything, he just knew his.....friend.

“Alright Sam, fine.” Bucky sighed tossing the wrench to the side. “So what. I kick my therapist to curb, then what? You got some kind of recommendation or something?”

Sam just smirked before turning and making his way off the boat.

“Actually I do.”

Now here Bucky was, waiting on another person to come and try to break down all his walls and get in his head and help him with through his ‘issues’.

“Waste of time.” He mumbled to his self.

However, when she walked in the door, that thought quickly left.

“I’m Y/n.”

“James”

“It’s nice to meet you James.”

For the first time in a very long time Bucky felt comfortable almost immediately. The conversation didn’t feel forced, he didn’t feel pressured, it was just easy. Y/n didn’t push and pry. She simply let him answer the way he want and what he wanted. She let him sort of control the conversation. It was refreshing.

From then on, he saw her twice a week. Their first two weeks together was just them getting to know one another. Establishing trust on Buckys end. He appreciated that for once the woman so much pressure for him to be OK so soon. Finally, after about a month or so, they were doing a little exercises here and there to work through his trauma. The first assignment, it was actually pretty similar to the last psychiatrist he had seen. To get out and make at least one friend. Find an activity or something that he enjoys.

“So have you been getting out like we discussed?”

“Yeah I’ve gone out.” He nodded carelessly with a grin as he sat across the table from her.

Y/n raised an eyebrow. “To places besides the bar.”

“Yes.”

“Liar.” She said and it was her turn to grin as she held her hand out.

He sighed and rolled his eyes, handing over his phone. Bucky watched her click a few buttons knowing she was checking his contacts. This was like Deja vu.

“You have the same amount of numbers in your phone as last week Barnes.”

“Not true Doc, I have you.” He smiled sheepishly.

“I hardly count Barnes.” A small smile graced her face nonetheless.

She was quiet for a moment and he took that opportunity to study her. In deep thought. Y/n had a tell. She’d bite the corner of her bottom lip on the right side every time she was trying to figure something out. Usually before she came up with his homework before the next session.

“I have a thought but you’re not gonna like it.” She began after while.

“Lay it on Doc.”

“I don’t feel like you are actively trying to be a part of society. What you’ve been doing, trying to right your wrongs of the other guy...” she drifted for a moment. “It’s futile. You don’t need to do that. That-“

Y/n paused taking a deep breath.

“That’s not you.” She spoke softly.

“But that is me! I am winter soldier!” He yelled on his feet quickly.

Anger. He was familiar with the feeling. Angry was something he just couldn’t seem to stop feeling. Even if he didn’t show it, it was like he was angry all the time. However feeling it with her was unfamiliar. And he could feel the inner turmoil of him taking his frustrations out on her as he tried to push that anger back down.

“Were.” Y/n stated with finality, voice strong. “You were the winter Solider. And that wasn’t you. That’s just a couple of dark chapters in the book of your life. That’s it.

“You don’t know m-“

“But that is not you.” She repeated a little louder commanding forcing him to look her dead in the eyes. “That’s not who you are, James. And while I may not have known you pre-hydra, or during, but I’m knowing you now. And that’s just not you.”

Y/n leaned back in her chair.

“I know that here, Bucky.” She grinned a little placing her hand over her heart and tapped twice. “And deep down, so do you.”

“. You, James Buchanan Barnes, you are not the bad guy.

The anger he had been feeling had subsided and I was replaced with something that was completely unfamiliar to him. Something he longed for couldn’t quite the grass. Something that he didn’t even realize was in within his reach until noon.. The feeling, regardless of how unfamiliar it was with something Bucky didn’t think he wanted to go away.

The silence between them was comfortable. Y/n could tell that he was processing her words. It was a good thing, she could because he was no longer good tense and his stance was relaxed instead of defensive.

“You know what? We’re finished for today. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She declared.

“What?” Bucky snapped out of his tranced and frowned. “Doc, come on. I shouldn’t be seeing you til Thursday.”

“Yeah tomorrow,” she nodded with a smile. “I want to try something different.”

The next day but he showed up at their usual time, 11 AM. When he stopped at a reception to ask for Dr. Y/n they informed him she was out for the day. He frowned and turned to leave only to find her approaching him from the elevator.

“Hey! You ready to go?” Y/n offered a gentle smile.

“I thought we were-“ he asked went fo point back toward her office but she stopped him.

“We are. We’re just doing things differently today.” She informed him, before nodding her head toward the elevator. “Let’s go.”

Their day together was eventful to say the least. Their first stop was her favorite coffee spot. It was actually a little hole in the wall called Hippies Brew in the downtown area. A cool modern place full of friendly and eccentric individuals. It was comfortable. Homey. It wasnt one she’d typically recommend clients, but she would recommend it to friends. After that they were too the aquarium followed by the park where they sat on a park bench for lunch. Lunch being tacos from the El Gordo’s taco truck parked near by. Well a lot of the time at the park or spit in silence, it was still comfortable as a people watched together. While Bucky hated to admit it, this is the first time he really just felt at peace. There was no one looking over him with some unrealistic expectation of him to be Steve, and become so hero he wasn’t. There was no pressure to get his shit together right then and there. He was just simply allowed to be Bucky. Unapologetically.

“Walk with me?” He asked.

Y/n raised an eyebrow, surprised he initiated doing something together, but agreed with a smile.

Soon enough they easily fell into conversation of as they began to walk the lake.

Before they knew it, the sun was beginning to set. Their time together lasted longer than Y/n planned but either was it was nice. She enjoyed today, as did he. Bucky’s offered to walk her back to her car, savoring their last few moments together.

“Are you sure I can’t give you a ride home?” Y/n asked as they got closer to her car in the now empty lot.

“Yeah, Doc, lm sure.” He smiled back at her, her smile and laugh being infectious. “I like walking. It gives me time to think. it’s peaceful. Kind of like today.”

Y/n’s smile widened at his confession. So her idea did work. He was making progress.

“ That’s what you deserve James peace. I can’t promise every day is gonna be like this.” She turned away approaching the driver side door. “I mean, it is life there are going to be some bad days. But you do deserve some peace. Some happiness.

She turned to see that he was a lot closer than she thought saying that he was preparing to open the door for her. She swallowed, suddenly feel in the air around them shift. As she ran her tongue over her lips, Bucky’s eyes zeroed in on the action.

“You just have to let yourself have it.” She said softly.

It was in that exact moment where James decided he was going to do just that; let himself have happiness. And without thinking, he leaned forward and connected his lips with her.

He pulled away almost as soon as it happened eyes wide.

“James…” y/n finger tips traced her lips as she stared at him.

“I am, i, I don’t know-“ Bucky stuttered.

He went to take a step back but was stopped. This time it was her who initiated the kiss.

What started off as gentle, turned into her fisting a handful of his shirt put him closer with his hands wrapped around her waist. The heat that washed over them both, was like a moth to a flame. The passion poured into the kiss from both ends quickly consuming them both. The two fighting for a dominance, it wasn’t until they both harshly pushed against her car setting the alarm off that they snapped out of it.

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry wh-“ Y/n’s eyes were wide as she looked around anxiously.

Bucky could sense her panicking.

“y/n-“

“ I am so sorry. That was highly inappropriate of me-“

“Breathe for me doll-“ he reached for her but she pulled her hand away shaking her head vigorously.

“I can’t, we can’t, I have never.” She took a deep breath, her next words still coming out shaky. “I’m so sorry. To take a vantage of you like that-“

“I was the one who-“ he attempted once more to no avail.

“I have to go. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” She rushed out, flinging her door open and getting in the car.

All Bucky could do was watch as she wasted no time peeling out of the parking lot.

That was the last he had seen or heard of her. It had been almost two weeks and she had canceled both his weekly sessions and hadn’t answered any of his calls or returned any of the messages he left both at the office and on her cell phone.

And boy, was he stressed about it.

He had never felt that kind of passion before. To be honest it was something he didn’t think he was capable of feeling. He had been consumed by anger for so long, he wanted to cling onto whatever else, anything else. Bucky would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t feel the chemistry between them. He came to the conclusion he’d been falling for her for a while, and was clearly in denial until that day they spent the day together. It’s not like he was trying to fall for his therapist. But now that he had...Ge had to at least try. Make sure what he was feeling wasn’t one sided.That spark. It was a feeling, a high he had never felt. One he knew he’d forever be chasing and he wanted it again and again and again. So when the third week approached he decided to take matters into his own hands.

A knock her door tore her away from Grey’s Anatomy.

“Coming!”

Pulling her dress down, she went and answered the door.

“Bucky.” She said his name breathlessly.

“Y/n.” He breathed out, happy to be in her presence even though it hurt slightly to hear her suddenly calling him Bucky.

He quite liked when she called him James. He liked the way she said his name.

“What are you-, how.” She tried to control her breathing. “You can’t be here.”

“I need you,” he signed. “To hear me out.”

“Bucky-“

“James.” He corrected her. “Look, I know this totally inappropriate but I-“

James paused taking in her appearance, noticing the purple bruising around her lower right eye above her cheekbone.

“Who?” He questioned through gritted teeth.

“Huh?”

He huffed pushing past her and moving in and around the apartment as if someone would come out and confess. He turned toward her a wild look in his eye.

“Give me. A name, Y/n.”

“James....” she signed.

While he knew she was talking seeing as her lips were moving, It was like he could hear her but he wasn’t hearing her. Bucky couldn’t focus on anything other than a bruise on the side of Y/n’s beautiful face. It had been along time since Bucky had thought of actually hurting somebody, save for John Walker last week which was another story entirely, whoever did this to her face though, he wanted to hurt them bad and he was going to enjoy it. His eyes traveled down toward her lips and he still couldn’t hear her. All he could hear was his fist repeated smashing into said individuals face. Over, and over, over-

“James!”

The sound of her voice finally resonated and he finally focused on her words.

“Come back to me James.” Her voice was gently. Inviting.

Everything he noticed both her hands on the side of his face, her thumb rubbing soothingly.

“It’s fine.” She said slowly removing her hands away as she explained. “There’s no need to hunt anyone down. Just a regular 50150 patient and things got out of hand. It happens.”

“No one should touch you.” He stated with seriousness.

Y/n stared at him for a moment, the right side of her lip pulled between her teeth, eyes pooling with something he hadn’t seen in her before. She shrugged nonchalantly.

“I kind of like it when you touch me.”

Her voice was barely above a whisper but he heard her loud and clear.

Just like before, it started off with light kisses, which soon turned into a bit of teasing, a little lip nipping, before things got extremely heated. Both his shirt had been discarded while the straps of her dress were pulled down revealing her black Savage Fenty bra. They had somehow moved from the living room to the kitchen island. Bucky stood between her legs one hand tangled in her braids while her hands held the sides of her face, gently caressing the stubble. Her legs were wrapped around his middles as she began grinding her hips into him. He pulled her closer, the both of them on a high from the friction. Bucky’s metal hand traveled up her bare back giving her goosebumps. They broke apart for air and as soon as Y/n had enough oxygen in her lungs, she went back to licking, kissing and sucking on his neck.

"Shit, Y/n.” Bucky unconsciously tilted his head back giving her better access, his hands palming her ass as his hips bucked into her.

"James." Y/n pulled back panting, lips swollen. " I want you. Now."

Bucky made quick work of removing her panties that coated in her juices , and in return y/n quickly unbuckled his pants using her feet to aid her in pushing them down.

“Shit.” He groaned immediately as she whimpered slightly at the feel of him sliding into her.

Her arms were wound around his neck while his hand gripped the top of her ass to keep her in place as he begin to slowly thrust in and out of her.

Bucky was on a high. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this level of intimacy. Euphoria. He was sure this feeling should be illegal.

The way she were wrapped around him, he knew if he didn’t take it semi slow he wasn’t going to last.

“James,” she moaned, clawing at his back, walls clenching.

He wasn’t sure what sounded sweeter; her moaning or his name leaving her lips.

“Doll?” He responded, kissing the at the base of her neck.

I’m clos-“ Y/n sucked in a breath of air. “Right there.”

“There?” He asked spreading her ass cheeks apart so he could go deeper.

“Yes! Right there!”

It was a bit sloppy from there as Bucky shifted for a better angle. Her ass halfway off the table as he picked up the pace bit her her closer to the edge. He was bouncing her up and down on his shaft effortlessly. Her arms wrapped right around his neck, kiss sloppy as she bit her lip to keep her moans at bay.

“No,” he breathed out, reaching up with one hand forcing her to kissing him, her moans filling his mouth instead. “I want to hear you.”

“James, I’m-“

“I know.”

The sight of Y/n coming undone before him was a glorious one . He couldn’t wait to make her cum again.

Once she came down from her orgasm, she placed her lips back on his, tightening her legs around him once more. He shifted their position a bit and begin again when suddenly the front door opened and in walked Sam.

“Oh shit!” Bucky pulled out of her and struggled to pull up his pants and turned to shield her half naked frame.

“Sam!” Y/n squealed pulling her dress up to her chest as best she could.

“What in the entire fuck!” Sam screamed while covering his eyes.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Y/n yelled.

“You told me toy were off!”

“I’m am off!”

“Well I thought I’d bring you dinner! I didn’t know id find this!” Sam said exasperatedly.

Y/n and Bucky were decent informing Sam he no longer had to cover his eyes. Immediately he pointed an accusatory finger at Bucky.

“You! What the fuck did I tell you about my sister?”

Bucky stared at him confused.

“You said not to flirt with your sister.” He repeated Sam’s words. “Sarah’s not..”

He then turned toward Y/n, things finally clicking.

“You’re Sam’s sister.” Bucky concluded.

“Baby sister.” Sam. added.

“I’m grown as hell Samuel!” Y/n fussed.

“Really bruh, my baby sister?!”

“Well how i suppose to know you only refer to her as baby!”

“Once again! I’m grown as fuck-“ she stopped hearing the front door creek open again.

“Who’s that?!” The woman’s eyes were wide with horror as she whispered.

“The boys!” Sam exclaimed in a whisper.

“Why didn’t you say they were here-“ she began frantically washing her hands.

“I’m sorry I was a little fuckin preoccupied with the fact my sister is fucking an assassin-

“Former assassin!” Bucky corrected.

“Hey TT!” Sarah’s boys greeted simultaneously with smiles as they bent the corner.

“Hey my babies!” Y/n instantly put a smile on her face pulling them each into her arms.

“Hey Bucky!” Cass waved

“Hey Bucky!” AJ addressed the solider as well before turning back toward his brother, “Cass , come on.”

“Wait let me put the pizza on the counter-“

“No!” The three adults exclaimed together.

“No boo, I’ll take it.” Y/n smiled again at her nephew taking the pizza.

“why don’t yall go in the living room and get the game set up?” Sam suggested.

“Yes! Let’s take the pizza in there while they bleach the kitchen?” Y/n hinted at the men while telling the kids to follow her.

“Oh yeah! TT, Uncle Sam got us two new video games!”,AJ informed her. “He also said we can watch a scary movie tonight since moms not here.

“Yeah! Andddd, he said we can door dash ice cream!” Cass added as the two kids followed their aunt into the living room.

Though he was silent, throughout the entire interaction but he couldn’t help but want you living room interact with the two kids. Back in the day, if you would’ve asked him if he believed in love at first site he would’ve said no. But he was pretty sure he was in love with Y/n already.

Once out of sight, Bucky took that opportunity to speak after a beat.

“Have I ever told you I’m glad you treat your nephew’s so well, Sam?” He asked after clearing his throat.

Sam sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Yeah? Why’s that?” Bucky turned to him with a huge grin on his face.

“Cuz I’m gonna give you another one.”

Slowly Sam began to laugh, albeit one full of sarcasm, Bucky joined in sincerely. They laughed together for a moment before Sam ceased, his face expressionless.

“Bucky?”

“Yeah Sam?”

“I’m going to kill you.”

#the falcon and the winter solider spoilers #the falcon and the winter solider #tfatws #bucky barnes #bucky x reader #fatws bucky #Sam Wilson #bucky x black!reader #sam wilson x bucky barnes #sam wilson x reader #black!reader #marvel imagine #marvel #bucky x y/n #sarah wilson

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starkskypines · 3 years ago

Text

lonely desert figure

Pairing: Din Djarin x Reader

Summary: Reader is a former Child of the Watch who left and now they’re a hunter working for Boba Fett (so this means reader has ARMOR), and they’re already fast friends with Fennec. Fett invites Reader to join the Daimyo, and Mando and Reader have a conversation about family.

Warnings: contains CHAPTER FIVE Book of Boba Fett Spoilers

Word Count: 2.2k

A/N: Listen some characters might be ooc but it’s fine it’s fine i just want the ppl to actually talk about the things that are weighing on them. and yes, i know that daimyos or whatever don’t actually work like this but we can all pretend for the sake of fic

Also, this will probably have a second part at some point but idk when that will be.

>>>

The silver beskar gleams in the late afternoon sunlight. He makes a lonely figure traveling across the desert only to come to a stop in front of a giant door that dwarfs his frame. He’s not a tall man to begin with. Taller than you, but only because of the armor, but according to everything, he never takes it off so he might as well be taller. It gives him a height advantage in combat, something you’d do well to remember. Not that you think you’re going to get into a fight with the famed Mandalorian, but, well…never say never.

You twirl your knife in between your fingers as you watch him gain entrance into the Daimyo’s Palace. You haven’t been called down to sit in on this meeting. Fennec says that she’ll call when she has need of you, but that makes things boring. You haven’t had anything to do since finishing your tail of Mayor Mok Shaiz. You tend to make stupid decisions when you’re bored.

You smirk and pocket the knife. None of those stupid decisions have gotten you killed yet.

You leave your room and head toward the kitchen. Before you reach the turn, you make a right instead of a left. This will lead you up to the throne room instead of down to the kitchen. You hear voices as you approach and slow your movements. Gamorreans have excellent ears. You, however, are merely human, so you blink your eyes a couple times, activating the enhanced hearing device in your helmet.

“I didn’t realize the Pykes had made such large inroads on Tatooine,” a modulated voice says. It’s unfamiliar to you, so you conclude it must be the Mandalorian.

“After Fortuna died, they sought to fill the power vacuum.” Fennec speaks now. “Caused a lot of problems for a lot of people.”

“Good people,” Fett adds. “People that shouldn’t have to live in fear or pay exorbitant taxes.”

There’s silence, and you worry that someone’s noticed your presence but then the Mando speaks.

“I didn’t expect you to rule like this.”

Fett barks out a laugh. “You expected me to order people around and demand high taxes. I’m a bounty hunter. And besides my role is Daimyo, not Mayor.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He means that while we appreciate your help, you’re clearly running from your own responsibilities.”

That statement intrigues you. The feared Mando, running from something?

“What’s the plan?” the Mandalorian asks, clearly ignoring the unspoken question.

“Well, it’s war,” Fett says. “So study the map, and tell me what your plan would be.”

Map? You take a few cautious steps forward to peer around the corner. It’s pure bad luck that Fennec is facing you, and Fett and Mando have their backs to you, a map in between them. Fennec raises a brow as she meets your gaze through the helmet. It always unnerves you how she looks at you, like she’s looking at your eyes and not just a t-shaped visor.

“y/n, care to join us?”

Fett turns, and so does Mando. You step out of the shadows and straighten your back. You don’t think Fett will get angry with you, but he’ll likely send you away.

“You’re Mandalorian?” Mando speaks first, surprise coloring his tone. Fett looks over at him but doesn’t speak, so you answer Mando’s question.

“Yes.” You don’t mention the Creed. The abandonment. The strange one foot in one foot out life you lead with the religion now.

“Like Fett?”

You shrug. “It’s complicated. Used to be a part of the Watch. But I left,” you emphasize that last sentence. You won’t have him judging you for it. Not like Bo-Katan and her rebels did.

The Mandalorian tips his head. “You left the Watch?”

Fett looks back at Fennec, and you get the distinct feeling you’re missing something here. You take a few steps closer. “Daimyo, I know you’re talking about a plan to get rid of the Pykes. I want in.”

Fett eyes you. You don’t know what his answer will be. You don’t even know if he knows you well enough to know that you will do whatever he says with complaining. You’re loyal to him.

“Fine. You can join us.”

You nod and move over to them, taking off your helmet as you do. You come to a stop on the other side of the map, next to Fennec.

“Eavesdropping is rude, you know,” she says.

“You know I don’t like being idle.”

Fett motions at a portion of the map. “They’ve got strong guards, but we need to get to the leaders. Cut off the head of the snake and the body ceases to matter.”

“We’ll need a distraction,” the Mandalorian says. “They’ll see us coming klicks away. Only way they won’t is if they think we’re already attacking elsewhere.”

“I agree. That’s why we’re hiring muscle,” Fennec says.

“I need muscle I can trust leading this,” Fett says and looks at both you and Mando. “People I know won’t betray me.”

There’s something underlying his statement as Fett looks at you. You’re about to apologize again for eavesdropping, but Fett continues speaking.

“y/n, will you swear your loyalty to me. To protect my life and Fennec’s life above others. And know that I will do the same for you.”

You know the surprise shows on your face. You’ve only been working for Fett for a few weeks.

“You mean like a permanent position here?” you clarify.

“No. I mean as part of the Daimyo.”

You see now what he means. Daimyo is akin to family. And you don’t quite understand why he’d gift you with that honor.

“I don’t understand why you’d choose me, but yes, I will protect you and the Daimyo above everything. My loyalty is yours.”

“And mine yours.”

Fennec nods, a small smile on her face. “Good. Then you and Mando can lead the distraction.”

“We have others that you’ll have to organize into battle and look out for betrayal. They’re loyal to money, and while I don’t think the pykes have outmatched us, it pays to be careful.”

“Of course,” you agree, then point to an area on the map. “This looks like the best place to launch an attack. Public area, right on the Pyke’s front door. We’ll draw them out.”

“Will the Pykes be suspicious at not seeing you leading the fight?” Mando asks to Fett.

“The old leadership here never led a battle. It won’t surprise anyone,” Fennec answers.

Fett shrugs. “For now the old ways will benefit us.”

Mando nods and continues to study the map. “What’s our numbers?”

“You’ll meet them all in two days time,” Fett says. “Gives us plenty of time to come up with plan. For now, let’s see about dinner.” Fett powers down the map.

“Dinner?” Mando sounds confused.

“Yes, the cooks should just about be finished,” Fett pauses. “I can have yours sent to your room, but you could at least join us for conversation.”

Mando nods.

You are rooted to your spot as you begin to understand Mando’s urgency around the question of leaving the Watch. He’s a part of it. You’re not sure how to feel about that. If he’s been silently judging you and finding you lacking this whole time, you wonder how the two of you will work together. You figure you can be business-like about it but what if he can’t?

It’s a moment later that you realize Fett has left the room, and Fennec has moved to the door. The Mandalorian hasn’t moved and is staring at you. You raise your chin, but not a lot because he’s only slightly taller than you.

“You left the Watch?” And it doesn’t sound like a judgemental tone of voice. It sounds like a genuine question that he really wants an answer to.

“You’re part of the watch?” you ask.

There’s silence. Your brow furrows as you consider the question he asked.

“I did leave,” you answer. “There were experiences I wanted to have that were frowned upon by the Watch. And me and the Creed stopped being in agreement. So I left.”

“You chose to leave?” and now he sounds bewildered.

“Yes, and they made it a difficult choice. They were everything I’d ever known, but I met people who believed in other things. The Ashla and the Bogan. The current of the Viestar. Beliefs that were tied to places and paths, rather than rules and a certain way.”

Mando is studying you, and you let him. He’s less imposing like this, lost as he stares at you. You’ve lived with people in armor for so long you know how to read them. He’s hurting and desperate to hear an answer that you don’t know how to form. But if you did you would because his soul is in pain and you hate to see it.

“I–I broke the Creed.”

And suddenly you understand. He’s been cast out. And he’s searching for a new way, feeling like he betrayed everything that he’s ever known, feeling like it’s all his fault.

“What happened?” you ask quietly.

“I took off my helmet.” His words are clipped.

“Ah.” You look at him still wearing the helmet and see more than he’d probably like you to. “I can tell you want to talk about this but you don’t trust me, but you feel I’m the only one that might have advice.”

Mando nods.

“The Creed isn’t everything. Breaking it isn’t the end of the world, though I know it feels like it. Sometimes I still can’t take off my helmet. Sometimes I still find myself living by the words of the Creed. This is the way.” You look away because this part is hard, the honesty. “Its not really something you ever separate from. That feeling that you’re the one who’s betrayed everyone that ever loved you.” And now you turn back to him. “But how is it love to cast someone out for one mistake? How is it love to refuse to forgive?”

You let those questions hang in the air. “They took you in. They raised you. They taught you everything you know, but that doesn’t make them right about everything. And it doesn’t make you wrong to have not followed their rules.”

He doesn’t speak for a long time and neither does he move. You stay put because if he wants to leave he can and you won’t follow. Fennec and Fett are long gone to dinner, and he already knows where his room is. But if there’s something else he needs to say to someone that understands then you’re here for as long as it takes.

“He wanted to see my face.” The words are broken into small pieces, delivered between breaths of air that betray unseen tears. “My…the kid. He wanted to see my face. And I knew I’d never see him again so….”

He doesn’t say anything else, and you give him a minute but still nothing follows, just the slight shake of his shoulders.

“You had a kid?”

Mando nods. “Grogu. A foundling. I had to return him to his kind.”

“To his family.”

“No.” And now Mando finally turns and walks away. You try to make sense of what he means by those last words, but it doesn’t mean anything good that you can think of. It sounds to you like he betrayed his kid by trying to keep the Creed and betrayed the Creed by trying to love the kid and in the end he lost both.

You see now that it wasn’t just the desert suns painting Mando a lonely man.

***

It’s not until after the Pykes have been defeated, and the celebrations have gone on long into the night that Mando talks to you about something other than strategies and strengths of Fett’s hired fighters.

Fett is drunk, dancing with a tipsy Fennec. You don’t drink surrounded by variables, so playing guard and lookout and sober eyes tonight is not a chore. You are still having fun, seeing Fett and Fennec so relaxed.

Mando steps up to your side, hands empty, fully armored.

“We did good today,” you say, wondering if he will say anything at all.

“So you’re staying here? With them?” He nods to Fett and Fennec.

“Yes.”

“You…They’re family?”

You keep your gaze on Fett and Fennec. “Yes, I think they are. Strangely enough.”

Mando is silent at your side. He catches a drunken Nikto and gently shoves him back on his feet. This Mandalorian is a strange mix of gentle and rough and it draws you in, makes you want to know everything about him. From the looks he’s received from several in the crowd, you’re not the only one.

You turn to him and ask the question that’s been burning inside of you, even hotter than your attraction for him. “Are you going to get your kid back?”

The t-shaped visor turns your way. “I can’t. He needs more than I can give him. But he’s safe.” Mando looks back out at the crowd. “That’s all that matters.”

“You know as well as I do that sometimes safety isn’t enough.” Now you look at the crowd of partiers. “Sometimes all you really want is to feel loved for being who you are, not for what you can do, what you bring to the table.”

Mando is silent. You like that about him. That he thinks before speaking, weighs each word and determines if his breath is worth the formation of syllables.

“Boba offered me a job. I need backup. Its in two days.”

“What’s the bounty?”

“Not a bounty. We’d be retrieving materials and goods.”

You turn to him with a raised brow. “Sounds like you need muscle, not backup.”

“I want to make a stop.”

“And do what?”

“Ask questions.”

“Mando, buddy, I’m gonna need more information before I agree.” But not that much honestly because a trip with him sounds like a perfect way to get to know him better.

“I want to see the kid.”

Everything in you freezes. “That’s–that’s good.”

“I’ll have to find him first. We’ll have to go to Chandrila.”

“That’s the heart of the New Republic. We’re wanted hunters.”

Mando only nods.

You think over his offer. This doesn’t seem like a simple two day trip. It sounds like it might take weeks. And it’s the perfect chance to get to know him better. But if it’s a search for his kid, then why would he want to bring you along?

“Why me?”

“Boba trusts you. And you have skill. And you already know about me.” His body language conveys his worry.

You know you’re not going to make hardly any money on this trip. The only thing you’d gain is time with Mando. You wonder if he’s realized that and wants the same or if he just doesn’t care.

“If I go, will you do something for me.”

“What is it?”

“Will you think about staying here, pledging loyalty to Daimyo Fett?”

Mando is silent for a very long time. You have to break up a fight and stop the rabbit droid from picking pockets. And when you finally return to Mando’s side, it appears as if he hasn’t moved an inch.

“I’ll think about it.”

“That’s all i ask.”

“You’ve only known them for a short time, how are you this sure about your loyalty?”

“When you’ve spent your whole life always on the edge of having a loving family, you learn to recognize the potential for it. You learn to see that love is expressed in different ways. And sometimes you just feel it. Call it instinct or Manda or the Force or whatever, but I’ve spent so long missing out that I’m not going to hesitate now just because it might end up in disaster. I’ll take what I can get for as long as I can get it.”

Mando stares at you, swaying toward you, and then he takes a step back, looks away. He was hanging onto your every word.

“You don’t have to live here to be family. I see how Boba treats you. He already trusts you completely. Fennec too.”

“And you?”

“Of course.”

“I’d only disappoint.”

You hum. “I don’t think so. Not with this family.”

#din dijarin x reader #din djarin #tbobf spoilers #tbobf #boba fett #fennec shand #reader fic #my writings

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lepusrufus · 3 years ago

Text

Wrong victim

Pure comedic self indulgence because we all need a funny break before shit starts to really go down in To bargain for immortality. Set quite a few years after the game events, around 2025, and is pure ridiculousness so enjoy.

////

Her response to being unceremoniously shoved in the back seat of a car that looked like it's seen far better days was merely an annoyed grunt. It turned into an eye roll when the man that climbed in after her pulled everything out of her pockets.

"Wouldn't want you calling anyone," he said with a toothy grin while waving her phone in front of her.

"Trust me, that won't be necessary," she replied in a deadpan voice. It's not like she would call the police, she wanted them involved even less than her kidnappers probably did. As for other people she could reach out to, a phone call would be redundant really. "Do be careful with it, I'd hate to lose the photos of Daniela sleeping upside down."

After maybe ten minutes of driving down the barely illuminated outskirts of the city, and having her pockets emptied, dagger included, the burly man driving pulled up inside a parking lot. It was large and overgrown with weeds and vines reclaiming spaces that had been left without human activity for who knows how long. The lamp posts were nothing more than useless concrete pillars as they provided no illumination, resulting in her pitiful captors having to use flashlights as they made their way into the dilapidated factory.

Nicole sneered at the sight of collapsed walls and rusty metal walkways, reminding her of the one particular Lord she couldn't stand the sight of. She decided a distraction was needed from unpleasant memories.

"Abandoned factory?" She whistled. "How many cliche movies have you guys watched?"

She let out a chuckle when the man that had previously taken her phone shoved her ahead. Hopefully they wouldn't tape her mouth shut, there was so much fun to be had by mockery alone.

It didn't take long before all three of them entered a dimly lit room, numerous candles placed all around, either on desks or candle supports nailed to the walls. The three more people inside were wearing long black robes and white masks covering their faces. Nicole had to laugh.

"Oh so you're that kinda crazy."

"Shut the fuck up and stay put," the man holding her hands behind her back said while pushing her into a chair.

He then moved to a table and Nicole couldn't help but scowl at how unceremoniously her beloved dagger had been thrown on the wooden surface. Afterwards, he put on a mask not unlike the others, except with red streaks going down from the eye holes, and started to prepare something in the middle of the room. The others joined in on the task, all but the one man that had been put in charge of making sure Nicole stayed put. Because of course she could easily escape five people much bigger than her at any given moment.

She decided to take a look around, at the various dusty books opened on pages she couldn't quite make out from where she was sitting. A few pages were laying around, either with diagrams or with scribbled notes. Had she really stumbled upon a cult? She couldn't wait to have a laugh about it with her family.

"So," she started, craning her neck a little so she could see her captor's face. "Who you gonna sacrifice me to huh? I wanna know before you slice up my throat or whatever you're planning on."

A confused and suspicious look was thrown her way, surely due to the complete nonchalance she spoke with about what would surely be her untimely death. "The… the devil," was his unsure reply.

Nicole let out a small laugh. "Oh trust me, you do not want to meet her. Though devil is not quite the word," she continued despite a few other pairs of eyes landing on her. "Maybe a pissy fungal overlord with an unhealthy obsession for crows. Yes that's more like it," she finished with another chuckle.

The man with a slightly different mask, who seemed to be their self appointed leader, got up from where he was nailing something to the floor and walked up to her in a few long strides. His eyes were barely visible, but anger was clearly distinguishable.

He pulled out a knife, old, rusty and with a black worn out handle so typical of a kitchen utensil, and so incredibly ugly compared to the beautifully ornate daggers that decorated her home. She had to laugh when the dull blade got pressed to her throat.

"Will you shut up for one minute?!" He raised his voice slightly, as much as someone who was doing something they didn't wish to be caught doing would dare to. It didn't deter her though.

"Oh sweetie this is just what foreplay looks to me," she started with a grin that made her wish she had fangs like the better part of her relatives. "But please do me a favor and stay quiet, there's no fun in hunting if my darling finds you within five seconds due to you screeching like a broken squeaky toy."

The man blinked for a few seconds, taken aback both by the words and by the apparent passivity towards having a knife at her throat. He stayed like that until one person that was working with some ropes behind interjected.

"Of all the people you could've taken, how did you find this unhinged bitch?!"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Nicole said, bending slightly to the side so the person that had spoken up would have a clear view of her sickly sweet smile.

After that exchange, her captors seemed happy to move things along quicker, working in silence and begrudgingly ignoring any remarks she would throw their way, including an observation on the downright dreadful quality of the rope they had. Quality that she regrettably got to experience when her wrist and ankles got tied to the nails in the floor, having her lay down in a starfish position. It kind of reminded her of sprawling on the bed she shared with Cassandra simply to annoy the brunette.

After loudly reciting something in latin, the leader bent down, same rusty knife in hand, and tipped her chin upwards to expose the neck. She did let out a wince when the blade sunk deep in her flesh and got dragged downward, towards her chest, leaving behind a choking sensation and the taste of copper in her mouth. The knife however only made it to the base of her neck, before the sound of metal crashing caught everyone's attention.

"What the fuck," the man whispered, thankfully pulling the blade out so her skin had the time to begin stitching itself back together. She still had to turn her head around and spit some blood that made its way into her mouth.

Before anyone else had a chance to speak up, the door was kicked open, one of the rusty hinges breaking completely, to reveal a rather angry Cassandra with her sickle in hand, ready for bloodshed.

There were a few seconds of stunned silence before the blade was unceremoniously thrown into the first person's skull, spinning through the air for only a few meters before getting embedded into the bone with a sloshing sound. Anyone else trying to escape through the one door was met with a similar fate. One person had their knees kicked inwards before a knife held at the same belt as the sickle came down to slash their throat. Another had their head smashed to bits against the nearest wall in the blink of an eye. And last, the burly man that had driven and kept an eye on Nicole, had his heart ripped through the bottom of his ribcage when Cassandra shoved him against one of the tables, scattering the books and papers that were by then stained crimson.

The remaining man, the leader, got grabbed by the shoulders and forcefully shoved into the same chair she had been sitting in not too long ago.

"Stay put and I'll let you live," Cassandra spoke, all the cruelty polished over decades upon decades of sporting the title of the family's most sadistic coming through those few words.

He gulped and nodded, eyes glossed over by the pure human terror now so unfamiliar to both of them.

She then turned around, expression softening like a switch had been turned behind golden eyes. "Nicole," she started, barely an edge of concern and irritation at the sight of her wife's bloody skin.

"Hi babe." The self satisfied grin almost had the brunette chuckling while she retrieved her sickle and Nicole's things.

The weapon was used to cut her free, a grimace pulling the corners of her black lips downward at the same quality observation her wife had priorly made, no doubt. A hand was offered to Nicole to pull herself up, while the other presented the familiar dagger that was gifted to her so many years ago.

"Will you do the honors love," Cassandra asked, with that beautifully sadistic smile.

"Of course," came Nicole's reply as her hand wrapped around the leather covered handle.

With some of the wretched ropes gathered from the ground, Cassandra made quick work of the man's hands and legs, securely tied to the chair and voice frantic.

"You said you would let me live!"

Cassandra laughed, a low ominous sound, while grabbing the mask and throwing it on the floor. She did love to see the terror in her victims' faces after all.

"Unfortunately my wife made no such promises," she finished with a forceful pull of hair that kept his head in one place as she moved to the back of the chair.

Nicole approached with the dagger already out of its holster and tapped the blade's point against her lips in thought for a few moments. She could simply slice his throat and be done with it, or stab him and leave him to bleed out, choking on his own blood. A hum made its way past her lips. No, no that would not do.

She grabbed a fistful of the man's shirt, pulling it up almost to the neck. After a few mental measurements and approximations were made, the tip of the blade finally found its way into muscle, drawing thin trails of blood and pained screams. It took a good five minutes to carve all the intricate details she wanted to, the swirling patterns cutting cleanly through skin, courtesy of her wife keeping the blade sharp and in top condition.

After she was content with the level of detail, and screams subsided to pathetic sobs, she took a step back and, with a hum, looked at Cassandra for a reaction.

"Oh dearest," the brunette said, looking over the man's shoulder and down at the bloody cuts on his abdomen and chest, forming a crude yet not unfitting replica of the Dimitrescu crest.

At the adoration that made its way past the cruelty in her wife's eyes, Nicole smiled and gingerly took a hold of her unoccupied hand, bringing it close to her lips and leaving a small kiss and a barely visible blood imprint on each knuckle.

"I take it that you approve of my… design choice," she asked with another glance down at the jagged lines that formed their family's symbol.

"It's wonderful," Cassandra replied, fangs shimmering slightly in the low light, exposed from the proud smile that tugged at her lips.

A gorgeous smile, really, that made something swell inside Nicole's chest no matter how many times she saw it. Truth be told, her rendition of the crest was quite lacking, never having had the artistic skills to quite capture the intricate details that formed it. Nevertheless, if it brought a smile to her wife's lips, she was more than content with it. How unfortunate that it had to be ruined.

She let out a sigh, still holding Cassandra's hand. "Too bad those pigs at the BSAA would quite disapprove of us leaving such things behind. Oh well," she shrugged, bringing the hand she was holding over to the man's abdomen. "Better it be ruined at your hands."

The next second, claws dug deep into flesh, slicing the muscle and everything underneath all the way up to the throat. It left five deep gashes over the fine cuts of her dagger, but the satisfaction did not dwindle. On the contrary, when the gurgling sounds finally stopped and the body went limp, her smile was still there, turning into light laughter when Cassandra licked her fingers only to visibly cringe.

"Say what you will about the dungeons, but at least we feed our livestock well," she spat, taking out a napkin from a pocket and wiping her fingers clean. "But with that disgusting thing out of the way, let me help you with that," she continued, grimace morphing into a sly smile when her eyes landed on Nicole's still bloody neck.

She gave her no time to disagree, not that she would, before she pushed her backwards slightly into the edge of a table. Nicole wasted no time in lifting herself up on the wooden surface, bringing their faces just a tad closer to being on the same level.

Cassandra dipped her head down, lips leaving teasing feather-like kisses on her jaw before lowering even further so she could drag her tongue up the length of her neck. It made a shiver run down Nicole's spine, that turned into an impatient tug of her wife's hair when the motion was repeated again and again, until no traces of blood could be seen on her neck, save for the crimson stains that made their way to the hem of her shirt.

Their lips met in a hungry kiss, full of fangs and smeared lipstick and the taste of copper so familiar to the both of them, albeit for different reasons. When Nicole's hands went to the first buttons of Cassandra's blouse, their kiss was broken with a sly smirk.

"This is such a dreadful place for such things, don't you think," the brunette said, all too amused by her wife's exasperated sigh.

"You started it," Nicole complained, but before the words were fully out of her mouth, she was tugged off the table and on the way out, ready to get back home and have a laugh about the irony of her capture. They would have to pick up where they left off at a later time.

#cassandra dimitrescu x maiden #unhinged maiden™ my beloved #tw: gore #cassandra being cassantra and comin to save her wifey #don't take this as a clue to how the mutation sequel may turn out #fanfic

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sukirichi · 4 years ago

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earned it [06]

Gojo Satoru is a firm believer that if you work hard for it then you shall earn it. But on the other side, he’s not unfamiliar with his own sins. He also believes that there is punishment due for his sins as he’s earned it.

cw. attempted murder and suicide, angst ig i feel nothing at this point because NAOYA 😭

notes. i’m rolling with the earned it jokes that reader is shippable with everyone so HAH enjoy this chapter because I didn’t enjoy the last LMAO (IM SO EXCITED FOR TOJI TO APPEAR!)

series masterlist

Your muscles throbbed, the pounding of your heart felt even through your skin. You’ve spent hours in the training room, taking punch by punch, landing blow by blow – yet no matter how hard you tried, you kept falling on your ass. At this point, your backside was beyond sore, skin drenched with sweat and clothes sticking uncomfortably to the surface. Meanwhile, your ‘savior’ barely felt the need to catch his breath, instead gazing down at you with disappointment written all over his face.

“Why do you expect so much from me?” you panted, fists clenched on the mat. “Didn’t you tell me you just needed me to get your money back and that’s it? I didn’t ask for you to do anything so stop telling me I’m indebted to you all the time.”

Naoya clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed by your lack of resolve. Above you, he swept up his cane and finally balanced himself. You previously thought he didn’t struggle because he looked so calm and composed, easily overpowering you even with his injury, but his lips were strained, jaw clenched tight that perhaps he was just good at concealing his pain. It made you shut up and watch his every move; his back faced you – probably to hide whatever fleeting moment of vulnerability he had.

“I won’t always be there to save your sorry life,” he said calmly, “You need to learn how to be strong on your own no matter how tough it gets. Now if you’ll keep complaining instead of finishing your training, I could happily lock you up and force you to do my dirty work for me.”

“Then why don’t you go ahead?!”

“I don’t want to,” Naoya responded without missing a beat. He easily closed the distance with a few staggered steps, his head tilted to the side as he surveyed you.

You wondered what went through his mind. Did he see a weak woman? A woman who must be so helpless, so useless that you stayed there, legs too tired and muscles aching too much you couldn’t move? There was no telling with Naoya, and his guarded gaze didn’t help either. Satoru had always been difficult to read at most, but with Naoya – it was practically impossible.

Even as he cupped your chin and twisted it sideways, his eyes narrowed over all your features like he saw something you didn’t, he was too guarded.

“I need you in taking down Gojo Satoru. In order to accomplish that, I have to use his weakness against him. You showing up won’t be enough. No, I want to hurt him…and what better way than to take what was once his, right? Dangle right in front of his eyes what he let go of, make him regret his actions?” his smile turned dark, and for the first time since you’ve met him, you got a glance of what his heart really looked like.

It wasn’t true that Naoya was heartless – no, he just had a dark, sinister heart that didn’t beat the same tune as others. He played his own music with the bones of his enemies, drinking their lifeline from a gold cup and drowning in them, his ominous laughter the perfect antithetical melody of what could’ve been angelic hums.

“Don’t you want that?”

His question made your heart skipped a beat. This whole time, you’ve been so hell bent on achieving something, but what you wanted to reach had never been clear. You were too driven by emotions, by the pain Satoru’s absence had caused, and now that the opportunity was presented before you, you faltered.

“I don’t know what I want.”

“Well, if you ask me what I want…” he tilts your chin up with his finger “It would be to see you strong enough that even you would be capable of taking me down. So be strong, keep fighting – I’ll be there with you every step of the way. You only have one job, and that is to live. I am not allowing you to give up at the slightest of minor inconveniences.”

“And if I get weak?” you questioned with an oscillating tremor, the bite of his cold skin against your heated ones spiking. “If I want to give up? Would I fail you then?”

“I don’t think you’re someone who cares about failing others, so don’t fret whether you’d please me or not,” Just like that, Naoya’s scornful tone had risen again. He let go of you until you dropped down to your palms, blinking back at the sudden change of atmosphere. “Like I said, just do what you need to do, keep going. Don’t look back or be afraid to take the next big step because I’ll always be there right beside you.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“I’m not asking you to, princess,” he snickered, already half way to the door that only he was allowed to go in. Even though you’ve been staying in his manor for quite some time, there were still some things Naoya didn’t trust you with, leaving you only more curious to find out the secrets within.

“Only time will tell. But once you’ve made your decision, know that my ring is always waiting beside your table,” his voice echoed through the large room, stopping in his tracks to look at you once more. This time, he had no haunting features, only the cold emptiness likened to staring back to an infinite void of nothingness.

“I expect an answer when I get home.”

You still remembered the day you decided to wear his ring. Naoya had come then, tired and aggravated from matters he didn’t bother explaining. You stood on his doorway, lips shut tight as you nervously fiddled with your ring, unsure if whether you should tell him or allow him to piece the puzzle himself.

Thankfully, Naoya was a lot more observant than you gave him credit for.

His eyes slid over your face before he followed the motion of your fingers, smirking as the jewel glinted under the bright lights of his home. Wise choice, he’d once told you, and you believed it.

Your life hadn’t been the same ever since. Your spontaneous marriage equated to hellish training of perfecting your image as his trophy wife, spending hours in his secret laboratory and discussing business plans through a glass of wine. Naoya wasn’t around much to teach you everything and it pained him to be your own trainer too so you had to ask help from his guards, refusing to give up and fall down even as your muscles screamed at you to take a break. For Naoya, with Naoya, giving up and running away felt like a myth; a buried solution in the past that should never be brought up again. But now that he was gone, you did exactly that.

You’d given up. Satoru had made you run away.

“Miss,” a deep voice cut you from your thoughts. You tore your gaze away from the glowing night city of Milan to turn to Satoru’s right hand man, the tall figure looming rather shyly instead of imposingly. “You haven’t eaten since we got here. Would you like anything? Mr. Gojo will cover your expenses.”

“I want to go home.”

He froze at your deadpan statement. Finally meeting your gaze under his lashes, Geto pursed his lips. “You know we can’t do that, Miss. It’s unsafe back in Japan.”

“And who’s to say Toji won’t follow us here?” you snapped, pushing your weight off the Cleopatra set and uncrossing your legs. “Why can’t your stupid boss just activate the account and give it back to us? I think we’ve made it clear we’re more than capable of handling our finances, and I’m pretty sure Satoru doesn’t need any more money when he can afford all this.”

“Mr. Gojo…has his reasons for everything he does.”

You laughed bitterly. Maybe it was the fact that Satoru had left this morning for whatever business he had that you didn’t have anyone else to let your anger out to that you’d swiped your gun under your thigh holster and dashed his way.

Geto’s back slammed against the wall, the cool barrel of your gun pressed to his jaw. He swallowed nervously, eyes darting to your weapon, and you laughed heartlessly. “Oh, please, do tell because nothing makes sense,” you crooned, flipping the safety off and letting your heated gaze meet his rather docile ones. You almost felt bad for him. Almost.

“I could easily put a bullet through your head and hijack his plane. I’ll be gone before you know it and who’s to stop me from doing that? Why should I stay here any longer with you?”

“Because your husband asked you to,” Geto responded softly. You stepped back with wide eyes, yesterday’s event crashing all over you once again. He must’ve sensed you no longer held any hostility because he used his pointer finger to move the barrel away from him, gently peeling your hands off his suit. “Because you know, if you go back to Japan, there will be nothing waiting for you there.”

You balled your fists. “I will kill Fushiguro Toji myself. Then I’ll kill Satoru.”

“Even if he used to be your lover?”

“Especially because he used to be my lover.”

Okay…maybe your plan of escaping and returning to Japan hadn’t worked out that well. Exhaustion finally crept up to your senses that you passed out not long after attacking Geto – who reassured you to no end he wasn’t mad you tried to kill him – and days have passed ever since. You hated to admit it, but being stuck in an overseas hotel wasn’t so bad. Geto’s presence was a lot more comforting than his master’s that you didn’t mind having him watch your every move. Plus, he was really nice to immediately follow your every whim. You wanted hot chocolate? Extra pillows? A really expensive wine that you refused to pay for because you were petty and dramatic? He provided it all without question.

Except he probably should have, because you’d stripped off to your underwear, head tipped back to take one final swig of the nearly empty bottle as you slid deeper into the tub.

Your fiery nature of rolling your eyes at Satoru every time he came around (which was rare, for some reason) couldn’t fool anyone – not even yourself. The moment Geto retired to the living room, you would bite the pillows to muffle your cries, thinking back to when Naoya was still alive. It was an endless torment of what if you had stayed, what if you had pushed the rubble off him, what if you just saved him?

Would he still be alive? Would he have survived? Would you be back with him in the Zen’in Estate instead of holding your breath under the tub in a desperate attempt to conceal your tears?

It hurt so bad. It hurt everywhere.

Your lungs begged you to rise up and breathe, but you stayed still under the water, eyes shut tight and hands clenched around the tub’s edges so hard your knuckles turned white. Soon, you grew dizzy and your grip slipped away. Finally, fucking finally, you were falling, falling way too deep that your legs bent inside the tub. Bubbles erupted from your lips in one last breath. At the back of your mind, you let out a sincere laugh for you’d meet your husband soon. He’d be disappointed, probably scold you all the way to the afterlife – until strong arms pulled you out of the tub and into someone’s chest instead.

“Shit, what are you doing?! You could’ve drowned!”

You coughed out water and fisted Satoru’s button-up shirt that had now clung to his skin from the water. Looking around you, you were still very much alive, the uncomfortable twisting of your heart a painful reminder of that. Above you, Satoru sat you in his lap while he remained cross-legged on the floor, muttering curses under his breath as he wrapped a towel around you.

Scoffing, you pushed his hands away, though you kept the towel anyway to lessen your shivering. Why the fuck was the AC so damn strong here?

“Dying seems like a better option, don’t you think?” you snarled at him, teeth chattering from the chill that had begin to seep in.

Momentarily, you worried on how much of a hot mess you probably looked like. Smudged eyeliner, wine-stained lips, unbrushed hair and remnants of the wine mixing with the once clear bath water – you shook your head at the thought and glared at Satoru.

“Where the fuck have you been?”

“I was out contacting friends to ask for help. We’re going to need a hundred pairs of eyes watching anywhere that Toji could possibly come through.”

“Is this your pathetic idea of ‘keeping me safe’? Locking me up in this stupid hotel and having your man watch me all the time?” you pushed yourself off him, the sudden motion of standing up giving you wobbly legs. Satoru reached over to steady you but you slapped his hand away, your glare warning him to not take another step.

Seeing his face, seeing him worried as if he didn’t just cause your life to turn into absolute hell, you wanted to grab the wine bottle and smash it right at his pretty face. He had no right to look at you with pity.

You hated him, utterly and terribly despised this man with your entire being.

“What are you really planning, Satoru? Why can’t we just come back home and attack Toji with all we’ve got? Why don’t you just give back our fucking money so we can end all this for once and for all and I can leave?!”

“Because I don’t have the money!”

“What?”

“The money…” Satoru’s back slid off the wall, his palm coming up to thread through his hair. He sounded weak, defeated. “I don’t have it.”

“Gojo,” you snatched him by the collar, teeth bared as you demanded, “What do you mean you don’t have it?”

Satoru paled. “When I stole the money from the Zen’ins, the figures were all fake. They’re not real, there’s no actual money hidden behind their accounts and it was too late before I realized that,” his lips trembled as he continued, “Whatever Toji placed in there, it’s not his actual account where he hides everything and it would make sense too because I stole it too easily – almost as if they wanted me to take it. A few hacks here and there and it was immediately wired to me but after meeting you…” Satoru shook his head, chin dropped down low. “I checked again and the account never existed. It’s a fake one. The digits are just there for show.”

“So then why would Toji want it? Why did my husband have to die for nothing?!”

“I don’t know, okay, I don’t know anything!” he argued back until your faces grew closer, his nose brushing with yours.

Somehow, you couldn’t pull away. His knees had drawn up, forcing you to rest on his thighs as you both breathed heavily, your grip on his collar almost havered.

“Whatever the Zen’ins are hiding, that’s beyond me. I may be in the business for far longer than they have, but they have always been notorious with their possessions that I’m not surprised even I can’t find where it really leads back to. Whatever Toji is hiding there, your husband must’ve known something about it. Why else would they fight tooth and bone over it?”

“If there was, Naoya would’ve told me about it.”

“He would if he trusted you,” Satoru suddenly grabbed your wrist and shook it until you stared at your ring. “How are you even so sure he could trust you with that information? Have you forgotten you’re just a pawn to his game and you’re nothing but a bed warmer?”

“Don’t you ever speak about us that way. You don’t know how much he cared for me.”

“If he really did, then why didn’t he tell you why his cousin is after you? He’s using you as bait, Y/N. I’m not the bad guy here. That man you’re so deeply in love with? I can’t guarantee he’s better than me. We’re all men in the mafia, love is the last thing we would care about.”

You pushed yourself off him.

His words stung too much, not because it was a lie, but because you know there was some sort of truth ringing behind it. You trudged out of the bathroom and sat on the bed, unstirred by the fact you dripped all over the carpeted floor. From behind you, Satoru’s rushed footsteps echoed, but you didn’t care. You simply threw on a robe with your back turned to him.

“And you’d know that better than everyone right? Considering how easy it was for you to leave me?” When Satoru didn’t respond, you chuckled humorlessly and sat on the bed. “What Naoya and I had…it was a friendship that healed my soul. I don’t…I don’t know what to do without him.”

“Friendship?”

You smiled sadly. “I wasn’t actually in love with him, idiot. Men like Naoya don’t know what love is, but he sure does know how to protect family.”

The notion of talking about him, of accepting that maybe he really was gone…somewhat reliving.

Satoru was the last person you wanted to talk to your late husband about, but Geto – which is the much better company – wasn’t around, and you hugged your knees to yourself, refusing to let Satoru see through your vulnerability.

“You know, I trusted him more than I did myself. He was always there for me, no matter what. His soul was dark, angry, corrupted – he’s not the man I would fall for, but despite all that, he was the friend I needed,” you buried your face in your knees, voice muffled as you cried, your heart shattering again and again and again.

The ring on your finger had never felt so heavy ever since you wore it.

“I loved him as much as I hated you.”

Satoru was silent, so much so that you wondered if he was even in the same room at all. You sat there crying, too hopeless to even try to conceal it anymore. Shivering, you close your eyes and forced the image of Naoya’s last moments away from your memories, desperately praying to whoever had mercy that you could just forget all about it.

“Geto told me you tried to kill him,” Satoru murmured after a beat, “You could’ve easily escaped and went back to Japan if you wanted to, so why didn’t you? Was it because of me?”

You remembered what you tried to do today.

Just like that, Naoya was alive once more. You were brought back to the day of your wedding when he’d clasped your sweaty, clammy hands in his, rubbing some warmth in them before pressing a kiss at the top of your knuckles. He’d asked you to promise him something then – an entire contrast from his constants orders over your well-being – and it was a promise you’d momentarily forgotten; a promise you’d broken out of mourning.

“Naoya once told me,” you reminisced through dry, cracked lips and even more shattered heart, the picture of his disappointment as clear as day. “Death was the only place he can go where he would never allow me to follow.”

It took a lot, but it somehow got better. After allowing yourself a faint moment of weakness where Naoya resurfaced in your mind to remind you of our promise and your purpose, you felt stronger, somewhat steadier with each step you took. You were still wary around Satoru, although that was a given.

His friend, Geto, was really nice, on the other hand, and you couldn’t explain why you always lowered your guard around the formal dark-haired assistant.

You and Geto were playing chess when Satoru barged in out of nowhere, a plate and a syrup condenser on his hand. “So I got you breakfast,” was his greeting, nodding at Geto once as a silent order to give you two privacy. You pouted as the latter left, but soon your attention had been diverted to the heavenly aroma filling in your senses. Seeing your approval, Satoru hid a smile behind his dark sunglasses. “Still like pancakes?”

“Trying to get into my good graces now?”

“I’m just trying to cheer you up.”

You rolled your eyes but snatched the plate from him anyway. “So I talked to my lawyer,” you begun, pouring syrup all over the fluffy bread until it was almost spilling to the sides. Beside you, Satoru’s snickers were barely muffled, to which you ignored wholeheartedly. “They’ve already processed my inheritance over Naoya’s possessions and assets. Once we return to Japan, I’ll be the next leader of the Zen’in Clan, much to the disappointment of his elders, of course, but they can’t do anything about it,” you informed him with your fork hanging in mid-air, the words falling thickly. “You know what that means, don’t you?”

“That we’re back to being enemies?”

You offered him a sarcastic smile. “Naoya lied about strengthening his alliance with your family. He doesn’t actually give a fuck about you.”

“I figured that much,” he snickered to himself, shifting his weight until his elbows rested on his thighs. “Listen…a friend of mine is flying to Milan tonight to meet us. They have strong connections with banks all over the world and they brought in some information about that hidden Zen’in account. I think we’re finally getting off to somewhere and finding out what really is in there,” Satoru gauged for your reaction, but you kept eating – more like stuffing the pancakes inside your mouth for you were finally free of having to act perfect without your husband.

Satoru’s hand landed on top of yours. “I promise…I’ll give it back to right where it belongs. As soon as it’s wired back to you, I’m setting you free.”

You stared at the unwanted figure over you, and you snatched your hand back, waving a bread knife below his lashes. “You can’t set me free when I was never yours,” you sang breathily, the tip of the blade hovered right at his lips. Satoru raised a brow at you, but you quickly retrieved the knife back with widened eyes. “Now that you mention it…I think Naoya told me something about his family stashing secret weapons and even heirlooms through offshore accounts and buried under islands. He was a little sleepy during that time but I remember it,” pushing the plate away from you as you lost your appetite, you clutched your palms under your chin in thought. “He said he was looking for something he lost as a child, possibly an heirloom.”

“He’s doing all this for heirlooms?” Satoru immediately coughed his words back when you glared at him, raising his hands in surrender. “I mean, I was just saying. I didn’t think he was a sentimental type of guy.”

“The question here is what both Toji and Naoya could’ve both wanted from that account. It’s not just an heirloom, obviously there’s something there worth more than money,” You argued and slapped your knees, heading straight to your (unfortunately) shared room. “Whatever. I’ll get this over with as soon as I get the money back.”

Satoru, as always, was hot on your heels. It annoyed you how he trailed over you like some sort of puppy or shadow – Naoya had always been too classy to not give you space.

The difference between them just kept getting more and more uncannily obvious.

“Whoa there, stop. Did you really think I’d give back the money to you and that’s it? Are you forgetting the fact Toji is out there to kill you just so he can have his hands on it?”

“He can have the money for all I fucking care,” you shrugged and sat on your bed, scrolling through numerous piles of emails and records that Naoya entrusted you to keep. Surely you could find something. “I just need to find whatever Naoya’s spent his whole life killing for.”

“Why don’t you care about the money? Didn’t Naoya expect you to take over his business?”

Your thumb froze over a file. Suddenly, your throat grew dry, and you quickly flashed Satoru a stinky eye. “I-it’s not my main concern.”

“It’s not safe for you. If Toji finds out—”

Got it. You bookmarked an email Naoya had forwarded you around three years ago and resent it to an old friend, pocketing the phone back to your pyjamas before Satoru could see. “I’ll handle it. I’ve been doing well so far before you came into our lives again,” you finalized, stopping for a bit as you waited for that all-too familiar footfall matching with yours, only for the room to be coated in silence.

Satoru stood there on the other side of the room, eyes deep in thought before he sighed. “I’ll meet you at the hotel restaurant tonight. We have a lot to discuss on what our next move should be,” nodding once, Satoru left the room.

The hotel room was eerily silent.

Dinner came around faster than you expected. With Geto out to run some errands for Satoru, something about ‘establishing bases’ or whatever, you were locked in your room, using Naoya’s black card to get enough amount of clothing to last you for your stay here. Even though Satoru had promised he’d take care of everything, you didn’t want to be in his debt for any longer. You weren’t his, you were Naoya’s, and you shot down his curious looks when heaps of shopping bags had been delivered to your door.

An hour later, you left the room, struggling to zipper the back of your dress. Satoru was already in the living room buttoning up his suit jacket, just as handsome as ever (though you’d never tell him that.)

His hands froze in the last button once his eyes landed on you, and you huffed at him, too distressed to even act cute or bothered while pointing to your dress. Satoru strode to you in three long steps, his cold fingers brushing against the dip of your spine when he clutched on the zipper.

You had to bite your lip down to prevent the shivers from spilling through, his lips dangerously close to your ear as he whispered, “You look great.”

“You’re not so bad yourself.”

If Satoru was bothered by the lack of sincerity in your voice, he didn’t comment on it. He removed his hands from you and watched as you slipped black velvet gloves through your arms – just in case you had to end up killing someone; leaving fingerprints was a risk you couldn’t take.

“Did you really get dressed to kill?”

“I came here to negotiate,” you corrected, “I’ll do everything I can to find out whatever’s behind that offshore account. And you, sir,” Frowning at him, you pulled Satoru closer by the tie, perhaps a little too harshly since he nearly knocked his head with yours. He was quick to steady himself as you fixed his tie, flattening it down with your fingers. “You need to know where you should stick your nose in. This is more my business than yours so don’t get in my way acting all hero and shit. I assure you I can handle myself.”

“You’re really going to berate me for worrying about you?”

“You can no longer worry about me,” you disclosed, snatching your black purse from the counter before doing the come hither motion at his shock-still figure. “Now let’s go. We have a case to crack.”

“Case to crack? You sure sound like a detective.”

You snickered, but made no further comment. The elevators dinged and you arrived at the restaurant, which you really regretted not visiting soon enough because the place was grand. Red carpeted floors, golden chandeliers, soft jazz music playing in the background as the lights dimmed down low, the faint clinking of utensils against plates and light chatter of the guests so heartbreakingly nostalgic.

It seemed that even after his death, Naoya had every intention to never leave your side. The setting reminded you too much of your never-ending late night fancy dinners.

Naoya being Naoya, he didn’t blink twice in flaunting his money and renting out entire restaurants all for himself, claiming that he just ‘wanted to have an intimate moment with his wife.’ Sure, it mostly consisted of you discussing what move you should make next, but it was the most affectionate gesture you’ve received after spending years in the quiet and cold environment of the Zen’in Estate.

The outside world wasn’t any better when you and Naoya were marked as targets by the entire government, so it made sense, that only with him that you’d find comfort in.

You must be so out of it you never even noticed Satoru leading you to your seat, a warm meal that should’ve been comforting right under your nose. It was too much – too similar that you headed straight for the wine, ignoring Satoru’s questioning gaze. You noticed from the corner of his eye that he opened his mouth too many times in an attempt to make light conversation, but this dinner wasn’t for you to rekindle your old flame.

No, you were here to wait for his ‘friend’ and review important matters. You were determined to fulfill that purpose alone and only that alone that you never once made eye contact with him, even standing up to reach the salt shaker near him instead of asking him to pass it.

Just as you leaned back to your seat, the music grew louder. A foreign man walked to the stage where he was basked in the spotlight, all heads turning to him when he tapped the microphone, sending little echoes all over the hall. “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s loosen up tonight with a drink and bring our lovers out here on the dance floor,” he sang while swaying side to side, snapping his fingers to the beat that had turned into calming to sensual. “It is a fine evening, isn’t it? Come on, don’t be shy, the night is still so young!”

You dropped your fork beside the plate. “Did you know about this?”

“I swear, I had no idea.”

“Those two attractive lovers in table 42, the dance floor is still much too spacious!”

“Pretty vulgar for a five star hotel,” you commented under your breath and dabbed the pasta sauce off your lips with a napkin, slapping it down the table as you stood up – much to Satoru’s surprise who’d tried to make himself invisible from the host’s eyes. Stupid him; did he really think he could blend in with his sunglasses and snow white hair?

If you were to be honest, you’d rather choke on shrimp than dance with him, but you had an image to upkeep. If you couldn’t gather with the crowd and pretend to be one with others, both your true natures would be fished out even with innocent eyes. You were left with no choice but to be comfortable in the dance floor, sighing deeply as you placed your hands down on Satoru’s wide shoulders. He furrowed his brows at you but said nothing else; strong, cautious hands sliding down from your back before they settled at the curve of your hips.

“Keep your hands to yourself, Mister. I won’t hesitate to stab a fork through your jugular right here.”

“Oh, don’t worry, I know you’re not my little angel anymore.”

Angel. It was what he used to call you back then – when you were still but an innocent, naïve being who never believed in monsters until you fell for one.

He was right; you were no longer his angel. The woman he loved had been left abandoned in the street, the purity of her soul tainted with anger and heartbreak that soon bathed in blood and the need for revenge. His angel was no more – the woman he danced with was nothing but a replica of the face and body he adored the most. Now, you danced with him, not as his angel and neither as his rival’s wife, but simply as a woman whose kindness had long vanished into thin air.

Satoru danced with the devil.

And he should be disgusted just as you should be repulsed with how sickeningly smooth and graceful he was in everything he did, but the wine – yes, it was the fucking wine – messed with you that you actually enjoyed it. Your bodies moved in rhythm and syncopated with the beat, the romantic high notes of the violin and the tender embrace of deep trebles like a classical painting coming to life and you were its subjects to be expressed.

Perhaps…you were just sad. You grieved and mourned too much you’d momentarily forgot what love was, in turn making you forget what it felt like to be constantly unsafe and peeking over your shoulder in case someone tried to kill you.

Satoru just felt so warm, so safe and alive that you found your head dipping lower, your muscles relaxing around his soothing and undeniably tender touch, the space between your bodies diminishing until you surrendered to the power of your desire. You were so close, your ear about to press on his chest to listen to the blissful sound of someone’s reassuring heartbeat along with the music, and then you saw him.

A tuft of blonde hair, a chiseled face, a nude cream suit and a deep blue shirt beneath – what the fuck was he doing here?

The spell was broken in an instant.

Satoru must’ve been under the same trance for his hand trailed lower to pull you closer, your chests grazing with one another before you placed your palm flat on his body, lips thinned into a grim look that resonated with the sick, twisting feeling in your guts.

“I,” you croaked out, clearing your throat when it went dry. “I need to go to the ladies.”

You left Satoru without another word, bunching your dress up to run to where he had disappeared. He was still walking coolly and inspecting the paintings hung in the empty lobby with faux interest – although knowing him, the bastard probably did enjoy classical pieces and studied about them in his free time; which he didn’t have much to begin with.

As if sensing your presence, he stopped right in front of a replica of The Sleeping Venus, his hands dug deep in his pockets. “The shape of being is the visual demonstration of a state of being in which idealized existence is suspended in immutable slow-breathing harmony. All the sensuality has been distilled off from this sensuous presence, and all incitement; Venus denotes not the act of love but the recollection of it. The perfect embodiment of Giorgione’s dream, she dreams his dream herself,” he narrates in his baritone voice, “A little cordial, is it not?”

You took your gun out from your thigh holster and lowered it right at the back of his skull. “Don’t move another inch.”

“No need to be so hostile in a public setting, Y/N. I’m only here to look out for you and making sure you’re not forgetting who you are. Killing me isn’t part of the plan.”

“Neither was murdering my husband,” you growled, pushing the barrel harder against him, though the man didn’t budge before you. “I know that it wasn’t Toji who set off the bomb, Kento, you did.”

“We simply saw an opportunity that couldn’t be wasted. Two notorious mafia leaders in an unsuspecting supposed safe environment?” The fact he didn’t even deny it left you speechless. Kento spun around until your gun rested between his eyes, and he languidly pushed his glasses up his high nose as he looked down on you. “We could’ve killed two birds with one stone had you not been in the way.”

“You guys are out to kill me too now?”

“Don’t act too surprised. The Organization isn’t patient enough to wait for both leaders to die.”

“So you killed my husband?!” you argued, “He was my friend, I told you not to touch him!”

“Only in the exchange that you hand him to us,” Kento echoed, jogging your memory until you were kept up to date. “But it’s been five years and what has happened so far? You’re fraternizing with the enemy and even manufacturing drugs for your so-called husband. Now that he’s dead, you’re here in Italy, looking as stunning as ever as you wine and dine with a former lover,” Kento tilted his head to the side to study your appearance – smiling at how you seemed too bright and fashionable for a woman in supposed mourning.

“I hardly believe you’re actually affected by this at all.”

“How dare you! I’ve proven to no end my loyalty of the higher-ups!”

Kento didn’t bat an eye at your outburst. If anything, he stepped closer to your weapon. “Kill me if you wish, Y/N, but know the moment you put a bullet in my head, the Organization will place you on the same pedestal as Naoya’s and Gojo’s. I wouldn’t recommend such methods considering we’re already at unease on whose side you’re really on. If you do this, you will be our enemy.”

“I did everything for the Organization. What else would you want from me?”

“The contract was easy. We want both leaders – whether dead or alive – in our custody. If you don’t hold your side of the deal, it’s not only your life that we’ll take from you,” Kento pulled out a red coin that made your heart sink deep into your stomach for it served as a threat over the consequences of your actions.

He lowered your gun with the coin and smirked at you, his lips right beside the shell of your ear as he purred, “I suggest you be careful with what step of action you take next.”

“Oi, Nanami, you’re here!” Satoru’s voice suddenly boomed in the hallway. Nanami was as unbothered as ever from taking a step away from you, nodding to your gun which you quickly concealed right before Satoru arrived. You were frozen – rendered immobile with the flashing red metal from his palm – that you couldn’t even protest against Satoru wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “I see you’ve met Mrs. Zen’in already.”

“Hmm, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Madam,” taking your hand in his, Kento’s eyes were nothing but eerie as he kissed your knuckles. “Shall we start our discussion?”

SUKI RANTS! Nanami quoted Sydney Joseph Friedberg (an art critic) in one of his dialogues. A little backstory on the painting was that the portrait was originally made by Giorgone, who had a student and also his lover (if I’m not mistaken) called Titian. Giorgone never finished the portrait because he died from the plague but Titiane finished it for him, symbolizing that Y/N still has a mission that connected her from Naoya even after his death and she has to finish something he started. The portrait is of a nude woman that symbolized oneness of nature and that the woman isn’t posed for the gaze of men, but rather they are dreaming, hence the quote: “Venus denotes not the act of love but the recollection of it. The perfect embodiment of Giorgione’s dream, she dreams his dream herself.” Nanami said the painting’s meaning resonated with Y/N’s situation too much since she wasn’t in love with Naoya, but she had a recollection of their moments that still represented their relationship, and that Naoya’s dream (goals) are also shared by Reader. I was gonna ask you guys what your theories are on that scene but I think this makes me sound cooler if I explain it so *lip bite emoji because I’m still broken over Naoya’s death*

taglist open (lmk if you want to be added/removed):

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gladerwolfstarkimagines · 3 years ago

Text

Reader x Wei and Wing Imagine Part Two - When Korra decided to stick around in Zafou for a while you were pleased for two reasons, their names were Wei and Wing.

Part one here

I’ve tagged some people who wanted a part two, sorry it took so long!! Tagged: @dangerouslysimping @tincdraws

_____

Even since you’d caught their attention that first day the boys were smitten so you saw a LOT of them. You began training with them pretty regularly and team avatar picked up on the fact the twins seemed to occupy all your time.

You were enjoying a nice afternoon together with your friends when you spotted the time and realised your plans with the twins were starting soon. You waited until Bolin and Mako finished bickering with a fond smile before standing up and Bolin immediately frowned “noooo” he cried “we just got here you can’t go!”. “We’ve been here 40 minutes” you pointed out but he just crossed his arms “so?”. You laughed along with the others and Mako looked at you “so where are you heading off to?”. “Do you really need to ask?” Korra smirked and you rolled your eyes. “Ahhh the twins” Mako said with a smirk and you threw a rock at Korra. The gang liked to comment a lot on your situation with the twins and Korra was the worst for it. “Hey don’t attack me you’re the one dating them both”. “we’re not dating we’re just...having fun” you shrugged and Asami laughed “that what you’re calling it huh?”. Korra chuckled “I mean i get it they’re both attractive powerful benders like you....why wouldn’t you want to have fun with them?”. “Exactly” you nodded gathering your stuff and Korra smirked. “Plus I bet the metal bending comes in handy in lots of ways hey y/n?" Korra smirked and Asami laughed along with her. "What does that even mean?" you asked confused and Korra shrugged watching Asami with a smile "I don’t know but I bet the fact they’re both so physically fit being metal benders comes in handy". You frowned “I never thought about it that way just because they’re metal benders...Asami what’s your experience with metal benders being more physically capable?”. Asami paused “Why would I....”. “Well because Korra’s a metal bender I figured you’d know all about that” you grinned as both the girls went bright red and babbled while Mako laughed. “And on that note goodbye” you smirked and headed off.

“You’re late” Wing called as you reached the yard and you frowned “I know sorry I got lost, your home is huge”. “Yeah we’re pretty rich” Wei commented and you laughed shaking your head “yeah? Well maybe you should hire a bodyguard for these training sessions? I’ve been kicking you around so much it should be illegal”. Wing smirked as Wei’s swagger dropped and he stumbled over words trying to think of a comeback. “Don’t strain too hard” you smiled sweetly and patted his shoulder before walking out onto the yard. Wing followed you still smiling and you glanced at him “does that smile mean you forgive me for being late?”. “Totally” he grinned and you smiled, Wing had a really nice smile especially when the sun shone off his face like that....you were distracted from your staring as people called out Wing’s name. You looked up and saw there were some spectators today. You didn’t recognise any of them but you soon saw why, they were clearly here for Wing and Wei only. “Who is that?” you asked smirking and Wing looked at you awkwardly “some...friends”. “Just friends?” you asked smiling and Wei appeared “why are you jealous?”. “You wish” you grinned catching the helmet he tossed to you and throwing it to the side “no helmets, my trainer told me they’re crutches that dim your bending, she said earth bending is all about taking risks and showing brute strength”. “You know the more you talk about this swamp woman the less i think she’s real” Wing commented and you went to argue the crazy swamp lady was totally real when Wei waved to the girls above making them all cheer. You watched slightly annoyed at how much Wei seemed to enjoy the attention and he smirked “you done talking yet?”. “You done showing off to your girlfriends?”. “Just about” he smirked and you rolled your eyes.

You would all start off stood an equal distance from one another and attack one another fairly. But Wei and Wing had a habit of forming an alliance against you and it was their favourite thing to do when they were losing. They did it whenever you got into a good rhythm and as soon as you were getting into your stride they crept closer. It was always harder when they could help one another so you actively tried to keep them apart. You loosened Wing’s footing and launched an attack at Wei focusing all your attention on him. “You’ve got this Wei” a spectator called and you heard several other girls cheer him on. Given this advancement you began attacking Wei harder. He was hardly blocking your attacks and Wing just watched. “Aren’t you going to help?” Wei called but Wing just shrugged “nah i’m good”. The girls began chanting for Wei and it only made you smile because he was going to lose. You moved closer and closer, your attacks only marginally missing him and he was struggling big time. You felt the winning strike as you released it and could see Wei knew it was over too. You heard the crowd above gasp as your disk roughly crashed into Wei and smirked slightly. “I quite like your cheerleaders Wei” you called as he stood back up slowly “their gasps of concern really warm my heart”. Wei rolled his eye as Wing laughed. “Whatever you’re just jealous”. You snorted “maybe if you were a better metal bender but at the moment....”. You were suddenly interrupted by shouting. “What are you doing in here this is private property!” a voice called and the girls all began to argue. Bataar junior appeared in view and spotted you all “Wei how many times have i told you no sneaking your cheerleaders in here!”. Wei shrugged “ahhh come on Bataar, I can’t disappoint these lovely ladies”. You rolled your eyes at the same time as Wing and Bataar junior. “Well I can” Bataar junior replied coldly “out!” he yelled and all the girls began to disperse. “Bye Wei! bye Wing” they called and walked away. Wei watched them go before his eyes fell to his oldest brother “so were you just here to ruin my fun or did you need something?”. Bataar glared “I am here because I need your help, I need someone to metal bend the new machine me and dad are working on, mom’s busy with the avatar, Huan would never do it and I can’t think of anyone else, so one of you need to come help me”. Wei and Wing looked at one another. “Not it!” Wei cried suddenly and Wing swore “really we’re doing that? Are we four?”. “Yep, it’s the easiest way and you lost so run along and leave me and y/n alone” Wei smirked stepping closer to you. You saw Wing look down at that clearly unhappy with that scenario and stepped forwards “don’t worry you won’t miss much, I was only toying with Wei to keep the match going but now you’re gone I won’t have much motivation to...”. Wing smiled “ow really?” and you nodded “yeah why did you think I was going easy on you? Your eyes look really good in this sunlight”. Wing blushed and you smiled seeing the shyer twin react to compliments. “Okay well I’ll go help Bataar and see you guys later?”. You nodded “totally” and smiled. Wing smiled brightly at you before walking away still wearing a dazed look.

You turned back around to see Wei heading towards the other end of the field. “Wei?” you asked and when he didn’t reply you followed him. “Wei?” you called and he looked over his shoulder “ow well I was just thinking if you’re worried I might be too boring for you how about we make the stakes a bit higher?” he asked. He pulled a lever and parts of the ground fell away to reveal different terrains and objects. “Nice, why have you never shown me this?” you asked and Wei shrugged “my dad only just finished making it, he wanted to go a big show of it with a lot of people but as we’re alone I figured we could give it a test run?”. “Totally” you grinned excited to use the different terrains and surfaces to your advantage. “And one more thing to make sure i definitely can’t bore you....” Wei pulled out two pieces of cloth “why not do it blind?”.

You’d trained blind before, your earthbending teacher had made you do it all blind initially but that had been a while ago so you were a little out of practice. Combine that with an unfamiliar environment and terrain you hadn’t experienced before and you were way out of your depth. But you’d never admit that to Wei. You walked to your end of the field and tightly tied the bandage around your eyes. You took a strong stance and let Wei attack first. You deflected his shots without retaliation and just worked on getting your bearings. “What’s wrong?” Wei called “not so confident anymore”. You heard his voice come from your left so sent a disk that way. You heard a soft grunt and smiled “and that’s why you shouldn’t talk so much loudmouth”. “Good point” Wei called back and then went silent. So silent you couldn’t even hear him moving. That made you panic.

You moved away from your position as quietly as you could, trying to make sure Wei wouldn’t know where to find you. You were making good progress when you stepped onto a new terrain with a loud crunch. You winced as immediately attacks were sent flying at you. You managed to dodge some by instinct and began moving quicker trying to escape Wei’s range. You lightly ran over the terrain but Wei just followed you. He seemed to gain on you no matter where you ran and so you stopped and maintained your ground. You were on some loose rocky terrain so footing wasn’t good but at least now Wei had to block your attacks. You sent rock and metal flying at him but after a while you didn’t hear anything. “You know...you’re not as good at this as I thought you’d be” Wei said suddenly right next to you. You jumped and backed up but hit a wall. “Yeah...we’ll i’m not done yet”. You strook out at Wei but he sensed that. Wei retaliated by moving the earth beneath your feet making you slip and he took his opportunity. While you were trying to stay upright, he snapped metal around your waist and fixed it to the wall without any hesitation. He simultaneously secured your hands in rocks meaning you couldn’t move. You grunted in shock and breathed heavily, utterly surprised and a little bit annoyed that you’d lost. “I think I win” Wei said coming into view as he tugged your blindfold off your face. “Of course you’d say that” you huffed and Wei laughed “you’re pinned against the wall, i have your hands trapped and i’m holding a massive piece of metal”. You shrugged “I could still get out of this”. “Ow really?” Wei asked and you nodded confidently “easily” and Wei laughed. “God you’re stubborn” he grinned watching you. “I know” you said staring at him “you got a problem with that”. “Nope, I actually rather like it” he smiled tracing your jaw lightly “your confidence is...impressive, I’ve never met someone quite like you”. You smiled in reply and just looked up at him “I know”. Wei laughed shaking his head before his eyes fell to your lips. He dropped the restraints from your body but didn’t step away and neither did you. He closed the distance between you and just when his lips were about to touch yours a voice called out “Wei? Are you there?”. Wei paused centimetres away from you and you felt his body slump “sometimes I hate having so many siblings”. You smirked and Wei moved away from you slowly. Wei stepped out of the shadows and looked around “Opal? I’m down here, what’s wrong?” he called. “There you are!” Opal cried with relief “come quick Mum’s fighting with aunt Lin!”.

You and Wei ran to the gardens to see Lin and Su yin were indeed fighting. You gaped shocked at how good they both were. “Korra shouldn’t you....” you called but Bolin shook his head “this is how siblings fight, they’ll be fine”. You raised an eyebrow but were brought out of your thought by Wei and Wing. “Go mom!” Wei called and you saw Wing frown “what’s wrong with you they could get hurt!”. Wei shook his head “mom won’t get hurt she was trained by the greatest earth bender that ever lived!!”. “So? What is she hurts aunt Lin?”. Wei paused “we have really good medics?”. Wing groaned storming off and Wei sighed “someone’s in a bad mood”. “I mean he does have a point” you shrugged “they could both get hurt”. “Yeah” Wei nodded “but Wing’s just jealous that’s why he snapped”. You frowned feeling bad, “maybe one of us should go after him?”. Wei nodded “sure but I know you’ll make more progress than me”. “But he’s your twin, don’t you know him better than anyone?”. “Yes and that’s why I know without a doubt you running after him will definitely improve his mood”. You laughed shaking your head “fine, i’ll go comfort your brother”. Wei nodded “have fun, but not as much as we had of course...”. Wei grinned at you suggestively and you looked down blushing. “I’ll see you” you replied after a brief pause and rushed after Wing.

You caught up to Wing quite quickly and spotted him not far away on the path. “Wing!” you called and he paused “y/n?”. “Are you okay?” you asked “Wei thought that was a bit unprovoked”. “I’m fine” Wing sighed “just....I have to finish doing this for Bataar”. You nodded your head “how about I help you? Two metal benders will get it done faster than one”. Wing smiled softly “sure, it’s this way”. He led you into a large laboratory and you whistled impressed. Your job was literally just straightening out some pieces of metal but there was a lot. You got to work but it was boring and slow. “You know you don’t have to help” Wing called after a few minutes and you smiled “was my face that obvious?”. He nodded “go find Wei, it’s okay I don’t mind”. You frowned at how Wing said that, as if you would obviously prefer Wei. You enjoyed your time with Wing just as much as your time with Wei, but Wing didn’t seem to expect that. “No I promised to do this and so I’m going to finish this if it kills me”. Wing laughed and then frowned in thought “well we could talk, that could make it go faster?”. You nodded your head “sure what do you want to talk about? Metal bending? The avatar? How rich you are?”. “I have a question actually” Wing replied and you nodded “shoot”. “What’s your family like?” Wing asked and you paused “mine?”. “Yeah...I just realised I never ever asked, I can’t believe how rude Wei and I have been that we didn’t even ask you about your family”. You laughed “it’s fine, my family is good! Small but good, it’s just me my mom and dad, we were kind of outsiders in our tribe. The water nation isn’t progressive and so many people were wary of my earth nation dad and then me too when I developed earth bending...but then I met Korra and that all changed! Being her friend literally overnight changed my life. My family was no longer shunned but respected and acknowledged and it was all because Korra ordered it” you said smiling fondly “Korra...she’s my best friend in the entire world”. You were cut off from your speech by said best friend. Korra, Asami, Mako and Bolin were walking by and they all of course spotted you. Korra grinned as she looked from you to Wing. “Well what do we have here?” she asked strutting into the room “the sparring wasn’t enough to get rid of all that tension I see”. You sighed and looked at Wing “forget everything I just told you, Korra I will kill you if you don’t get out and leave us alone this second!”. “Okay I’m going...just keep it PG in here okay? Avatar’s orders!”. You earth bent her out of the door and groaned “Wing I’m so sorry....” but Wing just smiled a small blush on his face “it’s fine...it’s just what family do”. You nodded your head and Wing glanced at you “what she said was true though...I am glad I got to talk to you privately, sometimes it feels like a constant show between me and Wei when you’re around...so it’s nice to talk without feeling any tension or pressure”. “Yeah it is” you smiled “it’s also nice to just talk and not throw rocks at each other”. Wing smiled “yeah, did i miss much earlier when i went with Bataar?”. You blushed slightly remembering how close Wei had come to kissing you and struggled to look Wing in the eye “not much, he showed me the new special feature your dad worked on”. Wing frowned “we were saving that to show you next week...trust Wei to jump the gun”. “Ow sorry I didn’t know” you frowned but Wing shook his head “it’s not your fault it’s Wei, he loves getting the upper hand but you know what? This time I won’t let him”. Wing stood up suddenly and you jumped as he held out a hand to you “come with me”. “Where are we going?” you asked and Wing grinned “Wei isn’t the only one with secrets to show off”.

You followed Wing into the centre of Zafou to a guard tower. The guard recognised Wing and he managed to talk his way inside the building, telling them his mother wanted him to oversee the procedures tonight, whatever that meant. The guard looked at him and then at you sceptically before letting him inside. Wing led you to the top floor and onto an airship that was waiting to take off. You caught it just in time and watched as it soared into the sky. Wing led you to the front of the airship with huge windows and smiled. “I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me why we’ve stowed away on an airship?”. Wing shook his head “nope! So don’t bother asking”. You nodded your head “okay fine” and Wing paused “wait that’s it, seriously?”. You smiled “I’m not always unreasonable, if you want me to wait and see...then i’ll do that”. Wing nodded his head “i’m impressed, you deserve the best seats, come on!”. Wing led you to a ladder and grinned at you before climbing. When he reached the top he stepped out of a hole onto the top of the airship and moved so you could follow. “It’s a bit cold and it may be a bit too much if you don’t like heights...” Wing started but you cut him off. Your eyes were instantly captured by the view and he doubted you were listening. “Wow!” you yelled leaning over the railing “this is amazing!” and Wing smiled. He joined you by the railing and pulled you back a bit “these railings aren’t my father’s best piece of work so maybe don’t lean on them too much”. “Got it” you nodded “this is amazing Wing, it’s so beautiful, thank you for showing it to me!”. Wing smiled “this isn’t it yet”. “What else could you show me?” you asked and Wing smiled as the creaking sound started “this”. You watched amazed as the giant metal walls of Zafou began to move. They slowly began to bend down towards the ground and you watched amazed as they began fitting into one another. “The gates....they’re closing to form domes” you said amazed “your dad really is the best architect in the world!”. Wing nodded “he is” and you turned your gaze back to the ground. All over the cities domes were forming as the walls closed to form protected perimeters. The metal looked beautiful and shone in the setting sun sending out blinding reflections. Finally the last dome was sealed just as the sun set. “So did you like it?” Wing asked and you grinned “like it! That was amazing! Just when I think this city can’t get any cooler...thank you for showing me this” you smiled and Wing blushed “no problem”. You smirked as he looked away first and stared out at the sealed domes. “If you’re cold we can go back inside” Wing asked and you smiled “I know I’m an earth bender but i’m half water tribe too, this is nothing”. “Ow yeah” Wing asked and you smiled seeing him shiver “but we can back inside if you want?”. “No it’s fine” Wing said “if we go back inside then we’ll get back quicker”. “But you’re cold” you said pointedly “come on, I won’t think less of you just because you can’t handle the cold”. Wing blushed but nodded. Wing led you back inside and you smiled as he walked swiftly to the heater. The ship landed and you were transported back into the centre of Zafou. You stared up at the closed dome, now amazed by them having seen how they worked and Wing laughed grabbing your arm to stop you from falling over. “Stop staring at the sky” he smiled “it’s not a good gift if it makes you injure yourself”. “I can’t help it” you grinned “and either way it will be an amazing gift I’ll always remember!”. Wing smiled but went quiet in thought “better than Wei’s?” he asked suddenly. You paused wondering how to answer that and Wing sighed “sorry i shouldn’t have asked you that....whatever you and Wei do is between you two”. You nodded your head “it is...and honestly I just have a really good time with both of you, it’s not a competition” you added pointedly and Wing blushed “yeah I I know...but with siblings everything feels like one”. You were going to reply when you came around the corner to your home and found all your friends sat outside but there was a new edition. Wei was sat in the middle of your friends and was in the middle of a story. He stopped abruptly as soon as he saw you and smiled “y/n....and my brother”. “Hi” you smiled “what are you doing here?”. “Well he came to find you but you weren’t here” Korra answered before Wei could speak “you should really keep better track of your boys, one got lost” Korra finished and your eyes widened. “Korra i’m going to kill you” you glared but the others all just laughed. Wei blushed and stood up heading towards you. “I’m sorry I hope you weren’t waiting long?” you asked and Wei shot you a dazzling smile “it’s no problem, I was just nearby and thought i’d stop in that’s all...” before he looked at Wing “have you calmed down from earlier?”. Wing nodded “yeah, y/n helped with that”. You felt the heat rise to your cheeks as Wei tried to decipher the meaning of that. “We went for an airship ride” you clarified and Wei nodded “cute date but bet you didn’t show her the underground caverns? That’s the most beautiful place in Zafou, you have to let me take you to go see them!”. You nodded “yeah sure but can we do it tomorrow? I’m beat...you guys really know how to tire someone out”. The brothers both blushed and you smirked at how alike they were sometimes. “Of course we’ll get out of your hair” Wing grinned “see you tomorrow y/n”. “Bye y/n” Wei echoed and you waved to them before joining your friends on the grass. “So how were your dates?” Mako asked and you rolled your eyes “ha ha very funny”. “I don’t know how you have the time for two boyfriends” Mako continued and you frowned “well didn’t have two girlfriends at one point? Surely you’d understand?”. Bolin hooted and even Asami and Korra laughed at Mako’s embarrassed expression. “Ouch, point taken I’ll shut up” Mako replied and you smiled. “As much fun as it to see you roasting Mako we have news” Korra said. You stared at her expectantly and Korra took a dramatic pause “we’re leaving tomorrow!”. “Tomorrow?” you asked “so soon?”. “Yep first thing in the morning!” Korra explained “Opal’s coming with us so there’s no reason to stay any longer”. Excitement filled you at the thought of seeing an air temple but it was bittersweet. You loved being in a metal bending city and felt like you fit in. Not to mention two men who had made your time here very enjoyable. You frowned “you couldn’t have told me earlier?”. Korra shrugged “you were gone all day!”. You sighed going inside and wrote a message to Wei and Wing. You explained the situation and asked them to meet you at the airship tomorrow morning. You had some farewells to give.

The next morning

You paced anxiously on the launch pad as there was no sign of Wei or Wing. “I still can’t believe you told me so later Korra” you complained. “Again you were out all day, how was i meant to tell you?”. “I don’t know but you should have told me before Wei and Wing left, you knew I’d want to say goodbye to them”. Korra sighed "their sister is leaving, trust me they’ll show up”.

The avatar had a way of being right far too often and today was no exception. Not 10 minutes after you scolded Korra Wei and Wing appeared and she shot you an *i told you so* look. You ignored her and rushed forwards “you got my note!” you cried happily and the twins nodded. “Yeah sorry we’re late we had to grab something” Wei explained waving a box he had in his hand. You nodded “well you’re here now” and the two brothers smiled. “I’ve got to admit it’s going to be weird not having you around” Wing frowned. You smiled and Wei nodded “yeah we’re going to miss you, a lot!”. You blushed and laughed “i’ll miss you both too but I mean, once the airbenders are all set up...there’s nothing to say I can’t visit? Or even you guys could come to the temple! Or the water tribe!” you said excitedly to Wing “I promise this won’t be the last you see of me”. “What a shame” Wei joked and you rolled your eyes pushing him. “You know i’m only kidding” he grinned “we will hold you to that promise y/n” he said turning very serious “if we don’t hear from you in 6-months we’re turning up at the air temple”. You laughed and smiled at them both “well I promise that won’t happen, you’ll be hard to forget”. “Well still don’t try too hard eh?” Wei asked and he leant forward to hug you. You wrapped your arms around him tightly and smiled “thanks for letting me kick your ass so much, it’s really boosted my ego”. Wei rolled his eyes but smiled “no problem” and moved away from you. Wing stepped forwards more awkwardly and hugged you more tenderly “take care and don’t let the water tribe get you down, your family sound amazing and they must be if they’re anything like you”. You smiled blushing “thanks, your family’s pretty good too” and stepped back. “Y/n you done yet?” Korra called and you waved her away. “I’m just saying everyone’s onboard apart from you...” before Lin yanked her inside. “Wow even our aunt approves?” Wei frowned and Wing nodded “wait is that a good thing?”. “I’m not sure but I really should go”. “Ow before you go we made you this” Wei said pushing the small box into your hands. You blushed and smiled at them “you did...how many times did you break out into an argument in the process?”. “I stopped counting after the thirtieth time” Wing replied and you laughed before opening the box. Inside was a necklace was an intricated metal pendant, it used various metals which were woven together using very precise bending. “Guys this is beautiful!” you cried “thank you so much, now I have something to remember this trip by”. “It’s no problem” Wei smirked and Wing nodded “we’re just glad you like it”. “I love it” you cried and hugged them both tightly. “But now I really should go...we’re creating a scene”. The brothers laughed and stepped away from you “of course, go...we’ll talk to you later”. You nodded and with a last smile walked up the runway.

The airship took off and after waving goodbye to everyone you collapsed onto a sofa beside Bolin. “Wow who would’ve thought I’d leave Zafou with a girlfriend?” Bolin asked and Korra smirked “yeah but y/n had you beaten, she got two boyfriends and they’re twins!”. You punched Korra’s arm and Bolin laughed. “You know the one good thing about leaving Zafou is you’ll stop teasing me about Wing and Wei now”. “Don’t be too sure about that” Korra grinned and you raised an eyebrow “stop or i’ll starting teasing you about your crush on Asami”. Korra’s eyes widened and flitted to Asami who was across the room talking to Mako”. “What, how do you know?” she cried far too loud for someone trying to keep a secret. “How? You all but announced it” you grinned “you’re crazy for her Korra, anyone can see that”. Bolin nodded backing up your claim and Korra blushed shrugging “I guess I am”. “So truce?” you asked and Korra nodded her head “fine!” and stormed away. You watched her go smiling before you looked out the window where Zafou was disappearing from the horizon. You took the metal necklace out from your pocket and turned it over in your palm You’d hidden it from the others to avoid their teasing but now admired it openly before fastening it around your neck. You touched the pendant as it dangled from your neck and smiled. You wouldn’t be forgetting the Beifong twins anytime soon and you were sure somehow, someway you’d see them again.

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