#this was quite difficult to write but i'm glad i did
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lichenes · 7 hours ago
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Lockjaw
Someone requested Silco x brothel worker!reader (AND I WILL WRITE IT, KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED.) but. I raise you one better. Silco in love with a brothel worker, NOT reciprocated HAHAHAHAAAAAA. I'm going fucking insane. I'm going crazy. The smut is also here... ig... I did a shit ton of research cuz my seasoned writer best friend said it was difficult to get right. Any feedback is appreciated!! CW: reader has a pseudonym (Lulu), porn with plot (AND ANGST HAHAHAHA), SW!reader, eating out (reader receiving), piv briefly mentioned, wear protection kids, fleabag reference - i couldn't help myself. wc: 639 .  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚ .  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚
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Dark drapes. Burgundy carpets. Gold candleholders. You could smell the incense all around you. The cool, night air calmly was circulating and mixing with the warm feeling spreading in your chest. The room was overflowing with prestige and cachet. 
Silco was between your legs as you stared at his beautiful, bicolored eyes. You were toying with his locks as he greedily pleasured you. He couldn’t take his own eyes off of you. He was mesmerised by your squirming body, by your quiet moans and by the way you were just- almost there. 
He detached himself from you, denying you pleasure once more. You whined at the sudden loss but were eager to get even more from him and tonight, he wanted to give you it all. He hurriedly unbuckled his belt and slid his pants down his legs putting the garment neatly on the chair behind him. 
“Hi Lulu!” Said Juliette entering the break room where you were spending your last moments alone for the night. “Hi Julie, how you doin’?” She was in a good mood. “I’m doing okay! I got a massive tip from this one guy, and-” She trailed off saying how glad she was to not have taken a sick day today. You didn’t quite listen. “Lulu? I asked you a question.” You came back to your senses and answered the trivial question she presented you with. 
“So, how long are you staying?” You began answering but she interrupted you. “Oh!” She hit herself lightly on the forehead. “Silco’s coming today right? It’s Wednesday after all.” You nodded. “Looks like you’ve got quite a night in front of you.”
Your thoughts were interrupted by him getting close to your face. He was breathing heavily, yet a certain intimateness was flowing from him today. As he kissed you, you could taste yourself on his tongue. Slight hints of expensive cigars were also there, the taste was intoxicating. 
With his lips still on your own ones, he pushed you back onto the bed and caged you in his arms. He kissed a trail down your neck and chest before he put his hands on your thighs and spread them wider- right to his liking. He pulled back for a second. “You look divine.” 
He entered you with a slight resistance and let you accommodate his size before he started moving. With each encounter he was becoming more gentle. You never mentioned it, you never even noticed it up until now. You were fearing the- worst. 
Your legs were bent at the knees, you were trembling a bit from the intrusion. You were propped up by your elbow watching him enter and exit you. You reminisced about the first time he ever showed up here. Quickly you were pulled away from your thoughts by him burying himself to the hilt. 
“Lulu you were requested.” 
“Lu- oh, Lulu.” Moaned the most powerful man in all of Zaun. 
“I’ve been watching you for quite some time.” 
He emptied himself into the rubber and stayed inside you for a moment more, relishing in the closeness. Closeness he was to lose soon enough.
The break room was empty. “I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you.” The silence was filled with his confession. “Clients aren’t supposed to be here.” You said, dressed only in a warm robe, keeping you from getting goosebumps. He leaned against the doorframe, his eyes becoming dark, darker than any substance ever synthesised, soulless and- subdued.
He hung his head and turned his back to you, his coat in hand as he professed. “What’s keeping you here?” You didn’t answer. “Lulu.” He pleaded. “It’ll pass.” You answered. 
He walked onto the street, rain falling freely from the sky. His messed up hair was becoming wet. “I don't think it will.” He said to no one in particular.
.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚ .  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚.  *    ✦ .  ⁺   .⁺    ˚ masterlist
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queenofterrasen418 · 6 months ago
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Cruel Fates (Part 2)
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Pairing: Azriel x f!Reader, little Eris x f!Reader
Summary: Azriel is your mate but only you know it. You are very aware that he has eyes for someone else and thus you decide not to hide it forever. After all, what could go wrong right?
Warnings: Angst (I don't think I can ever stop myself from writing angst.)
Based on this ask.
4.1K words
Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4
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You found yourself aimlessly wandering along the banks of Sidra after storming out on Rhys. The ambient noise enveloped you—the rhythmic splashes of the river against rocks, the bustling chatter of the market, birds chirping in the background. Everything felt mundane, yet strangely comforting. Ignoring your problems wasn’t a solution, as Rhys had pointed out, but it was undeniably easier than facing or even acknowledging them. Nevertheless, you had resigned yourself to the current state of affairs.
Using distraction as your shield, you returned home burdened with bags filled with new books, clothes, and other unnecessary items. As you entered the elegant two-story building you called home, a sense of familiarity and solace washed over you. This palace had become a sanctuary, a reflection of your own essence.
Closing the door behind you with a soft thud, you were greeted by the familiar scent of citrus and jasmine. Setting down the bags, you kicked off your shoes. The silence of the house stood in stark contrast to the lively atmosphere of the market. Just as thoughts of Azriel slipped from your mind, your senses sharpened, recognizing the subtle hum of shadows.
"Ah, the shadow singer. Ever heard of knocking or privacy?" you quipped, though you didn’t need to turn to know it was him.
"I'm a spymaster; it's not in my nature," he replied with his customary soft smile.
Refusing to let your gaze linger on him for too long, you busied yourself by fetching a glass of water.
"How can I assist you, Azriel?" you inquired as you filled the glass in the kitchen beyond the hall where he stood. You still felt a distance from him, not quite comfortable enough to address him as Az like your sisters, Feyre or Elain, did.
"Can't I simply enjoy your company?" he teased, his voice gentle.
Turning away, you closed your eyes for a moment, mentally reminding yourself to compartmentalize. "He's just being polite," you repeated to yourself, trying to drown out the nagging voice in your head that reminded you of Elain's constant talk about him. "He treats Elain the same."
You scoffed, hoping it didn’t come across as too rude. "Yeah, sure. Now, what brings you here?"
"We're expecting Eris to arrive in a few hours, around sunset. Rhys wanted me to ask if you've changed your mind."
Ah, you had forgotten about the impending meeting with the prince. You sighed. "And Rhys couldn’t ask me himself because?" It was a rhetorical question, but Azriel seemed unaware.
"He mentioned that you two had a disagreement, and he wasn’t sure if you'd be open to talking."
"Of course, I'll talk to him. I’m not a child," you replied, your brows furrowing. "And yes, I still intend to attend that meeting."
Azriel nodded, his expression unreadable as always. "Good to know. In that case, he asked me to inform you that you’ll have to deal with this meeting on your own, there are some crises with an Illyrian camp that he had to attend to, and he is running late.”
“Oh,” A part of you was glad that Rhys let you handle this, “It’ll just be me then?”
The spymaster shook his head, “Of course not, I’ll accompany you.”
You nodded as you were unsure of the right response, “Is there anything else I should know before I meet Eris?”
Azriel paused and started slowly, “My shadows tell me he wishes to overthrow his father. But it’s difficult to know what’s the truth.”
“Ahh, that’s why Rhys put me on this.”  you realized as Azriel nodded in response.
You wondered why Rhys requested you accompany him to a meeting with Eris. The powers you got from the cauldron were unique. Your ability ranges from slowing a person's pulse to snatching the air from their lungs as long as the target must be in your line of sight. You can command human organs and regulate emotions by releasing certain chemicals in the body. This allows you to induce suffocation by removing air from someone's lungs, controlling blood flow, causing heart attacks, dictating heart rhythm, and slowing healing. Aside from being extremely valuable in a battle, you can also act as a living lie detector, by monitoring a person’s physiological response.
“Alright, I’ll be there, is there anything else?” 
Azriel looked like he was about to say something before he muttered a no.
“You know better than to lie to me, what is it?”
He signed before he finally asked, “I knew that you and Rhys got close in a short time but I didn’t realise you were close enough that he trusted you to handle a meeting alone. That too with Eris.”
“Honestly, I didn't know either.” you said, “Rhys and I connected so quickly that it felt like I had known him for years, he is the older brother I never had. I am glad that he trusts me to handle this.”
You noticed a strange emotion flash in his eyes for a quick second before he gave a soft smile “I am happy for him, I am glad he found a friend in you, y/n. Cassian and I may be his brothers but he still doesn't confide in us completely, he is too afraid to burden us. Feyre and you are good for him.”
You returned his smile, “We all need someone to lean on.” 
“Well, Is there anything you need assistance with before then?", he asked.
You shook your head, dismissing any further conversation. "No, I'll manage. Thank you, Azriel."
He lingered for a moment, as if debating whether to say something else, but ultimately turned to leave without another word.
As the door clicked shut behind him, you couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. It wasn’t directed at Azriel, but rather at yourself for the walls you had built, preventing anyone from getting too close. Yet, at the same time, you couldn’t bear the thought of letting those walls crumble, leaving you vulnerable to the possibility of rejection. Aside from that, even if he did feel the same way, how long will it last? That too with your newly immortal lifespan? You have witnessed true love fall apart in a short time in the human lands. How would it not end in anything but pain in the life of an immortal? If there was one thing you knew for sure, it was that to love, is to destroy. Not telling Azriel was the best option for yourself, you were not going to invite pain to your doorstep.
With a heavy heart, you retreated to your room. You knew that sooner or later, Azriel would find out but for now, you allowed yourself the temporary respite of distraction. 
Later that day, the anticipation of Eris's arrival hung heavy in the air as you prepared for the meeting. Despite your best efforts to focus on the task at hand, thoughts of Azriel and the unresolved tension between you lingered at the edges of your mind.
As the sun began its descent, casting hues of orange and pink across the sky, a knock at the door signalled Eris's arrival. Taking a deep breath to steady yourself, you made your way to the entrance, your heart pounding in your chest.
Opening the door, you were met with the sight of Eris standing tall and imposing, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. His eyes, a striking shade of amber, sparkled with mischief as he took in your appearance.
If you were to describe him, you'd call him the living embodiment of fire. 
He was the light to Azriel's dark, they were opposite in every way possible.
“Well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous Y/N," he drawled, his voice smooth like silk. "I must say, you're even more captivating in person."
You rolled your eyes at his flattery, though you couldn’t deny the flutter of excitement that his words stirred within you. "Save the charm, Eris. It won’t work on me."
He chuckled, stepping closer until there was barely any space between you, the air between felt charged, "You wound me, darling. I assure you, my intentions are nothing but genuine."
Before you could retort, Azriel appeared beside you, his presence like a sudden gust of wind that left you breathless. Though his expression remained neutral, you couldn’t shake the feeling of tension radiating from him.
You did miss how Azriel's heart rate was unusually increased, while Eris' remained stable calm and genuine, just like he mentioned before. 
“Eris," Azriel greeted with a nod, his voice devoid of warmth.
"Az," Eris replied, his smirk widening as he used Azriel's nickname. "Always a pleasure."
The air crackled with unspoken tension as the three of you made your way to the meeting room. Eris's gaze lingered on you, his eyes flickering with a mixture of curiosity and desire that sent a shiver down your spine as you all took your seats.
“Imagine how surprised I was when my high lord told me that you had requested a meeting with the night court.” you began holding the prince’s eyes.
“I had requested to meet Rhysand but I am not complaining. You are far better to look at.” Eris said with a smirk that never seemed to leave his face.
“I'll inform him that you were pleased by the arrangement.” you replied with an earnest smile.
Maybe this could be fun, you thought.
Maybe you found Eris fun.
As Eris seemed to give another flirty retort, Azriel spoke.
“Why are you here?
“Ugh! You are no fun Azriel. It’s not like you don't know already.”
You raise your brows at him, asking him to elaborate. 
Eris obliged, “I want to…” he  seemed to pause choosing his words carefully, “relieve my father from his duties and be the high lord of Autumn court.”
You couldn’t help but snort a laugh at his words, “‘relieve my father of his duties’? My, my, whatever happened to daddy's loyal boy?” 
You caught the slight upper tilt of Azriel's lips just as your powers detected the slight rise in the pulse of Eris before it slowed down again.
“Apparently he's not as loyal as you thought.”
“How can we trust you?”
“Who are you kidding, princess? I'd be a fool not to know about your interesting powers.”
“Fair enough, what does the night court have to do with this?”
“Help me, to get rid of my father, support my claim as the high lord.”
“Why would we do that? We’d then be replacing one monster for another.” you shot back.
If your words affected him, he showed no signs of it, physically at least, but the small spike in his cortisol levels and the drop in his pulse told you your words hit their mark.
Eris's smile tightened ever so slightly, but he maintained his composure, leaning back in his chair with an air of practised ease. "I can see why you might think that, but I assure you, I'm not my father. Unlike Beron, I see the value in alliances and mutual benefit."
Azriel crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. "Convincing words, Eris, but words are cheap. What do you have to offer in return for our support?" 
You couldn’t honestly remember when was the last time you had heard him speak this much, or if you had ever interacted with him for more than a few words.
Eris's gaze flickered to Azriel, then back to you. "Information. My father is planning something that could have catastrophic consequences for all of us. He's been working with a human queen—one who has a vested interest in starting a new war between our realms."
Your heart skipped a beat, a sense of dread settling over you. "Which queen?"
Eris's expression grew grave. "Queen Briallyn. She's amassed a formidable army and is working with my father to create a weapon that could tip the scales in her favour."
You exchanged a glance with Azriel, whose stoic expression betrayed a flicker of concern. "What kind of weapon?"
"One that can manipulate the very fabric of magic itself," Eris replied, his voice low and serious. "It could render even the most powerful High Lords and their courts defenceless."
Azriel's eyes darkened. "And you have proof of this?"
Eris reached into his coat and pulled out a small, intricately carved box. He placed it on the table and opened it to reveal a collection of documents and maps. "These are the plans and correspondences between my father and Queen Briallyn. Everything you need to verify my claims is right here."
You leaned forward, scrutinizing the documents. The meticulous detail and undeniable authenticity left little room for doubt. 
You sighed passing the letters to the shadowsinger. "Just when we thought Prythian had a moment of rest."
Eris met your gaze, his expression was earnest. "Our courts need to work together."
You considered his words, the weight of the decision pressing down on you. It was a risk, but the potential consequences of inaction were too dire to ignore. "Assuming we agree to help, how do you propose we go about it?"
Eris's smirk returned, though there was a determined glint in his eyes. "We can meet regularly and update eachother with what we know and proceed from there."
Azriel's gaze remained fixed on Eris, his expression unreadable. "And what guarantees do we have that you won't betray us once you have what you want?"
Eris leaned forward, his amber eyes burning with intensity. "You have my word and the knowledge that if I betray you, I'll be signing my own death warrant. Beron would kill me in a heartbeat. I need this alliance as much as you do."
You took a deep breath, weighing the risks and benefits. Finally, you nodded. "Alright, Eris. We'll discuss this with our high lord and get back to you. But know this—if you betray us, there will be nowhere in this world you can hide."
Eris inclined his head, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. "Understood. Now, I've always been curious about your powers," he began, his tone light but laced with genuine interest. "I've heard rumours, but I find that firsthand accounts are always more... enlightening."
You arched an eyebrow, meeting his gaze with a guarded expression. "Have you now, Eris? And I’m not in the habit of revealing my secrets to just anyone." Your powers were not publicized much, you and Rhys decided it was more advantageous to keep it quiet. But they weren’t a secret either.
Eris chuckled, the sound warm and inviting. "Ah, but I'm not just anyone, am I? People talk about you being able to control the very essence of life itself. Now, that sounds rather impressive, don't you think?"
You chuckled softly, crossing your arms. "Rumours tend to exaggerate. I'm sure the truth is far less exciting."
Eris took a step closer, his gaze never leaving yours. "Is that so? From what I understand, you can manipulate the body on a molecular level. Imagine the possibilities... and the danger."
You shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Dangerous, perhaps, but only to those who give me a reason to use it."
His eyes gleamed with amusement. "Fair enough. But tell me, how does it work? Do you just think about it and—poof—someone's heart stops beating?"
You gave him a sly smile. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Or at least give you a nasty headache."
Eris laughed, a rich, warm sound that filled the room.
Eris's expression grew more serious, though his smile remained. "You know, Y/N, there's something else I've been thinking about.”
You looked at Azriel and joked, “Look at that! You have certainly been thinking a lot recently, haven’t you Eris? Looks like you’ve been having a lot of thoughts.” You were surprised that Azriel gave a small smile from the way he had tensed this entire meeting, waiting for a chance to pounce on the Autumn prince.
Eris widened his smile at your comment as he continued, “Here’s my proposal, this alliance between us... it could be more than just a political arrangement."
You tilted your head, intrigued despite yourself. "Oh? And what exactly are you suggesting, Eris?"
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I'm suggesting a union between our courts, a marriage of sorts. Think about it—together, we’d hold so much power." 
Azriel lost all his self-control as he whispered in a deadly calm tone, “You have gone insane.”
You laughed softly, shaking your head. Your powers silently rush to soothe Azriel before he does something reckless, "You certainly don't lack ambition, I'll give you that. But why on earth would I consider such an arrangement?" 
Eris's gaze softened, and for a moment, you caught a glimpse of something deeper in his eyes. "Because I believe we could be unstoppable together. You're powerful, intelligent, and, if I may be so bold, quite captivating. With your abilities and my resources, there's no limit to what we could achieve."
You felt a flicker of something—curiosity, perhaps, or maybe even the faintest hint of intrigue.
“Too bad you were already mated, if only he knew”, you thought to yourself.
A slow thought crept into your mind, “So what if you were mated? Nothing was going to come out of it anyway.” 
"Captivating, am I? You do know how to charm, Eris. But you'll have to do better than that to convince me."
Eris's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with determination. "Consider it, Y/N. Imagine what we could accomplish together. The Autumn Court and the Night Court united as one. We could bring peace, prosperity, and a new era of cooperation to our people."
You studied him for a long moment, weighing his words. There was no denying the potential benefits of such a union, but there were also risks—trusting Eris was a gamble, and one you weren't sure you were ready to take. Thoughts of what he did to Mor screamed in your head.
“I didn’t forget your past with Morrigan, Eris. You still expect me to agree to this?”
His eyes narrowed at that, “Morrigan knows the truth of what happened that day. Ask her for the entire truth.”
Confusion bloomed inside you at his words but you did not have time to sort through lies now, Azriel was too agitated and you were left with an important choice to make.
"I'll think about it," you finally said, your tone careful. "But don't get your hopes up, Eris. I'm not so easily won over." you slipped a mask of playfulness again.
Eris chuckled, rising from his seat with a graceful fluidity. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Y/N. Just promise me you'll keep an open mind."
You nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. "I'll keep an open mind. But remember, Eris—if you cross me, you'll regret it."
He inclined his head, his expression earnest. "I wouldn't dream of it. Until next time, Y/N."
With that, Eris turned and left the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts. The idea of a union with Eris was both tempting and daunting, and you couldn't help but wonder what the future held for the two of you—and for your courts.
The room settled into an uneasy silence. You could feel the tension radiating from Azriel beside you, a stark contrast to his usually calm demeanour. His jaw was clenched, and his shadows seemed to writhe and twist around him with a life of their own.
You turned to face him, concern etched into your features. "Azriel, what's wrong? If I hadn’t calmed you Mother knows what you’d have done to him!"
Azriel’s eyes, usually a cool and controlled shade of hazel, now burned with a fierce intensity. "What's wrong? Are you seriously considering his proposal, Y/N?"
You blinked, taken aback by the intensity of his reaction, you have never seen this side of him.
 "It's not as simple as that, Azriel. We have to consider all options if we want to ensure the safety of Prythian."
He took a step closer, his voice low and filled with barely suppressed anger. "Eris is playing a dangerous game. A union with him? You can't seriously think that's a good idea."
You met his gaze, your own frustration bubbling to the surface. "I'm not saying I'm going to marry him tomorrow, Azriel. But we can't dismiss his proposal outright. There’s the potential benefit—"
Azriel cut you off, his voice rising. "Potential benefit? He's manipulating you, Y/N! He wants power, and he’ll use you to get it. Do you really believe he has anyone's interests at heart other than his own?"
You felt a surge of defensiveness, your own anger flaring in response. "And what if he does? What if this alliance could actually bring about the change we need? We can’t afford to let personal grudges cloud our judgment. He meant everything he said today, not a single ill-intended thought!"
Azriel’s expression darkened, his shadows growing more agitated. "This isn't about personal grudges. This is about trust, about loyalty. Eris has proven time and time again that he can’t be trusted. And now he's proposing a union with you? He’s trying to bind you to him, Y/N. To control you."
You took a deep breath, trying to steady your emotions. "I know it’s risky, Azriel. But we need allies. We need every advantage we can get if we're going to take down Beron and stop this war."
Azriel’s fists clenched at his sides, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "And what about your own safety? What about the risk to you? I can't stand by and watch you put yourself in danger for a power-hungry prince who will betray you the first chance he gets."
Your heart ached at the raw concern in his voice, hope threatened to manifest in you but you shoved it aside and held your ground. "Why do you care, Azriel? I can take care of myself. I’m not making any decisions lightly. I just need to consider every option."
Your words cut through the air like a sharp blade, and for a moment, Azriel seemed taken aback by your response. His gaze softened, his expression filled with a mixture of frustration and hurt.
"Why do I care?" he repeated, his voice barely above a whisper. "Because you are like Rhys’s little sister, you are one of us. Because I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you."
Though a part of you was glad he cared but you scoffed in disbelief, “Right. Because I am important to Rhys. Well, this decision is mine to make and I will discuss it with Rhys as it concerns his court. I’ll be sure to take what you feel into consideration. Thank you for your input, Azriel.”
His gaze hardened, a flicker of something unreadable passing through his eyes. "Fine. If that's how you want it. But have you ever stopped to consider the possibility that you might have a mate, Y/N?"
The question hung in the air like a heavy weight, the implication sinking in with a sickening certainty. You felt your breath catch in your throat, the blood draining from your face as you struggled to comprehend his words.
"What if you have a mate out there, waiting for you?" Azriel continued, his voice soft but filled with an undercurrent of pain. "What then?"
You recoiled as if struck, the weight of his words crashing down on you like a tidal wave. The truth, the painful, unbearable truth, threatened to drown you in its depths. A dry, joyless laugh came out of you.
"I don't have a mate," you spat out, your voice trembling with rage. You lied without a second thought. The ease of it scared you. "And even if I did, it's none of your damn business, Azriel. Stay out of my life."
With that final, venomous retort, you turned on your heel and winnowed out of the room, leaving Azriel behind in a cloud of anguish and regret. 
As you fled down the empty corridors of the townhouse, your heart ached with a pain you couldn't name. 
You opened Rhys’s study door without a second thought and sighed in relief as you found Feyre and him.
Realization of what truly happened spread through you like a bolt of lightning hit you. Both of them were quickly at your side, worried and asking you questions. A single tear slipped as your voice broke,
 “Not telling him was one thing, but lying to him? Oh cauldron, what have I done?”
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Next Part
Taglist: @sidthedollface2, @a-courtof-azriel, @whyonearthisyourusernamethi-blog, @acourtofsmutandstarlight,@katherinejess, @mybestfriendmademe , @landofpetrichor , @isa1b2h3 , @anuttellaa , @cherryinsalemverse
Let me know if you want to get added to the list or if I missed someone!
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purplecoffee13 · 6 months ago
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Nemesis with Benefits* - Part 3
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Summary: “You go to your friend’s birthday party, and run into Harry. Naturally, the encounter doesn’t go very smoothly, and you are at each other’s throats in a matter of minutes. But the proximity transforms the anger into… some type of frustration.”
Wc: 4.7k
Tropes: enemies to lovers
Warnings: cursing, smut, dirty talk, (heavy on the)degradation kink, dom/sub dynamics
A/N: Hey y’all, I’m back with another NWB chapter! This took embarrassingly long to write. To be honest, I was in a bit of a rut, and then I was having too many ideas and thoughts at once, and not enough inner peace to sit down and write. But it’s all good now, I’m back, so enjoy!!!
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General Masterlist
"Isn't it too much?" You ask hesitantly, staring at your dolled up reflection in the mirror of your vanity desk. Rebecca's head shoots your way, a deep frown on her face.
"Hell no! You look absolutely gorgeous, sweetie." She hurries over to you, putting her hands on your shoulder and crouching down to your level. She looks at you through the mirror, giving you a comforting smile, which eases your nerves a little bit.
"Listen, babe, this is your first real party since that troll cheated on you. It's your chance to show everyone that you are strong, and better than ever." Rebecca gives the pep-talk that you have been hearing seven renditions of for the past week. She turns you around so she can look you in the eyes. "Dylan was a deadweight. You are free of that imbecile and we're going to celebrate it by getting you laid."
You roll your eyes, stifling a laugh at Rebecca's mention of her mission for you. "I don't want to get laid."
"Girl... trust me, you need to get laid." Rebecca says as she picks up her purse from your bed. Your mouth falls open at the insult.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" A chuckle escapes your lips as you ask your friend the question. She turns around, a mischievous grin covering her face.
"You have been so incredibly tense the last weeks, especially today. Seriously, did you have a deadline today or something? You have been incredibly tense all afternoon." Rebecca questions, grabbing both of your jackets and handing yours to you.
Your eyes widen for a slight second, but you quickly regain yourself. You shrug your shoulders, which, now that she mentioned it, are feeling quite tense. You hadn't realized how much effect your stress had on your body today.
Ever since that almost... whatever it was with Harry earlier today, you have absolutely been on edge. It's been difficult to brush it off, especially because the harder you try to not think of it, the longer it stays on your mind. Even blasting rock music didn't get your thoughts off him.
There are just a lot of questions that accompany the events that almost occurred earlier today. Besides the typical, 'why did he even initiate such a movement?', there is also the question of 'why did you almost go along with it?'.
Maybe Rebecca is right. Maybe, you do need to get laid. You are not going to say that out loud to your friend, though, because you know you will never hear the end of it. So instead, you lie.
"Yeah, had a deadline today. But I promise, I'm ready to party." You say. Technically, it a half-lie. You did have a deadline for an assignment today, but it was only a matter of getting your reference list right.
"Alright, let's go then!" Rebecca exclaims enthusiastically, walking out of your bedroom and towards the front door of your apartment.
The frat house where Tyler's party is held is quite close to your apartment. You live extremely close to campus, and so you and Rebecca don't have to suffer through the cold breeze that dominates the night. You are glad, because your short, red dress and sheer tights aren't the warmest thing you've ever worn. You thank your lucky stars for the black knee high boots you paired the outfit with, as they manage to block the wind against your legs a little bit.
The change of temperature going from outside to inside the frat house is lethal. It smells of the standard odors that cover a party: sweat and alcohol.
You don't hear much of what Rebecca shouts at you over the loud music, but her pointing at Tyler tells you all you need to know. She grabs your hand and guides the both of you to your mutual friend.
Tyler grins like an idiot at the sight of you two, spreading his arms out before pulling the two of you into a bear hug.
"I'm so glad you guys came!" He exclaims, letting you pull away.
"We even got you a present." Rebecca says, and Tyler quirks up his brow.
"We think you're going to love it." You add.
Tyler's head flicks from Rebecca to you, and a sneaky smirk creeps up his face. In perfect timing, both you and Rebecca slap Tyler's arm before throwing some profanities his way.
"What?! You said it so suggestively." Tyler laughs, and you flick him on his forehead. He yelps out, and Rebecca and you chuckle at his dramatics.
"You are an idiot." Rebecca smiles sweetly at him, planting a kiss on his cheek anyway. She steps back and grabs your hand, nodding towards the kitchen. "Wanna get a drink?"
"Oh wait, come with me. I locked the good stuff upstairs." Tyler interrupts, and motions for you to walk with him. You look at Rebecca, and shrug before happily following him upstairs to his room.
You have been in Tyler's room plenty of times, one of which you almost ended up having sex with him. It was late and you were both high as fuck, and ended up falling asleep before anything really happened. You laughed about it afterwards, and besides flirty jokes, there is absolutely nothing between you and Tyler.
"Here we are..." Tyler turns around with three bottles of hard liquor in his hands. You and Rebecca cheer as Tyler pours some tequila into each red solo cup. The three of you make a toast to Tyler before downing the ridiculously large shot. You pull a sour face afterwards because you always seem to forget how nasty tequila is. It does the job of getting you drunk, though, so you don't dwell on it too long.
Tyler then makes you and Rebecca a rum and coke. You chat a bit about everything and nothing, but then Rebecca announces she has to pee, and leaves the room. You quite literally feel the air in the room changing as soon as the door is closed again. Tyler looks at you with sad eyes.
"So, how are you holding up?" He tries to be casual, but you roll your eyes because you know what he is aiming at.
"Stop it, I'm fine. He is a dick, and I am just fine." You say, sitting your self onto the bed. Tyler seats himself besides you.
"You can't blame me for asking, I feel like we haven't talked much since... you know. Just wanted to know if you're okay." He shrugs, and your heart melts ever so slightly. Tyler is a great friend, and he was right: you really hadn't spoke to anyone but Benjamin and Rebecca since the break-up.
And Harry.
"I promise, I'm fine." You say, but Tyler just squints at you. It makes you giggle a bit, getting nervous about idiocy. A short silence falls between the two of you, and you take a sip of your rum and coke.
"Rebecca said I should get laid." You confess, before taking a large gulp of your drink. You look at your friend, expectantly, wondering what his opinion on all this is.
"I mean, my door is always open—"
"Shut up!" You cackle, and Tyler laughs. He loves getting on your nerves. "But seriously, do you think that's a good idea?"
He shrugs. "If you're ready, then sure."
"Well, how do I know if I'm ready?" You ask him, your head tilted ever so slightly.
"You'll know." Tyler answer cryptically, getting up from the bed. You follow suit, knitting your brows at his vague words.
"That might just be the least helpful advice I've ever heard." You deadpan, and Tyler rolls his eyes at you.
"You're thinking about this too much. Just try and see if there is someone you feel attracted to, and just try it. If it's a simple hook-up, it's all about the physical attraction, nothing more. So don't overthink it."
You sigh, kind of bummed with the fact that his advice is actually really good and makes a lot of sense, because now you'll have to apply it.
"Now, let's go downstairs, because Rebecca is probably looking for us." Tyler suggests, and you nod. The two of you fill up your drinks before walking out of Tyler's bedroom. You're still laughing at a joke of his when you are met with none other than Harry standing in the hallway.
He looks surprised to see you, and the same can definitely be said for you. There is about a two second delay in his mood change from surprised to irritated, and the tension in your stomach stings.
"Hey bro." Tyler says, a bit unsure at how enthusiastic he can be towards Harry in front of you. You know they're actually good mates, but I think that lessened a bit since the break-up. Tyler is awfully loyal to you, in the littlest ways.
"Hey man, happy birthday." Harry greets Tyler and they do their little bro hug. You watch the interaction, a bit unsure of how to act in front of Harry now. Pulling out from the embrace, Harry turns to you. He greets you with the sole mutter of your last name.
"Styles." You say back.
You feel Tyler looking between the two of you, and you can tell that he is scared that you'll push Harry down the stairs at any given moment. You refuse to lose eye contact with Harry, however, and he seems to have the same idea. It takes about ten seconds of silently staring into each others' souls before Tyler speaks up.
"Y/N, shall we go downstairs? Find Rebecca?" He puts his hand on the small of your back. You silently cheer for yourself when Harry breaks the eye contact, his gaze shooting down to Tyler's arm, before looking at you again.
"Excellent idea." You agree, turning around and walking down the stairs without looking back at Harry. Your stomach is still upset and your mind is spinning; that was oddly stressful for no reason.
Once you've found Rebecca again, you both take to the dance floor. A typical party song plays and everyone starts to cheer and jump along. You and Rebecca dance with each other, laughing because of the alcohol and the guys who are dancing around you.
You try to scan the room for potential bachelors as much as possible, hoping there is someone who you find attractive. Unfortunately, you are a bit out of luck. You casually look further, but then your eyes fall onto Harry. He is standing against the wall, with a couple of other guys you know, but he is looking at you. You feel like you got caught, even though, technically you caught him looking at you. You don't have much to overthink it, however, because you quickly realize that Benjamin is one of the guys standing with Harry.
You pull Rebecca along and walk towards the guys. Benjamin shrieks when he sees you and pulls you into a hug that nearly chokes the life out of you. After pulling away, he goes and greets Rebecca. Your eyes float past Harry, who is so close to you that you can smell his perfume, but you quickly look away when you realize that, once again, his eyes were already on you.
Your chest feels tight at the knowledge that he is actively watching you, and you have to stop yourself from clenching your jaw out of the sheer stress it is giving you. Benjamin distracts you by asking if you want to go outside for a bit, and you nod, following him to the back yard.
But when you see Harry joins you, you make up an excuse that you have to go to the bathroom, and that they should just go ahead and you'll find them in a bit. The group agrees and begins walking outside, and you take it as your cue to hurry upstairs.
You enter Tyler's room, running over to his desk, where the liquor is still standing, and pour yourself another rum and coke. It is mostly rum with a splash of coke, but you really need it right now. You take a big gulp, sticking your tongue out as the bitter taste trickles down your throat.
"Hiding?"
You jump at the sudden voice sounding from behind you, and turn around to see Harry leaning against the doorframe. You take a deep breath when you realize it's just home, but then the tension settles in because it's him.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" You ask, irritated. It is mostly to mask the nerves he gives you, and Harry doesn't seem to buy into your pretending. He shrugs.
"Was trying to find a lighter. Tyler said he had one up here." He answers, looking around the room. His eyebrows raise when he sees one on Tyler's nightstand. He leans forward, holding it up in the air so you can see it, then puts it in his pocket. "What about you?"
Getting away from you, you think.
Instead of saying that, you shrug your shoulders. "Just— getting a drink."
Harry nods slowly, not entirely believing you. You stare at each other for a moment, and the heavy feeling in your stomach is beginning to shout to get out. You swallow, your risen heartbeat telling you what you are trying very, very hard to ignore.
"So..." Harry starts.
"So..."
"You and Tyler, huh?"
Your eyes widen at the words that leave Harry's mouth, and before you know it, a loud snort escapes you. You slap your hand over your mouth, shaking your head profusely.
"C'mon, you don't have to deny it. So, the moving on going easier than you thought after all, hmm?"
There is a slight condescending tone that hides between Harry's words, and it makes your smile fade away. You set down your cup at the table and stride towards him until you are right in front of him. You look up and meet his gaze.
"What? Are you trying to say that it's easier, because I wasn't that in love with Dylan, so in the end it wasn't all bad? That the drama was for nothing?" You growl, blood rising to your cheeks as you speak.
"I didn't even fucking say that—"
"No, but you thought it. If you're being a dick, just be upfront about it. Don't act all sneaky about it." You say, and Harry clenches his jaw at your remark.
"Okay, you need to get off that fucking high horse of yours. Not every fucking thing I say is a hidden insult to you, because the world doesn't fucking revolve around you." He barks at you, getting closer. His height is intimidating, but you keep standing your ground and look up at him.
"Can't blame me for thinking it. It’s not like you’ve got anything else going on your life." Your tipsy mind decides to go in for the kill and just start shooting straight insults at him. Harry laughs coldly.
"Yeah? You think that all I do is think about you?" He takes another step closer, your bodies now partly touching. You don't move an inch, mainly because you don't want to let him win, but also because you just don't want to. "You think I wake up and go to bed wondering where you are, what you're doing, who you're with?"
You don't say anything. Your nails dig into the palm of your hands as you clench your fists together. There is too much frustration in your body and too few ways to express it. Tyler's words hang in the back of your head, and they are getting harder and harder to push away. Harry leans forward, so he is on eye to eye level with you. His pupils are dilated and he looks just as irritated as you, if not more.
"Listen, darling. I meant what I said. You don't mean shit to me." Harry says slowly, his eyes never leaving yours.
You are not sure what brain cell lead you to make the decision, but in a matter of seconds, your lips are on his. There seems to be no surprise on Harry's side, because he leans into it immediately.
His tongue slips into your mouth without hesitation, and with a hand on your throat, he pushes you against the wall. All thoughts leave your mind as you kiss Harry, and 'not overthinking it' suddenly seems like the easiest thing in the world.
A sound leaves your mouth when Harry's grip on your throat tightens, and you find yourself arching into him. One of your hands is holding onto his shirt, and the other one to his hair, as you kiss the guy you hate most in the bedroom of your friend.
You feel the adamant bulge in Harry's jeans as the two of you grind against each other, in a desperate, pathetic need for relief. There should be at least a thousand different alarm bells going off in your brain, but there aren't. Not ones that give you enough strength to step out of this situation, anyway.
Your hand finds itself around Harry's throat as well, slightly catching him off guard. You take it as the perfect moment to push him onto Tyler's bed. By the time he's fallen back, you're already climbing on top of him, your hips moving against his crotch as your tongue re-enters his mouth.
It doesn't last long, though, because Harry has flipped the two of you around in no time. His hand back on your throat, and the other one's restraining both your arms above your head.
"Aw, you thought you were taking the reins? That's cute." Harry smiles patronizingly, tilting his head a bit as he scans your face. You clench your jaw, beyond irritated by the fact that he thinks he can just restrain you like this.
"Actually—"
"I don't think I told you that you could speak, now did I?" He interrupts you, his eyes raking up and down your body.
"I fucking hate you." You spit out the words, truly disgusted with yourself for being so incredibly turned on right now. You'd remind yourself to see a psychologist or something, this was not okay. Harry let out a  bitter laugh at your remark, the hand on his throat squeezing tighter as he leaned forward. It made your head spin and your panties soaking wet.
"You think I don't loathe you? Because I do. But for some reason, I can't get the image of my cock ruining your pussy out of my head." He growls, equally bothered by the tension as you had been since earlier today. "So I suggest, I fuck you right here, right now. Get it out of my system."
Those words shouldn't have made you crave for him the way you are at this very moment, but for some twisted reason it does, so you nod.
"Words, honey."
"You can fuck me," You say, looking him in the eyes. "but I still hate your guts."
"Right back at ya, sweetheart. Now, take off your panties, gotta be quick."
With that said, Harry's hand leaves your throat, and he got up from the bed. You do as he said as he closes and locks the bedroom door. You are bare and ready for him by the time he turns around, and the smirk on his face makes you realize how much he is relishing in the idea of it.
"No foreplay, let's get this over with." You say, glaring at his smug face. Harry looks down at your sopping wet cunt, cocking an eyebrow at you.
"Not that you'd need it. Sole sight of me got you so soaked, huh?" He taunts, crawling up on the bed and climbing over you. He leans back a bit, grinning as you unbuckle his pants and mutter profanities aimed at him under your breath.
When you pull down his briefs, you have to actively stop yourself from widening your eyes. That is going to hurt. It is a prospect you are looking forward to a little too much.
You lean back, watching Harry stroke himself as he observes your wet hole. As if reading his mind, you tell him: "I'm clean, and on birth control." 
"Y'telling me you want it bare?" He asks, and you shrug your shoulders. Harry shakes his head, chuckling at your nonchalance. Then, without a word of warning, he pushes himself into you.
"Dirty fucking girl... just wants to feel it all." He says, pulling about almost all the way before thrusting into you again. You shriek from the heavy mix of pain and pleasure it causes you, so much so that Harry has to cover your mouth with his hand.
"You need to keep quiet if you wanna come." He growls, trying to sound irritated, but you can tell he is enjoying himself too much to really feign annoyance. You watch as he finds a rhythm that drives the both of you crazy, closing his eyes as he takes in the great feeling of it all. Your hands find your clit and automatically begin to rub in circles as you listen to the small sounds of pleasure that leave Harry's mouth while he drives himself into you over and over again.
Opening his eyes, he arrogantly smirks at the sight of you getting worked up because of him. He leans forward, his free hand finding your breasts and groping them harshly. A stifled moan leaves your mouth at the feel of his sensitive yet hard touch.
"Look at you, hmm?" He taunts. "One minute you tell me you hate me, and the next you're begging me to fill you up with my bare cock."
Since you can't respond to his teasing, you decide to do the next best thing, bite on his fingers. Harry's hand shoots away from you, looking shocked for the entirety of one second before he's back on track. Then, he laughs.
"Oh, you are a fucking brat..." His hoarse voice mumbles, pulling his cock out of you.
In a flash of a moment, you are turned around onto your belly. Harry scoots your hips up, lining himself up with you again. You use your arms to try and get on all fours, steadying yourself, but you fall face first back onto the mattress as Harry grabs your arms and puts them behind your back. He holds them restrained, his other hand on your hip as he pushes himself back into you.
A muffled moan leaves your mouth as Harry practically screws you into the mattress. His pace is immediately fast, leaving no time for you to take a breath or even think about what he is doing. Your mind gets a bit fuzzy, and you aren't sure whether it is the sex or the alcohol, but either way you are in a different universe right now.
"Biting my finger, thinking you can catch me off guard with the pain. Well, guess what, I like the pain." He says, and you yell when his hand forcefully connects with your ass cheek. You still feel the sting of it when he slaps on your other cheek too, you whimper at the pain, ashamed to admit how much closer it has brought you to your orgasm already. "And so do you, apparently."
"Fuck— I'm..." you try to tell him, but it is hard with your face duh into the sheets and your brain all fucked out from his dick hammering into you.
"I know, I can feel you clenching around me." Harry assures you, then fucks into you harder. The sound of skin slapping against each other takes over the room, accompanied by your increasingly loud moans.
"You are so fucking predictable, falling apart around my cock. Knew you wanted it." Harry holds your hips steady with his hands, and your arch your back for him to hit a special spot.
"Just— this. once." You clarify, hoping Harry has caught your words.
"Hmm, we'll see about that. But fine, just this once, come for me then. Put me away wet." You can hear the grin in his voice, and it is precisely what makes you fall apart around him. With a string of curses and repeats of his name, the euphoric release washes over you.
Harry's grip on your wrists tightens, his fingernails digging into your skin. Slowly but surely, his thrusts become sloppier, and soon enough you hear a groan. His hips still as he comes inside you, filling you up with his seed.
You clench around his cock a few times more as he comes, the idea of his sperm inside you making you hornier than it should. It doesn't go unnoticed by Harry, as he curses under his breath at the feeling of your walls tightening around his cock.
After managing to catch your breath, Harry carefully pulls himself out of you. A whimper escapes you, not satisfied with the fact that you now feel empty.
"Don't pout, I filled you up just nice." He says as he turns you around so you are laying on your back. Your eyes meet his, and the reality of what you have done begins to sink in.
Oh my god, you just had sex with Harry.
Your hands fly over your face, shaking your head as you let out a shameful groan. You move your hands down a bit, so it covers everything but your forehead and eyes, and you observe Harry leaning down to grab your panties. You reach your hand out to take them from Harry, but he looks you dead in the eyes and stuffs them into his pocket.
"What are you doing?" You ask in a warning tone. He shrugs, waltzing towards the bedroom door and unlocking it. "Give me back my panties!"
"No, that's okay." Harry denies your request in the most casual way, turning around to look at you. "I'll hold onto them, for safekeeping."
"Harry!" You exclaim in frustration as he walks out the door. You quickly get off the bed, and follow him. He turns around, hand still in his pocket.
"Yeah, that definitely sounded less annoying when you were coming around my—" You intercept his stupid ass before he has the chance to finish his sentence, slapping your hand over his mouth. The sudden proximity makes your stomach tense up, but you keep a stoic face.
"I fucking despise you." You say lowly, glaring him down. You feel him grinning against your hand, but you ignore it as you let him go and walk towards the bathroom at the end of the hallway. When Harry calls out your name, your body automatically stills. When you turn to look at him, that exact devilish grin coats his face just right.
"What?" You ask, a slight furrow between your brows as you stare at him.
"You smudged your mascara a bit." He gestures towards his face, referencing to your own under eyes. You say nothing, merely flipping him off as you enter the bathroom. Upon taking a look in the mirror, your eyes widen.
Your mascara is indeed smudged, and not a little bit. There are lines of multiple mascara filled tears that streamed down the side of your face. The weird thing is, you don't even remember tearing up. But it is there, right in front of you, the proof of what you did. The mascara around your eyes, his cum dripping from your cunt.
You sit down on the toilet, taking a deep sigh. You cover your face with your hands once again, this time letting out a frustrated shriek. And you realize that—out of all of this—the worst thing is maybe not the fact that you had sex with Harry and that the proof of it is on and in your body. No, the icing on the cake is that Harry himself has the other proof in his fucking pocket right now.
Shit.
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copperbadge · 9 days ago
Note
Weird question alert.
I was scrolling through Tumblr today and saw your username. I have to ask - are you the Copperbadge? The one who once wrote a Torchwood fanfic called The Theory of Two Centres in 2008?
Last year I went through a really devastating experience and needed some comfort. I cast my mind back and remembered that great fic where Ianto Jones lost his memories. So I started googling to find it, after quite some time (because I couldn't remember what it was called or who wrote it) I eventually found it again.
That fic is THE fic for me. It's stayed with me through the years and it bought me as much joy re-reading it as an adult as it did when I first read it all those years ago.
Anyway I hope that it was you and that you're not too weirded out by some random on Tumblr bringing up your Torchwood fanfic from 16 years ago.
That is indeed me!
I'm so sorry you had to go through such a stressful and difficult experience, but I'm glad you could find the fic again and take comfort from it. As a writer it's wonderful to hear when I touch someone with my fiction, but especially when it's able to give something.
Lord, 16 years ago. That's too long.
I hope you're in a better place now, and I am not at all weirded out :) I sometimes write to inspire, sometimes to explicate or explore, but I always write as a way of reaching out. I'm so pleased it helped you.
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raineydays411 · 1 year ago
Text
My Fathers' Daughter pt 13
Hello everyone! Can I just say thank you to everyone for the love and support! Thank you everyone for sticking by me while I took a break. Thank you everyone for the kind messages and ideas. I'm the type of person that needs positive reassurance so really, it's you guys that are the reason I returned to writing.
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For the first time in months you felt at peace.
Ironically, it was when you were shoved in a stinky backseat of a dirty taxi. But you were in a stinky taxi with people you truly love.
And Dopinder.
But even he's better than being in that house right now. Anything truly is.
"Hey" A soft voice breaks your thoughts, you turn from where you're looking out the window.
Peter was gazing at you with concern in his eyes. He had his own reservations about coming to get you, that's why Wade had decided to kidnap him. But seeing you, practically throw yourself into him and cry?! He didn't need any more convincing than that.
One thing Y/n Stark does not do is let people see her cry.
"Are you okay?" He asks, knowing that you're not but he knows that you won't tell him if he doesn't ask.
You take a look into his eyes, seeing concern. Then from the corner of your eye you see Wade turn his head an inch, trying to subtly listen in without giving away the fact that he cares about you.
"I'm.." You pause, feeling a knot in your throat, " I'm just really craving a burger."
"What the dick?!" Wade screams from the front, startling all of you in the car, and causing Dopinder to swerve, " We came here for emotional support goddamn it, let us support your emotions!!"
You chuckle at the outburst, mood momentarily lifting, " You can support me by getting me something to eat outside this taxi. It reeks back here...no offense Dopi"
"Non taken Ms. Stark, I am well aware of the unpleasant scents in the back."
Dopinder makes a stop at what looks like a local burger joint in the city , allowing you and Peter to take a breath of fresh air.
Or at least as fresh as Gotham city air could be.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back at the Manor, Christine and Bruce are having a long overdue conversation about you and her relationship.
" I just don't understand where everything went so wrong" Christine cried, face held in her hands," I just don't"
"Perhaps when you stopped visiting her when we adopted Dick" Bruce said in a semi sarcastic semi serious voice.
Christine shot a glare to her husband, " I'm glad you find the destruction of my relationship with my daughter funny Bruce, I really do."
Bruce sighs from where he's standing, " I don't find it amusing one bit, but Christine you have to admit this situation is your fault."
"I know it is! Believe me I know" Christine shouts, " These last few months, all I've been reminded is that it's my fault!"
"But where is your accountability?" Bruce asks, " I don't hold what you did against you because it's not my place. The kids don't because quite frankly, this hasn't affected them except for Cassie who thinks you're replacing her, and Damian, who sees you sad and believes Y/n is the sole cause of it."
Christine sighs, the few months you have been in the home, she has noticed Cassie's jealousy towards you and the resentment for the situation. She's done her best to reassure her that she has enough love for the two of you girls, but she still insisted on being as far away from you as possible. Damian...Damian is young and perceptive but difficult so she isn't so worried about him.
"If Y/n just spent time with them--"
"It isn't her responsibility to reassure your children that she isn't taking you away from them. Hell Christine, it isn't her responsibility to make anything easier for you." Bruce says impatiently, " I have been holding my tongue because you're my wife above anything and I am on your side. But being a husband and on your side means that I have a responsibility to tell you when you are wrong."
"Then tell me Bruce, tell me what I'm doing wrong. Please beacause every move I make, I just mess things up." Christine cries, genuienly asking for her husbands help
Bruce looks Christine in the eye, " Well first, you have to stop forcing your motherhood on that poor girl"
He holds a hand up before Christine can say anything, " I know that biologically you are her mother, but you know as well as I do that biological relation has no meaning."
Christine nods, allowing Bruce to continue
"The child you knew is not the young lady you want to get to know." Bruce says sternly, " She has life experiences that you were not a part of, and most of all she's not looking for a mother, Christine she has one. It's just not you."
Christine bursts into tears, the weight of that statement hitting her heart. Bruce gathers her in his arms.
"You need to get to know Y/n not as the child you left behind but as Y/n. That's what all of us need to do."
Christine weeps silently in her husbands chest, truly absorbing his words.
She knows he's right. He usually is.
But it hurts her. She truly has to acknowledge the one thing she has ever been ashamed about. The one thing that she has been repressing and repressing all these years.
That she abandoned you.
She abandoned you. She abandoned you when you were six and she didn't show up to the mothers day dance.
She abandoned you when you were eight and she promise dthat she would take you to get your ears pierced and she didn't show up because of a phone call.
And she abandoned you when you were nine, and she adopted Dick.
"What I don't think I understand is why?" Bruce asked quietly.
All these years, she said it was because she was needed more at the manor rather than in New York. But why did she really?
"Why?" Christine repeats quietly, " I..."
Why did she? What on earth possessed her to do the one thing she promised she'd never do the day you were born.
"I don't know." She says, " I.. spent years, hiding this huge secret from you. Years taking back and forth trips from here to New York, pretending she didn't exist or pretending like you didn't. I just..."
Bruce hums, urging her to continue
" And seeing the disappointment every time I left and didn't take her or disappointment from Tony that I didn't choose them. " She teared up, she hadn't even thought about the pain she put that man through, " Then it was the disappointment from Dick everytime I left. It got too.."
"Too hard." Bruce finished for Christine,
" Yeah," Christine sighed, " I just wanted to stop all the lying and the double lives, but by the time it became too much...it was too deep and I was scared I'd lose it all."
Bruce stayed quiet holding his wife, "I would've hoped that you had enough faith in me to tell me"
Christine scoffed, " Please, do you really believe that at that time you would've forgiven me? Before Damian?"
Bruce sighed, " I guess not."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the conversation between Bruce and Christine went on, the kids were having one of their own.
"I don't understand what's so good about her anyway" Cass mumbles, " All she's done since she's been here is cause trouble"
"Yeah like any of us made Ma's life easy since we got here?" Jason spits back defending you, " Dick you didn't even talk to Ma because of your fight with Bruce, I died, Tim didn't even consider her a mother for years, Damian..is damian and hated her for months, plus is a product of Bruce cheating, and you Cass, you almost killed her before you became family."
Everyone stayed silent as Jason basically read them to filth.
"Why?" Damian asks quietly, " Why does everyone like that girl so much?"
"She's just had a hard go of it Damian, just like all of us." Dick said softly, " Think about how you felt when your mother stopped coming around. When you came here and didn't know anyone."
Damian stayed quiet.
"I know you love Mom, I do too" Dick continued, " But the hostility towards Y/n has to end. From all of us."
They stood quiet, letting the words sink in.
"I have been quite pleasant towards her actually" Jason said smugly
"Yeah cause you think with your dick and not your brain" Tim said smartly, only to receive a slap on the back of his head.
"That's my sister you fucking idiot" Jason says angrily.
Dick smiled, glad that at least one person was truly and genuinely on your side in this house, even if it's not him.
" How about we take her out?" Dick says, " Both her and Mom need some space, there's no point in her staying in that room all day and night."
Jason nods," Yeah, that's actually a good idea."
The two oldest sons rise, about to head to you room when Damian speaks up
"You won't find her there."
The boys pause and look at him
"What did you do to her you demon?" Jason says suspiciously
Damian rolls his eyes, " I've done nothing of the sort, but I saw her sneak out and leave in a taxi with an Indian man, a man in a red suit and unfortunate looking face, and a teenager in hello kitty sleeping pants."
Silence.
"Okay, if you're having a stroke please let me know so I can take you to the hospital." Tim said looking concerned.
Damian rolled his eyes again, " She left."
Jason was already barging into your room not even bothering to knock, seeing your room empty and the window open.
"Fuck."
Dick raced in after him seeing the empty room
"Well fuck."
They look at eachother, wondering who was going to tell their mother that you were gone but it was actually Damian that suggested
"Perhaps we should go after her? Mother and Father seemed rather preoccupied at the moment."
Jason looked at Dick and said, " She couldn't have gotten too far."
"Well, it has been a couple hours since she left." Damian adds
"Hours?!" Dick shouts, " Damian why didn't you say anything?"
"I don't like her." Damian rolls his eyes.
"Where's Y/n?" a voice asks
All heads turned to the doorway, seeing their father standing there.
"Um... about that."
"Find her, and you all better hope she's okay."
Everyone scrambled, either to put their suits on or to just make it out of the house.
He said that with his Batman voice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Back with you and the red team, as Wade took to calling you all, you all were eating burgers in the parking lot of the now closed burger joint.
" So are you going to tell us what happend or what?" Wade ask with food falling from his stuffed mouth.
You and Peter look on with disgust.
"What?" Wade asks, " Go on and tell us about your mommy issues."
You roll your eyes and look away, missing the look Peter gives to Wade for being to crass.
You get lost in thought, the argument still fresh on your mind.
It made you so angry.
Why? Why did she hide those emails?
The one thing you wanted most in this whole situation was to go home. You missed your father, your mother, the team. Your family.
Instead, she made you believe that your father just forgot about you and your family didn't miss you.
While you knew logically that was impossible, you still stood up late at night because of the doubts creeping in. You cried, longing to hear your father croon rock music while he was tinkering with something, or the soft voice of your mother as she handled some business. You missed the smell of the training room and the sound of Steve teasing whoever he chose to tourture train that day. You missed FRIDAY. The tech. Your life.
"What happened in there" Peter asked softly.
You maintain eye contact with him for about a second before looking away, feeling ashamed with your emotional state.
"I couldn't take it anymore" You said softly, "These people...they weren't... they weren't mean to me or anything but I didn't belong there."
You take a pause then continue, " It's like... I had no purpose there. You know? At home, I help dad with whatever he needs, I helped mom with the business, hell I could just take a step outside. But here? I'm either in my room or being snuck out by Jason for a few hours. I can't go into a room without killing the happy family vibe they have going on. I'm just..."
You choke up, the knot in your throat growing, "I'm just a reminder of the past. Of the life she didn't want."
Peter's eyes soften even more, he reached out a comforting hand.
"I have to be there, while she and her family are happy then I walk in and it's like I'm either a ghost or a pest." You cry tears falling from your eye, " I feel so unwanted. I've never felt this way in my life."
"Didn't your mom abandon you?" Wade asks, getting an elbow to the side by Dopinder.
That comment causes you to cry more, but before Peter can make a move Wade actually pulls you in a hug.
"Alright Alright" Wade says, " Look kid, obviously you're happy there, so how about we go find those asshole that are looking for you and take them out ourselves?"
You sniff and look up at him, " What?"
"Yeah. That's the whole reason you're here. So lets kill those motherfucker and you can go home and forget this shit hole of a city. Seriously it's disgusting here."
You chuckle wetly, " It is gross here. I thought New york was bad"
The four of you laugh, the mood finally lifting.
But good moments never last forever.
Peter's head jerks up, face shifting from amusement to concern
"Guys there's something wro-" Peter gets cut off.
"How about we make it easier for you, now you don't have to look for us." A voice says, you aren't able to see it before you feel Wades body jerk and suddenly there's a pain in your arm.
You look down and see a dart, and you're barely able to make out the blue and red dots on the building across the street before darkness consumes you and you hit the ground.
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herecomethatboi · 7 months ago
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Dbd killers x gn!reader pt. 3
Part 3 of mc getting slammed against the wall lol
Guys I need more, feel free to send me any kind of request (nsfw abc, sfw abc, more parts for this silly series etc)you have and i'll gladly write them all :D (when my final exams are finally over hahaha)
Also, I was drunk when I wrote this and I trust drunk-me with writing. He's better at writing than sober-me, so here's an unedited "masterpiece"!
ENJOYYYY 🩷🩷
The Mastermind:
At the start of the match you saw the gray metal box right next to you and knew exactly who you were up against.
You weren't thrilled at all, Wesker or "Mastermind" -as the Entity called him- was such a try hard with his skillful dashes, that you sometimes questioned if he actually was just doing it since "it's better strategy" and not for the fact he enjoys doing stunts like that.
You sighed as you rummaged around the other normal chest you found -since you forgot to equip an item- and found a flashlight, which was perfect.
Then, you heard his little chuckle Wesker does, before he dashes and was swept up immedietly and thrown quite far away.
You groaned at the impact, but got up and ran, the killer close on your tail.
Just in time, you found a pallet and smacked it on top of his head, flashed the flashlight into his face -which usually angers him a lot- and then ran more.
This back and forth between you two continued, and three gens already popped, which you were glad about.
But, alas, your confidence came back to bite you in the ass.
Wesker caught you again, slammed you against the shack, and just kept you there, while he grinned.
"Caught you now." The killer was so so close, your lips almost touched.
He was amused in his own twisted way. An ordinary human made him run so much, but in the end, was caught easily.
"Gonna hook me now?" You squeked out, your throat was held tight with the uwuburos, making breathing difficult.
Awh, you're adorable. A little mouse, if you will. Wesker knew the Entity's rules, but eventually, he will have his fun with you.
Another gen popped.
"Oh no, i'm keeping you here." He said, gave you a little peck on the lips, just to confuse you even further. Nootherreasonwhatareyoutalkingabout.
Then stepped away, but the virus stayed, locking you against the wall. "Your performance was above average. Congratulations." He bowed. "You gained the tiniest respect from me."
He left with a smirk. You tried to claw away the black thing that just didn't seem budge or tear away. So, you gave up. You looked up into the fake dark sky, thinking...
What the Hell did you get into.
The Nightmare (Freddy Krueger):
The dream realm was a tricky thing to navigate in. You sometimes were weirded out by the bloodpools that scared the living shit out of you, when you accidently stepped into them.
Today, there were no generators. Which made you uneasy. What the heck is going on?
You walked into the main building and tried to listen.
Then, the laugh. That annoying, weird, freaky laugh Freddy made, then you were in the dream realm. You looked around, like a deer in headlight. Trying to listen in on the killer.
"What the Hell is going on?" You asked out loud. You turned around and there he was, leaning against a generator that was NOT there a second ago.
"A new game." He simply amswered with a grin. Freddy seemed too happy. "A little gift from the Entity to me."
"Okay, but wha-"
"Shhh shhh shhh let me finish."
"Sorry."
"Khm. So, easy," he leaned away from the gen and stepped toward you, "you find the fake generator, and you win a price!" His grin told you there was a twist.
"If I don't?"
"... you'll know." He said with a childish innocence. "Good luck!" Then he disappeared.
Great.
After God knows how long, you finally found the fake generator. Which made it bleed, just like in normal trials, and Freddy appeared.
"Now, that wasn't that difficult, was it?"
"What the Hell is your game, Freddy?"
"Making out with you."
"What??" Before your shock truely registered, you were up against the bloody generator with him kissing you roughly.
You tried to push against him, but there was no use, of course there wasn't, you mentally rolled your eyes.
So, you just let it happen.
The kiss wasn't... Bad. You sadly had to admit.
Freddy held you surprisingly gently by the waist and neck. But his kiss was bruising and he did bite your lower lip more than once.
You started to actually kiss back and held his waist in one hand, while the other was on his shoulder.
Why were you kissing back? What the Hell is wrong with you? You don't know, but it feels... Right?
Then, you woke up wide eyed. You blinked a thousand times and just stared above you. The roof of your tent cleared up from the blurry image it was. Then you just... Licked you lip, feeling it was dry and had a smoky taste.
WHAT. THE. HELL????
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simpingland · 1 year ago
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Love is patient.//Aegon Targaryen II x wife!reader.
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Moments before the coronation, Aegon's wife recalls her first memories with the Prince. Patience was key on this journey to make things right. And this patience let love to grow easily between them.
A/N: angst, Diane's assault does not happen here because It's the only way I can write this. TGC is the loveliest person ever, im(r)o.
❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥
The first time you saw Aegon drunk was the first time you met him. And you knew from the start that the journey you were being forced into would not be an easy one. The prince was a little older, but a single word came out of his mouth, and you were the one who felt mature. The glory of the Targaryens, with their distinctive faces, their airs of divinity, did not show in any of Aegon's features. His mother scolded him for cutting his own hair on the very day your chariot pulled into the Red Keep. He gave you an awkward kiss on the hand and talked more to his brother Aemond than he did to you during the entire presentation dinner. The night was a disaster. You almost fell asleep in your own seat, with not a single charitable soul to speak to you.
"It's your duty," your father had told you over and over again. "You have a good chance of being queen."
"You don't need to scare her," your mother corrected him. She took your hand for the last time and said the words that were always echoing in your head. "He is a difficult man, and I understand that. But love can be many things, my dear. This love may be patience. Be patient and patient to welcome the good things with joy and to know how to overcome the bad things with peace of mind. Just...be patient."
Very few lords attended the wedding, and not even Rhaenyra and her family came to the ceremony. And you were glad to think that few were those who saw the humiliation of not receiving a single kiss from your now husband. When it was all over and the feast began, the music filled the room with joy, with Aemond and Helaena dancing, while your siblings found different partners to share the song. And all you had was Aegon beside you, who wouldn't let go of his cup for a second. From the corner of your eye, you could see that this drunkenness was unlike any you had seen before. He was faded, his eyes clear and glittering with sadness.
"Aegon," King Viserys trudged over to your seats, and you alone rose to pay him a courtesy. "Why don't you take your beautiful bride out dancing? By the gods, you'll bore her to death sitting here!"
You wanted to say you didn't have to, but contradicting the king was very wrong of you, and lying to yourself was also a bad habit. You really did want to dance, and you really did begin to die of boredom. When you looked at your groom, you saw him turn to look at you, his eyes still half closed, heavy with alcohol. Still, he stood up and offered you a hand. Your walk to the centre was full of applause.
"I warn you, I am not in my best powers of coordination, my lady," he warned you himself in a whisper.
"I hadn't noticed, my lord," you gave him a half smile, his hand dropping quite a bit into yours.
When the music began, the song was perhaps too lively for what you would have wished, and certainly for what Aegon would have wished as well. His steps were clumsy, and the rhythm of the music was too lively for what you might have wished. His steps were clumsy, and the pace was beginning to make him dizzy. He stepped over a few lords, and when he had to approach you, he would push you back by accident. Already bordering on embarrassment, you could see your parents blushing and looking at the scene with concern. And you could also see Alicent and Otto look at Aegon angrily. The old king looked confused.
"I can stop this," you whispered to him when you had him close.
"No," he replied. "I'm being a good husband."
Then he danced on. And soon what he was waiting for happened, Aegon fell to the ground. Everyone held back an exclamation, some of them hiding their laughter very badly. The prince was slumped on the floor, and before long he was vomiting up what was only wine. The sight was pitiful. One of your sisters approached you, as Ser Criston and Alicent approached Aegon. And when your sister tugged you away from the pool of wine, you broke free, moving closer to the prince who stirred slowly on the floor.
"My dear, you'll stain your dress," Alicent said.
"Let me help, Your Majesty." You replied.
With a handkerchief borrowed kindly from a nearby lord, you wiped Aegon's face and let him lean on you to slowly rise. His hands rested on your shoulders and yours on his arms. His face was red, and he seemed to regain some sense of shame.
"I think you should rest for a while," you said. He nodded.
And then Criston took over, putting the Prince's arm over his shoulder and leading him out of the room. Alicent walked behind, and as they walked away you could see Aegon turn his face to look at you. With a last glance at your family, you followed the Queen's path, straight to your husband's chambers.
"I asked only one thing of you, Aegon, just one," Alicent was saying to him on the way. She seemed to hold back quite a bit in your presence.
Criston left him sitting on the bed, and Aegon tried not to fall into it as his mother spoke to him.
"Tomorrow we will talk further." And then he turned to look at you. "I'm so sorry about this, love. I will tell the guests the bedding will be private."
"Oh, thank you, Your Majesty."
When Criston and Alicent left, they expected you to follow them as well, but you stood in the room.
"Have you not been shown to your rooms yet?" Alicent asked, quizzical.
"Yes, yes, I've located them... but I'd like to stay here a while longer. It's our wedding night, isn't it?" You sounded totally nervous but determined.
Alicent could only nod and force a smile before leaving with her knight. As the doors closed, you could hear Aegon finally collapse onto the bed.
"I wish to give you no offence... and the gods know I am the most willing man to do our duty that you will ever meet," Aegon said, and it was the sort of compliment you should learn to accept. "But tonight, I do not think I have the strength to achieve our goal," he said.
"I was not here for it, so I will take no offence."
Aegon turned his head to look at you, and he seemed much more alive than before.
"That's a pretty dress," he reached out to brush the fabric of the gown. "I'm sorry you got it stained with...my vomit."
"Don't worry, my prince. I could never wear it again."
You heard a laugh from him, which even startled you. But it was tender and unexpected, and it made you proud. Aegon repositioned himself better to give you a place on the bed and tapped his side, asking you to lie down beside him. Before you did, you picked up a tray of fruit and filled a glass of water. And before you lay down, you offered Aegon the water.
"The Maesters say that alcohol should be compensated with water." You watched as Aegon sat up so he could drink his glass without choking. And though he hesitated at first, he ended up drinking it whole and with need.
"I did not remember the taste of water..." he put the glass back in your hand. "And it's a disappointing taste."
When you finally lay down beside him, Aegon enjoyed the fruit on the tray, offering you some grapes.
"Is it always going to be like this?" You asked. He stopped chewing to look at you. "This humiliation. Are you going to be drunk every day of our lives?"
At your hurt tone, Aegon did not know what to answer, but he sounded remorseful, trying to compose an apology or some excuse. He swallowed his food before speaking.
"I have never had reason to be sober, my lady. No one has given them to me."
"Is your mother not worth it? Is your father not worth being proud of you?"
"What my father wants of me is very different from what my mother wants of me. I will never do well in their eyes."
"And at what point is it a much better option to wander around the castle blind with alcohol?"
"It's the only thing that makes me forget how useless I really am."
You couldn't help but run your hand over his face, trying to get him to look at you. His eyes were shining again, but they seemed much more alive than in the room.
"We all have our duty to do. And not all of us are good at it, but we all try."
"You seem like a person suited to this kind of life."
"I'm responsible. I like to think I am, at least. But don't you dare think that I don't wish I was somewhere else right now, with my horse and music nearby. I don't like to pour water to drunk men or stain my clothes with their vomits. But I do it because, somehow, It's now my duty. I will fulfil it for my family's name's sake. I would like to start a family and I will need your help to protect it. Just as you are going to need mine. It is what I believe is right."
You watched as Aegon nodded. He stroked your hand on his face and got out of bed to rummage through his wardrobe. You watched as he stumbled over his own mess but managed to pull out a long white shirt. He left it on the bed for you.
"This will do, so you can change into something clean." He stood expectantly.
"I already have clothes to change into in my rooms," you turned him down, but with a coy smile.
"Oh... all right," he looked disappointed. He looked sweeter than you had ever seen him, still dressed in his groom's robes. His suit was blue and gold, like his dragon Sunfyre. He went to pick up the shirt when you changed your mind, placing his hand on top of it, preventing him from pulling it away.
"Although...I don't trust my sense of direction around the castle in this darkness. Do you mind if I stay?"
"No..." You saw a soft smile appear on his lips. "Not at all... you are already my wife."
You changed in a dark corner of the room, and though Aegon said he would not spy on you, you caught a glimpse of him slyly rolling his eyes, trying to make out your figure in the gloom. The shirt made you look rather unattractive, in your opinion, but the loose hair and lack of tight fabrics made you feel so comfortable that you forgot all about your appearance. Aegon also shed the tight jacket and breeches and was left in a camisole similar to your own.
"Thank you for lifting me up in the hall..." he said after you had mocked the dreadful attire you had witnessed throughout the day. "It's not the first time I've fallen down. But it is the first time someone has helped me as tenderly as you have helped me."
"Don't worry about it."
"I'm sorry I humiliated you."
"I don't want your apology. I want you to promise me that you will try to change."
"And how can I change?" He sounded surrendered.
"With patience."
"I'm not patient, I'm afraid."
"Well, I am... I'll share some with you."
"Oh no... you're going to make an annoying wife, aren't you?" He joked, making you laugh. "You're going to ask me out dancing a lot. And I'm going to have to greet a lot of gentlemen and lie about how pretty their wives are..."
In the comfort of shirts and bed, a few hours passed as exhaustion begged you to sleep, not yet having consumed the marriage. You granted him a kiss on the lips. They were the taste of one and figs. After that night, it took you a long time to even set foot in your room.
The days passed more quietly, with Aegon showing you his favourite parts of King's Landing, trying to avoid the whorehouse, though you knew he had visited it a hundred times. You never reproached him, for since you were married, he had hardly left your side. In fact, he was the annoying husband. He asked you a thousand times to fly over Sunfyre. The only thing you insisted on was that he should not refill his wine glass during lunches and dinners. It was as simple as holding his hand fondly as he approached the decanter. The next day, you noticed that the lack of hangover manifested itself in long expeditions to which you went half-dragging. Soon, you understood what Aegon meant by his father's wishes and his mother's. Viserys enjoyed Aegon's Aegon. Viserys enjoyed the more talkative, joker, and absent side of him, the one who was a good spare heir behind Rhaenyra and her children. He barely paid him any mind, always reminiscing about his eldest daughter and his late wife. Then there was Alicent, and close behind her was Otto. The Hightower wanted in Aegon the malice that could reside in him, the malice that wanted more than to be a prince. They compared him incessantly to Rhaenyra and to Aemond, who was younger than he was, and therefore even more humiliating.
On nights when you returned from those uncomfortable dinners, Aegon would become extremely nervous, and you could not stop him from asking for a large flagon of wine. Your words did him no good, but you remembered your mother's advice. You had to welcome bad things with patience. And you watched him drink in front of the fire and asked a guard to watch him when he moved drunkenly around the castle. The next day, you helped him freshen up with a bath and get rid of the horrible headache.
On one of the nights when it happened again, you went to extreme measures before he ordered his alcohol.
"Perhaps a walk with Sunfyre will clear our heads, Aegon."
"'Our'?" He looked at you quizzically.
When you nodded, his face changed completely, and in the dead of night, he asked for his dragon to be prepared for a ride. Aegon was so pleased that he barely noticed that you were terrified. And you didn't say anything, of course, you liked seeing him so happy. Sunfyre was beautiful and quite a good boy, but that didn't take away your terror at the heights he could reach.
"Come on, wife, the tingling in the stomach is what makes it fun."
"I disagree."
As he laughed at you, he put your hands around his chest. He was quite a fit man, and over the past days and flirting, you found yourself more and more wanting to touch him and hold him close to you. Perhaps the dragon was a good idea, after all. Sunfyre led you to Kingswood, a place you mentioned you had never seen. And the whole flight was spent in places whose names Aegon made up to distract you, surprising you with the absurdity of the game. There was the odd surprise pirouette that he couldn't avoid, making you scream and squeeze him. But all in all, it was quite fun.
It was in the forest where you wandered, talking about unimportant things that kept your mind off all the crowns and iron chairs. It was that night when you consummated the marriage. You gave him the kiss that set it all on fire, the deepest kiss you had ever given each other. And he continued it with even more passion, clearly the more experienced of the two. He undresses you right there, and you undressed him as well. In the soft grass, only the moon could see you become one at last. You awoke at dawn and returned to the Red Keep with red faces and dishevelled hair.
"You're glowing," he whispered to you before he had to leave you to attend a meeting, pulling away your hair to give you a kiss on the neck.
All those memories flashed through your mind as Aegon leaned against the carriage window, on his way to be crowned King, his sister unbeknownst to their treason, his father recently dead, and war knocking at the door. They had dressed you too, and the thought of being queen made your stomach churn more than it already did.
"I'm afraid," Aegon suddenly confessed to you. "I'm not going to be good for this."
"I'm afraid too..." You took his hand. "We have to be smart, Aegon. We must protect ourselves."
"You should run while you can. I can order Ser Arryk to send you away... until all is safe again."
"No!" The thought horrified you. "I can't abandon you. We need you."
You brought your hand to your belly. You watched as Aegon's eyes widened with surprise.
"Gods..." he knelt before you, his head close to your knees, the din of the city seemed to hush inside the carriage. The light through the windows rattled on your skin, and the scene seemed like something out of Aegon's imagination.
"We must flee."
"It is too late now." Tears were falling, and your husband wiped them away, overwhelmed. "They won't let us scape this, you know that."
The carriage finally stopped, and Aegon had to bolt the door, which would only hold the guards for a second.
"Then, wife, I will do my true duty to protect our family. But as you said that day, I need your help...it is what I believe is right. Let us have hope. Never before I have felt this love for anything. Never before has anyone ever shown me as much love as you. I'll do everything in my hand to keep us safe. The only thing that matters to me is you and everything that involves you. My only friend is you."
Trying to regain your normal breathing, wiping your cheeks, you nodded as Aegon gave you a kiss on the forehead, another very soft, slow kiss on the cheek, which you couldn't help but drop your face to his touch and essence, and a kiss on the lips. Before removing the latch, he gave you a last kiss on your belly, making you giggle.
A look of complicity and a final sigh to enjoy a moment of peace before your heads held the crowns.
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slaying-rxna · 2 months ago
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Hello, Rina! Could you please write about Xilonen teaching fem!reader to roller skate? The genre is fluff, of course.
Have a nice day!
Skating with a Jaguar
➳Genre:Fluff
➳Trope:Xilonen x Fem!reader
➳Warnings:Just fluff with Xilonen teaching you how to skate.
➳Might be Ooc
➳Word count:0.8k
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Xilonen was a woman with many talents, but if you were to describe one thing that you really like about Xilonen it would be her hobby of skating, roller skating to be exact. Perhaps it was just yourself to ask when you wanted to teach her how to use it. As you began to approach her outside in which she was skating. As Xilonen detected your presence she immediately stopped skating and went near you.
“Do you need something?” Xilonen gently asked you. She knows that when you go out and look for her, you'll most likely request something. And indeed she was right as you mumbled your wishes and then asked her to teach you.
Xilonen was unsurprised with your question as she kept a face keen to a jaguar as you were filled with begging eyes, mentioning how both of you could skate wonderfully while even holding hands. Xilonen began to gently caress your hair as she lazily replied to your request “Are you sure, dear? Skating is quite hard..” The jaguar warned you yet your persistence led to Xilonen accepting your request. As long as it's you she will gladly accept it.
Xilonen was confident in your abilities, after all you are her beloved. Although she was quite worried that you may get injured, she was sure you would get the grasp of it. If you don't she will make sure you do no matter how much time it may consume the both of you.
So now you're shaking. When Xilonen said that roller skating was difficult you didn't expect it to be THIS hard. “Roller skating is easy, dear” The jaguar could only hold you close as you began to calm down “Don't be too intimidated” Xilonen advised, her voice was gentle and assuring. It lifted your spirits as you could stand with it now. Seeing that you adjusted, Xilonen began to teach you to walk with the skates first. “I'll hold you when you walk”
Xilonen grabbed hold of your hands as you tighten your grip into her hands. You began to walk slowly, you're glad that your clumsiness didn't greet you when your walking with such boots. Beginning to adjust you didn't realize yourself that you we're gliding along with your lover.
“Atta girl” Xilonen commented as you began to walk with her flow. “That wasn't so hard was it?” a statement in which you nodded your head. “Now try to stop, there's a bar in the hilt of your skates lower it” The jaguar advised for her it's probably stopping that was the most difficult since she did have problems with it when she first started. Xilonen believed that you won't be like her unlike when she was still young.
“Be ready, beloved. Stopping your gliding when you start is difficult” Xilonen warned. As you nodded your head. You were quite worried that you'll mess up and fall over but Xilonen debunked it when she said she'll catch you, if indeed you ever fall. “Ready?” Xilonen started to look back at you in which the eye contact was gentle. She had such gentle eyes, it was a face gentle and full of care.
“Yes…I think I'm ready” You spoke, your voice betrayed your facade of being calm when you're quite afraid that you'll fall over and embarrass yourself. Xilonen then began to nod as you hurriedly began to do what she taught you. You felt a wave of relief flow through your body when you didn't fall over.
“I knew you could do it” The women purred as she holded your hands delicately while you lightened your hold unlike earlier. “Have more faith in yourself, sweet” Xilonen complimented you, as you felt joy knowing that you didn't fail your lover. As Xilonen began to tap her feet signaling to glide with the skates.
“May we continue?” Xilonen’s voice was like a sirens call, hypnotizing. As you etched a smile into your face “Of course.” Speaking now with confidence as the both of you glided with the skates. You mentioned earlier on how the two of you could skate while your hands we're intertwined. Seems it happened much more earlier.
Your nervousness was eventually replaced with confidence as the two of you skated, reaching the outskirts of the mountains. You lost track of the time as the two of you joyfully skated. Eventually you two stopped skating when the sun had reached its peak. The sun retired and so did both of you.
Reaching the door of your shared house, you removed the skates and entered the house. As a wave of tiredness began to seep through your body as you immediately reached through your bed. While Xilonen immediately joined you, she cuddled you holding your body close.
“You should be more confident about yourself.” Xilonen repeated again what she had advised you earlier. “You're full of talents.” The woman then began to swift her other hand through the locks of your hair. “You should've seen how happy you we're” A smile began to shape into her face.
“You really surprised me earlier y’know? I thought it will take a lot of time" Continuing her hold while you embraced her hold even moving up to receive more. “Perhaps I shall give you a reward.”
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Note:Thank you for your request ^^ I hope you enjoy this small drabble hehe. Apologies it was short. Today was our exams and my brain rattled all my ideas. Apologies if it didn't satisfy you as I am new at writing.
Please don't copy or translate any of my works. Reblog is okay but please don't copy it.
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starleska · 2 years ago
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Hello again!! I'm the anon from before (and I'm glad to hear you had a nice time yesterday!!!), and here's what I wrote.. I've been thinking a lot about the 'Wally eats with his eyes' idea, as many have been !!! I'm not sure how to warn for what this exactly so feel free to tag it with whatever you deem necessary. Wally just. Likes you a lot lol. i guess this is a little silly but i had a good time writing it haha
You are having a staring contest with your friend Wally.
You can't quite remember who started this, or why. Just that Wally had wanted to draw somewhere outside and you tagged along with him, until you were sitting somewhere in a field of flowers around the Neighbourhood.
Wally simply returns your gaze, unblinking, his hands folded over on top of his sketchbook. You think this has lasted long enough. What you want to do is crack a smile or a joke, but you find that your muscles are frozen stiff, and your tongue is so, so heavy.
His pupils expand.
You're supposed to panic about being this frozen up. Moving shouldn't be so difficult. But it's like your body feels like even stressing out about this is too much effort. You feel warm. Your eyelids tremble with the effort to blink. There is no movement, though your eyes don't burn either. You've held them open for so long that the world starts to gray out around you.
His pupils expand.
Wally leans his head to the side, little by little. You mirror his movements without thinking. The tips of your fingers are tingling, your feet feel numb as if fallen asleep. He smiles at you even more than usual. You think that this makes you happy. His lips part slowly, as if to speak, and-
"Hiya, guys!" Eddie calls out from the path to your right.
Your body jolts in surprise, and the spell is broken. By the time you whip your head around to look, Eddie has already continued his delivery route without waiting for a response.
Your returned awareness feels like breaking the surface after almost drowning. A weight disappears from your body, and you practically double over, gasping for air. Your shoulders are shaking, your eyes wide. When you squeeze them shut, it burns. You feel tired like you never have before.
"That was good," Wally says. For a moment, you are hesitant to turn your head back and look at him. You want to hide from his eyes. But you snuff that thought out as soon as it pops up, because that's just silly. You must've eaten something wrong, or have caught a cold. What else could explain this.
You look at Wally. He looks normal, and his eyes upon
"W-what did you say?"
"I asked: Are you feeling good?" Wally speaks even slower than he otherwise would, but his smile is as wide as ever. "You don't look good, friend."
"I don't… I'm a little out of it," you force out a laugh. "I think I'm getting sick."
Wally leans forward.
"You'll be okay," he says, and puts a hand on your knee. "Let's sit here until you feel better."
!!!!!! anon!!!! anon do you know how good this is?!?! oh my gosh!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭 honey, i cannot express how much i adore this fic. it's such a wonderful blend of terror and intimacy, so frightening and claustrophobic yet warm and safe in a way you can't understand...ugh, i'm in love 🥴 your descriptions are so vivid - i could really feel Your panic and nausea. some real Lovecraftian horror stuff going on in here. and oh my God the little detail of him saying, 'That was good' and then switching to 'Are you feeling good?' absolute chills!!! 😱😱 if you feel comfortable enough, you should absolutely post your writing somewhere!! you've got such a talent for writing, Wally in particular, and i'd love to read more of your stuff should you be inclined. i'll definitely be taking some tips from this awesome little fic going forward 😉 thank you so much for sharing 🥰
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writingrock · 2 months ago
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the tale of two lovers [6]
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pairing: barbarian! katsuki bakugou x reader (female) summary: a bard approaches a lone barbarian in search for a story to tell. Who could have known that the barbarian end up being such a romantic tale.
notes: fantasy au, fluff, strangers to lovers, slow burn, bakusquad, barbarian bakugou, violence, mentions of caves
word count: 8.4k
part list
part one: chapter list
a/n: i've been sooo busy this week but i'm so glad i had the weekend to write this chapter out!
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“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Bakugou’s voice sliced through the low buzz of the forest.  He eyed you from the side as you tread lightly through the thicket.
You didn’t even look up from the map in your hands, the corners of your mouth curling into a derisive smirk. “Not at all, I’m just leading us into the middle of nowhere for fun,” you shot back, your tone dripping with sarcasm. “If you want to take over, be my guest. But I’d bet on the cartographer over the barbarian any day”
Bakugou grunted, his eyes sharpened in your direction but he said nothing more. You had a point, and as much as he hated to admit it, he knew better than to challenge your expertise on navigating these treacherous woods. He learnt from the past few weeks that you were better at navigating the Veil than he would ever be. The rest of the group followed you, trusting your sense of direction after being together for weeks.
The group presses on, the forest around you growing denser with each step. The air is thick with the scent of earth and leaves, and the sounds of distant, unseen creatures create a constant, eerie background noise. The trees loomed overhead, casting eerie shadows that seemed to dance in the periphery of your vision. You keep an eye on the subtle changes in the environment, looking for signs that you’re nearing the heart of the forest. It’s been quite the journey. All the way from that pub in Leford to the midst of Niniel’s Veil. A part of you can’t believe that you all have reached this point.
Hours passed as you pressed on, the terrain becoming increasingly difficult to traverse. Twisted roots threatened to trip the unwary, and thick underbrush snagged at your clothes and gear. But you led the way as you always did. Occasionally pausing to consult your map or listen to the faint whispers of the forest around you. The group was thankful to have you by their side, more than you’d ever know. 
Eventually, the light began to fade, and the group’s energy waned with it. Looks like it was time to set up camp. You searched around for a good campsite. Walking through the area with your eyes peeled for potential resting areas. Finally, you find a small clearing where the trees part enough to let in some moonlight. a good spot to make camp. When you finally suggested making camp for the night, there were no objections. The group quickly set up, grateful for a chance to rest. A small fire was lit that warmed the surroundings of your makeshift camp.
The conversation around the fire was subdued but relaxed, the group was talking lightheartedly about poor decisions they’ve made before. Kirishima laughed as he recounted the time Sero almost got his foot stuck in a bog, while Kaminari chimed in with a tale about a prank he’d tried to pull, only for it to backfire spectacularly. Even Bakugou, usually so stoic, chuckled at some of the memories, though he mostly stayed silent, watching the flames with the impassive expression he usually wore.
“It’s been a hell of a trip so far,” Kirishima says, stretching his arms above his head. A low grunt slipping past his lips as he loosens a muscle.“But I think we’re getting closer.”
“Yeah,” Mina agrees, yawning softly as she gazes at the fire. “Feels like we’ve been at this forever, but there’s definitely something different about this place. You can feel it in the air.”
“I’m eager to go home.” Sero says, stretching out and grinning. Rolling his shoulders as he feels his shoulders opening up. “But we’re making good progress, right?”
“Progress?” Kaminari quips, laying back on his pack. “I’m just glad we haven’t run into any more thorn wolves. Those things were a pain.”
Bakugou grunts in agreement, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the firelight. You can tell he’s still on edge, wary of potential dangers that could jump out in the darkness. Even in camp, he refuses to let his guard down. “We’re close,” you say, breaking your silence. “In a few days, we should reach the heart of the forest. That’s where we’ll find the artefact.”
At the mention of the artefact, the mood harboured an undercurrent of tension as everyone knew the real challenge was within grasp. The heart of the forest is elusive, and with it, the artefact they sought. 
One by one, the group members retired for the night, the fire slowly dying down as they crawled into their bedrolls. Before long, the camp was quiet, the only sounds the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant calls of nocturnal creatures. The camp settles into the kind of stillness that only a deep forest can offer, the fire’s glow the only break in the darkness.
But sleep wouldn’t come to you. Time passing only seemed to amplify your restlessness. It’s not the first time, and you doubt it will be the last. There’s something about this forest that keeps your mind… busy. With a quiet sigh, you slipped out of your sleeping bag. You grab the habitual items and slip into your boots. Careful not to disturb the others, you moved away from the camp, the soft glow of the dwindling fire fading behind you as you wandered deeper into the forest. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth and moss. The shadows seemed less menacing now, more like old friends keeping you company as you wandered. 
Niniel’s Veil reminds you of your father. Wherever he is.
You purse your lips at the thought, memories creeping up the edges of your mind. How long has it been since you last saw him? Ten years? Maybe more. The forest feels eerily familiar, stirring a sense of nostalgia that you can’t quite shake. The years have slipped by, but the memory of his voice, his presence, still lingers like a ghost. You lightly pinch yourself, trying to push the thoughts away as you walk through the woods. The familiar rustle of leaves underfoot and the soft whisper of the wind are usually comforting, but tonight, they only serve to amplify the gnawing sense of solitude.
You move through the woods, your footsteps light on the forest floor, but a sudden prickling at the back of your neck pulls you out of your reverie. There’s someone behind you. You can feel it, that unmistakable sense of being watched. The hairs on your arms stand on end as you subtly slide your hand to your dagger, fingers curling around the hilt. In one swift motion, you turn on your heel, the blade ready in your hand. You turn swiftly to confront your midnight stalker.
Your blade stops just short of pressing against a familiar throat. Deja Vu much? 
Bakugou stands there with that same unreadable face he wore at supper. His arms crossed over his chest like he’s just casually taking a stroll in the middle of the night. As if he wasn’t following you in the darkness of the forest. Or even that he had every right to follow you. For someone who claims not to care, he certainly has a way of showing up whenever you least expect it.
“Glad to see you’ve upgraded.” He comments referring to the blade. You cringe slightly remembering the last time with the quill.
“Still stalking me?” you ask, your voice a low, teasing drawl as you press the dagger lightly against his neck. The cool blade against the warm skin of his neck. Your pen was once positioned there. 
He raises an eyebrow, his lips curling into a sly smirk. His stony expression melted away, unveiling the amusement lurking underneath. He was enjoying this more than he should. “You always pull a blade on your friends, or am I just special?”
You snort, but don’t lower the dagger just yet. “Friends, huh? Last I checked, you were just tolerating me.”
“Maybe you’re just that hard to ignore,” he shoots back with a twitch in his eyebrow. 
“Careful, you almost sounded sincere for a second,” you retort, finally lowering the dagger but keeping it in hand. “So, what’s the excuse this time? Woke you up again?”
Bakugou gives you a flat look, his snarky smirk dropping. His crimson eyes bored into you as he studied you for a moment. A short moment passes and he nonchalantly replies to your question. “You were wandering off. Thought I’d make sure you weren’t getting yourself lost.”
You can’t help but audibly laugh at that. The edge of your lips tugging upwards as you teased him. “How considerate of you. I thought you trusted me to lead the way.”
“I trust you not to get us all killed,” he fires back, the corner of his mouth twitching as if he’s fighting off a smirk of his own. “But I know this forest messes with people’s heads. Even yours.”
“Worried about me, Bakugou?” you poked at him, stepping a bit closer. 
His expression darkens, the usual intensity that seems to follow him everywhere. “I’m not worried. Just making sure you don’t do anything stupid.”
He falls into step beside you, the silence between you charged with the same tension that always seems to hang in the air when the two of you are alone. It’s not exactly comfortable, but it’s become familiar— a dynamic you’ve both fallen into without really meaning to. It seems you both are going on a midnight stroll together. Not that it surprises you anymore, it seems the only time you both take time to understand each other is in the dead of the night. So when these nightly talks happen, you embrace them. 
As you both walk, the forest gradually thins out, and the remnants of an ancient structure come into view— a ruined pagoda, half-collapsed and covered in creeping vines. Probably one of the few remaining ruins of that once powerful elvish kingdom. The sight of it makes you pause, the weight of the years heavy in the air around it. It’s a relic of a time long gone, much like the memories you’ve been trying to avoid.
Without a word, you make your way to the base of the pagoda and sit down on a stone that was once part of a grand foundation. Bakugou follows suit, dropping onto a nearby piece of rubble with a sigh, the tension of the day settling into his muscles.
The night is quiet around you, the sounds of the forest muted, as if even the creatures that dwell here know to respect the sanctity of this forgotten place. You glance at Bakugou, catching the way his eyes scan the surroundings, ever vigilant even in this moment of relative peace. For a moment, the two of you simply sit there in silence, the ruined pagoda a reminder of the past, of things lost and found. It’s a fragile peace, but it’s enough for now. Whatever lies ahead, you know this— neither of you is alone in facing it. 
“You mind telling me the significance of that artefact?” you ask. The importance behind the artefact often creeped from the corners of your mind. Wondering what could be so important for a draconic prince to venture out finding them.
Bakugou’s gaze sharpens as he fixes his stare on you, weighing whether to answer. He’s not one to give up information easily, especially about something this important. But instead of a direct answer, he counters you, “You mind telling me what’s keeping you up?” 
You raise an eyebrow, surprised by his quick deflection. It seemed you weren’t the only one with questions. Still, was it that surprising that he had questions about you? You were rather secretive. “Touché.”
Silence settles between you once more, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s a quiet pause, like the forest itself is holding its breath. The ruined pagoda around you is peaceful in its decay, the stones weathered but steadfast, wrapped in a blanket of moss and climbing vines. The air hums with a soft, otherworldly energy, the kind that only comes from places touched by ancient magic. Fireflies dance lazily in the air, their glow reflecting off the gentle ripples of a nearby stream. Somewhere in the distance, a lone night bird calls out, its song weaving through the trees like a lullaby.
You find yourself almost at ease in this place, this forgotten sanctuary deep in Niniel’s Veil. But the weight of the past still tugs at you, pulling you back to a time long ago.
“I mapped this forest with my father,” you begin, the words coming out quieter than you intended. You hadn’t planned on sharing this, but something about the weight of the ruined pagoda and Bakugou’s unexpected question that loosened the knot in your chest. “We spent years exploring every corner of it, documenting its secrets, its dangers. He taught me all that I knew and showed me the beauty of the Veil.”
Bakugou doesn’t interrupt, his attention focused entirely on you. To have him listen without any snark had strangely become second nature when the two of you were alone. A calmer side both of you wore when delicate conversations arose. 
“He’s been gone for ten years now,” you continue, your voice steady despite the ache in your heart. “Took on an expedition to map out areas on another continent. A big one, from what little I know. But... I haven’t heard from him since. Not a single word. And being here, I can’t help but think of him. Wonder where he is, what he’s doing. If he’s even still alive.”
Bakugou’s expression softens slightly, though he tries to hide it. He shifts, leaning back against the cool stone of the pagoda, the hard lines of his face catching the flickering light of the fireflies. “Must’ve been a hell of a trip if he’s been gone that long.”
“Yeah,” you murmur, your eyes distant as you stare into the darkness beyond the pagoda. “It’s meant to be the opportunity of a lifetime. But a part of me... part of me wonders if it was worth it. If he’s still out there, somewhere, lost in the maps he was always so obsessed with.”
Bakugou grunts softly, a sound that could be agreement or just acknowledgment. He doesn’t offer empty reassurances, doesn’t try to comfort you with false hope. Instead, he just sits there, his presence a solid, grounding force in the uncertainty that’s been gnawing at you for years.
After a moment, Bakugou’s voice cuts through the night, softer than usual. “You know, this artefact we’re after… it’s not just any old trinket. It’s part of something much bigger.” His eyes aimed down at the ground, focusing on the ground as he spoke. Perhaps finding it easier to speak with something dull and mundane to look at. 
“It’s tied to my bloodline,” he continues. The timbre of his voice carries the weight of years of effort and loss. “A draconic artefact that’s been lost for centuries. It was once a symbol of immense power, something my ancestors wielded. The artefact has been broken into six pieces, and together, they unlock the planetarium— a place of ancient knowledge. It belonged to former kings, used for consulting on arcana and astral matters.”
He pauses, the dancing light of the fireflies casting a gentle glow on his face, revealing a glimpse of the resolve etched into his features. “During my grandfather’s reign, a traitorous enchanter within the kingdom shattered that legacy. Stole the artefact and scattered its pieces across the continent. My goal is simple: find all the pieces, reassemble them, and restore what was lost.”
You listen intently, feeling the gravity of his words. “And how many pieces have you found so far?”
Bakugou’s expression tightens slightly, but there’s a glimmer of pride in his eyes. “I’ve got two of the six. The first one was hidden deep within a volcano, guarded by a fire-breathing serpent. The second was buried beneath the icy ruins of an ancient temple, frozen in time. Each piece has been a challenge, a trial that tested my strength, resolve and wit. And each victory has only made me realise how much further I still have to go.”
He takes a deep breath, as if steeling himself for the road ahead. “The remaining four are still out there, scattered in lands both known and unknown. It’s a daunting task, but one I’m determined to see through. For my ancestors. For my legacy.”
You absorb his words, the enormity of his quest sinking in. It’s clear this isn’t just a mission for him; it’s a personal journey, bound by family, honour, and a deep-seated drive to restore what was taken. There was something raw in the way he spoke, a fierce determination that you hadn’t fully understood until now. Every step he took, every battle fought, was connected to this deeper purpose. You could see it in his eyes: the frustration, the unspoken weight he carried, the sense that failure wasn’t an option for him. 
“You’ve come a long way,” you say quietly, your own sense of purpose aligning with his. “And you’re closer to finding them than ever.”
Bakugou nods, a rare moment of vulnerability showing through his body language and softened expression. “Yeah, I guess so. But there’s still a long way to go. And it’s not getting any easier.”
“I refuse to take my throne without finding all the relics,” Bakugou declared, his voice firm and unwavering, each word burned with defiance. His eyes flared with a fierce sense of purpose, a fire that spoke of his relentless ambition and the heavy weight of his unfulfilled duty. There was no room for compromise in his stance; every muscle in his body was tense, coiled with the resolve of someone who would not bend until his quest was complete. 
The conversation settles into a comfortable silence, the fireflies swirling around you as the night deepens. The shared understanding of the stakes and the personal history behind the quest lingers in the air, binding your journeys together in a way you hadn’t expected. The ruined pagoda, surrounded by the peaceful hum of the enchanted forest, becomes a haven of sorts: a place where the weight of the past and the promise of the future can be briefly shared and understood. You pull out your sketchbook, the soft rustle of pages mixing with the ambient sounds of the forest. With a hum, you start sketching the scene around you— the crumbling beauty of the pagoda, the ethereal glow of the fireflies. Your quill moves fluidly across the paper, capturing the serene landscape.
After a while, your focus shifted to Bakugou. You began sketching him as he leaned casually against the ruined structure, his posture relaxed for once. His scimitar caught the moonlight, gleaming as he methodically sharpened the blade with an almost meditative concentration, the rhythmic scraping a quiet counterpoint to the forest’s night sounds. Bakugou always sharpened his weapons during these nightly encounters. Tending to them with such care and responsibility. 
Unbeknownst to you, Bakugou’s attention drifted from the shadowy woods to your sketching. He leaned in slightly, wondering what the cartographer next to him was up to. He catches sight of the drawing taking shape on your page.
“What are you doing?” he grunted, raising a brow at your sketch. Bakugou peered down at the page as your quill scratched against the page.
You glanced up, a low hum leaving your lips as you focused on the drawing. “Just capturing the scenery. And you.”
Bakugou’s expression quickly shifted to a sardonic grin. You could tell that he was going to start some banter. “Oh, yeah? Well, I think I look better in person.”
You chuckled, keeping your attention to the sketch. “This is pretty realistic, actually. Maybe you’re not as good-looking as you think.”
He gave a short, dry laugh as he mused at your answer. “Is that so? I’ve seen decent drawings before, but this one… not exactly doing me justice.”
You shrugged, your playful tone unwavering. “Maybe I’m just capturing your essence— you know, that rugged warrior vibe.”
He snorted, the smirk never leaving his face. “Essence, huh? Is that what you call it when you can’t draw a good likeness?”
You laughed, shaking your head as you added a few finishing touches. “I’d call it an improvement. But if you want a portrait that really captures your dashing good looks, you’ll have to sit still a bit longer.”
Bakugou huffed with a reluctant smile he tried to hide. “Yeah, yeah. Just don’t expect me to pose like some pretty boy.”
Bakugou remains silent as he watches you work. The quiet between you, filled with the soft sounds of the night and the buzz of the fireflies. No comments or insults, he’s simply observing you drag the quill over the paper. You continue sketching, letting him watch as long as he wants. The fireflies continue their waltz, illuminating your work, and the serenity of the ruined pagoda envelops you both.
As you finish the sketch, you set the feathered pen down and look at Bakugou with a satisfied nod. “There. Not too shabby, huh?”
Bakugou leans in to examine the sketch, his eyes scanning the details. He grunts with the tiniest hint of approval in his voice. “Yeah, yeah. Not bad. For a cartographer who thinks they’re an artist.”
You let out an amused laugh, giving him a smile at his little jab. “Glad to know I’m meeting your high standards.”
Bakugou smirks, a rare, unguarded smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Just don’t expect me to start posing for you every night.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve had my fill of you.” You give him a short retort. 
With that, he stands, brushing off the dust from his pants and stretching out. “Let’s head back. We’ve got a long day ahead of us.”
You tuck your sketchbook away and follow Bakugou as he strides back toward the camp, the cool night air brushing against your skin. The forest is calm, with its usual noises providing a soothing backdrop as you navigate the underbrush. As you near the camp, the flickering firelight becomes visible through the trees, like a lighthouse bringing weary sailors home. The others are already settled in, their slow, steady breathing a quiet reminder of the day’s exhaustion. You find your spot near the fire and slip into your sleeping bag with a tired sigh, the warmth of the flames chasing away the lingering chill.
Bakugou settles down close by, his silhouette outlined by the dancing firelight. He gives you a brief nod, a silent acknowledgment, before lying back against the ground. His usual brusqueness seems softened, worn down by the day’s trials and the conversation that unfolded parts of vulnerability from both sides.
“Get some sleep,” he says, trying to maintain the roughness in his inflection. Though he attempts to sound firm, a quiet gentleness slips through.  “We’ve got work to do tomorrow.”
You nod, pulling your blanket up and closing your eyes. The gentle crackling of the fire and the rhythmic sounds of the forest lull you toward sleep. Bakugou’s presence, though not overtly comforting, adds a sense of security to the night. As you lie in your own spot, your mind is still buzzing from the unexpected connection with Bakugou. The night wraps around you as you settle into your bedroll, the fire’s warmth fading as you drift into a well-deserved rest. As you drift off, the echoes of your conversation and the warmth of the campfire provide a brief respite from the challenges that lie ahead.
The forest continues its quiet watch, the promise of tomorrow hanging in the air as you and Bakugou, along with the rest of the group, prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.
Back at the tavern, the bard and Bakugou are still by that table near the hearth, the crackling fire adding to the comfortable ambiance. The tavern’s hum of conversation and clinking mugs creates a backdrop of casual revelry, somehow making it easier for the hardened dragonborn to tell his tale. The bard, with a sly grin, opens his mouth to interrupt Bakugou with a curious question.
“So,” the bard begins, his tone light, being cautious of the barbarian’s temperament. “Do you ever think back to that night at the ruined pagoda? You know, when you and the cartographer were having that... tête-à-tête?”
Bakugou’s eyelids lowered subtly, his gaze focused on the flames as if searching for an answer in their swirling glow. He takes a slow sip from his mug, the firelight reflecting off its surface. “Why do you ask? You got some kind of angle here, or are you just nosy?”
The bard chuckled, shaking his head and holding up his hands in mock surrender. “No angle. Just curious. It seemed like that night... you both opened up a little more. I don’t know, it felt different from how you told it.”
Bakugou huffed, setting his mug down with a solid thunk that reverberated through the tavern. The fire cracked in the silence that followed, as though filling the space his words had yet to occupy. He glances at the bard with a stern expression for a moment before he looks back at the fire. “I think it was that night I realised she’s... different from what I initially assumed.”
The bard leaned forward slightly, intrigued. “Different, how?”
Bakugou’s voice lowered, taking on a contemplative mood. “I mentioned this before but I thought she’d be just another talker, someone to tell us which way to go and stay out of the real work. She’s proven herself... despite how stubborn she is, she does keep up with us. Knows what she’s doing in these cursed woods better than most of us would’ve figured out. But when she talked, there seemed to be more going on behind her words. Like she was hiding something, or maybe just... not ready to show it yet.”
The bard nodded thoughtfully, letting the silence stretch for a moment before speaking again. “You thought she was hiding something about the journey? Or something about herself?”
Bakugou frowned slightly, nose scrunched as he thought back to the past. Sitting back in that pagoda with you. Remembering back to his thoughts regarding you at the point in the journey. “I don’t know. At that point in time, probably both. She had this way of acting like she’s got it all together, like she’s already figured everything out. But when you’re around her long enough, you can see that there’s something else she’s not letting on.”
He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “She’s smart. Smarter than she lets on. But there was a distance. Like she was holding herself back from us, from... I don’t know, from fully trusting this group. Hell, I thought maybe that’s just how she is, keeping everyone at arm’s length.”
The bard strummed his lute idly, a quiet, thoughtful sound filling the space between them. “Sounds like you’ve got more respect for her than you’re letting on, too.”
Bakugou grumbles, rubbing the back of his neck. “Respect’s not something I just hand out. It’s more than that, though. She’s a pain, sure, but she’s earned it at that point of the journey.”
The bard leaned back, tapping his lute lightly. “Did you never push her for details back then? Seemed like there was some unspoken stuff between you two.”
Bakugou shot him a sideways glance, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. “I talked enough. And besides, she does eventually reveal more of herself… it just took time.”
The bard chuckled again, but there was something softer in his tone. “Maybe. But back then weren’t you cautious? I figured you’d press her for more details.”
Bakugou was quiet for a moment, the only sound between them the crackle of the fire. His fingers drummed lightly against the mug in his hand, his thoughts clearly weighing on him. “She had her reasons. We all do. I wasn’t there to pry into her life.” He pauses and continues, “Besides, she’s just part of the team. She just needed to get the job done.”
The bard tilted his head, raising an eyebrow at Bakugou’s attempt to dismiss it all. “Just part of the team, huh? Doesn’t sound like that’s the whole story.”
Bakugou’s grip on the mug tightened slightly, but he didn’t respond immediately. The bard waited, sensing there was more, but careful not to push too hard. After a long silence, Bakugou exhaled sharply. The barbarian grunts, not entirely disagreeing but unwilling to admit it. “Yeah, well, just… just shut up and listen okay? My patience is thin enough.”
“Alright, so what happened next?”
What happened next was a tale no one could have predicted. During one of your treks through the dense forest, the first sign of trouble came without warning: a trap so cleverly concealed that none of you had a chance to react. Not even you. The ground beneath your feet gave way in an instant, collapsing into a gaping void that swallowed the entire team in a heart-stopping plunge. As the earth groaned and split, panic erupted. Dirt and roots clawed at the air as you were pulled into the darkness, the ground crumbling beneath you like brittle paper. 
Sero’s voice cut through the chaos, a sharp, panicked cry. “We’re falling! We’re falling!”
Kirishima’s attempts to keep calm came out ragged and strained, his voice barely audible over the rush of wind and debris. “Hold on to something! We need to—”
But there was no time. The earth gave way completely, and you were all swallowed by the chasm, the ground vanishing beneath your feet in a dizzying cascade of dust and stone. The fall felt endless, the cold rush of air whipping past as their screams echoed in the cavernous space. Everything blurred— screams, the clatter of rocks, the rush of wind— and then, slam. With a brutal, bone-jarring thump, you landed in a sprawling underground cave system. Dust billowed around you, the remnants of your descent settling like a suffocating shroud.
The silence that followed was thick with shock, only broken by the muffled groans and disoriented murmurs of your fellow companion as they slowly pieced together what had happened. From the voices alone, you could tell there was only one other person with you. Shit. Were you all really separated? Pain and confusion hung in the air, mingling with the dust.
You and Bakugou had landed together, thrown into a darker corner of the cavern. The impact rattled through your bones, leaving you gasping for breath, but the injuries were thankfully manageable. Nothing your healing hands couldn’t fix. Wincing, you pushed yourself up, taking in your surroundings with a wary eye. The stone walls loomed around you, jagged and ancient, illuminated only by faint clusters of bioluminescent fungi that cast an eerie, ghostly glow. The air was damp and cold, the silence almost suffocating, and for a moment, all you could do was catch your breath and take in the unsettling beauty of the cavern that had become your prison.
Bakugou rubbed his shoulder, wincing slightly as he glared at the uneven ground beneath his feet. “Well, this is just perfect. Exactly what we needed,” he muttered, his words drenched with sarcasm.
You shook your head, brushing the dirt and debris from your clothes. “Yeah, falling into a cave system wasn’t exactly on my to-do list. We need to find the others.”
“Karshoj, I thought you were an expert on these shitty woods!” Bakugou cursed, his voice smouldering with frustration as he kicked a nearby rock, sending it skittering across the ground. His fiery eyes locked onto you, anger practically radiating from him. 
You grimaced, feeling the weight of his anger, but kept your cool. “I am an expert, Bakugou. But these traps are buried deep with ancient magic, and the Veil’s always shifting.”
He gives you a harsh scowl. Clearly peeved at the situation that they’re all in. “Yeah, well, you’re supposed to be the one catching this crap before it happens. Now look at us— stuck in this shitshow because you missed it.”
You clenched your fists, trying not to let his words sting too much. A part of you felt guilty, but you understood how treacherous these woods could be. From the start, you knew navigating the Veil was never going to be smooth sailing. “I didn’t miss it on purpose, okay? These traps are layered with old magic, designed to mess with your senses. I can’t catch everything before it happens.”
Bakugou snorted at you, glaring. What a weak excuse coming from you. “Yeah, well, tell that to the pit we just fell into. We’re waist-deep in this crap now, and I’d rather not spend the night here.”
You threw him a sharp look, your frustration meshed with guilt simmering under your skin. “You think I’m happy about this? I’m doing the best I can, Bakugou. These traps are ancient— I’m not a miracle worker.”
He huffed, running a hand through his hair, clearly agitated but not entirely unreasonable. In all fairness, this was the first mistake you’ve really made throughout this trip. He’s still pissed at the predicament they are in but knows that nothing good will come out from continuing to argue with you. “Fine. I get it, but we can’t afford to screw up like this again.”
You sighed, your shoulders sagging slightly. “I know. I’m trying, alright? But this place is meant to catch us off guard. We’ll get out of this, we just need to stay sharp.”
Bakugou’s glare eased into a glance, his eyes sharp and calculating. In his mind, already trying to analyse the cave and figure a way out. “Any idea where we are? Don’t suppose you mapped this out too?”
You gave him a wry smile, adjusting your pack. “Didn’t quite anticipate falling into a sinkhole today. But I can try to get us oriented.”
He nodded, but the tension in his jaw was unmistakable. “I’ll check this side. You take the other. Yell if you find anything or hear the others.”
You met his gaze, steady and determined. “Got it. And try not to get yourself killed, alright? I’d rather not have to drag your ass out of here.”
Bakugou couldn’t help but grin at your words, his usual bravado creeping back. “I’ll be fine. You just worry about not falling into any more traps, genius.”
You couldn’t help but chuckle despite the grim situation. “Besides this one occasion, I’ve got a pretty good track record for avoiding those, unlike someone.”
He rolled his eyes but the faint hint of a smile lingered. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s see if you can keep it up. Stay sharp.”
With that, you both turned and headed in opposite directions, the sound of your footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls as you began your search. The cavern was cool and damp, the musty scent of earth hanging heavy in the air, and every few moments the quiet was broken by the faint drip of water somewhere in the distance. Determined to find the others and escape this underground maze, you pressed on, guided only by the dim, ghostly glow of bioluminescent fungi that clung to the jagged walls.
But the deeper you ventured, the more disorienting the twisting passages became. Hours seemed to slip away as you combed through dead ends and winding corridors, your hope of reuniting with your team slowly fading. After what felt like an eternity of fruitless searching, you stumbled back into Bakugou, his expression as frustrated as your own.
He let out a deep, exasperated sigh. “Figures. This place is a damn maze.”
You let out a groan, feeling hopeless from the lack of result. This was going terribly. And to think they were getting closer to the heart of Niniel’s Veil. “Splitting up didn’t work. We’re better off sticking together. No sense in getting lost twice.”
Bakugou grunted his agreement. “Yeah, and maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll find some sign of the others. Or at least a way out of this hellhole.”
Side by side, you resumed your search, moving cautiously through the narrow tunnels. The darkness pressed in from all sides, suffocating and heavy, but you pushed forward, driven by the need to find your friends and escape this unexpected trap. The only sounds were your footsteps and the distant drip of water echoing through the cave. Every so often, you called out, your voices carrying through the cavern, hoping desperately that your scattered comrades would hear you and respond. 
Despite the oppressive weight of the underground, you both moved with purpose, unwilling to let the labyrinthine passages of the cavern break your resolve. The sense of urgency drives you both forward, each of you focused on finding the others and ensuring everyone’s safety.
“I hope they aren’t hurt,” you muttered under your breath, your eyes scanning the dark cave walls, searching desperately for any sign of your missing companions.
Bakugou walked beside you, his footsteps echoing off the stone. He glanced your way, his facial features hardened. “They’ll be fine,” he said, his voice gruff yet reassuring. Hidden in his words, you could hear a whisper of worry. “They’re tougher than they look. Besides, we’ve been through worse.”
You wanted to trust those words, to let them ease your mind, but the worry gnawed at you. You were all in uncharted territory, a network of unmarked caves with no sense of direction or certainty. The unknown weighed heavily on you, and despite your best efforts, concern for the others crept back in. You had no idea what had become of them, and that thought alone was enough to keep your worry alive.
After what felt like endless hours of navigating through the caves, you paused to catch your breath, leaning against the cold, craggy wall. “You think we’re getting any closer to finding them?” you asked, your voice bewildered, tinged with both exhaustion and a slight teaspoon of hope.
Bakugou was silent for a moment, his usual bravado dimmed by the weight of the situation. There was contemplation on his face as he stared down the darkened tunnel ahead. “We’d better be. I’m not exactly thrilled about spending the night in this damn cave.”
You exchanged a determined look. Neither of you were going to give up. There was no room for doubt now. You both had to find everyone and get out, no matter what. Only the shared resolve that kept you both pushing forward through the exhaustion. With a nod, you continued the search, every step guided by the unspoken agreement that you wouldn’t stop until you were reunited with the rest of the team and until you found a way out of this cursed shithole of the cave system.
Despite your best efforts, every twist and turn in the labyrinthine cave only led to more darkness and mounting frustration. Hours of searching yielded no sign of your comrades, and with each misstep, the walls seemed to close in a little tighter. The cold began to seep into your bones, clawing at your resolve, while exhaustion made each step feel heavier than the last. Weary and defeated, you and Bakugou were finally forced to accept the inevitable: rest was unavoidable, whether you liked it or not. Will power could only do so much.
You found a small alcove where the ground was slightly less jagged, and the two of you settled down, backs against the frigid stony walls. The cold… the cold was a relentless adversary of its own. It seeped through every layer of clothing, gnawing at your skin and making it impossible to get comfortable. You started to shiver, your body trembling uncontrollably as the chill took hold, sinking deeper with every passing minute. 
You glanced at Bakugou. For all his toughness, even he couldn’t mask the toll the chill was taking. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest, this time to retain warmth. His breath misted in the icy air, and his usual straight face is decorated with discomfort.
You glanced around the cave, your eyes scanning the dim, shadowed corners for any sign of dry wood or leaves. But there was nothing—no fallen branches, no kindling, nothing remotely useful to start a fire. The biting air clung to your skin, chilling you to the bone. Frustration gnawed at you as you cursed under your breath, trying to figure out how the hell you were supposed to make a fire with nothing but cold, damp stone surrounding you.
“How the hell are we supposed to start a fire in this place?” you muttered, your breath forming a cloud in front of you as it hit the frigid air.
Bakugou sat across from you, his jaw clenched as he tried to brave the cold in his own stubborn way. He hadn’t said much since you’d taken shelter in the cavity of the caves, his usual sharp tongue silenced by the freezing temperatures. You peeked over at him, watching as he shifted uncomfortably, clearly just as irritated by the situation as you were.
“Tch,” Bakugou grumbled, cursing the damned gods and forest that put him in this situation. “This cave’s like the arctic tundras.”
You nodded, pulling your cloak tighter around yourself in a feeble attempt to ward off the freezing temperature. “There’s nothing dry here to burn. We might be stuck like this all night.”
Bakugou scowled, his hands tightening into fists. His head snapped harshly to you. “You saying we’re just gonna sit here and freeze?”
“Well, unless you’ve got some firewood stashed somewhere, I don’t see many options,” you replied, teeth chattering as you rubbed your hands together for warmth.
Bakugou shot you a glare, clearly not thrilled with the situation. He looked down at the ground as he let out a couple of curses. “We need heat.”
“No kidding,” you muttered, shivering as a gust of wind howled outside the cave, sending a draft through the small entrance. There’s a pause before a sudden idea hits you. But you don’t exactly like it.
“You know,” you ventured, voice strained. Were you really going to suggest this? And to Bakugou out of everyone? Yes, you were. “We could get closer for warmth. It’d help us get through the night without turning into ice.”
Bakugou turned to you, incredulity painted all over his face. Did he hear that correctly or did he need to get his ears checked. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
You shrugged, trying to keep your composure as another shiver wracked your frame. “I’m just saying— it’s freezing, and we’re stuck down here. It’s a practical solution.”
He glared at you, his stubbornness flaring like a dying ember. “Hah? I’m not cuddling with you, dumbass. I’ll manage on my own.”
You rolled your eyes, exasperated at his word choice. You were not cuddling with this bone head. At most, you just wanted to sit next to him. But of course he jumps into the furthest thing and worsens the visual. “Do you have to call it cuddling? I just suggested we sit next to each other.” You let out a sigh as the cool air nipped at your skin, “It’s not like I’m thrilled about it either. But unless you’ve got a secret stash of blankets or firewood somewhere, we’re going to freeze.”
Bakugou’s scowl deepened, his pride flaring up like a flame refusing to be snuffed out. What you would give to have a stubborn flame instead of his pride right now. “Tch, I’ve dealt with worse. I’m not that desperate,” he grumbled, though his breath came out in visible puffs of mist, betraying just how much the cold was getting to him.
You rolled your eyes, hugging your knees closer to your chest in a futile attempt to conserve warmth.“Suit yourself. But if we freeze overnight, don’t say I didn’t offer.” You settled back against the wall, doing your best to ignore the biting cold. The silence stretched on, broken only by the distant drip of water echoing through the cave. 
Bakugou grumbled something under his breath, too low to catch but clearly full of his usual disdain. Yet, as the cold tightened its grip, you saw the moment his resolve faltered. And before you knew it, Bakugou suddenly stood, his eyes narrowing with disbelief that he was actually considering this.
“Move over,” he barked, stepping toward the spot where you sat huddled on the cold stone floor.
You blinked, confused but too cold to argue as you scooted over. “What are you—”
Before you could finish your sentence, Bakugou crouched down beside you, his palms outstretched. With a grudging sigh, he scooted closer, just enough to share a fraction of his warmth without acknowledging it outright. A faint glow began to gather around his hands, and a moment later, a small flame sparked to life, hovering just above his palms. The warmth was immediate, the heat radiating outward and cutting through the chill in the air.
Your eyes widened in surprise. You hadn’t even thought about using Fireball for temporary heat. It wasn’t exactly a practical solution in most cases. After all, the spell would only last as long as the caster was awake and actively controlling it, meaning it couldn’t be sustained through the night. But right now, it would be enough. The warmth radiating from Bakugou’s hands was a welcome reprieve from the bitter cold that had seeped into your bones.
For now, it was better than nothing.
You glanced over at him, watching the way his fire flickered and danced in his palms, the light casting warm shadows across the cave walls. The heat was steady, intense enough to keep the cold at bay, and for a moment, you allowed yourself to relax, soaking in the warmth. The sight of the fire reminded you back when you taught him simple cantrips. When he revealed that he had a grasp on certain fire magic and threatened to throw a fireball— just like the one in his hand— at you. You both have definitely grown from when you first met. You didn’t mention it, but being close to Bakugou also provided some kind of warmth— though you weren’t sure if that was the fire or just the fact that you’re proud to have bridged an understanding with him. Something you thought couldn’t be accomplished from the moment you met him. It’s rough but you both have gotten far. 
It was a strange kind of comfort. Bakugou wasn’t known for being soft or particularly comforting, but in moments like these and those nightly encounters, when his actions spoke louder than his sharp words, you could see a side of him that wasn’t just explosive anger or constant irritation. 
You sat there, feeling the heat from the fire and from Bakugou’s body radiating beside you. The air was still cold, the cave draughty and dark, but the warmth between the two of you was enough to make it bearable. Even if he didn’t say anything, he wasn’t going to let the cold get to either of you tonight.
“If you tell anyone about this…” he growled, leaving the threat hanging.
You smiled softly, knowing you’d won this small battle. “Not a word,” you promised.
“Whatever,” he muttered, eyes fixed firmly ahead as if looking at you would make it worse. “But if you so much as breathe weird, I’m tossing you out.”
You give a nod to his words, hiding an amused smile. “Noted. Just try not to hog all the heat.”
Reluctantly, Bakugou inched closer, his body warmth a stark contrast to the glacial stone behind you. It wasn’t exactly comfortable, but it was better than freezing. The two of you settled in, the proximity awkward at first, but slowly becoming more natural as exhaustion overpowered any discomfort.
“You better not fall asleep,” Bakugou mumbled, the intensity in his voice dulled this time from fatigue. “If you do, I’m not holding this all night.”
You smirked, glancing sideways at him. “Don’t worry, I’m not planning on it. But I’ve gotta admit, this is... a pretty good idea.”
“Of course it is,” he muttered, eyes focused on the fire. “I don’t just blow things up. I know how to control it.”
“Could’ve fooled me,” you teased lightly, feeling bold despite the situation.
Bakugou shot you a glare, but there was something almost playful in his eyes. He didn’t mind your jokes but he wouldn't let you know that. “I can extinguish this flame you know.”
You laughed warily, feeling the steady warmth from both the fire and Bakugou beside you. The bitter cold that had seemed so overwhelming earlier now felt distant, like a challenge you had already beaten. The silence stretched on, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. The fire flickered softly, and the cold, while still present, no longer felt so suffocating. 
“Well,” you said quietly, “at least if the fire goes out, I won’t freeze right away. Sitting next to you is like being next to a furnace.”
Bakugou huffed, though you caught the faintest hint of amusement in his voice. “Just stay awake, idiot.”
The two of you eventually shifted closer, until your shoulders brushed against each other. It wasn’t much, but it was enough— a small concession neither of you would openly acknowledge. Neither of you was willing to close the distance any further, but the slight warmth from that small point of contact was more than enough. It was just enough to take the edge off the cold, and for now, that was all either of you needed.
The awkwardness between you eased as the shared warmth did its work, taking the edge off the biting cold. It still wasn’t comfortable, and it certainly wasn’t something either of you would talk about later. God forbid you bring this up later. But in the quiet of the cave, with the dark pressing in from all sides, the moment felt… strangely fine. 
The crackling of Bakugou’s controlled flame filled the air as the two of you remained side by side. Sleep tugged at the edges of your mind, but you both stubbornly resisted. Neither of you wanted to be the first to let go of the moment, the quiet strength shared between you. Despite your shared resolve to stay alert, the weight of fatigue pulled at you, making it harder to keep your eyes open. Eventually, exhaustion began to win out.
“Just until morning,” Bakugou muttered, silently agreeing that you both ought to get some shut eye. The flame started to stutter as he struggled to keep his eyes open. 
“Just until morning,” you echoed, thankful that you both reached the conclusion to get some sleep. You closed your eyes as you finally allowed sleep to take you. 
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a/n: honestly a part of me was tempted to make him throw the fireball at the reader for fun. @chocogoldie @devils-adversary @l0kisbitch @miikii0 @onlyisaa @sleepisfortheweakpooh @helena-way07 @enzstr
border credits: @/enchanthings & @/adornedwithlight
© writingrock 2024 do not copy, translate or repost.
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avocado-writing · 1 year ago
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Poly! Crowley x reader x Aziraphale hurt to comfort, maybe? Btw I love your writing <3
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i'm so glad you like my stuff, thank you!! crowley x reader x aziraphale cw: discussion of death
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It’s a silly thing really. Something you’ve been aware of the entire time the three of you have been together, so you’re not sure why it’s getting to you now. They’re an angel and a demon, for god’s sake; they’re immortals. But you’re not. You’re a human. A weak, soft, vulnerable human. 
It weighs on your mind more heavily each day. You can barely be around them without the crushing pressure of it pushing down on you. That one indisputable fact: you will not be here forever.
And then one day it just… overflows. Aziraphale is handing out tea, and he goes to pass you your mug - the one with angel wings and your name on - but then you fumble it. The mug crashes to the ground and spills chai all over the hardwood floor; splintering into a hundred pieces.
You burst into tears.
“Are you hurt? Did you get burned?” Crowley quickly asks, checking you over. You shake your head and try to talk, but it just gets worse. Huge heaving sobs envelop your body. It gets hard to breathe, you can’t stop choking between cries. 
And then they’re beside you, pressing you between their bodies, holding you close. Aziraphale embraces you and lets you cry a little wet patch into his coat. Crowley rubs little soothing gestures on your back. They just let you feel what you have to feel and are there for you through it. Eventually your breathing returns to normal, the overwhelming sadness abates, and you find yourself able to talk without hiccuping.
“Sorry,” you mumble into the soft pile of fabric which makes up Aziraphale.
“I’m going to take a guess that this isn’t just about the mug, my dear,” he says quietly. 
“It’s silly. It sort of made me realise that I am the mug,” you say, pointing to the shards on the floor, “I’m a human. I’ll break. I’ll die. And you just get to… keep on going.”
Aziraphale and Crowley exchange a look. With a flick of his fingers, Crowley miracles the mug to be back in one piece. He presses it into your grip and then wraps his hands around your own. 
“You know,” he says, pensively, “humans do die. But there are millions of them. Billions even, now. It’s quite easy for the paperwork to just get lost when they shuffle off this mortal coil.”
You sniff and furrow your brow.
“Huh?”
“What Crowley is trying to say,” Aziraphale picks up, “is that heaven and hell can get very crowded. It’s quite difficult for them to notice if one of the human souls there happens to go missing and just… comes back here and carries on instead.”
You blink. Your eyelashes are wet and dewy, but things fall into place.
“You’re saying that if I die you could just… smuggle me out?”
“Easy as pie. If you want that.”
It feels like a weight has been lifted from your chest.
“You’d do that for me?”
They both take a hand, as if they’ve rehearsed the gesture, and squeeze.
“We’d do anything for you.”
And you know that they would.
taglist: @angiestopit @dazed-soul @idontmeanto @smile-eywa @staygoldsquatchling02 @underratedboogeyman @specter-soltare @candlewitch-cryptic @cool-ontherun-world @emilynissangtr
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sammy-halpert · 11 months ago
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"I can help you"
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Author note: Don't expect anything awesome, it's my first smut, and in general one-shot✋ ALSO I am not writing this about Josh Hutcherson, this is a fictional character and I will NOT accept requests based on actual people WARNINGS:Degrading, P in V, mentions of alcohol (Haymitch), breeding, slight choking, bit of overstimulation
There you are again. The night before the 75th hunger games. You and Haymitch have been reaped, but Peeta voulenteered so now he's there instead of Haymitch. You hated President Snow with every inch of your body, him putting you both into a arena to fight for your lifes for entertainment, and Peeta definitely didn't feel any different.
It's the night after the interview where Peeta claimed that you are pregnant, both of you in your room, Peeta on your bed and you resting by his side, head on his chest as you both are silent, lost in own thoughts. His thumb is strocking your arm as he was just rummaging in his memories, before he softly chuckles.
"What's so funny?" You ask, smiling, chuckling a bit aswell, looking at him to see him already looking at you.
"I should've asked you before saying you're pregnant." he let's out another, more apologetic laugh.
"We both know you're not that good of an actress, so it might be difficult for you to act a month or less pregnant. I have no idea on how women behave in their first pregnancy month"
You groan, chuckling, turning a bit away. "Well, I don't know either, because as far as I remember I have never been pregnant before."
Peeta laughs a little aswell, pulling you closer and looking forward at the wall, thinking a bit, before smirking and looking down at you.
"I can help you" he locked eye contact with you, the smug smirk on his face, the flirty tone and that glimmer in his eyes already tell you, that this might lead to not so 'just friend' ways. You decide to ignore it first and ignore your dirty mind.
"And how will you do that?" You huff, not fully aware of his hand traveling up your thigh as your mind races with dirty answers.
Suddenly, he pins you down and smirks down at you. "Don't play dumb. You know exactly where this is going, honey" This made you blush, turning your face away from him since you're a little flustered. His gently and strong hand grabs your chin and makes you look back at him. "Don't hide that pretty face of yours, darling" He almost sits down on you as he grabs your cheeks with his hands before his lips met yours.
His lips tasted sweet, like buttercream and fruit which was probably from tasting the buttercream at the bakery before continuing to work with it. The kiss was soft and passionate, the lust of Peeta making it a little aggressive. Soft grunts escape his lips as they moved against yours, hand trailing up to play with your hair before he pulled away, already panting.
"For someone as hot as you I'm surprised you're new to kissing" He chuckles. He had clearly noiticed the nervous little stops you did during the kiss, as you've never really had a first kiss before except for the ones on TV. (KEPT IT LOYAL FOR THE BAKER BOY 🤭🤭)
You roll your eyes. "Oh come on" You chuckle and start to take his top off. "Eager little slut." That threw you off a little. The cute and innocent Baker boy is calling you a slut? He chuckled and removed his top, the hint of abs outlined by the moonlight. Now that his shirt was gone, the tent in his sweatpants was as clear as day.
"Eyes up here" He said sternly, even though he wasn't actually mad at you, just feeling quite dominant. Your eyes met his and he smirked. "Good girl" he praised quietly before starting to kiss your neck and slowly undress you
This was all very surprising to you, how the cute little innocent Peeta gets so dominant in bed. You did kinda expect it, but also not. Your thoughts were quickly interrupted as you feel his hard press against your knee, as he looked at you.
"Can I?" He looked you into the eyes, his fingers softly tugging on your bra. You smile, glad he still asks for consent."Go on" you smile and he strips you completely nacked. He almost drooled at your exposed and wet pussy. "You're driving me crazy.. " he says under his breath before diving right in, his hands resting on the insides of your thighs as he licks down to up in long and slow strokes, licking of your juices.
Soft whimpers escape your mouth and both hands grip onto his hair, head falling onto the pillows. "Fuck- Peeta~" You moan out as he starts to mouth fuck you. You feel a finger enter your tight hole and slowly stretch you out.
"Holy fuck are you tight. Not a single drop is gonna leak" he says breathy, plunging a second finger in as the free hand starts to play with your nipple. You moan and grab the sheets, already feeling close to cumming. The third finger gets added and you feel your orgasm approaching.
"Peeta, I'm close-" Before you finish he pulls completely away from you, making you open your eyes to a beautiful sight between your legs. Peeta on his knees, sucking your juice off his fingers and untying his sweatpants. He was panting a little, standing up from the bed to properly take off his sweatpants and he saw how you stare at the bulge in his boxers.
He took them off aswell and his cock was around five and a half inches. It's average for a 5'7 guy like Peeta. It was veiny, fucking juicy, the drool already worming in your mouth.
A short whistle caught you out of your trance. "Can't really take your eyes of it, can you?" He smirks and goes back on the bed, pinning you down. "How do you want it? Hm?" He asks.
You were a little puzzled. "What..?" He put a gentle hand on your chin. "What position, darling." You blushed a little and since you aren't really experienced you mutter a "Choose one." he smirked and got you both into a missionary position. "Is this comfortable?" he asks and places a gentle kiss under your ear.
It sent a soft shudder down your spine and you nod. He strokes his cock a little to get himself a little hornier, grunting until precum starts to leak and he positions himself against your hole. Before he puts it in he looks at you, looking for a sign of discomfort. "What's your save word?" he asks innocently. "Uhh.. It'll be 'stop'" you say, putting your hands on his shoulders.
He nods "Good choice" he smirks. Slowly he starts to push in, his head falling back as you both moan loudly. The stretch was deliciously painful, you can feel each single of his veins as he slowly pushed in. He was cursing under his breath, and gave you time to adjust. Before he could ask if he is allowed to move, you already ask him to. "Move, please. Peeta"
Slowly he pulled halfway out before pushing back in, moaning, his hands resting on your hips as you hold onto his arms, moaning aswell. Your mind went down to where his cock was currently buried inside you, and you couldn't think of anything else. His lips crash with yours as he slowly starts to speed up, his fingers now playing with your nipples. He was softly grunting and sighing into the kiss, the pleasure making him less dominant before he was inside of you, the pleasure making cute and innocent Peeta more submissive.
A hand wraps around your neck but doesn't press down. His hips speed up and he pulls away from the kiss. “So tightt.. please oh fuck- taking me so good sweetheart …” he mumbles under his breath, eyes shut, hitting your g-spot.
It makes you yelp and moan out even louder, the pleasure so overwhelming your eyes almost roll into the back of your head.
"Oh fuck, please- right there" you moan out and he chuckles, grunting and moaning softly. "Such a slut.. I'm gonna breed you so hard- fuck, make you full of my babies"
".. s’fucking good.. you take me so well…” he can hardly breathe when he hits a spot in you that is the most pleasurable for him. Peeta feels his cock twitch inside you, and judging by how you moan loudly and clench around him, you're close.
"Gonna cum for me? Hm? My little slut- fuck." he says, breathy, and you nod, you both already sweating. His hand is still around you neck without any pressure.
"Cum for me darling, y'were such a good girl for me hah~" he moans out as he feels you clenching around him. Your moans are music to his ears as you cum around him, moaning out his name and eyes roll back into your head. Fucking gorgeous sight.
He keeps trusting but his thrusts get irregular. Then he whines. WHINES. INTO YOUR EAR. "Gonna breed you, make you mine- hah~"He keeps trusting but his thrusts get irregular. Then he whines. WHINES. INTO YOUR EAR. "Gonna breed you, make you mine- hah~
Your moans from overstimulation were soon over as he came into you, his warm and sticky seeds filling your womb.
<><Next morning><>
It was time to go to the training center one last time before the games start. You were already in the elevator, waiting for Peeta to join as he was suddenly stopped by Haymitch, drinking alcohol like usual. He whispers to Peeta without you hearing. "You should work on a child once you're out of here, not while you're here." Then he let's Peeta's back and let's him into the elevator with you.
"What did he say?"
"For you to keep quiet next time" He chuckled and kissed you, loving to tease you.
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lucy90712 · 1 year ago
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could write about rúben is jealous at your used to be uni crush when you accidentally met him at party rúben ended up being protective and a bit cranky (or clingy), fluff at the end. thanks <3
WC: 2.4k After a very long gruelling season everything is finally done and Ruben and the rest of the Man City team have a lot to celebrate after winning the champions league to complete the treble. This season has been hard on everyone including me as Ruben has been so busy and stressed that there was a period of time where we barely saw each other and whenever we did all we did was argue. Thankfully we made it through that time and now we are closer than ever which I'm so glad about as I was really worried I was going to lose him but that's all behind us now. 
Tonight we get to celebrate everything the team has achieved as Jack invited Ruben and I out to a nearby club to enjoy a night off. Ruben isn't usually one to go clubbing but this time he seemed more than happy to go as I think he wanted to go out and enjoy himself after everything he's worked hard for this year. He deserves it too Ruben has been so dedicated to the team the entire year and I've never seen him work quite this hard which is saying something as he always gives 100% to anything he does. As much as it's been difficult at times it's been amazing to be involved in this incredible year for the team and for Ruben. 
Despite agreeing to this a few days ago Ruben neglected to tell me until this afternoon but luckily for him I'm not high maintenance at all so I'm happy to get ready in an hour if I have to. Straight after Ruben decided that I needed to know about our plans I ran upstairs to shower as he dragged me to the gym this morning and I've been too tired to move since. I took a nice long shower washing my hair and shaving so I felt good as you can't look good if you don't feel good. By the time I was done Ruben was in our bedroom shirtless looking at his wardrobe to find a top to wear which was a beautiful sight as not only does he look amazing without a shirt on but I absolutely love his concentration face and that's the expression he had looking at all of his clothes. He didn't notice me to begin with but then I stepped on the one creaky floorboard and of course that caught his attention and his concentration face changed into a smile. 
"Seeing as you're here do you want to help me pick an outfit?" I asked Ruben 
"Of course I do now what criteria do I have to meet" he laughed 
"Well it's not cold as it's summer so warmth doesn't need to be considered so it is completely up to you" I said 
"Well then I think you have to wear this one" he said pulling out a red dress which happens to be his favourite 
"Ooh tonight must be a special celebration if I you want me to wear this" I teased 
"I just want to see my beautiful girlfriend looking and feeling her best" he said 
"Thank you babe" I said
"Plus I feel like making some guys jealous that you're all mine and not theirs" he smirked as he left to go into the bathroom 
I got myself ready in record time with a bit of help from Ruben in putting my jewellery on and zipping up my dress. He also did my shoes up for me which I said wasn't necessary but he did it anyway. With that we were both ready to go so Ruben drove us to the club as he's not going to drink he did that after the champions league win and made me promise to never let him drink again. I'm not a huge drinker either but on occasion I will have a few and I plan for tonight to be one of those occasions as I think I deserved to have some fun plus Jack will probably have me doing shots within a few minutes of our arrival anyway. 
As soon as we arrived Ruben led me over to the vip section of the club where everyone that was coming was already sat. Straight way the other wives and girlfriends came over and took me over to their table to catch up as we haven't seen each other in ages. Ruben brought me a drink a few minutes after we had sat down but after that he left me to talk to my friends. That's something I love about Ruben he doesn't have to be by my side at all times he's happy to let me have fun by myself but somehow he's always there when I need him. 
I enjoyed catching up with the girls but I wanted to spend some time with Ruben so I collected him and made him come to the dance floor with me. Neither of us are great dancers but I always enjoy dancing with him so we always dance together and just forget about what anyone else thinks of us. His arms went straight round my waist and I rested mine on his shoulders as we both swayed to the music. Ruben had a devilish smile on his face as we were dancing together and he made it very clear what he wanted in the way he started kissing my neck and gripping my waist tighter but I'm not going to give in that easy. 
After a while of dancing the both of us wanted a break so we stood by the bar so we could have some space. As we were stood there I thought I saw someone I recognised then he turned around and my suspicions were confirmed. It was a guy I met while I was in university we were friends throughout my studies but I had a huge crush on him so when we finished uni and he brought his girlfriend to graduation we drifted apart and I got on with my own life. We haven't seen each other since graduation and it's been years since I've even thought about him so it was weird to see him in a random club in Manchester. Seeing as I studied in London it felt very random but that being said I always love seeing people from uni as I feel like I've changed so much since then and I love hearing how everyone's life has unfolded. 
"What are you looking at?" Ruben asked 
"Oh there's just a guy over there that I went to uni with" I said 
"Which one?" He asked
"The blonde guy Joey I can't believe I used to have a crush on him" I laughed 
"Wait you had a crush on that guy" Ruben questioned 
"Yeah a huge crush but he brought his girlfriend to graduation which crushed me so that ended that" I said
Ruben went to say something else but before he could Joey noticed me and made his way over with a smile on his face. He greeted me with a hug before he introduced himself to Ruben before shaking his hand. Ruben is usually more than happy to meet people new people especially people I know from before I met him but for some reason he just seemed off. As soon as he let go of joey's hand his arm went back around my waist almost protectively and I could see that his jaw was tensed. It's so unlike Ruben that I had no idea what was wrong with him I mean surely he can't be jealous I've been with him for 3 nearly 4 years now and I’ve not seen Joey for even longer than that. It's not like I still have any feelings it was a stupid crush anyway he was just the only guy that had ever paid me any attention at the time so that's why I liked him so much. 
"It's been so long now have you been?" I asked 
"I've been good I just got a new job here in Manchester so I'm out with a few new coworkers what have you been up to I feel like I haven't seen anything of you since graduation" Joey said 
"Life's been good busy but good I got a job here in Manchester straight out of uni which is how I met Ruben and since life has been pretty crazy with traveling to games all over the place" I said hoping mentioning Ruben would make him less tense 
"Thats amazing I knew you would do great things you were always the smartest one in the class" Joey said 
"Also congrats on the treble mate it's an insane achievement" he added 
"Thanks" Ruben replied rather coldly 
I ignored his attitude and kept chatting to Joey as I'm probably not going to see him again for another few years after this as that's just how life is. The longer I kept talking the more Ruben moved his arms around my waist and held me tighter to his chest. It was so weird seeing Ruben act like this he's usually never the jealous or overly protective type he only ever got jealous one time when this guy was flirting with me before we were officially dating. I could almost feel Ruben's dislike for Joey and I wasn't even looking at him which is also weird as he always tries to get along with everyone he meets as he's just they type of person but clearly in this situation the Ruben I know and love has disappeared. For some reason it was making me feel slightly angry that Ruben couldn't even attempt to see that Joey's a nice guy instead he has to embarrass me by acting like an asshole when all I want is to portray him as the loving boyfriend he really is. 
Joey offered to buy us drinks and seeing as I'd only had 1 so far I accepted and of course Ruben declined but again I could feel his anger at me for even accepting. At this point I was completely fed up with his attitude so I ignored him and his many attempts to get my attention or stop me talking to Joey. I know this will probably cause an argument later but I'm simply just catching up with an old friend who I haven't seen in years and I'm not going to let Ruben ruin that just because he's jealous or whatever he's feeling. 
It was lovely catching up with Joey but after a while he had to get back to his new co workers and of course Ruben took his chance to say we should get back to his teammates before quickly dragging me back to where everyone else was stood. Seeing as he'd let go of his death grip on me I managed to slip away from him and go back to the girls ass I needed their advice and also a bit of time to calm down before I yell at Ruben and say things I don't mean. The girls were really helpful as they told me that Ruben was being over the top but they helped me see his side of the situation by saying that I wouldn't like it if Ruben made me talk to girls he liked before me. I understood what they were saying and it made me feel a bad so I decided it was time to leave to go and talk to Ruben. 
Once I suggested we leave Ruben was more than happy to go so I followed him back out to the car where he seemed to be a lot happier and more relaxed than he was earlier. He held my hand and we sung along to music together which is a lot more like the Ruben I know and love although there was still a bit of unresolved tension in the air but soon that will all be resolved. When we made it home both of us changed into more comfortable clothes and settled down on the sofa with a movie on but I quickly took the remote and paused the movie so we could talk. 
"Is everything alright?" Ruben asked 
"Everything's fine I just think we need to talk about what happened earlier at the club" I said 
"It's fine y/n I'm over it" he said pretty unconvincingly 
"You might say you're over it but I still think we should talk about it so first I want to say I'm sorry for putting you in that position I know I wouldn't like it if you did the same to me I just saw him and wanted to catch up as it's been long but I'm sorry for that" I explained 
"Now you can tell me what's on your mind" I said 
"It's not necessarily the fact that you used to have a crush on him it's just he's so different to me I mean he's blonde with blue eyes and I'm the opposite of that and you said you had a huge crush on him and that just made me question why you love me" he said 
"Oh Ruben I only had a crush on him as he was the first guy to ever be kind to me but then I met you I realised that it was just a crush and nothing more as my feelings for you were so different to what I felt for Joey it was love I love you and only you Ruben" I said 
"That really means a lot to hear because I felt exactly the same when I met you I'm sorry I got so jealous it was silly of me but believe me I won't ever forget what you just said to me" he smiled 
"Good because I want you to know that I love you at all times" I said 
He leaned in to give me a kiss but once our lips connected he pushed me down onto the sofa and began tickling my sides. I couldn’t stop myself from laughing even if I wanted to so I had to pull away from the kiss which made Ruben chuckle too. Any tension or bad feelings were gone within and instant after that and we were back to being completely in love with each other which is how I always want us to be. 
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alwayssassydreamer · 2 months ago
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bad decisions lead to pleasant outcome
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Before you continue: english is not my first language so please bare with me. Also this is the first fic I’ve ever posted and I’m still trying to improve so sorry if this is a little chaotic and so darn long. I actually got a little carried away. Sorry about the rushed end I’m horrible at writing smut. And i only write fem!reader at least for now sorry about that. And the picture does not belong to me. Oh and the story is not proofread cause I'm lazy af.
For the story: in this story you will have a devilfruit which has no name bc i suck at names but nonetheless it allows you to „die“ without dying – yeah i know makes zero sense. No seriously what i mean is that it’s kinda like in a video game where you have 3 lives before it’s game over and that’s exactly your power. You can die up to 2 times within 24hours before you need to „reload“ otherwise it’s game over for you. Yep now that I’ve written it down it sounds super weird but it’s too late to change it….so have fun.
Warnings: i have no idea – swearing, maybe a little violence/threat of death, smut-ish at the end (consent), MDNI
Shanks x Reader
You’ve been pirating around with your crew for quite some time now earning you a pretty nice bounty on your head, though not as spectacular as some strawhat you’ve heard of. If someone outside your crew would’ve to describe you they’d probably say you’re cocky, overconfident and a little ruthless. But that’s what you had to be to survive in this world. Your crew, on the other hand, would describe you as a caring, loyal and fearless captain, capable to fight off enemies stronger than you just to defend them. Your devilfruit being rather useful in that case. After a long time out on sea everyone was glad to finally catch sight of an island. You and the crew decided to celebrate this with your remaining alcohol. When you set your first steps on this island you already started to regret drinking so much. You weren’t completely wasted like some of your crew but walking a straight line was kinda difficult. Therefore you decided it would be best if everyone remaind either on the ship or the beach till you all would sober up. After a few hours passed by you decided that it was time to check the island and refill your stocks. The island seemed pretty calm with no sign of someone bothering you when you’d take what you needed. You got to a small town and decided that after still feeling alittle giddy from drinking, it would be better not to cause any drama – steal what you need and then get back on the ship and sail off. In your head everything would work out perfectly, the crew would split up, some distracting the towns people while the others take what you needed. As soon as the people realize that they’ve been robbed you’d be long gone. But of course things did not work out as you planned. A few of the towns people recognized you from your wanted poster, followed by catching 2 of your crew mates stealing some alcohol. Just your luck. You had to fight the unexpectedly good armed and trained enemies off leading to a destroyed bakery, some knocked out men and a boost of your ego. You called for your crew to pack up the stolen stuff and get back to the ship. With a shit eating grin you looked around the town, then made sure that none of your crew gets left behind. „Thanks for the goods and the entertainment“ you shouted dripping of arrogance. As you hurried back you smiled to yourself, thinking about how easily you defeated these people and why you didn’t fight them off in the first place. You were so caught up in your thoughts that you didn’t see the other ship that had arrived at the island, nor the men that have been watching the whole scene that just happened.
As you got closer to the beach a strange feeling started to spread through you. Out of instinct you reached for your sword but you didn’t have the time to pull it out when you heard a deep voice behind you. „Better keep your sword where it is. Wouldn’t want your crew to get hurt“ the voice grumbled. You immediately looked over to your crew and saw that they were held at gunpoint by some men you couldn’t quite recognize from the distance. You took a deep breath, you didn’t mind that someone was threatening you, you still had your devilfruit but what got you really nervous was the safety of your crew. If they get shot they’re going to die and that was a thought that made you a little scared and at the same time kinda angry. How dare some asshole threatening you and them. You let out a small angry huff and slowly turned around ready to attack that fucker behind you. But as soon as you turned around you felt the tip of a sword at your throat. You gasped. Not because of the sword but because you saw who was holding it. Red hair, scar over his eye, only one arm and an expression that made it clear that he was in a really bad mood. „Shanks“ you mumbled to yourself. You had never met the yonko before but you’ve heard a lot of stories about him and his men. For a moment you lost all your confidence, you were intimidated by his appearance. Fear struck you as you looked into his eyes. You bit your lower lip and looked over your shoulder to your crew before taking a deep breath. You knew you couldn’t let him see that you were in fact scared of him. Not now. Not with your crew in danger. So you did the only thing you could think of – be a pain in the ass. The most arrogant smile spread across your face as you looked back at him.
„Think that’s funny little lady?“ He hissed low and threatening. „Kinda,“ you said still with that smile on your face while deep inside you were shaking. „So it’s funny for you to have a sword at your throat and my men holding your crew at gunpoint“ he said pushing the sword a little into your skin drawing some droplets of blood. You gasped still trying to remain as cocky as you could. „Well, the thing is i could easily kill you right now. Sure you would probably slit my throat in that process but unlike you i won’t die“ you replied as you looked him deep in the eye. He raised a brow and looked over to his men then back at you. „I know“ he calmly hummed catching you by surprise. „I’ve heard of you and your devilfruit and i know that you have to be killed more than once but i think that doesn’t apply to your crew“ he said nodding over to them. „It’s up to you how this is going to end“ he added. You nibbled on your lips, looking down at the sand then over to your crew before looking down again. Well you knew you were screwed. There was no way to win this fight without losing either your lives or worse losing your entire mates. „What do you want?“ You asked defeated, avoiding his gaze. „You and your crew caused a lot of trouble in my territory“ His territory?!? How could you not see that this was HIS territory. You cursed yourself for being such an idiot and not realizing this. You vowed to never drink again when you reach an island. „See the people on this island depend on my protection therefore i cannot let you leave after destroying the bakery and fighting the towns people“ he growled as he leaned closer. You swallowed hard, his stare was so intense you were sure he could see inside your soul. At the same time you felt something else, something you haven’t felt in years. You had to look away, heart beating so fast you thought you’d lose one of your lives due to a heart attack. „What happened to that cocky attitude. Don’t tell me you’re scared“ he taunted and that’s when you snapped. You launched forward pushing the sword away from your throat with one hand, leaving a cut on it, while grabbing for your own with the other. Needless to say that was a really bad idea because just a few seconds later you heard a rumble from where your crew and then found yourself laying on your back in the sand, sting on your neck. „Don’t kill them, everything’s fine here. Seems the little lady got a bit offended“ shanks shouted over to his men. „Maybe you should stop playing around before someone gets hurt“ a tall muscular man with greyish hair and a scar on his face yelled over to shanks. „Calm down beck, I’ve got everything under control“.
You let out a small squeak when you felt shanks‘ sword move over your stomach up to your heart at the same time feeling blood run down your neck. Luckily for you the cut wasn’t too deep – no life wasted. „You almost got your crew killed“ shanks continued to taunt you. But he was right that was a close call and you finally had to admit it – there’s no way out of this. „Next wrong move and they die“ he scolded. „Just tell me what you want and stop being an asshole“ the words just blurted out of your mouth but shanks just looked at you amused. „Well if you’re that eager, i want your crew to rebuilt the bakery, give everything you’ve stolen back and i want them to stay here and help out for as long as it takes to humble you.“ He said kneeling down, his knee right next to your head. „If you think we’re“ you started but he interrupted you „I’m sorry, guess i didn’t make myself clear. I want your crew to stay here. You, little lady, will come with us“. You stared at him with wide eyes, mouth open to yell at him. But you couldn’t no words came out.
God no one ever told you what an attractive man the yonko was. No. You shook your head, now was not the time to swoon over him, he attacked you, threatened to kill your crew, he’s an asshole, a good looking one though. „Be a good girl and stop being a pain in my ass“. Shanks said with a cheeky smile, ripping you out of your thoughts. Does he know what you’re thinking, can he read your mind? His scary and intimidating expression seemed to fade as he put the sword away. „Now we will walk over to your crew and you will tell them that they’re going to stay here until we come back“ he commanded offering you his hand to help you up. For a moment you wanted to take it but then decided against it, shoving it away and getting up yourself. „Still being a brat huh“. You glared at him as he took a step closer. „Maybe I’ll have to teach you a lesson once we get on the ship“ he whispered in your ear, making you gasp and shudder. After explaining to your crew what’s going to happen and watching them walk back to the town accompanied by two of Shanks‘ men you felt the strong urge to run away. You didn’t want Shanks to teach you a lesson, nor to stay on his ship. Well you didn’t get far when suddenly two strong arms wrapped around you and threw you over his shoulder „Not so fast little lady.“ The man you recognized as benn beckmann scolded. Shanks and his men just chuckled as you tried to wriggle out of beckmanns grasp to no use. Once on the ship, beckmann followed shanks into a cabin. „She’s a spirited one, better be careful“ beckmann said to shanks as he put you down. „Don’t worry I’m gonna tame her“ Shanks said devilish grin on his face, while you started to feel a knot in your stomach. Tame you? What is that supposed to mean? Is he going to torture you? Now you started to panic but tried your best not to show it. Beckmann stepped closer one hand reaching for your sword the other grabbed your chin with one finger to make you look up at him. You swallowed trying not to break the eye contact between you two. After what felt like an eternity of him burning holes into your soul he let go of you and left the room without another word as you looked after him. „I can ask him to join us later on if you want.“ Shanks said with a small laugh looking you up and down. „But by the way you’re looking after him it seems you wouldn’t mind“
You just looked at him dumbstruck only now realizing that you’ve been biting your lower lip while your hands had a tight grip on your shirt. „But first I’ll have to teach you a lesson for what you did today“ he grabbed your waist and pulled you closer to him. Out of instinct you put your hands up and on his chest. You were so close you could feel the warmness coming from his body. You knew you couldn’t resist him forever, especially not if he was this close. You looked down at his shirt, hands carefully moving to it’s buttons opening them one by one. Shanks watched you unbutton his shirt while his hand moved under yours caressing your stomach, making you twitch and gasp at the ticklish feeling. Once you were done he let you remove the shirt from him. „Now take your clothes off“ he commanded as he let go of you. „Make me“ you teased not sure if that was a good idea (given your streak of bad ideas it probably wasn’t). „I thought you wanted to teach me a lesson“you continued feeling as cocky as you did when you fought the towns people. But when you looked into his eyes you immediately started to regret saying that. They were full of mischief and his smile was devilish. You didn’t have time to react when he launched forward grabbing your hair and pushing you onto the bed behind him. „I wanted to go easy on you but i feel like you need someone to put you in place right now“ he hissed, as you tried to wriggle away. „Where do you think you’re going.“ He teased as he grabbed your ankle pulling you closer to the edge of the bed. He unbuckled his belt and got on top of you. „Keep in mind that everything happening now is your own fault“ he growled as he ripped your clothes from you. In an instant you were completely naked underneath the yonko. The sudden air on your exposed skin made you gasp. He leaned closer kissing around your breast while his hand moved on your inner thigh drawing circles getting closer and closer to your private part. You let out a moan as he bit down on one of your nipples, feeling a smile spread on his face. „You will be sorry after I’m done with you. Now let me hear you scream my name little lady“ he said as he kissed a way up to your face until his lips brushed yours as his hand finally made contact with your center. He got you so riled up but then denied you and that went on for some time till you were a begging and pleading mess. After Shanks thought that you’ve learned your lesson he made you cum over and over again. Needless to say that his name was heard all over the ship. As you went from one high to another you thought that maybe the decisions you made today weren’t that bad after all.
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thewildsophia · 1 year ago
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.Wild Child. Moominvalley//Snufkin x Reader
Snufkin x Winged!Reader
A/n: This fic took so damn long to make my GOD- It's been 2 years in the making, but I'm so glad to finally be finished with it. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Word Count: 12884
Living your life outside in the wild had left you somewhat…feral. 
You weren’t aggressive, quite the opposite in fact, you just didn’t quite understand the way that people worked, and it very much showed. You often stayed away from others, worried that they would harm you. Your understanding of speech was limited, so you often just mimicked what others have said before you in hopes that you’ll be able to understand it one day. 
You vaguely remember being raised by your parents up until the ripe old age of 3. After that, they took you out somewhere in the woods before placing you down and leaving. From then on, it had just been you and the occasional animal or being that decided to help you out. 
You weren’t completely sure why they had left you, but you assumed that it had to do with your wings. That’s right, you had wings; much like a bird’s. Decorated with white and pale gold feathers, they were powerful enough to lift you high above the ground and allowed you to travel to all the different lands that your heart desired. 
As of right now, you were heading somewhere warm as the area you were currently in was beginning to become cold again, the telltale sign that winter was approaching in that area. You remembered seeing on someone’s map that there was an area just south of where you currently were that would be spring this time of year, so you decided to fly there for the time being. 
It took you a few days, but you eventually arrived in a small valley-like area that was covered in forest life. Large Birch and Oak trees covered the area as you did your initial fly-by to get affiliated with the place, which made it a bit difficult to get a good visual of the area. In addition to that, the wind here was much stronger than what you were used to and you knew that trying to fly against it would tire you out quicker.
You decided it would be best if you flew lower to the ground. However, because of the size of the trees, your flight was limited significantly. Eventually, you just opted to hop from treetop to treetop, using your wings to help when encountering a particularly large jump. 
It was then that you spotted a man below you wearing a green hat and coat, along with a yellow scarf and a large brown backpack. The thing that intrigued you the most about him was that he looked a lot like you. All the other people you had met resembled woodland creatures and animals as opposed to yourself. He even walked the same way you did sometimes!
Curious, you began to follow him as quietly as possible. The sun was beginning to set when he stopped and began to set up, what appeared to you to be, some kind of small home. While trying to get a closer look at what he was doing, you leaned a little too far forward on the branch you were standing on and almost fell. Much to your dismay, the sound of you scrambling to get back up alerted the man. He looked over at the trees to where you were, but his eyes glossed over your form as they passed through the tree line. 
“Hello?” He called out. His voice was soft and smooth, but loud enough to be heard from a distance. 
You held your breath and remained silent, hoping that he’d just go back to what he was previously doing. He took one last glance before sitting back down in front of the fire he had made. As he was sitting, a strong gust of wind blew by, taking the man’s hat with it. 
“Hey!” He shouted while reaching out to grab it, missing it by a few inches. The hat blew past your direction and into the dark woods. You watched as he chased after it until he reached the tree line. He sighed before turning back and sitting near the fire. He sat there frying a fish while sulking, most definitely being upset about his hat. 
Feeling bad for him, you decide to go looking for it. You quietly left the area before dropping down to the forest floor and looking for his hat. Your vision was a lot better than most people’s, but even with that advantage, it was going to be a bit difficult looking for a green hat amongst flowers, grass, weeds, and other various plant life. 
Like you predicted, it took a while -- you’re not sure how long exactly -- before you found what you were looking for. You got back up on the trees before heading over to where the man was settled. To your surprise, he was still awake and playing some kind of tune. 
You haven’t heard much music throughout your life, but the little that you did hear you liked, and this was perhaps your favorite. You stayed there for a while, crouched on one of the tree branches, just listening to him before you decided to return what was his. Slowly, you descended the tree you were perched on and began to walk over to him, standing straight. You didn’t walk much, but when you did you crouched, remaining close to the ground. You only did that so that you’d always be ready to take flight if needed. 
He must have heard your descent because he looked over in your direction and spoke. 
“Hello?” He called out again. Your steps stuttered a bit as you hesitated before you came into the light of his fire. He stood from where he was sitting; his brown eyes met your E/C ones as you two stared at the other for a moment. His gaze made your wings twitch under your cloak. 
Now looking at him in the light, you noted that he wasn’t a man, but instead a boy around your age, if not a few years younger. Brown locks of hair framed his face perfectly as you watched his eyes study your form. He was so beautiful and his body looked so much like yours. Was he one of your kind? What even were you?
“Can I help you?” He asked. You snapped out of your thoughts and held his hat out in front of him. 
“Is…for you,” You mumbled, trying to find the right words. He seemed shocked but took his hat nonetheless. 
“My, thank you very much,” He said, fixing it upon his head and covering his beautiful hair, “I didn’t think I’d see it again.” He added with a smile. You smiled yourself before he put his hand out towards you, making you take a step back. 
“I’m Snufkin, a pleasure to meet you,” He, Snufkin, said with his hand still extended. You looked at his hand and then back up at him. 
“Snufkin?” You repeated, pointing at him. 
“Yes, that’s right,” He confirmed, “And you are?” 
“Y/N,” You said, pointing to yourself. Snufkin’s extended hand fell back to his side as he spoke. 
“Well, Y/N, would you like to sit by the fire with me? As a thanks for you returning my hat?” Snufkin asked, making a vague gesture for you to sit down with him. You cocked your head to the side, eyebrows knitted in confusion as to what he was asking. You stared at him expectantly before his smile dropped. 
“Y/N?” He asked. You hummed in acknowledgment and walked over to him but didn’t sit down. You looked down at him, waiting for what he had to say. 
“Do you want to join me?” He asked again. 
“Do you want to join me?” You mimicked, smiling. Snufkin furrowed his eyebrows before patting the seat next to him saying, 
“Sit.” 
You complied and sat next to him on the log. You noted the small setup above the fire, some sort of large pot being just above the open flame. He pulled out two small, wooden bowls and handed you one of them. He used a spoon to move some of the liquid from the pot and into the small bowls. You stared at your, now full, bowl before looking over at Snufkin to see what he was doing with it. You watched as he dipped the spoon into the bowl before lifting it to his mouth, gently blowing on it before eating it. 
“What?” You asked, pointing to your bowl. Snufkin looks over at you. 
“What was that?” He asked. You hummed before repeating, 
“What…this?” You specified. Snufkin looks at you confused before answering you. 
“It’s stew,” He said, not looking away from you. You still didn’t understand. 
“Stew?” You asked. 
“Stew. It’s a type of soup. I just used some of the various plants I found, along with some meat.” He explained. You continued to look at him, face scrunched in confusion. 
“Y/N,” He said, pulling your attention, “Do you understand what I’m saying?” 
You stared at him, face blank before he sighed. 
“You eat it, like this,” He said, lifting the bowl to his lips and gently pouring it into his mouth and drinking it. When you sat there staring at him, he gently moved the bowl in your hand and lifted it to your lips, doing the same with his own bowl. He then took a sip from his bowl. As understanding washed over you, you took the bowl into both of your hands before taking a sip of it. 
It was so good! You had never tasted anything this good before. 
You smiled, giggling lightly, as you pulled the bowl away from your lips, your bare feet rubbing against the dirt in delight. Your wings had puffed up a bit before you stretched them a bit under your cloak, catching the attention of Snufkin. Glancing over, you noticed his eyes were fixed on the back of your cloak. You moved the bowl to one hand as your other one moved your cloak aside, exposing your wings to the chilly night air. 
“Oh, wow,” Snufkin mumbled as you rolled your shoulders, stretching your wings out a bit more. It was always a bit uncomfortable keeping them in the same position for a long period of time. You took another sip of the ‘stew’ when you flinched, feeling something brush up against your wings. 
“Oh, sorry,” Snufkin apologized, noticing your discomfort, “Did I hurt you?” He asked. 
“Hurt me?” You asked. You shook your head ‘no,’ moving your wing closest to him towards him, “Okay.” You say. 
“Can I touch them?” Snufkin asked, his hands hovering above them still unsure of what to do. 
“Touch them,” You repeated, stretching your wing towards him. His hands were warm on the chilled appendage and were gentle not to pull any of the pale-colored feathers. You quietly hummed in delight, a small smile gracing your lips as you closed your eyes and rested the bowl in your lap. This felt surprisingly nice. 
“I’ve never seen anything like you before,” Snufkin mumbled. “You’re incredible.” 
Those words made you feel strange even if you didn’t quite understand them. Not in a bad way, the opposite really. You felt warm and didn’t want to leave him. Still, his words muddled you and you turned to him confused. 
“You…like me?” You said pointing to the back of his coat. 
“Oh, no,” He said, moving his hands to trace the back of his coat, “I don’t have…wings.” 
You hummed in acknowledgment before moving your cloak back in place over your wings to protect them from the cold. You finished the last of your food before placing the bowl on the ground and warming yourself up by the fire. You were close to falling asleep when you heard Snufkin shuffling beside you. He had grabbed the bowls and was running them through the water in the stream nearby. When he returned, he dried them off using some cloth before placing them in his bag and putting them in his little home. 
“Do you have somewhere to stay?” Snufkin asked, “I have some extra room in my tent.” He added, pointing to his ‘tent.’
“Yes,” You said, shaking your head, “Have…somewhere.” You specified, standing up and stretching. 
“Take-Thank…” You stuttered, trying to remember the words, “Thank…”
“‘Thank you?’” Snufkin said. 
“Yes!” You shouted, smiling, “Thank you.” 
“You’re welcome,” He said, entering his tent, “Good night.” He whispered before closing the tent completely. 
“Good…night,” You mumbled. You stared at the tent for a moment, a small smile still on your lips, before flying over to the small forest again. You turned to look back at the small setup before searching for a good tree to perch in for the night. 
~~~~~~~~~~
When you went to check for him the next day in the area he was previously at, he was not there. A little disappointed, you continued on with your day. While looking for a stream to find some fish at, you spot Snufkin sitting on a bridge. In his hand, he had a long stick with, what you thought to be, a string attached to the end of it. The end of the string was submerged in the water. 
Perching on the railing of the bridge, you called out to the brunette. 
“Snufkin,” You said, smiling. Your smile faltered when you heard him yelp and turn around with wide eyes. He calmed down when he recognized you. 
“Y/N,” He whispered, still breathing a bit heavily, “You startled me…” He said, readjusting his position and looking back at the water. You jumped off the railing and sat next to Snufkin. 
“How did you get here without me knowing?” He asked, glancing over at you. You pointed up at the sky. 
“Oh, yeah,” Snufkin whispered. 
“What doing?” You asked, pointing to the stick in his hand. 
“I’m fishing,” He answered. You tilt your head to the side and hum. 
“Fishing?” You repeated. 
“Yes, fishing,” Snufkin repeated, “Using a fishing rod, I’m catching fish to eat.” He explained slowly. You furrow your eyebrows before walking off of the bridge. You removed your cloak and rolled your brown pants up to your mid-thighs before walking into the water. The water was cooler than you expected, but you quickly got used to it. 
“What are you doing?” Snufkin asked with a small smile. You pressed a finger to your lip telling him to be quiet and stood there as still as you could, feeling for the fish. When you felt a large enough one pass close to you, you quickly grabbed it, digging your nails into the soft flesh making sure it wouldn’t get away. Pulling it out of the water, you flew over to the bridge next to Snufkin and held the fish out to him. 
“Fish!” You shouted, smiling. Snufkin looked at you surprised before placing his rod to the side and taking the fish from you. It struggled around in his hands as he grabbed it. 
“I-Wow. That was…impressive, Y/N.” Snufkin said, still bewildered. You smiled wider before returning to the water. You walked around a bit before finding a good spot. 
“For me…” You murmured as you waited. Your concentration was broken when you heard a hiss-like sound come from Snufkin. Turning to him you note that he wasn’t making that noise, but instead the ‘fishing rod’ that he was pulling on. When he finished struggling with the rod, he held up a fish that was attached to the end of the string, still flopping around. 
“For you,” Snufkin said, patting the spot next to him. You flew over to him before he handed you the fish he had just caught. You shuffled off of the bridge before looking around for a small sharp rock to use. You felt Snufkin’s eyes on you as you did so, but you didn’t mind all that much. 
Once you found a rock that would work, you crouched down in front of the fish and struck it hard in the head before cleaning it. You used the rock to scrape off the fish’s scales, then rinsed the fish one more time in the water before taking a bite of it. You had torn a piece of it off when you heard Snufkin shout. 
“Wait-What are you doing?” He exclaimed, rushing towards you. You backed away from him and groaned when he reached a hand out towards the fish still in your mouth. He pulled his hand away saying, 
“You need to cook it first,” He said, worry still etched on his face. You hummed in confusion, removing the fish from your mouth. 
“Cook?” You asked. Snufkin sighed before standing back up. 
“Here, come with me,” He said, motioning for you to follow him. Hesitantly, you got up and followed him to a small clearing. There, he set up a small fire using dead leaves and small twigs. Much like you did, he prepped the fish by removing the scales, but then cut the belly of it, removing its insides. Something else noteworthy was that, unlike the sharp rock you had used, he had grabbed a piece of metal and cleaned the fish out. 
“What…that?” You asked, pointing to the long, thin piece of metal. Snufkin hummed before explaining. 
“It’s a pocket knife. It’s made of metal and has a sharp edge here which allows you to cut things.” He said, showing the knife to you. You tapped the metal of it with your nail and hummed in thought before pulling your hand back. 
“May I have your fish?” He asked, pointing to the fish next to you. You scrunch your face and groan. You thought about it for a moment before giving it to him. 
“Thank you,” He said, cutting the stomach of it. You watched his movements curiously. After he finished scraping the insides of the fish out, he stuck a long stick through them and held them over the fire. 
“Trust me,” He whispered, drawing your attention away from the fire and to him, “This will taste much better. And will lower the risk of you getting sick.” He added, smiling. You didn’t quite understand what he was saying, but you returned his smile nonetheless. You were curious to learn what other words he knew. 
“What…this,” You mumbled, pointing to his hat. He looked up. 
“Oh, that’s my hat,” Snufkin said, not taking his focus off of the fish. 
“Hat?” You repeated, unsure. 
“Yes, that’s right,” He smiled. You hummed before tugging gently at the end of his coat. 
“What this?” You ask again. 
“My coat,” He answered. 
“Coat…” You whispered, “Cooooooat.” He laughed lightly at that. 
“Yup,” He giggled. You hummed again and scooted closer to him. He looked at you shocked before drawing his attention to your next question. 
“What this?” You asked, placing your foot next to his. You were pointing at his feet this time. 
“…My shoes,” He muttered, not looking away from you. The way that the sunlight shown down through your H/C lashes and illuminated your S/C skin, bouncing off of your airy feathers really did make you look beautiful, angelic. He wanted so badly to run his hands through your wings, remember very vividly just how soft they were, but felt it rude to ask. Feeling his face warm up, Snufkin pushed the thought to the back of his head while clearing his throat.
You continued asking him the names of various items surrounding the two of you before he pulled the fish out from the fire. He placed them on a piece of cloth and rested them in his lap. You reached out to grab your fish before Snufkin stopped out. 
“Wait, they’re still too warm,” He said, holding a hand out in front of you. You groaned at him before grabbing the fish anyway. 
You immediately regretted the action when a searing, burning sensation blossomed in your hand. 
“Ah!” You shouted, dropping the fish and backing away. Snufkin was quick to catch it and place it back with the other, muttering a small ‘ow’ of his own. 
“I told you, it’s still too hot,” Snufkin said, a bit irritated. 
“Why?” You asked surprised, “Fish cold. Why hot now?” You specified, looking over at his lap and at the fish. Snufkin raised his eyebrows at that. 
“Fire is hot,” He said matter-of-factly. He grabbed your hand and held it close to the fire, allowing you to feel the gentle warmth it gave off. You hummed in confusion, eyebrows drawn together in thought. 
“Okay,” He said, shifting his position and facing his body towards you, “Fire is hot. Fire makes other things hot.” He explained simply. You stared at him then at the fire. He was about to say something else when you spoke. 
“Fire make…fish hot?” You asked, still a little unsure. 
“Yes, exactly,” Snufkin praised, smiling. You shook your head slowly as you began to understand. You crawled back over to where you were previously sitting next to Snufkin, cradling your tender hand. 
“Here,” Snufkin said, digging around in his backpack for a moment. When he finished, he showed you a small container that held a thick, clear liquid, “Give me your hand.” He said, holding out one of his. You placed your hand in his palm up when he applied a small amount of the liquid to your hand. You fought not to pull your hand away as your hand began to sting again. 
“There,” Snufkin said, letting your hand go, “That should help it heal.” You hummed in acknowledgment before looking back at the fire. Snufkin shifted beside you, but you paid him no mind. 
“Here you go,” He called out, tapping your shoulder. He placed the fish that was on a piece of cloth onto your lap. You flinched, thinking that it was going to burn you again but were shocked when you felt no such thing. 
“You can eat it now; It’s cooled down enough,” Snufkin explained, taking a bite of his own. You gingerly picked up the fish before taking a small bite of it. 
You hummed in delight and smiled, kicking your feet in the dirt a little. Snufkin looked at you smiling. 
“It tastes better, doesn’t it?” He asked, taking another bite of his fish. 
“Good,” You mumbled. You continued eating in silence with him. When the two of you had finished, you discarded the remains before standing up. You patted both of his shoulders with your hands saying, 
“Stay,” 
With that, you flew off. 
You flew over to the woods you were previously homed in, searching for a certain kind of plant you had spotted during your initial fly-by. You foraged around on the ground for close to 10 minutes before you found what you were looking for: Elderberries. You gathered them in the cloth that Snufkin had given to you and flew back to him. 
As you were approaching the area you had left him in, you heard music, much like the kind you heard last night. It was lovely. 
When you touched down you noticed that Snufkin was blowing into some kind of metal object that was making the music you heard. Noticing your return, he stopped playing and looked towards you. You sprinted towards him and knelt down next to him smiling. 
“So, why did you want me to wait here?” Snufkin asked, looking down at you. You gently placed the cloth in his lap, making sure its contents wouldn’t fall out, and pressed your face against the log next to him. 
“Thank you,” You said. He looked at what you had given shocked before saying, 
“Where on Earth did you manage to find Elderberries?” He looked down at you surprised, only receiving a smile from you in response. 
“Well, wherever you managed to find these, thank you,” Snufkin said, running his warm hands through your hair. 
Oh, that felt good. You hummed in delight as Snufkin continued to stroke your hair. You had never been this close to another being. He was so gentle with you that it almost made you cry. You were so used to people fighting you or trying to get you away from them that Snufkin’s attitude was such a shock to you. 
You sat there, head in his lap, as he continued to stroke your hair and talked about anything that came to his mind. You perked up when you heard a voice in the distance from where you two were.
“Snufkin!” The voice shouted. Looking in that direction, you saw a white figure of sorts. It didn’t seem to have a very solid body shape like you and Snufkin had, instead looking more like a blob than a person. The figure was approaching surprisingly fast and, out of instinct, you stood up. 
“Y/N?” Snufkin asked as you stared at the figure. The figure met your eyes and that’s what got you moving. You groaned, afraid, before turning and taking flight in the opposite direction, into the forest. 
You heard Snufkin call out again to you, but you didn’t go back, you didn’t even look back. You felt a little bad leaving as suddenly as you did, but you didn’t know if you could trust that strange figure, so it’s better safe than sorry. 
In the safety of the forest’s dense canopy, you watched the two of them interact. The white figure said something to Snufkin, pointing to the forest you were in. Snufkin said something in reply, but you obviously couldn’t make it out. You groaned quietly before turning and flying deeper into the forest, away from the unknown figure. 
~~~~~~~~~~
You had spent the next few weeks visiting Snufkin when he was alone. Most of the time he seemed happy to see you and would ask you to join him in whatever activity he was doing. However, on the few times you did visit him and he was a bit persnickety you’d leave soon after not wanting to bother him. 
During those weeks, Snufkin had taught you more words and how to form better sentences. Your speech was nowhere near perfect, but you found it much easier to convey your thoughts, which also made it easier for him to understand you. 
Currently, you sat on the bridge in the late afternoon with Snufkin as he showed you how to fish. After a while of listening to him explain how to use a fishing rod and when to reel it in, you deemed it too complicated before rolling up your pants and stepping into the water. 
The two of you fished in comfortable silence before Snufkin spoke up.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Snufkin began. You looked over at him, “What’s it like to fly?” 
That question caught you off guard. 
Very rarely did Snufkin ask you things and they were usually easy things to answer. This, however, would be a bit difficult. 
You hummed in thought, not sure what to say. 
“It is…nice. Refreshing,” You said after thinking about it for a moment, “It’s like…when you go out on a walk.” You added. You really didn’t know how to explain this. 
Snufkin hummed and continued fishing with a small frown. You walked out of the water, shaking the water off of your legs, and over to Snufkin. You crouched next to him on the bridge and removed his hat. 
“What are you doing?” He asked, letting you take the fishing rod from his hand. You reel in the line before placing it next to his hat. You got closer to him, there only being a few inches between you two, and gently grabbed his hands, wrapping them around your neck. You then wrapped your arms around his waist, pressing your chests flush against the other. 
“W-Wha…?” Snufkin whispered, face red, as you held onto him tightly. Snufkin understood what you were trying to do when you jumped onto the railing of the bridge. 
“Ah, w-wait!” He shouted, but his plea fell upon deaf ears. You push off of the railing and extend your wings, allowing the wind to help you into the air. You winced as Snufkin screamed next to your ear, his legs wrapping around your waist to secure himself to you. 
“No-I don’t like this!” He shouted, pressing his face into your shoulder. You laughed lightly, flying up a bit higher. You flew relatively low to the ground -- or at least as low as you could due to the trees -- so as not to frighten him too much. 
“You will like,” You said, continuing to glide around. You couldn’t move as fast as normal, not as high, but he didn’t need to know that. After letting him get used to the air, you called out to him. 
“Hey, look,” You whispered. Snufkin pulled his face away from your shoulder and looked out into the sky. He hummed as he looked around. 
“Oh, wow,” He sighed, eyes glancing all over the sky. You smiled softly at the look of awe and amazement on his face. The way that the wind blew through his brown hair and how the light bounced off of his flawless, sun-kissed skin made him look heavenly, absolutely lovely. Your stomach felt warm, chest tight, and you were sure it wasn’t just from Snufkin’s body. You squeezed him a little tighter when you felt your grip loosen slightly, worried you might drop him. 
You looked away, face warm, and focused on flying instead. Snufkin shifted in your arms slightly to look at everything better. 
“Do you do this every day?” Snufkin asked, pulling your attention from your thoughts and to him, “Fly, I mean.” He specified. 
“Yes,” You answered, “It how I go most places.” 
“What an amazing gift you have,” He mumbled. You were sure you weren’t meant to hear it, but it flattered you all the same. For a good part of your life, you resented having wings. A part of you always thought that your parents got rid of you because you weren’t like most “human” children, you had wings. You were amazed at how much power a single sentence from Snufkin had over you; how those six, simple words almost brought you to tears. You smiled softly, saying, 
“I guess so.” 
The rest of your flight was silent, the only noise being that of the wind in your ears and the songs of distant forest animals. You flew around with Snufkin for another few minutes before you felt the strain in your wings, the stress of carrying another person finally getting to you. You turned back to the bridge and made your descent. 
You landed on the bridge, next to where you had left Snufkin’s things, but didn’t let go of the other quite yet. Your wings were trembling due to the stress of carrying him and you were panting slightly with your head resting on his shoulder. 
“Are you alright?” Snufkin asked, rubbing your lower back. You hummed a ‘yes’ while pulling away from the other. When you parted, he continued to hold your hand. 
“Not used to carry…person,” You explained, breathless. 
“Why don’t I make you something while you rest? You deserve it after all,” Snufkin offered, retrieving his discarded item and walking off of the bridge, having you follow him. 
“Sounds…good,” You said, sitting down on the ground. You watched Snufkin rummage around in his bag for a bit before you lay down on your side. You felt unbelievably tired. You had never worked yourself this hard before.
The last thing you remember seeing was Snufkin striking a fire. 
You were awoken by Snufkin gently shaking your shoulder sometime later, telling you that the food was ready. The sun had already set and twilight was upon you. You smiled as you sat up and stretched; it seemed a short nap was all you needed. 
Snufkin handed you a bowl of stew and a spoon before sitting down next to you. It was similar to the first one he had made for you the first night you met. The two of you ate quietly before Snufkin spoke up. 
“Thank you,” He whispered, making you turn to him confused, “For sharing that experience with me.” You pulled the bowl away from your face and smiled. 
“Thank you…for joining me,” You said, “I had fun.” 
You finished your dinner in silence once more before rinsing out your bowl in the nearby stream (you noted a while ago that this was something Snufkin did) and handing the bowl to Snufkin. He thanked you before placing the items in his bag and extinguishing the fire. Snufkin placed his bag in the tent that he set up. You were about to wish him a good night and fly off somewhere for the night when he spoke up. 
“Would you care to stay with me tonight?” Snufkin asked, pulling aside one of the flaps of his tent. You shook your head saying, 
“Oh, no,” You smiled, “I know you like, um…privacy.” You hesitated, not sure if you used the right words, “I no want to bother.” 
“You wouldn’t be a bother,” Snufkin rebuttal quickly, looking at you expectantly. You stared into his brown eyes before turning away from him. You knew that he was just trying to be courteous; he never liked being around people for too long. 
“Good night,” You said, waving, before taking flight. You didn’t fail to notice the slight relief that washed over Snufkin’s face as you pushed off of the ground and flew deep into the dense forest for the night. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snufkin had invited you to go, what he called, ‘Mushroom Hunting” with him. You had injured your left leg a few days prior due to having fallen out of a tree while sleeping. It left a nasty gash on the less meaty and more bony part of your ankle, which was making it difficult to walk around. Despite having cleaned it off in a nearby stream soon after injury, it hadn’t been healing that much and instead seemed to be getting worse. 
You carried on, however, and joined Snufkin in his hunt for mushrooms. 
It was a much warmer summer day and when you went to visit Snufkin, you noted the changes to his outfit. He had left his coat with the rest of his things -- in one of the more secluded areas so others wouldn’t find it -- and switched out his cream-colored shirt with a green one. His usual green pants were rolled up about mid-calf while he wore the same brown boots, his yellow scarf tied into a loose knot around his hat. 
Something about seeing him so dressed down made you feel light. You felt warmth in parts of your body that were normally cold like your hands and feet and your muscles were tense. Your stomach fluttered, but not in the same way it would when you flew, and your chest felt almost uncomfortably tight. Almost. 
“You ready?” Snufkin asked. His voice was as smooth and serene, calming as always. It never failed to give you a sense of tranquility and safety. 
“Yes,” You said, walking to the best of your ability beside the other. You had been limping a little since yesterday, but it didn’t concern you too much. You wrapped the injury up with some discarded cloth to prevent anything from hitting or getting into it. 
The two of you walked around in the densely populated forest, looking near the base of trees and cracks of rocks for mushrooms and other wild plants. You didn’t find that many edible mushrooms -- the majority of them hen-of-the-woods or oyster mushrooms with the occasional sulphur shelf mushroom -- but you did find a lot of other plants. 
Snufkin was careful when harvesting the mushrooms, cutting them at their base and placing them in the small cloth bag he brought with him. 
Snufkin had asked that you look for other kinds of plants and after he gave you a bag you were off on your own. You found a good amount of plants like dandelions and purple dead nettles that you would be able to brew into tea, along with others like milkweeds, lily shoots, yarrows, violets, and nettles. Your bag was barely able to hold everything. 
You looked for Snufkin only 10-ish minutes after leaving his side. 
“Back!” You shouted when you spotted him. He turned to you and waved you over. You limped over to him as fast, and smoothly, as you could, which was something Snufkin noted. He frowned as you approached him. 
“Are you alright?” He asked, grabbing the bag you offered to him. 
“I’m okay,” You lied, picking a small, yellow flower nearby. You honestly felt awful; Your leg ached and your head hurt, along with feeling warmer than usual. But you didn’t want to ruin Snufkin’s day, knowing that he had been looking forward to going foraging with you. 
“Are you sure?” Snufkin asked, gently holding one of your hands, “You’re limping.” He added, looking down at your leg. 
“I’m sure,” You answered, pulling yourself away from him and tucking the flower into the scarf that was around his hat, “Keep looking.” 
Snufkin’s eyes lingered on you a little longer before he looked away and sighed. 
“Alright,” He said, following you. 
You continued to look around the forest for various plant life with Snufkin before resting below a tree for a moment. You quietly conversed with Snufkin for a few minutes until your voice faded off before going silent. At first, you just had a minor headache, but now it felt like someone was constantly hitting you against both of your temples and your ankle was starting to throb. The ache in your chest was also making it a bit difficult for you to breathe properly. Snufkin quickly took notice. 
“Y/N?” He asked, resting his hand on your shoulder, “Are you okay?” 
You were about to respond with another ‘I’m okay’ when you gasped in pain, clutching at your ankle as another wave of pain coursed through it. 
“What’s-” Snufkin said fearfully, his hand hovering over yours as he looked over you. He placed a hand on your forehead and grimaced, “Goodness, you’re burning up.” 
“I-I’m…” You tore your head away from Snufkin’s grasp and attempted to stand up. You groaned in pain and fell back down against the boulder you two were previously leading on, cradling your injured leg. Snufkin looked down at your leg, placing a gentle hand on the makeshift bandages. 
“What happened?” He asked. 
“Fell…” You groaned, tugging at the wrappings. 
Snufkin, noticing your struggle, hooked a finger underneath the bloodstained cloth and unwrapped it. He gasped at the sight that greeted him. 
“Oh, Y/N…” Snufkin whispered, covering his mouth with one of his hands. The wound had opened up again, no doubt because of you overextending it, and was bleeding quite a bit. Your ankle was red and swollen and hurt like all hell. 
“When did you do this?” Snufkin questioned quickly, digging through his pockets for the few bandages that he always kept on him. You didn’t answer. He hesitated while pulling them out, looking over the wound more, before sighing and leaving them where they were. 
“I think it’s infected,” Snufkin said, moving your leg around slightly, causing you to groan. He apologized, patting your thigh sympathetically, “There’s not much I can do until we get it sterilized.” 
You furrowed your brows at the unfamiliar word, continuing to cradle your leg. Snufkin stood up, holding out a hand to you. 
“Can you walk?” Snufkin asked. You bit your lip before taking Snufkin’s hand and standing up. 
“Here, come with me,” He added. 
You whined as you tried to put weight on your left leg, pulling it back up as a searing pain ran up all the way from your ankle up to your thigh. You flutter above the ground, hand still in Snufkin’s, as you allow Snufkin to lead you out of the forest area. 
“I know a few people who can help you,” Snufkin said as you two reached the clearing where his things were left. It felt as if a heavy weight had pressed down into your stomach as he said those words. You pulled away from him, feet hitting the ground as you quickly exclaimed, 
“No! No others-” You forced the words out of your mouth, hugging yourself and backing away slightly from him, “They-They’ll hurt!” 
“What?” Snufkin asked, taken aback by your words. Never in his life would he expect someone to suggest that the Moomins would hurt someone without just cause, “They would never! The Moomins are very kind beings. They’ll help you, no questions asked!” He said, taking a step closer to you. You backed up, body tense. His honey-brown, almost amber, eyes stared into your E/C ones, practically begging you to come with him. You turned away. 
“N-No…” You mumbled. Snufkin sighed, running his hand through the hair that wasn’t covered by his hat. 
“Fine, fine, just…” He muttered, his voice trailing off in thought, “I’ll set up my tent and see what I can do to tend to it.” 
Your shoulders sagged in relief and you helped Snufkin set his tent up the best you could. After that was done, he ushered you inside while he rummaged around outside. When he came back, he had a bowl of water and began searching his bag for a couple of rags. He soaked two of them, ringing them out before folding one of them and placing it on your forehead. You sighed as the rag cooled your burning face before yelping when you felt a tug at your leg. 
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” Snufkin said, gently placing the other cool rag on your wound. You groaned at the burn it caused but didn’t fight him. 
You felt ungodly tired, your conscience fading in and out, while your body was unbelievably hot. You gently tapped at your side to get Snufkin’s attention. 
“I…sleep,” You mumbled, eyelids falling shut. You heard Snufkin say something to you, placing a hand on your shoulder, but your brain couldn’t make sense of it. 
Snufkin’s hand on your cheek was the last thing you could remember before you slipped out of conscience. 
-----------------
Saying that Snufkin was worried would be the understatement of the year. He tended to your injured ankle, replacing the cloth on your forehead with a cold one every now and then. He had washed your ankle off with clean, cold water and wrapped it with actual bandages, draping his coat over your shivering body. If you didn’t break your fever before nightfall, he had to take you to get outside help, whether you liked it or not.
Only when he was sure that he had done everything that he could for you for the time being, he left to gather the plants you two had collected earlier. Snufkin felt somewhat ill when he looked at the small clearing in the forest where you dropped your things earlier. He silently gathered everything up before heading back to his tent. 
Once there, Snufkin organized your findings and put them away, tending to you in any way he could. It took him a couple of hours before he finished, nighttime was already upon you two. He checked your sleeping form, noting your irregular, labored breathing and flush face. Your fever was still very much present and that’s when he decided he needed to get you help. 
Snufkin left you once again, quickly making his way to the Moomin house. He knocked on the door hoping that it was still early enough in the night that they would answer. To his delight, Moominmama answered, straightening her apron out as she glanced up. 
“Snufkin, what a pleasant surprise,” Moominmama said smiling, “Where’s your coat? Please, come in.” 
“Not now, Moominmama,” Snufkin said, holding his hand out to her, “I need your help. A friend of mine was injured badly.” He added. 
“Oh my, where are they?” She asked, concerned, covering her mouth with her hand and glancing about. 
“They’re in my tent resting, but I’ve helped them all I can already,” Snufkin explained, “Would it be alright if I brought them here for you to treat?” 
“Why of course!” Moominmama exclaimed, turning back into her home to gather the items needed to tend to you, “Do you need help moving them?” 
“I do,” Snufkin said, stepping into the house, “Could you get Moominpapa or Moomintroll to help?” he asked. 
“Moomintroll!” Moominmama shouted. 
“Yes, Mama?” Moomintroll answered back, standing at the top of the staircase. Moomintroll looked down, “Snufkin!” He shouted, walking down the stairs to greet the other. 
“Snufkin needed help bringing someone here. Please help him,” Moominmama said, digging around the cabinets for medical items. 
“Someone?” Moomintroll asked, confused.
“Yes, come with me,” Snufkin said, taking Moomintroll’s hand and running back to his tent. The whole walk there, Moomintroll was asking Snufkin about you -- who you were, what you looked like, how badly you were injured -- only to receive one or two-word responses. 
Once the two of them got there Snufkin let go of Moomintroll’s hand and said, 
“Alright, they should still be asleep. I’ll need you to carry them,” Snufkin opened the tent to find you still asleep, breathing shallowly. He crawled back in, keeping Moomintroll out as he kept trying to peer in at you. 
Snufkin grabbed you by your shoulders and pulled you toward the entrance of the tent. 
“They’re a bit skittish, so you’re going to have to be gentle with them,” Snufkin explained, pulling you all of the way out of the tent. 
“Hey, isn’t this the same person I saw a few weeks ago?” Moomintroll asked once he finally got a good look at you, holding his arms out to carry you. 
“Yes,” Snufkin answered, placing you in Moomintroll’s arms, “Watch their back.” 
“What are you…Oh-” Moomintroll asked, stopping himself mid-sentence. He looked down at you in amazement and at your wings as they sagged against the ground, limp.
“What…are they?” Moomintroll asked, looking back up at Snufkin, who was dismantling his tent and putting the parts in his bag. 
“I’m not sure,” Snufkin admitted, slinging his bag onto his back, “Something unique, I suppose. Let’s head back.” He added, tucking your wings against your back the best he could. 
Moomintroll struggled slightly carrying you due to your wings going limp and falling out and against the ground every now and again. He managed as it was a short walk over to Moomin’s house. Moominmama was waiting at the door for their return, face filled with worry as your figure came into sight. 
“Oh my…” Moominmama whispered, holding her arms out and plucking you out of Moomintroll’s hold. She glanced over your frame, eyes lingering on your wings, and asked after not noticing anything immediately wrong, “What happened to them?” 
“They injured their ankle a couple of days ago and it got infected,” Snufkin explained, walking into the house after the others and closing the door, “They’ve also had a fever for a few hours.” 
Moominmama carried you, much like a mother would a child, up the stairs and into the spare bedroom where she already had all the medical supplies set up. She placed your unconscientious form on the bed, mindful of your wings. She removed the bandages Snufkin put on your ankle before taking a look at it. 
“They hurt themself pretty bad,” Moominmama hummed, rummaging through the basket of medicinal items, “But it’s nothing I can’t fix.” She added, much to Snufkin’s relief. 
“Hey! Let me in, I wanna see too!” The three heard a shrill voice shout from somewhere outside the door. 
“Not yet, Little My. Let Moominmama tend to them and then you can see them,” Another, calmer, voice explained. The two bickered back and forth for a while before they left. 
“I had Moominpapa take care of Little My,” Moominmama said, wiping down your ankle with clean, warm water, “I wanted to make sure they wouldn’t be bothered by Little My while they tried to recover.” 
Moominmama placed a cool, wet towelette on your forehead before grabbing the rubbing alcohol from the basket. She soaked a clean rag with it then grabbed your foot, just below your injury. As gently as she could, she began disinfecting the wound with the alcohol-soaked rag. 
You groan in your sleep, drawing Snufkin’s attention away from Moomintroll’s questions, and pulled your ankle out of Moominmama’s grasp, curling on your side and facing away from the three. 
“Oh, I know, dear, but this must be done,” Moominmama said apologetically, grabbing your ankle once again and cleaning it off. You whined more in your sleep, a noise that Snufkin disliked hearing, but didn’t pull away like you had before. 
Moominmama was quick to patch you up before she tucked you in; She hesitated as she brought the blanket up past your shoulders, opting to rest it at your waist unsure whether you wanted them covered or not. 
“They are quite lovely,” Moominmama hummed, gently stroking your hair out of your face. Moominmama replaced the now warm towelette on your forehead with a cold one and began packing everything away. 
“Do you want to stay with them for the night, Snufkin?” Moominmama asked. 
“If you wouldn’t mind,” Snufkin replied, sitting down in the chair that was next to your bedside. Snufkin took your limp hand into his own, running his thumb over your palm. You hummed in your sleep before turning away from the other, taking your hand with you. 
“Come now, Moomin, let’s let them rest,” Moominmama said, ushering said Moomin out of the room, “Goodnight, Snufkin.” 
“Goodnight, Moominmama and Moomintroll,” Snufkin said, eyes never leaving you, as the door behind the two closed. Snufkin heard Little My shout something about wanting to see you, but he ignored it in favor of watching over you. 
It had been around an hour when exhaustion really began to hit Snufkin. He wanted to stay awake in case you woke up and needed him, but he just couldn’t seem to keep his eyes open and before he knew it, he was drifting asleep in the uncomfortable wooden chair. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snufkin woke up due to a knock at the door. He stretched before opening the door to see Moominmama standing in the hallway along with Moomintroll and Moominpapa, the latter holding a squirming Little My in his arms. 
“Are they awake yet?” Moominmama asked, peeking over Snufkin’s shoulder to catch a glance of you. 
Snufkin looked behind him before answering, “Not yet.” 
Moominmama hummed, stepping inside before tending to you, the others following behind her. 
“Woah,” Little My said, rushing up to your bedside to get a good look at you, “What is that thing?” She asked. 
“Oh, be nice!” Moomintroll said, nudging Little My’s shoulder and pulling her away, the smaller sticking her tongue out at him childishly. 
Moominmama removed the warm towellet and checked for a fever, relieved to see that your fever had broken sometime during the night. She wiped away the remaining water on your head and checked the bandages for any signs of lifting or unraveling. 
During her examination, you had kicked your leg away from Moominmama before beginning to stretch your body. Your body relaxed before your E/C eyes fluttered open, landing on Moominmama herself. You gasped as your eyes focused and you backed away from the Moomin, back pressing against the wall in a panic. 
Your breathing was uneven as you glanced around the room, eyes flickering quickly between the Moomins. You opened and closed your mouth a few times with broken words and incoherent noises being the only things that left it. 
“Why?” Was the only thing you were able to rasp out as your eyes fell on Snufkin who had stood up from the chair next to you. 
“It’s alright, dear,” Moominmama said in a comforting tone, “We’re not going to hurt you. I’m just here to help you,” 
You shook your head and curled into yourself, knees pressed almost painfully against your chest. 
“Away,” You mumbled, “Get away!” 
Moominmama took a step back from you and spoke. 
“Let’s give them some space, yes? They must be frightened,” She said, ushering the others out of the room, “If you need anything, just call for us.” She added quietly to you.
You glanced up at her voice and didn’t miss the kind smile she flashed you. You noticed that in the group of people leaving, Snufkin was among them. Before you could think, you reached out to him and shouted, 
“Not you!” Everyone turned around to see you pointing to Snufkin, “You can stay.” You added. 
Moominmama nodded and motioned for everyone to leave the two of you alone. She whispered something you couldn’t hear to Snufkin as she left the room. Snufkin closed the door before approaching you cautiously, worried that he might frighten you, and sat in the chair by your bedside. 
You stared at him as he sat down and stayed quiet for a few moments, trying to find the right words. 
“Why…bring me here?” You asked hesitantly. Snufkin shifted in his seat before answering. 
“You needed help,” He said, “I had done all that I could do to help you.” 
You hummed in acknowledgment, looking away from him. You knew he was right and as uncomfortable as it made you, by bringing you here Snufkin had probably saved your life. It was quiet before you spoke up again.
“Who are they?” you asked. 
“Well, the woman you were talking to is Moominmama. She was the one who tended to your injuries. Then there’s Moomintroll who helped carry you here,” Snufkin explained, glancing over to see you listening to him curiously.
“There’s also Moominpapa, who is Moominmama’s husband, and Little My, who was the little girl that was in here that is also my sister.” Snufkin continued. 
“Moominmama…” You murmured in thought,  “Is she…nice?’ You asked. 
“Yes,” Snufkin answered, “She’s very nice. Moominpapa and Moomintroll are also nice.” 
“Not the little one?” You asked, looking up at him. Snufkin shook his head. 
“Not at first, but she’ll warm up to you,” Snufkin said with a small smile, “She…won’t actually hurt you if that’s what you’re worried about.”
You hugged your knees closer to yourself, ignoring the dull ache in your ankle as you did so. You thought for a moment before beginning to stand up. Snufkin noticed this and stood up quickly and took a step towards you, extending a hand out towards you.
“Do you need any help?” He asked, a mere foot away from you. You shook your head as you continued moving to the edge of the bed. Snufkin moves out of the way to allow you to get off as you swing your legs over the edge, first your right foot, then your left. You stood up and shifted your weight on each foot before walking towards the door with Snufkin only a foot away and ready to catch you. 
You heard a quiet conversation on the other side of the door as you got closer to it, mainly consisting of a sweet, calm voice. Slowly opening the door the conversation abruptly stops and you peek your head out to meet the faces of four people, three Moomins and a Mumrik. 
“Hello, dear,” Moominmama greeted with a soft smile, “How are you feeling?” 
“Feeling…better,” You answered, pushing the door open a little further but not yet walking out. You turned back to look at Snufkin unsure of who was who. 
“Could you step in for a moment, Moominmama?” Snufkin asked, pulling you back from the door.
“Of course,” She answered, walking through the threshold and closing the door behind her, “Do you need to be treated anymore, dear?” She asked you. 
“They’re alright for now. They just wanted to meet you,” Snufkin spoke for you after noticing your discomfort. The Moomin looked over at you, a gentle smile gracing her soft, round face. 
“Hello,” You mumbled, shifting your weight from one foot to the other, biting your lip as the left ankle began to ache. 
“Oh, dear, please sit down! Your ankle has only just begun to heal. I’d hate for you to become any more injured.” Moominmama said worried and reached out a hand to hold yours, the other resting on your shoulder. You stiffened at the contact but relaxed once she only guided you to a chair. 
“I’m thinking it will take around a week for your ankle to heal to the point where you’ll be able to walk normally. Two weeks for it to fully heal.” Moominmama explained, her eyes drifting from your face to your back. Your wings twitched uncomfortably under her gaze, and you brought your knees up to your face as a comfort. Snufkin laid a hand on your shoulder to calm you, which made Moominmama look back up at your face. 
“Oh, pardon my rudeness!” She apologized, “How about I make us all some tea? That way we can answer any questions you have. How does that sound?” 
“What’s…tea?” You asked. 
“It’s a kind of drink,” Snufkin explained, “I promise it will be nice. I’ll make sure everyone gives you the space you need.” He said, taking your hands into his own, warm ones. You thought for a moment before answering. 
“Ok.” 
Moominmama cleared her throat beside the two of you, prompting Snifkin to let go of your hands. He offered you a small smile before Moominmama ushered all three of you out of the small bedroom and into the hallway. Snufkin walked out in front of you, with Moominmama being the first one out, to try and make you as comfortable as he could. 
“I’m going to make us all some tea to make our guest more comfortable,” Moominmama said, walking down the stairs.
“Hey, they’re up.” The short girl, who you presumed was Little My, shouted, drawing attention to you. Everyone who had been waiting in the hallway all turned to you. 
“Oh wow. They’re so tall!” A short and stocky Moomin shouted excitedly, running up to measure his height against yours. You stood still as he pressed his shoulder to yours, his head barely reaching your chin even as he stood up straight and you hunched. 
“Don’t be rude now, Moomin,” Another Moomin, one looking exactly like the other who was pressed to your arm, said while pulling the other away from you. 
“Please excuse him; He’s still but only a boy,” The Moomin explained. Looking at him now, you noted that he was taller than the Moomin who was next to you and was wearing a black top hat. 
“My name is Moominpapa,” He said, extending his hand out. You stared at it a moment before grasping it, allowing your hand to be shaken up and down, “And this is Moomintroll. Say hi, Moomin.”
“Hello!” Moomintroll shouted eagerly, practically vibrating where he was standing, “It’s so nice to meet you.”
You stared at him a moment before pointing to yourself.
“Y/N,” You said. They stayed quiet expecting you to say more, but you remained silent. 
“It’s a pleasure to have you as company, Y/N,” Moominpapa said with a nod of his head. 
You felt a tug at the bottom of one of your wings and looked down to see Little My pulling at them rather harshly. 
“Are these real?” She asked. You merely pulled your wing out of her grasp in response. She gasped as the soft feathers slipped out of her hand before trying to grab at you again. You pivoted in a circle as she continued to run around you in an attempt to tug at your wing again while Shufkin bent down and picked her up. 
“Leave them be. You wouldn’t want someone pulling your clothes or hair now would you?” Snufkin said. Little My squirmed in his arms a moment more before accepting defeat and laying limp in his grasp. 
“Dear, the tea is ready.” You hear Moominmama call from the kitchen. 
“That’s our cue,” Moominpapa said, ushering the four of you down the stairs, “Let’s not keep her waiting.” Moominpapa was still cautious of your injury and offered you a hand. 
Stepping out into the foyer, you gazed around at the small living room and peered into the kitchen that was adjacent to the staircase. There was something so comforting about the small living room that calmed you. Still, you couldn’t help but think about running out through the front door at the end of the staircase. 
Noticing your hesitance to walk into the kitchen, Moomintroll took your hand in his and led you to the kitchen with a gentle smile. Snufkin dropped Little My onto one of the oddly cut pieces of wood that surrounded the table. Your hand fell out of the Moomin’s as you made your way to the table and tapped one of the pieces of wood. Looking up at Snufkin you asked, 
“What is this?” 
Before Snufkin could answer, Moomintroll spoke up first. 
“That’s a chair,” He said, “Have you never seen one before?” He asked, tilting his head to the side. You shook your head.
“How strange. Where are you from?” Moomin asked. 
“Let them sit and have some tea first, then we can ask questions.” Moominmama interrupted while placing a tray -- that had a pot and cups on it -- down on the table. Snufkin showed you how to sit properly in the chair while everyone else sat down. Moominmama poured you a cup of tea telling you to be careful since it was still hot. 
“So,” Moominmama said while taking a seat at the head of the table, “If I may ask, where are you from, dear? I don’t recognize you.” You frowned. 
“Don’t…know,” You mumbled, “I don’t remember. Was left alone when I was a child.”
“Aww, that’s so sad,” Moomintroll said frowning, “Do you remember anything from before you were left alone?” 
“No. Nothing,” You answered, “I came here from…from up. It was getting cold.” 
“So it’s like you migrated from the North?” Moominpapa asked.
“Migrated?” You repeated. 
“Migrated. It’s something that birds do,” Snufkin explained, “During the winter time, birds will travel south since it’s warmer there and then return north after winter has passed.” 
“Oh,” You whispered, “Yes, I migrated.” 
“Well just know you are always welcome here in the Moomin house,” Moominmama said, taking a sip of her tea. You grabbed the cup and mimicked her movements. The tea wasn’t all that good. It just tasted like slightly sweeter water, but you drank it nonetheless grateful that she had given it to you. 
You continued to talk to the Moomins and Snufkin for the better part of the day. It mainly consisted of them asking you something and you answering with some half-baked sentence that you weren’t sure made sense, but that they seemed to understand. 
You had only realized how long you all had been talking when Moomintroll invited you and Snufkin to join him and Little My outside, as by then it was already afternoon. You watch the other two run out the front door while Snufkin helped you up and out of the house. Moominmama and Moominpapa wished you well as you were led out onto the porch. Snufkin sat you down on the porch while the others ran out onto the grass in front of the house.
“So, can you actually fly or are the wings just for show?” Little My asked. You shook your head ‘yes.’ 
“Well then, show us!” She shouted, “I’ve been dying to see it.” 
“Little My, they are still injured.” Shufkin said. You place your hand on Snufkin’s shoulder and pull yourself up. You smiled at Little My and waved your hand.
“Come,” You said, “I will fly.” 
Little My ran over to you and stood with her hands on her hips. You picked her up despite the little struggle she put up and hugged her to your chest. 
“Ready?” You ask. 
“Huh!?” She squeaks into your chest before you take off. You watch as Snufkin and Moomintroll become smaller and smaller as you ascend, all the while Little My is yelling and clutching your chest and waist. You didn’t fly very far nor very high, just high enough so she could understand what it felt like. 
Your flying stuttered as she grabbed the cloak on your back and pulled it over your wings partially, causing her to scream louder as you dipped for a moment. You laughed lightly at her screaming.
“No, you okay!” You shouted over the wind in your ears. 
“No, I’m not! Put me down, put me down!” She cried. 
“You want me to fly? I fly!” You yell, tossing her up and quickly catching her, smiling at the way she screamed and begged to be put down. After a moment you complied, gently descending to the ground and placing a disoriented Little My down only for her to fall face-first into the grass. She gripped the ground hard, little blades of grass escaping in between her fingers, and muttered into the ground.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you ground!” Little My shouted and you laughed. You soon saw Moomintroll and Snufkin run over, smiles plastered on both of their faces.
“Wow, that was so cool!” Moonintroll exclaimed, wonder apparent on his face, “Can you do that with me?” 
“Not sure,” You answer uncertainty. 
“Maybe they can try another time after they’ve fully healed?” Snufkin tells Moomintroll. Moomintroll’s head falls slightly. 
“Yeah, maybe another time,” He whispers. Feeling bad, you place a hand on his shoulder and he looks up at you.
“Another time,” You say, and he smiles more confidently. 
Snufkin offers you a hand to help you return to the porch with the others. You sit back down and watch as the others play in the sunlight. They do what they can to include you, but you understand that it’s difficult considering your condition. 
Sometime during the afternoon, Moominmama came to speak to you with Moominpapa trailing behind her.
“Please pardon our rudeness, but if I may, can we touch your wings? They look so beautiful,” She asks softly, and who are you to deny her? You spread your wings out towards them and watch as Moominmama slowly reaches out to touch them. 
Warmth is the first thing you register. Warmth, quickly followed by pressure to the tip of your left wing. One hand cradled the feathers with the other gently slid over them, similar to how one would pet a cat. Soon, another pair of hands joined her on your other wing. 
“Oh my,” Moominmama whispers, entranced by the silky softness that is your wings, “I have never seen something so beautiful. You are quite fortunate to have been born this way.” 
You hum as a reply, your eyes falling shut at the cadenced petting of your wings. It was soothing, both the delicate pressure and rhythmic nature of her strokes. You begin to lean to your side, your head falling into Moominmama’s lap. Moominpapa releases your wings as Moominmama giggles lightly, starting to stroke your hair instead.
“You’re quite young too, aren’t you? Around Snufkin’s age, if I had to guess,” Moominmpapa ponders, but you barely hear it as you rest in other’s lap, dully watching the others continue to flock in the late afternoon light.
Moominmama would later call in the others for dinner as twilight approached. She cooked a lovely meal of red Borscht soup and sourdough bread with fruit galettes for dessert. You had never tasted anything so delicious in your life, it made you want to cry. While the food Snufkin would cook was good, it wasn’t anything near as rich as Moominmama’s.
Before you knew it, your plate was cleared and as you bit into the galette you felt tears prick at your eyes and hum happily as the sweet jam touched your tongue. Snufkin leaned over and brushed a thumb over your cheek, wiping the tear away.
“Are you alright?” He asked, worry evident on his face. You nod your head, ‘yes.’
“So…good,” You whimpered, shoving the rest of the dessert into your mouth. Moominmama and Moominpapa quickly came over and embraced you on either side. Their embrace is warm, comforting, as Moominpapa spoke up,
“You will always have a place here, [Y/N].”
You stare at him, eyes wide and unblinking, as more tears start to well up in your eyes and you can do nothing to stop them from falling down your cheeks and the sobs from bubbling up your throat and tumbling out of your mouth. 
The others at the table are quick to join you: Moomintroll hugs you from behind, Little My hugs your leg, and Snufkin hugs your chest as best he can. You wrapped your arms around Snufkin and squeezed, tears falling freely and cries loud and unfiltered. 
“Thank you!” You shouted between sobs. You heaved forward, chin resting on Snufkin’s shoulders as the others embraced you tighter, simultaneously both too much and not enough and you had no idea how to feel.
Is this what company was like? Have you really been missing out on this your whole life? 
Is this what it was like to be loved?
The others pulled away from you after a moment, all except for Snufkin who continued to hold your hands gently even after moving back.
“You’ll be safe here, with the Moomins,” Snufkin whispered, “I promise.” 
And you believed him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Winter in Moominvalley came much sooner than you expected. 
It seemed that as soon as your ankle had healed and you had gotten to know the Moomins, they began their yearly hibernation ritual. Snufkin explained it to you when they first started the process. 
“Every year at winter time, the Moomins hibernate,” You hear him say, “It’s like how you move away from the cold in winter, except they sleep through the cold weather and wake up when it becomes warm again in the spring.” 
“They sleep?” You asked, “The whole time? How do they stay asleep for so long?” 
Snufkin laughed,
“I’m not sure. It’s a mystery to me too.”
Snufkin looked away from you and at the stream in front of you where you both were sat on its shore. 
“Do you also sleep?” You questioned. Snufkin shook his head with a smile.
“No, I travel elsewhere during the winter here,” He answered.
“Where do you go?”
“Wherever the world wants me to go.”
You hum, laying down on the grass more and spreading your wings to bask in the fleeting sunlight and cool breeze.
“Where will you go?” Snufkin asks quietly.
“I don’t know. I don’t actually have anywhere to go,” You said, looking up at him.
Snufkin is beautiful. The fading sunlight highlights his short, chestnut hair in the best possible way as the same light brightens his usually dark brown -- almost black -- eyes. The green of his clothes complements his olive tones perfectly and you can’t pull your eyes away from him no matter how hard you try.
“Why don’t you come with me?” Snufkin asks and for a moment you’re too stunned by his beauty to answer. Your eyes widen as his words sink in and you sit up with a jolt.
“Really? You want me to travel with you?” You asked, unsure if you understood him correctly. 
“Yes really. I would be honored if you joined me in my travels,” Snufkin said smiling at you, “You make great company.”
“I thought you liked traveling alone? Because you get tired of people?” You said eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 
“I do, but I could never become tired of you,” 
Your face feels warm now and it’s not just from the sun. You swear your heart stops for an instant and you grip your chest in worry. His smile is so warm, so soft, and it’s directed at you and only you.
When you find your voice, your words are quick to tumble out.
“I’d love nothing more than to stay with you,” You whisper, scooting over closer to Snufkin. He places his hand overtop yours and the warmth that envelopes your whole body from the simple action is almost too much for you to handle.
“I’m so glad,” He whispers back, leaning closer to you, “I’ve grown quite fond of you from our time together.” He smiles.
“Actually, there’s something more I’ve wanted to tell you,” Snufkin says suddenly and pulls away from you, and you mourn the lost contact.
“Do you know what it’s like to be loved?” Snufkin asks, his eyes staring deep into yours as his heavy question sinks in. You hum in thought and look away, thinking back to all the other relationships you have observed.
“I believe I know what love is,” You start, looking back into Snufkin’s amber eyes, “Moominmama and Moominpapa both love Moomintroll, and Moomintroll also loves Moominmama and Moominpapa. You love Little My and, which she doesn’t always show, she loves you too. You love Moomintroll, and Moomintroll loves you. Annnd…And I love you all, and you all love me!”
“But do you know of another kind of love?” Snufkin continues, holding both of your hands and holding them in between you two, “The way that Moominmama loves Moominpapa, and Moominpapa loves Moominmama?”
You’re silent as you ponder this. Come to think of it, you had never given their relationship much thought, assuming that they were always together.
“I haven’t,” You answered.
“It’s…a warm feeling,” Snufkin begins, taking a firm hold of your hands and pressing them to your chest, “It starts in your chest. You feel an unusual, but not uncomfortable, warmth begin to form in the center of your chest, in your heart,” He circles your sternum with your hand in his.
“Then, it starts to work its way throughout your whole chest, moving from your heart to your lungs, to your stomach, and to your shoulders,” His hands trail along your body as he speaks, and your breath hitches with every gentle graze his knuckles make to your bare skin in some areas.
“From there, the warmth continues to travel to each appendage, from your shoulders to the tips of your fingers and from your thighs to the tips of your toes. And in your specific case, from your back to the tips of your longest feathers,” Your wings twitch subconsciously at the mention of them and your fingers when Snufkin lets them go to travel down your legs and to your ankles before releasing them.
“And then?” You ask meekly, and he giggles.
“And then, the warmth goes up your neck,” His fingers trail your collarbones before going up your neck, a hand on each side, “And it settles into your face, turning you as red as a tomato!” He finished, his hands cupping both of your cheeks in his hands and you gasped.
“You turn into a tomato?!” You shout, hands holding Snufkin’s to prevent him from pulling them away.
“No, no, you don’t turn into a tomato. Your face just becomes red from blush, making you look like a tomato,” Snufkin explains, his smile never wavering. You sigh out an ‘oh’ and tilt your head.
“But what causes this love? Why is it different from the other ways we love?” You ask.
“It’s caused by a single person,” Snufkin whispers, his face inching just barely closer to yours as if he was telling you a secret, “This person becomes very special to you. You want them to be with you as long as possible. You want to protect them the best you can. You want to cherish them and honor them with all your being.”
Snufkin pauses.
“This person makes you feel whole,” He finished, and he is now mere inches away from you, his hands still cupping your cheeks with his fingertips brushing along your jawline and thumbs stroking the apples of your cheeks.
“Have you ever felt this love before?” He asks again.
Without hesitation, you answer,
“I have.”
The air is silent before Snufkin speaks up.
“[Y/N].” He whispers.
“Yes, Snufkin?” You answer.
“I love you.”
And with that, the distance between you two is closed. Warmth flows within both of you, radiating from where both of you were joined by the gentle connection of soft lips.
“I love you too.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
In another place, at another time, two lovers sat down together along the cliffside to watch the sun set below the horizon and bring forth the cool nighttime. Warmed by each others’ embrace, One turned to the Other and spoke,
“Other?”
“Yes, One?” They answer.
“Do you think in our next lives, we’ll still love each other?” One asked, and the Other smiled.
“What kind of question is that?” The Other asked, “Of course we would be.”
“I hope so,” One had sighed in response, “In my next life, I hope that I’m me again so that I can find you and fall in love with you again!” 
The Other laughed at this and pressed a kiss to One’s cheek.
“Then I hope I’m also me again so that you can find me and I can love you again as well.”
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deoidesign · 4 months ago
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Hello! I just discovered your blog and I immediately became captivated by your webcomic, but I'm unsure where to read all of it. I know it's on Webtoons, but I can see it hasn't been updated for a while, and you still post about it.
Are your physical novels just prints of the webcomic? Are they a continuation? Is the story complete? Thanks in advance!
Hi there!
Glad you found me and are enjoying my comic!
It's only on webtoons, and the story is not complete yet! We're 2/3 of the way through right now. It's currently on hiatus, and it's scheduled to come back in about 2 months!
I'll explain why it's been so long if you're curious, but also for my followers who might also be wondering about it under the cut. Sorry, it's pretty much just me complaining haha
I took a month off I took 2 months to get the books printed I took a month to prepare my next comic and I took 2 months to write the rest of the series (I knew the character arcs I wanted, but not the time periods or mysteries!!!) I've been working on actual episodes since then
I had to take some time off because of some pretty extreme burnout due to the sheer amount of work it was to draw over 800 pages and write 6 complete stories in a year and a half... I was getting sick almost weekly due to the overwork, it was really really bad honestly. I was having to work 60+ hours every week just to keep up...
The nature of the comic itself is also difficult... Each of the arcs is a complete, self contained story which can be read (ideally) without context, and my arcs need to be about 10-13 episodes each... And since I have an exact number of episodes to work with, it's even harder.
It takes a ton of planning and a ton of refinement, and working week to week with no breaks I was forced to put out second or even first drafts, so I just wasn't happy with the work I was doing... And to do that for the rest of the series? I wouldn't be proud of the work I did.
Plus... To be entirely honest, webtoon has treated me quite badly IN MY OPINION... They deprioritized me before I launched (I had to beg for more promotion, I'm not exaggerating), they outright denied me the opportunity to even ask for a raise, I don't make any money on fast pass and they pay me less than my partner makes working at trader joes. My first editor left me completely hanging, my second editor (who I loved) was fired... And they told me I wouldn't get a third season before my first season even finished. So it was just repeatedly completely demoralizing.
I'm sorry it has taken so long, it'll have been 10 months by the time I come back. But I realized... I won't get promotion either way. I won't get more episodes either way. I won't get more money either way. So to finish everything, to make it feel good, to make it something I'm proud of, I chose to take longer to make it better.
I am fully aware I will lose a significant amount of my readership for this and it might genuinely affect my career moving forward. But it's what I had to do! So I'm sticking to my guns on it, and I'm confident long term it'll be worth it. It never could have been this good if I didn't take this much time.
#asks#steakandpeanutbuttersandwiches#I'm SO sorry youre new and you asked me such a benign question and I responded with... this... LMAO#I swear to god I tried to make it as short as possible#theres just a lot auauuaghkhgjk#basically. way too much work. not enough money.#so it either is gonna be good and take longer or be worse but come back faster#and I chose to take longer#so.#I'm really sorry and I wish that this decision didn't also come with the... pretty much guarantee that it will negatively impact my career.#I will lose readers. I will lose potential readers for my future work. it looks bad on me as a creator to take such a big break. etc. etc.#but it's good. it's so good. you have to trust me it's like the best stuff Ive ever written#it. ok well to be honest#it'll probably feel extremely simple and extremely natural#but it's been SO much work LMAO#I am not exaggerating I have written over 200 pages of scapped ideas to get to where it is#I'm sure it won't make sense why it took so long while reading but you gotta trust me LMAO#ideally it doesnt even 'feel' different right. cause its gotta be cohesive with the whole thing#but there is SO MUCH TO WRAP UP#THERES SO MUCH#and to make that feel natural in this little space oh my GOD it is so hard#ok omfg I'm doing it again I'm going on way too long again IM SO SORRY#YOURE NEW HERE AND IM DOING THIS IMMEDIATELy#this is like 90% for my followers who I know are curious about this and I'm just using you as a jumping off point to talk about it#cause I don't really like to make standalone posts very often#I likely will make some kind of official announcement about it when the date is extremely set in stone#right now I think it's still only tentatively scheduled so it could still change#and I'll say something more... refined and restrained... then.#but for now this is like. actually everything. I think#I'm sure I forgot something but whatever lmfao
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