#mc: Adrian

[oneknightstand-if]

Lust MC is exhausted and frustrated. They've pulled every trick in the book, yet Adrian still refuses to share their bed. Perplexed by this unprecedented challenge, they seek out the succubi for advice.

What does Merlin suggest as the ultimate strategy to seduce Adrian?

Merlin: ( •᷄ὤ•᷅)？

Merlin: (✿ﾟｰﾟ)ゞ

Merlin: ヽ(✿ﾟ▽ﾟ)ノ  Proclaim that you're about to share your bed with me instead!

Adrian:

[rinriya]

My MC: /tries to flirt with Adrian/ Adrian: /runs away/ My MC: /starts flirting with others because apparently one-sided crush is a painful thing/ Adrian:

My MC: ?????? Boiiii what do you want???

In another option, this is how Merlin behaves lol guys, calm down

We're saving the world here, what in the name of The Bachelor are you doing?

[aspecnoahmarshall]

Matthias-themed compilation of ILW images I've made

And my favorite:

[l-starlight-l]

Suggestions please!!!

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Hi!! I’ve been in a bit of a writers block and I’m not sure what or who to write about lately. I would love if you would leave suggestions or ideas for me and I’ll do my best to fulfill them!! I’ve opened my requests if you’d like to submit them anonymously or so I can reply to them. I would absolutely love some wlw stuff and fem x anyone but I will also try mlm but I have absolutely no experience with it! I don’t right for any OCs but I can do x reader or any x character stuff.

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Ideas (both fluff and smutt)

(you can suggest outside of these options)

Creature commandos

My hero academia

Dc

Arcane

Demon slayer

Jjk

Avatar

Miraculous

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[kinda-iconic]

Summer Nights

Author's note: Started off as a drabble (was in need of some fluff); turned into something more.

Words: 1800+

Pairing: Adrian Raines x Human!MC (Amy)

Tagging: @bloodboundismylife @choicesfannatalie22

Don't know who else to tag, nowadays.

Amid the summer months, Amy was not known to spend her nights confined inside the sanctity of her apartment. Instead, she often found solace at Adrian’s penthouse, the city’s skyline providing her with a newfound comfort that her own simply could not provide.

Last night was no exception.

A trickle of golden light illuminates her features, the radiant warmth of sunrise gracing her skin with an iridescent glow. A soft groan escapes her as she reaches up, her forearm sleepily draping over her face; she lays like that for a moment, basking in the tranquil embrace of morning before slowly sitting up, silken bedsheets falling to rest above her thighs. Amy smiles softly, placing her hand amidst the rays, tilting her head as she admires her fingers from afar. 

A strong arm wraps itself around her waist, drawing her further into their embrace. Amy shakes her head in amusement, tracing her fingertips across its surface. She inclines her head towards her companion, leaning down just enough to press a tender kiss to his temple, her voice soft and comforting.

“I need to get out of bed, Adrian.”

He shakes his head despondently, expressing his displeasure with a pout, brows creasing slightly as he slowly opens his eyes, smiling drowsily up at her.

She giggles softly, carefully caressing his face in between her palms.

“I need to go.”

He groans, shaking his head once more, his arm constricting around her midsection.

“No.”

“Adrian…”

He lazily pulls himself flush against her, burying his face in her side, his warm breath ghosting her skin.

“Call them and say that you’re sick,” he murmurs.

“And what would I say?”

“Tell them that you have the flu,” he mumbles groggily, his nose wrinkling as it encounters the hem of her pyjama top.

“They’ll never believe that.”

“They will if you cough a couple of times,” he turns over, resting his head on his forearm as he gazes up at her, his expression softening as his eyes befall hers; he reaches up, his knuckles grazing the nape of her neck as he speaks with conviction, his next utterance spoken with jest. “A little sniffle here and there…an occasional cough…”

“Are you encouraging me to pull a sickle?”

“If it means that I get to keep you in my arms a little bit longer…”

She playfully pats his chest; a mischievous laugh escaping him as his fingers enclose around her wrist, drawing her closer. They look at one another for a moment before he leans in, capturing her lips in a tender kiss, their bodies entwining as he carefully pushes her back down onto the bed, a soft gasp leaving her as her back connects with the mattress. He kisses her once more, his hands grasping onto her waist before moving down to her hips, his kisses growing more impatient as they trail along her jaw and neck. She closes her eyes, truly enjoying the moment…

“Is that Mr Harrison?”

Her eyes open, widening in disbelief as they fall upon Adrian, who remains in place, a triumphant smirk blossoming on his features…

…holding her mobile to his ear.

“Adrian!”

She reaches for her phone, but he manages to block her, lightly swatting at her hand every time she attempts to retrieve the phone.

“Unfortunately-“ she makes a second attempt for the device, but is swiftly deterred as he pins her wrists to her stomach; once she has ceased, he continues, “Amy is unable to come into the office today.”

“Adrian-”

“She woke up with a fever this morning. A slight cough, blocked nose…the usual…”

He looks down at her once more, just to be met with a feigned scowl. He chuckles quietly, his grin widening as he returns his attention back to the call, listening to the man on the other end of the line.

“Uhuh…uhuh…yes, I’ll…I’ll let her know. Thank you, Sir.”

Adrian ends the conversation, tossing the phone across the bed.

"Clyde hopes that you make a speedy recovery."

“You’re unbelievable.”

“But you love it.”

He nuzzles her shoulder, pulling back just enough so that he can see her face.

“Looks like you’re stuck with me for the rest of the day, after all.”

She shakes her head in disbelief, the corner of her mouth curving upward.

“You are full of surprises, Mr Raines.”

“That I am,” he kisses her forehead before wrapping her in his arms, his chin resting in the crook of her neck, “that’s why you love me.”

“I can think of a hundred reasons, but…sure. Let’s go with that.”

He lets out a contented sigh, holding her close to his chest as he begins to sing.

“Look at the stars…look how they shine for you-“

She turns abruptly, regarding him with a quirked brow.

“Serenading me with Coldplay, huh?”

“I’ll serenade you with anything you want,” he beams, sliding the strap of her pyjama top down her forearm, exposing her shoulder; he presses his lips against her skin, exhaling softly as he moves to repeat this action on her adjacent side, “Coldplay��Taylor Swift…you name it, I sing it.”

“What about the Beatles?”

He hums his approval, “especially the Beatles.”

She closes her eyes, leaning back as he begins to pepper kisses along her collarbone.

“Which one?”

“Which song did you have in mind?” He replies quickly, “I know them all.”

“I am happy with whichever song you choose.”

“Careful now,” he collects her hair into his fist, draping it over her right shoulder as he regards her inquisitively, “or I might bless you with your very own concert…” he pauses momentarily, grazing the pad of his thumb across her bottom lip, “live from the comfort of our bed.”

“Well, I am ill…” she smiles coyly; he returns the gesture, their shared happiness evident in the gentleness of his touch as he cups her chin with his palm, his gaze drifting down to her mouth.

“Maybe too ill to attend this performance.”

“I might need to see a doctor.”

He places his hand on her forehead just to briskly remove it, feigning a wince.

“You definitely have a temperature.”

“Oh?” She tilts her head, “and what do you intend to do about cooling me down?”

“Who said anything about cooling down?”

She tuts, swatting his chest.

“Smooth.”

“I thought that was more presumptuous than flirtatious, personally.”

“It can be whatever you want it to be,” she rests her head on his shoulder, “do we have any waffles left?”

“I brought a new pack yesterday.”

“Good,” she rubs her stomach, “because I am in need of sugary goodness.”

Amy begins to move towards the edge of the bed, but Adrian beats her to it, gently easing her back down onto the covers.

“You think I’m going to let my sick girlfriend get her own breakfast?” He walks over to the dresser, collecting a fresh pair of joggers; he starts to dress himself, only stopping to pass her a bottle of water from the side, “what kind of boyfriend would that make me?”

“A busy one?”

“I’m never too busy for you.”

He walks back towards her, pressing a loving kiss to the top of her head.

“I’ll be right back.”

He disappears into the kitchen, the door closing quietly behind him. As the silences settles in, Amy moves over to the window, opening the curtains slightly as she admires the city down below, a soft warmth enveloping her a mere moment later as Adrian embraces her from behind, waffle in hand. He passes it to her with a smile, kissing her temple.

“You can’t be in the sunshine,” she frowns, “you’ll burn.”

“A few seconds won’t hurt,” he whispers softly, following her gaze to the busy streets, “besides, if it means that I get to share in this moment with you, then I shall remain here until I am nothing more than a pile of ash.”

“Please don’t say that.”

“You’re right,” he sighs, “just think of the cleaning bill you’d have for this rug.”

“Adrian!”

He laughs heartily, “I’m only joking.”

She nudges him slightly, taking a small bite of her waffle, “you really should get in the shade, though.”

He shakes his head.

“Just a little bit longer.”

The pair remain like that for a minute more, neither one able to take their eyes off the beautiful sunrise before them. It is only when Adrian speaks that the silence is broken, replaced with a feeling of melancholy.

“I think that was the first sunrise that I have seen in a while.”

“Do you miss it?”

“Sometimes,” he pauses as if lost in thought, but it isn’t long before he returns his attention back to her, his once sad demeanour replaced with one of gratitude, “but why should I mourn my mortality when I have been blessed with something even more precious in return?”

“What’s that?”

“You,” he smiles lovingly down at her, “I love you, Amy.”

“And I you,” she replies, holding her breakfast up to his mouth; he takes a generous bite, eliciting a soft smile on his behalf, “more than you know.”

"And I will be eternally grateful for that."

He exhales, placing a comforting hand on the small of her back.

“I would like to spend more time with you.”

“You already do,” she beams up at him, “we’re pretty much inseparable now.”

“Do you think that it is too much?” He questions, a sudden vulnerability seeping into his tone, “I don’t want to stop you from living your life.”

“My life is a lot more exciting with you in it.”

“Do you mean that?”

She nods, her demeanour one of reassurance and compassion, “I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.”

“Even if it means that we can’t do anything during the daylight hours?”

“I’m more of a night owl, anyway.”

He grins sheepishly; she reaches upwards, the pad of her thumb tracing along the curve of his jaw.

“I work at nights, remember? Being your PA and all.”

“Unless a certain Mr Harrison requires your assistance,” he replies comically, “did he not need your guidance opening a document on his computer last week?”

She shakes her head; Adrian’s brows crease in befuddlement.

“Is that not the story?”

“He never got that far.”

“I…I’m afraid that I don’t - ”

“He didn’t know how to turn the computer on.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but his words fail him. His shock elicits a chuckle from Amy, her attention never straying from his face.

“Not what you expected, huh?”

“And he is…”

“One of your new IT guys.”

“Ah,” he grimaces, cupping the back of his neck, “maybe I should ensure that he receives adequate training, seeing as that is his job and all.”

“He’s a nice man.”

“Who doesn’t know how to turn a computer on, apparently.”

“I think he was overwhelmed.”

“That’s a possibility,” he appears hesitant, as if unsure as to how he should continue, “I’ll get on that tomorrow.”

She greets him with a puzzled look, uncertain.

“Are you not at work tonight?”

“Oh no,” he playfully swats the back of her thigh, causing her to gasp in surprise, “I have a sick girlfriend to look after.”

[bloodbound-selfship]

Going to an amusement park with Adrian would look like this:

Adrian getting a little grumpy trying to find a parking spot

Holding his hand as you walk around

Adrian winning you all the prizes you could ever want at all of the rigged games

Going over to the petting zoo and having to get onto him for saying the cows would be delicious

Riding the rides with him, even if the rides don't phase him. He loves seeing your reactions

Eating the fair food while Adrian pretends to hate it

Riding the ferris wheel and snuggling

Getting lost in the fun house and basically being glued to his hip as he figures out where the exit is

Walking back to the car with your arms full of stuffies, and kisses covering Adrian's face

[mynotsohealthyobsession]

Hello, I like the stories you create, especially the one about Bloodbound. Can you create a story about Adrian Raines, MC, and Zuri again? Thank you!

Hi darling! Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm truly happy you enjoy them! And... Omg, it's like you read my mind! I just finished this piece of them and let me tell you, be ready for an overdose of cuteness! lol (Or at least that it's how it felt while writing it!) I just love them together! Here hoping you enjoy it!

First birthday

Pairing: Adrian Raines x MC x OC Zuri (their daughter)

Warning: Just a tiny bit of angst but fluff fluff fluff!

Words: 1.133

As always, tagging in the reblog!

Amy turned around on the bed, surprised to see the absence of Adrian's arm around her and his side of the bed empty. She hadn't heard the baby monitor go off so she knew Zuri hadn't disturbed his sleep. She stood up and walked towards the baby's room first. When she pushed open the ajar door, a little smile blossomed on her face, watching Adrian attentively looking at their little girl. She tip-toed up to him and hugged his waist from behind, kissing his nape.

"Is she okay? I didn't hear her cry." Amy whispered as he turned, holding her back and kissing her forehead.

"She's fine, love. I woke up and took the opportunity to check on her." 

"And you? Do you feel alright?" 

"Everything is just perfect." She studied him for a bit before gently cupping his cheek, making him look at her. Zuri's first birthday would be in a couple of days and Amy was pretty sure what was going on in his mind.

"We are okay. Nothing bad is going to happen to her. Or me." Adrian paused for a moment with a serious expression, before sighing, his shoulders slumped a little and his brows knitting together. 

"It scares me to think that history repeats itself. To lose everything I love again."

"It won't." She knew that he had lost his son just a few days after his first birthday.

 "I will mentally torture anyone that even tries to touch her." His hands squeezed her involuntarily. "They can ask Gaius how that feels." He quietly chuckled, a bit of tension smoking away from him. "I promised you, when I woke up, that you will never lose me again. Let me add something to that promise." Their eyes fixed to each other, intensely and profoundly. "You are not going to lose her either, Adrian."

"It just… You two are everything to me." His voice was low but filled with emotion, directing his gaze back at Zuri, still asleep in her crib. "My whole world." 

"Do you trust me?" He turned to her, surprised at the question.

"You know I trust you more than anyone or anything, Amy." 

"Then trust me when I say that nothing bad is going to happen." 

"I'll try, my love." She brushed his cheek with her lips before detangling from his hold. "But it's not easy…"

"Of course it's not. But you have to try." Slowly and tenderly, she lifted Zuri from the crib, careful to not wake her, leaning her on her shoulder. Her little arms rested on her chest, her mouth slightly open while Amy gently patted her back. "You deserved to enjoy every second with her, to not be worried or scared." He kissed Zuri's small head.

"Believe me, I am." Careful to not disturb the baby, he sweetly took Amy's lips with his. "I love you, my eternity."

"Almost eleven years together and you still sound as cheesy as the first time." She said with a little smirk as he silently chuckled and leaned his head against hers. "I love you too, handsome."

"As if you don't like it." Adrian winked at her.

"Of course I do. I mean, there's a reason I married you." Zuri moved against her causing Amy to tighten her hold a little more. "Let's go back to bed. This lady can sleep with us for a few days." She moved to the door, quietly walking to their bedroom, Adrian turned off the dim light and followed her. Carefully, she lowered Zuri's tiny frame onto the bed, laying her down in the space between them. Amy smiled at her as she caressed her cheek with the back of her finger, getting comfortable beside her. "Having her in our lives still amazes me sometimes.”

"I know the feeling. She's positively extraordinary." He gently and protectively rested his hand on her belly, his thumb stroking her tummy below the soft light pink onesie with the print of a joystick and the quote 'Player 3 has joined the game' that Lily had given her. Amy moved her finger, leading it inside the tiny loose fist, holding her hand, and kissed the side of her head until she fell asleep once more, her face almost touching Zuri's. 

Adrian stood awake a long time, simply observing them, hearing their steady heartbeats and the soothing rhythm of their breathing. He knew Amy was right, after all it had been years since something dangerous had happened to them but no matter how hard he tried, the uneasiness was still there. Zuri gave a little kick with her right leg and he smiled at her. When they had decided to start the adoption process, he knew he would love them no matter what but he hadn't expected it would be this much. At that time, he had noticed how worried Amy had been for him, trying not to make him feel they were replacing his first family. And he loved her for that, even more than he already did.

Zuri's cry called his attention. He picked her up, activating the bottle warmer with the remote, going to the kitchen so Amy could keep sleeping. He checked her diaper just in case but it was completely clean. 

"Sh sh, beautiful. It's almost done." He rocked her a bit, waiting the last two minutes until the bottle was ready, kissing her forehead. He took the bottle, offering it to her, smiling when she vigorously drank it, her bright eyes glued at him. "You and your mom are equally enthusiastic about food." Her gulps continued like that for a little while, becoming gradual until it finally stopped. Adrian left the almost empty bottle in the sink and gently leaned her over his shoulder, clapping her back softly, waiting for her burp. The little belch echoed in the kitchen, making him smile, and wiped her mouth with the towel he was holding. He gently lay her over his arm, calmly passing around, until her eyelids flushered, beginning to close again. "Time for bed, little angel." He returned to the bedroom, grinning at Amy profoundly asleep. By the time he sat her down on the mattress, her cute snores had begun again. He took the hem of the cover and pulled it up, making sure that neither of them were cold. As he looked at them he thought of all the years of darkness and pain, all the times that he had felt empty or lost. Of course he would never forget those years but… If it meant being this incredibly happy again, he would definitely go through all that again. Because they are definitely worth it. As his own eyelids started to close, a smile curved his lips up, noticing how Amy's finger, somehow, was in Zuri's grasp again.

💗

[cadybear420]

Heh foreshadowing

[plantyberry]

Planti's OKS musings: Imposter MC

So, I feel a bit weird doing that, but I have to start from somewhere, so here we go! Please take note that the data in this post comes from the game and code from the Public beta build (currently up to Chapter 2-2)

Welcome to Planti's OKS musings! yaaaaaaaay

For now I will focus on the MC's Imposter Secret, seeing as this will be the one thing to bite them in the butt later on if not handled correctly (looking at you here, Liar/Serial killer), this time featuring my observations on the Imposter, my personal favorite due to it being the most 'normal' one of the bunch as well as the potential hilarity of there being two imposters in this van if you add in the saboteur.

Chapter 1, Secret Pick:

Right off the bat, the Imposter Secret possesses some slight flavor text for the Amnesiac and Accident MCs due to their especially nonexistent/painful pasts and memories that they wish to escape. Picking the Imposter Secret gives +5 to the 'social' score, which is fitting seeing as, according to the narration, it was pulled off using exclusively the MC's social abilities and maintained that way.

Breaking down the choices and what they apparently give (since I remember the writer mentionning that they were lying somewhere, no doubt in part to obscure who the other Imposter here is) Here is what we have!

As far as I can tell, only the first two waves of questions have a mechanical impact.

Impactful choice 1:

-I don't even know what I'd been thinking : Bold -2 -I immediately knew exactly what I had to do : Bold +2 -I never intended this. It just sort of... happened : Bold -2, Sweet +2 -It was only meant for a short term lark in the beginning : N/A

Impactful choice 2:

-It's not as if I'm hurting anyone : Optimist +1, Sweet +1, Bold -1 -It's not as if it's possible to steal from the dead : Sass -1, Sweet -1, Bold -1 -It's not as if [The Original] ghost's haunting the world because of this : Optimist -1, Sass +1, Bold -1 -No excuses here. In the end, I wanted to be [Them] and so I became [Them] : Optimist -2, Sweet -2, Bold +5

Additionally, and rather tellingly at that, There are two further direct background interactions with this secret. If one picked the Amnesia Childhood and/or the News Reporter Job, both Lorelei and Gwyneth gain +1/+2 on their sus score.

Now, let us look at that particular data point from another angle: This doesn't trigger if the MC has an abused, abandoned, or accident (now that I think about it, all the childhoods come with an 'a', funny coincidence) childhood and/or stays clear of working as a reporter as an imposter.

This is relevant because of several things:

First, in the Amnesiac background, it is mentionned that there was a national/international media campaign when Amnesiac MC was first found and some more perceptive characters may very well suspect something. However, I find it odd that Cassandra, the literal police detective, isn't the one gaining the sus score here, meaning that even though this point could be a weighting factor, it isnt the determinant one.

Second, the fact that this only triggers in the Amnesiac MC's path as far as childhood goes means the forgotten past of the MC themselves is going to be a 'tell' of their Imposter secret for Lorelei and Gwyneth. Seeing as a bit of code diving gives us that delightful tidbit (set ensorceled true) when we look at the amnesia childhood is also quite interesting, considering Lorelei and Gwyneth aren't, in fact, supposed to be the most magic-sensitive characters.

Gwyneth I can handwave by saying that she's extremely social-specced and could detect that something's off where Cassandra couldn't, but Lorelei doesn't have this excuse, and her behavior of her being extremely prepared/already on the run (apparently there's a 'reason' she'll be one of the later catches?) on top of the very specific requirements for the sus triggers mean that she is the likelier one of the two to have actually known MC in the past.

Chapter 1-5-2:

Most of the flavor text involving the Imposter secret revolves around them taking advantage of situations or doesn't bear any mechanical effects that I can anticipate, except maybe this one:

-For the Smoking-addicted MC who went back to their apartment, it is revealed that the possess another, premium, lighter with what seems to be (unless I'm misreading the narration here) their 'Original' name written on it, the one they had every since they woke up in the desert with amnesia, which is likely to have some rather interesting in light of the Gwyneth/Lorelei possible situation going on.

Chapter 1-6:

Merlin, if they are who they say they are, almost certainly knows the character uses a fake name if a non-mute Imposter MC introduces themselves, though it seems his sus counter only rises when MC deliberately gives them a pseudonym instead. Seeing as they only seem to care about past names and Arthur, they are unlikely to cause trouble unless more people raise up objections (Looking at Gwyneth and lorelei here)

Chapter 2-2:

Imposter secret comes back to bite you in the butt! This time with those two options during the talk about your addiction:

-"Well actually..." I launch into a long retelling of my life story : Adrian Sus +1 If Amnesiac, Imposter and Merlin doesn't know who your past self is: Merlin Sus +1 If Abandoned, Imposter and Merlin doesn't know who your past self is: Merlin Sus +1

-I hand over a thick printed booklet of my life story that I carry around for times just like this. Adrian Sus +1

The reasons for this are fairly obvious, Adrian almost certainly looked into the MC's past, and the discrepancies are beginning to pop up. Beign an imposter is a secret that only really holds as long as people don't know enough about MC to be able to call them out on their lie. The more info MC gives, the weaker their secrecy becomes, as Adrian oh-so-suspiciously put it 'keep it simple' (so says the one most likely to be a fellow imposter secret holder). As for Merlin, the Amnesia incident reeks of magic interference, and the Abandoned one is also pretty suspicious, but seeing as those only trigger suspicion when MC is an Imposter mean that Merlin possesses some level of awareness of the nature of MC's lie.

It's the little things, but considering Book 1 lasts, what, two weeks? Those little things may very well begin to pile up.

The last thing is the TV incident in the shop if MC decides to go there early. If they are an imposter, the TV will show the 'real' owner of the name MC has lived with, which is pretty damning insofar that this means the demons are aware of MC's secret and in turn, so would the Saboteur, which is something they will definitely use against them.

Final thoughts:

As far as secrets go, by itself Imposter seems fairly benign. It looks pretty easy to at least mitigate the negative side effects by revealing your Camelot identity to Merlin and Arthur and having a good relationship with Adrian, and just not being a complete jerk as well as keeping the work on that high social, since this is likely to be the relevant stat checked when the secret is out.

A big thanks to @oneknightstand-if for creating this Interactive fiction that I can theorize my little heart out over. I can't wait to be completely wrong about all of it when more stuff comes out in the public beta!

[oneknightstand-if]

MC, Too Pure for The World, Asks Local Incubus if They're Hungry

Meanwhile Adrian having a conniption fit in the background. I'm currenting editing/polishing the latter half of Chapter 2-3. Once that's done the next major update for the Beta should be rolling out.

[rinriya]

I can't help but giggle But seriously… ALREADY 100%? How??? lolololol

[beelsjuicytitties]

Somewhere Only We Know

solomon x gn!reader

warnings/tags: slight angst, emotional hurt/comfort, reverse comfort, established relationship, partial solomon backstory spoilers?

summary: You hadn't heard from Solomon in weeks, and you were worried. So you go out in search of him.

—

AN: haha... its been a hot while since i posted my own writing here..... wrote this in like june when i was extra emo about solomon lol. title taken from Somewhere Only We Know by Keane. read on Ao3

—

You were worried. You haven't been able to get into contact with Solomon for weeks. It wasn't exactly unusual for him to be somewhere he had no reception, but he'd always let you know beforehand. Everyone you had asked simply apologized, saying they had no clue where he was. And so, you decided to go and look for him yourself, remembering all the different places he's shown you, or told you about. You brought some provisions along, unsure of how long it would take to find the witty sorcerer you loved so dearly. 

  You spent most of a day checking around the devildom, teleporting from place to place without any signs that Solomon had been there recently. Settling down onto a large stump with a sigh, you pull out some of the food you had brought. All the teleporting was starting to wear at you, but you couldn't possibly stop now. It took only a few minutes to finish the food, the taste barely registering. You quickly packed up your things and stood. There was no time to rest, there was still the human world to search. You steeled yourself, before teleporting once again.

—

  Solomon wandered through a quiet field. The clear air helped to sooth his wrecked thoughts, but not enough. The sadness and grief he usually held at bay had overwhelmed him once more. In times like these, he tended to isolate. To run away and keep everything hidden from those around him. He hated this part of himself. The part of him that was a sad, lonely little boy. A boy that had lost anyone dear to him. A boy who curled up in the corner of the dark basement he lived in. His face was tense as he walked a game train through the tall grasses around him. The trail led him to a small ruin. A fallen tree that once stood proud and tall, next to a crumbling stone wall. He ran his hand along the once familiar stones, a deep melancholy gripping his heart. He sat gently on the fallen tree, and gazed up to the endless sky. Dusk had begun to settle in, the clouds painted in dark blues and saturated oranges. His tears were silent, slipping down his face and dropping onto his clothes.

—

The sky was growing dark as you finally felt traces of Solomon. Even without casting anything, his magic tended to seep out and stick to his surroundings. You followed the trail you were sure he had walked, steps quickening as you felt him more and more. Finally, after searching hell and back, literally, you see him. There's barely any light now, but you could never mistake his frame. You broke into a run, a sound of relief bursting from you. He looked towards you at the sound, surprised. He was less alert in this state, less aware of everything around him. The moment you reach him, your arms are around him, holding him tight to your body as you fall to your knees in front of him. It took Solomon a moment to fully realize what was going on. He looked down at you, seeing the way you clung to him as though he was your lifeline. The way you pressed your face against his chest, quiet sobs shaking your shoulders. 

  "How.. How did you find me?" Solomon inwardly cringed at the way his voice wavered. 

  "I looked everywhere. Everywhere you've ever taken me, or told me about. I was so worried Sol, I was so, so worried." You pulled back, just enough to see his face. His eyes were red and puffy, tear stains evident on his cheeks. He looked like he hadn't slept the entire time he was gone. Knowing Solomon, it was entirely possible. You raised a shaky hand to his cheek, cradling his face softly as though he might break. "I couldn't get in contact with you, no one knew where you were, I thought.." You swallowed back your tears. "I thought something happened to you." 

  Solomon's eyes widened, how long had he been gone? Everything was one big blur as he tried to recall how many nights had passed. "You know nothing can happen to me, I've always survived any mess I get myself into." A defensive smile tried to make its way onto his face, but it looked more like a grimace. "I'm okay, you don't need to be so worried MC." 

  "Please Sol… Please don't lie to me." You raised up your torso, so you could press your forehead to his. "You're always there for me when I need you, let me return the favour." Solomon took a few shaky breaths, tears threatening to begin falling once more. He raised his arms to wrap around you, leaning against you. The two of you stay like this for a while, just holding each other and breathing. Your legs were straining to keep you up but you didn't even notice. All of you was completely focused on Solomon in this moment. Without realizing, you began to hum. A gentle, soothing tune that Solomon had hummed for you countless times when you were broken down. A soft, sad smile made its way onto his face. 

  "My mother used to hum that for me. During the cold dark nights, when I would cry, she'd come down and hold me. When I was a very young boy."  You cracked your eyes open, and looked at him through your eyelashes. 

  "Is it alright?" He gave an affirmative hum, and you continued the tune. Solomon shifted his head down, nuzzling into your shoulder. You leaned your head against his. You weren't too sure how much time had passed, before he pulled back. 

  "Why don't you come sit next to me?" His voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sure your knees would appreciate a rest." You nodded, finally noticing how stiff you had grown as you moved beside him. You laced your fingers with his, and leaned against him. "... I'm sorry. I never wanted to worry you so." He squeezed your hand. "Thank you.. For coming to find me." 

  "Always, I will always come find you Sol." The promise warmed Solomon, helping him return to himself. "I love you Sol, I love you more than words could ever say." You turned to look at him, your eyes so full of love and care. Solomon had no clue what he had done to deserve you. His adorable little apprentice, who could calm his heart without even trying. Who warmed the forgotten parts of himself, that had been stuffed away by the years and years of pain and sadness. Who took the hand of that little boy, and brought him out into the warm sunlight. 

  "And I love you too, my Dear. more than I've ever loved anything. More than anything I've ever felt." He pressed a soft kiss to your forehead. "I'll try to rely on you more, I promise. There are things I still can't bring myself to talk about, but I hope I can one day." A tired loving smile found its place on your face. 

  "I will wait as long as you need." This time, he pressed a kiss to your lips. It was such a tender kiss, so full of yours and his love. It was then that Solomon's stomach let out a growl. Come to think of it, he can't remember the last time he ate. He gave a sheepish laugh, worried he had somehow ruined the moment. "I brought some food, we could eat together?"

  "That would be wonderful, my Dear." You started pulling things from your bag, the meal was rather simple, prepared in a rush. Then you pulled out the soft blanket you had brought in case you had to sleep outside. You spread the blanket out in front of the tree and sat down. Leaning slightly against the tree behind your back, you pat the space next to you. Solomon sat down, pressing into your side as you passed him some food. You ate together in a comfortable silence, staring up into the starry sky. Solomon's hand found your own once more, the warmth welcome in the chilly night air. You stayed there til morning, pointing out constellations and talking. Solomon told you a bit more about his childhood, and you shared a bit of your own, before you both fell asleep against each other. 

[l-starlight-l]

Study Buddy

A/n: In honor of the new movie here’s a little fic with Adrien.

Warning: none

Summary: Adrien finds you trying to study in the library and offers to help.

Pairing: Adrien Agreste x reader

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After flunking yet another test you were stuck in the library praying to actually learn something from the old text books you were reading. Your head was resting in your hands while you looked down at the paragraph about some king that ruled thousands of years ago. You sighed and laid your head down over the open book to take a small break. “How am I ever gonna pass this class ” you quietly muttered out loud. You closed your eyes for a few seconds trying to recall the information you just read. After failing you got up and walked over to the history shelves in the library.

There were so many books full of the past that you struggled to find the specific time period you needed. You walked up and down the aisles searching. You found some books from after the kings ruling so you had obviously gone past it. You were at a dead end. You decide it was a lost cause and plopped down to sit on the floor. You were so tired, you just wanted to close your eyes for minute but suddenly you were in a deep sleep.

You awoke to a light nudge, looking up you saw a familiar face. “Are you okay” the blonde boy asked with concern. You blushed realizing the situation, “oh, uh yeah I’m sorry I must’ve dosed off”. He smiles and your heart skips a beat. You’ve had a small crush on Adrien for the past year. His kindness drew you in not his family or it’s fame. “You don’t have to apologize, I was just worried”, he sits down next to you. “Are you studying for the next test” he asks. You nod shyly, “I really need to pass this test” you say a little embarrassed. He doesn’t shame you at all, “do you want to study together” he asks holding up a history book. You smile at him and he smiles back. You wonder if he feels the same way about you or if he’s just being nice. You’ve known him for around a year and wanted to say you understand him and how he feels but you can feel there’s something he’s keeping from you. He opens the book and puts it in between you two.

You spend the rest of the day studying. At one point you both reach to turn the page at the same time and your hands touch. You had thought it was just gonna be a quick accidental touch but his hand stayed on yours for a few seconds. You looked at his face to see his eyes focused on your touching hands. He quickly moved his hand away realizing how weird he must’ve made you feel. He apologized and continued reading. By the end of the chapter you had fallen asleep again. Your head rested on his shoulder and he looked like the happiest boy in the whole school. He has liked you from the first day he met you. You were smart even if your grades didn’t show it and your personality was like a dream to him. He watched you sleep instead of studying, he thought you were the most beautiful person in the world. He was so in love with you and you loved him just as much, even if neither of you would admit it yet.

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[vagrandeer]

Waltzing Friends🎉

I don't have any sketches here, hmmm. I wanted to post a WIP, so now here is Castiel in a kimono, waltzing with his best friend Adrian Dubois, haha. They are at a role-playing ball, so nothing surprising about the choice of costumes💅

I hope one day this art will become complete...

У меня здесь нет ни одного скетча, хм. Захотелось выложить WIP, поэтому теперь здесь есть Кастиэль в кимоно, танцующий вальс со своим лучшим другом Эдрианом Дюбуа, хаха. Они на ролевом балу, поэтому ничего удивительного в выборе костюмов💅

Надеюсь, однажды этот арт станет полноценным...

[kinda-iconic]

Memory Lane

Author's Note: This one was rather emotional to write, but I think that's more on a personal level. I apologise for how late this is - it's been an incredibly busy few days.

Pairing: Adrian x Human!MC (Amelia - Amy, for short)

Word count: Over 4'400

Tagging: @bloodboundismylife @velvet1753 @choicesfannatalie22

TW: Deals with bereavement and grief; mentions of death

Buzz…

Buzz…

BUZZ.

The sound of vibrations causes Amy to stir, her arm falling to rest across her face as the brightness of her phone temporarily blinds her, dark blobs appearing in her vision.  Once her eyesight is restored, she grabs her phone from the nightstand, a look of befuddlement crossing her face as she notices the time.

3am.

She reaches upwards, tucking a loose curl behind her ear, the other hand fixed firmly on her phone as she presses a button on the screen, holding it against her temple.

“Hey mom,” she whispers, a drowsy yawn escaping her, “is everything okay?”

There is a slight shuffle on the other end, followed by what sounds like a pot being moved across the countertop.

“Did I wake you?”

“…Yeah,” a sleepy smile appears, “but it’s okay.”

“Is anyone with you?”

Amy turns her head to the left, her expression softening as her gaze befalls Adrian, sleeping peacefully beside her, his arm draped protectively across her middle.

“Adrian’s here,” she lifts the covers, pulling them up to cover his bare back; he groans, but remains fast asleep, “he’s still sleeping.”

“Can you talk?”

Amy frowns, “a-are you and dad okay?”

Her mother doesn’t answer, at least not at first…

…but then Amy hears a sniffle…

…and her chest begins to tighten.

“M-mom?”

Her mother exhales, her voice shaky.

“Y-you need to come home.”

“Why?” She sits upright, the movement causing Adrian to stir beside her, his eyelids slowly fluttering as he begins to wake, “Mom?”

“I-it’s your Grandmother,” her mother pauses, “the hospital called. She...she had a heart attack.”

“What?”

At the rise in her pitch, Adrian awakens, his brows furrowing as he looks up, noting the defeated expression on Amy’s face. He rubs at his eyes, as if trying to rid himself of sleep.

“Amelia?” His voice is quiet; he places his hand on the small of her back, the pad of his thumb slightly inching underneath the hem of her top, drawing comforting circles on her skin, “are you okay?”

She shakes her head, returning her attention to the call.

“Is Grandma okay?” When she receives no immediate response, her face falls, her breath quickening slightly, “M-mom?”

At first, she is met with silence.

But then her mother speaks…

…and Amy’s whole world is ripped out from underneath her.

“I’m so sorry, Amelia. She…she didn’t make it.”

She passed away.

As soon as those words leave her mother’s lips, Amy’s eyes begin to glisten, the colour draining from her complexion. She shakes her head rapidly, fresh tears falling onto her cheeks.

“N-no, she…” she sniffles, “she was fine! She…she was okay…”

Adrian’s frown intensifies; he lifts himself into a seated position, reaching up to caress her face between his hands.

“What is it?” he whispers, his words spoken softly; he leans forward, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead, “What happened?”

Amy closes her eyes, her free arm wrapping itself around her midsection as she begins to sob; Adrian folds her into his embrace, placing a soft kiss to her temple.

“Come here, sweetheart.”

She cries, leaning into his touch as he begins to rock her back and forth; she buries her face into his chest, her hand resting on her own, as if trying to clutch at her heart. Without a word, he carefully removes her phone from her hand, lifting it up to his ear.

“Hi Mrs Henderson.”

Adrian spends the next couple of minutes listening intently, the occasional sentence uttered in response to something that has been said. After a while, he speaks once more.

“We’ll be there as soon as we can.”

The call ends shortly after; Adrian sighs, placing the phone down on the mattress before pulling Amy closer, kissing the top of her head.

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”

“S-she was fine yesterday,” she sniffles, wiping at her eyes, her tears staining her cheeks, “I-I should h-have kn-known…”

“You weren’t to know…” he rests chin on the top of her head, a soft exhale escaping him, “nobody could have known…”

“I-I should have b-been there. I…What if she was a-alone?” She trembles with a wimper, her gaze remaining downcast, “s-she c-can’t be gone…it-it’s not right.”

“It never is, my love,” he speaks quietly, “it never is.”

He holds her whilst she cries, the pair remaining silent as they remain in their own world, neither one breaking the tranquillity of the moment. It is only when faint tendrils of sunlight start to seep across the windowpane that Adrian speaks, his voice gentle and comforting.

“Your mother has asked for us to go and stay with them,” he looks down at her, brushing her hair back, “it would be good for everyone to be together.”

“D-do you think I…” she trails off, swallowing harshly, “d-do you think I could g-go and see her?”

Adrian frowns, gently removing himself from their embrace; instead, his hands fall to rest on her forearms, his expression conflicted.

“I don’t think that is wise, Amelia.”

She sniffles, raising her gaze to meet his own.

“Why not?”

“Seeing someone after they have passed, it…it sticks with you,” his brows knit together, “I don’t want your last memory of her to be in a mortuary.”

“I-it might help me…knowing that she is…that she’s really gone.”

“That memory will stay with you forever, Amelia,” he exhales, his words spoken with sincerity, “it won’t go away, no matter how hard you try to forget it.”

She doesn’t reply with words, but nods in acceptance.

“O-okay.”

He smiles sadly, kissing her forehead.

“Try and get some more sleep if you can. I’ll go and pack our bags.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A few days later, Adrian raps softly on Amy’s bedroom door.

“Amelia?” He waits patiently, listening out for a response; he receives nothing, “Ames?”

He turns the handle, entering the room with barely a sound. His chest tightens at the sight before him, as if someone had run a dagger through his heart, leaving him incapable of feeling nothing but pain; all is quiet, the only sound emanating from his surroundings being an occasional sniffle from underneath the bedcovers. Amy lies still amidst it all, only shifting when a shuddery exhale escapes her lungs, having turned away from the chaos going on around her.

He walks over to the bed, placing a gentle hand on the small of her back before crouching down beside her, his once joyful smile fading into one of melancholy.

“I’ve made you some soup,” he reaches upward, slowly removing the duvet from atop her head; she does not respond to the motion, locks of golden hair clinging to her tear-stained cheeks. He sighs, his fingertips ghosting her skin as they begin to trail a path along her forearm. “I even managed to save you one of those crusty bread rolls that you like.”

He is met with silence; he frowns, moving to sit at the foot of the bed, his gaze never wavering from her form.

“You need to eat something, sweetheart,” he hesitates, his words etched with worry, “it’s been three days.”

She shakes her head.

“Amelia, please,” he pleads, “at least have a little bit of something. Even if it isn’t a full meal.”

“N-no.”

“When was the last time you drank anything?” He looks over at the dresser, where a collection of glasses remain undisturbed, “you will make yourself ill, Amelia. I-I can’t allow that.”

“I’m n-not hungry.”

“You will have past the point of hunger,” his brows crease, his concern evident, “I’m asking your mother to call the doctor.”

“I’m fine,” she mumbles, her voice barely audible to the ear as she buries her face into her pillowcase, “h-honest.”

“You haven’t eaten in three days. You haven’t had any water,” he speaks with conviction, his voice trailing as he takes in the paleness in her complexion, the only colour being that of the blotchiness of her cheeks, “you have only left that bed to visit the bathroom.”

She shrugs.

“Amelia,” he inches closer, carefully enclosing her hand in his own, turning it over before exposing her palm; he lifts her hand to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to her wrist. “I am really worried about you, as is your mother.”

“I-is dad o-okay?” She sniffles.

“Your father has tried to keep himself busy,” he admits, “he has busied himself with work.”

“Th-that sounds like h-him.”

“But he has been eating,” he smiles sadly, “little bits, but…it is still enough to sustain him.”

She nods in acknowledgement; he takes this as his invitation, collecting the discarded tray of glassware.

“I’m going to get your soup.”

“I don’t want anything.”

“You need to eat, darling.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Amelia…”

She reaches up, dabbing at her eyes as fresh tears begin to make their descent, leaving a dash of red in their wake. She shakes her head rapidly.

For a moment, the pair engage in a comfortable silence before Adrian walks back over to her; he bends down, gently kissing her temple.

“I shall run you a bath.”

He strokes her hair, twirling a strand around his index finger.

"I won't be long."

He makes his way into the bathroom, setting about pouring her water, adding an infusion of jasmine and cherry blossom. As the bath starts to fill, he re-enters Amy’s bedroom, making a beeline for the wardrobe. He collects a pair of leggings and an oversized sweatshirt, followed by fresh underwear; he looks around with a somewhat befuddled expression.

“Where is your hairbrush?”

She clumsily rises to a sitting position, her gaze drifting from corner to corner, her dreariness evident from the dark circles that have begun to envelop her brown doe-like eyes. She points towards the vanity.

He follows her direction, collecting the brush before offering her his outstretched hand. She looks at him in confusion.

“Come.”

“But I said that I-“

“I will not force you to eat,” he walks over to her, cupping her face in between his hands, the pad of his thumb tracing a featherlight line across her bottom lip, “but there is a nice, warm bath waiting for you in the other room.” He smiles sadly, his knuckles grazing her shoulders, “and I for one would not turn this one down. It has a lot of bubbles and the bathroom smalls divine.”

A faint smile tugs at the corner of her lips; Adrian takes her hands in his own, slowly backing up as he leads them both into the bathroom.

“I have some rose petals left over from our date on Saturday. Would you like them putting in the bath water?”

She shakes her head faintly; he nods, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Alright, sweetheart,” he releases her from his grasp, leaning over to turn the taps off, “let’s get you sorted.”

She begins to undress, placing each item of clothing in the washing basket before carefully climbing into the bath.

“Do we have a jug in here?”

She nods, “i-in the cupboard.”

He retrieves the object in question and places it at the edge of the bath, clearing a space on the side of the tub. He takes a seat, filling the jug with warm water.

“Wh-what are you doing?” She sniffles, rubbing at her eyes, “I-I don’t want to c-cause any fuss.”

“Don’t be silly,” he carefully begins to pour the contents of the jug over her hair, pressing the side of his hand to her forehead in an attempt to stop the water from getting into her eyes, “I want to fuss over you. You’re my girlfriend.”

“I-I’m sorry for worrying you.”

He smiles sadly, shaking his head.

“It’s alright, sweetheart. I understand.”

“D-do you think my m-mom does?”

“Most definitely,” his voice is soft, laden with compassion and sincerity, “your mother and I may not have much in common, but both of us have experienced grief. We know how much your grandmother meant to you.”

She nods hastily, a new bout of sorrow making its presence known on her cheeks. He leans forward, kissing the top of her head before collecting the bottle of shampoo from the countertop. He squeezes some onto his palm, rubbing it into a lather, applying it to her hair in a gentle clockwise motion. She hums in content, leaning into his touch.

“Is that nice?”

“Y-eah,” she utters quietly, “did I…did I smell?”

“Not at all,” he replies swiftly, “I understand how you are feeling, sweetheart. We all do.”

“I miss her.”

“I know,” he acknowledges, clasping her de-tangler with a soapy fist; he carefully runs it through her hair, “when we lose people that we love, it seems as though the world around us ceases to exist. People go on living their lives whilst ours come to a standstill. They continue to laugh and share in excitement whilst we struggle to do even the simplest of things. We forget how to function; people start suffocating you with feigned sympathies; they pretend to share in your grief when, in reality, half of them will disappear as soon as your loved one is put to rest simply because they believe that they no longer need to pretend to care.”

She looks up at him, her vulnerability evident by the glaze of her eyes, as if the light has left them completely.

“Do you m-mean that?”

"Unfortunately, yes," he re-fills the jug, emptying its contents over her head; she closes her eyes in preparation for a possible sting, but nothing comes of it, “when I lost my grandfather, I spent many a night in the forest. I didn’t want to talk to anyone.”

“Not even your parents?”

“I didn't want my mother to see me upset, and for a while I was taught that men did not, or rather were not allowed to openly express how they were feeling.”

“That isn’t right.”

“I know that now,” he smiles sadly, spending the next few moments in silence as he focuses on washing her hair; once he has finished, he grabs a towel for her hair, clipping the ends together. “My father was not known to ‘wear his heart on his sleeve’ as one would say.”

“So you would cry alone?” He nods, “I’m s-so sorry, Adrian.”

“Please don’t apologise,” he replies in turn, placing his hands on her shoulders, “it was a different time. Centuries before you were born.”

“How old were you?”

“I was eleven.”

“W-was he old?”

“He was in his late sixties, so I guess he would have been considered to be in the later stages of his life.”

“H-how did he die?”

“Smallpox,” he replies without hesitation, "there were a few cases in our town, most occurring on the west side.”

He falls quiet, as if his words have escaped him; noticing the change in atmosphere, Amy reaches up, placing her hand atop his own. Their eyes meet, the pair sharing a sad smile.

“You should have been able to grieve openly,” she whispers, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“It was years ago, Amelia. I have had time to process it.”

“That doesn’t mean that it hurts any less.”

“…I suppose not.”

“My dad once told me that grief comes in waves," she adds, "h-he said that you could go for days or even months without feeling any pain and then it can hit you so suddenly.”

“As if you are reliving the events of that day all over again,” he nods faintly before shaking his head, forcing a small smile, “but today isn’t about me.” He kisses her jaw, caressing her other cheek with his palm, “this is about making you feel better.”

“Can it not be for us both?” She asks, looking back at him, “you knew my grandmother too.”

“Not as well as you,” his counters, “though she did welcome me into your family incredibly fast. It was definitely surprising to be accepted that quickly."

“She was wonderful.”

“What was she like? When you were little.”

“She was kind and witty,” Amy smiles wistfully, her mind lost in thought, “I used to go to stay with my grandparents in the summer for a couple of weeks. We would pass the time playing games, planting fruits and vegetables in the garden and baking a lot of sugary treats.” She sniffles quietly, “before going to bed at night I would sit in their room and my grandma would tell me stories of her childhood. She once told me that, when she was about seven or eight, she had really long plaits. She hated them.”

“Did she take them out?”

“She chopped them off.”

His eyes widen in disbelief.

“…no…”

She nods, “her mother was not impressed.”

“I don’t doubt it.”

She falls quiet; Adrian frowns, his fingertips ghosting the hollow of her neck.

“You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. We can sit in silence,” he wraps his arms around her shoulders, eliciting a quiet exhale, “whatever you need.”

“I…” she appears hesitant, as if unsure, “I told her I would see her tomorrow. T-Tomorrow, it…it never came…”

“Tomorrow is promised to no one,” he kisses her cheek, “all we can do is make the most of the days that we have.”

“I n-never,” she takes a shuddering breath, her words quiet and shaky as she begins to weep, her cry reverberating across the room, “I-I didn’t get to s-say g-goodbye.”

“Oh, Amelia…”

He pulls her closer to his chest, drawing soothing circles on her exposed forearms with his thumbs as she sobs, his chin resting against the top of her head.

“I’m here,” he whispers quietly, “it’s alright. I’m here…I’m not going anywhere.”

“I-I…”

“Sssshhhh…” he hushes calmly, “just let it out, sweetheart. Let it out.”

She continues to sob for a few minutes, Adrian remaining quiet beside her, the only words escaping him being a gentle reminder of his never-wavering presence. After a moment or two, Amy’s tears cease to shed, her sobs becoming few and far between. He retrieves his handkerchief from his breast pocket, running it lightly across her cheeks in an attempt to dry her tears.

“Alright,” he wraps a fluffy towel around her, being sure that the material does not drag in the bathwater as he starts to empty the tub, “let’s get you dressed.”

“I-I can…I can do it,” she sniffles, her voice less shaky than before, “p-promise.”

“Are you certain?”

She nods; he offers her a sad smile, threading his arms beneath her knees and across her back. In one fluid motion, he lifts her out of the bathtub, placing her down on the bathmat.

“Can I get you anything? A hot water bottle? A warm blanket.”

“I-I’m okay,” she replies with a sad smile, “b-but thank you.”

“A big hug?”

“When I’m dressed,” she smiles softly, “I won’t be long.”

“Take your time,” he presses a loving kiss to her forehead, “I shall be downstairs if you should need me.”

“O-okay.”

Adrian exits the bathroom, pulling the door to behind him before making his way down the stairs, only pausing his descent when he reaches the bottom. He walks through the corridor, stopping outside the doors to the study. 

“He won’t come out.”

Adrian turns in the direction of the voice; a short, middle-aged woman appears from around the corner, wiping her floury hands on the material of her apron.

Amy’s mother.

“I took some biscuits in a few minutes ago; he was rather preoccupied with work, so I left them on the mantleplace.”

“I do hope that he is not overworking himself.”

“Oh, he definitely is.”

The woman takes a step forward, folding her arms across her midsection.

“How is she?”

“She has had a bath,” he replies, “she is still refusing to eat or drink, but hopefully the warmth of the bathwater will make her feel drowsy.”

“Amelia needs a good sleep,” she leans back against the radiator, “I left the soup simmering on a low boil. I didn’t want it to go cold in the case that she changes her mind.”

“I am hoping that will be before the evening is out,” he glances down at his watch, “it is 6pm.”

“Maybe we should start with a hot chocolate,” her mother suggests, “she told me once that they make her feel sleepy. We’d be keeping her hydrated and ensuring that she was getting as much rest as she possibly can. I could make some on the stove.”

“If that isn’t too much to ask.”

She waves her hand in dismissal, “she’s my daughter, Adrian. There is nothing that I wouldn’t do for that girl.”

Adrian nods in acknowledgement, “would it be alright if we were to stay here until after the funeral? I feel like being surrounded by family would help Amelia through the next few weeks.”

“I was going to suggest that myself,” she collects a mug from the shelf, helping herself to some iced coffee from the fridge, “would you like anything to drink?”

“I was thinking about going to the store and getting some bits for Amelia,” he looks over at the stove, “she usually won’t say no to certain snacks, so maybe if I got some of those then she’d try to eat. It won’t exactly be nutritional... but it’s something.”

“She told me a couple of months ago that she liked Biscoff.”

“Specifically melted on waffles,” he smiles sadly, shaking his head as a memory starts to play out in his head, “with banana and whipped cream. Almost like a banoffee pie.”

“You could always try that…”

A floorboard creaks in the entryway, causing the pair to turn in the direction of the sound. Adrian’s face softens as Amy walks into the room, her arms wrapped around her torso.

“Hey, sweetie,” her mother pulls out the stool beside Adrian, offering a sympathetic smile; Amy takes her up on her offer, sliding onto the stool, her slender legs dangling slightly, just a little too short to reach the bar below, “can I get you some water?”

“I-is there still some soup?”

“Of course,” her mother heads back over to the stove, removing the lid from the pot, “would you like a bowl?”

“C-could I have some in a cup?” She asks, Adrian’s arm now encircling her waist, his hand resting just above her hip, “I don’t think I could finish a whole bowl.”

“They’re only small bowls,” her mother frowns.

“One step at a time,” Adrian replies softly, his utterance acting as a subtle reassurance for Amy’s mother; she nods in acceptance, returning to the task at hand. Adrian swivels his chair around to face her, placing his opposite hand on her thigh, “would you like one of the rolls too?”

“Do you have a tiny one?” She tries to imitate the shape of a circle with her fingers, “one around that size.”

“I’m afraid not, but I do have one that’s a little bigger. Like the size of a baked potato. I could cut it open, add some butter and warm it up for you.”

“Melted butter?”

“Would you like that?”

She nods faintly, “is…is that okay?”

“Sweetheart, it’s more than okay,” he slides off his seat, heading around to stand behind her; he kisses her cheek, “thank you for trying.”

“Here you go.”

A mug and spoon appear in front of her, almost full, the green liquid eliciting a pleasant aroma; Adrian notices Amy’s brow furrow as she investigates the contents.

“It has broccoli and cauliflower,” he adds, “peas and asparagus, also.”

“It smells nice,” she mumbles.

“I’m glad you think so,” he begins to prepare the roll, adding a cube of butter before placing it in the microwave; as he waits for it to ping, he turns around to face her, unable to contain the smile that begins to grace his lips as he watches her take a spoonful. “What do you think?”

“It’s good,” she returns his smile, “very green.”

“I used green vegetables,” after the ping, he retrieves the roll, placing it on a plate before heading back over to his chair, putting it down beside her. He sits, watching in anticipation as she lifts the mug, cradling it under her chin.

“Is it okay?”

She nods, “I’m just taking it slowly.”

“Forcing food down your throat when you haven’t eaten in so long will only make you feel worse,” her mother chimes, “try dipping some of the bread in the soup. You won’t regret it.”

Amy follows her mother’s advice and begins to tuck into her meal; Adrian remains beside her, watching closely.

“I was going to head to the grocery store and get you some things,” he looks back down at Amy’s mug, “it’s my turn to make dinner this evening, also. I was thinking about making a pie.”

“You are?”

“If I am able to work out how much of each ingredient to use,” he smiles brightly, “I have a particular recipe that I would like to try out.”

“Did you get it from a book?” Her mother asks inquisitively, “like one of those written by a fancy chef.”

“It’s actually my mother’s.”

Amy looks up at him, “c-can I come? To the store.”

“Would you like to?”

“I-I think fresh air might help,” she smiles sadly, “and it might wake me up a l-little bit.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling up to it?” Her mother calls back, “y-you’ve only just got some food in you.”

“I think it might distract me from my brain,” she sighs, “and I can get something nice for dad.”

“That’s a wonderful idea, sweetheart.”

She places the mug down, having drunk half of its contents, three quarters of the bread roll untouched on the plate. Adrian frowns.

“Could you try to eat a little bit more?”

She shakes her head, “I feel full.”

“That’s not enough to fill you,” her mother interjects, “why don’t I put the soup in a takeaway cup that you can take in the car.”

“Is that okay?” She looks over at Adrian, “you just had your car cleaned.”

“Amy, you could spill an entire jar of pickles in my car and I wouldn’t care.”

“Pickle juice smells."

"But it would provide us with another funny story to tell people.”

"So is that a yes?"

Adrian nods rather enthusiastically, "that's an absolutely."

She smiles softly; he beams at her reaction, reaching up to cup her chin between his thumb and index finger.

“Come on then, you,” he leans in, capturing her lips with his own, “let’s go and get your coat.”

[bloodbound-selfship]

Adrian stumbling over his words as he gets down on one knee to propose to MC

Adrian holding MC tight to his chest during their dance at the wedding

Adrian helping MC decorate their new house

Adrian gently rubbing MC's baby bump

Adrian setting up the nursery so MC can relax

Adrian holding his baby for the first time in centuries

Adrian promising MC that he will protect her and their baby for as long as he lives