#x; IT'S SUCH A WONDERFUL SPECIMEN { botany }

[quitethepirategal]

Tag Fix  ~  { 6 / 8 }  ~  standard tags  { a }

[thisgirlnamedblusy]

Ok how about a Marilyn x fem reader where the reader becomes deathly ill? Perhaps they're a dying species that's been pretty much gone endangered because of some illness that only effects them. Reader finally catches it and has pretty much resigned herself to dying an early death. Marilyn is devastated by the news and decides to mix all kinds of concoctions to find a cure because she's secretly in love with reader. No matter how hard Marilyn tries though it's looking grim and before reader goes into a coma, she kisses Marilyn, thinking she's not going to survive anyway. Marilyn doubles down and in one last effort, creates a cure that brings reader back from almost death! Afterwards reader "thanks" Marilyn 😉😉😉

Yesss!!!! Here it is!!! Oh, this one is so sad :(((. I hope you like it and sorry about the delay, and the language mistakes

Until I die

Pairing: Marilyn Thornhill x Fem Student! Reader

Warnings: Angst, mentions of death, deathly reader, hurt and comfort, some implied smut, fluff

Word count: 7,573

Summary: You were a dying species, your live started its own countdown, but you have her by your side at least…

N/A: Requests are open!!! Sorry about the delays, I’m working hard on your requests. I love you all!!!

“Wait, (Y/N), I want to talk to you for a moment,” Marilyn, your teacher, said to you when you were about to leave the conservatory. You smiled to yourself and stood up comically.

It was something you didn't want to do, your body asked you to smile every time you were in botany class. Not because of the plants, with which you had a very special relationship due to your condition, but because of that sweet and kind redhead that was your teacher.

“What’s wrong?” You asked, trying to hide your nervous and flushed face. She shook her head.

“Oh, nothing's wrong, (Y/N), I just want to talk to you for a second,” Marilyn said, gesturing for you to come over to her desk.

You approached slowly, with shaky legs. On the table was what was supposed to be the monthly assignment, which consisted of growing a strange variety of plant.

Of course for you it was a piece of cake. Your powers of union with nature had their advantages, and being the best at botany, and Marilyn's favorite student, was one of them. Surely she was wondering why your plant had flowered in a matter of three days. The good thing was that you would have to explain it, and that meant spending some extra school time with her.

“Is it because of the plant?” You asked, leaving your backpack on the ground. It weighed too much, lately everything weighed too much on you. Marilyn gave you a knowing look and nodded.

“I know you haven't cheated, I know you (Y/N), but I am very curious to know how you have obtained such a magnificent specimen in just three days,” Marilyn said, lovingly observing the plant.

You smiled embarrassed and ran a hand over the back of your neck.

“Well… I…” You stammered. Normally you had no problem explaining what your abilities were, but talking to that woman was difficult for you to. You liked her too much, and next to her you looked almost like a little girl, stuttering and shaking. “It's… One of the advantages of having my abilities.”

Marilyn looked at you and nodded, raising her eyebrows. You didn't even know how to explain exactly what you were. Your parents died when you were very young, and your grandparents, who raised you, didn't seem to want to explain exactly what your gifts were.

“Can you grow plants in just 3 days? It's amazing,” Marilyn said, leaning on the table and looking at you curiously. You nodded, shrugging.

“Well, not always…” You said, joking. Sure, you could make a flower to bloom in a desert, but you never liked to show off. Marilyn seemed to see your embarrassment and she laughed softly.

“There is no need to be ashamed, (Y/N), in Nevermore there are people much stranger than you, I assure you.” The redhead said, looking at the plant curiously.

She was right. A girl capable of communing with nature was nothing compared to the vampires and werewolves you had for classmates.

“I'm just impatient,” you said, moving a little closer to her. “I couldn't wait to see the beauty of that plant.”

You were not lying, you were not exaggerating. You found beauty in the simplest things, in anything that had to do with nature and its magnificence.

Marilyn smiled again, looking at you over her glasses.

“You don't have to be nice with me, you're already my best student,” she told you amused, putting a hand on your shoulder.

“That's not true,” you said, playing with your ankle and with flushed cheeks. Marilyn laughed again, probably seeing you so nervous and erratic. You had always talked, you had a very good relationship with your teacher, but you had never been alone. It was something new for you, and something wonderful.

“I was thinking… Do you already have an extracurricular activity?” The redhead asked. You shook your head.

“Not yet, there's nothing I really want to do…” You sighed with total sincerity. She nodded with a blank look, as if she was thinking about something.

“Weems isn't going to like that, she always wants you to be busy,” she whispered to you, as if the principal was going to show up at the door at any moment.

You laughed.

“Perhaps you would like to help me with the plants. I know it's not an official activity, but Weems isn't too hard to convince. What do you say, (Y/N)? Do you want to be my assistant?” She asked.

You made a superhuman effort not to nod when you heard her proposal, you pretended to think about it. You didn't know if she noticed, probably she did, she was an adult and you were a teenager just entering your 20's.

“Yes, yes of course, I would love it,” you said with a solemn voice. Marilyn smiled wider.

“I'm glad to hear it, (Y/N). Come on, go to your classes, I'll talk to Weems this afternoon,” she said, fleetingly passing a hand over your cheek.

You nodded and grabbed your heavy backpack, leaving the conservatory before your babbling and embarrassment gave you away even more.

Weems accepted Marilyn's proposal, and the next day, you started your extracurricular activity. It was everything you dreamed of. A couple of hours alone with Marilyn, learning about plants, about taking care of them.

“Do you see the color of that leaf?” Marilyn asked, pointing to the leaves that grew on a strange flower’s stem. You leaned in and nodded curiously.

“They are darker,” you affirmed, while you took notes in a notebook. Marilyn agreed.

“Those are the ones that have to be cut, do you want to do that?” She asked, extending a garden tool towards you. You took it with a trembling hand.

“It looks like a parasitic disease…” You commented, evaluating the battered state of that flower. Marilyn's eyes widened and she tilted her head.

“Are you sure?” She asked, looking at the flower more closely, so close that her body brushed against yours, making you tremble.

You closed your eyes and nodded.

“That's what it tells me…” You whispered, praying that the redhead didn't take you for a crazy person, like your former normie classmates used to do.

“What does it tell you? Can you talk to them?” She asked curiously. You nodded embarrassed. “Let me see.”

Marilyn went to her desk and picked up a magnifying glass, with which she looked carefully at the flower.

“Oh, my God, it's true…” She sighed, looking at you out of the corner of her eye. “Okay, cut the leaves and I'll go find the remedy for her disease, I think I prepared one last week...”

You nodded and took one of the bad leaves in your hand, glancing sideways at the redhead. Those little tongs seemed to be made of strong metal, you were unable to open them with one hand. You shook your head, now using both hands, to no avail.

Marilyn was pruning one of the plants when you arrived, and she seemed to have no trouble handling the tool at all.

“Is something wrong?” The redhead asked, placing a hand on your back as she held a glass jar. You snorted and showed her the tongs.

“I can't open them,” you said embarrassed. Marilyn smiled fondly and picked up the tool, opening and closing it smoothly. Then she looked at you with a frown.

“They're a little stuck, but I can handle them…” She said to herself. Then she looked at you somewhat worried. “Are you okay?”

You agreed. Marilyn put the tongs down on the table and walked over to you, cupping your face in her hands and watching you.

“Yes… Just a little tired,” you said, trying to ignore the heat that her hands produced on your skin.

“Are you sure? You don't look good,” Marilyn said, moving a lock of hair from your face. “You are pale, (Y/N)…”

You swallowed hard and ignored her. You were just 20 years old and until that moment you had not thought about those things that your grandmother told you, that your parents told you before they died. You didn't give it any importance, surely your sleepless nights thinking about your teacher had made you weak, it was nothing else, or that's what you repeated over and over again in your head.

“You should go to rest, (Y/N), I'll take care of this,” Marilyn said kindly, moving away from you and cutting the leaves herself. You shook your head, a bit abruptly.

“No… I'm fine, I like being here…” You said, noticing how your voice grew heavy and your eyes seemed to want to close. Marilyn rested her hands on her waist in a warning gesture.

“Your health comes first, (Y/N), you should rest…” She told you with that teacher's tone that you hated, that reminded you that she was nothing else than that, your teacher.

“At least let me stay here with you…” You whispered, instantly regretting that pathetic plea. Marilyn sighed and thought about it for a moment.

“Okay, but just a little while longer, sit there, honey,” she said, pointing to one of the stools.

You obeyed with an involuntary yawn and sat down, watching everything the redhead did.

“So you can talk to the plants…” She murmured, looking at you over the flower. “It's extraordinary. Excuse me if I say it a lot of times, for me all of you are one surprise after another.”

You smiled and bowed your head.

“Well, not to talk as such... It's more like sensations, feelings,” you explained, looking at all the plants in the conservatory, which seemed to be sad about something, or so they told you.

“Uh-huh,” Marilyn said, pouring the contents of the jar into the pot. “And what do they tell you about me? Good feelings, I guess,” she joked, winking at you.

You laughed and nodded.

“Yes, they appreciate that you take care of them with such affection,” you said, perhaps exaggerating a bit, and without really knowing if you were talking precisely about the plants.

The following days were that way. You, Marilyn, alone in the conservatory, tending the plants, talking, drinking tea. A paradise for you, if it weren't for the fact that this strange fatigue was increasing, so much so that you even fell asleep in class a couple of times...

“(Y/N)…” A whisper, followed by a nudge from Yoko, your classmate, woke you up. It had become routine for you to fall asleep in class, but you had never done it in botany class. You could feel Marilyn's eyes glancing at you. You were terribly embarrassed and you pretended to move the notebook on the desk.

“But what's wrong with you?” Yoko asked in a low voice. “This is the fifth time you've fallen asleep in class.”

You sighed and rubbed your eyes.

“I don't know…” you whispered. Lies. You knew there was a possibility, a terrible one, but you refused to believe it, to accept it. It had to be a product of the stress of the exams, yes, it had to be that.

The bell rang in your head like a hammer, becoming a noise too unpleasant. With difficulty, you got up from your desk and grabbed your backpack, which now seemed to be full of bricks.

“(Y/N),” Marilyn said, grabbing your shoulder. “Wait a minute.”

You knew that she had noticed that you had fallen asleep. You were trembling, you felt chills, shame...

“Sweetie, what's wrong with you?” she asked, worried. “I’m not going to blame you for falling asleep, I’m just worry about you, okay?” She told you, as if she knew the shame you felt.

“I'm just, stressed, I think…” You lied, leaning on the table so as not to lose your balance. You were dizzy. Marilyn studied your features as was typical of her, caressing your cheeks and placing a hand on your forehead.

“My goodness, (Y / N), you're on fire, you have a fever…” the redhead sighed. “Come, we have to take you to the infirmary.”

You couldn't make a move against her grip. You were weak and feverish. You don't even remember the way to the infirmary, just crawling into one of the beds and swallowing a pill.

When you opened your eyes, Marilyn was next to you, stroking your forehead.

“Hey honey, how are you?” She asked softly. You grunted and sat up in bed, shaking your head. You didn't feel feverish anymore, but your joints ached like hell.

“Well… I’m feeling better, I guess,” you said, stretching out your arms. You couldn't do it, they hurt too, your whole body hurt. You looked at the infirmary windows, which barely emitted light. “How long have I been here?”

Marilyn smiled, continuing to caress you.

“Calm down, (Y/N), just a few hours…” Marilyn sighed. “You needed to sleep.”

“Oh…” You said, imagining that this is more or less how a hangover should feel.

“Let's see, let's see.” A harsh and unpleasant voice appeared in the room. Crazy Nurse Hill. “Let's see how you are, come on, quickly, quickly.”

Marilyn got up from the bed raising her eyebrows and smiling at the always so crazy attitude of the nurse and stood there looking at you.

“Let's see, you leech, put on the thermometer on you,” the nurse said, throwing the object at you abruptly. You were making a great effort to hold back your laughter, just like Marilyn, who turned around pressing her lips.

After five minutes of nonsensical talk from Hill, the thermometer beeped and with the speed of the best of policemen, she took the device from you.

Her amused face was wiped away and she looked at Marilyn, frowning.

The redhead took the thermometer that Hill offered her and her face went from laughter to fear.

“It's impossible…” She said horrified, looking over and over again looking at the values marked by the thermometer.

“Completely impossible...” The nurse stated, blinking several times. You were sitting on the bed, nervous about the attitude of the two women. “(Y/N), are you okay?”

You nodded, nervous for not understanding the horrified looks from the women.

“Honey, aren't you cold?” Marilyn asked, sitting next to you again and laying you down on the bed, covering you well with the sheets. You, terrified by her nervousness, shook your head.

Hill also came over, handing you the thermometer. You were as surprised as they were. It marked the derisory temperature of 90º F. You shook your head.

“Surely she had put it wrong. Come on, to the mouth,” the nurse said, snatching the thermometer and putting it in your mouth without hesitation.

“Mmmm,” you protested. Marilyn stroked your head to relax you.

“Calm down, (Y / N), it's okay…” She told you with a calm, almost sedative voice.

The temperature didn't change, much to the horror of Marilyn and the nurse.

“Okay… This is very weird,” she mumbled, going to another room.

“What's wrong with me?” You asked to yourself, removing a terrible idea from your head. Marilyn shook her head and took your hand.

“My God, you're freezing, are you saying you're not cold?” She asked, scared.

“Well… I’m not cold…” You sighed.

You spent the night in the infirmary, thinking about what you were supposed to know, what your grandmother told you over and over again and what you never paid attention to.

You didn't know what you were basically because there were hardly any cases like yours in the world. You were a fairy, but not an ordinary fairy, but a dying bundle of what fairies used to be. It was a species in extinction for centuries, a species that decided to let itself die long ago. There were no pure fairies left, only people with certain powers, a genetic mixture that should not exist. They always told you that nature was wise, but also cruel.

Beings so pure, so innocent could not exist, no longer, not in this world. Everyone born with the fairy gene died prematurely. Your grandparents were saved, your parents were not. Each generation had a far worse fate than the one before.

All your uncles had died before reaching thirty, your parents too. Your grandparents survived, but just barely. Your grandfather couldn't take care of himself, and your grandmother was in a wheelchair.

When you were a little girl, you thought they were just stories to scare you, so that you would pick up your room, behave yourself and not swear. When you grew up, they told you that it was not like that, that it was your destiny, that you had to die without remedy. Your grandmother called it, "the fairy curse." A disease that only affected you, to a greater or lesser extent.

You cried when you found out, but as you saw the years go by and nothing happened, little by little you forgot that fear. Until that moment, when the symptoms began to attack you.

It followed an order, a few steps that led to your death. It could be a coincidence, but as time passed, you became sure that it wasn't.

Fatigue, fever, dizziness, cold, blood, blindness, coma, death…

Those were the steps that the disease followed, the steps that you would follow.

That night you found it impossible to sleep. A part of your mind did not know what your cruel fate would be. You only thought that it was a coincidence, a cold, a very strong one. But deep down you knew that it wasn't like that, that little by little it would get worse, that your fate was sealed.

You were too young to die, you hit the mattress in a rage, crying out for a justice that apparently didn't exist. You didn't deserve to die, you were a good person, the best student in Nevermore, Marilyn's favorite student. Oh, Marilyn, just thinking you'd never see her again made your insides turn. It was a hell, a hell that would soon burn you up, that would make you disappear from the world, a world in which you were not supposed to exist.

The sun's rays woke you up the next morning, along with three people who entered the infirmary. Larissa Weems, the Nevermore’s principal, a doctor you didn't know, and Marilyn.

“Let's see what's wrong with this young lady…” The man said, opening his briefcase and beginning to examine you.

You shook your head, still between sleep and wakefulness. Marilyn walked over to you and took your icy hand.

“Don't worry, (Y/N), the nurse called the hospital last night and a doctor has come to see you,” she told you, with her usual healing caresses. You nodded and found horrified that you could barely squeeze her hand.

“How are you, (Y/N)?” Weems asked, leaning towards you, concerned.

“Well… I guess…” You said with a broken voice, feeling the cold of the mercury on your chest.

“Well? I doubt it very much, miss,” the doctor said, listening to the beating of your heart. “It’s a very low heart rate...” She said to the women, who looked at you strangely.

“I'm fine,” you reaffirmed. Really, despite the fever and the dizziness, you weren't feeling too bad, maybe it was because you had Marilyn by your side, that always made you feel better.

“Well…” The doctor said, after taking some blood from you. “I'm done.”

“What? You’re done?” Marilyn asked, getting up from the bed abruptly. “Aren't you going to take her to the hospital?”

The doctor sighed and shook his head.

“First we have to know what is happening to her,” he said passively. Marilyn glared at him but Larissa put a hand on her shoulder to stop what was sure to be a fit of rage. “We have to do some analysis. As soon as we have enough data we will take her to the hospital. I must admit that Nevermore never disappoints, I have no idea about what’s happening to her.”

“What kind of doctor are you?” Marilyn asked through clenched teeth. Larissa stepped between the two, smiling fakely at the redhead.

“Marilyn, why don't you keep (Y/N) company? I'll talk to the doctor,” she said, forcing her to sit next to you.

She sighed furiously, but she nodded.

You were embarrassed, but excited to see how the redhead cares about you. If she knew what was wrong with you...

“Calm down, I'm fine,” you said with a half smile. She shook her head and looked at you with a serious but tender face.

“Honey... I'm so worried about you,” she said sincerely, taking your hand again. “You were fine a week ago and now...”

“It'll pass, I'm sure it's nothing,” you lied.  That someone knew what was happening to you wouldn’t help at all. People just would feel sorry for you. You didn't want Marilyn's pity, you wanted her care, you wanted the love she was giving you not because she knew you would die. It was much better to think that she might have feelings for you, even though you knew that was impossible.

At noon, and after several hours of sleep, the infirmary door opened again and Marilyn came over to your bed with a lot of things in her hands. One of them caught your eye.

“White roses…” You sighed, yawning. She smiled. She seemed calmer than that morning. She put the vase with the flowers on your table and put some books on your lap.

“I thought you'd feel better with some flowers, besides, I know they're your favorites,” the redhead said, kissing your forehead. You froze from that kiss, but you soon snapped back to reality, frowning.

“How do you know?” You asked surprised. Marilyn looked at you smiling, but feeling a bit sad.

“You told me the day we were taking care of the rose bushes at school, don't you remember?” She said tenderly, but with concern.

You were horrified, you really didn't remember saying that to her. It was a possible symptom, forgetting things, you knew it, your grandfather started to deteriorate that way. At this point, lying was the best, so as not to plunge into a cesspool of tears and despair.

“Oh, yes... It's true,” you said, diverting your attention to the books that the redhead left in your lap. “What is this?”

“I bought them for you. You're probably right and you'll be fine soon, but you're going to get bored here alone, so… Well, it's for you to entertain yourself,” Marilyn said, trying to fool herself. Maybe she knew deep down that all this looked bad, but she, like you, refused to believe it.

“Have you bought them? It wasn't necessary…” You said, looking at the covers. “An encyclopedia of plants? It's great, I never had one in such a good condition,” you said excitedly, leafing through the books, enjoying the aroma that the new paper gave off.

“Well, I'm glad you like it,” Marilyn said, smiling, seeing how you enjoyed something so simple.

You smiled back at her, pretending you weren't having a huge headache right now.

“Thank you…” You sighed, closing your eyes, hurt. Marilyn fixed on you, grabbing you by the shoulders.

“(Y/N)… My God, you're, you're bleeding…” She said trembling, running her hand under your nose.

Drops of blood began to cover the mattress. Blood, another of the symptoms that only reminded you how close your end was.

Blood, blindness, coma, death...

The day passed slowly, painfully. Your friends went to see you several visits, showering you with gifts and sweets. Everyone was oblivious to what would happen and that only made you more and more depressed. When you were alone, you cried inconsolably, imagining that everything around you would end up disappearing, that you would die without remedy, when you had barely begun to enjoy life, the love you felt for Marilyn.

That night you opened your eyes, wiping the blood from your nose, and turned around to get a vision as tender as devastating. Marilyn was there, sitting next to you, covered in her own jacket. That excessive concern meant many things to you, and since you didn't have much time left, your thoughts went to the one you liked the most, she felt something for you.

Then your rational mind would erase that fantasy from your head. Surely she would do the same for any other student, she was tender, sweet and kind to everyone. You were not the exception.

You were going to make yourself noticed, to wake the redhead from her uncomfortable and deep sleep, but the creak of the door opening made you continue pretending that you were sleeping soundly. It was Larissa, who sidled up to Marilyn.

“Marilyn…” She whispered, gently moving the redhead. She woke up comically.

“Larissa…” She said in a low voice, taking her glasses from your table. “What happens?”

“We need to talk…” Larissa said, in a serious tone, leaning towards you. “Is she asleep?”

“Yes, yes, she's been sleeping all night,” the redhead replied, rubbing her eyes. “What's happening?”

Larissa gestured for Marilyn to get up from her chair, and led her to a far corner of the infirmary, presumably to avoid being overheard by you. What nonsense, you were awake and you had a great hearing.

“You see, I've been talking with (Y/N)'s family and I'm afraid I have bad news,” Larissa whispered, looking from time to time to where you were.

“Bad news?” Marilyn said, speaking loud.

“Shhh, shut up, I don't want (Y/N) to wake up,” Larissa scolded her.

“Larissa, you're scaring me,” Marilyn said, nervously playing with her hands.

“I'm very sorry, Marilyn, but I'm afraid there's nothing that can be done for (Y/N)…” She finally said, bowing her head.

“What? What do you mean?”

“I mean that no doctor can heal her, Marilyn. Her disease is typical of her condition,” Larissa explained, placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder. “It’s an illness that affects all the descendants of the extinct fairies. It's terrible, but no one can help her.”

“No, I don't understand you,” Marilyn stammered, looking everywhere.

“Marilyn, (Y/N) is dying…” Larissa sighed. Marilyn's eyes widened, which were now full of tears.

“No... No... That... That's not true,” she said sobbing. “No, it can’t be possible…”

“Marilyn…”

“No!” The redhead yelled. Larissa hugged her, as she had begun to cry uncontrollably. “You're lying…”

“Come on, Marilyn, calm down,” Larissa said with a calm voice, hugging Marilyn tightly.

“There has to be something that we can do…” Marilyn sobbed. Larissa shook her head, shedding a tear.

“I'm sorry, Marilyn, I know how much you appreciate (Y/N), but…”

“Appreciate? You have no idea, Larissa. You have no idea at all! Nobody has any idea about anything!” The redhead shouted, pulling away from Weems’ embrace.

“Marilyn... what are you talking about?” She asked, scared.

“I'm…” the redhead began, immediately regretting her words. “There has, there has to be something I can do. If no one is going to try to help her, I will, I won't stop until I save her,” she said to herself, running out of the infirmary, crying inconsolably.

“My God, Marilyn…” Larissa sighed, moving closer to you. –“(Y/N), I'm so sorry…” She whispered to you, passing a hand over your forehead.

When you were left alone again, you sat up, stunned by what you had just witnessed. Not because of the news you already knew, but because of Marilyn's reaction, deranged, disproportionate.

The next day, she returned, but with a glass jar, which contained a strange liquid.

“Hello, honey…” She said, sitting next to you. “Here, try this,” she told you, offering you the jar. You were somewhat shaken by the dream and you shook your head.

“Marilyn?” You asked, picking up the vial. The redhead looked haggard, as if she'd been up all night. All her clothes were full of dirt and her hands were full of cuts, probably due to some of the conservatory plants.

“You must drink, please,” she said nervously, pushing your hand closer to your mouth. Hesitating, you obeyed. She was very nervous, her eyes were full of makeup that had spread all over her cheeks.

You made a disgusted face when you tasted that strange concoction, but you complied. Despite that disgusting taste, the headache you had subsided, even if it was just for a while.

“Honey, I… I know what's happening to you,” Marilyn said, leaving the empty bottle on the table.

“Yeah…” You said reluctantly, sighing. She already knew, there was no remedy. “No, don't suffer about me, it's my destiny,” you said, accepting that you wouldn't last the next week.

“What?” She asked ironically, furious, moving erratically around your bed. “Everyone may have given up but not me, do you hear me? I will save you, I promise.”

You raised your eyebrows, suppressing your urge to cry. You wanted to know why, you wanted to know before it was too late, but it was not an easy question, besides, there was still the possibility that this desire for you to live was part of her goodness, of her gentle and generous character.

“Why? What does it matter to you?” You asked, sitting up on the bed. She was going to answer you, but she regretted it at the last moment, shaking her head.

“You're… You're a wonderful girl, and I… I can't let you just… Oh my God…” She said collapsing, burying her face in her hands. “I won't stop until I save you… Even if it's the last thing I do.”

Saying that, and caressing your cheek, she walked away again, leaving you puzzled and with a million unanswered questions.

Marilyn didn't come to see you in the rest of the day. Your classmates told you that she hadn't gone to work, that no one knew where she was. That made you worry, but the pity of your friends was much worse. Everyone was crying and wailing, granting your every wish immediately, treating you like a goddess. You couldn't complain, but you knew that if they behaved like that it was because you would die soon, they would cry, but they would soon forget about you. They all would, even Marilyn.

Thinking those horrible things didn't do any good to you. You had to distract yourself, forget about everything. You looked at the books Marilyn bought you and started reading them. They were a lousy distraction, but at least the tears stopped rolling down your cheeks.

You soon realized that nothing could prevent your end. The letters and pictures in those books became blurry, you were unable to read them. You blinked several times, you squeezed your eyes shut, but nothing happened, the black spot that appeared in your field of vision grew bigger and bigger, until only darkness remained.

Blindness, coma, death...

“(Y/N).” You heard Marilyn's voice very close, but you didn't know where the redhead was. Your eyes must have scared her, they were white. You moved your hand, searching for her clothes, her body. “My love… Can you hear me?”

“Yes…” You sighed, noticing how her hand grabbed yours and brought it to her lips. “I can't see you, Marilyn.”

“I know, honey, don't worry, I'm here, I'm always by your side…” Marilyn said, without letting your hand go. “Here, drink this, honey…”

You noticed the strong smell of another of those infusions that she brought you every day. She never told you, but you were sure they were concoctions to try to heal you. It was a futile feat, but commendable. Her efforts were killing her. Her voice sounded more and more tired, and her sobs were part of her visits.

“Drink, my love, please…” She whispered in your ear.

With her help, since you were getting weaker, you drank the disgusting liquid, coughing at its unpleasant taste.

“That's it... Close your eyes...” She told you calmly, sitting next to you.

At first you didn't feel anything, but little by little the light from the window appeared in front of you. You opened your eyes and miraculously, you could see. It wasn't a clear vision, it was blurry, hazy, but at least you could make out what was around you, you could make out Marilyn.

“I can see…” You sighed, moving your hands in front of you. You couldn't quite see her, but she seemed to smile effusively.

“Really? Oh, what a joy, honey…” She said, hugging you. “My love… My precious girl, hold on a little longer…”

That fleeting moment of vision did not give you any hope. Now you could only see blurry, but the other symptoms kept haunting you. Tremors, chills, dizziness. Marilyn was not with you, surely she would be giving her life to make something that could help you. At that time you cursed her. You were coughing up blood and went practically blind again.

Your heart was weak, barely beating. Your end was near and you needed her. You knew that once you closed your eyes, there would be no turning back. You would spend three days in a coma, until finally your withered heart stopped beating. You could no longer be aware of anything. You couldn't see her, feel her next to you, hear her sweet voice. You would only be a vegetable until your death. It was such a terrible vision of the future that you had no choice, you had to say goodbye, whatever.

“Hey!” You yelled, calling the nurse. “Mrs. Hill!”

Coughs muffled your screams, but quick footsteps headed your way.

“(Y/N), what's wrong with you?” She said worriedly, looking at your pitiful state.

“Please, please... Call... Call…” You said, noticing how the mere act of speaking caused you an unbearable pain. “Miss Thornhill.”

“Miss Thornhill? No way, I'm going, I'm going to call an ambulance,” the nurse said.

“Please!” You yelled, bleeding from your throat as you did so. The woman was scared, but she already knew what was happening and she decided, thank God, to listen to you and leave the infirmary.

“(Y/N)!” Marilyn yelled running towards you and plopping down on the bed.

You were in pain, but her presence was a relief to you.

“Marilyn, I, I'm dying…” You whispered. She shook her head, stroking you.

“Don't say that, baby, no…” She said, realizing your state, on the verge of fainting, of a coma, of death.

“Don't worry…” You said, suppressing your pain and your tears. “It's okay… It's my destiny.”

“Don't talk nonsense, I, I've made another concoction, one that can help you, I just need one more day, please don't do this to me,” she said, sobbing. You smiled and shook your head.

“Marilyn… Thank you… For everything…” You said feeling a brutal fatigue, an overwhelming desire to sleep. It was the time, the moment in which your consciousness would disappear.

“No! Don't say goodbye, don't do it, please,” she begged, grabbing your head with her hands. “No, please, hold on a little longer, please… Fuck!”

“I just, I just want…” You said with difficulty, looking at her lips.

Nothing mattered anymore. Your life was vanishing, you would never come back, you would never wake up. It might be a crazy, selfish thought, but at that moment there was no regret anymore, there was nothing but love, and a monstrous need to reveal your feelings.

With the little strength you had left, you leaned towards her and kissed Marilyn on her lips. The peace you felt was enough. She didn't move, she kissed you back. You could taste the salt from her tears as her hands caressed your face.

“I love you…” You whispered, before falling on the bed and closing your eyes with a smile.

“No, no, no, no, no,” Marilyn repeated over and over again. “Please, (Y/N)…” She said, collapsing in agony, sobbing. “No...” She sighed, with her head resting on your body. “I love you…”

Everything turned dark, her angry wailing and her tears became something alien to you, something you could barely hear or feel.

Coma, death...

It's over. There was no hope anymore, only the peace that kiss gave you, the first and the last kiss of your life. While you were still conscious, you imagined how your life would have been if you had loved more, if you had not been the bland class, if you had had adventures, lovers. Maybe if you had declared to Marilyn earlier, you would have been able to enjoy that kiss more times, you would have died with a love story, knowing that someone truly loved you.

None of that mattered anymore. You no longer felt, the pain was gone, as if that curse took pity on you and would not let you continue to suffer when the time came, when it was all over.

The silence was eternal, like hell. You couldn't see or hear anything, just your weak heartbeat, just the little that was left of consciousness. Even that wouldn't last long. At least you could review your short life, and think about how it would have been better. Nonsense, no one with that disease could live fully, not even to regret something, even if you did, you regretted not having been brave, not letting yourself to love due to your fear of rejection.

Death…

You opened one eye. Everything was spinning. You didn't know how much time had passed, but you felt good, as if all the pain had disappeared. Your fingers moved miraculously, it seemed that you could move, that you could see...

“My God, my God, (Y/N)!” Marilyn yelled, causing you to frown and shake your head.

The redhead was sitting on your bed, her eyes wide.

You didn't think that was possible, surely you should have died by now.

“Am I dead?” You asked, relieved that you didn't feel pain when you spoke. Marilyn smiled and shook her head, grabbing your shoulders.

“No, honey, you're not dead,” she said excitedly, hugging you. You turned away and looked at her suspiciously.

“I don't believe you... I must, I must be in heaven...” You said to yourself, while Marilyn caressed your face tenderly, crying with emotion.

“My love, you're alive…” She said, kissing your lips. You were speechless. You didn't know what was happening, but you did feel her lips on yours, a sensation that was beyond heavenly.

“I'm alive…” You sighed, also caressing her face. “But, but that's impossible...”

Marilyn moved away from her a little and brought an empty mason jar toward you.

“I got it, (Y/N)… I managed to save you…” She said. “I just, I just needed one more day to finish the concoction… I had no hope, but when the liquid brushed against your lips your skin stopped being pale and now… Oh my God, you're alive…”

“You’ve saved me?” You asked, smiling with happiness. There was no trace of pain, blood or blindness, and it did not seem like something temporary like other times. There was no remedy when the coma appeared.

“I told you I would, didn't I?” She said amused, taking your hands. You nodded, remembering what her last words were. That she loved you

“Marilyn…” You sighed with emotion, with love, kissing her again, grateful, in love, happy, happy again, alive, more alive than ever.

“Baby… I couldn't let you go… I’m, I’m so in love with you…” She said, resting her forehead against yours. “I felt bad for being so, I felt that I shouldn't… But I can't fight my feelings, not anymore…”

You smiled, hugging her tight. Your cowardice returned as did your vitality, being unable to say what you felt, even though she had told you, she had said something you never thought you would hear.

“For Christ's sake!” The nurse yelled, appearing at the precise moment you were about to kiss Marilyn again. Her face was a poem, almost a funny one. “Principal Weems! Come here, quickly!”

Everyone at Nevermore was stunned by your resurrection. The joy was immense. After examining you several times, they verified that there is no longer a trace of that terrible disease. Larissa was happy, Marilyn was happy, so are you. Your friends threw you a surprise party when you could go back to your room and flirting with your teacher began to occupy your nights.

Living again was a feeling that made you euphoric, but you still had a lot of things on your mind. All your friends told you stories about people who were in your situation, how their lives changed after being so close to death.

You agreed with everything they said, except for one thing. Your way of thinking hardly changed. It was true that you now had a forbidden relationship with Marilyn, but you were still shy, you were still afraid of yourself, of expressing your feelings. You would have to change it, go one step further, show Marilyn the love you felt for her.

“What happen to you today? You are very… Affectionate,” Marilyn said moving away from your kisses amused. You looked at her with narrowed eyes.

“I…” You said stuttering.

That day you felt brave, ready to take advantage of the second chance that Marilyn had given you, to never die again without knowing what it feels like to be loved.

It was an unusual night. You were not in the conservatory, but in her room. You had lied, saying that you were cold. She was so good to you, she believed you with just your words, she ignored your strange looks and your incipient nervousness. This time you were not going to be a coward.

You got up from the bed under her watchful eye and bit your lip.

“Marilyn I… I don't know how to thank you for everything you've done for me…” You said. She smiled and shook her head, getting up as well. “No, wait, don't get up...”

She frowned amusedly and sat back down.

With a trembling hand, you took off your uniform jacket, and your tie. Marilyn was looking at you curiously. You looked at her from time to time, while you undid the buttons of your shirt one by one.

“(Y/N), what are you doing?” Marilyn asked, understanding what you were trying to do. “My love, no, I'm not in a hurry.”

You sighed and shook your head, pulling the shirt over your shoulders.

“No, I don't want to wait any longer, Marilyn… I love you, and I want to show it to you,” you said, staying in your bra, passing your hands through the hem of your skirt.

“But honey, it's not what I'm looking for, you don't have to do this for me…” She said, avoiding looking at you directly.

“But I want to do it!” You yelled desperately. “Please, let me do it, let me give myself to you…”

She shook her head, but finally nodded, dying of embarrassment.

“Okay, baby, if you think you're ready…” She said with a tender smile.

“I’m ready,” you said, almost angrily. She laughed, making a surrender gesture with her hands.

Your skirt fell to your ankles, leaving you only in your underwear. You swallowed in embarrassment, but your determination was much stronger, making your hands go to the clasp of your bra, which seemed unreachable.

You snorted resignedly, your face flushed like you've never had before.

“Er... Marilyn, can you help me?” You asked, feeling small, very small and clumsy.

“Of course, my love,” the redhead said, getting up and kissing you softly. Her hands were colder than yours and you jumped, causing her to laugh quietly. Surely it was fun for her to see you so nervous. You don't blame her, you were a nervous wreck.

Your bra fell to the floor as she undid it and you completely suppressed the instinct to cover yourself with your arms. She pulled away a bit, looking at your body, but saying nothing.

Now it was time for the last item of clothing you had left to disappear and you had to close your eyes to be able to lower it around your ankles.

Now yes, you were totally exposed to her, naked. Marilyn smiled and leaned in again, running a finger across your chest.

“You are beautiful, (Y/N), the most beautiful girl in the world…” She whispered in your ear, making you shiver. “Don't worry, I'll take care of you as you deserve... I'll give you all the love I have...”

You nodded nervously, noticing her caresses all over your body. She moved away a bit and took your hands to the buttons of her blouse, smiling with some mischief.

“Don't be shy, (Y/N), undress me…” She asked you.. You nodded and your trembling hands slowly fulfilled her request.

There were no more clothes, only two naked bodies embracing and kissing passionately, loving each other under the warm light of a small lamp.

Her skin was hot, just like your desire. You wondered how you could live without those sensations, without that feeling of urgency, of excessive desire, of that desire to love and be loved.

Marilyn was good, affectionate, soft. She always made sure that you were sure to do it, she always looked at you, looking for some kind of rejection or discomfort. There was none of that, just gasps, moans of passion and joy, joy at making love to the woman you loved, joy because she had made you live, because she had made you feel loved.

[lemonadecandy]

Meeting Zhongli [Part 7]

Game: Genshin Impact

About: Zhongli x fem!reader

Note 1: The premise is that 'you' get transported into the game and journey through Teyvat along with the traveler. This is a reinterpretation of the Liyue Archon Quests. Hope you enjoy~

Note 2: Please do not copy, translate, repost, etc., any part or the entirety of my works.

Words: ~2.2k

Warning: This chapter contains some graphic violence.

“Silk flowers have all but disappeared from the wild today, due to geographical changes over Liyue’s history. Most are now grown by horticulturalists.”, Zhongli concluded his long speech about the fine intricacies in Liyue’s botany.

Bolai, the owner of Wanyou Boutique along with the traveler and Paimon marveled over the geo archon’s huge flex of knowledge. While I, still wondered how everyone here so easily got away with reciting essays as conversation. As interesting as the subject matter may be, it often was a chore to just wait around. My attention was soon captivated by the illustrious silk flowers that were being talked about. They seemed like a crossbreed between peonies and chrysanthemums, both of which were beautiful flowers. Add a little otherworldly magic and there you have a truly remarkable specimen to witness.

“So which silk flowers did you want, anyway?”, Paimon inquired to the geo archon. 

“I’ll take them all, boss.”, Zhongli replied with an ever so nonchalant smile on his face. 

I chuckled at Paimon’s outrage at his response as I instinctively looked around the dock area. Just as the story had mentioned, a few Fatui had been spying on us. But for people who were supposed to discreetly follow our trail, they were pretty noticeable, especially if you knew what you were looking for. Now and then I’d catch myself stealing glances at them, wondering if Childe was following us around too. And just as I decided to return my gaze to the flowers, I saw him. He ‘is’ following us. Childe was much more inconspicuous than his subordinates, the fact that I had even detected him was by pure chance. He was seated nearby, dressed in the garbs of a common merchant, I quickly looked the other way. If he noticed me looking at him, it’d only spell trouble for us. 

But when I turned my head I let out an involuntary gasp as I noticed Zhongli staring at me. There was a merry glint in his eyes, probably from the fact that we had managed to acquire the flowers for free. Noticing my reaction, he scrunched his eyebrows in curiosity. I only let out a smile and turned my head the only remaining way, towards the sea. Wait, why am I the one who is afraid? He was the one who was being weird by staring at me. I looked back at him, narrowing my eyes. Taken aback by my sudden confrontation he turned his attention towards the flowers he had just ‘purchased’, a facade of innocence in his expression. 

“What next?”, Paimon prompted as the flow of the story took back the reigns again. The geo archon explained how they needed to make perfume for the next step of the ritual. “Y/n?”, he suddenly called out to me.

“Yes?”, I responded while glancing at Lumine and Paimon, whose faces seemed as clueless as mine.

“While the traveler takes care of the perfumes, could you accompany me to the location of the ritual?”

“Huh?” Location of the ritual…? 

“I need assistance with some of the preparations.”, he explained. Ah! That’s right! The statue of the seven… it will react to the perfumes and stuff. But he needs help? Zhongli had originally made all the preparations by himself. He was probably asking because I was technically extra manpower on the team.

I glanced back at the traveler, she had a worried expression on her face. Seems like she hadn’t let go of the doubts from this morning yet. I smiled trying to reassure her, “Will you guys be alright on your own?”

Paimon enthusiastically replied, clueless about the entire situation, “Of course! The traveler and I are the best team!”

“I would hardly call it a team, for I am the one who ends up doing all the work, right?”, Lumine quipped. 

“Oh don’t be like that.”, the fairy giggled. 

“Alright then, we should get going.”, Zhongli ushered while looking at me.

I nodded my head in affirmation, waving at the pair as they set off like a duo of perverts to find ladies who smelled good. I was very anxious about letting those two go by themselves but my attention was far too captivated by the man who was walking beside me. I couldn’t help wanting to spend more time with him.

The statue of the seven we were visiting was near the Guili Assembly, noticing the remains of the now long forgotten city Zhongli prompted, “The architecture you see before you belonged to the once prosperous and flourishing civilization that possessed highly advanced engineering skills.”

Because of the constant rollercoaster ride of events that had occurred ever since we stepped foot in Liyue, we hadn’t gotten the chance to explore the nation yet. Stone structures with elaborate geometry and designs jutted out of the ground. The pillars and fundamental structures had all collapsed but it was still relatively easy to make out what this place must have looked like. I had only ever seen archaeological sites on TV, I think I now understand the fascination that the researchers hold. “I am aware… it’s the Guili Assembly. It was a civilization ruled by Guizhong, the God of Dust, and Morax, the God of Geo. The name is derived from the first and last characters of their names, respectively.”, I rambled as I observed the area in a daze. 

“You truly are well read on the history of Liyue. More so than even the locals.”, Zhongli smirked with appreciation. “The God of Dust is no more in the memories of the common people.”

“Well, it is a fascinating culture to learn about.”, it felt strangely inspiring to receive compliments from the geo archon. “Guizhong… she truly is a tragic figure.”, I pondered.

“How so?”, Zhongli inquired.

“I don’t know… her death just seemed very premature.”, I tried to explain my thoughts.

“…”, I didn’t receive any reply so I looked towards Zhongli trying to read his expressions once again. There were hardly any on his stone-cold face, but if I tried hard enough I could notice a glint of despair in his eyes. I opened my mouth to say something to try and change the mood but he suddenly cut in, “You… seem to be aware of a lot of history regarding Guizhong.”

There was a strange bitterness in his words, which quickly disappeared, making me unsure if I had really even sensed it. “Well, the part she played in the Archon War caught my attention, so I researched a little bit more about her…”

“Her death?”, this time there was an unmistakable animosity in his tone as he spoke. No, I heard it right! Something’s off!

“…Yes.”, I reflexively moved a step back, afraid that I had stepped on some sort of landmine. What is going on? Why does it feel like he is mad? Noticing my movements he quickly tried to recover but I quickly interrupted, “She was said to be a very benevolent god. Very intelligent too, in fact, many accounts consider her to be the brains while Morax was the brawn of the duo.” I tried steering the conversation away from the death of his dear friend.

“Certainly, they worked extremely well together as a team.”, Zhongli seemed to have regained his composure. I looked back towards the ruins, eyes flittering across the expanse. Overgrowth had tried to assimilate the structures into nature. Vines and wildflowers cluttering over the stone tablets, hiding them from sight. Why did he react that way? It’s almost like he’s sensitive about the topic. But he always had an unmoving composure while talking about his past. Suddenly a sort of epiphany struck as a small bunch of sweet flowers caught my eye. No way! Could it be—!

I immediately turned around towards the geo archon, earning a quizzical look from him. “It was almost like they were lovers…”, I trailed off. Curiosity had abruptly taken over me. It was a very popular theory amongst the community since the whole situation felt like a tragic love story. I was only a casual player so I hadn’t really indulged myself in such theory crafting, but from the few details I had read about, it had seemed pretty plausible.

Zhongli seemed visibly shocked at my words. A faint smile soon took over his face, “That is a popular speculation among historians.” 

“Is it true?!”, I asked unable to hold back my inquisition. 

He chuckled at my enthusiasm, “Perhaps. What makes you buy into it?”

“Her parting words…”, I prompted, trying my hardest to remember all the details.

“Parting words…?”, the geo archon asked with a surprised expression.

“She died amidst the Glaze Lilies, wearing one last lonely smile as she asked Morax to forget about the stone dumbbell she gave him and bemoaned the end of their journey together, if that doesn’t sound like love… what does?”

“Hmm… that is an interesting take. But I personally believe that the two weren’t romantically involved.”

“Huh?”

“What they had was a purely political attachment. They may have been close friends but nothing further than that.”

“Oh? I hold that the tenderness shared between them during their interactions lean more towards a lonely yearning of adoration than mere ‘friendship’.”

“You are trying to read too much into simple camaraderie.”, there was a defiant gaze in the geo archon’s eyes while he gradually stepped closer as if trying to convince me. Was I wrong?

Flustered by the sudden proximity I looked away, “Debatable. Let’s agree to disagree, hmm?”

“A fine suggestion.”, he smiled. “We should make haste to our destination.”

I won’t lie, but it felt pretty draining interacting with the geo archon. It was almost always a constant push and pull, but it did keep things interesting I suppose. The statue of the seven we had headed to was all dusty and dingy. By preparations, did he mean cleaning up? There was also a camp of rogue hilichurls nearby, Zhongli had asked me to stay back while he dealt with the monsters. Surprisingly, he hardly used his vision. Dealing with commonplace monsters like them was probably tantamount to swatting flies for him. The way he moved as he fought was quite awe-inspiring, almost like watching a professional dancer on stage. He kicked the golden spear into the air as he knocked a samachurl down before grabbing it into his right hand to slice an approaching hilichurl through its torso. It was a clean cut, blood gushed out as his organs flew through the air while it got knocked back. Feeling squeamish at the sight, I turned the other way trying to get the imagery out of my head. As graceful as Morax looked while he fought, what he was doing was immensely unsightly. Blood-soaked bodies were surrounding him, but the man had managed to not get even a single drop of the crimson fluid onto himself. 

As soon as he had finished up he beckoned me closer as he planted his spear into the ground. Reluctantly, I moved towards him, the scent of blood getting stronger with each step. “You are a very skilled warrior, Mr. Zhongli.”

“I graciously accept your compliment.”, he courteously replied.

“So, what next?”, I asked, wanting to move away from the spot, something about it makes me exceedingly nauseated.

“Cleaning the statue, I trust that you can take care of that?” He materialized a duster from the pocket dimension all vision bearers seemed to have. There was a smirk on his face as he handed it to me. I wanted to argue, but since I had agreed to assist him, it was only fair that I did at least some of the work, even though it may be something as tedious as cleaning. 

I raised my hand to receive the rag but instead moved it to grab the spear from the ground. One of the injured hilichurls had silently risen and tried to swing a blow towards Zhongli. But the geo archon had already anticipated his approach and tried to seize the weapon as well. Taken aback by my movements he faltered for a moment allowing me to charge at the monster instead.

The spear smoothly pierced through its clavicle, I had aimed towards the chest, but I guess I should be glad that my attack even hit. A familiar feeling raced through my hands as memories of the nightmare from the morning rushed back into my mind. Retracting the spear, a sudden urge to experience the sensation once more surged through me. My mind had gone blank and base instincts took over my actions. I was repeatedly stabbing and chanting just like in my memories, but this time I had no will to stop myself from being swallowed by the insanity.

I was only broken out of my haze by a pair of arms pulling me back. I struggled at first, but eventually turned around to see that it was the geo archon, he had a worried look on his face as he called out my name. “Y/n! Calm down, he’s already dead.”

“Huh?”, I asked in confusion, not yet registering my actions nor my emotions. I looked back at the corpse, it had been mauled with punctures to the extent of being unrecognizable. 

“Y/n…”, Zhongli pulled back my face towards him and rest it on his chest. “Calm down, it is all okay.”

My face was streaming with tears once more, as I tried to regain my bearings in the comfort of the arms that tightly embraced me.

Banner image art by: Genshin Impact

Part 8:

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