#ruffled serpent

[ophionyx]

8: Fiona variant

Ruffled serpents are just the cutest.

[Osiem's list]

[fr-familiar-bracket]

[theostrophywife]

heaven and back.

pairing: mattheo riddle x reader x theodore nott.

song inspiration: heaven and back by chase atlantic.

author's note: poly! matty and theo just hits different. the teamwork that these two would put in. whew baby that's a one way ticket to st. mungo's. these men break backs, not hearts 😏

You were good at playing games. 

As a matter of fact, Mattheo and Theodore would argue that you were a little too good. 

After all, you met your boyfriends during one of Malfoy’s infamous game nights in which you swindled Mattheo and Theodore out of a few hundred galleons during a tense round of magical poker. Ever since that fateful night in fourth year, the three of you became inseparable. Thanks to your slyness, the first Saturday of every month was deemed sacred to your fellow Slytherins. Game nights were reserved for drinking and debauchery, which just so happened to be your specialty.

Though the entirety of Hogwarts coveted an invitation to the longstanding tradition, very few were allowed a glimpse into the inner workings of the serpent’s nest. Tonight, the guest of honor was none other than the Gryffindor golden girl—Hermione Granger. She and Draco only started dating a month ago, but anyone with eyes could see that Malfoy was quite smitten. Before Hermione, Draco had never invited a significant other to game night. 

You were determined to give Hermione a warm Slytherin welcome. Hence the special potion you brewed just for the occasion. 

With a smirk, you produced the potion from your back pocket. The liquid sloshed around in the glass vial, the iridescent purple mixture flecked with specks of glitter. 

“I know that look.” Theo remarked, pulling you into his lap. “What sort of trouble are you brewing, dolcezza?” 

Mattheo chuckled and nestled against his shoulder. “Don’t act like you don’t like it, Teddy. You know we both benefit from her mischief. Isn’t that right, princess?” 

You smiled, ruffling Mattheo’s curls. “You’re absolutely right, Matty. Tonight, everyone will reap the rewards of my tricks. I concocted a special little potion that’ll make game night a little more interesting.”

Pansy raised a perfectly groomed brow. “What exactly does this little concoction of yours do, Y/N? The last time I drank something you brewed, I ended up streaking through the quidditch pitch.” 

“As I recall, I was right beside you, Pans.” Your friend chuckled, nodding in confirmation. “Consider this a social lubricant. It takes the edge off, makes you feel a little warm and fuzzy inside. It’s the perfect balance between feeling tipsy and high. Lowers those pesky inhibitions.” 

Draco scoffed. “If this group lowers their inhibitions any further, we’d all be expelled.” 

“That’s why we have you, Dray. What good is the Malfoy fortune if it can’t bail us out of sticky situations?”

“Need I remind you that the last sticky situation almost ended with Enzo in the infirmary after Mattheo and Theo convinced him to race backwards on their brooms.”

Hermione watched the back and forth exchange, absorbing the interaction with a small smile. 

“Draco’s exaggerating, of course. Anyone would’ve missed the whomping willow in the dark.” The Golden Girl chuckled as you sent her a conspiratory wink, causing Draco to sigh in exasperation. “Besides, Berkshire had fun. Didn’t you, Enz?”

“Oh, loads. I had a blast pulling twigs from my arse for two hours straight afterwards.” 

“See? You’re not talking us into taking another one of your poisons, Y/N.”

Enzo shook his head. “Speak for yourself, cousin. I’m definitely in.”

The rest of your friends expressed their agreement. Even Blaise, who would never dream of drinking anything besides the finest vintage, was eager to participate. Mostly to see the others make a fool of themselves, which was perfectly fine by you.

Draco rolled his silver eyes. “Fine. You lot are going to end up talking me into it, anyways.”

“What about you, Hermione? Would you like a sip as well?”

Her warm, honey brown eyes darted around the room. Draco clasped her hand in his, squeezing gently. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, love. I’m only agreeing because I don't want to have to take care of these heathens.”

You nodded empathically. “No pressure, Hermione. You can say no if you’d like, but I am rather proud of my little concoction and it would be an absolute honor if the golden girl partook in our debauchery. After all, you’re dating Draco. You might as well get used to it now.”

A mischievous grin pulled at Hermione’s lips. She shrugged nonchalantly, her curls cascading over her shoulder. “Why the bloody hell not?” 

“That’s the spirit, Granger!” cheered Pansy. 

You smirked in response and slithered out of your boyfriend’s lap. Both Mattheo and Theo watched intently as you crawled across the plush ornate rug, slowly making your way towards the Gryffindor. Hermione sucked in a breath, her cheeks blossoming into a pretty blush. Her hands, which were laid in her lap in the most prim and proper way, twitched when you knelt before her on the sofa. 

Behind you, Mattheo mumbled something into Theo’s ear. When you glanced over your shoulder, your boyfriends were staring directly at you, anticipating your next move. You responded with an innocent smile before turning back to Hermione. 

With  a sly smile, you held her honey eyed gaze and tapped her bottom lip. “Open up, love.” 

Hermione swallowed thickly before parting her lips. You gently cradled her jaw before tipping the vial into her mouth, pouring a generous amount of potion for the golden girl. She looked up at you expectantly, her lashes fluttering ever so slightly. 

You rewarded her with a cheeky wink. “Good girl, Granger. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” 

She shook her head, the flush on her cheeks mimicking her house colors as you wiped a droplet of liquid off of her lips with your thumb. Beside her, Draco sighed. “For Salazar’s sake, stop putting the moves on my girlfriend.” 

“What’s the matter, Dray? Are you scared I’ll steal Hermione away from you?” 

“You can hardly blame me. You’re a shameless flirt, Y/N.” 

You placed a hand over your heart, feigning offense. “Why, I’d never dream of flirting with your lady. You know how jealous my boys get.” 

Your boyfriends shook their heads, clearly amused at your attempt to rile Draco up. Truly, your friend made it too easy. You chuckled as the blonde glared at you. “Come on, Malfoy. It’s your turn. Maybe the potion will loosen you up, yeah?” 

Draco rolled his eyes, but allowed you to pour the potion into his mouth. You moved down the line, doing the same for Pansy, Blaise, and Enzo. The latter grinned as you ruffled his hair. After Enzo, the only ones remaining were Theo and Mattheo. 

“Come here, cara mia.” Theo said, beckoning you with two fingers. “Mattheo and I are waiting.” 

“I saved the best for last, boys.” 

Mattheo smirked as he pulled you into his lap. You settled against him, making yourself right at home. He kissed the side of your neck, smiling against your skin. “Go on, then. Don’t leave Theo hanging.” 

You nodded, body heating as Mattheo rubbed your thighs. Theo raised a brow, his watercolor eyes settling over you. Licking your lips, you couldn’t help but let your gaze wander. Your boyfriend looked rather casual in his emerald jumper and dark jeans, but there was something about the way that Theo carried himself that exuded sex appeal. The cocky smirk on his handsome face told you that he was well aware of the effect he had on you.

Theo cocked his head towards you and opened his mouth. You tipped the vial past his lips, admiring how plush and pouty they looked. Lust darkened your boyfriend’s watercolor eyes as he watched you through hooded lids. The potion dribbled off his chin, making you giggle. 

“Oops, I spilled.” You licked the remnants off, lapping up the liquid all the way to the corner of his lips. Mattheo’s fingers dug into your hips as you finished off your little show with a kiss. 

Theo grabbed the back of your head and deepened the kiss. He didn’t take kindly to being teased. Never one to shy away from public displays of affection, Theo groaned softly and slid his tongue into your mouth, giving you a filthy open-mouthed kiss before pulling away and winking. 

Across the room, Hermione flushed, her lips parting ever so slightly. “Oh,” she whispered softly. 

Mattheo chuckled, his laughter caressing your skin as he nuzzled into the crook of your neck. He turned you over in his lap and tapped his lips. “Me next, princess.” 

“Open wide, Matty.” 

“Funny. Usually I’m the one saying that to you.” 

Your friends groaned at the suggestive comment, but you only grinned in response. Mattheo parted his lips eagerly, not once breaking eye contact as he swallowed the potion. The intensity of his big, brown eyes made your hands shake, causing you to spill a few drops on your fingers. Your boyfriend took your middle and pointer finger into his mouth and sucked them clean. 

You gasped in surprise. Mattheo chuckled darkly, catching the vial before it slipped out of your fingers. Behind you, Theo tugged at your hair and titled your head back. 

“Your turn now, mi amor.” Mattheo drawled, his voice a seductive song in your ears. He lowered his voice, so only you could hear his next statement. “Be a good girl and swallow.” 

The eager nod made both of your boyfriends smirk. Theo gathered your hair in one hand, fisting your locks into a makeshift ponytail while Mattheo poured the last of the potion into your mouth. The liquid was strong and sweet, trailing down your throat and warming your body with a pleasant heat. 

“That’s my girl,” Mattheo said. Theo raised a brow, which made the curly headed boy laugh. “That’s our girl.” 

“Better,” Theo remarked before pulling you against him. 

You settled into his lap, watching the rest of your friends start a game of poker. As always, Draco was way too competitive. Blaise was hustling the hell out of him, but the blonde didn’t seem to notice. Pansy wrapped her arms around her boyfriend’s shoulders, leaning in every so often to whisper things in his ear that made him smile. 

Enzo reclined back on the couch, an endearing smile pulling at his lips as he took small sips of his firewhiskey. From his glazed eyes, you could tell that the potion was hitting him the hardest. 

Mattheo rested his head on your lap, tugging at your hand in a silent request to play with his curls. You obliged happily, scratching at his scalp and twirling his bouncy locks between your fingers. Every so often, he’d lean in and show you his cards, asking for advice. 

As the night progressed, the potion took its effects, loosening both lips and limbs. Theo’s long legs bracketed you from either side, the intoxicating scent of petrichor and cigarette smoke clinging onto him like your own personal drug. Mattheo stared lovingly up at you as you continued playing with his hair. 

When you looked up, you met Hermione’s inquiring gaze. She was leaned up against Draco, who kept an arm around her waist, absentmindedly drawing circles underneath her sweater. 

She cocked her head, a question forming in her brilliant mind. “So, how exactly does it work?” 

You leaned back against Theo’s chest, a playful smirk curving against your lips. “How does what work, love?” 

“Having…two boyfriends.” 

“You mean, being poly?” 

“Poly,” Hermione said, testing out the word. There wasn’t a hint of judgment in her expression, just plain curiosity. Apparently, the Gryffindor girl’s innate hunger for knowledge extended to the intricacies of your relationship. “If you don’t mind me asking. How exactly does a poly relationship work?” 

You shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s like every other relationship,” you started, glancing at your two favorite people in the world. Mattheo and Theo smiled back. “We go on dates, we argue about stupid things, then we kiss and make up. Except sometimes the boys like to gang up on me.” 

Theo chuckled. “I reckon ganging up against you is the most fun that we have, dolcezza.” 

“I’d have to agree with Teddy,” Mattheo interjected as he grinned up at you. “We give teamwork a whole new meaning. Don’t we, princess?” 

“See,” you said, waving your arms between your boyfriends. “These sassy men will be the death of me.” 

Theo wrapped his arms around you, nuzzling against your neck. “You love us though.” 

“That I do,” you replied with a smile. 

“Do any of you ever get jealous?” asked Hermione. 

Theo nodded. “Of course, it’s a natural part of every relationship, but we have ways of working it out.” Your boyfriend smiled and kissed your cheek. “We just make sure no one feels left out.” He leaned down to place a kiss on Mattheo’s forehead too.

Hermione hummed. “That sounds rather nice, actually.” 

“I wouldn’t call it nice,” Mattheo countered with a sly smile. “Y/N can get a little feisty sometimes. You should’ve seen what she did to Lavender for touching my shoulder last week.” 

Theo nodded in agreement. “It’s nothing compared to the fight she had with Cho after she tried asking me out. Poor girl thought that polyamory equates to having an open relationship. As if I’d ever need anyone else besides Y/N and Mattheo.” 

“So polyamory doesn’t translate to opening your relationship to others,” Hermione said thoughtfully. “I’m learning so much.” 

Mattheo confirmed her statement with a nod. “Yes, we’re all very committed to one another. It’s only Y/N and Theo for me.” 

“While we all adore your wonderful little trio,” Draco cut in. You could tell by the tension in his shoulders that he would definitely not be open to sharing the golden girl with anyone else. “I think it’s time to call it a night.” 

You chuckled. “Such a party pooper, Malfoy. Don’t worry, Granger’s just asking for education purposes. Aren’t you, Mione?” 

“I know what you’re doing, Y/N. You’re devious, you know that?” 

Theo smirked at his oldest friend. “Don’t be jealous cause she has more game than you, Dray.” 

“After all, that’s how she got us. Right, princess?” 

Draco sighed exasperatedly. You rolled your eyes fondly before saying goodbye to everyone. Pulling Hermione into a hug, you winked behind her back as Draco glared at you. 

“Thank you for indulging me,” Hermione said softly. “I feel thoroughly educated now.” 

“No problem, Mione.” 

You kissed her cheek before wrapping Draco into a hug as well. “Stay sharp, Dray. You’ll have to work harder to keep up with this one. Granger’s way out of your league.” 

Draco smiled. “I’m well aware.” 

Later that night as you laid in bed sandwiched between Mattheo and Theo, you felt the potion reach its peak. You giggled into Theo’s neck, squealing as Mattheo pressed his cold feet against your legs. The three of you were chatting about your day like you usually did, but thanks to the potion, one of you always got sidetracked, leading into cuddles and kisses mid sentence.

Matty spooned you from behind, his possessive grip snaked around your waist like a vice. “I’m not going to lie, watching you crawl towards Granger tonight did something to me.” 

“That’s her game, mio amato. You know she loves to tease.” 

You turned over to face him, an amused smirk toying at your lips. “I thought you liked my little games, Teddy. At least your lower half did. I could feel you pressing against me all night.” 

Theo smirked, grinding his erection against your thigh. “Can you blame me? You knew exactly what you were doing. Admit it, cara mia. You weren’t cozying up to Hermione just to get under Draco’s skin. You were doing it to rile us up too.” 

“It worked. I’ve been hard as fuck all night. The way you teased Granger had me thinking vile thoughts.” 

“So I’m not enough for you, Matty?” You jested, pouting your bottom lip at your boyfriend. “You want Draco’s girl too?” 

Within the blink of an eye, you were pinned underneath Mattheo with your arms raised above your head as your boyfriend glared down at you. “No. If anything, you’re the one flirting with Granger like Theo and I aren’t enough to handle already. Maybe we should remind you who you belong to.” 

You hummed in agreement, biting back a smile. “Hmm, maybe you’re right, querido. I’m not opposed to a little refresher.” 

Theo shook his head in disbelief. “Fucking hell, bella. You just want to be railed until you cry, don’t you? Such a little brat. You could’ve just asked for what you wanted.”

You batted your lashes in response. “But it’s so much more fun this way.” 

As retaliation, Mattheo flipped you over on all fours. With a smirk, he leaned back on the headboard and pushed down his gray heathered sweatpants as Theo crawled behind you. He gave no warning as he bunched up your nightdress, pressing a filthy kiss against your clothed sex. You were dripping for him, coating his lips with your taste as he pushed your head down on Mattheo’s lap. You groaned as Mattheo pumped himself between slender fingers, tapping the tip of his cock against your lips. He bucked into your mouth just as Theo plunged his tongue between your folds. 

“What was that, principessa?” Theo hummed against your aching cunt. “Matty and I can’t hear you over all that moaning.” 

Mattheo laughed meanly as he gathered your hair in his fist, thrusting down your throat with a choked moan. “Put that smart mouth to work, sweetheart.” He thrust in lazily, barely giving you his tip. “Spit on it.” 

Glancing up at him through your lashes, you spit on Mattheo’s cock and watched as his head lolled against the headboard. “Teddy? Wanna give me a hand, pretty boy?”

With wide eyes, you gasped as Theo leaned over and pumped Mattheo in his hand before lining up his length against your lips. Theo kissed your cheek before shoving your head down to take inch after inch. Once Mattheo slid all the way in, he pulled out just to slam back in forcefully. You could feel Mattheo hitting the back of your throat, activating your gag reflex while he smirked in satisfaction. 

“Gonna shut the fuck up and take my cock like a good little slut, aren’t you?” 

You nodded, tears forming in your eyes as Mattheo continued to fuck your throat. As if that weren’t enough, Theo flicked his tongue on your clit and feasted on you from behind like a starved man. He took his sweet time, sloppily making out with your pussy and lapping up your arousal before slipping a finger inside, pumping you as you gagged on Mattheo’s cock. You groaned as Theo pried your legs apart, his intense gaze never leaving your face as he kissed the inside of your thighs. Hooking your right leg over his shoulder, Theo began licking and teasing, his tongue flicking through your folds with expert precision. He sucked hard, lapping your juices up with fervent devotion. 

The potion increased the sensations tenfold, intensifying your pleasure as you bucked against Theo’s face. It seems that your less than innocent academic pursuit had truly paid off because both Theo and Mattheo seemed to be affected just as much. The current of the concoction surged through all three of you, slamming you with wave after wave of heady desire. It felt better than drunk sex or fucking while you were high. This was just unbridled lust and want, flooding you with the need to be nothing but an obedient fuck toy for your favorite boys. 

Mascara streaked down your cheeks as you cried out for more, fisting the sheets as your boyfriends occupied both of your needy holes. The cries of pleasure were muffled around Mattheo’s cock. Your boyfriend’s breathing grew ragged and his grip grew tighter, his abs rippling as he shot hot ribbons down your throat. 

“Good girl. So fucking beautiful, swallowing every drop of my cum like a perfect little whore. You’re flawless, Y/N.”

Theo made quick work of you afterwards. Warmth spread from your core, hot tendrils snaking all over your body as he pushed you to your first orgasm of the night. When Theo crooked his middle and pointer finger inside your gummy walls, you squirted into his mouth with a cry. Despite your cries of pleasure, Theo showed no signs of stopping. His cool breath fanned over your sensitive sex and you whimpered at his ravenous appetite, squirming away from Theo’s tongue. Displeased, Theo flipped you onto your back and dragged you towards him by the ankles. 

“I’m not done with you, tesoro.” 

Your boyfriend growled and glanced at Mattheo. “Hold her down,” Theo commanded, his pretty eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’re done when I say you’re done. Sit back, look pretty, and let me eat your pussy until you’re sobbing. I’ll make you feel so good, bella. Surely you have another one in you, don’t you, Y/N?” 

You nodded, still reeling from the aftershock of your orgasm. Mattheo placed you on his lap, prying your lips open with his fingers. “Theo asked you a question, princess. Use your words.” 

Theo smirked. “Give her a minute. I think I’ve fucked her so dumb with my mouth and fingers that she can’t even form a sentence.” 

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Mattheo said with a chuckle. He caressed your jaw, pressing kisses against your shoulder. “Don’t you want to cum again, sweetheart? Either way, you don’t really have a choice. Theo’s going to feast on you no matter what you say. You know he hates being teased.”

“I can take it,” you said in a shaky voice. “I’ll be good, I promise. I just want to make you both proud.” 

Theo smiled, revealing the dimples you loved so much. “I know you do, Y/N. We’re not stopping until you’ve soaked the sheets. Now come on, be a good girl and sit on my face.”

You swallowed thickly as Theo switched places with you, laying back on Mattheo’s lap while bringing your hips forward. Steadying yourself on Mattheo’s shoulder, you slowly lowered onto Theo’s face. You grinded against him slowly at first, minding your sensitive sex, but it wasn’t long before you were bucking into his mouth, riding his face like you’d ride his cock.

There was no other word to describe Theo but feral. He gorged himself on you, poking and prodding your wet cunt with his tongue and fingers until your head fell onto Mattheo’s neck, gasping against his skin while Theo’s fingers dug into your hips. You groaned as Mattheo kissed you roughly, whimpering at the overwhelming pressure already building in your core. 

As your moans and screams grew louder and louder, Mattheo gagged your mouth with his fingers, shoving his middle and pointer finger past your lips in an attempt to muffle the noise. 

“Are you trying to wake the whole castle up, princess?” 

“Let her,” Theo said, chuckling darkly as he wrapped his lips around your clit. “Let the whole castle hear what a desperate little slut she is for us.” 

You groaned as Theo picked up the pace, fucking you with his tongue until you were coming undone in his mouth. The second orgasm was an out of body experience. Stars exploded behind your eyes as you came with a cry. You could’ve sworn that you went to heaven and back.

As you collapsed backwards into Theo’s arms, your boyfriend grabbed you by the throat and kissed you. The taste of you lingered on his tongue and your eyes rolled back as Theo’s lips claimed yours. He chuckled when you chased his kisses. 

“Don’t be greedy, pretty girl. Matty wants a taste too.” 

Your lips parted in surprise as Theo grabbed the back of Mattheo’s head and kissed him hard, his tongue flicking over his bottom lip and they both groaned. Theo smiled into the kiss, savoring the taste. He patted Mattheo’s cheek before pulling you into his lap. 

“Such a good girl for us, aren’t you?” Theo cooed, caressing your cheek and rewarding you with neck kisses. “I love when you ride my face. You’re fucking perfect. I’m so proud of you, pretty girl.” 

“Don’t go all soft now, cariño.” Mattheo teased, licking away the remnants of you from the corner of his mouth. “We’re only getting started. We haven’t even fucked her yet.” 

Theo smiled down at you, wiping away the mascara streaks clinging to your cheeks. “Then by all means. Finish the job you started, Matty.”

“I intend to,” Mattheo replied as he loomed over you.

With a wink, Theo spread your legs apart and presented your sopping wet cunt to Mattheo like a present. He reached down and rubbed his middle and pointer finger against your clit, holding your hips in place as you arched off the bed. 

“Look at that. Pretty little pussy’s all nice and wet for us,” Theo said with a chuckle. “You’re so eager, aren’t you? So insatiable, dolcezza. Maybe Mattheo and I should give you a double dose. Fuck you at the same time.” 

“Yes,” you breathed, mewling as Theo continued rubbing lazy circles against your clit. “Please, please, I need it.” 

“Just a cockhungry little slut. You’re fucking greedy, mi amor. Begging for both of our cocks. Don’t worry, baby. We’ll give you what you want. Fill you up like you need.” 

You whimpered in response as Mattheo manhandled you, pushing your face into the pillows while he lifted your perky arse in the air. He kneaded your ass, rubbing his cock along your folds. When you grinded against him for more, Mattheo’s palm landed on your right cheek with a hard smack. As you looked behind you, Theo winked before slapping your left cheek. The sting of his palm burned against your skin, making your eyes water. 

“What’s the matter, bella? I thought you wanted to play.”

“I do,” you breathed, gripping the sheets. “Please, Teddy. I need more. Spank me harder.” 

“Dirty girl,” Theo said fondly. “Ask and you shall receive.” 

As his palm came down on your ass over and over again, you gasped for breath, chasing air while Mattheo lined himself up at your entrance. Theo leaned down to kiss the handprints on your arse, biting softly and embedding his mark onto your skin before mirroring Mattheo’s actions. Theo teased against your puckering hole and nodded at the curly headed boy beside him. 

He placed a soft kiss on Mattheo’s lips. “Ready?” 

“As I’ll ever be,” Mattheo responded with a grin. 

You braced yourself to take both of them, gripping the sheets while they filled you simultaneously. It was a tight fit and you could feel both of your boyfriends stretching your walls.

“Such a good girl,” Theo groaned, moving slowly so you could adjust to his girth. “Letting Matty and I stretch you wide open. Fuck, I love being inside of you. It feels like fucking heaven, tesoro.”

Mattheo groaned in agreement. “Your pussy’s so wet. Does it turn you on to be ruined like this?” You cried in pleasure, mewling as Mattheo took Theo’s hand and placed it on your lower abdomen. “Feel that, mi corazón. Can you feel me fuck her deep, rearranging her insides?” 

“Merda, you two are going to be the death of me.” Theo said, his dead eyes rolling back. “Fuck me, I could cum just watching Matty move inside of you, Y/N.” 

As the two of them moved in sync, you gasped and panted, tears streaming down your cheeks from the overstimulation. There were so many sensations all at once, overloading your senses, making you writhe and whimper while your boyfriends ruined you. Mattheo tilted your chin, praises dripping from his lips, sweat slicked skin glimmering a pretty golden shade in the dim light. 

The hard planes of his abdominal muscles rippled while he fucked you from behind, grasping at the base of your throat until you were gasping for air. “Who’s pussy is this?” Mattheo growled into your ear, his curls tickling your cheek while he released a ragged breath. “Who do you belong to, Y/N?” 

“You and Theo,” you breathed. “Only you and Theo.” 

Theo smiled at your answer, lacing your fingers together. “That’s right, principessa. You’re ours to love, to fuck, to worship. Don’t forget that.” 

“Oh gods,” you moaned, gripping Theo’s hand while wrapping your fingers around the hand that Mattheo had around your neck. “I’m yours and you’re both mine.” 

“Damn fucking right,” Mattheo said with a sharp thrust. 

As Mattheo’s breathing grew more ragged, you and Theo both knew that he would succumb first. Theo fisted Mattheo’s curls in one hand and pulled him in for a filthy kiss, swallowing the cry that left his lips as he came inside of you. The sensation of him filling you up was too much to handle and the orgasm rocked your body, making your limbs seize as that familiar white hot heat blinded your senses. 

Theo was the last to cum, pulling out of your sensitive hole so that Mattheo could wrap his lips around his cock. His endurance was rewarded with vulgar noises as Mattheo gripped his hips in place and sucked him dry.

When your third and final orgasm ran its course, you found yourself laying flat on your back, blinking back up at the ceiling as you regained control of your senses. Through the haze, you blinked and found Theo and Mattheo fussing over you, casting a cleansing spell and wiping your damp forehead with a clean cloth. With a smile, they both leaned in and kissed your cheeks before tucking you safely between them. You hummed, placing a gentle kiss on both of their foreheads. 

“You know you two are all I need, right?” 

Your boyfriends both nodded, curling against you. “Of course, mi corazón.” 

“You’re all we need too, cuore mio.”

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[andalorii]

8. Fiona's Variant - the Ruffled Serpent

I've been delighted by this little guy ever since it was released.

[wannabepoeticischiya]

in the wake of stars... there, we remain

Do you wish to know the horrible truth? When I close my eyes, her memory does not resurface. I cannot remember her laugh, or even tell apart her voice. All that remains is the waking thought that she was the only woman I ever loved—the only thing I ever wanted. And the Abyss took her away from me. The gods took her away from me! And all the time in the universe—all the power this world has to offer—couldn't fill the void she left behind.

ao3: in the wake of stars... there, we remain pairing: capitano x f! reader genre: angst, romance wc: 16k status: one shot art by: C50spicy

“Granny!”

“Freminet! Don’t call her that—”

A soft chuckle echoed in the closed room, halting the chastise the magician was about to bestow on his younger brother.

“It’s quite alright, Lyney. I’m sure little Freminet meant no harm.” A pair of blackened hands patted the young boys’ heads, the blue veins marring the skin contrasting with the oceans of blond threads.

Despite Freminet’s endearment of the woman, no sign of aging was visible on her youthful face. A stranger might even proclaim her as an older sister to the infamous Knave of the House of Hearth. But the only thing stopping them from doing so was the darkened skin tracing from under her left ear all the way to the horizons of her forehead.

“Can you tell us the story again? Please?” The little blond diver sat near the woman’s feet, looking up at her with big beady eyes—one which always proved difficult to refuse, even for their ‘Father’.

“Only if you promise not to call me an old lady again.” She playfully bargains with the child, although… [Name] wouldn’t really mind either way. “Now, gather around.” She ushers the children to move closer to her, for which they happily obliged.

A rhythmic song echoed in the bowels of her soul as she silently watched the children talk amongst one another, a joy she knew could only live here… in this home, in this time, with them, and nowhere else.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom under the golden sea, there lived a knight, brave, righteous, and kind as they could be. And this knight, he loved no one else but the woman who threw flowers at strangers with glee.

The citizens loved this knight, and everyone wanted to be acquainted with him. But this knight lived with no other thought than to love and be loved by me…

“Haven’t I already told you to get lost?”

Cradled under a dome of a million stars, a noble lady stood far on the far side of the balcony, gazing down with fiery eyes at the knight looking up at her from below. Threads of [h/c] swayed by the eternal gale that rounded the kingdom every after-dark, ruffling the violet and golden garments she wore oh so devotedly—a striking contrast to him who wore clothes darker than the void itself.

“Ah, well—” his voice echoes in the silence of twilight, hopeful at best, painted as desperate for the woman on the loggia.

“My answer remains the same, Captain.”

Before the Captain could raise another protest, a plea for her to reconsider, the lady peered over the balustrade, angered at his stubbornness, “No.”

She could not wrap her head around his insistence, at first finding it admirable before it morphed to be unbearable. Many times had she told him off:

‘I must refuse your proposal, my lord’

‘I’m honored, really, but I cannot accept’

‘Surely, a maiden far fairer than me would most wholeheartedly embrace your affections’.

One would think that after three rejections, he would relent.

At one point, she believed him to have raised the white flag, given that he had ceased his advancement for a full fortnight.

That is until she ran into him at the plaza one fateful afternoon. Finding him surrounded by a sea of people both of highborn and low, militia and serpent knights, harboring him affection and regard.

The shadow of her presence was enough to stop their banters, the weight of her name parting the ocean of people, and before her… was a path that led right to him.

Snapping out of the memory, she is reminded that the object of her daydreams was still perched upon the street below her awaiting an acceptance that the lady swore would never come, even if he is a knight. “Now, if you will be so kind as to step aside—”

“My lady…”

A sharp stare silenced the Commander’s tongue, forcing him to freeze where he stands, burning the remnants of his thoughts. All that remained was the echo of her voice, the light reflecting off her eyes, the presence of her soul. He wouldn’t have minded staying rooted there for the rest of the evening, shackled to that post until the end of his time, so long as she would be near. A call away, just over the wall, looking at him from the panes of her windows.

“Please move out of the way, Capitano. I have more pressing matters to attend to.”

The Commander, as if time began to march slower, saw her marching towards the archway that would lead her indoors, and before he could detain his tongue—his thoughts had run past his better judgement.

“Throwing flowers at passersby hardly seems to be of urgency.”

[Name] let out a scoff of disbelief, swiping away her hand that held the doorknob and turned to march back towards the balcony, peering down at him with all the disdain in the cosmos. The nerve of this—this… “A lot more concerning than having you propose another time when my take on the matter will not change. Now, move out of the way before I throw a pot at you.”

“But why?”

The lady looked at him cynically, was he asking in accordance with his repeated rejection or for the threat of the pot? She would be happy to indulge in the latter, but [Name] knew that the ever-righteous Captain was not one to act like a fool… yet he continued to play the jester with her.

“Are we really going over this again?” She looks at him in exasperation, internally wondering how he rose to such power when he was stubborn as a mule. “Have you forgotten where you stand? I am a lady of the house [L/n], you are a Commander for the knights. Do you really dare have me be insulted by it all? Let me remind you again: from the moment we met all those years ago, when you had so brazenly declared to me that you would take arms and fight the heavens, your conceit and selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that you will be the last man I’d ever be prevailed upon to marry. And I would rather dine on the scraps of field tillers and cross the seven seas with no leverage than be courted by the likes of you. Good day.”

Capitano stared at her retreating figure, counting that as the fifth attempt to court her that month. And the overall hundredth rejection for the last five, or was it seven, years? Every time she turned down his advancements it had him motivated to do more, to be more, become better.

Because in his eyes… there was no greater blessing, no greater honor than to love her.

[Name] who offered him cakes and cookies down by the gardens all those summers ago, the one who ran down the streets to welcome him back, the little lady who pushed the swing when he sat alone by the playground. [Name] who supported his dream of knighthood, the lady who dressed his wounds, who wiped his tears, parted his lips so he could breathe.

I’d be the last man she’d ever be prevailed upon to marry… she didn’t say she’d never marry me—just that I’m her last option.

Even if the same [Name] now sneers at all things related to him and his status as a commander.

A foolish smile carved its way onto his face, eyes as deep as the depths of the ocean shining in delight at the newfound hope.

There’s still a chance!

But love didn’t come easy for the knight, no matter the ardency of his feelings, the sincerity of his soul, nor the patience in his heart. The lady simply turned a blind eye to him—

“That’s awful! Mr. Knight must be very sad.” A little girl cried while her friend tried to console her by rubbing her back, the sight tugging at the seams of [Name]’s heart.

“Indeed, how cruel the lady must have been.” She agrees gently, curling a fistful of fabric under her touch, suppressing the urge to just run outside and comb the earth to make it all right. How cowardly was I to have shunned your affection for so long…

Not long after, one of the older kids spoke her piece, “If a knight as chivalrous as him had loved me, I would never let him go, not even for all the mora in the world.”

For a few arbitrary seconds, [Name] is left at a loss for words.

Perhaps it’s the curse taking effect or maybe it’s the regret clawing from the depths of her eroding soul. Still, it remained clear that the young lady’s words were something she wished she had lived by all those centuries ago.

“Nor I.” [Name] concedes, acknowledging the boldness—the genuineness—of the child’s declaration with a look of understanding.

But no matter how we wish to change our fate, to pave a way for a better tomorrow, a waking moment where we aren’t suffocated by the crushing weight of regret—that was all they could remain as: wishes.

It didn’t matter how ardently we pray for it to be true, how earnestly we chant so we could forge it into being… because when the dust settles and the moon is at rise, only then we’ll know…

“You see, children, to speak of love is an easy task, even the most vicious of people can do it. But to wait and prove that it’s true—even when there is no guarantee of getting loved in return, that is an act of faithfulness that cannot be accomplished by everyone. It takes merely a few seconds to profess love, but doing it takes more than a lifetime. And to find someone eager to spend that time with you… is a blessing that not everyone is fortunate enough to receive.”

…that some tales are not fated for a happy ending.

The children looked at her in amazement, no matter the blights of her curse on her skin—how it can easily depict her a monster—Lady [Name] is still one of the kindest people they have ever been lucky enough to meet.

Love didn’t come in all the shades of the rainbow as the lady had hoped. Love didn’t come dressed in willingness as the knight assumed.

Perhaps, in their hearts, they knew.

Sometimes, love can come painted like a summer night: dark as it comes but scattered with a hundred million stars. Sometimes, love is cloaked in hesitance: a gentle wave by the shores dyed with the warmth of a thousand suns.

And sometimes… love appears in forms we least expect it to take.

“You turned him down? The Captain? The Commander of the Serpent Knights? The Captain?”

A young woman paced around the room, struggling to accept the story her friend told her only moments prior.

“Yes, Peruveere, I did.”

[Name] rolled her eyes at the other person’s restless mumbling, continuously taking apart the petals from the flowers. And as if sensing the follow-up questions of her inquisitive friend, [Name] quickly attached the rest of her answers not a breath later, “Yes, the Captain. Yes, the Commander of the Serpent Knights. Yes, the Captain. And yes, Il-Capitano, the ever-righteous, strong and brave, nigh-invincible Captain. I turned him down just as I had the previous time he asked, and the time before that, as well as all the other advances he had made. And I will continue to do so if he keeps insisting. It will not change.”

She tore another petal away from the stem, not sparing a single glance at the other lady currently losing her marbles over the simple matter of [Name]’s rejection of matrimony.

“But why?”

[Name] tore her eyes away from the busy streets and looked over her shoulder to her friend with a stare of utter disbelief, as though she, herself, could not wrap her head around the question directed at her. [Name] could not choose which one of her inner turmoils would best fit the situation at hand: ‘You know why’, was one, and ‘I cannot, in my wildest dreams, believe that you would really ask me that’, was another. Though it seemed that no matter the choice, it still would not be enough to convey the entirety of her plight.

“I know that look, missy.” Peruveere narrowed her cross-marked eyes at [Name], drawing lines in the air as if it would raise the stakes of an imaginary court to accuse her further. “Your thoughts are all over your face! Peruveere, you’re a fool to ask me that—a lunatic to even ask why—I question to this day why I am friends with someone as empty-headed as you.”

The obsidian of her hair shone under the golden light of the artificial sun, casting away the shadows of the locks of her hair that were colored in ivory.

“Those are your words, my friend, not mine.” [Name] smirked, crossing her arms over her chest as she turned to face the fuming lady before her. “You know me, Peruveere, nothing in this world can persuade me into matrimony. If you wish to be tied to that man so very much, why don’t you marry him instead?” she offered, smiling faintly at the prospect of having to get rid of that persistent knight.

Peruveere scoffed at the idea, waving a hand in the air as though it would scatter her friend’s ridiculous suggestions.

Soon after, her expression morphed into something far too difficult for [Name] to interpret, “One day, [Name], you will wake up with your head in your hands and realize how wrong you were, and you will wish to have done things differently. You will wish that you loved him a little earlier so you could have loved him longer. And you will hear the echoes that my foresight was correct. The way I endeavored to inform you will come into light, and after all of that is said and done, only then will I trust that my earlier warning has been understood—"

[Name] let out a sound of alarm at the near cursing her friend was speaking, now it was her turn to wave her hands in the air as though it would rid of the baleful prescience. “Stop. Stop. Stop!”

Peruveere ignored [Name]’s superstitions and instead opted to convey her thoughts on all the privileges that [Name] would possess once she is married to the Commander.

“Every noble lady in the kingdom wants to be wed to Capitano! He’s got it all, you know, titles, wealth, power, influence—” Peruveere listed off his qualities from the tips of her fingers, explaining how each one of them would be beneficial to her and what it could mean for the years to come. Peruveere droned on and on until she finished at least ten laps on both hands, and [Name]’s ears were on the verge of caving in from how many times that brooding man’s name left the lips of her friend.

“And as your bestest, greatest, most fabulous, not to mention only friend, I have to root for you! I must! You two are practically born of the same soul! And to address your previous statement, no, I will not marry him on your behalf. Capitano is not what I look for in a man, he wears too much black, his friend on the other hand, oh my Dainsleif—hey! Where are you going?”

Peruveere quickly traced the steps of her departing friend, not quite finished with listing off the reasons why [Name] should accept the Commander’s proposal.

[Name] reckons Peruveere could never understand.

She wasn’t present at the time. She wasn’t even part of [Name]’s life when it all came crashing down. So how could Peruveere understand why rejecting Capitano hurts [Name] more than it did him? Especially when he was so persistent, so dedicated, treating her feelings as though being at the receiving end of it was an honor far higher than the heavens. Especially because he does all of that.

Capitano gave it all… and it was being wasted when she could not bring herself to return it despite every inch of her soul begging her to do so.

“A place where I won’t hear another mention of that man’s name—” [Name] saw Peruveere brace herself to question and quickly snuffed it out, “—or his accomplishments, his power, his oh-so-handsome visage, or anything even remotely related to him!” [Name] yelled, sick of all the iterating questions of why when she had already been so clear of her intentions. Peruveere, mother, even my sisters… all asking the same thing, and no matter my answer, they still won’t relent.

“[Name]…”

She snapped out of her thoughts, the consequence of her action hitting her with full force as she looked at the stupefied expression on her friend’s face. “Peruveere—I… I apologize, I did not mean to—”

Peruveere caught the hand that was reaching out to her, encasing them fully in warmth as she gazed at [Name] in a kind light. “No, I should be the one to apologize, [Name]. I shouldn’t have pushed you too far. If you don’t wish to speak about him or hear of his person, then I won’t tell of him at all.”

Peruveere’s patience ate at [Name]’s heart, flooding it with guilt. Words said on a whim that hurt her friend’s heart when all she ever wanted to do was ensure that [Name] could live with someone by her side.

Perhaps Peruveere did understand. Maybe she understood far more than [Name] could have.

“If only my family was as accepting as you.” [Name] could only smile at her kindness, squeezing the hand that held hers.

The two friends laughed at the thought knowing well that the heavens would fall before the great house of [L/n] weakens their immovable resolve. [Name]’s lineage wasn’t exactly known for being one of the friendly fellows of the kingdom, with their emotionless fronts, and closely guarded connections, it proved to be difficult to even just see one of their own walking down the streets as leniently as [Name] did. Their headstrong attitudes and unrelenting tendencies to stop at nothing to get what they wanted drove any and all coming acquaintances away.

It was a miracle that [Name] even had Peruveere for this long.

“I just… don’t wish to be unhappy all my life.” [Name] admits sadly, choosing to look at the dust littered on the cobblestone path.

“What do you mean?”

The chatters of everyday life seemed to blend in with all the colors of Khaenri'ah, until all that remained was the echo of the man loved by all… and yet loved only her.

She laughs and caught Peruveere’s stare with a net of fear—frightened of the uncertainty that came with a person like Il-Capitano. “I hear what people say about him, too, you know. The ever-righteous Captain, the nigh-invincible Captain, the brave and fearless Captain.”

“All good traits, are they not?”

[Name] gave her a pained stare, “When people put him in that light, he is. Yet all the same, it paints him in a different color… like he’s so far away. Don’t you fear that someone possessing such unprecedented righteousness is a latent danger? How… how could someone like that ever truly live? Will he ever truly confide? What if I am the embodiment of all that he detests—everything he cannot accept? Could he still bring himself to love me just as he proclaims?”

“You have yet to know that, [Name].” Peruveere shook her head, trying to coax her friend out of the spiralling doubt, “It isn’t fair to put assumptions on him when you haven’t given him the chance to act on how he really feels. He loves you. For eight long years he’s proven it, practically reformed the heavens so his adoration for you could be caged by the finiteness of this world!”

[Name] denied her friend’s suggestion, finding it too farfetched to be bled into reality.

How could she bring herself to believe his sentiments to be true when the prime of his promises to her had been broken from the moment he turned his back on her that fateful night?

I want to love you, I really do… but what would become of me if I gave it all to you once more? I know it’s tiring to love—to wait. I know I’m not the only one drowning in this ocean of grief when a thousand others were subjected to the same heartache.

But why does it feel like such a sin to love you now?

I don’t know how I’ll free myself from this fear—this soul-binding fear of leaving it all behind.

“Love is an illusion, Peruveere. We believe it because we haven’t seen what’s beyond that. That just as easily as you claim it to be true, it is just as easily gone—taken away before we know it.”

Because what if I did do it—leave everything behind? And what if beyond that, you will leave me, too?

Peruveere sighed in surrender. [Name] spoke words of fear, sentiments plunged in the depths of heartache, a great many things to project hostility but they all meant one thing: come and save me—if you truly love me, take me away from here. That much she understood, it was [Name] who was blinded by her shadows who remained cloaked in ignorance.

“But he might prove you wrong if you give him a chance.”

At her words, [Name] raised her head to look at her, and Peruveere took it as a sign to continue.

“Tell him of your grievances, what makes you happy, the things that upset you. Perchance you might find him a lot more flattering than he does you. He isn’t asking you for a thousand chances [Name], just one.”

‘Can I escort you to town, my lady?’

‘May I have the next dance, Lady [Name]?’

‘Please, do me the honor of accepting my hand.’

“And what if it doesn’t work?” She whispers, feeling the tears prickle at the back of her eyes.

Peruveere smiles, caressing the hills of her cheeks, “You’d be surprised at how often it does.”

The lady found herself tracing the paths of the past. How the pillars of her fear formed the walls that guard her frail heart. Underneath the mountains of rejection, blanketed by years' worth of injustice, numbed by the unrelenting march of time, there existed a version of her… who had once loved the knight more than there were stars in the sky.

“Are you so ugly that you have to hide behind a canvas of the evening sky?”

The masked squire pivoted on his heel, nearly swatting her head off clean with the wooden practice sword.

“Whoa—hey!”

A flock of birds flew away from the volume of her voice, shaking the foliage bordering the courtyard. A gentle breeze swayed between the falling leaves, scattering a palette of white and yellow petals in their wake, painting upon the once-green lands with their hue.

Domed by the artificial Khaenri'ahn sky, a young lady and a young boy stood face to face. One with a soul as radiant as the stars in the heavens crouching down to cover her head, and another dyed in the color of the midnight sun, entranced by her abrupt advent.

As if realizing the silence left by their strange encounter, the masked boy quickly got down on one knee and struggled to find the words to say, fearful that he might be offending a prominent figure in court. “I apologize, my lady. I did not mean to endanger you in any way.”

The young woman, as though struck by the reminder of their difference in status, quickly gathered herself: pulling her figure from the ground, patting away the micro spectacle of dust that had managed to touch her expensive dress.

“Ahem.” She cleared her throat, every bit of her mannerisms hinting that she was not used to interacting in such a formal fashion—as though she was not used to interacting at all! She took a peek at his still kneeling form, not finding him the least bit familiar, he must be new. She memorized the slouch in his shoulders, the hesitation in his movements, the threads of obsidian hair protruding from under his ridiculous helmet.

“You are pardoned, please rise.”

A younger version of [Name] stood before the young boy.

“You are most kind, my lady.”

The one who would soon be known as Capitano.

The lady, curious of his reasons for hiding his face, went by the gardens to pursue an answer. Unfailingly, for three full moons and a crescent, she sought out his company. Finding even the most mundane questions of everyday life directed at him, yet the prime interest she had was not answered until the first fall of the snow.

“I hope you like the cakes. The helpers in the kitchen always seem to make far too much of it,” the young lady walked around the edge of the winter wonders, watching as the young knight trained even under the descent of the cold. “And because no one wants to share them with me, I am left to enjoy them all.”

The young knight, ever so subtly, turned his head in her direction, a small gesture to let her know that despite his straining routines he would always make room for the things she had to share.

“I’m glad to be the one who shares them with you, my lady.”

[Name] caught herself smiling at the knight, feeling as the flames stemmed from her racing heart all the way to the horizons of her fingertips, casting fire to the hills of her cheeks, the bowels of her soul—the embers in her mind.

No words followed those fleeting sentences, only the breaths of a diligent knight, and a lady brimmed with adoration. The heavens falling to witness the waltz of two souls, dancing to the melody of a tune made to bind for all eternity.

The knight ceased his practice, drawing nearer to the lady waiting by the steps.

She could have watched him from the balcony, or not at all yet here… in this place shrouded with the harshness of winter, closer to where he was—there, she stayed.

He began to wonder, when did I begin to see like this? As though all of the heavens and the earth only came into being so they could hold you. What greatness did I do… that I am worthy to behold you? That I am so fortunate to have existed in a time—a place where I could love you as much as I desired?

Driven by the intensity of his emotions, the knight turned his back and began to walk away from her.

The lady, unsure of what to make of it all, snickered under her breath. [Name] found his behavior strangely endearing, to think one of the most skilled in knighthood could have been rendered flustered just by the thoughts running in his head was something not even the greatest of alchemists could conjure.

With a small laugh, [Name] stepped a foot into the snow followed by another, slowly tracing the footprints the knight in front of her had carved into the winter treasures.

The knight, who had initially only intended to break away for a few seconds, took notice of the way his lady had started to walk upon the path he made. With a smile of his own, he began to take wider steps, knowing that she would surely start to struggle.

[Name] had to leap in her step to continue her little fun, but the added distance in the interval of his steps along with the weight of her clothes had her stumbling a few moments later.

The young knight, ever so quick in his steps, turned with swift haste, catching her in his arms before she could hit the snowy ground.

A different object, however, had fallen into the snow.

“Oh,” Her breath was painted white from the cold, yet her eyes reflected the deep blues of the irises that looked to her with such ardent affection. “You aren’t ugly.”

But stars did not shine, they burned. And just as quickly did the snow thaw, the reality of their distant worlds had dawned on them. Lightning painted the canvas of their skies, ripping it open for the rain to fall—dousing the embers of their adoration for one another.

“Please… I beg you, do not go.” An older lady clung to the cloths of a man’s armor, hugged by the artificial lights of the Khaenri'ahn sky… the two lovers held onto one another as though it was their last day on this land.

The man touched the lady’s cheeks, ridding the mar of silver water racing down the canvas of her face. “I must, my dear. It is my duty.”

The Serpent Knights have been called to defend the borders of the kingdom from the ill-will of the abyss. A duty that was promised honor, gratitude, and legacy whether they emerged victorious or not—whether they returned breathing or not at all.

[Name]’s father was a knight bestowed the rank Captain, prestige that came with the comfort of wealth, and the oath of power. But for her mother, who loved her husband dearly, all it came with was the looming danger, the never-ending saga of fearing for his life.

And even if [Name] was still beyond the sense of maturity, she could piece apart that much.

Many words were exchanged by her mother and father, promises of eternity, a love to last a thousand lifetimes and a thousand more after that, that her mother only needed to wait—wait, and surely, her husband would return to her.

Yet as selfish as it sounds, even if oaths were broken and lives were lost, her mother didn’t want her father to go.

“It is also your duty to stay by your family’s side! We need you—I… I need you.”

“But the people need me more.”

[Name] who was watching from behind a towering pillar, looked at her father in disbelief, feeling as the little crevices in her heart began to rip its surface clean. Silently coming to terms with the truth that knights and all that they were associated with will always, unfailingly, put their duty above any other.

The real world was not like the stories her father had told her. Knights do not stay with the people they love when a kingdom is in threaten for ruin… they go out there and fight for the kingdom they had sworn to protect.

Even if it cost them their lives.

Even if the price paid for a momentary tranquility is the anguish of a broken heart, a wife’s grief for the loss of a husband, a daughter’s heart shattered to a million irreparable pieces at the loss of a father, a family torn apart so another could live completely.

And as if the universe wanted to play, [Name] found herself looking into the abyssal canvas of his face on the far side of the courtyard, almost as if she was asking him the same request as her mother did to her father.

‘Don’t go…’

But she knew that this righteous knight, the ever so brave recruit, the nigh-invincible young Capitano was the same as her honorable father.

Even if the price paid for a momentary equanimity was the silence of a lover, the heartache of a soul left alone in the world, a heart once entrusted to the hands of those who had sworn never to break it, shattered by the same hands.

Because that was the price you paid for loving a knight.

The weight of the years numbed the pain, and the tears had blurred the memories. Yet all the same, it proved that no matter how deep the valley that severed their ties, it could not hide the lingering affection littering the oceans of their skies.

"Oh, Il-Capitano~ Commander of the Royal Army."

“We have most patiently awaited your safe return.”

“What an honor it is to have someone like you in the kingdom’s service.”

Nobilities and common people alike gushed at the arrival of the esteemed commander. One enshrouded in the colors of the night, with what looked like the heaviest coat in all of mankind draped over his shoulders.

He marched through the gates of the kingdom perched atop his tall, midnight steed. And as if feeling her drilling stare, that faceless helmet turned to gaze in her direction. A simple gesture, one which a stranger could have passed as nothing but a meaningless movement, but to [Name]… she knew, that it meant more to the knight than the praises sung at his name.

Perhaps it was a trick of the light, or the sadness clawing its way out of her soul. [Name] would have taken any other explanation, any other reason, so long as it wasn’t the one forcing its way through her throat.

For a fleeting second, everything had crumbled away. In the place of that tall, imposing, broad-shouldered knight was a younger boy, one whose eyes looked far too hesitant to urge the stallion forward, his form was slouched, often kneeling before her, he who had promised the world.

Yet when she blinked, both figures were gone, one buried under the weight of time, and the other marching forward, once again turning his back on her.

No longer a young, naïve, lovestruck squire but a revered commander, righteous, brave, and powerful.

Rumors in the plaza spoke about how the Commander never smiled, or that there was nothing in his life other than his duty and the endless battles against the abyss. But the conversation that sparked about the most was the mystery behind his mask.

Others spoke that his face had been scarred by his countless conquests that he had no choice but to hide it from his enemies, while some say that he was born unfortunate in the department of looks therefore forcing him to wear such a thing to shield his deformed face from the eyes of the public.

But [Name] knew otherwise.

“Isn’t this exciting, [Name]?” Her friend, Peruveere, looks to her with eager eyes.

The young lady was a descendant of the previous dynasty, named Crimson Moon. Peruveere was the one who had so boldly claimed to be her friend after [Name] had thrown a fistful of flowers at her by accident.

[Name] shrugged and pretended to be indifferent to it all, forcing herself to look away as she felt his stares burn holes into her very being. "Eh, I've fallen witness to better."

That was a lie, of course.

The only one that could ever hope to best him in anything was himself, and [Name] was sure that the ever so charming Il-Capitano, Commander of the Royal Army, knew that for himself. But [Name] would rather eat all the snow in her courtyard than have to admit that to his face or anyone for that matter.

"The cats loitering the streets would hiss at you for saying that. Even they admire Capitano." Peruveere shook [Name] back and forth as she eagerly watched as the fleet of soldiers march back to the palace grounds.

[Name] tried to ignore the incessant beatings of her heart at the mention of his name. One which she hasn’t spoken in a long, long while.

"He looks far more miserable since the last I saw him." She unconsciously whispers, tracing the outlines of his shadows until his figure is nothing but a speck in the far-off distance.

Then again, how long has it been since I last saw you? Certainly not long enough!

"Perhaps it's because you keep declining him." Peruveere perks, smiling pointedly at [Name] who was still looking in the direction of the castle.

The lady let out a bitter chuckle, of course, I’d never marry him!

Capitano returned to her all those moons ago, nearly after three years, he returned.

But by then, her heart had come to realize the weight of his promises. That next to his duties, they meant absolutely nothing.

"Oh, woe. His poor soul." She emptily comments, finally tearing her gaze away from the reminder of his broken oaths.

"Please, [Name]. Miserable, yes. But poor he most certainly is not." Peruveere hooks an arm with [Name] and dragged her to descend the steps of her balcony.

"Do tell, Peruveere." [Name] rolls her eyes at her friend's antics, with half a mind listening to her ramble on and on about the oh-so-amazing Capitano, as they walked the now-empty streets to the plaza.

"All that power and wealth to his name and he commands half the Royal Army." Peruveere boasts as though speaking about that man made his achievements hers as well.

She really does hold that… man in high regard.

"The miserable half?" [Name] jests, leaving a fuming noble lady on the side of the street.

And so, tired of the longing glances and hearing the rhythm of two souls crying for one another, the heavens had moved to have it ceased…

Far into the depths of the night, when the trees slept and the lands were blanketed in silence, [Name] found herself standing by the steps that led to a courtyard.

Although this time, the space before her was covered with blades of grass and blossoming flora, the breeze was not sharp but rather a gentle lull in the ever-growing warmth of the season—a great contrast to a time when this place was riddled with cold, covered in his footsteps, thriving in the words he had no intention of keeping.

‘My lady,’ he whispers, drawing nearer to her. Close enough that his breath tangled with hers as the warmth of his hand draped over the hills of her reddened cheeks. ‘My heart calls your name, unfailingly, every night. My soul desires to see you—far too much that it has my gaze lingering in everything that reminds me of you. Each day, this feeling in me grows and I fear that the skies can no longer house them.’

‘I love you, [Name]… most ardently, please allow me the honor of staying by your side—’

“[Name].”

The sudden call broke the young lady from her daydreams. She turned hastily to meet the tired eyes looking straight at her.

“Mother.”

With the golden light of the chandelier seeping past the windowpanes, the scenery before her nearly resembled a painting of the heavens… except, the subject’s face was dyed in colors of loneliness—her mother’s heart died along with her father many, many years ago.

“You have a visitor.” She states plainly before tracing back her steps to enter the house once again.

[Name] furrowed her brows in confusion at who could be visiting her at this ungodly hour. Surely, Peruveere was sound asleep by now, and even if she wasn’t, her mother would never go as far as tell [Name] of her presence when she was already known by her entire family—she’s my only friend, it would be strange for them to do so.

As she stormed her brain for any other acquaintances who might be brave enough to knock on the gates of her home, the sounds of heavy footfalls and the clinking of metal chains flew past her ears.

Until a large body loomed over her fretting figure.

Even if she dared not to look, the stranger’s shadow—all broad-shouldered and imposing—already told her enough that this was no acquaintance.

Are you starving for another rejection? You really are thick-faced…

“Commander.” She greets coldly, curtsying for the sake of formality, rising once more to bravely look at the nothingness that shielded his face.

For a moment, Capitano did not know what to say, rendered speechless by the weight of reality that she really was standing in front of him. No longer crowds apart, no wall stopping him from seeing her, no meddling audience.

Just him and her, at last.

“You look well, my lady.” He smiles, although it was quickly wiped away by the steely expression still plastered on her face as well as the realization that she could not see him.

“I have no interest in making small talk with you, Commander.” [Name] looks away, turning her attention to any other thing that wasn’t the darkness in the place of his visage. “Speak of what you want and be done with it.”

A faint click resounded in the silent atmosphere followed by a small sound of something hitting the earth. Capitano decides then, that if [Name] was going to drive him away no matter his intentions, it was best to just be honest and let all this tangled mess unravel thread by thread, even if it cut and strangled him in the process.

“Your mother… desires our union.”

[Name] spun on her heels at the imprudent claim, raising a finger to point at him daringly, “By that you mean—you desire this union.”

The now unmasked knight gently shook his head in denial, taking a small piece of parchment from the insides of his cloak, one which was sealed in the sigil of her house.

In a hurried panic, the noble lady swiped the paper from his hand, and every bit of him burned at the faintest graze of her touch.

With unbattered patience, Capitano watched as her eyes traced the ink that was bled onto the paper. He was over the stars, yes, but above all else, he wanted to know… if she wished for this to come into reality.

“You schemed this.” [Name] looks to him in disbelief, a line of silver brimming the horizons of her eyes. She clutched the paper so tightly that the mountains of her knuckles had been painted white, and the parchment had nothing left to do but rip apart at the center from the intensity of her hold.

Capitano awaited her to draw nearer, pressing his lips together before he whispered, “I did not.”

“You did.” She insisted, stopping in her trails once she was close enough to look him straight in the eye. “Because why now, out of the many times I have been suave by some nobleman did my mother finally agree? To you, no less. And I mean that in every possible offense.”

His ocean eyes searched the contours of her face for any hints of remorse, traces of hesitation, creases of consideration—even the littlest of faults, he would have accepted. If she was hiding them, her true emotions, even just a speck of the love he once held in the palm of his hands, then he must let her know that she was doing a splendid job.

“Why do you detest me so?” He asks softly, unconsciously raising a hand to caress her face but before he could, [Name] had already turned away.

The lady let out a loud scoff and began to walk away from him, blatantly avoiding his questioning gaze.

Unable to hide his frustration, the knight gambled his chances. "Tell me then, that I am not wanted."

[Name] halted in her steps, still looking in the direction of the bordering trees. Desperately ignoring the echoes of a treasured memory formed once upon a time in the same place she stood upon now.

“Leave, Commander.” She says, in a tone so bitter she could almost taste it.

“Look me in the eye, My Lady.” He urges demandingly, softly— “Step forth and tell me that you no longer want me. Scream at me. Command me to step aside, show me that I am the last man in this world you could ever want to marry. Then, my heart is yours to break.”

Capitano was not one to relent, choosing to close the distance between them in a few calculated steps, standing in front of her way.

“Tell me, what I did to have warranted your aggression. I will make it right, and I swear to you that I will do no such thing to tarnish your honor or be the center of your unhappiness.”

And after many, many years, [Name] finally gathered the courage she stacked upon one another and looked him in the eyes. That same pair of irises, dyed in the colors of the ocean that haunted her every waking moment.

“You Serpent Knights and your promises. Cease them already! You know you will break them sooner or later—you always do, unfailingly. And you always will.” She seethes, hitting his chest as if doing so would make the pain in hers hurt less.

“I will not.” He counters, raising his arms to wrap around her frame.

“You will. Don’t lie to me!”

“I won’t, and I would never.”

[Name] clutched a fistful of his clothing, pulling him closer to her—far too near that one push would have his lips grazing hers. 

“Alright then, swear to me right now that you—that you will not die. That when we are wed, you will return to me no matter what—there will stand no mountain, no ocean, nor lifetimes between you and me. Swear it. Say it to me right now.”

Capitano stares at her silence, long gone was the frail young lady who adored pastries. Her eyes shone in a vibrant light, the walls around her heart falling brick by brick to allow him the honor of gazing at the years of anguish she had endured by his single mistake, the passion in her eyes burning straight through his will to speak. This was the most she had ever spoken to him.

“I… ” He whispers, desperately fighting off the urge to just draw nearer and end this agony. I love you.

“You can’t.”

[Name] laughs bitterly, freeing her hold on him and walking past his figure.

No matter the years that passed him by, Il-Capitano remains the same righteous, brave, and powerful Serpent Knight. [Name] was not about to succumb to the shackles of matrimony with the inkling thought that she be a widow once the threat of war arose. She will not go down a sinking boat. Be married to a dying man.

“That’s a big promise.” Capitano swallows the lump in his throat as he watches her walk about the garden, ever so close to walking away completely. And he had this inkling thought, if she were to leave his sight right now, he would never see her again.

‘You’re drawing the shorter end of the stick with me,’ those were her words all those years ago, when his attempts were nothing but a flickering flame. Naïve, in the kindest words; half meant, in the worst.

Still, the way she had so kindly given him a choice on the matter had him steel his resolve. How easy it must have been for her to say no, tell him off—that she wishes to never see his face again, be near his soul, or be reminded of his existence—but she didn’t.

Even if it slipped her thoughts, what she gave him all those moments ago… was a chance.

One chance. One take. One moment to make it all right.

And all of the heavens will be damned if he did not take it.

Capitano did not speak of love to her, rather he showed it with every atom of his being. In every breath he took, all the gazes he sent her way, in his lingering but persistent affection. There, right along with him… his love had existed.

[Name] remains in silence, trying to suppress the trembling of her voice. He was not one to relent, not then… and most certainly not now.

It was useless trying to get soldiers to choose their personal attachments over the good of the many. That’s why I dearly detest them. Why allow yourself to love, to make home in the heart of another… only to leave and never return?  

Capitano waited for her, even when there was no guarantee that she could love him in return.

If she would have him, he would have all the eternities to tell her he loves her.

But here, when she is not so accepting of him, he would not do it.

‘I would rather live my days as the most unfortunate man to ever come into being than to live a life where you do not know that I love you.’

And his sentiments had sought him in his every waking moment.

“But for you, anything.”

[Name]’s world came to a standstill.

Every star nestled in the depths of the cosmos had ceased their dance. Blackholes frozen mid-spin. Nebulas that scattered like clouds lulling at the echo of his words. It drifted from galaxy to galaxy, in different timelines, in every version of existence.

"I would have seized the stars for you if you asked." He continues, taking step after step to close the distance between them, a silent promise that once she allows him to be near—a place in her life where he could stay, he would never leave.

Capitano could never have fathomed the gravity of those words, pulling every world she built, the doubts, the longing, every molecule of eagerness... they collided, spun, condensed, and burst forth to resound his words for all the eternities to come.

"The stars?" She echoes.

Everything began spinning fast—too fast. The colors around her merged, blurring her surroundings until all she could see was him. 

"Taken every single one of them." He affirms, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. "I would tally the heartbeats of every single thing that has ever lived on this planet, count the grain of sands in the deserts, drain the oceans, freeze the skies—you will only ever need to ask… and I will make it so. This is how much I would love you, if you will have me. You only ever need to say one word. Speak my name, and I am yours... from now until you are sick of me, 'til the last of the embers burn out into oblivion, until life ceases to exist—even beyond the destruction of nothingness—I am yours."

She allowed him to cross the distance between them. Not raising a hand in protest when the expanse of his palm had covered the plains of her cheeks.

She didn’t utter a single rejection when he touched her forehead with his, not even when his nose brushed against hers.

"In your acceptance, and in your denial... I am yours. In death and life. In the wake of destruction and reform. In this soul—before and beyond. Yours... and no one else's."

She didn’t do anything, even when the softness of his lips had descended on the meadows of her hairline.

Capitano, her memory reminded. Oh, but how could she ever forget? Not when he was looking at her like that—like one word from her would send him to paradise. She should be the one looking at him like that.

Because as it stands, [Name] was already there—in paradise—as though his soul was the shadow that guards her everyday life, the scent of flowers that follows her like daylight… the love that soothes her heart, every time he was away.

And so, the woman set her heart free and granted the knight a chance.

The lady and the knight loved with a love that was more than love.

Affection that was far from perfect, but they were made perfect for each other.

And so… love was made perfect for us.

The sound of waves crashing against the rocky mountains filled their hearts with ease. Nothing but the serene symphonies of nature pooling within the depths of their ears.

A thousand wonders brought by autumn descended from the trees, now looking as if they were reaching for the vast, multi-painted sky above. The breeze carried the leaves dyed in shades of vermillion and gold, scattering them across the earth.

The lady’s sudden laugh broke apart the peaceful atmosphere, making his heart tremble in delight as his head ever so slightly looked to her direction.

The way the late afternoon breeze danced with the threads on her head, eyes reflecting that of the sun which sat on the hands of the seemingly never-ending ocean. Her face that looked as if a painter spilled a bucket of orange dye on it.

His deep-colored irises stared at her with wonder.

And Capitano thought to himself, how could anyone… be as lovely as her?

Feeling his gaze fall upon her, the lady tilted her head in confusion, a small yet playful smile resting upon her lips. "What are you looking at, man?"

Raising his bare hand, the knight gently rested it on her cheek, leaning in to touch her forehead with his before momentarily closing his eyes only to open them and whisper...

"I'm looking at you, woman."

The lady wondered then how she could have endured denying the knight for so long when the light of his love was something she now no longer knew how to live without. She asks the heavens for answers, and sometimes even herself if the reason she was born long ago was so she could live in this plane of existence… and be loved by him.

The day the heavens bestowed upon the land a gift so majestic and wonderful that the earth has marveled upon it ever since its descent from the gentle hands of the clouds was beginning to dawn upon them once more.

At least... to the knight who loved her dearly, it was his interpretation of the special occasion. Her birthday. He was always so dramatic, that one.

His ocean-dyed eyes stared lovingly at the lady who stood not too far from where he was currently leaning against the threshold,

The knight observed the woman from a distance. His heart free from wickedness.

Ever righteous, they spoke of him. But with her, Capitano was certain he would do unspeakable things to those who dared bring her harm. Brave, still… he feared her denial—that a day will come when she realizes she did not want him anymore. Powerful, so why did he feel no power when he stood next to her?

Why was he anything but their depictions when she was the one standing in front of him? [Name] could have seen him as anything… yet she chose to see him as he was, as Capitano. No more, and certainly no bit less.

He loved her so, even more than his own life. And his affection for her flourished like fresh spring flowers each and every single passing day.

There was just absolutely nothing about her that he couldn't adore. The little things like how she would swivel and sway with the leaves when she danced with the melody of the breeze, exclaiming that the years of arduous dance practices had finally been put to good use, or when she would hum a tune when the silence was too heavy to bear.

To the knight, everything she did represented grace and beauty in a different light. She was simply just... heavenly.

When the light of the crescent moon penetrated through the curtain of clouds, the knight knew that the awaited day has been gifted to both him and to the woman he loved.

The gentle rhythm of waves crashing against the shoreline filled the silence left by the cold evening.

As quiet and light as a feather, he approached her, draping a shawl over her shoulders before sitting right next to her on the bench.

The woman was not the least bit startled by her lover's stealthy advance, far used to it more than she would have liked to admit. In the place of caution was peace; his presence helped calm whatever disaster was brewing up within her.

And ever so subtly, his warm fingers interlaced with her own. The little touches had flames burning at the tips of their fingers, crawling their way to the caves of their hearts, bursting forth to drape them in a blanket of fiery warmth.

"My dear, the moon is beautiful, isn’t it?" The woman's gaze turned towards her lover the moment his endearment left his lips—a far wanted term than the ever-so-formal my lady.

"Indeed, it is..." A gentle smile replaced the previous dazed expression that had been painted upon her face.

Nothing more was said within the next few passing moments. No words in all the letters of the worlds could describe the way their souls seemed to long for the other's presence.

"Thank you, my love." She spoke in a gentle whisper, leaning her head to rest on the expanse of his shoulder.

The midnight-eyed knight craned his head to face the lady who was still staring at the moon, admiring the way the lights above reflected the colors of her face.

"What for?" He questioned, unconsciously rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb.

She gave his hand a subtle embrace of her own, smiling at him with such gentleness that he was afraid she'd break at the lightest of caresses. "For staying..."

For remaining by my side even if there was nothing for you but denial. For your persistence. For your affection. For everything and anything all at once. That you’ve loved me even if I was the least deserving of it. Because you didn’t surrender.

You had so many chances to give it all up—so many reasons to grow weary and leave, but you didn’t. You found reasons to stay.

Caught off guard, the knight could only stare at her. An unexplainable blend of emotions swirling within the pools of blue that tinted his irises.

I’m happy to be at the end of your adoration.

He chuckled at her sentimental declaration, indeed... everything she did was absolutely breathtaking.

"Come." He urged, tugging at their entangled limbs, prompting her to rise to her feet.

"Alright, alright..." she laughs, "so impatient."

And with the flick of his wrist, Capitano interlocked their hands once more. His bare hand found anchor on her waist, pulling her closer to him.

Resting his forehead against hers, he swayed her to a melody that was nothing but silence for the rest of the world and yet a string of sounds of the most wonderful tunes for the two of them.

Indeed, love does work in mysterious ways.

The commander unhooked his hands from hers, circling one around her back, while the other carded the threads settled upon her head.

"Happy birthday to you, my love." He whispers, his featherlight breath tickling the shell of her ear. "Make a wish."

Just as how he embraced her with utmost respect and adoration, she did the same for him: hugging him tighter as she muttered the words that made his heart almost leap out of his chest.

"Be mine."

Capitano tucked away the stubborn lock of hair behind her ear, gazing deeply into the depths of her irises, memorizing the lines etched on her pupils, the way her lashes would graze her cheeks in the stray moments where she blinked. I’m in love with you. He hung those reminders of her like stars, formed constellations in her glory so that he may be reminded that no matter where he went… a place exists—a time existed—where she and he lived under the same moon.

"Already yours."

But the angels, not half so happy in the stars, envied the love of the knight and the lady. And that was the reason as all men knew, had them move everything to have their love ceased…

Magnificent, that was what he was.

Rain clouds blotted the vast sky, casting shadows upon the face of the lady who stood by the loggia. Her feet freezing her to where she stood as her eyes settled on the dark gloom ahead. The once gentle gale of the season had turned sharp, as though they carried shards of broken glass along with their escape. She listened intently to the whispers of the people, carried by the trees who had lived long enough to tell the tale of a dynasty made strong by human hands.

Her vision, though still a bit hazy, had begun merging the two-layered images that had played out in front of her: the sun that was nearing the end of its time of the day—little twinkling dots that had scattered across the palette of colors that painted the sky, and him, the anchor amidst this hell-bound storm.

His words flew from one ear and out the other, all she saw was the crumbling castle, pillars that held every brick and structure made strong by humans be submerged into the depths of the waters below.

What a terrifying sight indeed, such treasures kept hidden from the cruelty of this world.

And ever so softly did she feel a gentle tug on her hand, a small affectionate gesture that had urged her to move forward in order to match the pace of the one in front of her. Slowly but surely, her sight had focused on a man whose back was turned against her, the gentle yet impactful approach of the frost wiping away the footprints he had imprinted as he had continued to lead her to his desired destination.

Up on that hill stood a tall gateway, towering pillars of nothingness standing on either side.

Embers descended from the sky like the first fall of snow, and the flames of the heavens shone brightly as though they were stars.

His feet carried him from the bloodied pavement and onto the grassy ground that had covered the small hill.

“Go.” He whispers, pushing her towards her escape.

It felt cruel to do this to her—to [Name]. To ask the only woman he loved… to let him go.

Their laughter resonated within the empty atmosphere of that scenery. Her smile, so bright it put even the setting sun to shame. But now, only the thought of reality remained, crushing them from its weight.

“No.” [Name] shook her head, latching onto his bloodied sleeve, preventing him from marching back to all that desolation. “Don’t go, please. I beg you… don’t—Capitano, please.” [Name] fell to her knees, the seams of her clothing dyed in the hue of life that stained his shoes.

“[Name]…” His hands blanketed hers, gently—desperately trying to pry her grip open.

“No. No, no… you—you swore to me. You promised me. You gave me your word.”

Her ears struggled to process what her Knight was saying. Everything sounded as if she was submerged in water and yet her eyes could see the knight tense and stagger as he fought to keep his own morals for her survival.

Capitano knelt before her, discarding the veil he put upon his head, just as he once did all those moons ago.

He knelt beside her and caged her face between his hands. Capitano took it all in, everything. From the way the threads laid upon her head shone under what little luminescence embraced them, her ears that pointed a little too sharply, the little dots that littered her skin, her eyes brimmed with silver, the rivers of water that raced down her rose-dyed cheeks, the tremble of her lips, ones that he had never got to taste—and he never will. He seized them all, plucked them one by one, and hung them like stars. He engraved them all in his darkened sky—swore to heaven and earth that he would look to them every night... because after this moment, he knew he would never see them again. “And I intend to keep it.”

Finally, as twilight settled upon the two lovers, the knight turned and faced the woman he loved so dearly—for the last time, the last time in a good long while.

"Wait for me, my love. Wait for me, and I'll come back to you."

Even with her silver-brimmed gaze, the magnificently terrifying sight of a giant wall frosting into creation had slowly seeped into the crevices of her being, serving as the cold that froze her heart.

Through the tears, she stared at his unmoving figure. This time, Capitano was facing the enemy.

“I hear what people say about him, too, you know. The ever-righteous Captain, the nigh-invincible Captain, the brave and fearless Captain.”

“All good traits, are they not?”

Il-Capitano.

“When people put him in that light, he is. Yet all the same, it paints him in a different color… like he’s so far away. Don’t you fear that someone possessing such unprecedented righteousness is a latent danger? How… how could someone like that ever truly live? Will he ever truly confide? What if I am the embodiment of all that he detests—everything he cannot accept? Could he still bring himself to love me just as he proclaims?”

The ever so righteous commander, the brave and fearless captain, the powerful captain.

“You have yet to know that, [Name]. It isn’t fair to put assumptions on him when you haven’t given him the chance to act on how he really feels. He loves you. For eight long years he’s proven it, practically reformed the heavens so his adoration for you could be caged by the finiteness of this world!”

But to her, he was simply just Capitano.

The commander she loved.

“I hope you like the cakes. The helpers in the kitchen always seem to make far too much of it, and because no one wants to share them with me, I am left to enjoy them all.”

“I’m glad to be the one who shares them with you, my lady.”

The kind and affectionate captain. My one love… Capitano.

“I love you.” She whispers to the wind.

It dawns on her then, that she never really said those to him. Capitano told it to her through a hundred thousand different actions yet she—she had never told him. Not even once.

“I love you…”

And now…

[Name] didn't fear if another war was to come, nor did she fear that he would turn his back on her and cast her away again—no.

What caused her heartbreak was the certainty that after this... nothing would follow.

She would be stuck in stagnancy; in an endless cycle of trying to figure out what she could've done better. How she could have changed his fate, free him from the holds of death. Wondering that if she did things differently then things wouldn't end up like this—that she wouldn't have to be forced to see him leave… when she wasn’t ready to let him go.

I just got you… don’t—don’t leave me so soon. Please…

Deep down, no matter how much she tried to deny, [Name] knew what would come once she opens her eyes.

“… thank you for the adventure.”

To my Captain—darling, dearest, dead.

   Many suns have risen. The lands are riddled with ruins of dynasties who once thought they would last for eternity. And the gods have been replaced… yet here, I remain. In this desolation, in the midst of destruction, cradled under a hundred thousand lights, I linger.

   The echo of your laughter haunts me—even if more than half a millennium has dawned. I have seen more than a myriad of faces, descendants of those who once believed they would parent no children… and every time I do, I am reminded of you.

   Of your ardent affection, and bold declarations. Your promises of eternity, and the dedication that came along with it—yet you were the first to fall, the first to stand against the ones who threatened our home.

   Your love will see me in forever. Just as you had sworn. You, however, will not.

   My Captain… my love, my darling… my dearest.

   When we crossed paths, my life began. As though the once monochromatic mundaneness of my every waking moment was dyed in thousands of shades of color by your dark, and brooding figure. I told you, didn’t I? That when I pictured my life beyond it all, it would not be with you. I spoke the words, ‘I would prefer to eat the remains of field tillers than be courted by the likes of you’, still, you did not relent. I once had thought that you were a madman, choosing me out of everyone else—when you could have had anyone, yet you declared your love was mine to hold. I told you that you were getting the short end of the stick with me… and you said the words, ‘I’d rather live as the most unfortunate man for all my days than to live a life where I cannot love you’. So dramatic, that you are. If you weren’t a commander, you could pass as an actor.

   Sometimes, love came as simple as staring at the moon—but sometimes, it was as arduous as forcing the heavens to align. Still, I loved doing both for you.

   My life began the moment you made yourself known to me. My Captain, my dearest… my one true love.

   I once had thought that the hardest thing in life was to find someone you couldn’t live without… but now it seems that it’s harder to live life without him—without you.

   My life began with you, so why is it that before long, yours had ended…?

   Your love was my haven, a paradise in this space riddled with chaos—comfort in a place destined to ruin.

   Oh, but how quickly did it all crumble. How hasty sunshine leaves when the rain clouds loom. And how the heavens cry when life is devoid of meaning… devoid of you.

   What would the gods ask me to do? Who will the abyss have me become? What more do I have to surrender to have you return to me?

   Tell me, and I’ll do it. I’d reform the universe if I must. I’ll make it so, if they would grant me another chance. Another life. Another universe. A next time—next life… to have even just a few more seconds with you. To have you tell me that you’ll be leaving—so I’ll be able to let you know… if I’m ready to let you go.

   But if fate is kind, if destiny permits, and you find the chance to come home to me—I’ll cherish our mortality, no matter how fleeting. Even if you return with a face blanketed in shadows, memories as fragmented as the skies above, a body crumbling from the cruelty of time... I would still know you. Your soul sings of love in gentle lullabies, whispers as warm as sun-kissed fire, tethered with hopes for another morrow. I would know you. Even if I am caged by darkness, drowned in silence, slipping from the threads of life… I will know you.

   And I will love you. I will love you all the same.

   My Captain. My darling… my love.

   In this space, in this life, how very fortunate was I to have loved and have been loved by you.

---

Domed by an endless blue sky, children of all ages slumbered for the welkin to shine upon. Stars drifted amidst the ether, sending all that lay within its path with promises of a home that differed in shape and size. Melodies of the late summer breeze echoed throughout the home of the hearth, swaying the curtains to the rhythm that it carried along.

[E/c] irises reflected all the hues the heavens had to offer, light that had traversed the bowels and lengths of the cosmos reached the ends of its journey when they drowned in the depths of her forlorn gaze.

“Thank you for accompanying the children, Lady [Name].”

Walking between the borders of dreams and reality, the Khaenri'ahn woman’s dazed figure snapped back to the present: eyes darting back and forth, left and right, desperately trying to search for the voice that rattled her solitude.

She has seen that face countless times, Arlecchino. The Knave. Wolf in sheep’s clothing, they call her. But to [Name], Arlecchino has always been kind. A little on the intimidating side yet remained kind either way.

Arlecchino was the one who took her from the Doctor’s hold and gave her a place to call home. She gave a stranger food and clothing, accepted her and let her be near the children.

Perhaps it’s that kindness that had her vision altering to picture someone else. The one who shares the same blood as that of a soul she knew so long ago.

It felt surreal—as though she was still stuck in that nightmare.

“[Name]…” A small voice called her from the side, before long, cold fingers clutched the hem of her sleeves.

The young woman turned her gaze to her friend, Peruveere. Her cross-marked eyes glistened with unshed tears, hands trembling from the weight of fear blossoming in her heart.

[Name] felt her heart drop at the vision before her. Blood stained her friend’s clothing, falling so freely down the concrete flooring. Part of her face had begun to be caged in frost, blinding her completely—yet she remained hesitant to freeze the one standing before her.

Fragments of her sanity had been lost… still, her heart remembered that the one in front of her was someone she would always love—even as the darkness threatened to swallow her whole.

Before [Name] could support the bleeding lady, a deafening sound shattered the earth, shaking the buildings, and marring the ground in deep valleys.

Peruveere looks to [Name]—an action she was surely going to miss, to see her beloved friend, her only friend, before the world ends—because she knew, seeing her won’t happen again for a long time.

What a great adventure it was… to have been friends with you. To be near close as sisters. Even when I was cast away by the rest, you remained. Even when you had nothing to gain from me, you remained.

“Run.” Peruveere gave her hand one last squeeze before she pushed her out of the balcony.

If fate allows, and destiny is kind… would you meet me in another life? Can I be born again… and take walks with you around the plaza? Throw flowers at strangers in another life? Talk behind other people’s backs in another life? Can we be friends again… in another life?

Can I have another chance… in another time… in another universe….

In another universe, in another time, another chance…

Lightning struck the place where [Name] once stood, then a blood-curling scream followed—Peruveere.

In the place of her ivory hair was a faceless entity, shrouded in obsidian and the colors of the sky. The hands that had once held hers so kindly had been covered by blades, claws in the place of fingers, a danger in the place of comfort.

“[NAME]!”

Thunder echoed in the skies, lightning broke apart the heavens, carving a way for the creatures of the abyss to swarm her home.

The woman had no strength to rise from where she had fallen, her eyes staring in shock at the way a wall of ice grew from the ground up—shielding her from the creature that overtook her friend.

Her only friend Peruveere…

Before long, the lady found herself looking into the void of someone’s face. Capitano.

Ringing in the depths of her eardrums was a rhythmic echo of stone crashing against the ground.

“My love.” She breathes, staring at him with hazed eyes as she looks to him and back over at the wall of frost. “Peruveere—something… I—I don’t—what is going on—she’s still out there, oh god—Peruveere.”

“[Name]—” Capitano caged her trembling hands in his, trying his best to rid of the blood that drenched the pads of her fingers.

“I—I’m never going to see her again.” She cries, gripping the hands that held her so tenderly. “She was my best friend, and I didn’t—I didn’t even hug her. I never even got to tell her that she was right. I’ll never get to tell her anything ever again—”

“—[e]? —[Name]? Lady [Name]?” The calls gradually faded into a dull echo, one tune called to her in a familiar way, warm, and kind… and the other was cold, and distant—the one that bled into reality.

[Name]’s search ended when she met a familiar cross-pupiled stare. A small, sorrowful smile carved its way onto her face.

“Ah, Peruveere… how nice of you to come back to life. Have you come to gloat on me and tell me of your fated premonitions.”

The Knave, far from the one called Peruveere, patiently corrected the immortal woman. “I apologize my lady, but I am not the person you speak of.”

Ah, I knew that.

“Oh. Are you certain? You look just like her, except your tongue is on a leash.” [Name] laughs softly, “Perhaps it’s better. I wouldn’t know if that fool could have stomached living for so long…”

More than anyone I know…

“Why is that?”

[Name] looks to Arlecchino with a playful smile, “Ah, are you sure you aren’t her? She used to ask me that countless of times. Always with the whys.” She laughs, caressing the side of her abyss-tainted face.

“I’ll tell you just this once, so listen closely… because she would have gone mad with grief—existing when all that she loves has gone.” She whispers softly, fighting back the tremble in her voice. No, she couldn’t burden this descendant with the memories of a friend lost in time.

But she took one look at her, the one they call Peruere, yet all she could see were the fragments of the one she called Peruveere.

If this was her way of telling [Name] the ‘I told you so’, she would take it.

Peruveere could gloat and gush and ramble on and on about the Knights of the Khaenri'ah and [Name] would be sure to listen.

“Though it would be nice to have walks with her again. And talk behind other people’s backs… throw flowers at pedestrians.”

They could take the longest way home, pick the food that would take hours to finish, watch the longest play at the theatre—anything, if it meant I’d get to be with you longer.

Arlecchino drew closer to where the Khaenri'ahn woman sat, shutting the windows close. “Maybe another time, my lady.” She offers kindly.

[Name] looks to the Harbinger with a small flickering hope. “Yes… another time, I’m afraid there exists no such thing as that for her.”

Her words had the white-haired woman stop in her wake, ‘I see’. “Then, perhaps, in another life.”

[Name] laughs bitterly, a droplet of stars falling from the eroding side of her face, “Another life… huh?”

"Can't you see?” She whispers, “That doesn’t exist. Not for me, or Peruveere. Not even for him who so valiantly declared his promises. There is no next time! There's no next life! There is no other universe. It's a nice sentiment, believe me, it is, but this is it. This is all we get. But god… what I wouldn't give to have a next time. A next life. To be given just another chance."

Another chance, and I’ll be true. Another life, and I’ll do you better. Another time, and I won’t waste a single second. Another universe… and I’ll love you right—far more than I could have here. Perhaps there, you can keep your vows, fulfill the promise you gave me.

I am here, my love… I’m still waiting.

I have faced many losing battles, the loss of my father, my dream, my heart shattered beyond repair. But in all of that, I had you. I had you and it was enough—enough for me to gather all my broken pieces and hope for another day.

Everything would be alright because I had you.

Everything would fall into place because you were there. And life would take on different forms, different meanings, different paths because I had you.

“I’m still here but where has he gone?” She asks.

But how would I find my way now?

Every ray of hope disappears before my eyes.

I'm not sure I even know what happiness means anymore.

My existence is no longer necessary in this world. The gift of life—the curse of immortality ever so potent, ever so meaningless when all else is gone.

“Tell me where to look—where to go, the promises I have to say, the gods I have to trick, what I must surrender. Only tell me the way… and I’ll do it. No matter the journey, no matter the hardship, no matter the cost.”’

My love, my dearest... my Captain, how I miss you so.

Arlecchino looks to the woman, unsure of what to say.

She has faced plenty of formidable enemies, even formidable allies… but not one as unconquerable as the grief that came with the curse of immortality. She knew only two others who hail from the same land the Lady [Name] had come from, but even they spoke none of the anguish that came with the price they paid.

How could she have stomached living for so long… when there was nothing left to live for?

“I’m still waiting… so he has to return. He has to come home. Come back to me. I’m still here…”

Maybe that was it.

She held onto this person’s promise of return. How cruel, to have been given hope by a dying man. To live in a world where another has gone is truly one of the greatest sorrows a soul can face.

“My colleague is from Khaenri'ah, my lady. They call him Pierro, perhaps he can be of service to you.”

In the wake of stars, the shadows of galaxies, and in forever... there, we remain.

Domed by the ether of the land of fire, a fragment of a soul exists. Clothed in the colors of the night with a face shielded by the void of his helmet that he wore so devotedly, unfailingly.  

Stillness blanketed his surroundings, only the songs of the seelies dancing in his midst and the faint droplets of water hitting stone echoed in the closed space.

It felt so long ago... that the embrace of the land was this mellow. The sensation was akin to receiving a hug from someone in the bleakness of winter: loving, comforting... warm.

It was just how he remembered it would feel like.

"You long for something." The Lord of the Night speaks, her voice sounding as though it came from everywhere and nowhere all at once. "Your heart screams at you to drop everything and look yet your mind shackles you to remain."

Capitano let the words settle—a statement, so it would seem—a question was its true form. No matter how the ancient being phrases her intentions, Capitano knew just as much that Yohualtecuhtin already holds the answers.

"Why do you hesitate, Outlander? Is she not all that you have ever wanted? Everything you have fought and lost to protect? The home you'll return to once the dust settles?"

The Harbinger let the ancient being’s words sink into the horizons of his shattered soul—a piece of what was once whole.

"She was."

Silence dyed the dust motes fluttering in the air. The Captain's answer seemingly weighing them down to stop their eternal waltz. Even the lullabies of the seelies floating the perimeter had dwindled to a whisper.

“Those blessed in sound will not know the turmoil of silence. A man raised in peace remains ignorant to the loss of war. And if the reason for my travels is my destination—I would have never left her side.” Should Capitano’s visage be free from the shadows of darkness, the reflection of an ocean of regret would be far too painful even for an entity as wise as the Night to witness.

“I returned to her, many times… but there was no one to return to.”

For years on end, that was something he struggled to accept. She doesn’t exist anymore. Not in all that ruin, not in the center of all this life.

But Capitano, in his grief, thought that anything could be brought to life.

He was free to dream, even the one he serves did not deprive him of that, but every fragment of hope he managed to stack upon one another was continuously knocked down by every passing sun that sought after him.

Capitano thought anything would be possible.

So, despite not believing in any deities, he prayed to every star, to every god that he knew that his beloved was alive. That [Name] was somewhere in this world, just waiting for him to return. Every meteor that grazed the sky and set alight the night in streaks of fire, he’d catch them all. Every aurora. All the full moons. Even for the slimmest of chances that he’d be heard—that his prayer would be answered.

He did not wish for a thousand things, not even a hundred, just one.

One wish for the heavens: to see her again.

Capitano did not need them to bring her back seven times, just once. Once and it would be enough. He would ask this of them, only this, and never again will he want anything more.

Only grant me this, and I will never ask anything of you ever again.  

Ignorantly he believed that if he wished for it eagerly and hopefully enough, the universe would move the stars to make it so.

But for many centuries, they ignored his prayer.

"Do you wish to know the horrible truth? When I close my eyes, her memory does not resurface. I cannot remember her laugh, or even tell apart her voice. All that remains is the waking thought that she was the only woman I ever loved—the only thing I ever wanted. And the Abyss took her away from me. The gods took her away from me! And all the time in the universe—all the power this world has to offer—couldn't fill the void she left behind."

Capitano's power fluctuates, threatening to burst from the nothingness festering inside him. He would have permitted it. Let the anger and sadness wreak havoc on the lands just as they did in their homeland. He would have done so—once.

All those moons ago when her image haunts his dreams, when her laughter echoes through the valleys, and her figure lingers in every turn. He would have let it all burn, bury everything in eternal frost so that they may see what it's like to exist when there was nothing left to live for.

Feel for themselves what life means when everything else is gone.

"So why do you linger?" The Lord of the Night asks patiently, calming… soothing, as though she knew the heaviness of the burden the Harbinger had been carrying for the past five centuries.

Why do I? Why am I the one permitted to live? Why are you the one trapped under the ruins of our home? Why?

"Because I am ashamed.” He admits.

“All humans fear death, Outlander. Even the bravest of warriors are afraid to fall.”

“No.” Capitano denies, clenching his fist to control his breathing, “To be wounded in battle is nothing to be feared—dying to defend your kingdom is an honor. But when I looked at her—when I looked at her as she watched me walk away when I swore to her that I was never going to do it again, all I felt was indignity.”

“When I fled and went forth with my escape, I saw her there. Waiting. Waiting just as I had told her to. I knew then, I would never see her again.”

Back then, Capitano should have frozen the entirety of the ruins of his home, blasted the debris inching closer to where she remained, subjugated the creatures of the abyss that threatened to hurt her—anything, anything to keep her alive.

But he didn’t.

“I am the only one left to remember her. The only one to speak her name. The sole monument that once upon a time, she, too, had existed. And when I think of her for the last time—when the echoes of her memory fade into eternity, only then will I know that I am worthy enough to meet her again."

The Commander of Khaenri'ah would have never spoken words plunged in the depths of cowardice. In the wake of the falling stars five hundred years ago, he would have done anything.

If she was taken to another world, Capitano would cut through the skies to find her. If she ceased to breathe in this space in time, he would transcend realities—search the bowels of the cosmos to see where she'd gone. If she were to ask to see him, even for the most fleeting of seconds, he would drop everything and come running.

He would have done anything.

And that was the part that riddled his heart in fear.

Because what if it wasn't enough?

Capitano was one of the most powerful people in the land. His name drove fear into the hearts of those who heard it, had them anticipating their deaths, finding their nights spent in restlessness at the thought that he’d take away their lives in the blink of an eye.

Crossing paths with the Captain was something you would not even wish on your enemies.

But this Captain—the one drowning in the oceans of his grief, chained down by his loneliness, awaiting the moments of his last breath... could care less for names and titles.

He reckons she would have reprimanded him for that. She'd even go as far as to demand him to take the matters of sovereignty and lordship a lot more seriously.

And he'd laugh at her, of course—a melody that could render even the most talkative of noble ladies to deafening silence. Always a stickler for the rules, that one.

At the end of the day, when the twilight settles, and the last rays of the sun slip under the blankets of the horizon, his mind would drift to the impossible and pathetic thought—one which he never fails to think about for every moon that rises, and all the suns that have gone—has she been reborn yet?

Having been serving under the majesty of the Tsarista, there was no way he would know for certain. Or at least, that's what he's been telling himself for the last few hundred years.

Capitano has seen the wonders of this world more times than he could count. He's met with a myriad of leaders and lords. Witnessed as the cultures of these mortal beings be brought to ruin and reform once more.

He closed his eyes for every reminder of her—thinking that it was better to live in ignorance of her presence than to have been led on only to be betrayed by his own heart, his own hope turned against him.

Capitano encased her memory in frost, put her in the deepest part of his mind where she could not haunt him. He forced himself to burn the desires of his soul—to see her, to hear her... to tell her that he loves her and that he would give anything and everything to change her fate. He numbed his heart to it all, compelled himself not to think about her.

For every venture beyond the walls of ice, past the snowy hills, and the frosty palace, Capitano felt her get further and further away.

And soon enough, her memory had altogether faded from his mind.

He'll wake in the dead of the night trying to piece together her image, guess the color of her eyes, remember what shade her hair was, what her smile looked like, the sound of his name when it was her who had said it.

He'd try desperately to replicate the scent that followed her like daylight, the clothing she adored, the sounds of her footfalls.

But nothing ever felt right.

He'd tell himself over and over again that he did not deserve to remember her—to miss her when he was the one who threw it all away. I miss you all the same. He'd whisper repeatedly that he was not allowed to hurt, that his heart had no right to break for all that he lost when he had the choice to keep her memory alive, but he didn’t. It hurts all the same.

Capitano would chant it like a mantra. A prayer for his punishment. But even as he tells himself that so long a time has passed—that he had no obligation to continue loving her, a ghost from a kingdom in ruins, a phantom in a land colored in life. I still love you... I love you all the same.

In the frozen wasteland of every passing second, the echoes of her joy would come rushing back to him. The warmth of her loving hold, and her fleeting touches saturated in adoration.

No matter what he did, where he went, who he met... Capitano always thought about her. Are you happy? Are you eating well? Do you get enough sleep? Have you fallen for another? Does he treat you right? Do you miss me? Are you looking for me? Do you—will you still love me?

Whenever he departed, Capitano went with the hopes that by some stroke of fate, he'd run into her. When he would turn the corner, she'd bump into him. Or perhaps walk past each other on the street. Go to the same tailor in town.

Or that I'd see you... even if it's from afar.

But it wasn't enough to just hope.

Yet that was exactly what he'd been doing for the last thousand suns that had passed him by.

He wonders, if he had only risen to protest—to deny the fate the heavens had set for her… would she still be here? Would he not feel this twisting sense of guilt knotting his stomach? Feel as the threads of his heart come undone at his powerlessness?

Capitano knew he should have done more. He could have tried, as soon as he was able—and he always was—as early as he attained power... he should have tried, to look for her, to get a glimpse of her shadow, just to put his heart at ease.

But he didn't do that.

Perhaps it's the gnawing fear of finding her soul nowhere in this world—that he'll finally see that he's left alone in this plane of existence, where she can only live in the memories he forced himself to shatter, fragments of it carried away by the zephyrs of grief.

“You speak of my longing, Yohualtecuhtin…” He spoke into the silence, his footsteps resonating in the hall of stones, “Surely, you would wish for the same. Wish to be closer to demise if it means you’d meet the one you love. To rid of it all so you’d reach the ends faster.”

Before he left, Capitano looked past his armor-clad shoulders to that big monument that housed the ancient spirit. He could almost feel the burning stare she was carving into his being.

“She alone has made me love the path to death.”

And only there, in the cradles of the infinite nothingness… will I be worthy enough to see you.

“Perhaps you should seek her for a final time. Not in the past where ruins lay, but within the warmth of a home, surrounded by the promises you spoke to her… maybe then, you and your beloved will find peace.”

Funny story, I almost lost this fic💀.

My laptop crashed coincidentally when I uhh ‘killed’ off Capitano from the reader’s perspective. Turns out my 1st drive also died along with it. The repairman told me he needed the 2nd drive (where this fanfic was stored) to get my laptop working again but I couldn’t do that (cuz it had this fanfic) because all my files is stored there. The panic I had was otherworldly—but I managed to create a solution.  

I came up with this idea as a form of revenge because of a post I saw on a page on Facebook saying Maviuka was Capitano’s TOTGA (I remember you Jhan, this is all your fault>:0). I didn’t read too much into it (cuz the update was like a day ago back then???) because at that time I hadn’t done the archon quest (and it was midterm week). I was so PISSED that I planned this fanfic in my dorm room instead of reviewing—so now uhmm… I think I might have gotten a little carried away ehe (BECAUSE EVEN I’M CRYING FROM THIS FIC) on another note, you’d think after I wrote a Khanrean kanreeyan Khanreyan STUPID FCKER prince Kaeya fanfic, I’d know how to spell kahnreeya khanrea— I don’t know how to spell it. I think I might have a thing for khaenriyan help ya know what, I take it back.

I hope you enjoyed it 💖

[ikkyfics]

Foolish Ambition

James Potter x slytherin!reader

Summary: His ambition was to want what you could not have. James was the greatest proof of that.

Warnings: platonic love, angst

Masterlist

“How are you even in Slytherin?” Sirius exclaimed, visibly exasperated.

You sighed, already used to that same old tune. It wasn’t the first time you’d had this discussion, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last. But was a little peace too much to ask? It was the last day of summer, with the deliciously warm sun shining in a bright blue sky, and a cool lake right in front of you. Surely, they could find better things to do.

“Get over it,” you retorted with a dismissive wave of your hand, taking the opportunity to adjust the hat on your head.

Sirius clutched his chest with exaggerated flair, as if your words had struck him. Always so dramatic.

“So cruel. I’m starting to worry that spending so much time in that snake pit has done irreparable damage—ow!”

He let out a yelp as you threw an empty plastic bottle at him, hitting him square in the chest and leaving a red mark blooming on his skin.

“Bloody hell, that hurt!” He shot you a wounded look. “I think I’m starting to understand now.”

“You asked for it, Padfoot,” James said, his tone dry, a subtle smirk curling at the edges of his lips.

James. Always him. Always there.

“Wow, why am I not surprised? You’re always ready to defend your protégé, aren’t you, Potter?” Sirius quipped.

You looked down, feeling heat rise to your cheeks. It was silly—you knew it was—but it was inevitable. James was your friend. Just that: a friend. And nothing more. Ever.

Sirius would never really understand, you thought, as a small, awkward laugh escaped your lips. In truth, none of the Marauders seemed to grasp how someone as sweet as you had ended up in Slytherin. But what they couldn’t see was the fierce ambition smoldering deep inside you—ambitions greater than you could bear, ambitions that burned like embers hidden beneath ashes. It was those embers that had made the Sorting Hat whisper decisively about the House of the Serpent. You’d never told them, but you knew the reason.

Your ambition was wanting what you could never have. James was the ultimate proof of that.

“Lily would love this,” James suddenly said, pointing up at the sky as he watched the clouds with a smile. “The colors, the light… She likes things like this.”

Your chest tightened. The smile on his face as he spoke about Lily was almost too painful to witness. He seemed lost in thought, as if her presence were a star he was always trying to reach, even when it was galaxies away. But you were good at hiding your feelings. You always had been.

“She really likes lakes?” Sirius teased. “How fascinating, Prongs. Maybe we should get a private one for the wedding.”

James laughed, the sound ringing out like a melody across the valley. Even when Sirius teased, he never concealed his admiration for Lily. You, on the other hand, felt every word like a needle piercing the fragile barrier around your heart.

James turned to you, smiling in that way only he could—so warm, so unassuming. He ruffled your hair lightly, a gesture he’d been doing since your first years at Hogwarts.

“You’re awfully quiet today. Something about the water spooking you?”

You shook your head, trying to mask the flush creeping across your face. He was so close, the sunlight glinting off the droplets of water on his bare chest. James had changed over the years, growing taller and broader, his lean muscles rippling with every subtle movement. He was only wearing swim trunks, and the sight alone made your heart race.

“Just enjoying the warmth, James. Unlike you, I don’t feel the need to make noise all the time.”

“She’s got you there, James,” Sirius chuckled.

The relief was fleeting, but the sense of closeness lingered in the air. You could hardly look at him directly, because every moment by his side was a silent battle between yearning and reality. He’d never know—he could never know.

Later, when you finally gave in to James’s insistence and waded into the lake, things momentarily felt lighter. He splashed around you, tugging on your arm to lead you into the deeper water. At one point, his hands found your waist to steady you, and the feeling of his touch burned into your memory. It wasn’t fair. None of it was fair.

“You’re looking too serious again,” he said, swimming alongside you. “I don’t like it when you get like this.”

You forced a smile, trailing your fingers across the lake’s crystalline surface.

“I’m fine, James,” you replied, avoiding his gaze. “I’m always fine.”

He looked at you, his expression softening. And there was something in that look, something that made you want to believe—just for a fleeting moment—that maybe he could truly see you. But then he reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from your face, and said with the same gentle voice he always used:

“You’re important to me, you know that?” He remained close, the pads of his fingers pressed gently against her chin, lifting her head so their eyes could meet. “Don’t forget that.” You nodded weakly, intoxicated by his closeness. Even in the cool water, he radiated warmth.

If only he knew… If only he knew those words only fed your foolish hope.

Hours later, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the conversation turned once more to Lily, you drifted away. Sitting at the lake’s edge, watching the reflection of the sky shift from gold to purple, Sirius’s words echoed in your mind: “How are you even in Slytherin?”

But you knew. You knew you’d been chosen because of the ambitions that consumed you. You wanted everything, and yet you knew you’d never have anything. Because no matter how deep your yearning for love, it was just a foolish dream.

You looked at James in the distance, his laughter filling the air. And then, almost inaudibly, you whispered to yourself, as if trying to bury the thought forever:

“They were nothing but foolish ambitions.”

[lionsongfr]

I would love to be pinged, Lionsong on FR!

Ig I'm spending 5000g tonight to queue up for 10 copies

hmu if you wanna be pinged ;)

[eccentricallygothic]

| Champagne Showers |

How you welcome Pedri home after a win… 

Warning(s): Boob play, champagne play, d/s overtones, groping, unprotected p-in-v, dick riding, dirty talk, biting, nipple play, choking. MDNI. 

. . . 

Of course, you cannot attend all of Pedri's games.

So you have your own way of making it up to him when you can't due to whatever obligation that hindered you in doing so.

The apartment is quiet and dimly lit when he enters it with his bag in one hand as he locks the door with the other. He is so tired at this time that though he faintly remembers what happens at home -like it doesn't anyways- when you can't come to the stadium, his body is cold and hunched as he spins on his heels before taking his cap off. Pedri doesn't get to take a lot of steps before he is forced to a halt when his lowered eyes fall on your bare feet that stand a short distance away.

“Felicidades cariño” your voice is low as you congratulate him in Spanish, a soft get playful smirk on your lips as you twirl the champagne bottle in your hand, clad in nothing but one of his old jerseys. 

Pedri is too tired, cold, outside and impatient for the usual teasing in moments like these. 

An actual glug sounds from your boyfriend as the oxygen darts from his lungs upon you smoothly sliding the jersey off your body and away from your face, the action causing your hair to ruffle in what is to Pedri the most perfect way.

His belongings hit the floor at the same time as the only article of clothing you had on. Pedri's body sparks to life just like that. He leaps in your direction like a starved animal who will dance any way you want just so he can be allowed to feed. You softly snicker as you cup one side of his still flush face -that tries to squish itself into your now bare boobs with an exhausted desperation for any kind of proximity- with your free hand and teasingly click your tongue, walking him backwards to bring him to the living room at least because what you plan to do to him he cannot take while standing or kneeling in this condition.

Or so you think.

He grunts when he has to walk without being granted anymore than your hand framing one side of his face. 

“Patience, honey” you tease seductively and push the gasping, swallowing, grunting and mindless mess of a primal male onto the couch by a gentle nudge to his chest that usually doesn't give if his legs aren't worked like on game nights. “Now,” you step closer to him, your knees touching. “What's a celebration without champagne, am I right, babe?” 

“You—”

You softly shush him as you climb on his tired thighs and straddle them, using your free hand to push his shirt off. “Tonight is all about you, champ” you seal the reassurance with a warm and intimate kiss in which you let your tongue taste his bubblegum flavoured lips. Your fingertips graze his bare, slightly hairy chest and goosebumps rise on his skin as a result. Pedri hisses into the kiss and you feel his erection poke the underside of your mound. “Just let me take care of you, yeah?” You whisper once the two of you part. Your boyfriend is naturally a care giving person with dominant tendencies so usually it is him who looks after you but you figure that even he needs to be coddled sometimes.

Pedri just nods because he is too tired to speak but his darkened eyes watch you with an excited anticipation. You lower your hips against his and grind your crotches together with serpent-like motions of your hips that he cannot help but reach for and grope as he growls out rough curses in his mother tongue.

“Fuck, vida,” his gaze has resettled on your boobs and the only reason he hasn't acted on impulse yet is because he doesn't want to ruin whatever you have planned. “You're too good at this— oh!” So you treat him by curling a hand on the back of his head and pushing his face into your chest before wiggling the swells against his cheeks so they softly smack them. Pedri moans out loud at that and lifts his hips to meet yours that he digs his trimmed nails into and spreads your ass cheeks.

“So strong, cariño” you praise him as your own nails scratch his scalp and he moans again. “Oof, you're gonna bust my pucker if you keep kneading my ass like that” he only squeezes you harder at that and your grinding against him causes a velvet pleasure to seep up your sexes and into the pits of your stomachs simultaneously. 

“Good.” His growl nearly makes you succumb to his dominant energy that is present even with you on top of him. “Now give me that fuckin' champagne” you whimper at his blunt words and obediently start pouring, your hips churning at the thought of how you had foolishly thought that today would be the day you would dominate him only to have him direct you at your own game. 

You are just a little girl after all. 

His precious.

And just like that, in a matter of moments, Pedri has you writhing and quivering on his cock as you sheathe his cock within your tight, balmy walls each time your clammy petals clap into his heavy sack. He is a crazed beast as he laps away at your boobs, audibly slurping and glugging the champagne from off your swells that he has decorated with soft bites, one hand toying with your sensitive nubs to make your vagina blink around him with each twirl of his fingers whilst his other hand gives you a starting smack on your ass to make you pound yourself back on his cock each time all the pleasure in your chest begins to numb your brain. 

“Mm, doll, you make the champagne taste better” you throw your head back and moan as the movement of your hips causes for your sloshy cunt to make embarrassingly loud noises around his cock. It is like it's a competition between his mouth, your throat and where your sexes meet to see which one can make the more humiliating sound. “That's it, baby. Keeping fucking yourself pretty on my dick like a good girl.”

Pedri's dark hair sticks to his forehead from the sweat and the champagne that he instructs you to spill over your tits once more. A cry crackles out of your throat when he bites a bruising imprint of his teeth on purpose as his guiding hand makes your pussy slide so deep down his cock that you feel his tip graze against your innards but the feeling only makes you moan louder. His fat balls test the limits of your tiny entrance as they try to intrude each time your inside stretch to welcome his twitching cock once more. The male sucks, nibbles, pinches, pulls, spanks and even momentarily wraps his hand around your throat towards the end to give you that delicious burn in your lungs that always makes your pussy relax enough for his sack to help itself into your cavern, your position only aiding his intentions. Your boobs slap into his arms as he does so, the pace at which you are tossing yourself up and down his cock making your head spin while the lack of oxygen takes to faltering your vision with neon shapes.

Champagne flies all around the two of you but your boyfriend doesn't seem to care how the golden droplets sit on his thick hair or lashes because he is too busy suckling away at your nipples to dry them so he can have you supply him with more. And he is so focused upon doing so that he gasps into your skin from now allowing himself an interval to breathe. The grunts and wheezes only add to the vibrations against your skin which in turn tighten your sopping cunt around his choking cock even more.

Even when Pedri stuffs you full of his creamy climax long after you've already had yours and now uneasily whine and curl against him, he simply gets up with a protective arm around your back so he can take you to the bedroom for more.

He can do this for hours. 

Tired or not. 

MASTERLIST

. . .

I am so beyond tired but that has never stopped me before. This was supposed to be top!reader, idk what happened midway lmfao. Pedri's BDE ig. Real proud of my man rn though <3 

[saintunhinged]

hello! I was hoping to request asra (with faust?) reaction to mc having a ferret as a familiar? you can also do m6 or write it however you want!

ASRA & FAUST

asra’s familiar, faust, the purple serpent, is initially intrigued by the ferret, her slitted eyes narrowing in curious appraisal

your ferret always scampers around, and faust coils lazily, her serpentine body mimicking the agile movements of the smaller creature.

sometimes asra chuckles, “looks like she’s found a new friend. quite the playful duo, aren’t they?” he’ll say as he wraps his arm around your waist and watches your magical companions play around

when your ferret attempts to engage faust in a game of chase, she playfully sways away, matching the lively energy with a surprising amount of enthusiasm

there’s never a dull moment when the four of you are alll together, and of course, your fluffly companion along with faust make it a mission to keep you and asra on your toes

JULIAN & MALAK

malak, julian’s raven, will definitely eye the ferret with a haughty demeanor, as if unimpressed by its presence.

though your ferret, undeterred by his aloofness, constantly attempts to engage in a game of hide-and-seek, which causes the raven to caw disapprovingly

“well, malak, it seems you’ve got some competition for mischief in the house,” julian would tease while watching the dynamic between the two familiars

LUCIO & MERCEDES & MELCHIOR

mercedes and melchior, the two white borzoi girl dogs, initially view your new familiar with curiosity and indifference.

the ferret, with its boundless energy, tries to initiate a game of tag with the elegant borzois, causing them to elegantly dodge its advances.

lucio would grin, “seems like the dogs have a lively new companion. quite the trio we have here!”

as the ferret curls up beside the borzois, lucio pats them all affectionately. “is this okay, my lovely trio?” he asks, receiving a chorus of approving barks.

NADIA & CHANDRA

chandra, the sophisticated and stuck-up owl familiar, regards the ferret with a disdainful hoot, clearly unimpressed by the smaller creature’s antics.

your ferret, undeterred by chandra’s attitude, continues its playful escapades, earning an eye roll from the regal owl.

nadia smirks, “it appears chandra has found a challenger to her elegance. quite the lively addition to the court, don’t you think?”

your familiar, seemingly unfazed by the owl’s haughtiness, curls up next to her. nadia chuckles, “well, it seems they’ve reached a truce, at least for now.”

PORTIA & PEPI

pepi, portia’s cat familiar, eyes the ferret with so much curiosity, yet with mild irritation, unimpressed by its energetic demeanor.

your small companion, seemingly oblivious to pepi’s disapproval, tries to engage the cat in a game of pouncing, earning an annoyed swat in response.

portia gasps, “pepi!” she exclaims, calmly scolding her own familiar as she’s quick to coddle yours.

when your ferret curls up next to pepi, portia grins, ”is this okay?” pepi responds with an aloof purr, a sign of reluctant acceptance.

MURIEL & INNANA

innana, muriel’s gray female wolf familiar, observes the ferret with a stoic gaze, her tail flicking with mild interest.

your ferret, undeterred by her imposing presence, attempts to engage her in a game of tag, earning a patient tolerance from the wolf.

muriel, with a rare smile, simply murmurs, “that’s more her speed.”

as the ferret nuzzles against innana’s fur, muriel ruffles both their heads. “is this okay, innana?” he asks, receiving a quiet but affirmative huff from the wolf.

[sebasluv]

how i imagine sebastian and his emotional support hufflepuff:

(also why is he doing the rock’s eyebrows 😭)

hufflepuff stands for fluff, fight me (jkjk)

it is no surprise that you, a hufflepuff, got adopted by a young slytherin boy

every slytherin needs an emotional support hufflepuff, am i right?

it was a stormy night for students in hogwarts, and sebastian wasn’t having the best time, to be honest

walking around the castle before curfew is just the right thing to calm his mind…unless, he was met with a new problem

“why can’t this- work-“

“what are you doing?” sebastian appeared out of nowhere from the dark. glancing over your shoulder, he met with your enemy.

“erm- just trying to get a look of the stars tonight, astronomy class is trying to kill me,” you huffed as your telescope was placed on the table.

“you know that the storm isn’t going to make it better, right?” he shifted his weight onto one feet, resting his shoulder against the wall.

“i know, i just- it’s due tomorrow,” you sighed.

“let me help you, i know a spot,” he shuffled onto his feet.

“c’mon, m’ not gonna kill you, i am not that type of slytherin.”

“as if…led the way, please”

to say that sebastian adopted you from then on isn’t quite much of a lie

ominis noticed your presence from that day, he can feel that sebastian is bringing you around more often.

he wasn’t the biggest fan of strangers but you are someone special for his best friend, he knows that.

wandering around he castle has never been so entertaining before you met these two

of course, you are like the “mother” to the group

y/n: sebastian, no

sebastian: sebastian, yes

he loves loves loves love taking you out for some butterbeer

“you’ve got a foam on your lips,” he chuckled as he almost choked on his butterbeer.

“hey- that’s the secret to enjoying a butterbeer,” you huffed.

“fine, fine, just let me-“ he reached a hand out to wipe a foam off your lips.

“…thanks”

“a single mom who works two job-“ jk 💀

caring for them is the best thing in your life but also an tiring thing to do

feeding them, packing their bags, and definitely making sure sebastian have enough sleep.

“please, sebastian, when was the last time you’ve gotten enough sleep?”

“i dunno, like last five years?”

“c’mon,” you held out your hand as you dragged towards a discreet place in the library. setting him down, you patted your boy on a couch with all of the pillows you could find around there. “sleep tight, you need it,” you smiled.

“it’s just six o’clock,” he yawned.

“yes, it is, I’ll just be reading right there, a nap won’t hurt anything,” you ruffled his hair up as his eyelid fluttered.

of course, you can’t get in their common room. unless…

yes, sebastian broke you in (and yes, everybody knows you are the certified hufflepuff)

“are you sure this is a- good idea?”

“of course, it is always a good idea if you have me,” he chuckled as he lead your way down the slytherin dungeon. “aspiration…”

the empty brick wall suddenly shook and a slythering sensation turned into a shiny silver serpent. climbing up the wall, it reveals a hidden dark door, opening at your gaze.

“c’mon, go on,” he held your hands and dragged you in.

always caring for them, checked. even if it means one of those late nights, working on an assignment.

“you’ve got your notes and parchments?” you looked at them.

“yep” “yeah”

“and your inks?”

“…”

“c’mon, stop forgetting them, please,” you moved skillfully around the mess to put their inks in their bags.

“thanks, y/n”

of course, they are there when you needed them as well.

if you need a help jinxing someone, you know who to call

no one, i repeat, NO ONE. will treat you the wrong way (ahem, especially sebastian)

“her name is Persephoney,” a jacked headed slytherin stuck his tongue out at you and poppy.

“shut it, or you will regret it, perhaps you don’t mind if I just pulled your hair like…that?” you snickered back.

“what could a hufflepuff like you do? run along and tell the professor?”

“she could and do something much worse, be greatful for that,” sebastian backed you up, reaching a hand to rest on your shoulder. “now, back up.”

“ah, if it isn’t the charming slytherin, got into one of those hufflepuff’s jinx? how disgraceful,” he chuckled.

“at least she knows that a beast worth much more than an empty minded person, back up.”

“fine…let’s go,” without a second look, the slytherin was out of sight.

…

“you alright? poppy?”

“thanks”

“thank you, sebastian, he better know that us, hufflepuff, can do something far worst. we just have the decency to hold it back,” poppy giggled.

“yep, i know you lots can do unimaginable damages”

and you know i like to end it with a heartwarming great hall imagines

the great hall is buzzing with many students and delicious foods. but sebastian’s eyes will always find their ways wandering around the black and yellow table.

but finding you in one of them, comes as easy to him as breathing a fresh air into his system.

[rainforestakiie]

@inubaki i really hope you like this! i worked so hard on it for you! i'm not sure if it's good, but i tried something new with our adorable adam.

i'm not sure what to call this AU? maybe the love of hell?

the wonderful inubaki requested an AU where lucifer and lilith are trying to save the hellborn. they brought a booklet of Hellborns for everyone to look at, and adam is the only one interested.

i hope you don't mind me getting creative with this one too!

i tried something new. i hope it worked!

please enjoy!

The corridors of Heaven stretched before them like endless, glowing veins, each pulse of light casting intricate shadows against the walls. The air shimmered, thick with the weight of eternity, and yet Adam felt it heavy in his chest. His fingers fidgeted with the coarse fabric of his tunic, tugging at the loose threads of his oversized work gloves, the same ones he had worn since... well, since as long as he could remember. They felt more cumbersome than usual, each pull of the fabric a distraction from the churning storm inside him.

Beside him, Sera walked with a quiet grace, her wings folded tightly against her back, the golden feathers barely brushing the ground as she moved. Every so often, her gaze would flick to him, concern softening the usual brightness in her eyes.

“Adam,” she whispered, her voice like the soft hum of the wind through a garden of starlight. “I know you're nervous, anxious even. I can feel it. But there is no need to fear. I swear, neither Michael nor I will let anything happen to you.”

Adam's lips pressed into a thin line, his eyes avoiding hers as they focused on the ever-stretching horizon ahead. His heart raced, not from her words, but from the truth he couldn’t voice. He swallowed thickly, trying to untangle the knot in his throat.

“I know you’ll protect me,” he said, his voice strained, barely above a murmur. His hands trembled slightly, and his stomach twisted and coiled, like a serpent tightening around his spine.

“But it doesn’t stop… this.” He made a vague gesture to his chest. “I don’t understand why they want me here, why I need to be here.”

Sera sighed softly, a touch of weariness in the sound. “I don’t know either. I tried, Adam. I tried to make them understand that you have no part in the… relations between Heaven and Hell. But Hell was relentless. They demanded your presence repeatedly.”

Adam’s brow furrowed as he halted for a moment, his gaze dropping to the pristine floor beneath his feet. His troubled expression deepened, shadows darkening his usually gentle face.

“But they already have Eve.” His voice wavered, the words pulling at the fraying edges of his composure. “Surely one of us would be enough. Why me too?”

The silence between them thickened like a fog, the echo of his question lingering in the air. Sera paused, her wings ruffling slightly before she placed a hand on his shoulder, her touch warm, reassuring. Her fingers pressed gently; a promise unspoken.

“This meeting will be quick,” she murmured, her voice a balm against the storm raging within him. “I will make sure it doesn’t drag on longer than necessary.”

Adam nodded, though the motion felt sluggish, weighted. He could feel the inevitability of the situation, feel the invisible chains tightening around him, dragging him forward. There was no escape from this, no turning back. With a resigned sigh, he let go of his resistance, his heart still uneasy, but his feet moving forward once again.

Heaven’s light seemed less bright, more distant. And as the doorway to the meeting chamber loomed ahead, Adam couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever waited inside was far darker than anything he had faced before.

As Adam and Sera drew closer to the grand doors that separated light from darkness, his heart pounded with the weight of it all. The towering gates of polished crystal shimmered with a strange, ethereal glow, but to Adam, they seemed more like the bars of a cage. Beyond those doors lay the meeting place—the heart of the divide between Heaven and Hell, purity and sin, light and shadow.

His pulse quickened, each thud in his chest heavy and unrelenting, a silent question echoing in his mind: Why me?

He couldn't understand it. He doubted he ever would.

From the moment he and Eve had arrived in Heaven, life had been a maelstrom—a constant storm of confusion and chaos. Heaven, a place he had thought would be peaceful, had become a battleground of decisions and endless debates. Hardly any souls had reached Heaven anymore, and the reason was as twisted as it was tragic.

The Apple of Knowledge, the birth of Sin itself, had poisoned humanity so deeply that most souls were lost to the darkness. Hell was teeming with sinners, overwhelming its gates, and Heaven’s high angels had called for a desperate council. Both he and Eve were summoned.

Adam remembered how Eve had seethed with fury, her bitterness a powerful force. She carried resentment like a shroud, heavy and thick, her anger not just toward Lucifer and Lilith, but toward all those who had followed them into the abyss. Despite the distance that had grown between them, Adam and Eve had transformed their bond into something more like siblings—two souls forever tethered to one another. In a Heaven that felt more foreign than familiar, they only had each other to hold onto.

Eve was his best friend, and Adam was Eve’s best friend.

Adam had long since forgiven Eve. Her mistakes had once felt like a fracture between them, but now they were scars, healed but not forgotten. Eve had spent every moment since trying to make things right, as if each action was an attempt to cleanse herself of past regrets. Adam had witnessed it firsthand, and when the Archangels—Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, and Sera—had called them to God’s crystalline throne room, it was Eve who had stepped forward. Her voice had been steady yet laced with the weight of her guilt.

“I will take responsibility for this,” she had declared, her gaze unwavering. “Just me. You only need one of us, right? So, I will take responsibility, not Adam.”

Adam had tried to intervene, to remind her that this was their shared burden. They were both part of the same story, both victims of the same fall. But Eve had refused, shaking her head with a sadness that cut deeper than her words.

“This is on me, Adam. I trusted Lucifer. I trusted Lilith. If I hadn’t… our children might have made it here.” She said softly, holding his hand tightly. “It was my fault we were kicked out of Eden. You’ve spent years afterward breaking your back for me and our children. You’ve taken care of me, made sure I can eat and sleep well.”

She looked him in the eye, her amber-gaze teary. “Please, let me take care of you this time.”

From that day, Eve had dedicated herself to a grim task. She trained with the other angels, sharpening her resolve, and spent endless hours sorting through human souls—deciding who was worthy of Heaven and who would be cast into Hell. She became the sword of judgment, her once gentle hands now hardened by the weight of her duty. Adam had tried to be there for her, but Eve kept him at a distance, sharing only fragments of her pain.

The time they spent together will be happy, she had decided.

Heaven had given Adam a different role. While Eve had the likes of Archangel Michael and Sera, God had created a new guardian for him, another Seraphim named Emily. Together, they took on responsibilities far removed from the harsh dealings between Heaven and Hell. Their tasks revolved around the Winners—those rare souls who had ascended—and the Heavenborns, along with the animals that roamed the clouds. While Eve battled the darkness, Adam’s life was filled with nurturing, guiding, and trying to find peace in his new purpose.

But the guilt gnawed at him, relentless. Every time he saw Eve return from another long day, her face drawn; her wings heavy with fatigue, it twisted inside him. She would always smile when she saw him, always pretended she wasn’t tired, wasn’t angry, wasn’t breaking apart beneath the weight of it all. But Adam could see it. He could feel it. She was drowning in a sea of fury and regret, and there was little he could do to help her.

Recently, Eve had been the one attending the delicate meetings between Heaven and Hell, where the fate of the Sinners was debated. Adam knew little of what happened there.

Emily had done her best to keep him distracted, filling his days with tending to the new arrivals in Heaven or caring for the creatures that frolicked through the clouds. It was a quiet life, but a distant one, far removed from the storm that brewed beneath Heaven’s perfect facade.

Now, as the doors to the meeting chamber loomed before him, Adam felt his stomach tighten. This time, he couldn’t escape. This time, Hell had called for him by name. He didn’t know why, didn’t understand what they wanted from him.

Eve had always been the one to handle these matters.

Besides, Adam had never been close to Lilith or Lucifer. Especially after Lilith had left him for Lucifer. Adam had never been favoured by either of them. He once thought he was close to both of them, he once thought Lucifer and Lilith loved him like he loved them. But that wasn't the case when they left him all alone...

When Eve came along, they both only wanted her…they had never asked for him, until now and to be perfectly honest, Adam had been all to happy to never see either of them again.

Why should they need me? His thoughts spun, a whirlwind of confusion and fear, the answers always out of reach. I don’t know a single thing about the Sinners.

Beside him, Sera’s gaze softened as her hand brushed his shoulder, a brief, fleeting touch to pull him from the storm of his thoughts and ground him in the present moment.

“You’re not alone, Adam,” she whispered, her voice warm like sunlight breaking through mist. “But we must face this.”

Adam swallowed, his throat tight, and looked up at her, his stomach twisting like a serpent coiling in on itself.

“Where… where’s Eve?” His voice trembled, barely more than a breath. “I-I thought she… I thought she’d be waiting for me.”

“She’s here,” Sera replied gently, the hint of a smile touching her lips, though there was a flicker of concern in her eyes.

Adam let out a shaky sigh of relief. For a moment, it felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest—Eve, his constant, his anchor, was there.

But then, Sera’s tone shifted, becoming cautious.

“Eve is already inside with Michael.” Her voice lowered, almost conspiratorial. “However, she is being a little… explosive.”

Adam blinked, his brow furrowing in confusion. Explosive?

Eve had always been passionate, fiery even, but that word felt… ominous. His gaze wandered back to the towering doors in front of them, and he shivered. He hadn’t noticed it before, but now, as his ears strained, he swore he heard a low, distant thump from within the room. It was faint but powerful, like the heartbeat of something vast and angry.

“Let’s just say…” Sera continued, her words soft and measured, “Eve is not very pleased that they are dragging you into this mess.”

“O-Oh…”

Adam’s hand instinctively reached for his tunic, his fingers picking at the seams nervously. The fabric seemed to grow heavier with each passing second. He wished Emily was there—her presence always had a way of calming him, of making the world seem a little less daunting. But despite her protests, both Michael and Sera had insisted that Emily remain behind.

His heart sank at the thought, and he shifted uneasily. It felt wrong, being here without her, without the one who had become his silent guardian. The room beyond those doors seemed to pulse with tension, a gathering storm of anger, judgment, and something more—something darker, and much more dangerous. And though he knew Eve was waiting inside, her protective rage directed at whatever forces had pulled him into this ordeal, Adam couldn’t shake the feeling that once they stepped through those doors, everything would change.

For better or worse, he didn’t know. But change was coming, and it was coming for him.

And with that, the grand doors began to part, revealing the shadowy divide between Heaven’s light and Hell’s darkness. Adam steeled himself for whatever awaited him on the other side, but deep down, he knew—nothing could have prepared him for the truth he was about to uncover.

Adam’s entire body trembled as the enormous, towering doors began to creak open, the sound reverberating through the vast, shadowy corridor like the growl of some ancient beast. His golden wings quivered, feathers rustling with a desperate, primal urge to flee—to turn around and escape before it was too late. It had been centuries since he had last seen either Lilith or Lucifer, and the mere thought of facing them again set his insides churning. He didn't want to see them. He didn't want to be here.

Sera stepped in front of him, shielding him as the gap between the doors widened, revealing the meeting place. Adam’s knees buckled slightly, his heart pounding so loud in his ears he could barely hear the world around him. His eyes narrowed as he squinted into the dimly lit expanse of the room. It was massive, rivaling the size of God’s throne room—the same room where the Archangels had summoned him and Eve all those years ago.

The room was a masterpiece of contrasts, split perfectly down the middle. One side radiated with an ethereal glow, its soft pillows of pure light glowing in shades of white and serene blue. The other half, however, was cloaked in darkness, its pillars of obsidian towering against the walls like sentinels, the space draped in shadows and rich, blood-red hues. Light and dark, Heaven and Hell, brought together in a strange, unsettling harmony.

In the center of the room was a long, crystalline table that seemed to shimmer in the strange half-light. The table itself was split just like the room, with one half composed of towering blue crystal, its surface adorned with halos that floated gently above the chairs. The other half was carved from red and black crystal, its seats crowned with devil horns that twisted ominously toward the ceiling.

Adam swallowed thickly; his throat dry as his skin prickled with the overwhelming sensation of multiple eyes upon him. He couldn’t bear to look up, his gaze remaining firmly fixed on the floor as he followed Sera into the room. At first, the air was thick with the sounds of angry voices—aggressive arguing, insults flying back and forth between the factions, the echoes of bitter sneers and mocking scoffs bouncing off the walls. But the moment Adam crossed the threshold, the bickering ceased. A thick, unnerving silence blanketed the room, and Adam’s wings shifted uncomfortably, struggling to stay still.

He felt exposed. Vulnerable. And all he wanted to do was hide.

Instinctively, he stepped closer to Sera, seeking some form of protection, no matter how futile it felt. Michael’s gaze swept over them, his expression unreadable as he nodded to Sera, who returned the gesture with a troubled glance, her eyes lingering on the shattered crystal in the centre of the table. Something had already gone wrong.

"A-Adam."

The voice was soft, almost gentle, but it made Adam’s entire body seize with a sharp tremor. He forced himself to glance up, only barely lifting his eyes toward the speaker. There, across the room, sat Lucifer.

The fallen Archangel was nearly unrecognizable. Gone were the divine robes of white, blue, and gold that Adam remembered so vividly from their time together in Eden. Instead, Lucifer now donned something far more twisted, more theatrical. A red-and-white striped vest clung to his form, paired with a white jacket and matching pants tucked into sleek black boots. His once glorious golden hair now shimmered beneath a bizarre top hat, a snake coiled around it like a crown, a ruby-red apple resting in the serpent’s grip, and a faintly glimmering golden crown threaded through the coils.

Adam couldn’t stop staring, even though he wanted to. Lucifer was so different, so alien compared to the being he had once known. His face was no longer the smooth, angelic visage of before; his cheeks were now stained a deep, unnatural blood-red, and his eyes—those eyes that had once been a striking, sapphire blue—were now a disturbing blend of molten gold and ruby, like the embers of a dying fire.

What unsettled Adam the most, though, was when Lucifer stood, revealing long, black claws where his hands should have been.

“Adam—”

“Shut up!” Eve’s voice cut through the air, sharp and cold as steel. The words echoed across the room like the crack of a whip. “Don’t even look at him!”

Lucifer’s expression twisted into a dark sneer, his eyes narrowing as he shot Eve a look so venomous that Adam recoiled. Was this truly the Archangel he had once admired? The being who had sung with the Heavens in glory? He felt bewildered, disoriented. And yet, despite the chaos of emotions raging inside him, Adam found himself easing just a little at the sight of Eve.

She was seated across from Lucifer, on the side of light, where Heaven’s shimmering blue throne towered next to Michael. Eve sat beside the Archangel, her face a mask of cold fury. Her arms were crossed tightly, fingers tapping aggressively against the armrests of her seat. Her red hair, now pulled back into a severe ponytail, gleamed like fire beneath the soft light, and she wore something Adam had never seen before—a uniform, battle-worn yet sharp, and utterly unlike her usual appearance.

The silver armor clung to her form, a strange fusion of elegance and brutality. A thigh-length dress of shining metal, black tights beneath, with long, silver gloves that reached her upper arms. Her boots rose high above her thighs, matching the cuirass that protected her chest, the plackart at her waist. Every piece of her armor—spauldron, vambrace, gorget—was perfectly placed, ready for war.

Adam paused, his feet faltering as his gaze fell on the helmet resting on the table beside her. It was monstrous, with twisting horns that spiraled out on either side, a grotesque contrast to the purity of Heaven’s light.

Does she… wear that?

The thought chilled him. Eve had changed so much since they’d first arrived. The woman in front of him looked nothing like the gentle soul who had once wandered the Garden of Eden at his side.

The air was thick with tension, and Adam felt utterly out of place, an intruder in this grand hall of angels and devils. He swallowed hard, resisting the urge to turn and flee, but he couldn’t shake the sense that something far greater than him was unfolding—and he was caught in the middle of it.

“Come now, Eve,” a voice interjected, its tone airy yet laced with an edge of smugness. It carried the chill of winter’s breath, sharp and penetrating. “We’re all friends here.”

“Friends?” Eve’s voice dripped with contempt as she turned her furious gaze toward the speaker. “Is that what you call the people you backstab?”

Adam blinked, feeling a strange mixture of awkwardness and curiosity as he slowly approached Eve, careful to keep his distance from the imposing figures in the room. He tilted his head slightly, trying to focus on Lilith, whose presence seemed more familiar and grounded compared to Lucifer's nightmarish transformation.

Lilith sat on the side of darkness, but she retained a striking, almost ethereal beauty. Her long golden hair cascaded down her back like a flowing waterfall of sunlight, pushed back elegantly from her face, with curls framing her delicate features. Her face, pointed and regal, was accentuated by long, thick eyelashes that Adam remembered from days long past.

A black rose crown adorned her head, its dark petals contrasting sharply with the blood-red horns that emerged from beneath it. Her figure was both delicate and imposing—a small waist paired with a substantial chest, draped in a deep purple and black dress that shimmered with an otherworldly magic. Around her neck, a strand of pure white pearls gleamed softly, catching the light as if it were a fragment of Heaven itself.

Adam found himself frowning slightly as he took in Lilith’s appearance. She was undeniably beautiful, but there was a coldness in her gaze that mirrored the icy sharpness of her voice. Despite her outward grace, there was a stark, unyielding edge to her presence that set Adam on edge.

“Isn’t it charming,” Lilith continued, her voice dripping with false warmth, “How old friends can come together under such… delightful circumstances?”

Adam’s stomach churned. The air in the room seemed to thicken with each passing second, a palpable tension that pressed against him from all sides. He glanced back at Eve, whose anger was barely contained, and then at Lucifer, whose gaze was fixed on him.

He tried to swallow the rising lump in his throat as he took another hesitant step toward Eve. The room felt like a stage, each figure poised in their roles for some grand, unspoken performance, and Adam was caught during it, struggling to understand his place.

Eve's eyes met Adam’s, her fury momentarily softening as she recognized his troubled gaze. For a moment, her expression seemed to convey a silent apology—an acknowledgment of the chaos that had ensnared him in this grim theatre of light and darkness. But the anger was still there, simmering just below the surface, ready to boil over at any moment.

Adam took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. He wished desperately for Emily’s comforting presence, but all he had now were his own frazzled thoughts and the looming, unforgiving gaze of those who held the power to determine his fate. He had to face whatever this meeting demanded of him, and he could only hope that the strength he found in his past with Eve would help him navigate the treacherous waters of this new confrontation.

Lilith’s eyes sparkled with malicious amusement as she continued to needle Eve, her voice a cold, serpentine whisper.

“Eve,” she said, her tone dripping with feigned sympathy, “It’s so touching to see you trying so hard. But let’s be honest, you’re nothing more than a replacement. You could never truly fill the shoes of someone as... exceptional as I once was.”

 “Replacement?” she snapped, her voice echoing like a thunderclap. “You think you’re so special, don’t you? You’re nothing but the defective prototype. A product used to test and validate design concepts, functionality, and usability. Prototyping helps identify potential issues and make improvements before committing to full-scale production or implementation. This approach is common in fields like engineering, product design, software development, and more.”

“You are nothing but a bootleg version of a real woman. You could never compare to what I’ve become.” Eve added smugly.

Lilith’s lips curved into a cruel smile, her eyes glinting with amusement as if she were watching a child’s tantrum.

“Oh, Eve,” she said mockingly, “How quaint. Your anger is almost endearing. But really, you were never meant to replace me. You’re merely a poor imitation, struggling to keep up with a legacy you can never truly grasp.”

Eve’s face was flushed with rage, her body trembling with the effort to contain her fury. “You think you’re so high and mighty, don’t you? I’ve seen your so-called ‘legacy,’ Lilith. You’re nothing but a pretentious farce, a pale shadow of what true strength and integrity look like. Your power is nothing compared to the strength I’ve earned.”

Lilith’s smile widened, her amusement growing as Eve’s anger boiled over.

“You’re so precious when you’re angry,” she cooed, her voice dripping with condescension. “But don’t you understand? You’ll never truly be anything more than a mere stand-in. I was the original, the genuine article. You’re just a cheap imitation, trying too hard to fill a role you were never meant for.”

Eve’s rage reached a fever pitch, her fists clenching at her sides. “You know what, Lilith? You’re just a failed experiment. You were cast aside for a reason. No amount of posturing can change that.”

Adam winced as he watched the exchange, the hostility between the two women escalating with each cutting remark. He could see the toll it was taking on Eve, her anger spiralling out of control, while Lilith seemed to find the entire situation nothing more than a game.

Then, with a swift, venomous glance, Eve delivered a final, cutting comment. “You’re nasty inside and outside. You were never pure enough for Adam. Look at what happened when an Archangel gave you the time of day, you stained him. I can’t imagine what you would have done to Adam.”

“It’s a good thing your poisonous venom didn’t touch Adam. You don’t deserve his love or friendship. You never did.”

The room fell silent, the words hanging heavy in the air. Lilith’s eyes flashed with a pained, hurt expression, a fleeting glimpse of vulnerability beneath her icy exterior. It was clear that Eve had struck a nerve.

Adam’s heart pounded as he saw the reaction. He wanted to intervene, to stop the confrontation before it spiralled further, but his voice came out as a barely audible whisper.

“Eve, please… stop.”

Unfortunately, his soft plea did not go unnoticed. Both Lucifer and Lilith’s eyes turned to Adam, their expressions shifting to one of twisted delight. Lucifer’s lips curled into a smirk, while Lilith’s gaze hardened with a mix of surprise and contempt. She seemed even pleased that Adam had stuck up for her.

Eve’s eyes narrowed at Adam’s intervention; her anger now directed at him. She glared at Lilith still fiercely, her grip tightening around his wrist. Without waiting for a response, she tugged him toward the large, ornate chair next to her, forcing him to sit down beside her.

Adam’s heart raced as he sat next to Eve, feeling the weight of Lilith’s and Lucifer’s gaze upon him. He could sense the shift in the room’s dynamics, the undercurrents of tension and hostility that seemed to press in from all sides.

Eve’s grip on his wrist was unyielding, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. Adam tried to catch her eye, hoping to convey a silent plea for calm, but her focus was locked on Lilith and Lucifer, her rage barely contained.

The room was charged with an electric tension, the air thick with the remnants of the argument. Adam knew that whatever came next would be pivotal, and he could only hope that the storm of emotions would pass quickly, leaving them with some semblance of peace—or at least, a path forward.

Michael cleared his throat with an almost comical sense of formality, his wings fluttering with confusion and agitation. His brows furrowed as he glanced between Eve, who was still seething, and Lilith, who appeared to be reveling in the discord. The celestial presence seemed out of place amid the chaos, like a child witnessing a tempest.

Lucifer, ever observant, caught Michael’s disoriented demeanor with evident glee.

“Oh, Michael,” he drawled, his voice dripping with mockery. “Still the same old doll, aren’t you? Always caught in a whirlwind of emotions you barely understand.”

Michael’s face flushed with irritation at the insinuation, but he remained silent, his wings flickering in agitation. The jibe from Lucifer had struck a nerve, and his irritation was palpable.

Sera, sensing the tension threatening to boil over into another confrontation, stepped in with a measured tone.

“Enough of this bickering,” she interjected firmly. “We’re here to address the matter at hand. We have conceded to the demands and brought Adam into this meeting.”

Lucifer and Lilith’s attention shifted sharply to Adam, their gazes piercing through him like a spotlight.

Unable to contain his frustration, Adam made a sassy comment. “I still don’t see why I’m needed here. Hell, and the Sinners have never been my responsibility.”

Lucifer and Lilith exchanged a look, their eyes communicating silently in a way that left everyone else feeling excluded. The moment of telepathic conversation was both irritating and intriguing to those who observed it.

Lucifer turned his attention back to Michael and Sera, his tone laced with a sense of bemused superiority. “Is Adam even aware of what you’ve decided to do?”

Michael frowned; his confusion evident. “Like Adam has mentioned, he doesn’t have any duties with Hell.”

Lucifer’s eyes narrowed as he scoffed. “Of course, neither of you told him. You knew he would oppose it, so why not keep him in the dark?”

Sera, her anxiety becoming more pronounced, intervened again. “That’s enough, Lucifer. What exactly do you want, and why is it so important for Adam to be here?”

Eve, unable to hold back her bitterness, interjected sharply. “It’s no a secret that you both abandoned Adam in Eden, leaving him alone, breaking your promises. Now, you want to drag him into your little game?”

Lilith’s eyes flashed with anger as she glared at Eve. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Eve. It would do you well to keep your mouth shut.”

Eve’s laugh was bitter, a sharp, mocking sound that cut through the tension. “Oh, the truth hurts, doesn’t it? But don’t worry, while you both left, Adam was made a better companion than either of you ever were.”

Lucifer rolled his eyes, his disdain apparent. “More of a step down, actually.”

Eve’s growl was low and dangerous. Before she could rise from her seat to confront Lucifer, Adam’s hand shot out, grasping her wrist firmly. The gesture was both a plea for calm and an attempt to diffuse the situation.

Lucifer and Lilith’s expressions shifted to one of surprise and displeasure at Adam’s intervention. Eve, however, grinned with a mixture of satisfaction and delight, her anger momentarily forgotten in the face of this new development.

Adam drew a deep, steadying breath, feeling the weight of past betrayals and heartbreak pressing down on him as he finally turned his gaze toward Lucifer and Lilith. The pain of old wounds resurfaced, bringing with it a rush of memories that he had buried deep within.

In the beginning, there had been just the two of them: Adam and Lucifer. Lucifer had been more than an Archangel to Adam; he had been a guardian, a friend, a constant presence in his life. Their bond had been unbreakable, a companionship so profound that Adam had felt invincible in its embrace. They had shared countless moments, their bond seemingly unshakeable, until Lilith had been introduced to the Garden.

Adam remembered the day Lilith had come into their lives. It had been a confusing but exhilarating change—he now had two friends, two beings who cared for him. They had all been so close, a trio united in the innocence of their existence. Adam, though he lacked understanding of complex concepts like husband and wife or breeding, was simply overjoyed to be in their company. He felt complete, surrounded by the warmth and companionship of his two dearest friends.

But then, one fateful morning, Adam had awakened to an unbearable silence. Lucifer and Lilith were gone. The emptiness that enveloped him was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He had spent countless days and sleepless nights searching for them, his heart aching with a pain he had no words for. They had vanished without a trace, leaving him alone in the Garden, grappling with an anguish that seemed to rend his very soul.

The arrival of Sera from Heaven had marked the beginning of a tumultuous period. Heaven had learned the truth of Lucifer and Lilith's departure—how they had left Eden to be together, abandoning Adam without a word. The revelation had thrown everything into chaos. Adam had been bewildered, struggling to understand why his friends had betrayed him so profoundly.

When Lucifer and Lilith had returned to Eden, their attempts to reconcile only deepened the wound. Adam, unable to bear the sight of them, had fled time and again, overwhelmed by the pain of their betrayal. The Angels, witnessing the turmoil, had intervened, and Lucifer and Lilith were ultimately banished from the Garden. In their absence, Eve was created as Adam’s new companion.

But even then, peace had been elusive. Lucifer and Lilith, defiant and unrepentant, had sneaked back into the Garden, this time targeting Eve. They had tricked her into eating the forbidden apple, setting off a chain of events that would forever alter the course of history. The betrayal had been complete, their actions leaving a scar that Adam would carry with him forever.

Swallowing thickly, Adam’s golden gaze fixed upon the crystalline table, its multifaceted surface reflecting fragments of his troubled thoughts. His heart pounded so fiercely that it seemed to reverberate through his skull, a relentless drumbeat of anxiety and confusion. Slowly, he gathered the courage to look up at his old friends once more.

“What…what do you want?” Adam’s voice trembled, the words escaping his lips with a mixture of fear and frustration. “Why did you ask to see me?”

Lilith’s gaze softened for the first time since Adam had entered the grand hall. Her eyes, once sharp and mocking, now held a glimmer of something akin to regret. It was as if she were struggling to reconcile the figure before her with the person she once knew. She took a tentative step forward, her expression laden with a hint of vulnerability.

“Adam,” she began, her voice carrying a note of earnestness that seemed foreign coming from her. “We’ve honestly been requesting your presence from the very first meeting.”

Adam blinked, taken aback by her admission. “What? Why? I-I don’t know what you expect me to do…but I’m telling you now; I can’t help with anything.”

Lilith’s eyes softened as she stepped forward, her gaze filled with a tenderness that seemed almost out of place in the grand hall. Her voice, usually sharp and commanding, took on a gentler tone. “Adam, it’s not about what you can or cannot do. It’s about addressing what was left unresolved between us. There are things we need to settle, and it goes beyond mere duties.”

Lucifer, leaning back in his throne with a more approachable air than before, looked at Adam with a soft, almost paternal smile. “You see, Adam, it’s not just about asking for your help. It’s about closure and reconciliation, and perhaps a bit of… introspection. We’ve been carrying this weight for too long, and it’s something we want to resolve with you.”

Adam’s confusion deepened, mingling with a growing sense of anger. “Closure? Reconciliation?”

Lilith’s expression grew earnest, her eyes reflecting a mixture of remorse and hope. “We made mistakes, Adam. Terrible ones. But we’ve come to realize that there’s something that needs to be settled. It’s not just about what happened in the past, but what we might be able to do moving forward. We want to make amends.”

Eve, who had been watching with simmering rage, scoffed derisively. “Oh, so now you think a few sweet words will make up for abandoning Adam and all the chaos that followed. Don’t be naïve.”

Lilith’s gaze hardened as she shot a sharp look towards Eve, her patience wearing thin. “Eve, you’re quick to judge from the sidelines. We’re here to address what’s unresolved, not to engage in petty arguments.”

Lucifer, his tone slightly mocking but with a hint of warmth towards Adam, interjected. “Let’s not get too carried away with sentiments and accusations. The fact remains that Adam’s presence was deemed necessary. His role in this situation is far from over.”

Adam’s frustration flared. “My role? I’ve had nothing to do with Hell or its sinners. I’ve tried to move on, to build something new. I don’t see why I should be dragged back into this.”

Lucifer and Lilith exchanged a knowing glance, their silent communication fraught with meaning. It was clear to everyone that there was more to their intentions than met the eye, and their cryptic expressions left the room’s atmosphere thick with unresolved tension.

Sera, sensing the rising storm, stepped forward with a voice that cut through the murmur of discontent. “Enough of this. We need to address the matter at hand. Lucifer, Lilith—what exactly do you want from Adam? What is this about?”

Lucifer’s smirk softened, his eyes shimmering with a mix of sincerity and mischief. “What we seek is to resolve the past and perhaps find a way to move forward. It’s about understanding the full scope of what has transpired and finding a path to healing.”

Lilith, her gaze unwaveringly on Adam, added with a touch of earnestness, “We want to make amends and see if there’s any way to repair the damage that was done. It’s a complex task, but one we believe is necessary.”

Adam’s heart sank as the gravity of their request settled in. “I...I don’t know if that’s even possible.”

Eve, still seething, let out a harsh laugh. “Repairing damage? That’s rich. After everything you two did, Adam deserves more than empty words. He deserves something real.”

The room seemed to close in on Adam as he grappled with the weight of their request. The past's betrayals and the present's uncertainties pressed heavily on him. He clung to Eve’s hand, seeking solace in her presence amidst the unfolding chaos.

Lucifer’s golden eyes darkened, not liking how Adam reached for Eve. However, he sucked up and spoke as calmly and gently as possible. "Tell me, Adam, do you know what Heaven has decided to do about Hell's... overcrowding problem?"

Adam blinked, his brow furrowing. "No. I don’t."

His confusion was clear, and he looked toward Eve and Sera, as if expecting some clarification.

Lilith’s lips curved into a bitter smile. "Of course you don’t. They thought it best to keep you in the dark, too."

Her eyes flicked to Sera, who looked like she wanted to intervene, her wings rustling in nervousness.

Sera’s voice tightened as she stepped forward. "That’s not true—"

But Lilith ignored her, her focus on Adam. "Do you know why Eve is dressed like that?"

Adam’s gaze shifted to Eve, his confusion deepening. He looked at the glinting armour she wore, his eyebrows knitting together as he finally asked, "Why does it look like you’re... going to war?"

Eve flushed, her eyes darting away. She couldn’t find the words, and Lucifer, noticing her discomfort, let out a low snort.

"What’s wrong, Eve? Cat got your tongue?" His tone was mocking but still laced with amusement.

Eve shot him a furious glare, but before she could snap back, Adam held up a hand, turning back to Lucifer. "Explain it to me. What’s going on?"

Lucifer’s expression softened, his voice taking on a more tender tone as he began, “Heaven has—”

“No,” Michael interrupted sharply, stepping forward, his face hard and his wings flickering with agitation. "Lucifer has no right to explain anything to you, Adam. Not anymore."

Lucifer's eyes darkened with annoyance, but there was a touch of a smile lingering at the corners of his lips as he responded.

 "Like it or not, Michael, I am and always will be Adam’s guardian angel. That was God’s decision, not yours." The weight of his words hung in the air; a challenge Michael couldn’t easily dispute. "If he wants me to explain anything to him, I have the right to furfill that request."

Michael’s expression soured, but he said nothing more, only a frown creasing his usually stoic face. Adam, feeling the tension between them, grew more confused. He glanced back at Lucifer, waiting for an answer.

Lucifer’s gaze softened even further as he returned his attention to Adam. "Heaven has decided to exterminate the Sinners once a year. A purge, if you will."

Adam’s eyes widened in shock. "What?" His gaze darted to Eve, his voice trembling. "Is that why you're dressed like this?"

Eve looked pained; her face flushed with guilt. "Adam, Hell is growing more dangerous. Lilith was caught planning a rebellion—"

Lilith scoffed; her voice sharp as she cut in. "I was only doing what was necessary to protect my people."

Eve whirled on her, her eyes flashing with anger. "Your people? The Sinners aren’t your people, Lilith. They’re our people—mine and Adam’s. They are our children. You and Lucifer have no right to speak on how we’ve decided to deal with the rotten eggs."

Adam flinched at the term “rotten eggs,” disgust twisting in his stomach.

"How can you say that, Eve?" He shook his head, struggling to process what he was hearing. "I... I don’t see what any of you expect me to do about it."

Lucifer’s gaze never left Adam, his voice gentle but firm. "It’s not about the Sinners, Adam. That’s not why we asked you to be here."

Adam’s eyes flicked back to Lucifer; his curiosity piqued. "Then what is it about?"

Lucifer smiled warmly; the kind of smile that once made Adam feel protected, safe. He extended his hand, and a golden portal opened beside him, from which he retrieved a small booklet. As he stood up, Michael shot him a disapproving look, his wings twitching in frustration.

Lucifer rolled his eyes dramatically. "It’s just paper, Michael. Calm down."

Michael huffed but didn’t stop him, watching warily as Lucifer slid the booklet across the crystal table toward Adam. Adam glanced at the cover, his heart pounding as he reached for it.

"What is this?" Adam asked, his voice shaky as his fingers touched the edge of the booklet.

Lucifer’s eyes gleamed as he sat back down, a mixture of satisfaction and something far more tender in his expression. "The truth, Adam. Something Heaven has been keeping from you... and something you deserve to know."

The paper was colourful. It demanded his attention, sort of colour. He barely was able to look at it before Sera tried to take it away.

“You don’t have to entertain them, Adam.” She stated.

“No, but I want to see.” Adam said, taking hold of the paper before she could it from him. He didn’t see the way Sera and Michael looked one another, how Eve looked concerned and Lucifer and Lilith released soft breathes of relief.

Adam’s fingers curled around the paper, pulling it off the table. His ears became numb as soon another insulting fight broke out between Heaven and Hell. Nobody could ever stay quiet for long, Adam didn’t know who spoke first, but soon insults were bouncing between Eve and Lilith again, Lucifer and Michael, even Sera at times. But Adam kept quietly, reading over the booklet.

Adam’s heart pounded in his chest as he clutched the booklet, tuning out the escalating argument around him. The moment his fingers touched the paper, something deep inside him stirred—a mixture of dread and curiosity. He could hear Eve’s voice in the background, sharp and biting as she snapped at Lilith, and the smug retorts from Lucifer as he goaded Michael. The entire room was filled with clashing words, like weapons being thrown from one side to the other. Yet, it all felt distant, like white noise.

He had to know what was in that booklet.

Eve’s voice cut through the chaos for a brief second. “Adam, you don’t have give them the time of day. Really, you don't.”

Adam’s grip tightened around the paper, his golden eyes fixed on the words. “No, but I want to see.”

He heard her inhale sharply, as if she wanted to say more, but Adam didn’t look up. He missed the shared glance between Sera and Michael, the tension in Eve’s posture, and the way both Lucifer and Lilith seemed to relax the moment he held the booklet in his hands.

The paper felt heavier than it should have, the weight of untold secrets pressing down on him. As his eyes scanned the first few lines, the world around him began to fade even more. His ears grew numb, and the fight around him became a dull roar. He couldn’t pinpoint who had started it—Eve or Lilith, Michael or Lucifer—but it no longer mattered. All that mattered was the truth in his hands.

It was like peeling back a wound that had long since scarred over, only to find fresh pain beneath. The words on the page blurred at first, but as his focus sharpened, so did the meaning. This wasn’t just a collection of information. It was a revelation—a crack in the foundation of everything he thought he understood.

Suddenly, the noise around him broke through, Eve’s voice cutting sharp and harsh through the silence he had built in his mind.

“Don’t you dare act like you care about him now, Lilith! You had your chance, and you threw it away. You both did! He doesn't need either of you when he has me now!”

Eve’s fury was strong, and Adam glanced up just in time to see her glaring daggers at Lilith, her face flushed with anger.

Lilith’s eyes narrowed, but there was an almost amused glint in them. “Oh please, Eve. You’ve always been a replacement. A poor one at that.”

The booklet trembled slightly in Adam’s hands, but he forced himself to keep reading, even as the barbs flew around him. Lucifer’s voice dripped with condescension as he shot at Michael, “Still Heaven’s perfect little soldier, huh? Must be exhausting being so... wooden.”

Michael’s wings flickered in irritation, his jaw clenching as he tried to ignore the provocation. “I’m not engaging with you.”

Sera’s voice, tight with anxiety, tried to interject. “Can we all focus on the matter at hand? This bickering isn’t helping anything.”

Adam’s fingers traced the edges of the booklet, his curiosity slowly overtaking the growing tension in the room. As he flipped through the pages, he was greeted by a riot of colour and life—beautifully and skilfully painted creatures unlike anything he had ever seen. He had always adored nature, his duties in Heaven centred around animals and plants. He loved naming the creatures God had crafted, feeling a deep connection to each one. But what he saw here was unlike anything from Eden or Heaven.

His golden eyes burned with curiosity as they moved over the images: creatures that were a bizarre fusion of familiar and foreign. Some looked like twisted versions of animals he remembered from Eden—others were entirely alien. There were plants that shimmered with ethereal light, their forms strange and intricate. Flowers with petals like flames, animals with wings that shifted colors, beasts with eyes that glowed faintly in the dark. None of this was from the world he knew, and yet... they were breathtaking.

“What… what are these?” Adam’s voice finally broke through the argument happening around him, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

The room quieted for a moment. Eve's scowl softened as she glanced at Adam, though concern lingered in her eyes. Lilith and Lucifer exchanged a quick glance, but it was Lucifer who broke into a wide, relieved smile.

“These,” Lucifer said, his voice filled with satisfaction, “Are the Hellborns.”

Adam blinked, looking up from the booklet, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Hellborns? Like… the Heavenborns?”

Eve opened her mouth, her hand tightening slightly on the armrest. “No, Adam, it’s not—”

“Yes,” Lilith interjected, her voice firm but gentle, cutting Eve off. “They are the same.”

Adam’s gaze flicked between them, confusion deepening. “But… I thought Hell was only for Sinners.”

Lilith’s expression softened as she leaned forward slightly. “That’s what they want you to believe. Hell is a land of the forgotten, Adam. It’s where beings without purpose or hope are thrown. Yes, it is home to the Sinners… but it is also home to the Hellborns. Beings born from the very fabric of the underworld, creatures that no one remembers or cares about. Creatures that didn’t ask to be here.”

Lucifer leaned in, his voice taking on a softer, more intimate tone. “We’ve done everything we can to save them, Adam. To give them a chance to thrive. But…”

He paused, his expression darkening for the briefest moment, “They keep fading away.”

Adam’s heart stirred. There was a tug deep inside him, one he hadn’t felt in what seemed like an eternity. It was the same pull he had felt when he first woke up in Eden, when God had told him to name every plant and animal in the garden. To give them purpose and meaning. That same feeling was creeping back into his chest, a quiet whisper urging him forward.

Lilith’s words washed over him, her tone both sorrowful and urgent. “We tried everything, Adam. But Hell is a harsh place. They need more than what we can give. They need someone who understands… someone like you.”

Adam’s fingers tightened on the booklet as his gaze travelled across the painted images of these forgotten creatures. He could see the pain in Lilith’s eyes, the desperation in Lucifer’s smile.

But before Adam could speak, Michael interrupted, his patience evidently thinning. “Enough, Lilith. This has nothing to do with Heaven or Adam’s responsibilities. The Hellborns are not our concern. They were never meant to be.”

Lucifer’s eyes darkened, his usual smugness fading as he shot a sharp look across the table. “Oh, don’t be so short-sighted, Michael. You’re not the only one who can decide what’s important here.”

Michael crossed his arms, his wings twitching slightly in irritation. “Adam has no business getting involved in this.”

Lucifer’s smirk returned, but this time it was sharper, his eyes glinting with defiance. He leaned back in his seat, his gaze never leaving Michael’s. “Maybe… but Adam wants to know, doesn’t he?”

He turned his head toward Adam, his expression softening again, and this time it wasn’t an act. His smile was gentle, familiar in a way that tugged at Adam’s heart. “Isn’t that right, Adam?”

Adam hesitated, his eyes darting between Michael’s stern face and Lucifer’s warm gaze. Slowly, his head dipped in a small nod. “I… I want to know more.”

His attention shifted back to the booklet, captivated by the creatures painted there.

“Did… did you paint these?” he asked quietly, glancing up at Lucifer and Lilith.

Lilith smiled softly. “We did.”

Adam stared down at the paintings again, his mind racing.

“They’re… really good,” he admitted, his voice a little hesitant but sincere.

“I’m glad you think so.” Lucifer beamed, a proud and almost childish grin spreading across his face. His eyes sparkled, his usual arrogance fading into something softer, more genuine.

Adam's heart tightened in his chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, he found himself curious—genuinely interested in something beyond the chaos and the anger that had surrounded them for so long. He looked up at Lilith and Lucifer, both of whom were watching him with hopeful eyes, and for a moment, the weight of their past seemed to lift, if only a little.

But the silence didn’t last long.

Eve, her voice laced with unease, leaned forward. “Adam, you don’t owe them anything. They’re just trying to manipulate you—again.”

Adam frowned; the booklet still clutched in his hands. “I’m not being manipulated. I just want to understand.”

Lilith’s smile grew a little wider, but there was something almost sad in her eyes. Lucifer, on the other hand, seemed almost giddy, as if finally—finally—Adam was starting to see things from their perspective.

Adam's fingers traced the delicate lines of the painting—a bird-like creature with brilliant, iridescent feathers and eyes that seemed to follow him from the page. His touch was almost reverent, as if through the art, he could feel the life of the creature beneath his fingertips. His gaze slowly lifted, moving across the room, first to Lilith and Lucifer, then toward Eve, Michael, and finally Sera. He swallowed thickly, his thoughts swimming in the tension that hung thick in the air.

“Why show me this?” he asked quietly, his voice cutting through the silence that had briefly settled after their latest spat.

Lucifer let out a quiet sigh, as if the weight of the question bore heavily on him. He leaned forward, his expression more solemn than before. “Because we know we can’t save the Sinners anymore, Adam. Heaven has already decided. The exterminations will go ahead, no matter what we think or do.”

Adam tilted his head, curiosity burning in his golden eyes. “Then… why? Why call for me at all?”

Lilith and Lucifer exchanged a long, meaningful glance, something passing between them unspoken. Lilith finally leaned in, her voice soft, almost tender. “We want to save the Hellborns from the exterminations, Adam.”

Adam’s brows furrowed, still struggling to understand. “The Hellborns… but why? Why does that matter to you?”

Lilith’s eyes softened, and for a moment, her vulnerability shone through. “Because we wish to have a child someday.”

Adam blinked in surprise. “A child?”

Eve scoffed, her voice dripping with bitterness. “Lilith can’t have children. God never gave her the ability too.”

Lilith’s eyes blazed with anger, but she held her tongue, glaring daggers at Eve. “I’m aware of that.”

Lucifer muttered under his breath, “This is why we didn’t want Eve involved in the meeting.”

Michael, growing impatient, crossed his arms. “I’m growing tired of this game.”

Lucifer’s temper flared as he snapped, “Then leave if you want. No one's forcing you to stay."

Michael’s glare was sharp and unyielding, but Lucifer ignored him, his focus shifting back to Adam. Adam, caught in the middle, chewed his bottom lip, feeling the weight of their gazes pressing on him. His thoughts spun, trying to piece together why he was even here, what they were really asking of him.

“So…” Adam started, his voice quiet but firm, “what does this have to do with me? What do the Hellborns have to do with me?”

Lucifer’s gaze softened, and for a moment, all the arrogance and smugness seemed to vanish. “We want you to come to Hell.”

Eve’s reaction was immediate. Her chair scraped against the floor as she stood, her face a mask of outrage.

“Why would you ever think that would happen?!” she demanded.

Lilith remained calm; her voice steady but pointed as she looked Eve in the eye. “You know full well the power Lucifer and I hold. The Sinners can’t touch the extermination angels, but we can. You know that.”

Sera, her brow furrowed in concern, asked cautiously, “Are you suggesting you’d stand in the way of Heaven’s extermination?”

Lucifer shrugged, his expression unreadable. “We’re not saying we will, just that we could.”

Michael straightened, his body tense, arms crossed tightly. “So, what, are you implying that Heaven should hand Adam over to you to make sure you don’t interfere?”

Lucifer’s gaze flickered with a moment of worry as it landed back on Adam, but his voice was calm. “We’re not asking for Adam to stay with us forever. Just for a few months… maybe a year at most.”

Eve’s voice shook with restrained fury. “Why? Why would you even suggest that?”

Lucifer’s eyes were steady as he explained. “The Hellborns have no purpose. They fade away, forgotten. Adam’s power, his gift, has always been to give purpose. He names God's creations, defines them. The Hellborns are God’s creations too, whether you accept that or not.”

Michael scoffed, shaking his head. “The Hellborns are not our concern.”

Sera, ever the mediator, stepped in again. “If it’s the Hellborns you want to protect, we could arrange for the extermination angels to leave them untouched. Adam doesn’t need to go to Hell for that.”

Lilith shook her head, her frustration clear. “That’s not enough. We wish to have a child someday, and our child will be a Hellborn. Hellborns fade without purpose, and our child would too. We need Adam to give them—give our child—a future.”

Eve shook her head vehemently. “You can’t have children. You can’t carry a child, Lilith.”

Lilith’s gaze narrowed, but she didn’t rise to the bait this time. Michael and Sera, however, exchanged thoughtful glances.

After a tense silence, Michael spoke slowly, weighing his words carefully. “If we were to agree… if we allowed you to ‘borrow’ Adam for a year, even if this plan of yours fails, you’d stay out of the exterminations?”

Lucifer’s expression softened as he nodded. “We would. That’s our promise.”

Eve gasped, her disbelief clear. “Are you seriously considering sending Adam to Hell?”

Sera looked at Eve with pained eyes. She was clearly conflicted, her gaze shifting to Adam, who looked frozen in shock and disbelief, the weight of the conversation bearing down on him.

Michael’s voice was hard as he addressed Lucifer. “If we agree to this, there will be no harm to Adam. You don’t touch him. Not once.”

Lucifer looked insulted; his voice sharp. “You really think so little of us?”

Lilith’s lips tightened into a thin line. “Don’t answer that,” she muttered. “It’s obvious what they think of us.”

She turned to Adam then, her gaze soft and full of something that resembled the warmth they once shared. “We would never hurt you again, Adam. You know that.”

Adam’s mind was a whirlwind of confusion and emotion. His fingers trembled slightly as he looked at the booklet in his hands, the Hellborn creatures staring back at him, pulling at something deep inside his soul. He felt the familiar tug, the pull of purpose. But the weight of everything—the betrayals, the pain, the love, and the loss—clouded his mind. Could he really trust them again? Could he do this for them? For the Hellborns?

He wasn’t sure. But for the first time in a long while, he wasn’t entirely certain he could say no.

"Can... can I think about it? At least?" Adam’s voice, barely above a whisper, pierced through the soft murmur of the hall, instantly quieting the room.

Lilith’s lips curled into a gentle smile, a wave of relief washing over her. He hadn’t dismissed them. “Of course. Take all the time you need.”

Adam hesitated, his eyes flickering between them, his voice even softer now.

“And... could I keep this too?” He glanced at the booklet in his hands, almost shy in his request.

Lucifer’s heart swelled with joy, his face lighting up with pure delight. Adam wanted to keep what they had made!

He nodded eagerly, his voice bubbling with excitement. “Yes! Yes! Of course, you can keep it! We’d love for you to keep it!”

Blushing deeply, Adam’s fingers tightened around the delicate pages, feeling the warmth rise all the way to the tips of his ears. He nodded again, his voice barely audible. “Thank you.”

His thoughts whirled. Go to Hell for a full year? With just Lucifer and Lilith? Could he really do that? Be with the two people he loved more than anything, yet who had caused him such pain, leaving his heart shattered? It felt overwhelming... but then there was that familiar tug deep inside him. The pull of his power, his purpose. The need to face those Hellborns, to name them, to grant them the right to exist—even if their home was Hell itself.

“The meeting is adjourned,” Michael announced abruptly, rising from his seat. “We’ll return in a week with our decision.”

Lucifer, still riding the wave of joy from Adam’s request, barely noticed the stern look his brother was giving him. He grinned wide, almost giddy. “Perfect! We’ll see you in a week!”

“Adam,” Lilith’s voice was as soft and tender as a lullaby, echoing with the same sweetness she’d spoken with in Eden. “Thank you for hearing us out.”

Adam blinked in surprise, her words gently wrapping around him. Slowly, he gave a small nod, his voice barely above a breath.

“...No problem...”

~#~

As they left the meeting, Eve fell into step beside Adam, her voice soft but insistent. "Adam... I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn’t tell you about the exterminations sooner." Her eyes flickered with regret, though her tone remained firm. "I was trying to protect you, protect Heaven. It's... it's what’s best for everyone."

Adam remained silent, his steps slow and deliberate as he listened. Eve didn’t notice his quietness, too caught up in her own words. She rambled on, her words coming in waves.

“Sinners aren’t like us, Adam. They’ve fallen, they’ve failed. Their punishment is necessary. We can’t let them spoil what we’ve built here. They’re… they’re the bad ones, the rotten eggs among our children.”

Her voice softened as she reached for his hand, but her words were still sharp. “It’s mercy, Adam. True mercy. To let them live in Hell, knowing they could never be like us… it’s cruel. This is kinder.”

Adam’s mind wandered as she spoke. Could it really be mercy? Could it be fair for the damned to suffer in Hell only to be killed again, stripped of even that painful existence? His heart ached with doubt. He didn’t agree—not fully—but he couldn’t find the words to say it. Not now.

Eve squeezed his hand and led him through the familiar path to their shared home, her voice still echoing the same justifications. Their garden awaited them, blooming with all the vibrant life Adam adored. The air was fragrant with the scent of roses, bluebells, sunflowers, and daisies. Each plant was a testament to his love for beauty and growth, their colors bright and warm beneath the soft light of Heaven.

Adam’s gaze lingered on the flowers, but for the first time, his thoughts drifted to something else.

What did the flowers in Hell look like? Did they bloom like these, or were they twisted, dark reflections of the beauty he cherished here?

He turned his eyes to the Heavenborn tiger that lazed in the grass nearby, its golden and white fur shimmering in the glow of their garden. Without a word, Adam slipped away from Eve’s side and moved to the tiger, lowering himself into its soft, warm fur. The creature purred gently as Adam nestled into its embrace, finding a quiet comfort there. His fingers sank into the thick fur as his thoughts drifted once more.

What were Hell’s Hellborns like? Did they glow like this tiger, or were they something else entirely?

Eve, standing with her hands on her hips, watched him with growing frustration. Her voice sharpened as she asked, “Adam, are you seriously considering this? Entertaining Lucifer and Lilith? Going to Hell for a whole year?”

But Adam didn’t respond. His fingers traced the edge of the booklet Lucifer had given him, its weight heavy in his hands. He stared at it, the delicate pages filled with hope and promises of something different, something unknown. Something that tugged at him, even as he lay surrounded by the familiar comfort of his garden.

Eve’s voice grew softer, but it didn’t reach him. He was already lost in thought, torn between the world he knew and the one that waited below.

~#~

Meanwhile, in the depths of Hell, Lucifer and Lilith let out synchronized sighs of relief as they left the meeting. The tension that had gripped them throughout the entire exchange with Heaven finally began to ease.

"That... could have gone better," Lucifer muttered, running a hand through his tousled hair. His usual confident demeanor was tinged with frustration.

Lilith hummed softly in agreement, her arms crossed as she glanced back toward where the meeting had been held. "It would've been better if we could have spoken to Adam alone," she said, her voice carrying the weight of her disappointment.

Lucifer nodded, the corners of his mouth pulling into a tight line. "True, but you know Heaven would never allow that. Not after everything."

They both sighed again, this time in sadness, the unspoken ache shared between them. It had been so long, too long, since they’d seen Adam. And despite the tensions that lingered, it had been good—heartachingly good—to see him again.

"I missed him so much," Lilith admitted quietly, her voice almost breaking. "It was... comforting to see him, to know he’s healthy."

"Yeah... he's doing well. But..." Lucifer gave a small, weak smile but then it faltered as he met her gaze, knowing they both felt the same unspoken concern. "I don’t like how close he is to Eve."

Lilith's lips pressed into a thin line; her displeasure evident. "Neither do I. There's something about her... it feels wrong. I don’t like how she talks, how she looks at him."

Her gaze softened with a hint of sorrow. "But at least Adam still seems... himself. Still sweet, like he was in Eden."

Lucifer’s smile returned, though faintly. "We should be thankful that Eve’s bitterness hasn’t completely rubbed off on him. He hasn’t changed as much as I feared."

He looked off into the distance, a softness in his eyes. "He’s still so innocent, in a way."

Lilith nodded, her own small smile returning. The idea that Adam had held on to pieces of his old self, despite everything, filled her with a fragile sense of relief. "He really is. It’s... it’s nice to see that."

A pause stretched between them, heavy with unspoken regrets, before Lilith finally broke the silence, her voice trembling slightly. "I regret how we left things in Eden."

“I regret it too," he admitted, his tone heavy. Lucifer’s eyes darkened, the familiar weight of guilt pressing down on his shoulders. "But... I wasn’t expecting him to run from us when we came back for him. That hurt more than I can even say."

Lilith’s gaze dropped, pained. "I can never forget the look he gave me," she whispered, her hands curling into fists at her sides. "The fear in his eyes. I hate that he was so scared of me... of us."

Her voice cracked. "He ran away from me, Lucifer. And he cried. I made him cry."

Lucifer stepped closer, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know. I hated it too."

His voice was thick with emotion, his usual confident facade breaking. "I never wanted to make him cry. Never. It broke me seeing him like that... but we didn’t have a choice. We had to make sure it was safe for him before we could take him with us."

"I know," she murmured. Lilith nodded slowly, though the pain in her eyes didn’t ease. "If we’d taken him with us back then... he could’ve gotten sick, maybe even died. I just wish I could tell him that. I wish he knew that he was always meant to be with us."

Lucifer’s grip on her shoulder tightened in reassurance. "We’ll be able to tell him someday. He’ll understand. He has to."

Lilith looked up at him, her eyes searching his face. "Do you really think Heaven will let him come to Hell for a year? Do you think they’ll let him be with us?"

"I don’t know," he admitted, his voice low. Lucifer’s expression darkened slightly. "But Michael seemed to take our threat seriously when we mentioned interfering with the extermination."

Lilith frowned at the mention of the exterminations, her distaste clear. "I hate those. The idea of killing the Sinners again and again... it feels so wrong. How can they call it mercy?"

Lucifer nodded grimly. "It’s horrible. And it was clear Adam didn’t like it either."

"That’s the one thing that gives me hope," Lilith said softly, her eyes distant. "Adam still has that empathy. That tenderness. Maybe... maybe that means we have a chance."

Lilith’s brow furrowed as she turned to Lucifer, a hint of worry lingering in her eyes. “Do you really think this plan will work?” she asked quietly, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Lucifer’s expression softened, his smile returning, though it carried the weight of years of effort.

“It has to, Lilith,” he murmured. “We’ve been working on this for so long. Too long to fail now.”

Lilith nodded, though her frustration bubbled to the surface. “You’re right. It’s been so long,” she said, her voice rising with simmering anger.

“Do you know how many centuries we’ve spent just trying to get Heaven to let us see Adam? Just to be in the same room as him? And they still treat us like we’re—like we’re nothing to him.”

Her words came out sharper than she intended, and she clenched her fists, her body tense with the weight of their shared struggle. But before the anger could take root any deeper, Lucifer gently took her hand, squeezing it in quiet reassurance.

“Lilith,” he said softly, his golden eyes steady as they met hers. “It’ll work out. Adam will be ours again.”

For a moment, Lilith’s anger faded, replaced by a soft smile. She let out a long, tired sigh, her shoulders easing as she rested against Lucifer’s.

“If Adam comes to save the Hellborn, that is,” she whispered, her tone quieter, tinged with hope.

A grin slowly spread across Lucifer’s face, his confidence returning. “Of course he will,” he said, almost playfully. “He’s soft. Tender. That’s who he is.” His smile grew warmer as he leaned closer, his voice dipping into a familiar, soothing cadence. “We have to be gentle with him. Tender. Patient. We can’t rush things with Adam—not if we want him to stay.”

Lilith chuckled softly, her eyes gleaming with amusement. “I know, I know.”

“We can’t frighten him. The last thing we want is for him to pull away again.” Her voice softened as she thought of how much had already been lost, of Adam’s fear, his tears. They couldn’t let that happen again.

Lucifer nodded; his expression firm yet gentle. “Exactly. We’ll be patient. Adam will come to Hell, and he’ll give the Hellborn a purpose. And in doing so…”

He smiled, the weight of their plan settling into place. “He’ll save our future child.”

Lilith’s eyes gleamed at the mention of it, the future they had dreamed of for so long.

“Once Adam’s pregnant with our baby,” she said softly, the word ours filling the air like a promise, “He won’t be able to leave Hell, no matter what.”

Lucifer’s gaze softened, but there was a flicker of something possessive in his smile. “One year will never be enough, Lilith. You and I both know that. Once Adam’s with us, there won’t be any going back.”

Lilith’s smile deepened, her heart lightened by the thought.

“No,” she agreed. “There won’t be.”

They loved Adam so much. It was a shame Adam misunderstood their intentions in Eden. But they weren't about to make the same mistake twice.

[fr-familiar-bracket]

[deathmetalunicorn1]

teen reader who comes from our world with our version of Greek/other version mythology which is different from the ror world. Like reader being deathly terrified of Aphrodite(cue confused and slightly upset Aphrodite) since she appears to give harsh treatment to other beautiful women in some versions. Reader being confused Shiva didn’t destroy Zeus since apparently he’s stronger than him, etc. (hope I didn’t get any info wrong, sorry if I did)

-It had been an accident, you had been caught between two feuding gods, and due to it, you were sent to an alternate universe, one that didn’t seem so… so violent.

-There was still violence in this new world, but there seemed to be less of it.

-You found yourself in the alternate dimension’s Valhalla, which looked like a paradise, and after you arrived, literally with a bang, flash banging everyone, they were all stunned to see you there, looking confused as to where you were.

-The humans and gods, many whom you recognized but they weren’t the same as the ones you knew- something you were easily able to tell.

-Zeus was patient, listening to your words, about this other world, not overly afraid of him. He stroked his beard, a little confused, “Y/N- why aren’t you afraid of me?”

-You tilted your head to the side, confused, “You seem pretty nice, but you’re not one of the gods I had a lot of interactions with, Shiva killed you because he was stronger than you.”

-Shiva and Zeus looked at each other in shock and Shiva sent him a small grin before Zeus quickly responded, “Don’t even think about it.” Which caused some laughter to flitter through the room.

-You told them other things, looking around at the different warriors and gods around you- they were so unlike the ones you were used to, but they seemed curious about you, wanting to know more about their alternate dimension counterparts.

-Aphrodite approached you and many were stunned, Aphrodite included, when you reeled back in fear, looking downright terrified of her as you stammered, trying not to look directly at her.

-Aphrodite then spoke, “Y/N- why are you so scared of me?” you hesitated in answering, as your Aphrodite was a cruel woman, who wouldn’t hesitate to torture others whom she felt was a threat to her own beauty, men and women alike, and she was known to cut down those who she felt were unworthy when they looked at her.

-You told her the truth, hoping she would be forgiving if you told her the truth, you weren’t expecting to see so many, Loki, Buddha, several of the humans, and Zeus, to start roaring with laughter while Aphrodite pouted, looking annoyed that she was such a vengeful goddess- she used to be, but not so much anymore, and nothing to the degree you were describing her as.

-Loki slid up beside you, looking mischievous, “What about me?” you looked at him, “You’re the one who caused Ragnarok in my world- after you killed Baldr with mistletoe, then you brought Fenrir and the world serpent with the funny name to attack the gods. Fenrir ate Odin and Thor fought the serpent before dying from being poisoned. You then died after fighting Heimdall when you tried to escape.”

-Jaws were dropped and eyes were wide as Loki looked a bit sheepish, being glared at by Odin and Thor, “Hey now- I would never do that- but I do have to admit I am impressed!”

-Thor was quick to take a swing at him, making Loki hide behind you while Hercules was stunned, “Your world sure sounds scary Y/N- it’s almost intimidating to hear about the gods of your world.”

-You nodded softly, “I did my best to survive, especially when I went to Valhalla myself, I had to learn to keep my head down just to keep it attached to my neck.”

-They looked almost perturbed, hearing this, you were just a kid, in their eyes as everyone was a kid to them, before you spoke up, “Would I be able to stay here? You all seem nicer than those in my world.” Your request was a little surprising but Hades, who wanted to know more about this dark world you called home, ruffled your hair, “Of course you can Y/N.”

-You almost deflated, relaxing for the first time in who knows how long as you beamed, thanking them all. You were so happy to finally be safe!

[captain-lotl]

The serpent deity was still- very new to this! They had some clothes, a fresh pair of legs... everything was so- different.

They wandered around, not particularly looking for anything, just taking it all in.

-@pirmerr [Darkheart]

-> A young demon could be seen walking around on the sands of what seemed to be a partly sunken kingdom... He was dressed down, ruffled shirt with drawstrings across the chest, some grayish-green pants, almost a mossy color and one heavy boot and a silver bejeweled peg leg. -> Those horns... They looked similar to a certain king's horns.

[eileenslibrary]

Man Of The Hour

A/N: Just needed some fluff today so I wrote this, hope you enjoy 

Tiny Dragon! Zhongli x GN! Reader

Warnings: Only mentions of work stress and crying, Zhongli is a lil shit, fluff, me listening to Norah Jones too much.

Song: Man Of The Hour, by Norah Jones

GIF is not mine

“It’s him or me”

The two men stand in the doorway looking at you incredulously as the tiny dragon sits in your lap you look up at him “Neither I am happy now” you hum petting behind his ears as the dragon purrs like a cat.

That’s what he said

But I can’t choose between a vegan and a pothead

The two men scoff and leave your house the door slamming behind them the dragon curling his small tail around your wrist and letting out a big yawn.

So I choose you because you’re sweet

And you give me lots of lovin’ and you eat meat

“No more complicated meals for us huh?” you pick him up from under the shoulders and flop onto your back looking up at him, his little tongue stuck out of the side of his mouth you chuckle and pull him under your chin.

And that’s how you became 

My only man of the hour

The tiny dragon wiggles in your arms as the sunlight peaks into the curtains before dancing over your head “It’s not breakfast yet” you grumble grabbing the tiny cat serpent and tucking him into your arms.

You never lie

And you don’t cheat

He stands on his hindquarters as he watches you cut up the salmon you chuckle at the cuteness throwing him a piece for him to catch and eat.

And you don't have any baggage tied to your forefeet

You boop his little nose when you return home immediately falling onto the bed to say hi to your little dragon your work attire ruffled from a long day. “So quiet in here?” you hum picking him up and placing him on his pillow his tail swatting in excitement, watching as you switch into his favorite hoodie immediately slipping into the big pocket his head coming out one side, his cute butt out the other.

Do I deserve, to be the one, who will feed you breakfast, lunch,

And dinner and take you to the park at dawn

He peaks out of the top of your shirt as you meet with your friends downtown his forked tongue peaking out taking in the new smells, you feel his tail wag as he smells all the delicious food. You chuckle as you approach Wanmin restaurant sitting with your friends as they coo at the tiny dragon poking his head from your shirt, you all order and feed some of your noodles to the little one until he slips into a food coma.

Will you really be

My only man of the hour

You feel the tiny dragon climb up your pants with his tiny claws as you wait for your coffee to be done as you read the paper, he finds your lap and curls still sleepy, you stroke one of his horns making him purr in content as he naps on your lap.

I know you'll never bring me flowers

Flowers they will only die

You once again find a shiny rock on your bed waiting for you on your bedside table, They weren’t flowers but it was just as meaningful, you stash it in one of the drawers with the other knick nacks he brought you. 

And though you'll never take a shower together 

You put him in the bath with you as you rinse the grime off his scales making him pout as the mud falls from him “No rolling in mud Rex! It tracks mud into the house” you scold washing under his belly.

I know you'll never make me cry

You sink in front of the door sobs wracking your body from the hard day at work, Rex’s little head pops up from one of your boots yawning as he climbs out of it and walks over to you rubbing against your leg and getting your attention, you look up and peak at him before scooping him up into your arms sobbing into the soft scruff of his neck. 

You never argue

You swing him around at the soft jazz making you smile as he gives you an odd look, none of your significant others did this with you always breaking into an argument due to your “childish” nature. You kiss his snoot pulling him into your arms once again and cuddling him next to your heart.

You don't even talk

Even though he can’t talk he does make a bunch of ruckus as he ruffles in your sock drawer making you chase after him when he grabs one of your socks his tale wagging frantically as you try to corner him and grab the sock but he dashes between your feet. “Oh come here you little shit!” you huff chasing after him as he climbs up the towel holder, you finally grab him and gently yank the soaking sock from his mouth making sure not to hurt him.

And I like the way you let me lead you

When we go outside and walk

You bought a chicken harness so you could take him out on walks as you stroll down the harbor the gold collar that has REX in bold red lettering. He leads you down the harbor and sits on the dock you sit next to him and swing your legs over the edge your socks and shoes to the side as you dip your toes watching the fish swim by.

Will you really be

My only man of the hour?

He was glad you dumped those pea brains and lived this nice life with your cute dragon, maybe someday you’ll catch him in his human form and he’ll tell you his true feelings for you, maybe he’ll finally swing you around the living room, bring you flowers, and finally share a shower with you.

My only man of the hour.

My only man of the hour.

[yunsbunnie]

SCARLET LETTER

↳ three : i’d taste even sweeter

synopsis ⮕ in which park sunghoon has to stay in his childhood crush's apartment, one who just so happened to have the same nails as his favourite camgirl- the ones that he requested. at first, sunghoon had no problem keeping his recent epiphany to himself but as fast as the secrets came spilling out, opportunities came rolling in. and so they made a deal. yn, also known as scarlett, would teach sunghoon everything she knew about how to pleasure a woman, but in return? she’d get to stream it all.

warnings : profanity, smut, masterbation (f+m)

wc : 1.9k

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sunghoon began shifting in spot as the timer ticked down to the last second, his excitement growing with each passing tick.

and it all stopped.

you were sat painted in your sin, your body glowing against your fluorescent pink lights. you looked almost a little bit too angelic with the you presented yourself, a twisted sense of innocence looming above your all but innocent self.

“i missed you all so much.” the sweetness of your voice was what pulled them in, which was something you knew all too well. you knew exactly what they needed- and exactly how to give it to them.

“i wish you could be here instead, touching me…” they needed to feel wanted and the only place they could truly indulge in their unrealistic fantasies was here- with their hands in their pants as they pleasured themselves to the idea of you.

sunghoon knew that feeling all too well, it might’ve been the only reason why he kept coming back to you- well to her. scarlett gave him everything he’s ever wanted from the real you, he felt needed, desired. 

with each dollar he spent on scarlett the more he got pulled into the thought of what she’d be spending it on. the idea of her spending his money on the pretty little ruffles adoring her pretty thighs- that’s what really did it for him, he was hopeful. maybe there was even a chance that you’d bought today’s pretty lingerie with his donations? he was enamoured. 

and that’s why sunghoon watched with bated breath as your hand slowly slid up your body, his eyes watching the way your bra’s ruffles moved with your long nails- you were quite a sight to see. his body has never agreed more with his mind than at this moment, his every cell burning with life as they were left scampering all across his lower regions.

the pretty set wrapped around your cleavage was so evidently a new one. the unstretched fabric practically melted against your unmarked skin, a serpent of lust. it was tight around your chest- your cleavage almost spilling over the seams.

his pants grew tighter at the realization, there was just something so… seductive about the way your body adored all these pretty new sets.

he was unable to look away when you used your hands to push your chest together, the straps of your bra falling down your shoulders as you leaned closer to the camera. 

the camera started at the base of your chin and cut off right under your belly button, a frame your viewers have grown all too fond of. 

sunghoon’s hands moved to push his pants down his thighs, his back pressing further into his chair as he changed positions. but instead of pulling off his boxers, he left them on. he didn’t want to touch himself yet, not without your permission. 

“i didn’t want to tease very much tonight but after a bit of consideration,  i decided to leave it up to you.” another one of your tricks- allowing your audience to believe that they have complete control over your body. 

a quiet ding came from your monitor signifying a donation coming through. 

suk613 donated $50 : “don’t tease us, show us your pretty panties”

sunghoon’s jaw clenched at the familiar username, his hands following along as they wrapped tighter around his chair’s arms. until today sunghoon has been the only one out of his friend group to donate to you- and by hyunsuk doing that, it almost felt like he was taking away the one thing sunghoon had over them.

it was already bad enough that his friends started watching you, you were his first. “hm… only $50?” at your displeased tone a smirk grew on sunghoon’s lips, he would’ve never donated an amount that low. he knew better than anyone that pretty girls like his yn, like scarlett, deserved the worlds riches. he’d empty his pockets until all he had left was dime if it meant that scarlett could live the way she deserved. 

an identical ding sounded once again, your hands halting against your swelled chest as you read the donation out loud. 

callmehoon donated $300 : “tsk, our girl deserves more than a lousy $50.”

but sunghoon wasn’t done yet, his fingers already loudly typing against his keyboard before you even finished reading off his message.

callmehoon donated $700 : “but that doesn’t mean that i don’t agree. lay back and spread those pretty legs for us, hm?”

sunghoon watched with a newfound confidence once you complied with his request without an audible response. it was now when he finally decided to  push down his boxers, his cock slapping against his stomach the moment it was free from it’s confinement. 

he bent forward to turn his volume up higher, your voice echoing across his room without shame. he didn’t care enough to try to hide the sounds coming from his part of the hallway because he knew that hyunsuk too was watching the same live. 

you were now spread out across the top of your bed, everything except for your face out for everyone to see. the camera highlighting your half nude body in a perfect contour between your earlier innocence and your hypnotic curves. 

by the lack of sounds coming from sunghoon’s monitors, he was certain that just like himself, everyone was frozen in time. your livestreams brought a mix between pain and pleasure. pleasure because of their hands offering a familiar tightness around their leaking cocks. and pain because everyone, even the lousy men who were far too self righteous to donate, wanted nothing more than to cum with you. and your streams were nothing if not for your teasing touches. 

a loud mewl left your lips when your fingers ghosted over your clothed clit, your legs spread wide open for the viewers to watch your every movement.

you pressed your index and middle finger against the growing damp spot on your panties, spreading them apart as if there was no barrier between your fingers and bare cunt. it was torturous for the viewers and monitors alike- and if there was one thing that they all shared in common it was definitely their hatred against your pretty panties. your garments had already had their two seconds of fame, but now everyone wanted nothing more than to watch the way your slick attached to the fabric as you slid it down your thick thighs.

“i’ve been waiting for this a-all day…” your pretty gasps of pleasure caused a tingling wave of desire down sunghoon’s body. his cock was now twitching non stop at your infamous teasing touching and he’d almost given in to the temptations until your voice rang out once again. 

“you aren’t touching yourself, are you?” sunghoon’s hands were white with self restraint as his head nodded along to your words. if he closed his eyes in the perfect way he could almost imagine you were talking to him and him alone.

“touch yourself the exact same way i am but imagine that your pleasure is mine. make yourself experience the way you’re making me feel.” sunghoon’s chest deflated in relief at your order and in the state that he was in, he knew that he’d do anything you told him to. it was for that reason that one of his arms were now wrapped around the back of his headrest whilst the other went down to work on his cock.

he copied your movements with acute expertise, his thumb circling his leaking tip at the same time that your middle finger rubbed along your engorged clit. a quiet sound left his pursed lips as he watched the way your panties grew damper with each swirl, his mouth practically watering as he imagined his fingers replacing yours.

httpschan donated $800 : “take off your panties, let us see how wet you are for me.”

httpschan, sunghoon’s self proclaimed “biggest enemy”, there was no one he hated more.

in sunghoon’s humble opinion, the streamer was nothing more than an egocentric excuse of a man. he was always in the way and it pissed sunghoon off. 

but as much as he hated him, he appreciated him so much more because in a way he would make sunghoon look oh so much better. sure httpschan has been your top donator for the last few weeks but that was only because sunghoon was out of town. but now that he’s back, he was here to double it. 

sunghoon saw the way your lips pulled up into your signature smile, the white shade glistening brighter against your coloured lips. the rest of your face was covered by a laced mask, ribbons adoring each end of the intricate design. 

your lips were perfect. they weren’t huge but they definitely weren’t thin, and if there was one thing that sunghoon agreed with the rest of the comments on- was that you truly did have the perfect cock sucking lips. 

he’d spent too much time pretending that the globs of spit landing against his aching cock came from your mouth. he’d imagine that his rough, calloused, fingers were actually your tongue. it wasn't hard to pretend, as he’s been doing it his entire life. 

sunghoon could tell that you were growing irritated with the inability that your tight panties brought, which is why your panties were off within seconds with your clumsy hands haphazardly tossing them across your bed. sunghoons eyes glistened along with your now exposed cunt. his mouth watered at the possibilities that pushed themselves into his mind, he could only imagine the way you’d taste against his lips. 

even though he’d never actually seen a pussy in real life, he’d heard enough stories that he could create his own scenarios, versions of his life where he’d suffocate himself between your thighs. whether that be scarlett’s or the real you, he didn’t care. 

now that your entire bottom was bare of restant you could now move as freely as possible. “look how wet you’re making me.” your plump lips pulled down into a faux frown as you played into the part. sunghoon’s hands moved faster against his cock as he watched the way you pulled two fingers up towards your face, your fingers soaked until it reached your knuckles. 

your tongue rolled out from your mouth as you raised your hands closer towards your chin, holding it in place while you moved your head forward. your tongue licked from your knuckles to the fingertip, your mouth wrapping around the entirety as soon you reached the top. 

You moved your head whilst keeping your arm as still as possible. small strings of spit leaked from the sides of your lips as you took your fingers down your throat, your head turning to the side as you pulled your head back up. 

sunghoon’s hand followed your rhythm, down whilst twisting to the left, up while tightening around the center, and repeat. a loud smack echoed across both of your rooms once you pulled your fingers from your lips, his heavy breathing matching your panting. “i tasted so good, i wish you could taste it too. i bet i’d taste even sweeter on your tongue.” and once again, your pout was back. 

callmehoon donated $1300 : “do me a favour, hm? reach over to your discarded panties and put them between your pretty lips.”

sunghoon caught tyr teasing smirk you shot towards the camera before you leaned over to pick up your discarded panties, your back purposely arching in a way that showed off your lower back tattoo. 

once you had sat back up, with the same smirk kissing your lips, you purred out your response, “maybe dreams really could be more.”

 sunghoon watched with his jaw dropped as you laid back down, only this time you had your soiled panties pushed between your lips. 

note : hai, sorry for disappearing… ive been working on smt for my other enha writing acc (🤫)

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