#it’s an instinct. a feeling. the force brought us together ( trio ) | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sunshineandtheprincess · 1 month ago

Text

Parker hadn’t been prepared for this, not at all. If the roles were reversed, there was no doubt his brothers could get out of this situation. If they were any other alphas, maybe he could’ve found a way to escape or fought his way out. But he was never trained to protect himself against his own family. His father's training had been intense, drill training on a whole other level. Parker had overheard stories and seen firsthand what his brothers endured. His training, though, had been different—less severe, at his mom’s request. In hindsight, that might have been a fatal mistake. It could have been useful. He and his mom hadn’t planned for the worst-case scenario. Or maybe she had, and just never told him what to do if she wasn’t around. Either way, Parker was trapped.

Being in such close proximity to his alpha brothers, Parker began to feel the full effect of their powerful scent. It hadn't dawned on him—at some point in his life, they had unknowingly scented him, making their presence feel familiar and oddly soothing. Even if they weren’t particularly close, they were still pack, and his body recognized that, unlike the pheromones of his friend. Maybe that’s why his scent was calling out to them, even though Parker hadn’t consciously processed it. His body was a mess, finally accepting and realizing what it meant to be an omega. It was as if his very instincts were crying out to his brothers, despite it being the last thing Parker actually wanted. But perhaps the same was happening to them—his scent calling to the primal wolf inside them, appealing to their carnal and animalistic instincts.

The pain intensified, causing Parker to hiss and wince. He’d always heard that a first heat was the worst, but he had no way of confirming it. He’d never been taught anything about being an omega—his life had been all about hiding and learning to be an alpha. The look on his brothers’ faces didn’t help either. He made a noise of distress, though he wasn’t sure what it meant. But one thing was clear: his brothers were overcome by his scent, completely overwhelmed. The way they synced up, moving together like a perfect trio, said it all.

Parker clutched his stomach, trying to summon whatever strength he had left to make an attempt at escaping. But his body had only one goal in mind—to be bred, claimed, and mated. Nothing else mattered. His body ached for the relief it had been denied for so long, fighting against him, wanting nothing more than for his pack—his three strong, dominant alphas—to take care of him. "Peyton," he whimpered as their bodies met. Just the simple contact brought a small wave of calm, cooling him down and offering a brief moment of relief. Parker fought the urge to melt into him, to cling onto his brother. But it didn’t last long. He let out a soft whine as Peyton placed him back on the bed, offering just enough clarity for him to realize he needed to get out—fast. He had to try to talk sense into them, but before he could even move, Phoenix was there, gripping his arm. Parker squirmed and struggled in his hold, but he didn’t have the strength to break free. "Stop," he said, voice shaky as he forced the words out. "Let me go." But his body, his wolf, betrayed him. Their touch only made him release more slick, his body craving more of it—more of them.

The scene before him was the most intimidating and terrifying thing Parker had ever faced. He was being held down, powerless, while Presley loomed over him, his presence commanding and overwhelming. Never in his life had Parker felt so small. He opened his mouth to ask what Presley was going to do, but before he could get the words out, the answer became painfully clear. Parker's eyes widened as he watched Presley slowly remove his shirt. Panic surged through him, and he squirmed even more, desperate to escape. With his fear, the wolf inside of him had the unintentional effect—arousal. Not that he ever saw Presley that way, but there was no denying that the Mitchells were undeniably attractive. You’d have to be blind not to see it. People constantly threw themselves at them, eager to be claimed, mated, or bonded. Parker, on the other hand, had always taken after his mom. He was often described as beautiful rather than hot or muscular. He was sure that if he fully embraced his omega side, his figure would be more petite and feminine. But he had spent years trying to keep up with his brothers, though it was clear now that he’d never come close.

"Please, this isn’t you, Presley. You don’t want this," Parker pleaded, momentarily forgetting that Presley wasn’t the one physically holding him down. He could see the confusion and conflict in his brother’s eyes—the weight of everything that had happened, the secrets that had come to light, and the information they were still trying to process. "He’s my best friend," Parker continued, trying to justify and defend, though it was becoming painfully clear that no answer he gave would satisfy them. His voice wavered, desperation creeping in. "I won’t ever speak to him again. Just… please don’t do this." In that moment, Parker was harshly reminded that his other brothers were there too, as a belt was passed between Presley and Peyton. His heart raced. He wasn’t sure if it was the overwhelming force of his heat, their strength, or both, but it was clear that he had no chance of breaking free. "We can walk away and pretend this never happened. I’ll leave the pack and never show my face again. You can disown me, but please," Parker begged, his voice cracking as he turned to Phoenix and Peyton, who were busy securing him. Desperation clawed at him, but it was clear they all had one thing on their minds, and none of them seemed willing to leave without getting what they wanted. Then it hit him—a terrifying realization. Sometimes, if an omega’s heat became strong enough, it could trigger an alpha’s rut. Parker wasn’t sure if that was happening now, but the combined weight of their three scents was starting to drive him insane as they moved closer. It was too much.

The words stung more than Parker had ever imagined. Though they weren’t as harsh as what Peyton had threatened earlier, they still cut deep. A whine escaped his lips, the weight of his alphas' disappointment crushing him. Even with their cruel words, it was clear that they were just as conflicted, still trying to make sense of their own feelings. Parker squeezed his eyes shut, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill. Presley’s cold, calculated way of throwing their father’s words back at him stung even more. When he finally opened his eyes, he was met with the sight of all three of his brothers standing in nothing but their underwear.

A surge of pain struck as their combined scent grew stronger, hitting him like a wave and sending his heat spiraling out of control. The need, the lust—it was unbearable. His wolf was practically begging, pleading for the alphas to claim him. Parker had no idea how much slick was considered normal, but he was certain his body was producing far more than it should. "N-no, please," he whimpered, his voice trembling. His mind was the only part of him still fighting, clinging to whatever sliver of control remained, even as his body betrayed him.

Parker's heart pounded in his chest as his brothers exposed themselves before him. He had always known the Mitchell men took pride in their genetic blessings—it was something passed down through generations—but he’d never seen it like this, never been confronted with it so intimately. If there had been any doubt about their intentions, it vanished now. His inner wolf, betraying him completely, sent out even more pheromones, calling to them, urging them closer. They seemed more than happy to oblige, their movements deliberate and confident. Before Parker could process it, he felt lips on his chest, and the sensation sent a jolt of conflicting emotions through him—fear, desire, helplessness.

Parker commanded his body to squirm, to fight against what was happening, but his traitorous instincts screamed in relief at the attention that his brother's lips were giving his chest and nipples. From the corner of his eye, he saw Peyton and Presley watching, clearly enjoying the scene unfolding before them, their cocks hard as they stroke themselves. "Phoenix..." he tried to beg, but the words escaped as a broken moan. Before he could say more, his plea was silenced by Peyton’s kiss. His first kiss. The sensation was overwhelming, indescribable. Unaware that he was instinctively kissing back, his mind screamed that this was wrong. His body, however, kept squirming, his wolf content with the attention, craving more despite his internal struggle. When Peyton pulled away, Parker barely had time to process what had happened before Phoenix was there, claiming his lips next. That same overwhelming feeling surged through him, leaving him more confused, more torn between his head and his body’s desires. He was so distracted by the kiss, he didn’t even notice when Presley moved on top of him.

It wasn’t until Parker felt Presley’s cock press against his pussy that he became fully aware of what was happening. His heart raced in panic, but before he could react, Presley’s lips were on his, silencing him once again. That same strange, overwhelming sensation returned—the one he’d felt with his brothers. Part of him wondered if this was normal, if he was supposed to feel this way. If it was just relief, it wouldn’t feel so complicated, so twisted. There was something deeper, but Parker couldn’t bring himself to think about it, not now, not with him about to be raped. His slick coated Presley as their bodies rutted together, his own body preparing itself for what was coming, as if it instinctively knew. Parker couldn’t stop the moans that spilled from his lips, his body betraying him at every turn, craving more even as his mind screamed for it to stop.

The size difference between them became painfully clear. Presley was far bigger, his muscular frame dwarfing Parker’s smaller body. Parker had always taken pride in his appearance, but compared to his brothers, he looked so much smaller—delicate, almost twink-like. It only made him feel more vulnerable in this moment. Peyton's words echoed in his mind, sending a shiver down his spine, especially considering how he had heard how Peyton treat his partner. Another whimper escaped Parker's lips as his legs were forced open, the fear tightening in his chest.

“Please… I’m begging you. I’m your brother,” he pleaded, desperation creeping into his voice, but deep down, he knew it was pointless. As if on cue, Presley entered him taking his virginity with his monster cock. Parker let out a loud scream of pain as his body adjusted to the large cock inside him. He arched his back, biting down hard on his lip, his nails digging into his palm. It would have hurt much more if not for the slickness he had produced. For a moment, everything went black. When he came back to his senses, his vision was hazy, but some of the pain from his heat had subsided. Moans, whimpers, and sounds of distress escaped his lips, and he hoped they would realize what they were doing and stop. Unbeknownst to him, his scent and pheromones had shifted again, now carrying the essence of a mate, satisfaction and an instinctive call for more, a signal of submission, even slightly baring his neck. “Alpha… Presley…” was all he could manage to whisper.

Presley, Peyton and Phoenix were probably amongst the most well studied alphas in their county, subpar only to their father who had taught them all that they knew and who had drilled it into them religiously. They had been trained to be warriors, to be fathers and to be leaders since they could speak, their minds were sharpened after hours of rigorous, oftentimes strenuous and painful hunts and trainings set by their father. Most of all Presley, the crowned prince of their family who was set to be their next patriarch. The alpha blood that pumped through them was one of pure power, undiluted from generations upon generations of only alphas.

However, it was true, that in their world, scent was a powerful commander- something that lesser alphas didn't particularly understand the intricacies of- and right now, the youngest Mitchell brother, against his will, was releasing one of, if not the most, powerful scent of them all; a fresh omega, begging to be claimed, begging to be mated. It superseded all societal construct and reason- it spoke to the very heart and primal wolf within all of them, a centuries old mating ritual that could not be denied. Even if the omega who's body was sending out the mating call received a response from their own brothers.

Presley looked at Parker in a way he never had before; his face was a storm of emotions. There was clear anger and intimidation but there was also just as clearly lust and the most daunting revelation was that the same look was mirrored across all three of the oldest Mitchell brother's faces. They moved like a unit- as though they were in one of their father's many training sessions once again, having learned to be in perfect synch with each other. Each of them an alpha, a leader and a powerful wolf but each knowing how to follow one another's lead for their collective success, to reach a common goal with their shared power and strength.

When Parker had tried to move off the bed suddenly, none of the others changed their careful, stalking pace. Instinctively, they all knew Parker wouldn't make it more than a step or two- he was too forgone and too slicked at this point- his own body would have turned against him, only operating for the purpose of finding and taking an alpha to satisfy it's needs. Parker was in no shape to run, let alone fight them. He'd landed at Peyton's feet and the muscular brother gently picked him up, taking him under the arms and lifting him up like he was nothing more than a doll and bringing him back to his bed, guiding him forcefully onto his back when Phoenix reached the other side and both took hold of each of Parker's arms, while the hands that weren't pinning him down seemed unable to help themselves and began to caress their young brother's lithe, athletic body.

Presley stood at the foot of Parker's bed now, towering over the smallest and youngest of them and he deftly removed his shirt and tossed it aside, revealing a muscular figure so chiseled it would make a Greek sculptor blush. "That you're an omega is one thing," he said, his voice low, slow, threatening but erotic as his hands moved to his belt now, undoing it, "But that you would let some disgusting low-life like that climb on top of you?" he sneered, pulling his belt free and instead of tossing it like he did his shirt, he handed it to Peyton, who knew immediately what to do, "And then you would spit in our faces by saying you loved him?" he shook his head as Phoenix clasped Parker's hands together while Peyton secured the belt around them tightly, binding him and now allowing them more freedom to explore Parker's body. The scent of one alpha in lustful heat would be enough to drive an omega in heat into a frenzy but right now Parker had no less than three, red-blooded, purebred alphas towering over him, their scents filling one another's senses and intoxicating each other in turn.

"He wasn't a wolf, he wasn't even a man- he was scum!" Presley growled much louder. "He doesn't deserve you, even if you are nothing but a dirty little low-life omega," he said, having now undone the button of his jeans while stepping out of his sneakers, "The worst Mitchell is better than the best alpha anywhere else," he repeated one of his his father's famous lines. Phoenix and Peyton now moved to undress as well, with Parker's hands fastened and laying between them on the bed, he was secure enough for them to shed their layers and with each clothing item removed, the potent alpha smell in the room seemed to double. Finally, all three stood in nothing but their underwear, "Your pussy belongs to us, Baby," Presley said definitively as the three shed their last layer and revealed the secret glory blessed upon Mitchell male alphas; all three possessed massive, throbbing cocks that almost defied comprehension, "And we will be the ones who claim you."

With that the brothers descended on their youngest relative. Phoenix moved to press soft kisses along Mike's chest, his mouth quickly finding his nipples and taking turns lavishing and suckling them while the two oldest watched, beginning to slowly stroke themselves. Peyton joined next, gently cupping Mike's face and leaned in to kiss his brother, tenderly at first, but the heat between them soon grew into something more passionate and breaking the kiss only for Phoenix to get a turn to do the same with his sibling. None of them allowed Parker any say to reject them, not that he could, neither physically or verbally, given his state and it was clear all three had somehow agreed on exactly what Presley had said. Presley himself now moved forward, climbing onto the bed and positioning himself between Parker's legs and letting his cock fall heavily across the other's soaked cunt as he took the last turn to kiss the other while rutting their heats together, moaning softly into the smaller wolf's mouth.

"We'll show you how real alphas treat their omegas," Peyton said with a devilish grin, "And how bitches in heat get fucked by real men," he added as Presley broke their kiss and moved to sit back on his haunches, forcing Parker's legs apart and backwards, fully baring what was admittedly the most pretty, perfect and pink pussy that any of the boys had seen before and without waiting or warning, he lined his monstrous wolf cock up with Parker's tight, slicked entrance and with a powerful thrust forced himself inside the other with a deep growl.

#( 001: tbd. )

5 notes · View notes

illusionsofdreaming · 3 years ago

Note

would it be okay to request headcanons with the main trio from TCF who aren't in a relationship with the (fem) reader yet but they like each other, the guys get hurt or something and the reader is so scared of losing them or was so anxious that she ended up kissing them? You can edit a few parts if you'd prefer! thank you, i know you have a lot of requests but you're the only one who writes x reader for them-

Notes: It took forever+forever but I finally gave up trying to perfect it- y'all just going to have to deal with these half baked potatos as I sob in the corner for my lack of functioning writing braincells.

+ 'nonny I know you asked for Fem reader but I'm just so used to writing gender neutral nowadays I actually forgot to write Fem reader in. Uh. I mean it's gender neutral so it should work regardless?? I'msorrypleaseforgivemeforthisblunder

Ft: Cale, Alberu, Choi Han

Cale Henituse

He’s covered in blood.

Again.

He glanced down at his shirt, once white, now completely soaked and rapidly losing warmth. The icky feeling of sticky cloth stuck on skin caused goosebumps to break out all over his arms. The lethargy that weighed on him was hard to ignore, but expected after using his ancient powers-

“Cale!”

He turned just as the full force of you barrelled into him and he staggered, unbalanced and would’ve fallen had you not pulled him back. He barely had time to protest at your rough greeting when you began frantically patting him down as if scouring him for weapons.

“There’s so much- where are you hurt?” you demanded harshly, your tone pitched higher than normal. “Raon call for Saint Jack and the others, medics- anyone that can help!”

“Y-yes! I-I will! Weak hu-human you better not die or I will destroy the kingdom!”

“Wai-“ his protests were ignored as the dragon flew off, leaving Cale dumbfounded with his jaw hanging down in disbelief. “Wait you don’t have to find the others, I’m fi-“

“Cale Henituse, if I hear you say ‘I’m fine’ I’m going to sock you to kingdom fucking come.“ you seethed. His lips snapped shut obediently, swallowing the aforementioned phrase down as a foreboding chill crept down his spine.

But I am..?

“How could you..” your voice shook even as you clung onto his soaked shirt so tightly your knuckles turned white. “You’re always doing stupid things like this…”

Cale frowned, feeling a bit indignant. Sure his plans weren’t the most thought out at times, but to call them stupid…

“If you waited for us to come, then you wouldn’t have to- why do you keep sacrificing yourself like this?”

That triggered an alarm in his head. What strange things were you talking about? The act of sacrifice were done by martyrs and selfless heroes and Cale Henituse was neither of those. He wanted to correct your misunderstanding but you were worked up and hysterical and it was with horror that he realised you were crying.

“________-“

“Don’t talk! Please, just conserve your energy- I won’t let you die, I promised the kids and the others- I won’t let you-”

The alarm bells in his head rang even louder and he fought to be heard over your rambling, “_________- no one’s dying, I’m fine-” it felt as if his heart had leapt to his throat as he stopped your fist before it could make contact. You really weren’t joking when you said you’d punch him. He tightened his hold on your wrist when you tried to twist out of his grip and swallowed nervously. “I’m not hurt _________,“ he emphasised, willing you to meet his eyes.

“Stop bullshitting me Cale- how much of a fucking idiot do you take me for? How can anyone be fine after losing this much blood-“

“It’s not mine.”

You stilled in his grasp.

“…W-what?”

He frowned. Was it really that hard to believe his words? “The blood’s not mine.” he repeated and made sure to meet your disbelieving gaze head on so that you could verify the truth in his words. “They were cut down before they could harm me. None of this blood is mine. I was not hurt.“ It was a partial lie. He did cough out some blood after instinctively activating the shield for protection but he felt that that was knowledge you’d be better off not knowing.

The coiled tension in you leaked out and Cale slowly released his grip on your hand and took a cautious step back - just in case. It was a good thing he managed to deescalate the situation before the others arrived. Just convincing one person was hassle enough and from experience alone, he knew the others weren’t as merciful when it came to learning about his injuries, regardless of severity or his protests otherwise. Cale shuddered. He really didn’t want to be on the receiving end of Ron’s cold smile again. He glanced up and saw Raon’s flying figure and he waved lazily to the dragon hoping the young one would understand that the healers were no longer necessary, it had only been a false alarm.

“..ot.”

“Hm?” He looked down, hearing you mumble but didn’t quite catch what you’d said.

He was not prepared to be yanked forward and for your lips to mash against his. There was a brief sting where your teeth had caught on his lip and the uncomfortable sensation of having your teeth clack against each other, noses in the way. He froze, like a deer caught in headlights, thoughts reeling but before he could think of acting, to push or pull you in even closer-

You let him go just as abruptly and he staggered, breath stolen, mind in absolute disarray.

Then you slapped him. Which definitely cleared his thoughts. “You idiot!”

Stupefied, he watched as you stormed off, stuck in a daze as he cradled his face where his cheek and lips tingled for different reasons.

“…What..?”

Choi Han

Choi Han didn’t know what Cale saw in you back then, a complete stranger whom they saved by chance and nursed back to health with utmost care. You, who Cale insisted was the final key to their masterplan and then asked Choi Han to act as your escort.

There were many things Choi Han didn’t understand when it came to Cale-nim’s decisions. But that wasn’t so unusual and he’d never made it a habit to question Cale’s reasoning, having learned to be patient, knowing the pieces would eventually slot together in the grand picture. So although initially wary he was of your unclear history and affiliation, he stayed by your side and did his duty without question.

And perhaps after weeks of accompanying you, he’s beginning to see what Cale saw. Though powerless and weak, you were righteous and passionate, holding true to your belief even in the face of adversaries. You were the perfect replacement for the tyrannical ruler of the country, someone capable of salvaging the crumbling system of a neglected, abused society and lifting it to new heights and glory.

With the flames of revolution ignited, everything hinged on getting you safely to Cale on the final stage. While the revolutionaries fought and acted as distractions above ground, he escorted you through the abandoned waterways.

The undergrounds were dark and cramped, incredibly disadvantageous to a swordsman such as himself. When assassins leaped out in an ambush; Choi Han didn’t hesitate. Without time nor space to draw his sword, he pushed you behind him and raised his arm to block the strike.

As the momentum of the assassin’s blade stopped, it became simple matter to quickly disarm and finish them. Having checked and affirmed that there’s no forthcoming attacks, he urged you to hurry, now worried as they weren’t expected to be discovered so soon.

Something must’ve happened, we should hurry to Cale-nim’s side-

He was halted with a firm grip on his other hand and was pulled back as he was met with your stern, unwavering gaze and declaration that you will not move another step from this spot until his arm got treated first.

Which was a ridiculous request considering they were running on a tight schedule. He frowned and his fingers flexed against the hilt of his sword as you pulled him to the side.

When none of his objections were being heard, he tried reasoning with you. The wound may look horrible, but he’d assured you he’d angled his arm just so that the blade would’ve caught on his bone rather than tendons. It was a strategic move that not only blocked momentum but also kept damage to his non-dominant arm at the minimum. He would not have bled to death nor would he be crippled from it, something that barely needed the emergency care you insisted on.

“It’s not necessary, we need to get to the tower room first.”

“The room is not moving anywhere, I’d rather not risk having you develop an infection because you neglected to care for your wound.“

He flinched when alcohol was poured on the cut and Choi Han breathed out slowly, his frustration mounting as precious seconds passed. Something in his chest stirred uncomfortably. He’s not accustomed to having others care for his wounds, having spent so many years caring for them himself whilst hiding his weaknesses from monsters in the Forest of Darkness.

“I will attend to it after I’ve brought you to Master Cale’s side, we must-“

Your eyes flashed with anger as your grip tightened painfully around his arm. “So many things have been lost to reach this stage, I’d rather not lose more on the way there.”

“Cale-“

Perhaps you’ve had enough as well as the next thing he knew, your fingers dug into his arm and he found himself yanked forward and you pressing a hard, determined kiss that stole whatever he was going to say from his lips.

“Cale Henituse,” you said sternly when you parted and picked up a roll of bandages, “can afford to wait a bit longer.” you glared at him as if daring him to argue otherwise.

Not that it was necessary, considering he’d doubt he’d have the coherency to answer anything with the way all the blood in his body was rushing to his face.

Alberu Crossman

He didn’t feel anything upon the moment of impact. Only the shocking cold of metal being slid into his side and the vicious gaze of the perpetrator pressed up to his front.

The pain ripped through a moment later and he gritted his teeth, red spilling down his lips. It hurts.

Activity bursted around him, screams of fear echoed through the ballroom as guards rushed to his side. However one voice in particular caught his attention and he looked up to catch your horrified expression, lips parted in a desperate cry.

His forehead furrowed as a strange sense of guilt washed over him- he didn’t want you to see this- but he didn’t have time to explore the feeling as his hand latched firmly on the hand which still held the weapon in his side, preventing their escape.

His smile was red, “Caught you now, rat.”

═════☩══♛══☩═════

He tousled his hair dry with a towel as he read through the reports in his hand.

Alberu was exhausted, the fight to rid his side of his enemies’ spies had always been an ongoing and tedious project. His enemies were cunning and always played things safe however their impatience this time would cost them. Now that one of their own has fallen into his hands, they can start pulling in the net.

A knock sounded on his door and he didn’t bother looking up from his reports as he gave permission. “Come in.”

“Did you manage to find any new information from them?” he asked immediately as the door opened. Anything gleaned from the assassin would be beneficial to his cause. Not that he truly expected any confessions to be given this night. Any hired killer worth their salt would know not to betray the mastermind behind a hit. But there were more than one way to find credible information aside from words torn directly from the lips of a captive.

When no answer came, he looked up and immediately dropped the papers he was reading.

“___________…”

In the aftermath of the attack and the capture of the assassin he’d been immediately escorted to the healers for first aid. With the bare minimum done he’d left quickly to take control of the situation, calming the aristocrats and giving orders to assign all guests to be escorted to a room in the palace to rest from the unexpected development - the smarter ones would know this was just a way to keep all suspects in one place, stalling for time so that his trusted aides may work to narrow down the most likely suspects. He had been meaning to find you and explain once everything settled but this time you took matters into your own hands.

Your eyes glanced at the documents he dropped. “Am I disturbing your work?”

“No,” he replied instantly, fighting back the urge to shuffle the papers behind him. “No, you’re not.”

The room lapsed into silence once more as neither of you seemed keen to address the elephant in the room.

“About tonight…” he started slowly, “they had to believe I had my guards lowered.”

The truth was, though he believed you would not have been behind the attack, you had to be tested all the same. Should it be known you’ve been partial to this plan, it would’ve given the real culprits leverage to use.

You approached him and he wished you would say something. He noted the redness in your eyes and felt a stab of guilt lodge in his chest. “It had to be believable.”

You didn’t meet his eyes and your hand hovered over where his wound had been.

He lifted the edge of his shirt up to reveal the pink scar tissue underneath. It was ugly and badly healed due to the rush he had been in. “I wasn’t in any real danger.” he said softly, staying still and resisting the urge to shiver when your fingers traced the scar.

“You’re picking up bad habits from Cale.” You said so softly he would’ve missed it had he not been paying attention.

“The padded shirt under prevented the blade from going too deep.” he explained, hoping you’d understand that he hadn’t been reckless. Everything had been planned carefully. He slowly tucked his shirt back in as you withdrew your hand, already missing the warmth you brought to his skin just moments ago.

“__________…”

You leaned in and placed a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. “Don’t do that again.” you whispered against his cheek.

He could only watch in astonishment as you turned away and exited his room.

“..Okay..” he said hoarsely to the empty room.

#tcf #trash of the count's family #imagines #tcf x reader #cale henituse #alberu crossman #choi han #kiss #pre relationship #confession..?#i honestly don't have enough brain power to tag things rn #i also have not proofread this much so #it's A MESS #i'll come back to edit this when I'm more awake or something #ngl the whole time while i was struggling with this #i was thinking how ridiculous that i've spent so long agonising over writing with words #but consuming it would only take less than a minute LOL #now im back at 0 and im feeling a bit sad

192 notes · View notes

bellakitse · 4 years ago

Text

To Love is to Know You

“Carlitos got hurt at work,” she whispers, her face pale and frightened. “He got shot, and they are rushing him to the hospital.”

When Carlos gets hurt on the job, his parents find out about the important parts of his life he’s been keeping from them, mainly the man he’s in love with.

Gabriel Reyes' POV

*there is accidental outing in this since this isn’t how Carlos planned on telling his parents.

6.3k

They’ve settled in for the night and are in the middle of watching a movie their son recommended when the phone rings.

“Carlos really likes this?” he questions skeptically as more blood goes spraying across the screen.

His wife chuckles at his tone even as she winces at the scream the protagonist lets out for the 100th time.

“He’s young, Gabriel. I don’t think we’re actually supposed to like what Carlitos likes,” she tells him as she leans across the couch, reaching for her phone. She turns to him with a smile as she shows him the caller ID. “Hablando del diablo,” she says fondly before pressing talk on their son calling.

“Tell him I’m questioning his choices,” Gabriel jokes, pausing the movie as Andrea says hello with a smile. He watches as that smile quickly drops, his heart seizing in his throat as she lets out a gasp and a shaky ‘what?’ to whoever she’s speaking to. It’s obvious now that it’s not their boy.

He waits for her to end the call with a fearful ‘we’ll be there soon’ before she turns to him with tears in her eyes.

Even before she speaks, he knows, and his hands shake as they reach for hers.

“Carlitos got hurt at work,” she whispers, her face pale and frightened. “He got shot, and they are rushing him to the hospital.”

֎֎֎

The drive to the hospital is both short and the longest drive Gabriel Reyes has ever had behind the wheel. Next to him, Andrea grips the rosary his mama gave her after they got married. She doesn’t pray, though, and he thinks she’s too worried to remember any prayer at the moment.

“He’s going to be okay,” he tells her, his voice rougher than he would typically use with his sweetheart, but he can see her starting to spiral, and he needs her to focus on his voice and not on all the troubling thoughts he knows are running through her head at the moment. “Carlos is young and strong. He’s going to be fine, he –”

“Is our baby boy,” she whispers, looking at him with those big brown eyes, so like Carlos’ when he was little, looking at him to make everything okay.

“El va estar bien, amor,” he tells her softly, willing himself to believe it too.

He pulls into the hospital parking lot. They quickly exit the car, holding hands as they rush towards the doors and the front desk. He’s sure they both look a fright as they ask the girl behind the counter for information.

“Mr. and Mrs. Reyes,” calls out a tired voice to them, and when they turn around, they find a familiar-looking young man with brown hair and green eyes standing before them in an EMS uniform.

Gabriel is struck by his eyes. They’re wide, the worry in them plain to see, and it’s obvious he’s been crying by how pink and puffy they are.

“I’ve been waiting for you both; I didn’t want you to get lost,” he tells them, pointing to a door at the far end of the hall to the left. “We’re in there.”

“How’s Carlitos?” his wife asks at the same time as he says. “We’ve met you before.”

“Uh – yes – you have, sir. I’m TK,” he answers with a grimace. Gabriel knows it is the young man’s effort to smile but just can’t. “We met at the farmer’s market about nine months ago.”

TK turns to Andrea, his expression softening instantly. “They took Carlos to the back when we got here, ma’am, but we haven’t heard anything yet.”

“What happened?” he asks TK and is struck again by how expressive his eyes are. Gabriel sees pain, fear, frustration, and anger cross his face.

“We were answering a call to a disturbance; a man was threatening to set fire to his ex-bosses place and was holding them hostage inside. He was armed, so Carlos and the rest of APD went in first,” TK takes a pause, swallowing hard, and Gabriel is struck by how the young man is keeping it together when it’s undeniable that it’s difficult for him to do so. “Shots were exchanged, and the suspect was neutralized but not before he hit Carlos.”

“Where?” he asks, hoping against hope that his son was wearing his vest. TK’s face, scared and apologetic, tells him it doesn’t matter.

“T – the,” TK clears his throat, lifting a hand to run through his hair. Gabriel catches the slight shake of it. It’s not the only thing he spots on them. Though mostly clean, Gabriel notices specks of blood on them. Looking him over once more, he sees some on his uniform too. “The neck, sir.”

Andrea lets out a gasp, bringing her hand to her mouth to try and muffle the sound.

“You worked on him,” Gabriel realizes. He needs to focus on something other than the information they’ve just been given.

“Yes,” TK answers, biting down on his lip to the point that Gabriel wants to wince at how painful it looks. Given the redness of his mouth, the kid has probably been doing it a while now. “My Captain didn’t want it to be me – ” TK stops.

He takes a breath, collecting himself. “We stabilized him on the field and then brought him over. My Captain is here if you want to speak with her while we wait for the doctors.”

They follow the young man down the hall into a private room, and Gabriel is shocked to see how full it is with first responders, most still in uniform like TK. Everyone seems to turn to look at them when they walk in.

“These are Carlos’ parents,” TK explains to the crowd before turning to a tall woman with a sympathetic but no-nonsense look on her face. “Captain Vega, could you – ” he gestures towards them.

The Captain nods, standing from her seat to walk over to them. She has a bag with her that she hands over to TK.

“Nancy brought your stuff from your locker,” she says to the kid with a kind smile. She places her hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Why don’t you go change while I speak with Carlos’ parents.”

TK nods, looking relieved. “Yeah, Cap, thanks.” He turns towards them, looking like he wants to say something else but doesn’t. Instead, he gives them a small nod and walks away, leaving them with his Captain.

Gabriel focuses on her, reaching out to hold his wife’s hand as Captain Vega goes through the emergency in more detail. She’s compassionate but honest as she breaks down her assessment of Carlos’s injuries on the scene and their handling of it.

“TK is one of the finest medics I have ever worked with,” she tells them, with something akin to pride in her voice. “And it’s Carlos. He wasn’t about to lose him,” she continues softly, knowing. “We got him here, and they’ve had him in the back for the last hour. I’m sure they’ll come out and tell us something soon. All we can do now is wait, unfortunately.”

“And pray,” Andrea whispers thickly.

“Never a bad idea,” she says with a small, understanding smile. She looks away from them when someone calls her name, an older man in uniform walking towards them.

“Tommy, any word? Where’s TK?” he asks, rushed.

“Nothing yet,” she answers the man whose uniform says, Captain Strand. “And TK is changing. We didn’t want him to still be in the uniform that – “ she pauses, her eyes drifting to them.

“Right,” Captain Strand nods before his blue eyes turn towards them. Gabriel watches as he quickly recognizes who they are. “Mr. and Mrs. Reyes?” he questions, exhaling loudly when he answers him with a nod.

“Owen Strand, TK’s dad,” he says, extending his hand to Andrea first and then him. “Nice to finally meet you. I’m sorry it can’t be under better circumstances.”

Gabriel cocks his head at the peculiar comment.

“You work with our son?” Andrea asks politely, probably trying to distract herself from the worry she’s feeling.

“Often,” Owen gives them an honest smile. “He’s one hell of a police officer, good instincts, good head on his shoulders, strong,” he tells them intentionally. “He’s going to come through this just fine.”

Gabriel appreciates the comment, if anything, because it makes Andrea smile for the first time since they heard the news.

“Why don’t we sit down,” Owen continues. “We’re going to be here a while,” he points towards three firefighters with the same 126 insignia he has on his clothes, and they quickly get up, giving them the space. “Maybe we can get you some coffee or tea?”

He shakes his head but nods towards Andrea. “Some tea might be good for your nerves, vieja.”

Andrea nods absently, and Owen turns his head towards the trio who gave them their seats. “Strickland, Marwani, Chavez – “

“On it, Cap,” says the young Latino whose chest tag says, Chavez. “We’ll get for everyone.”

Owen offers the kid a grateful smile. “Get TK a sandwich. I know he hasn’t eaten.”

“He might not want to,” says the other man in the group with a deliberate look.

“We’ll sit on him and force him if we have to,” answers the young woman in the headscarf with a glint in her eyes that tells him she’s not joking. Gabriel watches them leave the room.

“They’re good kids,” Owen comments, catching his gaze. “They care about Carlos very much,” he says with a soft laugh. “Probably because he’s always feeding them when they hang out at his place.”

Andrea smiles at the comment, but Gabriel finds it curious. He doesn’t find it strange that his son would be welcoming. Like his mother, Carlos has always strived to make everyone feel at home. He is just surprised that his son is so close with this particular firehouse and its members.

TK comes back into the room in a hoodie and sweats, looking around. Gabriel watches as his eyes land on them before moving over to his father. He watches as the kid’s shoulders drop at the sight of his dad and quickly makes his way over, almost plowing into him as Captain Strand stands with his arms open, circling them around his boy.

“He’s gonna be okay,” he hears him whisper into his son’s ear. “Carlos wouldn’t leave you, you know that.”

Gabriel takes a sharp breath at the words; he looks over at his wife, seeing that her eyes have gone wide as she stares at the father and son with a newfound gaze, and he knows she’s caught it too.

Before they can come to terms with what it might mean, a doctor in green-colored scrubs walks in with a manila folder in hand. “I’m looking for Officer Reyes’ family?” he questions, startling as everyone stands or looks over at him.

Gabriel is surprised himself but warmed by the idea that so many people care about his son. “Over here,” he calls the doctor over. “We’re his parents.”

The doctor nods in response, crossing the distance between them until he’s standing in front of them, TK and his father joining in. “We’ve stabilized your son enough to move him,” the doctor starts. “He’s in the O.R. now; we’re repairing the damage. He was lucky that the bullet didn’t hit his carotid artery.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Andrea rushes to ask, fear coloring her question.

“We’re doing everything we can, ma’am,” the doctor answers softly with a sympathetic look. “He’s holding strong and was brought in quickly.”

“When can we see him?” he asks, his heart dropping at the shake of the doctor’s head.

“It’s going to be a while,” he answers. “We’re not sure how long it will be in the O.R., and then in recovery, it’s going to be a couple of hours.”

Gabriel feels the room deflate around him at the answer and feels the same.

“For now, I need his next of kin to sign off on some waivers,” the doctor continues as he looks inside his folder, reading out of it. “Who is Tyler Kennedy Strand?” he asks, the question filling the room with sudden tension.

“Uhh – me,” TK stammers, his eyes going to him and Andrea awkwardly. “But his parents – “

The doctor cuts him off with a shake of his head. “Officer Reyes’ work forms have you as the one with the power of attorney over any medical decisions on his behalf. You are aware of this, yes?”

TK looks pained and uncomfortable, apologetic even as he looks at Andrea before nodding. “Yes,” he says softly. “Carlos and I spoke about it a few months ago.”

“Then I need you to come with me, Mr. Strand,” the doctor answers, his eyes shifting over to them as well. “It’s just a formality, you understand.”

TK nods again, gesturing for the doctor to go first, following him out of the room, leaving the rest of them in silence, and he and Andrea stunned.

“They’re involved,” he states, not sure to who, but he catches Captain Strand’s slight wince.

“TK will explain when he comes back in,” he assures them, though Gabriel isn’t sure what he would have to explain. It’s pretty obvious the kid is someone important enough to his son that he would leave him in charge of his care if anything happened to him, and he and his wife know nothing about him.

Andrea reaches for his hand. When he looks at her, he sees the same confusion and hurt in her eyes he’s feeling. He squeezes it reassuringly as they retake their seats, neither knowing what to say.

They stay like that, silently waiting for TK or the doctor to come back. Owen walks away from them, drifting towards the other Captain.

After a few minutes, the ones who walk in are the trio of firefighters the Captain sent out for a snack.

“Te de manzanilla,” Chavez says with a boyish smile as he hands the cup of tea to Andrea. “My Abuela says it’s good for nerves.”

Andrea takes it but doesn’t drink right away. “Thank you – um?”

“Oh! I’m Mateo,” he answers before pointing at the other two who are finishing handing out bottles of water and coffees. “That’s Paul and Marjan. We’re friends of Carlos,” he says with another friendly smile as they come over to them.

“Nice to meet you all,” Andrea answers, elbowing him in the side to do the same.

Gabriel checks out, his mind drifting while his wife picks up the slack and chats with the trio, exchanging small talk. He only tunes in when Mateo asks about their new filly.

“You know about Sally?” he questions, frowning, confused. He gets a few nods from all of them and smiles.

“Carlos showed us pictures of her the last time we were over at his and TK’s place for dinner.”

Gabriel can’t help the sharp breath he takes at the comment.

“They live together?” Andrea asks, shocked, her voice above a whisper.

“Oh,” Paul says softly, his eyes widening with realization at their lack of knowledge. He exchanges worried looks with the young woman Mateo called Marjan. Both open their mouth as if to speak and then stop at a loss for words. Luckily for them, TK walks back into the room, making his way towards them.

“Guys, could you give me a second with Mr. and Mrs. Reyes?” he asks politely but firmly.

“Yeah, of course, man,” Paul says quickly, while Marjan tugs on Mateo to stand, moving away. Paul starts to follow them, only to stop and look at TK, speaking again with an apologetic look on his face. “We’re sorry, we didn’t know – “

TK waves him off, a half a smile on his tired face. “Don’t worry about it, Paul.”

Paul gives him a nod, looks at them, and nods again before walking away.

“I’m sure you have a lot of questions,” TK tells them softly, biting down on his lip for a moment before taking a breath, straightening his shoulders. “I’ll do my best to answer them. Should we find somewhere a little more private?”

He looks over at his wife and finds her studying TK with a curious eye. He’s not surprised. He’s more than curious himself about this man who is important enough in his son’s life to be making decisions of life and death for him and apparently living with him. “I think that might be best.”

TK nods mostly to himself, motioning for them to follow him.

He leads them out into the hallway and into another room that Gabriel realizes is the chapel.

“Is this okay?” TK questions nervously. “I don’t want to be disrespectful,” he gestures towards the altar.

“It’s fine, TK,” Andrea assures him.

They take a seat together towards the back of the room, TK sitting across from them.

Nobody says anything for a long moment. He sits watching TK as he taps his foot, and Andrea plays with her hands, struck by the similar nervous motions. He recognizes as TK looks at them with a worried wrinkle between his brow, he doesn’t know where to start, and Gabriel is struck by how young he looks like this. It reminds him of Carlos’ nervous habits growing up, so concerned with disappointing them.

“How long have you and our son been together?” he questions, ripping off the bandaid.

“We’ve been dating for over a year,” he answers honestly, wincing when Andrea lets out a shocked sound. “But we’ve known each other for over a year and a half. It took a while for us to get – us, right.”

“A year?” Andrea questions, surprised and more than a little sad. “He’s kept this from us for a year?”

“He didn’t mean to,” TK rushes to explain – to defend their son to them, Gabriel realizes. He stops looking nervous, and Gabriel can honestly feel the wave of protectiveness coming off the young man.

While the part of him that isn’t still shocked at this sudden news is pleased that Carlos has found someone obviously loyal to him, another part of him is at a loss at being someone this young man thinks he needs to protect his son from. It leaves an unpleasant feeling in his stomach he tries to push down before he reacts in a way that he’ll regret later.

“Then what did he mean?” he questions, trying to understand. “Because if you guys have been dating for a year, that means you two were together when we met you at the market, and he called you a friend from work.”

He feels bad as his words cause the kid to flinch, and a small cynical smile twists his lips upward for a second.

“Yeah, that caused a big fight between us,” he answers dryly. “Look, this is something you need to talk about with Carlos when he comes to. We both knew it was a long time coming, and trust me, he’s been working up the nerve to tell you both about us.”

“Why would he need to work up the nerve?” Andrea questions while Gabriel watches as TK’s eyes flash, his hands curling for a moment. He’s struck by the fleeting anger he sees there – at them.

“Because you’re both more traditional, and he didn’t want to rub your noses in our relationship,” he answers tightly, making Andrea gasp.

Gabriel feels his hackles raise at the resentment he hears in the words. “Hey now, you don’t get – “

“Carlos’ own words,” TK interrupts, his voice sharp enough to stop him. TK stops too, taking a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment.

“I apologize,” he starts again, his voice calmer. “It’s not my place at all, and Carlos needs to be the one to explain this to you.”

Gabriel exchanges a glance with his wife, letting out a sigh when she gives him a serious look. He turns towards TK again, taking a calming breath of his own. “But he’s not here right now, and we’d like to understand.”

TK lets out a sigh, nodding at them after a moment. “You’re right,” he agrees quietly, running a hand through his hair. “I just really wish he was here, though,” he pauses, the pain and love in his eyes as he speaks striking a core with him. This man loves his son. That much is clear.

“Okay, first things first. Carlos loves you both so much,” he tells them reassuringly. “He speaks of both of you with so much respect and admiration. Please don’t doubt that for one second. He didn’t keep us a secret from you because he doesn’t love or respect you.”

“Then why?” Andrea asks, trying to understand.

TK presses his lips together, giving her a helpless shrug of his shoulder. “Because he was scared of upsetting you, of disturbing the tentative peace that the three of you have had since he rocked your world by telling you he was gay at 17, and then none of you ever spoke about it again. He didn’t want to disappoint you.”

By TK’s expression, Gabriel knows that he hasn’t just spoken with any malice, yet he still feels his words hit him like a punch.

“But – that’s,” he stumbles at a loss for words. “Carlos could never disappoint us,” he looks at Andrea to find her with tears in her eyes. “We love our son.”

TK gives him a smile; it’s kind and understanding. “I don’t doubt that,” he tells them, looking at Andrea. “He’s so easy to love, of course, you love him.”

“You love him,” Andrea says in awe, still crying, but it feels different than before, almost happy in the middle of the hurt.

TK’s eyes fill with tears; they spill over even as he gives them a bright smile. “More than I have ever loved anyone in my life, ma’am. He is everything to me.”

Gabriel hears how much he means it in his voice and instantly remembers something from earlier. “You worked on him at the scene,” he exhales over a dull ache in his chest at the thought. “Jesus Christ, kid, how did you – “

“The worst moment of my life,” TK whispers, losing his smile, his bottom lip trembling. “And life has thrown some curveballs my way,” he inhales deeply in an effort to control his emotions. “But I wasn’t about to lose him, not like that and not now. We have our whole lives ahead of us, and I plan to spend mine with your son.”

Gabriel hears the conviction and the subtle threat he’s issuing them. He’s telling them he’s not going anywhere, and while a small part of him wants to be annoyed at the warning, Gabriel finds himself mostly impressed. He finds himself liking the kid despite the situation.

“You love him so much,” Andrea whispers, shaking her head to herself. Knowing his wife, she’s mourning the fact that they’ve missed out on seeing it. “And he loves you?”

TK nods quickly. “He never lets me doubt it, not for one single second,” he swallows before another smile takes over his face, soft and involuntary. “He’s wonderful.”

“I’m so sorry we’ve missed it,” she tells him, and Gabriel smiles to himself at how easy he can still read her. “It was never our intent to make Carlos feel like he couldn’t share with us his life. When he told us he was gay, yes, it was a surprise, but we never loved him less,” she frowns, letting out a soft breath. “We wanted him to feel like nothing had changed, and instead, we made him feel like he couldn’t talk to us.”

“But he can,” he continues for Andrea, hoping TK will understand.

Andrea nods in agreement. “He can,” she repeats. “We want to be part of the life he’s building with you.”

TK smiles. It’s wobbly but iridescent as it lights up the room. “He – we would like that very much,” he tells them, chuckling softly. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to know you both. You need to tell him when he wakes up.”

Andrea looks fearful again as she turns from TK to him and back again. “What if – “

“No,” TK answers resolutely. He holds out his hand for Andrea, covering it when she places it in his. “Carlos is going to be fine. He’s not leaving us.”

Gabriel watches them hold each other’s hands, his wife taking comfort from the man in love with their son, and hopes, for all their sakes, that he will turn out to be right.

֎֎֎

The next three days are the longest of Gabriel’s life. After over seven hours of surgery and recovery, they’re allowed to see a sleeping Carlos.

If there was any doubt in his mind about TK’s feelings for his son, they’re wiped out the moment he sees him at his bedside. The way he takes his hand in his, holding it for dear life as he whispers in his ear that he loves him and that he’s there, that they all are.

They wait, hours and hours they wait for Carlos to wake up. The doctors tell them the surgery was successful, and now they just have to wait for Carlos’ body to recover enough for him to wake up. They’re not sure when that’ll be.

He walks into his son’s hospital room after taking a call from work to find TK alone with Carlos, his wife nowhere in sight.

“You know, sweetheart, if this is payback for the time I got shot and ended up in a coma, then message received,” TK talks to a sleeping Carlos, bringing his hand to his lips. “You can wake up now because I’ve learned my lesson.”

“You were shot?” he questions, raising an eyebrow, wondering exactly what these two have been through.

TK blinks up at him. He lowers Carlos’ hand but doesn’t let go. “Yeah,” he nods, clearing his throat. “Before Carlos and I officially got together, it was a house disturbance gone wrong, an accident, but I got hit in the chest and ended up in an eight-day coma. Carlos had to sit through it, the eight worse days of his life, he likes to remind me,” he turns back to Carlos, his expression softening. “I really didn’t need to learn the hard way how this feels.”

Gabriel makes a sound at the back of his throat. He takes the seat he’d been occupying next to Andrea, finding her purse still there.

“She went to the restroom and to get something to drink,” TK tells him. “I told her I would stay with Carlos.”

Gabriel nods in understanding, and the room goes quiet as neither says anything else. They both just watch Carlos, focusing on the rise and fall of his chest. His eyes stray to TK —his focus on Carlos, the way he reaches out to touch his skin like he can’t bear letting him go for a moment for fear he’ll slip away. The last few days, he and Andrea have gotten to know the kid better, along with the rest of his crew.

Their love for each other and their love for Carlos is evident in every gesture and kind word they have to say about him. It still hurts him to know he and Andrea have missed so much. As he laid in bed holding his crying wife, more than a few tears slipped his own eyes at the lost time. Every day that passes, he promises to fix it when his son wakes up.

“You know, when he was around ten, he convinced his cousin to help him up the stallion at the farm,” he starts telling him, lost in the memory. “And this was a rough horse, even I didn’t ride him much, but he got on, and the thing, of course, sent him flying,” he shakes his head to himself. “He was knocked out maybe five minutes, but they were the longest five minutes of my life.”

“Was he okay?” TK questions, concerned even though it obviously turned out okay in the end.

“A fractured arm,” he answers, chuckling. “As soon as the cast was off, he was right back at it – this time bribing the horse with apples, carrots, and beetroots until he won him over. By the end, it would only let Carlos ride him. He was so smug about it, tipping his hat at us as he rode him.”

TK grins from ear to ear. “Tell me there are pictures of him in the hat.”

Gabriel stands, pulling out his wallet. He fishes out an old worn picture, passing it over to TK. He watches as the boy takes gentle care, running his index finger over the image as he smiles down at it.

“Damn, that’s cute,” he murmurs, handing back the picture after a moment longer. “You know, he won me over with patience too.”

Gabriel raises an eyebrow at the comment, waiting for him to continue.

“When he and I met, I wasn’t in a good place emotionally,” TK starts to tell him as he looks back at Carlos, reaching up to brush his hair back. “I’d gotten out of a relationship that left me messed up, and I wasn’t looking for anything serious. I hurt his feelings at the beginning, and honestly, he should have just cut his losses.”

He looks over at him. “But Carlos doesn’t give up on people, especially when they’re hurting, so he became my friend, someone I could trust with the not-so-great parts of me. He never judged. He just cared about me more, making sure I knew that I was worth the effort even when I wasn’t so sure of that myself,” he smiles as he retakes Carlos’ hand. “He loves me even when I don’t always love myself.”

“I’m sure you do the same for him,” Gabriel answers. Even with Carlos asleep, he’s seen enough to know the two of them genuinely love each other. Now he just wants his son to wake up so he can see it for real.

“I try,” TK answers. “He makes it easy.”

“Do you think he’ll forgive us?” he can’t help but ask, the question playing in his head the last few days as he learned more of the parts of his life Carlos felt the need to keep to himself for their comfort.

TK frowns as he looks at him, shaking his head slowly. “Carlos will tell you there is nothing to forgive. He doesn’t blame you.”

“He should, though,” he can’t help but argue, feeling frustrated, angry tears at the back of his throat. Fear clawing its way back after three days of waiting for his boy to open his eyes and wondering if it will ever happen. “He was 17, a kid, scared but brave as he told us his truth, and while we accepted it at that moment, we didn’t make sure he knew that it would always be okay with us. That’s on us. We should have done better.”

“Do better now, Gabriel,” TK says to him quietly, shrugging his shoulder when he looks at him, his expression nothing but kind. “Forgive yourself, because Carlos never blamed you to begin with, and do better now.”

“Are you always so wise, kid?” he asks, smiling when TK lets out a bark of laughter.

“That is the last word anyone who knows me would use to describe me,” he shakes his head, still giggling. “Usually, it’s stubborn or reckless. Carlos has been known to call me a brat quite a few times,” he says fondly as he looks down at the bed.

“Because you always get your way,” Carlos rasps out, eyes still closed.

Gabriel isn’t sure who’s gasp is louder, his or TK’s as they both stand to get closer.

“Carlos? Sweetheart?” TK asks, cautious but hopeful, and Gabriel holds his breath as he waits to see if Carlos is genuinely back with them.

It takes a minute, maybe two, maybe three, but slowly Carlos opens his eyes.

“Hi, sweetheart,” TK whispers, tears falling even as he smiles widely down at Carlos.

Gabriel watches as his son frowns as he tries to weakly reach up to touch TK’s face. TK helps him, lifting his hand and holding it against his cheek.

“Don’t – cry, Ty,” Carlos gets out slowly, brushing his thumb under TK’s eye, earning a wet laugh from him.

“I love you so much,” he says to him, and though he’s obviously tired and in pain, the smile Carlos gives TK is the brightest Gabriel has ever seen.

“Love you too, amor,” his son whispers back to his boyfriend, sounding just as hopelessly in love with him. It reminds Gabriel of him and Andrea, and he can’t help the small sound that escapes his throat.

“Dad – “ Carlos says softly, surprised as his eyes find him; they shift back to TK, concern coloring his expression.

“It’s okay, babe. I promise,” TK assures him with a smile as he gives his hand a squeeze.

“It is mijo,” Gabriel tells him, hoping to wipe away the slight fear he sees in his son’s eyes. He never wants to be the cause for that look again.

TK looks over to him, smiling at him reassuringly, and Gabriel remembers what he said to him moments before Carlos woke up. Forgive and be better.

“I’m gonna go find Andrea and a doctor,” TK declares, giving him a nod. He turns back to Carlos, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

TK steps away from Carlos, squeezing Gabriel’s arm as he walks by him before leaving the room, leaving him alone with his son.

Turning back to Carlos, he finds him still looking concerned as he stares at him, and that simply won’t do for him. He shifts over to where TK had been standing, now next to Carlos. “How do you feel?” he questions gently, getting a tiny shrug back.

“Tired,” Carlos gets out, his voice raspy. “Thirsty.”

“Oh! Of course,” Gabriel says quickly, turning to grab the pitcher of water on the bedside counter and a cup. Filling it, he turns back to Carlos, raising his bed a bit before bringing the straw to his lips. “Slowly, mijo.”

Carlos does as he asks, all the while looking at him. After he’s had his fill, Gabriel pulls the cup away, putting it back on the counter. He reaches out to his son, running a hand over his curls like he would do when he was a little boy.

“You scared the hell out of us, kid,” he whispers, swallowing hard as the last couple of days catch up to him. “We were so scared we were gonna lose you.”

Carlos leans into his touch. As he closes his eyes, a tear rolls down his cheek. “Sorry, pop.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Gabriel shakes his head. He takes Carlos’ hand. “These last few days have shown your mom and me how much of your life we have missed, and we’re so sorry.”

“Dad – “ Carlos tries. “I – “

“We messed up, Carlos,” he continues, needing to get it out. “We thought we were keeping things normal by not making a big deal out of you coming out, and instead, what we did was make you believe that you needed to keep parts of your life a secret for us to be comfortable. But our comfort isn’t the most important thing. Your happiness is, and as long as you’re happy, so are we.”

Carlos’ eyes fill with more tears, and Gabriel is struck by how young he seems as he looks up at him hopeful.

“We met your boyfriend,” Gabriel chuckles fondly. “I mean, obviously. He’s pretty special, Carlitos. You picked a good one.”

Carlos laughs. It’s wet from tears but joyful. “I picked the best one.”

Gabriel smiles at the pride he hears in his son’s voice. “We’d like to get to know him, son,” he says. It’s a hope and a request in one. “Your mom and I, we’d like to know him and you,” he swallows hard as his eyes burn. “We love you so much, but loving someone isn’t always knowing them. If it’s okay with you, we’d like a chance to fix that now.”

Carlos stares at him, mouth open, and there is the slightest tremble of his bottom lip.

“Carlitos.”

He and Carlos turn their heads to the door where Andrea and TK stand together. Carlos smiles at his mom, the smile growing when he notices that she’s holding hands with TK.

“Mami,” he says softly.

Andrea walks towards them, tugging TK along with her. Reaching the bed, she reaches out to touch his face. “Baby,” she whispers, shaking her head as she tries not to cry. “Please never scare us like this again.”

Carlos lets out an amused huff, closing his eyes for a second. “I’ll try, Ma.”

“Good,” Andrea grins at him, amused by his tone. “And you better be ready to be smothered for a while. TK and I have been making plans. We’re not letting you out of our sight.”

“We have a shifts chart,” TK teases him, sharing a grin with Andrea.

Gabriel watches with amusement as Carlos looks scared again, this time at the team he sees being created before his very eyes. He laughs, happy and relieved, when Carlos turns to him for support.

“I wouldn’t fight it, kid,” he warns him. “You know how your mother is, and your boyfriend seems just as bad; just accept it. They’re bonded. We all have.”

Carlos looks around at all three of them, the contentment he sees in his son’s expression, a blessing, and Gabriel knows it’s going to be okay. There is still a lot of time that he and Andrea will have to make up for. Conversations that will still need to be had.

But his son is alive; he’s safe, happy, and in love with a good man. He and Andrea haven’t missed it all, and they don’t plan to miss anything else when it comes to their boy ever again.

Carlos grins at him. “I think I’m okay with that, dad.”

Gabriel smiles back. He’s okay with it too.

#911 lone star #tarlos #911 lone star fic #tarlos fic #tk x carlos #my writing

404 notes · View notes

fluffyk97 · 3 years ago

Text

Basic backstories, setup and just few little things about Werewolf Cole Au. A synopsis if you will?

There's no elemental powers, Overlord, Zane isn't a nindroid, etc. Just basically a regular world with small real myths such as Werewolves.

Werewolf wolf forms aren't humanoid, but really are just big 6ft tall wolves.

Kai and Nya do live in a house near the woods and their parents were never kidnapped so they were raised by them. However they both are in a line of work that has them not home most of the time.

Kai & Nya found Lloyd on the streets being bullied from other kids. Kai immediately couldn't stand it and stepped in. When asked where Lloyd lived so they could take him, Lloyd said he didn't have one.

After a long video call later, and a quick visit by Maya, Lloyd was able to be adopted into their family and enroll in school under the name Lloyd Smith.

Kai is 20, Nya is 18, Lloyd is 14, Cole is 21, Jay is 18, Zane is 23, Pixal is 22, Skylor is 21. Excluding Cole till later, they're just a big friend group.

Kai is trying to find a good College to get into while working at Skylor and her Mother's small Noodle Shop. There is no Chen because I said so.

Skylor and Kai used to date in Highschool, but found to be better friends instead and now are just close friends.

Jay & Nya are in highschool Senior Year, and are together.

Zane & Pixal was friends with them in highschool, but now are in College together. Also a couple, and they love to visit when they can and video chat.

Lloyd is in Middle School. He's managed to make few friends there but his best friends are his adopted siblings, their friends, and his adopted cat, Meowthra.

Cole was childhood friends with Jay back in another town until one day him, his father and mother had to suddenly move out without a word to anyone. So to Jay, his childhood friend just one day disappeared.

There are Werewolf Hunters after them.

Cole gets his wolf side from Lily.

Lily doesn't pass away when he was younger, but is sick. Lou moves them to the Town where the gang are, hearing about how it's nice and close to some woods, good clean air, and he did some digging and saw nothing about Hunters being in the town because the Forest and its wildlife are supposed to be protected.

Cole is trying to figure out what to do for his mother and always goes out to the woods at night to let himself be a wolf, especially because he doesn't have complete control of his transformation like Lily.

Unfortunately Hunters did follow them.

The Hunters one day went to eat at the Noodle Shop and talked about going hunting in the Woods. Kai overheard, and he knows the Woods are not to be hunted in. Kai tried leaving a voicemail to Skylor but his phone unfortunately died mid message. He wasn't sneaky enough about it and the Hunters did notice.

At the end of his shift, locking up the Noodle Shop, Kai is jumped by the Hunters so they don't have a goody goody try and ruin their hunt.

Kai managed to get away and did run off into the woods, hoping to lead them off his tail, not find their way to his house, while also hoping to manage to get home through the woods.

Kai of course loses the Hunters, but unfortunately his ankle did get sprained pretty bad and he stops to sit against a tree once he's sure he's safe.

That's when Cole finds him after smelling some of his blood.

Kai never heard of any reports of wolves in the woods, especially none that are 6ft tall. So understandably, Kai freezes up in fear while also knowing he wouldn't get anywhere if he tried.

Cole approaches, luckily just have hunted something himself so Kai's blood doesn't affect his hunter instincts too much.

Cole slowly approaches Kai before licking his wounds. He turns Kai around and grabs him by the back of his jacket, carrying him off to his little den he set up for when he's out in the woods.

Kai freaks out and is about to yell before he hears the distant sound of a Jeep driving through the woods which leads him to shut up in fear its the hunters.

This also has Cole rush to the den.

The den is set up with a large bedroll, campfire and few other necessities because Cole goes to it when he's a human as well. It surprises Kai, but he doesn't complain when the big wolf sets him down and carries over a first aid kit.

Even after patching himself up, Kai still can't get up, but it seems the Wolf in front of him basically saved him and maybe has an owner. Plus, out of fear of running into the hunters, he decides okay he'll stay for the night.

Cole does notice Kai starts shivering when trying to sleep, so he goes over to offer some warmth. Kai while uneasy with a big wolf next to him, accepts it, not wanting to risk going against it and it is nice.

This leads to both of them falling asleep and Cole completely forgetting he's going to change back in the morning.

So Kai wakes up being hugged by this large shirtless man. His screaming wakes Cole up, leading him to screaming as well as the scramble to get apart.

The den is surprisingly close to Kai's house, so as Nya is about to head out on her bike to find out why Kai didn't come home last night, she hears him screaming in the woods.

After the screaming stops, Kai and Cole stare at each other. Kai in complete bewilderment, glancing around for that wolf from last night unaware it was Cole. Cole meanwhile is frozen, slapping himself mentally for some reason helping this random stranger as a wolf and not thinking about him turning back in the morning.

Nya calls out for Kai though, drawing his attention away from Cole and allowing him a moment to slip away.

Kai after realizing he was left alone, decides to get up, limping out of the den to call out to Nya.

Kai is brought home and his wounds are more properly treated. A call to Skylor to look out for the guys that jumped Kai and to let her know what's up.

Kai tells the story about the Wolf. Lloyd gets excited wanting to find a big nice Wolf himself, but Nya quickly dismisses it to it most likely just being a dream passing out in the woods. Hoping to delude Lloyd from going and searching the woods for said Wolf, while also not believing it herself.

Kai is basically forced to stay home till they know the Hunters aren't going to go after him again, and to heal up his ankle.

Kai keeps thinking about that night while during his little house arrest, and even dreams of the man he woke up next to, turning into the 6ft Wolf that helped him.

One night when he's okay to walk again and Nya is at Jay's house with Lloyd to help him study, and for a little sleepover, Kai sneaks out back to the woods, finding the den again and hopes to come across the Wolf again.

Cole wanders in as a wolf and freezes noticing Kai waiting for him. He was no different from Kai, constantly thinking about the other in numerous ways since their encounter.

Cole unfortunately wasn't so prepared for another meeting and turns to run away, but finds himself freezing when Kai cries out "Wait!"

Kai slowly approaches Cole.

"You can understand me, can't you?" Cole looks Kai in the eyes and nods to Kai's slight surprise.

"Are you that guy I woke up next to?" Cole whines in response, in fear of Kai knowing.

"It's okay! I... well its little weird to think about, but... wow I was actually right? Haha, I don't know how to feel about this, but I won't go ratting you out don't worry!" Cole's ears perk up in surprise.

That's when the familiar sound of a Jeep reaches both their ears. Smelling the air, Cole whines, recognizing the smell of Hunters, moving to turn and run again, but Kai stops him again.

Kai offers and brings Cole back to his house to help hide him. Cole feels like he should reject, and not trust so easily, but he finds himself following Kai easily.

That's when Kai walks in with Cole, ducking through the back door and see Nya and Lloyd who just got home because the sleep over got cancelled.

After a lot of panic and explaining later, Nya agrees to help out Cole, wanting more explaining from him if Kai saying him turning into a human is true.

Lloyd is very excited to see such a big wolf and starts talking to Cole a lot. It surprises Cole, but he also finds it enjoyable to see a kid so excited to actually see him like this after growing up and being told by Lou he should never show his secret to anyone.

Lloyd does bring Meowthra to Cole, and while Kai and Nya were expecting the usual Cat vs Dog or this case, Wolf, Meowthra surprisingly really likes Cole and they get along fine.

Lloyd helps Kai give food to Cole once they hear the wolf's tummy growl.

The next morning, Cole wakes up in the living room as human and he does explain what he is. Pleading for the trio of siblings to not say anything, especially after he smelled Hunters and learned they're the ones who hurt Kai. They of course agree to the promise.

This starts the cycle of Cole coming over some nights as a Wolf and staying the night.

Cole is excited to talk to people again after being on the run and being hidden for so long and a nice distraction from worrying about his mother.

Kai finds himself wanting to spend more and more time with Cole until he realizes he's actually falling in love with a werewolf.

Overtime the rest of the friend group also accidentally learn about Cole but agree to keep the secret. Jay especially being really happy to see his childhood friend again and getting an explanation why he disappeared so long ago.

Kai find himself talking a lot about Cole to his siblings and Skylor. Cole does the same to Jay about Kai.

Of course they do confess at some point. Or basically forced to by everyone.

Cole keeps all this a secret from Lou because his father has grown to always have a constant worry of his son and wife being hurt because their Wolf sides. He talks to Lily about everyone though when he thinks she's asleep, but she does hear it all and is happy to hear her son is happy. She doesn't tell Lou until Cole is ready.

Cole is a clingly bf when him and Kai are together, being very touch starved from only having his mom & dad for so long. Kai loves attention, so it works out perfectly.

Cole as a wolf will sometimes just pick up Kai to bring him t lay down with and enjoy cuddles. When human, he loves to come up from behind for a hug.

Kai brought Cole to work one day and Cole fell in love with the food there ofc.

When Cole first ate cake around the others, he was a wolf and they did immediately get scared with mindset of chocolate bad for dogs. Morning came and Cole reassured he was fine and is still okay to eat anything he can as a human, as a wolf.

Cole does still struggle with gaining control of his transformation but that mainly affects to him turning into a wolf every night. Lily can turn into a wolf anytime she wants.

However sometimes Cole finds himself losing to his wolf instincts and needs to hunt or gets hostile.

First time Cole loses himself as a wolf he is hostile, but Kai slowly approaches him, treating it like he would for Lloyd when he has panic attacks, and brings Cole out of it. Mostly succeeding to get close because Cole smells his own scent on Kai.

They all do try and pitch in to find a way to help Lily, and stop the Hunters.

#ninjago #ninjago au #werewolf cole #Lavashipping #kai smith #cole brookstone #long post #nya smith #lloyd garmadon #jay walker #zane julien #skylor chen #pixal borg #This ended up being a lot more than i was thinking of writing down #But hey #I say I love this au #werewolf Cole au

71 notes · View notes

awkwxrdapple · 4 years ago

Text

Fallen Angel (Part 2) - Peter Parker x reader

PART 1

Request reminder: Hi! I love your writing! I was hoping you could do a peter x reader where the reader gets badly hurt and captured and it takes a long time for the avengers and peter to find her and once they do, she is scared half to death, jumpy, nervous, and stays by Peter’s side during pretty much everything. They are living in the avengers tower with everyone and since they are the youngest, Peter is particularly protective of her during her recovery. Thank you!

Word count: 1.5k

WARNINGS: mentions of anxiety, light torture, injury, trauma (after reading if you think I should include any others please let me know thank you)

Part 2

The hours that had passed felt like months. Soon you had lost track of how long you thought you had been strapped to a chair in that room, and with every physical injury you felt your resolve falter more and more.

You would never give them what they wanted - that you were sure of. So unfortunately for you, whoever was holding you was getting more impatient and frustrated, taking it out on you even more to try and get what they wanted. You hoped maybe they would give up after it was obvious you wouldn't crack, but they didn't seem to think so.

They could see they were breaking you on the outside. Little did they know you were not utterly terrified. Every sound in the room made you jump, and every touch made you flinch so hard the ropes holding you cut into your skin. You were a mess, both inside and out. But you still wouldn't give them what they wanted.

Dropping down in front of you like he had done before the beating began, the first man who spoke to you sighed and held your chin to force you to look at him.

"Y/N I hate to keep asking but you really give me no choice."

He used the back of his hand to slap you harshly across the cheek. Any other day that wouldn't have phased you that much, but due to the already existing wounds put there by either him or one of his other men, it stung and brought more tears to your eyes.

"N-no." You wept. You were now openly crying but you didn't care. All that mattered is that they didn't get what they wanted. You wouldn't give them any information about the Avengers.

The man's annoyance was growing even more that before. It terrified you. You knew they needed you alive but they could still do many things to you before you died.

You thought about Peter, about your best friend, and somehow that gave you more strength to hang on. Would he be out there looking for you? Would they even have any way to find you? You hoped with every fibre of your broken body that Peter was on his way to help you. You even hated being apart from him for this long.

"I really do hate doing this to you Y/N…"

You hated that he kept using your first name like you were old friends.

No you don't. You thought, before a punch was directed at your gut.

+ + +

Once Peter had suited up he paced nervously waiting for Tony to get into the Iron Man armour. Nat had caught onto the situation and was joining the both of them on your rescue mission. Nobody knew why or who had wanted to kidnap you. They hadn't received a message requesting a ransom for your return, so it was clear a more sinister plot was at play.

Upon arriving at the old warehouse that your phone signal was coming from, the trio split up to try and cover more ground. If you were inside the building, it would then be a faster process to find you and get you out. Alive.

Peter was the one to find you.

You became worried when you heard shouting and loud thumps from outside the door. The noises started to make you shake with fear and soon you were crying softly again.

There was a few moments of complete silence before the door was kicked in, flying completely off its hinges and into the room narrowly missing you.

It was almost as if your luck had completely changed and you sobbed audibly upon seeing him.

There was one other man in the room with you who went for his gun as soon as he spotted the red and blue, but Peter was quicker. He disarmed the man swiftly and carefully and sent an elbow to his face cleanly knocking him out.

"Y/N!" Peter's astonishment at your appearance was coupled with relief and something else you couldn't quite place. For a moment you thought it was anger. Was he angry at you? Had you caused so much disruption that he was angry at you?

"Tony, Nat!" Peter also called out through his comms unit and soon the two Avengers ran into the room too.

Tony cut and removed your bonds and let Peter move in closer to you so your body could fall into his. He used a spare hand to rip his mask off so you could look at him properly. His soft brown eyes were full of concern. You sagged into him further as you had no more energy left to hold yourself up.

"Hey Y/N stay with me, ok baby. Stay with me."

Baby.

The endearment was lost on you as you were falling in and out of consciousness. The darkness of the room wasn't helping your extreme fatigue and shock. Even though you were being rescued, you were still terrified.

In the corner of your eye you could see another man in black come into the room but Nat dealt with him. For a second you felt a shriek of fear nearly come out of you but as you saw his limp body fall to the ground it was lost.

Peter's strong but gentle arms were wrapped around your body as he lifted to you up swiftly to his chest. You could hear sobs, which after a few seconds you realised were your own. Hearing these, Peter hugged you even closer to him and you instinctively moved closer into his embrace. This was the closest feeling to being safe that you had felt since you had been taken.

He was warm, and smelt of home. Quickly your sobs turned from fear to relief.

"Ok, let's get her out of here." Peter commanded.

Tony and Nat went in front of Peter and led the way through the also dimly lit corridors. When you reached the door that let into outside, you had to squint from the brightness and turn your face further into Peter. There was noise outside too, too much of it. Cars were bustling up and down the street.

"Did you find out anything about them?" Nat asked Tony, slightly out of breath from running.

"No, all of their software was encrypted so well that even I couldn't hack it."

Nat sighed. Your safety and wellbeing was a bigger concern at the moment though. They needed to get you back to the Tower as soon as they could and get you checked over. Just one quick glance at you would make any one aware of your fragile state.

Peter was still whispering encouragement to you as you gripped onto him.

“You're safe now Y/N."

"I've got you."

"Stay with me, we're going home."

"You are so strong Y/N."

Soon though, you couldn't hold onto consciousness, and you fell asleep exhausted in Peter's arms.

+ + +

A steady beeping woke you up.

You could tell you were back in the Tower, everything was cleaner, whiter, lighter. Your head hurt, everywhere hurt if you thought about it long enough, but you also felt strangely numb. There was an IV drip linked to your left arm, and two other nodes tapped into your chest to measure your heart rate.

Even though you knew you were safe, there was still that lingering adrenaline. Something that still had you on edge. You knew you weren't held captive for very long, regardless of however long it felt, but it didn't matter. The damage had been done.

Starting to feel yourself panicking again, remembering all of the physical abuse you had been put through, the beeping quickly became closer together, seeming louder. This in turn created more panic as the noise fed your anxiety.

In the next moment Tony and Peter rushed into the room. In your panic you were struggling to breathe. You were having a panic attack.

You tried to sit up and reach for Peter who had moved to you. This movement pulled the IV from your arm.

"Help me!" You managed to get out. You couldn't even tell him what you needed physical help from. You were safe now. But you couldn't get out of your head everything that had happened to you.

"Y/N, I promise you that you are safe." Peter took hold of your hands and let you squeeze as hard as you needed to.

Peter and Tony shared a look because of your distress. There was no way Tony would be able to get the IV back into you as you were now shaking uncontrollably.

"Don't worry Y/N this will allow you to sleep." Tony said gently.

You felt yourself nodding, before once again, drifting off.

Tag list: @unmistakablyunknown @oxodianaoxo @tazishereforu @lovely-blackinnon @bibliophilewednesday @fuckingalohomora-bitch

If you would like to be in the tag list for part 3 or any of my other Peter Parker imagines please let me know!

Masterlist

#fallen angel #peter parker #peter parker imagines #peter parker x reader #peter parker imagine #peter parker x y/n #tom holland #tom holland imagine #tom holland x reader #tom holland oneshot #tom holland x y/n #marvel #marvel imagine #marvel x reader #storyofavengers

206 notes · View notes

mostlycompetentwriter · 4 years ago

Text

Road Not Taken (one-shot)

Part of the Stray Wolves Series

F/M Pairing: Y/N x Bang Chan (SKZ)

Warnings: Smut, Explicit Language, Lots of dirty talk, breeding kink, mentions of knotting, heavy degradation...basically, this is pure filth (but only at the end)

Word Count: 5.5 K

Genre: Werewolf AU; Marriage AU

Summary: It’s true that Bang Chan, the legendary pack alpha of the Stray Wolves, had never felt the need to take a mate until he met Y/N, the much-younger she-wolf who stole his heart. As the pack alpha’s mate, there are certain expectations that she must meet in her position, but she’s still learning while also getting into trouble with her close friends Seungmin and Jeongin.

Honestly speaking, the concept of mates and mating had never held any influence over me until the day I officially presented as an Omega. Suddenly, the idea of growing old with someone while taking care of our pups seemed like a scenario that I desperately needed in my life. Consequently, it consumed all of my dreams involving the future, but I still didn’t expect a proposal from my pack alpha whose dimpled smile made me feel incredibly special.

For starters, Chan was much older than me, and he was friends with my older brother, Jisung, who was caught off-guard by our sudden romance. You see, Chan became pack alpha after our last leader formally retired, and he had been serving in his place for many years. It was always customary for the pack alpha to find a mate, but Chan didn’t seem to favor the traditional approach. In fact, many of my pack members thought that he would never find a mate.

At least, until Chan approached me one morning after the two of us spent the day hunting together, which wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Despite being Jisung’s friend, Chan and I were fairly close, and I liked spending time with him because he never saw me as a younger member who still needed time to mature. And maybe I was young and reckless, but Chan never treated me like I was something to coddle, even if his overprotective instincts occasionally intervened.

When I officially mated with Chan, the entire pack was shocked. It seemed somewhat scandalous considering our age-gap and the numerous women who Chan had passed on throughout his tenure as alpha. But Chan had never concerned himself with the opinions of others, and he simply brought me into his life like I had always belonged next to his side.

It was an enormous responsibility, and I was still learning how to properly navigate the complexities of my responsibilities as pack Luna, especially in consideration of my age. But I wanted to do my best for Chan since he was giving me everything that I wanted, and, for the most part, I stayed on my best behavior for him, even if it was sometimes hard to resist the occasional moment of mischief. Especially when my friends Seungmin and Jeongin were involved, and they were a big part of the reason why our little trio had been deemed the pack’s troublemakers.

Maybe that’s why Chan always hesitated whenever I brought them up in conversation, and I carefully studied my mate from the warmth of our bed as dressed himself in regular clothes. “What are your plans, love?” he asked while busying himself with the buttons on his shirt.

“I don’t know,” I answered mindlessly. “I’ll probably just spend the day with Seungmin and Jeongin.”

Chan grimaced at the mention of their names, adjusting the leather strap of his belt as he considered me with dark eyes. “Just be careful,” he said, approaching the bedside to lean down and inhale deeply against my neck.

“I’m not a kid,” I grumbled against his touch, squirming around on the mattress.

“I know you’re not,” Chan said, smirking when he pulled back. “But it’s my job to worry about you.”

“You don’t have to worry all the time,” I protested, but Chan’s smile was still warm as he left our shared bedroom, and I waited until I could hear the sound of the front door closing before jumping out of bed.

When I was barely of age to leave my mother’s side, I met Seungmin and Jeongin by accident. Apparently, the younger two pups had formed a formiddable alliance, and they always did their best to push the limits of their mother’s patience. They were brothers by blood, but they were also best friends, and I never thought that I would find a place in their dynamic.

However, when we met for the very first time, I found out that Seungmin and Jeongin shared a lot of the same mischievous nature that often resulted in my mother apologizing to the older wolves who complained when I disrupted their frequent slumber. Because of our natural inclinations for mischief, I found myself joining the brothers as we wrecked havoc and mayhem on our other pack members who were certainly not impressed by our hijinks.

I’m sure my past behavior contributed to my pack’s hesitance when Chan accepted me as his mate. After all, they would be expected to show the pack Luna respect, but that was hardly feasible considering who I liked to keep in close company. Initially, Chan had tried to discourage our meetings by forcing Jeongin and Seungmin to join as many hunting and border patrols as he could manage. But we still found ways to see one another, and I think Chan gradually decided that he couldn’t stop the inevitable, even if his most recent warning to the brothers had forced them to reconsider some of our more impressive pranks...

“Are you sure about this?”

There was a slight note of trepidation in Seungmin’s tone, and it matched the look of insecurity on his face as we stood outside of the abandoned house in the woods. It was fabled among our pack’s younger members to be haunted, and some of the elder had warned us that it was strictly off-limits which, of course, stoked my curiosity. So, I scoffed at his hesitation because both Seungmin and Jeongin had been excited to talk about visiting the house last night. Yet, confronted with the real thing, they were both suddenly the world’s biggest cowards.

“Come on, guys, we all want to know what’s inside,” I said, reaching back for Seungmin’s hand.

“Yeah, but if it’s something bad...” Jeongin trailed off, and his eyes widened with a sudden realization. “What if Chan finds out?”

“He’ll never know,” I assured him. “Let’s just go inside and look around.”

I started forward without an ounce of hesitation, walking up the front steps of the house’s porch with confidence. I could also hear Seungmin and Jeongin following me from behind, and I took that as a good sign that my friends has refused to feel intimidated by my alpha’s attempts to ruin our fun. After all, what’s the worst that could happen in an abandoned house?

With this in mind, I reached out to open the front door, and it was unsurprising when I found it unlocked, allowing it to fall back against the hinges. The inside of the house was musty and old, and there was a foul smell in the air like the house was hiding something that was slowly rotting away. Whatever it was, I nearly gagged around the smell as it assaulted by sensitive nose, looking back over at Seungmin and Jeongin who both wore matching expressions of disgust.

“Where is that coming from?” Seungmin asked, and I allowed him to take the lead as we walked into the first room.

It appeared to be some form of kitchen, and I could identify dozens of places that might generate such a foul-smelling stench. “This place is disgusting,” Jeongin said.

“What did you expect?” I snorted.

“It’s really cold too,” Jeongin remarked, and I startled when I realized that he was right, and that was a bit strange considering the weather outside.

Nevertheless, I continued my exploration of the house, leaving the kitchen and approaching some of the rooms at the back of the house. I heard Jeongin and Seungmin laughing at something in the kitchen, but I paid them no mind as I opened the door to the first room.

It wasn’t anything special, but there was a bed in the middle of the floor and a closet near the heavily boarded-up window. I exhaled slowly, walking across the creaking floorboards as I noticed something strangely familiar tickling my senses. My wolf was suddenly on high-alert, and I was trying to look for anything that might be triggering the hair-raising response to whatever I was smelling that was right on the edge of my consciousness...

“Y/N!”

I nearly jumped out of my skin, spinning around on my heel at the sound of Jeongin’s high-pitched shrill. “Hey!” I shouted, leaving the bedroom door wide open as I retraced my steps to the kitchen. “What’s going on?”

“Y/N.” Seungmin’s voice was hushed, and the two boys were standing shoulder-to-shoulder in a defensive posture. I stood on my toes to look over them, and I felt my breath hitch at the back of my throat because standing at the entrance to the kitchen was a man. But I knew immediately that he wasn’t just an ordinary human who happened upon the house...

“Vampire,” I whispered, but not like our neighbors who lived in the mountains. These were rogue vampires who had been cast aside, and they were left without the necessary vampire bonds and fresh sources of blood required to sustain them. It certainly explained the metallic smell that had been all over that bedroom, and it provided justification for the lack of sunlight penetrating the inside.

This vampire was in the late stages of decay, and his blood-red eyes revealed that he was in no mood for our playful adventure. In fact, I could detect the hunger in his gaze, and I reached for Seungmin’s arm because I knew that we were in trouble.

“We need to get outside,” Jeongin said, and I nodded in response.

Because this vampire would not last in the sun, and it was our only possible form of salvation since there was no fighting a desperate vampire.

“Start walking the other way,” Seungmin said, and the three of us started to back up carefully, keeping the vampire in our line of sight as we tried for another means of escape.

However, I had taken no more than a couple of steps backwards when I felt another cold blast hit me from behind. I immediately stopped, and it caught Seungmin’s attention. He turned around to confront me, but his eyes widened and I knew that he had found the source of that chilly presence.

There was more than one vampire in this house.

“We’ll have to fight,” I said, and Jeongin whimpered at the idea.

“Stay close,” Seungmin said, and we formed a protective circle as the Vampires started to approach, fangs bared and with sinister snarls interrupting the quiet of the kitchen.

I held my breath, waiting for the right opportunity to shift, when I heard Seungmin let out a warning growl, and I realized too late that the first vampire had launched himself at my friends. Our circle was broken, and I nearly lost my balance at the force thrown against me from behind. Yet, it also created the perfect opportunity for the second Vampire who quickly took advantage of the distraction.

I fell to the ground hard, groaning at the pain jolting through my shoulder from the impact. But I was given no time to consider my injuries as my adrenaline kicked in and affected all of my concentration. It was enough to take my mind away from the fall, but not enough to muster an offensive strike. I was left playing defense with a rabid Vampire who knew that I was much weaker on my own.

I whimpered as the Vampire stood over me, teeth glinting menacingly as he hissed in my direction. I closed my eyes at the harsh sound, ready to accept my fate at the hands of the cruel Vampire, when a familiar howl broke through the haze of fear and confusion. And I realized with a barely-restrained gasp that an enormous jet-black wolf had suddenly attacked the Vampire, saving my life. I took a moment to catch my breath before using the counter to help myself stand up again, looking around the room at my pack members fighting the Vampires who had almost successful in their campaign.

I winced when I realized that the familiar jet-black wolf was my mate, and he was savage in his assault. Yet, at the same time, I realized that Chan was not inflicting much damage to the Vampire - almost like he didn’t want to harm it. I was puzzled by the consideration, but a quick tug on my arm alerted me to Changbin, our pack Beta, who was yelling at me to join the others outside.

I immediately obeyed his order, trying to avoid the Vampires and Werewolves engaged in heavy conflict, noticing that more Vampires had somehow joined the attack. But the escalating situation was left behind for the much-needed sunlight, and I breathed a sigh of relief when I found Seungmin and Jeongin unharmed. “I’m so glad you’re okay,” I said, allowing them to wrap their arms around me in familiar embrace.

“Y/N,” Seungmin said, looking at me with concerned eyes. “The house is protected by King Felix. It’s meant to provide a place for rogue Vampires to die in peace.”

I swallowed hard at the mention of the Vampire King who Chan had tried so hard to maintain good relations. “What have we done?” I asked, turning around at the sound of an all-too familiar voice.

Of course it was Chan, walking with our pack members as they diligently followed their alpha. He was talking to an older Vampire, one who I had never noticed before, and she was positively enraged as she practically screamed in my mate’s face. Apparently, the situation had evolved into something that held far more consequences, and I had never felt so ashamed.

When Chan came closer, I shivered at the rage in his eyes, and I refused to meet his gaze when he pulled me behind him. “We’ll talk later,” he growled, reminding me of the intimidating alpha who was feared throughout the neighboring packs.

“King Felix marked these lands as neutral,” the older Vampire said. “And you agreed.”

Chan stepped forward, keeping his hands behind his back as he addressed the elderly woman who sneered at my pack mates. “I’m sorry for their intrusion,” Chan said, bowing low at the waist. “It won’t happen again.”

“I hope not,” the old woman said. “You should train your pups to behave.”

I could feel myself blushing at being categorized as a pup when, as the pack alpha’s mate, I was expected to be one of the most mature members. It had a chastening effect, and I cowered behind Chan with my wolf’s tail metaphorically caught between my legs. Surely, everyone else in the pack would find out about our misadventure, and if they thought the same thing as this older vampire...

I shivered, resisting the urge to whine and lean into Chan’s familiar weight.

“They’ll be disciplined,” Chan reassured the vampire, glancing at me from the corner of his eye with a look that screamed punishment.

“I’ll let this go since it’s your first infraction and my vampires weren’t harmed,” she said. “But if I catch any of your wolves out here again...”

She closed her eyes as if she wanted to control her latent rage. But Chan understood the inherent warning. “The agreement was made for everyone’s protection,” Chan said. “This is the last time you will see wolves here.”

The older vampire snorted before retreating inside the house, and I tried not to whine when Chan took a firm hold of my arm, pulling me along next to him as we returned to camp for the evening.

The pack alpha’s cabin was located strategically at the back of our defined camp where Chan and I could find privacy together. I usually savored the distance from my pack mates, but I was feeling increasingly wary following my embarrassing blunder with the rogue vampires. The idea of spending unsolicited time alone with Chan was suddenly an intimidating prospect.

Still, it wasn’t in my nature to avoid my mistakes, and I followed Chan inside our shared cabin. He paused at the entrance to remove his shoes before heading in the direction of our bedroom, and I quickly followed his lead. Even as my wolf cautioned us to approach carefully, I didn’t want to exhibit that kind of behavior around Chan because it would only contribute to my immature image.

“Hey,” Chan finally addressed me, standing in front of our dresser. “Sit down.”

I held my tongue, eliminating the few steps to the edge of our bed where I deposited myself on top of the mattress. My weight sunk down into the foamy material, and I supported myself back on my arms, waiting for Chan to speak again. In the meantime, I fought the desire to try and explain myself since I knew that speaking out of term would only infuriate my older mate.

“What did your mother teach you about Vampires?” Chan asked. “Or, did you not pay attention?”

I flinched at his cruel tone. “She told me they were our enemies and that I should avoid them.”

“Did she?” Chan questioned. “Because your actions suggest that you ignored that lesson.”

“I’m sorry, Chan,” I said, deciding that, instead of justifying my bad behavior, I should try and appeal to him instead.

“I don’t really think you are,” Chan scoffed, looking at me from over his shoulder. “In fact, I’m wondering if you were even serious when you agreed to be my mate.”

I shuddered at his claim. “How can you say that? I love you, Chan.”

“You can love me and still be unprepared for the responsibilities of pack Luna,” Chan said. “Otherwise, you would think twice before putting yourself in situations where you could send a bad example to the rest of our pack.”

“I’m ready,” I insisted. “I want to be a good mate for you.”

“Then you better start proving that those aren’t just empty promises,” Chan growled, and I was thoroughly unprepared for his sharp tone. “What if you had gotten hurt? Those rogues weren’t able to control themselves, and you put yourself and your friends in danger.”

“I didn’t want anyone to get hurt,” I said. “It was a mistake.”

“I’m so glad you realize that,” Chan said with heavy sarcasm. “Why didn’t that cross your mind before taunting a group of vampires?”

“We didn’t know that there were vampires in the house!”

“Have you lost the ability to smell?” Chan snapped. “Why didn’t you take precautions?”

“I-I guess we weren’t thinking about that,” I said, stumbling over my answers to his difficult questions.

Chan sighed, turning around to look at me before his eyes grew darker, and I found myself on the receiving end of an approaching alpha with malicious intent. Instinctively, I crawled backwards on the bed, colliding against the headboard while Chan closed the distance between us, looming over top of me with one hand wrapping itself around my throat. It wasn’t enough to cause harm, but to send a message: “One second,” Chan said. “That’s all they need to snap this pretty neck.”

I swallowed hard, and I could feel my throat constricting from his powerful grip. “Channie,” I whispered. “You don’t know how sorry I am.”

He closed his eyes, leaning in closer to inhale sharply against my scent gland. “What if I had lost you?”

The words sent shivers down my spine because I could feel the heavy and warm humidity of his breath coating my skin. I stiffened from my position underneath him, suddenly realizing that Chan’s concerns went beyond potential conflict with the vampires. Those rogues would likely never attack an entire pack of wolves unprovoked, but the delicate balance of life and death hung on a narrow precipice when it involved younger wolves playing foolish games. “I’m still here,” I assured him, releasing calming pheromones to alleviate the ripe smell of fear masking his usual scent.

“You can’t do these things anymore,” Chan said, lifting his head to look at me. “Do you understand?”

I nodded in response, keeping steady contact with his stormy gaze. “I’ll be better for you, Chan.”

He sighed, and there was a sudden change taking hold of his demeanor, hardening the corners of his eyes and the harsh upturn to his upper lip. The transformation was subtle, but his scent was becoming thicker, a reminder of something dominant lurking beneath Chan’s soft, curly hair and dimpled smile. I knew better than to push him in this state, so I simply bared my throat, relaxing my arms across the bed.

“Such a good bitch when she wants to be,” Chan growled, and I swallowed hard, eyelids fluttering closed when his nose pressed into my swollen scent gland. His teeth nipped the delicate flesh, and I could feel his tongue tracing the ridges of his faded mark. Chan released another warning snarl, telling me to keep still for him while he examined my body with wide, studious eyes. Under any other circumstances, I would’ve considered it intimate, but there was something that Chan wanted to prove, and he was waiting for the right opportunity.

I watched as he explored my smaller figure, hands gliding along my waist while his nose inhaled along his journey south, exciting my senses and the wolf inside of me who was impressed by her mate’s display of alpha dominance. However, I couldn’t help but think that it was embarrassing to feel his nose press into the private junction between my thighs, and I squeezed my legs around his head when his tongue attempted to lap at me through the fabric of my pants. Chan growled, lifting his head to send me a warning look, pushing open my legs to continue his exploration of the place where my scent was most prominent.

I had no idea what Chan’s motivations were, and this unfamiliar territory was making my inner wolf increasingly desperate. However, I knew better than to question him, and perhaps it was nothing more than a display of strength meant to send me a warning against disobeying him. Whatever it was, I certainly liked the attention, even if it was difficult to fight the temptation to run my hands through his hair.

Eventually, Chan sat back on his heels, watching me through narrowed eyes. “Take off your clothes,” he said.

I squirmed on top of the mattress in pure delight, eager to please Chan since I knew that our argument was, more or less, finished, and he was clearly waiting to re-stake his claim. “Okay,” I replied, complying with his order as I unbuttoned my shirt and jeans, removing them with careful movements. Then, I let the bundle of clothes fall into the floor before I adjusted my position again, keeping my arms splayed out across the sheets.

Meanwhile, his eyes swept across my naked form before Chan’s evaluation continued, but this time he was undeterred by the barrier of my clothing, and everything felt heightened without them in place to stop him from attacking smooth flesh with his teeth. Nipping at the sensitive skin and leaving marks that would remain visible for days.

His hands also made themselves comfortable on my hips, holding me in place while his mouth did most of the work, tasting my scent gland until I was light-headed from his efforts. When he pulled away to catch his breath, I recognized the oily residue from my scent gland painting his lips. It was an erotic sight, and my wolf howled in delight when she could smell our intermingling scents permeating the air around us.

And I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Chan’s mouth until he reached down for the hem of his shirt, tossing it aside to reveal his sculpted torso - nothing but defined planes of hardened muscles. It was a beautiful distraction, and I didn’t even notice when his jeans disappeared next, leaving him in nothing but the boxer shorts that did very little to hide the evidence of his arousal. My mouth immediately started to water, and I could feel myself practically salivating at the prospect of his thick cock hiding beneath a layer of fabric.

“You have a beautiful body,” Chan said, and I beamed at his compliment. My smile didn’t last, however, when he ghosted his tongue over one of my nipples, staring up at me from a curtain of long lashes. I watched his hands as they reached out to squeeze my breasts, testing their weight with a heavy groan. “They’ll be even bigger full of milk for our pups.”

I inhaled sharply at the mention of pups because every instinct desired nothing more than to breed with my mate. It was a result of centuries of survival genes embedded within our DNA, and our inner wolves wanted to pass them onto our children for the next generation. For most werewolf couples, they always wanted the same thing, and Chan had only spoken to me briefly about having pups in the future. But Chan was responding to his alpha’s natural inclination to breed his mate, and he growled at the back of his throat, tugging on my nipple with his fingers while his tongue prodded at the hardened peak.

“It hurts,” I whined, even though I was aroused by his practiced tongue attempting to soothe the harsh sting of his sharpened canines.

Chan glanced up at me before pulling away to survey his work, nodding in satisfaction before moving down my body once again. I could never predict his next movement, and I gasped when he started to nose against my pubic bone, warm breath tickling the sensitive skin. This time, he could inhale my scent straight from the source, and it didn’t take long for his tongue to lick a long stripe against my slit.

Immediately, I arched my back in response to the pleasurable sensation, closing my eyes as his hands tightened their grip on my hips and forced his tongue inside my pussy, eating me out like he couldn’t get enough of my taste. I whined at his aggression, and more of my juices collected down the inside of my thighs. Chan purred when he realized, and he slurped loudly around my clitoris, bringing the engorged bud between his teeth.

I wrapped my fingers through his hair, making a mess of whatever style he had attempted. But it only made Chan look even more appealing, and he rumbled deep in his chest as he chased after my taste, lapping at my juices as if trying to consume every last drop. “Y/N,” Chan said, and his voice was husky and guttural.

“It feels so good,” I said, and Chan hummed around me, supporting himself higher on his arms so that I could moan at the sight of the wetness surrounding his mouth.

“Get on your hands and knees for me,” Chan requested.

I nodded, turning onto my side and trying my best to support my upper body on thin arms and trembling legs. I wasn’t surprised by Chan’s request because the position was the ultimate sign of submission, and it was most often used during heats and ruts since it was best for breeding. The thought had me shivering, dropping my head against the pillows as I felt one of Chan’s hands run down the smooth expanse of my back.

I jerked forward when he landed a quick slap to my ass, and I let him mount me, legs caging my thighs between his stronger ones, moaning when the fat head of his cock brushed against my ass. His actions were incredibly rough, and I could smell his thick alpha scent as it clouded the air with a cloying mixture of fresh pine and something much darker. But I was also surprised by my body’s compliance, allowing Chan to press against my lower back and force me into an arch.

“Are you ready?” he asked, and I hummed in acknowledgment, groaning when he slid in without resistance, and my pussy swallowed his cock greedily, desperate to milk him of everything that he had to offer me. “What a tight pussy,” he commented, forcing himself inside the rest of the way with a slight hint of desperation.

I moaned when I realized that he was completely buried inside my wet heat, and I could practically feel the tip of his cock against the head of my cervix. There was nothing comparable to the feeling of fullness weighing heavily on my lower body, and I curled my fingers into the sheets to stop myself from rutting back against his cock. “Chan,” I said, shaking my head as tears started to form.

“Be patient, Y/N,” Chan said, and he pulled his hips back so that just the tip of his cock remained before slamming back inside with an unprecedented amount of force. I was completely unprepared because my legs weren’t strong enough to hold me up against his vicious thrust, and I fell forward against the bed - turning my head to the side to breath as Chan continued his rapid thrusts inside of my pussy.

“Is this what you want?” Chan growled, nipping at the back of my neck. “Do you want me to stuff you full of pups?” I whined at his words, even if I knew that it was impossible outside of my regular heats. “You’d look so good after I bred you,” Chan said, pumping his hips faster as if he was trying to make that idea a reality. “Like a good little bitch.”

I cried at his filthy language, burying my face further into the mattress as I let Chan do whatever he wanted to me, moving me along his cock like I was just a warm hole for him to use whenever the moment was convenient. “Oh god,” I whispered as he switched angles, hitting my g-spot perfectly on every upward thrust.

“Maybe if you’re swollen with my pups, you won’t get into any more trouble,” Chan snarled, and I whimpered when his hand smoothed across my lower body as if imagining the swell of my bloated stomach.

“Please,” I said, reaching down for his hand to move it closer to my clitoris, encouraging Chan to touch me while he continued to pound into me over and over again, pushing his cock deep inside to the point where I could imagine feeling him at the back of my throat.

It was an abrupt descent from there, and he continued to stimulate my g-spot and clitoris perfectly because he knew my body so well after all this time together. Still, my orgasm hit me like a freight train, and I nearly screamed at the intensity, noticing stars along the edges of my vision. There was no strength left in my body, and I collapsed into a pile of heavy limbs while Chan continued to chase his own orgasm, growling when his knot started to swell in place. I whimpered, closing my eyes because it was starting to overstimulate my exhausted body, but Chan held me in place and sighed as he filled me with his cum.

For a moment thereafter, I was convinced that I would pass out, but I was able to control my breathing and steady my accelerating heart rate, feeling Chan fall onto the bed next to me. “Hold still,” Chan rumbled, adjusting my leg over his hip as he pulled me tighter against his chest, fingers petting over the place where his knot was securely stuffed inside my sore cunt.

“Channie,” I whined, and it was a pathetic sound resulting from the steady feeling of his cum pulsing from his engorged length and the harsh way that he handled me, like he could fix me into any position that he desired.

“Are you gonna cause me any more trouble?” Chan growled directly into my ear, and my inner wolf howled at our predicament. There was no better way for Chan to assert his dominance - locking me onto his knot in submission, and lowering the regular pitch of his voice.

“No,” I managed, stuttering around a broken moan when Chan started to grind his hips, stimulating my throbbing clitoris to the point where it actually began to feel painful.

“Maybe I should just knot you all the time like this,” Chan said. “Then you can’t wander off without telling me.”

I gasped at the suggestion, turning my head to the side to expose my neck to him. It was a vulnerable position, but it pleased Chan who started heavily scenting the mark he had left on me - a permanent reminder that I belonged to him.

It was also a visible reminder of my place in the pack, and I was determined to stand proudly next to Chan’s side.

#stray kids #skz #stray kids fanfic #skz fanfic #stray kids chan #stray kids chan fanfic #stray kids smut #stray kids imagines #stray kids scenarios #stray kids writer #stray kids werewolf au #bang chan fanfic #bang chan smut #bang chan werewolf #mostlycompetent

1K notes · View notes

fandoms-galore-yall · 3 years ago

Text

MatchaBlossom as Gods AU Fic

This is a short fic inspired by (& with permission from ^.^) @shaky-mayhemm ‘s beautiful art piece - Sk8 the Infinity MatchaBlossom God AU (← click here to see it - it’s amazing!)

_____

Kaoru had always known, once he had discarded the two of them, that things would end with him and Kojiro against Ainosuke. Even when they were children, just beginning to learn their places in the world, they had made an... odd trio, to say the least.

Kojiro, the God of Earth, Kaoru, the God of Life, and Ainosuke, the God of Destruction.

No one had been surprised when, as just babes, Kojiro and Kaoru had latched onto one another, forming an unbreakable friendship.

No one however, had expected for them to welcome Ainosuke into their friendship as well, especially not while they were still in their formative years, as they were still learning to curb their godly instincts… not that Ainosuke ever really did learn how to.

Kojiro called it a mistake. Kauro wasn’t sure what to call it himself.

He only knew that his petty nature made it so he refused to let what Ainosuke had done to him and Kojiro go and that his loneliness made him want to forgive Ainosuke and welcome him home, if only he would change his ways.

That of course, would not happen, Kauro knew that. He did.

Ainosuke would probably laugh if he ever learned what he was doing to Kaoru. Tearing him apart from the inside out. Not that Kaoru would ever let him know that, but still, life must go on... Kaoru, of all beings, would know.

___

Every year there was a major festival held in the honor of the Gods. During said festival, humans would present themselves in hopes of being chosen to be one of the God’s disciples. They would spend a year in service to them and receive one wish at the end - or for the lucky few, get to stay in their chosen God’s service and remain in the Heavens.

Kojiro always chose beautiful women and men that he would flirt with but never touch while they were in his service. He also never kept any longer than a year.

Kaoru on the other hand rarely chose any one, instead leaving most of his protection and service to Carla, a being he had brought to life out of the wind.

While he would never admit to it, he had created her due to Kojiro’s many absences as the God would often leave the Heavens to learn how to cook new foods under human masters of the craft.

Kaoru would always be his first stop every time he returned home, becoming his taste taster of whatever he had just learned to make and while he loved Kojiro’s cooking, the taste of his creations never fully alleviated the sting of being alone while he was away.

Ainosuke, on the other hand, would take disciples and he would break them. Only one of them had survived past a year and had chosen to stay with him, a man named Tadashi.

Tadashi may have chosen to stay with Ainosuke, but Ainosuke had still broken the man. Kaoru could feel it when he looked at the man, who still breathed, but was no longer full of life.

Seeing it… distressed him.

Which is why he was on the way to visit Kojiro.

Cara had overheard and informed him of Ainosuke’s next choice in disciple.

A young boy named Miya who would be turning thirteen right before the festival began, the minimum age required to offer oneself as a disciple.

Kauro refused to allow Ainosuke to break a child.

Kaoru threw open Kojiro’s door without knocking.

“Hey!”

“We have a problem.”

___

The day of the festival came quickly, too quickly as far as Kaoru was concerned.

He was dressed up in finery that had been gifted to him by humans who worshiped him, other Gods, and of course a special piece provided to him by Kojiro, that he wore every festival day.

He, with Carla by his side, traveled to the large podium where he and the other Gods would stay during the beginning of the festival, as humans sang praises and provided gifts to the Gods.

He felt Kojiro’s presence before he saw him.

Carla stepped back, not currently needed as Kojiro approached.

Kojiro leaned over the balcony.

The other God began to observe the crowd of humans below. Some were trying to impress the Gods in rather… interesting ways.

“Humans used to be a lot smarter. Now, they’re all dumb. What happened?”

Kaoru turned slightly so Kojiro couldn’t see his lips twitch as he answered, “Well, I can say assuredly that their intelligence level went down significantly when they began worshiping the God of Earth more.”

Kojiro hummed in agreement, “Yea…” Then what Kaoru had said caught up with him, “Hey!”

Kaoru snickered and Kojiro hip-bumped him, laughing as the God of Life almost fell from the force of it, turning to face him fully for the first time that night.

“You… look…”

“Save it.” Kaoru tried to cut him off but Kojiro instead slipped behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist and whispered in his ear. “As I was saying, you look absolutely stunning tonight.”

Kaoru scoffed as Kojiro took his hand and brought it to his lips.

“And I see you’re wearing the ring I got you.” He said as he dipped to also kiss the ring on Kaoru’s hand. As if Kaoru hadn’t worn it every year since Kojiro had given it to him.

Kaoru yanked his hand away. “We don’t have time for your nonsense”, He hissed.

Kojiro smiled, understanding of Kaoru’s anxiety.

“It’ll be fine, we have a plan, we’ll protect the kid, I promise.”

“You can’t promise me that. Ainosuke is clever and cruel and he doesn’t like not getting his way.”

“Kaoru, no one stands a chance when we work together. Trust me, trust the plan, we will succeed.”

Kaoru sighed and leaned into Kojiro’s embrace.

“I hope you’re right.”

Kojiro squeezed him tighter and with convection said, “I know I am.”

And, at least for that moment, Kaoru believed him.

(I have more in my head so I’ll probably add to it later - I hope you enjoyed!)

Here’s pt 2!

#sk8 the infinity #matchablossom #Kaoru Sakurayashiki #Kojiro Nanjo #Ainosuke Shindo #Miya Chinen #Reki Kyan #Langa Hasegawa #Hiromi Higa #Tadashi Kikuchi

75 notes · View notes

bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture · 3 years ago

Text

Yeah, forget side content, just gonna steam on ahead with the Sports Festival and onwards. I might not actually stop and start trying to do overarching plot stuff until ~chapter 100 (more specifically, post ch 97, the last chapter of the Kamino Arc) because then there will be enough material to actually like. Do stuff. Might also have something smaller after the Sports Festival since that’s ~chapter 50. Shrugs.

Anyways, onwards. Don’t you miss the days when the main trio of the series was Izuku, Tenya, and Ochako? Man, don’t I. :(

[No. 22 - That’s the Idea, Ochako!]

Character sheet! I am honestly laughing super hard at everything because just. ��Very Ochako.’ Thank you, Horikoshi. A few things about the sheet:

1) god I love that her fingerpads are called soft. Like. Actual cat paw pad fingers going on here. just imagine if you like pressed one of them like you do with cat paw pads and like, she had cat claws that would extend. cute but also menacing.

2) strong legs. leg day squad. her, izuku, and iida all doing leg day workouts together tho... katsuki wishes he had the leg strength of those three y'all

3) That quirk description… that’s not quite how centrifugal forces work, but I mean. Superhero comic physics. At least he made an attempt at explaining her quirk.

Anyways, onto the actual chapter.

We open up in a staff meeting in a conference room at UA, with Tsukauchi presenting the results of the police investigations. He states that the one called Shigaraki has a quirk that allows him to disintegrate anything he touches. They (the police) have been through the list of men in their twenties and thirties in the quirk registry with no luck - and nothing turned up on the ‘warp gate’ user Kurogiri either. With neither registered, both using aliases, and no quirk records, they’re pretty much confirmed to be members of the underworld.

God sorry, I’m just distracted with the sheer size difference between Toshinori and Nedzu here.

What the fuck. Why did you put the largest person in the room next to the smallest?

Whatever. Snipe surmises that they know next to nothing, but they need to learn fast, or the leader of the villains, Shigaraki, will heal up and be back again. Toshinori is thoughtful as he mulls over the use of ‘leader’, which Nedzu catches quickly and inquires into. Probably still heavily banking on Toshinori’s instincts here since he was technically right about his bad feeling about the USJ just two days before.

I mean, how it has to sting Nedzu that all his state of the art systems meant to keep out intruders and alert UA to situations on campus failed at the critical moment, while Toshinori’s instincts on something being wrong had been absolutely on point and, if Nedzu had let him go, might have solved the situation that much sooner.

(I mean, there’s arguments for what could have happened if All Might did arrive early, so. Shrugs.)

And so we get into the segment I like to fondly consider a prime example of the fact that yes, Toshinori does in fact have a 6/6 intelligence score for a reason.

He brings up how nothing about the situation feels normal. It was an especially daring attack - and not just in the meticulous planning! Shigaraki had started going on about some ridiculous ideology… and though he didn’t say anything about his own quirk, he couldn’t keep himself from bragging about the nomu’s quirk. And when things didn’t go his way? He threw a tantrum. Toshinori then admits with grit teeth and clenched fist that the business about quirks was meant to provoke him, and that it did hurt.

Nedzu says that even so, it’s foolish for villains to reveal quirks in a battle against heroes and so waste the element of surprise.

Toshinori surmises his previous observations about Shigaraki - spouting a plausible yet deluded ideology, bragging about the toy he brought along, simple-mindedly assuming all would go his way. If they thought about how the attack was carried out, it seems clear that Shigaraki couldn’t hide his childish nature, the sense that he does what he wants, and then flat-out calls him a man-child.

Vlad King sums up Toshinori’s words as Shigaraki being a kid with too much power. Midnight adds on how Shigaraki might never have received general quirk counseling in elementary school; Vlad wonders whether that even matters.

Tsukauchi steps back into the conversation to give the rest of the arrest results - a total of 72 villains were apprehended at the USJ. He states that all of them were just back-alley thugs, but the question is why so many of them would agree to follow this ‘man-child.’ He points out that modern society is saturated with heroes, so small-time villains like them, who always get kicked around, might have been drawn in by that sort of pure, unaffected evil.

Toshinori having a flashback here, though his expression… I wonder if he’s having doubts already. And honestly, that flashback bit has me wonder just how common ‘uncontrollable’ quirks really are… and what COUNTS as ‘uncontrollable’ in their society.

To avoid a longer derail, Tsukauchi finishes up by saying that thanks to the heroes, the police can focus on their investigation. They’ll expand their search and devote efforts to apprehending the perpetrators.

Nedzu finishes out the scene by musing over the use of ‘man-child,’ stating that in one way, Shigaraki is a lot like their students. He has potential to grow, if only he had a proper mentor to follow. It’s difficult to think about these things.

And so we shift scenes back over to 1a. I doubt this sports festival talk is happening at the same time as the staff meeting, if only because Aizawa should have been at said staff meeting. Or maybe he wasn’t supposed to be there at all and the homerooms were meant to handle themselves that morning? Wait, hold on-

That clock reads 8:25. This is happening during the homeroom period, which means that the other classes are having independant homeroom. Which also means it’s no surprise that Aizawa isn’t at that meeting, because he’s busy hobbling to his class to announce the sports festival. He probably had to be caught up on the meeting stuff later.

Anyways. The class is surprised over the announcement of the sports festival, someone calling it ‘totally ordinary’ while another (I think Mineta) questions whether Aizawa’s sure about this, since they just had that villain attack. Aizawa states that it’s necessary to demonstrate that UA’s crisis management protocols are sound - or that’s the thinking, anyways. There will be five times the police presence of previous years. Oh, and also the sports festival is the greatest opportunity the class will get. It’s not something that can be cancelled over a few villains.

Mineta (again?) asks if he’s sure about that, muttering about how it’s ‘just a stupid sports festival.’ Izuku seems completely horrified at the idea that Mineta might have never seen UA’s sports festival, which Mineta hastens to correct - he has, that’s not what he meant.

I’m sorry just. That face. I can’t with this kid. Jdsjlgkd.

Also, we finally get to the page that had me double-take when I got to it because, well.

So yeah, apparently the BNHA timeline didn’t have certain current events happened that would force the cancellation of the Olympics. (I mean, obviously Hori had no way of knowing the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo would be cancelled, but it’s still like a huge sign of how long this series has been running that this is here.)

Moving on, basically the above surmises for readers that the sports festival is as big an event to them as the Olympics are to us. So basically, super hype. Momo notes that all the nation’s top heroes will be watching and scouting. Kaminari adds on how the heroes will be looking to hire the hero students as sidekicks after they graduate. Jirou makes a cutting retort how a lot of those sidekicks never manage to go solo, stuck as sidekicks forever, before telling Kaminari that’ll be him.

Shot through the heart.

(Also a total aside I just realized: current manga events likely mean there will be no sports festival for 2a. I mean, I would say the events happening there are large enough in scope that UA just doesn’t have the inclination or interest in broadcasting vital information the villains could use. And like, no scouting, no internships, no purpose for it.

And I mean, even if they did, would any of the kids even be able to focus on doing their best? God knows how stressed and nervous they all must be with how society is basically collapsing outside the school.)

Aizawa tells the class that they’ll gain valuable experience and popularity if they’re picked up by a big-name hero. However, their time is limited. They need to show the pros what they’re made of to make futures for themselves. This happens once a year, so they have three shots. If they want to be heroes, this is an event they can’t miss.

The whole class seems to be taking this seriously, but Izuku…

Well, he doesn’t seem as enthused as expected.

Anyways, I’ll cut it there and leave the rest for next time, since there’s a time break in here anyways. It’s not quite halfway, but eh.

28 notes · View notes

beauregardlionett · 4 years ago

Text

clinging to all that you left me

AO3 Link

Beau dropped to one knee, the force of the blow to her chest knocking the wind from her lungs momentarily. Her mouth opened and closed soundlessly as her lungs tried to remember how to function, chest constricting. She felt hyper-aware of every second that passed without air, and then she felt her lungs jump and oxygen flooded through her with such a rush she almost fell over completely. Catching herself with one hand, the other pressed to her sternum, Beau looked up at the brute that had struck her down just in time to see them fly backward from a blast of arcane energy.

Caleb appeared at her side, wiry arm winding firm around her shoulder. A glance sideways met Beau with a severe expression lining Caleb’s face, blue eyes scanning through the fray rapidly.

He cursed under his breath in Zemnian, before continuing in Common. “We need to get out of here.”

Oh, it must be bad then.

Beau was bleeding from several places on various limbs, and she was relatively sure one of her ribs was not where it was supposed to be. She knew that her last couple of hits hadn’t been as strong as they could have been. But it was only now that she wasn’t engaged with an enemy that she could fully take stock of her state.

Sweeping a look around, she found Jester pressed against a rock about sixty feet from her and Caleb. The Tiefling’s gaze found the pair of them and Caleb made a gesture in Beau’s peripheral. Jester must have understood because she nodded rapidly and spun away.

The next thing Beau knew, Veth was emerging from shadows Beau hadn’t even been aware of. The Halfling grabbed Jester’s outstretched hand, and then they vanished between one blink and the next.

“Brace yourself,” Caleb muttered, riffling through his sack for components. Beau understood that they needed to leave, but it hadn’t quite hit her yet that they were going in the next few seconds.

Her eyes seemed to scan on instinct, because she found Caduceus in the next couple seconds, nearly across the battlefield from them. He was already moving toward Fjord, grabbing for the half-Orc’s arm and calling out to--

Yasha.

The barbarian was separated from Caduceus and Fjord, engaged with an enemy and looking worse for wear. Beau watched with her breath stuck in her throat as the greatsword swung down with the force of Yasha’s attack and just missed taking the enemy’s head clean off their shoulders. There was blood staining Yasha’s side and dripping down her exposed arm from somewhere higher on her shoulder. Beau knew firsthand that there were likely several more wounds littering Yasha’s skin that were barely visible, and worry was like a rock dropping in the monk’s gut.

“Caleb, wait,” Beau gasped, every instinct screaming at her to get to Yasha’s side. “Yasha!”

Everything went blurry, Caleb’s arm around her shoulder the only solid thing Beau could register for a moment. Then they were tumbling messily onto the floor of the Lavish Chateau’s dining area. Beau cried out when she landed on her side, that finicky rib most definitely dislocated now.

Her vision went grey for a long few moments, voices and sound and feeling a blurred, incomprehensible mess of senses. Chilly hands grasped Beau’s shoulders and then warm healing energy raced from the point of contact to all the monk’s various injuries. Gasping, weak and sharp, Beau jerked in Jester’s grasp and tried to sit up. That damn rib shifted, and she immediately stopped trying to do that, hands curling into fists.

“Beau!” Jester’s voice prompted the monk’s eyes open, finding the Tiefling, Veth, and Caleb hovering over her with varying degrees of worry.

“I’m fine,” she gasped, pushing weakly at Jester’s hands. “What about Yasha? Fjord and Cad?”

“I’m sure Caduceus got them out, but his temple is all the way out at the lighthouse. He knows to come back here, though,” Jester said rapidly, twisting her fingers together and eyes darting between Caleb and Veth as she spoke. She looked like she was trying to reassure them as much as herself, and it did nothing to settle the roiling nerves in Beau’s stomach.

“We have to find them,” Beau insisted, feeling irrational but not knowing how to stop.

“Beauregard, your rib,” Caleb cautioned, reaching out to grasp her elbow as the monk shifted to stand again.

“Fuck my rib, man!” Beau yelled at him, but didn’t pull away. Caleb’s eyes were all to knowing as he stared her down, and Beau couldn’t bring herself to hate how well he understood her anger was worry.

“Let me fix it first, Beau,” Jester whispered as she cast a healing spell on Veth. “Then we can start toward the lighthouse.”

“Can you Send them a message?” Veth asked as she pat Jester’s arm in thanks. “To make sure they got back?”

Beau’s eyes snapped to Jester’s face, hopeful and far too eager to pass off as anything but worried. But the cleric shook her head, expression twisting.

“I used up all my higher spell slots in the fight and to get back here. I can cast some more healing spells, but I don’t have what I need to cast Sending.” Jester’s violet eyes traced to Beau’s face, contrite. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” Beau deflated, cursing herself for being so emotional. “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I’m just-”

Worried, terrified, scared to relax until I know they’re safe, until I know Yasha’s safe.

Jester reached out and grabbed Beau’s free hand that wasn’t clasped to her ribs. Her eyes shone with a sheen of tears that the little Tiefling seemed resolute on not shedding.

“I know, Beau,” Jester whispered. “Let me fix your rib, and then we’ll get going.”

No more than five minutes later, after Jester popped Beau’s rib solidly into place again and they reassured a very stressed looking Marion, their little group limped from the Chateau. Jester took the lead in guiding them toward the lighthouse, her tail flicking nervously behind her as they went, and Beau keeping pace at her shoulder. The monk’s thoughts were racing, but her mind felt empty save for an all-consuming worry with no words. Not that she didn’t trust Caduceus’ ability to get them back safely, but there were a million things Beau could think of that might have gone wrong - all of them out of their control. They didn’t know how much time had passed between Caleb and Beau leaving and the rest of them leaving.

A dark part of Beau’s mind whispered - if they left at all.

She told it to shut the fuck up.

The bustling streets of Nicodranas usually brought Beau a sense of comfort, a feeling of steady peace. But all she wanted to do was shove every idle pedestrian out of her way and break into a sprint toward the lighthouse. Every sensory input felt like it was far too much, and Beau was getting twitchy. Even when Obann had taken Yasha, Beau had never felt like this. Something was different this time, and that something was more than likely Beau’s awareness of how she felt about Yasha. Fjord and Jester knew that she liked Yasha because the words had come from her own mouth. Somehow that made it more real, and because it was more real, Beau stood a bigger chance of losing.

She couldn’t lose Yasha. Yasha wasn’t even her own to lose - and even if they were together, Yasha wouldn’t be Beau’s because Yasha was her own person. But that wasn’t the point. Beau couldn’t-

“There!” Veth’s shrill voice made Beau jump, eyes snapping to follow Veth’s pointing finger.

Sure enough, at the far end of the street, limping their way through the crowd, was their missing trio.

Beau felt like a balloon popped in her chest, exhaling a heavy breath, and then she was sprinting.

Weaving with an agility that was second nature through the crowded thoroughfare, Beau had eyes only for Yasha. She was, of course, relieved to see Caduceus and Fjord were alive and relatively unharmed, too. But Yasha.

The Aasimar seemed startled when she spotted Beau in the crowd when the monk was about ten feet from them. By then, Beau’s momentum was carrying her forward on instinct alone. She launched herself at Yasha and threw her arms around the taller woman’s neck, holding fast. Yasha barely moved with the impact, her sturdy arms winding fast around Beau’s waist, not letting her move even an inch from where she pressed against the Aasimar’s chest. Beau could have sobbed at the feeling, at the sensation of her fingers tangled in Yasha’s long, messy hair. At the warmth radiating from the barbarian that meant she was alive.

“You’re okay,” Beau whispered. She was still shaken, so she didn’t ask. Merely spoke it into existence and hoped Yasha would confirm it.

“I’m okay,” Yasha murmured back, faithfully. “You’re okay?”

This was a question, and Beau choked on a quiet sob as she nodded against Yasha’s shoulder, still clinging.

It hit Beau all at once. She could have lost Yasha, could have never known what happened if Caduceus hadn’t been able to get them out of there. Beau would never have been able to hold Yasha like this, would have lost her chance to confess. Would never have known if Yasha felt the same way.

Beau pulled back just enough to stare up at Yasha, and she could feel that her eyes were damp. The barbarian stared down at Beau in return, brows furrowing when she noticed Beau’s eyes were wet. Yasha opened her mouth, likely to ask again if Beau was okay, but Beau beat her to speaking.

“Can I kiss you?”

Yasha blinked, mouth hanging open with her unspoken question hanging on her tongue. Then she closed her mouth and nodded, mismatched eyes locked on the monk in her arms.

Beau wasted no time surging forward, Yasha stooping to meet her halfway. Their lips pressed together and Yasha’s hand slip up Beau’s back to cup the base of her neck. Beau tightened her fingers in Yasha’s hair and breathed in through her nose, something like content buzzing through her veins and setting her nerve endings on fire. Because oh, she had never been kissed like this before. She knew the taste of lust like she knew the taste of liquor - thrilling in a way that felt dangerous, sour in some places and sweet in others, leaving fire in her throat and venom in her veins. It was a poison, and a drug laced between the lips of every stranger she had ever kissed.

But this - oh, this - was nothing like that. Kissing Yasha was warm, floral and gentle and reassuring - like drinking a cup of Caduceus’ tea and knowing everything was going to be alright. It left a different fire lingering behind Beau’s teeth, and she was content to let it burn. She wouldn’t mind letting it engulf every fiber of her existence if it meant she could keep kissing Yasha.

Yasha pulled back first, only to cup Beau’s face in both her hands and press their foreheads together. Beau let her, still trying to catch her breath and cling to the flames Yasha had pressed into her mouth. Breathless yet again, Beau just clung to Yasha and pretended like she couldn’t hear Jester and Veth squealing and cheering several feet behind them.

“I would like to kiss you again,” Yasha murmured, lips brushing against the tip of Beau’s nose. “But I think we should get out of the street before we draw a crowd.”

“You seem to have that effect,” Beau joked weakly, still a little winded. “But yeah, probably a good idea.”

Yasha released Beau’s face, but traded one hold for another, her arm wrapping around Beau’s shoulders and keeping the monk close to her side. Beau was entirely content to stay there, tucked close and careful. Her cheeks felt hot when turning meant meeting the knowing smirks of Fjord, Caduceus, and Caleb. The three of them just seemed to smile and give satisfied nods before turning and meandering back toward the Chateau, chatting among themselves. Veth and Jester were beaming, scrambling toward Beau and Yasha and gushing as they were wont to do.

Jester, all but vibrating with excitement, grasped onto Beau’s hand and squealed, “it’s about time!”

Beau, grinning bashfully and ducking her head, couldn’t help but agree.

#cr #critical role #beauyasha #beauregard lionett #yasha #writing #my writing #i got wine drunk and wrote lesbians!!!!#what else was i gonna do

164 notes · View notes

merakiaes · 4 years ago

Text

Change Of Heart - Draco Malfoy

Pairing: Draco Malfoy x reader

Requested: Yes.

Prompts: None.

Warnings/notes: Not proofread so I apologize in advance for any possible mistakes. Let me know what you think, I hope you liked it xx

Wordcount: 3075

Summary: Draco broke it off with you at the end of your fifth year to keep you safe, but when you show up at Malfoy Manor with the Golden Trio after having been captured during your hunt for the Horcruxes, he finds this to be a lot harder, when his aunt takes an interest specifically in you.

Inconvenient was only the beginning of what yours and Draco’s relationship was. It was inappropriate, problematic, ill-timed. Oh, and then there was the little fact that it was also forbidden; disallowed, tapu, no-go, and every other synonym there was in the English vocabulary summed up the situation you were in pretty well.

Draco was a pureblooded Slytherin and his parents were Death Eaters, and you… you were a muggle-born Gryffindor, with parents who both worked as teachers in the muggle world.

You literally couldn’t be any more different and yet, somehow, in a way you couldn’t even explain seeing as you had no idea of how it happened in the first place, the two of you found each other and developed reciprocated feelings.

Your fellow Gryffindors always insisted that the Slytherin Prince had no empathic feelings to begin with, with the way he walked around school tormenting anyone he considered to be below him, so hearing that he was genuinely in love with a muggle-born Gryffindor would just sound like a joke in their ears.

They wouldn’t have been able to take you seriously if you told them, which is why you didn’t. Not at first, at least.

After a while, they just picked up on it themselves, and the Slytherins started suspecting it too. But no one could say anything about it, seeing as no one had caught you in the act of it and didn’t have any actual proof.

Until the end of your fifth year, that is, when Pansy had walked in on you in the library and watched as Draco discretely, slowly but surely, moved his hand over yours where you had been standing next to each other pretending to be reading.

Of course, Pansy being Pansy, she had ran off and told everyone.

It obviously sounded absurd, Draco Malfoy being romantically or in any way involved with (Y/N) (Y/L/N), but Pansy swore on her life that she had seen what she had seen and with the people in your respective inner circles already having had suspicions, they took her word for it.

Something that you had managed to keep hidden up until then suddenly became the biggest problem in each of your lives.

You knew that if word got out that you were involved to Draco’s, or any of the others’ parents, you were dead. Quite literally.

You realized this, but Draco realized the severity of the situation more than you did, so while you tried coming up with a slightly more reasonable and peaceful solution in the end of which you would still be able to be together, Draco knew he couldn’t keep seeing you.

If he did, he would not only be putting your life at risk, but your entire family’s too, and with the empathic side of himself that you had awoken in him, he couldn’t let that happen.

He needed to break it off with you and as drastic problems require drastic solutions, he made quite the show of it, one day just beginning to bully you when he was with his friends, making fun of you and calling you a mudblood among other very, very hurtful things.

At the time, you had been under the impression that you were still to come up with a plan that would allow you to keep being together without anyone knowing, so you were obviously taken aback when this happened so suddenly and without warning.

Your reaction was, therefore, completely genuine, and in turn successfully made everyone believe that there had never been anything going on between the two of you.

You were hurt, not because of what he had said to you, but because you realized then that it was actually over.

When it came to the hurtful words, you knew he didn’t mean a single one of them. His face was pulled up in a nasty scowl when the words left his lips, but you could see it in his eyes that he was sorry. You could always see everything in his eyes.

Almost two years had passed since then, and you were now accompanying Harry, Ron and Hermione on their hunt for the Horcruxes.

You never would’ve thought that you would be where you were with them two years prior, but when Draco had just… disappeared from Hogwarts after Dumbledore’s death, you had nothing left there.

Having fallen out a long time ago didn’t make it hurt any less when he suddenly disappeared, not only because you couldn’t see him and feel his presence anymore, which in your eyes was better than nothing, but because no matter where in the world he was and no matter how far apart you were, you could still feel his pain, his confliction, his struggle, and knowing you could do nothing to help him.

So you left with the trio, partly for the sake of a distraction, but also because you wanted to put your skills in witchcraft to good use with the war quickly approaching.

You had been through a lot of pain and struggle along the way, but you always made it out with your lives intact, so despite all of the obstacles thrown your way it had been going fine, up until the day on which you were captured by bounty hunters in the woods and brought to Malfoy manor where you, for the first time in almost two years, laid eyes on Draco again.

Your heart was beating so quickly where you stood beside Hermione, being held back by one of the bounty hunters who had been a part of your capture.

Not because you were afraid - don’t get me wrong, you were; you were scared for yours and your friends’ lives.

But your heart was beating for one reason and one reason only, and that was being in Draco’s presence, looking into his eyes again, after all this time.

His eyes were wide when they first met yours and you could feel his panic all the way from where you were standing.

You wanted to run to each other, hold each other and never let go, but after first look, both of you forced yourselves to look away from each other to not raise suspicion, Draco instead being led over to identify Harry.

You knew that wouldn’t be easy, however, with the stinging jinx Hermione had cast on him before you were captured, and you dreaded the moment Bellatrix would figure that out, which didn’t take long.

“Was it you, dear?” She turned to you and asked after realizing. “Give me her wand, let’s see what her last spell was.”

As she passed you, she laughed maniacally, pointing her finger at you. “Got you!” She sang, but then she turned her head back forward, and stopped right in her tracks with a gasp and widened eyes. “What’s that? Where did you get that from?”

The bounty hunter looked down at the sword in his hand, shrugging his shoulders. “It was in her bag when we searched her. I reckon its mine now.” He said, and that’s all it took for Bellatrix to attack them, shooting vines from her wand and sending them out to wrap around their throats.

“Get out, get out!” She yelled at them, and they wasted no time, hurrying to their feet and stumbling out of the room with their hands clawing at their necks.

“Cissy, put those boys and the girl in the cellar.” Bellatrix instructed her sister, who wasted no time in going over and tugging Ron and Hermione forward, handing them and Harry over to Wormtail at the top of the stairs.

While she did that, Bellatrix came over to you and got up in your face, flashing you her rotten teeth. “I'd like a conversation with this one... girl to girl.” She said, laughing.

Your heart was about ready to beat out of your chest and your eyes flickered over to meet Draco’s out of pure instinct, finding that he was already staring at you with wide eyes.

“Everyone, out!” Bellatrix exclaimed, waving her wand at them, and Narcissa wasted no time in going over to where Draco was standing.

She instantly picked up on the intense eye-contact you were having, letting her eyes flicker between the two of you a few times, and hurrying to lead her son out of there when she realized what was going on, in order to avoid anyone else taking note of it.

He looked at you as they walked past and when he did so, Narcissa brought her hand up to the back of his head, forcing his head to the side all while staring into your eyes.

The door slammed shut behind them and everything happened so quickly after that.

One minute you were standing there, just waiting, and the next you were on the ground, trying your hardest to move and get out from underneath Bellatrix who was sitting on top of you, your entire face and neck sticky with sweat as you were held down to the floor by an invisible force.

Your breathing was heavy and ragged with panic as she leaned in close to your face, hissing for what seemed to be the hundredth time. “The Sword is meant to be in my vault at Gringotts. How did you get it? What else did you and your friends TAKE FROM MY VAULT?!”

“I didn't take anything.” You replied in a cry, trying your best to turn your face out of her grip. “Please. I didn’t take anything.”

“I don’t believe it.” She hissed, and then she disappeared from your face, instead moving over to your arm.

There was a moment where nothing happened, during which the only thing you could do was worry about what she was going to do, and then it started, the pain; the pain as she pressed the tip of her wand into the skin of your arm, beginning to carve into your flesh.

It was unlike anything you had ever felt before, the feeling drawing deafening, never-ending screams from your lips, said screams shaking the walls, echoing through the entire house and reaching Draco’s ears where he sat in another room with his mother and father.

He was so distracted by your screams of agonizing pain that he didn’t notice his mother’s eyes on him, completely oblivious to the fact that she was watching him as he squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears from falling, his lips wobbling and Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed.

He sat there, listening and not being able to do nothing to help you, until the house finally turned quiet in a way so sudden, the fear for your life settled deep in his stomach.

The pain had left you completely disoriented, your mind wandering and the only image flickering through your head being that of Draco. His smile, his silvery blonde hair, his mysterious grey eyes.

Silent tears were escaping your eyes and rolling down the bridge of your nose were you laid, as you look down on the word now carved into your skin, a single drop of blood thrickling down your skin and hitting the black floor.

Bellatrix had grown tired of you when you hadn’t given her any information, no matter how much she tortured you, instead sending Wormtail to fetch the goblin.

When hearing the cease of your screams, Narcissa, Lucius and Draco returned into the room, the latter faltering in the doorway when spotting you lying on the floor, clearly completely out of it, and having to be tugged along by his mother.

You weren’t sure who fired the first spell but soon, Ron, Harry and Hermione were fighting against Narcissa, Bellatrix and Lucius, having escaped the cellar in some way, while Draco stood off to the side, not knowing what to do or which side to stand on.

Bellatrix came up to you then, and you let out a silent whimper when she flashed you her dirty grin, too weak to do anything when she lifted you up, put a dagger to your throat and moved you into the middle of the room.

“Stop!” She yelled, and the spell-casting instantly ceased, your friends coming to an abrupt stop when seeing you and the dagger being held to your neck.

“Drop your wands.” Bellatrix continued from behind you, and when they did nothing, repeated herself in a crazy scream. “I said drop them!”

They were about to do as told, slowly beginning to sink closer to the floor by their knees to put the wands to the floor, but before they could, the unthinkable happened, Draco suddenly turning in the direction of his aunt and raising his wand to her head with a shaky hand.

Everyone turned to look at him with shock written all over their face, but all you could do was let out a sigh of relief and close your eyes.

“Let her go.” His voice reached your ears, and you opened your eyes again to see him taking a slow step in your direction.

”Draco!” Narcissa gasped, eyes wide with disbelief and betrayal.

“What’s gotten into you, boy?!” Lucius wasn’t far behind, taking an urgent step in the direction of his son, who wasted no time in switching the wand over to him with a scowl now etched across his face.

Lucius came to an abrupt stop when he got the wand against him, holding his hands up in surrender while Draco glared.

“Let’s just say I’ve had a change of heart.” He spat, his lips turning down in distaste, and Lucius face pulled into an enraged expression.

”My own flesh and blood!” He hissed, and before anyone else could say anything more, Bellatrix let out a maniacal laugh, causing you to flinch at the high volume right by your ear.

“He’s in love with the girl!” She exclaimed in laughter, and before you knew it, the cold blade was pressed even closer to your neck, a whimper leaving your lips and your chest rising and falling at a rapid pace.

”He’s in love, with a mudblood!” She continued in a voice full of hatred, and you squeezed your eyes shut at the feeling of cold liquid trickling down your throat.

She used her fingers to brush your hair away from your neck, and leaned in close to your ear, smiling maliciously at her nephew. “And now he’s going to watch me kill her.” She whispered, and he wasted no time in stepping forward with his face now pulled into a panicked expression.

Before she could follow through on her promise, however, the sound of squeaking reached your ears, followed by clinking that sounded to be coming from a chandelier.

Looking up at the chandelier right about where you were standing, you got your suspicions confirmed, catching sight of Dobby sitting on top of it and loosening the screws.

And before anyone could do anything else, the chandelier fell, causing Bellatrix to fly backwards with a surprised yell, and in turn causing you to fall forward, straight into Ron’s arms.

With his aunt momentarily stunned, Draco wasted no time in rushing over in your direction, reaching out for you in Ron’s arms.

In turn, the redheaded boy held you even closer to his chest. “Don’t touch her!” He snapped at the platinum blonde boy, who in turn only gave him a stern look.

“I’m not your enemy, Weasley. But if you don’t give her to me, I will be.” He threatened, and Ron glared, but nonetheless did as told, handing you over to him and running back to Hermione and Harry.

You clung to Draco’s side, getting used to standing on your weak legs again, and Draco turned to Harry, yelling out: “Potter!” and throwing him his wand.

He caught it immediately, and wasted no time in stupefying Lucius, throwing him backwards into the rubble of the chandelier.

Narcissa raised her wand but got no time to cast any spells before Dobby took it from her, Bellatrix yelling out in anger in the process.

A few more words were exchanged while Draco helped you over to where the others had gathered around Dobby, and the second you were all there, you grabbed a hold of Dobby in one way or another, and allowed him to apparate you out of there.

Everything was a blur for a moment, but the entire time, Draco held you close to him, cradling the back of your head and holding your head against his shoulder.

When you got through to the other side, you landed not-so-gracefully on the ground, but luckily for you, Draco took most of the fall all while holding on to you, keeping you safe and out of harm’s way.

You started crying almost immediately, reality finally catching up to you and the mixture of relief and remaining pain and panic getting to much for you.

“Draco.” You cried, and he held the back of your head, pressing his forehead against yours.

“I’m here.” He answered, brushing your hair out of your face, your skin damp with tears and sweat.

Your vision finally began getting clear again and you raised your hands to his face to be able to hold him closer, in the process putting your exposed forearm on full display which instantly caught Draco’s attention.

His eyes flickered down to your arm and you watched as his face fell, his eyes flickering back up to yours quickly, now filled with guilt and sorrow.

”I’m so sorry.” He whispered, his lip wobbling. “So, so sorry.” He continued, his voice cracking and tears slowly beginning to escape his eyes too, his gaze flickering down with shame.

You wanted to break down right then and there at the sight of your arm, the crooked, messy letters spelling “mudblood” in a red, bloody and swollen wound, but you forced yourself not to, instead making him look at you again.

Your head shook and so did your breath. “It wasn’t your fault.” You whispered, and he shook his head in return.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered again, his hands moving from your waist and the back of your head to cradle your jaw, his forehead pressing harder against yours. “They can’t hurt you anymore, I promise. I love you, so much.” He said and you let out one single laugh through your tears, nodding your head against his.

“I know. I love you, too.” You answered, and then you pressed your lips to his, assuring both him and yourself that you were going to be alright.

Tagged: @writing-is-my-guilty-pleasure @peakyhermione @fanficflaneuse @lucillethings @okaydraco @biinspiration

(If you want to be added or removed from the tag list, send me a message, ask or leave a comment)

#draco malfoy #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy imagine #draco imagine #draco x reader #draco #draco malfoy fanfic #draco malfoy fic #draco malfoy fanfiction

369 notes · View notes

highonchocolate · 4 years ago

Text

Take Two: The Guardian in Gotham Chapter 8

First Previous Next: Nonexistent Ao3

Ladybug dove through the portal and landed smack-dab in the middle of a massacre. Civilians lay dying in the middle of the streets and the heavy smell of iron lingered in the air. Their muted sounds of pain swirled around her as she swung through the streets towards her teammates’ trackers. Landing on a rooftop, she found herself watching as Ryuko fought the sword-themed Akuma in front of the Louvre, heart in her throat. The bright red of her costume caught the akuma’s eye, and they immediately paused and called up to her. “Ladybug! I was wondering when you would show up!” Quick as a flash, they turned and disarmed the Dragon-themed heroine, holding their sword to her neck before any of the team could even blink. Queen Bee went absolutely still, and Chat Noir and Viperion were tense with fear and rage.

Feeling the familiar panic well up inside her, Ladybug took a steadying breath, mind racing with half-formed ideas. Through it all, a steady stream of ‘I messed up again. I’m not good enough. Why am I such a failure? Whywhywhywhywhy’ rolled through her mind on an endless loop. “Alright, Chat, I need you to cause a distraction while Queenie venoms the Akuma from behind. Viperon I need you on standby.” She spoke quickly, not giving herself room to hesitate.

Nodding at her team, she gave the signal and they split up. Chat jumped down in front of the Akuma, tossing them an easy-going grin. “Hey there! Looks like you’re having a gory-ous time!” Rolling her eyes at his puns, she watched with bated breath as Queen Bee crept around, stinger pulsing with magic and poised to attack. She raised her arm, ready to hit them in the back, when everything went to shit.

She saw as Chat Noir’s ears perked up, and he looked towards the sky, eyes wide in panic. He opened his mouth to shout something, but whatever he said was cut off with a loud whoosh. In a blur of color, Superman swooped down from the sky, followed by Batman and Wonder Woman. Landing in front of the Akuma he shouted to Chloé: “Hey Bee girl! Get out of the way!” At his shout, the Akuma whirled to face Chloé, letting go of Ryuko and slashing at her abdomen with their sword.

It cut her straight down the chest, and she collapsed to her knees, hands pressing to the wound, and letting out a weak wheeze as blood began to fill her lungs. Ryuko sprinted to her fallen form and kneeled at her side, grasping one blood soaked hand between hers. She whispered something quietly to the blond-haired girl before standing and turning her furious eyes on a horrified Superman. Chat and Viperion roared in anger from where they had seen it happen, the latter going to reset his bracelet. “Not again!” He turned to the other two, dread painted across his face. “That was my last Second Chance.” He whispered hoarsely. “This is it, we can’t go back anymore.”

“How can we help?” Wonder Woman called, an apology in her tone. “Just stay out of it!” Chat snapped, glowering at Batman, who simply glared back. “You’ve done enough.” Ladybug agreed firmly. “We’ll talk after the fight.” With a yell, the four of them leaped back into the fray. Sensing their approach, they turned, bringing one fist up to punch Chat hard across the face. He flew back several feet before crashing into a wall. Spitting out blood, he stood and bared his red stained teeth in a snarl before whacking them across the stomach with his baton.

The Akuma barely even winced, opting to bring their other hand down, sword poised to cut him in half. In a flash of silver, Ryuko was there, rapier raised to block the blow. Ladybug threw her yoyo, the cable wrapping tightly around the Akuma’s scimitar, and yanked. Arms trembling from the strain, she pulled their arm back, giving Chat and Ryuko the space to dart away. What she didn’t count on was the akuma using their sword to drag her toward them.

Summoning a dagger, they loomed over her as she frantically struggled to untangle her yoyo. She heard the hiss as it sliced through the air, and closed her eyes, still tugging fruitlessly at the tangled cable. There was a wet thunk as it collided with something, which was accompanied by a pained grunt. Looking up, she saw Viperion clutching his thigh, the blue of his suit darkening as blood gushed out of the wound. He tried to step towards her, and collapsed as his leg buckled from the strain.

Gritting her teeth, she glared up at the three superheroes watching from above. They decided to show up now?! And what does that do? Get three of her teammates injured, two of which were now incapitated. Or they could be dead. Her mind whispered. Shut up. She thought back, pushing the image out of her mind. She inhaled sharply and turned her attention back to the fight. Across the courtyard, the Akuma (she was naming it Stabby) had managed to catch Ryuko between the ribs, and she staggered back, hand automatically pressing to her side. Chat Noir was lying on the floor (when did that happen?), struggling to his feet as he wobbled unsteadily. “Ryuko!” She screamed, running for the heroine. As she set her gently against a pillar, the girl in question brought her mouth to her ear and whispered a weak: “Finish this.” Resting her head against the stone, the Dragon themed heroine coughed weakly, blood spilling from her lips. One hand gripped hers tightly, squeezing once before letting go. Ladybug stood, her chest tight from the force of holding back her tears. “Chat, let's regroup!” She called, before swinging up to another rooftop. He landed next to her with a soft thump, standing tall at her side. “The two of us again, M’Lady?” He asked, his breath unsteady and rattling as he exhaled. “Just like the good old days, Chat.” She responded, feeling her lips quirk up at the familiarity of their banter. “Lucky Charm!”

As the small animal statuettes fell into her open palm, she felt an absurd idea pop into her head. “Kitty, I’m going to grab Wayzz and Trixx. You hold down the fort!” Calling on Kaalki, she quickly stepped through the glowing blue portal into her room back at Wayne Manor. Opening the Miracle Box, she grabbed the bracelet and pendant, storing them in her yoyo. Her hand hesitated over the Mouse miraculous, debating on whether or not she should take it. Trust your instincts. She recalled Master Fu telling her one day as they sat together in his massage parlor. Nodding resolutely, she grabbed the necklace and pulled it over her head, before transforming. She swayed lightly from the strain of holding three transformations and then leaped back through the still-open portal. Stepping back into Paris, she dropped the Horse and Ladybug transformation, staying as Multimouse. Turning to Chat, she whispered quietly to him. “I’m going to split and use Tikki, Wayzz, and Trixx, to cast an illusion and trap Stabby, okay? Then I need you to destroy the Akumatized object.” He nodded once, jaw clenched.

Exchanging the glasses for the two other miraculi, she split herself into three. One of her clones clasped the green bracelet over their wrist, as another slid the fox pendant over their head. Her original self held the earrings, and upon securing their miraculi they all transformed. She gasped softly at the sudden flash of pain that spread through her body. Hearing the quiet noise, Chat Noir turned to her, eyes narrowed. “Bug, are you sure you’re okay?” Straightening her spine, the Turtle Marinette faced him with an easy grin on her face. “Of course I’m fine Chaton! Let's just get this over with!” He frowned reluctantly, still looking her over with some suspicion in his gaze. Pushing past the pain, she willed herself to stay strong as he scrutinized her. After he nodded, they immediately enacted her plan. Thankfully, Stabby fell for the illusion she had created of her and Chat hiding in an alleyway and talking, so it was easy for her to trap him and Chat in a Shell-ter. After the akumatized object (His sword, what a surprise! She thought to herself bitterly as she watched it disintegrate.) was destroyed, she quickly captured the glowing butterfly and set it free, summoning her Lucky Charm and throwing it up again with a cry of “Miraculous Ladybug!” As the glowing pink butterflies rushed through the city, healing injuries and bringing back the dead, she felt the familiar pull on her life force at the cost of saving all these people. Squaring her shoulders, she pushed past the burn of using three Miraculi and ignored the drain of the Cure. She could take the pain. She had to.

She dropped all her transformations, leaving her in her signature Ladybug suit once more. Leaning against Chat Noir, she saw the wide eyes of the foreign superheroes as they took in the magic. “Hey.” She called to Viperion as he landed beside her. Jerking a thumb towards the three heros, she lowered her voice and asked “Think you can take care of them for a second?” At his affirming nod, she let out a relieved sigh and went to hug Ryuko and Queen Bee, who were standing to the side, holding each other tightly with their foreheads pressed together. When they heard her footsteps they stepped apart and opened their arms for her to fall into their embrace. She clutched them desperately for a long second, before letting go. “We have to deal with some outside company before we can detransform, I’m afraid.”

Looking past her, they saw the four figures of Viperion, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman as Luka negotiated with them. They landed on the rooftop beside him, Marinette and Adrien leaning on each other (her with a hand around his waist, his arm slung over her shoulders) as Chloe and Kagami stood shoulder to shoulder with their arms brushing. Ignoring the other two heroes, Marinette turned to Wonder Woman, who bowed respectfully to her. “Holder of Creation, it is an honor to meet you.” Smiling slightly, Marinette bowed in return. “Daughter of Hippotlaya. The honor is mine.” Surveying their trio, she arched a brow as they all remained silent. “Was there a reason for this unexpected visit?” This time, it was Superman who stepped forward. Batman just stood behind him and glowered. “Yes. We wanted to see what all the fuss about Paris was.” “And now you’ve seen it.” Chloé snapped, flicking her hair over her shoulder. “So you can go back to not caring about us, thank you very much.” Wonder Woman stepped forward, hands held placatingly. “We didn’t know anything was wrong with Paris. The satellites showed us nothing was amiss, so we never checked any further.”

“So what made you change your mind?” Luka asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion. At that, the three of them fell silent, seeming to have a silent conversation with each other. “We can’t tell you that,” Batman spoke, his voice a low, dark sound. “And why not?” Kagami challenged, arms folded across her chest defensively. “Because it could compromise my identity.” He growled, daring them to argue. “Okay back to the original topic,” Adrien interjected, “You said you were here to check on Paris, and now you did that. So unless there’s something else you want…”He trailed off, waiting for their response. “We want to help train you five as well. You’re already very powerful, we just want to help you hone your magic.” Wonder Woman answered. “We’ll think about it,” Marinette spoke, “But we definitely can’t train in Paris. Volatile emotions are easily taken advantage of.”

“Agreed.” Superman nodded, before the three of them took off. At their departure, Marinette felt her shoulders sag in relief. The five of them said quick goodbyes before heading home. She was about to transform using Kaalki when she saw a flash of back and silver out of the corner of her eye. Sliding her gaze to the side as she put on the glasses, she nearly groaned at what she saw. She would know that black outfit and stance anywhere. The League of Assassins had finally come to meet with the Order.

---

@laurcad123, @liquid-luck-00

#maribat #marinette dupain cheng #damian wayne #adrien agreste #chloe bourgeois #luka couffaine #kagami tsurugi #alfred pennyworth #bruce wayne #tim drake #jason todd #dick grayson #lila rossi #alya cesaire #lila salt #class salt

88 notes · View notes

starryknight09 · 3 years ago

Text

Unforeseen dangers ch 9

Summary: As Peter recovers from his capture by Ross, a photo of him with Tony and the Avengers leaks and is splashed all across the media. Luckily, no one can figure out who he is and everyone thinks the buzz will die down. However, the public’s interest has been ignited. While Tony worries it’s only a matter of time before Peter’s identity is exposed, Peter isn’t as concerned. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen anyway?

Read on AO3.

________________________________________________________

“How you holding up?” Tony asked Peter as the car pulled into the Tower’s private garage.

Peter shrugged in answer.

His kid had been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entirety of the car ride, but Tony didn’t know what else he’d expected. Tony had been raised in the spotlight. It was all he’d ever known, so he found it oddly difficult to put himself in Peter’s shoes and figure out what he was feeling. Instead of prying like he wanted to, he squeezed Peter against his side in a half hug.

“We’re here.” Happy announced unnecessarily as he put the car in park. As much as his current Forehead of Security liked to grump, Tony knew the man hated tense silences just as much, if not more, than he did.

Tony wasted no time opening the car door and stepping out, but he had to duck his head back in when Peter didn’t automatically follow behind him.

“Come on kid. Time to go. As comfy as my car is, you can’t sit in it all day.” He said to Peter who was staring straight ahead, spaced out. Peter blinked and slowly turned his head to take in Tony standing outside the car. Only then did he seem to notice that he was the sole person still left in the car.

“Oh.” Peter said and blinked again before finally climbing out. All his movements seemed slower than usual.

Tony didn’t call him on it. He rested a hand loosely on Peter’s shoulder as they walked over to the elevator together where Bruce, Nat, Happy, and Steve were already inside waiting.

“Penthouse FRIDAY.” He ordered as they stepped in.

“Thanks guys.” Peter finally spoke, although he kept his gaze firmly fixed on the ground.

“You don’t need to thank anyone.” Tony said before they had a chance to respond.

“You’re dad’s right.” Steve agreed. “We were happy to do it.”

“I needed to get out and get some air anyway.” Bruce added in a transparent attempt to lighten the mood.

Natasha just gave Peter a small smile while Happy let out a noncommittal grunt.

“Where’s everyone else?” Peter asked after another few seconds of silence had passed.

“Meeting us back here. Actually, they probably beat us.” Tony answered.

“Seems like an awful lot of trouble just to pick me up from school.” Peter frowned.

“Nope. No trouble. Everyone missed you and wanted to take their turn to come and get you. We tried rock paper scissors but since everyone on the team’s a sore loser I decided to let them all tag along.” Tony knew he was rambling and so obviously lying, but he didn’t want Peter to know the real reason everyone had shown up to get him, or the way his heart had started racing the moment he found out Peter’s identity had been discovered.

He’d been down in his workshop when Rhodey had come running in yelling his name. “Tony! Tony!”

When he’d heard the fear in Rhodey’s voice, he’d sat up so fast he’d smacked his head on the armor he’d been working on. Rhodey was one of the most unshakable people Tony knew. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen the man truly panic. He didn’t even want to imagine what had happened to add this moment to one of those times.

“What? What happened?” Fear swirled in his gut, visions of someone seriously hurt or dead flashed through his mind. Someone who could make Rhodey look like that. Peter. Pepper.

“Have you seen the news?” Rhodey asked as he held out a hand to help him stand from the floor.

“No.”

“It’s Peter.” Rhodey came right out and said it. He was never one to beat around the bush.

Tony’s eyes widened. “Peter? What about Peter? Is he ok?” His greatest fear brought to life. None of it made sense. Peter should be in school and completely fine. And he didn’t understand how Peter connected to seeing the news. His brain felt like it was trying to reboot, to sort out the information coming at him through his sudden panic.

“He’s fine, but it’s all over the news.”

“What is?”

“He is. Peter. They figured out his identity.”

His first instinct was to panic, but he knew he couldn’t. He had to stay clear headed and figure out what to do. For his kid.

He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath and forced himself to think. When he opened them again, he caught Rhodey staring at him, waiting for his decision on what to do.

“What exactly do they know?” Tony asked. He needed more information in order to work through the problem and figure out what to do next. “That he’s the kid from all the pictures with me?”

“Yes. That…” Rhodey said, but Tony could sense there was something else.

“And? What else?” He prodded, letting his impatience through.

“That he’s your son. That you adopted him.” Rhodey winced as he said it.

That was when the panic returned.

��Fuck.” He sprinted toward the elevator, Rhodey hot on his heels.

“Ok, now just for some perspective, don’t forget he’s Spiderman. He’s not some helpless kid.” Rhodey said as the elevator doors closed behind them.

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?” He spat and pushed the button for the garage three times in succession to make the elevator drop at its fasted velocity.

“Yes.” Rhodey said as if it were obvious.

“Well it doesn’t. My kid’s still in danger, because of his connection to me.” He growled, glaring at his friend. He knew he was displacing all his anger and frustration on Rhodey who didn’t deserve any of it, but he didn’t have the mental capacity to reel himself in at the moment. Besides, as his oldest friend, Rhodey was definitely more than used to taking the undeserved brunt of his mood swings.

“What are you doing?” Rhodey asked as the doors opened and he jogged toward his fastest car.

“What do you think I’m doing? I’m going to go get my kid!” He yelled, anger starting to override his fear. He was angry at the world for doing this to his son. Angry at himself for not doing a better job of preventing it. He called himself a futurist, and yet, he hadn’t been able to see this coming soon enough to stop it.

“Wait!” Rhodey called out from right behind him.

Tony ignored him.

“Just wait a minute!” Rhodey grabbed his shoulder.

Tony spun around, fury written on every line of his face. “What?”

“Stop and think Tony. What? You think you’re just going to march in there, grab him and come home? Like it’ll be that easy? The entire world knows he’s your son. They dug into everything they could about him before breaking the story ten minutes ago. They know his parents died and then his aunt and uncle. They know he’s a straight A student. They know he’s on the decathlon team. They know where he goes to school.”

Ice ran down his spine.

“They’re going to be camped out just waiting for you to show up. Waiting for him. For the spectacle of it. You know it. And god forbid, what if more than just the media is waiting? I know you like to joke about it, but you have a lot of enemies and as far as the world knows, your kid’s just a normal kid, completely unguarded at school right now. I know it’s a terrible thing to say, but if I wanted to hurt you, this would be the perfect opportunity.”

The hell of it was, he knew Rhodey was right, and not only that, but he couldn’t believe he hadn’t considered it before. This whole thing had shaken him more than he’d realized.

“All it would take is a sniper rifle and a good vantage point, and it’d be all too easy to tag the kid as soon as he stepped outside the school. Just like that.” Rhodey snapped his fingers.

Tony clenched his jaw at the image the words conjured. The logical side of his brain told him that Peter had that sixth sense that would keep him safe from something like that, but the dad side of his brain worried about it not working or worried that even with the warning Peter still might not react fast enough to get out of the way.

“With enough money it wouldn’t be too hard to get a hired hand in place in such a short time frame.” Rhodey continued but his voice had softened. “It’s what I would do.”

Tony closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over them. “Ok. So what do suggest we do then? Not get my kid? Leave him alone and unprotected at school?” He channeled all his fear and anger into sarcasm.

“Of course not.” Rhodey gave him a scathing look.

“What then?”

“We bring the team.” Rhodey said as if the answer were obvious.

So they had.

Within thirty minutes of the news breaking, Clint had positioned himself as a lookout on a nearby roof near the school and Sam and Rhodey had taken to the sky, flying around the area to ensure that all the other rooftops remained clear while Tony made his way to the school entrance along with Bruce and Steve, two of the most invincible Avengers, given Rhodey’s imagined threat of a sniper.

While Happy and Natasha waited in the car, the trio forced their way through the hoard of press already waiting like vultures outside the school. Tony cursed the fact that there was no other entrance near a street because it was going to make getting his kid out a nightmare.

Tony was honestly surprised Peter hadn’t called or texted him yet, but he remembered him mentioning something before about the teachers being strict about cell phone use during class, so maybe he just didn’t know yet.

Inside, the hallways remained quiet and desolate. Kids weren’t running around, excitedly talking, and getting ready to mob Peter at any moment, so class must’ve just started when the news broke. He figured that was the one lucky break in all of this.

The sound of his own phone ringing cut through the heavy silence. He gave the screen a cursory glance, intending to ignore it until he saw the caller ID. Pepper. One of the few people he’d answer a phone call from at a time like this.

“Hey Pep.” He said as he pressed the phone to his ear, trying to keep his voice down. The last thing he needed was some errant student recognizing him.

“Tony? Have you seen the news?” His heart warmed a little at the panic in her voice. She obviously cared about Peter too, which shouldn’t surprise him. The kid was like a puppy. Everyone he met seemed to fall in love with him, and Tony knew the two of them had grown closer over the holidays when she’d helped Peter file the adoption papers for his surprise Christmas present.

“I have.”

“Oh my god. Where are you?”

“I’m at his school. I’m picking him up.”

“By yourself?” He marveled at the way Pepper could make her voice shrill without actually reaching a high pitched decibel.

“No. Of course not.” He decided she didn’t need to know that was what he’d almost done until Rhodey had intervened. “I brought the team.”

“Oh thank god. Just get him back here and then we need to figure out what we’re going to do.”

“Your wish is my command.”

“Stay safe.” She ordered, stern but worried, a tone with which Tony was all too familiar.

“I will.” He said, the corner of his mouth turning up as he hung up. It was times like these when he remembered what he and Pepper used to have, and he missed it.

He didn’t know what kind of expression was painted on his face, but whatever it was, it was enough for Steve to remind him, “Focus Tony.”

“Trust me Cap,” he said as he pocked his phone, “I’m as focused as anyone could possibly be right now.”

Steve nodded and within another ten steps they were standing in front of the office door.

Tony turned back to Bruce and Steve as he grabbed the handle. “Let’s go get my kid.”

He swung the door open like he owned the place and did exactly that.

Tony almost couldn’t believe that had all happened within the last hour. He still felt like he was doing catch up with trying to process everything. He couldn’t even imagine how Peter felt.

The elevator finally reached the penthouse and the doors opened, revealing a scene Tony hadn’t been expecting, although in retrospect, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Pepper had kind of warned him with her phone call earlier, but he hadn’t been thinking about it. He’d only been thinking about getting his kid to safety. Which he’d accomplished.

But now he needed to figure out how to approach this entire mess of a situation because it wasn’t going to fix itself. Thus, the reason for why the penthouse was currently filled with his PR employees.

They stepped out of the elevator and into a maelstrom of chaos. It was a scene reminiscent of the time he’d told the world he was Ironman and the resulting backlash. Or the time he’d supposedly asked some Russian model to marry him. He hadn’t. Or the time he’d been quoted as saying he was anti-gun, which hadn’t been true. At the time. Or the time he’d gotten plastered in Vegas and apparently forgotten to clothe his bottom half before stepping out onto his balcony. But all of those things had happened years ago. It’d been quite awhile since he’d been at the center of this kind of media shitstorm.

Pepper noticed him the moment he stepped into the room. She gave him a small smile as she walked over, but she stopped in front of Peter instead of him.

“Oh sweetie I’m so glad you’re ok.” She said as she pulled him into a tight hug.

He seemed a little surprised but didn’t hesitate to hug her back. “I’m fine.”

“I know.” She said as she released him and grasped his shoulders, looking him square in the eyes. “And don’t worry. We’re going to figure this out. We have people whose entire job is dealing with stuff like this.”

“What? A secret son?” Peter joked but it fell flat.

Pepper graced him with a wry smile. “Well, no. This is definitely a first, but you’d be surprised by what we’ve had to deal with when it comes to Tony.”

“Hey.” Tony acted affronted even though he knew she only spoke the truth.

Pepper arched an eyebrow at him.

He cleared his throat and changed the subject. “Anyway, what’s the plan?”

“Now that you’re here, we can do a sit down and plan out our immediate next steps.” Pepper said, all business again.

“Uh-huh.” He said, distracted by the shell shocked look on Peter’s face as he took in the room and the dozen or so strangers bustling about.

“But I really think the first thing we need to do is hold an emergency press conference, so we should put together a statement for that as soon as possible.” Pepper continued.

“Yeah.” He frowned and then held up a hand when Pepper started to speak again. “We will definitely do all of that, but first I need a few minutes with my kid.”

Pepper blinked and looked over at Peter, her eyes softening at the obvious distress she saw there even as Peter did his best to try to hide it. “Of course. How about I get everyone together and we meet in the conference room at,” she checked her watch, “3:30PM. That’ll give you fifteen minutes. Is that enough time?”

“Should be.” He nodded and then gripped Peter’s shoulders. “Come on Underoos. Let’s go sit down for a minute.”

Peter let Tony guide him through all the pandemonium to the hallway and into his bedroom. Tony pressed him down to sit at the end of the bed before grabbing the desk chair for himself. He flipped it around and sat, letting his forearms rest on the chair back, going for nonchalant even though he felt anything but.

“So.” Tony said, not quite sure how to start the conversation.

“So…” Peter echoed back, not making it any easier.

“I know this is a lot, so I thought we should just take a little time out. A little breather. And you can tell me you’re thinking.”

“What I’m thinking?” Peter’s eyebrows pulled together like he didn’t understand what Tony meant.

“Yeah. What’s going on in that noggin of yours?”

“I-I don’t know. This is all… This is crazy.”

“It is.” Tony agreed.

“I…I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“There’s nothing I want you to say. I just want you to talk to me. Tell me what you’re thinking, how you’re feeling about this.”

“Um I don’t know. It’s a lot.” Peter shrugged.

“Care to expound on that a little?” Tony asked lightheartedly.

“I guess it’s kind of overwhelming, but it doesn’t really feel like it’s real at the same time? Does that make sense?”

Tony nodded, staying silent to encourage Peter to keep talking.

“And now there are all these people here and there were all those people waiting outside my school and I know everything’s going to change forever and…I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” Peter trailed off and met his eyes, and Tony hated the fear and desperation he saw there. “It’s just…a lot.” He repeated. “And I guess I didn’t really think this was going to happen. Or if it did, I didn’t think it would be this soon. And I didn’t think it would be like this.”

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t know what to say to make it better, because there really wasn’t anything he could say, or do, to fix it. The horse was out of the barn. It was done. Over with. Now all they could do was deal with the fallout, and he knew it wasn’t going to be particularly pleasant for him or Peter.

“I’m sorry.” He settled on those two words even though they didn’t have the power to fix anything.

“It’s not your fault.” Peter shrugged.

“Still. I never wanted any of this for you.”

Peter hung his head and picked at the fraying hem on one his sleeves. The kid had a closet full of expensive, brand new, clothing but for some reason it seemed like he always chose to wear whatever he had that was tattered or fraying.

“What’s going to happen now?” Peter asked, looking up at him again.

“Now I’m going to go meet with all those people out there and try to come up with a game plan.”

“And what does that mean?”

“It means first I’m going to find out how all this got out and how much everyone actually knows.”

“Ok.”

“And then I’m going to draft a statement to read at a press conference I’m guessing Pepper has already scheduled, probably to start within the next hour.”

“Really?” Peter seemed surprised.

Tony nodded.

“What are you going to say?”

“Depends on what the media has already spilled the beans on and how good their sources are. If they don’t have any proof you’re my son, and it’s just conjecture, then there might be some wiggle room and I may be able to spin this a different way, but I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I’m guessing they have some solid sources if it’s already out there like this, since everyone knows how much I like to sue for slander.”

Peter snorted.

“So, how about this? You sit tight in here and I’ll go deal with all of this, and as soon as I know more about the plan, I’ll let you know, ok?”

“Ok.” Peter agreed softly.

Tony hummed and drummed his fingers along the chair back as he studied his son. He hated the idea of leaving him alone right now, but he knew he didn’t have any other choice. He had to go deal with all of this, and he didn’t want to bring Peter along and subject him to everything that entailed. That would only make it worse.

It was a no win situation. As soon as he left, his kid was going to be on his computer or his phone googling himself, and he’d start falling down the proverbial rabbit hole. As a media veteran, Tony knew self google was never a good idea, but he could only guess at what was being said and written about his kid. He hadn’t had any time to check yet, so he couldn’t even prepare Peter for it. He definitely wasn’t winning any parenting awards today.

“Listen, I’m going to do something, and you’re not going to like it, but you have to trust me that it’s in your own best interest right now, all right?”

Peter’s eyes narrowed. Yeah, this wasn’t going to go over well.

“FRIDAY be a dear and restrict Peter’s TV, phone, and internet access until further notice.”

“What? No!”

“Just,” Tony said as he held up a hand, “let me deal with this stuff first, and then we’ll deal with the rest of it together. Ok?” He tried for calm even as a storm cloud passed over Peter’s face. At least it was better than the sick, pinched look he’d had ever since all this went down. Silver lining.

“You’re not being fair.” Peter protested.

“I know.” He agreed and Peter didn’t seem to know what to do with that easy admission.

“So I’m just supposed to stay locked in my room alone with nothing to do until you come back?” Peter asked skeptically.

“No. Of course not. You have plenty to do.” He gestured to the partially finished Y-wing Lego set, the stacks of DVDs, and the video game consoles.

“You just said I couldn’t use the TV.” Peter huffed.

Tony sighed. “FRIDAY, Peter can use the TV for watching movies and playing video games, but nothing else, capiche?”

“Yes Boss.”

“There. All good. And you’re not going to be alone. I’ll send you some company.”

Peter screwed up his face like he wasn’t quite sure whether that was a good or a bad thing.

“And I’ll be back as soon as I can.” He said as he stood and ruffled Peter’s hair, smirking as Peter tried in vain to straighten it back into place.

On his way out, Tony paused at the door to turn and look at his kid. Peter had a desolate expression pasted across his face as he stared straight ahead at nothing.

“Hey.” Tony said to get his attention. As soon as Peter made eye contact with him, he said solemnly, “It’s going to be ok.”

“I know.” Peter mumbled and gave him a ghost of a smile, but Tony could see the truth in his eyes. His son didn’t believe him. Tony always knew he was too smart for his own good. Just like his old man.

“I love you.” Tony said with a soft intensity. Maybe he couldn’t keep the world from crashing down around them, but he could love his son. Always. It was one of the easiest things he’d ever done.

“I love you too.” Peter said back and that finally got a real smile out of him. It gave him some hope that maybe this would all turn out ok.

The door closed behind him with a click, and he made his way back out to the living room. Pepper, along with the rest of his SI team, had left and were probably waiting for him in the conference room, but the room was far from empty. Apparently none of the Avengers had wanted to go back to their quarters. The show of concern both irked and warmed him at the same time. Regardless, he didn’t have time to chit chat. Except for the one thing he had to do.

“Hey birdbrain.” He said as he spotted Clint sitting in one of the oversized chairs in the corner of the room. “Do you mind hanging with Peter? I told him I’d send someone in to keep him company.”

“Sure.” Clint agreed easily.

Tony gave him a nod of thanks and made his way toward the elevator.

“Tony.” Steve said from where he and Natasha were standing in the direct path to the elevator, obviously waiting for him.

Tony stopped in front of him and raised his eyebrows expectantly, waiting for Steve to spit out whatever it was he wanted to say.

“How’s Peter doing?” Steve asked, concern crinkling in the corners of his eyes.

Tony sighed. He had no idea how to answer that question. “He’s…dealing.”

Steve nodded as if he understood everything Tony wasn’t saying.

“Well, if that’s it, I have to go figure out how to deal with this disaster.” Tony said after a few seconds had passed and it didn’t seem like Steve was going to say anything else.

He took a step away but Steve reached out to grab his arm. “Wait. We want to come with you.”

Tony turned and frowned. “You want to come with me where?”

“To the conference room.”

Tony just blinked. “Why?”

“Maybe we can help.”

His face must’ve shown his skepticism because Natasha added, “We care about Peter too.” As if Tony had ever doubted that fact.

“Fine.” He must’ve acquiesced too easily given the looks of surprise on Steve and Natasha’s faces. But he had neither the time nor the energy to argue, and if they wanted to spend their time being tortured in a meeting, then that was their prerogative. “Let’s go.”

Steve and Natasha followed silently as he continued on his way toward the conference room. The truth was, he didn’t even know what kind of shitstorm awaited him, but the look on Pepper’s face when he’d stepped into the penthouse had clued him in to the fact that it was bad, along with the dozen or so PR employees milling about with their cellphones attached to their ears and their faces buried in their laptops. Thinking about it made his heart thrum a rapid staccato in his chest. Usually he didn’t care about his image, or whatever the media said, but this was different. This time it was his kid. He couldn’t help but care.

As he approached the glass walled conference room, he could see everyone waiting for him. He’d never gone into a meeting so wholly unprepared. After he’d gotten the news, he’d gone straight to his kid. He hadn’t taken the time to check any media outlets to see what was being said, so besides what he’d already been told, he honestly had no clue what he was dealing with yet. He gripped the handle of the conference room door and took a bolstering breath. It was time to go find out.

#unforeseen dangers #ch 9

10 notes · View notes

martellthemandalor · 4 years ago

Note

Hey! I've read some of your fics and they're so good! could you do a din X reader one where the reader is a part of dins 'crew' and he keeps offering to teach her to fight but awkwardly declines, and does this until they find another clan of mandalorians and at first they don't like her and question din for having someone 'weak' on his team. And defensively she says she can take down one of their warriors and dins asking her not to do this but during the fight she reveals she's force sensitive?

*Hia darling anon!! firstly thank you so much, that means the world to me :)). secondy i hope this is what you had in mind, i got a little carried away (hello word count of 3.8K+ oops) hence why this has taken a while to get out to you. enjoy! <3

Far From Weak

He wasn’t meant to have found out like this. Hell, he wasn’t supposed to have found out at all. You’d been doing a good job at hiding it so far, though the kid seemed to have sussed you out. Look once into those big eyes and it’s like they knows your deepest darkest secret and it’s terrifying, until they waddle off to swallow a whole frog that is.

You’d been on Mando’s ‘crew’ for a good five months now, initially brought on as a mechanic. A desperately needed mechanic, so you’d noted once you stepped onto the razor crest. In reality there wasn’t much of the actual crest left, parts having been removed and replaced with cheap knockoffs and thrown together amalgamations over the years. There was even an alternator that looked as though it had actually been patched together using a literal medkit.

He’d really downplayed how much the place was falling apart when he hired you, but you didn’t exactly mind. You enjoyed a challenge, and fixing a ship that was falling apart at the seams was certainly that.

Your job had evolved somewhat by month two, the little green baby Mando was caring for had won your heart over. It was like you were drawn to them, finding it impossible to ignore them and all their adorable little traits. You didn’t fully understand why you were feeling so attached to this cute womp rat, not until you caught them with a small outstretched hand in the direction of a levitating silver ball. They had turned to you with a knowing gleam in their face, cooing at you to join the fun. Not that you ever did when Mando was around, of course.

But the days when he wasn’t there? When you knew that he wasn’t coming back for a long time? Then you could play with the child all you wanted. Your games varied, one of their favourites being floating the ball from their little claw to your own hand, in a gentle game of catch. Another was playing guessing games where they had to guess which crate you had put your wrench behind, then lifting it to you. You loved it. It was a chance to flex your skills, to relieve some of the tension of hiding them.

By month four Mando had started asking if you wanted some fight training with him. He knew that life was starting to get more dangerous, he had begun encountering more and more imp scum trying to get the child while he was out hunting quarry’s. The two of you had become rather close these past few months, he’d be lying to himself if he said that he didn’t look forward to seeing the smile that lit up your eyes when he returned from his jobs or the way you eagerly asked for a report on how he captured this bounty.

In fact, the Mandalorian had become rather enamoured with you and with the discovery of these new bounty hunters, wanting to make sure you could keep yourself and the child safe was his next priority, and teaching you to fight would ensure that.

The first time he asked it had been painfully awkward. He had stridden up to and flat out told you he wanted to give you fighting lessons. You were sure it was probably a big deal that he wanted to teach you the fighting techniques of Mandalorian’s, but you knew that you could never accept.

You could hide your force sensitivity when concentrating, ignoring the pull of it on your instincts, but when fighting? There was no way. You literally couldn’t help it. It felt like you could predict what was coming during a fight, which fist they were going to throw at you, which way they were going to dodge round to. He would be able to tell you had the upper hand and if he knows what the kid can do, then it’s hardly going to be a stretch to figure out that you can do it too.

You tried, maker you tried, to be as tactful as possible while turning him down. Telling him that you could take care of yourself, you can handle a blaster and that would be enough if anyone tried to grab the kid while on the crest. He had grunted some form of disappointed response back at you, the likes of which made you feel inescapably guilty.

You had hoped that that would be the only time he would try and ask you, but if there was anything this Mandalorian was, it was most definitely stubborn.

He would present the offer to you pretty much every other day, the question getting more and more demanding as time went on. You knew that he would never force you to do anything you didn’t want to, he wasn’t like that, but you could feel his frustration building with each of your awkward refusals.

Eventually he drew back on any other conversation with you, choosing only to speak when pressing the question to you, outside of that he would only voice short remarks on urgent matters. The only other time you would hear the rough lowness of his speech is when he would speak to the child, you were glad in that respect that at least he was engaging them in some form of conversation.

It went on for days and you were beginning to feel worse and worse. It was strange, he would approach you in the mornings, his voice soft and probing, practically pleading for you to let him teach you and then when you declined you could almost see the frustration pouring out of him.

You weren’t entirely sure why he hadn’t kicked you from the crest yet, a part of you terrified that one morning would be your last, he wouldn’t want to put up with your own apparent stubbornness any more.

If only you could tell him, yell at him that it wasn’t stubbornness, that your survival depended on keeping a secret that was damn near impossible to hide. It didn’t help that Mando wasn’t one for ambiguity. If you revealed you had a secret then maker knows he’d find a way to coax it out into the starlight.

The silence was torture, but it was necessary.

And so you kept quiet, the two of you falling into this routine that satisfied neither party. The atmosphere on the crest became stifling, almost unbearable, even the kid could sense something was wrong though that wasn’t exactly surprising.

You’d arrived on Tatooine, the last stop of this latest run of quarry’s, when Mando finally broke the cycle.

“I need to go to market, would you like to come with me?” The question came out robotic, the words detached from the familiar soft tone of his morning request. To say it threw you off was an understatement, but you eagerly nodded regardless, after all you did have some parts to get to repair a few blown thermal couplings.

Mando was on high alert as you walked through the stalls of the busy market. You could practically feel how tense he was, wound tight and ready to spring at the smallest sign of danger. You watched him from the corner of your eye, saw the way his helmet would lock on to whatever would walk just a little too close to you.

The imposing and dangerous manner in which he presented himself was a stark contrast to the small green eared bundle that he gently cradled in his arm.

The thought that you were the only one who got the privilege of seeing him be truly open and caring with the child made you smile to yourself, a warmth settling in your heart at the notion that he trusted you that much to see him in that way.

Given enough time to fester and that feeling would have quickly turned to guilt. Maybe that would have been better than what happened instead.

As you reached the edge of the market your gaze was caught by a familiar silhouette glinting in the sun. Actually, three familiar silhouettes, all of which had apparently noticed you to and were now making short work of closing the distance between you. Before you even had a chance to open your mouth and alert Mando, you found yourself very carefully situated in his shadow, his hand wrapped lightly round your wrist to keep you behind him.

“Su cuy'gar burc'ya!” (“Hello friend”) The largest of the trio greeted Mando, green helmet nodding at him. Mando nodded back, a slow and exaggerated bob of his head.

“Su cuy’gar,” He replied simply, defensive stance unwavering.

You didn’t like this. You assumed that Mando would’ve been happy to see his creed siblings but it was clear from the slowly tightening grip on your wrist that he truly wasn’t. Something twitched in you, a short tug on your soul to reach out, reassure him that it’s okay without having to say a word. But that would unravel everything you’ve worked to keep hidden.

Instead you twisted your wrist out of his hand, only to quickly replace it with the palm of your own. The response was immediate, his hand curled round yours, fingers locking together.

You gave him a soft squeeze and the affect was akin to throwing a spattering of water onto hot coals, you could almost see some of the tension release from him, hear the gentle hiss of it evaporating away.

“We weren’t expecting any new clan members,” The red painted one speaks this time, his tone almost accusatory. You couldn’t see it, but Mando had clocked the way his visor had fixated on you as he spoke. Unease blossomed in his belly. He could see where this was going.

“We aren’t new clan members, we came on world to pick up supplies and fuel up, we’ll be gone by morning.” He tried to keep his tone as even and final as possible, an inexplicit warning for these three to leave him and his clan in peace.

Green head didn’t get the hint. Instead he strode towards Mando and clapped his hand onto his pauldron.

“Come, you can spend the night at the covert, it’s been a while since any of us have seen fresh blood.” You do catch it this time. Green’s helmet shifts to look at you, the pointedness of it making your heart beat a little faster in your ear. You stare him down though, no way in hell was a faceless look enough to make you back down.

You see rather than hear the deep breath your crew leader makes, shoulders rising and falling steadily. Then he nods his head.

“It would be a privilege to meet more clan siblings,” Mando replied, his helmet dodging in front of Green’s stare. You gave his hand a squeeze, a silent thank you.

The journey to the covert had been spent in silence on your part, a rare occurrence given Mando’s aversion to making conversation, often leaving you to fill the gaps. But here he was doing most of the talking, working hard to divert conversation whenever it felt close to being focused on you or the child.

You suddenly got it. Mando wasn’t happy to see them, because of you.

The guilt got worse then, was he embarrassed by you?

Yes Green head had been kind of intimidating when he had stared at you, but it was no different from how you used to feel around your Mandalorian at first.

In the covert things got twice as tense. It felt like every pair of eyes was being trained on you, probably because they were. You were a stranger in their midst, not only that but you were a non-mandalorian in their covert, in their shield from the outside worlds. From people like you.

You hadn’t really been paying attention to what was being said, nor to where you were being lead to, your focus had been on looking straight ahead and answering the squeezes of Mando’s hands with ones of your own.

Only now, when the din of the rest of the covert had been shut out by the closing of a door, did you realise that you had entered a final room. It was empty save for a round table surrounded by straight backed durasteel chairs, a single light hanging low above the set. The room was small, though the lack of decoration made it feel strangely cavernous.

The three other Mandalorian’s had sat down. Red head held his hand out in invitation for you and Mando to sit.

This time you’re the first person to speak.

“Why does this feel like we’re about to be interrogated?” You commented, eyebrow raised at the three visors sat stoically across from you.

“Maybe because we are,” Mando muttered beside you.

“Nonsense,” It was the first time you’d heard the purple helmeted one speak. It surprised you how soft their voice was. “We simple need to know what your situation is before we take you to the armourer.”

“Situation? What the hell does that mean?” You asked, gaze flickering between the three Mandalorians, making sure they each got a healthy dose of the heat behind them.

“What we mean is, we need to discuss what you are to this Mandalorian, if you are safe to see our inner workings and meet his siblings. That is all.” Green spoke nonchalantly, as if this was evident. It shouldn’t have hurt you as much as it did.

If Mando trusted you to bring here, surely that was enough? Apparently not.

The conversation from there continued without your participation. The other three spoke as if you were not there, their words dipping between Basic and their mother tongue. There were some words you understood, mainly the curses that were falling from Mando’s vocoder, the likes of which you had become familiar with while patching him up after rough jobs. Most you didn’t though.

There was one moment, a word uttered that made Mando practically seize up next to you, his hands fisted and pressed firmly against the table. Riduur (Spouse). You took it to mean some sort of insult, from the way Mando had reacted it must have been. Whatever it meant, it wasn’t mentioned again.

The back and forth went on for some time, until-

“We just can’t understand why you would choose someone so weak to be on your crew. What on earth can they offer you?”

Something in you snapped. You don’t know why on earth you thought saying it would be a good idea. It was downright dangerous to even entertain the idea. But you couldn’t bear the idea that Mando was being criticised, mocked even, for choosing you.

The moment the words left your mouth you regretted them, but you would never dream of taking them back.

“I am far from weak. I may not wear armour or adhere to a code, but I am stronger in ways you can only dream of. I would be more than happy to show that I can take any of you in a fight, but it can’t be here. We go somewhere private and far from strangers eyes.”

They had accepted, with some amusement, and taken you, the Mandalorian and the child to a reclusive spot outside of town. Gnarled rock structures rose up on either side of you, providing the privacy you desperately required.

The whole journey there had been spent with Mando pleading and begging you not to do this. The strain in his voice was almost enough to make you give in, to take the hand he kept trying to close around your tensed fist and let him lead you back to the crest. But this was a matter of pride now and you weren’t going to cave in, not for anything.

It seemed that the trio had chosen Red for you to fight, it seemed fair to you given they looked a similar height and build to you. Not that it would help them mind.

They took their place within the makeshift rink that had been drawn in the sand, shaking themself out in an attempt to look ready.

You were about to step in when Mando grasped your wrist, pulling you close to his visor.

“Please, please, don’t do this, you don’t have to, not for you and least of all for me.” You didn’t need to see his eyes to know they were locked onto yours.

You opened your mouth to reply, but his own words tumbled out before you could speak. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel weak with my constant asking, I’m so so sorry. You don’t need to prove to me that you are strong by doing this, I know you are, I’ve always known,” His voice was quiet, almost ashamed of this outburst of emotion.

Your heart clenched, a dull ache that made you want to wrap your arms around him, wrap the force around him, and tell him it’s okay to feel. “Please cyare,” (“beloved”) he croaked, his final attempt to get you to walk away.

You leaned in, pressing a kiss to the forehead of his helmet.

“Trust me.” That was all you said. All you needed to say. He gave a soft squeeze to the flesh of your wrist, then guided you into the rink.

Now or never then.

You stood opposite the Red painted Mandalorian. You settled into a fighting stance, centring your weight and your spirit.

For makers sake, please don’t let me down now.

You felt it before they moved, the energy beside your face surged in the direction that the fist flew mere seconds later. You easily parried, then landed your first blow to their ribs, just beside their chest plate. You span on your heel to face them head on again. You felt the gathering at your chest so you dodged to the left, only to feel the impact of a heavy fist colliding with your right shoulder. Pain exploded across the flesh there, causing you to reel back, stooping slightly as you clutched your shoulder.

Well it wasn’t an exact art at any rate.

Energy swirled below your stomach. Knee. As their knee flew towards your stomach you curled your hands under their thigh, using the momentum to surge forward and throw them onto their back. Their hands came to your hips, and flipped you over them as you fell forward, launching you to land harshly a few feet above their head.

Kriff this.

You both scrambled to your feet. You watched as they began to charge towards you. You didn’t brace yourself or try to run away. Instead, you merely extended your hand out towards them. Somewhere in the distance you heard Mando yelling at you, his voice muffled by your focus the swirling barrier of force you felt building up around you. The energy curled in on you, just as Red was about to make contact, you used all you had to throw it from your body, projecting it all towards the oncoming Mandalorian.

They flew backward, cape billowing with grace around them as they flailed through the air, landing with an unceremonious thud on the coarse ground.

You held them there, tendrils of force curling round their limbs to fix them to the ground as you walked calmly towards them. You were the epitome of control in this moment, you knew that you held the attention of everyone in attendance, even the air was still for your presence.

Towering over the restrained Mandalorian you could see every ounce of tension they were holding, their muscles in preparation for whatever onslaught you were about to rain down. Instead, you ran a casual hand through your hair.

“Do you concede?” You quipped.

Red nodded their head viciously, panting out “Yes, yes, yes.”

A wave of your hand released them. You watched as they scurried back to their creed siblings, gathering yourself for what you knew you had to do now.

You strode over to the trio. You flayed your hand towards them, fisting the fabric at their collars using the force.

“You say a single word to anyone about what you saw today and I will find you and personally rip those helmets off of your thick heads. I will do it in front of the whole planet and don’t think for a single second that I won’t.” You hissed at them, before releasing them and watching as they hurried away from you and back to the safety of the covert.

You hoped that the threat of removing their helmets would be affective enough in keeping their mouths shut. If your secret got out then you’d have bounty hunters on your trail in no time. You couldn’t put that on Mando, not when he’s already protecting his own foundling from them.

You took a breath to steady yourself, turning slowly to face your Mandalorian. He was stood stock still, frozen beneath the heat of the double suns. You tentatively walked towards him, reaching out when you were close enough to lightly trail your fingertips down his arm.

It was like your touch broke the spell. His arms came out and pulled you against his chest.

You let out a breathless laugh, your own arms coming up to wrap around his armour clad form.

“Don’t you dare scare me like that again,” He said, resting his helmet on the crown of your head.

“I’ll certainly try not to,” You responded in a sigh, relaxing further into his embrace, the adrenaline from the fight slowly dissipating.

He pulled you away and held you from him, visor directly in front of your face.

“And no more secrets like that.”

“I promise.”

The two of you stayed like that for a moment, staring at each other. The both of you trying to gauge where the hell this new thing between you was going. That was until Mando’s arm was hit by a small metal ball.

You looked over to see the kid stood a little away from you, giggling hysterically. Glancing around, you then flicked your fingers, all three of you watching as the glinting sphere flew its way back to the child.

Mando shook his head, walking back over to where the child was and picking them up. You followed suit, the three of you now making your way back to the crest.

“So you and the kid, you have the same…abilities?” Mando eventually asked.

“Yes, at least I think so. To be truthful Mando, I have no idea what it is. All I know is that I’ve seen other people with it, good people, get captured and killed for it.”

“That’s why you couldn’t accept my lessons,” The realisation was evident in his voice. He looked at you, then at the kid, then back at you. “We’ll figure out what it is, how to protect you,” there was a pause, like he was contemplating something. Then he reached out and took your hand in his. “We’ll do it together.”

You smiled at him and nodded. Together.

Yes, you liked the sound of that.

#din djarin x reader #mandalorian x reader #din djarin fanfiction #the mandalorian #din djarin #star wars

134 notes · View notes

reneesi · 4 years ago

Text

i never would have thought // CH.09

WRITTEN PORTION

“Pic-nic! Pic-nic! Pic-nic YAY!” (Y/n) chanted out in glee, practically floating as she skipped atop the gravel path. Yachi giggled at the display, linking her free arm with (Y/n) and shooting her a toothy grin.

The three Karasuno volleyball managers had been planning a girls day for a couple weeks, and this was the first free Saturday since (Y/n)’s photoshoot. They had set out on a quest to have a sunlit lunch beneath the trees. Yachi, carrying a blanket under her arm, had dressed up in a white sundress and left her hair down. In contrast Kiyoko was sporting a long brown patterned skirt and a black tank top, her slender fingers were wrapped around the handle of a round picnic basket. (Y/n) had been charged with bringing the drinks, hence the kitty cat backpack draped across her shoulders. She’d brought ramune and completed the trio’s aesthetic with a midi dress and white t-shirt underneath.

When they’d found a quiet spot under a large tree that provided some semblance of shade, the three worked together to set up their picnic. Ten minutes later they sat on a soft pastel checkered blanket, drinking cold soda, and relaxing under the shreds of sunlight peeking through the leaves above.

“I should have brought my camera.” (Y/n) sighed longingly, a content smile splayed across her features.

“We can always take pictures on our cell phone Hinata-chan!” Yachi piped up.

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s just so beautiful here.” (Y/n) sung, leaning back into her arms which were placed out behind her, providing support. She let the lids of her eyes fall shut as her head tipped back lazily, enjoying the weather which felt absolutely divine.

The heat was starting to become more bearable given that fall was right around the corner, but the sun still shone just as bright, leaving a warm residue in the afternoon air. Gentle breeze blew through the grass, running its slick fingers through the field and up to (Y/n)’s hair, cooling the sweat that threatened to build at the nape of her neck. As (Y/n) sat there, eyes closed and listening to the grass blades jostle against one another, Yachi and Kiyoko launched into a quiet conversation about club duties and then Sugawara and Daichi’s relationship. It was calm and easy, both speaking only words of kindness in low peaceful tones.

“How long have they been dating?” (Y/n) asked, cutting in as her feet finally touched back down to earth.

“About three months I think, but they’ve both had feelings for a long time,” Kiyoko smiled.

“I'm so glad they finally did start dating, they make such a good couple!” Yachi gushed, clasping her hands together “But I can't imagine what the confession must have been like, confessions have always made me too nervous!”

Yachi’s hands flew up to hold her cheeks as they flushed red at the mere thought of such confrontation, Kiyoko giggled along.

“Yeah, confessing sounds stressful.” (Y/n) pondered aloud, tapping at her chin.

“Is there someone you have in mind?” Kiyoko inquired innocently, cocking her head slightly to the side. (Y/n) looked back in confusion.

“In mind..?” she repeated, still perplexed.

“Someone you ‘wouldn’t’ want to confess to!” Yachi giggled, scooting closer to (Y/n) and shooting her a suggestive smirk. (Y/n) felt her cheeks grow warm, sure that the pink on her features would only spread if the conversation continued.

“I-I.. well not, I mean-“ (Y/n) tried. She kept her gaze lowered towards her hands, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt.

“Aww it’s okay Hinata-chan! We were just teasing, sorry!” Yachi laughed, scratching the back of her head sheepishly.

“No, no! I mean, what I was trying to say before is that there isn’t anyone that I’m interested in right now! At all!” (Y/n) finally spluttered out, a little louder and a lot more aggressive than she’d intended.

“What about Tsukishima?” Kiyoko asked evenly, soft tones failing to cushion the bluntness of her sudden inquiry.

(Y/n) paused for a moment, thinking back to the conversation of the previous night. Even if she had somehow started to develop any sort of feelings it didn’t really matter since she couldn’t tell if Tsukishima actually even wanted to be friends. He was always so confusing..

Finally, (Y/n) shook her head.

“We’re just friends.” She assured, face calming back to its gentle rosy cream. Kiyoko studied her for a moment before nodding.

“You guys seem to be getting along much better lately.” Kiyoko smiled lightly, easing herself down to lay on her side.

“I hope so... the truth is I can’t blame you guys for thinking there might have been something there on my part.” (Y/n) laughed diffidently, “I was just always so nervous that he’d hate me so I ended up getting all tense and acting weird around him.... hopefully he didn’t notice.”

(Y/n) let out a long sigh.

“Why would you think he might hate you?” Yachi asked, confusion dotting her words.

“He’s just so far away from everyone. Back home things were so different, and I guess I got accustomed to reading people a certain way. So when he was all cold I thought I'd... I dunno, done something wrong..?” (Y/n) shrugged, Kiyoko nodded thoughtfully.

“That makes more sense, and you really don’t have to tell us but what exactly was back home... like?” Kiyoko questioned hesitantly. She’d taken her time to ask the question in a way that was sweetened and less direct, hoping to create the least amount of discomfort. Regardless, (Y/n)’s shoulders tended slightly.

“It was...” She trailed off, as Yachi reached over and placed a comforting hand on her thigh.

“It’s okay, you really don’t have to say,” Yachi said softly. (Y/n) shook her head and continued

“No it’s okay. It was just a completely different world. I’ve never really talked about it, and I’m not sure how much Shoyo has told you guys, but I grew up in a really... wealthy... family.” (Y/n) paused, averting her eyes.

She always hated talking about that part of herself, the part that made people uncomfortable and the environment shift into a stiff stillness that never had the room for friendly connection. The same type of air that suffocated her to near death back home. The silence began to weigh down into her spine, so (Y/n) continued.

“The culture, it’s j-just really different.. and well my parents wanted me to be something.. someone that I wasn’t. They wanted me to dress a certain way, act like I was perfect, and just let people walk all over me. And I just didn’t want that, so I kinda took every opportunity to show them that.” (Y/n) laughed to herself reaching up to touch her long brown locks instinctively.

“That’s actually why I dyed my hair brown,” she continued “in rebellion. And I did a bunch of other stupid things like rip up clothes and wear make up I knew they’d hate. Mostly though, I would argue with them... and one day they kind of realized I wasn’t gonna give up and I think my Mom.. she realized I was really unhappy..”

“I-i’m really sorry (Y/n)..” Yachi said quietly. (Y/n) looked up and met her eyes, forcing a smile.

“It’s okay, don’t be. I’m here now and I’m really really happy! Happier than I’ve ever been!” (Y/n) smiled wide and held up a thumbs up

“We’re glad you’re here too.” Kiyoko said softly as Yachi leaned to lay her head across (Y/n)’s lap. (Y/n) stroked through the stands of blonde lovingly.

“That’s why I wanted everyone to like me so much. I never really felt like I fit in back home.. everyone wanted that lifestyle of fake smiles and champagne.. I..” (Y/n) furrowed her brows,

“I just wanted to be free.” She said definitively, looking up to find Kiyoko’s approving smile still beaming her way.

“How did you convince them to let you come?” Yachi asked suddenly, pulling (Y/n)’s eyes back down to her lap.

“We made a deal. They agreed to let me stay here through highschool as long as I go to the college they choose and marry the person they want me to.” (Y/n) explained, light disappointment visible through the cracks of her syllables.

“(Y/n)...” Yachi whispered, big teary eyes peering up at the brunette as Yachi reached up to touch (Y/n)’s face. (Y/n) smiled placing her own hand over Yachi’s which now rested against her cheek.

“It’s okay,” (Y/n) said, glancing up at Kiyoko who was giving her a similar look of sympathy “Really!”

“I've never really believed in love much so it’s not like I was waiting around for my soul mate.” (Y/n) reassured.

“But what if you meet someone and-“ Yachi spoke up

“I just wanna have fun while I’m here and try to make the most of it.” (Y/n) cut her off, smiling softly in such a way that Yachi and Kiyoko quickly understood the topic wasn’t open for discussion. Kiyoko began talking about college applications and careers and the weight of vulnerability finally began to wear off of (Y/n)’s shoulders. As the trio fell back into their easy jokes and conversations they pulled out trays of sushi and dried seaweed, giggling in unison as they shared light hearted memories.

Eventually, when the sky had turned into a sea of warm colors and fluffy watercolor clouds, (Y/n) felt a buzz in her pocket. She was forced to pull away from the conversation and check her text messages.

“Who’s it from?” Yachi asked, leaning over (Y/n)’s shoulders to peer at her screen.

“It’s Noya-senpai he said to look behind-“

“KIYOKO!!!!” A bellow erupted over the outstretched field behind (Y/n), as stampeding footsteps grew louder. The three managers snapped their heads towards the sudden noise, eyes wide, as three figures came into view.

“HINATA-CHAN!!” Nishinoya screamed, a geeky smile splashed across his lips feeding up to the crinkles in his eyes. Faux tears were streaming from Tanka and Nishinoya as they ran towards the trio at full speed, arms outstretched before them. Behind them Yamaguchi was carrying a volleyball looking sheepish, a light blush tinting his cheeks as he waved a small hello.

(Y/n) began to stand only to be tackled to the ground by both Nishinoya and Tanaka. She screamed as they trapped her in an overbearing hug.

“You idiots that hurt!” She laughed, pushing them off of her as she sat up and bonked both their heads simultaneously. They immediately wrapped their arms around her once more.

“We missed yOU SO MUCH!!” Nishinoya cried.

“We were just too jealous of your picnic, we couldn’t help but crash it!!” Tanaka wept, pulling away and leaning back to look at Kiyoko.

“Please don’t be mad~” He said to her, giving the upperclassmen puppy dog eyes. Kiyoko bit back a smile and maintained her aloofness, even if barely so.

“Don’t look at me, this picnic was Hinata-chan’s idea.” She said matter of factly, Tanaka turned back to (Y/n).

“C'mon please leT US STAY WE JUST WANNA BE WITH OUR PRECIOUS MANAGERS!” Tanaka bawled, throwing his arms around (Y/n) yet again. She sighed in feigned annoyance.

“Hi hi Hinata-chan, Kiyoko-senpai, Yachi-san.” Yamaguchi cut in, finally catching up to his friends under the tree. He placed the volleyball down gently before taking a seat next to Yachi, bumping her shoulder lightly with a smile. (Y/n)’s heart surged and she bit her lip to conceal the smile threatening to burst out.

“Fineee, you guys can stay.” She sighed, drawing it out a little too much. Tanaka and Nishinoya rejoiced, jumping to their feet as they chanted on about being accepted into the “managers only” hang out. The six team mates sat under golden sunlight, cracking jokes and chatting mindlessly until the sun set.

That is until Nishinoya’s energy got the best of him and he and Tanaka insisted on showing (Y/n) how to receive and serve. Which might have been a great idea if Tanka and Nishinoya weren’t such terrible teachers. In the end Yamaguchi went home with a bruise on his head and (Y/n) vowed to never touch a volleyball again. She swore everyone to secrecy over Yamaguchi’s injury, praying that Tsukishima wouldn’t find out and kill her over it. Too bad Yamaguchi was a terrible liar.

CH.09 II pic-nic date!!

previous I next

MASTERLIST

Tagslist: @domtamaki @kodzu-ken @clowninfortodoroki @kageyamasbabygorl @miya-yume @chaelysian @kittyddandnyla @chaseyui @it-was-just-a-ship @melanie09astrid @naorii-chan @chaoticalybiased @saltyteefff @aristatrois @iamthepenguinwhosearseisonfire @raineedayze

126 notes · View notes

felagund-fiollaigean · 4 years ago

Text

Peace like a river (always going, never getting)

A Jedi: Fallen Order fanfic.

5k words of child soldier angst, fluff, hugs, an 8-year-old Jyn Erso discovering her penchant for inflicting blunt force trauma, a jam session around a campfire with Space Booze, and Merrin and Cal finding a moment of respite to feel young and carefree, taking comfort in each other after a traumatizing lifetime of raw survival.

Read it here or under the cut!

Saw and his rebel band could be uptight and overzealous sometimes, but they sure knew how to throw a party.

They were in the middle of one of the most isolated forests of Corvus, where they had earlier cleaned out an Imperial munitions plant. There had already been so much devastation wrought to the moon’s forests, but it was a big win nevertheless, and Saw had insisted in a rare magnanimous display that the crew of the Mantis join him and his partisans for some revelries. A massive bonfire had been lit with the flammable remnants of the factory they had scrapped. Saw’s motley crew was in high spirits tonight, exchanging drinks and jokes and puffs from a t’bac bowl.

Cere had brought her hallikset down with her, and was joined by a Weequay on a Sriluurian fiddle. The two had gathered a small audience of rebels enthusiastically shouting requests for this song or another, singing along raucously if obliged. Greez had gotten roped into a game of dice with a trio of drop troopers, and Cal was keeping a careful eye on the game to make sure the pile of credits in the center wasn’t getting too big. BD-1 had strayed from his perch on Cal’s shoulder to explore, making his rounds around the fire to meet everyone and scan everything in sight. He catches a glimpse of Merrin across the fire, nodding along to what one of the rebels was telling her about and tapping her foot along with the music.

Cal's managed to get himself pleasantly tipsy. The alcohol he's consumed so far has him feeling warm and loose and lighter than he's felt in a long time. There's no shortage of friendly conversation to be found either, and his status as the resident Jedi is making him fairly popular among Saw’s band. Cal doesn’t mind the attention, personally. So far no one has asked invasive questions like “So what was the clones' betrayal like for you, Cal?” or “You were only a padawan during the purge, right Cal?” or “How does it feel to be the last survivor of your order, Cal?”

The mood is celebratory and relaxed, and Cal is happy to forget about all the atrocities in the galaxy for a while with the rest of them.

He's distracted momentarily when he discovers that BD-1 had made a new friend. A human girl around eight years old, cheeks still round from baby fat and an oversized flak helmet on her head, fawning over the small droid. Cal studies her closer. He didn’t see her during the fighting (and thank the Force for that, at least this child didn’t have to grow up a soldier like he and his friends did), but she's the only child he's seen so far among Saw’s party. Struck by curiosity, he makes his way around the circle of flames and sits down on the damp grass next to her.

“Hey.”

She doesn't look up from where she's fiddling with the antenna on top of BD-1’s head. “Hi.”

“What’s your name?”

This time, she does look at him.

“You’re one of the ones from the Mantis, right?”

Her evasion of the question he asked doesn’t escape him, but he doesn’t press the issue. He wasn’t exactly an open book in his youth either.

“Yup. I’m Cal, and this here is BD-1.”

She frowns at him. “I know. I can speak binary,” she says, as if offended by the insinuation that she couldn’t.

Cal doesn’t let it faze him. “That’s good, not many people can.”

“I’m Jyn.”

Cal smiles to himself. He holds out his hand to her. “It’s nice to meet you, Jyn.”

She accepts the handshake, squeezing his hand in a fierce grip with her little fingers.

“Ouch, you got a strong grip there,” he says, exaggeratedly shaking the pain out of his right hand.

Jyn nods. “Saw says that a firm handshake establishes dominance quickly.”

“Well, it's working,” he says with a smile. “Is Saw your dad?”

Jyn frowns bitterly, and Cal instantly regrets asking. “Not really, she says, shaking her head. “He’s just raising me.”

Now there was a loaded response. Cal wonders what happened to her parents. Were they dead? Or was there another reason why she was in the middle of the woods with a band of militants and Saw Gerrera. Was it possible that she-

Cal shivers, and reaches out into the Force, only to withdraw with dismay a moment later. The Force flowed around her like it did every other being, but she lacked that spark of connection, that synchronization to the energy of life that other Force-sensitives had. He tries not to let his disappointment show on his face and steers the conversation away from either of their pasts, waving his hand to indicate the group gathered in the forest clearing. “Are all of these people your friends?”

She shrugs. “Sort of. I know most of them, but they don’t hang around much because they’re usually off on missions and stuff for Saw.”

“Does it ever get lonely?”

“No, I don’t mind being by myself. It does get boring though. Hey, can I have some of that?”

“What, this?” He holds up his cup, still half-full of Sunberry wine.

“Yeah.”

He narrows his eyes at her. “Um, I’m not sure that’s a great idea, it wouldn’t be very responsible of me. Besides, you’ll have plenty of time to drink when you’re older.” Internally, he cringes at his own words. Since when did he begin to sound like his master?

“That’s what all the others say. I thought you would be cool,” she says with a huff of disappointment.

Cal is momentarily tempted to give in, if only to salvage his status of “cool” in the eyes of this girl. But he really doesn’t want to get in trouble with their newfound allies by getting their surrogate daughter drunk on their very first meeting.

“Hey, I’m definitely cool. How old are you anyway?”

“I’m 8, and I think if I’m old enough to start training for field missions, I’m old enough to have something to drink that’s interesting. But so far, I'm the only one who thinks that.”

Training for field missions. Training for- Saw was training her for the field already?

Eight. She’s eight years old. He tries to picture this girl - with her tiny button nose and flyaway hairs escaping from braided pigtails - wearing her flak helmet and clutching a blaster, taking shelter in a foxhole as Imperial fire rains down. They at least had let him wait until he was 12 before he shipped out with Master Tapal and the clones in the 13th, this girl was practically still a baby.

Instinctively, he looks to Merrin, the only other person he knows who would understand. But Merrin isn’t where he saw her last. His eyes scan the clearing, and catch sight of her at the edge of the forest, at the start of the path that leads to the cliff edge nearby that overlooks the valley.

He wonders why she’s leaving, and if she wanted him to follow.

“Hey, did you hear what I said?”

Jyn is looking at him expectantly. Kriff.

“Uh, sorry, Jyn. Zoned out for a minute there. What was that?”

“I asked you if you know how to shoot a blaster, or if you only use your lightsaber and stuff.”

“Oh. Uh, I prefer the lightsaber I guess."

"Can I hold it?”

Cal blinks. Hold his lightsaber? He glances around the fire. He doesn’t have a problem with it, personally, but for the second time that evening, he is taken aback by his newfound position as an adult responsible for the wellbeing of a child. He unclips it from his belt.

“Yes. But,” he says, and doesn’t continue speaking until she’s torn her excited gaze away from his saber hilt to meet his eyes. “Let’s not ignite it here, okay? So be careful with the button. Got it?”

She nods, and he passes it to her.

She takes it reverently, holding it carefully in both hands and turning it over, examining it from all angles. Her little fingers barely wrap all the way around the circumference of the hilt. Cal is pleased to see she gingerly arranges her fingers so as not to accidentally trigger the ignition. BD-1 stands on her thigh, examining it with her even though he’s seen it hundreds of times already.

“It’s heavier than I thought,” she remarks. “Is it fun?”

“Is what fun?”

She shrugs. “You know. Using it, and fighting with it.”

Cal thinks for a moment. He doesn’t think of fighting as something fun. Usually, when he has to use it’s saber, it’s because somebody is trying to kill him and he will have to kill them in return. But his mind is drawn back to building his first saber as a youngling, and the thrill of feeling each component of the hilt assembling into something uniquely his. Of practicing kata or sparring in the temple, saber moving with power and fluidity as an extension of his own self. Of igniting his second saber for the first time on Illum, feeling the heat of the blade on his face and the crystal within calling out to him as if reuniting with an old friend.

And he finds himself saying, “Yeah. It’s pretty fun.”

She seems to consider something for a moment, and hands it back. “I know that I’m not a Jedi or anything, but do you think I would be good at fighting with one if I was?”

He busies himself with affixing his lightsaber back to his belt and taking a swallow from his rapidly-cooling wine as he considers how best to answer her bid for validation.

“How about the next time we come to work for Saw, you and I find out together?”

She looks at him accusingly. “But I don’t have a lightsaber, how would I do that?”

He shoots a look at BD-1, who seems to nod encouragingly.

“Before any Jedi builds their own lightsaber, we train with sticks and staves. We practice with ordinary weapons before we ever take up a lightsaber. I could teach you, if you wanted. You don’t need to be a Jedi to hit somebody with a stick."

She laughs at this, evidently not expecting so elegant a weapon to be compared to a common stick. “What if I wandered around with a stick tied to one side of my belt, and bonked people on the head like it was a tube of flimsi towels?” she says, shaking her fist as she raps Cal’s own skull with an imaginary cardboard tube.

Cal smiles. “Stormtrooper helmets aren’t very good quality, but they’re a bit tougher than your average flimsi-towel tube. We’ll have to find you something sturdier to practice with.”

Jyn stares at him, looking a bit shocked. “Were you serious about teaching me?”

BD-1 trills with affirmation, hopping from one little foot to the other in excitement.

“Of course. Not tonight, but we’ll see each other again. Someday, I’ll show you how to fight with one of these.

Her eyes are shining with excitement, and she holds out a tiny pinky. “Promise?”

He locks his little finger with hers, and says “I promise. You should be able to defend yourself as much as possible, when you’re out there.”

What he means is, I’m not going to let you die like the others, not if I can help it.

But he doesn’t say that, because Jyn is still young and dreams of glory, and the cruelty of the galaxy will find her soon enough without any of his help. She’s like him and Merrin now. A survivor.

Speaking of Merrin…

She’s still not back, and Cal eyes the entrance to the first path with apprehension. She’s more than capable of taking care of herself, he knows that. And if she had run into trouble, she would be able to make enough of a fuss to be noticeable from here.

Still.

He takes a final swig from his cup and leaves it behind him on the grass as he stands, and tries not to groan at the stiffness in his knees.

“I’m gonna go for a walk, make sure Merrin’s okay,” He says. “You two…” he points from Jyn to BD-1 in turn “Stay out of trouble, alright?”

“Okay,” Jyn says casually, resuming her fiddling with BD-1’s antennae as BD-1 chirps contentedly. “Don’t get lost.”

Cal isn’t worried about getting lost. He’d traveled the footpath from the clearing to the cliff ledge multiple times in the daylight. But this time, as the shadows of the trees close around him, cutting him off from the warmth of the fire and his gathered friends, his mind began to wander back to his conversation with Jyn.

Was Saw really going to send this child out to fight? At least with him, they hadn’t had a choice, they hadn’t just...

No, they had. The Jedi order made a choice to send him out onto the front lines as a soldier at the age of 12. They did the same to Caleb and Zett and Skywalker’s padawan, Ahsoka, who at the age of 14 had seemed so mature to Cal when he first met her. They had all grown up under blasterfire and canonfire and the shrill scream of bombers, and now Jyn was going to have to do the same.

He makes the decision then to ask the rest of the crew to take on as many jobs for Saw as they can. He knows he isn’t invincible. He can’t save the entire galaxy by himself, but if he can be here for Jyn, maybe….

Maybe he could be for her what Prauf was for him. A guide, an anchor, someone who would have her back when the going gets tough, as it inevitably does.

It takes 7 standard minutes and two stumbles over protruding roots before the trees thin out and Cal finds himself at the clearing on top of the cliff. It’s a stunning view. Corvus’ twin moons cast a wan glow over the valley, and the dark sea of trees below them stretches out all the way to the horizon, leaving the star-studded sky open and clear and resplendent. He isn’t alone, and nearly starts out of his poncho before he remembers why he came out this way and recognizes Merrin sitting on the edge, kicking her dangling feet back and forth. She seems to notice him at the same time he notices her.

“Did nobody ever warn you about sneaking up on a Nightsister?”

Cal smiles in the way he can’t help but smile whenever she’s near. “They probably did, and I just wasn’t paying attention.”

“Foolish of you,” she says, patting the spot on the grass next to her. “What are you doing out here?”

Cal accepts the invitation, and eases himself down beside her, dangling his legs over the edge as she did. “I wanted to make sure you were okay, and to keep you company if you didn’t want to be alone.”

She smiles a little, making the dimples in her cheeks stand out. “Thoughtful of you. Were you enjoying yourself?”

“I was. Saw knows how to throw a pretty good shindig.”

“I will have to take your word for it. I haven’t been to many shindigs, as you call them.”

“Yeah, I guess Dathomir wasn’t really known for it’s party scene.”

“As a matter of fact,” she says dryly, “It wasn’t.

“Did you meet Jyn?”

“Was she the little one you were talking to?”

Cal sighs deeply. “Yeah, she was.”

Merrin draws the silence out, leaving room in the air between them for Cal to say what he was thinking. He wasn’t even sure how to express it, but felt compelled to try. Besides, if anyone knew how he was feeling, Merrin would.

“She’s only eight. Saw’s training her for the field.”

Merrin makes a neutral humming noise in the back of her throat. “It will be good for her to learn early. Better start now, so she will be stronger when she’s grown.”

“Maybe, but I don’t know. She’s really young, and I…. I never really thought about the kind of childhood we had, and how it really wasn’t a childhood at all, until now. And it’s hard to wrap my head around.”

“It is difficult to see it happen to someone else with your own eyes, now that you’re grown.” Merrin’s voice is unusually gentle, but she wastes no time getting to the heart of the issue as usual.

“Yeah, exactly. I wish she could grow up in a more peaceful galaxy, and not have to fight.” He runs a frustrated hand through his hair, suddenly overwhelmed by a bitter surge of emotion. “And she’s not just out there for her own life. These rebels are fighting because so many can’t fight for themselves. She’s going to be responsible for a galaxy full of people older than her, adults who should be protecting her, not the other way around! And it’s not… it’s not fair.”

The sentiment sounds childish to his own ears - he’s long stopped believing that the universe was fair - but his chest aches with the truth of it. What he wouldn’t give to live in a world where he and Merrin could have had their childhoods free of fighting and and death and raw survival, where they could simply be two teenagers: Drinking and talking and watching the stars. Where Jyn could simply be a child. With her parents. Going to school, making friends her own age, catching bugs and playing with dolls and collecting model starfighters.

As if she could sense his thoughts, Merrin says “There’s no use dwelling on what could have been, Cal. This is the world we’ve been given. We’re here, so we’ll keep her as safe as we can for as long as we can, and when we can’t anymore, well. You and I survived, didn’t we?”

He glances at her to find she’s already holding his gaze.

“Yeah, I guess we did.”

“Then why can’t Jyn?”

Trust only in the Force.

He takes a deep breath in and exhales, and with it releases his fear and anxiety and regret into the Force, like snow melting off a mountainside.

Sometimes, he thinks Merrin would have made a better Jedi than he ever did.

“You’re right, as always,” he says, and a comfortable silence ensues between them for the next few moments as they watch the stars together.

“Hey,” Cal says, tilting his head towards the southwest. “That constellation kind of looks like Greez.”

She follows his gaze, searching the horizon with bright eyes. “Where?”

He extends his arm and points up at the vaguely Latero-shaped cluster of stars. “There. See?”

“Huh. I think it sort of looks like a dick.”

“Do you mean it actually looks like a penis, or that Greez is just a dick?”

Merrin considers for a moment. “Yes to both.”

Cal snorts.

They carry on that way, and make a game of trying to find the shapes of their friends in the stars. Until something occurs to Cal.

“Hey, why did you leave anyway?” He asks.

“Well, it was… you know.” Merrin sighs, and Cal copies her earlier silence, the open air of the night waiting for her words.

“On Dathomir, and even with you and the crew of the Mantis, I always knew that I belonged, and it’s easy to know what to do. I’ve… I’ve never been around so many people before who didn’t know me.”

Cal thinks he knows what she means, but he lets her go on.

“Cere has her music, and Greez loses our money at games, most beings find you handsome and pleasant and easy to talk to, and of course everyone loves your little droid. But I don’t know what the rules are, yet. To being with so many people who aren’t like me.”

Cal feels his face flush hot at her words. Merrin thought he was handsome? But he didn’t let himself dwell on the compliment.

“You know you’re one of us though, right?”

Merrin had an impressive sabacc face by anyone’s standards, but Cal had known her long enough by now to learn her tells. Right now, for instance, the slightest tension in her brown told him that she wasn’t entirely sure.

“Hey, I mean it. Socializing takes practice, it definitely did for me when I first ended up on Bracca. The first year was awkward and confusing, but we really care about you. I know it won’t be the same as your sisters on Dathomir, but you have a place here, for as long as you want it.”

Merrin nods, slow and contemplative. “I do, and I care about you too, but it doesn’t feel the same as I thought it would all the time. So many things are unfamiliar, it gets overwhelming. Cere’s music was nice but I don’t know any of the songs that the others do. The music on Dathomir wasn’t quite so… exuberant, but at least I knew all the words.”

Cal leans back on his arms to better look her in the eye.

“Well, that problem shouldn’t be a hard one to fix.”

Merrin mirrors his movements to regard him in return. “What do you mean?

“I’ll send you some music before the next shindig, whenever it is.”

Merrin raises an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “You want me to listen to that caterwauling you call music?”

“First of all,” he says, holding up a reproachful finger. “It’s not caterwauling. And I’ll make you a playlist, even. Cal Kestis’ Guide to Exploring the Galaxy Through Music. And next time Saw has a party you’re going to sing and get drunk and be ridiculous with the rest of us. We can pretend we’re regular, irresponsible teenagers having fun for once.”

She turns away again to study the terrain below them. “I would do no such thing. I am the epitome of grace and beauty, and will not bring disgrace upon the Nightsisters of Dathomir by fraternizing with the likes of you in such a way.” Her tone is imperious and unyielding, but he notices the faintest upturn in the corners of her mouth and knows she's only teasing.

“That’s a lie! You’re just as weird as the rest of us, admit it.”

“I should sue you on grounds of defamation of character.”

“How? You don’t know any lawyers and we’re both enemies of the state.”

“Semantics.” She lies down onto her back, face tilted to the night sky. The light of Corvus’ moon casts a glow on her face that makes her grey complexion look like a moon itself, ethereal and resplendent. “Very well. I will let you educate me about ‘music,’” she says, making quotes in the air with her fingers, “on one condition.”

“And what would that be?”

“Next time we’re at one of these, what did you call them? Shindigs? You are going to dance with me.”

Cal hesitates. “Well… I’m really not a very good dancer, Merrin.”

“I know that. But I have hopes of improving you. You will find I am a marvelous teacher. My sisters and I would dance when we had… nights like this.”

She doesn’t elaborate, but Cal is no stranger to longing for a past that was cruelly ripped away. As shy as he felt about dancing in public, he wasn’t going to let her miss a chance to give her back something she loved about her home.

“Okay then. You can teach me to dance.”

Merrin grins, looking delighted.

Yeah. He would waltz arm-in-arm with the Ninth Sister if only to see Merrin smile like that again. He copies her in lying down on his back, breathing deeply of the forest air.

Moments where it’s just the two of them together, without the rest of the crew or even BD-1 around are few and far between and tragically short at that, so Cal decides to relish every minute of it as it is. The stillness, the beauty of the night sky on Corvus, lying next to her so close their shoulders are a hair’s breadth from touching, and nowhere they need to be for the next standard rotation.

Yeah, Cal could get used to this. He sneaks another glance at Merrin.

Judging by the way her eyes are closed and her breathing has deepened, Merrin is even more relaxed than he is.

He smiles, glad that she’s finally resting properly. Sleep is hard to come by in their line of work, and Merrin works harder than the rest of them, since her magick is so vital to sneaking the Mantis past Imperial blockades.

The thought of work and blockades and their myriad responsibilities must be what jinxes him, because just at that moment, his comm chirps and Merrin jerks awake.

“Sorry, Merrin,” he says sheepishly. He wishes whoever was trying to get in touch with them could have at least given her a few more minutes to sleep.

“It’s fine,” she replies. “See who it is, it might be important.”

Regretfully, he answers the comm. “Cal here.”

“You kids better have been kidnapped or something,” blares Greez’s voice from Cal’s wrist. “Because if I find out you two have been canoodling in those woods, I swear I’ll-”

“Kriff, Greez! No one’s canoodling!” He silently damns his own face for blushing, and hopes Merrin doesn’t notice. “We were just on a walk.”

“Oh, that’s what they’re calling it these days? And where did you hear that language?”

“The last time? From you,” Cal deadpans.

"Yeah okay, smartass. Merrin’s with you?”

“She is,” Merrin says.

“Swell. Look, fire’s getting low, Saw’s getting impatient, Cere broke a string, and that little droid of yours is about to bust a servo with how much he’s worrying about you. So you might want to get back here. We’ll pack up the Mantis, make the jump to Taanab and sleep on the way. Got it?”

Cal sighs, and shares a knowing look with Merrin. So much for peace and quiet.

But such was the life of survivors like them.

“We hear you, Greez. We’ll be back shortly.”

“And no detours! Don’t need you two giving each other any diseases or-”

“Yup, we got it, thanks,” he says quickly, before Greez can add any more input on what they should or shouldn’t do on their way back. “Cal out.”

He shuts off his comlink, closes his eyes, and sighs for what feels like the millionth time that evening. When he opens his eyes, Merrin is pointing towards the southwest.

“Like I said. Dick.”

He laughs, embarrassment forgotten in a moment.

“You were right about that,” he says, then stands up and offers her a hand for assistance.

The scathing look she gives him would have cowed a lesser man, but Cal stands his ground, silently daring her to accept his chivalry. She does give in, as he knew she would, using him as leverage to pull herself to her feet.

But what he didn’t know that she would do was draw herself closer still and wrap her arms around his shoulders.

It takes him by surprise, but he gathers himself quickly. The gaping hole in his chest that made their last (and so far, only) hug a rather painful ordeal is now nothing but a blot of pinkish scar tissue, so he returns her embrace wholeheartedly, settling his arms against her back and waist. Merrin takes a deep, tremulous breath, and he rubs her back tenderly to soothe her.

She doesn’t show any interest in letting go yet, so he lets himself linger as long as she’s willing to, dreading the moment of pulling away. He can’t remember the last time he had ever felt like this. Physical affection on Bracca and the Mantis was limited to back slaps and shoulder pats and handshakes sealed with the spit of a promise. He remembers falling asleep cuddled next to his fellow crechemates as a very small youngling at the temple, but they had abandoned such childish actions when they left the creche. Now that he considers it, he can’t remember the last time he had been held.

And suddenly he feels untethered and desperate and weak at the knees and he squeezes her as close to him as he can without hurting her. He lets out a harsh breath that turns into a whimper, and muffles the sound in the crook of her neck. Her arms around his shoulders tighten in response. He imagines himself physically soaking in the hug, letting her warmth and her weight in his arms seep through his skin and shore up his defenses that have been stretched too thin for far too long.

A hundred years could have gone by, and Cal would have been content for both of them to stay right where they were for the entirety of it. But Merrin loosens her grip on him so he reluctantly does the same. It’s only then he realizes that he had managed to lift her completely off her feet, and she drops the few inches back to the ground awkwardly, landing on his toes.

“Ow, kriff, I’m sorry,” He fumbles. “I didn’t mean to-”

“Don’t apologize,” she chuckles, tugging the hem of her tunic back into place. “It was nice. You’re a good friend, Cal. You give good hugs.”

Affection wells in his chest and swells his heart so full he’s afraid it will burst. His feelings for her lately have been… complex. And confusing. And he doesn’t really know what to do with them, except to stay by her side for as long as he can, wherever they go.

“I’m- I’m so glad I met you,” is all he knows to say. And as an addendum, “You give good hugs too.”

The words sounded lame as soon as he said them, but Merrin beamed as if he had recited the sonnets of Adranax.

Until her face nearly splits down the middle in a massive yawn she belatedly tries to cover with the back of her hand. He puts an arm around her shoulders then steers them both towards the path that will take them back to the others.

“Come on,” he says. “Long day tomorrow.”

“It always is, isn’t it.”

“That’s true.” He takes one last look behind them at the moon-soaked landscape, committing it to memory as best as he can.

This is a night he never wants to forget.

#jedi: fallen order #cal kestis #nightsister merrin #jedi: fallen order fanfic #star wars fanfiction

13 notes · View notes