#maybe is he just something like a friend or a secret confidant to the Soldier?

[thepachy]

I asked you, but I wish you'd share with the class xD Besides maybe you got new ideas.

What reaction would Eric have if there was someone out of jealousy accusing him of being too close to Jacob? Does Eric think himself he even deserves such accusations, since him and Jacob are not really in any relationship?

And I got curious, does Eric as a painter have some fans of his own among cultists maybe?

Mmmmhh that’s interesting questions. (First of all I’m so so so so sorry pookie for literally taking ages to answer to this because i literally don’t even remember when you asked this but I’m still so grateful 💀)

Ok so, because of Eric’s sort of "relationship" with Jacob is mostly hidden, both try to hide it for different reasons but after a long time others clearly saw that there was possibly something, if someone started to accuse Eric, he would deny it because he doesn’t want it to be known but most importantly, he doesn’t want to hide it for him but for Jacob. Because he cares more for Jacob than himself so it goes with his image too. He refuse to be the cause for Jacob strong image being put down so he would do anything to deny it. Again and again even if some signs are obvious that he’s being treated better from the Soldier because of their bond (at a point, all chosen are aware that the deer pass some nights in Jacob’s room).

He would obviously feel bad but If he sees the accusations are made with jealousy he would feel even worse with the situation. He would try to hide the situation because he doesn't want to be the fruit of discord inside the family. He surely doesn't want to be an obstacle to anyone, after all he always feel like he is lower from everyone around. In fact he wouldn't understand why even those accusations exist because for him, he knows there is nothing but for people around, it's true it's a very a strange case

They sure have a very particular and sometimes questionable bond that make them trust each other but no matter how strong their bond is, it’s not and it will never be love simply for 2 things. One, Eric’s love towards Jacob grew because of the obsession for his muse and secondary, Jacob doesn’t love Eric. He cares for him even if he very rarely show it directly but doesn’t he love him because he could be ashamed of the whole thing or his feelings towards another man or a weakling ? Who knows how work his mind. Sure they call themselves partners all the time and it has so many meanings that it sure that everyone around already tried to understand the meaning of it but does they even knew precisely or just called each other with something so general that it prevented to use real words?

Also how could he react? If it's in his first years when he was more shy and all, he'll sure try to avoid confrontation with the person who accused him to be in her way, trying to avoid the subject as possible or even avoid her and Jacob for a while to maybe pass the message that he isn't an obstacle but if it's more recent when he becomes more ruthless or more the way Jacob wants him to be, he would probably try to adjust some points with the help of fear or being cocky, using his place or something to make it somehow clear (even more if the person tried to harm him)

Oh ? You want to harm me ? I’m not really sure Father would accept this…. Or even Jacob… you don’t want to disappoint them right ? What ? Scared to loose your tail, little fox ?

But will still makes things clear afterwards in a more diplomatic way when no one is around

oh and by the way, for earlier… before you got another idea… we’re not… a thing, me and… he’s free so... Try your chance, you’ll always have more luck than me after all…

After all he knows he’ll never be the one but he’ll never try to prevent it. If he see that Jacob and someone else are getting closer, he’ll try to do his best to help, Jacob is his priority, no matter what, no matter with who

E: He need someone like me or y’know, better

M: …I'm not following you

He need someone that care for him more than he do, someone that care fo him like i do. Someone that could bear with his mood swings, his issues. Someone that would be willing to climb the walls he built just like i did but better! He doesn’t need a poor weak like me, he need someone strong, someone from his world. He need someone that could help him when he feels low, when his mind play tricks, someone that could cheer him up, someone that could be his anchor to really. A caretaker, not someone that can’t barely stay alive by himself. He needs someone that... someone that isn't me

..so you want to find someone for the man you truly love ? Just like that?

I know she is the right okay? I saw her and how she truly cares for him. And what do you want ? We follow the Father’s words and just like he said, my love is a poison. To love but not to be loved. He’s perfect…

So you’ll just watch them from afar? Like a shadow and doing nothing?!

Come on Mark, y’know I’m always in the shadow of the Seeds. It’s my little place

Yeah of course he would feel jealous but he knows what’s good for Jacob

Am i mad? Yeah of course… You came here and ruined everything i tried to build for years. But l'm also not mad because i knew it was never for me. I'm not dumb to live in fairy tales. You’re a good one. I’m mad at you… but i also put all my trust in you to be the best partner in life.

Also i love Dina, she is amazing and the more i think about her and Jacob, the more it helped me to really show the purpose of Eric in all this. It was never to be the one loved but to give love to the man till The right person came to take his place.

For the second question idk if i can really answer it after aaaal that but anyway

I always liked to think that yes, Eric has some fans among the cultists. In fact it could be for some reasons. Obviously it’s because he’s a talented one so people usually like him and his portraits or landscapes but i also think it could be thanks to how Joseph show him. Eric is the Artist, the painter of the Father. I think we could classify him as one of the VIPs or seconds maybe? But anyway. Joseph since the beginning always showed him as his talented child like almost a gift from God (just like he did for the 2 previous artists) because it was kinda rare to find someone this talented and most of all, willing to help him share his visions. I like to think that the very first artist was maybe the one who helped him illustrate his book (even if i also like the idea that it could be Joseph himself but you still have the idea). So yeah it could be also totally normal for a lot of brothers and sisters to care for this guy that the Father called his gift or something.

Eric has fans for mostly his art but also his kindness, trying to help everyone he can even if it means putting himself in trouble, in particular his health. I also like to think it’s something very beneficial because even if Eric doesn’t feel like he is a gift or something, he just feels like he is like the others but they still all care for him and some a lot ! He often look like the weakling of the family, looking skinny, skipping meals because he was too focused on a landscape for days or things like this, Eric is a man that genuinely don’t know how to take care of himself properly because if he has the possibility to do his passion, the gift Joseph gave him, he’ll do it even if it becomes unhealthy so it’s always good for him to have people all around the regions, fans or siblings that are here to simply makes sure the talented child is okay.

Hope i answered well !

Thanks again I’m very grateful for some people maybe starting to like my oc and i help it helped you see how he thinks or maybe better understand his role in the big family or even his role besides the Soldier

[yuri-is-online]

Traditional fantasy isekai au where:

Yuu is isekaid to Twisted Wonderland as a child, in a setting that's hundreds of years before the main game, and is adopted by a family there. Maybe Grim is a normal cat that came with them and gained the ability to talk and do magic out of a desire to protect his best friend. They grow up and train as a soldier of some sort out of gratitude to their adoptive parents to protect them, eventually leaving their place with Grim in search of adventure depending on where they landed:

City of Flowers! Yuu who was raised by the people who lived in the Court of Miracles and wants to get a job with the city guard to help fight for the rights of their adoptive home. They're helped by a friend they made as a child, the son of well respected parents who came to heavily rely on Yuu after the loss of his younger brother. Now a well respected legal student with his eye on a judge's seat, Rollo is hiding a deadly secret: he is a powerful mage and you are one of the only people who knows. He's also desperately in love with you and at real risk of going insane if something bad happens to the one good thing he has left in his life.

Land of Dawning! Yuu who hunts monsters along the coast line and finds a badly beaten merfolk on the beach and patches him up without a single thought. The man scolds them when he wakes, wondering why Yuu is so unafraid of what he could do to them now that he's awake only to be met with a shrug and a warning that poachers much less kind than Yuu are in the area who see non typical mer such as himself as monsters. Yuu happens to have a bounty for them. Oya? Jade says he's quite aware of that and what's more, they have his brother and a dear friend. Won't you continue to assist this poor, unfortunate soul in rescuing the only family he has left in this world? He doesn't have anything to pay you with. Something about his attitude makes you roll your eyes but so long as you don't have to split the bounty four ways you say you'll help. Pleasure doing business with you he says, and you both go to sleep that night confident you won't get attached to the other at all by the time the job's done.

Clock Town! Yuu who used to be picked on for not having any magic by the delinquent gangs only to find themselves in a party with one of the worst of the worst torn between being hurt Deuce doesn't remember making fun of them or impressed with how determined he is to turn his life around vs Deuce who absolutely remembers but has no idea how to appropriately apologize so he just makes it his mission to bring you home from every mission unscathed, even if it's at the cost of his own health. He swears he'll say it eventually, he just needs to find a way to not make an ass of himself by saying something stupid like he loves you.

Farm Kid! Yuu who gets recruited by Ace for his party because he literally can't get anyone other than you and Deuce and ends up being the glue that holds it together. Ace is dumbfounded as he watches you successfully recruit Jack, Epel, Ortho, and even Sebek without much trouble and hates himself for ever thinking about abandoning you as soon as he got better party members. Yuu who knows that's what he wanted to do from the start and resigns themselves to him leaving when Riddle makes his offer only for Ace to stay with Ramshackle Party because he's "too busy looking after them" to be a card soldier, hiding the burns on his hands from when he punched the Arch Mage for insulting you. He can surpass Riddle's party on his own any day.

[cheynovak]

Complicated

Characters: Soldier boy x Y/N Female character     

Summary: Y/N, a young personal assistant to Soldier Boy (Ben) and Crimson Countess, is caught in a whirlwind of events that shatter her sense of stability. After accidentally witnessing an intimate moment between Ben, Crimson, and another woman, she’s left shaken and unsure how to process it. The following day, Crimson casually invites her to join them, which only adds to Y/N's confusion.

Warnings: 18+ hurt pain TRIGGER WARNING: mentioning of rape/ sexual abuse. If you don't want to or can't read this, please skip to next part in this story.

English is not my first language 

*This story is my own original story, please do not copy my work, reblog/comments/likes are appreciated* 

part 6/?

He just opened the door and walked out, leaving me alone with nothing but the empty space he’d left behind.

Weeks passed, and I hadn’t seen or heard from Ben, officially statement: secret mission. At first, I tried to push it out of my mind, telling myself this was just what he did—he came and went on his own terms. But the longer I went without seeing him, the worse I felt. Worse than when I’d left Kevin, even. At least with him, I’d known why it ended. But Ben had left me without a single explanation.

What did he mean when he said, “You are loved”? The question haunted me, playing over and over in my mind. Did he mean he loved me? Was it some twisted way of telling me he cared? Or was he saying that I’d be loved someday, by someone else? That thought was like a knife to my chest—because what if I’d already given my heart to someone who wouldn’t give his back?

I tried to keep my distance from any member of Payback at work, hoping they wouldn’t ask about it, hoping they wouldn’t even notice I existed. The last thing I needed was to be asked why I hadn’t been around Soldier Boy or why he hadn’t been around me. I couldn’t face the humiliation of admitting I didn’t know where he was or if he was even coming back.

As days turned into weeks, the silence between us grew unbearable. So I packed my bags, leaving behind the life I’d been building with him—or rather, the life I’d been building in his shadow. I found a small, cramped apartment on the other side of the city. It was nothing like the glamorous place Ben had provided me. It smelled like damp wood and cigarettes, the walls paper-thin, the floors uneven.

But it was mine. And at that point, I was angry enough to prefer it. Angry at Ben for disappearing. Angry at myself for caring so damn much.

In the middle of that anger, though, there was something else. A deep, aching emptiness. I kept picturing Ben giving his loft to some other girl—someone else to play with when he was bored, someone else who’d wait around for him like I had. Maybe someone who wouldn’t ask for more, someone easier to forget.

I hated the thought of it, hated the idea of being so easily replaced. But no matter how hard I tried to move on, that cold, hollow feeling wouldn’t leave me. And the worst part was knowing that, even though I was furious, I would’ve taken him back in an instant if he just showed up and gave me a reason to.

But he hadn’t.

And maybe he never would.

Tonight was my first night off in ages, and after sitting in my small, smelly apartment for what felt like hours, I knew I couldn’t stay cooped up any longer. I needed to get out. Working for Vought had turned my social life into something non-existent, leaving me with no friends to call up for a night out. But it was 1979, and I didn’t need an excuse to go out by myself.

I pulled on a short skirt and high boots, the outfit giving me a small boost of confidence. I left my place and wandered into town, the neon lights of the city buzzing above me, drawing me in. Eventually, I found a nice pub with good music, a place that seemed alive, filled with strangers dancing and laughing. It felt like the escape I needed.

But as soon as I walked in, I spotted Kevin. My stomach dropped. He was with a group of his friends, sitting at the bar, laughing like he didn’t have a care in the world. At first, I tried to act like I hadn’t noticed him. I didn’t want to run off and look like I was afraid. But I felt his eyes on me the moment he spotted me.

He kept looking, and I could feel the tension building with each passing second. The way he stared, the familiar intensity, sent a chill down my spine.

I tried to ignore it, ordering a drink and pretending like I was just another patron, but the awkwardness became unbearable. I kept stealing glances over my shoulder, knowing he was still watching me. After a couple of drinks, the atmosphere of the pub no longer felt exciting or freeing. It felt suffocating.

I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to leave.

As I pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped out into the cool night air, I breathed a sigh of relief. The sounds of the city felt less pressing out here, and for a moment, I thought I’d managed to escape him. I started walking down the street, eager to get home and forget the whole night.

But little did I know, Kevin had followed me.

Before I realized what was happening, he caught up to me, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me into a small, dark alley. The suddenness of it knocked the breath from my lungs, fear rushing through me like ice in my veins. His hands were all over me, rough and insistent, and no matter how much I pushed or squirmed, he was stronger.

"Kevin, stop," I pleaded, my voice shaking, but he didn’t listen.

I didn’t want this, but he didn’t care. His grip tightened, his hands roaming over my body like he had some right to me. The fear was paralyzing, every inch of my skin crawling as I struggled against him.

I needed to get out of there, needed to fight back, but his strength and his size kept me pinned in place. I could feel the cold, damp bricks of the alley behind me, the rough texture scraping against my back as he pressed me into the wall. Every inch of me screamed to run, but I was trapped.

I tried to scream, but Kevin’s hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me. Tears streamed down my cheeks, my heart pounding in my chest as panic took over. Oh, please, God, no, was all I could think, the words like a desperate prayer echoing in my mind.

In a moment of frantic instinct, I kicked him as hard as I could. My boot connected with his shin, and for a brief second, I thought I had a chance. As he stumbled back, I turned to run, but before I could even take a step, another pair of hands grabbed me roughly from behind.

His friends.

They had turned the corner, and now I was trapped between them, my escape cut off. Fear washed over me like ice, my body trembling as I realized I was completely surrounded. My voice broke as I started begging, the words falling from my lips in a desperate, shaking sob. “No, please… please, no…”

Tears blurred my vision as I backed up, only to bump into Kevin again. His breath was hot against my face, and his voice dripped with cruel satisfaction as he leaned in close.

“Let’s see what you’ve learned over these past months, you slut,” he sneered, his voice thick with malice.

I froze, my entire body going numb. His words were laced with all the hate and control he’d always tried to have over me, and in that moment, I knew what he was planning to do. I tried to pull away, to fight, but the weight of his friends’ presence and the fear coursing through me made my limbs feel weak, powerless.

I was trapped. Trapped and alone. And all I could do was beg for it to stop.

--

I tried to walk home, but my legs felt like they were moving on their own. My mind kept repeating what had just happened, the memory of their hands on my body, their grins, their laughter—it was twisted pleasure for them. They enjoyed it. I wanted to cry, to scream, but it was like I’d run out of tears. The emptiness was worse than the pain.

Somehow, I ended up in front of Ben’s building. I didn’t even realize I had come this far until I was standing at the entrance. My feet had carried me here, to the only place I could think of. I stumbled into the elevator, leaning against the cold metal walls as it took me up to his penthouse. I didn’t know why I was here. Maybe I just needed to see a familiar face, to feel something other than the hollow, aching void that had settled into my chest.

When I reached his door, I knocked once, weakly.

From inside, I could hear the unmistakable sounds of moaning, women’s voices tangled with each other. I flinched, a fresh wave of nausea hitting me. My body tensed, and I immediately regretted coming here. What was I thinking? Just as I turned to leave, the door swung open.

Ben stood there in nothing but a silk bathrobe, his expression already irritated before he even fully saw me. “What? Miss the luxury already, princess?” he snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. His eyes were cold, dismissive, like I was just another annoyance interrupting his night.

I turned my head over my shoulder, trying to hide my face. “Sorry… this was a mistake,” I whispered, or at least I tried to. My voice was barely audible, cracking under the weight of everything.

But as soon as he saw me—really saw me—his expression shifted. The irritation vanished, replaced with something else. His eyes scanned my face, taking in the smeared makeup, the cracked lip, the red, swollen eyes from crying. The bruises that were probably forming under my skin.

He didn’t say a word. His face tightened, his jaw clenching as he turned away from me. “Wait here,” he muttered, his voice low and tense. He walked back inside, and I heard the confused murmurs of the girls still in his penthouse.

A few moments later, the door opened wide again, and I saw them—half-dressed, their clothes hastily thrown on, their makeup smudged from whatever they’d been doing with Ben. They didn’t even get a chance to put their shoes on as they stumbled out, looking irritated but confused, clutching their things to their chests. Ben stood behind them, his face hard, his hand gripping the door frame so tightly his knuckles were white.

Once they were gone, he turned to me, his green eyes burning with something I couldn’t quite place. “Get in here,” he said, his voice rough, but not angry anymore. Not like before.

I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. But my legs gave out before I could think, and I collapsed into his arms, the weight of everything finally catching up to me.

Ben stood there, his usual cool, detached demeanor gone as he took a long look at me. He noticed everything—the ripped skirt, the bruises on my legs, the smudged makeup. His eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he walked over to the bar and poured me a drink, offering it to me without a word. I took it, my hand trembling as I brought the glass to my lips.

He watched me for a moment, and then he knelt down in front of me, his gaze softer than I’d ever seen it before. “What happened?” he asked, his voice quiet, low.

I couldn’t bring myself to answer. The words were stuck in my throat, a knot of shame and fear keeping them locked inside. I stared at the floor, my fingers gripping the glass like it was the only thing keeping me together.

Ben waited, his eyes searching my face for a clue, for anything that would explain what had happened. But when the silence dragged on, he didn’t push. Instead, after a beat, he asked gently, “Do you want to shower?”

I nodded. It was a small movement, just a slight dip of my head, but as soon as I nodded once, it was like something broke inside me. The tears came all at once, harder than before, and I couldn’t stop them. I shook my head, trying to get it together, but it only made the sobs worse.

Ben’s face softened even more, and he reached out, gently placing his hand on my knee. “Shh, shh. It’s okay,” he murmured, his voice low and soothing, a stark contrast to his usual harsh tone. “You’re safe now, alright? You’re safe.”

I couldn’t stop crying, my body shaking as the weight of everything came crashing down on me.

“I’ll get the water running,” Ben said, standing up slowly. “It’s okay now. Just take a minute.” He paused for a second, looking at me like he wanted to say more, but instead he just nodded to himself, walking toward the bathroom.

The sound of running water filled the silence, but Ben’s words echoed louder in my mind. It’s okay now. But I was not.

I stood there in the bathroom, the warm steam from the shower slowly dissipating, but it did nothing to ease the cold pit in my stomach. When I looked down at my body, I noticed the bruises—dark, ugly marks that trailed up my thighs and near my core. My chest tightened, and before I knew it, tears were streaming down my face again, silent and unstoppable.

Ben had left a babydoll dress for me to wear. Normally, I wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but now… I couldn’t even imagine putting it on. Not after what had happened. Not with these bruises on my body. I stared at it for what felt like forever, unable to make myself leave the bathroom.

Hours passed. I lost track of time, sitting on the cold tiles, feeling more exposed than ever. Eventually, there was a soft knock at the door.

“Y/N,” Ben called gently from the other side. “You okay?”

I hesitated for a moment, then stood up and slowly unlocked the door. When I opened it, Ben stood there, concern etched across his face. He took one look at me, at the towel wrapped around my body, and then at the babydoll dress still untouched.

“Why haven’t you changed?” he asked, his voice soft but curious.

My lip trembled. I wanted to answer, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud. The words wouldn’t come. Instead, I took a step back, my hands shaking. I felt like a small child, vulnerable and terrified, but all I could think was maybe I could show him?

Ben’s eyes narrowed as he watched me. His gaze shifted, and then it happened—he saw them. The bruises. His expression changed in an instant, his eyes widening as the realization hit him. His face, once filled with concern and confusion, twisted into something darker. Pure fury.

“Who?” he demanded, his voice low, dangerous. “Who did this, Y/N?”

I backed away, my whole body trembling now, and I started crying again. I couldn’t stop it this time. The memories came flooding back, overwhelming me, and I couldn’t get the words out. I just shook my head, trying to catch my breath between sobs.

Ben’s hands clenched into fists, his jaw tightening as his face contorted with rage. “Tell me who the fuck did this!” he shouted, taking a step forward. His voice was thunderous, raw, and filled with a burning anger I’d never seen in him before.

I collapsed onto the bathroom floor, shaking my head. I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t say it out loud. But Ben’s fury didn’t waver. He knelt down beside me, trying to pull me into his arms.

“Please, Y/N, you have to tell me who did this,” he said, his voice quieter now, but still shaking with barely controlled rage. “I’ll make them pay.”

But I couldn’t stop crying long enough to respond. All I could think about was the horror of what had happened, and the terrifying thought of what Ben might do next if he knew.

Ben let go of his anger for a moment, the fire in his eyes dimming as he looked at me. Without a word, he left the room and returned a few minutes later, holding an old shirt and a pair of sweatpants—his own clothes. He handed them to me gently, his expression still tight with restrained fury but softened by something more protective.

"If you tell me where you live, I’ll pick up some clothes for you," he offered, his voice quieter now, trying to keep calm.

I shook my head immediately, panic rising in my chest. My hand clamped onto his wrist, desperate and trembling. "No, please don’t leave me," I whispered, my voice hoarse but clear. It was the first real sentence I’d managed to speak all night, the first words that didn’t feel broken by the weight of what had happened.

Ben’s eyes softened further, and his body seemed to relax as he knelt in front of me again. He reached up, covering my hand with his. "Alright," he said softly. "I won’t leave."

There was something different in his tone now—not the arrogance or the frustration I’d grown so used to, but something steady, grounding. He stayed still, waiting for me to decide what I needed, not pushing, not demanding. Just being there.

The tears slowed, and for the first time since everything happened, I didn’t feel completely alone.

--

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[maxdibert]

Do you have any headcanons on the 'gang of Slytherins' Sirius mentioned and said Severus was involved with? Were any of them classmates or just spread out across all years? Lucius was part of the gang, Bellatrix too. Perhaps the older ones preyed on the young ones and tried to see and pick who has the potential to become a death eater with proper grooming methods. Then the ones who were chosen might have recommended and involved their friend who also has potential etc. Like a quiet secret game that relies on connection, manipulation and trust. I think it was a game of trial and error and their preying was slow and careful. They definitely weren't public but were still shady enough that people were wary and noticed them.

Lucius and Bellatrix were older, and I suppose they had a good relationship, perhaps even considered each other friends, although I think Lucius must have had a calmer, less impulsive, and more strategic personality. You can see him welcoming Severus during the Sorting ceremony, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he acted charming and approachable toward new Slytherins as a strategy to get close to them and recruit them. The war wouldn’t start until much later, but it’s not far-fetched to think that many pure-blood families were already plotting and using Slytherin as a base for their intrigues — a sort of breeding ground for future soldiers for their cause.

I’ve always thought that, upon realizing where Severus came from — something Lucius would have spotted immediately because, honestly, people of a certain social class can recognize someone with no money in a split second — he figured that if he gave him the right tools, he could turn him into someone useful. And I believe this perception must have increased significantly when he saw that the boy was talented and intelligent. I’ve always thought Severus must have been some sort of "project" for Lucius, very Emma Woodhouse-like: taking this kid with no money, no class, no family name, and no blood status and turning him into a worthy member of their sacred Hogwarts house. A sort of social project for rich people with no real understanding of the issue.

That would explain why Severus, despite how the Marauders treated him and despite being a half-blood himself, had a group to hang out with in Slytherin, and there’s no indication anyone there bullied him. It would also explain how he got into the Death Eaters so easily and why he quickly became Voldemort’s spy. To me, Lucius was his social patron, and at the same time, I think knowing that Severus had his protection and acceptance made things easier for him in Slytherin. I also think that’s why Severus felt some affection for the Malfoys, something clearly seen in how he treats Draco or reacts to Narcissa’s visit — even the fact that Narcissa knew where he lived in the Muggle world. I mean, Narcissa Malfoy, in the Muggle world, in a very poor working-class neighborhood, moving around confidently? She had clearly been there before, and that indicates a close relationship. Honestly, I don’t think Severus would have let people like the Malfoys see Spinner’s End (or anyone, really, except Lily — and only because Lily lived nearby and was his childhood friend; otherwise, he wouldn’t have let her either) unless he truly had a close bond with them. To me, Lucius turned Severus into his personal project, and the fact that Severus turned out to be so capable made him grow fond of him. I also see Narcissa as a kind of older sister — a bit frivolous but ultimately fond of the kid because, well, look at him — like an abandoned street puppy.

I’ve always thought that Avery and Mulciber must have been in his year because not only is it mentioned that Severus hung out with them, but also because Lily references the incident with Mary McDonald, who was also in the same year — or that’s the implication. I think they were classmates, maybe even roommates, and that Severus adapted to what they did and laughed at their antics, much like Peter or Remus did with Sirius and James, just to have a place to belong in a hostile environment.

It’s true that Rowling mentions, "Severus wanted Lily but also wanted Mulciber," and that could be interpreted in many ways. Maybe he had a closer relationship with Mulciber, or perhaps he wanted what Mulciber had — what Mulciber represented in contrast to what Lily represented. I do think he probably considered him a friend at some point, and much like Remus would later excuse his friends’ terrible behavior when talking to Harry, Severus likely did the same with his own friends.

I also think that after what happened with Lily, the only people he still felt some regard for and considered close were the Malfoys, despite how contradictory that may seem. But Severus has always been deeply loyal to people who, from the start, showed him affection, kindness, or even just sympathy. He demonstrates this with Lily, with Dumbledore, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were the same with the Malfoys. I don’t think his favoritism toward Draco was just a cover; I believe that in the same way he hated Harry because of how his father treated him, he also liked Draco for the same reason.

[https-furina]

Hello! Can I req sugar 'n' spice prompt 26 with scaramouche??^^

✎ means of silence.

ft. scaramouche x gn!reader

prompt: "i love you, but you need to shut up."

w.c. 760 words

content: fluff, partner most likely has adhd (or just a very quick, talkative brain teehee), as always harbinger! scara

notes: aaaaa content for my favourite harbinger~

standing before a bunch of fatui lackeys that he's supposed to be commanding and not to mention also tartaglia - scaramouche keeps glaring at him in disgust, why is he even here? - scaramouche is suddenly questioning his choice of bringing you to 'work.' you've got the fatui soldiers entraced with tales from other lands, yapping with the biggest smile on your face. even childe is humoured, a smug look on his face when he sees the absolute deadpan scaramouche is giving everyone in the vicinity.

he figured grown men and women such as these fools wouldn't be so wrapped around your fingers the way they are but when your eyes light up at a particularly interesting part of the story, their eyes also widen in excitement. it's no hidden secret that you're extremely pretty, some may even call you breathtakingly gorgeous but never within earshot of your boyfriend - unless they have a death wish. the fatui find you innocent and amusing compared to the harbinger bosses and they do sometimes wonder how in teyvat scaramouche landed you.

some of them in particular are fascinated by how you can jump topics so effortlessly - and forget the previous one while you're at it. you could be talking to them about the fungi in sumeru but it reminds you of a funny story about your friend nilou, it's only a matter of seconds before you forget completely that you was even talking about fungi in the first place. scaramouche would lie if he didn't find it amusing when he has to remind you about the actual conversation you're supposed to be having, watching you purse your lips before correcting yourself.

scoffing lightly at how his soldiers seem to be leaning ever so slightly closer to you in their trances, scaramouche finds his lanky fingers wrapping around your wrist before he tugs you roughly out of earshot - especially for his sake, considering childe's striking blue eyes are watching like a hawk. you yelp, pouting with puffed cheeks. so childlike, scaramouche thinks as his eyes fall down on you.

"i love you," he starts and you quirk a brow, who is he and what has he done with your boyfriend? "but you need to shut up."

a wave of relief washes over you, there it is. that snark tone and scary aura he carries so confidently everywhere he steps - not that it could ever fool you. you've seen behind closed doors, when the curtains are shut and nobody else is around. albeit he doesn't drop his grumpy façade but he's softer, a hand cupping the edge of your writing desk when you bend down to pick up something you've dropped so that you don't whack your head on the mahogany or perhaps, when you wake up some mornings and there's a mildly bitter aroma of tea wafting around the house because he woke up early to cook you shimi chazuke.

"maybe i should be a harbinger," you tease him playfully, making the male scoff in disbelief, "they listen to me."

"because you won't shut up about some alcoholic in mondstadt-" he groans and you huff, hands on your hips when you cut him off.

"his name is venti!" you exclaim softly. scaramouche could really care less. he knows exactly what his name is but he also knows that the tone-deaf bard is the country of anemo's archon - that much you do not appear to know, "anyways, you're going to have to make me shut up! they like my stories."

scaramouche bites his tongue until the metallic taste of his own blood fills his mouth and he furrows his brows. he has so much authority here, in front of his own soldiers - mayhaps not when it comes to tartaglia, despite the hierarchy of the harbingers - and yet you haven't an ounce of fear for him. you never have feared him no matter how much he's tried to scare you, it's futile. there's a smug grin appearing on your face when you notice that scaramouche has no means of shutting you up. he's silent, as if thinking but when you open your mouth to speak the harbinger has leaned down and locked his lips to yours in a sealed kiss.

that works, you think as your eyelashes flutter shut and scaramouche's pointer finger and thumb grip at your chin, tilting your head up to him. in the distance, the eleventh harbinger rolls his eyes with a chuckle. you really do have all these fatui men wrapped around your finger.

© https-heizou 2023.

[rottenpumpkin13]

how chaotic would a secret santa scenario get on the SOLDIER floor

Secret Santa

• Sephiroth and Angeal are hanging around in Genesis' office when Lazard shows up with a bowl full of folded papers. He's going around having everyone draw the names for the office secret Santa party.

Sephiroth: What if we choose to not participate?

Lazard: What if you choose to not be stingy and bitter?

Sephiroth: ...

• Up first is Angeal, who's praying to every entity he believes in that he doesn't draw neither Sephiroth nor Genesis.

Angeal: Oh, thank goddess. I got Cloud.

Angeal:

Angeal: Wait, CLOUD? HE'S NOT EVEN A SOLDIER. HE'S INFANTRY.

Lazard: I will not tolerate Cloud Strife slander, Angeal.

• Next is Sephiroth, who reaches his hand in the bowl while repeating "Please don't be Genesis, please don't be Genesis, please don't be Genesis" out loud.

Sephiroth: Perfect. I got Zack.

• And then Genesis, who reaches his hand in the bowl, pulls out a slip, reads it, then screams: "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

• Genesis got Sephiroth.

• Somewhere else, Zack is trying and failing to go to the bathroom because Cloud is gripping into his leg.

Cloud, sobbing: Please! Please!! You can't do this to me, Zack! Have mercy!

Zack: Dude, I'm not trading with you! I'm happy that I got Angeal. Besides, Lazard said trading isn't allowed.

*Cloud starts biting his leg*

Zack: oW OW OW OW OW OW!

• The day the reveals and gift giving arrives. Everyone is hanging around in the main lounge opening presents and having fun.

• Angeal is feeling pretty confident about his gift to Cloud: tickets to a trip back to Nibelheim to see his mom and a week off from work.

• All is well until Sephiroth comes frantically running into the room looking like he's seen a ghost. 

Sephiroth: I Lost Zack's gift! 

Angeal: Calm down. Maybe you've just misplaced it. 

Sephiroth: No, he ran away!

Angeal: .... he? 

Sephiroth: The pet rat I got him!

*A high-pitched female scream is heard from behind them. Genesis runs out of the room screaming and crying with a fat, brown rat stuck to his hair* 

Sephiroth: Oh! Oh! I found him! *He runs off after Genesis and the rat* 

• Meanwhile, Angeal is excited as he watches Cloud walk into the room. He immediately runs up to him and places the gift in his hand. 

Angeal: Merry Christmas! Wait, why do you look sad? 

Cloud: Because I'm Genesis' secret Santa and—

*Genesis runs by. He's still screaming. The rat is refusing to let go of his hair. Sephiroth is now beating Genesis' back with a broom in hopes the rat will be scared and jump off* 

Cloud: —and all I got him is a copy of Loveless. 

Angeal: So? That's a great gift for him. 

Cloud: Yes, but it's so lame. I wanted to get him something cool like Zack got you—uh oh. 

Angeal: Z-Zack? Is my Secret Santa. 

Cloud: Wow, look at the time! See 'ya! 

*He tries to run off but Angeal grabs him by his scarf and pulls him back*

Angeal: What did Zack get me, Cloud!? 

Cloud: Well, you know how you're always talking about getting a motorcycle? 

Angeal: Oh no. 

Cloud: Zack thought it'd be a good idea to make a big show of it and ride the bike in—

• At that moment, Zack crashes through the door with the motorcycle. He zooms right in and hits the Christmas tree, which falls on top of Angeal. 

Zack: Yeah! I told you my gift would knock him off his feet! 

• Sephiroth, Genesis, and the rat run by again. This time Sephiroth manages to trip Genesis with the broom. Sephiroth finally grabs the rat and presents it to Zack. 

Sephiroth: Merry Christmas!

Zack: A rat friend! This is the best gift ever! Thanks, buddy! 

*Genesis, extremely sore, gets up holding his book* 

Genesis: Can you believe the rat chewed through my brand new copy of Loveless!? 

*Cloud shoves his gift towards him* 

Cloud: Merry Christmas. 

Genesis: Oh! You're an angel! It's just what I wanted~

Genesis: But that reminds me. Sephiroth, your gift is in my office. I'll go get it. 

Sephiroth: There is no need. Beating you with a broomstick was enough for Christmas and my birthday. 

[sevi007]

Tales of the Abyss part 33

The drama! The Heartbreak! It's all very emotional these days. Funny considering we started with a sheltered protagonist who never left his palace and who's most exciting moment of the week was probably sword's training.

Lmao Tear XD

He even got the "Friend for Life" title for that!

Yes! because I agree with everything Tear just said! So maybe Guy hated you at some point - hated you or Asch or Fon Fabre House or whatever the heck. Then the Curse Slot shutdown his rational mind and drew on those old feelings. That's all there is to it. They all have grown so much, Guy as well. They are not the same people anymore.

Let's all cheer up and go see the king. I wanted to meet this guy.

Hahaha, you guys must be really good friends XD

I see where you and Kimlasca are coming from but can we focus on the fact that ENTIRE LANDMASSES ARE SINKING please and thank you.

See there we go. (Peony is damn crafty. He might seem like a sunshine boy compared to Jade, but don't think this man is naive or too kind or anything.)

Now let's go pick up our wayward Guy.

Very reassuring!

Oh... Oh! Hod is the place that fell!

Oh well shit

(But that means it was not Asch or Luke, but House Fabre that Guy hated)

Jade... the thing about sharing information with the group.... I have my face buried in my hands,screaming a little.

(It was pointed out to me earlier that Jade is a soldier, and some of this information might be classified. That's true of course. But we have long since passed the point of where it's important to keep classified stuff secret, and instead sharing could help us dodge dangerous situations)

Aw yeah. Now there's something like an equality here. Guy trusted Luke to overcome his issues after Akzeriuth. Luke is now doing the same for Guy. Very nice!

Now stop hurting Luke please. His self-confidence took a hit right there!

But at least we aired out some stuff.

@ahsokaisawesome

@magicmetslogic

[ambrosialdesire]

I saw your post about yandere Levi so I was wondering what your thoughts would be on yandere Jean? (I’m ngl I can’t really picture him as a yandere but he’s so fine.)

to this day, i think his s4 hair is still kinda goofy (pls don't come for me haha it's simply my opinion, maybe it's because i'm still used to his old hair lolol)

my thoughts on yandere jean are kinda standard. as of now, i can only see him as a yandere that's not going to have much changes to his personality, whether or not the reader is an enemy or on his side. yeah if you're an enemy, he's first going to be a little hesitant on making a move on you but regardless, his outcome/methods are the same. he's not my most favorite character but i do like him and his character. back in middle school, i used to be OBSESSED with reading eren x reader x jean because of the conflict LMAO

sorry this is kinda short compared to my levi post, guess i gotta write more yandere!jean if i want to get used to his character haha

again this is sorta written as a gender neutral reader but it's also slightly implied to be a fem reader.

tw: manipulation, inappropriate touching, possessive behavior, implied non-con, jealousy themes

anyways back to yandere jean explanation. for me, he's not the one that's going to strike first. he’s the one that’s gonna wait it out till the end, but he will have his influences in order to get what he wants. he's cunning and observant, using what he's seen and known so he can properly manipulate. to the untrained eye, it seems that he's just cocky about being able to do this but he's secretly nervous and doubtful in his abilities, constantly thinking if what he's doing is morally correct. he's still as temperamental as he was when he was a trainee but it now eats him on the inside; he doesn't express his anger that much anymore but his jealousy is at a consistent all time high.

to his friends and other soldiers, jean just seems like normal jean. sure, he's a little overprotective and tends to move you away from the others so it would be just the two of you. sure, he may tell you things about your friends that make you think twice on why you're still talking to them. sure, sometimes you can feel his hands wander a little more than you're used to. but that's only because he knows what's best for you, right? jean promises he's everything but a dishonest man, he's only looking out for you!

jean is also known to be quite the daydreamer too, imagining a homely life with you despite the circumstances going around in the world around him. he loves the thought of you and him being all domestic, a child on your hip while you waited for dinner to finish before he came home from work. sometimes the daydreams wander into something more steamy but it's always quickly cut short because of the others interrupting it. he swears to god that everyone has it out for him whenever he has a daydream about you, like it's some kind of sixth sense.

he's always going to be a little mean to you, always teasing you but he always means well (in his standards at least). i wouldn't say he's a complete tsundere about his feelings but he definitely flirts, feeling embarrassed in secret about it afterwards. remember, he may seem confident on the outside but he always feels a little doubtful internally. he's definitely a force to mess with whenever someone else tries to flirt with you, he has a bite behind his bark at all times.

but when jean gets jealous, it quite literally takes over him. it's always a sickly, crawling feeling that resonates in the pit of his stomach to the edges of his fingertips. his temper is ten times worse too and he gets super insecure, to the point where he'll just straight up grab you and pull you into somewhere that's seclude enough to fuck you raw. he always puts in jabs about if the other person is better than he is and if the kindness he gave to you meant nothing at all. the hate-fucking always leaves you a sobbing mess, begging for his forgiveness and blubbering about how you only wanted him. then and only then will he comfort you, kissing your tears away and quietly apologizing, again repeating that everything he does to you is for your own good.

[wanderingaroundwithmysoul]

hc + 💔 for a headcanon about a sad experience

hc + 🤥 for a lie-themed headcanon

hc + 😶 for a headcanon about a secret they know of / keep

hc + 😴 for a sleep-themed headcanon

Below the cut 'cause I kinda went ham

💔 for a HC about a sad experience

Despite her attempts to suck it up, seventeen-year-old Rain cried in her room when Tasha, her girlfriend at the time, moves away and doesn't speak to her again. It turns out Tasha's parents found out about the relationship and cut them off from each other, but Rain doesn't know, so she's upset and kinda angry that the one person she decided to let in (outside of her family) during her school years seems to instantly start ignoring her.

=================

The first time Bad Rain sees one of her comrades die (a Kaplan), she's genuinely upset about it. It's the only time she gets to feel sad about something like that, though, as her attempt to save him involved her ignoring orders from Red Queen. She's promptly taken in for a reprogramming session to repair her "defects".

=================

When Good Rain nearly hits Suburban Alice and Becky with her Prius, she's trying to get back home to grab her three dogs. When she finally makes it there sometime after the car crash, she can't find them and doesn't figure out what happened to them.

🤥 for a lie-themed HC

The lies Rain tells most frequently are about how she feels. She's not that injured, she doesn't have a soft spot for that person, she's fine, it's not a big deal, etc... Also, one time she got really hammered and puked in Spence's shoes, then said it wasn't her.

=================

Due to her programming, it's an actual challenge for Bad Rain to tell lies. If she tries to say anything greater than some little white lie, it's like there's a block in her throat that doesn't let anything but the truth pass.

=================

Good Rain is a terrible liar. Her tone of voice is entirely unconvincing and almost always gives her away.

😶 for a HC about a secret they know of / keep

The sexuality of her best friend, J.D. This is really only tied to my portrayal of him (though I guess if anyone else writes MLM J.D., it'd be cool to incorporate something like this into his and Rain's dynamic?) Anyway, the first time J.D. ever tried to be intimate with another dude, Rain accidentally barged in on it, and that was how she found out he's bi. He's not out and she promised not to tell anybody, confiding in him that she's not straight either.

=================

It's not... technically a secret, but Bad Rain thinks it is. She's aware that aside from her superior, Jill, everybody around her is a clone. The truth is, all of the clone soldiers are aware that they're surrounded by clones. However, they're not allowed to discuss that amongst themselves, nor are they aware of their own true nature. They all think they're the original.

😴 for a sleep-themed HC

Rain doesn't like sleeping with the covers on. She'll let them cover her feet and nothing else.

Before the whole apocalypse thing happens, she never sleeps with a shirt on. Just sweats or her boxers.

She has a tendency to drool a lil' bit. And snore.

=================

Bad Rain usually sleeps sorta like a plank of wood. Just... flat on her back, legs straight out, arms crossed or just one hand resting on her stomach.

Before her programming breaks, she's never able to remember her dreams.

She's a fairly light sleeper. When she wakes up, her eyes will almost always snap open... I don't know why I always want to make the late-apocalypse era clone soldiers weirdly robotic.

=================

Good Rain loves getting up way before the sun just because. Maybe she'll go on an early jog, maybe she'll simply watch TV or something.

One of her three dogs is usually cuddling with her while she sleeps. Sometimes they all try to fit on her bed, but they're big and there's not enough room.

If the weather's decent enough, she will have the window cracked.

[fallenautumm]

Um, I have a thought I rarely see in reader-inserts. In a lot of Soldier 76/reader stories, he and Gabriel are exes and hate each other and etc. But I like the idea of a story where post-fall of Overwatch, Reaper and 76 have made up and are friends again, but have put any romantic stuff behind them. They're still really good friends and supportive of each other (and Gabriel vaguely threatens people not to be mean to Jack). Suffice to say, my request is that Jack met Reader a few months ago, and Jack clearly has a huge crush on Reader, and Gabriel pushes him into actually approaching his crush. (If gender ever comes up, I'd want Reader to be male because Jack is gay)

( hope you enjoy this -

Your Love, is not enough

Reaper had always been a bit of a lone wolf. As a former member of the notorious Blackwatch division, he had spent most of his life in the shadows, working in secret for Talon

But when Overwatch was reinstated, Reaper found himself finding a certain interest in the Agency. Among them was Soldier 76, a grizzled veteran who had once been his closest ally.

In the early days of Overwatch, Reaper and Soldier 76 had been more than friends. They had shared a passionate romance, but it had ended in heartbreak when Reaper's true nature was revealed.

Despite their tumultuous history, Reaper and Soldier 76 had managed to salvage their friendship, working together on countless missions and becoming each other's confidants. And good Friends again

But when Soldier 76 confided in Reaper that he had developed a crush on a man named Y/N, Reaper felt a pang of jealousy in his chest. He had always cared for Soldier 76 more than he had let on, and the thought of someone else stealing his heart was almost unbearable.

Reaper tried to push his feelings aside, telling himself that Soldier 76 deserved to be happy, no matter who he was with. But as the days went on, his jealousy only grew stronger.

One night, Reaper couldn't take it anymore. He called Soldier 76 over to himself and poured his heart out, confessing his feelings and begging for another chance.

But Soldier 76 gently turned him down, explaining that he had moved on and had feelings for someone else. Reaper was devastated, but he knew that he had to respect Soldier 76's wishes.

Determined to prove his loyalty to his friend, Reaper decided to try to get Y/N and Soldier 76 together. He set up a casual get-together, inviting both of them over for dinner and drinks.

At first, things were a bit awkward between Soldier 76 and Y/N. But Reaper did his best to facilitate conversation, telling funny stories and making everyone feel at ease.

As the night went on, Soldier 76 and Y/N began to open up to each other, finding common interests and shared experiences. Reaper watched from the sidelines, feeling a mix of happiness and sadness.

When the night came to a close, Soldier 76 and Y/N finally exchanged numbers and made plans for a second date. Reaper felt a pang of jealousy, but he knew that he had done the right thing. He wanted Soldier 76 to be happy, even if it wasn't with him.

Over the next few weeks, Soldier 76 and Y/N relationship blossomed into something beautiful. They went on romantic dates, held hands in public, and even shared a kiss in front of Reaper.

Reaper tried to be happy for them, but his jealousy continued to eat away at him. He found himself drinking more than usual, staying out late, and neglecting his duties.

He thought about how gentle and nice, he used to be towards him. The way his kisses used to leave him breathless ,and the amount of Happyness he felt when they would hug. And Y/N, is experiencing all of these scenarios. And maybe.. they were doing even more than just that..

One day, Soldier 76 approached him, worried about his well-being. Reaper broke down, confessing that he was struggling with feelings of jealousy and inadequacy.

Soldier 76 listened patiently, offering words of comfort and reassurance. He explained that he valued their friendship above all else, and that he didn't want Reaper to feel like he was being replaced. But deep down Reaper knew, it will never be okay again like it used to be.

[thetempleofthemasaigoddess]

Cooking for the captain 

Elendil x reader

*****

Imagine being a capable cook living in Armenelos; your talent has allowed you to be hired in the palace's kitchen, preparing meals for the court and the Queen herself, an usually frugal person who nonetheless has demonstrated to appreciate your cooking.

You have been infatuated with Elendil ever since one day you were swimming with your friends and the tide carried you away, and he bravely jumped in the water to grab you and pull you ashore. Ever since, you have brought him (his luminous smile, his blue eyes, his large and strong shoulders...) in your heart, convinced than he doesn't even remember you, he has no idea you even exist, and even if he did, he wouldn't be interested in you like you are in him.

Still, even if you feel destined to love him in secret forever, you wish you could repay his help, since that day you were so shocked and terrified after what had happened, you haven’t even had the time to thank him, since after making sure your friends were taking care of you, he had had to run away to his Sea Guard duties, dripping wet as he was.

So you decided to cook for him. 

At least twice a week, sometimes more but never less, before or after taking care of the meals for the court and with the same effort you put in the banquet for the Queen’s coronation, you prepare something for him. You don’t know his tastes, so you try a bit of everything, from simple, hearthy dishes which, you reason, as a soldier and a mariner he should appreciate, to extravagant and costly recipes, which he deserves for all his hard job and that you prepare using the palace’s supplies -something you are technically forbidden from doing and than in another situation would fill you with guilt- since some ingredients are not easy to find at Armenelos’s markets. Soups, meats, fish, fruit and vegetables, desserts; you prepare a bit of everything, trying not to offer him the same thing in a while and keeping in mind that as a soldier he has to watch his diet, classic dishes of Numenor’s cuisine and some cooks from other kingdoms have taught you.

And then, every time, you put everything neatly in a basket, reach his house, leave your gift at the door, knock, and run away as fast as your legs can carry you. You always wear a cape and cover your head with a hood, since the last thing that you want is him recognizing you, but he could at least try to discover your identity; you always come more or less at the same time, so all he has to do is wait at the corner of the street for no more than two or three evenings, and ambush you. He has to know this; he is a experienced soldier, an officer of the Sea Guard, catching a misterious benefactor who seems determined to make him taste every dish known to Man should be child’s play.

But he never does; you never see him, and that is good, because you really don’t know what you would do if you ever found yourself face to face with him, and each time you breathe a sigh of relief. For the first three or four times, you add a little note to the basket; “For captain Elendil” you write, since you want him to know those gifts are for him specifically and not one of his children, trying to mask your calligraphy just to be sure, and then stop, confident that he knows he is the one with a secret admirer. And after a while, he starts giving you the baskets back, leaving them on the outside balcony of the house - a good thing, since you were running out of them. 

These are the only communications between you. Sometimes you think about writing something else: “Is there something you would especially like to taste? Something you really don’t like? Are you allergic to...?” and then he could answer, and you would know if he actually appreciates your cooking, if he is flattered or at least amused by the whole thing or just considers it a nuisance he is too polite to put a stop to. And maybe from food you could move to other topics of conversation, end up writing letters to each other, and maybe in the end he would be interested enough -in you as a person, as a woman, not just in your talent as a cook- that he will actually want to know who you are, and then... 

No. 

It is foolish, you know that; even worse, it’s... sterile, since not knowing who you are, Elendil will never have the opportunity of reciprocate your interest and, consequently, your relationship will never evolve beyond that brief, only for you memorable meeting. Basically, you are courting someone who you don’t even plan of telling your name to, someone for whom, in all the months you have toiled for in the kitchen, you have developed feelings way deeper than simple gratitude. You have fallen in love with him, you realize one evening as you patiently cut vegetables in pieces as small as a nail for a roast goose you are sure he will like, and he will never know, because how could a man like him be interested in a woman like you, whose only use is in the talent of his hands and who nobody will notice as long as the Queen’s dinner is ready the moment she sits at the table? That’s the problem with food, you have reasoned more than once during the many years you have worked as a cook: Men need it to survive and if it spoiled or poorly prepared it can cause health problems or even kill a person, but as long as it is acceptable, it rarely makes who prepared it famous. 

And that is all right; you love what you do, and you love Elendil, and as long as you have reason to hope he appreciates the fruit of your efforts, you will be content, until this curious relationship can last.

Hidden in the crowd, you see Elendil, so handsome in his armor and cape, departing from the harbour with the Queen and the army headed for the Southlands; you worry sick for him, and are filled with relief when you hear that he and his son are back, safe and sound. After a long day of work, you spend the night at home preparing a cake, the one you consider your masterpiece, and bring it to his house. Going against the strict orders you have given yourself, you  have added a new note to the basket. “I am so happy you are all right” it simply says; there is so much you would like to add, but this has to make do.

The next day, Elendil and other Sea Guard officers are invited to a banquet at court to celebrate the victory in the Southlands. He is dead tired and only wishes he could excuse himself and go home to his children, but the moment the first bite of food touches his mouth, he has to stifle a cry.

It is her.

He is as sure of it as he is of his own name; the person responsible for the preparation of the banquet is the same who for so many months treated him with the best food of his life. The food, he reasons as he eats, is not simply of exceptional quality, like all the dishes offered by his secret admirer, the hand that prepared it is the same. He is absolutely sure, which can mean only one thing...

At the end of the banquet, while the other officers excuse themselves or stay to converse drinking wine, he slips away, stops a servants he is acquainted with and asks them to meet the palace’s cook. The servant comes to the kitchen, where you and your assistants are busy cleaning and washing, and asks you to come out because someone wants to talk to you. You obey, expecting to meet the palace’s butler to receive orders regarding tomorrow’s breakfast or something like that... and instead, it’s him. Him, who you hadn’t thought would be at the banquet tonight, and who looks at you with a surety that makes you realize it would be useless to lie or pretend you have no idea what he is talking about.

“I am so sorry” you begin as soon as you’re alone; your face is burning, and you would give everything you have to be able to run away and move to the other side of Arda. Oh, Eru, he must think you are a fool, or worse, completely crazy “My lord, please forgive me, I had no intention to bother you, I swear I will stop...”

“You can, if you want” he interrupts you, and his deep, musical voices is enough to make your heart tremble, especially when he is looking you straight in the eyes, and then he calls you by your name, proving he knows perfectly who you are “But I’ll be very sorry I won’t have the opportunity to taste your delicious food anymore. I really appeciated everything you did for me, particularly now that I know you are already so busy with your job.”

Your hands are shaking so much you have to hide them behind your back; at the same time, though, a great peace has descended upon you. He is finally in front of you, he is finally seeing you; you would have been content remaining in the shadows forever, but now you feel that whatever happens in the future, you won’t regret this.

“It was no bother, my lord; quite the contrary. And actually... at least at the beginning, it was because I am in your debt. You probably don’t remember, but...”

“I remember perfectly; and you had no need to do all of this, even though I am glad you did. And I think we can dispense with titles, at this point”.

You share a smile, and with some surprise, you realize Elendil is as nervous as you are, if not more. The truth is, even though he had no idea of your identity, he has started developing a fondness towards you, a feeling he himself could not explain, but he couldn’t help receiving comfort from. And now that he has you in front of him, so happy and blushing and hopeful, he feels his heart bursting with warmth and affection; it is odd to find himself attracted to a woman he mostly knows through the food she prepares, but maybe there are worse basis to build a relationship on... assuming this is what you want as well. 

He takes your hand in his, and “Maybe you will allow me to reciprocate everything you have done for me?” he proposes “I don’t know the first thing about food preparation, but maybe we could have a picnic on the beach, and you could tell me all about your life. I want to know everything about you”

Of course you accept, and in the years that follow, as you learn to become proud of what you do and people learn to appreciate the fruit of your hard work, you are proudest of cooking and feeding him, and the family you built together, and you know that is the best food you ever prepared, because it is made with love.

Tagging @starlady66 and @grinkitty. 

[justatypicalwizard]

Wants Within | S. Shinazugawa | Chapter 28

✦ Sanemi Shinazugawa x femReader!, college au, reader is adult

✦ Synopsis: You're a college student taking classes with a very strict lecturer- professor Shinazugawa. Because of an unfortunate event you got on his bad side so now you're trying everything to regain in his eyes. Well, you most certainely didn't expect that kind of attention.

✦ Word count: 1,6k

18+, minors do not interact

It was rather late and empty, you wondered why the university authorities were still here. Maybe they were called? You had no idea but you didn’t want to overthink it. You just had to go there, answer all the questions and make the situation straight. 

On the way up you asked Kanao what she meant. You learned from her that relationships or affairs between the students and staff members were not so uncommon. There were in fact regulations about what to do in such a situation. Right now the thing that you could be blamed for was keeping it a secret and getting busted. You felt slightly more confident. 

Soon you all stumbled upon Sanemi who was standing alone in the dimly lit corridor. He was waiting in front of the head’s office. 

Your friends hid a bit behind you upon seeing him. The white haired gave you a questioning look. 

‘’No time to explain, don’t eat them alive.’’ You answered his silent question to which he only sighed. 

‘’You know what you’re doing?’’ Sanemi asked, looking down on you. 

‘’So you didn’t talk to them?’’

‘’You asked me not to.’’ 

‘’Oh.’’ Your eyes widened slightly. ‘’I thought… never mind, thank you.’’ 

Not knowing whether to hug him, pat him, hit him or what to do you just turned around to face the door. Taking a deep breath, you knocked and walked in. 

It was a vast, quiet room. An ‘U’ shaped table cornered one chair, standing alone in the centre like a lonely soldier. Shelves filled with papers stacked abound the walls making the palace look very formal. A bunch of people sat around the table looking at you in various ways. Right now you regret your confidence. You thought it would be a talk with one person, came out you had to confess in front of an audience. 

‘’Good evening miss…’’ The man sitting in the very centre started. 

He had a nice, brown, casual suit and black, shoulder length hair. The thing that you spotted very fast was some kind of a rash on his forehead but you didn’t have the guts to even stare. 

‘’Y/N L/N.’’ 

‘’So nice to meet you.’’ His voice was soothing. ‘’I believe we meet here in rather unpleasant circumstances but please remember, you don’t have to be scared. Just tell us the truth.’’ He looked straight at you and you nodded slightly. ‘’Please sit down.’’ 

Doing as he asked you took the place in the middle, everyone scrutinising you. One tall and big guy who barely fit in his suit and chair literally started to cry.

‘’My name is Kagaya Ubuyashiki, I am one of the authorities at our university and I am going to ask you a few questions. I would like you to answer the best you can. Please don’t feel ashamed of anything, we are only here to discuss.’’ You nodded to everything he said. ‘’Let’s start then. Miss Y/N did you ever hold any sexual intercourses with Shinazugawa Sanemi, the staff member at our university?’’

You nearly choked. You knew damn well what they’d ask for but you could never be ready for something like this. In a quiet voice you answered.

‘’Yes.’’

‘’Were there multiple sexual intercourses between you Miss and Mister Shinazugawa or did it happen only once?’’

‘’Multiple.’’

‘’When did the first sexual intercours occur?’’ 

‘’New Year’s Eve.’’ 

‘’Was is consensual on both sides?’’

‘’Yes.’’

‘’Were there any conditions on which you Miss and Mister Shinazugawa perform the sexual intercourse?’’

‘’No.’’

‘’What was the cause of it?’’

‘’I- I…’’ You started to stumble, your tongue tangled in a knot.

‘’You may rethink your answer, we have a lot of time, please don’t stress.’’

You took a deep breath and answered the best you could.

‘’I believe it was simple human attraction.’’

‘’So there were no inside agreements that could be the purpose of the sexual intercours.’’

‘’No.’’

The questions didn’t end. They asked about everything, what occasion led to this. About the process, about the project that the two of you worked on, have you been seeing each other, how often do you spend time together. After a long time you had the feeling they knew everything, squeezing every last bit of your soul from inside of you.

‘’Are you and Mister Shinazugawa in a relationship?’’ The question threw you off track. 

‘’No. We never discussed anything like this. The whole situation was too complicated.’’ 

‘’I believe it must have been.’’ Ubuyashiki nodded his head in an understanding manner. ‘’If you could, would you be interested in a romantic relationship with Mister Shinazugawa?’’

This time you looked him in the eye completely lost. The warm smile never left his face.

‘’Yes.’’ 

You felt like you were giving them your heart away. So many things that you couldn’t sleep over were finally voiced out. You wanted to be with him, if you could, you would want to.

‘’Thank you very much for your cooperation. I would now like to speak with Mister Shinazugawa himself but I must ask you to stay near the office. I believe we will hold yet another discussion shortly.’’

Like a lunatic you exited the room. Stepping to the side you gestured for Sanemi to walk in. The paleness of your face made him blank like a sheet of paper. When he disappeared inside the door you slid down the wall. 

‘’And what? What did they say?’’ Aoi jumped right in front of you. 

‘’Nothing, they just asked questions.’’

-

Your friends tried to lighten your mood but they also felt the pressure of the situation. You all sat on a row of seats, observing the office but far enough not to make any noise. None of you talked much.

After what felt like eternity Sanemi came out, his face a mystery for you. Spotting you he made his way. 

‘’Move.’’ He spat at Zenitsu who was sitting to your right.

The blonde jumped away like from fire.

‘’Don’t be mean.’’ You pleaded, already having enough of everything. 

The white haired man sat next to you. He also had no clue whether to hug you or not. He wanted to make you feel better but it was he himself who brought all this upon you. Luckily you were smarter or maybe just more fed up. Your head hit his chest as a deep sigh exited your sore from the crying throat. He put his hand around you, looking up at the ceiling. 

The rest sat in absolute silence not expecting such an act of kindness from the two of you. Only now did it hit Aoi that it was not just a simple affair, the two of you must feel something and it was all on aim now.

‘’I thought we were smart, really.’’ You started, the stress burning you out enough to make the whole situation feel unreal, like it’s just a joke and you’re not really sitting here. ‘’All this physics and mathematics made me think I’m smart, and that you’re smart but if fact we’re just both so fucking stupid.’’

‘’Mhm.’’ He answered blankly. ‘’I always knew you’re stupid.’’ 

‘’Same for you.’’ 

A quiet ‘pft’ left your lips. 

‘’How can you laugh right now? I’m dead stressed and it’s not even about me.’’ Aoi stared in awe. 

Sanemi shot her a mean glare. They got delusional, thinking they can act the same as you around him. Guess he was nice just for you.

‘’And what am I supposed to do?’’ You answered, tapping your foot on the floor.

Silence fell on you once more. 

-

After some more time a bunch of people spilled out of the office. All of them were present during the hearing, some of them even shot you a glance but Sanemi didn’t even think about letting you go. 

A different woman asked you to come back into the office. This time it was only Ubuyashiki who motioned you to sit on the same chair but closer to him. 

‘’I am very grateful for your cooperation.’’ He started, the smile still present on his face. ‘’I could not speak freely while my colleagues were present but now I can explain to you how this situation looks like from a slightly different side.’’ You nodded, not sure what to expect. 

‘’I have known Sanemi for a long time now. I helped him climb the career ladder till the point he is now. Not only him, there are many lecturers who had a… hard past and needed a chance. Due to knowing him for so long and because of all the circumstances of him being under my care I observe him, and all the others, on a day to day basis. I suspected this affair, seeing how close the two of you were. I have read through your files, I know your situation at the university. I was afraid that your recklessness in this field may lead to some very serious problems and I was not wrong. However, I am not, personally, reluctant to this. Moreover, I fully support this relationship. My personal beliefs and an important testimony from a third party helped me with convicting the council. Some of them opposed at first but the third party was very eager to prove their point. We all had time to think about it and discuss it coming to a simple decision.’’ You hardly believed what you heard but there was no time to analyse his words, you were too hung up on what he was about to say in a second. 

SERIES MASTERLIST

Taglist:

@secretxchive @vesperazhier

[cosmicsnowleopardcrusader]

Holy fucking cow did I have a full on past life story dream. It goes something like this. Everything took place at dads property, we were all stationed there, part of a huge military mission. I remember Charlie, Davis, MC, Hayley (all Wrigley neighbors), and my old Husker vision friend Keegan being part of our platoon crew. At one point I said something smartass to Hay in front of the whole hundreds of people and then said sorry for being sassy in front of everyone. Anyway, we all had our little job every day, I remember saying “Charlie I haven’t seen you in 2 days bc you’ve been inside doin a shit gig” I also remember making fun of Davis because he has the worst shit gig cleaning dead guts in the yard just out yonder in the cornfield behind dads gardens. I was making fun bc that used to be me as a junior cadet and now i was in charge of way more important things.

I remember being kidnapped or else getting into the wrong car by mistake and all the sudden found myself back in time, in either Antarctica, the moon, or else dads property in arctic frigid snowy weather. I couldn’t tell. But there were hundreds of thousands of soldiers in orange astronaut suits setting up camps, tents, existing, eating, doing their own jobs. The vibe was a bunch of young over-confident boys who were so excited for war bc their innocent little hearts haven’t been tainted by it yet. Who were they even fighting? Everyone’s ego was huge, everyone was a jerk with jerk attitudes. Reminded me of fraternity vibes lol. I remember first showing up to the new arctic base camp feeling horrified. “Am I stuck here forever? How do I get home? How did I even get here? Why am I here? I’ll never get home ever again. I need to hide so nobody figures me out.”

But then a weird non linear time thing happened and I remembered there being a huge all out war at dads (but in the future where i was stationed/living beforehand) and I had a chance to stop the war from happening, here and now, in this barren war base even tho i was just 1 of 100s of thousands of brainwashed soldiers. I was able to keep undercover, invisible female among the many men. I remember still recognizing a lot of the young soldiers even tho i was (???) years back in time in a different setting. I remember thinking, these boys are actually good people, they’re just programmed with war ego.

The key to saving everyone and preventing the war was … lol… chocolate that made people loving and happy. I remember in the future, we had a huuuuuge pile of chocolate that we’d Melt down to pieces and give to people (I feel like we were maybe mining the chocolate at dads from the future setting??)

There were moments where I would flash back to the future and be mid-war, seeing millions of people fighting all over dads property, crawling on top of each other trying to run and get away, or else chase people down. It was true chaos and darkness. There was a moment where I was climbing up 100 bodies over this trench by the south driveway and people just threw me over (it reminded me of getting tossed over the mud trenches during my tough mudder). I remember being horrified, like is this really the end of everyone I knew / worked with for so long? In that moment, I flashed back to Antarctica base camp and knew I was there, back in time, to prevent this current war i was currently witnessing.

Back in Antarctica on base camp, I ended up finding a secret room I could post up in. I already had the chocolate with me, I think bc I had taken it with me when i time traveled, already having known my mission, even before i really knew?? Lolol. Anyway after dinner, one of the guys saw me slithering around being sketch and walked into my secret room. “What do you think you’re doing??” I remember being like “just trust me on this, this is going to prevent a war of all wars.” And he trusted me right away and helped recruit more good soldiers to help me with this mission.

I remember a huuuuuugeeee pile of chocolate in a huge ball being melted down into different pieces. I don’t remember how, but we were able to dish it out to everyone. I flashed back to the future and there was no war that had ever taken place. I had saved everyone from dying horrible deaths. I was successful in preventing the war.

[breadqueen95]

Dress - Bucky Barnes

bucky barnes x fem!reader

wc: 5k

plot: bucky and y/n’s relationship is new, and they don’t want to share with their friends just yet. but something as simple as a dress can change anyone’s mind, even the winter soldier. 

content warnings: kissing. physical affection. flirting. allusions to sex. drinking. being drunk. language. bucky being a flirt. 

a/n: this is for @natasha-romancff and her taylor swift writing challenge! it took me awhile, but i’ve had a ton of fun writing this. so many bucky fics are angsty, and rightly so the man has some TRAUMA. but for my first bucky fic, based on dress by taylor swift, i wanted something happier for him 

***

Damn. That was a lot of leg.

“I don’t know,” you muttered as you stared into the mirror, “aren’t these things…a little classier than this?”

“Uh…have you met Tony Stark?” Natasha grumbled as she continued to scroll through her phone. “The man has never been classy a day in his life.”

“Well I know he isn’t, but fancy people show up to these things. I just don’t want to embarrass myself.” You were currently standing in front of the full-length mirror in Wanda’s room, staring at the reflection of a woman who didn’t quite look like you.

But it was you, wasn’t it? It was just…that you was wearing a very short, very sexy red cocktail dress. The sweetheart neckline was a nice touch, but the back was completely open. And that hemline? Definitely hiked way up past your knees.

“Y/n, relax,” Wanda reassured in her lilting accent, “sure, the dress is a little…spicier…than you’re used to, but it’s in a good way.”

“I’m pretty sure every single person would be able to tell I spend my days in tactical gear. God, I’m not sure I even know how to walk in heels this high!”

Heaving a dramatic sigh, Natasha threw her phone down and looked at you in the mirror. Her eyebrows were raised, and she was giving you her usual ‘don’t give me that shit’ look. It nearly had you shaking in your very strappy black heels.

“Are you kidding me, y/n? I’ve seen you strut in enough fancy parties during undercover missions to know that you’ve got this.”

“Yeah,” Wanda scoffed as she took a sip of red wine from her glass, “all she’s nervous about is what Bucky will think.”

Rolling your eyes, you tried to hide how much that sentence affected you.

“C’mon, Wanda. You know Bucky and I are just friends.”

“Do friends undress each other with their eyes whenever they’re in the same room?”

Damn it. Damn Wanda and her stupid perceptiveness.

“You’re reading too much into it, Wanda.” She just laughed at you, acting like she knew so much better.

What you knew and wasn’t ready to admit to your two best friends, was that she was right on the money.

Bucky Barnes, the infamous Winter Soldier, your favorite person in the entire world, was now your boyfriend. He had been for a few weeks now. The two of you were insanely private people. Hell, it had been years before the two of you had finally learned everything about each other. Once you had gotten past the walls the other had so carefully crafted, well…

At that point you were in love.

But the others didn’t need to know that, not yet at least. The Avengers were a family, your family. They were really the only true family you’d ever had. But Bucky…Bucky was finally yours. And you were his. You didn’t think it was crazy to just want to enjoy that, just the two of you, without everyone else sharing their jokes and opinions just yet. They did it out of love, you both knew that, but you just wanted him all to yourself.

As you looked back at your reflection in the mirror, you took a minute to really consider what Bucky’s reaction might be. He had the best poker face in the room no matter who he was with, but you knew him well enough to know how he was feeling just based on his eyes. He’d always said how much he loved red on you, and he adored every and any excuse to touch your skin. Those steel blue eyes of his would absolutely burn once he saw you in this dress.

And fuck, that was something you really wanted to see.

“Well, if you aren’t going to wear that dress, you better pick something else,” Nat said, jerking you from your fantasies, “we need to be there in twenty minutes, and we all need to touch up our makeup.”

“Actually…I think I’ll wear it,” you said confidently, trying to hide your grin as you ran your hands down the silky fabric.

What you didn’t see was Natasha and Wanda sharing a secret smirk behind you, like they’d known what you’d do the whole time.

***

Six weeks ago, everything had changed for you and Bucky.

You’d known how you felt for a long time. Bucky Barnes, despite his past, was the kind of man anyone could fall in love with. He was sincere, kind, generous, witty…everything you’d ever wanted in a partner. He had been your best friend for even longer.

It had been a long time before you could even admit your feelings to yourself, let alone to him. After everything the two of you had been through, who had the time and mental capacity for romance? It just didn’t seem important. You just chalked up your feelings to being such close friends. All you wanted was to be near him, even if you just sat in silence doing different things. Just being in the same room as Bucky brought you a sort of peace you’d never had before. Whenever he touched you, even if it was just a brief hug or brushing your back to get past you, your skin erupted into goosebumps. But that was just because physical touch was still foreign to you, right?

And his smile. God, his wonderful smile…

Bucky didn’t smile much. He hid behind a mask of stoicism, a remnant from the trauma of his horrible history as the Winter Soldier. Showing any sort of emotion, especially happiness, was hard for him. But when he finally let himself smile? It was the most beautiful thing you’d ever see.        

It took several sleepless nights wrestling with those confusing feelings to figure it out. You didn’t just see Bucky as your best friend. You had it bad. Not just “oh my god he’s so handsome” bad, like the “I would take a bullet for you I’m so in love” bad. That revelation? It left you euphoric. It also left you scared.

Because you were so sure Bucky didn’t feel the same. And that thought was like a knife to the heart every time it flashed through your mind.

So you kept it to yourself. You tried to keep things as normal as possible, but your heart kept fluttering whenever he walked into a room. Being so close to Bucky meant you confided in each other about pretty much everything, and he knew you well enough to know you were hiding something.

It all exploded on a Tuesday night in the compound.

Tuesdays were your movie nights. Bucky had a lot of pop culture to catch up on, so on this night every week he would come by your room to watch a movie. It was a weekly tradition that kind of started by accident. You were shocked he still hadn’t made time to watch Lord of the Rings, so you forced him onto your couch with popcorn and The Fellowship of the Ring. He loved it so much, and immediately asked if you guys could watch The Two Towers the next week. How could you say no to him?

Tonight, you were watching 13 Going on 30. It was your all-time favorite romcom, and you figured you could both use a break from all the action and fantasy movies you’d been cycling through. Something with a happy ending was worth indulging in.

“Does that Matt guy look like Banner to you? Or is it just me?” Bucky asked through a mouthful of popcorn.

“Heh, maybe a little,” you said, “Give or take a few years.” He laughed at that, and you forced yourself to laugh quietly. You wanted to blurt out your feelings every time you looked at Bucky, so you’d gotten quieter and quieter every time you spent time with him. It was an awful reaction, and you knew he noticed. But it was better than losing his friendship, right?

After that awful and painfully obvious forced laugh, Bucky let out a huge sigh and paused the movie. He set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table in front of the couch, then turned to face you. Exasperation and hurt glimmered in his eyes.

“Y/n, what the fuck is going on with you?”

“W-what do you mean?”

“Oh come on, don’t give me that,” he said sharply, “I know you better than anyone, and I know for a fact there’s something you’re not telling me. Is it me? Did I do something wrong?”

“What? No, god no!” You exclaimed.

“Well it must be something I did, because you’ve never been this quiet around me and it keeps getting worse. I hate it, and I want to know what I did so I can fix it.”

“Bucky, I’m serious, it’s nothing you did—”

“Then why? Why are you shutting me out?” He cut you off angrily, arms thrown wide. “You’re my best friend, I just don’t get why—”

“I don’t want you like a best friend, Bucky!” Your eyes went wide as the words flew from your lips. In the most comical way, you clapped your hand over your mouth as if you could stop the words that had already been said. Bucky’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

Oh fuck. He didn’t get it. Curse him and his old man ways.

“What does that even mean, Y/n? Are you saying you don’t want me around anymore?”

“Bucky, of course not. God, I would never want that. Never in a million years.”

“Then you better explain, because if you haven’t noticed, I’m over 100 years old. I need a little help here.”

“It means, uh…um,” you stuttered, wringing your hands together. “Is there any chance we can just forget I said that?”

“Nope, not a chance.”

“It means…it means that I care about you. As more than a friend.”

His entire face seemed to crinkle as he processed that. If you weren’t freaking out, you’d be obsessing over how damn cute it made him look. Then his eyes got wide as he began to make the connection. Your stomach nearly fell out of your ass as his eyes lifted again to meet yours.

“I…I think I know what you’re saying,” he nearly whispered, “I just need you to get real specific real fast, because I’m not about to say anything until I know exactly what you mean.”

“It means I’m in love with you, okay?” You burst out. Even through your mortification, there was a sudden sense of relief. A secret as big as that had definitely been weighing you down. Now that it was out there, that was one less thing you had to worry about.

His eyes grew even wider. How that was possible, you didn’t even know. That beautiful mouth of his began to turn up into a small smile as he gazed softly at you.

“You’re in love with me?” He asked, his smile getting wider with each passing second.

“What, you need it carved into stone or something?” You couldn’t help but sass him. Did you fucking stutter?

“No, it’s just…I never thought you’d feel that way about me.”

“Well, clearly I do. So you – wait, you mean you’ve thought about this before?”

“Of course I have,” he said as he shrugged, “I’ve been in love with you for two years now, how could I not think about it?”

You were instantly filled with warmth and pure bliss. In all your obsessing over your own feelings, you’d never allowed yourself to consider that he might feel the same about you. It just didn’t seem possible.

“I’m sorry,” you burst out, holding a hand up, “you’re telling me you’ve been into me for two years and didn’t say anything?”

“Why didn’t you?” He shot back, inching closer to you.

“Because you’re my best friend. I didn’t want to lose you because of stupid feelings I have.”

“But…I have those same ‘stupid feelings’ for you. So can we just cut the whole act and get on with it?” Bucky brought a hand up to cup your cheek, his thumb brushing along your skin so gently.

“Uh…um…get on with what?”

“Well I’d kinda like to kiss you, if you’re cool with it.”

“Bucky Barnes did you just use current slang to ask if you could kiss me?” You didn’t move an inch as his face moved right in front of yours, breath intermingling as you gazed into each other’s eyes. God, was this really happening?

“Yeah, guess your lessons worked,” he murmured.

“Well you better kiss me, then.”

As soon as your lips met, it was like coming home.

***

That memory, your favorite memory, replayed in your head as the three of you stepped into the elevator. Nat and Wanda were happily chatting about who would be there, what kind of antics Tony would cook up tonight, if there would be music we could actually dance to. You know, normal party things.

All you could think about was how long you had to stay until you could sneak off with your boyfriend.

You were so happy Wanda and Natasha had convinced you to wear this dress. When you’d first put it on, the difference from your normal look was so jarring that it took you a few minutes to get used to it. But now that you had, now that you felt the silky fabric shifting against your skin as you moved, now that you saw how dangerously long your legs looked in these heels…

Damn, you felt sexy.

And that sexy feeling? It made you want Bucky’s hands all over you.

But this was a party. A party thrown by Tony Stark, one of the most perceptive and observant people you’d ever met. If you left too soon, if he thought you weren’t “having enough fun”, he’d be more than a little upset. So you had to stay, drink, mingle, maybe dance a little…and then, maybe later, you could go do what you actually wanted.

The elevator pinged, indicating you had reached the topmost floor of the compound. This floor was home to a huge communal space, often used for just hanging out with the team. But on nights like tonight, Tony went all out and turned the space into something that resembled…a club?

The three of you stepped out into the massive room, upbeat music already blasting from the speakers. Typical Tony – he never really outgrew his love for dancing and parties. The bass thrummed through your body, making you want to move to the music. The lights were dim, but you could still tell who was around. It looked like you were some of the last members of the team to arrive. There was a huge bar off to the side, and Natasha headed that way right away. You turned to ask Wanda if she wanted to follow Nat, but she was already making a beeline for Vision. Smiling, you just turned right back around to follow Natasha. A drink sounded pretty good right now.

As you made your way to the bar, you felt more than a few pairs of eyes on you as you walked. You sneakily looked around as you went, noticing men and women watching you with admiration, and dare you say it, longing. As someone whose job was to blend in with the background all the time, this was a different and slightly addictive feeling. You leaned on the bar next to Nat right as the bartender slid her drink over to her.

“Straight whiskey tonight? Damn, going hard.” You quipped.

“Hey now, you know I can handle my liquor. It’s you we need to watch out for, you lightweight.”

Laughing, you scanned the party guests, looking for the one person you wanted to see. Tony had had arm around Pepper’s waist, both laughing at something Rhodey had said. Bruce lingered around them, drink in hand and looking a little nervous, but still happy to be included. Wanda and Vision were sitting quietly on one of the couches, both looking absolutely smitten with each other. Scott Lang, one of the newest additions, was busting some moves, while Peter Parker laughed as he watched. Thor, who was visiting from Asgard, laughed boisterously as he watched various guests try to lift his hammer. You couldn’t help the smile growing on your face. You loved these people so much.

Then, you saw him.

Bucky was with Sam and Steve, as usual. But even as Sam and Steve were talking animatedly next to him, those gorgeous blue eyes of his were glued to you. There was a kind of intensity in them you hadn’t seen before. Your breath whooshed from you body as he grinned at you. Trying to maintain the suggestive image your dress gave you, you managed to send a flirtatious smile his way, then turned back around to face the bar. Leaning against the counter, you knew he’d get an eyeful of your bare back. God, this was fun.

The bartender finally made his way over to you, and you ordered two tequila shots.

Nat turned to you, one eyebrow arched in surprise as she asked, “And you say I’m going hard? You can’t just down two shots right away, babe.”

“I’m not doing two shots; you think I’m stupid?” The bartender slid the shots over to you along with two lime wedges. “One is clearly for you.”

Unable to hold back a laugh, Natasha put her arm around your shoulders and pulled you into her side as she said, “Why the fuck not, let’s do it.” The two of you went through the process: salt, shot, lime. You couldn’t help but wince as you downed the harsh liquor. Of all the shots in the world, tequila probably tasted the worst. The only reason you kept going for it was the warmth it traced down your body, and you felt your muscles begin to loosen up.

“Two more,” you called over to the bartender.

“Uh, no,” Natasha shot at you, grabbing her whiskey, and pushing off the bar, “I’m good with my top shelf shit, you keep going after that gasoline if you want but I’m out.”

“C’mon, Nat,” you called out, “what am I gonna do with two shots?”

“I’m sure you’ll find someone else, babe.” She said with a wave over her shoulder.

Sighing, you turned back to the ridiculously pretty bar (seriously, how much had Tony paid for this thing?). Who else would help you look cool and sexy at a bar for your secret boyfriend?

Okay, that was the cringiest thought you’d ever had. Gross.

As the bartender slid the tequila in front of you, you steeled yourself for the nastiness that was about to happen.

“Fuck, I didn’t think this through,” you mumbled.

“Yeah, you tend to do that,” a deep voice answered on your right. Instead of being the slightest bit surprised, you couldn’t help but smile. You’d know that voice anywhere.

“Something I can do for you, Barnes?” You looked up at him from under your lashes.

“Well, it looks like you’ve got an extra shot there. Thought I could bail you out.”

“Is that all?”

Bucky shifted so that your arms were just barely touching. His hand was right next to yours, and you reached out with your pinky to lightly brush his.

“Doll, you have the gall to show up in that dress and ask what I want as if you don’t already know?”

“Sorry Buck, I’m a little slow, must be the tequila. You should probably be a little clearer.”

Putting on quite the show of reaching for one of the shots, his mouth somehow ended up right next to your ear.

“I want you.”

It was lucky everyone was so distracted and couldn’t see how you shuddered at his words. Trying to maintain brain function, you managed to take the shot with him. You were now fully facing each other. He was wearing the cockiest smirk you’d ever seen, one that would put Tony Stark to shame. You couldn’t help but respond with that same energy despite the jitteriness his three little words had reduced you to.

“Well why don’t you—”

“Hello, my friends!” A booming voice sounded between you as Thor threw a huge arm over each of you. Bucky, with his stupid super soldier strength, didn’t really have a reaction to it. You, on the other hand, stumbled a little under the weight and force of it. “It’s so good to be back with you tiny humans.”

Was…was he slurring his words?

“Thor…are you drunk right now?”

He simply laughed in response. Well, that answered that.

“Of course I am, tiny person! It can’t be a party without good Asgardian wine.”

“Wait…you have literal god wine?” Bucky, who had a look of vague irritation on his face up to this point, now looked interested. Maybe even a little excited?

“Of course, metal appendage.”

“Dude, you can’t just call Bucky ‘metal appendage’—”

“He can if he lets me have some,” Bucky interrupted.

“We have a bargain!” Thor slapped Bucky on the back before scurrying back over to where he had come from, probably to get the wine he had promised.

“Bucky, you can’t even get drunk,” you hissed, “what exactly is the point of this?”

“Since everything happened, I haven’t found any alcohol strong enough to get me drunk. I figure god wine is worth a shot.”

“Bucky—”

“When I kiss you against a wall later, I wanna be a little tipsy,” he whispered in your ear, “that cool with you?”

Unable to keep yourself from smiling again, you nodded as Thor sauntered back over. Ever since that moment a few weeks ago, right before he kissed you for the first time, asking “is that cool with you?” had become your thing.

And the idea of Bucky kissing you against a wall? Yeah, that sounded pretty good.

***

As it turns out, Asgardian wine is just as potent as Thor had promised.

For the first time in over seventy years, Bucky Barnes was certifiably drunk. It made him feel like the Bucky from all those years ago, and it was the most incredible thing. Here he was, over 100 years old, partying, and all his favorite people were here.

Including his ridiculously hot girlfriend.

Even as they both flitted around the party, Bucky and y/n still found each other’s eyes, even from across the room. They would send winks, smiles, even funny faces. All he wanted to do was be right next to her, talk and dance with her all night…

But they had agreed. They wanted to keep their relationship a secret for now, keep the attention off of them for a bit while they got to know each other in this new way.

But god damn, that dress.

Y/n in red was…indescribable. It didn’t matter what she wore, she was always the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. But in red? In this dress?

She was breathtaking.

“Buck, you breathing?”

A hand waved in front of his face, snapping Bucky’s attention back to the people around him from Y/n’s back. He had been imagining putting his hands all over that back later and had gotten more than a little mesmerized. He managed to get his eyes to refocus, finding a drunk Sam smirking right next to him and an even drunker Steve dancing next to him. But what Steve was doing couldn’t really be called ‘dancing’ per say…more like an aggressive wiggle.

“Why wouldn’t I be breathing?” Of all the things he could’ve said to get Sam’s attention off of him, that wasn’t it.

“Uh, probably because the girl you’re in love with decided to show up and show off tonight? Pretty sure you’re drooling, man.”

Despite himself, Bucky slapped a hand across his mouth, only reducing Sam to wheezing laughter. Knowing he had been caught, he rolled his eyes and grimaced a little. Of all the people to catch him, he wished it hadn’t been Sam.

“I wasn’t…staring… at y/n, I just never see her dressed up is all.”

“I never said anything about the girl being y/n.”

“…fuck.”

“LANGUAGE,” Steve yelled out, pointing a finger at his two friends before returning to his shimmying.

Turning back to him, Sam added, “Just go be with her, Buck. You’re not fooling anyone, and neither is she.”

“We’re that obvious?”

“A few weeks ago you’d at least try to hide it. Now I’m surprised you’re not jumping each other’s bones right here right now.”

“Point taken,” Bucky said, lightly slapping Sam’s shoulder before power walking over to his girl.

***

“Nat, if you don’t stop asking about Bucky and I’s relationship, I’m going to kick you,” you called over the music before taking another swig from your glass. It was no Asgardian wine, but the human stuff wasn’t half bad in your opinion. It wasn’t like you could drink the god shit, anyway. If you had even one sip, you’d be swinging from the ceiling like Miley fucking Cyrus. You were pretty drunk as it was.

“Okay, fine,” she said with a shrug as she took a sip of her whiskey, still as calm and collected as ever. “You’re almost as drunk as he is, you’ll be talking soon enough.”

“Oh? Is that your spy master plan?”

Natasha was still looking as unbothered as ever, but as she looked across the room over your shoulder, her face split into a savage grin.

“It was, but it looks like I might not need it.”

“What do you me—”

Your words were cut off as a large, warm hand enclosed around yours. Whirling around, you were suddenly face to face with the man himself. Bucky was clearly having a good time. His mouth was relaxed into the cutest smile you’d ever seen him wear, and he moved without his normal stiffness and intensity. He threaded your fingers together, smiling down at you with so much love it was a wonder Nat hadn’t said anything yet.

Looking back in front of you, ready to explain yourself, you only found empty air. Guess she’d seen all she needed to, but honestly, you really didn’t care. All you’d wanted the whole night was to be exactly where you were right now; hand in hand with the man you loved.

“We’re just kidding ourselves, doll,” Bucky called next to your ear, “Sam said we’ve been pretty obvious.”

“Nat said the same,” you answered with a sheepish smile, “kind of hard to keep my face under control when you’ve got that leather jacket on.”

“You’re blaming me?” He asked with mock indignation. “You’re the one who looks,” he gestured wildly to your whole body, “like that!”

Trying ignore the heat spreading over your cheeks, you shot back, “Like what?”

“Like the most…” he screwed his face up in the most adorable way as he searched for words, “like the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” As the last few words tumbled out of his mouth, he gazed at you with such a softness you almost melted right into the floor.

“Wanna get out of here?” You asked, finally giving up the game. It was pointless, really. Now, all you wanted to do was for your boyfriend to keep his promise and kiss you against a wall.

Wrapping an arm around your waist, he answered, “Absolutely.” Without looking at a single soul, the two of you began walking as quickly as you could for the exit. You and Bucky were both leaning on each other a bit, but you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Stepping out into the light of the hallway, you blinked as your eyes adjusted after the dark room you’d spent the last few hours in. Bucky led you until you were right in front of the elevator, and he lazily pressed the button to go up. There was tension in the air between you, like a thread that was being pulled. Biting your lip, you stared at the doors in front of you. You knew if you so much as looked at the man next to you, you’d jump him right then and there.

The shining doors slid open, and the pair of you walked in, his strong arm still around your waist. His grip wasn’t loose in any sense of the word. Bucky kept you right next to him, even as your legs wanted to drift all over the place. You pressed the button for the residential floor.

As soon as those doors slid shut, that thread of tension snapped.

Bucky whirled you to face him, then walked you backward until you were pressed against the wall of the elevator.

“I promised I’d kiss you against the wall, didn’t I?”

He didn’t even wait for a response. His mouth was on yours in an instant, lips moving together like a dance. The kiss was slow and unhurried. You tried to bring him closer, linking your hands behind his neck and pressing yourself to him. Instead of responding in kind, he unwound your arms from around him and pinned them above your head.

Oh damn.

Okay.

No complaints here.

“You’ve been teasin’ me all night just by wearing that dress, sweetheart,” he murmured in between the kisses he trailed down your jaw, “I think it’s my turn.”

“Would it change your mind knowing I only wore this dress so you could take it off?”

The heat that bloomed in those blue eyes of his was unmistakable. As the doors opened on your floor, he swept you up into his arms and began to walk purposefully to his apartment. All the while, he kept that signature cocky smirk of his you’d come to adore.

“Bucky?” You asked once he’d walked into his unit.

“That sentence was the single most attractive thing you’ve ever said,” he murmured as he set you down. Even still, he kept you pressed against him. “But nah, I’m a patient guy. I think I’ll take my time.” He followed this by resuming his slow and sensual kisses, and you couldn’t help but melt into them.

“I love you,” you whispered against his lips.

“I’ll never get tired of hearing that, doll. I love you too.”

***

[nastybuckybarnes]

Of Kings and Beasts  -  Fifteen

Pairing: King!Bucky X Princess!Reader X King!Steve

Summary: Born a bastard of the King of Orlen, you’re thrust to the West to marry the Kings. However, the greeting you get is anything but warm, and your life with the King is far from enjoyable. He knows it isn’t your fault his husband is gone, but that fact alone won’t prevent him from taking it out on you.

Warnings: Angst, Language, Injuries, Violence, Death, 

Word Count: 3.1K

A/n: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH We’ve got one or two parts left! (Probably one I think... maybe an epilogue after that, but def at least one part) 

A/N2: I just watched the first episode of fatws and idk how I feel about it. Like, idk bros. Im not sure. I don't know. And don’t come at me, im terrible at watching movies and tv (still haven't seen endgame oop)

THIS SERIES CONTAINS SMUT AND DARK THEMES THAT MAY BE TRIGGERING TO SOME AUDIENCES!!! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!!! 18+!!!!

Series Masterlist

~*~

It’s cold.

Something that isn’t quite snow, but isn’t rain, falls from the darkened sky as the Kings lead their men away from their Kingdom. Away from safety.

It’s no secret, what awaits them.

The Asgardian Army is huge. And powerful.

There’s a general feeling of unease among the soldiers as they walk towards a battle to be had with their friends. Men they’ve shared a drink with.

Men that they now need to kill.

The Kings aren’t feeling much better about the situation.

For years, Thor has been like a brother to them. A confidant. Someone that they’ve trusted with their lives over and over again. And now they march into battle, prepared to kill if it comes down to it.

They march in silence, the sorrow of losing their Queen weighing heavily on their minds and in their hearts.

A woman who was kind and compassionate, yet strong. Strong enough to still bloom through the mistreatment she faced.

As the men head farther and farther from the safety of the village, Wanda’s been busying herself among the safety inside, insuring everyone will be prepared for the days, weeks, maybe even months to come.

The houses on the edge of the Kingdom are abandoned, the farmers heading inland for a higher chance of survival.

In the heart of the Kingdom, the safety of the centre, everyone has gathered, lanterns held tightly in their grasp as tears drip down their cheeks.

They hadn't known their queen long, but they knew her just long enough to know what a kind soul she possessed.

Wanda lights the first lantern, sending it up into the sky, into the clouds and the rain and the snow.

And it flies high.

Soon after, more lanterns join hers, until the entire sky is filled with them, the darkness replaced with the warm yellow lights.

They shine so brightly that the Kings can see them when they look back, something they’re doing far more often than they should.

The first rule of walking into battle is to never look back.

Yet with the sky painted for their late wife, they can’t help but steal glances, sending their prayers to the gods. Prayers, not for their own safety, no. But for yours. A prayer that the Kingdom above treats you far better than the kingdoms on Earth did.

The lanterns are so bright that Thor’s army sees them too.

His heart hurts, but what’s worse is the anger burning in him. How dare they mourn the Queen that they killed?

His army marches onward, over hills and rocky terrain, prepared to fight to the death for their King. Their King who is incapable of taking back his own mind.

Less of a King and more of a pawn, now.

Finally, after marching all night and all day, the two armies come to a halt across from each other. The only thing separating them from the end of each other’s blades is the large muddy field that must’ve been used for farming.

Steve and James slide off their horses gracefully, and Thor does the same, drawing his sword and pointing it at the two Kings.

No words will be exchanged before this battle.

Thor’s army lets out a roar, unsheathing their swords and making way across the field.

The Acadian army mimics the war cry, and they rush forward to meet their friends turned foe.

The Kings, however, have their sights set on each other, and it’s as if the armies recognize that.

They don’t run. No, none of them are in any hurry. They walk through the clashing swords and cries of pain, stepping over fallen bodies until they are facing off with each other.

“Call off your soldiers, Thor. We can discuss this like men,” Steve tries, his hand holding the hilt of his sword tightly.

“You lost the option to discuss things when you killed my beloved,” The King spits, his eyes an eery blue.

“Fine.” Swords are drawn and the real battle begins.

You can hear the shouting, hear the sounds of war over the huffing of your horse beneath you.

The Valkyrie are all on horseback with you, pushing your horses as fast as they can go in an attempt at reaching the Kings before it all goes to Hell.

But from the sound of things, it’s already begun.

“Your Majesty, look!” You follow the gaze of one of the Valkyrie, eyes finding the glowing lanterns in the distance.

They’re coming from Acadia.

“They are mourning you,” Brunnhild whispers, slowing her horse as the sound of the battle grows closer.

“If things go well, there won’t be much to mourn,” you reply, breaking through the barrier of trees and instantly getting pelted with ice-cold raindrops.

You squint through the downpour, trying to pinpoint the Kings in the midst of the battle. Or the trickster. Either one.

Sure enough, your husbands and Thor are at the very centre, the latter evidently losing the fight.

“Go, Majesty. We’re right behind you,” Brunnhild encourages, giving you a nod.

You take a deep breath then nudge your horse in the belly, just firmly enough for her to start running again.

She takes you through the battle, trampling those who get in her path, and you don’t blame her.

Your eyes are trained on the three men as they fight, Thor’s sword getting knocked from his hand.

He stumbles back onto the ground, staring up at James as he lifts his sword to deliver the finishing blow.

“No!” You shout, sliding off your horse and diving in front of Thor, your own sword raised.

The metal clashes against your husbands’ and his face screws up in shock.

“(Y/n)? Y-you’re alive?” You shove his sword back and rise to your feet, glaring at the three kings.

“This is what he wants, you fools! Do you not see that?!” You shout.

Although you’re yelling at them, James and Steve feel waves of relief and love wash over them.

You’re alive.

“He is preying on your weak minds to get you to do his bidding! He wants to rule the continent and he knows you will destroy each other! That’s what he’s counting on! You-” Steve grabs you and yanks you forward.

Thor’s blade slices your arm instead of piercing your chest, and you hiss in pain, glaring at him.

“His mind is not his own.” He lifts his sword but James blocks it, giving you a moment to explain yourself to your other husband.

“He knows not what he’s doing,” you try, hoping he’ll see your side.

“He’s waged a war! We cannot simply sit back and allow him to take control!”

“Majesty! Loki is here,” Brunnhild shouts, racing over to you and interrupting your conversation. You follow her gaze, meeting the sinister eyes of the raven-haired prince.

“I’ll handle him. He's mine.”

You turn back to Steve, squinting up at him through the rain.

“If you do nothing else for me in this marriage, in this life, please just spare him. He’s one of the few friends I have.”

Steve’s face softens and he gives you a small nod.

“We’ll do our best.”

His hand finds yours, giving it a gentle squeeze before he’s jumping back into battle.

You square your shoulders then start moving through the crowd of soldiers, easily blending in with the Asgardians in the uniform borrowed from the Valkyrie.

He steps into the clearing near the back of the Asgardian side, a smile on his face as you approach.

“Well, you are far stronger than I thought, your Majesty,” he says with a sneer.

You only glare at him.

“That is where you and I differ. My pain has made me strong while yours has only made you callous and weak. You could never rule a kingdom, let alone the continent. You get what you want through your tricks, your magic. That is not how a King fights.”

He stares at you for a long moment before nodding, dropping his cape and grabbing his sword.

“Fine. No more tricks. We shall see who the stronger one truly is.”

He makes the first move, his sword strokes precise and strong. But you block every attempt with just as much precision and strength.

He seems genuinely surprised by your strength as if he wasn’t there when you were being taught.

Every step forward pushes him a step back until you finally get him into a position where you can knock his sword away.

You press the blade to his chest, your own chest heaving with exertion and the wound in your stomach aching.

“The Valkyrie taught you well,” he muses, a smile on his face.

“But surely you didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?”

Your instincts tell you to step aside and you do, pulling back just as he yanks a dagger from his belt and swipes it in the air where you were standing.

The fight resumes, the rain soaking you and the clashing of metal ringing in your ears.

This time, however, he has the upper hand.

He twists and moves like a viper, each swipe of his blade getting closer and closer to finding purchase on your body.

He’s wearing you down, and he can tell.

One misstep, your foot sliding on the slippery earth, and then you’re on the ground and he’s on top of you, your sword knocked away.

Time seems to slow as he brings his blade to your throat, slicing a shallow cut into the sensitive skin.

“It’s such a shame I never got to have my turn with you. Seems as though everyone else did.”

You grind your teeth together, grabbing the blade sheathed on your thigh only for him to kneel on your wrist.

“You think me a fool? I’ve trained with the Valkyrie, too.”

You glare up at him, an idea bubbling into your head.

Jerking your head up and to the side, you lock your teeth around his wrist until he loosens his hold on the rest of your body, successfully freeing your trapped arm and giving you the moment you need to plunge the blade into his chest.

He stares at you in shock, his own blade falling from his grasp as he brings his hands up to his chest.

You scramble out from beneath him, your once white uniform now tainted brown and red with a combination of mud and blood.

He stays on his knees, taking shallow breaths as he stares up at you, so many emotions passing over his face.

“What have you won from this, Loki?” You demand, motioning to the soldiers slowing their fight, lowering their swords.

He must be losing his hold on their minds, you realize, your eyes scanning the crows until they land on the Kings, all three racing over to you.

You turn back to Loki and shake your head at him. “You have won nothing.”

He shakes his head, a pained grin stretching across his face.

“You think you’ve won? You’ve won nothing more than slavery! Than being treated as the worthless bastard you are! Your fate is sealed! I could’ve given you freedom! Power!” You shake your head and kneel down next to him, dropping your voice to a whisper.

“This continent knows no freedom. Not for people like us. It never will.”

You pull away, catching his confused look.

A hand lands on your shoulder, pulling you from the prince, and you look over at them.

Thor stands behind you, a look of pure sorrow and betrayal on his face.

He opens his mouth to speak but you shake your head, stepping aside and motioning to his brother.

“He meant to have you killed. To kill me and the Kings as well. He’s been plotting this for... only the Gods know how long. It’s been him. Behind every betrayal, every lie... everything.”

Thor kneels down in front of his brother, his eyes blurry with tears as he yanks him into a hug.

“Why?” He asks softly, holding onto Loki tightly.

The prince lets out a shuddering, pained breath.

“I... was tired of living in your shadow, brother. At least now... I’ll have a place in history.”

Thor drops his forehead to his brother’s shoulder as he grows weaker, sobs falling out of the big blond man.

“Are you alright?” James asks quietly, one hand falling to your waist while the other tips your chin up, inspecting your face for any injuries.

“I... yes.”

His touch is so soft and gentle. So different than what you’ve grown accustomed to.

Steve comes on your other side, his hand on your lower back as he gazes down at you lovingly.

“We thought...” He trails off and shakes his head, shoving the nasty thought away.

You’re alive. Here, in front of them, and that’s all that matters.

Thor slowly rises to his feet, leaving his brother on the ground glaring up at the four of you.

“All this fighting... all this death and hurt... no more. No more bloodshed.” You nod your agreement, your gaze falling to the prince.

“Bring him to Acadia. He will give us answers and then he will be punished for his crimes.”

Thor’s heart breaks at Steve’s request, but he knows nothing can be done. His brother has done too much unforgivable damage.

Loki glares up at you with nothing more than pure hatred in his eyes.

“I should’ve killed you that day in my brother’s chambers. I should’ve slit your throat then and there.” He spits the words like the venomous snake he is, his eyes glowing green.

The Kings each draw their swords, but the trickster is far too smart, too quick.

Quicker than him, though, is his older brother.

Thor steps in front of you as the dagger slides through the air, shielding your body with his.

The blade pierces his abdomen and he grunts, slowly crumpling to his knees while Steve rushes over to restrain the prince properly.

“Thor!” You cry, kneeling down in front of him and cupping his cheeks gently.

He takes a few deep breaths then smiles weakly up at you.

“I’m sorry, petal. I... never meant for you to be hurt the way you were. The things I’ve done to you... they are unforgivable. I will die a thousand times over to make up for all the damage I’ve caused.” You shake your head, tears welling up in your eyes.

“No, I’m alright. It wasn’t you, Thor. I-I know it wasn’t.”

He squeezes his eyes shut, bringing a hand to the knife in his gut.

“Loki has poisoned the blade. I... I fear only he knows of the antidote.” Horror fills you and you turn desperately to the prince as his brother collapses into the mud.

“Help him! This is your one chance for redemption, Loki. Do not squander it!” You shout, glaring through the rain at him.

He only looks between you and his brother, then turns away, giving you your answer.

You turn back to the blond and shake your head.

“No, this-this can’t be right.”

Thor takes your hand in his, tears rolling down his temples as he looks up at you.

“I am sorry, (Y/n). For not protecting you the way I could’ve. The way I should’ve. I am sorry. You... you are a warrior. A fighter. A queen. Of both Acadia... and Asgard.” You shake your head again, tears blurring your vision as James comes to your side, handing Thor his sword.

The blond clutches it tightly, a weak smile on his face.

“Even now, you offer me more than I deserve,” he whispers.

“You deserve to feast in Valhalla, friend. You’ve saved my wife. My queen. That is not something that will be forgotten.”

You squeeze his hand tightly, pressing it to your lips and kissing it softly.

“You were a good friend, Thor. A mighty King. A hero. Your legacy will live on. I swear it,” James whispers, a hand finding your back in comfort.

“Thor, please. Fight it. We-we can find an antidote,” you try uselessly. 

He gives you one last weak smile before resting his head in the mud, his eyelids fluttering closed.

His hand falls slack in yours, his grip on his sword loosening as his soul passes on from this world to the next.

“No... No! No, please!” You press your face against his chest, your heart aching for your friend.

Although he hurt you, you know it wasn't him. And now he’s gone. His life sacrificed for yours.

A king dead to save a bastard.

You sob against him, all your anger and sadness finally flooding out of you.

A gentle hand falls to your shoulder, carefully pulling you away.

“We’ll bring him back to Asgard for a proper funeral,” Steve whispers, gathering you in his arms and hugging you tightly.

You say nothing, only press your face against him and cry.

The fighting has long since ceased, and now the soldiers look on with sorrowful eyes at the fallen King and the mourning Queen.

Though they may not know all the details, it’s obvious how much you meant to each other.

“There has been enough death today. Enough sacrifice. Enough blood,” James announces loudly, his booming voice carrying out across the field.

“Majesty,” a soft voice whispers, a gentle hand finding your back.

You turn to the person and wipe your cheeks, offering only a nod as the Valkyrie come up behind you, still following your orders, your lead.

“I-I...” you trail off, not knowing what to say.

Their King is dead because of you.

Brunnhild places a gentle hand on your shoulder and bows her head then looks to your husband.

“We will bring him back to Asgard. Have the proper arrangements made for his funeral within a week.”

Your eyes move from her to your husband, and then over to Loki.

“There are still those in your council who wish to overthrow you,” you murmur, trying to keep your voice low.

“Loki will come with us. He will give us answers and then be sent to Asgard to be punished for his treason,” Steve says firmly, his eyes on the trickster.

“We will find the traitor and they will pay, my love. That, I promise.” You take a deep breath then nod, looking up at him then over at James.

“I want to be there when it happens. I want to know who has framed me, made it seem as though I had any poor intentions when coming to your Kingdom. And then I want to watch them be punished for their actions.”

The two exchanged surprised glances but neither have the heart to refuse. Not after all that you’ve been through.

They finally have you back. The last thing they want to do is push you away.

[officialscaramouche]

ayo feel like doing a gorou confession fic for me? pretty please with sprinkles on top (you know that fucking tiktok)

Ofc Pizzato anything for u my dear 🥰

Pairing: Gorou x gn!reader

Warnings: slight angst

Word count: 1,969

You heard a couple friendly knocks on your office door, eyes glancing to the clock to see it was a little past noon and you knew exactly who it was. “Come in,” you chime, putting down your pen and stretching upwards with a smile.

“Helloooooo!” You hear as the door swung open, Kazuha flaunting an envelope between his fingers. “Letter time!”

You sweep to your feet and give him grabby hands. “Give it to me!” He chuckles and places the thin paper into your hands. “Tell me who it is already,” you giggle as you rip it open and slide the letter out.

“No,” he sighs, rolling his eyes. “I keep my promises.”

You quirk and eyebrow before you fold open the letter. “Even if I bribe you with dango?”

Kazuha smiles. “Even if you bribe me with dango.”

You grunt and groan but it quickly stops when you unfold the letter, reading the contents.

Good afternoon, cupcake, it starts. You blush at the pet name. I hope your day is going as well as mine. I’ve just won the office lottery! I’m going to ask for more snacks in the break room. That way, everyone benefits too! Specifically though, I want more sakura mochi! The ones you made for us were delicious. Share your recipe? :3

I adore you, your secret admirer.

You squeeze the letter to your chest and squeal, your face warm from blushing and your heart pounding against your chest. “Oh, Kazuha, whoever this person is, I really wish they’d come up and confess!”

Kazuha tuts and wiggles his finger. “But then the mystery wouldn’t be there anymore.”

“Screw mystery!” You squealed, gazing down at the illegible and scratchy handwriting, the mysterious stains and fur all over the page. “I’m ready to hear these words in person.”

Just then there was a knock on your door and a quick turn of the knob, one of the top brass leaning against your door frame. “Good morning, Chatty Cathy’s,” sang a familiar voice and ear twitches.

You wave while Kazuha bows, hiding the letter behind your back. “Good morning, General Gorou.”

The tail behind his back wagged discreetly as the two men share a knowing glance. “Kazuha,” the general clears his throat. “May I speak with you?”

The samurai nods his head and gives you a little wave as he walks out the door. “Bye boys!” You sing, tucking the letter back into the envelope and putting it away.

The next day, as routine, a little past noon you heard three friendly knocks on your door. You excitedly put your pen down, closing your ledger and standing out of your chair and onto your feet. “Kazuha,” you grinned. “Come in!”

He pushed the door open with his back, lugging a big box with some plastic sticking out from the top. “I’m just a mule to you guys aren’t I?” He groaned, lifting the box up and onto your desk. “This is ridiculous.”

You stood on your tippy toes to try and peek inside the box without being obnoxious. “What is it?” You hum, getting more and more restless.

“Your letter, what else?” He kind of snapped, letting out a deep sigh and rolling his eyes. “I wish he’d confess too. That way I don’t have to carry these things.”

You pulled back the top of the box that was just out of your reach. “Here,” pushing your hands away, Kazuha tore the box apart to expose a giant basket full of goodies and flowers. “The letter.”

Kazuha snapped the taped-on letter from the plastic and handed it to you. Wasting no time at all, you rip the envelope open and unfold the letter.

Dearest [Y/N], you’ve pierced my heart like an arrow through a target and I simply cannot get you off my mind. I heard from the grapevine that you wish for my confession. …Maybe I shall do so in the near future? It’s not that I do not want to be yours, but rather that you make me quite nervous. Still, we see each other for terribly brief moments but these moments are the most precious to me. Hopefully I can muster up the courage to finally tell you how I feel. In the meantime, please accept these treats and toys imported from across the globe. My favorite are the dog-shaped biscuits.

Your shy admirer.

Looking up from the letter you find Kazuha stuffing his face with some chocolatey cookies from within a tin box labeled ‘Fontaine.’ “Are those good?” You ask, reaching in and stealing one.

“Mhm,” Kazuha hums, taking a bite out of the one in his hand. “I’ve never had Fontaine chocolate. I guess the rumors about being the best were true.”

You melt under the sweet taste and crunchy texture, thinking that if your crush’s letters had a taste, it would be like this. “This is so nice,” you sigh, eyes sparkling as they gaze upon the basket. “Do you think he’s going to confess to me?”

Kazuha stares out the windows of your office that peer into the rest of the building, watching a certain general spill water on himself and the resistance leader. He takes another bite of a cookie. “Maybe.”

You squeal in delight and spin around in joy. “My heart’s beating so fast! I hope he does it soon or I’ll explode!”

Kazuha chuckles and playfully shoves you aside. “If you explode, I’m eating all of your snacks.”

“No! They’re mine!”

Weeks— almost a month— go by with no further letters. Kazuha stopped coming by, whether at noon or otherwise. The only knocks you got were visits from Kokomi about the budget or from other soldiers carrying reports and receipts from spending. Your heart ached at the sudden lack of contact, wondering if you had done or said something wrong.

Maybe your eagerness was intimidating and this mystery man just wanted someone to flirt with without commitment. Maybe he got bored of you. Maybe he didn’t want to talk to you anymore.

Regardless, you wanted to try and spark it back up in case you’ve stepped on some toes without realizing. That night when you got home, you tossed the ingredients for sakura mochi into a bowl and got to mixing.

The office ate everything you brought before lunchtime rolled around. With such great success, you had confidence that he’d reach out to you tomorrow, if not today.

But alas you were left in silence once more, leaving your heart to crumble and ache. You were quick to recover, considering you never met the guy— let alone knew his name. But you had no time to be worrying anyway, because in a couple of days one of the squads were returning from the front lines and you needed to factor in medical costs. Apparently they took a hard hit when Sara Kujou showed up with her samurai. Kokomi was depending on you, and you didn’t want to let her down.

You spend these few days really crunching the numbers, making sure that every wounded soldier would get the basic medical necessities with some left over for any miscalculations. With every i dotted and every t crossed, you stuffed your report into a fancy envelope and handed it to Kokomi. “Thank you [Y/N] for your hard work under such a sudden timetable.” She thanked, tucking the envelope under her arm. “The team should be arriving tomorrow, so I will be submitting this for review immediately.”

You bow respectfully and offer your thanks for praise. “It’s no problem at all, Her Excellency. I was given ample time to prepare the balance sheet.” You begin to turn when you’re stopped once again by her.

“Before you go,” she smiles softly. “Would you mind helping out at the infirmary? We’re short handed right now with the sudden intake of Delusions.”

“Of course, Her Excellency. I will be there whenever you need me.”

You weren’t specialized in medics but you had helped around often enough to know the basics. And anyone could become a master at immediate medical attention after doing it so many times.

The flood of gurneys was a little disheartening to see, but you were still thankful for all that they do for the greater of the country. It must be scary being at the front lines, but everyone knew what they were signing up for.

You catch sight of Genera Gorou and Lord Kazuha chatting with Lady Kokomi before you were assigned to a batch of wounded soldiers, feeling a little bad for harboring ill feelings toward the young lord for disappearing. ‘You could’ve at least told me that you were leaving,’ you thought as you rinsed the injured area.

“I can take over from here,” the head medic stepped in, slipping on a new pair of gloves before getting a closer look at the soldier before you. With most of everyone patched up and recovering, the medic team was able to take control of the infirmary once again.

You wash your hands and check the clock. A little past noon. It’s funny how at this time you would’ve waited with bated breath for a couple of knocks. But not anymore.

You step out of the infirmary and find Kazuha and General Gorou sitting outside on the benches there. “Oh, hi boys,” you say surprised.

Kazuha grabs and shakes your hand. “Thank you for helping out our soldiers,” he says seriously.

“Oh, it’s not that big of a deal,” you mutter. “I do this all the time.”

A calloused hand pushes Kazuha’s away and shakes your hand firmer, harder. “No, [Y/N],” Gorou says with a sort of oomph behind his words. “These are my men…my family. They would be suffering if not for your help.”

You look to the side uncomfortably, a little put-off by the tension in the air. “And that’s why—!” Gorou continues, suddenly eight decibels louder. You hold eye contact with the general, his face darkening into a deep red flush, his eyes glassy and ears twitching. He squeezed your hand harder and shut his eyes. “M-My C-C-Cupcake!!! P-Please let m-me take you on a date!!!!”

Kazuha winced at the loudness of his friend, covering one of his ears but still smiling nonetheless. The people walking by stared and mumbled, but it didn’t matter as you felt your heart pound against your chest. You felt your eyes well with tears as now your face flushed red, the general cautiously opening his eyes to see your trembling lips and pathetic pout. “A-Ah! [Y/N], don’t cry!!”

You tug on his hand hard, pulling the man into your arms and squeezing him tight. You sobbed into his chest, hearing and feeling how frantic his heart was beating as well. “You idiot!” You shout into his battle-worn chest. “Don’t disappear without telling me…”

Gorou caressed the back of your head and chewed on his lip, his tail drooping with guilt but twitching with excitement for being in your arms. “Did I…scare you?” He whispered tentatively, choosing his words carefully.

You pull away and wipe your eyes, Gorou watching you closely and holding tightly onto your waist. “I thought you got tired of me…because I stopped hearing from you.” Gorou frowned and cupped your face, thumbing your cheeks gently. “I even made sakura mochi and I didn’t—”

“You made sakura mochi??!??!!! Is there any left?!?” Gorou’s jaw dropped. He let you go to turn and run to the break room, halting before running back to embrace you once more. “Heh, uh…” he chuckled nervously. “I’d actually…rather hold you like this…”

You couldn’t fight the smile that spread across your cheeks, flushing your body against his chest. “That’s okay,” you giggle. “There aren’t any left.”

You had no idea that his ears could flatten sadly like that.