#somnus x reader

[sassyscientia]

Being in a relationship with Somnus Lucis Caelum (Commoner verse Fem!reader)

Knowing each other (Part 1)

When you arrived at the camp your brother brought you immediately in the infirmary tent.

There was another man inside, cladded in a long white tunic, bandaging a young soldier's calf. The boy winced and you stepped in to check. It seemed too tight and, with all the tact you could muster, you corrected the man's medication.

Normally the other's healers took your suggestions with a sort of contempt, annoyed to be "humiliated" by a woman in such way.

To your great surprise the man didn't bat an eyelid, and he gently asked you if you could illustrate him the better method to bandage differents wounds.

"I have to admit that it isn't my strongest suit. Could you help me with the others?"

Well, that was a first.

Your brother interjected with a hint of proud in his voice, "My sister is a capable woman, Lord Ardyn, I'm sure she would gladly teach you."

You gasped, bowing your head and muttered an apologie for not having recognized the firstborn son of the Lucis Caelum. He put a hand on your shoulder and you raised your eyes: he was very handsome, his blue eyes deep and kind.

"No need to be formal, my lady. I'm here to help, just like you", he smiled.

Your cheeks flushed. He was different from the nobles you met (even from his brother) he treated you like a human being, at least.

It was easy to talk to him, you felt at ease, the three of you worked well togheter.

The flap of the tend flipped open and there he was: Somnus.

You winced internally.

However you bowed your head, mumbling his name.

Fortunately he seemed to pay no attention to you or your brother and he beckoned Ardyn to follow him.

When they were both gone, you asked your brother if Lord Somnus has brought him an injuried soldier.

Your brother knew nothing about it.

That was weird.

After you finished, you stepped out the tent. You saw Somnus marching towards the center of the camp, probably to meet his generals.

Gaining your courage, you decided to approach him to ask about the soldier.

But when you came closer you noticed an espression of cold fury written upon his face. It was too late to backpedal, Somnus' eyes met yours.

You gulped, "my apologies, is it a bad time?"

He regarded you for a second, the rage he was showing a few moments before replaced with haughtiness. You knew he recognized you and probably deemed you unworthy of the good manners reserved to a lady. You were just a paesant, after all.

"In this situation every time is a bad time, girl." He lifted his chin "Tell the healer that he has to speak with my brother for medical supplies." He started to walk away and you followed him.

" It isn't that. I wanted to know about the soldier you rescued, my lord. Is he well?"

Somnus didn't slow down, nor he looked at you "He died." You freezed midstep. The injuries weren't so bad to be life threatening and you brother didn't see him in the infirmary.

"But..." you said, and Somnus finally turned to face you.

"Ask me no more. This is a war we are fighting against deamons. He died, there's nothing to say."

" But he wasn't among the other injuried. So how..."

"Don't push the matter, girl!" He sternly interrupted "and remember who you are talking to. Stay at your place and do what you are asked to or leave if you can't understand an order."

You gritted your theet, swallowing the insult already forming on your tongue. You don't want to put your brother position in jeopardy because of this prick. You exhale, bowing your head "I'm sorry, Lord Somnus. It will never happen again."

When he walked away you frowned, returning to your brother in a bad mood.

This conversation returned into your mind that night, while you were trying to get some sleep.

You wondered about what happened to that soldier, if Somnus' behaviour toward you was a consequence of some deep rooted worry tied to this.

Either way you cannot muster the will to like that man.

His brother, on the other end, was very nice.

In the following weeks you and your brother worked very close to him, and you cannot help but developing a small crush.

But when you saw him welcome the Oracle Aera Mirus Fleuret in the camp you didn't mind that your hopes were not meant to be fulfilled. They clearly loved each other and you found out that you wished Ardyn to be a friend instead of a potential lover.

As for Somnus you did the impossible to avoid to cross his path. You have caught a glimpse of him just a couple times, always talking with his generals and planning battles. Sometimes he waited for Ardyn to finish in the infirmary tent for the night so you know that, despite some issues, the two was very fond with each other.

That was the only thing you can relate to: loving your sibilings more than everything in your life, even if you sensed some things running between the two brothers that might potentially end in a disaster.

One night, after checking the injuried, you heard them angrily whispering not far from the tent and you hastly hid in the shadows, listening to their discussion.

"There has to be a way to heal them all, Somnus, if you would just let me..."

"You know there's no other way. We can't let the disease spreading just because you want to play God."

"Careful, brother. To drag the Six in a coversation so casually..."

" The power they gave you isn't enough, because it wasn't meant for this. They have a path for you and you are straying from it. You are supposed to be at the temple."

"I cannot reach many people if I stay put."

"That's what you are not understanding. You cannot save everyone. Sacrifices have to be made for peace. You are just delaying the inevitable."

You lowered your eyes, listening to the silence that fell heavy as a boulder. The Starscourge was spreading so fast that maybe Somnus wasn't wrong.

The following day Somnus summoned part of the troops to set a military camp near a city at risks to be invaded by deamons, two days horseback from where you were staying.

Your brother presented you and another young man as the healers and you bid goodbye to him and Lord Ardyn.

"May the light of the Six protect you, Y/N"

During the march Somnus approached the carriage you were travelling on with the other healer. You sit straight, a little taken aback by his appearence. He was on horseback and he was staring at you.

"You seem quite fond of my brother." It wasn't a question and you really didn't know how to respond.

"My lord?"

"He insisted on sending you rather than coming himself on this campaign. He trusts you and your abilities." His stare was steely and you found yourself unable to keep eye contact with him.

"Lord Ardyn is very kind in his judgement."

"Hope that kindness didn't cloud his mind. Or it did?"

"I will not disappoint in my duties, my lord. I'm going to be the healer you need in this difficult times." You dared to look at him, his face unreadable "Wherever fondness I may harbour for your brother won't change that, nor his judgement will be misplaced by subjective perception."

He regarded you in silence, than nodded and he brought his horse to the head of the troop.

You started to breath easily, wondering why Somnus was suddenly interested with your relationship with Ardyn.

Well, I thought I posted this a while ago. My bad, sorry... Part 2 is coming out very soon, it just needs some polishing. @emperorwriter if you are still interested here's part 2 with the third on the way.

[notjustjavierpena]

Ok so someone said Pedro is so husband in Gladiator 2 and I was wondering if you would possibly do a Marcus and pregnant!wife fic?! Please 🤍

Restless

Main Masterpost | Support a disabled creator

A/N: This was so fun to write and I hope you like it! Just fyi, this is not a part of my series Ubi tu Gaius, ego Gaia.

Summary: Being heavily pregnant makes it hard to sleep.

Pairing: Marcus Acacius x f!reader/you (no y/n)

Tags: Pregnant reader, kisses, a general devoted to his wife

Word count: 1k

Link to this work on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60543115

Restless

Since entering the final stages of carrying your child, nights in bed have been restless. You lay awake most of the time, drifting off on your side only to wake up not long after with a foot pressing against your ribs. It is a strange paradox how something so unpleasant can offer you comfort at the same time, serving as a reminder that your baby is healthy and strong. You’ll take watching the sunrise each morning if it means knowing that they are well, even if it means exhaustion from the lack of rest. 

Tonight is no different. You are yet again caught in the realm of the awake, carefully turning over from side to side as you beg God Somnus to show you mercy and grant you some sleep. However, just as your eyes start to flutter closed, you are startled awake by another swift kick to your insides. 

“You are as restless as your father,” you speak quietly and with affection to the life within your belly, pressing your hand over the spot. You glance at Marcus as you say it, already aware of how he is stirring from his slumber because the littlest of things can rouse him. After all, he is a light sleeper, old habits making him as vigilant in bed with you as he is on the battlefield. 

“Another night on slumber’s battlefield?” Marcus asks while sleep still clings to him. His voice is rough, rumbling through his chest as he speaks. 

You nod with a sigh, reaching for your husband’s hand to guide it to rest on your belly. His voice joining yours has woken up the baby even more, and they seem even more enthusiastic in announcing their presence to their parents, “It seems like your child is preparing for a campaign of their own. Feel.”

“My child?” He asks with a fond smile, another jab at his palm making him gently trace patterns across your belly. 

“During nights like these, they’re your child,” you tease lightheartedly and earn a gentle smile, a twinkle in his eyes. 

“I suppose that’s fair,” he chuckles quietly but it is interrupted by another spirited kick. He sucks in a breath, talking quietly as if mostly to himself, “Every time I do this… I still can’t believe—“

“Neither can I,” you say dreamily and rest your own hand on top of his. You guide his palm over the curve of your swollen belly, “But they’re really in there. Feel this. Here’s their back and this… this must be the foot that’s keeping me from sleeping.”

Marcus’ calloused palm is warm as it skims across your stomach, feeling its way around to picture the growing bundle inside of you. His eyes are filled with uninhibited wonder, a joy that seems to be more frequent on his face after Goddess Juno granted you this blessing so soon after your union. He shifts on the bed to bend down and kiss where he has just felt a particularly enthusiastic kick. 

“Listen to me, little one,” he murmurs softly against your skin, “Your beautiful mother is doing all the work bringing you into the world and into my arms. The least you could do is grant her some rest.”

“I don’t think it’s going to happen. I think they’ve inherited some of your rebellion,” you begin but Marcus looks at your face with feigned outrage. He crawls up to hover over you. 

“Their rebellious spirit is directly from you,” he argues with a charming smile, palms flat against the bed on either side of you. In return, you reach up to cup his face and drag him down for a sweet kiss. He smells like olive oil and metal from his armor, proof of him being in the sun all day during today’s training session. He should be exhausted but he kisses you like he isn’t. 

“Then you should know how to tame them just like you tamed me, General,” you bite back with a mischievous expression, a high-pitched giggle interrupting your attempt at an attitude because Marcus maneuvers you onto your side again, this time facing away from him. He crawls up behind you, scooping his arm underneath you so he can cradle your full belly with both hands. 

“Close your eyes,” he tells you, splaying his hands on you until the warmth of his touch starts to calm everything in your body and mind, “Focus on your breathing. In and out. Slowly like the tide.”

You can feel the gentle change in the room, both Marcus and the baby falling into sync with you as sleep comes knocking for all three of you. He talks in a quiet whisper even on the verge of slumber, his chest rising and falling against your back while your belly mirrors it, “That’s it. You’re safe, my love. My heart, my strength, my guiding light.”

“Tell me about our baby,” you murmur softly, eyelids growing heavy until you capitulate and close them. 

“Our baby,” he begins, pressing a kiss to your shoulder, “Will be as beautiful as their mother. When they laugh it’ll be with your laugh, and when they smile, everyone will think of you in an instant. Perhaps, they will be granted the courage of Mars. Or perhaps the wisdom of Minerva, a real strategist.”

His hands continue their slow and gentle pattern over your stomach, lulling you even closer to the edge of sleep. You relax further into his embrace, letting his words wash over you as he continues, “And as for me, I hope they will inherit my heart. I hope to pass on my sense of duty and purpose. They’ll be honorable, stand firm, and protect the ones they love.”

“Marcus,” you say without knowing why. 

“They will be loved,” he adds as if it is the most true of all, his forehead resting against the back of your head, “Loved beyond comparison, beyond comprehension. By us and even the Gods themselves, and they will never doubt this. They will find it to be as certain as Sol and Nox ensuring each day and night.” 

“I like that,” you smile sleepily, barely awake anymore. 

“Me too,” you hear him say just before sleep finally claims you, his voice a calming echo that tells you he’s telling the truth.

.

.

If you would like to follow my writing then go follow @notjustjavierpena-fics and turn on notifications 💖❤️

[obsessivevoidkitten]

Sweet Dreams

Kinktober Day 15: Somnophilia

Yandere Incubus x Gender Neutral Reader

CW: Noncon, somnophilia, kidnapping, possessive yandere, general yandere behavior

Word Count: 497

(Decided to force myself into writing and posting today instead of tomorrow. Hope you all love it ❤️)

Remzael was an incubus. Like most of his species, he took in physical sustenance but supplemented it with the sexual energy released by the orgasms of mortals.

This was completely harmless to the humans involved.

A lot of what they did was give mortals wet dreams and then take in that delicious lust. Occasionally, they may masturbate the human they are feeding from while giving them lewd dreams.

It was very rare for an incubus to outright fuck a mortal. It was equally rare for an incubus to target the same person more than a couple of times.

But when Remzael first tasted your energy and peeped into your dreams, he couldn't help himself. You made him feel alive.

He used his powers to slip into every part of your mind and observe your personality, hopes, and fantasies. You were so perfect for him. But you had such a hard life. Wasting away in an impoverished village too inconsequential to even warrant a name.

He couldn't help visiting you every single night. Fucking you in every possible position while you slept.

When you had been particularly tired, he would do so gently, carefully slipping into your hole that he, of course, lovingly lubed and stretched before sinking into the warmth of your insides.

You would snore away, occasionally moaning or babbling in pleasure, as he thrust into you. Your dreams were erotic, filled with all of your kinks.

Remzael was hungry for more than just sex, though. He also visited your dreams directly to spend time with you.

Every morning, you'd wake up with faint memories of a handsome entity in your dreams. His features were demonic, but he was as kind as an angel. He had black hair, two short horns on his forehead, a black spade tail, and pink skin.

You'd dream of cuddling with him, chatting with him, and watching the stars together. Always after the best sex you'd ever had.

This still was not enough for the demon, though. In the rare event that demons fall in love, they quickly become beyond possessive. He needed to own you, and he needed to be the subject of all of your thoughts in the same way that you were the subject of all of his. He hated when you were awake. He wanted you in bed with him.

He decided that instead of 6 your home at night, you'd visit his realm for an eternity.

The next time he visited you, you became one of the exceedingly few humans who had ever crossed into Somnus. A domain of Hell from which all sleep demons originate.

Remzael had molded a pocket of Somnus to fit your fantasies and dreams.

The next time you woke up, you'd find yourself on the softest bed in a wondrous mansion. You'd see the sweet demon from your dreams standing over you with his cock hard and eager to plunge into you for the first time while you were fully conscious.

[angronsjewelbeetle]

Behold! Writer's block has fucked off just enough for me to spit out a MerMay piece!

Uh, potential TW: non-sexual Nudity, I’ve kept it as vague as possible, body is undescribed aside from pointy ears because I am weak to those...

Transmarinus | Rogal Dorn x GN Selkie!Reader

Part one of hopefully more. This was enabled by @ms--lobotomy and @angronscoffinnails mwah I love you

The sun is pleasantly warm against your skin, waves lapping at your feet; it’s the first time you’ve been up to the surface in a while, your glossy pelt is drying within view on some of the rocks nearby, spread out like a truly luxurious fur coat - you chuckle at the passing thought and rest your head back against the soft sand, eyes slipping shut as you drift gently into Somnus’ sweet embrace as the sun pours down upon your bare skin.

The persistent lack of warmth is what brings you back from your slumber, eyes squinting for a moment before you register why the sun is hidden. What you had previously thought to be clouds turned out to be a very muscular, very much imposing man. He’s wearing what appears to be a soft sailcloth around his wide hips, hair as pale as the sand beneath you, shoulders tinged pink from the harsh sun - it’s about lunchtime, you figure. Your ears prick up at the sound of voices beyond the rocks and then- oh. Oh, no. He’s holding your pelt. He speaks, a timbre as deep as it is rich, the end of it lifting - a question, you think as he offers your pelt to you. Your eyes snap up to his face, which seems as serious as anything, he goes to draw your pelt away but you snatch at it, launching up from the sand in desperation, your legs fail you, weak with unuse. “No!” you yelp, he steps back in surprise, dropping it; you grab it, clinging on tightly, tears pricking your eyes. Someone calls out - another man’s voice, he turns towards it, glancing past the jagged rocks, he replies, raising his voice; you scramble to yank your pelt on, and then haul yourself towards the water. He doesn’t move, his back still half turned to you as he talks. Your tail splashes powerfully against the surface, sending a tower of seawater into the air as you shoot downwards, back to the safety of your underwater cave.

“What are you doing!” Guilliman calls, shaking his head and chuckling as a large wave sprays Rogal’s back, wetting his simple robe. He shakes his arm, “I thought I saw something,” he calls back, glancing at the ocean, a furrow in his brow. “Well come back! The food is nearly ready!” Fulgrim calls, a hand on his hips, brandishing a paintbrush in one hand, another tucked behind his ear. Rogal shakes his head again, scratching the back of his head - the person was gone, the sand mussed with their desperate footprints.

[olivia200312]

Chapter 2: Staying || Bound By Destiny (Ardyn Izunia x Reader)

Summary:

You may have read stories of girls (and boys) being teleported into gaming worlds such as Final Fantasy XV, but have you ever imagined that one of them gets teleported into our world? Y/N is a 25-year-old young woman who just escaped from an abusive relationship. One night, an unexpected thing happened while Y/N was about to sleep. A canon character got transported into her world. Chancellor Ardyn Izunia is known as a tragic man with a devastating past. The Gods from his world decided to punish him by cursing him that he'd never find love and sending him into a new world called Earth.

What would happen when Ardyn meets Y/N? Will he love her?

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

Ardyn was awake and he grinned at her, causing Y/N to blush. Just why? Why did she have to have a crush on Ardyn, who is a fictional character? Yet, he was here. She stuttered, trying to say words while placing the fedora hat away on the chair and where Ardyn's trench coat was. 

"I-I'm sorry! I didn't expect you to wake up fast!" Y/N stuttered 

Ardyn showed a sly smile and sat up. "I was just teasing you, my dear." He then looked around, and his sly teasing dropped to a frown. He looked even more concerned. "Where am I?"

"You are at my apartment," Y/N answered Ardyn's question. "I was minding my business when I found something glowing and that's when you appeared."

Ardyn was a bit impressed but he felt also... thankful. This young woman saved his life. If no one stepped in to save him, he would have lived on the streets, on this unknown planet. Wait, this is planet Earth like Shiva said? Is this his punishment? Being stuck on this planet with possibly no way home? How can he work then as the chancellor? Not to mention, he was someone shrouded with mystery. Y/N tilted her head a bit to the side and Ardyn looked at her. 

"Is this planet Earth?"

Y/N nodded. She was surprised. How did Ardyn know that this is Earth? This is not Eos, that's for sure. "Can I ask what happened?"

Ardyn decided that it was best to explain so he did. Y/N listened to every detail. She never heard anything like that before. Sure, some people wrote about a canon character being teleported to Earth, someone being teleported into the franchise world, or a franchise being collaborated with another franchise. She wondered if the government held a deep secret, a special connection with the outside world somewhere in the universe. Was Eos connected to Earth? 

Once Ardyn finished explaining, he didn't stop looking at Y/N. He just noticed something. She was a beauty. And also, she looked a little bit similar to his deceased lover, Aera. Y/N may not have the same blond hair color or blue eyes, but she had some similarities. Y/N was clueless about it but she went on: "Wow... That must suck." She then became suspicious and crossed her arms. "You aren't here to make here forever dark, are you?"

Ardyn couldn't help but chuckle. How foolish she was. He did want to bring darkness in Eos after being betrayed by the Astrals and younger brother, Somnus. No one helped him. Even perhaps Aera knew what was going to happen to him. Why didn't she warn him about it? Or tell him? Ardyn held even anger towards his once beloved. But he missed her dearly. What if... Y/N was a reincarnation version of Aera? Impossible. "No. I failed to bring darkness for my revenge. His Majesty defeated me in a battle."

Y/N couldn't help but feel sorry for him. "It's because of the betrayal, right?"

Ardyn looked at Y/N with his dark eyes, causing her to shudder. She should've been more careful. "How do you know that, my dear?"

Y/N wanted to come up with something, to make Ardyn feel that he wasn't bad. But Ardyn detests lairs and he can detect it easily when someone is lying. She sighed softly and decided to tell the truth. "You are a... a..."

"A what, my dear?"

"Fictional character," Y/N responded nervously.

Ardyn was taken aback. How was this possible? Was he a fictional character on this planet? How? He saw Y/N looking nervously at him. He remembered so many victims... The ones he made nervous and killed them. But he could've killed Y/N right now and there. Or some minutes ago but she... saved his life. She was also a beauty and she reminds him of Aera. She was also like a new creature that he had met on Earth. But she was a human like him. He also wanted to see if magic existed on this planet. He has Starscourge after saving many infected ones when he was not immortal at the time. He was only 33 years old and stuck forever in this body. 

"I-I'm sorry to disappoint you, sir. I know that it's a lot to take in."

Ardyn chuckled and even heck, he even laughed a bit! "We are not in public, my dear. This is not Eos now, isn't it? Just call me Ardyn."

Y/N smiled a bit. "Very well then, ... Ardyn." She then stood up and went to her closet. She opened it and searched for a baggy shirt that would fit Ardyn. He couldn't help but watch her. Just as he was about to ask what she was doing, Y/N let out an "Aha!" and showed Ardyn a baggy black shirt. "You can stay here if you want. I don't want you to sleep on the streets."

"That is very kind of you, my dear," Ardyn said with a genuine thankful smile as Y/N gave him the black baggy shirt. "Where may I change?"

"Follow me." Y/N led the way as Ardyn followed her. The bathroom was not far. Y/N turned the light on as she entered her bathroom. There was a bathtub with curtains and a toilet. Oh, the bathtub also looked nice and big enough for your legs to be in the water too. Just imagine a hot relaxing water in the bathtub...

"You can change in here."

Ardyn entered while Y/N closed the door to give Ardyn privacy. She went to the kitchen to make something for Ardyn. What was his favorite food to eat? She decided to make him some (choice). She knew that Ardyn lived for many years to taste all kinds of foods. So, what was his favorite? Ardyn came out through the door and heard noises in the kitchen. He wore now a baggy shirt and he took out his shoes as well. He saw a small corridor/hallway that led towards the front door to the outside and there were Y/N shoes so he placed them down next to hers. He went to the kitchen and there he saw Y/N making food. 

"Ah, you're done. I made some food for you," Y/N said as she turned around with a plate of food on it. "Have a seat."

Ardyn did as told and he sat down. This world is indeed a bit strange for him. He was treated all the time as someone important since he was a chancellor, the one of Niflheim. Y/N set the plate down in front of him and sat down across from him. He began eating while the girl watched him. "How does it taste?"

"Splendid!"

After eating, Y/N led him to the living room. "Now about the sleep. When looking at you and since you are a chancellor, you sleep in beds?"

Ardyn smirked with a chuckle. "My dear, I am immortal, I don't need sleep. But yes, I sleep in beds."

Y/N nodded. "How about I take the couch and you sleep in my bed?"

"Now, my dear, it's not wise for a gentleman to let a woman sleep on the couch," Ardyn said with a frown. "How about we share the bed?"

Y/N stiffed. She blushed. Never had she shared a bed with a man before. But Ardyn is her damn crush and yet he was here! Ardyn grinned once he noticed her blush. Y/N grumbled a "Fine" before walking to her bedroom, Ardyn following close behind. What he was saying is the truth. It's not wise for a gentleman to let a woman sleep on the couch. Y/N was already in her short pajamas and laid down in bed. Ardyn laid down next to her and closed his eyes. Like he said, he didn't need sleep since he was immortal. Y/N moved to sleep on her stomach and slowly closed her eyes. Sleep took her in rather quickly. 

[savage-rhi]

If you’re wanting a request from the “trauma” prompt list, how about “Is there anything I can do to help?” For Ardyn x Reader

@blossom-adventures coming up! 💙

There was not a single day that passed that Ardyn didn't think about Aera. She was as much a part of him as air was to his lungs; a lifeforce that was needed to sustain what was left of him as a man. That didn't mean the memories of her weren't painful.

Most days Ardyn could handle the trauma of her death. He had no control over her actions, and therefore couldn't have spared Aera the blow of Somnus's sword. She chose to put herself in the line of fire. When Ardyn really thought hard about the day he lost everything, it dawned on him that if Somnus hadn't killed her, Ardyn himself would've. Both brothers were more than determined to rip the other in half. Gods be damned if anyone tried to stop it. Neither of them could be reasoned with once the last straw broke.

The what ifs of the circumstance plagued Ardyn more so than the memory. Accompanied by the 2,000 years worth of hallucinations, and Bahamut rubbing salt in the wound, Ardyn's usual tricks to remain present fell on deaf ears. He called out of work. His duties as chancellor could wait while he tried to regain control.

Ardyn paced around his chambers for most of the day. He would sit down every so often, carding his fingers through his hair. Muscles tensing as flashbacks and the smell of blood heavily lingered in his mind and heart. He was spinning away, unraveling the persona he had worked hard to maintain while working for Niflheim. Soon enough he was screaming at himself. Blaming his misfortunes on the Gods and his own shortcomings as a healer and a man. He had failed so many people who loved him.

Hours later, Ardyn was sitting at the edge of his bed. His amber eyes looked out the window to the city. The sun was setting upon Gralea. The night would come, and he'd be able to roam without feeling the burn of the rays upon the scourge that dwelled under his skin. He felt hollow.

"Ardyn?" Y/N's voice called out. His eyes widened for a split second before turning his head.

"Hm?"

"The food you ordered, it's ready."

"I see." Ardyn replied. He focused his eyes again on the sunset. Ignoring Y/N's footsteps as they approached him.

"I heard you didn't go to work," Y/N began while they stood close to the bed and minded his space. "The staff we're wondering if you were alright."

An unamused chuckle left him. "I'm sure the staff were very much delighted my presence was missing. I'm aware of my less than stellar reputation."

Y/N made a face. "I'm not lying. People were wondering if you were sick."

"Why do you work for me?" Ardyn changed the subject. Not wanting to hear he happened to be today's gossip in court. His eyes closed in on Y/N, gaze narrowing.

"You took a chance on me when the others wouldn't," Y/N was taken back by his sudden question, but answered honestly. "It's been an honor serving you. Helping around where I can, making sure you stay on task. It beats scavenging for food out of garbage on the street. You may have given me work, but I chose to work with you."

Chose. Ardyn thought to himself.

"And why would you do something so ridiculous?" Ardyn countered. His eyes continued to study Y/N, watching carefully as they stepped closer to him.

"Because I can tell beneath your bullshit you're miserable," Y/N said sarcastically "Misery loves company."

Ardyn smirked at the comment. He shook his head and sighed. "I could have you hanged for talking to me in such a manner."

"Well, good luck finding anyone else to do your laundry and secretary work. Word of mouth at Zegnautus Keep is you've outworn your welcome with personal retainers."

There was a long pause before Y/N furrowed their brows and decided to get to the heart of the issue, sensing Ardyn wasn't himself.

"I know you don't exactly care for people, but is there anything I can do to help?"

"Why would I need your help?"

"You're trembling."

Ardyn was puzzled at first, then looked down at his hands that were resting atop his knees. Sure enough, his fingertips were quaking.

"So it would seem."

"Ardyn--"

"Y/N, join me."

"What?"

"Sit by my side."

"Ok..." Y/N furrowed their brows. The request was an odd one, but they complied. There was some hesitance before they took a seat upon the mattress. Their right leg was pressed to Ardyn's left. Y/N turned their head, watching while Ardyn stared forward and blinked a few times.

"Do you know what loss is?"

Y/N didn't answer right away. Their mind combed through the many experiences they had regarding the subject.

"Yeah, yeah I do."

"How do you personally handle the nonsense that comes with it?"

"That's...not an easy thing to answer but," Y/N bit the inside of their lip while thinking it over. "I remind myself the feelings I have, are not permanent. I try to connect with others where I can, especially if I'm dealing with a passing. Not that it's my business, did someone close die today? Is that why you were absent?"

Ardyn glared, casting his gaze elsewhere. "You can say that."

"I'm sorry--"

"Don't be. I don't need the pity."

Y/N refrained from saying anything else, deciding to let Ardyn to take the wheel of the conversation. Given what little they understood regarding his predicament, the last thing he needed was someone telling him what to do. Y/N couldn't recall there being anyone Ardyn was close with in Gralea. Then again he had his secrets. There was a reason he was a man of a million rumors amongst Niflheim citizens.

"Y/N," Ardyn sighed and put his left hand upon Y/N's right knee. He nearly withdrew, feeling them tense from the touch but remained upon seeing they weren't afraid. "Would it be too much trouble to ask for a distraction?"

"No, it wouldn't be a problem." Y/N shook their head. Their eyes briefly glanced at his hand. "What did you have in mind?"

"It's a rather odd request but--" Gods, he was really going to do this. "Would it be alright if I embraced you?"

"You're asking me for a hug?" Y/N couldn't help but let out a small laugh. That was the last thing they ever expected a man such as himself to say.

"You're right, it's pathetic." Ardyn sighed.

"No, no it's not." Y/N grimaced, realizing how callous their tone must've come across. "I just--it was--unexpected, but I have no problem with that. Are you okay with this though?"

"Beg pardon?"

"I mean--you're the chancellor, and I'm kinda at the bottom of the food chain. Is this appropriate?"

Ardyn smiled a little, shaking his head. "It's only inappropriate if I deem it so. In public, it would be another matter entirely. Alas we don't have an audience therefore it's not an issue to begin with."

"Alright, well--" Y/N gestured out with their arms and shrugged before settling them. A small smile graced their mouth. "I'm ready when you are."

Ardyn rolled his eyes albeit in an amused manner. He let the awkward energy between himself and Y/N settle down before making his move. Slowly, and with consideration, Ardyn wrapped an arm around Y/N's waist. He pulled their body into his, leaning his head against theirs. A nervous swallow came and went. Realizing this was the first time in almost 2,000 years since he had hugged anyone. He wasn't sure what to make of it at first, until a feeling of calm began to tide over. He was grounding again, little by little.

Y/N hesitated before wrapping their arms around Ardyn's body, pressing their cheek more into his chest. He seemed to be emboldened by that for they could feel his other hand atop of their head. His fingertips carding against their scalp. This went on for a while. Both remaining still in each other's presence.

"What are you thinking about?" Y/N asked quietly.

"A million things," Ardyn admitted. "And how I used to hold her like this."

Y/N hummed in response. There was a lot they wanted to ask Ardyn regarding the person he had lost. From his cadence, it sounded like it had been years since he had spoken to her. An ex perhaps? It was difficult to be certain, but Y/N knew it wasn't their place to pry. Ardyn would tell them when he was ready, if he ever was.

"She was lucky to have someone powerful like you that cared," Y/N reassured. "And I'm sure she was lovely."

Powerful. Ardyn thought bitterly to himself. He didn't feel so strong recalling the glazed look Aera had while she died in his arms. Even with the scourge and his immortality, Ardyn felt weak like any other man. He was tired. Tired of playing a role in the Gods grand theater. It would be over soon. He had to have patience.

The thoughts drifted away the longer he held onto Y/N. They were alive. He was holding a living person right now, and not the corpse of his beloved. No harm had come to them. The creature comfort of the thought was enough to calm him considerably.

"Yes, she truly was." Ardyn replied softly, his chin resting atop of Y/N's head while his hand retreated from their scalp. The hand snaked around Y/N's body, meeting his other arm that had been embracing them.

"Are you alright with prolonging this?" He asked.

"I'm fine with it," Y/N smiled against him, chuckling for a moment. "At least you smell good. I'm not going to pass out anytime soon."

"Har-har," Ardyn muttered. He too smiled. Maybe. Maybe the last of his days before meeting fate didn't have to be so bad. Especially if he could enjoy something so miniscule like an embrace once more.

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[simple-simpin]

a rude awakening

Ardyn Izunia x GN! Reader

Summary: You are an assassin sent to kill one 'Somnus Lucis Caelum'. Now if only you could tell the difference between east and west.

CW: Attempted murder

Words: 2.2k

Every night sky in the now fallen Solheim was filled with thousands of memorable constellations. Many of them were dedicated to the Astrals, such as the Hand of Titan, or Bahamut's Blade- both of which were visible tonight. It was getting rather cold this late in the year, further accentuated by the faint white clouds that escaped your mouth. From your pocket you pulled out a crinkled envelope that had already been opened hours before. The letter inside was neatly folded but you swiftly straightened it out.

"Target, Somnus Lucis Caelum. Residence..." You whispered silently to yourself, needing to double check every piece of information before doing the job. Further down the page you reviewed the information on your target's location. At this time of night, he was expected to be fast asleep in his bedroom, located within the east wing of the castle. According to hearsay, he was a very heavy sleeper so the job shouldn't be too hard.

"Not too hard." You recalled the words of your employer. You were breaking into a fortified castle housing the land's most prominent nobility, how on Eos was this supposed to go smoothly? Just then you recalled the reasoning behind this job, why you absolutely had to succeed. The Caelum brothers would one day rule this land, there was no doubt about that, but the previous idea of them doing so together was no longer a possibility. If only their parents could see the rift between them now. From what you’d heard, it was hard to believe that the two were even related.

If Somnus was allowed to live, countless hardships would transpire under his leadership. The people needed Ardyn as their ruler, lest more innocents be slaughtered in his younger brother's wake. That is why you lay in wait amongst the flowerbeds of their elaborate garden. You tried to keep a level head. "Just finish this quickly..." You spoke in your mind. You were rather out of your element with this job, having travelled very far from your home village, and yet you felt more annoyed than stressed. You would prefer to be laying in your own bed right now.

When the two guards by the garden left for a perimeter check, that was when you made your move. You ran quickly, but quietly along the soft grass and began climbing the west wing of the castle. Your agility was actually one of the reasons why you became an assassin, well, that combined with poverty and grey morality. Climbing up the old stone bricks wasn't an issue; as the aged cracks and intricate designs presented many places for you to latch onto.

Soon, you found yourself up by one of the smaller windows. With one hand gripping the bricks, you unsheathed the dagger from your belt and thrust it between the window frame. When you forced the handle down, a small crack could be heard from the lock snapping apart. Just like that, you found yourself stepping into a grand, pale hallway. It was so majestic for such a bleak part of the home. At the end of said hallway stood what must have been the door to your target's bedroom. The nameplate said only Lord Caelum.

Off in the distance, you could hear either guards or servants speaking in calm voices. No one had yet been alerted of your presence. A simple twist lock was now the only thing standing between you and your target, the type of lock that any idiot could learn how to trick open with enough time. You spent a minute messing around between the handle and doorframe before it clicked open. There would be no turning back now.

Click. You closed the door quietly behind you. Taking a deep breath, you felt nerves clawing up your chest. 'Here comes the hard part...' You thought, lifting your forehead from the wood and turning to face the dark room. You never did enjoy the aspect of killing in your line of work, which is why you only accepted the vilest of targets. A fact that you had to constantly remind yourself of. Aside from your practically silent movements throughout the room, the only sound to be heard was soft breathing from your target. The moonlight from outside cast a faint spotlight upon his sleeping form, allowing you a better look once you approached.

He looked... so peaceful as he dreamt. Occasionally, his eyelashes would twitch, or he'd take a deeper breath than the last as he explored the product of today's memories. The corners of his lips tugged just barely into a natural smile, surrounded by well-kept stubble. Long, dark, maroon hair lay splayed out messily against the pillow and his arms were crossed loosely across his diaphragm. His blanket seemed to have gotten twisted in the night as it barely covered half of his body. For an unidentifiable reason, part of you almost wanted to fix it for him.

You shook your head irritably. That is not what you were getting paid to do, you had a job to carry out. Shakily, you gripped the handle of your dagger once again, this time raising it almost above your head. Just one good stab and it will all be over... You'd already ended a handful of monsters in your life, this was no different. With a short inhale and a rush of adrenaline, you brought your hands crashing down toward his chest, blade aimed directly at his heart.

It didn't pierce. All of a sudden, you felt a strong grip around your wrist and you were pulled down onto a soft surface. It took a moment for your brain to catch up, a little dizzy from being tossed around so quickly. When you finally opened your eyes, you were staring up into light brown one's that twinkled in the moonlight. He looked down at you with weary amusement, clearly tired from being woken up before dawn. His hands did not falter as they kept yours firmly against the mattress.

"I will grant you a moment to explain yourself, but do not take me for a fool." He spoke, voice rough from waking up. His hair hung forward in locks, just barely tickling your now burning skin. Your mind went into overdrive, torn between coming up with a good excuse and trying to not look down at his practically bare body. "I-...I was-" You couldn't muster anything as your brain blanked. His head cocked a little to the side as he waited. Just then, his thigh felt the most curious crinkling of paper in your pocket.

He released your hands to open up the envelope. "Wait!" You tried to sit up, only to be sent back down against the pillow. Being straddled was not a scenario you had expected for this job. ‘Not too hard...’ The words of your employer rung once again. Damn him. You glanced around for your weapon and saw it discarded on the floor. "Ah..." Your target piped up. "Perhaps I should ask you to explain this instead?" He held the note up after he'd finished reading.

You went into salvation mode. "Please I- My family is poor. A stranger cornered me and- He threatened to hurt them, I-" Your voice died in your throat. The man on top of you glanced over the note one last time before folding it up. "You expect me to believe you made it up here with no prior experience?" He asked in an almost condescending tone.

You dropped the faux fear that once distorted your features. "Very well." You voice was now cold, monotone, and rather vexed from having your work interrupted. Quickly, you bolted up and grabbed the back of his hair in your fist. As you pulled him aside, you wrapped your now free leg around his waist, effectively reversing your roles. "I accepted this job for the money- and to rid this world of an especially cruel man. Two birds, one stone." Your hands rested firmly against his chest. He didn't fight back, at least, not yet.

Instead, he chuckled. "In that case, I'm afraid you're out of luck... Your letter states that you are looking for Somnus, and yet, you've stumbled into the wrong bedroom." He smirked, hands still resting calmly at by his sides. If it were not Somnus whom you'd just attempted to murder, then this must be... Realization swept over you like the waves of Leviathan. You had just tried to assassinate House Caelum's eldest brother, Ardyn... The one who was blessed by the Gods, revered by the people. Killing him would bring down a wrath most unimaginable.

How could you have been so irresponsible? Had he not woken up, your actions could've guaranteed a evil tyranny take place. Cursed be your employer for not including a physical description.

"You’re-… It seems I'll have to take my business elsewhere, apologies for disturbing your rest." You were just about to leave when his hands moved to your waist, pulling you back into place. The touch caused your breath to hitch in an unexpected, albeit pleasant way. "Oh? Am I supposed to let you sneak out of here and take my dear brother's life?" He asked, almost offended that you would disrespect his duties as an older brother. Somnus may have torn many families apart and stolen hundreds of lives, but Ardyn could never wish the same to befall his own flesh and blood.

You smirked as a glimmer of his protective nature shone through. "Am I to understand you wish to fight for him? It would be a shame to destroy this lovely room in such an unsavoury way. " You said slyly. Whilst the furniture didn't look particularly expensive, just about every visible item looked like it could hold sentimental value. "I have no desire to harm you, of that you are already aware. No, I wish to make you an offer." He spoke. There were only two reasons why anyone would typically strike a deal with you. Either they were trying to undervalue your work, or they were bargaining for their life. You preferred to stay away from them and protect your reputation, but no one is perfect.

"An offer?" You asked with intrigue. There were plenty of things that a man of nobility could tempt you with... so long as it wasn't a flimsy IOU. Those never paid off very well. "I can pay you triple that of your employer, if you will spare my barbaric brother's life tonight." Ardyn spoke calmly from under you. Currency was a wonderful thing, but loopholes were far greater.

"That is very generous my lord, but do tell me, what is to stop me from accepting your offer and doing the job regardless?" You test him, your hands sliding playfully up to his collarbone.

He hummed thoughtfully, eyes trailing down to your mischievous hands. "Because you will stay here tonight, under my supervision... and in exchange I will sweeten the deal for you." His lips drew up in a most suggestive way. It was only then that you noticed how firmly his hands still held onto your waist, or how the room temperature had risen from your close proximity... how your fingers had been absentmindedly tracing patterns along his skin.

Had you been getting seduced this entire time, or had you been unwittingly seducing him? It seemed this man wasn’t as pure as his people claimed. "How sweet are you offering?" Your tone changed with interest.

You were only human. Of course, you had fantasized about such a thing happening on the job before, but never expected it to be a reality. There was something special about Ardyn though. Perhaps it was his face, his voice, or even his aura that made you feel like you could trust him completely. Or maybe it was just the fact that he didn’t chastise you for your line of work, at any time he could’ve run for the guards and had you locked away like beast.

Ardyn sat up slowly, removing a hand from your side to reach toward your face. His fingers lightly caressed your jaw before cupping your already warm cheek. "Only as sweet as you'll allow." His voice was soft as he spoke, luring you further into his welcoming embrace. There was no ill-intent to be found in his words, only the promise of passion between two weary souls. Once more did you glance toward the knife in the middle of the floor.

“I can feel your heart. It yearns to beat in pleasure instead of anguish, to experience the warmth of another, as opposed to the cold sight of their death.” He whispered almost lovingly. In a way it was like he was asking you to change your course, and for the first time it felt possible.

No wonder he had such an effect on people. You returned the gesture and dragged a hand along his stubble. "It seems your true gift lies in reading people… yet your kindness makes you naïve. Do you truly believe seductive words can alter the course of one's life...?" You made the first move to close the gap, lips pressing against each other in a explorative way, eager to learn each other’s patterns.

Your fist found his hair for the second time tonight, though this time in a much gentler way as you bunched it up in your hand. His touches were far more careful than yours, not being one to push people's boundaries. Ardyn pulled your torso closer to his, your chests almost flush together, before slightly leaning back from the chaste kiss. You were practically chasing him for more.

"Let us find out."

Randomly went from plot to horny rip

Kept it light for my first one but plan to get spicier in the future 🌶

[itsgeecheebitch]

TITLE: Until Darkness Descends

FANDOM: Final Fantasy XV

CHAPTER: 31

MAIN PAIR: Ardyn Izunia x Reader

SEC PAIR: Gladiolus Amicitia x Reader

RATING: Explicit

           Well, you wanted a place to rest and you got one. You just didn’t think it would take the form of a smelly forgotten room, but you were grateful nonetheless. A desk sat in the middle of the room, on top of it laid a thick black book. Curiosity pulled you forward and you slid your finger down the coarse brittle surface of the book. It had no title, flipping it over revealed no summary or blurb. 

         When you opened it you weren’t surprised to find water stained pages. Yellow and brittle, you handled the book with care. The pages were so thin and dry you were certain they would crumble to dust if you pinched the pages too hard.  

         Most of the passages were also unreadable. Sentences were smudged beyond recognition and others were so faded there was no point in trying to decipher the words. You flew through the pages, searching for even a single word that was readable. 

         Your efforts brought you to a page in the middle of the book. A full block of text greeted your eyes, each word was crisp and bold against the faded paper. One problem, the words looked foreign. But for some reason the longer you looked at the paragraph, the more you were able to understand it. You couldn’t explain it, you don’t know how to speak or read any other language but your mother tongue, but here you were reading the paragraph as though it was written in Lucian. 

        It said, ‘O great black star whose might descended upon the world, laying waste upon the cobblestone of man's feeble creations. Whose vengeance defied the will of the heavens to deliver man our judgment.’

         The words brought a chill down your spine. You have no idea what the passage is referring to but for some reason it spoke to you, spoke to some deep dark part of yourself that grew weak at the knees and faint at the phrase ‘black star’. 

          ‘O great black star, who detested the wickedness of man and revealed his sins upon his flesh. Whose vengeance knew no mercy, detected no purity of soul. Be it child or thief, not even the white robes of the temple could provide protection from the wrath of the heavens. Although he prays, his pleas go unanswered. Although she weeps, her child's skin blackens. Not even the healing touch of the gods' true people could deliver their souls from damnation. Their only deliverance was in the flames of Somnus, may his reign last forever more.’

          Confusion pulled your brows together. What did the passage mean by ‘revealing his sins upon his flesh’? You bit your bottom lip. Perhaps the book is talking about a disease, a plague the author was attributing to holy retribution. That made the most sense, but for some reason you felt like you were off the mark. You reread the passage and took mental notes. So this event took place during the Founding King era, you don’t remember learning about a plague during history class. But if this book was indeed a primary source then it was worth looking up. 

          Flipping the page brought you to faded passages and empty spaces. You continued to flip through the book until you landed upon a tiny passage. ‘Adagium, wickedness made flesh, the incarnation of scorn, whose very name strikes fear in the hearts of man. Adagium, whose skin rots with the weight of the world's sins, lies waiting in the dark to descend upon the world once more.'

        Adagium. The word whispered over your skin. You heard that word before but you couldn’t recall when or why you knew it. Flattening your lips into a thin line, you decided to bring the book with you. It was a collection of faded ancient text but you couldn’t deny the gravity it left you with. It was important to you somehow, maybe the boys could help you understand it better.

        Closing the book, you rested for a moment until you felt strong enough to move on. You approached the secret passage and felt the wall for a mechanism that would trigger the wall to slide open. So far all that met your fingers was dirt, sharp pieces of ice, and jagged rocks. You yanked on the torches next, lifted the books from the book shelves, until you found what you were looking for. 

        The wall rumbled the moment the book you reached for clicked into place. Elated, you crossed the threshold with the black book in your hand and watched as the wall shifted back into place. 

        You sighed. You weren’t as tired as you were before and most of your wounds have clotted, but you were still alone, still one attack away from the grave, and you had no idea where to start your search for the boys. Dread chased down your spine. What if you never find them? What if you get attacked before you could even reach them. Your stomach dropped like a stone in the water, they could’ve already left the cave.

’        What if they thought you were dead and decided to leave the cave once they found the tomb? You don’t know how much time had passed between the fall and your awakening, it could’ve been hours, or days, or months. The boys are probably not even here anymore. You’re all alone.

         A tear escaped and dribbled down your cheek. You had no time to feel sorry for yourself, you were still alone in a dangerous cave and needed to find the closest exit. Summoning a dagger, you began to walk.

        Just like before, a million unseen eyes, like arrows, pierced you from every direction. A knot formed in your throat and you struggled to swallow around it. You counted the seconds in your mind, waiting for the ground to turn blue and for a band of monsters to emerge from the dirt. 

        Instead of daemons, you heard voices. They were distant, unintelligible at first, until the voices gave way to coherent words as they grew closer and closer. “We don’t have time for this! Aera’s out there on her own, we need to find her.” An angry voice yelled. Joy sprouted in your chest, that was your boyfriend. The boys were closeby!

       “We feel as anxious to find her as you are, but we must rest. We’ve been searching endlessly for the past 24 hours.” So only a full day had passed. Instead of spending it looking for the tomb, they dedicated it to searching for you. Your eyes glistened with tears and you took off in the direction of their voices. 

        Your lungs burned from the exertion and the wounds covering you from head to toe prickled as they reopened. You hissed at a particularly sharp painful sensation that ran down your legs, but that wasn’t enough to deter you. The boys were right there, so close! Opening your mouth you shouted, “Gladio!” 

       A few moments passed before you heard, “Aera!” Renewed vigor surged through your limbs and you propelled forward. 

        He sounded close. You shouted his name again and he shouted yours, getting closer and closer. Turning the corner, a group of monsters emerged from the earth. Your fast momentum fought against you as you sunk your heels into the ground. You cried out as you fell. 

         But that was the least of your worries. You couldn’t grab your dagger in time to block the claws that sliced the side of your face. Sharp blistering pain erupted from your injuries, you barely had enough time to react when the second daemon grabbed your leg. Rows upon rows of fangs gleamed menacingly from its mouth as it brought your limb to its face.

         Your heart parachuted out of your chest. They were going to eat you. Fear rotted you from the inside out as nausea incinerated your gut. Before those angry looking teeth could graze your skin, an enormous sword sliced clean through the monster. Malodorous green blood spattered across your cheek. 

          “She’s over here, Noct!” You looked behind Gladiolus to find Prompto and the others running towards the scene. The boys worked in perfect synchrony with each other. Once the last daemon fell, Gladiolus dropped to his knees and pulled you into his embrace.

           Powerful arms wrapped around your frame and his heart fluttered against your ear. He kissed the top of your head. “I thought I lost you.” He whispered, “I should’ve seen it coming. Never again. You have my word I won’t let this happen again.” 

           Gladiolus held you tighter. You thought back on the fall, back to the enormous entity that plunged through the ice and dragged you into the dark. It came out of nowhere, it wasn't anyone's fault. “We had no way of knowing that would happen. It’s not your fault, I’m just glad you’re here.” Your lips found his and fireworks went off in your body. His lips molded perfectly over yours, his desperation and fear was evident in his touch. 

            Relief was a sweet drug that you found in his embrace. When the two of you parted you were suddenly encased in another set of arms. "Aera!" Your blond friend cried in your ear. "We thought you died, don't ever scare us like that again!" You chuckled at his histerics before wincing from the wound on your cheek. 

           "Careful Prompto, she's injured." Ignis chided.

          "O-oh I'm sorry did I hurt you?" He asked sheepishly, unwinding his arms from around your shoulders.

           You gave him a smile you hoped would ease his worries. "I'm fine, this is mostly old blood." You gestured towards your messy tattered clothes.

          "So how exactly did you survive?" You turned your head to find the prince towering over you. Gladiolus helped you stand as you mulled over the question. 

         "To be honest, I don't know. I should be dead." You thought about the mind numbing pain that fileted the skin off your bones the moment you regained consciousness, the bones that protruded from your broken body, and the organs that spilled from your ripped flesh. "I think I was…" 

          "But obviously you're still here." Gladiolus said.  

          You turned to him, "that's what I'm trying to understand."

           Ignis hummed and rubbed his chin, you could practically see the puzzle pieces falling into place in his head. "Could it have been the gods that have allowed you to survive?"

          "You think so?" Noctis asked.

          "It's a possibility, there is no other explanation for how Aera survived such a fall."

          "In that case, way to go, Astrals!" Prompto cheered.

          Noctis dug into his pocket and tossed a cylindrical object at you. You fumbled before getting a good grip on it. "What's this?"

          "A Hi-Potion. I stocked up on some before we got here. Looks like you could use one."

            A myriad of emotions slammed into you all at once, you looked down at the potion with equal parts appreciation, anger, and fear. After everything you've done to cement your place by their side you still couldn't measure up to what they needed you to be. You looked down at your blood soaked form, at the dried rivers of crimson that flaked off your body like dead skin. Maybe their assessment was right. Your healing reserves were dried up, and you could barely stand on your own two feet. You weren't indestructible, and no matter how much you wanted your friends to rely on you, they couldn't depend on you during times of danger.

            Sensing your changed disposition Ignis added, "Noct thought it best to procure a stockpile in case of emergencies. You have our word they will only be used as a safety net and not as a solution to every problem."

            Prompto chimed in, "yeah and besides, they don’t work as good as you do. Look, my wound is barely healed. Not to mention they’re expensive, how much did you spend on these, Noct?"

            The man in question sighed. "Half our savings."

            "What?! Ugh, looks like we're camping tonight."

            "I see no harm in that." Gladiolus said.

            "So what do you say, Aera?" You glanced at Ignis before looking back at the potion in your hand. After a moment you cracked the bottle over your form, a shower of green light rained down over your body. The pain from your injuries lessened a bit and some of your wounds clotted but never closed. You took comfort in that. It was true, the hi-potion didn't work as good as your abilities did. It was barely even a band-aid, just a temporary fix before the real help arrived. 

         There was no way these potions could ever replace you, not after the boys got a taste of what real healing was like, and for free too. "Wow, this thing really sucks." You chuckled. "But I guess it would be good for emergencies, but only emergencies."

        "You got it." Noctis agreed.

        "No arguments here." Prompto said.

        Your boyfriend grabbed your hand. "C'mon, we got a tomb to find."

[ffxvficrec]

by Olivia200312 Y/N, a female Wing Warrior (WW), gets transported into the past 2000 years before the FFXV story where Noctis takes his journey. When she gets found by Lady Aera Nox Fleuret, she meets the brothers, Somnus and the one and only Ardyn. While Y/N gets closer to Ardyn, Somnus doesn't like Y/N at all, after the deaths of Aera and Ardyn, Y/N gets granted to live up to 3000 years. What would happen if she gets found years later? What if she meets Ardyn again? How would the story play out? Words: 173, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Final Fantasy XV Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence , Major Character Death Categories: F/M Characters: Ardyn Izunia , Aera Mirus Fleuret , Somnus Lucis Caelum , Noctis Lucis Caelum , Ignis Scientia , Gladiolus Amicitia , Prompto Argentum Relationships: Ardyn Izunia/Reader Additional Tags: Romance , Fanfiction , Fantasy , Action/Adventure , Fluff and Angst , Fluff and Smut , Vaginal Sex , Rough Sex , Sex , How Do I Tag

[siren-dragon]

1,001 Lucian Nights -- Somnus x F!reader fanfiction (Ch.5)

Oh my gosh, it’s a chapter update! I know it’s been over a year since I posted, but I kinda lost a bit of interest in the FFXV (the alternate ending makes me confused and isn’t my favorite). Anyway, I decided to finish this story thanks to @LuminaReal on AO3 convincing me to continue. So here is chapter 5! Also, if anyone would like me to do art for this just let me know.

WARNING: there is a mature curse in this chapter

Tagging: @maty-yami

AO3 - story link

Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Chapter 1

The first thing you were able to register was the warmth that caressed your skin as you were slowly pulled from unconsciousness and rejoined the land of the living. Squinting at the brief assault the sunlight brought upon your senses, you sat upright from your simple bed and glanced outside the small window that resided to your right as you mentally reviewed the previous night’s events. You recalled Gilgamesh escorting you back to the Oracle’s chambers where your mistress lay resting upon the chaise; having attempted to wait for your return. Once you and the King’s Shield had awoken Lady Selene and managed to calm her unease, both of you decided to retire for a long-awaited rest. The exhaustion you felt not only from the evening’s harrowing experience but the previous night as well was so great, you barely registered Gilgamesh taking his leave as sleep overcame you mere moments after your head fell upon the plush pillow.

Yet now you sat awake with a far more refreshed mind-set after the small reprieve. The idea that Somnus was more or less robbed of such a simple yet principal pleasure made you marvel at how the black-haired king had managed so far. Truth be told, he has not. You thought ruefully, gently rubbing your wrist which was now bound by a fresh cloth; masking the dark purple hand-print bruise and subsequent sprain you gained from Somnus’… displeasure. While you did extend a bit of sympathy toward the young Lucis Caelum’s ailment, you could not help the brief vexation and fear that rippled within your mind at his actions. Of course, there was no denying the sliver of gratitude you felt, after all; it could have been your neck bearing the bruise instead….

“I should not hold my breathe on that account, if I cannot continue my stories, I may find myself receiving such a mark.” You spoke aloud softly, moving quickly to dress for the day.

As you exited your small bedchamber and entered the Oracle’s personal sitting rooms, you were surprised to find not the Speaker for the Gods herself, but rather the young servant girl Ceres instead. The adolescent girl jumped in surprise at your sudden appearance, bowing respectfully to you, “L-Lady (f/n), you should be resting! Her Ladyship the Oracle said to-“

“It is quite alright Ceres, and there is no need for titles; I am merely a handmaiden, not a noble of the court.” You corrected kindly, glancing around the sitting room in search of the Oracle, “Lady Selene is not here, is she?”

“No, my La- I mean, (f/n). She left to perform blessings and asked that you not be bothered so you may rest; she said you had a rather harrowing night.”

“I see… Ceres, would you mind doing me a small favor? I need you to deliver a note to someone within the bazaar; a Master Sidolfus.”

“The storyteller?” Ceres exclaimed in giddy delight, her enthusiastic reaction making you chuckle. It seemed the master storyteller’s fame continued to grow with each passing day.

“The very same. Please ensure that he receives this letter,” you replied, quickly scrawling out a short message upon a spare piece of parchment.

“You can count on me (f/n)!”

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There were few pastimes that Somnus ever took part in, but falconry was the one he held most dear. It was the sole avocations he and his mother had shared before her death- the late Lady Rhea Lucis Caelum having been a great admirer of animals, birds especially. He remembered once as a child trying to lift the falcon his mother had held so effortlessly upon her slender arm, only to shake and tremble under the fowl’s heavy weight while it crowed angrily at him for being an unsteady perch. Now he barely took notice of the bird’s presence upon his hand, having grown accustom to the falcons residing upon his hand or shoulder.

“I thought you would be here.” A voice spoke, accompanied by the sounds of moving fabric and the clink of metal upon stone.

“May I ask what brings you here, your Ladyship? I doubt it is to observe the crafting of a falcon hood.” Somnus asked, showcasing the small, half-finished leather hood he was currently sewing.

A rather sheepish expression briefly flittered across the blonde’s face. “Forgive me, your Majesty, I did not think myself to be so transparent. But you are correct, my motive for being here is more than mere socialization between friends.”

“I take it this is in regard to your handmaiden, (f/n).” Somnus shot back before turning to face the blonde Oracle.

Clad in full regalia with trident in hand, the blonde priestess looked as if she were a divine being herself; descending upon the mortal realm to invoke her will, though she possessed a polite smile rather than the cold indifference often seen upon the Messengers of the Astrals. Somnus knew many of the nobles believed Selene to be a little naïve and gullible due to the kindness she displayed to any who sought blessings from the Oracle but that could not be further from the truth. Beneath her sweet disposition was an intelligent and fearless leader ready to fulfill her calling despite being a second choice. And Somnus knew more than anyone that the Oracle was an individual not to be trifled with.

“Indeed,” Selene answered, resting the bottom of her trident upon the marble floor. “Your Majesty…. regardless of what you choose to believe, you are my friend and I do care greatly about your safety, as does Gilgamesh. That would be why I was supportive of (f/n)’s assistance regarding your insomnia and night-terrors. However, that young woman is not only my handmaiden, but my dear friend as well. Which is why I am curious as to how she received a bruise upon her wrist in the shape of a man’s hand last night.”

The Lucian sovereign flinched briefly at the sharpening of Selene’s tone as if struck, “It was… a lapse of judgement Selene.”

“A lapse of judgement? You attacked a woman, Somnus. I know that you’ve been having a difficult time of late and I sympathize, but this is an action I cannot condone.”

“Then you should have your hand-maiden watch her tongue when speaking of matters she does not understand- “

“Somnus Lucis Caelum!” Selene snapped, crystal-blue eyes colder than the Ghorovas Rift, “I will not have you debase a woman who has been trying to help you out of nothing but the kindness in her heart, only to suffer physical harm! Now you will control your temper and act like the king you are, or I swear to Shiva you will be the first to face my skills with this trident!”

A tense silence fell between the two that seemed to stretch on for an eternity before Somnus nodded in understanding. “…. Forgive me, Selene. I- I have over-stepped my bounds.”

“I am not the one who needs to hear those words, Somnus.”

Without another word, Selene exited the aviary, leaving the thoroughly disciplined king to his thoughts. Selene’s anger slowly flooded her mind as she proceeded to return to the East Wing while a sliver of guilt began to take its place. Perhaps she was a bit too harsh on Somnus, not to mention immature for having lost her own temper so easily when trying to teach her friend to reign in his own. Regardless, Selene only hoped that (f/n) was willing to continue with her meetings and that Somnus’ mental health did not deteriorate too far…

“Ah, Lady Selene! You look positively radiant this day, your ladyship. I wondered, perhaps, if I could discuss a rather growing concern with you?”

The young Oracle bit her lip and said a silent prayer for strength to the Astrals before turning to face the individual who had addressed her, polite smile on her lips. “Thank you, Lord Aldercapt, you are too kind. How can I assist you this day? Is something wrong?”

=============================================================

You were glad to see that Ceres was successful in her task as Sidolfus arrived not long after you yourself at the small but private eatery not too far from the Citadel. And much like your previous encounter, the elderly man was more than happy to have accepted the invitation for a meeting; likely knowing you were eager for advice. “Greetings Lady (f/n), it is wonderful to see you once more.”

“Likewise, Master Sidolfus, I am glad you were able to come.”

The older storyteller chuckled, “well, your messenger was quite insistent that I accept your invitation. A rather spit-fire of a girl you have there.”

“Oh dear, I do hope Ceres wasn’t too… erm, passionate about my request.” You frowned, the slight embarrassment you felt tinting your face pink with blush.

“Not at all! If anything, that girl gave me some inspiration for another story of mine. And speaking of stories, I assume you asked me here for assistance with your own fables. Tell me Lady (f/n), how have your tales been received by your nobleman patron?”

“Far better than I had hoped, but he is not as enraptured as I would have wished. I managed to finish my current story and spoke of beginning another the previous night, but I am not quite sure how to hold his focus…until I recalled your own tale.”

“Ah, you are speaking of my encounter with Death,” Sidolfus replied knowingly, gently blowing the steam from his cup of tea before taking a tentative sip.

You nodded, “yes, you mentioned you had meet him once before.”

“I did not meet him, I passed him on the streets of Altissia- but only for a moment. I had told a close friend what had happened, and he said… that he too had seen Death too and that Death had given him a horrible look. He was so frightened that he was leaving for Caem that very night.” Sidolfus answered, his eyes bearing an intense focus as he recounted his tale to you, as if he were speaking of an event that had occurred merely hours ago.

“…And?” you questioned, eager to learn more of the storyteller’s fable.

It was then that Sidolfus allowed a small smirk to twist at his lips, knowing full well that his tall-tale had already claimed your attention. “Another time perhaps. You must learn how to keep your audience in suspense Lady (f/n). But you must ensure that he does not know what is to happen next.”

“Truth be told, even I am not aware of what will happen next,” you admitted honestly, not quite sure if you were referring to your story or the continuation of your meetings with the king.

You spent the remainder of the time speaking a bit more with Sidolfus before taking your leave, knowing full well that Lady Selene would likely send out a squadron of glaives to locate you. Quickly you hurried back toward the East Wing to continue with your chores but was surprised when the doors opened to reveal not only Lady Selene, but a nobleman accompanying her as well. “Please, will you not consider my proposal, Lady Oracle. We only wish to secure the continuation of this kingdom.”

“Lord Aldercapt,” Lady Selene answered with polite grace despite the irritation that reflected within her ice-blue eyes. “I understand your concerns and I am ever grateful for you placing the needs of the people above all else. But from what I have seen, I do not believe his Majesty to be incapable of performing what duties he has been charged with by divine providence.”

“The council is fully aware of His Majesty’s prowess and skill, my Lady- he has done admirably despite the heavy burden placed upon him. But one cannot help the concern felt as to whether or not the king can continue his duty as sovereign with his current health. Should his Majesty’s constitution continue to decline…. we will be forced to act; regardless of divine providence.”

“Those are treasonous words you speak,” you quietly interrupted, unable to mask your outrage at the old man’s cruel murmurs and causing both Selene and the old man to face you.

The old nobleman swiftly turned his gaze to you; his dark blue, nearly black eyes reminded you eerily of a deep abyss glaring coldly at you in cold fury at your sudden appearance. He took in your simplistic attire and stared down at you with a withered sneer as if you were nothing more than a mere insect beneath his boot. “And who are you to interrupt private conversations? I believe servants are taught to hold their tongue, are they not.”

You flushed briefly in shock and anger at the man’s cruel words but was halted from retaliating with an aggressive response when Selene came to your aid. “Lord Aldercapt, I would kindly ask you to please refrain from insulting members of my staff.”

“Your… staff?” The ivory-haired man looked at you with an expression of surprise until it morphed into an oily smile that barely hid the displeasure in the nobleman’s eyes. The falsified expression sent a cold chill of unease down your spine as if the Glacian herself had frozen your very bones. You did your best to keep your expression neutral; though the nobleman’s twisted smile made the task nearly impossible. “Forgive me, your Ladyship; I was not aware this…girl served our dear and beloved Oracle. Tell me, who might you be?”

“Permit me to introduce my handmaiden and dear friend: (f/n).”

“At your service, sir.” You replied stiffly, your bow of greeting barely low enough to be considered polite.

Whether or not Lord Aldercapt took notice of your lack of courtesy, he did not care to comment and instead turned his gaze back to Selene. “Please consider my words, your Ladyship, for the good of all.” He bowed graciously to the Oracle and tossed you another venomous but subtle glare before disappearing back down the empty corridor and out of the East Wing of the Citadel. Once Lord Aldercapt had proceeded out of sight and earshot Selene released a heavy sigh of relief while you continued glaring down the corridor at where the aristocrat once stood.

“That man makes me uncomfortable.” You spoke, at last relaxing once more with the return of privacy.

Selene frowned, “I did not think Lord Aldercapt would speak so directly regarding Somnus' ailments. This is rather unsettling….”

“Would he and the other lords really try to contend with the Will of the Gods regarding his Majesty’s throne?”

“Not all of the council heed Aldercapt's honeyed words, but I would be lying if I said he had no sway over the other nobles. I do not believe they would be foolish enough to contend against Somnus and myself directly… but the hearts of men are often blinded by material vices.” The Oracle sighed before turning a questioning gaze onto you, “but it seems that issue is not the only concern I have.”

“Oh? What might the others be?”

“For starters, would you care to explain why you arrived back with a bruise upon your wrist so severe it caused a sprain.” Selene questioned with narrowed eyes.

You swiftly turned your gaze downward and bit your lip in thought, knowing there was truly no use lying to your friend. “It was merely an accident, my Lady, nothing more.”

“And I suppose the man whose hand it bares the shape of meant no offense.” Selene added sharply, her words causing you to flinch ever so slightly. “(F/n)… perhaps it would be best if you stopped meeting with Somnus.”

“I will not try to fool you Lady Selene and say His Majesty is merely a misunderstood and tragic man. He is cold, rude, stubborn, possesses' a foul temper, and carries a well of secrets greater than any sinner; but he is a good man. One that needs more help than he realizes.”

Selene frowned, “as Oracle and the mistress you have chosen to serve, you have my deepest gratitude for choosing to continue with this task (f/n). But as your friend… I am concerned that you or Somnus may get hurt from this endeavor. However, you asked for my trust in this matter and so I shall continue to give it. I will not interfere….for now.”

You smiled brightly and bowed respectfully toward Selene, “I am at a loss for words my Lady but, thank you.”

The blonde answered your show of gratefulness with a matching smile before continuing down the corridor of the West Wing with you fast on her heels. “Now then, I must speak with Gilgamesh in regards to Lord Aldercapt and the rest of the Council, I sense there may be more than mere nightmares working against the King. I shall leave His Majesty’s health to you; I trust you’ve a tale in mind for your next meeting?”

It was then that a look of amusement flittered across your face, though the determination in your (e/c) eyes burned brightly. “Yes… I believe I do.”

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As day turned to night, and the brilliance of the sun was replaced by the illumination of flame from every candle and brazier, you found yourself being escorted once more by Lord Gilgamesh toward the King’s chambers. Similarly, to the previous evenings, the tall warrior beside you remained silent; but for once you were glad for the quiet as it allowed you to collect your thoughts as you sub-consciously rubbed the bandage about your wrist and hand. “My lady, we have arrived,” Gilgamesh gently placing a hand upon your shoulder; causing you to jump as you returned to the present.

“Y-Yes, thank you Lord Gilgamesh.”

“Lady (f/n), while I admire your courage in continuing with this task; there is no shame in feeling fear.”

That caused you to pause as you turned to face the aged warrior, “… you do not think me foolish for fearing my own sovereign? Or cowardly wondering if this may end with my neck upon the headsman’s block.”

“No, my lady. Fear is an important aspect to possess as well as overcome. In battle, one may discover what their enemy fears most by the means he uses to frighten you. Such knowledge is crucial if one wishes survive against their combatant.”

“You believe I should treat the king as my enemy?” you asked, curious and surprised at his words.

“Is your life not in danger from this endeavor?” Gilgamesh replied, a brief teasing smile tugging at his lips at your disbelief. “You have seen Somnus through all manner of emotions over the course of the past few nights that only a handful of individuals have and that knowledge can aid you. What I am saying Lady (f/n)… is that it may not be you who is the one that is truly afraid.”

You pondered the swordsman’s words as he moved to knock heavily upon the door and opening it when the king’s familiar voice muttered a muffled, “enter.” Nodding your head in thanks to Gilgamesh, you entered the expansive quarters while the door closed behind you like the bars of a prison cell. Across the room the king stood waiting for you as you approached. “Good evening, your Majesty,” you greeted as you bowed politely.

“Yes… good evening Lady (f/n).”

Those words certainly caught you off guard, the kind greeting causing you to immediately look toward the ebony-haired man. For once the harsh lines around Somnus’ face seemed to have softened with the lack of the usual sour expression that seemed to have permanent residence upon his face, making him look far younger. His arms were crossed as his dark-blue eyes seemed to avoid your own as his left foot seemed to shuffle back and forth in the slightest of movements as if he wanted to race away; giving the king the appearance of a young boy who had been caught stealing sweets and forced to confront the shop-keep. After what felt like an eternity he let his eyes shift briefly toward you, glancing at the bandage wrapped about your wrist and hand; causing a micro-expression of regret to flitter across his face so quickly, you would have believed you imaged it were it not for Somnus’ next words.

“I do hope you are well enough to continue your tales, Lady (f/n).”

You stared at him with a look of pure confusion, one that he noticed and caused him to immediately growl in anger and turn sharply away. Did he… Did he just inquire about my health? Is this about my injury?

“Y-Yes sire, I am well; thank you for your inquires.” You responded awkwardly, unused to the strange pleasantries the two of you were exchanging.

“Good. I do hope the… the fool who has caused such an offense has asked your forgiveness. Though none would fault you if you choose to withhold such a privilege due to this man’s actions toward you; as they were nothing short of cruelty.”

If this wasn’t a serious apology from the King of Lucis himself, you may have laughed at the look of nervousness and embarrassment on Somnus’ face. His face had contorted due to his expression of anger, but it was less cold and severe than you had previously witnessed; which caused it to appear pouty and brooding. You tried to fight down the giggles that threatened to spill from your mouth by biting your lip and smiling brightly at the proud king who seemed to have been chastised by another to give this rather humiliating and unusual apology. You briefly wondered if this was what Gilgamesh meant by the king experiencing fear; perhaps beneath it all he was just as frightened as you were. Well, you supposed it was time to overcome your fear and give the poor man a chance… but only a chance.

“I believe he has earned my forgiveness… for the time being. But one can not be too careful, another incident may leave him with a proper scolding.”

His eyes quickly shot up to meet your own, surprised at your acceptance of his apology and playful teasing of his behavior. There was no need for outright proclamations or tearful confessions of ‘I’m sorry’, he was too stubborn for that and you wished not to have a bold statement spoken in false tones if he did say those words. But you both understood what one was trying to convey and knew that such words have returned you both to even playing fields. He smirked as midnight blue eyes sparked with mischief as the golden-orange glow of the braziers danced across his pale face. “Oh? And I suppose you will inflict this scolding yourself? And just what might such an action entail… Lady (f/n).”

You prayed to every Astral there was Somnus did not see the rose shade of blush that suddenly crept up your face at his less-than innocent innuendo. Though judging by the growth of the smirk on his lips, you were not so fortunate. “Perhaps that will be a story for another time, your Majesty.”

“I look forward to it.” He spoke as he settled upon the plush pillows and soft rug within the sitting area, the small table already laden with refreshments and the dim glow of candlelight. “Now… I trust you will continue your unfinished tale.”

“Yes sire, I shall continue.” You answered, settling across from him against the lush furnishings.

============================================================

‘As the crowd was leaving the courtroom, the most famous magician in Galahd, Glauca, passed by on his way to Tenebrae. He was a rather intimidating yet charismatic man with piercing blue eyes and a gravelly voice that could command anyone into performing his bidding. When he came into a room, the Sabertusks jumped on chairs…. But he is not the hero of this story.

‘And who is that?’ Somnus asked.

‘Um… Erebus- no.’ You muttered, trying to think of a name as images of your character flashed through your mind. Young, old, tall, short, male, female, blonde, redhead, and brunette all swirled about within your head until the image began to emerge and become clear.

‘Nyx… Nyx Ulric.’

  “NO!” a brunette man with dark-blue eyes and unshaven face cried out in despair as the chocobo’s raced down the track, with a particularly vibrant orange one claiming victory and with it, his money. Cheers or shouts of outrage that echoed all across the pavilion of the races from what seemed to be every gambler within the vicinity. It was clear to see by the worn and dirty tunic he wore that his social status was not one of wealth, though not uncommon in the sprawling coastal city of Pagla; Tenebrae’s famed trading hub. The young man groaned as he jumped off the pile of crates, he had claimed to watch the outcome of his bet, only for another man- this one a bit more rotund than Nyx, to heave a heavy sigh as well.

“Ugh, that race was fixed Libertus!” Nyx exclaimed in outrage, while a few of those in the crowd they tried to move through agreed whole-heartedly.

Libertus laughed, “that’s no question; anyone could have seen that Nyx. It just goes to show that honesty doesn’t pay.”

“They could have been a bit more subtle about it. Tch, who picks orange anyway?” Nyx sighed before tossing a grin to his friend. “Guess it looks like we’ll have to get back to work, huh?”

“Looks that way, let’s go.”

Swiftly moving through the crowd, Nyx glanced about the sea of faces until he finally found the perfect target. A middle-aged man dressed in fine, silk with expensive accessories draped upon his hands and neck; strutting like a proud peacock amid the poverty of Pagla. Ensuring there were no royal guards patrolling the streets as one really didn’t want to be a guest within the dungeons, Nyx took action. He quickly bumped into the man, who stumbled and glared at him while haughtily turning away, not even noticing as Nyx quickly slipped his purse away from his belt with skill and ease. “Sorry, excuse me…” he muttered half-heartedly before claiming his prize and racing away.

“What? My purse- I’ve been robbed!”

“Hey, are you alright sir? Someone robbed you?” Libertus asked, immediately drawing the noble’s attention away from Nyx.

“Th-That rogue who bumped into me, he stole my money!”

“Umm, I think I saw where he went- this way, quickly!”

Unknown to both parties, a pair of cold blue eyes- like twin pieces of ice, watched the scene before him with intrigue. As the thief quickly raced away with his prize, the man couldn’t help but smirk, believing himself quite fortunate to have found just the person he needed….

When Nyx and Libertus met once more, after having found a safe place away from guards or their mark, they began to split their earnings. Both were far more pleased to find that the man carried a decent amount of money that would tide them over for a time. As the last gil was finally split, a loud shout of angry voices and squabbling of chocobos began to fill the air as people stampeded away from a small battalion of guards escorting what looked to be an elegant carriage; a rare sight in the less-refined region of the city and likely the result of poor directions.

“Who’s in a coach that needs that large of an escort?” Libertus scoffed, unimpressed by the obvious display of wealth.

Nyx shrugged but curiosity got the better of him as he grinned to his friend, “no idea; but let’s find out.”

“And deal with all those guards? Hell no.”

“Come on, we’ll take the rooftops to leave. Besides, you love messing with guards.”

Libertus groaned, knowing there was no use arguing with Nyx once his mind was made up. “Fine, let’s do this before they leave. And if we end up spending a week in the dungeon, I’m blaming you.”

Together the two men hurried closer to the carriage, careful to avoid the eyes of the guards until they were crouching behind an abandoned wagon filled with Cartanica Melons. Keeping an eye on the carriage and waiting till it was closer, Nyx and Libertus heaved the wagon upward, causing the fruit within to sprawl across the dirt street and startle the chocobos while halting the carriage. The guard escort soon realized their charge was now stranded while the two thieves quickly moved to leave the scene. Yet as Nyx was moving to climb onto the rooftop, the small window of the carriage slowly opened and he felt himself freeze as his eyes met the those of the passenger.

Inside the carriage was a young woman, her skin pale and fair while her lips were a pale pink and a bit wide; but it only complimented her heart-shaped face. Though she appeared to be wearing a small headdress; Nyx could see dark blue flowers and shinning pearls twisted into her blonde hair- which only showcased that whoever she was she was certainly wealthy. But what caused Nyx to pause as the rest of the world faded away from his mind was her eyes- a shade of bright blue that caused the color of the sky to appear dull and lifeless by comparison; eyes that were currently locked upon his own showing only curiosity and kindness dancing in their depths.

“Who is that?” He asked softly, lost as if in a trance.

Libertus frowned, looking briefly at the person who had stolen Nyx’s attention, “oh, it’s Princess Lunafreya; she’s Queen Sylva’s daughter. I heard she’s quite kind-hearted, but apparently it’s nothing compared to her beauty- guess the rumors were true there.”

Nyx could barely hear Libertus talking as he continued to hold the princess’ gaze, who offered him a small smile that caused Nyx to only grin. She’s beautiful….

“Nyx… Nyx… Nyx! We’ve got to go!” Libertus called, pulling his love-struck friend up toward the roof as the guards began to give chase.

After being harshly returned to the reality of their situation, Nyx reluctantly turned away from the divine beauty of the young woman and quickly followed Libertus away from the guards as they raced across the rooftops. Within the carriage, Lunafreya watched the scene in awe and with a small laugh as the guards attempted to give chase. “My Lady, are you alright?” her attendant asked.

“Yes, I am fine. I was just… saying hello to a friend.” She smiled, wondering if she’d ever meet the young man again as the carriage continued onward.

Nyx quickly vaulted over a stone railing onto an abandoned rooftop, having split from Libertus to avoid tails before meeting again, only to see he was not alone. Standing across from him with his arms crossed and a smug, knowing look upon his face was a man a fair bit older than himself clad in well-worn traveling clothes. “What the- where the hell did you come from?” He asked guardedly, surprised that the man had seemed to appear from out of nowhere; an action that placed Nyx on high-alert.

“From the other side of the world: Galahd.” The man replied dryly, moving his hand in an half-hearted movement to mockingly convey wonder into his words. “and stay calm Nyx Ulric, do I look like one of the royal guards?”

“I am calm, and how do you know my name.”

“I was a friend of your late father, my name is Glauca.”

Nyx raised a skeptic eyebrow at the proclamation, “I didn’t know he had any…”

“Very few: just me.” Glauca laughed, “your father, he was so crooked he could hide in the shadow of a corked screw.”

The two remained silent, as if sizing each other up before Nyx grinned widely; “you did know him. So, why are you here looking for me and not him?”

“I wish to discuss business with you that requires your unique skillset in the art of thievery.”

“I assume this business you’re offering of the shady variety?”

Glauca nodded, “shady, shifty, and shadowy business. But… very profitable.”

Though he wished it took him longer to ask to show his trepidation with the offer; the word ‘profitable’ had immediately caught Nyx’s attention as he spoke. “What do I have to do then?”

“Meet me tomorrow outside the city gates at dawn. And here, consider it a token of my faith in you, do not keep me waiting.” Glauca then retrieved a small, but heavy purse from within his robe and tossed it to Nyx; who caught it deftly and opened to revel in the plentiful amount of gil within. He then looked up to thank Glauca, only to find the man gone.

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Despite his unsavory career choice as a thief, Nyx was never one to be obscenely greedy. He grew up with practically nothing, only to gradually lose everything as his parents and sister died one by one; which is why he strived to share his ill-gotten loot with those in similar circumstances. That often caused many to call him the rogue with ‘a heart of gold’ but Nyx preferred to see it as just simple kindness; after all, he could take care of himself and get by fine- not everyone had that luxury.

Making his way toward the humble and decaying building that was his home, he waved hello to Crowe. Unlike Libertus and Nyx, Crowe was not necessary a thief but a fence for their ill-gotten goods and friend who roomed with them. The brown-haired and brown-eyed girl held such a simple appearance that it often caused no one to glance her way, if Libertus’ overprotective nature didn’t stop them first. Indeed, Crowe’s true skill laid in being unseen and the connections she carried; a true gift for a thief. “Looks like the Hero Thief has returned. So, how’d work go today Nyx? Libertus just got back.”

“See for yourself; and make sure to spend it all and give the food to the others, okay.”

Crowe gasped when she saw the amount of money inside, “By Ramuh’s balls Nyx, where the hell did you get this?! There’s got to be at least 1000 gil in here.”

“1200, actually. It’s a down-payment for a job I’m doing tomorrow.”

“1200 gil to start?” Libertus spluttered, biting one of the coins to ensure its authenticity and causing Nyx to roll his eyes. “That’s the first thing I did, you idiots.”

Libertus snorted, “hey, it doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion. So, who is the man that hired you for the job; 1200 gil is a ridiculous amount to pay? Hell, he could have had 3 men killed for that kind of money.”

“His name’s Glauca and he said he knew my dad. As for the job, I don’t know what it is yet but I doubt it’s anything like murder. And if it is, I’ll just back out.”

“And did you believe him about knowing your old man?” Crowe asked.

“No, but I did believe his money.”

“If he’s willing to pay the same amount or even more, I’d do whatever he says- the man is clearly loaded with coin.”

Crowe frowned, “just be careful alright? This job seems shady at best and I don’t think this Glauca man is the most trust-worthy of employers.”

“Trust me, everything will be fine- and profitable.”

Those words only caused Libertus and Crowe to laugh, “famous last words.”

 ‘And so, the following morning, Nyx and Glauca left the City of Pagla behind. He didn’t trust Glauca in the slightest, but when there was money involved… Nyx was prepared to take a few risks.’ You explained to your captive audience while Somnus only smirked as you continued.

 Leaving the still sleeping city of Pagla, the two men traveled upon Glauca’s chocobo south-east and further inland toward the mountains before allowing the bird to rest. As they continued on foot, Glauca finally began to explain the actual task of what the job entailed. “I don’t want to boast, but I’ve not met another who can match me in combat; magic to magic.”

Nyx had to withhold a snort of derision at the magician’s arrogant tone, “so why ask for my help if you’re so powerful.”

“All power has its limits, Nyx Ulric, which is why you are here. What I want is for you to retrieve a certain object that I cannot collect myself for reasons… too complicated to explain. It is due to the rules of magic; they are often tiresome, but must be obeyed without question.”

“So why did you choose me?”

Glauca laughed as he turned to face Nyx, “you did not believe I was a friend of your father?”

“Not for a moment, and stop avoiding the question.” Nyx shot back with a smirk.

“I choose you because you have larceny in your soul. Now, the task I wish you to undertake is this: I want you to go into a tomb, retrieve an old amulet, and bring it back to me.”

“A tomb? What tomb?”

“Right here,” Glauca spoke, waving his hand at the site before them.

Nyx watched in as they came to a halt beside the base of river where a magnificent waterfall cascaded down the mountain side. Crystal, clear water danced across the rocky shoreline while on the other side of the river a herd of wild chocobos were drinking or resting in the shade of the sparse trees that dotted the area. The small batch of wilderness looked far too picturesque to hold something as morbid as a tomb. However, when Glauca waved his hands the shoreline soon began to split as earth and stone rumbled and groaned to reveal a dark enclosure beneath their feet. “How much are you paying me to do this?” Nyx asked, suddenly very weary of whatever was down in that dark abyss.

“2000 gil,” Glauca replied a bit smugly.

“Please, don’t insult me! And don’t ask me to trust you, thieves trust no one… 5000 gil or no deal.” Nyx countered.

Glauca frowned at the rogue’s attempt to haggle, but shrugged and relented nonetheless. “Done, here’s half.”

Nyx stared a gapped at amount of money Glauca easily parted with as he hurried after him. “Wait! You gave me this too easily, no one would ever do something like that- you’re not telling me everything!”

“I gave you the money, now do your job rogue. And here, take this with you.” Glauca added, taking Nyx’s hand and slamming looked to be a small, wooden charm bearing the shape a fox, which was painted in a pale blue that beheld a soft glow in the sunlight. The simplistic design nearly made Nyx believe a child had made crafted the charm were it not for the small horn on the fox’s forehead that appeared to be an actual ruby. “Consider this a small precaution, simply rub the charm if any trouble or complications should arise.”

“Trouble? What sort of trouble, 5000 gil is not enough if there is going to be problems!”

“A deal is a deal, so off you go. And do not try to betray me or I swear by Garuda’s feathers, you will never see your wedding day.” Glauca snapped, gesturing to the chocobo they had ridden here on.

Nyx frowned and looked at the bag of money and fox charm in his hand before tying the charm about his wrist and pocketing the money as he moved to the edge of the cavern entrance. He took a deep breath and soon jumped, landing skillfully upon the start of a stone staircase descending further down into the tomb. Looking back up to see Glauca nodding for him to continue with less than encouraging words of, “go on now,” Nyx slowly began to climb further and further into the cavern.

 ‘Nyx didn’t know the extent of trouble he was getting himself into, if he had he wouldn’t have taken the 5000…’ You spoke before you gave a soft laugh, “On the other hand, he probably would have.’

 The deeper Nyx climbed into the cavern, the colder the air became. It was not long after his descent that he was able to see his breath appear as heavy, white clouds before his face while his flesh soon began to shudder from the frigid cold. As he moved to take another step, his foot soon slipped which caused a foul curse to slip through his lips as he slid down the last three rungs of the ancient stairwell until he fell into a heap upon the cavern floor. “Damn it, what the hell was that- wait… is that ice?” Nyx spoke aloud, staring in bewilderment at the sight that lay before him.

The cavern certainly was large, expanding at least fifteen feet above his head before continuing on into naught but darkness. Before the young thief laid an elaborate and elegant stone antechamber, leading up a small carved staircase surrounded by empty braziers and statues of monstrous beasts’ Nyx had never seen before all frozen in mid strike as if they were to descend upon him at any moment. Against the far wall that lay before him was an expansive corridor that continued further into the cavern; yet the strangest aspect of all was the fact that the entire tomb seemed to be encased in ice. The clear, blue crystal seemed to wrap around every surface like twisted claws trying to consume everything it touched in the cold bite of winter.

“What in the hell is this place?” He muttered, shivering slightly as he slowly approached the entrance as he observed the ice that was currently wrapped about a particularly life-like statue of what bore similar resemblance to a Skarnbulette. “The sooner I find that amulet, the sooner I can leave. Looks like I’ll have to head further inside.”

Rifling through the brazier, which was comprised of nearly fossilized wood, Nyx quickly took a stone and drew one of his daggers and moved the rock across the blade’s edge. When the sparks finally caught and smoke began to emerge, he quickly cultivated the embers until at long last a flame emerged providing much welcomed warmth and light. Taking hold of the torch, Nyx continued onward through the antechamber and down into the open corridor; the unease he felt causing his grip upon his dagger to tighten until his knuckles turned white. More statues stood as silent guardians in their prisons of ice as he walked further before the corridor expanded into a large, circular room with a timeworn sarcophagus resting on a raised dais in the center of the room; surround by four empty braziers. However, Nyx was more than surprised to see that the ice seemed to only begin where the dais ended; leaving the sarcophagus completely untouched.

“5000 was definitely not enough,” he sighed heavily as he quickly moved toward the coffin, moving around a looked to be a frozen coeurl. “There it is, thank Bahamut.”

Atop the lid of the sarcophagus looked to be a damaged and worn carving of a feminine figure, though clasped within the statue’s outstretched hands laid a small ebony amulet with a dull, golden interior and small, dull glass snowflake set within the center hanging from a thin leather strap. Nyx frowned upon the obviously mediocre piece of jewelry and immediately moved to claim his objective for his bout of tomb-robbing.

“This is it? You’d at least think there’d be a real diamond with a tomb this size. Alright, time to get the hell out of here and get the rest of the money-“

CRACK!

Nyx halted in his examination of the simplistic amulet, blood draining from his face as he slowly turned to the source of the sound that still echoed gently throughout the still chamber. The coeurl statue he had walked past previously had remained still as before… but the ice encompassing the figure held a large and vicious crack within the crystalline surface. With torch in hand and his dagger within the other, the skilled rogue expertly approached the disturbed statue as tense as a bow string. Raising the torch higher to observe the statue, Nyx could see firelight illuminating the smaller cracks appearing within the icy surface surrounding the beasts head until they suddenly stopped.

“What is going on? Alright Nyx, you’re just being paranoid- it’s best time to leave.” He chuckled softly to himself, though he refused to loosen his grip upon his weapon.

And then the statue’s eye opened, reveling a slit pupil amid a green iris.

“Fuck!” Nyx shouted, quickly jumping back as the sound of ice cracking filled the entire chamber. A loud roar could be heard from the now animated coeurl statue as the ice binding it in place began to shatter and crumble.

Scrambling to his feet in panic Nyx quickly raced out of the chamber and down the corridor as glacial stalactites dropped from the darkness above. All around him the statues within the chamber began to shudder and quake, more than desiring to chase the thief in their midst. Heavy footsteps soon approached as Nyx quickly glanced back to see the stone coeurl giving chase after its escaping prey. Swiftly Nyx evaded a swipe of rock claws from his adversary, the beast managing to tear part of his tunic but leave him unscathed. He blocked another strike with his dagger and slammed the torch into the beast’s face before racing away- the fire doing little to damage the monster.

“Come on, quickly!” Nyx berated himself as he managed to step back upon the staircase toward the entrance, only to feel the stone sliding beneath his feet as it began to pull back into cavern’s wall. “What- oh come on!”

Doubling his speed and climbing the steps as quickly as he could, Nyx rushed up toward the exit and with it- safety. His fingers hurriedly grabbed onto the last step that remained intact, causing him to haul himself up on the platform as he panted heavily from exertion. He was safe… for the moment.

“Nyx! Do you have it? Do you have the amulet?” Glauca called from above, elation coloring his tone.

The brunette thief sighed heavily before reaching into his pocket and showcasing the amulet from its leather tie held tightly within his fist. Glauca grinned in triumph as he reached down with his hand extended, “hand it up to me; it will make it easier for you to get out.”

“It’s no trouble, I can get out myself.” Nyx snapped, jamming the jewelry back into his pocket.

Glauca smiled, “pass it up to me, there’s a good lad.”

“Ha! I’m not a good lad.” Nyx called back angrily, “Do you truly believe I’m stupid enough fall for that old trick? You running off with your prize without paying me what I’m owed!”

“Give it to me now, or you’ll feel my wrath!” Glauca snarled.

“I’m angry already! After the monsters you sent me to deal with, you think I’d give you anything? If you want this necklace, you’ll get it AFTER you’ve held up your end of the deal.”

“You really think I’d ride off?

Nyx glared at the older man, “yes! You have shifty eyes!”

If Glauca was not angry before, he certainly was now- his face turning a vivid shade of plum as he growled angrily at his hired help. “You cheap, street FILTH!”

“I am not cheap!” Nyx protested irritably.

“I was going to raise you up and reward you; now you shall suffer for your transgressions! You wish for the amulet? Then keep it!” Waving his hands across the stone, the entrance soon began to diminish as the opening started to close, sealing Nyx within the cavern.

It only took a few moments afterward for Glauca to realize the foolishness of his actions as he groaned and slammed a fist against river’s rocky shore, startling his chocobo companion. “Damn it! Glauca, why must you always lose your temper? Why?!” He sighed heavily, his rage having left and leaving the sorcerer deflated. “At least that thief will suffer for his betrayal. Come Garuda, it’s time to go.”

Now sealed within the cavern with no means of escape, Nyx’s alarm at his current situation had increased ten-fold. Below him he could hear the roars of the tomb’s now animated statues, each one desiring to tear his flesh to shreds as they clawed at the bottom of the platform. Yet luck seemed not to favor the thief as a loud boom echoed throughout the chamber, causing the staircase to shake and begin to sink and lower slowly to the demanding beasts below. Nyx attempted to think of some method out of the danger he had thrown himself into when he unconsciously began to rub the small fox charm wrapped around his wrist.

 ‘This was a crisis, a true catastrophe for Nyx Ulric,’ you related calmly, eyes glowing with barely concealed mirth as Somnus seemed to be on the edge of his seat as you continued your story.

‘So, what happened? How could a thief escape such machinations?’ He demanded; his curiosity dancing in the depths of his eyes despite his expression of disinterest.

You gave the Lucian King a knowing smile, ‘it is during such a crisis where all seems lost that powers beyond our own are required. In such despair… there is nothing more effective than magic, your Majesty.’

‘Magic…’ Somnus echoed quietly as his brow furrowed in confusion.

‘Yes, magic.’

 The small charm soon began to admit a bright light that illuminated the cave, blinding Nyx as he moved to shield his eyes before it vanished, allowing him see once more. Sitting before him on the stone platform was a small fox- though it resembled none that Nyx had ever seen in the wilderness or in the streets of Pagla. For one, this beast’s fur was a vibrant pale-blue shade that seemed to literally glow in the darkness of the cavern. Its fur was quite lush and silky in appearance, making the already large ears upon its head far greater in size while a small horn that seemed to be luminescent, crimson ruby protruded like a horn from the beast’s forehead. Nyx stared at the animal that yawned widely as he kneeled down to observe the creature in greater detail, though keeping his blade aloft incase it attacked. “W-Where did you come from?”

“You were the one to summon me, I thought you would already know that,” the fox replied in a high-pitched voice as its tail swished back and forth in a similar fashion to a temperamental cat. “Or perhaps you’re not that bright of a summoner.”

Nyx could only stare with shock at the fox that had replied to his question, mouth opening and closing in a manner rather similar to that of a fish. “I… You- You just talked.”

“Well, I am educated, so of course I talk.” The fox chortled, as if his verbal response was the most natural occurrence in the world. “Don’t tell me you summoned me from my sleep without intending to actually do anything. If so then I’ll be leaving now-“

“W-Wait! Don’t leave, please. I don’t even know who, or what the hell you are.”

“There is no need for your cursing. And as to who I am; I am the summon of that charm you have coiled about your wrist. Carbuncle, at your service; purveyor of my summoner’s desires. Now what do you wish for?” Its head tilted upward as the fox proudly puffed its small, furry chest out.

Before Nyx could even reply with another question as to what a Carbuncle even was, a loud roar and the crack of stone as the pillar they were standing upon began to slowly descend. Beneath them upon the frozen ground, the previously crystalized beast statues were clawing at the stone pillar eager to devour their trapped prey. Nyx released a torrent of curses while Carbuncle squeaked in alarm, it’s tail doubling in size as its fur stood on end.

“Sweet Bahamut, we’re going to die!” the fox squealed in distress as the bestial roars below grew louder at their gradual approach. Quickly, the fox Carbuncle scurried up Nyx’s leg and nestled atop his shoulders as the thief tried to balance his new passenger.

“Get off of me! And what do you mean purveyor, what are you- a genie or something?”

“Please, don’t insult me. I am far more powerful than some meager djinn.” Carbuncle grumbled, still attempting to hide from the monsters within the cavern as he moved from Nyx’s shoulders to his head. “Now, what is it you want. Hurry up human; I cannot do anything until you ask for it now what do you want!”

“What do you think I want?! I want to get the hell out of here!” Nyx exclaimed. And while he doubted the fox’s words about its supposed ‘wish-granting’, he was willing to try anything if he could escape alive and intact.

The fox bit his ear in warning, causing Nyx to yelp in surprise before jumping back onto the stone platform. “I, I, I, I, I! And what of me?! You cannot just summon me here and abandon me, you humans are ridiculous. ‘Get me out of here.’ ‘Take me home.’ ‘Please put me out, I’m on fire!’,” Carbuncle snapped back with its mocking words and turned away in a huff. “Just because you are my summoner doesn’t mean you can be rude and treat me as some slave. Have some curtesy.”

Nyx took one deep breath in an attempt to prevent himself from doing something rash to the fox before replying. “Fine, I’m sorry. Now will you PLEASE get us the hell out of here!”

By now, the platform had already reached the cavern floor and a pair of stone coeurls that had nearly claimed Nyx early snarled and raised their claws to swipe at their now vulnerable prey. Nyx immediately raised his dagger aloft in a vain attempt to block the attack while Carbuncle merely shook its fur out before the ruby on its forehead began to glow and bathe the pair in a bright glow. Within the next second the icy tomb was replaced by the beautiful waterfall that resided outside the tomb- with Nyx and Carbuncle both standing safely above the sealed entrance. The rogue stared about in a daze, adrenaline still racing in his veins while the blue-furred creature beside him yawned and tipped its head to him.

“And there you have it- safe at last and out of that dreadful tomb. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will take my leave. Farewell, Nyx Ulric.” And in another flash of bright light, the fox was gone within its wooden charm. Nyx stared down at the charm in his hand and breathed a sigh of relief before pocketing both it and the stolen amulet back into his tunic.

“Now how am I to get back to Pagla?”

 ==========================================================

“I don’t get it though,” Libertus spoke, looking at the amulet resting on the table between the three friends. “Why would Glauca ask you to get that piece of junk? It’s a little insulting for the best rogue in Tenebrae.”

After Nyx managed to beg for a ride back to the city by a passing shepherd, Libertus and Crowe were pleased to see he was safe until the rogue told his tale. After a lecture from Crowe about the dangers of taking random jobs from shifty strangers and Libertus ranting about pummeling Glauca if he ever saw him again, they all wondered why he would pay so much for something so plain. There were no jewels, embellishments, or anything of value decorating the simple trinket; if fact if Libertus and Crowe didn’t trust Nyx they’d have believed he nicked it from some 2-gil market stand.

Crowe frowned, “well it has to have some value or he wouldn’t go through the trouble. Plus, all that magic in the tomb that was protecting it makes me a little nervous. Spells like that aren’t exactly easy to perform and usually are only in place to guard against something dangerous.”

“He was rather angry when I didn’t give it to him,” Nyx replied, picking up the amulet to observe any details that would give the trio a clue to its purpose. “I think something written here but I can’t read it, hang on a moment….”

Wiping the smidge of dirt away the amulet began to give off a faint glow and an immediate chill filled the air that reminded Nyx horribly of the frozen tomb. Immediately he tossed the amulet away to the corner of their small hovel as fog and ice began appear around the discarded piece of jewelry. Libertus and Crowed quickly scrambled behind Nyx who had drew his dagger in defense as the temperature dropped and frost encompassed parts of their home. Through the growing fog a figure began to take shape, though it was much taller than the Carbuncle that Nyx had summoned in the cavern- in fact it looked to be taking on a far more humanoid shape. And as immediately as it had appeared, the fog and ice vanished to reveal what was perhaps one of the most beautiful women Nyx had ever seen. Her long ebony hair was darker than the night sky and clashed sharply yet beautifully with her pale skin and vivid crimson lips. Clad in black, gold, and ivory fabric woven into a robe-like dress Nyx had once seen from travelers of distant country in the marketplace, she had rather regal appearance. Her feet were bare of any shoes, but an elaborate anklet with bells gave soft chimes that sent an uneasy chill down Nyx’s back. The woman’s eyes remained closed but she turned to face them as if she and sent a piercing gaze toward the three with her sightless eyes.

‘Were you the one to bring me here, summoner.’ The woman spoke, her soft tone oddly gentle but hiding a rather sinister undertone. It reminded Nyx of a winter’s snowfall- lovely yet wrought with danger.

“Nyx… s-say something.” Libertus muttered, shoving his friend forward a little.

The younger rogue spluttered, “what? Why me?”

“You’re the one that stole that stupid amulet, so talk to her!” Crowe hissed, though staring fearfully at the other woman.

Giving a polite bow, as his experiences with Carbuncle taught Nyx to at least be respectful to any magic-wielding entity, he cleared his throat and spoke. “Good evening… ma’am.”

‘Fear not Nyx Ulric, I shall not harm you and your companions while you hold the title as my summoner. You may be at ease.’ The woman replied, settling onto a chair that seemed to conjure itself out of thin air.

Nyx blinked in surprise at the woman’s reassuring words. “I see… um, may I ask who you are?”

The woman raised a curious eyebrow at his question, ‘you summoned me yet know not who I am? They call me the Glacian, the Frostbearer, and Empress of Ice. But you… you may call me Gentiana, summoner. Now, what is it thou desire’s?’

“Desire? Are you going to grant his wishes or something?” Libertus asked, both he and Crowe a bit more relaxed now that the woman would cause them no harm.

‘Yes, I am.’

“Are you like that other summon Nyx mentioned? The Carbuncle?” Crowed added.

At the mention of the fox’s name, Gentiana’s smile dipped ever so slightly. ‘I see thou art acquainted with that… fox. While his powers are strong, they are nothing compared to my own.’ As she spoke, frost seemed to spread from where her foot tapped against the floor of the thieves’ home- as if the mention of the smaller summon irritated her.

“….Are you two related?”

‘No!... perhaps, I am not sure the tests were inconclusive,’ Gentiana sighed heavily.

“You mentioned you wanted to know my desires. What can you do?

It was here that Gentiana opened her eyes and let them fall upon Nyx. They were a dark shade of olive green but looked far colder than even the iced waters of the Ghorovas Rift. A small smile fell upon her lips as she settled her hands delicately in her lap and meet the trio with a knowing gaze and answered with one simple word.

‘Anything.’

===========================================================

“And that, was where it all began,” you spoke, giving a small yet sleepy smile. “Nyx Ulric, a rogue, son of a rogue, from a family of rogues found he could have anything his heart desired. All he had to do… was ask.”

Somnus remained silent as he let your words wash over him before shifting his gaze to you, eyes sparkling with excitement. “So? So! So, what did he ask for?” He asked, eagerly wishing to know more.

You had to resist the urge to chuckle at his oddly childish behavior and it caused a brief feeling of sorrow in your heart knowing you would have to cease your story lest you fell asleep mid-sentence. “We can safe that for tomorrow night, your Majesty.”

Delight quickly vanished as brief flash of anger took its place though disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Somnus immediately rose from his place among the various cushions and paced about the large bed chamber, rubbing a hand down his exhausted face. “But I wish to know now, not tomorrow night! You make your stories sound so wonderous with your wit, and charm, and beauty-“

“What does my beauty have to do with storytelling?” You asked, surprised by the sovereign’s choice of words.

It appeared not even Somnus himself realized he had said that, for he quickly halted his movements and turned to face you. “It is because if I lose interest for even a mere moment I must face those accursed nightmares yet when I turn to see your face, Lady (f/n)… and I find myself at ease from them.” His intense gaze causing a slight dust of blush to appear upon your cheeks. “Please, continue your tale.”

“Lord Somnus… I shall continue it tomorrow night.”

“I order you!” He snapped, frustrated with your refusal.

You frowned, “it would not be the same story if I was ordered to tell it.”

It seemed even the king noticed your growing anger, knowing he had pushed you too far. Somnus stared miserably at you and realized that despite his earlier apology, he had repeated his mistake that earned your ire; and that caused him more pain than the blasted nightmares ever did. “(f/n)… please continue your story. Please.”

You sighed, gently taking hold of his hand much to his shock, and guiding him toward his bed. Silently he complied with your wishes and eased into the soft blankets as sleep soon began to cloud his mind. “I am sorry (f/n), I truly am.”

“I know, sire.” You replied kindly, your earlier anger at his outburst gone.

“No, I meant… for everything.”

You remained silent for a brief moment as Somnus’ body relaxed and his breathing evened out- signifying his escape from the waking world. “I know what you meant, your Majesty.” You whispered softly, pushing back blue-black bangs from his eyes before rising from the edge of the bed. “Just wait till tomorrow night. Sweet dreams, Lord Somnus.” Blowing out the remaining candles you exited the room and found yourself being escorted once again by Gilgamesh toward Lady Selene’s chambers to rest.

[sassyscientia]

Being in a relationship with Somnus Lucis Caelum (Commoner verse Fem!reader)

Meeting

A rocky start when you first met him. They told you he wasn't an easy one, but this...

You weren't exactely the average paesant woman. Your family was noble at the time of your great-great grandfather, and whealty too, but bad advising, scandals and debts put a serious dent in your fortune and prestige.

Despite this your father was adamant in giving you and your sibilings an education. Thanks to that you weren't illiterate and your interest and ability with healing permitted you to assist your older brother, who worked as a healer.

One day you were aiding an injuried soldier who collapsed outside the road near the military camp you were heading to meet your brother. You tried to get him drink from your flask but you realized it was empty, so you quickly run to the nearby creek to refill it.

In your hurry you didn't noticed the galloping horse launched at high speed in the path and it nearly ran you over. Thanks the gods the horseman was skilled enough to stop it in time, but you were sure you nearly had an heart attack.

He was a young man with dark hair and the blue uniform of the Caelum family and he looked positively pissed.

Oh, boy, was he pissed.

You immediately recived the sternest lecture since you were a child, still pale from the fright and with a creeping shame in being scolded by someone who seemed to be your age.

"Are you an idiot, woman? I could have killed you!"

You just stammered. His voice sounded so severe and hard. The fact that he was half yelling at you didn't helped your nerves.

What if he decided to strike you just cause you annoyed him? He was heavily armed, after all.

You interrupted him with a high pitched voice, telling him in one breath that you found a injuried man and you wanted to help.

He looked at you in silence for a long moment. He asked you to repeat, slowly. And you did.

He dismounted and you froze when he came near you.

"Where is he?" He asked, and you pointed at the edge of the road, secretely relived.

You followed him and when he lifted the soldier you helped him, so the two of you were holding him by the arms and dragging him to the horse.

"L-Lord Somnus?!" He rasped.

Wait. That Somnus? Somnus Lucis Caelum?!

"None of that now." He ordered in a low voice.

The soldier mounted with difficulty and Somnus swiftly hopped on the saddle behind him, goading the horse immediately.

You were left there, whitout a word of gratitude, looking at them go.

You tried not to felt offended by the fact that first he yelled at you and then he completely ignored you.

For people like him you were nothing but an insect, unworthy of more attention than needed.

You huffed and started walking towards the camp.

Something told you would have seen him again soon.

And you weren't very happy with it.

A little somnus x reader headcanons experiment. I have sooo many scenarios for Somnus (like, this one with a commoner, another with a noble woman and another with a general of his army. This man inspire me...)

Part two, Get to known each other, will come soon!

[queencrimsonred]

Loyalty (Somnus Lucis Caelum x Reader)

Author’s note: Somnus is kinda an ass, but he’s not nearly as bad as Bahamut in my humble opinion. I couldn’t do any of my other work until I finished writing this, which is a danger to my academic career since I have a project proposal due in two days 😅. Written over 2 nights, based on fuzzy dreams and the fact that my subconscious mind doesn't think Somnus can be truly evil and the praised founder king. Excuse the typos please, it’s like 3 am and I am a very tired college student. -Crimson

Word count: 9044

Warnings: Spoilers to the Episode Ardyn prologue, maybe some DLC spoilers, violence, character death. Nothing all that shocking if you’ve watched the prologue.  

“Somnus, you’re brooding again,” _____ smiled to herself as she cut the apple in her hand.

“Am I?” He looked over at her, she snickered.

“Yes, you seem to be doing it more often lately. What is troubling you my love?” She asked as she looked up at him.

“You would stand by me no matter what wouldn’t you?” He asked, she suddenly felt like the gods themselves were scrutinizing her.

“Do you truly need to ask? I have loyally stood by you since we were only children, that won’t change.” She said firmly, he nodded and turned to look out the window as the sun disappeared behind the clouds.

“That is good to hear,” he responded. The closer they got to the day the gods would choose the rightful heir to the throne, the more distant Somnus became.

“Why do you ask?” She asked

“I just needed to hear it from you,” he answered, looking back over to her.

“Perhaps we should go on a trip together sometime soon. It seems that you could use a break, and a hunt seems like the ideal way to do that. Wouldn’t you say?” She offered, she stabbed a small piece of apple off her plate and offered it to him as he chuckled.

“Yes, that sounds wonderful, but only if you can keep up.” He smirked slightly about to take a bite of the apple only for her to pull it away from him at that very moment.

“Please, I am the best huntress you will ever meet; I am more than capable of keeping up with you.” She said stubbornly, holding her head up high and crossing her arms as she spoke. He rolled his eyes, pinching her chin to get her to meet his gaze again.

“I’m only teasing. You put seasoned hunters to shame.” He smiled this time, and she nodded.

“Mhm, and don’t you dare forget,” she responded holding out the apple slice again.

“How could I when you keep reminding me every time we hunt together?” He asked, eyeing the slice skeptically this time as if she would pull it away at any minute. “Will you let me eat it this time, or are you going to pull it away again?”

“Sorry, I won’t pull it away this time. I would hate for my beloved to starve.” She giggled, he scoffed but allowed her to feed him anyways. “When should we go hunting next?”

“In a few weeks, I would prefer to know the state of our kingdom before that,” he answered, and she nodded.

“Of course, there is no need to rush, but don’t forget to take breaks, I hate seeing you so stress.” She put her hand on his cheek, and he responded by leaning in and pressing a light kiss against her lips.

“With you at my side, I’m sure I will be fine.”

***

It was a day of monumental proportions, the day the true king would be named, the day that _____ hoped would finally end the feud between her dear friends. What she had expected was for a calm concession, but it was not what she received. _____ stood beside Aera and Gilgamesh at the top of the steps, right next to the throne of the rightful king. The moment Ardyn entered the throne room, _____ could tell that something was wrong. With so many eyes watching them, now was a time for the brothers to put aside their differences and work together for the sake of their nation. However, the moment Ardyn stepped past Somnus, he stood and glared at his brother.

“Do you truly covet the throne so badly brother? The crystal chose me.” Somnus declared boldly, Aera gasped and _____’s eye went wide. “You’ll have to forgive me, but this was the only way I could think to lure a traitor like you here. The gods have spoken, and I am the rightful king!”

“And if I object?” Ardyn asked as Somnus summoned his sword with a smirk. _____ couldn’t act even if she wanted to with Gilgamesh blocking standing in the way. The fight between Ardyn and Somnus started, each blow was deflected, but _____ knew it was only a matter of time before one of them gained the upper hand. “I will spare your life if you renounce your claim to the throne.” Ardyn coughed slightly, and Somnus smirked. Both Aera and _____ tensed as they watched the fight; _____ didn’t want to see either of them hurt. She couldn’t start the thought of Aera suffering the loss of her beloved, and she didn’t want to lose Somnus. _____ clenched her fist as one of Ardyn’s deflections sent Somnus tumbling back, but he didn’t waste a moment. Somnus threw a spear at his brother, warping after it right as Ardyn caught it and sent it through his chest. _____ knew this fight would be over if Somnus attacked now, and he was never one to waste an opportunity.

“Stop!” Aera cried out, barely slipping past Gilgamesh and running down the steps.

“No Aera, don’t!!” _____ cried out to her oldest friend, unable to stop her. Gilgamesh only acted fast enough to stop _____ from lunging after her, but not so quick as to stop Aera. _____ could not move as she watched Aera jump between the two brothers, defending her beloved without a moment of hesitation. Somnus’ sword cut across her back, and she collapsed into Ardyn’s arms, a faint smile gracing her lips.

“Aera! Don’t worry, I’m going too—” Ardyn shouted, silenced by Aera’s gentle touch. _____ stepped past Gilgamesh this time, only for him to grab her arm, promptly stopping her in her tracks.

“Release me at once Gilgamesh,” she snapped as she glared up at him.

“Do not intervene, unless you too wish to perish.” He said to her, and her heart sank.

“At who’s hand?” She asked, receiving no response this time as Gilgamesh ushered her back. Strong though she may be, he strength paled in comparison to the men surrounding her. _____ desperately wished she could do something to stop this from going any farther, she wanted to save Aera, and aid Ardyn, but there was little she could do for them.

“Forgive me brother, but I must fulfill my calling.” Somnus raised his sword prepared to end Ardyn’s life as he stayed knelt on the floor cradling Aera. Though he didn’t stay like that for long, in an instant he was on his feet again, still holding his beloved. He let out a monstrous scream as black tears stained his face and a suffocating black aura surrounded him. The room erupted into screams as people fled; _____ tensed, she couldn’t believe her eyes. The Ardyn she knew would never submit to the darkness, he was a healer, and beloved by his people.

“You must leave _____; it is not safe here,” Gilgamesh said firmly, but she shook her head.

“No, I will not leave so easily,” she refused; she would not leave when the people closest to her were all here. Someone had to witness this. Someone needed to know the terrible acts of this day.

“Then I trust you will defend yourself if necessary.” She nodded but prayed that it would not come to that. Gilgamesh quickly jumped down to stand beside Somnus as they attacked together, _____ clenched her fists, hiding in the shadows to avoid getting caught in between this clash. Attack after attack, Ardyn continued to stay on his feet, desperately clutching Aera’s body as he ascended the steps to the crystal. Ardyn reached towards it, and _____ could see the desperation on his face; the crystal was his last hope. The moment he touched the crystal, he was thrown backward by its light. He had trusted the gods above and loyally served them; he was the blessed healer, and yet the gods would condemn him. _____ felt hot tears streak her cheeks at the sight of her dear friends hitting the ground. Somnus didn’t waste a moment to approach his fallen brother again, while Ardyn looked around, his eyes momentarily landing on _____.

“I am unworthy…” The words slipped out, and _____ shook her head, the tears refusing to stop as Somnus summoned his blade to his hand. The very sword that was forged alongside his brother’s, the blade that was supposed to be used to maintain peace in their kingdom, had become nothing more than an executioner’s blade. Somnus sent the blade directly through Ardyn’s heart, and black smoke burst in all directions, consuming the room before spilling out into the sky. _____ shielded her face until the smoke dissipated to nothing, leaving only the bodies of Ardyn and Aera on the throne room floor, while Somnus hovered over them. His eyes stayed trained to their bodies for a moment before he turned his attention to the outside world. _____ was too stunned to speak, her legs refused to move; she was no stranger to bloodshed, she had stood beside Somnus in countless battle, and yet, this could not compare to anything she’d seen before. She had watched Somnus strike down his brother, and the oracle without a moment of hesitation. Had she intervened, she was sure her fate would have been the same, but she couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Somnus’ eyes drifted back to her, she didn’t look away, but she regretted meeting his gaze. The pain it caused her was indescribable; she felt like she no longer knew him; he felt more distant than ever before. He was a man that she once loved and respected, but the person before her felt like a stranger. Somnus turned his back to her, taking in a sharp breath.

“Seal him away, his existence must be erased from history for the sake of our kingdom,” the order was directed at his guard, but it didn’t fail to send a chill down _____’s spine. Somnus left the throne room, but _____ couldn’t find it in herself to follow after him. _____’s eyes went to the bodies of Aera and Ardyn, Aera was beyond saving, and Ardyn had been condemned to a life of solitude, and _____ had done nothing to stop it. She stood by and watched her friends suffer; the thought of it made her feel sick.

“_____,” the careful call roused her from her thoughts, she looked over to see Gilgamesh standing beside her.

“You should follow after Somnus, should you not?” She asked she hoped he would since she couldn’t.

“He asked to be left alone, and it seems that you are more in need of a guard at the moment.” He responded, it sounded like a lie; Gilgamesh would never leave Somnus’ side over a reason like that.

“I do not need a guard; I need to forget what I just saw.” She whispered; every time she closed her eyes the image came back, as if it were engraved on the back of her eyelids. She couldn’t turn a blind eye to this, but having to watch Somnus’ actions pained her. She loved him, but the man she fell in love with was not this cruel. She needed to talk to him, she wouldn’t accept that he was completely unfazed by this, she wouldn’t accept him isolating himself after what he had done. “If you’ll excuse me Gil, I think I need to find a way to build up my courage.”

***

Hours had passed, and _____ had spent the entire time pacing through the halls trying to find the nerve to speak with her beloved. She had reached the point where she was sitting outside his room but still hadn’t bothered to knock on his door.

“Knock on the door, you’ve known him for years, you love him. You’re a knight that has fought beside him through impossible odds. This isn’t something that should be troubling.” She said to herself, yet it did nothing to motivate her. She was afraid that if she didn’t handle this correctly, he would push her away. Losing Aera and Ardyn was bad enough; she didn’t want to risk losing him too. She knew that deep down the man she first fell in love with was still there, and she was the only one with even the hope of finding him. “Now is no time to be a coward.” She mumbled to herself before standing again, she walked up to his door and knocked three times.

“Enter,” his voice was cold, but she didn’t hesitate to enter his chamber and close the door behind her.

“Somnus,” _____ carefully called his attention. He was in a seat next to one of the many large windows in his room that overlooked the ocean. His gaze traveled over to her for a moment; the coldness in his eyes made her nervous. “Please talk to me.”

“There is nothing to talk about.” He looked out his window once again, staring off at the sea.

“Would you truly choose to push me away now?” She asked, she cautiously approached him, and knelt beside him, her hands lightly grasping his forearm. “The events of today are life-altering.”

“I did not ask for you here, leave _____. I do not want to speak about what happened today, not with you.” He ordered coldly, the way he said her name sounded like it brought a bad taste to his mouth. The corners of her lips fell to a small frown.

“I know you are not so cruel as to be unfazed by your actions, I am certain of it. You cannot just—!” She was promptly cut off when he turned his anger on her, pulling his arm away from her as he stood over her. She didn’t waste a minute before jumping to her feet; the look in his eyes made her heart race. She had never felt like she was in danger while standing at his side before, but at this moment, she feared for her safety.

“I told you to leave, leave now _____, I do not want to see you!” He snapped, he glared at her with contempt in his eyes. _____ couldn’t help but flinch, her fears from earlier suddenly felt more justified the longer she stood here. “Do not come back; you are not welcome here. Leave me be.”

“As you wish your grace, I will leave you be.” His new title passed her lips like venom, she did not want to show fear now. If she did, she worried it would only make this situation worse; she would rather respond with anger of her own. If he wanted her gone so badly, then she would leave without a trace. She turned on her heels, trying to stop the tears that stung the corner of her eyes from falling as she left the room. _____ walked down the hall to her room, quickly entering and closing the door behind her before she allowed her tears to fall. She didn’t feel safe spending the night here; she didn’t want to stay after their confrontation. The question now was where would she go instead. Going to visit her parents wasn’t an option, they would never stop questioning, and the journey was too far to make right now. Visiting the village would be easier, but she would still be badgered. The Temple of the Six was nearby, and she knew the high priest wouldn’t question why she was there, and would most likely allow her to stay as long as she wanted. If she left now, she would probably be able to make it before the road was too dangerous to travel on. With her mind made up, she penned a quick letter in the off chance the Somnus came to see her and laid it on her desk along with her most trusted sword. It was a gift from Somnus, but at the moment it felt too heavy to bring with her, so she chose another blade as she packed the necessary items for the trip. By the time she finished packing, the sun had already set. She sealed her note with her wax seal before she stuck her head out of her room to make sure the coast was clear and discreetly left, only leaving a single candle burning in her room. She snuck down to the stables where her Chocobo happily greeted her. “Hello, I missed you too.”

“Dame _____? What brings you to stables so late at night?” The stable hand asked, conveniently walking in with her saddle.

“Your timing couldn’t be more perfect, I’m leaving for a trip to the Temple of the Six.” She sent him a small smile, but she just scowled

“A trip now? It is very late, it‘s not safe to travel right now,” the stable hand said, frowning at the woman as she took her saddle from him and placed it on her Chocobo.

“You needn’t worry, I will be fine, I don’t intend on traveling too far, and the journey is a relatively safe one. I cannot be here tonight.” She made sure everything she needed for her trip was tightly strapped to her bird.

“As you say, but please do be careful on your trip, it would be a shame if something were to happen to you as well.” His shoulders slumped, knowing there was no hope in stopping the headstrong woman.

“I promise you that I will arrive at the temple without even a scratch. I hope you have a pleasant evening,” she said.

“You too, have a safe journey, I hope your time at the temple is enlightening.” The stable hand nodded as she pulled herself onto her Chocobo, quickly snapping the reins and disappearing into the night.

***

Elsewhere in the palace, Somnus pinched the bridge of his nose, his head hadn’t stopped hurting since he sent _____ away.

“Gilgamesh, have you seen _____ anywhere?” Somnus questioned his loyal shield, who shook his head.

“Not recently, she was in her room the last time anyone checked,” he responded. “Is everything all right your majesty?”

“I need to speak with her, I may have been too harsh on her earlier.” He responded, he didn’t want to push her away, but he didn’t know what to say to her. He thought that giving her space would be the best course of action, but the more he thought about it, the worse it made him feel. He hesitantly left his room and walked towards her’s. He didn’t like the thought of having to apologize to her right now, there were too many things he had to apologize for, but losing her was not an option. He knocked on her door but was met with silence. “_____, may I come in?” There was still no response, which was unlike her even when she was angry. He slowly pushed the door open and stepped into her room to find it empty, lit only by a candle on her desk. When he walked up to her desk, he found a letter with her wax seal pressed on it, and her sword laying on top of it. It was her most trusted sword, and a gift he had given her years ago.

“What is this?” He questioned while pushing the sword aside, seeing his name written across the top of the note. He took no time in breaking the seal and opening the letter; it was _____’s handwriting without a doubt, though it was messier then letters she usually wrote to him.

King Somnus,

If you are reading this, then I decided to leave the palace. I am not sure when I will return, but for the time being, I am traveling to the Temple of the Six. Should there be an emergency that requires me, send word and, I will return.

Respectfully, Dame __ _*_

It was her handwriting, but she would never sign a letter to him like this, she would never be so formal. She left after sunset because of their argument, and if something happened to her, it would be his fault. He was confident she would arrive safely, but he desperately wanted to follow after her. He knew it wasn’t an option to follow her, the reason she went was most likely to clear her head after the events of today, and she wouldn’t be able to do that with him by her side. He prayed for her safe arrival and returned to his room, he would allow her to choose when she would see him again.

***

An hour had passed since _____ first set out, and she had finally arrived at the temple without running into a single problem on her path. The moment she dismounted from her Chocobo, the high priest greeted her.

“Dame _____, what brings you here so late in the evening?” The priest asked the young woman who pulled off her hood and bowed her head in respect.

“I need some time to myself and wished to pray. I couldn’t think of a better place to go,” she answered honestly. She would return to Somnus’ palace when the Infernian turned to ice.

“Of course, you are welcome to stay as long as you like. The temple always welcomes you,” he answered, sending her a kind smile that she returned, though it was a bit forced.

“I am grateful,” she answered. She was not so fortunate as Aera, she could not speak with the gods, yet praying to them still offered her some comfort. She stepped into the prayer room escorted by the head priest, her gaze stayed on the statue of the Draconian. The famed blade-keeper, who was responsible for what had happened to Ardyn and Aera.

“I shall leave you be to pray if you should need anything, please just ask the guard to come to get me.” The head priest said, and she nodded.

“Thank you, I appreciate it,” she said with a casual smile, the head priest bowed his head slightly, leaving her on her own to pray while the guard stood by the door. She walked farther into the room and knelt before the statues. “Hear me gods above, please answer me. Grant me some solace in these trying times.” She whispered, clasping her hands together. She didn’t expect an answer, she expected the silence she received, yet she still felt disappointed. She wanted to believe that the events of today were not meaningless, that there was a higher purpose to it all. She had so many questions that would never be answered. Why would they allow such a horrible fate to take those dearest to her? Why would they bestow such powers on Ardyn only for those very power to turn him towards the darkness? She prayed that one-day Ardyn would know peace.

There was nothing more she could do for him, she could not free him, and even so much as uttering his name would become criminal sooner or later. It seemed to her that Somnus wanted nothing more than to erase his brother from history. The only thing she could do now is stand by Somnus, and make sure that he didn’t do anything worse than this. Though, at this moment, the thought of going back to him only made her feel sick. She swore to stand by him no matter what, she trusted him and his judgment, but how could she forgive him so quickly? On the other hand, how could she not stay when he needed her the most? The Somnus she knew wasn’t the man she saw today, he was carefree, a tease, who loved to nap and hunt. He loved his people and valued his allies, she knew he would do what he believed was best for his people.

“Somnus, was this the best we could do?”

*** A week had passed since _____ had first secluded herself in the temple, she spent her days with the men and women that watched over this temple. They shared meals, and she aided them in whatever they might need help with. She welcomed the distractions that were offered here. Any moment she wasn’t distracted was spent praying for Ardyn and Aera, she couldn’t help but feel guilty for what happened to them. There was nothing _____ could have done, but standing by and watching made her feel like a despicable person. She spent days doing charity work and praying, even now she was kneeling in the prayer room.

“Forgive me Aera, forgive me Ardyn, I pray that you both know peace,” she whispered, her mind wandered to the thought of Ardyn and Aera enjoying a peaceful afterlife together, though Ardyn’s immortality denied him of such a luxury. Her thoughts were disturbed by a shrill scream from outside the temple doors. _____ quickly looked towards the guard that stood at the doors, who looked just as stunned as her. “What happened?”

“I am not sure, allow me to go check,” he said as he bowed his head. He was about to leave, but _____ spoke up before he could. She couldn’t stand by idly, not after the events of last week.

“I will accompany you,” she said softly, standing and walking towards the door.

“All due respect Lady _____, but you should not get involved, it may be dangerous.” The guard frowned, but she only shook her head.

“I am more than capable of defending myself, you needn’t worry. I have trained for many years to perfect my swordsmanship and my magic.” She quickly reassured, although a number of her abilities were given to her by Somnus years ago. Although she was able to fight along-side him with ease even before that, he granted her the ability to use the magic bestowed upon him by the gods for reasons he never explained to her.

“As you wish,” the guard responded hesitantly, the pair both scowled as the walls of the temple shook with great force. They exited the small room, walking into the main corridor, which had erupted into chaos. A young priestess nearly ran directly into _____, barely stopping in front of the combat specialist. _____ put her hands on the priestess' shoulders and met her panicked gaze.

“What has happened?” _____ asked calmly

“Oh, Lady _____! It is terrible! The temple is surrounded by daemons!” The woman cried “it seems that they are trying to break into the temple, you must get to safety while the guards protect the building!”

“If it is as bad as you say this temple might be destroyed.” _____ frowned.

“I must go help my comrades immediately,” her guard spoke up. “Please Lady _____, go with this priestess, she will take you to a safe place.”

“No, I cannot, allow me to accompany you, I assure you I am more than capable of fighting, I spent many years serving the king.” She looked up at him with determined eyes, though he still seemed hesitant to agree, he nodded.

“Alright, let us go quickly.” She nodded, sending the priestess off to the nearby safe room before following the guard to the temple entrance. It wasn’t until they started running toward the entrance that she realized how wildly impractical her clothing was for combat. Her white dress offered her little protection, and her shoes were not meant for the type of movements she’d need to fight. She cursed her decision in clothing for this trip, but she would have to make do with what she had, she would not stand by this time. The chaos in the halls didn’t compare to the sight before her, more daemons were surrounding the temple than she’d ever seen before, and the guards didn’t stand a chance against them. “Gods above…”

“Now is no time to hesitate, fighting is the only choice we have, they will destroy this temple and everyone in it if you run now.” She gritted her teeth as she summoned her blade. The weight of it felt off, she hadn’t used this sword in ages, but it was the only one she had at the moment. She glanced around, before calling over one of the guards. “You there, do you think you can make it to the stables?”

“Per-Perhaps, why do you ask?” He asked, she nodded and looked back to the daemons in front of them.

“My Chocobo is in the stables, I need you to take it and go to King Somnus’ palace, when you arrive, find a castle guard and tell them what has happened here. Make sure to tell them that you were sent by Dame _____ __*__, tell them I will hold off the daemons, but we need more guards. Go quickly!” She ordered, she couldn’t go herself, they needed her here.

“Yes, of course!” He quickly ran towards the stables, she prayed that he would make it in time.

“Gods above, protect us.” She bowed her head before charging forward.

***

At the palace of Somnus, the young king sat on his own, looking at the stars that covered the night sky. Peaceful though it may have been, the silence was eerie, he had grown used to _____’s attention and her quick wit. He was beginning to question if it was wise allowing her to leave like this. He wanted to give her time to collect her thoughts, but if he didn’t act, then there was a chance that she may never return. As loyal as she was, surely even she had her limits, and pushing her away after what happened wouldn’t make her want to come back. He didn’t want to hurt her any more than he already had.

“Perhaps it’s time I went to check on her,” he mumbled to himself, leaning back in her seat with a small sigh. He decided on visiting the temple first thing in the morning since it was too late to go now.

“Your majesty!” Somnus looked over at the call to see one of the castle guards running down the hall. He knelt before his king, out of breath and sweating, and not wasting a moment to speak. “A messenger from the Temple of the Six has arrived with a message from Dame _____!”

“What has happened?” He quickly questioned.

“Daemons have surrounded the temple, she says they are outnumbered and in need of assistance!” He responded Somnus’ eyes widened. He hadn’t been worried about _____ staying at the temple because it was typically well guarded, and daemons rarely appeared there.

“Should I send the guards?” Gilgamesh asked

“Yes, but we are going as well.” Somnus stood, much to their surprise.

“All due respect, but it is unwise for you to travel, you are king now,” Gilgamesh said. He couldn’t help but tense at the thought, it was dangerous for him to leave this late at night, especially when they didn’t know what kind of battle they would be walking into.

“I don’t care, _____ is there, and I will not stand by when she is in danger.” Somnus confidently walked down the hall towards the stables. His duty was to protect his people, he wouldn’t sit by when they were in danger. He wouldn’t allow _____ to fight by herself; Somnus would always fight beside her.

***

“Dame _____, your swordsmanship is outstanding.” One of the guards marveled as she cut down yet another daemon. There were only a few were left standing, but many of the guards that were here were killed in the struggle. Should anymore appear, they wouldn’t be able to fight back anymore.

“Stay focused, we’re still surrounded,” _____ responded, flicking her wrist and stabbing the daemon that appeared behind her. She was lucky to only have sustained a few cuts and scrapes so far, but she couldn’t take much more of this. The fighting felt endless, and she was running on little energy at this point. It was already past midnight when the daemons first attacked, and after cutting down so many of them, she was getting tired. Suddenly, she heard more screams as the ground beneath her feet shook. “What now?!”

“Another daemon!” Someone shouted, and her blood ran cold as a massive daemon appeared before them. It made all the other daemons she had executed so far look small, and it’s razor sharp claws has already taken out three guards.

“Dame _____, what should we do?” One of the guards questioned, she shook her head.

“I don’t know, I have never seen a daemon like this.” She answered breathlessly, she took in a breath, there was only one thing to do. “Everyone, focus your attacks on the new enemy!” She ordered, charging towards the new daemon. Its claw shot towards her, and she expertly deflected it with her sword. The guards around her followed her lead, but it didn’t seem to slow down the daemon in the slightest. Each attack only added to their exhaustion, _____ hoped that the guard she sent to Somnus’ palace has made it, or else this situation might truly be hopeless. Trying to fight the new enemy along with the enemies that were already there was more difficult than she would care to admit. It seemed that they were slowly making progress, but it was painfully slow progress. Time was passing, and if they could make it to dawn everything would be fine, but making it that far seemed impossible. _____’s fight was starting to get sloppy, she was aggressive and burning through her energy quickly.

_____ fought off the urge to scream as the daemon’s claw cut across her leg, stalling her long enough for it to swing its arm towards her. It hit her with enough force to send her directly into one of the stone pillars of the temple. She fell to a knee, watching the daemon and trying to strategize but coming up with nothing. She was almost completely out of energy, she would not be able to keep this up much longer, and with only a few guards remaining, the odds did not appear to be in their favor. This daemon was too strong for them to take in their current condition, had it not been for the numerous fights leading up to this one than perhaps she would have been able to manage it, but now? Now she didn’t have the energy to keep fighting, and blood seeping into her white dress was a firm reminder that she was running out of time. She had the energy for one last assault, and if she failed to finish it, it would mean her life. She couldn’t help but feel that it was justice for her inability to act when Aera and Ardyn needed her the most.

“Dame _____, are you alright?!” One of the guards questioned

“I’m okay, but I fear that I am at my limit,” she said softly, “we must finish this in the next attack, lest we all perish here.”

“May the gods above have mercy on us.” The guard beside her said as she charged up her last attack, dashing towards the daemon faster than ever before, and skillfully dodging all of its attacks. She was sure that the beast was at its limits as well, but she wasn’t sure that she had enough strength to finish it.

“Gods above, protect us,” she said almost silently. Her attack landed and broke off one of the daemons appendages, but it wasn’t enough. She stumbled and fell to her knee at the feet of the daemon; it raised its claw above its head, and in that moment time around her slowed. She didn’t want to die like this, there were still too many things she still had to do. Yet here she knelt, staring down the monster before her that was devoid of all forms of sympathy. _____ took in a sharp breath and stared up at it in defiance, using the last of her strength to throw her sword directly at the daemon’s head, and watching it scream in pain. She could be satisfied with what she did, she protected innocent people, and it was almost dawn. Even if she fell here, the people of this temple would be safe, and her job would be done. With that as her final thought, she bowed her head as the daemon before her brought down its massive claw. “It is in your hands now.” The world around her went silent as she waited for its last attack, but it never came.

“I think not.” The all too gentle words barely reached _____’s ears as she quickly looked up again to see a streak of blue blur past her vision. An array of swords struck down the daemon in an instance, and she was awestruck. Of all the people she expected to come to her aid, the newly crowned king was at the bottom of the list. _____ gasped as the daemon began to fall towards her, but before she could even make an attempt to tumble away an arm wrapped around her waist and she was kneeling on the stone steps of the temple entrance.

“Somnus?” She looked up at the man who had just rescued her from what would have been a hopeless situation. He tensely watched the daemon dissipate from their view, his arms still wrapped around _____.

“Your majesty!” The few guards that remained from the attack called out in surprise, he only briefly acknowledged them before turning his sights to _____.

“Are you alright?” He asked, for a moment she forgot how to speak.

“I-What are you doing here? That was—!” She snapped out of her daze, worrying about Somnus more than herself now. There was no reason for him to be here, and no reason for him to travel here so late at night.

“Why am I not surprised that your first reaction is to scold me for coming to your aid? Rest _____, you have had a long night.” He shook his head with a small smile.

“Somnus you…”

“Hush, do you need more direct orders? You have lost too much blood, rest now so I can get you home in time to save your life.” He didn’t need to say more; her eyes were already involuntarily fluttering shut.

“Thank you,” she whispered as she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

** “_____, what on Eos are you doing?” _____ heard a quiet giggle and opened her eyes to see Aera hoovering over her with a small smile. _____ glanced around to see herself surrounded by white sylleblossoms in a garden she didn’t recognize. The area beyond the garden was shrouded by a thick fog. It felt like a peaceful dream, one that _____ couldn’t believe she was fortunate enough to receive.

“Aera? Where am I?” She asked, slightly panicked, Aera only laughed and pulled her friend up so at least she was sitting upright.

“Did you forget the sylleblossoms garden near your family home?” She asked

“No, but I don’t see my home anywhere,” she quipped, Aera shook her head.

“Then perhaps it would be more accurate to say that this is a significant place to you. Either way, what’s more important is that I’m here.” She pointed out, _____’s shoulders slumped.

“Of course, it is, but it makes me feel like the reason the Temple of the Six was attacked by daemons was some kind of retribution for my inability to act, or maybe out of spite of the gods themselves. Aera, I’m so sorry,” she said. _____ couldn’t help but frown, as happy as she was to see Aera smiling like this, it only added to her guilt. For Aera to have her happiness stolen away so quickly, it all seemed so unfair.

“It was preordained, there was nothing you could have done to change what happened. I do wish that things could have been different, but this is the only option we were given. Please don’t blame yourself anymore.” Aera grasped _____’s hands, the same caring smile she always had.

“What Somnus did, it was unforgivable, but I—.”

“You still love him, don’t you?” She asked, though she already knew the answer.

“I’m sorry,” _____ apologized again.

“For being in love? Don’t apologize, be with him, love him and enjoy your life. What happened to Ardyn and myself cannot be undone, but that does not mean that you should not be happy.” She reassured _____ as the woman looked down at the flowers surrounding her.

“He’s traveled down such a dark path, and he’s pushed me away. I swore to always stand by him, but what if he no longer wants that?” _____ asked

“If anyone can guide Somnus down the right path, it is you. In fact, it is your job to guide him down the right path. He needs you, even when he tries to push you away.” Aera answered before reaching towards _____ and wrapping her in a tight hug. “You are strong enough to go down this path, there is nothing you cannot accomplish so long as you continue fighting for what if right. The gods stand with you _____.”

“The gods stand with me?” _____ asked in confusion.

“Of course, why else do you think that you are able to see me now?” Aera asked, pulling away to smile at _____. “They know of your heart and your loyalty, they can hear your prayers.”

“Thank you Aera, thank you for telling me this,” _____ said as she let out a shaky breath. “I am so thankful that I was able to get to know you.”

“I will always be here for you, even if I can no longer see you in the waking world.” Aera’s smile grew.

“I hope that you are able to be at peace here Aera,” _____ said as she met her friend’s gaze.

“One day we shall all be at peace.” Aera’s voice started to sound distant to _____ “it’s nearly time for you to return to your beloved. I am glad that we had a chance to see each other one last time.”

“I’m glad too, goodbye Aera, I will think of you every day.” She sent Aera one last smile before she closed her eyes.

**

_____’s eyes opened slowly, and the early morning light immediately flooding her vision; she felt slightly disoriented as she inspected her surroundings. Bandages were securely wrapped around her torso and hands, and a loosely fitting white dress touched her skin. She didn’t remember how she got here, or how long she had been asleep, but she felt at ease.

“It is good to see that you are finally awake.” _____ looked over to the balcony where none other than Somnus himself stood. She slowly sat up, ignoring the sharp pricks of pain as her body protested.

“Som—King Somnus,” she corrected herself, feeling both uncomfortable and a bit confused. His quiet chuckle seemed loud in the large room, loud and almost bitter. Somnus walked over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed and staring her down, she didn’t dare look away.

“You are laying in my bed, calling me king is unnecessary,” he responded. “How are you feeling?”

“I am fine, but why am I here?” She questioned, the last time they had an actual conversation, he had made it very clear that he did not want her here. “You made it very clear that you did not want me at your side the last time we spoke.”

“Is that why you vanished in the dead of night to that secluded temple?” He asked this time she looked down at her hands.

“Why did you come to the temple so late at night?” She responded to his question with a question of her own, unable to meet his gaze. Somnus’ hand went to the side of her face, forcing her to look back up at him as he loomed over her.

“I was worried about you, I caught word that the temple was under attack and immediately set out.” Her eyes widened at his response.

“But why? You’re king now, you can’t just run off into danger like that!” She protested “much less because of me.”

“I am fully capable of caring for myself, had I not come when I did, I fear that you would not be alive.” He stared into her eyes, oddly comforted by her stunned silence “do you truly believe that I would not come to your aid?”

“Somnus, it is not your duty to come to my aid.” She scowled out of nothing but confusion, still meeting his gaze as she spoke.

“But it is. How could I sit by knowing that the reason you were in that situation was because you were trying to escape me?” He asked with a frown of his own, she hadn’t expected him to care. “I sent you away was because I did not need your comfort when you yourself still needed to heal. I could not stand the thought of you comforting me when my actions caused you such pain. There was nothing I could say or do that would change what you witnessed. I am sorry for what happened, I wish it did not have to come to this, but I had to do what was best for our kingdom. I never intended for Aera to get hurt, but I could not allow my brother to take the throne, our people would have been in danger. I cannot expect you to be okay with what happened and I expect you to hate me for it, but I felt that you at least needed to know why.”

“I was not okay with what happened, I am still not okay with it, but how can I hate you when I stood by and did nothing? I could not stop Aera from intervening, and there was nothing that I could have done to help Ardyn. What happened was terrible, but it cannot be undone now. All we can hope is that the events of the past are not repeated. Go forward as a kind ruler, do not allow for anymore needless bloodshed. I know that you care for your subjects, and, despite your actions over the past few years, I know you are a kind person. I hope to see you become a great ruler one day because I know you are capable of it.” _____ wrapped her arms around his waist, much to his surprise. He did not expect her to be so forgiving, how could he after seeing the pain on her face only a week ago? Regardless, he wrapped his arms around her shoulder, keeping her as close as he could. “You will go on to do great things, just promise me that you will never allow something like the events of last week to happen again.”

“I promise you that I will rise to meet your expectations, but will you stay at my side for all of it?” He asked, absentmindedly trailing his hand down her spine.

“Of course, I swore I would always stay at your side, that has not changed.” She answered firmly, and he chuckled once again, but this time it was much lighter than before.

“I am not so sure that you understood what I was asking of you,” he said, an amused lilt to his words.

“Hm?” She responded

“I could put you in nearly combat situation, and you would excel, but you are painfully oblivious to my feelings.” He mused, unable to stop himself from smiling.

“Somnus...” she pouted.

“Forgive me, I suppose I should be more forward.” He pulled away from her to get a clear look at her face. “That kingdom that I am building will need a queen, and I want you.”

“Really?” She asked quietly, they had been together for so long but somehow, she didn’t expect this.

“Yes, you have stood by me through countless mistakes. I know that with you at my side, we will lead our people towards a prosperous future.” Her expression made him want to tease her, but it could wait until later. “Marry me _____.”

“I am laying in your bed wrapped in bandages and probably look like I just lost a fight against the Gods, and you would propose to me now?” She practically squeaked.

“You do not look like you lost a fight against the gods, in fact, you are as beautiful as always. There is no better time for me to do this, seeing as how you keep putting yourself in harm's way, maybe this will motivate you to stay safe.” He rolled his eyes.

“You know that I don’t intentionally put myself in those situations!” She retorted with an indignant pout carved into her face.

“I am aware, you just happen to care too much,” he chuckled. “What do you say? Or do you need to think about it?”

“I don’t need to think about it, though saying yes to such an unromantic proposal hurts my pride.” She looked up at him with a small smile.

“I suppose I will have to make it up to you later then, when you’re no longer bedridden.” He hummed, leaning closer to her with an almost teasing smile.

“You know, I really am fine, it was only a few cuts and scrapes.” This time she was the one to roll her eyes, while he quirked a brow.

“I am going to pretend I didn’t hear that, having things this way plays out in my favor,” he responded, she tilted her head.

“Oh?” She couldn’t see how this was a favorable outcome.

“It gives me more time to plan this romantic proposal that you seem to want.” He smirked slightly when her eyes widened.

“I-I was kidding! You don’t need to do anything more!” She protested

“But I must, it would be shameful of me to not give you a proposal fitting for the future queen. I would hate to not meet your incredibly high expectations.” He chuckled as she shook her head.

“Somnus no, it really isn’t necessary!” She blushed

“Perhaps I should start by speaking with your parents. It would be rude of me to not ask for their permission. I should make sure you have the finest—.” She silenced his teasing with a kiss that he was more than happy to return. Her hands went to the sides of his face while his hands traveled down to her waist, and they both closed their eyes. _____ savored the sweet kiss, it had been quite some time now since they shared their last kiss, but the mood was different now. Now, she was kissing the man that would soon be her husband,

“Why must you be like this?” She pouted as she pulled away from him.

“As I recall, when we first started spending time together I was merciless when it came to teasing you. Moreover, you fell in love with me during that time.” He answered

“Keep teasing me like this, and you’ll receive the same response I gave you when we were children. I don’t care if you are the king,” she quipped. He laughed before pressed his forehead against hers.

“Pinching my cheeks is hardly a threat my love, but I will relent. I wouldn’t want to fluster you too much, though it does make me wonder how you’ll fair over some other aspects of our relationship.” He mused with a smirk gracing his lips.

“What are you talking about now?” She pursed her lips and raised a brow, failing to calm herself.

“After we get married, people will expect an heir, I wonder how that will go.” He responded as he closed his eyes with an innocent smile while a bright blush tinted her cheeks.

“Somnus…”

“Hm?” He responded, opening his eyes again to see her glaring at him.

“That proposal of yours better be the best proposal you have ever done.” She pinched his cheek and pulled it out of sheer annoyance “because if it’s not, you’ll be short a fiancée at this honeymoon that you already seem to be planning.”

“Perhaps I went too far.” He chuckled, having to put in the effort to get her to release his cheek. “I’m sorry, I’ll stop now, just let go!”

“Hm, fine, you’re lucky that I’m kinder than you.” She released her hold on his cheek, quickly pressing a kiss to the area that was now stained red.

“I most certainly am, now let’s take a nap, all of this talking it draining.” He didn’t wait for a response before falling on to the bed to lie beside her. It was far from the first time they had shared a bed, in fact, they spent more time together taking naps than she cared to admit.

“I just woke up, isn’t it too early to take a nap?” She asked, he just chuckled and wrapped her in his tight embrace.

“It is never too early, and seeing as how I can’t think of anything better to do with you at the moment this seems like the best option.” He hummed, his eyes already shut.

“Let’s go hunting,” she chirped, though it was only meant to be a joke. He opened his eyes to look down at her, his brow twitched ever so slightly.

“When I ask your parents for permission to marry you, I should ask if you were born this reckless.” He responded dryly.

“I was just kidding, besides, if anyone is to blame for my recklessness, it’s you.” She quipped

“Oh?” He squeezed her waist, trying to avoid touching any of her injuries.

“When the man you love keeps charging into fights, it’s difficult to sit by and watch.” She snuggled closer to him.

“I will make sure to keep that in mind, I would hate for the woman I love to be hurt because of me.” He pressed a light kiss to the top of her head. “I love you, I will spend the rest of our lives proving it to you.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” She smiled to herself as her eyes fluttered shut, and she enjoyed the warm embrace of her king.

[alucarddear]

Ideas fluff scenario of s/o helping an insomniac Alucard (also maybe retain his personality in S4E1) to sleep.

Saving Souls*

Each time he has an episode, you wonder if you can love all the pain away, if one day it will be enough.

[Alucard x You] Combining two related requests in one: nightmare and insomnia. I got quite a lot of sleep-related requests from you guys. I hope you're all sleeping well lol, I certainly am not.

P.S. it’s a bit sad though—not exactly fluffy, but full of love all the same. *CW for panic attack.

Alucard may have survived all the trials and tribulations that the cruel Gods had sent his way, but he certainly hadn’t made it out unscathed.

To this day, sleep comes to him rarely. Whenever it does, he is able to have a peaceful rest in your arms, but there are times when that peace is disturbed and his elusive sleep is accompanied by unpleasant dreams.

And now, it is happening again. He is writhing in bed, his forehead glossy with cold sweat. His tossing and turning even woke you up from your own slumber. Tonight, it seems, will be yet another one of those nightmare-induced sleepless nights.

You sigh, feeling sorry for the dhampir. If not for you being in his life, you are quite sure he would have long ago shut himself in his coffin, forced to a dreamless sleep for hundreds of years.

You watch your lover's brows knit, grumbling and twitching in his sleep. About to wake him, you stop for a moment to reconsider. He hasn't had a good sleep in at least three days. Will this one come to pass?

It doesn't, and he makes a noise, a whimper, so disturbing it couldn't have come from anything but a distressing dream.

“Adrian,” you shake him gently, thinking it best to wake him. “Love, wake up.”

He startles, sitting up with a choked-up gasp. His eyes are cloudy, almost incognisant. Immediately, he begins feeling around him, searching for something. Searching for you, you realise.

You sigh, reaching out to grasp him gently on his arms. “Adrian, it’s me,” you tell him. “It’s okay.”

He looks at you—through you—panting, eyes wide, moisture gathering in them. The sight of him stills your heart.

As soon as he sees you though, he’s gathering you in his arms, tears falling. “I—I…”

“It’s alright, Adrian. It’s fine. It’s fine. You’re okay,” you tell him over and over like a mantra, pacifying him with each stroke of your hand on his hair and each kiss upon his face.

“I thought I’d lost you,” he chokes out suddenly, sobbing into your bosom, grasping you tightly against him. “You—I thought I’d…!”

Oh, my love.

“I’m okay, I am fine,” you try to soothe him, voice soft and calm, mollifying his worries. You lift his chin up, meeting his blurred gaze. “I’m right here, you see? Just breathe for me, please, Adrian. Deep breaths.”

He nods vigorously, trembling in your arms, regulating his breathing, just the way you’d taught him before. “You are. You are,” he repeats to himself, a shaky sigh of relief escaping his lungs.

“But—I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I thought I’d killed you. I can’t feel my limbs. I thought I’d…” He rambles, breaths coming out of him in a ragged manner. “I choked you. Darling, I watched you die!” His voice breaks. “I did it myself. Instead of my father, I—”

With a firmer, sterner voice, you tell him, “It wasn’t real. Alright? Let’s breathe again. Please, Adrian.”

It’s not real. It’s not real. It will never be real, you repeat to yourself even as goosebumps littered your skin.

Adrian, still shaky from his disturbing nightmare, has trouble coping with his hyperventilation. You notice him slipping away, his eyes hazy. There, but not really there.

You grasp him by his shoulders then, giving him a firm shake, hoping it grounds him, keeps him sane. “You would never hurt me. You could never do that to me, my love. Look, just look how much you’re quivering just from the thought.”

He crushes you against him, nodding, holding onto you, pulling you closer as if you were going to disappear on him.

Inhale…. exhale.

Inhale…. exhale.

Inhale…. exhale.

“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” your voice cracks despite your attempt to subdue yourself. “I’m so sorry, Adrian.”

I wish I could do something. I wish I could make it go away. I would take your horrors away, dream your nightmares for you, trade our dreams to give you peaceful sleep, Hypnos be damned.

It is always difficult to see him this way. For him to think, even just subconsciously, of himself as such a monster so as to hurt his beloved… it tears you apart. It makes you angry.

He’s never truly completely forgiven himself for his patricide. It was a necessary evil, he’d told you once. Yet how it shattered his heart. How it continues to do so now. How the act of it still seeps into everything, tarring it all black. All that is left of him.

Each time he has an episode, you wonder if you can love all the pain away. If one day it will be enough. If only saving souls could be as easy as it is to love Adrian.

And you love him, Gods, you do—you love him just as he is. Lonely as he is. Broken as he is. Afraid as he is. Hopeful as he is. The beautiful and kind and gentle, still hurting soul that he is.

Just as he is, and all that he will be.

“I would never hurt you,” he tells you then, promises you—promises himself—eyes boring into your very soul and breaking your reverie. “I love you,” he whispers, leaning closer, forehead pressing against yours, calmer, better. “You are the one I love the most. I could never lose you.”

It will never come true. It will never come true.

“I know, I know. I love you too,” you tell him, hot tears falling onto his lap. “I will always love you.”

And I will always be here.

His breathing’s less erratic now. “Better?” you ask him after a moment, cupping his face into your warm hands.

“Yes. Yes, my angel,” he whispers, a reassuring smile on his face, wiping the moisture away from your cheeks. “Thank you. Thank you for being here.”

“Always.”

You cry in each other’s arms.

Sometimes, it’s all you could do, and tonight, you realise that that’s okay.

[vocalyunho]

18:54 | a brief inquiry into: somnophilia

࿐ : sexual arousal which is stimulated by intruding on and awakening a sleeping person with erotic caresses (but not force or violence).

Mingi’s sleeping form was always too…tempting not to feel a little tingling on your insides. He likes sleeping with only his briefs on and no matter how normal that is, you can’t help but let your mind wander around whenever you see him like that.

There’s something in the way his body’s spread out on the bed and the way his face is as calm as the waters of a lake during a summer evening, or maybe…it’s just the exposed chest and the little bump between his legs that his boxers reveal, that increase your body temperature.

Crawling on the bed, you felt bad for being turned on just by the way he looks when he’s asleep…perhaps it’s the effect love has on you or it’s just another kink, you don’t know yet, but the aching burn on your core didn’t stop you from cuddling him. You rested your head on his spread arm and snuggled your face on the crook of his neck.

The familiar scent made a smile paint your face and, for a moment, you thought you could stay like this. The warmth of his relaxed body calmed you for a while, but then your hand moved like it had a mind of its own. You trailed your fingers along his collarbones and he hummed in his sleep, shifting a bit. You couldn’t stop yourself from travelling south, to caress his chest and abs as softly as possible, trying not to wake him up. You felt every muscle on his abdomen which made your bottom lip get trapped between your teeth, to prevent a sigh from leaving you. You wanted to go further down, but didn’t know if you should and when the slightly lined abs flexed under your touch, you immediately checked his face afraid that you woke him up.

The closed eyes and steady breathing told you otherwise though. So, your arm moved to the exposed thigh. It is warm, and as you kept fondling with it, the sinful thought of taking his length out of his briefs and stroking it, made you press your legs together. The moans that’d fall from his lips and the way he’d back his hips up asking for more, only made your breathing heavier. And the thought of his eyes on you as you’d kiss the tip and pump the rest of him drove you crazy, to say the least. But you closed your eyes, restricting yourself to only imagine these. The wetness in your core was helpless at this point and you hadn’t realized how the grip on his thigh tightened or how the muscles on it had flexed until…

“get on top”, the deep, sleepy voice rang in your ears and you shot your head towards him, wide-eyed.

The burn in your stomach ached more at the sight of your boyfriend’s still closed eyes and swollen lips “are you awake?”. Mingi rubbed his eyes with a groan and patted his thighs afterwards at which you got the message and straddled his waist. “didn’t know you could get this needy when I’m asleep for barely an hour”, he chuckled.

“I’m sorry Mingi”

You felt a little guilty for being the reason he woke up, you didn’t mean to, but he grabbed your sides and pulled you on top of him. “nah I’m hard anyways”, he said under his breath and the tone made your eyes fall heavy. You pecked his cheek but as you pulled away, he chased after your lips with a pout. A slow, open-mouthed kiss was all it took for the sigh you’ve been holding back to finally escape you and when it did, his grip on your waist tightened to move you further down until you felt his bulge on the small of your back. “fuck”.

“make yourself comfortable, princess”, he said breaking the kiss and helping your body up.

Your hand slid to the grown arousal, taking him out of the obstacle that the underwear was, and pumping him a bit...and Mingi growned throwing his head back. You didn’t expect him to be this hard but the stiffness in your hand made you do. You slid your panties to the side before guiding him to your entrance and when you felt his tip on your core, shivers washed your spine. If it wasn’t for his arms helping, you wouldn’t have started pushing down.

Your walls stretched to fit him and your lips fell on a visible ‘o’ at the effort. You hadn’t realized how needy you were until he was all in you, but you fought the urge to pound on him for the sake of his still sleepy daze. Mingi huffed once he felt your warmth around him and your hands landed on his chest for support as you raised your hips slowly.

The wetness in your cunt was enough to slip him in and out of you with ease and soon you picked the pace up, just enough to hear his deep moans. You rode him slowly, feeling his tip reach deep at this angle while he eyed you with a drowsy stare. “fuck baby-”. He let all the work to you and you loved how you were in control for once, even if it was only because he had just woken up.

A breathy moan fell from your lips, which made Mingi force you faster down on him and you clenched instantly. “are you gonna come, baby?”

“s-soon”. Squelchy sounds came from where your bodies met, quiet enough to indicate lazy afternoon sex between lovers, and the rhythm was not a particularly quick one, but one to make the burn on your stomach feel like it’ll soon be on fire.

As you were about to give attention to your clit, he snapped his hips up, hitting your g-spot instantly. Your eyes rolled back and a muffled cry filled the room.

“ffuck ohmygod”

Sudden lack of energy made you fall on top of him while your bodies worked together, chasing after release. You pressed down on him as he thrusted up with a grunt each time. And when you convulsed, Mingi wrapped his arms around your form to thrust up faster. His heavy breaths got mixed with curses at the feeling of your walls clenching continuously.

“t-that’s it”

The knot in your stomach got tighter and tighter until your legs went limp. You wanted to hold it in until he came with you but the way your g-spot was getting hit repeatedly, led you to coming faster. Stifled cries tickled Mingi’s neck and you trembled, with your nails clawing on his shoulders for support. He jerked and gripped your ass tightly but instead of forcing you to your limits till he came in you, he slowed down and you managed to catch your breath.

Sweat had already formed on his temple but you knew he hadn’t come yet and with a slow raise of your body, you took him out of you. Your fluid made his cock glisten under the sunlight coming from the window and you crawled between his legs once your own gained strength again.

Mingi gasped at the slightest pressure around him. He was too close. Your thumb drew circles on his red tip, loving the way his eyebrows had furrowed, and when you pumped him to spread your cum on him, his eyes shut tightly.

“you helped me out, now it’s my turn”, your lips met his length fast and with a single moan, you knew he was completely awake now.

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[rolerei]

Fashion AU - Noctis x Reader - Pining - Slowburn

Rating: M

Chapter: 6/26

Summary: Noctis is a young designer in search of a model for a prestigious fashion design competition. You’re a third year university student on the brink of a burnout. In the City That Never Sleeps, your paths crossed.

This chapter: Iris realized the error that she'd made by picking up Noctis' call. In the meantime, the lunch went as bad as Noctis had envisioned.

-

Back in the Arcus, Iris stared wide-eyed at the phone in her hand. It wasn't hers, actually - it was Noctis'. All kinds of electronic devices were banned in the private rooms, so most guests opt to have the teahouse staff keep watch on their phones. Iris was on duty when Noctis' phone suddenly rang, but could barely tell the other person where he was before the call was abruptly cut.

It was the first time it ever happened to her on the job, and Iris couldn't help but feel like she had done something horribly, terribly wrong. After asking a colleague to cover her post for a few minutes, she went to look for her mother, who was overseeing the kitchen.

"Mom, there's something I have to ask…"

"Oh, not now, honey," her mother shushed before picking up a tray from a nearby table. She then thrusted it towards Iris. "Here you go. Be a dear and deliver this upstairs to Reggie and his boys, will you? He likes the fish piping hot."

"Uh, okay." Iris took the tray, then immediately corrected herself, "I mean, yes, Ma'am!"

"Good girl."

Read more

[olivia200312]

Prologue (Short) || Bound By Destiny (Ardyn Izunia x Reader)

Summary:

You may have read stories of girls (and boys) being teleported into gaming worlds such as Final Fantasy XV, but have you ever imagined that one of them gets teleported into our world? Y/N is a 25-year-old young woman who just escaped from an abusive relationship. One night, an unexpected thing happened while Y/N was about to sleep. A canon character got transported into her world. Chancellor Ardyn Izunia is known as a tragic man with a devastating past. The Gods from his world decided to punish him by cursing him that he'd never find love and sending him into a new world called Earth.

What would happen when Ardyn meets Y/N? Will he love her?

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

The sight around him was beautiful. It was like looking at the night sky. Was this the place of the afterlife? A man around 33 years old with red-purple hair with amber eyes stood in front of the 6 big figures. The figures were Gods or Astrals. The man wore special clothing and he was a chancellor. Meet Ardyn Izunia, the immortal man who lived for more than 2000 years. He had to look up at the giant figures to look at them in the eyes. Where Ardyn was from was on the planet called Eos and each planet for sure had its own beliefs.

Meet the Astrals who are standing in front of Ardyn. There was Titan, the god of earth, Ramuh the storm god, Leviathan the sea goddess, Shiva the ice goddess, Ifrit the god of fire, and last one is Bahamut the god of war. 

Ardyn was known as a man of no consequences. He wasn't nervous or anything like that. He was a mystery and some people love mysterious persons. 

It was Shiva who spoke. "Ardyn, you are here because we decided to teach you a lesson. For the crimes you commit, we decided to transport you to another planet named Earth. You are cursed to prevent you from finding love."

Ardyn couldn't believe what Shiva said. And the other Astrals agreed with her. How could they?! He wanted to take control over the Astrals for what they did. They abandoned him when he needed them after he got betrayed by his younger brother Somnus. His love, Aera, somehow knew that this was gonna happen and he wasn't happy with her too. 

But Ardyn wondered what Shiva said. What did Earth look like? How many people live there? Was there magic? Before Ardyn could say a word, however, a portal appeared and he got sucked in... towards another planet. Would he be able to return home? 

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Ardyn Izunia Masterlist