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it-happened-one-fic · 2 years ago

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Thats How You Know - Leona

Author Notes: This fic is actually for the @briarvalleyarchives "Anthems of Old" event. It was inspired by its namesake song, "That's How You Know" from the Disney film Enchanted. It's surprisingly nerve-wracking to be posting a fic for an event, but I had fun writing thing and had to curb the urge to not just rip of the scene from the film. As per usual, reader is gender neutral. I hope you enjoy.

Type: Fluff/ romantic/ gender-neutral reader/ sfw

Word Count: 1782

“You know he likes you, right?” Ruggie had leaned over to look you in the eye better as he voiced his question, but you looked away as soon as his words registered.

His question drew a sigh from your lips that didn’t quite match the odd smile on your face as you kept your silence. You weren’t quite able to answer his question, even as Ruggie frowned at your silence.

The truth was that, in a lot of ways, you felt like Leona did like you just as much as you liked him. But he never really did anything to show it if he did, which left you with questions.

How could you really know if he did like, much less love, you?

Despite what others said, you weren’t certain. You knew you liked him. After all, you’d taken to picking up on his interests, worries, and other such little tidbits that made up the individual that was Leona. They’d affected you, becoming interests and worries of your own.

What had started out as curiosity and wanting to get to know him better had swelled from there. You’d fallen in love with Leona. And while you knew that Leona didn’t hate you, the matter of romantic interest was….. Well, it was a whole other can of worms that you weren’t nearly as confident about.

Or at least you weren’t until recently.

It had started out simply enough, with a small note being left on your desk on top of a stack of books. The note itself was pinned in an elegant but largely unfamiliar hand and mentioned the upcoming practical magic test.

Something you knew you were going to flunk, what with your lack of ability to practice magic.

But after just a little bit of studying, it became clear that maybe you had a better chance of passing than you had thought.

The books in the mysterious stack handled the subject well, showing intensive instructions for how to draw an appropriate magic circle that would help you pass the test without having to actually use magic.

That wasn’t what really caught your attention, though. What caught your attention was the signature on the reverse side of the note, which you hadn’t found until you’d given it a closer inspection.

Elegant and small-lettered, the signature was barely noticeable but easily capable of causing a smile to appear on your face.

Leona Kingscholar.

You’d known he’d helped Ruggie get caught up with the rest of the school in terms of tutoring and having uniforms when he’d first come to NRC, but you’d never expected him to help you.

Perhaps he did care a bit more for your concerns and troubles than you’d thought….

You’d thanked the Savannaclaw housewarden after you’d passed the test, but he’d brushed off your gratitude with an almost trained ease.

“You help Jack out with his work, so if I give you stuff, I don’t have to tutor him myself,” A lazy smirk had spread across his features. He’d looked over his shoulder at you as he’d walked off, throwing a final comment back at you, “Less work for me that way.”

His words had caused you to frown slightly, but you shrugged them off. He wasn’t wrong after all. You and the other first-years often studied together to help each other with your problem subjects. If you could teach Jack things, then Leona wouldn't have to worry about it. Though you were pretty sure he’d never bothered with that in the past either.

But what followed the next day had you forgetting your previously dismissive thoughts.

You and Grim both stared down at the bright yellow flowers that greeted you from your doorstep. At odds with the otherwise dreary day, they smiled brightly up at you from the discolored wood of your porch. They were one of your favorite flowers from the ones you’d seen since coming to this world, simply due to how happy they looked.

You frowned at the blooms even as you knelt to collect them. They were tied with a rough cord, an oddly rugged touch to such a sweet sentiment.

You fingered the cord slightly before taking them inside to plop in a glass of water before heading off to the botanical garden for Potionology class.

Except when you at last reached the botanical garden, you froze. Staring at the familiar yellow flowers that greeted you, yet again, with smiling faces from alongside jaggedly cut stems that had no doubt been where your little bouquet had once resided.

It could have been a coincidence that Leona spent large amounts of time in the botanical garden where these pretty little flowers, that perfectly matched the color of yellow he wore on his dorm uniform, grew.

It was a color that was slowly becoming one of your favorites as the days wore on and was possibly one of the reasons you did like these flowers so much

Either way, the oddness of it all was enough to make you wonder and smile to yourself at the possibilities.

You were still smiling as you were chopping the potion ingredients and you almost missed the grin Ace was wearing when he leaned over closer, “So, anything interesting today?”

You frowned, immediately suspicious since you knew good and well that Ace didn’t bring those flowers when he’d just claimed they aggravated his allergies mere seconds ago.

His question, though, was incredibly fishy considering that getting a bouquet of flowers from an unknown sender was definitely an interesting start to your day.

“I got some flowers this morning…. Some of those yellow ones you said you were allergic to,” You eyed him skeptically, but he merely snorted.

“Ooh, got an admirer, have we, Prefect?” He bounced his eyebrows at you before laughing at your eye roll and continuing on.

“My day had a weird start too. First thing this morning, Deuce informed me that Jack apparently overheard Ruggie telling Leona that you couldn’t read minds.”

The redhead’s grin was sly now as he shouldered you playfully, “Weird, huh? Would’ve thought everyone knew that. After all, if you could read minds, you wouldn’t have needed those books to help you with the practical magic test, right?”

You blinked in surprise at the redhead, ignoring the teasing tone he used in favor of thinking about this new information.

The rest of class went by in a blur until Ruggie came trotting over, an exasperated expression on his face, “Y/n, hun, help a guy out?”

You sighed almost immediately at his wheedling tone but found yourself turning to face him anyway, “What is it, Ruggie?”

You were fully prepared for some sort of grand tale about how he had too many jobs and needed help running something to a class or that he’d found some sort of new couple deal and wanted to go on a fake date in the name of sales.

But it was none of those things. Instead, you were met with a sandwich being shoved into your hands, “Give this to Leona for me. I haven’t got the time, and he’s miffed with me anyway. You’re a real pal, bye!”

He was skittering away, waving with his signature snicker, before you even had a chance to object. You glanced Ace’s way only to be met with a rapid head shake, “Oh no, he gave that to you. You’re on your own, Prefect.”

The redhead backed away like you were carrying a bomb and quickly abandoned you to your newfound work. You rolled your eyes at both of the men’s dramatics but turned on your heel, striding towards where Leona always napped with a sandwich in hand. You had some questions you wanted to ask him anyway.

You stepped into the clearing to see him sitting there with some food already in front of him, causing you to frown at the sandwich in your hand.

He looked up at you with his tail flicking in an oddly energetic fashion behind him. Unlike you, he didn’t seem to be surprised in the slightest bit. In fact, he almost seemed amused by your confusion.

“About time you got here. I’d almost begun to suspect that Ruggie had somehow missed you,” His words were delivered with the customary smirk, and all of the various pieces snapped into place.

“So, the flowers were from you?” You grinned slightly as you sat down across from him and started unwrapping the sandwich in your hand, only to find that, rather than his preferred variety, it was your favorite kind of the sandwiches offered by the cafeteria’s deli. A rare luxury that you couldn’t usually afford.

Leona looked down at the food in front of him and, instead of answering your question, posed one of his own, “So, have you got an answer for Ruggie’s question yet?”

Your eyes widened slightly at his nonchalant question, and your mind went racing back to just a couple of days ago, when Ruggie had been questioning if you knew how Leona felt about you. “You heard him?”

Leona grinned outright at your shock, “Oh yeah, I heard the whole conversation.” He looked up at you, ears twitching almost pointedly as he leaned back. Totally relaxed despite your own embarrassment.

“You ought to pay better attention to your surroundings. Herbivores like you have to be careful if you don’t want someone catching you off guard.”

He was so smug, but you found yourself recovering from being flustered as a thought registered, “But that’s how you came to know how I felt. Right?”

He snorted before leaning forward, entering your personal space with a single easy motion that had your previous confidence failing you, “I already knew. You’d already proved that plenty of times.”

Mercifully, he leaned back, “So, have you got your answer?”

You found yourself smiling slightly at his question this time despite how pleased he seemed with himself.

Because of course you had your answer. After he’d done so much to prove that he did care and that he paid special attention to you, how could you not?

He’d known that you’d needed help on a test, that you liked those flowers in that specific color, and that you liked this sandwich. They were all little things, but those little things made up who you were. And he’d taken the time to do all of those things just to show you that he did care and did like you because he’d overheard Ruggie’s question and correctly interpreted your own concerns even though you hadn’t voiced them.

Paying attention to little things like that and taking the time to reassure you…. That's how you know that someone loves you.

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elronds-meleth-nin · 1 month ago

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Randir

I actually started writing this before Season 2 came out, but something like half of it was inspired after Season 2 began. Idk. Brain said 'smooch the Uruk' so here we are. 🤷‍♀️ I might write a follow-up with the actual smut, but for now, I hope you all enjoy this!

Randir = Wanderer (Sindarin)

Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Adar (RoP) x Reader

[A/N: This has innuendo and implied smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Caring for an injury, hurt/comfort (physical), mentions of blood, mentions of injuries but nothing too graphic, attraction at first side, Uruk/Human relationship, Uruk/Human romance, Uruk/Human sex (eventually), interspecies sex, kissing, Adar in a bath (yes it's a warning because holy hell that thought is so sexy), slightly dom!Adar, she falls for him hard, he loves her like a moth loves a flame, soft!Adar, angst with a happy ending, implied smut, implied interspecies sex, implied Uruk/Human sex, nudity, literal sleeping together.

~*~

He came out of the woods limping and obviously injured just as I was removing one of my shifts from the clothesline. Looking bedraggled, with matted hair and a cloak that appeared mere moments from unraveling, the Ellon with scars on his face stumbled into my yard and collapsed amongst the wildflowers.

Dropping my laundry without a thought, I gathered my skirt and ran over to him. He was barely conscious when I dropped to my knees.

"Can you understand me?" I asked as I fumbled with the breastplate of his heavily worn armor.

"Yes...my lady," he breathed. The gentle rasp of his voice was surprisingly pleasant, but I couldn't focus on that. I had to find where he was bleeding. Nearly his whole side was soaked in it.

"I'm not going to harm you. Can you tell me where you're hurt?" His hand met my arm, touching me gently, drawing my gaze to the point of contact between us then up to his eyes. Valar, they were a beautiful shade of green!

"My...left side...and my right thigh," he answered, but instead of letting his hand fall away, he reached farther up, touching my cheek.

"You'll be alright," I murmured, wanting to comfort him. He looked up at me as if I was a light shining in the hopelessness of the dark, somehow looking peaceful even as his eyelids fluttered dangerously toward unconsciousness.

"Yes...I'm certain that I will...with you...t-to care for me," he managed between labored breaths as a small smile stretched his lips. "Thank you...my lady."

His hand fell away as he passed out, and a sense of renewed urgency rushed through me as I worked to staunch his wounds. His blood was incredibly dark - nearly black - but I could find no evidence of poison. How curious!

No matter the color of his blood, he'd already lost so much of it. I had to tend to his injuries. With a bit of elbow grease, I managed to get him into the house and onto my bed. As my language was coarser during that process than would be considered ladylike, I was rather grateful that my patient wasn't awake to hear it. Once he was free of his armor and blood-soaked clothing, I cleaned his wounds and bandaged them more securely.

For long hours, he did not wake. The slash across his side had not been terribly deep, but it did bleed more heavily than I would've preferred. Embedded in his leg was the broken-off tip of an arrow. Removing that had been the most difficult and nerve-wracking part.

That night as I snuffed all but a few candles and settled in to keep vigil over my injured guest, I took a moment to observe his face. His wounds had already partially healed - the wonders of Elven physiology, I assumed - and the salve I'd applied beneath his bandages would help them heal the rest of the way without scarring.

But his face...he was gorgeous. Clearly, he'd been the subject of either torture or a terrible accident. Scars of all sorts covered his body, reaching all the way up to his face. The poor man. I had no idea what he'd been through, but he deserved a measure of gentleness. Earlier, after binding his wounds, I'd gently cleaned the grime from his skin to the best of my ability and dressed him in a clean set of clothes. I was glad I did.

He was beautiful.

His chest rose and fell at a steady rate, suggesting sleep rather than a complication from his injuries. His pulse was, by then, hale and hearty, so without too much worry, I settled in at his bedside to keep watch over him.

Eventually, the steady rhythm of his breathing lulled me quietly to sleep.

"Am I dead?" The quiet rasp of his voice drew me out of my half-doze. Lifting my head from the edge of the bed against the protests of my stiff neck, I found those green eyes open again and fixed upon me. His gaze seemed clearer.

"No, sir, you're not." My voice came out a bit rougher than I anticipated from sleep. "You're in my home and quite alive."

The slow, gentle flex of muscle in my grasp made me glance down, and I realized with a sleepy blink that I was holding his hand. When had I gotten the courage to do that? Had I done it in my sleep? His long, obviously strong fingers squeezed mine so gently that when I looked back up at him, I couldn't fight the little grin that tugged at my mouth.

"How are you feeling?" I asked as my thumb absently skimmed over the backs of his knuckles. He drew in a deep breath and winced at the tail end of it.

"Not perhaps my best, but much better than before," he murmured. "May I ask the name of my savior?"

I answered, and he repeated the word slowly, allowing the syllables to roll around in his mouth as if savoring their taste. My own name had never sounded so good.

"And you? What do you prefer to be called?" I asked as I lifted the hem of his borrowed shirt and checked the dressing on his side. The light, white fabric was thankfully loose enough around his torso that I was able to do so without disturbing his wound.

"My real name has been lost to time. To most I am known simply as Adar," he answered, and it hit me then how old he might be. He was an Ellon, of course. It was entirely possible that he was hundreds of years old.

"Adar." Repeating his name as carefully as he had mine, I was treated to another charming little smile from my patient. "Well, Adar, you appear to be healing quickly, though, from what I've heard about your people, that's not uncommon. You should be able to get up and move around come the morning."

The dark-haired Ellon shook his head.

"The credit lies with you. Had you not found me, I could well be dead. I owe you my life." As he spoke, he still made no effort to remove his hand from my grasp.

I was not disappointed by the prolonged contact.

Struggling to distract him from how obviously I must be blushing from his gratitude, I addressed some concerns that I would've had myself if I'd been in his position.

"Just so you know, I had to undress you to treat your injuries, and as your clothes were soiled rather completely, I've dressed you in a clean shirt and pants. Your own clothes have been washed and are drying on the line," I said gesturing vaguely toward the window. "The rest of your possessions are on the table just to your side, and I did clean your armor. Although, I didn't want to risk using the wrong polish, since I couldn't tell what sort of materia–"

Silencing me by pressing a few of his fingertips against my lips, Adar breathed my name. I looked at him wide-eyed.

"You have no need to explain yourself. You could have allowed me to die, but instead you chose to help me. I have seen many types of people since the birth of the world, and you are not the sort who would rob me while I was lying vulnerable in your home," he said as his fingers slid down my chin, then descended the column of my throat to the dip between my collarbones.

I barely suppressed a shiver at his tone - whether pleasure or unease, I couldn't tell. Then, his eyes dropped to my lips, and I settled firmly on pleasure.

"Since the birth of the world?" I asked quietly, and he nodded his head. "But...that would make you thousands of years old...?"

"Does that surprise you?"

My eyebrows shot upwards.

"A mortal woman caring for a being who has lived through entire ages? Certainly not. It happens every fortnight." The playful sarcasm slipped out before I could stop it, but instead of being offended by my casual impertinence, my patient let out a rough huff of laughter.

"As vain as it sounds, it pleases me that you are. Perhaps I don't appear as ancient and broken as I feel," Adar said as his fingers squeezed mine lightly.

"Had I not known, I would've assumed that you were no more than a century old," I teased, and he grinned up at me.

"Ah, now you are deep within the realm of falsehoods, my lady. Do not sully your integrity attempting to placate a relic's ego," he muttered, but beneath his teasing words, a lingering sort of sadness filled his eyes. "I am not worth any dimming of your own light."

Without thought, I reached up and brushed a few strands of hair behind his pretty, pointed ear.

"I speak only the truth. Now, let me get you some water, and then you will require more rest."

"I dare not argue with my healer's wishes," he murmured as I got to my feet. Just before I turned away, I saw him clench his newly-released hand a couple of times. Assuming I'd held it long enough for the muscles to stiffen up, I made a mental note not to do so again.

As he faded in and out of sleep, I went about my day, tackling minor chores and tasks, checking on Adar every so often to see if he needed anything. Eventually, after I fetched his clothing from the line, I found him lying awake in bed late in the evening, watching me as I puttered around.

"How are you feeling, Adar?" I asked taking a seat beside him, and when he looked over at me, he seemed much more alert than before.

"I feel almost whole, my lady, thanks to your tender care," he answered, and as I carefully lifted his shirt to check his newest dressing, he continued. "May I ask something...of a rather personal nature?"

Giving him the go-ahead, I looked up just in time to see him eyeing me with a contemplative expression.

"You appear to live alone, yet this shirt seems to have been made for a man. Is...your husband away? In my current state, I do not think I could defend myself against an irate spouse."

I couldn't help but giggle.

"I have no partner, Adar. These clothes are my brother's. He left a few sets here for those rare occasions when he deigns to visit," I explained, and a look of surprise crossed his features. "He despises carrying more travel bags than is absolutely necessary, so having a small stash of spare clothes here suits him."

Was he relieved by my answer, or was that my imagination at work in the dim candlelight?

"My apologies for prying," he murmured, but I just shook my head.

"You may ask me anything you wish without guilt," I assured, laying a hand gently atop his chest. His eyes flicked between my hand and my face as if he was warring with himself over something. "What is it?"

Still, the Elf hesitated before speaking up.

"Have you a stream nearby or perhaps a lake? Any body of water will do, really. I feel as though I am covered in half a countryside's worth of dirt," Adar said with a sheepish smile. "I do not wish to dirty your brother's clothes more than necessary."

"Clothing can be washed. As for yourself, well," I began getting to my feet, "I think we can do much better than a cold stream, don't you?"

With the practiced ease of someone who'd done this alone hundreds of times, I heated water for my patient's almost-bath. I could not fill the tub completely for fear of reopening his wounds, but I was able to put in just enough that we'd be able to help him slough the dirt off of his skin. His bleeding had stopped the night before shortly after I'd bandaged him, so I didn't see any harm in him soaking for a short while, as long as I could keep an eye on his injuries.

I would, of course, have to help him, otherwise we would run the risk of his injuries opening themselves once more, but it could be done. My patient certainly wasn't too proud too accept help when he needed it. I bore much of his weight as I helped him over to the partially-filled tub.

Together, we made quick work of the task, but I couldn't keep from my mind thoughts of what terrible things he must've been through to accrue such an array of injuries. As I carefully scrubbed the parts of his back which he could not reach, I went a bit slower than was necessary, taking the time simply to observe him.

Each raised ridge and callused swirl spoke of cruelty beyond comprehension. Who could've done something like that to one of the Elves? They were among the strongest people in all of Middle Earth. Certainly no dwarf or man was capable of this. A wizard perhaps? Or something else with abilities beyond those of mortals?

"I sense a question brewing," Adar rasped, and though he could not see my face from that angle, I feared he would feel the heat radiating from my blushing cheeks. "You should know that the courtesy which you extended to me earlier is mutual. You may ask me anything you wish."

Biting my lip as I wrung out the rag and picked up a pitcher of warm, clean water, I let the silence float between us. As the water sluiced soap and dirt from his back, I reminded myself that it was not my place to ask about the scars beneath. If he wished to speak about it he would, but I longed to ask him who'd done this to him so I could do something about it.

"It...is not a question, so much as..." I trailed off as I searched for the right words. "It is impertinent for me to say, and I do hope you'll forgive me. If your scars hurt you, I have a salve that'll ease the ache."

Adar turned very carefully and looked at me.

"My dear lady, it is abundantly clear to me that we have very different ideas about what constitutes impertinence," he murmured as his lips quirked into a small smile. "As kind as your offer is, however, these wounds are so ancient that even a salve made by the most famed healers in all of Elvendom could not hope to affect them. I do not wish to waste your resources in such a futile exercise, but you do have my most sincere gratitude for taking the time to consider such a course of action."

I was struck by his tone. It almost sounded as though that was a new experience for him...as if people did not often think of such things in regard to him. Did he not have anyone to care for him or think of such things?

"Is there anything that I can do to make you more comfortable?" I asked, and my Ellon guest gave me an incredulous look.

"You have opened your home to me, treated my wounds, fed me, and clothed me. Truly, I cannot ask anything more of you."

Beginning to massage soap into his scalp, I lowered my voice further.

"You can ask anything of me that you wish." That was an admission I ought not make, but I could not restrain it.

Within moments, I had helped my guest rinse his hair and dry off, and I'd only stolen one glance - alright, maybe two - at his rather gorgeous physique. Scarred, he might be, but Adar was still lean, muscular, and utterly beautiful. No wonder Elves were rumored to enchant mortals across the ages. Even after as much untold pain as this Ellon had experienced, he was still kind and attractive, with a voice that made my heart race.

Late into the night we spoke, he reclining in bed, and I seated beside him in the chair I'd dragged over the night before. We talked of everything and nothing. For his part, Adar looked healthier than I'd yet seen him, and at his final bandage change before bed, I was pleased to note that his injuries were well on their way to being healed.

Adar was kind enough to indulge me when I asked about his own life, recounting a few tales from several millennia ago. Just imagining him joyful and untroubled, reclining in the noonday sun brought a smile to my lips. He was handsome as I'd seen him, but my mind's eye conjured him in more traditional Elven clothing - sumptuous silks that clung to his figure and fluttered in the wind - and my cheeks heated.

My thoughts must've been written more clearly on my features than I'd anticipated, because Adar skimmed the backs of his knuckles down my cheek.

"You would have fitted that time to perfection. All was gentleness and light, and the world was awash in beauty," he murmured as his expression flitted to one of nostalgia and a hint of longing. "I hope you'll pardon me if this is too forward, but when you came to my aid, I believed I was beyond help, but I realized that I could make peace with my end if your face was the last I ever saw. Your beauty reminded me of all I had seen in those early years of the world...you took my fear and replaced it with contentment. None before you have been able to do that."

Unable to find anything even remotely adequate to say in response to such a sweet sentiment, I grasped his free hand and blinked back the tears his words had inspired.

"You are much too generous with your praise, sir," I stammered, and Adar shook his head.

"I do not know why you insist upon minimizing your virtues, but I wish it to be known that I am speaking the truth." His fingers squeezed mine carefully. "You complimented me before. It seems only fair that I be allowed to do the same, especially since neither of us were telling falsehoods."

To that, there was no rebuttal. Eventually, we fell back into a rhythm of give and take. Before I knew it, Adar's eyes had fluttered shut, and so had mine.

As the morning's first light streamed in, I blinked slowly awake and found myself entranced. Adar stood at the foot of the bed inspecting his injuries, his borrowed shirt laid neatly atop the quilt behind him. His torso, riddled with scars and signs of past injuries, seemed even more lovely in the light of day, and the Ellon did not seem weakened by his experiences. Surely, I had no reason to be ashamed of looking?

I must have made some sort of small sound, or perhaps my breathing changed enough to draw his attention, for within a moment, I found him smiling over at me and stopping my breath in my throat.

"You have a great deal of medicinal skill, my lady. I doubt these will leave a scar," Adar praised as he took a few slow steps toward me. Lifting one of my hands in his grasp, he guided my fingertips to press gently against the raised, reddish line that used to be the injury upon his side. Elves truly did heal more quickly than any mortal could. "One less scar is a welcome change, as you can undoubtedly see."

His hand didn't release mine, nor did his gaze stray from my face. My tongue seemed to have deserted me along with my good sense. I couldn't stop staring at him. Eventually, he grasped my chin and lifted it, forcing me to look into his clear, green eyes.

"I believed that I had imagined it last night...your desire. I thought it a residual component of my delirium or a symptom of my exhaustion," Adar breathed in that beautiful, raspy voice of his. Had I truly been that obvious? "After all, why should you crave the darkness when you are so obviously a creature of the light?"

"You are not as dark as you might believe," I muttered, and he smirked as his fingers slid from my chin to my jaw, grasping me a bit tighter. Leaning down so that his lips brushed the shell of my ear, he lowered his voice to a whisper.

"If you could hear my thoughts and see my desires, dear lady, you would not say such a thing." If that was meant to be a warning, my mind did not take it as such.

"Mine are no more innocent," I admitted, against my better judgment. There was something irresistible about the Ellon towering above me. He stepped closer, tilting my head up with his hold on my jaw, and when his lips met mine, I surrendered myself to him. Perhaps I was a fool to do so, after all, we'd only known each other for a matter of days.

And yet...there was something about him that just...fit. In my home, in my life, and in my heart - in every way possible, Adar filled a void of which I had not even aware. His heart, scarred and filled with self-loathing as it was, called to mine in a way I'd never experienced before. Being around him was effortless and pleasurable. I'd grown accustomed to hearing his voice and catching his eye as I puttered around my house.

This new intimacy felt right. At least, that is how I justified it to myself when his tongue brushed mine and I moaned into his mouth. A low, hungry sound mirrored my own, but Adar pulled away after a long moment. I couldn't seem to form coherent thoughts in the wake of his passionate demonstration.

"Forgive me," he breathed, but he didn't sound particularly remorseful. Removing his hands with a great show of reluctance, Adar redressed. I ought to have moved closer and kissed him again, but I was simply stunned by the sheer strength of my body's reaction to him. I wanted to throw myself to the ground before him and plead for him to take me. As unladylike as that was, the urge was nearly overwhelming.

I didn't remember getting to my feet, but after a moment, I found myself topping up my horse's food and water in the stable. Her sable hair gleamed in the light as I began to brush her. She'd been my brother's horse, but he'd given her to me when the father of his betrothed helped him acquire a rather beautiful black stallion. So, Míra - for that was her name - had become a rather good friend of mine over the years.

"He kissed me, Míra," I whispered to her as if it was a secret. The only person who could possibly overhear me was my guest, and given that he knew rather intimately what we'd done, I doubted he'd care if I told my horse. He might think me strange, but given the relationship between Elves and nature, I doubted that he would.

For a few quiet minutes, it was just me and Mira, but soon a shadow stretched from the doorway into the stable.

"Míra rocco," Adar said as he walked slowly toward us. I blinked at him in surprise.

"How did you know her name was Míra?" I asked, and he looked at me with a lopsided smile.

"I did not, my lady. I intended no more than to compliment your pretty steed, but it seems her name is one. You see, 'míra' means beautiful in one of the forms of the Elvish language," he explained, and I let out a huff of laughter. No wonder Elrond always seemed so amused by her name!

Adar turned his gaze back to my mare, murmuring her name amongst a string of other Elvish words. Typically, she was shy around strangers, backing off or huffing and stamping until they backed off or I calmed her, but she let Adar caress the side of her head immediately. Apparently, she trusted him just as much as I did, despite the short duration of our acquaintance.

"It would seem my brother chose well, then," I said as I watched Adar lift a handful of her feed from the barrel where I stored it.

"Indeed, he did." After a few more moments of bonding between Míra and her new bosom companion, Adar faced me with what looked like determination flashing in his eyes.

"I apologize for interrupting, but I wish to pay you back for your kindness," he began, and as I opened my mouth to protest, he held up a hand to stop me. "I know that you will likely say that no such thing is necessary, however, I would be a poor patient, indeed, if I did not at least attempt to show y gratitude. Give me something to do. Chores, tasks you would rather avoid, anything at all. If you are worried about my injuries, I assure you, they are sufficiently healed for all but a sword fight."

I thought for a moment, and grabbed a few tools from their place inside.

"There are a few short log rounds that need to be split for the hearth," I began, "but if you feel that would be too hard for right now, I could give you something else to do. I do not want you reopening either of those wounds."

Looking at me with a mixture of mischief and pride, Adar took only the axe from my hand, not my makeshift splitting wedge or hammer.

"I could fell whole trees for you and expend no more effort than you did brushing Míra." I didn't know if I believed that, even if the Elves were stronger than mortals.

"Do not overexert yourself. I would hate to have to drag you into the house unconscious for a second time," I ordered with no real venom behind my words. In truth, I was just happy to have him by my side.

He placed a gentle kiss upon my brow and walked out of the stable. I was so overcome by the tenderness of his gesture that I took a long moment to lean against the wall and savor the feeling before returning to my own long list of chores. Most of the ones I'd put off were inside the stable, so I had no reason to step outside.

By the time everything was finished, I headed inside, thinking that Adar must be resting after having split the wood. After all, he was still regaining his strength. Surely, he was exhausted after such hard work. But, when I walked inside, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Adar?" There was no answer to my call. The sound of my voice carried through the house in the way only an empty space could manage. My gaze fell to the table where a small, purple bundle lay.

It was a bouquet of little, purple flowers tied with simple twine. Sage blossoms, presumably from the stream near my home. When had he gone to the stream? Beside them was a note written on a piece of parchment.

'My lady,' it read, 'I beg your forgiveness for my abrupt departure. I am incredibly grateful for your kind ministrations over the last few days. You wished me to have a more rest, but I fear in must move on. My absence will undoubtedly return some semblance of peace to your life. With all my heart, I wish you every joy this world can bring. Thank you for giving me the blessing of looking upon your light. It will shine all the clearer for the lack of my darkness. You will be safer for it, and the acknowledgment of that fact appeases my own aching heart, somewhat. Forgive me, my sweet lady. Your kisses will ever fill my dreams. Sincerely yours, Adar.'

I dropped into one of the chairs beside the table as loss clawed at me from the inside out. He'd left. He'd...actually left. Beyond the letter, he had not even said 'goodbye.'

Hoping against hope, I looked around my home, both inside and out, but instead of Adar, I found enough chopped wood to fill the box near the door, the rotten beam in my fence replaced with a sound one, and the clothes I'd lent him hanging on the line to dry after being washed.

He must have worked quickly to do all of that without attracting my notice, and I had not even asked him to repair the fence or wash the clothing.

Darkness, indeed. Would a being of darkness truly take the time to wash a shirt and trousers in a cold stream and hang them to dry? I'd have thought they'd leave them in a crumpled heap on the floor, instead.

With a sniffle, I realized that I was being ridiculous. I'd known he would leave eventually. Nobody would want to be stuck in this lonely, out-of-the-way, little cottage for long. Even I had debated traipsing off to Rivendell and accepting Lord Elrond's invitation to stay for good. But, why would he leave so suddenly? Had I said something that offended him? And what was this darkness to which he kept alluding?

Lord Elrond! Of course! He might be able to answer my question or give me some insight into what was going on. I hoped he would not take offense to my showing up unannounced, but I had no choice. I needed answers.

Mere hours afterward, I had packed a small bag - including the flowers Adar had given me - mounted my horse, and departed for Rivendell.

For the entirety of the two day journey to Rivendell, I rode hard, taking breaks only long enough to avoid either my horse or myself collapsing. By the time I entered the Hidden Valley of Imladris, I must've looked as haggard as I felt.

Lindir strode down the steps into the courtyard just as I managed to pry myself from my saddle and land unsteadily on my feet.

"My lady, welcome to Imladris," he called, but concern colored his voice. "You seem in dire need of respite–"

"Thank you, Lindir, but I am afraid that I cannot rest until I have visited Lord Elrond's library," I stated trying to sound less exhausted than my shaky legs looked. "If you require his permission, I am more than happy to wait. Please convey to him my apologies for arriving unannounced, but it was unavoidable."

"And...what may I tell him is the reason for your visit?"

"Something odd occurred a few days ago," I began. "Normally, I would not trouble him, but this raised several questions...questions which I believe only the records kept here might be able to answer."

Lindir nodded his head despite his skepticism.

"Mellon-nin, you know I would not ask for this over a mere whim," I murmured looking into his eyes, and that was what seemingly convinced him.

"Very well, your horse will be tended to. You may, of course, proceed to the library while I convey this to Lord Elrond."

I waited only long enough to thank Lindir before rushing up the steps. I'd been to Imladris countless times, and on sunny, warm days like this, I knew it would be empty enough for this particular line of research to remain confidential.

Asking the library attendant where I might find information on old Elvish armor designs, I made a beeline for the section she indicated. A set of scrolls marked 'Second Age' caught my eye, and I pulled them down with care. Soon, I had a whole table full of scrolls laid out, and a note in the margin of the oldest I'd pulled made mention of older designs incorporating natural patterns such as rivers and mountains.

...Had Adar been alive since the First Age? He did mention the 'birth of the world,' so...I supposed it was entirely possible that he had. Returning that set of scrolls to their rightful places, I searched the much smaller stack of early First Age scrolls. Many had been rewritten on fresh parchment several dozens of times over, but were in dire need of yet another fresh copy.

The second scroll I unfurled was where I found it: an illustration of several ancient armor styles, including the one with the same pattern that I'd copied down.

Dropping heavily into a seat, I read the notes on that style with shaky hands. Apparently, the pattern itself was conceived during an era called the 'Years of the Trees,' which was seemingly the earliest part of the First Age - Elvish year classifications always made my head spin.

The only problem was that all the descriptions I could find referred to gold, silver, and occasionally white armor. There were no references to dark versions. I supposed Adar's armor could've been discolored across the years, but given how consistent it was, that didn't seem likely.

Swearing under my breath, I opened the other two I'd picked up, but there were no further mentions of that which I sought.

"Mellon-nin?" My friend's voice tore me from my puzzlement, and at the sight of him, regal and serene, standing with a rather confused expression upon his lordly features, I nearly burst into tears. I hadn't meant to disturb him. I'd hoped to find the answers myself.

And if the dread weighing my stomach down like lead was any indication, I wasn't worthy to be trespassing upon his lands. Surely the lack of records about something like this had to be significant. Either this was nothing and I was being dramatic, or it was awful and absolutely meant to be forgotten. After all, it did not do to dwell upon darkness when one could live quite happily within the light.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered as I got to my feet, and Elrond took a few steps closer, surprise flashing through his warm, gray eyes. "I did not intend to bother you. I would not have come here unless it was truly important."

His hands grasped my shoulders lightly, and the Lord of Rivendell smiled reassuringly at me.

"Peace, I know," he murmured, and I took a shuddering breath. "Now, Lindir said you had questions. Urgent ones, if I were to take a guess."

I nodded my head and tried to compose myself.

"I recently encountered this pattern. I've found records of it, but...I still have...concerns. Have you ever seen it before?" I asked handing him the scrap of parchment on which I'd copied down the engravings adorning Adar's armor. I'd drawn it initially because I liked how the pattern looked, but once I'd given his note more thought, I became curious about its origins. What could have been so dark that he did not wish to endanger me?

Taking it carefully from my hand, my friend nodded his head.

"Yes, this was often placed upon Elven clothing, armor, shields, and the like, but it has not been used in thousands of years," Elrond said looking from the page to me and back again. "I cannot imagine where you would have seen it, but it appears that you have located our records on the subject."

"I found information about the pattern, yes, but...well, I do not believe they are complete. This scroll here mentions gold, silver, and even white versions of armor with this engraving, but what about darker metals?" I asked, and this time his gaze snapped up to meet mine.

"Darker?" Laying the parchment upon the desk nearest us, he gestured for me to have a seat. "We use those three colors to symbolize Ilúvatar's light shining within us - the light of the Valar. For this pattern to appear in dark colors, especially black, it would make a mockery of that most sacred light, the way that Morgoth did when he created the first Orcs using Elves."

My heart nearly skipped a beat. Was that what he was?

"Can you tell me about that?" I nearly whispered, and he agreed.

"In the very beginning of the First Age, Morgoth stole several of the Elves - widely speculated to be of the Avari - and tortured them," he said, and my heart sank in my chest. Was that where he got all those scars? From a wrathful godlike entity? "Twisting and manipulating them, he created in them the first Orcs, the Moriondor - Uruks, they called themselves, though they still appeared very like the Elves. From them, he bred an army with which he intended to conquer Middle Earth."

In horror, I covered my mouth with my hand and felt tears burning the corners of my eyes at the thought of all that Adar had been through, assuming this was what he'd meant.

"Have you seen the armor that you described, mellon-nin?"

Unable to summon my voice, I nodded my head, and Elrond leaned closer, grasping my hands with his. Thankfully, he remained silent, allowing me to speak in my own time.

"It was engraved on a black breastplate that looked pitted and rough, aged beyond anything I'd seen before, but still well-maintained, all things considered." I paused for a moment, wondering how much I should tell him.

"Why the curiosity about armor, mellon? I have never known you to be interested in such things before," he wondered, and I looked up at him with tears gathering in my eyes. I intended to answer his question, truly, I did, but another escaped my tongue instead.

"How did you know?" I asked, and he blinked blankly. "With Celebrian, how did you know that she was the one?"

Elrond's eyebrows shot upward at the rapid shift in topics.

"It was a combination of things, I suppose. I felt at ease around her, conversation was effortless and enjoyable, but most of all, I did not feel as if I needed to hide any part of myself from her," he explained. "Though I am but Half-Elven, she did not treat me any differently than she did anyone else. She accepted me, flaws, differences, and all."

Acceptance. Could it be that simple?

Adar had not judged me for being mortal. He'd been equally surprised when I refused to listen to his self-deprecation, instead offering him genuine compliments. We conversed easily for hours during his short-lived convalescence, and every moment I was in his presence, it felt as though I was wrapped in a comforting hug.

He fit so perfectly into my life that it was frightening. Perhaps, after all that he'd been through, assuming that he was one of the Moriondor as Elrond had mentioned, it had frightened him. After thousands of years of pain and torture and violence, a gentle touch must be surprising. Perhaps, even a little unnerving.

But he'd left. He was gone, so there was very little chance that I would ever know for certain.

Lightly, Elrond grasped my chin, turning my head so that our gazes met.

"Why these questions, mellon-nin? Never before have I seen you so troubled," he murmured. Concern twined in his every word and glittered in his eyes. "Speak to me. Tell me what burden has weighted your soul so that I might help you carry it."

Fear and regret, pride, an odd sense of excitement, and dread rose in my throat, clawing at my tongue as I spoke, fighting with each other as I warred with my own heart.

"I have done something...made a choice which I cannot alter," I admitted in barely a whisper, "but even if I could, I do not believe that I would wish to."

My vision blurred beneath a veil of tears, and my sweet, worried friend pulled me into his arms. He always seemed to know exactly what I needed, even if that was an excuse to hide my face so that I could more readily confess to my actions. Elrond waited patiently, allowing me to choose whether or not to continue.

"I have saved a life," I breathed against the softness of his robe, beginning to relate the tale to the only person whom I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I could trust. By the time I spoke of the kiss, the note, and the flowers, I wept openly.

"Mellon-nin...oh, my dear friend," he cooed brushing away my tears tenderly and laying kisses upon my brow. "You have nothing about which to feel guilty. You saved an injured person's life without knowing who he was."

"But...but if he truly was one of those taken by Morgoth as you mentioned earlier, should I not feel some sense of...of shame that a being of darkness lives because of me?" I asked between sniffles. "Should I not feel guilt or remorse or fear or sadness? Why do I feel relieved? Why do I feel as glad as I would have if it had been your life in his stead that I had managed to preserve?"

Giving me a patient, affectionate smile, Elrond cupped my tear-stained cheeks and looked into my eyes.

"Saving a life is an act of compassion. What he chooses to do with the time you have gifted him is not your burden to bear. It matters not if his heart knew darkness, for he may yet choose to step into the light. Would you deny him that chance?" Mutely, I shook my head, and Elrond smiled. "None are truly lost until their last breath is spent."

I nodded my head, but something else nagged at me.

"I love him. Darkness or no, I feel for him as you did for Celebrian," I breathed. "Should I not be ashamed even about that?"

His arms gave me a gentle squeeze.

"We cannot control with whom we fall in love. What you can do, however, is listen to what your heart is trying to tell you. Love always has a reason for being, some lesson to teach us, even when it is found in the most unexpected places," Elrond murmured against the top of my head, and I took a deep breath.

"Then, I have realized that too late. His note sounded so...final. I doubt I will see him again," I said trying to pull myself together. "I am sorry, my lord, for troubling you over something so insignificant–"

"Hush," he ordered giving me a stern look. "It was important that you uncover those answers, and I am glad beyond measure to have helped you find them. If nothing else, you have learned that your compassion runs deeper than even I previously thought."

Getting to his feet, Elrond helped me return the scrolls to their rightful places. He knew I'd had a long journey, but despite how exhausted I was, my mind was too active for me to even consider sleep. Instead, my friend led me to his own chambers, poured me a cup of tea, and kept me company until my mind felt clear enough to venture toward the set of chambers that he reserved for my use. Admittedly, however, rest did not come easily.

I remained in Rivendell for three days, seeking some sort of peace over what had transpired. Sitting in meditation with Elrond in the mornings and trawling through Elvish poetry in the afternoons left me emotionally primed for an evening walk filled with thoughts too loud for my mind to contain.

Had he seen sights like this? Or, did Morgoth take him before places like Gondolin and Lindon existed? Had he been at peace, even once after he was stolen away? If he really was one of the Moriondor, why was he not with the Uruks now? They massed in Mordor, so...why was he here? Could he not find belonging with either race?

I'd posed some of those questions to my host, and he told me of one of the Moriondor he'd met on the field of battle in the Second Age. Fiercely loyal was he, but eventually, he was tricked and ousted by Sauron. His children, as that Moriondor called the Uruks, had betrayed him and chosen a new master, barely escaping with his life. None knew where he'd gone and most argued that he'd died of his wounds or his grief.

Something in that melancholy ending resonated within me. The sadness in his eyes, the surprise when I'd tried to care for him...was that why? Had been so used to caring for his children that he'd had nobody to care for him?

The day I left, Elrond met me in the stables.

"Mellon-nin, I doubt he would be a threat to you if your mystery lover returned, but if you ever need me, I am here," he said as I buckled my horse's saddle in place. "Truthfully, if he is the Moriondor I encountered, and if, as you say, he harbors even the smallest amount of affection for you, you might be safer than either of us realize."

I made some noncommittal sound, then mounted my horse, but Elrond grasped the pommel before I could depart.

"Do let me know if you marry him. I have always wanted to see you happily lovestruck," he said with a mischievous wink.

"He would need to return for that to even be a possibility, mellon," I muttered, trying very hard to stop my cheeks from heating up. Thanking him for all he'd done, I began my journey home at a much less frantic pace than before.

Once or twice when I stopped along the road to tend my horse, I thought I heard twigs snap in the woods, but I put it down to animals. There were many rabbits and deer in this part of the world. By the time I returned home two days later, I tended to my horse, tore my riding leathers off and practically fell into bed.

A small noise awoke me in the night. A second followed it from just outside my door. Grasping blearily for the dagger beneath my pillow, I slipped it from its sheath and slid as soundlessly as I could out of bed. In reality, I'd probably made quite a bit of noise, as I'd been awakened from sleep that I'd desperately needed. I nearly leapt out of my skin when a shout sounded from outside and was abruptly silenced and followed by a dull thud.

Quite suddenly, I was no longer tired.

Raising my dagger, I threw open the door and froze at the sight before me. The Ellon I'd nursed back to heath, who had left a week ago, was crouched not far from my door, covered in blood once more, illuminated by the first pink glow of the sunrise. Only, this time, the blood splattered across his armor, sword, and dotting his face, wasn't his. It belonged to the man lying motionless at his feet through whom he had run his sword. There was another body a few feet away with its head detached.

Fierce, green eyes met mine, and I lowered my arm.

"Adar?" After cleaning his sword on the dead man's shirt, he sheathed it and walked slowly toward the door. Lifting his now empty hands in surrender, he acted as though the sight of him covered in another mans blood would scare me away.

To be fair, it likely should have.

"My apologies for disturbing your rest, my lady," he called, stopping a handful of paces away from me. "These men intended to kill you and steal what valuables they could find."

A cool breeze curled around us, ruffling my nightgown and reminding me sharply of my state of dress.

"Come. Let me help you clean up," I said gesturing inside. He removed his muddy boots at the door before stepping over the threshold. With infinite care, he took a seat at my kitchen table.

As I set a candle before us, my heart pinched at the familiar feeling of him in my space. It still felt right to have him here, but...was he here because he wanted to be or because he felt some sort of obligation?

For long moments we were silent. Adar watched as I shuffled around grabbing a pitcher of water.

"They followed you...on the road," he stated as I fetched a cloth and a bowl. How could he possibly know that?

Unless...

"I presume your knowledge comes from having followed me yourself?"

"Indeed. Tell me, how was your stay in Imladris?" He asked as I filled a small basin with water. I paused mid-pour.

"It was quite helpful," I answered, and a small hum came from my guest.

"You surprise me, my lady," Adar murmured, "I expected you to deny it."

Carrying the cloth and bowl to the table, I looked at him curiously.

"Why should I deny it? Lord Elrond is my friend." I watched as he dipped the clean cloth into the water. "All I wanted was advice."

He let out a rough huff of laughter tinged with bitterness.

"How best to kill the Uruk who'd deceived you, perhaps?" His voice was deadly quiet, his eyes sharp and pain-laced. My heart thumped at the confirmation, but...I still couldn't muster any regret about loving him, even after he'd killed two people in my yard. "He and I have met upon the field of battle. Though it was in another Age, I still remember how many of my children I lost at the hands of Herald Elrond and his illustrious High King. Each of their names is seared into my mind as if it had been only yesterday. I imagine that the extermination techniques he passed to you were efficient and creative...?"

"I inquired about matters of the heart, actually. He's been married before. I haven't."

Adar looked surprised at that, but I held his gaze unwaveringly. My conversation with Elrond had given me a boost of confidence I sorely needed.

Taking the damp cloth carefully from his stunned fingers, I wiped the last of the nearly-dry blood from his cheeks, holding his head steady with my other hand.

"Thank you for saving me," I murmured, but I made the mistake of dropping my gaze to his lips before meeting his eyes again. I hadn't realized how close I was to him. At such close proximity, it was easy to see how his pupils dilated when he glanced at my mouth. Was he remembering the kiss like I was?

Once the last red drop had been removed from his skin, I set the cloth aside and took a chance. Slowly, giving him the chance to refuse me if he preferred, I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss onto his lips. I kept it as chaste and brief as I could.

He remained stationary as if frozen in place, looking at me wide-eyed when I finally pulled back. My heart plummeted into my stomach at his expression.

"I apologize," I breathed, "I should not have taken such a libert–"

Adar grasped the back of my head and slanted his lips hungrily over mine. Melting into his grasp, I surrendered as easily to him as I had the first time he kissed me.

"I was a fool to leave you before," he breathed when he finally came up for air. "I will not make the same mistake again."

Like a man starving after a long period of fasting, Adar claimed my mouth once more, his movements both hungry and loving at the same time. My thoughts all faded away as I returned his affection, and my mind became a sieve only capable of focusing upon the points of contact between us. All else fell away.

"Your lips have haunted me," he admitted once we became desperate for breath. He skimmed the pads of his thumbs over the offending skin as gently as a morning breeze. "I was gone mere hours before I could no longer fight the urge to return. Every step, every breath that drew me farther from you made me feel as though I was being ripped apart from the inside out, so I turned back."

We'd likely missed each other by a matter of minutes, but I could not regret my time in Rivendell when it had been so valuable.

"When I found you gone, I berated myself for my cowardice and tracked your path," Adar explained as he leaned close enough that our noses just barely brushed against each other. His hands slid down my shoulders and my back, gathering the loose fabric of my nightgown in his grasp. "Even more foolish was I for suspecting that one as gentle as you would make such a sojourn for nefarious purposes. I owe you more apologies than breath will allow."

Grasping at the clasps of his armor, I smiled up at him and spoke in a much breathier voice than I'd anticipated.

"No matter. I'm quite sure you can make it up to me." His eyes flashed roguishly at my bravery, and as I began to remove his armor, his lips connected with my jaw. Nips and kisses seared a path down my skin as I managed to remove his armor. Adar lifted the hem of my nightgown slowly in his grasp, revealing my figure bit by bit to the fledgling sunrise and flickering candlelight.

Our hands moved faster, then, separating clothing from skin in a flurry of desperate fingers. We were both mostly nude when I found my curiosity spilling from my throat in a rough almost-whisper.

"If you thought I had gone to Rivendell to ask how best to kill you, why did you come back? Why did you save me?" With great self-control, Adar pulled his lips from my pulse where they had lingered and looked into my eyes with a mix of pain and devotion.

"Because...after all the millennia I have endured, if ever there was one person to bring upon me my destruction, though it would have pained me, I would have been honored for it to be you," he confessed, and the tears which had filled my eyes finally dripped down my cheeks. He kissed them away, but his words did not cease. "I would have accepted defeat from nobody else. If you were the one to plunge a knife into my back, I would still have drawn you close enough for mine lips to taste yours just once more before finally embracing my end."

Nearly delirious with desire and the potency of my own love for him, I shook my head.

"I would never hurt you–" I pleaded with him hoping that he would believe me, but his mouth slanted over mine again, swallowing my desperate protestations and stealing the breath from my lungs.

"I know," he whispered when he finally allowed me to regain my breath. Looking into my eyes as he soothed me, a tear dampened his own lashes. "Shh, I know you would not, meleth-nin."

When I threw my arms around him, burying my face against his shoulder, he embraced me without hesitation. With ease, he lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed, sitting upon its edge whilst I clung to him. Readjusting myself in Adar's lap, I straddled him, settling my damp core against the tent in his trousers. His hands gripped my waist as he looked into my eyes.

By that point, we were beyond words, hands exploring one another as we each drank breath and sounds from the other. My hips gave an involuntary roll, but were stopped by his grip.

"I adore you," he began, "and I would love nothing more than to continue down this path. However, having followed you, I know that you have had very little sleep over the last few days."

I opened my mouth to protest, but he swallowed my words with a kiss. Damn, that was much too effective!

"I swear to you, I will lavish you in pleasure when you wake, but I fear that you could not take me now without dire consequences for your health." That was a damn bold claim, but before I could say so, a yawn betrayed me, and I was forced to recognize that he was right. "Come, let me hold you, and I will make you sing when you wake."

Reluctantly, I let him reposition me so that we could lie down together. Admittedly, that being held like that was so pleasant that I was out in moments, but not without hearing a string of words I didn't recognize. My last thought before I lost the fight with my eyelids was to wonder whether it was Black Speech.

I very much looked forward to waking up.

~*~*~

Taglist:

@asksizworld @bigblissandlove1 @gandalfthepimp @horta-in-charge @zoya-olenko

#elronds-meleth-nin fic

27 notes · View notes

grandlinedreams · 1 year ago

Note

Hey hey hey! Your writing captures these characters in ways that I could never. I’ve had this idea wracking my brain, of Ace as a mechanic for some reason- but, hear me out. The shop owner is Whitebeard, and Ace meets Pops daughter when she comes in to help out one day at the shop not knowing who she is, and I honestly think you can bring this vision to life.

Thank-you, it really is an honor to hear that and I appreciate it!! But also BESTIE UR BRAIN MWAH MWAH MWAH that is SUCH a good concept and I hope that I can do it justice!!

[Heads up!: mechanic!au, afab!reader/gendered terms]

ㅡ

It's sheer luck that lands Ace the job. He's been looking for a while now, desperate to land something that pays more than pocket change an hour because even with Sabo and Luffy also employed, they've been barely making ends meet.

He won't tell them that though, swipes bills out of Sabo's hand before his brother can even open them. "Not your job to worry about it," he tells him when Sabo glares. "It's mine."

He doesn't want them to have to worry about things like that, not when Sabo's found a good balance in college and Luffy's finally considering college at all. So when he finds the ad for the position while aimlessly scrolling through one of the many job application sites, he offers up a plea to whatever god might be listening and applies.

And he gets an interview.

The shop, aptly titled 'Whitebeard Mechanics' is surprisingly in the nicer end of town, situated at the very edge just before the road leads into the sprawling heart of stores and gated communities.

The smell of motor oil is what he catches first, the muffled sound of voices overlapping from an open garage bay and undercut by the whirr of machinery.

"Are you Ace?" He pivots to find the speaker watching him, a man with an interesting cut of blond hair and blue eyes that evaluate him in a way that makes Ace's nerves all the worse. When he nods, the man holds a hand out. "I'm Marco, co-owner of the shop."

"Nice to meet you," Ace says, shaking his hand. Marco's grip is firm, his fingers calloused and seemingly permanently stained with axel grease.

"Pops is waiting for you," Marco says, jerking his head for Ace to follow him into the main building. There's a waiting area with worn chairs and a coffee machine set onto a wheeled storage cabinet, the only decor that of a tropical plant in the corner. "He's in his office."

Ace follows his gesture, a door with a shiny gold plaque that labels it as such and swallows, moving towards it. Steeling himself with a breath, Ace steps inside.

The man sitting behind the desk is Edward "Pops" Newgate ㅡ or at least that's what the little desk tag says, and Ace can tell that the older man would tower over him if he stood.

"You must be Ace," he greets, gesturing to the plush chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat."

Ace does so, hands resting on his knees to hide the nervous tremor of them as he watches the other man rifle through a folder ㅡ his application.

"Your references are acceptable," Pops says, and tosses his folder down. "Background checks out, no criminal history…" He leans forward, staring at Ace over steepled fingers. "But why do you want the job?"

Ace blinks. The threat of my brothers and I going homeless and hungry is a great motivator, he wants to say, but he doesn't. Instead he thinks for a moment, shaping his words carefully.

By the time he's done, Pops is smiling. "Congratulations," he says, "you've got the job."

ㅡ

Settling into his new job is surprisingly easy. There's a natural camaraderie when there's no hierarchy to be found ㅡ and friendship comes naturally.

So it's to be expected when Ace comes into work and stops by one of the garage bays, he makes a beeline for the pair of familiar boots sticking out from beneath the undercarriage of a vintage car.

"Marco," he says as he approaches and knocks his own boot against the one closest to him. "You should come out with me and my brothers for drinks sometime."

He expects the blond to answer and when he doesn't, Ace frowns and nudges his boot again before stepping back when the dolly begins to roll from underneath the car.

It's only then that he realizes that the boots are not Marco's, and the person on the dolly is not his friend. "I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't kick my feet while I'm working."

Ace stares for all of thirty seconds before his mouth starts working again. "You're a girl," he says and immediately kicks himself for both how dumb he sounds and how your eyes narrow. "I ㅡ no, I just mean ㅡ I've never met you before."

"It's because she only shows up when she wants to," answers Thatch from behind him, and he watches you roll your eyes and scrub a hand against a smear of oil on your cheek as you get up from the dolly.

"More like whenever dad decides he wants me to come in and lend a hand," you huff, taking the towel that Thatch hands you to wipe your hands off before you turn towards Ace. "So you're the new guy, huh?"

"Yeah, I'm Ace," he says, mentally patting himself on the back for not stuttering. Your eyes flick over him, assessing him with a curious gleam to your eyes.

"Nice to meet you, Ace. I'm [Name]." Your attention shifts to Thatch as you clap him on the shoulder and begin walking away with him. "Please tell me dad hasn't killed that plant in the lobby while I've been gone."

Watching you go, it's only then that Ace registers that you've called Pops dad.

ㅡ

"So…is Pops really your dad?"

Weeks worth of tentative exchange and working together has afforded him the chance to eat lunch with you when you're at the shop and with the way you look at him over your sandwich, it's clear that you still think he's a little strange.

"It's what it says on my birth certificate," you answer, and Ace catches himself watching the movement of your mouth as you talk, hurriedly averting his gaze before you can call him out. "Most of the guys are like brothers to me since I've grown up around them. Dad has a habit of pseudo-adopting the people who work for him."

He knows that well, the parental warmth with which Pops has a way of talking to him making him try not to think about his actual parents. It doesn't matter, not when he has Sabo and Luffy.

"And what about me?" The question is out of his mouth before he can stop it. "Am I a brother to you?"

For one horrifying moment, you stare at him as though he's grown two heads ㅡ and then you laugh. Not mocking, not teasing, a full bodied genuine laugh that Ace swears sounds better than anything else he's ever heard.

"You're still the newbie," you say, but your tone is colored with affection even as you raise an eyebrow. "Thought you already had brothers."

"I do," Ace answers. He's mentioned them to you a couple of times, entertained the idea of introducing you ㅡ and then immediately scrapped it for fear of the resulting potential disaster.

But he wants to know where he stands with you, aware that his own feelings for you are a little deeper than just that of coworkers. He's also aware that his boss is your father, and that there are a thousand ways this could go very, very wrong.

Doesn't stop him from wanting to try, though. And it gives him hope for the fact that you're not immediately writing him off, compelling him to continue, "Let me take you out on a date."

Of all the things you'd expected Ace to follow that up with, asking you out is not one of them. It's rare that anyone isn't spooked off by your circle of pseudo-brothers, and even rarer still that they don't tuck tail and run when your father is involved.

You should say no. You should make it clear that there's a boundary not meant to be crossed, even without the fact that your father is his boss. But you can't deny that he's grown on you, with his spatter of freckles and loud laugh, a magnetic charm that draws people to him, yourself included.

"Okay," you say, surprising both him and yourself. "But you better not disappoint me, pretty boy."

Ace grins. "Wouldn't dream of it."

#ㅡmine.#one piece x reader #one piece scenario #ace x reader #portgas d ace x reader #ㅡanswered.#anonymous #–ml: ace.

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thehusbandoden · 2 years ago

Text

Cold- Shigaraki x Fem!Reader Part 2

Surprisingly this and the alternative ending only took me today 😅. I finally got an oomph after a few weeks of a writing block and wrote this, the alternative ending, and like 3-4 other things along with some add-ons to a few unfinished drabbles.

Angst to fluff | 1,899 words | Happy ending + an alternative ending if you'd rather have it end differently! <3

Y/h- your height

Warnings!: Shigaraki dusting multiple people, choking (not sexually), mentions of blood, cutting off a limb (an arm), self harm (Shigaraki), breaking down, Dabi x reader but could be seen as platonic, mentions of season 6 (Machia and the Liberation army), mentions of killing heroes. Pls let me know if I missed any!

Part One | Part Two | Alt. Ending

Shiggy's P.O.V:

Shigaraki paced back and forth in the meeting room, ap hand scratching at his neck. Nothing but guilt consumed him. He's been a complete a-hole to you, treating you horribly. You don't deserve that. You deserve better.

After asking Toga for advice the man decided to apologize and change his sickening behavior. He had only acted like that due to many people criticizing him behind his back. Telling one another what a bad partner he was. It killed him to think that he was.. and so he pushed you away.

He kept you locked away for your safety, there were so many bad people around, he didn't want anything to happen to you. But he couldn't, no. He wouldn't tell you that. He wouldn't act like some over protective psycho who works with people he wants to protect you from.

He took things from you to enforce the rules. He had to keep you safe. He needed you. He said those horrible horrible things to you for what? To push you away further so he would make sure not to be a piece of crap boyfriend? Pathetic.

He only showed his true colors when he held you at night or in the soft hours he was in your shared room. Though you probably didn't even recognize that. He loved you so, so much. And today he'd make it up to you. Today, he, Shigaraki Tomura, would apologize.

Reader's P.O.V:

You grumbled as Dabi picked you up, successfuly avoiding the patrolling heroes.

"Dabi! Let me down!" You whisper-shouted, resulting in Dabi pinching your side. "Ow~!" You whine, smacking Dabi's head as he chuckled.

After the hero passed Dabi sprinted toward the alley across you, pressing himself against the wall, and unfortunately you with him.

"Dabi! It hurts!"

"Will you just- be quiet. For like two minutes." You huffed as you bit back a retort, pout stuck on your face.

After a while of rushing past heroes you both finally made your way out of the city. "Okay y/n. You can talk now."

"Oh can I? Thank you your grace." You bite back sarcastically, e/c eyes glaring into Dabi's turquoise.

"Aww come on now. I was just protecting ya."

"Yeah yeah. Whatever." Dabi just chuckled before splaying his arm over your shoulders, grasping at your right one as he made his way forward.

"Where are we going?" You ask, following suit as he tugged you along.

"To the bar. I can hopefully get you safe before coming back. And we only have a short amount of time so we need to hurry."

"But.. you're not gonna stay with me?"

"No. You know what I need to do y/n."

"So.. you're just going to leave me?!"

"I'll make sure you're safe and have a way to contact me at all times."

"B- okay.."

Shigaraki's P.O.V:

Shigaraki paced back and forth as he practiced what to say. He had everything ready, but the actual apology. Shigaraki has never really apologized before, so this was quite nerve wracking. After another half hour of practice he decided that it was good enough.

Walking toward his shared bedroom, he shifted his hold as he juggled a bouquet of your favorite flowers, your favorite treat, and three more teddy bears to try and fill the hole of the one he dusted. Not to mention an entire box full of books and a TV he left in his office. Where you would be the majority of the time. E

With him, your husband. Slightly knocking on the door, he stepped in. "Y/n my love I know I messed up, but I hoped that-" he stopped as he looked at the room.

It looked perfect. The sheets were cleaned and the bed was made, the floor was spotless and the clothes were perfectly hung up. But, that wasn't the unusual thing. You were gone. You weren't tucked away in bed like usual, you weren't soaking in the bath, and you weren't curled up with a book.

Panicking, Shigaraki dropped his armful to scour the room, ripping apart the closet and flipping the bed.

"Y/N! Y/N WHERE ARE YOU!" Shigaraki yelled, starting to hyperventilate. As he realized you weren't in the room he ran out, searching for you desperately.

"B-boss?" A villain huffed, azul eyes glued to Shigaraki's crazed form.

"WHERE IS MY Y/N!?"

After scouring the place and demanding answers from everyone and anyone Shigaraki found himself back in your shared room, the room a mess from his search. As the reality sunk in he dropped down to his knees, despair overwhelming his senses.

You were gone.

You left.

It was all his fault.

Sobs racked through Shigaraki's being as he clawed at his neck, crying for his missing love. His other half. His reason to live. You were gone. And it was all his fault.

Reader's P.O.V:

You smirked as you passed Dabi, turning to stick your tongue out at him. Dabi just glared at you as he picked up speed, passing you once more.

"Hurry up loser! You wouldn't want to be left behind!"

"Dabi you're such a bully!" He just laughed as he ran down the hill, and into a rice farm. You've been traveling for two days, and are nearing a town that Dabi thinks would be okay for you to shelter at.

Giggling, you ran after him, jumping into his back when you came in range.

"HEY!"

"Shh you'll wake someone up!" You giggle, nuzzling your face against his head. Dabi just scoffed before slowing his pace to a safer one.

"Hehe I knew you cared." You tease, poking at his cheek.

"I can and will drop you off here and now you pest." Dabi growled, cheeks a bright pink.

You just giggled before resting your head onto Dabi's shoulder, thoughts of your former lover plaguing your mind. You missed him. A lot. Not Shigaraki, the leader of the Liberation Army, but Tomura. Tomura, the leader of the humble LOV with a soft spot for his lover and partner.

Before you knew it silent tears rolled down your face onto Dabi's shoulder. If he noticed he didn't say anything, instead opting to stay quiet as he made his way across the rice field.

Shigaraki's P.O.V:

Shigaraki awoke to the shuffling of footsteps outside of his room. "Sh-Shigaraki! We have a clue to where y/n san-"

Shigaraki lunged at the man, grasping his arm in his hand as he whispered in his ear, "Don't you EVER utter her name again. Your filthy mouth isn't worth it."

The man screamed as his arm started decaying. As Shigaraki dropped him in disgust another man quickly moved to cut off the limb, stopping the decaying.

"Where is my y/n." Shigaraki demanded, glaring at the group.

"Ti' yoon saw Dabi taking a young lady about y/h outside of the base. She had clothing that looked similar to yours, and he says she had e/c eyes." A woman reports, arms crossed over her chest nervously.

Rage shook Shigaraki as he glared at every member of the group, neck scratching over his blood-stained neck. "Why didn't he tell me this EARLIER?" Shigaraki demanded, crimson eyes glaring.

"B-because he didn't suspect anything... He thought that it was someone else because he didn't know that your chick was disloy-" the man was cut off with a scarred hand to his neck, a finger short from decaying him instantly.

"DON'T EVER INSULT MY Y/N YOU SWINE!" Shigaraki yelled, choking the sobbing man before finishing the job, decaying him instantly.

"Bring me to Ti' yoon. Now."

After gathering as much information as he could, Shigaraki quickly made his way toward where they were headed on Machia, killing any hero that dared try and interrupt him.

Reader's P.O.V:

"Y/n. Give me that back. Now."

"But Dabi! Look at how good it looks on me! I thought it was ugly before but it must of just been you!" You tease, sticking your tounge out.

"Oh that's it. You're dead. " Dabi growled, lunging toward you.

You yelped as you threw yourself into a bush, getting you and Dabi's jacket stuck in the branches.

"Aha! Got you!" Dabi grinned, tickling your form as you shook with laughter.

"Da- Dabi! Come on! Help me up!" You giggle, e/c eyes shining.

"Nah. I'm good thanks." Dabi grinned, pinching your side. Dabi just gazed at you as you cussed him out, trying to wiggle free from the bush's grasp to ring his neck.

You both froze as you heard a familiar voice calling the two of you.

"Is that.." you whisper, eyes moist.

"Yeah.. let's get out of here." Dabi replied, scooping you into his arms. You worriedly looked back as Dabi sprinted away, searching for a hiding spot.

Shigaraki's P.O.V:

"Y/N MY LOVE! DABI YOU MORON I'M GOING TO SLOWLY TURN YOU INTO DUST! LIMB BY LIMB YOU WILL SUFFER FOR TAKING MY Y/N AWAY FROM ME!" Shigaraki yelled, crazed eyes scouring the rice farm.

Shigaraki had quickly found footprints, and his rage only deepened as he saw them interlap, and yours going as far as to disappear at times. Following the tracks, he reached a rice farm, where the prints were fresher. You were near. His other half was near.

"Y/N MY LOVE PLEASE COME HOME!"

Reader's P.O.V:

Tears ran down your cheeks as you listened to Shigaraki's words. He was going to find you. You knew it. But he was going to kill Dabi. Not only that- but torture him?

"Hey y/n. It will be okay. He won't find us."

"Yes. Yes he will Dabi. And you will die. I'd rather live with the shell of the man I fell in love with rather than flee and have my best friend be tortured. And don't you argue. I know you Dabi."

"Y/n. No. You are not going back to him."

"Dabi.. you aren't going to be tortured just so I can be happy. He hadn't physically hurt me. He's still my Tomura.. maybe one day he'll change."

"Y/n no-" as Dabi reached for you you activated your quirk and froze him, stopping his movement entirely.

"Y-y/n.. no."

"You'll be free by tomorrow. Hopefully I can convince him to not-"

"Y/n! Y/n my darling!" Shigaraki exclaimed, rushing toward you.

"Tomura..?" You ask, hesitation evident in your voice.

"Oh y/n I- I am so, so sorry. Please. Please my Love. Forgive me? I- I promise to do better. To go back to normal. Y/n my dear you are the most important thing to me, please. Please, please forgive me? I promise to change. My love please." Shigaraki begged, moving to his knees and grabbing your hands.

"Tomura.. you hurt me. A lot."

"I know- I know but baby please." "

"Oh baby.. how could I say no? J-just look at you. What happened to your neck?" You ask, a tear sliding down your face.

"Shhh nothing. Don't worry about it my baby." Right as Shigaraki pulled himself up to kiss you, you put a finger to his lips.

"But. Under one condition. I will forgive you if you promise not to hurt Dabi. He's like a big brother to me Tomu. So please?"

Shigaraki growled softly before glaring up at Dabi. "Fine. For you." He hissed.

You just smiled before tip toeing to kiss Shigaraki, entangling your hands into his hair and pulling him down to deepen the kiss. There were so many emotions poured into it.

Guilt.

Regret.

Hurt.

Acknowledgment.

Anger.

Relief.

And most evident; love.

Part 1 | Alt. ending

Shigaraki's masterlist | Main masterlist | Requesting Rules (requests open and appreciated <3)

Do not copy, repost, nor plagiarize my work. Ask before you translate or use my work in any way, minus reblogging.

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jamisonwritestf2trash · 1 year ago

Note

may i request some sniperscout sillyness.

aka first date between them :3

Sniperscout First Date!

————————————————————

Of course you can! SniperScout is one of my all-time favorite ships 😭 I love writing about them. So I'll break this down into two things because I've gotta add the silliness of Scout asking Sniper out.

————————————————————

So, off the bat, neither of these guys knows how to ask someone on a date or how to date. Sniper tried sp hard to ask Scout out, working up the courage multiple times only to talk himself out of it at the last moment. Like Sniper sneaks up to Scout's door after successfully avoiding all the other mercs, with like flowers or something and knocks, all ready to confess, but then he hears Scout get up to open the door and he panics and leaves. Scout just opens the door and is so confused. He probably thinks the base is haunted. Scout is also way too nervous about asking Sniper out, but he's the one who ultimately makes the first move. Honestly, he'd end up doing the same thing as Sniper but gets caught.

Scout runs up to Snipers van. He's nervous as hell, hands shaking slightly, he knocks lightly on the door and the second he hears Sniper shuffling towards the door it all becomes to real and he freaks out, he starts to run away but Sniper has already opened the door, and is calling him back. Scout turns around, clasping his hands together in a nervous way, chuckling a little,

"Hey, Snipes! Uh, how ya doing?" Is the only thing he manages to say. He starts babbling about this and that trying to find an excuse for why he was there, his face is a little pink already. Sniper finally just bluntly asks him why he's there.

"Well, I- you see, I uh," Scout internally freaking out, he doesn't know why this has to be so hard, he's asked Miss Pauling out repeatedly and has been turned down every time, so why was that was less nerve-wracking than this? He finally just takes a deep breath, looks up for a minute, and spits it out before he has a chance to stop himself,

"Will you go on a date with me?" Sniper is turning a shade of red under his glasses as a moment of silence fills the air, Scout immediately takes this as a rejection and goes on damage control,

"Uh, SIKE! You shoulda seen the look on your face, haha, imagine us together that'd be so..."

"Yes." Scout immediately shut up,

"Wait, really? Uh, I mean, of course you'd say yes, who could resist this?" He says, gesturing to himself. Sniper just shook his head and told Scout to meet him at seven. They both acted cool when they walked away but immediately freaked out after they were a good distance away from each other.

————————————————————

Surprisingly, Scout was more nervous asking Sniper out than he was actually taking him out on a date. They end up deciding to go to some shitty burger joint outside of town. Scout gets to the restaurant at 7... am. (kidding! But that's one of my favorite Scout quotes). They agreed to meet at Sniper's van. He's driving after all. Scout knocks on the door, Sniper answers, and he's actually sort of dressed up, well as dressed up as he can be, and Scout gets a dumb grin on his face, teasing him about it. Sniper just hits him on the head, muttering something about regretting this already. They get in the van and drive off. Scout spends most of the drive talking about random things to fill the dead air that would have otherwise laid around them, and Sniper just listens with a soft smile. Nothing has change between them, Sniper was afraid of that, he almost turned Scout down when he asked, scared of ruining their friendship, but he'd be lying if he said a large part of him didn't want their to be something more. They pull up to the burger joint and head in, and it goes much the same as it did in the van. Scout joking and talking Sniper's ear off, and Sniper is listening in, his feelings growing more and more as the minutes pass. Scout even managed to finally drag a couple of laughs, stories, and jokes out of Sniper. They spend the night just eating and enjoying each other's company. But in the end, as Sniper is driving back, he looks at Scout, who's tired but still smiling and talking softly, looking out the window. He wonders if this was any different than what they normally do. Sure, maybe during dinner, the conversations got a bit deeper than usual, but does that mean anything more that their friendship growing. Scout can pick up on the fact that Sniper is getting in his own head, and as slyly as he can, grabs a hold of his hand, sqeezing it gently. They pull up back to the base, both getting out of the van, Sniper asking Scout if he wants to stay and talk for a minute, maybe share a drink, Scout agrees and heads inside, they talk for more than a minute thought, more like an hour or two. Sniper eventually asks something about how their relationship is going to change or has changed, his worries from earlier slipping out, flowing freely due to the alcohol. Scout tries to think of a way to describe it, but he can't quite get the words, so he resorts to action. He grabs Sniper by the collar and kisses him. It's soft and gives off all the emotions Scout would have loved to vocalize. When he break the kiss he has a shit eating grin, and says,

"Now I can do that!" He feels proud of himself for all of two seconds, then realizing what he did, he turns a shade of red no human is able to replicate, he jumps up and starts speaking way to fast, walking to the door, laughing slightly,

"Ahaha, um, oh would you look at the time! I should actually be leaving. You know gotta rest up for tomorrow and all, bye Snipes!" He's walking down the stairs ready to make his run to the base only to be pulled back by Sniper, who Scout didn't realize had recovered from the kiss a lot faster than he had anticipated.

"Oh no, you don't get to just run away after that." Sniper teases. Scout only lets out a nervous chuckle and starts trying to mix an appology and explanation together,

"Oh, well actually, um, see, I only did that because-" Sniper just shuts him up with a kiss of his own. Once it ends, both of them are blushing, and both of them know exactly what's changed. Sniper asks if Scout wants to stay the night, and Scout agrees. The get in the bed together and lay in the quiet darkness for a moment, before Scout asks,

"You know what else I can do now?"

"What?"

"Tell you that I love you." Sniper just laughs a little at the cheesiness and just says,

"I love you too."

————————————————————

Oops, this became way too sweet! Also, sorry, not much sillyness about the date itself, I think these goobers save all their sillyiness as pre - and post stress before events. I'm giggling rn. I love these two. Anyways, one ask down, 20 to go 💪💪 thank you guys for being patient with me :,)

Also, I always finish these fics right before I go to bed, so I'm always paranoid they make no sense, but it's fun.

#tf2 #team fortress 2 #tf2 headcanons #tf2 scout #tf2 sniper #speeding bullet #sniperscout

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iolaussharpe-24 · 9 months ago

Text

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing - Chapter Two

Shoutouts to @reallyrallyauthor, @redeyerhaenyra, & @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction who are all my biggest inspirations for this story. (Grace Smith is my OC inspired by Samara Weaving. I have no experience writing 'xreader' fanfics and I have no talent for writing in the 2nd person POV.)

(I'm gonna leave this one marked as 'For Everyone' because there's nothing too explicit. Little bit of gore, but it's hand waved away. Brief mention of a sex dungeon, but no one uses it.)

Story part under the cut. Cross posted on my Wattpad page.

She knew too much about him. There was no leaving. There was only dismissal. And that would likely mean a hail of gunfire that would cut her life short in the living room before his massive bodyguards took her away to some place where she’d never be found again.

All because she caught his eye.

~ One Month Later ~

It wasn’t supposed to be a big deal.

It really wasn’t.

Tony Thompson wasn’t really anyone to Grace. He was just another rich asshole that did business with Mr. Vogelweide. Not even big business at that. Just gambling. As far as she cared to know at least.

He was a young man. Younger than her. It showed. He was a naïve idiot. Exactly the kind of person Mr. Vogelweide liked to work with. Someone easy to manage. Tony was the kind of guy who could be told that the sky was green and believe it without a second thought until someone else told him to go outside and look up.

Thank God he was good in bed.

Grace had started seeing Tony about two weeks after her nerve-wracking “talk” in the office. Tony had been over to the mansion to pay off a debt he owed after some high school game and Grace had been working that same day. She’d been the one to open the door for him and the one to lead him to the office.

They’d talked during the walk and found that they had a lot in common. And, once his meeting was done, they’d talked a little more and Grace had been given Tony’s number. After that they’d gone out a time or two. And they’d gotten physical with one another.

Grace couldn’t say she loved Tony – not so early in their little relationship – but she liked him. He was friendly enough. Though, it was incredibly hard to believe that someone like him could have business with someone like Mr. Vogelweide. Mostly because Tony was.… what’s the word?.... spineless. He was spineless. Like a jellyfish with no stinger. A small one that can fit in the palm of your hand.

He was the best kind of pathetic. He’d never hurt anyone. Not in a million years. He oozed affection and took every single micro chance he got to show it. He was like a clingy little kid always hanging on her leg because he didn’t want to be alone. She liked it. She liked him. A lot.

For a while, her life was good. Surprisingly good. Well paying job working for an obscenely rich gangster, a friendly and non-threatening “boyfriend” that knew how to show a girl a good time, and a free dorm room in a smaller building on the same property as the house. She didn’t have to worry about travel expenses or rent. She didn’t need to worry about a lot of things. Despite everything, Mr. Vogelweide took care of the people under him. He made sure everyone was comfortable. He kept everyone safe from external threats. (Though, protection from internal threats like Mr. Vogelweide himself was off the table.)

Of course, all good things must eventually come to an end.

The day started off normally. She went to work in the mansion, cleaning up fresh blood from the back patio where some poor schmuck tried to run and failed to get away. She found a chunk of bloody meat while she was scrubbing. It was the size of a coin. Maybe an earlobe? She couldn’t know. Instead, she wrapped it up in a handkerchief and gave it to someone else to take care of.

Afterwards, she dusted the bookshelves in the library. Snuck a few peeks at a couple of books while she was at it. Old literature that was written in German and smelled sour. She couldn’t understand a word of it besides ‘ja’ and ‘nein’ but, judging by the pictures, it looked like a sex ed book from way back when. Then she found a fake book. The cover opened to reveal that it was hollow and… contained a dildo. A very strange one at that. Shaped like an octopus tentacle. Had to be new.

From there, she went to the bedroom and changed the sheets. The white ones came off and the gold ones were laid down. Tomorrow, it would be the navy sheets, she reminded herself as she unfolded the burgundy comforter that went with the gold sheets. She took her time setting it on the massive bed. This should be a two-person job, but since she was the only one doing it, she needed to make she that everything was straight and that there were no ruffles or lumps. If the other maids were to be believed, there was one girl who apparently lost a finger for making the bed wrong back when Mr. Vogelweide was younger. Grace didn’t want to find out. She’d just gotten her nails done and she’d prefer to keep all ten of them.

She ate lunch outside in one of the smaller gardens. Óscar passed by, going to the shed to get his cleaning supplies. When she waved, he looked down his nose at her in disgust and kept walking. Clearly still upset by how he’d been treated lately. It wasn’t really her fault, but there wasn’t much she could do about it aside from what she was already doing. Which was to pretend that none of it had actually happened.

The sex dungeon was next. Good god it was a mess. Every time she had to come in here, Grace wore latex gloves on top of latex gloves, a face mask, a pair of goggles, and a shower cap because she never knew what to expect from this room. Especially after the incident. After that day, she could come into this room wearing a full hazmat suit and it still wouldn’t feel like overkill. It always took her forever to completely sanitize everything. And then she did it again just for good measure.

Mr. Vogelweide had a meeting with Tony and a few other associates that day. Grace heard the gunfire while she was dusting outside.

She went in to clean up the blood once everyone was gone and the body had been taken away. But, she quickly realized that she wasn’t alone when a pair of hands grabbed her around the waist as she bent over to start cleaning. She jumped up and turned to see Tony behind her.

“Go away, I’m working,” she told him with a smile.

He grinned and kissed her cheek. “Come on, how could I come all the way here and not say hi? I missed you, Gracie. Didn’t you miss me?”

“You’re crazy. But yes. I missed you. A little bit,” she teased. “Now go away. You’re gonna get me in trouble.”

“Okay, okay. Today’s… Friday, right? You get off a little early?”

“Yeah. Donut day. Get up early, get out early. Off day tomorrow. Why?”

Tony grinned wider and wrapped his arms around Grace’s slender waist. “I’m taking you out to dinner tonight. And then, I’m not bringing you back until Monday morning. Just in time for the laundry. That sound like a plan?”

She gave him a quick peck on the lips. “That sounds perfect. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

“Yeah. Tonight. It’s a date.”

“Shoo.”

He laughed, kissed her cheek, and left the office so she could get back to work.

She knelt down again to clean, only to be startled by the sound of feet quickly stomping back into the room. Looking up again, Grace caught sight of Tony just as he slapped her ass and then took off running again.

“Hey!” she shouted, getting up to chase him. “Come back here you perv-” She froze in the doorway and lowered her head. “Hello, Mr. Vogelweide.”

“Having fun?” he asked, raising a thick eyebrow over the frame of his glasses.

“I… I’m sorry; it won’t happen again.” She turned on her heel and went back into the office. This time, she actually got back to work and started scrubbing the blood out of the rug.

“You seem quite close with Mr. Thompson. Is this a recent development?” Mr. Vogelweide asked, his tone light and unbothered.

Grace nodded. “Yes sir. We uh… well…. He’s nice to me.”

“Did this happen before or after our talk last month?”

She swallowed, unsure where he was going with this. “It was after, sir.”

He didn’t say anything else. He just stared at Grace through those gold lenses while she went back to cleaning. Part of her regretted telling him that. She shouldn’t have done it. For all she knew, she could have accidentally put Tony’s life at risk. But… shit, if she hadn’t there was always that strange chance that he’d know anyway. He always seemed to know everything. And if he knew and she tried to lie about it that would piss him off. And when Mr. Vogelweide was pissed off, the guns come out and heads get blown off, and then bodies get taken away to be disposed of, and-

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Mr. Vogelweide staring down at her. For fuck’s sake, that leg brace announced his every step, how was he constantly managing to sneak up on her like this? He idly trailed his fingers over the top of her head, curled her baby hairs around them, and said, “So long as you are happy, I suppose. That is the important part. You’re such a lovely woman.”

“…. Sir?”

He removed his hand from her head. “Go enjoy yourself. I’ll have Ms. Baxter finish in here. And… tell Mr. Thompson that I will cover your expenses for the night.”

She sat up on her knees and stared up at him, surprised and , quite frankly, shocked. She heard his breath hitch as he stared down at her. Which, granted, she probably should have expected from a man as hypersexual as him. He caressed her cheek for a moment, just like he had a month ago, and smiled. Not for the first time, she wondered why he did it. Was it because he wanted to make her feel comfortable around him? Was it just a sensory thing? Or… was he inspecting her? Honestly, it felt like the latter.

“Thank you, Mr. Vogelweide. You’re too kind.”

“No. I’m not. Run along now.”

Grace stood up and slowly walked away, only taking a brief moment to look back at him over her shoulder for a quick goodbye before she left the room entirely.

~ Dinner ~

Grace stood outside the restaurant, wearing a skintight black dress, with her hair pulled up in a French twist. Tony had told her to be there and ready at six for their reservation. She’d arrived early, wanting to meet him outside, but he hadn’t shown up yet.

When her phone beeped at six, she went inside without him and used his name to be seated. She was handed a menu, a glass of ice water, and a basket of hot bread was placed in front of her. She thanked the waiter and decided to wait for Tony before she started eating anything. Instead, she alternated between reading the menu and watching the door for him.

Half the things on the menu didn’t even sound like real things. And most of the descriptions sounded… disgusting. The pictures didn’t look much better. Thankfully, there were a few things that seemed normal and edible. The pastas looked good. Maybe a nice alfredo.

…. He’s twenty minutes late. He’s never been this late before. Did something come up?

She checked her phone for any sign that he’d reached out to her. No text. No missed call. Nothing on any of his socials. His last post was a week-old beach selfie of him in a speedo. Oh, and there was Grace in the background. Sitting in the sand. Wearing a bikini that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

She zoomed in on the background, staring at her own tits for a second. Right along the edge of the cup was a circular mark on her skin. Darker than the rest of her porcelain skin. Not a bruise, she could tell that much. But she didn’t know… oh.

“Oh, shit. That’s a nipple. Jesus, that has to be why so many creepy people were looking at me that day.”

She put her phone down and looked up towards the door again. Still nothing. He wasn’t there yet. Somehow. He was usually early. Usually already waiting at the door ten minutes beforehand just so he could see whatever she was wearing before she made it in. He said that she looked good in low light. It gave the illusion that he skin glowed, according to him.

It wasn’t normal for him to be late. It wasn’t normal for him not to say anything. He’d cancelled on her before. Why should this be any different? That is, if he really needed to cancel… he wouldn’t stand her up, would he? No. He was too sweet for that. And he sounded so excited in the office when he asked her out. Made it sound like he had plans for them. And the stars had finally aligned so that both of her off days landed on Saturday and Sunday. She was the lucky one with the blessed schedule. Why wouldn’t he be here?

Did she do something wrong? Did Tony think he did something wrong? Could it be traffic? What does traffic look like where he lives? …. Where does he live? She’d never asked. He’d never shown her. When they spent the night together it always involved an overnight bag and a nice bed and breakfast he picked. Hell, her bag was packed. It was sitting in the trunk of her car. Not that it was her car; per se, it was one of the rentals that Mr. Vogelweide kept on hand for his staff. It wasn’t even a nice one. She deliberately took the car that got used the least just so no one would miss the vehicle.

God, she felt scatterbrained!

“Grace!”

Startled, she looked up to see the last person she was expecting to bump into outside of work. Mr. Anselm Vogelweide himself. She’d never seen him leave the mansion, what were the odds that he’d show up here and now?!

She quickly rose to her feet as he limped over to the table, a smile on his bearded face. Hoping to make it easier for him, she walked towards him as well, meeting him in the middle. She kept a bright smile on her face. The same one she tended to wear while working. It was… something. Fake. Wide. Joyless. She felt like a Barbie doll. Blonde and plastic with a perfect white grin molded onto her face. She asked, “What brings you here, sir? I… had no idea you’d enjoy places like this.”

“I do not leave my home often, it’s true. However, this fine establishment has treated me well for many years. More, I believe, than you have been alive.” He looked around for a moment. One person at a table for two. Two menus. One drink. An untouched basket of bread. “I thought you were supposed to be out with Mr. Thompson?”

“I am- well, I will be. He’s running a bit late. But I’m sure that he’ll be here soon. He’s never let me down before.”

Her heart was pounding in her chest as she spoke. To hide her fear, she kept her smile plastered on her face. She’d done this before. It was something she was good at. Hiding her emotions. Pretending to be something she really wasn’t. It kept her alive. And, before that, it got her ahead in life where she would have fallen behind.

“Do you mind if I sit with you?”

#anselm/oc #anselm vogelweide #fanfic

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cha-melodius · 1 year ago

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2023 Fic Year in Review

I've been doing these for three years now, and they always grow each year as I get tagged in other year-end posts that make the rounds. Feel free you grab it if you want to do your own review! And I’d like to add a hearty thank you to each and every person who’s read my fics over the years, y'all continue to make this a joy!

2020 Review | 2021 Review | 2022 Review

AO3 Username: chamel My Page: Link Active Fandoms: Red, White & Royal Blue: 20 works The Man from UNCLE (2015): 8 works Loki: 5 works New Fandoms: None thank GOD Total Number Of Completed Works/Word Count This Year: 33 works, 278k words All Time: 113 works, 1.27 million words

This year a little movie that came out in August absolutely destroyed these stats lmaoooo. Most Popular One Shot (by kudos): This Year: Always Where I Need To Be (RWRB, Alex/Henry, T, 5.5k) All Time: Class(room) Warfare (RWRB, Alex/Henry, T, 7.8k words)

Most Popular Completed Multi-Chapter (by kudos): This Year & All Time: Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood (RWRB, Alex/Henry, E, 20k words)

Events/Challenges: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. Gift Exchange 2023, The Brownstone Anniversary Fic Exchange, Halloween Huh?

More reflections, stats, and planned fics below the cut!

Additional Random AO3 Stats

By number of fics: 85% one shots, 15% multi-chaps

By word count: 52% mult-chaps, 48% one shots

Ratings by number of fics: 48% T-rated, 33% E-rated, 15% M-rated

Musical artists contributing highest number of titles: Jeff Tweedy (Tweedy/Wilco) & The New Pornographers, tied at 3 each

Looking back, did you write more fic than you thought you would this year, less, or about what you’d expected? Somehow I topped my word count from last year by 10k, which I was not expecting. That said, this year was right about average.

What’s your own favorite story of the year? God this is a hard question this year because I wrote a lot of fics I really really love. For one single fic I'll go with Nova, Baby, because I love the story and I've got a lot of lovely feelings about it.

Did you complete your writing goals from last year? The Goal: I want to complete a few large multichapter fics, which will probably mean my one-shot production goes down. I completed one long mulitchap, and then a few mid-length (~20k) multichaps. I think I wrote more of those than I have any other year. Surprisingly, my one-shot production wasn't super significantly decreased.

Do you have any writing goals for the New Year? Ok, I gotta come up with something. My goal is to have a similar mix of fics as least year, and also to write my first collaboration with @cricketnationrise, which will be a long multichap.

Did you take any writing risks this year? Wrote on a topic outside my wheelhouse (therapy 😬) and also posted a fic in a fandom where there weren't a lot of fics in similar genres (action/spies). Now that's no longer true, but at the time it was really freaking nerve-wracking.

Story of mine most under-appreciated by the universe, in my opinion: Every fic I write in a fandom that's not RWRB? 😅 It's hard to complain too much, especially considering what happened to my numbers this year.

Most fun story to write: All the Old Showstoppers, Will You Brie Mine?, You're the Perfect Gift for Me. Silly RWRB boys being silly, basically.

Biggest disappointment: Again, I feel like it's hard to complain when I have a fic that's closing in on 4k kudos. The goalposts keep moving, don't they, though? I still live in fear of pouring my heart into a multichap and having what will count as "lukewarm" reception, when before this year I didn't have a single fic above 1k kudos.

Biggest surprise: Most definitely Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood. Like I figured it would do pretty well (I hoped, since I put so much into it), but holy shit?? I still can't really believe it's on page 2 of the tag by kudos? And honestly also Always Where I Need To Be, this little one-shot about David stealing glasses.

Coming soon/planned for 2024:

False Dichotomy (RWRB You've Got Mail AU)

Kissed Out (RWRB pro-pool players AU)

RWRB 1940s noir AU

RWRB conductor/piano soloist AU

RWRB hockey AU (with cricket)

A shitload of prompts from my fandom fest

Extremely delinquent MTH fics

TMFU art thief/gallery owner AU

Thank you for the tags on your end-of-the-year fic reviews @loki-is-my-kink-awakening, @kiwiana-writes, @rmd-writes, @lizzie-bennetdarcy, @indestructibleheart, and @welcometololaland!

#year in review #fic year in review #about my writing #about my fic

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otakusheep15 · 1 year ago

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Obey Me Flufftober Day 7

Prompt: Soulmate

Pairing: Belphegor x reader (gender neutral)

Word count: 786

A/n: I'm writing this very late at night after a very stressful day, so apologies in advance, as this might not be the most coherent fic I've written. In other news, I love soulmate aus, so this will be fun for me. Also, I do mention the reader being picked for the original program for the first game, but just pretend like Belphie wasn't in the attic in the beginning so that this story will make sense.

You love astrology more than anything. Constellations were particularly fascinating to you. That's why you were so excited when your soul mark turned out to be your favorite constellation: Gemini. Although you weren't sure why, you were always drawn more to Gemini than other constellations. Now, with the appearance of your soul mark, you know it must have to do with your soulmate. This excited you, as it meant you were finally about to meet them.

Most of your friends have already met their soulmates. This didn't bother you much on the outside, but you secretly wished that you could meet yours soon. Everyone else you knew seemed so happy with their soulmates, and you knew you would be too once you met them.

Not too long after the appearance of your soul mark, you were summoned to the Devildom. You were surprised to be chosen for part of the program, but delighted all the same. It was in this program you met Beelzebub. You knew right away that he was meant to be your soulmate since you saw that he had the same marking as you. At first, this made you happy, as you had finally found your soulmate. However, as time went on, and you spent more time with Beel, you realized that you just could not like him in the way you were meant to.

Yes, he was an amazing individual. He was kind, talented, a good listener, and very handsome to boot. However, you just couldn't find it in yourself to view him as anything other than platonic. Beel understood, as he felt the same way you did. The two of you decided to remain friends in spite of your markings, and that was that.

Shortly after this incident, you began spending more time with Belphegor. he was the exact opposite of his brother. He was never around, always sleeping, and never seemed to care that much on the surface. Still, you couldn't help but be drawn to him. You were like a confused moth drawn to a very dimly lit flame.

The more time you spent with him, the more you discovered about him. Apparently, he loved astrology as much as you do, which was a fun fact to figure out about him. You also figure out just how much Belphegor cares for his brothers, even if he won't admit it allowed. Getting to know him was fun, more fun than it ever felt with Beel.

It was then you knew you loved him.

He was not your soulmate. His twin brother was your soulmate. And yet, your heart didn't care. The heart wants what it wants, and yours wanted Belphegor more than anything, despite your brain knowing it was a bad idea.

So, you decide to talk to Beel. As your soulmate and Belphie's twin, you figured he would have the most solid advice for you. However, you can sometimes forget how Beel is. After you explain your situation to him, he tells you to just talk to Belphegor. Obviously, this is a bad idea, as talking about your feelings is always an awkward mess.

Still, Beel is surprisingly persistent, and he convinces you to talk to Belphie. Even more surprising is that Belphie almost seemed like he was expecting you when you found him in the attic. After a while of hyping yourself up, you were ready to talk to him. You're a little shocked at how focused Belphie is as you spill your heart out to him. It's much different from how he usually acts, which is nice. It's also incredibly nerve-wracking, as he really does have his full attention on you.

When you finish, you're not very surprised to learn that Belphie already knew. You knew all too well that he was perceptive, and you suspected that he might have known something was up. What you did not expect was for him to actually return your feelings. You had fully expected him to reject you since you were his brother's soulmate and all.

This explained why Beel was so insistent that you talk to Belphie yourself. They must have talked it over before you went to him, and he knew that Belphie would reciprocate. That was a relief, but also kind of scary. Must be a twin thing.

Ah, now you understand why you're so drawn to Gemini. Of course you'd get stuck with a twin as your soulmate, even if the twin you ended up with is not the one the universe wanted you to have. You didn't care, and neither did either of them. You knew in your heart that Belphie was your true soulmate, and you didn't need a mark to tell you that.

#obey me belphegor #shall we date obey me #obey me #flufftober #flufftober 2023 #obey me fluff #obey me scenarios #obey me headcanons #belphegor headcanons #belphegor x reader #gender neutral reader #obey me mc #gender neutral mc

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maliciouslove · 8 months ago

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today I learned one of my close guy friends also writes, and he (surprisingly to me since he is usually very private) shared an incredible story he wrote with me, and I was so enchanted, I proceeded to make art for his characters. and after lengthy conversations about art and writing, memories and experiences, I finally found courage to share a story of my own with him.. I await a response, very nerve wracking.

#momo.exe #mind you i have so much respect for this man #spiritually attracted to him beyond reason #he is my enemy and my best friend #im honestly so nervous for his feedback #never thought i would feel like im standing naked in front of a man by sharing my art with him #yowza

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captain-lessship · 2 years ago

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Roommates Pt.4

You had told your dads about Parent Weekend and how when they got here, you’d have a surprise for them. But as it got closer to the weekend, you grew worried. What if Dad didn’t like Ajax? What if Pop thought you could do better?

You loved your dads to death… well Pop to his afterlife but you knew they could be judgmental but then you rationalized with the help of Wednesday.

“You seriously think your Father, the man who fell in love with a ghost, will judge you for dating a Gorgon?”

“I know it’s stupid but it’s just nerve wracking.”

Wednesday typed on her typewriter. You were one of the only full bodied individuals who could interrupt her writing time and live to tell the tale. “I think you are over thinking and complicating a simple situation.”

“Like your one to judge,” you huffed, falling face first on her bed.

“Get off, you’ll get sad in my bed.”

You raised your head off the mattress, “Rude. And you’re right.”

“I always am.”

Next person to tell was Ajax. You walked to your dorm and walked in, typing on your phone.

Ajax was laying on his bed, reading a book. You stared at him, he noticed.

“Is there something on my face?”

You smiled and sat down beside him. He readjusted so he could prop his head on your thigh.

“Ajax, you know it’s almost Parents Weekend? Right?”

“Yeah, Mom and Pa have already got on their flight.”

You nodded, “Well, I just wanted to tell you something about my parents.”

“Okay? What’s up?”

“Well… my Dad is like me. My mom died when I was three and he tried to summon her spirit but then he met my Pa. He’s a Phantom.”

He just looked at you, you looked back.

“So? What’s their names?”

You were pleasantly surprised, “Uh… Pa is named Edmund and Dad is Bram.”

“Like the guy who wrote Dracula?”

“Yea!”

“Sweet. My Dad is named Peter and my moms Carmen.”

Ajax took the news surprisingly well. You were happy about it but your pissed Wednesday was once again right.

It was time. Parents were filling up the Quad and you were looking for your Dads. You saw your Uncle and Aunt first.

“Oh look!” Gomez said, walking to you and pulling you into a hug, “ You’ve gotten so tall.”

“You look so much like your father” Morticia followed with.

“Thank you and speaking of my father, have you see them?”

Suddenly you felt a chill, you smiled widely. You turned around to see the semi-transparent and slowly shifting figure. He laughed, which was a sound that was mixed with what sounded like glass breaking.

“Pa! I missed you!” You hugged him once he changed into his solid form. He smiled at you. Wind whirled out of his mouth, making noise that only a few understood as a language.

“Yes, I am eating my vegetables.” You said, lightly embarrassed. The noise came again.

“No… yes… I can’t help it, Pa! Coffee is just so good!” He told you to not drink as much caffeine.

You felt something moving up your arm, you looked and saw black and dark purple sand. The sand slowly formed into a man. He was taller than you and was willowy, amber eyes glowing, crooked teeth showing as he looked at you.

“Dad!”

“Oh my little nightmare, how are you?” The tall man towered over many other people and a few people stared at him.

“I am great! And Pa already asked about the vegetables and caffeine.”

Both let out a laugh, your Dad knelt to hug you. “We missed you so so much!”

“I missed you both too! Oh! About your surprise, stay right here.” You went to get Ajax.

“Bram?”

“Gomez?”

The short man opened his arms, “Bram!”

“Gomez!” The tall man scooped him up into a hug. Lifting him high, the two men clowning and joking.

Edmund talked to Morticia. “Oh yes, I did use what you suggested for my makeup, Ed. Thank you. The pigment in this black is much better than my last brand.”

The noise came from him again, sounding like a wind chime.

“Yes, Wednesday is attending Nevermore now.”

The two cousins were now joining the conversation between their spouses.

Bram spoke, “Oh! That’s wonderful. Is she fond of it?”

“Relatively.”

Edmund’s voice rang louder.

“You’re entirely right, Ed. It’s only been half a semester!” Gomez said.

Bram narrowed his eyes, “He loves it here but I worry. He falls asleep often and that, adding his dust, is all that was truly abnormal about him. It was the judgement towards us that hurt him.”

Morticia nodded, “We understand. You can’t help but wonder if you cause a few of their problems.”

Edmund grabbed Bram’s hand and made a low sound.

“Yes, but we are so happy he’s here. It’s a very Addams thing.”

Gomez laughed, “When your and Addams, everything is wonderful. In our own dreary, macabre atmosphere. “

The group laughed. You had found Ajax and had brought him to them.

Ajax didn’t know what he was expecting. He assumed the familiar couple that stood together were Wednesdays Parents but when he looked at the other two men; he felt a twinge of fear.

One was dressed in a black suit, hair slicked back, flicking out towards the back of his head, and greying on the sides. He was so tall he could grab the ledge of the second Quad level easily, he had long fingernails that were painted black and reminded the boy of a eagles talons. His eyes were like a wolves, golden, sharp and intelligent. His mouth was outlined in black that looked like oil and had too many teeth, some blunt and others fanged, Ajax was pretty sure the man had two rows of them. He guessed since he was ninety percent sure this was your alive parent, this was Bram.

He the looked at the ghost. He was average height, add a few inches for levitation. He was dressed like a 1910s businessman and part of the left side of his face was scarred and was obviously blind in one eye before he passed. The only thing welcoming about the spectral being was his mustache that reminded Ajax of Sam Elliot. This must be Edmund.

He felt his heart rate quicken but then he looked at you. You were beaming. You talked about them fondly, telling the stories of your house. Ajax knew they had to be good people with how you talked about them so he pushed his fear down.

“Dad! Pa! This is Ajax.”

The two men looked at the boy. Silence fell for a moment.

You broke it, “He’s my boyfriend.”

Something behind their eyes clicked and a smile fell on Bram’s face. Edmund stared at him, eye narrowed.

“Oh! It is wonderful to meet you!” Bram said, kneeling to hug the boy. Ajax thought he smelled like a forest and whiskey.

He released the boy and turned to his husband, “Edmund?”

The ghost stared thoroughly into the boys eyes before stepping forward and extending a hand to the boy. So that’s where you picked it up from.

After meeting your parents and realizing they were sweet people, Ajax felt insecure about his parents. His Dad was a lawyer and his mother was a diva. His Dad couldn’t go anywhere without his Bluetooth ear piece and phone and his mother hated everything of us wasn’t her way.

Ajax knew that you weren’t what they had expected and when Ajax first told them about you, they went ballistic. It was a screaming match and it ended with Ajax hanging up and throwing his phone against the wall.

But they had promised that they would at least give you a chance.

Ajax was shakily holding your hand as he walked up to a pair of Gorgons. The man was dressed in a suit, a red tie and dark sunglasses over his eyes. His white snakes had gold clasps around them, making them seem longer and thus, more intimidating.

The woman was dressed in a long sleeved dress with a scale pattern and had bracelets on her wrist and upper arms. Her snakes were hidden in a wrap that was a deep blue. Her eyes were a striking violet. She seemed flawless.

“Mom, D-“

“Just a minute.” He pressed a button on his ear piece, “What Ajax?”

Ajax tried to not be annoyed, “This is my boyfriend.”

You smiled at them, extending your hand. Neither of them shook it. You took the hint and retracted it. Ajax felt sad that they were acting this way.

“Sweetie,” his mother pulled him close to her, dragging him away from you and his father. She whispered in his ear. “Are you sure that’s the one you want to spend your time on? I saw several other Gorgon boys…”

Ajax pulled away, “Mom! you are being… being…”

“A what?” She asked.

He stayed silent.

“That is what I thought.” She said.

Ajax sighed and turned to walk back to you. “Hey Dad, he…”

His Dad was back on the phone, ignoring you and him. Ajax wanted to scream but instead he grabbed you by the sleeves and pulled you away from them and from everyone. You both were silent as you walked into your dorm.

You sent your Dad a quick text to let him know that you weren’t avoiding him but that you were tired. You looked at Ajax who was laying on your bed, you felt your heart break a little. You walked to your bed and laid down beside him.

“Do you want to talk about what she said?”

He was silent.

You just laid there, waiting for his answer.

“She, ugh, she tried to pawn me off to someone else. She promised she’d give you a chance and she didn’t.”

You felt a frown grow on your face, “That’s… that’s just messed up.”

He rolled over a looked at you, tears building in his eyes. You raised a hand to his face to brush them away before they fell.

“I- They just needed to give you a hour. You are wonderful.”

You smiled, “Thank you and maybe one day they’ll give me a hour. We got time.”

He stared into your eyes, he leaned forward and kissed you. You kissed back. You both kissed each other for a while, just enjoying the feeling of each other lips. Ever so often, you’d blot his tears away.

Maybe one day, you’ll get that hour.

You felt a hand run up and down your arm, gently scratching up and down. You breathed heavily.

“Morning,” Ajax said, “Did you sleep okay?”

“Yeah,” you sat up and stretched, your back popping, “how long have you been up?”

“Long enough to get up and get breakfast. And yes, I got you your coffee.”

“You,” you lifted up your mask and drink the said coffee, “Are the literal best.”

You picked up the cup and enjoyed the still warm liquid you ran on. Ajax sat up and scooted off the bed. You watched him walk to his dresser.

“I know. I need you to do something.”

You sat your coffee down, “Yea? What is it?”

Ajax turned around. In his hands was a jar with colored sticks and a book.

“Draw a stick.”

“For?”

Ajax grinned, “Date ideas.”

You smiled, “Did you do this yourself?” You said as you looked at the sticks, deciding which on to pick.

“Well… I might’ve, ya know, saw it on Enid’s Pinterest.”

You laughed, “She updated her Pinterest again? How long have I been asleep?”

“Two days.”

You looked at him, expecting him to be joking. He wasn’t.

“Damn.”

“It’s okay! Your Dads left you their gift and classes were cancelled today.”

“Why and where’s my gift?”

“Well, it’s Club Day. And it’s on your bed.”

You had to admit, you were upset that you had slept through Parents Weekend especially since you missed your Dads so much. You got up and walked to the box, picked it up and walked back to Ajax’s bed. He sat down beside you as you undid the ribbon and opened the box, you immediately smiled.

“Uh, what is it?”

“It’s dreams!” It was a collection of bottles of swirling sand and a book.

“Like real dreams people have dreamed?”

“Well, it’s complicated but kinda. It’s the different types of dreams someone could have.”

“Aren’t there just good dreams and nightmares?” He didn’t understand it.

“There’s two categories: Fantasiophio and Malditrope. All dreams are a blend of these two types and the different combinations have different effects.”

Ajax nodded, “Okay, it makes a little more sense now. Now, pick a stick, any stick.”

You smiled and put your box to the side, you drew a green stick. “Now what?”

Ajax opened the book, “Pick a number between one and eighth.”

“Seven.”

He read it, “Alright. We are going to go on a walk.”

“To?”

“It just says a walk.”

Then that was what you two were going to do.

#meeting the parents #meeting the family #addams family #netflix wednesday #ajax petropolis x reader #ajax petropolus #ajax wednesday #ajax fluff #ajax x you #eventual angst #parent problems #gay gay homosexual gay #enid sinclair #xavier thrope #Wednesday Addams #male reader #x male reader

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busterheadspace · 2 years ago

Note

I love your fics! I have a super niche request but it’s sm I think about a lot! What about like Brett working with the robes (he’s still not all that bright and it’s mainly because he’s such a yes man that he ends up doing it bc I don’t want to change core aspects of his character) but then yk he befriends the team and totally falls for Reagan and hes planning on telling her but whoops he just got outed for it and now she’s super pissed at him and refuses to see him. Canon timeline and stuff-

Also don’t feel annoying for posting your fics! Inside job content is the GOAT always and I will always be personally tuning in to read what you write

aw. Thank you for the compliments. And yes, I’m also believing this theory very well too.

Note: Open to request. Whump Bingo open.

—-

Brett came out of his workplace with a happy sigh and began humming as he walked back home.

The new place he was hired out was pretty fantastic. Small offices, a company bookmark as a gift and a lot of people who seemed really interested in what they were working and making him choose a side of the toy they were making,

Okay the last one wasn’t the funniest thing to do. Choosing sides was too much pressure for him and he watched as the two sides yelled at each other at the conference. But once they got too tired or their throats were too sore from the yelling, Brett suggested an idea. Both sides loved it and made the product.

A fidget toy that looked like an airplane. Maybe not the best of ideas but they stopped fighting and Brett was very happy about that. He wondered how his second day of work would go.

“Okay Brett, you’re going to prove yourself at that company! You’re going to show them all the great ideas you have! Maybe make your family proud. But I’m going to change the world- MNHH!”

A bag was thrown onto his head and he screams in fear.

—-

The bag was taken off and a bright light blinded him. Brett sat on the floor as five clocked figures stood in front of him. Each wore a golden mask and triangle heads. His eyes widened and he got to knees.

“I’m sorry if I did something! Please don’t kill me or sacrifice me!” Brett begged. The Robes figures just look at each other, laughing. Why were they laughing..?

“Stand up Brett.” One said. Brett listened and did what he was told. He gulped when the middle one approached.

“Who are you guys? Where is this place?” Brett ignored what they said as he looked around.

“We are The Robes. We are the rulers of the world.” They explained. “We’ve been watching you. You have quite the skills to help us.”

“Me?!” Why him? He’s nothing special. “What makes me a good ruler do the whole world?”

“You see… we can’t really expose ourselves to humans. We aren’t exactly human and.. how social skills aren’t exactly the best..” The Robe in front of him looked back to another Robe with what seemed to be a glare.

“You have the people skills and seem to know how to solve problems very easily. The Reptoid have also said you know how to keep peace and prevent them from overtaking humanity. ”

“Potentially you could change the world”

“Uhh..” This was very confusing and nerve wracking for the man. Him? Ruler of the world? How would he be able to do that? That was too much pressure!

But The Robes were staring him down, the one in front of him holding a hand out. They do seem like they really need his help..and he liked helping people..

With a rather forceful grin, Brett shook the Robe's gloves hand.

“I’ll do it!” He declared. “So.. when do I start?”

“Now.” A black cloak is thrown at him and he catches it surprisingly along with a mask. “Make sure it fits. We can’t have any part of you exposed to any visitors.”

“I’ll try my best!”

—-

The job was full of surprises. He went undercover a lot. Learning about what celebrities were doing and trying to keep peace between the Shadow Government. He told the Robes about all progress and what their next plan should be

It was hard sometimes . He got punched left and right, insulted, and evaded death many times.. His family often talked about how he doesn't do so much in the world and Brett so badly wants to tell him he was the one ruling it. But The Robes made it clear that they prefer non-shadow governments to not know about their existence and he kept to that. With a forceful smile Brett would just get through the meetings without spilling anything.

In early November, Brett entered the ruined building as the Robes were at the round table. He adjusted his robe and mask and joined them

“Brett. We have a mission for you.”

“Alright. What is this time!”

A video screening came up and revealed a woman with brown hair and a lab coat. Next to her was an older man with glasses

“This is Reagan Ridley. We need to decide if she’s up to be CEO. While she has a very brilliant mind, her social skills are quite lacking.”

A feed of Reagan in a yellow robot and shaking a dolphin mutant. Brett looked at his coworkers confused. What does this have to do with him?

“We need you to go to this Barbecue. That man before is JR.. ugh.. he’s such a pain in the ass… You need to get hired by him and you’re most likely going to be placed with Ridley. Your job is to use your social skills and help her advance to CEO.

That sounded kinda easy. Brett took off his mask and grinned.

“I won’t let you down!”

—-

Getting hired was the easy part. JR instantly liked him and put a bag on his head and brought him to meet Reagan. She glared at him but he tried his best and tried to become friendly with her.

He could tell she didn’t like him. He kinda got it since he was taking all the credit for the Robot President project. The Robes didn’t make it easier with saying his name and he could hear Reagan groan in frustration. The next day she made a slide show of him JR fired her for a period of time and the Robot President was in his hands. Although it went crazy and decided to killed the whole world

But they made it work in the end. Reagan looked at him with a little smile and they shook hands. In all the missions he went undercover with, that was one of the most genuine smiles he’s seen.

The months passed and he soon started bonding with the team. Each of them had their own quirks and annoyances but he loved getting them hyped for their missions.

He spent a lot of his time with Reagan. They would hang out, come up with ideas and maybe..just maybe he was starting to really like her. The day he went on a Nostalgia Spread, her words really made him feel warmed and loved despite the unpleasant memories of his family . The suggestion of a movie night and it becoming a common thing and her falling asleep on his shoulder made him feel so many things.

She didn’t find him annoying and enjoyed everything about him. Not many people were like that to him. Even if she did yell at him or get frustrated, she tries her best to apologize and treat him to lunch or something in her own way.

The day she was selected to become CEO made Brett excited. She finally got her dream job but.. he also wanted to tell her his secret for being here.

“So.. Reagan..” He met her up while she was heading to her new office the day after Bear-O attacked. “About me-“

“Are you talking about yesterday? Brett, we’re the Shadow Government. There’s always going to be suspicion and mistrust if something big happens. It’s not your fault that you didn’t stick with me.”

The happiness he could see on her face. He decided to tell her after she got her promotion. He smiled back at her as she went up the elevator.

But not long after that, the promotion was taken from her and he couldn’t understand why. To Rand Ridley? He’s the whole reason why Bear-O existed!

“But she saved the company! Why would you let her dad take over?!” Brett asked The Robes after work. The middle one steps up with answer.

“Her dependence on her father is what made her unfitted for it.” The Robe explained. “She’s planning a revenge plan as we speak. You still will be working there, perhaps she could still be worthy. However do not joins her revolts on her father and let everything play out”

Brett wanted to so badly defend Reagan. But he knew that once they decided on a choice, it’s permanent. He let them go and just tried his best to support Reagan through this hard time.

Months passed by and Brett noted Reagan talking about this guy. She hooked up with him in the closet at Anonymous Anonymous. She stopped talking about him after the Rome disaster but he did meet him eventually.

Ron Staedtler. Brett didn’t like him. The way he grabbed Reagan’s hand and they looked at each other with such affection made his mood a little sour. Maybe he was being jealous but he wanted to be the one giving Reagan love. At the same time he didn’t want to sabotage their friendship.

Brett kinda liked Staedtler now but his focus wasn’t on that guy after the zombie party. The Robes told him early about Rand uncovering a device that could change the universe. The Robes gave him a Shazam Poster and a little bit of aluminum so his brain wouldn’t completely forget about the regular timeline. It was pure chaos as they headed toward where Rand was and the crew ditching was not good.

The heartbroken face Reagan made as she hugged him and sent him to his better timeline made his heart ached. Luckily The Robe's help made him remember and fix the whole timeline problem. He was happy when the Robes had declared Reagan would be the next CEO and announced it to the whole company.

That he had to deal with Air-Bud and the potential chance of losing Reagan as Staedtler asked her to move away. The relief he felt when he saved Air-Bud and Reagan staying was immense.

Another surprise, Reagan was now partnered with the Robe. He felt like he needed to tell her about who he was. But Reagan was very busy and any attempts of talking were dismissed.

That changed one night.

Brett was in the middle of a meeting with the Robes. His mask and robe were on him and the elevator dinged. Reagan stepped out. Her hair was messy and her eyes bags were deep

“What plans do you guys need this time?” Reagan asked before blinking her eyes. “Am I seeing six of your guys right now or is my sleep deprivation really hitting me?”

“No. It’s just Brett-“ The Robe is cut off as one slaps their arm.

“You idiot! Don’t say anything about him!” Although it was too late as the friends heard what the Robe said and froze in place

“Brett..? What do you mean?” Reagan questioned. “He’s.. not here..?”

Oh God.. Brett knew he had to tell her but not like this. What could he do now? Just stand there? Slowly, Beett approached and took off his mask and undid his hood. He looked away as Reagan gasped.

“You., you were a Robe?! You were part of the Shadow Board?!” .

“Yeah.. Ever since I started working.”

“But..I trusted you!” Reagan yelled. “You were some powerful overlord of the world?!” Her mind thought of all the incidents that happened in the year “Did you make those problems that Cognito had to deal with?!”

“What no I-“

“You couldn’t solve any of them?! You could have raised the funds for the company when JR complained , you could have spoken to the Reptoids and we wouldn’t have the court case. You could have fired my dad earlier! Did.. the Shazam Poster actually make you remember our timeline..?”

“Well.. No., I mean kinda.. I had something beside the poster that made me remember some stuff.” Brett mumbled, looked down, shame engulfed his whole body. A tense silence followed afterward

“I can’t believe this..What the hell was real or fake..?” Reagan mumbled and stormed off to the elevator. Brett reached out for her but she quickly moved. After the elevator's door closed, it felt the whole world was blurring and it was getting hard to breathe

“Great job asshole.” A Robe said to the one who spilled the secret.

——

Brett did everything to get in contact with Reagan normally at first. Calling her, sending texts, and pleading for her to open her lab door. She stayed in that office for so many days that he was getting worried.

The Gang was very confused about what happened. She didn’t tell them his secret and he was grateful He begged them to help get her out but they state that they tried and she won’t come out.

Eventually Brett decided to wait at her house in hopes that they could talk about what happened. He sat on the stairs until the evening came and he saw a car pulled up. Reagan didn’t seem to notice him until she approached the front door. She glared at him.

“Reags, please. Can we talk?”

“About what? That fact you were just playing with us.”

“No. Listen to what I have to say.”

Reagan rolled her eyes but looked at him. Brett sighed as he gathered his thoughts.

“I was sent to Cognito to help with your promotion. The Robes really saw the good in you and wanted to do everything in their power to get you to that position.”

“Was JR’s story a lie too?” She spat

“Yeah.. But I was made a Robe because they stated that I could change the world. I was sent to so many places because I could manage the peace between the societies. It was hard. No one really liked me.” He saw Reagan’s face soften and continued .

“I really did enjoy the time we spent together. Even if I went to help you, I really thought of you as.. well.. someone I loved.” Brett felt his face heat up and Reagan’s face was slightly red. That wasn’t the point right now

“I know I could have done more to help but I had to follow the Robes orders. I would have loved to solve all of the Cognito problems but they have a system in place. I’m sorry”

Reagan frowned as she listened before sighing. She looked Brett straight in the eyes.

“It’s just.. I felt lied to. You seemed like this random guy who just happened to stumble to this shitty job and change my life. Learning that you were somebody so much higher.. It almost felt like dad and JR. Just taking advantage of me.”

“It was never that. I wanted to tell you but we were so busy..” Brett said and brought Reagan close to him. She stiffened before returning it “Maybe I am some random guy but I think you've helped me more than you realize.. You didn’t have to help me with my family problems.”

“It didn’t feel right for them to treat you like that.” Reagan muttered.

They stayed there for a long time before Reagan pulled away. She mumbled an apology for how she reacted earlier and Brett smiled.

“Do you want to have a movie night? You know.. forget all this shit happened.”

“Yeah. I’m done for that”

She smiled and opened the door for the both. Brett began talking about what movie they should watch.

—-

The Robes watched as the two humans. They decided on Akira and we’re halfway through the movie.

“You think these two are going to fuck later on?”

“Give it some time. Didn’t she just get over her boyfriend.”

“You never know with her. But is it fine that Reagan knows about Brett.”

“Yes. I believe so. They see, happy together and technically completed his mission. Brett helped Reagan get to CEO”

They watched as both of them fell asleep. Reagan leaned against Brett as she fell asleep. Brett softly smiled and laid on his back, bringing her to lay on his stomach. Maybe it was his feelings playing with him but he kissed her head and played with her hair before falling asleep himself

#inside job #reagan ridley #brett hand #breagan #hurt/comfort #angst #Robe!Brett #Au

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