#wits and wagers

[landwriter]

*throws roses at u like confetti*

I love ur writing so much!!!!

“Then I shall take my leave of you and prove you wrong.”

“A story.”

“What?”

“Let’s make a second wager. I’ll tell you a story, and if it doesn’t move you, I’ll know I was wrong to accuse you of loneliness. Then I’ll make my amends if you’ll have them, or see you off into the night if you won’t.”

“How is that possibly related?”

“It’s a story about love. It’ll break the heart of any lonely man.”

“I have heard many love stories before.”

“Not this one,” said Hob, “Not this one, you haven’t. It’s never been told.”

“And if I have heard it before? What then, for your wasting of my time? For your insolence?”

“You can keep your own counsel on the consequences. You won’t have heard it before.”

“Very well. Tell me this story.”

“Not yet. I haven’t named the stakes if it succeeds in moving you.”

“I presume you will say you have somehow proven your offensive suggestion,” he said. “I do not think it will be a concern.”

“No. I won’t say anything on it. And I’m sorry for upsetting you. I am. I’d name a different prize.”

“What would you have?”

“A question. One question. And you’ll answer it.”

---

thank u!! taking confetti quite literally here and sharing the early bare bones dialogue from the start of a Secret WIP that only @moorishflower has ever heard abt! it is set in 1889 and a sort of 1001 Nights meets a Hob who speaks instead of hesitates when he stands up angrily after Dream does; who might say stupid things but isn't a stupid man, who sees how stories are what captivates his stranger, whose frustration at being constantly denied knowledge of his friend has boiled over and caused this fight where he tried to name the knowledge himself, who refuses to lose him, who has lived for five hundred years now and knows how to tell a story, and will use them to bargain now not for his life but for the regard of the stranger he loves.

[ghostaholics]

𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄-𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓

➸ PAIRING: Lieutenant Simon 'Ghost' Riley x gn!reader (aside from a single idiom whose origin uses masculine language/pronouns - every man for himself) ➸ SUMMARY: Against all odds, the Lieutenant accidentally falls asleep on your shoulder. Unfortunately, there are witnesses to the precarious situation (just your luck that it would be Gaz and Soap). ➸ WORD COUNT: 2k

𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄: don't poke the bear.

Danger in your line of work typically consists of trying to walk away from a mission while still being left completely intact (i.e. the goal is to make it out alive, in one piece). You’ve survived a great number of ordeals: cornered into a shootout with a dwindling supply of ammo, tiptoed your way through a field of pressure-sensitive IEDs, dove towards probable death (with an awfully high probability of splattering onto hot, concrete hell like a bug on a windshield) because your helo was sent tail spinning courtesy of a perfectly-aimed RPG – and really, the list goes on.

It's been child’s play, in the grand scheme of things. An extensive catalogue of life-or-death scenarios accounts for your entire military career. And sure, this might be a bit of a stretch, but you'd wager that none of those instances thus far have been as high-stakes as the current predicament you’ve found yourself in.

Jesus-fucking-Christ. Why’d Ghost have to fall asleep on you?

𝐀 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: avoid sitting next to him on the plane ride home. You've had to learn it the hard way.

And the kicker is that this whole thing could’ve been avoided; it didn’t have to be your problem. You could’ve sentenced any one of the other soldiers to your seat. Every man for himself, right? Get off scot-free, have a normal trip back to base with plenty of legroom so that you’re not cramped. Theoretically, it would've been beautiful – a passenger's paradise, the closest you could get to a first-class ticket.

But no.

Instead, play the Good Samaritan; extend your hand out with an act of benevolence. What’s the harm, right? So, you'd spared the poor guy, said you wouldn't mind switching places with him because he'd looked as white as a damn sheet at the idea of being crammed beside this behemoth of a lieutenant who's infamously every FNG's living nightmare.

Yeah, well hindsight is 20/20. Had you known what was going to happen, you would've had no reservations about throwing him under the bus. Sayonara, mate.

Law of the jungle, plain and simple.

To make matters worse, he is, in fact, exhibiting terrible flight etiquette. His head (which is dead weight and feels about as pleasant as a fucking bowling ball, mind you) has taken up every inch of real estate on your shoulder and is practically tucked into the curve of your neck; you’ll need to take a trip to the chiropractor’s after this – several, probably. The edge of his skull mask is digging into you. And, the cherry on top: get this – he’s man-spreading, so his left leg's trespassing into your own territory and brushing against your thigh. Utter lack of regard for personal space.

Incredible.

You’d still rather die than wake him up, though. You're not sure what'll happen if you do, but that's a risk you're not willing to take.

All things considered, an achy shoulder is a much better alternative than incurring the wrath of one angry Lieutenant. He's more subdued in this kind of context. To be completely honest, if you weren't already well-acquainted with him, you'd find it endearing.

From here, it's easy to see the simple rise and fall of his chest, steady and even. Slow inhale in, slow exhale out. He's at peace, a rhythmic lull that matches your own breathing. You can't quite put your finger on the exact moment he fell asleep. (He's got a habit of shutting his eyes and folding his arms over his chest when he isn't in the mood to converse with the other soldiers onboard. But God willing, he would never voluntarily loll his head onto your shoulder.) For what it's worth, he deserves the rest – never been one to do it this soundly as countless missions have taught you that he's usually a light sleeper. You remember him roughly prodding the toe of his boot at Soap's arm once when the Scot was conked out and his snores were a bit loud for Ghost's taste.

Rather odd then, that the Lieutenant even managed to allow himself to doze off like this. It’s too loud, too unsteady – the droning of the plane engine doesn't exactly make for good white noise and the turbulence outside is jostling the cabin around. Moreover, this puts him in a position of vulnerability, and he’s not the type to let his guard down so easily.

But somehow he did it with you beside him.

You try not to think about the implications of that.

𝐈𝐓 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐄, 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄.

Because, Soap's just woken up from his nap, the first among the entire company of soldiers in the cabin still sleeping, excluding yourself. His seat's parallel to yours, straight across the walkway within direct line of sight, so he’s got an unobstructed view of you and Ghost. Soap sends a questioning glance in your direction, eyebrow quirked. A look that says, The hell's going on?

The level of your voice is down; it's at a conservative decibel to avoid rousing the others. Yet you convey your distress with the same amount of passion as if you were stuck in the middle of a losing firefight. "MacTavish, help."

Soap works with bombs for a living. Surely, he's capable of defusing situations too.

Alright the man’s a demolitions expert, but that’s semantics.

He blinks like he's trying to make sense of the situation. Though, it's pretty obvious what the problem is here. You're not sure why he’s got to take a moment and contemplate it. You need a solution, now. And he's moving at a snail's pace.

For a second, you think he might sympathize with your plight.

But then his mouth morphs into a shit-eating grin and when he nudges Gaz awake, you know right then and there that you're absolutely fucked.

More witnesses.

Great.

Because that’s just what you need, isn’t it?

Gaz drags a hand down his face. He pans over to his right to figure out why he’s been jolted awake so suddenly, and sees Soap who’s inexplicably, nauseatingly jovial before his eyes land on you.

Much like Soap’s original reaction, Gaz can’t help but offer a quizzical expression. The confusion is evident. His brows are drawn together because he knows that the L.t. wouldn't fall asleep on your shoulder.

Soap's shifting, sliding his hand into his pocket before pulling out his phone. He messes with it – a few taps here, a few swipes there. And then before you're registering what's happening, he's aiming it straight at you, like one of those mums getting a snapshot of their kids in matching jumpers during the holidays.

"Say cheese."

An indignant gasp leaves your mouth. "If you so much as—

"Soap, no. Don't do that." Gaz says from beside him, plucking the phone out of his hands. He tsks him with a click of his tongue. Stern disapproval in spades. The meaning is clear: it’s a big thumbs down from the Brit. He’s not endorsing this type of behavior. “Gone mad now, have you?” he asks in admonishment.

You release a sigh of relief. Finally, some moral support. He's reliable. Your faith in him is unshakable. Always could count on Gaz to get you out of—

"Have to shoot with a wide angle, see? Or else it'll look wonky," he corrects, flipping the phone horizontally before handing it back to Soap.

"Aye, thanks mate.”

Gaz's smile isn't as excessive as Soap's but the smirk gracing his face tells you he's relishing in your misery all the same.

Fucking traitor.

"Knobheads—"

They’d risk their own hides to save you from certain death. You've seen it in Cairo, Valencia, and Seoul. Good men. Good hearts in the right place as well. However, they're also the type to embarrass you at every opportunity – public humiliation being somewhere on that roster as well. And for that, you want to strangle them.

"Rude,” Soap comments pointedly.

"Bite me, MacTavish."

"Just wake him up if it's bothering you," Gaz supplies unhelpfully.

"If you were in my shoes, would you do it?"

"'Course, not," he snorts. "I don’t have a death wish.”

“Well, I also prefer my head on my shoulders, thank you very much," you whisper furiously, nearly hissing at him.

And Soap is admiring his handiwork, when he coos, “Aw, the two o' you make quite the pair." He briefly twists the screen so that you can catch a glimpse of it, and even from this distance, you can confirm that he's captured the shot. Annoyingly well, to add insult to injury. Angle? Spot-on. Lighting? Brilliant. It's interesting, has character. Black and white photography. He's managed to make a stunning composition and your upper lip is curling up into a sneer of disgust at his artistic eye. How infuriating.

"I'll send this to the Cap. He’ll get a kick outta it."

"Sod off."

"He'll appreciate bein' included."

Gaz matches the energy with an equally gleeful smile, now delighted by the idea. “Hey, and the L.t. he looks—”

“—cute," Soap has the audacity to finish for him.

What.

There are many words that you’d use to describe Ghost.

Cutthroat, maybe. Imposing. Glacial. Taciturn. A stringent set of ideals that makes him the perfect soldier: disciplined, honed, fierce. Intimidating, if he's not fighting on your side – someone you'd much rather have on your team than against, unless you fancied death. He can be a stone-cold terror on occasion. The man’s been penned as a walking horror story by those in the military. Given his iron-hearted demeanor, you'd be hard-pressed to disagree with that statement; there's not much room to call his steel-encased resolve into question.

So, yeah. Above all else, he's certainly not cute.

Your eyes narrow at them. "Congratulations, the both of you have officially made the top of my shitlist."

Soap, indifferent to your crisis, asks, "Want a copy for your wallpaper?"

There's another heated remark waiting on the tip of your tongue, because there's no way in hell that you would and you're ready to tell him off, about to give him an earful.

But somebody else beats you to it.

“Wipe that picture, or I’ll wring your bloody necks.”

Ice surges through your veins. Goosebumps break out across your skin. Because that voice belongs to one person. Oh, Christ. Never in a million years would you want to be on the receiving end of it.

There's anxiety warping in your chest. You're scared stiff, paralyzed with fear in a way that implores you to remain stock-still. The coarse fabric of your trousers bunches underneath your palms as you try not to freak out. This isn't your fault. None of it is.

And here's the worst part: Ghost hasn't lifted his head from your shoulder yet.

But Soap's unfazed. He blinks a couple of times, seems like he's weighing his options – as if there's something else he could choose besides following his lieutenant's command – yeah, right. He wises up, settling for a simple answer in the end. "Alright, Ghost." His smile makes a reappearance, sweet and well-meaning. Troublemaker. "Any chance you'd like a copy before I do away with it?"

"What kind of fuckin' question is that, Johnny?" he grumbles. "Obviously."

𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐔𝐒 𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄:

"I take it you don't think I'm cute then. Have I got that right?"

"I'm sorry... mind repeating that again, sir?"

"You didn't have anything to say about Soap's comment."

"I have a feeling that whatever I answer will get my arse handed to me, L.t."

He's smiling in response – like sunshine trapped behind clouds. Despite it being obscured by the mask, you can see his eyes crinkling at the corners, which makes the black charcoal that's lining them begin to crease a bit. "Permission to speak freely, Sergeant. You have the floor."

Your mouth parts in surprise. Well, then. Maybe you stand corrected. And so, you appraise him momentarily, giving it some serious thought. There's more to Ghost than you give him credit for. He's terse and rough around the edges, but respected for a reason. Admirable. Someone you think highly of and has deserved your approval. The mask undeniably provides an air of intrigue. “I suppose you can be,” you start off, gradually warming up to him being more approachable. “When you’re not terrorizing the new recruits, that is.”

[greysleads]

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[lovelyyandereaddictionpoint]

Yandere Illumi Zoldyck Headcannon Pt. I

Illumi is the type to be so unfamiliar with a simple crush he thinks he’s bewitched when he keeps thinking of you

So when he diverts from his trip home after a successful job it's completely logical

He’s just trying to release himself from this hex

He might even recruit Hisoka 

he’s so sure of it

Whether you’re hanging around Killua and Gon or just hanging out in a city where he was working he makes his way to you

With tons of plans up his sleeves, he goes in

Only to freeze on the spot when you look him in his eyes

“Uhm can I help you?”

“....”

Hisoka’s intervention is the only thing that will save him

Physically shaking the man’s gaze is the only way he starts functioning again

Hisoka will have a good laugh 

But his family wouldn’t 

Whether it's a worldwide disaster that brings the heads of the Zoldyck family together and you're a fighter

or just investigating on their own they’ll bear witness to it

The way you arrive on the scene and Illumi.exe just stops workin

Of course, you don’t notice that the assassin is just wigging out because you’re (inadvertently) talking to him

When they do realize you’re not putting him under some spell 

And he’s just weird

They encourage him to just have you take you if necessary

Whether that’s abducting civilian-you or trying to defeat you on a wager to marry him

All that advice goes out the window because he can’t even talk to you

He doesn’t know the embarrassment 

He doesn’t know butterflies in the stomach

Not until you

You suddenly become this onus that baffles him in every which way

Whether you’re strong enough and aware enough to confront him

Or have little to no use of nen and have no idea who he is

He won’t be able to do anything until he’s able to handle you

But why would he ever 

He loves you 

Even if you’re making him seem like some incompetent lobotomite

[meanbossart]

What is your take on Astarion's relationship with his siblings?

I have put unreasonable amounts of time into thinking about what the dynamics were like during Cazador's reign in that house. I mean, imagine sharing the same tasks, bedrooms, and general experiences of abuse and duress with the same people FOR TWO HUNDRED YEARS. That's absolute madness. If any of you have had experiences with co-living with family under stress for any extensive amount of time, you know very well the levels of emotional 4D chess-ing that tend to take place as a result. You end up distributing so much frustration and anger around and often onto the very same people you will ultimately seek comfort from - this is that situation but blown up to impossible proportions.

So, "strained" doesn't really do justice as a descriptor here. I believe the family had a dynamic, ever-evolving hierarchy within itself, years-worthy of time where the spawn shifted alliances and made "cliques" within themselves - rebels would evolve into pushovers and trusted friends would turn into snitches. You had endless amounts of drama within the group and flies on the walls would witness them cut each other's heads off one day and sob into one another's laps the next.

Naturally I think all of them were resistant to the concept of being a "family" at first, but it's pretty much impossible to not develop family-like ties throughout that long of a period. Following Cazador's death, I believe there would be further splintering within as some want to maintain said ties and others are eager to cut them - seeing both their siblings and the relationships themselves as yet another painful reminder of what Cazador imposed upon them.

I think Astarion falls into the latter category. If he had his way, he would never see, speak, or think of his brothers and sisters again. And while the sibling nomenclature is a deeply-rooted habit, he doesn't think it holds any legitimacy whatsoever (whether or not that's the case in his heart is another matter).

Dalyria (the moon-elf physician, whom I have come up with a story, personality, background and motivations during several long showers that might not necessarily line up with yours, so, if anything of what I'm about to say seems pulled out of a hat, it's because it was) is the opposite. She has grown attached to the constant presence of her siblings and taken a mother-goose role upon herself. With the Exception of Leonard and Violet (more on that later) she has decided they are her responsibility and wishes the group would stick together.

I like to think that there's a lot of history between those two in particular. Obviously, the interactions between Astarion and his siblings are very brief, but It's enough to run with. Dalyria shows a lot of concern and understanding towards him and even pleads when he threatens Petras' life - again, I think she did a lot of trying to pragmatically keep the peace among them and genuinely grew attached to a few - Astarion being the main one of said few. You even get the smallest hint of a on-and-off intimate relationship with the way he derisively calls her by her nickname.

Also, Astarion very occasionally showcases enough emotional maturity that I could see him latching onto the one other person around who seems to have her wits about her, but he's still flawed enough that Dalyria can think of him as a younger sibling that needs her care. Not to mention that, to me, she demonstrates a penchant for moral superiority and a dash of a machiavellian outlook, based on her diary and her completely unapologetic initiative to kill a child on the small chance it would lead her to a cure - not any child either, but Leonard's child. I can totally see Astarion sympathizing and gravitating towards someone like that.

Which brings us to the rest of the siblings - I would wager that, at least by the end of it all, Leonard and Violet were the odd-ones out. As it tends to happen within any tight-knit group, when one succeeds by stepping over the others (even if the reasons for it are justifiable) that brews a lot of resentment and eventual exclusion. Leonard not only did that, but he apparently still held onto hope of future and family outside the Szarr house; wheter or not everybody wanted out, I think a us-versus-them mentality is unavoidable under those circumstances, and Leonard was looked down upon by the others in their respective ways for what he was trying to do.

Violet just seems like she had gone a little cuckoo to me. We get very little about her, but when I think of an adult woman playing childish pranks on her roomates while you are all stuck in what's essentially a human trafficking ring... I think of a person who's either just a very silly breed of evil or who has lost touch with reality, and the latter is more interesting, imo. I think no one liked her, not only because she was a nuisance but also because she became completely emotionally untouchable. I think both Violet and Leonard are spawn who did not survive long after they were all freed.

I'll stop here before I ramble on for another 8 paragraphs about Aurelia, Yousen and Petras (Oh Petras, my beloved), but, yes, suffice to say that I believe it was kind of complicated LOL

EDIT: Not me calling Leon "Leonard" this whole post. Sorry buddy, you look like a Leonard.

[lucysarah-c]

There seems to be a bit of debate within the fandom about whether Isayama stated that Erwin is handsome while Levi isn't, or if Erwin was based on Captain America, and so on.

What I'll offer you is my personal take on the matter, as someone who not only happens to be a woman but also, sadly, a woman who likes men (lol) but also as someone with plenty of friends who share that preference.

Let me preface this by saying that I don't intend for this post to be seen as definitive proof or canon, derived from specific panels or interviews. No, this is simply my humble opinion, based on one thing: my perspective as a woman.

Now, if Isayama believes that Erwin resembles Captain America due to his care for his appearance, and thus is deemed more conventionally attractive, that's fine. But let's remember, Isayama is a MAN. When has a man ever accurately grasped what women truly find appealing?

Sure, Erwin may be tall, handsome, and blond. I'll admit, I even find Erwin attractive. But do you know any girls who go wild over that? No, girls aren't going to Marvel movies for Thor or Captain America (well, maybe some are). They're there for Loki, the Winter Soldier. Men seem to think girls thrist over Captain America's abs, when in reality, I've witnessed more girls giggling over Bambi's dad and his deep voice. Girls don't fantasize about Captain America; they're watching Peaky Blinders or Pride and Prejudice, yearning for a Tommy Shelby to size them up, cigarette and whiskey in hand, with that Birmingham accent asking, "Are you a whore? If not, you're in the wrong place." We want Daemon Targaryen beheading someone who dared insult us.

In my own fanfic, I don't deny that characters like Mike, Erwin, Reiner, Zeke, and all the "conventionally attractive guys" are attractive. But Levi? He's known as the strongest thug in the underground, yet he's also the man who rescued a young girl lost in the streets. In a den of violence and depravity, Levi was both tough and compassionate. I'd wager Levi had the bitches making lines.

The perfect example of this is Zeke admitting he's "not popular with girls." It's like the guy who posts a frustrated TikTok because his gym crush is dating someone edgy. He's the type who wonders, "Why that twig and not me?" Well, sweetheart, because that "edgy" guy is caring and probably knows how to make a woman come better than you. He's so secure in his masculinity that he doesn't need to prove it.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Levi embodies the female gaze because he's what girls want. I'm not claiming this as gospel truth or canon. I'm simply explaining why it seems obvious to me that Levi would still be attractive and desired within the walls—just like how many girls these days prefer Cillian Murphy over Chris Hemsworth.

[jesswritesthat]

Suna Rintarō: Bets

Fandom: Haikyuu!! — [ Masterlist ]

Summary: ~1.2k, fluff

• Challenging Atsumu is always fun and games, but how long can you keep playing when it involves Suna?

Warnings: None

>>>>——————————>

Atsumu let off yet another chastise of offence toward his teammate who took it in stride, they knew he was a perfectionist when it came to his sets - they were tailored specifically so when someone missed he took it personally. However, Sunas taunting on the matter had agitated him today which lead you to your pouty blonde friend on his chosen bench, a dangerous skip in your step as you settled next to him.

"If he's that annoying, I could take him out for ya." You playfully suggested, smirk looming as you spun your pencil between your fingers. "Y'know, if you want?"

Atsumu flicked his suspicious gaze to you after hearing your alluring offer, eyeing you with more conviction than usual.

"With a gun or on a date?"

A conniving grin and a casual shrug that told him you weren't bothered by either.

"Depends how much he annoys me."

"Hah I dare ya, 'cuz I'd like to see ya try either." Atsumu at least seemed more upbeat, pushing your shoulder bemused.

"What do I get out of it?"

"Huh?"

"If you're issuing me a challenge that I complete, I deserve a reward." You chimed, a lace of certainty that told him you were serious.

"Yer get the date don't ya."

"Or a dead body."

A moment was taken to appreciate you quick wit, then another for a stare off, and finally Atsumu broke with a long defeated sigh.

"Jeez alright alright, I'll do anything ya want."

"Anything?"

"Within reason obviously, but Suna ain't gonna be won over. 'Samu says he already has the hots for someone." Part of you suspected Atsumu had played you, but wasn't smart enough to install a wager if you lost the bet so probably not, which gave you false enthusiasm.

"That's because he hasn't met me yet~"

"He has. Many times, yer friends for cryin' out—"

"I know! I was trying to be confident since you just ruined my chances at this! Is murder the only option or do you know who it is?" Immediately your suave facade dissipated with Atsumus deadpan statement and you were hunched over with a massive weight crushing your heart and hopes of success.

"Nah, stupid brother wouldn't tell me. Said I couldn't lie for shit."

You remained in thought making a noise of agreement which Atsumu took offence to but still, it was gut-wrenching information as you thought Rintarō would've told you too, since you're ‘supposed’ to be close friends.

Even so, during the following break in practice you were determined to utilise the 5 minutes for their entire worth. You slid into the spot beside Suna far smoother than originally intended which definitely boosted your charisma.

"Hey Rintarō, you come here often?"

"No, I'm a chronic skiver. Literally never seen you before in my life."

"Perfect, they say oversharing with strangers is a great way to get things off your chest." A solid if not obvious opening, one Rin had apparently became acutely aware of as he tuned into the conversation properly and ceased drinking his water.

"Yeah? What would you suggest?"

"Rumours, strategies, crushes, trauma? Take your pick."

"So there's this person in our class. Thinks they're real slick, and smart, they are kinda funny too considering they think I'll fall for their antics." He cockily paused, and indictaive stare looking you up and down knowingly but amused. "Honestly they're lucky they're hot else I wouldn't send them vines."

"..."

"You suck." A playful death glare met his pleased one alongside your own deadpan voice to which he served you his point.

"And you (Y/n), can ask me anything without the fluff."

"Yeah yeah, let me take you out as an apology. I'll treat you to ramen, this Friday?"

"You buying?" Suna tilted his head curiously, expression remaining unreadable.

"Mm-hm~"

It wasn't uncommon, the two of you would venture out either together or with fellow Inarizaki classmates and end up walking back together. As such you'd often take turns in paying for various purchases.

"Hm, I don't know..."

Either he knew you better than you thought, or something else was going on in that cunning mind of his.

"Rintarō, would you accept if I told you we could get anything we wanted out of Atsumu?"

"Ah that's why you're acting weird."

"Partly, anyway we agreed if I take you out he'll do anything, and I think it'll be fun to share said prize since you helped me earn it."

"Alright. Surprised he went along with it since we go out together all the time, he's not that stupid right?"

"...Well." The lack of conviction was humorous, however even Suna knew Atsumu better than his 'blonde moments' would allow.

"(Y/n)."

"Ughhhhh okay! Atsumu heard you liked someone, so knew you wouldn't accept my offer."

"You don't know who it is." It wasn’t a question, it was a statement. He realised you wouldn't be sitting here if you knew.

"No, and as much as I'd like to know, you don't have to tell me Sunarin."

It was silent for a moment, the brunette in thought before the interruption snapped the two of you from your quiet contemplation.

"Suna c'mon! Breaks over!"

You remained seated as he stood, not sparing a glance until he reaching the court alongside his teammates wearing a clever smirk.

"Ramen on Friday, after school!"

You watched Atsumu falter his serve, snapping a look of shock in your direction of which the only response was a mocking smile.

———

It was as casual as ever when you visited the local you’d sat in together many times before, sharing memes next to each other at the counter and commenting on one of the Miya blackmail recordings Suna had procured that week.

It wasn’t until midway through your food did the blocker turn to pause, looking to you who gratefully enjoyed your food. He was deciding, mind working a mile a second on the correct path here alongside remarks he couldn’t make. Instead he settled on honesty, much like you had done in the gymnasium except it took far less for you to get anything out of him.

"Osamu gave me a wager too, same reward as his brother." The offhanded casualness of his tone made it seem nonchalant, but you couldn’t help the arsing scepticism.

"That's suspicious, are they planning something?"

"I guess so." Suna shrugged half-heartedly, you could feel him analysing your response rather carefully by his narrowed side eye.

You stopped eating as this was worth pondering, the only reason these two bets could link together would be if the identity of Sunas' romantic interest was a certain individual. There's' no way, it’s got to be a different scheme.

"That'd only make sense if the person you liked was—"

Sunas’ warm palm covered your mouth, silencing your potential (but already known) revelation.

"You." A sorrowful smile. "Yeah I know."

A hum of acceptance emitted from behind his palm which softened his usual emotionless gaze, he’d gifted you the information to work it out and predicted you would rather quickly. It was easier than finding the words, there’s too many in both his head and heart for you.

"Sorry, I had to tell you myself else I'd lose the bet. I’d say that counts."

It wasn’t blunt or straightforward which you’d expect from Suna in this situation, in fact if you really dissected it, you couldn’t claim he’d officially confessed to you at all. But that was Suna Rintarō for you, leaving things ambiguous to figure out yourself and by then he’d have a gauge on your reciprocation, he was strategic in more than just Volleyball. But in you, he had worthy opponent, and you weren’t one to play into his hands.

After another moment, he removed his hand leaving a second to return his gaze, and another to breathe a sigh of understanding.

“So, where do we go from here Rin?”

“Wherever you want, (Y/n).”

“I think dealing with the Miya Twins is a great place to start.”

<——————————<<<<

[ Masterlist ]

[fatecantstopme]

The Wink

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x reader

Summary: Bucky reveals how he really feels about you through a series of winks and an answer to a question you never wanted to ask.

Warnings: SMUT, oral (F receiving), unprotected sex (P in V). Aftercare. Small bits of fluff. Slight body issues (Bucky hates his scars). Feelings about being used for sex. Use of pet names.

"You're an idiot," you said with a laugh.

"Maybe, but this was entirely your idea."

You smacked his arm and rolled your eyes. "It was your idea, James."

He cocked his head to the side as if he was deciding if he agreed with you or not. He took another swig of his beer and shrugged. "It's possible that you're right." He held up a dart and shook it in front of you. "So you gonna take the bet or not?"

You grabbed the dart from his hand and grinned. "You're still an idiot." You threw the dart and it hit the board with expert precision. "Are you sure you wanna take the bet?" you teased.

Hr grinned and stepped forward, throwing his own dart at the board. It was an instant bullseye. "Oh doll, I'm gonna win this one." He winked as he teased you.

You groaned, knowing you were probably going to regret this later. You threw the dart again, aim pretty good, but certainly not a bullseye. "Shit."

Bucky threw his bullseye a second time. He turned to look at you, shooting you a wink as he grabbed his drink. "Your turn, doll."

"You can't win, Barnes."

"I'm pretty sure the game is mine, sweets."

You bit your lip and turned to face the board again. You knew that losing wasn't an option. You took a deep breath and threw your last dart, sinking it right in the bullseye. "Yes!!"

Bucky smiled and threw his last dart. "Ooo, bullseye number three, doll. Looks like I win." He winked at you again before setting his drink down and leaning closer to you. "So now you have to answer my question."

"What was your question again?" you asked in a light tone, trying to give yourself more time to formulate a better answer.

"If you could only save one person's life on the team, who would you choose?"

It was the question you never wanted to think about, let alone answer. If it came down to it, who would you pick? Whose life did you value more? Could you even pick between your teammates--your friends? Hell, every single one of them was more like family...how could you pick one family member to save?

The problem is, you knew your answer. You knew it from the moment Bucky had first asked the question 20 minutes prior. You'd refused to answer, thinking he would just let it go, but you should have known better. Instead, he made a wager...putting the answer to his question on a game darts. A game you had lost.

You could answer him honestly, but that terrified you beyond belief. You could lie to him instead, but that had its own risks. It was a rock and a hard place scenario and he knew he had you.

"I can't choose, Buck," you complained.

"It's hypothetical!"

"I know, but I love all of you. How could I possibly choose?"

"I chose," he said simply.

Your mind wandered back to a mission from three weeks before. The mission where Bucky had saved your life...

The room suddenly lit up, the muzzle of a gun flashing brightly as a bullet shot from it. The gun was pointed at you and you knew you were about to die. You could practically feel the end racing towards you at the speed of a bullet. You closed your eyes, bracing yourself for the pain, but it never came. Your eyes opened to a scene you'd never imagined seeing.

Bucky stood in front of you, his gun firing off a round as he dropped to his knees. His bullet hit his target, killing the Hydra agent instantly. When Bucky hit the ground, you hit it with him, coming to his front to assess the damage.

"Bucky!" your eyes scanned his body, panic settling into your chest. He was bleeding, but he looked alright.

"I'm fine, doll. It's just a shoulder wound."

"Why'd you do that? Why'd you jump in front of me?"

"Because you wouldn't have survived it. And I couldn't live with that," he said softly.

He wasn't wrong. That bullet would have killed you. While it only pierced his shoulder, it would have hit you directly in the head, killing you instantly.

"Thank you," you whispered.

"Anything for you, doll," he said with a wink.

Back in the present, you shook your head, clearing the memories from your mind. "That's not the same, Buck. I'd die for any one of you. That's much different than picking which one of you to save."

He shook his head. "You didn't see the whole thing. I didn't just save your life, I chose yours over Sam's."

You froze, trying to picture the moments before the gun went off, but the room had been so dark...you hadn't even seen Sam. "Sam's fine, though."

"Sam was fighting another Hydra agent when that one squared up with you. I saw him raise the gun at the same moment I saw Sam get pulled into a choke hold with a knife to his throat. I chose to save you."

You were silent, allowing his words to sink in. "I--I didn't know that. Sam never said anything."

"Sam got away moments later, so he never had a reason to bring it up."

"You just acted on instinct though."

"Perhaps, but I knew I would save you if it came down to it. I'd always choose you." He smiled and shot you another wink. It was the third one this evening alone and you were starting to wonder if they meant more than you'd originally thought.

Bucky was always winking at you. Sometimes jokingly, sometimes in a flirtatious manner, and sometimes even in a serious moment. They always made your heart flutter, but you didn't think they meant anything to him. Bucky was flirty, but he'd never made a move, so you assumed he wasn't interested.

"You still haven't answered my question, doll, and you do owe me an answer."

You took a deep breath and sighed. "Fine. I'd pick you, alright?" you said with a huff.

He looked surprised, but unconvinced. "Why? Because I picked you?"

You groaned, deciding to lay your cards out on the table, come what may. "No you idiot. Your stupid face popped into my head the moment you asked me the question, okay? I knew I'd pick you."

"Then why didn't you answer it the first time?"

"Because!"

"That's not an answer."

"Ugh!" You sighed again. "I didn't say it because I didn't want to explain why it was you."

Bucky looked at you strangely. "You're not gonna make me ask, are you?"

"Damnit, James," you groaned. "I can't live without you, okay? There's no world worth being in if you're not in it."

You couldn't believe you'd just said that out loud, but here you were, heart laid bare, in the awkwardly quiet compound game room.

Bucky didn't say a word, but he wasn't speechless. He was simply contemplating his next move, weighing the consequences of his actions before he made them.

After a few more painfully silent moments, he grumbled "Fuck it," before crossing the short distance between you two and pressing his lips to yours in a frantic, yet passionate kiss.

You were surprised by the suddenness of his actions, but you melted into him without a second thought. The kiss was infinitely better than you had imagined, and you had done quite a lot of imagining.

When Bucky's lips left yours, you whined slightly, wanting nothing more than for him to kiss you again.

"Sorry, doll. I've wanted to do that for ages."

"Well what you took you so long?" you asked.

He raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't sure you wanted me to. You never said anything either, you know. At least I dropped hints."

You rolled your eyes. "Can you please just kiss me again?"

He grinned and leaned back into you, mouth encompassing yours instantly. He loved the taste of your lips, the feeling of your tongue fighting against his, the way you gripped his arms like you were terrified he was going to disappear.

Bucky pulled away once more, the action almost painful. "Should we move this to my room? Anyone could see us here."

"Bit presumptuous of you, James," you teased.

He started to back peddle, a look of panic crossing his features. "Oh, I--uh--I didn't mean--"

You laughed. "I was teasing you, handsome. I'd love to move this elsewhere."

He relaxed, exhaling long and slow. "Thank god." He grabbed your hand and practically dragged you towards the elevator. "Come on."

"Buck, my legs are a lot shorter than yours, so can you slow down a little?" you asked as you jogged after him.

"Sorry, sweets." He turned towards you and scooped you up with ease before continuing to the elevator.

"What are you doing?"

"It's faster if I just carry you."

"Are we in a rush?"

He gave you an unreadable look. "Let's just say I've wanted you for so long that I actually might not be able to contain myself for much longer."

You smirked. "So you're gonna take me right here in this elevator?"

His eyes darkened. "Don't tempt me, baby, because I will."

You blushed. "I wouldn't say no..."

He looked like he was considering it for a moment before shaking his head to clear his dirty mind. "No, no. Our first time needs to be in a bed, where I can attend to your every need, not some dirty elevator."

You'd be lying if you said that the idea of him attending to your every need wasn't sexy as hell. The image of him on his knees for you sent a wave of pleasure straight to your core.

Bucky inhaled deeply and a low growl escaped his throat. "Fuck, you smell good."

You gasped, realizing he could actually smell your arousal...freaking super soldier senses.

The elevator door finally opened and Bucky practically ran towards his room. He pushed his door open and kicked it closed behind him before tossing you on the bed. He stepped away from you and took a few deep breaths.

"Bucky? You okay?" you asked in concern.

"I just need a minute, doll. Need to control myself."

"Why? I'm not afraid of you."

"You should be and you know it," he growled. "I could hurt you and I might if I lose control."

You crawled across the bed towards him, hand reaching out to him. "You're not going to hurt me, Buck. Just come here...please..."

His eyes met yours and you were taken aback by how dark they were. The normally bright blue irises were almost entirely hidden by his pupils, an almost feral look in them. It was an expression that might terrify a lesser woman, but you trusted Bucky with your life. That wasn't going to stop in the bedroom.

"Come here, baby," you whispered gently.

He let you take his arm and pull him towards the bed. He stopped when his legs touched the edge of the mattress. "I wanna be gentle with you, doll. Treat you right."

You cocked your head to the side as you took him in. "While I love that sentiment, Bucky, I don't need that. I need you and I'll take you in whatever form you come."

He groaned. "You're amazing."

You grinned. "Oh baby, you ain't seen nothing yet." You shot him a wink to emphasize your statement and he practically jumped on top of you, earning a squeal of delight from you.

He pinned you to the bed and started kissing you again as his hands began to undress you. His hands were fumbling with your shirt and he groaned in frustration before simply ripping it in two.

"Bucky!"

"I'm sorry, I'll buy you three to replace it," he mumbled, reattaching his lips to your skin.

He quickly rid you of your pants, leaving you in nothing but your underwear and a bralette that was arguably a little small for your chest.

Bucky sat back to take you in, eyes hungrily dancing across your body. He tapped the fabric between your breasts, "Is this expensive?"

You shook your head. "I have a couple more like it."

"Good," he said as he pulled a knife from his pants and slid it under the fabric, cutting the bralette in two. He cut the straps and tossed the ruined fabric onto the floor along with his blade.

You stared at him in a shocked silence, wetness seeping into your underwear. "That was hot as hell."

He grinned and inhaled deeply. "I can tell you liked it, pretty girl."

He grabbed your underwear and tugged them harshly down your legs. "Holy shit," he murmured, sliding a finger between your folds to collect your juices. "This all for me?"

"All for you, Bucky."

He licked his finger and groaned loudly. "Fuck, baby, you taste even better than I imagined."

He dropped to his stomach between your thighs, spreading your legs as wide as he could. He didn't bother to tease you, just dove right in, devouring you with a kind of hunger you'd never experienced.

You were a moaning mess in minutes, begging him not to stop, a plea he took to heart. When your orgasm hit, he worked you through it, never stopping to even take a breath.

You tugged on his hair and whimpered, but he kept going, needing to taste you for a little while longer. He wanted to feel you explode on his tongue again and again and again until you couldn't take it anymore.

"Bucky--I'm so close, please," you gasped.

He dug his fingers into your hips and kept your pussy tight to his face, not letting you squirm away.

Moments later you came with a cry of his name, waves of pleasure making your hips buck against his face. He worked you through it, only stopping when you begged him to give you a break.

He lifted his head, giving you a view of his slick covered beard. "I could eat that pretty pussy all day long, baby." He licked his lips. "Tastes so damn good."

You whimpered softly and reached for him, wanting to kiss him again. He wiped his face on his shirt before tugging it off over his head and lowering his body back down to yours. You held him close as you kissed him, fingers lightly tracing the scars on his left shoulder.

You felt his body stiffen under your hands and you pulled away to look at him. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," he murmured.

"Hey," you said softly, grabbing his chin to force him to look at you. "Talk to me."

He sighed heavily. "I'm just not used to anyone touching my scars."

"Oh," you said in surprise, pulling your hand away from him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"Shit--no, that's not what I meant. Most women tend to avoid them. I know they're not pretty to look at."

"I think they're beautiful."

He looked at you as if you were insane.

"I'm serious, Bucky. Each one tells a unique story of your life. They're a part of you and that makes them beautiful to me."

His eyes softened and you could have sworn you saw the ghost of a tear slide down his cheek. "I don't deserve you," he whispered.

"Oh hush. That's not for you to decide." You hooked your leg around his hips and flipped him over with surprising ease. "If we had more time, I'd kiss every single one of your scars until you believed me, but we don't."

His eyes widened. "Are we in a rush, baby?" he teased, echoing your earlier statement.

You grinned. "If I don't get your cock in me soon, I may never recover."

"We can't let that happen, so we better get to it."

He helped you remove his pants, leaving him in just his boxer briefs. His bulge was massive and your mouth was watering in anticipation. You gripped the waistband of his underwear and pulled them down slowly, allowing his cock to spring free.

You inhaled sharply as you took in the massive erection before you, a slight panic settling into your bones at the thought of having something that large inside of you.

As if he sensed your panic, Bucky chuckled lightly and said, "Don't worry, baby. It'll fit."

"I don't think so."

He grinned. "We'll make it fit."

You looked up at him with what you hoped was a neutral expression. Concern immediately clouded his face, so you knew you'd failed miserably.

"Hey doll, it's okay. I'll go nice and slow, alright? I'll be gentle."

You nodded and took a deep breath. You positioned yourself directly above his painfully erect cock and began to lower yourself down very slowly.

Bucky gripped your hips tightly, making sure to guide you as slowly as he could manage. You both moaned as he began to enter you, the stretch causing you to dig your nails into his chest.

"I've got you," he whispered.

You tried to lower yourself further, but Bucky's grip on your hips kept you from moving. He meant it when he said he wanted to be as gentle as possible.

"I can take it, Buck. Let me try," you murmured.

He looked at you and nodded slowly, not looking entirely convinced, but he loosened his grip on your hips, allowing you to take control.

You took a deep breath, deciding to handle this like removing a band-aid--just get it over with. You sat down on top of him, sheathing his entire cock within your tight walls.

You cried out in a mixture of pleasure and pain, body stretched in ways it had never been stretched before.

Bucky groaned loudly, almost covering your cry. He looked at you with wide eyes, checking to see if you were okay.

Your body was acclimating to his size and you were becoming desperate the longer he remained still. "Please, Bucky," you whimpered.

"What do you need, baby?"

"I need you to fuck me--please."

He gripped your hips again and started to move slowly, letting you match his pace.

"I'm not made of glass," you grumbled.

He looked up at you in surprise. "What?"

"You're not going to break me, Bucky. I want you to fuck me until I can't walk, understand?"

He nodded rapidly, eyes darkening once more. "Are you sure?"

"Fuck. Me. Now." you demanded.

He wasn't going to deny you such a request. He shifted his body, planted his feet on the bed, and began to piston up into you with speed and force.

"Fuck!" you gasped, the pleasure slamming into you like a freight train.

"You're so tight, doll. Feels so good wrapped around my cock."

Bucky was giving you exactly what you'd asked for and you loved it. The tip of his cock brushed your cervix with every thrust, the whisper of pain only adding to your enjoyment.

"Squeezing me so tight, baby. You gonna cum for me? Gonna make a mess on my cock?"

You whimpered and nodded rapidly, your third orgasm of the night creeping up on you. "Feels so good, Buck."

"I know, baby. It's like heaven--could stay here forever."

Your fingernails were digging crescent shapes into his chest as you clung to him, unable to do anything more than moan and gasp his name. "Please," you whimpered.

He knew exactly what you were asking for, so he didn't slow down or alter his movements. He continued to pound into you until you came with a cry of his name, pussy pulsating around his cock.

"Fuck!" he gasped. "Fuck--baby--shit, you've gotta stop that or I'm not gonna last."

"Can't help it," you mumbled. "Feels so good."

"I know pretty girl." He pulled you down to his chest and held on tightly as he flipped you onto your back, allowing him to get a better angle.

By this stage, your body was hyper-sensitive and you could feel every single movement he made.

His hips began to move again and his fingers caressed every part of you he could reach. He pinched your nipples, rolling them between his fingers as he fucked you. "Can you give me one more, sweets?"

Your eyes widened and you shook your head.

"You sure, doll? I think my pussy can do it." He changed his angle, giving him the ability to hit your g-spot with each thrust, as if to punctuate his sentence.

You moaned loudly and clenched tightly around him, eliciting a groan from his lips.

"I think she can give me one more, baby. My pussy--treating me so good--gonna make sure she feels good too."

You moaned again, nails clawing at his back as he fucked you.

"Yeah? You like that, huh?" he groaned into your ear. "Who's pussy is this, baby?"

"You--yours," you gasped out.

"That's right, doll. It's mine."

He knew you were getting close, so he slid his left hand down between your bodies, using his finger to gently massage your clit.

"Bucky!" you gasped.

"You gonna cum for me again, sweets?"

"So close," you whispered.

"I know, doll."

Three more thrusts and you were falling into an ocean of pleasure, wave after wave crashing into you. You were barely aware of Bucky chasing his own high, the crest of your pleasure blinding you to anything else.

Bucky came with a low groan of your name, spilling his seed deep within you. When he was spent, he collapsed on top of you, body shaking slightly from the intensity of his orgasm.

You laid like that for several minutes before Bucky finally shifted, rolling off of you and leaving you cold and empty. You reached for him almost instinctively, but he wasn't beside you.

You whimpered softly, looking around the room for him. He appeared from the bathroom holding a washcloth, a look of concern on his face.

"What's wrong, baby?"

"I didn't know where you went," you whispered sheepishly.

He looked sad. "Just wanted to get a nice warm washcloth to clean you up with, doll."

"Oh."

He very gently began to clean you up, hands surprisingly soft. "I've got you, doll. I'm here."

You felt kind of foolish...you were simply used to be treated differently by men. You'd always been the girl they'd fuck and leave, none of them ever stayed long enough to even make sure you'd cum, let alone clean you up after. It was wrong of you to assume that Bucky was the same.

When he was done, he tossed the washcloth to the floor and crawled back into the bed, pulling you into his chest. "Wanna tell me what's wrong, sweets?"

"I'm--I'm just not used to aftercare, that's all. I...I thought you left."

"It's my room," he teased softly, laying a kiss on top of your head. "Besides, I'd much rather hold you after sex than lay in an empty bed."

You looked up at him, taking in his disheveled appearance and eyes so full of love it almost hurt to look at them. "Thank you, Bucky."

His brow furrowed. "For what?"

"For being you," you said simply, placing a soft kiss to the scar on his right shoulder, the one he got from saving your life.

"Anything for you, doll. Anything for you."

[ursusmajoralis]

Epilogue letter from Francesca, regarding Halsin and Ormn

I believe this is new in Patch 6 too, an epilogue letter from Francesca.

Oak Father's blessings to you, unmet friend.

You may not know me, but I know a great deal of you, thanks to our mutual acquaintance, Halsin. I am Francesca of the High Forest, and I wish to thank you for all you have done in nature's service. Not only did you rescue a swathe of the Oak Father's realm from the shadows, but you likewise helped turn the Emerald Grove from a dark path also, and perhaps most auspiciously of all, you unburdened my dear friend of something that had tormented him for a lifetime. Now I serve as Archdruid in his stead, while he thrives with new purpose. I shall honour all that you did for us by returning the Grove and its followers to their core principles of balance and harmony. Rest assured, those who were once tempted by darker influences shall return to the Oak Father's true word.

You have my eternal thanks and admiration.

Your faithful servant, Francesca of the High Forest, Archdruid of the Emerald Grove

P.S. I passed on Halsin's message to his dear friend, Ormn, who is most eager to come join him at his new commune. I would not have believed a bear of his size could jump with excitement, had I not witnessed it with my own eyes. I expect Ormn will have arrived there by the time Halsin returns from your festivities - a most pleasant surprise for him, I will wager.

[nodusomnis]

title: ending scene pairing(s): aventurine x gn!reader word count: 8.6k+ synopsis: a perfect ending, a moment divine. two souls entwined, their destinies aligned.

In the wake of the debacle that unfolded within the confines of Clock Studios Theme Park, Aventurine found himself clashing with a torrent of memories, cascading upon him amidst the tumultuous clash with The Nameless. The encounter with the Emanator of Nihility, Acheron, added another layer to his introspection. He had not anticipated a meaningful exchange with her, let alone receiving the answers to the questions that had long haunted his thoughts, yet remained unspoken. 

His mind had been consumed by his mission, driven by a desire to unearth the truths obscured by The Family's clandestine ploys. Yet, beneath it all, lay a vulnerability he had concealed, encased within layers of self-preservation.

Aventurine was a fragile soul, shielded by layers of barriers against the insecurities coursing through his veins. Each layer seemed meticulously etched into his being, a defense mechanism designed to protect his fractured self from further harm. It was as though he had been molded by circumstance, destined to endure until the end.

The specter of Death had loomed large, a tantalizing prospect of liberation from the shackles binding him in place. However, it appeared that fate had other designs, offering him a reprieve, albeit bittersweet. Aventurine had exhausted every resource, staked his final chip and his very essence, to grasp the one elusive prize he coveted above all else—freedom.

The sensation was intoxicating, a long-denied elation flooding his senses as he bid farewell to his former self, Kakavasha. With measured steps, he approached the yawning abyss, a void of darkness and uncertainty where his final gambit awaited. Here, amidst the unknown, his destiny beckoned, and it was within his power to seize it, to forge a new path toward the life he yearned for.

True death, once a tempting prospect, now held no sway over him. He had relinquished its grip on his destiny, opting instead to embrace the unknown with resolve, prepared to confront whatever trials lay ahead on his journey to redemption.

As Aventurine's resounding footsteps echoed through the cavernous space, punctuated by the gentle splashes of water with each step, a voice resonated within his mind, disrupting his thoughts like a sudden thunderclap in the silence.

"Do you believe your luck will never wane?" 

Aventurine froze in his tracks. The voice, hauntingly familiar, sliced through the stillness, dredging up memories of chance encounters and shared moments in the Land of Festivities.

It was you, the enigmatic figure he had crossed paths with amidst the opulent walls of a Penacony casino, where the allure of chance beckoned like a siren's call.

In a rare departure from his relentless pursuit of his mission, Aventurine had allowed himself a fleeting indulgence—a dalliance with Lady Luck amidst the glittering lights and frenetic energy of the gambling den. The thrill of the game, the towering stacks of chips exchanged like currency in a high-stakes dance, held him in thrall. 

Seated at the poker table, surrounded by fellow players, each with their own tales of triumph and despair, Aventurine reveled in the stimulating blend of risk and reward. The round table, a silent witness to the ebb and flow of fortunes, bore witness to his calculated gambit, his skillful manipulation of the odds. 

For Aventurine, winning was not merely a possibility—it was a certainty, as innate to his being as the very act of breathing.

As Aventurine boldly wagered half of his towering stack of chips, each worth a staggering million, the atmosphere around the table crackled with disbelief, leaving his fellow players astounded and speechless. Unconcerned with the monetary value or potential rewards, he sought only the thrill of risk, a sensation that coursed through him like a tempestuous tide, simultaneously exhilarating and unnerving.

Confident in his own luck, he staked his fortune on the game, even with a modest hand of two pairs. Trusting in the whims of fate and the calculated odds, he remained poised, concealing the tumult of anxiety that churned within him beneath a mask of stoic composure.

Yet, beneath the veneer of confidence, Aventurine grappled with the relentless pounding of his heart, the palpitations echoing the intensity of his emotions. Clutching a single chip beneath the table, he clung to it as if it were a lifeline, a tangible anchor amidst the rumpus of uncertainty that threatened to overwhelm him.

"That is an audacious wager, Mr. Aventurine. Are you unequivocally committed to this course of action?" inquired the individual seated across from him, their voice tinged with apprehension.

In response to the incredulous query from his fellow player, Aventurine offered only a sardonic smirk, a silent affirmation of his resolve. "I am certain," he replied, his voice laced with a quiet confidence. "This is but the grand finale of our game—a conclusion befitting of our stakes."

"Is he not one of the Ten Stonehearts of the IPC? The individual notorious for his gambling addiction?"

"Yes, indeed. His name is rumored to be Aventurine."

As murmurs rippled through the crowd, whispers of his identity as one of the Ten Stonehearts of the IPC—a figure rumored to be consumed by the allure of gambling—reached his ears. He’s not surprised if they know him. After all, the influence wielded by the IPC was not to be underestimated, its reach extending across the cosmos, its prominence ensuring the preservation of its power and prestige. Therefore, rather than shying away from the scrutiny, Aventurine embraced the spotlight, reveling in the recognition bestowed upon him by the throngs of onlookers.

With a subtle shift of his gaze, he surveyed the faces of his fellow players, noting the flickers of trepidation that danced across their features. It was a sight that brought him a perverse sense of satisfaction, a reminder of the raw essence of gambling—the interplay of anxiety, anticipation, and despair—that fueled his very existence.

As the tension peaked and the moment of truth arrived, Aventurine and his adversary revealed their cards to unveil identical two pairs, setting the stage for a climactic showdown. However, it was Aventurine's hidden ace that tipped the scales in his favor, securing his victory in the final round and solidifying his reputation as a master of chance.

The audience erupted into gasps of awe and scattered applause, their reactions serving as testament to Aventurine's extraordinary luck and skill. Their admiration only added to the weight of his legend, reinforcing the notion of his seemingly boundless fortune.

“Do you believe your luck will never wane?”

Amidst the flurry of excitement, Aventurine's gaze intersected with where he heard the voice. There you stood, a stoic figure amidst the throngs of spectators. Your expression, devoid of the fervor that gripped the crowd, exuded a palpable indifference that set you apart from the sea of adulation.

For Aventurine, accustomed to the praise and criticism that accompanied his every move, your silent scrutiny held a weight far greater than the cacophony of voices around him. It was as if your gaze alone bore the gravity of a thousand judgments, casting doubt upon his invincible facade.

As you gracefully departed from the scene, gliding through the crowd with an effortless poise, Aventurine felt a fleeting impulse to pursue you, to unravel the mystery behind your statement. Yet, before he could act upon his impulse, the dealer's call snapped him back to reality, redirecting his attention to the present moment.

With a final glance in your direction, Aventurine reluctantly tore his gaze away, refocusing his attention on the game at hand. Though your departure left a lingering curiosity in his mind, he knew that the cards had been dealt, and it was time to play his hand.

The following day, Aventurine ventured once more into the hallowed halls of the casino, his gaze wandered across the expanse of the venue, alighting upon a figure seated at a poker table amidst a horde of eager players. In an instant, recognition dawned upon him, for there, amidst the sea of faces, sat the individual he had encountered the day prior.

Without hesitation, Aventurine strode purposefully towards the table, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected reunion. Never had he anticipated crossing paths once more with you in a city as vast as Penacony.

As he approached, he observed the scene unfolding before him—the table abuzz with the energy of the game, the players immersed in the pursuit of fortune. However, amidst the dissonance of chips clinking and cards shuffling, his attention was drawn inexorably to you, seated with an air of composed indifference despite your apparent lack of chips.

It was the same familiar insouciance he’d seen in your first meeting. How funny.

The mocking taunts of a fellow player echoed through the room, directed towards you with a mixture of derision and amusement. Despite your depleted reserves, you remained unruffled, your countenance betraying none of the desperation that typically accompanied such circumstances.

"It appears fortune has yet to favor me," you remarked casually, your tone devoid of any hint of concern.

A ripple of laughter emanated from your adversary, his jeering palpable as he sought to goad you into yet another round of play, urging you to replenish your dwindling supply of chips. Yet, you met his jests with an inscrutable gaze in the face of his provocations.

Aventurine, with a knowing glint in his eye, couldn't help but chuckle softly at the scene. He was well acquainted with the minds of these gamblers, their intentions transparent as glass. It was clear they sought to deplete your remaining resources, confident in their ability to emerge victorious. Indeed, in their minds, the prospect of claiming more rewards danced tantalizingly.

"They will engage in further play," Aventurine interjected, his voice slicing through the air, commanding the attention of all present, including yourself. The seasoned gambler spared no glance for your fellow players; instead, his focus lingered keenly upon you, a fact not lost on the others.

Interrupting any potential protests, he spoke before you could voice your objections. 

"Since it appears they lack anything of value to offer, why not allow me to play on their behalf instead? Care to oppose?" The challenge issued by Aventurine lingered, met with smirks and laughter from the assembled men, their eyes alight with greed.

"Well, well, well... I admire your audacity, lad. The more stakes, the merrier, isn't that right?" Their laughter cascaded like a chorus, oblivious to the fact that in Aventurine, they faced a master amongst masters in the art of acquisition.

"How naive..." you muttered under your breath, earning only a gentle touch from Aventurine atop your head, his actions eliciting a look of incredulity from you.

"Regardless, shall we proceed?"

With the deal struck, the game unfurled as the dealer meticulously distributed cards to each player. You observed with keen interest, your gaze occasionally drifting toward the blonde gentleman seated beside you. Sensing your scrutiny, he met your eyes briefly before offering a sly smile, his actions enigmatic yet intriguing.

Furrowing your brow in silent inquiry, you sought to discern his intentions, but he merely pressed a finger to his lips in response.

"Remain composed and observe," his silent directive seemed to convey.

Resigned to his inscrutable demeanor, you acquiesced, allowing him free rein. As the game progressed, the man who had thus far dominated proceedings wore a self-assured smirk, placing a bid worth half a million credits. The others hesitated, yet one figure, the notorious gambler seated beside you, sees this as an opportunity.

"Ah, now we're truly delving into the heart of the matter," Aventurine chuckled, a spark of amusement dancing in his eyes as he adjusted his tinted glasses with a light touch. "Since you seem to relish in the thrill of risk-taking, my good sir, why not elevate the stakes even further?"

His words trailed off, drawing the attention of all present once more, including yours, earning him a quizzical raised eyebrow. You couldn't fathom what he had up his sleeve, but a sense of impending audacity pervaded the atmosphere.

"If fortune favors you," Aventurine continued, his tone laced with a hint of challenge, "I shall generously double all the chips you currently possess."

Gasps and murmurs break through the assembled spectators at the grit of his offer, whispers swirling with tales of his legendary gambling prowess. But, to you, his proposition came as no surprise. You were well aware of Aventurine's penchant for daring wagers, although the sheer magnitude of this gamble caught even you off guard.

"But," Aventurine's voice lowered, carrying an air of quiet authority, as he plucked a single chip from his side and deftly flicked it across the table to the stunned recipient, "should fortune favor me..."

The chip landed in the bewildered man's grasp, his expression a mix of confusion and apprehension as he gazed back at Aventurine.

"You will forfeit all the chips you've amassed from this individual," Aventurine concluded, his gaze steady and unwavering.

Your eyes widened in disbelief at his bold proclamation, a protest bubbling at the edge of your lips. 

"Hey—"

"I am the player at present, am I not?" Aventurine's tone brooked no argument, his gaze met yours, a silent reminder that he held the reins of the game.

With a resigned sigh, you bit your lower lip, restraining yourself from interjecting. After all, you weren't a participant in the game at this moment, merely an observer. And within the confines of the casino, such displays of audaciousness were not uncommon. Still, the realization that Aventurine was willing to go to such lengths to aid a stranger only added to the ever-growing meter of outrageousness you held for him.

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the man across the table digested Aventurine's audacious proposition. Initially met with disbelief, a subtle transformation overtook his countenance, the contours of his features twisting into a sinister smirk. A chill of foreboding gripped your senses, a premonition of impending turmoil settling like a shadow upon your consciousness.

Amidst the mounting tension, your gaze darted toward Aventurine, seeking solace in his unwavering composure. His demeanor remained calm amidst the tempestuous currents swirling around you, offering little insight into the hand he held concealed beneath the veil of his cards. With bated breath, you awaited the revelation that would determine the outcome of this high-stakes gamble, each passing moment fraught with palpable suspense.

"Very well, let us lay bare our fortunes," the old man declared, his tone laced with arrogance as he motioned towards the deck. With a flourish, the cards were revealed, their secrets laid bare for all to see.

In a swift and decisive move, Aventurine emerged victorious, his triumph resounding with effortless grace. The cocky facade of his adversary crumbled in an instant, replaced by an expression of bitter defeat as he clutched his head in despair. With a rueful sigh, he relinquished the spoils of his ill-fated gamble, returning to you the chips that had once slipped through your fingers like grains of sand.

As you and Aventurine exited the confines of the casino, the weight of gratitude settled upon your shoulders like a heavy mantle. Despite the reckless nature of his intervention, you couldn't help but feel a surge of appreciation for his timely assistance. Yet, beneath the surface of your gratitude lurked a nagging sense of wariness, a reminder of the perilous waters into which you had unwittingly waded.

"Thank you for your help back there," you offered sincerely, the words heavy with genuine appreciation. Aventurine responded with a disarming smile, though his subsequent words bore the weight of underlying intent.

"Do not misconstrue my actions as mere altruism. I acted with purpose, not without consideration for my own interests," he remarked, his tone tinged with a subtle edge that sent a shiver down your spine. "Surely, you are aware of who I am."

Closing the distance between you, Aventurine's imposing figure loomed over you, his gaze piercing and inscrutable. You felt the telltale twitch of your eyes and the tightening of your fists at your sides, a reflexive response to the palpable aura of danger that surrounded him.

"This is precisely why I avoid entanglements with individuals like yourself," you admitted, your voice laced with a mixture of resignation and apprehension.

Aventurine's laughter rang out, a melodic sound that grated against your nerves. "But in this instance, you have no choice but to engage, do you not? Now, onto the matter at hand – I seek answers regarding your cryptic statement from yesterday."

Your eyebrow arched in bemusement at his unexpected inquiry. "There was no deeper meaning to my words. I merely commented on your inherent luck, having observed your exploits within the casino since your arrival in Penacony."

Pinching the bridge of your nose, you cursed inwardly at the unforeseen repercussions of your offhand remark. Aventurine's scrutinizing gaze bore into you with unsettling intensity, seemingly searching for any trace of falsehood within your composed demeanor.

"Very well, if that is indeed the case, then I have another proposition for you," he declared, a mischievous glint dancing in his eyes. Your heart quickened at the implication of trouble brewing on the horizon, yet you met his gaze with steely resolve.

"And what might that be?"

"Be my eyes and ears here in Penacony," Aventurine proposed, his smirk widening into a grin that sent a chill down your spine.

The story of your unlikely alliance with Aventurine had begun. If ever the unexpected news circulated amongst the circles of Penacony, many would find it incredulous that someone of his stature, a member of the esteemed Ten Stonehearts, would place trust in a mere stranger. Indeed, to the uninitiated observer, the notion seemed absurd – a contradiction in terms that defied logic and reason. But, for Aventurine, such trivial matters held little sway over his calculated decisions.

To him, trust was a commodity to be traded with caution, its value contingent upon a myriad of factors that extended far beyond surface appearances. In his world, betrayal and deception were the currency of every world, woven seamlessly into his existence. And so, when he extended his offer to you, it was not born of blind faith or naivety, but rather a calculated gamble rooted in the certainty of his own capabilities.

He knew, with certainty, that even if you were to betray him or fabricate falsehoods in his presence, he possessed the keen intellect and astute intuition to discern truth from lies. In his eyes, you were but a pawn in his grand scheme – a pawn whose movements he could predict with precision, regardless of the facades you chose to adopt.

However, to his surprise and consternation, you defied his expectations at every turn. Despite your initial reluctance and the aloof demeanor you projected, you proved yourself to be a reliable ally – one whose resourcefulness and ingenuity surpassed his own assumptions.

How did you gather your intel, he wondered? Was it through mingling with the citizens of Penacony, ingratiating yourself into their midst to extract information like a skilled puppeteer manipulating marionettes? Aventurine pondered these questions with a mixture of intrigue and frustration, unable to fathom the depths of your strategy.

Perhaps it was a sense of indebtedness that drove you, he mused. The desire to repay a perceived debt hanging heavy upon your conscience, compelling you to fulfill your obligations despite your reservations. Or perhaps, you were simply averse to owing favors, unwilling to be beholden to another soul, even one as formidable as Aventurine.

Whatever the reason, Aventurine found himself grappling with the mystery that was you – a puzzle whose pieces refused to align neatly within the edges of his understanding. And though he may never unravel the mysteries of your motivations, he couldn't deny the undeniable truth: in you, he had encountered a force to be reckoned with – a fool, perhaps, but a fool whose strength lay in the depths of your unfathomable resolve.

In the bustling streets of Penacony, amidst the cacophony of laughter and music that permeated the air, you continued your clandestine endeavors as Aventurine's trusted confidant. With practiced discretion, you navigated the labyrinthine alleys and bustling marketplaces, seamlessly blending into the tapestry of everyday life in the Land of Festivities. To the casual observer, you were but another face in the crowd – unremarkable, inconspicuous, and utterly forgettable.

Yet, beneath the veneer of anonymity, you carried out your duties with unwavering dedication and precision. Gathering tidbits of information like shards of broken glass, you pieced together the intricate puzzle of Penacony's underworld, all the while maintaining a facade of normalcy to ward off any suspicion that may arise.

Aventurine, ever the astute observer, commended your efforts with a rare display of generosity, treating you to rounds of soulglads despite your persistent protests. You rebuffed his gestures with firm resolve, adamant in your refusal to be indebted to him once more. Yet, despite your best efforts to maintain a facade of detachment, Aventurine possessed a knack for circumventing your defenses, his genuine concern and camaraderie slipping through the cracks of your stoic exterior.

For Aventurine, whose existence had long been steeped in solitude and mistrust, your presence offered a rare glimpse of authenticity amidst the sea of duplicity that surrounded him. Though he wore the mask of manipulation and trickery with practiced ease, there lingered within him a kernel of genuineness – a flicker of humanity that defied the confines of his carefully constructed facade.

Trusting others had always been a precarious endeavor for Aventurine, a vulnerability he was loath to embrace. To him, every word spoken and gesture made was a calculated maneuver, a chess move in the intricate game of deception that defined his existence. Yet, in your company, he found himself traversing uncharted territory – a realm where sincerity and trust held sway, however fleetingly.

As days transitioned into days, and days into weeks, the bond between you and Aventurine grew stronger, shaped within the crucible of mutual understanding and respect. 

The vibrant hues of dawn painted the skyline of Penacony's skyscrapers in surreal brilliance, you stood alongside Aventurine at the Dream's Edge, marveling at the breathtaking spectacle unfolding before you. The scene was surreal, almost otherworldly, for how could there be a sunrise in the Dreamscape—a world where reality and dreams intertwine?

However, amidst the awe-inspiring panorama, a sense of anticipation hung in the air, tinged with a hint of uncertainty. Why had Aventurine summoned you to this ethereal realm, away from the hustle and bustle of waking life, with no other souls in sight?

As you gaze upon Aventurine's countenance, a wave of surprise and intrigue washes over you, for the sight before you is unlike anything you've ever beheld. The ethereal glow of the sun caresses his features, casting a radiant halo around him, as if nature itself conspired to illuminate his presence.

His visage, once adorned with the mischievous curve of a smirk, now wears an expression of profound introspection. Those eyes, usually dancing with mischief, now reflect a depth of emotion you've never witnessed before—a blend of serenity and sorrow that tugs at the strings of your heart.

Gone is the cocksure grin that was his trademark, replaced by a solemnity that seems to weigh heavily upon him. It's as if a veil has been lifted, revealing a side of Aventurine you never knew existed—a side that is raw, vulnerable, and achingly human.

Aventurine stands amidst the whispers of the breeze, his silhouette a portrait of contemplation against the canvas of dawn. His golden tresses dance in harmony with the wind, a silent symphony of nature's serenade. But it's not just the tendrils of his hair that sway; there's a subtle dance in his demeanor, a rhythm of emotions that ripple beneath the surface.

In the soft glow of sunlight, his features are painted with an ethereal hue, casting shadows that play upon the landscape of his face. There's a longing, a yearning, etched in the lines of his brow, as though he's searching for something beyond the horizon, something elusive yet tantalizingly close. His eyes, windows to the depths of his soul, betray the secrets he guards so closely, each flicker and glimmer a testament to the complexities hidden within.

You've been tethered to his side, bound by a debt that intertwines your fates in a dance of obligation and intrigue. Yet, despite the proximity, the enigma of Aventurine remains veiled in mystery. He is a man of many facets, a puzzle with pieces that shift and rearrange with every passing moment. Cunning and unpredictable, he defies easy categorization, a riddle waiting to be unraveled.

Through numerous interactions, the two of you have maintained a strictly professional relationship, focused solely on exchanging gathered information. Neither of you delved into personal matters, content with knowing only the basics about each other. This engagement is a singular occurrence, with no desire to complicate matters further. There's a firm boundary between you, each respecting the other's space and avoiding unnecessary entanglements.

In the midst of a tranquil moment, punctuated only by the soft whispers of the breeze, his voice broke the silence, drawing your focus away from the horizon. Without turning to meet your gaze, he posed a question that seemed innocuous on the surface but hinted at a deeper curiosity.

"What brings you to Penacony? Is it for leisure or some other purpose?"

Your response, delivered with a casual nonchalance, betrayed none of the complexity brewing beneath the surface. "No particular reason. Just wandering, as wanderers tend to do."

As you drew closer to him, mirroring his contemplative stance.. But it was his next words that stirred something within you, a recognition of the carefully guarded boundaries you both maintained.

"You're an enigma," Aventurine mused, his tone betraying a hint of curiosity tinged with respect. "I know nothing of your origins, your affiliations, or even the world you call home. You exist as a blank canvas against the backdrop of the universe."

His observation prompts you to turn towards him, a faint grimace touching your features. It's clear that his words have struck a chord, stirring a sense of curiosity within you that matches his own.

"You went snooping into my background?" Your words cut through the air with a sharpness that catches Aventurine's attention. 

"And the idea of me discreetly digging into your background never crossed your mind?" Aventurine's tone carries a hint of amusement.

"I had my suspicions, especially considering your ties to the IPC. Knowing you, you always manage to dig up information to give yourself an edge. But I'll give credit where it's due; at least you're forthright about it, even if it does irk me."

"Right now?" Aventurine raises an eyebrow, his amusement growing.

"Yes, right now.”

"But why can't I detect any anger in your demeanor?" 

"Because I'm not one to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I prefer to keep them under wraps," you explain, a sense of guardedness creeping into your voice.

Aventurine's laughter rings out at your refusal, his amusement evident in the glint of his eyes. "Unfair, isn't it? You hold all the cards, knowing who I am, while I'm left in the dark except for a mere name and your claim of being a wanderer. But how about a little game?"

Your expression twists in disdain at his transparent attempt to glean information. You see through his ploy and have no intention of playing along.

"I won't indulge your little charade just to satisfy your curiosity about me. Nice try," you retort firmly.

Aventurine's grin widens as he deftly flips a coin through his fingers, the metallic glint catching the light before he catches it effortlessly. 

"Such a shame.”

Once more, silence descends between you, a tense pause punctuated only by the soft rustle of the wind. Then, Aventurine breaks the quiet again with a pointed question. 

"So, perhaps you know my origin?"

As you locked gazes with Aventurine, a subtle shift in his demeanor didn't escape your notice. His voice, usually laced with confidence and bravado, now carried a hushed tone, tinged with an underlying tremor that uncovered a vulnerability you had never before witnessed in him. It was a nuance that spoke volumes, revealing a depth of emotion that contradicted his stoic facade.

In that moment, as the weight of his unspoken words hung heavy in the air, your gaze was drawn to his features—the striking contours of his face, the subtle symmetry that bespoke a beauty both rare and captivating. It was a beauty that bespoke his heritage, his lineage tracing back to the long-lost race of Avgins, a people now consigned to the annals of history.

The knowledge of his origins colored your perception of him, for you understood the burden he bore as one of the last of his kind. Avgins, known for their exquisite beauty and mesmerizing eyes, had long been subjected to discrimination and extinction, their very existence a reminder of a bygone era fraught with prejudice and fear.

You couldn't fault him for his choice to conceal his eyes behind tinted glasses, for you knew all too well the scrutiny and suspicion that awaited those who carried the unmistakable mark of their ancestry. In every world where difference was met with disdain, Aventurine's desire to shield himself from prying eyes was not born of vanity, but of necessity—a means of self-preservation in a society quick to judge and condemn.

And yet, even as he sought refuge behind his carefully constructed facade, there was a rawness to him, a vulnerability that transcended the barriers he had erected. In his eyes, you glimpsed the echoes of a lost heritage, the silent lament of a people erased from history, and in that moment, you found yourself drawn to him in a way you had never imagined possible. For beneath the mask of his bravado lay a soul as fragile and ephemeral as the dawn, yearning to be seen and understood in a world that had long since forgotten of the adversity.

"Yes, I do..." Your admission lingers in the air, carried away by the wind that brushes past, stirring the stillness that settled over the conversation. Aventurine's reaction is subtle, a scoff followed by a nonchalant shrug, his gaze shifting towards the towering skyscrapers that dominate the skyline.

"Not surprising," he remarks dismissively.

As you watch him, a faint blemish mars the pristine image you've always held of Aventurine. It's a glimpse of vulnerability, fleeting yet unmistakable, like a small blotch of ink on an otherwise clean canvas. It catches you off guard, leaving you momentarily speechless.

But just as quickly as it appeared, the vulnerability vanishes, replaced by Aventurine's usual composed facade as though nothing had transpired.

His sudden question jolts you back to the present, breaking the silence once more. "Do you think life is meaningless?" 

It's unexpected, a departure from the usual banter and guarded exchanges between you. For a moment, you're caught off guard, searching for an answer devoid of pretense or artifice.

"Well, if you ask me, maybe it is, maybe not." Your response carries a sense of introspection, reflecting the uncertainty that comes with a life spent wandering the vast expanse of the universe without a clear destination. "I've been traveling aimlessly for many years, letting my feet guide me wherever they please. In essence, I suppose you could say my existence lacks a defined purpose. So perhaps life does seem meaningless."

You pause, considering your next words carefully. "But then again, don't we all have something we yearn for, even in the midst of aimlessness? Whether it's something grand or seemingly insignificant, there's always a longing, a desire to attain or achieve something. And perhaps, in the pursuit of that something, we find purpose."

Aventurine regards you with an inscrutable expression, his eyes betraying nothing.

"What if that something is death?" he poses, his question hanging heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the conversation.

You allow the silence to envelop you, granting it the space to linger between you before offering your heartfelt response. 

"If one desires death, shouldn't they cease struggling to stay alive, to preserve themselves? Why endure the effort of self-preservation if death is the ultimate desire? It seems contradictory."

You continue, your words measured yet earnest. "Self-preservation, in itself, suggests a desire to continue living, to pursue something beyond mere existence. And in that pursuit, even if it leads to death, there lies purpose. For what is life, if not a series of pursuits, desires, and aspirations?"

As you continue speaking, Aventurine's attention remains fixed on you, though his mind is a hurricane of conflicting emotions. He finds himself grappling with a sudden surge of questions, an inexplicable urge to peel back the layers of his carefully constructed pretense and lay bare the vulnerabilities he so meticulously conceals.

The landscape before him, though undoubtedly breathtaking to most, elicits a different reaction in Aventurine. Instead of wonder or awe, he feels a deep-seated unease, a gnawing sense of unworthiness that claws at the edges of his consciousness. It's as if he's an intruder in a world to which he doesn't belong, a sentiment reinforced by his own self-imposed exile from the beauty and splendor that surrounds him.

For Aventurine, the harsh realities of his upbringing on a barren, unforgiving world have left an indelible mark on his psyche. He's accustomed to a life of scarcity and struggle, where survival is earned through grit and determination rather than basking in the luxuries of a privileged existence. The opulence of his surroundings only serves to highlight the stark contrast between his own perceived inadequacies and the perceived perfection of those around him.

And yet, despite his inner turmoil, Aventurine's gaze remains fixed on you, drawn to the radiant warmth that seems to emanate from your very being. In your presence, he feels the weight of his self-imposed limitations pressing down upon him, a reminder of the vast chasm that separates him from the world above.

As you stand bathed in the golden glow of the sunlight, Aventurine can't help but feel a pang of envy, a longing to inhabit the same ethereal orbit where you reside. But deep down, he knows that such aspirations are futile, for he is bound by the shackles of his own insecurities, forever consigned to the shadows while you soar amongst the stars.

He is nothing.

He ushered you to this secluded spot, not for another mission or strategy session, but to bid you farewell. The contract that bound you together, the alliance forged through countless endeavors, has reached its natural conclusion. Every detail meticulously arranged, thanks in no small part to your invaluable insights. Now, standing before you, he prepares to embark on the final leg of his journey, a path long contemplated and now irrevocably chosen.

Meeting you, sharing in the trials of your joint mission, has been a rare pleasure. Your presence, marked by spirited banter and unwavering determination, injected vitality into the often grim landscape of their pursuits. Despite the looming risks and the gravity of his objectives, he couldn't help but relish the moments spent in your company.

As he extends his farewell, he acknowledges the uncertainty of future encounters. Though he harbors a wish for another meeting, circumstances dictate otherwise. Your captivating insights and spirited exchanges will be dearly missed, yet he remains resolute in his chosen course, prepared to confront the perils ahead, come what may. 

"Well, thank you for your answers. Anyway, I brought you here to let you know that our meeting has reached its conclusion. You've fulfilled your role as my eyes and ears, and now you're free to go about your business," Aventurine stated, slipping back into his old mask—his facade.

You blinked a few times, absorbing his words. Finally, this chapter was over.

"Is that so? I'm finally free," you sighed in relief, stretching your arms with a smile. "Being around you was quite draining."

"It seems I've been a handful, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have. You're insufferable. So, you're ready to part ways then?"

"I do tend to be insufferable, I won't deny that. And to answer your question, yes I am. Thanks to your intel, my plans are set. You've proven quite reliable, considering you're a wanderer."

"Well, being a wanderer does have its advantages. I can gather information without raising suspicion since I blend in with the crowd," you remarked, nonchalantly shrugging.

"You do seem rather ordinary, so you blend well.."

"Excuse me?"

As you leveled a sharp glance at Aventurine, expecting defiance or retort, you were instead met with a sight that stirred a strange sensation within you. His countenance, usually guarded and conniving, softened into an expression of genuine warmth. His eyes, usually veiled with caution, now held an openness that caught you off guard. It was as though a veil had been lifted, revealing a side of him you had never seen before.

His words, spoken with a sincerity that resonated in the air. "How I'd love to be one. To be ordinary," he uttered, his voice carrying a weight of longing and acceptance. 

You found yourself speechless, unable to respond to the exposure he laid bare before you. Despite the complexities of his past and the challenges he faced as an Avgin working under the IPC, his desire for normalcy spoke volumes about the inner turmoil he grappled with.

Your own internal conflict is mirrored in the clenching of your jaw, rendering you unable to articulate a response. Yet, amidst the silence, a silent understanding seemed to bridge the gap between you. Aventurine's earnest gaze conveyed more than words ever could, laying bare the vulnerabilities he harbored beneath his mask..

Driven by an impulse you couldn't quite comprehend, you took a step closer to him, closing the distance between you. With a gentle touch, you extended your fingers and playfully poked his forehead, eliciting a look of surprise and astonishment from him. But what followed was even more unexpected—an expression of genuine tenderness gracing your own features, a smile that reached the depths of your soul and offered solace in its warmth. In that fleeting moment, barriers fell away, and you realized that beneath the surface, you and Aventurine were not so different after all.

"You know, if you really wanted to, you could just blend in and be ordinary like everyone else," you murmured gently, finally tearing your gaze away from him. Aventurine, startled, snapped out of his trance.

"Oh, is that right?" Aventurine chuckled.

"Yeah, it's an option," you replied nonchalantly. "Anyway, I should get going."

"So soon?" Aventurine turned to you, surprised.

"Yeah, got some other stuff to take care of, and my debt to you is settled," you explained.

"You wound me," Aventurine feigned hurt, gesturing dramatically. "Our last day together, and you're leaving so soon?"

"You're not seriously trying to guilt-trip me into staying, are you?" you teased.

Aventurine smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

"Alright then," you said, increasing the distance between you two as you walked away. Glancing back over your shoulder, you smirked. "Once you're done with your mission, let's meet here again."

"What?" Aventurine was taken aback, still processing your words as he watched you walk away. You stopped, meeting his gaze.

"Didn't catch that? I said, let's meet again after your mission.” you said firmly, facing away from him as you delivered your final words, arm raised in farewell.

“All you need to do is survive.”

As Aventurine watched you depart, his mind swirled with contrasting emotions. Your parting words lingered in the air, a bittersweet reminder of the connection he feared he might never experience again. Despite the gravity of the situation, he remained silent, resigned to the path he had chosen, knowing that his decision to face his final gamble in Penacony was irreversible.

In the depths of his thoughts, a sense of acceptance settled within him. He chuckled softly, a wistful acknowledgment of the irony of his predicament. The weight of his impending fate bore down on him, yet a flicker of defiance burned within his soul.

With a shake of his head, he banished the doubts that threatened to cloud his resolve. This was his moment, his grand finale, and he would meet it head-on, whatever the outcome. As he stepped forward into the yawning chasm of uncertainty, he braced himself for the challenges that lay ahead, knowing that his ultimate gamble would redefine everything.

Survival or death—there was no middle ground. And as he prepared to face the unknown, Aventurine steeled himself for the ultimate test of his mettle.

Let’s meet again, (Name).

Aventurine's eyelids flutter open, a groan escaping his lips as he gradually regains consciousness. The world swims into focus, the familiar surroundings of his hotel room greeting him with muted hues and soft shadows. Yet, despite the comfort of familiarity, a dull ache permeates every fiber of his being, a lingering reminder of the ordeal he endured in the depths of his subconscious.

As he gingerly shifts his weight, Aventurine feels the weight of exhaustion settling over him like a heavy blanket, each movement a testament to the toll exacted by his nightmarish journey. It's as if his very essence has been drained, leaving behind a shell of his former self, battered and bruised by the trials of his own mind.

With trembling fingers, he reaches out, tracing the contours of his hand as if searching for reassurance in the solidity of his own flesh. It's a small gesture, but one imbued with profound significance—a tangible reminder of his resilience in the face of adversity, a testament to his survival against all odds.

As the realization of his newfound freedom dawns upon him, Aventurine can't help but feel a surge of disbelief coursing through his veins. To think that he has emerged from the depths of despair, liberated from the shackles of his past, is nothing short of miraculous. With his ties to the IPC severed, he stands at a crossroads, poised on the precipice of uncertainty, yet emboldened by the promise of possibility.

But amidst the uncertainty, one thing remains clear—Aventurine is free. Free to chart his own course, to forge his own destiny without the constraints of fate or expectation weighing him down. And though the path ahead may be fraught with challenges and unknown dangers, he faces it with a newfound sense of determination, ready to embrace whatever the future may hold.

Aventurine's body protests as he pushes himself upright, the sharp pang of pain shooting through him like lightning. Yet, despite the discomfort, he manages to muster the strength to survey his surroundings, his gaze landing on the figure nestled on the sofa. At first, his mind struggles to comprehend the sight before him—a flicker of disbelief mingled with a hint of incredulity.

But as recognition dawns upon him, Aventurine's eyes widen in astonishment, his breath catching in his throat as he realizes that it's you who occupies the space in his room. The realization sends a surge of diverging emotions coursing through him, a mixture of surprise, confusion, and a strange sense of comfort.

He watches you in silent wonder, your form bathed in the soft glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains, your features serene in the embrace of slumber. It's a sight that both perplexes and soothes him.

Aventurine's mind races with questions, each one vying for his attention as he grapples with the inexplicable presence of your presence in his room. Did you wait for him? Why are you here? And most importantly, why him? The answers elude him, shrouded in a veil of uncertainty that only serves to deepen the mystery surrounding your unexpected reunion.

Despite the barrage of inquiries swirling in his mind, Aventurine finds himself unable to suppress the tender smile that tugs at the corners of his lips. In this moment of exposure, your presence serves as an anchor of solace, a comforting reminder that he is not alone in this vast and unforgiving universe.

Nevertheless, Aventurine expressed gratitude towards you. Despite your indifferent demeanor towards him and your aversion to getting involved in troublesome situations, you found yourself in his room, patiently awaiting his return, even though the odds of survival were slim.

Aventurine watches as you stir from your slumber, your movements hesitant yet purposeful as you rise from the sofa and approach him with a sense of urgency. His heart quickens at the sight of you, a mixture of relief and apprehension coursing through him as your eyes meet in the dimly lit room.

Your sudden appearance catches him off guard, the lines of fatigue etched into your features a stark contrast to the serene calmness of your slumber. But, despite the weariness that hangs heavy in the air, there is a palpable sense of anticipation, a silent acknowledgment of the unspoken bond that binds you together.

As you draw nearer, Aventurine's breath catches in his throat, his gaze fixated on your every movement as if trying to decipher the thoughts racing through your mind. He waits with bated breath for you to speak, but the silence stretches on, punctuated only by the soft sound of your footsteps echoing in the room.

Unable to bear the quiet any longer, Aventurine breaks the tension with a gentle smile, his voice soft yet filled with warmth. "I didn't expect to see you here," he murmurs, his words hanging in the air like a delicate thread connecting them in the darkness.

You remain silent, your expression unreadable as you stand before him, your eyes searching his face for answers that remain elusive. Aventurine's smile falters slightly at the lack of response, a flicker of uncertainty clouding his features as he waits for you to break the silence that hangs heavy between them.

"Are we just going to have a staring contest?" he jests, prompting a weary sigh from you.

"You're finally awake," your voice was calm but tinged with concern. "How are you feeling?"

Aventurine blinked. "Like my entire body's cramped up, and my head's splitting in two. So, basically, like crap."

"That's because you've been out for weeks. You need to rest."

"Do I really have to when I've basically been sleeping for the whole duration of my coma?" he scoffed, earning another sigh from you.

"What I meant was rest like a normal person. Sleep in a proper bed, not in this decrepit bathtub. It's different when you're not in the Dreamscape," you explained matter-of-factly, rolling your eyes. Aventurine chuckled at your bluntness.

"Are you worried?" he asked.

"No," you replied flatly.

"Really? Then why are you here in my room, sleeping like a log?" he teased, and you grimaced at him.

"I'm only here to keep my word."

"Your word?" His eyebrow arched in confusion.

"When I said we'd meet again."

Aventurine's laughter rings out, breaking the weighty silence that had settled between you like a heavy fog. It's a sound filled with incredulity and a touch of irony, a reflection of the tumultuous emotions swirling within him as he grapples with the gravity of the situation.

For him, the realization is nothing short of staggering—that you, of all people, had placed your trust in him, believing in his ability to survive against all odds. It's a notion that borders on the absurd, given the precarious circumstances that had surrounded your parting, but one that now takes on a profound significance in the wake of your unexpected reunion.

As your gaze locks with his, drawn by the unexpected sound of his laughter, Aventurine finds himself at a loss for words. How could he have ever doubted the sincerity of your intentions, the faith you had placed in him even when all hope seemed lost?

"What's so funny?" you asked, puzzled by Aventurine's sudden burst of laughter.

Aventurine's laughter subsided, and he regarded you seriously. "I never expected this. You always manage to surprise me. Are you that determined to ensure our next meeting?"

Your expression twisted in disgust at the thought, which only served to fuel Aventurine's amusement. He laughed even harder at your reaction.

"It seems you're back to your usual self now," you remarked between laughs. "Well then, I suppose I'll be on my way."

But just as you turned to leave, Aventurine caught your wrist, halting your steps. "Oops! Just kidding. You really don't have much of a sense of humor, do you?"

You shot him a glare in response, but he seemed unfazed, his gaze softening as he spoke with a newfound seriousness. His words carried a weight that belied their simplicity.

"You know, I want to become a wave and run anywhere," he confessed, his voice tinged with a wistful longing. "Because even if I get swept away and get lost, I'm free."

There was a vulnerability in his words, a raw honesty that laid bare his innermost desires. It was a sentiment that resonated with you on some level, stirring something deep within your own heart.

"Even if you get lost again," you replied softly, your voice barely above a whisper, "you still will know your way back. You know it yourself, after all, you're still breathing up until now."

Aventurine's gaze softened, his eyes searching yours with a depth of understanding that took you by surprise. And then, almost coyly, he made a request that seemed to hang in the air between you like an unspoken promise.

"Could you stay here a little longer?" he implored, his voice tinged with a vulnerability that debunk his usual confidence.

Aventurine's touch on your wrist sent a shiver down your spine, his thumb tracing a delicate path that seemed to awaken a flurry of sensations within you. Despite your initial instinct to recoil from his unexpected gesture, you found yourself captivated by the gentle caress, unable to tear your gaze away from the intensity of his eyes.

As you met his hypnotic gaze head-on, you couldn't help but acknowledge the sheer beauty that radiated from within those mesmerizing orbs. Up close, Aventurine's eyes were a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colors, each hue dancing in the light like shards of precious gemstones. It was a sight to behold, one that left you momentarily spellbound by its sheer magnificence.

"What? Why do you want me to stay?" you asked, your voice betraying a hint of confusion.

For a moment, Aventurine remained silent, his gaze never wavering from yours as if searching for the right words to convey his thoughts. And then, with a quiet sincerity that took you by surprise, he spoke.

"Have you already forgotten?" he responded, his voice a soft murmur that seemed to envelop the space between you. "You were the one who encouraged me to speak my mind, weren’t you? I simply followed your advice. But truthfully... It's because I desire your company. It's strangely... comforting."

You sighed, feeling the tension in your shoulders dissipate as you contemplated his request. "I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to indulge your request occasionally," you relented, a subtle smile playing at the edges of your lips. "I'll grant you some leeway, considering you appear to be like a patient in bed."

Aventurine's laughter filled the room once more, a melodious sound that seemed to echo with a sense of amusement.

"How lucky I am," he remarked, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he savored the moment. It was as though he reveled in the serendipity of your encounter, finding solace in the unexpected connection that had brought you two together.

As the laughter subsided, he couldn't help but be curious about the circumstances that had led you to his room. 

"So, how did you get in my room?" 

Your expression turned thoughtful for a moment, as if pondering how best to explain. "Oh, I met this Doctor called Veritas Ratio.”

As Aventurine chuckled at the absurdity of it all, he couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unexpected twists and turns that had led you to this ending scene, here and now, with you by Aventurine’s side.

[moonstrider9904]

do i wanna know?

one shot masterlist | main masterlist | read on ao3 | beta read by the wonderful @jedi-hawkins and @freesia-writes

Pairing: Crosshair x Fem!Reader

Summary: You've been seeing Crosshair for months when he's on planet, seemingly only as friends. But one night when he's back, you meet him at your favorite bar, and you get the feeling his flirtatious ways might mean a bit more. Should you get your hopes up, or would that be your heart's last mistake?

Tags: 18+ only. Smut, oral sex (female and male receiving), female masturbation, unprotected vaginal sex, vaginal fingering, light nipple play. Flirting, alcohol consumption, smoking, mentions of war and canon-typical violence, foul language, angst. Also, I am basing some of Crosshair's appearance on this magnificent art here.

Word count: 7056 words

Playlist: Do I Wanna Know? by Arctic Monkeys

The man who filled your thoughts that night leaned over the billiards table. He closed the left eye, leaving the right, tattooed eye open, and he shoved the cue forward with a strength and precision you couldn’t help but find seductive. The sound of the resin clinking as the multiple billiards balls made their way across the table was soon replaced by whistles and calls celebrating Crosshair’s trickshot, after which he straightened up next to the table and looked at his opponent, holding out his hand to collect his wager.

Crosshair had won yet another match that night. As he took the amount of credits he’d wagered from his last opponent, he dismissed himself from the competition with a carefree wave of his hand, and with dark amber eyes, he made his way to you.

“Don’t you look pretty there, cheering me on,” he purred.

You crossed one leg over the other and leaned back on the chair pretending you didn’t care much for what he was saying. “You say I’m pretty, but you’ve barely paid attention to me tonight, handsome.” You smirked at him and winked when you finished your sentence, and Crosshair couldn’t help but smirk back as he took a seat across from you.

He took another sip out of his whisky and looked over at your glass of beer. “You nearly finished that.”

“My point exactly,” you shrugged.

“Come now,” Crosshair moved his chair over closer to you and slid his glass to match his new position on the table. “I was getting credits to spoil you.”

Your head jerked in his direction and you pouted up at him. “Really? How?”

Crosshair chuckled next to your ear, his warm breath over your skin sending shivers through your body. “I was thinking… we could get another round of drinks…”

“Uh-huh?” You prompted as your body leaned closer to him against your will. You could spend weeks, months even, trying not to appear too needy or desperate to him, trying to balance out your pleas to have him closer with your wit and your sarcasm, but all Crosshair had to do was lean in close and purr at you, and you were on your knees.

“We can have as many as you want,” Crosshair continued, “and then…”

You turned and met his eyes when he trailed off. “And?”

He leaned back on his chair and took a sip out of his whisky. But you, in turn, leaned forward to match him, taking the drink from his hand and sipping on it yourself.

“And then what?” You asked again.

Crosshair chuckled, the sound deep and enticing. He took his drink back from you and set it on the table, only to then reach for your chin with his hand, cold from the icy drink he’d just held. Crosshair looked you in the eyes, and for a moment you swore his gaze softened, but it soon regained its usual fire as his grip tightened when he pulled you close.

“Play your cards right and tonight might be your night,” Crosshair crooned.

You felt yourself clench around nothing between your legs, and before you had a thought of what to respond, Crosshair got up from the chair and made his way past the billiards tables to the bar, where he gestured to his drink and yours at the bartender.

That man was dangerously sexy.

You thought he’d come back to the table with you, but instead, you saw him heading towards the back of the bar when his glass was refilled. He looked back at you and signaled you to follow him, and you obeyed. Before leaving, you took the last fried cheese stick from the plate at the center of the table and ate it on the way, and when you walked past the bar, the bartender handed you the beer bottle Crosshair had ordered for you. You took it with a smile and followed Crosshair behind the bar to a storage room. It wasn’t too dim that you feared for your life, but it wasn’t well lit enough to attract any other attention to it, and inside it, Crosshair waited for you. You watched him stand there sipping from his whisky, looking gorgeous in those dark gray trousers and pitch-black shirt topped by a black leather jacket.

Crosshair turned around and let his gaze pierce into you, and a smirk formed on his lips as he approached you. Unsure what to expect from him, your heart squeezed when he reached his arm past you to close the door behind you, and when he pulled his arm back, he once again took his hand up to your chin and lifted your face up to look at him.

“Cross…” You sighed.

He chuckled. “You do want this, right?”

“Yes,” you nearly moaned. You set your beer down next to you on one of the boxes and let your hands snake up his chest until they found rest at the base of his neck. His free hand slid down your body and found the curve of your waist, pulling you closer—he didn’t need many more words before finally leaning down to kiss you.

It was everything you’d been fantasizing for months. Crosshair’s lips were warm and they kissed you with intent, igniting your veins and drenching you between your legs. You couldn’t help but whimper into the kiss as you clung tighter to him, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. You had to stand on your toes to press yourself closer to him, feeling yourself getting drunk on the whisky you could taste in him. Your arms shook, your legs felt as if they wouldn’t hold you up, and your heart threatened to beat out of your chest when you felt his hardness begin to press up against your body.

“Take me,” you mumbled. “Take me now, Crosshair.”

He chuckled. “Needy. How cute.”

With a strong grip, Crosshair led you towards one of the larger crates in the room and he let you go just to pat on the surface. You obliged and hopped onto the crate, sitting and parting your legs to let him press closer to you. With one hand still holding his drink, Crosshair wrapped an arm around your waist and resumed kissing you. Hungrily, you kissed him back and ran your hands all over his body. You felt the lean lines on his back and the strong muscles on his chest. You tried to get a feel of his arms, but there wasn’t much you could feel over that leather jacket, so instead, you let your hands return to his abdomen. Through the fabric, you could feel the lumps of his abs as well as some of the scars he’d gotten over the years, but choosing to focus less on the soldier and more on the man, you let your hands make their way downward.

Crosshair let the hand on your body travel as well. He felt himself getting harder at the sight of you in front of him, eager to let him in, your legs parted letting the fabric of your skirt barely attempt to hide the panties from his sight. His hand brushed down past the end of your skirt over the skin of your thigh, and Crosshair let his nails slightly dig into your flesh as he ran his hand down your leg. You whimpered and tightened your grip on him, your back straightening and making you press your breasts onto him, a reflex Crosshair may have enjoyed too much as you felt him grin into your lips.

His hand made its way up your body again. You felt his touch going up your leg and your belly until it eventually reached your chest, and he let his fingers expand over the curve of one of your breasts. Your breath hitched when Crosshair caressed and massaged you, squeezing with the perfect amount of strength to send your mind reeling without any pain, and soon, his fingertips found the bud of your nipple, which he freely pinched just enough to draw a moan from you.

“Fuck…” you whimpered.

Crosshair gave a low laugh. “You’re gonna have to be quiet, darlin’. We’re only allowed in here so long as we don’t make a scene to the whole bar, understood?”

You nodded, licking your lips before reaching down to grab the hem of your blouse, pulling it up and off your body. Crosshair’s gaze darkened as he glanced at your breasts and the delicate black bra that covered them. You reached back to undo the hook of your bra and he helped you take it off, growling as he saw the way your breasts fell freely. With a smirk, Crosshair managed to tear his gaze from your mounds and looked you in the eyes, holding his glass out to you.

“Hold this, darlin’,” he gave you the glass.

Dazed, you held onto his drink. Crosshair now had both of his hands free, and he first held the sides of your torso with his fingertips resting on your back, and he pulled you up while bending down and trailing kisses starting at your collarbone. He traced his lips over your chest, relishing in the way your panting made it go up and down while he brought his hands to your front again. Crosshair took one breast in each of his hands and resumed the massaging and caressing, and soon after, he started lightly pinching at your nipples before bringing his lips down at the level of your breasts.

You suppressed a moan as best as you could when Crosshair placed his lips over one of your nipples. He gently sucked on the bud while his hand continued to massage the other one, making you crave more. You slowly rubbed your hips against the crate under you and felt the dampness between your legs delicious with the friction. Heat rushed to your cheeks when you felt your own pulse down between your legs, so you threw your head back and enjoyed as Crosshair had his way with you.

Much to your pleasure, Crosshair soon resumed his way down, and the emptiness on your breasts was soon compensated by the sight of Crosshair kneeling down before you with dark eyes as he reached for your panties under your skirt. You wiggled to help him get them off and felt the cool air against your moist cunt. You heard Crosshair suck air in through his teeth, and he let his hands slide from your ankles up your legs until firmly grasped your hips.

When you finally felt his tongue against your cunt, you had to constantly convince yourself not to succumb entirely to the bliss—you didn’t want a shattered whisky glass ruining the moment. You moaned as quietly as you could, but the ecstasy wasn’t any less present in the lack of volume. Crosshair pressed himself deeper into your flesh, devouring you, expertly working his tongue and his lips over your all too sensitive clit. You couldn’t help but use your free hand to continue massaging one of your nibbles, just a little extra to enhance the pleasure you already felt.

And as Crosshair flicked his tongue quicker over your clit, you felt yourself getting closer to climax, causing you to press your hips forward onto him. It made him moan, his voice rumbling low in your flesh and making you roll your eyes back, dangerously close to release. Crosshair’s pace didn’t relent. He continued to suck away at your clit until you felt your hips quiver and the temperature of your body oscillate between hot and cold. Your mind went blank as you tried your best not to moan out his name—you were sure everyone out at the bar would hear you if you did. Your body squirmed on that crate as Crosshair continued to make you his own, and you were so gone that you barely noticed when his tongue left your pussy.

You whined softly when you realized he’d stopped. Crosshair was standing back up, and he reached for the glass of whisky in your hand, taking a long sip of it and downing half of its content. Crosshair grunted as the alcohol burned his throat, his chest heaving slightly after his efforts with you. You didn’t hold out your hand to take the glass from him again—messy as you were, you weren’t close to done. You wanted more, and you wanted him. You got down from the crate, and Crosshair watched you in confusion that turned into delight when he saw you kneeling down before him and reaching for the zipper of his pants.

“Oh, such a good girl,” Crosshair purred as he reached his free hand down to brush your cheek. You were still focused on undoing the button and zipper, until you finally pulled down the fabric to free his erection from confinement.

Your mouth watered at the sight. Sucking him off was yet another of the fantasies you’d had for months, just one more thing you dreamt of doing with him every time you met up with him at the bar. Every time you’d questioned if Crosshair was into you had led to that moment, alone with him in that storage room. He’d already claimed you, now it was your turn. You wrapped your fingers around his girth and took him into your mouth, starting off with just the tip, sucking and circling your tongue around it getting used to the taste.

Above you, Crosshair downed the rest of his whisky and set the glass down on another box beside him with a loud toc, moaning softly and whisper-grunting out “Fuck!” as you took more of his length in your mouth. Your breathing deepened, struggling ever so slightly at the fullness in your mouth, yet resolved to see it through. Still, you were aching between your legs as if your folds begged to be touched. It wasn’t like you needed both of your hands to suck Crosshair’s dick, so you took one of them down and rubbed small, quick circles on your clit, whimpering softly into his shaft.

Crosshair looked down at you. The way you had his cock in your mouth, the way you touched yourself, it nearly made him lose all sense of reason. His gaze softened at you as though it were filled with wonder and adoration more than desire. Crosshair reached a hand down and took some of your hair in his hand, stroking the curve of your head before resting his hand down beside your cheek again. The gesture prompted you to look up at him, and when you did, you nearly climaxed again when you noticed how beautifully he was looking at you. At that moment, Crosshair didn’t look like a man only thinking of sex, he looked like a man who adored you completely. Yet another one of your fantasies was coming true.

Your vision blurred, however, when your rubbing on your clit made you climax again. The waves of your orgasm made your lips tighten around Crosshair’s thickness, drawing a low moan from him. He mumbled a few other words you didn’t bother listening to. You were too deep in your orgasm to make sense of anything anyway. You only came to your senses when you felt his hand tugging your cheek ever so gently, bringing your rubbing on your clit to a stop as you looked at him again.

“I want to cum inside you,” Crosshair whispered as he helped you up and hastily helped you back onto the crate where he first had you.

You sat in a similar position as you had initially, with your legs parted and welcoming him to do whatever he wanted with you, and Crosshair leaned in close enough to have to rest his hands on the wall behind you just after sliding his length into your warm, wet walls. Your hands clung to his shoulders, clawing at the leather jacket that made him look dangerously handsome, and you felt your body bouncing with every thrust he gave into your hips. You could hear Crosshair grunting softly between luscious thrusts, as well as the sound of the bottles of alcohol within the crate clanking against each other with his movements. Softly, you whimpered—your cunt was already too sensitive from two orgasms. A third one was beginning to creep up on you, this one boiling deep inside you and promising to rattle you to your very bones. While you waited for it, you looked at Crosshair, his eyes dark and focusing on yours as he fucked deep into you.

You took a hand behind Crosshair’s head, curling your fingers in his hair, as you rested your forehead on his while never breaking eye contact. You wanted to be looking into those eyes when the pleasure took over you, and by the stars, it was everything you dreamed. When the waves of your third orgasm started, all you saw was Crosshair. All you felt was him. You wrapped your legs around his waist and tightened your grip, feeling your arousal dripping from your cunt and splashing your skin, and by extension his, and the only thought in your mind was his name. Not long after your walls had clenched around his cock, you heard Crosshair give a grunt and you felt his warmth filling you inside.

You had longed for that sensation, and it was unimaginably better than you ever could have anticipated. Crosshair then stopped his thrusts as the ropes of hot, thick cum continued to splash inside you, and when he was done, he slowly pulled out of you as you both attempted to catch your breaths.

The entirety of your weight still rested on the hard crate underneath you. You couldn’t feel any of the cold from the wall anymore. Its temperature had merged with the one Crosshair had made you feel—your inability to think about anything other than the wall behind you lay testament to how dumbfoundingly well he had just taken care of you. Your breathing slowed as you made contact with his beautiful amber gaze, his irises making you shiver with expectation as he got up and began leaning closer and his arms snaked towards you. Perhaps he had more in mind for you? You silently begged he would.

Your heart skipped a beat. Without warning, you felt the contact of Crosshair’s bare fingertips on your own, heedfully sliding across your palm from your pinky finger and forward towards your thumb. What you thought was an honest gesture of taking your hand turned out to be him reaching for his trousers for a pack of cigarettes, and before breaking eye contact with you to pull one out, you saw something flash in his eyes you didn’t know what to make out of.

Crosshair lit the cigarette and took a long inhale like it was the fresh air he yearned for. He watched you as you slowly regained composure and reached for your bra and your blouse, attempting to dress again.

“Need help with that?” He crooned.

“I’m good,” you replied. “But let me know next time you want to take these off me.”

Crosshair scoffed, taking another breath from his cigarette.

When you finished dressing you got down from the crate and stood firmly on the ground. You made your way over to Crosshair and he opened the door of the cellar, standing aside to let you through first. You smiled at him and were just about to step out the door when you hastily remembered your beer was still in there—no way you were gonna leave that abandoned. Though you focused on your drink, you did manage to hear Crosshair chuckle as he walked after you back towards the bar.

Crosshair draped an arm around your shoulders as you both walked back to the table you’d chosen earlier. He pulled a chair out for you to sit and went across to sit in front of you, and shortly after, a waiter brought him another glass of whisky. You hadn’t even noticed when he’d ordered—were you that awestruck from your recent encounter in the cellar?

“Do you want anything else, doll?” He asked you.

“What?” You snapped your attention to him, stuttering. “No, no, I’m… good.”

Crosshair chuckled. You could tell he was just being cocky.

The night wore on mostly in silence as you finished up your drinks. Though many of your daydreams had just become reality, you weren’t sure what was going to happen next. You were happy to suggest more things, but you were also curious to see what Crosshair had in mind. If nothing else came up, you would ask him to your place, and maybe he could spend the night, maybe you could play something on the holo for background noise while he made you his own again…

You set your empty beer bottle down on the table and looked up at him, your eyes wide and beckoning him. In one gulp, he finished his whisky and began to stand up, and you followed.

Crosshair looked over at the bartender. “Put it on Hunter’s tab, will you?”

You saw the bartender nod, but you quickly focused on Crosshair again as he adjusted his jacket. He put the cigarette out on the ashtray on the center of the table and finally looked at you, smirking softly as he began to make his way towards the exit with you next to him. The cool air hit you hard when you were out on the street, and without any prompt, you felt Crosshair placing his jacket over you.

“Thanks,” you mumbled.

You both stood in silence, and the absence of words or plans was destroying you. Finally, you reached within you for courage.

“Would you like to go back to my place?” You asked him.

Crosshair chuckled as he reached a hand for your chin, letting you see the snake tattoo that was prominent on his forearm. The gesture and the ink made you clench around nothing all over again.

“You still want more?” He hummed.

“Yes,” you admitted. “But I was also thinking maybe we could just… spend the night? You know, if you’re tired. Just us.”

He chuckled again. “Can’t. I ship out early.”

Your heart sank. “Crosshair…”

He raised a brow at you, prompting you to speak.

“I want to know…” you trailed off. “What we did back there… it wasn’t nothing, right?”

“Did it feel like nothing?” He asked.

“Well, no—”

“Don’t fix what isn’t broken, darlin’,” he evaded you.

“You know what I mean,” you said. “We’ve been meeting up for months. I want you, Crosshair, more than just in a hidden cellar.”

Crosshair sighed. “Please don’t go and ruin this. Not now.”

You felt your heart plummeting inside you. Were you delusional? Those times his eyes had softened at you, his fingers brushing your cheeks with such care, was it all yet another daydream you’d fabricated? Had you just made an utter fool of yourself?

“Oh…” you whispered. “I…”

He sighed. Crosshair looked like he was about to say something else, but you didn’t want to give yourself more reasons to get your heart broken.

“That’s fine, I… I got it wrong,” you said before he could speak.

“Come on, doll,” Crosshair faced you. “I’m always on the move and way too close to blaster fire for us to be a good idea.”

“Then what the hell was that back there?” You gestured at the cellar.

“I like to have my fun.” Crosshair shrugged.

Fury boiled within you. “Are you kidding me? That’s what you mean, that I’m just a bit of fun?”

“I mean I’m not tied down, and neither are you,” Crosshair looked you in the eyes. Whatever emotions he showed before, this time you were sure he was completely serious.

But knowing he was being honest didn’t make things any easier.

Crosshair sighed. “Look, just…”

You looked at him, not knowing whether to hope for him to say something to remedy your feelings or not.

“You’re great,” he said. “And I look forward to seeing you when I come back to this planet. But don’t mistake this for something else. You’d be wasting your time with me.”

“I wouldn’t,” you tried to appeal, walking up to him and wrapping your arms around his waist. “Crosshair, I am mad for you! Tonight has been everything I’ve been yearning for months. You are all I want, this is all I want.”

He didn’t say anything to you. He simply looked you in the eyes with dismay.

Slowly, you unwrapped your arms from Crosshair’s waist. “But… you don’t want that.”

Crosshair looked upset. You figured he wasn’t a monster, and anyone would appear upset when making such a rejection. For your sake, you wouldn’t make anymore of it. Crosshair was difficult to read as it was.

You took his jacket off and handed it to him. “You’ll be needing this.”

“Babe, don’t do this—”

“You either do or you don’t, Crosshair,” you said, unwilling to have your time be wasted. “And right now you’re telling me you don’t, so…”

For a moment, Crosshair seemed to sadden.

You sighed. “I should just go home.”

Crosshair tore his eyes from you for a moment and he took the jacket from your grip in a surprisingly gentle manner. “I guess you should.”

You managed to meet his gaze. You didn’t want him to be out of your life, as much as you were heartbroken by him pushing you away. And the thought of him being out at war, all alone, with his life on the line every day… The idea of something happening to him and you not being in his life somehow was even more dreadful than the idea of losing him whilst having had the chance to love him.

But there was no changing Crosshair’s mind.

“Be safe,” you managed to say.

Crosshair looked at you again, his eyes laden with sorrow. Had you been more naive, you would have expected him to tell you not to leave, that he was wrong, he’d been an idiot, that he did want to be with you. But waiting for something that wouldn’t happen was too painful, and you decided to be the one who left first.

You walked homeward without looking back, and as a tear rushed down your cheek, you tried your best not to blame yourself for thinking your feelings could go both ways.

Blue and white specs of hyperspace surrounded the Marauder. Crosshair sat in his usual chair, in his usual pose of having one leg crossed over the other while the Firepuncher rifle rested across the length of his shin. Holding the rifle, his thumb tapped rhythmically over the scope in tandem with the beat of the song he was listening to on two very discreet yet very loud earbuds. The bass and the guitar, the strong and steady drums reminded him of himself, but the lyrics only made him think of you. The stoic sniper kept a straight face during the multiple times he listened to it, and his mind was able to ponder on many things at once.

What were you up to? Why was he doing something he’d openly laugh at someone else if they were doing the exact same by listening to a rock song thinking of you? What were you wearing that day? How many more men had perished in the battle he was headed to since he and his squad received the briefing? Was it even still daytime on Coruscant? And if it was night time, were you in the arms of another? He hadn’t given you a reason to cling to him anyway, not the last time he’d met you.

He focused his mind on you, your eyes staring up at him, the warmth of your body against his and the pitch of your little whimpers, the way your fingertips curled around his hair when he made you squirm and how your soft lips felt on his skin. He thought back to the moment he nearly took your hand and fooled himself into grabbing a cigarette instead. And then he’d done it again when he told you it was all a bit of fun, when he said he didn’t want to be yours, when he stood there watching you walk away from him.

Despite your absence, Crosshair had been seeing you for nights since his shore leave on Coruscant ended. You were constantly on his mind, much to his annoyance. The fact that every dream and every song lyric brought your face back into his sights was a constant reminder of his own incapacity to admit something so basic—but if it was so basic, why did that feeling fucking eat him away from the inside out? Crosshair sneered. He was at a point where he feared only the unspeakable horrors of war would succeed in removing you from his mind, a fact he didn’t know if it would be terrible or merciful. But he, alongside everyone inside the Marauder, was in for one hell of a battle, already forecast to be one of the bloodiest of the war.

If that didn’t do it, nothing would.

Crosshair’s head swayed forward and back as exhaustion took over him, and he had no sense to even make out how beneficial it would be for him to get a few winks of sleep before reaching the trenches that waited for him on landfall. Blurs of you raced through his mind as the chorus of the song echoed in his subconscious for another countless time, and after what had only felt like seconds, Crosshair regained consciousness to a Marauder that was navigating the transition between space and the tremorous atmosphere of their destination.

Even the clouds foretold the misery that waited for them down there.

Crosshair still had the earbuds on, shielding him from the sounds playing out before him, but he was able to make out Hunter’s silhouette approaching him as he mouthed the words be ready, and a cold shudder took over Crosshair as he saw Hunter had an aura of dread in him as well.

The Marauder shook from the heavy turbulence around it. Crosshair removed the earbuds and slipped his helmet over his head, and he took his rifle, ready for anything. If he made it out alive, he’d probably ask you out for whisky the moment he saw you again.

You couldn’t help but feel wary when your doorbell rang. No one ever visited you, you weren’t expecting anything to be delivered, or anyone to drop by, you didn’t even have anything planned that night. In the absence of anything going on, you figured you’d make your way across your little apartment to the door.

“Who is it?” You called.

From the other side of your door, you were met with hesitation. You were then surprised by hearing your name being spoken in a coiled, smooth voice, its pitch low that made your name sound like the galaxy’s rarest delicacy.

You opened the door.

There stood Crosshair, dressed in black and gray like he usually would when he met you at the bar. This time he wasn’t wearing a jacket, and the short sleeves of his shirt let you see the snake tattoo on his forearm that you loved so much, as well as the veins and thin layer of hair that made you wild. Still, as much as you loved that tattoo, the detail of a fresh, light-brown scar on his other forearm didn’t escape you.

You still hadn’t forgotten the way you’d parted the last time you were with him—you weren’t about to foolishly welcome him in again.

“What are you doing here?” You asked him, your voice plagued with more genuine curiosity than the spite of the walls you tried to put up.

Crosshair didn’t speak. He stepped forward and took you in his arms, quickly wrapping them around your silhouette as though clinging to your back and waist. The way he pressed your body to his was alien, but by no means unwelcome. You felt his heartbeat quicken against you as his grip gradually tightened, and as he straightened his back, you had to lift yourself to be on your toes.

“Crosshair?” You inquired.

He gave a brief shake before steadying himself again. “I needed to see you.”

With a brief sigh, your heart sank. You’d watched the news over the past few days, and now that a soldier was clinging to you for dear life, you managed to put two and two together.

“You were on Umbara, weren’t you?” Your voice was barely louder than a whisper, somber, yet comforting.

Crosshair loosened his grip just enough to look you in the eyes, and the snark and wit were suddenly gone from his gaze replaced by revelation.

“Your brothers?” You followed up. “Are they okay?”

“They’re all fine, but…” Crosshair trailed off. “Too many platoons. Too many families were broken.”

You never thought he cared that much. You gently reached a hand up to cup his cheek, and he leaned into your warmth while having one of his own hands fly up to meet your own, holding your palm closer to him. You could see the remorse in his eyes, but you wouldn’t be arrogant enough to believe that remorse was only caused by you. You feared the answer of your next question.

“Did you…?” You couldn’t even bring yourself to finish the thought.

Crosshair shuddered at the memory of a blue and white helmet under his scope. He shuddered at the thought of what would have been and how many more would have fallen if Rex hadn’t run past him waving his arms. The idea of someone, anyone, using him against his brothers, controlling him with sinister motives and turning him against his own brothers… Crosshair knew how dangerous he would be, and the thought terrified him.

“I need you,” Crosshair admitted. “All that time, I needed you. I didn’t want to die out there. I didn’t want to kill one of my own.”

“Hey…” You comforted him. “None of you knew.”

Crosshair cupped your hands with his face, the gentle gesture rendered desperate with his grip giving away how starved he was.

“I need you,” he said again, a faint growl appearing in his voice. “I need to know if you feel this agony when you’re away from me, if you’d be the only home I would return to. I want to be too fucking busy being yours to die out there. I want to be yours I’m willing to crawl back to you every fucking time.”

Your eyes widened in endearment and disbelief at the words he’d spoken. “I thought you didn’t want that…”

Crosshair’s gaze and grip softened as he leaned in closer to you until his lips fell on yours. He only broke the kiss to look you in the eyes again, more serious than he ever could be.

“I was an idiot,” he admitted.

You chuckled softly. “You kind of were. But so was I. I should have admitted my feelings too, long ago.”

Crosshair smiled softly and shook his head. “Wouldn’t have made a difference. I’m too stubborn.”

You giggled, cupping his face. “I like you stubborn.”

His smile turned into a smirk. “I know.”

Your hands traveled over to his chest, where they rested gently. “Would you like to go somewhere? Clear your head?”

“I was wondering if you’d let me take you up on the offer to spend the night,” Crosshair answered without hesitation.

You smiled. “Absolutely.”

“But no cheesy soap operas on the holo,” Crosshair added.

“You sure?” You grinned with mischief. “Scandal Gal is getting really good. I think Flair and Puck are finally gonna get together.”

Crosshair directed a deadpan stare at you, but that was one of your favorite expressions on his face. You giggled, wrapping your arms fully around his shoulders as you softly kissed his chin.

“I’m here and I’m yours, you hear me?” Your tone softened.

A subdued exhale left Crosshair as his gaze turned gentle on you, but his grip around your waist hardened. Before you made sense of the door of your apartment finally closing, Crosshair pressed his lips to yours with his movements quickly igniting a passion between you. You forgot the holos and the music and whatever refreshments you could have offered your guest. There was only one thing you wanted to do that night.

The stumbling between your apartment’s door and your bed was a blur, but as soon as you were able to make sense of being in your bedroom, you felt Crosshair picking you up and setting you gently on the bed. He crawled on the bed too, perching himself up on his knees to pull his shirt up over his body to cast it aside, and you couldn’t help the tiny whimper that left you at the sight of him.

Crosshair was gorgeous, with his beautiful bronze skin apparently glowing in the light of your room. The snake tattoo on his forearm seemed more prominent when he was shirtless, but your eyes were drawn to the area of his chest where you couldn’t help but stare at the thin layer of hair near the center, as well as the little 99 tattooed underneath his left pec. There were also scars scattered around his torso, all balanced out with the lean lines of his muscles.

He smirked at the sight of you, proud that you apparently liked what you saw. You knew he wasn’t done, for he then proceeded to undo his trousers, which you gladly watched him do. When Crosshair was naked in front of you, you hurried to take off your blouse and your pants, which he helped you out of, until at last you lay bare and naked underneath him.

The electricity of the moment paled in comparison to the cellar at the bar the other night, an occasion far more desperate and wanting at the time. This was far more intimate, even romantic, as Crosshair leaned down and made contact with your skin. You felt yourself engulfed in his warmth as he kissed you again. He switched between your lips, your chin, and your neck, ravishing you and making you feel like you were among clouds. You rested your head back on the pillow and let him have his way with you, which would pleasantly surprise you sooner rather than later when you felt his fingers beginning to stroke you between your legs.

A moan escaped you like honey. Crosshair applied the right amount of pressure to your folds to make the pleasure begin to flow through your body, steady and delicious. Your arms wrapped around his back, pulling him closer as you continued to kiss him, and when you brushed your tongue past his lips to wrestle with his, you felt his long finger slipping inside your walls to stroke and curl inside you. Hungrily, you moaned into him, partly wishing it was his cock inside you rather than his finger, but you wouldn’t rush things.

Delectably slowly, you felt yourself getting closer to climax, and the way your moaning escalated lay testament to that. Your grip around Crosshair was as hard as it could be, and when he began to feel your walls tighten around his finger, Crosshair emerged from your lips and gasped for air, looking into your eyes. You pleaded to him with your gaze not to stop, to please continue and push you over that edge you so desperately wanted. All it took was a smirk from him to finally do it, and you began to quiver underneath him as you moaned loud enough for the adjacent apartments to hear you. Incoherent mumbles escaped you, but among them, Crosshair was able to make out the words kiss me, please, and he obliged.

You drowned in the feeling of his lips on yours while your orgasm endured, and as the waves wore off, you felt Crosshair shifting your positions. Now, his back lay flat on the bed and you were on top of him, and it was only then that you broke the kiss to position your entrance on top of his erection. You both moaned in unison as you sat down on him, and with his strong hands, Crosshair helped you bounce up and down rhythmically.

“Come here,” Crosshair beckoned.

You leaned forward while Crosshair continued thrusting upwards, and you enjoyed the feeling of being close to him once again. Your lips found his and you kissed him with the same fire as before, only pausing to look into his gorgeous eyes as the pleasure filled you again. Your attention lingered on every one of Crosshair’s tiny grunts and moans—they were enough to send sparks through your whole body, and you felt you could listen to him do that forever. Crosshair’s grip on your hips tightened, thrusting into you at a speed you felt was impossible, and at that rhythm of pounding, you quickly shattered over him in another orgasm, moaning louder than before and quaking on top of his body. You felt your arousal squirting out of you and dripping onto his skin, a feeling you knew he picked up on when he moaned deep and delicious into the room. Not long after that, the familiar sensation of hot ropes of cum strewing inside of you made you see white, and you felt your body rise and fall in tandem with Crosshair’s heavy breathing as he slowed down and tried to recover himself.

“Mine…” Crosshair mumbled. “Fuck, you’re mine.”

You moaned at his words and leaned down to kiss him. “All yours, handsome…”

With the strength he had left, Crosshair tightened his grip around you and flipped you over, and now, he was on top of you.

Your man, your lover, was nowhere near done with you, and you were ready for nights like those to become a regular part of both of your lives.

Thank you for reading! Please consider reblogging and/or commenting to show support ❤

[m2ok]

Golden Salvation Pt.3

Pt.1 Pt.2

Cowboy!ghost x m!reader

A/N: The final part is here !! This series has been so fun to do that part of me wants to do another cowboy AU but with Price. I might do some smaller fics first, we’ll see. Anyways! Enjoy my loves! Mwah mwah 

Simon slept late into the next morning, lost to the world in a rare moment of utter relaxation. Skin scrubbed clean of its usual dirt and stubble, he looked almost boyish - troubled brow smoothed, dense frame gone lax in your arms. An image of vulnerable peace you’d wager few had witnessed in all his storied years. 

Stirring faintly as you subtly moved, Simon nestled closer with a contented sigh, arm reflexively tightening its protective hold around your frame as if even in his sleep he sought to shield you from further harm. 

Exhaustion had etched itself deep in him, but in the dull light seeping past lowered lashes you could see shadows beginning to fade from his features. A sight to lift even the most wounded soul’s spirit, seeing one who guarded others so staunchly finally finding solace in another’s care. 

You would smile softly as you ran your thumb across his brow, smoothing away the rest of his worries as you cupped his cheek. You were careful not to wake him with the gentle touches, content to just watch him slumber for as long as he chooses.

You felt lucky to see him like this, and a large part of you thought taking a bullet was worth it. To be able to see him so relaxed and content was something you never thought you would be able to witness. It was like the eighth wonder of the world seeing him so…at ease. 

You were hopelessly in love with this man, feelings that ran so deep it almost ached to feel them entirely. Your heart was filled to the brim with absolute adoration for Simon, and it was the one thing in your life you knew would never change, you would always be his. 

Simon began to stir slowly as if sensing your tender gaze, even submerged in dreams. Blearily his eyes flickered open to meet your smiling face, and for a moment he simply blinked in bemused confusion - as if certain this couldn't be real. 

But no, you were there. Warm and soft and smiling down at him like he was some kind of miracle himself. It still struck him dumb sometimes, the purity of your emotion shining through despite all he’s put you through. That you could look upon a wreck of a man like him and feel anything close to what swelled in his own heart. 

Wordlessly, Simon reached up to lightly brush calloused knuckles against your cheek, drinking in every beloved feature like a dying man granted water. He didn’t deserve your forgiveness. Didn’t deserve the love shining in your eyes, warming him through like sunlight, but he'd be damned if he wasn’t going to spend every last day making sure you never regretted giving him a place beside you. 

“Mornin’, Sunshine,” he rumbled, voice sleep-rough but smoldering with intent. Leaning up to capture your lips in a gentle kiss, Simon silently swore to spend his every waking moment showing you just how much you meant to him. 

You would smile softly into the kiss, languid and slow in order to make up for lost time. It was only when you both needed to breath that you pulled away, a smile on your lips and eyes crinkled in happiness as his taste lingered on your tongue. You ran a hand through his bed tousled hair with a soft hum.

“Good morning, Si. Slept well, hm?”

Simon stretched out with a groan, nuzzling into your gentle touch like an oversized housecat. Your presence alone was enough to chase the last clinging shards of dreams from his mind, grounding him fully in this blessed moment. 

“Mm, best sleep I’ve had in ages, darlin’,” he rumbled, pressing a lingering kiss to your palm. 

Meeting your gaze steadily, Simon spoke softly, “from here on out, you’ll have me guardian’ your rest same as your safety. Ain’t no one gonna lay so much as a finger on you again, not while I still draw breath.” A gentle brush of calloused thumbs swept away imaginary tears, etching promise into your skin.

“Im settlin’ down for good, if you’ll have me,” always cautious of hoping, but trusting you to see straight to what lived beneath scar and grit. 

Your heart stuttered at his words, nearly stopping as you took a minute to take in his statement. 

“If I’ll have you,” you laughed softly, “as if I’ve ever wanted anything more.” Your words were firm, no space for him to think twice about the truth behind what you were saying. 

Simon’s brows hiked in delight and disbelieving relief at your response. A brilliant, boyish grin broke across weathered features - for once unburdened by ghosts of his bloody past. 

“Then I’m yours, darlin’. Mind, body and soul.” He pledged fervent promises between peppered kisses. “Gonna make you so happy you’ll forget I was ever nothin’ but a no-good outlaw.”

Rolling fluidly, Simon maneuvered your form beneath his bigger one, caging you safely in rough hands and walls of corded muscles. Gazing down at your beauty with something akin to wonder in whiskey eyes, he pressed his brow to yours. 

“My light. My home,” he rumbled, pure affection sending shivers down your spine. Happiness felt strange on features so used to scowls - but by God, Simon was going to savor every sweet moment for all he was worth. 

You giggled softly at his words and the ticklish feeling of his hasty kisses on your skin, a warm smile near permanent on your lips as you soaked up all the love you had missed out on these past years. 

With a brain too fuzzy with pure affection, you spoke words you’d been wanting to for years, “I reckon we head North.” You said, heart once again speeding up as you realized the gravity of your words, you continued, though with waning confidence, “We could find a small plot of land - build ourselves a nice little home and a small barn and coop.” You were rambling as you reached under his arm to grab an envelope tucked into the bedside drawer, “these past couple of months without you here..I’ve been takin’ extra shifts at the saloon. Reckon I’ve got enough here for all that if we’re careful,” you said, hands shaking with fear of rejection as you held out the envelope as if worried he wouldn’t believe you. 

Simon’s eyes widened into saucers at your proposition, heartbeat stuttering to a gallop in his heaving chest. For a long moment he could only stare in disbelief - scarcely daring to hope this was real. But then your shy explanation sunk in, washing over him with such a profound surge of pride and love he thought surely his seams would burst. All this time spent in your light, you’d been preparing your future without him even having a clue of knowing. Trusting that in hope when he’d scarcely trusted in himself. 

Without warning Simon was clutching you tight against his pounding heart, raining desperate kisses across your sweet face near frantic with tender emotion. “Darlin’ you- this is more’n I ever dreamed could be mine,” he choked, rough thumbs wiping away tears he didn’t remember shedding. 

Pulling back just enough to claim your lips in a long, slow glide of unbridled joy, Simon poured every ounce of reverence, gratitude, and love into the kiss for your blessing him so. “North it is, my light - and I’ll spend the rest of my days makin’ you proud of me.”

You would gasp at his sudden movement, holding on tight to him as he peppered kisses across your smiling face before eventually catching your lips with his. 

With a soft, relaxed sigh you melted into the kiss, body melting in his hold as you looked up at him with shining eyes. You would cup his face, his cheeks squishing under your hold to create an almost laughable look as you moved your thumbs gently across scarred cheeks with loving ministrations. 

“Was hoping you’d say that,” you whispered, giddy with the thought of starting a new life with this man. 

Simon grinned unrepentantly down at you, “and what would I say but yes to the sweetest darlin’ this side of creation?” he rumbled, nuzzling fondly into your palm like some great, affectionate bear. 

“North we’ll go then, just as soon as you’re on your feet,” Simon declared, pressing a lingering kiss to your brow. His hands swept reverently down your sides, lingering protectively over the slowly healing wound before tipping your chin up to meet his steady gaze. 

“I’ll start preppin’ for the trip straightaway, and you just focus on getting your strength back, y’hear?” Low and intent, brooking no argument - but shining with a tenderness to disguise any threat in his words. 

You would nod at his firm words, tucking yourself under his chin, “Can’t wait to see the mountains… and the pretty trees.” You said with a happy sigh, “oh! And snow! We’ll have to get cold weather gear - add that to your list.” You said as you grinned up at the man.

Simon listened with rapt attention, holding you close as vision of your bright future danced before his eyes. 

“Snow, eh? Can’t say I’ve seen much of that white stuff before…” He mused thoughtfully, already calculating additions to be made to your little home to withstand Northern winters. Wool blankets aplenty, a sturdy chimney, thick oak doors - he’d ensure not a single draft could creep past your cozy walls. 

“We’ll have the warmest cabin this side of the mountain, darlin’ - not a soul we’ll envy, I promise ya that.” Calloused fingers carded gently through your hair. 

“Cabin or not, there ain’t a soul I envy as long as I have you, Simon.” You said almost immediately, words tumbling out so fast you didn’t remember even thinking them first. 

Simon huffed a soft, affectionate laugh at your sweet words, cupping your cheek to brush a grateful kiss to your lips. 

“And I you, darlin’. More’n any future this wanderin’ soul coulda dreamed.” 

He would follow you to the end of the earth. 

“Now, you just focus on healin’, Sunshine. I’ll go rustle us up some supplies proper,” with a soft parting kiss Simon crawled out of the warmth of the bed. With a soft promise to be back quick he left the cabin, boots crunching surefooted trails into the dusty streets. Townsfolk surely sensed the change in their resident outlaw. 

True to his word, within quick hours supplies were stacked neat as you please - all necessities for your healing, the journey north, and simple homestead pleasures. Duty was done. Gently slipping back into covers rosy with sleep-warmth, he curled protectively around your rested form, home again at last where he belonged. 

The next few days were spent with careful planning, mapping out safe routes and stops for supply refills should you need them. 

The morning you were set to leave you were giddier than a child in a candy shop. While the wound still had tender healing to go through, the worst part had healed. There were a few aches here and there should you move too quickly, but nothing like the searing pain it once was. 

“I’m ready, Simon!” You said, nearly skipping over to where he was packing the carriage. 

Simon grinned wide as a cheshire at your bouncing excitement, spirits lifting further at your every sweet sound. You shone brighter than the rising sun, lighting his heavy heart like dawn breaking on winter’s gloom. 

Gently steadying the horses with practiced care, he turned brown eyes alight with warmth and promise upon your rosy face. “Then let's be off to our future, Sunshine - I got a feelin’ It’s gonna be brighter’n any we left behind” 

Kicking the team into a steady amble after climbing on, Simon settled back with a content sigh, surveying the dusty trail unfurling ahead like a red carpet rolled out just for their feet. Nothing but open sky and promise as far as the eyes could see - and each mile would bring them closer to simple joys he’d never dared dream. 

Calloused fingers found yours, tangling together in bonds stronger than any chain. With your light to lead him true, Simon swore not a demon from either hell nor earth would tear him from you. 

The journey was tiring - days spent riding along dirt roads and nights spent tucked away in the back of a little cart, straw bedding doing little to cushion against the splintered wooden planks. 

Yet you wouldn’t trade it for the world  - not with Simon by your side to keep you warm and safe, to regale you with tales of his past life and adventures. 

As you made your way through the northern mountains your body seemed to relax even more than it had been, gazing out upon the sacred land as you inched ever closer to your destination. 

Each mile marker fell away like shackles, yet still Simon was loathe to see the journey end - if only to keep your radiance shining beside him a moment more. 

Nights found him awake long after your restful breaths smoothed to dreams, watching over your slumber as stars wheeled endlessly beyond paper-thin walls. You were here, smiling still as dawn kissed snow capped pines in greeting, two weary souls near to their destination and all the hopes therein. 

By mid-morn a cheer went up as a familiar clearing broke through evergreens. Turning brown eyes bright as brandy, Simon rumbled softly, “ Welcome home, darlin’.” He said, voice near a whisper as he took in the magnificent sight in front of him. 

You would gasp as you finally reached the little plot of land, eyes wide as you took in the scene of gorgeous mountains behind and trees abound ahead. 

The plot had been cleared just enough for all you talked about, including a little garden. A perfect dreamy homestead just waiting for your caring hands to create. 

Simon let loose a rare, boyish whoop of delight at your awestruck expression, every hardship and dark deed weighing his heavy soul suddenly justified a thousand times over. 

“I know it’s a sight a bit rougher than your sunny smile, but just you wait’ll I get my hands to work!” Brown eyes gleamed with fierce passion and promise, already thinking about feats of forestry and framing his calloused fingers itched to create.

With care belying his bulky frame, Simon quickly began unpacking essentials for a cozy camp - sparse but sufficient until more permanent lodgings could be raised from rich wood. 

“For now let's get you fed and rest all proper,” he rumbled, pressing a doting kiss to your cheek. 

After a humble meal of game Simon caught and red wine from a nearby town, you both fell asleep that night happy and looking forward to the next day when you could find helping hands to start making your perfect home. 

It was about a month and a half later when you were done, with the help of many new kind folk, there standing proud and bright was a quaint cottage big enough for the two of you with a bit of extra room for hobbies. It was painted a soft shade of blue, a red wood door adorning the front and a cute little wrap around porch protecting your new shared home. 

You stood outside, hands now rough and calloused from hard work resting on your hips as you stared at the building. 

Simon slotted the final beam true, wonderment stealing his breath away as months of toil melted beneath the aching brilliance of your smile, every callus and strain of muscle well repaid. 

Striding to your side, broad hands gently encircled your waist until foreheads met in shared bliss, eyes aglow with all the tender hopes this home’s thick walls now sheltered. 

“Darlin’, I do believe we’ve gone an’ built us our own corner of heaven here,” he rumbled softly, thrilling to feel your heart swell against his in answer. No finer reward than seeing the light in your face nourished by comforts his hands had wrought. 

Too choked with tears to respond, you took his hand and stepped inside the new home. The fresh scent of cedar and pine filling your nose as you explored each and every room with child-like wonder. Simon watched with a gentle smile as you explored your new domain, following dutifully behind as he too studied each detail with a sharp painter’s eyes, mentally furnishing each bare space with memories and comforts yet to be. 

Turning you gently in well worn hands when the tour came to an end, Simon gazed upon your sweet face with all the devotion of endless skies. 

You all but smirked up at him, planting a soft kiss on his lips before encircling your arms around his neck to press warm bodies together. 

“Reckon we need to uh… christen that new bedroom of ours, hm?” You teased, a hint of something mischievous in your voice as you batted long eyelashes up at him. 

Simon let out a low chuckle, eyes already turning dark as rich barley fields at your siren’s song. Fingers trailing feather-soft along the flawless planes of cheek and jaw long dreamed of, he peered deep into eyes overflowing with all he once believed himself unworthy of. 

Scooping you up with practiced care, never breaking contact save to brush a reverent kiss to willing lips, Simon turned towards the bedroom with a purposeful stride. 

“An’ why darlin’, I reckon that’s the finest idea I’ve heard in many a year,” gently shouldering through freshly hung door to deposit treasure of beyond calculating worth amidst downy rumples waiting to cradle your joinings, Simon gazed upon the angel fate had seen fit to place within his blessed and devoted keeping. 

The night was spent with soft moans filling the room, Simon near worshiping your body as he pulled every whine and whimper he could out of your sweet lips. He was intent on showing you just how deeply he loved you, no doubt leaving you nearly unable to walk the next morning because of it. 

As you lay in the bed, the only furniture in the house, you gazed out the window with a weary yet blissful gaze - body content with the pleasure it had been blessed with before you fell asleep with a happy hum, spent bodies pressed against one another as you drifted off into a peaceful slumber. The next days and weeks would bring their own hardships, but here in this moment you were safe and full with love. With Simon holding you close and protective in his arms you were happier beyond belief, and you felt more than lucky that you would get to feel this same way for the rest of your new shared lives. You had saved Simon from damnation, your golden light pulling him from the dark. You were his salvation, his everything. 

end~

[m1ckeyb3rry]

── THE GLASS PRINCESS // SEVENTEEN

Series Synopsis: You wake up in a strange room with no memories, broken glass at your bedside, and a prince named Zuko as your only chance at figuring out who you really are.

Chapter Synopsis: Now that you have regained your memories, you and Bian must set off in search of allies.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

Chapter Word Count: 5.6k

Content Warnings: complicated relationships (strangers to friends to lovers to enemies to strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers), amnesia, alternate universe, lots of secrets and lying and mystery

A/N: hey…how y’all doing…sorry this chapter is so blech it’s a little transition thing so that the next arc can finally start in full LMAO i don’t really like it but it does what it has to

You threw the book away from you, earning a surprised squawk from Bian. She flapped her wings and drew back, the feathers of her crest standing on end in an attempt to look intimidating before smoothing down as she realized there was no imminent threat. Then, she cocked her head at you, cooing in confusion.

“That half-witted, self-involved, traitorous excuse for a person!” you said to her. “That — that — well, he is lucky I’ve only realized who I am now that I have already run away, or else I’d march to the palace and kill him myself!”

The Princess of the Earth Kingdom. The Princess of the Earth Kingdom. That was who you really were. The Soldiers of Agni had not been the ones to destroy the wing of the Earth Palace, you had. They were not the ones who had been vastly outnumbered in the face of opposition, you were. And the royal family of the Earth Kingdom had not entirely been killed during the coup, because you were still alive.

But — but did that mean Kuei was dead? Had they gone into Ba Sing Se and found him and murdered him? Your dear brother…there was such a low chance that he would’ve survived on his own, and an even lower chance that he would’ve escaped notice. Not with his bumbling, innocent worldview. Not with Bosco constantly at his side, drawing attention without even trying. Not without any way to defend himself, no bending or weapons or guards to speak of.

Then it had been meaningless. You had given up your life for nothing. Kuei was dead. The Avatar was dead — or, if he was not quite yet dead, then he would soon fall again at Princess Azula’s hands. Ba Sing Se had been conquered by the Fire Nation, and all the while you had been lounging around in the palace of the very country that had stolen your home, attending its school and befriending its people.

“Ursa,” you seethed, getting up and pacing restlessly, the ground shaking with your every step as your long-suppressed bending flared to life and ran wildly out of control. “A prisoner of the Earth Kingdom’s. Hilarious. Hilarious. Tortured for Fire Nation secrets! What a great story, huh, Bian? Lifted directly from Seven Soldiers of Agni, I’d wager! And all the while, I was his prisoner, and I didn’t even know it! I — I spoke so kindly to the person who ordered my execution…”

The ground stopped shaking as your anger faded, replaced with a bout of the mourning you had not yet been allowed to feel. Mourning for your brother, who you would never see again. Mourning for those days you had spent with Lee and Mushi, which were the few in which you had truly been happy. Mourning for your subjects, who were now in the grasp of the Fire Nation, likely under even more oppressive conditions than before.

“What can I even do now?” you whispered, though you had no illusions that anyone would answer. There was no Quynh to advise you this time. You had to do it yourself. You had to make the decisions.

Yet, you had attempted such a thing before, hadn’t you? You had tried to do the right thing back in the Earth Palace. You had sacrificed yourself to save your brother, to buy your kingdom time, but you had been ultimately unsuccessful. The only decisions you had ever made for yourself had been the wrong ones. So how could you be sure that the next ones you made would not be more of the same? How could you be sure when there was such a high probability that you would once again choose incorrectly?

“I am lost,” you admitted to Bian, a tear rolling down your cheek, followed by another, and then another. “I am utterly lost. I have nary a clue where to go next.”

Bian blinked at you. She was the only one around who you could talk to, but of course, you should not have expected her to be able to talk back. She wasn’t a spirit in the way of Quynh. She was just a regular, if not spectacularly bred and incredibly intelligent, bird.

There was no point in dawdling about hopelessly. Once the sun rose properly, Jia-Li would awaken and realize that you were gone for good. And then — and then you could expect the worst. There was no way that the Fire Nation would allow you to live, not now that you knew your true identity. There was no way Prince Zuko would allow you to jeopardize him like that. You had only this one night before the royal forces were sent after you.

“I have to find allies,” you said as you attempted to calm yourself by recounting the supplies you had brought with you.

It was the most important thing. If you wanted a chance at retaking your kingdom, then you needed people on your side, people who had the strength to back you up in that endeavor. A few days ago, the only allies you could claim to have had were Jia-Li and Ty Lee, but the situation had changed drastically, and now, they could both be considered nothing but enemies.

Your best chance lay in finding Katara, Sokka, and the rest of the Southern Water Tribe forces. Although their fleet was nothing magnificent, it was at least a starting point, one which you desperately needed. From there, you would take their advice into consideration as you tried to figure out a way to regain your kingdom from the clutches of the Fire Nation.

You slept fitfully, restlessly, awakening often and gazing up at the moon before uneasily convincing yourself to rest for just a little longer. The effect was that by the time the blazing sun began to rise in the cloudless sky, you were no less exhausted than you had been when it had set.

“We must be off,” you said, slinging your bag over your shoulder and whistling for Bian, who had flown off some minutes ago to hunt. When she did not appear immediately, you whistled again, holding out your arm for her to perch on. “Bian! We hardly have the time for this!”

There was a furious shriek, and then Bian tumbled out of the air, one of her wings bent at an awkward angle as a raven eagle dove after her with claws outstretched. Although she could not fly, she still snapped at her foe, her fearsome beak bloody around the corners, a streak of red upon the raven eagle’s breast where she must’ve been able to catch him.

“Bian!” you shouted, racing over to catch her and holding her to your chest as the raven eagle pulled out of its dive, too cowardly to face a foe so much larger than it. It screeched at you in contempt before soaring up out of the forest and out of view. You ignored it, setting Bian on the ground and using the ends of your sleeves to wipe at her beak. “Why would you do that? Why did you challenge that awful bird?”

Bian offered you her leg. At first, you thought she was trying to show you another injury, but beyond her broken wing, she seemed to have escaped the scuffle unscathed. Seconds later, you realized she was clutching a rolled up scroll tightly in her claws, only relinquishing it when you pressed on it with your pointer finger.

“Where did you find this?” you said. It was sealed with the stamp of the Fire Nation military, though you doubted that that raven eagle had any association with the army. Likely it had intercepted some official communications, and Bian, who had after all once been a Fire Nation bird, had attacked him for the treachery.

There wasn’t much written on the note, but for you, who had just regained your memories, it was yet another foundation-shaking statement.

The Avatar lives. Alert the Fire Lord immediately.

The Avatar was alive. Aang was alive, and he must’ve hale, for such an urgent letter to be sent off to the military, which meant that there was hope. If — if you could just reach him before Princess Azula did, then there was hope. Returning to Ba Sing Se would not be such a fever dream if you had the Avatar at your side, and you scooped Bian back into your arms, kissing her between her eyes.

“You always bring me such lovely things, Bian,” you said. She cooed at you plaintively, and you winced in dismay as you realized her wing hung uselessly at her side, her body shaking in your hands from the pain of the destruction of her frail bones. “And this is the thanks you receive. From what I recall, there is a village nearby, and there should be someone who can treat you in it. We will do that first, and from there, we will figure out some way to find the Avatar.”

Strangely, as you trekked through the forest, you found yourself grateful for your enrollment at the academy. This was exactly the kind of situation you had run drills for, and whereas in your years as the princess of the Earth Kingdom you would’ve run out of breath or fallen or underwent some other, similar calamity, your time as Ursa of the Fire Nation had prepared you for this.

It was the last gift Prince Zuko had given you, unwittingly though it may have been. By sending you to that school, he had inadvertently prepared you to be his most dangerous enemy — made more dangerous for the fact that he must have believed you still loved him, or at least held enough affection for him that you’d excuse his actions upon coming to know of them.

You didn’t excuse them. How could you? He had taken everything from you, and then he had dragged you back to his nation without any care for how it might make you feel. What selfishness! What ignorance! What folly! It was blindness on his part, to imagine that a bear could flourish in a land of phoenixes, to truly believe that you could’ve been happy in the Fire Nation for any extended amount of time.

You made it to the village by noon, and though there was no reason for anyone there to recognize you, you ducked your head as you raced to the post office, where all mail brought to the village was kept to be sorted and distributed into mailboxes. Because of the large influx of messenger hawks that went back and forth from the post office, you were more likely to find help for Bian there than anyone else.

“Excuse me, postmaster, sir,” you said, bowing at the man who was sitting at the counter behind piles of letters. “Might I trouble you for a moment?”

“What is it?” he said gruffly, clearly irritated by your request. You wilted at the unsaid rebuke, but then you straightened your shoulders again. It didn’t matter if the man was annoyed — Bian needed help, and you would get it for her.

“My hawk, I think her wing is broken,” you said, placing Bian on the counter and shushing her when she tried to flap away in vain. The postmaster squinted at her.

“She’s a fine example of the species,” he said, a note of suspicion entering his tone. “Where’d you find such a lovely creature? And why’d you let her get in this condition? Birds such as her are meant to be ornaments, symbols of status, not actual messengers.”

Yet another thing Prince Zuko had neglected to tell you. Well, this you could not blame him for; Bian was not the sort to sit around and be a status symbol. Flying and working and fighting were a part of her nature, and she would be miserable without those outlets for her energy.

“She’s mine,” you said. “I got her in the capital city. You know that they only sell the finest of wares there. Though, of course, I could not afford a hawk for mere decorative purposes, so it’s true that I use her to send my letters.”

The postmaster scoffed. “Idiot.”

“Look, is it possible for her to be healed?” you said, rolling your eyes when he bent to inspect Bian’s wing. “That’s all I’m asking for, sir.”

Now that you remembered who you were, it felt odd to be so deferential to a person who you outranked so vastly. Unfortunately, at least for now, everyone thought you were nothing but another common girl, which meant that just about any person you conversed with had to be addressed with respect.

“She’ll be alright in a couple of weeks,” he said, reaching into a drawer and pulling out a piece of cloth, wrapping it around Bian’s wing so that it was flush to her body. “You’ll have to carry her around and take care of her in the meantime, but as long as you’re willing to do that, she’ll be able to fly again soon enough. It’ll be like she was never injured.”

“Yes, of course,” you said, sighing in relief at the thought that she would make a full recovery. “Thank you for your help. Did you hear, Bian? You’ll be okay.”

“You named her Bian?” the postmaster said. “What, have you been engaging with the colony trash?”

“Pardon?” you said. “What did you just say?”

“The colonies are such a blight on the Fire Nation,” he said. “Infecting even good and proper girls like you with their backwards customs and words. It’s a disgrace.”

The colonies was the general term used to refer to the Earth Kingdom villages which had fallen to Fire Nation rule. You had never been to any, but from what you had gathered, they were hotbeds of strife and inequality, where the Fire Nation soldiers lorded over the native Earth Kingdom citizens.

Of course — you had not realized it when you had given it to her, but Bian’s name was Earth Kingdom, so the postmaster was not entirely incorrect in guessing that you were from the colonies or had spent some days there. That was not what you were so horrified by — it was the latter part of his accusation, the notion of the Earth Kingdom citizens infecting the Fire Nation, which you took offense to.

Your people were not the invaders. Your people were not the aggressors. Your people had been living in peace until the Fire Nation attacked. If there was any blight, it was them, those destructive forces who burnt and burnt until the world fell to their feet. They were the stain upon the earth, so on what moral authority could this postmaster stand and claim that you were the disgraceful ones?

“Hm,” you said, though you longed to shout at him. There would be no gain from a burst of anger, though. It would only serve to give away your disguise, and you could not have that, not when you were still close enough to the capital that you could be easily tracked down by Prince Zuko and his ilk if you made even a single misstep. “Maybe so.”

“Do you need anything else? I’ll suffer pay cuts if I don’t get this mail sorted by evening,” the postmaster said.

“Pay cuts? You’re a government employee, aren’t you? Your pay shouldn’t be cut without extreme circumstances demanding it,” you said.

“It’s a new policy that Fire Lord Ozai’s put into place,” the postmaster said. “Those not performing to expected capacity will be punished, even though expected capacity is such an unrealistic goal. I haven’t seen my family in a week! I’ve just been sorting mail, mail, and more mail! But, ah, that’s not to say I’m complaining. All hail the royal family!”

“All hail the royal family,” you repeated, as was customary, even though the words were sour on your tongue. “Though that’s certainly a strange development.”

“It’s fine,” the postmaster said. “The Fire Lord is right, as per usual. If even one piece of a machine is not running smoothly, then the entire construction is forfeit. Maybe it doesn’t seem important, but if I am deficient in my work, then the entire nation will be that much delayed.”

“Very well,” you said. “If that’s how you wish to view it, I shan’t stop you. In fact, I’ll leave you to it, though not without a final question: is there any kind of transport that I can take to get somewhere else?”

“Depends on where you want to go,” he said, hunching over the pile of mail again and beginning to sort once more, eyes flicking up to meet yours when he spoke and then returning to his task immediately after.

“I’m not sure,” you said. “Just somewhere far from here.”

Belatedly, you realized you probably sounded even more suspicious, which was not a good thing, considering the postmaster was already likely questioning you, but luckily, he did not say anything beyond humming.

“I know of a couple that’s rented a carriage to take them to some southern hospital. You could probably ask to go along with them,” he said.

You brightened. The south was as good of a place to start as any; either way, it was in a different direction from the capital city, so even if the trip did not take you to the Avatar, it would deposit you in a place that was further from Prince Zuko’s reach than you were at present.

“Thank you,” you said. “And where might I find them?”

“The town square, most likely,” he said.

“Farewell, then,” you said, tucking Bian under your arm as you raced off. She did not protest, closing her eyes and enjoying the breeze as you sprinted towards the town square, hoping you would not miss the rental carriage’s departure.

As you skidded to a stop in front of a fountain, you huffed in relief when you saw a pregnant woman standing beside a man with a bag slung across his back. Though you had no description to go off of, you were willing to bet money that they were the couple that the postmaster had been referring to, and, after taking a second to catch your breath, you put on your best smile and walked over to bow at the couple.

“Hello, sir, madam,” you said. “I heard from the postmaster that you’ve rented a carriage to go to a southern hospital.”

“Yes, we did. It should be arriving soon,” the woman said.

“Why?” the man said warily, shifting so that he was standing half in front of the woman protectively.

“If you are not opposed, I should like to join you on your journey,” you said, poking Bian in the side. She squawked at you in indignation, and though you momentarily felt bad for bothering her when she was already injured, the noise served to draw the couple’s attention to her. Giving them a winning smile, you brandished Bian in front of you. “As you can see, my messenger hawk is injured. I am hoping to go to that same hospital and seek medical care for her.”

Bian cocked her head at them, blinking in a way that you could only pray they found charming. The man and woman exchanged looks.

“I didn’t know they treated animals, too,” the woman said, rubbing her stomach unsurely.

“Given the state of the, um, economy, they’ve expanded their client base,” you said, batting your own eyelashes. “I shall recompense you upon arrival, naturally.”

“I suppose it can’t hurt,” the man said, though you doubted he trusted you any.

“Thank you, sir. I promise you will not regret this!” you said.

“I sure hope not,” he said. Bian nipped your hand, and you shook your head before setting her on your shoulder, though not without reprimanding her for the impolite behavior.

“You won’t!”

The carriage rolled into the square only minutes later, and you thanked Quynh internally for sending you into the town at just the right time. Only a bit of a delay and you would’ve been stuck traveling by foot, but instead you would be making your way across the Fire Nation in relative style, taking up your own bench in the carriage and letting Bian rest atop your bags beside you.

“So, what’s your name?” the woman said as the carriage rolled off. You almost responded with Ursa out of habit, but you stopped yourself just in time. You didn’t want to wear anything associated with Prince Zuko, not even a name, and if the couple happened to be questioned at any point, then you did not want your well-known moniker to fall from their lips.

“Jia-Li,” you said easily, borrowing the first Fire Nation name you could think of, apologizing to your likely-frantic roommate as you did so. You had no specific quarrel with her, after all. One day, eventually, when she joined her nation’s army and became your enemy in full, you would not think of her so fondly, but for the moment, she was nothing more than a girl who had been kind to you. Your friend. “My name is Jia-Li.”

“That’s a pretty name,” she said.

“Thank you,” you said. You recognized that you probably ought to ask them for their names in return, but you did not. They were, after all, doing you a great favor by letting you ride in the carriage with them, and you would not repay their kindness with understanding.

If you knew their names, then you could incriminate them as accomplices in your escape, should you ever be captured or otherwise under duress. No, unawareness was the best policy. Maybe you’d seem ruder for it, but it was for their own good that you did so.

“I’m due to give birth soon,” the woman said after an awkward moment where no one spoke. “That’s why we’re going to the southern hospital, you see.”

“Do you expect complications?” you said.

“Every woman in my line has died in childbirth,” she said. “My mother, and her mother before her, and hers before her, so on and so forth. It’s like a curse. We’re hoping that, with the advancements in medicine that have taken place recently, there’s a chance I won’t fall victim to it as well. The southern hospital is supposedly the best in all the Fire Nation — we’ve been on the waitlist for an appointment for months.”

“Oh,” you said, staring out of the window at the scenery flashing by. “My mother died in childbirth as well. I suppose we have that in common.”

Or maybe not. Maybe Sokka’s hunch had been right and Long Feng had had some hand in her death, too. Maybe childbirth was just an easy way to explain her demise, which would’ve been unnatural in any other circumstance. You wouldn’t put it past the scheming Grand Secretariat and his Dai Li underlings, who had proven they would do anything for just a little bit more power.

That was the first thing you’d do, you vowed. As soon as you had your kingdom back, you would put every single one of those horrible people that had had a hand in your parents’ deaths and Ba Sing Se’s fall on trial. None of them would be spared. Even if it took days, you would bring each of them to justice. Perhaps it was a vindictive thought to have, but it made you feel better to think it, so you did not allow anything resembling a conscience to demand you stop.

“I’m sorry,” the man said.

“I mourn who she might’ve been,” you said. “But not who she was. I never knew her, after all. Though I thank you for it, you should save your concern for those in direr need.”

The closer and closer you got to the southern hospital, the more the man fretted, fussing over his wife, who seemed to be perpetually near tears. You did not blame either of them; the prospect of the woman’s possibly imminent death was sickening for you, too, and you did not even know her that well.

It was mystifying to you. If she knew that she had such a high chance of dying while giving birth, why had she chosen to conceive? It made no sense. It was an entirely avoidable form of death, and despite the insensitive nature of the query, you posed the question to her.

“Because,” she said without even taking the time to think, squeezing her husband’s hand, “there’s a chance.”

“A chance?” you said.

“A chance,” she affirmed. “That I’ll survive. That our baby will be healthy. That we can have the family we’ve dreamed of. It’s a small chance, admittedly. Maybe even a minuscule one. Most people call us insane for risking it. I’m sure you think the same. But the truth is that, as long as that chance exists, I have to rely on it. We have to.”

“Do you think it’s worth it?” you said.

“Maybe not to some,” she said. “Everyone has to decide what they value, and then they just have to do what they can in pursuit of that thing.”

You were silent for a second, swallowing, gathering your thoughts, finding boldness in the anonymity of the conversation. They did not know you, and you did not know them, and it gave you the confidence to say something you would not dare vocalize to anyone else.

“What if a person values two things that are in conflict?” you said. “Say, their home and someone they love. What then?”

It was the man who spoke up this time. “If they really love that person, then they’ll do as that person wishes, even if it’s difficult. Even if it means they can’t have something else they desire.”

He glanced at the woman when he spoke, and you realized that he must have been speaking from personal experience.

“I see,” you said. “I guess it must be like that.”

It was a confirmation of what you had thought — that Prince Zuko had never loved you, not like you had loved him. You had given him everything, had allowed him through Quynh’s Door, and all the while, he had felt nothing for you. He had been pretending. You had told him the way to get into the palace, and he had seized the opportunity you had presented him with.

That was all you were to him. That was all you had ever been. An opportunity. A key. A door. What a stupid girl you were, to think he had ever thought of you as anything but Princess Y/N, his very own entrance to the Earth Palace.

“We’re really worried,” the man confided in you as the woman slept. “It took so long for the hospital to agree to see us, and longer to find a rental carriage willing to travel so far. If anything happens and we’re late to the appointment, I’m afraid they’ll turn us away. As it is, we’ll probably arrive with only an hour to spare.”

“I’m sure there won’t be any issues,” you said. Almost on cue, the carriage caught on something, and then it rolled to a stop. You swore under your breath before pursing your lips, not wanting to seem even impoliter than you already had.

“What’s happening?” the man said in a panic, pulling the curtains back and peering out the window. His wife woke with a start, glancing around, still dazed.

“What’s going on?” she echoed.

“By my estimates, it’s a routine stop. Perhaps one of the dragon moose grew tired and needed to be given water. There’s nothing to fret about,” you soothed, though you had no clue whether that was the truth or not. “I’m sure we’ll get going in just a few moments.”

The carriage door opened, and the driver entered, hunching over to fit in the doorway as he looked at you all with a grave expression.

“It seems we’ve hit someone,” he said.

“What?” the man shrieked.

“As in, they’re dead?” you said.

“No, they’re living, but they’re demanding payment for the injuries and trauma,” he said.

“Go on, then,” you said. “Pay them.”

“The company I work for doesn’t give us extra allowance for accidents,” the driver said. “It’s stated in the terms of the contract that passengers are responsible for additional fees incurred during the trip.”

“Just negotiating is going to take a while,” the man said, pale-faced. “Not to mention any savings we didn’t waste on hiring you are meant to pay for the hospital visit. We don’t have any extra!”

“You’ve possibly wounded the child for life,” the carriage driver said dully. “Yet you’re still being stingy?”

You frowned as you watched the back and forth, the way the woman’s eyes had widened and grown glossy with tears, the way the man’s fists were clenched to disguise the trembling of his hands. Though the situation was so different, you were reminded of Ba Sing Se. Here, too, the ordinary people were suffering. And here, too, though they were not your people, you felt a sense of duty prevailing in you, commanding you to help.

“I’ll deal with it,” you said. “You, just get them to the hospital as soon as possible. They have an appointment that they cannot miss.”

“But Jia-Li, what about your bird?” the woman said.

“Eh?” you said. She pointed at Bian. “Oh, we’ll, um, find another doctor nearby. You ought to worry only for your own condition, madam.”

“Thank you, miss,” the man said.

“Consider this my payment for the ride and the advice,” you said. “I thank you for both, and I pray that your child may be born with a good spirit and a healthy mother. May Agni be with you always.”

“You as well,” the woman said.

“We won’t ever forget what you’ve done for us,” the man promised you. “This may be the last time we meet, but we’ll remember you.”

You smiled at them, picking up your bag of things in one hand and Bian in the other.

“I’ll think of you often,” you promised, kicking the door shut behind you and hopping off the carriage, waving at the carriage driver to indicate that he could leave without you before turning to the scene of the wreck — only to find that there was no wreck, just a familiar boy standing and staring at you with a dropped jaw.

“Princess — Princess — Princess Y/N? Is that really you?” he said.

Your bag fell from your hands in shock as you comprehended who you were looking at. Placing Bian on the ground, you took a step forward, reaching your hands out, trying to ascertain if he was real or not.

“Sokka?” you said. “Sokka, what are you doing here? Why do I always encounter you in these strange, random places?”

“I should be asking you the same question!” he said. “Aren’t you supposed to be dead right now?”

“Yes,” you said, and then you were throwing your arms around him and hugging him tightly, so relieved to finally have found one true ally, one person who knew who you really were. His own arms wound around your back, and unbidden, your lower lip began to tremble as the safety of his embrace finally allowed you to unabashedly weep. “Yes, I should be dead. I thought I was dead.”

“Looks like your brother threw a fit over nothing,” a new voice said — Toph! It was Toph, springing to her feet from where she had been lying in the road, dusting herself off. “I mean, honestly, I get that he was sad and all, but an escape is not exactly the moment to throw yourself to the ground and bawl and dramatically swear you’ll never leave the city your sister is buried in! It’s a miracle we dragged him and Bosco away.”

“What?” you said. “Do you — Do you mean to say that my brother is alive?”

“Yeah, he is,” Toph said. “He ran off to explore the Earth Kingdom and find himself, though. Something about how if ‘his dear baby sister could be so brave, then it was about time he started doing the same.’”

“Kuei,” you said, overcome with a wave of affection for your brother. He was alive. Somehow, despite the odds, despite everything working against him, he had made it. He had found the others, and he had survived, which meant you could see him again. The two of you could reclaim Ba Sing Se together, united in your efforts instead of carrying each other’s banners in memory.

“He really loves you,” Sokka said. “It’s one of the few things I have to give to him. He’s a lot of things, but a bad brother isn’t one of them.”

You wiped away your tears, letting go of Sokka and stooping down to grab your bag and the discarded Bian, who thankfully did not seem too miffed about the proceedings, nudging you with her beak in what you could only assume was her method of showing you affection.

“He’s the most wonderful brother,” you said. “I didn’t always appreciate that, but I will make sure to tell him every hour of every day once we may meet again.”

“That’s cheesy,” Toph said. “But kinda cute.”

“Wait, Toph,” you said. “This is a little bit unrelated, but were you the one that the carriage hit?”

“Uh,” Toph said, scratching the back of her neck.

“Well,” Sokka said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Kind of?” Toph said.

Your jaw dropped as you realized what they had done, and, looking around to make sure no one was watching, you lifted a pebble using your Earthbending and flicked it into Sokka’s forehead. This earned you a wounded yelp from him and a cackling laugh from Toph, who you had not bothered attacking on account of her seismic sense.

“You buffoons,” you said. “Did you seriously try to scam me?”

taglist (comment/send an ask/dm to be added): @rinisfruity14 @c4ttheart @blacky-rose @shizko @marsbars09 @happyplaidpersonfestival @catborglar @camilleverreault @nerdybouquetofkittens-blog @lovialy @heart4hees @stefnarda @ioonatv @vvicaddiction @yukihatesreoyo @yodayyy @ellzbellz18 @wscxbells

[raayllum]

What Does 6x09 Actually Tell Us About Aaravos?

Now that we know a fair bit more about Aaravos and his motivations in canon rather than interviews or TDP short stories, and because 6x09 confirmed some juicy pieces of speculation I've had for a while (staff, Sol Regem, and First Elf—Archdragon relations I'm looking at you), I thought it'd be a useful overview of what we can glean from everything we get about Aaravos — and Leola — in 6x09. So let's get into it:

First Elves and the Archdragons

I talked about the potential peer-adjacent relationship the First Elves might've had with the Archdragons in contrast to the First / Star Elves and primal elves a few months before S6 aired. This was largely due to things such as Zubeia saying things like "In the name of the dragons of the First Elves" (4x03) and the fact that primal elves are seen routinely in subservience to the dragons, specifically Archdragons (the Dragonguard, the draconic monarchy at all, bringing gifts to Rex Igneous, etc). There were also lines where Zubeia was spoken of in a similar manner as Aaravos that felt indicative of something:

EZRAN: Zubeia, Queen of the Dragons, your heavenly majesty... (4x03) ZUBEIA: Our adversary was literally a being from the heavens. (4x04)

This is of course entirely literal when it comes to Aaravos, and hyperbolic praise towards Zubeia, but the parallel imagery / association stuck out to me, as well as Ancient Draconic specifically being the language of primal magic (already theorized in said meta to have been a gift from the First Elves to 'primal' elves and/or dragons). Given all this, I'd posited that "Archdragons at least once upon a time had been contemporaries of the First Elves if not peers".

Now thanks to 6x09, we can say it seems that this was true.

Sol Regem — or as he was going by then in his youth, Anak Araw — was a contemporary of not just the First Elves in general, but presumably their highest court in the Cosmic Council. He was the sole witness in Leola's trial, and there to oversee her arrest.

We also know that this point that the Cosmic Council / Order was involved enough that they dictated what merited the 'Order' and that they'd intervene to punish those who broke it, however well intentioned, so we know that the Draconic monarchy must've existed with their blessing, if not created by their hand for there to already be a hierarchy and trust established.

We don't know if the other Archdragons we're familiar with were around, such as Zubeia or Avizandum, but I'd be willing to wager that Luna Tenebris was at least, given that we know she's presumably not much younger than Sol Regem as she was the immediate Dragon monarch after him as far as we know. So it seems right now the hierarchy was as follows:

The Cosmic Council, maintaining their Order

Aaravos? Plus other First Elves who aren't council members?

The Draconic Royal Family

The Archdragons

The primal elves

Other misc Xadian creatures (rock creatures, mushroom guys, etc)

Humans

which was the hierarchy that was supposed to be maintained, but then humans were given/shown primal magic by Leola, and this led to the great upset by presumably putting them on 'the same level' as ordinary primal elves.

Speaking of which, let's talk about humans, specifically Aaravos' view on them.

Aaravos' view on humans

Aaravos shares very little about his view on humans in 6x09 directly. We see his views filtered through Claudia in 4x07 ("Aaravos believed in us when all other elves and dragons thought we were worthless, stupid, dirty animals. Aaravos believed we could be better. So he gave us magic!") but given how much what she says parrots what Ziard says ("When humans starved and struggled, helpless and pathetic?" / "We were starving and wretched and helpless"), how much that perspective holds up is of course debatable.

All that said, Aaravos' view on humans then is very much not, it seems, what his initial view on humans were through his dynamic with Leola. We know this in a few ways:

1) Aaravos' home with Leola was on Earth. This is presumably a decision made by Aaravos before she came into his life, which indicates a fondness or fascination with mortals / Earth his kind didn't typically have. Alternatively, it was a decision made because of Leola's fascination once she was a bit older, but one he was wholeheartedly supportive of.

2) Regardless, both options in 1. take us to the same place, which is that it is unlikely that Leola would've been able to form the friendships she did without her father's support and approval, both of which were readily given. Aaravos is happy and unsurprised to see her playing with a human girl, which would mean having a positive to neutral view on humanity.

3) The Cosmic Order was broken, and Leola punished, for the "crime" of sharing primal magic with humans. This was a law Aaravos was familiar with ahead of time, as he immediately understands during the trial that it would've been an issue.

4) Therefore, the most straight forward way for Aaravos to sow discord/chaos and further what Leola died over was to continue teaching humans primal magic. This may be what he eventually did with the Key and the book, and was possibly his original plan, despite the 'chaos' it would lead to.

(Side note: this line makes me think that Aaravos, as well as the other First Elves, are all basically timeblind by default.)

Basically: there's a definite piece of the story we're missing about how Aaravos went from witnessing humans having primal magic to actively cultivating dark magic with them. We also know he presumably stole a staff from the Starscraper, took its gemstone out (Laurelion's necklace that Claudia wears?) and replaced it with a stolen quasar diamond, using moon magic to hide the theft of the stone but not the staff. This transition of "humans are okay / I'll help them" (especially considering he reaffirms that Leola loved this world and all its creatures) to "I'll ruin everything and it doesn't matter what the collateral damage is" was always what I think we as a fandom expected to have happened, but it's still nice to have confirmation.

Speaking of which, time to finally talk about

Aaravos and Sol Regem

I'd speculated since Oct 2022 that Sol Regem and Aaravos had a potential personal beef between them, given Sol Regem's rage only really comes out in his confrontation with Ziard (3x01) after it's conveyed that the staff was a "gift from one of the Great Ones".

(It also was a chance to provide stronger characterization for both of them than if there hadn't been a connection in a series that already has very limited time, but I digress).

However, it seems that Aaravos and Sol Regem's issues go even further back than just "Sol Regem snitched on Leola and was instrumental in her execution" given that the second Aaravos hears about the golden dragon, his face changes from confusion/fear to anger:

Like he knows that if Anak Araw is involved in anything, it can't be good. This makes me lean towards Aaravos having a more positive view of humanity before everything, with this being the root of the issue that caused Sol "you are lesser beings" Regem to have their initial disagreement, and it all spiralled from there.

Conclusion: What did 6x09 Teach Us?

Confirmation on:

Aaravos had a positive view of humans and at some point during his revenge scheme, this changed

Sol Regem and Aaravos have a long, personal, and treacherous history with each other ("Tell me, betrayer")

Aaravos stole the staff and a quasar diamond

The First Elves and dragons / Archdragons were peers with one another and worked in collaboration

New questions it asks:

What caused Sol Regem and Aaravos to initially have problems with one another?

Are the First Elves aware that Aaravos game humans dark magic?

If they are, why wasn't that known by more Xadians at the time?

Why did Sol Regem testify against Leola?

Guess we'll have to see what answers S7 gives!

[galedekarios]

Hey there! You're one of the best Gale-ish devnotes\datamines sources that I know of, so I might as well ask. I remember that at some point Gale mentions taking part in Blackstaff Academy balls (or something like that). Is it mentioned elswhere, and do we have any details on his involvement in such activities? Need that for science\personal lore, and I'd appreciate any info (including EA), if you have time. Thanks!

thank you for your message and i'm sorry for the belated response!

i took my time to comb through everything and sadly, the banter with wyll is the only instance i could find of gale mentioning a ball at blackstaff academy:

gale & the annual blackstaff's ball

gale: i knew you were a graceful man, wyll, but i hear you're quite the dancer too. gale: i've been known to trip the light fantastic myself. mine was a popular hand at the annual blackstaff's ball. wyll: i'd have love to have witnessed it, gale. i wager you are as elegant on the dance floor as you are on the battlefield.

the only other banters i could find that are only loosely related. some give us glimpses into his life at the academy, others into his life in waterdeep.

here's another story about gale & being a young student at blackstaff academy, which triggers in the wizard tower in the underdark:

gale & the death slaad

gale: ah. quite. a misadventure from my days as an apprentice at blackstaff academy. gale: i was but a child, only a few months into my studies, but already i knew i was destined for greatness. no one believed me, of course, so i decided to prove it. to cast a spell with the blackstaff itself. gale: from one perspective, i succeeded. i opened a portal. however, instead of pointing it at the first year dormitory, i found myself pulled into limbo, facing a very irritated death slaad. gale: fortunately, the blackstaff himself came to the rescue, hauling me back from the brink, and straight into several months of writing lines. or rather, finessing my autograph. gale: now, much as i enjoy reminiscing about such tomfoolery, i believe we've more pressing matters at hand. is there anything else?

this dialogue path from the epilogue has him speaking a bit more about those days as well:

gale & his days as a wayward apprentice

gale: teaching at blackstaff academy has proven such an unexpected pleasure. sometimes i find it hard to tear myself away. gale: just one of the myriad unexpected ways life has delighted me in recent months. gale: even my own city feels new to me, now that i share it with you. player: probably because i make you put down your quill once in a while and enjoy it. gale: that you do. i've not had so much fun in waterdeep since my own days as a wayward blackstaff apprentice. gale: you've certainly made quite the impression on my friends down at the yawning portal. the last i heard, they were thinking of naming a drink after you.

while he seems to have enjoyed a much richer social life in waterdeep before his time of isolation, it's mentioned in another epilogue banter (devnotes) that he didn't seek out any of the more dangerous parts of the city.

there are also other banters about gale's life in waterdeep before the game:

gale & the temple of beauty in waterdeep

gale: i must tell you, shadowheart, the bathing waters here leave much to be desired. gale: the ablutions offered at the temple of beauty in waterdeep are far superior. and they have the most excellent soaps. shadowheart: hmm. i was wondering why you always smelled like a wealthy dowager.

gale & spending time in the hospice of st. laupsenn

wyll: this was a hospital? feels more like a prison. gale: a common enough interpretation. sickness has a nasty habit of making you feel trapped, if only within the confines of your body. gale: i once spent weeks convalescing in the hospice of st. laupsenn after a nasty bout of ruddy pox. for all their kindness, leaving that place behind felt like freedom to me. wyll: i’ve always relied on the kindness of the healers and menders of the coast. better a cleric’s healing touch than a chirurgeon’s scalpel.

gale & florist

lae'zel: these flowers are quite vivid - not to mention, pungent. not to my liking. gale: are there no flowers in tu'narath? lae'zel: in the city of death, the mlar cultivate the fruiting bodies that sprout from the corpses of the slain. gale: i'd rather get them from my florist in waterdeep, if it's all the same to you.

i'm also including this banter between wyll and gale here because it speaks (even if somewhat joking) about his upbringing as a whole by morena:

wyll: i admire your courage, gale. gale: thank you. any particular reason? wyll: between the orb and the bug, you've got more than your fair share of unwelcome passengers. gale: what can i say? mother always taught me to be a gracious host.

we also know that he has had multiple tutors:

lae'zel: you strike me cleverer than most istiki, gale. multiple tutors, i should guess. gale: many a wise man and woman indeed. waterdeep is the home of myriad scholars. wyll: ah, the city of splendours. spent a whole fleetswake there with my father. what a delight.

hiring tutors appears to be relatively common in waterdeep:

so while this sadly wasn't what you were looking for, i hope this is helpful to some degree! 🖤

[exitpursuedbyavulcan]

The Silver Dragon (12)

Dearest Friend

As Arianwyn adapts to her new surroundings, and Aemond heals from his wound, the pair take comfort in the letters they exchange.

Pairing: Aemond Targaryen x OC (Daemon and Rhea's daughter)

Warnings: none

Series Masterlist - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

Aemond,

I am sorry it has taken me so long to write to you. So much has happened since I watched you and Vhagar fly away.

Oh, what a sight that was! I had not been able to appreciate her fully in just the moonlight. From where I watched in the tower, I could truly grasp her massive size and see her scales gleaming. Truly, the gods must have a sense of humor, giving you the bronze dragon and me the black.

Emrys was distressed when you all left without us. I could hear him wailing for Dreamfyre from my rooms. But I cannot blame him; I felt very much the same. I miss you – all of you – very much.

We did not linger for long at Driftmark after Ser Laenor’s funeral. It was not as grand an affair as Laena’s. I think Lord Corlys and Princess Rhaenys were eager for us to leave – I do not think they like either Rhaenyra or my father very well. I cannot blame them. Neither has said a word to me since we arrived on Dragonstone five days ago. I suppose it is the best outcome I could hope for, for I know Daemon to be capable of much worse.

Have you heard that Daemon and Rhaenyra were married? It happened only two days ago. I did not attend the ceremony, but I almost wish I had, as it was done in the Valyrian tradition. It would have been fascinating to see in reality what I have only read about and imagined for so long. But I could not have stood to be around my father for so long—to witness him in a moment of joy. I would have been sick, I think.

I have been settled in rooms in the opposite wing from the rest of them. I am grateful for this, for it means I do not have to see my sisters or Jace and Luke (who are now my step-brothers, as awful a thought as that is) more often than necessary. While I am allowed to break my fast and take my luncheon in my rooms, I am still required to attend dinner with the family.

Jace and Baela have taken to mocking me. Once, Baela wondered aloud whether my face would scar, and the way she suggested that she wished they would. Jace often tries to goad me by praising his brother for what he did to you. Luke has said very little, but he does smile when they make their comments. I wager once his nose has healed, he’ll join them, as well.

It is worse than how Aegon mocks us. I don’t really know how to explain it. But after what he did on Driftmark, defending you and saying aloud what the entire court has known for so long, I no longer believe he was acting out of malice. With my new siblings, it is. They want to hurt me. And they do. But, like Aegon, they lost interest once they realized they would get no reaction from me.

So now I simply sit in silence and eat my food—which on this barren island mainly consists of fish, which you know I hate. It does help to imagine throwing my food at them or cramming the entire stupid down their throats, but I obviously cannot actually do so.

As soon as the meal is done, I retreat to my rooms. Though it is lonely without Brynna and the rest of my companions from King’s Landing and Runestone, it is better than facing Daemon and the rest. I never thought I would, but I find myself praying for my father to continue ignoring me.

But oh! I am selfish. I have not asked anything of you. How was the ride on Vhagar? Have you ridden her since? Surely she cannot fit in the Dragonpit, so where does she lie?

And most importantly, how is your wound? Are you reading this letter yourself, or is Orwyle reading it for you? If he is, let him know how much I appreciate him and that I hope he is treating you gently.

Please write back to me soon. I have not yet been brave enough to try to find the library here, so I am near to going mad with boredom.

Arianwyn

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 19th day in the third month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Arianwyn,

I am immeasurably glad to hear you are unharmed. Mother, Helaena, and I were so worried about what Daemon would do once you were in his grasp. We will continue to pray that you remain safe and well.

Do not apologize for not writing – my happiness should be the least of your concerns while you are living among enemies. My mother has written to your cousin, Ser Gerold, and Lady Arryn, your Godsmother. Our hope is that they will come to the capital to petition the King for your return and that they will be able to succeed where we could not.

I am very pleased that you were so impressed with Vhagar. I have not been able to ride her since we arrived back in the capital, as Maester Orwyle insists on confining me to his tower so he can force me to drink tremendous amounts of milk of the poppy to numb my pain. I am not even sure I have any pain, for he has not given me a chance to feel it. He is treating me gently, overbearingly so. He treats me as if I am a helpless, petulant child!

Your guess is correct. He is reading for me. And writing. And every other damn thing. It is only my eye that is wounded, and yet he acts as though I have been rendered incapable of even independent thought.

Arianwyn, please forgive my interjection into the prince’s many complaints. If I indeed treat him as a “petulant child,” it is only because he acts like one. Be assured, if I did not place such restrictions on him, I am sure he would overexert himself and end up injured further than he is now. – Orwyle

Enough about overbearing Orwyle. You asked about Vhagar.

She is so wonderful, Aria! Aegon was right, she did not need a single command from me to make her way back to King’s Landing. I think she was happy to return to Westeros after so long across the sea. She flew around and around the city, frightening all the small folk and even the nobles in the castle – they were not expecting to see such a massive dragon!

She did try to enter the Dragonpit, but you are correct; she is much too large. She has instead taken up residence in the empty Tourney Grounds. Where she will go when we have a tourney, I have no idea. As soon as Orwyle lets me off his gods damned sedatives, I will take to the skies once more.

You did not mention how Emrys was. Have you been able to ride him? If you are so permitted, perhaps we could arrange a place to meet. There must be clearings in Kingswood large enough for both our dragons. Or you could just return to the Keep—come home. With me and Vhagar to defend you, surely Daemon would not try to force you to return.

Perhaps this is the poppy speaking. But I miss you very much. There are so many people at the castle, but it still feels empty without you. Even the library doesn’t feel right when you are not here to read with me.

I asked my mother about my sending you books or some of your things from your rooms here, but she said no. It would require a great cost, and we cannot be sure that Daemon would not turn the ship away.

I am so sorry for your loneliness. I wish there was something I could do to give you comfort.

Aemond

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 24th day in the third month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Aemond,

Your words alone give me great comfort, which is increasingly hard to find. I have read your letter over and over again, for when I read it, it feels for a moment as if I am not truly alone.

I have heard from Gerold. As I write this, he is sailing for King’s Landing. Lady Arryn will be not far behind him. I have never met her, but it warms my heart that she cares so much for the memory of my mother that she would make such a journey for me.

However, I am hesitant to hope their words will sway the King. Your mother told me that he believes my presence will soften Daemon, somehow. And now that he is wed to Rhaenyra, I fear he will be even less likely to bring me home. Besides, I am doubtful of trusting him after the way he treated you at Driftmark.

As for your daring plan for my escape, I am afraid it will not be possible.

I did not have the courage to approach my father with the question of my mounting Emrys again. But I mentioned my desire to ride him again to my maid, a woman named Kiyara. I now believe that she is more spy than maid, for the next morning, I received a note from Daemon as I broke my fast. It said:

“I am almost impressed by your boldness. But I must not have made myself clear. You will not leave this castle until I say otherwise. You needn’t fret for the little black dragon. He has been made comfortable in the volcanic tunnels. He is unrestrained and has been spotted flying across the bay to hunt with Vermithor. He is most happy amongst the other unclaimed dragons.

If I knew how to reach Emrys, I would burn this whole wretched island to the ground.

My ignorance is my greatest weakness. I am utterly lost in this monstrosity of a castle. Were it not for the guards leading the way each night, I am sure I would get lost trying to find my rooms after dinner.

I feel so helpless, Aemond. I thought that as long as I had Emrys, I could endure whatever Daemon did to me. But now, I am a Targaryen without a dragon and a Royce without armor. How will I ever survive?

Arianwyn

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 31st day in the third month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Arianwyn,

Just send word, and I will fly Vhagar across the Blackwater and burn the island down for you. Curse of the Kinslayer be damned. It would be worth it to save you and Emrys.

But I speak in anger. To do so would have consequences beyond my control and comprehension.

All I can think to do is pass on the note from Daemon to my father when Ser Gerold and Lady Arryn arrive. Even he cannot deny the cruelty in denying you your dragon. I hope.

The fact that you have not even seen Emrys since you arrived makes me hesitant to mention my progress with Vhagar. But I know you will want to hear – perhaps it will cheer you?

I have at last been able to ride her again, as Orwyle has finally permitted it. It is just as wonderful as it was that night. Why did you never tell me how thrilling it was? Yes, you told me of the wind in your hair and the sight of people and towns below shrinking to nothing as you climbed higher and higher, but you never told me how it set the blood ablaze. When I mount Vhagar, I feel as though I could conquer the world.

But I don’t want to conquer the world, Aria. I just want to save you.

Aemond

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 6th day in the fourth month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Aemond,

Let us write no more of my escape. Until we know it to be true, or at least have reason to hope, the thought only saddens me.

Instead, tell me only of happy things—things that bring me light and joy as I sit alone in my gloomy tower.

How is Helaena? She and Aegon will be married soon. I wish I could be there to help her prepare. I had great plans for her gown. She has shown me so many insects over the years, though I often wished she hadn’t. I was going to embroider the prettier ones on the skirts of her wedding gown. I thought that if she had them with her, she would not be so afraid. Perhaps you can ask your mother to do it for me.

What are you reading now? I have now found the library here, but it is a pitiful thing. What books there are mostly about warfare and its history, which, as you know, is of no interest to me. And while there are many books on Old Valyria, they are only what we have already read. There are only a handful of collections of fairy stories. I will soon devour them all, and I have no idea what I will do then.

Please do not hesitate to tell me more about Vhagar. If I cannot ride Emrys, your stories are my only way to the skies. I always told you that you would be the fiercest dragonrider since Aegon (the Conqueror, not your brother, obviously). Consider that now a promise. When I see you next, I want to be awed by what you and Vhagar can do together.

Arianwyn – the girl in the tower

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 10th day in the fourth month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Arianwyn,

I pray we will find that hope soon. Ser Gerold and Lady Arryn arrived today. My father will hear their petitions tomorrow. With luck, you will be home in time for the wedding.

My mother says she will begin embroidering Helaena’s dress for you. She is sure her work will not be as beautiful as yours would, but she has fallen out of practice in recent years. Helaena is very excited to see the finished gown, but that seems to be the only thing that interests her about the wedding. I don’t blame her; I would not want to marry Aegon either. But it is their duty, and we must always perform our duty.

I don’t know if I can be called “fierce” yet. After so long firmly planted on the ground, adapting myself to the skies can be, well, a little frightening. Vhagar is used to more daring riders than I, so she likes to fly in an equally daring manner. I am now convinced that her dive on the night I claimed her was her going easy on me. She has since flown me in ways I could have never imagined.

She has a particular fondness for flying upside-down! The first time she did so, I screamed as loud as I could for her to right us – I was afraid I could not hang onto the saddle – but she did not listen. I could only hold to the horns as tightly as I could until she at last swung around. As soon as we landed, I immediately ordered more straps to be added to the saddle to spare my aching arms.

She will make me fierce, there is no doubt about that. But with the blessings of the Seven, you will see me again before I can become the “fiercest dragonrider singe Aegon.”

Aemond, the novice dragonrider

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 17th day in the fourth month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Dearest Aria,

I wish I could write to you with better news. Lady Arryn and I were unable to secure your release from Daemon.

We were able to convince the king to make some concessions – threatening to move the armies of the Vale against Daemon will do that. He shall immediately send a raven to Dragonstone to command that you will be allowed access to your dragon. The note Aemond gave us to show him did enrage the old man.

He is a clever boy, that one. He took me to your chambers in the Red Keep to show me the work you two have done deciphering the Runes. I am immensely impressed. I will be asking your Maester Orwyle to make a copy of your translations, that I may take it back to Runestone with me for our own library.

Speaking of Runestone, Lady Arryn and I also convinced the king to send your attendants from the Vale to Dragonstone. Their presence was a crucial part of our original agreement, and it will continue to be enforced now that Daemon has you. You may not be able to return to Runestone just yet, but it will still be with you through them.

Do not fret, dear girl. Brynna will be with you soon. She, Ser Warren, and many of your other guards have been distraught while separated. I am surprised they have not simply swam across the Blackwater to get to you.

I am so sorry that I could not free you from that man. The king still foolishly believes that his brother can still be saved. You and I know the truth: Daemon is a monster.

You are strong, my dear. Perhaps even stronger than your mother. I have no doubt that you will survive this, and when you at last return home to the Vale, no one will ever be able to command you again.

Ser Gerold Royce, Lord Regent of Runestone

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 20th day in the fourth month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

Aemond,

Never stop writing. It is all I have.

You are my dearest friend.

Arianwyn

Sent to the Red Keep from Dragonstone on the 22nd day in the fourth month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.

My dearest friend,

I will write every day. So long as I am alive, you will never be alone.

Aemond

Sent to Dragonstone from the Red Keep on the 25th day in the fourth month of the year, 124 years after Aegon’s Conquest.