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vaokses · 3 months ago

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Anger, a daughter (Pirtir, Ch.1)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Aegon x Rhaenyra's Daughter!Reader

Summary: You return to Dragonstone after nearly two years away, having done what was expected of you and secured your mother's standing with the Great Houses. The safety that you felt after once again doing what was expected of you is taken once you learn that in your absence, your family arranged for you to marry Aegon.

Word Count: 4.5k

Warnings: Topic of arranged/forced marriage. Threats of violence. The usual Targaryen incest stuff.

Some AU/Setting stuff: Reader is a bastard of Daemyra (claimed by Laenor of course), firstborn child of Rhaenyra and heir to her mother’s claim. It is mentioned she has Valyrian features (the hair). She rides Vermithor. She and Aegon had a thing when she was still in King’s Landing. How relevant or impactful that ‘thing’ was depends on who of the two you ask. I’ve stretched the timeline a bit. Rhaenyra spent a few years more in King’s Landing (making Aegon around 16/7 when she leaves, and the Reader, the eldest of the Velaryons, around 14/5). Instead of six years in Dragonstone, the Blacks have spent around three there in this story. Viserys still lives (and is rotting slightly slower), Aegon and Helaena did not marry. Mysaria left for Dragonstone with Rhaenyra, but is still the information broker of the first season, just working from afar. The Reader has spent nearly two years touring Westeros, as her mother did, in search of a husband.

A/N: No Aegon or any of the greens yet, but I wanted to set up some things, so this can be considered a prologue of sorts. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy!

Title is from the "anger, a daughter" by volatilepoetry (link to the piece here, I couldn't find the author's socials)

“Cousin.” You greet with a wide smile, taking the riding gloves off as she comes closer, a mirror of your own smile on her lips.

“Sister,” Baela greets in kind in well-practiced Valyrian, at your reprimanding glare answering with a defiant one of her own. She grabs your hands in hers, smile wide and mirrored in your own face. “I thought you would return to Dragonstone, at the end of your…tour.”

“Even I tire of politics, of playing,” You admit, linking your arm with hers and letting her guide you towards the Driftmark castle. “I wish to rest for a while, before I am to report back to f-…to Daemon. I hoped our grandmother would grant me a few days here?”

“I’m afraid it won’t be possible,” She tells you, pulling from her belt a rolled up message and offering it to you. “A raven brought this shortly after dawn.”

You immediately recognize Daemon’s handwriting, as well as the parting message he directs at his daughters and you in place for a goodbye. Fly, daughter.

Your sister is needed at home, tell her to return to us at once. You must ready yourself to fly to Dragonstone at my command. I’ll send word. Sōvēs, tala.

“So, who did you choose? Whoever it is, you made father angry.”

“Your father.” You correct, but she pays it no mind, as she always does.

“So, who will be the lucky man?”

You turn to face her as you both stand in the base of Driftmark’s stairs.

“I didn’t choose anyone.”

Of course, a Tyrell knight caught your eye and your attention for a while, and you could use the strength of the alliance marrying Vaemond Velaryon’s son would bring, or Rickon Stark’s. You even considered the proposal of Hobert Hightower’s grandson, if only to see your mother breathe fire at the mere idea of it, were you to propose such a union.

But the tour was never organized for the purpose of finding you a husband, this you knew from the beginning. It is the reason you agreed to such a circus in the first place. As Rhaenyra’s first-born child, heir to the Iron Throne and future Princess of Dragonstone, you were sent throughout Westeros to remind the noble Houses of the pledges they made, of where their allegiance is to lie if they hope to remain on the Crown’s good side.

What foolish Lord you couldn’t charm with a well-placed smile or compliment, Vermithor’s presence in their city would remind promptly of the risk of turning on your House, of undermining your mother’s claim. What wouldn’t bend to your will, you would remind how quickly you could break. Such was your task, what was demanded from you, and you played your part as you have always done.

It matters not if by the end of this tour, after twenty months away from home -though a part of you reminds you it has been much longer than that, it has been over three years-, donning whatever face was deemed ideal to realize your objective; you cannot really remember who it is you were before it all. It matters not if it has been months since you’ve been able to meet your own gaze in a mirror, in fear of seeing a stranger -or worse, a familiar face, your mother’s, your father’s, Lady Mysaria’s- looking back.

Your eyes meet Baela’s, and you whisper, “Have you heard I am to marry?”

She hesitates, and that is enough of an answer. You shake your head, step away, stumble over your own feet.

___

You almost feel a young girl again, in the worst possible way, dragged like a dog on a leash after your mother as she departed King’s Landing, gritting her teeth at your cries and answering with soft caresses of your silver hair to your promise that you would never forgive her for taking you from your home.

Now, over three years later, you are to be dragged back to the city that saw you be born, away from your mother’s side, from your brothers’ and stepsister’s sides. And the people responsible for arranging for such a thing are set on hiding, on ignoring you since your return to Dragonstone.

For a time, especially since your aunt’s death and Aemond’s claiming of Vhagar, you believed your mother and Daemon kept you unmarried, kept you here, so that if war were to break out, they would have you and Vermithor to send to battle, to which he is no stranger. You believed if you would one day have to marry, it would be to defend your own claim, offering your hand in exchange for an army, to a man that would know to bend the knee before his queen and before his wife alike.

You believed they kept you near, they let you remain unbound and unmarried, because you served a purpose while free. You believed by playing your part as was demanded from you, twisting and turning to fit into whatever face you were expected to wear, you would have some control over any of it, you would be safe. How foolish, childish, those notions were.

Since Vermithor flew you into Dragonstone, your mother has secluded herself in her rooms, and you have only Daemon to ask for answers to the madness that brews past the safety of the island.

“I do not wish to leave. I will not leave, unless you tell me what awaits me in King’s Landing.”

But you know, some part of you knows, and that part of you is gnawing at you, at your composure, at your resolve.

Daemon shrugs one shoulder, “Why? It was once your home. That shithole of a city saw you be born, after all.”

“My home is, as has always been, Dragonstone.” Lie, lie, lie. You remember the halls of the Red Keep better than you know the halls of this very castle.

“Then you must be used to homesickness by now. Five and ten years raised in King’s Landing, nearly two years touring Westeros. You have spent…what? A year settled here?”

You roll your eyes, but he doesn’t much care, walking past you to pour himself a cup of wine. He lifts an empty cup your way to offer a drink, but you hold your ground, and insist,

“I detest games, Daemon.”

“You sound like your mother when you talk like that,” He quips, with cruel humor, chuckling at a joke that only amuses him. You turn to look at him with narrowed eyes and jaw set tight, and he lets out another mad little chuckle, “You also look like her when you glare like that.”

“I only ask that-…”

“When in your life have you asked for only one thing?”

“And yet you have always indulged me. Indulge me now,” You ask, walking to him, forcing the tension in your shoulders to loosen and your face to reflect the softness of the child he has always had a weakness for. What is expected, what is needed, if you are to win this particular battle. Your mother, your brothers, they are to be faced with callous strength, with a temper and a certainty you inherited from the man who made you who you are; but the man himself is to be faced with the pleading eyes of his daughter, with the docile manners of a maiden who needs his guidance, his protection. And so, you show the face required to get the upper hand. Quietly, softly, you plead, “Do not insult me or my intelligence by acting as if I cannot understand whatever game is being played.”

“You wield lies effortlessly,” He concedes, head lolled to the side as he considers you, “But you should know better than to try with me.”

You allow yourself a smile, despite yourself, and let go of pretenses. Even so, you aren’t sure if the face you show Daemon now is an honest one, or merely yet another mask to try and gain his favor.

Shrugging one shoulder as you lean against one of the stone pillars, you admit,

“It was worth a try.”

“It is more of an instinct than a choice by now, I’d say,” Daemon corrects, taking a few steps in your direction. You don’t miss the fact that he has positioned himself between you and the door, a physical reminder that whatever he is about to say is as inescapable as this room. “A useful instinct, now that you are to marry.”

Your refusal is immediate, “No, I’m not.”

At his answering look, halfway between surprise and anger, you wonder absently if this is the first time you’ve denied him since he married your mother.

“You are aware this is not a request.”

“I’ll feed to Vermithor whatever man you try chaining me to. You are aware this is not an empty threat,” You tell him. It feels good, to admit such a thing, to promise such a thing, because it feels true. “I told you I wouldn’t marry unless the war demanded it.”

“It does. You are to avoid war, and marry my brother’s son, Aegon,” He promises, and he knows it, you see it in his eyes, that at the uttering of a single name your threat is made null. You realize then why it is your mother hides from you. “It is done, a deal has been brokered with my brother and his wife, y-…”

“You have no right to make arrangements in my name.” You blurt out, a desperate attempt, not unlike a cornered beast lashing out and wounding its own maws as it bites the approaching spear. Now this, shamefully, terribly, this feels yours. This anger, this desire to hurt. With all the venom of a lifetime of wasted deference, of useless loyalty, you ready yourself to speak a lie once again, “You are not my father. Whore out your sons to the Hightowers if you wish, but you have no right t-…”

Your words die in a gasp as Daemon hurls the cup in his hand at a wall and advances towards you, quick strides until he stands before you, towering over you with quickened breath. He doesn’t strike you, never has. But it is no less of a threat. A warning not to step out of line, a reminder of what your lies protect you from.

A twitch in his expression, a glimpse of a snarl, before he warns,

“Careful now.”

“We both know there are things my mother won’t forgive,” You answer, “It is you who ought to be careful.”

“She has approved of this union.”

You doubt it. You want to doubt it, need to. It is one thing to try and link the warring branches of the House of the Dragon by joining Jacaerys, kind and gentle Jacaerys, and your sweet aunt Helaena.

It is another to send her only daughter, her heir, to one of Alicent’s sons.

Still, because some part of you, small and still in the carriage as it drives away from King’s Landing, grasping your mother’s hand in yours even as you curse her and her choices, cannot stand the thought of standing corrected, of being made to face that for the security of her claim Rhaenyra would give you away to a man on the far end of the Crownlands; you do not voice an argument, and instead clarify,

“I was speaking of what you are threatening to do with your hands,” Daemon leans back with a thoughtful hm that does nothing to hide the way he still bristles at the faintest reminder of powerlessness. Careless, you push forward, insist, “Let us wait, let me stay, and…”

“And what, hm? Let war come to us? Let those vipers continue to undermine your mother’s claim? Let them put Otto Hightower’s pawn on the throne our forebears forged?”

You are shaking your head before he is even done speaking, and you can only offer a sigh as an answer, a plea as a retort,

“Let me fight.”

“You will fight as I see fit that you do,” He answers, simply, carelessly. “You will play your part, as is your privilege, your duty.”

“If I had been a son, y-…”

“I have had a lifetime of hearing your mother speak the same nonsense. I will not hear it,” Daemon interrupts, before leaning closer and reminding you, cruel, mocking, “You are not a son.”

“I ride the second largest dragon in the world, I-…”

“Then you should find it easy to tame a smaller one,” Daemon promises, not without cruelty. “We will depart in a month. The betrothal will be officially announced then, with us all in King’s Landing. Plenty of time to say your goodbyes.”

“There have been…whispers of a royal event for months now. I didn’t know, I-…”

“Did you think they were setting up a tourney for one of those shits? Or that my brother had somehow managed to sire another child?”

You shake your head, but your heart races and your breath quickens, because how could you not see it before?

You served your purpose, without faltering, without question. You amended the bonds your mother’s carelessness and her husband’s viciousness had broken, you strengthened the claim her mistakes had weakened, you lied and charmed to protect your brothers from the fate she imposed upon them. And now your use is through.

The reward for your deference is a noose around your neck.

“You had me travel the entire continent, entertaining countless proposals from the most insufferable of men and breaking bread with the most boring fucks alive, while you planned on giving me away.”

“The tour was never meant to find you a husband, you knew that. A future Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, birthing children for a…a…Tyrell? Or a Stark?” Daemon asks, as if the mere idea is unfeasible, ridiculous. “You are the blood of Old Valyria, and as wretched as that little cunt is, Aegon is my brother’s. A Targaryen.”

You do not care for his tales of superiority, you do not care for those fantasies. Instead, you merely insist, “You plotted against me, while I was far from home.”

“No. There is a plot, but it was not against you. If anything, this was done in your name, for your benefit,” He argues, pragmatically. Daemon leans closer, head bowed to meet your eyes. “Everything I’ve done has been to secure your claim, to ensure your ascension after your mother’s.”

“To ensure your blood sits the Iron Throne.”

He doesn’t deny it, and you don’t expect him to. The faintest of gestures of his head towards the door orders you to walk. You follow the unspoken command, for what else can you do but obey, and walk towards the door.

“It is settled.” He calls out after you. At the absence of your answer, of your compliance, Daemon barks a call of your name. An order, a threat, even if it isn’t voiced as one, making you stop in your tracks. “You are a loyal daughter, and you know better than to forsake your duties to your mother. You won’t betray her.”

“What you are asking of me is betrayal,” You argue, turning to look at him over your shoulder. “To marry our enemy, to lay with him, what is that if not a betrayal of my mother, of her claim?”

“It is a sacrifice,” He corrects, but such appeasements, such manipulations, better suit Lady Mysaria. He has too much pride for the deceit to work, and so the lie stumbles in his tongue, rushing forward a truer sentence, “And I don’t ask.”

___

Lady Mysaria finds you in the eastern balcony overlooking the sea, welcomes herself into the room and walks towards you, stopping only a few steps behind you She doesn’t announce herself nor ask for permission to speak, and you know better than to expect her to do either, after years of knowing her as your parents’ advisor.

“I’m guessing you do not come here bearing good news.”

“What would be good news to you, Princess?”

“A freak dragon-riding accident leaving my future betrothed somewhere in the depths of the Narrow Sea?” You ask, rueful smile curving at your lips.

“You speak as if you wouldn’t grieve for him.”

“I would not grieve Aegon, or any of them, for I do not know the people they have become in these passing years.”

“Is that why you ask my spies about him when they reveal themselves to you in your travels? To know the man he has become?”

You sometimes wonder why you bother arguing with her. Not once have you been able to hold the upper hand for more than a breath.

“I asked once.”

You were wary, and far from home, and the flutter in your chest when Alasdair Tyrell laid a crown of Dragon’s breath on your lap -after his victory in the tourney organized to welcome you into the Reach- had felt familiar but wrong. Nostalgia and something else, something far more stupid, overwhelmed you, and you summoned one of Lady Mysaria’s spies, sent with you as a handmaiden, and asked her to tell you what she knew about how Aegon fared, who he had become in these passing years.

You told yourself that while you knew better than to reach for a past and a bond long gone, neither could hurt you, so many years removed from the girl you were, so many miles away from what you once called home. And it didn’t, the past didn’t hurt you. What could have been did, however.

“I will concede that you have learned to request information more subtly, but it does not mean you don’t ask, Princess.”

“No, your spies offer information freely. Information I do not ask for,” You argue, but she breathes a short little laugh in response. It irks you, unsettles you, and you find yourself arguing further, explaining further, “I wanted to know if he was well, long ago, a-…”

“And my spies told you he wasn’t.”

“And so I never asked again.”

“It is a smart choice, to feign ignorance, but you should know better than to attempt to hide something from me.”

“I have hidden nothing, for there is nothing to hide.”

She hums lowly, considering her words with a sly smile on her lips.

“You must refrain from defensiveness if you are to lie efficiently, Princess.”

You grit your teeth but refuse her the satisfaction of knowing she prodded at a still-unarmored part of you. Instead, you bow your head as you did when you were barely five-and-ten and she had issued her first lesson on how to survive a world such as this.

“Of course, Lady Mysaria.”

“I would have expected you to be relieved, if nothing else, at the revelation of who you are to marry,” She muses. If she understands the threat written in your eyes when you turn to look at her, she cares not for it, and presses on, “You were quite close when you were younger.”

“I was close to all of them.”

“I mislike repeating myself. You cannot hide things from me, Princess.”

You take a breath that feels a tad too shallow, you grit your teeth until you hold yourself under control, you hold your tongue until you’re certain it won’t betray anger, sorrow, something else. It feels invasive, unbearable, like fingers prodding at a well-hidden wound.

“It was nothing. A passing infatuation of youth.”

“Passing fancy,” She corrects. “The words the Queen used were passing fancy. If you are to shield yourself with the words of others, do so properly.”

The troubling and annoying thing about sharing a home with someone that trades secrets is that none can be kept from her, and the frustrating thing about counting amongst those closest to you the person that taught you to lie and deceive is that you find it impossible to fool her. And with no secrets, with no lies, there is no fun in playing the game anymore.

“What is it you mean to ask, Lady Mysaria?”

“Aren’t you at the very least relieved? Contented?”

You shake your head.

“I do not know who Aegon is any longer. Who I-…” The revelation stumbles in your tongue, remains sealed past closed lips. The admission that you have forsaken yourself somewhere in the road to this day is something she might know already, but you refuse to admit aloud. “I have spent the last two years on lands foreign to me, many of them hostile to me. I am…I am wary, and I do not wish to do so again. I am tired of feeling…defenseless.”

Mysaria lets silence linger for a few moments as you both watch your brothers’ dragons at flight in the skies above you.

“You want war,” She states, “You deem fire and blood the only future in which you are safe.”

It is a truly horrifying talent that she possesses, that uncanny ability of hers of digging under your skin until she finds the truer face out of all you wear and brings it to light in all its ugliness and its monstrousness.

But perhaps that is why you can allow yourself to speak in honesty now, for the first time since you left Dragonstone for a royal tour, or perhaps for the first time since you left King’s Landing.

“In war, me and my dragon are useful here, defending my claim. In war, I remain unbound, able to fight back,” You tell her, not caring about considering your words, about guarding your back. Turning your head to look at her, you argue, “In times of peace, I am sent away. Twice over, I have lost my home for the sake of peace.”

“Hm,” Mysaria muses, and when she walks past you towards the balcony, you cannot help but follow. Your eyes seek the horizon, while the White Worm’s linger on Arrax and Vermax playing in the clouds above you. “You will not find yourself without allies, Princess. A spider can spin a web anywhere in the world, it needs only time.”

“Speaking of time,” You start, straightening yourself and turning on your side to face her. You bow your head, in goodbye and in something else, something closer to gratitude than your hurt and your pride let you admit right now. “I fear our time together has come to a close.”

“Your family isn’t leaving for King’s Landing for another two days.” She argues, but she knows, you are certain she does. It is no coincidence, that she has come to find you now, that she has come to say goodbye.

Because honesty comes easy with her, you admit, “I dislike feeling like prey.”

You could swear there is the beginning of a smile curving softly at her lips, but Mysaria merely bows her head and whispers a wish of, safe travels, Princess.

___

Daemon approaches, you know him by the cadence of his footsteps by now, as you stand on one of the cliffs near the castle. He says nothing, joins you in watching as Vermithor stands before you, proud and stubborn, head held high despite your request that he bow it to allow you to climb onto his saddle.

“Are you two having a fight?”

“The old brat doesn’t want to leave the Dragonmont, and thinks we have a choice in the matter!” Your last words, hissed in Valyrian as you argue with the old dragon, make Daemon chuckle. “If I ask that Silverwing fly with us, y-…”

“You know better than to ask that from us.”

“He doesn’t want to leave her side. Vermithor, sweet thing, I feel for your broken heart, I truly do. But I won’t go by boat, much less carriage,” Vermithor answers with a huff of steam, and flaps his wings slightly, a warning that he will shake you off like he would a bothersome fly if you attempt to mount him regardless. You heave a sigh, “Stubborn fuck.”

Vermithor understands the Common Tongue, you are certain he does, for he lowers his head for a moment as if to taunt you to try, and the call that echoes from deep in his chest truly sounds mocking.

“It is your own restlessness, your own fear, that make him refuse you. You do not wish to leave, and so he doesn’t want to take you there.”

“I did not want to visit half the places we did during my tour, and yet he took me anyways.” You argue, and though for a moment you think to ask him if he will try to stop you, you refrain.

Daemon somehow knows that you have decided to take flight to King’s Landing tonight, and he has chosen not to stop you. Perhaps he understands the restlessness that has only grown in you since you were told of your betrothal, as perhaps that same restlessness consumed him once, when he was also young and sent off to marry for duty.

“You weren’t afraid during your tour.” Daemon argues, but you shake your head.

“Of course I was afraid. I did it anyways, because…because it was what you and mother demanded from me, but I was terrified,” You admit. Perhaps it is the darkness and quiet of a night in the vast openness of the Dragonmont, perhaps it is the defeat that clings to your very bones like the most bitter cold, but you do not care for lies, for masks, right now. “I haven’t stopped being afraid since we left King’s Landing.”

Daemon turns to you, but you cannot look at him. You dread to look into your father’s eyes and see disappointment at your admission; you dread to see anger at your weakness. Most of all, however, you dread to see a shadow of regret, at what he’s done, at what he has failed to do.

For it wouldn’t change a thing. You would still be sent off, you would still be given away, you would still be left with no control over any of this.

At your silence, Daemon turns back to look upon the Bronze Fury.

“And yet you do not want to return. And your dragon defies you because of it.”

“He took me there once already, you know. A month or so before the tour began,” There’s a ghost of a smile playing at your lips as you share the memory. “It was…the worst storm I can remember, and he had us fly right through it. I cursed his name until I was hoarse and once it was over, I demanded he take me home at once. He took me to King’s Landing.”

"Did you land?"

"Of course not. It is hostile territory."

“It is your birthright,” Daemon promises. It used to feel liberating to hear him reaffirm your claim and your mother’s. Now it feels heavy. The weight of a crown you do not yet wear is entirely too great, and you bow your head. Daemon continues, “It was Vermithor who called to you, who allowed you to claim him. Vermithor, a dragon who only ever bonded with Kings.”

“But I am no King,” You argue, returning your gaze to him. “For I am not a son.”

Thank you for reading, i hoped you liked it! I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

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#aegon x reader #aegon targaryen x reader #aegon ii fanfic #aegon ii x reader #aegon targaryen x targaryen!reader #fics by me

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oakbuggy · 11 months ago

Text

Liar, Liar Chapter 4

Recom!Neteyam x female OC

Summary : Tala of the Tawkami gets captured by a familiar face and to both of their misfortune, they are trapped together due to circumstance. They are extremely vexed by this and each other and also very horny.

Warnings: Minors DNI, non-con+dub-con, explicit smut, dirty talk, authority, power struggle, mentions+depictions of blood, minor violence, character death, marking, biting, scenting, ANGST

!! Each chapter will have images throughout the chapter, only the AO3 will have the NSFW-uncensored versions. Please keep this in mind as you read !!

Chapter 4 (NSFW) ~9.8k words

AO3 Link Here!

Prev Chapter / Next Chapter

Tala unceremoniously woke up in her cell, her body completely sore and wrecked, and no memory of how she got back. She endured hours of self-pitying and Orlek’an’s intense questioning of what happened and if she was okay and yes, the sex was extremely good and she didn’t want to think about it anymore.

Her next sessions in the lab were more bearable, a silver lining of pleasantries was included in each meeting. Patty had also surprisingly apologized and ‘gifted’ the Tawkami with her own starched white lab coat, filled with pockets.

Well, it was less of a gift and more of a ‘all the bites and marks on your body are making us uncomfortable so please wear this piece of clothing’-type offering. Tala did question why not they just look away but she couldn't necessarily blame them, the soldier wasn’t very gentle with his ‘playing’. She had also been spared embarrassment and given a replacement tewng, but this one was so strange. It was a tawtute piece of clothing, underwear that dug into her hips a bit, an ugly grey color. Still, better than the shreds Neteyam had left her with.

Scientists trusted her more and allowed her closer to materials. So much closer that she was able to build up her own collection, including a paralyzing agent to coat Orlek’an’s crude darts and needles with. The pockets were like godsend.

The only one who didn’t trust her any more in the time she’s been here was unsurprisingly and so frustratingly, Corporal Tom.

He dragged her away at careless hours of the day and night since then, to the quiet and somewhat disturbed acceptance of all the scientists and Patty. Every kiss was wounding, every touch was rough, and his steadfast meanness was grating on Tala’s resilience.

And by Eywa, so was his stamina. Any peak she caught of the soldier in the hallways made her scowl. While each step made her wince and tremble, oh no, perfection himself had the swagger of a palulukan prowling their territory.

He’d come to find her every few or so days, so Tala took these breaks as little gifts from Eywa. Hidden in high corners, hallways, and window corners, she would etch clues of the prophesied danger. ‘Tsefta’ Eywa’ [Eywa’s Revenge], she wrote. Vrrteps could translate it, true, but the People would know it was a warning, a true sign. Even if Tala got caught, the rest would follow in spreading the message, though she obviously hoped this wouldn’t happen.

A few days passed, it was no worry. The few days stretched into a week and she still hadn’t seen neither boot nor tail of him. Not that she was worried.

Not that she missed him, Great Mother, she’ll poison herself before she ever admits that.

“Haven’t seen Corporal Tom in a minute, he… alright?” Dr. Hanson said awkwardly as the two of them waited for the droid to bring out the next sample. Tala snorted, how would she know?

Patty knew. “He sick.”

The Tawkami proudly fought the urge to twist her body at a breakneck speed to interrogate the guard but her shoulders did tense. He’s never been sick, and, extreme headaches aside, he was all the makings of a healthy and hardy soldier.

Dr. Hanson spotted Tala’s pinched focus on the table, so he took pity and asked for her.

“Sick with what?”

Patty shrugged.

“Ramirez spotted him hiding out in his room and the medics are salty ‘cause apparently, that’s just ‘what he does’ instead of going to them.” The guard explained, picking dirt from underneath her nails which only got a scolding from the other scientists. Tala could feel her ears perking up, intrigued, but she kept her mouth shut and her eyes focused on the plant material before her. It wasn’t any of her business, even if she burnt for answers.

Before her was a cluster of hardened plant sap and crystals before her, golden, and still connected to violet tree bark. Previous thoughts of the Corporal were quickly replaced by delight.

“Oh. This is… sweet thing. Honey.” She replied in her simple English, and Dr. Hanson’s previously unreadable expression broke when his eyebrows shot up.

“Honey? So, just edible, no medicinal properties?”

Tala smiled and quickly swiped a tiny crystal to taste, causing the scientists around the table to squawk.

“What are you doing!”

“H-hey!”

“Spit it out!”

Tala let it melt on her tongue, smiling cheekily. “Properties… makes other medicine easier to eat.” She said with a giggle and pushed the cluster towards the tawtutes. They eyed each other before shaking their heads, deciding to input their observations instead. She shrugged, savoring the sweet, tart, taste, the flavor like a melody on her taste buds. It’s been so long since she’s really tasted anything besides those miserable dry bricks of vitamins. As she licked her fingers clean she remembered something.

He liked honey when they were younger, didn’t he?

Tala blew some dark strands out of her face, eyelashes fluttering like a tizzy and she paused. Her green eyes snapped up to see Dr. Hanson’s extremely observant and bespectacled brown ones.

She felt her cheeks heat up, Great Mother, how affection-starved was she to consider Neteyam’s continued absence discomforting?

She blinked twice before smiling, pointing her ears down as if bashful. “You’re staring very hard, it embarrasses me.” She teased and puffed up internally when he sputtered.

Dr. Hanson sheepishly looked down and with a glance around the room, pushed the honey cluster towards her.

“You can have it.”

“Really?”

“Well, I think honey’s a small price to pay for saving my life.”He said with a small smile. He straightened up nervously but Tala delightedly leaned across the table close to his face. She blinked prettily at him and smiled, her nose almost touching the glass of his exo-pack.

“I think you just like me!” She said delightedly and carefully placed the little cluster in her pockets, licking her fingers. When the tawtute’s face flushed, Tala smiled to herself. She was far more used to this sort of reaction. Not Corporal Tom’s indifference tinged in distaste.

She grimaced suddenly when the sweetness on her fingers made her feel so terribly homesick.

She missed her medical alcove, the crunch of grass as she walked, and the smell of everything in the air. She didn’t miss the raids, nor the trepidation she felt every time she awaited her friends to return from their own missions.

But now because of one single prick, she was forced into a new normal. Tala was sure he saw it as Eywa’s strange sense of humor that he was burdened to come find her for his aching head. Both the one on his shoulders and the one between his legs.

The mark on her neck stayed ever deep and ever sore. And yet despite the evidence of his outright obsession, which Tala felt like she was running in circles in making him admit, his bruising indifference was prevailing. The tranquil seed in her back fangs didn’t feel like enough to get back at him for, not by a long shot.

The mechanical doors whirred open and already her mouth poised to snark at the corporal for his absence, but the face she saw was much uglier than she was expecting. Corporal Halloway smiled broadly, to her chagrin, and noisily stomped into the lab, arms wide open.

“Hey there eggheads, and Private!” Corporal Halloway walked into the room with the confidence of a man who was not sporting a healing black eye. The disgust replaced shock when he grabbed her chin, making her hiss.

“Aw, hey to you too, sweetheart. Still mad?” He asked with mocking kindness. A hazmat-suited scientist guffawed from the corner.

“Your black eye looks like it’s healing well.” They said in the back smugly. The corporal flipped them off and fingered through Tala’s braids roughly until he found her kuru and pulled it harshly to get her feet. She shouted from the pain and her legs bumped painfully against the side of the table.

“Not feelin’ like talking to the eggheads today. How about you and I get some privacy?” Corporal Halloway said heatedly, eyes dangerously gleaming. She grimaced and the rest rose to their feet as well.

“You can’t-“

“We’re in the middle of-!”

“Hey-!”

The corporal leaned over Dr. Hanson in a way that made the scientist step back and strain his neck. He didn’t say anything, he didn’t have to and even Patty was shifting her eyes in apology.

After a few seconds of tense silence, he suddenly laughed.

“Thought so,” Halloway said and quickly dragged Tala out of Lab 12. In the narrow halls, he dug his dirty nails into her hip.

“Hurts.” She tried to say without hissing but her revulsion peaked through too obviously. His loud boot stomps echoed along the floor, her own feet skidding along. He had dragged her out so quickly that thankfully her inhibitor cuffs were still unlinked, but who knew how long that would last?

“You don’t seem to mind when it’s the big blue boy scout doin’ the hurtin’.”

Her nose scrunched up. Maybe her reaction was a touch dramatic because the Recom barked a laugh loud and hard, so pleased.

“What, you don’t like him either? That’s a shame, I think you’re his favorite.” His eyes looked strange when he said that last word. Tala didn’t like that, didn’t like him, for some reason, she felt like something more dire than a disappointing fuck was awaiting her and her mouth felt dry. His gaze right after he kicked her to the floor was so… intense. Scary.

The sour aftertaste of honey stuck to her tongue.

Corporal Halloway nearly dislocated her arm when they made a turn into an unfamiliar set of hallways. While Tala appreciated the new addition to her mental map of the facility, the pit in her stomach grew. Just weeks ago she was fine with Halloway’s advances, but now he seemed even more disgusting an option. His already awfully-stale smell was mixed with blood and gunpowder, smoke. He had returned recently from battle.

Tala’s green eyes worriedly darted around, the empty metal passages, the corporal’s face that towered over her with an unsettlingly friendly smile, and his gun still holstered on his harness. She had forgotten that despite his harshness, ill-treatment, and manhandling, Corporal Tom never acted with an intent to kill her, not really. Corporal Tom cursed and used her, but he was at least reliant on her, even if he hated it.

Tala avoided making any further eye contact with Halloway. She knew that looking into them would only set off more dread.

–

Neteyam could smell her before he could hear her and at first he thought those whiffs of honey and rose were only his delusion.

His body was sore, his bedsheets were covered in his sweat and he huffed, vexed at the thought of her.

A simple mission turned out to have much more annoying consequences than Neteyam had expected. It was a simple raze and redevelop; Raze the ground and redevelop for more RDA bases. More Bridgeheads.

The roads were developed but on this side of the moon, barely inhabited. Most fled, the few warriors the na’vi were more focused on evacuating the many young they traveled with, which the Omaticayan thought was so outrageously reckless of them. How could one think to travel with so many helpless clan members in the open? How could they let themselves be targeted like that?

Neteyam’s scope remained fixed on grown warriors, knives and bows in their calloused hands. Halloway’s accursed chuckles from his throat comm about ‘easy pickings’ made his jaw tense.

But his headaches and mind soothed with each shot he, as a soldier, took. Perfect, accurate.

The battle was barely worthy to be called such. His migraine returned to manageable levels, his supplies were hardly dented and when Quaritch recalled the team to the center of the field Neteyam saw no movement.

The arrow shot at Neteyam’s clavicle was surprising, to say the least. He had seen the half-dead na’vi on the ground, her arm still in the air, and the both of them dropped onto the grass to bleed out.

Visceral shadows of sensation coursed through his body as he bled out, it prickled muscle memories that he didn’t know where from. Had he bled out before? His scars felt like they glowed red-hot but he had enough sense to apply emergency care and pressure to staunch the bleeding.

“Tom down, requesting extraction.” He hissed into his throat-comm and he knew he was conscious as another squad member arrived and dragged him back to the helicopters. He knew he was awake when the Colonel asked for his condition, of which he answered positively, and Halloway painfully clapped his hand on his back like a dickhead.

And maybe Neteyam was awake when Quaritch then told him to report to medbay and Neteyam instead went back to the darkness of his private quarters, deciding he’d rather hunker down and tend to himself. He had made his own collection of RDA medical supplies inside his room, increasingly avoiding any medical staff if he could.

He didn’t know why he did. He just never wanted them to touch him, never to set him inside one of those chambers.

Neteyam, still in bed, looked down at the haphazard bandages awkwardly applied around himself to cover his clavicle and the dried blood on his mattress. Ah, yes. After he got shot, he developed a fever and continued to seclude himself.

He groaned when he realized he could still catch her scent, still provoking him and perplexing him. It must have been days, how did she always manage to worm her way into his thoughts? She confounded him, which was precisely why he avoided seeing her. Neteyam needed actual strength every time he saw her, or else he’d end up falling for her cloying words or stabbing her dead, it was for both their sakes really. He kept her distant even despite their intimate closeness, kept her screaming with his fingers instead of letting her poke her away around his mind with careful touches. He kept her shut up with kisses that made them both taste blood because even if he couldn’t stand her, his feet would take him to Lab 12 and back in the sights of her infuriatingly pretty green eyes.

Damn her. And damn Eywa, for making him reliant on her, he could feel the veins on his forehead pulse and it felt like gunshots were hammering away in his head. He was fine before he found her.

Halloway’s barking laughter was so loud Neteyam could hear it through his door and thankfully he harbored absolutely no goodwill towards that irritating person. He regarded his fellow Corporal with the barest respect, he was more cruel than he had to be on the battlefield. It bristled against Neteyam’s previous warrior sensibilities, he would definitely have considered Halloway dishonorable.

Neteyam shot up in his bed as the pieces of his mind finally clicked together. Halloway and Tala?

The soldier walked to his door with minor difficulty and it hummed fully open. There was Halloway, lecherously draped around Tala, leading her through the soldiers’ living quarters. Her tail was swishing anxiously.

Neteyam glowered when the two of them turned towards him but all he was focused on was Halloway’s hand squeezing her ass through her lab coat.

Her fucking pert, round ass he’d watched bounce on him just a week before-fuck. His nose wrinkled, he didn’t feel like sharing.

“Get over here.” Neteyam’s voice rumbled through his chest dangerously low, not acknowledging his fellow squad member. Tala blinked her stupid pretty eyes and she cautiously leaned her weight forward, toward Neteyam. The soldier above her kept her still.

“Hey sunshine, you finally awake? How you feeling, big guy?” Corporal Halloway greeted him, friendly, but when he adjusted his grip on Tala to kiss into her hair she could feel the temperature drop as Neteyam’s pupils turned to pinpricks

“Fine. How’s your eye?” The snark in Neteyam’s voice felt too personal and the way Halloway’s pulse quickened made Tala immediately look back up his face, the black eye. He did that?

“Cute. I’m gonna go get my dick wet now, you can have her when I’m done. But, uh, I wouldn’t wait.” The Recom said dryly, winking, and began dragging Tala back to their original destination. Neteyam’s growl was enough to get everyone to freeze and Halloway faced him again, she could see Neteyam’s knuckles turn white.

The Tawkami na’vi thought quickly, a second option had become available to her and though she loathed to admit, Neteyam was by far more attractive. As an option.

She discreetly rolled the thinnest of Orlek’an’s crude darts at the bottom of her lab pockets with her thumb and finger. The Anurai woman had taught her some new tricks and Tala’s tongue ran over the tranquil seed still tucked securely in her back fangs, another option if things went awry.

She could do this.

Tala pressed herself firmly onto Halloway’s arm and let him feel the contours of her body through her closed lab coat. Both soldiers’ ears perked up, alarmed. She fluttered her eyelashes up at Halloway coquettishly while ignoring the holes she felt burning on the side of her head.

“Can we go already~?” She whispered with a small whine, and Neteyam could feel his fever spreading tenfold down his fucking bloodstream what the fuc-

Halloway’s eyebrows shot up and the wolfish grin on his face was so immense Neteyam considered kicking his teeth in. Halloway turned to him, dramatically shrugging.

“You heard the little lady.” He said before picking Tala up, she tried to hide her yelp as a squeal of delight. When her eyes caught Neteyam’s unreadable yet simultaneously rageful expression Tala tilted her head and smiled innocently, her tail flicking lazily behind her.

He looked so stupid, what was he all angry for? Adorable.

The Omaticayan was losing his mind, his scowl was deep and he huffed when Tala smiled. When the door shut, he bruisingly hit the side of his fist against the wall. Yomioang [chalice plant], he couldn’t have picked a better plant for her, she seemed all too fine with ensnaring whoever she could with her nectar and it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Neteyam felt all too much like the stupid boy he’d acted around Tala when they had first met as children. Pretty flowers, sweet scents, he wanted to murder something.

Tala wondered if she had gone too far, seeing the way the male na’vi’s back muscles flexed, tight. His hair had whipped away from her so dramatically. But her attention was demanded when Halloway punched in the code for his private quarters and nearly threw her in his bed.

The smell overwhelmed her, and so did he as he immediately ripped her coat open, groaning at the sight of her in this grey underwear. He grabbed at her hips and pawed at her breasts, and Tala obliged despite feeling her skin crawl.

“Finally got you all to myself. Come here, sweetheart…” *He breathed into her darker blue skin as she held the crude needle in her palm. She sighed breathily and arched her back to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.

Halloway started to laugh. “Don’t worry I’m not going anywhe-ERK!” Halloway’s body nearly suffocated her as it fell on her diaphragm, heavy as a rock. She quickly pulled out the needle from the space near his adam’s apple, just as Orlek’an had taught her. A new trick, just to cause a fainting spell.

Tala blew more dark strands of hair away from her face as she poked him hard a few times and checked if he was still breathing. He was out cold and Tala nodded to herself, impressed. She would need to ask the Anurai woman to teach her more, though she did also offer a quick prayer to Eywa that she hadn’t just killed him.

After some major effort, Tala rolled the soldier off of her, bit into his skin here and there despite the revulsed reaction it brought to her tongue, and scampered quietly to Neteyam’s door.

She knocked. Nothing. She knocked again, louder.

A crack opened and even from the tiny space, Tala could confirm what she thought she had smelled earlier: dry blood.

She could see Neteyam's bright golden irises blaze at her through the crack and she beamed at him.

“Missed me?”

The door quickly shut and she made the brilliant decision of letting Neteyam nearly break her toes as she tried to stop it. She bit her lips and hissed in pain. Neteyam smiled, almost amused.

“Ow!! Really?” She whisper-shouted to him, feeling extremely vulnerable out in the bright hallways of Bridgehead.

“What did you do to him?” Neteyam asked, eyes flicking to Halloway’s door. Tala rolled her eyes. “He’s fine, he’s just taking a little nap.” She grumbled and attempted to get further inside by squeezing her arm in now, the door digging painfully into her tit as she tried to force her way through.

“You told me to get over here, didn’t you? I had to think of something.” She huffed.

“You looked like you were enjoying yourself.” He kept his hand firmly against the door, though her efforts amused him. He kept enjoying the view of her breast squeezed, her lab coat now open, he let his eyes rake through her exposed figure.

“Toys have to look like they want to play if they want to survive, adorable warrior.” The tease in her voice died when Tala’s nose scrunched, the smell of sickness apparent on him. “Let me in, you’re hurt.”

Neteyam quirked his brow but relented, not wanting the two of them to get caught by anyone.

Tala entered and immediately re-examined him. His striped body was covered in a light sheen of sweat and pale, She noted a mass, of bandages she assumed, protruding from underneath his black, tight shirt, around his right-side clavicle. When her hands reached out he pushed it away.

“Show me your pockets.”

“What?” Tala’s ears folded back. Neteyam raised his brows as if his request was predictable and she was the one being unreasonable.

“How did you ‘make him sleep’, Tala?” He said, a slight growl to emphasize his soberness.

Tala made a face. This wasn’t cute.

“How do I make you sleep, Neteyam?” She replied, a challenging swish in her tail. She crossed her arms, they stared at each other in silence, his mouth was set in a hard line.

They stared.

Neteyam lurched forward and dug his hand into her pockets himself.

“You-!”

He pulled back only to reveal fingers covered in sticky and spiky clusters of honey. Tala’s heart had jumped out of her chest for a moment there but his fingers were mercifully too big to sense the tiny needles still deep inside. She made a very good show of her innocence with sass.

“Yes! I poisoned the poor corporal with honey, best be careful. This yomioang is just full of tricks.” The Tawkami woman said tartly as he stared down, still confused about what the heck was on his hand. He hadn’t seen honey since he had left the forest with his family.

“Why do you have this?” His voice was more full of wonder than she had expected.

“The scientists. They-“

“They?”

“Dr. Hanson just gave me some as a thank you. That’s it.” Tala looked up at him through her eyelashes. “And I didn’t hurt the corporal or poison the honey if that’s what you’re going to ask next.”

Neteyam pursed his lips, it was. Tala sighed and stepped forward and he was damned to admit that the gentle air of her perfume did make him feel better.

“If I wanted to hurt him I wouldn’t have come back to you now.” She cautioned another step forward and she delicately picked out the sticky sweet crystals from Neteyam’s hand. He froze, eyes warning as the veins on his neck pronounced itself. She was close enough for him to count the tanhi on her face and now the real sweet thick substance was setting his nerves on fire.

“I promise, I won’t hurt you. You know I know how to help, let me help you. If I’ll heal the vrrteps, I’ll heal you. Please.” Tala said again, her green eyes gazing straight at his, she noted how the golden syrup reflected against his eyes. She used to think he was sweet. For that, she couldn’t ignore how his mottled blood-stained stank, how the sick clung to his skin and his breath was short.

Neteyam’s eyes softened a percentage under Tala’s determination. The plea in her voice seemed sincere to him.

He sighed and kept his eyes on her, suspicious. She frowned, about to give up and her fingers started to leave his skin.

The soldier sighed again, tugged off his shirt, and sat on the edge of his bed.

Tala let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding as she quickly looked around the windowless room, closed off and the only comfort it possessed was that it smelled like him and the forest. Pine, sunlilies, and, somehow, sunlight.

She picked out what she needed from the available medical supplies and sat down delicately next to him, barely disturbing the wrinkles.

The bandages were decent, but they were old, Tala worked quickly. He hissed when she cleaned the wound.

Tala pushed the small cluster of honey she had recollected from his hand into his mouth as if she were comforting a child.

“Tawtute medicine stings, you’ve always known that. Just enjoy this.” Tala said, a small smile quirked on her lips as she foresaw the scowl begin to sink into the wrinkle of his mouth.

He definitely didn’t appreciate it but kept stoic as he let the honey roll around on his tongue. Sweet, his eyes flickered to the navi in front of him. The scene felt so… familiar, despite his best efforts to resist

The Tawkami alchemist finished and quietly touched his exposed forehead. The fever wasn’t too strong, he had sweated out the majority of it and Tala had spotted some pill bottles earlier. She wished she had her usual ingredients, the Tawkami medicine and recipes that could heal him faster.

“How did this happen?”

“Do you really want to know?” Neteyam mumbled though he did admire her handiwork as he looked down.

It wasn’t from uncooperation that he asked this, Tala knew. She paused if she really did want to know. What was a messy scar and a fever for this solder was likely something much more permanent for whoever did this to him, it made her chew the inside of her cheek. The tranquil seed was still always an option.

“Why didn’t the vrrteps heal you? Your wound shouldn’t have gotten infected.” She switched her question.

“I told you I don’t like the scientists.” Neteyam thought her change in topic was prudent.

She nodded and he realized she still didn’t understand.

“I’d rather tend to myself, I know how to and I don’t need them to run their… tests on me. Keep me under observation for something as small as this.”

Curiosity flashed in Tala’s eyes and Neteyam mentally decided he’d only humor her for as long as this small ball of honey in his mouth lasted.

“Do they do that often? Keep you under observation?”

“They brought me back from the dead, Tala. Of course.”

“What do they do?”

“They check my vitals, lay me inside one of their bio-lab chambers.”

“And what else?”

The ball of honey was melting fast.

“I’m unconscious when I’m in the chamber.”

“But does it… hurt? When you wake up?”

Neteyam didn’t feel like answering, so he sucked until the honey disappeared completely on his tongue.

“Thank you for tending to me, Tala. I’ll call a guard to escort you back.” He was not surprised from the severely offended look on Tala’s face.

For she didn’t appreciate the clipped ‘thank you, get out’ from Neteyam’s mouth. Tala kneeled up to tower over him, letting the unbuttoned lab coat fall off her shoulders as she placed her hand on her hips.

The soldier would hurl himself off a cliff before confessing that his eyes strained not to stare at that deliciously thin, tiny, piece of grey cloth that covered her cunt. She looked too good in it, no loincloth to cover the supple fold of her flesh, her thighs and pelvis meeting- focus.

“You didn’t answer my question.” She said.

“I’ve answered enough.”

“You didn’t answer an important one.” Tala was slowly realizing she should not have missed him as much as she did in his absence. She sighed, and Neteyam took minor offense to being treated as if he was the source of her vexation.

“I’m just… Of course, I’ll leave, you need to rest.” She figured she wasn’t going to get any more information and a larger part of her was scolding her for trying in the first place. This skxawng wasn’t worth the effort, she had done her duty as a healer and alchemist. This was enough.

Neteyam stilled his movements, taken aback at her so quickly giving up. He regarded her suspiciously and sighed. He lets the wrist tech fall to the floor.

“You drop-” Tala was about to be very helpful and reach down to retrieve it until Neteyam suddenly grabbed her by her waist and pulled her down with him, letting his back fall onto the mattress.

“Neteyam! Your wound!” She yelped.

“Just be quiet.”

Tala looked at him in complete disbelief, Neteyam kept his eyes trained on the ceiling since he didn’t need to look at her to already know what her expression was like. She was stunned, to say the least, but Tala was also minding the feeling of her body pressed onto his bare chest. This felt the closest thing to tender between them.

She decided being a little selfish for the comfort wouldn’t be the end of the world.

Instead of asking more questions, which the soldier was preparing himself mentally for, Tala surprised him by simply sighing and settling in, tracing the stripes on his chest. Her fingertips danced lazily on the skin, careful over his old gunshot wound on his left pec. Whatever, looks like she was stuck here.

Now Neteyam knew he was still delirious from his fever when he found himself not stopping her. When he found her soft curves like a blanket on top of him and her careful touch endearing. This was why he needed strength every time he saw her, already he was letting her entrap him like a small animal, attracted to her warmth and smell. He had to remember that even wasps also settled within her, waiting to attack him on all fronts.

His tail thumped softly against the side of the bed, agitated. Tala noticed but stayed quiet. She reminded herself that every show of embarrassment was because his ego was crying, not because he considered her capable of affecting him.

“Why do you help me?” When Neteyam asked it he wondered to himself why he was so eager to get eaten and stung.

Tala could feel the bass of his voice tremor through her and she raised her face to look at him.

“A healer doesn’t need a reason to heal, remember?” Tala replied softly, simply, she rested her cheek on her arm. In the end, this was what she believed in, even if her wartime experience told her this was reckless.

The Omaticayan was not expecting to be so unscathed.

“Mm.” He hummed.

“Did you give Halloway that black eye?”

There it was, the first sting. Neteyam shrugged and then winced. Tala was immediately amused and scooted closer to his face, grinning.

“How come?” She asked, beginning to sound all too excited.

“… You were unfairly punished, remember?” His heart didn’t know whether to feel lighter or heavier when she giggled.

“You got revenge for me before I even asked!” Tala was smiling, wasn’t this a treat? Did this skxawng actually have the capacity to be charitable? “How come you didn’t tell me?”

It was when it dropped that he realized he was smiling at all. He trained his eyes back on the bare ceiling. He remembered when he used to ache to see stars.

“What would you have done if I did?”

“I probably would’ve kissed you.”

He furrowed his brows at her, unimpressed. Tala scoffed and laughed again.

“A real kiss. Not that bloody mauling you make us do with our lips.”

Now that offended him, Neteyam propped himself up by his elbows.

“I don’t ever hear you complainin-”

Tala pressed her lips so completely softly against his, it should’ve been so easy for him to shove her off.

Yet his voice broke off instantly and her eyelashes brushed against his cheek. Her eyes were mercifully closed so she couldn’t see the war his ears flushed red.

Another sting.

“You taste like honey,” Tala said, smiling into the kiss. She didn’t have any real reason why she was doing this. Maybe she wanted to prove herself wrong. Maybe she wanted to check really how little Neteyam cared for her… and how much.

His body felt hot, Great fucking Mother why was she so… It was embarrassing how quickly he was getting enraptured by her whims. She always did whatever she wanted, he hadn’t seen that as something attractive before.

The Tawkami pulled her face back and so embarrassingly his own chased after hers until she put his hand over his mouth.

“See? A real kiss.”

Neteyam dumbly nodded and only when Tala ever so softly giggled did he regain some sense. He scoffed and quickly turned the both of them to properly lay in his bed, pulling the covers over them.

He settled his face into her soft breasts, the only thing that he felt hadn’t betrayed or embarrassed him that day.

“Excuse me??” Tala squeaked, amused though.

“Shu’up. Tired.” His voice was muffled into the fat of her breasts but Tala basically understood. She chortled, was this fondness she was feeling? His resistance towards her was bordering so much closer to adorable than to infuriating just then, the flashes of his old self were… bring up warm reminders. Of when he was much nicer and much funner to be around, much kinder.

Tala settled in, supposing correctly she wouldn’t be let go any time soon. Her hands softly patted his back as they laid there.

“Fine, I’ll leave you be since you’re hurt.” She said in her magnanimous good grace. She decided to also ignore Neteyam snorting between her breasts.

Silence returned and Tala considered speaking of something of much more substance, of importance. Like the war, his family, but the words stuck in her throat. They were virtually strangers. Even strangers in war could share intimacy like this if they were desperate and tired enough.

The thought made playing with Neteyam’s unadorned braids of hair feel… invasive. She stopped.

They were just starved for warmth, that was all. Neteyam felt lucky that he was drowsy now. Like Tala, there was too much he didn’t want to think about, no intention to release it all.

Both kept silently awake for hours before drifting into slumber.

—

Neteyam’s face was lit by stinging sparks of fire and magma.

It was hot, so hot he could barely breathe. He looked around, coughing, and there he saw the slender back of someone who looked too eerily familiar. He groaned internally, he had always hated Eywa’s ability to send visions in dreams, did he really have no place for solace?

“Mother.”

Neytiri turned, her amber eyes wide and blazing as she looked at her son with a face of anguish. She ran towards him, through plumes of burning stone.

“Maitan [my son]!”

Neteyam grimaced as his mother’s arms encircled him, her grip tight and pleading. She was shaking, he could see how aged the skin on her hands had become, her smell of daffodils.

He saw his songcord hanging on her hips and he felt as if the splatters of fire were less painful a sensation than seeing that.

Neytiri stepped back to look at her firstborn, miracles and blessings on her tongue. Her fingers wandered along his face, his scars, the one on his forehead was hidden from her however.

Her reverie was cut short when she truly looked at the RDA vrrtep uniform he was fully clothed in

“You are alive.” Her voice trembled regardless, too much pain and happiness bubbled up to the surface as the lines of her conflicted smile deepened, she was trying not to sob.

“Mother.” Neteyam couldn’t help but want to be kind. He had often daydreamed of how such reunions would go. He had calculated soon enough his mother would see him, as he is now. He knew she would know she’d have to kill him and how she would want to refuse to. He counted on it.

“M-my son, how could you think like this?” His mother’s voice broke at the question, somehow everything the two were thinking was so plain to them here.

Their ears flicked at the roars of fire and heaviness settled.

“If the People give up Jake Sully, I won’t have to.” Neteyam said and he could feel his mother start to draw blood. Nothing, it felt like barely anything.

“What is this poison, Neteyam? What have they done to you, maitan?” Neytiri nearly shouted, her own songcord swinging as her whole body shook in anger, imitating the volcanoes around them. “I will kill them, I will avenge you-“

Jake Sully first. He alone should be the only casualty, Neteyam knew that, all of Eywa'eveng knew that. But even in his clearheadedness, not at all shrouded in migraine, he could feel his scars emanate a heat hotter than fire. Nothing to hide behind, resentment filled up so much of his core.

His head and his heart wanted revenge. It wasn’t even his fault, none of theirs, Neteyam knew so logically.

“Bro…?”

He turned his head so quickly his plain braids whipped to see a na’vi too familiar to him. Five fingers, eyebrows, face and limbs inked with dark tattoos, and taller. He walked towards them, somehow feet not burning and the heat made his visage blurry but not his emotions.

“Lo’ak…” it was their mother, Neytiri called out to him in warning. The son in front of her, she would not dare take her eyes off of him now.

Not when the inferno reflected in Neteyam’s eyes was overflowing, his jaw tightened, if his nails were longer he’d long be drawing blood into his palms.

“You do not want this.” Neytiri’s voice rose as Lo’ak approached them, his lips parted. Wonder, horror?

Guilt.

“Bro-, Neteyam. Neteyam I’m so sorry-“ Lo’ak wanted to believe it was because of the way even the air sizzled that he found it harder to breathe, not because of his… did he have the right to call him a brother?

“First, Dad. Because we shouldn’t even exist and you know it.” Neteyam’s voice was eerie and he stepped closer to his younger sibling, it made Lo’ak’s feet falter and Neytiri’s throat bubbled up with panic.

“What- What are you talking about-?”

“There was something Quaritch told me since the time I’ve come back.” Neteyam spat at the words ‘come back’ as if he had any choice in the matter. Neytiri followed as her sons came closer and closer to each other, no one backing down. The lava was following the steps of each warrior.

“Something about the ‘sins of the father’ to be paid by his children.”

Lo’ak kept his gaze steady, his hands twitched at the threat. Neteyam didn’t have a clue what his face was like now, but he could feel it through Lo’ak. Monster, freak, he supposed it was unsurprising.

A son that was supposed to be dead.

Both sons of a traitor.

Neteyam stopped a meter away from the younger. Their heights seemed even, Lo’ak’s warrior garb and belly band looked similar to the one he had had. He wanted to laugh, was that a tribute to him?

Lo’ak’s ears turned down, jaw set.

“Do you really think that’s fair, baby brother?” His voice was too calm.

“Neteyam, stop this, they have poisoned you against your own family, your people! Please, just come home maitan-“

Lo’ak heard the mistake in his mother’s plea too late.

“Home? Like when I asked to come back home when I died?” His fury was overwhelming, Neteyam was seeing things he did not recognize. He was shot in the head, when had he the time to tell them? What was this dark view of the stars, faces of loved ones looking down on him, where was this from?

The other two sensed the confusion, only making their own burst through.

“Neteyam, please, just listen to us-“

“Maitan, it will be okay! Your-your father has barely slept since you-“

“Why should the People continue to suffer for his actions? Jake Sully already doomed this place-!”

“Dad doomed this place? Are you out of your fucking mind?” Lo’ak’s tone turned grave with this outburst and he ventured closer to his brother despite Neytiri’s protests.

“You’ve got to fucking joking. You’re actually on the side of the people that ruined our lives, destroyed our homes, killed everyone, killed you, mom’s family-?!” They were growling at each other now, Neteyam no longer had the significant height advantage he was used to. Their fangs gleamed red in the dream, as if already bloodied, he always hated Lo’ak’s were sharper but he was confident it wouldn’t help that much.

Both were suddenly aware that in their respective war costumes, both had knives strapped to their bodies.

“No!” Neytiri sobbed with a pain that both brothers knew they’d never forget. She reached for her own, to protect, to defend, Neteyam’s gloved fingers wrapped around the handle of his black combat knife, and Lo’ak’s citrine eyes begged for peace as his hand reached for his carved hunting knife.

Neteyam recognized that knife. He gave it to him, a present for Lo’ak’s iknimiya, recently sharpened. Neytiri’s knife hung with a feather he had gifted to her as a child.

Neteyam now truly knew Eywa was cruel.

-----

“Neteyam!!”

The soldier gasped and immediately hurled his body forward to break the bones of whoever was in front of him.

Tala choked and she placed her hands on his face.

“Breathe, Neteyam.”

One blink and he could see the cool-toned blues and greens of dull and dark silver walls in shadow. Bridgehead. His room.

Inferno-yellow eyes met cooling leaf hues. Green, green eyes, Tala.

The breath he let out was shuddering and violent, he immediately crumpled tightly around her and Tala found herself now trying to hold the soldier up with wrinkled, damp blankets.

“I’m sorry, shit, I’m sorry…” he gasped out quickly, his entire body felt so fucking cold now, it hurt. Tala blinked owlishly but her sleepy state focused on comforting him.

“It was a dream, just a dream. You’re okay, you’re okay.” She whispered soothingly, she rubbed his back. They were sitting up in the middle of his bed now, though Neteyam was still hunched over and breathing hard to regain himself. She felt his calloused hands dug into her body as if tattooing her stripes into his palms…

“It’s your fever, you’re sweating, you’ll warm up in a bit.” Tala continued and her voice stayed calming and even. She couldn’t do much else when Neteyam’s remedy to whatever he had seen in his sleep was to bury their bodies impossibly closer together. The soldier hadn’t meant to hurt her.

He pushed his face into her softness, desperate for real warmth, not the clammy fabric of the blanket.

“Li’Tala…” Tala jerked her entire body away, stunned. He didn’t know why he said it, her full name, one that he knew-

“Don’t call me that, Neteyam.” She said, her firm voice edged on icy.

“Only my mate is allowed to call me ‘Li’Tala’ so I don’t want to hear my name out of your mouth again, you!”

“Oh, and I’m sure your mate will be crying tears of gratitude for finally becoming worthy of it, of you, beautiful Li’Tala.”

Their second meeting as young adults was not… frictionless. But as childish as it was, Tala never wavered in this little dream of hers. Who cared that it was immature, she didn’t allow exceptions, even though the Omaticayan prince bristled hard when not given one.

Neteyam always remembered this of her, yet her insistence and denial of him now made his body feel that much more frozen-numb.

He chased after her skin and stuck his tongue out to taste its natural salt, reminding him of the first time they had reunited. Her taste and her everything, his whole body was shaking for it.

“Li’Tala, Li’Tala…”

“Neteyam–stop–” Now Tala started to squirm in his desperate hold. She could feel his hardening arousal between them, settling so perfectly against her vulva. She pushed against him.

“You need sleep, not a fuck.” She hissed. Tala shivered as the soldier switched between licking, sucking, and biting lightly along the tanhi on her shoulders and chest.

“I need you, Li’Tala.” He rasped deeply. She ignored the way his voice made even her toes curl because now her blood was pumping far too loudly. What did he just say to her? Was he losing his mind, what pills did he take??

“Eywa, get a grip!”

He suckled at the flesh of her tits, Tala shoved his face away with the thick metal of the inhibitor cuffs. He groaned and settled for simply pulling her onto his lap closer than ever, taking a break from his ministrations.

She huffed, she was panting much harder than she realized.

“What happened, what did you see?”

Great mother or whatever being out there, if there ever was one… what could he do to make her realize his ache for her?

“... I need your help, Li’Tala.” He started, fangs catching onto her skin as he spoke. It all made her freeze, she peered down and tried to gently bring his face back towards hers. He let her and looked up at her, she caught herself thinking it was as if he was beseeching her. There was no way.

“I need to forget it. I know you can help.” He said, sunspot yellow met with her cool green. She knew she could to, it’s just…

“Stop calling me Li’Tala” She tried again, this time much more softly. He groaned.

“Let me pretend.” He whispered hotly, his fingers reaching for her cheek. His fingertips barely touched hers and yet she felt only heat.

He still felt so cold.

She gulped. What did pretending mean, what was he thinking of? Tala usually felt like she was the one getting burnt by him, now it seemed like he was starving for her kindling because now… his fire was weak. He was begging her.

Tala bit her lips, frustrated, conflicted. She could just do the same to Neteyam as she did with Halloway, she didn’t need to comfort him.

The Tawkami glanced at her wrists still heavy with metal inhibitors, he needed her?

She would blame her drowsiness for it, just… fuck it. Fuck it.

“You follow my lead then.” Tala whispered and Neteyam swore he could feel his cock twitch at her tone. He nodded eagerly.

Tala then smashed their lips together. His tongue immediately sought inside her, to explore the cavern of her teeth.

She was practically sitting on him now. She could feel his bulge dig into her thigh, he was pawing at her, palming whoever fat he could. He groaned into her perfume.

Tala shushed him softly. She raised her hips just enough for him to frantically shove down his sweats and Tala delicately pushed the tawtute tewng to the side, it squeezed her pink and puffy folds so perfectly that it made him nearly weep. He was already leaking as he heaved, not noticing the bitter look on her face.

“Don’t worry.” She cooed so nicely in contrast. Her voice was like those tawtute myths he was told about by his father, angelic. She slowly and carefully sunk down her pelvis, his cock head breached her open none too gently and she muffled a high-pitched moan, letting Neteyam’s hard shaft split her open. The stretch ached but she kept her voice even and breathy.

“Be good.” She whispered and waited for his reply. The soldier groaned, every strand of muscle forcing him to not push her down right there and then.

Tala sunk down completely it made Neteyam groan harshly and loudly at the feeling of her tight and warm walls surrounding him. His nerves were shot. Naturally, he was about to fuck into her heat when she did it for him. She dragged her hips up unbearably slowly, both reveling how her cunt squeezed each ridge, so hot, so tight.

“Stay still.”

She slammed her hips down with a ferocity that made both of them moan loudly, she nearly cried out. She started to bounce, holding onto Neteyam’s broad shoulders for support.

“Mmmm…” Tala moaned low, each moan punctuated every time she felt her ass slap against his thighs. He moaned with her, finding himself on the receiving end of her fast pace. He groaned into her hair wantonly, cock twitching inside her.

“Fuuckkk, hahh, fuck.” He cursed softly then latched his mouth on his first mark on her. She stopped suddenly and it embarrassed him how nearly he fucking whined.

“No biting.” She cooed and Neteyam thought he was being driven insane tonight. Today. Since he had taken Tala.

He growled but nodded, settling into a tight embrace instead. He looked at her expectantly, was this allowed?

Tala’s smile was enough to replace the ache for stars he usually felt whenever he looked up in his room.

Then his eyes nearly rolled back when she slammed and bucked harder onto him.

“F-uuuck, haaah, aangh~” Tala graphically moaned into his ear. She panted and her tits bounced as she pistoned herself on his cock. “Aahhh, nnnggg…” she quietly moaned, angling her hips just so to make the fat tip brush against her sweet spots. Neteyam rutted into her uncontrollably, losing himself as he mindlessly chased her warmth. His mouth was open in a silent moan, holy shit.

Tala’s so fucking wet now and she rolled her pelvis to award herself louder moans from Neteyam’s lips.

“Li’T-tala, so good, fuck you’re so good.” He praised, face still stuck to the crook of her neck. She switched her pace and started rotating her hips, rolling them as she still lazily stroked herself along his shift. She felt her self-satisfaction spike when the soldier’s yellow eyes rolled up and fluttered, pupils were so blown out. She admitted he was adorable like this too.

She brought Neteyam’s hand to her belly, pushing down his hand with hers against the bulge there. They both groaned deeply at the sensation, Tala was near hiccuping from the pleasure. A toy that she was, she had only a toy’s ability to see Neteyam unravel. And she chased it hungrily.

His vulnerable expression contorted from the pleasure. To say Tala’s pussy was the best medication he’s had all week would be an understatement.

“Am I doing good, mighty warrior?” Tala squeezed her walls tight for good measure, a moan ripping out her throat as she did. It was worth it, hearing Neteyam’s louder and deeper one that ended with his teeth back on her skin. He quickly ripped his head back when he remembered her little rule.

“So fucking good, please. Fuckk…” He groaned, massaging her belly now even harder, the thought alone made him want to cum. Tala gasped.

“Mmmm, nnng!!” She squealed, and she fucked herself on his pulsating and thick cock even faster, the squelching sounds fueled the both of them.

Plap, plap, squelch, the mattress started to creak. The soldier switched to holding onto her hips, just to make each thrust that much deeper, to feel her cunt flutter at every brush near her cervix and Tala was seeing stars.

Each ridge and thick vein on his shaft was melting and massaging her cunt. She was enjoying herself fully, from the perspective of the toy she was. He certainly needed this toy so badly now.

“Mmm, mmm!! Haah, hahh, is this really helping? Is your toy pleasing you? Maybe we should stop…” She teased, suddenly slowing down, and was delightfully surprised when he mindlessly begged.

“NO! Fuck, please, dont’s-stop, such a good toy, Li’Tala. So fucking wet, so fucking tight.” He blathered, arms only tightening around her desperately.

Tala threw her head back when Neteyam reached between them, with intense accuracy, to squeeze her clit.

“Oahhh!! Mmmg- Neteyam!” She cried out, the sounds of slapping skin made him laugh dumbly. Their pelvises were completely covered in each other’s slick.

“Take my cum, Tala, need you to take all my cum..” he muttered into her ear and he used his grip on her clit to guide Tala’s pace, she was so close now.

“Don’t stop, so fucking good ma’fil, Li’Tala…” he breathed out, his voice unsteady and deeply tinged in pleasure. The way Neteyam husked her name made her pussy walls convulse.

“Haa, haaa, ahh, I’m close~! I’m close, Nete-yam, Neteyam, so close, close!” Tala whined and dug their pelvises so tightly together that her pearl of nerves rubbed harshly against his toned muscle. She grinded on him wildly, his cock hitting her gummy walls so good, she abused her sweet spots with him.

“So hot, so hot…” he was praising her, the sight of her had made him completely forget how he felt like he was freezing just moments ago. Her soft breasts bouncing, torso in a light sheen of sweat and her eyes so fucking focused on him, her cunt was devoted to squelching lewdly every time she grinded on him.

He was close too, he could feel how heavy his balls were now and without either of their warnings, Neteyam spilled his load into her, it made her mewl as she came hard with him.

Black spots dotted their vision as they painted, their juices had overflowed inside Tala and usually the sight would irritate Neteyam, making him wanna fuck it back into her.

But Tala didn’t mind the mess. In fact, she wanted more. After a few seconds, she rolled her hips again and even though they stuttered, she felt herself able to overcome the crackles of overstimulation.

Her hands delicately laced through his hair to gently stroke at the base of his kuru.

Neteyam hissed loudly and squeezed onto her ass in warning, barely able to stop himself from bucking into her overflowing cunt.

Too fucking soon, the sensation of her pink flesh was overwhelming, the friction was making his muscles involuntarily twitch, he groaned as he rested his head back.

“What’s wrong? You don't want to?” Tala asked, her voice soft and sultry. The question just sounded like the deadliest taunt to him. She was rotating her hips and twisting him from inside her, his cock felt like it was being choked in different ways, squeezed and massaged in a way he hadn’t been before. She was fucking milking him, Neteyam only dumbly shuddered and thrusted upwards weakly.

Her tiny pussy was soaking him, his balls, and his mattress but that didn’t matter when it was the only thing on his mind, her gummy flesh was the only thing reminding him he was still breathing.

After what felt like an eternity of the most delicious torture, Tala finally screamed her last climax and mercifully stopped, shivering from aftershocks of pleasure. She had pulled so much more ropes of cum from him and just staying inside her nearly made him cum again, it made Neteyam whimper low and hotly, his golden eyes barely able to stay open. Tala finally collapsed on him, muscles were burning and she was breathing heavily, but the look on his face made it all so worth it.

She was impressed with herself, her body was heavy with what felt like deep buckets of creamy liquid spilling out of her. She noticed now how tightly his tail had encircled her thigh, a slight mark left from it now.

“Fuck… Li’Tala…” Neteyam drawled out wearily, he collapsed onto his back and brought her with him. Her full name brought back shudders along her spine, the way he said it was positively lewd and so, so, intimate.

Tala hummed, fully able to feel the slowly calming pulse on his neck. She licked her lips, she was enticed. Not one had she left marks on him, she never felt a desire to.

The Omaticayan breathed hard, when he felt her fangs push past her perfect lips and onto his skin. It wasn’t deep, barely a bruise, but Tala finally figured out why he enjoyed doing it to her so much. The way his scent covered her face and somehow she could taste it in his skin was intoxicating.

She licked the small wound while Neteyam fought internally how horny he instantly became again despite his exhaustion. Tala hummed, the two too tired to even look at each other from where they rested.

“Good boy…” She said softly before fading into slumber. Only Neteyam could feel how hard his cock twitched when he heard her whisper. They were fucked out and warm and his miserable dreams were nothing but fuzzy images.

His own consciousness was fading fast and any shiver his body felt was definitely from no bite of cold, regardless of the sweat. Now it was more like pinpricks of pleasure and pain, definitely distracting. Neteyam closed his eyes.

He embraced Tala tenderly, he breathed in her hair, and his mind was completely soothed. He slept wholly to Tala, to the smell of her sweetness, the beat of her heart, the sound of her breath, choosing to forget about those damned dreams and his damned existence.

He breathed out once again, vague recollections of fire licking at his skin.

Neteyam forced the thoughts away by lightly running his fingers on the mark Tala just left on him, barely aching, he could only find it by carefully sensing the barest indentation. He then felt for the one he left on Tala all that time ago, the texture of the scar made it much easier.

Both comforted him, grounded him, he didn’t notice the way his tail wagged a bit too contently. All of his muscles relaxed and gratefully his sleep was dreamless.

His last thought was how much he enjoyed calling her Li’Tala than ma’fil.

tag list: @xylianasblog @itchaboi-itchyboy @hotdsworld @pandoraslxna @luvv4j4ybe11 @neteyamsyawntu @akoyaxs @whatevenisagrapefruit @teyamsatan @justcaptiannoodles @theblueflower05 @neteluvr @neteyamssyulang @plooto @hao-ming-8 @teyamsilly @vivid-ink @vampirefilmlover

notes: hi! finally getting into the plot portion of the fic lol, hopefully this will be all finished v soon! maybe 2 or 3 more chapters? hope yall enjoy~

#recom neteyam #doodle #smut #fanfic #avatar way of water #neteyam sully #avatar 2 #liar liar #fanart #avatar fanfiction #female oc #neteyam x oc

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sensitively-taken · 1 year ago

Text

what's with your kisses? — park sunghoon

synopsis. Park Sunghoon has never had much time or even a slight care for dating, romance, love, or anything of that sort. so, when you kiss him at a rowdy party one night, as his first kiss ever, he’s surprised to find that he wants more. what he thought was going to be a one-time thing, he finds evolving into something he never wants to end—even if you two aren’t meant to be more than a summer fling.

pairing. park sunghoon x gender-neutral!reader ft. jake sim

genres. fluff, strangers to lovers au, summer (fling) au

warnings. underage drinking & all that implies! please let me know if i've missed any :)

word count. 10.7k (10737)

taglist. @soobin-chois @my5colors @kflixnet @jaeyunverse @heejojo @tbzloonar @odxrilove @aizzon

listen to! strangers, sigrid ⭑ i'll be down, talia goddess ⭑ lovestained, hope tala ⭑ yuck, charli xcx ⭑ feature me, flo ⭑ summer's over, tv girl ft. jordana ⭑ yellow cab, dpr live (click on the listen to for the spotify playlist, which i recommend listening to unshuffled)

notes. ermmm..... after more than a year and (almost) radio silence on this blog, here she is!! i'm rlly sorry ab how long it took for me to post this (esp when it was sitting in my drafts for a whole year..) 😭😭 but SHE'S HERE and that's all that matters!! since this was originally an entry for @/prettywon's soul symphonies collab, this song is based on yellow cab by dpr live, as you can probably tell by the title & playlist. i was rlly trying to reflect that boyish infatuation he's singing ab so if u cringe a bit i understand 😪 i did too tysm lola @ijhyo for beta reading this for me! (pls pardon me for tagging u a few hours late 🙏🏾) but enough rambling from me!! enjoy! ❤️

I – K is for Kiss

There was no such thing as the perfect first kiss.

Park Sunghoon, a nineteen-year-old boy who’d never been kissed, had accepted this fact long ago. A lucky few got to have their first kiss with their first love or a longtime crush, while a lot more people had embarrassing stories they’d share on drunken nights. He knew a first kiss wasn’t something out of a fairytale. But, he felt that, at the very least, he should have an adequate first kiss–preferably with someone he had some sort of feelings for.

So, he’d never predicted that he’d end up losing his lip virginity to a stranger at the summer party his best friend, Jake, was throwing.

Or that he’d like it. (Sunghoon wasn’t sure he could even admit that.)

He could admit this though: you were a good kisser. A very, very good kisser–at least, according to his standards. Even he–the nineteen-year-old who’d never even held hands with someone, let alone kissed someone–was able to realise you’d done this a dozen times before when you cupped his cheek–not aggressively, but softly, gently–whispered the question in his ear, and pulled him into a chaste, soft kiss as soon as he’d nodded awkwardly.

Then, moving your hand from his cheek to his neck and smirking slightly, you deepened the kiss.

That’s when he started wondering why he’d never done this before.

You didn’t move too fast, or too slow. It was almost like you knew exactly what he was thinking, what he was feeling, because the second it would start feeling a bit too much for him and his head would start swimming, you would pull back and rest your forehead against his. But, when he started missing the feel of your lips on his, your eyes would flicker to his, the question on the tip of your tongue, and lean in again.

He would never say it out loud, not to you or anyone else, but he was glad you’d taken the lead. Because with the way his hands were trembling to wrap themselves around your waist, and how he’d avoid your gaze every time you pulled back, he wasn’t so sure you two would’ve even been here if you’d left the initiating to him.

All of a sudden, you pulled back–the first time you didn’t do what he wanted–and Sunghoon chased your lips for a bit, cheeks reddening when he realised you weren’t leaning back in.

He stepped back, which was hard to do in a cramped shed but he managed and cleared his throat. Suddenly, he was very interested in inspecting the design of said shed. “Um… is something wrong? Did I, I don’t know, did I do something wrong?”

“No,” you smiled coyly and licked your lips (Sunghoon’s eyes may have flickered back up in time to catch the moment and linger on it), “the seven minutes are up.”

Oh. Right. That–a very silly round of seven minutes in heaven–was how he’d got here. Stuck in a shed. Kissing a complete, random stranger. Y’know, the daily, run-of-the-mill stuff for Sunghoon.

He nodded slowly, flicking away the few dark hairs that fell in front of his eyes. “Right, right. After you.”

“After you?” You laughed, a warm sound he found himself melting to (on the inside. On the outside, he was biting his lip so hard he could taste your chapstick on his tongue), “This whole time you haven’t done anything, but now you want to be a gentleman?”

His face reddened and he crossed his arms over his chest. “No one said gentlemen have to be good at kissing!”

“You do have a point, kind sir.” He rolled his eyes at your jab. “I’d just think it’d be much more gentlemanly of you to look me in the eyes, instead of, dunno, glaring at my lips.”

At this rate, Sunghoon was sure someone’s face couldn’t be as red as his was.

He made a point to look into your eyes for a good ten seconds, breath held, before looking at his flip flops and murmuring, “I wasn’t glaring… I think. Like, I’m not mad at your lips or anything.”

You laughed again, a deeper sound he was sure came from the depths of your heart, and with a small grin on his face, Sunghoon decided he liked the sound.

“I wasn’t saying you were mad.” You stepped closer to him and Sunghoon’s breath hitched. You reached out to him, and for a second Sunghoon thought you were going to cup his face and kiss him again–he wanted you to–but then you reached up and smoothed his eyebrows and the space between them. “Just relax these big boys a bit. They can get a day off glaring, don’t you think, cutie?”

You didn’t wait for a reply. Instead, you smiled and reached behind Sunghoon for the shed door, stepping out to hear a chorus of cheers from some other partygoers and leaving the boy dumbfounded and red.

It was only when Sunghoon moved to leave the shed that he realised he’d never caught your name.

II – I is for Infatuation

Sunghoon was not thinking about the kiss. Well. Kisses.

At least, that was what he toldhimself.

But, ever since he’d woken up at Jake’s place the morning after, with a head so heavy he wasn’t sure he could even lift it, it was the only thing on his mind.

First thing in the morning, when he couldn’t even remember what his name was, he thought about it. Late at night, hours past when he’d told himself he’d go to sleep, he thought about it. Even in his dreams, he couldn’t get the thought of you and your stupid lips out of his head. (Jake had called him obsessed, but he preferred to think of it as a little infatuation.)

He was sure he was going insane when he saw someone perusing the chapstick section in the grocery store and immediately thought of you, only for him to find out it was you when your hands landed on the same pack.

Sunghoon drew his hand back like he was stung, while you simply took the balm and murmured an apology without sparing him a glance.

He wasn’t sure whether to breathe a sigh of relief or disappointment. On one hand, it was you–the only person in the entire world who’d kissed Park Sunghoon on his very chapped, very dry lips (which was the reason he told himself he was in the lip balm section in the first place and not because he couldn’t get your lips out of his head). On the other hand, it was you–the only person in the entire world who’d kissed Park Sunghoon on his very chapped, very dry lips.

Sunghoon didn’t have much time to think about it though, because you suddenly looked back and raised your eyebrows at him.

He bit his lip in anticipation of what you were going to say, but he could’ve never imagined you’d say, “Nice jammies, cutie.”

Sunghoon was beginning to think you had a thing for embarrassing him, as his cheeks turned the shade of some of the chapsticks on display. He rubbed at the nape of his neck, murmuring, “Thanks, my grandma crocheted them for me.”

“Really?” Your eyes shone with actual interest, and Sunghoon’s blush spread across his cheeks. “Do you think you could send me her number or something? I’ve been trying to get the hang of crocheting recently, but it’s just not been working.”

“I would, totally, a hundred percent, but I don’t have your number yet, so…” He went silent, as he realised what he’d said and your eyebrows climbed further up your head.

Sunghoon wished the ground would open up. Pronto.

“Wow, cutie, I have to say, I’m kinda impressed.” You stretched out your hand, which made Sunghoon’s brows furrow, until you gestured for the phone in his pyjama pocket. “I never thought you’d be the type of gentleman to muster up the balls to ask for my number, but here we are.”

He groaned as he passed you his phone, a slight flush to his face. “Could we not rehash the whole gentleman bit? That was kinda embarrassing for me.”

“What?” You grinned, eyes flickering between his phone screen and him. “Do you mean the part where you didn’t know how to kiss back or the part where you stared at my lips the whole time after, cutie?”

If Sunghoon wasn’t sure before, he definitely was now. You had a thing for embarrassing him–and calling him cutie. He’d never admit it, but he was finding that he didn’t really seem to mind either.

He avoided your gaze and toyed with the hem of his sweater, the ghost of a smile on his lips. “Um, both?”

“’ Kay, got it.” You passed his phone back to him and watched him redden at what you’d saved yourself as.

“Couldn’t your name have sufficed? Why did you—” he groaned and buried his face behind his hands, his voice coming through as muffled— “Why did you have to save yourself as ‘seven minutes hottie?’ Isn’t that too conceited of you... and corny?”

You shrugged. “It’s not wrong, is it?”

Even though you couldn’t see his face redden, he figured you’d imagined it as you let out a small snort. “What? Are you gonna tell me I’m not hot?”

“... No,” came his reluctant reply, as he finally removed his hands from his face and went to change your contact name to your actual name, only to remember he’d never got it. “Ah, wait, what’s your name?”

“My name?” You hummed quietly, like you were considering something, and Sunghoon felt a certain type of anticipation grow in his stomach. “If I tell you my name, do I get a kiss, cutie?”

He scoffed, though he could still feel some blood rush to his cheeks. You were really something. “I thought you said I was a bad kisser.”

“Uh-uh,” you corrected, leaning in slowly, “I said you don’t know how to kiss. But, once you do, well… who knows?”

For the second time in a week, Sunghoon felt the distance between you two close and desperately wished you were going to kiss him. Yes, he was in a grocery store and yes, anyone could walk past at any moment, but when you leaned in so close to him–with your soft lips pursed and your eyes staring into his soul–he couldn’t help but fall victim to the pull you had on him. He was weak–so weak–to you.

But, just like before, you didn’t.

You simply brushed his bed hair out of his face and snorted a bit at his spaced-out expression, before stepping back into a space where Sunghoon could finally breathe and think of something else other than your lips on his.

“Yeah,” he murmured, so low that you had to lean back in to hear him.

Sunghoon had always thought of himself as a reasonable, patient person. He knew if he wanted quality things in his life, he’d have to get used to waiting often–at least, that’s what his parents had taught him. But, every time you came into his orbit, his usually thick line of patience wore thin with a simple glance or smile from you.

What were you doing to him?

“Sorry,” your tongue flicked back over your lips, “what was that?”

His line snapped.

“Yeah, you do get a kiss.”

And the words were gone before he could take them back. But, blood rushing in his ears and heart pounding out of his chest, Sunghoon found he didn’t want to take them back–even though, in the back of his mind, part of him was blushing and squirming at his wording.

“Oh?” you said, looking straight into his eyes–unwavering, for once. A certain tension filled the air, as you two stared at each other for a moment, the night of the party probably replaying in both your heads. Careful not to disturb the atmosphere between you two, you whispered, “_____. My name’s _____.”

The tension wasn’t cut, but simply deflated like a balloon as Sunghoon let out a long breath, cheeks painted a dark red, and asked, “But not here, right? I’m not saying we’re doing anything too scandalous, but my mum’s good friends with the manager here, so… Yeah. I kinda, um–maybe I, maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.”

There was a moment of silence, as you stared incredulously at the blushing boy, before you burst out into full-fledged laughter. You hugged your sides a bit and smiled so wide that any passerby would’ve thought Sunghoon was a comedic genius.

Before he could get the wrong idea, you cupped Sunghoon’s face and said, “You’re just too cute, cutie.”

And he smiled a little, slowly as his eyes traced your face, his brows finally relaxed.

You wiped an imaginary tear from your eye, sobering up, and asked, “So. Where's your car?”

III – S is for Scrapbook

You and Sunghoon had ended up kissing in his car.

When he’d told Jake about it later, he’d said you guys had made out–to embarrass Sunghoon, he assumed–but the kisses had been soft and chaste, where you’d been more focused on getting Sunghoon to reciprocate than just kissing him. He had, albeit slowly, and by the time he’d dropped you off at your house, he was able to proudly say that he had initiated a kiss between you two.

It had built his confidence incredibly, being able to say that he’d kissed you and not the other way around–not that he was saying it to anyone, besides Jake really–so much so that he’d texted you just a few minutes after he’d gotten home. He’d panicked then, wondering if you’d think it weird he’d texted you so quickly, but you’d responded just as fast that his nerves had calmed and he’d found himself laughing at your texts.

While talking to you face to face was something he didn’t think he’d ever get used to, texting you was something he could do with ease–well, somewhat.

In the late afternoons, when he woke up with messy bed hair and mucus still in his eyes, he’d check his phone to see if you’d sent anything–which you almost always had. Whether it was a quick picture of something you'd seen on a walk, your poor attempts at making breakfast, or even just a morning selfie.

On some days, he’d feel too flustered and musty to send anything in return–Like, what if you realised he was wearing the same shirt he’d sent a picture in yesterday?—and on others, he had to shut off his phone to take deep breaths after sending something as simple as him brushing his teeth.

Okay, so he was still struggling to talk to you, but at least he didn’t stutter over text and go red every few seconds.

With his awkwardness out of the way, he could actually learn things about you. Like your favourite colour, your favourite spots in town, and your hobbies. He even learned you liked to scrapbook and every summer, you’d make a scrapbook of all your highlights. Polaroids, film stills, movie tickets, coupons, and more would go into the scrapbook and at the end of summer, you’d post little snippets on it on your Instagram page. He’d told you it was cute and jokingly asked if he’d be featured in this summer’s scrapbook, to which you’d responded with ‘we’d have to go out for u to be included wouldnt we?’

Which is what led to this moment. He had thought you were joking about the whole going out thing because it’d been late at night and you two had just been talking about the trips you’d been going on with your families in the next couple of days, but then the next morning–that morning–you’d sent two tickets to a film showing that evening–this evening. Right now–and a short, little ‘wanna go see this? my scrapbook’s feeling a little hoon-less rn :(’.

Evidently, he hadn’t said no, because he was now parked outside your house, trying to calm himself down as he waited for you to come out.

His hands were sweating a bit, and he kept checking his reflection in his rearview mirror, anxiously biting his lower lip and running a hand through his hair. Surprisingly, it wasn’t even the fact that he was going to see you that was stressing him out, it was more the fact that he didn’t know what this was. Were you guys just going out to see a late-night movie as friends? Was it a date? Should he have shown up with flowers or a gift? Were you guys just friends? Were you something more? Did you always ask your friends to see movies late at night so impromptu? Did he even see you as more than a friend?

All the questions made his head swim and his palms sweat, but he couldn’t stop thinking about them. He hadn’t been thinking of this the few weeks you guys had been texting, but now he felt like a broken record, gaze bouncing between his reflection and your house.

And then all his thoughts slowed to a stop.

You walked out of your house with a slight smile and a twinkle in your eye, and his brain turned to mush. You looked… good. That was all he was capable of thinking, as you walked the short distance to his car, waving, and slid into the passenger seat.

Sunghoon stared at you for a second, as you put on your seatbelt and said hi, his mind completely blank. Then, your touch on his shoulder and a furrow between your brows brought him back to the present and he spat out a jumbled mess of, “Good, yeah, yeah. I’m good, you’re good, so good.”

It was your turn to stare, confusion clear in your eyes, and panic rose within him.

“Wait, I mean you look good!” he said, gesturing at you, “I mean, not that you don’t look good all the time, but, like, you look really good right now. Like, wow, I–I should stop talking.”

You blinked at him for a second and then laughed that same laugh that melted his insides. He noticed, as you threw your head back slightly, that you hadn’t removed your hand from his shoulder, and Sunghoon found himself relishing your touch.

“Stop it, cutie, you’re gonna make me blush,” you said playfully, rolling your eyes and hitting his chest lightly. You sobered up slightly, but the smile was still wide on your face as you said, “You look good, too. Very suave, very cool. I can’t lie though, I miss the bedhead and your grandma’s sweater a bit.”

With your easy words lightening the mood, he found himself relaxing a bit–enough to pull away from the curb and start driving. “Really? Maybe I’ll wear it next time.”

You didn’t blink at his mention of a next time, though Sunghoon searched your face for any sign of discomfort or surprise. Instead, your smile grew slightly and you asked, “What type of date are you thinking? Like, an early morning IHOP or Waffle House thing? Or, more of an early-morning pancake date at home?”

If it weren’t for the fact that he’d stopped at a red light, Sunghoon was sure he would’ve crashed his car right at that moment. He gulped loudly and spared your expectant eyes a glance, as he could feel his blood rush in his ears and hear his heart pound out of his chest.

The light turned green and he cleared his throat. “Uh, so, does that mean this is a date?”

He was glad he couldn’t see your reaction to his question–you probably thought he was silly–but was also nervous because you went quiet for a bit. Sunghoon considered turning on the radio and moving on from the topic, if that could dispel the momentary awkwardness between you two, but he wanted to hear your answer.

You laughed slightly, but he could hear the nervous undertones. “Do you not want it to be one? I’m sorry, I just assumed because, well, we kissed at the party and we’ve been talking and stuff since then, so… I thought you were more of a dating type of guy, but–”

“Wait, what?” he interrupted, a crease in his forehead as he spared you a glance. Something within him shattered at the sight of the uncertainty on your face. Had he done that? “What other type of guy would I be?”

“Well, you know…” You paused, shifting slightly in your seat. “There are some guys that just wanna have fun. Mess around, you know? I didn’t think you were one of those guys, but if that’s what you wanna do, then–”

“No,” he said fiercely, only realising how angry he sounded when you glanced at him in surprise. “I want to date you. I really do. I just… I thought you didn’t and I didn’t know if we were just friends, and I’ve never done this before so, I just–”

“You’ve never done this before?” you cut him off, visible shock in your eyes. “There’s no way, Hoon. You’re joking, right?”

And with that, the awkwardness dissipated, as his cheeks flamed and he avoided your wide eyes.

“I know, it’s weird–”

“No, no!” You smiled a bit at his flustered state. “It’s not weird. I’ve only dated once before and, even then, it wasn’t that serious, so we’re kind of in the same boat.”

It was his turn to glance at you with incredulous eyes. “Wait, really? I thought you had so much dating experience cause, like, you’re such a good kisser and you’re so confident and forward, y’know?”

You shrugged. “Like I said, some guys just wanna mess around. Sometimes, I do too.”

“And that’s not what you want with me, right? You actually want to date, right?” You’d already told him you considered this a date, and he’d already told you he wanted to date you–which you hadn’t objected to–but he just had to make sure that was real, and his mind hadn’t made that up.

“Yeah, Hoon,” you started softly, a shy smile on your lips–something he thought he’d never see on you. “I actually want to date you.”

Immediately, his eyes flickered back to the road and his cheeks flushed, a wide grin slowly stretching on his lips. You laughed at his smile, loud and warm, and he closed his eyes in bliss and only opened them again to smile at you.

“So, this is a date? For sure?” he asked, one hand on the wheel and the other on the console as he flickered through the channels for a song.

“Mhm,” you hummed, your hand brushing his as you turned up the volume on a specific channel, smiling at the way his flush deepened. You held his hand, intertwining your fingers with his, and nodded. “This is a date.”

Sunghoon couldn’t even remember why he’d been so nervous, and why his palms–one of which was currently touching yours–had been so sweaty, as he gazed into your eyes and leaned in for a chaste kiss. He smiled into it and rolled his eyes to himself, all of his questions answered. Especially the one he’d been too worried to even ask himself.

If he’d had any doubt about it before, he was sure of it now.

He liked you. Maybe even too much for a summer fling.

IV – S is for Sorry

Over the next few days, Sunghoon found himself wishing you guys were more than just a summer fling.

It was wistful thinking, he knew that already. Just a few months prior, you guys hadn’t even been aware of the other's existence. Now, to him, it felt like you took up every inch of his thoughts, dreams, and being. And, in just a couple of weeks, you’d be off to your respective universities, leaving the short fling between you just that–a short, summer fling.

You two were avoiding talking about it, despite the palpable tension it added to your conversations when you brought up the future. You would mention how you were going to look into photography courses at your uni on a video call and Sunghoon would smile outwardly, while inwardly he’d wonder if you’d find someone else to call your muse–as he’d gotten used to you calling him.

He would mention how he was going to do a double major since he wasn’t completely sure what he wanted to do, and he’d notice the way you’d bite your lip like you were stopping yourself from asking him where. And, just now, moments ago on your video call, you had mentioned how you wanted to go on another date with him after you both got back from your hometowns, but before… (well, you hadn’t continued but he knew you meant before you two had to part.)

He knew you two were only prolonging your pain, and he was only wounding himself deeper by thinking so wistfully, but you two were happy at this exact moment. And, it wasn’t enough, but he’d make it be enough if that was what you two needed.

At least, that’s what he’d been thinking till his sister barged into his childhood room and said his grandma wanted to see him.

Now, legs tucked under himself and head lowered, Sunghoon sat opposite her, with a long table between them, and a tense silence filled the room.

He wasn’t sure what his grandma “seeing him” meant. She wasn’t very old, just in her early sixties, but she was a calm, wise woman who’d lived to see and experience a lot, so she may as well have had the wisdom of someone a century old. If she wanted to “see him,” that most likely meant she had a piece of advice for him that he wouldn’t like.

For once, he was right.

“So, your mum told me you’ve been seeing someone?”

Sunghoon coughed abruptly, patting his chest as a deep flush flooded his cheeks. “I’m sorry?”

“Sorry?” Sunghoon’s grandma scoffed and eyed him slowly. “What are you sorry for? Not calling to consult me first? Or, for trying to hide it from me? Or, is there something else, hm?”

He raised his eyes to meet his grandma’s eyes, but immediately lowered them at the fierce scowl on her face. He bowed deeply, palms flat before him. “I’m sorry, Grandma.”

She eyed his form for a second, before scoffing again and gesturing toward him. “Sit, sit. I didn’t call you here to hear you apologise all day.”

Sunghoon sat again and raised his head but still didn’t look his grandma in the eye. His mind was too preoccupied with wondering how his mum had figured it out, considering you guys had gone on your first date just a couple of days ago.

He jolted a bit when his grandma asked, “You’re not going to ask me why I called you?”

“Sorry,” he began and cleared his throat at his grandma’s glare. “Why did you call me, Grandma?”

She continued eyeing him with the same, wary gaze she’d been eyeing him with since he’d entered her room for a few moments, before she suddenly became sombre. Without the glint in her eyes, Sunghoon could see how deep the pools in her eyes were and the lines surrounding them. He released a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.

“Well, what’s your plan? Hm?” Her eyes bore deep into his like her question was just a formality and she already knew the answer. Sunghoon wouldn’t be surprised if she already did. “Are you two going to be a campus couple?”

He knew her question was mostly rhetorical, but he couldn’t help but imagine it. Walking you to and from lectures; studying together in a library or a cosy coffee shop; going to endless parties with you; proofreading each other’s papers; you wearing his clothes in his dorm. Sunghoon felt himself grow warm.

Then, even warmer as his grandma cleared her throat and raised a knowing brow in his direction. She didn’t have to say anything for him to realise she was expecting an answer.

“I…” He faltered for a moment, remembering the hesitancy in your eyes every time a hint of the topic was brought up. “I don’t know, Grandma. I… well, there’s nothing I can really do, I guess. We’re probably not even going to the same universities, so I don’t know what the plan is.”

“Have you guys talked about it?”

A pause settled between the two of them, as Sunghoon lowered his eyes again and prepared himself to bow again.

His grandma scoffed, the loudest of all her scoffs so far, and sighed exasperatedly. “You two haven’t even discussed anything? And you’re here talking like you’re some handsome lead in a drama and _____’s life will be in danger if you two continue dating?”

“Ah, Grandma, are you saying I’m not hands–Wait, wait? How do you know _____’s name?”

She paused slightly and carefully schooled her features. “Is that important right now?”

“I mean,” Sunghoon’s brows furrowed, then he remembered your touch against them and he relaxed them a bit, “considering that I’ve never told Mum _____’s name or even the fact that we’ve been on one date, yes? Kinda?”

“I’m your grandma, am I not?” was her only response, with the ghost of a smile on her lips. He grimaced slightly, but his grandma continued without any regard for his reaction. “I know you guys are kids, but you didn’t even think of discussing anything? You were just going to kiss and say ‘bye bye’ and continue with your lives?”

“I mean,” Sunghoon started, trying to fight the blush climbing up his body. There wasn’t any point, though, because the apples of his cheeks were already shining. “_____’s not even my partner or anything, so it isn’t my place…”

“But isn’t that the end goal?”

His grandma stared at him, but he couldn’t hold the weight of her stare. Because deep down inside, Sunghoon knew she was right. And he knew he wanted nothing more than to be able to be called yours.

To see more pictures of the scenery from your morning walks and even join you on them too. To cuddle up in bed and watch some of your favourite animes together, only pausing to snuggle further into the blanket. To finally go on that early morning date at a Waffle House, eating your orders in his car where his passenger seat would be perfectly adjusted to seat you. To have a home, a space, with you.

But, he thought. There was always a ‘but’.

Before, that ‘but’ had been that he wasn’t even sure if that was what you wanted as well, if he even really wanted it. Now, that ‘but’ was the inevitable space and distance that would grow between you two. The space that would grow so large that you two wouldn’t be able to have any space for each other.

Sunghoon’s stomach sank as his thoughts spiralled, but he summed them up to his grandma with a simple shrug.

“Why are you, why are you so dramatic?” she asked, rolling her eyes at her grandson’s face. A fierce scowl was back on her face and, if it weren’t for the table between the two of them, she looked like she was about ready to pull on Sunghoon’s ear. “Why are you sitting here in my house moping and frowning like everything’s decided? Who knows? Maybe _____ is willing to make it work, to even travel to another city just to see you and your dramatic self. But how would you know when you’re busy here moping?”

He’d considered it. Judging from the talks you’d had and the sheer amount of hours you talked every day, Sunghoon was sure that you liked him as well (not as much as he did, he was sure–that wasn’t even remotely possible when he could barely get you off his mind–but enough to deal with his “dramatic self,” as his grandma had put it). But, there it was again, he just couldn’t get rid of that ‘but.’ It was festering in the back of his mind whenever he even thought of bringing it up to you.

“Sunghoon.” There was a note of finality in his grandma’s voice as she said his name. “Discuss things with _____ first. I understand sometimes we experience heartbreak, but I won’t let you break your own heart over foolishness.”

“But Grandma–”

“No ‘buts.’” His grandma folded her arms in her lap and glanced at the door of her room. “No more ‘buts’, Sunghoon.”

Despite the lingering worry settled in his system, he sighed and stood up slowly. Sunghoon bowed deeply, glanced at his hands, and left his grandma’s room with her words in mind.

V – E is for End

Sunghoon wasn’t too sure he’d be able to follow his grandma’s instructions.

He was back now from his hometown, back in the comfort of his familiar Seoul bedroom, but you weren’t here. He’d known you two wouldn’t get back at the same time, yet that didn’t stop him from feeling slightly lonely without you to go on dates with. It was a numbing feeling, that left him feeling empty if he dwelled on it too long, and he worried he’d go completely numb if you two truly didn’t end up working out.

The thought sent a chill down his spine every time Sunghoon’s mind strayed to it and Jake’s feeble comforts did little to quell his worries.

To make matters worse, you unexpectedly postponed your return date and said you couldn’t go to a pool party Jake was throwing anymore. You were very vague about the reason why when he asked and Sunghoon began worrying once again. He even brought up not going to the party to Jake, but his best friend wouldn’t have it and threatened to drag him to the party himself.

So, there he was. Standing at the edge of a crowd of strangers, nursing his second beer of the night, and completely alone. Well, he wasn’t completely alone. Jake and some of Sunghoon’s other friends had passed by him and invited him to the dance floor, but he couldn’t get himself to get out there and dance with someone who wasn’t you. The most they’d been able to get him to do was drink a little, even if the drinks only fuelled his moping.

A couple of people sent him inviting looks and winks, dancing in a way that made him avert his eyes immediately, but he didn’t budge an inch from where he was standing. Maybe if you were here, he would. No, definitely, if you were here he would. His mind wandered to grasp at the edges of the first night you’d met, trying to remember if you’d been dancing that night, but he couldn’t pull up a single image of you dancing.

If you were here, how would you dance? Would you dance with a lot of energy, completely letting yourself loose? Or, would you take your time to flow with the music, swinging your hips and smiling at him in that way that just drove him crazy?

Sunghoon smiled a bit at the thought and felt his hips move along to the beat, frowning once he realised what he was doing.

He missed you.

Just a few months ago, he hadn’t known he could miss someone the way he was missing you, but he was and he couldn’t do anything about it.

As if his best friend could read his thoughts, Jake danced off the dance floor to Sunghoon’s side, running a hand through his unruly, blond hair. Sunghoon could smell the booze coming off him, and he watched as his friend nearly lost his footing trying to lean on Sunghoon. Jake barely noticed, though, as he just kept smiling up at Sunghoon. Sunghoon made a point to look anywhere, except in the blond’s direction.

After a while of just trying to ignore his drunk friend, Sunghoon eventually rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow in Jake’s direction. “What?”

“I can’t, I can’t just look at you now?” Jake asked, his wide smile never leaving his face.

“No, it’s not that. It’s the way you’re looking at me.”

“How am I looking at you?” His friend leaned in close, stretching an arm around Sunghoon’s shoulders. “Hm? I’m just looking at you with my normal eyeballs, my very normal eyeballs, actually just like you, you too.”

“You’re looking at me like, I don’t fucking know, you’re hiding some type of secret from me,” Sunghoon said, pushing Jake off his frame. “And I don’t like that look because the last time you looked at me like that I ended up kissing _____ in a shed for seven minutes.”

Jake’s wide smile grew into a slight, smug smirk. “And look how well that turned out for you. Someone’s not so bitchless anymore.”

Sunghoon rolled his eyes and took a swig of his drink but couldn’t hide the dusting of pink on his cheeks. (If he were to consider things between the two of you, you would be the one who wasn’t so bitchless anymore, considering he was more of your bitch than you were his with the way he was nursing a beer in the corner of a party like a loser just because he missed you. He didn’t need to tell Jake all that though.)

Instead, he feigned an annoyed scowl and crossed his arms over his chest. “What do you want, Jake?”

“I thought you would never ever ever ask.” His friend grinned. “Can you please get out the other floaties from the shed? Some people ripped these and, well, turns out not everyone at a pool party can actually swim. A bit crazy, I know.”

“Why can’t you? The shed was closer to where you were standing.”

“Um…” his friend trailed off, shaking his head incredulously, “I’m obviously inebriated, you know! Everything weighs a shitton of bricks right now.”

Sunghoon’s feigned scowl deepened into a real one, as he rolled his eyes and put his beer down on the ground. It was getting warm anyway and the alcohol wasn’t doing much for him, except make him miss you more. He shot Jake a look, before shouldering past him and making his way towards Jake’s shed.

It was surprisingly chilly for a summer night out, chilly enough at least that Sunghoon could feel some of the hairs on his arms raise as he stalked towards the shed. But, he welcomed the chill because his alternative was thinking about what had happened the last time he’d walked towards this shed. And once he started thinking about that, he’d start missing the feel of your lips on his, your arms around his neck, your eyes staring into his.

He cursed under his breath at his thoughts, wondering if, for even one second, he could think of something other than you.

Sunghoon immediately answered his question with a ‘no’ when he walked into the shed and he thought he smelled your signature fragrance. He would’ve recognised it anywhere (not because he was obsessed like Jake had once said, but because you’d borrowed his sweater on your date and your scent still lingered even after he’d washed it), so he was sure he wasn’t picking up someone else’s perfume or cologne, but he wouldn’t rule out him imagining your fragrance there as a result of him missing you so much.

So, he ignored the smell filling the shed and clambered around for the light switch. He’d been so sure it was by the wall, but he must’ve been more buzzed than he realised because his fingers kept grazing the air. By the time he finally felt the grooves of the light switch under his fingers and was going to turn it on, Sunghoon was so ready to grab the floaties Jake had asked for and get back to the party, or maybe even go home because–

Sunghoon froze.

He couldn’t think, speak, or do anything as the lights flickered on to reveal… well, you.

Sunghoon was going crazy.

He was so sure you were a figment of his imagination, brought about by how much he missed you, and he immediately frowned at the thought. Missing you was fine, maybe overkill when he thought about how often he thought about you, but creating images of you? That was a bit too much, even for him.

Despite his thoughts, though, Sunghoon couldn’t shake the nagging hope that maybe this was real. It didn’t help that “you”—or you–were smiling at him in a way that made his stomach flip, especially after being away from you for so long.

He felt ridiculous for even bothering, like when a horror film character asks who’s there after hearing a noise in the dark, but he cleared his throat slowly and whispered, “_____?”

You giggled softly and raised your eyebrows at what Sunghoon was sure was an incredulous look on his face. “Yes, Hoon?”

“Oh, my God,” Sunghoon started, feet still locked in place, “Oh, my God.”

You took a step closer to him and your grin only grew wider as he blinked slowly at you. Another step and he gulped slowly. Yet another and his eyes grew wide.

He put a hand up before you could take another step and close the distance between you two. “Wait, wait, wait!”

A small frown lit up your face, but you stayed where you were and slightly cocked your head.

“You’re real?” Sunghoon felt stupid asking, but he still had to check.

The feeling only doubled when your brows furrowed and you asked, “Am I real? … Hoon, is everything okay?”

He felt so warm at the familiar nickname that he could almost ignore the rest of what you said, but the growing concern on your face made him clarify himself.

“I just, I’ve had a bit to drink so I thought that my brain tricked me into thinking you were there.” Sunghoon paused at the bemusement on your face and he suddenly felt a whole lot warmer, despite the chilly air. “Actually, um, now that I say it out loud I do realise how ridiculous it sounds. Sorry.”

“Well,” you smiled at him with a sly glint in your eye, finally closing the gap between you two so your breath was fanning out on his face, “if you want to check, you always can.”

Sunghoon, being the guy he was, immediately thought of how he’d pinch himself in a shocking situation and went to do just that. It was only when you laughed at his actions, an incredulous look in your eyes, that he realised what you’d meant and blushed.

“Oh, I, I–”

“Hoon?” you asked, cutting him off and waiting until he nodded, “You’re so cute sometimes, y’know?”

“Just sometimes?” Sunghoon recovered quickly, sliding his arms around your waist and grinning slightly. He’d missed this too much. “So, what am I the other times?”

“Oh?” You raised an eyebrow. “Someone’s gotten a little bolder, hasn’t he?”

“I’d say it’s your influence. You were bound to rub off on me after sticking around me so much.”

He grinned at the way your brows shot up.

“Sticking around you? Hoon, who was the one that–”

“_____?” It was Sunghoon’s turn to cut you off and his grin grew so wide at the realisation on your face. It felt good to finally flip the tables. “You talk so much sometimes, y’know?”

You rolled your eyes, but there was a slight tug on your lips. “Wow, you’re so original. What, first you’re gonna steal my line, next you’re gonna pull some cheesy rom-com line on me and kiss me?”

“So you’re telling me you wouldn’t like it?” he asked, as one of his hands slowly travelled up your side and settled on cupping your jaw. He didn’t miss the way you sagged into his touch. Sunghoon was going to explode.

The tug on your lips grew into a full grin and you wrapped your hands around his neck. “Now, who said anything about that? C’mere, Hoon.”

He didn’t need to hear it twice. Sunghoon tilted your jaw towards him and leaned in for a soft kiss. It wasn’t intense or desperate, unlike what he’d imagined it be like after being away from you for so long, but he preferred it this way. He could savour the taste of your familiar lip balm against his lips and take his time pecking small, chaste kisses on and around your lips.

He sighed out loud and felt his cheeks flush when you pulled back to laugh. “You really missed me, huh?”

Sunghoon wasn’t sure if it was because of the little alcohol in his system or how much he’d missed you, but he gazed into your eyes and whispered, “I did. I really did.”

And, just like that, the tension was back. The obvious hesitancy. The ‘buts.’ He could feel your hold on his neck loosen slightly and he wanted nothing more than to take his words back and rewind to before he fell too deep, but it was too late. All that was left was for him to either avoid everything or finally face it, despite the worries that built up in his mind.

“_____,” he started gently, like you would run away at any second (but he knew you too well to know that you wouldn’t–he would), “we… we should talk.”

“About what?” you tried, a burst of nervous laughter escaping your lips.

You were avoiding his serious gaze, choosing instead to focus on where your hands met his neck. Sunghoon couldn’t tell much of what you were thinking, but, knowing you, he knew you were only postponing the conversation. Maybe it was because this was supposed to be a fun night for you two–after all, you’d probably sacrificed some more nights with your family to get here. Or, maybe it was because you weren’t ready to discuss it. Either way, it was as much your decision as his.

Sunghoon lowered his hands to your lower back and squeezed lightly. “I mean, we don’t have to if you don’t want to… It’d just be a good idea because soon everyone’s gonna start leaving for uni and well, we don’t even know what’s gonna happen between us then, and it’d probably be best if–”

“Hoon.” You were looking into his eyes now, your brows drawn together. “You’re shaking.”

His eyes grew wide and left your face to glance at his fingers, which were trembling around your waist. He tried laughing, shaking the nerves off, but the sound came out choked and he winced. Without a word, he gestured towards the floor of the shed and slumped against the back wall. You followed shortly after, sitting with your knees bunched up to your chest, one of your shoulders brushing against his. At your touch, Sunghoon wanted to reach out and squeeze one of your hands, but they were balled up on top of your knees, a hard look on your face. He sighed.

“You’re right, Hoon,” you started, staring ahead through the open shed door. The party was still going on outside, the music and noise muted from where you two were, but it might’ve as well not been with the way you two were wrapped up in your own bubble. A tense bubble. “We should talk… about us.”

He nodded, crossing his legs and laying his trembling hands in his lap.

Despite what you said, a short lapse of silence settled between you two and, for a moment, Sunghoon was worried this wasn’t going to go anywhere and he’d made a mistake.

But then you swivelled your head towards him and whispered, “What do you want us to be?”

What does he want you two to be? He’d thought about that question one too many times. It’d only ever hurt, thinking of so many domestic scenes and possibilities with you two when he wasn’t even sure if there could be a ‘you two.’

“What do I want us to be?” he repeated, gazing out the shed. “I want us to be together. I want… I want to keep waking up to your pictures on my phone and to go on spontaneous, little dates with you and finally go for that Waffle House date and… just be with you. I want you.”

With his last words, he slowly looked at you and already found you looking at him. There was a little smile tugging at your lips, that was both sad and happy at the same time, and you just nodded slowly.

As his gaze lingered, you cleared your throat and averted your eyes. “I want that too. Really, I do. You don’t understand how many times I’ve wondered what it’d be like if, I don’t know, we’d met a little earlier. If we could’ve gotten to know each other during high school.

“You know Jake told me you were your school’s drama club star?” You smiled slightly and Sunghoon felt a small smile pull at his lips as well. “I would’ve loved to be in the crowds, cheering you on. Or, even maybe get up on stage with you. Jake told me your school never did Romeo and Juliet, but you’d make a pretty good Juliet, don’t you think?”

Sunghoon chuckled and you did too, your shoulders brushing against each other’s for a moment, till your laughter ebbed away. You stared straight ahead again, frowning.

“And then I wondered why I kept thinking of the past. I mean, it’d just make more sense for me to hope that we could stay together, you know? But instead, I keep wishing we’d known each other longer.” You smiled again, that smile from before, but Sunghoon was sure it was only sad this time. “And I realised that I, I felt like we were running out of time. That, I don’t know, when summer ends, we end. Like the changing of weather is some type of timer.”

You whispered the last part more to yourself, but Sunghoon heard it and the self-loathing in it. You loathed yourself for the way you’d been thinking. Sunghoon couldn’t help but relate.

Crossing your arms over your chest, you looked at Sunghoon, a flicker of uncertainty in your eyes. “Do you ever feel like that? Like this is all the time we’ll ever have? Like even thinking of a future where we’re together is… I don’t know, like, wrong?”

That familiar hurt Sunghoon felt or anticipated, whenever he thought of the two of you together on campus came to mind and he nodded slowly. The ‘buts were popping up in his mind again, filling him with growing dread and he was starting to regret his decision. Maybe he shouldn’t have said anything, shouldn’t have brought it up, and let you guys live in oblivious bliss for a little longer. But, deep down, he knew that wouldn’t be true bliss. Like his grandma had said, you would only end up hurting yourselves because of your foolishness.

“But that’s not true, is it?” he started, glancing down at his hands which had started trembling again, “I don’t even know, like, what even made us think we only have the summer? Just because we met in summer? When you think of it like that, you feel ridiculous don’t you? We could literally be going to the same uni and we’re here, too anxious to even tell each other where we’re going.”

You snorted, glancing at Sunghoon out of the corner of your eye. “You’re right.” Straightening, you turned your whole body to face him. “You know considering we’re going in a few weeks, we’ve probably put more effort into not mentioning uni in our conversations because it should’ve popped up in our conversations, at least, once before.”

“Exactly. We should just tell each other. Now. Before we, we lose our nerve or something.”

You nodded and bit your lip, while Sunghoon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He felt your hand brush against his, so he opened his eyes and took your hands in his. Your hands were, surprisingly, clammy. He was going to say something about it, but, glancing at your face, he spotted the way your eyes were darting all around the room.

Instead of commenting on it, Sunghoon took another deep breath. “Ready?”

You nodded once. “Ready.”

A short silence ensued between the two of you, as neither of you said anything or even made a move to say anything. Your eyes finally landed on his and a nervous smile tugged at the edge of your lips. You were nervous, Sunghoon realised belatedly and squeezed your hand instinctively.

“On three?” he offered.

“On three.”

“One, two, three–University of Seoul.”

“Kyunghee University–wait, what the fuck?”

Sunghoon furrowed his brows at the shocked look on your face and your exclamation. He couldn’t even focus on the name of the university you’d said. All the anxieties that’d been bothering him were beginning to boil up and over at the simple lack of happiness on your face. He was almost sure he was the one with the clammy hands now and he moved to remove his hand from yours when you gripped his tightly and began to smile lightly.

“What the fuck,” you repeated, still as shocked, but with the beginnings of a grin on your face.

Sunghoon only looked at you with his brows still furrowed. He frowned slightly when you began laughing. “I’m confused.”

“I can’t believe I was so stressed about this,” you muttered, mostly to yourself, but still smiling directly at him. “Hoon, we’re so dumb. So fucking dumb.”

“I agree… I think? But, why, I–”

“What neighbourhood is the University of Seoul in?”

“_____, what? I–”

You placed a finger on his lips and shook your head. “Don’t overthink it. Just answer my question.”

He glanced between your finger on his lips and your face. “Dongdaemun-gu.”

“Dongdaemun-gu,” you repeated, your small smile growing into a full one now, “Guess where Kyunghee is?”

“Uh.” He looked away from your face, trying to picture a map of Seoul in his head, but he drew short (he’d always been bad at geography anyway). “Myeongnyun? Daehakno?”

He didn’t think it was possible, but your smile grew even wider. “Not even close. It’s in Hoegi-Dong.”

Sunghoon nodded slowly, while you just looked at him with an expectant look on your face. He shook his head sheepishly and you just rolled your eyes.

“Hoon, they’re like five minutes away from each other.” You paused to let it sink in and laughed as Sunghoon’s brows finally relaxed and his eyes widened. “This is fucking stupid. We’re so fucking stupid.”

Sunghoon could only blink dumbly at you, while you just laughed at his dumbfounded shock. Immediately, his grandma’s words returned to him and a huge sense of embarrassment washed over him as he realised he’d proven her right. But, glancing between your intertwined hands and your wide smile, he found that he didn’t mind the embarrassment if it meant he still had a space with you.

(He’d do nearly anything to have that with you, he realised.)

You broke him out of his stupor by wrapping your arms around his neck and whispering, “So, Hoon, how do you feel now knowing that we’ll be, like, five minutes away from each other?”

“Want me to be honest?” he asked, placing his hands back on your waist (where they just seemed to fit perfectly, he noticed) and grinning softly when you nodded. “I feel really fucking embarrassed. Like, for weeks I’ve just been thinking of how much I’d miss you and wondering if I should even ask you out since we might not even see each other ever again. And, in the back of my head, I knew it was dumb because, if we wanted to make it work, we could make it work for sure. But, it was hard to remember that and–”

“Hoon, hoon,” you interrupted, giggling slightly and tightening your grip on his neck, “now, you’re the one talking too much.”

Sunghoon paused, taking a second to process what was going on. You were in front of him, hands wrapped around his neck, and smiling widely like he made you the happiest person in the world. He was in front of you, hands wrapped around your waist, and still trying to wrap his head around the fact that you two would be five minutes away from each other nearly every day–the closest to a campus couple he could ever ask for. He didn’t believe in fate (the same way he hadn’t believed in perfect first kisses, but he’d seen just how well that’d worked out for him), but the more he thought about it, the more he was sure that something more than luck had landed you two in this situation.

He sighed out loud and rested his head against yours. ”God, I feel like I aged twenty years worrying about all of this. It feels a bit silly now, doesn’t it?”

“A bit is an understatement, don’t you think?” you replied, settling yourself in his lap. He froze a bit, and you moved to get up, but he shook his head and brought you closer. You smiled. “Besides, you’d probably still look good as a thirty-nine-year-old.”

“Oh, gross.” He scrunched up his nose as he moved closer to you, his hands running up and down your sides. “I don’t even want to imagine myself over thirty yet.”

“Really?” you raised a brow, arms locking around his neck and eyes flickering to his lips. “You’d be a hot DILF though.”

He snorted. “God, shut up.”

Your smile widened, a knowing glint in your eye. “Don’t make me say the cheesy rom-com line, Hoon.”

“Alright, alright,” he murmured, lips a breadth away from yours, before he kissed you.

Now, this was the desperate, intense kiss he’d been imagining earlier. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the anticipation you’d both been harbouring before or the elation at what you’d just found out, but you both pulled out the works with teeth, tongue–everything. Sunghoon couldn’t begin to describe how he felt, what you were making him feel, but all he knew was he didn’t want it to end.

And when you kissed him on his cheek, tugged on his hand, and pulled him out into the chaos of the party, smiling at him all the while like he was the only guy in the world, he knew it never would.

Epilogue – S is for Summer Fling

You two had decided on the early-morning pancake at-home date.

Evidently so, as you were in nothing but a hoodie of his and his old gym shorts (a fact that Sunghoon had known since yesterday, when you’d slept over at his after Jake’s party, but he was still struggling to grasp), he was in another one of his hoodies and sweatpants, and you were both still rubbing the sleep out of your eyes. The rich smell of butter wafted all around Sunghoon’s kitchen, accompanied by the sizzling sound of him pouring pancake batter on the greasy pan. Besides the sizzles, and the occasional yawn from you, it was a completely silent morning, as Sunghoon concentrated all his efforts into impressing you with his cooking skills.

“So does this mean you’re my boyfriend now?” you asked, breaking the silence and Sunghoon’s focus.

He blinked, glad he was facing the stove and not where you sitting behind the kitchen island, and found that he couldn’t stop blinking. Was he your boyfriend? It was like you read his mind because that’s all he’d been thinking of since the moment he woke up with you in his arms. He’d fallen asleep on many hot summer nights, but he’d never woken up as warm as he had that morning. It was a feeling he’d spent minutes basking in, tracing every one of your resting features with his eyes and wondering how he’d function as your boyfriend, waking up nearly every morning with this same warmth in his chest. It almost seemed too good to be his reality. And if he was your boyfriend, he thought, that meant you were his and–

“Hoon! The pancakes!” you yelled and Sunghoon cursed loudly.

He moved the pan off the stove and turned on the kitchen hood, but it was too late. The pancake was charred beyond recognition and, looking down at it, he wondered how he hadn’t smelt the tinging scent of the burnt pancake.

Sunghoon sighed as he chucked away the pancakes. “I’m sorry, _____, that was the last bit of pancake batter we had. If you don’t mind, I can quickly run to the store and–”

“Don’t worry about it, Hoon,” you said, cutting him off as you slid off the island seat. He couldn’t see where you were, or where you were going, so he stifled his breath a bit when you slid up beside him and thrust your phone in his face. “Besides, we can order in.”

He spared a glance at your face, preparing himself for any signs of disappointment or irritation, but you were just smiling at him with a soft look in your eyes.

His brows furrowed. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yeah, I guess,” you started, shrugging, “but I can wait a couple of minutes.”

Sunghoon bit his lip, a protest and another apology on the tip of his tongue, and furrowed his brows further. Your eyes traced his movements, and you placed two gentle fingers on the fold between his brows, smoothing them out. He didn’t say anything as you did. He just lowered his head and frowned slightly at the smoking scent reminding him of his failed attempt at breakfast. You simply grinned at the obvious frustration and disappointment on his face, a look rising in your eyes that he didn’t catch as he chewed on his lower lip.

“Hoon,” you called out softly, waiting for him to raise his head. When he did, you took a step closer to him, a coy look in your eyes. “You didn’t answer my question.”

He was about to furrow his brows again in confusion, but your words from earlier replayed in his head as your smile only grew more teasing, and Sunghoon was sure he was turning as red as the strawberries on the counter behind him.

The boy averted his gaze from you, murmuring, “Well, I was hoping to ask if I could have the honour of being your boyfriend after, you know, we had food that I’d made in our stomachs and proper clothes on our bodies, but I guess so.”

“The honour?” you repeated, raising an eyebrow and muffling a laugh. Sunghoon glared at you lightly when you let a giggle slip, at which you apologised. “Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I promise I’ll bestow you with the honour of being my boyfriend after we run to the grocery store so you can fix up some pancakes and ask me out already.”

You almost laughed again at how quickly he perked up at your words and, this time, he rolled your eyes and smiled slightly at your teasing grin.

As he grabbed his keys, held your hand, and slipped out the door, the same warmth he’d felt that morning bloomed from where your hands met to every other bit of his body. He’d never imagined this, kissing his soon-to-be something in his car before a grocery run, was where he’d find himself after he’d had his first kiss on a night that felt like years ago. He couldn’t even imagine where he’d be with you in a couple of years. All he knew was he was glad you’d ended up as more than a summer fling.

feedback & reblogs are welcome and appreciated! ♡♡

teaser | masterlist

#kflixnet #sunghoon x reader #sunghoon fluff #sunghoon imagines #sunghoon scenarios #enha fluff #enha x reader #enha imagines #enhypen #engene #enha #sunghoon x you #sunghoon x y/n #park sunghoon x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen x reader #writing tag

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valaenatargaryensdragon · 2 years ago

Note

I love your Daemon x stepdaughter series so much! Can you please write another prequel where Jace steals Daemons sword and the reader takes the blame for him which leads to Daemon spanking her.

A/N: I hope you like it! Thank you so much ❤️

pairing: Daemon Targaryen x Stepdaughter!Reader

summary: an you please write another prequel where Jace steals Daemons sword and the reader takes the blame for him which leads to Daemon spanking her.

Word count: 1,5K

Warnings: Suggestive themes, spanking, mentions of a sword, daddy kink

Masterlist 1

Masterlist 2

"You are going to get us in trouble, Jace" You hissed under your breath. Jace ignored you attempting to twirl Dark Sister but failing miserably.

"You are going to hurt yourself" You warned, barely dodging a swing of the sword that could have completely decapitated you. Jace winced taking a step away from you with the heavy sword still in hand.

"Sorry, did not mean that" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. You glared at him with your arms crossed.

"You have to put it back where you found it before Kepa finds out" Father. Jace and Luce usually called you a know it all but your mother called you their voice of reason, you always spoke them out of dumb things.

"He would not notice, believe me" Jace attempted yet again to swing the huge blade but it only earned a hiss from him when it was too heavy to pull up and forced him to roll his wrist awkwardly and and the Valyrian steel slammed down on the floor with a clang.

"You cannot even pick it so why the bother" You huffed arms hitting the side of your thighs with frustration. Jace did not have time to answer when the sound of feet approaching reached your ears, the were heavy meaning it was a male.

"It is Daemon for sure, searching for his sword surely" Your eyes widened with panic. Daemon was not cruel to you or any of your siblings but he was still much stricter than any parent you have ever had whether it was your mother and handful of fathers.

Jace dropped the blade on the floor and stepped away from it eyes just as wide. The footsteps halted for a second before resuming much faster. You gulped watching the door open to show Daemon looking almost panicked himself.

"Are you two alright?" He asked worriedly. He stepped over to you first to check you for any harm but found none then turned to look at Jace with your wrist still in his.

"Did you take Dark Sister for my courters?" Daemon wondered, cocking up an eyebrow. His purple eyes squinted with suspicion.

"I took it, I was curious" I scrambled to say, offering yourself as a lamb for slaughter. Jace and Daemon looked at you in equal shock over your revelation.

"Curious, little dragon?" Daemon tilted his head to the side. His grip around your wrist grew tighter and an evil kind of smirk grew on his face.

"I wondered how sharp Valyrian steel was" You shrugged. All the evidence pointed out that it had been you had taken it, you were in your room after all. Jace was very excited to show you the blade so he came straight over to you proud that he had stolen Dark Sister without anyone noticing.

"Is that so?" Daemon pulled you closer to him. Your eyes slammed shut and a whimper slipped through your lips when his grip grew too painful.

"Return to the yard Jace, your training is not over" Daemon ordered. Jace eyed you for a second before complying. Daemon let go of your wrist and walked over to your bed and sitting down on it as if he owned the place.

"Come here, tala" Daughter. Daemon ordered, two of his fingers beckoned you over causing a stir of emotions to explode in your stomach, emotions you have never felt before except sometimes in his presence.

"Please, kepa" Father. You knew he would never hurt you, too bad, he was still Daemon the man who had raised you since you were young.

"Come" His voice was demanding and tone harsh making you flinch. As if you were a puppet on a string you walked closer to him already feeling your tears fill your eyes.

"Kepa has to punish you so you do not do something so foolish again" Father. Daemon grabbed your arm when you were close enough and pulled you to lay on his lap. You heaved a breath when his thigh made contact with your stomach.

"Please kepa, I promise to never do it again" Father. You begged and oh how sweet it sounded to Daemon's ears, like spiced honey on a winter night leaving his body tingling with each fleck of spice, the warmth spread through his body like wildfire.

"That is not enough tala" Daughter. Daemon slowly pulled up your gown exposing your legs followed by your behind, layer after layer until he met the flesh, round and full just perfect.

"Now count and keep track otherwise we will have to start over again" He ordered. You gulped closing your eyes awaiting the first blow. You gasped as your body rocked with the first slap.

"One, kepa" Father. You cried. Daemon ran a hand over the skin to smooth it. His hand moved to the other cheek delivering a slap just as harsh as the first one earning a whimper form your lips.

"Two, kepa" Father. Your hands moved to grab at his legs fisting the fabric of his pants. The first tear trickled down your cheek at the sting.

"Have to make sure you do not let those ideas take over again" Daemon justified. His hand came down a third time followed by a fourth so fast you barely uttered the number before the second slap echoed around the room.

"Four, kepa" Father. You sobbed, body shaking with pain and surprisingly pleasure, you did not know a spanking could be so pleasurable. Every slap sent a sparkle of arousal down to your core and you feared he would notice, he will surely grow disgusted by you. Daemon however was smirking with victory at the sight of your cunt growing wet from his harsh treatment. The fifth blow he gave close to your thigh than your behind, close to your core. You moaned loudly wiggling a little.

"Five. How many more kepa?" Father. You question sounded so innocent from your lips, wet with your tears and he longed to lean down and taste your lips, the sweet nectar of the fruits he knew you ate after lunch and the salty tang of your tears.

"As many as I wish, as many as it requires to get you back in order, tala" Daughter. He responded. He raised his hand and let it come crashing down on your now bruised behind, but it was a much gentler spank not wanting to hurt you beyond what you could take.

"As many as needed for you to stop doing foolish things that could get you hurt" Daemon continued after you whimpered a 'six', it was so low he almost did not hear you. His eyes watched the flesh jiggle with the seventh clap, his handprints littered your behind, you defiantly won't be able to sit for a while.

"Seven. Please, kepa" Father. You sobbed squirming in his lap. Daemon felt pity for you but you needed to learn your lesson. His hand came down an eighth time on the flesh of your bottom. You whimpered the number before taking the fabric of his pants into your mouth. Daemon watched with a lustful glint as a tear of your arousal trickled down your thigh unknown by you.

"Come on sweet girl, just two more and I will be done teaching you" He assured. You cried when the next blow was delivered on your flesh. With the fabric still in your mouth you called the number 'nine'.

"Good girl" His palm rubbed on the reddened cheek before delivering one last span on it, an even number of five on each cheek earning a jiggle each time.

"Ten" You sighed in relief. Daemon let you slid off his lap only for you to kneel in front of him, looking up at him with your innocent eyes, still filled with tears that trickled down your red cheek. You hiccuped attempting to wipe your tears with your sleeve.

"Did you learn your lesson, tala?" Daughter. Daemon teased, his legs growing apart as his cock grew harder, he did not know how he found the strength not to force your mouth open and shoved his length inside forcing you to suck the flesh until he spilled in your mouth, to give you a real reason to cry so adorably.

"Yes Kepa" Father. You nodded your head. Daemon placed a hand on your cheek and pulled you closer to kiss your cheek, tasting the tears he longed for ever since the first tear slipped out of your eyes.

"Good girl" He stood up and left in search of Rhaenyra so she can help him with his problem down below.

That night you felt ashamed when you could not sleep, not from the pain in your behind but from the ache in between your legs. You blushed furiously when your hand trailed down there for the first time ever to touch your button, rubbing at it furiously searching for your peak that on showed when you imagined your stepfather's face, his smirk and the way he touched you, the way he called you a good girl. You were ashamed but could not help yourself.

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mybeypage · 9 months ago

Text

For entertainment purposes, I sometimes play around with an incorrect quote generator. To make it fun, the characters + quote have to be completely random / I can't shuffle names, and they have to make me laugh.

Here are some of my favorites. Hope they bring you a laugh.

Kai: Sometimes I like to call people by the wrong name to show them I don’t care about them. Ray: That’s brilliant. Kai: Thank you, Kenny.

Max: I dare you- Kenny: Kai is not allowed to accept dares anymore. Max: Why not? Kai: "I have no regard for my own or others personal safety", as some would say.

Kai: Ok so, apparently the "bad vibes" I've been feeling are actually severe psychological distress.

Max: What's worse than a heartbreak? Ray: Stepping on a cat's tail and not being able to explain that you're sorry.

Kenny: Just be yourself. Say something nice. Kai: Which one? I can't do both.

Kenny: Emily noticed only today that they can label their email inboxes, but they took apart their entire bloody laptop two weeks ago. Ray: This reminds me of the Emily who couldn’t turn on the coffee maker, but remembers about 500 digits of pi. Kenny: I’ll be delighted to inform you that this is the very same Emily.

Kenny: That sounds like a terrible plan. Ian: Oh, we've had worse.

Emily: Just trust me. Have I ever put you in an unsafe or uncomfortable situation? Kenny: All the time. Emily: Then you should be used to it by now.

Emily, to the Squad: If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands! *silence* Emily: Damn, y’all depressed as fuck... Salima : You didn’t clap either- Emily: SHUT UP!

Ray, staring at Mariah in a cage: ...Why are they in a cage? Tyson: Because they growled at me.

Ian: You’re giving me a sticker? Julia: Not just a sticker. That is a sticker of a kitty saying “me-wow!” Ian: I’m not a preschooler. Julia: Fine, I’ll take it back- Ian: I earned this, back off!

Bryan: You know you've made it when you see your picture everywhere you go. Max: Those are wanted posters!

Kai: Yesterday, I overheard Max saying “Are you sure this is a good idea?” and Spencer replying “Trust me,” and I have never moved from one room to another so quickly in my life.

Julia: I’m not being weird. Am I being weird? Tala: Yes, and that’s coming from me.

Kai: I assume you realize that this kind of idiocy will not be tolerated in this house. Ian: Is there any kind of idiocy you would be more comfortable with?

Mariam: The best part of an oreo is the cookie part, not the frosting. Deal with it. Salima : Darkness without light is an abyss. Light without darkness is blinding. You cannot have a coin with one side. Emily: YO SOCRATES! IT'S A FUCKING COOKIE!

Mariah: Here you go, Emily, a nice hot cup of coffee! Emily: It's cold. Mariah: A nice cup of coffee. Emily: It's horrible! Mariah: Cup of coffee. Emily: I'm not sure if this even IS coffee. Mariah: C U P.

Mariam: I don’t need to touch grass, I need the fall of capitalism.

Bryan: Would anyone know any good vendors for professional-quality brass knuckles? Ray: I know you’re serious, but you say the scariest shit sometimes.

Julia: Why would you give a knife to Kai?! Kenny, shrugging: Kai felt unsafe. Julia: Now I feel unsafe! Kenny: I’m sorry… Kenny: Would you like a knife?

Emily, to the squad: And remember, if I get harsh with you it is only because you’re doing it all wrong.

Julia: Bryan’s gonna kill me. Spencer: No, he'll probably make me do it.

Kai: That's it, you're grounded! Tala, no adventures for you! Mariam, no fighting for you! Ian, no stealing for you! And Bryan... oh my god, is there anything that you love? Bryan: Revenge. Kai: No vengeance for you. Bryan: I was going to say "I'll get you for this," but I guess that's off the table.

Max: You're violent. Ian: Yeah but I'm also short and that's adorable.

#beyblade #incorrect quotes

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caramel1mochi · 1 year ago

Text

ぐちゃ ! (Splat!) [Yoru x F! Reader] [4.5]

Heya!!

Guess what? I managed to write a short one between chores! I would've made it longer, but I'm terrible at hiding things and my dad would've been pissed if he found out haha

Promise when I'm 100% free, the next one won't be under 10k words!! Dare I say, pinky promise.

❤ฺ·。

Yoru x F! Reader

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 4.5 / Part 5 / Part 6

Genre: Fluff, angst

TW: Heavy mentions of anxiety. Like really really heavy haha

Words: 4.9k

Synopsis: Hapless doesn't even begin to describe you. With your life flipped upside down within the span of a day; you're left to rely on your best friend Tala to help you pick up the pieces and build the new one forced upon you. And this 'luck' seems to have caught the attention of one of her friends.

。+❤ฺ·。❤ฺ·。+❤ฺ· +❤·。❤ฺ·。+❤ฺ·

It’s been a long time since that debacle took place. And you never knew how fun it would be to spend a few hours with Omen looking up on how to make candles, but here you were, in the cafeteria, with a few dozen candles in the counter.

You’d taken a short break to shower and, in that time, you had discovered that Neon snuck in that spiked choker you saw that day at the store. But since she was gone today, you decided to wear it and save the scolding for later.

Luckily, though you haven’t seen Neon today, it started off well with you being called to Viper’s office. It seems like, after that catastrophe and everyone had their rest, the break was now officially over. And you were deemed ready to be sent off on your first mission.

Simple, just a mission where you’d be playing a passive role whilst your partner took care of most of the work.

Viper tapped on her laptop and rapidly switched to different folders. But given that you stood on the other side, the back of the device facing you, you had no idea what she was doing.

“So, I’ve singled out the best candidates for this mission, but you can only pick one.”

You nodded with a smile, and she began listing out their names.

“You can either choose Chamber, Astra, Fade, or Sova.”

She flipped the laptop and allowed you to look over their pictures. And yeah, sure, seeing their faces helped, but you still had one tiny issue.

“I don't know any of them. I don’t think I’ve even talked to them once. Can’t you pick like, Jett, or Neon?”

Viper straightened her back, arms crossed.

“This isn’t a scouting mission, those two can’t anchor the area I want them to.” She crossed her arms. “You’ve been here for almost two weeks, have you really not talked to everyone here?”

You nervously shook your head, and she flipped the laptop back towards her.

On your first mission, you hoped you’d get someone close so that you wouldn’t let your anxiety get the best of you. You wanted to explain, but the words just wouldn’t come out. Guilty couldn’t even describe how you felt. Was she feeling annoyed? Did she think you were hopeless? Maybe you should’ve strayed from your comfort zone for once and talked to everyone here! Maybe you–

“I can manage to fit in Yoru, instead. Omen told me you talked to him often. Is that true?”

Your face turned white, and you awkwardly laughed.

“Why not, uh, you know, Skye, at least? She’s probably a better candidate, and stuff.”

It just felt so awkward when he’d just healed up only a day before.

“Yoru’s the best I can do. He’s also the best when it comes to novice agents. I guarantee things will go smoothly with him.”

“Uh, what? How can you be so sure?”

“I’ve seen him with Neon. Her performance was notable around him, and it’s not just because they’re friends.” She straightened her back once more, sighing. “Look, I’ll talk to him. If he says no, I’ll see if I can squeeze Neon in.”

You almost wanted to laugh at the thought. Yoru, and best when it comes to novice agents? Please. He’s probably only reliable because he uses physical force to keep things in order.

If anyone would fulfil that role, it would definitely be Omen. you remembered how he calmed you down that day, how much more gentle he was compared to Yoru. The same guy who called you spineless and dubbed it ‘honesty’, or whatever mental gymnastics that was.

“Okay, great! I’ll go get ready, then.”

Just as you turned to the door, Viper called out and forced you to halt.

“Hold it.”

You turned and met her gaze nervously.

“Just in case things don’t go well, promise me you’ll cooperate. I tolerate enough squabbles as is, and I'm not in the mood for more. You won’t be arguing with Yoru. Is that clear?”

…

You forced a smile and nodded. With how stern her tone was, her rigid posture and those piercing green eyes, how could you not be alarmed?

“I’ll– uh, you– you have my word.”

“Do I?”

You nodded once more. And this time, it was only a tiny bit more convincing than the previous one.

“Good. Well then. Chop chop.”

You were finally allowed to leave, and this chance was immediately taken before she’d say anything else. With a loud slam, you left her office and immediately made your way down the halls towards the more familiar sections of the HQ.

And on the way, sure you intended on keeping your no-argument promise, you were also desperately hoping that he’d say no.

❤ฺ·。

With Yoru by your side, it felt like the very grim reaper decided to accompany you, despite the fact that his skin beamed like that of a newborn baby’s. Cute, admittedly, but you still had to work with someone who probably hates your guts and you didn’t know why he even said yes.

Fun.

Nevertheless, unable to go back, you were forced to exit the vehicle and make your way towards a deserted part of town. Guns in hand, you were nearly ready until you took in the sight that befell you.

Sure, it was just an alley, but the rows of buildings that towered over you on each side were stunning, especially when combined with the gentle touch of the morning sun’s rays. Built with unfathomable meticulousness, their baroque architecture rendered your mind blank for a few seconds. It felt like you were staring at a renaissance painting in real time.

Yoru immediately noticed your silence.

“What’s up with you?”

You were ripped away from your hypnotic state, anxiously cradling your Bulldog like a baby.

“Nothing, I–” you turned your gaze to the path, “just surprised.”

Though you were angry at him in every sense of the word, you couldn’t help but note the tone of that question. What the hell?

You met his gaze.

“Are you okay?”

Yoru cleared his throat and kept his eyes on the exit way in front of you.

“Tell me you read the brief.”

“I– uh, what? Duh, why wouldn’t I?”

“Great. So that means I won't have to baby you.”

You rolled your eyes and moved past an abandoned bicycle, strapped to a withered tree growing through the flooring, somehow. Surprisingly enough, Yoru took a sharp turn towards said bike.

“Wait, wait, where are we going?”

“The Radianite reserves, lady.”

He explained. And only when you followed him did you see a black gate, obscured by the tree. You held your weapon and followed him in silence in an attempt to shield your embarrassment.

The mission sounded easy enough, though. Go in, delete some files, and get out. Boom, done.

Both of you climbed up the stairs, and you were unable to voice a question that randomly popped up earlier. Were the mirrors really just them, but from another earth? It sounded so surreal, not when you haven’t even caught a glimpse–

“Locked.”

Yoru said, attempting to force the doors to one of the buildings open. You stepped up, looking around for any other entrances. Aside from windows waiting to be shot, there was naught, and Viper specifically stated that nothing be damaged unless it’s an emergency.

And the feeling that Yoru would constitute this as an emergency popped up. He’s going to punch or shoot the glass, isn’t he?

“Well, we can always just find another door.”

“Tch, what are we, delivery boys?”

Or girl scouts. He pulled back his arm.

“Yoru, wait–”

A loud contorting sound took over your ears. But instead of breaking the window, you watched his fingers somehow disappear like they were being cut off. Then, he moved his arm, and a massive rip formed in front of him, various shades of blue merging together each second that counted by. It dwarfed you in height, considering that it worked to match his.

It was as if he tore the very air to reveal… whatever that was. And to say you were baffled would be an understatement.

“Uh–”

“Stay here.”

He ordered, and slipped into the dimension, the storm of blue surrounding him like some form of ethereal being. However, amidst your shock, you noticed the opening close.

“Yoru, wait, don’t–”

With one swift motion, it sewed itself shut, and he was gone.

“...leave me here…”

You brought the bulldog close to your chest and hugged it, rapidly looking around. You were jumpy. So much so, the sounds of the very leaves touching the ground made you react, even the pebbles that were crushed under you with each step.

Where the hell did he go? The least he could’ve done was provide a demonstration for his abilities!

But then again, you just argued… Gah, that idiot. Does he ever think logically?! What if one of the mirrors already arrived and could see you out in the streets like this?

You jumped and aimed at the door once the doorknob twisted. With each second the person behind it spent fumbling with it, you backed up, doing your best to keep your aim steady. And with one more click, it swung open, revealing…

Yoru.

“How–”

“Hurry up.”

He ushered you inside, giving you only a picosecond to comprehend what the hell he just did.

You huffed and walked behind him, using the lingering glowing shards of blue that surrounded him as a guide amidst the darkness of the building. Whatever was inside, you weren’t sure, but you knew the colours were stunning.

You suddenly felt a burst of confidence, especially since he willingly came along.

"Couldn't help yourself, huh?"

And you immediately regretted saying that.

"Tch, as if. Viper forced me here because you'd freak out working with people you don't know."

"Oh… really?"

"I would've expected you to at least talk to Sova or Astra. But if I were you, I'd stay away from the Chamber and Fade."

You stared at the elevator you both neared for a moment, the metal doors glimmering in the darkness almost like a guide built especially for you.

"Why?"

"I just don't trust either of them. Unless you're into animals, Chamber's good with those, I guess."

"Isn't that Gekko's thing?"

"Gekko has asthma, genius."

He promptly pressed the button on the elevator. Surprisingly enough, it still functioned, and a green ring encircled the button alongside the distant rumbling. Against the eerie silence around you, it stood out, like a distant titan taking slow steps towards the city.

How the hell did Yoru of all people keep track of everyone’s ailments? Even you forgot he had asthma. The silent screech of the elevator doors sliding open promptly snatched your attention.

“You know, for a loner, you know a lot about everyone."

"Someone has to babysit when Sage isn't around."

You giggled, entering alongside him.

"Really? Who's the hardest to babysit?"

"All of them."

Yoru slipped out a disc from his pocket and attached it to the screen of the elevator’s keypad. With a press of the button proudly displayed on the front, it glowed and immediately began working at the elevator, moving you towards the reserves.

You weren’t sure whether or not he was just bragging or being truthful about this babysitting thing, but it was funny to imagine. Yoru completely lacked the patience Sage was endowed with. Maybe one day you’d walk in on him tossing someone to a rift.

❤ฺ·。

The moment the elevator opened, Yoru immediately walked out and marched across the massive room you weren’t given a moment to process, moving in between the stacks upon stacks of glowing cyan boxes. This sight, though normal to him, was completely arcane to you. Said boxes were the only sources of light in the area. Combined with the dust and the intimidating darkness, it was hard to tell what’s what, despite their insistence on how simple the mission is.

“A/N. That wall next to the cables,” he pointed at the far left corner of the area, “find a way to break it down without too much damage.”

You looked over at where he pointed.

It matched up with the words on the brief, there was a room on the other side that was so well-hidden it was nearly impossible to get in traditionally.

“Didn’t Viper say that there shouldn’t be any damage?”

He took out a flash drive, inserting it into the computer and turning it on. It allowed Cypher access to exactly what he wanted, and you could tell he immediately got to deleting by the command prompt that popped up.

“That was a recommendation.”

Right.

You turned and stopped in front of the wall, held out your hand and worked on only emerging a small part of your hand. Most importantly, your pinky finger, so that it doesn’t take much room. Your eyes were stuck on the ground and you watched it diligently, waiting to detect any shadow that was out of place.

And as you worked, a tiny portion of your mind wandered elsewhere.

You could see why Viper picked this mission for you. All you had to do was take away any proof that radianite exists in this area, and you’re gone. Nothing too heavy, and perfect enough for you to comprehend what was to come. Even Yoru looked bored out of his mind as he worked.

Clearly, what he was used to was so much worse. Duh. He proudly showcased his previously mangled neck to you a few days ago.

But unlike him, you felt excited. This was the perfect way to ease you into things.

The air then stopped.

With a loud bang, an invisible force smashed against a portion of the concrete wall, breaking down an entrance. It was barely wide and tall enough to fit you. Without words, you knew Yoru would give you a dirty look, wouldn’t he? But then again, you also thought he’d be savagely breaking his way in, so.

You gently twisted your hand, and more of the wall came tumbling down, large chunks of it piling on to the ground alongside the debris that scattered like scared fish. You successfully formed an ‘elegant’ entrance enough to fit either of you, but not too big to break down the roof on top of you.

Perfect.

“Hoy, I’m going in!”

You called out, earning a hum from him. And with that, you entered, taking in the more crowded area.

Boxes were scattered everywhere, and so were the cables. Blueprints, paperwork, drawers upon drawers, all of it added on to the messy look of the room. Clearly, this area carried the most confidential data. You observed the contents for a few seconds, perking up at the sight of another computer.

Bingo.

Taking out your own gadget, you plugged it in and turned it on, watching as the flash drive worked to infiltrate whatever was within. Scanning, taking in the information, isolating what was important, then swiping it. Judging by the fact it took three minutes to even get to one percent, you were sure it would take a while.

You took a step back with a sigh, setting down your weapon on the massive mouse pad and looking around.

A thump from above made you jump, and on instinct, you immediately looked up. Your vision proved to be useless, but your other senses weren’t. Your palpitations increased exponentially once another thump echoed throughout. Then, a set of noises that you could make out as footsteps.

Multiple.

“Yoru, I– uh, I think there’s people here.”

“There aren’t. They don’t have any data about this place.”

You snatched your gun and took a step back, sweat dripping down your chin.

“I don’t think it’s the mirrors– I don’t know, but there’s someone here! Don’t you hear them?”

You could barely hear a distant sigh. Then, loud contortion, and a tinge of blue that softly illuminated the ground.

Crap.

“Hide. Make sure nobody sees you. I’ll take care of it.”

“Don’t leave me again!”

The blue grew stronger, and even his voice was slightly altered as he stepped into the rift.

“Relax, you can hold out until the files are wiped.”

You couldn’t. That’s what you wanted to say. But the blue was promptly swallowed up and thus, it finalised Yoru’s journey into the other dimension.

You jumped and moved away further, your back pressing up against the wall with the Bulldog in your hand. Instead of holding it like a weapon, you resorted to hugging it for comfort. With every drop of adrenaline that filled your veins, everything Harbour taught you further dissipated. Hot flashes on your neck, your eyes darting to every section of the roof with each noise; you weren’t ready.

Nobody was supposed to be here.

You took a deep breath, muttering a few repetitive phrases in Tagalog in an attempt to reassure yourself. You’ll be fine, right? You will be. Even the brief stated that your partner will take care of everything over your head. All you have to do is wait. Besides, how couldn’t you trust Yoru? His actions spoke louder than anything else, and you knew that he’d protect–

You jumped once the elevators let out a loud ding, the doors sliding open and allowing the light to accentuate two looming silhouettes. Neither of them sported any features that reminded you of Yoru. Not their hair, not the spikes, nothing.

You’ll be fine, you thought, desperate for any hint of reassurance.

You silently moved towards a pitch black area, everything obscured by the shadows, only interrupted by a single radianite crate that sat inconspicuously right across from the computer. Then, you hid behind it.

“Look, look, there’s a hole here!”

A feminine voice called out. And just from the accent, the slight gruffness of it, you knew it was Raze. Her partner said something else, but your mind hyper focused on the nearing footsteps, your clammy hand tightly clutching your weapon.

Then, she stopped, taking a deep breath.

“Do you… Do you smell that?”

Their partner walked in, their tall silhouette growing more visible from where you hid with each step.

“Guns up.”

Your breathing hitched, and you pushed yourself further onto the wall, relying on the crate to protect you. You hadn’t noticed it, but your right hand was seeping a dangerous amount of poison.

“The computer, it’s on! Wait, let me get a closer look.”

“Raze, be careful. I’ll cover you.”

She rushed up to the computer and immediately set down her Vandal, reading what was on the screen. After almost twenty minutes, it had only gotten up to ten percent. Then she tugged on her colourful hat in irritation.

“Bah, eu não posso trabalhar com esse cheiro estúpido,” <Bah, I can't work with this stupid smell,>‎

God, you couldn’t focus.

There was this horrible stinging in your chest, and you couldn’t breathe properly no matter how much you tried. Thoughts of your incoming death warped your frame of mind, and with each passing second, you were more and more convinced that this is it.

You were going to die.

Despite the anguish, you worked to fix your posture and aim at Raze’s head, struggling to keep a steady hold with how horrible you felt. Finger on the trigger, just one push, and she’d die before you could.

“GET DOWN!”

One called out, before loud gunfire rang out from far away, coupled with a deafening string of vivid distortion. Though you pulled the trigger, Raze already had her gun in her hand and rushed across the room, unable to hear or see you from the ruckus outside.

Then, the radio cracked in your ear, wincing under the loud gunshots that whizzed by Yoru’s cheek.

“A/N, hide until the transfer’s done, I have this under control.”

You wanted to speak. You wanted to respond. You wanted to say something, anything. But you couldn’t bring yourself to move. Under the command of your primal instincts, you pushed yourself against the wall once more, staring at the ground in shock.

All you could hear were your palpitations, and your other senses were clogged up by way more than you could possibly process.

Yoru, on the other hand, was aggravated by the situation.

They ensured that the mirrors had no idea about this place’s existence. Hell, the entire reason you even came here was to take away anything that they could go off of. Yet, here they were, and he knew you couldn’t do anything. In this situation, you were useless, he thought, shoving his hand into the rift and taking out a flash.

With Sova blinded, he peeked just enough to be able to gun him down, yet remained concealed from Raze’s shots. Fatuous, they only dug through the pillar he hid behind.

They were to be killed under Brimstone’s orders.

Then, with another flash, he peeked, eyes widening once he saw her rush towards the area you were hiding in. Damn it.

Yoru stepped out, gun in hand, rapidly thinking of a way to get her out and keep you concealed. But Raze had a different idea. It didn’t matter if she was going to die, all she needed to do was stop the files from being deleted.

He stopped the moment he heard a number of familiar beeping, ones you didn’t recognise. All without exposing herself, her bright orange bomb was promptly rolled towards the computer, ticking down. Yoru’s eyes widened.

Then, the air stopped.

❤ฺ·。

The process was interrupted. But it wasn’t yours, it was the computer he had been working on, now completely destroyed. Now, they relied on knowing where your progress had stopped. It’s not like it was an easy thing to find out either, not when the entire area you were hiding in had been completely engulfed in piles upon piles of concrete.

Yoru coughed and waved the debris away, taking a few steps back to breathe properly. And there, he could see that the floor above had tumbled down on where you were.

For the first time, he panicked.

“A/N– A/N, where are you?!”

He immediately called out, tucking away his Sheriff and approaching the dilapidated section you were in. Yoru prayed that you weren’t dead. But your lack of response made that contingency highly possible.

“A/N!”

No response. No time to waste, either. He quickly got to work on getting to where he knew you were. Forced to follow the strong unpleasant scent he really wanted to get away from, he had to find you.

Yoru couldn’t find a way to get through the stacks of concrete. The idea to simply go to the floor above you and jump down popped up in his mind, but then, how would he make it back out? He couldn’t get you through the teleporter.

Then, he found a small opening around the constricted corner, immediately slipping a teleport through and allowing it to make its way inside.

He promptly tore through the rift and stepped back just in case anything would fall through. But thankfully, nothing did, and from what he could see, it was safe enough for him to step through.

And step through he did, the entrance sewing itself shut from behind as he observed the area from the other side. To his left was a pool of blood that increased by the second. He was surprised, but…

“A/N, where the hell are you?!”

He exclaimed and took out his gun, immediately looking around just in case it was Raze who made it. Stepping through the boxes, he found the computer sitting just across from him, the screen glowing a blinding shade of white. And next to it was…

You.

Curled up into a ball, hugging your knees, eyes wide open and locked on the ground.

He hid his weapon and approached you, taking a deep breath. Yoru made no attempt to hide his annoyance as he looked down on you, waiting for you to stand up at the sight of him.

“Let’s go, they’re both dead. Are the files gone?”

Then, he looked back at the screen, noticing that the percentage had jumped up to ninety percent in forty minutes. But there was naught of an answer from you. Yoru, concerned, met your gaze. But you still didn’t look back at him.

“Hey, you there?”

…

Nothing.

He moved in front of you and got on one knee. But even then, your eyes were locked on the ground, as if you didn’t acknowledge he was there. Only now did he notice that you were shaking violently, coupled with your extremely inconsistent breathing. It bordered on hyperventilation, but you’d suddenly hold your breath for way too long. No, it’s not that you didn’t acknowledge his presence, you just didn’t see him.

Yoru’s gaze softened, and so did his posture. He could feel your alarmingly high palpitations just from getting near you.

“Can you hear me?”

It took you a second to even notice what looked like a massive lump of blue in front of you, the various shades and intricate details of it too overwhelming to comprehend.

You stared at him for a few seconds, liquid dripping down your right hand. Being so close to you, the poison’s effects on him made him both dizzy and despondent, but he knew he couldn’t leave you like this.

“I– I think I’m-” you gasped, “I’m dying, I’m dying– I, I think–”

“Hey, it’s fine, they’re gone. You’re safe.”

“I’m dying, I’m dying, Yoru, I’m–” you shook your head, struggling to breathe, “I’m going to die,”

“I’m with you. It’s okay.”

It’s not like it’s anything new. Yoru saw you panic before. Multiple times. But this wasn’t you mumbling while clutching your temples like you usually did, no. This was different.

You met his gaze, taking note of his tone. You didn’t know what it was, but there was an unfamiliar air of benevolence that threatened to extinguish your panic.

“A– are we– are we going to die? Are we going to die?”

He shook his head, slow enough for you to grasp what he meant.

“No, we’re safe.”

“Are we going to die?”

“No.”

You huffed, taking in a sudden gust of air. So sudden, it felt like an ice cold knife plunged your lungs.

“I, I can’t, I can’t– my arms, I– I can’t feel the– I can’t feel my arms.”

Yoru stared at you for a few seconds. Then, your hands, the clear poison allowing it to glimmer as it dripped down to the already soaked ground. He hesitated.

“If you want, I can hold them.”

…

You nodded repetitively, even after his fingers slowly intertwined with yours. Now, with his touch, you could finally feel the hands that were attached to you, and it helped ground you back to reality. Of course, it still wasn’t enough to take the horrifying sense of doom away. That, and the terrible heaviness in your chest.

It felt like you were having a heart attack. But for some reason, you just couldn’t muster up the words to tell him what was happening, not when your mind repeated only a select few phrases and focused on death so much.

“Are we going to die?”

“No, no. We’re fine.”

You stared at him for a few seconds, before turning your gaze back to the coarse ground. It felt like your eyes were about to pop out of your skull with how wide you had your lids open.

“Take a deep breath, okay? I’ll help you.”

You nodded and met his gaze, sweat dripping down your chin. Yoru, seeing this, wasted no time. He took a deep, slow breath, and you watched him diligently, like an oncoming explosion.

“One,”

Then, Yoru exhaled slowly,

“Two. Like that. Now, follow me,”

Just as Yoru repeated the first step, you followed along, taking a deep and shaky breath, one that stopped halfway through.

“One,”

He then exhaled. But this time, your breathing was only slightly more consistent, but the panic that stabbed at you like demons made it all the more difficult to focus on him.

“Two. Again, okay?”

You nodded, tightly clutching his hand in an effort to distract yourself from the situation. Though he winced at the strength of your hold, he didn’t let it derail from what the main objective was. Not the firm embrace, not the harrowing scent that sent a painful sensation across his head.

Coupled with how close he was, the discomfort only grew.

Both of you repeated the process. And since you were incredibly focused on getting your breathing back in order, with his help, you managed to gain a small amount of your rationality back; enough to remember that you were on a mission. You remembered panicking at the sight of Raze’s bomb. And with one swipe, it all came tumbling down.

“Yoru, I–”

You turned your gaze elsewhere, dread still bleeding into your voice.

“Can we… Can we leave? I– I can’t stay here anymore.”

He stared at you for a moment. Then, the computer, noting the progress. Ninety five percent.

…

“Sure. Let’s go.”

He helped you stand up and turned to the pile of cement, already forming a plan on how to clear a way for you.

#valorant #x reader #fanfiction #yoru x reader #valorant fanfiction #yoru #female reader #yoru x f reader #yoru x female reader #valorant yoru #valorant x reader #valorant yoru x reader #valorant yoru x f reader #valorant viper

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queengiuliettafirstlady · 6 months ago

Text

A lovely date

Fandom Ikemen Prince

Pair Chevalier Michael x Tala Amouzgaar

Part of Mayday Heyday hosted by @olivermorningstar and @lorei-writes

Thank you so much for hosting such an original event I was so happy to have joined in. 🤗😊

This is my gift for the darling @m-mmiy

I really do hope you will like this work, but above all I wish is for my portrait of your OC to be faithful enough to the picture you have of her. 🤗😊

It was a nice day, spring approached fast in Rhodolite in a much more gentle way she was used to.

The birds returned from afar told tales of exotic countries' wonders chirping excitedly waking ever so softly the animals from the hibernation of the winter whose chilly breeze still lingered in the air like the snow still present on the hilltop that was slowly but constantly melting under the tepid rays of a sun getting each day warmer.

It seemed like a dream to her, familiar and strange at the same time.

The coming of season was nothing new to Tala but the sensations blooming in her heart like a rose surely were.

She shot a glance at him, the source of that feeling walking unfazed by her side.

Chevalier Michael a brutal beast for anyone but her the only man that before her heart captured her mind with his cleverness.

A genius admired and feared alike she would have never got tired of talking to.

A source of everlasting knowledge whose discussion never failed to thrill her mind.

In that instant he shot her a glance while his pale lips twitched upward in a light smile rare like the desert rose and like it breathtakingly beautiful.

A gift for her alone to admire making her heart beat faster at the sight of his sky blue eyes glimmering with happiness.

"Do you like spring ?"

His voice as cool as ever not revealing any emotion even though she could perceive the slightest hint of curiosity coloring his tone.

"I neither like nor dislike it."

"That's a peculiar answer."

"It's merely a season there is no need for me to favor it more than the others."

A shadow clouded over his features almost as he was genuinely curious to know her better but bad at communicating his desire he retorted to avoid speaking at all.

"I have to admit it's quite nice here."

Sun returned to his gorgeous features dripping over his smile.

"How so ?"

"It's less humid than in other countries I visited."

They resumed their strolling basking in each other's presence, speaking no words for there was no need to.

Suddenly something emerged from the bushes to cross their path.

Even with her expression hidden from the brown veil he could perceive her smile reaching to her amber eyes glimmering brighter than the sun as a small duck approached her.

A jolt of warmth filled his heart at the endearing sight of the girl he came to grow fond of petting the small animal humming in delight as more ducks crowded around her for a chance she didn't deny them to be caressed by her delicate fingers.

Noiselessly he accommodated himself under a tree far enough to admire her and avoid scaring away the ducks but he had just sat on the grass when a duck approached him only to pick on his leg.

He stared dumbfounded at the creature looking into his eyes with open defiance before walking confidently toward him.

His bravery was rewarded as he stretched his long fingers to caress his feathered head so tiny in comparison to him and yet brazen enough to have him fascinating hom for reasons oddly resembling her/ that girl that caught his mind and heart.

It was the first time an animal approached him willingly it was strange but not unwelcome.

The endearing sight sudden and warm like the spring rain her eyes crinkled with affection as his hand that so often were drenched in blood and calloused from holding swords were now petting such a tiny creature delicately because there was gentleness underneath them.

A fresh breeze whistled among the garden guiding the ducks back in the luscious greenery where they came from.

It was like a dream if not for the tender smile he offered her as they resumed their pleasant date.

#OCExchange2024 #ikemen prince #my writing #ikemen prince chevalier #ikepri chevalier #ikepri

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leighlew3 · 2 months ago

Note

Are you open to giving your opinion on The Girls On The Bus?

IMHO take away the swearing and the occasional s*x scene, you can tell people of the CW were involved. And so many other things that I don’t want to spoil in case not everyone has see it but I wonder how you (a professional) sees it.

Okie dokie. So.

I've had this Anon/Answer as a draft for a while. Was torn on whether to discuss it. But now that it's cancelled, I don't feel like this would be discouraging anybody from tuning in and thus harming the show or those involved in any way.

Keep in mind, I'm entitled to my opinions -- yes even without having watched it (yet?) because it's all tied into why I ultimately didn't watch it in the first place.

Early on, I remember being... wary about the creative direction of the show overall and saying to somebody what I bet each character would wind up being about/representing, what the show would likely focus on and the various dynamics between the characters, and how the representation would be treated. I'd hoped to be wrong in terms of the predictability factor, alas...

From what I read of reviews and saw in fan-posted clips, it turned out that I was (unfortunately) pretty spot on. For me personally -- that makes a show difficult to tune into if something else doesn't outweigh it. If I already know exactly what to expect and it involves less than flattering predictions regarding superficial feminism + overdone tropes and cliches + an overall concept that feels like a beat down with IRL non-stop coverage of political insanity the last 8 damn years? Thaaat's a hard one for me.

As far as cast though? Benoist is an exceptional, underrated, incredible talent. And some of the clips of her performance seemed Emmy-worthy (though sadly that didn't happen for her this time). Gugino is also fantastic, and an icon. Meanwhile Elmore is profusely enjoyable and talented and Behnam is such a break out and refreshing energy. And all together, they seemed to have amazing chemistry on screen and formed bonds IRL that are lovely.

Sadly though, the show's feminism seemed to be the equivalent of a "girl boss" tote bag. Superficial at best. Characters and the show constantly ragging on men and the double standards of men vs women, yet ultimately still centering men and the influence of men in and even over their lives when it gets down to brass tacks. My whole thing is: everything doesn't have to be a feminist statement. But don't yell about how your show is all about "girl power" and then -- do the opposite, in many ways. SGCW used to do that all the time. And since many of the same people were involved here creatively... well...

The show even hung a huge focus of its initial marketing on "omg we have a shirtless 50 year old white man that white millennial women were in love with in the early 2000s hehehe" -- which was so utterly bizarre and cringe. And having their invited influencer group for the screening be a group of privileged, mostly straight, cis, white Millennials and Gen Z women from TikTok was a red flag.

Yes, straight cis white Millennial and Gen Z women deserve to see themselves too, 100%. But, c'mon. And yes, not everything is always for everybody. And that’s fine! But then they should’ve better considered the casting and what audience they were automatically bringing in from day one. Between Benoist, Gugino and Tala — that’s built in queer wlw fandoms right off the bat that would (and tried to) show up and champion the series if they had true reason to. Instead the show had limited, and as always ancillary, queer rep that apparently goes nowhere and ends rather badly, from what other fans have indicated. Drop me a line if that's incorrect though.

Look, yes, many queer fans were making jokes and expressing valid frustrations about the lead character giving QUEER AS HELL vibes all over the place yet being presented as seemingly straight, but what else is new from some of the creatives involved here.

It was further disappointing to see TPTB do a group interview where they said how they a.) tried to figure out who should get pregnant while on the campaign trail and need the abortion pills and ultimately decided on Sadie and b.) joked that they then debated "Well, Sadie HAS to sleep with SOMEBODY." to get there. Which just means the core "love story" they attempt to create for Sadie around not liking the guy at first other than as a hookup and then suddenly expressing deep feelings for him and bearing her soul a few episodes later wasn't exactly organic nor earned in conception nor execution.

It sounds like they just had a checklist of "issues" to address and then wrote around that, shaping characters to fit the story, instead of the other way around. So what might've worked better for the characters was pushed aside to complete the 'statements' they wanted to make. SGCW used to do that also. They were always trying so hard to make the characters fit the plot rather than the plot work alongside or even due to the characters -- which is why it so often fell flat, felt empty and had characters being poorly written, contradictory, etc.

On this front btw, someone had complained to me that for one big ep, Sadie was going through it, and whereas one would think she would normally go to her mentor and friend Grace (or one of the other girls on the damn bus, hello), the ep kept 'em apart so she could open up to a guy she previously rejected and it further their relationship. Once again, it's always a tiresome tactic when you have to keep women apart to prop up a man or a male/female dynamic because you know a character would have been more likely to go have that breakdown and emotional moment elsewhere, but you've gotta forcibly shove in the "development" of a hetero relationship at the expense of so much else.

Next, having a Black woman represent a political party that has built itself upon racism, homophobia and sexism and then using her and those arcs to play up the "both sides have good people" angle right now is tough to stomach for the kind of fans who were tuning in for Benoist, Gugino and others. It's not "enlightened" to say "Let's be pals with a bigot who wants women's rights stripped away because -- humanity!" I mean, we're all human and can't just quick and easy cut people out of our lives who have different beliefs, even if those beliefs are absolutely painfully awful -- but I don't think anyone is really exploring these issue deeply and appropriately enough yet.

I mean, "Aw, Kimberlyn drove Sadie to her abortion, thus showing that even if she personally didn't agree with it, she still cares and they can still be friends." is a sweet sentiment, in theory. Until you dig a little deeper and remember that Kimberlyn is not only voting for but actively helping promote and put power in the hands of people who stripped Sadie of her rights to have that abortion in that state in the first place! Stuff like this is so irritatingly disingenuous... or else just tone deaf and clueless. Pick whichever.

I will say, in closing, that it seemed a big portion of the apparently limited audience that was tuning in -- were queer fans who followed Benoist from Supergirl, and Tala from LoT, and who love Gugino, etc. And this is where it is so damn important know your audience based on who you're casting and what fans they're bringing to the table. Most discussion of the show on Twitter for instance, had been around queer Sadie edits and even a crackship with someone from another show + fans thirsting after Sadie's queer vibes and outfits, etc -- and those fans generated more interest around the show / buzz than anybody, yet there had been no direct acknowledgment nor gratitude by anyone involved with the show for tuning in and creating fan content and edits and art and gifs and hyping a show that otherwise has very little interest. And all that told those fans is: this show isn't for you, and we don't care if you're our only audience, we were aiming for something else. And hey -- aim for whomever you want! Tell your stories! But then don't be surprised when no one cares in this climate. I mean, LGBTQ fans and creators have to deal with this constantly when trying to "appeal to mass audiences", so, welcome to our world.

Additionally, TPTB were not even hyping the canon rep they did have, in Lola, ffs! Instead, everyone just focused the occasional praise from mostly straight white journalists giving it the obscure positive review, or family and friends pushing the show out of personal support.

It was so exhausting to see, because it involved a lot of the same creatives who previously also ignored LGBTQ fans carrying other previous shows with organic marketing in the past. Ignoring what limited audience you have will never be a recipe for long-term success. And with many of the people involved coming from The CW, and many at the top actually part of the LGBTQ community themselves -- you'd think they'd get that by now. Alas.

Anyway, I think most people involved in this show meant well, and worked hard on this one. And I hear they did do a couple great things -- like with Lola's family dynamic and background exploration, some of the humorous moments, etc. And kudos on getting a show made and on air -- because now more than even that is a damn near miracle. But because it's so hard to make happen now, that's really why I tend to be a little more discerning as well as having heightened expectations that representation be as fully developed and organic and self-aware as possible, and that talent not be wasted on cliches and superficiality. Audiences and actors deserve better, IMO.

In closing, I'm sure in the future I'll break my own standards on a project, whether by accident or by order from above, and people will feel I've flopped or been hypocritical given my current and past takes, and that's fine. I'll try to hear people out, adapt and grow and/or fight harder, where needed. But to see the same people get the same opportunities to make the same kind of things that get the same disappointed reactions/flop -- and never learn? Is tiresome.

Especially when the cast, fans, etc deserve better.

The end.

#girls on the bus #gotb #imo #feminism #lgbtq

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sysig · 10 months ago

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2023 Art Purge

Original edition! Ended up having to split the doodles into two parts, I didn’t mean to end up with so many left over but oops - onto the commentary!

Remember crayon Edgar? I drew this one at the same time! Loosely based off Circus Baby but really just more of a general cutesy look - layering with colours is fun :)

Eyes, every year. Two general eyes, and two characters! Bottom left is Souichi, and bottom right is Vivian :) Vivian always gets a spare eye haha

Some concept art for a false backpack I still kinda wanna make - it’d be a prop for a game I made earlier this year, as the prize container! It’s meant to be kind of like a pop-up shop that can fold away fairly small and hold a bunch of small items safely and inconspicuously, though it wouldn’t actually work as a real backpack lol

Some Cherubsona concept art, thinking about their hair and the light rays - I considered having a single asymmetrical hair tuft, I think while I was still on the fence about having asymmetrical wings as well - I’m happy with the final design :)

And some baby angels! Based on my DQIX/AGE headcanons/actual canon lol, took a few tries to get a design I was happy with before settling on the bottom-most one with the fuzzed ears, lolling about haha. Cute!

Also thinking about “Fallen” designs, since my cherubsona is meant to be a fallen angel - or even just biblically accurate angels! Maybe they became more normal-looking after falling haha

More Charm doodles based on the Hungry idea - neither Frankenstein nor Zombies were quite what I was looking for, but they were close! Poor Charm, even if it is a Look

More eyes! Concept sketches of the Yanderapy boys :D Mitsu’s swirls and Ishida’s sleepy ♥ eye expression haha

An alternate panel of Mitsu being shy to admit his love language haha, I wanted his expression to be a little more visible but him hiding in the book is also very cute haha

Little doodle of Ishida singing Daisy Bell! He’s half-crazy all for the love of Mitsu after all

Technically these are from later in the year but I was really hoping to have the set up for a silly concept rolling - Ishida wants to play a game! The game would allow each of them to take a turn, with the goal of the game to be to sneak a gift into the other’s bag or pocket when he’s not looking. A cute and silly and fun concept to reverse pick-pocket the other and give a little treat! Totally harmless and not at all strange or weird or with any kind of underlying sinister vibes!

The punchline of course was that since they’re both yanderes that it basically turns into stalking each other, which as featured here, Mitsu is very into, who could have guess lol. The double punchline is that they’re both so aware of/obsessed with each other that they notice each other right away, but play along because it’s obvious that they’re both enjoying it haha It’s yandere enrichment! Ishida would also get a real rush from “hunting” Mitsu, as would Mitsu enjoy being “hunted” - yet more twisted love languages ♥

Random deer :) Actually one of the animals I considered for Dahlia early on but decided to scrap, because I don’t know how to draw deer lol

Also went through a couple scrapped designs for her artist friend, just to make sure I explored all my options thoroughly! I’m glad I did, but I’m happiest with the one I decided on, of course

Brief Dahlia and Tala meeting. They’re unsure of each other! Squirrels and dogs don’t have the best track record admittedly

Bit of vent :( Bar’s always good for it ♥

Bucket! :D Been a bit since I drew anyone from that cast, though I somehow made him on-model by accident lol, and of course he’s still cute! That’s the important part really

Eyesssssssss <3 <3 On the left were some quick comparisons between dot/filled-in eyes and eyes with a differentiated pupil and iris, since I’ve been defaulting to dark eyes a lot lately (it’s the Vargas influence lol); and on the right were a bunch of Cure eyes! I think at least partially studied off of some character creators? Lots of eye styles to choose from, which one suits her the best hmm. She has very sparkly eyes

And another sort-of study off a character creator haha, it’s very cute! Not very Cure, though

One of the early ideas that made me want to dig her out of storage was actually an animation idea that was maybe a liiiiiittle ambitious to go about making without her having a fixed design lol - I’ve always been a fan of magical girl transformations that completely glow-blot out the body and then they explode into frills and bows and fluff at the end haha. I would still like to come back to the idea at some point!

Ended up with a good handful of muscle studies, even after the ones I already posted - a lot of the poses ended up silly haha

And a lot of skull/face/neck studies as well, with mixed success :P

I’ll get it figured out eventually!

Sometimes it’s fun to just doodle around, shapes :) My own original human style feels so constantly in flux with the fanart I like to make and having so many non-human characters haha, probably doesn’t help that I prefer high stylism

A trio! They look kinda familiar, hmmm....

Yet more eyes lol, the first trying to figure shines. You can really see what a lack of editing does to the implied shapes pfft ♪

Always trying to figure out how to dragons! Another one I’ll have to get to Someday. There’s gotta be a trick to them >:0

Out of general studies and tests - hey I thought Just Desserts already had a sona??? And that she was like the most important and best and all that?? I got curious what my sona might be in the JD universe without being the villain haha, and I came up with a Chocolate-Chip Brioche Bun lad! :D I’ve always had something of an affinity for brioche, also somewhat inspired by Edgeworth’s cravat haha. But would Charm still exist and be wreaking havoc, or would this be the alternate universe Charm equivalent?? ‘Cause they’re definitely not “Charm”

Speaking of Charm tho! She’s holding a tooth lol - something something, candy people mining teeth? Because cavities? I dunno lol, but she’s certainly not all that much bigger than a tooth so that’s some fun scale for you :)

And finishing off with some cutesie little chibis :) I made the first as a reference for proportions, and the second to show how my holosona would look in that style haha, what a cute evil computer

#Doodles #Original #Long post #Extreme link-out edition lol #Multiple editions!#Had to be working on this one up to the last minute since y'know - still making even up to the end of the year!#Luckily this one was very well-behaved and didn't break even a little bit :) Very polite! Very appreciated haha #I have to admit I'm a little nervous about the fanart one on that front #But for now! Mostly silly sona stuff and OCs and the like :D Some concept art here and there #I'm gonna try harder in 2024 to have fewer leftovers - I like all of these! I want to show them off in their good timing!#I had fewer mixed salad greens in one post this year :0 That's on me #It's tough when I only end up with a small handful of doodles leftover to any given subject! But it's fine if some sets are smaller haha #I think the eyes will always have a spot in the end-of-year roundups tho haha #As always there'll be more 2023 doodles on the way! More than the previous years actually since I've gotten these roundups done early #Cuts both ways haha - queues still absolutely kill me |P But they do give me a cushion to work on bigger projects!#Just need the focus and energy for them lol #Anyway I'm getting ahead of myself a bit lol - there's still a whole 'nother one of these coming up sheesh lol #And I doubt that one will be as polite XP Even more reason to like this one! Haha #I'll letcha know when 2024 is ''officially'' here art-wise - I can tell you it won't be for a while haha

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citizensofeggtonarchived · 1 year ago

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@coffeehousemuses

Kit would be lost in thought as she wondered at how the meeting with Lady Tala would go with Surge and Kit sitting across from her in the limo. The fennec was thankful she agreed to come, though also felt bad as it'd most likely come down to her having to rely on the tenrec due to her having any real lack of fight ability or power, something she was all too used to. She was a bit surprised that Kit wished to join, though he only seemed interested in learning more about this world. The Queen would snap out of it feeling a pump in the rode which shook the limo ever so slightly. With her head out of her thoughts she should break the silence.

"I must thank you again for agreeing to come with me. I'm sure you have other things you'd rather be doing than having to meet another royal, even if you do get the chance to fight someone." At this point Kit felt bad she kept introducing Surge to all these different royals despite knowing how much they dislike them. "I'll make sure to make it up to you when we get back to the castle. I'm still hoping we can solve things without the need for fighting." The fennec had never been a fan of violence, often trying to defuse situations with her words.

"Though I'm sure everything will go smoothly. After all, my younger sister Twee has done a great job at keep the peace with the Wolf Clan." Of course Kit wasn't Twee nor did she have any real strength or power that would even earn her an ounce of respect from any wolf. The fennec would have to pray the respect they have for her younger sister would be enough for them to be willing to work with her.

"Oh, but here I am just rambling on and on without giving you a chance to give your opinions. It's just something I do when I get nervous so I hope I didn't bother you by my rambling. I mean, I'm sure you two have your own thoughts on the matter, yes?" Despite Kit being aware she was rambling it seemed she was having a hard time stopping showing just how nervous she was about the meeting.

#coffeehousemuses #citizensofeggton #queen kit darling #scientific sight #rp #ic #crossover #Poppy #IDW Sonic

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windupnamazu · 1 year ago

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you're the only one i wish would understand

ffxivwrite2023 #11: once bitten, twice shy used to mean that a person who has failed or been hurt when trying to do something is careful or fearful about doing it again

Rhea & Honoka. Post-Endwalker. 1240wc. ⮞ My heart is always filled with unrequited feelings for you.

Rhea clings to her luggage as she steps onto the piers of Kugane, overwhelmed by the fragrance of sea salt and the bustle of the port around her as she navigates toward the grand tower in front of her—the Shiokaze Holstery. She'd been told she couldn't possibly miss it and she really didn't; it's taller than any tree of the Twelveswood and its light pierced the thin fog out at sea. That building will be the starting point and home base of her investigation; a one-woman mission, a mysterious case in an equally mysterious land: a search for a person missing to her and her alone.

Her best friend, Honoka Naeuri.

Rhea listens solemnly as the woman at the Holstery counter gives her a flyer with the directions to the town's best inn, pre-booked for her with her sister's coin. After that, she's on her own: Ahnji (or, she supposes, Tala now, even if she's always going to be Ahnji to her,) knows little about the Far East and the people she knows who do are reluctant to give her information on her target's whereabouts. Even Honoka's own sister, infamously gentle as she is, redirected her to speak with their much irritable cousin instead, who probably would have chased her out of their family home if it wasn't for the presence of her husband.

She's in Kugane, she was told brusquely, and after being pointed in the direction of Isari was told to "get the fuck out."

Rhea presses the back of her hand to her brow to block out the sunlight as she emerges from the other side of the Holstery, eyes wide as she takes in the vista of Kugane's skyline. Was this fear and awe anything like how Honoka felt when she arrived on Eorzea's shores and then Revenant's Toll all those years ago? It's a weird feeling, being impossibly closer and further from Honoka than ever before.

Eyes skimming over the plaza before her, her heart nearly stops as they fall upon a crowd gathered by the aetheryte.

She's here.

There's an Au Ri girl on the steps of the aetheryte plaza, dressed in orange and blue in a style unlike this nation's denizens. Pitch black hair spills over her tear-shaped horns and down her back, longer than when Rhea had seen her last and dyed orange at its ends, but she's very much still Honoka and Rhea's heart starts to ache just at the sight of her. As she sings into a microphone of Garlean design it's with a low voice that makes dread and joy entwined plunge into her stomach; the last time she'd heard that voice it was to awkwardly say goodbye.

Her song is in Hingan, and not for the first time Rhea wishes she asked her sister to accompany her after all. What she would give for the Echo right now.

Before she can even consider pulling out her Eorzean Common-Hingan dictionary and starting to parse the lyrics, the song and the show is over. Most of the crowd departs, but among those who remain are four other youths gathered around Honoka, chattering all the while. There's a dainty-looking Roegadyn girl and a peppy Lalafellin woman and a towering Raen boy and a slender Midlander dressed head to toe in black, and they're completely at ease as they pack away instruments. Rhea summons what little courage she has and steps forward.

"Honoka!" she calls. Her best friend turns, surprised.

"Rhea?" Honoka doesn't look upset to see her, but she doesn't seem happy either. "What are you doing here?"

Before Rhea can explain, the slender and tanned Midlander drapes themselves over Honoka's shoulder, pressing their cheek against Honoka's horn.

"Ugh, Dallie, I'm busy," Honoka whines without any real irritation, playfully pushing her… friend…?—-Matron, she hopes this person is just her friend—away.

"Honohono," says 'Dallie' with a barking laugh and in heavily-accented Othardian Common, lifting their chin at Rhea. "Who's the chick? One of your fans?"

Honoka purses her lips, probably wishing this meeting wasn't happening. "Rhea. From Eorzea. Rhea, this is Dal."

"Rhea from Eorzea," Dal drawls, something like realization and frost in their voice. Behind them, the three others hovering by the aetheryte plaza straighten up. "The idiot who broke your heart?"

Rhea flinches.

"Dal," the Roegadyn girl in green calls, frowning prettily. "People are entitled to their own feelings."

Dal rolls their eyes. Or at least, they give off the impression that they do, with a subtle tilt of their head—they wear shades that completely obscure their whole expression, but their mouth's been twisted with a sneer since they first looked at Rhea.

"Rhea is still my friend, Dal," Honoka reminds them. But is she? Rhea never wrote to her after Honoka returned to Doma. Never even asked Kotone to forward her well wishes or begged Tala to ask for her new linkpearl number. If Rhea is still Honoka's friend she's been a piss poor one. She doesn't feel relief at Honoka's own words, only dread.

"I'm just calling it as I see it," Dal says with a shrug. "Either way, Honoka, we got that next gig in a bell, soooo…"

No, no, no. She just found her. Rhea opens her mouth to ask for just a minute alone or for her linkpearl number or to tell her she's got a room at the Bokairo Inn for the week and to please look for her or to blurt out I'm sorry you confessed to me and I rejected you in the most humiliating and hurtful way possible and I was wrong and I only realized once you went home across the world that I was actually in love with you too and I'm still in love with you even though it's been ages now and you have every right to hate me but please, please don't push me away—

"Ray," Honoka says, smiling at her almost as she did when they were those teenage girls in Mor Dhona following their big sisters around and wishing there was more they could do for them and for each other and for the world. It doesn't reach her eyes today. "It was great seeing you."

She doesn't say see you later or be well or keep in touch. Rhea knows she doesn't deserve that much, but she can't stop herself from watching Honoka's back as she disappears into the city, dawnscale tail and orange ombre hair swaying as she goes, far brighter here than she ever was trapped in Revenant's Toll.

"Hey."

She nearly shrieks when she realizes Dal is still there, though the rest of their friends have followed Honoka out of the plaza.

"Honoka still considers you her friend, for whatever reason," says the Midlander, hip cocked out in an easy confidence Rhea wishes she had an onze of. "So from one of her friends to another, that last song was something she wrote herself. Nearly wrecked herself doing it. Maybe look up its name."

"Its name?"

"Kataomoi," Dal says. They press their pointer and index fingers to their brow and swipe away. "Anyway, ja ne."

As they too disappear into the crowd, Rhea pulls out her dictionary and searches.

Kataomoi. Unrequited love.

"I fucked up," Rhea whispers to herself, alone in a foreign land with nothing but her suitcase and her damned pride all stomped on and muddied. She already knew that though. "I really, really, really fucked up."

#ffxiv #ffxivwrite #ffxivwrite2023 #oc: rhea #oc: honoka #tales from the warriors of light #but theres no wols in this one!!!!!!! yaaaaaa!!!!!!#FFXIVWRITE FILL WITH NO MENTION OF LUNYA (REAL) (NOT CLICKBAIT) (GONE WRONG) (GONE SAD)#sticking my leggy up. honokas singing voice claim is aimer #stream kataomoi 2016 #mrs irritable cousin is blackestnight's hanami <3

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imabeautifulbutterfly · 2 years ago

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The Reunion - Part 34

Summary: Tala (Phoenix) and Echo clear the air; Cora and Fives have a heart-to-heart.

A/N: Hello Lovelies,

In honour of our Bad Batch eve, please enjoy this chapter of the Reunion.

I hope everyone has enjoyed their time with their family and gotten a well deserved break after the horrendous that has been 2022. Wishing you and your families an amazing 2023.

Love oo.

Italics - flashback

Warnings: Torture, mentions of blood, bruises, threats, implied explosion, angst, fluff, kissing, fear of abandonment, fear of failing, exhaustion, mentions of pregnancy, anxiety, mistrust, I think that’s it. If I miss any please let me know.

AO3 Link | Words: 6,075 | Previous -> Next

Main Master List | The Reunion Master List

PHOENIX POV

“… tell us where the Jedi is hiding…”

Tech’s face was bruised, his upper lip had a cut, blood trickled down his chin. A black eye began forming on his left eye, he had trouble keeping it open. His goggles that usually decorated his face were on the ground, facing him, the lenses were cracked, the red light was on still recording. A pair of boots stood in front of him, as a black cape blew swinging into view. “I shall ask one last time … clone”

“He doesn’t know anything!” Jaz had an expression of pure terror as blood trickled from the side of her head, a bruise forming on her cheek. Her usually pristine outfit was now covered in dirt and blood, her sleeve was torn from being jostled here and there.

“Then …” the dark figure turned towards her shrinking form, as she was forced to kneel by two troopers standing behind her, “ … perhaps you can tell me. Where’s the Jedi?”

“She doesn’t know anything! LEAVE HER ALONE!” Tech screamed, fighting against the restraints that held him in place, he reached forward with his body hoping to get closer to her, wiggling in place when the butt of a blaster smacked the back of his head, causing him to fall forward.

“One of you will tell us what we want to know, and once we find the Jedi and any who are helping her, they will all die along with that Jedi scum. Save yourselves.” The dark boots shifted between the two, a red light illuminating each face as the boots shifted.

Tech and Jaz locked eyes, she smiled as best she could despite the pain she felt. Nodding her head slowly, mouthing three words only meant for him. His eyes filled with tears, mouthing the same words back, before he took in a deep breath, “Barycir (deploy)” a bright flash covered the area.

“Tala!” Echo’s voice reached my ears, as he shook me, “Honey, wake up” my eyes fluttered open as I looked at Echo’s concerned face. His fingers brushing my cheek, “You okay?” A small warm breeze brushed over my arms and face, there were small bright lights floating behind Echo’s head, swirling in a pattern I couldn’t quite make out. I closed my eyes shaking my head, I blinked a few more times before opening them to see Echo hovering over me.

His eyes were full of concern, “You alright?”

“Yeah” I shifted as he helped me sit up.

“What happened?”

“I’m not sure … I saw something … I …” I rubbed the back of my neck, I needed to do some research in the repository, I tried to stand but my legs weren’t working properly, they felt weak and sore, “How long was I …”

“You were out for nearly three hours. You were floating, doing your meditative floating thing that you do, when the air shifted, everything went still as your eyes opened wide, and everything floating around you suddenly dropped and you came crashing down like a rock. I thought you were concussed or something but the scanner didn’t pick up anything.”

“That’s good, at least I was still able to protect myself even while I was unconscious.”

“So… you gonna tell me what happened?”

“The force … it showed me something but I …” I shifted again, finding my footing underneath me. Echo held my arms, making sure I didn’t fall again.

“What did you see?”

I shook my head, “I can’t … it’s all muddled … ” I motioned with my hand to my head, “I need time to understand what I saw.”

Echo narrowed his eyes at me, as though he was contemplating and calculating his next words, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes, no doubt doing his best to push down his thousand swirling questions running through his head, “Okay. What do you need?”

“Our bed and a giant glass of water”

“Done and done”

Echo carried me in his arms over to our speeder, placing me gently on the seat as he climbed in behind me, his arms caging me in against him, making sure I didn’t fall off. Usually, I’d go by myself to do a meditative retreat, however, the force kept telling me to bring Echo along with me. The longer we stayed on Armandine, the greater my connection with the force grew.

With one move, he started up the speeder, and before I knew it we were already half way through the forest and would be arriving back at our base.

The cave system, that had become our home, had grown more elaborate as I learned more about the crystals that grew on Armandine and how to use them. Enlarging the sizes of the rooms, and providing every room with their own refreshers. We were able to have a fully functioning kitchen, there were even another two layers for storage. Thanks to the repository, the crystals created a hangar to store our transports; keeping our presence to a minimum.

I’m not sure at what point I fell asleep, the next thing I knew I woke up on our bed with Echo lying next to me, his arms wrapped around me, holding me close to him. His soft snores filling my ears, watching him rest, filled my heart with an overwhelming since of happiness; for the first time since we had been together it filled me with fear. Almost as though every moment I spent with him was fleeting, something I wouldn’t be able to hold on to; I’m not sure where the fear stemmed from, maybe it was the vision I had.

I closed my eyes for a brief second, trying to quell the fear that was rising in my heart, when flashes of Tech and Jaz beaten and bruised filled my mind. The vision I had before playing out in clarity.

The feeling of being confined, the anxiety rising in my veins, I needed fresh air. I shifted his arm, placing it gently against his stomach. After everything Echo had been through for me, he deserved to rest, to not have to deal with a wife who was losing her mind. I shifted out of our bed, grabbing my jacket, and headed outside.

It was hard to tell what time it was, the nights were longer on Armandine than on Coruscant or even Barab.

“What are you doing out here?”

Wrecker’s voice called down to me, I turned to see him sitting on top of the cave. There was a worried expression on his face, he seemed to be doing okay with the realization he’d be having twins, however there were times when fear gripped him completely. I wondered if this was one of those times.

“Couldn’t sleep, what are you doing here?”

“Same. Figured I’d keep watch, have too many thoughts running around” he motioned to his head.

Mere seconds passed, as I used the force to jump up to the top of the cave, shifting a little before I sat down beside him, both of us looking over the area. The sounds of the forest had started to sound like home, the rustling of the leaves against the wind helped ease the anxiety within my heart.

Silence settled between the two of us for several minutes, Wrecker was very different from his brothers. He was someone who was always optimistic, always up for a laugh, but there were moments when he was serious too. Moments when he was the more mature one out of all us, didn’t happen often but when it did, it always surprised me.

“Wanna talk about what’s got you stressed?” I glanced over my shoulder to look at him.

He looked up to the sky, taking in a deep breath, almost as though he needed every moment to get his thoughts together, he cracked his neck, taking in one more deep breath before shifting his focus to the horizon in front of us.

“Lur and I were talking about our adiik (children), when she mentioned babies needed blankets, kisses, formula, clothes, milk … I mean she went on and on. I thought for sure she was never going to stop, and it hit me …” he turned to look at me, “What do I know about babies? How am I going to be able to provide for not just her, but my kids? Can I even really take care of them? What about teaching them? It was … it’s all a bit …”

His rubbed over his scar, as he took in a shaky breath.

“Yeah, I could see how that would be overwhelming. I thought there were babies on Kamino?”

“Well, yeah!” He shouted, before covering his mouth in realization he was a bit too loud, “Yes” he replied in a softer tone, I couldn’t help chuckle at his adorableness, “However, I never took care of them. We weren’t really allowed to; only those kriffing long necks, and their medical staff were allowed to care for them.”

“Ahh … I see. You know Wrecker, what you’re going through is something very common among new parents. Not everyone knows what to do with a baby Wrecker, it’s not like you’re born with instructions on how to look after a child, but somehow you find your way.” I smirked thinking about my own experiences, “You know, back in the day when I was still a Padawan, my Master forced me to do a few shifts at the Jedi temple nursery.”

“First, there’s nurseries at the temple?”

“Well…” my smile dropped a little, “There used to be.”

“Oh … right.” He cleared his throat, “Why did he force you to look after the kids?”

“He was trying to teach me patience … long story.” I waved off the rest of that tale, “Anyway” I shook my head focusing on the hear and now, “I’d never taken care of a baby in my life, never wanted to, yet despite my objections Master Yoda said it was training I would need. Not sure why he said that at the time, but looking back at it, I’m glad I got to spend that time in the nursery.”

“What happened?”

“The healer in charge of the nursery, left me alone with ten babies, while she went off to deal with something else. Basically, at the end of my shift I was covered in pee and poo, the babies were crying, I was crying, food was spilled on the floor, the atmosphere was full of tension and chaos.”

“Wait, they didn’t give you any instructions?”

“Well, in fairness she may have tried but I was … I was adamant I could handle it, and didn’t really listen all that much to the instructions provided.”

“This is not making me feel better. You are as brilliant as Tech and Jaz, and if you struggled this hard …”

I placed my hand on his arm, hoping to calm him down with the force, “My point is, even though my first time taking care of the babies was the worst experience I ever had, it was also the best. There was nothing, I mean absolutely nothing those kids could throw at me, that I couldn’t handle the second time.

This is your first baby, Wreck, it’s different than what you’re used to and it’s absolutely normal to be freaked out. After all, you’ll be taking care of someone who is completely and utterly helpless. A baby can’t tell you if it’s tired, hungry, dirty, upset, or in pain, it has one option to draw your attention, and that is to scream. Scream at the top of their lungs until you can figure out what they need. They are defenceless. They can’t fight for themselves, can’t advocate for their rights, can’t clean up after themselves, can’t even hold their heads up. You …” I nudged his shoulder, “Are going to be their protector, their provider, their shield, and their hiding place. You’ll feed them, love them, care for them, and even if you screw up, if you shower them with love, and do your best to be there for them, they’ll know they are loved by you and that is the most important thing.

First time parents always mess up, even second time or third times mess up. What matters is that you try and show up. It’s not going to be easy, but you’re also not alone. You have Echo, Fives, Hunter, Myri, Oly, Omega, Cross, Tech, Jaz, Wolffe, Azi, Cody, Gregor, Rex, and me. You have an entire village having your back. We’ll be there to help you both.”

“Is that what happened with the babies at the nursery?”

“More or less, the healer who was in charge, told me everything I did was wrong, but she also told me what I did right, she said I never stopped caring. I constantly showed my love to those children and that made all the difference. I may have been an absolute disaster, but the kids were fed, they were clean, they were crying because they sensed my anxiety and concern.”

“But I don’t know how to do anything?”

“Your sister-in-law literally runs an archive, you don’t think she could find some parenting books for you? She probably already has every parenting book from the entire galaxy available. However, you have to find your own style, learn as much as you can, and see what works for you. Plus don’t forget, we’ll be here for you.”

I smacked the back of his shoulder, only hurting myself in the process and causing him to chuckle. I gave him a light shove with the force trying to get him to shut up, which of course made him laugh even harder.

“Thanks vod’ika” he ruffled my hair, “I always enjoy talking to you”

“Me too”

“Are you going to tell me what’s got you up so late?”

I let out an unexpectedly long sigh, “I guess.” I picked at some moss that was covering the stone, it was a few minutes before I had found the right words, I was about to open my mouth when a very familiar and noticeable presence came out of the cave and stood at the entrance listening to us.

“You gonna join us too, Echo?”

Wrecker glanced over to me, I smirked as I reached my hand out, closing my eyes and wrapping the force around Echo, lifting him slowly and carefully, until he was floating before the two of us. I opened my eyes smiling at my dear riduur, “Fancy seeing you here”

“Well imagine my shock and surprise when our bed began to get cold, when I opened my eyes, you were gone. No note. No message.”

The pain in his eyes stung me like a needle through the heart, I couldn’t quite look at him. Ever since he came back from from Skako Minor, he’d have nightmares of still being stuck in the cryotube. Having no one around him, made him think he was still there.

The anger at failing him built up inside me, as well as the pain of letting him down, “Sorry, I just needed time to clear my head. I didn’t mean to leave you alone.”

He was silent for a while, they both were, until Echo cleared his voice, and I started to sense his nervousness through the force.

“Uh sweetie, you gonna put me down?” I glanced over to him, he was looking at the ground beneath him, I winced out a sorry and shifted him till he was behind me. He adjusted himself, before sitting down behind me, his legs caging me in on either side of him. Without a second though, he wrapped his arms around me, having me lean back until I rested against his chest.

Wrecker shifted a little, before he stood in his spot, we both looked at him, my head tilting, a silent question as to where he was going.

“I … um … I need to walk the perimeter. Give you guys a chance to talk or whatever …” Wrecker motioned between us, as he rubbed the back of his neck, “Either way, I’ll be back. You guys keep each other company and don’t let me catch you doing anything I don’t want to see when I come back” he finished with a slight chuckle, I could sense his uncomfortableness through the force.

“Got it” Echo’s voice was tense as he answered his vod, his tone indicating he wasn’t in the mood for Wrecker’s jokes. He simply watched as Wrecker walked away, and turned his full attention to me, “I see you were about ready to tell Wrecker everything.”

“You can’t know that for sure”

“Really? Then you gonna tell me what you saw or is that information for anyone and everyone else but me?”

“Echo, it’s not like that”

“No?”

I wanted to answer him, and tell him his anger was unfounded, but all I could manage to do was entwine our fingers, wrapping his arms around me tighter.

“Do you remember the nightmare Tech had before they left?”

“Yeah…”

“I saw it.”

Echo stiffened as he shifted, “What do you mean you saw it?”

“In my vision, I watched as Tech and Jaz were being interrogated”

“What? Where were they? Who was interrogating them?”

“I couldn’t see, I know it was storm troopers and someone important, but all I saw were black boots and a cape. As to where they were … I’m not a 100% sure, it could’ve been Ord Mantell or it could’ve been somewhere else”

“Is this happening now?”

“No. It was further into the future. Maybe a month or two, might have been longer. I couldn’t say for sure.”

“Doesn’t sound ominous at all.” He let out an frustrated sigh, as his hand untangled itself from my own hand and rubbed his face, “Does that mean it’ll come true?”

“I don’t know. Master Yoda used to say the future is ever in motion. We don’t always see the full picture, nor what that vision really meant.”

“We need to contact them! Tell them not to stay on Ord Mantell.”

How I wished it would’ve been as simple as that, “Echo we can’t, as much as I want to, we can’t.”

“Excuse me?”

“How do we know that by telling them, we don’t enact the very future we’re trying to avoid?”

“Then let’s go there, rather than sitting around waiting for something to happen.”

“What if that triggers the vision?”

Echo let out a frustrated sigh, he shifted out of our hold, standing and pacing back and forth, “Well kriff Tala, what the hell are we supposed to do? Nothing? Just hope Tech and Jaz aren’t affected by your vision? Hope the Empire doesn’t find them?”

“What if we go there and someone else gets hurt because of our actions?” I responded standing in our spot, letting Echo pace.

“So…” Echo stopped and turned to look at me, his face quizzical, as anger bridled just behind his eyes, they bore into me with an intensity I hadn’t seen in a long time, “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. You’re telling me, you are perfectly fine letting them go through what you saw?”

“Of course not! How could you think that!”

“Well I’m wondering since all you do is shoot down every idea, while giving me no-win scenarios and you seem to be perfectly fine with that!”

“Oh! I’m sorry, am I suppose to be the one with all the answers! I missed that vow during our wedding!”

“No! I’m not saying you should, but come on Tala! You gotta give me something!”

“I’m giving you all I have! I don’t know what the vision means! I don’t know if it’s real or if it’s a possible scenario or what they’re going through right now! I don’t know! All I know is the force is trying to tell me something!”

“Great! Well that’s just great!” Echo’s anger was seeping through, something was bothering him.

“Why are you being like this?”

“Why? Why!” He asked stepping forward, “Let me think, you wake up after passing out in my arms on the way here. After, mind you, you were dropped back to the ground like some discarded piece of refuse during your mediation session, and what do I find? I wake up to an empty bed, no note, no message, it took me five minutes to calm down my anxiety, only to find you outside, perfectly calm and content, about to discuss your vision with Wrecker! Not me! Not your husband!” With each exclamation he jabbed his finger against his chest, “Wrecker!” He pointed to the horizon behind me “It seems as though you are willing to talk to anyone first, except me!”

I couldn’t believe my ears, it was the same argument again; about me not prioritizing him, about not putting him first. It wasn’t true. He was always first. I let out a sigh, and shook my head, I turned to look at the clearing before us, I needed a minute to gather my thoughts and to calm down the emotions running through my heart. I wanted to cry, to scream, to yell, but that wouldn’t have solved anything.

“Echo, do you really think I don’t care for you? That you’re not my first priority?”

Echo didn’t answer right away, the silence growing between us, as I felt a void beginning to grow as well, I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath, swallowing down the trembling that was growing, “Echo, I asked you a question, do you honestly think you’re not my first priority? That I don’t care for you?”

“I … what are you asking me?” his voice shifted it was slightly more tender; I could hear how his own emotions were trying to get the best of him.

“I’m asking, do you think I don’t care for you? That you’re not my priority?” I turned to look at him, his face looked shocked at my expression. He stepped forward, his hands cupping my cheeks, his thumbs wiping away the tears, I had unconsciously been streaming down my cheeks.

“Sometimes …”

“Echo you are always my priority. I didn’t wake you because you were so stressed with everything that happened, carrying me to bed, dealing with everything regarding me. I meant to leave you a note, but at that moment my own anxiety was getting the best of me and I just needed to breathe.”

Tears were welling up in my eyes again, I closed my eyes, chewing on my upper lip. I took in a deep breath, opening my eyes and focusing on Echo’s.

“Echo,” I motioned to myself, “I’m not a normal woman. I’m a force wielder and not just that, but an Armandite with additional powers on top of it. I am full of sadness, grief and anger that I carry around inside me every day because of the war, because of what happened to you, what happened on Ryloth.”

His face started to become blurry through the tears, “I’m angry, Echo! I’m so angry that I’m scared of what I might do, the last person I ever want to hurt is you! Don’t you get that! Being on Armandine has been …” I walked out of his hold, running my hands through my hair, “Being here with you has been amazing, but it’s also caused me to deal with everything I’ve been through. I never realized how hurt and damaged I truly was.”

I stopped in my tracks, closing my eyes, “Now that I actually have a chance to rest, not running for our lives every moment …” I took in a deep breath, “Echo every day I wake up, there is a sickening pain in my chest and no matter what I do it doesn’t go away. Not my priority?” I turned to look at him, “You are the only thing that matters to me” tears streamed down my cheeks, “I’m doing my best to stay together for you. I don’t want to be a burden for you. Yet, everything I do, every time I try to be the wife you deserve I just keep failing you.”

Echo closed the distance between us, and placed his hands on my shoulders, “I want you to be my burden. I don’t care about anything else. You are it. If you bleed, I want to bleed with you. If you’re hurt, I’ll heal you as best as I can. If you are burdened then let my shoulders carry the weight for you. I’m here Tala, I have always been here, let me be here. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I married you, from the moment I met you, I knew what I was getting. Have there been surprises? Of course, any relationship will have its ups and downs, and things we never prepared for. Yet, I knew all of that going into this with you and what I would have to deal with, and I don’t regret it. Don’t you remember our wedding vows? When I live, I live for you. If I die, I die for you. Let me live for you.”

I nodded as he wrapped his arms around me, I buried my face in the crook of his neck, as tears streamed down my face.

“I love you, Tala. Don’t push me away. You told me, I’m not allowed to push you away when I’m in pain, well you’re not allowed to either. Understand?”

“Okay” I mumbled out as best as I could; I wrapped my arms tighter around him, grounding myself in his warmth and scent.

“Let’s go to bed. Tomorrow, we can find a quiet place and you and I can sit and talk about everything. When your ready, we can tell everyone about your vision, maybe you just need to meditate more or reach out to Master Yoda.”

I didn’t have the strength, the energy, or even the emotional wherewithal to answer him back, I simply nodded. I felt his hands resting against my neck as he guided me out of my hiding place, he placed a kiss on my forehead, and on each of my eyelids. “Don’t worry, Tala; I’m here. I got you.”

- - - - - - - - - - -

FIVES POV

Lady Cora was fast asleep beside me, the soft Alderaan silk bed sheet covering her. Things had gotten a bit crazy during our last few days here. However, spending time with her had been the highlight of my time here. My finger brushed away a strand of her hair, it seemed to be tickling her nose, as she scrunched it up over and over again. I shifted from the bed and headed to the balcony, taking in theitching to go, especially Wolffe.

“I found her!”

Everyone turned to look at Wolffe as he rushed in with his datapad, Tech and I stood trying to determine what he was waving to us.

“See!” He thrusted the datapad into Tech’s hands. He spent all of two seconds trying to determine what he was looking at before his eyes went wide.

“She boarded some sort of transport” Tech responded, his voice a little distant.

“Exactly! In the middle of the chaos, she climbed aboard a transport.”

“Who’s that?” I pointed to the man holding her hand helping her climb into the ship.

“Tech that’s where I need your help” Wolffe patted Tech’s shoulder, “I need you to find out who he is.”

I let out a light huff, remembering how hard Wolffe squeezed his shoulder, the next thing we knew Tech was scrubbing every aspect of that footage along with Wolffe. Well more like Wolffe was hovering over his shoulder keeping an eye on what he was doing, he stayed that way until Tech found what he was looking for.

“Oh!”

“Oh? What ‘oh’?”

Jaz and I turned to look at Tech and Wolffe, he was practically growling as he looked at Tech’s datapad. “What are you guys looking at?” We shuffled over, the video file was paused there was smoke covering most of the view, in the midst of the smoke, there was the outline of a transportation. It hovered for a minute before it took off, but in that minute the door slid open, someone completely covered in armour leaned out, grabbed a hand and hauled another person into the transport before it headed out of the area. Tech had zoomed in on the armoured person hanging from the transport.

The armour was reminiscent of Mandalorian armour, but there was something odd about it. It almost seemed to be intentionally misleading.

“This armour is of Mandalorian design” Tech finally spoke up.

“Not just Mandalorian, though” Jaz added as she leaned over his shoulder, “That armour …” she zoomed in, “That looks like Commando armour”

We all turned to look at Jaz, “How the hell do you know that?” Wolffe narrowed his eyes at her, almost as though he was assessing a threat.

“Tech showed me all the different types of armour used during the war, during one of our dates.”

We both looked at Tech, “You showed her armour on one of your dates?” I asked not quite comprehending how that could’ve even been a date.

“She was interested in our armour” he shrugged as he examined the image again, “Not to mention, it turned into one of our more …” Tech cleared his throat, “Livelier dates. Getting back to the matter at hand, this armour is reminiscent of Omega squad, although it has been altered. However, my focus is on the transport. A modified civilian patrol transport.”

“What’s so special about a civilian patrol ship, Tech?” I leaned in, it didn’t seem all that unique to me.

“The fact it’s not a patrol ship.” Tech tapped a few buttons on his datapad and pulled up a program that scanned and examined every inch of the transport available, compiling and outlining every line and modification of the transport. “There seem to be a variety of different techniques here, all from various systems, Qiilura, Olanet, Gaftikar, Haurgab and Mandalore.”

“Those are quite random …” Jaz looked at the program, zooming in on one of the modifications, “This … this is a unique type of modification”

“That my dear” Tech smirked, “Is clone modification, a special technique we developed and passed on to other clones back on Kamino.”

“You’re saying Chagri was rescued by clones?” Wolffe’s face dropped.

Tech nodded, “That’s a good thing though”

“Good thing?” Wolffe’s patience was barely hanging on as his jaw clenched even harder, his muscle twitching, “Explain to me how her, being in the hands of clones who had their chips triggered a good thing?”

“Because I believe the clones that made these modifications weren’t affected by the chip, otherwise … why would they fly a modified transport? If they were affected they would be using the new Empire patrol transports.”

“Fives?”

I turned to look at Cora, her hair was a mess, yet it somehow enhanced her beauty even more, regardless of the fact sleep was still present in her eyes, “What are you doing up, mesh’la?”

She wrapped her arms around me as she snuggled into my side, the bedsheet that was wrapped around her warming me up as well, “I reached over and you were gone, everything okay?” She rubbed her face against my chest as I wrapped my arm around her.

“Yeah, just can’t believe we’re leaving already. Feels like I just got here yesterday.”

Silence settled between us, it was almost as though she wanted to say something, her fingers kept trailing against my side, it was a nervous tick I observed she had, we were only supposed to be here for two weeks, we had already stayed three. Rex and the guys seemed okay with the change, but they did recommend we hurry up and get to Ord Mantell as soon as possible.

“You okay?” I looked down at her, “Seems like you want to say something” she squeezed my waist, “Cora, you know you can talk to me.”

“Is there any point to say anything?”

“Never know until you do”

“Maybe it’s better if I don’t say anything; if I don’t say it, then I won’t get disappointed when I don’t get the answer I want.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to give you the answer you want”

“I know, but your path lies on a different one from me”

“Not forever, maybe once everything changes.”

Cora chuckled, “That’s a long time”

“I’m willing to wait” I held my breath, it was a confession that I hadn’t intended to make, but it was true, ever since I met Cora, things had changed for me. She helped me realize moving on from Shaak Ti didn’t mean I’d forget her or that I didn’t still love her, it just meant there was still room in my heart to love, to be devoted to one person.

“What if things become worse or … what if …”

“I don’t make it back to you?”

“It’s a thought. I know we haven’t known each other long, but there is something here, right?” Cora looked into my eyes, a smile gracing her lips, “It’s not just me, right?”

“No. Not just you. I think there’s something here too.”

She closed her eyes nodding, before resting her head against my chest again, “We have crap timing”

A chuckle escaped from my lips, “Yeah, we do” I cleared my throat, pushing down the bubble that was rising, “What should we do?”

“Why ask me?” Cora shifted one of her hands, wiping away the tears that were dampening her cheeks and my chest.

“I’ll follow your lead,” there was a look of surprise on her face, “Didn’t think that was possible?” I turned facing her, as her arms stayed wrapped around me, “Cora, you …” I smirked as I looked into her eyes, “You gave me a new perspective, a possibility I didn’t even realize could ever happen again. Therefore,” I tucked her hair behind her ear, “If you wanna wait, we can wait. You want me to walk away from you, I’ll walk away. However, painful it might be for me. I’ll follow your lead, but there is only one thing I can’t do…”

“Leave your family” she finished the sentence for me.

“I’m sorry. But I can’t leave them to face whatever might happen without me. And not just them, but my other vode are still stuck on the front lines; the Empire is using them for cannon fodder, and I can’t … I can’t walk away from them.”

“I know, Fives, and I wouldn’t ask you to, either.” She took in a deep breath, pulled away, wrapping herself in the bedsheet tighter as she began pacing the balcony. Every second the silence grew between us, my heart felt as though it was beating out of my chest.

She turned to look at me, a solemn smile graced her lips, as a look of defeat encased her eyes, “It’s late, we should probably go back to bed.” She smirked before wrapping herself even tighter in the sheet and headed towards the room, leaving me alone on the balcony.

My eyes focused once again on the peaks of Alderaan, it was too much to expect her to want me to make a life with her; it’s all great in theory but we come from separate worlds. After all she was part of a royal family, me … I came out of a container. Nothing about me is really real, not like Cora. I felt completely pathetic at that moment, I began to wonder if there was a point to me staying with her, or maybe I should just head back to my own room.

“Fives?”

I closed my eyes focusing on the sound of her voice, trying to keep it in my memory as much as possible, I glanced over my shoulder, “Yeah, I’m coming.”

“Good, I want to get as much time as possible holding you in my arms. If I have to wait, I want the memory of us to last until we meet up again.”

My mind couldn’t comprehend what I just heard, I turned to face her, “What did you say?”

“I said, I need as much time with you as possible, until we meet up again. If I’m going to wait for you, I want as many memories as possible.”

With three strides, I closed the distance between us, cupping her cheeks with my hands, kissing her with all my strength.

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theotherackerman · 1 year ago

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COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER: Any recognizable elements belong to Attack on Titan, Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, A Song of Ice and Fire

NOTES: CHECK THOSE TRIGGER WARNINGS! Reminder: Mikasa is grieving. Grief makes you do things you might not do otherwise. I hope this answers a good amount of your questions. Also a reminder that this is not a 1 to 1 on Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon. There will be major things and it does not follow the exact plot. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy all 33 google doc pages!

TRIGGER WARNING: Attempted suicide, war, vague references to trafficking, death on the page

CHAPTER TEN: THE END OF A DECADE BUT THE START OF AN AGE

Not many people thought of dragons as a comfort. Most found them to be terrifying.

The dragons were where Mikasa had received her most comfort.

Meadow had taken to following Mikasa and Kayda on their walks through the garden. The larger dragon flew overhead, keeping his watch.

When Mikasa finally felt strong enough to fly on Kayda again, Meadow had followed them into the sky.

“I have a feeling I know what Keiran’s last command was,” Levi replied one night over dinner.

Mikasa raised an eyebrow.

“Mīsagon tala,” Levi replied.”I would have given Vulcan the same command had I been in his position.”

Protect daughter or defend daughter was the likely translation.

“He should have done it himself,” Mikasa muttered under her breath.

Sasha rested a hand on Mikasa’s shoulder.

The guilt and anger had not left Mikasa.

The information her mother had given her had been useless to her.

Why did she need to know that her mother was a kinslayer?

Yui had readily sacrificed her son, her sister, and her husband.

For what?

To push the Tyburs back?

For how long?

What was to stop them from coming back?

What was she to do with the information her mother gave her?

Information that made little sense.

Her mother hadn’t spent much time with her when she was alive so why should Mikasa care about this woman? Why was she grieving someone who didn’t give enough of a fuck about her to even write her a damn letter after her mother left her here? After years of pushing Mikasa away, this was what her mother left with her. Something about songs and sacrifices. Fire and ice lashing from Mikasa’s body never to be seen again. No matter how many times Mikasa called upon it.

Useless.

Mikasa wished her mother would have left her nothing rather than riddles.

There was this sinking feeling that Yui had unleashed something inside of Mikasa. The blood, the kinslaying, that had been done in Mikasa’s name.

After pushing her food around her plate, Mikasa excused herself from the table.

Food wasn’t sitting right.

She wondered if it ever would again.

It was a few days later when Mikasa found herself alone in the library.

Something had drawn her there.

A book was open on one of the tables.

The Doom of Valyria was the title of the chapter.

A drawing of a volcano erupting took up most of the page.

Mikasa frowned as she began to read.

The Doom of Valyria was an event like no other.

First Valyria broke away from the continent, becoming its own island. Some say the blood magic harassed to allow the dragon riders to tame dragons caused this. In magic, there is give and take.

Few Houses fled from Valyrian due to most writing off a prophetic dream being nothing more than madness.

The Houses that fled from Valyrian ended up in the North of the Seven Kingdoms.

Mikasa turned the page to find out the next page of the book had been ripped out.

There were other Dragon Lord families in the North?

Who were they?

Who had ripped out the page?

Mikasa frowned as she began to flip through the book.

Blood Betrayal

Kinslaying is the worst sin a person can commit.

It derails the very law of nature and leads to grave consequences.

The Amethyst Empress was slew by her own brother, the Bloodstone Emperor. He was jealous of his sister’s crown and decided to take it instead for himself.

This ushered in the Long Night.

While this is not confirmed, one thing is known for sure.

Killing one’s own kin will lead to great and powerful magic that cannot be contained. It will mar one’s soul and should not be done for no other reason that it simply goes against nature. It is held as sacred as Guest Rights. One does not allow someone into their house only to slay them. One does not slay one’s kin.

The magic unleashed will be dark.

And magic will claim what it is owed.

Mikasa slammed the book shut, only to see the cover.

Notes IV:

Yui Azumibito

It took all of Mikasa’s power not to throw the book at the wall.

Why was she even here?

Then again, there wasn’t much she could do.

Sasha was in the forge.

Levi was in meetings with the minor houses.

Annie was helping load supplies to go to the Capitol.

When Mikasa had tried to help, she had been pushed away.

People citing her “illness” as the reason why.

Illness.

Right.

That’s what people had thought had happened to her.

“Mother, what did you do?” Mikasa asked herself as she picked the book up again. She opened the book up to a random page.

Azumbito and Ackerman families both come from old magic.

Though they are not the only ones.

The Jaeger family has strong ties to being skinchangers, specifically Wargs.

Wargs: a skinchanger who can enter the mind of a wolf or a dog.

The Jaeger family is also known to have Greenseers, experiencing prophetic dreams, also known as Greensight.

Only one in one thousand is a Skinchanger.

Only one in one thousand Skinchangers is a Greenseer.

Though it seems in recent years, the number has gone up. It is as if magic is preparing itself for a fight.

I have noticed that most descriptions of Greenseers state that they have bright green eyes.

The Ackerman family also has a history of prophetic dreams. They refer to these dreams as “dragon dreams.”

The original families in the Seven Kingdoms seemed to all have connections to some sort of skinchanging and elemental connection. I do not know what this means as magic has not been present in the Seven Kingdoms since something to do with a Stone Deceiver. Any information on this “Stone Deceiver” cannot be found.

Whatever it was has caused an unnatural balance in the Seven Kingdoms and I wonder how long this can go on until the magic fights back.

“How about you explain to me what you did instead of rambling on? None of this is helpful,” Mikasa said to no one specific as she turned the page.

Bloodmagic

Requires blood

“Oh. I would have never guessed. Bloodmagic requires blood,” Mikasa snorted before reading on.

and sacrifice.

It is considered the darkest of magic, the most powerful.

Azor Ashai plunged his sword into Nissa Nissa’s heart to create Lightbringer and end the Long Night.

The Dragonlords of Valyria used bloodmagic to bind their magic to them.

The Ackermans has a long history of using

The bottom of the page was torn.

Frustrated, Mikasa snatched the book up and stormed out of the library.

She walked straight into Levi’s office, thankfully no one else was in there beside Levi.

With all of her strength, she tossed the book at Levi’s head.

Without even looking, Levi dodged to the side.

“Why did you rip the pages out?” Mikasa demanded.

Levi looked up from his writing. “I didn’t rip any pages out. I don’t even know what you just hurled at my head besides its book.”

“It’s a book of my mother’s notes!”

Levi stood up and picked the book up from the ground. He looked at the cover before flipping through it.

“Oh. This. The pages were ripped out when I found it. I didn’t rip them out. In fact, the pages that would be helpful are the ones missing. If I had to guess, either your mother or Kenny tore them out. Now are you done throwing things?”

“No. I want to know what’s going on.”

“As would I. But apparently anyone who hasn’t had forty names days does not get to know. All I know is an ice sword was found. Tyburs may control the Others. That’s it. I know nothing else. Grisha is very tight-lipped about whatever it is and Kenny is even worse.”

“So am I just to accept the fact that I erupted into ice and fire? Will it happen again?”

“That’s what I went looking for answers for. There’s none.”

Mikasa sat down in the chair in front of Levi’s desk. “I’m tired of not knowing and just being expected to go along with whatever happens. Do you know how exhausting that is? I didn’t have a say in anything in my life. I had to stay here. I had to marry Zeke or Eren. I have to do all of these things for a woman who I don’t even know. A woman who did not care enough about me to tell me what happened to me, why it happened to me. I just have to accept it. Well, I can’t. I can’t sit here and pretend to be a princess anymore. I can’t do nothing anymore. What was I being trained for, if not to fight, to help?”

Levi sat back down in his chair. “I’m not stopping you from fighting. By all means, fly off to war. But know what choice you’re making. It isn’t easy to end someone’s life. It’s not like the tales. You’ll have to make that choice. You are entirely in charge of your life now. Kiyomi’s son has already ascended the throne. You’re not their princess anymore. So you can live with no regrets but make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons. So fly off to war if glory is what you wish. You wouldn’t be the first Ackerman to do so. But do it for the right reasons. If you want to fight for something, maybe you should look at your betrothed.”

Mikasa’s hands curled into fists. “Why? He won’t fight for me.”

Levi reached into his desk and pulled out several pieces of parchment with a wax seal of a wolf on it. “These came today. Kenny dropped these off early this morning during a supply run, they’re from Eren.” He picked them up and held them out to Mikasa. “Looks like a letter for everyday since we sent word to the capitol that you were asleep, I’d say. I was going to give them to you once I was done with this letter.”

Mikasa took the letters from Levi, holding them in her lap. Eren was the last thing she needed to think about. She was already conflicted with feelings about her family. Now she had this. She stood from her chair. “I’m going for a flight on Kayda,” she said as she walked out of the room. She needed to clear her head. There was no room for that on the ground.

—--------------

CLANG!

Sasha was the only one in the forge while others took an afternoon break.

“Is that the sword for Mikasa?” Annie asked as she walked up.

Sasha looked up before nodding. “I’m finishing it now. I want her armed with Valyrian steel. Your daggers and sword are done if you want them.”

“I’ll wait until we all have them,” Annie replied with a shrug.

“Are you worried?”

Annie shrugged again. “I’ve killed before, I know you have as well. War doesn’t scare me.”

“Do you feel like we’re being kept in the dark?”

Annie nodded, “Not by Mikasa. Not on purpose. Everyone else…..I think they still see us as children.”

Sasha nodded in agreement.

Kayda roared as she flew overhead, Mikasa on her back. Meadow flew behind them but did not echo the roar.

“I don’t know if she should be flying so soon,” Sasha remarked.

“You can be the one to tell her that then,” Annie snorted.

“You’re right. I just worry,” Sasha said as she looked to the sky.

“I do too.”

—----------

How much sleep had Hange lately?

When was the last time they slept?

Kenny poked Hange in the shoulder with the end of his pipe as they nodded off during a war update. Hange sat up straighter.

Exhaustion would end up claiming them sooner or later.

—------------------------------------------

“Stop flinching,” Connie told Armin as he stitched up his shoulder.

“Sorry,” Armin muttered.

“You should be wearing armor if no one else is,” Connie said as he began the next stitch.

“I’m not wearing plate while the rest of you are in leather.”

“We’re replaceable.”

“Not to me.”

“Keep saying shit like that, Armin, and we will start to think you’re fond of us,” Reiner snorted from the chair next to him as Bertolt was stitching up Reiner’s back.

“How bad is it?” Armin asked Bertolt.

“It’s not bad. It doesn’t even hurt that bad,” Reiner answered as he chewed on willow bark.

“He’ll live. He shouldn’t see the front lines for a bit,” Bertolt reported. “Neither should Colt.”

“Where is Colt anyway?” Connie asked.

“Passed out in Zeke’s room.”

“We’ll put Colt on night duty to guard Eren. Reiner can guard Zeke. I’m sure Hange will agree,” Armin ordered.

“You’re not taking me off the frontline, Armin,” Reiner hissed.

“You’re lower rank than me, Reiner. I make the calls. I need less dead. Marco, Marcel, Hannah, Ruth, and Thomas.”

“Fine, but I’m not going to be happy about it,” Reiner asked as he pulled his tunic back on.

Armin snorted, “wouldn’t expect anything less.”

—---------------

After dinner, Mikasa had retired to her room, the letters still in the pocket of her dress.

She sat on her bed and pulled them out.

Taking a deep breath, she popped the seal on the first letter.

Mikasa,

I have heard you have fallen ill.

I hope you feel better soon.

-E

Well, that was kind.

She sat it to the side before opening the next letter.

Mikasa,

I hear that in addition to you being sick that you have lost your parents and brother. I offer my most sincere condolences. I cannot imagine what it is like to lose your entire family. Well, I suppose not your entire family. You still have Levi, Kenny, and Kuchel. I suppose soon you’ll have me. If you even want me. I’m sorry for how I’ve been. In my head, pushing you away was easier. Now the capitol is being attacked because of me. Not exactly because of me, I suppose. But things got worse with the Fritz Loyalists once I was crowned. My father will never admit it but I know it’s true. They didn’t care that he had a bastard, they cared that the bastard could be on the throne. Zeke has no interest in having children so I’m most likely to be heir. I don’t want that crown.

That’s the first time I’ve said…well written that.

This is me apologizing for the way I’ve acted towards you. I’m not very good with words. But I did it to protect you from my world.

I’m sorry.

-E

Mikasa sat the letter to the side before opening the next one.

Mikasa,

What was that last letter?

I’m glad I didn’t send it.

I hear you’re sick, they say.

You haven’t woken.

I’m worried.

-E

Mikasa shook her head. He was worried? He could just apologize and think everything was right between them?

He was just like her parents.

Never thinking of her feelings. He was only apologizing because he felt guilty. Not because he realized he had done something wrong. He didn’t care about that apparently. He only cared about his feelings.

She didn’t bother to open the others. She took them and shoved them into her bedside table.

There was so much anger in her right now.

Her parents, Eren, whoever had ripped the pages out of her mother’s book, they all made choices for her. They all wanted what they thought was best but never cared about Mikasa’s feelings.

It was all about them.

She wanted to scream, break things.

She was just so angry.

Fuck them.

Fuck them all.

Her hands tingled.

Looking down, Mikasa saw flames dancing across her knuckles. She frowned and blinked.

The flames were gone.

Had they even been there?

No.

She must just be tired.

—————

The sound of Kayda chewing on a deer was not one Mikasa liked. She looked over at the dragon who was eating the burnt animal.

Shaking her head, Mikasa returned to her mother’s journal.

Sadly, it was things Mikasa already knew.

More tales of the Long Night from other cultures.

Tales of an Ice Dragon who befriended a girl, a story Mikasa had heard from Kuchel many times when Mikasa was younger.

Turning the page, there were only three phrases.

The dragon must have three heads.

The promised heir.

A Song of Ice and Fire.

“Lovely more riddles,” Mikasa muttered as she leaned back against the bench.

Kayda looked up from her deer.

“Don’t suppose you know what the dragon must have three heads, the promised heir, and a song of ice and fire mean, do you?”

The dragon blinked and then went back to eating.

A roar echoed overhead.

The ground shook as Meadow joined them in the garden. He too had gone hunting. If Mikasa had to guess, that was a chard bull from a local farm that the dragon had in his talons.

“Levi is going to have to pay for that,” Mikasa told the dragon as she turned the page.

Meadow made eye contact with her, smoke coming out of his nose.

Mikasa laughed before returning to reading.

Skagos Sygerrik

Stone Deceiver

Rock Liar

Stone Liar

Rock Deceiver

None of this makes sense.

Location?

Spell?

Curse?

Person?

Mikasa looked up, sensing a pair of eyes on her. She looked around, trying to see if there was anyone.

She appeared completely alone besides the dragons.

Kayda lifted her head, also examining the area.

Meadow let out a low growl.

Mikasa closed her book.

Strange feelings were something not to be ignored so Mikasa made the choice to walked back to the castle.

—--------

It had taken some getting used to having a warm body next to Jean all night. It had been going on for almost a fortnight now.

He knew he needed to talk to her, figure out exactly what that meant.

Bells were tolling.

“Fuck,” he heard Pieck muttered. “Get up. We’re being called.”

Jean rolled over to see Pieck pulling on her tunic and pants.

“Get up!” She said as she pulled him to his feet.

His pants were being shoved at him.

“So we’re not going to talk about this then?” he asked as he pulled on his pants.

“War bells, Jean boy. War bells.”

“Fuck,” Jean muttered as he dashed over to his room.

She was right.

—-------------

It was the middle of the night.

They were being attacked in the middle of the night.

The bells pulled Eren from his bed.

“Get back in there,” Colt had hissed at Eren when poked his head out into the hallway.

“What’s going on?”

“If I knew, I’d tell you.”

Eren narrowed his eyes.

No, Colt wouldn’t.

Eren went back into his room, sitting back down on his bed.

Midnight didn’t make a sound. He just sat on his perch, watching, observing.

Fenrir sat on the bed next to Eren on full alert.

Eren would be safe.

—-------------

Seaflames echoed a roar before releasing her flames.

At this rate, Grisha was going to be King of Ashes.

But what choice did he have?

Dina and Carla were getting as many servants into the underground tunnels as possible while Kuchel and Kenny rode their dragons into battle.

The rebels were not in the castle but Grisha wasn’t going to give them that chance. He pulled his sword from his belt and charged into battle with Valkyrja at his side.

He would not sit while others defended his kingdom a moment longer.

They would survive the night, even if he had to kill every person out there himself.

—---------

Smoke was drifting up from the ground and into Mikasa’s bedroom window.

“We’ve been attacked,” Levi announced as he came billowing into Mikasa’s bedroom, already dressed in his leather armor.. “They’ve set fire to several of the minor houses.”

“What do you need from me?” Mikasa asked as she got out of bed.

“Be on standby. Vulcan and I should be able to take care of this. If things get bad, I’ll need you and Kayda. You remember the command?” he asked as he double checked his sword.

Mikasa nodded.

“Good. I’ll return. Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” he warned her before he left the room.

Mikasa dressed in her leathers quickly. Sasha and Annie came charging into her room, dressed in their armor.

“What do you need from us?” Annie asked.

“Guard the castle. Keep the servants safe. Sasha, take to the tower. You’ll have a better vantage point from there,” Mikasa commanded as she shoved her daggers into the sheaths on her legs. She fastened her sword inside its scabbard to run along her spine.

“I’ll finish your sword soon,”Sasha noted.

“It’s fine. I’ll be on Kayda. I doubt I’ll need it much anyway. Stay safe,” Mikasa ordered as she left her bedroom.

All three women went their separate ways.

Vulcan could be heard letting out a roar as he fled towards the fire.

The courtyard was chaotic, everyone running which way.

The knights barking out orders.

No one paid any attention as Mikasa ran towards Kayda.

She wondered if Meadow would follow her into battle. She had not tried to command the male dragon, though the thought crossed her mind.

Stopping to figure out where exactly Kayda was, a cold metal blade was against her throat.

“There you are. If you scream, I will kill you. But before I kill you, I will do horrible things to you,” a voice whispered into her ear.

Not thinking, Mikasa ran an elbow into her assailant’s stomach.

The man caught off guard, stumbled.

“I told you the bitch knew how to fight!” another man called out.

She saw there were at least ten men surrounding her.

Pulling her sword from her back, Mikasa stood up straight.

“We can always send her back to the prince in pieces,” the man chuckled.

They were all dressed in royal armor and helmets.

She had heard armor had been stolen from the capitol. This was that armor.

Charging at the one in front of her, Mikasa swiped her sword, knocking that man to the ground. She threw her elbow into the one who rushed at her from the right side. But the one on her left, she missed.

Tumbling to the ground, Mikasa lost hold on her sword. One of the men tried to climb on top of her but Mikasa was faster with the dagger. She ran along where the metal armor spilt above his breeches, cutting his stomach open.

She pushed the body off of her as two men grabbed both of her arms.

She trashed to try and get rid of their hold.

“Skoriot?” the raspy voice echoed in her head just as it had the night she erupted. Where? It asked.

She couldn’t answer as two hands jerked her shoulders. She let out a scream. She kicked but two men grabbed her legs.

“We’ve got her,” the man who had put the knife to her throat replied. He leaned down, running a finger down her face. “Scarred but still pretty. We’ll ransom you to that bastard prince and then we’ll sell you to someone else. You know how much a girl like you goes for? Or maybe I’ll just send you back in pieces.”

The men laughed as Mikasa thrashed again.

“No one’s going to save you,” the man laughed. “Bind her hands and feet. Then we’ll get her out of here. Don’t touch her. No one is to touch here.

The ground shook.

Kayda came charging into the area. Immediately, the dragon grabbed one of the men who held Mikasa’s leg down by his head. Shaking the body, Kayda removed the man’s head from his body.

Mikasa used her other leg to kick the other man who held her other leg. The men holding her shoulders, let go of her and tried to get away.

A dark shadow flew in front of the moon, blocking it.

The green dragon landed, stopping the men from running.

Meadow let out a roar as Kadya circled around to the back of the men.

Mikasa sat on the ground, watching as the two dragons trapped the men.

Meadow looked over Kadya’s shoulder to Mikasa.

Knowing what had to be done, Mikasa said the one word she had hoped she would never have to use in this way.

“Dracarys,” she ordered.

Kayda and Meadow let out a stream of fire while the men screamed in pain.

Mikasa didn’t cower or cover her ears.

She just sat there until it was over.

Once the men were deceased, the two dragons prowled over to her.

Kayda nudged Mikasa with her head, getting under Mikasa’s shoulder, trying to get Mikasa to her feets.

Meadow watched, snorted smoke. Then he blocked her view of the bodies before he also started nudging her.

“Alright. I’ll get to my feet,” Mikasa replied as she stood up.

This was not a conversation she wanted to have with Levi.

—--------

Somehow Eren had drifted off to sleep again and drifted into a dream.

Flying through the sky to reach Mikasa.

The command of dragonfire.

Then Eren was being shaken awake.

Sunlight filtered in from the outside. It was early morning.

“Mikasa was attacked in the North,” Colt reported.

“What?” Eren asked as he threw the covers off. “Is she well? Is she hurt? Should I go there?” In a flurry, Eren began pulling his tunic and breeches on.

“She’s fine. Well, as fine as one can be. I don’t know much. I don’t think I’m supposed to know anything to be fair. Lord Ackerman spoke of it as he was going down the hall. He flew from The North to speak with the King,” Colt informed him. “But she is alive.”

“What’s happening here?”

“The King is speaking to Kuchel. They are discussing what’s to be done. The rebels are in the courtyard. I got moved in here with you to keep you safe. I’m to move you when I receive the command from Armin.”

Eren nodded. Midnight flew down and landed on his shoulder while Fenrir stayed asleep on the bed.

—-------------------------

“I will not be king of ashes, Kuchel!” Grisha roared as he stood from his chair.

Zeke sat in his chair, drinking whatever awful wine that his father kept was. Levi leaned up against the wall while Kenny sat in the chair in front of Grisha’s desk.

“They attacked my House, Grisha! I demand justice. I demand justice in blood,” Kuchel growled as she prowled forward and knocked the chair she had been sitting in over.

“And I demand my people be safe!” Grisha screamed.

“Do it,” Carla said from her seat on one side of Grisha.

Everyone in the room looked towards her.

“What?” Dina asked.

“Do it. Kuchel, go out there and burn every rebel you find. That’s an order from the Queen,” Carla said as she stood.

“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” Grisha asked her.

“Being a Queen. I am tired of watching our son’s friends die. Now Mikasa has been attacked? Because of what? We weren’t married before Eren was born? I’m tired, Grisha.”

“So we just kill anyone who doesn’t agree with us!” Grisha threw his hands up.

“You did it first,” Dina challenged.

“No, I did it because they took you,” Grish said as he turned towards his other wife sitting in a chair.

“And after you won, you got rid of those who didn’t support you. What is the point, Grisha? What do we win? I think he is right. We take our people, we go North. We go home. Let them have the damn capitol. The North can stand on its own.”

Grisha shook his head.

“Is that throne worth it? Is it? Because there are more important things going on. We would be safe in the North. Or we were. Until this happened.”

“They were in your armor. That’s how they got through. No one questioned them,” Levi reported.

“I won’t run. That’s final,” Grisha stated.

“Then you are a fool,” Dina said as she stood.

“They tried to kill Mikasa!” Levi pushed off of the wall and watched towards Grisha. “My heir. Your son’s betrothed. The only reason the Ten Kingdoms will not break their trade and support is because of her. The dragons burnt the attackers. They died screaming. I don’t feel a bit sorry for them.”

“It’s gone too far, Grisha,” Kenny reported.

“I think you’re forgetting your place,” Grisha stood straighter.

Zeke ripped the crown off of his father’s head and tossed it across the room.

Everyone fell still.

Grisha started at Zeke.

“Eren doesn’t want the throne. I do not want the throne. I do not care about some fucking chair made from dragon fire and swords. They’ve attacked the North. The North. No one has been stupid enough to do that. They’re getting bold. And now we will all suffer because you let your pride take control,” Zeke stared at his father down.

“There is more going on than you could ever understand,” Grisha replied.

“You could try explaining it to me instead of keeping me in the dark! I’m your heir and half the time, you act like I do not exist. I never wanted this! I never wanted to be a prince, to be paraded around to different women for a political alliance. I told you Eren should have married Mikasa once we were in the North. I told you neither of us had any desire to take the throne. But you did not listen. You never listen! You know I envy Levi because a dead father is better than one who is a king. I don’t have a father, I have that fucking crown.” Zeke stormed out of the room, slamming the down behind him.

The wall shook.

No one moved.

No one said anything.

Time passed slowly as everyone was frozen in time.

“Kuchel, do what you need to,” Dina spoke.

Kuchel nodded before she left the room.

“I’ll go check on our son,” Dina dismissed herself from the room.

Carla looked at Grisha before following Dina out.

“I’ll go out to the front lines. I’ll help Hange. See if there’s anyone with information that they want me to extract,” Levi left the room without another word.

Kenny looked at Grisha.

Grisha looked at Kenny.

“Why did you put me on this fucking throne?” Grisha asked as he collapsed into the chair, rubbing his temples.

“I wasn’t going to take the fucking thing. You can’t continue to be soft of these people,” Kenny said as he pulled his pipe out of his pocket.

“So I am to be a king of ashes.”

“I’m not saying go burn the whole capitol to a crisp. I’m not talking about the elderly, the children, or the innocent. I’m talking about those who continue to try and kill us. I know you want to give them mercy but you’ve given enough. Now it’s affecting my house, my family. I can’t allow that, Grisha. You know that. They could have done a lot worse to Mikasa. They almost did.”

Grisha sat forward, ran his hands through his hair. “I know.”

“No one said the crown was a light thing to wear.”

Grisha nodded. “Do what you need to.”

Kenny nodded before leaving.

—-----------------------------

Eren ended up falling back asleep again.

He was somewhere in black abyss.

“Dohaerās,” a raspy voice called.

“Dohaerās,” the same voice repeated.

“Dohaerās.” It echoed again.

“Dohaerās.” And Again.

“Dohaerās.” And again

“Dohaerās.” and again.

“Zaldrīzes rȳbus, lo mērī udrirzi Valyrio eglio ȳdrassua,” the voice said.

“Dohaerās.”

Then Eren was shaken awake again.

“You speak Valyrian?” Zeke asked him as he stood over him.

“What?” Eren asked as he sat up.

“Valyrian. You were speaking it. What were you dreaming about?” Zeke asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“I….I don’t remember. What was I saying?” Eren ran a hand through his hair.

“Something with a D. The only Valyrian word I know is dracarys because that’s what the Ackermans shout before the dragon’s release their fire. It wasn’t that.”

“What are you doing in my room anyway? I thought father was keeping us separate.”

“Nice to see you too, little brother. We’re safe for now. Kuchel, Kenny, and Levi are out there.”

“Is Mikasa here?”

Zeke shook his head. “She’s very….she was attacked.”

“I know. Colt overheard Levi and came to tell me. I have fallen asleep twice since then. I haven’t been sleeping well. Even when I do sleep, it doesn’t feel like I’ve rested.”

“They’re dead. Her attackers. Kayda and her father’s dragon took care of them.”

“That’s good. Because I would have killed them myself.”

“I don’t doubt that. I’m thinking…I’m thinking of asking father to send us North. We take our friends. I just…I don’t want to be here anymore. I can do more in the North. Hell, I’ll guard Mikasa myself.”

“I don’t know if she’ll want to see me.” Eren looked down.

It was his own doing. He knew that. Even if she did get his letters, there was no guaranteeing that she would forgive him.

“She will. Maybe you should do something for her.”

“I wrote her letters.”

“But did you really do that for her or for yourself?”

“Fine, what should I do then?”

“I don’t know,” Zeke shrugged.

“A lot of help you are.”

“Though I do know of someone we could ask,” Zeke grinned.

—-----------------

The dragons were taking care of the capitol.

Pieck was exhausted.

She had a new wound on her shoulder that Jean was stitching up when Zeke bursted into her room.

Zeke gave her a knowing look.

“You might knock,” Pieck scoffed. “I’ve got my tits out and your brother is redder than a rooster.”

Eren was looking at the floor avoiding eye contact.

“I’m almost done,” Jean said as he stabbed the needle through her flesh.

“And how much have you had to drink?” Zeke asked.

“Not that much,” Pieck muttered as she looked down.

“She’s good at getting stitches,” Jean replied.

“Should I be here? I feel like I shouldn’t be here. Being betrothed and all,” Eren said as he turned his back facing Pieck.

“Pieck doesn’t count. She’s practically family,” Zeke said. “I have a question for you.”

“Yes, I’ve been sleeping with Jean. Well, sometimes sleeping,” Pieck answered with a shrug.

“Stop moving,” Jean commented.

“What?” Eren asked as he still faced the door.

“Not the first question I was going to ask but….” Zeke trailed off.

“Fine. What is it?” Pieck asked.

“What can Eren do to make up for what he’s done to Mikasa?”

“Oh I am the wrong person to ask for that.”

“Why? You're a woman. You know things.”

“Glad you noticed!”

“You know what I mean.”

“And what I mean is every girl is different. What would be meaningful to me, might not be meaningful to Mikasa. If you truly want to make things up to her, do something for her. Something from your heart.”

“I’m done,” Jean said as he cut the thread from the needle.

Pieck pulled her tunic on. “It’s safe to look, Eren. I’m all covered now.”

Eren turned around. “I don’t know what to do. Zeke gave me the same advice. I…”

“Learn Valyrian,” Jean said as he put the needle on Pieck’s bedside table.

“What?”

“Valyrian. Mikasa speaks Valyrian. Her whole family does. Surprise her. Learn a few phrases. It’s what I would do.”

Eren narrowed his eyes at Jean. “Do you speak Valyrian?”

Jean scoffed before answering, “kessa.”

“I don’t know what it means.”

“It means yes but not a lot. I only know what little basics I picked up from Hange. I know yes, no, hello, and goodbye. I was hoping to impress the Princess with them. I don’t need to anymore.”

“So I’m taking your shitty idea?”

“I’m just trying to help you. If you don’t want it, fine. But that’s what I would do.”

“I don’t know what to do!”

“Well figure it out!”

“What my brother means is that is a wonderful idea and he’ll keep that in mind,” Zeke said as he steered Eren towards the door. “You and I will talk later,” he smirked at Pieck as the princes exited the room.

“He’s going to be insufferable now,” Pieck groaned as she sat down on her bed.

“Why?” Jean asked as he sat down next to her.

“Because he’s been saying I have feelings for you.”

“Do you care that he knows?”

Pieck shrugged, “not anymore. I…I….we could die tomorrow. I don’t want to live with regrets.”

Jean nodded. “So you want me to go then?”

“I thought you were supposed to be smart. No, I’m telling you, I don’t regret this. I don’t know what we’re doing. If it’s courting or something else, but I like being around you. Have you have my back. When Marcel died….” Pieck closed her eyes.

Jean pulled her to him. “I know.”

“And you lost Marco…”

Jean closed his eyes.

“And I don’t know who will be next. I don’t want to lose anyone else.”

Jean nodded as he just held her.

——————

The dragon egg mocked Mikasa.

The damn thing had never hatched.

It had been inside of Meadow’s saddle that he finally allowed Mikasa to take off.

So now the egg sat on her bedside table.

She had been told her brother had carried it with him everywhere.

Yet on that night, she had not seen him with it.

“Why didn’t you hatch?” She asked the egg like it would answer.

The egg remained still and unmoving.

Useless.

Like everything else her parents had sent her.

—————

“Send the boys to the North. We’ll compromise,” Kenny said as he released a puff of smoke.

“My wives talked you into asking me that,” Grisha noted.

“They didn’t say anything to me. I’m saying what makes sense. We send your boys to the North. Levi can watch them from above when they make the trip. They get to the North where they’ll be safe. That way if things go to shit here and you do decide to run, I only have three wolves and three people to worry about instead of five people and five wolves.”

“And what will my people think?”

“They’ll think you’re helping to support your son’s future marriage. He’s getting to know his future wife, his brother is his chaperon. You were sent to stay with us for a time.”

“I remember. If I do, I want all their friends sent with them. A full guard detail.”

Kenny nodded, “most of them are Northerns anyway. Do you think your wives will agree?”

Grisha considered it for a moment. “I think they’ll see it for what it truly is. No matter what we tell anyone else.”

“Kuchel and I will remain here for as long as we need to, you know.”

Grisha nodded.

—----------------------

Screams came from the dungeon.

“Who sent you?” Hange asked the man chained to the board in the dungeon.

“I’ll never tell you,” the man replied before he spat blood onto the floor.

“I see your interrogation is going well,” Levi said as he leaned in the doorway.

“His name is Duran. That’s all I’ve got from him. Thank you for procuring him for me,” Hange said as they picked up the knife.

“You should thank Vulcan. He grabbed him. How did those talons feel?” Levi asked as he entered the room.

“Fuck you,” Duran spat blood in Hange’s face.

Levi stormed in and grabbed Duran by the throat. “I say we just give him to Vulcan to eat.”

Hange grabbed a rag and wiped the blood from their face. “Hear that Duran? We’ll feed you to the dragons.”

“I don’t care. No matter what you do to me, the real ruler of the Seven Kingdoms will come and sit on the throne. House Fritz will be restored to its former glory.”

“Dragon?” Levi asked again as his grip tightened on Duran’s neck.

Hange nodded.

—---------------------

Seeing Vulcan up close, Hange controlled themself.

The dragon was massive, not quite as massive as Seaflames. Only slightly smaller than Blaze but he was a beast.

The dragon nipped at passers by who paid him too much attention. Hange had heard the dragon liked to bite.

The dragon’s eyes locked on Hange who was unabashedly staring at him.

“You're a beautiful dragon, aren’t you?” Hange spoke.

Vulcan’s chest puffed up.

“You keep talking to him like that it’ll go to his head,” Levi muttered as he waved the dragon closer.

“He can’t understand me. Zaldrīzes rȳbus, lo mērī udrirzi Valyrio eglio ȳdrassua.”

Levi scoffed, “yes. A dragon only listens when you speak in Valyrian meaning he only listens to commands in Valyrian. It doesn’t mean he only understands Valyrian. Trust me, that dragon understands Common just fine.”

“Where does his name come from?” Hange asked as the dragon stood in front of them.

“An old, old language that no longer exists. We only have some remnants in our books from Valyria. Vulcan was a god of fire.”

“And Kayda?”

“A less common language in the Ten Kingdoms. It means little dragon. Erwin mentioned you were interested in dragons,” Levi adjusted Vulcan’s saddle.

“I’m interested in anything to do with magic. I find it fanasting. The whole kingdom was built on magic. Then suddenly it was gone. No one who lives now understands how and why. Yet the Ackerman family still has their ties to their dragons, the Jaegers to their wolves. The rest of us are left without any magic at all.”

“If I told you something in confidence, would you have to tell the King?” Levi asked as he began to walk towards the dragon pit.

Hange cocked their head to the side before following him. “Would it put the King in harm’s way?”

“Not at all.”

“Would this be something you’d normally ask Erwin about?”

Levi nodded.

“Then you could ask me.”

Levi nodded as he continued to walk towards the Dragon Pit.

Hange tried to rack their mind for what Levi could possibly want to ask them about. Clearly, it was related to magic. Did Levi know more about magic than he let on? Possibly. Then again, if he needed to ask Erwin or Hange about it, then maybe he didn’t.

Perhaps Levi was just as clueless about certain things as Hange was. No amount of research had brought Hange any closer to knowing why magic was suddenly gone.

Once inside the dragonpit, Levi turned and faced Hange.

“I tell you this in confidence because you were Erwin’s…..I feel as if there is no one else I can ask this too. My cousin, Mikasa, erupted with such power, magic power I’ve never seen. There were flames, ice. They just shot out of her body. She didn’t burn. Then she was….asleep for weeks. I didn’t know if she was ever going to wake again.”

Magic.

Mikasa had magic.

It wasn’t dead.

There was some way Mikasa had been able to generate magic.

“Well, say something,” Levi commanded.

“I’m sorry. I’m a bit….the fire isn’t surprising. But ice? I’ve never heard of an Ackerman with ice magic,” Hange said as they put their hand on their chin.

“Why is fire not surprising?” Levi asked as he crossed his arms across his chest.

“Well, the Ackermans in the past were known for their blood and fire magic. I assumed you knew that. The only time I’ve heard of fire and ice together is the song of ice and fire. Or in other words, The Long Night. The heir to save us all will defeat the Others. Perhaps, the heir who saves us not only has power of fire but also ice. There’s an interesting thought….”

Levi looked over to Vulcan while Hange continued to ramble about the Others.

—---------------------------------

BA-DUM

Was it drums or Mikasa’s own heartbeat?

She couldn’t sleep.

She saw those who had attacked her.

She saw her mother killing her aunt, her brother.

Over and over.

BA-DUM

Nightmares.

Over and over.

When would it end?

Did her mother not realize how much her actions would hurt Mikasa? How much guilt Mikasa would carry around?

And those men?

Why had they attacked her?

Simply because she had been engaged to Eren.

BA-DUM

She was to blame for her soon to be husband’s birth now it seemed.

Now she slept in a tunic and breeches because she feared the men would come back.

Annie and Sasha had wanted to spend time with her today.

Wanted to sleep in this bed, keep her company.

She had pushed them all away.

Ordered them to stay away.

They could not deny an order from her.

Instead, Mikasa spent time with the dragons and reading.

She spent time allowing the anger inside her to grow and grow and grow.

Until she was nothing but anger.

BA-DUM

The egg was mocking her.

A reminder that her brother could never be a dragon.

He had been given such a small, easy task.

Be there and let your egg hatch.

But the egg did not hatch because her brother was not a dragon.

Her brother was a peacock, preening for their aunt’s approval, their mother and father’s attention.

He was the perfect heir.

Seen.

Not heard.

He was a child and somehow, he still was a better heir than Mikasa.

Of course he was! He was raised there! He was wanted.

Their parents had just left her here.

There was no part of Mikasa beside her mother’s blood that made her a member of the Ten Kingdoms.

She was too wild, too strong.

BA-DUM

Snatching the dragon egg from the bedside table, Mikasa went out into the night.

Kayda was waiting for her by the backdoor.

Mikasa didn’t think about how the dragon knew exactly where she was, where she was coming.

BA-DUM

Rage was building in Mikasa’s veins.

Fire.

She could feel it burning.

Meadow had found them.

Flanking either side of her, Mikasa and the two dragons made their way to where Mikasa had first erupted with power.

The dragon egg glowed.

BA-DUM

Placing the dragon egg on the scorch marks, Mikasa looked at Kayda and Meadow.

She would destroy the last link to her parents, her aunt, her brother.

Mikasa sat down next to the egg.

The egg glowed brighter as Mikasa felt the flames licking at her hands.

Fire danced around her knuckles.

She was the problem.

She was the reason that the fire had been set, displacing so many.

Some part of her knew that she was the cause of her parents death.

“Dracarys,”Mikasa told the dragons.

Neither did anything.

“DRACARYS!” She screamed but the dragons did not respond.

“DRACARYS!” She yelled again.

But the dragons did not obey her.

The flames on her body grew. In addition to dancing on the knuckles of her hands, flames danced around her bare feet, slowly making their way up to her ankles.

“DRACARYS!”

Her throat was getting sore.

Sobs escaped her body.

BA-DUM

Falling to her side, Mikasa continued to sob.

Why?

Why was she the way she was?

How?

How was she supposed to continue on this way?

The dragon egg continued to glow.

BA-DUM

Reaching out, Mikasa grabbed the egg. She curled her body around it.

Flames still danced on her hands.

It wouldn’t harm the egg.

She knew that much.

BA-DUM

So she lay then and sobbed.

Flames danced along her hands and feet.

BA-DUM

CRACK!

SNAP!

CREEK!

The flames on her hands and feet died.

Mikasa felt drained but her eyes snapped to the egg in her arms.

The egg.

It was hatching.

Mikasa watched as the egg continued to break as she sat it down.

Emerging from the egg, the baby dragon let out a screech.

“Se zaldrīzes ēdruta emagon hāre bartos,” the raspy voice said.

The dragon must have three heads.

#wmmtb #my writing #mine

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