#said - our child is very brave…

[greenwitchfromthewoods]

sea ​​shore. l General Marcus Acacius

Summary:  your father wanted you to accompany the General, but you didn't want to do it.

Warnings:  +18, smut, fingering, unprotected sex (remember - safety first), breeding kink, mention of blood, a little bit of angst (but not really)

A/N: it was one thought and then i sat down and wrote thist. there are definitely mistakes, sorry. but i hope you like it. your feedback is very important to me and I want to thank you for all the reblogs, comments and likes. I secretly hope you like this story.🖤

"Gods! How much longer do I have to listen to this? Why do you have to be such a disobedient daughter?" your father's loud voice echoed through the garden, and the birds, startled by this, flew off from a nearby tree with a screech. "You're just like your mother! Like your mother!"

"You always said that I got my best traits from her." you replied, not hiding your agitation at all.

"And the worst too! You're stubborn and insufferable." your father took a sip of wine from his goblet and nervously stood up from the armchair placed in the shade of a large tree. "I don't know why the Gods make fun of me like that! They punished me with a daughter like you."

"Or maybe they blessed you." you added.

The man snorted something under his breath and shook his head in disbelief.

For several days, your house had been shaken by more and more arguments. Even the servants had already gotten used to them and they didn't react to your raised voices, only sneaking under the walls or, like now, between the flower bushes and trees.

It all started when last week your father, one of the most distinguished generals of the Roman Empire, announced to you after returning from the Emperor's palace that you would go to the province to your estate by the sea.

You were surprised. It wasn't the time of year when you went to that place. And then he proudly declared:

"General Marcus Acacius will honor us with his presence there. Unfortunately, I can't accompany him, but you know this place very well. You will be a pleasant company for him."

You resisted almost immediately. General Acacius was the Emperor's favorite. A brilliant commander, brave and untamed. However, you had no intention of spending time in his company. You knew this type of people, soldiers, very well.

They were brutal and aggressive. They always took what they thought was theirs and didn't show any brilliance.

Of course, your father was different. That's why your mother married him. Unfortunately, fate gave them only one child, a daughter. So you grew up among gardens and shields, and you weren't afraid to say what you thought. Your mother died when you were still little, and your father never married again. So you were the only one left.

And now you were looking at him furious like some goddess of anger and storm, and he had no idea how to deal with you.

"General Acacius is a great man. His presence will be an honor for us." Your father tried to speak calmly, although you rolled your eyes.

"Our family has enough honors, father." you replied. "Years ago, you were in his place. You conquered new territories and wealth for the glory of the Empire."

"But I'm old now. Let the old man enjoy the fact that his home will accept such a wonderful man. Please, go there with him tomorrow. Show him what wonderful lands we have. Please your old father's heart."

"You're perfidious, father." you sighed. "You play the old man card, when you're full of strength. You were training in sword fighting just yesterday!"

You wanted to add something else, but hurried footsteps on the gravel path distracted you. One of the servants appeared and bowed low.

"Sir." she said quietly. "You have a guest. General Acacius has appeared at your request."

"Bring him to the garden, please." your father replied, completely ignoring your indignant look, and added to you. "The matter is settled and beyond discussion. Pack your bags. You're leaving tomorrow."

"I can't believe you invited him here!" you hissed.

Your father just shrugged and poured himself another glass of wine. You knew you couldn't resist any longer and had to fulfill his request. You understood his arguments and you knew that, as the heir to his lineage, you had to make sure that your family didn't lose what your father had fought so hard for.

"Oh, Marcus! It's wonderful to see you." Your father beamed, looking over your shoulder.

"Greetings, Lucius." A low voice rang out behind you, and a stocky man appeared immediately after, shaking your father's hand.

He was tall, with broad shoulders and tanned skin. His dark hair had streaks of gray on his temples, but he was still very handsome. The armor he wore contrasted with your father's white toga.

"Marcus, this is my daughter, Y/N." The General's brown eyes landed on you, he looked at you searchingly. "She'll show you our estate. I'm sure you'll be pleased. You'll spend these few days in almost royal conditions."

"My lady." Marcus nodded, but you didn't even flinch. 

You reminded him of the sculptures of goddesses he'd seen in temples. Beautiful and inaccessible, shrouded in a wonderful fog of mystery.

"Of course, she can talk. She's just a little..."

"I'm dissatisfied." You replied, looking bravely at the General.

"Why is that?" the man asked, folding his arms across his chest, clearly interested.

"I think you'd be more comfortable with my father's company, General." You continued, not looking away from him, even though his eyes were boring right through you. "I'm just a weak woman, I don't think I'd be interesting company for someone with your reputation."

"But certainly very beautiful." Acacius replied.

"Y/N, please go to your chambers and pack." Your father quickly intervened, because he saw that you had opened your mouth again.

You nodded and walked away from your guest. Marcus watched you go until you disappeared into the cool walls of your home.

"A charming creature." He stated, smiling at the older man.

"Yes, indeed." Lucius handed him a glass of wine and raised his own slightly before bringing it to his lips. "Lovely, like her mother. Unfortunately, the Gods only gifted us with her. Sometimes I think it was easier to tame the barbarians on the outskirts of the Empire than to engage in battle with a woman like her."

"Rome needs women like her too." Marcus swallowed a sip of sweet wine.

"And she needs a husband!" your father laughed and sat back down in his chair. "Someone to teach her how to be humble. Maybe when she gives birth to her own children, she'll understand that I always wanted the best for her."

"We don't know what fate has in store for us, Lucius."

The man nodded and looked longingly at the entrance his daughter had disappeared through.

A pleasant, cool wind from the sea swept over your face. The sound of waves crashing against the shore and the cries of white seagulls flying above them filled your ears. You loved this place.

Even as a child, you could spend hours looking for shells and small crabs on the shore. You ran away from the waves that tickled your feet, ran up the sand dunes and picked wild flowers growing nearby.

This house was a safe place for you and now, as you stood on the balcony looking at the setting sun, you felt peace and gratitude.

You heard a rustle and after a moment someone's lips brushed your exposed shoulder, and strong arms wrapped around your waist.

"Why did you leave the bed?"

"I like this view at this time." You replied, feeling kisses slowly creeping up to your neck, you tilted your head slightly, giving him better access to this sensitive spot. "Don't you think it's beautiful?"

"I have a much more beautiful one before my eyes." he mumbled quietly.

You smiled, reaching out behind you and sliding your fingers into his soft hair. As his soft lips roamed your shoulder, one of his hands squeezed your breast tenderly. A quiet sigh escaped your chest.

"Marcus..." you sighed, "You're insatiable..."

"I'll never get enough of you, love." he whispered, "I could die between your thighs or feeling your lips on mine."

"You better not do that." you giggled, turning in his arms and looking into those beautiful eyes, "How am I going to explain to my father that General Acacius died with his dick buried inside me."

"You're right." he nodded, "That could be a tough one. But such a death would be glorious."

His warm lips captured yours. You loved their taste from the first moment. 

When you first met Marcus many months ago, you couldn't take your eyes off him. And he experienced the same, he admitted it to you during one of your secret meetings. You were sure that fate had placed you opposite each other, you couldn't fight it.

His lips quickly tasted yours. Your bodies found their way to each other and soon you were repeating his name in amorous ecstasy. However, you hid it from prying eyes. Marcus was still on the Emperor's orders, and you were afraid of your father's reaction if you tied your fate to the soldier.

"Now everything will change, my love." he whispered, pressing his forehead to yours. "Soon I will be only yours, and you only mine."

"I have belonged to you for a long time, Marcus." you replied. "Since the first time I saw you, I knew..."

"Tell me."

You knew how much he loved it when you confessed your love to him or told him about what awaited you when times became calmer and more gracious for both of you. These stories gave him strength, and your voice soothed his racing thoughts.

He adored you every day. And every night he would raise prayers to the Gods, thanking them for the grace they had bestowed upon him. He didn't think a man like him deserved someone so wonderful and pure.

And yet you were. He held you in his arms, felt your heartbeat, kissed your lips. You were more material than what he believed in.

"I knew you were mine," you said quietly, the pads of your fingers brushing his lips. "You looked at me like you had been searching for me your whole life. And I felt like I had suddenly come alive. I had never felt like this before."

"I thought you were just a dream..." Marcus whispered, his lips brushing your fingers. "I was afraid that if I blinked, you would disappear. If that happened, my heart would never know peace. I didn't think I deserved someone as heavenly as you..."

Your hands rested on his cheeks, and you looked straight into those eyes you loved.

"Marcus, you are the bravest man I know. I couldn't give my heart better than in your hands."

"My hands are stained with blood, my love."

"So let me wash them with my love and devotion to you."

You kissed him, feeling the remnants of sweet wine on his lips. You clung to his bare chest, letting the sheet you were wrapped in slide to the floor. Marcus' hands rubbed your back as he kissed you back.

He slowly moved you and you felt a cold pillar behind you. You leaned against it. Marcus' hand slid between your thighs, touching your slippery folds. The remnants of what he had left there recently were trying to leave.

You moaned quietly, feeling his fingers slide into you.

"You're so beautiful... So divine." he murmured in your ear, glancing as his fingers disappeared inside you. "I filled you to the brim, and I know you'd take even more. I'd like you to walk around Rome with my cum flowing lazily down your thighs... It would remind you of all those moments together. And I'd know that you carry something of mine inside you."

"I've walked like this before..." you replied, smiling seductively. "I felt your seed between my legs when I was talking to my father's guests, and once even at a party in the Emperor's palace."

Marcus growled deeply at the mere memory of how he had possessed you, quickly and hard, during that party, when you both had disappeared for a moment in the dark corridors, unnoticed. His fingers were delving deeper into you, teasing that sensitive spot that was giving you incredible pleasure.

"Yesterday, when I saw you in the garden with your father, I wanted to kiss you." he confessed, kissing the corner of your mouth. "I wanted to fall at your feet, confess my love to you, and beg him to let me marry you. Gods! You were so adorable with those pouty lips and that angry expression."

"I think I would strangle you if you did!" your hand slid down his soft stomach, through his pubic hair, straight to his hard cock. "My father is not ready to part with me yet. I know he says otherwise, but believe me, he is not ready." you stroked his hard manhood a few times and Marcus groaned "But now everything will change. When we come back, a new life will be waiting for us."

"I can't even imagine it, love. Are you sure - ohhhh.... Are you sure he'll agree?"

"Of course he will." His fingers slipped out of you and Marcus stood between your legs, lifting you up slightly and you wrapped your legs around his waist as he slowly lowered you onto his cock "He respects you so much... Ohhh, yes!... He'll be happy when a general like you tames his daughter."

You were so juicy that his cock slid into you without the slightest problem all the way to the base. You breathed deeply, letting your walls get used to the stretch. Even though Marcus had been inside you so many times, each time you felt the same pleasant feeling of being completely filled by him.

"I want you to be my wife, not my servant." he said softly "I will only enslave you in the bedroom when you let me. When you let me be raw and rough, I will fuck that wonderful pussy until tears come to your eyes and your throat hurts from screaming my name."

He thrust his hips and you moaned, wrapping your arms around his neck tighter. He moved hard, his fingers digging into your soft hips where there were already marks from your last closeness. He felt your cunt squeeze him, still hungry for his seed.

Your back ached from being pressed against the column, but you didn't complain. Each thrust was harder and brought you closer to your peak.

"Tell me you'll let me put a baby in your womb." His voice was interrupted by every breath, but you felt that those words went straight to your core. "Tell me I'll see your swollen belly, your milky breasts... You'll be the goddess of life."

"I'll let you fill me to the brim every night... OHHHH! I want to carry your seed inside me, like fertile soil. Our sons and daughters will grow for the glory of your lineage." you moaned, digging your nails into his strong shoulders. "I'll be surprised if we don't come back from here with one of our children nested in my womb. Gods!" 

The mere thought that you could already be with his child made Marcus start thrusting into you harder and more determinedly. 

You felt that you wouldn't last long. His strength and passion were so great that soon you felt your body tense up, and the velvet walls tightly wrapped around his cock. Waves of pleasure flooded your entire body, but Marcus didn't stop. A few more thrusts made his seed flood your pussy once again. Driven by natural instinct, with a loud groan, he pushed them in further and further, as if he wanted to be sure that your prophecies would come true.

You put your forehead to his, you felt his sweaty skin under your fingers, his hot breath warmed your breasts.

You still had him inside you as the cooler evening wind caressed your skin. The cries of seagulls tore you out of your reverie for a moment. He slowly lowered you and your legs buckled slightly under you as your feet touched the cold floor.

"Kiss me, my love." he whispered, and you gladly fulfilled his request.

You kissed the man you loved with tenderness and devotion, you wanted him to feel everything that was in your heart that you couldn't express. And you knew that Marcus felt it.

"You were definitely right about one thing." he stated after a moment, looking at you with love “There are truly beautiful views in this place."

☆☆☆

Thank you for your time.

[multific]

A Thousand Years

Astarion x Reader

Summary: Astarion tells a story of love.

"Tell me about your wife." said the man sitting in front of Astarion, the room was quiet around them, only the crackling of the fire could be heard.

Upon hearing the word, wife, Astarion's features softened. 

"It might be a long one."

"I want to hear it." insisted the man as he leaned back in his chair, waiting for Astarion to start.

Astarion smiled, his eyes filled with love as he began.

"My wife... My beloved Y/N. She saved me you know, in more ways than one. She not only helped me kill the man who caused me so much pain and suffering, but she saved me from myself.

My beloved was a strong woman, brave and incredibly beautiful. She was a kind soul and yet, she could kill a thousand men without taking a break.

She loved songs and loved to dance. Although that might be because I was the one dancing with her. She often said she didn't wish to dance with anyone else but me.

She enjoyed sweets. But only the ones I have given her.

And even if I told her not, she kept on eating them.

It has been so long yet, I will never forget her laugh. She became my world. You know, it wasn't even intentional, I fell in love by accident. I was only meant to seduce her so she would help me kill Cazador. And yet I found myself in love.

But make no mistake, I never regretted the feelings I have. Not once. Falling in love with her was so easy.

I am quite privileged to be able to tell that she was my wife.

My... scars on my back, she cried when she first saw them. She hugged me and told me how sorry she was for I had to endure such pain. She kissed me and cried at the same time. I was so confused by it, I didn't know what to do.

But then, not long after, I asked her to marry me." Astarion looked at the gold band on his finger.

"I never believed in marriage, I thought it was silly for people to bind themselves to one another, and the symbol of it all... a simple ring. I laughed at the idea until I met the person I never wanted to let go of again. Suddenly I wanted nothing more but to have her bonded to me and for me to be bonded to her. I looked and searched for the perfect rings. Matching ones, but hers had a simple stone in the middle. A stone which was made of our blood. The perfect diamond, mixed with my and her blood. And then, we were married. Not like the words of others mattered to me, I would have been happy just to have her in my life, but to have her as my wife... it meant everything. 

I will not bore you of the events directly after the wedding, leave it up for your imagination I suppose, but I can assure you, she was the first woman who could have me at her feet with a simple look.

And she always looked at me with so much love and care. She was always so gentle and lovely.

When people say love burns like fire, they lie, my love for her burns like lava, much like the core of the Earth. I was ready to destroy everything and everyone who would dare get between us. If I had to, I would have burnt down villages for her, for she was mine.

And not long after, she gave me the greatest gift. 

A gift so precious.

I will never forget the look on her face when she told me, pure happiness.

She was with child.

Something I never even thought would be possible for me and yet there she was, getting more and more round with my child, with my son. Our son.

She was the sun for me. I have lived a long life in darkness and pain, and she made it all go away with a simple simple. I had a life of happiness thanks to her." Astarion leaned back in his chair once more when the noises from the kitchen stopped.

"STOP TELLING PEOPLE I'M DEAD!"

"I have never used the word 'dead', My Love." Astarion turned to look at you as you exited the kitchen.

"But you made it sound like I am." you pouted as Astarion looked at the ring on your finger, he smiled as you placed the food on the table. "Don't listen to him, Love, he is but an old romantic." you said as you sat down.

"I am very much aware, Mother. I just like to listen to him talk about you." admitted your son as he smiled at the two of you. Now a grown man, yet all you could see was him as a little boy running around the house, hair silver like his father's but eyes the same as yours.

"That's because I love your mother very much."

"I love you too." you replied as you all finally began to eat.

You two loved each other for a thousand years, and you will continue to love for another thousand to come.

Your son could only hope to find such love.

Taglist: @fleursirvart@greenarrowhead @thisismysecrethappyplace@sincerelyfan@theoneanna@aestheticsandmarvel@rororo06@castellandiangelo@destynelseclipsa@spilledinkindumpster@capsiclesdoll@puknow@alwayshave-faith@alex12948@lxdyred@imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl@anonymoussherlockandmarvelgeek@praline357 @trshngyn@avengers-r-us @violet-19999 @top1bbgloak @manduse@jacalineiscomingforyou @mandoloriancookie@noname2246

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~Masterlist~

ˇAO3ˇ

DO NOT STEAL, REPOST OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORKS  

[metranart]

Hawks chuckled, mirthless. “I’m too tired to jump you, my legs are too tired to chase you, my arms are too tired to restrain you, I’m too tired—… of constantly think about you...” your heart throbs at hearing this.

ft. Hawks centered, Hawks x reader, Slight! Bakugo x reader, Slight! Dabi x reader.

Hawks x UA Student! Reader (Part 9)

- Warning tag: obsessed! Hawks, possessive! Hawks, naive! student reader, violation of trust, dubious consent, mating cycles, rut response, obsessive behavior, uncontrollable thirst for reader, manipulation, forced, thigh riding, hormonal minds out of control, sexual content, first time, cock riding, teenage fuck, Dabi's toxically interested in you, Bakugo bestie yet secretly inlove wit you, love confessions, cock-drunk, Hawks trying to be good but failing miserably, gaslighting, HEAVY plot, lots of smut. -

Your jaw dropped as you stuttered. 

“...N-Nest?” 

Hawks bumped his fist at his sides, like a very uncomfortable child who was being forced to hear the `sex talk’ for the first time.  

“Yes, the nest I built for YOU.” Hawks explained, seemingly completely unconcerned with the prospect of you still being fully naked and at display, never mentioning it once. His eyes stealing glimpses from time to time. “It´s your—OUR nest.... as recently bond-...as mates.” He explained, face burning. “Please, baby bird.... p-please?”

Hawks knew there was really nothing you could do to stop him from carrying you over his shoulder like a caveman and claim you over the nest. But he wanted to atone for his misdeeds. So, he asked very sweetly, as if chirping melodically to please your ear with his voice, like a bird courting a female which he desired to impress. He was even willing to show you his best moves, but he had two left feet. Not his best bird trait.

You started to breath heavily, not believing your ears, stuttering out some incoherent words. “Wait-… what? I don´t... I mean, this is so....... WHY?” you ended up asking and he shrugged. 

“You are not going to like the answer.” 

You sighed frustrated, slowly growing angrier. “—The Rut’ bullshit.”

Hawks pursed his lips before nodding lightly. 

“And if I refuse?” You mused, hugging your chest to realize you were still naked. Your face acquired an adorable rosy color according to Hawks, even so, you felt like screaming at him for not mention it earlier. Damn that man! 

Doing your best so that your hands covered your private parts -Hawks didn't see the point, he had already memorized you in detail- you opened a drawer to fish out the first shirt you found and putting it on, it helped you feel less exposed, brave enough to ask what you really feared. 

“...Will you force me?”

Hawks seemed torn apart for a solid minute before he suddenly said. 

“Don't you like the nest that I built for you?” 

Keigo sounded disappointed, almost hurt. “If you want, I can redo it... tell me how you would like it to be....” it looked like he was holding back a fit of angst, you had never seen him like this, this feeble and confused. You only knew each other for hours and most of them, he was rutting into your conquered cunt with frenzied exhilaration, even so, he didn’t seem like himself. “I can put more fabrics around, put my feathers in a different position-…. Whatever you want, just ask.” He lifted a pillow from the ruffled of red feathers to fluff it with his hands and for the first time your eyes focused on the nest.  

It was a flurry of crimson feathers in the shape of a cradle which looked extremely soft and fluffy, like a cloud in the October sky. The clothes of both were piled up in different places, the skirt of your uniform, your shirt, his jacket, your underwear, everything... arranged in different strategic places to permeate the nest with both your scents.

Hawks stood stoically by the nest, which was situated directly above your mattress, patiently waiting for you to point out the flaws in his architectural vision. 

At your lack of words, he felt the need to fill the void. "Maybe you don't like it because I haven't explained how I vision us inside—you and I are going here" he pointed to the central part of the nest where there were more fluffy feathers "and once inside, I'm going to cover ourselves with this cloth I found-" Oh hell! That was the duvet on your parents' bed. 

“There won't be any holes but don't worry, you can breathe and sleep inside without a problem." Hawks looked so proud of his masterpiece, so expectant of the pat on the back, that your heart ended up aching for him. 

You wanted to yell at him, get mad and storm out. But you weren´t like that, you were easy going and had a nursing nature, you liked to take care of others... which is why you were in this mess in the first place, your nature was to give in to the whims of your loved ones most of the time, please them and see them happy. Neglecting your own needs. You never believed that this quality which you saw as an advantage would end up harming you. You were not a push over, not at all. You just liked to take care. Like the Hero, you wanted to be. 

Hawks looked really, REALLY hopeful and you searched for the words that would do the least damage.

“It's not that I don't like it—” You started, his whole attention turned to you, “It's just that I don't feel comfortable being THIS close…. to you.”

Hawks was stronger than you, faster- at least a foot taller, HE was the perfect mate. Designed that way to protect you. He wasn´t the problem-…. No! he was the problem—This was his rut-response speaking and ragging against your rejection to the nest, to him being close to you, to him touching you, to him trying to banish you from his mind, his instinct recognized you as his new everything but Hawks kept resisting... and he knew it, as he knew shouldn’t let it win, even so, here he was allowing himself this little slip. It was just nesting, nothing macabre or sexy had to happen, you just had to lay down beside him-...maybe let him wrap one arm around you, nothing to be this feisty about. 

He wanted to allow himself this slip, so he pretended that didn’t understand your arguments—he DID. Hawks aimed to bend your bleeding heart at his convenience. You were vulnerable and only a villain would take advantage of that, even so, he’d done far worse before. He had lied, deceit and murder for his country. This was nothing, just a whim. He was truly a piece of shit, and in his mind accepting that, endorsed him with the right to keep going. Just this one time.

“If you feel more comfortable,” he said, tapping his lips while thinking, “you go in first and once you're sound asleep, I'll go in.” He advised.

Honestly, if you continued cornering him and he decided to attack you again, the sleeping arranges would be the least of your problems here, and you knew it.

You didn’t want to rile him up- make him mad or provoke him, unleashing another round of helpless humping. He wasn’t giving much of a choice either, he wanted this. The bird wanted to nest with his mate, so you could only wait. Watching him. Waiting for Keigo to snap again at your lack of cooperation, you couldn’t, as nursing as you were, your body refused to move. 

“Just half an hour, baby bird, that’ll do—….” He took a step closer, hands inside his pants pockets, shirtless, head cocking down almost shyly. He was trying to make himself look less threatening, “I promise not to touch you…. beyond a hug,” he took another measured step. He was so tall that only two strides were enough for him to reach you, standing in front of you, waited for your eyes to lift from the ground. 

"I know you don’t want to hear it, but I'm-” Hawks wanted to apologize again but it seemed like a meaningless sentiment now. Even more when he was orchestrating everything. God! He hated himself, he hated to be doing this to an underage girl and he hated how euphoric his heart pounded at the thought of you being unable to truly deny him anything. 

“Just-… It’ll be okay, I promise. Trust me.” Your gaze snapped up at his comment, he was asking you to trust him, you didn’t remember how. Hawks, the ever-attentive bird, did not miss how your expression change.

“—how dare you ask me to trust you?” Your voice was feeble and weak. You felt emotionally exhausted. He could feel it, your smell was screaming to him that you needed to rest. 

Hawks chuckled, mirthless. “I’m too tired to jump you, my legs are too tired to chase you, my arms are too tired to restrain you, I’m too tired—… of constantly think about you” he chews the inside of his cheek, “… so, yeah?” He did look tired, you were as well and he immediately detected the change in the air, you were thinking about it, it smelled like resignation. A grin ghosted his lips, at the thought that he might have chosen the right words to reassured you. 

You squirmed uncomfortably when his hands abandoned the prison of his pant pockets, slowly reaching for you, unfaltering fingers searching for intimacy ignoring your utter disdain for this entire situation. 

“Yeah.” You heard yourself agree, even so, you slapped his hand away, hard. Sending him mix signals.

“… Yeah?” he repeated with a hint of eager confusion.   

“I'm not stupid, Hawks,” you pointed out, “I know I don’t have a say in this even when you like to pretend I do.” You were so smart, his heartbeat fluttered at having found such a worthy mate, “—you were my favorite hero, can you believe it?”  

He nodded in understanding, this time with a heavy sigh.

“It´s my carefree and jovial attitude... drives the ladies, crazy.” He joked, the smile never reaching his eyes. The posters on the wall kind of hint it to him, even so, hear it from you felt equally flattering and devastating. 

He offered his hand for you to take it. “Last thing, (y/n), I swear.” 

Eventually, you took his hand, slowly letting him guide you inside the nest. It felt strangely soft and fluffy. Hawks observing you the whole time, every movement he swallowed with attentive eyes. From you testing the softness of his feathers among your fingers, how you played with them, sending delicious and very welcome tingles to his owner. His feathers were like nerve terminals for him, he could feel everything, every move, every pinch, every caress, every sensation went straight to him. You didn’t have to know. It was useless information for you. 

Once you looked less uncomfortable, hopped inside, sitting cross-legged right next to you, discretely reading your mood swings. At first you were tense, then curious, then close to amazed and now tense again, and you were about to get more anxious at hearing him spell the next words. 

“You need to take the shirt off, baby bird.” He murmured, holding his hands up in feign surrender, like trying to diminish the outburst he knew was coming.

“Why?! This is the only thing covering me...” You urged, your voice cracking before the air exuded irritation. 

“I know... but we will need less time inside the nest if we are naked.” He tried to explain in all sweetness and slow motions. Taking off his pants, he threw them out of the nest and waited for you to follow his lead. Please follow his lead. 

“Naked? Again!? No.” You ranted. 

The air was filling with stress, Hawks scrunched his nose, his instinctual need to keep you safe and comfortable was about to unleash hell upon you. 

He growled deep in his chest. Pissed out. Was it too much to ask for you to calm down? He wasn’t going to touch you, nor fuck you, nor lick your pussy, nor hold you against the nest and breed you, humping into you recklessly like a rabbit in heat more than a bird of prey. No! he wasn’t going to do that, even when he wanted to! Even when he had been annoyingly half-hard for the last fifteen minutes, he was controlling himself. Why couldn’t you give him the same courtesy? Cut him a fucking break?! Fuck! 

His mind was more and more agitated, you were in danger, just obey him, dammit! Just submit… 

JUST TAKE THAT FUCKING SHIRT OFF.  

The shirt landed on his palm out of the sudden, it was so spontaneous that it cut short his fit of anger. His nostrils stopped from flare, his eyes regained the golden color, his muscles relaxed, and he felt air filling his lungs again. What had happened? Hawks looked confused, you on the other hand looked close to tears. 

Bunched up against one edge of the nest, Hawks crouched over you menacingly, towering over your trembling figure. When did he close the distance? He didn’t remember. Immediately sitting on his heels once noticed the aggressive posture his body had acquired. He needed to fix this. 

“Baby bird-… I didn’t mean…” Hawks could assume what happened but still needed to verify, “baby girl,” he called gently, “darling, please, come here.” You were sobbing, hugging your knees and he felt his heart clench. 

He just had a black out. 

“Did I yell at you?” he asked concerned, kneeling at arm’s reach without touching you. You nodded weakly. Apparently, he had lost control and the words he thought were only on his mind were also coming out of his mouth. 

“I didn’t mean to,” he insisted, and finding you clamped down, felt the urge to spoil you back to calmness.  

“Here,” he offered, “this-… pretty bird, this you can wear.” 

A long minute passed before you spied from under your hands to find a soft garment being pressed against you. It was his hero jacket, your big puffy eyes looked at him from the rim of your arms and he smiled, understandingly.

Understanding that he was a selfish bastard, he had been denied so much for so long that now he was unable to control himself, the greed in him was relentless, he was a bystander of his unknown possessive nature.

“I’m sorry, (y/n), about EVERYTHING.” He murmured, genuinely moved “Nothing of this is your fault, I’m the one at fault, just ME. I can’t change what I did, but I swear on my life that—” 

You rushed to him. You hugged him. You reach to him, and he melt around you. He didn’t care, he hugged you back, tight and shamefully predatorily.

He knew you were only looking for comfort, any kind of release, you were exhausted, you didn’t want him per se, but he ignored that truth and just pressed you against his chest, laying you on the nest locked his arms around you, your hair sprawled on his shoulder. You snoozed off at the sound of his heartbeat. You were his, for the time being at least, he´ll take it. 

Knock! Knock!

Who dared to disturb your peaceful nap? Go away!

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“W-What's...what’s that noise” you stirred in your sleep, words smothered against Hawk’s warm pecs.

“—Housecleaning?” Hawks mumbled still sleep.

“You are not-... in a hotel, y-you spoiled...spoiled bird.” You yawned, reaccommodating inside his arms. You were so close together that your bodies could fuse. 

“I´m not spoiled-...baby...awwww.... bird” he yawed, long and lazy, “I'm just too busy with... Hero stuff.”

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Ranking up on the charts... must-must be exhausting-” you teased back, too comfortable inside his heat, almost wanting to forget how much he hurt you.

Hawks grinned like a fool at how much joy this little witty exchange brought him-...if only you could stay like this forever, half-sleep and willing, and his. He hugged you tightly rejoicing in the laziness of the cute momentum. He still felt tired, so tired. 

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

“Dinner is ready. One-chan~…... mom sent me to get you, one-chan?” Your younger brother singsong from the other side of the door.

His childish voice seeped into your exhausted brain and your eyes opened. 

"Toji...?" you drawled, lazily, what was Toji doing in the UA dormitories? You wondered wiping traces of saliva from your mouth with the back of your hand. 

“One-chan...?”

“Toji~...OMG! Toji!” you finally went out of the drossiness.

“T-thank-thank you, Toji...ehmmm, give me a sec...” you yelled back, your voice sounding groggy.

“Open up, I want to show you my drawing.” The little boy insisted.

Shaking Hawks to wake him up was like an impossible feat. The young hero had gone back to sleep with you trapped in between his arms, it would be futile to try to open the lock in which he held you, the most euphoric hug. 

"Hawks," you whispered, close to his ear. “Hawks!” you tried a little louder. 

"You tickle me, baby~" he beamed lazily, still half-slept.

"Hawks!" You shook his frame more vigorously, but he still saw it as playful teasing from his playful mate. "I like when you tickle me.... so niceeeeeeee.... do it again, baby-...baby bird."

“Dammit! You lazy bird! Wake up!” There was no way to move his body, he was anchored to the nest.

“Can I come in, one-chan?” You saw the doorknob turn slightly and terror seized you when you noticed that the lock was not on. "Just a minute, peanut, don't open the door...."

“What's taking you so looooong~” The small child complained. 

Why Keigo was so strong, this was ridiculous! You scratched at his arms.

“It will be only a minute—” you pleaded to your little brother.

“Then I'm making the countdown....1.....2.....3” the boy playfully started. 

“HAWKS! HAWKS....please wake up......” The Hero merely rolled his body to the other side taking you with him to then snuggled you harder, “Five more minute, darling-… I can barely keep my eyes open...AWWWW-” he yawned loudly.

“4....5.... 6....7....8....” 

“Fucking you that well is a victory on its own buuuuut-…. AWWWW.... was not easy task, it took a toll on me,” he gloated, silly grin curling his lips haughtily, eyes still closed. “It´s the curse of the Alpha bird.” 

You rolled your eyes at his manly show of ego. You needed to think and fast.

“9....10....11....12...13....14....15....16....17....18....19....20!”

Time was running out because you knew that Toji only knew how to count to forty. You'd already tried everything except this, "Please don't attack me." You implored and reaching his exposed neck you laid your lips softly. 

"Someone-e... someone got up naughty~" Hawks teased, smirking and letting out a goofy giggle, but that sound turned fast into a deaf scream that you had to muffle under your palm when instead you bit him hard on the neck.

Hawks would have bolted from the nest if he hadn't had you on top of him, your teeth digging into the tender skin of his neck until you heard him frantically mumble under your palm. "...Are you finally awake?" you asked clearly annoyed, jaw opening.

"Jeez, baby bird!" Hawks growled, the skin around his neck turning red among your saliva, "I like it rough but not this early."

Hawks was still confused, it wasn’t early in the morning, it was almost night, and you weren’t one of his easy conquests. 

“21.... what was that noise, one-chan?”

Hawks felt stunned when hearing a child's voice on the other side of the door. He turned to see you worried and you immediately nodded. "It´s my little brother."

"-You said there was no one else in the house." He reminded you.

"It wasn´t, surely he came later -...with my dad." OMG! Probably your dad was home as well.

"One-chan?" Touji insisted.

"Uh-...I hit my finger against the bottom of my bed, peanut." You lied and heard him laugh mirthfully on the other end, "You always sound like a man when you yell." You deadpanned at his too clever comment for a five-year-old. 

The little boy had no filter yet, everything that came out of his mouth was either extremely humiliating or extremely cute, there was no middle ground. Hawks was trying not to burst out laughing but he was having a hard time.

“Really?” you chastised the Pro Hero.

“I already like Toji—” Hawks chuckled lowly, making sure to muffle the sound against his bicep. 

“—Too bad because you are NOT meeting him.” At last, you were free and without acknowledge the change of mood in the winged man due to your comment, you set out to collect your clothes, which you balled up in your arms to then offer his to Hawks and speak. 

"Get dressed quickly and get out of here." You spatted coldly. Ignoring the hero's furtive glances, Keigo wanted to make eye contact with you, while both got dressed, he looked for your eyes, but you never turned his way.

“22....23....24" Toji kept going.

“Why is he counting?” Hawks mused, keeping his voice low while tied the laces on his boots, expecting for you to at least turn around to answer him, but not such luck. “He's counting the seconds for you to leave.” You said sharp and unapproachable.

Regardless, Hawks grinned, he really loved this witty side of you, maybe a little less biting and cruel.... Nah! He loved it. Even so, he ought to try yet again. “Have you seen my visor?”

“How would I know. I did not undress you—” your back was still to him, so you missed how he snorted a laugh.

“Baby bird~” 

“You have the money to buy other, get out NOW!” 

You opened the window with a harsh tug and the fresh air entered ruffling the few feathers that were still attaching to his back. Without looking at him, you took a step back and waited for him to leave. 

“25....26....27....28....29"

“I understand how upset you must be, but I can't leave if you don't even look at me.”

Crossing your arms in front of your chest, you fumed, finally turning around. "You understand how upset I must be? Seriously, Keigo?" Your voice was low, like an angry whisper.

You saw his feathers ruffle excitedly and it angered you more. “You sick fuck—”

“30....31....32"

“I can't control it, okey?... don´t call me a sick fuck,” All his feathers dangerously flared acquiring a sharper look, each one now attached to his back and making him float a little off the ground, “it's like when you run a finger over the sole of your foot... tickles are automatic, that's how it is-…" he hesitated a little but ended up saying, “—to hear my name from your voice.”

“How romantic! I'm melting away for you, KEIGO.” You scoffed. “Is that one of your pickup lines? Pfff! What am I saying? Of course, it is! Bachelor number one of the country.”

“33....34"

“I don't know if you're angry or jealous, anymore....” Hawks snarled, getting frustrated by your changing attitude. “I'm trying to have a civil conversation with you...MY mate.” He pointed out and you gasped audibly at his nonsense, you were definitely not jealous more like superbly resented, “at least give me a fucking chance to—”

 “35....36”

“To what? To rape me again!?” this time you closed the distance rushing towards him, your index finger poking at his chest viciously as you glare at him, defiantly. Hawks just stared down at you, unreadable look on his face. “—Why do you ALWAYS refuse to leave, Hawks? Is the only thing I ask! Fly away from here and don't EVER come back.”

 “37...38….39”

“I cannot.... I cannot-…. baby bird” His hands found the way up and without asking for permission nestled your warm face between those cold fingers, his golden eyes were mesmerizing up close, like molten gold shinning in the dim light. You couldn't move, his grip was fierce and stubborn, why did his eyes keep tracing the shape of your lips? Why was his face suddenly SO close? His lips kept babbling something. 

“Ask me for anything, (Y/N), I will be the genius of the lamp for you, infinite wishes, all you can dream of.... everything money can buy, it's YOURS! Just don´t ask me to leav—”

“40!!!!” 

The doorknob turned completely, Hawks brushed your lips uncaringly as the door slammed open, and chaos entered. 

COMING SOON PART 10....

⭕️ In my PATREON you will find NSFW art of this story and more spicy MHA NSFW art and exclusive smut fanfiction. ;)

@wtvbabes @dreamlessnight @naomi1247e @alicecil87 @geniejunn

[mxtxfanatic]

The Most Un-Lan-Like Lan (Junior) vs. The Most Un-Lan-Like Lan (Married-In Senior)

Lan Jingyi is such an interesting character. He is very opinionated and often speaks his mind without considering how his words will come across. He is cowardly about the supernatural despite being a cultivator but brave against those in positions of power despite being a child, always willing to stand up for what he thinks is right. Lan Jingyi starts off the story with a low opinion of "Mo Xuanyu," usually acting rude, hostile, or dismissive:

When he turned his head, he saw the Lan juniors tailing him. “Children!” he shouted. Lan Jingyi said, “Who are you calling children? Don’t you know which clan we’re from? Just because you’ve washed your face, you get to act like our senior?”

—Chapt. 9: Pride IV, fanyiyi

Wei Wuxian went to the youngsters. “Am I seeing things right? Each of you is a disciple of a prominent clan. Haven’t your moms, dads, and uncles taught you that the dead can’t receive the paper money you’re burning? They’re dead, what do they need money for? They won’t be able to collect it. Plus, you’re burning the money right at someone’s door—“ Lan Jingyi waved his hand dismissively. “Move aside, move aside, you’re blocking the wind. The fire will burn out at this rate. Anyway, it’s not like you’ve ever died—how do you know whether the dead can collect the money?" ... Lan Jingyi knifed him in the heart again. “Even if you’ve been dead before and didn’t get any, it has to be because no one burned any for you.”

—Chapt. 42: Flora X, fanyiyi

It doesn't help that Wei Wuxian, playing into his "gay lunatic" persona, is intentionally trying to put everyone off:

Lan Jingyi said, “Why are you crying? You’re the one who said you like Hanguang Jun! Now he even brought you home. So what are you howling for?” Wei Wuxian’s eyebrows were wrinkled, his lips frowned, and his face was the perfect picture of misery.

—Chapt. 11: Elegance I, fanyiyi

Wei Wuxian took out the apple from the breakfast they had given him and offered it to the donkey. As expected, as soon as the animal bit in, it stopped braying, and began smacking its lips and crunching the fruit with its teeth instead. Wei Wuxian touched the back of its neck and thought about the jade passage tokens the juniors carried while pointing at the round, white rabbits covering the ground. “I’m really not allowed to cook them? So if I cooked them, I’d be chased off the mountain?” As though facing a major enemy, Lan Jingyi opened his arms and stepped in front of him immediately. “These are Hanguang Jun’s rabbits. We just help watch them once in a while. Don’t you dare cook them!”

...

“I can’t get up,” he said sincerely. “Uh, what’s happened to you now?” Lan Sizhui said. “What’s happened to me? Your clan’s Hanguang Jun ravished me!” Lan Jingyi piped up louder and fiercer. “If you keep spouting nonsense, we’re not going to let it go. Come out!”

—Chapt. 19: Sunshine I, fanyiyi

Yet despite all this, once Wei Wuxian sheds his "Mo Xuanyu" cover and begins to seriously lean into his mentorship role, Lan Jingyi becomes one of his most vocal followers amongst the juniors, seeing the man as both a steady pillar to rely on—on par with his idol, Hanguang-jun—and someone whose safety he is concerned with, so much so that he can even cast aside his fear of the supernatural to volunteer himself as bait in Wei Wuxian's stead:

Wei WuXian said to them, “When the second group of fierce corpses rushes in, I will lure them towards the Pool of Blood, and HanGuang-Jun will be in charge of slaying them. With this target here,” He patted himself, “They won’t bother you. Don’t be tempted by battle, just run.” For once, Lan SiZhui’s raised his voice, “No! We can’t do that. There’s no way!” Sect Leader OuYang had given up trying to hold his son still. OuYang ZiZhen, “Senior-Wei, we will slay the corpses too! I can slay a hundred more!” Meanwhile, Lan JingYi had already started to undress, “I’ll draw a flag on myself too!”

—Chapt. 81: Core Part 3, boat-full-of-lotus-pods

OuYang ZiZhen, “HanGuang-Jun, why did Senior-Wei collapse?” Lan WangJi, “Tired.” Lan JingYi was astonished, “I thought that Senior-Wei would never tire!”

—Chapt. 84: Core Part 6, boat-full-of-lotus-pods

Soon, he began again, “Speaking of it, why didn’t I see SiZhui and the squad this time back?” In the past, these juniors would’ve crowded around them and begun chirping all the way from the entrance of the mountain. Hearing him mention SiZhui and the juniors, Lan WangJi’s brows relaxed somewhat, “I can take you to see them.” After he led Wei WuXian to find Lan SiZhui, Lan JingYi, and the others, the juniors didn’t do anything apart from calling out in delight.

—Chapt. 114: Banquet Extra, exr

With such a fierce and impressionable personality, it's no wonder he's one of the few juniors whose name Wei Wuxian can remember 😂

[candypalace]

Translation: the GazettE/Decade Book (Reita&Uruha Interview Snippet)

Hello friends, long time no see. A while ago I translated a part of the Decade Book interview section where Reita and Uruha talk about their indie days for my friends and promised I'd do the whole thing one day.

Posting this piece ahead of the full interview to appreciate the bond the guys had with each other, and, in a way, thank them for not giving up.

scan credit: @rad-is-more

REITA : … I don't really think about the roles within the band, but each of us has a natural role, and I think that's why we've been able to exist for more than 10 years. Um, well, I kinda don't want to talk about this embarrassing stuff…

URUHA: You're embarrassed?! I really don't think it's embarrassing?

REITA: No-no, it’s not like that! I don't think I'm ashamed of what I'm saying, it’s more like when I say it out loud, it makes me feel a little awkward.

URUHA: Aah, so that's what you meant (laughs).

REITA : I think for all five of us the GazettE is very important. Even though me and Uruha first started a band as “a continuation of child's play”, we thought: “I want to take things seriously”, but still those bands didn't last long and always broke up after a few months.

URUHA: I guess that's true. Before we became the GazettE, we played with a band called Kar+te=zyAnose, where Ruki was also the vocalist. The drummer did not even show up for our breakup show, and when we announced “We’re disbanding today”, we heard a faint laugh from the audience. It was a real shock, wasn’t it? It was also the moment when my groundless confidence that made me think “We’re absolutely badass!” collapsed with a loud crash.

REITA: Indeed. It was TOUGH at the time. I guess it is precisely because of that experience that I am so happy to be able to celebrate 10 years with the current members of the band. It is also precisely why I cherish the relationship between the five of us now.

URUHA: That's so true. Before the GazettE settled down, me, Reita and Ruki also played together in bands called Ma’die Kusse and L’ie:Chris before Kar+te=zyAnose. It took us a long time to reach the GazettE.

— You never gave up, did you?

REITA: No, I gave up once! I thought there was nothing next for me. But honestly, I'm glad I didn't quit! (laughs)

URUHA: It’s because me and Ruki desperately tried to stop you, m?

REITA: Really, thank god you did. But back then, I couldn't see the future at all. Even my parents said “Giving up someday is also brave”. There were many times when I wondered “Is now the time?”. When I saw all my friends around me getting jobs and having families and stable lives, I thought maybe this was also a way to happiness. Still, I decided for myself “I’ll try to do my best for one more year”, and it was during that year that the GazettE was formed. I really think it was fate.

URUHA: But it was difficult, right? We didn't have many shows, and we couldn't tell if we saw the future.

REITA: Yeah. If the GazettE had not continued with the current members, I really would have quit.

[sweetbonniebel]

Jaes's hen jēdar

God's of the sky

One

Daemon x reader, Rhaenyra x reader (platonic), Qoren Martell x reader

Synopsis: The history of House Targaryen changes with the birth of y/n Targaryen the child of Baelon the brave and Gael the winter child.

Note: I will be changing the timeline a bit, in the show Rhaenyra is born in 95 AC but I will be going with the book date which is 97 AC. I will be changing some aspects of the tv plot in favour of the books.

Masterlist Next->

93 AC Red Keep, King's Landing

„Mother, I do not understand why you are doing this! I do not need to re-marry I have two sons!” The spring Prince raised his voice at his mother, her disapproving expression tamed the anger bubbling in his chest. 

“My love, Alyssa died nine years ago. I grieve my child's passing more than anyone. I have lost nine children Baelon, nine. I am happy that the god's gave me all of you and many grandchildren. But we have to continue our line. With more blood of the dragon our dynasty is secure. Me and your father are the prime example of that. Our house thrives thanks to our sacrifices.” The ailing Queen Alysanne responded hands tucked in front of her abdomen.

"What sacrifices?!” Baelon raised his voice "You love father and father loves you. That is no sacrifice! That’s your duty and you have fulfilled it because of the love you hold for each other. You married father despite the wishes of grandmother and the hand. I should be given that right.”

Alysanne sighed deeply and sat on the comfortable chair in her solar.

“I know you still love Alyssa and the gods were cruel to take her away. But Gael is different, she is... you know how she is. Gael will be happy with whatever you give her. But what you need to do is produce heirs, to ensure the safety of our house.” 

„Mother I-" Baelon started but stopped, he sat on the queens bed. His large palms tangled in his silver hair. „I feel that if I marry Gael I am betraying Alyssa. Betraying her memory and what she means to me.”

The Queen looked with sadness in her eyes at her oldest surviving son. She sat next to the prince and took his hand in hers.

„Alyssa is resting with the seven. She looks from the heavens at you and your sons, I think she would understand. She was my smartest child after all.” Alysanne jested and Baelon let out a weak chuckle.

„I am build for the happiness or misery of our kingdom.” Baelon muttered after a long silence. The prince took a deep breath and nodded his head, he knows his mother is right. With Aemon’s death, he became the heir and to ensure his line survives he needs heirs. Despite his healthy children Viserys and Daemon, the gods were cruel.

“I will do as you wish mother.” Baelon whispered and kissed the wrinkled cheeks of his mother and departed from her solar. 

„I know you will my love. I hate to see you miserable but dark times are approaching and we must do everything in our power to prevent that.” The good Queen said. „I hope you find some happiness with Gael.”

„What does she think of this?” Baelon finally thought of how his sister of five and ten must feel about this.

“Why don’t you ask her yourself?”

Baelon the brave nodded and left his mothers solar to search for his youngest sister. The winter child Gael was unlike any of her siblings, her head was in the clouds. Because of Alysanne's dependance on Gael the princess was very sheltered and kept away from court. She liked to embroider and draw, but her works were... disturbing. Gael drew and embroidered macabre scenes of dragons killing different creatures.

Princess Gael was sitting beneath the weirwood tree, her hands moving skillfully on the embroidered dragon. Baelon looked at the winter child with a pitiful gaze.

„Gael?” The spring prince asked, the girl did not move. He noticed that her lips moved and yet no sound came out. „Gael?” He asked again, moving closer.

Baelon gently touched his sisters shoulder, her head jolted upwards abandoning the embroidery.

„Oh, brother.” She whispered quickly resumed her task not looking at her brother. They sat in serene silence, he thought of his sister Daella. They were similar in a way, both sheltered and shy.

„What are you embroidering?” He asked.

„It is father's dragon.” She answered simply, but the drawing didn't show only Vermithor, it breathed golden fire upon a green army. A pregnant silence fell between the two of them. Baelon sat next to his sister, their shoulders touching.

„Gael… I wanted to ask you.” Baelon started „Are you happy?”

Gael looked up at her brother a confused expression on her delicate features.

„I don’t know.” She muttered „Mother is sad, so that makes me sad. She said I will be happy with you.” Baelon winced at the mention of their union. „I wonder... Viserra wanted to marry you but father and mother objected." Gael muttered her voice thin.

"Viserra did not want to marry me for love, she wanted to be Queen."

Viserra was very alike to Saera her elder sister. Both beautiful and bold but vain and cunning.

„I did not wish to marry Viserra, father and mother agreed that what she did was wrong. I hope you know that.” Baelon responded thinking of Viserra with guilt. Perhaps if he had acted differently during that fateful night she met a different fate. A happy life in White Harbor instead of a broken neck.

„I do not wish to be Queen.” Gael whispered looking up at her brother.

„I know” Baelon answered.

...

Gael stood before a mirror as a maid fixed her violet wedding dress. She picked at the skins of her fingers in nervousness. 

“Child, stop that.” Queen Alysanne mused as she picked up on her daughters, nervous habit. “I know you are nervous but there is nothing to be nervous about. Your brother Baelon will treat you with utmost respect and you will be his queen someday. The greatest lady in the seven kingdoms.” The queen caressed her daughters pale cheek. Gael’s expression saddened, her hands trembling as she looked at her mother.

„Alyssa should be his Queen... Mother I-„ Gael began, she took a deep breath to calm her herself. „I dream of dragons.” She whispered, Queen Alysanne looked expectantly at her daughter expecting more.

„That’s natural daughter, you’re the blood of the dragon.”

„No mother you don’t understand!” Gael raised her voice, the Queen flinched. Her daughter has never raised her voice before. „These are no ordinary dragons, they’re beasts mother. They are not our dragons, none of them.”

„A nightmare my love.” Queen Alysanne whispered, caressing her daughters pale hands. „You are just nervous.”

Gael trapped the Queens’s hand in her own, with such strength Alysanne winced in pain. Scared eyes of the Queen searched for the calm orbs of her daughter only to find misty ones.

„Blood will flow.” Gael whispered letting go of her mother’s hands. Her eyes turned from misty to a bright violet, her breath steadied and she straightened herself.

The ceremony passed in a blur, the high Septon said the vows and the two Targaryen’s repeated. Baelon threw his cloth around Gael bringing the young girl into his protection. A chaste kiss followed and the crowd erupted in applause.

„It will be fine, Gael” Baelon whispered to his new sister-wife. „We’ll be okay.”

...

93 AC Dragonpit

Five months after the wedding of Gael and Baelon Targaryen the spring prince died of a burst belly in the tower of the hand. The princess pregnant with her first child wept bitterly at the pyre of her husband and brother. She caressed her swollen belly as she held her mother's hand. 

They stood among the rest of their house, the King standing at the feet of the pyre of his son, the bronze fury overlooked from the hills.

“Dracarys” The wise king commanded, his steed lit the corpse of the prince with dragon fire. The stench of the burning flesh of her husband was enough for the young princess to expel the contents of her stomach. 

...

“It’s been almost two morrows since her royal highness started the labour. She’s losing consciousness and blood, if the babe is not delivered soon it will die.” Maester Runciter informed the King and Queen of the delicate state of their daughter. Gael’s screams haunted the red keep, her voice sore from the hours of agonizing labour. 

“What do you suggest we do?” The Queen said worried, the maester hesitated before speaking. “Seven hells, speak!” 

“We would have to use the forceps to remove the babe from the canal, it may injure the infant but save it’s life” The maester muttered looking at his bloodied hands. 

„And Gael?” Alysanne whispered staring daggers at the maester.

„If we act quickly and remove the babe from her belly she might live but we are not certain. She has lost blood and her body is weak.”

“Jaehaerys…” The queen wept clutching her husband’s hand. The king was pale with fear, another child would be lost but a grandchild could be gained. He looked at his wife and then at the maester. 

“Do what you must..” The king ordered weakly.

Alysanne rushed to the chamber where her daughter was screaming in agony. The queen got on the bed caressing her daughters damp with sweat hair. 

“Mama?” Gael whispered weakly, her hands strongly clasped her mother’s dress. 

“Yes my sweet, it’s me.” Alysanne cried with a faint smile on her lips. She stroked her daughters cheek and kissed her forehead. Before she could raise her head Gael’s hand grabbed her hair. The winter child stared intently at her mother.

"The death of one gives an heir and god's beware she will bring despair. Red eyes with needle and thread change our death." Gael , absentmindedly whispered into the air, fear and anger boiling in her violet eyes.

Alysanne stared in shock at her daughter, it’s as if time stopped. She looked deeply into her daughters violet eyes. Her ears rang, the trance was interrupted when the cries of a babe reached her ears.

“A healthy girl, your grace.” The maester uttered holding the bloodied newborn. The midwife’s took the babe and swaddled it in fresh cloth. 

The Queens attention turned towards the crying babe, as her gaze left her daughter, weak hands slipped from the queen. The princesses breath shallowed, her eyes turning misty. Gael lost consciousness.

“Gael? Gael!” The Queen screamed, her lungs burned. Worry overtaking her body. She cried, her hands clasping her daughter. Blood and sweat staining the queen’s blue dress.

"Your Grace, the princess is weak but she might recover. Only time will tell now." The master said checking Gael.

Outside the chambers king Jaehaerys and his offspring gathered around him. Gael's scream of pain and Alysanne's cries haunted the Red keep.

“Your grace ‘tis a girl.” A maid walked out of the chamber, her eyes glossy with tears. “The maester wishes to know the name.”

The old king stared at the infant, wisps of silver hair, thin brows, full cheeks and piercing red eyes. He caressed the ample cheek of the baby and in turn she giggled. The king smiled at his granddaughter, her little fingers wrapping around the bony finger of Jaehaerys.

“y/n” The King muttered.

...

The winter child suffered from childbed fever, her daughter y/n was born small but healthy. To prevent the infant from catching the illness she was taken to separate chambers. Maester Elysar visited the princesses chambers twice a day to change the wet rags that cooled her body and provided small doses of milk of the poppy to alleviate the pain.

Princess y/n was visited often by her kin. Her two half-brothers Viserys eight and ten and Daemon four and ten watched their little sister curiously. Viserys's wife of two years Aemma stood faithfully at his side. Their cousin Rhaenys one and twenty with her husband lord Corlys Velaryon watched the squirming child.

"Her eyes are red." Rhaenys stated staring at the little princess. Daemon picked the infant from her cradle and held her securely in his arms.

"Quite fascinating isn't it?" Viserys mused, the rest nodded.

"Has there even been a Targaryen with red eyes?" Aemma questioned caressing the chubby cheeks of her sister in law.

"None that I'm aware of." Corlys the eldest answered "I have never seen red eyes, not even in Essos."

"Perhaps the blood of old Valyria is strong in her." Daemon said rocking the infant in his arms, the child smiled gleefully.

"I do not think it is a good omen." Aemma whispered caressing her pregnant belly.

"An omen of what?" Daemon said quick to anger.

"I do not mean any insult good brother, it is just peculiar." The Arryn answered cautiously glancing at Daemon.

The King and Queen entered the nursery putting an end to the conversation.

"Your Graces" Lord Corys said bowing his head as the monarchs approached their grandchild.

"How is little y/n?" Jaehaerys asked taking the little princess from Daemon's arms.

"A true dragon grandsire." The prince answered, following his sister's every little move.

"Are there no eggs to be put in her cradle?" Alysanne questioned glancing over her kin.

"Not that I'm aware of grandmother." Viserys answered truthfully.

"She has no need for an egg my love." Jaehaerys interrupted his sister wife, his deep purple eyes focused on the princess in his arms. "One I pass she will mount Vermithor and take him as her steed."

The room fell silent after the King's statement. With peace and quiet princess y/n fell asleep and the room began to empty, Daemon was the last to leave.

Hours later Gael entered her daughter's nursery. Drenched in sweat her linen tunic clung to her body, long silver strands were stuck to her pale face. She approached her daughter's cradle and placed a kiss on her head.

"I am so sorry..." She whispered as her eyes were glued to her child. y/n slept comfortably as the cool air of spring chilled the stuffy room. Gael glanced at her daughter for the last time.

The waters of blackwater bay were cool, they brought comfort to Gael as she stepped into the water.

It was said that Princess Gael passed away from childbed fever. But that is only half true, after the death of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne it was revealed that Gael suffering from fever she walked into Blackwater bay and drowned. Alysanne's youngest and most favored daughter, Gael, committed suicide in 95 AC. Gael's death broke Alysanne, for she had outlived all but two of her children. No longer able to bear living at King's Landing and the Red Keep, Alysanne returned to Dragonstone, where she had spent the happiest days of her life. Despite the sadness that overtook the court after princess Gael's passing the realm rejoiced over the fruit of her demise. -From the dragon bringer by the feather and quill of Grand Maester Roland.

[harfanfare]

Hey! I really love your "how to win the heart of." Can you do one for Vil? If not that's totally fine I'm just curious.

How to win the heart of Vil Schoenheit?

Be a fan.

You like to think that the oldest memory you can recall is how you became Vil’s fan.

Until then, the recitals your school took you on were boring. Only in fifth grade, the teachers realise that, hm, maybe ancient plays might be a bit too much for those little brains, and in a spark of determination to change something, your class was taken to watch a staged version of a fairy tale, played by youngsters for youngsters.

The memory of Vil, the villain of the story, entering the scene is much more vivid. Even as a child, he was inarguably elegant and strikingly beautiful, it left you agape and your curious heart beating loudly in your chest.

“It’s better than having a completely fictional crush,” your classmate said after you confessed how much endeared you were by Vil and his acting. You listened as you typed a password to a newly-created Magicam account, solely for following him there. “There is a chance that you and him will be together.”

“A big chance?”

“Uh, like this?” She tries to show how big your chance is with her fingers. She wants to leave a gap between her fingers, but ultimately, they touch, and she puts her hands down. “I mean, we are almost the same age, so maybe you can go to the same high school as him? In a very long future…”

“I am not delusional…”

Nonetheless, the thought did make you hope.

After you reached the age of sixteen, the invitation came. For a whole year — since you saw Vil’s post on his new college choice — you’ve been pondering whether you’ve possessed enough magic talent to get into Night Raven College, the school of chosen. In good dreams, the Magic Mirror deemed your soul to be solely fit for Pomefiore. In nightmares, you were doomed to… well, any other dorm, if you were a student at NRC at all.

And maybe dreams really come true because the future you’ve anticipating has turned into a reality.

“Alright, is everyone from Pomefiore here?” Your heart stops when you hear that wonderful voice, this time not from your phone nor from 100 meters away from the speakers. You turn around, and there he is, Vil Schoenheit in all his glory stands and guides the students to the hall of mirrors. He looks like a portrait, and even if you saw his face thousands of times, the glint in his eyes redeems you speechless. “Congratulations, everyone. We will hold the welcoming introductions at our dorm. Follow me!”

Yes, Vil Schoenheit is your idol. And in the first seconds of meeting him, you were ready to follow him to the end of the world.

‏‏‎ ‎‏‏‎ ‎

2. Get rejected. Have your heart broken.

“I apologize,” Vil says slowly, and you notice how his voice is a little monotonous. Just a bit, as if he had repeated these words countless times like the lines before a recital. “And while I wholeheartedly appreciate your feelings, [Name], I want to focus on my studies and career. It’s a bad time for me to think about dating. Nonetheless, thank you for being brave and sincere enough to tell me all of this.”

You nod. The pain in your chest gives you goosebumps. It makes your head spin so fast your legs feel unstable as if there is some shift in gravity. You bow with curtsy because every Pomefiore student should be able to do so elegantly even on a space station. “Thank you for listening to my confession.”

“Of course,” he says and looks down at the letter he got from you. It’s neat, somehow cute with how carefully his name is written on it. He holds it gently so as to not crinkle the delicate paper. “I will read the contents tonight.”

“Thank you. No need to write a response,” you force a little chuckle and excuse yourself. You will be overthinking how could you say something like that after you get over your stupid letter and even dumber confession.

Vil doesn’t say anything as you walk a little too fast to keep the step elegant. He sighs at this view and mindfully tucks your letter amid the pages of the book. Now’s the time for history class. He shouldn’t get distracted—

—and soon enough, you’re out of his mind.

That is until he reads your letter.

It's a beautifully crafted confession, put into elegant lettering and a pale pink envelope. It's sealed with red wax in the shape of a perfect heart; if you haven't used magic, it must've taken several evenings to get the precision you wanted.

You’re his fan. He knows it even if you hadn’t pointed it out; the well-tailored sentences betrayed your utter attention on him in the last several years. You’re his fan, but you don’t cheapen yourself. He is the idol you admire and love, but you don’t degrade yourself to a servant or a worshiper. And that is, unexpectedly, uncommon.

The letter is—also—a challenge to yourself. “If you were to reciprocate those feelings, I will prove myself worthy to stand by your side,” it reads.

He likes that letter. Once he finishes it, he skims over the text one last time and puts it between many other letters he has gotten. Between them, another envelope seems unremarkable, yet the words there…

Unforgotten.

He sighs. Maybe he will pay more attention to you from now on.

‏‏‎ ‎

3. Don’t remember all the etiquette rules.

“You wrote in your letter that I've inspired you to learn. Go on, then. Show me how motivated you are.”

So, now Vil bullies you over your letter.

He can’t be satisfied with your scarce etiquette knowledge—he wouldn’t be content if it was decent, as it would be a dishonour to Pomefiore—but amusement crinkles in his eyes at your utter confusion over the numerous forks, knives, spoons and glasses. They’ve been spread out in several rows and columns varying from the oyster forks to champagne flute.

You hesitate. Maybe you could point out which one is the butter knife or sugar spoon, but you never cared enough to discover which fickle knife is a fish knife. Should you be looking for the one with grooves or an extremely thin one? Would it hurt to use a normal knife to eat the salmon?

Oftentimes you’re thankful there is no awkward silence between you and Vil after your confession, but you can’t shake off the impression he’s been harder on you.

“On second thought, maybe I wasn't motivated enough to learn all the names of cutlery,” you say, not daring to try your luck in labelling each piece.

To your surprise, Vil smiles and uses a teasing tone that leaves you stunned and wide-eyed. “Is that so?”

You take a breath and huff, lowering your eyes. “Yes. The power of—,” unrequired, you bite your tongue on that bitter word, “—love ends here.”

Vil cracks another delighted smile. You start suspecting that someone drugged him with a smiling potion, as you should have received a severe scolding by now. You don’t have anything against the change, so the mention of Vil’s (relative) laid-backness goes unmentioned.

“I will have you seated next to me on tomorrow's dinner, so don't even think of slacking off,” he says, putting a hand on your lower back and gently pushing you towards the next table where the heavy textbooks look so very uninviting. “I won't have any student under my wing not know the basic etiquette. Especially if it’s my fan.”

‏‏‎ ‎

4. Have opinions and the courage to voice them.

Because standing for your own makes you flourish in your own colours and not blend into the monotony of the mainstream. Seek truth, good, and beauty and you will bestow the brilliance upon yourself.

‏‏‎

5. Try to have a healthy lifestyle.

You’ve never imagined Vil barging into your room with a tray of food. Why would he? But here you are, sitting in front of an aesthetically pleasing breakfast, mouth-watering pancakes with cream and a bit of honey, and the deep green shake in question that suits the colour palette but probably tastes awfully, like all good stuff packed with vitamins.

“You should never starve yourself if you want to live healthy.”

It’s hard to swallow anything as your dorm leader glares at you, but Vil refuses to leave you before he sees you eating the stuff he brought. You wondered if he prepared the breakfast himself. Probably not.

“No? I thought that keeping a diet is good.”

“If you are dieting you eat,” Vil hisses and sinks a little more into the couch. He brings a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose as if he suddenly got struck with a headache. “Oh, heavens. What am I going to do with you?”

“Maybe—”

“Quiet,” it apparently was a rhetorical question. Maybe Vil would be mad at any answer from you as he considers you a fool. He waits until you take another bite of the pancake. “A dinner break will be in two hours, and I expect you to be there.”

“I think I will still be full by that time,” you admit, glancing at a pancake and a half. “These pancakes are savoury but so very filling.”

“Savor them as much as you like,” Vil says somewhat proudly. …Maybe he did make those pancakes? No. He wouldn’t bother this much. The satisfied note in his voice makes you ponder nonetheless. “But you have no excuse for yourself not to sit with us on the meals. Also—”

His gaze grows unexpectedly impish as his eye catches something.

“I will reeducate you on the topic of a healthy lifestyle,” he glances at the bowl of bland lettuce you prepared for yourself. He smiles, either in amusement or light pity. “It should have a little more… spice.”

‏‏‎ ‎

6. Take an interest in high culture.

“It feels like the hellish lessons of Heartslabyul…”

“The Queens’ 810 rules?” Vil’s smile is lopsided and his eyes render into a knowing look once they meet your gaze. “They are nothing compared to a number of customs in etiquette.”

You take a turn. The classes for today might have ended, but if hearing all that useful stuff meant you would walk with Vil back to Pomefiore, you could bear another few minutes of a lecture. You know that everything he tells you about, he already mastered. He wouldn’t teach you anything half-heartily.

“The etiquette of speaking, the dress code, the knowledge of dinner manners (well, you’ve mastered some part of it already, with the cutlery lessons), the control of body language, the indication of voice, the honorifics, the art of writing letters and emails… You don’t want me to list all of the things I expect from you?”

You would like to, because Vil’s voice is beautiful, but the student part of you takes over control and shakes your head. Just like Riddle, who has a reputation for demanding impossible care and inquiring rules, your dorm leader is not much better — maybe even worse, because while Heartslabyul has to oblige the absurd in chosen hours or circumstances, you are on your toes in every moment.

“So much to master in just four years in the NRC…”

“It’s a lot,” Vil says, and he’s the only person you would doubt if he speaks the truth in that matter. Especially if through your walk his strides seemed perfectly calculated and hand gestures finely planned. “But if you put a mind and heart into it, you will learn all of this in no time.”

You hum. It’s hard to think of having any more motivation than from where you were a zealous Vil fan.

You ask (ponder) and he delivers.

“Actually, I have an offer: if you’ll learn it all in ahead of time, I will teach you a dating etiquette.”

…

What?

“…Dating etiquette?!” You shriek so loudly, that several students turn their heads. You cover your mouth as if it would do something, and ignoring Vil’s delighted gaze, and lower your voice to a whisper. “There is such a thing?”

“Of course. Who should invite who on the first date and where, what gifts can you give and what can you accept, and how to behave with your loved one, like,” he pauses a little, and you almost know he bites the sides of his cheeks to contain himself from smiling, “How to kiss someone in particular situations.”

You want to die. How else should you react? How can he tease you so much when he rejects you? (Not like you were expecting much at the time, yet…)

“There is no kissing etiquette. You tease me…”

“Just a little,” Vil laughs, and you slowly relax. “But take my proposal seriously. If I can give you another motivation to engage in your studies, then I will by all means do so.”

‏‏‎ ‎

7. Get an access to his private Magicam account.

“Do you have Magicam? If you want to, you can add me.”

Vil asks the question. He should have chastised you for mindlessly scrolling through social media because you can probably put your mind and hands to better use. The casual tone surprises you, but the inquiry gets you defensive as if it questioned you being Vil’s fan.

“I’ve already been following you for years,” you declare and pull up your phone.

Before you get to his profile, Vil sighs.

“Not the promotional account,” he says. “Mine.”

You frown. Many times you’ve seen Vil posting the photos on the “promotional account” with his personal thoughts. Maybe because you've been blinded by the elegance and harmony of every post, the idea that he would operate the Magicam profile solely for business purposes has never occurred to you.

“You have another account?” You ask, flabbergasted.

Vil rolls his eyes at the surprise in your tone and sits next to you. Your phone beeps as you get a notification about a new user following you. In a heartbeat, you follow the account back. You almost gape at the pictures there; they are beautiful, elegant, and all in Vil’s manner, but he looks like… a common student. Not ethereally, not otherworldly, but still enchantingly.

“It’s a private profile, so I ask you for discretion. I would like to keep this one for my close friends and family,” Vil says, and you hastily nod, your heartbeat sounding like a drumbeat in your ears. Having access to his personal account felt… personal, ironically.

I would like to keep this one for my close friends — he said that, didn’t he? Does he consider you a close friend?

That’s more than you ever imagined.

And yet you dare to dream for more.

You pull your phone close to your chest. “I feel honoured.”

Vil smiles at the statement. “Of course. As you should.”

‏‏‎ ‎

8. Let yourself be pampered.

“Don’t move,” Vil asks for impossible because you want to bolt as he leans to you once again and only the glare he staggers you with as you push away the urge to close your eyes. You hope the foundation is thick enough to cover a blush that creeps on your face. “You will ruin my work.”

You give up and glance down, earning another heavy sigh from your superior.

“Maybe I should finish the eye makeup myself?” You offer. “I am unused to anyone doing my makeup, so it’s hard not to flinch.”

Your good intentions get ruined as the question aggravates Vil even more because he frowns at you. Staying put and keeping quiet about that whole ordeal would seem like a lovely idea, you question whether your heart could manage another hour in this setup.

“Don’t be absurd,” he says. “We need to handle your sensitivity to the touch or you will struggle in the future if you decide to be a model.”

“I am not—”

“Stop.”

“I—”

“Silence. Be quiet, potato,” he presses his finger to your lips to seal them shut. You feel something sticky, and as his finger traces your lips, you realize it’s the lip gloss, and it’s a very good-smelling one like a strawberry; you didn’t expect something so sweet-tasting to be in Vil’s liked products. “You are under my care now. It also brings me satisfaction to see my skills used on someone.”

“Vil—”

“Shut up,” it’s hard to get offended at him, as he uses such a gentle tone. He takes a good look at your lips and as he glances up at you, probably to see if the colours of the whole makeup are consistent, your mouth goes dry. “Before I tell you to do so, don’t speak. You will mess up with the lip gloss and it’s… difficult to apply one on you.”

What? It’s difficult to apply the lipgloss on you?

Alright**,** you nod, pondering if the lip makeup is really that difficult. Do you have an unusual shape of lips (it’s probably not that?), or is this balm so hard to spread? You sit still, as Vil moves closer to you.

Yeah, except for the touch you need a way to ignore the beating of your heart.

‏‏‎ ‎

9. Move on from your heartbreak.

“Would you like to go out with me today?”

A kind smile convinced you to agree, although you barely recognize the name of the boy standing in front of you. His voice was hopeful, and you were reminded of the time you bore the same expectant expression.

You had no heart to let it fall, not right now, not so quickly, so you paint a delighted smile over your face. “Thank you. I would love to.”

…

You should’ve done this a long time ago.

For the sake of your friendship with Vil, you decide to stop hoping that the man of your dreams might change his mind after getting to know you better. He found a friend in you, and you would hate to disappoint him with your longing for him.

So, you should distract yourself from him and fall in love with someone else.

Today’s date will be a perfect opportunity.

You dress quite stylishly, not enough to steal all the attention, but enough to impress your date. You put more effort into the makeup this evening and spend some time picking the most fitting jewellery. The perfume you picked is subtle but alluring and chic, an excellent concoction, but you could’ve expected nothing less from Vil’s recommendation.

…It feels kind of wrong to use everything he taught you to prepare for a date, but you would’ve used this knowledge one day either way, no? It’s not like he is your first… and last love.

“I heard a boy from Scarabia have confessed to you,” the familiar voice you love but don’t want to hear like now spooks you. Vil leans on your door frame, and you wonder how much he has stayed here.

“I just agreed on a date,” you say, standing up and adjusting the folds of your outfit. You look him in the eye. “How do I look?”

Vil snorts, and his lips stretch into a mean, devilish smile. “Are you expecting an approving comment from me?”

Asking the fashion icon to rate your outfit might’ve been a wrong move. You shake your head.

“Nevermind. He’ll have to deal with however I am if he doesn’t want me to be late,” after glancing the last time into the mirror and receiving a smile from your reflection, you pick up your phone. “Well then. I shall get going.”

Vil is still, as if he hasn’t been blocking the exit or as if he wanted to keep you here. You would have loved for him to stop you here. It’s hard to stop the disappointment from flooding over your composure when Vil moves away.

“Alright. Your look is satisfactory so that Scarabia boy better be grateful for being able to go out with you,” he says something ambiguous again, and you feel bad for your date who will have to deal with such a lovesick fool as you. “Enjoy your date.”

The pang of pain pierces your heart. You smile slowly and leave the room.

The heartbreak better goes away as soon as possible, or you’ll go crazy if the thought of dating anyone else hurts that much.

‏‏‎ ‎

10. Look kissable.

“You’re late.”

Maybe you are, but you haven’t been expecting Vil waiting for you. He sits on a sofa, a book is in his hand and the tea that was served in front of him looks cold. You can guess he’s been sitting here for a while.

“How did it go?”

“It went well, I think,” you say. The date went well. Yet, you couldn’t have enjoyed it. The throbbing pain in your heart strained each of your smiles, and it surged when the Scarabian student started to be flirty. You felt as if you were cheating. “He is a kind guy. He has some hobbies and is quite charismatic, so… He’s alright.”

Vil hums. “Will you settle on ‘alright’?”

You stare at him wide-eyed, but he doesn’t look bothered at all. He didn’t lift his gaze from his book, and his tone was nonchalant, so he almost seemed not interested. He was. He is because Vil never asks the question to whose answers he doesn’t want to hear.

“Pardon?”

He spares you a glance.

“I thought your resolution was stronger. What happened to the person who confessed to me and was so willing to determine their worth to me?”

“Are you jealous?”

“I am furious,” he lifts from the sofa, the book forgotten. The air around suddenly grows warmer, and the shiver you didn’t mind that much runs down your spine. Vil’s strides are slower than usual, creating an imposing image of himself before he stands just before you. “If you want to set the bar so low, go on. But let me give you a taste of ambition.”

He twists his head so his eyes meet directly yours. He doesn’t touch you — not yet — but you can feel a warm breath on your cheek, and the scent of his light perfume envelops you. You have the urge to move away and cling to him at the same time. They balance, and you stay still.

A taste…

Vil puts a hand on your cheek. The gesture is much softer and more benevolent than when he was putting makeup on you. His eyes lock with yours, your heart stops, and then they drop to your lips. He moves a thumb over them.

And he kisses you.

In your dreams, you had him kiss your hand, the top of your head. The corner of your mouth. In your boldest wishes, you wanted him to kiss you like that, so lovingly, with so much care. It makes you want to push away for more air, but it makes you worry Vil will disappear if you break the kiss, as all the dreams shatter upon the morning.

He moves away, not breathless, yet not unaffected either. His cheeks burn slowly into a red shade, and his eyes look somehow glassy. “I told you, I will give you just a taste.”

How disappointing.

Before you can say something, he pushes a letter between your fingers. Its envelope matches the one you gave him several months ago. “Read it. I want an answer by midnight.”

The big clock on the wall shows you have over three hours. So much time, and you already know the answer. “You will wait this long?”

“I am giving you a chance and hope,” he says with a subtle smile. The blush on his face makes him more beautiful than you’ve ever seen him. “It’s my duty of your idol to do so.”

[popcornforone]

The Wait

A General Marcus Acacius Fic

Day 22 of Pedrotober (Prompt Gladiator)

Masterlist

This was meant to be short… I was gonna it & then I was like no… I want to know more myself & as I am my own audience I kept going, so behold of our Roman Hero getting his day in the sun.

Synopsis:- You go to the Roman Baths everyday to look at the clientele, despite being promised to a man.

Word count:-2700

Warnings over & above:- age gap, loss of virginity, Marcus is naked throughout, all types of sexual intercourse, sweat, withdrawal, breeding, arranged marriage, ogling at naked men. This is in Rome back in the day so the rules are different ages of consent are not what they are today. Swearing.

Yea that was fun to write, hope it was a much fun to read. Thanks @alyssamariag & @norththelemon for the prompt list. I’m amazed I’m still going.

“He won’t be here” you say as you & 2 of your ladies in waiting enter the prestigious Roman Baths. “& we can only sit here & look we are not allowed in, unless a man invites us”

“What if you say no” Victoria said. She’s always concerned for your welfare.

“Then it would be a shame on my family’s name, but I think my father would be more disappointed if he knew I was here watching all of these men.” Everyone in power or promise comes to these baths. You visit it shortly after your time of the month, knowing that should a man catch your eye, you would not be with child. You are betroved & come your birthday In 3 moons time you will be a man’s wife, by this time next year you will probably have produced an heir for who ever it is who is promised your hand. Your dream is that it is one of these generals, knights, or senators in these baths that will be your partner until they are sent off to war to die, put in an arena to fight or be poisoned or hanged due to their lust for power. But that’s the way of Rome.

Elderly men walk past & do not catch you or your ladies eyes, so many men are genuinely here for baths & nothing else but while you’ve been sat here for 30 minutes you’ve seen two ladies taken away, one discreet area around the corner with filled with moans.

“Yea this is a waste of time today ladies,” You sigh “let’s…” but then in the corner of your eye you see luscious locks dripping wet come out of the water, from a side profile of a man with a very large nose & defined features. He’s here. The general. You blush bright red & start to fan yourself. You can see his broad shoulders also poke out of the water.

This is General Marcus Acacius. He just, from what you can see, looks magnificent.

“My lady are you okay?” You don’t realise your jaw has dropped so dramatically open as you watch him, eyes draw to him like a hawk to a mouse. But he’s no mouse, he is a brave general. So many victories for Rome, & its subjects. You eventually snap out of it.

“Sorry did you say something”

Your ladies giggle as you try to not look. But it’s too much. Your eyes just constantly wander back to him. He’s just stunning. Each stroke he swims in the bath wonderful.

But then he swims to the other side of the bath & places his hands on the side. Out he gets. Soaking wet, completely naked. Water drops from his wavy hair. His strong back as scars from war traced across them. But it his arse. What a glorious rounded juicy peach it is. You moan a bit to loudly & a few people look at you & you instantly raise your fan to your face, to stop your embarrassment. Your eyes however betray you, still ogling over him from a distance.

Now out of the water he stands side on. Your ladies giggle, but you just look at that long length. You’ve seen men in these baths walk around naked. The first time you saw a penis up close was a surprise. But right now is the only other time you’ve felt self conscious & intrigued. It hangs, his balls are heavy. It’s semi hard. It’s long, ooh god it’s long. Longer than any other man you have glanced your eyes upon. How would anyone be able to accommodate it? It would split the lucky woman in half.

You feel your own pelvis, it’s moving on its own, your legs slowly parting. Your body is telling you that you are ready, that this is the prize. You just hope the general is in the mood for you. You can always tell whoever you are betroved to that you have ridden horses & that’s why there feels like you’ve been deflowered. Everyone knows that happens to some ladies & you are often seen on horseback, your father was instant that you had it as a life skill.

You mind is wondering as you day dream, that you don’t realise the general has noticed you gawping. He’s smirking & the takes some water from the pool & runs it’s through his hair, a wet look, even though the rest of him is drenched. He doesnt find a robe, or cover his manhood. Everyone in here is free to be who they want so he slowly saunters over & it’s only as he’s about 3 meters away that you ladies giggle.

“Miss, miss” they shriek & put their fans up over their faces trying not to look. Your past shame.

“My lady” Marcus bows & you smirk & lower your fan. How will that penis fit anyone, it’s wide too. Your splutter & then eventually lift you head from his privates up his hairy torso, to those broad shoulders, that long blemished filled neck, which is so ready to be kissed & to that stunning godly face. A few scars & cuts, but such astounding facial hair, the cuffs match if you knew what I mean. But it’s his eyes. So big & bright. So sexy. Your legs part again, you feel something inside you grow, a wanting of pleasure.

“General Acacius” you smile.

“It’s Marcus, please” & he holds out his hand & winks. “Please my lady”

“No miss”

“Shhh” you take his hand & he holds you close to him. Your thin white dress dampening from touching his skin, skin that’s been hardened by war but also feels like cloud to touch. Soft & sensitive.

“This way” & he points to a door. No one has been through that door yet who’s been chosen to pleasure anyone in these baths.

“But miss”

“You say a word to anyone…” you threaten your ladies. They go quiet.”Now return, im sure the general will be a gentleman” & you wrap your arm around him & he leads you out the door.

“I can assure you miss” he whispers “i will look after you”

The room he leads you to, has a bed, not as Fancy as yours at home, but it’s still silk, & white & virginal like you are. He closes the door behind you & stand to attention still completely naked. Part of your dress from his damp skin his gone see through.

“Undress” Marcus requests. You are shy at first, but your slowly disrobe, once naked your hands cover your mound. You like him have hair on your privates. You had planned for your wedding night to be clean shaven, to be taken & filled for the first time. The general walks towards you. You gasp as he circles you & his long delicate finger trace over your skin.

“You like this?” You nod as one hand cups your breast. “You like being admired?”

“Yes”

“You like my touch” his hand trials down your body heading for your sex “you want passion” he moves your hand but you grab him before he can touch your clit.

“General please, I’m betroved” you blurt out & his eyes widen.

“I know, but we all want to know why you come to the baths? To breed off your ladies in waiting?” You let go of your hand as the first kiss reaches the crook of your neck, his voice smooth like butter. Your legs part. “Do you watch them to get tips for your future husband”

“No” you bluntly say, & then moan as his fingers enter your pubic hair.

“Have you been taken then”

“N… no” you stutter, your body shaking.

“Shhh shhh shhh it’s okay” he whispers. “No need to tremble, I want pleasure you unless you don’t want me too”

“Why?” You say & his hand freezes, once again he’s so close to your clit.

“Because all is fair in love & war & if you just want to know what will make your future lover happy & what to expect, I can help out with that”

“How?” You then gasp. His large flat thumb has made contact with your most sensitive area, your clit being rubbed, makes your knees buckle & he grabs you to stop you falling.

“Because I am the man who in 3 moon you will be matched with.” It’s a dark sultry voice. You lift your head, you turn your head to face him & thrust your hand into his wet hair.

“Oooh yes” you moan. Your lips then clash with his, you let his tongue take you, you let him feast upon the kiss. His thumb strumming away as you make out & he pleasures you.

“How long have you know you’ve been promised to me!” He asks before he scoops you up & carrys you to the bed.

“2 years 3 month 1 week & 4 days.” You say as you are plonked on the bed, your knees raised to start with.

“Oddly specific”

“You came back from battle, the scar on your left shoulder my father healed, & when you saw me run passed I heard my father say she’s almost a woman, you can have her soon” he smirks & lowers your knees, your legs part, he licks his lips at the arousal he sees wanting to do nothing more than sink into you & fuck you all afternoon until the baths empty & then let you sore body soak in the warm water before taking you again.

“You did seem bashful that day, even through my pain I noticed.”

“It’s not often a girl gets lucky”

He caresses your face before tenderly kissing you.

“I wasn’t even a general when I was told I would be marrying you, & here we are fate has brought us together sooner” he kisses down your chin & neck before then sucking on your nipples, you moan deeply your hips pushing up into him. You feel his penis harden & he grunts & sits up.

“I’m not like the other heathens, I can wait the three moon” he says as he looks at your trembling body, how your already panting.

“You’d, you’d do that?” You seem shocked. Most men especially in power & the army get what hey want. “For me”

“Yes beautiful l” he caresses your face “even if it got to our wedding night & you didn’t wish to consummate I wouldn’t” your face lights up.

“You really are a gentleman” you state, & kiss him & your body flexes towards him again, his hand is stroking his length.

“So shall we wait” his voice is hoarse, he’s trying to hold it all in.

“I’ve wanted you general for a very long time, but how is this even going to work”

“Ahhh”’he giggles & spreads you legs even wider “don’t worry darling, you grow to” your eyes pop out of your head. He was a shower but he was also a grower.

“Be gentle” you mumble & nod.

“I will & I promise not to cum inside you” he is between your legs, swiping his penis across your clit & your sex. Your entrance about to be filled. You are about to be deflowered by the man you are betroved too.

“This might pinch, try to relax” you nod & lie back. You’re just enjoying the teasing pleasure of him swiping across everything that’s so sensitive. & then you feel it. The breach. He’s only a tiny bit in, but you feel pleasure you’ve never experienced before. You grab onto the bedding & scream.

“Holy fuck” he looks startled as he sighs as he feels you squeeze him.

“You okay” you nod & go mmmhhhmm “if it’s too much ill stop”

“NO Marcus!” You shout”keep going”

“Yes my lady” he then lies on top of you & as he ever so slowly inches his way fully into you, he watches the pleasure on your face. He has taken his fair share of flowers in his time, but none quite like you. The innocence draining from you, the little moans of yes coming from your plump red lips. The feel of your goosebumps. This is truly different to all the girls he’s had before.

“Fuck Marcus” you moan as he starts to slowly rock. He groans as you clamp around him squeezing his penis tightly.

“Jesus” he snarls”fuck baby, you’re so tight” he looks down seeing the mess you’ve already made, your virginity broken. “No going back now your all mine”

“Marcus what should I…”

“Shhh shhh” he says putting his lips on yours. “Tonight is your first Lesson is lust, let me ease you in, just enjoy it.” He then after a few more larger stroke jolts his hip. That special spot has been hit, reverberating around your whole body.

“Yes oooh yes yes yes” you moan grabbing more of the silk bedding.

“You like that beautiful” you nod & he thrusts hard again. “Good cos now I know you like this, on our wedding night this will be all you fucking get” he’s now much larger hovering above you his hips in a rhythm as he plunders you. Your own hand that’s not grabbing onto bedding, is caressing your hard nipples. He’s watching your perfect breasts jiggle as he goes harder. His eyes which are always brown even darker.

“Fuck oooh fuck fuck fuck” his rhythm becoming uneven. He quickly with draws his cock from your virgina & strokes it furiously. His seed spilling out over his hand & over your thighs, his eyes close in pleasure. “Oooh yes sexy” he the Burys his head between your thighs licking a strip across your enterance before furiously shoving 3 fingers inside you. “Come on my lady let got” you don’t need to much encouragement. You’ve had self pleasure before but the way this orgasm hits you from the feel of his cock to now his fat fingers finishing you off, it’s another level. He watches in delight. “Oooh this is going to be fun”…

3 moons later you are wed, to Marcus. You’ve had sex every single time you have seen him. Some assumed you had already been wed. As you lie on the bed on your martial night he’s deep inside you. Taking you from behind. Your arse with red marks on it from earlier spankings. Your face with sticky cum on it after he had face fucked you & said swallowing would happen next time so he gave you a facial. But right now is the moment you are looking forward to.

Your arse bouncing, you voice screaming in delight as another high hits you.

“Still so fucking good this cunt, so tight so ready” he growl. You can tell by the tightness of his grip he’s not got long to last. You grab the bedding & whimper.

“Fuck baby more more more”

“I don’t think I can” he’s straining his voice. He goes out of habit to pull out his cock you can tell that’s gonna happen.

“No cum inside, im your wife, you can impregnate me, it’s not a shame now”

“Huh?” He then realised he can & he doesn’t fully withdraw & slams back in.”what if I don’t want our baby growing in you yet”

“Marcus please I want to feel how good it is”

“Fuck baby I love it when you beg” one last slap of your arse has you clamping around him squeezing out your climax & that’s all it takes. The sensation shocks you, feeling his essence. Knowing he’s just emptied inside you. You bite the pillow next to your head as he moans your name as he comes down, slowly withdrawing his cock. Seeing how sore you are from all the sex you had not just had that night but in the previous weeks, seeing his cum drip down your thighs. He smirks he made that mess. He pulls you into his lap & kisses you deeply, that thumb going back to your clit, no pubic hair down there today as you had promised. You moan as you are over stimulated.

“You okay my lady?” You nod.

“You okay too husband?”

“More than okay” he whispers before kissing your forehead. “& to think 3 moons ago all I was to you was someone you were ogling at that Roman bath” he chuckles.

“Hmmm ahh so naive”

“So innocent” you smile at that remark & start to stroke his cock getting it erected again.

“Well not anymore”

[whateverisbeautiful]

♥️Reveling in Richonne - TOWL

#62: The Happy Beginning (1.06)

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Richonne got their much-deserved happy ending, and better yet, I adore that Richonne and their children's happy ending is really a happy beginning. 🥹

Because now, the everyday life with their family truly starts. So rather than feeling solely like a closed chapter, the story lands on a hopeful and positive note that feels like “...and so it begins." The life Rick and Michonne always wanted to live together can now begin again.

So while it’s also a perfect final note for us as we (seemingly) no longer get to go with them into the next chapters, I appreciate that we always get to know that there are more bright and hopeful chapters for our Grimes family, together at last 🙌🏽🎉...

I announced these RIR-TOWL posts on July 21st and now they conclude today, September 21st. And I’m super grateful to you all for reliving this TOWL experience with me in-depth for the last 62 days of summer. 🥹🙏🏽

As you can see, saying I have a novels-worth of thoughts on this show was not hyperbolic. 😅 And that's because if this is it, I wanted to go as all out as I could. And because Danai, Andy, & Scott gave their all in creating this love letter to Richonne, I especially wanted to give my all in dissecting, reflecting, and reveling in The One Who Live. If only those three could know how grateful I am to them for this show because it really was a beacon of light during this time in my life. ☀️

In this real world, I’d say love matters most. It’s what makes life worth living to find people and things you love. Love in its many forms, including in fiction, is worth celebrating and enjoying to the fullest.

So that’s really what I’ve tried to do with all these posts over all these years - celebrate one of my favorite ways I’ve ever seen love take shape. It’s been a joy to watch two beautiful characters inside and out depicting the most beautiful love. Falling in love never looked so exquisite. And finding family never felt so rewarding. 😌

And we're finishing strong as we talk about TOWL's final moment where Rick and Michonne embrace the beautiful family they created. 🥹

So - still hugging, Judith and Rick look over at Michonne and RJ. And on top of it being surreal to see Judith grown up now, you can tell for Rick it’s extra surreal to be looking at this little boy who's comprised of him and Michonne and dressed like Carl. 😭

gif cred: @twdfranchise

That’s something that’s also really cool, is after going on this journey of losing and then regaining the image of Carl, Rick now gets to see this child who is Carl’s little brother and has his attributes. And just like Carl always wore Rick’s sheriff hat to feel close to his dad and strong like his dad, Rick gets to see that his youngest son has also done the same. 

I love that Judith looks at her mom and gives her her flowers saying, “You got him back.” It was a hefty task but Michonne pulled it off and brought home the Brave Man just like she set out to do. And I love how you can tell Judith is very proud of her mom for that.

gif cred: @twdfranchise

Then it's so sweet seeing Michonne smile at Judith and say, “You told me to.” Best mom/daughter duo, y’all. 😭 Plus, TOWL said let us give the viewers one more reminder that Judith wanted her mom to go find their dad. Like this was never an act of abandonment, going after Rick was Michonne’s daughter’s request.

I like how Michonne saying this also feels like she’s saying that knowing her daughter believed she should go was part of the fuel to do it. She did it for her daughter. And for her son. And for her husband. And for herself. For all of them. And Michonne’s giving Judith her flowers too for the way she gave her the push she needed to go get him. 

gif cred: @twdfranchise

I love the way Rick is holding one kid and Michonne is holding the other. You know these four are about to be pretty inseparable for a while.

And then you can visibly see the moment they all realize that the time has come for Rick Sr. to meet Rick Jr. 

gif cred: @twdfranchise

Rick looks at RJ who is smiling up at him while holding onto his mom and then, Michonne has such a happy and proud expression as she presents RJ to his dad.

Michonne definitely has such a sweet “look at this life we made” vibe as she holds onto RJ and steps to the side for the two to have their moment.

It’s sweet how RJ seems understandably reserved at first and holds onto his mom until the last second. And then I love seeing Michonne still keep a comforting arm on her son as Rick stands before him. 

Any time I’d picture Rick and RJ’s first interaction, I always pictured one of the first things RJ would note is that this man in front of him is The Brave Man - and sure enough😊. RJ looks up at Rick and the first thing he sweetly says to his dad is, “You’re The Brave Man?” 

gif cred: @riickgrimes

This moment is surreal for Rick, and surreal for me too because we're finally seeing a scene with Rick and RJ, the son he created with Michonne. 🙌🏽😭 And I'm so so happy that Rick was able to come into RJ's life while he's still so young. Rick will get to have an active role in RJ's core childhood and adolescent memories now.

Then, I adore Rick’s response to his son's first words to him. He’s immediately emotional and so he takes a breath and instantly looks right over at Michonne - the mother of his child. 🥹

I love the way you see him again find his center when looking at her during this emotional moment. Michonne really is like the glue between them all in this scene. And I like how she has her arms wrapped around one or more of her children at all times during this reunion. 

There’s just so much communicated in Rick’s look over at Michonne. It was another "Baby, we made a baby" moment between them as you can see it truly hitting Rick that he's meeting the son he made with his soulmate.

gif cred: @riickgrimes

After Michonne had reassured Rick that he really is the Brave Man that his kids believe him to be along their journey home, I love that Rick now gets to hear it directly from the source. 

Rick then looks back at RJ with so much emotion etched on his face as he responds, “I am.” 😭 He doubted if he was the Brave Man before, but I think especially now hearing his little mini-me say it, Rick knows he too can believe that’s who he is.

gif cred: @riickgrimes

And then I love the way Michonne again expresses how highly she views Rick as she says her final line of TOWL, looking to RJ while holding onto Judith as she smiles and says, “He is.” 🥹

It’s fitting for Michonne's last line to again be one that expresses her utmost belief in Rick. She wants her son to know that this father in front of him really is The Brave Man from years ago and still is The Brave Man right here and now. In fact, now more than ever. 

gif cred: @riickgrimes

RJ smiles over at his mom and then looks back up at Rick just adorably beaming. And it really feels like he’s meeting his hero.

gif cred: @riickgrimes

And then it is precious beyond words when Rick adjusts RJ’s hat just like he’d do with Carl. 🥹

gif cred: @riickgrimes

Rick then leans down and places a hand on RJ's shoulder just like he’d do with Carl too. And I love that Rick is so seamlessly back in father mode.

(Side note: It hit me that Rick will now get to have bonding moments of telling RJ stories about his big brother 😭)

I adore this hat moment between Rick and RJ for so many reasons but especially because we were introduced to Rick Grimes in that hat from the very beginning of TWD. And after going on this years-long whirlwind journey with him, it is so extremely special that Rick's final scene includes him getting to see that hat on his youngest son after it was such a staple to him and his eldest son. 🥲

Rick securing the hat on RJ's head really felt like he wanted his son to know how proud he feels to see him carrying on this Grimes heirloom.

And then Rick so tenderly says, “But maybe you can call me Dad.” 😭😭😭😭😭😭

gif cred: @riickgrimes

I love that Rick is so ready and eager to be a dad to his son. And I just know he and RJ will have such an incredible bond. Like Judith and Carl definitely felt like true blue Michonners lol, and RJ is too, but I also like to think RJ’s going to end up really gravitating to Rick. I can fully envision them being a super close father and son. 🥰

Then RJ says with certainty, “I knew you’d come back.” And I love the framing of this scene where you can see all four family members in the shot as they look at the youngest member of the Grimes.

It’s so sweet the way Michonne and Judith are holding each other tight and the way Rick has that fatherly hand on RJ’s shoulders as he looks right at him, likely still marveling that he’s looking at his own flesh and blood right now. 

gif cred: @ricksmarlene

And when RJ says he knew Rick would come back, they all look curious about how the adorable baby of the family knew this. So Rick says his final line of TOWL as he asks RJ, “How?”

Y'all, I love that this is what Rick says for his last line because again, it makes me think of the end of season 4 - the pivotal era when Richonne fell in love with each other - and the classic scene where Michonne says she knows Rick's okay and he asks her "How?"

And just like back then when Michonne gave a beautiful answer to Rick's question and said, "Cause I'm okay too," - Their baby boy RJ also has a beautiful answer to Rick's question.

RJ replies with the final line of TOWL, saying, “I believed.” 

The sentiment of RJ revealing that he too was believing a little longer this whole time is so special. 🥹 And it's touching that Rick and Michonne's son gets the last line of this epic love story.

gif cred: @riickgrimes

RJ saying 'I believed' is beautiful because he’s what his parents believed in for the future all those years ago and now his mom and dad get to hear that he believed in them back.

It’s heartwarming thinking first Rick had to believe a little longer that he’d reunite with his family, and then Michonne had to believe a little longer that Rick would reunite with their family, and then they get to see that even the child they created was believing right along with them. A child born from their belief.

As two characters fueled by believing, it really is powerful to see the final note being Rick and Michonne's son doing just that - believing his dad would find his way back to their family. That's the very mission Rick went on since the pilot of this franchise, and his story ends with him succeeding. Rick found his family and isn't going to be taken away from them this time. 🥹

gif cred: @riickgrimes

Rick seems deeply moved to hear his son say this and so he has this emotional smile at him and you can tell he so badly wants to finally hug his son. But again he lets RJ set the pace. And RJ sets the pace perfectly with the best hug. 😭

I adore the way this little boy hugs his dad for the first time. It just was so moving and so clear that he’s been wishing to be able to have his dad in his life for a long time. He needed his father and now here Rick is. 🥲 And Rick wanted this child long ago and now here RJ is.

Seeing Rick finally getting to hold his son, his 'other way to build for the future,' - it's clear Rick needed this too. 🥹

gif cred: @nat111love

Rick really is RJ's hero already, so RJ embraces him fully. And, of course, Rick is immediately reciprocal as he embraces his son and kisses his hat. 😭

I think about how Rick gave Carl that hat after he'd been shot in the woods. Giving Carl the hat was one of the ways Rick aimed to comfort his son during an extremely trying time. And then Carl wore that hat everywhere after. And when he died, it was hard for Rick to even look at the hat. But now the hat has become a positive symbol again as Rick gets to kiss the hat on his youngest son and honor the memory of his oldest son.

It’s so evident Rick and RJ already love each other. And I applaud both actors for only having one hug to show how much they love each other and pulling it off so completely. This Rick and RJ hug is everything, truly. 🥹🙌🏽

I love the way the theme music swells and rises as Rick and RJ stay in that heartfelt embrace, never wanting to let go. And I love Michonne and Judith’s reaction to seeing these boys finally get to meet and appear so instantly bonded. Rick's family means everything to him and in this scene, he gets to see that he means everything to them too. 🥹

gif cred: @andy-clutterbuck

Judith’s emotional response to seeing her little brother meet and hug their dad always puts a lump in my throat. 🥲 Again, it was the perfect big sister-type response. She’s probably felt like a stand-in mom for RJ while Michonne was gone and has been really protective of him and just again wants to know he’s okay. And it’s like in this reunion moment she’s aware that her baby brother really will be okay because now RJ gets to experience a family with both his parents, like she did when she was younger.

And Michonne just seems so happy to see her husband and son be so instantly connected. It has to be the greatest feeling ever to know that this baby she brought into this world alone will now have his father who adores him in his life.

And to see the love of her life, who she knows has been through so much, including the loss of Carl, get to now embrace his son and be a father to their kids again like he most cherished and was devoted to being. 🥹 Michonne so earnestly wanted Rick to have the chance to see the beautiful family they created. And now Rick is seeing it fully. And that visibly brings Michonne's heart pure joy. 

gif cred: @kris-lulu

So then, after Rick and RJ get their own moment with this wonderful hug, Michonne and Judith join in for a family group hug and it’s just the epitome of a joyous conclusion for Rick and Michonne and the Grimes family’s story. I adore it. 🙌🏽

Michonne and Judith wrap their arms around Rick and RJ and Michonne and Rick share their final sweet and super married-with-kids kiss. I love the way Michonne smiles as they lean in for the kiss. 😊 And the way Rick of course doesn't stop at one as he leans in for the second kiss. 😋

It's great that after over 100 TOWL kisses they still included one more. It's only right to end the show with a kiss since, again, it's canonically one of Rick and Michonne's absolute favorite things. 😊

gif cred: @riickgrimes

This last kiss is really special because it just again feels like Rick and Michonne having a moment to acknowledge that despite all the odds and obstacles over their many years in TWD, their many years apart, and then on their TOWL journey reuniting - they overcame, fell in the deepest love, and created this beautiful family together.

And now they get to live out their lives with this blissful Grimes family, loving on each other as hard as they can while they can. 🙌🏽

This family hug is just such a sweet moment of connection. I adore the way it’s filmed where it feels like Rick is holding his family and his family is holding him back. The shot with all three of their arms on Rick’s back is art. After a long and epic journey, these three are Rick Grimes' incredible reward. 🥹

(Side note: one of the things I think Rick probably will most like about Michonne's wedding ring is that it can be seen from a very far distance which means everyone from even miles away will know Michonne is taken lol.)

And then we get one more confirmation that Richonne are and always have been magnets. 🧲 Because as the camera pans out from the greatest family hug in history, Rick and Michonne both lower their arms down at the exact same time and do that little comforting thumb rub. You know my extra self is always here for even the subtlest of magnetic synchronicity between the two.

Y'all, this really is the perfect visual to conclude their story to me. 🥹

gif cred: @lousolversons

Like seeing Michonne with her wedding ring-clad hand holding onto RJ while he holds onto his dad and Judith holds onto her and Rick, fills me with joy and emotion when I think about Michonne's whole journey.

Losing a partner and a young son, Mike and Andre, shutting down and living isolated for a while, showing up to a prison with formula for her future daughter Judith, building such a special bond with her son Carl, falling in love with her soulmate Rick, becoming a great leader, and resiliently bringing another son into the world, RJ. She's been through a lot on her journey and I adore how love and family found her and wholly embraced her as she fully embraced them right back.

Michonne Grimes' journey ending with her wrapping her arms around her babies and husband is just beautiful. 🥹🙌🏽

I also love that Judith and RJ will now get to experience their mom having the love of her life back in her life. The kids will see their mom happier and more loved than they’ve ever seen her now that Rick is back with them.

The Michonne they knew was one who was resiliently trying to live in the thick of a unique, lonely, and crippling grief. But now she can be all of her again because her other half has returned and is fully prepared to make up for lost time and love on her and their kids the way they all need.

gif cred: @nerd4music

And seeing Rick be so loved and held by his family after everything in his journey means the world. 🥹

Waking up from a coma to learn the world had ended, refusing to succumb to defeat as he searched for his family, finding the people closest to him from the world before, Carl, Lori, and Shane, and then having to put together that Lori and Shane had fallen for one another in his brief absence. Experiencing the relationship with Lori and Shane crumble and result in death (one of which he had to kill because his 'brother' tried to kill and replace him), going through a mental breakdown but still having to lead, protect, and raise his young son and his newborn Judith.

Then, meeting the love of his life Michonne when she shows up at the prison fence, trying to have opposition with her at first but then falling head over heels in love with her, and no longer having to carry the weight of the world alone because now he has a soulmate who can lead him, lead others, love his children, and love him back to life time and time again. Losing his son Carl twice, realizing his son and family were always with him, and then getting to look in the eyes of his youngest son and finally hold RJ.

Along his journey, Rick endured many opponents, adversity, and painful losses, including losing himself when stripped of his family for nearly a decade. He had many fascinating arcs, many ups and downs, and managed to keep his signature good kind heart intact which is true strength. And no matter who thought they were bigger, better, or badder than him, Rick always proved to be the bravest. And it's the love for his family that made him brave and made him ultimately come out on top.

So Rick Grimes' journey ending with his wife, daughter, and youngest son back in his arms and loving him like he never left is just perfect. 😭🙌🏽

gif cred: @riickgrimes

That final image of the four of them in this family hug amid the lush greenery truly looks like the embodiment of ‘things break but they can still grow.’ And this whole new plant - this wonderful family Richonne grew - is so well-deserved. Rick and Michonne truly triumphed.🎉

I think about how in 9.03 the song that played over their Family Fun Day with Judith was "All We Ever Wanted Was Everything" and seeing the Grimes family hugging and happy at the end of TOWL is all I ever wanted for them. 🥹

(That's part of why my stance on the future is - whatever it looks like, be it Richonne returning in a quick cameo, or returning for even more than that, or not returning at all, I just want Richonne and their kids to be happy, together, and at peace).

Also, I’m telling you right now, from here on out if Rick can’t get to someone named Michonne, Judith, or RJ within 5 minutes or less, he’s going to feel he’s gone too far away because you know he’s about to be attached to the hip to his family. 😊

I really feel like Rick is going to live out his life just healthily & happily obsessed with his wife and kids and so deeply grateful to Michonne every time he looks at their family and the life they have. Like the way he stays giving Michonne her flowers, you know he’s never going to forget that it was her fighting for him and their kids that allowed them to live out this beautiful life they have now.

As the camera pans out, the four stay in this embrace and it’s just such a bright and rewarding shot. Then they show the sky as helicopters are seen flying ahead, no longer with bombs but with resources. As people noted, Richonne would be the type to not just bring themselves back home but bring back whole helicopters with loads of valuable resources too. Baddest to ever do it. 👑

Seeing the sky with those helicopters is a reminder that the world has gotten a lot bigger since those early TWD days. And after having everything but the kitchen sink thrown their way along their path, here Richonne stand, with their son and daughter, happy, healed, and whole because they’re the ones who live and the ones whose love lives on forever. 

And while this might be the end for us getting to follow their story, I again appreciate that Richonne's story closes with not just a happy ending but a happy beginning. The best years are ahead of them now that they get to all be together. And you know this gorgeous family uniting makes Carl beam from ear to ear up above. 😇

Oh and there’s also that deleted Grimes family picnic scene which is a canon moment to me. And I adore it. 🤩 I’d been hoping they’d return to doing those lovely family picnics so I was glad they filmed one. Also, it makes me so happy to remember that RJ is a part of both this current Family Fun Day picnic and the precious one from years before. 😊

In this unaired TOWL picnic scene, I love seeing Judith laughing and relishing Mom and Dad being back with them like she always believed they’d be. She grew up on these Family Fun Day picnics and now years later she gets to enjoy them again. 🥲

I love seeing intelligent little RJ holding the Rubik's cube and wearing the signature Grimes Sherrif's hat in between his mom and sister. And I especially love seeing RJ already seem so comfortable and smiley with Rick. (I love how they said the young actor Antony really gravitated to Andy. 🥹 This picnic clip definitely gave a glimpse of that)

I love seeing Michonne wearing that pretty and colorful dress and smiling so brightly with her family reunited. The flowy outfit choice is meaningful to me because, at the top of TOWL, she was given this guarded armor and similarly had to live with figurative guarded armor since Rick’s TWD departure. But now that she’s got her loving husband and kids back she gets to just fully take down all armor and be so free, open, safe, and loved as a woman, wife, and mother. 🙌🏽

And I love seeing Rick look so relaxed, playful, and elated to be here with his wife and kids. He looks like he's once again winning that Husband & Dad of the Year title. And the way he’s smiling and laughing basking in this moment, you can see he adores his family so much. This Grimes family moment is everything Rick and Michonne wanted for their lives. And this is everything I wanted for them too. 🥹

gif cred: @nessawakenobi

In the actual TOWL ending, as they panned out from the Grimes family hug, it doesn’t feel like they're becoming distant from us but rather we’re seeing the full picture and letting the Grimes family love fill the entire space.

And as the Grimes family embraces and fills the screen with love, the music rises and the show fades to black, officially concluding The One’s Who Live. 👏🏽😭 BEAUTIFUL. 

That also concludes the TOWL season finale revelings and The Ones Who Live revelings as a whole. We made it! 🥳 What a series. What a journey. What a gift Richonne is. 🥹

You know I gotta happy dance one more time over Richonne, TOWL, and the epic love story we've been blessed to witness from 2012 when Michonne and Rick's paths first crossed to 2024 when their love story reached its highest heights, and concluded perfectly.

If you had told me when I started documenting my Richonne observations back in 2017 that years later there would be a whole miniseries dedicated to Richonne’s epic love story, I would have been pleasantly surprised but I’d also believe you because Richonne is truly the gift that keeps on giving. 🎁

I adore how TOWL really came and checked so many of the Richonne wishlist boxes. Rick calling Michonne his wife ✓, the proposal and wedding ring ✓, the RJ reveal ✓, the improved lighting ✓, the scenes with impactful, unvague, and rich dialogue ✓, the intimacy ✓, the Grimes family reunion ✓, the Grimes family reunion with all the original actors ✓, and much more. They gave Richonne their things, honey. 👏🏽😌

And I especially love the way The Ones Who Live ultimately landed on a message of love being what comes to the rescue when the world falls apart. Love is what it's all about at the end of the day.

Along their years-long journey, the way Richonne fell in love was beautiful. And the way they stayed in love was just as beautiful. I’m so grateful to have witnessed Rick and Michonne Grimes' powerful journey from first locking eyes at a prison fence in season 3 to looking into each other's eyes with such adoration and appreciation as they agreed to have a child together in season 9. To now reuniting with that lovely child and their dear daughter in TOWL.

Rick and Michonne have remained such captivating characters over the years, and so much of that has to do with the incredible artists that bring them to life.

Andy and Danai are generational talents with such compatible gifts - exceptional eye acting, line delivery, vulnerability, physicality, and raw honesty infused in their craft. And then you add to that playing compelling characters in love, allowing them to tap into their rare and extraordinary chemistry. You’re bound to get something special when pairing them together like this. 👏🏽

So I'm grateful to the whole TOWL cast & crew, and most of all the captains - Andy, Danai, and Scott. We really got to see Richonne through their eyes with TOWL. 🥹 And the way those three view Richonne and bring this love story to life is resplendent. I love that with The Ones Who Live they told the story they wanted to tell - and we Richonne fans were just happily in alignment with the vision. 😌

They’re the type who put thought into even something like Rick and Michonne's hand placement in bed at the end of TWD 6.10 because they care about how Richonne is portrayed in every frame. And I will forever appreciate their attention to detail with Richonne. All these RiR posts really are my way of saying that the thought and care put into crafting these exceptional characters and their exemplary love story don't go unnoticed.

Andy and Danai have given us so much as Rick and Michonne over the years so whether this is 'goodbye for good' or 'goodbye for now,' I respect it.

The iconic roles of Rick and Michonne were truly meant for them. Danai and Andy approached these characters with love, respect, thoughtfulness, and passion, and ensured Rick and Michonne were in good hands. So I just can't thank them enough. 🙏🏽🥹

Also, a big thank you to the gifted Richonne GIF creators. 👏🏽🤩 You are invaluable staples to this fandom and your gifs of Richonne's TOWL & TWD moments are beautiful. Linking to your amazing gifs helped me elevate these posts and string this all together. My posts wouldn't be the same without you, so I'm very grateful to you. 🙏🏽

And sincerely thank you to everyone who took the time to read these posts and to everyone who commented, messaged, PM'd, reblogged, and followed. Your thoughtful insights, reactions, and support really have always made the days brighter both over the last two months and over all these years of reveling in Richonne.

Hearing your takes on Richonne helped me see things from an even fuller perspective. Hearing that these breakdowns were looked forward to and even uplifting to read during hard times really moved me and made me feel less alone since reflecting on Richonne has also helped me focus on the bright things in this world when life feels dark. I've loved hearing what you love about TOWL and about these RiR posts. Thank you for sharing with me. 🫶🏽 Your words of encouragement have meant a lot to this Words of Affirmation girl. 😊

There were times when I was working away at these posts and wondering if I'm certifiably crazy for writing whole 'dissertations' on every second of Richonne's love story. 😅 (i think the answer is yes lol). But the encouragement I'd receive over here was a big motivator to follow through, give every scene its flowers, and share these in-depth breakdowns with you all. So please know that you and your good kind heart are super appreciated. 🙏🏽 I hope you remain blessed in all ways and on all days. 💗

And to Future Me - hi 👋🏽 I wrote these TOWL novel-length breakdowns for the fandom and for you too. For those times when you’ll want to make your day a bit better by revisiting these posts and remembering all the thoughts and elation you had over Richonne - your favorite thing - shining the brightest it’s ever shined in a 6-episode epic love story. 🌟

Rick and Michonne Grimes and their captivating story are extremely dear to my heart and always will be. And this miniseries that gave them and their love the spotlight means so much. The Ones Who Live is a true treasure, and I’m so glad we’ll have it forever. 🥹🙌🏽

After hundreds of 'dissertations' and years of pursuing a Ph.D in Richonne (😋📚🎓), I just have to say that breaking down the beginning, middle, and end of this epic love story with this fun and insightful fandom has been such a joy. Has me feeling like...

There will be people who come around to watching TWD/TOWL now or years later who weren’t keeping up with the show when it first aired. And some of those people are bound to get bit with the Richonne bug just like I did several years ago.

So my hope is that anyone, be it new Richonners or long-time Richonners, whoever wants to reminisce and revel and relive each and every moment of Rick and Michonne’s iconic, powerful, and stunning journey can always come back to these RiR breakdowns whenever, and feel like they’re 'read-watching' the show, and dissecting and celebrating whatever is beautiful about Richonne with a good friend. Because Richonne is timeless and a little reveling is good for the soul.

I hope these plenty of posts brought and continue to bring enjoyment, insight, laughs, light, and just the best warm feelings because in the words of my beloved Michonne - It did for me. 😌

Always and forever, thank you so much for reading & Long Live Richonne. 👑🧲🥰👌🏽

[dont-offend-the-bees]

Something I Can Turn To

And now for something different again! I took the AU in 'Domestic AU' and I ran with it! So this is your classic sort of everyone's alive alternate universe, set some nebulous time in the current-ish era, wherein Charles and Edwin attended school together and both survived (slash saved each other from) their canon deaths. It's just a sweet and slightly sad little thing that doesn't go into a huge amount of detail, but I got very attached to it so who knows, maybe in future I'll expand on the backstory! Warnings for references to their pasts and the bullying, child abuse etc. that went on there, as well as to injuries, scars and trauma that resulted from it. But we're not getting into super nitty-gritty detail and hopefully the overall vibe is one of love and safety! Still, tread carefully if those topics are at all triggering for you 💛 2.3k, T-rated, also available on Ao3. Thanks again, @painlandweek!

"Charles!" Edwin called — bravely poking his face out from the warm duvet to be heard. "The advertisements are over!"

"Coming, coming!"

Charles scurried into the room moments later, two cups of tea in his hands. He huffed and puffed as he padded along the floorboards in hole-riddled socks. "Cold, cold, cold," he muttered, thrusting the cups towards Edwin in a sloshy, mildly dangerous manner. "Grab these a sec!"

Edwin did so, wincing as his arms breached the bounds of the duvet nest to the frigid air beyond. Once Charles had his hands free he wasted no time diving into bed, burrowing into the pocket of warmth.

"Mate, it's fucking cold," he said, reclaiming his mug. "Freezing my bollocks off out there."

"Perhaps we should have prioritised buying that space heater, after all," Edwin mused.

"Oi. 'Nuff of that. That kettle's a bloody essential bit of kit."

Edwin sipped his tea. Scalding hot, just as he liked it. "Hmm. Agreed."

Charles squirmed around getting comfortable, taking care not to spill his tea. He almost succeeded. "Ow. So! What'd I miss?"

"Nothing whatsoever — you made it back just in time." Edwin settled in as well, against the headboard — though by headboard, he of course meant the bare magnolia wall. "I must say, I'm intrigued by this one. I wonder how Detective Columbo's going to get this villain dead to rights."

"Always fakes you out, don't he?" Charles grinned, finally finding his space — pressed up against Edwin, hip to shoulder. "Mm — pass us the biccies."

Edwin handed him the somewhat depleted packet of ginger snaps. "Do be careful of the crumbs — we've only one fitted sheet to our name."

One sheet, one duvet. Two pillows. No bed frame. It was a modest sleeping arrangement. Particularly for two grown men, squeezed onto a mattress that was only a double by the barest technicality. But on these cold winter nights, that closeness had its benefits. Several benefits, in fact.

As though reading his mind, Charles grinned. "What?" He waggled his eyebrows. "Never messed about on a bed of biscuit crumbs?"

Edwin groaned and, lightly, pressed his palm to Charles' face and pushed it away. "You're revolting," he said.

Charles just laughed. "What? It's just like sex on the beach, really." He bit down on a biscuit. Loudly. "Bit crunchier."

"You will never persuade me that sex on a beach is a good idea," said Edwin, with a shudder. "The sand..."

"Sex in the sea, then?"

"Best of luck with your urinary tract infection."

Charles’ laughter rolled pleasantly in Edwin's ears as he nestled in properly, head on Edwin's shoulder.

Edwin chuckled in turn, draping his arm around Charles, fingers sinking into his hair. He played absently with Charles' unruly curls, as Columbo talked circles around his latest hapless ne're-do-well.

It was a strange little life they'd carved out for themselves, here in this sparsely-furnished nest. They had Edwin's scholarship to thank, and the student housing fund he'd received alongside. Though Charles helped as best he could with his meagre earnings from his part-time job at the local gym, they barely scraped by. Charles might've also been able to apply for student loans, once upon a time. But he'd never managed to bounce back after the sharp decline of his grades in year eleven. And what else could anyone have expected? It had taken all of his considerable strength to get back on his feet after what happened to him. Every ounce of his tenacity to return to his life after the incident that had almost ended it.

Edwin would not soon forget those hideous, harrowing weeks. Counting days of silence, of filling the Rowland family's voicemail to no acknowledgement. Of pitying expressions from hospital staff as they turned him away, time after time. Stewing and seething in the fear and the worry. In the rage of being told that he had less of a right to visit his best friend than the man who'd covered his back in belt scars did. Edwin didn't sleep, he didn't eat, he worried himself away night by night, and the boys who did the damage? Oh, they were suspended. For less time than it took for Charles to return to form. Back to school with a slap on the wrist. Any notions Edwin might've still held about there being justice in the world had been quite thoroughly quashed by that ruling.

It was a miracle Charles even found the strength to attend school for his last two years — let alone the same school. The one where he had, to reiterate, nearly lost his life to hypothermia and internal injuries at the hands of his hooligan 'friends'. Edwin had scarcely believed his eyes when he'd spied Charles across assembly that Tuesday morning. A month with no word and suddenly there he was, beaten and battered and more beautiful than Edwin's heart could take.

His parents — or at least his mother — had wished to transfer him, of course. But Charles, in true Charles fashion, dug in his heels and refused to be moved. Edwin had cornered him that very morning, on the stairs after assembly. He must have been angry — because he shouted at Charles when all he truly wanted to do was collapse into his arms.

"I cannot believe you would stay here in this barbaric horror show after what those boys did to you," Edwin had snapped, eyes stinging with the threat of tears to fall. "That is so fucking stupid it's unbelievable!"

"Sorry," Charles had replied — not sounding sorry in the slightest. His stitched-up split lip curled with his weary smile. "No version of this where I don't stick this out with you, is there?"

And that, as far as Charles had been concerned, was the matter closed.

The simple fact was that Edwin had never had a choice in which school he would attend. St. Hilarion's was in the family tradition; his father, grandfather, great grandfather, all honoured alumni. And if Edwin's own incident a year earlier hadn't been enough to convince his father otherwise, then nothing else would. The only way Edwin was leaving that school before graduation was in a body bag. And Charles, the stubborn fool, could only be convinced to leave Edwin in the same manner.

And so for the last two years of hell they had tried, in their own ways, to keep their heads down. 'Tried' being the operative word. Charles could never leave well enough alone, and fights were amassed. But every time he showed up to their hideout in the attic with a black eye or bloody knuckles, it was always the same story. One where he saw someone else being bullied, and threw himself at the situation as a substitute punching bag. Sometimes, the person he was protecting was Edwin. More often than not, it was some boy he'd never exchanged two words with. Made no odds to him.

And no matter how it terrified Edwin, or how he admonished Charles, he could never truly take issue. To resent Charles for being protective would be to resent him for being tragically, quintessentially Charles. In the end there was nothing he could do but patch Charles together with his pilfered first aid kit, and plead with him to be more careful. Maybe, just maybe, it would sink into his thick skull one day.

While Charles spiralled, Edwin studied. And studied, and studied, and studied. During slow lessons, after hours in the library, in the dead of night under the covers — he preferred to catch his sleep in daytime naps, anyway. For obvious reasons, sleeping in the dorm around the other boys had lost its appeal. There were days where he was so exhausted he could do nothing in his lunchtime trysts with Charles but sleep. At times it seemed there was no safe place in the world besides that dusty attic, with Charles' thigh as his pillow.

It was worth it, the sleepless nights, the borderline mania of his studies. With his stellar grades at sixth form, Edwin secured a scholarship on the other side of the country — fully paid. Meaning freedom, at last, from the golden shackles of his father's money. He'd packed everything he could carry into a backpack and his grandfather's old leather travel case. And with the first money he'd ever had to his name and no one else's, he made his first purchase: two train tickets. One way.

It wasn't an entirely seamless escape, of course. When he'd walked to the Rowland house to collect Charles, he'd found him scrambling through the narrow window of his basement bedroom. Nothing on him but the clothes on his back, and a fresh bruise across his jaw. But escape they had — and Charles had slept the entire way to Edinburgh, head on Edwin's shoulder. Safe and sound, at last.

It had felt good to be able to rescue Charles, for a change. He'd been playing the hero for others long enough.

Edwin scratched lightly at Charles' scalp as the Columbo credits rolled. He smiled when Charles snuffled and nuzzled into the sensation in the manner of a contented old dog.

"What's on next?" asked Charles, drowsy.

"I believe there's an episode of QI on the next channel." Edwin enjoyed that programme — some of the humour was a bit crass for his tastes, but he almost always learned something interesting.

"Tenner says Alan comes last place."

Edwin rolled his eyes. "Easy money. And I haven't got a tenner."

"Fiver?"

"No."

"One-er?"

Edwin laughed. "I shall wager you... a kiss."

Charles perked up. "I'll take that action!"

"I hope you never take up a gambling habit, Charles," said Edwin, fondly. "Why on Earth would you place bets for something you can have at any time, in abundance?"

"Yeah, but it's not just a kiss, is it? It's a victory kiss. I get to be all smug and that."

"Charming."

"Oh, I'm a charmer." Charles smiled up at him crookedly, eyes hooded. "All the fit lads love me."

Affection bubbled in Edwin's chest as he looked down upon him. It was a flagrant hollow boast — Edwin knew better than anyone how dire Charles' opinion of himself could be. A situation that had only worsened in recent years, as the beatings from home and school grew more frequent and harder to hide under shirts. The scar on his lip had never fully healed. Nor had the proud sweep of his nose recovered from the time it was broken and poorly reset. He was a war-torn thing, and a bit of a hodgepodge. Elegant frame under rugged wounds, topped off with subtly effete highlights of gold earring and smudged eyeliner. Eyes older than his years, and a newly gap-toothed grin that could still light up the room. He was a strange young man, a walking contradiction; and Edwin loved him dearly, fiercely, and oh-so-terribly.

Edwin leaned down, dropping a sweet kiss between Charles' eyes — just above his broken nose. "I should think so. You're very easy to love."

Charles blinked up at him, a flash of vulnerability in his dark eyes. Edwin gathered him close under his arm before he could do something silly like second guess his affection, or shy away.

"Now shush," said Edwin primly, cupping his warm tea to his chest. It was an awful mug, scrounged from a charity shop with a chip in the rim. It declared the holder a certified 'Tired Old Queen', and it was always Edwin's mug without question. "Mister Fry is about to tell us the theme of the week."

And for a little while, that was that. Edwin followed the programme, rapt, humming in interest at new information — and rolling his eyes at the obvious blunders of the panel. Charles did not speak for some time, still warm against Edwin's side. Sometimes, upon being paid a compliment, he needed to sit a while and let it absorb.

It was the ad break, and Edwin was considering braving the arctic chill of the unheated flat for another tea, when Charles spoke again.

"Edwin?"

"Hm?"

Charles wrapped the arm clutching his — now empty — chequered mug around Edwin's waist. "When the Beeb come and drag me away for not paying the telly licence, will you visit me in prison?"

It was so out-of-pocket that Edwin couldn't help but laugh. "Well. Technically, I will be the one going to prison," he said. "It is my name on the apartment lease."

"Would you want me to visit you in prison, then?"

Edwin flicked Charles' earring, playful. "Obviously, Charles."

He could feel Charles' grin against his shoulder. "Brills. You tell me the layout, and I'll bust you out."

"That is not what I agreed to."

"I'll chat to that new girl at the gym, Crystal? Bet she'd help with a prison break. Reckon she's got a wild side."

"Charles," he said, flatly. "I'll not have you imprisoned with me when your madcap scheme goes awry."

"Why not?" said Charles, giving Edwin a warm squeeze. "That's the whole point of doing it."

Edwin scoffed — but his heart was beating ten to the dozen. "Charles —"

"Nope. Sorry." Charles took Edwin's empty mug from his hand — and leaned up to plant a loud, obnoxious kiss on his cheek. "Looks like you're stuck with me. Prison's not getting you out of this relationship, mate."

He made as if to leave the duvet igloo — and immediately hissed at the cold. "Although this bloody apartment might — fucking hell. Going outside; I may be some time."

Edwin rolled his eyes. "Oh, for goodness' sake." He inched over to the edge of the bed and gathered the duvet about both their shoulders like a cape, tucking his arm neatly around Charles' waist. "There. If we make haste, we can be back before the general ignorance round." He met Charles’ eyes, stoic. “No man left behind.”

Charles’ smile was a soft and doting thing; somehow it warmed Edwin deeper than any space heater ever could. He wrapped his arm around Edwin's shoulder. Their feet dangled side by side, toes flexed to avoid premature contact with the chilly floor. "Together on three, then?”

Edwin smiled back, and nodded. "One."

Charles bumped their heels together in companionship. "Two..."

Edwin returned the gesture, in commiseration for the unpleasantness to come. A cold and bitter expedition to the kettle lay ahead; but as in all things, they’d tough it out together.

"Three!"

~~

Thanks for reading, this one's very dear to my heart - would love to know what you think 💛 Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the lovely comments you guys have been leaving on my fics - I have SO many to catch up on but I promise I'm gonna reply to them! I love talking to you and really appreciate you talking to me 💛💛💛 Not sure right now whether there'll be a fic for tomorrow (canon divergence/case fic) or the day after (free day). I have nothing written, none of my ideas are really sticking, and I'm still feeling kind of ill. I might end up just posting some ink sketches instead! But whether there's fics tomorrow/Saturday or not, there will defo be a fic Sunday 💛 Thanks so much, my lovelies - I'll be seeing you soon 💛💛💛

[thisgirlnamedblusy]

I just loove your mamma Donna!

Can you write about about dark Donna and reader having a 8 year old daughter. When reader told her about pregnancy Donna wasn't thrilled, she thought the baby would only be a nuisance, but she still cared about reader. However, when the baby was born, Donna's attitude changed, she became extremely possessive and loved her more than anything.Donna is also very overprotective of her child,for example, when she visits the village and someone is bothering her daughter, she acts like a she-bear defending her cubs. one day the girl goes outside to play, an hour passes and the child does not come back, Donna and reader start to worry, Donna decides to look for her daughter. When she goes towards the forest, she hears a scream and it turns out that several men are trying to kidnap the girl. Donna gives them terrifying hallucinations and kills them in a very brutal way.

Yesss!!!! Thank you!!! I'm glad to see you like them!!! Thank you for your request!!! I hope you like it and sorry about the language mistakes!!! :))))))

No one touches our family

Pairing: Donna Beneviento x Fem! Reader

Warnings: Fluff, slightly dark Donna, jealousy...

Word count: 6,173

Summary: She'll always protect you, both of you...

N/A: Sorry about the language mistakes!!! Requests are open!!! I'm waiting yours!!! I love you all!!! :))

“Are you feeling better?” Donna asked, timidly peeking out of the bathroom door where you were refreshing yourself in the sink.

“I think so, I don't know,” you answered, letting the cold water run over your face, hoping that horrible dizziness would disappear.

The woman in black approached slowly, rubbing your back lovingly, but with something dark in her gaze.

“I told you to go out to dinner with your friends wasn't a good idea,��� she whispered in a cold, dark tone, like every time she thought she was right.

You rolled your eyes and shook your head, drying yourself with a towel.

“Here we go again…” you murmured, putting your hands on your hips, ready for another serving of jealous Donna, a very frequent one. “Ivana isn't the best cook in the world, but I doubt that was the reason.”

“Who?” she asked abruptly blinking in confusion, the shadow of jealousy darkening her face.

“Ivana, the daughter of… Oh, you know what? It doesn't matter,” you said amused.

You had already grown accustomed to that attitude, you knew that Lady Beneviento had serious problems facing a relationship like yours, that fear and doubts were still very present in everything you did.

After all, your relationship had started out of the blue.

As the daughter of bakers, your work in the village had led you to meet everyone who lived there, including the fearsome Lords.

You were never a particularly brave girl or with innate talents for commerce and dealing with people, but having no other choice, you had to develop those kinds of talents on your own.

Talents that, in a totally fortuitous way, led you to rub shoulders with the most important people in that sinister village. They may have been fearsome, dangerous, but you soon discovered that was just a facade. Each of them had dreams, ambitions, they seemed much more human than what you heard in the stories parents told their children, especially when one of them, Donna Beneviento, started to generate a different interest in you.

Calling it love was a bit hasty at first. The obsessive, fearful and possessive nature of the lady in black was something that was difficult to deal with, but little by little the love you began to feel for her made things easier.

Dark, sick, disturbed and strange, those were words that could define the lady in black, but you preferred to do it with the ones you discovered as you got to know her: sweet, kind, loving, attentive… Yes, you preferred those adjectives, although the first ones couldn't help but be present in your life.

You loved her, and so did she. That was the only thing to think about, that was the only thing that mattered to you.

Everything was going well, your relationship had gone through many phases, but they were all good. She had nothing to worry about and neither did you. You knew about her complexes about the changes that the parasite caused in her face and body, but none of that was enough to make you not want to know if it would work. And it did, it worked almost perfectly.

But for a while now, your body seemed weak, your stomach went crazy in the mornings and you were tired all the time. Something strange that you didn't give importance to until those symptoms worsened over time. You had a bad feeling...

“It does matter, I'm sure she poisoned you,” Donna said, crossing her arms.

If you didn't know her, you would probably think she was joking, but no, not at all, she was that paranoid, that jealous...

“What? Oh, please, Donna,” you said, unable to help but laugh. The dark glint in her eye told you that she wasn't exactly amused.

“I'm serious. There are a lot of people in this village who want to hurt you,” the lady said, looking down, with a broken tone.

“Me? Why?” you asked with raised eyebrows and a mocking smile. “Don't they like my bread?”

“They don't like me,” Donna answered. “And they know that if they want to hurt me, hurting you is enough to do so.”

“Okay, okay, what you mean is that I can't eat something that you haven't prepared, huh?” you joked, thus diverting the darkness from her thoughts.

“Yes, it can be a good strategy,” she said with a more relaxed look, with a beautiful smile beginning to light up her face.

You shook your head, biting your lip, and approached to give her a soft kiss on the cheek, one that had an immediate effect, relaxing the tension in her body.

The sad and sinister doorbell interrupted that moment, alerting the lady again, who ran downstairs, grabbing her damned black veil.

“The door, the door!” the doll Angie shrieked, jumping around in the hall.

Normally the puppet's attitude was annoying, but lately her shrieks were like torture for your sensitive ears.

“Angie, please don't yell,” you said, going down the stairs too, fanning yourself with your hand due to the heat that emanated from your body when you made a minimum of effort.

“Don't yell, don't yell!” she repeated mockingly, while you, unsuccessfully, tried to reach the door before Donna.

“Hello, Lady Beneviento,” a familiar and timid voice sounded from behind the threshold and you, seeing that you had arrived late, rubbed your eyes with your hands.

“What do you want, silly?” Angie asked, climbing into her owner’s arms, speaking for her, as usual.

“Is (Y/N) at home?” your friend Elena asked.

You looked up, sighing, waiting to see what the brunette’s reaction would be this time. She could scare the girl, she could make her demons chase her, she could be nice (unlikely) or she could close the door in her face. It was like a roulette wheel of misfortune, but one that you started to find funny.

“No,” the lady whispered, in her own voice, trying to close the door, something that you prevented with a quick movement, making Donna’s head turn towards you, annoyed.

“Yes, she’s at home,” you said, in a mocking tone, causing the lady to growl. Donna definitely didn’t like visitors. “How are you, Elena?”

“Oh, fine, I’m fine,” your friend said, smiling in relief at your presence.

“I'm glad to hear it, do you want to come in?” you asked pleasantly, opening the door wider.

“Can I come in?” the young woman asked, now looking at the Lord, who was breathing heavily.

“Can Elena come in, Donna?” you asked through clenched teeth, with a slightly threatening tone.

Another growl came out of her lips as she moved out of the way of the young woman, who timidly entered the mansion. At least the young Lupu didn’t displease Donna.

“Come, let's sit down,” you said, leading your friend into the living room, closely followed by Donna and the doll, who looked at the intruder in a sinister way. “You can sit with us if you want,” you whispered to the lady in black, who immediately shook her head, pulling Angie, who had pounced on the young woman, surely trying to scare her.

“Dai, Angie,” Donna murmured, dragging the puppet next to her, who would surely hide in the workshop until the girl left, as always.

“I want to stay with the fools!” the doll protested.

“Let her stay, Donna, she doesn't bother us,” you joked, causing her fists to clench even more.

The lady ignored your words and disappeared into the darkness murmuring words that surely weren't flattery.

“I see everything is going well,” your friend commented, calmer when Donna's intimidating presence disappeared. You raised your eyebrows and nodded amused.

“Yes, as always,” you said, relaxing on the couch, waiting to hear that the elevator had arrived at the basement and you could speak freely. “Did you bring it?” you asked in a low, almost imperceptible voice.

“Yes,” your friend answered, searching for something in her bag, a wrapped package that she handed you discreetly and you unwrapped, sighing, nerves starting to run through your body.

“Oh, thanks,” you said kindly, putting a hand on her arm. She shrugged, downplaying it. “Surely if I had bought it from the Duke, Donna would have already gone crazy. Damn fat guy with a big mouth…”

“It's nothing, (Y/N), anything for a friend,” the girl said, kind, as always.

You nodded, reading the instructions on that object. The letters trembled at the same time as your hands.

“Okay,” you said to yourself, looking for spying eyes around you.

“Are you sure that…?” your friend asked, making the same gesture.

“No, I'm not sure, that's why I asked you for this,” you said amused, silencing your fears with jokes, as you always did.

“What are you going to tell her?” she asked curiously.

You shook your head, letting out another nervous sigh, moving that strange stick between your hands.

“If it's negative, I guess, nothing,” you murmured, reading the instructions again. “I don't want to worry her in vain.”

“What if it's positive?” Elena asked, looking around, shaking with fear. Yes, well, that sinister house could scare anyone. You were already used to it.

“Well, I guess… I don't know, she has to know, I think,” you whispered. “I don't know, Elena, I'm a bit scared.”

“Well, it's, it's fine,” she said, gently rubbing your back. “You should get over your doubts.”

“Now?” you asked doubtfully, with your heart that seemed to want to jump out of your chest.

She nodded with an understanding smile.

“Yes, that way I'll be the first to find out,” she joked playfully, pushing you off the couch.

You nodded confusedly and decided to do as she said, slowly climbing the stairs to the bathroom.

You didn't have to wait too long. A positive symbol appeared on that test within a few seconds, confirming your suspicions. You checked it several times, there was no doubt.

“Well?” she asked when you came back down. Surely your face was a poem. You could feel the color slowly disappear from your cheeks.

“I'm pregnant,” you said, letting yourself fall on the couch and handing the test to your friend, who put on a surprised expression, without losing her smile.

“Oh, congratulations, (Y/N),” she said excitedly, giving you a quick hug. You remained motionless, something she noticed right away, moving and relaxing her face. “Isn’t... Isn't that good news?”

“I don't know,” you said, running a hand over your forehead. “Is it?”

“Of course, (Y/N), a baby is a gift from the Gods,” Elena said, getting a little closer to encourage you.

“Is it? Tell that to Donna, she gets jealous even of my shadow,” you murmured with a frown.

“Well, but... It's, it's hers, isn't it?” she asked in a worried tone. You shifted, annoyed by that question.

“Of course it's hers,” you said abruptly, shaking your head. “Yes, yes, it's I-don't-put-on -that-rubber-thing Donna’s…” you sighed, with your legs shaking.

“Well…” she sighed, without leaving your side. “I'm sure the news makes her very happy.”

You laughed nervously, not believing your friend for a second.

“Yes, I guess…”

When the girl left, you were left alone again, with that test in your hands and a lot of fears and questions.

Well, a baby wasn't something you expected that soon, at that moment, but deep down, starting a family was always in your plans. At that moment you would only have to do something complicated, tell Donna.

“Donna?” you asked, peeking through the doors of the workshop, where the lady was calmly working on her dolls.

“Has she left?” she asked in a low, hoarse voice, concentrating on painting a sinister porcelain head.

“Yes,” you answered, approaching slowly and kissing her cheek from behind, putting pressure on her shoulders to relax yourself.

“I'm going to see if I can catch her, I feel like scaring her,” Angie said amused, jumping off the table and leaving the workshop. Normally you would try to stop her, but on that occasion, you let her go.

“She's going to scare your friend,” Donna murmured, without looking up. “I'm not going to stop her.”

“Yeah, well,” you said amused, with a passive gesture of your hands, sitting down on a nearby chair. “It’s better this way, so I can talk to you alone.”

“Mm…” she murmured, with disinterest, something that made your blood boil.

“Donna,” you said, putting a hand on her wrist. She looked at you curiously, but again, she went back to her dolls. “Hey, I said: I need to talk to you.”

“Yes, I’ve heard you. Talk, I'm listening,” she said in a low voice, dipping the brush in black paint. You rolled your eyes and groaned, snatching it from her hand and leaving it on the table.

“No, um... Listen, listen to me carefully,” you said nervously, avoiding the darkness with which she looked at you. She hated when you interrupted her work. “It's important.”

“What's wrong?” she asked, with all the attention you wanted, crossing her arms. There was no other option, you had to tell her.

You took a breath and closed your eyes, extending the test to the brunette, who took it confused.

“I'm pregnant,” you said in a small voice, your whole body shaking. You opened your eyes slowly, looking for a reaction from the brunette, who simply shook her head, blinking erratically.

“What?” she asked after a few seconds of tension. “If it's a joke...”

“It's not a joke, I took the test and it's positive. I'm pregnant,” you said in a more serious tone, crossing your arms.

Donna paled, closing her eye and sighing in a way that made your stomach turn.

“Oh, Gods...” she murmured, giving you back the test.

You, surprised by her reaction, decided to use another strategy, smiling tenderly.

“Aren’t... Aren't you happy? We're going to have a baby,” you whispered in her ear, with a scared voice, with tears in your eyes. She shook her head, not really knowing what to say.

“(Y/N) this… This is a problem,” she said in a low voice, looking away from you. “Why are you pregnant?”

“You're not asking me that,” you said with your eyebrows raised, nervous, just like her. “Wait… A problem?”

“A baby is… It's not…” she stammered, shaking her head, with that dark look again.

“It's not what?” you asked abruptly. “I think it's good news, don't you think?”

“No, of course I don’t,” she said with a nervous laugh, with her hands shaking, being grabbed by yours. “A baby is… It's not… Cazzo, (Y/N), why?”

“Why?” you repeated incredulously. “If you were so worried, you should have done something to stop it, right? How many times have I told you to put on a con…?”

“I'm not going to do that,” the lady interrupted, hitting the table with a closed fist, scaring you. “È umiliante.”

“Well, then you should assume the consequences, or are you going to kick me out of the house?” you asked, having a strange feeling, as if you had already experienced that before, twice, more or less.

“What? Of course I’m not, who do you think I am?” she said furiously, with a serious and annoyed look.

“I don't know, I…” you sighed, passing a hand over your forehead again. “Hey, I didn't expect it either but… I don't know, maybe it's nice to have a child, right? It's the ultimate expression of love.”

“Yes, but… Um, a baby is, it's just a nuisance, (Y/N), you know, they cry and stuff,” she said nodding, as if reaffirming to herself she was right.

“I know, but… Well, I'm excited about it,” you murmured in a sad voice, disappointed by her attitude.

Donna sighed, looking around for something to say, something to help you.

“I guess we have no choice but to accept it,” she said softly, taking your hand, regretful of her reaction. “Hey, maybe, maybe it's good.”

“That's what I think,” you said, letting yourself be caressed by the delicacy of her hands. “I'm sure it's good…”

Despite that almost childish reaction, the months passed peacefully. The idea of ​​having a child didn't excite Donna and you knew it, but even so, she took care of you, she took care of your baby even if it wasn't to her liking. She loved you, you knew it, for her you were always the priority, and you still were.

Care, caresses on your belly… The 9 months passed like a dream, one in which you were lightly, gently cared for in the best way possible. Donna may not have been excited about being a mother, but at least she bothered to pretend that those kicks in your belly moved her. You didn't really know if she was pretending, you never asked.

“Baby, baby, baby, baby,” Angie hummed, making your headache worse. At least the doll seemed happy, maybe too much.

“Angie, please… Shut up,” you said, putting a wet cloth on your forehead, with your hands caressing your already very swollen belly.

“What? I'm keeping you company,” the doll defended herself, climbing onto the couch and hugging your belly as well, something you didn't stop. Deep down, you thought it was adorable. “Hi baby…”

“You're going to drive it crazy,” you said amused, smiling at that interaction. “And me too.”

“It has to be called Angie,” the doll said, letting you breathe.

“We don't know if it's a boy or a girl,” you said, caressing your belly gently. That day your child was especially restless.

“Hey, baby, are you a boy or a girl?” the doll asked. “If you're a boy you could be called Angelo.”

You laughed, shaking your head, keeping that wet rag on your head.

“Anyway, I'm going to eat something…” you sighed, trying with great effort to get up from the couch. The doll squealed unpleasantly, pushing you to sit down again.

“Hey, hey, stop there, silly!” she shouted.

“Don't yell,” you said pretending to sob.

“Donna says you shouldn't move,” the doll said, with a cocky pose. “What do you want? I'll get it for you.”

“How kind of you,” you sighed, surprised by such kindness so uncommon in the puppet. “But still, I want to stretch my legs, otherwise I'll be stuck to the… Oh, shit…”

Frightened, you looked down. Well, at least you were at home.

“You fool, you peed yourself!” Angie shrieked. You didn't even make an effort to get angry, you were about to panic.

“Ugh, it's not… Shit, shit…” you muttered, breathing with difficulty. “Donna!”

The birth was complicated, but finally, after a few hours of torture, little Beneviento came into the world among inconsolable cries.

“Oh, Donna, it's a girl…” you said excitedly, holding the little baby on your chest, crying from joy and effort. “Hello, hello my love…”

The lady in black nodded reluctantly, but with a sincere smile on her face.

“Look at that black hair you have…” you commented, feeding your daughter for the first time. “Have you seen, Donna? You can't deny she's your daughter.”

She nodded again, without taking her eyes off her daughter, as if she was thinking about something. She seemed sorry, probably for her attitude. You didn't want to ask, you had the most beautiful thing in the world in your arms.

“It's incredible,” you murmured, cradling the baby in your arms, who was squirming in confusion for having been taken away from the warmth of your belly. “Don't you want to hold her?”

Donna sighed, looking away for a moment, biting her lip.

“I… Fine…” she finally said, extending her arms for you to hand her the girl, who seemed calm.

“That's it… Say hello to mom…” you whispered, handing the baby to Donna, who took her carefully. “Say hello, honey, ciao, mamma…”

Donna smiled tenderly, cradling the baby in her arms. The little girl kept moving, stretching, and by chance, one of her hands landed on the brunette's face, making her freeze with a serious expression.

“Look, she loves you,” you said amused, breathing deeply, relaxing after so much effort.

“She's, she's beautiful,” Donna commented, with the same surprised expression, playing with her fingers, letting the baby squeeze them tenderly. “It's… It's… Wonderful.”

You closed your eyes, relieved by your lover's emotional reaction, by the tears that were beginning to form in her eye.

“I promise I will always take care of you, my precious girl…” she whispered, gently kissing her daughter's forehead, thus beginning a new, unexpected stage, a change in the woman in black that you had not believed possible.

Time passed, and with it all of Donna's fears vanished, all of her worries. Nothing could stop her from taking care of her baby, from singing lullabies to her to help her fall asleep. Against all odds, the lady in black became the best mother in the world.

But not everything was good.

The jealousy, that overprotection of the brunette not only hardened with you, but also with the girl. Donna seemed almost obsessed with keeping little Fiorella Beneviento safe from any danger, with having everything she wanted.

It was not the best way to take care of a child, but you had to admit that tenderness, that eagerness to protect what was hers had an adorable side.

Eight years later, Donna continued in the same way, protecting you, protecting her daughter, her most precious treasures fiercely.

“Fio, hurry up and come here!” you shouted, leaning over the stairs, calling your daughter for a quiet walk through the village. “Oh, Donna…”

You sighed when the lady in black approached you, her black veil hiding her beauty. You hated it, you even thought of burning it.

“What's wrong?” she asked, shrugging, ignoring your protests.

“To see you with that on makes me nervous,” you said, stamping the ground impatiently. “Fiorella Beneviento! This is the last time I ask you!”

“Don't yell at the girl,” Donna scolded you, with a hand on your shoulder. You rolled your eyes and stole a small kiss on her lips, lifting the black fabric in a playful way.

“Fiorella!” you shouted again, at the girl's lack of obedience, which was not common, nor usual. You suspected that Angie had something to do with it.

“I'm coming, mom!” the girl said l, leaning over the railing.  “How annoying…” she protested childishly, slowly going down the stairs.

“Annoying!” Angie shrieked, going down hand in hand with the girl.

“If I remember correctly, it was you who wanted to take a walk through the village,” you said in a sufficient tone, dressing up your daughter while Donna gently caressed her black hair. She always had those gestures, she was always proud of her daughter.

“Yes, but I was reading,” Fio said, giving the brunette a quick hug. “Mamma, vieni?”

“Sì, tesoro,” she replied with a loving laugh. The little girl smiled wider and jumped for joy.

“Great!” she squealed excitedly. “Let’s go, mom, come on.”

“Yes, yes…” you sighed, winking at Donna, who followed you slowly.

The walk was quiet, more than usual. Well, if you ignore a snowball fight between Fio and the doll, of course.

“Hey, I'm glad you came,” you whispered, walking hand in hand with Donna, surrounded by a shower of snowballs. “Thanks,” you whispered in her ear, kissing the visible part of her face, earning a shy giggle.

“I don't like you going to the village alone,” she said with a cold voice, but squeezing your hand affectionately. “It's dangerous.”

“You know what? I'd rather you told me you felt like taking a walk with me and your daughter,” you joked, frowning playfully.

“That too,” she said in a whisper. You nudged her slightly and hung on to her arm, letting her slide a hand around your waist, making the walk much more romantic.

“I love you, Donna, you know that, right?” you whispered, sighing, enjoying your new life.

“Me t...” the lady replied, abruptly interrupted by a snowball that hit her face. “Me too.”

“100 points, Fio!” Angie shrieked, bursting into deafening laughter. The girl approached slowly, rubbing her hands in apology.

“Scusami, mamma,” she said in a fearful voice, as Donna took off her veil and brushed the snow off of it.

“Don't worry, tesoro,” Donna whispered, brushing the snow off as you struggled not to laugh. You failed, causing the brunette to look at you with a fiery eye. “Do you find it funny, (Y/N)?”

“No, no…” you lied amused, making your daughter laugh as well, who put her hands covering her mouth. “Well, maybe…”

“Maybe? Fine, fine,” Donna said, nodding seemingly disinterested, winking at Fio and moving away. “Come on, laugh now!” she shouted as, after bending down, she threw a snowball directly at you, leaving you speechless.

“Right in your face, silly!” Angie mocked, as you brushed the snow off your face, crouching down furiously to counterattack.

“Mamma!” your daughter said, pulling the brunette's dress to move her out of the path of your throw.

The laughter, that improvised battle was all you needed to get through the day.

“Can I go play with Rox?” Fio asked, when you arrived at the village, where a group of children her age called her, her friends.

“Ask Donna for permission,” you said, pointing at the brunette, who was looking at fabrics with Angie.

The girl nodded and ran with her mother. Surprisingly, she nodded, placing a hand on her daughter’s shoulder, pushing her towards the children.

“Wow…” you said, approaching her seductively. “Mamma is in a good mood today, mm?” you teased, grabbing her waist and kissing her from behind.

Donna laughed, running a hand through yours and moving to get you to move away.

“It’s okay if she plays with her friends,” she whispered, studying one of those fabrics with her touch.

“Oh, wow, it’s okay now, is it? I thought you said they were little demons who shouldn't get close to Fiorella,” you murmured, touching the fabrics passively.

“Yes, but... I, I can't help but remember my childhood,” she explained, paying the weaver for the chosen fabrics. “I was very lonely, (Y/N). I don't want that for our daughter.”

“Well, I like that. I like you think that way, Donna,” you said affectionately, walking beside her, enjoying some time alone.

Relaxed, the two of you leaned against a fence, with all the shopping done, waiting for the girl to stop playing. Donna caressed you affectionately while you leaned your back against her body, letting yourself be intoxicated by her affection.

“Loser, loser!” the children shouted, getting your attention.

“I didn't lose, you cheated!” Fiorella protested, kicking the snow furiously. Small steps were approaching

“Donna, silly, they're messing with Fio,” Angie said, tugging at your dress and comically pointing at the kids.

“What?” Donna asked, turning away angrily and looking at those kids, who, indeed, seemed to be laughing at your daughter. All your alarms went off at that moment.

“Hey, hey, Donna…” you said, grabbing the brunette's wrist. “Stop right there. Leave it be. It's kids' stuff.”

“No, I'm not going to let them laugh at Fio,” the brunette protested, breaking free from your grip.

Angie and you looked at each other and you rubbed your eyes, sighing helplessly.

“Donna…”

“Mamma!” the little girl shrieked, running to hug her mother, who appeared like a shadow, making the children immediately fall silent. “They're making fun of me…”

“Who, tesoro? Them?” Donna asked, as you approached slowly, shaking your head.

“Lady Beneviento,” some of those children muttered, petrified, scared.

Donna crouched down, with her daughter hugging her tightly, looking hatefully at her friends.

“It's very rude to laugh at others, did you know that?” she whispered in a dark voice.

The children nodded. It could almost be a comical image.

“Do you know what I do with children who laugh at others?” she asked again, threateningly. The little girl smiled pleased, looking at her mother with admiration. Donna always defended her, always.

“No, ma'am,” they answered at the same time.

“I lock them in my dark basement with my dolls…” she whispered in a hoarse, terrifying voice. “And when they get tired of crying, they realize that they will never be human again, their limbs are made of wood…”

“Hey, Donna…” you said unable to help but laugh. She looked at you briefly, but then at the doll, which lunged at them. “Aren't you going too far?”

“Come with me, kids, I want you to be my friends!” Angie shouted, scaring those poor children, making them run away.

Donna laughed with satisfaction, high-fiving Fio, who stuck her tongue out at them mockingly.

“I'm sure you won't laugh at me again!” the girl shouted, with a proud smile, which dangerously reminded you of Donna's.

“Great, you can be proud,” you said, holding back your laughter as you saw those children flee in terror. “You've created a trauma for an entire generation.”

“They were messing with me, mom,” Fiorella protested, pouting.

“They were messing with her, (Y/N). They deserve it,” Donna said, proud and satisfied.

“You know you're not going to be able to protect her forever, right?” you asked in a melancholic whisper, hanging on her neck while your daughter talked about how fun it had been to scare her friends with Angie.

“I know but, but as long as I can…” she said stammering nervously, always looking at the girl until your hand stopped her, lifting her chin under the veil.

“You're an angel,” you said, lifting the fabric and stealing a kiss from her. “Come on, let's go home, it's almost time to lunch.”

The afternoon came after a quiet meal, full of laughter and Fio imitating her mother's exploits. You couldn't deny that she was quite the artist, she imitated Donna perfectly, especially her dark side. You didn't know if that was good, but at least it was funny.

“Can I play outside, mamma?” the little girl asked, interrupting your romantic reading on the sofa.

“Yes, tesoro, but wrap up warm,” Donna said, pulling your body closer to hers.

“Grazie!” she squealed happily, leaning in to kiss her mother's cheek.

“Hey, hey, hey, what about me?” you protested, pointing to your cheek, which she also kissed before going out into the garden.

“And me?” Donna asked amused, pretending to pout. You laughed, biting your lip, and leaned in to kiss her slowly, a kiss that was perhaps too hot for that moment.

That kiss led to more, hungry caresses and your body resting on hers, legs on either side of her hips, moving slowly.

“Gross!” Angie complained, moving past you, just to annoy you.

“Angie…” you groaned, blinking in an annoyed manner. “Why don’t you go play with Fiorella?” you asked, ignoring the doll, continuing your kisses to the brunette, who was already breathing heavily.

“You want to be alone, huh? Good luck with that,” the puppet mocked, pulling you away from that improvised passion.

With a grunt and a movement of her hands, the doll fell limp on the couch. Donna’s thing, of course.

Time passed quickly, that little moment of madness was quick, but intense. The book you had abandoned returned to Donna’s hands after catching your breath and taking a shower. Maybe too much time had passed.

“Mm,” the brunette murmured, when the clock in the hall announced the time.

“What's wrong, honey?” you asked, sighing, leaning on her shoulder.

“I'm worried, (Y/N), Fio's not back yet,” Donna whispered, looking at the clock again, closing the book.

“Oh, you know how she is…” you said, enduring Angie's blows, protesting for having been deactivated. “If it were up to her, she would spend the whole day in the forest.”

“The forest?” the lady asked, looking at you in surprise. “What do you mean by the forest?”

“Well... It's where she plays, didn't you know?” you said, knowing that you had said something you shouldn't have.

“Of course I didn’t, I would never let her go near the forest by herself, what were you thinking?” she said, nervously, getting up from the sofa and walking towards the entrance, grabbing her inseparable black veil.

“Hey, hey, come on, Fio isn't a baby and she's on the grounds, nothing will happen to her,” you said, stopping the brunette, who had already covered her face.

“No? Look at the time,” she said furiously, pointing at the clock. “She's been gone for two hours, (Y/N).”

“Okay, hey, calm down,” you said, putting your hands on her shoulders.

“Don't ask me to calm down,” she hissed, pushing you away and walking back to the door.

“Where are you going?” you asked, grabbing your coat and following her closely along with the puppet.

“To find my daughter, of course,” Donna said, letting you go first and looking at the garden. “Fio! Sei qui?”

“I told you she's in the woods…” you said impatiently, crossing your arms.

“Then let's go to the woods,” Donna said, with a sigh, pulling your hand, almost dragging you along the path.

“Fio?!” you both called.

When you saw that the girl wasn't playing in the usual place, in the old gardener's house, you started to worry too.

You let her play there because you knew it was safe, Fio was 8 years old and as smart as her mother, and there weren't any monsters around there that could stalk her, or so you thought.

“Lasciami andare!”

The unmistakable scream of the little girl reached your ears, and Donna didn't waste a second to approach the source, running desperately through the forest.

“Don't bite me, damn it!” an unknown man screamed.

When you arrived at the place you had to take a deep breath to keep from panicking.

Two villagers you didn't remember seeing were holding Fiorella, trying to tie her up with a rope. You couldn't react.

“Be careful, be careful, if we hurt her she won't be worth anything,” the other man said, managing to tie the little girl's hands.

“This girl is a demon, no wonder she's the daughter of...” the stronger man said, grabbing the girl, who was kicking on his shoulders. “Lady Beneviento.”

“Oh, shit, I told you!” the shorter one shouted when Donna appeared from the shadows, calm, with a firm, slow, stalking step.

“Mom! Mamma!” the girl shouted, turning her head and kicking harder.

“Let my daughter go,” you hissed, threatening, at Donna's apparent inaction. “Calm down, honey, we're here.”

“These bad men want to take me with them!” the little girl explained, falling to the ground with a dull thud.

“One more step and I'll kill the girl,” one of them said, grabbing the girl by her black hair. Donna trembled with rage, but she didn't lose her nerve.

“How brave of you, kidnapping a little girl,” you said, furious, without losing sight of the girl, who was complaining about the tugging.

“Shut your mouth, you stupid sick girl… If you want this girl, you'll have to pay for it,” dumbest of the two, the most stupidly shameless said.

“Sick? You mor…” you growled angrily, walking towards him, being stopped by Donna, who put a hand on your shoulder and pulled you until you were behind her.

“Pay? No, we're not going to pay,” Angie said in a dark, serious tone, with Donna's voice.

“No? Well, well, then we, we…” the other man muttered, fighting the girl's protests.

“Dare to touch her, you miserable bastardo,” Donna said, in her own voice, walking towards them. “Dare, come on.”

“I, I'm leaving,” the short man said, trying to escape. It was impossible.

Fio broke free from her grip and ran into your arms. You picked her up in relief, untying her ties and calming her tears.

“Shh, that’s it, mom’s here,” you said, lifting her into your arms. “Donna, let’s go home.”

“No,” she said, extending her hand to the two men, who fell to the ground in horror. “Take Fiorella away from here. Now!”

You nodded and obeyed, carrying your daughter away from that scene.

Horrible screams filled the quiet forest. You crouched down, covering the ears of the girl, who was still scared.

“Hey, no, look at me, look at me,” you said, when the girl tried to look over your shoulder.

“Is mamma okay?” the little girl asked, pretending to be braver than she was.

You nodded with a fake smile, putting her coat back on.

“Of course she is,” you said, wishing for those horrible screams to stop.

A short time later, the lady in black and the puppet appeared from the shadows.

“Mamma!”  the girl screamed, running into her arms.

“Are you okay, tesoro?” she asked, as if she hadn't just brutally killed those bandits. That coldness gave you chills.

“Yes, mamma, thanks for saving me,” the girl said politely, hugging the brunette, letting Angie hug her too.

“Hey, Donna,” you said, approaching cautiously. “I didn't think that, that she could be in danger.”

“I know,” she said, forgiving your carelessness. “Relax, (Y/N), I told you I would always protect you.”

[vampire-exgirlfriend]

Let's talk about Daemon Targaryen and his resentment of Rhea Royce and their marriage

*gif by @emilykaldwen (who is so brave for watching me scream about this)

I think so many people are happy to tie it all up neatly with a bow that says "he hated her because she wasn't a Targaryen and Daemon is a racist/blood purist." There is no question that Daemon is a very proud Targaryen, and that the Targaryens (and Velaryons, to a seemingly lesser degree) are blood purists, but to reduce Daemon down to this single fact is, in my unhumble opinion, incredibly lazy, and erases some of the more obvious and interesting things that I see frequently getting overlooked when it comes to his marriage with Rhea.

Daemon was knighted at 16 and basically immediately, Alysanne had arranged a marriage to Rhea Royce of Runestone. I would say, in part, it was because they were trusted vassal lords and that any children Daemon had with Rhea would have something to inherit due to his status as a second son (which we know is a major problem with the Targaryens, who had no plans for any kid that’s not inheriting the throne). But there is the flip side of that coin - Jaehaerys' I and Alysanne's child were dropping like flies, and it's made clear in the text that Daemon was more the Targaryen ideal than Viserys was, taking after their mother, Alyssa. "Maester Yandel said he was dashing, daring, and dangerous, but mercurial and quick to take offense. Archmaester Gyldayn wrote that Daemon was ambitious, impetuous, and moody, as charming as he was hot-tempered." He was strong. He was handsome. He was skilled with a sword and held in highish esteem for these things. And by this point, he was third in line for the throne (as Rhaenyra was a) a girl and b) an infant). And if we choose to follow the idea that Alysanne would attempt to have Rhaenys reinstated as heir, removing power and influence from other male Targaryens makes sense.

So he was essentially dragged into this marriage by his grandmother as a stop gap to any power or influence that he might attain being so close to the throne, when he was still a child (yes, I know 16 is considered adulthood in Westeros, but let's take a minute to remember the hormone soup our brains are at 16), and much like women of the time, was used as a way to shore up alliance/allegiance/military backing (let's ignore that the Vale was already locked into an alliance due to Aemma's marriage to Viserys). Daemon very solidly fits the “sold bride” trope that we see so much in ASOIAF (Sansa, Dany, etc). Now add into that the weird and fucked up incest bits and the Valyrian/Targaryen idea that if he had been a daughter, he would have been married to Viserys and not shipped off. He would not have been abandoned in this way had he been a daughter; his place within his family would have been secured, untouchable. He would not be alone.

So a beloved and revered member of their family ships him off to a strange place with zero Valyrian culture, which he had spent his entire life surrounded by and proud to be a part of, always told that Targaryens are closer to gods than men, to be the Lord Consort to a girl that he had never met, who seemed to feel the same disdain toward him that he later showed toward her. Within this universe, we see so many meta posts and fics where women/girls are forced into marriages they didn't want and the rightful resentment and anger that grows there, and we don't fault them for it. Why are we suddenly faulting Daemon for that same thing? At this point in his life, the guy is basically any other child bride, forced to consummate a marriage against his will in a strange place, removed entirely from his family.

Now this isn't to say that an idiot, angry, petulant 16 year old boy missed the big picture. With Caraxes at his side and any potential children inheriting Runestone, he could have absolutely taken Runestone and the Vale (which may have been what Alysanne intended). But he is an idiot, angry, petulant 16 year old boy who has been ripped from everything he knows, everyone he loves, and dumped into what he considers some backwater town and he's not fucking having it. Which says a lot about who he is. We see in both the show and the book that Daemon is fiercely loyal to House Targaryen, to his family, to the blood of the dragon. He craves that closeness, that proximity to them. Daemon is a lot of things, good and bad, and as GRRM likes to say, "an equal mix of dark and light."

The Dance of Dragons isn't just the house of the dragon tearing themselves apart, but a continuation of the stupidity and inaction of Jaehaerys I by Viserys. Everyone was let down by these men, and it resulted in the beginning of the end for their empire (we can dive into Valyrian/Targaryen supremacy another time). Daemon and Aemma were the start of it, the first of Viserys' victims. Then Rhaenyra and Alicent, Aegon and Helaena and Aemond and Daeron.

They failed everyone around them - Jaehaerys in his inaction in choosing a female heir under the appearances of keeping the realm placated and not disturbing the inherent misogyny of the lords of the realm, and Viserys for choosing not to understand his younger brother's emotional suffering nor protecting his daughter after he undid the tradition of male primogeniture for the Iron Throne (tradition, not law) and again when he didn't have oaths re-sworn to her after Aegon's birth and not codifying absolute primogeniture. 

As for Daemon, morally gray characters aren't for everyone, even as much as we like to pretend they are. And that's what Daemon is - he is, at his core, incredibly morally gray. There is nuance there, and it's important. You don't have to like every character. But you can at least try to have a base understanding of the nuance that makes them them, and not be lazy about it.

[ryker-writes]

Roaring Drago's Friend

A small idea that popped up in my head. Kinda inspired by Malleus' wish in the wish upon a star event but also Malleus' lab wear vignette. I know that event was a while ago but it mostly focuses on the fact that Malleus has a roaring drago tamagotchi. I'm also writing this when I should be sleeping so sorry if it's not as good

"I wish for Roaring Drago to make a friend."

You had heard from Deuce about his strange encounter with Malleus

and about how the fae prince treasures a kid's toy

of course you were curious to learn something new about your friend

Deuce was able to tell you more about the kids game Gao-Gao Dragon-Kun

in the small game you get a egg that hatches into a dragon

throughout each day you have to feed it, play with it, and train it as it grows

it's basically a virtual pet

after learning more about it, you decide to buy one!

a few days later and you received and hatched your own Drago

it's pretty easy to take care of as long as you don't forget about it

Ace and Deuce are so confused when you casually pull out the small game while hanging out with them

but Drago needs attention!

after a few days of care your little dragon has evolved into the adult stage

happy about how much it's grown, you finally decide to show it to Malleus

he is so happy

he's so excited to see your dragon and show you his

and when you ask for your dragons to be friends?

he's never agreed to something so quickly

you have to help him set it up tho

once you have it set up the friendship level shows up

I know I already said he's happy but like really

on the outside he's smiling calmly

on the inside he's like a excited puppy

"Child of man, I sincerely hope our Dragos can become the best of friends"

they absolutely do

you and Malleus are now spending more time together to raise the friendship level

he uses this as a reason to find you and hang out more

students are very confused when they see both you and Malleus together with the small devices in your hands

but they're not brave enough to question it

Malleus tells Lilia about the drago's friendship

Lilia is happy that Malleus can enjoy his gift even more than before

Sebek thinks you should be honored for your virtual pet so share a friendship with the young masters

he's also jealous of you

[themultifandomgal]

Isaiah Jesus-Wrapped Around Her Finger

Here’s another request!

I stand starring at Isaiah after telling him the news that I'm pregnant. We have been courting one another behind my brothers backs now for a year, but this was definitely not planned

"Say something, please" I beg

"Your brothers are going to kill me"

"Bloody hell Is, that's what your worried about? I just told you I'm pregnant"

"Of course that's what I'm worried about. When you tell them I loose all chance of being a father and living" he throws his arms in the air

"Oh don't be so dramatic Is. They won't kill you. Force you to marry me, most likely"

"Whoever said that marrying you would be forced?" Isaiah looks at me with a frown

"Were you really going to ask my brothers if you could marry me?" I cross my arms with a raised eyebrow

"In the future yeah, but looks like we will have to marry quicker"

"Tommy and Grace didn't marry straight away, maybe Tommy will be more relaxed about all of this"

"At least let me prepare myself for the rathe of the Shelby's"

"Fine but we tell them end of this week"

The end of the week comes by way to quickly and now I'm stood in front of my whole family about to tell them that I'm pregnant

"Alright YN. Out with it" Tommy says placing an unlit cigarette in his mouth before lighting it up

"Well erm. I guess we should just come out with it"

"We?" Arthur questions looking between me and and Isaiah

"Yes. Err we have been, involved with each other for a while now and...."

"And what?" Tommy asks with an angry expression

"I'm pregnant"

"What!" John is the first one out of his chair "you better be bloody joking"

"Calm down John. YNs not a kid anymore. She's the same age as we were when we had..."

"We were married" John points at Esme

"Fuck sake YN. I don't care that you've been busy behind our backs because your an adult but how stupid can you be to get pregnant?"

"Arthur that's unfair. You could say the same for me"

"I did" Arthur retaliates looking at Ada. I look at Tommy worried because he hasn't said anything yet

"Tom?"

"Well. Can't say I'm not disappointed, but I got Grace pregnant out of marriage and John boy only married Martha because she got pregnant so I can't get to angry. However. I think Isaiah and I should have a little chat"

"Oh Tommy leave him be" Polly says getting up and walking over to me "congratulations sweetheart" she pulls me into a hug and kisses my cheek

"How can you all be so chilled out by this?" Arthur asks annoyed "Isaiah was meant to keep YN safe and away from men"

"He did just that didn't he" John grumbles. A fire is then lit up inside me and I suddenly get very brave

"Ok wether you like it or not, I'm pregnant and I'm having this baby. Isaiah and I aren't getting married just because I'm pregnant. So you can either all act like my family or fuck off" I notice Tommy smirking. John and Arthur both settle back down, still grumbling about how they aren't happy with me. I roll my eyes and then I'm pulled into another hug, this time by Ada and Esme

"Congratulations YN" Ada says

"Thank you"

"So am I going to survive long enough to see my child?" Isaiah asks

"You'll survive long enough to raise the child, love the child and take care of my sister" Tommy stubs his cigarette out and leans back in his chair

"Yeah, yeah course"

"Thank you Tommy" I run over to him and hug him being grateful that he was able to keep everyone calm, or as calm as the Shelby boys can be

"She's always had him wrapped round her bloody finger" Arthur grumbles takes a swig of his drink. I roll my eyes at the comment. All my brothers love me so him and John will get over this eventually.

[inviouswriting]

Dragon’s Don’t Share

This is a 18+ post, minors DNI.

I received a prompt that I toyed with for a few days and it came out wonderfully. 

Childe hitting on Zhongli’s wife unbeknownst to Childe, and ends up with a very spicy evening.

Turned into one of my longer stories, but hey! loved writing this one!

Warnings below.

Warnings include - Fem!reader, established relationship, married, hetero-sex, oral sex giving and receiving, fingering, kissing.

 Zhongli had met up with Childe for an outing, getting the fatui harbinger use to Liyue customs still. They had sat down at Wanmin’s and settled into the specials offered by Xiangling’s rare inclusions. Zhongli is on his second cup of tea when Childe begins to talk about the morning before meeting up with the former archon.

“Xiangshen, you know everyone here, but have you seen this person around?” Zhongli raises his gaze to see the slight stare from Childe, one that someone gets when recalling details.

“I do know every face that resides here, tell me more, you seem enamored.” He’s amused at the idea of a face he hasn’t seen. Amusement that slowly begins to fade when Childe begins to describe you to him. From your height, your body, Childe missing the way Zhongli’s eyes glow brief at him focusing on your breasts or ass, or the bold of him flirting with you. The outfit you are wearing today as you were shopping for clothes, a gold and brown cheongsam dress. You always dress like you belong to the geo archon, in his colors and styles he finds for you to indulge him. Brighter golds and browns to his darker versions, you complimented each other whenever you are out together.

If Childe had used his elemental sight, he would have seen the yellow mark at your neck or how much of Zhongli’s essence lingers into you to mistake you for either an adeptus or a geo vision holder.

“Mr. Zhongli, your tea is getting cold, would you like to have it warmed up?” Xiangling notes how Zhongli is distracted enough to let the cup go cold, a rare occurrence for him, he never lets a cup be wasted.

“My apologies, yes, I’d appreciate that. Childe, it seems you are brave to attempt to court someone like that. What did she say?” He is curious to know if you deflected Childe or entertained him, he knows your loyalty is absolute.

“She denied me, she laughed at me, but I think there might be a chance somewhere. Say... when were you going to introduce me to your wife? You’ve spoken a lot of her, but I’ve still yet to meet her.” Childe changes the subject after seeing the slight possessive stare behind the former archon’s eyes, like he was talking about something forbidden with the woman he was describing.  

“My wife is a wonderful woman. You will meet her one day, maybe tomorrow? We should finish our meal, I do want to catch her before she gets tired, she was out shopping today for clothes.” Zhongli mentions light at the shopping, maybe Childe will connect the two together.  

The meal is finished, and Childe pays for it while Zhongli is caught up in thought about you. He wants to rush back to put his own worry to rest and see you more than ever.  

“you said we’d be able to meet with your wife tomorrow, right? Should we come back here? Or Third Round?” Childe raises the question, excited for the chance to meet the woman who snared the heart of an archon. The slight raised grin on Zhongli’s face as he thought about it, a perfect way to show you belong to him after what he intends to do to you tonight.

“That sounds like a splendid idea. Same time?” They shake hands on it as a verbal contract, Zhongli sees the harbinger off, then turns on his heel to head home. Where you await him.

Yours and Zhongli’s home was set across the bridge closer to leaving the harbor but a little further from prying eyes and ears with how you two can get. Zhongli sees smoke from the fireplace knowing you are already cooking something for yourself. You were aware your husband would eat out but always make extra with how much the man can actually intake. He’ll burn it off later either training or with you.  

You hear the door open but don’t lift your head from the stove until you are almost finished with the mora meat sandwiches you were making.  

“Welcome home dear~” Zhongli hears your voice; with that cheerful tone he loves. The one directed only to him, and starts to shed his coat, gloves, and vest. He finds you easy and before you know it, you are hugged from behind in such a strong embrace you wondered what had happened to make him hug you like this.

“Almost done?” He inquires and you know that tone in his voice, slightly playful as one of his hands squeezes your side, taking in what is his earning a sigh from you.

“About five minutes love?” You lean back into his arms, letting him feel you, letting him touch you like he needs to. The way he holds you is like he is afraid of losing you, like you’ll slip from his hands, and you want to relieve that feeling. True to your word you were done making the meal but set it aside knowing you’ll need it later. You have snacked on other things during your outing and won’t be hungry till later.

You look up into the amber eyes when Zhongli turns you to face him. You see his eyes searching yours, vibrant and intense gold eyes smolder as they stare into yours. You can see worry etched into the edges of his eyes like something did upset him, you take his left hand and bring it you your face getting him to feel it. You lean your head into his hand; nip at his thumb when it passes across your painted lips. How you awaken a fire within him, with the little bite, he presses your bottom lip down smearing the color that he put there this morning.

Zhongli takes it a little further with getting you to suck on the thumb as it presses into your mouth. You obediently do, his other hand coming up to pet through your hair, like he needs to make a mess of you, that it is his hands that touch you.

“How was your day, my love? Did you find anything that caught your eye?” Zhongli asks finally, removing his thumb to let you speak, but rubs your lips with it. He dips his head to press subtle kisses at the corner of your mouth, the gentleman shining in front of you. Arms wind behind you pulling you into him till you feel like you are protected from anything, are protected.

“My shopping was a little fruitful, I found some dresses that you’ll like.” Your husband kisses the other side of your face waiting for you to continue speaking, small pecks near your eyes that make your heart sing with love for how gentle he is being, almost betraying the intensity you saw in his eyes earlier.

“Oh? You’ll show me later. Anything else?” You finally understand the underlying of his tone. The cause for possessiveness.

“I was flirted with by that Snezhnayan guy, the one you hang out with a lot?” There you feel his grip tighten around you. You know who Childe is, have seen him around the traveler and your husband but was always too busy to talk to him directly yourself. Just he has never seen you with how much Zhongli has kept your attention and stayed with you for the years he was courting you.  

“I declined him naturally, I did say I was married, but I think it went over his head. He was too busy staring.” Zhongli lifts his head to regard you, seeing the sincerity behind your eyes. Childe left out the detail of you saying you are married. You feel a hand ghost on your arm, smoothing down to grasp your hand in his, raising it up to lace your fingers together like you’ve done on many occasions.

“Did it worry you? You seem tense since you got home. You know I-” Your head is tilted upwards as you speak, and before you could finish your sentence, he claims your lips in a kiss. A hand presses at the small of your back, inching you closer to your archon till you are pressed against him again and tilted back to where you rely on him for support.

“Forgive me in advance, I need to do this.” You soon feel his hand slipping beneath the slit in the side of your dress, moving to the back where the dress leaves enough slack for him to smooth his palm along your skin feeling it for himself. Fingers pressing along your spine till they encounter the bra you wear, quickly undoing it to be uninterrupted in feeling how soft you are. His other hand busy keeping your hand held in it.  

You feel your legs threaten to give out from the angle and from the kiss trails from your lips to your neck. Teeth grazing along the small spot he exploits a lot, just below your ear where he has marked this with a symbol only, he sees. Your hands go to his shirt to hold onto it as you are collected in those strong arms and carried with ease towards your bedroom.

Once through the threshold of the room is when Zhongli trips when getting you onto the bed, and him kneeling at the edge of the bed. You snicker a little at the slight clumsy behavior you only see in him when he’s eager to please you. That predatory stare from earlier returns in full, and you bite your lip as he crawls over the top of you caging your head between his arms.

“You are mine... and mine alone.” You nod your head in agreement, amber eyes taking in how helpless you are under him, he sits light on your lap not putting his whole weight on you, but you understand as he tugs open the front of your dress.  

“Yes, all yours, there is no one else that would ever have my eyes.” A flash of gold tells you he likes hearing it, he brings you up to peel the dress from your shoulders exposing skin to himself. The straps of the bra tugged down with the sleeves, and you chatter your teeth just briefly from anticipation of what he has in store for you.  

Zhongli cups your face in his hands tilting your head up to have the gentle of kisses pressed to your mouth. The tenderness he shows you is the respect in how much he genuinely loves you, he always does this before he looks at your body, before he even dares to touch you intimately. Seeking his permission in this kiss, and you grant it with tugging on his tie closer.  

You entertain the kiss parting your lips for him to press his tongue inside, yours meets his alongside his to reach his mouth. He deepens the kiss pressing as close as he gets, his arms around you keeping you pinned to him. His hands rubbing against your back feeling you, both of you had closed your eyes into the kiss to properly feel and taste.  

The kiss between you is broken both of you breathless, and his lips trail down your cheek to that one spot, leaving a few marks on your skin, ones that can’t be hidden by a collar in his moment of possessiveness to ensure that when he shows you off to Childe he knows this woman belongs to Zhongli.

Your husband gets up and scoots down to remove the rest of your dress tugging it off your legs discarding it over the edge of the bed along with the thin panty. He kneels between your legs, letting them rest at the sides of his waist, you cover your chest from feeling cold and intimidated by his stare.

Zhongli begins to undo the tie he wears and unbuttons the shirt, matching you in being barely dressed. The only thing remaining are his pants, you know how much he does not wear anything beneath them. You wrap your legs around his waist pulling yourself to grind against the bulge you feel. This earns him groaning and pushing against you to feel you underneath him. You squirm as a result of him putting his weight on you this time, you also feel teeth on your shoulder deft in the bite he delivers.

“Morax!!” Zhongli travels further down your chest to pass his tongue over a nipple, flicking it across the bud as it hardens underneath then sucks on it. You tangle your fingers into his hair, feeling a hand tweak the other nipple between his fingers, till you push against his waist trying to ride him through his pants.

You feel him push back against your waist centering you to himself, your hands reaching for his hair only to be caught by him and pinned above your head. His left hand holds your hands down, while his right continues to travel down your abdomen, fingers tracing the other sigil he has placed there. You blush furious from the smirk hs gives you as his power thrums to life resonating with the mark.  

Your voice resounds off the walls and is music to his ears when he hears your moan. He lingers his hand a few seconds more than let's go of your hands in favor of grabbing your hips to pull them so your lower half is presented more to him, getting you into an embarrassing position as your feet are towards your head.

“Z-Zhongli!?” He lifts his gaze to you, a cheeky smug smirk at the corner of his lips seeing how red your face is at this position. Mischief behind those amber eyes as they lower to take in all that is his. You cover your face when you feel his fingers along your folds spreading them open to his eyes.  

“You have such a lovely color here, and you are already dripping... What a waste.” You barely notice the change in his form, from the simple man that loves you to the archon. With how his arms and legs decorate themselves in black with gold veins. You can only plead with your eyes for a little mercy until you feel wet heat against your pussy, starting at your clit towards your hole. You keen out letting your voice echo through the room itself.

“M-Morax!” Molten gold eyes focus on your own, he buries his tongue into you keeping your folds apart with his fingers save for one rubbing the nub near his nose. That same possessive stare he had transfixed on you all evening is more prominent now than ever.  

“My name... again... say it!” Zhongli commands it under his breath, and you bite your lip at hearing the tone out of him, deep and absolute.

“Morax! Morax!!!” Hot breath on your slit as he breathes on it before slipping his tongue back inside. You cry out more when he pushes his tongue deeper to that one spot trying to please you well. You feel two fingers slip in with his tongue to prod your gspot to get you to thrash underneath him in pure pleasure that all you could do is chant your husband's name like the former god he is.

Zhongli keeps up his fingers even when he feels your feet dig into his shoulders to push you closer to his mouth. He feels your walls tensing around them as he pumps them into you. His tongue swirling around your clit till stars behind your eyes and white-hot runs through you as you reach your first orgasm in a squirt that is quickly drank in by your husband.

You pant as you are lowered down to the bed and look up at Zhongli; his eyes hold a pained expression, and you know why. When you feel your strength return from your orgasm is when you get onto your hands and knees in front of him. Zhongli already pulling off his pants in favor of getting your mouth on his cock soon.  

A sight he enjoys as you lower down in front of him, you run your hand along the length of his dick stroking him lovingly. Zhongli pets through your hair as you pump him, feeling him throb and twitch in your hand.  

“You are so good to me, endure a little longer and I will make you feel really good.” You hum in response to his words and look up at him with a smile.

“You already make me feel good. You’re also cute when you’re jealous.” You don’t miss him puffing his cheeks at this rare moment. Nor do you miss the face he makes when you run your tongue along his shaft from base to tip. Zhongli guides you as you take him into your mouth relaxing your jaw as you swallow him down.

Fingers comb through your hair, Zhongli lets out his own moans with how you suck or sweep your tongue around the tip. You bring a hand to play with his balls, your tongue paying attention to that one spot just underneath the tip that produces a visible shiver through him. You look up at him giving him a sight of you pleasing him with your mouth, lowered eyes and pleading him for more.

Your archon is overtaken with the image he will keep in his mind, and soon you feel him twitch. You pull back enough for just the tip to remain in your mouth and taste salty sweet on your tongue as he cums. You don’t swallow yet and collect all of it, milking him of his seed till you are sure every drop is in your mouth.  

Zhongli looks down to you and sees the blush on your face as you open your mouth to show him his seed coating your tongue. Your husband makes a noise in the back of his throat at you showing him this, and it does wonders for him feeling his claim over you. He visibly shivers and something within him snaps, you swallow his seed, even licking your lips as you keep eye contact with Zhongli’s now glowing eyes at such a display before him.

Before you know it, you are flipped onto your stomach, and your hips raised into the air. Zhongli moves over you, and you sigh brief feeling heat against your back, as he positions his cock to your soaked folds. He doesn’t need to wait with all the foreplay you both had done and slips inside with ease. You close your eyes and let out a surprised moan at the sudden penetration. The angle he has you at lets him in deep, and you feel him kiss your shoulder when he is fully inside you bottomed out.  

“You have no idea... just what you do to me dear. I want to see you on your knees more, I want you screaming my name till everyone in this harbor knows who you belong to. I want to cum in every spot I can till you can’t walk, and all you taste is my seed. You are mine... and mine alone. I will see to that contract is never broken.” He almost growls in your ear, his hands gripping your hips tight as he begins to thrust into you.  

You barely hear him undo the tie holding his hair back but see a curtain of brown and gold. Black and gold arms hold you down, thrusts that are made are hard and fast. You yelp when one of his thrusts gets his balls to slap against your clit. He does this again till you whine for more. Zhongli holds your hands down in front of you, while his teeth graze your neck to leave as many marks as possible in your skin.

Zhongli is wild in his movements; you feel amazing and with him angling exactly right thrusts into your g-spot again.

You can’t help but moan his name or reach for the pillows tugging one to muffle your screams only to have it grabbed from you and tossed off the bed. You keen out louder, Zhongli making his thrusts longer and deeper deliberately dragging himself inside you to hear you whimper under your breath when he focuses a series of thrusts to that one spot that makes you see stars.

Your archon pulls from you to briefly flip you onto your back and buries himself inside you again. You hear the sound of skin against skin. One of his hands under your chin to get you to look him in his eyes, he holds a feral look to his blazing gold eyes. He gets you to wrap your legs around his waist and cling to him as he thrusts wild till he feels you claw his back and that warmth gush against his lap again as you peak in a orgasm.

Zhongli buries himself deep, spilling his seed within you getting you to blush at feeling warmth in your belly. He has enough strength in him to make sure he lays next to you, keeping himself buried inside, keeping you clinging to him. You nuzzle into his face with yours, getting loving kisses placed on your cheek, letting him calm down while entangled with your limbs.

You feel hands cup your face and lips pepper you with kisses. The possessive nature Zhongli held in his eyes fades as he simply loves you now. Your screams of his name and letting him claim you in a way only he can.  

“My love... You're not hurt at all?” He does fret about being too rough, his many bite marks on your skin, he notes the one on your neck that you won’t hide. You touch it gingerly, and smile at him.

“I like it, but please tell me what provoked you in this manner?” Zhongli merely presses his face into your hair.

“Childe flirted with you.” You knew the answer but seeing him be like this made you feel wanted and loved by him to many lengths.

“Maybe it is time I meet him, so he knows I’m married to the former geo archon?” You tease him and earn him pinning you down again with a warning in his eyes.

“Funny you say that; we will be going out tomorrow, he is treating both of us to Third Round.” Your eyes widen at the realization that Childe will be meeting you a day after you have had sex with Zhongli. Your face is flushed from how you will look with marks all over your neck, and glowing yellow if Childe uses his elemental sight.

“I love you.” You manage out and hear a happy hum out of him in agreement.

“I love you too. Now rest, I will go grab you your food.” You curl up in the blankets, feeling your legs shaking from the intense lovemaking you two did.

The next day when you meet up with Childe, the harbinger does a double take seeing you under the arm of Zhongli looking smitten by him.  

“Xianshen, this is the woman I was talking about yesterday. How do you know her?” He almost looks shocked, but something clicks with the way you are dressed in colors that compliment Zhongli’s.

“Oh, you’re here already. Well... This is my wife. Let me introduce you to her.” Zhongli does smile seeing how Childe shakes your hand, a little more hesitant under the watchful eye of the archon.  

“I am pleased to meet you Childe, I have heard a lot about you. Shall we sit down to dinner together now?”  

[ltash]

Carrying his child.

Finding out you're pregnant with Simon's child.

"I saw that you were perfect, and so I loved you. Then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even more." – Angelita Lim

After finishing breakfast, I followed Ghost to his room. He was packing.

"So you're leaving me finally!" I said.

"It isn't like that. I am getting deployed. Will catch up with ya later." He said while folding his clothes and putting them neatly in his suitcase.

I started helping him.

"Soap will teach you how to shoot a sniper while he is here," he said.

"But he cannot fulfill the void, your void, Simon!" I said, my voice tinged with a mix of frustration and sadness.

He paused, looking up at me, his eyes softening for a moment before he resumed packing. "I know, love. But duty calls. You understand that, don't you?"

I nodded, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. "I do. But it doesn't make it any easier."

He straightened up, closing the suitcase and pulling me into his arms. "I'll be back before you know it," he murmured against my hair. "And until then, remember that you're never truly alone. I'm always with you, in some way."

I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his familiar scent, trying to commit it to memory. "Just come back to me," I whispered.

He kissed the top of my head, holding me tightly. "I promise," he said, his voice firm yet gentle. "I'll always come back to you."

Tears started to well up in my eyes. I broke out in sobs. "You know these walls, this huge space I call home, they gnaw at me when I am alone. One day Johnny will have to leave. What would I do without you, my love?" I sobbed.

He cupped my face and wiped my tears with his thumb. "You are my girl and I need my girl to be brave. Do you understand?" he said, his voice steady but full of emotion.

I nodded, trying to pull myself together, feeling the warmth of his touch anchoring me. "I'll try, Simon. For you."

"That's all I ask," he whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Just hold on. I'll be back before you know it."

He took his sniper case and opened it on the bed, removing the sniper and presenting it to me. "Here, Nora. Take care of it. It's yours now."

I took it from his hands, my fingers trembling as I felt the weight of it. "I have fought wars with it, and it's very close to my heart. That's why I'm giving it to you. Use it on your enemies, just in case. Johnny will teach you," he said, his voice steady yet filled with emotion.

I looked at him, tears blurring my vision. His presence, his strength, everything about him was etched into this weapon. My trembling hands gripped the rifle, feeling its cold metal against my skin.

He rolled his balaclava up to his forehead, revealing his face. His lips touched mine in a gentle kiss, filled with love and longing. I didn't want him to pull away, wishing time would stay still, keeping us in this moment forever. But reality was relentless, and he eventually drew back, leaving me with the rifle and the memory of his touch.

"Come, take my hand. The helicopter's waitin'," he said, taking my hand into his.

We climbed the stairs to my roof where Captain Price, Soap, and Gaz were already standing.

"We're leaving now, kid. We had a very good time here," Captain Price said.

"Captain Price! After my father's death, you've been like a father to me. I'm grateful you came here and spent time with me." I hugged him tightly.

Gaz came over and hugged me too. "Thanks, Nora, for all of that," he said.

"Mention not, Gaz," I replied.

Simon still held my hand, a comforting presence by my side.

"See ya again, LT!" Soap said, punching Simon's chest playfully.

Simon stood with me as they all boarded the helicopter. The blades started to move, creating a deafening roar.

"See you again, sweetheart," Simon said, turning to go, but I grabbed his hand and hugged him fiercely.

"I love you, Simon," I whispered.

"I love you too, Nora," he whispered back.

Captain Price couldn't hear our conversation, but I could see the suspicion in his eyes, his doubts about us beginning to take form.

I touched my lips with my fingers and then pressed my fingers against his masked lips, not caring about what Captain Price might think. Simon pointed his fingers towards his eyes and then to mine, gesturing that he would be coming back for me.

With that, he stepped inside the helicopter. Johnny and I stood there, watching as the helicopter ascended and flew away. I stood there long after it had disappeared into the sky, feeling the emptiness settle in.

Tears were flowing from my eyes, and Johnny noticed.

"It's awright, Nora. He'll be back when he's free. Until then, I'm here. Ye won't be bored, I promise." He chuckled.

"Thanks, Johnny," I said, climbing down the stairs with him following after me.

"Make yourself at home, Johnny," I said as I entered Simon's room and closed the door. His room felt empty without him.

I sat on the bed holding the sniper he gave me, touching it and thinking about how he had used it. It was a piece of him which he gave me. I noticed his grey hoodie lying on the bed. He left it there.

I held it close, taking in his scent, the musky cologne. It smelled of him. I laid on the bed holding it close, my face toward the balcony door where rays of sunlight entered the room. The bed, the sheets, everything smelled of him, and I wanted to envelop myself in his vibes.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep again with him on my mind.

It was almost lunchtime when I woke up.

I stood and opened the door. The faint voice of laughing grew nearer as I descended the stairs. There I saw Soap standing in the living room, talking to the chef and laughing at his own silly jokes.

"What's going on here?" I asked.

"Ach, nothin'. I was just tellin' her some jokes that I tell LT," Soap replied.

"Aye, Nora! Ye play games? Uno, Ludo, Monopoly?" he asked.

"Only Ludo, but nobody is here to play with me."

"Ye go tae the gym?" he asked.

"Yes, I have my own gym here. I haven't worked out in a while as Simon was here."

"Sure LT would have used it. He loves tae work out," he said.

"No, he didn't either," I replied.

"I'll show you the gym after lunch but let's eat something first," I said and went inside the kitchen to help the chef.

"Hey Johnny! Tell me anything about Ghost," I asked.

"Aye, lass! Ghost? Ah, he's a fine listener, ye ken? No one for idle chatter, but when he does speak, it's worth listenin' to. And when it comes to crackin' jokes, he's a right laugh, especially among us," Johnny replied in his Scottish brogue.

"Well! Simon said you'll show me how to shoot a sniper," I said.

"Aye! I'll teach ye," Johnny confirmed.

As the day progressed, I found myself immersed in conversation with Johnny. He was quite the charmer, with an infectious smile that lit up the room. He had a great sense of humor and was incredibly friendly.

"Aye lass! Let's play a game. Whit were ye sayin' before, which game ye play?" Johnny asked.

"Ludo," I said.

"Let's play Ludo then," he said.

"Sorry Johnny! I have to attend an online meeting. You can watch TV if you are getting bored." I said.

"Aye, lass, which meeting are ye off to?" Johnny inquired.

"It's my father's company, a pharma business. I'm running it now. I'll be joining the office from tomorrow, so you'll be on your own," I explained.

"I'll come wi' ye. Would love to see yer company," he offered.

"You sure? You won't get bored?" I asked.

"Nah, it's fine. I'm here tae keep ye safe," he replied confidently.

A month later,

I was sitting in the meeting room of my company. It was almost time to leave. Johnny did not accompany me today.

As I stood up, my head spinning, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. The room seemed to blur, and I struggled to maintain my balance. I reached out to steady myself, grasping the edge of the table as I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart.

"Are you okay, Nora?" my colleague asked, concern evident in their voice.

I nodded weakly, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, just feeling a bit lightheaded. I think I need some fresh air."

With shaky steps, I made my way out of the meeting room and into the corridor. Leaning against the wall, I closed my eyes, trying to steady my breathing. The world spun around me, and I felt a sense of unease settle in the pit of my stomach.

I sat in my car, the wave of dizziness and nausea was overwhelming.

As I arrived at my mansion, exhaustion weighed heavily upon me. Johnny was there, waiting for me. But as I entered, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me, and before I could react, darkness enveloped my vision, and I fell unconscious.

When I woke, Johnny was kneeling beside me, concern etched on his face. He had caught me before I hit the ground, his strong arms supporting me.

"Are you alright, lass?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

I groaned softly, my head throbbing with pain. "I... I don't know. I felt dizzy and then... everything went black."

Johnny helped me sit up, his steady presence a reassuring anchor in the midst of my confusion. "We need to get you checked out, Nora. This ain't normal."

I nodded weakly, grateful for his concern. With Johnny's support, I managed to stand, albeit unsteadily. Together, we made our way to the nearest couch, where I sank down, feeling utterly drained.

As Johnny fetched a glass of water, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me. Something was wrong, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. All I knew was that I needed answers, and fast.

"I think I should call my doctor," I muttered, dialing his number.

Dr. William arrived within half an hour. "How are you, young woman? Aren't you taking care of yourself?" he asked.

"I don't know what's happening. I think it might be iron deficiency," I replied.

"Where's your friend, Nora?" he asked.

"You mean Simon?" I asked back.

"Yes," he replied.

"He's in the army, so he had to go back," I explained.

"And who is this gentleman?" Dr. William pointed towards Soap.

"He's my friend. Like a little brother," I said.

"Hmm. Low blood pressure, low sugar... What are you doing, kid?" he huffed.

"I'm taking a blood sample. We'll run some tests and I'll send you the reports ASAP," Dr. William said.

Dr. William took my sample and left.

"You should tell LT about this," Soap said, concerned.

"Tell what? It's just normal, nothing unexpected," I replied. "I should go rest." I headed to my room.

Sitting on the bed, another wave of nausea hit me. I rushed to the bathroom to vomit.

"I think I caught a stomach bug," I messaged Simon.

After messaging Simon, I rinsed my mouth and returned to my room, feeling utterly exhausted. I laid down on the bed, trying to ignore the lingering nausea. My phone buzzed with a reply from Simon.

"Are ya alright, love? Do ya need me to come back?" Simon's concern was evident even through the text.

"No, I'll be fine. Just need some rest," I typed back, though I wished he could be here with me.

Johnny knocked gently on my door. "Nora, you okay in there?"

"Yeah, Johnny. Just feeling a bit off," I said, my voice weak.

"Need anythin'? Some water, tea, maybe?" he offered.

"Water would be nice, thanks," I replied, managing a small smile.

Johnny returned quickly with a glass of water. "Here ya go. Rest up, alright?"

"Thanks, Johnny," I said, taking a sip.

As I settled back into bed, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong. The nausea, the dizziness, the fatigue—it all felt too much to be just a stomach bug. But for now, all I could do was wait for Dr. William's call with the test results.

Hours passed, and I drifted in and out of a restless sleep. Finally, my phone rang. It was Dr. William.

"Nora, I got your results. Can you talk?"

"Yes, Dr. William, please tell me," I said, my heart pounding.

"Your iron levels are indeed low, and you have low blood pressure and low blood sugar, which explains your dizziness and nausea. However, there's something else. Have you missed your period recently?"

My breath caught in my throat. "Yes, I have. What does that mean?"

"Nora, I think you might be pregnant. We'll need to do a confirmation test, but the symptoms and your blood work suggest it."

Pregnant? The word echoed in my mind. I thanked Dr. William and ended the call, feeling a mix of shock, joy, and fear. How would I tell Simon? What would this mean for us?

I decided not to share this with Johnny yet. It felt too personal, too raw to discuss with anyone before Simon knew. I needed time to process this on my own.

Lost in thought, I barely noticed when Johnny knocked on my door again. "Nora? Ya look like you've seen a ghost. Everythin' alright?"

"Just tired, Johnny. Thanks for the water," I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Johnny, I've got to go see Simon," I told him as I hurriedly threw some clothes into my suitcase.

"Everythin' alright, Nora?" Johnny asked, concern etched on his face.

"Yeah, just...something important came up. I need to talk to him face-to-face," I said, avoiding eye contact.

"Alright, if ye need anythin', let me know," Johnny replied, his worry evident but respectful of my need for privacy.

I had told Johnny not to inform Simon that we were coming to see him. Dr. William had emailed me the test report, and I had it ready to show Simon. When the helicopter landed on the base, Johnny stepped out first, offering me a hand to help me down.

I wore simple white joggers, a long figure-hugging jersey dress, and a denim jacket. As I stepped onto the base, I could feel all eyes on me. Johnny grabbed my suitcase and led the way inside the building. The stares followed me as I walked, my heart pounding with anticipation.

Johnny carried my suitcase inside while I continued my search for Simon. I found him in the briefing room with Captain Price and Gaz, all of them engrossed in a discussion over a map. Simon was leaning on the desk, his focus on the map. I stood in the doorway, crossing my arms over my chest, waiting for him to notice me.

Suddenly, his eyes lifted and met mine. A look of surprise and concern flashed across his face.

"Lieutenant Simon Riley," I said, my voice steady but carrying the weight of the news I was about to share. "We need to talk."

He straightened up, his expression shifting to one of immediate seriousness. "Nora? What are ya doin' here?"

Captain Price and Gaz exchanged curious glances but remained silent. Simon quickly walked over to me, concern evident in his eyes. "Let's go somewhere private," he said softly.

We walked out of the room and found a quiet spot outside. Simon turned to me, his eyes searching mine. "What's goin' on, love?"

I took a deep breath and handed him the printed email from Dr. William. "Simon, I'm pregnant," I said, my voice trembling slightly.

He looked down at the paper, then back up at me, his eyes wide with shock. "Pregnant?" he repeated, as if needing to hear it again to believe it.

I nodded. "I wanted to tell you in person. This is big, Simon. It changes everything."

He stood there for a moment, processing the news. Then, he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "We'll get through this, Nora. Together. I'm here for ya, no matter what."

Tears of relief and joy welled up in my eyes as I held onto him. "I was so scared, Simon. But hearing you say that...it makes everything better."

He kissed the top of my head, his voice full of love and determination. "We'll figure it out, love. One step at a time. Now, let's get you settled and take care of ya and our little one."