#trees hels stuff

[lindentree]

Something something about the helscape and how it's the opposite of the Overworld

and the universe said I hate you and the universe said you have failed the game and the universe said everything you need is beyond you and the universe said you are weaker than you know and the universe said you are the heartless sun and the universe said you are the soulless night and the universe said the darkness you fight has become you and the universe said the light you seek is beyond you and the universe said you are alone and the universe said you are separate from every other thing and the universe said you are the universe scouring at itself, ripping your worthless life out, throwing you away and the universe said I hate you because you are hate.

[peachysunrize]

[ TANGERINE DREAMS ]

Summary: Summary: being stood up on his wedding day, Aemond’s life takes a turn for the worse. Heartbroken and humiliated, he finds unexpected help in Helaena’s childhood friend, who helps him move back into his family mansion. Summer cocktail parties and a long stay at the Targaryen residency, Aemond might let the girl who’s always been in his life make a home in his heart.

Tangerines, in general, symbolize prosperity, good luck and happiness. So if these delicious fruits appear in your dreams - whole or in the form of juice - it is usually very positive. A dream with tangerines expresses the desire and the possibility of progress and prosperity

Word count: 4.9k+

Warnings: fluff & Angst! English isn’t my first language<3

A/n: hello beauties!! Here’s the 2nd chap of our summer romance!!! A bit of a build up and messy Aemy because why not? The next chapters will be longer but this one no and I’m so sorry I was dealing with a writer’s block this week but I managed to get this one out!!! Reblogs and comments are always appreciated<3

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Updates: every Saturday!!

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Chapter 2: under the Weirwood tree

“Aemond!” 

Aegon bangs on the library door like a fucking toddler, making Aemond sigh and groan as he continues to slam his fist on the wooden door.

“What?” He says with a jab in his tone, his fingers toying with the edge of the page he was reading a few seconds ago, “Open the fucking door already, or you’ll break it down, idiot.”

“That’s not a nice way to talk to your older brother,” Aegon kisses his teeth as he pushes the door open, an unbelievably large smile on his face. He strides towards Aemond’s desk with a mug of black coffee in his hand, walking with a skip in his steps, “especially now that you will spend your summer with us! How lovely—“

“Shut up already and give me my coffee,” Aemond grumbles, reaching for the mug but Aegon pulls it back, keeping it out of his reach.

“Tsk, tsk, absolutely not!” Aegon says, faking a frown as he looks at his younger brother, “You’re being so rude for someone who wears glasses with one prosthetic eye—“

“For fuck sake,” Aemond groans, grabbing the glasses before he takes them off, pinching the bridge of his nose, “why must you always be so insufferable?”

“Why shouldn’t I?” Aegon shrugs, plopping down on the seat in front of Aemond’s desk, “it’s my responsibility to make sure you are entertained and not bored to death with these—“ he scrunches his face as he fiddles with his younger brother’s book, “what the fuck is this? Are you reading a history book in High Valyrian? You’re insane.”

“When was the last time you read a book?” Aemond looks at his older brother with a smug expression, “At least between the two of us someone is using his brain.”

“No wonder Alys left you—“

They both freeze, not a single sound can be heard in the room as Aegon very very slowly looks at Aemond, gulping when he sees his younger brother’s good eye glaring daggers at him.

“Shit—I’m, fucking shit, I’m so so sorry—“ he tries to get up and hug Aemond but all he receives is being pushed back on his seat with a defeated sigh from the younger Targaryen.

“Don’t talk for a moment, I want to enjoy my coffee in silence,” Aemond shakes his head before he brings the hot mug to his lips, taking a gentle sip from it, “did you make this?” He asks, his good eye wide and surprised as he looks at Aegon.

“No, why?”

“It’s perfect,” he whispers as he takes a huge gulp from the coffee, humming as the hot steaming liquid hits his tongue, “you could never make a cup of coffee like this.”

“You have Hel’s bestie to thank for that,” Aegon shrugs, “besides, I hate coffee, can never understand how you drink this stuff.”

“Of course, only horrible cocktails can keep you on your toes,” Aemond scoffs, finishing his coffee with a hum of pleasure, fighting back a smile when he hears you have made his coffee, “how did she know how I like my coffee?”

“Don’t know, don’t care,” Aegon leans back, his eyes never leaving Aemond, “how are you feeling?”

“Hmm?” Aemond asks, confused and surprised by his brother’s question.

Their relationship is… quite complicated. They love each other, but at the same time, they want to strangle and knock the breath out of the other’s lungs. They wish to be able to have civil conversations, but in Aemond’s head, Aegon always says something that makes him see red.

“We haven’t talked much ever since… you know,” Aegon sighs, running a hand through his tangled hair, “I understand though, not that I understand it as if I have experienced it or ever for that, I’ll probably never do because I mean who would want to leave someone like me—“

“I get it,” Aemond raises his hand to stop his brother, “you try to be sympathetic, I appreciate that, but you suck at it,” he says, standing up to put the book back in its place, waking Vhagar up with a few head scratches before he makes his way toward the door, Aegon following behind.

“Yeah, not my thing,” Aegon shoves his hands in the pockets of his shorts, walking side by side with his brother, entering the buzzing kitchen together, “well, good morning ladies and you kid!” Daeron fakes a cry when Aegon pats his back roughly, making him choke on his tea.

“Leave him alone,” Hel announces, walking towards the kitchen island with two big plates filled with waffles and ice cream, “he’s had a rough night.”

“Why?” Aemond asks before spotting you behind Helaena, walking with a plate of fresh fruits, “hi.”

“Good morning, Lil nerd! How did you sleep last night?” You ask him, giving him a quick hug, sitting on your chair next to him, “Hopefully not stuck in the library like the past week?”

“No,” chuckles, taking his seat, “I actually went to bed, I had to put away a few things Alys sent back from the house.”

“Oh, did she contact you?” You ask hesitantly, plopping a small grape into your mouth as Helaena cuts the waffles for everyone, “you don’t have to answer, I didn’t mean to pry.”

“No, no, don’t worry,” he shakes his head, reaching to take an apple from your plate, “she didn’t contact me, well, she kind of did but it was just a note in the boxes she sent.”

“She’s such a bitch.”

“Helaena!” You laugh out loud, throwing your head back when Aegon says her name in shock — one thing Hel’s family doesn’t know about her is how fiercely protective she is of her loved ones, even if it’s mostly in secret.

“Sister—“

“Sorry, sorry!” She sits down with a soft laugh, “she gets on my nerves, you know? I can’t control it.”

“We know, babe,” you pass her the fruit plate, bringing a bite of waffle to your mouth after you say, “Don’t think about it anymore, we’re trying to get your brother to move on!”

“Yeah!” Aegon tries to join the conversation but soon gets distracted, “damn girl, how can you eat a whole ass plate of berries and grapes this early in the morning?”

“It’s near noon, dumbass,” Daeron scoffs, leaving the kitchen with a hot cup of tea.

“She loves to have fruit for breakfast, especially sweet oranges and tangerines!” Helaena exclaims.

“Not sure when it started but it’s now a part of my morning routine,” you shrug, handing Aemond a few strawberries to put on his waffles, “and what about you? How do you manage to have Gin Tonic with your breakfast?”

“I haven’t had any since I arrived here!” He whines, pouting as he stands up and steals a few grapes from your hand, “fuck off you know my cocktails are the best.”

“I’m not boosting your ego until you give me a good Sex on the beach.”

“Atta girl!” He high-fives you before making his way towards the refrigerator to grab a snack for himself even though he’s had breakfast with you.

“Morning, darlings,” Alicent walks in, her auburn curls moving with each step as she stands between you and Aemond, reaching to pull Aemond in for a half hug with a kiss on the crown of his head.

“Morning, Mum,” he replies, rubbing her forearm with one hand, giving her a rare smile he only gives her and Helaena occasionally.

“How are you? Are you feeling better?” She asks her son, putting her hand lovingly on your shoulder, “I hope you’re settling in nicely.”

“I am, I have you and others to thank for that,” Aemond answers, glancing at you, giving a quick smile before he looks back at his mother, “Well, no thanks to Aegon who’s been up my ass since I came here—“

“I was nothing but nice to you, little shit—“

“Stop—“ Alicent tries to end their banter, but to no one’s surprise, she is not successful.

“Should I thank you for that?” Aemond cranes his neck to look at his older brother whose jaw is on the floor, the sandwich is frozen mid-air close to his lips, “because that’s the least you have done.”

“As if I didn’t help you carry that huge fucking vanity mirror upstairs—“

“You just held one corner of it, you child—“��

“Stop, just fucking stop!” Alicent yells, making everyone gasp when she swears, “What now?”

“You swore,” Helaena says, grinning at her mother.

“It’s not my first time, I’m not a kid—“

“But you always tell us to mind our language,” Aegon matches Helaena’s grin, walking to stand beside you, “unless…”

“Leave her alone, please,” Aemond stands up and kisses Alicent’s forehead, “she’s been hanging with Criston for far too long, I’m afraid.”

“Hush you!” Alicent slaps his arm playfully, “How have you been, truly? Is there anything me or all of us can do for you?”

“I’m okay, Mum,” he tries to budge, to not let anyone see through the facade he’s been holding up since Alys sent his things to him, or what in particular has been sent, “don’t worry.”

“How can I not worry, darling? You haven’t talked to anyone about it! You are ignoring your grandfather’s calls—“

“I could care fucking less about what he has to say!” His voice booms through the room, shocking everyone to their core.

You had realized how short his temper had become ever since the incident, but to raise his voice at his mother was not something you would see coming. Maybe he is hurting more than anyone — even himself who says it’s okay, it’s alright, I’m fine — ever imagined. 

“I apologize,” and with that he leaves the kitchen, stealing Helaena’s cup of tea on his way as he enters the TV room, finding Daeron wandering through the channels, stopping only when a headline catches his attention.

Aemond Targaryen’s ex-fiance spotted with a new lover!

Hello and good morning to our lovely audience! I’m Simon Strong and we are here with the newest celebrity gossip of Westeros! It wasn’t long ago when we heard the news of our very infamous couple’s break up, and now, only a month gone, Alys Rivers, Aemond Targaryen’s ex-fiance was spotted being too friendly with a colleague of hers! 

But that is not the only news we have for you!

A few days ago Miss Rivers had done an interview with our reporter, she said and I quote; “Being with a man who can’t stand up against others who hurt you is a bad choice. I waited and watched him treat me as if I meant nothing to him, and it is something Targaryens are most famous for — their money and huge egos!”

The sound of a loud crash makes Daeron jump, and he sees the hot tea run down Aemond’s wounded hand — he breaks the cup in his fist and drops the remaining on the floor.

“Aemond, shit—“ Daeron jumps over the back of the couch, grabbing Aemond’s hand as he examines his bloodied palm. The cuts aren’t deep but many little open and bleeding wounds cover his skin.

Aemond’s head is foggy, he can’t think or function at that. Alys moving on was something he was ready to deal with, he knew she must have been cheating on him during their relationship, but to say such hurtful words to the press made him question everything.

What was the point of their relationship if all Alys wanted to do was ruin him and his reputation? Surely after being dismissed by his father at the council alongside Aegon, his reputation became nonexistent.

Alys was everything to Aemond, she was his light, the only glimmer of hope in his darkest moments. She was the only person who would curse this world with him and keep him safe in their bubble of joy.

Apparently, it was only Aemond who felt that unconditional love.

With a heavy heart, he pulls his hand out of Daeron’s grasp, and with heavy steps, he walks upstairs to his room, ignoring the calls of his name as he did on his wedding day.

No words have been spoken between Alys and him for the past month, absolutely none, except for the note she sent with that cursed box. To see her being so happy and doing interviews about their relationship makes him see red, but somewhere beneath this blinding rage, Alys’ words poke at his open wounds, having him bleeding from the gaping holes worse than before.

He pushes his bedroom door open, standing in the doorway for a second to gather his thoughts; the thoughts he has been burying deep down so he wouldn’t have to deal with them for a long time.

He sits on the edge of his bed, his fingers shaking with an unknowing fear. He knows everyone must have seen the news, his father, his grandfather, his sister, and her children. 

The humiliation is inevitable now, thanks to his ex, even though he tried his best not to get caught in the whirlwind of the questions the media threw at him. Nothing can be changed now, not his public image, not his personal life, and certainly not how his family perceives him.

He runs his hand over his face, exhaling shakily as he repeats the words he heard on the news; being with a man who can’t stand up against those who hurt you is a bad choice. And all his life, through the years he stayed by her side, she did not need to ask him to stand up for her because he was already beating the guys to the pulp, getting into fights for her, but when it came to him she never reciprocated.

He remembers how he caught her texting one of his father’s employers on his twenty-first birthday, and he was so naive and stupid to let go of it when she said she just wanted to apply for a job to get closer to him, to Aemond, and he so easily believed her honey-coated words.

The sound of his phone ringing brings him out of his thoughts, making him sigh in exhaustion as he reaches into his pocket to pull it out, his grip tightening when he sees his grandfather’s name on the screen. He has probably seen the news and is ready to blame Aemond for the mess like he always does.

“Morning—“

“How could you not see this coming?” Otto’s voice is loud enough for him to distance the phone from his ear, closing his eye as he listens to his grandfather’s yells, “We worked so hard to keep your relationship out of the public eye, but now thanks to your idiocy the world knows about how you treated her!”

“No one knows anything about our relationship,” he replies, his tone cool and collected but he knows deep down he is one single moment away from breaking, “her words are nothing but lies—“

“Lies or not, you threw your reputation away because of a woman who was nothing before meeting you! Now it’s not just you who will pay the price, it’s your family, it’s our company!” Otto says, his words cutting Aemond like a knife being twisted in his ribcage, and what hurts the most about it is that Otto is not wrong.

Aemond introduced Alys to their company, and to his friends, got her a job, and made her famous, hell he even paid for the last year of her law school! He was an idiot for believing she was there for him, but what else could he do? 

He was in love.

“I could care less about Viserys’ appearance and company! She left me, I can’t control what she says, I can’t control what she fucking does!” Aemond yells back, his patience finally being ripped away, “My reputation was shattered the moment you let Viserys’ daughter get her hands on our lives. She set the cameras up when Alys left the church because no one knew when the wedding would take place and you turned a fucking blind eye to it!”

“You need to sort out the mess you created by letting that witch take advantage of your generosity,” Otto groans in annoyance, “not generosity, no, your idiocy, your childishness and immaturity. You were a fucking child when you started seeing her! The scandal we had to cover — when the twenty years old younger son of Viserys Targaryen kissed a twenty-eight years old woman in King’s Landing — spread like fucking fire in Westeros and all our stocks’ worth dropped—“

“My fiance left me!” Aemond’s voice finally breaks when he looks up and sees you entering his room with a worried expression, his eye glistening with tears, “She left me on our wedding day! How cruel can you be? I spent days away from the streets to protect your precious status and reputation, I isolated myself for weeks because I didn’t have the strength to stand up and walk outside! Did you even think about how I felt? Did you, Otto, or all you could care about was Rhaenyra’s next move? How will the world see us now?”

You sit next to him on the bed in silence, and for once, he hate your presence, he hates the way you look at him with worried eyes and open ears, ready to take his pain away, trying to be his friend.

“I do not have time to deal with your childish tantrums, either you will accept that you are ruining this family and help me clear up your mess, or we will have a fucking problem—“

“Listen, Otto, I won’t do anything about this. You’re a fucking asshole for kissing Viserys’ ass for so long that you have forgotten how horribly he is treating us. All you care about is to make him look better, so no, I won’t take responsibility for something I haven’t done!” He hangs up, throwing the phone on the bed before he groans in disbelief, hiding his face in his hands, “what do you want?”

You look at him, confusion is evident on your face as he asks you the question in a very serious tone. He knows he shouldn’t be treating you, out of everyone like this, but at this moment he can’t help but let his anger consume him.

“I thought I should check up on you,” you respond quietly, looking at him with a sympathetic smile, “I saw the news.”

“Who hasn’t,” he scoffs, shaking his in annoyance, looking down at his bruised and bloody hand before he meets your gaze, “that’s very sweet of you.”

“Maybe I can be of help somehow if you tell me what you need—“

“I don’t need help,” he glares at you before huffing out his breath, his nails digging into his wounds as he fists his hand.

“Let me see your hand,” you try to reach out and grab his wrist gently but he pulls back harshly, startling you with his attitude, “Aemond, please—“

“What do you gain from this?” He asks suddenly, “What do you achieve by being nice to me? I don’t get it, you have everything you need; money, friends, a good job, I can’t give you anything.”

“You are my friend, I want to help you because you’re going through something so so hurtful and I don’t wish to see you so upset—“

“Pity,” he chuckles sarcastically, standing up to pace his room, “so you pity me! How very generous of you to come here with an excuse to check up on me while all you feel for me is fucking pity!”

“That’s not true,” you shake your head desperately, standing up to reach and take his hand in yours but he puts a good distance between the two of you, his glare never faltering, “I understand your pain and despair! I’ve been through the same situation. I know how much you must be doubting yourself, how you think all of this is your fault—“

“You have no idea what I’m feeling. You, the self-centered childhood friend of my sister who has seen so little of how I’ve been treated, think you know me,” Aemond raises his voice, his tone cuts deep into your bones and he sees it, he sees how your eyes fill with tears and how you shake your head in disbelief.

“I’ve been there with you all of your life, Little nerd. I watched you grow up, and I don’t pity you because I understand you, and because you’re my friend,” you sniff, wiping the single tear that falls on your cheek, “you should be upset about everything, hell you should be so fucking mad, but to say I pity you? I could never even think about upsetting you, let alone showing some fake sympathy to gain what? I want you to be happy—“

Aemond looks at you for a long minute, his hands balled into fists on his side as he tries to keep his breathing under control, his mind reeling with regret and anger; at himself, at Otto, at everyone but you. And yet, he treated you worse than others.

He leaves you alone in his room, marching downstairs to the library without glancing at anyone, especially Alicent who calls his name pleadingly. Aemond locks himself in there with Vhagar who jogged alongside him to the room, huffing and barking happily while he sits on the couch near the window, letting his tears stream down his cheek.

He doesn’t go out of the room for lunch and isolates himself from the outer world, letting himself get distracted by his books and Vhagar who happily cuddles him with her huge body while he reads.

After a few hours near the sunset, he hears a soft voice telling him that everyone’s going outside to the backyard near the Weirwood tree, spending the nice afternoon outdoors.

He doesn't respond, just grunts, and goes back to reading, even though he knows he should stand up and follow you there, beg for forgiveness, and apologize to you, but he can’t bring himself to do so. Not when he feels so ashamed of how horrible he has treated you.

After much thinking, he decides to get up and take a walk with Vhagar towards where you said you’d be. He grabs Vhagar’s favorite ball and claps for her to follow him. The pair walks outside the house, the fresh evening wind blows over their heads, and Aemond feels he can finally breathe.

Vhagar happily wiggles her tail as he spots the group sitting on the grass with Aegon telling a shitty hilarious story while drinking beer together, sharing a laughter or two. Sunfyre and Dreamfyre, Aegon & Helaena’s Golden Retrievers, are playing together, running and jumping on each other under the sunlight.

He spots you lying on the grass, resting your back on Helaena’s chest while the two of you listen to Aegon and Daeron’s bantering, giggling, and sharing a can of beer — you look so happy, and that makes Aemond stop dead in his tracks, having him second guessing whether he should be approaching you and others after how he talked to you.

“Oi, why are you so late?” Aegon asks, bending down to grab and throw a can of beer at him, “You almost missed the sunset.”

“I didn’t know if I wanted to come and tolerate your stupid jokes,” Aemond catches the beer, throwing Vhagar’s ball for her to catch before his good eye finds yours, but he looks away immediately, too ashamed and disgusted by his earlier behavior to even look at you.

“Ignore him,” Helaena says to her older brother then looks at Aemond, patting the place next to her for him to sit, “Come on, join us.”

“Fine,” he whispers, catching you giving him a small encouraging smile. Vhagar runs back with her ball caught between her teeth, dropping it before she makes herself comfortable on top of you, resting her head on your stomach.

“Hello, my old lady,” you coo at her, scratching behind her ears and back, chuckling at how happily she starts waggling her tail, “I’ve missed you so much.”

“So!” Aegon claps his hand to gain everyone’s attention, “I was talking before our gracious pirate interrupted me—“

“I haven’t used my eyepatch since I moved out,” Aemond grunts, thanking you quietly when handed him your beer so he doesn’t need to open his.

“Whatever, it still doesn’t change the fact that you look like a fucking pirate even with your prosthetic eye!”

“Leave him alone!” Daeron whines, “Please just continue whatever you were telling us.”

“Alright, so…”

Aemond doesn’t listen to what Aegon has to say, his eye trails from Vhagar’s sleepy face to yours, smiling and laughing at Aegon’s story. He can’t bring himself to think about how bad his words must have hurt, especially since he made you cry.

You turn around, meeting his gaze, reaching to grab the beer from his hand, giving him a reassuring smile in return, mouthing a silent ‘later’ so he knows you two will talk and you won’t be left in the dark. 

“Shut up now, wanna watch the sunset without your annoying voice,” Daeron pulls his brother down to sit next to him, their backs resting against the Weirwood tree as everyone looks at the orange and pink hue of the sky, the sun slowly hiding behind the mountains.

“Get up kids, dinner’s on me!” Aegon smacks the back of Daeron’s head playfully, making the youngest Targaryen whine in pain before he also gets up and follows his brother inside the house.

“Order something in case he burns the house down,” you and Helaena get up as well, laughing at what Daeron said. 

“You know what,” you say quietly, unlacing your fingers with Hel, making her turn around and look at you, “I think I’m gonna stay a little more.”

Aemond looks at his sister, nodding at her as she leaves the two of you alone. He watches you turn around and step towards him, sitting on the grass next to him just like you did on his wedding day.

“Hey you,”

“Hey,” he laughs softly, resting his head on the tree as he looks at you, matching your smile, “I’m sorry…”

“I know you are,” you take a deep breath, looking up at the sky, “you are under lots of pressure now, Little nerd, I understand that.”

“Do you forgive me?” He asks, his voice so fragile and little as if he were a child, “because I’d hate to ruin your summer just because of my temper. I’m sorry, I’ll get on my knees and beg you too.”

“You are forgiven,” you laugh softly, “but I meant it when I said that I understand. I wholeheartedly understand how you feel, Aemond, it wasn’t out of pity.”

“I know, shit, I know but I was so pissed at Otto I couldn’t get my emotions under control,” he sighs, “not that any of these are good excuses, and I’m really sorry.”

“Do you remember that time when I wouldn’t come over here at family gatherings? Hel must have told you all about my breakup.”

“Yeah, I remember…” he says, nodding as you continue. 

“It was a rough four months of trying to get my shit together after Jason fucking Lannister stood me up,” you smile bitterly at the memory.

“He did what?” The shock on Aemond’s face only makes you laugh harder, “why didn’t we know about this?”

“Because I told Hel not to say anything,” you shrug, “yeah, you’re not the only one who had the pleasure of being stood up by a jerk. Anyway, we were together for a year, and everything was…hmm not too good but not too bad either. I liked him, maybe loved him even I don’t know I think I saw a future with him and I wanted my parents to meet him. I called him one day, took him out, paid for everything so I could tell him about the dinner my parents were planning.”

“All of this just for him to be a douchebag?” He teases you.

“Oh yeah,” you both laugh, “at first he was so open and lovely about this idea, but then… well the date came my parents and I were all looking around the restaurant all dumb and upset… I was the dumb one because I trusted a Lannister of all people but I liked him so much, and when I received a text from him after two hours of waiting for him, I broke down.”

“What was in the text?” Aemond asks, reaching for your hand, “You don’t have to tell—“

“He said he used me, that was it. Just sex and pleasure for over a year…that was all I meant to him,” you tear up a little, squeezing his hand as the two of you look at each other, “I may not understand your feelings completely because your situation is different, but I get it, I know how you feel to some extent.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that…you deserve someone better than Jason Lannister.”

“You too! You deserve someone much much better than Alys Rivers,” you run your thumb over his knuckles, “when you asked me what I would gain from this friendship… happiness, Aemond. You might not be my best friend but, you’ll always have a friend in me, and I like that we have shared interests, and your little jokes and banters with Aegon make me laugh. I like that, and I’m so sorry if you felt I was pitying you.”

“Don’t be sorry, I should be the one apologizing,” he smiles when you rest your head on his shoulder, juts how he did on his wedding day with you, “I like that too.”

[shadowdaddies]

Heyyyy I feel like we’re besties at this point😭 could I request, yet again, an Azriel story. Maybe one where they’re best friends and they get into a serious argument and maybe it ends with a confession and the bond snaps into place but one of them panics and leaves. And ends up having a panic attack while the other one is super worried and is searching for them. When they find them they calm them down and have some cute fluff with like “look at me” or “breathe with Me” something cute idk and then it ends with smut of them finally being mated and it’s all sweet and stuff. (Maybe with some wing play because holy- that’s hot) THANK YOUUUU

hey bestie! love this request, it's been a hectic week to say the least so I'm catching up on requests but I've been so excited about this one. Love your prompts, hope you love this story as much as I do💜

Laid Bare

Azriel x Reader

Warnings: this is angst, fluff, and eventually smut below the cut, wing play, shadow play, p in v sex, minors dni

You followed Azriel through the door to the House of Wind, slamming it behind you as you yelled at him. The two of you never raised your voices at each other, but your emotions got the better of you as you held back tears, shaking with anger and fear for your mate. 

You had known that Azriel was your mate for a long time now, but you knew that he had so much he needed to work through, and you’d decided it would be better to be there for him as a friend while he worked through his trauma, without the added complication of the mating bond. 

Tonight, however, you had hit your limit with Azriel’s refusal to accept help and love from others. It wasn’t only you - Azriel had always kept even his brothers at an arm’s length, only opening up to Cass and Rhys when he deemed it necessary. While others were willing to accept his distance, the bond pulled you closer to him, and day-by-day your love and desire to be there for him grew. 

Azriel stopped in the kitchen, sipping on tea in his faux-stoic manner that drove you crazy as you stormed over to him. “What the Hel, Az? You put yourself in so much danger, so much unnecessary hurt, and for what? You think you’re a burden to people by letting them be there for you, but it’s a burden.... it really hurts me, Azriel, when you won’t let me be there for you. I love you, all I want to do for the rest of my life is love you, and I just wish you would let me.” 

The words poured out before you even realized what you were saying, tears streaming down your face as you dared to make eye contact with Azriel. The moment those hazel eyes locked with yours, Azriel dropped the cup from which he’d been drinking, his steely expression shattering into one of shock, and you knew what had happened. The mating bond snapped for him - at the worst time, when you were yelling at him over something that now felt so trivial. 

You began sobbing so hard you were shaking, hyperventilating as you began to panic. Before Azriel could say anything else, you winnowed away. You appeared on the outskirts of Velaris - a quiet place where the mountains met the sea - and vomited everything from your system. You heaved for breath, trying to ground yourself in your surroundings. You went to a nearby brook, splashing water on your face and cleansing your mouth with the fresh water. 

The sun had nearly set at this point, and you leaned against a tree as you took in the various shades of the sky, the bright Night Court stars already visible at dusk. Mind reeling with how to address the situation with Azriel, you didn’t hear him approach.

You startled at first, watching him carefully as he sat down to lean against the tree beside you. It was no surprise that he would know where to find you. Azriel let out a long sigh, staring down at his hands folded in his lap. “How long have you known about the bond?” he asked quietly. Chewing your lip, you murmured back, “Some time now, almost a year.” He nodded, taking a moment before he said anything.

He at last turned to you, taking one of your hands in his as he gave it a squeeze, as though he was finding his own strength through that touch. “You were right. Everything you said back there... I’ve always felt like a burden if I were to show weakness or ask for help. But you are always there for me, even when I don’t know what I need, you do.”

Azriel pulled you into his lap at this point, you straddling his hips as he wiped his thumb across your cheek, observing you as he confessed, “I love you, too, by the way. I have for a long time. If there’s anyone I trust, that I feel I can open up to, it’s you. I am damaged, and it will take time, but I want to love you, and be loved by you, if you’ll have me.”

You smiled, turning your face to kiss Azriel’s palm, holding it against your face. “Azriel, I have waited my entire life for you, and I would wait one hundred more lifetimes for you. We will grow and learn how to love and be loved together. That’s what this is.” At that, Azriel pulled you in, your lips barely brushing each other as he looked to you for consent. You smiled, throwing yourself into him as you kissed him how you’d been longing to for so long.

Azriel squeezed your backside, causing you to gasp so he could slip his tongue in your mouth. You ground against him, drawing a groan while you ran your hands through his inky black hair, tugging at the strands. When he thrust his tongue into your mouth next, you sucked on it, earning a surprised gasp and a groan from him as he gripped your hips, grinding his own against you.

You mewled at the contact, desperate for more from him. You pulled back, gasping as you opened your mouth to tell Azriel you needed more, only for him to say so first. A thought occurred to you as you noticed his desperation, and you leaned back, studying Azriel as you ran a finger down his chest. With as much confidence as you could muster, you tilted your head, giving Azriel a mischievous smile as you proposed your deal. “I’ll give you more tonight, Azriel, if you let me take care of you. I want to make love to you, how I’ve been waiting to for so long now.” 

At your words, Azriel’s cheeks blushed in that way that you loved as he nodded. You leaned forward, giving him a chaste kiss as you promised in a whisper, “we’ll take this slow - nothing you are uncomfortable with.” With that, you began removing his shirt, guiding him to lay down in the grass as you admired his body in what was now bright moonlight. You removed your own dress, now bare above him, feeling no shyness or shame in your body as your mate gazed at you in awe, running his hands along your sides, palming your breasts as he toyed with your nipples.

You let out a high-pitched moan at the contact, writhing against his touch as you struggled to maintain dominance in the situation. You forced yourself to look down at Azriel, feeling how your own appearance must mirror his own, pupils blown out, cheeks flushed, hair wild as you ravished each other under the stars. You leaned down, rolling your naked body against Azriel’s bare chest as you kissed down his neck to his collarbone, moving one hand to the side for support. 

Your finger accidentally touched the edge of his wing, causing Azriel to let out a hiss as he bucked wildly up into you. Immediately pulling back, you frantically searching Azriel’s face for discomfort. “I’m so sorry, Az. I didn’t mean to touch your wing without permission. Please tell me I didn’t hurt you.” 

To your surprise, Azriel laughed. It was a loud, joyous laugh like bells, louder than you’d ever heard from him. He looked up at you with a beautiful, full smile as he shook his head and grabbed your hand, guiding it back to his wing. You looked at him questioningly, “are you sure you are okay with this? You want me to touch your wings?” Azriel nodded, kissing your palm before guiding it back to his wing. “Yes, I want you. Only you. All of you.”

Your heart melted at his words, eyes never leaving his as you experimentally traced your fingers lightly across the veins of his wing, watching as he groaned and panted beneath you at your touch. “Fuck,” Az finally huffed out, “if you keep doing that, I’m going to finish in my pants.” You smirked, taking that as your cue to pull away, kissing down his chest and stomach, giving extra attention to each scar as you worshipped Azriel.

You were working your way down to the waistband of his pants when Azriel gracefully flipped you over, laid on your back against the grass with your hair splayed out. The two of you simply admired each other for a moment, memorizing the feeling of an intimacy you’d never felt before. You helped Azriel remove his pants, eager to have him inside of you, fully one with your mate.

He leaned down, kissing you sweetly as he pushed into you, your eyes rolling and back arching as he entered you, his large size a stretch for you. Azriel kissed all over your face and neck as he settled inside of you, only moving once you had given him permission. Every thrust hit a perfect spot within you, the sex like nothing you had felt before - it was apparent, Azriel was made for you, and you for him. 

You could sense that you were nearing your high, stomach tightening as you attempted to mumble to Az that you were close. He understood, licking his thumb before bringing it down to your clit, rubbing circles in tandem with shadows that appeared around your nipples. The sudden stimulation sent you barreling over the edge with a scream, Azriel following closely behind. 

He hung his head, resting his nose in your neck as the two of you caught your breath. After several moments, Azriel collapsed into the grass beside you, pulling you into his side as the two of you watched the night sky, laid bare to each other in every sense.

[ancha-aus]

RealAgeAU Drabble - Progress

I am here! And I made this drabble! @spotaus get in here! We got a new update :3

This one i had to take the time for haha Also I am fucking dying it is so hot and warm and everything is moist and i hate it and please end me i am not made for this heat. and as i am melting so his my sanity and mental health

anyway hahahah it is warm :') I dislike the heat.

First drabble Prev drabble Next drabble

And no beta or edits. I write these in one go and hope for the best lmao.

*------------------*

Dream watches as the bear walks through the stream. looking at the water and following movements Dream can't see.

The bear eventually gets to some mysterious perfect spot and stays put. it opens its mouth and waits.

For a moment. nothing happens.

Then the fish start to jump and rush and one ends right in the bear's mouth. The bear bites down and starts eating.

It is fascinating.

Nature in motion.

Dream continues to lay right there on top of the branches as he watches the bear continue hunting and eating. at ease with what it does and who it is.

His phone ringing ruins the silence and Dream curses as he grabs his phone quickly checking who is calling now. He sighs at the sight of the caller ID and answers it "Hey Core."

The child, is core still a child?, sounds frantic "Dream? Where have you been!?"

Drema hums as he leans against the tree, watching the wildlife again. Good to see the bear has dismissed the noise he made and it went about its day again "out and about. learning stuff."

core sighs "Dream... the people here need you and-"

Dream hums "No they don't. They can do their chores and tasks themselves. I told you and all of them this before." he is not going to fall into the same trap as always. cutting himself apart to please others. He needs to figure himself out first.

Core sighs loudly again "Dream... If you like it our not. You are still the guardian of positivity to them! They are nervous and you can relax them."

Dream sighs annoyed himself "No Core. I can't. Or at least, i don't want that role anymore. Correction. I never should ahve had that role. I already told you that what i did before was a mistake." he had explained this so many times already. Explained that he shouldn't have tried to stop what Nightamre had been doing.

Yet no one understood!

They kept demanding him to keep doing what he had been doing before.

It is exhausting.

Dream sighs loudly and cuts off whatever Core is saying "I am not coming back to the omega timeline. Let it rest Core and move on. That is what i am doing." and he hangs up the phone. He leans against the tree and calls the number he knows by soul.

one ring later and "Dream! How is your break going? Seen any cool things?" Blue sounds excited.

Dream smiles as he leans against the tree already feeling relaxed. Just hearing his friend and hearing him respect what dream wanted makes everything right. The need to complain disappears and he focuses on the good "Yeah it is pretty cool. I am in a large forest. Saw a bear catch a fish with its mouth." the bear moves towards the side to eat some of the fish it caught.

Blue groans "lucky!! I am stuck in another reset. Kid got stuck somewhere in hotland and my bro and I are trying to figure out a way to hel them progress quicker."

Dream chuckles "You and your brother gave up on acting as if you don't notice the save, loads and resets?"

Blue hums "Well... yeah! I know it is a large risk and a big show of trust... but my brother explained to me that knowing I was there for him? With him in the resets and that i truly understood how it felt? He said it gave him peace and hope. that he felt less alone. And that got me thinking... Maybe... maybe Chara would feel better if they knew they weren't alone? That they didn't need to figure it all out alone? Papy had been unsure but he ended up deciding to trust my opinion and decision..."

Dream hums and nods "how did that go?"

Blue is silent for a moment before answering "Well... we dropped hints first and tried to ease them into the idea... then they ended up having a panic attack and apologising over and over again. We just sat down with them and we spoke it all out. they ended up sleeping over at our place for a while and would ask us everything about how we experienced it. So... I think it helped... thanks by the way."

Dream blinks and laughs "Why thank me?"

Dream can hear the smile in Blue's voice "Because you gave me the idea of it all! You were the one to trust me and share your worries with me. and once you shared those pains you felt better. You explained how the powers and responsiblity got too much and painful... That is when i realised. If you, an actual adult and god already felt like that... how would a child feel with so much power and responsibility but no guidance?" Blue is silent for a moment before he speaks "I know we aren't... we arent suposed to mess with the past or what happened or the anomaly but... How can there be any change if we don't try? Be it for the better or worse? At least we won't be stuck in the same loop anymore."

a moment of silence and Drema speaks quietly "What if they end up deciding to use this for bad stuff? To betray that trust and beleive?" what if blue gets hurt?

Blue hums "That is their choice. My choice was to be willing to trust and help. To beleive in the better and do waht i needed to do to take a step in the right direction."

Dream stares down before chuckling "You are truly one of the few between all of us who is sane and has healthy mental health."

Blue laughs "I have struggles too Dream. everyone has! we all do waht we can to cope. talking about struggles... did something happen?"

Blue is too damn smart and knows him too damn well.

Dream sighs "Smething did but... I honestly don't want to talk about it." he chuckles and rubs his new outfit. a more neutral grey with just a few yellow accents "You already need to listen so much to my problems. I want to be there for you too!"

Blue hums unhappily "dream."

Dream sighs and folds immediantly "just... Core calling again."

an even unhappier hum "We need to get you a new cross-multiverse phone. with a new number that Core doesn't know."

Drema can't help but laugh "maybe we can go shopping later? When your loop calms down a bit?"

Blue cheers "Yes! That sounds great! Oh! Did you want to come over for dinner? Chara is going to be friends with alphys and stuff which leaves me free early!"

Dream smiles "gladly. be there in a bit!" blue replies with his own goodbye and Dream hangs up. feeling much lighter and better than before. he opens a portal and makes the multiverse jump.

--

dinner is amazing and Dream takes some time to catch up wiht both Stretch and Blue. enjoying hearing more about the updates about their universe and how tlaking with Chara has helped them all a lot!

Dream is just happy with Blue is getting closer to the happy ending he deserves. To finally be free and explore the surface world he longs for so badly. Dream is also happy that Stretch seems to be doing better mentally. Dream may not be close with Stretch like with Blue but he still likes the other skeleton! Stretch is nice and can be a true sweetheart. Stretch just has to battle depression and hopelessness at the same time.

Blue once asked Dream if he could heal that for Stretch. a desperate plea from a worried brother. Drema had tried but he couldn't. He had once again remembered that it have been the purple apples that could heal mental illnesses. and he did not have a connection to those. Dream never told Blue that and just told him that Dream could only heal the physical body. That mental health was something that needed other and special care and support of loved ones.

Etiher way. it is great to see both feeling better and happier!

They relax and enjoy their time when Dream's phone rings again.

Stretch shoots it a curious look "I thought you muted that?"

Dream groans and nods "i did." he always does. one check later and a frown "Core again."

Blue sighs and steals his phone. he answers it and speaks right away "One. It is rude to call people at dinner time. two. Learn to take no. three. Stop, you are starting to appear obsessed. solve your own problems. It isn't Dreams issue." and hangs up again before handing it back.

Dream stares dumbfounded but Stretch just chuckles "Careful Blue. YOur protective side is showing."

Blue huffs but doesn't appear embarresed at all "Well! They should learn to take no and solve their own problems instead of trying to make it Dream's issue!"

Dream rubs his cheek "I am not much better... I keep asking you for your help..."

Blue looks at him and shakes his skull "Dream that is different. You ask for help. You accept if I am busy. Core demands help and doesn't accept a no." Blue smiles "See the difference?"

Dream feels himself relax again as he happily takes another bite. He enver needed food but it is nice.

a whistle "impressive."

Drema turns quickly and stares "Reaper."

Reaper grins and waves "Hey Dream. Blue and..." he needs a moment "Stretch right?"

Stretch looks a tBlue.

Blue shrugs at his brother "aparently I, or we for that matter, don't know how to not mess with things and cause alternative worlds. it is a long story. also. Don't touch reaper. everything reaper touches dies."

Reaper nods "it is why i float. Anyway. I had a moment and figured i should check in on the whole god thing and had to tell you guys soemthing but well... dinner." he waves at the table and grins "I didn't mean to be rude but..."

Stretch shrugs as he continues eating "I don't mind. talk god stuff. I am gonna keep eating."

Blue smiles at Reaper "I agree! You can just tell us now.. want a plate?" he waves at the dinner served.

Reaper chuckles and waves it off "I don't need food."

Blue huffs "neither does Dream but it is still a nice experience!"

Dream nods as he eats another bite "very nice. also. Blue and Stretch with all the timeloops are good cooks." Blue is already getting a plate and fork ready for the other skeleton.

Reaper blinks but takes the plate thankfully and carefully. he joins in and hums happily "It is great." and continues eating.

It is nice. a little strange but nice. Dream hasn't felt this relaxed and happy in a long time.

Reaper eats antoher bite before starting to speak "Anyway. I came with a mission." he eats antoher bite.

Dream nods and knows where this is going "Is this about... my job?"

Reaper nods as he eats antoher bite "Pretty much. Got any idea on what you want to focus on as domain yet?"

Dream sighs and shakes his skull "I... I hadn't... I had... wanted to wait with picking... until i foudn Nightmare and could talk things out first." he had wanted to pick soemthing together with his twin. make sure they still matched...

Reaper blinks but grins "you dont need to worry! you two are twins after all. if one of you picks a domain the other will automatically lean towards something that matches." he shrugs "god and twin magic stuff."

Dream blinks and feels a bit better. Their magic will always match?! That is great! That is fantastic and-

No.

Dream shakes his skull "Then I really don't want to decide without him!"

Reaper looks confused "But you will match anyway?"

Dream feels himself shake "Like with positivity and negativity?! No! I am not going to pick anything that can cause that kind of mess and split again!" He isn't going to do that to nightmare again!

Wait...

What if he can pick something that is the negative of the match? That would mean Ngihtmare immediantly gets the positive side right? But it hardly ever has only one opposite! Happiness can be the opposite of both sadness and angry to just give an example!

Or people often say love and hate are opposites but then people say it is love and indifference!

There are too many options and he isn't going to do it!

Reaper frowns "Dream. You can't keep going around without somekind of purpose. You are already heavily leaning on Blue as it is."

Dream looks away embarresed while Blue just frowns "Wait how do you know that?"

Reaper raises a brow "Because you are starting to get a boon."

Blue blinks while Stretch frowns "A boon?"

Reaper nods "Yeah. Gods can give boons to mortals who helped them. The more help and support given generally the stronger the boon. Normally these are given on purpose but well... with Dream's magic slightly all over the place." he just waves in their direction.

Blue frowns "what happens if i get one of these?"

Reaper hums "it depends on the god, the boon and the person. YOu could just be kinda like a workshipper if you get a tiny one. High priest kinda deal is also possible. But... with how involved you are with helping Dream? Probably an acolyte. Very strong powers... and pretty much automatically an outcode if not you just surpass that straight to something between mortal and demigod. Acolytes are powerful blue."

Dream shoots blue an anxious look before staring at Reaper "How do i stop that?!"

Reaper shrugs "Now you know about it? And you know you could do it? It is less liekly you will accidentally do it. especially if you don't want to. Boons are suposed to be a thank you kinda deal after all."

Stretch shares a nervous look with Blue but blue pats his hand "I am okay bro." Blue looks at Dream anxious "Dream... You know I love helping you. Really! But... i don't want to be an acolyte or any boon okay? I am just happy to be able to be friends."

Dream grbas his shoulders and stares at him "Blue. I promise and swear! I will never actively give you one unless you ask me okay? And I will try my hardest and best to never accidentally give you one okay?"

He wills himself, his soul, and magic to get the message. Blue doesn't want a boon. Blue doens't want a title. Dream doesn't want to give Blue either of these. Dream does not want to force either a boon or title on blue.

Reaper puts his plate away and floats at a distance "Sorry for the whole... bad news situation. I just figured... fi you are going to keep dodging picking a domain you need to understand this possibility..." he waits a moment before his phone gives a ding. he frowns at it "Work demands me again. Give it some thought. think about your domain and keep an eye on yourself." and Reaper disappears as if he was never there.

Blue frowns at where Reaper left and gives him a reassuraning smile "Hey. If you don't want to give me one you won't give me one. I trust you to not do it on purpose. And we will just make sure I stay in my own universe more! Not tempt fate!"

Dream frowns as he rubs his arm "Maybe i just need to pick a domain... but i don't want to accidentally force nightmare into a role he doesn't want..." it wouldn't be fair.

Blue frowns but Stretch speaks up "makes sense. fuck knows i would never have willingly picked Blue to also rememebr the resets."

Blue shoots him a look but Dream looks a thim confused "But i thoguth it was helping you?"

Stretch nods "It is. it is nice to have his support and everything" he smiles a tblue sadly befor elooking down "But it is a lot. the resets are a lot. i didn't... i didn't want to force him to deal with that." he shoots blue a look "I didn't want to force you to experience the same thing that i saw as hell. I didn't want to do that to you."

Blue frowns and goes to his brother to give him a hug. Dream relaxes and smiles a bit. because Stretch understands. Stretch understands why Dream can't make this choice just yet. Blue understands as well and... and trusts him.

Dream nods to himself and focuses. He doesn't want to give blue a title or boon. He wants blue to just remain his best friend. he wants blue to get the choice. He wants blue to get his chance to pick his future. He wants Nightmare to get his chance to pick his future.

To make their own paths.

To progress and grow in the way they want.

Dream smiles at the two brothers "Thank you two. for being my friends. real friends." he doesn't have many. which makes the two all the more special. and if they want to remain exactly as they are then Dream wants them to stay the way they are. because that truly gives them the chance to be and become who they want to be. instead of being what Dream wants.

Dream just hopes this will work. Because he also wants a chance to figure out who he truly is. And who he wants to be and what he wants. a chance to change and be. a chance to try and grow as a person.

Maybe that is all he ever really wanted.

*------------------*

Meanwhile Nightmare already figured his own domain out and is working on it. Also. No one tell Dream he already picked one. it just isn't as obvious. after all... Blue did mention that Dream helped him find a way to progress and move forwards :3

First drabble Prev drabble Next drabble

[lkfarrout]

Fifty (family fic)

No ships, just Stan being a father figure

Summary: Wendy finds herself in a tough situation and has to ask Stan for money

Warnings: light angst, mature themes (16+)

"Come in!"

With a shaky hand, Wendy slowly opened the door to Stan's office. Her boss was sat at his desk, fez off, a pen and calculator in hand. His frustration at the figures in front of him permeated the room.

"Wendy?" He barely glanced up at her before returning to his work, "Its your day off, kid. What do ya need?"

"Umm..." Wendy considered saying 'nevermind' and just walking out. But she didn't really have a choice. "...fifty dollars."

Stan started to laugh until he looked up and saw the tears welling in Wendy's eyes.

He rose to his feet and she continued, talking very quickly, "I'm sorry, Mr. Pines. You can take it out of my next paycheck, but I need it today. I didn't know who else to ask."

He came around and leaned on the edge of his desk, arms crossed. "What's it for?"

She just looked at the floor and rang her hat in her hands.

He moved closer and placed a heavy hand on her shoulder, "Look, kid. Whatever you did, I'm sure I did worse at your age. D'ya owe someone money?" She shook her head.

"Then what's it for?"

"You can't tell my dad."

"Okay, I won't."

Wendy continued to avoid his gaze.

"What's it for, kid?"

Wendy sighed, "...plan B."

Stan took a step back and rubbed the back of his neck. "I see."

An awkward silence filled the room.

Stan continued with a light chuckle, "It's fifty bucks these days? Sweet moses, I'm gettin' old."

Wendy didn't laugh.

"Look, it'll be alright. Head out to the car, I'll give the twins an excuse and meet you out there, okay?"

Wendy muttered a thank you and quickly left the room.

---

A rock song played inaudibly on the radio and Wendy stared out the passenger window at the trees going by.

Stan gripped the wheel, trying to think of anything to say.

He stuttered as he began, "Kid, I-- look, I aint gonna pry you for details. But if I need to go knock some sense into some knucklehead kid, I will."

"It's fine."

"It was some knucklehead kid, right? Not, y'know... an adult?" Stan cringed at his own question, but damnit, if he was gonna let some creep take advantage of a young girl like Wendy.

Wendy nodded, "Yeah, just Robbie."

"So why the hell isn't he paying for this?" He'd meant it as a joke, but quickly realized how mean it sounded.

"Look, I aint mad about paying for it, I just. He needs to learn some responsibility."

"We were responsible. It just, broke. And neither of us had the money. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. I'm... glad you told me."

Stan pulled the car into a parking spot.

"Stay here."

"It's okay, I can get it."

Stan insisted, "No, someone will recognize ya. I don't want you in any trouble."

He cracked the windows and shut the door with a click. Several minutes later, he returned and handed her a bag. "Hope that's the right stuff."

Wendy dug through it, surprised to find a bottle of water, a comic book, and a bar of chocolate in addition to the small cardboard box she expected.

She looked at Stan, who shrugged. "Figured you might need a little pick-me-up."

"Thanks, Mr. Pines. I'll work an extra day, or--"

He cut her off and waved his hand in the air, "Ah forget that, consider it free. It was... less expensive than I thought anyway." He looked away suspiciously before glancing back at her.

She punched him lightly in the arm, "You stole it?"

"No!" Stan protested, "I paid..."

She raised her eyebrows at him and he finished, "...for the water."

Stan laughed and Wendy smiled for the first time that morning. But her smile quickly dissipated with his next question.

"So, should I take you home?"

The look on her face was the only answer he needed. "Alright, you can hang at the shack today. But you'll have to put on a happy face for Dip and Mabel."

Wendy sighed, relieved, "Yeah, I will."

"I told the kids I was picking up lunch. How's pizza sound?"

---

They entered through the giftshop. Stan held the door open for Wendy with one hand, a pizza box in the other.

"Hey, uh, make sure you read that box real close and if you start to feel sick at all, let me know, okay?"

"I will, thanks." Wendy stayed behind like they'd discussed, and he continued toward the main part of the house before pausing.

"Oh, and use the phone in here to call Robbie. He should know that you got things worked out."

Wendy nodded and gave him a small smile.

"Guess who got pizza!"

The twins exclaimed happily and started to dig in.

Through a mouthful, Stan casually spoke. "Oh hey, save some for Wendy, I saw her walkin' over just a minute ago."

[audrey-carr1]

The Heiress and the Lady of the House (part 3)

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

A/N: I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out where I want this story to go. I think I have an idea now. I have also decided to switch to first person, I find it way easier to write that way and hopefully you all find it easier to read. I am going to switch over the other parts as well. We even have two new characters to join the fun!

word count: 3k

warnings/tags: fem!reader, original characters, usual shenanigans, mentions of hetty/trevor

End of November- end of month 1 

Hetty's been avoiding me. It's been two weeks since we danced and kissed, and she hasn't spoken a word. Now she'll barely look at me, and if she does it's like she sees straight through me. I notice her hang around Trevor more. Whilst at first, I thought it was Hetty being her usual cryptic self, I notice that her touches on him linger more than she usually does. Recently, thought I saw Trevor checking her out. Yet again it’s Trevor he checks every girl within the Woodstone property line out, so I’m not sure I can look into that entirely. 

“What is wrong, you have long face like horse,” Thor asks.

“Oh nothing, just silly girl stuff,” I say 

“Would you like to talk about it? Thor really good at listening and giving advice. If you have enemy, I show you how to crush skull. Very easy,”

“She’s not having enemy trouble, she’s having love trouble.” Sass interrupts

“Shush!” I say hoping he lowers his voice. 

“Am I wrong?” Sass says with a know-it-all all smirk.

My lack of answer causes his smirk to grow into a smile. 

“I appreciate the concern, but I feel like I should talk to Het-” I catch myself, “I should talk to the person who is giving me a long face before I go sharing my feelings,”

“Nice save,” Sass says before leaving with Thor. I groan inwardly. 

I don’t have much time in the day to talk to Hetty as I'm constantly tied up with guests. The upcoming holidays have brought a larger amount than what I had initially thought, so I feel like I’m being pulled in hundreds of directions. I barely have time to spend with the ghosts, let alone any time to myself. Thankfully Sam and Jay had the insight to allow me to hire a little holiday help. A couple of friends from university have been wanting to meet up with each other, so I offered them seasonal positions. It’s like killing two birds with one stone. Before they arrive, I sit the ghosts down to tell them of the upcoming changes. 

“Everyone I want to let you know that I will have a couple of friends helping me to keep this place running. They do know that I can see ghosts, and they as of recently know about you. They will only be here until after the New Year, then it’ll be just us all over again,” I explain, “My friend Nadine is going to stay with me in my room while my friend Riley will be staying at my house. This way we don’t lose any rooms, and I do not have to have any shenanigans from trying to bunk you people up. Nadine is a chef, so she’ll help me with the cooking. Riley is my jack of all trades so he’ll do anything I ask.” 

The ghosts nod their heads in agreement and simply go about to milling around as they usually do. 

“y/n can we help with decorations? Now that we have you around, we can help get the house all festive since we can touch things!” Flower suggests.

“I love it! That’s a great idea Flower!” I say.

“What is?”  Flower questions

Oh, Flower. “Alright, I should have expected that,” I say before going off to the basement.

Soon the ghosts and I begin to bring out the holiday decorations. Instead of putting up a commercial tree, Thor and I went out to the forest to cut down a pine on the property and brought it back to the house. Pete and Trevor string the lights while Flower begins to sort through the ornaments under the guidance of Sass. Alberta and Isaac string together the popcorn garland, and Hetty oversees the entire operation. 

“Aren’t you going to help Hetty?” Isaac asks

“As Lady of the House, I am helping! By supervising,” Hetty says nose slightly in the air

The front door chimes before a familiar voice yells out “Hello!” 

I gasp, quickly leaving my post at the popcorn bowl to go to the lobby. 

“Nadine! Riley!” I practically squeal. 

I first run to Nadine, we exchange kisses on the cheek before embracing in a hug. Then I go to Riley who picks me up and spins me with ease. 

“Oh, it’s been too long!” He says squeezing me in his arms. 

“Alright, you can put me down, stronghold,” I laugh as he places me back down on my feet. As he puts me down, I happen to look in the direction of the room I just left. I see the ghosts peering their heads around the corner like children before quickly going back into the room. The only one who does not move positions and stands in full view is Hetty with an unreadable expression. I assume it’s Hetty being curious, and I shoot her a wink before I take Nadine and Riley into the kitchen.

“How have you been since graduation?” Nadine asks while she and Riley sit at the table

“The same, honestly just trying to find my place in the world. Now that I’ve become a heiress, I feel as if I’ve been operating on autopilot,” I reply. I grab a snack tray from the fridge before making my way to them

“Yeah, how come you never knew your grandmother was super loaded?” Riley questions before popping a grape in his mouth. 

“Honestly, we never talked about it. She always made sure I knew the importance of hard work probably so when I became an heiress I wouldn’t act like an entitled one. My parents said they saved for me to go to any school I chose. The money I received from their death went to an account I only used to pay for my car and rent. Now I work to keep myself busy, and this isn’t bad gig. I have 8 forms of entertainment plus guests to keep me busy ” I say

“Speaking of 8 forms of entertainment, what about that ghost you said was cute,” Nadine asks.

“Can you keep your voice down? They’re dead, but they hear everything. They would never let me live that down if they found out,” I say feeling a blush on my cheeks.

“Have you told them how you can see them yet?” Riley asks.

“I haven’t spoken to anyone about it, besides my two trusted friends,” I say referring to them. 

“They don’t ask questions?” Nadine questions

“Oh they are plenty curious, but I tend to avoid the subject as much as I can. We just figured out that I can do more than see them. Anything I touch, they can also touch,” I tell them. 

“Oh, so they can eat and drink now?” Riley asks now sitting up in his seat. 

“Not necessarily. We tried that, and it ended with a lot of food ending up on the floor,” I say remembering the memory of Sass trying to eat pizza and failing miserably. 

“I guess you can say it goes straight through them,” Riley says knocking his head back in laughter. Nadine and I look at each other and roll our eyes. 

“Oh come on guys, that was funny!” Riley says trying to get us on his side. 

“Sure it was,” Nadine mocks. 

“But back to before, how is it exactly that you can see them? We know that you had that drowning incident, but that doesn’t really explain how you can see them,” 

“Well, it’s not like exactly read up on it. I just know that I had a near-death experience, and I guess since I was in between two worlds, I can see both sides,”

“Yeah, but you’re saying only the ghosts have powers. Your boss Sam sees ghosts, but she doesn’t have a power,”

“She was only clinically dead for 3 minutes. I had a full-blown Meredith Grey incident, and I was dead for a while,” I say. 

“Well “Meredith Grey” maybe a part of you is still trapped on the other side, you never fully returned,” Nadine says

“I don’t know Nadine, like I said I don’t really read up on it. I just accepted that it happened. In fact this is the longest I’ve talked about the incident outside of therapy,” 

“Sorry, we don’t mean to push,” Riley says putting his hand on mine

“No, I understand, I would be curious too,” I say turning my hand over and giving her hand a squeeze. 

“Are any of them in the room now?” Nadine asks looking around for a sign of them

“No, in fact, I don’t hear them either. Let me check that they haven’t fallen in some hole or have been ghost-napped again,”

“Again?” Riley asks.

“Long story,” I say getting up from the table.

I turn the corner exiting to be met with 6 guilty faces. It’s like watching children getting their hands caught in the cookie jar.

“Oh, this is the kitchen guys, not the living room. Onward men…and women,” Isaac says as they hurriedly leave. 

“I thought we were going to the kitchen to eavesdrop on the living to see if we could get any hot gossip,” Flower says before Alberta drags her along with the rest of the group. 

“They were eavesdropping weren’t they?” Nadine asks.

“Oh most definitely,” I say chuckling to myself.

“Were they all there?” Riley asks.

“Most of them, Trevor and Hetty were missing, but they tend to go off a lot more often as of late,” I reply walking back to the table.

Riley and Nadine share a quick look before quickly returning their gaze to me. 

“How about I give y’all a tour?” I ask. 

Beginning of December - month 2 

I turn the corner to go towards the lobby, and I almost trip over a left-out decorations box. Before I fall to the floor, Riley is there to catch me. Thor was right, I really need to watch my step around here. 

“Watch it, Princess, would hate to break the merchandise,” Riley laughs as he steadies me on my feet.

“Oh, you two get a room already!” Nadine teases from the top of the stairs having seen the scene from the top of the stairs. She descends the stairs and goes out the front door. No doubt going on her morning run. 

“Oh my knight in shining armor, you couldn’t afford me if you tried. I’m quite expensive with the most expensive tastes,” I tease back. 

“Oh you wish,” Riley says picking the box and taking it to the basement. 

I roll my eyes. “Oh, I most definitely do. I’d take a night with those muscles any day,” I say before he’s out of earshot. I turn back to my task, and I see Hetty.

“Hey Hetty,” I say giving her a smile.

“What is the relationship between you and this Riley?” Hetty asks looking me in my eyes. 

“Um friendly? I guess,” I say raising an eyebrow in confusion.

“You guess?” Hetty’s eyebrow also raises in question. I try not to focus on the warm feeling I get when she looks at me like that. 

“Riley and I are just friends, and we have been since my freshman year of university,” I tell her. 

“So you recently saying you "wouldn’t mind a night with those muscles" meant nothing? ” Hetty questions

“Meant nothing,” I assure Hetty. 

Hetty purses her lips, pondering my answer. She lets out a “hmph” before going on her way. 

“Hetty?” I ask before she leaves completely

“Sorry, I have to meet with Trevor,” Hetty says without missing a beat

“Oh, I was going to ask if you wanted to go for a walk. The guests don’t check in for another couple of hours and-” I begin. 

“Sorry dear, I simply must go,” Hetty says before trotting off. 

I try to ignore the burn in my throat. I shake my head at the feeling of loss and jealousy. 

I try to keep my mind focused on the guests and running the B&B as efficiently as I can. “No use crying over spilled milk,” I tell myself. 

Riley, Nadine, and I work quite well together. Riley is a great fit at the front desk charming the guests as they check in. Nadine has been a great help in the kitchen, she always seems to know exactly what it is that I need. I dip my tasting spoon into a new pasta sauce recipe I’ve been wanting to try. 

“How does it taste?” Nadine asks

“It’s fine, I think I’m missing something,” I say. 

“Here let me taste,” Nadine says. I hand her the tasting spoon. 

“Taste like you need just a pinch more garlic and maybe a dash more of the red wine,” Nadine says handing the spoon back to me

I do as she suggests, and I moan in delight as I taste the now-perfected sauce.

“Oh this should be bottled,” I say. 

“The heiress is going to start a sauce company? What will Ragu do?” Nadine laughs as she finishes dipping the dessert fruit in chocolate. 

“You want some of the leftover chocolate?” Nadine asks dipping her finger into the bowl. 

“Is the sky blue?” I ask turning my sauce off and putting it off the heat. I wash my hands and also dip my finger in the bowl. As I bring my finger to my mouth, a bit of chocolate falls on my chest. Before I can get to it, Nadine has reaches her finger over to grab the missed chocolate and brings it to her mouth. 

Hetty enters the kitchen at the exact moment Nadine's finger swipes the chocolate from my chest and to her lips. 

“Oh I see we just let everyone eat off of each other,” Hetty says in annoyance before exiting the kitchen. “She might as well just lick it off you the next time,” 

“Nadine, excuse me for a moment. Ghost duty calls,” I excuse myself placing the dish towel in my hand on the counter. 

“Oh yeah, of course, I’m going to finish putting up the small decorations if you don’t mind,” Nadine says untying her apron. 

“No you go ahead, I’ll finish in the kitchen once I’m done,” I say leaving the kitchen to catch up with Hetty. 

“Save me some chocolate!” Riley calls from the lobby.

I find Hetty upstairs living room. 

“Hetty, what is going on? Your temper with me seems to be at a short fuse,”

“It has not,” Hetty says avoiding my gaze. 

I hear Riley call for me, and I wish he had better timing. 

“You might want to go see what your muscled desk boy wants,” Hetty says. 

I nearly scream in annoyance and frustration, but I decide not to.

“This conversation is not over,” I say before I storm past Alberta heading down the stairs. Alberta heads into the living room with Hetty and blocks Hetty from exiting. 

“Hetty what is going on?” Alberta asks

“I haven’t the slightest idea of what you’re talking about,” Hetty says 

“You are driving that girl up a wall, and not in a good way,”

“I have not. I have been simply-” Hetty begins.

“Ignoring her,” Isaac says cutting Hetty off as he enters the room. 

“Oh great another gossip,” Hetty says as she sits on the couch,” Please tell me what my other grievances are.”

“Hetty we are worried about you. When she first got here, you were so excited to have as you said “another woman of high status” to join you. Then you walked around like the cat who got the cream once you finally kissed her,”

“I did not,” Hetty says fidgeting with her hands. 

“You most certainly did!” Alberta laughs, “ She must be some kisser because it was almost as if you sat on the washing machine again. 

Hetty blushes at the memory, she hates her how her friends can see through her facade.

“Hetty what is it that makes you act like this?” Isaac says sitting next to Hetty

“That’s the issue, Isaac. I do not know! I haven’t felt like this since I tried to run off with that painter,”

It dawns on Isaac,” Hetty do you know what it means?”

“Obviously not,” Hetty says waiting for Isaac to enlighten her. 

“Hetty, you two were practically inseparable. The two of you were practically finishing each other’s sentences, going on walks, and having movie dates,”

“Oh remember when you told me that you enjoyed how the sun made her eyes sparkle on your walks,” Alberta chimes in. 

“Remember that one time, we caught them cuddled up watching Bodices and Barons?” Isaac adds.

“Oh, how could I forget they looked so cute! (y/n) draped over Hetty with Hetty’s arms possesively wrapped around her,” Alberta says. 

“The both of you are absolutely incorrigible,” Hetty says in defeat.  

“And you’re blushing and in love!” Isaac says kicking his feet in the air. 

“I most absolutely am not,” Hetty says snatching her hands away. 

“Hetty and (y/n) sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” Alberta begins to sing. 

Hetty simply puts her face in her hands. Hetty was so out of sorts even her mannerisms were becoming too unladylike for her. Hetty decides it’s time to grab the bull by the horns.

“If you two are done acting so childly, I am going to go and find and talk to (y/n),” Hetty says rising from the couch. She blames the butterflies in her stomach on the sudden change of posture rather than nerves. 

“Finally! Have fun and don’t come back until you look like you’ve had fun with the washer,” Alberta calls. This sends Isaac and Hetty in a fit of laughter. 

Hetty leaves the room and goes to enter your bedroom. Hetty begins to debate on whether she should enter or not, and then on a whim decides to enter the room. Upon entry, she has to fight to keep down a gasp as she watches Nadine kiss you. She quickly leaves the room and feels the butterflies in her stomach turn to lead.

[herearedragons]

The Hanged Man (Chapter 3: An Eothasian's Death)

Chapter 1

Read on AO3

Notes: this chapter has an additional content warning, however it is spoiler-y, so I'm going to leave it in the replies

Once Selene had left, Edér turned away from the door and took a good look at his house.

The mess Algar had made was still there; Edér had pushed the chest back into place and put away the clothes he didn't end up wearing, but that was as far as he got before leaving with Selene to see the crime scene. Most of it was still out in the open, bits and pieces of his life piled up in places they didn’t belong.

And then there was his own mess, too: the weeks-old dust and the dirty firepit and the unmade bed in the other room – that last one was the guards’ fault, but if he was being honest with himself, most days he didn't bother with it anyway.

Truth was, he'd been living like a thief in his own house long before Algar showed up; the bed and the chest and the firepit were the only things he touched regularly, and most everything else he wasn't even looking at anymore. He'd come home at night, sleep, and be out the door first thing in the morning, ready for a bright new day of being an eyesore around town.

If someone asked him what the Hel he was doing or planning to do with himself, he wouldn't know how to answer – but nobody did ask, so it was working out fine for a while.

Then there was a Watcher in town, and then there was a Hollow birth in the lord’s house, and now Edér was standing like a stranger in the house he grew up in, staring at the dark imprints on the wall where his father hung up his hammer and saw years ago. And there they stayed, until someone came and took them down thinking there was no one left living that could lay claim to them anymore.

Something about that set his stomach turning, and it wasn't the image of Algar walking away with his stuff as he dangles purple-faced from a creaking old branch on the temple tree.

Well, that also. But not just that.

Something about the fact that if Algar hadn't taken those tools down, Edér might've never touched them again.

He'd never pick up that hammer to fix a chair that got rickety. He'd never take that saw and make a table out of an alder tree.

There wasn't any point in taking them with him if – when – he was going to leave town. He'd go, and they'd just stay there on the wall, until they rusted away or someone like Algar came by and picked them up. Or maybe new settlers would move in, some poor souls that haven't figured out Raedric was insane yet, and use those tools to make a home out of his house again.

Something about that was making him feel like he'd failed. He didn’t like that feeling, and he wasn’t really sure what to do about it.

So Edér did his best to push it out of his mind, and got to cleaning.

First, he put away everything Algar had taken out. Then he made his bed. Then, he wiped off the dust and cleaned the firepit and swept the floor.

It was slow going at first, but somewhere along the way the motions stopped being a struggle and became mindless routine; he might’ve fallen out of the habit of keeping tidy for a while, but his body hadn’t forgotten how to do the work just yet.

By the time he was done, the house was looking the best it had looked in months. All ready for guests, if you ignored the fact that there was nothing in the pantry and that at this point, most folks in town would rather share a meal with a wicht than sit at a table with him.

There was something satisfying about seeing the rooms tidy again, seeing proof that they were still lived in. How long it would stay that way, Edér didn’t know, but for now it put his mind just a little more at ease.

Outside, the bell chimed midday, and Edér realized that he was hungry.

It made sense that he was – he must have been at it for a couple hours, by now – but the surprising part was that he felt it. That hadn’t happened to him for a while now.

He sat down to eat at the alder table; another first-in-weeks.

Another meal meant another portion of the rations he’d packed for the road gone; he didn’t have anything else in the house. If this “house arrest” thing would go on for a few more days, that could be a problem.

He did have some money saved up from his farm work, still. He could ask Selene to let him stop by the Black Hound to buy more food, though then he’d be taking away from the coin he could really use once he got to Defiance Bay.

Defiance Bay was where he was going, probably. That was where everyone was going, which for a while made him doubt that it was a good idea to follow, but now that he’d met Selene… He knew he’d have a friend there, at least.

Well, maybe it was too early to call her a friend, but she seemed alright – and, more importantly, seemed to think he was alright, which was rare enough these days.

She’d probably be able to tell him where to find good work once he got to the city.

Would she be going back to Defiance Bay, after this? Would she let him tag along?

Even if not, he’d probably be fine as long as he didn’t use up all of his food and coin in Gilded Vale. Anslög's Compass was about a day’s travel away on foot; he’d be able to get there and trade with the fishermen, maybe earn some coppers hauling up nets or barrels of fish or… whatever it was that fishermen needed help with, he didn’t really know. And there was Ranga the healer, who'd set up shop in the Compass a while ago; there was bound to be some kind of errand he could run for her, and she would probably have supplies for sale.

He’d get there eventually, was the point. He had options.

Sitting by the dining table, Edér had a good view of one of the windows, and he could see people walk by every once in a while. There were more of them than usual; some of them looked like they had a good reason to be there, others didn’t, but they would all glance at his house before they kept walking. Some would even stop and stare for a good few seconds.

He supposed this was Gilded Vale’s new curiosity, now: the murderer’s house.

It was some entertainment, at least, watching the folks watching him. He did that for a while, and once he got sick of it, he got up and closed the shutters on the window facing the path. 

It was a little past midday. He had no idea when Selene would come back.

He’d already unlocked the chest to take out his traveling pack, so Edér opened it again and hauled out his armor and weapons. He cleared out some space in the middle of the room, spread a blanket on the floor and set everything out the way he’d been taught, with the scale mail in the middle and the smaller pieces on the sides and the sword and shield below.

He cleaned and oiled the armor, then packed it back up. He was going to do the same with the sword, but something got into him – the realization that then he’d have nothing left to do but pace around and stare at the ceiling, probably – and instead he kept the weapons out, rolled up the blanket, and spent some time doing practice drills. Wasn’t the greatest idea to do that in the house, but he didn’t really have a choice in the matter.

He could do what he always did: pack his pipe, station himself in front of something mildly interesting to stare at and just let time pass. He was maybe still going to do that later, if things got really boring.

But right now, something in him was itching to stay here, in the small not-yet-abandoned house that was still his, with the people outside trying to catch a glimpse of him through the window, with the questions in the back of his mind brought clearer into focus with every slash of his sword and every swing of his shield against thin air.

How was this going to end?

What kind of “Dunryd Row business” could Selene have in Gilded Vale?

What would she do if she found out about the murder he did commit?

Was it really Raedric?

If it was him, why blame it on someone else? He’d never been shy about killing before.

Was it because she was his wife?

…Or was there something else about her death that would be bad for him?

And there was also the matter of how quick it all played out. The lady’s body turned up, and it wasn’t even morning before Urgeat and half of Raedric’s guards showed up – as if they knew something like that was going to happen.

That last point was interesting, but Edér didn’t know what to do with it yet. He supposed he could bring it up to Selene, see if she had any insights about it. 

He practiced until his arms and back were sore, and then did the cleaning and oiling like he was going to in the first place, trying to stretch that last bit of activity for as long as he could.

After some thought, he decided to keep his sword and shield out of the chest. Not that he was expecting to use them, but waking up to a mob kicking your door down ought to teach you some caution.

So Edér wrapped the sword and shield up in that same blanket and stashed them under the bed, where he’d be able to get to them quickly if something happened at night.

Then he washed up, and then he sat at the dining table again and stared at the room for a while.

It was still a long wait until sundown.

There was one thing he still hadn’t put back in its place: the prayer book. It was still there at the edge of the table; if books had eyes, Edér was pretty sure that it would have been staring at him. Not angrily; more in that priestly, softly accusing, you-know-what-you-did-don’t-you kind of way.

Honestly, he didn’t know what he was going to do with the book. Taking it with him to Defiance Bay seemed like a bad idea, and the thought of just leaving it here stirred up that sense of failure again.

Giving up on the book wasn’t the same as giving up on Eothas. Not opening the book wasn’t the same as giving up on Eothas. Not saying the prayers from it wasn’t the same as – 

It wasn’t that he lost faith. It’s just, praying, the kind of praying you’d do with the hymns from one of these, was something you did together. With family, or with a community. That was the point: to see the eyes of everyone in the room light up, to hear all those voices become one voice.

If the point of praying was just talking to Eothas, Edér could do that in his head just fine. He did do that, for a while, and all that did was get him used to the idea that probably no one was listening anymore.

So he just went on calling himself an Eothasian while barely doing anything Eothasian about it.

Then again, it seemed like the most Eothasian thing you could do these days was dying.

Eventually he got tired of staring at the book and decided that he was going to put it away after all, back on the ceiling beam where it belonged.

The cover was a warm yellow with bits of goldwork on the corners, depicting suns and stars. No title on the outside; the symbols spoke for themselves.

He knew what he’d see if he opened it: familiar words, pretty ink illustrations of Eothas with his crown and candle.

It wasn’t really his book, or even his family’s; used to be a couple of those in Gilded Vale, passed back and forth between households. Those were for holidays and special days, like births or weddings, and usually someone would bring one and leave it in the house where the event was happening, and then that family would bring it to the next one, and so on. 

Then, after the war, this book wound up at their house; not because there had been a birth or a death or a wedding, but because the family that was keeping it before was leaving town, and they weren’t taking the book with them.

You need it more, they said. To this day, Edér wasn’t sure what exactly they meant by that.

And then came a time when there were no other Eothasians and no other prayer books in Gilded Vale. Somehow, just this one stuck around; still intact, for no good reason, kind of like Edér himself.

He suddenly felt the urge to open it, to leaf through the pictures. To see the one that was his favorite as a kid, because it had Eothas surrounded by a gaggle of children, and he and Woden would stare at it for ages trying to find the kids that looked the most like them.

He didn’t open the book. He climbed onto the table and hid it under the ceiling again.

Then he lit the fire, and packed his pipe, and stared at the embers in the firepit until it got dark enough to sleep.

☀︎

Despite the pleasant fuzziness of whiteleaf lingering in his mind, it took him a while to actually fall asleep; there was some restless feeling keeping him awake, like there was something he was supposed to do, and didn't.

So Edér spent some time staring at the ceiling, and then staring at the wall, and then at the ceiling again.

There was a point where it felt like he wasn't going to get any sleep at all, but eventually, among the blurry grey shapes of furniture and the distant sound of a cat yowling outside and a weird awareness of the weapons he’d stashed under the bed, somehow he drifted off.

It wasn’t peaceful sleep by any means. There were dreams, which Edér honestly could have done without; taking him back to some godsforsaken march on a muddy road, and then back home, to the last Reaping he’d ever attended – and then, of course, to the tree. 

He was standing on the barrel again, and Selene was there, but this time she didn’t speak up to stop it; she just stood in the crowd, watching, just like the rest of them.

Edér tried to ask her why wasn’t she doing anything, but found that his voice wasn’t working, the way it happens in dreams sometimes.

Then the crowd began to clap.

It was a weird, rhythmic clap, with a kind of wooden sound about it, and it was coming from all around him, not just the front where the people were standing. Somehow it overtook everything else in the dream, even the fear of losing that solid platform under his feet – and then he was half awake, with some part of his mind still stuck in the town square and the rest of him vaguely aware of the pillow and sheets around him, and that annoying noise – more tapping than clapping, now that he was thinking about it – still echoing.

Then, the noise stopped. There was a splashing sound, like someone was emptying out a water trough, or the contents of their stomach.

The town square had faded away entirely at that point, leaving him alone in the dark, trying to puzzle out whether he was hearing something real or having one of those weird waking dream moments.

Then came a new sound – a little tink-tink, barely audible to him – and an unmistakable whoosh, and a crackle.

And the smell of burning.

Edér shot up from the bed, awake at once.

Two more noises, two more fires starting. He wasn’t dreaming any of this.

Where? -

He went to open the closest window to look, and found three things there. The shutters wouldn’t budge, secured somehow from outside; they were hot to the touch, and an orange glow was trickling into the room through the crack between them.

A quick look revealed a similar situation with the other windows, and the door.

His body was moving fast, but his brain was having trouble catching up.

The house was on fire.

Someone had set the house on fire, with him inside it, and sealed off all the exits.

What he heard was flint and steel, and the splashing before that was oil or whatever they used for fuel, and the tapping was… had they boarded up the windows? That would take more than one person to do all at once.

How many people were out there?

What the Hel was happening?

This kind of stuff didn’t happen in Gilded Vale. Gilded Vale had a deranged lord who’d hang and exile folks on a whim and collapse temples, and people too scared to do anything about it, too happy to point at someone else if it was going to save them – but Gilded Vale didn’t burn people alive. 

Did it?

Or did something change while Edér was sleeping?

The room was filling with smoke, and so were his eyes and his lungs, sending him tearing up and coughing.

He looked around.

There was a jug of water for washing, which he had almost used up, and there was a full waterskin still in his pack. That wouldn’t put anything out, but he could still use it.

He pulled out a spare shirt, soaked it in water from the waterskin and wrapped it around his face. That would help, but not for long.

He retreated into the middle of the main room, away from the flames, getting all the way into the firepit; there was probably a joke in there somewhere, but there were other things on his mind right now.

Another fwoosh and a sudden brightening of the room sent him jumping in place, whipping around just in time to see his bed go up in flames in the other room; a spark must have made it through the window.

The fire had now properly made its way into the house. Eventually the thatched roof would catch, and then what was he going to do?

Not call for help, that’s for sure. Wasn’t any point in getting a lungful of smoke when no one was going to answer anyway.

As far as he knew, the entire town could have been out there, watching, waiting to hear him scream.

Fuck.

He could feel his heart racing, smoke stinging his lungs, sweat soaking his clothes. He hadn’t stopped keeping an eye on the flames, and he hadn’t stopped thinking about a way out, but all his mind did was spew out nonsense, and meanwhile it was getting hotter and hotter around, and harder and harder to breathe.

The door wasn’t an option. There was the chain, and, from the way it didn’t even rattle when he tried it, they must have put something against it for good measure.

He could try to break a window. That would be a lot of fire and sharp wood to crawl through.

Neither of those were good ideas. 

The fire had made it up onto the ceiling beams.

Maybe calling for help was the only thing he could do.

Maybe there was still someone who would listen.

Maybe -

Selene.

Where was Selene?

Gods, he hoped they didn’t get her too.

They wouldn’t. Right? She was a Dunryd Row agent. She worked for the duc. She was Ondra-touched, for gods’ sake.

They wouldn’t want to hurt her, right?

Then again, he didn’t really know anymore.

Selene said that thoughts of distress were loud. Well, he was probably going to die unless someone did something about it real soon; that was a distressing thought, if he's ever had one.

How loud would his thoughts have to be for her to hear him?

Edér crouched down in the firepit, took as deep of a breath as he dared through his wet cloth, and thought: help.

A crackling above his head told him that the fire was spreading.

Selene. Are you there? Selene?

Nothing.

Please don’t be dead. I REALLY need you to not be dead and to hear me right now.

He was starting to feel kind of dizzy, which was bad.

SELENE!

…Nothing.

Maybe she was gone. Maybe she just couldn’t hear him.

After all of this, the hanging, the investigation, he was still going to die like an Eothasian – purged by fire, just like the people in Cold Morn.

The tree would have been better, at this point.

It was always like this.

They got Raedric’s rats off Raedulf’s back, let the kid get himself together, pitched in to help him keep the temple running – and eventually, new priests showed up. Real priests of Eothas, folks that still had hope and were looking for a place to put it, and they thought they’d found that place in Gilded Vale. They came and settled and started tending the temple, and for a while, it almost felt like things could be normal again.

Then Raedric sacked the temple, and they all died in there. Including Raedulf.

Maybe that, not the Legacy, was Eothas’ real curse. Maybe there wouldn’t be second chances for anyone anymore, and trying to save something or someone would only ever doom them to a worse fate.

Maybe – 

Edér! Edér, can you hear me?

Selene’s voice in his head, as clear as if she was in the room with him.

She wasn’t dead. She wasn’t gone.

She heard him.

I can, he thought.

Oh gods. Are you still inside?

Sure am. Help?

Hold on. I’m almost there. I’m coming.

Just hearing that, his surroundings seemed to come clearer into focus again.

It wasn’t relief, not yet; he was still cooking alive in his own house with no way out. But Selene said that she was coming for him, and Edér believed her.

Not much else I can do, he thought back at her, and added: It’s getting real hot in here.

I’m coming. Keep talking to me. What happened?

Well, someone boarded up the windows and maybe the door while I was sleeping, and then lit the house on fire.

Did you see or hear them?

Just heard the fire starting.

Understood, she said, and then:

I’m here. No one else is outside. They pushed a cart against the door and set it on fire. Are you with me?

I am.

Listen to me. You’re going to feel weak in a second; whatever you do, don’t pass out. Can you do that?

Been doing alright on that so far.

Good. Hold on.

Just as Selene finished saying that, he felt it: a wave of nausea and weakness, the weight of his own body suddenly unbearable. Forget breaking a window; it was now taking everything he had left to keep pressing the wet rag to his face, which felt more and more like willingly suffocating himself. 

If it wasn’t for Selene’s warning, he would have thought that was it; time to say his goodbyes.

But it wasn’t just his body giving out. Something else was happening.

His vision blurred, and for a moment, he was somewhere else; not inside the house, but outside, sinking both hands into a nearby rainwater barrel and then pulling something out: dripping wet black fabric, lots of it.

The hands weren’t his. They were smaller, black-sleeved, black-gloved.

It took him a second to realize they were Selene’s.

She heaved her waterlogged black cloak out of the barrel, and Edér felt his muscles tense as if he was the one doing the lifting. Somehow, he was in two places at once: inside, shaking with the effort of not falling over, and outside, carrying Selene’s cloak towards the burning house with what felt like his usual strength.

That was definitely some cipher stuff. He didn’t understand what was happening, but if it was going to get him out, he was going along with it.

Selene approached the burning cart, threw the cloak over a part of it, and pushed.

Again, he felt the effort of it; it was hard to see, but the cart must have been loaded with something, because he found himself straining to move it at first – and then there was give, and then some more, and it rolled away enough to expose the door.

Once it did, the vision faded, and with it the weird weakness. Not that he was doing great – at this point it felt like there was more smoke than air around, and every breath he took burned hotter and hotter in his throat – but at least he could move again.

Then, Selene said:

Get as far away from the door as you can and get down.

Fortunately, he was already kind of doing that.

He let her know.

For a second, nothing was happening, and then there was a noise so loud that it carried over the flames and the cracking wood; one Edér hadn’t heard in years now, but it wasn’t the kind of sound you forget.

It was a pistol shot – and then, almost immediately, the sound of a bullet hitting metal, and a chain falling.

So Selene did have a weapon besides her own mind. And, from the sound of it, she'd just taken care of the chain.

Then the door swung inward, and through the flames Edér caught a glimpse of a dark sky and of a figure standing in the doorway; black clothes and glowing white hair and curling horns.

He couldn't see her face clearly, but somehow knew that she saw him too.

He had an exit now. An exit that was on fire, but so was everything else around him at this point - and, now that he'd seen the outside, he was going to get there or die trying.

All he had to do was get through that doorway.

Won’t be pleasant, Edér thought; more to himself than to Selene, but she must have been listening, because she said:

You’ll get hurt, but you won’t feel the pain. I’ll take care of that. Just don’t breathe near the flames, and don’t do anything stupid.

Well, that was handy; if he was about to be burned to a crisp, at least he wouldn't feel it.

She stepped away from the doorway, giving him a clean shot through.

Edér held his breath, covered his face as best as he could, and charged for the exit.

It felt like… nothing. Selene warned him, and it still took him by surprise; he didn’t feel the heat of the fire or the impact of crashing onto the hard ground outside, rolling to suffocate any flames that caught on to his clothes.

There was a feeling of resistance when he did all that, an awareness that something was pushing against him, but there was no pain at all.

And then he was outside, in the cold night air, in the dark, illuminated by the fire behind him, and something dropped onto him: heavy, wet fabric.

Selene’s cloak. It was cold against his skin, and clung to him as he tried to pull it off in a daze.

“Hold on.”

Her voice, muffled by the fabric and the ringing in his ears; not in his head anymore. She was actually near him, now.

Eventually he got to a point where he was sitting and the cloak was no longer over his head and Selene was next to him. He still didn’t feel any pain, but everything felt slow and heavy, the smallest movement an effort.

She held a little bottle up to his mouth.

“Drink. No – don’t take it with your hand, just drink.”

The smell of it snapped him back to his senses somewhat. It was a potion, of the healing kind; not the mild kind you’d get for a sick child, but the strong, sharp-smelling stuff you’d feed to a soldier who got stuck with an arrow to get him right back on his feet.

Like priest spells, those were precious and limited; if you were lucky enough to be given one, you did whatever it took to get it down and keep it down, no matter what your body had to say about it, because that was how you survived.

Edér did just that.

Selene must have let go of whatever block she’d put on his ability to feel pain, because for a second he felt it all – he realized, then, why she insisted that he shouldn’t try to use his hand – but then, mercifully, it started to fade.

Over the course of just a few seconds, the burns and scrapes he’d acquired went from fresh to looking and feeling as though they were weeks old; the pain in his throat and chest had disappeared completely.

“Better?”

Selene was still there, kneeling by his side.

Edér nodded.

“Good. Try to say something?”

“...That’s two for two for you saving me. Don’t take this the wrong way, but how ‘bout we don’t make it three?”

She let out a little laugh. Was that the first time he’d ever heard her laugh?

“Alright, you’re fine. I’m glad.”

And then she added, quieter and with a more serious tone to it:

“You did well.”

He managed something like a smile.

“Did well almost getting roasted?”

“Did well holding on long enough for me to get here.”

“You know what, I’ll take it.”

And then his eyes went back to the roaring blaze where his house used to be, and the realization finally hit him.

That was beyond saving. Everything in that house was lost. 

His mother’s spinning wheel. The table he and Woden and their father made together. The chair his dog always used to gnaw on, and the clothes his mother sewed for him, and the bed where Woden slept, and the prayer book.

Everything he packed for the journey to Defiance Bay was gone, too.

It was all slowly turning to charcoal right before his eyes, and he was just watching it happen, like Selene in his dream watching his hanging and not doing anything to stop it.

He couldn’t do anything, of course. All he could do was stare at the flames, blinking away smoke-induced tears, and bear witness to the last moments of his childhood home.

Selene didn’t say anything, but at some point she reached over and gently put her hand over his; when he didn’t pull away, she took his hand and squeezed hard.

That helped.

Edér squeezed back.

They sat together in silence and watched the house burn.

[blamemma]

candid 😊

cw: somnophilia, non-con/dub-con :)

Max pads down the hallway, socked feet hitting the cool wood, heading towards Daniel's office.

"Daniel, do you maybe know which suitcase I packed my toothbrush charger in?" Max asks, entering Daniel's small office space. It's a dark room, Corey apparently told Daniel that would be good for when he was editing his photos. A few of Daniel's less important trophies adorn the walls, photo albums are stacked onto shelves that Max takes down regularly to fawn through, rolls of film and cameras that Max isn't allowed to touch are off to the side, resting on a chest of drawers.

Daniel leaps forward in his chair as Max enters, the desktop screen in front of him going black, before turning sheepishly around to look at Max, eyes wide.

"What were you doing?" Max laughs, walking closer to Daniel.

"Nothing- just catching up on emails." Daniel fumbles out, avoiding eye contact, choosing instead to pick up Max's hand from where he's stood in front of him, and playing with the ring on his finger.

"That is a lie," Max chides. "If you were watching porn you do not have to be ashamed." Max chooses to sometimes, the ring on his finger proof that Daniel would never get bored of him, but they both like to try new things, and Max likes to do the research. He lets himself get all worked up, doesn't touch himself, just waits, achingly hard, until Daniel comes home and falls to his knees in front of him. Takes care of him.

"No--" Daniel rebuts quickly. "Just e-mails. Photos. Ya' know. After holiday stuff."

"You were looking through the holiday photos?" Max asks. He immediately sits himself down in Daniel's lap, swinging them back around towards the computer. "We can look through them together. Then choose the best ones of course for your instagram." Daniel's hand comes around Max's waist, pulling him tight to Daniel's chest and Max can feel the beat of his heart, fast--erratic.

Max pushes the small button on the side of the computer and the screen lights up again--it's him. Asleep. In the hammock tied under a palm tree. Sun falling over his face, his hair a golden blonde in this lighting, his mouth slightly wide. Max shuffles in Daniel's lap, getting more comfortable. He surprisingly doesn't hate the photo, more surprised that Daniel would hide it from him. He pulls the mouse towards him, and clicks onto the next one.

It's him, again. On the queen sized bed. Asleep on his front. His knee bent upwards, a thin sheet draped across his lower half, leaving Max with only a tiny bit of decency. It must of been a late afternoon nap, as the room is lit up in warm amber hues. Max can feel himself going red all over, can feel Daniel barely breathing below him. Seeing himself so at peace, rested, he looks calm, serene. He's never seen himself like this.

He reaches forward for the mouse again, grasping it, but Daniel's hand rests on his, forceful.

"Don't," Daniel whines, resting his forehead onto Max's shoulder at the same time. Max doesn't listen, Daniel's begging only making him want to see more.

The next photo--Max takes a sharp inhale. Daniel grips him tighter to him, fingers pressing into Max's waist.

Max is in the same position as before, but this time, the white sheet has been removed. The photos in portrait, and at the bottom, the head of Daniel's dick is in view, cum pooling at the tip. Max's mouth waters. Daniel's other hand, the one not holding the camera, the one with the rose tattoo Max loves to bite down on when they have to be quiet, is cupping Max's ass, holding it. Max's back and hole is covered in cum--Daniel's cum-- white streaks intermixed with the freckles littering Max's back. It's quiet between them, the only sound filling the office being them both breathing heavily.

"Daniel--" Max whispers.

"I'm so sorry baby," Daniel timidly says, kissing Max's neck. "You're such a deep sleeper. You look so relaxed, calm, rested. It just does something to me. You looking so looked after. I can't help myself sometimes. Sorry. I'll stop. Sorry."

Max twists in Daniel's lap, turns away from the photo he can't stop looking at, blinks finally, holds Daniel's cheek in his hand, rubs his thumb in circles across it, through the days old stubble he loves to feel against him.

"You have done this before?" He asks. Daniel blinks slowly, looks down, and then back up, locking eyes with Max, smiling slightly.

"Got a whole album baby." Daniel says, his tone sounding a mix of jokey and nervous. Max can feel his shorts getting tighter, the idea that Daniel jerks off over him whilst he's sleeping, that he can't wait for Max to wake up, that there are tens of, hundreds maybe, photos of him covered in Daniel's cum that he's unaware of.

"Show me," Max demands, and it clicks for Daniel then. Max isn't disgusted by this. Max is just as turned on as he gets. "Although I do not think we can approve these for your Instagram." Max adds.

Daniel takes the mouse from under Max's hand, his other hand now moving away from his waist, travelling lower to cup him, and navigates to a folder multiple clicks away, types in the password one-handed, rubbing Max through the thin material of his shorts.

[kittyt-hexxed]

Book Two of Hexed - The Fury of Zaun (Vi × POC!Reader) - Ch.21

Next Upload Date: December 29th

Act 2: Chapter Twenty-One - Piltover Gets Jinxed!

Warnings: Bombing, Animals set free, Collapsed building, Vi and Jinx meet for the first time, sister bonding, Jinx’s Birthday

Summary: It’s Jinx’s birthday and she’s celebrating in a way that lets Piltover know that she’s still there. Vi gets to see her sister again, and they have a moment.

The Rapids and the Grotto were buzzing with activity before the sun even rose. Both places were decorated for Jinx’s birthday and people were chatting excitedly. Preparations for the main event are in the process of being completed, with last-minute adjustments being made. Jinx was practically vibrating with excitement and bouncing up and down the place. One moment she was here and the next she was across the way talking off Ekko’s ear. This was her first birthday party in years. Not only is she spending it with people, but she gets to cause trouble in the process. The only person missing was Vi.

You sat perched in the tree, watching as everyone worked together to make the day possible. While it was Jinx’s birthday, it was also the first official move you’d be making towards the war. Jinx had wanted to do something fun so you came up with it. The party involved a couple of fun gadgets, fireworks, a bomb or two, and a target. You’d be using some stolen cameras to broadcast the event to the people of Zaun. Everything had been secured the week before and the hidden viewing rooms were all hooked up to the network. Piltover’s technological genius just so happened to be a Zaunite.

Jinx’s door opened and the blue-haired maniac came staggering out with a big device in her arms. Ekko emerged behind her with a duplicate of it in his arms. They were big rockets that would be launched from atop the Councilor’s Building. True to her theme, they were decorated like sharks with wide grins on their faces. While you were supplying Jinx with the means to cause a ruckus, you didn’t know how she was going to do it. And, you were excited about it. This was part of your plans where you weren’t obsessing over every detail. You get to sit back and watch it all happen.

Jinx notices you in the tree and waves you over. You stand up and jump off the branch, dropping down onto your hoverboard, and make your way to her. She has a huge grin on her face, not too unlike the ones she drew on the rockets.

“I’m officially nineteen today!” Jinx says, hopping in place.

“You are!” You throw an arm over her shoulders, “You’re getting to be old.”

“At least I’m not a grandma yet, like Sevika.”

“Don’t let her hear you say that.” Ekko chuckles, “She’ll turn you into one.” That makes the two of you flinch. You remember the screaming from the last person who cracked a joke like that.

“Right. Right.” Jinx nods slowly. The three of you walk to the main building and a large group of people greets you. They welcome you warmly as they finish connecting the big screen. You grin as it shows you and Jinx standing there.

“Finishing touches are almost done!” Someone in the back shouted, “Going live in ten seconds!”

That kicks up a frenzy in the room and Ekko ducks away to give someone the rocket in his hands. You and Jinx are guided to an empty area with cameras pointing at it. You eye the cameras a little apprehensive. They screamed “Made in Zaun” by the way they looked. You’ve only seen others in front of them. Being in front of them made you feel very out of place. This wasn’t technology Zaun possessed. This was exclusive to Piltover. To be around this stuff was a reminder that Zaun was finally making progress.

“Go ahead and speak, my Lady.” Lizette gives you a thumbs up. You nod at her and face the camera.

“Good morning, Zaun. Today we’re celebrating Jinx’s birthday in the only way it should be done for a demo specialist.” You smirk, feeling excited about what’s to come, “We’re blowing shit up. You got any words before we let you loose, Jinxy?”

“Helloooo, Zaun!” Jinx tosses the rocket to the left and someone frantically catches it, “I’ll be taking you all around Topside, so keep an eye on those screens!” She winks, “I hope you’re ready for Piltover’s Treasury to go BOOM!” She mimics an explosion with her hands and starts laughing. The grin on her face could only be described as deranged as everyone screamed their agreement in excitement. You and Ekko share a look before you turn your attention back to Jinx. It’s going to be a fun day.

~

Jinx could feel the wind blowing her braids around. She is standing atop the Councilor’s Building and looking out over Piltover. It gave her the best view of the city and she was thankful for the custom hoverboard Ekko had surprised her with so she didn’t have to scale the damn thing. She would have done it, but that didn’t mean she’d enjoy it.

Her target is to her left. It is one of the few notable buildings in the city. The Treasury. She didn’t even want to think about how much money there was made on the back of her city. The people in the mines who lost their lives trying to put food on their tables. The gangsters resorted to more dangerous jobs that would guarantee them a stay in the Hold. Even the Chem-Barons stopped being a point of stability and turned into corrupt bosses scraping for money themselves. And, Vi.

Jinx’s grip on her rocket launcher tightened. Thrown into Stillwater and taken from her before they could even be a family. Who is now forced to side with the people who took their parents from them. She grits her teeth but takes a deep breath to calm herself down. She takes a moment to collect herself, thinking about all of the fun things she’s about to do. Piltover is going to become her playground for the day.

“You look like you’re thinking too much.” Ekko’s voice sounds in her ear.

“Just thinking about the best way to do this.” She responds, her eyes scanning the city below her. “I don’t want to go to the Treasury immediately. I need a distraction.”

“You’ve always wanted to see the zoo, right? You should stop by.”

“Perfect idea!” Jinx grins, running and leaping off of the roof. Her feet hit the hoverboard and she can feel it humming as she travels. She drops down enough so people outside won’t be able to see her. The zoo would be closed by now. They tucked all of the animals away before the snowfall got too heavy. Since it snowed yesterday, the gates were locked and no one was inside.

That made Jinx feel excited as she dropped to the ground. She has the whole place to herself! ‘Since the people of Zaun are watching, I should make this fun for them, too!’ She thinks. She ran around the zoo as if she was a tourist. Reading the plaques they had placed by all the animals' enclosures and sneaking inside of them to get a peek. Her favorite had to be the rhino and she made a mental note to go back to it.

“Now that we’ve taken a tour, it’s time to decorate the place!” Jinx whips out her spray cans and crayons. She cackles as she graffitis the place, making little doodles everywhere without worrying about any Enforcers showing up. Once she was done with the building, she turned her attention to the animals.

“You know… I think they deserve a chance to roam free, don’t you?” Jinx tilts her head in the direction she knew the hidden camera was with a dark grin.

~

Vi let out a long exhale, watching her breath turn into mist in front of her. She had a love and hate for the winter months. Both she and her sister were born around this time. And, it was her mother’s favorite time of the year. They would leave the fissure to make snowmen until their fingers got so cold they struggled to move them. She could remember the first time she hit Powder with a snowball. Her little cheeks turned pink as she gave Vi a look of excitement. It was a lot of fun until they both fell sick. Yet, their mother continued to do it with them every year.

“You look sad.” Kevin says, his footfall pattern giving him away before he even spoke.

“How perceptive of you.” Vi says without looking at him.

“Oh, come on, Vi. You’re as cold as the weather!” Kevin groans, leaning against the railing next to her. “Warm up a bit, huh?”

“Why don’t you have a smoke?” Gina approaches and holds out the pack. She was alright for an Enforcer. She took the job because it was the only one that allowed her to spend most of her day at home with her kids. She usually takes the night shifts but switched over since her husband lost his job. “That usually warms me up on days like this.”

“I don’t smoke.” Vi shakes her head. That was a lie. She smoked her share of cigarettes when she was younger. She wasn’t a fan of them. She preferred the herb that Sevika had snuck her. It was a purple color and tasted like a smoked fruit. She had begged Sevika to smuggle her in a pack in return for a favor. It was a birthday present for when she turned fifteen. Sevika declined but made her swear to never tell Vander about it. She had a craving for them every once in a while for how relaxed they made her feel.

“You’re better than me.” Gina lights up one, “It’s a habit I picked up from University. Ten years later and I can’t crack it.”

“Don’t talk about classes,” Kevin sighs, “I’ve got a paper due in two days, so I’ll be working on that when I go home.”

“And, you, Vi?”

“What about me?”

“What are you going to do when you go home? I’ve got kids to watch over. Kevin’s got a paper. What about you?”

“It’s my little sister’s birthday.” Vi rubs the tattoo on her wrist, “I’m going to head down and find her so I can give her the gift I got her.”

“You have a sister?!” Kevin gasps, yelping in pain as Gina cuffs him over the head.

“Yeah. I just… don’t talk about her much.” Vi shrugs, “We haven’t talked in a while.”

“THE ANIMALS FROM THE ZOO ESCAPED! I REPEAT - THE ANIMALS FROM THE ZOO HAVE ESCAPED AND ARE FREE IN THE CITY!” Caitlyn’s voice shouts over the comms, “I NEED ALL UNITS WORKING ON CONTAINMENT NOW!”

“What? How’s that even possible?!” Gina furrows her brow.

“It’s not.” Vi says, watching a spray-painted rhino run past them. It was covered in the doodles she knew very well. “Someone released them.”

“SHERIFF IT’S JINX! SHE’S PAINTED ALL OVER THE ZOO WALLS!” Someone shouts on comms with the sound of a small explosion in the background, confirming Vi’s suspicions. But, it made her heart ache. She had planned on taking Powder to the zoo for her birthday before she got taken. It was the one thing she wanted to do for years. Weirdly, she was relieved she had a chance to see the animals even if she released them.

“FOCUS ON CONTAINMENT! WE’LL WORRY ABOUT HER ONCE THE PEOPLE ARE SAFE!” Comes Caitlyn’s response. Vi knew she wouldn’t be focusing on that at all. She was more concerned about her little sister running around Piltover unsupervised. Her releasing the

“You heard the Sheriff.” Gina starts walking towards the rhino, “Let’s get these animals back home.”

“Have fun with that!” Vi says before whirling around and sprinting away. The animals were the least of her worries. She knew the Enforcers would get them back in their pens in time. Her focus should be on her sister. If there was anything that Vi taught her as a kid, was that a distraction should last longer than needed. The amount of time that it would take for the Enforcers to wrangle those animals gives her sister more than enough space to do something. The real question is what is she trying to do?

Vi makes her way to a building she knows has walls that are easy to climb. She needed to get above the streets fast. Her fingers dig into the wall and she scales the side, using her foot to hook the roof and pull herself up. She takes a moment to scan the area, locating where the zoo is, and finds blue indicators filling the air. Caitlyn thought it was a good idea to have smoke signals so Enforcers could find each other when running through the streets.

“Wait.” Vi blinked, turning back to one of the smoke signals. It was a lighter shade of blue than the ones the Enforcers use. Close enough that at a glance you wouldn’t be able to tell, but with so many up, Vi had a comparison.

“Vi, come in.” Caitlyn’s voice comes through their private channel, “...Vi?!” With a huff, she takes her radio off and tosses it down. She took off running, staying above the buildings so she didn’t lose sight of smoke. She knew her sister loved playing games, so this had to be one of them! Releasing the animals would be a distraction but she’d have fun watching them get chased around. They used to do that with some of the creatures in the Undercity. Mylo had managed to get himself chased by an angry poro. They had laughed themselves silly to the point Powder fell off the crate she had been sitting on. Ekko picked it up and scratched it to calm it down. Mylo refused to join them on their adventures for a few weeks after that. Vi’s lips twitched at the memory.

She stopped at the building above the dissolving smoke and looked down. The street was covered in doodles with arrows pointing in one direction along with the words “come find me!” She couldn’t help but be impressed. Her sister must be moving quickly through the streets to be able to release the animals blocks away and still have time to do this. The Enforcers would have found this before the animals were released, so it had to be done after. ‘Alright sis, i’ll bite.’ Vi thinks, grinning as she drops down onto the street.

Vi followed the direction the arrows were leading her which was interestingly toward the center of the city. The next set of arrows was not as obvious as the first few sets. They progressively got more and more hard to spot, at least, for a Piltie. Vi knew where to look. How to spot the design on the windows, in the bricks, and even on a store sign. It made Vi’s eyes sting, being able to see how much her sister really did grow up. She was exactly what Vi had known she’d become. Well, not the murder part, but everything else… Vi came to a stop at the city square and looked around. Something glimmering caught her attention on the white marble of the water fountain. Her brow furrowed as she walked closer and some words slowly came into focus. ‘Look… up?’ Vi’s gaze went up and she saw the Treasury building standing in front of her. Clear as a cloudless day, scrawled on the building was Jinx’s signature monkey.

A loud sound had Vi turning her head to the right where the Councilor’s Building was. Her eyes widened as a group of rockets streaked across the sky leaving colorful smoke in their wake. She didn’t have to squint to see the unsettling shark-like grins decorating them. Vi couldn’t do anything but watch as they headed for the Treasury. A gasp left her lips as they struck, the loud sound of the explosion filling the air and making the citizens scream in a panic. She covered her face as the wind blew toward her and looked to see debris on the ground. The citizens ran past her, some knocking into her in their haste to get away from the area. She stood firm on her feet as they did, not moving an inch from her position.

Vi felt like she couldn’t breathe. Like someone was squeezing her throat and trying to suffocate her. Her little sister did this. She was dizzy with her thoughts. She felt proud. So proud that she wanted to laugh and embrace Powder in a hug so tight it’d leave bruises. At the same time, she knew she was mourning her. Mourning the little girl her sister had been before their family was torn apart. This wasn’t Jinx’s doing. This was Powder. Her little sister who tried to craft her own bombs and wanted to help fight if the Undercity went to war. A war that… seemed all the more likely.

“Enforcer!” Someone ran up to her, “Please! There are people trapped inside the building! Please, you have to help!” They started tugging on her arm and it snapped Vi out of her staring.

“Don’t worry,” Vi shook them off, “I’m on it!” She ran for the building. Thankfully, only the top of the building was destroyed. She charged up the gauntlets, feeling them vibrate against her arms as they began to hum. She brought her arm up and lunged forward, slamming her fist into the rubble in front of the door. The concrete crumbled to pieces and Vi staggered forward with the momentum. She caught herself before she could fall and inspected the room. Not only were people stuck in the building, but some of them were stuck under the rubble. Vi took the initiative and got to lifting the beams off of the people. She was the only one who could do so without a group of people. The gauntlets helped a lot, but she wished to take them off and do it on her own. She missed the feeling of her muscles straining, feeling them contract and stretch as she lifted something she shouldn’t be able to. But, she couldn’t. Not in Piltover.

“Hey, Enforcer!” Powder’s voice echoes in the lobby, making Vi’s head jerk up while she’s lifting a part of the upper floor. Standing on top of the teller’s desk, her braids blowing in the breeze and her revolver in hand was Powder. She was dressed differently than the last time she saw her. Her pants were mismatched with one leg being drastically short and the other down to her ankles. There was even a proper holster for her weapons. She looked like a real fighter now.

“Do you know if this is needed?!” Powder - no, Jinx - holds up a bag showing off all the money she had inside of it. She had to separate this young woman from her sister or she wouldn’t be into the fight at all.

“If you put it back, that’ll be one less charge against you!” Vi let go of the wall and it fell to the ground with a crash. “I’m gonna have to book you for blowing up the Treasury, though!”

“If you can catch me!” Jinx cackles, pointing her gun at Vi. That makes Vi’s eyebrows jump up. ‘Is she going to shoot me?!’ Jinx fires and Vi dodges out of the way. There’s a ping and hiss shortly followed by smoke covering Vi’s vision, but that doesn’t stop her. She kicks off of a column next to her, catching sight of Jinx running up the stairs, and makes her way after her. Vi didn’t really know what her plan was. She couldn’t let her sister get away, but she also couldn’t catch her. If anyone saw her let her sister get away, that would cause trouble for her up here. Too many questions and not enough answers.

So, Vi chased her through the building, dodging the smokescreen bullets and keeping pace. She knew her sister was an amazing shot, but Vi was too good at fighting. Powder wasn’t the first person with a gun that she’d fought before. Vi had even given Caitlyn a hard time during one of their routine practices. The Enforcers that watched them didn’t stop talking about it for weeks. Someone had told Vi they were relieved she was helping them out and not against them.

“Why don’t we take this outside?!” Jinx shouts, running straight for a window. She slipped through and closed it behind her and Vi couldn’t help the grin on her face. She didn’t slow her momentum at all, bringing her arms up to cover her face as she crashed through the window. It shattered, raining glass down below as she landed on the roof of the building next to her and pitched into a roll. Jinx laughed as she saw Vi, continuing to run and fire bullets that seemed to be endless.

“You can’t run forever!” Vi yelled to her.

“Then let’s make a deal!” Jinx came to a halt on the roof across from Vi, “If you catch me, I’ll let you everything you want to know! If you can’t catch me, we can do this again another day!”

“As if I’d make a deal with you!” Vi uses the power from the gauntlets to launch herself faster than Jinx could process. Jinx yelps and narrowly dodges Vi’s punch, causing her to hit the roof instead. Part of the roof crumbles inward, but Vi’s too focused to care. She takes advantage of Jinx’s hesitation and continues to attack her. Her sister narrowly dodges each punch, courtesy of Vi slowing her fists down before she hits her. It makes Vi laugh, earning her a surprised look from Jinx. She was enjoying herself.

“What happened to being a slug monster?” Vi teased her. Jinx froze for a moment before she started laughing as well.

“You’ll have to catch me first, crab!” The grin she gave Vi was thrilling.

Vi didn’t know what had gotten into her. She chased Jinx all over the city, destroying things in her fake fight as she tried to give her sister a chance. She ended up getting a few solid punches on her that made Vi wince, but Jinx seemed to love it. It wasn’t until Caitlyn had found them that Jinx decided to pull out her hidden advantage. Vi had to jump off the roof when her sister fired a firework at her! Jinx had gotten away and Caitlyn had dragged Vi into an alley to scold her.

She had half-listened. Her adrenaline from the fight kept her in good spirits and she was still thinking about it. Caitlyn got so frustrated that she dismissed Vi for the rest of the day. She didn’t even bother to complain and made her way back to the mansion in high spirits. After all, she had to get changed and grab her sister’s gifts before heading into the Undercity. Being dismissed early gave her more than enough time to do that.

Vi had glanced into the mirror before getting in the shower. The colored powder from the bullets had turned her hair the same shade of purple that their mother had. It made her heart ache, but she didn’t dwell on those thoughts. A hot shower got the dust and colored powder out of her hair and helped to relax her muscles. It was nice to be able to shower with hot water versus the cold water in the Undercity. But, thinking about that only made her sad. Especially now that the isthmus was in the winter months. It normally didn’t start snowing until November, but they believe that Jinx blowing up the Councilor’s Building with a hextech rocket might have had something to do with it.

“Ms.Vi?” A knock sounds at the door making Vi hurry up and put on her shirt. She makes her way to the door and opens it to reveal the head maid.

“Hello, Mary.” Vi greets the maid. Mary gives Vi a kind smile. She always snuck Vi extra cookies with her dinner and turned a blind eye when she passed her in the halls after curfew.

“You have a visitor waiting for you in the receiving room.” Mary takes a step back, “Tobias asked me to bring you over.” Vi blinks and glances down at herself. Leather pants and a white t-shirt. ‘That’ll have to do for whatever big wig it is.’ She shrugs.

“Lead the way.” Vi nods. Mary guides her through the mansion to a room near the front door. It wasn’t a room she’d been in before since no one had visited for her specifically. She had seen the Kirammans go in and out of there consistently along with the maids when they were bringing tea for whichever guest arrived.

Mary knocks on the door and waits for Tobias to call her into the room. With a wink, Mary opens the door and steps aside so Vi can go in. Laughter is the first thing that greets her before she can see who’s in the room with Tobias. Her sister had the front of her hair up in space buns while the back fell free. Her bangs were clipped back like she did when they were younger, and she was wearing a plain t-shirt and pants like Vi. It had none of the playfulness she’d seen before. Jinx’s playfulness

“Powder?!” Vi gasps, seeing her little sister sitting on the couch with a cup of tea.

“Vi!” Powder grins, jumping up from her seat to engulf Vi in a hug. It takes Vi a moment before she’s hugging her sister back tightly.

“What are you doing here? I-I was going to come down and see you!” Vi was startled, but excited.

“I wanted to see where you were staying! Besides, I didn’t know when you were going to be done with work.” Powder bounces on her heels, “I didn’t want to celebrate my birthday alone.”

“Powder was telling me all about her birthday traditions you with.” Tobias chuckles, putting his cup down, “Why don’t you hang out here? I can have the kitchen staff make you a cake and have dinner here!”

“I wouldn’t want to be an inconvenience.” Vi shakes her head, “Besides, the staff would be doing this last minute.”

“Nonsense!” Mary huffs, flicking Vi’s ear out of nowhere, “They will be more than happy to make something for you and your sister, Vi. You’re never an inconvenience to us.”

“Ah…” Vi smiles at the sincerity in Mary’s eyes, “Thank you. Why don’t we go to the kitchens and you can tell the staff what kind of cake you’d like?” She looks at her sister. Powder’s eyes light up and she nods enthusiastically. Powder grabs her hand and drags her through the hallways, rambling about what she’s doing in the Undercity to Mary and Tobias. Vi can’t help but feel a little hazy. This was Powder. Laughing happily, chatting away with people without a care in the world as long as her sister is by her side.

They spent the whole time in the kitchen while the staff made the cake to her sister’s liking. It was a blue velvet cake with a layer of cookie crunch covered in black and white frosting, sprinkles, and gold letters. The staff didn’t mind the extra work they had to go through to get it done. They were so happy that Vi and her sister were hanging out in the kitchens with them. They got to taste-test the batter and filling, and some of them made sandwiches for them to eat while they waited. Vi spent most of the time watching Powder be happy. It made her eyes sting as she watched her be so carefree once again.

Tobias had snuck out at some point, but more of the mansion’s staff had joined in on the fun. There was tea going around, cookies and biscuits popping out of nowhere as they held a little party of their own. They ended up cutting the cake as soon as it was done and Vi managed to smash her sister’s face in a slice. Powder ended up chasing her around the kitchen trying to do the same to her. The staff laughed at their antics, spending some time after the cake to wind down with a milkshake. Once they were done, they cleaned up the kitchen, boxed up the leftover cake for Powder and Mary took them back to Vi’s room.

“Why is this bef so sof?” Powder’s voice came out muffled as she lay face-down on Vi’s bed. Vi chuckled and sat down next to her after grabbing a box from behind the dresser. She reached out and brushed her hand over Powder’s head, getting her sister to turn and face her.

“I don’t know, but it was too soft for me. Mary had to make adjustments so I could sleep in it.” Vi’s eyes wandered over the luxury fabric. “If I’m honest, I still sleep on the couch.” She motioned to the couch on the other side of the room.

“What’s that?” Powder quickly sits up, eyeing the present in Vi’s hand.

“It’s for you… Happy Birthday, Pow.” Vi holds it out to her and Powder gingerly accepts it. She looks at Vi, silently asking for permission to open it and she nods. Powder rips into the wrapping paper, popping the box open to see what’s inside. Vi watches as her eyes widen, shining with unshed tears as she shakily reaches in to pull out what’s inside. It sparkled in the light, the golden hair clip glimmering like the lights of the Undercity. It was fashioned after a crow’s feather but the top was painted in various colors.

“Did you… Did you make this?” Powder’s questions, looking at Vi.

“Of course I did.” Vi gives a shaky smile, trying not to let any of her tears fall, “I figured you were too old to wear the ones I made you when we were kids.”

“So you don’t hate me after everything?”

“No! No, I could never hate you. I’ve missed you so much. I think about coming back to you every day, but I’ve been trying so hard to keep you safe.”

“Come home. You can keep me safe that way, too!”

“Pow, I’m so close. Please trust me on this.”

“I do. I just…” Powder bursts into tears, throwing herself into Vi’s arms, “I miss you!” Vi can’t help herself and starts crying, too. They hold each other as they cry, whispering “i miss you” to each other as if it’s the first time they’ve said it. This was the first time she’s seen her sister in months and it hurt her more than anything to know that she couldn’t go home yet.

“I promise you, Powder. I’ll be home soon. I’ve got to make sure you’re off their radar.”

“When you come home, can we go cause trouble together somewhere?”

“Sure thing.” Vi smiles. “Now, tell me everything.”

“About?”

“About what you’re really doing in the Undercity… Oh, and I shouldn’t say this but… I had fun today.” Powder grins at Vi’s words.

“I knew you would!”

[twstbookclub]

Hello ! I just read the spins with silver and I cannot tell you how heartwarming it was, if I had to rate 1-10 about how melted my heart it I'd rate it 10/10 HAHAH

If it's okay with the admins, I'd like to request a Silver x GN!Reader where the special moments between them are Silver's most precious memories ! (aka: their first date, first kiss, etc.) it doesn't even have to be the major stuff, it can be the small things in life that he appreciates (maybe reader brewing him a coffee everyday, or him noticing reader's little doodles on his notes and helping him finish them when he accidentally dozes off, etc.)

(this is my first time requesting so please point out any mistakes i did when requesting !)

don't forget to take as much time as y'all's need, as well as prioritizing y'all's health first !!

thank you so much ! :DD

Recaptured Paradise

Summary: Silver takes time to himself to reminisce about the past that lead up to the romance story you both shared now. POV: 2nd Pronouns: Gender Neutral Admin/Writer: Kai⚔️ Tags: Silver, Fluff, Romance, Looking at the past, First memories, Silver looks at the past

Word count: 2,463

A/N: Hello our lovely readers!!! I was very excited to write our first ever request!! I do apologize since it did take a very long time but we did have other projects being done at the same time and there are life events currently, but regardless of that I hope you all enjoy!!!

Silver sat on the couch in the small apartment home that you both shared for a few years now, trying to keep himself awake as he searched through the internet quietly. He was looking for a gift for his partner in marriage, you.

He would take occasional glances at your resting body that used his shoulder as your pillow. "My sleeping beauty," he said quietly to himself with a gentle smile, and his eyes drifted from you to your hand. The ring on your finger twinkled in the moonlight that shone through the windows.

He suddenly started reminiscing when his eyes wandered and landed on your lips, instinctively making him leave a kiss on your head as you slept.

He couldn't help but look back at a few memories. "How did we get here?" He thought, then sat back to remember moments of years past.

The image of your genuine expression when you asked him on a date to the arcade shocked him at the time. Though, it was his fault since he mentioned that he wished to experience something new despite his busy schedule.

"Why don't I take you to an arcade?" He remembered that day as if it was only a few months back. The moment he agreed, your eyes lit up and looked like they held an entire galaxy in them.

"Honestly, I was hoping you'd say yes. I've been wanting to ask you on a date for a while!" Your words caused the entire world to stop, because little did you know at that time, he also wanted to ask you. Though, he never knew how.

You both had met the following day. As both of you ran out of class and down the hall to meet at the courtyard, every student watched, confused as to what was happening. That part didn't matter to either of you. 

Meeting under a tree and staring into each other's eyes felt magical. Straight out of a fairy tale book. You were both laughing at how out of breath you two were from running, and knowing that you had the same idea made the atmosphere sweeter before it even started.

From showing Silver tons of games inside of the arcade building to him winning a stuffed animal out of a crane game, he truly experienced something different that day.

The date was followed by a short walk in the park to watch the sunset. You had insisted on it. It was worth it, because it gave him the chance to confess how fond he was for you.

He still vividly remembers how flustered you were from his sudden confession. He continued to ramble about how surprised he was that he didn't fall asleep halfway through. It was all because he was nervous after pouring unknown emotions out to you the best he could.

Silver smiled to himself at the memory. He couldn't help but remember how you two shared your first kiss.

You snuck out to see him as he patrolled around the Diasomnia grounds late at night. That day, you were convinced to confess your feelings to him, since you were so confused about whether he felt the same for you or not.

He tried to escort you back to the dorm so you weren't caught. You were stubborn enough to stay, but it was so worth it.

"No! I won't go home! I want you to hear what I have to say!"

"Prefect, please–"

"I like you! I have feelings for you! Even before the first date we ever had together! I have to say it now, or I'd give up trying any moment after…"

Those words had shocked him to his core. Deep down, he was so happy to hear them. His facial expression stayed blank as he was overwhelmed with emotion at your words. 

Nonetheless, you had continued, but he was determined to hear it in the morning. Instead, he wanted to send you home. You didn't listen at all though.

"I know you might not like me back, but-" 

Silver had cut you off by giving into his own temptation. His lips were so gently placed on yours, clueless on what to do next. He hoped to get you home, so it was easier to do that in a place where he knew people couldn't catch him.

You were utterly shocked, and you didn't know how else to react. The boy you fell for back during the Spelldrive Tournament was there, and he returned your feelings.

The kiss felt too quick. After Silver broke it off, you could say he was an absolutely flustered mess. You were too, so it felt like a perfect accidental moment.

After that day, that's when you two began dating. Funny enough, neither you nor him asked each other to make it official. Diasomnia students had seen you and Silver that night, and talked about it immediately. Word had spread around like wildfire.

Neither of you complained though, and neither of you noticed until later.

It took everything in Silver not to chuckle at the memory, holding back a laugh at how silly you both were back at the NRC.

Right after that, Silver started to remember the day you graduated. He was nervous around you, but he had a reason. They'd thrown you all a party to celebrate, but all he'd wanted that day was to spend it with you.

Lilia had helped him get a pretty hefty gift for the two of you a few months prior, and he was excited to take you there. The party didn't end until late at night, but he was still focused on showing you this gift since the longer he waited, the more nervous he got.

He'd taken you to an unknown building in a small city near Briar Valley. To your surprise, that building had the apartment you both lived in now.

At that time, the small home was empty, but it had so much potential to hold so many memories for the both of you, as long as you accepted it.

"Silver, what is this place?" 

You were so confused as to why he brought you to an empty apartment, but it was insane to you that night. He let you roam around the place, and by the time you ventured around the last room, you found him on a knee in the middle of the living room. The same spot where he’d sit at the moment of reminiscing. 

“I know that this is sudden and rushed and not as romantic as I hoped, but I don’t think that I can let another second slip by without doing this.” 

Silver was nervous. Your expression then was pure surprise as he continued his speech.

“When I first met you, I only knew loyalty to the only family I knew and had. I was stuck in a constant loop of the same daily routine. The day you asked me out to the arcade, my whole worldview changed, and before I knew it, my loyalty extended to you.”

Silver paused as you had only listened to him. Your body had fallen onto the floor in front of him. Your heart felt heavy as there was a small lump in your throat at that moment.

“I realized that all of my thoughts had been overrun by you, by us. When I’m with you, you keep me awake, and are part of the chain that keeps me tethered to reality. I don’t think life could be the same if it’s not with you. No…”

Silver paused as he took a ring from his pocket, but your reaction to seeing it made his heart race through the entire moment. He knew what ring it was all too well, but you had only a brief understanding of it. He mentioned that the ring had been with him since birth, but that was all. Now, he was proposing with that same ring.

“It wouldn’t be life if every waking moment is not with you accompanied by my side. Not when I’ve grown to love you more than words can say in the past few years. So…”

Silver had called your full name before continuing, his free hand had taken your left hand into his own and held on tightly. He remembered how shaky his voice was by the end of his emotional outburst from the moment.

“Will you do me the honor of letting me be your partner, my spouse, even after death draws our final breaths?”

He let out a sigh of relief as he finished his words. He could only stare at you in anticipation. Your eyes felt teary at all of his words striking your heart in such a warm manner. You smiled at him as you gently squeezed his hand in the empty apartment.

Silver got distracted as you shifted around in your sleep before he could finish the memory. He fixed the blanket on your body when his eyes landed on the door, another memory coming up to him.

This one was the day you both had finally moved into that apartment. Silver helped bring in heavier furniture with the help of Jack and Sebek, even though Sebek was mostly yelling orders to the other two to get everything done a certain way. 

Ace and Deuce were helping take items out of boxes and asking you what rooms they belonged in. Your job was to clean up the place and make sure that nothing went to chaos along with Epel. 

That same day, everything had been moved into the right rooms, the only place set up being the living room. They had agreed to go out to eat since it was still pretty unorganized in their new shared home. 

Afterwards, they’d come back to the door and open it when Silver suddenly scooped you up and carried you inside bridal style. It surprised you as you weren’t married yet, but you could only hold onto him as the sensation was making you laugh at the time.

You two didn't share a room as he felt it wrong to sleep in the same bed regardless of being in a relationship and under the same roof, but it didn't bother you either.

After that moment though, he would leave you on your bed but you didn't let him go. No one had slept by themselves that night, well… not really slept at all. 

Silver snapped back to reality as he felt a small blush come up to his cheeks from the flashbacks. He looked around the room as his eyes stopped on the few pictures that hung up on the wall. Specifically, the one of your wedding day.

The smile on his face was so full of love and genuine care as the memory of the day played in his head, and his arm wrapped around you, gently bringing you closer.

He'd been a nervous wreck that whole day, and you'd been worried that something would ruin it. Though the wedding was small, it was fun for everyone invited. Sebek and Jack were crying together which made you and Silver laugh mid reception.

An afterparty held by all your close friends to celebrate was a big moment for the two of you. They all congratulated your marriage as Jade, Floyd, Leona, and Riddle had become like protective brothers towards you, telling Silver to take care of you more than he already had.

Everyone was great and made the party a night to remember. Once it was over, they all sent you on your way and took care of everything else, giving time for yourselves as they were all ready to say goodbye.

For a so-called "honeymoon", Silver had taken you on a horseback ride through the forest behind NRC, of course with permission from Crowley. The night was so sweet that it felt as if it happened only a few weeks ago.

Since then, the marriage life between the two of you felt just right. You helped make the small place a true home, while he supported you through everything. 

Silver was so in love, and you equally. He stopped his daydreaming when you slowly opened your eyes from your slumber, sitting up and looking around.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Silver said as he gently patted your head, messing up your ready tangled bedhead.

"Sleepyhead…? Right back at you…" You responded with some tiredness behind your voice, adjusting to the moment. "What were you doing while I was asleep?"

Silver smiled with a small chuckle, and took a glance at the ring on your finger. "Nothing much, just looking back at some things from the past."

Your eyebrow raised in confusion but you shook it off, using his shoulder as a pillow again. Silver wrapped his arm around your shoulder, bringing you closer to him.

Him mentioning the past made you reminisce as well. This warm embrace of his made you remember other times.

Running through the forest to lay in a quiet spot after and watching the clouds move. Making him a cup of coffee in the morning to get him through at least the morning. You made their home a true home.

Your moment was interrupted as a sound was heard from another room. Your old room since you moved into Silver's once you both began sharing a name.

"Seems like duty calls, doesn't it?" Silver said as he looked at the open door then at you, letting go of your body to rise up from the couch.

"It never will." You responded and got up after him with a big smile, heading off to the room while holding his hand. He followed behind, squeezing your hand out of excitement.

The bassinet in the middle of the room moved slightly as small, happy noises were made. Once seeing your faces, a giggle was heard as Silver took the baby into his hands. He made silly faces and sweet coo's to the little one, getting happy and loud reactions which made him laugh in return.

You watched while leaning at the wall nearby. The sight of Silver being a father was one you loved seeing everyday, and you were happy with all that happened so far.

Your actions stopped as you caught him looking at you, a cheery smile on his face as he said the words "I love you!" in a sweet voice as if he was speaking as his child.

You laughed and stepped closer, taking the baby into your arms and kissing Silver on his cheek as a thanks. "And I love you too." Silver said, making you freeze in place. 

You smiled and leaned onto Silver as he wrapped his arms around you, placing a soft kiss on your head.

"I love you both."

[maple-sheep]

An A/B/O series that my GF is making.

She wants to make Hermitcrat a/b/o fics, below the cut is what the hermits are(plus a few headcannons she has), she will take requests but if you want to request something go to her blog for that > @hazel-lamb. It will mostly be smut,

Hermits:

Xisuma, Beta, Void demon.

EX, Beta, Void demon.

SmallishBeans, Omega, Tanuki-human hybrid.

Skizz, Beta, Angel.

Bdubs, Omega, Human.

Cub, Beta, Vex.

Docm, Alpha, Creeper-goat hybrid with robotic parts.

Etho, Alpha, Arctic fox-human hybrid.

False, Alpha, Golden egale avian.

Gemini, Omega, Deer-human hybrid.

Scar, Alpha, Cat-Tree elf hybrid.

Grian, Omega, Parrot avian.

Hypno, Beta, Human.

Jevin, Beta, Blue slime.

Impulse, Alpha, Dragon-human hybrid.

Iskall, Beta, Human.

Joe, Omega, Human.

Keralis, Alpha, Human-somthing? hybrid.

Mumbo, Alpha, White rabbit-human hybrid.

Pearl, Beta, Lunar moth-human hybrid.

Ren, Omega, Wolf-human hybrid.

Stress, Omega, Butterfly-human hybrid.

Tango, Alpha, Blaze-human hybrid.

Beef, Alpha, Human

Wels, Beta, Red tailed hawk avian.

Hels, Alpha, Red tailed hawk avian.

Xb, Beta, Human

Zedaph, Omega, Sheep-human hybrid.

Cleo, Alpha, Zombie.

Her headcannons:

The hermits won't hurt each other on purpose, so they won't rape each other.

A few of them are mates with each other but they are an open server and don't mind sharing their mates with each other.

Like 2 or 3 of them have trauma with stuff to do with their mating cycles and going into heat.

Almost all of them have something wrong with them or something from the past they recovered from, like cutting or self-hatred.

Ex is Xisuma's brother, but Hels is a clone of Wels.

If you give her a request keep these in mind.

[lindentree]

Thinking about the helscape not having a sky. It's like the nether, so the closest they have is the cavernous netherrack ceilings. The only weather they have is ashy smog and the occasional rain in warped forests if you're lucky. All anyone knows about the sky is rumors passed down from the few people who have made it out and back again.

Imagine getting out. You'd heard of the sky, of course. Everyone had. You knew it was blue in the day, and black with white specks at night. You knew about the sun and the moon, about clouds and weather and storms.

What you see still completely stuns you.

You've seen blue before, in warped trees and the occasional lapis vein. This is completely different. It's so many different shades of blue at once, and so vast it goes on forever. Clouds float lazily across, fluffy white and welcoming. The sun is bright and warm, and you have to stop yourself from staring at it. It's all so vibrant you can hardly believe it's real.

Oh, and sunsets! The sky is pained with every color at once! Red to orange to yellow, a thin line of green, then blue to purple to black. The colors stretch for miles, and if you didn't know better, you would've thought it was one of those rainbows you had heard about. And as the sun sinks deeper, pinks and golds dance across the clouds and cast shadows above them. You stare and watch for hours, until the sky is completely dark.

The description of the night sky was the most lacking, you think. The stars - white dots was no where near a good enough comparison - dash all across the sky. If you look close enough, some are even different colors. Some make pictures, you remember vaguely. You don't know which ones. You make up your own, and it's endlessly fun. Where stars cluster closer, the sky turns different colors. Indigos and purples and navy blues. You wonder how such colors can even be made. It seems magical.

And as you sit and stare, you know that none of this was meant for you. This sky belongs to a loving universe, and to the people that it loves. You do not belong here. Your home is a hateful universe, where pain and death are ever looming. Where the closest thing you have to a sky is the far away ceiling and the closest thing to clouds are the ghasts that float by.

This sky will never be for you.

[ofduskanddreams]

Chapter 8: Interlude

Summary: After nearly 40k words of Azriel, I think it's about time we saw things from Eris's point of view and got some Azris on screen :)

✦ READ ON AO3 ✦ enjoy the excerpt* below ✦

“Okay Vanserra, what’s wrong at home?” Declan Emmet, the Fae Aux’s resident cyber genius, asked. He was leaning against the doorframe of the armory, the bright white firstlights overhead painting him with sharp contrasts.

Eris opened his mouth, prepared to speak, but Dec rushed to add, “And don’t say ‘nothing’ because this is the fifth night in a row you’ve stayed late.” 

Scowling, Eris replied, “I wasn’t going to say ‘nothing.’ I was going to explain that it isn’t something I can talk to you about right now.”

[. . .]

“Okay, so you can’t talk to me about it, but is there anything I can do to help?” Declan asked. “Do you want to grab a drink or some late dinner?”

Eris shook his head. “No, I’m alright. I’ll head out of here soon.” 

He knew Dec was trying to help, but Eris simply wanted to exhaust himself during the day so that he could manage to sleep through the night in an empty apartment. The lack of his pack nearby made it difficult for his body and mind to settle.

Declan left with a pitying glance, and Eris finished cleaning his weapons in peace. 

It was dark by the time he left the Aux Center and began the twenty-minute walk back to the apartment. The warmth of the day lingered in the air despite the lack of sunlight. The smells of the city mingled with those of the blooming shrubs and trees liberally scattered throughout FiRo. Cassian’s allergies, Eris thought, must be giving him Hel.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and blinked in surprise at the name on the screen. He cleared his throat and answered, “Good evening, Azriel.”

✦ READ THE WHOLE THING HERE ✦

*the excerpt has been altered for this post. [. . .] <- marks where text has been cut.

tagging: @ablogofsapphicpanic @damedechance @panicatthenightcourt @iftheshoef1tz @moonpatroclus @octobers-veryown @foundress0fnothing @krem-does-stuff @melonsfantasyworld @lady-riel @queercontrarian @asnowfern @valkyrieassassin @brokeneveningstars @icey--stars @xtaketwox @itsthedoodle @areyoudreaminof @acourtofladydeath

PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE CHAPTER ENDNOTE ON AO3 ♡

[broomsick]

What daily things do you find your gods in? For example, finding Freyr in the sound of a bird's song or Loki in the flames of a fire. It'd be cool to see a list of your associations for them. c:

Personal day-to-day associations with the Gods

Óðinn: the traditional Scandinavian music I listen to, reading books, hearing or telling stories, darkness in general (like after having closed all the lights in the house), red wine and strong alcohols such as spirits, local woodland berries such as currants, gooseberries, blackcurrant (etc). 

Yngvi-Freyr: cooking/baking (especially traditional food), windy days, hikes in the woods, fall colors, sunsets, road trips, picking flowers, light rain, gardening, the countryside, cold tea, the moment when spring becomes summer.

Thórr: doing manual work, beer, dusk, taking well deserved breaks from work, cloudy days, evergreen trees, disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with the open air, eating or cooking red meats, weather events ranging from light snow to strong rains, singing at the top of my lungs, joking around with friends, going to the bar after a hard week’s work, celebrations in general.

Freyja: showering and taking baths, perfumes and anything fragrant, eating fruit, doing a skincare routine or buying a new skincare product, collecting fallen tree leaves, visiting a pagan shop, practicing magic, warm colors and especially red, petting cats, having funny exchanges with friends and sharing current concerns with them. 

Frigg: learning traditional crafts, attending local events, speaking with elders, enjoying a moment of harmony with family, feeling at home, cooking or baking, browsing through farmers’ markets, telling a loved one I love them, doing nostalgic stuff to reconnect with my childhood (such as watching children’s movies!) and doing divination, especially tarot.

Baldr: the color blue, cloudless skies, very cold days, whenever I see springs or waterfalls (which doesn’t happen that often but still!), seeing children play, birds’ song, listening to soft music such as flute, harp or lyre, whenever I willfully build up self confidence (I always feel like He’s the one encouraging me).

Loki: listening to classic rock or power metal, starting bonfires or woodstoves, fire in general like playing around with a lighter or matches, playing pranks, making spontaneous decisions, puzzles and riddles, masks though I’m not certain why.

Týr: seeing fur garments such as fur coats or winter clothing, traveling by boat, camping in thick and isolated woods, browsing through medieval shops, wolf imagery, cuddling up by a fire after a cold day spent outside, whenever a battle scene comes up in a movie or show, celtic music but I’m not sure why I make that association honestly!

Hel: gothic-style clothes, incense, skull imagery, practicing magic and divination, spirit work, ancestor work, visiting loved one’s graves and leaving flowers, graveyards in general (especially those in small villages), learning about different spiritualities and the way they each envision the afterlife.

Heimdallr: caring for animals, spending alone time outside, climbing trees or rocks, high places in general, reading through the Völuspá, making the effort to listen instead of speak, making a kind gesture randomly, helping people in general.

Skaði: hiking in the mountains, stays at cabins, exploring woods, staying at very unpopulated areas, evergreen trees and especially spruce, watching snowstorms, meditation, hearing/reading mythological stories, winter comfort foods such as soups and meats, stargazing.

Eir: herbalism, learning about local plants and trees, brewing potions, caring for a sick loved one, kitchen witchcraft, and something we call “grandma recipes” over here, that consist of dubiously scientific medicine (lying on your left side to heal an upset stomach quicker, using potato peels against warts, etc). I’d have to make a whole post to list those out. These types of medicine tricks that seem mysteriously effective ahaha!

These are only a few of my deities, but they’re the ones I feel closest to these days.

[6rookie-writer0110]

Don't go forward PT; 1

Yelena Belova x Barton Male Reader

Request - Yelena belvova x Barton male!reader where y/n is Clint's younger brother and his code name of White Knight. Y/n meet Yelena during Black Widow Y/n tag along with Natasha after civil war. He saw the fight between Nat and Yelena while he ate his snack. He was impressed that she almost beat Natasha, he also whispers to Nat that why she didn't mention she has a hot sister. He and Yelena get along well and they like each other.

You go with Natasha to Hungary, and while she is driving you are reading a Russian-English translation book. She would tell you what words you are saying wrong, which is a lot.

“Learning Russian is so hard!” You whined.

“Such a baby,” Natasha said.

“It's true. Plus reading Russian cursive is much harder” You said.

“You just don't know how to roll your ‘R’s and you need to sound confident when speaking Russian” Natasha said.

You rolled your eyes at her. You continued to read the book again she corrected you. But you and Natasha stopped to get gas for the car. She watched you grab snacks and she paid for them. Then Natasha drove to the city, and you follow her inside a building.

“Why are we here?” You asked.

“I’m looking for someone,” Natasha said.

You followed her into an apartment. Then Yelena aims her gun at Natasha then you take your gun, and aim it at Yelena.

“So... This is how Russians say hi?” You asked.

Yelena doesn't say anything but she glares at you and Natasha. Natasha does have her gun aimed at Yelena and you look at them.

“Y/n put your gun away,” Natasha said.

“But-”

“Y/n!” Natasha yelled.

“Fine!” You yelled.

You put your gun away and moved away slowly while looking at Yelena.

“I’m watching you, blondie,” You said.

Now Yelena and Natasha start to fight, you watch them. You are impressed by how they fight and you can see how strong they are. You start to move out of the way when they get closer to you.

“Do you need help?” You asked.

Natasha doesn't say anything and you keep watching. A few minutes later they stopped and you helped Natasha to stand up. You were going to help Yelena stand up but she didn't grab your hand. Natasha introduced you to Yelena Belova and Natasha told her why they are in Hungary. Yelena leaves with you and Natasha to the secret apartment.

While at the gas station, you are standing next to Natasha while Yelena is a little further away from you two.

“Why you didn't tell me, you have a hot sister?” You whispered.

But Yelena did hear you.

“There is stuff you still don't know about me,” Natasha said.

“I know. But I will always have your back” You winked.

Natasha smiled. You leave the shop with them and you sit in the backseat and start to eat your snacks. Natasha wanted to make sure the red room is destroyed and no one is in control.

“Y/n, you play with arrows?” Yelena asked.

“I don't play with arrows. I'm the best archer” You said.

“After his brother Clint” Natasha said.

“No, I'm way better than him,” You said.

Yelena couldn't help to laugh. You like how Yelena said your name and you start to smile.

You help Natasha and Yelena to find the rest of the black widows. Some were trying to take over the red room, but you helped them to stop it.

---

Natasha is talking to Clint in her hotel room. You met Yelena at a small diner and you sit across from her.

“I like your vest. It looks cool” You said.

“Right!? Such a cool vest. It has so many pockets that I can hide my knives” Yelena said.

She starts to show you all the pockets the vest has. Then she takes out a small knife and you start to smile at her.

“It's the first real thing I bought for myself, once I left the red room,” Yelena said.

“You made a good choice with a vest,” You said.

“I do have good taste,” Yelena said.

“Yeah you do,” You said.

---

You are in Norway, you helped bring items to Natasha. You are outside practicing your archery then a dagger went straight to the tree.

“Hello, white knight,” Yelena said.

You aimed the arrow at her.

“Hello Yelena Belova,” You said.

She starts to run and she dodged your arrow. You and Yelena start to fight and you are blocking her punches.

“Why do Russians fight to say hi!?” You asked.

“You are very dramatic” Yelena smirked.

You were going to punch her but she grabbed your wrist. She turns around and your arm is on her should and she is holding your wrist very tight.

“Argh!” You yelled.

She lets go and you are in pain.

“I told you, white knight, you need to be faster with your punches. If I was your enemy, I would have broken your arm and then make you tell me the information” Yelena said.

You wanted to be faster and stronger when you fight, you asked Yelena to teach you, and she said yes. You can fight but you have been relying on your arrows a lot.

“What brings you to Norway?” You asked.

“You are so nosy,” Yelena said.

You and Yelena smiled at each other. You and Yelena start to talk about stuff.

✫ ✯ ✬ ✬

You are in New York with Clint and you met Kate. You are helping Kate and Clint fight Echo on the roof. While fighting Echo then someone else joined in, and you can't tell it's Yelena because she has on a mask and she is wearing all black. Yelena kicked you and you fell on top of Kate, but you get up and helped Kate stand up. Yelena kicked Clint in the chest then he punched her.

You grabbed your arrow and bow and she starts to dodge it. Clint starts to fight Echo again while you and Kate fight Yelena. But Kate grabbed the explosive arrow and aimed it at the ground, a loud sound and bright light appeared. Everyone’s ears started to ring, but you tried to fight Yelena but she aimed the gun at you. You stopped then Yelena ran away.

“Who was that?” Clint asked.

“I have no idea,” Kate said.

Echo runs away and you are breathing hard.

----

Days later... You followed a lead and you are in shock it's Yelena. You found her in a hotel

“Why did you fight me and my brother?” You asked.

“Y/n, I was on a job and you ask too many questions,” Yelena said.

“Who hired you? I don't get why my girlfriend would take a job that would include killing my brother” You sighed

“Girlfriend? Y/n Barton, you think I'm your girlfriend?” Yelena said in shock.

Your heart starts to race and you just noticed what you said. She is waiting for you to say something and you are speechless... You try to come up with something but just couldn't come up with anything.

“Y/n, do you think I'm your girlfriend?” Yelena asked.

You walked away and leave the room. Yelena didn't say anything she just watch you walk away. You closed the door and run out of the hotel fast.

----

You are at Clint’s house and he is outside grilling the food. Laura is busy helping Clint and you are sitting next to your nephew.

“ Nathaniel, how do you ask a girl out?” You asked.

“Give her a cookie,” Nathaniel said.

He is three years old.

“She is a black widow, smart, I like how she says my name, smart I know I said it already but she really is. And she knows how to fight and I really like her a lot” You said.

You showed him a picture of Yelena.

“She is pretty,” Nathaniel said.

“Right!?” You said.

“What is love?” Nathaniel asked.

“Good question. Love can mean so many different things but it's someone you want to be forever with” You said.

“Playing games together?” Nathaniel said.

“Yes, I will want to play video games with Yelena forever,” You said.

“Wow!” Nathaniel smiled.

You spend time with Clint and everyone else. You start to play games with them and you get a text from Yelena. You showed it to your nephew.

“She texted me!” You said.

“Text?” Nathaniel said.

“She said hi to me,” You said.

“Hi!” Nathaniel said to your phone.

You start to laugh and he is just smiling.

✫ ✯ ✬ ✬

Yelena wanted to meet up with you. And you have been avoiding her for days, you are freaking out.

“Why did you want to meet here in central park? Oh no... You are going to kill me!?” You said.

“What!? No, I'm not going to kill you. We need to talk” Yelena said.

“About?” You said.

“You already know what I want to talk about. Why did you say that I'm your girlfriend?” Yelena said.

Now your heart is beating even faster.

“I-I... I like you a lot. I have feelings for you and I accidentally said that” You said.

“Are you serious?” Yelena asked.

“Yes, I'm serious. I really like you a lot” You said.

Yelena moved closer and you are thinking that she doesn't feel the same way. But what she did surprise you, Yelena put her hand behind your neck and kissed you. You start to kiss her back.

[twoidiotwriters1]

Almighty (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: I forgot to queue this i apologize -Danny Words: 2,122 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter // Next Chapter Listen to: 'Your Needs, My Needs' -by Noah Kahan

XIII: Can't Blame a Bitch for Trying

"They won't," Lily places a firm hand on Ara's shoulder. "They're underestimating Ara's power. To get her they would need her to—"

"Wait, wait, which oracles are we looking for, exactly?" Ara interrupts feeling lightheaded. "We have to find all of them?"

"Well, one was the Sybil of Cumae. You know, she wrote the Sibylline Books—those prophecies that Ella the harpy memorized."

"A harpy..." Meg frowns. "Like those chicken ladies who clean up after lunch?"

"Ella is a very special harpy, Meg," Chiron explains. "Years ago, she somehow came across a copy of the prophetic books, which we thought were burned before the Fall of Rome. Right now, our friends at Camp Jupiter are trying to reconstruct them based on Ella's recollections."

"And the other three Oracles?" Rachels demands. "I'm sure none of them was a beautiful young priestess whom you praised for her... what was it? ...'scintillating conversation'?"

"Rachel, come on, that's what you decided to get hung up on?" 

"How would you feel if there were another four children of Olympus walking the earth?"

"I'd be ecstatic," Ara retorts. "Let's hang out and make a schedule, I want Sundays."

"Ahem!" Apollo continues with a scowl. "There was an Oracle at Erythaea, and another at the Cave of Trophonius..."

"Goodness," Chiron says in a nostalgic voice. "I'd forgotten about those two."

"And the fifth," Apollo sighs, "was the Grove of Dodona."

"A grove," Meg straightens in her spot. "Like trees."

"Yes, Meg, like trees. Groves are typically composed of trees, rather than, say, Fudgsicles. Dodona was a stand of sacred oaks planted by the Mother Goddess in the first days of the world. They were ancient even when the Olympians were born."

"The Mother Goddess?" Rachel crosses her arms. "Please tell me you don't mean Gaea."

"No, thankfully. I mean Rhea, Queen of the Titans, the mother of the first generation of Olympian gods. Her sacred trees could actually speak. Sometimes they issued prophecies."

"The voices in the woods," Meg points out.

"Exactly. I believe the Grove of Dodona has regrown itself here in the woods at camp. In my dreams, I saw a crowned woman imploring me to find her Oracle. I believe it was Rhea, though I still don't understand why she was wearing a peace symbol or using the term dig it."

"A peace symbol?" Chiron frowns.

"A large brass one."

Rachel hums. "If Rhea is a Titan, isn't she evil?"

"Not all Titans were bad," Apollo argues. "Rhea was a gentle soul. She sided with the gods in their first great war. I think she wants us to succeed. She doesn't want her grove in the hands of our enemies." 

"My friend, Rhea has not been seen for millennia—"

"That's not true," Ara frowns. "Zeus had her over for brunch last year, around August."

"I meant in relation to humans," Chiron specifies. 

"But then how come her trees are regrowing?" Lily points out. "If no one is paying her any mind?"

"Many things from the old days have survived or regenerated," Apollo recalls. "The Labyrinth has rebuilt itself. Why couldn't a grove of sacred trees spring up again right here in this valley?"

"Because the things that tend to regrow around here are either summoned or controlled by us," Ara says. "So if Rhea didn't cause this, then the oracles went berserk the moment you vanished, and they're all gaining the strength you lost."

"But then I would be working nonstop," Rachel pouts. "And I feel no new strength coming."

"This is all weird." Meg sinks on her seat. "So if the tree voices are sacred and stuff, why are they making people get lost?"

"For once, you ask a good question." Apollo taunts her. "In the old days, the priests of Dodona would take care of the trees, pruning them, watering them, and channeling their voices by hanging wind chimes in their branches."

"How would that help?"

"I don't know. I'm not a tree priest. But with proper care, these trees could divine the future." 

"And without proper care?" Rachel asks hesitantly.

"The voices were unfocused. A wild choir of disharmony." 

"Insane trees," Ara runs a hand over her face. "Insane trees are taking our campers."

Apollo scowls. "Untended, the grove could most definitely drive mortals to madness, yes. Have you always been this—"

"Smart?"

"Close! I was thinking snappy and sarcastic."

"So our missing campers are wandering in the trees," Chiron intervenes once again, "perhaps already insane from the voices."

"Or they're dead," Meg suggests.

"No." Apollo says promptly. "No, they are still alive. The Beast is using them, trying to bait me."

"How can you be sure?" Rachel presses. "And why? If Python already controls Delphi, why are these other Oracles so important?"

"The more you have of a thing, it gives you an advantage over others," Ara reasons. "If these guys have been working on each war we've fought, they're tired of losing. Owning the oracles means they own the future."

Apollo stares at her pouting. "Fine, you are smart. Without a way to see and direct our fates, we will wither and die—gods and mortals alike, anyone who opposes the Triumvirate."

Meg takes off her shoes and hangs upside down from her seat just like Ara does at home. "They're strangling our taproots."

Ara holds back a smile. "You're also really smart, tiny."

"As for why the Grove of Dodona is so important," Apollo gets grumpier. "Python mentioned that it was the one Oracle he could not control. I don't understand exactly why—perhaps because Dodona is the only Oracle that has no connection with me. Its power comes from Rhea. So if the grove is working, and it is free of Python's influence, and it is here at Camp Half-Blood—"

"It could provide us with prophecies." Chiron seems excited. "It could give us a chance against our enemies."

"Of course, we'd rather have our beloved Oracle of Delphi working again. And we will, eventually. But for now, the Grove of Dodona could be our best hope." Apollo nods.

"Aren't prophecies all twisted and mysterious and murky, and people die trying to escape them?" Meg asks.

Ara shakes her head. "I had a curse, and two years ago I got a prophecy. Curse is gone now, all thanks to it."

"Besides, the Grove of Dodona is a benevolent force," Apollo adds. "It has helped heroes before. The masthead of the original Argo, for instance, was carved from a branch of the sacred trees. It could speak to the Argonauts and give them guidance."

"Would've been nice to have on ours..." Ara grumbles.

"You had a ship?" Meg asks in awe. 

"I'll tell you about it later."

Chiron hums. "That's why our mysterious Beast wants the grove burned." 

"Apparently," Apollo shrugs. "And that's why we have to save it."

Meg slips sideways and kicks the table, spilling their food over their feet. "Oops."

Ara crouches to pick up the stuff. "Sit up, Meg. Put on your shoes."

While the girl obeys and Ara cleans up, Chiron continues. "Apollo... If you are right about Dodona, how do we proceed? We are already shorthanded. If we send search teams into the woods, we have no guarantee they'll come back."

Meg sits up. "We'll go. Apollo, the General, and me."

By General, Ara realizes she's talking about her. "Oh. Yeah, I think that's right."

"We—we will?" Apollo stammers.

"You said you gotta do a bunch of trials or whatever to prove you're worthy, right? This'll be the first one."

Ara smiles, pleased about dragging a god to a demigod quest. "Meg is a daughter of Demeter, so the forest is probably not that dangerous to her. I'm the daughter of Olympus but I have no, er, gardening blessings. I have Dionysus's, though, so maybe that'll keep me from going insane."

"I'll go too," Lily says.

"Absolutely not," Ara frowns. "We can't leave camp without a demigod in charge, you know that."

"Nico can stay!"

Ara stares at her pointedly. "Nico's not cut out for it. You have experience with this."

"No," Lily says gravely. "There is safety in numbers, Ara."

"There is tragedy in them too," she states. "Michael understood it way better than us. Someone has to stay, to make sure things run the right course. Chiron?"

"She's right," their mentor concedes. "Ara has experience fighting unaided and camp needs you, Lily. I'd go as far as to say Ara, you, and Nico are our triumvirate, which can work if one of you is gone, but not if we're missing most of it."

"And Olympus can work without the sun god," Ara looks at Apollo. "But not without prophecies."

Rachel holds his hand imploringly. "Apollo, you have to try. If we can get a glimpse of the future... well, it may be the only way to get things back to normal... I'd like to have a future again."

Chiron sighs. "What do you need from us, Ara? You can't take Lily, but anything else..."

"You two," Ara points at Apollo and Meg. "Get some sleep, I'll wake you once I've got everything. I'll pack."

"What about you?" Meg asks.

"I'm not tired," Ara shrugs. "I haven't used any of my blessings at all, so my battery is full, don't worry about me."

Chiron rises, Ara and Lily quickly joining him. "This evening, then. Rest and prepare, my heroes. I fear you will need all your strength and wits for what comes next." 

"Anything you'd like to say before I go?" 

Ara questions as they walk out of the Big House carrying three medium-size backpacks. Hers used to belong to Mike, but Lily took it from the bridge and has been using it since. They switched bags so Lily is currently holding her Octopus. It's their way of blessing each other.

Lily shrugs. "Would it make a difference?"

"It would make you feel lighter opposite to, you know, waiting for the eulogy."

"Dude, can you not?" Lily scowls. "I am not happy about this arrangement."

"I know."

After a few moments of walking in silence, Lily continues. "They might try to get you using Leo."

"I'm aware."

"Don't allow that."

"I have priorities, believe it or not," Ara pushes her hair back each time it falls over her eyes. "Campers first."

Lily glances at her unconvinced. "Are you taking Pollo with you?" 

"Should I?"

"It would be wise."

"Then I'm taking him."

They reach the edge of the forest, where everyone else is waiting. "Good luck, Queen B."

"You can do better than that," Ara retorts playfully.

"How about this?" Nico speaks behind them. "If you let yourself die, I'm telling Leo you called him your ex-boyfriend."

"What?" Ara exclaims. "I never said that!"

Nico smirks. "You'd need to be here to tell him that, right?"

Ara scowls. "Ass."

He places the purple cloak on her shoulders. "Break a leg."

"You see this rain?" Ara looks over her shoulder at Apollo. "That's daddy saying he's having a great time watching you suffer and I'm getting caught in it."

"Don't ever call him my daddy," Apollo grumbles in a foul mood.

"The campers were so generous to you, and you don't deserve it," Ara keeps going. "Harley made that ukulele and Paolo gave you his good-luck bandana. That is some top-tier gift-giving. All goes to the god that's responsible for the losses of last year."

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Apollos presses both hands over his ears. "I know you hate me for what happened to Michael!"

Ara whirls around. "What?"

"I knew there was something about you and my cabin that I couldn't quite place," Apollo squints, walking up to her until they're face to face. "And after you mentioned Michael at Rachel's cave I remembered. He promised to make you a daughter of Olympus, and you think I killed him."

"Well, the fates and you love working together, and from what I've seen, you have no issue throwing demigods to active fires. Especially, if they're your kids."

"I didn't kill Michael! He wasn't as flashy as I would've liked, and he didn't like music much unless it was for healing, but I would never—"

"Never?" Ara steps closer. "Never?"

Apollo hesitates, knowing that's not entirely true. "H-He chose his fate."

"There is no choosing with gods," Ara glares at him. "Only illusions of free will. Meg, don't stay behind!"

The girl runs up to stand next to her and sticks her tongue out at Apollo, not following the conversation but understanding that he made Ara mad, and that's enough to be angry at him in solidarity. 

"You don't get to talk about him," Ara warns Apollo quietly so Meg can't hear. "His memory, what I did and didn't do, haunted me for a whole year. Only I know what Mike and I had, only I know why I'll always be angry about his death, not you. Don't ever talk about Michael, you didn't know him."

Ara knows there's no use in snapping at Apollo, but he's an outlet, an opportunity to make a small fraction of Olympus feel at least a particle of all the guilt and frustration she's felt in her shortcomings.

Apollo stands there in anger, then thunder strikes and he jumps, running to catch up with them.

Next Chapter –>

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