#now i own a house. i garden (something x friend told me i would never be responsible enough for) i have a boyfriend who has been scretly

[foxcassius]

wait also my tags on that post were about people i knew in freshman and sophomore year of college specifically. i mean some of them i knew after that and most of them i knew from high school but damn some people really made everything about themselves when i was being emotionally manipulated in my freshman year

[storiesofsvu]

Decadent Desires Ch 6

Emily Prentiss x reader warnings: language, mentions of alcohol, sexually charged conversations, teasing/banter. Smut, sex toys, minor bondage, spanking. A guest star of Anthony DiNozzo! I didn't really want to bring in a whole THIRD fandom into this but it ended up working out really nicely and I can play around with it in future chapters too! It feels like it's been ages since I've updated this so clearly the last week was a long one lol. Remember how I said I wanted to be a chapter ahead from now on with my series? Yeah that quickly did not happen. LOL. I'm gonna try to keep up with it, and I promise y'all won't wait longer than a week between chapters, I just need to hunker down and write!

Working for Heather meant that you worked insane hours that could change at the drop of a hat, but it also meant that you could essentially make your own schedule whenever you wanted. You could do most of your job from home or a hotel, as long as you had Wi-Fi you were in the clear, you spent a lot of your time gallivanting around D.C to finish whatever tasks you needed to. Shuffling your schedule around constantly meant that you were more than given the liberty to a Thursday afternoon off and that is exactly why you were meandering down Wisconsin Avenue with Tony in tow. Some of your friends questioned why you always went shopping with him, but the truth was he knew style, understood expensive taste, always told the truth if something looked bad and the entire experience was more efficient. If you went out with your girlfriends on a shopping spree you got dragged into twelve stores you needed nothing from and had to wait while they tried on countless amounts of outfits. With Tony the most that would happen would you’d have some extra browsing time at L. Priori because he got distracted by the watches.

“You got some big White House party coming up or something?” He asked, taking a sip of the coffee you’d bought him earlier.

“Huh?” You glanced over your shoulder as you picked up the small bag, “no.”

“We’ve done jewels, we’ve done shoes,” he pushed the door open for you, holding it while you crossed through the entry way and back out onto the street, “you dropped off three dresses for alterations and looked through the catalogue of what’s coming in…”

“I just want to revamp my closet a little bit, make sure I’m prepared for summer, you know how many extra garden parties I end up at.”

“And your boss is okay with that amount of cleavage?” He asked with a smirk and you rolled your eyes, “I think you’re bullshitting me.”

“I got a little carried away doing spring cleaning and tossed half my closet.” You bluffed, “I work so much I forgot I actually wore the other shit and now need to replace it.” Veering off to the side your hand tugged open the door to Jaryam and Tony followed you inside.

“When’s your next date?” He asked with a grin.

“I never said anything about a date.”

“Then why did you just drag me into a lingerie store?��

“Oh please,” you scoffed, “I didn’t drag you anywhere, you love this shit. I just want some new pieces; you’ve got the right eye for colour and the masculine fetishistic imagination to tell me which ones I’ll look the best in.”

He chuckled darkly, not bothering to disagree with you as you made your way further into the shop, he was a pace behind you, fiddling with a price tag when he scoffed and you turned back to him with a raised brow, “I’ve heard you complain about the prices in Victoria’s Secret and that’s got nothing on this, a thong for a hundred and fifty dollars?”

“It’s… about the quality.” You shrugged, “thirty dollars for a scrap of fabric that falls apart in a month made in a sweatshop isn’t a good investment.” You picked up the pair that he was looking at, reading through the tag, “something hand stitched made with quality fabric that’s going to last? Worth it.”

“Hmm.” He replied, surveying you for a minute as you put the thong back on the rack, “you know, I noticed when you picked up the coffee that you used a black card…”

“You’re really working those sleuthing skills today, aren’t ya?” You teased back with a grin, moving onto a wall of lace bras.

“It’s not exactly a difficult mystery.” He smirked, following you, “fancy shoes, nice jewels, new clothes, expensive lingerie,” you turned back to face him, an unimpressed look on your face and he practically caged you into the wall, “who’s your daddy?”

“Ew, Tony, fuck off.” You groaned, shoving at his chest as he laughed, “coffee and meals can be turned into a write off. I used Heather’s card.”

“Bah! Fine, keep your secrets. I’ll just run your financials when I get back to the office.”

Now it was your turn to laugh, “they call you a very Special Agent DiNozzo?”

“Why yes, yes they do.” He smiled, getting a little smug about it and you shook your head at him.

“Then explain to me how running my financials would let you in on whose card I’m using.” You asked, watching as he opened his mouth to give you some witty response but he couldn’t find one, gaping for a minute before he let out a defeated huff and you tugged him in the other direction, “now c’mon, I know you have a good eye for lingerie.”

“Now that, I will not deny.” He replied with a smile and you did roll your eyes as he followed you deeper into the shop.

You combed through practically every shelf in the place, trying to figure out what kind of styles you were going to settle on before Tony started to share his opinions. He reminded you how good blue looked on you when you picked up a soft pink set and suggested the lace florals over lace butterflies. You were narrowing it down between a handful of choices and he was quick to intervene when he noticed you were eliminating all the variation.

“Wait,” he cut in, swiping the one you were trying to put back on the shelf, “keep that one. Get rid of this one.” He plucked the peach set from your collection, tossing it into the return pile.

“It’s cute!” You protested.

“Exactly. Everything you’re keeping is ‘cute’, you’re playing it too safe and I know that’s not you. The lilac one is the nicest, little hint of lace for a bonus, so get it.” He started flicking through the rack you had your favourites on, “keep the teal one for the crystals, plus it matches that pair of heels you bought. The rest of this batch can go but add these to your buying list.” He picked up a lacy black and red set that was mostly see through and included a garter belt, handing it off to you, and a gorgeous deep green set. “That’ll look great with your skin,” his brow furrowed for a second as he examined it, “wait it’s not your size, you’re what?” His eyes were suddenly on you and you groaned,

“Stop staring at my tits.” You stated dryly as he turned around, grabbing another one of the green set from the shelf.

“Thirty four C, right?”

“I don’t know whether I should be impressed or grossed out that you were able to figure that out.”

“They don’t call me Very Special Agent DiNozzo for nothing.” He grinned and you rolled your eyes.

“I’m going to go try these on.” You scooped up the remaining sets, “not for your viewing pleasure! Occupy yourself.”

You weren’t surprised in the least when all of Tony’s recommendations were right and you were happy to be leaving with a variety of options. Returning from the dressing room you found him near the till looking through accessories and he shot you a cocky grin as you placed all of his choices down on the counter. You shuffled the shopping bags in your hand over to the other one,

“Can you hold this?” You asked, handing him your purse as you pulled Emily’s card from within it, passing it off to the cashier. Once the purchase was completed and the cashier was wrapping up the lingerie, she placed the card down on the counter and out of the corner of your eye you saw Tony making a move for it, managing to swipe it up before he could get to it.

“Hey!” You swatted the back of his head and he grimaced.

“Ow. That was worse than Gibbs.” He muttered.

“You fuck around and you’ll find out.” You returned but he was too busy on his phone to really pay attention.

You took your purse back from him, tossing it over your shoulder as you thanked the clerk and added the bag of lingerie to the others with your shopping and the two of you made your way back onto the street. You jumped when Tony’s fingers prodded at your side, digging into your ribs.

“C’mon… let me know something, please.” He batted his eyes at you, “I just helped you pick lingerie; I deserve to know something. Doctor? Artist? App developer? Congressman?”

“Nope, nope, nope and hard nope.” You replied with a huff and he groaned so you finally turned back to him, stalling in your steps, “what I will tell you, is that she most definitely outranks NCIS, so you can officially drop it.”

“Ohoho… a new lady friend…” It was his turn to slow in his tracks, eyes lingering in the window of the next shop, “you need any special accessories for that?”

“Tony you’re insane if you think I’m taking you into a sex toy store.”

“Meh, doesn’t really matter since you’ve already covered that step.” He grinned and your brow furrowed.

“What?”

“Swiped your phone and went through your emails.” With a laugh he tossed the device back to you as you let out a gasp, “peach flavoured lube, nice. Nipple clamps? Kinky, didn’t realize you were into that kinda pain.” That earned him a hard punch on the arm, “but that double sided dildo with vibration? Now that sounds like a real party.”

“Anothony DiNozzo!” You scolded and he let out a small whine of a scoff, gesturing toward the sex store.

“I’m the perfect person to give sex toy recommendations, c’mon.” He protested and you sighed.

“Tony. You are a straight man. What could you possibly known about sex toys for me to use with another woman?”

“One of those wand things, Hibachi?”

“That’s Japanese barbecue, but nice try.”

“The wands!”

“You’re going for Hitachi.”

“Close enough!” He exclaimed, gesturing with his hands, “the big one’s better but I think they sell smaller ones too, more portable.” He waggled his eyebrows at you and you sighed.

“Think? Tony, pull your head outta your ass. Any self respecting person with a clit already owns one of those.”

“Really?” He smirked at you and you did your best not to groan.

“I’ve got three, a mini pink, a mini green and the big one, which yes, is far superior. Can we go now?”

“Fine.” He groaned, feigning annoyance, “you dragging me to a nail appointment next?”

“No, I was gonna buy you a late lunch.”

“You were? Or is your mommy dearest gonna buy lunch.” He exaggerated the word, nearly moaning as he said it and you immediately grimaced.

“Please don’t ever do that again.”

“Yup, that one felt wrong coming out. My bad, that’s on me.”

**

Emily turned down dessert service, asking for the cheque instead as she gave the server a soft smile, picking up her cocktail once again as she turned back to you. In turn, you finished your drink, placing the glass down on the table as you stood, your hand coming to squeeze at Emily’s thigh softly as your lips brushed against her cheek.

“Give me a five minute head start, I’ve got a surprise for you.” You scooped up your phone, shooting Emily a wink as you sauntered away from the table in the direction of the elevator.

Her eyes followed you through the entrance of the lounge, narrowing in on your ass as you pushed the elevator button and the sparks began to fly through her body. It hadn’t been a particularly long week, but it was very safe to say that you had been on her mind more often than not. Images of your naked body strewn across the bed floating into her brain, making her cheeks flush while she was torturously bored with paperwork. A too long tedious conference call lead to her zoning out, daydreaming all the things she wanted to do to you, the noises you made echoing through her mind. It was almost a given that night that she had a rather self soothing shower when she got home, pulling her laptop out when she finally crawled into bed to take a look at what fun things she could buy to occupy your time with in the future weekends.

Emily settled the bill, slowly draining the rest of her cocktail until she was certain she’d given you enough time to do whatever it was you had planned before she finally left the restaurant. The key card beeped against the lock and she stepped inside the suite, letting the door swing shut behind her before she made sure it was locked. She stepped out of her heels, dropping her purse on the side table in the entry way before rounding the bed into the suite, catching a glimpse of you laid out on the bed and her lips twitched up into a grin.

“Well that certainly is a welcome sight.”

“Yeah?” You asked, sitting up and shifting onto your knees, “you see something you like?”

“I see plenty I like.” She walked up to the foot of the bed as you crawled on your knees to greet her, your hands settling on her hips as one of hers curled around the back of your neck, pulling your lips to hers for a kiss.

Her tongue easily slipped into your mouth when you let out a satisfied groan, both of you relaxing into the kiss, lips dancing with grace against each other. Her hand slipped into your hair, pulling out the pins to let it fall loose around your shoulders, pulling at it lightly. When her teeth scraped against your lip you couldn’t help but moan, your hands drifting up her body as you slowly began to unbutton her shirt. She broke the kiss to help you untuck the fabric from her pants, letting it drop to the floor behind her before her fingers began to trace the lines of the teal lingerie set, floating over the gems decorating your chest.

“You like the crystals?” You asked, small grin on your lips and she nodded.

“They’re gorgeous.”

“They’re Swarovski.” You replied with a near smirk and she let out a huff of a laugh.

“You really went all in, hey?”

“Just wanted to make sure I looked nice and pretty for you.” You shrugged coyly and she chuckled, giving you a once over.

“Well you do.” She leant down, kissing you gently before her hands nudged at your shoulders, “you’re not the only one who brought something fun, lie back princess.”

“I noticed.” You replied, a gleam in your eye as you dropped into the pillows, an arm extending to the nightstand where you picked up a silk tie, “multifaceted, curious as to what your intentions are.”

“First…” Emily rounded the side of the bed, “I want to see what’s under that gorgeous bra.” She nodded at you and you sat up, hands flying behind you to unclip it, gently tossing it to the side, “good girl.” She plucked the fabric from your hands, picking up a longer one from the nightstand before kneeling on the bed. “Give me your hands.” She instructed and you held your hands out for her, wrists gently pressed together as she began to wind the fabric around them, “is this okay?”

“Absolutely.” You replied, looking up at her with darkening eyes as she tightened the silk.

“Do you have a word?”

“I’m fond of peach.”

“Perfect.” With a wicked grin she placed a gentle kiss on your wrist before guiding you to lie back with your arms over your head and she looped the shorter piece through your bonds, securing the other end to the golden bar of the headboard. “No surprises there.” She purred as she slid off the bed, letting out a satisfied hum as her eyes dragged over your body.

“Hm?” You raised a brow, watching as she moved back to a spare chair.

“Just how pretty you look tied up like that.” Emily tossed a grin over her shoulder, “but you are going to need to roll over for the second part of your treat.”

You nearly let out a whine when her hands came to her belt buckle, eager to be able to see both what was coming next and what she had under her clothes. Instead of risking it you decided to behave, rolling onto your stomach, your arms stretching over your head as you twisted it to the side, just barely able to see Emily under your arm. She had busied herself with getting rid of her clothing, a neat pile forming on the small bench next to her bag as she pulled out the strap, swiftly stepping into it and securing it around her hips. Your mouth was practically watering already and then she reached into her bag again, pulling out a crop with a cute little heart on the end and you had to hold back a moan.

Emily could see the way your body tensed, how your hips ground down into the bed as she reapproached it and a dark chuckle escaped her lips. Kneeling on the bed behind you her hand grasped your ankle, spreading your legs further apart and you did your best to arch your back, presenting yourself to her.

“Such obedience.” She murmured, letting the crop lightly trace up your inseam as you let out an airy breath.

Emily slowly trailed the crop up and down your legs, just the slightest hint of touch that she knew you were absolutely begging for in your head. She could see the way your body twitched whenever it got close to the heat between your legs and a wicked grin took over her lips. The crop finally came up over the swell of your ass, softly circling and tracing patterns on your skin and you finally let out a whine. Since this was the first time you’d actually made a louder noise, Emily figured this was the time to both give in and start to really tantalize you now. She raised the crop, swatting it down onto your ass and you let out a low moan.

“You like that?”

“Mmhmm.” You eagerly nodded into the pillows and the crop trailed across to the other cheek, repeating the circles before coming down harder on that side and your breath caught in your throat.

“Ohh…” Your fingers interlaced, squeezing tightly, “harder, please.”

“My little princess likes it rough.” Emily husked from behind you, “somehow I’m not that surprised.”

The crop came down on the same spot harder than the first before she flicked it over your other cheek, swatting just as hard, watching the way your body reacted, jolting at the touch before grinding your cunt down onto the bed. She brought the head of the crop between your legs, pushing the fabric of your panties into your pussy, rubbing the leather up and down your folds as you moaned, arching into the touch.

“Fuuckk…”

Emily chuckled darkly, bringing the crop up before hitting your ass with more force, smirking at the louder moans leaving your lips, the way you were pulling against your bonds, wishing your hands were free. The sounds of the spanks echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls as your moans grew louder and longer, every time the crop was brought down onto your body it grew from a tingle to a pleasurable burn. Emily continued to trail the leather across your skin, occasionally her hand gently rubbing across the spot to sooth the burn, little praises and coos leaving her lips. The tingles each time she spanked you began to build, growing together with each hit of the crop until there was a fire building right under your skin, whimpers and whines leaving your lips as you buried your face into the pillows. Every swat of the crop made your entire body shiver and you were nearly about to start begging for more when she moved it back between your legs.

“You really like this, hmm?” She asked, pressing it against your cunt again, “making such a big wet spot on these nice panties.” She rubbed it harder against you, watching the way your wetness continued to soak the fabric, “you know, I’d take them off and stuff them in your mouth if you didn’t make such pretty noises…”

You groaned softly, your hips rocking back toward the touch, a little whimper leaving your throat when the crop nearly rubbed against your clit. Emily hummed softly, lifting the crop up before bringing it back down, this time onto your pussy and you couldn’t help the noise that escaped you.

“Oh fuucck…” Your head buried deeper into the pillows, your eyes scrunching shut as you felt your pussy fluttering around nothing, your clit nearly pulsing already, juices smearing across your underwear.

Emily’s hands grasped at your hips, flipping you onto your back watching as your legs instinctively fell open for her to see the growing wet spot on your panties. She brought the crop back to your cunt, rubbing it harder against you as you started to whine, resulting in another swat that brought a gasp from your lips.

“You like this even more, don’t you princess?” She asked with a grin and you nodded, “you want your pussy spanked too?” Spank. “Think you can come from just this?” Spank.

“Fuck.” You groaned, “more, please.”

“Always such nice manners.” She praised, her fingers slipping into the waistband of your thong, tugging the fabric down your legs and tossing it behind her. Her hands soothed up your legs, spreading them even further apart from each other as her thumbs dared to brush the edges of your cunt. “Such a pretty pussy. God you’re just fucking drenched already.”

Emily picked the crop back up, rubbing it through your slick folds, pressing harder as she brought it to your clit.

“Please.” You whimpered and she chuckled softly.

The first hit was on the gentle side, her eyes tracing up your naked body, watching your face for any sign of discomfort but all she found was a look of sheer pleasure. Your eyes fluttering shut, mouth falling open as breathy moans escaped them, it was all she needed to bring the crop down even harder the next time.

“Fuck.” Your body twitched off the bed, cunt pulsing as more juices dribbled out of it.

“That’s it princess.” Spank. “You’re doing so good for me.” Spank.

“Oh god…” Your hands clutched at the silk ties as your body shivered, pleasure building higher and higher with each time the crop hit your cunt.

“I know you’re close.” Spank. “Just a few more.” Spank. “Pussy’s so wet.” Spank. “Let go for me.” Spank.

“Fuck!” You cried out, your back arching off the bed, pulling against the restraints as your orgasm shot through you, pussy pulsating around nothing as your juices dripped onto the bedspread.

“That’s it.” Emily cooed, the crop gently rubbing against your cunt, smearing your wetness all around it and your thighs. “So pretty when you come for me.”

“Please…” you whimpered, “need you.”

“You want more?” She asked, gently spanking your pussy again and you whined.

“No, please! Need your cock.” You were absolutely begging, pussy fluttering, feeling so entirely empty. Despite the powerful orgasm you needed to be filled, stretched around Emily to finally feel completely satisfied.

“So needy tonight.” Emily teased, dropping the crop to the side as she climbed over you, running the tip of the toy through your folds, “this what you want?”

“Mmhmm.” You nodded furiously, “please.”

“Alright.”

Emily didn’t hesitate, knowing you were absolutely drenched she sunk her cock fully into you until her hips met yours and you let out a very satisfied moan. She pulled back just enough to sneak her hand between your bodies, turning on the vibration on the base of the toy, just against her clit and a breathy sigh escaped her lips. She rolled her hips, pulling out until just the tip was left inside you and set a steady pace, fucking you thoroughly. Each thrust of her hips had your body twitching up off the bed, pulling against your restraints as you ached to touch her, pleasure shooting through your limbs.

“Fuck.” You groaned, “feels so good.”

Each thrust of her cock the head brushed right over your g-spot, pulling louder moans from you each time as your pussy began to clench down around her. You could feel your juices smearing across both of your bodies as she fucked deeper into you, picking up the pace as she knew you were getting close again.

“Are you going to come again for me angel?” She cooed, her hands gliding up your body to toy with your nipples, pinching them and rolling them in time with her thrusts.

“S-s’close.” You moaned, your hips rocking up off the bed to meet hers with each thrust.

Your hands tugged against the silk ties again, gasping when Emily’s lips wrapped around one of your nipples, sucking it into her mouth for her tongue to flick patterns across it. The double, nearly triple sensation if you counted the vibrations hitting your clit each time your bodies met was nearly too much, your pussy making almost more noise than the ones coming from your mouth. All you could do was whimper and whine, your head too fuzzy to get actual words to come out, the coil inside you got tighter and tighter until Emily’s teeth sunk into your chest and it burst through you.

“Fuck!”

Your body trembled, the tingles shooting all the way from the tips of your fingers to the tips of your toes as Emily continued to fuck you. Her eyes fluttering shut as she let out a low swear, now focused on chasing her own release. She sunk fully into you, pressing the vibrating part of the toy directly against her clit and it gave you the opportunity to roll your hips against hers, grinding the base harder onto her. Your teeth sunk into your lower lip as your eyes scrunched shut, another orgasm bursting through you from the sensation and Emily let out a soft cry.

“Oh god.” Her hand slipped between your bodies, switching the vibrations off before she sat up.

Emily panted slightly, attempting to catch her breath as she reached out, swiftly undoing the ties and your arms were finally free to drop to the bed. You let out a soft groan, flexing your hands before Emily caught them in hers, examining your wrists to make sure you hadn’t pulled too hard and hurt yourself. Once satisfied that you hadn’t she let them drop and shifted on her knees, slipping out of you and watching your juices dribble onto the bed.

“Mmm…” you sighed, your lips curving up into a grin.

“What?” She asked with a raised brow.

“That was hot.” You replied, “kinda wish you could come inside me though.”

“Well…” she leant over you, kissing you before nipping at your lower lip, “I’m sure that can be arranged for next time.”

_____________

@mickey-gomez @momlifebehard @daddy-heather-dunbar @maybe-a-humanbean @rustyzebra @leftoverenvy @kades95 @dextur @supercriminalbean @emilyprentisssluvr @lex13cm @zizzlekwum @emobabeyy @riveramorylunar @scorpsik @onmykneesformarvel @inlovewithemilyprentiss @regalmilfs4me @ara-a-bird @five-bi-five-mind @inlovewithmiddleagewomen @hotchs-bitch @ollysmulti @kmc1989 @irishavengersassemble @hopedoesntknow @venromanova @waitaminuteashh @noahrex @imlike-so-gaydude @wittygutsy @cx-emerald-cx @momily @nilaues @borinxnovak @soverign @v3nusxsky @blackbird-brewster @mccdreamys-writes @l4yne @obsessedwjill @supercorpstan97 @asolitaryrose3 @honeyycatt @trauma-factory @lisqueen @mrs-prentiss @whitewinewithice @d33pd3sires-blog

[writingpastmybedtime]

Cinderella AU

Pairing: Sebastian Stan x f!Reader

Summary: The classic Cinderella AU. It's heavily inspired by the Disney live-action remake, but with a few tweaks here and there.

Word Count: 8k, oops..?

Warnings: None, except for extra cute Prince Sebastian.

A/N: It’s my first time writing for Seb at this length & I'm kind of proud of how it turned out. Oh, and I gave Sebastian the nickname 'Bash'. Hope you love it as much as I do!<3

Once upon a time, or however the story begins, there lived a girl named Y/N. She was the most beautiful thing in her parents’ eyes and held the kindest heart. They lived happily in a secluded small mansion. They weren’t the richest per se, but they could keep up with the house and even had a few workers in the kitchen and garden. 

As time went by, the girl discovered a passion for music and playing the piano. Her sweet melodies often graced the halls of the house, and whenever she wasn’t behind the piano, she had her face buried deep in a journal, writing down every last thought that had occurred to her that day.

Alas, the time that had passed had also come bearing sombre news. The little girl’s mother had fallen ill with a disease so rare, there was nothing left to do but wait. Those three months spent waiting were the hardest for the girl, as she was always staying beside her mother’s bed, reading to her, brushing her hair, and playing lovely tunes on the piano to soothe her mother’s mind. 

It wasn’t until one night, that the clock in the writing room, which her mother so deeply loved, stopped working and the house suddenly grew more quiet.

Years passed, and Y/N grew even more beautiful. She was always happy and kind, helping out everyone around the house and being there for her father. Y/N’s father was a merchant, so it was not uncommon that he had many trips abroad and many foreign friends. He had a certain way with him, his friends even called him a man of many words. He always found a way to insert an inspirational quote into whatever conversation was going on. His personal favourite, however, was a quote about courage. 

Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.

“Darling, would you accompany me to the garden?” Her father asked her. Of course, she followed him with a smile on her face. He began to tell her of a widowed woman, with two daughters just a few years older than Y/N. He explained that he’d known the woman's late husband, having met him many times on his travels. 

“They need a place to stay and they need a sense of security,” he began shyly, before continuing. “I think I can offer them that, I think we can offer them that.”

Y/N smiled as she took her father's hands in hers. “Father, if it’s something that would make you happy, it would make me even happier.” He smiled at her and pulled her into a hug.

Madam Deveraux was a widowed noblewoman with two daughters, Arabella and Isadora. The Madam herself was mostly reserved and you could never tell what she was thinking just by looking at her. Her gaze always remained strong, even when the death of her dear husband crushed her spirit. As months passed after the tragic death, the demeanour of Madam Deveraux changed. Once just a composed and modest lady, was now hardened at heart, with only one true goal. To see her two daughters succeed and be wed off to rich husbands, no matter the cost.

Arabella, the eldest daughter was certainly pretty on the eyes, however, she had a mouth to her that diminished her beauty to a certain degree. Never afraid to speak her mind and even once in a while throw in a more vulgar term here or there. She was fascinated with all kinds of different adult romance books - that’s where she probably learned those indecent phrases. She also loved to draw, but truth be told, she wasn’t really any good at it.

Isadora, like her sister, was also beautiful in her own way. She certainly wasn’t as crude as her sister, but still had a peculiar sense of self. Her ego was probably the biggest between the three of them. Every reflective surface she saw made her gaze at herself longingly, always fixing her hair or makeup. Always whispering sweet affirmations to herself. She knew she was the prettiest person, whenever she walked into a crowded room. Even if the snobby personality sometimes made her mother’s eyes roll.

After a few weeks, it was time again for Y/N’s father to take his leave. Y/N felt crushed, and a sense of dread filled her heart, making her father promise that he’d return.

Unfortunately, on his travels back from overseas, Y/N’s father fell ill and was never able to return to her. It saddened her deeply, but due to her chores, given to her by her step-mother, she didn’t have time to dwell on her grief. 

Months passed, with her chores growing bigger and bigger. She had given up her bedroom because Arabella and Isadora were too cramped up in their own smaller one. Unfortunately for Y/N, instead of getting the smaller room for herself, she had to stay in a storage room right next to the kitchen. It wasn’t the most tedious place to be, for someone somewhere must’ve had to have even worse living conditions. That thought kept her appreciating her commodities and trying to tidy up the tiny storage room as best as she could.

“Y/N, could you be a dear and help your sisters with their dresses?” Madam Deveraux’s cold voice could be heard from upstairs, as Y/N was just finishing up setting the table in the kitchen. Sighing, but still with a smile on her face, the girl walked upstairs to assist her step-sisters. Arabella was tugging Isadora’s corset, to make it more tight, as Isadora was standing near the mirror letting out gasps of air. 

“A little bit of help, please?” Isadora asked in her saccharine voice, looking at Y/N through her mirror. Y/N nodded and took over from Arabella, pulling and pulling until the corset was perfectly on Isadora’s body. 

“Hmm, I look good, don’t you think so?” Isadora spun around, now in her huge pink sparkling dress, which did not do her beauty any justice. Y/N, however, was not one to judge. She just smiled lightly and nodded. 

“Pfft, as if you had any sense of style,” Isadora went to grab her rings, before putting them on her dainty fingers. Her brown hair was curled in an updo and she had put on a plethora of perfume, that was way too sweet, but ironically, fit her perfectly.

“Hah, you’re right sissy, this wench does not know anything about fashion. I mean look at how she’s dressed right now.” Arabella looked at Y/N from head to toe, her face grimacing. Y/N lowered her head to look at her grey dress. Yes, it wasn’t as fancy as the gowns on her step-sisters, but it had belonged to her mother. The grey dress made her feel some kind of sanity, running around doing chores for the Deverauxs’. Picking invisible lint from the pocket of her skirt, the step-sisters just laughed at how humiliated Y/N looked.

“Yes, you do look absolutely atrocious as of late,” Isadora smirked as Arabella grinned, taking joy in embarrassing Y/N. “You’re just plain ugly,” the eldest sister managed to get out before laughing.

“Here, take this, go buy yourself something prettier,” Isadora scoffed as she handed Y/N three silver pieces. You could not get anything fairly pretty with that kind of sum. Y/N had given up on pretty dresses a while ago, being content with the ones her mother had left her. She shook her head at the silver coins, not accepting the pity donation. 

“Fine have it your way, I was just trying to be nice,” Isadora threw the silver pieces on the floor as Arabella snorted in an unladylike manner. “Now leave, as I remember correctly Mama wanted you to go down to the forest to pick up some flowers for the gathering tonight.”

Y/N nodded to the girls, before hastily leaving the room, blinking back tears. She had grown accustomed to their derogatory comments, but that didn’t mean a part of her always ached at their remarks. Never had she been anything, but good and friendly towards the girls and their mother. She shook her head, as if to shake it clear from the depressing thoughts and picked up a dark-brown wooden basket from the kitchen table.

The walk from the house to the forest was always Y/N’s favourite. As soon as the house with the hectic people inside of it disappeared from her field of view, a certain kind of calmness filled Y/N. It was as if she could finally breathe without restrictions. Even the world around her seemed a little bit more saturated. Birds were flying around, singing their beautiful songs; it was spring after all. Y/N started to hum a melody she used to love to play the most on her piano.

Y/N twirled around and smiled, suddenly feeling joyous and elated. She closed her eyes, still twirling, liking the feel of the afternoon sun on her face. A total bliss. Suddenly, when taking her last twirl, she felt her foot get stuck on a tree root and braced herself for a fall.

However, the fall did not come. 

Instead, strong hands had grasped her waist, holding her a few centimetres off the ground. Y/N finally opened her eyes, the sun making her squint a little before finally her vision was back in focus. She was looking into blue eyes. Into the most gorgeous blue eyes she’d ever seen. Serene, deep blue eyes, that she could get lost in. That she did get lost in.

“Miss, are you alright?” Y/N blinked, before realising the man was still holding her. She stumbled to get out of his grasp, before wiping her dress from invisible dirt. Her cheeks flushed pink, suddenly feeling embarrassed. 

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you..?” Y/N said, waiting for the person’s name to finish her sentence. To thank him personally. She now had time to look at the man that had so gracefully caught her. He had brown medium-length hair, which seemed abnormally soft and Y/N wished she could tread her fingers through it. The man smiled, no grinned rather, and Y/N was taken aback by how handsome this stranger looked.

“You really don’t know who I am?” The man chuckled and Y/N shook her head quizzically. Was she supposed to know him? She browsed through her brain, wondering who this man could be; maybe she’d met him before. But no, she’d remember him. She could never forget those eyes.

Y/N saw a peculiar look in his gaze before his grin grew even bigger and he introduced himself. “My name’s Bash,” he said, and Y/N furrowed her brows, but smiling nonetheless. 

“That’s a peculiar name,” she spoke, before realising her comment was nowhere near acceptable nor did it come off as friendly. The man, Bash, as she’d learned, let out a genuine laugh at the comment. Y/N felt embarrassed and was about to apologise before he stopped her.

“I like your candour,” he smirked. “It’s actually a nickname. A name that my father calls me whenever I haven’t done anything to upset him.” Y/N smiled, no longer feeling embarrassed, but just a little bit of something else. A strange warm feeling was creeping up in her chest. 

“Well, thank you, Bash, for catching me. And I’m sorry you even had to, I’m not normally so clumsy.”

“It’s no problem, besides, what even is a beautiful girl like you doing out in these woods anyway?” Bash asked, not being able to take his eyes off Y/N. He’d never seen a girl so beautiful before. And ‘beautiful’ was not even enough to describe her. 

“Oh, I’m just on my way to get flowers for a party later on. Which does remind me, that I should be on my way,” Y/N looked down at her basket, which she hadn’t fortunately dropped, when she had stumbled. Realisation hit her then, that he’d called her beautiful, but she couldn’t believe it. Perhaps she’d heard wrong?

“Do you work nearby?” Bash asked, his eyes still admiring her own. He did not want to leave her this soon after just meeting. But her duty called and truth be told, so did his. He wasn’t even supposed to be out here. He was out riding with his horse when suddenly he heard the most beautiful voice humming somewhere nearby. Having left his horse a few metres behind, was when he finally saw her. She was twirling and twirling and completely not noticing the tree root that was about to make her fall on the next twirl. Thankfully, he was fast and had caught her on time. 

“Yes, I do. Are you from around here as well?” Y/N asked politely. Knowing that she should be going now, but his eyes were just too mesmerising, to not look away from, that she stayed grounded.

“I actually work at the castle,” he said, his eyes turning pink as if he was embarrassed about the notion. Y/N smiled at that. “Must be nice,” she thought out loud, as Bash just shook his head at her comment.

“Depending on the day, it can be a little bit too much sometimes.” Y/N nodded at that, trying to understand what it must be like working amidst hundreds of people. Working for royalty.

“Well, it’s like my father always taught me,” she began as she gave him the sweetest smile. “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” Bash raised his eyebrow at that. “And do you feel like that?” 

“Huh?”

“Do you feel seen?” He inquired, and Y/N shrugged. The question was raw - she hadn’t expected that. Did she feel seen? No, not as of late. But she couldn’t tell him that, now could she? She noticed the sun had turned just a tiny bit more golden and felt fear rush through her. She was supposed to be making supper for the Deverauxs and their guests.

“Look, it’s been wonderful having this chat with you, but I really must take my leave,” she nodded to him, taking her basket and turning around, completely forgetting about the flowers. 

Bash felt a tinge of sadness in him, before nodding and giving her a final smile. “Well, it was wonderful making your acquaintance. I hope to see you again someday.” Y/N turned around at his voice. She nodded, grinning at him.

“So do I.”

“Soon,” Bash said and saw Y/N blush, before finally taking her leave. 

She found some wild poppies just behind the house and hoped they’d do. Fortunately, Madam Deveraux only gave her a quizzical look, before dismissing her. She took a breath, thanking the gods that her step-mother did not freak out over the flower arrangement. All evening as she was making supper for everyone, her thoughts went back to the kind stranger she’d met. 

Bash.

Y/N was browsing through the city fair, currently looking at new books she wished she could buy when suddenly a horn was heard above in the upper city. She glanced up from the booth towards the sound, seeing everyone gathering around.

“Hear ye, hear ye,” a man in a formal outfit began. Behind him stood many other men, dressed the same.

These were men from the castle, she concluded. Her thoughts went to Bash for a second, before focusing back on the man giving out the information.

“As requested by His Royal Highness, Prince Sebastian, there is to be a ball, for two weeks hence, in honour of him choosing a bride. As per his wishes, the ball is open to everyone in the country.”

Squeals and cheers were coming from every corner of the city at the news. Y/N suddenly felt very happy. Maybe this was her chance to see Bash again in the castle, after all, he did say he worked there.

Having made her way back home, she rushed to Madam Deveraux, who was sitting in the living room with Arabella and Isadora. The latter was playing the piano. Correction, trying to play, for Y/N, did not know it was possible to make that kind of noise on the delicate instrument.

“What has gotten you in a rush? Your dress is all dirty again,” Arabella scrunched her face, clearly disgusted by Y/N’s clothing once again.

“I was just in the city when they announced there is to be a ball in two weeks as the Prince is to finally choose a bride. It’s open to everyone.” She smiled as she saw Madam Deveraux jump up from the couch, her daughters following her. Suddenly they screamed and the two girls jumped around.

“I’m going to be the new princess,” Isadora squealed before Arabella nudged her on the shoulder.

“No, I am!” Arabella insisted before Madam Deveraux made them quiet down.

“Y/N, you have to go into town and get three beautiful dresses,” Madam Deveraux smiled at her, a new prosperous future in mind for her daughters. She knew they had to look their best to catch the eye of the Prince.

“Yes, yes I will. Thank you for letting me come with you.” Y/N said as she was about to leave back to the city, her mind joyous and excited. Madam Deveraux had finally accepted her as part of the family and she got to go to the ball as well.

“Come with us?” Madam Deveraux scoffed and raised her eyebrow. “Why in the seven hells do you think you’re coming with us?”

Y/N started to say something before she was rudely cut off.

“Nuh, uh-uh.” Madam Deveraux pointed her finger at Y/N. “You do not belong at events like these. You will not go, I forbid you.” 

Y/N felt tears in her eyes, not understanding why she was being so mean to her. 

“Oh, Mama, look. You’ve made the duckling cry.” Arabella snickered and Isadora laughed.

“But why? All I’ve ever done is be nice to you. I do all these chores, you ask of me, and more.” Y/N started shaking but was reluctant to let out real tears. They cannot see me cry, she thought to herself.

“Have you ever considered that you’re maybe just not enough? Not enough pretty, not enough smart,” Madam Deveraux took steps toward Y/N, placing a finger under her jaw, pulling Y/N to look at her. “You’re no one.” Madam Deveraux turned away, before muttering instructions that Y/N was to buy dresses for the three of them the following day.

TWO WEEKS LATER

After helping the Deveraux sisters into their beautiful ball gowns and doing their hair, Y/N watched them leave in a big beige carriage. Letting her shoulders shrug, she finally let out the tears she’d been holding in. Y/N had hoped to visit the ball as well, hoping to see the blue-eyed man who had taken over her thoughts.

Y/N heard footsteps behind her and her name being called, before turning around and seeing Anastasia, an older lady that she’d known all of her life. Anastasia was a neighbour, a lovely woman, who always took care of Y/N whenever it was needed. Anastasia did not like the way Madam Deveraux had started treating Y/N after her father died and even offered to let Y/N move in with her. However, Y/N always passed the opportunity down, saying that she made a promise to her mother and father to look after the house.

“My dear,” Anastasia came closer, taking Y/N’s hand and seeing the tear trails on her face. “Why are you not at the ball? Everyone’s invited.” 

Y/N shook her head, before explaining that Madam Deveraux had forbidden her to attend the event. Anastasia pursed her lips, before muttering, more to herself than to Y/N.

“This will not do,” then louder, “this will not do at all.” She grabbed Y/N’s arm and started pulling her towards her house which was just a few minutes further away. “You will go to the ball, end of story.”

“But how? I have no horse to take me, let alone a carriage. Nor do I have a dress that is suitable for this kind of event.” Y/N saw Anastasia grin, before ushering her faster towards her house.

“Have courage, dear one. I will make sure you get everything.”

And just as Anastasia said, Y/N had it all. Anastasia was a well-endowed lady, who did not have the joy of getting to raise a daughter of her own. No, she was instead blessed with three sons. So it was mere luck, and perhaps a little bit of something else, that Anastasia had a beautiful periwinkle blue dress in her closet waiting to be worn. It fit Y/N perfectly as if it was made only for her to wear.

Anastasia did Y/N’s hair next, whilst explaining that she’d already talked with her personal chauffeur, who was to take Y/N to the ball. 

“I cannot begin to thank you enough, Lady Anastasia,” Y/N had tears in her eyes, although this time they were there for another reason. Gratitude.

“Oh, stop it, dear. I’ve told you a thousand times to not call me that, it makes me feel old,” she grimaced, before helping Y/N into the carriage. As Y/N took a step, Anastasia saw her shoes, which looked worn out and definitely didn't go along with the dress. She muttered something under her breath, before looking at Y/N again.

“There’s something in a box inside the carriage. Make use of them. And make sure to dance.” Y/N furrowed her brows, trying to understand, before she took her seat and felt the carriage take off slowly. “But wait, what about Madam Deveraux and the step-sisters? Won’t they recognize me?” Y/N asked worriedly, looking back at the kind woman.

“Oh, don’t worry about something so trivial, my dear, it’s already been taken care of,” Anastasia winked, before remembering, “and before I forget, try to return at midnight. I cannot explain why, but it’s imperative that you do so. You have to be back when the clock strikes twelve.” With a smile, Anastasia stayed behind, waving at Y/N. 

Y/N was a bit confused, even more so when she opened the box that was on the seat in front of her. Beautiful shoes, made out of iridescent glass, were inside the box. She gasped when she took one in her hand, not even feeling the weight of it, expecting it to be heavier. She slipped off her slippers, before trying on the glass shoes. 

They fit perfectly. As if these shoes, just like the dress, were made just for her. Maybe Anastasia was a witch? No, that sounds too evil. Maybe she was her Fairy Godmother. Y/N chuckled at the silly idea of magic but still felt curious about the predicament she was in.

Y/N didn’t have enough time to dwell on the whereabouts of her dress and shoes before she saw the castle in front of her. Only a few minutes separated her from the majestic building.

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen,” she whispered to herself, looking longingly at the castle ahead.

The castle itself was beautiful. Y/N had never seen a building so marvellous in her life. Taking slow steps through the garden in front of the castle, she was in awe. Twirling around and trying to take it all in. The castle inside was just about the same. Mesmerising to the point of Y/N being left speechless. She imagined what it’d be like to live here. So in contrast to her current living conditions.

Before she knew it, she was standing behind a huge door, with two guards standing on each side of it. This must be the ballroom, she figured. She gave a nod and a curtsy to the guards before they nodded in return and opened the doors.

She heard the buzz of the voices first, before walking towards the balcony that was connected to the ground floor of the ballroom. About a hundred and fifty other people were mingling downstairs, not counting the guards and other workers. 

She began to make her descent down the marvellous staircase, walking slowly, as if not to ruin the dress and not to stumble on her feet. She felt anxious, before reminding herself of her father's wise words again.

It was then that Bash saw her, from across the room. He’d been waiting for her for hours now. Hoping that she’d grace the castle with her beauty. And what a beauty she was, indeed. He was left bewildered when he saw her. She looked otherworldly.

She looked ethereal.

As if they were magnets, he felt an invisible string pull him towards her. He apologised to the princess currently in front of him and nodded to his father, before taking his leave and stepping onto the dance floor. 

Y/N had just reached the last step when she noticed the crowd parting and giving her way. At the end of the tunnel of people, she saw him.

It was him, it was truly him.

Bash.

And oh, the way he looked at Y/N. As if she’d hung the stars in the sky. 

He grinned when he was finally near enough to notice the sparkling eyeshadow on her eyelids and the pink tone of her lips. 

“Wow, just wow,” Bash let out, scratching the back of his head. A habit of his, whenever he was nervous. “I’m speechless, really.” Bash said, before taking Y/N’s hand and placing a delicate kiss on her knuckles. 

“You look breathtaking,” he said, looking up. Y/N blushed heavily, still not having noticed the ballroom growing quiet. All she saw was him. He was wearing a dark blue suit, with small gold intricate details, that made him look regal. It was then, Y/N realised, he was probably not just a mere worker in a castle.

“Would you allow me this dance?” He said as he stood up straight again. Y/N nodded, not trusting her words at the moment. He took her hand gently on his, placing his other on her waist. The pull between them only grew, the magnetic feel forcing them to be as close as possible.

And then they danced. He was a wonderful leader, and fortunately for Y/N, she was not so bad herself on a dancefloor, having taken dance lessons in her youth. The pair only had eyes for each other, completely ignoring the looks they were getting all over the ballroom. Some were jealous, some were elated, and some were more than angry with the outcome happening right now.

Y/N grinned as Bash twirled her not once, but twice, and then made her fall into his arms. The song ended and they were both out of breath. Y/N felt Bash put a strand of hair behind her ear, looking longingly into her eyes. He leaned in, before closing his eyes and stopping himself.

“Come with me, I want to show you something,” Y/N nodded as he led her away from the dancefloor to the confines of a secluded room filled with high bookshelves. There were rows and rows of books. Y/N twirled around, taking it all in. She’d never seen bookshelves this high before.

They were in a library. 

Sebastian noticed how Y/N smiled in awe as she took it all in. He just had a feeling she would like it.

“You didn’t tell me you were a prince, Prince Sebastian,” Y/N said when she turned around from admiring the thousands of books gracing the shelves. Bash chuckled.

“I told you I worked at the castle. Which is true,” Y/N narrowed her eyes before smiling. 

“I just didn’t specify,” Bash said, a finality in his tone. Y/N then saw him truly as he was, as a future king. 

A kind future king, she acknowledged. 

“True,” she took another longing look at the bookshelves before something else caught her eye on the other side of the room.

There was a black grand piano, waiting to be played. Almost calling her name as she took steps towards it. Bash saw what her eyes had fixed on, a grin growing on his face.

“Do you play?” He asked as Y/N let her fingers slide tenderly across the black-and-white keys. 

“I used to,” Y/N said honestly, still gazing longingly at the beautiful instrument in front of her. “I haven’t in a while, not since my father passed.” Bash looked at her sorrowfully, before whispering his condolences.

Sebastian took a seat in front of the piano, patting the place next to him. Y/N blushed before she obliged. 

She watched Sebastian place his hands on the piano, pressing a few keys, which made the sweetest tune. She closed her eyes and hummed to herself when she heard him continue. Suddenly the sound stopped and she opened her eyes to come face to face with Bash.

“Your turn,” he whispered, his face was so close to hers, that she could feel his breath on her face. She blushed but shook her head.

“I shouldn’t.”

“You should.”

“I shouldn’t.”

“You should.”

“I shouldn’t, really.”

“You should, really.”

“I will.” She said finally, seeing Sebastian grin before she placed her trembling hands on the keys.

She took a breath before letting her hands take over, the notes she played were familiar to her, never forgotten. Even if she hadn’t played them in so long. She let herself be carried by the tune, until at some point, there was a dialogue.

Sebastian had accompanied her on the piano, he was playing on his side, giving supporting yet beautiful notes to the ones she played. Y/N was enthralled and totally mesmerised by the music. 

So was he. Before today, Sebastian was sure Y/N could not surprise him anymore. She was already perfect enough. But here she was, letting out a precious and delicate part of herself that not many could see. She trusted him. And he appreciated it more than Y/N could ever imagine.

Later on in their life, Bash would tell Y/N that this was the moment he fell in love with her.

As with all good things in life, the song came to an end, and Y/N removed her hands from the keyboard to her lap. Fidgeting with her fingers, as if suddenly ashamed of letting someone see her so bare.

Sebastian placed two fingers underneath her jaw, making Y/N look at him. Her eyes were so vulnerable, that he wanted to fix everything in her life. Not knowing anything about her, but vowing to himself that he’d do anything and everything in his power to make sure she was happy at all times.

Their faces were close again, just one small nudge, and he could feel her lips on his. Y/N saw as Bash’s gaze moved from her eyes to her lips, hers following the action. They were so–so close. Sebastian nudged Y/N’s nose with his own as if asking for permission. Y/N closed her eyes and grinned, him doing the same, and just as their lips were about to meet, Y/N heard the clock strike. 

Her eyes flew wide open and she pulled away. Looking at the clock behind them, she realised she was running out of time.

“I’m so sorry, but I have to go,” Y/N said apologetically, coming to stand. Bash followed immediately, wanting to grasp her arm, but not wanting to overstep.

“You’ve been absolutely wonderful and I’ve had the time of my life, truly.” She started walking away, fast. Sebastian was bewildered, not understanding what went wrong.

“Why are you in a hurry?” He asked, giving her a smile to try to ease the sudden tension in the room.

“It’s hard to explain, I don’t even understand it myself. But I made a promise,” she said, looking over her shoulder at him. Bash was trailing behind her; they still weren’t out of the confines of the library. “I don’t break my promises.”

“Then promise me, we will meet again,” Sebastian told her, as he saw her quicken the pace. She was at the door now. The door that connected to the ballroom. The door that would bring them back to reality. She gave him one last look over her shoulder, grinning at him the way she’d never before when she finally whispered so only he could hear.

“Goodbye, Prince Sebastian.”

She took off and Sebastian followed. He felt his pulse quicken in his chest, for he had been so close to telling her that he’d chosen her as his bride. 

And she’d used his full name. Not the nickname he’d given her.

Bash felt dread creep up on him. This wasn’t supposed to end like this.

And that’s when he realised he didn’t know her name. All this time together, and he had forgotten to ask the simplest of questions. 

She had passed the ballroom now and Sebastian tried his hardest to catch up. With his luck, though, what with being the prince and all, he wasn’t so quick. Girls touched him and pulled him into them, everyone trying to score a chance at a dance with the Prince Sebastian. 

Sebastian muttered countless apologies, before finally getting free of the wandering hands and quickening his pace towards her.

Y/N tried to run as fast as she could. Suddenly she stumbled and one of her glass shoes had fallen off. She looked behind herself and saw Bash following her, even if he was a bit farther behind. She did not have time to go back for the shoe, trying to get the other one off her foot, while still running.

She finally made her way to her carriage, letting it drive away. In her last glance towards the castle, she saw Bash picking up her glass shoe, holding it to his chest, and looking longingly towards the carriage. She blinked and felt moisture on her cheeks. She was devastated by leaving him, but he was a prince. He was the Prince Sebastian and she was just a commoner. A maid, if she could be called even that as of late. However, the feeling was bittersweet, as she’d have memories of this night to remind herself for the years to come.

The way his hands had felt, the way he had looked at her, the way his breath had made goosebumps on her skin when his nose brushed against hers.

The carriage dropped her off at her house, and she hastily made her way into her small room. As she changed into her other dress, the grey one that was her mother's, she noticed that her periwinkle dress was gone. She had just hung it up in her closet, but it was nowhere. She looked again and again, pulling out every other dress in her closet, but nothing.

It was as if it was never even there.

All that remained, which reminded her of the evening spent with the Prince, were her memories and the small glass shoe on the ground in her closet. Reminders, that she hadn’t imagined her time in the castle and that it had been real.

It was quiet until she heard voices coming from the hallway. Annoyed voices.

“I cannot believe, we didn’t get to dance with the Prince,” Isadora said grumpily, sitting down at the dining room table with a disappointed look. “All because of that stupid girl in that pretty dress.”

“At least I touched him,” Arabella closed her eyes, trying to remember the feel of his shoulder beneath her fingers. “He was so firm,” Arabella continued to daydream and took a seat next to her sister. Madam Deveraux was the last to arrive in the room, taking note of Y/N and how bubbly she suddenly looked.

She had a certain spring in her step, when she finally brought the food on the table, for them to eat. Madam Deveraux raised her eyebrow, eyeing Y/N thoroughly, but not saying a word. She thought Y/N would be more devastated at not having had the opportunity to attend the ball.

Something was going on. And she did not like it one bit.

Y/N spent the rest of her evening writing everything down in her diary. She wrote of every minute spent in the castle and her time with the Prince. Mostly, she wrote of the Prince.

It was a month after the ball when Y/N went to her room to check her closet. She had a peculiar feeling in her chest as if something were amiss. Her diary had been exactly where she’d left it, but to her surprise the glass shoe was missing. Y/N looked around her closet, but it was nowhere in sight.

“Are you looking for this?” She heard the cold voice of Madam Deveraux from the doorstep, before looking at her quizzically. “It’s a wonderful little thing, isn’t it.” Madam Deveraux said, looking at the shoe in her hand and then at Y/N. “Do you even know that there’s a countrywide search for whoever wore these shoes to the ball?”

Y/N was surprised, for she did not know the Prince was looking for her. Mostly because she hadn’t even been out of the house these previous weeks. Madam Deveraux had been giving her more chores than she could manage and now she figured out why.

“I won’t even begin to ask where you acquired such a thing, for I simply do not care.” Madam Deveraux hit the glass shoe on the wall next to her, making Y/N gasp and let out a weak ‘no’.

Madam Deveraux smirked, taking pleasure in Y/N’s sorrowful state. “It’s only a matter of time before they knock on our door. And you will not be a part of this household when they ask. It’s only me, Arabella and Isadora.” She grinned darkly, looking at Y/N sitting on the floor, tears in her eyes. 

“Do you understand? Do you now, finally, understand that sometimes a person of your stature is just not enough?” Y/N whimpered as Madam Deveraux closed the door of her room, locking it behind her.

Y/N looked around herself, she had approximately enough food in her room to last her a few days, but she had finally accepted her fate. She would never see Bash again.

It was the afternoon of the next day when Madam Deveraux heard knocking on her door. She placed on her most pleasant smile and opened the door wide, to be met with the new King’s chancellor. 

“Hello, we are here on behalf of His Majesty the King, to try to find his beloved. Are there any ladies in your household, to whom this shoe might belong?” The man in a dark blue suit asked, showing Madam Deveraux the glass shoe she was all familiar with.

Madam Deveraux was thrilled. She had ordered her daughters to lotion their feet daily and to try to squish them into smaller shoes, for she had to be sure that one of them would find their place near the King. 

Arabella was first, as was expected of the eldest daughter. She let out a bunch of profanities while trying on the shoe, pushing and pulling the glass to try to fit into it. “One more time,” she said, her face completely red from the puffing and huffing.

“Oh, give up already,” Isaroda said, whilst nudging her sister, making her fall and catching the shoe in her hand.

As expected, it didn’t fit her either.

Madam Deveraux was absolutely annoyed with her daughters, completely disappointed in their incompetence.

“I am sorry for wasting your time, Madam Deveraux,” the chancellor said, as he was stepping out of the house. Just as he was about to get back on his horse, there was humming to be heard.

The loveliest voice was humming a tune somewhere in the house. Madam Deveraux’s eyes shot up, trying to close the door behind her.

The chancellor raised an eyebrow. “Is there someone else in the house with you?” 

Madam Deveraux smiled smugly, however slightly shaken with the idea of the kingsmen hearing Y/N’s humming. She shook her head.

“No, there is no one, but me and my two daughters.”

“You’re lying,” said a strong voice, as a man jumped off his horse. He removed his hood, and everyone gasped.

It was Prince Sebastian. No, he was King Sebastian now. His father had fallen ill and given Sebastian the throne early.

Madam Deveraux was flabbergasted and immediately curtsied. “M-my prin-King, My King, I had no idea, you’d be here.” 

Sebastian took a few steps forward, still hearing the tune of Y/N’s humming. He knew it was her. It was the same song they’d played on the piano together. 

Sebastian looked at his chancellor, nodding towards the house. “Want to check it out, or should I?”

His chancellor, his best friend, smirked when he saw the glint in Sebastian’s eye. “Go ahead, Your Majesty.” Sebastian grinned before fastening his pace and entering the house. He followed the humming to the small door near the kitchen.

Sebastian saw that the door was locked, so with one, really-really strong pull he tore the lock off the door and exhaled before opening the door.

Y/N had no idea what was going on. She had been trying to calm herself ever since Madam Deveraux had locked her in this room. So when she heard noises coming behind the door, she had expected the worst. 

What she didn’t expect, however, were the kind eyes of Bash.

Sebastian faltered, his steps coming to a stop. There she stood. His beloved. His Queen. He furrowed his brows as he took in her commodities. The way she was dressed. The way her eyes were red-rimmed - an indication that she had been crying. 

She had been locked up.

Everything suddenly made sense to him and he wasted no time in hurrying towards Y/N and pulling her to him. Hugging her so close to him, finally, finally, feeling her in his arms.

“Bash,” She let out weakly and Sebastian just shushed her, placing his head on hers. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.”

Y/N tried to push herself away from him, afraid to get even more hurt. She had felt enough disappointment and grief in her life to experience it again. And grief she would feel if she lost Bash too. So it was easier to push him away before her feelings got too strong. Although, deep down, she knew there was already no turning back. She had fallen for him. Deeply.

But Sebastian wouldn’t budge, he was only grinning more widely when he realised that Y/N, the one he was looking for, was safely in his arms.

“Do you know that I have a countrywide search put out for you?” He asked casually, not even minding that she was trying to break free of his hold. Letting his fingers run through her hair, silently comforting her.

“Bash, have you even realised who I am?” Y/N looked at him through tear-filled eyes. “I'm a nobody. A maid at best. I have no prospects, no dowry. I am not someone you want next to you to rule a kingdom.”

Sebastian laughed at that, pulling the smaller one closer to his chest, letting his head fall on her own again. “That’s where you’re wrong, darling,” He inhaled her scent before placing a kiss on her head.

“You’re strong, you’re honest. Your heart is made of gold. You’re the only person I want to share the throne with.”

She finally looked up into his eyes, to see the most sincere gaze ever directed towards her.

“Well, aren’t you supposed to give me a shoe to try on then? Or have I heard wrong?” She finally retaliated and he chuckled at that.

“Fair enough,” he said before slowly kneeling in front of Y/N.

She looked at him, Prince Sebastian, no, King Sebastian now, on one knee, holding up a glass shoe.

Her glass shoe.

“May I?” Bash cheekily said, before Y/N blushed, and pulled up her skirt just a bit to give Sebastian her leg.

Bash placed her foot in the shoe, and as a surprise to neither of them, it fit her perfectly. His eyes found hers instantly, a strong, confident look in his gaze.

“Can I now, finally, know your name?”

She laughed at that, a tear escaping her eye as she finally began to realise that her old life was coming to an end.

“Y/N Y/L/N,” she said as Sebastian’s eyes glossed over as well.

“Y/N,” Bash tried the name out on his tongue, and he liked how it sounded. He closed his eyes and shook his head, before looking at Y/N again with a new determination in his face.

“Y/N, would you please do me the honour of marrying me and making me the happiest man to ever walk this Earth? I promise to give everything in me to make you happy. To keep you safe. Please, just please, end my misery and come back to the castle with me. As my equal. As my Queen.”

Y/N fell on her knees in front of Bash, her tears falling on her cheeks, although she did not care for them at that moment. All she saw was Sebastian’s face near her as she started to nod and laugh.

“Yes?” Bash looked at Y/N with a hopeful gaze, placing his hands on either side of her face, and pulling her towards him.

Y/N closed her eyes, feeling Bash’s forehead on her own.

“Yes.” 

Time stopped then.

Sebastian pulled Y/N closer to himself and finally connected their lips. Magical was not even the word to begin to describe how it felt like. They were made for each other, of that, were they both certain. Y/N had never experienced anything like this before. His lips were so smooth and soft on her own that she let out a whimper. Bash smiled at that and Y/N followed. 

They both pulled away, grinning at each other.

“I love you,” Bash said, caressing Y/N’s face with his right hand.

“I love you,” Y/N said before Bash connected their lips again.

It was no surprise that the wedding of Y/N and Sebastian happened only a week after their first kiss. Y/N had moved into the castle immediately after Sebastian had caught her locked up in the storage room. Madam Deveraux was put to trial, for treating Y/N the way she had. Arabella and Isadora, although crude in their temper, were pardoned, but made to leave the country, effective immediately. 

As for Y/N and Sebastian?

Well, their story is just at the beginning, filled with sweet kisses and even sweeter memories.

“Do you have any idea how happy you’ve made me?” Bash asked as he held Y/N, his wife now, close to himself.

“Hmm, I can begin to imagine it’s something close to the way I feel,” Y/N chuckled and Sebastian laughed, finally taking a look at her.

Ethereal, he thought. She stood in front of him in their shared bedroom, still in her white gorgeous wedding gown.

Sebastian just shook his head, still in disbelief that his happily ever after was in his arms at last. He pulled Y/N closer and placed his lips on hers. The one of many kisses shared that night.

[heavyhitterheaux]

Bake Sale High

First Lady of Private Garden Blurb

Jack is 18 and First Lady is 17

Synopsis: Urban gives you the wrong brownies 🤭

Pairing: Baby!Jack Harlow x Baby!Reader

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

Your mouth was watering at the sight of Urban's brownies that he had made with the help of his dad for the soccer team's bake sale  to raise money in order for them to get new uniforms. Eating breakfast before you left the house was never possible since you always woke up so late and Jack would have to damn near pull you out of the bed when he came to get you.

As you reached your hand out to open one of the containers, Urban quickly snatched it away from you making you pout.

“Urby! I'm hungry! Give me one! JACK! Make him give me one!”

“Urb! Give it to her!”

“I will, but not that one!”

“What, why?” Jack asked as he looked at him before holding the  other container of brownies up and inspecting them.

“They have a special ingredient.” He told the both of you as he made a poor excuse of a wink as you and Jack stared at him before looking at each other.

“If that was you winking at us, never do that again.” Jack told him and Urban immediately rolled his eyes.

“They have weed in them.” Urban said as he tried to whisper it and failed miserably.

“And you can't whisper.” You added as Urban let out a huff and opened the other container and handed you and Jack one brownie each.

“That'll be a dollar and fifty cents for both of you.”

“Not for your best friends it won't be. As much as you steal my food.” You said as you broke off a small piece and threw it into your mouth.

“I do not!”

“Urby please stop talking because you do.”

“Jack, you gonna let your girl lie on me like that?” Urban asked.

Jack was so focused on the brownie and he just shrugged before responding to him.

“So she can beat both of our asses? Nope, you on your own.”

“Seriously!?”

All three of you were sitting near the bleachers waiting for the first bell to ring when you started to feel weird. Jack noticed that something was off too and quickly made a point to ask if you were okay.

“Babe? You feel alright?” He asked as he turned to you, however seeing how your eyes looked startled him.

“Um, no not really. I feel heavy and my mind is cloudy.”

“Uh, Urb…. Look at her eyes.” Jack instructed Urban. Once he turned around to look at both of you he simply muttered.

“Oh fuck.”

“URBAN! YOU SAID THE OTHER ONES HAD WEED IN THEM! LOOK AT HER! SHE'S HIGH AS A KITE!”

“IT'S JUST A SMALL AMOUNT!”

“URB! She probably can't take it! She's a lot smaller than I am! She's never been high before!”

“Yeah, I didn't really think this one through. I must have mixed up the containers or they are both literally mixed throughout both of them.” He said as he held both of them up and inspected them.

“OBVIOUSLY!”

“Smush, I have a quiz first period. How am I supposed to take it!?” You asked since you were now freaking out. You had never gotten high before and for this to be the first time, you were terrified.

“Okay, baby calm down. It'll wear off. It'll be fine.” Jack told you as he was trying to talk you off a cliff.

“It's not going to wear off before first period! Babe, my arms don't work! They're so heavy! And why am I so hungry?” You whined as you laid your head on his shoulder while Jack just glared at Urban.

“My bad.” He quietly said as Jack just shook his head.

Jack immediately slid your phone from your pocket to send a text to hot chips and bad decisions.

Y/N- it's Jack and I need a favor

Jess- Not the white boy texting us

Blanca- If you hurt Y/N, I will let Panchito loose

Victoria- Will you two let the man explain!?

Y/N- Thank you, Victoria. Y/N just ate a weed brownie because Urban's dumbass mixed up the containers. Any of you have eye drops?

Blanca- WHAAAAT

Victoria- We literally just got to school. How the hell has she had time to get high already?

Y/N- VICTORIA FOCUS 

Jess- Lmaooooooo and we have a quiz first period 

Y/N- Jess! This isn't funny!

Jess- Oh admit it, Jack. It's a little funny.

Y/N- We're outside by the bleachers

Ten minutes passed before all three of them made their way to the bleachers to see you out of it as you were now laying in Jack’s lap.

They simply looked at Urban who held up his hands in defense.

“Wait, how are both of you not high? Didn't you both eat brownies?” Jess asked before busting out laughing.

“I'm guessing that the batches are mixed sooo I definitely can't sell those not knowing which is which.” Urban explained as Victoria took out her eye drops and held your eyes open to drop them in.

“Somebody literally has to keep an eye on her the entire day.” Jack said as they all turned to look at you to see that you were digging through your backpack and pulled out a lollipop that you quickly stuck in your mouth.

“Not us being put on babysitting duty.” Urb muttered and Jack let out a scoff.

“You were the dumbass who gave it to her!”

“But Lil Bit, on a real note, they were good weren’t they?”

“NOT NOW URB! I'M TRYING NOT TO DIE!” You exclaimed as you tried to stand up and wobbled a little to the left. Luckily, Jack caught you. 

“Damn, Urban. How much did you put in those brownies!?” Victoria asked him as she quickly got on the other side of you.

“Um…. Not that much.”

“Clearly it was because this girl isn't even on planet earth anymore.” Blanca said as she watched you with wide eyes. 

The first bell had now rang and Jack let out a sigh.

“Well here goes.”

It was now the end of the day and everyone had taken turns walking you to your classes to make sure that you had gotten there on time. Lunch consisted of you eating the majority of Urban's and Jack’s food before also eating your own. You could feel your high slowly starting to wear off by 1:30 and you thought to yourself that it was absolutely crazy that it had lasted that long. Jack had waited for you outside your last class so he would be able to take you home. You were the last one to leave the classroom and immediately embraced him before you held up your quiz to show him.

“You okay now?” He asked as he leaned down to kiss the top of your head.

“Yes, and apparently she graded the quiz since I was the first one to finish and I got a 100 on it.”

“Wait, isn’t that your hardest class?” Jack asked as he looked at you and you simply nodded. 

“Yeah and I didn’t even study which is the crazy part. Where’s Urban? I need another brownie tomorrow for my history test.”

“Baby, NO!” 

[becasworldsstuff]

Can i please request a romantic Simon Basset x OC/reader fic? Simon being completely in love with her since they were young, but since his father told him to go away, they separated. They met again.

-> Pairings: Simon basset x reader

-> warnings: none

Simon basset and miss l/n had always been friends, thing caused by her bubbly nature that could outshine the sun even in an August day. She was the only one with whom he could talk without stuttering, he felt at ease and nothing could really make him sad if she was near him. Her presence as a reminder that not all in life was sad and angry at him, that not everyone was disappointed in him, on the contrary she never made him feel bad about himself.

When the old duke of Hastings sent his son away due to the problems he was causing to his own mental health, the two were separated, nothing in means of letters or visits between the two for years if not the memories captured together and the burning sensations in the part of their body that the other touched, or the single pink flower dried out inside Skmon's favorite book that she gifted him as a reminder of the beauty hidden behind fragilness. Both the young hearts were left shattered thinking they would never see each other ever again.

But in his drawer were piled up letters written in his best calligraphy and on the best paper money could buy, for his best friend and little piece of heaven, who had been his own safe place in the mess his childhood had been.

It was her who motivated him enough to return to his old house when the man died, and he found her on the steps of his big place, with glimmering eyes and the brightest smile that ever existed. He stopped in front of her with his mouth that had gone dry, she had grown into the most exquisite young lady he had ever seen or imagined to lay eyes on, his eyes widened and his hands were begging for something to grasp onto to not loose balance while she watched him, she took one step forward and his heart skipped a beat. Even if he only realized now he could pinpoint her as the only woman in his life to which he could ever truly love, but he stayed silent, catching up with her like old times, not stuttering like when they were just little kids playing in the garden not caring about duties.

The days passed and the season started, now miss l/n obviously came from a very wealthy family and her kindness and beauty were known upon the society, but this was her first season, and her older brother and father refused to give away such a perfect girl to anyone so, when they catched up with the Duke longing stares they decided to talk to him, a man of honor, well bred, wealthy. Simon never in his life thought that he deserved for his dreams to become reality but he knew he was a duke and her best solution to this world of strange couples, so he was the one to go talk to her father, asking him her hand in marriage and bowing down on one knee with watering eyes as he proclaimed his love to her:

" never had I ever experienced such strong emotions nor strange feelings, my stomach flutters and my troath goes dry as if I was denying myself with water for you, you make my heart stop and the dream of seeing you walk down the aisle to me has been my favorite image for my life. So please accept my undying love for you because I cannot breathe if I'm not near you, neither I can eat or drink or sleep away from you, you are my sun and my moon and every single star in the sky, my whole body was created to match yours and my core only exists to love you and adore you, you make me burn like I was in a fire that cannot die. So please do me the honor and let me make you the duchess of Hastings "

Her response was awaited from the ball room that had just seen him pacing in front of the doors before barging in and stopping the dance that was occurring at the time, she held her breath and nodded slowly while forcing herself to blink as I'd to make herself realize that that moment was true.

[hatelangdon]

Fever

Pt 1, Pt 2 / 3k words.

(Franken!Kyle x Witch!Reader)

Hurt/comfort, & fluff, Slight angst (it's just me rambling about Kyle's mistreatment from the Coven)

(🚨 Warnings: Talks of Fever, Being sick, Vomiting (not in detail), seperation anxiety, Crying, Zoe and Madison being terrible caregivers so neglect, problems with eating and drinking🚨)

Summary: Kyle doesn't feel good, he hasn't for a while...but what he needs now is kindness, understanding, and care from someone who actually wants the best for him.

(A/N: We all just want Kyle to feel better, he's so sweet. You could honestly just read this one by itself, but if you want more lore I would look into the last 2 parts...I definitely got carried away so I understand if ya'll don't feel like reading all this but I TOLD YALL I LOVE WHUMP but Misty is back and Kyle is wearing silly straw glasses so how mad could you be? I would highly recommend that you listen to this song near the end of the story , it adds a layer of sentiment that I can't even describe. I hope you have all enjoyed this little series as much as i've enjoyed writing it <3)

Also, this is not proofread so there's probably errors, ya'll know the drill by now.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

When you returned with the broom and dustpan to clean the glass up, Kyle was laying in the bed twirling the ring around his pinky. He was so enamored by its beauty that he barely even noticed when you came back, until you started to sweep the glass off the floor.

He realized your presence and perked up, watching you with big eyes.

“H-help?” He started sitting up, but you gently pushed him back down onto the pillows.

"I got it Kyle. You need to rest, and I don't want you to accidentally step on something" You assured him.

Cordelia had taught him how to sweep since he basically became the coven’s butler after Zoe and Madison decided to bring him back from the dead. This always raised ethical concerns in your mind because…why would they do that?  

Kyle must’ve had dreams of his own, he was in college, he had friends that cared about him, he had a life that he wanted to live. Now he was unable to communicate and in constant pain from the terrible stitch job that Madison and Zoe had used to put him back together. His body never felt like his own, and thats because it wasn't...fully; They had decided to stitch Kyle back together using the body parts of his fellow frat brothers, which caused a lot of issues for both his mental and physical health.

It was all wrong. He was wrongfully killed in a bus crash, by Madison's hand and then he was brought back to be Zoe and Madison's personal toy & used as "the help"

Bringing someone back from the dead after you killed them, just so you could have sex and make them clean your house and serve you drinks didn't seem morally correct or fair. Those two had played “build a boyfriend” with Kyle’s life and didn't even take care of him properly.

Kyle never once took his eyes off of you while you swept, he had always admired how pretty you were and how warm your heart was.

After all of the glass was cleaned up and disposed of, you sat on the side of the bed, gently taking your ring from Kyle's hand and putting it back on your finger

"I told you I would be back" you stroked his hand with your thumb, and he gave you a gentle, sleepy, smile.

“P-p-pretty” Kyle blinked at you, still smiling

“yeah, it is a pretty ring isn't it? I can get you one like it, would you like that Kyle?"

He took a minute, allowing himself to fully decipher your words, before nodding and placing a gentle hand on your cheek 

“Y-you pretty.” He blinked hard, and nodded again to insure you knew what he was talking about.

You felt your face heat up and your heart flutter like it housed a butterfly garden,

“thank you Kyle. You are very kind.”

Your words only made his smile bigger.

You had moved yourself to the side of the bed, your back resting on the wall. Kyle balled himself next to you, resting his head on your lap.

You rubbed the side of his head with your thumb to let him know that you were with him, even as he slept. You could feel that he still had a fever....in fact he was burning up. Luckily, he was being taken care of and resting, maybe that was all that he needed.

Kyle only slept for an hour before all hell broke loose

You had stayed where you were, you didn't mind since Kyle was resting peacefully on your lap and no one really noticed that you hadn't come out of your room, it was still pretty early in the day.

You just sat there watching tv on your phone. Kyle had started to stir in your lap, his eyebrows furrowed like he was uncomfortable. He curled in on himself tighter, practically hugging his knees to his chest.  

You ran your nails down his spine, hoping to comfort him a bit. His eyes suddenly opened and he sat up, looking panicked and tapping his chest desperately trying to convey something to you.

Your eyes widened, you were just as confused as he was

“Um- what's wrong? Are you choking?” You were very unsure “is it your stitches???”

Kyle’s eyes were tearing up and he started turning red, as he continued to try and show you what was wrong with him by patting his chest. He started gagging and you realized what the issue was, quickly. 

“NO! NO! KYLE PLEASE DO NOT THROW UP ON MY BED” You practically sprung 4 feet off the bed and tackled the trashcan by your desk, luckily there was a bag in it. You rushed it over and put it in front of him. 

“You’re okay Kyle, just let it up” you rubbed his back gently, as he dry heaved over the bin, sobbing. He didn’t understand why this was happening to him, why his stomach hurt so much, and why his throat burned. The muscle tension from him being bent over and heaving caused his stitches to pull on his skin, which made his experience much more painful.

You hated to see him this way, you didn’t think it would get this bad but he was clearly much sicker than you had anticipated, the sound of him being sick and his desperate cries broke your heart, but all you could do was stay there with him and talk him through it. 

“I know it hurts Ky, I know. Just keep breathing. It’ll be over soon.” You pressed your lips to the back of his neck, rubbing on his shoulders. 

You could tell he was finished when the heaving stopped and he was just crying with his head in the bin.

You took it away from him with your eyes closed tying up the bag, you’d deal with it later. 

Kyle was back lying on the bed, curled up in fetal position while his body shook with sobs. He was exhausted and everything hurt.

“Ky, I know you don’t feel good. I’m sorry.” You were gentle with him, squeezing his hand “I’m gonna get you something to drink okay? You need to hydrate. It’ll help your throat.” you tried to sound encouraging, but he didn’t seem to care at all. 

He turned to you, sniffling while his eyes still pooled with tears and his nose blushed in bright hue of strawberry rouge, he held his hand out expectantly.

You looked around confused at first, until you realized that he was eyeing your ring. He had remembered.

You smiled, and pushed it into his palm, closing his fingers around it and kissing the back of his hand.

You made your way down to the kitchen to get some water from the brita, you used some old water bottle you got from a school event, it was best to give Kyle a drink with a lid, because he was prone to suddenly jerking his body. You came back upstairs, where Kyle was staring at the wall completely worn out.

“I’m back, ky”

He just hummed, his eyes closed to keep the light out. You had noticed Kyle didn't like to drink water that much, he didn’t really know why he needed to, so Zoe and Madison would just give him Diet Coke and apple juice all day to keep him quiet. This was a habit you could have fixed, but you didn't feel like arguing and Kyle needed fluids and electrolytes in him immediately. 

You opened your nightstand, You kept cherry flavored liquid iv in your top drawer because you were also prone to forgetting to hydrate. You poured the powder in, shaking it up so it would be dissolved.

You kneeled next to the bed, running your hands through Kyle’s hair, massaging his scalp. 

“Here Kyle, sip it. I made it sweet for you, it’ll help you feel a bit better” 

He nodded, sipping on the water bottle, he liked it enough to take it from your hands and try to drink from it himself, it took him 10 seconds before accidentally squirting himself in the face, flinching

"Careful, Kyle" you took it from him, and he grunted. 

You looked around your room for a better straw for him to sip on, your eyes landed on your desk. You had a pair of those silly straw glasses, from your little cousin's birthday party. You looked between the glasses and Kyle's wet face and knew exactly what he needed. 

You grabbed them and tapped Kyle on the shoulder so he would look up at you.

“I’m gonna put these on you, alright?”

Kyle was intrigued by the tubing, but he recognized that they were also glasses of some kind and allowed you to put them behind his ears.

You were careful putting the straw back into the cup, making sure he would be able to actually drink it. 

“Okay Ky, these are very special glasses,” you showed him the part of the straw that went into his mouth and he just stared at you, tilting his head in confusion “You’re just gonna drink from it like a regular straw.” 

You helped him put it in between his lips and he did as he was told, sucking on it like a normal straw. When he realized that the liquid was circling his eyes and coming all the way around the glasses, he immediately gave you a giddy smile thinking it was the coolest thing in the world.

He suddenly latched onto your waist from where you stood in front of him, hugging you close. His head rested on your chest while he happily sipped on his water. This took you by surprise, but all you did was pat his blonde head and return the favor by wrapping your arms around his back, giggling at the unanticipated declaration of love.

“Y/n care Kyle?” He took the straw out of his mouth, lifting his head to look you in the eyes.

You nodded, giving him a smile. You had never felt so much love and admiration for someone in such a little amount of time.

“Yes Kyle, I care about you very much. I will always value you and make sure you’re treated well from now on.”

He smiled, and went back to sipping his drink through his silly little glasses, still holding onto you.

All you wanted to do was keep him safe and comfortable in your arms but you still had other things to attend to, like breakfast for both of you…well brunch.

“Kyle,” You were careful with your movements as you wriggled your way out of his grip, you watched his entire face drop as he reached out for you once again wondering why you suddenly didn’t want to cuddle him. It took every ounce of your strength to not jump right back into the bed and hold him.

“I gotta make us some food, are you hungry?” You put your hands on the sides of his face.

“Hungry.” He repeated, nodding.

“Okay, I’m gonna make you something. Do you know what you want?” 

“Mac n cheese.”

“Alright, I’ll make you some Mac and cheese.” You made your way to the door and Kyle tried to follow, holding his water and looking at you like a lost puppy. 

“Ky, you can’t come. You’re sick honey.” You guided him back to the bed 

“Cold. B-bored.” He whined, trying to pull you into the bed with him. If he wasn’t sick he probably would have been able to. 

“No Kyle, I gotta go. I’ll only be gone a little while.” 

That’s when the tears started, he was exhausted and these past couple of days had been really difficult for him. He felt like you weren’t listening to him, like you didn’t care.

“Oh no no no, Kyle please don’t cry my angel,” You sat with him, wiping his tears away “I know you don’t feel good and you want me to hold you, I promise I will come back. I know it’s hard for you to understand, but I would never lie to you Ky.” 

He sniffled, he didn’t get it 100%, words always got fuzzy in his mind but as he studied your face, he realized the sincerity in your eyes. 

“I think it will help if I make the room comfy for you, hm?” You got up and closed your black out curtains which helped take some strain off of Kyle’s eyes and dull his headache, you had twinkling fairy lights that added some warmth to the room. 

Kyle looked around, seeing the change in scenery and almost instantly he felt calmer.

Autumn had just begun, Kyle always loved the change of the seasons, but autumn was his favorite. It was so cozy and pretty.

You set up your laptop on a pillow near him, turning on the first episode of “over the garden wall” and covering him back up with your weighted blanket.

He suddenly felt relieved of all the tension left in his body.

“Is this better?” You rubbed the bottom of his back and he nodded, sipping away on his drink.

He was so entranced by the show, that you were able to slip out without saying another word.

You went down into the kitchen where you were graced by the presence of Misty dancing to Fleetwood Mac and twirling around in her flowy clothes 

“Good morning, darlin!” She took your hand and twirled you, “Can I interest you in some French toast? I think I made too much batter.” 

Misty was by far your favorite sister in the coven, she was so kind and sympathetic, especially towards the vulnerable creatures of the world.

“oh Misty, you know that I love your French toast, but I gotta make a mac & cheese cup for Kyle so I’m probably gonna eat one too.” You tried to make your way over to the pantry, but Misty pulled you back towards her playfully. 

“no, you both can eat my French toast it's better for ya,  and I'll even put some strawberries and cream on top to sweeten the deal.”

You happily obliged and sat on one of the bar stools in front of the stove watching Misty do her thing.

“What’re you doing with Kyle, where’s Madison?”

You raised your eyebrows, “Well there was some conflict between the two of them so I decided it would be best if they took a pause- and Kyle is pretty sick, so I told him I’d take care of him.” While it wasn't technically a lie, it also wasn't the truth but you couldn't tell Misty that you had froze Madison in time and kept her in her room for the past 2 days. 

“Aw that’s too bad, why didn’t you tell me the poor angel was sick? I made some elderberry gummies a couple of days ago.” She flipped the toast in the pan, “They do wonders for the immune system, we're coming up on cold and flu season. I'm gonna get ya’ll some, I'll be right back!” she skipped off to her room her golden locks bouncing behind her, “if you smell something burning, just take the pan off the heat!”

She came back with a mason jar, filled with dark purple star shaped gummies,

“these will help him get better faster, but you should probably take some too.”

You nodded, giving her a big smile  “Thanks Misty, you're the kindest person I know.”

“Awww, you don't have to say that. I try to help out where I can. I've seen you do the same, don't think that big heart of yours goes unnoticed.” She gave you a wink as she plated up French toast for both Kyle and You.

“I’ll cut his up,” She grabbed a butter knife from the drawer, cutting the toast in tiny square pieces, “Now, you go take this up and make sure that boy is taken care of!” She handed both plates off to you and turned her little radio up louder, quietly humming the lyrics to herself while she cooked.

“You could be my silver spring Blue-green colors flashin' I would be your only dream Your shinin' autumn ocean crashin"

The music followed along as you made your way back up the spiral staircase, opening the door to your bedroom to see Kyle resting peacefully with his cheek smushed against your pillow, his eyes sleepily taking in the calm scenes of the show. 

“Ky, Misty made us some French toast” you sing-songed. 

He turned to you eyebrows furrowed. That wasn't what he asked for., you noticed his confused expression and took a seat on the bed right next to him.

“I know it's not what you asked for, but did you wanna try?” You asked encouragingly.

He could smell it, and he liked the smell, so he was willing to try. He opened his mouth for you to feed him and you stabbed a piece with your fork, placing it in.

He chewed it up, it was very sweet so he liked it and showed you by opening his mouth for another piece. If he wasn't sick, you wouldn't have babied him so much, but you could still feel the warmth of fever on his skin so you needed to coddle him for just a little bit more.

and after a few minutes and what felt like magic you had managed to feed Kyle and yourself with no mess, you placed your dishes on your desk you would worry about them later. 

Kyle had felt much better, but he still wanted you all to himself.

“Y/n done?” He perked his head up and looked at you with his big puppy eyes,

“Yes Kyle, I’m all done with everything” You came right over and grabbed his hand, which caused him to smile, shyly.

“L-lay with Kyle..and-and watch p-p-pumpkin?” He pointed to the show, wanting you to enjoy it as much as he did even though you were the one who introduced it.

“Of course, Ky.”

And with that, you wrapped your body right around his, holding him close to your chest. Your fingers intertwined as both of your faces were illuminated by the warm orange lighting of the show. You didn’t know what to call your relationship, you didn’t know if Zoe would ever return, and you didn’t know if you would ever unfreeze Madison by your own will…but you did know one thing, You would love Kyle forever and no one else would ever be able to hurt him as long as there was breath in your body. 

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Let Me Be Your Anchor

Chapter 3: Repercussions

Benedict Bridgerton x Sophie Beckett An Offer From a Gentleman reimagined Chapter rating: T - nasty insults and insinuations Word count: 3.3k

Masterpost Previous chapter Next chapter

Author's Note: This is a fully original chapter with no AOFAG quotes or references.

Sophie’s sobs had managed to die down by the time she reached Gen’s shop. She didn’t have the breath to cry and run simultaneously. Now she was stricken with confusion and what felt like a bottomless well of anguish. In one way she had gotten what she wanted from her night of adventure. It had been an evening of near-realized dreams, an escape from her reality of scorn and servitude where she had felt beautiful, welcomed and worthy. It would be one of her most cherished memories, something to bolster her through the drudgery that would inevitably dominate the rest of her life.

But what she had not expected was that the memory would grip her heart the way it did. That the longing she always had to change her circumstances would be magnified into longing for a person. For a man. She hadn’t intended to speak with anyone at the masquerade to any significant degree, nor did she think she would have anything in common with them, seeing as they lived worlds apart. But Benedict had appeared in the garden almost as if he were fated for her. And he was…he was nothing she could have anticipated. Their connection had been undeniable. The magnetic heat between them, irresistible. Something wondrous may have lain in store for them if she were legitimate, if she hadn’t needed to lie to gain access to the ball. Now her actions had only left them both in pain. She was torn between censuring herself for her stupidity and admitting that though it would break her heart hereafter to hear his name or see him in the city, she was grateful to have known Benedict Bridgerton for one night rather than to never have known him at all.

Repressing her feelings as best she could under hiccuping gasps, she retrieved the key Gen had tucked into her cloak and let herself into the darkened display room. Her friend was still at her own party and had told her to return the dress at her leisure. Sophie certainly couldn’t bring it back to the Cowpers and so she changed quickly, hanging the silver treasure neatly in the back room and silently thanking the modiste for wrapping her in magic. She removed the borrowed jewels from her hair and ears. She peeled off one glove, then her heart nearly stopped. She had left the other one behind. Benedict had it when she dashed off. Her mind began to whir. He could use it to trace her if he thought to ask Gen about its origins.

Scrambling back into her servant’s clothes and slipping Araminta’s shoes into her bag, she found a quill behind the desk and dashed off a note.

Dearest Gen,

I haven’t words to thank you for all you gave me tonight. I am sorry to say that a glove was misplaced. Please forgive me. I know I can trust in your discretion should it be returned to you. I owe you more than this.

Yours in friendship, S

She needed to return to Cowper House before anything else went amiss. With the unmasking over she didn’t have long before the family returned. Locking the shop and slipping the key through the letterplate, Sophie took off once again into the night.

She slowed her pace as she approached the house, entering silently through the back servants’ door. She made for the staircase, eager to return the shoes to their place and then hide away in her room for the night, washing off the last remnants of the debutante she feigned to be. But when she rounded the corner she stopped dead, finding herself face to face with Araminta. The lady of the house was already dressed down in her evening robe and had a wicked gleam in her eyes.

“Good evening Sophie.” Her voice was cold as always.

Sophie swallowed hard, barely able to breathe for shock. “Ara…Lady Cowper.”

“You’ve been out quite late.” A sinister grin tugged at the corner of her tight lips.

“You are home early.” Sophie stammered. “Where is Miss Cressida?”

She touched a finger to her temple with a grimace. “I had a headache. I took a carriage home an hour ago. Cressida and Lord Cowper should be home shortly. But I was surprised to find upon my arrival that you had gone out for the evening.” 

Sophie’s thoughts raced. Surely she could talk her way out of this. Keeping her composure, she nodded. “Yes, to visit a friend.”

“A friend?” Dropping her pained expression, Araminta lapsed back into her affected, sickly sweet tone of voice. “Pray tell what friend do you have in the city?” She looked the young woman up and down with bemusement, then stepped closer. “What is that on your face?”

Sophie jerked back as a bony thumb swiped across her cheek. Araminta’s expression grew dark. “Little Sophie, what on earth have you gotten into? Are you meeting up with men in the wee hours of the night?”

Sophie balked. “No, my lady.”

“Then who are you looking to impress with your hair done up that way?”

Her heart began to pound. Another misstep. She shouldn’t have left the modiste shop until every trace of her disguise was removed. But she hadn’t expected anyone to be home… 

“My friend and I were only playing at…”

“This friend again!” Araminta clucked. “What did you bring to meet them?” Eyes narrowing on the bag Sophie held behind her skirts she clawed at it, the two of them tousling as Sophie fought to keep it out of reach.

“Let me see!” The older woman shrieked, finally ripping the bundle from Sophie’s grasp and peering inside. Her jaw fell open. “These are my shoes…”

“I was working on cleaning them!” Sophie exclaimed, knowing her story was hopelessly unraveling.

Her employer glared back at her. “Cleaning shoes in the middle of the night, dolled up like a harlot while you went to meet your ‘friend’? I suppose that is my rouge too that you’ve stolen?”

The allegation caused Sophie’s spine to stiffen. She may have transgressed social rules but would not be accused of thievery. “I haven’t stolen anything.”

“Shut your lying mouth and listen to me.” Araminta snapped, her deadly cool demeanor returning. Setting down the bag she began to stalk a circle around her maid, flinty eyes never blinking. Sophie held still, feeling like cornered prey. 

“Sophia Beckett. I knew you were no good from the moment you became my family’s burden. Lord Cowper spared an ounce of pity for you and so I agreed to keep you on. You have been useful but I always suspected you were rotten at your core. I always knew someday it would come to light. I only hope your bad influence hasn’t rubbed off on my dear Cressida.”

“I have done nothing wrong!”

Sophie’s protest was silenced with a sharp slap to the face. She bit her tongue, tears welling in her eyes but she forbid them from falling.

Araminta leaned in, hissing like a snake. “Sneaking off in the middle of the night with my things and coming back looking like a common whore. Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. What would a bastard know about propriety? How would she know to keep her legs closed until she was married? That is if any man would stoop to claim her. Like mother like daughter.”

Something jagged cut into Sophie’s stomach. She clenched her fists and closed her eyes, trying to tamp the fire rising within. The urge to lash out, fight back, hurl all the bitter insults she could at this cruel and horrid woman. But she schooled herself. Such actions would only prove her right, that she was a classless, impertinent, good-for-nothing who deserved her low rung in society. She wouldn’t dishonor herself or her mother in that way. 

But she also wouldn’t subject herself to such abuse any longer. This was the final straw. Perhaps it was her recent taste of freedom which made her bold, or perhaps it was that she already felt such pain and confusion at losing Benedict that she hardly cared if she lost everything else. All she knew for certain was that she needed to get away. Perhaps her carelessness had already set her free.

“Are you going to release me?” She ground out, opening her eyes.

Araminta paused then stepped back with a vicious smile. “No. I’m sure that’s precisely what you want isn’t it?”

Sophie’s heart sank but she remained steely.

“You will no longer serve my Cressida as her lady’s maid. It will be scullery work for you now. But since you are so committed to ensuring my shoes are cleaned, that will be your final task upstairs. You will clean them. You will clean all of them. And you will remain in my dressing room until the task is complete.”

Sophie understood this was her employer’s version of imprisonment. Araminta owned dozens of pairs of shoes. To clean them all would take nearly an entire day and there was a lock on the dressing room door. It was where she liked to stash Sophie when she longed to forget about or punish her. 

Signaling for a footman to collect the bag and escort Sophie upstairs, Araminta shot her a final glare. “Perhaps with that level of discipline you can learn to make something of your sorry life.”

Sophie said nothing, only kept her jaw locked and marched behind the footman to the dressing room. She was given a single candle, ushered inside and then heard the key turn behind her. She looked about the room, recalling the many hours she had worn her fingers raw scrubbing shoes and the many nights she had cried herself to sleep in a corner. This would not be one of those nights. She was well and truly done.

It had been fear of the unknown that had kept her from running away before. Fear about her employment prospects knowing she couldn’t get a letter of reference for another position as a lady’s maid. But what did it matter anyway if she was now a scullery maid for the Cowpers? Surely someone somewhere needed help scrubbing floors and tending fires. Her chances would improve in the countryside where households cared less about employment history. Leaving London would be a necessity after she escaped. She couldn’t risk being tormented or dragged back by the Cowpers. She reasoned it may also soothe her heart to be further away from Benedict and free of the anxiety he may discover her. She didn’t think she could survive watching the light die in his eyes if he recognized her on the street only to realize the woman he sought to woo was nothing more than a bastard servant, barely worthy of cleaning his floors. She couldn’t bear his revulsion and his anger.

But all the money she had to her name would hardly get her out of the city, much less sustain her until she found work. There was nothing for it. If Araminta already presumed she was a thief, what reputation would she damage if she did nick just enough to get by? If any family both deserved and could endure such treatment, it was the Cowpers. Picking through the finery laid across the room, Sophie pocketed the diamond clips from the shoes she had worn along with a pair of ruby earrings tucked in the back of a jewelry box. Surely their sale would be more than enough to keep her fed until she started a new position.

Now she had to make her escape. Sitting in the darkness and listening intently, within the hour she heard Cressida and Lord Cowper return, then the tittering voices as everyone readied themselves for bed. When all grew quiet in the house Sophie knelt at the door. She had only picked a lock once before when she was a young girl at Penwood Park desperate to get into her father’s library. It had taken many tries but she was ultimately successful. The trick was to have a hair pin. Something she had always been locked in the dressing room without. Until now. Pulling pins from her masquerade coif, she quietly teased them into the lock, breaking two before she finally heard a promising click that made her heart soar. 

She uttered thanks once again to Gen who had gifted her more than she could ever repay. Then she paused, thinking of her friend and how sad she would be to part from her. But she didn’t have a choice. She couldn’t stay in London and risk encounters with the Cowpers or Benedict. And the last thing she wanted was to endanger Genevieve and her livelihood by hiding out at her shop with stolen jewels. No, she simply had to leave for the betterment of everyone. She would find a way to reunite with her friend one day. She knew that Gen would spur her on. She would understand better than anyone, having completed her own fierce climb out of the muck toward independence.

Tiptoeing silently through the house, Sophie gathered her few belongings from her room and washed the last of the powders from her face. She pulled her hair back in a modest style and hid it under a bonnet. With all she owned in the world tucked under her arm and her stolen revenge clinking in her pocket, she slipped down the servants’ stairs, out the back door and as far toward the city outskirts as her feet would carry her. If she knew anything for certain anymore, it was that the details of her life were not significant. Where and how she lived was nothing to fret over. All of it was bound to be equally unfulfilling since none of it would include Benedict.

---

The next day, Viscountess Bridgerton swept through the halls of Bridgerton House. She had just laid her newborn down to rest and the sounds of an argument were echoing from the morning room. Marching toward the noise, she could make out the voices of her husband and brother-in-law.

“Benedict, I am not sure how many ways I can explain it to you. This is the guest list for the ball. Why is that not good enough?”

“There has to be another one! I’ve met all these families already and she’s not one of them.”

“Who?!” The Viscount practically shouted.

His brother responded with uncharacteristic agitation. “Have you heard anything I’ve been saying to you?!”

Reaching the door, the Viscountess swung it open forcefully. Two chestnut heads swiveled to face her, eyes wide. Anthony sat at the head of the breakfast table. Benedict sat at the corner, papers spread before him.

“Gentlemen!” Kate chastised, letting her frustration be known. “Lower your voices, please.”

They both shrunk into themselves.

“I’m sorry, my dear.” Anthony’s brow turned up in supplication.

“Sorry.” Benedict mumbled, dropping his head and turning back to the documents.

Kate walked to them, letting her own temper cool. It wasn’t unusual for the brothers to have disagreements, being opposing sides of the same coin as they were, but it was odd that they were so impassioned about it. Benedict especially never raised his voice. 

“What is the matter?”

Benedict looked up at her, red-eyed and disheveled as if he had not slept at all. “I met a woman last night at the masquerade.”

Kate flicked her eyes to her husband who met her gaze knowingly. They had both been waiting for an entire season to hear Benedict express interest in a single young lady and had all but given up hope. Now it seemed the year may not have been fruitless.

He continued. “She wouldn’t give me her name and she left before the unmasking. I had never met her before. I need to know who she is.”

“Because you would like to court her?” Kate asked gently.

“Yes.” There was something desperate in his voice, something pleading in his eyes. “You must have seen her. She was in a silver gown, an old fashioned dress. Jewels in her hair. She wasn’t on the dance floor but you must have seen her come in.”

She furrowed her brow, questing back through her memory. It had been the first ball she had hosted since Edmund was born and the first ever masquerade. Even with the help of all the Bridgerton women and staff, it had been overwhelming. She had been needed everywhere at once and had met dozens of guests, all of them hidden behind masks and disguises. None of them had stood out in the blur.

“I’m afraid I don’t recall anyone of that description. There were many guests.” She turned to Anthony. “You did not see her either?”

He shook his head, frowning. “Colin did apparently.”

“And that’s the only thing assuring me that she wasn’t a dream.” Benedict dragged a hand across his face, looking ready to collapse on the table top. “That and she left a glove behind. Someone has to know who she was.” He turned back to the Viscountess. “Did anyone inform you that they were arriving without an invitation? A guest of a guest?”

“I’m sorry Benedict, no. Seeing as it was a masquerade, are you sure you didn’t mistake her for someone else? How do you know that she was not one of the young ladies on the list?”

“Because I know.” There was a sternness in his eyes and an edge to his voice that were altogether novel. Gone was the carefree bohemian brother who never failed to light up a room with his mirth. He was haggard, clearly distressed. Kate was reminded of her own anguish when she had watched Anthony courting her sister. How she had contended with longing for something she could not have.

Anthony leaned forward, his voice exasperated. “Brother, it was one evening. How much of an impression…”

“If you felt such a connection to this young lady, it is doubtless she did too.” Kate cut off her husband, flashing him a warning look before turning to her brother-in-law. “I will let you know if I learn anything in the usual gossip. You should keep your eyes open too. Perhaps your paths will cross again.” She placed a hand on Anthony’s chair. “That is often how things occur when two people are destined to be together, is it not my love?”

The Viscount swallowed and nodded. “Indeed.”

Benedict sighed, a hint of his crooked grin returning. “Thank you. I suppose I’ll start by interrogating the footmen. John seems like a secret keeper.” 

Kate gave him an encouraging smile. “Very good.” 

Raking a hand through his already wild hair, Benedict gathered the guest list and plodded out of the room.

Staring after him, Anthony rolled his eyes. “You should not encourage his flights of fancy.”

“And you should not discourage him if he thinks he has found a match.” His wife cut back. “Do you want your brother settled or not?”

“I do, but leave it to him to fall in love with a nameless ghost.” 

Kate stepped closer, arching a brow and running a hand across the width of his shoulders. “You did not learn my name when we first met.”

Anthony smirked, tracing the pattern on her dress and allowing his hands to travel up the contours of her thighs, rounding over her hips and coming to rest around her waist. “You would not give it to me. Something about enjoying a victory lap.”

Kate pursed her lips triumphantly, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Ah yes, I had come out on top in our little race.”

In one swift motion Anthony pulled his wife down into his lap, holding her tight as he gazed into the depths of her eyes. He nuzzled into her collarbone, a purr rumbling from his chest. “Mmmm, on top…”

The sounds that emanated from the morning room for the following hour were ones that the staff had long grown accustomed to and knew not to approach, but at least they were not loud enough to wake the sleeping heir.

Tagging: @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @secretagentbucky @eg-dr3amer3 @time-to-hit-the-clouds @lyta2323 @autumn-grace @sadprose-auroras @the-other-art-blog @goldrambutan @colettebronte @heeyyyou @musicismyoxygen84 @faye-tale @ambitionspassionscoffee @starchaser325 @malna4903

[b00kdiary]

An Old Flame (Part III)

Aemond Targaryen X Targaryen reader

Where two old flames meet again after 6 years and now as grown adults, their desires and feelings are in conflict with the civil war brewing within their families.

Warnings: Long chapters! Contains swearing, violence and smut ( mature content 18+)

Masterlist (Aemond Targaryen)

"You and Prince Aemond did what??”

I winced at the shriek that escaped Lyanna, slapping her gently in warning as my eyes scanned left and right through the gardens to ensure no spies lingered.

“Ly, god above do you want to say that any louder?” I hissed, shaking my head at the girl, but she merely laughed, utter bafflement at what I just told her present on her face.

Lyanna was my best friend growing up in Kings Landing, her mother served mine as a lady in waiting and thus, we grew up as thick as thieves, even keeping in contact when I’d left for Dragonstone. As soon as I arrived back I sent her a letter, formally asking her to be my lady in waiting.

“I’m sorry Y/N” She giggled, throwing a hay blonde braid over her scrawny shoulder “But you just told me that you and your uncle, THE Prince Aemond, had a very intimate night together last week, and you expect me to what… nod like a lady?” She deadpanned, her sea blue eyes narrowing as she beheld my snort.

“No not a lady but I hardly anticipated you squealing like a pig” I jabbed, though she merely rolled her eyes in response. “And do you have to specify that he is my uncle?” I groan, eyes shuttering in a mixture of embarrassment and confusion.

“Hey, I’m not judging you” She calls, laying a soft creamy hand against my thigh “The House of the dragon is not the only family to marry within their own bloodlines- there’s a reason it’s still something that happens today.”

She was trying to be comforting, but all I could hear echoing in my ears was that word.

Marry.

“I’m not going to marry Prince Aemond” I lament, shaking my head as a thumb presses against my brow.

“You don’t want to or you think it could never happen?” Ly asks, her red simple cotton dress bunching as she crosses a leg over the other, readjusting her skirt. I sit up, straightening my back, my own hands fiddling with my purple gown, my finger picking at the dark embroidery.

“Our families despise each other, no matter how much they fake civility. Gods, Luke took Aemond’s eye!” I exclaim, sighing at the crazy familial dynamics and even Lyanna winces at that very big calamity.

“And even if by some miracle my brothers didn’t hate Aemond and he didn’t hate them and our families did not want to tear each other’s throats out every chance they got… I don’t know if what this is, what we are, whether marriage is even in the realm of possibility.” I frown, frustration filling me at the complicated situation I’d unwittingly let my lust lead me into.

“You don’t think he wants to marry you?” Lyanna asks, too softly, that weary kindness etched onto her lovely face. I laugh bitterly, quickly standing as I notice a group of ladies meandering closer to where we sat. Lyanna swiftly joined me and I clasped her at the elbow, ignoring her warning glance at it.

I knew she would scold me later, yet again claiming that a Princess should not be so benevolent and close with her lady-in-waiting.

I hated all that hierarchy nonsense.

“It’s been four days” I grit out, scowling as we walk “Four days since he bid me goodnight with a kiss, a kiss so tender I thought I’d pass out as I left his chamber and then… nothing! Nothing besides the most cordial of greetings and the occasional glance at dinner or as we cross paths around the Keep.”

“Is he ignoring you? Or is he trying to be inconspicuous… to not let either of you be caught up in your attraction and be too obvious in court?” Lyanna suggests, her thumb soothing my wrist to ease the scowl now seemingly permanently marred against my face.

“He can be inconspicuous all he so bloody desires, I’m not asking for a declaration of love, the least he could do is acknowledge what happened, I’m starting to think I’d imagined it” I muttered bitterly, my eyes darting to and from the flowers adorning the side of the walkway.

But I knew it wasn’t a dream.

Not from the ache that sat between my thighs when I’d woken the next day and certainly not from the way my lips and neck had been scattered in light bruises from the passion of his kisses.

“Y/N if you’re going to start fantasising about that night in the middle of the damn garden, please let me escort you to your chambers to spare everyone the torture of that disgustingly ravenous look on your face” Lyanna pleaded, her tone mocking as she laughed. I slapped her away, a laugh breaking my facade of irritation even as I truly did feel myself relax.

“Come, let us not talk of silly boys any further” Ly smiles, rocking as she pulled me to enter the Keep. I nodded, a smile beaming across my own face as I resolved to ignore the situation.

If Aemond didnt care, then nor did I.

***

We leisurely made our way through the Keep, our laughter and chatter echoing through the empty halls and suddenly, it felt as if I’d never left, as if we’d never grown up, still 9 years old and wreaking havoc on the place.

“And what of you?” I ask, wiggling my brows as she grimaced, pushing me away “Come on, Ly- I’ve told you every gaudy, embarrassing minute detail of my romantic life, now it is your turn!” I giggle as she rolls her eyes, a faint blush heating up her neck and cheeks.

“There is little to tell,” She says but quietly sighs in defeat at the determination on my face “There was a boy, well man I guess now, a while ago. He worked as an apprentice for the blacksmiths. Back when I’d worked at the bakery I’d deliver bread and pastries to his master and well, I suppose we became rather close.”

I gasped, my eyes wide at the news “You never told me this!” I accuse and she rolls her eyes, swatting impatiently to dismiss it.

“There was nothing to tell” She swears, that light fading slightly “Last year, he left Kings Landing after having completed his apprentice work, he had business of his masters a while away and would be gone for a good few years.”

“Was marriage not on the table?” I ask, quiet and soft, my hand holding hers in silent comfort. She shook her head, eyes full of sadness and what looked like regret.

“He would be gone too long and well, he was onto better things not exactly beneficial to essentially abandon all he’d worked for to marry a lowly baker's girl,” She said bitterly, shaking her head with self-resentment.

“Hey” I chided, already halting her to a stop. “You were not merely a bakers girl just as you are not now just a lady in waiting. Ly, you are incredible.” She scoffs out a laugh but I don’t relent. “Truly, you’re brave and strong, you are loyal to a fault and you work hard at what you do. No one deserves happiness and love as much as you do. And I don’t just say that as your friend.”

She sighs at my words, her eyes fogging slightly as she nods, silent appreciation lining her eyes.

“Gods” She giggles out, wiping at her eyes and pulling me along to walk, dismissing the vulnerability of the prior moment. “Who needs to hear of my soppy nonsense when your failed romantics are so much more entertaining?” She teases, poking at me as I chuckle, swatting her hand away.

“Oh please,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.

“No, but c’mon- The story of your first kiss?” She snorts, laughing so hard she has to stop to lean against the wall beside the servant's quarters. I glower, folding my arms as she continues. “That boy, what was his name Timothy, Tommy something- not only did you bang teeth at the first attempt but you bit his lip so hard he bled!”

She croaks from amusement, the hand on her mouth and the other on her chest as she struggles to regain her composure.

“I was 12 and not exactly an expert” I defend, chuckling as I blushed. “Oh come on Ly, It’s not that funny” I pout as her humour begins to die down, quiet giggles now flooding out.

“No, I’d have to agree with her. It is exceptionally funny, Princess.”

I freeze, my body going taut as a bow at the raspy chuckle of words that are said just beside my ear. Lyanna’s eyes widen as she halts and immediately bends into a bow, her head down muttering an earnest greeting to the Prince and I hear his soft regard back.

She looks at me as if warning me that ignoring his presence is more telling than facing him head on and I grit my teeth in bitter agreement. I turn on my heel, face passive as I see Prince Aemond, a small smile gracing my lips.

“Prince Aemond” I nod, my hands clenching as his eye beholds me, a glimmer of amusement lighting in it. He nods back, one corner of his lips quirking up as he leans against the doorframe, probably having snaked in through the servant's quarter.

His usual means of fast and undetected movement.

“That was quite the story, I have to say I’m surprised… you don’t strike me as being so clumsy with intimacy” He said casually, but the tone of his voice and that infuriating smirk indicated that he knew I wasn’t clumsy, indicating that he had experienced it first-hand.

“Well, it was my first time, Prince” I smile cordially, batting my eyelashes and I notice Lyanna cringe in acknowledgement of the ire that usually follows that look. “Fortunately for most of us, we weren’t weaned on paid whores to gain early experience from.”

The jab hits home and I nearly leer at the darkness that invades Aemond’s face, his jaw tensing and lips thinning, even as Lyanna steps forward with anxiety. The silence enveloped us for a few moments, The Prince and I were in a silent battle as his eyes held mine and despite how furious I was, my body still tightened in remembrance and yearning of what had happened the last time we’d been in such close proximity.

His eye flared and his throat bobbed as if he too was remembering the same.

I flushed at that look and took a step back, the first to break away as I tried to recompose myself. Aemond frowned slightly and reached a hand toward me.

“Princess, perhaps we could-“

“Princess Y/N!”

My head snagged at the familiar voice and I swiftly turned from a now irritated Aemond, my head looking behind me to the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy a few steps behind.

“Jamie Lannister!” I gasped, a laugh of surprise escaping me as I rushed forward a few steps, damning etiquette as I enveloped the boy in a tight hug. He laughed, deep and joyous as he too wrapped his arms around my waist and held me closer.

I pulled back, grinning as I took in his face. The tanned skin, the striking sky blue of his eyes and the slightly overgrown but styled honey-blonde waves that were neatly pulled back from his face. He was larger, much more muscular and taller than he had been six years ago.

“I heard you were back and had to come to see you” He beamed as my hands fell into his and held them tightly. I pulled at his rough, large hands towards where Ly stood, a similar grin across her lips.

“Jamie, you remember Lyanna,” I said stopping before her and she bowed slightly in greeting. Jamie merely shook his head and took her hand, raising it to his lips in a poised kiss, one that had Ly blushing and stuttering in response.

“Gods, it’s been years,” I said “What are you doing here? Visiting your father?” I asked but he shook his head, hand coming down to tap at his vigil with a toothy grin.

“You’re fighting in the tournament?” Lyanna gasped, clasping her hands before her as she laughed.

“My first year entering” He nodded, a charming and amenable smile on his lips.

“That is amazing… I usually despise tourney’s but if you’re taking part Jamie, then I shall be there front and centre” I teased and he snorted, his eyes washing over my face.

“Your beauty in presence would be greatly appreciated Princess Y/N, but perhaps you could gift me further with your favour?” He asked, a slight boyish and nervous twinge as he lowered his eyes to me. I blushed slightly, the compliment washing over me.

Indeed, we were not little children anymore.

But that compliment did not ignite even a single ember of want in my body, and that disappointment laced through me, even as I remembered the certain Prince still stood in the shadows, watching.

“Hm…” I contemplated, tapping my chin jokingly as the pair laughed “Ask me at the tourney Ser and you shall have your answer then” I shrugged, winking and Jamie scoffed, chuckling deeply.

But that humour soon cut off as his eyes strained left.

“Prince Aemond” He greeted, his smile faltering slightly as he turned to bow. “My apologies, I did not see you there.” I turned and beheld the face that had Jamie, who usually always wore a smile, to become grave.

Aemond was still leaning against that doorframe, arms folded across his broad chest as he stared at me and then at Jamie. His face was contorted in what can only be described as indignation, his jaw clenched and his eye narrowing down with scrutiny as he beheld the young Lord before him.

“Ser Lannister” Aemond purred back, the welcome sending an icy chill down my back. “I did not know that you and the Princess Y/N were such close companions” He states simply, his body marginally relaxing as a wicked sort of smile graced his face.

Lyanna glanced worriedly at me.

“We’ve known each other since very young, Prince, our mother's old acquaintances. We grew up good friends, I suppose that friendship did not die down with distance” Jamie smiled, looking toward me in earnest and my heart beamed at the nostalgia.

Even as Aemond snorted, his gaze scorching against my face.

“Well, you’ll be in for quite the treat then since I know quite vividly how the Princess warms to and reconnects with her close friends” He snarks out with a perceptive smile, his eye sliding to mine “Isn’t that right, darling?”.

I stiffen at his words, at the insinuation of that night we shared, the insinuation of me being just as ‘hospitable’ to Jamie.

He was calling me a whore.

And he was using his goddamned nicknames from the bedchambers to pour salt in the wound.

I seethed, even as Jamie looked towards me in confusion. I stepped forward, ready to slam his insufferable face into the concrete walls, but Lyanna was swiftly by my side, a hand subtly gripping my arm, her nails digging into the flesh to snap me out of the red that blurred my vision.

Aemond smirked, pushing off the doorframe and unfolding his long yet muscular arms. He nodded once to Jamie, who bowed back, still weary at what had just occurred before Aemond looked to me, his expression severe and unforgiving.

I held back my urge to spit at him as I raised a brow instead, though he merely stared, hard and unmoving, before stalking away, his feet ever silent on the ground.

We all stood there for a few moments after he left, my blood boiling with ire and confusion at what the fuck he just said and did.

He ignores me for four days and then attacks me with insults?

Bastard.

Utter bastard.

Lyanna tugs on my hand and I snap back to reality, biting back the fury coating me. I sigh, gathering myself before I turn to Jamie, an easy and faux grin on my face.

“Let’s go eat, I’m starving.”

***

“This is why I hate tourney’s so much” I seethed quietly, scowling as I looked towards Ly, who stood frowning beside me.

“Ignore them” She mumbled back, her eyes not meeting mine as she stood, hands clasped and back straight. “They want a reaction.”

Indeed, the endless Lords and Ladies that relentlessly stared and gossiped as they watched me, occasionally laughing or smirking when they caught my attention were clearly desperate for the bastard Princess to lose her shit.

And honestly, I was close to it.

“Princess Y/N, I am glad that you could join us for the event, particularly as our guest of honour” Queen Alicent called softly, a mother's smile on her face as she gazed from beside me on her throne.

Guest of honour- a bawdy and supercilious title that just meant being gawked at and paraded about like some kind of exotic creature.

“Of course, my Queen, it is an honour to have been chosen” I smile, holding back my retort that I would not be a ‘guest’ in my own home had she not lost her mind and attacked my mother six years ago.

“Are you supporting anyone in particular?” The Queen asked, a teasing grin on her face “Any male here that has caught your eye?” I blush at the remark, surprised by her forwardness but I merely shake my head in reply.

“No, not like that. I am here to see Ser Jamie Lannister, it’s his first tournament and we grew up very close” I say, my eyes glancing to where the boy stood, armour on, besides his black mount. “And you, my Queen? I didn’t suppose this your kind of sport.”

She shakes her head reverently with a small laugh “No, I can scarcely handle all the violence and banging” She states grimacing, before looking to me with a genuine smile “But Aemond is joining for the first time and I wanted to watch in support”

“What?” I gasp and her eyes flash to mine in surprise at my outburst. I blanche, clearing my throat before asking again, much quieter and genial “I thought the prince hated tourneys, why would he join this one?”

“You’re guess would be as good as mine, Princess Y/N. He merely came to me a few hours ago with the news that he was struck with the desire to participate and I was more than willing to indulge him.” I nod absently as she speaks, and when she turns to Ser Criston, my eyes snap widely to Lyanna.

She frowns, that knowing and worried expression marring her face too.

Gods Aemond, please don’t do something reckless and stupid.

***

The tourney was hectic.

Lord after Lord, Ser after Ser jousted, running at each other astride their horses before one would stab the other with the pointy end of the stick.

It was tedious as it was addictive.

Jamie was doing well, spectacularly well in fact.

I roared out a cheer, relief lining every inch of my body as his lance pierced the opposing Lord's shoulder. I winced as that Lord flung off his horse, his body rolling and bucking against the sandy ground as his horse fled away.

Jamie Lannister, in all his kindness and civility, climbed off his horse and helped his opponent up. The two shared a respectful handshake before the Lord was limping away and the crowds began cheering and chanting for Jamie.

I grinned, clapping my hands so hard they burned as he bowed and then returned to his tent, to prepare for his next match.

He had made it to the final.

And so had Aemond.

My heart had stopped when Aemond had first come out onto the ground.

 He wore completely black leather with his shining black chest plate adorned with his greenhouse vigil, sculpted perfectly against the broad expanses of his body. His hair had been braided back, loose and away from his face, starkly highlighting the boredom and disinterest there.

It was obvious he did not want to be here.

But he jousted like he was made for it.

Skilled, deadly and precise as he mounted his horse, foregoing any helmet to not obscure the vision of his one good eye. My heart hammered in my chest, my fear and anxiety making me feel like vomiting every time he would grab his lance to begin.

But every time he would prove that I needn't worry.

He’d charge low and fast, his body like death incarnate as he’d angle his lance, perfectly still and poised, right into the opposing man’s vulnerable points. Blood would ooze and bodies would fall and despite myself, I’d nearly cry with relief, my hands clapping along with the roars of the crowds.

I wrung my hands anxiously as the bell rang and the crowds began to mumble, their noises and speculation an incessant buzzing that set my teeth on edge. Lyanna hands me a cup of wine, her hand giving mine a reassuring tap and I smile gratefully, drowning back the contents in one full gulp.

Aemond and Jamie begin their descent to the centre of the grounds on their horses, silence enveloping the grounds as they stoically beheld one another.

Jamie looked passive, ready.

Aemond looked feral and challenging.

The two men stopped before the terrace and bowed to their Queen. I inhaled and exhaled in uneven puffs as I met Aemond’s eye. He frowned upon seeing the anxiety and tension on my face and I wished that I could tell him to not hurt Jamie like I knew he wished to and to not get himself hurt by being reckless.

I start as Jamie overshadows Aemond, his face directly in my line of sight, a huge grin spread across his handsome face. I smile, leaning forward, already knowing what he would ask.

“Princess Y/N” He called, and the masses hushed as they watched him stop beside the edge of the seats “ Would you do me the great honour of bestowing upon me your favour?” He asked and I chuckled at his faux innocence.

I stood as I grabbed the wreath from Ly and walked over to the barriers. With a gentle smile and steady hand, I lowered it onto Jamie’s lance and laughed as he bowed his head deeply, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

The crowds applauded and whistled loudly as I returned to my seat but my eyes remained on Prince Aemond, remained glued on the jealousy and anger that fuelled him now. He didn’t so much as smile as he trotted away to his corner, that lethal calm oozing from him.

I rubbed at my face, ire filling me as I tucked back the loose strands of hair that fell into my face. My body was on edge and my throat tightened as I keenly watched them raise their lances and as the bell rang, they charged.

I had wondered before who I wanted to win, whose injury would hurt me more- and had settled on both of them being of equal importance to me.

And yet, as Jamie’s lance tilted and aimed directly for a spot that would not only strike Aemond but that could seriously injure him, that could kill him.

I knew my answer.

“Aemond!” I cried out, my hands cupping onto my mouth as indeed, Jamie’s lance punctured straight through the steel of his armour into his shoulder and the Prince was thrown violently off his horse, landing on his back with a deafening thud.

I gasped, barely feeling the supportive hold of Lyanna as time seemed to slow down and darken. Aemond lay there for a moment, hand clutching his shoulder and blood soaking into the orange sand.

“Oh gods, please” I begged, tears welling in my eyes as he remained down and I could scarcely breathe. I released a huge exhale, shuddering wholly, as his body rose. I poignantly ignored the unyielding stare of Queen Alicent beside me, too desperate to ensure that Aemond was alright.

“He’s ok, look- he’s up and moving” Ly whispers, rubbing my back in comfort and I nearly sobbed in relief. Aemond’s face is contorted in pain, a grimace lining his lips as he bows to his mother, his eyes not once meeting mine before he walks away, back straight, face tight.

And shakes Jamie’s hand.

The two men express something amongst themselves before Aemond pats the boy on the back and returns back to his tent. I bit my lip as I watch his retreating figure, worry eating away at me as Jamie comes before the Queen, bowing and grinning at the cheering and adoring crowds.

My eyes meet his again, and he frowns, his eyes glancing to the tent I had been watching intently and a knowing smile, a sad smile, graces his face as he nods.

I smile back, remorse and sympathy on my face as I rise from my seat, ignoring the looks of the people around me as I rush down the steps. The crowds and court were far too encased in Jamie’s victory and with easy manoeuvres, I slip past the stands and gathered crowds, weaving in and out to get to the fighter's quarters.

I duck my head, my hair falling to shield my face as I stride past numerous tents for the competing Lords, looking for the one that was embellished in Green and Red.

For Targaryen and Hightower.

I wait patiently beside a dark brown mare, patting down its fur and allowing it to nuzzle against me in comfort as I beheld Aemond’s tent, knowing that I’d need to wait for the Maester to leave. Thankfully, within minutes he does, the dark-skinned and elderly man slips under the flaps of the tent and with his bag in tow, moves to enter some other injured males' tents.

My fear has me practically running towards Prince Aemond’s tent and I don’t bother with knocking or announcing myself as I slip in and close the sheets behind me.

I sigh in relief as he stands before me, eyes training on mine with a grim expression. The prince was now shirtless, his toned and creamy body on display and perhaps if it weren’t for the red-soaked cloth wrapped around his shoulder, I might have been inclined to blush.

“Aemond” I gasp quietly, stepping forward with an outstretched hand, though he merely dismisses it moving out of the way.

“I’m fine, Y/N” He grits out as he takes in my worry, his face hard as he turns towards his armour set on the table “I will save you the time and trouble, go fawn over Ser Jamie’s victory.” His words are venomous, lethally honed to hurt me.

I recoil, shaking my head as I march to stand beside him, staring at the side of his face even as he avoids my eye. “What the fuck is wrong with you” I spit, my blood boiling “I don’t give a shit that Jamie won, I came here because you’re hurt-”

He turns to me, fury lighting his face as he stares at me. “Was it not satisfying enough to watch the handsome, charming young ser knock me on my ass, you wanted to come to see the true extent of blood drawn too?” He hissed, scowling bitterly as he grabbed a cup of wine bringing it to his lips.

I seethed, my hand instinctively gripping onto that damned cup and throwing it across the tent, the grape staining against the cloth. His eye flared, the hand that had once held the cup now clenching in restraint.

“I don’t know who you think you are but you are acting like a pathetic child, right now,” I say, folding my arms “ Do you honestly think that I’d choose to celebrate with Jamie over coming to see if you’re alright? Do you truly have that low of an opinion of me, truly view me as the whore you implicated me as earlier?”

His eyes fell, that stoic expression hesitating as he beheld my anger, my sadness and hurt and concern all laced into one very sensitive expression.

“I didn’t intend to insult you, I just got…” He paused, sighing dejectedly, his head hanging in shame. “Jamie Lannister is an eligible and noble bachelor and you are a beautiful and well-desired woman of powerful blood- even my mother and Otto talked of how perfectly suited a marriage would be between the two of you.”

I furrowed my brows, my anger simmering into nothing as I beheld his frown, that quiet jealousy and insecurity hidden there. He continued, a strain in his voice as he lifted that one raw eye to mine “Seeing the two of you together, I knew they were right. Lords and Ladies like the two of you are meant to be together and I was envious of that reality.”

“Why? I never once stated an interest to wed Jamie, not with romantic intentions or political ones.” I said gently, my hand coming to rest upon his bare chest “ Did you not hear me scream for you when that lance pierced your armour? I was scared for you, not Jamie. You. I have never been as scared in my life as I was when you were on the ground” I said with a trembling voice.

He didn’t reply, his jaw clenching and eye averting as I stood before him, that invisible wall a barrier between us.

And I knew that this was more than just male ego and bravado at play.

“Jamie and I have been friends for many years, just friends.” I lament, my fingers moving to his chin and I grip it to bring his eyes to mine. “He is a lovely man and I’m sure any would woman would be lucky to gain his favour, but I’m not that woman.”

“The way you hugged-“

“ I haven’t seen him in six years,” I say, cutting him off, before scoffing a bit embarrassingly “and perhaps, I may have been a little more enthusiastic knowing that you were there to witness it.” His eyes widen at that and I smile as a small smirk graces his features.

“You wanted to make me jealous?” He questions, an incredulous tone lining his words, even as he shifts closer, a hand now settling on the spine of my back. I nearly purr under the feel of his touch, that warmth and electricity firing through every single atom of my being.

“You ignored me for four days” I remind him, my brow rising and lip curling into a sneer “I was confused and furious and… embarrassed.” His eye softens and his hand tightens around me at the slight quake in my voice.

“That night… we did something so personal, so wildly damning Aemond and if it meant nothing then you need to tell me now, please I can’t-“

He cuts me off by bringing his lips to mine. I thaw into him, into the tenderness of his lips as he carefully and graciously brushes them against mine, his hands holding my body against his, his fingers curving into the soft material of my gown.

The kiss is slow, deliberate and keen, an act of admission and action, an answer to the question I desperately needed. He pulls back after a few moments, resting his forehead against mine as we pant against each other.

“I do not regret it at all, it meant… god, Y/N, it meant everything to me. I’ve been fantasizing about that night, your lips, your body, fuck the sounds that I got out of you…” He ran his hand down my jaw and across my lips, my body lighting at the bare touch.

“I didn’t want to stay away from you, it physically pained me to do it but” He paused sighing “I didn’t want you to feel obliged… It is no easy thing to be with a man like me, and I did not want your first experiences of lust and intimacy to cloud your judgement and to push you into doing things that you will later regret”. I frown, my hand cupping his cheek.

“What do you mean by a ‘man like you'? What kind of man is that Aemond?” I ask, my lips pouting under the pain that his dark eye expressed.

“You know Darling” He laughs bitterly “I am no charming and handsome Lannister, not with this monstrosity on my face and certainly not by the standards of the people's opinion of me-“

“Do I honestly look like I desire a pampered and pretty Ser?” I question, brows furrowing even as he chokes on a laugh but I continue “ I don’t give a fuck what anyone else looks like or what anyone else says. I yearn for you my Prince, scars and all, and not just physically but spiritually, emotionally, we connect on a level that nothing, no one, else could compare to.”

I ran a shaking hand down his scar, racing it from his brow over the leather patch and to his cheek before resting it against his jaw. Aemond’s face was constricted and I could feel his trembling breath beneath my palm.

“You said so yourself Aemond, like a moth to a flame” I whisper the words back to him, a caress across his lips “I’m yours.”

His restraint snaps at my proclamation and soon, I’m whining into his mouth as he devours me, his lips feral upon mine. My hands lay over his chest, careful of his wound and I run them purposefully across his chest and shoulders, writhing at the feeling of muscle and flesh.

He groans, his hands slipping down my back to my ass and he kneads the flesh there with satisfaction as I yelp in surprise. Our tongues battle, fanning each other with reverence as his hands slide down from my ass to my thighs and with little effort he hoists me up.

“Aemond!” I giggle, my legs wrapping around his waist. He grins, peppering kisses against my cheek and lips as he turns to sit me on the table, standing between my legs as he does so.

I swiftly pull him back down to my lips, my hands tugging against the braid of hair that now falls against his back and he jerks against my thigh, growling low in his throat in appreciation. His hands roam, tracing down my neck and over the flesh of my chest and I shiver as he thumbs my nipples through the material, pinching and rolling the sensitive pebbled flesh.

I whimper as he pulls back from our kiss, chuckling darkly in amusement at my need but before I can chide him, he’s sliding down onto his knees before me.

Holy gods.

I pause, my breath hollowing out as I behold him on his knees, his hands gripping and spreading my thighs to stretch along the table and give him better access.

“Aemond?” I whisper uncertainly but he merely hushes me, a soothing hand rubbing my ankle as he trails my skirts up my legs before handing me the gathered material to hold. He smiles, feral and possessed as he takes in my white stockings and one by one, he slowly strips off the material, his trace scorching against my exposed legs.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about this cunt since last week, my darling” He comments, pressing a kiss against my thigh, even as I clench at the obscenity of his words. “I only got a little taste but now I’m ready to indulge myself… What do you think?”

His question is genuine, regard flashing across the Princes face as he stops, resting his hands against my thighs in uncertainty.

“I don’t want you to injure yourself further Aemond, your shoulder is already bleeding-“

“Trust me, there is no better remedy in the world than what lay between your pretty thighs, Princess” he purrs grinning, and again looks at me in inquiry.

I nod, knowing that he could do anything to me and I’d consent.

“Use your words darling” He reprimanded, smiling at the quake that travelled through my thighs at his lewd caress.

“Yes, I… yes, I want you to” I croak out, my cheeks heating. Aemond smirks, knowing that I couldn’t say the words but he doesn’t tease, instead, as if impatient, he runs his hands up to my underwear, tucking his fingers under the cloth and rips them clean off.

I gasp, hips bucking as he does so, astonished.

“Aemond, what the fu-“

I moan out in surprise as he licks a strip up the length of my pussy.

He pulls back, lips wet, eye wild and mutters “Fuck, you taste like heaven.”

His lips come back to my aching pussy, his attention solely on my clit as he sucks desperately at the nub, his lips pulling as his tongue lapped invariably against it. I gasp, eyes falling shut and my body tightening at the sheer pleasure that rushed through my body at the feeling.

So overwhelming, so all-consuming. It was so unfamiliar and yet so intoxicating.

He grins against me, as I pant out his name, my hand coming down to grip his braid between my fingers and as he grazes his teeth against me I yank, hard enough to hurt. The groan of pleasure that reverberates through him and into me has me crying out, my hips now jerking back and forth, riding his tongue.

“Hmmm” He grumbles in praise as his hands grip my thighs on either side of his head, his fingers digging into the fleshy meat there, holding me down like a captive as he has his way with me.

“Aemond, fuck, fuck” I chant, endless whimpers escaping me as he trails his hot tongue down from my clit and pushes it into me, that stretch of warmth and movement making me spasm and my eyes roll. He fucks his tongue in and out at a steady and building pace, his nose angling to rub against my clit.

The stimulation was too much and I jolted, thighs aching as he held me against him, even as I fought to run away from that devastation. I cry out, tears leaking down my cheeks now at the cruel pace he sets, his nose strokes and his tongue fucks me in tandem, that familiar peak nearing.

He growls as he quickens his speed, clueing on to how my body has begun to tremor, and tighten and my pussy is clenching around his tongue.

And as he runs his teeth along that sensitive bud I gasp out, my eyes screwing shut, “Aemond, Aemond, Aemond” I chant again and again, near sobbing as that feeling within me cleaves, my body at breaking point as undulated release rocks through me. I whimper loudly, legs physically shaking and writhing as I try to wrangle them to close around his head.

Aemond continues to tease me through my orgasm, kissing and sucking and biting and I almost have to beg him to stop, that mixture of pleasure and pain completely wrecking me. He pulls away after a moment, a lewd and wet sound as he pops off from sucking my clit and I sag at the feeling.

My eyes clamped shut, my chest heaving up and down in exhaustion as I heard him rise, his breath similarly jagged. His hand cups my cheek as he holds me against him and I slowly blink my eyes at his.

I groan at the wetness across his lips, the rose on his cheeks and the mess of his hair from my fingers combing through them to hold him close but also to rip him off. He grins, feline and pleased as he takes in my utter ruin and the intensity of my release.

He kisses me, allowing me to taste myself and I sigh against his lips, my hand coming up to run up and down his jaw and chest.

“Are you in pain?” I ask, my concerned eyes dropping to his shoulder, where the blood now dried into the cloth. He shakes his head softly, even moving his arm back and forth in proof and I relax at the confirmation.

“That was amazing” I whisper, kissing his neck and then near his wounded shoulder and he laughs, his hand fiddling with the damp strands of my hair.

“Good” He muses, humming “ I fucking live off making you cum. There is nothing as beautiful as the noises you make and the way your face contorts when I’ve pushed you over the edge” He mutters lowly, smirking at the effect his words have on me.

“What about you?” I ask, shaking my head clear of the daze.

He merely kisses my cheek, nuzzling into me softly “What about me darling?”.

“You always make me feel good, make me… cum” He grins as that word leaves my mouth and I roll my eyes with heated cheeks. “What about you?”

“Pleasuring and finishing you is enough for me” He shrugs, and he looks genuine in his answer “ I have no expectation of anything else, do not worry my Princess.”

“I’m not worried and it’s not about expectations” I frown, leaning forward to pull him in for a deep kiss “ I want to make you feel good too” I whisper softly and he growls deep in his throat at the need and ardour coating my voice.

“Yeah?” He questions darkly, brow-raising even as I eagerly nod “There is plenty of time for that, sweet girl, there is so much yet for us to explore.” I shiver at the promise in his voice and that dark, meticulous light in his eyes.

“Very well, My Prince” I grin, my hand coming to rest against his throat “ But don’t even think about avoiding me for four days after this.”

@uaze123 @lomllino @daddysfavoritesexkitten @backinwonderl4nd @mirandastuckinthe80s @zgzgzh

[pastanest]

if you’re wondering why I’m having to repost this, or why you were perhaps previously following me but no longer are, please refer to this post. I was able to retrieve this thanks to @iamburdened - thanks so much!! ♡

Daryl Dixon x she/her!reader

Something To Hold On To

Another night is spent in your half empty bed, staring out of the window, unable to sleep. Watching. Waiting. Desperate. The events that led you to this agonising repetition haunt you, ghosts of the past preventing your present from ever seeing a future, because it is unchanging now.

Denise’s death snapped something in Daryl, you knew it from the moment he got back that day, but you had never thought in a million years that anything would have the power to push him away from you. From your perspective, the death of a loved one brings you closer to the rest of the people you love, because it reminds you to cherish every moment with them, but for Daryl...it was different. You followed him all the way to the gate that day, trying to persuade him not to go out there because you knew what he could be risking. Usually, you were the one person guaranteed to get through to him, it had been that way since the farm, when the group found out where Sophia had been all that time. You were the only one that Daryl couldnt snap at, for some reason he had restraint around you. But that day at the gate, he lost it.

“The hell ya think yer doin’? You dont own me, I aint yers, who were we tryin’ to kid thinkin’ any of this was worth it?! Im better off by my damn self, ya don’ get a say in what I do, aint the boss of me. Run back to yer house, yer garden, an’ block out reality like ya usually do! Never should’a let this go on fer so long.”

Daryl was in your face, throwing his arms up in big theatrical gestures, bringing the attention of everyone who happened to be around. You stood there broken in front of him, unable to say a word; what was there to say after hearing that? With a final scoff, he got on his bike, and he was gone.

The next and last time you saw him was at the lineup. Despite everything that he’d said to break your heart, you couldnt keep your eyes off of him, seeing him in such a state and not being able to go to him was the most painful thing you’d ever experienced. After Abraham, you were staring at Daryl for strength, to keep yourself together, to prevent you from looking at what was left of your friend. Obviously, an egotistical prick like Negan didnt take kindly to you refusing to look at him.

“Well, it looks like we’ve got a couple of lovers in our midst! ‘Scuse me darlin’, would you mind paying me a little attention? I did just brutally kill this poor ginger after all, the least you could do is admire my work!” Negan’s voice was almost flirtatious, in the most sadistic way, but when you continued to refuse him, he shoved his barbed-wire-bound bat in your face and yelled. “Take a damn look!”

And you got the surprise of your life. Daryl leapt to his feet, swinging at Negan and landing a hard punch to his jaw before he was held down. You cried out, trembling feverishly, thinking that Negan was going to kill Daryl for that, but instead he took Glenn. That, you couldnt look away from. The devastation in Daryl’s eyes told you that he blamed himself for Glenn’s death, and you would have done anything to reassure him, but then he was taken.

And every night since, you have been like this. Lying awake and staring out the window at the Alexandria gate, waiting for it to magically open and reveal Daryl, safe and sound. Trying to sleep with your paranoia over what was happening to him, whether he was even still alive, was an impossible feat in itself. But that combined with trying to decode Daryl’s actions, from brutally ending your relationship because he didnt want you anymore, to risking his own life just because a very threatening man was talking to you. Of course, you know Daryl is a kind man, he loves deep and cares so much more than he lets on, it isnt out of character for him to defend you after ending things with you. But, over the years Daryl has gotten a lot more level-headed, and in a situation like that, he could usually be trusted to hold it together better than pretty much anyone else; he’s an expert at bottling things up, after all. The fact that he lashed out like that, you’d only have expected a reaction of that ferocity from him being in love with you still, which completely counterbalanced what he’d said earlier that day. If he did still love you, why would he say such horrible things? None of it made sense, all you want to do is talk to him and find out what he meant, you need to see him, and you dont know how far away that day will be, if it’s even possible.

Night’s without Daryl are difficult, but you have some things to make the days a little easier. Rick keeps a close eye on you, knowing that what Daryl said really messed you up and that regardless, being without him is hard on you. He regularly asks you to join him in completing various tasks, or even to just watch Judith because it gives you something to distract yourself from it all. It was when you were distracted that the other things came into play.

Judith is sitting in your lap, listening to you intently as you read her a story. She’s just had her morning feed and is due for a name anytime now, reading to her always helps her drift off without a fuss.

“The prince found the sleeping princess, and he leant down to give her a kiss-“

And then, you are gone.

It was late, and you had promised yourself you were going to stay awake until Daryl had returned from the run. He could be gone until tomorrow morning, you didnt care, you were stubborn enough to stick it out. Or, so you thought. As the sun rose and Daryl crept through the front door, he found you passed out on the stairs. He laughed quietly to himself, but couldnt help feeling guilty at putting you in that position by being home late. As gently as he could, Daryl lifted you up into his arms and carried you up the stairs bridal style. He carefully laid you down in the bed you shared, kicking his shoes off before crawling in beside you, wrapping an arm around your waist and placing a soft kiss on your forehead, causing you to stir awake.

“You’re home!” Your sleepily slurred whispers were joyous, a welcome sound to Daryl’s own tired ears.

“Yeah I am, now get some rest, got the day off tomorrow.” Daryl mumbled.

You gasped and turned over to snuggle into his chest. “A whole day to makeout like teenagers?”

Daryl scoffed, blushing and burying his face in the pillow, making you laugh.

When you come back to yourself, Judith is asleep in your arms, and the tears you hadnt realised were rolling down your cheeks have started falling onto her little head. You’re quick to gently dry her head with the blanket around her, and then you wipe your own eyes with your hand.

Later, when Rick comes to take Judith and you’re jogging down the porch steps of the Grimes house, you happen to glance down the street. For maybe half a second, the perfect vision of Daryl standing in the distance, waving at you, stops you dead in your tracks. Tears fill your eyes, and by the time you’ve cleared them, he’s gone. Rick watches from the window as you wipe your eyes and hurry down the street in the opposite direction to your house, where you’d just told him you were going. You have to walk the long way round to avoid heading towards the place you’d just seen Daryl standing. Wherever he appears, that’s always the way.

Flashbacks and visions of him get you through the day, and as painful as they are, they make you feel something, they give you fleeting moments of joy until reality returns to you. Blocking out reality, that’s what Daryl said you did, but you’d never truly done that until now. At night, no flashbacks or visions ever came, and every night is eerily silent. Numb, empty, cold no matter how many blankets you wrap around yourself.

The one time you decided to distract yourself by leaving Alexandria to go on a supply run, Negan happened to show up, and he brought Daryl with him. Apparently, Negan asked Rick where you were, and Daryl looked up from the ground to watch Rick’s face as he answered.

“She left on a supply run this morning, she probably wont be back for a few days.” Rick said, holding Daryl’s gaze for just a moment so that Daryl knew two things: one, he was telling the truth, and two, you were alive.

“Well that is a shame, I brought Daryl here just for her!” Negan sighed dramatically, and then continued to go about his asshole business.

Ever since, you have stayed within the walls of Alexandria. You know that if you had been there that day, you would’ve lost your mind seeing Daryl, and probably gotten yourself in trouble for not being able to keep it together. But having the knowledge of it happening when you werent here, knowing it could happen again, however unlikely that may be, you have prepared yourself.

It’s been too long, you refused to count the days because with every one that passed it would feel like you were even further away from Daryl. At least now you know that Negan is keeping Daryl alive. Torturing him, yes, but keeping him alive.

When Rick asks you to come with him and a group to the Hilltop, you’re hesitant, wanting to stay at Alexandria just in case Negan comes back. You will gladly bargain your life for Daryl’s safe return home, and Rick knows that, which is exactly why he persuades you to come with him to the Hilltop. It takes a lot of persuasion, mainly bringing up the fact that one of your closest friends, Maggie, would love to see you. Rick will proudly admit to guilt-tripping you if it means he avoided you offering your life up to Negan.

The gates of the Hilltop open before you, and you’re already itching to go back to Alexandria, paranoid that Negan is back there with Daryl. The group follows Rick through the gates, and for a moment you’re occupied by your thoughts, until Rosita nudges you and gestures for you to head inside the walls. Maggie embraces Rick, and when Rick pulls away, he looks to his right and his eyes fill with tears. You follow his gaze. In a fraction of a second, your vision is blurred, and you’ve collapsed to your knees, in silent, sobbing hysterics. Maggie, Rosita and Tara are quick to huddle around you, offering you comforting words that you cant even hear. Your hands cover your face as you sob into them, you cant see or hear anything, but you can feel a pair of familiar eyes burning into you from afar.

Tara lets go of you to join Rick and Michonne in hugging him, welcoming him back.

Rick glances at everyone else, all of them having a good idea of what he’s about to say before he even opens his mouth. “Let’s head inside, they need to catchup.”

You feel the comforting arms leave you, and you lower your shaking hands from your face, wiping your eyes and slowly rising to your feet. It takes all the strength you have left to lift your head, to meet his eyes. Daryl. His name sets you on fire, goosebumps rippling all over your skin, your throat suddenly dry and heart pounding against your ribs.

He looks awkward, uncomfortable, like he’s holding back from something. You know him too well. You cross your arms over your chest and slowly walk over to him.

And despite everything, you manage to smile at him. “You’re really back?” You ask, voice somewhat hoarse from all the crying you’ve just done.

Daryl nods, not saying anything.

“I dont know what happened to you, but I am so, so sorry.” You tell him, your sincerity laced in every syllable, almost bringing yourself back to tears at the thought of what he could have gone through.

Daryl nods again.

You take a deep breath, preparing to say the words you’ve been planning. “And I want you to know that I’ve come to terms with everything, regarding us no longer being, well, us...and I get it, things change and dont always work out-“ You nod to yourself while avoiding his eyes, as though still trying to convince yourself. “-but I want you to know that I can put it all behind me, and I will.” You meet his eyes. “Because more than anything, I want to be here for you, for whatever you need.”

Daryl shakes his head, finally finding the courage to speak. “Stupidest thing I ever did.”

For a brief moment, the sound of his voice leaves you breathless, but you quickly regain control of yourself.

“What was?” You ask.

“Everythin’ I said to ya that day, I was fuckin’ stupid, an’ wrong.” Daryl admits, shaking his head again, angry at himself.

“Y-You were?” You stammer out, unable to believe what you’re hearing and in desperate need of an explanation.

Daryl stares into your eyes for a few seconds, and you can almost see him taking in the sight of you to beat himself over the head with, to relive this guilt and torture himself further.

He glances down at his shoes. “Thought I had the strength t’ push ya away, t’ try and protect you, but I realised that there aint nobody that’d try as hard as me to keep ya safe.” Daryl looks back up at you, holding your gaze, not shy about admitting his last sentiment. “I’d die fer you.”

Your eyes start filling with fresh tears of an entirely different meaning. “Daryl...”

Daryl shrugs you off, avoiding your eyes because he knows you can see right through him; you know how hard it is for him to talk about his feelings, but he’ll do it for you. “I know i’s too late, I took too damn long realisin’ what was good fer me. For all I know ya could’ve moved on already, but I wouldnt be able to live with myself if I didnt tell ya the truth.”

Then, you smile, and Daryl cant avoid looking at you any longer. The sight of your genuine smile has been his favourite memory to cling to in that cell, the one view he couldnt wait to see again, even if it was never directed at him after what he’d done. You take the single step necessary to stand toe to toe with him, and you ever so slowly lift your hands to cup his face. Daryl breathes a sigh of relief, his eyes immediately closing as he relaxes into your touch, instinctively, even after all this time.

“How could I ever move on from the man I’d die for?”

[multiverseofstrangeness]

Daemon Targaryen x princess!OC (Oneshot)

A/N: Guys, Guys! You are crazy. Thank you all for those likes, reblogs, comments, and follows. I love you all<3 I never dreamed that someone would like my work like you did in the last few weeks. So enjoy this one once again. Have a great evening/night/day!

House of the Dragon Spoiler!

I am sorry if the time thing isn´t right. I certainly can remember what the time difference was between the episodes so I am sorry if something is wrong

Warnings: fluff, mentions of sexual content

Words: 1104

She opened the first layer of the curtains from the tent. Her view flow around and stopped on a single piece of armor it was the arm. The Person who owned the piece of the armor sat in a chair right in front of her. 

"My Lady. You got my invitation." 

She nodded. Her brown hair was wiped with her movements. Her blue eyes sparkled in the light of the sun. He smiled. He knew she was more than enough younger than him. He knew what he did, but he wanted her so badly. He wanted only her. He knew it would take time to get her, but in his opinion, it was worth it. 

He made a gesture, so she sat down. She looked at him. He was the uncle of her best friend, Rhaenyra. She looked around. As she did that, his gaze flow over her body. Her curves weren´t fully shown in her dress, but he knew what she has. 

"Someone told me you like to read I got a few books for you. If you want to, I´ll give it to you as a gift."

Her eyes sparkled once again. He smiled and ran his hand through his long hair. As she stepped nearer to him he could smell her, the light smell of the summer. He could see the blue of her eyes as she looked up at him. He knew what he did right now. He was completely flashed by her. 

"Thanks, My Prince." 

He nodded and tried to lay his left hand on her lower back. She twitched but didn´t say anything. He felt the warmth of her body. As she turned around, he could see a huge smile on her lips. 

"That´s impressive." 

There were only a few millimeters between them. He looked down at her and smiled. The blue of her eyes sparkled in the last rays of sun that came through the heavy curtains of the tent. He leaned down. 

She could feel his breath on her lips. She could feel his hands on her waist. She let him do it. She wanted to feel those feelings everyone was talking about. He sank his head and placed his lips on top of hers. His lips were soft and patient, but she could feel the urgency of it. She could feel his hands travel down her waist. She could feel something down in her stomach that was just like a firework. His lips softly moved on top of hers. She could feel his hands stop at her ass. She could feel how he pressed her against him. 

As suddenly, the curtains lifted. 

"My Lady... Oh, I am sorry. I´ll come back later." 

Her maid interrupted them. 

They jumped out of the 'hug'.

"It´s fine. I think it is time to go now." 

She looked at him one last time and left the tent. 

He watched after her and knew that he will see her again. 

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

4 years later (I don´t know the exact timeline) 

As he came in she could feel his presence. She could see him very well from where she stood. She still knew how he walked. His hair has shortened and he wears a strange crown on his head. She didn´t listen to the little talk between Viserys and him.

All the time her attention laid on him and his presence. She could remember the day he kissed her. She also could remember the day he left. She could remember what happened over all these years. She turned into a woman. She learned to talk like a woman and a princess.

She also learned to handle a sword and a knife just in case. But she trained every day. Her hair has shortened too. The blue of her eyes wasn´t as blue anymore as it was before. 

As everyone left the hall she left too. She moved out with Rhaenyra. Together they went out into the garden. She to her training puppet and Rhaenyra under her favorite tree to watch her. 

"Ya know why he is back?" 

"He was called back by my father, he had to." 

She hit the puppet with her sword. Her knife is in her left hand. With another kick, the puppet was on the ground. Rhaenyra laughed. 

"Why do always do it like this? Why don´t you hit the puppet only with the sword?" 

"Because in a dangerous situation, then you know how to use both." 

A voice raised behind them. Daemon Targaryen stood next to Rhaenyra. 

She snorted. She knew what he was. She knew what happened in the last few years. She knew what he did with all those whores.  

Rhaenyra looked between them and left with a nod to her. 

"You have changed." 

"You too."

She stood behind the puppet with the sword in her right hand. He stood in front of the puppet. 

"I never thought that you could handle swords." 

"As you said, I have changed. Through the years, I grew. Now I know what I am. I am the princess of the western countries. I am the heir of the western throne, and I will sail back home."

He crunched his eyebrows. He knew she has changed. He saw her in the hall. The first thing he was looking for. He knew she wasn´t the kid she was before. He could feel the temperament that came from her side. He could feel the power. He could see a queen in front of him. He knew his next step would be dangerous, but he gave it a try. 

He moved to her side. She looked up at him. He could see the desire in her eyes. He always dreamed about this moment. 

His lips met hers again. After years, they were again together. She could feel his desire. She could feel his erection at her stomach. She could feel his hands in her hair. She could feel him with her whole body. 

"You said you will travel to the western countries and I will come with you. I will marry you. As my brother wished. Be my wife, and I will always be with you."

Her head was cupped in his hands, and his forehead rested against hers. 

She smiled a huge smile. She may be a soldier, but she loved him after all this time. She will always love him. 

They traveled through the world and had their adventures. They both were happy. They both lived their life. 

She was the new queen of the western countries far behind Westeros. But he was with her. Till the end and always. 

Taglist:

@simbaaas-stuff

[yeehawbvby]

Falling Away With You | Ch. 23*

Sebastian x F!Reader and M. Rasmodius x F!Reader

Rating: Mature/Explicit

*CHAPTER-SPECIFIC TW: brief mentions of blood-play*

Chapter Summary: Sebastian’s a bit jealous of how close you are to the wizard 👀

Author’s Note: Seb is super rough and possessive and tbh a bit mean?? when things get steamy in this chapter. It's a short lived thing and they talk it out in the next one but I just thought it would be neat because I'm a horny sicko LMAO

It’s not mentioned in the moment at all as to not mess with the flow, but he’d absolutely stop if she told him to (but our y/n is a little freak so of COURSE she doesn’t want him to)

Enjoy some super intense smut, and a few Seb-heavy chapters!! x

Table of Contents + Work Summary

Check it out on ao3!

Prev | Next

“What the fuck are these?!” Abby loudly whispers, her eyes trained on Magnus’ berries as we ascend the stairs to his tower. 

I guess I get to see the resident emo girl in her element – exploration really must be something she yearns for. I smile, watching as she adorably shuffles over to inspect the blue fruits up close. 

Seb strolls up behind her, reaching out to feel one for himself. “Shit, those are sick.” 

I stand by the giant melon and its children. “Check out these puppies,” I quietly invite them over. Ooo, I can say the thing! I deepen my voice to prepare. “Don’t talk to me or my sons ever again.”

Abby snorts, and Seb mutters an amused but disappointed “god damnit” under his breath. Nailed it.

“Stooop. That is so adorable.” Abby takes out her phone and snaps a pic. She better not steal my terrible joke on her socials… “Let’s check out over there!” 

She points in the direction of some trees and wild berry bushes, where there’s a small opening that I never noticed before. We enter the clearing, now using Abby’s phone’s flashlight to guide us, and there isn’t much here. Just a bird bath and some green metallic garden chairs, albeit the flora’s adorned with pretty hanging trinkets. It’s a cute little sitting area, but looks like it’s rarely dwelled in, aside from to maintain the bath.

Abby is inspecting the shrubs, twirling a small decorative ornament in her hand and mumbling something about how she thought it would be creepier and more exciting here. Simultaneously, I hear cautious footsteps behind us.

I look at Seb, who’s peeking over my shoulder. He looks down at me and offers a comforting smile and nod, which I return. I wonder if he talked to Magnus with his big ol’ telepathic brain too. 

Either way, it’s showtime. Magnus is probably too early for my own plan to develop – maybe he’s just as antsy as I am? – so we’ll see how this plays out I guess.

“Who’s there?” Magnus shouts. 

Abby audibly gasps, dropping — and breaking, god damnit Abby! — the glass ball she’d been admiring. “Fuck!” she frantically whispers, kicking it under the bush. We lock eyes, both sets widened. Hers from nerves, mine from the fact that she just broke Magnus’ shit. I hope it wasn’t expensive or important.

The wizard shows himself, his faux black hair scruffy from “sleep” and a flashlight in his hand. He’s wearing a white tee, gray sweatpants, and some total dad slippers. He looks so normal. I can’t help but wonder if this is closer to what he used to look like, before devoting his mind, body and soul to his magical studies.

“What are you doing, trespassing on my property at this hour?” 

I thought he’d ditch the accent for the facade, but he doesn’t. Fine by me, I think to myself, my stupid primal neurons being activated by the rasp he’s added to his tone as he scolds us.

“I’m, w-we’re, um…” Abby stutters. “We’re lost?” She usually comes off pretty confrontational… so strange to see her like this.

“Mhm,” he hums nonchalantly, “I’m sure you—”

“It’s my fault,” Seb pipes up, playing into this. I notice a small nod of his head as their eyes meet. As though he’s trying to greet his old friend, without being too conspicuous about it. “They always thought your house seemed spooky, so I suggested we come check it out. Didn’t think anybody actually lived here.”

Abby and I nod along, just rolling with it. “We’re sorry,” I add. 

I can’t help but let a smile slip as he looks at me with a convincing amount of scorn. I’m so bad at acting. I luckily manage to keep it to the side of my face that Abby can’t see, saving our asses. 

“Careful, my dear,” his husky voice warns from his brain to mine. 

I look down and gnaw at my bottom lip, both to stop the grin from spreading and to distract myself from how warm his words made me feel. Unfortunately, though, I squeak. Fortunately, it’s quiet – might blend with the crickets if you weren’t listening specifically for it.

I seek out Seb, who’s looking at Magnus with furrowed brows now. I’m about to reach for his hand, thinking that maybe the stresses of being reintroduced to his magical former-friend are getting to him, but he grabs mine first. There’s a bit of haste to his movement – like he wants to protect me, or claim me, or something. 

Looking back towards Magnus, I notice his eyes widening at Seb. Then, he clears his throat, turning his attention towards Abby, whose gaze hasn’t left the ground since she last spoke.

What’s going on?

“Just… please leave,” the wizard says, sounding exasperated. “Now,” he adds, with more bite to his tone.

O-oh.

I thought this would need to go on a little longer, but I guess his magic really does work quickly. Us three non-elementals begin to leave, but I wanna make sure Magnus is ok – he seemed a bit disgruntled. I don’t have the energy to try and deliberately enter his psyche again… guess I’ll need him to train me in that a bit.

“Are you ok?” I think, hopeful Magnus’ll be listening. “What happened?” 

“It’s no matter,” he responds after a few short moments.

I take a deep breath. “Well… I’m sorry we did all that work for nothing, kinda,” I offer, hoping the dry and unamused chuckle shines through in my head-voice. “Did you at least get your answers?”

“Indeed. I am without a child, after all.”

“Oh!” My eyebrows raise, and I nod along to Seb and Abby’s conversation, pretending to listen. “Is that a good thing?”

“I suppose having found the end to my wonders is quite nice, yes.”

I peer back, and he’s sitting on his top step, cheek in palm, watching us — or rather, watching me — leave. I let my lips curve into a smile, and decide not to pry, with how glum of a mood this seems to have put him in. He grins back, but it doesn’t meet all of his features. 

“I’ll see you soon?” I ask, pulling my eyes away from his.

“Of course,” Magnus seems to sigh. “Good night, (y/n).”

“(Y/n)?” Abby calls, walking around from the other side of Seb and proceeding backwards so that she can wave a hand before me.

I’d been so focused on trying to see if Magnus was okay that I allowed myself to mentally stray from the other two that’re present. 

“Sorry. What happened?”

“I was asking if you’re all good,” she replies. “Dude kept looking at you kinda funny back there…”

I accidentally let a wide grin slip, happy she cares enough to ask. Maybe my plan worked after all. Maybe I’ll finally have a friend that isn’t a horny man. 

“Yeah, my bad. Just zoned out a bit.”

As if Abby caught herself being nice to me, and had to physically stop herself, she replies, “Whatever.” She does settle close by my side rather than Seb’s after the interaction, though.

The rest of the walk back is just as silent as the trek to the tower. When we’re close to Marnie’s ranch, Abby starts to break off. 

“Uhh. Hey,” she speaks up. I hum inquisitively in response. “Thanks for actually doing this with me, even though I kinda just…” she trails off a bit. “Y’know.”

“No problem,” I smile. “We should try this again sometime. But like, something that isn’t a house.” I shrug. “Preferably.” 

She looks surprised for a sec before crookedly smiling, and saluting me with her middle- and pointer-finger. “For sure. See ya.” Before I can offer to walk with her, she’s already zoomin’ away past the barn.

“So, that went okay-ish, I guess!” I softly announce to Seb with my eyes still on Abby’s back.

“Yeah,” he mutters.

Hm.

“Seb,” I slow my walk to a halt, hand still clasped in his. He keeps his back turned for a sec before facing towards me. “You okay?”

He nods slowly, but then sighs and shakes his head. “Can we talk about something?”

Not having seen him too shaken by anything in a while, my heart sinks. “Of course,” I frown.

“Can we do it at your place?” he shyly asks. 

I nod, humming my affirmation, as we begin walking again. I squeeze his palm, hoping to offer at least some solace.

_______________

As we near my farm, I let out a content sigh. The past few hours were a fucking rollercoaster, and even if this discussion with Seb doesn’t go well, at least I know I can end the day soon. 

I’m about to ask if he wants tea or something as we approach the door, but I can’t. 

His hands wrap around my cheeks and he cranes my neck so that my face can meet his, passionately kissing me the moment my lips are within reach. Feels as if he either hasn’t seen me in years, or he’ll never see me again.

Seb begins to back me up against my porch, and I giggle into his greedy lips before breaking away to toss aside my belongings. Seb lifts me to sit on the top step, uses his right hand to ground himself as he crouches in front of me, and he dips to my neck on the now-free side. He bites down and sucks harshly, emitting a sharp gasp from my lungs. As he’s doing this, he forces a knee between both of mine, allowing himself to take the space between my spread thighs.

“S-Seb,” I half-laugh and half-moan. “What’s this?” 

He licks his way up to my jawline before biting there, too. Bringing his lips back to hover over mine, he finally pipes up. “You’re mine, okay?” 

O-oh. Oh my fucking god.

That is so hot.

But now that I think about our night – the tense stare-off between Seb and Magnus, Seb grabbing my hand so almost-aggressively, the weird overall mood of that interaction he’s had since then – maybe this is about Magnus’... totally sorta flirty way of addressing me. Like, who just calls someone “my dear” like that? Seb probably heard it – like, telepathically, obviously – and then he got jealous, or something. 

Why else would he be so possessive right now?

I let out a shaky breath, scanning his eyes. “Seb…” 

His eyes trace mine right back, until he presses his forehead to my own and shuts his lids. The fingers that are still on my face inch up towards my hair, tangling into a firm grip. It sends a shock through my body, but before we do anything even remotely sexy, I want to make sure Seb’s okay.

“You… heard him, yeah?” I hesitate to ask. Gotta rip the bandaid off somehow.

A few beats pass before he nods against me.

“Do you want me to ask him not to call me that anymore?” 

“How many times has he?” 

I shrug. “A handful, I dunno.” Seb huffs out a breath. I put my palm against his warm cheek, and whisper, “Hey.” He looks up to me, deep indigo eyes dark with lust, but glossed over with grief, too. “I don’t think he means anything by it,” I offer.

It’s true – or at least I think it is. My stupid little totally-not-a-crush on the wizard totally has to be one-sided. There’s no way in hell I’d have Seb, Sam, kind of Alex just in our few passing interactions, and the town’s resident Magic Man all thirsting for me at once.

Seb’s brows furrow and he dives back to my lips again. “Doesn’t matter,” he grumbles between kisses. 

My eyes flutter before they shut, and I’m feeling… hazy, and super aroused? from the sudden wave of jealousy Seb is experiencing. Is that fucked up?

“You’re my dear,” he adds on before sucking my bottom lip between his sharp teeth, drawing some blood. “You’re my fucking princess,” he growls, yanking the hand in my hair down, to expose my throat to him again. 

An airy half-mewl, half-squeak slips from me as I’m overwhelmed by the strange eroticism of the situation I’m in. Gazing up at the full moon and shooting stars that are always fucking there for some reason. On land, the cicadas’ summer lullaby falls upon deaf ears. All I can hear is Seb’s lips smacking against my skin and the rustling of clothes. He lifts my shirt off me, only pulling away from my neck when he needs to slip the collar over my head. 

He greets my lips with his again, as he takes a boob in each of his palms, kneading the shit out of them. It hurts, but it feels so fucking good too. “Seb,” I whisper into his mouth.

He lowers himself, latching teeth onto my left nipple while the other is still occupied by his corresponding grip. He scatters bite marks and hickies all over my chest, soothing the areas with plenty of open-mouthed smooches. Everywhere he kisses sparkles under the moonlight, as though he’s creating art rather than demolishing me.

Seb peers up at me from beneath his long eyelashes. “Rasmodius ever done this to you?” he mumbles.

“W-what?!” I stutter, thrown off by the question. Does he think I cheated?! “Of course not!” I defend, eyebrows upturned. My eyes roll back as he bites down and sucks. 

“Have you ever wanted him to?“ 

“Sebastian,” I plead, shaking my head. “No, I haven’t.” 

Sure, my mind has been a little less than ideal at times around Magnus, but I haven’t thought of anything explicit in regards to him.

Tentatively, Seb rolls down the tight waistband of my leggings. He repositions to a more grounded kneel, lifting me up and shimmying my bottoms, socks and sneakers off my form before gently setting me down again. A stark contrast to how rough he was a few moments ago. 

My boyfriend’s gaze hasn’t left mine since his previous question. It only darkens more when he feels, with a light stroke of his pinky, just how wet I am. The blush on his cheeks contagiously spreads to mine, as I grow embarrassed by how much I’m enjoying this. His atypical ruthlessness, being touched like this outside… being totally naked outside.

Yoba.

He dips his little finger inside me, slowly curls it into my sweet spot, then pulls it out, before bringing it to his own mouth to suck dry. I swallow back a whimper while I watch. In turn, his lips curl into a devious smile. He knows he’s absolutely destroying me right now. The audible breaths coming from me are ragged as I reach for Seb’s belt, yearning to feel his visibly hardened dick.

“No,” he firmly warns, pinning my roaming hands down to the wooden planks on either side of me.

“Baby, please—mmph!“ he cuts me off with a kiss, and grinds his clothed dick onto my exposed slit. 

I struggle to calm my sounds as Seb pulls away, prying further, “Only I can touch you like this, got it?” 

I nod my head to answer him. “Magnus has never–” As I say the other man’s name, Seb wrings a whine from me with another slow grind and a tightening grip on my wrists. “Fuck,” I whisper. ”He’s never tried to do anything to me. I’ve never tried either– Ahh~” I’m cut off once more as Seb grinds again, and I groan, placing my forehead against his. “I’d never do that to you.”

“He might though.”

“Am I missing something?!” I frown, frustrated. “Why aren’t you like this with Sam’s dumb crush on me? What did Magnus do to make you so upset?”

Seb releases one of my wrists from his grip and teases the area around my swollen bud with his knuckles. My knees instinctively tighten on either side of his hips as my hands curl into fists: one in on itself, the other around my discarded top. God, he’s so close to where I want him to be. 

“Why do you keep saying his name, darling?” Seb interrogates. He leans in as if to kiss me, but doesn’t close the gap. I bring a hand to his face, hoping it’ll gravitate his lips to mine, but he doesn’t budge – only smiles knowingly. 

“We can talk about him later,” he purrs. 

Rather than honing in on my clit like I hoped he would, Seb swipes slowly downward, and dips a finger inside me. I roll my head back, moaning into the night air as he deliciously slides a second finger in too.

“For now, I’m gonna make sure my name is the only thing this pretty little mouth of yours knows how to say,” Seb threatens, now very rapidly pumping into me. “Alright, my dear?”

Holy fucking shit. 

“Yes,” I murmur. 

Seb releases his hand from my other wrist, brings it to my face, and kisses me hard, before harshly dragging his thumb down my cheek and wrapping the same hand around my neck. 

My mouth dumbly hangs open as he speaks into it, pathetically breathless huffs escaping me. His deep eyes are concentrated on mine, which are tearing up from pleasure and heat. “‘Yes,’ what?” 

“Yes, Sebastian.” 

He smirks and moves his hand upward toward my mouth. Squeezing my cheeks to prop it open again, Seb fucking spits inside of it holy shit–

“That’s my good fucking girl,” he rasps before rewarding me with a sloppy, almost desperate kiss.

The noises coming from me are absurd. He threads his fingers back into my hair, but doesn’t pull – he simply keeps ‘em there to support me.

“Godfuckingdamnit Seb,” I slur, drunk off his fingers. “I need you,” I beg promptly after, “I’m so fucking close, please—”

Hearing my pleas, he laughs evilly, before halting his movements. I whine as he removes the digits from my core, “S-seb, no!” 

I don’t care how distressed I sound. I was so close to release. So close!!

My legs fall limp, feet now planted against a lower step. My thighs’re vibrating from how tensely they were coiled around Seb’s hips moments ago. Chest is heaving. Pussy’s dripping enough that I can feel my juices trailing to my ass. Ugh.

Seb gravitates down my body, marking his territory every few inches or so. Scratching my sides, nibbling and sucking my skin. His eyes veer from my face to focus on what he’s doing, but every once in a while they flicker up to make sure I’m still watching him. Only him.

“Think about it, baby...” Seb mumbles against the skin near my navel. 

His right hand is softly cradling my hip, and the left is lower, palming my inner right thigh. When I don’t answer or ask what he means, he gives the fat of my thigh a beautifully tight squeeze. 

“If I were to let you finish so soon, you might forget all about me.” He plants another wet kiss near my pubic area. “And then, I won’t get to hear you break for me.” Yoba, save me. After hoisting my legs over his shoulders, Seb lowers himself so that his lips are brushing my labia as he muses again, “Where’s the fun in that?” 

He’s like a fucking incubus right now, what the fuck! 

This is so cool!

“Holy shit,” I airily laugh, nails digging into the wood.

As Seb tattoos the handprint he’d left on my previously squished inner thigh with teeth-shaped dents, he chuckles darkly, before digging into my skin hard enough to draw blood. “Say my name, honey.” 

Eyebrows upturned, I moan out a half-curse, stopping myself by replacing the second half with my lover’s name. Adrenaline’s coursing through me as I revel in the pain. 

“Oh, you love this, don’t you?” Seb questions. He has such a cocky undertone to his voice… Little shit. 

I nod my head in response to his inquiry. I’m reminded that a nod is, in fact, not his name either, as he bites again on the same spot.

“Mnnn!” I moan out, eyes tearing. “Yeah, Sebastian,” I strain.

“There. Not so hard, is it?” His eyes are expectantly locked into mine.

“N-no, Seb.” 

He rewards me for complying by cleaning the liquid crimson that’s trailing down my skin. First he uses his thumb to swipe it, and licks it clean; then, he simply trails his tongue from the bottommost drop-upward, closing his soft lips around the raw wound. 

I cautiously reach the hand that isn’t clutched on my stoop into his hair. When he doesn’t push me away, I ground myself in the jet black strands. Each lap against the broken skin sends a shiver down my spine and into my cunt.

Why am I… so fucking into this? 

Once he’s sure I’ve stopped bleeding, Seb brings the hand that was on my hip back to my folds. Spreading me open, then licking with a featherlight flick of the tongue. 

I can’t help the sigh of relief that comes out of me as pleasure ensues once more. He flattens his tongue against me, presses a little harder, and traces broader circles. My hand instinctively tugs his hair, and he laughs against me – he’s gotta know that he has me wrapped around his fucking finger right now. 

“You want more, baby?” My eyes widen at the telepathic intrusion. Oh my fucking god he can talk to me while literally eating me out that’s so fucking cool I love magic so mu–

I nod, almost too hard. “Sebastian, please” I quickly correct myself, hips wiggling into his touch. 

“Beg for it,” he commands with his voice.

For fuck’s sake, dude – as he pulls away, a string of either saliva or my wetness or both droops between his mouth and my cunt. I shiver at the lewd sight. Chest heaving, I do my best to think up a way to just get laid already he is KILLING ME. I’ve been begging, this man clearly wants specifics…

“Sebastian, p-please fill me…?” I stutter, because of course. As if I didn’t sound dumb enough… Like, fill me? Seriously? I avoid eye contact as I feel my whole body blushing, then hiss as Seb bites a new wound into my less-scathed thigh. 

“Eyes over here, darling.”

Oh fuck.

I look him in the eye as he proceeds back down onto my slit. I shudder, eyes flickering between his own and his tongue. Unable to focus my attention on just one or the other. He notices, and punishes me with a featherlight bite on my bud. 

“Ahh!” my eyes roll back and I harshly tug his strands. Vision hazy, I return my gaze to his. His dumb, beautiful face looks so fucking smug. 

He’s so gorgeous. It’s so unfair.

“Now,” he continues, leaving some kisses along my lower lips, “Try that again.”

I shudder, doing my best to hold contact. “Please give me your cock, Sebastian.” I swallow hard, eyebrows upturned, overwhelmed with embarrassment. 

He hums onto me, pleased. A human vibrator. Feels so nice…

“Good start,” Seb encourages. “More.”

I cover my mouth with the back of my hand, lightly gnawing at my knuckle as I hype myself up. “Please Seb, I need to feel you inside me so badly” I roll my eyes back and curse under my breath as he does some cool tongue move that I can’t see from this angle. I quickly return my stare back to his. “I’m yours, Sebastian.”

Something in him snaps at that last line. I hear a growl from his throat, and the next thing I know, I’m being lifted and pinned against the side of my cabin by his hands, his lips, his whole body. 

“Damn fucking right you are.”

Trusting that my shaky thighs will stay wrapped around him, Seb uses one hand to secure my wrists above my head, and the other to undo his belt and unzip his pants. When his dick springs free, it taps against my entrance. A broken hum escapes me at the tantalizing sensation. 

“Never forget it,” he groans against my ear before nibbling the lobe.

He thrusts into me, not giving any time for adjustment before going wild on my pussy. His nails dig into my thigh as he helps me stay propped up. 

“Sebastian, fuck!~” 

Unlike the last time I carved into my palms with my nails during sex, Seb doesn’t stop me. He’s too focused on fucking me senseless. A blessing, truly – I’d be so pissed if he stopped now.

“You belong to me,” he grunts just barely an inch from my lips. His velvety voice curses my name, then continues, eyes stabbing into my own, “You’re mine.”

I nod, “I’m yours, Seb.”

“Fuuuck, (y/n),” he half-laughs, half-moans, rolling his eyes shut. Pressing his forehead to mine. Pulsing even harder, creating wet slaps that echo into the late night air. 

I continue to cry out Seb’s name alongside self-soothing curses, with some “I’m yours”es and “I love you”s sprinkled in. Soon enough, he’s accomplished exactly what he sought out to do: The only thing escaping my lips is his name. Over, and over, and over, until my throat is raw.

[alessabriel]

Y/n Wayne!Venom! x Batfamily

Grayscale – Y/n Wayne!Venom! x Batfamily

Summary: [Name] was a shadow among his family, on patrol and only stands out from cameras outside, every important aspect of his life was gray in a great colorful work of art, even if he tried 200% he would never stop be monochromatic or so he thought until the destructive arrival of something.

Cw: blood, typical canon violence, mention of suicides, self-esteem and mental issues, parental neglect, if I missed any let me know.

...

↻[Name] Wayne was an idealized image of the perfect young man on camera, academically intelligent, with a quick mind and a wide range of both skills and abilities that further embellished the image of the Wayne family, the perfect golden Son of the family that every father and mother would like to have in their family nucleus. You are a natural of the cameras and benefit galas, focused on "strange" tasks of society such as mental health and awareness of it, motivating various causes related to the slums of Gotham.

↻ It was a hell carefully brushed by a very selected grayscale to give a cover to the real [Name] that was hidden in plain sight, a sleepy, perceptive, certainly melancholy, intelligent boy, with a photographic memory and capable of creating a thousand masks if necessary to hide yourself even from your own family.

↻ You couldn't complain about your lifestyle, your situation and your present because you didn't need anything, you had everything and you had a clear excess of resources at your disposal. Or so your father told you between the lines; Bruce Wayne when (in the past) you went to him for support, answers and fatherly love, very things that you accepted over time would never come because you were average.

↻Your brothers would always be 1000% and you would always be 100%, you didn't need verbal confirmations of it when Damian's or Timothy's events were more important than yours, when Jason's problems were bigger than yours and when Dick was always the perfect and self-sufficient older brother in the eyes of your Father. You, you were just an entity in Wayne Manor.

↻ You stood beautifully behind everyone, with your lips sealed so tightly that you could have sealed them permanently if you wished, and a perfect mask over your face masking everything about you, no matter how much you stalled for it.

↻ Now despite that indifference and abandonment, it affected you considerably when you were less than 10 years old where you wanted and yearned to be like your older brothers, like your father and make them feel proud of you. But now it was just a litany of childish nonsense that an idiot child wished for, and now all of that, although still burning, did not have the same effect as before.

↻ Painfully it no longer hurt like before, there was a perpetual numbness since the event of your eighth birthday celebration, your first birthday two years after the death of your mother about which you would never say anything and the one that would be celebrated as a family, the memory is nothing more than an uncomfortable thorn in your flesh.

|| The garden had been meticulously adorned by Alfred Pennywort who gladly brought his young teacher [Name] behind him, who cheerfully and happily helped as much as he could without ruining anything.

Alfred never remembered seeing him ruin something and that stung his soul, he knew the cause of such unnatural perfectionism.

The decorations of the celebration were in their place, the favorite foods that you adored and the vipers that you loved so much in their houses guarded by special caretakers. Little Wayne couldn't stop trembling because of the joy that his birthday caused him, his brothers would come and Father too, so everyone would eat cake and hang out outside the night patrols.

And Alfred could not feel sadder to see the guests arrive but not the ones [Name] wanted, he saw the sweet boy little by little stop smiling so animatedly to put on a polite and courteous smile with all the guests as much as his friends. The evening had been perfect and a satisfying birthday, despite the absence of the family.

But nothing, in all his years, would prepare him for what he would witness that night; before the patrol [Name] was still down so his performance had been low resulting in injuries and friction burns with many thugs escaping, which had set Batman's mood for the limitations of hell itself.

So when an innocent question emerged from [Name] in the healing process it caused a nasty surprise snatch from Batman, from Bruce Wayne father of [Name] Wayne, father who in his hurt and fed up euphoria had worsened the wound in the side of his youngest son's jaw, so much so that blood splattered and the skin split open unbelievably (scar you'd hate in the future), not like the older Wayne cared.

"Your birthday doesn't matter, what does matter is your poor performance on patrol, you could have died out there but you're still thinking childish and ridiculous thoughts" Bruce hissed putting aside the bloody tweezers, ignoring his youngest son's stinging tears, ignoring knowing the pleading look in those glaucous eyes and ignoring, in fact, he was just a child "Grow up for once, a birthday means nothing, you are only becoming more inept and incompetent since your mother's death, you do not improve in any"

Words that became heavy on [Name]'s body, clinging with lethal force to his flesh and with no sign of leaving any time soon. Perhaps Bruce Wayne had had a bad day, perhaps the words of his youngest son provoked him unexpectedly, there were fresh memories that were not from that night. Whoever it was left a silence after his crude words towards a boy who only asked if he remembered his birthday.

It all embedded so deep, taking root in bone and muscle, attacking a tender heart.

The cave never seemed as cold to the minor as that day, that day that [Name] saw his Father's back walk away with quick and furious steps, the same path from which he had no turning back. Only [Name] couldn't know it yet.

"Young Master [Name]-"

“Okay, Father was busy I shouldn't have asked. My mistake"

Words would never eclipse the bloody wound or the tears that burned in the open wound in the tender skin as in the heart.

That just opened a huge gap. ||

↻ After the event there was an apology and a new party with your brothers Dick and Timothy, you could quite easily remember walking on broken glass in the whole party that you didn't enjoy, a party decorated with colors that you hated to the point of feeling the bile in your throat, there was food that you did not like that you ate by force feeling disgustingly bad, you felt trembling when you saw the dogs that they brought as a birthday present and that terrified you so horrible but still you smiled, laughed and celebrated a birthday that no longer you liked it The events of that type continued to bring out their endless flaws in the field and you discovered the perfect way to run away from them, not be accountable, not talk about anything with them unless it was strictly necessary and live your life to your liking and way. .

↻ The masks became part of your life, your routine and your existence, if you disliked something but you knew you would be judged, you kept it deep in your chest and forced expressions according to it even if it made you more numb. Even if it hurt and you ended up not being able to recognize yourself in the mirror (because you didn't and that made you mad), even if you felt down because it didn't really matter.

↻ Thus your performance on patrols increased because you ignored your own well-being for the sake of the mission (just stared blankly at Timothy and told Dick to hell), your miss stats dropped to zero due to your recent inability acknowledging your own pain, your training was more rigorous to the point of being painful, centimeters away from self-torture, and Batman's praise became normal, but disgusting in your ears, because you didn't need a verbal acknowledgment because you knew of what you were capable of and what you achieved alone, of what you forced yourself to endure in order to put those feelings to sleep.

↻ Maybe because of that, maybe because of your self-confidence and an unfortunate series of events happened, it happened in the middle of a mission to dismantle a foundation that was experimenting on humans and you were clearly the best prospect to go to it, and you did. You ignored a concerned Alfred for your own good and made sure to come back safe, even if you did as little as possible to get back in one piece.

↻ Although your instincts told you no, that your being felt even heavier and your hands tingled. Because you didn't tolerate experimentation and you knew you would murder, you knew it and that stupid rule would be the noose around your own neck.

↻ Nobody cared about it, only Alfred but he had no control over it.

↻ And it happened, you managed to effectively dismantle the facilities and free the living while accounting for the dead, it was the moment you walked away from your older brothers and father that happened.

|| You needed to get as far away from the scene as possible and be able to smash your head against glass, against solid concrete and force yourself to disguise your expressions, because of your intense emotions you did not pay attention to the only open container that still contained life in it and that broke the glass with such force impacting with everything against your body whipping you against the wall.

You hissed in pain and with a force that you drew from the confines of your head you smashed your head against the wall with hate, with rancor and disgust. You had to control your emotions, your feelings and not let them see you, you wouldn't let them. The compliments disgusted you to the point of feeling the bile rising in your throat, the recognition that you didn't want made you vibrate with anger and your weakness made you angry.

Same anger and courage that made something bubble inside you, something you didn't recognize in time and no one could detect. ||

↻ Once the mission was over the changes started, you couldn't blame the teenage hormones because it never happened to you, it wasn't some sickness of old because you didn't get sick, it wasn't badly treated wounds and it definitely wasn't the stress of the arrival of your new younger brother Damian. It mattered little to you, you only inhabited the mansion to sleep and prepare for the missions, passing by his intense attempts to assassinate you, to emphasize to you that he was the favorite son.

|| Tiredness gave you the bill after continuous days without being able to fall asleep and constantly vomiting food, the backpack on your shoulders was heavy and the blade that you stopped with your bare hand only made you sigh. It was your new "little brother", another unfortunate child who would die following an outside cause. And that provoked you, caused you to drop that finely crafted and executed mask.

If you were paying attention properly you might have seen the green-eyed minor wince before your vacant eyes. Damian could only look at you and try not to let go of his grip on his blade, your expression intimidated him but he wouldn't let it show.

"Just to remind you that only I am the one who makes Father proud and I carry the Wayne blood" assured the youngest of the family.

Maybe the cigarette you smoked on that shabby dance floor with Adam didn't calm you down or you were fed up, who knows. But those words made you laugh at it, knowing that all children were only a kind of reusable and disposable soldier if what happened with Jason told you anything. They were grudges that you would take to the grave.

“If I could stop being a blood Wayne, I would. So get out of my way kid” you hissed snatching the blade from his hand throwing it until it was embedded in the wall next to you, that before you left “Get lost Damian”

And Damian's heart squeezed seeing such palpable but hidden suffering in your eyes, you weren't like the others and that definitely scared him as much as he liked it. However, little did you know that you inhabited the huge mansion just enough and necessary, even if you worried Alfred and Jason with it.

You didn't know that you caught Damian's attention with it, while you locked yourself in your room. ||

↻ In the days after the mission you couldn't even hide your discomfort, you couldn't and it was terrifying you. To your siblings alike and you tried to ignore your symptoms, you tried to ignore that everyone saw your pale and sickly complexion, your excessive perspiration and for no apparent reason, your sudden muscle spasms, your poor appetite, your nightmares and the voices that tormented you added to their own.

|| And in a moment of profound weakness, a moment where you managed to doze/rest in one of your safe houses in the immensely large bed all to yourself, you surprised yourself by waking up to the grotesque sound of chewing that hurt your ears, to your horror was you devouring the raw meat that was in the refrigerator. Your stomach turned instantly and you didn't hesitate to stumble to the sink to throw up, to stick your fingers deep in your throat to get that bloody meat out of your system, out of your body, you couldn't.

"That meat was delicious stupid human"

And that voice again made you fall back in terror, with a dull pain and in total panic, because in front of you, there floating and passing over your shoulder which you were afraid to see; it was a substance or a dark humanoid being with a smile of sharp white teeth, so sharp that for a moment you went blank. But your natural operating system, your instincts made you look for the gun hidden in your commando pants and when you found it, it seemed to snake menacingly.

That being did not expect that, it was fleeting and out of nowhere.

You shot yourself directly in the hundred but the pain was for a few moments, so negligible that you felt worse the cold of the floor when you hit and the blackness sliding down your extremities.

"What's wrong human imbecile!"

"What whores are you and why the hell are you leaving me?" you hissed with rage and pain, feeling worse than before, the taste of blood in your mouth was so disgusting and the pain in your head was deafening at a stratospheric level.

“I am Venom and now you are mine”

And that was enough to make you fall as a result of your days without sleep, of tiredness. ||

↻ The resolution that you had an alien parasite inside you added more disaster to your problems and burdens, his voice was sincerely deafening but reassuring in his existence because it made you ignore that putrid feeling when seeing your weapons near you, when passing through a rooftop or find yourself in danger.

↻ After a full week of hiding from your siblings and family because of Venom and his urges to eat humans or raw meat, you had to spend some time adjusting and your health seemed to improve as you got to know the alien parasite better, which you ended up liking.

↻ "I'm not a parasite, apologize!" It was the most normal phrase that would echo in your ears only to provoke your subtle laughter to the complete delight of Venom.

↻ They had reached an agreement or rather a bizarre coexistence, faster than the Symbiote had expected and that worried him greatly, no one in their right mind could accept that reality from one day to the next but you were also a human who he didn't hesitate to shoot himself like an animal instinct.

↻For Venom you were rare, a rare human, a bright being to the degree of the sun itself, you burned and did not allow anyone to get close to you, that he had managed to see in his days in silence inside you, your strange family and idiot brothers, You just seemed to start to like the little brown boy with the green eyes and catalog him as not food. You were strange but the most compatible being with him, you seemed custom made and the one created for your life. Venom found himself melting as he heard your rare laughs and saw what you treasured most, the activities you most loved to do and were passionate about doing. Every day he learned something more from you.

|| The darkness of the night precisely hid a young man who was transporting boxes in a van together with an unknown man. Venom found himself silently looking around through the wide hood of your commando jacket, they were hideous neighborhoods compared to the convenience stores you used to take him to for chocolate and salty chips. Although the whole city seemed gloomy and perpetually cold.

"Are you feeling alright [Name]?"

And Venom felt you tremble strongly from your chest to your entire body, but from a strange feeling of surprise. I could deduce that this man was important or he knew you.

"Recognized skill for a pimp to protect people from him, don't you think?" you returned with sleepy sarcasm.

The man just lightly tapped your shoulder and Venom could recognize that as friendship or camaraderie.

"I'm serious BatRed, your activity in the streets is more meticulous and sporadic, I miss even seeing you run between the ledges"

“I had to leave therapy”

Venom remembered, from your hundreds of memories being caught on camera visiting a good therapist and psychologist only to be branded as possibly insane in a matter of days and your psychologist as well as your therapist attacked from all sides. They were good women in your memories but you abandoned him and so, to his eternal pleasure, eternal talks began in the depths of your mind with him.

"Fuck man, I'm sorry"

"Any way at all"

And silence filled the cab of the truck, Venom instinctively urged calm in your racing heart and pleasantly received a soft caress where it clung to your biceps.

Venom couldn't have found a better host. ||

↻ The perfect symbiosis occurred in record time, Venom and you were one, you cared for each other in a sincere way and for the first time you both felt welcome in a place, like at home.

↻ The routine of both of you was tight and Venom got dizzy with so much you had to do, but you felt warm and it was nice. You liked your little brother a lot more than everyone else apart from Alfred (he made delicious chocolate) and Venom enjoyed your soft, deep and sincere humming when you carried Damian's backpack in one arm and equally with the other , there was so much warmth "It's warm" and you just responded with a soft affirmation.

↻ And life continued, with Venom's witty and rude words echoing in your ears and around you while the Symbiote enjoyed your sincere personality and attitude.

↻ Beautiful colors have been added to your gray scale; black and white

[takecareluv]

i NEED jack x famous!reader where they’re both a the vmas (2022) reader and jack are secretly dating and reader is pregnant (like 12 weeks) and reader keep putting her hand on her stomach and jack is trying to (secretly) tell her to stop making it so obvious 😭

your lil secret || jack harlow x reader 

you and jack began dating after meeting at a mutual friend’s birthday party three years ago, and you’ve been nothing but happy and in love since. and those feelings only grew when you discovered you were pregnant just a couple months ago. 

although you weren’t expecting to have a baby at this stage in your life, there was no one else you could imagine welcoming a new little human into the world with. and jack being the amazing boyfriend he was, has supported you through it all. 

it had been close to ten weeks since that emotional filled day you learned you were with child, and now here you were getting some last minute alterations on the dress you were set to wear to the mtv video music awards.

luckily you were early enough along in your pregnancy that you weren't showing all too much and could hide it from the ever so intrusive public eye with just a few quick adjustments. 

you were more than thrilled when you received the news that jack would be hosting this years event. however, you only hoped your morning sickness would ease up by the date. your nausea had you basically bed ridden for the last few weeks, not leaving the house for anything besides doctors appointments and the fitting. 

because of this, you weren’t well acquainted with hiding your pregnancy just yet. 

                                ✧ ⋆ ࣪.* ࣪ ♡ ࣪.* ࣪ ⋆ ✧

it was the night of the award show and you and jack had just pulled up to the venue, ready to make your entrance onto the red carpet.

before you exited the sprinter van, you turned to face jack, noticing he was fidgeting with his private garden ring, a nervous tick he had picked up as of recent. you softly placed your hand over his, bringing him out of his thoughts and facing you with a look of worry etched onto his face.

“i know what you’re thinking but i promise you are going to do amazing, bub. you absolutely killed it during rehearsals and i know you are going to do the same tonight. and you got me, urb and everyone else here if you need. okay, baby? i promise everything will go smoothly.” you paused for a second before continuing, knowing the exact encouragement he needed in this moment. “and once it does, we’ll go home and celebrate real good.”

he looked up at you with a smirk that told you all you needed to know.

you leaned over, with your hand settled on his upper thigh and whispered in his ear, “all night long,” before stepping out of the van leaving jack wide eyed, and well, a little bricked up.

once he calmed himself down over the thoughts of what tonight would hold, he followed behind into the sea of people, his eyes scanning the area until they landed on you. he made his way over to where you stood to the side, surrounded by security as you fixed your dress to ensure no baby bump was shown.

although, once you were situated and ready to walk towards the carpet, your hands subconsciously went straight to your stomach, a habit you’ve had since the day you found out there was a little baby growing in there.

jack clocked this and was quick to reach for your hand with his own, intertwining them as you continued to walk through the mass of people, making sure to keep you close.

he wouldn’t lie, most of his anxiety about tonight was surrounding you. with his hosting duties, he knew he couldn’t be by your side at all times to make sure you were okay. you were carrying precious cargo after all, and he would never forgive himself is something happened to you or the baby. he did, however, assign urban to the job of keeping an eye on you, trusting that with him, you would be safe and sound the entirety of the show.

                                ✧ ⋆ ࣪.* ࣪ ♡ ࣪.* ࣪ ⋆ ✧

dozens of pictures were taken on the carpet of you two in some of the most fabulous outfits of the night, some solo and of course everyone’s favorite, the couples photos.

it had only been twenty minutes and jack couldn’t count how many times he had to subtly move your hand away from resting on your belly before the camera could capture your newly maternal instinct.

he hated having to do it, adoring the way your hand instantly went to rub your belly without even realizing. it was a silent reminder to him that you were carrying a child, his child. and he loved you so much for it.

after way too many photos, you finally made it to the end of the carpet, happy to be done with the flash in your eyes and paparazzi yelling at you from every direction. you were definitely feeling slightly overwhelmed, having not been to an event of this scale in months.

your hands went back to rest on your stomach, rubbing it softly in attempt to calm yourself down and bring your focus back to just you and the baby, nothing, or nobody, else.

jack was still stuck taking photos but watched your movements with a close eye and a look of concern as he could feel the stress radiating off of you. all he wanted was to be back at your side to help ease your nerves, knowing how anxious paparazzi and the pictures tended to make you.

as soon as the last group shot was taken of him and pg, he made long strides in your direction, pulling you into his arms once you were in reach. “you okay, baby? don’t feel sick, do you?” he asked quietly so that only you could hear.

“no, i’m fine. i just got a little overwhelmed with the cameras and yelling is all. haven’t been out there in a while. not as used to it as you are i guess, mr. superstar.” you lightheartedly joked, already forgetting about what had you so anxious just from a minute of being with jack.

“what can i say, the cameras love me.” jack teased back, causing you to giggle.

“not as much as i do.” you beamed, shifting onto your tippy toes until your lips brushed against his, only giving him a short peck knowing you were still very much in range of the camera’s nosey eye.

“c’mon, let’s head in. you got a show to host, mr. superstar.” you grinned.

he laughed at your antics and intertwined your hands with his before they could land back on your stomach, leading you into the prudential center.

“you know, baby, you’re not too good at keeping a secret.” he hummed.

your glanced up at him confused. “what do you mean?”

“your hands have been rubbing that pregnant belly of yours since we got here.”

“oh shit, have i?” you really didn’t notice the habit which jack thought was cute. “you don’t think anyone picked up on it, do you?” you asked, becoming anxious once again.

“no, no. don’t worry about it, baby. i made sure to hold your hand anytime you did so no one saw. plus i think it’s adorable. already know you’re gonna be such a good momma to that little bean growing inside you.” he pressed a kiss to your cheek, only wishing he could place one to your swollen belly in that moment.

you blushed at his sweet words. jack never once let you forget how much he loved you and how amazing of a mother he knew you would be. you honestly thought he could read your mind, always saying the perfect things exactly when you needed to hear them most.

“and you’re gonna be the best daddy. our kids are going to look up to you so much, j. i’m so proud of you.”

[berriesandjunnie]

❝ playful pup ❞

┆ ° ♡ • ➵ ✩ ◛ ° synopsis sticky summer heat is the last thing you want your boyfriend mingyu to be overly energetic in. ┆ ° ♡ • ➵ ✩ ◛ ° genre & tags fluff / hybrid!au seventeen / human!reader ┆ ° ♡ • ➵ ✩ ◛ ° pairing mingyu x afab!reader ┆ ° ♡ • ➵ ✩ ◛ ° w.c 959 words

┆ ° ♡ • ➵ ✩ ◛ ° author’s note one of two fanfictions from my old 2018 account!

˚ ༘♡ ·˚꒰ now loading… enjoy! ꒱ ₊˚ˑ༄  

“Y/n!” Mingyu almost yelped, a loud thud following as he fell off the bed in a hurry. You rolled your eyes, continuing to change your flimsy pajama top and shorts into a floral bikini.

“Mingyu, it’s too hot inside for cuddles and you know that. We own a pool for a reason, and it’s not like we have any neighbours that will see that you’re a... puppy.” Just as you said that, his golden tail started loudly swatting the bedroom floor, his face breaking out in a large smile that showed off his canines.

“Yah can I have a playdate?!” He exclaimed quickly, scurrying to his feet as you made the move to leave the room. His tail would wag nonstop, thudding against random surfaces around the house.

“If you’re thinking about Joshua again, no. Mingyu, the poor cat doesn’t even like water and you basically picked him up and dropped him in the pool, I’ve never seen him look so terrified and ready to kill at the same time,” You sighed, unlocking the back door and letting Mingyu run out to grab a soft toy in his jaws, squinting as he looked back at you due to the sun in his eyes, “what about Hansol and Chan?”

Mingyu let out a soft whine, dropping the toy to speak to you again as you walked to the pool.

“Hansol and Chan are wolves baby,” he huffed, almost like he was frustrated by your lack of knowledge about his friends, “anyway they’re probably still asleep.”

This went on for the majority of the morning, bringing up all twelve of his hybrid friends, from Junhui the black panther to Seungkwan the parrot and Seungcheol the bear. Either you had something to say about them, or Mingyu did. After the last hybrid was mentioned, Mingyu seemed to realise that the idea of a play date in this hot weather wasn’t going to happen, and eventually joined you in the pool.

You were only in there to wade in the water, Mingyu understood that as he took a few moments to wrap his arms around your waist and bury his face in your neck.

“Are you being sulky Mingyu?” You rose a brow, raising a wet hand to run your fingers through Mingyu’s dry hair, making sure to specifically scratch behind his floppy ears. He looked up with his warm brown eyes and let out a small whine, shaking his head.

“I’m just cuddling my girlfriend, is that an issue?” He jutted his bottom lip out into a pout, making you smile and give him a quick chaste kiss on the lips. You were thankful that besides Mingyu’s playful and boisterous puppy persona, he still had his reasonable human side that stopped him from being a complete canine.

“No baby, of course it’s not an issue.” You hummed, watching him smile and pepper a few feathered kisses onto your neck. You both stayed that way for a while, with Mingyu’s tail disturbing the calm water around you both as it wagged, clearly slower than it had been prior to that morning. After a while, you slowly started to pick up the signs - his hands would play with anything they could, from the straps of your bikini to the material hugging your hips and the small of your back - that ultimately, Mingyu was agitated from being calm for so long. His behaviour that morning from the moment you both woke up had already told you the day was going to drag, and Mingyu had unfortunately got too much energy stored up his sleeve. Your arms slowly fell from around his neck, pulling back to look at his face.

“Gyu, you don’t have to stay by me if you want? We got a house with a bigger garden for a reason,” you laughed, gesturing to his ears and his tail, “you’re not chained to me.” With that being said, Mingyu had quickly swam away, diving under the water to wet the rest of his body. He resurfaced a few seconds later, using his hands to brush his soaked hair back from his face and talentedly missing his ears in the process. You were watching carefully from the sidelines, watching the water drop in precise, teasing droplets down his shirtless body and onto his tan skin. Shaking your head, you broke away from the hypnotised state you were watching the sun make Mingyu’s body glow even more than it did normally. 

Thankfully, in his energetic states, Mingyu wasn’t one to pay attention to others. He mainly focused on burning off the energy as efficiently and quickly as possible, this had always been his main goal since he started dating you, a human who he knew had to sleep at night. He was always set on making sure he was back to his usual humane self before at least sunset arrived so you could rest. Blinking, you leaned back on the edge of the pool and rested your head back, closing your eyes in the process. You listened closely to the sounds of Mingyu splashing excitedly in the water and the occasional cool breeze blowing through the trees you had planted. Unfortunately, you didn’t hear your playful hybrid boyfriend slowly approach your resting figure, a cheeky smirk showing his white teeth in the bright sunlight. He raised his hand before placing them on your shoulders and shoving you under the water.

It took you a few moments to comprehend what just happened, struggling back up to the surface and coughing out for air as soon as you were in reach of oxygen. You wiped your face, pushing any hair from your hair with a huff, opening your eyes to glare at your boyfriend.

“Kim Mingyu!”

[alewritesfics]

Inappropriate Encounters

Summary: 2 more encounters that lead down to a more dangerous path

Paring: Anthony Bridgerton x Sharma Sister!reader

Word count: 2.6k

Warnings: unedited, probably bad grammar, Bee stings, Anthony panicking, Angry Y/n and bewildered Anthony, encounters that Y/n and Anthony should stop before it gets out of hand

Series masterlist

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I was walking around the garden meanwhile Kate was riding on a horse around somewhere. I breathed in the air, it hitting my face softly.

I got to the entrance, where I saw Anthony looking down at the flowers.

“Anthony” I called out

“Y/n” he turned to me “Is your sister..” he trailed off

“She is in her room,” I approached him “Not feeling her best today, it seems”

“What happened?” I asked “You told me you were going to propose to her, and yesterday was the perfect time to do it”

“I did not mean to disappoint her last night when I did not declare myself” He murmured “But she should not be disappointed for long, rest assured I will still propose to her”

“Well you should tell her that, not me” I huffed

“Last night wasn’t the right time, with my brother acting strange, and everyone staring at me, I panicked, my feelings would not allow me to speak ” He tells me as we walked back to the house

“So your feelings are too strong for you now?” I said incredulously

“Y/n-“

“No, no” I cut him off “ You did not see Edwina yesterday night, you toyed with her emotions, she was destroyed, she thought she was not good enough to be Viscountess and that she should have been better, you are my friend Anthony but if you keep on playing with her, I will never forgive you” I snapped

“Without offense y/n, but Miss Edwina seems perfectly capable of forming her own impressions-“

“So now you claim to know my sister better than me?” I said angrily

“I know she wishes to be happy-“

"Precisely" I exclaimed making him look at me annoyed

“That is all I want for her, I know you are a good man, you have been so good to me and with her,” he looked down at my chest, his face paling “but how is she going to be happy if you only delude her and when she is at the peak of excitement , you disappoint -“

“Do not move” he pleaded

“Do not interrupt me, I am g-“ I shook with anger

“No, No, stand still, damn it” he grabbed my hand exasperated

I stayed quiet and looked at him carefully, he was breathing heavily, looking down at my chest scared. I looked down and saw a bee, realization showing on my face. I moved to shove it off.

“No, do not do that!” Anthony exclaimed, I did it anyway, waving the bee off

“It will be fast and it will not- ow-“ I exclaimed in pain as the bee stung me. Anthony started breathing more heavily, panic in his eyes.

“Are you hurt?” He asked

“What?” with the pain I felt, I did not pay attention to what he was saying

“Can you breath?!”

“Anthony, I am fine, I have gotten stung before” I tell him

“Are you certain?!”

“Of course I am certain, Anthony-“

“No, No do not-“

“Anthony!” I looked all over his face, trying to think of something to do to help him with his panic attack

“I am unharmed” I shook my head trying to reassure him

“I am unharmed” I thought for a minute before grabbing his hand and putting it on top of my chest, on top of my heart.

“Anthony” I stepped closer, grabbing his other hand and, intertwined with mine and put it, this time on top of his heart.

“I am fine” I look at him sadly “Listen to me, I am fine” he nodded looking intensely into my eyes, trying to calm down

“Feel my heartbeat” I urged him, he rested his forehead next to mine, concentrating on my heart “Breath” he looked back into my eyes, his face getting closer to mine.

We jumped apart when we heard horses nearby and people talking. Anthony assessed me one more time before he walked away. I sighed, closing my eyes, thinking back to a few moments ago and that if we did not hear the horses, we could have possibly k-

I cannot possibly fall in love with Anthony, it is absurd, we are just friends, he is my sister’s suitor, no, just no.

I picked up my gloves, that seem to have fallen, from the floor, before running quickly to the nearest wall.

But I cannot ignore the way my heart raced as our faces neared each other.

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

I stare out the window, deep in my thoughts.

“Deedee? Is it the sting” Edwina said, I turned my head quickly towards her

“What?” I panicked thinking that she found out about what happened between Anthony and I “Whatever do you mean?”

“Is it still bothering you?” She clarified “seems ever since the awful creature stung you, you’ve been keeping to yourself” I shook my head

“No, not at all, bon” I tell her standing up

“Are you sure? You have been very pensive lately” Kate comments “Did something happened that you did not tell us about?”

“No, nothing happened, why?, should something have happened?” I rambled “Anyway, how are you Edwina, are you still feeling upset about Anthony’s lack of action”

“His mind also seems elsewhere lately, I thought I’d be announcing an engagement at tomorrow night’s ball” Edwina sighed

“We return to Mayfair in a few days, where there will be many other suitors” Kate said cheerfully

“Suitors will only suspect that there is something lacking in me when they discover the Viscount is no longer interested” Edwina snapped

“Bon,-“ I huffed smiling, going to hold her hand in reassurance

“He is the one I want, Y/n” My smile faded as she pushed my hand away “The Viscount, his family, this home, the life he offers me” Kate and I stayed quiet

“I’ve been thinking and, I am now quite certain I know why he has not made his declaration” I looked up at her “It’s because of you both”

“Kate, you hate one another and Y/n, he has seen how hostile you’ve been towards this past day and has regrets his decision on proposing to me” I sighed in relief

“I am sure that is not why” I assured her “ Anthony knows I am still his friend, and even if I am hostile towards him for 1 day, it would not change his mind”

“And hate probably too strong a word” Kate adds

“It is clear from your exchanges with the Viscount, that he shares your feelings” Edwina says “All this time I though I needed your help getting him to fall in love with me-”

“You know how Anthony feels about love, bon” I remind her, she only gives me a look

“Maybe it is something I can change” Edwina wonders making me laugh

“I love you Bon, but nothing and no one will change his mind, not even you, I know him and he told me so” I murmured

“That is why, you, are going to help me win over his heart” Edwina smiles, I looked at her shocked

“I beg your pardon?”

“You, will spend more time with the Viscount, tell him nice things about me, and subtly convince him to propose”

“Edwina I can-“ I start

“Please” She begs “I really want to become his wife” I looked at Kate asking for help, she only shrugged.

“fine” I agreed, she squealed in delight and hugged me tightly.

What have I gotten myself in to?

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

“Y/n!” Edwina calls out to me when she sees me

I smile and head over to where she is sat at, Anthony seated to the side of her.

“It has been a wonderful evening” i laugh “Little Auggie is the sweetest baby ever, he definitely gets that from his mother, although I have not met his father, the Duke, so I cannot be completely sure” I said sitting down opposite of Anthony, nodding at him in acknowledgement

“Did you tell the Viscount about your bee sting?” Edwina said

I sighed amusedly “ I got stung”

“Ah” Anthony said as if he did not know, I nodded

“I am well” I looked at Edwina

“Ah” He said once again, looking at me

“Y/n was telling me how eager she was to see more of the grounds of this magnificent estate” She informs him

“I was?” Edwina kicked my foot under the table, giving me a look “Yes, I was, you know I like to explore all kind of magnificent places” he nodded

“Might you give her a tour today while I spend time with the ladies” Edwina insinuates

“Uh i-“

“I am certain Lord Bridgerton is occupied with other guests” I said chuckling

“Shooting, in fact, with the other gentlemen” He said “the party is to leave quite soon, I am afraid”

“Did you know, Y/n, is an excellent shot, Kate taught her, after all” Edwina smiled

“I am sure she is” I raised an eyebrow

“Are you all set for the hunt brother?” Benedict approached us, patting Anthony’s shoulders

“Y/n! Tell him how you used to shoot all the time with Kate” Edwina urged me

“Miss Edwina” Anthony chuckled

“She is just being modest”

“Do you not think it true?” I asked getting angry, seems like ever since a few days , our friendship has gotten closer and closer to being non-existent. Why? Who knows

“Perhaps your sister aims straight in a field” Anthony started “but surely she would have some trouble managing-“

“Why would you assume I would have any trouble at all?” I raised an eyebrow

“I only mean to say-“

“Because I am a women, is that it?”

“No, no y/n, just only meant that-“ I could hear Benedict chuckling at his brother's expense

“What did you mean exactly?”

“You could get hurt, that is why ladies do not hunt”

“Do not, or are not allowed to”

“I am certain, Lady Danbury can spare a maid to act as a chaperone” Edwina cuts in

“No, there is no need Bon, I would not be able to endure being around egotistical, prideful men who think they are superior to women in every way” I stood up from my seat angrily “ If you excuse me, I am going to talk with the better Bridgerton’s, no offense Mr. Benedict” I marched away huffing, leaving Anthony to stare at me bewildered

“She has grown rather infuriating these past days” I hear Anthony say behind me, I stop in my steps

“Oh, I'll show you infuriating” I start to march back to him, Kate grabbed my hand, stopping me.

"Sister" Kate laughs nervously "Let us go calm down, yeah?" She led me inside the house while I muttered angry things about the Viscount

●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●

I lay in my bed, late at night, rain pouring down. I stared at the ceiling. Once thunder sounded again, I stood up carefully.

“Bon?” I hear Kate whisper

“I’ll just be going outside for a little, I won’t be long” I whispered back

I walk down the corridor, until I found the library, opening the door and entering after, leaving the door slightly shut so as not to wake anyone up with the noise it would make. I neared the bookshelf’s and grabbed a book. The door opening behind me full once I did so.

“Anthony” I turned around and looked at who entered

“I did not mean to startle you” He said “I saw a light and thought I let a candle lit” he explained

“No, only me” I stepped down from the stool

“Could you not sleep?” He asked, I stayed silent “If your lodgings are not comfortable-“

“No, it is the storm” I tell him “I’ve always found them unsettling”

“I was 12 when apa died, but I remember he used to read to my sisters and I during monsoons, now the rain makes me think of him” I approached him, he grabbed the book I was holding, grabbing it carefully

“This was my father’s library, these books were some of his most treasured possessions “ I stayed quiet

“I apologize for this afternoon, I did not mean to offend you in anyway,” he apologizes “it just is not appropriate for a lady to hunt around a bunch of me, that is not how the rules work” and there he goes again

“Ugh you and your rules” I scoffed, he started to get frustrated, I looked out the window

“Perhaps if you’ve not been out once again the other morning, we might not have been put in such a difficult situation” I looked at him once again

“Exactly which difficult situation are you referring too?” I scoffed

“Your-“ he stopped himself, I raised an eyebrow “The other morning” he nodded as if that made everything clearer

“When I was stung?”

“After which you put my hand to your bosoms”

“To show you I was unharmed, you were overcome, and I did not put your hand on top of my bosoms, it was my chest!”

“I was not!”

“You were the one who then looked at me”

“You looked at me!”

“Not in the way that you did”

“How did I look at you?” I stayed silent, us looking at one another, breathing heavily

“Alright” Anthony sighed “ Let us not fight, let us just forget about that accident and not speak about it anymore” I nodded agreeing

After a moment, he spoke up once again “I will need help proposing to your sister”

“I don’t really know how Edwina wants to be proposed to” I mused, he hummed

“How would you like to be proposed to?”

“Edwina and I are very different, I am not sure what I want is what she wants”

“Just answer my question”

I thought for a minute “I would like it to not be a big thing, the moment being private between us both or at least with just our families present. It does not matter if he gives me flowers or not, but it would be nice, Lilacs, especially, my favorite, symbolic of first love ” He nodded

“Although I am not sure if I would be able to marry, I would like to , yes, but I am not sure how” I admit

“What do you mean?”

“There is the matter of my dowry” I answer “ It is just mama, my sisters and I, we do not have any title or money, and no one will want to marry me without a dowry-”

“I would” I looked at him surprised “ I mean I would marry your sister regardless if she has a dowry or not, I have enough money as it is, I do not need more”

“Edwina is very fortunate” I smiled slightly

“And you need not worry” he assures me “ When I marry your sister, I myself, will provide you with a dowry”

“Are you serious?” I gasped

He nodded “Of course, we will be family and besides that, you are my friend” I laughed happily and hugged him, he gasped surprised, while I muttered thank you’s

“Once again, my sister is very fortunate that you are pursuing her” I pulled back from the hug and smiled at him as he stared at me.

My smiled faded as he continues to stare at me intensely. My eyes trail all over his face, before they stop on his lips for a second. I can feel him getting closer, his breath fanning my face as my heart starts to race. I look back up to his eyes, he leans in before a thunder interrupts the moment.

“Oh” I gasped pulling back “ This is not appro-“

“No, it is ok-“

“I should bid you goodnight” I say and bowed

I march out of the room and into my bedchambers, trying not wake my sisters up. I lean against the door, trying to calm my racing heart.

I am heading down a dangerous path, and I should stop before it gets out of hand.

[detroitbecomeyandere]

Hey There Little Red Riding Hood.

Werewolf Gavin x Little Red Reader.

You wrap the fresh bread in soft cloth and place it gently in your basket along with a bottle of mead, herbs and vegetables from your garden and some dried and fresh meat. The weather was starting to turn chilly and as the only other member of your family it was your responsibility to look after your aging grandmother in times like these, she was still the same fiery woman who has raised you after your parents died. But just because she thinks she's a woman in her fifties doesn't mean her body agrees, the seventy year old had pain in her joints and hands whenever the weather turned cold and could hardly cook for herself. Glancing out your window you see the sun was starting to set but there should be more than enough time to get to grandmother's before dark. Slinging your red cloak around your shoulders and locking your home you set off into the woods.

You know this path so well you could walk it blindfolded, the scenery is so familiar it almost felt more like home than your actual house. The leaves have begun their change and the whole forest just feels warmer despite the nip in the air, perhaps you'd stay with grandmother this winter to enjoy the snow covered woods. You pull your hood to keep the cold from making your ears chapped and start to hum to yourself completely unaware of the hungry eyes following you.

Gavin follows you closely never losing sight of you, everything about you is devine and he had thought so from the moment he saw you. He was a recluse and lives deep in the woods by himself never wanting contact with the village closest to him but every now and again he needed to trade pelts for other goods to keep him going. That's when he saw you, your big soft eyes that reminded him of a doe, your soft laughter when your friend made a joke, your scent almost made his heart leap from his chest. He knew then that you were his but he didn't approach you to worried he'd lose control so close to the full moon and harm you, he'd go to you when the time was right and until then he'd have to be content.

That was three years ago now, he always told himself that tomorrow would be the day, tomorrow would come and he'd find himself on the outskirts of the village watching you from the trees unable to approach you. So here he was again, following you to your grandmother's. Tonight was harder than ever before with the full moon tomorrow, every instinct in him screaming to throw you down and claim you as his. Gavin was about to give up the walk with you and head back home to deal with his urges there when a sudden wind blew by and he caught you on the wind, you were fertile right now. And like that every rational thought flew from his mind as his inner beast started to take over, the last bit of his humanity hanging on wouldn't let him take you on the forest floor, your first time needed to be special. So he gave your unsuspecting figure a final glance before dashing head.

Unaware of the danger you walk to the door of the home and knock, the walk had taken longer than expected due to some trees down in the path and it was dark by now. You'd have to ask some men in the village if they could clear it for you when you get back. Knocking again you hear a soft "come in" come from the back of the house, stepping inside you notice that the fire was nearly out so after latching the door you set you basket down and work to build the fire.

"Sorry I'm late grandmother, some trees were down and it was kind of a hassle climbing over them." You hear a small hum in acknowledgement and continue, "I'm going to see if Luther can clear it when I get back, I'll ask if he can bring some to you too. Grandmother have you eaten yet? I can make you something to eat, I've brought bread and meat."

In your rambling you don't notice the figure approaching you and your hood blinds your peripheral, a large hand lands on your shoulder and you are pulled from the hearth and spun around.

Gavin hears your heart speed up as you come to the realization that this was not your grandmother, you start to scream and push his arm away but he wraps his other arm around your waist pulling you into him and forces his tongue down your throat. With strength that impresses you the stranger lifts you with the one arm and sits you down on the nearby table. When you start to run out of air he pulls away and sweeps everything off the table and onto the floor. In the warm light of the fire you see the man and vaguely recognize him, he takes advantage of your shock and forces another kiss on you this one a little more tender than before. The man forces your back onto the wood beneath you and starts to bunch your skirts up to your knees and just like that your fight is reignited and you pound against his chest.

When he pulls away a string of saliva connects the two of you, one of his hands catches your's when you try to scratch his face. His other hand holds your face as his thumb sweeps across your bottom lip and mumbles to himself "What soft lips you have, the better to kiss."

"Stop please.. where is my grandmother. You didn't hurt her did you!"

He buries his nose into your neck and inhales "How kind you are, here you are pinned underneath a beast and all you can think about is your sweet old granny." His teeth graze your skin as he grinds his manhood onto your clothed cunt, "Don't worry sweet one, she's safe." He pulls away from your neck and pins your hips down to the table, taking your skirt between his teeth he pulls it to your waist and glances up at you. "I really wanted to wait, but you are just so tempting. You should really stay out of the woods so close to a full moon sweetling. But I know you'll forgive me for being selfish just this once."

And with that he disappears between your legs and presses his tongue flat against your slit groaning as your taste fills his senses. You tasted sweeter than any berries in this forest. You grasp his hair and try to yank him off you but he ignores your pulling and instead wraps his lips around your clit and starts to swirl his tongue around it. Your spine arches as a jolt of pleasure shocks you, you've never felt anything like this and your body welcomed it relaxing into his grip. Gavin hears your heart go steady and he knows he has you, he prods your entrance with the tip of his tongue before pushing it into you. He growls into you when he feels your walls clamp down onto him and he goes feral on you, sloppy eating you out while his thumb makes tight circles on your clit. Switching again he sucks on your bud and replaces his tongue with two of his fingers, he scissors them inside you trying to prepare you his knot.

You pull him closer to you as the pleasure starts to build to an almost unbearable tightness in your stomach. Every gasp and moan pushes Gavin into a more animalistic state. Just as the knot is about to snap he pulls away from you, you don't get the time to mourn the loss before he is pushing his swollen cock into you. The small amount of prep before did nothing to ease the burn as his cock pushed into you, your eyes water and hiss in pain when he gives you no time to adjust to him. Gavin shuts his eyes as he finally fucks you, none of his fantasies came even close to the way you feel around him.

A whimper brings him back to reality and he opens his now yellow eyes and sees tears streaming down your cheeks and your brow drawn together in pain. He stops his thrusting to cup your face in his callused hand and forces you to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry sweetling, I can't help myself. You're just everything a big bad wolf could want." He presses soft kisses to your lips and gives you a moment to calm down. Once he feels you relax around him he looks back at you, "What big eyes you have, the kind that drive me mad. Keep them on mine." His thumb swipes another tear away as he pulls out until only his tip is inside you, Gavin rolls his hips and sheathes himself fully again. His eyes stay locked onto your own as he repeats the motion several time slowly working you open and once you roll your hips back into his he picks up the pace, letting the animal inside him take over again.

The man above you terrified and excited you at the same time, your mind knew this wasn't something you wanted and yet your body succumbed so quickly, you didn't know which was the right feeling to have and all you did know was that you wanted more of him in the moment. You wrap your legs around his waist and pull him closer to you, the trapper growled again as the angle let him in deeper and through his parted lips you saw his teeth were becoming pointed before your eyes. The surge of fear only heightens your pleasure as you feel the knot start to build again rapidly.

Gavin smells you fear and it pushes him more into animal than human as he starts to pound into you, trying to force his knot into you before it swells completely. The only thing running through his mind is "breed", the werewolf in him completely taking over as his nails grew into claws and his fangs fully formed.

At the feeling of something bumping against your opening you raise your head a little and see a knot on his cock, transfixed you watch as it grows and as it starts to work it's way inside you. The added stretch burns a little but it's soon forgotten when you see it fully disappear inside you and suddenly you feel so full that you are pushed off the edge and your vision goes white. You grasp his forearms to try and ground yourself as you cum and your eyes flutter closed as you let the sensation wash over you.

He growls as you cum around him, your walls squeeze in a vice like grip. His claws dig into the cape beneath you and he rips holes into it when he feels his knot catch on your walls locking the two of you together. He continues to rut into you trying to forced himself as deep inside as possible, once his cock head kisses your womb he cums. Gavin shoots thick ropes of cum directly into your womb and he howls as he finally becomes one with you. After painting your insides white Gavin looks back to you, your eyes are glazed as you look up at him, your skin flushed and covered in sweat. Leaning down he captures your lips again, this time you return the kiss and drop your legs from his hips as your body goes limp. Soon enough all the pleasure leaves you and your mind starts to clear and the fear from before returns.

You try to pull away from the kiss but Gavin follows your lips so you try to wiggle your hips out from under him hoping to pull yourself off of him and get out from under the man. But when you do you feel him locked inside you and he growls into your lips before pulling away slightly with a dark chuckle, "I know you must be eager for more sweetling, but you need to stay still. I can't guarantee that I won't try to fuck my knot deeper into you, let's just enjoy the moment." He wraps your legs back around his waist and lifts you off the table, the both of you groan at the position change and you have to bite back another moan as he starts walking to the back of the cottage. He lays the two of you onto the bed and nuzzles into the crook of your neck, humming back to you the song you sang on your way here.