#or maybe it's cause the covers remind me of throne of glass

[myso-calledlibrary]

Mid series Cover changes

So, they did the thing with An Ember in the Ashes, THEY REDESIGNED THE COVERS MID SERIES. And like I get it. As a brown girl, seeing a brown girl on the covers is pretty fucking cool! And the Fact that Sabaa Tabir insisted on finding models with the right ethnicities shows how much she cares. But I can't help it. My copies will not match, and I'm so goddamn angry about it.

[justcallmenikki7]

BTS Reaction To: Devil!BTS Saving You

Supernatural!Au

Summary: Devil!BTS saves you when you’re fighting a monster and almost about to get killed.

Warnings: Mentions of Dean Sam and Castiel (cause gawd damn), devil!bts (cause gawd damn), manipulation on the boys side, gore and death, kind of yandere vibes?, mentions of suicide, bobby being dead, emotional, y/n falling for the devil, and maybe more if I forgot, some devil humor, sadness, seductive Jungkook and Taehyung 

W.C.: 4.8k

Notes: this is all writing and not how I portray the boys. I’ve been on a supernatural binge and the boys as devils is something I needed to write

SURPRISE I’M BACKKKKK again

Kim Seokjin:

           Because of your brother Sam opening the cage and realizing that both of your brothers are the vessels of the two most powerful archangels, everything has been tense, especially when the devil’s fascination is you. There is no lie that the devil scares you, but you cannot help but think that the devil is handsome – too handsome. The train of thought that you were having was cutoff as you were trying to focus on your dad’s journal.

“Okay, the only way to take out a Wendigo is to have a flame thrower or in general to set it on fire,” Y/N spoke, mainly talking to herself as her and her brothers, Sam, and Dean, were sitting in the hotel of Colorado.

“Maybe while doing so, we should make smores,” Dean, the ever so charming man himself said with a proud smile on his face. Both you and Sam turned to look at him with a non-impressed face, which made Dean’s smile slightly go away. “You guys are no fun,” he mumbled.

It was later that night that the three of were in the woods of Colorado, walking cautiously towards the cave that the Wendigo stayed in, the only annoying sounds being the breaking of sticks underneath your boots. As always, you were in between your older brothers, a habit that they made as younger kids to always feel somewhat calm when you are on hunts with them. But what you guys did not know was that the Wendigo was one step ahead of you by hiding in the trees, the time that you realized this was when the monster growled before grabbing you and taking off towards inside the cave. The sounds of your screams had Dean and Sam feeling helpless as you were taken away, the urge to tear apart the Wendigo until they felt satisfied.

But what no one knew was that your sounds reached the ears of Lucifer himself as he was sitting on his throne with a glass of wine in his hand. Sitting up abruptly, he began to listen to his vessel’s thoughts, a stone expression making its way present on his face. “My, oh my,” he mumbled, a sadistic smirk now on his face. Snapping his fingers, he was hidden of the shadows of the cave, watching intensely at the scene unfolding before him. The fight you were putting on was admirable, but then reminded him of how weak humans are, so he decided to step in and be the hero. With one snap of his fingers, the body of the Wendigo went everywhere, causing a chuckle to escape him at the mess you were covered in.

“Isn’t it sad that I always have to be the hero in these situations? I mean, I need some recognitions here, don’t you think?” Seokjin spoke with a sultry tone, loving the way you were glaring at him, “Ah, sweetheart, don’t frown at me like that,” he pouted.

“Lucifer!” Sam yelled, a glare that could kill on his face.

“You guys know that I hate the formality,” Seokjin rolled his eyes, but before he left, he looked back at you, “I’ll see you soon, sweetheart,” he winked before he left. In that time, he also cleaned you up, so you did not have any blood on you.

You looked at your bothers with the same confused look that they held. Speaking up before anyone did, Sam looked at you with concern, “why is he so fascinated with you?” Neither you nor dean could answer.

Min Yoongi:

Everyone would think that the devil is not lazy – but they were so oh so wrong. Min Yoongi, or Lucifer, is the reason why sloth is a sin – he made Sloth himself. But lately, the one thing that has caught his attention ever since he escaped from his cage by the wonderful Sam Winchester was the Winchester’s sister, you.

He does not know why you are so intriguing, but you are. Maybe it is your laugh? Or eyes? Or even what humans call ‘personality,’ you are just so fascinating to where Yoongi must take time out of his day just to follow you and make sure that none of the monsters that you hunt hurts you, something he, himself, finds weird. But he does it anyways, not caring that it has become apparent that the angels realized that his weakness is you.

When he found out that you were being threatened during a torturing session of a new soul, he automatically booked it for the lands. The smell of angels was what made him scoff, already finding this situation amusing. Seeing the sigils all over the building that you were in had him chuckling, and each step closer he got, the more of the electricity began to flicker and eventually causing the lights to break.

You were sat on a chair, hands cuffed that were shackled to the chair you were sitting on. The hangnail that was on your thumb was the only source of entertainment that you had. When you were cornered by angels in the lady’s room of the diner you and your brothers were at, you had a feeling that this was not going to end well for some reason, and maybe for you too. Once the lights began to break, your gut feeling was always right, and once you saw Lucifer himself, you began to pray to Cass and your brothers to come and save you.

Everyone knows that you are the one person who Lucifer will come to save and answer at any beck and call you have, which you have never done before. He knew that you were terrified of him, who would not be? It is the devil himself. One of the most powerful archangels known. Now it all made sense. The angels captured you so they could get to Lucifer and put him back into the cage. Shaking your head at their stupidity, and their guts, you knew that they were going to die – even if they are the most powerful in their garrison.

“Well, daddy’s soldiers think they are so tough. Now, please tell me why you are messing with the Winchester? You know this is not a wise thing to do.” He tuts, smirking at the obvious fear in their eyes, knowing that they believed that he would not come just for a merely weak human. “I can see it now, the wheels in your heads turning. Did I just so happen to show up for a human? Yes, I did. Will anyone believe this? No? why? Cause you guys are now,” snapping his fingers, “dead.” Head tilting, he sighed, “what a waste of breath,” stepping around a puddle of blood.

The cuffs that were once on your head were now gone, along with the hangnail that you had. Looking up at the devil himself, you felt your heart plummet from fear, not knowing what to do. “Th-thank you?” You stuttered, an action that brought a smirk to the devil’s handsome face.

“She speaks!” Yoongi happily exclaimed, “you’re welcome, princess. Now, I can hear your brother’s irritating voices wanting you to be found, so our time is up. Until next time, princess.” A kiss to your forehead had you closing your eyes, and one moment you were in the presence of the devil and the next you were being tackled into a hug by your brothers. What scared you was the butterflies you felt in your stomach at the thought of the devil.

Jung Hoseok:

Running from the vampire, machete in hand, you dodged every tree branch that came into view, jumping over logs every now and then. You realized that the plan that you and your brothers made to attack the vampire nest was not exactly the best plan that you guys ever had. The sound of the vampire behind you pushed you even harder to keep going, even with the pain that started to form in your chest that the cold air brought to you.

Seeing a creek ahead of you, you pushed yourself harder to get to it so you can cross it. Even with the freezing cold of the December air, you knew that if you got across the creek and to the roads, you could find a better hiding spot from the vamp and be able to call your brothers. Coming up to the creek, you quickly searched for a good area to get leverage on jumping over the creek. Making a quick stop was the wrong thing to do because you were tackled into the freezing water, losing your machete in the current of the creek in the process.

A fist connecting with the left side of your cheek had you screaming out in pain, the strength of the vampire being ten times worse than an average drunk man’s punch (a story for a different time). Fighting by kicking and punching with getting nowhere began to dawn on you that maybe this is it. Exhaustion and the beginning signs of feeling of your body going numb started to wear on your body, making yourself weaker by the second.

“This is what you get, you Winchester bitch,” the vampire snarled at you, “I cannot wait to rip you apart and hear your screams.” Vangs coming into view, you squeezed your eyes shut, preparing yourself for the pain that is about to come, whispering I love you Sam and Dean.

The sound of a cry coming from the vampire had you popping your eyes opened at the wrong moment because of blood being splattered onto your face. Being lifted out of the freezing water had you opening your eyes again, only to be met with Lucifer himself. Too tired to try and get out of the arms of the devil, you stumbled over your words.

“Wh-Ho-What?” You stuttered, only to blush at the beautiful smirk that appeared on the devil’s face.

“A little birdy told me that my favorite Winchester was getting chased by a vampy-vamp. So of course, I had to come and see what all the fuss was about, only to come and find you almost dying! Now that would cause a ruckus in both heaven and in hell. Who would I be able to bother? Your brothers are lame and for the love of God himself, angels become boring. Humans? They are alright, but sometimes they just become… well, zombie like unless you take them to hell and have some rated-R fun, then that is when it becomes exciting.” Lucifer rambled, totally forgetting that he was carrying you still. Looking down, he gasped, “Oh my, I forgot humans had to be taken care of to actually live. Ha! Silly me, let’s get you cleaned up!” And with the press of his fingers to your head, you were healed and warmed up. “Awe, you were devastatingly cute all beaten up, hmm.”

Too shock to say anything still, you only took him in, realizing that you felt wrong by finding him severely attractive. The dark brown hair with some tinting of red in it went too well with his caramel skin, along with all black outfit, blushing when you realized that he was wearing a form of a harness. He had style and he knew that he was desirable. Swallowing, you did your best to compose yourself, “why do you keep saving me any time something bad happens? I mean you’re the devil, and my brother is your vessel? Shouldn’t you be worrying over him more than me?” You asked, not realizing the pain passing through the devils’ eyes as you spoke.

“Silly goose, did I not say that I would not have anyone else to bother? You need to invest in whatever those things that help you hear better.” And with that, he was gone, leaving you by yourself, phone buzzing like crazy from the incoming calls of your brothers.

Kim Namjoon:

Ever since the Leviathans were released from Purgatory, Namjoon, or Lucifer, has been very entertained by them. He knew from the beginning that they were not going to last long and frankly if he was wrong, he could not wait for the demons to be gone. If the Leviathans were wanting to get rid of them, then he was gladly to accept it and let them do all the nasty work so he would not have too. With that, their idea of putting chemicals in the human food to destroy the humans in America was fascinating and how it also killed the vampires with one bite was amazing. The Leviathans were such interesting creatures that he could not help himself but to let them run loose. He knew that they could not kill him, even though he was an angel, he was the one angel, minus Michael, and the other archangels, that could not be killed by Lucifer.

But the one thing that kept him entertained was watching you try and find ways to stop the Leviathans. Watching you use the borax on the leviathans was humorous because of how you and your brothers assumed that a certain chemical can be a clue of killing them was cute, especially when you looked like the characters from Ghost Busters, he got a good chuckle from that.

You are just so cute.

One thing that irked him was when Dick Roman killed Bobby. The tears and the broken look on your face made him want to go and kill the Leviathans, especially Dick, because of how they brought you pain. It is crazy, but only Namjoon wanted to bring you some sort of misery, only to be the one to break you and bring you some stormy clouds on your day. He thought that Dick himself understood that he could not mess with you and the ones you cared about, but that did not seem to be clear enough.

Namjoon is not stupid, he knows that the Leviathans think that they can trick him into thinking that they are buddies, but to overthrow him and get away with it. Nope, not even close. So when he heard that Bobby Singer was in hell because of a bullet to the brain by Dick Roman, Namjoon was not thrilled. He knew how much Bobby meant to you and your brothers, so he decided to follow you around.

When it came to the night of killing Dick, Namjoon stood in the background and watched you and your brothers fight to get to Dick Roman, and when he saw you struggling against a Leviathan, Namjoon wanted to watch you struggle. He could see the helplessness in your eyes when you were beginning to get cornered by three Leviathans. The borax was gone and there nothing else that you could do but to allow fate take control.

Sighing, the last thing Namjoon wants to do is get dirty, but he could not allow you to be killed by some pests, he stepped in. Sending the Leviathans back to Purgatory, he watched the relief on your face form but soon turn back to nervousness.

“You know, you need to get stronger, you seem to be losing your touch,” Namjoon criticized, “it seems that whenever you are in distress, my little damsel, I always have to come and save you, hmm? It is becoming a routine. Maybe you just enjoy me being your hero?”

“I never asked you to save me, maybe I wanted to die?” You said, spitting the blood out of your mouth.

“Then that means I have to alive you all over again, something that I don’t want to do because that would be too much,” Namjoon waved his hand in explanation.

“Why do you always come and save me when I’m losing?” You asked, needing the answer that has been on your mind ever since he started to save you during your times of fight.

“Because it is pathetic that you cannot save yourself unless you have someone to help. It’s embarrassing and I’m saving yourself from that.”

And with that, he was gone, leaving you to feel beaten down but also with the feeling of butterflies in your stomach at the thought of knowing that Lucifer himself always saves you when you most need it.

Park Jimin:

Pagans are irritating and overly dramatic.

That is the one statement that you will swear by for the rest of your short life that you will live. The way that they want to take down Lucifer himself is hilarious because he is an archangel, a legit badass angel, but also the fallen angel for disobeying his father, God their self. You have met Lucifer, or Park Jimin if you want to go by vessel name basis, and he is very scary but also slightly adorable? Yeah, you sound weird thinking that, but he has for some reason saved you on many different encounters, and you and your brothers have yet to find out why.

You and your brothers stumble upon a hotel, a very nice hotel that is out in the middle of nowhere during a bad storm, you are pointing out the detour that led to it. Running in, brushing off your wet hair that fell into your face, you stumble to the front desk of the hotel, automatically getting weird vibes from the front desk man, and you should have stuck to your guts because of where you are you are currently now.

“How about next time, we don’t listen to Y/N and we listen to me on driving directions,” Sam said, causing you to gasp.

“You’re blaming me? I was just trying to get us safe,” you countered back, smacking your brother who smacked you back, forgetting about the Gods sitting right in front of you. You have already come to terms with that you are in a room full of Gods.

“Michael and Lucifer’s vessels,” some fancy dude spoke, and then making eye contact with you, “and the black lamb,” you smiled sarcastically at him, already knowing that you are no one’s vessel.

Once the discussion started between the Gods, both you and your brothers looked at each other in somewhat fear and amusement. Nodding at your brothers, the three of you began to stand up and tried to sneakily sneak out, but only to have a chandelier fall right in front of you.

“Stay,” the woman who you found gorgeous say, and you nodded nervously.

Twenty minutes later and already having to deal with Gabriel, or who likes to go by Taehyung, (who you are secretly friends with), you started to notice the lights flickering, and you then realized that Lucifer was now here.

“He’s here,” Sam muttered nervously, looking at you and Dean with fear. And for some reason, you knew that you guys won’t get hurt, and you cannot place your finger on why. The sound of the Gods in the hallway had you and your brothers nervous, leaving Baldur and Kali glaring at the door. The sound of giggling made your heartbeat jump, the sound being sadistic and scary enough to make you question the crush that you began to form on him.  

One moment you were standing next to your brothers and the next you were in the arms of Kali, the angel blade at your throat. You swear you saw fire light up in the eyes of the devil, and you could fear shake in Kali’s bones because you knew that she was as terrified as you were of the devil. But one thing you did not know was why Kali has you as bait.

“We did not need Sam as bait, we just needed Lucifer’s weakness to have him come here,” she spoke, a smirk on her face, “it is not hard to hire some demons to follow around Lucifer and seen that he is always there to save the day for Ms. Winchester here,” voice slightly shaky as she saw the devil’s eyes turn completely black.

One moment you were in the arms of Kali and the next you were by your brothers, watching Kali get slaughtered in front your eyes. It was gruesome but you could not help but feel some satisfaction from it because she tried to kill you and use you and your brothers. Once the murdering of Kali was done, Lucifer snapped his fingers to get clean and was changed into a different outfit that showed his thighs very well.

“She’s not wrong, I like feeling like a knight in shining armor occasionally, to make myself seem like a good person. Anyways, I’ll see you again my dearest, Y/N.” And just like that, the fairy like person who is Lucifer was then gone.

“What the fuck.” Dean spoke up.

Kim Taehyung:

Making a deal with a cross-roads demon and only to have one year to live so you could bring back your brothers was not the best idea. Why? Because the time of desperation blocks of the train of thought, and now you realize why your brothers were so mad at you once you told them. Only having one year to have them only for you to die that next year is now slightly fucked up once you think about it.

Today was the day and you were hallucinating of the hell hounds attacking you and being able to see demon’s true forms was fucking with you greatly. Why? Because the demons are fucking ugly and two, you cannot tell what is real and what is not real. You have been dreading this day for the longest time, and you could tell that Bobby and your brothers were too. It hurts seeing them choked up and knowing that you were the one causing it, all because you were selfish because you wanted them back and now, they will not have you back because of your stupid deal. Following that, seeing Castiel at crossroads because he cannot even himself get past a demon deal.

“Do you think that it will be scary?” You asked Castiel, playing with your rings, voice shaky.

Looking at you were sad eyes, “It is hell, Y/N. You are going to see and deal with a great amount of pain.”

You knew Castiel does not know how to sugar coat, but that is not what you needed at this time. You knew he was right, and it was scary. You will be in hell for eternity, and you cannot have anyone save you. Dean being saved by Castiel was a mission to do, losing some of his closest friends in that fight. But that was different, this was on you, and you knew it. So, you looked at Castiel in the eyes and broke down crying.

“I am so scared, Castiel. I’m so scared. I fucked up, I fucked up so bad,” you sobbed, gripping his coat. “Please make sure that Dean and Sam don’t do anything stupid,” you begged.

“Hey now, don’t be shit talking us, Y/Nie, not right now,” Dean interrupted, tears in his eyes along with Sam and Bobby’s.

You and your brothers stared at each other for a few seconds before running to each other, holding closing together, having to face the facts that tonight is the night that you will be here and tomorrow you will not be. The three of you pulled away from each other quickly when you heard the howl of a hell hound, only to be followed by a few more.

Looking at the four men that you loved with all your heart, you all had a silent agreement that this was it, but you would not be going down without a fight. Hearing a growl, you slowly turned around and saw a hell hound that was close to being the size of you.

“Guys. One is right there by the truck,” you whispered keeping a close eye on it. One moment it was there and the next it was gone, and then you heard a deep chuckle. Looking up, you stared into the eyes of Lucifer, “No way…” you stuttered out in a breath.

“Oh, stop it, you’re making me blush, Y/Nie,” he teased you by calling you by your nickname that your brothers came up with. “Why all of the emotions?” He asked, making eye contact with Castiel, and smiling, “Castiel! It’s been so long since I have seen you! How is the search of Daddy coming along?”

“Castiel, who the fuck is this?” Dean spoke up, demanding to know what is going on.

“Lucifer,” Castiel spoke with venom, “what are you doing here?”

“Saving the Winchester’s sister, of course. This whole story would not be the same without her. Plus, all the… emotion was becoming too much, so I broke her deal off.” Lucifer shrugged, giving you a smirk. “This is the time you say, ‘thank you’ sweetheart,” he purred, winking.

“Thank you…?” You said in a confused tone, causing the handsome devil to sigh.

“We will work on your mannerism, sweetheart. But now I need to go and find the crossroads demon and kill them, so, toodles!” He sung, making sure to look you over once with a look in his eyes that caused you to shiver, “and I will be seeing you soon, Ms. Y/N,” and he was gone.

“What the fuck was that?” Sam yelled.

“I don’t know, but all I know for sure is that Lucifer has something up his sleeve, and we need to keep an out for Y/N at all times,” Castiel said in a nervous tone.

Jeon Jungkook:

Running and jumping over logs, your heart pounding so fast you felt like it was going to explode. You dodged a tree limb as you turned a sharp corner, gaining momentum as you heard the psychotic laughs of the twin brothers who were hunting you as if you were an animal. You knew the risk of escaping that hell of a cage, but you did not realize how scary this would be.

You felt the need to stop and take a breath, but their laughs felt like they were everywhere, and you know that they knew these woods like the back of their hand. You were out of luck, but you are adamant of not dying by two psychotic human brothers. You would rather go out by a demon or shapeshifter than brothers. Seeing a road in the distance, you pushed yourself to get some speed, finding some sort of hope of survival, but that did not last long.

Tripping over trip wire, you yelled out in pain from the wire slicing your skin, and you landed in the mud, cringing from how your hair got in it. Shaking your head, you tried to get up, but a deep chuckle, a chuckle that did not sound like the brothers had you freezing, turning your head so quickly you felt it pop. Coming face to face with Lucifer, you began to debate whether you would want to get killed by him or the brothers, and you were leaning more towards to the brothers.

“That is a shame that you think that kitten. You know that I would never harm you, I have saved you several times, remember?”

“But every time I will believe that it is going to be the day I will die by your hands,” you replied harshly, knowing that you just made him angry by the blackness that took over his eyes. “But can you blame me? You’re Lucifer and I am hunter and human, you hate us remember?” You said quickly, seeing his brown eyes come back into view.

“Aah, the blindness that you have, kitten. It is so sad you don’t see it, but oh well, here come the brothers, I shall go,” he said teasingly, knowing that you will beg him to save you, and beg you did.

“Jungkook!” You cried out his real name, something that shocked both you and him, “please don’t let them kill me, I don’t want to die,” you begged truthfully, terrified of death, an ironic situation because you face death almost every day. But still, you are human after all, and you fear something.

“Ugh, you are asking sweetly, I guess I can help out,” and he was gone and the next thing you hear are screams of fear, begging, and pain. You thank him silently, not caring if he can hear it. You knew that you have been forming a crush on the devil and that Castiel said that Lucifer himself is curious by you, and every angel and demon are confused on why you are so important to Lucifer, but if it means that he protects you and your brothers and Bobby and Sheriff Mills, you are alright by that.

Hearing footsteps approach you, you turned and made eye contact with Jungkook, a scared but thankful smile, “thank you,” you said.

“Any time, Kitten, now, let’s get you back to the hotel and I’ll pass the word on to your brothers,” he said before zapping you back to the hotel.

[anyoneseenadam]

Hii

Can you please write something for fenrys? first meeting maybe? And the bond clicks? Thank you 🥺🥺

pairing: Fenrys x reader (throne of glass)

warnings: implied smut, kissing and nudity, lil bit of blood and injuries but mainly pure fluff

a/n: fenrys is my fave and u can tell in the fic omg!! i hope you enjoy it cause it’s probs my fave one i’ve written yet :))) (i also made it a teensy bit ddlg but that’s just cause i want Fenrys to baby me lol)

——————————————————————————

Shit

Fenrys pressed his hand to the wound in his side, feeling the slow pump of blood seeping between his fingers as he stumbled through the woods. He had won the fight. The other guy now lying in the dirt, however not without consequence. And he wasn’t entirely sure he would stay alive unless he could find a healer soon.

He stopped to lean against a tree, breathing heavily as he held himself together. He transformed into a wolf, moving faster, and trying to pick up a scent, any scent, that could possibly help him, when he caught the sweetest smell he ever had. It was a female, smelling like peonies and blackberries, sweet but with an underlying smoky smell. She smelled of long days in flowers fields and even longer nights beside campfires, evenings spent curled in hand woven blankets and mornings spent drinking dark coffee and eating sweet toast.

He whimpered and began running in the direction of the scent. If he wasn’t so focused on not bleeding out he may have stopped to consider why the scent was pulling him in the way it did. He would have considered the direction he was running into, the direction of his future, his past and his present. But he just kept up, going as fast as his injured body would allow, concentrating on the sweet smell and putting one foot in front of the other.

He felt the change almost immediately, the cold snow and rough bark being swapped for cool moss. The pine trees swapped for tall, oak trees teeming with life. The silence of a frozen forest swapped for the rustling of bushes as nocturnal animals moved silently under the guise of darkness. The chill of the snow-covered woods swapped for the warmth of a summer evening. He pushed between two bushes and found himself facing a clearing, in the middle of which stood a wooden cottage, the wood dark and the roof covered in more moss, flowers growing from every surface and ivy peeking out of the crevices in the house. He stumbled down the path to the cottage, turning back into a male and crossing a small bridge over a stream that separated him from the intoxicating scent he chased.

He let out what he could only describe as a bark, calling for the female that carried the scent he was growing addicted to, collapsing onto his knees, feeling his conscious fade as he held to the side of his stomach, searing pain replaced by fiery veins as his head swayed. He barely heard the door open, only noticing the scent get so much stronger. He attempted to look up, the movement making his head spin as he collapsed, the last thing he saw, a girl in the halo of the moon.

--

Fenrys awoke in a foreign bed. An unbelievably comfortable bed, but foreign all the same. He pushed up on his forearms, gritting his teeth at the reminder of his wound.

The room he was in was dark, not just in light source, but also in décor. The window was cracked open with lacy curtains half closed, there was a tall bookshelf sat next to a desk with leather-bound books lining it, and tall candles flickering and casting the room in a golden glow. The bed he was in was small, clearly just for one, but so soft. He had blankets surrounding him and copious amounts of pillows, some that appeared hand made. In fact, upon closer inspection, a lot of the room looked handmade. Art covering the walls depicting crying women or bloody scenes that he presumed had been done by the owner of this house, given the pallet and assortment of brushed he saw on the windowsill.

And then there was that scent. It was stronger here and he pressed his face into a pillow tentatively, breathing in through his nose as he picked up on the deeper undertones. Fresh picked daisies, melted wax, the pages of old, worn books and something he couldn’t describe. Something so intoxicating he felt tears spring to his eyes, his body reacting in an unheard-of way, so overcome with emotion from scent alone.

He heard footsteps approaching the closed door and hastily put down the pillow, sitting up straight and readying himself to fight whoever it was if they were an intruder. But when you entered he faltered.

Mate. The word clanged through him as he came face to face with an angel. You were wearing a dark brown broderie dress with white hearts lining the hem, your feet bare and toenails painted black. Your hair was falling around your face, messy and untamed, and you had dark smudges around your eyes, makeup that accentuated your features and made you look like a character from the scary books he read as a boy. However right now you looked more like a teddy bear.

He briefly remembered the tail of a witch he had read. An evil witch who lured men into her house with whispered words and sweet kisses, only to steal their hearts and use their blood to keep her skin young and eyes bright. This girl however was no witch, you had elegantly pointed ears and a graceful way of moving that only came from being Fae. He watched as you moved to his side, silent on your feet, putting a tray down beside him before moving an opening the curtains further, letting in more natural light.

“How are you feeling?” your sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. His mind coming to a halt as he heard you speak.

“I- er fine..?” His voice was rough, and you smiled, a reserved smile. Moving to his side and sitting at the edge of the small bed he was on, pouring him a glass of water from a small decanter you had brought through.

“(Y/n.)” you answered his unspoken question.

“Fenrys.”

He muttered a thanks as you passed the glass to him, noting the crystals that hung around your neck and adorned your fingers.

“Crystals?” he asked, and you looked down, playing with the rings you wore nervously.

“My mother taught me about their meanings, they’ve always helped me.” You bit your lip and Fenrys decided he would never meet anyone as cute as you again, it simply wasn’t possible.

“Me too, my mother used to carry them everywhere.” You smiled at him shyly, a beat of silence passing between the two of you as he listened to the birds outside.

“Can I see your wound? I want it make sure it’s healing properly.” You asked and he nodded, pulling the blankets down slightly, grinning as your eyes widened as you took in his physique.

“I’m presuming you’re the healer I have to thank for letting me see another day.” He flirted playfully but you shook your head,

“I’m not a very good healer I’m sorry, but I did stitch it up and it should do the rest itself.” You pressed gentle fingers against the skin surrounding his wound and he glanced down, seeing it was already practically healed.

“You still saved my life.” He said, completely serious and you looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes.

“I’ll let you rest.” You said quietly, standing to walk away and he smiled, feeling more at ease than he ever had since the war, watching his little mate leave.

--

He woke up again a few hours later, wound completely healed and puckering into a scar. Standing he stretched his arms above his head, not bothering with a shirt as he left the room in search of the girl that had occupied his dreams.

The rest of the house was alike your room, tall candles and worn books everywhere. He passed a kitchen filled with copper utensils and a living room with an old armchair, a half-filled mug left next to it, but still no you. He saw the front door was cracked open and wandered over to it, pulling it open and stepping into the fresh air, barely feeling the chill on his body as he found you kneeling on the moss-covered ground facing away from him.

You were muttering under your breath and as he got closer he saw you were cradling a small bird with a broken wing. He watched as you closed your eyes, the ground and air seeming to still as you called upon your magic, a soft white light flowing from your hand into the bird until its wing was healed and it could flutter away.

“I thought you said you weren’t a healer,” he broke the silence and you turned to him with a small smile.

“I said I wasn’t a very good healer.” You replied, standing with green stained knees, your hair now piled atop your head and lip gloss coating your soft lips.

“What are you then?” he came closer to you, unable to resist holding his mate, even if you weren’t aware yet.

“My mother said we were natural faeries.” You said, looking at him shyly, “we derive our power from the earth, crystals, sea water, dirt, fire, stuff like that.”

He hummed, “So technically you could have any type of magic?”

“I guess, but I’m not very good at magic,” you muttered, hands fiddling with your rings again as he wrapped his arms around your waist. “Fenrys?” you asked, all pouty lips and wide eyes.

“Have you realised yet darling?” he asked, and you bit your lip. He knew he could tell you, but he wanted to hear you say it.

“I- we’re mates I think.” You were practically shaking, and he didn’t know why he suddenly had this burning desire to scoop you into his arms and protect you against the horrible world that was out there. He nodded with a smile, watching as awe took over your stunning face.

“Can I kiss you princess?” he asked, and you felt your face heat up, looking down as he pulled you closer. “Have you ever been kissed before angel?” he asked, his face hurting from the grin that was spreading over his face when you shook your head.

He tilted your head up to his, looking deeply into your eyes as your breaths came out quicker. “Not many people can find our cottage, my mother put up wards when she got ill, our family wasn’t well liked by the king. You probably only got here because we’re mates,” You muttered.

“Can I kiss you?” he asked again, running a soft hand over your head, smoothing your hair away from your face as you nodded sweetly.

He smiled before leaning down and kissing you gently. Pulling away and feeling as smug as a thief when your lips followed his, pouting at the loss of contact so quickly. He chuckled at your put out expression and leaned down to kiss you again, deeper this time, his tongue slipping into your mouth when you gasped against his lips, quickly beating your own in a battle for dominance and taking his time exploring your mouth.

He laid you down that morning and took you for the first time in the soft moss. Then again in your even softer bed. Now you were sitting in his lap, eating strawberries of a bush you had in your back garden as he pressed dizzying kisses into your neck, both of you still as bare as the day you were born, Fenrys having forgot how much he missed skin to skin contact, when you suddenly remembered.

“Fenrys?” he hummed in response, completely enamoured with the feel of your soft skin against his rough calluses. “Why were you hurt last night?”

“I didn’t tell you my job did I angel?” he asked, the pet name making you giggle as you shook your head, “I work for the queen of Terrasen.”

You gasped, “But she was killed!”

“Oh angel, when was the last time you left this cottage?” he asked, worry coming over him as he realised you had been holed up alone for so long.

“Not since my mother died. She said the king was dangerous and that he would hurt me if he found me,” your bottom lip was wobbling and Fenrys quickly kissed it away, shushing you as it dawned on him just how innocent his little girl was.

“No baby, he’s gone now, the new king of Adarlan is a very kind man and the Queen of Terrasen is wonderful,” he promised, “Will you let me take you to meet them?”

You nodded enthusiastically, bouncing slightly in his lap making him groan. He nipped at your ear lobe and you squealed as he pushed you down. You could meet them another day, today he was too busy with his little mate.

[lixie-lovie]

{ Rogue princess | skz }

l.felix x f!reader

Genre: ??? fluff, angst ig, royalty au, princess!reader, star child!felix, idk u tell me

Warnings: a bit angsty, bad relationships at the beginning, issues with parents, vague mention of past death, mention of animals, mentions of running away

((If anything needs to be added to warnings, lmk! I’ll fix it asap))

Word Count: 5.2k

Note: did I write this literally to comfort myself today? Yes. Have fun reading this reallllyyy self indulgent fic lolz. Hope anyone reading this has a good day! Ily

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A throne made of gold and satin-like velvet, all tyrian purple. Too large this seat felt, as did the hall full of people standing under gilded light filtering through the large stained glass window. Here you sat, next to your father in an even more ornate throne, in front of a crowd of people who knew your name, your face, but nothing of your soul.

They couldn’t name that green was your favorite color because of the trees you would catch glimpses of through the windows of your tutors room, ever strong through the seasons never having to carry the weight of a kingdom. They would never be able to name why ships made you weary and claustrophobic or that your favorite flowers of springtime are those that bloom away from the castles gardens when eyes aren’t watching. They couldn’t guess your favorite piece of music, the one you never heard at those god forsaken balls. They never could place that instead your favorite would be the one that came ever so gracefully from under your mother’s fingertips at the piano that used to spark so much joy in the hearts of the people, but now sat lonely collecting dust. They didn’t know you longed to reach the stars someday, yearning for their delicate freedom in the inky black sky. They couldn’t tell that you wondered if they felt out of place too.

More so than anything else, they could never guess how much you hated staring at the men kneeling before you now, begging for a wife, a servant to their needs of pleasure, for the sake of “peace.” They would never know the disgust that sent a shiver down your spine at the twisted grin of these men that took your fingers in their too rough grasp and kissed that back of your hand, their sin tainted lips lingering moments too long. Their hands twitching at their sides with their sickening thoughts as they watched you stand from your throne, adjusting the circlet of silver adorning your perfectly crafted hair.

Your father, your king, grinned widely at the propositions made my these men, happy at the prospect of one of them taking your hand, winning your heart. Happy at the prospect of selling you away. A fair trade he’d call it. A duty.

He’d never understand, you came to realize. He was the man who had chosen your mother, the same way these creatures of lust in front of you are now. Readily ridding the world of her happiness and songs, harshly forcing her into a life of servitude, solitude, for the sake of duty.

“None of them would get it”

You’d say to yourself silently as you excused yourself to the washroom, wiping your disgraced palm clean of the suitors that you had been dancing with’s sweat, your nose scrunched in disgust. In the washroom you would stand, hands now pressed to the too warm mirror in that stuffy room, staring at your reflection. Your reflection stared back at you tauntingly, the flushed cheeks and too perfect hair, until your eyes got caught on the thin band gracing your head. The piece of metal that used to be the only thing tying you to your mother’s lineage, now was only an unwelcome reminder of your duties lined up in the other room, waiting for your hand in marriage. You sighed harshly, ripping the despicable band of silver off of your head, ruining the perfect waves your hair was lying in before. You laughed too hard, running your hands harshly over the layers of paint adorning your face. Your breaths became ragged as you tore the cloth sigil from the bodice of your dress, the only thing left showing your status in this deplorable kingdom and soon you realized, the only thing holding you back.

You stared at your own reflection, a haggard appearance of a forgotten princess staring back at you, and you smiled. Quickly, you rushed to the door, checking for footsteps, before finding your way to the nearest maids chambers. Stepping inside you grabbed a few essentials and a cloak as black as the night’s sky. Once you felt satisfied in what you had taken, you steeled your nerves before quickly and cautiously making your way to the stables, now abandoned with everyone attending the event.

Your eyes scanned the area quickly before settling on a horse with hair as white as snow and eyes the color of indigo. Your form slowed, your breaths coming out in soft pants as you made your way towards the creature in awe of its beauty. You reached your hand out slowly, to gain the trust of the majestic beauty. Suddenly and strikingly you heard a voice sounding from behind you.

“My lady! Where do you think you’re going?” A rough, calloused hand gripped your shoulder tightly, startling you. You turned around quickly, your arms raising defensively. As the offending party grabbed your wrists to gain your attention your excitement died down and your breaths came out easier when you took in the features of Changbin, your personal first knight assigned to you. Your expression became one of relief as you took in the worried, curious look resting on his angular features in the low light of the stables.

“I’m leaving, Changbin. I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I can’t go through with this. Please don’t try to stop me..” You said gripping his hands in yours, staring into his eyes hoping to portray the feelings pooling in the base of your throat, causing your words to come out choked. “I’ve already made up my mind.”

“I’m sure I couldn’t change your mind if I wanted to, princess. Here, take this.” He said, smiling softly. A gentle sigh left his lips as one hand reached into one of the many holsters on his person, while the other drifted to comfortingly rest on the crown of your head. His large, rough hands pressed a small holstered knife into your palm. “It’s a blade your mother used to use. I was supposed to give it to you tonight at the ball, but this felt like the right time.”

For the first time that night you smiled genuinely, staring into his eyes softly in thanks while turning to prepare the horse for your disappearance. Changbin’s hands found your waist, hoisting you up and onto the back of the horse before he quietly led you out of the stables, checking for prying eyes and quietly uttering you a safe trip. You made simple promises to return safely to him, unsure of how much truth they held, but sure of the comfort filling your chest with the smile gracing his face.

With that, you turned your head to the dark forest ahead and took a deep breath to steady yourself before going on this possibly dangerous adventure. Then, like lightning striking your nervous system, you heard a voice you had hoped to never hear again.

“Y/n!” Your father’s voice rang out over the courtyard causing you to gasp and whip your head in the direction of the sound. Changbin’s worried eyes stayed trained on your face as your indecision bubbled in your chest at your father’s commanding tone. Quickly muttering some words Changbin sent the horse off running in the direction of the forest, your confused mind allowing the actions to happen wordlessly as you watched Changbin draw his sword against his own king to protect you and allow you the freedom you had longed for. 

---------

It had been moments, maybe hours, you were unsure. The sky bared no stars as you stared hopelessly heaven bound with your eyes blurred. The chilly air hurt your cheeks now dry from the rivers of tears at your actions. Your steed came to a slow, wearily looking around the dangerous wood. All that was to be heard around you were the low grumbles of the predators and the soft snapping of twigs. In the haze of your misery you were lost and cold, unsure of even your own safety as you whipped your head uneasily in every direction of unknown noises. 

It was then that a loud howl sounded from somewhere nearby, a chorus of others following suit. You tried catching sight of the beasts making the horrid sound, but soon it seemed as though the guttural growls were surrounding you, closing in on their next meal. You yelped loudly as the horse became unsteady and afraid, dashing off towards the nearest escape. From your lips feeble shrieks of protest left, but to no avail. The creature’s of the hunt followed suit, a game of cat and mouse. Suddenly, one creature, the largest, leaped out from beyond a too dark clearing in front of your path, baring its fangs and lashing out with its dastardly claws. The horse came to an unsteady halt, rearing back and knocking your frail form harshly to the ground. You inhaled sharply, rolling away, your limbs tucked inward, as fast as possible from the now trampling hooves and paws. You held your breath, covering yourself with your arms and you cried. Tears poured down your face as you waited for the steps of the animals to recede. You heard their noises of primal instinct and found yourself counting the minutes down until they were long gone and satisfied with their hunt. 

When your arms went numb and the tip of your nose was sufficiently frozen, you turned over in the dirt, wet with dew, to stare at the empty sky. Your tears came until they could no longer, your breaths uneven with bitter air exhaling harshly from your lungs, and as your eyes stayed trained upwards, you allowed yourself one prayer to any god that would listen. 

Please. Just let me see one star. One being from above that would understand. 

Abruptly you were taken aback by an unusually chilling wind blowing through the branches of the tall oak trees, causing you to wrap your arms tightly against your grimy, shivering self. Slowly you allowed the exhaustion of the night to take over your features, your eyes closing allowing sleep to take over your dirt ridden form. Finally, you felt some semblance of peace come over you as you drifted off, a prayer still sitting heavy on your pale, chapped lips. 

“You’re one weird human.” Your ears suddenly perked as a deep voice suddenly sounded from somewhere nearby. You screamed, scurrying to cover yourself with some kind of protection. Your eyes scanned the surrounding area frantically searching for the source of the voice. 

“W-who’s there?” You said with as little confidence as you could muster. You cursed your voice for shaking silently as you continued your frantic search for this possible danger. Your eyes landed on a large branch nearby and your legs moved on their own accord, sliding you harshly against the hard, cold ground to scramble to grip the branch tightly, turning and holding it out in a manner you could only hoped looked more threatening than it felt. 

“So silly..” The deep voice chuckled out from somewhere behind you. You yelped, waving the stick in the opposite direction, hoping not to lose your footing against any loose rocks or sturdy tree roots. Your dress was torn and soaked and the gentle breeze now moving in random intervals was jarring and dancing around your cloaked form, making the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. A sudden snapping sound from a branch above your head caused you to scream, throwing the large branch with all of your feeble might towards the offending sound. A larger breeze blew by, obscuring your vision with your own hair and you scrambled to remove it from your vision. As your finally were able to get a glimpse of a male slinking towards you another breeze blew harshly by causing your to sigh sharply, your hands flying back up to your face to remove the hair blocking your vision yet again. “Your gonna hurt someone throwing those things.” The voice sounded again, humor twinkling off of his lips with smooth curls of laughter. 

“Who are you? What do you want with me??” You said, your feet backpedaling as you finally removed your hair from your face again to take in the sight before you. Your eyes scanned the clearing of trees in the dim light unable to find the man you had been questioning and just as you began to question what was even real, you heard him again, your head whipping in the direction of the sound. 

“I should be asking you that, considering you called for me..” He said, the humor never leaving his tone. You began to feel embarrassed at the thought of this man laughing at your pitiful state. Your cheeks grew red and your ears felt hot as you began wondering why you didn’t feel as in danger as you had earlier that night, deciding to deem it all on how wild the rest of your night had already been. Instead of answering you simply furrowed your brow, scanning and searching with your eyes still trying to find the source of the inquiry. Out of the blue in the still night, yet another breeze blew by roughly, chilling you to the bone. A branch suddenly creaked above you and you scrambled back to get a view of what could be perched there.

“Looking for me?” What you found, illuminated by the dim white moonlight, was a boy, seemingly about your age, swinging his legs softly to the gentle sway of the winds. His hair was strikingly white, pure as snow. His pale skin shone softly as if covered gingerly in new born stars. His eyes held mirth, much like his cheshire smile, and his whole body was lax with amusement as he stared down at you. In shock you stumbled backwards, falling over yourself and landing harshly on the ground, yet again tonight staring up at the sky. You felt the wind tousle your hair, but you didn’t seem to have the energy to care much as your mind grappled with its own questioning thoughts. 

“Uhm..lady? Are..haha..are you okay?” His question, broken with impish laughter, felt comforting in a way as he leaned over your form, searching your face with curious eyes and a interrogative furrowed brow. You turned your head softly, staring into the now shocked eyes of the boy with the angular features and moon like eyes before suddenly your lips twitched, the corners of them quirking before a laugh began to bubble out of your chest. The laugh itself with incredulous and loud, joyous like a little kid finally discovering how something works. The boy looked back at you, tilting his head like a confused puppy as he watched you sit up slightly, leaning on your elbows. He didn’t make a move to back up or give you any space, instead leaning closer to examine you further. 

“Did you hit your head or something, funny lady?” He said, his deep voice and boy-like expression of wonder and frustrating confusion only spurring your laughter on further as you grappled for breath. The events of tonight were catching up with your exhausted state and you found yourself wondering if this boy who shone so brightly on this gloomy night was even real. 

Once you could finally catch your breath you sat upright and really took in the sight of him. He may have seemed young on the outside, but somehow he held a powerful aura, like he knew more then he let on. His smile was dazzling as he stared up at you with eyes that twinkled with a silent knowledge. You felt as though he was looking past your filthy outward appearance, and instead he was reading through your soul, listening silently to the story you couldn’t find the words to tell. 

He stood suddenly, as if he found the answer to the question that had been dancing around like the winds, curling through each of your minds. His smile became softer and more genuine as he looked down at your still seated self and slowly outstretched his hand. It was a gesture you were unfamiliar with. It wasn’t a sudden, demanding grasp of your non-consenting hand. It wasn’t rough and calloused, with a predator-like grin gracing his features, but, instead, as you slid your hand over his palm in a silent proclamation of trust you found yourself reveling in how silky smooth his larger, more slender hand felt wrapping around yours in a protective gesture. He glanced at you, a playful smirk playing on his cherry red lips. 

“Do you trust me?” He said, his deep voice breathy and patient, allowing you whatever amount of time you felt like you needed before you nodded slowly, hesitantly. He tilted his head in a munificent gesture, encouraging you to verbalize your thoughts. You felt the minuscule inkling of a curl to your lips forming, your eyes catching on how he seemed to be emitting light in this dim forest. The wind blew softly, ruffling your hair and caressing your now heated cheeks. He watched your features carefully as you bowed your head and giggled to yourself at the sensation of the winds dancing around the both of you. The chilly night felt warm as you turned your head slowly and methodically towards him again, your eyes glistening with an unreadable emotion and you breathed in deeply in a more relaxed manner. 

“I do.” You said, beaming up at him now, your small, frail hand squeezing his a little tighter. He smiled fully now and to you it felt like sunshine. He watched your face, entranced in your beauty taking not of how grateful he was to have answered your call tonight, vowing to bring that smile back whenever he could. Your expression grew concerned as the look in his eye changed and he suddenly pulled you towards him, wrapping one arm around your shoulders before taking off in a sprint. 

You tried to match his pace with a yelp, the wind now pushing you around forcefully. Your cries of protest were drowned out with his hysterical giggling. He forced you forward for a few more minutes as you began to question his strange motives before suddenly he came to a stop. His landing was much more graceful then your sudden stumbling forward, but as you gained your footing your objections died in your throat as you took in the sights around you. The forest behind you now, you stood in a clearing with grasses tickling your ankles, but the most impressive thing about this sight was the flowers. In full bloom, covering the surrounding area as far as your eyes could see were twinkling white flowers. Some stayed small and subdued, while others were larger, demanding more attention, but all of them shown with outstanding luminescence. Your breath caught in your throat as you stood completely rigid, taking in the sight. 

You then felt a soft breeze, pulling your out of your shock with a shiver before you felt an unexpected heat radiating from behind you. You felt a soft hand trace your jaw from somewhere behind as you held your breath expectantly. His hand moved from your jaw to trace the outline of your neck, gathering your hair lying there and tying it tenderly away from your face. Your sudden inhale as his fingers tickled the nape of your neck caused him to chuckle, his close proximity allowing you to feel his warm breath fanning over your shoulders. You suddenly felt balmy as he leaned his face closer, his breaths coming out in an intoxicating manner, dancing around the area where your neck meets your shoulder. 

“Look up.” He said, his voice coming out in a heady whisper. You gasped as you complied, your head whipping up too quickly, causing the male to snicker behind you. You couldn’t seem to care as you took in the sight before you. The once empty sky was now covered in brilliant gleaming stars, all feeling as though they were staring right at the two of you, encouragingly. You weren’t sure what they were encouraging, but just the silly thought itself had you laughing softly, your eyes slowly trailing over everything in front of you yet again. If it weren’t for the questioning hum the man had released you may not have even noticed the sturdy arms wrapped loosely around your waist or the cool skin of his cheek now resting on your exposed shoulder. You may not have even taken note of the breath now fanning comfortingly over your own blushing cheek of the look in his eyes as you turned slightly in his arms to get a better view of this new expression. 

He took in your overwhelmed face as you tried to form words for the thoughts racing through your mind and he laughed, his head tilted back and chuckles racking his toned chest. You took in the movement behind his green tunic, complimenting his pale skin and you blushed again, turning your face away sharply. He gripped your shoulder with one hand softly, making sure not to startle you, while his other hand outstretched softly to point towards the cushiony grass beside of you. You took the hint and made a move to sit and take in the view before you.

He giggled as he helped move the layers of your dress away so you could sit comfortably before taking his seat beside you. You found yourself becoming encumbered with exhaustion and slowly with the gentle breeze swaying the twinkling lights, you let your head pull to the side to rest easily on his shoulder. He moved slowly as to not jostle you allowing more comfort for your tired form.

“You know, lady. I never caught your name..” He said, a hint of gentle humor lacing his deep baritone.

“I’m sorry..” You hummed out, “I’m y/n. Supposed princess of this kingdom.” You said, your tone sounding harsh even to your own ears. “I’m not sure I’d like to even ask who you are.” You said, laughing to help lighten the mood.

“Hmm.. I don’t think I was ever given a name where I am from.” Your brow furrowed at his response as you moved your head from its resting perch to look up at his questioningly. He laughed again, his body folding as he chuckled at your expression. “A story for another time, y/n.” You accepted his response begrudgingly, distracted by the way your name sounded on his lips.

“So what are you going to do when morning comes, little one?” He said, no malice in his tone. You sighed harshly flopping backwards to lay in the soft grass fully, surrounding yourself in the perfumed scent of the fluttering flowers. He took that as an answer in itself as he watched you, amused.

“You need to go back.” You groaned loudly as these words left his lips and he laughed as he shushed you, pushing you softly causing you to dramatically roll over laying your head on his thigh, a noise of protest leaving your bemused lips. “Let me finish would you!” He continued, annoyance playfully covering the syllables while he ran his fingers gently through your messy hair. You smiled, appeased for a moment while staring longingly towards the stars above. The sky was lightening and you felt your smile slipping at the realization that they would be gone again soon.

He frowned watching your face grow frantic with concern before softly resting his cools fingertips on the bottom of your chin, non-forcefully turning your face in his lap to look at his own passionate expression. He tilted his head to match the angle of your, his silliness making you giggle softly before continuing.

“You may have to go back, but you can always come back here, it’s all for you.” He let his eyes slowly trail over you, landing on your hand twisting anxiously tearing up small strands of the grass without realizing. He slid one of his hands comfortingly down your arm, trailing his fingertips lightly over the back of your hands. It felt as if getting a sunburn, getting too close to the beauty of something terrifying. “Look to the stars, I’ll always be there, watching and waiting.” He finished, his voice getting deeper with each second he stared at your animated expression staring up at him expectantly.

You felt your eyes welling up with tears at the peace being here brought to you, knowing it would be ending soon. You tried forming words, prayers, but your lips were too wobbly and my voice was too weak.

“When will I see you again? Wh-what should I even call you??” You finally managed to squeak out, the thick, hot tears you felt curling down your cheeks didn’t sting nearly as much as the thought of leaving him here, only to return to the torturous duties lined up for you at your home. He smiled sadly at you, blurring your senses with how ethereal he looked. His hands twitched against your wrist as he continued his comforting path, avoiding your eyes as he furrowed his brow in thought. Without thinking, out of desperation for an answer, you swiftly intertwined your own fingers with his, your palms slotting together as if fitting missing puzzle pieces together.

“You’ll see me when you need me.. but I’ll always be there.” You pursed your lips in a pout and he smiled again, taking his hand once tangled in your hair and running it slowly, methodically over your furrowed brow, smoothing the skin there and allowing your features to find solace again. “and why don’t you give me a name that you like, y/n.” He offered, his voice softer than you had heard it before, no amusement, only timid hope.

A name. Something so uniquely human. Something lovingly crafted for an individual. Something that holds meaning and myth. Something totally your own. You frowned in thought for a moment and he watched as your eyes glazed over patiently. Suddenly, you sat up rigidly, turning to face him, leaning closer then you had ever been previously. The sudden movement startled him, causing him to laugh awkwardly, his eyes blown wide while staring at your expectant and excited face.

“I’ve got it! I’m going to call you Felix!” You exclaimed. He furrowed his brow, tilting his head and repeating the syllables slowly, testing the way they tasted on his lips. Then he smiled at you teasingly, taking your breath away briefly. You rushed to find some way to explain yourself before the heat fighting it’s way up your neck found your cheeks. You stared into his eyes determined before explaining. “It means happiness. I found happiness tonight, here with you, when I couldn’t back there. They may not ever make me happy, but I have you. My happiness. My Felix.” You finished, grinning widely, appeased.

His grin couldn’t be contained as he laughed softly at how cute you could be. As he let his grin take over his features he let his eyes drift over your close proximity. His fingers began to unfold from between yours, drifting their way up your wrist, feeling your rushing heart beat. They slowly danced over your shoulder making you shiver slightly, as he noticed his teeth took purchase in his bottom lip, the movement catching your eye. His fingertips barely tickled the skin of your neck, causing goosebumps to break out over your skin. Once his hand pushed your hair back, tucking it behind your ear you could hear your own breathing, practically panting at his gentle actions. The longing in your eyes causing his eyes to become hooded with a guarded emotion.

Slowly, his hand found its place on your cheek, his cool palm was in great contrast to your too warm skin. You reveled in the feeling, yearning to remember the way this solace felt in this moment. He smiled softly, a flash of teeth all you could see before he was leaning in tenderly. He allowed you to make the moves on your own as well, only continuing forward when you would and only you were both nearly touching, so close you were breathing the same air, he allowed himself a glance at your pink lips. His tongue darted out to wet his own lips before he pulled back slightly a serious expression on his face.

“Can I?” His voice came out breathy, heavy with something you couldn’t name. You smiled softly, pleased with his ability to ask, always thinking of your feelings first. You couldn’t even resist long enough to answer before you were wrapping some of your fingers around his larger wrist, tangling the others in his too pretty hair, pulling his face towards yours and connecting your lips together passionately.

This kiss was unlike anything you had ever heard of, instead of sparks and passion it was butterflies and subtle hints of laughter you could feel bubbling in your chest. The kiss was lingering and slightly bittersweet. You could taste the saltiness on your lips from your tears mixing with the sweetness of his lips on yours. It was perfectly melancholy and grossly beautiful. Tragedy in the form of serendipity.

As you parted Felix’s hands soothed your cheeks and wiped your tears, a smile playing jokingly on his lips. He poked your nose and leaned forward to kiss your forehead lovingly. You smiled through the onslaught of tears and gasped at the dawning sky above you now. Your eyes frantically searched for stars you knew you wouldn’t be able to see anymore, until they fell on Felix’s sad expression. He tried to smile softly for your sake as he stroked your cheek gently.

He then removed himself from you, before standing and helping you up as well. Once you were both standing, staring at each other with eyes full of unspoken words he breathed in deeply before leaning in to plant another swift, stolen kiss on your lips. You smiled as he pulled away, staring at the way his handsome features curled in amusement at your shocked form. He then, without your noticing, had moved his hand to the back of your head and with a soft mutter of words he knew you wouldn’t understand, you were suddenly unconscious in his arms. He lifted you, bridal style, and began walking back towards the forest where you had first met.

——

Once you all were back to the castle, a gentle breeze swaying the curtains, he laid you tenderly on your bed, smoothing your hair out around you and covering you with your own cushion-like blankets.

“Forgive me, princess. I usually would have asked.” He laughed quietly as you stirred in your sleep, as stubborn as you would have been awake. “I won’t be here when you awaken, but I’ll be back for you. You never have to be alone.” He slowly leaned forward, delicately placing a feathery light kiss on your lips. He made his way back to the window, tiptoeing as to not wake you, before turning to get one final glance at you.

“I’ll stay for you, y/n. Always.” He said, the ghost of a smile gracing his lips as a singular tear, the color of moonlight fell from his eye before all that was left in the room was a lonely princess and a gentle, light air dancing through the window like laughter and stolen kisses on a night only two will remember.

——————

[donutloverxo]

Never been kissed

Authors notes- this is for @official-and-unstable-satan she needed some Nat I added Steve cause I'm a hoe. It's also inspired by that hot scene in game of thrones where that handmaid teaches khaleesi how to be dominant. Also if you ever wonder what I'm like irl I'm exactly like Drew Barrymore. Happy reading 💕

Please do not steal or repost my work. Reblogs are welcome.

Summary- You're nervous about being intimate with Steve because you're inexperienced. Natasha guides you.

Pairing- Steve Rogers x reader, Natasha Romanov x reader

Warnings- smut, virgin reader, inexperienced reader

Word count- 1.5k

Masterlist

You clutched your small purse to your stomach nervously. This was yours and Steves first date. You knew what was expected at the end of a date. You had seen your fair share of movies and heard all about it from your friends.

You both looked at each other trying to make small talk to ease the tension. This was the part where he gives you a good night kiss. Then you feel fireworks going off or get butterflies in your stomach.

The only thing was... you had never felt butterflies. You had never been in love or really kissed someone. The kisses you did have were small pecks or drunken mistakes while playing truth or dare.

You knew very well it was strange for someone as old as you to not only be a virgin but also not knowing how to kiss. But you never got the chance. You always felt love would find you instead of the other way around.

And find you it did. In the form of Steve Rogers. You had been in love with him ever since you met him. He made you feel things you had only ever read about. After months of dancing around each other he finally gathered the courage to ask you out.

You would be the world’s biggest idiot to say no. So here you were. Wondering whether you should grab his face and kiss him silly or just go for a good old fashioned hug. It was quite a dilemma.

Maybe you can order one of those toy rubber mouths or faces you’d heard about to practice? No nope. You didn’t need anymore reasons to be called a weirdo.

Steve caged you in by leaning slightly on your door. You knew what was on his mind.

You were always hypnotised by his cushiony dark pink lips. You’d fantasied million times about how they would feel on your lips.

“Alright good night”, you blurt out and turn around to open the door stepping inside.

He blinks a couple of times staring at you wondering what he did wrong. “Good night.” He says not so sure of himself. “I’ll see you soon?”

***

You needed some guidance and you needed it fast. Before your second date with Steve. So you don’t make a bigger idiot out of yourself.

So you called the first person you could think of. Natasha Romanov. She oozed sex appeal. You knew she was an expert because you’d seen her playing men to get what she wants. She reminded you of a femme fatale. While you may not be the best of friends yet. She agreed to help you.

You were fiddling with the helm of your dress, sitting on Natashas couch beside her, sipping on some wine to calm your nerves.

“So what do you want to learn?”, she asked swriling her wine in her glass. Leaning back on the couch propping her feet up on her coffee table.

She was wearing a camisole and some short shorts. Her breasts falling out of the tight little thing. You tried not to stare for too long. You didn’t want to be rude.

You had always been attracted to Natasha. Looking at her made you question your sexuality.

“I... you’ll laugh at me”, you huffed like a child.

She chuckled at that before covering her mouth. “I’m sorry. I promise I won’t”

You give her a small smile nodding. “I’ve never kissed anyone before. Or well never properly kissed anyone before. I don’t know how...” you trailed off looking away from her.

She put her glass on the coffee table before scooting closer to you. She grabbed your chin to make you look at her. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. Trust me I can teach you.”

She winks at you taking your glass from you putting it on the coffee table. You move your body to face her. Your eyes fixated on her lips. They were a lot like Steve’s, maybe a tad darker in color. “Can I kiss you?”, she asked caressing your cheek.

You eagerly nodded your head. She pulled your head in and lightly touched her lips with yours. Not really knowing what to do with your hand you choose to settle them on her waist. You felt a slight tingle between your legs when your breasts touched. You so desperately wanted to touch, squeeze, grope them. But you refrained yourself. She was helping you. You can’t take advantage of her.

You feel her squeezing your lower back. She pulled away just an inch to say. “Open your mouth”

You instantly followed her command slightly opening your mouth. She slid her tongue in yours. You made a mental note of how she played with your tongue and stroked it with hers. How she moved her velvety lips against yours making soft squishy noises.

You both pulled away gasping for breathes. “You’re a natural.” She said playing with your hair.

You smiled and shivered at the praise. Which didn’t go unnoticed by her. She had also seen you check out her breasts and her butt more than once. She looked down at her cleavage. She couldn’t really blame you her nipples were protruding through her skin tight black camisole.

“You wanna touch?” She couldn’t help but play with you and only feel slightly sorry about it.

You raised your hands shyly to touch them. You gave them a slight squeeze before quickly retrieving your hands.

“Let’s move on to something more challenging.” she said taking your hand pulling you to her bedroom.

Next thing you knew she grinding on your hips on top of you. While it didn’t necessarily stimulate you in anyway, it was amazing to see her like that. A flimsy strap of her camisole fell down from her shoulder.

“People who appear controlling, put together”, she breathes while still grinding fastening her pace “always want to let lose and be dominated. You’ll have to take control when you’re with cap” she threw head back.

You stared at her wide eyed. You didn’t tell her about Steve. But then again nothing really gets by her. She came with a scream her shorts and your dress ruined.

“I got carried away there” She gulped around nothing. With you looking at her like that. What else was she supposed to do? “Have you ever had an orgasm?”

You gasp lightly looking away from her staring at the ceiling. You had tried to get yourself off many times. Either it didn’t work or you weren’t sure if it worked. You uncertainly looked back at her shaking your head.

“Well it’s only fair that I return the favor.” She moved down a bit and settled between your thighs pushing them apart. You were torn between pushing her away or pushing her towards your crotch. She shoved your dress up to your stomach and pulling down your panties exposing your pussy to her.

She touched your lips, lightly grazing over your clit. Your gasps and breathes turning her on and encouraging her even more so. She rubbed your clit between her thumb and her finger. It didn’t take her long to find it. Not with you being so responsive. You thrashed and squirmed on the bed. You had never felt so good. You wanted her to stop but at the same time you needed her to keep going at all costs.

You whined when she removed her fingers. She grabbed your hand leading it to your clit. She taught you how to roll it and stroke it with your fingers.

“Keep going” She demanded watching you roll it like she was just a minute ago. She pushed a finger inside you and then another. When you stopped she ordered you to keep rolling it again. In a tone that left no room for negotiation.

She pumped her fingers in and out of you staring at them shining in your juices. You felt yourself clenching around her fingers.

“I think I’m coming” You moaned. She swatted your hand away replacing it with her mouth, harshly sucking on your clit whilst still pumping her fingers in and out of you.

You came screaming gushing all around her mouth and finger. White spots surrounded your sight. You vaguely heard Natasha saying something about you being a squirter.

You came back to earth in a few minutes looking down to see Natasha's chin propped on your stomach smiling at you.

“Rogers is one lucky guy”

You blushed at that looking away. She helped you put your panties back on.

“Remember you don’t ever have to do anything you’re not comfortable with”, she said as you were putting your shoes back on to leave.

“I won’t”, you smiled at her. She gave you a small peck on your lips as a goodbye.

You couldn’t wait to try the things you’d learned with Steve. Maybe you could ask Natasha for advice again. There was still so much more to learn.

[tchallasbabymama]

The Temple- Chapter 1/?

N’Jadaka x OC

A/N: I thought this was going to be a two parter, but now it’s looking like maaaaybe 3? I’m just now getting back into my writing and forgot how longwinded I can be lol. Enjoy! 

CW: short mention of suicidal ideation

Previous chapter: Prologue

3256 Words

N’Jadaka’s eyes blinked open and he was met with yet another day in Wakanda. This one was a little different than all his other mornings there because it was the first time he got to wake up in his own bed in his own quarters (outside of that one day he was king.) N’Jadaka had spent the last three months in a psychiatric treatment facility working on his anger and mental health issues. When he woke up after the civil war he caused he was livid. He had wanted to die on that mountain and unfortunately the feeling didn’t leave him until about a month into his treatment. He felt he had nothing to live for since his entire life’s work had gone up in flames before his eyes. He accomplished his one goal in life only to have it snatched back from him a day later. Everything important to him in his life had been taken from him and he felt he had nothing else to live for, so his cousin, King T’Challa, arranged for N’Jadaka to spend some time at Ithemba Center for Mental Wellness. 

He would never admit it out loud, but N’Jadaka was scared to go to Ithemba. He thought his stint as king would have turned Wakandans against him, but it did the opposite. The royal family had decided that transparency was the best policy and did a press conference explaining the entire situation to the people. T’Challa explained what had happened between his father and uncle, what the prince’s life had been like up to that point, and the fact that while he did usurp the throne he did it the right way according to Wakandan law so he wouldn't be charged with treason. The people of Wakanda were shocked, but welcomed their new prince with open arms. He wasn’t aware of the new developments because he was still resting in a healing pod in Shuri’s lab at the time, but when he went to Ithemba he was surprised to find out that everybody already knew him and was more than willing to help him. N’Jadaka hadn’t received that much care and attention since he was a child and he didn't really know how to handle it. It took him weeks to learn how to open himself to others, and it wasn’t until his last month of treatment that he even began opening himself up to the other patients in group therapy.

N’Jadaka’s main therapist was a woman named Ife. She reminded him so much of his mother that he had almost no choice but to open himself to her, crying in her lap during their first couple sessions. Ife had been incredibly patient with the emotional yet emotionally repressed prince, allowing him to work through his overwhelming feelings of anger, sadness, and hurt. 

His time with Ife and the other patients at the center had been incredibly healing and he felt like a new man. He still felt like he had a ways to go, and he could tell he needed something, but couldn’t figure out what. His healing didn’t feel anywhere close to being done.

A knock at the door interrupted his morning laziness.

“Ngena.”

In walked the king of Wakanda flanked by two of his Dora Milaje, who he politely dismissed to stand outside the door. He walked across the room and sat in the plush velvet wingback chair by the full bookshelves.

“Sup man?” N’Jadaka barely opened his eyes to speak to his cousin. The bed was too comfortable.

“My apologies cousin, did I wake you?”

“Nah I’m up, this bed just won’t let me go.”

T’Challa chuckled at his cousin’s laziness. He completely understood, the beds were the most comfortable beds he’d experienced in all of his travels and time abroad in school. 

“I just wanted to formally invite you to attend breakfast at 9. It’s casual, just family and whatever few friends are staying in the palace with us at the time. M’Baku will be joining us today.”

“The gorilla nigga?”

T’Challa tried and failed to stifle his laughter, which quickly spread to his slightly younger cousin.

“Yes the gorilla nigga.”

“Ooooh I’m telling M’Baku you said that. Better yet, I’m telling Auntie.”

“I’d really rather you not.”

N’Jadaka chuckled and wondered if this is how it always would’ve been if they had grown up together. The thought was more bitter than sweet, so he pushed it aside for the time being. 

“Maybe just this once.”

T’Challa grinned at his cousin and he also wondered how life would’ve been had they known each other their whole lives.

“Thank you. Oh and get up, it’s already 8:30” T’Challa stood and walked towards the door.

“These damn beds…” N’Jadaka shook his head and reluctantly flung the sheet back and swung his legs over the side of his bed, completely forgetting he slept naked. He rushed to cover himself in the king’s presence.

“Shit, my bad, man.” 

“For…?”

“Nigga I got my dick swinging!”

“You’re sorry for being naked? Wh- oh that’s right. We aren’t puritanical like you are used to in America. Nudity isn't scandalous here, it’s just a body. But I will leave and let you get ready. See you, umzala.”

N’Jadaka stood there shocked. He knew of Wakandan culture, but experiencing it was going to be an adjustment. Just how different were they? They were never affected by colonization so the oppressive white supremacist ideology wouldn’t exist there. He had a lot of unlearning to do and a lot of questions to ask his family.

He eventually shook himself out of his thoughts and made his way to the en suite bathroom. He turned on the shower using the touchpad and the water fell from the ceiling like rain. He scrubbed down in the vanilla chai body wash he had requested and afterwards he covered his skin in shea butter. He walked into his enormous closet and stood there overwhelmed at the choices. His inner child wanted to throw a fit for everything he’d missed out on, but N’Jadaka took a deep breath to center himself before walking over to the section of clothes that he recognized. He was so nervous about breakfast he almost dressed to impress, but then he remembered T’Challa’s words and casual outfit. He grabbed his Lost Tribe hoodie and threw on his favorite black jeans and his Timbs. He swooped all his locs to one side of his head and threw on his gold glasses. N’Jadaka took a deep breath and walked towards the door.

“Chill out...it’ll be fine.”

The guards stationed outside his door directed him to the dining room where he was met with the smiling faces of his family members. Ramonda was the first to notice he’d entered the room..

“Mholo, umtshana!”

She met him for a hug and kissed his cheek. He smiled so hard his dimples looked deeper than ever and he hugged her back.

“Mornin, Auntie. T, Lil Bit, Charlie’s Angel, Big Man.” N’Jadaka greeted his cousins, Nakia, and M’Baku.

Yet again, T’Challa failed to stifle a laugh, which he tried to play off with a cough. Nakia lightly backhanded his chest and sucked her teeth at him. 

“Little bit? Don't start with me, bubble wrap!”

“Who is Charlie and why am I their angel?”

“That is not my name.”

Shuri, Nakia, and M’Baku spoke over each other.

Thankfully the queen mother was there to settle the children down right as the food was being brought out. N’Jadaka looked at the table and was surprised to see that Ramonda was seated next to T’Challa and that the only empty seat was at the end of the table. 

The king noticed N’Jadaka’s nervousness as he watched him sit down gingerly and take in his surroundings. 

“So N’Jadaka, how was your first night in the palace? Our beds are the most comfortable in the world.”

“Auntie, I almost didn’t come to breakfast. That bed had a hold on me.”

“You must come visit my people sometimes. If you think you sleep good here, wait until you have the crisp mountain air-”

“Nah lemme stop you right there. Crisp is code for cold, and I don't do that shit. Sorry Auntie.”

“I don't do that shit either. When I was staying there I shivered the whole time, even with the beautiful furs and blankets! I’m just not built for the cold.”

N’Jadaka grimaced at the mention of his time as a burgeoning world dictator. He was thankful nobody noticed.

He was also thankful for the large platters of food the kitchen staff came and sat in front of them. They passed the food around the table and soon enough there was silence as everyone dug into what N’Jadaka would later describe as the best meal he ever had.

After breakfast, the three men retired to T’Challa’s office while the princess hurried off to her lab, Nakia disappeared, and Ramonda tended to her garden. 

“So, N’Jadaka...I wanted to talk to you about a few things-”

“Then why is Mighty Joe Young here?”

M’Baku rolled his eyes.

“Again, that is not my name. Who even is this person?”

“It’s a big ass gorilla.”

“Oh- well in that case…”

T’Challa cleared his throat.

“As I was saying. Before anything, we need to address your crowning ceremony. Obviously you are part of the royal family, but by Wakandan law, all royalty must be officially crowned to be able to hold a title. If you would like to be Prince N’Jadaka son of Prince N’Jobu we must have the ceremony.”

N’Jadaka’s voice caught in his throat and his eyes got misty.

“Yeah, I’d like that.”

M’Baku put a hand on his shoulder.

“It’s good to have you, brother.”

“Good to be here.”

T’Challa fought tears of his own.

“Ok so uh, that’s that. We can hash those details out later. Now, the second thing I wanted to bring up with you is this: M’Baku and Nakia have offered to show you around the merchant tribe here in the city, the river tribe, and Jabariland. Shuri will get you acquainted with the mining tribe, and I will take you out to the border tribe on Wednesday.”

“Aight, sounds like a plan, but I don’t want the surface-level touristy shit.”

T’Challa chuckled.

“Noted. Now, lastly,” T’Challa pulled up a projection of a futuristic yet somehow still modern building next to a basketball court. 

N’Jadaka’s stomach dropped.

“What is this?”

“I want to open our borders to the ‘Lost Tribe’ as you call it. Maybe to the rest of the world eventually, but at the time they are less of a concern. In addition to that, I-”

The king was cut off by Nakia entering the room.

“Perfect time, love.”

“Sorry for being late, this baby runs my life now.”

“I’m getting a baby cousin?!”

Nakia looked at him dryly.

“Yes, N’Jadaka, you are getting a baby cousin.”

He peeped her attitude and settled down. If there was one thing he knew in this world, it was never piss of a pregnant woman.

“So the Outreach Centers, yes. I had actually had the idea for a while, but it took the country almost burning down for this idiot to see I was right. T’Challa had the idea to use your old apartment complex as the first Wakandan Outreach Center. Hopefully if it goes well, we could expand to-”

N’Jadaka zoned out staring at the projection. His vision may not have come true in the way he thought it would, but this would certainly be a step towards the betterment of the lives of Black people everywhere. N’Jadaka couldn't help but grin. 

“I think we lost him…”

“Cousin!”

He snapped out of his daze.

“Yeah I-I like it. Thank you, this really means a lot. One thing though?”

“Yes?”

“I want it dedicated to my pops.”

T’Challa smiled and zoomed in on the name above the door. It read “Prince N’Jobu’s Wakandan Outreach Center”. Then he took them on a 3-D tour of the facility, ending with the memorial to N’Jobu in room 1401.

N’Jadaka nearly broke down in tears.

“Cool. Thanks, man. For everything. This is…” N’Jadaka took a deep breath. “Just, thanks…”

The other three Wakandans smiled back at him fondly, an occurrence it seemed he would have to get used to. 

“I’m glad you like it. Now if you three will excuse me, I have work to do.”

Nakia kissed T’Challa’s forehead and left the room.

 “Aight, I need something lighthearted. A nigga is tired of crying. Oh! Actually I got some questions…”

“Ask away.”

“So earlier you mentioned how free and open and shit yall are here...I’m single and haven’t had any in like 6 months so where can I go to find some pussy. Since I’m a prince do I just like, I don't know, have concubines brought to me? I don't know how this works”

M’Baku snorted.

“Clearly.”

N’Jadaka flipped him off while T’Challa answered.

“No, we do not have ‘concubines’ though we do sort of have sex workers, which we can discuss later. You know, it would do you good to read some Wakandan history books...and maybe even some of our sex education material.”

“Ay man, I already know all that.”

“Not the way we teach it. Plus our birth control is better here.”

“More effective?”

“And no side effects. Trust me, you’ll want to visit the library at the end of the hall, cousin.”

N’Jadaka considered his suggestion and made a mental note to check out the library later that day.

“Yes, maybe you’ll learn a thing or two,” M’Baku chimed in.

“My guy, I know how sex works! I’m just curious about the culture surrounding sex. T, you said y'all aren’t puritanical like America...expand on that.”

“Well the list of books I just sent to your beads would be able to cover this in greater detail than I can at the moment, but basically every preconceived notion you have about sex, gender, attraction, etc. has been tainted by colonialism as a means of control over the population.”

“Hanuman…”

“Yeah I know that, I guess I just can’t really conceptualize a world without all that sexism and homophobia and shit.”

“What is homophobia?” M’Baku asked, genuinely confused. The cousins answered at the same time.

“When people hate gay niggas.”

“The hatred of, or at least the disdain for, those who are attracted to their same gender.”

“And we ain't even getting into the people who aren't men or women, that shit blows people's minds.”

“Why?”

The cousins continued to explain the outside world to M’Baku for what felt like hours. T’Challa looked at the clock and stood.

“Well gentlemen, as...depressing as this conversation has been, we must get to the council meeting.”

“I need a drink after that. The strongest Jabari mead!”

“Yeah imagine living with that shit for 30 years then coming here. I’m not gonna know how to act.”

“You’ll learn.”

The three made their way to the council meeting and N’Jadaka had never been so bored in all of his life. He started nodding off at one point and M’Baku elbowed him in his side when he started to snore. When it was finally over they parted ways and N’Jadaka headed to the library. He had plenty of reading to do.

He started with the Wakandan history books reading about the lives of his ancestors. His fathers stories had given him a good foundation to build on, but what he found in the books blew his mind. 

Wakandans can trace their history for thousands of years, all the way back to the time of the great Bashenga, the first Black Panther. Growing up as a Black American, N’Jadaka had no connection to his mother’s family history because there was no record. When the Lost Tribe was enslaved and brought to the west, they were recorded as cargo, not people. The enslavers didn’t care about their names or where they came from, and when they got to shore their families continued to be ripped apart and sold to the highest bidder. They weren’t allowed to play drums and congregate, they weren’t allowed to read, they weren’t allowed to marry. There was no written record of his people, and the most they could go on was family bibles which almost never went back before the mid 1800s. 

N’Jadaka was overwhelmed with the information, so he decided to switch to something else and come back to the history books later. He picked up “Intimacy and Sex” by Ami Nbunda and flipped through the pages. He skimmed the table of contents and was surprised by what he saw.

The first chapter was on anatomy, but it actually included intersex people instead of just focusing on male and female bodies. The next chapter was about loving and respecting yourself and others, but not in the slut-shaming way of the outside world. The next few chapters were on the mental and emotional sides of intimacy, and the last few were on birth control, sexual health, attraction, healthy communication, and more resources. 

The prince couldn’t believe what he was seeing as he flipped through the pages. He stopped on a full-color photo of a vulva with all the parts labeled.

“This is for kids? Damn, we really living in two different worlds. America would never.”

He turned the page and saw a to-scale model of the entire clitoris, and his eyes bugged out of his head. 

“That shit’s a whole wishbone…”

He continued to read through the pages in awe. M’Baku was right, he was learning a thing or two.

N’Jadaka spent the whole day in the library reading book after book on everything he could get his hands on. If it hadn’t been for his guards alerting him to the time, he would’ve missed dinner. He grabbed the last two books and went to drop them in his quarters before heading to dinner.

“Umzala, have you been in the library this whole time?”

“Yeah man, it’s a lot to take in. I might have to take that sex ed book back to the states.”

“We plan on doing just that at the Outreach Centers. Comprehensive sex education is a necessity, and since your government prefers to keep people in the dark about how their own bodies work it will be our job to educate those who come through our doors. All but the last chapter, of course.” 

T’Challa winked and N’Jadaka felt like he had missed something.

“You mean the resources? Makes sense, those books wouldn't be available outs-”

“Not the books, dear, the Temple.” Ramonda chimed in.

“The what? I ain't got that far yet.”

Shuri rounded the corner and N’Jadaka expected the conversation to stop, but no.

“Remember earlier when you asked about concubines and I said we have sex workers?”

Ramonda cut her eyes at N’Jadaka as he nodded.

“Well that term doesn’t quite encompass what they do. They are sexual healers blessed by Bast herself and they reside in the Temple of Healing on the outskirts of the city near the Land of the Dead. They are known as the Daughters of Bast.”

“Now I feel bad for calling them concubines.”

“You should.” Ramonda said as she slapped him upside the head.

“Ow Auntie, damn”

T’Challa was thankful that his mother had someone else to fuss over, and he chuckled.

“I think it would be a good idea for you to pay them a visit. They are healers, after all.”

Next Chapter

[writtenonreceipts]

words words words the fanfic saga continues...should have another part up by this weekend.  Thanks for the wonderful comments and support for the first part, y’all have no idea how much it means!

TW: Angst, anxiety, depression, talk about death, drug references, alcohol references.  (I’d honestly say the drug and alcohol are pretty mild but I just want to be safe for ya)

They are the runaways. Before she manages to return home with her basement full of demons, Aelin meets Rowan.  Several times. Set within the events of THIS fic. Part three. Throne of Glass modern AU

# 

hello, good-bye (part 2)

It is a year after she meets him for the first time.

Technically it is their fourth meeting.  But the other three don’t count.  Not really.

The first time they met she’d just overdosed and was sitting in a hospital bed wondering what the best route of escape was.  Lysandra slept over her legs, drooling.  Aelin had no recollection of how she got in the hospital.  Nothing beyond the needle, the pills, the desperation.

The second time they met she vomited on his shoes.  They were damn nice ones too.  She offered no apology other than the fact it was his own damn fault she was going through withdrawal symptoms.  It was his own damn fault for being so annoying.  And why was he covered in cartoon stickers?

The third time they met they weren’t supposed to know names.  They weren’t supposed to know histories.  They weren’t supposed to be there together.  Even though they found themselves in the same uncomfortable chairs staring over the same stale coffee.  They were supposed to share stories of support and weakness.  Those meetings were always worthless in her opinion.

So this is really the first time they meet.

Aelin is sitting in a coffee shop sipping on her chocolate hazelnut blended double espresso with extra whipped cream when she sees him.

He’s impossible to miss really.  Tall and broad shouldered his physic is certainly glorious to behold.  Not to mention the tan skin that gleams with post-workout sweat.  His hair is silver and hangs to his shoulders, longer than when she first saw him. But that time doesn’t count, she reminds herself.

The little shop is full of the late afternoon crowd of caffeine seekers and rain avoiders.  And with the deluge going on outside, quite a few people have sought refuge.  Aelin wants to be annoyed, but she reminds herself that she is one of those rain avoiders.

And between watching the rain or watching the group of teenage girls giggle of text messages—Aelin decides on watching him as he orders.  She doesn’t know why.  It’s not like she’ll say anything to him.  Better to be as far from his as possible.  Because as much as she doesn’t want to—she really does remember him.  He is cold, harsh, broody.  She knows he has a past, but with the snippets she’s gotten. It’s a hard one.  Dark and cruel.  

He doesn’t notice her until his name is called.  Rowan. And he’s taking the first sip of the double espresso with caramel and vanilla.  She’d always thought he’d be the black coffee sort.  He’s turning to find a spare table and his eyes meet hers.

She’d never admit it to anyone, but she’s always loved his eyes.  From the day she woke up in that hospital bed those rich green eyes have haunted her.

Aelin fingers one of her many scars—the one on her right hand, over her knuckles—and she considers what it would be like to not feel so alone.  Because right there, even with barely three feet between them, another human being has never felt so far away.

Her fingers move to the inside of her wrist where the thinner scars reside.  So far away.

“This chair taken?” His voice is low and brisk.

Aelin looks up at him. She shrugs, not even bothering to blush or play coy or something else she might have done once. “No.”

It’s not like he’ll try and talk to her.  Anonymity is his life.  From the hospital where he works to the meetings he attends.  He has no ties to her.  It’s not like she wants any either.  She knows his condescending look.  Which really is hypocritical when you think about it.  If he’s an addict too, he can’t judge her.  Can he?

But she judges him. Because what else can she do?  She judges him for barely talking to her in the hospital.  At the meetings.  She judges him for the stupid sticker he gave her where he scrawled a meeting location and phone number.  She judges him for never really talking about what he’s gone through.  Because how can you change and get better when you don’t accept the past?

She’s a hypocrite too.

“What?” she asks realizing in her stupor he’s actually decided to talk to her.

“Your bag?” He repeats, a single eyebrow raised.

Aelin fumbles realizing her too big purse is sitting in the proffered chair.  She snatches it up and takes it into her lap.  Maybe that will help the way she shakes and the feeling of panic welling up inside her.  Why is she so focused on him with scenarios dancing in her mind of things that will never happen?  Things that are stupid.  Things that—

“I didn’t expect you to actually show up,” Rowan says.  

Aelin snaps her eyes to him as he drinks his coffee. “Excuse me?”

“To the meetings,” he replies.

“It’s none of your business,” she says, cold and sharp.  Her hackles are on the rise and already she’s debating her escape.

“No, I guess it’s not.”

“Why would you even care?” she asks.  They’ve sat in silence for too long and she doesn’t like it.  Even though she told herself there was no real reason to talk to him, she can’t help it.

He smirks. “I thought it was none of my business?”

She calls him a name and is slinging the strap of her purse over a shoulder.  

“Wait,” he says.  He holds up a placating hand but his face is unreadable. “Stay.”

Aelin glances outside where it’s started to rain.  She purses her lips and relaxes back into her seat.

“I’m Rowan,” he says finally. “Seeing as how we’ve never officially met.”

The wince is too hard to conceal or pass off as a shiver.  Aelin shrugs it off and doesn’t quite meet his gaze. “Aelin.”

He makes a noise in the back of his throat which causes Aelin to look up.  His eyes are narrowed slightly as one finger runs along the lip of his cup.  He’s scrutinizing her.  It’s like she is an open book before him.  Everything there is to know is tattooed upon her skin.  So, Aelin meets his eyes and holds that intense stare.

“I guess I’m still trying to figure you out,” he says. “I thought I’d have it down already.”

“Because I’m so easy? So like all the other girls who’ve fallen apart in your hospital?” Aelin replies.  Maybe it’s a cheap shot but she doesn’t care.

He cocks his head to the side but says nothing.  So she says nothing either.

And they remain that way until the rain has subsided and Aelin is safe to run out to her car and leave him behind.

#

Tucked in the pages of her favorite book, Aelin finds the sticker.  

It’s of a cartoon daisy with a smiling face in the center and happy yellow petals dancing out. It’s a terrible sticker really. Why would anyone think it was a good idea to create something like that?  But she ignores the thought because all she can do is trace the words and numbers on the back of the sticker.

She never bothered to remove the backing.  Never bothered to put the sticker on her car or phone or anywhere else but in her favorite book.  She doesn’t really know why.

But now she’s feeling the crushing blow of having lost another job.  It’s not her fault.  Not really. She can’t afford regular gas. She’s basically living out of her car. The only skirt she owns has bleach stains.  And she’s still craving like it’s only been a day since her last hit.

Maybe it is her fault. Everything is after all.

But those numbers scribbled on the backing of the sticker are written so neatly, so carefully—it would be a shame not to put them to good use.

So she puts them into her phone and dials.  It’s a miracle she still has a phone anymore honestly.  Or a car.  Or her favorite book.

“Hello?”

His voice is clipped. Aelin can tell how tired he is in that one word and the way it’s a sigh barely escaping his lips.

A small noise hisses out of her throat.

“Aelin.”  It’s not a question.  In the background she hears keys jingle and a door close and feet pounding on stairs. “Where are you?”

That is a wonderful question.

Somehow, Aelin realizes, she’s made it to her car.  It’s sitting in the middle of the parking lot of the restaurant where she used to work. She knows that without the money she would have gotten from tips she won’t be able to buy gas.

Before she can force herself not to, Aelin is telling him where to find her.  She’s promising that she’ll stay right there.  She’s promising that she’ll stay on the line.  Even as the panic seizes her and she is desperate. She is desperate for anything, anything, that will calm her down.

He arrives just as she’s manages to calm herself down.

I’m fine.  It’s fine.  Just breath.  Deeper than that.  Hold the air in.  Slow. Slow.  I’m Fine.  I’m fine.

Aelin untangles her fingers from her seatbelt as he gets out of his car. As he walks over to her, she pulls her self out of the seat and leans against the car.

“You didn’t have to come,” she says quickly.  “It’s fine. I overreacted.”

She just hopes the tear streaks on her cheeks aren’t that noticeable.  

“Are you hungry?” He asks, completely dismissing her words.

Aelin stares at him.

“There’s a pizza place just down the road,” he continues.  Rowan nods to the restaurant behind her.  “I’m guessing that one will be on your blacklist for a while.”

Did he just try and make a joke?  Aelin stares more intently.

“Come on,” Rowan says.

This time it’s more of an order and Aelin obliges.  

When they’re seated at the pizza place with water and breadsticks in front of them, Aelin notices the watch on his wrist.  Hot pink with Dora the Explorer on the face.

“What the hell is that?” She makes a face and stares at the watch.

Rowan glances down and shrugs.  “A watch.”

“Smart ass.  Why the hell do you still have it?”

“I need to tell time when I’m on shift and can’t pull out my phone.”

“It’s pink.”

“It’s a watch.”

She stares at him.  He stares right back.

Who is this man? She wonders.  Who is this man that is so arrogant and cold and confidant?  Who is he, so calm and capable?

She hates him for it. Hates him that he seems to have moved on from his past.  Hates him that he is so put together and not a wreck like her.  I bet he doesn’t have panic attacks in his car.  I bet he isn’t wondering the best way to cash in on his sobriety.

“You made it through the full sixty day run,” Rowan says, “you told me to keep track.”

“That was months ago,” she replies.  She can’t help but to glare at him.  But to hate him.

“And?” he presses. “How has it been?”

Aelin saves herself from responding by taking a long sip of water.  She looks around the restaurant.  It’s pretty small, but a cute place.  It has wood paneling, checkboard tablecloth, and a jukebox in one corner.  A family of four sits in one corner.

“Fine,” Aelin says. “Why do you care anyway?”

“Why’d you call me?” he returns.

Aelin doesn’t want to answer.  If she answered she’d have to explain why she can’t call Lysandra.  Which would lead into not being back in Terrasen.  Which would lead into why she met him in that hospital so long ago.

“What made you move out to Wendlyn?” she asks instead.  “Terrasen has a better medical program.”

“Family,” he says. Though, it comes out more like a growl. “Why would you move out to Wendlyn?”

“Family.”  

Both answers are an admission.  Both answers are pained.  Both answers are lies.

#

She doesn’t know how it escalated from there.  Between slightly hating him and slightly admiring him—Aelin talks with him every few days.  Sometimes she goes a week or two.  But she’ll always check in.  He has become a friend of sorts to her.  Which is good.  Otherwise she’d be right back to where she starting at the beginning of their relationship.  

But it’s not a relationship. It’s hardly anything at all.

Her phone rings at some unholy hour one night.  Aelin doesn’t know why, but she answers it.

“Hello?” she scratches out.

She is met with his breathing.  Unsure of what to do, Aelin remains quiet.  Her phone presses into her ear with heavy force until she’s sure she’s going to break something.

“Rowan?”

He makes a strangled noise on the other side and she’s kicking off her blankets, dancing around her tiny room for her shoes.

“Rowan, I’m coming over,” she says.

“No.” The word is barely a whisper. “No.  I’m at the hospital.”

She waits.

“There was an accident. Pregnant woman hit by a drunk driver. She stoked out on the table right before me.  Just died. And the baby too.  But that man…he just walked away.  Cut on his head and some bruised ribs.  He gets to walk away.”

Aelin wraps her fingers around her blanket tight enough her hand starts to hurt.  He’s told her once about his high school sweetheart.  Rowan was going to marry her.  Not just because she was pregnant but because he believed she was his soulmate.  The one. The only.  The end.

She’d been hit by a drunk driver on her way home from his apartment.  

That had been his end too. Drowning was the way he’d been determined to go.  Drowning by alcohol.

“Rowan,” Aelin whispers. She wishes she was at his side. If only to hold his hand or catch his tears before they fell.

“Talk to me?” he begs.

She tells him about Lysandra.  Her best friend.  The reason she made it away from Arobyn and Clarisse alive.  Then she talks about Aedion.  A cousin she doesn’t even know if he’s still alive or not.  She doesn’t talk about Sam though.  Not now.  But she talks about another friend whom she loved.  Little Elide who first dreamed of running away.  Aelin doesn’t know what happened to her, but she does know that’s where the idea first came from.

Be free.  Run.  Live.

Simple words.  Simple ideas.  And she tells him everything.  Right up until the sun begins to rise.

“Thank-you,” he says when her voice finally gives out.

“Rowan?” she begins then pauses unsure of what she really wants to say.

“Yeah?”

Aelin wants to invite him over.  Wants to say he can always come.  Always call. He’s not alone.  He never has been.  But the words dry up in her throat unlike the tears that are slowly tracking down her cheeks.

“Good-bye,” she says instead.

“Good-bye.”

#

tags:

@ tottenhamboys20

[creativelyderangedme]

Last Night Chapter 3

Previous chapter

Read on AO3

Before they could go gallivanting around Paris, though, Nino made a request to stop in at the club to deal with a last minute tab mix-up from the night before - which since it was on the way to the location tagged in the earliest posts of him and Ladybug, he didn't have a problem with it. It was also kind of hard to argue with a request from a guy literally planning on following you on a glorified scavenger hunt.

But before then, of course, there was also the matter of the strange hotel room mix-up that needed to be sorted out. 

So after combing over the room for anything else he might have left and changing into something a little more comfortable, both he and Nino went down to the front desk in the hotel lobby. 

The Huxton truly was a fantastically posh sort of place - giving off the air of old money with a mixture of fashionable millennial hipster charm. Warm leather chairs littered the open lobby, accented by the navy and bright reds of carpets and plush cushions, and deep greens of floral arrangements around the connecting room leading to the open terrace and bar and lounge. It was the kind of place Adrien could see himself spending a lot of time in given the chance. Something between the extravagance of his old room back at the mansion and a home he’d like to create some day; filled with things that were like him - things that screamed Adrien. 

But that was a day dream for another time.

"Good morning, Mr. Agreste, I hope your stay has been pleasant so far!" A young attendant beamed at him the moment they approached the desk. 

He recognized the bubbly blonde immediately, having been helped by her when they checked in the day before. 

Estelle was her name. 

He wondered briefly if they’d been professionally trained, or if Estelle always looked this perfectly coiffed and outwardly radiant and approachable. It sometimes took multiple cups of coffee before even he could muster the amount of charisma she seemed to have in spades. 

Adrien grimaced, but tried to hide it under a smile, "Please, just Adrien. And actually I think something happened last night and I wanted to apologize."

The young woman gave him a confused look but allowed him to continue without interruption.

"You see, I woke up in a completely different hotel room than the one we checked into yesterday, and for the life of me, I don't know how, and I am so sorry for any trouble that might have caused. I'll pay for the room and any damage fee to make up for it."

The receptionist merely blinked for a moment at his word vomit, her bubbly radiance flickering for a moment as she seemed to mentally ask herself how this always seemed to happen to her before turning back into a megawatt bulb of sunshine, "Oh! I-I see. Would you happen to remember the room number?"

"Yes, it was 414." Nino answered in his place, recognizing the mortification crawling up Adrien's spine.

Estelle nodded and quickly began typing at her terminal, silence and persistent tapping filling the void while they waited for the impending news. Though, the longer they stood there, the more confusion seemed to fill her expression, "a-actually, sir, while I'm not completely certain of the circumstances, it - it looks like you booked that room."

"What? No, I only booked the room you checked us into yesterday."

She smiled once more, though, this time it seemed a bit strained - as she turned the monitor so that he could see what she did, "it says here that this room was booked early this morning. It looks like Collette was the one to book the room for you. She's not set to arrive until later this afternoon, but I could give you a call when she does?"

Early this morning? If the time stamp was to be believed it was nearly four am when the room was booked. 

Staring at the screen wasn't giving him any further clues, so he nodded at the attendant.

"Yeah, please do. Thanks."

They began to walk away but Adrien stopped, turning back to the woman, "By chance, do you happen to remember seeing me leave here yesterday?"

Even as she appeared put off by the question, she answered him quickly.

"Yes. Both times. First with your friend and then again about an hour and a half later. Though, the second time you'd changed clothes. I remember because you asked me if I thought it looked too flashy for a club." She giggled good naturedly.

Nino snickered at his side, coughing to cover it up when Adrien scowled at him. 

Finally, they waved and headed out the hotel's main entrance.

If ever Adrien hated the reminder that alcohol was not his friend, it was then as he and Nino stepped out into the late-morning sun of a gorgeous day in Paris - where the combination of splitting headache and overwhelming nausea nearly brought him to his knees while his friend pulled up the Uber app to confirm their ride.

"You good dude?"

The blonde could only grunt in response, swallowing back the abundance of saliva in his mouth in an effort to keep from heaving.

Something that didn't exactly convince his best friend that he was in the clear, "You know they charge extra if you puke in the cars, right?"

"I'll - I'll be fine. Just give me a moment."

Nino hummed, watching him with a curious tilt to his brow, "I haven't seen you this fucked up since the day after your old man's arrest. Just how much did you drink last night anyways?"

The unwanted memory of sitting hunched over someone's (he doesn't exactly remember who's) toilet bowl while puking his guts up until he had nothing left in his system (then dry heaving for at least an hour after that) flashed in his mind. It was a party his friends had thrown to just celebrate the end of Hawkmoth's reign of terror. For him though, it had been an opportunity to forget that twenty-four hours prior to that, he'd unmasked his own father after the man had tried to kill him and his partner in the hopes of stealing their miraculous to bring back his comatose mother.

There had been a lot of things he'd wanted to forget. 

Unfortunately for him, he didn't have the tolerance for the alcohol he drank. Landing him in a nice cozy embrace with the porcelain throne the next day.

Apparently he still didn't have the tolerance.

Through his musings of the past, Adrien failed to notice his friend fishing something from his bag to hand to him until it was waving in his face.

A pair of aviators. 

The blonde thanked him before putting the glasses on, reducing the ever present sting of light on his hungover brain. And just in time as a car pulled up to take them to their destination.

The ride to the bar was blessedly short and Adrien had managed to keep his stomach from rolling for the most part, but was very thankful when they climbed out of the silver economy compact with a half hearted wave and 5 stars.

Looking up at the ostentatious entrance to Chez Moune, the blonde had the strangest rush of dejavu. Something about the gold embellished entrance trim sparking familiarity that he couldnt place.

Nino walked right past him and through the doors, making his way up to the main club room and Adrien shook off his thoughts to follow after. 

The former cabaret turned dance club was lit brightly for the early staff, stocking and preparing for another night of fun for tourists and local party seekers alike. 

It was a club that Nino had managed to land more than a couple gigs, and had reserved a portion of for the going away party they’d all thrown him the night before. Celebrating the next leg of his life...

I’m leaving town soon. Tonight I’m supposed to be celebrating...

The voice wrapped around him like a fine silk, beckoning him towards the edge of a memory. Red - he was surrounded by red and moving shadows. And if he listened hard enough, he could hear the pounding of a bass beat that synced with the beating of his heart - steady and rhythmic and sultry. 

There was the twinkling of bells riding on the coat-tails of a sweet voice.

You’ll get over it, I’m sure...

"Hey man - did you hear me?”

Adrien blinked, and the red club lights and shifting bodies disappeared, leaving an entirely too quiet empty bar and bright fluorescents. It took another moment before he realized he’d been asked a question, turning to look at Nino and ground himself in the present once more.

"Dude, you sure you’re good?"

His adam’s apple bobbed with the force of his swallow, but he nodded slowly. He was dizzy, and for the first time, not because he was hungover.

The blonde turned back to the bar and snippets pieced themselves together in his mind, bringing clarity to what felt like a fever dream.

"I actually did make it back."

"What?"

Adrien ran his tongue over parched lips, “I made it back to the club,” he said quietly, almost absently, but with much more confidence as he stared unseeing at a pair of bar chairs on the far side of the room.

There. 

That's where he'd seen her.

When he'd managed to make it back to the club and no one was the wiser of his identity behind the black mask, he'd looked up to find his friends, only for his eyes to lock on her almost immediately in the crowd.

Understatement of the year, but, It had been a total shock to his system. Knocking the breath clean from his chest as he took her in.

It wasn't the red mask or the signature pig-tails hidden beneath a chic rimmed hat that had given her away.

Funny enough, it was her skirt.

Maybe not funny, because the presence of that one article of clothing had turned his world on its head. 

It was more than possible he was mistaken. It could have been anyone.

But not just anyone could pull off ladybug spots. Which she did. Oh god she did. It was a long,  high-waisted skirt with a bow in the same fabric on her hip. 

But he'd remember that skirt anywhere. She'd only ever worn it one other time, afterall, and it was the last time he'd seen her, so the memory of her outfit from that day was burned into his memory.

It had to be her.

Right? 

Adrien ignored the crowd as he made his way over to her, all the while his heart raced and mind fumbled over what he was going to say. The nerves were killing him. What if he was wrong? What if this was a complete stranger and he made an absolute fool of himself.

But what if it was her, a voice pushed in the back of his head, sounding suspiciously like Plagg. 

He fought himself the entire way over, his mind completely unaware of the body's natural magnetism to the woman until he was standing close enough he could reach out.

It was now or never.

“What’s a lady like you doing in a place like this?”

Mentally, he'd face-palmed at the absolutely horrid words spilling from his mouth. Seriously? That's what he went with?

The lady in question rolled her eyes at what was probably not the first pick-up line she’d heard that evening, turning to look at him, blue eyes flashing with something close to shock and recognition before a brow pulled up under her mask. 

She searched him for a moment. 

The longest moment of his life. 

Those eyes (if he was right, and he was positive that he was - oh god please let him be right) had always been so expressive - and he could see everything as it flashed in her expression; uncertainty, disbelief, reluctant recognition again before a smirk slowly graced her perfectly painted red lips, “Really? That’s the best you got?”

"For now, yes.” He nodded decisively, before finally taking the open seat next to her, “Though it did get you talking to me, so, I count that as a win."

She eyed him critically again before commenting, "Smooth."

"I try."

"Too hard."

He chuckled, because she always had been quite sharp-tongued and feisty. Good to see that hadn’t changed. “You never did answer my earlier question, though.”

"Why should I? You're a stranger in a bar."

Maybe, maybe not, he wanted to say, but thought better of trying to be too pushy.

"That's fair. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

He could see her eyeing him critically out of his peripherals. 

“I’m leaving town soon. Tonight I’m supposed to be celebrating, but it just doesn’t feel right.”

He didn't let the grin spread over his lips at having gotten an answer, but did nod along, “I understand the feeling.”

“Oh?”

“As it turns out, I’ll be leaving town soon as well. And I too am supposed to be celebrating.” what were the chances they'd both be here celebrating? Slim to nil.

“So what’s your excuse?”

“Well, I saw this lovely lady sitting at the bar and felt it was my sworn duty to keep her company.”

The masked woman snorted a chuckle, trying desperately to hide the amused grin as she brought her drink to her lips, “Wow. That was worse than your intro.”

“Meowch. You wound me!”

He caught the way her eyes cut back over him at the pun before answering, “You’ll get over it, I’m sure.” Laughing lightly into the back of her hand, sweetly, like twinkling bells.

He could spend eternity getting lost in the sounds she made, but he had a mission. He could not allow himself to be distracted.

He waved over a bartender and ordered a rum and coke, throwing a few bills on the counter, exchanging currency for liquid courage before turning back to his companion.

“Why doesn’t it feel right to be celebrating?”

She hummed, considering her words as she peered over at him and the drink he made himself busy consuming, then turning back to stare at the glass she passed back and forth between her fingers on the bar top, "There was - something I had hoped to do before I left Paris, but I don't think that's possible anymore… I missed my chance."

Missed her chance? Adrien fought every instinct in his body urging him to envelope this woman in his arms and tell her it wasn't too late - but he had no idea what she was referring to.

And it hadn't been her that had missed their chance. No, the blame for that was solely on his shoulders. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that." He murmured softly, not quite sure what else to say to her confession. 

Which left them sitting in an awkward silence that neither seemed to know how to dissipate. Both turning to finish their respective drinks.

That is, until the bartender came back around not five minutes after their glasses were empty with a fresh drink for the both of them.

Adrien’s masked companion immediately went to rectify the oversight, “Oh! But I-”

“On the house.” The bartender smiled, looking between the two of them - a kid in a candy store kind of giddiness to his stare, nodding his head like he was trying to find the right words to say before settling on, “And thanks. For everything.”

Both Adrien and his masked companion’s eyes widened at his words.

Neither confirming or denying his claims.

And the bartender didn’t stick around long enough for them to do so, either.

There was a moment where both of them just sat there staring at the drinks placed in front of them. Like taking the drinks would confirm every suspicion dancing between them. 

“I-it was almost like he recognized us or… something…” She said softly, and had it not been for his enhanced hearing, he probably would have missed it. She reached out and took the drink and Adrien watched as she stared at it, the faintest hint of a smile pulling at the corner of her lips. A soft yet sad far away look in her eyes.

A small chuckle escaped him as he too took his drink, “... or something.” He confirmed.

They were dancing around their identities again. It was so familiar and so frustrating, but he didn’t dare broach the subject in fear of breaking whatever spell kept her seated next to him instead of leaving. 

Because she had every right to.

She had every right to get up and leave and never say another word to him. Disappear into anonymity like a ghost of his past destined to haunt his every waking thought, but dancing just out of reach.

So he accepted the drink and accepted the company even if it meant hiding behind masks again, because - God he missed her.

He missed the easy conversion. He missed the quiet moments spent on rooftops under the stars. He missed her chiding him for his jokes. And he missed the way she demanded he take care of himself. Like her happiness depended entirely on his wellbeing.

And despite everything, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't still irrevocably in love with her.

It wasn't until they'd both nearly finished their free rounds that something caught the lady’s eye and made her groan to herself.

"Whats with the sound of distaste?"

She hummed, and shook her head, remembering her audience of one, "nothing. Just saw something gross." She threw back the rest of her drink then turned back to him, “You know… this place is seriously beat.” grumbling, and looking for sympathy.

But instead, she would be met with a flash of inspiration across his face. “Then what are we waiting for?” he stood, nearly knocking over his chair, but steadied himself, reaching out to offer her his hand, “Let’s blow this joint.”

She sputtered a laugh as she looked between his face and the hand he outstretched to her, “And go where? Do what?”

What couldn’t they do? He smiled, feeling an overwhelming excitement take hold of him. Like he’d just transformed and he could feel the power Plagg once offered wash over him. “Everything.”

“Everything?”

He nodded, not at all deterred by the ‘you’ve grown two heads’ expression on her face, “You said you’re leaving town soon, right?"

"Yes?"

“Then, what would one night of fun hurt?”

Because right now, he was Chat Noir. He could leap great distances, climb towers, defeat evil. They could do anything as long as they were together. 

"B-but I don't even know you. You don't even know me!"

He grinned still, "Perhaps we know each other better than we think we do? Either way, we're two people about to leave Paris. We can't just go without giving the city one last chance to give us an adventure, right? Something sweet to remember it by."

She chuckled again, looking dazed and stricken, and trying to convince herself that the man before her was nothing but a creep trying to lure her away. She glanced at something over his shoulder, but her eyes kept coming back to rest on him. The indecision was being overshadowed by a spark of temptation in her features - something giving away how badly she wanted to say yes.

All he needed to do was give her a reason. 

“Would I ever steer you wrong, M’Lady?”

The mystery woman's eyes widened as Adrien made the comment, confirmation of his suspicions in a single gaze as he offered her his hand in invitation. He could have said anything, and she could have denied it. She could have brushed off the comment as him being a terrible flirt and told him to take a hike.

Instead, recognition lit her eyes like summer fireworks and painful tenderness filled her stare.

And despite everything, She took his hand.

"No, I suppose you wouldn't. Would you, Chaton?"

[theotherackerman]

Carry on My Wayward Son

COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Any recognizable elements belong either to Supernatural, Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses, or Attack on Titan.

Notes: 

The Fae deal mark is inspired by a court of thorns and roses. You can see it here

Zeke's necklace is Dean's from Supernatural.

The potions, Feywine, Mikasa's ring, Hange's bracelet, and Eren's necklace are all from DnD 5E.

If you want to see pictures of the jewelry, go here

CHAPTER FOUR: WHAT A STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN

Demon Deals were breakable.

No always but the demon could call off the deal.

Fae deals?

They were a whole different ball game.

Fae deals were more than just deals between two parties. They were a magical binding contract, more so than demon deal.

Once the deal was made a mark would appear on the skin of the two people who made the deal. One could mistake the mark for a tattoo.

Eren had not been wrong to think that Mikasa’s tattoo could have been a mark of a deal. However, Mikasa had truly just gotten the sigil of her mother’s clan on her skin in reminder of her.

The deals made with members of the Fae left a certain scent of magic on everything. Even humans could smell the magic in the air.

So the screams from Mikasa and the sweet, sticky smell of the fae deal caused Levi, Zeke, and Hange to rush into the basement.

"No. No. No. No. No. No," Mikasa muttered as she ran her hand over the black inked mark on her right shoulder.

If one didn't know what it was, it was easily mistaken for a tattoo.

"Mikasa…" Hange started.

"I never wanted to do this. I never wanted a deal," she muttered as she pulled her legs closer to her body.

Eren swallowed as he rolled up his sleeve to reveal the same mark on his left shoulder. It was identical.

"Yggdrasil," Hange whispered as they looked over Mikasa's mark. "It's the tree from Norse mythology. It holds all the nine realms within it. Interesting. What sort of deal did you two make? It's said the Fae deal mark is the deal in a physical."

"I don't know. I don't want this. Get it off, Hange. I want it off," Mikasa muttered as she closed her eyes.

Eren had never seen Mikasa like this. Even when he had said such hateful words to her, she hadn't broken like this.

"Eren? What happened?" Levi demanded.

"I don't know. I was just sitting here thinking about how she promised me that she wouldn't get hurt anymore. Then I muttered something and my arm started hurting," Eren replied as he pulled the sleeve of his shirt down.

"What did you say? Exactly. Words are very important to fae," Hange explained before pulling Mikasa's sleeve back down.

"We had a deal…" Eren muttered.

"You made a deal?" Hange asked.

"Not technically. I didn't think it would count. It was more of a...I don't know," Mikasa's eyes finally met Eren's.

And he broke.

This pain was worse.

Had she not said the day before how she didn't want to make deals?

Eren had royally fucked up.

Again.

"There's nothing you can do about it then. Words have power. As a member of the Fae, you should know that. You made a deal. Now you both bare the mark. So I suggest you two talk and figure shit out," Levi commanded.

Zeke hesitated but Levi grabbed him and dragged him upstairs.

Mikasa and Eren were left alone in the basement.

Mikasa didn’t move. She didn’t speak.

“I’m sorry,” Eren muttered as he looked down. ““I'm sorry about the thing at the hotel with the kiss and…"

“Sorry for kissing you back. You were under the influence, you weren't really consenting, and I know you didn't want to kiss me anymore."

"Hey," he said, causing her eyes to meet his. "It's not that I don't want to kiss you anymore. And it wasn't like that was all something I didn't want to do. I mean...Mikasa...I just...can't. I'm sorry. I'm the one who should be apologizing, not you. You saved my life. Again."

"It's fine."

"When were you going to tell us that it takes years off your life every time you heal?"

"H..how do you know that?"

"Hange told us. Mikasa, you can't do that."

"Fae live like lobsters. Unless something kills us, we can live for forever."

"Even as half Faery? How many years did each of those heals take from you?"

"I don't know. Just some. What does it matter?"

There was so much anger in Mikasa.

The way he had treated her since the dorm, the fact that her skin was now marked with a mark of deal.

Levi had ordered them to figure it out.

“I don’t want this anymore,” she confessed.

“What?” Eren asked as he looked over at her.

“Any of this. I don’t….I can work the job. I have no choice but to uphold my end of the deal. Other than that, I don’t….I’m not….I don’t think we should be around one another anymore.” Mikasa looked down at her hands. She folded them and then unfolded them.

“Oh,” Eren replied.

“Yeah.”

“Okay then,” Eren said as he stood up.

“I’ll let you know what I find out about The Colt,” she answered.

“Okay,” Eren replied before he headed towards the stairs.

The truth was that Eren was anything but okay right now.

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

Christmas

Eren sat in Levi’s kitchen. Mikasa and Hange were in the living room.

He hadn’t spoken to Mikasa since they had talked in the basement.

Mikasa continued to work jobs for Levi and research for the Colt. She avoided Eren like the plague.

Hange had been coming around, they were never far from Mikasa.

Hunting was a thankless job so Eren and Zeke often used fake credit cards to pay for the things they needed. Zeke was pretty good at hustling pool at bars for money too.

Christmas meant that they were using their credit card schemes to buy things for those they loved. Levi had already given Eren and Zeke their gifts by paying for their anti possession tattoos that they both now sported on their chests. They had got Levi some very expensive tea from a shop that they had helped out with a ghost problem.

“Merry Christmas, Eren!” Hange said as they walked into the kitchen. They had a small box.

“Thanks, Hange,” he muttered as he looked down.

“This is just a little something I cooked up with magic,” Hange said as they sat down across from Eren.

Eren opened the box to reveal a small potion bottle. There was a red, glittery liquid inside of the bottle.

“It’s a very basic healing potion. Won’t bring you back to life but may help you hold on when you’re dying. I made one for Zeke and Levi too,” Hange smiled.

“Thank you, Hange,” Eren said as he looked up at them.

“You’re welcome. Merry Christmas, Eren,” Hange said again as they stood up.

Zeke entered the room.

“Here,” Zeke said as he came into the room with a box.

“I thought we agreed on no gifts,” Eren grumbled.

“It’s not a real gift,” Zeke said as he tossed the box to Eren.

Eren caught the box and unwrapped it to reveal a box with a bottle of vodka in it.

“You’re right. It’s not a real gift,” Eren scoffed.

“It’s pay back for buying me that bottle of whisky. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

“I won’t.”

“Good.”

“You going to give her the thing?” Zeke asked.

“I don’t know. She said she didn’t want to be around me.”

“I know. But it’s Christmas.”

Mikasa wandered into the kitchen, putting more of the Christmas cookies onto her plate. Mikasa had always had a sweet tooth.

“Hey,” Zeke said as he gave her a small wave.

“Hello,” Mikasa replied before ducking into the living room.

Zeke raised an eyebrow at Eren.

“I told you that she didn’t want to talk to me,” Eren muttered as he looked down.

“Maybe try getting her alone later,” Zeke suggested before he patted Eren on his shoulder. It was the same shoulder that bore the mark of the Fae deal that Eren had made with Mikasa.

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

Christmas went on.

Levi and Zeke gave Hange a bracelet of protection against fire they had picked up.

Zeke gave Mikasa a tea cup and some flowery tea.

Levi had also paid for Mikasa’s anti possession tattoo while Mikasa gave Levi what looked like the world’s smallest teapot. It was made from a walnut.

She gave Zeke a bottle of Feywine that she had received from working a job.

The hours quickly faded as Levi and Hange drank far too much eggnog. Zeke had made it, the sweetness covering the alcohol.

“We should sing Christmas carols!” Hange suggested.

“No one wants to hear you sing so I’ll sing with you,” Levi’s words slurred together.

“I’ve never seen him drunk in my life,” Zeke muttered.

“ Dashing through the snow…” Levi and Hange sang together.

“Alright, I’m going to bed. Goodnight,” Mikasa excused herself from the living room.

Zeke waited for several minutes before he spoke.

“Go give it to her!” Zeke said as he stood from his seat.

“She probably….” Eren started to say but Zeke was pulling Eren’s arm.

“Go!” Zeke ordered.

Eren sighed before he stood up and went down the basement.

Mikasa had changed into a tank top and shorts. Eren could see her anti possession tattoo peeking out the top of her tank top. It was in the same spot as his, on her chest, right above her heart. She was holding her toothbrush and toothpaste in her hand.

“Oh,” Mikasa said when she saw Eren.

“Hi. I...I got you something. It’s not a big deal. It was from a job we worked and...nothing else. I just thought it’d be useful for you,” Eren rambled as he pulled a small box from his hoodie.

Mikasa sat down the things she had been holding in her hands before taking the box from Eren.

He watched her.

Suddenly, he became very nervous.

He knew he deserved everything that she had said to him.

He knew it was all his fault. He knew he hadn’t been fair to her. He hadn’t told her the truth either.

The more jobs he worked the more the lines between monster and human seemed to blur.

Maybe the world wasn’t as black and white as he thought.

Mikasa slowly opened the box to reveal the purple stone ring inside.

“It doesn’t have any iron in it, in case you’re wondering. It’s...it’s a ring of protection. The stone is amethyst. I thought since you’ve been working a lot of jobs by yourself, you could use it,” he replied as if it was no big deal.

Why was he acting like a stupid school boy with a crush?

“Thank you,” she replied as she took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her ring finger. “I...uhh...I have something for you. But it’s from...we found a human who has contact with the Fae realm. He was being haunted, so I helped him. He gave me some things from the Fae realm,” she explained as she walked over to the plastic drawers she was using as a dresser.

“So that’s where the wine came from,” Eren mused.

“Yeah, the tiny teapot too,” she opened the drawer and pulled a small box out.

She held it out to Eren who took it. He slowly opened the lid to reveal a brown corded necklace with a single red feather attached.

“It’s a Phoenix feather. It’ll keep you warm. I know how you don’t like the cold,” she muttered as she looked away.

“Thank you,” he removed the necklace from the box and put it on.

“What did you get Zeke?” she asked.

“Oh. I gave it to him a little while ago. It’s the necklace he’s been wearing, the brass one. It’s supposed to be a powerful protection charm,” Eren explained.

“Where’d you get that?”

“Levi. The bracelet we gave Hange and your ring came from a physic in Indiana,” he explained.

“When were you in Indiana?” she asked as she sat down on her bed.

“Two weeks ago. Why?” he asked.

“Oh. I was there about a week ago. Ghost issue. You?”

“Also a ghost issue. You notice they’re getting more active lately?”

Mikasa nodded. “It’s getting weird out there. Weirder than normal. Did Levi tell you about the Werewolf?”

“Yeah, I still can’t believe how big that thing was. Any ideas why everything is like this?"

“I don’t know. The guy I met, the one with the connection to the Fae realm said they’re scared. They’re staying out of it. They wouldn’t give him any information on why they said that but if the Fae are scared, I’m sure it can’t be anything good.”

Eren nodded as he leaned up against the wall. “My dad left Zeke a voicemail. He said something big was coming. He never told us why and he didn’t leave any information about it in his journal. We’ve been hitting a wall on finding any information about the Yellow Eyed Demon.”

“I’ve not had any luck with the Colt either. It’s mostly dead ends. I’ve tracked it a bit but then it just vanished. Hange got a few old journals from some recently passed hunters so I’ll start going through those soon. If I can ever stay out of the field, that is. Levi keeps having to send me out. It feels like there are less hunters to go around.”

“A lot have died recently. I guess it’s to be expected with everything going on.”

Mikasa nodded.

“Your dad….he was a hunter?”

Mikasa nodded again. “He was. That’s how he met my mom. She was injured after she came here from Japan. She wanted to see the rest of the world. Her magic went wild due to her injury. Then my dad found her and helped her. She began to help him hunt. Then they fell in love, married, and had me. Then they were killed by demons.”

“Who’s tracking you?”

Mikasa sighed. “Who isn’t? Demons, some other Fae. They want me to take up my birthright.”

“Birthright as what?”

“I...fairies have court. There are rulers. They don’t do much, Fae sort of do whatever they want. They’re run out of my bloodline. I’ve stayed off the radar.”

“So...you’re a fairy princess?” Eren smirked.

“Try a Queen. But I know nothing about the Fae realm or the courts. I have no desire to navigate politics. Besides, they’ll give up looking for me eventually. They’ll find an actual ruler.”

“So why did your mom leave then?” Eren asked.

“I don’t know. She never told me.”

“But shouldn’t you take up your birthright?”

“You know how humans get to the realm, right? They stepped in a fairy circle. Then they get stuck there for seven years if they eat the food or drink anything. I have no desire to rule in a place where I can’t eat or drink.”

Eren laughed, “so it’s our English class sophomore year?”

“Yeah. Mr. Dawk hated us.”

“He shouldn’t have made his only English class at 8:00 in the morning then.”

“I’ll never forget when you brought in that portable blender and made smoothies for everyone.”

“It was Floch’s idea. Remember how Hitch brought in the portable grindle and started making pancakes?”

Mikasa laughed as she nodded.

Eren had missed hearing her laugh.

He was an idiot for putting her through all of this. He had been awful to her. As he watched her laugh and smile, the guilt began to swarm him.

“I should let you go to sleep,” he muttered as he looked down.

Her laughter stopped. “Okay,” she replied softly before standing up.

“I was worried that you hated me too much. I just saw the ring and thought of you. Thanks for taking it ,” he said before he looked up at Mikasa.

“I don’t hate you, Eren,” she muttered. “I just think it’s better this way. I’m not going to ignore you or be rude. It’s just better for both of us if we’re just…...two people who are semi friendly. It would be rude if I got everyone a gift but you.”

She was just being nice. Of course, she was. Eren giving her a gift couldn’t make up for all the horrible things he’d said to her or what he’d put through.

“Thanks for the necklace. It’ll be good for these cold months,” he esaid.

“You’re welcome,” she smiled.

“Merry Christmas. Goodnight, Mikasa.”

“Goodnight, Eren.”

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

The next morning Mikasa was long gone by the time Eren woke up.

“She missed Yule and meeting with her friends,” Hange explained as they drank their coffee.

“Oh. Right. She did go home for winter break,” Eren sighed as he sat down.

“It’s one of the few times she spends with other half Sidhe.”

“Wait. I thought Mikasa didn’t have contact with the Fae realm.”

“She doesn’t. But you didn’t think she was the only one I had in my care back in the day, did you? I didn’t know what she was at first. There are other hunters who did,” Hange explained.

“Oh.”

Suddenly Eren wondered if Mikasa’s friends knew of him. Did they hate him? It worried him. If she told her friends, there may be no coming back from that.

Why did he care?

It was a dumb question. He knew why he cared. He still loved her. Last night, he had seen the girl he had fallen in love with again.

Suddenly, a headache swarmed Eren.

He held onto his head as images that made no sense swarmed his head.

Then Eren fell to the floor.

[airiustide]

Zutara writing prompt request- Zuko and Katara hook up after a fire nation ceremony... short while after she finds out she’s pregnant?

A/N: Hey, anon! So, instead of doing what you requested, this whooooole thing turned into fluff, (with a few hints *whink whink*) nonetheless, it turned out sweet, with the right amount of flirtiness, and zuko giving lots of kisses.

Summary: Three months after a one night stand and Zuko doesn’t know how to face Katara. Not enough alcohol could give him the courage to confess just how much that night had conjured dormant feelings. But it just might be enough to take in what he learns next. 

He couldn’t concentrate clearly with everyone conversing so loudly. Space invaded by acquaintances and strangers alike. The grand ballroom was occupied by guests, a summit held with the world’s highest officials and leaders. Weeks of endless meetings and settled treaties finally moved to an evening filled with loud music and gourmet food. Every face he came across was a blur. His eager gaze sweeps across the extravagant room, draped in the gold and red of his nation’s colors.

Where was she? He repeated to himself, looking around anxiously, palms sweaty. There was a thundering in his ears and Zuko’s heart drummed in his chest. He swallowed the remaining contents of his ninth cup of wine, swiftly dismissing anyone who attempted to grasp his attention whilst he maneuvered the room in search of the one person he had been working so hard to find since this whole thing started. 

He could very well be kidding himself. Selfishly thinking that after all this time she might have a semblance of feelings for him as he did for her. Or perhaps sleeping with her before confessing only made him come off pathetic.

He was going to lose his mind thinking about it. Zuko rubbed a hand down his face, starting to feel shame swell in his chest. Why? Did he really fuck things up that bad? He’s always done his best not to let things eat at him, but Katara wasn’t just anything or anyone, for that matter. 

If she wasn’t there when he was at his lowest; vulnerable and despondent, maybe things would’ve turned out different. Day after day spent between the throne room and his chambers only to end it with...himself. The loneliness settled in like a dark mass, weighing heavily on his person. And on the anniversary of his mother’s disappearance, it all came tumbling down with a tall glass of fire whiskey and the lips of the waterbender who shared it with him.

She tasted sweet despite the heat of the liquor. His name hit his lips hotly from her mouth, a pleasant mewl that coaxed him closer and closer. Wiping away the heaviness that tore him day in and day out. Whether it was the alcohol or it was a fleeting act of emotions, Zuko couldn’t accept either. Though, he couldn’t speak for Katara. Maybe he was the only one reading deeper into this than necessary.

The thought had him needing to replace his empty cup of wine for another. Reaching out as a waiter crossed him with a gold-plated tray filled with goblets, Zuko didn’t calculate the proper distance between him and the tray, accidentally knocking it over along with the waiter. In his hazy state, the young Fire Lord attempts to stop the waiter from meeting the floor by grabbing his collar and, instead, falls right on top of him. 

Wine spilled, and goblets clanged. Zuko’s face goes red hot, utterly horrified at his clumsy, drunken state. With the aid of nearby guests both him and the waiter were helped to their feet.  A quick apology and a bow, and Zuko rushes out of the room, clinging to the chest of his soaked royal robes.

“Woah, there!” A familiar voice stops him in his tracks. A gentle hand flattening against his strong chest ignites a well known spark. “And where do you think you’re going in that state, Fire Lord?” 

He looks down to find Katara’s teasing smile, the smile reaching her radiant eyes and accenting the glow of her features. The dress she wore was lined with fur and embroidered in tribal designs. Her hair was left in chocolate waves and pinned to the side to fall over her left shoulder. It steals his breath and suddenly all his nerves go haywire. “I-I-” 

Katara’s face turns into concern. “Are you okay? You look pale.”

Zuko inhales, gathering his composure and bows formally to Katara’s surprise. “Ambassador Katara. Welcome back. How was your visit home?”

“Umm, I’m not against formalities, but I don’t think now is the time for that. We should get you cleaned up.” She takes his arm, nodding her head at Zuko’s guards who witnessed the scene of their Lord’s incident, taking the indication that they should return to their post and that the Master waterbender had it from here. “Geez, Zuko, you smell like booze.” She pointed, lifting his arm around her shoulder and leading him out of the ballroom. 

“Well, I did just take a bath in wine.” He scoffed.

She rolls her eyes. “I mean your breath, silly. You smell like you consumed a winery.”

“Is that a bad thing?” He quipped, a slur left his lips, causing Katara to laugh.

“It is when you do it without me.”

Zuko’s temperature spiked, pulsing in the center of his stomach and leaving a tingling in the pit of his abdomen. Katara cleared her throat, feeling his skin go hot and squeezing his arm to get him to calm down. 

“Getting a little too excited, I see.” He was terribly adorable when he was flustered. She blushed as well, repeating the words in her head and recalling the events that led from a single bottle to his bed. His hot touch; his tongue in her mouth, on her skin, her palm, her thighs, her-

She comes to when they approach his chambers, her first thought was to take him to bed but changed her mind when she’s reminded of the dried wine sticking to his clothes, skin and hair. “Bath.” She tells him, getting Zuko to help work their way to the washroom because he started to get heavy. 

The stonework to the large room took Katara’s breath away. It was as big as a pool in a hot spring. A set of doors led to a private patio, closed off to the outside world and surrounded by orchids, arranged stones and luscious green leaves. Probably a good place to mediate, Katara thought. 

She lays him carefully on a lounge chair, removing the armor from his shoulders and wrists. Zuko doesn’t take his eyes off her; taking in every touch of her hands as she removes his sash, and unwraps his outer robe. Fingers unintentionally brush his collarbone as they work open his tunic, coming down to remove his boots. Katara catches him staring as she goes to release his hair and crown from his topknot. 

“Soft.” He hums, a lopsided smirk directed at Katara. 

She chuckles, cupping his cheek. “Don’t get flirty, Fire Lord, only one of us is inebriated.” He hisses when her fingers hook into his trousers and jerks them off with a tug. 

“Katara!” He shrieked, provoking the waterbender to lose it after he instinctively went to cover his crotch. The jolt of cold air and the realization that he was now naked knocked him slightly sober.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before. Aside from already having had a good look at what’s between your legs, on numerous occasions, mind you.” She grinned. “Being a healer means I’ve seen plenty of the male anatomy, more than I can count. Let’s get you clean, shall we.”

Katara helps him to the bath, holding his hand as he submerged himself in water, still covering himself with his free hand. Coming back up, he wipes his eyes and slicks back hair away from his face. Once he’s seated, she removes her slippers, lifting up her dress and dipping her feet in the water with a sigh. “Now that’s better.”

A quiet falls in the room as steam rises; thick, most likely from Zuko’s embarrassment. He’d never looked so red from the face down. 

“You never wrote back.” He murmured, so low that Katara didn’t catch it at first.

He watched her shift uncomfortably, ruffling her hair of water droplets, the steam making her tresses thick and wavy. Zuko half expected her to ignore the subject, or a part of him hoped she would. What if he was coming off too strong? Or worse, desperate. 

“It’s not that I didn’t want to…” She started. “A lot has been going through my mind. I needed some time to...process.”

Zuko swallowed thickly, casting his gaze down to the water, watching as it tinted red from the wine that clung to his skin and hair. “I get it.”

“Do you?” She asked, tone serious and brow furrowed. 

“I-” He looked up at her, confused. Her expression was that of disappointment. “No, I guess I don’t. Not from your end at least. Yet, I had some hope you would clarify that for me, so I'm not here thinking that the last three months you had come to hate me.”

“What?!”

“It’s unfair to expect me to empathize with you after sleeping together then never hearing from you again. I’m not very good at reading between the lines, Kat. Yeah, sleeping with me was probably the dumbest thing to do. But I have feelings t-”

“I’m pregnant, Zuko.”

“Oh, yeah? Well, I- come again?”

Her hand comes up to cover her mouth, eyes squinting as though she might start to cry. “I’m pregnant.”

Zuko’s voice caught in his throat, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “It’s-it’s mine?”

She shot him a glare. 

“It’s mine.” He repeated. “It’s mine.” In a daze, he crosses the water toward Katara, first reaching out to grasp the hand covering her mouth, lacing it in his own. Blue eyes finally look up to find a smiling Zuko. How can he take the news without an ounce of worry?

“You’re drunk.” She excused for him, dismissing his overly happy expression.

“I’m drunk, that doesn’t mean I’m incomprehensible.”

“You might change your mind in the morning.”

“I won’t.”

“How do you know?”

“How do you?” Zuko countered, brow arched. “Want to know how I know?”

Katara cocks her head, unsure of what he was getting at.

“Because of this.” He leans in to brush a kiss below her ear, eliciting a spark on her skin. “And this.” His smile widens when he kisses her forehead, a gasp leaving Katara’s lips. “And this.”He hums, pressing his lips to her cheeks, chin and then, finally, lips; an airy kiss that left her wanting more.

His mouth makes a path to her right arm, stopping to display an especially sensual one to the palm of her hand. “Zuko.” She moaned, shaking all the way to her knees. 

Logic screamed at her that this was her best friend. And though their one night stand opened up the truth to how she felt about Zuko, getting pregnant was not in the cards. The first thing she wanted to do upon her return from home was confess but fate had other plans. Every thought, from the possibility that Zuko might think she was trying to trap him to her resigning from Ambassador to raise the baby in secret, ran through her head. It took more courage than she cared to mention just to show up at the summit. She was an Ambassador, regardless of her situation, she couldn’t not show up.

As she tried to make sense of this, all the while, Zuko had lifted her dress just above her belly, gently pushing down on her shoulder, coaxing her to lie on her back. It was like he was in a trance, hands caressing the flat of her belly. Pregnancy was hardly noticeable at this stage. He didn’t seem to care, pressing butterfly kisses all over until it was too much and Katara started to giggle from the ticklish pecks and breathy whispers he made to the little one in her belly. Expressing how he couldn’t wait to meet them. 

“You’re out of your mind.” Katara teased, combing her fingers through his long, silky hair. The panic she experienced moments ago began to dissolve. 

Zuko makes a goofy grin, resting his cheek on her stomach. There weren't enough words or actions to express how happy he was. Only an hour ago, he was just a lonely man with little to look forward to. Now he has gained a family. “Only for you. That is, if you’re all in.”

Hurdles were bound to be faced. Katara’s life would change drastically. They didn’t have the first clue on how to make this work, but by the Spirits they would figure this out. This was them after all, Zuko and Katara. That’s all they needed to get a head start. “I’m in.”

[thebestworstidea]

Make A Wish

(Part One: Falling Star) (Part Two: Crash and Burn)

On Ao3

After almost a year I manage to finish the Third Part in this Series. Each part getting longer and longer. This part clocks in at 11,000 words and change. So much for a short one shot, am I right?

Warning for naughty language, mostly care of Remus.

-----

Logan had insisted that Thomas stop the camera. He tried to insist that Thomas eat something and lie down in bed, despite his normal cautions about not eating before bed time. For a prolonged foray into the mindscape, it would be better for Thomas if his body was comfortable, and that meant being in a safe environment and not hungry. They had managed to compromise with Thomas laying on the couch, slowly eating Doritos. Then they had all settled deeper into the mindscape, discarding the fourth wall, and allowing Patton to put Thomas’s head in his lap and pet his hair. It appeared to be soothing for Patton as much as Thomas.

“I mean, they’re friends now.” Thomas pointed out. “Can Virge just snap Roman out of it on his own?” 

“If it was a normal fantasy, it would be probable.” Logan answered. He went on, but Thomas’s attention drifted. 

Janus was still standing on the landing, with his arms crossed over his chest, holding his elbows, and occasionally squeezing, staring into the distance. Thomas wasn’t sure he was blinking. The Sides always got a little further into uncanny valley the further he retreated into his own head, and more than just the stretchy-arm. Sometimes Thomas forgot they were technically imaginary, and not just very weird roommates, but times like this reminded him. Logan kept glancing back at him, still in his ‘traditional’ place next to the stairs. Unless they asked him a direct question, Remus was pacing from the window to the foot of the stairs and back, mumbling to himself under his breath, and gesturing expansively. Frankly that was more disturbing than Janus’s lack of blinking, though in a different way.  Thomas realized that Logan had stopped talking, and looked back at him. Logan sighed, deeply and punched the bridge of his nose. 

“What was the last thing you heard, Thomas?” 

“Uh… depth and immersion.” he said after a moment. He did not deserve Logan’s patience. “Which is different from the thing with your rooms.”

“Close but no, it’s not entirely different, just different enough. Thomas, I really cannot advise going forward with this idea.” 

“But… What if instead of pulling Roman out, Roman pulls Virgil in? What if they both get lost in the Imagination, and don’t ever come out again?”

“... I think your anxiety is demonstrably unaffected.”

“I’m serious, Logan.”

“That’s my job.” Logan tipped his head, and Thomas smiled a little, reassured by the faint smile in Logan’s eyes as his joke worked properly. 

“I’ve already left Roman alone too long, Logan.” Thomas said firmly. “If I can’t call him here, then I have to go to him.” He frowned. “It’s like going to the mind palace, right? I can figure it out without you if I have to-”

“Do not!” Janus startled in place, then smoothed himself down. “I mean, if you really want to be overdramatic, but I don’t think any of us suggested that you’d have to go to those lengths.” He looked over at Logan, who looked back at him.

“Kiddo, we want Roman back as much as you do.” Patton said soothingly. “So of course we’re going to go with you, we’re just trying to make a plan.” 

“I don’t know why.” Remus mumbled, “No plan survives first contact with the enemy.” 

“That quote means you need to be flexible, not that you shouldn’t plan, darling.” Janus sighed. 

“Eh both works.” Remus stretched backwards, and kept going, until he was peering out between his feet, a terrifying combination of a rag doll and a circus contortionist.  “Now, I know what you’re thinking, and the answer is yes, I can in fact suck my own-”

“I wasn’t!” Thomas interrupted, despite the fact that the thought had totally crossed his mind. Janus shook his head slightly, the faintest of smile on his face. Remus remained in pretzel mode, looking comfortable enough. “I’ve eaten something, and I’ve thought about it, and yes. I want to go to the imagination. I want to find Roman. I need to talk to him.”  He took a deep breath. “How do I do this?” 

Remus rolled across the floor and collided with Logan, knocking him over. They were a tangle of limbs for an oddly prolonged moment, and then Remus was  bodily hauling him up and dusting him off with a bit too much enthusiasm.  Logan kept trying to swat his hands away and missing. 

“If Remus is finished for the moment.” Logan said at last. “Getting into the imagination is fairly easy, especially with Creativity present.” 

Remus grinned and opened the door under the stairs. 

“This way.”

“A cupboard under the stairs?!” Thomas exclaimed.

“It varies from day to day.” Remus stepped in, and they moved to follow. Strangely there was room, as they stepped into a dusty, unused room that contained nothing but a large wardrobe on the far wall. Remus strode towards it confidently. “This is Roman trying to keep us out, by the way.” This time he let them all go first, pressing from behind to push them further, deeper into the wardrobe. 

“Hey, I thought we weren’t going to lie about ourselves any more.” Patton commented, shoving past a coat. 

“What?”

“I sure don’t want to go back into the closet.” he responded. Thomas couldn’t see who groaned, but he was pretty sure he was one of them. They came out into a wintery forest. This time Janus pressed forward, pointing at a ring of brightly colored mushrooms, the inside of the ring being full of lush green grass. 

“That’s the next one.” He said, and stepping inside had them enveloped in the warm, bright light of a sunny day. There was nothing but grass around them, golden and knee deep. At the edge of the field stood a big blue box. Logan started towards it immediately and caressed the sign on the door for a moment, before opening it and stepping into the darkness inside. It took Thomas a moment to force himself to step into blackness that he couldn’t see anything in, but he did.

He found himself falling, weightless for a long moment, the fall too gentle to really scare him, a faint blueish light catching his attention and then- his feet were settled on a brilliantly colored floor. His sides were ranged out in a semi circle around him, and the floor looked like stained glass, a giant round window, picturing what appeared to be Roman, asleep. 

“Okay, I have to ask, is this going to go on much longer?” He asked, his voice echoing a little bit. 

“Honestly, it’s never been this hard before.” Patton said, sounding a little worried. “Usually it’s just a few doors if he’s trying to keep us out.” 

“Yeah, he’s really into it.” Remus laughed, and leapt into the air, impossibly high. 

“Wait, what are you-” Before Thomas could finish the question, Remus had come down with a crash in the center of the platform,  mace first, and the window shattered into brilliant shards of light. Thomas ducked covering his head with his hands but… didn’t fall again.

Tentatively he looked up, and they were in a shallow cave. Weak light came in the entrance, as Remus stood back up, silhouetted by it. 

“Ah. Here we are.” He chuckled, and gestured grandly towards the entrance- or exit. “Welcome to the Imagination.”

Walking into the imagination made Thomas feel a little like he’d imagined Dorthy feeling when she emerged into Munchkin Land. 

It was a little too sharp and intense, like an image captured by a high definition camera. However, it was still… lacking something he’d expected. No that wasn’t it. It felt like something was wrong. 

Patton sighed beside him, and on the other side Logan made a sound of frustration. 

“Well, so much for hoping Virgil’s presence did something.” 

“Holy shit.” Remus exclaimed, more directly. “This is some desaturated Game of Thrones bullshit. Even I don’t pull this gritty palette crap.” 

And Thomas realized, yeah, that was it. He’d expected brilliant technicolor, like the Wizard of Oz, or maybe Disney Movies, but instead the rolling countryside had a faded look, like it had been shot through a filter. 

“It isn’t always like this?” he asked. 

“No, it’s only been like this recently.” Patton said sadly. “It usually gets overcast when Roman’s sad, but this is different.” It was overcast, clouds rolling across the sky. But that wouldn’t cause the world to look like this. A pathway led downhill, away from the cave, towards an overgrown gate with no fence, next to a dirt road. Thomas thought he could see a castle in the distance, but wasn’t completely sure. He headed down the path towards the gate anyway. For some reason, he felt compelled to open it and walk through to the road, instead of walking around it. Well, there was a ditch, so maybe it was better this way. His feet had barely gotten onto the road when there was an explosion of expletives from behind him. 

“Oh you have got to be fuckin’ with me.” Remus groaned from the back of the group. “He’s really got a hold of this area.”  His exclamation of disgust got everyone’s attention, and they watched as he made scrapeing motions at his clothes, which rippled and changed from white, to black, to white again. “Consent, Roman, you little shit.” Remus growled “I’m still your fuckin brother and you do not get to do it to me.” The shape and decoration of the clothing didn’t really change, though the teeth transformed from pearls as he swiped at them. It was still rufflily, sparkly, and accented in silver and green. Only the main color changed. “You son of a bitch!” he whined, and seemingly gave up for a moment. The brilliant fabric made the strip of white in his hair look brighter. Then suddenly he made a tearing gesture, which jerked the entire ensemble back to normal for several seconds. Then it blinked back to white again. “SON OF A BITCH.” he repeated.

“Now, Remus.” Patton started as Logan snorted. 

“A classical reference, fantastic.” 

“This is binary fuckin’ bullshit he’s got no right to force me into.” Remus snarled, and pushed through to the front of the group. “I’m going to hit him so hard he fuckin’ resets.” He pointed, and even the metal of his mace was a shimmery polished silver. “I’m gettin’ my evil twin label back! If there can be only one, it’s gonna be me, because at least I’m not an asshole about it!” He continued growling a critique of Roman’s creativity “couldn’t even do the subversive white-clad-villan thing, no, had to go classic black armor with gold trim, just so everyone gets the message, ‘this guy will betray you’” Remus stopped and started undoing his belt. “Fuck it, I’ll do this naked-”

“Do not!” Patton yelped. Remus looked at him crossly. “Keep that grumpy-butt in your pants, mister.” 

“You’re not the boss of me-” he started

“I am!” Thomas put in. “This is not a clothing optional area!” 

Remus looked even more put out. 

“... the worst part is you’re probably right. Don’t want my balls pixelated, that itches like hell.” 

“Are you sure?” Thomas asked. 

“Well, we can check-” 

“Noooo!” Thomas waved his hands, and Patton put his hands over his eyes. “I’m just saying if Roman’s trying to be a villain, then-”

Remus snorted and cinched his belt shut again. 

“Tommyknocker, it’d take more than a nervous breakdown for Roman’s mind to stop fading to black after kissing. This-” he gestured at the setting “is still Disney Channel. I mean, he might get as far as Adult Swim, but having shorts painted on over my cock and balls still doesn’t sound like a great time. Admit it, you’d hate being a Ken doll.” he reached down and unsubtly rubbed his crotch. “Ah. Still there.” 

“Remus.” Janus sighed. “Focus.” 

“I’m very focused.” he gave another rub, cackling as everyone found somewhere else to look. Well, except Janus who only made prolonged eye contact. 

“We’re going to kill your brother, remember? Secret mission and all that.”

“Right!” He snapped his fingers, and four horses thundered out of nowhere, hides like burnished bronze, wearing bridles that looked more like muzzles, their reins slender, clinking chains. “Watch your fingers, they don’t care that they aren’t carrots.” 

“Ponies!” Patton said gleefully. Logan looked at the animals dubiously. 

“Must we?” Logan sighed. 

“Oh we must, we must!” Remus giggled. “Off to the castle to rescue the princess or some bullshit like that.” 

“I can’t ride a horse.” Thomas said nervously. “Can you guys ride horses?” 

“Here we can.” Logan said, “Dream ‘logic’.” he said that like it was a dirty phrase.  “You should pick one of us to ride with.” 

“If you want to try on your own, I can ride with Remus.” Janus offered. “Horses lack subtlety.” He stared at them with vague distaste. 

“We can ditch a horse if you wanna get your arms around me DJ.” Remus vaulted into the saddle with an enviable show of athleticism that Thomas was absolutely sure was beyond him. “You know I don’t mind.” 

Thomas had been rapidly weighing the pros and cons of Logan verses Patton riding double. He paused in that to watch the oddly glistening figure that was Remus pull Janus up in front of him on the saddle, tucking his arms around the liar and his chin over his shoulder. 

If Roman or Virgil had been there, Thomas would have picked one of them instantly, Roman would know what he was doing, and Virgil would have been careful enough to keep him safe. He watched Patton spin in a circle as he tried to mount the horse before finally managing to do it, and went over to Logan. Logan gave him a brief overview of the basic functions of the tack and instructions on how to mount up, holding the horse still so he could before carefully climbing up in front of him. 

“Uh, any chance of a riding helmet?” Thomas asked nervously, as he wrapped his arms around Logan. 

“Nope! Just keep your arms and limbs inside the ride, Tommyboi.” Remus laughed, and turned his horse down the road, heading towards the castle.  The other horses followed without any seeming instruction.

It wasn’t long before the road narrowed and plunged into a dark forest, creepy and overgrown; but Thomas was pretty sure it was lifted directly from Snow White. That was kind of comforting, like Roman’s hand on his shoulder. Thomas hadn’t realized how much he missed talking to his Creativity. It wasn’t always a full manifestation, sometimes just a gentle mumble of a conversation in the back of his brain that a psychologist probably would have a field day with.  Of course, then there was this… tightening his grip on Logan a bit he let his mind drift back and felt the cushions of the couch beneath him. 

No matter how bad it got, he was lying on his couch with his eyes closed. He could still taste the chips. 

He opened his eyes back up to the haunted forest. Then closed them again when a spider the size of his head dropped down from a tree, and Remus 'helpfully’ smashed it like a pinata.

What filled it did not make him happy in the least. 

But at least that was the worst that came out of the trees, though he kept thinking he saw something out of the corner of his eyes, moving just out of sight in the dark of the undergrowth. 

When Roman had talked about his castle in the imagination, it had been in the middle of a bustling town, full of life and cheerful villagers, each going about the motions of life in a fairy tale. As they approached, they saw that this castle was isolated from the nearby village, perched on a cliff over the sea. It did kind of look like the kind of castle Roman would design, somewhere between Cinderella’s and The Beast’s castles, with the addition of  an imposing curtain wall that looked a great deal more realistic. The walls of the castle were still pale, with tile roofs a disturbing blood red, long banners flying from them.  It was silhouetted impressively by a setting sun that cast crimson along imposing towering thunderheads that loomed on the horizon. 

Logan started complaining about the lack of realism, and Thomas patted his stomach soothingly, where his arms were still wrapped around him. 

“I just hope we don’t have to climb up to the top of that tower.” Logan grouched.

“Don’t worry, Logan.” Thomas said. “I’ve been listening to The Adventure Zone in my down time, there’s no way Roman hasn’t installed fantasy elevators.”

“I am not completely sure that’s reassuring. It seems to me that would lack the safety measures important in elevators, and given his current mood, ‘the tower of terror’ seems a more likely inspiration for any lifts.” 

“Well, I did feel better but it’s gone now.” Thomas sighed. 

Logan coughed. 

“Well. There are many elevator-like crane apparatus that were used historically. I don’t see any reason why there might not be a perfectly safe ascension device in there.” 

“Thanks.” Thomas mumbled, resting his head on Logan’s shoulder. 

“Backslash ‘s’?” Logan asked suspiciously. 

“What?” Thomas blinked “No, I’m serious, not sarcasm. You can’t… use that in a verbal conversation, Logan.”

“Darn.” he sighed. “I was hoping for clarity. There’s not room for a lot of that in verbal communication.”

“Most people use tone.” 

“That’s hardly universal or quantifiable!” 

“Yeah.” Thomas said sympathetically, because sometimes it really was hard to tell when people were joking, even in person, even if he’d known them for years.

“How irritating.” 

“Hey, we got a roadblock ahead.” Remus called. 

Thomas looked up to see a group of villagers with, yes, pitchforks and torches, blocking the road up to the castle. 

“Great.”

“We can run them down?” Remus offered.

“No!” Patton said immediately. 

“Well not with that attitude we can’t.” Janus said mildly, leaning back against Remus lazily. 

“No!” This time it was Thomas, not Patton. “No one is running anyone down;”

“Unless absolutely necessary.” Janus added. “It would be really efficient if we did.”

“No.” Thomas repeated. “Stop it, snake boi.” 

Deceit chuckled, and Logan heaved another sigh.

“Case in point.” 

“Let’s just… see what they want?” Thomas suggested. “Logan, can we get closer?”  As they approached the road block, a figure who looked vaguely familiar, though Thomas would not have been able to remember their name at a party, stepped forward, farming implement held warily out.

“Are you here to defeat the tyrant and his dread sorcerer?”

“Oh good, Virgil’s here.” Patton said at the back of the party. 

“‘Tyrant’.” Remus snorted at the same time. 

“We are uh, in fact here to, uhm, deal with them.” Thomas said awkwardly. The crowd started talking among themselves. 

Logan sighed. “Improv, Thomas, it’s a basic acting skill you should have a handle on.” 

“Hey, my creativity’s a little messed up at the moment.” Thomas poked him in the ribs. “I’m doing my best here.”

“I have faith you can do better.” 

Thomas honestly felt a little touched. The spokesperson for the mob spoke up again. 

“We have come to the conclusion that you appear to be in a better position to do something than we are. So we are trusting you not to make this worse.” they frowned. “Some of us remember that things were not always like things are now.” 

“I can’t make promises, but we will do everything in our power to make things better. It’s not supposed to be like this.” Thomas said with a little bit more confidence. 

“If you make it to the castle before the sun goes down, then the gate will still be open.” 

Thomas looked over at Remus. 

“You know how this works, right? Can we make it?”

“Racing the sunset? Like dramatic bitches? Oh we’ll make it. But just barely.” 

“That’s just how it works.” Janus agreed. 

“I don’t like the sound of ‘racing the sunset’” Logan grumbled. “You cannot outrun light, and sunset is a measurable and regular phenomenon.”

“Oh, but there’s one thing faster than light, Lo.” Patton offered. 

“I don’t believe that anything has been found-”

“Darkness. It’s always there first.” 

“That isn’t accurate, it-”

“Well, given that, perhaps you light boys should try to keep up, huh?” Remus called. He’d skirted the crowd, which was pulling back towards the walls of the village. “Drama can only stall for so long.” He dug his heeled boots into the horse’s side and galloped away in a cloud of dust. Patton’s horse startled into movement behind it, and Patton did a credible rendition of a Whilem scream, managing to stay in the saddle. 

“I apologize for this, Thomas.” Logan said quietly, as the horse they were riding jolted first into a dash, then a run, galloping after the others. If he’d thought he could have gotten back on his own, Thomas would have fled for the real world almost immediately. He closed his eyes and clung to Logan while the wind tore at his hair like he’d stuck his head out of a moving car.

It was strange, he could almost picture the world around him, the castle looming closer and closer as the horses thundered up the road. The problem was that having his eyes closed made him want to go back to his couch- to not be in the encroaching shadow of an ominous castle. 

Thomas forced his eyes open, looking up the road at the looming form of the fairytale castle. His legs and arms hurt from holding on. Ominous red-shaded lamps framed the gate they were approaching without slowing down. If he looked closely, he could see Roman’s emblem on them. They cast enough light to bathe the area as though the sunset was shining right through the castle making the arch of the gate glow. 

“Uh Logan?” He said, looking ahead of them. “The gate’s closing!” 

“Of course it is.” Logan sighed, exasperation heavy in his voice. “Trust in Roman, Thomas. What will be the most dramatic thing?” 

Patton’s horse had pulled ahead, and dashed through the gate, with Remus and Janus hot on his heels. The gate kept closing as they galloped towards it, and Thomas’s heart was screaming as they clattered through to the courtyard, convinced that if he’d tried he could have reached out and touched the closing gates as they passed through. He did yelp as the slam of gates behind them startled the horse they were on into a rear. Logan forced it down, but Thomas could feel himself slipping. Just as the slam of the gate faded, there was a horrible metallic rattling sound, and a portcullis fell over the wooden gates like a mouth snapping shut. 

“See?” Laughed Remus “Told you. Drama. Ro’s as predictable as a little golden book.” 

The horses snorted and stamped, snapping teeth that were suspectly sharp behind the muzzle-bridles. Logan slid down, steady after only a moment and did his best to hold the horse still so Thomas could slide down. 

Thomas did, but his knees went weak and he ended up on the cobbled surface of the courtyard. 

“Careful there, Lo-ne braincell.” Remus called. “Don’t want his brains bashed out on the rocks. It’s not like intestines, it’s all attached, can’t re-coil it.” 

“I have it under control.” Logan said, sounding only a little strained. “It would be easier if you had summoned less fractious mounts.” 

“I gotta be me!” 

A hand closed around Thomas’s elbow, helping him back to his feet, and Patton smiled, patting his back. Turning around he saw Remus shooing the horses into a stable that stood to one side, another one of those ominous lamps lighting the entrance. 

The courtyard was entirely in the shadow of the castle, which loomed above them, looking dark, even though it was made of white marble. Streaks of red sunlight peeked between the towers, then faded away even as he watched. Lights flickered on in windows seemingly randomly. Very faintly, Thomas could hear the flapping of the banners above them, and the breath of the sides around him. 

“There’s no one here.” Logan said, sounding slightly confused. 

“What do you mean?” Patton asked. “We’re here.”

“A castle of this size would require staff to run and maintain. But it’s empty.” he paused, then added. “‘Yeet’?” 

Thomas turned in a slow circle, taking the courtyard in, and he had to admit, Logan was right. Except for the five of them, the castle was void of all life.

“Sup.” 

Thomas yelped. 

“Whoa, nostalgia.” Virgil sniggered, from where he stood at the foot of the stairs that led up to the main door of the castle. “I almost missed that.” 

“You’re okay!” Thomas started forward, but Patton beat him, dancing back and forth in front of Virgil. 

“Hug?!” he asked, rubbing his balled hands together, desperately holding himself back. 

“Patton, it hasn’t been that long-” Virgil started. Then he sighed. “Fine. A little one. Because I’m not actually mad at you.” 

Patton threw his arms around Virgil and squeezed. Virgil rolled his eyes at Thomas. 

“If you want in, you’d better get here before he lets go, because the hug shop is closing after.” Thomas absolutely took the opportunity to hug Virgil. He didn’t usually end up deep enough in the mindscape to touch the sides in the first place, and Virgil hugs were special edition to boot. He pulled away as soon as Virgil patted him between the shoulders, and tugged Patton away as well. 

“I am super glad to see you though. We were worried that something was going to happen to you.” 

“Nah, I’m fine.” 

“Have you found Roman?”

“Yeah.” 

“How’s he?”

Virgil made a noncommittal noise. 

“He’s Roman. Living the drama, brooding in thunderstorms- there’s been like four since I got here, and I have not been here that long.” They could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance, and a flash of lightning momentarily put the towers into sharp relief instead of disappearing into the gathering darkness. 

“Well time is nonlinear here, so that’s not a good indication.” Logan said thoughtfully. 

“But you’ve talked to him?” Thomas asked 

“Yeah.” 

“Can you take us to him?”

“I don’t think he wants to talk to you.” he said it to Patton, but he was looking at Janus and Remus. “but, not gonna lie, that is objectively hilarious.” Virgil said and pointed at Janus. 

“What?” 

Virgil tapped his head, and then like a switch everyone noticed. At some point Janus’s hat had turned white, and no one had noticed. He stepped behind Remus, took it off and stared at it. 

“Is nothing sacred?” Janus grumbled petulantly. 

“It’s okay, DJ. I’m gonna get him good.” Remus said, and kissed the top of the liar’s head before the now snowy white hat was returned.  

“It’s fine. It’s not a big deal.” Janus lied smoothly. Hiding behind Remus had done nothing but call attention to himself, he realized as he stepped out. 

“I didn’t think you really wanted to be a ‘white hat’” Virgil smirked. 

“While I didn’t choose the villainous style, it ‘chose me’,” Janus adjusted his gloves. “I am somewhat attached to the aesthetic at this point. You, after all haven’t completely abandoned your dark persona. I don’t see why I should.” 

Virgil just scowled at him. 

“Maybe because you are, in fact, evil?”

“Are you really the one to make that call?” Janus asked, raising his eyebrows. “Judge not, lest thee be judged?” 

“Virge? Is Roman really trying to be a villain?” Thomas asked. Virgil continued to glare at Janus. 

“I guess? He’s got the look down, but.” he shrugged, playing with the edges of his sleeves. “Well, he hasn’t had anyone to be villainous at.” 

“What about the village?” Patton asked. “They seemed pretty spooked.” 

“It’s their job to be spooked.” Virgil waved a dismissive hand. “He tried to terrorize me a bit, but not going to lie, it didn’t have the kind of bite I was used to back when he actually tried to kill me.” 

“Wait, he actually tried to kill you?” Thomas said, aghast.

“Yeah, that’s what the sword was for.” Virgil looked a bit confused. “How could you not know this?” 

“Ro-bro’s just as violent as I am.” Remus volunteered. “He’s just got a Pop-up blocker.”

“That sounds super weird, but that is a dad nickname and kind of a funny image.” Patton allowed. “What he means is I always tried to get him to stop trying to hurt them and just stick to… chasing them away.”

“Also Patton had for a while the opposite of Remus’s effect on the area around him. Any damage got negated to a sort of cartoon bandage immediately.” Logan said thoughtfully. “The lack of realism was… unsettling.” 

Patton rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“And of course, our dear Prince was never very good at taking direction in the first place, so we could compare scars all day if we were so inclined.” Janus waved a hand dismissing it. 

“I have no idea what goes on in my head.” Thomas breathed. Remus cackled and opened his mouth. One of Janus’ hands slapped over it.

“A thought to explore at another time, or better yet, forget.” 

Thomas had to admit that was probably a good idea. 

“So Roman’s okay?” he asked Virgil. “Just upset?”

“I think he’s a little more than ‘just upset’’” Virgil frowned, looking at his feet. “He feels betrayed, hurt, lost and scared, among other things. Which makes him feel bad, and bad is evil apparently.” 

“Sounds like you’re the right person to help him deal with all that.”

Virgil snorted. “It is kind of my specialty.”

“But I’m really worried about him, so…” Thomas gestured, “Can we see him?

“Yeah well,” Virgil put his hands in his pockets, and looked away from them. “What if I agree with him?”

“What?”

“Not about the villain thing, that’s just him being royal the only way he can, a royal pain in the ass of a drama king.” Virgil glowered at Janus who just shifted in place, keeping his face neutral. “I warned you, over and over. Not to trust them. You trust me to keep you safe. You accepted that’s what I wanted, and it is, and I’m trying to do it. Trying keep you safe from them.” he gestured to the other dark sides. “And YOU’RE NOT LISTENING.” For a moment the shadows around him came alive. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “Why?” 

“What makes you so special, Virgil?” Janus said. “Not that I want a full family welcome, I don’t mind staying in the background. But why shouldn’t I want what you have?” he gritted his teeth and hissed slightly, smoothing down the front of his jacket. “I’m sorry. I led you astray and I hurt you, and the only excuse I had was that I thought I was doing the right thing at the time.” He took a step forward and gestured between them. “I can’t help what I am. What Thomas makes of me. But I still only want what’s best for him. And if the best way to get that is…” his face twisted “Honesty, then I’ll give that a shot.” 

“Why should I believe that? Why should any of us believe anything you say?” 

Janus’s nostrils flared and he rocked back.  

“It’s a close thing, Virgil, but you’re normally more rational than Roman. So let me ask you simply- is there anything I could do to convince you of my sincerity?” 

Virgil’s eyes flicked up to the side. 

“No.” 

“I see.” Janus’s nostrils flared again, and he sighed. “... nothing for it I suppose.” stretching out his hand towards the floor, the hooked black staff they’d seen before appeared. Virgil took a step backwards one hand going behind his back, and his body stiffened as Janus twisted the hook to the left and slid loose a few inches of blade.

“Jeezy creezy.” Thomas said quietly. “Has that always been there?” 

Janus turned the staff and held it, crook and exposed blade towards Virgil. Virgil stared at it for a long moment, eyes flicking back up to Janus.

“Go on. Take it.” 

Virgil reached out with his right hand, keeping his left behind his back, and wrapped his hand around the handle, drawing the rest of the blade out of the staff. It was shorter than Roman’s blade, and completely straight. The rest of the staff dropped, bounced once on the floor and disappeared. 

“If I can’t convince you, we can’t work together for the good of Thomas. Which, believe it or not, is all I want.” He took a step forward, holding the blade between two gloved fingers, and setting the point against his throat, right above the dip of his collar. “Because we lack trust.” 

“Fuck Dee-” Virgil said, arm trembling, he stepped back, and Janus stepped forward, maintaining the contact. “I could kill you-” 

“Yes. That’s the point.” 

“No the point is I can’t trust you, not that you don’t trust me-” His arm was shaking more. “This doesn’t prove shit!” 

“Trust has to start somewhere.” Even though his fingers could have hardly stopped the blade if Virgil had chosen to thrust, Janus still dropped his hand. He took a deep breath, and the point dug into his skin, just a bit. No one said anything, just staring at the standoff. Even though he was trembling, Virgil didn’t lower his arm either. He glared out from between his bangs and eyebags.  “I’m sorry.” he repeated, so quiet that Virgil might have missed it if he wasn’t looking at his face.

“YOU CAN’T JUST SAY THAT.” his voice crackled. 

“I don’t know what else I can say.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong.” the volume was low but it still crackled when he spoke, and Virgil grimaced, drawing a deep breath. 

“Now that’s just completely untrue.” Janus said mildly, like he didn’t have a blade to his throat.

“I hate you because I’m scared, okay? Personal scared, not anxiety scared.” Virgil’s arm flexed, and Janus tipped his head just  bit to breathe better, not removing the blade from his skin. “And I… I wanted you to fight for me. But you just said that if it served me better to go to the ‘light’ side, I should do it. That I wasn’t needed in the dark.” 

“I said.” Janus breathed. “That you didn’t need to be dark.” 

Virgil moved the blade- making everyone breathe a sigh of relief, though that didn’t last long as he gestured wildly with it. 

“And then I was afraid that if I didn’t hate you, like the lights hated us, then they’d hate me, and no matter what I’d get pushed away, and then I’d have nowhere to be. I’d live in exile in the figment suburb and no one would talk to me ever again. Which sounds pretty good when you first say it, but not at all if you actually picture it.” he dragged his free hand down his face. 

Patton shifted uncomfortably, looking guilty and kept glancing over at Logan, who just looked like he was facing a word puzzle with one too few pieces. 

“I’m scared that I’m going to lose what I have now, because I was a dark side. Because I still am, even if I’m trying to do the right thing, I’m bad at it. I’m scared of what’s going to happen next, if you’re going to be around. And it is so easy” he bared his teeth, and it was definitely not a smile, the canines too pronounced and all of his teeth sharper than Thomas’s.  “To go from scared to angry. And to get so angry I only could hate you. It’s not like you make yourself easy to like.” he added.

“And hate leads to suffering.” Logan supplied. They all stared at him. “What? ‘Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to suffering.’ It’s the path to the dark side. Star Wars. Yoda.” 

“Or away from the dark side, in this case.” Remus snorted. 

“Okay, you’re a nerd, but not wrong.” Virgil allowed. “I’ve definitely been suffering. And it’s stupid. Because if you’re accepted, all of you, knowing what you are, then what did I hide for? Does my suffering even matter? I thought… I was special. Just for a little. That I could make that jump.” 

“Virgil, I am very sorry but I am going to hug you really hard unless you tell me not to before I get there-”

“Patton, wha-” 

Patton crashed into Virgil, and wrapped his arms around him. “You were, and are always special.” he said forcefully “I am so, so sorry Virgil. I’m sorry I ever made you feel like that.”

“It wasn’t… it wasn't just you, Pat.” Virgil mumbled, not pulling away. Falling from his hand, the blade from Janus’s staff hit the floor and disappeared. 

“No but. I’m responsible. Everybody listens to me more, because Thomas feels things so strongly, so I need to be more careful what I say. It’s not enough to be silly and fun. I can hurt people without meaning to, or with the best intentions. But I still hurt them. And I have to take responsibility for that. Like a real grown up, not just playing pretend.” 

“Hey, don’t get too grown up.” Thomas protested. “I mean, I could do without the enthusiastic moral dilemmas, but I like you the way you are, Pat.” He switched his focus. “And that goes for you too, Virgil. You can be hard to take, but I’ve gotten used to it. It’s… actually a lot easier for me to deal with anxiety, when I have a face to put to it, especially a friendly one.”

Virgil raised a skeptical eyebrow. 

“Friendly?”

“Gah don’t just… do that thing.” Thomas gave a little shudder. “Yes, friendly. You’re a friend. You’re my friend. Not just my anxiety.” 

Virgil sighed, and let his head drop to Patton’s shoulder. Patton hugged him a little harder. 

“Roman needed a friend pretty badly. I just… I got it, you know? Sometimes you just get caught up in what you don’t  want to be, so you just go in the opposite direction no matter what.” He straightened up and pulled away. Patton let him go and stepped back himself. “I don’t think I’ve been the best friend lately.” 

“No, you’ve been fine-” Thomas started to object.

“Not just to you. I’ve said some… shit.” his eyes skittered over Janus and Remus, focusing on Logan. “Logan- I… I’m sorry. You may not be easy to deal with, but you definitely had my back, and I lashed out at you. I do that a lot.”

“Shortness of temper is a common symptom of anxiety disorders.” Logan said dismissively, hiding behind his stoic shield. 

“See- like that. Fuck.” He pushed his bangs back. “Let me apologize for lashing out at you, while we’re having this giant stupid sorry circle, okay?” 

“Thank you. But you don’t need to apologize. I am above petty emotions. I’m just glad you’re aware of the problem now.”

Behind Logan’s back, Janus mockingly flapped his hand like he was working a puppet, rolling his eyes, as a forked tongue flicked out in a brief blep. Everyone understood, and no one said anything.  They could deal with Logan’s issues another day. 

“Sure, let’s go with that.” Virgil sighed. “I’ll try and stay aware of it.” 

“That’s all I can hope for.” he paused, and looked downward. “For what it is worth… I accept your apology, Virgil.” 

The corner of Virgil’s mouth came up, an affectionate little smile. 

“Thanks.” 

“Yay sharing is caring just like syphilis.” Remus rolled his eyes so hard Thomas almost expected to see them leave his head. “Hey, Virgilicous, just so you know; I mean I know this was a whole big drama-boy bullshit? But if you’d slit his throat, you’d follow him down.” Remus said in a purely conversational tone. “That being said, can we just” he made walking motions with his fingers. “Get on with our audience with his royal pain-in-the-ass?”

“I’m sorry your dis-grace did you have someplace to be?” he sneered. 

“I got places I’d rather be, including an actual midden, not just an emotional one.” 

Virgil heaved a big sigh, and looked at Thomas, Logan and Patton.

“Do you think it’ll help?” he asked, looking a bit lost. 

“I have to try.” Thomas answered. “If he’s hurting, I have to try to do something. I wasn’t in a great place to see how he felt when it happened. But I can’t just let him-”

“Fester.” put in Remus.

“...well… yeah, I guess.” 

“I’m helping.” Remus said cheerfully to Janus and Logan who shared an exasperated look. 

“He is hurting.” Virgil said quietly. “Fine. This way.” He turned and headed up the steps, pushing the huge doors at the top open with both hands. They left the dimly lit courtyard, the sky too overcast to show any early stars or moon, and followed him into the castle proper.

Within a few steps, the faint light from the few lamps in the courtyard was gone. Somehow they could still make out Virgil’s outline, faintly visible in a nimbus of violet light that illuminated nothing. 

“Remus, do you think you could provide a little light?” Logan’s voice came. “I’d rather not collide with any furniture.”

“Sure, Doc Dork. I think I can do that right now.” There was a noise more like a crack than a snap, and candelabras sprung to life one after another along the edge of the entry hall, burning faintly green. 

“Ow!” Patton yelped, squinting a bit at the sudden light. Now illuminated, there was still a bit of resemblance to the Beast’s castle, though less worn down. The polished floor sparkled a little like there were pieces of mica embedded in the dark marble. Despite Logan’s concerns there wasn’t much furniture at all, a few end tables between closed doors holding decorative objects. 

The entry hall was easily two stories high, ceiling decorated painted panels, between them the columns were topped with either gargoyle-like angels, or angel-like gargoyles. Remus peered at them crossly, and Thomas had to look away as too many eyes looked back at him. At the end of the entry hall was a wide staircase, softened by a scarlet velvet runner rug, edged in gold, and pooling at the foot of the stairs, inviting like an inverted arrow. There was a landing, about a story up, and two flights of stairs that went in opposite directions to a gallery around the edge of the hall, and presumably off to other wings. 

There was a portrait at the head of the stairway, larger than life, and framed by two sconces that illuminated it, displaying Roman in all his ‘evil’ persona’s glory. A black fitted, tailed coat, dripping with golden embroidery and frogging, with red cuffs also covered in gold work, black gloves, of course, red epaulets with golden fringe, apparently holding up a flowing red cape, black leather boots up to the thigh where they were cuffed in gold with red embroidery. Red pants so tight they might as well have been leggings were tucked into them. His hair had been swept back, and he wore red eye makeup. Earrings dangled from each lobe, such a dark red they looked almost black. A broach of his crest centered at the base of his throat, somehow looking ominous while being unchanged. 

“Damn.” Janus said softly, admiringly.  Remus gave him an offended look.  “What? It’s an effective outfit!” He tapped his fingers against his chin thoughtfully. “A bit stuffed I think.” 

“Do you think?” Logan asked. “I assumed it was a dancer’s belt.”

“They do have that effect don’t they?”

“I can’t believe I kept my clothes on for this.” grumbled Remus. 

“Are you guys coming or not?” Virgil asked from the landing beneath the portrait. 

“Virgil, what are you wearing?” Thomas asked suddenly. When they’d been talking in the courtyard, Virgil was dressed as he normally was; now he was distinctly not.

 Looking down at the black and silver uniform that might have very well come off an extra in the black parade, but for an added hood and a few purple plaid patches, Virgil sighed. “Atmosphere.” 

“And lipstick.” 

He shrugged. “I did that part. I’m working on compromises remember? He asked if I was staying and if I’d … join in.” He smirked a bit. “You can’t honestly think that I’m going to be completely against a little drama?” 

“So whose side are you on?” Patton asked, suddenly concerned.

“Thomas’s.” he tapped the toe of his boot against the stone floor. “Who else?” 

"Oh. That's ok then." he smiled, and hopped up the stairs towards Virgil. Thomas took another moment staring at the portrait, then followed. He ran the last time he’d actually seen and spoken to Roman over in his head, trying to think of what he was going to say. What could he say? What was Roman going to say? 

Leading them down a hallway, Virgil glanced back at him. 

“Breathe. In and out, Thomas. You’ve been doing it your whole life.” 

“Is it going to be okay?” Thomas asked. 

“I am not the person you should be asking.” Virgil shook his head, and led them up another flight of stairs, spiraling around a center column, carved with thorny roses. Behind him, he heard Janus hiss softly.

“The cape too?”

“It’s gettin’ flipping worse.” Remus growled. “F*ck.”

“I have never heard you make that noise with your mouth.” Logan said, a bit surprised. 

“Really what have you heard him make that noise with?” Patton asked. He yelped and clapped his hands over his ears as Remus let out a torrent of expletives, some balderized, some bleeped, and some making it through.

“Patton please, you’re embarrassing yourself.” Logan groaned. “I’ve heard you swear when you sneeze too loudly.” 

“Can’t hear you.” Patton retorted. “My ears are covered.” 

“Keep it down.” Virgil snapped. Then he actually did snap, and Remus choked, unable to breathe or speak. It only lasted for a moment, but that was long enough for Janus to stare at Virgil. Virgil glared back, and flicked his fingers. Remus wheezed in a breath. 

“The dread sorcerer I see.” Janus muttered. 

“Whooo boy.” Remus croaked. “Missed that, kinky boots.” 

“Just... give me a second okay?” Virgil stopped in front of a set of french doors that plainly led out to a balcony. “You don’t want to surprise Roman right now.”

The doors opened to a broad balcony that faced out over the ocean. Storm clouds danced in the distance, but now they could see the moon glowing through the clouds above them, a misty gray light. Against the railing stood a figure in a long cloak, the light turning the crimson to a rich garnet. He tipped his head as Virgil’s boots made noise while he crossed the stone, but didn’t turn around. 

“Hey, Princy. You’ve got guests.” Virgil said quietly once he was only an arm’s length behind him. 

“I don’t want to see anyone else.” Roman grumbled.  Virgil took the last couple steps forward and nudged him gently with his elbow. 

“You knew this was coming.”

“Why did you bring them here?” Roman demanded. 

“Thomas.” Virgil said like it was a full explanation. Roman drew in a sharp breath through his nose, glancing over his shoulder, and seeing Thomas in the center of the group standing just outside the door, staring at him. 

“Ah. Yes.” Raising a gloved hand he stroked Virgil’s cheek, cupping it momentarily. “It’s been fun while it lasted.” 

Virgil gave a near invisible huff of laughter, nodding and Roman dropped his hand, turning to face them, and moved forward exactly far enough that his cloak could billow dramatically behind him. Virgil stayed slightly behind him and to the left, leaning back on the railing for a moment before jerking forward, glancing over it and taking a nervous step or two away from it.

There was a long pause in which no one spoke, and the only sounds were the cracking of the pennants on the tower, the rustle of his cape, the faint crash of the ocean far below and the thunder and lightning in the distance. 

Roman’s eyes flicked over each of them in turn, coming to rest on Thomas last. Thomas wondered if it was in his head; but the skin around Roman’s eyes looked puffy, and his eyes red, like he’d spent a long time crying. Of course, with the lighting it was hard to tell for sure.

Thomas took a deep breath. Nothing he’d thought of to say on the way here seemed right. Roman deserved his best effort. 

“Roman-” Thomas started, but Roman talked over him. 

“So this is it, come to defeat the villain in his own castle? I’m so glad;” Roman sneered. “That I could bring you all together like this.” 

“Hey have you done anything villainous besides being an a$$hole?” Remus asked curiously. 

“Uhm Roman, Buddy?” Patton said “I don’t like swearing either, but could you ease up on whatever’s making his mouth do that?” 

“Oh? Am I to stop playing nice at all?” Roman demanded. He took a half step back and his hand flexed at his side, a sheathed sword appearing in it. “Because I can certainly do that.” 

“We’re not here to fight!” Patton protested. “Roman please, we just- we miss you.” 

“Clearly.” he sneered, looking at his brother. 

“Hey, don’t look at me, dope-face. I miss you all the time. Sometimes even on purpose.”  he grinned and tucked his hands behind his head. 

“Given the company you’re choosing to keep, I can’t help but feel perhaps you don’t miss me that badly.” He flicked his wrist at them dismissively. “So lovely that you visited, please get out. I have no interest in playing an outdated role that isn’t wanted anyway.” There was a sharp crack of lighting briefly illuminating the balcony. The sky hissed softly as rain started to fall, hard and nearly blinding. Roman turned away to face the sea. 

“Now wait a gosh-darn minute!” Patton protested, barely audible above the rain. “We came all this way to talk to you and you’re not giving us a chance!” 

Virgil raised his hand palm up and a cloud of purple and black glowing magic expanded from it, creating a near invisible shield and shunting the rain off of them. Roman looked at him and Virgil just shrugged. Flicking wet hair back from his face, Roman turned back. 

“Don’t we deserve a chance to try and rescue the prince?!” Patton continued. 

“Rescue from what? A growing awareness that I’m as unwanted as a parasite and a tumor?”  He gestured at Remus and Deceit. Janus was delicately flicking water off an umbrella that he had conjured and held over Thomas’s head. Remus frankly looked thrilled at the comparison. 

“Oooh which one am I? Am I the tumor? I hope I am.” He bounced in place, not minding how the rain had plastered his hair down. The white of his adulterated costume glistened, each raindrop turning crystalline and sparkling in the dim light. “Tumors are fascinating! Did you know that the average person actually gets a cancerous tumor several times in their life, and their body just-” he made a chomping motion with his hand. “Eats it back up? Oooh! Bro, you should have eaten me in the womb!”

“Remus.” Logan said. “Focus. Also we were never in wombs, unless you count Thomas's forming fetus as our genesis as well, rather than counting our creation from the development of his mind-”

“Logan.” Thomas managed pinching the bridge of his nose. “Not now.” 

“Well, what if we got a giant like, whale bladder, and stuffed me and Roman into it- or we could just make a fleshy sack big enough to-” 

“Look, I would much rather go back to what I was doing before you got here.” Roman interrupted. “Virgil’s been showing me some wonderfully dramatic music.” 

“Well, welcome to the black parade, bro.” Remus snorted. “Congrats on reaching PG-13.” Virgil flipped Remus off, but Remus ignored it. “I didn’t bring a cake to jump out of so I’m going to force feed you this angsty bullhockey until you choke on it.” he grinned, teeth white and sharp “and once you’ve puked it all back out, I’m gonna rub your nose in it.” He flourished his wrist and his mace appeared in it. “Sound good?” 

This time the twins came together and clashed before anyone could say anything. 

“Just go away!” Roman yelled, blocking the blow aimed at his head. Remus dropped and aimed the second blow at Roman’s legs, only to get kicked in the head as Roman leapt over it. “I’ve given up! Take it! You wanted attention, and it’s yours!” 

“You don’t get to decide what I want! I want lots of things!” Remus spat back. Roman’s blade lashed out and a curl of hair fell “Mostly, I want things to go back to normal. Boring is more fun to <quack> with.” 

“We just want you back, Roman!” Patton insisted from the sidelines, wringing his hands. 

“Your input is valuable in Thomas’s chosen career.” Logan offered. “Remus is not suited to it.” 

“It’s true, I’m not.” Remus laughed. “But there’s always Onlyfans.” 

“My butt is not getting on camera thanks, there’s a reason we’re shot from the waist up.”

“Your butt is fabulous and worthy of attention!” Roman snapped without thinking about it, pointing at Thomas. 

“Quite the ass-et.” Agreed Remus. 

“Oh shut up.” Roman kicked hard and Remus, not expecting it, went down with a squeak like a breaking dog toy.

“Roman what the fuck.” Thomas breathed.

“There! See! I can be a villain, I did something villainous and low and unchivalrous!”  Roman shouted. 

“You’re a diuck is what you are.” Choked Remus, voice strangled a bit. “Why is it only me!?” 

“Heroes don’t swear.” Roman said.

“I’m not a motherfather hero!” Remus countered. “You can’t just force people to be what you think they should be to fit your narrative, like you’ve always done.” 

“Shut up!” 

 “You’re still doing it! Just because you’ve flipped the script doesn’t mean you’re not still forcing people to play your game.” 

“I said shut up!” he took a baseball swing with his sword as Remus got to his feet, and sent his brother careening back across the balcony, colliding with Logan, who hit the wall with Remus on top of him.

“This Is my life now.” Logan groaned out of breath. “Rationality being crushed under intrusive thoughts.” 

“I like it.” Remus retorted, equally as breathless. “You okay teach?” 

“I am very resilient.”

“I know.” it was a leer, but Remus didn’t get back to his feet just yet. 

Roman looked momentarily horrified at what he’d done, then shook his head, fixing his ‘villain’ sneer in place. 

“I’ve made my point. Leave.” 

Once again, Thomas tried to gather his thoughts. This was all going wrong and he hadn’t even opened his mouth. 

Janus sighed. 

“I prompted this response, I should try and fix it.” He stepped forward, for a moment getting between Thomas and Roman, as he continued to walk towards him. 

“I’m not interested in your honey-thick words, Deceit.” Roman spat. “Take your victory and go.”

“A pyrrhic victory is no kind of win to my mind. Roman-” 

“Oh shut up, you’ve done nothing but lie since you slithered out of the subconscious.” He pointed his blade directly at the other Side. 

“On the contrary, I haven’t lied since I arrived in your castle.” 

Roman scoffed. 

“A likely story.” 

“Like I said, my efforts have resulted in this- role reversal passion play, and that was nowhere near my intent. I want what’s best for Thomas, and this is not it. He needs his hero, Roman. He needs you.” 

“Why should I believe anything you say? Including your claim that you haven’t lied.”

“You won’t trust me if I lie, and you won’t believe me if I tell the truth.” Janus gestured expansively. “You can see how that puts me in a box.”

“Maybe I should put you in a literal box.” Roman growled. He took another step towards Janus, who held his ground.

“Terribly sorry, but Remus put in his dibs for fighting you, and I would hate to disappoint him. You can threaten to kill me later, I promise.” He tipped his head and snorted, giving a near smile. “I…” he grimaced. “I apologize for lashing out. I of all people know even at your cruelest, you aren’t like your brother.” 

“Thank Thomas.” Remus said, finally getting to his feet. 

“Our relationship has been very rocky, mostly because I have never really trusted you either.”

“Oh that’s rich.” Roman said flatly, but his sword lowered.  “Why wouldn’t you trust me? I’m a Prince! Honor and loyalty are my thing.” he didn’t even seem to realize he was talking in the present tense. 

“And what’s another thing that goes with those words, Roman? Duty.” 

“Pfft.” Remus giggled. Janus paused, looking momentarily pained, before smoothing his expression out again. 

“Do you remember the courtroom? I made you judge because of those reasons, and that was my mistake. When you gave your verdict, Roman, you interrupted me.”

“Should I care?”

“Well, it was rude, but by doing that, I never actually managed to make my point.” He shifted in place that little back and forth sway of his. “The point was never the trial. It was supposed to be ridiculous. It was supposed to be pointless. There was never supposed to be a verdict, and I’m sorry for setting you up to make that decision on your own.” He made a small noise of disgust. “I am thoroughly sick of saying sorry.”

“You get used to it.” Patton sighed. 

Janus made another sound of disgust. 

"So what was the point?" Roman demanded. "Why set up a pointless kangaroo court?"

"Ooh that sounds adorable." Patton breathed.

"They'll drown a bitch" Remus supplied.

"The point was to show how silly the debate of if Thomas is good or not was. Thomas is good;" he dipped the first two fingers of each hand "because he chooses to act in ways he considers good." Again the finger quotes. "Even if he chooses the best good for him as opposed to the best good for the most people, he remains good. However, the idea is stuck in his head that only when he chooses good for others is it possible to be Good. It's an entirely emotional appeal-"

"Appeal!" Patton exclaimed “That's more lawyer language!" 

Janus pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. 

"Yes, Patton, but you don't appeal when you win, even if that wasn't the point. But that was why Logan had to be kept out of it. He's too much of a focused problem solver. If he’d been properly involved he would have seen through the facade, even though the actual meat of the matter had to do with emotions which he eschews.”

“I’ll take an apology for that any time.” Logan said mildly. 

“We’ll get to your issues later, Logan.” Janus said. “Do stuff your emotions back into the box you’ve allotted them for the moment.” 

“I don’t want to be in a box.” Muttered Patton quietly. 

Roman shook his head, slowly, then with more force. 

“You were right about one thing.” 

Janus cocked his head. 

“I can’t trust anything you say. You’ve indulged in your theatre, good job-” he applauded sarcastically. “I hope you feel better, trotting out placating little falsehoods as is your wont. But get out. All of you-” he paused. “Not you Virgil, you can stay.”

“Cool.”

“But if I wanted to see any of you, I would have. Take a hint.” he pointed at the door behind them. “Don’t make me use force.” There was a well timed growl of thunder, followed by a flash of lightning which back lit him impressively. “You don’t want me, you don’t need me, and I don’t need any of you.” 

“No.” Thomas said firmly. 

Roman started, as if he’d forgotten Thomas was there at all. His aggressive posture faltered a bit. 

“No?”

“No. You’re my Creativity. My Prince. My Hero. My Roman.” he took a step forward with each title. “I don’t want anyone else.” Reaching out, he put his hands on either side of Roman’s face, cradling it. Very faintly he felt Roman shiver under his touch. “Come back. We need to talk, and I was too messed up in my own problems to remember that you can each get messed up in your own ways. You always help me; and I need to remember to help you.” 

“That’s… it doesn’t work like that.” Roman protested. “We’re here for you. It… it’s not meant to be two ways.” 

The other Sides all looked away. That was more than anyone wanted to admit. They wanted Thomas’s attention, craved it.  But it was true. They were there to support him, not be supported. 

“Well maybe it should be.” Thomas tugged gently on Roman, and he came, folding against Thomas, melting into the hug. 

“Just so we’re all on the same page, if they start fucking, we’re all gonna keep watching, right?” 

“That is the complete opposite of the truth, Remus.” Janus sighed, sounding exhausted.

“I’d watch.” Remus supplied. 

“I know.”

“If you order me to do it, I’ll come back.” Roman sounded choked, face pressed to Thomas’s shoulder.

“I don’t want to order you,” Thomas responded. “I want you to want to come back, as much as I want you back. I want you, I need you, I love you. And if this is what you are now, I’ll take it.” 

“No.” Roman gave a bitter little laugh and shook his head where it was pressed to Thomas’s shoulder. “I’m not… I’m not good at being a villain. It’s hard.” 

“That’s half the fu-” Remus’ breath wheezed out of him in the same moment one of Janus’s hands clapped over his mouth. Virgil and Janus met each other's eyes for a moment, then looked away. 

“I just don’t understand.” Roman’s gloved hands clutched at the back of Thomas’s shirt. “Why does everything have to change so much? Why does it hurt?” 

“I don’t know either.” Thomas admitted. “But it’s better when you have people you love with you.” 

Roman gave another shuddering gasp. 

“I want to be there for you. But I don’t know what I’m supposed to do anymore.”

“Then finding out should be an adventure.” Thomas offered. Roman gave a wet laugh. 

“I remember. Before when the world was all adventure, and failure was just another kind of adventure.”  

Across the balcony, Remus shuddered, squeezing his eyes shut, and sympathetic tears leaking as Roman lost himself in memory and he synched with it.  He clutched at his own arms, and then relaxed as Janus wrapped himself around the Duke. It wasn’t the same, but in the end, it was all Remus had ever had. 

He watched Thomas and Roman over Janus’s shoulder, as their clothes faded back to their normal black, and the storm raging around them passed on, leaving a bright, full moon high in the sky to pop through the clouds, and then stars shining brightly as the last of the storm winds tore the clouds apart and cleared the sky.   

Their placement on the balcony, and the lack of lights in the castle made it seem like they were floating in a star filled sky. Logan filled his eyes with it, looking anywhere but the emotional displays. Patton sidled up beside him and took his hand. 

“I’m sorry I hurt you.” Thomas murmured in Roman’s ear, still holding him, there were tears in his eyes. 

“I’ll forgive you, I’ll always forgive you.” Roman returned. “But I still hurt.” 

“Then we can only learn from the pain.” Thomas closed his eyes. “But never doubt what you mean to me.”

When he opened his eyes again, they were back in his living room, and Roman was no longer in his arms, instead standing in his usual spot in front of the TV. He still wore the dramatic gold-adorned costume, though the coat was now white, and his hands were bare. He rubbed at the edge of one eye, still red from emotion, and a bit of smeared makeup.

“I must look a mess.” he sniffed.

“I just want to be clear, are you concerned about your appearance, or are you ‘trawling for praise’?” Logan asked. “Either way, while it might take some time to get used to your attire, you are as handsome as ever.” 

Roman looked surprised, and a little touched. 

“Really? Do you think I should keep it?” he twirled his cape. 

“You can if you want, but I’m sticking in my comfort zone.” Virgil said, back in his normal attire and placement. “But I’m glad you’re back where you belong, Princey.” 

“I still want to hear that music, Lilac Park.” 

“Normally I’m not about trying new things, but sure.” Virgil gave a little smile. Thomas relaxed minutely. He’d had more than enough adventure for one day. A moment later, Patton popped up. His eyes were wet too. 

“I’m so glad you’re back with us Roman.” he said. “I was setting up a welcome home meal real quick. It’ll be ready for us when we get there.” he glanced over to Thomas. “Uhm, you can join us but-”

“I think I’m just gonna order a pizza and crash.” Thomas assured him. “I mean, I’m always with you guys, the same way you’re with me. But I think I’ve had enough Mindscape adventures for the day. Maybe the month.” he added. “Roman, if you ever feel like that again, just… know you can trust me, okay?”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” he nodded, and looked over. Half hidden in the shadows on the stairs to Virgil’s left were his brother and Janus, Janus sitting on the step behind him with his arms around his neck still. Roman took a deep breath. “... Janus?”

The other Side startled, tipping the scaled side of his face in Roman’s direction, eyes wide.

“I’m sorry. For making fun of your name.”

“It’s alright Roman.” Janus airily answered. “It’s not like it actually hurt me or anything. I don’t know what I expected.”

“You should have expected it, because I’m terrible to you. Even before I coined the term ‘Dark Sides’.” 

“Fuckin’ right.” Remus muttered, still looking a bit spaced out. 

“So… I’ll do my best if you will.” 

“Are you sure you want to make a deal with a snake in the grass?” Janus retorted. 

“No. But I will.” 

Janus smiled suddenly and unconsciously. 

“Well, I’ll do my best not to abuse that trust then.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Janus laughed at that. 

“Fine.” He gave a nod. 

“I’m gonna sleep for a week.” Remus groused. “I had to be fuckin’ serious and focused. Work sucks, I’m going to go back to just throwing random impulses. Smell you later.” He and Janus both vanished.

“We’re much more likely to smell him first.” Logan commented. “Get some rest Thomas. We’ll reschedule your brainstorming for another day.” 

“Yeah. See you.” 

One by one the Sides sunk down, leaving him alone. He threw himself backwards into the embrace of his sofa. Somehow he felt better, like a he’d been missing something he didn’t realize, and now it was back. 

“Peace out.” Thomas muttered to himself, and gave a small laugh, hugging himself. 

[rosierocks30]

Hidden: Ch.9

Chapter 9: Love, Passion, and Desire

Somewhere in Paradis Isle, Eren had been writing a letter to his older brother, Zeke since they both decided to be separate so neither of them got caught. 

For many months, the Titan shifter couldn’t get over the rejection of Queen Historia. At first, he thought; what does she see in Captain Levi? Eren had a lot of respect for his former captain, but it confused him how these two end up being together? They have so many differences. He can guess, Historia was probably into older men. After all, didn’t she tell him that her mother was around her age when she was seeing Lord Reiss? Historia’s father was twice older than her mother yet they had Historia. 

The younger Jaeger finished his letter then tucked it into an envelope to be ready to send soon. They were preparing for the war coming soon. Eren was ready to unleash The Rumbling that Ymir Fritz showed him through the Path. 

He had been thinking about what his brother said before they split up into different directions. 

(Flashback)

“What’s your backing up plan if we can’t access The Rumbling?” Zeke sat on a tree trunk while drinking a canteen of water. 

Eren was already contemplating the question. “If we can’t do it soon then we’ll wait, until it’s the right time.” He sighed and glanced at his brother. “I had a dream last night. There were people screaming and running from some weird light destroying their city. It looked too advanced. Then it shifted to two figures running and jumping on some glass-like surface to climb up in a strange building to see a group of humans working on metals and fire wielding tools to melt the metals into shapes. A woman appeared to explain to me this was what humans were before the collapse of an ancient civilization used to exist.” 

Zeke was concerned about what Eren had dreamt. “What ancient civilization do you refer to? This dream of yours is getting bizarre. Maybe we need to get rid of that strange sphere object that you found in the ruins of Reiss’s chapel. All it does is make you crazy and I need you to be focused.” he scolded Eren. 

“No! We can’t get rid of it. This object holds the key to humanity and our freedom.” Eren glared at his brother while holding the sphere possessively. 

Zeke rubbed his temple spots from frustration of his little brother’s behavior. “Eren, that thing is causing you nothing but trouble. You kept mumbling in your sleep about finding your Eve. Who is this Eve?” He asked. 

Eren keeps thinking about what he dreamt last night. All he can think of is the woman with a strange dress. She said her name was Minerva. So what does Minerva want him to find this Eve? He had contacted Ymir through the Path, but she doesn’t know anything what his dream meant. All she said was that Minerva is ancient. The origin of humanity is not what it seems. 

“I don’t know. I just know I need to find her.” Eren said with determination. 

(End of Flashback) 

The green-eyed man stared down at the sphere. The Apple of Eden. This object had given him other dreams or should he say visions. These visions were the past that humanity had forgotten through thousands of years.

Eren puts the object back into the drawer of the night stand next to the bed. He walked out of his room that was checked in from an inn. As the titan shifter keeps walking on the streets, he accidentally bumps into a stranger. 

“Oh sorry for bumping you.” He looks up at the stranger to see they’re steel grey. 

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t see where I was going.” This stranger is a woman. Her accent is not from here nor Marleyan. The way she spoke Eldian was not obviously her first language. She does seem foreigner. Where is she from? This woman does look cute. 

Eren rubbed his brown hair shyly. Why was he blushing over some stranger he just literally met. She is very attractive, don’t get him wrong, but he still has strong feelings for Historia. Well, he wants to believe his feelings are real. Zeke told him it was his craziness from the object that made him think they were real. Eren doesn’t know anymore what’s real or not. 

“It’s fine. It was an accident. You don’t seem like you're here? Are you a foreigner?” He said. 

The woman was caught off guard. Maybe she’s some spy? The unknown woman stepped back. “Yeah...what of it? Can this foreigner enjoy her vacation.” She said in a defensive tone. 

He uses his hands to make a surrender gesture to her. “No no you can enjoy your vacation. Sorry, it’s just...your accent gave away.” He resumes observing the woman in the front of him. Her brown hair flows as the light breeze passes by between them. Her skin tone was a bit tan with yellow undertone. As his eyes lower further down, he likes what he sees. Her body toned well, probably from working out. Her clothes were unique but it looked good on her. The trouser pants were tight and the blouse was black with two thin straps on her shoulders. Is this woman trying to get men’s attention or she’s not aware her choice of clothing can get her in serious trouble. 

“Hey buddy, I know I’m hot, but my eyes are up here.” Her voice snapped his trance back to reality. Well shit, he’s embarrassed. 

“You know what your wearing can give a man the wrong message.” He warned her. 

Her brow raised up. Seriously this woman kind of reminds him of someone he used to idolize as a kid during his Scouts years. 

“And what message do I seem to give? You are a man, so what is that message I am giving to you?” Her lips form into a smirk. Eren doesn’t know how to respond to that. This woman is bold but mysterious too. 

“Well um...I-I…” Eren’s face was flushed from still struggling to respond. He took off his trench coat and put it on the woman. “Just be careful ok. You’re lucky, you bumped into me and not some creep.” 

The brown haired woman was a bit startled by his gentlemanly actions. She let him put her on his coat. “Thanks.” 

Eren nodded then walked away. Before he vanished from the woman’s view, she stopped him. “Wait! Where do you live so I can give it back to you?” She asked. 

His head turned around to glance at her. “You can drop it off at the inn in front of you. Just say you’re looking for Eren.” He thought about giving away his full name, but since he is a wanted man, it’s smart not to give away his true identity. 

“So your name is Eren? Nice to meet you. You can call me...Eve.” She said. 

This caught his attention. Eve? He took a glimpse one more time to see her already gone through the crowds. He remembered what Minerva in his dreams said. Find your Eve. He resumed walking to his destination thinking about the bold woman he just met. 

(Somewhere in the capitol) 

The sunlight hits through the balcony to warm up the skins of two figures enjoying their afternoon activity. The sound of the bed squeaking loud along the moans. 

“Oh my Lord! Nathaniel.” Gilbert moans from the ecstasy of the orgasm he received.  

“My beautiful Gilly, your moans are heaven to me.” He showered his lover with praises. 

“As long I pleased you, I am satisfied.” Gilbert blushed. 

“You always have pleased me especially the assassination of Premier Zackely that you succeed.” The templar smiled. 

“But now Dot Pixis is the new Premier. It should have been one of our men.” Gilly frowned from the result of his mission. 

“Don’t be upset. Darius Zackely was a dangerous man. He was so closed to figure out my connections with The Templars and planning to dethrone that Whore. Who would ever thought, both the queen and the captain are expecting soon.” He growled in anger from all his hard work that was about to be revealed. Luckily, silencing Zackely made it possible to continue his work. 

“Will you still try to marry her?” The thought of his lover marrying someone else still hurts him. 

“In order to be King, yes I must.” Nathaniel cups his hands on Gilbert’s cheek. “Listen Gilbert, she’s just going to be my queen for temporary until she gives me a proper heir.” 

“What about the current unborn child she is carrying?” Gilbert said. 

“With Ackerman blood running in its veins, the unborn baby will be just a personal bodyguard or will be groomed to be a templar.” Nathan was not cruel enough to end a child’s life whether they were threatening to be on the throne. 

“Soon our plan is about to be executed and this island will be ours.” Nathan smiled while kissing Gilbert’s neck softly. The both lovers continue their lovemaking which they pre-celebrated their plan will be achieved soon. 

(Military base in Marley)

Reiner was heading to visit his family before leaving for the coastline where you can see The Devil’s Island or Paradise Isle. 

He missed his mother’s cooking. Already his cousin, Gabi arrived at his mother’s home probably helping out making dinner. 

A shadow passed by him to get into a dark alley. This caught his eye as he turned to the left. Reiner couldn’t see who it was, but the figure was covered in an odd thick white sweater with a hood attached to it. The figure was a bit smaller than him. So the Armored Titan runs after this figure. If he caught this spy, Reiner would get more praised as a Warrior and they won’t keep doubting him of his loyalty to his country. 

The figure began to climb up the wooden storage boxes to get on the rooftop without an effort. 

“Hey, stop there spy!” He shouted while getting up to the rooftop. 

The figure stopped but it was several feet away from him. Reiner could see a glimpse of black long hair stick out as the breeze made the locks float along. The face was still hidden half way, but Reiner could see the person’s pink lips and creamy skin tone. 

This spy would be a female. The blond man started to run after her. The “spy” quickly paced away. When she reaches the edge of the roof, Reiner grins as he is so close to capture. 

“You can’t escape.” He said. 

The figure glanced across to estimate the other rooftop building was enough for her to make a jump. Then she ran to leap on the other roof. Her body rolls smoothly to the surface. Reiner frowned that she managed to make it. He decided to also make a leap to catch up to the woman. He will not let this spy escape. 

Once he gained enough speed to make a jump from the edge of the rooftop, he landed and rolled down with minor scratches. He gets up to resume his chase. 

As the mysterious figure reaches another “deadend”, she stops to calculate where to escape next. Shit, remember what one of the Assassin Masters said in her training. When she was about to make another leap, Reiner tackled her down which they fell off the roof to a pile of empty carton boxes in another alley. 

“I got you, spy.” Reiner glared down as he removed the hood. 

He was shocked to see those dark eyes. “Mikasa Ackerman? What are your intentions here in Marley?” 

Mikasa growls at him while kneeling him to the diaphragm hard. He lost his breathing pattern as he began to cough. Mikasa rolls to get up, but Reiner reaches quick of her ankle to make her trip. 

“Oh no, you’re not escaping.” He pinned her to make sure she does try to wiggle her way out. 

“Oh fuck you traitor! Like I would tell you why I’m here.” She gives off her infamous Ackerman glare. 

“If you answered my questions maybe I will let you go.” He said. A part of him wants to let her go since she was a former comrade of his. He held so much respect for the raven haired woman. The Eldian-Marleyan soldier had an inter battle with himself. 

“Like you would keep your promise?” She chuckled sarcastically. 

“You are an enemy. I’m just a fellow who follows the rules.” He said. 

Mikasa was thinking of a way to escape. Well, fuck she’s screw. He knows she’s here in Marley. There’s a chance Reiner will report to his superiors and will send a group of soldiers after her. Her mission is about to be ruined. 

“Aren’t you a good little soldier.” Her eyes roll at him. 

“I see you still haven’t answered any of my questions, Ackerman.” He grinned down his teeth in annoyance. 

“And I see you’re still pinning me down but we both can’t get what we want right now.” She said. 

She thought about to headbutt him then stab him with her hidden blade, but Mikasa doesn’t have the guts to seriously harm a former friend. Her memories with Reiner in Cadet years were good enough not wanting to kill him. Yes, he done stupid shit like kidnaping Eren in the past along with Bertholdt and Ymir. The newly assassin noticed that Reiner had grown well into a fine man. That was a disturbing thought. 

“You were never the type with sarcasm.” He pointed out. 

“Things had changed since you and Bertholdt had betrayed us.” Mikasa said. 

She had a crazy idea that could help her get out of his grasp. Mikasa stared into him. Before Reiner continues talking, she leans towards him to catch him off guard to press her lips on his. Of course, like she predicted, Reiner was shocked by Mikasa’s bold action. What the raven haired beauty didn’t predict is the way she is kissing him. His lips were soft but firm.

Reiner becomes lost in the way her pink soft lips move so well adjusted against his own. He deepens the kiss to win by dominating the kiss. Of course, she won’t let that happen easily. Mikasa licks his bottom lip to have them open enough to stick her tongue and explore. 

Oh fuck, he taste so good and forbidden-wait what? What is she saying?! Being lost from the tasting Reiner, the newly assassin snapped back into reality. Mikasa surprised Reiner by kneeing him with force into his gut with her knee then knocked him off of her with a high kick to the head. The titan shifter rolled a few feet away from her. The dark haired beauty Ackerman gets up to finally escape before he regains that hard kick to his head. 

While she vanished from his view, Reiner was overwhelmed with mixed emotions of what just had happened right now. Did she and him just kiss? Reiner Braun was not the ladies man as his comrades like to think. His mind was always about the missions and duties for his motherland country. Distraction was out of the question. The blonde bulky man touched his lips that’s still warm and tingling from the spontaneous kiss with Mikasa Ackerman, his supposed enemy. 

(Survey Corps Headquarter in Mitras)

William Miles was in the court yard where Scouts soldiers spar or work out. Since he had been residing here, his assassins also reside here to plan and spar each other or with other soldiers. His grandson’s squad are quick to pick up moves during their training as new recruits. With the deal he and Levi made, this gives the team the opportunity to head on into battle when war comes. Bill had finally met the queen one on one in the months early. He was pleased his granddaughter in law was the perfect image of what most assassin's want in a spouse. She encouraged Levi to train under him. Levi was too stubborn, but he will listen to his wife or Hange or his comrades. Since yesterday, both family members finally had that closure they needed. His son, Jacob wanted his girlfriend and son to live in a better place. Of course, it was too late when he died to be able to fulfill that promise to Kuchel. She died without knowing what had happened to his son. The poor girl. He had helped dig up her grave with Levi to take her remains to at least buried her along with his son. Maybe this will bring peace for the mother of his first grandchild. 

The mentor assassin had another shocking news. One his assassins residing in New Your City found out his younger son, Desmond had a child too. Seriously, what the fuck were his sons were thinking? Didn’t they ever carry a damn condom ever? Don’t get him wrong. He is happy finding out he has another grandson, but the poor boy isn’t lucky from being hostage under Abstergo, the templars main corporation to try to dominate the world. 

This made the elder man furious that these scums dared to make this baby another of their “subjects”. For fuck’s sake, it’s a god damn infant. They are taking way too far for collecting his bloodline’s data. What are they exactly looking for? Adam and Eve? He chuckled sarcastically at that thought. 

For months, he was getting updates on his infant grandson, Elijah. He put the same assassin undercover as a staff in that company to make sure nothing dangerous happened to his other grandchild. He needs time to make a risky plan to get the baby out of the templars’ grasp. Levi was in rage when he also found out about his infant cousin. He was ready to go there and wipe out anyone there. 

(Flashback) 

“Are you fucking shitty me?! I don’t know who’s the worst, the sickos in Underground City or the Templars? ‘Cause to me both are at the same level in harming little babies.” Levi ranted while his blood boiled in rage for finding out about his little cousin. This world is a cruel place even without Titans involved. 

“Levi, I am enraged as much as you are, but we need to be level headed. We’ll make a careful calculated plan to rescue the baby. He deserves to be here with us, his family. I already sent one of my assassins to keep an eye on him. I just want to tell you because he’s your baby cousin.” Miles said with a calm tone. Levi has every right to be furious, but to get into blood rage won’t end well for anyone. 

“But after the war, we’ll get him or I’ll go myself.” Levi said. 

“We’ll save him together...don’t worry, I promise.” Bill was already behind Levi as his hand placed on his grandson’s shoulder to comfort him. 

(Flashback ends)

William Miles was in front of Commander Hange’s office door then knocked softly to let her know it’s him. 

“Come in.” Her tone seemed to be distracted when a knock was heard. 

He opened the door to see Hange absorb into her own side projects. Bill closed the door then sat on the chair in front of the desk. “Did I come in at a bad time?”

“Hm? Oh no, you’re fine. I was just doing light reading before I called it a day. So what can I do for you, Bill?” Hange closed her book on Astro-Phycis Theories. Bill raised his eyebrow to notice that her book doesn’t seem light to him. 

“You are a very strange woman if you consider that light reading.” He said.

Hange laughed at his comment. She adjusts her glasses. “I hope that’s a good thing.” 

“Oh trust me. It’s definitely a good thing, Zoe.” Bill grinned and got up to go towards where she’s sitting. The commander was confused when she felt his warm lips on hers. This is a surprising turn for Zoe. Both Miles and Hange had been flirting but never had the made. Some of the Scout soldiers and assassins laid a bet on who would make the move or how long will happen? This finally made Levi confront his grandfather about Hange in the morning. 

(Flashback)

“Oi old man. When will you have the balls to make a move on Four Eyes? Because I don’t need a distracting Commander every time you two get flirty but don’t do shit. And trust me, she rarely gets distracted unless it’s a new science like Titan related or something.” Levi barged into his old room since he let his grandfather have it. 

“Well good morning you to my dear grandson.” He sat up from the bed and yawned.

“Tch. Why are you still in bed anyways? Do you know what time it is?” Levi scolded at Bill. 

The mentor glanced at his cellphone to see the time. “Damn it Levi, it’s 6 am. Why do you have to wake me up that early?” He rubbed his eyes. 

“What the hell do you mean early? Everyone had been awake since 4 am.” The raven haired soldier rolled his eyes. 

“I stood up most of the night to help Zoe on the security measures on the coastline close to Marley.” He yawned again. 

“And yet I’m surprised both of you didn’t jump on each other. You and Four Eyes are like shy teenagers that are too afraid to make a move.” Levi mumbled while running his finger on the hard surface of the furniture. His fingers gather dust which his expression becomes disguised and annoyed. “You should clean this room. It’s filthy.” 

The older man flopped on the mattress and groaned in annoyance. Seriously, this boy has OCD or something. “Levi, can we talk about this later when I’m fully awake.”

On Levi’s other hand, he holds his cup of tea as he sips. “Tch, just giving you advice, Hange is not the type to make the first move since she loves to analyze anything including then men she starts to have feelings with. So don’t take long to do or you’ll miss your chance.”

Bill was silent but absorbed what his grandson had said. He has also been distracted too whenever he secretly ogles at messy brown haired beauty. Maybe he should consider what Levi said. Bill can’t believe he’s being given advice  by his own grandson on making a move. 

(Flashback end)

Bill moans from the kiss as he can feel Zoe’s arms wrapped around his neck and pressed against each other. The mentor assassin already had the commander on her desk sitting while he slowly made her laid on the hard surface. Most of the stuff was on the floor since Hange quickly swept off to clear the desk after the first surprise kiss from Bill. 

She blushed from the way his eyes were clouded with lust. It’s been a long time since she has been with a man. The first time meeting William was filled with curiosity. As a few months had passed they flirted here and there, but neither one didn’t make a move. It could be a culture boundary or age gap issue, but Commander Zoe Hange never had attempted to make a move in her life. She may not be shy in general but when it comes to her love life, she becomes lost that not even science can’t help her. 

For an old man, he looks younger than his age. He could pass in his 50s, but then again Levi looks younger than what he is. Must be in the family. 

All her thoughts were gone when Bill kissed down her neck to the valley of her breasts. Huh? She didn’t feel his hands undo her white blouse. Her ponytail was undone too. 

Hange moaning softly from his tongue running on top of her breasts. She quickly let the  blouse slide off of her and her bra is now on display for him to see. 

Bill stopped to admire how flushed her face was and her hair was spread out on her desk. Her chest rose up and down from breathing heavily. To him, she already looks magnificently beautiful.  

“Well, this is not what I expect but I’m not complaining.” She chuckled while playfully undoing his shirt. 

“Good, I wanted you ever since we met.” He took off his shirt when she undo his buttons. William begins to grind on her. Zoe aggressively kisses his neck while pulling his hair. 

“I wanted you as well. It had been frustrating getting off from thinking of you instead feeling your touch.” Hange mumbling as Miles takes off her pants. His warm hand caressing from her ankle to her inner thigh. Her breath panting harder. Her panties start to get soak from the wetness she has been producing from his kisses and touches. 

“Ah, you have been thinking of me? Show me when you do when you think of me.” Bill leans to her ear to whisper. 

The commander slowly let her fingers travel down her body then stopped to rub the hem of her panties. She can tell how William’s eyes become darker while following the movement of her fingers going further below. Zoe smirks as her finger hooks on the hem to carefully pull down the fabric garment to teasingly reveal her dark small pubic hairs. The way Bill’s tongue licks on his lips made her moan erotically. Oh fuck, how hot he looks the way he stares at her like a starve animal.

She continues to pull down until it's off from her legs. Her finger presses on her clit to start rotating gently as a wave of pleasure spreads out on her body. Hange moaning low his name which he stops her to resume by him instead. 

“You’re beautiful, Zoe. Don’t forget that.” His lips kissed her neck again. 

“Am I?” She has mixed feelings of being called beautiful. Most of her life, she never considers herself to try to be pretty. What’s the point when she has a brain to make her standout from everyone? The first time someone looked at her as a woman and called her beautiful was her former lover. He died an honorable hero for leading the retake of Shiganshina. That was long ago. Erwin would tell her everyday so she would one day accept that she always has beauty too in her unique way.  

“Yes.” Bill glanced at her with a soft but determined look. He was still fingering her deep which arched her back of the ecstasy of pleasure. 

Her eyes get watery then growls with desire to have him pounding her. Her hands make way to his pants to undo them roughly. “Fuck me now please..”

He chuckled and let her undo his pants. “Someone is eager.” He teased her. 

“Of course, for months I have to use my imagination of your dick pounding me, unless with your old age; you’re impotent to keep up my stamina.” Her tone was playfully as she looked into his eyes. 

“Oh my genius Zoe. I may be old, but I can still fuck your brains out. You forget that I’m an assassin. My stamina will not be an issue.” He smirks wickedly. Hange couldn’t help feel the excitement of what Bill will do to her. 

“Guess you have to remind me.” The Commander of the Survey Corps grins while whispering. A loud gasp came out from her lips when she felt his manhood entering her.

“I certainly will.” He moans while adjusting himself inside her. His dark eyes stared into her honey brown eyes. 

As the rhythmic of their bodies move as one, the new lovers keep embracing the passion that ignites from the months of pining for each other. 

Meanwhile on the other side of the Commander’s door, three figures walking pass by until they heard moans. 

“Connie, do you hear that?” Jean stops to listen where that noise is coming from. 

“Yeah, probably it’s a ghost or something.” Connie shrugs. 

Then a louder noise was heard. “Oh harder! Harder, harder!” A feminine voice made erotic noise.

“That’s one horny ghost all right.” Mario, one of William’s assassins grin as he has an idea where the noise came from. Both Survey Corps soldiers finally get what their new friend was saying and blushes while all three walk away from the noise. 

A/N: Hello guys! Sorry this chapter took so long. It’s been another busy week for me and I tried to get it done before Christmas. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas! Also, Sorry this chapter is a bit shorter than the last one. I hope this chapter will do for you all until the next one. See you guys later until next time with Ch.10. Love you all!

[catsafarithewriter]

Day 7: Heist

A/N: Another ficlet for Day 7: Heist of the TCR Birthday Bash 2020, cause this idea came suddenly from a Discord discussion, and also from this post. A ficlet, in which the non-human members of the Bureau perform a heist into Haru’s flat for entirely chaotic reasons. 

x

On the fridge in Haru’s flat was a list. It read:

Pirates of the Caribbean The Princess Bride Nightmare Before Christmas Robin Hood (Errol Flynn) Robin Hood (Douglas Fairbanks) Robin Hood (Disney)

And other such movies that Haru had deemed Bad Influences due to the dramatic tendencies the characters displayed. 

(Haru had learnt that lesson after showing Galaxy Quest to the Bureau, and then having to yoink Baron back from his newfound desire to wait until the last second before pressing big impressive countdown buttons.)

And the latest addition, scribbled on in orange marker, was Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time.

Now, Baron could somewhat understand the rest. Haru had given a quick rundown of the plots - and, yes, he could see why pirates and kidnapped princesses and dashing do-gooders might have dramatic leanings that would be irresistible to a Creation such as him. 

However, the Cinderella one had stumped him. 

“After all,” he reasoned as he pushed through the cat flap, “it’s not as if I haven’t seen the original movie, and she didn’t ban the second.”

“Chicky’s really just making yer more curious,” Muta said as he followed Baron through. “Yer think she’d have spent enough time around cats to know that curiosity... that curiosity is what... Call this a cat flap? This ain’t big enough for a gerbil, let alone a cat.”

Baron tried to heave his friend through the undersized opening, dislodging the welcome mat in the process.

“Maybe she had a reason for adding it to the list,” Toto offered, who was thinking about how he was the one who had to cover for Baron’s dramatics, which was already quite the chore without throwing more fuel to the fire. “Anyway, I don’t think,” he said, hopping up onto the table beside the door, “that sneaking into Haru’s flat to watch it is the answer.”

“Then why did you come along, birdbrain?”

“Damage control.” 

“Damage control? Why would we need damage control, ya overgrown--”

Baron and Muta’s combined efforts finally bore fruit, and Muta shot out of the cat flap like a champagne cork and rammed straight into the table. 

Toto caught the bowl of keys before it could clatter off and wake Haru. He carefully repositioned it with a talon. “Oh, I don’t know, Call it a hunch,” he replied sarcastically. 

Baron was picking himself back up, dusting the imaginary dust mites off his coat. “I don’t know why you’re fretting, Toto,” he said. “After all, we’re just visiting a friend to do some... necessary research.”

“At 2am,” Toto supplied.

“The Bureau runs on all time zones,” Baron said. “I’m sure that somewhere, someplace, it’s a reasonable hour.”

“And is that the excuse you plan to use when Haru catches us?”

“Do you think it will work?”

Toto cocked his head. “On the basis that she has more than a single brain cell... I don’t think so.”

“In that case, we better not get caught. Now, who knows how to work the television?”

There was an awkward pause. 

“Well, Chicky’s usually the one to sort it all out...” Muta muttered. 

Baron nodded, as if this wasn’t a major flaw in the plan. “Good point, good point.” 

“Maybe,” Toto said reluctantly, as if already regretting enabling this endeavour, but unable to resist helping, “there’s a manual for it.” 

“Excellent point, Toto. Now... where is it?”

“Yeah, leave this to me,” Muta called, scurrying off into the joint kitchen and, after several ungainly jumps, reached a small drawer. He battled at the handle until it slid open, rooted around, and dropped a couple of thick manuals onto the floor.

The two Creations neared the findings with bemusement. 

“How did you know those were there?” Baron asked.

“Eh, you know... I may have got familiar with the kitchen in search of food. Though there’d be marshmallows somewhere for a cake, and found this weird drawer instead. He pawed at the contents. “If yer wanting dead batteries, outdated cables, and tech manuals from the Stone Age, this is yer drawer.”

“Yes, well.. thank you, Muta.” Baron spread the manuals across the floor. “Well, how difficult can this be?”

x

The answer, naturally, was very. 

“Muta, I do believe this manual has the same instructions copied six times over.”

“That’ll be the other languages,” Muta replied. 

“It’ll be the Sanctuary magic translating it for us,” Toto supplied. He peered over Baron’s shoulder. “Do the other languages say anything helpful?”

“Some questionable grammar, but nothing noteworthy.” 

“I’ve found the remote!”

Both Creations furiously shushed Muta. 

“Sorry. I’ve found the remote,” he whispered in exaggerated tones.

“Where was it?”

“Behind the sofa.”

“Remind me to give Haru a few tips on good tidiness habits.”

“And how are yer gonna do that? ‘Hey, could yer make sure yer tidy the place up so next time we break into your home, we can find the remote?’“

“It’s not breaking and entering if we don’t break anything,” Baron replied back. 

“How does Haru’s trust sound?” Toto asked dryly. 

 “Haru has made it quite clear we are welcome whenever. Now how do we turn this infernal machine on...?”

x

Several false starts, one rapid muting, and ten minutes on the wrong input channel later, they found their way to the menu screen for Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time. 

For the first half, Baron failed to see what Haru had made all the fuss about. For, except for a momentary dramatic flair from the prince as he parried with both words and sword, there was little to add to Baron’s already impressive repertoire. 

Then the film rolled towards its climax, and as the prince ran down the stairs to find his true love, he found his way blocked by his father.

“This is ridiculous! Now, you agreed to marry the girl in the glass slipper,” the king ranted. “I was completely with you on that one--”

“And I will,” the prince retorted, attempting to step past his father. “Just as soon as I find her.”

The king made a variety of disgruntled noises. “I’ve - I - I forbid you to take another step down these stairs!”

There was a pause as the prince considered this statement. Then a smile spread slowly across his face. “Okay,” he said, and jumped out of the nearest window.

Muta and Toto simultaneously looked at Baron. 

“What?” he demanded.  

“Do not,” Toto said, “even think about it.”

“I wasn’t!”

Which was true. There was very little thought involved.

x

“THIEVES! VANDALS! RUFFIANS! YOU COME BACK HERE WITH THAT VASE!”

Haru raced down the steps, taking them three at a time and hoping gravity wasn’t about to get the better of her. “Is... anyone else... worried,” she gasped, “how often this... happens?”

 “The running or the name-calling, Chicky?”

“Both?! We’re the good guys! We shouldn’t get called ruffians!”

An arrow whizzed over their heads. 

“Or shot at!” She pivoted on one foot to glare at their pursuers. “We’re trying to help you, you idiots!” 

 Another arrow buried itself into the stone wall above her.

“Sure, sure, Chicky, go insult their intelligence. That always goes down real well.” 

“I certainly feel better for it.” Her foot missed a step and she went sprawling. Baron caught her before she could go the rest of the stairway head-over-heels.

“Enjoying our little trip, were we?”

Haru snorted. “And how long have you been waiting on that one? Anyway, you can put me down now--”   

“HALT! IN THE NAME OF HIS EMINENCE, THE ROYAL HIGH KING, RULER OF THE SUNSET ISLANDS, CONQUEROR OF THE CRIMSON WASTES, RIGHTFUL HEIR OF THE AURORA THRONE--”

“Are they waiting for us to die of old age?” Muta muttered.

“--YOU ARE ORDERED TO STOP!”

“On second thoughts, Baron, let’s not make any sudden moves,” Haru said. She leant back in his arms and laid a glare on the garrison of highly-decorated soldiers blocking their path. “The vase we took is cursed. That’s why you’ve been plagued by bad luck for the past year.”

“LIES! DECEIT!”

“Geez, does this guy have an indoor voice?” Muta grunted. 

“YOU SHALL BE BROUGHT TO THE ROYAL COURT TO FACE JUSTICE FOR YOUR CRIMES!”

“Baron, this would be a great time for you to pull out one of your last-minute plans,” Haru whispered. 

“I’m working on it.”

“Work faster.”

“YOU ARE FORBIDDEN FROM TAKING ANOTHER STEP DOWN THESE STAIRS!”

Baron grinned the kind of slow grin that wouldn’t have been out-of-place on the Cheshire Cat. “Haru, do you trust me?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I always do until you ask questions like that.”

“Then hold on tight.” 

Haru hastily linked her fingers together behind Baron’s neck, securing herself with the kind of grip that spoke of many, many experiences. 

“Not another step down these stairs, you say?” Baron called. “Then, naturally, we shall respect your request. Haru, are you ready?”

“Sure, but for whaaaaa--”

She devolved into a scream as Baron leapt through the open window and rappelled his way down by means of the creeping ivy clinging to the castle walls. 

Baron landed at the base of the castle with not a single hair out of place. 

Haru looked... less immaculate. 

She elbowed her way back to her feet and leant heavily against the nearest non-floor thing, waiting for the world to stop see-sawing. “Oh boy...”

Muta and Toto followed after, although Muta’s descent was slowed by his claws. “Real smooth, Baron,” he grunted. 

“It worked, didn’t it?”

“Tell me, Baron,” Toto said, alighting on his shoulder, “did you know about the ivy before or after you jumped?” 

“It is entirely possible I took note of the castle’s foliage on our entrance here.”

“That’d be a no,” Muta said. 

Haru groaned and straightened, pushing her hair out of its birdnest and into something approaching any kind of style. “You know, I’m getting the weirdest sense of deja-vu...”

“That’d be from when he jumped off your school roof,” Muta offered.

“Or the time he interrupted the clockwork wedding via the cathedral window,” Toto said.

“Or when he escaped from the sky castle.”

“Or the lightning pirates incident.”

“Or the--”

“Yes, yes,” Baron said, a trite curtly. “I think we get the picture.”

“No, that’s... that’s not it.” Haru frowned, mouthing something to herself. “It was... I think it was something you said... or something the guard said. The whole ‘not another step’ thing sounded awfully...” her eyes suddenly widened, “...familiar...”

Muta cackled. “Now yer in for it, Baron.”

Haru spun round accusingly to Baron. “Did you watch my copy of Cinderella 3?”

“Watch is such a strong word...”

“Baron...”

“If you’re asking if I occupied the same room that the movie happened to be playing in, then I suppose--”

“Oh my god.”

“--in the loosest sense of the word--”

“You’re in so much trouble.”

“--one could say that, yes, I did watch Cinderella 3. Are you quite all right, Haru? You seem to be breathing rather heavily into your hands.”

“I’m counting to ten.”

“Why-- oh.”  

Several arrows embedded themselves into the creeping ivy just above them. 

“As much as I fully endorse this admonishment,” Toto chipped in, “may I remind you that we are currently running for our lives?” Several more arrows pinged past them, notably closer to their marks this time. “Preferably before the archers find their aim.”

“Wait,” Haru said. “Did you know? About the movie?” She watched Muta and Toto’s guilty shuffling, and the penny dropped. “Did you help?”

“Help is such a strong word,” Muta said.

“If you’re asking if we happened to occupy the same room as Baron did during the movie...” Toto muttered.

“..and maybe jiggled your cat flap open...” Muta continued.

“...and worked the TV...”

“...then I suppose, in the loosest sense of the word...”

“...one could say that, yes, we did help him. How high are you counting this time, Haru?”

“As many as it takes before the murderous tendencies wear off,” Haru growled. “Baron, your tea privileges are banned for a month; same goes for you and cake, Muta; and Toto...” She paused. “Is there anything I can ban for you?”

“Bickering with Muta?” Toto supplied wearily.

“Fine. No bickering with Muta.” She groaned again and rubbed at her temples. “Alright, let’s get this cursed vase outta here and get home.” She glanced around. “Who’s got the vase?”

“Oh,” Baron said. 

“Oh?”

“I think I may have left it in the staircase,” he said. “Just before we jumped.”  

[littlerockerao3]

Rock-a-roo! Plot bunny! Throbb where they’re married with a kid who’s technically heir to both the north and the islands, conflict ensues!

You’re seriously gonna end up making me change my username into that (that is, if you’re the same anon) lol. Anyway, i love this, thank you, I had to write something out of it, hope you like it! (I have no idea how to write conflict though, so this is basically following half of the plot bunny but let’s just... yeah i don’t know)

Disclaimer: I don’t think somebody in Westeros could ever come up with the idea of a surrogate mum, so let’s just leave how Robb and Theon had their kids up to whatever theory you prefer, since this just implies they have kids, not how they got them.

“House Mormont?” Robb stared at his daughter as she chewed on her applecake, her brown eyes looking uncertain and somehow guilty.

Robb snorted - he was about to reproach her, when his husband rolled his eyes, as he dragged their youngest baby into his lap, and spoke up: “Oh come on, even I know the answer to that!”

Aris scoffed, and rolled her eyes as well: she looked so much like her father it almost hurt.

“My lesson with the Maester is in a few hours, I don’t need you to quiz me,” she said.

“And I know what’s their sigil, it’s... a bear?” well, that definitely sounded more like a question than an answer, but at least she got it right. Although...

“Your aunt and uncle are lady and lord of Bear Island, how could you not know that?” Robb poured himself a glass of wine: it was early in the morning but sometimes his kids exhausted him, especially his twelve year old daughter, since she resembled way too much of her other father’s antics.

“I do know that!” Aris exclaimed, violently sticking another piece of applecake with her fork.

“But it’s not like it would have been a big deal if I didn’t, I mean, I’m not the heir of The North,” she mumbled.

“The North and the Iron Island darling, do not forget that,” Theon added, pointing a finger at her. Aris literally stabbed her applecake with the fork, staring at her father as if to say ‘not you too’, which was understandable: Theon never really cared less about his kids (nor himself) learning house sigils and mottos. Though this time, his native lands were involved, and he had to point that out, he had to remind his kids (and himself, most of all) how he managed to get to rule the Islands, no matter what his father had always thought of him.

Rowan, their youngest, a little redhead who barely turned one, laughed at his sister’s face and clapped his hands. Aris just grunted, and turned around the moment she heard the echoes of footsteps coming into the hall, her black braids flying around like a whip.

“There he is, our heir! Dad, why don’t you ask him what’s House Tyrell’s motto?” she exclaimed, welcoming her older brother with a wide sarcastic smile on her face.

Robb could swear he could read his fifteen year old son’s thoughts, only by the expression on his face: he would have gladly thrown a sausage at his sister’s head but he was quite aware that if he dared doing so, his dads would have grounded his ass until the day he would have had to sit on the throne.

“It’s ‘Growing Strong’, sweet sister” he said simply, sitting down next to her.

“And who knows, maybe I’ll die young and you’ll have to take my place,”

Robb risked choking on his wine at that. He started coughing and his face turned as red as his hair. Still trying to go back to breathing in a normal way, he stared at his husband, silently asking him for help.

Theon just rolled his eyes, and stared at his firstborn in exasperation: “You’re not going to die young, Arrow, do not say that: your father might have a heart attack and you’ll have to sit on your beloved throne sooner than you’d wish” he replied.

Arrow just shrugged, a few lock of his black curls falling on his forehead, right above his blue eyes: “Well, you never know, someone might want to try and kill the heir to the North and the Iron Islands and...”

“They’ll have to go through me, first,” Robb claimed, his voice still a little raspy, as he poured himself a glass of water, leaving the wine aside, no matter how much he would have wanted to drink another glass (or a whole bottle): the thought of someone trying to hurt his kids got him mad, most of the times. He would have gone through the Seven Hells and back as long as he could keep his children safe and pretty much everyone in his kingdom knew that: that was why they better think twice before trying to kill his son.

“And me,” Aris said, folding her arms. Theon stared at her in adoration, as he did most of the times. Rowan clapped his tiny chubby hands once again. Arrow just rubbed his index fingers over his temples: “First thing I’m doing as a King will be abdicating and making Aris my heir”

Theon chuckled: “It’s not that easy, sweet thing: otherwise we would have been under Queen Sansa’s reign by now”

“Well, she’s still your Hand” Aris pointed out.

Arrow smirked: “Plus, we all know dad accepted to be King so that he could come up with a law that allowed you both to get married.”

Theon raised his index finger, but it took him a moment before he started talking: “Fair point. But we could have just asked Sansa and she would have made that law for us,”

Robb smiled lightly: his decision to allow any kind of wedding had been delightefully appreciated by most of their people: Robb had no idea there were so many other people like he and Theon, people who had fallen in love with the ‘wrong’ person. That rule had made their kingdom happier, stronger, surrounded by peace and harmony. Robb was sure his son would have made sure it stayed that way. Being a King, especially at a young age, wasn’t easy, and the gods only knew how much Robb was aware of that. But with Arrow it would have been different: Robb would have taught him all he had learnt during all those years, he wanted to make sure his kid never found himself ruling a kigndom all of sudden, with no idea what to do, as it had happened to him.

He went back focusing his attention on his son’s words: “Please, we all know you wanted to brag about you and dad being the first King & King in history,” he said.

“But guess what, I couldn’t care less about being King, just let Aris be the heir already”

Aris stomped her foot behind the table: “I do not want to be Queen, I want to be captain of the guard like aunt Arya or master of ships like aunt Asha!” she cried out.

Arrow rolled his blue eyes, the same shade as Robb’s, and filled his plate with sausages: “Yeah of course. It’s easy for you. You’re not the firstborn, and you’re still too young to understand what it’s like. Wait until the Maester starts bothering the hell out of you about marriage,”

That word made the young girl blush violently. The shade of red on her cheeks was so bright her tanned skin looked pale, compared to it. She dropped her fork, it landed on the plate, above the applecake, and tiny little pieces of apple spread all around. Aris stood up from her chair, not even bothering to ask to be excused (these are all Theon’s genes, mother would have skinned me if I dared acting like that, Robb thought).

“I think I’ll go... to the godswood. Yeah, I think I’ll go praying” she said.

Arrow’s lips turned into a smirk that could have easily competed with Theon’s: “Yeah sure, or are you gonna go meet the stableman’s son? You two seem to be good friends”

Robb thought his kid got to be kidding, but when Aris’ blush deepened, he frowned so hard he almost hurt himself: “Wait what?” he snapped, staring at his kids in shock.

“As I said” Aris mumbled, avoiding looking into her parents’ eyes. “The godswood. I’m going. Bye, see you later,”

Theon’s laughter echoed all over the room. Robb would have gladly smacked his head on the table, but he still had to calm down from the shock knowing his little girl could already have a love interest caused him.

“Grandma’s probably praying by the godswood right now, I wouldn’t go there, if you don’t want her to ask you about houses’ mottos too,” Theon told their daugther, loud enough for her to hear him even from the other side of the room. Aris didn’t turn to answer, but she gestured nervously: “Yeah, I’ll just go training then”

Robb saw Theon’s face lighting up and one second later, little Rowan was sitting on his lap.

“Wait for me, I can help you, you still don’t know how to hold the bow the right way!” Theon got up with such urge he almost flipped his chair and stumbled three times in a row.

Aris gasped dramatically: “How dare you!” she yelled.

Robb and Arrow exchanged an exasperated look, as they both shook their heads. They were alone now. Well, Rowan was there too, his curly little red head turning around, his eyes staring curiously at everything and his tiny little body staying still only thanks to Robb’s firm hand wrapped around his chubby hips. But he was still far too young to understand what they were saying.

Robb extended a hand over the table for his oldest kid to hold. Once he did, he squeezed it lovingly: “You’re gonna be a good king,” he told him.

Arrow smirked sadly: “Do I really have to be the King, though?”

Robb sighed, and squeezed his hand a little harder: “You won’t have to worry about sitting on the throne for a long time, sweet child of mine. Just take it easy, okay? When the moment comes, it’s going to be up to you to decide what to do. But until then, I’ll teach you all I’ve learnt.”

Arrow’s muscles relaxed a bit, his smile softened, his blue eyes sparkling with happiness.

Robb smiled as well. He stood up, carrying little Rowan on his hips, and walked to the other side of the table, so that he could reach out and squeeze his son’s shoulder: “Make sure you finish your breakfast soon: uncle Jon is coming in a few, and he wants to train you with the sword.”

Arrow snorted, and covered his face between his hands: “Damn, he’s gonna kick my ass”

Robb laughed heartedly, and ruffled his oldest son’s hair. Yes, Jon would have definitely kicked his ass. And he would have attended the whole show, Rowan still in his arms, Satin standing next to him, as he filled him in on how his and Jon’s lives were going, while Theon and Aris would have practiced with bow and arrows nearby, the young girl screaming happily at every time she hit the target, and Robbb’s huband’s laughter spreading all around their kingdom.

[whittakerjodie]

and it Wasn’t Quite You (13th Doctor X Reader)

Request:  13th x reader request: I was wondering if you could do a hurt/comfort fic? The reader and 13 are in an established relationship. The reader is slightly insecure and during a trip she catches a girl/alien girl kissing the doctor (the doctor not kidding back but it looks like it?) I’m sorry if this a bit confusing and long 😓 Lots of fluff please! Thank you 🙏 :) - from @biscuitfam​

A/N: ooooo i’ve been going through a funk the last few days and this totally regenerated my writing ability! Yay!! Also, might’ve laid the angst on heavier than the fluff whoops. ALSO ALSO it’s important to me that yall know the doctor and the master were in a band. Please know this. please. 

Words: 3k

Warnings: jealousy, insecurity that isn’t true but we all have it, hot alien princess’s making a move on your hot alien girlfriend, obscure Doctor who eu references, 

   Your adventure began as most did; with the Doctor rambling as she ran around the console, describing a planet she’d been wanting to visit. When she first mentioned Princess Osea, you were hardly listening. The Doctor met so many people on so many adventures that you didn’t immediately attach any importance to the Doctor’s story of meeting her. 

   When you stepped out of the TARDIS, quite the crowd was there to greet you. There was a loud fanfare coming from all sides of the crowd.  It was like an entire parade had been arranged just for your arrival. Behind the people stood shining towers, stretching far beyond the limits of your vision. Each one was made out of a golden material, complimenting the light pink sky filled with dozens of other planets. You didn’t realize your mouth had been hanging open for so long before you heard the Doctor giggle softly. Her finger quickly pushed your chin up, a move that made you blush despite how quickly it lasted. 

    It’d only been two months or so since the two of you had decided to make things official. Well, as official as you could make things with a timelord who spent all her time gallivanting around the universe. You didn’t exactly use the term ‘girlfriend’ but your relationship had gotten a little past that point by now. Before you could grab her hand to hold it as you walked, she was raising hers to shake hands with the woman in front of you. 

   You’d been staring at the Doctor so long, you didn’t realize that the five of you had reached the end of the red carpet, where a large golden throne stood. On top of the throne sat one of the most beautiful women you’d ever seen, save for the Doctor. She was tall- at least, you thought she was, judging by the extremely long, toned legs that were peeking out of her large ruffled orange dress. Her cheeks were a darker blue than the rest of her skin- was she blushing? 

“Doctor,” She drawled. Her arm extended forward to offer the back of her hand to the Doctor, who placed a quick kiss upon it. You didn’t take a lot of notice to this either; travelling with the Doctor for years meant you were fairly accustomed to different cultural expectations and displays. She was simply addressing royalty, right? “It’s so lovely to see you again.” 

“I could say the same, princess Osea. How are things?” 

“Much better, now. I wish we could’ve organized more for your arrival, but it was rather short notice.” You glanced again at the massive crowd that was gathered, complete with streamers and music. This wasn’t enough? 

“Oh it’s wonderful,” The Doctor said. “I did land at the right time, I hope? I’ve been dying to show these four the Omicron Eclipse for ages.” 

“And you’ll be able to. Hello, by the way!” She gave a small wave and a cheeky smile to the four of you before turning back to the Doctor and the Doctor alone. You winced as Osea grabbed both the Doctor’s hands, holding them. The look in her eye was… warm. Loving. You didn’t like that much either. “We’ve prepared a feast for tonight, which will be followed by a performance by the Orchestra-” 

“Oh! Is that the one that uses the Perigosto sticks? Love a perigosto stick, me” The Doctor interrupted cheerfully. Oh, that was an inside thing you didn’t know about. The Princess nodded, grinning even wider. 

“You remembered! I had a few players added just for you.That’s not the only surprise. After the orchestra plays we’ll have a ceremonial wreath burning on Mount Aiq’ans, where we’ll watch the eclipse.” 

   Okay, that did seem rather cool. The Doctor turned back to You and the rest of the fam with two thumbs up. Everyone else answered with their own excited thumbs but you resorted to a hesitant smile. As Osea stood up from her throne you felt your awkwardness increase tenfold. She was tall. Not only that, but the way the sun shined on her as she stood highlighted thousands of sparkling freckles you hadn’t noticed before. She was truly glowing, twirling her flowing black hair in between her fingers. 

   You gulped, half of you intimidated by her beauty and the other really attracted to her. Not the time to gay panic, you thought. To offset the panic you glanced at the Doctor, only to find that she was also staring up at Osea. It wasn’t inherently romantic, but you couldn’t deny that your heart twinged at the long established friendship clearly apparent between the two. Their words were laced with a loving familiarity, and the way they looked at each other made your cheeks burn. Neither of them seemed to notice your gloom as Osea linked her arm with the Doctors and began to lead all of you through a doorway on the right into the castle. 

____________________________________________

“You’re not going to eat anything?” Ryan asked. You stared right past him at the Doctor and Osea, who were laughing as they recounted the last time they’d seen each other. Fingers tightly gripping your glass, you shook your head to answer Ryan. He turned and whispered something to Yaz as you sipped your drink, trying not to be bothered. Just a friend, you reminded yourself. That’s all they are. Friends making up for lost time. 

   Your food had remained untouched- you doubted you’d ever have enough appetite to finish it anyway. The feast was more elaborate than the welcome parade. The tables seemed to stretch for miles, every inch of them covered in platters of different foods. The Doctor must’ve done something really spectacular to warrant this kind of treatment for all of you. Or maybe it was just a regular ceremony they did every time the eclipse happened. Or maybe the princess was just so in love with her- 

“Y/N, you remember that right?” Your head whipped towards the Doctor, who was looking at you expectantly. You hated how beautiful she looked in that moment; eyes shining with tears from laughter, cheeks red with warmth and lips stretched into a smile. How were you supposed to wallow in misery over something small when an angel was addressing you?

“Sorry I um-” Then, your gaze landed on the Princess, who was watching you with a somewhat disdainful look. It wasn’t mean, but it seemed like she was rather irritated at you causing a pause in the conversation. “Sorry, Doctor, I wasn’t paying attention. What did you say?” 

“She was asking you if you remembered falling into an Eiccen pit?” Your face warmed even further. You didn’t know the Doctor had been telling that story as well. It was embarrassing; you thought it was funny that the grass felt so wobbly and the next thing you knew you’d fallen ten feet into a pit full of jelly that turned your skin green. And the Doctor was just sharing it with this.. This… goddess sitting next to her?!? 

“You alright, Y/N?” the Doctor asked, her hand rubbing your shoulder comfortingly. You blushed even harder, avoiding the princess’ gaze, which you could feel landing on you. You couldn’t let her know that you were embarrassed or weak or less than her. Not when your girlfriend was sitting there. Not when you were getting the feeling that the Princess wanted a little bit more than friendship from said girlfriend. 

“Everything's fine,” You whispered. When the Doctor looked unconvinced, you cleared your throat and spoke up. “Of course I remember it, but I also remember you falling in right after me” The whole table laughed and turned back to the Princess for her next comment. You sighed in relief as the weight was lifted off of you, but you couldn’t quite stop the feeling of being a third wheel pressing back in on you. 

__________________________

   Tears dripped down your cheeks. You didn’t bother wiping them away at this point; every second the orchestra spent playing was a second the music washed over your body, mind, and soul in the most wonderful way. It’d been at least 15 minutes since they started playing, but you couldn’t quite grasp onto any specific thought or measure of time when the hundreds of instruments sounded from the stage. 

  There wasn’t any earthly way to describe the sound that filled the auditorium. It truly was amazing, and did wonders to your spirit after dinner had gone so sourly. 

“You like it?” the Doctor asked. She was standing next to you, eyes taking in your crying face. She wiped your tears away with her sleeve, smiling. “It can be a little overwhelming, but that’s why they’re one of the most famous Orchestras in the 81st century. “ 

“Doctor, I love it,” You whispered with a tremble in your voice. She smiled wider, then pointed to the right of the orchestra. 

“Do you see that, the long stick? That’s a perigosto stick. Used to play one of those when I was a kid.” 

“I thought guitar was more your style” You laughed, remembering how musical her 12th form had been. 

“Oh it is but not when I was at the academy. Used to be in a band, actually.” 

“You’re kidding?!” 

“Never,” She laughed. “Well, sometimes. But not this time. Gallifrey hot five, we called ourselves” 

You shook your head, assuming that she must be joking. Then, when you took in her completely serious face you gasped. “No, you’re serious? The Gallifrey hot five?” 

She giggled, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Yeah, we were a little cheesy back then. But I did, admittedly, do smashing on the perigosto.” 

“You’ll have to play for us sometime” Your face fell into a frown as you realized Osea was standing to the right of the Doctor. A little too closely, an observation you also made. You tuned out the Doctor promising to do just that, trying to focus back on the music. 

   You felt ridiculous for feeling so jealous, but you couldn’t help it; you were a normal human from earth. You didn’t have sparkling skin or flowing hair or long, beautiful legs. You weren’t a princess. She was so much… more than you, it seemed. The Doctor and her seemed so close. Had they ever-?

    It seemed like in the blink of an eye you were on top of Mount Aiq’ans, facing a wreath larger than a house. Vines and flowers were arranged in an elaborate circle, waiting for fire to consume them. Supposedly, the custom was to look through the ring of fire at the moment the planets eclipsed one another. You’d also heard that there was significance for one of the planet's main religions, but you couldn’t confirm or deny that based on your attention lapses. 

The princess held a long torch in her hand, waiting for the right moment. Suddenly she turned back to the Doctor, grinning. “Doctor, I would love for you to do the honors.” 

The Doctor chuckled nervously, accepting the torch. You took a step back from it’s heat, unable to escape your own, which crept through your veins as the Princess gave the Doctor the highest honor of the evening. “Alright then,” The Doctor said. She stepped forward, the Princess stepping aside to let her through. 

“This is so cool” Ryan murmured. You nodded, not because you believed it but because you wanted to keep up the facade that you did. Really, it’d just been a long day and you were tired of feeling like second best to an alien you’d never even met before. Light assaulted your eyes as the wreath went up in flames, the cheers of everyone present pressing against you from every side. It was all rather overwhelming and you ignored everything and everyone, eyes focusing on the eclipse with a stubbornness you’d never felt before. You shrugged off your jacket to offset the new heat, enjoying the moment for what it was. 

______________________________________

The walk back to the castle had been exhausting. Your legs were tired and everyone else seemed to be having the best time talking and laughing with one another. No matter how hard you tried to keep a hold of the memory of the eclipse, your mind could only hyper-focus on the Princess and the Doctor walking ahead of you. Did it even matter what they were talking about at this point? Clearly they’d known each other for ages and you’d never be as good as- no, stop that, you told yourself as your throat started to tighten. Stop that. 

You set your jacket on the throne as everyone carried out the final conversation for the evening. The TARDIS seemed to be calling your name, as you could feel an oddly warm force drawing you back towards it. You made quick work of saying your goodbye to the Princess, walking back towards the space-time machine with the fam in tow. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Yaz asked as soon as the doors shut. You leaned against them, nodding. 

“Yeah, course, I’m perfect.” 

“Well… whatever it is, I hope you had fun tonight at least. Oh- you forgot your jacket.” You looked at your shoulders, noticing that Yaz was right.

“Thanks, Yaz,” She nodded and gave you a quick hug, disappearing into the TARDIS hallway. You smiled at your friend's generous words. The smile dropped off the face of the earth, however, as your eyes took in the scene before you. They were standing far away, but it was all too easy to make out Osea’s hands cupping your girlfriends cheeks, drawing her in for a heated kiss. 

   A gasp left your lips and you quickly threw the doors shut, heart racing. No. No way you’d seen what you’d just seen. Your brain was moving a mile a minute, stomach turning over. Some unknown force-the TARDIS probably, let you know that the Doctor was coming in soon. Scared embarrassed, and seconds from bursting into tears, you sprinted into the hallway and into your room, letting the TARDIS dramatically slam the door for you.  

   Tears started to fall from your eyes again, but not due to an ethereal beauty. These were uncontrollable because of a poisonous, fiery sorrow that you couldn’t understand because you couldn’t understand what you’d just seen. Or maybe you could. Maybe you were right and Osea was so much more than you, so more beautiful, and interesting, and-

“Y/N?” there was a furious knocking on your door, joining the Doctors quick tone. “Y/N, please, I need to explain what just happened.” 

You leaned against the door, letting yourself slide to the floor. You couldn’t face her. Not yet, not like this. “Doctor…” 

You could hear rustling from the other side, like she was copying your position. “Y/N, I had no idea that Osea.. felt that way. I definitely don’t reciprocate it. I made sure she knew that after she kissed me, you have to know that.” 

“You don’t?” You sniffled. “You just seemed… like, you guys knew each other so well and she’s so pretty and-” 

“Yes, she is pretty, by several universal standards. Yes, we know each other well. But she will never be- she never could be- she’s not you, y/n. No one could ever best you.” 

   Temporarily, your breath came to a standstill as you let her words echo through the air. Your hand landed against the hard surface of the door, suddenly longing to disintegrate it so you could instead feel the Doctor’s soft hand in yours. The TARDIS granted your request and the door slid open, sending the two of you into a collision as soon as the support was gone. You shrieked slightly as you fell into her arms and she fell into yours, landing in an odd heap. 

Instead of helping you up, her arms wound around your figure, holding you closer. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to assume things” You whimpered against her chest. “She’s just so…” 

“Don’t finish that sentence, y/n. Because I know whatever you say isn’t going to be true.” Her lips planted a kiss against your temple, then a second against your cheek. Finally, she pressed her lips to yours. Forehead resting against you, she pulled back and whispered. “I need to know that you know that I love you. Do you know that?” 

   Tear slipping past your eye you nodded, letting her pull you back in for another kiss. Relief was flooding through your system, mixing with love for the Doctor to create a mood a thousand times better than the one that had been plaguing you all day. While she carried you to bed and tucked you in, the Doctor dedicated her breath to informing you of all the reasons why she loved you. You were pretty sure she carried on even after you fell asleep, because when you woke up in the morning her arms were still wrapped around you, mouth hung open like she’d been mid-sentence when sleep claimed her.

[sunflowers-heart]

May 21st – Angel/Demon AU

Lyn’s Writing Event

Pairing: Thorin Oakenshield x Reader

Word count: 1,791

Warnings: None

Author’s note: None

The cathedral was empty, not a single soul wandering through its halls since at least thousand of years. It was a corpse, a memorial of what it have been once, the mere shadow of whispered prayers still lingering on the high pillars which did not have to support anything—the whole wooden roof gone long ago, rotting with the benches on the ground. The most bizarre thing about this place, however, was how quiet it was, as if with the first step inside the ruins all the sounds from the surrounding forest were disappearing behind the glass wall, trapping everyone who dared to come closer.

And it was cold, much colder than the frozen earth, covered with the thin layer of snow.

When you first approached the abandoned building, you thought that it must have been a sign. A very obvious, flashing red sign saying that you should never get inside, under no circumstances. The stink of death was present in every corner and it was exactly that, which led you to this place, walking around the woods until you have finally found the source of the disturbing energy. Perhaps human’s eyes could not spot it, but you saw the cathedral very clearly and you could imagine how did it look like when it was still a house of God.

Crossing the threshold, you let your gaze wander over the pillars covered in wild ivy, over an open roof where you could see the gray sky, over the mossy walls and empty windows. It was a sad picture, bringing back the feeling of melancholy and reminding of a passing time. Slowly, you approached the presbytery, carefully dodging the pieces of wood and rocks laying on the muddy ground and when you were finally by the steps, your attention was focused on something below your feet rather than in front of you.

The stone plate was broken to pieces, opening an entrance to the catacombs level below.

It was so dark here, you could not recognize any shapes not see the bottom, but it did not startle you, not when you could sense that the source was closer than ever before. Turning around, you quickly noticed that although the whole ruin was covered in wild plants, the hole in the ground remained untouched, not a single weed growing on the black earth.

And so, you jumped inside.

The catacombs reminded you of an old basement, wet and full of rats which were nowhere to be seen, as if there truly was only you and the endless corridors ahead. Taking a torch from your bag, you lightened the hall, mentally taking a note that this part of the building must have been never seen, considering the complete lack of any trash nor names written with colourful sprays on the walls.

Whatever lived here must have been frightening enough to keep any intruders away.

You did not know how long you were wandering through the corridors, sometimes realizing that you were walking around, the other times reaching a dead ends and turning back. Losing a track of time was your habit during the stay on Earth, still not getting used to the daily rhythm the humans considered as healthy, but the longer you were looking for, the more you were sure that the resident knew about your presence already. It could have been night outside when you finally spotted a path you did not take before and so, you went along, wondering what kind of creature you would eventually find in a place like this.

Whatever you were hoping for, the reality proved wrong in the same second you went from around the corner and saw the enormous cave—all filled with shining gold. The coins, jewelry and cutlery, the weapons and gems, all of this was reflecting a dim light of the burning fire in the torches placed by the walls. Even you, not being tempted by such a mundane goods, had to admit that the collection was impressive, bigger than anything you have ever seen in your whole life.

Your eyes automatically spotted a dark figure sitting upon the throne by the highest step of the stairs ahead of you, its gaze looming over your frame and waiting for your move. When you peeked down, to the small coin laying right next to the tip of your shoe, you could almost hear the low growl coming from the depths of its throat.

So, you thought, Greed, that is.

“What are you looking for?” The demon asked you and his baritone echoed in the cave, disappearing around the corners and remaining in your mind for a while longer than it should have.

From your perspective you could not clearly see its features but you knew that it was a man, broad and powerful, the King of his Treasure.

“I am looking for you,” you told him and in an answer received only a quiet mutter.

“What for?”

“I have realized that you have been there for quite a long time now. Your presence reached my senses far away, in the city, and if I can do it, then anybody else can find you, too. You and your treasure.”

The demon did not speak further, waiting for your explanation—or considering whether to take your words as a treat and kill you in an instant.

“I came here to offer you my help.”

He chuckled darkly and you heard the fabrics moving when he stood up from his throne, taking few steps to your direction so the light from the torches could touch his face; long hair and beard with silver strands proving that he was not some impulsive, young demon, but rather the one who could possibly watch the fall of Lucifer himself. His bright blue eyes, however, did not seem cruel nor furious, but rather surprisingly calm and utterly tired.

“What kind of help you can offer?” he asked and spread his arms, vaguely gesturing to the wealth all around him. “I have everything.”

You did not say out loud the first thought which came to your mind after hearing those words. Instead of considering him a blind fool, you felt the overwhelming pity.

“It is not the matter of what you have but what you need.”

He frowned. “Do not assume that you have a greater knowledge, angel. I have seen the worlds collide and being torn apart long before you were ever created. And what for?”

“I have not figured it out just yet.”

“Then perhaps there is no purpose. No aim in your existence, just another godly spark which will soon fade into the dark sky. No more remembered than me.”

Admitting the truth would mean that you had lost your arguments and gave upon his will, and it was the very last thing you wanted to happen. You came prepared, knowing that demons tended to manipulate your own fears in a way which would only make you suffer and doubt—doubt your worth, your own value and everything you called dear to your soul.

“Perhaps you are right,” you thought for a while. “Perhaps you are not. What if my purpose is exactly to be right here, standing in front of you now and giving you my hand?”

In a blink of an eye, he was right in front of you, dressed in majestic furs, the crown on his head and the unpleasant expression on his face. But the eyes—the eyes were still as bright.

And curious.

“That would be quite a waste of your existence, won’t you agree?”

“Perhaps you are right,” you repeated, a small smile appearing on your lips. “Perhaps you are not.”

The demon muttered something under his breath.

“What is your name?” you continued and watched the tough expression change, from the surprise to the disappointment.

Then, he turned his back on you and before you could react, he was sitting on his throne again, face hidden in the shadows. That must have been a wrong choice of words, since you have clearly startled or annoyed him and now you could only hope that he won’t want to get rid of you for disturbing his peace. Just when you were thinking of an excuse, maybe giving him your name or using another argument on why should he at least listen to you, his voice echoed in the cave once again, low and reminding you of an animalistic growl.

“Thorin.”

You nodded, speechless. It was a tiny step forward but it was still better than none. You smiled at him politely, although you could not see his reaction.

“Well then, it is nice to meet you, Thorin.” You bowed your head and introduced yourself, too. “Did you know that it is currently winter outside? There is snow all above us, white and cold, and so beautiful.”

“Are all of your kind so stubborn?” he interrupted. “Or is it just you, not taking a ‘no’ for an answer.”

“You have never said ‘no’, Thorin,” you stated. “And if you will, then I will leave you alone. But the question is, if you really want me to.”

There was a silence between you two, all the treasure long forgotten, since something else seemed to catch the demon’s attention.

“You do not see me as a monster.” His voice was now barely a whisper. “You are different than the others.”

As if someone poked you on the shoulder, you turned your head back and spotted the various bones grotesquely piling up by the wall, some of them still freshly white but mostly rusty, dry brown—all shattered to pieces with deadly claws and jaw, torn apart when there was still life around them. You recognized them as belonging to angels, humans and even one or two different demons, the ones who dared to try to steal from the King now damned for the whole eternity.

“I do not believe this is my place to decide on who is and who is not worthy of receiving help,” you answered, turning back to him. “I was not created to judge but to bring hope.”

“And do you truly believing there is still any hope for an old fool?”

“What I believe in has nothing to do with it. It is all the matter of whether you will accept my hand or not and only then I could do my best in bringing you back.”

The demon was quiet, lost in thoughts for so long that you started to think that it has been whole centuries since you came down there. When he eventually spoke, his voice was calm, the slight tremble of anticipation causing the goosebumps to appear on your skin.

“Tell me more about the snow outside.”