#xaden stop talking challenge

[writinginatree]

Cared For

Relationship(s): Bodhi Durran & Xaden Riorson & Riorson!reader

Summary: Xaden takes care of you and Bodhi after RSC.

Warnings: Mentions of torture, injuries, nonsexual nudity (showering together), reader has heart problems

You stumble from the interrogation chamber with the rest of your squad, blinking into the late afternoon sunlight as the professor who just finally released you drones on and on. You should be listening, in case he's talking about something important, like having to do this shit again or something, but you can't focus on the words, mindlessly clinging to Bodhi, whose arm is linked with yours so you can help each other stay on your feet.

Well, okay — if you're being honest, it's mostly Bodhi helping you. He's worse for wear too, but still faring decidedly better than you.

You're not sure why it is that they went especially hard on you — because your father had been the Great Betrayer, because they recognized you as the weakest link of your squad, or because you refused to show any pain and they were determined to change that. In the end, it doesn't matter. You didn't break. You survived. That's what you have to focus on. Another one of the stupid trials this cursed place puts you through that you've overcome. One step closer to eventually making it out of here alive.

Finally the professor is done talking and allows you to leave.

The walk back into the quadrant proper passes in a blur, one stumbling step after the other as Bodhi pulls you along. Since he's well aware of your aversion to healers, and since neither of you is that badly hurt, he doesn't bother to suggest going to the infirmary and takes you straight to the dormitories. Your room is closer to the stairs than his, so that's where you go, slumping onto the bed side by side, too exhausted to lift a finger, though you know you need to get cleaned up, or at the very least remove your boots. In a moment, you tell yourself. As soon as the room stops spinning, you'll get up and do it.

Minutes later, a knock sounds on the door, startling your poor, tired heart into doubling the pace of its beating.

"I think Cuir asked Sgaeyl to send us Xaden," Bodhi soothingly murmurs, sitting up and unlocking the door with lesser magic.

Sure enough it's your brother who enters the room a second later, grimacing at the state he finds the both of you in. "Shit, are you guys okay?"

"Yeah," you and Bodhi mutter, "Sure."

Admittedly, that's a bit of an exaggeration. But okay is a flexible term, and you suppose things could be worse. You know the question was just reflex anyway, and Xaden is perfectly aware that no one is ever truly okay after just getting out of an RSC torture session.

He comes over to the bed, crouching down beside it. You feel shadows stirr underneath and all around you — no doubt Xaden 'subtly' taking inventory of your injuries. You've lost track of what hurts where about an hour into the exercise, your whole body one big ache, but you're pretty sure most of the damage is superficial. It's your heart giving you the most trouble, thanks to having missed this morning's dose of your medication, and simple dehydration.

"Are you feeling strong enough to shower?" Xaden asks.

Bodhi nods, but you hesitate. Getting up the stairs without fainting had been challenge enough, so you roll over to turn a pleading look on your cousin. "Can we go together?"

When Bodhi nods, you nod too, and Xaden helps you to your feet.

"Alright," he says, "you two get cleaned up, and I'll be back with some food and a first-aid kit."

The showers are blessedly empty, and you let yourself plop down on the floor, the cold tiles digging into your bare knees as Bodhi turns on the water, a less than lukewarm spray raining down on you. Cold as you feel, you would have preferred your water steaming hot, but you know that would only make your already too low blood pressure worse, so you don't complain.

Bodhi sits down behind you, takes a handful of soap and gently massages it into your scalp, careful to avoid pulling all the tangles that have formed in your hair from the rough treatment you'd been given.

"You don't have to," you half-heartedly mutter.

In truth, you're not entirely sure you can muster the energy to do it yourself, and with the way you're finally starting to relax under his touch, Bodhi rightfully ignores the protest and continues to help you wash.

By the time you dry off and pull on fresh clothes, you're shivering with cold, but your head is a little clearer, and you don't feel like you'll pass out any second anymore, either.

Xaden is already waiting in your room when you return to it, the soft glow of mage lights illuminating the space since dusk has fallen while you were in the shower. He has brought not only the promised food and first-aid supplies, but also Garrick.

Taking a seat on your bed, you don't bother reminding him that it's illegal for more than three of you to be together; he's doubtlessly well aware of the trouble you'd be in if you're caught, and simply doesn't care because he can tell how much you need the company right now.

You shudder to think that he and Garrick had to go through the same experience last year without anyone to comfort them. Thinking back, you try to remember if you'd noticed any injuries on them around this time of year, but you can't recall. Even if you had noticed, Xaden would have brushed you off with some excuse to stop you from worrying.

The thought makes you frown. You have no doubt they'd been as hard on Xaden as they were on you — probably even harder. It's not fair that he'd had to get through that on his own, that he always has to go through everything alone because he thinks that's what being the one with all the responsibility means. Ever since the apostasy, since he took on that responsibility for all your lives, he never lets himself be weak in front of anyone — even you. Of course you're grateful for everything he's done, is still doing, his care and protection, but you wish he would let himself be taken care of, too, when he needs it.

His hand on your shoulder snaps you out of these thoughts, and you blink up at him, wondering when you closed your eyes. The plain worry on his face makes your eyes swim with tears, and you tell yourself to pull it together — to no avail.

"They did that to you too last year," you mumble, not quite a question. "You should have let us be there for you."

"First-years aren't allowed to know about RSC," Xaden reminds you, hand on your chin to angle your head sideways so he can get a better look at a scrape on your jaw.

You know that's not the reason he kept it from you, at least not the only one, but you let it go, knowing he just wants your best.

Treating your wounds doesn't take long. Mostly it's bruises — a lot of them, swollen and hot to the touch, decorating you in various shades of red, purple, and blue. There isn't much Xaden and Garrick can do about those, though they diligently smear them with some stinky salve that's supposed to soothe the worst of the ache.

To you it just feels cold and nothing more, but you don't complain. Not about the useless stinky ointment, nor about the burn of disinfectant in your open scrapes and cuts. You're simply too exhausted to do anything but force yourself to stay sitting upright, letting Xaden do whatever he wants. He knows better what you need right now than you do, anyway. You're limp in his hands, letting him turn you this way and that to get at all your wounds, his shadows supporting you when needed.

He pays extra attention to your wrists, the skin there rubbed raw from your fruitless attempts to slip free of the chains they'd put on you in the interrogation chamber. Even through the fog of exhaustion hanging over your mind, you don't miss the sorrow that passes over your brother's face as he takes in the harm you did to yourself. He is uncharacteristically gentle as he bandages your wrists, even going so far as to press a little kiss on top of each, the way your dad used to do when you were little. You tear up again at the action, have to bite your trembling bottom lip to keep from crying.

Done with your wounds, Xaden helps you get comfortable sitting against the wall with a pillow at your back, a soft blanket over your lap and tucked in around your waist. Bodhi already sits next to you much the same way; the comforting warmth of his shoulder against yours helps you ground yourself in the present.

Xaden puts a bowl of soup into your hands, ordering you to eat. It's not quite hot anymore, having stood on the desk while Xaden and Garrick patched you guys up, but still warm enough, and you consider it a bonus that you can't burn your mouth on it anymore.

When you're done, Garrick takes the empty bowls and leaves, but Xaden remains.

"I guess we'd better get you two to sleep," he says. "You've had a long day."

"Can Bodhi sleep here tonight?"

"Does Bodhi want to sleep here?" Xaden counters, looking to your cousin for answer.

To your relief, he agrees. You're not sure you could stand being alone right now, with the memory of today's torture still so fresh in your mind and the lingering dizziness you can't seem to shake.

"Okay," Xaden nods. "Then he can."

After tucking the both of you into bed, Xaden turns to leave. Before you can think better of it, you reach for his hand, silently pleading with him to stay a little longer. He sinks back to the floor beside the bed, brushing a hand over your face in an attempt to get you to close your eyes.

"Sleep. I'm here."

Bodhi moves closer — at this point he's practically lying on top of you — and butts his head against Xaden's hand with a little whine. Your brother gets the hint, and starts to pet Bodhi's hair, his other hand still gripped tight in yours. He doesn't need to have his hands free to make you close your eyes again — a soft layer of shadows descends on your face like a blanket, leaving you in complete darkness. It should be unsettling, but somehow, it isn't. Encased in the safety of your brother's shadow, you can finally keep your eyes shut and actually try to fall asleep.

Which is easier said then done, despite your exhaustion. While your body is fully ready to shut down, your mind won't stop racing. Bodhi is having the same problem, if the way you feel him fidget is any indication.

Xaden starts softly humming, and after a moment, you recognize the melody as an old Tyrrish lullaby. It had been your favorite one as a child, but after all these years, you'd almost forgotten it. Now the words come back to you like magic, even if Xaden doesn't sing them.

Trying to remember the song text and sing along in your mind gives you something to focus on other than the day's events; your racing thoughts can finally settle down. Slowly the tension leaves your body and your breathing evens out as sleep descents over you.

But just as you finally drift into that calm drowsy state, your heart skips a beat and you jolt wide awake again.

Xaden is quick to soothe you. The shadow over your face disappears, replaced by others that gently hold you so you don't startle Bodhi by sitting up. Xaden gives your hand a reassuring squeeze, more shadows caressing your face as he murmurs, "Shh, you're okay."

You slowly relax again, nuzzling your face into Bodhi's shoulder and mirroring his slow, deep breathing. Xaden starts to hum the lullaby again.

He stays until he is sure both of you are fast asleep, then he gently removes your hand from his, placing it in Bodhi's instead, and slips into the hall.

[bodhiscurls]

say yes to heaven. ( bodhi durran )

in which the night of celebrating the callydr executions may bring too many tragic memories to the surface but it finally brings both you and bodhi together after years of pretending you don't have history loving each other.

note: this follows up from 'twilight zone' you do not need to read it but just for extra context!! reader and bodhi have not been on good terms, not since you got engaged to his cousin xaden before the rebellion and even after the executions and entering bagsiath, he has kept his distance. however, one night off guard and the two of you confront your biggest fears; he didn't know you've felt this way about him all this time not when he's been punishing himself for it.

main pairing: bodhi durran x marked reader, mentions of xaden x reader - themes of angst, fluff, mentions of parents dying

you had never breathed even the slightest about the callydr executions to a single soul.

it felt as if once you voiced the echoes of screams, the terror, the ash of your father swirling within the wind and landing on the scorched earth then you'd never be able to stop the trembling that was destined to follow. if you recounted the 147 heart beats that broke in your chest per minute or the stream of tears that blurred the vision of your heartbreak then that pain would've never been just yours again; it would belong to those who had punished you and everything you had ever loved.

so you stayed silent in the preceding moments, you never leaned on anyone- just a silent grip to imogen's hand as she buried her wet face into your neck. you had to be strong for your friends, you had to be as strong as he was. and as one burden enveloped your life and set you alight, the least you could do was let a small one go; another secret you'd hold on to for life, except this one would be guarded by xaden riorson.

in the next years you entered bagsiath war college as a collective punishment but you never gave anyone a sign of weakness to berate. you were smart, you studied till the cracks of dawn peeked through the battered curtains of your dorm and started these dreadful mornings with running with imogen; and sometimes you thought if you ran fast enough and far enough, the past would never be able to catch up with you.

only it did in the form of your lost lover and his stupidly gorgeous face.

you trained as hard as you studied, you fought with the courage and stealth that your father had trained you for. you weren't just a rider, you were the general's daughter and you'd be as damned as he was if you'd ever let that legacy die with him on that fateful night. in plain terms, you worked hard for your title and rank, making wingleader in just your second year- a position that came with stares yet your skill on the mat and in battlebriefs silenced those who dared to challenge you.

you were the best and annoyingly enough the only soul who could come close to you was bodhi durran, your second and executive officer.

you never spoke casually, how could you? all familiarity died long before your parents did when a wrongful betrothal was set into stone. instead you discussed your cadets with a professionalism as chilly as the bagsiath air. you never met up outside of training hours, you never talked outside anything other than planned arrangements, you never let your gaze settle a little bit too long on the boy who you once promised forever, never let your tongue whisper a question that lingered in the stiff silence between your bodies on the flight field.

do you ever miss me, bodhi? do you ever miss us?

he never showed an inclination of making amends. the softness of his chocolate brown eyes held an edge to them, a constant warning that his soul was guarded and you were granted no access. in this light, he reminded you so much of his cousin, maybe the lack of friendliness runs in their bloodline you settle.

only it doesn't. he still laughs with garrick, still wrestles with imogen and dines with eya. he makes time for xaden at all hours and has even taken a liking to the sorrengail who's now an allocated person of interest.

sorrengail.

the name burns in your mouth and brands revenge in your mind. you may have given imogen the permission to break her arm, accepting responsibility as her wingleader. it was a joke, you'd argue (not.) but how could he watch over the girl who took everything from you, and how could he just carry on his life with such ease when you were here day in day out, burning with the tortures of the past.

the tortures of the past that has carried forth today; a party hosted to celebrate the end of a rebellion before it could even begin.

you were expected to attend as were all the marked ones. you would go, brave face and demolish any ounce of cowardice that wouldve been perceived by your absence but you wouldn't make nice. you would stand tall and then leave behind the faces of the real traitors and grieve alone like you always did.

like you knew he did too.

he stands now, a tall length that is near enough a shadow behind you. always a step behind and you internally scoff at the irony, how he could be so close but so far away at the same time.

"greystone is improving," his voice is stern, though its heavier with a different storm of grief brewing "however, his footwork feels a little lazy." you agree with a tight nod, checking over his scribbled notes in the margins and straight over yours. it annoys you how organised he is like a brick could crush into his head and he'd be ready for it, in fact he's had that marked on his calender two weeks ago.

"we'll pair him with kaesar. her temper can keep him on his toes," you stare ahead, discussing the marked cadets under your guidance. "they can start tomorrow. i've cashed in a favour from aetos, we have an extra hour in the rings they can challenge each other on the mat and we assess again." you thrust a tongue in your cheek, trying to appear level headed and take your mind off of the doomed night ahead of you.

"right," he clenches his jaw and a beat of silence waits. only this time it feels a little more suffocating than usual.

"durran," you prod. your shoulders are squared in line with his, eyes into the distance and onto the cadets. he pauses as if gathering the right words to say. except he doesn't say anything at all and for a moment it worries you, so you turn and face him, immediately regretting it as he doesn't hold your gaze for long at all.

staring at you with the same scorn from all those nights ago.

"about tonight," he starts slow and watches you carefully. your throat almost burns. you swallow the bile and stand straighter, there are people watching and you will not crumble. not today, not ever.

"what about it?" you brush it off with indifferenve

"most of us are not planning on attending this year," his voice is low, as if he too is cautious of who may hear his next words, "we're gathering outside, you are welcome to join."

welcome.

something jolts in your system and sets you alight. "thank you for the consideration and i understand if they do not wish to attend. howeverr i will be there as a required representative nonetheless, no hard feelings." you carefully put.

his gaze narrows down on you and scoffs, the first ounce of emotion hes shown you in years albeit its anger. "you always were better alone huh," to the untrained ear, bodhi durran sounds nonchalant like this is a small joke between friends, but you'd know the slight sneer anywhere and you turn to him with a defiance of your own.

"someone has to attend bodhi and if they cannot then i will be strong enough to hold this," you take a step closer to him and he doesn't flinch an ounce. from a distance it looks like a wingleader reprimanding her second in command. to two unresolved lovers who know every beat of every heart and every inch of their souls this is different. this is the pain of being sworn off and ignored, of being forgotten and left behind.

"you're not obligated durran," you spit, "so don't pretend like this invitation is coming from a place of warmth and welcome," you echo. "make no mistake here, i am following orders to attend and brave what our family have been burdened for years. i'll take this as a lapse in judgement cadet, considering today's rememberance but don't you dare for a second question my own and what i'd do for those i love." you stare into his eyes and hold his gaze, a warning that he's overstepped and for the first time he hasn't got a reason to be angry with you. its you harboring these feelings to him and it gives you an oddly weird slight satisfaction.

you stay like that in silence watching your cadets on the field. he doesn't leave until every last of them has turned in for the evening and without giving you another glance he speaks once more.

"requesting leave now, wingleader yln" another barrier he's purposefully put separating the two of you.

"granted. i expect those reports handed to me by tomorrow morning." you don't bat your eyes at the curt nod you receive and once he leaves you finally relax a little in your stance. you feel the earth shift beneath you and ground you steady. deep breaths in and out you focus, pacing yourself before you heave another finally heavy sigh and make your way back to your room to get ready for tonight.

duty runs in your blood and into the sketches of your bones. and when it calls, you must answer.

the wind bites at your exposed back almost cheekily, taunting you as you make your way up the steps to the dreadful hall hosting this celebration.

your curly hair is tousled into a bun instead of usually resting down your back, exposing your relic adorning the back of your neck. it was a reminder you welcomed that you were different to the sea of oppressors that lurked in the room above. that you stood for hope and the truth of the world that was out there and if you were branded then you would wear this symbol with pride for everything your father stood for.

you carefully picked up the edges of your floor length gown, you'd done your best to look pretty tonight. maybe if you coloured your lips enough, dusted your cheeks with a healthy flush of rose then it would do everything to hide the ugliness that brewed inside of you. with a whisper to the stars and asking for a field of luck you begin your entrance into the hall.

the air is warm and suffocating and immediately you find your place. you don't stop for niceties or introductions, your feet carry you to a corner where you stand- where you've stood for years as you watch a room full of people celebrate the most terrible night of your life. you stand straighter, appear taller and refuse to let an ounce of sadness permeate your aura and penetrate your walls of fearlessness. you built this reputation and now you had to endure it.

you stay like that for a while. silent and unmoving, you've had enough practise stopping your snarl from reaching the ends of your stained pink mouth that this statue-like esque comes naturally to you.

that is until you feel the ghost of a hand at the small of your back.

you mustve imagined it.

a flexed hand reaching out, teasing the air and then as if almost immediately like a curse it drew back. like it was never there. your back burns from the what almost and you meet the gaze of the boy standing at your side. not a step behind like always, but right beside.

"what?" he asks, a small frown playing on his lips.

"nothing," you almost choke, throat suddenly heavy with emotion. you clear it, swallow it down and stare ahead refusing to meet his gaze again.

"i've never let you do this alone what would change now?" he rolls his eyes lightly and tracks your gaze, hardening at each senior individual who played a part in your parents death. he breathes slowly and dangerously low.

"i've got this," you lower your tone. "you can leave." another scoff meets the tips of your ears and you turn back to see him move an inch closer.

"nice try but you're off the clock to be making orders wingleader, i'm here as a guest," he returns and the mention of rank sends a ripple of warmth through your body. no. you internally shake your head, remember your place. remember where we are. remember what you've come through.

hes quiet for a while which is strange for somebody like bodhi durran and as you sense his inner turmoil presenting its own monologue you whisper "just a couple minutes more" and he nods.

the moments eventually pass and when your presences have been marked and embedded into the shadows of this disrespectful celebration you finally escape.

not before you get your hands on a drink of something strong. stolen from the buffet table, its the least they owed you you decide. and then you falter for a moment and pick up a second glass to go.

you have no idea where bodhi has gone, most likely to his little friendship huddle you think as you go engage in a slow leisurely walk back to your room.

there's a faint buzz in the air and the chill of the night wraps around your skin. you're not so far gone that you're aware of your surroundings only that the tightness in your frame has long gone, the stilts you use to stand tall have collapsed into the earth and you can finally just breathe.

right now, theres no being strong for everyone. there's no wingleader, there's no one. there's just you and the small girl who still mourns the death of her own family member every single night. you take a deep breath in and stop when you see one of the training halls left open.

fuck, you were supposed to lock up before you left. but surely you wouldn't have been so careless? you never have been, but you rub at your temples in annoyance and get ready to carry on the journey back to your room to retrieve the keys.

only then a shadow in black and a crisp white shirt you mistake for moonlight takes your view. bodhi durran sits slumped against a wall, the key to the training room dangling around his fingers and he mindlessly plays with them. of course it was him. you look around him and notice that after all these years maybe you two still are the same given the fact that he nurses three empty drink glasses around him.

you paddle over barefoot, heels in your hands. another burden of the evening and take a seat next to his relaxed frame.

"rough night?" you ask and test the waters, voice small now that its not guarded by ill feelings of guilt and resentment. part of you feels as though you shouldn't be here, intruding on this space. it feels intimate seeing him tousled like this and you weren't privileged enough to see that- or at least sober.

"guess you could say that," he lets out with a small chuckle and the breath you didn't realise you were holding in escapes.

"you know," you start, and then stop.

he's turned to face you and its unnerving to suddenly have all his attention on you. no malice, no unkindness just bodhi. the boy you've always loved. he nods his head as if to encourage you further, listening with every ounce of his being.

"what you said about me earlier," you whisper, wanting to squash the uncomfortable encounter from the afternoon and you feel the slight tense of his shoulders again. "about doing this all alone i mean."

"it's not that i want to do this alone," a fumble of fingers and you glance down into your lap. "it's just that i've never had anyone to do this with," you whisper and the air stills between you.

its rare for you to disclose to anyone other than imogen how you truly feel at times. before the heartache of losing your parents you could count on your fingers the amount of friends you could trust but slowly but surely you only had one left standing. maybe its because youre the only person scarier than her that imogen keeps you around, you snort gently.

as if knowing youre stuck in your head, he reaches out. the movements slow but his hand rests on yours, settling your fidgeting into a stillness. it burns his touch does, unfamiliarity and everything that feels like home at once.

"there's a lot of things i regret that night," he sucks in a deep breath and meets your gaze slowly. "i regretted not being by your side when it was his turn. i watched and i wished it was me instead," his voice cracks. you scoot closer to him, resting your head onto his suit-clad shoulder.

"bo-" you catch yourself and try again, "bodhi?" he hums lightly in acknowledgement and you fight against the swam of bees stinging your stomach to get your words out.

"do you think they'd be proud of us?" in the distance you can make out the sound of footsteps and a grumble but you ignore both and look up to the ceiling. he takes the time to wrap his arm around your side, tugging you closer as if he's had this all memorised and rehearsed. its scary how natural this feels between you two and for a moment you get a glimpse at how things used to be before everything went to shit.

"yeah," he breathes. "i don't think there's a single world out there where they wouldn't be" and those words build bridges in your heart where the memories had left pieces of your soul deserted.

you sit in the silence the two of you, wrapped in each others limbs. minds hazy from the drinks but more so the nostalgia that stops you both from moving forwards in life.

"you look like her, you know," you whisper, too afraid to be loud and ruin the tranquility. a smile spreads across his face at the mention of his late mother and he looks back at you.

"you don't look like him at all," and your heart falters. "but then i remember his character and his valour and love and its etched into your entire being. you're him but you're you and..." he pauses, contemplating his next words. you watch him softly curse, waiting in eager anticipation for whatever he chooses to tell you next.

"i miss you." your heart soars.

"bo," the nickname slips and he tugs you into his hold, "i've missed you so much," the tears softly travel down your cheeks and into the cotton of his shirt. he rocks you, arms wrapped around you as if holding you this close will erase all the years of distance between you.

"you have to know something bodhi," you pull back, "i never wanted the engagement, i never did," his heart lurches and he nods like he's known this his whole life. he tries to shush you, tell you its okay but youve got to get the words out before you never have the courage to utter them again. "the day of the executions," you tremble and he tightens his hold, "i gave the ring back, i couldn't do it, i think my father would've wanted me safe but i didn't need xaden for that," you whisper, "i think he would've wanted me happy and when i was with you i was the happiest i've ever been," you confess. the weight of a truth that has sat with you long enough. bodhi didn't know when you and xaden had ended, he never pieced the timeline together letting his anger simmer as he tried to think of when the two of you had started.

only it never had because bodhi was it for you, will always be it for.

"i didn't know," he breathed. "i didn't know," a tear escapes from his eyes and you catch the stray, wiping it away and letting your hand linger on his cheek and cupping his jaw.

"i know-" he cuts you off again.

"i thought if i hated you then it would make not wanting you easier," he rambles, "you were promised to xaden, i wasnt allowed to want you- to love you-"

"bodhi, i know it's okay," you smile softly, tears glistening and you sit in the quiet of forgiveness and understanding. it was a long time coming but youre glad it did. you didn't think jumping back into being the love of his life was the next step but for now you'd settle for this comfort- this ease. where he could be him and you could be you.

you lean back onto his shoulder and close your eyes. one beat turns into two and then into three and before you know it youve taken refuge into his hold and drifted off into a dreamland where nights are always like this minus the you know, executing your parents part. bodhi hums a soft tune, a habit echoed from the reminensce of when you were kids and you smile.

this feels like heaven.

from outside the door, xaden riorson stands. his shadows sweep the perimeter and enclose the two of you in, hiding you from public view.

he curses himself for not arriving earlier for getting hung up on the parapet that he failed as friend to be there for the two of you but deep down he knew that you both needed this. he hated himself for how you and bodhi ended that the day you handed him back the emerald ring it was a brief relief taken off his shoulders before he was swallowed in his own grief.

he may have lost his father that day but you gave him back his cousin- his best friend and family.

its why he sneered at violet so protectively, an action that will haunt him tomorrow until he apologises but he couldnt just stand there. not when violet sorrengail, the youngest of a bloodline that destroyed your lives (albeit not her fault) was peeking in through a private moment she shouldn't have known because even now all these years later, you and bodhi's history was a secret xaden would guard with his life. it was the least he owed you.

" go back to your room, cadet," he barked at the pad of footsteps. her eyes tilted up at him in suspicion, who was he protecting?

"but-"

he cuts her off with a glare and a shove to the wall as he holds her in place. "that was an order," he seethes, his shadows a force behind him. all violet could see was darkness and it terrified her. xaden lets go and takes a step back, giving her enough room to scurry away. she thinks about taking a look back but decides better. whatever is in the air tonight does not concern her.

xaden resumes his post outside of the door, standing tall like a liutenant who could'nt be reckoned with. and he did that all night, scaring away cadets and even imogen who thought she could get a few extra hours of training in but decided from the look of the wingleader that tonight was not that night.

for all that you two had suffered and all that had been asked of you, it was the least that xaden riorson could do for the two people he loves the most.

the next morning comes with uncertainty and it irks you to your core. you don't know how you got back to your room, you missed your run with imogen and just about made it to drills on time, sacrificing the time do your hair and scrub yourself clean.

bodhi durran however is on time and he looks as if last night had no wear on him at all. a soft smile plays on his lips as the sight of your wild messy hair pulled back into a high bun- similar from last night and at how he can still recognise the signs of slumber on your face. you don't let that affect your leadership however, you bark orders and correct stances. you plan attacks and train signets, you advise cadets and assess challenges all whilst he stands a step behind you mind catching up with your quick thinking.

it feels exactly like the routine the two of you had built up since obtaining your positions only now the air is softer- something your cadets would never understand.

bodhi doesn't reach out for your hand, he doesn't press a kiss goodbye- he knows it's not what you do. the two of you have never been favourable of having your business public and he'd never want anyone to assume you were each other's weaknesses to exploit.

he does however lean over when you check something off your grid, lingering in the space right over your shoulder in the middle of drills.

"what are you doing," you breathe slowly and the sober acknowledgement of the sudden proximity.

"reading, obviously," he scoffs, a chuckle slipping through his throat. at the tickle of his warm breath on your neck you immediately elbow him back hard, putting a space between you.

he clutches his abdomen where you've striked and laughs.

"bring your own clipboard tomorrow, executive officer," your voice is clipped but your eyes tell a different smile and he looks over at you in adoration.

then you resume your positions and finish training for the day. he walks you back to your room, a new task he's set for himself wanting to be by your side always to make up for lost time.

"do you want to come in and talk over strategy plans?" you hesitate and then invite at the door. he looks over with a grin, a different kind of strategy plan on his mind.

and he'll always say yes to heaven.

[tifosipogue]

When Shadows Fall Soft

xaden riorson x reader

No one looks Xaden Riorson in the eye—except you.

They all flinch, turning away like moths from a flame. You, however, meet his gaze like you’re daring him to blink first. He never does. But you never stop trying.

"You are playing with fire," your friend whispers one day after training, eyes flickering to where Xaden stands, arms crossed, watching the sparring match like he’s mentally cataloging everyone’s weaknesses. His eyes meet yours and he raises one eyebrow, like he is challenging you.

You smirk. “Good thing I don't mind getting burned."

You’re assigned to the same squad for a field exercise—just your luck. He stands at the edge of the group, arms crossed, gaze fixed somewhere far beyond the map and mission outline. He barely looks at you during the briefing, but you can tell he’s listening. Every word seems to land sharp.

His shoulders tense slightly when you speak, barely a shift, but it’s enough. You notice the way his fingers twitch once before stilling. The room isn’t cold, but there’s a chill that seems to hang around him like a storm cloud, subtle and heavy. In the corners, where the light doesn't quite reach, the black shadows seem to move—just slightly—like they’re leaning in to hear you too.

That’s the first surprise.

The second is when he saves your life.

You react quickly—training taking over, instincts firing—but not quickly enough. The danger comes too fast, a blur of motion and sound that you can’t fully register until it’s already upon you. Heat flashes near your side, the sign of incoming death. You pivot, heart slamming into your ribs, knowing—without question—you’re too late.

And then something colder than fear coils around you.

The shadows hit first—wrapping you in a sheath of darkness that clings to your skin like a second heartbeat. It’s not just a barrier; it’s a command. They pull you out of the blast zone, fast and sharp, snapping you through space like a blade slicing through silence. The ground reappears beneath your feet, unfamiliar and shaking, and you stumble—but you're not alone.

Xaden is already there.

He steps into the space where you were standing seconds ago, a wall of muscle, shadows, and raw fury. His power roils around him, violent and barely contained. Smoke-like tendrils lash out from his shoulders and spine, shifting like they’re alive, like they’re angry. At what—you’re not sure. The enemy. The threat. Or the fact that you’d almost been hurt. Again.

His eyes find yours—just for a second.

The way his jaw clenches. The way his fists flex. The way his power doesn’t retreat from your skin—it lingers, as if it refuses to let go until it’s sure you’re safe.

“Stay behind me,” he growls, voice low, threaded with something that might be fear—or something far more dangerous.

And even though the battlefield still rages around you, even though there’s no time to breathe, let alone feel—you do. Just for a heartbeat. Because in that moment, with the scent of lightning in the air and the ghost of his shadows still curled around your ribs, you realize something terrifying.

You free your arm from his grip, rolling your eyes. “I had it handled.”

“Like hell you did.” He snaps, his eyes wild as he dares you to talk back.

Your breathing is quick, your heart quicker, but you don’t back down. “You don’t get to play hero.”

He steps closer, voice low making you shiver. “And you don’t get to die on my watch.”

You see it—not just the anger, but something under it. Fear. Frustration. Maybe... concern?

____

The tension between you only worsens. It coils tighter with every shared breath, every glance that lasts too long, every word said just a bit too sharply. It’s unspoken but undeniable—an invisible thread pulled taut between you, threatening to snap or ignite, and you’re not sure which would be worse.

During drills, it becomes a battlefield all its own.

He pushes you harder than anyone else, relentless and unyielding. His commands are clipped, his tone edged in steel, and his eyes—gods, those eyes. Every misstep, every falter, every half-second delay is met with immediate, brutal correction. “You’re hesitating,” he snaps one morning, breath fogging in the cold. “That’ll get you killed."

You wipe the sweat from your brow and fire back without missing a beat. “And micromanaging my every move will get you punched.”

His jaw ticks. Just slightly. And for a flicker of a second, his shadows stir—barely—but they do. You know it wasn’t your words. It was your voice. The heat beneath it. The frustration. The fear. And maybe something else.

You don’t hold back either. Every time it’s his turn to spar, you hit harder, move faster. You press his limits like you're daring him to snap. When he corrects your stance with razor-sharp precision—clinical and cold—you meet it with sarcasm laced in venom. “Thanks for the unsolicited feedback, Wingleader. I forgot I signed up for a personal critique."

He steps closer. Too close. His breath ghosts across your cheek, and for a second you think he’s going to say something—something real—but he doesn’t.

And just like that, the moment implodes.

Because beneath the tension is something dangerous. Something that simmers beneath the surface like a fault line—shifting, straining, threatening to crack. You tell yourself it’s just frustration. Just adrenaline. Just the pressure of war, of survival.

But it’s not.

It’s you and him.

____

It happens after a night patrol turns into another disaster—ambush, chaos, the kind that leaves your ears ringing and your hands slick with blood that might not even be your own. You're still high on adrenaline, limbs shaking with the aftershock, your heart pounding like it’s trying to escape your chest.

There’s a gash tearing across your shoulder, deep and ugly, warm blood soaking into your sleeve. You’re breathing hard, pain dull behind the buzz in your head, but you’re standing. That counts for something.

He’s not impressed.

Xaden is pacing in front of you, jaw tight, movements sharp enough to cut through the night air. His shadows slither around him, alive with fury. Every step he takes feels like thunder, like he’s barely holding something back—his voice, his temper, his power. Maybe all three.

“What the hell were you thinking?” he snaps, finally rounding on you.

You straighten despite the pain, even though every instinct tells you to sit down before you pass out. “I was thinking I’d keep the squad alive."

His eyes flash. His shadows twitch, sensing his anger before he even speaks again. “You’re not invincible,” he growls, stepping closer. “Stop acting like you don’t care what happens to you.”

“And you stop acting like it’s your only job to keep me breathing!” you snap back, voice rising, blood still dripping from your arm. “I know the risks, Xaden. I’ve known them since day one.”

For a second, he doesn’t say anything. He just stares at you, chest rising and falling too fast, fury painted across his face—but underneath it, something else. Something quieter. Raw. Unspoken.

Then his gaze drops—just briefly—to the blood on your arm.

He exhales sharply through his nose, like he’s trying to swallow something back. When he speaks again, his voice is quieter, but more dangerous than before. “You think I’m angry because you disobeyed?” he murmurs. “I’m angry because you got hurt."

You freeze.

The words land harder than any blow. You can still hear the echoes of battle in your ears, still feel the sting of your wound, but suddenly none of it matters. Not compared to the way he’s looking at you now—like he’s furious with you, yes, but more than that... terrified.

You didn’t know he could look like that.

“You should have run,” he hisses, voice tight. “You think dying proves something?”

“Better than hiding behind shadows like you do.”

You expect him to yell, give you a silly punishment like all the times before. Maybe even walk away.

Instead of replying, he storms forward.

His eyes burn into yours, shadows curling at the edges of his silhouette like they can’t decide whether to lash out or hold you tighter. He’s barely two breaths away when he suddenly reaches out, rough hands catching your face, fingers splayed across your jaw with a grip that’s more desperate than tender.

And then he kisses you.

Hard.

The world narrows to the heat between your mouths, the press of his body, the taste of adrenaline and fury and everything you’ve both been holding back for far too long. It’s not gentle. It’s not careful. It’s wild—teeth clashing, breath stolen, lips bruising with the force of it. His hand slides to the back of your neck, pulling you closer like he’s afraid you’ll disappear if there’s even a sliver of space between you.

You kiss him back. Gods, you shouldn’t—but you do.

Because all that tension, all the biting words and hard stares and dangerously close moments—it’s always been this. A storm waiting to break.

Your blood is still warm from the fight, your shoulder throbbing, and yet none of that matters now. Not with his mouth on yours like it’s the only way he knows how to speak, like it’s the only language he trusts. You push against him, not to stop him, but to fight back—matching the kiss with your own ferocity, your own aching confusion. It’s a battle neither of you were ready for. And slowly—breath by breath, touch by touch—you start to lose.

And you don’t even care.

But eventually, reality crashes back in. The smell of smoke, the taste of copper, the ache in your arm—all reminders that this shouldn’t be happening. Not here. Not like this.

You break the kiss with a gasp, chest heaving, lips tingling. You don’t step back—can’t—but you meet his eyes with yours, and for a moment neither of you says a thing. His hand is still on your jaw, thumb brushing your skin like he doesn’t want to let go.

“That was a mistake,” you whisper, though your voice cracks around it.

He leans in again, lips brushing your jaw.

"Was it?"

____

The war catches up faster than expected.

You’re stationed together during a border defense—an urgent call. When your squad gets split up, it’s just the two of you, back-to-back against impossible odds.

You're both barely standing.

Wounded, exhausted, covered in dust and blood that isn't just your own—your limbs ache with the weight of the fight, and your vision blurs at the edges, but you move. Because you have to. Because stopping means dying. The enemy is relentless, the air thick with smoke and magic and screams swallowed by the night.

And then something shifts.

A flicker of movement—a flash of metal too fast to counter. It’s coming for you, and you don’t see it until it’s too late. You spin on instinct, weapon raised, but it won’t be fast enough.

You feel the power surge behind you first. Cold and consuming.

His shadows explode into your periphery, dark tendrils lashing forward like living smoke, forming a barrier between you and death. They strike with feral precision, swallowing the blade before it can reach your skin. The sound is sickening—a clash of steel against something ancient and unnatural.

But then—

A strangled breath. The shadows falter.

And you know.

You turn—heart already breaking, throat already tight—and scream his name, raw and panicked.

"Xaden!"

He’s still standing. Just barely.

His body is between you and the blow. His shadows flicker and writhe around him, unsteady now, like they’re confused. Hurt. And then you see it—dark crimson blooming beneath his armor, soaking through the fabric at his side in thick, spreading waves.

The blood.

Your breath stutters. “No.”

He sways once before catching himself, jaw clenched, hand pressed to his ribs like he’s trying to hold himself together with sheer will. His face is pale, eyes clouded with pain, but locked on you—only on you. Like the rest of the world doesn’t matter as long as you’re still breathing.

You’re already moving, dropping to your knees beside him, hands scrambling for pressure on the wound, for anything that’ll help, that’ll do something. But your hands are slick with his blood, and he’s already too cold, and he’s still looking at you like you’re the only thing he’s sure of.

“You idiot,” you whisper, choking on the words. “You weren’t supposed to—I didn’t ask you to—"

He reaches up, fingers brushing your cheek in a ghost of a touch. “Didn’t need to.”

You press harder on the wound. His shadows respond, curling weakly around your hands like they’re trying to help, trying to hold on.

“Don’t you dare die,” you growl, fierce and shaking. “Do you hear me, Xaden? I’m not letting you.”

And he gives you the faintest, bloodstained smirk—equal parts defiance and affection.

"I know you won't."

You pull him close feeling his heart starting to slow as you sob.

Later, after the healers stabilize him, you sit at his bedside, holding his hand.

When he wakes, he groans but smiles as soon as his eyes meet yours, “You again.”

“Welcome back,” you reply, tears slipping down your cheek despite your smirk.

“I almost died.”

“You almost left me.” Your voice cracks. “That’s worse.”

He lifts your hand to his lips, brushing a kiss against your knuckles.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he says. “Not unless you’re with me.”

After that, the shadows soften completly.

They don't disappear, they are still here but know they protect you, fight for you, sleep with you and dream with you.

He still growls at you during training. You still roll your eyes and make a snide comment. But the fire between you is no longer all heat and rage—it’s warmth, too. It’s home.

[angstywaifu]

Black Dahlia - 50. Friendly Advice

Summary: Dahlia offers Violet some advice when she runs into her at the burn pit before noticing a group of dragons flying in. Black Dahlia Masterlist | Masterlist | Links |

I watch as Violet walks pass me, completely oblivious to me leaning against the wall where she’d just walked in on. That girl really needed to learn to check her surroundings. She was a walking target just due to her name. Gods, I’d even heard some of the first years saying she was a threat to the wing due to her smaller size. Which hadn’t been helped by Xaden’s display with her when her challenge target had suspiciously fallen too ill to participate. He’d disarmed her so easily, but given his talent on the mat, it had been expected. I know he’d done it to prove a point, but he had also shown everyone how easy of a target she was. Something I knew she didn’t need, even if we hadn’t been friends for years.

”I’m so sorry.” She whispers, barely audible above the wind.

I watch as she heaves the pack up and over the edge, the flames catching and burning the pack as it fuels the flames. Today had been the start of gauntlet training, and her squad was one of the first to run it. They’d also been the first to loose a squad member to it. I push off the wall, walking over to where she leans against the edge, both of us watching as three dragons approach from the west. Three dragons that look very familiar. But they’re too far away for me to be sure. But I do know Xaden, Garrick and Bodhi had all been gone for a while.

”You don’t need to be sorry.” I tell her, alerting her to my presence as she jumps back from the edge.

”Were you following me?” She snaps at me venomously. A tone I’d come all too familiar with when she talked to me now.

I scoff and shake my head as I fold my arms across my chest, leaning back against the corner pillar. “No, you just didn’t see me next to the door when you came in. I have better things to do than follow you around.”

”But you’re friends with them. With him.” She tells me, clearly reciting information she’s gathered herself and from Dain since she’d been here.

I roll my eyes. “Surprisingly there are people who are able to look past the bullshit they’ve been told and can be friends with me Sorrengail. Maybe something you could do if you didn’t take everything at face value. And maybe you would see, they aren’t that bad.”

She turns her head, huffing in annoyance at my words. I knew she wouldn’t like me pointing it out, but it was true. She took everything she was told and believed it. Just like a scribe. Just like she was taught. And her being better friends with Dain than me when it all happened, meaned she happily took his side.

”Have some advice Sorrengail. You are number one here. You need to look after yourself. You are you’re number one priority. Your life is your number one priotity. Dain can’t always be there to protect you.” I tell her before turning and walking back towards the door.

”Is that a threat?” She asks, her voice shaking slightly. I made her nervous. Or at least made her question something enough to make her nervous.

I stop and look over my shoulder at her, noting the glare she tries to give me. I scoff and shake my head. “No. Just some advice no one else here will tell you because they either want to kill you, see you fail or get you out of here to safety. So do something they don’t expect and prove them wrong.”

I walk out of the tower before she can reply, leaving her to ponder my words. I didn’t want her to die despite our fractured friendship. But I wasn’t going to outright help her. This place was a mental game. You could be as strong or as weak as you were in here, but ultimately those with mental strength faired the best. Something I knew she could do. And I hoped she realised that soon. She just had to find a way.

I make it to the Rotunda before I feel a shift in the courtyard, turning to see the door to the flight field open. Even before they walk under the mage light I know who it is. Watching as Bodhi, Xaden and Garrick let the door close behind them as they enter the courtyard. I quickly hide behind the door, propping it open with my foot. Was it wrong to hide and spy on my best friend and boyfriend? Probably. But I couldn’t deny I was suspicious as to where they’d been. Seeing as they’d all disappeared without a word. And it wasn’t the first time I’d noted it. Here and there over the last few weeks I’d noted Bodhi and Garrick, even Imogen sometimes being gone here and there.

“Do you know where they were?” I ask Proth, hoping he might know something from their dragons.

”They’re your friend and mate, why don’t you ask them yourself.” He drawls, sounding almost bored.

”You’re no help.” I snap back as he chuckles down the bond at me.

”There has to be something more we can do.” Bodhi says to the two of them, clearly annoyed by something.

”We’re doing everything we can.” Garrick bites back.

Something was clearly on all their minds. Had them on edge. Xaden stops mid step, his shoulders going rigid. Shit, did he know I was here?

”What’s wrong?” Garrick asks, looking over at the only other people in the courtyard, a couple who had decided to use the courtyard as a make out spot. Lovely.

”Go on. I’ll meet you inside.” Xaden tells them.

Bodhi’s brow furrows, clearly not sure at Xaden’s sudden change in behaviour as he also scans the courtyard. Luckily neither him or Garrick see me peeking around the door. But I can’t guarantee that Xaden doesn’t with his shadow ability.

”You sure?” Bodhi asks as he turns his attention back to Xaden.

”Go.” Xaden orders them, nodding towards the dorms.

I gently close the door to the Rotunda, moving as quietly and quickly as I can to run into them “accidently” on their way to their rooms. I push into the stairwell, hearing their footsteps below me as they shuffle up the stairs. I wait a few more seconds, waiting till their footsteps are closer till I start moving. I pretend to be looking for something in my pack as I dawdle up the stairs.

”Dahlia?” Bodhi asks in surprise, stopping suddenly in the stairwell causing Garrick to run into his as his eyes raise to me. “What are you doing out?”

I look up at them, pretending to be shocked by their appearance. “I had patrol this evening at the burn pit remember?”

I note how both their eyes widen slightly in alarm. They both know that tower has the perfect view of anyone flying in and out of that flight field.

”You expect Bodhi to remember something like that?” Garrick teases as he shoves Bodhi aside, walking the last few steps to join me, taking my hand in his, my body instantly relaxing at his touch.

It was stupid how much he relaxed and calmed me, even when I was suspicious as to what they had been up to.

”I will let you know I have great memory.” Bodhi fires back, scowling at Garrick.

”Clearly not because I told you yesterday I was stationed there after classes today.” I say with a roll of my eyes as he glares at me. “Where are you two coming back from?”

”Xaden wanted to get out for a bit, went on a small flight.” Garrick says with a reassuring squeeze of my hand as he smiles down at me.

”Must have been you three I saw then. Saw some dragons fly in not long ago.” I say casually as I look between the two of them.

Garrick doesn’t even seem phased by my comment, but Bodhi looks nervous. His eyes darting between Garrick and I. Meaning this wasn’t just a casual flight. They were up to something they didn’t want me knowing about.

”More than likely. Don’t think I saw anyone else out tonight.” Garrick says with a shrug, before stiffling a yawn.

I look up at him, noting how tired he looks. Something that seems to be a common thing for him recently. Maybe that has something to do with the late night flight?

”Lets get you to bed.” I tell him, turning and pulling him towards the archway that will take us to the second year floor.

Bodhi groans behind us. “Can you please put up a sound ward if you want to partake in any extra curricular activities? Some of us actually want to sleep.”

”Maybe someone should learn to put their own up.” Garrick teases as we round the corner.

”They don’t teach second years!”

@imtoanonymousforyou @simplyme-fornow @omalmal @lalaluch @wolfbc97 @leptitlu @fullmoon-94 @the-fandom-ness @fan-of-many-bands @awkardnerd @heeseungthel0ml @acourtofsmutandstarlight @fairchild06 @freyagallileaevans @pit-and-the-pen @hannraumari @elliot-rain @thestarseternaal @stupid-and-contagious01 @hyperfixation-train-station @lxnvmvrzx @thebreadisthetruevillian @red0202 @fangirling-galore @craftytrashprincess @taliyahvermillion @xadenswhore @fenixyrie @lagrandeourse @hellodarling1357 @iambored24601  @thegiftofacreativemind @fanfictionjunkie1112 @mysticalfuncollectorus @ohlookitsasinglepoeceofpopcorn @emoravenwolf @imheretobeinvisible @pvrkacciosan

[dragonridersandhighlords]

Chasing Shadows | T W O

masterlist | CS Masterlist

Summary: Amid challenges, Threshing, and RSC, Wrenley begins to question where she belongs in a world constantly demanding more than survival.

Word Count: 8.6k

Series Warnings: smut 18+ MDNI, violence, death, swearing, torture

Chapter Specific Warnings: descriptions of bruising, dislocated joints, and interrogation induced harm, jealousy, insecurity, isolation, psychological intimidation, relationship strain

previous part

I emerged from the leadership meeting, the heavy oak doors swinging shut behind me, with a loud sigh. Garrick and Bodhi flanked me when Dain tried to stop me, following behind through the doors. I brushed him off as Bodhi offered a half assed excuse about him and Garrick needing to talk to me privately. A faint flash of disappointment crossed Dain's features, but I kept my focus off him, still too upset with him. 

The halls were fairly quiet this time of day. Second and third-years received a longer break between breakfast and Battle Brief now that the first-years were taking Professor Kaori's class in preparation for Threshing at the end of next month. Unfortunately, our meeting went over and we now have to go straight to class.

I pester Garrick as we walk, pleading for any hint of what happens in RSC. Both he and Xaden have been ignoring my questions.

"Are you seriously not going to even give us a hint about RSC?" Bodhi pressed.

"You two will do fine in that class, don’t worry about it," Garrick replied, laughter dancing in his voice, but his nonchalant demeanor only stoked the fire of our frustration. 

I shot him a challenging glance, unable to stifle the smile tugging at my lips as I bumped my shoulder against his, but he stood firm like a stone wall. "If you would just give us a hint, we’d do better than fine,"I say, the playful defiance in my tone as bright as the laughter echoing down the corridor. 

"You won’t get me to break, Little Bird. RSC is a class you have to learn on your own," Garrick declared. I groaned, the sound a mix of irritation and affection. I reach up, grabbing onto the fabric of his shirt, letting my weight lean against him. In an instant, Garrick laughed and effortlessly swung me over his shoulder. 

"What the fuck! Garrick, put me down!" I squealed, laughter bubbling up uncontrollably as he continued his leisurely stride. "Bodhi!" I yelled, my voice a mixture of mock outrage and delight, begging for my best friend's help. 

"Absolutely not!" he chuckled, his mirth making it clear that he was far too entertained to intervene. “This is too entertaining.” 

“Where’s Xaden when you need him?” I pouted, letting my body go limp against Garrick's shoulder, his strength both comforting and infuriating. 

Laughter erupted from both of them, a bright chorus that danced around us as we navigated the halls. Finally, Garrick returns me to my feet, a patronizing pat on my head accompanying the gesture. I growled playfully in response, earning a chuckle from Bodhi. We file into the Battle Brief classroom, preparing for another day.

“Looks like this is mine now. Enjoy your nap,” Rhiannon teased, her voice a melodic taunt as she plucked a dagger from her sparring partner’s unconscious grasp, affectionately patting his head like a pet. 

I chuckled, unable to suppress the joy that bubbled up at the sight. “She might be better than you, Xay,” I said, my gaze flicking over to my boyfriend.

“No one is better than me,” he shot back with a playful challenge in his eyes. 

“Except me?” I raised an eyebrow at him, a smirk playing on my lips. He just smirks back before our attention is drawn across the room. 

“You’ll pay for that.” Across the mat, Jack retreated, leaving Violet to collect her daggers—one poised at the perfect height for a headshot, the other dangerously close to a far more sensitive target. 

I couldn't help but admire her audacity; this girl was a force of nature. 

Dain scolded her from the sidelines, his voice stern yet laced with exasperation, but my eyes darted back to Xaden, who remained fixated on Violet and Dain with an intensity that hinted at a deeper connection. I felt a pang of something—was it jealousy? Concern? 

“Sorrengail. Seifert,” Emettario's voice sliced through the murmurs, signaling the start of the next match. 

Oren Seifert, First Wing. My instincts kicked in as I recognized his name; he's a friend of Barlowe’s. Which means this little shit is gonna kill Violet. 

“Don’t take this personally, but you’ll only be a hazard to your wing,” Oren taunted, circling her with a predatory grace. I sensed the tension building, an electric pulse in the air, and as he charged, my instincts screamed for intervention. Helping Violet wouldn’t hurt, would it?

But just as I reached for the mental lock on the door, I realized something—Oren’s movements had slowed, almost sluggish. That definitely wasn’t me. 

“I’m no more a hazard than you are,” Violet shot back, pulling a dagger from her sheath with a fierce glint in her eye. 

Oren, undeterred, shook his head, his voice dripping with disdain. “My sister is a healer. I’ve heard your bones snap like twigs.” 

“Why don’t you come find out?”

What the fuck is happening? The question spiraled through my mind, echoing louder than the cacophony of gasps and murmurs around the sparring mat. I watched in disbelief as Oren’s body twisted, his face contorting into a mask of distress as he slapped a hand over his mouth. 

Then, in an instant, he pivoted. With a primal snarl, he charged at Violet, swinging his blade down with reckless abandon. My heart raced in anticipation but Violet was ready. She slipped to the left, her movement fluid and almost graceful, dragging her dagger along his side just enough to draw blood, then following the attack, she unleashed a powerful kick to his back, sending him careening to the ground.

There was a fleeting moment of silence, the world around us suspended in time as Violet sprang forward. She dropped her knee into Oren’s back with a thud that echoed through the air, and pressed her blade against his throat, the cold steel a reminder of her control. “Yield,” she demanded, her voice steady and unwavering.

Holy shit, I did not see that coming.

“No!” Oren shouted, but his defiance was undercut by the violent retch that followed, his body betraying him as he fought the nausea rising like bile in his throat. 

“Oh my gods,” Rhiannon exclaimed, her voice laced with both concern and disbelief, mirroring the shock that gripped the room.

“Yield!” Violet’s voice rang out again, more insistent this time, yet Oren’s body was locked in a battle of its own, convulsing as he fought to regain control. 

“I’m gonna be sick,” I muttered, my heart racing and stomach twisting. I turned towards Xaden, resting my forehead against his arm, trying to block out the sounds from Oren.

“He yields,” Professor Emettario declared. 

“Are you okay?” Imogen’s voice was soft and warm, her hand gliding along my back in a soothing motion, but I shook her off. 

“Fine,” I replied, forcing myself to take a deep breath, my chest rising and falling as I fought the residual waves of adrenaline. Standing up straight, I attempted to project an air of calm that I didn’t truly feel. “I’m fine.” 

Xaden’s laughter was soft and tender. He took my hand, entwining our fingers with an ease that felt both intimate and reassuring. “Let's go get you some water.” 

Violet won all of her matches by the end of August. I had followed her lead, winning all my bouts as well, but as I mentally prepared for the challenge ahead, I felt a different kind of pressure. Today, I was challenging Jack Barlowe.

“Did you purposefully tell Xaden you were skipping today so he wouldn’t be here?” Bodhi questioned, his brow furrowed in concern. “How did you even know you were going against Barlowe?”

I wanted to tell him the truth, that Violet had whispered it to me in passing, her knowing smile giving away secrets that only she seemed to hold. But those words remained unspoken. I didn’t want to dwell on how she had acquired such information, instead, I felt grateful for trusting her instincts.

“If Xaden were here,” I said, my voice steady as I slid my waterskin into my bag, “Jack would use that against me, just like he’ll exploit Xay’s absence today. But I’ll be ready for it because I hold all the cards.” I squared my shoulders. “I have to do this on my own. Next year, Xaden won’t be here to finish my fights if I falter. I’m already a target; let's make it smaller.”

Stepping onto the mat, I gripped my dagger tightly in my left hand. As I readied myself, I locked eyes with Jack, waiting for him to make the first move.

“Where’s your precious Wingleader, Tavis? Don’t want him to see you get your ass handed to you?” Jack’s taunt sliced through the tension, his laughter echoing in the sparsely populated arena as we began to circle each other, his feet crossing over the other with each step.

Amateur. I smirked, forcing my feet to remain side by side, balanced and ready. “Nope. I can handle you fine on my own.”

“Sure, Signetless. You really can.” With a swift jab, Jack lunged at me. I sidestepped just in time, feeling the rush of air as his blade whooshed past. I countered, bringing my own dagger down along his forearm, the sharpness biting into his skin and drawing blood. “You bitch.” His sneer was venomous, yet I could see the flicker of surprise in his eyes as he pulled his hand back. 

“I don’t need a signet to know you leave yourself open.” I taunted, my heart racing as I bounced on the balls of my feet, maintaining my momentum in the dance of combat. “Scared of a little blood, Barlowe?” 

“You’ll regret taunting me,” he growled, his eyes narrowing.

“How about you actually hit me and I’ll say sorry?” I laugh, my voice ringing with confidence as I settle my feet at a precise angle, poised to dodge yet equally ready to strike. Jack charges toward me, blades gleaming ominously in each of his hands.

He swings his left arm first, a desperate attempt to catch me off guard. I react instinctively, using my left arm to deflect his blade with a sharp thud, the impact reverberating through my body. In a fluid motion, I drop my dagger into my right hand, my focus narrowing as I swipe it across his thigh. The sharp edge bites into his flesh, drawing a gasp of surprise and causing him to stumble backward, the dagger in his right hand clattering to the ground.

“Ready to give up yet? Or should I apply more pressure?” I taunt, a smirk playing on my lips as I flip my blade from my right to my left hand, closing the distance between us as he lands unceremoniously on his backside. His eyes blaze with defiance, but I can see the doubt creeping in. In a last-ditch effort, he lunges for my ankle, his left hand wielding the dagger with reckless abandon. But I act quickly, dropping my foot onto his wrist, my weight pressing down hard, forcing him to relinquish his weapon. I bury my knee into his chest, pausing the breath he took as I kneel over him, twisting his other arm over his body. “Yield, Barlowe,” I commanded, my voice steady and unwavering.

“Not to you.” His defiance is punctuated by a defiant spit aimed at my face, but I remain unfazed, pulling his arm further, feeling the strain in his muscles.

“Yield before your shoulder dislocates,” I warn, my tone darkening as I apply more pressure.

“No!” he grunts, determination shining in his eyes.

“Suit yourself.” I brace myself for the final pull, the sickening pop of dislocation ringing in my ears as I watch his arm drop limp beside him. “Final chance,” I warn, flipping my blade to hold it with the edge beside my pinkie. I push my foot further into his wrist, my knee pressing into his chest, the blade poised dangerously close to his throat. “Maybe I should kill you for all the cadets you’ve killed in the last month.” I lean in, the challenge evident in my gaze. His spit rolls down my cheek, but I swallow my disgust, determined to maintain control. “Or you can yield now. Choose.” 

“I—” he gasps quietly, desperation creeping into his voice as he tries to pull his hand from beneath my boot.

“I can’t hear you, Barlowe.” The words slid from my lips like ice as I pressed my blade harder against the pulse of his throat, the cold steel biting into his skin. His eyes widened, panic flickering across his features as the air was stolen from him, each breath a desperate gasp.

“I yield!” he shouted, the sound erupting from his throat like a lifeline as I barely lifted my knee off his chest, allowing a precious sliver of air to rush back into his lungs.

“Good boy.” A smirk danced across my face as I playfully patted his cheek with the flat of my blade, the gesture both mocking and victorious. With a fluid motion, I stood and moved across the mat, my heart still racing from the adrenaline coursing through me. I scooped up Jack’s forgotten blade, the weight of it feeling oddly satisfying in my hand. Turning, I caught sight of Bodhi’s dumbfounded expression, and laughter bubbled from my chest. “Easier than I thought.” I flipped the new dagger expertly before sliding it into a sheath alongside my own.

“I bet it was.” The voice sliced through my moment of triumph, and I froze, my heart skipping as I looked behind Bodhi to see Xaden leaning casually against the wall, his eyes narrowed like a hawk assessing its prey. “Skipping class, huh?”

“Oh shit, you are so screwed,” Bodhi chuckled, his grin wide as I shot him a warning look. 

“Corrie and Sorrengail.” I quickly redirected my focus to Violet’s match, the anticipation crackling in the air, pushing aside thoughts of Xaden for later. Yet, as I focused on violet, I unlocked the door to his mind and his smooth voice flew in.

“Thought we didn’t lie to each other, Little Bird?” 

A cadet hurried over, whispering urgently to Emettario, who then turned to speak with an apologetic expression. “Sorry, Violet. You were supposed to challenge Rayma, but she’s been taken to the healers because she can’t seem to walk in a straight line.”

“That’s too bad.” Violet winced, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “Should I just…”

“I’m happy to step in.” Xaden’s voice, smooth and confident, came from just behind me, sending a shiver down my spine. 

My instincts kicked in, and I shouted down the channel, “The hell you are!” 

“You sure?” Emettario asked but Xaden merely smiled, his resolve unshakeable.

“Absolutely.” And just like that, he stepped onto the mat, a predator ready to pounce.

“You are all in for a treat,” Professor Emetterio announced with a clap, his excitement palpable. “Xaden’s one of the best fighters we have. Watch and learn.” 

“Xaden.” My voice was a low warning, laced with concern.

“A little out of her league, don’t you think?” Dain’s voice came from the opposite side of the mat, a challenge wrapped in disbelief.

“Relax, Aetos. She’ll be in one piece when I’m finished teaching her.” Despite his focus on Dain, Xaden’s words felt like a promise directed at me, and it did nothing to settle my nerves.

“Xaden.” I called out again, my voice tinged with urgency. 

“I hardly think it’s fair—” Dain interjects, a frown etched deep on his brow, but before he can finish, Xaden fires off a retort, sharp as his blades that he sets in my arms. 

“No one asked you to think, squad leader.” 

Since he’s ignoring me mentally, I choose to break the silence aloud. “Xaden, seriously, this isn't right.” My voice barely rises above a whisper, yet the sincerity behind it echoes in the space between us, desperate for his attention.

“She’s won every challenge, Wren. Don’t think she can handle herself?” Xaden smirks, that infuriating grin dancing across his lips as he removes his daggers, sliding them into my own sheaths like a practiced ritual. 

“She snaps like a twig; one wrong move, and you could kill her. You know it.” The words tumble out, my heart pounding with concern. 

“Then I’ll have to be careful, won’t I?” He turns back to Violet, his smirk unwavering, as though his confidence alone can shield her from harm. 

Violet pulls one of her own daggers, her stance fierce and ready. “You don’t think you’ll need those?” she asks, her voice steady despite the tremor of excitement in the air.

“Nope. Not when you brought enough for the both of us.” I can't see his face, but I can picture the teasing smile curling at the corners of his mouth. He gestures playfully, fingers curling in an invitation. “Let’s go.”

Violet hesitates for a heartbeat before one of her daggers is flying through the air, aimed directly at Xaden’s chest. 

He catches it midair, the fluidity of his movements both impressive and unsettling. “Already seen that move,” he quips, his tone drenched in mockery. As Violet lunges again, desperation fueling her strikes, I feel my stomach twist, the thrill of the impending clash sitting heavy in my chest. 

Xaden easily dodges her blade, catching her leg and forcing her to the ground with a swift motion. The sound of her blade skittering across the mat is painfully audible as it lands at Dain's feet. 

Violet lunges once more, the blade gripped tightly in her hand, aiming for his thigh, but Xaden intercepts, catching her wrist with ease. He disarms her effortlessly, tossing her weapon away like it’s an afterthought, and I can’t shake the feeling of unease creeping back in. 

“Going for blood today, Violence?” Xaden whispers, his voice low and intimate, sending a shiver down my spine. If they were anywhere else on the mat besides in front of me, I wouldn’t have heard that, but I do—and the way he says it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

“My name is Violet,” she says through clenched teeth. 

“I think my version fits you better,” Xaden replies, an edge of amusement threading through his tone as he rises to his full height, releasing her wrist. Yet, in a gesture that carries both challenge and invitation, he offers her the same hand, that glint of mischief still dancing in his eyes. “We’re not done here.”

Violet, breathing heavily with a mix of defiance and reluctance, takes his hand. But as soon as she’s upright, Xaden twists her arm behind her back with a fluid motion, pulling another of her blades from its sheath in a single, practiced move. 

“Damn it!” She snaps.

My heart races as I watch Xaden lean down, his lips brushing close to her ear, a whisper meant only for her. A mix of emotions surges within me, and my chest tightens at the sight—his expression momentarily softening as he draws her into his orbit. The world around us falls away, and all I can think about is their proximity, the way Xaden’s eyes fluttered, revealing a depth I hadn’t anticipated. The air feels heavy, and suddenly, I can’t breathe as I witness their movements unfold. 

I watch as they tumble, Xaden landing atop her with a weight that seems both possessive and commanding. One arm presses against her throat, while the other pins one of her arms above her head. The intensity of the moment is palpable, charged with an energy that crackles between them. 

When his face is mere inches from hers, the world blurs into the background, and I feel a rush of heat and uncertainty. Unable to stay, I drop his weapons into Imogen’s waiting arms, turning away from the scene that gnaws at my insides. 

“Can you meet me on the flight field?” I reach out to Desa, my breath coming in rough, uneven gasps as I quicken my steps, desperate to escape.

“Everything alright, Wise One?” Concern floods our bond, her protective instincts flaring like a beacon. I know she would fiercely defend me, give Sgaeyl hell if need be, but right now, I just want to escape, to forget.

“Fine, I just need a flight to clear my mind.” 

“Very well. We can practice your maneuvers then.” When Desa refrains from pressing further, I realize she truly understands my need for solitude.

We spent at least an hour suspended in the vast, open sky, the sun a blazing orb painting the horizon in hues of gold and crimson. As we soared, the world below melted into a tapestry of greens and browns, a swirling canvas that demanded my attention. Desa guided me through the maneuvers from yesterday’s class, her powerful wings beating with a steady rhythm that filled the air with an exhilarating rush. Each twist and turn required my utmost concentration, a welcome distraction that kept the tears at bay.

Finally, with a gentle thud, Desa descended onto the flight field, her body shifting beneath me as I slid off her back. I took a moment to steady myself, the ground feeling solid and reassuring beneath my feet. But before I could take a step away, I found myself halted by Desa’s leg firmly blocking my path. A low growl rumbled deep within her chest, and I raised an eyebrow, uncertainty gnawing at me.

“Desa?” I questioned, my voice barely above a whisper.

“The Shadow Wielder approaches,” she replied, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the horizon.

Before I could process her warning, Xaden’s voice cut through the air like a blade. “Wrenley! Where the hell have you been?” His tone was a mixture of concern and exasperation as I stepped carefully around Desa’s arm, attempting to reassure her with a soft: 

“I’m fine.”

Yet, Desa remained vigilant, her muscular frame poised, ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice. 

“I went for a flight,” I shrugged nonchalantly, although I felt a twinge of guilt. “I needed to practice my maneuvers.”

Xaden scoffed, halting a few feet away as a puff of steam erupted from Desa, a warning in her posture. 

“That's close enough,” she growled, even though Xaden isn't privy to her words

“You’re one of our best riders, Wren. You don’t need to practice.” His eyes searched mine for answers, but I remained silent, shifting to step around him. His hand shot out, catching my elbow, drawing an immediate reaction from Desa. 

“Not the time, Desa!” he barked, his frustration palpable, yet I felt a strange comfort in the urgency of his tone. 

“Tell him he’s lucky I like Sgaeyl so much. Otherwise, he’d be dead for touching you the way he is,” she relayed through a growl, her gaze unwavering as I tell Xaden the words.

I watched as Xaden sighed, a mixture of confusion and concern etched across his features. “What did I do, Little Bird?” 

“You sure you don’t want to just spend more time with Violence?” I scoffed, tugging my arm from his grip, the words escaping me before I could think them through. 

“You can’t be serious, Wren. You’re jealous over a challenge?” he questioned, a hint of disbelief coloring his tone. 

“Jealous?” I laughed, though the sound felt foreign to me, tinged with an edge of anger. “More like furious at the way you looked at her.” 

“Wrenley, why are you jealous of Violet?” His voice softened as he reached out, hands cupping my face, grounding me in a way that felt both intimate and frightening. 

“I don’t know,” I murmured, feeling the weight of his gaze bore into my very soul.

“What’s to be jealous of when I’ve only ever wanted you?” Xaden's voice wrapped around me, his words a soothing balm amidst the turmoil churning within my heart. The intensity of his gaze pinned me in place. I could feel the weight of his desire, heavy yet tender, anchoring me to this moment.

“I know it was irrational. That’s why Desa and I went on a flight, so I wouldn’t do something insane.” My voice trembled slightly, betraying the whirlwind of thoughts and feelings that battled for dominance within me. I gripped his shirt in my fists, the fabric coarse against my palms. "Can we please drop it?" I pleaded, desperate to ignore my swirling emotions, but even as I spoke, a few silent tears slipped down my cheeks.

In an instant, Xaden’s hands were there, gentle yet firm as he brushed the tears away. His touch was electrifying, stirring a fluttering warmth in my chest. “When you admit that I’m yours, and you’re mine,” his voice is low, resonating in the stillness of the evening.

I inhaled sharply, my breath hitching in my throat as the reality of his words sunk in. “I’m yours and you’re mine. Nothing will change that.” I tried to summon a smile, something soft and sweet to lighten the heavy air between us, but the shadows still clung to my heart, threatening to extinguish the flicker of light that his presence ignited.

But before I could dwell on my doubts any longer, Xaden closed the distance between us, his lips brushing against mine—a fleeting yet potent spark. The kiss was a promise, and my heart raced, urging me to surrender to this moment, to believe in the truth of those words.

“Nothing.” His voice was a mere whisper against my lips. He pulled away, his eyes still locked on mine, searching for something, what I'm not sure. “Now come on, it’s dinner time.” 

I nodded, intertwining my fingers with his as he led the way to the gathering hall. 

I was going to attend Gauntlet training today, but the chaos of the ambush outside my dorm and now waking up under the bright, relentless beams of the sun is apparently when I’m destined to find myself. 

As I blink away the remnants of sleep, I look around, squinting against the sunlight, and spot Dain and Imogen. They stand nearby, their expressions a mix of concern and annoyance, surrounded by a few of the other second-year riders from our squad, all of us still piecing together the morning's frantic events. Across the clearing, the familiar blue colors of the Infantry Quadrant stand out against the greenery, a few healers stretch and yawn as they shake off sleep, and I even spot a scribe, his parchment crinkled and waiting for ink as he emerges from his slumber.

“Everyone okay?” Dain calls out, lending a hand to a couple of riders as they struggle to their feet. His gaze turns to me, and he extends a hand, but I smack it away, rising to my feet with a determined huff. 

“We’re fine, where are we?” I ask, brushing off the damp blades of grass that cling stubbornly to my pants.

“And why are they here?” A voice breaks through the murmur of confusion—Quinn Hollis, I think her name is. She glances at the Infantry with a mix of suspicion and curiosity.

“Why are you here?” one of the Infantry shouts back, but before a spat can brew, our RSC teacher strides in, his demeanor calm and authoritative amidst the gathering tension.

“Welcome to Land Navigation,” he announces with a broad smile, his assistants bustling behind him, distributing waterskins and maps like a conductor leading an orchestra. “For this part of RSC, riders, you’ll be working with the other quadrants. Infantry is advanced at Land Nav, Healers are here in case of an incident, and, of course, a Scribe to document everything.”

A ripple of questions flits through the crowd, and one male second-year rider speaks up, skepticism dripping from his tone. “So, what's the point?”

“There is a very high probability that you’ll get separated from your dragon in the middle of the battlefield,” he explains, his voice steady. “Anyone could be out there with you. You’ll have to learn to work together to make it to the extraction point on your map in two days using all of your strengths. Good luck.” With that, he turns and retreats back to the cart he arrived on, leaving us in the clearing, confusion hanging in the air like a thick fog.

“Desa?” I called out. 

“This class is pointless when I could fly to you right now,” she replies, her annoyance tangible even from afar. 

“Do you have a clue as to where we are?” I ask her, peering over Dain’s shoulder at the map he clutches, the lines and markings unfurling like a story waiting to be told. 

“South of Basgiath. Just on the other side of the mountains.” 

I leaned over the crinkled map in Dain's hands. “Desa says we’re here.” My voice was low, almost a whisper as I pointed at a spot on the map. “Basgiath is just on the other side of the mountain range.”

Dain squinted at the map, brow furrowed in concentration. “Cath confirms,” he murmured. “So we just need to go east to reach the extraction point?”

“We’re obviously west! Look at the mountains!” 

“Look at the sun! We’re clearly to the north!” The Infantry cadets were locked in a heated debate, their voices rising and falling in a cacophony of confusion, hands pointing and maps being shoved together, each claiming to have the correct answer. 

“Can we leave them?” I inquired aloud, my voice barely cutting through the noise as I took a sip from my waterskin. The cool liquid sloshed against my throat, but it did little to quell the rising anxiety within me. 

“I’m with Wren. They’re already on my nerves.” Imogen’s arms were crossed, her stance firm as she leaned against a tree, her eyes flickering over the commotion with a mixture of irritation and amusement. The tension in the air was palpable, thick as the looming clouds gathering overhead, as we watched the cadets begin to throw punches.

Suddenly, a rustle from the underbrush caught my attention, followed by a low growl that sent shivers racing down my spine. “Was that…” I started, my voice hitching as I slowly turned to glance over my shoulder.

“Dragon!” A shrill voice cut through the chaos, and we all turned as one to behold the glowing eyes of a green dragon peering out from the shadows. 

“No one moves!” Dain’s voice thundered, slicing through the panic. “Eyes to the ground. Do. Not. Run.”

The tension was electric; I could feel it crackling in the air as riders instinctively dropped their gazes, but behind me, I heard the high-pitched shrieks of two Infantry cadets. I turned in horror to see them frozen, their eyes locked on the dragon’s hungry gaze. 

“Get down!” I shouted, my heart racing, but the warning came too late. In a heartbeat, the green dragon unleashed a torrent of flames. “Desa!” I yelled, desperation clawing at my throat.

“Already on it!” A flash of movement caught my eye as Desa barreled in, her powerful jaws clamping around the green dragon’s mouth, pinning it with a force that reverberated through the ground beneath me. “Now would be a good time to run.” 

A wave of relief washed over me as I witnessed my dragon’s protective instincts in action, and I couldn’t help but sigh. 

“I have never been more grateful for how protective Desa is.” Imogen laughs as she pulls up the fallen Infantry cadets.

“Everyone to the east! Let's go!” I shouted, urgency ringing in my voice as I positioned myself to ensure everyone made it to safety.

“This has to be against the rules,” Dain grumbled, his expression a mixture of disbelief and concern.

“Would you prefer to be dead?” I snapped back, adrenaline coursing through my veins. “They said we had to get to extraction the hard way in case we were separated from our dragons. But we’ll always have our bonds, so obviously we can use them.” I shrugged, leading the tail end of our group with determination. “They also never said anything about our dragons finding us first.”

“I’m just saying, Wren. You won’t always have Desa.” Dain’s voice was stern, a warning laced within the words. “We’re supposed to do this without them.”

“Dain, I can a hundred percent guarantee that the day you see me without Desa, I’m fucking dead.” My voice was low, fierce as I turned to meet his gaze, the intensity of my emotions pouring out. “Now let's go.” 

I approached my room after finally making it back from Land Nav three days later. I'm in desperate need of a shower and at least 12 hours of sleep. As I reached for the door, a familiar laugh broke through the haze of my frustration. 

“How was RSC?” Garrick’s voice rang out, teasingly lighthearted. The sound made my insides churn. I could almost feel the echo of his laughter resonating against my throbbing side. 

I grumble a response, unable to mask my irritation and with a heavy sigh, I push open the door, the familiar scent of my room wrapping around me like a comforting embrace. I made a beeline for my bag, my fingers brushing against the fabric as I pulled it onto my shoulder. But as I turned to leave, a figure emerged from the shadows, causing me to jump and wince.

“Shit, Xay. Why are you sneaking around my room?” I exclaimed, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly at the sight of him. 

His eyes narrowed, scanning me with an intensity that made me instinctively flinch. “Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice low and steady, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me. I felt the weight of his gaze settle on the hand I instinctively pressed against my side.

“I’m fine,” I sighed, forcing my feet to move towards the door, but Xaden wasn’t having it. He stepped in front of me, blocking my path with a quiet determination that sent a flicker of warmth through my chest. “Let me see,” he commanded gently, lifting my shirt with a careful hand. I winced at the sight of the blue and purple bruise blooming across my side, a testament to my futile attempt to break up the fight between the two Riders and an infantry cadet. I had thought I could step in, play the mediator, but instead, I had become collateral damage in their reckless skirmish.

“Who did this to you?” Xaden growled, his voice a low rumble that seemed to vibrate in the air between us, thick with concern. 

“Couple of idiots got into a fist fight during RSC, and I fell. Desa already scorched them. I’m fine,” I replied, attempting to brush off his worry with a wave of my hand, though the tremor in my voice betrayed the ache that settled deep within my bones. I tugged my shirt down, the fabric whispering against my skin, a futile attempt to shield the bruising beneath. “Can I go shower now?” 

“Did the healers do anything?” His tone remained steadfast, scowling at my side as I made my way to the shower. I felt a flicker of annoyance at his persistence, the kind that made my heart ache with a blend of frustration and relief at his caring.

“It wasn’t going to magically heal with the worthless supplies they left us.” I sighed, pushing through the door to the bathroom, the cool air colliding with the heat of my anger, making me wince once more. Xaden reached up to hold the door, his body a sturdy barrier against my impatience. 

I struggled to strip myself of the sweat-soaked clothes, the fabric clinging stubbornly to my skin, but Xaden was already moving, efficient and unyielding as he stepped closer. His presence was warm, grounding, and as he reached for the hem of my shirt, my breath caught in my throat. 

“Let me help you,” he murmured, his voice dropping an octave, softening the edges of the moment. The way he looked at me, a mix of worry and fierce protectiveness, sent my heart racing. I froze, caught in the gravity of his gaze as he carefully pulled the shirt over my head. His fingers brushed against my skin like a whisper, moving down the length of my arms, slowly working the fabric over my hands, leaving behind a trail of goosebumps that ignited my senses. 

His hands then ventured towards my pants, tugging down the fabric along with my underwear. Xaden, ever attuned to my needs, turned to adjust the water. I'm guided under the stream, the warm water pelting my muscles with a welcoming force, washing away the remnants of exhaustion and pain that clung to me like a second skin. 

I let out a moan, my body responding to the warmth that penetrated deep into my sore limbs. Xaden’s hands moved with a deliberate ease, kneading my muscles and easing the tightness that had settled in. 

His presence felt like a cocoon, shielding me from the world outside, as he moved to my hair, the cool droplets falling softly against my scalp. I leaned into him, surrendering to the sensation as he gently began to wash the matted mess that once was my braid, carefully working through the knots with nimble fingers. A sigh escaped my lips, the heat of the water chasing the exhaustion from my bones, but as he tipped my head back, the water cascaded over the sore muscles of my neck, sending a rush of pain straight to my brain.

“Oh Gods—” I cursed, my voice a hiss as the ache surged through me. “Hurts,” I mumble with a soft whine.

"I know, Little Bird. Just a little longer." Xaden’s promise wrapped around me, his tone soothing as he lathered soap against my body. His fingers continued to ease the ache in my muscles, the warmth of his touch seeping into my skin, creating an intoxicating blend of comfort and tenderness. He rubbed small circles against my hips, and as the pain began to drift away, I surrendered to the gentle waves of relief.

After several minutes of soothing kneads and relaxing circles, his fingers danced to my shoulders, and the pressure built into something else entirely—a different kind of ache that coiled tight in my chest, making it hard to breathe. Still, he didn’t stop, his hands traveling down to my fingertips, each caress delicate and intentional, igniting sparks that traveled along my skin like electricity. 

He dropped my soap and rinsed my body off, a ritualistic cleansing that felt almost sacred in its intimacy. "Xay," I softly moaned as his hands smoothed over my skin, ensuring not a single bubble remained on me. 

"All clean, Little Bird." He smiled, the warmth in his eyes melting away any remnants of discomfort. He shut off the water and wrapped me in a towel, his movements gentle yet decisive. "Let's get you to bed." 

I nodded softly, leaning into him as he picked up my shower bag, my heart fluttering at the tender care he offered. It wasn’t until we stepped into the hall that I realized he was still dressed, the squish of his soaked boots echoing against the stone. 

"Shit, Xay, you're soaked," I pointed out, the corners of my mouth tugging upward despite the situation.

"It's okay," he laughed softly, his voice a balm for my worries. “I’ll get you dressed and in bed, and then I’ll go change, okay? Don’t worry about me.” 

His assurance wrapped around me like a comforting cloak, and soon I found myself settled in bed, donning an oversized t-shirt—probably one of Xaden's that I had stolen—and a pair of shorts. The exhaustion that clung to me was relentless, and I surrendered to it, drifting into a deep sleep almost instantly.

I haven’t spoken to Xaden since Threshing, a time that now feels like a lifetime ago. The memory of that moment lingers like a shadow in the recesses of my mind, deepening with every passing day. After I confided in him about the unsettling vision I had—seeing Jack and his reckless friends chase after the golden feathertail—Xaden and Sgaeyl vanished into the tangled embrace of the woods, as if the trees had swallowed them whole. 

I placed Sgaeyl in the perfect vantage point to witness Violet's fierce defense of the smaller dragon, Inow, Violet stood intertwined with the mate of my boyfriend’s dragon, destined to be eternally tethered to each other, a connection so profound it seemed to dwarf the ties between Xaden and me.

I sealed his mental door, and began isolating myself. I filled my hours with distractions, lingering where I knew he wouldn't be, never allowing our paths to cross in the way they once had. 

This weekend would be a respite from my attempts, since I find myself confined in a cell with my squad for the next RSC session—interrogations. 

The key in the pack beneath my dresser.

We had been instructed to share a personal secret, an exercise meant to forge bonds and strip away facades. My squadmates offered the simplest revelations—whispers of weakness and insecurities. But when the circle turned to me, I found myself at a loss. The secrets I held felt heavy on my tongue, yet they couldn't surface. Instead, I uttered the thought that had plagued me for weeks, “I think Xaden and I are done.” 

The words hung in the air like a weighty stone, drawing the gazes of my squad mates, their eyes wide with disbelief. 

“I don’t believe it!” Imogen exclaimed, laughter escaping her lips before faltering as she caught sight of the tears pooling in my eyes. “Wren…”

“It’s nearly impossible to maintain a relationship outside the bond of mated dragons. You’re always stationed together; your connection exists because of the dragons. Violet and Xaden are destined for each other in the end.” 

“That’s a shitty secret,” Cianna muttered, her voice dripping with disdain.

“I’m sorry, do you know something about me that I don’t? Please, enlighten me.” I snapped, hastily drying my tears, feeling the heat of anger rise.

“What’s your signet?” Heaton probed, genuine curiosity flickering in his eyes.

“Didn’t get one,” I replied too quickly, my heart racing. 

“You bonded with your mother’s dragon and didn’t get a signet? I call bullshit,” Cianna chortled, her laughter echoing off the cold stone walls. 

“We’re not doing this,” Dain interjected, his tone firm. “We’re a squad; we have to work as a team.”

“Then let Signetless take the brunt of the torture. Since we'll have to do the heavy lifting on the field,” Cianna shot back, her voice sharp as she kicked the solitary metal chair toward me.

“She’s our best fighter and a brilliant strategist. Just because she doesn’t have a signet doesn’t diminish her value,” Dain defended, as the cell door swung open, revealing our interrogator.

“Then put her in the chair, Cadet Aetos. If she’s as valuable as you claim, let’s see if she breaks,” came the cool, authoritative voice of our professor’s assistant as he stepped into the room, chains clinking ominously as they secured our squad to the back wall, leaving me bound to the chair like a sacrificial lamb. 

“Tell me, Little Bird, do you break easily?” the interrogator murmured into my ear like a snake’s hiss. 

“You haven’t earned the right to call me that,” I retorted, keeping my head defiantly turned away from him, my heart racing with adrenaline.

“Tell us the passphrases, and we’ll let you all go unscathed. Refuse, and we’ll ensure this pretty little bird can’t chirp anymore.” He says to those chained behind me.

“Don’t! I can handle it,” I warned my squad, my voice steady despite the unease bubbling within me. But before I could brace myself, a hand struck my cheek, jolting my senses.

“Always the hero, aren’t you?” he taunted, his grip unyielding as he forced my jaw to move so our eyes met. “Did you know we’re allowed to do our research before we interrogate? There’s a plethora of information about you out there, Wrenley.” His grip tightened, the pain radiating through my jaw, but I refused to show weakness. “The girl who bonded her dead mother’s dragon. The orphan of a rider who died for Navarre, and a healer who betrayed the very people his wife sacrificed her life to save. It’s all so tragic, really.”

“You know nothing of my parents,” I spat, the words spilling from my lips like venom. He merely brushed it off, tsking with a nonchalance that ignited my fury, his fist meeting my other cheek in a swift, punishing blow.

I tasted blood as it pooled in my mouth, the metallic tang sharp against my tongue. “I know plenty, just like how I know plenty about your boyfriend. I mean who doesn’t?” His eyes flickered toward the table against the wall, where a menagerie of blades lay waiting. Each one glimmered, reflecting the light with promises of pain and torment. “The son of the great betrayer, bonded to a mated dragon whose mate has a new rider.”

“You won’t break me,” I vowed, my voice strong as I spat out more blood, my resolve unwavering.

“Oh sweetheart, I don’t need to break you. But I can break him.” His gaze shifted to Dain, who was already struggling against his chains, a look of determination etched across his face. “He cares a lot, doesn’t he?”

“We’re not friends,” I muttered, just quiet enough for Dain to remain oblivious.

“That’s a shame.” The interrogator rested a blade against my thigh, pressing it into the fabric of my pants, the cold steel biting into my skin. “So, he wouldn’t break if you were near death?”

“Like you said, I’m a traitor’s kid—a marked one. Do your worst.” 

“We’ll see,” he replied, a cruel smile playing on his lips as the air grew thick.

We didn’t break, we certainly didn’t escape either. Nolon had skillfully mended my cracked ribs and the deep gashes that marred my body like jagged scars on a weathered tapestry. Dain escorted me to my room, his orders echoing in my ears—rest and return to classes only when I was ready. Today, a full day later, I found myself traversing the corridors with Bodhi and Imogen. I understood all too well that my squad mates thought me as a hindrance to the quadrant, but I'm determination not to give them more reasons to resent my existence. So, I attended classes today.

As we made our way across the courtyard, my gaze flickered to the side where Violet and Dain were in a heated argument. In the shadows, Xaden lurked, his presence almost palpable, an unspoken tension clinging to the atmosphere around him. Just as he shifted, stepping toward me, a piercing scream shattered the fragile silence. 

“Make it stop!” The voice belonged to a Third Wing first-year, panic etched across his face. His hands clutched his head, fingers tangled in his hair as he stumbled down the steps of the rotunda, desperation spilling from his lips like a prayer gone awry. “For gods’ sake, make it stop.”

Not again.

A ripple of concern surged through the crowd as cadets began to circle around the boy. 

“Jeremiah!” 

“You!” He spun around, fury igniting his features as he pointed accusingly at a third-year student, Grace, if my memory served right. “You think I’ve lost it!” His head tilted at an unnatural angle, reminiscent of a marionette whose strings had gone awry. His voice, once frantic, now shifted into a dissonant whisper, “How does he know? He shouldn’t know!” His frantic gaze darted from one face to another, until it landed squarely on Dain. “Is Violet going to hate me forever? Why can’t she see that I just want to keep her alive? How is he…? He’s reading my thoughts!”

I reached out mentally, trying to penetrate the veil of his turmoil, to ease the storm of worry raging within him after spotting Professor Carr's hurried steps.

“Get out!” Jeremiah commanded, his eyes locking onto mine with a fierce intensity. “It’ll be okay, just take a breath.” His tone was a soothing balm against the panic, but Jeremiah’s cries rang out again, “Get out of my head!”

“Do something,” I heard Violet plead, her voice trembling, and I knew it was Xaden beside her as the shadows began to creep ominously toward Jeremiah.

“Start mentally reciting whatever bookish shit you’ve learned.” 

“I’m sorry?”

“Clear your thoughts! If you value your secrets, do it now,” Xaden ordered, his urgency palpable as he maneuvered through the throng to reach me. “Let me in,” he growled, shoving Bodhi aside as if he were nothing more than a fleeting shadow. I cracked open the door to my mind, and his thoughts flooded in, a torrential wave of urgency crashing over me. “We can’t save him. Leave his mind before you get exposed.”

“He deserves some peace for what Carr is about to do,” I countered defiantly.

“And you!” Jeremiah’s gaze locked onto Garrick, his despair palpable. “Damn it all to hell, he’ll know about—” But shadows coiled around Jeremiah’s mouth, silencing his frantic words. His eyes, wide and pleading, locked onto mine as I pressed down on his anxiety, forcing him to calm.

“Get out now before Carr kills him.” The urgency clawed at my throat, yet I held my ground as cadets began shouting accusations, branding him an inntinnsic. Then, with a sickening crack that echoed like a death knell, I was thrust out of Jeremiah’s mind. His lifeless eyes stared blankly at me as he fell, the finality of his existence crashing down like an avalanche of despair. 

A harsh gasp tore itself from my throat, my breath caught in my chest, the taste of loss sharp and metallic.

“Breathe, Little Bird.” Xaden’s hand gripped my arm, grounding me as tears pooled in my eyes. I had felt Jeremiah die, had sensed the moment his soul met Malek in an unforgiving embrace. “Come on.” He guided me away from the circle, pulling me to the shadowy corner where the school’s walls met the aged buildings, a sanctuary amid chaos. “Talk to me, Wren.”

“Not… worried about… Violet now?” My words came out in jagged gasps, the sick feeling in my chest beginning to ease, if only slightly.

“Should’ve left his head on time,” Desa chastised, her voice laced with disappointment.

“You’ve been ignoring me for a month now, Wren. What is going on?” Xaden pressed, his gaze piercing through the fog of uncertainty that enveloped me.

“You and Violet have this connection that will never fade. I will always be a third wheel in my own relationship because if one of you dies, so will the other.” The words tumbled out, raw and unrefined, but I refused to shed tears over this again.

“How many times do I have to say that I love you? Only you. Always have, always will.” His desperation was tangible, a lifeline thrown in turbulent seas. “You are the love of my life, Wrenley! No dragon mating bond is going to change that.”

“But the way you look at her will,” I replied, my heart aching as his expression faltered.

“Xaden,” Garrick’s voice broke through, quiet but insistent. “We have to go.”

“Shit,” Xaden muttered, a flicker of frustration crossing his features as he trapped me against the wall, his intensity consuming the space between us. “We’re going to talk when I get back. I’m not letting you run from this. From us.”

“Xaden!” Garrick called again, urgency threading through his words as he reached for him, attempting to pull him away.

“Don’t bot—”

“We are not giving up until we talk.” Xaden’s hands cupped my face, a silent promise forged in the heat of the moment. “Promise me we’ll talk.” All I could do was nod, the weight of my own emotions heavy on my shoulders, before Xaden pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead and, with a final glance, took off running with Garrick, leaving me standing in the shadows.

next part

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[annie-creates]

The greatest mistake | Part 4

Pairing: Dain Aetos x Riorson reader

Genre: fluff

Words: 2022

Note: The finale is here! Settle in for some teeth-rotting fluff. Please be aware not every detail might be completely true to the canon source material. Thank you to everyone who was reading my little series and let me know what you think!

Masterlist | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

It took a week for you to be able to take the bandage completely off your face and see fully again. You were excused from challenges for the time being, but that also meant you weren’t able to train. Furthermore you avoided Dain anywhere you went, because your heart was torn between the need to run away in protection of yourself and falling back into his arms because you still loved him, no matter how much you tried to convince yourself you didn’t. The only bright side was that Xaden had finally overcome his wounded pride and started slowly talking to you again, even though you didn’t make it easy for him either.

But he got off quite well in comparison to Dain, because you really loved and wanted your brother. It helped that he kept sincerely apologizing for all the hurtful things he said and assuring you that your father loved you and still would love you and be proud of you very much. Your dragon kept pestering him with annoyed remarks, but Xaden took it like a champion realizing his mistakes. The one thing you weren’t brave enough to talk to him about was your strained relationship with Dain though, you knew what kind of opinion he had about him and you weren’t suicidal enough to bring it up.

In reality you were scared to face Dain. In all your relationship he has never seen you so raw and vulnerable, with your faults and weaknesses facing out. You were scared to talk about the things he’d seen and you knew he’d ask if he had the chance. So you didn’t give it to him. But you also couldn’t stay away. You silently watched him across the dining hall, followed his steps on the mat in challenges. It’s like you were connected by an invisible thread, always guiding you back to him.

After a week of not being able to train and spending too much time in the library studying as a result, you miss the sunshine and you miss the thrill of a good soaring challenge. So you couldn’t be happier when you’re finally cleared for fighting again, your eye fully healed and leaving only a light pink scar that will hopefully go away in a few days. You walk into the gym and see Dain giving training orders to his squad, so that’s where you go after he sends them off. It was time to stop dancing around each other.

“Hey, you’ve got a minute?” You ask him with a carefree smile, gathering all your courage.

“Sure, what for?” He returns your smile, a little surprised.

“I need to breach in my training and I’ve actually never fought with you before.” You ask him to the mat.

“Are you sure you’re ready for it?” He knew better than to question you, but he still tried. “You were hurt just a week ago, nobody will mind if you have a few more days off.”

“Absolutely sure.” You dismiss his concerns, there was no convincing you otherwise when you had already decided on something. “Wait till I kick your ass.”

You rile him up, walking to the nearest mat, not wasting any more time before getting into position. The fight is actually quite good, Dain quicky realizing there’s no point holding back with you. Where you were lacking in power you compensated in stamina and speed, catching him unprepared here or there. You both succeeded getting each other on your knees or back a few times, Dain currently holding you down pinned with his legs.

“You are a menace.” Dain laughs breathlessly.

“Thank you. I try.” You laugh back, your breaths mingling.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Xaden’s gruffy voice rings out, cutting your banter short.

Dain helps you up then and you watch Xaden stepping in, followed by his squad of empty-headed ducklings. You feel Dain go rigid next to you, arms folding over his chest just like your own. Maybe your relationship was complicated right now, but you still won’t let Xaden put him down, and as it seems, Dain won’t let Xaden talk down to you either.

“What does it look like?” Dain challenges, stepping in front of you a little.

“Like you’re trying to beat my little sister up.” Xaden spits angrily.

“We’re just training.” You step between them, trying to calm them both down.

“Oh, then you chose a great opponent to do that with.” Xaden pesters you, switching his sight to Dain. “Some protector, are you?”

“Hey. It’s not like you’re training with her.” Dain doesn’t back down. “It’s not like you’re protecting her.”

“Who I train with is none of your business.” You argue with Xaden. “And if I remember correctly you said I’m not your sister anymore, so why do you care.”

“You have no business fraternizing with him.” You clearly struck a painful nerve as he finally looks at you.

“Who I fraternize with is none of your damn business.” You turn on your heel grabbing Dain’s hand and marching out of the gym as if to prove your point.

“Like hell it is. I’m not gonna let you…” Xaden yells at you but your lungs are stronger.

“Let me!? You have no grounds letting me do anything.” You remind him, he was still on thin ice.

“You’re gonna do as I say!” He orders furiously, desperate for control.

“Watch me.” You challenge as you grab Dain by his collar and pull him down into a show off kiss, just to spite your brother. “Let’s go.”

You grab his hand once more, almost running out of the gym, not wanting to see Xaden’s surely pissed reaction. Dain doesn’t argue, he may be self-confident, but he knows he’d be no match to Xaden in the state of rage he is in. Both of you are taken back by the sudden kiss you didn’t plan for, but you don’t speak and only hold hands in a shared silent understanding of urgency until you reach your room. The air is still as he sits on the edge of your bed, you lean on the rim of your desk.

For a moment, nobody speaks, he’s just looking around your room. The scattered homework. The nearly full bottle of solution you got for your scars that makes his lips quirk up in a faint smile. And you’re studying him like as if you look intensely enough, you’ll be able to read him like an open book just like Xaden does, to see if he’s really remorseful and honest with you. But you can’t read people, so you’ll have to trust him. Can you do that?

“I’m sorry… about the kiss. I didn’t really plan on that.” You break the silence timidly.

“Don’t be. I… I missed you so damn much.” He admits, afraid to meet your eyes. “I am so sorry for what I did Y/n.”

With a heavy sigh you sit on your bed facing him, no longer able to avoid the conversation. This is it. You’ll have to confront his actions and your feelings and that made you so fuckin nervous. Your muscles were so tense they could snap, and you absentmindedly pick your switchblade out of your pocket to play with it in your lap.

“I’m sorry Y/n, I should have never let you go. I’m an idiot, and I’ll never forget that.” He shakes his head, watching your skilled fingers. “I just hope one day you can forgive me. I don’t want to be the reason for a single scar more on your body.”

“It’s not only that Dain.” You admit heavily. “You picked your father over me, you dropped me the minute he didn’t approve of me, and I… I understand. Really. I’m not a great girlfriend. I’m marked. A daughter of the rebellion, of the great betrayer. But it still hurt damn much.”

“That’s not what you are.” He answers rapidly, holding your gaze this time with so much intent it almost breaks you. “I’m so sorry that’s what I made you feel like. Because that’s not at all who you are to me. You’re not a traitor, you’re not unworthy or flawy. I can’t believe I was such an idiot to let you believe that.”

“I’m sorry, it’s just… complicated.” You sigh. “Well at least you’ve had a better conversation with me than my brother did.”

“What’s the deal with him?” Dain asks. “I mean, other than normally being a dick.”

“Well, he disowned me after I went with you to the reunification day. Said I’m a disgrace to my family and my father would be disappointed in me.” You admit ashamedly after a little laugh. “And even though he keeps apologizing, I can’t help but wonder if he was right, at least a little.”

“Do you think he would be ashamed?” he asks carefully.

“How would I know. He’s dead.” You avoid his gaze now. “It’s not like I can ask him for opinions or advice, or if I’m a good enough daughter to him.”

“Y/n, I’m sure your father would be proud of you.” Dain holds your chin to make you look at him. “Look at you, you’re strong, and clever, agile, and you bonded an amazing dragon. I think he couldn’t ask for his daughter to turn out more perfectly.”

“How would you know, you didn’t know him.” You say with a watery laugh.

“Maybe I didn’t need to know him. I know you. And I know you’re pretty fuckin perfect.” He looks at you so intensely it makes your stomach dance.

“I’m not perfect.” You sigh.

“You are to me.” Dain exclaims, still holding you. “And I’ll spent every day of my stupid miserable life proving that to you.”

“You don’t have to do that.” You blush.

“Yes, I do. And it still won’t be enough. Because what I did was inexcusable, and still here I am, begging for your forgiveness on things that shouldn’t be forgiven. But I’ll be damned if I don’t spend every day apologizing and telling you how much I love you.” His words hold heaviness and vulnerability you’ve never seen before. “I was an idiot. I tried to dump my own insecurities on you, because it was easier than facing the truth.”

“You’re not…” But he doesn’t let you interrupt him.

“The truth is, I don’t care about a single damn person in this world but you. You’re my only concern Y/n. And if you ask, I’ll let the world burn for you.” His eyes are filled with urgency for you to believe his words, because they’re the truth.

“Dain…” You whisper, eyes boring into his.

After a minute of his revelation seeping into every fiber of your body, you kiss him. Slowly, your lips gliding against his, bathing in the raw emotions and desire for each other. For a moment, the world around you doesn’t exist, it’s only him and you. He holds your waist, guiding you to sit in his lap so he can be as close to you as humanly possible. He’d never wish to spend another minute separated from you.

“I’ll be damned if I waste another minute not being right next to you.” Dain breaths out.

“Wait…” You whisper before you get too lost in his smell and his smile and everything that’s so unmistakably him. “About the scars…”

“You don’t have to tell me.” He assures you, seeing as you don’t really know what to say. “Your scars are your own. You can share them when you’re ready. And if that day never comes, that’s okay too. But know that I’ll be happy to help you carry any weight I can. You’re not alone.”

“Thank you.” You whisper before curling into him, embraced by his strong arms.

Maybe your life will never be easy, but you felt it could be a tad bit more light-weighted if you had Dain by your side, sharing your burdens and fortune. And he would do anything to stand right next to you. Even if he’d take his last breath protecting you, it would be worth living his life.

Tags: @desprrssooo-espresssooooo @bellblake @lagrandeourse

[littleemissperfecttt]

Broken Bonds

Xaden Riorsen x Riorsen Reader (Platonic) Oneshot Tw: Angst, targeted bullying, mention of blood, neglection

You coughed slightly feeling the blood drip down your stomach, this was yet another beating you got from the fellow marked ones. You could easily stop them you were the strongest of your year of course but you didn’t. Why? Because it was one of your brother’s rules, the brother you loved and respected so much

The brother that hates you, the reason? You didn’t know and you never asked the only thing you wanted to do was make him proud before you die, you at least wanted him to acknowledge your presence, love you and treat you like a baby like he used to before your mother left.

Then you lost your father, the Fen Riorsen the one who led the rebellion. You didn’t have anyone by your side to hold you and tell you everything was going to be alright, your brother now has found himself a family who would protect him-  Garrick Tavis his right hand man and childhood friend, Bhodi Durran your cousin, Imogen Cardulo the pink hair girl who was once your best friend sister if you may call it- you wanted to be there too, to be by your brothers side but you were too afraid of his hatred

You had heard his words before and it broke everything inside you, yet you are here trying to be the best sister he could ask for. You learnt to be a healer for a year before you had to come to Basgiath. You helped the marked ones whenever you could and took their beating when they were angry

You stumbled into your room exhausted after the beating, you couldn’t walk straight because the pain in your legs was very sever. The only thing you could do right now was tend to your wounds and hold yourself together

‘You shouldn’t do this to yourself young one’ you heard your dragon say in your head ‘taking beatings like these when you clearly are stronger’ you knew your dragon was mad

‘I can’t defy my brother’s rules Cal you know it better than anyone’ you replied hissing softly as you tend to your wounds

‘Your brother didn’t give you any sort of rule that was to get yourself beaten’ she said angrily

‘But he did tell me not to raise my hand on any marked one if that’s outside of the mat’ you argued back as you finished tending your wound

‘I do not know or understand why you do this to yourself, you are my rider and the strongest, kindest and the most self-sacrificing human I have ever seen. That is why I chose you young one but I can’t stand here and see you repair yourself alone’ she said angrily and cut the connection off

You sighed softly knowing you made your dragon angry yet again but what choice did you have other than this to get your brothers attention?

“Its time for dinner” you said out loud to yourself as you wore your uniform again and went to eat dinner

-

“She’s stumbling” Xaden heard Imogen say with concern

“Who?” Garrick asked though everyone knew who she was talking about

Imogen nervously glanced at Xaden before whispering “Y/n, she wasn’t hurt the last time I saw her and that was like 30 minutes ago, she even beat the guy who challenged her in 20 seconds”

“I have observed this…” Bhodi began “she is always hurt before dinner, I wonder why she covers her face with her hair like that?”

Yet no one moved to check on his sister including him, he didn’t know why they never talked to her. He never restricted them to do anything of that sort. Its just him who avoids talking to her though he should as she is his sister

He had seen it too how withdrawn his sister was and how no one talked to her, how she kept to herself and never bothering anyone with anything. She had taught herself to fight and was the strongest in her year. She had her face covered with her hair as always like she wanted to be invisible or wanted to hide something

You were sitting alone in the far end of the big hall near the trash no one tried talking to you not even the marked ones and just like that you got up. Xaden observed how little you ate, He was concerned for you he was your brother after all

‘You should talk to her’ Sgaeyl urged him, she always did she was fond of his sister and would often stay in the shadows of the forest to look at her talking to her dragon

He saw someone follow you outside he was a marked one too, he would usually ignore Sgaeyl but this time something in his gut made him feel something was wrong and so he stood didn’t explain anything to his friends and walked out following the guy who followed you

He thought the instinct he had was just false maybe the guy just wanted some fresh air, that thought was broken when he hurt a small pained gasp

-

You wanted to go and talk to Cal tell not to be so angry with you since she hasn’t been talking to you, you didn’t know someone was following you until someone grabbed you by the arm and pinned you to the wall

You let out a pained gasp as the wall was pressing against the wounds that were yet to be treated. You lifted your face to look who it was so you could fight back as soon as you saw who it was you stopped struggling, Alex Seraphiswas his name, he was one of your regular beaters

“Where do you think you are going?” he asked in a hushed voice his grip on your arm like stell

“M-my dragon’s waiting for me” you said in a whisper

His eyes narrowed at your whisper “I think she can wait more” he said his grip tightening making you hiss

“You can hit me tomorrow please let me go now” you whimpered

“Oh I don’t want to hit you I want something more” he said as he leaned down to kiss your neck, you were shocked when you realised what he meant this was his revenge on you for beating up his friend on the mat

“No” you said and struggled

“No?” he said in amusement “Last time I checked you can’t fight because of many reasons and-“

He couldn’t finish his sentence as he was thrown back to the wall “who the fuc-“ Alex started his sentence but his voice faltered when he saw who it was, you were stunned too

You had never in your wildest had thought your brother would finally notice you would finally help you

“I am letting you live because your parents helped my father run or I will do something I will not regret” Xaden said calmly as Alex dashed away

He turned around to face you “Xaden-“ you started

“What the heck we-“ he stopped himself when he finally looked at you, your bruised face which you had forgotten to cover with your hair “who the fuck did this!?” he demanded as he held your arm making you hiss

“I will explain later” you whispered to him “I have to go to the lake”

“Why” he demanded his voice filled with concern

“Cal- my dragon she’s waiting for me there” you told him quietly, you honestly didn’t know if he knew your dragons name so you had to mention that to him

Your pov-

“I know your freaking dragons name Y/n!” he said in frustration as he held me and started walking towards the flight field

“Not there” I whispered and told him mine and Cal’s secret place of meeting, he was surprised of course but walked you to the location anyway

As soon as me and Xaden reached your secret spot Cal growled at him as I lifted my hand at her “He isn’t here to hurt me Cal” I said softly

“I don’t believe him but for your sake I won’t do anything to him, if he does anything I will-“

“I know I know” I cut her off

“What did she say?” Xaden asked I was about reply when another dragon landed next to Cal, Sgaeyl Xaden’s dragon ‘what is she doing here’ I thought to myself

“Don’t worry young one she is here to warn your brother” Cal said

‘Warn my brother what?’ I thought to myself

I took a step away from Xaden as he tried to grip me again “I need to heal myself brother” I told him softly as I entered the small lake

I used my signet- water to heal myself. As water is in my body I am able to heal myself and also other cadets when needed but no one knew about it until now

I healed myself and walked towards my dragon “Cal you are not mad at me anymore are you?” I asked softly she turned away before replying ‘how can I possibly be angry with you young one’

I smiled at her words and hugged her head “thank you Cal” I whispered softly

‘I am sorry but I have to do this Y/n’ she said in my head

“What do you mean?” I asked worried this is the first time ever since we bonded that she called me by my name

Then I heard a sound from behind me I turned around quickly to find Xaden on his knees I was about to rush over to him to help him when Sgaeyl blocked my way

‘I am showing him everything that happened with you in the quadrant young one’ Cal said ‘I know it wasn’t my secret to share but I also knew you would never ever tell your brother of your troubles’

“B-but” I stared but was cut off when I heard whimpering “Sgaeyl please let me pass” I begged I needed to get to my brother

She was reluctant I could see it but she moved away as per my request

I quickly rushed to Xaden’s side and kneeled down beside him “Brother” I whispered as I touched his shoulder

“I am sorry” he chocked out as he grabbed me and hugged me tightly “I was so selfish I was thinking about myself and forgot all about you, I-I didn’t know Imogen would break her friendship with you out of loyalties towards me, I didn’t know you would offer yourself to the marked ones to take their anger out, I didn’t know anything yet you never complained and I completely forgot you were only human I let the marked ones hate you because they thought I hated you” he sobbed hugging me

“I don’t hate you sister I never have yes I was angry when mother left us and I took it out on you b-but I didn’t know that would give out the impression that I hated you” he held me tight as though I would vanish if he would let me go “I am sorry I wasn’t there I am so very sorry you are my sister my only sister my blood but I neglected you and even I don’t have a reason for my neglect the only thing I can do is apologise and hope you would give me a chance to prove myself to be a brother to you again”

His words shook me as I started trembling in his arms I have been waiting for him to finally see me and now he has I have never been happier. If this is a dream I hope I never wake up from it ever. I slowly returned the hug

“Of course brother” I whispered to him as we both let out our pain to one another

‘Is it really a new start for me and my brother? Will we be fine? Will I find new friends? Will people start talking to me again? Will Imogen be my friend again?’ I asked myself these questions as I held onto my brother like my life depended on it and this time it was because this was a new start for us and I will make sure nothing bad happens to us ever again

Masterlist

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A/n:

Hello to everyone reading this thank you so much for taking your time to read this fic I hope you enjoyed it. I wanted to let you all know I am going to start a new series called "Changing Destiny" which I will be posting in a few hours, please give it lots of love just the way you gave "The Youngest Sorrengail" fic. Also please do comment your thoughts on all my fics

[mendessi]

things i say when you sleep | chapter eight

multi chapter bodhi durran x fem!oc

word count: 5.2K

chapter summary: bodhi durran on ania alistair

tags: slow burn, friends to enemies to lovers, canon typical violence, mentions of death, she falls first he falls harder, majority canon compliant, some canon deviance, eventual smut, angst with a happy ending, additional tags to be added

AO3 masterlist

six | seven | eight | nine | ten

b o d h i

Ani had always been an exceptional girl.

She'd been a part of my life since I can remember. When I think back to my earliest memories, she's always there.

Once Ani learned to walk, the Alistairs would join our family at Riorson House for weekly dinners. Despite being the youngest, she learned to read before any of us. Every adult I knew always talked about what a bright child she'd grow up to be—a Healer, maybe, just like her mother. 

She and I could always relate, being the youngest of the group. Sometimes we were left out of the plans that Xaden, Garrick, and her brother, Beckett made. Eventually, as we got older, we started to be included too. More often than not, Ania would choose to exclude herself to stay in the library.

But she was always there. Her presence was always there. She was just as much a piece of our family as we were to theirs. The times she did decide to join us, she'd shut her book cooly, but the way her eyes lit up was undeniable.

Sparring with her was always entertaining. Once she turned ten, we started letting her into the gym with us. We thought having a girl on the mat was amusing, but we learned quickly that her adaptability was unmatched. Observing us, she picked things up and engraved them into her brain. She never won, but she always put up a challenge.

With us being the youngest, our mothers always dreamed of the idea that we'd grow up one day and get married. In turn, Xaden, Beckett, and Garrick would tease us. "Lovebirds", they called us. I never minded the jokes, but I'd put a stop to the conversation when I saw Ani's cheeks flush.

Once the rebellion began, the talk became more serious. While Xaden had been betrothed to Catriona, the backup should something happen, I was betrothed to Ania. Under any means necessary, we had to preserve the Throne in Aretia. She never understood the severity past that point. It was still a harmless joke amongst our families to her. How could she understand when she was left in the dark?

We had always planned to tell her, we just never had the chance to. It was hard when her mother was so against it. It was too late when we finally wanted to let her in. Beckett died and we barely had time to blink before the executions. 

The last time I saw Ania, she was thrashing in a man's arms as he pulled her away from us. The new relic shimmered against her skin as she hit his chest. Xaden and I fought for her. We at one point had all managed to grab onto each other but, were ripped apart, and shipped off to new foster homes. 

Years went by and I could nothing but hope that she was being treated right in her new home and grieve what had been taken from us. We were just kids. 

My first year in the quadrant practically flew by. Xaden and I were different and for some deluded reason, we had expected her to remain the same after six years. We were wrong to think that she'd be happy to see us. 

Xaden found me after Parapet and his jaw flexed as he pulled me into a quiet corner where we could talk.

"Is she here?" I asked him. 

"She hates us," He said as he ran a hand over his face. "Wants nothing to do with us."

"What do you mean?" I pressed further. 

"She blames us for Beckett," He replied. "I helped her cross but-"

"She told you this?" I looked around the courtyard to see if I could see her. 

"No, I just know," He sighed, "She's not the same. Just keep your distance til we can figure out how to handle this."

Gods, did she make it hard on us. 

We were fools to think that she could be the same after everything that happened in Aretia. 

Keep my distance. That's all I had to do.  

I didn't question it when Xaden told me she had changed. We all had. The ramifications of the war were not light on any of the Marked ones. The things we went through as kids, molded us as people. 

The Ani that I saw step onto the mat during Assessment Day was not one I was ready for. She'd grown. She was always a beautiful girl, we'd heard it our whole lives, but I was seeing it now.

Our first mistake was sending Quinn in. 

She left the mat with a broken nose, even though she, by technicality, won. Since Ania had yielded. This hard exterior was fascinating. I never imagined Ania to be what other cadets would call "ruthless." I had a hard time grasping the person she had become. 

I didn't heed Xaden's warnings to stay away. How could I when that night, I found her sitting under a tree watching the stars? I instantly was reminded of a time when we were kids. The stars were beautiful from the top of Riorson House. 

Things had seemed to be going well, I was making progress, actually getting through to her. Until I brought up Xaden. 

"She hates us but at least she doesn't seem to be getting closer to anyone else in the quadrant," I said to Xaden as I sat in his room one night. 

"I don't want her to be isolated. Unfortunately, you can't make it here without some sort of teamwork." He replied and I knew he was right. 

Ania was isolating herself. Excluding herself like I'd seen her do on several accounts growing up together. 

We took what felt like a million wrong approaches toward her. We had to tread lightly, and carefully, to avoid pissing her off. We noticed early on that she had developed a very serious anger problem. We'd all been there, all shed it, but her's had stuck. That became the top priority. We could use her anger and do our best to avoid it backfiring. Once she let us in, we needed to focus on her control. 

Her anger would get her killed. 

Only after calling her to the mat did we start to slowly make progress. And it wasn't because of me. If anything, I'd set our progress back to the start. I'd call it tough love, but I'm not sure it deserved that name after I knocked her out. 

"Let me talk to her," Liam had said to us. 

Xaden had told him about Ania during their time being fostered together. Liam had been excited to meet her. He, like us, had been expecting someone different. 

Xaden pondered on the thought, slightly angry with me for taking it too far, and then nodded. 

Liam Mairi had been the first of us to get through to her. 

When Xaden decided that she had trusted Liam enough, he sent me back in. 

With Threshing approaching he was beyond stressed.

"I'm stretched thin," He kept saying.

At this point, it was a matter of if she lived or not would we finally be able to make things right.

"Ani?" I asked. He had been observing in the valley and was supposed to keep an eye on her.

"I lost her," He replied, running a hand through his hair.

'What do you mean 'you lost her'? I raised my voice. 

"Sorrengail was in trouble," He said and he had to put his hands on my shoulders to keep from running into the damn valley myself.

"And what about Ania?" I screamed. 

I forced myself to walk away from him for my own sake. Xaden was not a fight I could win.

I found her squadmates and asked if they had seen her. My stomach sank when Violet returned, and she still hadn't. 

Xaden's jaw ticked and I know he was worried. We had broken Beckett's promise. If he had just kept eyes on her-

"Ani!" The second I found her in the medical tent, my heart sank. I practically ran toward her. 

I cupped her cheeks into my hands my eyes scanning her over to assess her injuries. She looked like she just went through hell and back. Maybe even shook Malek's hand while she was at it.

Her face was covered in blood, hers or someone else's, I'm not sure. Her hand had a gaping hole through the center and I can only imagine it's from a dagger. 

I tilted her head to the side, clenching my jaw when I saw the fresh bruising in the shape of handprints. 

I'm the one who has to control my anger now. The second she tells me who's responsible, I'll fucking kill them. 

"I'll relay to Sgayel that she's okay," Cuir says and I mentally thank him.

Xaden appears within minutes, but I'm still pissed at him. As he surveyed her, I could see regret swimming in his eyes. 

She killed two men. My Ani killed two men. Innocent, bookworm Ania Alistair. A murderer. Justifiably.

But she survived in the process. Ruthless, she lived up to her name. If she looked like this, I'd hate to see the other two. 

With a glare in Xaden's direction, I helped her to the healers after the celebrations begin. She didn't even flinch when her Red Swordtail burned a relic into her skin. 

She's strong. In shock maybe, but strong.

"She made it, she bonded," Xaden said to me when I returned to the flight field. I had members of my own squad that I haven't checked on yet, being too preoccupied with Ania. "Is she okay?"

"She killed two men today, Xaden," I replied with my arms crossed over my chest.

"That's a part of life, Bodhi," He was stern with his tone, "We can't coddle her. Especially when she doesn't let us. Beckett wouldn't want that. We want her to live past the quadrant, yes?"

"Of course," I said. 

"Then we can't hold her hand through it. She's not a kid anymore. We can do our best to protect her and trust me, we will. But we can only do so much." Xaden said.

As much as we want to believe that she's someone we can shield from the hardships of the world, we just can't. "When do we tell her about what's really going on?"

 "We'll take it day by day," He replied with a curt nod.

The next morning when I went to check on her I was not expecting Ridoc Gamlyn of all people to open the door. Shirtless.

His eyes flared wide like he knew he was not where he's supposed to be, "Oh shit."

I ran my tongue against my teeth when Ani appeared behind him standing in nothing but her tunic. I accidentally let my eyes glance her over, noting the angry dagger wound in her thigh.

All I did was look at him, but that seemed to scare him enough for him to scramble out of her room without even putting his shirt or shoes on. 

That was a situation I could've handled better. She didn't need me to be overbearing in that moment and I was, but I couldn't help it. I told myself the anger came from concern over her not letting her injuries heal. I had no right to tell her who she could and couldn't bring into her bed. Or that she can't bring anyone into her bed at all. 

Garrick and I met in Xaden's room that night to talk about the next drop-off. We never made it through a meeting without bringing her up. How could we not? We'd all been there the day Beckett died. Xaden held him in his arms while we surrounded him. We all made a promise. 

"I see her in the gym a lot," Garrick said, "Pretty much every night. If not with Gamlyn then with Liam. She's pretty intense." 

"She still avoiding you?" I asked.

"Yeah, but because I give her the space to. She'll come to me when she's ready." Garrick replied, tapping his fingers mindlessly against the table. "She's got a good head on her shoulders. I think we should consider letting her in."

"I agree. But we can't just pull her aside and lay everything on the table. She's a logical person. Extremely intelligent. We have to plant the idea inside her head, let her figure it out." Xaden explained and then turned to me after a beat, "You should be the one to start. She's starting to trust you."

"I can do it," I nodded.

"Anything else?" Xaden asked. 

"I found Ridoc in her room this morning," I said, trying to ignore Garrick and my cousin's shared glance.

"Does that bother you?" Garrick asked as he crossed his arms. 

"I think that she should be focused on other things, that's all." I defended. I should've kept that to myself.

"As long as she's not sleeping with a psycho like Barlowe, then I hardly think it's our business," Xaden smirked. "Cadet Gamlyn cares for her. In a strictly platonic way."

My cheeks heated up and I hated the way that Garrick and Xaden burst into laughter.

"Some things never change," Garrick laughed as he stood up and pushed his chair in.

Hardly any progress was made from our end. I began to accept the fact that she genuinely wanted nothing to do with us. When we started sparring, she took the notes I gave her and didn't say much to me otherwise. Watching her from a distance as she grew closer and closer to her squadmates was bittersweet. She was meant to be coming on runs with Xaden, Garrick, and me by now. Our dynamic was supposed to have returned to how it had been in Aretia. She made it so hard, but we were not letting up.

Even though I had a way of saying the wrong thing at the wrong times. 

"You don't necessarily make it easy to care about you," I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth that night.

Progress reset once more. 

Xaden took matters into his own hands after that. He finally sat her down and talked to her about the promises he'd made to Beckett regarding her. He was convinced now that moving forward should be easier. We were so close to fully earning her trust.

I was the first one to test that theory.

We finally were able to meet in the gym to spar and I was grateful that I had caught her before she left. 

I let her put me down once, but in her second match, she earned her victory fair and square. 

On round three, I attempt to do what I was sent down here by Xaden to do. 

"Do you remember those stories that Xaden's dad used to tell us?" I asked, as casually as I could. Plant the idea. Let her figure it out.

"About the venin?" She ducks under my arm as I throw a punch. "They were why I was scared of the dark forever. You really wanna bring that up right now?"

She had always been scared of the dark as a kid. There's a distant memory of a night we had a sleepover at Riorson House. Garrick was staying with us for the summer and Beckett and Ani had come over as well. We spent the night playing hide and seek in the dark and trying to scare each other with the tales of the dark wielders. When Beckett and I woke up the next morning, Ani was sleeping at the foot of our bed because she had gotten scared in the guest room by herself. 

I never expected her to manifest moments later. 

There's only one other time in my life I've felt fear like that. The day that our parents were captured and we knew that we had lost the war. 

The scream she let out rattled my bones as I held her. Every mage light in the gym shattered. The second I felt her skin rising in temperature, I lifted her into my arms and carried her to the bathing chambers. I put the water on as cold as the lever would allow, but by the time we got there, I could hardly touch her without wanting to pull away.

"If her power is backlashing, she could kill you in the process," Cuir said through our bond.

"I don't care." I slammed my shields shut to block him out. I just needed to focus on her.

I pulled her tunic over her head to try and cool her off, but she was shivering and her teeth chattered uncontrollably. I couldn't understand how her skin was so hot, yet she seemed to be freezing. Was she going to wield fire? Ice? I couldn't tell.

My hands shook as I cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at me, "You have to ground, Ani. Please. Please ground." 

I'm begging her to ground, I'm telling myself she'll be okay, I'm begging Malek to not take her from me. 

"T-t-the library. R-R-Riorson Ho-use," She said after I asked where she grounds. 

I brushed the wet hair from her face, searching her eyes to do my best to counter whatever the fuck she was manifesting. 

"I'm trying. You're going to be okay, I'm right here." I fought back the tears, trying to catch the glint that would tell me how to counter what was happening. 

We both were drenched, fully clothed as the cold shower sprayed over us. I flinched when the mage lights in the bathroom shattered just like they had in the gym. 

I tucked her body to my chest in case any glass were to fly at us and I realized then how heavy I was breathing.

I'd never felt so hopeless. She was either going to live through this, or she was going to die and take me out with her.

You're okay, you're okay, you're okay.

The whispers were continuously falling off my lips when I finally heard her say my name. When I opened my eyes, the entire bathing chamber was pitch black. But her hands were glowing. 

Magnificent. 

My forehead fell against hers at the sheer relief of hearing her voice. She pulled my face a few inches from hers and I wished I could see her face. I wanted to see her eyes just for the extra confirmation that she'd be alright. 

Light returned to her fingertips, nearly taking my breath away. My hand finds the base of her neck, brushing the soft skin there. Soft, golden light illuminated her face and within an instant, she was the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on.

She gently tugged my face toward her but I held back. I reached for the lever instead, afraid that she'd do something she would regret, and turned the water off. 

After I left Ania in her room, I immediately went to Xaden's, hoping he was still awake. 

"What's going on?" He asked once I stepped inside. "You're dripping water all over my floor."

"She manifested," I said, turning to face him. "And she- Gods, she was so close to fucking backlashing."

"What did she manifest?" Xaden asked me. 

"She can bend light," I said to him. "I had to carry her from the gym to the bathing chamber, she would've combusted if-"

I sat in one of his chairs, covering my face with my hands. The overwhelming feeling of relief settled within me and tears threatened to spill. I don't remember the last time I cried.

"I was so scared," I admitted in a whisper. "I couldn't counter it. I couldn't help her. She was in so much pain and-" 

"You did everything you could," Xaden reassured me with a hand on my shoulder, "She's okay because you were there. Thank you." 

Time was not something gifted to us after she manifested. Between her squad's trip to Montserrat and prep for War Games, I didn't get much time to train with her. I'd wanted to check in so many times, ask how she was, and see how her signet was developing. But there's just no time. 

I replay our time in the shower when she tugged my face toward hers. It was so subtle that I didn't even want to suggest that she was going to do something like kiss me. Would I have let her if she tried? 

After the first battle of War Games, I find her and Ridoc on the flight field. I can't help but be amused at how Ridoc still does his best to avoid me after I found him in Ania's room. 

I'm sitting on the edge of her bed and she's explaining something she did with her signet and I just want to listen to her talk about it endlessly. Flight leathers look good on her and I find myself fighting the urge to stare. Her hair is wind-blown from flight and she's got lines from her goggles, but she's stunning regardless. 

"How have you been otherwise? We haven't seen each other much," I asked, forcing myself to be coy. There was a line that I was threatening to cross and I needed to stop before I could start. What would the others think?

"Fine," She answered as she crossed her room. She's annoyed that I'm avoiding the conversation she really wants to have. But I can't go there with her. She turned her back to me while she undressed and I forced myself to look away, my knuckles turning white from how hard I gripped the edge of the bed. 

My gaze returned to her when she turned back around and I couldn't help but look her over. The way the fabric cut off in the middle of her thigh, the sounds her bare feet made across the stone as she walked to me. Her hair rested in waves from the loose braid she'd had it in. I nearly felt sick to my stomach at how divine she looked.

"Ani," I whispered when she stepped between my knees. Fucking hell. 

"Yes?" She asked softly. She had to know the effect she was having on me. 

"Don't do this to me," I practically begged her. Thin. Ice.

"Do what?" Her skin felt like silk under my fingertips as I trailed them up the sides of her thighs, stopping short of the hemline of her sleeping gown.

"Tell me to stop," She whispered. I'd rather die.

She settled herself deeper between my thighs, looking down at me. 

I want her.

"Ani," I warned. Moreso, for myself but I wished she'd heed it too.

My fingers dug into her thighs as I fought every illogical thought I was having. I couldn't do this. She shouldn't either. She'd regret it in the morning. 

But I've never wanted someone more in my life than I do right now. 

"I can feel it," She whispered. Feel what?

My thumb brushed her bottom lip and my lips parted. Soft, plush. I needed them against mine. Just once. I cupped her jaw gently pulling her face toward mine.

The position in which we were in, me sitting on the edge of her bed while she stood between my legs. As she looked down at me and I up at her, things couldn't be more clear. She had me in the palm of her hand. 

"You're gonna be the death of me," I said under my breath. Just this once. 

I couldn't hesitate any longer. I pulled her face towards mine, pressing my lips to hers in a soft kiss. She wanted more and I did too, but I couldn't help but hold back. 

She tangled her fingers in my hair and she deepened the kiss for the both of us, urging me further back on the bed. She pushed me back onto the mattress, tugging my bottom lip between her teeth and in that moment, she could've done anything. I would've let her. 

She was on top of me and I wanted her so fucking bad that I'd give up everything good in my life to just spend the rest of my life in this bed. 

My hand was around her throat, pulling her lips against mine in a heated exchange. It felt like I'd been deprived of air and she was the first breath of it. Her hips grinded into mine and I groaned into her mouth, my fingers pressing into the sensitive skin at her neck. 

I want more. I want this. I want her. 

But I'm holding back and I don't know why. 

Too many thoughts were clouding my mind. What would Xaden say, what would Beckett think, she'll gonna regret this in the morning. 

"Just kiss me, what are you so fucking scared of?" My eyes flared when she pulled away and I had to second guess if I said any of that out loud. "What? Bodhi, please. You want this. I know you do."

She leaned to kiss me, but I stopped her, "Ani, what are you feeling right now?"

"I want you. But you won't let me. You're holding back." She said.

I pulled her face back toward mine, my lips brushing hers but then I stopped myself again. She whimpered and the sound made my heart throb. I looked up at her, something primal in me taking over. We would not be leaving this bed tonight.

I flipped us over so that I was pressed between her thighs, kissing her hungrily. The anxiety and uncertainty of it all still lingered, but I couldn't find it in me to care. Not when my tongue was against hers and she's whining into my mouth while my hands run up and down her sides underneath her sleeping gown. 

I'm right where I need to be. 

The thought is shoved into my mind and the anxiety dissipates almost immediately as I pull her chest flush with mine. As the anxiety faded, logical thinking returned and I forced myself to pull away. 

She groaned in frustration when I let my forehead rest against hers. 

This could ruin everything. I could lose her if we get involved like this. I can't lose her. Not when I've worked so hard to get her back into my life. 

"You're not going to lose me. Stop thinking that," She said breathlessly.  

I pulled away to look at her, my eyes scanning her face. The second it clicked, I wished it didn't. I wished this information hadn't been set on me. 

"What, Bodhi?" Her voice is soft and her lips are slightly red and swollen.

"You're a fucking empath."

The disbelief is fresh on my tongue as she slowly crawls off of me. I'm amazed she has a second signet, but terrified of what it'll do to her.

She hesitates and looks down at her hands before she slowly crawls off of me. 

"You say it like it's a bad thing," She has hurt in her eyes. 

"It's a death sentence, Ania," I whisper. "You can't tell anyone." 

"I didn't know that I was until just now," She defends herself, wrapping her arms around her body. "You can't even be sure that I am."

I stand up from her bed and she grabs my hand and when I turn around her, her knees are pressed into the mattress and she has tears in her eyes.

"Where are you going?" Her voice cracks. 

"I can't be around you right now," I say. I'm trying to be gentle, but the words refuse to come out in the tone I intend.

"Wait, please." She holds my hand in both of hers and my heart nearly shatters at her frantic words, "I- I didn't mean to. I'm sorry, Bodhi. Please, I won't do it again."

"I have to go," I pull myself from her grip and leave her sitting on her bed. I try to ignore the soft sob that leaves her lips right before the door shuts.

Halfway to Xaden's, I have to lean against the wall to regain my composure. 

"You did not handle that accordingly," Cuir says.

"Yes, I'm fucking aware," I huff, punching the wall so hard that my knuckles split. 

She wanted me because I wanted her. She was acting on my desire, not her own. 

"Have you thought that maybe her desire was simmering before tonight?" My dragon says down our bond. 

I can't think about that right now. 

Xaden opens his door the second I knock, but he looks like he's heading somewhere. 

"What happened? Where's Ania?" He asks immediately. 

"She's..." How do I explain this? "Something happened Xaden, but I-"

"She manifested again," Xaden says, and my brows furrow.

"You knew this would happen?" I ask. 

"What did she manifest? Walk me through it," He leans against the door. 

My heart pounds. Her second signet is a death sentence. I know for a fact that Xaden would never let anything happen to her because of it, but I speak it out loud that just makes it more real. 

"I'm not sure if I'm right. I could be overthinking," I backtrack. 

"Bodhi, get it the fuck together, I have somewhere I need to be," My cousin says. It's tough love. 

"They'll kill her if she can't keep it hidden," I say quietly. 

"She's an inntinnsic," Xaden whispers. 

"She's a type of inntinnsic, I've only heard of them by word of mouth. I wasn't even sure they were real, but I'm positive she's one." I explain. "An empath."

"I need the step by step," Xaden says. 

Well here goes.

"We were," I hesitate, "Kissing-"

"Naturally," Xaden smirks. He deserves to be punched for it but I'll let it slide.

"She picked up on my fear, on my anxiety, my doubts. The lust most of all. The idea of losing her, she picked up on it." I tell him.

"She can read emotions." Xaden nods slowly. "Eventually manipulate them with practice, I'm sure. Like Cat." 

I take a deep breath and sit on the edge of his bed, running my hands through my hair. "She didn't just read them, she absorbed them."

"I'll help her get it under control. She'll learn to sort what's hers and what isn't. It's an easy signet to hide," He says. "Do you find it intriguing that both of her signets manifested in your presence?"

"Why would I?' I ask. 

He shrugs and then stands at his full height, "What happened after that?"

"I told her what she was and then left." Not my proudest moment.

"You what." Xaden's jaw clenches and for a split moment, I fear for my life. 

"I couldn't be around her anymore. She was absorbing all of my emotions, I was trying to help her," I argue.

"And how exactly did you 'tell her what she was'?" Xaden balls his fists. 

"I said, 'You're a fucking empath.'" I repeat my words.

"I'm gonna pretend you didn't just say that." He opens the door and nods his head. 

"You asked how I said it," I defend myself as I walk toward the door. 

"I told her that when it manifested, to find me or you. Because I trusted that you would handle the situation with care. You just left her there alone to deal with the aftermath." Xaden pulls the door open and gestures me out. Right, he's heading somewhere. If I had one guess, I'd say its to Violet's room. "I'll try to talk to her tomorrow."

Amari, if you're up there, please help. 

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[fandomrewrites]

Legends Chapter 4: Presentation

Hello Riders! Before I get into this chapter I would like to share this picture of the Gauntlet. It's not my picture, I got it off the fandom Wiki page, credit goes to the artist. The picture helped me better understand how the obstacles were set up so I thought it would be helpful for all of you as well.

I love this chapter a lot, and I hope you guys love it as much as me. Remember to tell me your opinions on the story so far or ask me any questions you may have. I love hearing from you guys! And don't forget to let me know if you want to be added to the taglist.

Chapters 10-12 in Fourth Wing Pairings: Xaden x Younger Sister, Liam x Best Friend, Sawyer x Reader (mentioned) Warnings: Swearing, violence, character death, blood, spoilers from the book series Word Count: 11,785

Legends Masterlist

I talked about you during Presentation yesterday. There's a guy in my squad who asked about my childhood, and the first thing I thought of was how even when you were a kid you never took anyone's shit. Like that one time Xaden and I tried to keep the secret about the Venin from you. You said you were smarter than us and gods I believed you; I still do. -Recovered correspondence from Garrick Tavis to (Y/N) Riorson

The night before Gauntlet training starts, I stand with the other marked ones. This is our third meeting and we've only lost one other cadet since Parapet. "Let's make this meeting quick, the first years need rest since Gauntlet training starts tomorrow. How's hand-to-hand coming with you guys?" Xaden asks as he looks towards Carolyn, Dmitry, Julian, and Carina.

The four nod, sharing looks. "I've seen improvements." Garrick answers, "They've each won a few challenges and lost some, but no serious injuries."

"We're continuing the training multiple times a week, and we won't stop even with challenges pausing." Imogen adds.

Xaden nods, "Good. Any questions?"

"The Gauntlet has one of the biggest death counts in the quadrant, any tips on how to survive?" I ask.

Xaden holds my gaze, "Time doesn't matter. Even on presentation day. Just get through the obstacles safely, don't worry about being fast."

"Doesn't the time determine the order in which you walk presentation?" Ashton asks.

Garrick nods, "It does, but in the past there have been cadets that have walked last and bonded and cadets who have walked first haven't. So like Xaden said, your time doesn't matter."

"There are ropes every six feet, grab them if you need to." Bodhi starts, eyes sweeping over the first years, "Time will be added but they may save your life." His eyes lock onto mine. There's a flash of worry but I smile, reassuring him.

"Any more questions?" Xaden asks. When no one replies he continues, "Good. Head to bed. And good luck tomorrow." I turn to walk back with Liam but Xaden grabs my arm, "Let me walk you."

"Okay," I turn to Liam, "I'll see you tomorrow." He nods, running to catch up with Bodhi. I look back at Xaden, "What did you want to talk about?"

Xaden pauses, "Just be careful tomorrow, I know you'll probably do fine but…"

I smile, "I get it, Xade. I'll be careful."

He nods, "So, I've seen you hanging out with that Sawyer guy a lot."

I smirk, "Well, he is in my squad."

"That's it?"

"I mean…" I trail off before starting again, "Do you really want to talk about this?"

"I just want to make sure you're okay. He's treating you good?"

"I'm very satisfied." I try not to laugh at the look on Xaden's face.

"That's not what I meant." He rubs the bridge of his nose.

I giggle, "Sorry. Sawyer's great, I think you'd like him if you talked to him."

Xaden nods, "Good. That's good. I obviously don't know him well but," Xaden pauses, "You can do worse."

I smile, "That sounds like the Xaden stamp of approval. Wow, I never thought I'd see the day."

Xaden nudges my shoulder, "Listen, I know I'm protective of you and no one is going to be perfect for you in my eyes but I also know you're smart, strong, beautiful and you deserve to be happy. Plus, Sawyer is in your squad, so if you're going to have a relationship with anyone at least it's with someone who can't kill you."

I snort, "There it is. But Sawyer and I… We're not serious. We're friends, we get along. And sometimes we just need to… Let off steam."

Xaden chuckles, "Yeah, let off steam. Thank you for putting it that way." I laugh along with him, "I get it. I've been there, I just want you to pick your partners carefully and Sawyer is a safe option. A good option. I just don't want you doing anything in front of me."

I wrap my arm around Xaden's waist causing him to wrap his around my shoulder's, "Noted. I will try to be aware of my surroundings and not flirt or kiss or anything else around you. If you promise the same."

"Deal." Xaden smiles.

*_*_*_*_*

The next morning my squad stands in front of the Gauntlet waiting for Professor Emetterio. "Well, that's…" Rhiannon trails off. The obstacle course is carved into the side of the cliff that leads to the flight field, the Vale lays beyond that.

"Amazing," Aurelie sighs in awe.

Rhiannon, Violet, and I all turn to look at her, "You think that hellscape looks amazing?" Rhiannon asks, causing me to smile.

"I've been waiting years for this!" Aurelie grins, "My dad - he was a rider until he retired last year - used to set up obstacle courses like this all the time so we could practice, and Chase, my brother, said it's the best part of being here before Threshing. It's a real adrenaline rush."

"He's with the Southern Wing, right?" Violet questions. She turns back to the Gauntlet, studying the obstacle course.

"Yep. Pretty much desk duty for all the action they see near the Krovlan border." She shrugs then points about two thirds of the way up the course, "He said to watch out for those giant posts jutting from the side of the cliff. They spin, and you can get crushed between them if you're not fast enough."

"Oh good," Rhiannon states sarcastically, "I was wondering when it might get difficult."

"Thanks, Aurelie." Violet says. I remain silent, but nod in thanks.

"Still not sure why they call it the Gauntlet," Ridoc pipes up, cupping his hands and blowing air into them to try and keep warm.

"To ensure dragons keep coming to Threshing by weeding out the weaklings," Tynan sneers, folding his arms and casting a pointed look at Violet.

I cross my arms to stop myself from punching him, "Shut up, Tynan."

"Knock it the fuck off." Ridoc snaps at the same time. The whole squad turns in his direction. We've never seen him lose his temper, he's always so happy, cracking jokes and laughing.

"What's your problem?" Tynan pivots turning his full attention to Ridoc, who stands a half a foot taller.

"My problem?" Ridoc scoffs, "You think because you made friends with Barlowe and Siefert that you have the right to be a dick to your own squadmate?"

"Exactly. Squadmate." Tynan gestures towards the obstacle course, "Our times aren't just ranked individually, Ridoc. We're scored as a squad, too, which is how the order for Presentation is decided. Do you really think any dragon wants to bond a cadet who walks in after every other squad in processional?"

"Xaden told me the times don't matter." I say.

"And they're not timing us for Presentation today, asshole." Ridoc adds.

"Stop." Sawyer steps in between Ridoc and Tynan who are still chest to chest. "(Y/N)'s right. Or I guess Xaden. The order for Presentation doesn't matter. The last cadet to walk last year bonded just fine, and some of the cadets in the first squad onto the field were passed over."

"Little bitter about that, aren't you?" Tynan snarks.

Sawyer ignores the barb but I lunge, tired of hearing Tynan speak ill of my friends. Sawyer quickly grabs my waist, pulling me into his chest. "Easy." He whispers into my ear, I stay still but my glare doesn't leave Tynan, who is staring wide-eyed, shocked I almost attacked him. "Besides," Sawyer continues, like I almost didn't just punch Tynan, "It's not called the Gauntlet because it weeds out cadets."

"It's called the Gauntlet because this is the cliff that guards the Vale," Professor Emetterio says, walking up to the squad, "Plus, actual gauntlets - armored gloves made of metal - are slippery as hell, and the name stuck about twenty years ago." He cocks an eye at Tynan, Sawyer, and I. "Are you three done arguing? Because the ten of you have exactly an hour to get to the top before it's another squad's chance to practice, and from what I've seen of your agility on the mat, you're going to need every second."

There's a grumble from the group, Sawyer keeps an arm around my waist, pulling me slightly away from Tynan. He already knows me too well, because despite what Professor Emetterio just said, I still want to knock some sense into the dark haired boy.

"As you know, hand-to-hand challenges are on hold for the next two and a half weeks before Presentation so you can focus here." Emetterio flips a page in his notebook, "Sawyer, you're going to show them how it's done, since you already have the lay of the land. Then (Y/N), Pryor, Trina, Tynan, Rhiannon, Ridoc, Violet, Aurelie, and Luca." A smile curves on Emetterio's face, "You're the only squad to remain intact since Parapet. That's incredible. Your squad leader must be very proud. Wait here for a second." He walks past us, waving to someone high up on the cliff.

"Aetos is especially proud of Sorrengail." Tynan sneers.

Violet snaps, "Look, if you want to talk shit about me, that's one thing, but leave Dain out of it."

"Tynan," Sawyer warns, his grip on my waist tightens as I tense at Tynan's jeer.

"Like it doesn't bother any of you that our squad leader is fucking one of us?" Tynan asks, throwing his hands out.

I roll my eyes, "Not that it's any of your business, but they're not fucking. And so what if they are? Dain's hot. I say get it."

Everyone's eyes snap to me, "I thought you didn't like him?" Rhiannon asks.

"I don't, but I also have eyes." I shrug.

"It matters if it means that Violet gets preferential treatment!" Luca exclaims, "And of course you wouldn't care when you're fucking our section leader."

Before I can stop myself I laugh, "Me? Fucking Tavis?" My laughing slowly stops but a smile lingers on my face, "No sweetie, Garrick is my brother's best friend. I literally grew up with him, much like how Dain and Violet grew up together. Neither of us are fucking people in leadership."

Tynan's eyes widen, "Really?" He asks Violet.

She nods her head, "Really."

"Shit. I'm sorry. Barlowe said-"

Ridoc interjects, "And that's your first mistake. Listening to that sadistic ass is going to get you killed. And you're lucky Aetos or Tavis aren't here."

I quietly laugh, "Oh man, I can't wait to tell Garrick about that assumption of us." Luca's eyes widen but she doesn't say anything.

"Here we go!" Emetterio says walking back over towards us, "You'll get your time at the top of the course, if you make it, but remember, you'll still have nine practice sessions before we rank you for Presentation in two and a half weeks, which will determine if the dragons find you worthy for Threshing."

"Wouldn't it make more sense to let first years start practicing this thing right after Parapet?" Rhiannon asks. "You know, to give us a little more time so we don't die?"

"No," Emetterio replies, "The timing is part of the challenge. Any words or wisdom, Sawyer?"

Sawyer blows out a couple of slow breaths, his hand twitches on the small of my back, "There are ropes every six feet that run from the top of the sheer cliffside to the bottom, so if you start to fall, reach out and grab a rope. It'll cost you thirty seconds, but death costs you more."

"I mean," Ridoc points to a steep staircase set in the cliff, "There's a perfectly good set of steps over there."

"Stairs are for reaching the flight field on the top of the ridgeline after Presentation." Professor Emetterio says. He lifts his hands towards the obstacle course, flicking his writs, pointing at different obstacles. The fifteen-foot log at the start begins to spin, the other obstacles along the course begin to move as well.

"Every one of the five ascents on this course is designed to mimic the challenges you'll face in battle," Emetterio explains, "From the balance you must keep on the back of your dragon, to the strength you'll need to hold your seat during maneuvers, to-" he gestures upward, toward the last obstacle, "The stamina you'll need to fight on the ground, then still be able to mount your dragon at a second's notice."

"What if we don't make it up?" Luca asks the professor. She secures her hair in a loose braid. Mine is already up in a high bun, the same way I wore it when crossing the Parapet. "What's the alternate route?"

"There's no alternate route," Emetterio says. I could have told her that, "If you don't make it up, you can't get to Presentation, can you? Take your position, Sawyer."

Before Sawyer moves, he turns to me, "Are you going to behave?" He raises an eyebrow.

I smile, blinking innocently, "If they keep their mouths shut."

Sawyer sighs, he looks at Ridoc and gently pushes me into his side."Don't let her attack anyone." Ridoc nods.

"I don't need a babysitter, Sawyer!" I call after him

"Yes, you do!" He yells back, as he moves to the beginning of the course.

"After he makes it past the final obstacle, so everyone can learn from this cadet completing the course, the rest of you will start every sixty seconds. And… Go!" Emetterio says to the squad, ignoring mine and Sawyer's argument.

Sawyer takes off, he easily runs the fifteen feet across the spinning log but it takes him three rotations inside the wheel before he jumps out. Other than that I don't see a single misstep in the first ascent. He turns and rushes toward a series of giant hanging balls that makes up the second ascent, jumping and hugging one after another. With his feet back on the ground, he starts up the third ascent, which is divided into two sections. The first has giant metal rods hanging parallel to the cliff wall, Sawyer easily swings arm over arm to reach the bars. From the last bar, he jumps onto a series of shaking pillars before leaping back onto solid ground.

Sawyer makes it to the spinning logs Aurelie warned us about. He's making the course look easy as he runs across the logs. He pauses at the giant chimney formation that sits at about a twenty degree angle. "You got this!" Rhiannon yells.

As if he heard her, Sawyer runs toward the chimney and flings himself upwards, his body creating an X. He starts hopping up the obstacle until he reaches the end and drops down in front of the final obstacle, a massive ramp that's a nearly vertical climb.

Sawyer sprints towards the ramp, his speed and momentum take him two-thirds of the way up. Just before he starts to fall, he reaches up with one arm and grasps the lip of the ramp, hauling himself over the edge. Rhiannon, Violet, and I cheer for him.

"Perfect technique!" Professor Emetterio exclaims, "That's exactly what you should all be doing."

"Perfect, and yet he was still passed over at Threshing," Luca snarks, "Guess the dragons have some sense of taste."

Ridoc's hold on me tightens as I try to step towards Luca, "Give it a rest, Luca." Rhi snaps.

Professor Emetterio raises his eyebrows at me, "Are you ready, (Y/N)?"

I nod, turning to look at Ridoc, "You can let go."

He narrows his eyes, "You're to move right to the beginning of the course. No hurting Luca."

I nod. He slowly let's go of my waist, letting me move away. I turn to send a sickly sweet smile to Luca and Tynan, "I hope you both fall."

"Really, (Y/N)? Right in front of our Professor?" Ridoc scolds. He reminds me of Xaden for a second.

"I'm sure our wonderful Professor has heard worse." I turn to look at Emetterio once I reach the beginning of the course, "Ready when you are, sir!"

Emetterio looks exasperated but I can tell he's trying not to smile. He checks with the person at the top of the cliff then looks back at me, "And… go."

I take off, quickly running across the 15 foot long spinning log. Once I saw the course I knew this first part would be the easiest ascent. My balance is great, so I wasn't worried making it past this obstacle. Jumping off of the log, I quickly jump past all four of the pillars and enter the spinning wheel. The wheel goes through two rotations and on the third I jump through the opening, landing back on solid ground.

I take a quick breath, this first practice round I want to pause after each ascent. This practice session is all about testing the obstacles and knowing what I need to do to survive. My time can improve with the other practices. The second ascent is the 5 buoy balls. I jump up, grabbing the chain above the first ball. I swing the ball and launch myself onto the next one, doing this over and over until I reach the end of the ascent.

I take another breath, assessing the next ascent. I jump up grabbing the iron bar, a hand on each side. I swing hand over hand, moving from bar to bar. When I reach the last one, I swing my body, aiming to land on the first shaking pillar. I wobble, reaching out for the rope in front of me to regain my balance. "You got this!" I hear one of the girls yell. I quickly regain my footing, leaping across the rest of the pillars.

Before I run across the logs Aurelie warned us about, I check behind me. Pryor is doing alright but he's hesitating before trying the third ascent, I watch as he wobbles, but rights himself with the help of a rope. I turn back around and sprint across the rolling logs. I smile when I make it across. That part was easier than I expected.

I take another breath then run at the chimney, launching myself upwards and landing in an X like Sawyer did. I check my hand and feet placement then hop up the chimney. Reaching the top, I grab the lip and pull myself up. I eye the ramp in front of me, take a breath, then run. My hand skims the top, just missing, causing me to slide back down the ramp. I shake out my shoulders, take another breath, then run again. This time my momentum takes me higher, and when I feel gravity begin to pull at me, I throw my right hand up, catching the top of the cliff. I sigh in relief, reaching up with my left hand as well to pull myself over the top.

Sawyer meets me at the top, pulling me into a tight hug. "You did it! Good job!"

I giggle, "Thanks. Some parts weren't as bad as I thought they were going to be."

Sawyer playfully rolls his eyes, "You would think that. Come on, let's go watch the others." We hear a scream just as we approach the edge of the cliff. We share a look then quickly look down, finding Trina who just started the fourth ascent. "You can do it!" Sawyer encourages.

"They go in opposite directions!" Aurelie yells from the bottom. Trina makes it past, causing Sawyer and I to sigh in relief. Pryor and Trina both finish the course, and come to join us at the edge, watching the others. Tynan is stuck on the hanging balls.

"He can still do us all a favor and fall." I mumble.

Sawyer lightly shoves me, "Be nice, he's still our squadmate."

"Yeah and? You're supposed to be able to trust your squadmates, I don't trust him. And I highly doubt he'll ever earn that trust. Same with Luca."

"Swing to the next one!" Trina calls, trying to encourage Tynan.

"I can't!" Tynan screams back.

"Rhi!" Violet yells, "The rope is between the first and second!" Rhiannon jumps up onto the first ball, swinging her body around and grabbing the rope for Tynan. Once he has the rope in his hands, he climbs down.

I snort, "What a fucking baby." Sawyer sends me a look but I can tell he's amused, I hold out my hands, "I know, I know. Be nice."

Everyone is either on the course at this point or has had their chance to practice. I watch as Violet starts on the third ascent. Her right hand loses its grip and she swings face first into the mountain. I cringe, hearing Rhiannon yell for Violet. "The rope is next to you!" Aurelie shouts.

Violet grabs hold of the rope, using it to grab onto the iron swings and continue her way up the obstacle course. Violet pauses before the fourth ascent, Aurelie standing with her. They exchange a few words before Violet runs across, cheering when she succeeds. "Go, Violet! Here I come!" Aurelie calls. She starts moving across the posts, a roar is heard from a dragon flying above, then Aurelie cries out. Her foot slips on the fifth post, she careens forward, belly hitting the sixth post, Violet tries to move forward to help her, but she can't make it.

*_*_*_*_* Garrick

I'm sitting on the couch in Xaden's room, Imogen, and Bodhi next to me. Liam is sitting on the floor and Xaden and (Y/N) are sitting on Xaden's bed. (Y/N) lays with her head placed in Xaden's lap. The six of us don't get a lot of chances to spend time together so when we do have a chance, we take advantage of it.

"So how was Gauntlet training today?" Bodhi asks, looking between Liam and (Y/N).

Xaden lightly taps his sisters forehead, "I heard you lost a squadmate."

(Y/N) nods, "Yeah, Aurelie. She was a good person."

"You holding up okay?" I ask, looking at her with concern.

Her eyes flicker to me, "Yeah, just sucks. I knew I was going to lose a squadmate at some point, we were lucky to keep everyone for this long." She pauses, cracking a smile, "You'll never guess what Luca said."

Imogen raises an eyebrow, "She's the bitchy one right?"

"The one you fought on assessment day?" Xaden asks.

"Mhm." She hums, nodding in confirmation.

"What did she say?" Liam questions.

I reach down to grab my water, taking a sip just as (Y/N) answers, "She thought Garrick and I were fucking."

I quickly pull my canteen away from my lips, choking on my water. Bodhi reaches over, slapping my back, "What?" I choke out.

(Y/N) nods, smirk evident on her face, "Yeah, we got into a whole argument before Emetterio showed up because Tynan was accusing Violet of sleeping with Dain and I said if she wanted to she should 'cause he's hot." Xaden flicks her on the ear, cutting her off, "Ow!" She sits up, turning to look at him, "What the fuck, Xaden!"

"Never look at Aetos like that, that's disgusting." He scolds, glaring at her.

(Y/N) rolls her eyes, "I'm not lying, he is hot! That doesn't mean I like him but I'm not blind. Plus you had a thing with Cat so you can't judge me." Gods, this conversation is going down hill quickly.

"Cat was an arranged marriage!" Xaden defends.

"And yet you still slept with her when you weren't actually married. If I was in an arranged marriage with a she demon I would avoid her as much as possible. But no, you had to get your dick wet."

Oh shit. My eyes widen as Xaden lunges for his sister. (Y/N) yelps pushing herself away from him. Bodhi, Liam, and I move quick. I grab onto Xaden, pulling him away from (Y/N). Bodhi wraps his arms around his younger cousin, making sure he's in front of her and Liam steps in between the siblings, arms raised to ensure they stay separated. I look towards Imogen who is fighting back a laugh.

Honestly, I kinda want to laugh too. And stealing a glance at Liam and Bodhi I can tell they do as well. We don't want Xaden hurting (Y/N), but (Y/N) has a point. And only she would have the balls to say that to Xaden.

"If I let go of you do you promise not to kill your sister?" I ask Xaden.

"If I really wanted to kill her, I don't even need to touch her." Xaden grumbles, his glare staying on (Y/N).

(Y/N)'s jaw drops in shock at her brother's words, "Hey! You love me! As your little sister it's in the job description to be annoying!"

Liam shrugs, dropping his arms, "She's got a point. And honestly, I miss Sloane so much. I can't wait until she's here next year, annoying the fuck out of me."

Xaden rolls his eyes, shoving me away from him, "I'm not going to kill her."

Imogen finally lets her amusement show, chuckling lightly as she asks, "So why did you saying Dain's hot lead to Luca saying you and Garrick were sleeping together?"

"Right," (Y/N) nods, she moves to sit on Xaden's desk. The rest of settling back in our previous spots, except for Liam who moves to sit in the desk chair. "After I made that comment she said that of course I'd be fine with it since I'm fucking our section leader."

"How did you respond?" Bodhi asks, still keeping an eye on Xaden.

"I laughed. Like Garrick could ever get with me."

I cock my head, "What the fuck does that mean?"

Xaden narrows his eyes, "Why the fuck do you care?"

My head whips back to Xaden, "I- I don't." I stutter, "But like what the fuck? I'm great in bed!"

Xaden's eyes narrow further, his glare cold, "Never talk to my sister about your sex life."

"That's not- I didn't-"

"Okay!" (Y/N) interrupts, "No matter how entertaining this is, I'd rather not witness a murder. And Xaden, no need to worry, Garrick can brag about his skills all he wants, I'm still not planning on ever sleeping with him."

Before either Xaden or I can reply Imogen speaks up, changing the topic, "Was your first day on the Gauntlet as eventful, Liam?"

Liam chuckles, shaking his head, "Definitely not. We were lucky to not lose any of our squad and there were no arguments."

Xaden pipes up, calmer than before, "We lost Carolyn on the Gauntlet today." We're all silent for a moment, that's another marked one, dead.

"There's nothing we could have done." Bodhi says quietly. The rest of us nodding in agreement.

Xaden looks at the time then sighs, "It's late. We should head to bed." We slowly start to file out of the room. Everyone is gone except for me and (Y/N), Xaden grabs (Y/N)'s arm before she can exit, "I love you. Even though you piss me off sometimes."

She smiles, "I love you too, Xade." (Y/N) reaches up, kissing his cheek, "Goodnight."

"I'll walk her back to the barracks." I mumble to Xaden, his eyes narrow, "Would you rather she walks alone?" Xaden sighs but shakes his head. That's what I thought. "Night."

I quickly catch up to (Y/N) who turns to look at me once I'm next to her, "Really feeding those rumors of us sleeping together."

I laugh, lightly shoving her away from me, "Shut the fuck up." I pause, "But seriously, why wouldn't you sleep with me?"

"Do you want to die? Xaden would kill you and possibly me if he found out that we slept together."

I raise a brow, "Is that the only reason?"

(Y/N) tilts her head, "That's the only reason I need. I value my life."

"He wouldn't kill you, he's your brother." I argue.

(Y/N) stops in the middle of the hallway, right by the door leading to the woman's barracks. She turns to directly face me, "Do you want to sleep me with, Tavis?" She questions.

My eyes, widen. Deny, deny, deny. "Wha-no."

That was very convincing. I hear Chradh, my dragon, say through our bond. I can practically hear the eye roll in his tone.

"Uh huh," (Y/N) nods, "Then this conversation is irrelevant. Goodnight, section leader." She opens the door, walking away before I can reply.

Even she's not convinced. Chradh speaks once more, laughing.

Shut up. I answer him, scowling.

*_*_*_*_* (Y/N)

The next morning I wake up early, I've decided I want to start running before breakfast. My stamina is good, but it can be better, and after running the Gauntlet yesterday and watching Aurelie die, I know I need to be at my very best. I finish quietly tying my shoes, not wanting to disturb anyone. I leave the room, stretching my arms above my head. "What are you doing?" I jump, looking up to see Dain glaring at me.

"I'm going for a run?" I say, though it sounds more like a question.

"By yourself?" He asks, eyes narrowing.

"Yes, why?"

"Have you ever gone for runs before?"

I raise an eyebrow, "Not here…" There's a pause as we both asses each other. "Can I go now?" I finally ask, pointing around him. He pauses once more, before stiffly nodding and stepping to the side. I walk around him, then turn back to look, confused on why he was asking me about my run. I shake my head, then continue, heading to the courtyard to start running.

I've been running for 20 minutes and decide that I should start heading back so I can get breakfast. It should be starting any minute and I don't want to be too late. Just as I'm passing the Iakobos River a cadet steps out of the shadows. He's a first year like me, I think he's in second wing but I can't remember his name. I nod at him trying to move past, but he steps in my way. "I overheard you talking with Aetos, saying you were going on a run by yourself."

"Yeah, here I am." I say shrugging.

"Traitors shouldn't be here." I roll my eyes, of course he hates me.

"Listen, I don't have time for this. Can't you just wait for Threshing to try and kill me? Or challenge me when matches start back up?"

"Not when I have the perfect opportunity right now." He takes out his long sword. I sigh, not wanting to fight, I quickly slip out two of my daggers, the only two I brought with me on my run.

He lunges, since he's fighting with a sword he has a longer reach than my daggers. I block his strike, stepping in closer. I stick my foot out tripping him but he quickly rights himself. He spins, lunging once more in a series of quick strikes. I manage to block each one but I need to move off defense and end this quickly.

I take a step in his direction, feigning right and moving left. I nick the back of his sword hand. He hisses in pain but recovers quickly. My breath is heavier, my run from earlier tiring me quicker. When he lunges again, his sword catches my side. "Fuck." I take a chance, sending a quick prayer to Zihnal, I throw one of my daggers, aiming for his throat. The dagger lands where I intended. The tall cadet stumbles, a hand flying to his throat.

I walk over to him, sheathing my extra dagger, "I'm taking this, since you wanted to try and kill me with it." I grab his long sword from his limp hand. "And I'll be taking this back." I reach down, grabbing the hilt of my dagger that's buried in his throat. "Say hi to Malek for me." I pull the dagger out, blood spraying across my face. I must have hit the artery in his neck. I wipe the dagger on the boys tunic. Watching as he takes his last breath. I sigh, sheathing my dagger once more and heading back to the quadrant.

There are a few cadets walking around, either heading to breakfast, their morning duties, or back to their rooms. Some do double takes, seeing the hole in my tunic with blood seeping out and the blood on my face. One cadet even leaping out of my way. I pay them no mind. My eyes sharpened into a cold glare as I head towards the dining hall, searching for Dain.

Just as I move around the corner, closest to the dining hall, I bump into him. "Are you okay?" He asks, noticing the blood on my face.

I scoff, "Just the person I was looking for. You have a second to talk in private, squad leader?"

"Are you hurt? Do you need the healers?"

"What I need is to talk with you."

His eyes narrow in confusion, "Okay? How privately?"

I whisper through gritted teeth, making sure that none of the passing cadets can hear me, "That depends on if you want people to know that your attempt to get your squadmate killed failed."

"What?"

"Oh, so that's how you want to play it?"

"Hold on, I never-" He stops himself, "Come with me." He quickly ushers me away, leading me to his bedroom. "What are you talking about? What happened?"

I roll my eyes, "That first year from second squad you sent after me? He's dead by the Iakobos."

"Someone went after you?"

"You should consider acting, Aetos."

"(Y/N), I never sent anyone after you."

I scoff, "Oh, so just asking about where I was going and if I was going alone was just out of per curiosity and a random guy - who I don't even know the name of - who hates me, managed to overhear and then attempt to kill me."

"I asked you where you were going this morning because I never saw you up that early before. And I asked if you were going alone because with your last name a lot of people don't want you here and traveling in groups is safer."

"You really expect me to believe that?" I yell, taking a step towards Dain. My hand flies up to my side, the adrenaline wearing off causing the pain to be worse.

"You're hurt. Let me look." Dain steps forward.

I recoil, "Stay the fuck away from me!"

Dain sighs, "(Y/N), I swear to Amari I never told anyone about your run and I never sent someone to kill you. Now either let me bring you to the healers or let me check your wound."

"I'm fine! I don't need your help." I try to storm past him, but he grabs my arm.

"Let me help." My glare never leaves my face but Dain doesn't back away.

"Let. Me. Go."

"No. As your squad leader, I order you to let me check your wound."

I scoff, "Oh, as my squad leader? News flash, Dain, I don't give a fuck what you are. I can take care of myself."

"I'll tell Xaden."

"Really? Tell him what exactly?"

"That you're too stubborn for your own good. That you won't let someone help you when you're injured. That you were dumb enough to go on a run by yourself when half the quadrant wants you dead."

"Dumb? I'm still alive in case you haven't noticed."

"Yeah for now, but what if that cadet brought along some friends. That wound on your side probably would had been a lot worse. You would had probably been with Malek right now."

I shove Dain off of me, knowing that I'm not indestructible and he's right, but not wanting to admit that out loud. "Fine. Want to check my wound?" I drop the sword, then reach down to pull my tunic over my head, "Go on. Check it."

His jaw ticks, but he nods to his bed, "Sit. Let me get my first aid kit." I roll my eyes, but do as he says. I lean back on my hands so I don't put pressure on the wound. I look down at the cut, the cut is deep enough that I'm going to need stitches.

"I'm going to get blood on your sheets." I say, looking up to him as he approaches, scowl still on my face.

Dain shrugs, "Wouldn't be the first time someone got blood on them." He squats down in front of me, "This may sting a little." He pours alcohol onto a cloth, then gently rubs it over my wound. "What happened?" He quietly asks.

I nod to the long sword that I dropped on his floor, "He had the reach with his sword, I only had my daggers on me. I misjudged and he cut me. So I threw one of my daggers into his neck."

"Well at least you're okay. And now you know not to go on runs by yourself." I purse my lips, "You will go running with someone, right?" He raises an eyebrow. He puts the cloth down, "You need stitches."

"I wasn't planning on it. Do you have a needle and thread in the kit?"

Dain nods, asking, "Running again?"

I roll my eyes, "Going with someone." I reach for the needle and thread that Dain pulled out but he pulls it out of my reach. I narrow my eyes but let him prepare the needle, "It's nice to have some alone time, when you're surrounded by other cadets twenty-four seven."

"Do you have a death wish?" Dain scoffs, "Lay back." He instructs, once I do he reaches for the wound, starting to stitch it back together.

I hiss in pain, "I can handle myself." I say through gritted teeth, "And if you're telling the truth then I don't have to worry about people knowing I'm running alone."

He shakes his head, finishing the last stitch, "I'm not going to tell anyone, (Y/N). You and your brother may not be my favorite people but you're in my squad." He gets gauze out of his first aid kit to cover the stitched up wound, once finished, he checks the time. "Shit. We're going to be late to formation." He stands, moving to his closet and taking out a tunic, "It's going to be big on you but you don't have time to get a new one."

I sit up, taking his tunic from his out stretched hand, pulling it over my head. My senses fill with the smell of leather and soap. When I look at him again, he's holding out an apple. My brows knit together in confusion, "You didn't go to breakfast. At least this way you're not functioning on a completely empty stomach." He holds out a cloth for me as well, "You still have blood on your face."

I reach for the apple and cloth, "Thanks." I mumble. I turn towards his desk, there's a mirror above it and I quickly clean off my face. Then I pick up the discarded sword just as he moves to open his door, holding it for me to walk out first. I take a bite of the apple as we both head to morning formation.

Once at morning formation, we get a couple odd looks seeing that we're arriving together and I'm wearing a shirt that is clearly too big. The attention is quickly taken off of us as Captain Fitzgibbons reads off the death roll, "Calvin Atwater, Carolyn Bennett, Newland Jahvon, Aurelie Donans."

*_*_*_*_* Dain

The next morning I'm up early waiting outside the first year woman's barracks. I'm not sure if (Y/N) was planning on running today or not but I'd rather be here just in case. Sure enough (Y/N) steps out of the room, almost running right into me, "Great. Why are you here?" She scowls.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes, "Going on a run again?" I ask, instead of answering her question. (Y/N) nods, "By yourself?" She nods again. "I'm coming with you."

"I'm sorry. What?" She asks, crossing her arms.

"I'm. Coming. With. You." I look (Y/N) directly in her onyx eyes as I slowly repeat myself.

"Why?"

"Someone almost killed you yesterday."

(Y/N) laughs, "The cadet did not almost kill me, he threatened to kill me and all he left me with was a singular cut before I took his life."

"Do the details matter? Someone wanted to kill you yesterday, and they took advantage of the fact you were by yourself. And clearly you didn't tell any of your squad or your brother about this because if you did I bet at least one of them would be here with you."

(Y/N) takes a step closer to me, standing so we're chest to chest. Her arms brushing against me, "I don't need protection, Aetos. I'm not Violet. I'm perfectly capable of handling people trying to kill me."

I don't back down, eyes narrowing, "Either walk back into the barracks and wait for breakfast, cadet, or run with me. Those are your only two options."

(Y/N)'s eyes narrow in return, "Why do you care?"

"You're in my squad, you're under my protection. No one is killing you on my watch."

(Y/N) scoffs, reaching back to tie her hair into a loose ponytail, "You know what? Fine. Hope you can keep up." She runs fast, probably trying to make me fall behind, but I stay with her.

I stay silent for a while but I need to ask her if anyone said anything about the day before, "Did anyone say anything to you yesterday?" When she doesn't answer, I try again, "Imogen tried to ask why we showed up to formation together. Then she asked why your shirt was too big."

I wait for her response, glancing at her out of the the corner of my eye. When she still doesn't answer, I continue, "I told her it was just a coincidence that we showed up at the same time and I didn't know anything about your shirt." She still doesn't respond. Gods, she's stubborn. "She's really protective of you, you know?"

"Well the fuck aware. I'll deal with it if she asks me." (Y/N) finally replies.

"So did the squad ask?" I question, she nods but doesn't say anything else. As our run comes to an end, I'm breathing heavier than (Y/N), which is saying a lot considering I'm already bonded to a dragon.

You need to run more. Maybe it's a good thing the first year is refusing to tell anyone else. Cath says to me. I roll my eyes but don't respond to my dragon.

"Gods, how do you have such good stamina?" I ask as I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand. (Y/N) smirks, but doesn't answer. My mind flashes to (Y/N) naked in bed, I quickly shake the thought away, "Really?" I ask exasperated.

Cath chortles, And you claim to dislike her.

(Y/N) laughs, "I didn't say anything."

"It was written all of over your face." I scold. She's attractive, that doesn't mean I like her. I snap at Cath, my jaw ticking.

"You can interpret my facial expressions however you want, Aetos."

I shake my head, "Same time tomorrow?"

(Y/N) sighs, "You seriously don't need to come with me."

"Are you going to tell someone else about the murder attempt?"

"It's a typical day for me. I can handle myself."

"I have no doubt that you can." I step closer to her, she tilts her head to look me directly in the eyes, "But I'm still not letting you go by yourself."

The tip of her tongue darts out of her mouth, wetting her lips, my brown eyes following the movement, "I'll see you tomorrow morning then." She says, before walking away.

*_*_*_*_* (Y/N)

The next few practice runs on the Gauntlet have gone great for me, despite being in minor pain because of my wound. I make it up each time and my time improves as well. I haven't had to reach for a rope again either. Violet and Tynan are the only two left in the squad who haven't made it to the top. I feel bad for Violet but at least Tynan has stopped running his mouth. I'm still holding out hope that on presentation day he'll fall.

It's the day before presentation and the last practice, I lay on top of the cliff, Ridoc beside me. We were the first two to run. Sawyer. Rhiannon, and Violet are standing before the chimney trying to figure out how to help Violet get up. Ridoc and I both decided not to watch since we can't hear them anyways.

"You're going to end up with the fastest time tomorrow." Ridoc says.

"Maybe in our squad, but Liam told me his best time and I doubt I'll beat him." I reply.

"Do you both have to be good at everything?"

I smile, "Yes." Ridoc laughs, shaking his head. A red dragon flies overhead, "Pretty."

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that." Ridoc sighs.

"Sure you will. In a matter of days you're going to be a badass dragon rider. Seeing them fly above you is going to be nothing compared to flying on the back of one."

"Very true, Riorson." Ridoc and I smile at each other, "Gods, I can't wait."

*_*_*_*_*

"Doria Merrill," Captain Fitzgibbons says from the dais, during morning formation. Formation gets tighter every day as we lose more and more cadets. "Kamryn Dyre." It's presentation day, one of the deadliest in the quadrant. "Arvel Pelipa." Imogen and Quinn suck in a breath. First years aren't the only ones at risk, we're just the most likely to die. I send Imogen a sad smile, she nods in response. "Michael Iverem. We commend their souls to Malek."

Formation breaks, "Second and third years, unless you're on Gauntlet duty, head to class." Dain says to the squad, "First years, it's time to show us what you've got." He forces a smile, gaze stopping on Violet.

Imogen looks at Violet, she tucks a strand of pink hair behind her ear, "Good luck today. Hopefully you won't fall…short." She turns to look at me, pulling me into a tight hug, "You got this, (Y/N). Make me proud."

I smile, "Don't I always?" She smiles back, ruffling my hair causing me to slap her hand away. She walks off with Quinn and Cianna.

"Best of luck," Heaton one of two third years in our squad says to us. They tap their heart, right over two of their patches and offers us a genuine tight-lipped smile before heading to class. I've earned a patch for being undefeated in challenges but like Xaden I don't wear the extra patches. Just the ones that say my wing and year.

"I didn't realize Heaton actually knew how to speak." Two lines appear between Ridoc's brows.

"Maybe they figure they should at least say hi before we're potentially roasted today," Rhiannon says, causing me to snort.

"Back in formation," Dain orders.

"Are you coming with us?" Violet asks him. He nods, but doesn't look at her.

A few seconds pass before Ridoc speaks once more, "We're the biggest squad," He's looking around, assessing the other squads.

"What are we down to?" Tynan asks, "Hundred and eighty?"

"Hundred and seventy one," Dain answers.

"For a hundred dragons? But what will we..." Trina starts.

She's cut off by Luca, "Stop letting fear leach into your voice. If the dragons think you're a coward, you'll be nothing but a name tomorrow."

"I hope you're nothing but a name tomorrow." I mumble under my breath. I'm the closest to Dain so he hears my barb, he sends me a look and I innocently smile back.

"Stop it. You need to support your squad." Dain scolds quietly.

"I'll support my squadmates that I actually care about, I'm not a squad leader like you, I don't need to care for everyone in the squad." He rolls his eyes, "Still want to go on those morning runs with me?"

"You're insufferable." He states. "How's your wound?"

"Fine, just like I told you this morning." Dain nods, "You still never answered my question."

"Fourth Wing!" Xaden calls from ahead, "Move out!"

Dain glances at me out the corner of his eye, "I'll see you for our morning run tomorrow. And I still think it was stupid to go for one today." Then he falls back, moving to the back of our formation. Our section is first, Xaden falls behind, walking next to me and letting Garrick lead.

"Good luck, I know you'll do great on the Gauntlet." He says, reaching out to give my shoulder a squeeze.

"I said when I got here that the only way I plan on dying is if a dragon doesn't find me worthy. So let's hope they like me."

"They will. If Sgaeyl likes you - which she does, and she's one of the hardest to please - how can the ones at Presentation not?"

I smile, "Thanks. I love you."

Xaden smiles back, "I love you too." He leaves my side, moving back towards the front of the wing, towards Garrick.

Forty five minutes later, it's my turn on the Gauntlet. I fly over the spinning log and leap from pillar to pillar, quickly hopping into the wheel. I hop out at the second rotation, completing ascent one. I jump onto the first buoy ball, grabbing the chain and swinging from ball to ball.

I take a deep breath before jumping up to grab the iron rails on the third ascent, I climb hand over hand making it to the shaking pillars. I aim my landing perfectly, bending my knees to brace the impact. I jump to each pillar and don't hesitate to run up the fourth ascent. All these morning runs were for this, to keep my stamina up during the Gauntlet, and in future battles.

I make it to the last ascent, I run at the chimney, my body making an X before hopping up and climbing on to the edge before the ramp. I take one more breath then run as fast as I can, when gravity starts pulling me down, I throw my hand up catching the lip and pulling myself up the rest of the way.

Sawyer and Ridoc run at me, enveloping me in a tight hug. They went before me, I'm the third in the squad to go. "Badass!" Ridoc exclaims, "You flew through the course!"

"Seriously, you made it look easy, (Y/N)." Sawyer says.

I giggle, "Come on. Let's go watch the rest of our squad." I make eye contact with Xaden and Garrick who both send me proud smiles. Then I turn to watch the rest of the squad. Trina, Luca, Rhiannon, Pryor, and Tynan all make it up. Violet is the last on the course, she's just made it past ascent four, stopping before the chimney. This is it for her, she hasn't completed this obstacle yet, but I know she can.

"You can do it!" Rhiannon yells to Violet.

"Or you can do us all a favor and fall!" Jack calls out. My head snaps in his direction but before I can move both Sawyer and Ridoc grab onto my arms.

"Let go, I only want to talk with him." I mumble.

"Talk with your fists,maybe." Ridoc mumbles, refusing to let go.

I roll my eyes but look back down as I hear Rhiannon yell, "What are you doing?" Violet is grabbing one of the ropes. She drags it horizontally across the surface of the cliff. She gets the bottom portion onto the chimney, pulling the rope tight. She plants one foot on the side of the shaft and gives the rope a tug.

"Can she do that?" Someone snaps. I turn to see Amber Mavis, the wingleader for second wing. Violet climbs the chimney, using the rope for leverage.

Once she makes it to the top Ridoc shouts, "Hell yes! That's our girl!"

"You got this Violet! One more!" I cheer her on. Violet takes a breath, unsheathing one of her daggers. She's runs as fast as she can towards the ramp, when gravity begins to pull her back down she swings her arm up, slamming her dagger into the ramp, a guttural scream rips through her throat. She reaches up with her other hand, grabbing the lip of the ramp, pulling herself up, using the dagger to step on for extra leverage.

Once up, she lays on her stomach, reaching over the edge to retrieve her dagger. Ridoc, Sawyer, Rhiannon, and I rush over, nearly tackling Violet in a group hug. "She can't do that!" Amber screams.

"Yeah, well she just did!" Ridoc argues.

"You made it! You made it!" Rhiannon cheers.

"Luck," Violet draws in a shaky breath, "And. Adrenaline."

"Cheating!" Amber yells, once more, stomping over to us.

I snap, not caring that she's a wingleader, "Back the fuck up."

Her jaw drops in shock, but before she can reply to me, Garrick steps in between us. She clenches her jaw but stops, "Watch your tone with me, cadet." I roll my eyes. She turns to look between Garrick and Xaden, "The cheater clearly used foreign materials not once but twice! It's not to be tolerated! We live by the codex or we die by them!"

"Gods," I mumble to my squad, "Can I punch her?" Ridoc snorts.

"I don't take kindly to calling anyone in my section a cheater," Garrick says, "And my wingleader will handle any rule-breaking in his own wing."

"Sorrengail?" Xaden calls out.

"I expect the thirty second penalty for using the rope," Violet answers.

"And the knife?" Amber's eyes narrow, "She's disqualified." Xaden doesn't answer, still watching Violet, "Surely she's out! You can't tolerate lawlessness within your own wing, Riorson!"

But Xaden remains quiet, waiting for Violet. "A rider may only bring to the quadrant the items they can carry-" Violet begins.

She's cut off by Amber, "Are you quoting the codex to me?"

"- And they shall not be separated from those items no matter what they may be," She continues like she wasn't interrupted. "For once carried across the parapet, they are considered part of their person. Article Three, Section Six, Addendum B."

I smirk, waiting for Xaden's reply, but it's Amber who opens her mouth once more, "That Addendum was written to make thievery an executional offense."

"Correct," Violet nods in agreement, "But in doing so, it gave any item carried across the parapet the status of being a part of the rider." She unsheathes the dagger she used, "This isn't a challenge blade. It's one I carried across and therefore considered part of myself."

Amber's eyes flare but Violet speaks once more, this time looking at Xaden, "The right way isn't the only way."

Xaden holds her stare, "She has you, Amber."

"On a technicality!" She tries to argue.

"She still has you."

"You think like a scribe!"

"I know." Violet agrees. Amber marches off, clearly pissed.

"Sorrengail," Xaden says, causing Violet to turn to him once more, "You're leaking." He gestures to her hands, "Do something about it." Rhiannon helps Violet cut the sleeves off her tunic to bandage her hands, then we wait for the rest of the cadets to either make it up the cliff or die trying.

*_*_*_*_*

There are 169 first year cadets left by the time everyone finishes the Gauntlet. Even with Violet's penalty for using the rope, we ended up eleventh out of thirty six squads. Liam won the Gauntlet patch, being the fastest one up. I asked Xaden, where I placed individually and I was third, which I was happy about.

The box canyon that makes up the training field is a colorful array of reds, oranges, and golds. Autumn was always my favorite time of year. I love the crisp air and the colors littering the trees; everything looks serene.

The dragons line the valley, standing twenty-five feet tall. They're in a formation of their own, lined up several feet back, close enough to pass judgment as we walk past. "Let's go, Second Squad, you're up next." Garrick calls out. "Into formation." We all move, Rhiannon, Violet, and I ending up near the back.

There's a sound like rushing wind that stops quickly, one of the dragons wasn't happy with one of the cadets. Garrick's eyes skim over the group, stopping on me, "Hopefully Aetos has done his job, so you know that it's a straight walk down the meadow. I'd recommend staying at least seven feet apart-"

Ridoc interrupts, "In case one of us gets scorched."

"Correct, Ridoc." Garrick's gaze turns away from me, addressing the whole group, "Cluster if you want, just know if a dragon finds disfavor with one of you, it's likely to burn the whole lot to weed one out." He pauses, "Also, remember you're not here to approach them, and if you do, you won't be making it back to the dormitory tonight."

"Can I ask a question?" Luca says from the front. I roll my eyes, Garrick nods, but his jaw ticks. He's annoyed, he doesn't like Luca on my behalf plus he's always been impatient. "Third Squad, Tail Section of Fourth Wing already went through, and I talked to some of the cadets…"

"That's not a question," Garrick lifts his brows. I smirk at his tone. He's intimidating to everyone else, but to me he's just a big teddy bear.

"Right. It's just that they said there's two feathertails?"

"F-Feathertails?" Tynan sputters, he's in front of Violet. "Who the hell would ever want to bond a feathertail?"

I roll my eyes, I tend to do that a lot whenever Luca or Tynan open their mouths, they have that affect on people. "Professor Kaori never told us there would be feathertails." Sawyer says, "I know because I memorized every single dragon he showed us. All hundred of them."

"Well, guess there's a hundred and two now." Garrick replies, "Relax. Feathertails don't bond. I can't even remember the last time one has been seen outside the Vale. They're probably just curious. You're up. Stay on the path. You walk up, you wait for the entire squad, you walk back down. It really doesn't get much easier than this, kids, so if you can't follow those simple instructions, then you deserve whatever happens in there."

We follow the crowd of first years, stopping in front of Nyra, the senior wingleader. "They're all yours," Garrick says. He walks past me, squeezing my arm, "I'll see you later." He whispers before walking off.

"Single file." Nyra calls to the squad. I move so I'm the last person in line, Rhiannon and Violet right ahead of me. "Talk."

"Nice day for a Presentation," Ridoc jokes.

"Not to me," Nyra narrows her eyes, "Talk to your nearby squadmates while you're on the path, as it will help the dragons get a sense of who you are and how well you play with others. There's a correlation between bonded cadets and level of chatter."

She pauses, looking at each squad member, "Feel free to look at the dragons, especially if they're showing off their tails, but I would abstain from eye contact if you value your life. If you come across a scorch mark, just make sure nothing's currently on fire before continuing along. See you after your stroll."

She sweeps her hand, stepping to the side. The line starts to move, everyone giving the suggested seven feet before following. We pass a trio of reds first. "I can't even see their tails!" Tynan shouts from ahead of Violet, "How are we supposed to know what breed they are?"

I roll my eyes but keep my mouth shut, "We're not supposed to know what breed they are," Violet responds.

"Fuck that, I need to figure out which one I'm going to approach during Threshing."

"Pretty sure they're the ones to decide, Tynan. Or have you already forgot what Kaori taught us?" I say, I probably should have left that last part out but I might as well be authentically myself. The dragons need to know the real me and make their decisions based on that.

"Hopefully one of them will decide you don't get to make it to Threshing," Rhiannon says so quietly that I barely hear her.

I laugh, "Him and Luca." I reply just as quietly, causing her to laugh as well.

We are now approaching a set of browns. "They're a little bigger than I thought they would be…" Rhiannon trails off, "Not that I didn't see the ones at Parapet, but…"

"So do you know if you're having a niece or a nephew?" Violet asks, trying to distract Rhiannon.

We pass a handful of oranges as Rhiannon replies, "What?"

"I've heard some of the healers can make pretty good guesses once a woman is further along in her pregnancy."

"Oh. No. No clue. Though I'm kind of hoping she'll have a girl. I guess I'll find out once we finish the year and can write our families."

"Ugh," I groan, "I hate that rule. It's so dumb."

"Agreed." Violet pipes up, "It is a bullshit rule."

"You don't think it encourages loyalty to the wing?" Rhiannon asks us.

"Honestly, I just think it's about control." I shrug.

Violet answers next, "I think I'm just as loyal to my sister whether I've had a letter from her or not. There are bonds that can't be broken."

"I'd be loyal to your sister too," Tynan calls out. He turns around, facing Violet, "She's one hell of a rider, and that ass. I saw her right before Parapet and damn, Violet. She's hot."

"Turn around," Violet makes a spinning motion with her finger, "Mira would eat you for breakfast, Tynan."

"I'm just wondering how one of you got all the good traits and the other looks like she got the leftovers."

"Are you blind? Violet's so hot. I think it's just in the Sorrengail genes." I say. I think of Brennan, who is also very attractive.

Violet laughs, "Says you. The Riorson's clearly have some good genes too."

I laugh, "Are you saying me and my brother are hot, Violet?"

She doesn't answer but Tynan speaks up again, "All I'm saying is maybe I'll write a letter of my own to your sister once we get privileges."

"A nephew would be good," Rhiannon says, changing the topic. "Boys aren't too bad."

"My brother was awesome, but he and Dain are my only experience with growing up around little boys." Violet replies. "Though I think Dain was probably a little more rule-abiding than most kids." I snort, picturing little Dain always following the rules. "He likes order and pretty much detests anything that doesn't fit neatly into his plan." She pauses, "What about you, (Y/N)? What was it like growing up with Xaden and Bodhi?"

I quietly laugh, "They was the best. Xaden's always been there for me, even when we were separated. Bodhi too, though Xaden was always a bit more serious than Bodhi. Xaden never tried to stop me from hanging around him and Garrick even when I was being annoying. He's definitely my built in best friend."

"What about Garrick?" Rhiannon asks.

"Garrick too. He could had gotten annoyed so many times with me following them around but he never minded. I remember we used to play hide and seek in the halls of Riorson House, Gods that was so much fun. And Liam…" I trail off, "When Liam and I met we were attached at the hip. I was miserable whenever he was gone. I think Garrick, Bodhi, and Xaden let me hang around them so much because they hated seeing me upset."

"They sound great," Rhiannon replies.

"Yeah, they seem to really love you." Violet says.

I smile but don't answer, my head is filled with memories of growing up in Aretia. "You guys done bonding back there?" Tynan sneers, "Because we're almost to the end of the line, if you haven't noticed." He pauses, "And I still haven't figured out which one I'm going to choose."

"With arrogance like that, I'm sure any dragon would feel lucky to share your mind for the rest of your life." Violet replies.

The rest of the squad is gathered at the end of the path, facing our direction. Their focus is to the right, there's a brown dragon up ahead, though I can't see what's behind it. "What the hell?" Tynan stares.

"Keep walking," Violet orders. Her gaze is so focused she stumbles right into Tynan.

"Get off me, Sorrengail." He hisses, shoving her back, "Who the hell would bond those?"

That's when I see them, two feathertails sitting side-by-side. One gold, the other silver. "They're fucking yellow and gray." Luca's lip curls in disgust, "So not only are they obviously too small to carry a rider in battle, but they're not even powerful enough to be a real color."

I roll my eyes, "There's so much we don't know about dragons, how do you know that there aren't more silver and gold dragons in the Vale? I mean we learned about a white one, and there's no other like her."

"Maybe it's a mistake," Sawyer says quietly, "Maybe it's a baby orange and black."

"They're fully grown," Rhiannon argues, "There's no way the other dragons allow babies to bond. No human alive has ever seen a baby."

"It's a mistake all right," Tynan agrees with Sawyer. He scoffs, "You should bond one of them, Sorrengail. You're both freakishly weak. It's a match made in heaven."

"It looks powerful enough to burn you to death," Violet counters. I want to punch Tynan on her behalf but I can't stick up for her like that in front of the dragons, she needs to prove herself.

Sawyer lunges between Tynan and Violet, grabbing Tynan's collar. My jaw drops, that's unbelievably hot. Especially since he's held me back from punching Tynan so often. "Don't ever say that about a squadmate, especially not in front of unbonded dragons."

"Let him go - he's just saying what we're all thinking," Luca mutters.

"You two are the only ones thinking that." I snap.

Trina places a hand on Sawyer's shoulder, "Don't make a mistake in front of them. We don't know what they'll do." Sawyer drops Tynan's collar. We all step away from each other so we're not grouped together anymore.

"Someone should kill them before they bond," Tynan sputters, "They're just going to get their riders killed, and it's not like we get a choice if they want to bond."

"You're just picking up on that now, are you?" Ridoc shakes his head.

"Well, I think they're beautiful. Garrick's probably right anyways, they're just curious. They can't carry riders, it wouldn't make sense for them to bond. The rider and dragon would both be in danger."

"We should go back," Pryor says, his gaze darts around the group, "I mean… if you think we should. We don't have to, of course."

"For once in your life," Tynan snaps, pushing Pryor to start walking, "make a damn decision, Pryor."

Sawyer goes after Tynan, me following behind, then Trina behind me. "So, Sawyer. After all this time telling me to be nice…" I trail off, teasing the tall boy.

"Do as I say, not as I do." Sawyer replies, laughing.

"I mean, it was kinda hot, seeing you be protective like that."

He glances back at me, "Oh, really? Is that what does it for you, (Y/N)?"

Before I can answer Tynan inserts himself in the conversation, "Please, you can do so much better than someone who had to repeat a year, (Y/N)."

"Sawyer already knows I think he's brave for repeating."

"Brave?" Tynan, whips around.

"Keep walking," Sawyer scolds.

Tynan walks backwards looking around Sawyer to eye me, "Yes, brave. It's brave enough showing up expecting to do three years then live out your life as a dragon rider, but to add an extra year to the college where other cadets constantly try to kill you? It's brave."

"Thanks, (Y/N)." Sawyer says.

"Whether it's brave or not, you deserve someone who didn't have to repeat." Tynan replies.

"Oh yeah? Like who?"

"Well, I bet I'd be better than him."

I roll my eyes, "Only in your dreams, Tynan."

"Oh you've definitely been in my dreams."

"Ugh, Gods, that's disgusting."

"Turn back around, Tynan." Sawyer snaps. Tynan smirks but turns back around.

"You can move a little faster up there, Pryor." Rhiannon calls out.

"Maybe we should slow down and take our time?" Pryor replies, but it sounds like a question, "Or I guess we can go faster if we want to get out of here." A red dragon steps out of line, halting the squad. It opens it's mouth, exposing it's fangs. The fire erupts from along the sides of it's tongue, right at Pryor. The scent of sulfur and burned grass enters my nose.

We pause, waiting for the fire to stop, "Fire's out." Tynan calls, then continues to walk the path. I pass the pile of ash that used to be Pryor, trying to think of something else to talk about.

"Xaden approves of you, Sawyer."

He laughs, "What do you mean?"

"He knows we've gotten close, said I could do worse. That's approval from Xaden if I ever heard it."

"Well that's good to know. Your brother is intimidating as fuck."

"Yeah, maybe to others."

"To everyone, the only reason you're not intimidated by him is because he's your brother." Tynan says from up front.

"Nah, plenty of the marked ones aren't intimidated by him. We just know him better."

"He kinda scares me," Trina says from behind me, causing me to laugh, "Honestly, you're a lot like him from what I can see." We hear another whoosh of fire from behind us, I glance behind me just to make sure it wasn't Trina.

When I see she's still there I reply, "He was basically my hero growing up, so I'm not surprised we seem so similar." We walk past the last of the dragons. Everyone in the squad besides Pryor and Luca make it out.

Taglist: @desprrssooo-espresssooooo

[danikamariewrites]

I just read your parapet fic with Xaden it was cute ! I think a part 2 would be adorable as the reader progresses and then evening gets her own room 😉

Parapet pt. 2 (SMUT)

Xaden x reader

A/n: this wasn’t going to be smut at first and then I couldn’t stop writing. Apologies if this is a lil rough I haven’t written smut in a few months

Warnings: fingering, p in v, orgasm denial, and fluff (also typos so sorry)

By the grace of he gods, and Xaden, you made it through every challenge thrown at you. You bonded a dragon. You won fights. You beat the Gauntlet. And best of all, Xaden was confiding in you.

Another perk was your own room. Meaning privacy. Hopefully for you and Xaden soon. Your alone time had been lacking. He was busy running missions for the secret rebellion while you were busy staying alive. Though you had asked Xaden if you could help he told you no.

“Your focus is to get through first year. Do that and then you can help me, baby.” He had told you. You didn’t want to see his point. You wanted to finish what your parents started. This isn’t just Xaden’s fight. You deserve to fight too.

It was Saturday night and you were sitting around waiting for him to come back to campus instead of having dinner with your friends. You’ve been in your room all day, not wanting to risk missing him.

A soft knock sounds on your door. You jump up from your desk chair rushing to open the door. At the sight of Xaden a giant smile breaks out on your face. Grabbing his hand you pull him into your room wrapping him in a bone crushing hug. It feels like you two haven’t seen each other in months.

Xaden kicks your door shut, dipping his head down to place his lips on yours in a deep kiss. You reciprocate, your tongue running across his bottom lip before taking it between your teeth, gently biting down. A growl sounds from his chest making you pull him closer to you.

“Gods I missed you,” he whispers against your lips. You whine, jumping to wrap your legs around Xaden’s waist. He squeezes your ass and walks you over to the bed. Xaden drops you down to take you in. You’re still clothed but he loves you in anything.

Propping yourself up on your elbows you bite your lip. Everything about him is just perfect. From those dark eyes to that perfectly sculpted body under that very attractive uniform. As much as you wanted to talk to him about helping the rebellion again, you can’t deny yourself of him right now.

Xaden peels off your shirt leaving your torso bare to him. His eyes linger on your relic that spans up your arm to the nape of your neck. He traces one of the swirls all the way up, bringing his hand to cup your cheek.

You never liked showing off your relic. Opting to wear long sleeves even in the summer time. Xaden softly moved your face so you are looking up into his dark sparkling eyes. “You are so perfect. Every single part of you.” He says sweetly. “You are too, baby.”

He dropped onto your bed, caging you in with his body. You grab his face, pulling him into a bruising kiss. One of his large hands cups your breast. Twisting your nipple, earning a moan from you. Your hands move up to his dark hair to tug on his short strands.

Xaden moves down to kiss and nip at your neck. Leaving marks across your throat like a necklace. His rough hands slide down your body, lightly tickling your sides. He grips your back forcing you to arch into him. “Wanna make you feel good sweetheart. Missed you. Missed this body.” He rasps out between breaths.

You practically rip his shirt in half while pulling it off him. Running your hands up his muscular arms a deep moan sounds from your chest as Xaden nips and licks in the right spot. “Fuck Xaden. Need you so bad.” “I know baby, I know.” He murmurs against your skin.

Pulling off your pants his fingers find your center. Xaden moans at how wet you are already. “All for me baby?” You nod vigorously against your pillow. Biting your lip you silently pray for him to just thrust his fingers into your pussy. Xaden collects your arousal, spreading it around your folds and up to your clit. He pushes down on the sensitive bundle, drawing tantalizingly slow circles. You buck your hips into his hand. Begging for more.

Finally, he brings two of his thick fingers back down to your entrance. Slowly pushing them in and curling them to hit that sweet spot that makes your head empty. Xaden knows your body better than you. He’s spent hours exploring you. Finding out what makes you moan and melt at his touch.

Just as you were about to reach the height of your orgasm Xaden slides his fingers from you. Your eyes fly open as you whine. Giving him a desperate look. He lets out a breathy chuckle, making quick work of his pants. At the sight of his long cock all complaints leave your brain.

Laying back down you smirk at him stroking his length. Spreading your legs wider, ready for him to use you. Xaden crawls up your body leaving small kisses up the valley of your breasts until he reaches your lips. Resting his forehead against yours he slightly smiles. “Think you’re ready for me, baby?” He taunts. “Gods yes.” You moan.

He lines himself up with your entrance, teasing you. Another desperate whine slips from your swollen lips. Xaden slides in. Grabbing your thighs he wraps your legs around him as he moves in and out of you. You could tell he was torn between taking his time pleasuring you and fucking you like a mad man.

You caressed his face trying to gain his attention. Xaden’s eyes never left yours as he grabbed your wrist pressing a kiss to your palm. “Don’t hold back Xa.” The words come out broken as you try to focus. He doesn’t need to be told twice.

Picking up his pace Xaden pounds into you. His cock hitting the spongy spot that makes you see stars. You feel your orgasm approaching quickly. Clawing at Xaden’s back you come around his cock, chanting his name like a prayer. He fucks you through your high until his moans get louder and louder until you feel his seed spilling into you.

——

After you’re all cleaned up and taken care of Xaden has you in his arms. Your head rests on his chest as Xaden softly plays with your hair while his other hand traces small circles on your side. You softly kiss his jaw and he lets out a happy hum.

“Hey Xa,” you whisper. “Yeah baby?” You trace small circles on his chest as you work up the courage for what you want to say. “You know you don’t have to do everything yourself, right? This fight…I know your father led the rebellion but mine were part of it too. You’re not alone my love. Let me help.”

He gives you a loving look. Tracing your nose and softly tapping the tip. “I will think about it. How does that sound?” “Better than wait until next year.”

[oh-no-its-dragons]

Step One

Ridoc isn't entirely sure how it happened, but he has no complaints now that it's in process. 

For @empyreanevents' Bodhi Week, day 4: Perfect, it's Ridoc!

Personal challenge checklist: ☑ don't mention Xaden ☑ Bodhi has a nice day

(cw for Ridoc's mouth, but no actual dicks appear in this fic. inspired by look around, look inside by @theoppositequeens, I'm leaning in on aegosexual Bodhi 🖤🤍💜)

"I feel like I'm lucky I'm your friend and not your fuckbuddy," Bodhi said, and something about it seemed so funny- we were laying on his bed, because we'd been sitting on it and he'd flopped over after saying something and then I'd laid next to him, because he was there and I wanted to and he let me.

"Why not both?"

"It doesn't really seem like both is something you do." Bodhi said it with more finality than it deserved. "You've got your squad and then you've got everybody else, and you only fuck one of those groups, Ridoc."

"Wait, let me break that down for you," I laughed, hoping he didn't hear the way I was forcing myself to stay casual even as I turned my head to watch him instead of the ceiling. He's much more fun to look at than the ceiling. His face is expressive-- not controlled like so many people around here are. "There's Violet, and I love her with my whole self. I wouldn't say no if she asked except that I don't want to die. There's Rhiannon, who's bi but I'm pretty sure has a strong preference for partners without a dick."

"Didn't she and Henrick-"

"Not my story to tell." I held up my hands like I was protesting my innocence, as if I had any, as if it was just an accident that when I put my arms back down one of them was perfectly placed to wrap around Bodhi's arm and trace my finger along his palm. "And speaking of Sawyer, he's so quiet about his sex life, would you even know who he's fucking?"

"I guess not." He didn't pull away.

I nodded. "Well there you go. There's Quinn, and she's absolutely head over heels, the same as Violet, and there's Imogen... well okay, I wouldn't say no to her if she was up for it either, but same caveat. I don't want to die."

Bodhi laughed and curled onto his side so he was facing me. "For someone who doesn't want to die, you take a lot of risks."

"Like what?" I rolled onto my side, mirroring him, letting my hand rest on his hip now. He still didn't pull away, but he did get quiet and I could see his smile twisting.

"I didn't mean to- it's not that I'm trying to be your fuckbuddy, you know? I like that we can just hang out and talk and be- be close."

I looked down at my hand on his hip and then back up to his eyes. "What else do you like, Bodhi? What's your most impossible fantasy?" I don't know what came over me, I just needed to know what he needed. What he wanted. I was suddenly hit by the force of how much I wanted to be the one to give him whatever that was.

"Cuddling," Bodhi answered so fast he looked surprised at himself.

The moment suddenly felt fragile, like when I did somersaults on Aotrom's back while he was flying. I needed to make sure every step I took was a sure one. 

"That doesn't sound impossible. I like cuddling," I said carefully. "I'd like to cuddle with you."

"Even if it isn't-" Bodhi stopped, and I waited. I thought like a million different things, and I didn't say any of them because I could see how many words were spinning around in Bodhi's eyes while he waited for the right ones to surface and I didn't want to cut him off. "Even if it doesn't lead to anything? I was told it's leading people on to be physical and not want to follow through with it. You'd be okay with that?" 

It was almost a challenge, and I do love a challenge. 

"Whatever you want is perfect. I know I have a reputation that largely involves my dick and the many excellent things I can do with it," I told him, letting just a little swag sneak into my voice, "but mostly I want to make people feel good, and make myself feel good in the process. Cuddling with you would feel good, regardless of whether or not it's a prelude to doing anything else."

"Oh. Well, yeah, then I'd like that."

I scootched closer until I could feel his warmth all the way down my body and slung my arm over his chest so I could rub his back. He wrapped his arm around me too, his shoulders broad enough that I felt enveloped. 

And then… we kept talking. After that, I felt more confident touching him, always watching, always checking in, but if anything it was like a dam broke. The guy wanted to be touched, and I wanted to oblige: my hand was on his hip, his thigh, his forearm. I was rubbing his neck, massaging his shoulders where he carried all his tension. He helped me study, the two of us splayed across his bed in a tangle of limbs while we talked. We talked about a lot of things. It felt like everything. It started to feel like he was everything. 

I didn't stop flirting, dating, having fun, sleeping around, though sometimes when I offered to join someone in their room they asked "aren't you and Durran…?"

And I laughed it off the first five or six times but eventually I had to ask myself: 

Are we?

[writinginatree]

Adaptability

Relationship(s): Bodhi Durran/female!reader, Imogen Cardulo & Garrick Tavis & reader

Summary: After an injury sustained at Resson leaves you with a lasting impairment, your boyfriend Bodhi helps you as best as he can while you learn how to navigate the world under these new conditions.

Warnings: Spoiler for the start of Iron Flame, swearing, injury, implied panic attack, mentions of canon-typical violence and canon character death, reader is a marked one

A/N: Phew, this one took me pretty long to write... The stuff with reader's signet was a bit of a challenge, but I hope I managed to explain it in a way that makes sense? Idk, but all in all I'm surprisingly happy with how this turned out ^^

Part 2

Everything is black. You try to open your eyes, but they're already open. They feel sore, like when you've been looking in the sun for too long. Voices reach you through the haziness of your mind, overlapping so you can't make out the words. The voices stop, someone walks away, the sound of their footsteps unnaturally loud in your pounding head.

You try to sit up. The surface below you feels soft, like a bed, but that can't be right. You were in the middle of battle when— shit! The venin!

You sense movement beside you and reach for the alloy-hilted dagger that should be strapped to your thigh, but find nothing. Still sluggish from your involuntary nap and disoriented by the lingering darkness, you feel around for your other daggers. The one at your hip is right where it belongs, and you instantly feel better when your fingers wrap around the hilt. It won't kill the venin, but it's better than nothing. You probably dropped the alloy one when you passed out. It has to be close by. You'll just—

A hand is placed on top of yours before you can fully draw your weapon, and you flinch.

"It's okay," someone says. "The battle is over, you're safe."

"Bodhi? Is that you?" You know it's him from his voice, but the darkness irritates you. You look in the direction he seems to be in and try to find his face in the darkness. Nothing. Why the fuck is it so dark? For a moment you think that maybe Xaden encased the area in shadow, but if the battle is over, that doesn't make much sense. "What's going on?"

There's movement again, then you feel Bodhi sit down closer to you, his hip touching yours. He takes both your hands in his and places a kiss first on one, then the other.

"You got injured and passed out," he explains, as if you can't figure that much out yourself. You remember the venin in front of you, a blinding explosion before unconsciousness came over you.

"I feel fine. Besides a bit of a headache. But why is it so dark?"

Only silence. If he weren't still holding your hands, you might have thought he left.

"Bodhi?"

"It's not dark, love. The sun from the window is shining right at you."

Window? Okay, so you definitely aren't in Resson anymore. And now that he says it, you become aware of the warm feeling of sunlight on your skin. But— "What are you talking about?! It's pitch black in here. Wherever here is. I can't see shit!"

"Here is my room. At Aretia." You want to ask what the fuck you're doing in Aretia, but he already continues, "And you can't see because—" He swallows hard. "Because your eyes are— they're hurt pretty bad. Brennan mended what he could, but..."

Cold dread creeps into you. You shake your head and try to pull your hands from Bodhi's to feel for your eyes, but he holds on tight.

"But?" you urge him to finish his sentence. You're not sure you actually want to hear it, but you need to.

"But he can't restore your vision," Bodhi says quietly. "I didn't understand everything he said, but that's what it comes down to. You will never see again."

No. It can't be. It can't be.

"I'm so sorry, darling."

You shake your head, trying to deny that this is happening. There's no way. It has to be a nightmare. Some sick joke. A trick the venin are playing on you. Maybe you're still in the midst of battle and none of this is actually real. But no matter how many times you close your eyes and open them again, the darkness just won't yield.

"Shh, don't panic," Bodhi pleads. "Please don't panic."

"You're telling me I'm blind and I'm not supposed to panic?!" You cringe at the way you sound — like a hysterical little girl. As a rider, you should have more composure than that. You know Bodhi is right, freaking out won't make it better. But knowing that does nothing to help you stay calm. This can't be happening, that's all you can think.

Suddenly your dragon's voice fills your head, her relief palpable. "You're awake."

"I can't see!"

"I know," Fonn soothes. "I know. But you will adapt."

You shake your head, biting back a sob as you block her out. You can't deal with her endless fucking optimism right now.

"I'm sorry," Bodhi says, and pulls you into his arms. There is nothing he can say to make this better, and he seems to know it, because he doesn't say any more.

For a few minutes he just holds you in silence, rocking back and forth with you in an effort to soothe you. You're aware you're starting to hyperventilate as the panic rises the more the truth sets in, but you can't seem to stop the sobbing, no matter how hard you try. Blind. You're fucking blind. Who has ever heard of a blind rider? You're fucking dead. Fresh meat for your enemies, defenseless because you can't see them.

"You will learn how to fight without seeing them," Fonn insists, ripping through your mental shields as though they're paper. You really need to get better at keeping them up even under extreme stress. You block her again, putting more effort into it this time. Hearing that you should look at the positive side, how lucky you are to still be alive at all, is the last thing you need right now, and knowing Fonn, that's exactly how she views the situation.

"Shh, baby, breathe" Bodhi soothes. "Come on, deep breaths, nice and slow."

You try, but still all you manage are shallow sobs that barely get any air into your lungs. Bodhi holds you tighter, trying to comfort you with his presence, cradling your head against the junction of his neck. Burying your face against his skin makes you feel a little better. That way, you can pretend the reason you can't see is only that your eyes are squeezed shut. There's just one problem — pressing your face against him like that makes it even harder to breathe properly.

You can't tell how much time passes, but eventually, your tears slow to a trickle, and finally stop altogether. Bodhi cups your cheek and makes you lift your head a little — to look at you, you assume. Fresh despair washes over you at the realization that you will never get to look at him again, but no more tears will come. You've cried yourself dry.

The feeling of his lips on yours startles you, but it only takes you a second to gather yourself and eagerly kiss back.

"You'll be okay," he mutters against your lips. "I'm here for you."

You decide to ignore the first part of what he said — the part you don't have it in you to believe — and focus on the second half. He's here for you. Yes. And you're eternally grateful for that. You don't know what you'd do without him.

"Everything will be alright," he repeats.

You've let your mental shields down again, and Fonn senses your doubt. "He's right," she says. "Out of all the riders I've had, you're the strongest, smartest and bravest. And you know I've had a bunch of them over the years. This will make things hard for a while, but you'll be okay. I'm sure of it."

"If you say so," you reply, both out loud to Bodhi, and through your mental connection to Fonn. Sitting up straighter, you only now notice that Bodhi has only been holding you with one arm, the other squeezed in between your bodies. Feeling for it, you realize it's in a sling. "You're hurt too."

"Just a broken arm and a few scratches," Bodhi assures you. "No big deal."

Compared to your own injury, you suppose it really isn't. A broken arm is hardly more than an annoyance, painful but temporary. Unlike your eyes, it will be healed soon.

You take a deep breath and try to focus on something else. It's surprisingly easy when you realize you don't know where the rest of your friends are. Gods, you hope nothing happened to any of them.

"What about the others? Is everyone okay?"

Bodhi winces. "Soleil and Liam didn't make it." Two. Two of your friends are dead. Had that happened after you got injured, or had you simply missed it in the chaos of battle? "Violet is hurt, too."

"How bad?"

"A venin stabbed her with a poisoned dagger. Brennan mended her, but she's still unconscious."

"Will she be okay?"

You send a silent prayer to Zihnal that she will — and not just because her life is tied to that of Xaden, who is one of your closest friends. You like Violet. To say you and her are friends would be an exaggeration, but you could be — almost certainly would, if things weren't so complicated. Maybe you actually will become friends, now that the truth is out. If she survives.

"We're not sure. But Brennan seems to think so."

"Good. That's good."

Questions about your comrades thus answered, your thoughts return to your own condition. Is there really nothing that can be done? And if there isn't, then what now?

"Your signet might help you get by," Fonn suggests. She seems to have thought it through already in the hours you were unconscious. "You know how your sound waves reflect off of the objects around you? With a bit of practice I'm sure you can use that to get a mental picture of your surroundings."

You hate having to destroy her hopes in the idea — she seems so proud. But it won't work. "The sound would have to be so loud it would turn everyone around me deaf to get a clear picture."

"Not necessarily. You could use a sound frequency humans can't hear, the way bats do."

"I don't know, Fonn. I have no idea how that works. I don't even know if I can produce ultrasound waves."

"I don't see why not. They're sound waves like any other. There's no reason you should only be able to produce those your human ears can hear. It's worth a try, at least."

You suppose she's right, even if the mere thought exhausts you. A hopelessness is settling in your chest the more you start to accept that your eyesight is truly irredeemable. But you're a rider, and riders don't give up. Even if you wanted to, Fonn wouldn't let you, nor Bodhi.

"Are you hungry?" he asks now.

You nod.

"I'll get you something to eat. Wait here, I'll be right back."

"Bodhi, wait!" If he leaves you alone like this, unable to see, in a place you're unfamiliar with, clueless how long it will take him to walk to the kitchen and back, you'll go mad. You can't stand the thought of being alone in this foreign, permanent darkness. "Let me come."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay in bed and rest a bit longer?"

"Yeah. I'm fine, Bodhi. Well... as fine as one can be after finding out they've turned blind. I don't want to be alone."

Bodhi takes your hand and pulls you to your feet. "Alright. Come on then."

He leads you through what feels like an endless labyrinth of wide, echoing halls and stairways, walking slowly and giving you plenty of warning whenever you get to another flight of stairs or doorway so you don't stumble or walk into anything. It's nerve-wracking to not know where exactly you are, to have to completely rely on another person's guidance. No idea what's around you, if there's anyone else in the room. You thank the gods you have Bodhi by your side. There's no one else in the world you trust as much as you trust him, no one else you would feel safe to blindly follow — literally.

He opens a door, and even before he says, "Here we are", you know from the smell of fresh bread hanging in the air that the room he's leading you into has to be the kitchen. Judging from the sounds, someone is working on one side of the room, but they don't pay any attention to you as far as you can tell. Bodhi gently pushes you into a chair, instructing you to stay there. Your anxiety rises as he walks away, but you reassure yourself with the fact that he's still in the same room. You hear him rummage around just a few feet away, and a minute later he's back by your side and places a plate in your hands.

You want to be close to him, have the reassurance of his touch to prove you're not alone even if you can't see him, so you sit in Bodhi's lap as you eat, his arm around your waist so you know he's there even when he's silent. It's not until you start to eat that you realize just how hungry you really were, and you quickly finish your plate.

When you're done, Bodhi turns your head back toward him and kisses away a crumb from your lips.

Leaning back, you trace your fingers over the scars that now surround your eyes, try to imagine what they look like. Most riders love comparing their scars, competing for whose are the coolest, and you're no exception. "Does it at least look badass?" you want to know from Bodhi. Surely a cool look to make up for the loss of your eyesight isn't too much to ask for, is it?

"Very," Bodhi assures you, nuzzling his face against the side of your neck.

"Well, I guess that's okay then," you decide with a sigh. You will wear the scars with pride, like a badge that tells everyone you've survived a fight against the venin.

"Don't worry," Bodhi says, and you can hear the grin in his voice, "I promise you're still the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

You elbow him, smiling despite yourself. "Shut up."

"Never. Now that you can't see how pretty you are anymore, I'll just have to remind you of it even more often."

The door opens, and two sets of footsteps approach.

"Y/N! You're up!"

You turn your head in the direction of the voice, which you're pretty sure is Imogen's. She and whoever is with her come closer. One of the two has a heavier footfall than the other, so you assume it's one of the guys. Garrick, maybe? It can't be Xaden, because according to Bodhi, his cousin refuses to leave Violet's side for even a second, and the other guys aren't that much bigger than Imogen, so their footsteps wouldn't sound so stomp-y compared to hers.

"Barely conscious again and you two are already all over each other again," someone chuckles, and yep, that's Garrick, all right. No one else teases Bodhi and you as relentlessly as he does.

"I'm just helping her," Bodhi says defensively. He told you on the walk to the kitchen that the others are aware you've lost your vision, which is a relief. Having to tell them yourself, to witness their shock and pity, would have made this even harder to bear.

"Of course," Garrick snorts, but then gets more serious. "How are you coping, Y/N?"

You force a smile. "I'm fine. Still a bit... well... shocked, I guess. But I'll get used to it." You'll have to.

"Tell us if there's anything we can do to help, yeah?"

You nod. "Yeah. Thanks."

Despite how compassionate and helpful everyone is being, you spend most of your time hiding away in Bodhi's room. You've been to Riorson House only twice before and would have felt lost in the unfamiliar fortress either way, but being blind on top of that, you don't feel safe roaming the vast fortress on your own, and therefore refuse to leave the room without Bodhi. Fonn can keep telling you that you will adapt all she wants; until you figure out how to use your signet for echolocation — if that's really possible at all — you're not taking a single step past this room without Bodhi.

Inside his room, you're comfortable enough to walk around without his guidance. He walked the perimeter of the room with you a few times after your little trip to the kitchen, and you quickly memorized the layout. Four steps from the bed to the bathing chamber, five from the bed to the door leading into the hallway. The window is one small step to the right of his desk, the chair of which is pushed in so you can't fall over it. Bodhi ensures every item lying around on the surfaces in his room or the bathing chamber has its place to make it easier for you to find anything.

The first time you try to use your signet to navigate around, you're standing in the foyer with everyone after dinner on your first day at Aretia. The mood is low, the loss of Liam and Soleil weighing down on you all, not to mention the worry about Violet. None of you really know what to do with themselves. Everyone agreed to wait a little longer before burying Liam and Solei and burning their things in the hopes that Violet will wake up first so she and Xaden can be there too, and it's much too early to go to bed, so you all stand in the hall, talking. You're a little off to the side, not much interested in the conversation. The others are talking about what they can do now that you're at Aretia, if they can help somehow while you're here, wondering how long you'll have to stay. You too wonder when — if — you'll return to Basgiath. There's no use worrying about it, though. Until Violet wakes up, none of you are going anywhere. And the others might be able to make themselves useful here, but blind as you are, there's not much you can do, except try to find a way to navigate the world without help.

Step one of achieving that is finding out if Fonn was right about the possibility of using your signet for echolocation. You take a few more steps away from the group, one hand on the wall so you don't lose track of where you are. Might as well test Fonn's theory here and now.

You reach for your power and prepare. It has to be a frequency far above what humans can hear, much higher pitched than any sound you've ever produced before. Careful to put less force behind the sound waves than you do when you use them in a fight, you release them — and immediately realize you fucked it up, the echo useless as the crash of shattering glass distorts it. Bodhi's hand closes around your arm as he takes a few quick steps to the side with you, pulling you out of the shower of glass shards. There must have been a window right next to where you'd been standing.

"Sorry. I was trying to use my signet as echolocation, but, uh. Well."

"Not the best attempt," Garrick remarks as Bodhi plucks glass shards from your hair.

"No."

"Do us all a favor and go outside if you're going to try that again, would you?"

You can't identify the speaker, but nod all the same. "Yeah. Sorry."

You really should have known better than to try it in here — when you'd been a first-year, you had shattered many a window before you learned how to properly control your signet, so you know very well how destructive it can be. But the temptation to try and use it to navigate through this labyrinth of a house was just too big. Well — at least you didn't destroy anyone's eardrums.

Bodhi takes your hand and leads you around the glass shards and outside.

"Was that window very big?" you ask once you're in the courtyard, guilt nagging at you.

"No, don't worry about it. How about we walk up to the valley?" he suggests. "I bet Fonn would be happy to see you, and you can try the echolocation on the way up without destroying anything."

"Yeah. That'd be nice."

The uneven terrain out here is harder to navigate than the halls of Riorson House, but Bodhi is there to catch you should you stumble, so you aren't too worried. At a safe distance from the fortress, you reach for your power again, making sure to aim the sound waves away from Bodhi so you don't accidentally hurt him.

This time, you use a lower frequency, but still above the spectrum of what humans can hear. You feel the sound waves travel through the air, until, somewhere to your right, they reflect off of something, returning to you as an unhearable echo.

So far so good.

But how do you make sense of what the echos tell you? The only thing you're sure of is that whatever it was that your sound waves bounced off of is pretty big. Other than that, it could be just about anything. A boulder? A house? The mountainside? A dragon, maybe? No. You can't tell how far away exactly the object is, but it seems pretty close. Bodhi would have warned you if you were that close to someone else's dragon, and Fonn is quite a way further up the mountain.

"What's to the right of us?" you ask Bodhi.

"Some boulders and undergrowth," he answers.

Okay, so your first guess was pretty close. But guessing isn't going to be good enough. If this echolocation is supposed to be any use, you need to find a way to make it more precise.

"But it is working," Fonn's smug voice sounds in your head.

"Yeah, yeah. You were right. As usual."

"Try again."

You do, this time aiming the ultrasound waves at the ground before you. The echo gives you a vague impression that the path slopes upward relatively steep a little further ahead, but that's it. The picture you can create in your mind based on the data your sound waves give you isn't nearly detailed enough to make out bumps in the ground or other obstacles, and therefore pretty much useless.

"Don't be so pessimistic," Fonn scolds. "You can't expect to be perfect at this on the first attempt. You will figure it out. Now try again."

Again and again you send out sound waves as you climb the path. It gets easier to make sense of the echos the more you do it, your senses attuning to the new way of receiving information, but the problem remains; you just can't get enough details for it to be truly helpful.

You've reached the valley now, and you can feel Fonn close by. Tapping into the power flowing between you, you send another echolocation call in her direction, and find that there are two big shapes looming in front of you. It's not hard to guess who Fonn's companion is; she and Cuir have grown pretty close with how much time they spend together thanks to you and Bodhi. You do it again, trying to memorize how the echo reflecting off a dragon feels. Fonn lowers her head toward you, and you marvel at how much the echo changes at the movement. With enough practice, you could probably detect even the smallest of movements. But determinating the precise distance between you and the dragons — between you and anything — seems to be a lot more tricky. Maybe you can learn to judge it by the time delay between the moment you emit your call, and the moment the echo returns. Or maybe you just haven't found the right sound frequency yet. You sigh, knowing you'll have no other choice but to simply keep trying until you figure it out.

Warm air hits you as Fonn invades your space, and you lean your forehead against her snout. With a pang of sadness you realize you will never get to look at her again, to admire the beautiful shimmer of her green scales in the sunlight or watch her wings flex. Part of you still doesn't want to accept that you will never see again. It feels wrong that there's absolutely nothing to be done about it. But if even mending didn't work, then nothing will; the logical part of you understands that.

"This sucks."

"Yes."

"What, no 'look at the bright side' or 'it could be worse'?"

Fonn huffs. "I may be optimistic, but that doesn't mean I'll pretend everything is fine. Your feelings are perfectly valid."

After three days at Aretia, Violet finally wakes up, much to everyone's relief. It's no surprise when she agrees to fight with the revolution, so now the only question is what the nine of you that remain of the squad that flew for Athebyne will do now. With Violet awake, Xaden is taking responsibility again, which in this moment means he's arguing with the Assembly about whether or not your group should return to Basgiath, while Bodhi, Imogen and you are eavesdropping in the doorway.

Ironically it's you who's keeping lookout with the help of your signet, and really, you detect someone approaching even before their footsteps are audible. You're not skilled enough to get any details yet, though, so you poke Imogen's arm and gesture in the direction of whoever it is.

"It's Violet," she whispers, and waves her over.

Violet's shoulder brushes yours as she comes to stand between you and Imogen, who gives her a quick explanation about the Assembly.

"They're talking about us," Violet realizes after a while.

You nod. "That's why we're listening from the hallway."

"My life is equal to any of theirs," Xaden says inside the meeting room, and you hear rustling of clothes like people have turned to look somewhere.

"Is he pointing at us? He is, isn't he?"

"Yes," Bodhi whispers back as the Assembly starts to panic about Violet having heard their conversation. Louder he says, "If you didn't want her to hear you should have closed the door."

"She cannot be trusted!" one of the Assembly members yells.

"Xaden has already taken responsibility for her," you counter, gripping Bodhi's hand so he can guide you as you all step into the room. That doesn't seem to matter much to the Assembly, though, because the yelling continues back and forth until Violet has had enough of it and speaks up for herself.

Xaden has the last word, of course, telling the Assembly it's not up to them whether you all return to Basgiath and declaring the discussion as done. The four of you file out of the room and make your way up to the valley, where you wait for Violet, who stays back to talk to her brother.

It isn't very long until they show up, and the group gathers near her dragons.

"We have to go back," Violet says, which is exactly what you think too. "No matter what the Assembly says, if we don't go back, they'll kill every cadet with a rebellion relic."

Her brother disagrees, saying you'll all be executed if you go back, and a new argument ensues.

"I vote we go," Garrick says eventually. "We have to risk it. They'll kill the others if we don't return, and we can't cut off the flow of weapons from Basgiath. Who agrees?"

You raise your hand, and feel Bodhi do the same next to you.

While Brennan and Xaden continue to argue about Violet being unable to shut Aetos out, Ciaran says, "Y/N should stay here."

You whirl around and glare at him. Putting together the direction his voice came from with what you perceive through your signet, you can pinpoint his location exactly enough to do so. "No."

"You can't see—"

"Well aware."

"—so you can't fly back with us."

"I don't need to see to ride. Fonn sees enough for the both of us."

It's uncomfortably silent for a moment, but then Garrick carefully asks, "And how do you want to mount her when you can't see her?"

"Like this," you say, and walk straight toward her, following the bond between you.

Using your signet to orientate yourself, you easily find her foreleg. You're still working out how to fine-tune your echolocation to get a more detailed picture, but even as it is, something the size of a dragon is hard to miss. Climbing up her leg is the easiest part — you've done it so many times you could do it in your sleep, blind or not. Reaching her shoulder, you hear the others murmuring among themselves below you, worried you'll stumble or slide off on the way to your seat. But Fonn stands still as a statue, and you get there without trouble.

"See?" you call down to your friends. "Easy. And it's not like I have to do anything other than keep my seat once we're in the air."

"Okay, but can you dismount without falling on your ass?"

You sigh at the lack of faith they all have in you. You've been a rider for the last two years — by now, everything is muscle memory. Jumping from Fonn's shoulder and landing on your feet is as easy as rising from a chair, especially since she would have warned you if there were any obstacles on the ground you needed to avoid.

"Okay, fine. So you can ride, but what are you going to do when we're back at Basgiath?" Eya questions. "Provided they don't kill us, how do you want to take notes in class? And what about challenges? I know you're a good fighter, but if you can't see your opponent..."

"I'll figure it out somehow. The echolocation will help. I still need some practice until I can fully rely on it, but I'll manage." You refuse to stay behind and hide here while the others risk their lives by returning to Basgiath. Wounded or not, it's your right and duty to do the same.

"And I'll help her," Bodhi chimes in. He steps closer, taking your hand. "She can do it."

"If everyone is sure about going, we'll fly as soon as Andarna's awake," Xaden says, putting an end to the discussion.

"We're sure," Garrick answers for all of you.

There's a rustling somewhere off to the side, and Violet talks to her dragon. The smaller one — which isn't quite so small anymore from what you heard — must have woken up. Then more rustling, followed by a sort of stomping sound. You sense movement with your signet, but can't figure out what it is.

"What's going on?"

"The young one is awake," Fonn explains.

"And?"

"And she's... clumsy."

"I... uh... think we're going to have to make some modifications on that harness," Bodhi says beside you. "That's going to take a few hours."

"Get the harness done quickly," Xaden says. "I have a plan, but we have to be back in forty-eight hours for this to work, and a day of that is needed for flight time."

"What's in forty-eight hours?" Violet asks.

"Graduation."

[callsign-rogueone]

our girl - d.a + x.r.

Dain Aetos x reader x Xaden Riorson You and Xaden have been hooking up for a while now, but Threshing throws a wrench (and another person) into your relationship. [request] words: 2.5k (went a little overboard lol, this dynamic was so fun to think about) 🏷: FOURTH WING AND IRON FLAME SPOILERS. NSFW at the end. she/her reader. I did this one a little differently; a full scene with dialogue, and then headcanons about what the relationship would be like (sfw, nsfw + angst; I apologize in advance…) banner made by user cafekitsune!

You dismount, managing to land on your feet. Maybe the gauntlet had been good practice after all, and not just a form of torture. The flight field is slowly filling in with dragons and their chosen riders. Dain is standing next to you with a massive red daggertail. Nice.

Your two dragons look at each other, and for a moment you’re worried they’re going to start a fight, but they just bump heads softly. They’re… friends?

Then Dain’s dragon turns toward you, looking you in the eye, and you freeze, holding completely still as it sniffs you. You must pass inspection, because he pulls back after a few seconds, satisfied, but you don’t dare move, your heart still pounding.

“Relax, girl. I will not hurt you.”

You startle at the second voice speaking to you, stumbling back in shock. A shimmering red string has appeared beside the soft blue one you share with Lann. You tug on it gently, and Dain’s eyes snap toward you, having felt the pull.

“They’re mated.”

“Smart boy,” Cath purrs.

You’re still trying to get used to having another being speaking in your head, hearing your every thought, but now you have two?

You don’t have time to complain about it before Xaden comes running toward you.

Both Lann and Cath stand taller, flaring their nostrils. Cath looks like he’s contemplating how Xaden would taste.

Xaden comes to a stop a few yards away, not wanting to provoke them. It’s easy enough for him to put it together, seeing Dain standing behind you with the mated pair. “Is this some kind of joke?”

Cath blows a puff of foul-smelling steam at Xaden in warning. “Tell him to watch his tone.” 

You don’t.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” Xaden says, a look in his eye you’ve never seen before; pure anger.

You take a step back, bumping into Lann’s foreleg. She curls her neck down, placing her head between your body and Xaden’s. You’ve only been bonded all of ten minutes, but she’s already willing to protect you with her life.

“It wasn’t her fault,” Dain challenges, crossing his arms. “Nor is it mine.” 

Your stomach flips. You’d never expected that Dain would be the one defending you here.

“I should gut you before the bond gets any stronger,” Xaden threatens. What is he so mad for?

“You of all people should know that the consequences can be dire. You won’t risk her life in that way.”

“What the hell are the two of you talking about?” You ask, but they don’t answer, too busy threatening each other.

“Human males and their arguing,” Lann sighs. “Were they dragons, they’d fight to the death and the victor would keep you.”

“That remains a possibility,” you reply quietly, still watching the two of them. Xaden certainly looks like he’s contemplating murder right now. 

“I could just incinerate him, but Sgaeyl would have my head if I did,” Cath muses, sounding bored. “And you seem attached.”

You turn to glare at him. “Not funny.”

“Threats from someone your size are only humorous,” Cath replies, still watching the two men argue.

“Like it or not, Riorson, she’s my responsibility now,” Dain says firmly. What is that supposed to mean? Why does Dain care all of a sudden if you live or die?

“Do not forget that you have a voice in this matter, too,” Lann adds.

She’s right.

“Quit it, both of you!” You interrupt before they can come to blows, and both boys turn toward you, quieting. “Stop talking about me like I’m not even here!”

Their eyes soften.

“Darling, I didn’t mean-“ Xaden begins.

You cross your arms over your chest, glaring up at the boy. “I’m not done,” you say, and he falls silent. “Dain’s right; neither of us asked for this, but it happened, and there’s no changing it now. I know you two hate each other, but I will not have you two fighting over me like I’m some kind of object. Neither of you have any claim to me. I’m not your girlfriend, and even if I was, you still don’t own me. I’m an adult, I can make my own decisions and keep myself safe.”

Neither of them respond, silent and guilty as your words settle in.

“And that is why I chose you,” Lann says proudly.

You ignore the compliment, stepping away from her and turning to leave, swiping the tears from your cheeks.

“I apologize, shrewd one.”

“It’s okay,” you say quietly. “You didn’t know.”

—————————————————

“Professor Kaori?” You ask quietly. “Can I ask you a few questions?”

He already knows why you’re here. “I heard about you and Aetos. Cath and Lann have been mated for nearly two centuries. Their bond is strong.”

“Have you known many other pairs like them?”

“A few,” he answers. “Dragons can live for millennia. Unlike us, they do not fall in love at age twenty, and they are quite selective with their partner. It is a lifelong commitment for them, and not one they take lightly.”

“And their riders?” You ask, holding your breath.

“A pair at Montserrat, who are now married, and another pair who regard each other like blood sisters.” 

He doesn’t mention anyone like you and Dain, who hardly know each other and don’t really care to.

“I‘ll make this clear with you, cadet, as you need to know this and accept it; you and Aetos will be stuck together until the end of your days. The four of you must exist as a functional unit. The grief of one of your deaths may be enough to end you all.”

Your eyes widen. So that’s why Xaden had been so pissed.

“You are both excellent students who will undoubtedly become skilled riders,” Kaori says. “Get to know each other in the coming weeks, and settle your differences sooner than later. The health of your relationship, even if it remains strictly professional, is vital.”

You thank him quietly, heading back to your room. You don’t have time to stew over the news; you have assignments due tomorrow.

Two hours pass. You’ve just finished proofreading your essay when there’s a knock on the door.

Dain and Xaden. You motion for them to come in, knowing that the two of them together outside your door will look deeply suspicious to any passerby. 

“What the fuck do you two want?”

Xaden nods at Dain, motioning for him to talk.

“We discussed it, and we realized you’re right. We’re just going to have to deal with this, and there’s no use in us fighting about it.”

Xaden speaks next. “You’ve proven that you can handle yourself, but we both still want to protect you. We care for you deeply, and that’s not going to change. We’re declaring a truce.”

“Whose idea was that?” You ask, wary.

“His,” Dain answers. Interesting. 

You look to Xaden. “And you’re fine with this,” you say, motioning between you and Dain, “that we’ll be able to speak directly to each other, that we can’t be apart for more than a few days, that we’re going to be stationed together for life?”

“Yes. I trust him not to hurt you, if only because his life is now tied to yours.”

That’s high praise coming from Riorson, who doesn’t fully trust anyone. You don’t dare ask why he feels this way.

“As you said,” Xaden continues, the tone of his voice making your heart flutter, “I hold no claim to you. You remain your own person, no matter how strongly I feel for you or how many nights we have spent together. The decision lies with you.”

“Dain?” You ask. 

He’s been silent, watching you with a softness in his eyes. He’d never taken a good look at you before, never appreciated how beautiful you are. “If he’s okay with it, and you are, then I am too.”

You’d never felt compassion for Dain, never cared if he lived or died, but now you’re overwhelmed with a sense that you need to protect him — to guard that little red string until your last breath. “I care for both of you as well. You’re both good men, who are important to me, and I’d like to have you remain in my life, if you promise to play nicely.”

You extend a pinky to each of them.

Dain looks confused.

“She doesn’t fuck around with pinky promises. This might as well be a blood oath for her,” Xaden explains, interlocking your fingers — this isn’t new to him.

Dain reaches forward, the warmth of his skin against yours sending a wave of soothing energy through you.

“Are you going to make us pinky promise each other too?” He asks playfully, the first joke you’ve ever heard him crack.

Xaden is unamused. “Don’t push it, Aetos.”

You giggle at his barely-restrained contempt. This is gonna be fun.

———————————————

sfw

Most of the quadrant know that yours and Dain’s dragons are mated, and that messing with one of the four of you means invoking the wrath of the other three. For the first time since conscription day, you can walk the halls alone without fearing for your life.

Nobody is aware of Xaden’s role in the relationship, and he prefers to keep it that way — it keeps the target off your back, and this way nobody can say that he’s giving you special treatment or shame you for having two partners. Garrick is the only person who knows about all of this, and he’s sworn to secrecy (that had certainly been an interesting conversation to have).

Xaden may not declare his feelings for you publicly, but he and Sgaeyl are always watching your back, ready to jump in should Dain not be there or should things get out of his control.

The two act generally indifferent to each other, but their love of you is enough for them to behave when you’re around.

They find a good balance between treating you like a princess and pushing you to be the best you can be, letting you do your own work and prepare yourself for what’s to come after graduation. 

nsfw:

The first time you felt Lann and Cath going at it was... interesting.

Xaden knew that this would happen eventually, having felt the same feeling before from Tairn and Sgaeyl. He had warned you days prior that the overwhelming need could lead you astray easily, but that he wouldn’t be mad if you and Dain acted on it.

And act you did. You became addicted to Dain’s touch as soon as you felt it, not wanting it to be a one-time thing, and that’s when the three of you decided that the boys would share you.

We all know Xaden is possessive. He used to call you “my girl” when it was just the two of you hooking up, but now you’re their girl.

“Aww, is our pretty girl needy?”

“I think our girl deserves a reward for being so good.”

Dain is shy at first, but he works up the confidence to start teasing you through the bond. He loves to watch you squirm from across the room as his voice speaks directly into your mind, telling you how hot you looked sparring, what he’s going to do to you tonight…

Xaden does something similar, his shadows brushing your arms and neck, sometimes even slipping under your clothes to touch your body when he can’t, giving soft caresses to your back and waist, but he’ll never take it too far — just enough to make you want his hands on you instead. 

They’re competitive as hell. They’ll tag team you, taking turns to see who can make you cum harder/faster. Your personal record is six times in one night, three apiece before you nearly passed out. They declared a tie, putting aside their egos to care for their sweet girl who had taken it all so well for them.

Sometimes you get both of them at once, and it’s a little overwhelming but so so good. Making out with one while the other is on his knees for you, or one holding your hand and telling you how pretty you look while the other pounds you into the mattress…

The two of them together are the ultimate brat taming combo, with Dain’s strictness and Xaden’s strength. If you give them attitude, get too cozy with another rider, purposely put yourself in danger, or neglect to take care of yourself (overworking, skipping meals, not getting enough sleep…), you’ll have some consequences to face when you’re back behind closed doors that night.

Xaden will tie your hands behind your back with his shadows, Dain edging you until you cry and apologize, promising that you’ll never break their rules again (but you inevitably do, and then they have to teach you your lesson all over again, hehe)

Despite how rough they can be with you, they always take incredibly good care of you afterward, staying to clean you up and hold you close, reminding you how much they love you.

You’re always in the middle when cuddling afterward, as they refuse to touch each other more than absolutely necessary, but you don’t complain, just happy to be held and fall asleep safe between your two strong men 🥰

and now some angst, because that’s what I do:

When you and Dain came back from RSC, bloody and limp, Xaden took care of both of you, finally showing some love to Dain and taking pity on him, helping bandage his wounds and wash the dried blood from his skin.

Eventually Xaden starts distancing himself from the two of you, worried that Dain will read his memories either on purpose or by accident, and find out about his dealings with the gryphon fliers, which you have no idea about.

He plays it off as being busy with third year / wingleader stuff, and you and Dain don’t think anything of it; Xaden has always been withdrawn, never the type to share his thoughts unprompted, and he likes to spend time alone.

When Violet bonds with Tairn at threshing, you realize how Xaden had felt when he realized you and Dain were tied together, only you were less angry and more sad. 

You knew this would happen, that Tairn would have to choose a rider eventually, but it still hurt you deeply. Dain held you all night, whispering sweet things to you while you cried and promising that he would never ever leave you.

You decide to rip the bandage off first, finding Xaden alone a few days later and telling him that for the sake of all four of you and your dragons, this should end here.

He agreed quietly, giving you one last kiss and holding you for a few minutes before finally letting go. 

When Basgiath found out about the revolution, about everything going on beyond the wards, the two of you didn’t hesitate to follow Xaden to Aretia — he may no longer be yours, but you still love him and would gladly fight by his side until the end of your days. 💔

[cryptidcat5105]

Sky wielders AU

Part 2 baby, let's go!

Check out part 1 for context and also here's some art if anyone is interested

Edit: part 3

Spoilers for the entire Empyrean series

I don't really have much post Threshing, Dain still kisses Violet and Xaden still thinks she looks like she kissed her cousin. The fact that Violet and Xaden are now bonded kinda concerns her since she doesn't want to get the sky wielders killed if they get caught but she figures that how would he even know what they've been doing even if he finds out about their midnight meetings? How would he even know that venin actually exist? Right?

The following day features the squad bonding over their dragons and the shift in the hierarchy. Imogen joins the squad's table (Quinn also joins them if I remember correctly) making it clear she's there for Xaden's benefit (she also sits on the opposite end to Violet while loudly declaring that no, I'm not afraid of her, sHUT UP!)

The first year sky wielders also gathered to a table, adjacent to the squad's, with some of the older wielders. Ari, one of the first years immediately hits it off with Ridoc, much to the upper years' desperation.

Class and challenges continue as normal, with added flight maneuvers which become awkward for every wing because of Tairn and the other battle dragons. Later that week Kate tells Violet that the dragons knew exactly what they were doing when bonding them since they could smell the magic on them and that her dragon, Speur, was a bit disappointed when Violet herself wasn't a sky wielder. Violet wanted to ask more but Tairn quick shoved his way to the forefront of her counciousness demanding that 'the old hag stays out of his riders business!'. And that's how Violet and Kate find out Speur is Sgaeyl's mother and by the human definition, Tairn's mother-in-law. Ah, the things veteran dragons come out of retirement for!

Fast forward a bit and it's assassination attempt night™. Things begin as normal, with Violet getting woken up by her dragons and thrown right into fighting. Violet nearly gets stabbed to death but Andarna's time stopping powers come in. They don't hold for as long as in canon though, so as soon as she's out her door the time starts flowing again. As soon as she starts running down the corridor the door to the room after her's swings open and a still shirtless sky wielder, if his eyes are any indication, spots her and hightails it after her, slitting the neck of the first unbonded out of her room. Violet dared a glance back and she saw the first year (Owen if she recalled correctly) wave a hand back as if throwing something. A considerable shift in the air had Violet stumbling and when she looked back the remaining unbonded were crashing into a transparent, shimmering wall.

Owen keept running and grabbed her arm, pulling her along, when the realisation hit her, she couldn't contain her grin and half shouted "ward wielder".

Owen: not really, but whatever keeps you alive, Sage!

Once they turned the corner they came face to face with Xaden who was pissed and Owen quickly got in front of Violet, ready to throw out another shield. Violet gently put a hand on his forearm and let xaden pass, Garrick following right after.

After all this they still go to talk to the dragons and find out that Andarna is a baby but both Xaden and Violet have an incredibly hard time convincing Owen that she'll be safe before heading out.

The next day, before formation, Violet and Rhiannon are both woken up by angry shouting from the hallway. It was Xaden and Owen arguing, the latter looking ready to go for the throat and a very uncomfortable looking blond was awkwardly trying to keep the two from starting a fight.

Owen: THE ONLY PLACE I'LL MOVE TO IS MY GRAVE AFTER I DIE!

Xaden: Well that can be arranged, no problem!

Violet, addressing the blond: what are they fighting about?

Liam: Xaden wants me to be you shadow so he wants me to move next to you. I'm Liam by the way.

Violet: Huh! Well I'm not really in need of a bodyguard since I have that guy *points at Owen*, but if our oh so caring wingleader insists can't you two, I don't know, share?

And that's how Owen and Liam become roomies. More on that later :)

(Violet doesn't argue Liam being her shadow because she's already accustomed to the sky wielders following her whenever they can and making friends with her squad, so what's one more soul to have around)

Amber Mavis also gets roasted, literally, and when Dain tries to get the memory from Violet he gets pulled back by second year sky wielder. They wanted to tackle him but it would have been to much trouble.

Violet and Liam are on archive duty and she learns a lot of things about the marked ones and the Tyrrish rebellion. Liam makes a few subtle comments that might allude to the true reason the Tyrrish rebelled (which I'm not smart enough to write myself) after Violet notes that all the marked ones seam to avoid her like the plague. The Summerton letter also adds to the clues she keeps gathering.

(I haven't mentioned up until this point but Violet is confused as to why Navarre never mentioned that venin are real, no matter how ridiculous that sounds. So she started looking into it herself but the first years don't really know much besides the ranks, hence why they call her sage sometimes. The older ones do seem to know a bit more but are not very forth coming with information. They never outright lie to her about whatever she may ask, though. On the other hand, Andarna seems to want to tell Violet stuff but Tairn cuts her off most times saying "she needs to figure it out on her own". Violet knows that there are venin outside of Basgiath and that they're dangerous but she hasn't made the connection that they are the real enemy outside the wards)

The whole arguing in the gym happenes and Tairn and Andarna decided she's ready to channel so that night Violet wakes up all hot and bothered. She stumbles into Liam and Owen on her way out and Violet is worried since she is feeling exactly as the sky wielders described channeling from the earth (minus being horny) but Owen quickly pushes Liam back in their room with a waving motion to Violet as if to say not to worry.

Owen: C'mon blondie, let the girl do what the girl's gotta do. *Turns to Violet" Have fuuun... 🎶

Violet proceeds to find Xaden and do some good ol' smoochin' featuring newly manifested lightning signet.

While Violet doesn't realize she manifested her signet, some signs are still there. In canon they say it's power wieldering that manifested as lighting but I believe thinking about it as more than that could actually open some possibilities. In this AU Violet can actually sense the power around her now, the way each source is different and the way that magic flows is unique to every living being. She could recognize if someone is around and who they are just by their magic alone and I feel like all the sky wielders would feel very different to all the other riders. She asks them if sensing magic is normal to every rider but they explain that while sky wielders and venin can sense each other they can't feel the normal riders and the riders can't sense them in turn. The only exception being Violet, but they chalk it up to her spending too much time around them. They also say that she feels like one of them but not really, so they theorise that their magic is somehow clinging to her, like a scent or something (after they discover her signet it'll make much more sense for them but for now I want them to go nuts with theories)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3

[angstywaifu]

The Reward - Garrick Tavis x Reader

The highly requested Part 2 to I Just Want To Talk To Them. Garrick deserves his own shower scene. Warnings: I know you all know where this is going... But just in case. 18+, smut.

Masterlist

I look around the dining hall. And come up short on the two people I am looking for. The first is the cadet that I had been up against during challenges. He was nowhere to be seen. Not sitting with his squad or usual group of friends. Even they looked worried as their eyes scan the dining hall looking for him.

The second was Garrick. His usual seat next to Xaden with the rest of the leadership was empty. Very obviously empty as Garrick usually took up double the space of anyone else on that table. Xaden’s eyes meet mine. I nod towards Garrick’s empty chair and all he gives me back is a shrug, telling me he doesn’t know where he is either. But by the way he looks at me, it confirms my suspicions. I knew where Garrick was. I knew exactly where it was. And as much as I should be worried for the poor guy on the receiving end, I couldn’t deny I was eagerly awaiting Garrick’s return. No. Garrick’s reward for me. The way he had whispered it in my ear and kissed my cheek had set me on fire. A fire that had not dulled in the hours since he had been gone. My body craved what had been the unspoken reward.

”What’s got you so nervous?” Asks Imogen as she takers her place next to me.

I sigh and shove my plate away. There was no way I was finishing the food on my plate. “I’m worried about where Garrick is.”

She just looks at me and smirks. “No, you’re worried about what he’s done to the other guy.”

I go to reply but the door to the dining hall slams open, the noise echoing around the hall. The usual buzz of conversation gone instantly. I turn to see something that would have everyone else’s blood in the room run cold. But not mine. No, my body floods with desire. His hazel eyes lock onto me instantly. A smirk appearing on his face. A smirk that shows of his white teeth, that are a stark contrast to the red of the blood that is splattered over his face. The same blood that also adorns his hands. But besides the blood, there is not a single mark on Garrick. No cuts, not even a bruise. Meaning none of the blood is his. It all belonged to the other cadet. Garrick walks between the tables, the people he passes shuffling in their seats to get away from him as his steps echo around the eerily quiet hall. Even Imogen who is never phased by anything shuffles away from me as Garrick stops behind me. His hands placed either side of mine on the table as he leans over me, his breathing tickling my neck as places his mouth next to my ear.

”How about I give you you’re reward? Need to show my girl how good she was for giving me his name.” Garrick whispers in my ear before placing a kiss to my jaw.

My body shivers at his kiss, and I know he notices it with the slight chuckle I hear. I turn to look at him and meet his lust filled hazel eyes. No not hazel. Black. His pupils are blown wide that I can barely see any of the hazel in his eyes. I barely nod before Garrick’s arms wrap around me, easily pulling me from my seat before carrying me out of the hall in his arms.

I gasp as my naked back meets the cold stone of the shower wall as Garrick pins me to it, his lips kissing and bitting down my neck before latching on one of my nipples. My fingers tangle in his curly hair as I arch and moan as Garrick’s tongue swirls around the sensitive nub before sucking on it. His fingers dig into the flesh of my thighs as he grinds up into me. My body twitching and the sensation. I wanted. No, I need all of Garrick. I needed him everywhere, and gods was he everywhere. No part of me was left without attention. He kissed and sucked at anything he could get to. His name falling easily from my lips as he mouth finds my other nipple.

”Such a good girl.” He whisper against my chest, as he pins my hands above my head in one of his. “Such a good girl giving me their name. Letting me teach them not to touch what is mine.” The last word coming out as a growl I feel rumble through him as he presses his chest against mine.

Garrick lowers me back down to the ground, turning to start the shower, the cold water hitting my skin causing me to gasp. The cold water was startling against the contrast of how warm I felt. Garrick smirks as if he knows exactly what he had done. No he did. He steps back from me and slowly removes his clothes. Gods was this man attractive. It was like he had been carved from stone. Each muscle was perfectly defined and toned. As my eyes drift lower, my mouth drops open. The girls he had been with had talked, but I always thought they had exaggerated. But they had not. Garrick was big. And he was about to be all mine.

”Like what you see sweetheart?” He asks as he kneels in front of me, placing one of my leg over his shoulder as he slowly kisses from my ankle to my knee, resting his head against my knee as he looks up at me. Still no hint of hazel in his eyes as he looks at me.

”Gods yes.” I spit out way too quickly, earning a chuckle from Garrick.

My body feels like its on fire again as Garrick slowly kisses and bites his way up my thigh. The cool water of the shower doing nothing to subdue the feeling. Garrick hovers just above where I want him to touch him. Need him to touch me. He’s so close that I can feel his breath tickling me. My hips arch off the wall, seeking the touch I want from him. Garrick slowly drags a finger right up my centre before circling my clit, my eyes rolling back into my head at the sensation.

”So needy for me. So desperate.” He muses before his tongue replaces his fingers, licking straight up my centre before dipping back down to probe my entrance.

My hands fly to his hair, gripping his dark curls between my fingers. Our moans fill the room as he licks, probes and sucks. No part left untouched. Garrick grips my thigh tightly before plunging two fingers in without warning. I nearly cum then and there at the sensation, my whole body falling forward. Thank gods Garrick is tall as I brace my hands on his back, my fingers digging into the flesh of his back. I expect Garrick to falter his pace with the movement, but instead it spurs him on as he moans as my fingers grip his back. His fingers set a brutal pace, every so often curling and hitting the one spot that has me seeing stars and nearly collapsing on top of him. I start spasming around his fingers, my breathing becoming heavy and irregular. I whimper as Garrick removes his fingers and mouth from me. I promptly lean back and look down and glare at him as he smirks up at me. His mouth and chin glistening with my arousal.

”Not yet sweet heart. The first time I make you cum it’s going to be around my cock, not my fingers.” He tells me, his voice so husky and rough it has me clenching around nothing.

Garrick stands, easily picking me up with him. As I wrap my legs around his waist I feel his cock prodding at my entrance. I try to sink down onto it, but Garrick holds me firmly just above it. But with just enough contact that every step he takes has the tip slipping up and down, teasing what is about to come. Garrick places me on my feet, pulling me into a quick and rough kiss before spinning me around. In the mirror I can see how blissed out and needy both Garrick and I are. But our eyes look black in the mirror. Both our faces flushed. Garrick grips my hips, pulling me flush against him, his hardness pressing into me.

”Hold on tight sweetheart.” He whispers in my ear, his breath tickling my neck before pushing on my shoulder lightly.

I glance down to see the basin in front of me. Instantly I know what Garrick wants. His smile as I lean forward and grip the sides of the basin is all the confirmation I need. He leans down, placing a kiss to the small of my back before standing back to his full height. One hand resting on my ass, as the other lines him up.

”F-fuck.” I stutter out as Garrick pushes in, stretching me wide.

I knew he was big, but gods did it feel way bigger as he pushed his way inside. Thank gods Garrick was easing me into it. Little by little, Garrick thrusted in an out slowly, each time sinking in that little bit further. I look up in the mirror and watch as he drags his lower lip between his teeth as he watches himself sink deeper and deeper inside me. As he bottoms out inside me, both of us let out a moan that echoes around the bathroom. Thank the gods Garrick put silencing wards up as well as a ward that would only let him or I in and out. No one was interrupting us. Garrick is quick to set a brutal pace as he thrust in and out. I can’t help as my mouth falls open at the sensation of him filling me perfectly. I can tell he feels the same as I grip him tightly.

”God’s it’s like you’re made for me.” He moans out before leaning forward and bracing his hands either side of mine on the counter.

Garrick uses his new angle to reach around, his fingers instantly finding my clit and rubbing circles around it. I can’t even slow the orgasm that rips through me, my knees giving out. But Garrick holds me up easily while his fingers continue to tease my most sensitive spot. I can tell Garrick is doing all he can not to finish with me as my walls clench and spasm around him. My whole body shaking to the point I’m unsure if I will be able to walk out of here without his help.

”Think you can take some more?” He growls out as he kisses his way down my back before standing back up to his full height.

I lift my head up to look at him in the mirror and nod. Gods I wanted more of him even if I could barely hold myself up. Garrick smirks in response as he pulls out, spinning me around and picking me up with ease again. He walks us over to a bench in the middle of the room, laying me down on it. Garrick is quick to place a nearby towel under my head which I’m grateful for as he pushes himself back in and sets a brutal pace. He brings my legs over his shoulders, leaning over me just enough for the new angle to have the gripping and clawing at his arms and torso. Red marks instantly appearing where my fingers and gripped and clawed at his skin. But Garrick doesn’t seem to mind, in fact it seems to spur him on. Each thrust seems to have more and more power behind it. And I know another orgasm won’t be far away with the angle and the pace Garrick is setting. Every so often one of Garrick’s thrusts will falter ever so slightly, letting me know he isn’t far off as well. I watch as Garrick’s gaze flickers from me back over to the shower where we started, where we had left the water running. A small smile graces Garrick’s lips before he dips down and presses a quick kiss to my lips before picking me up and walking us back towards the shower. The entire time he keeps inside me, each step making him rub against that perfect spot. He angles us before reaching over to adjust the water temperature. I brace myself for the the cold water from earlier, but I’m instead met with warm water that has me relaxing into Garrick’s arms. But it’s short lived before the familiar stone meets my back, and my hands are pinned above my head again. Just like we started. Garrick kisses up my neck, leaving small marks in his wake. Before kissing up my jaw and capturing my lips in his. Compared to before, his pace is more careful and slowly. His cock dragging slowly in and out of me, my body trembling around Garrick at the sensation. It was such a start contrast to before, but as he breaks away from the kiss and rests his forehead against mine, his eye’s look different. Still blown out and filled with lust and passion. But something else laid there. So many things left unspoken in them. I respond by tangling my fingers in his damp curls and pull him into a kiss which he responds to immediately. Our tongues fighting for dominance as his pace picks back up. Garrick growls in frustration, clearly not happy with the pace an angle. He stands back from the wall, and lowers me to the ground. Spinning me around again, but instead of a basin to grip onto I have a wall to brace myself against. As soon as my hands meet the stone wall Garrick thrusts into me, my head almost hitting the wall with the force as Garrick sets the most brutal pace yet. Clearly chasing his release this time. Profanities fall from both our lips and echo around the room. Garrick’s hand loosely grips my neck, pulling my back flush against his hips. Instantly my walls flutter around him, my release close.

”That’s it sweetheart. Be a good girl and cum one more time. Cum with me sweetheart. Can you do that?” He growls into my ear as he kisses just under my jaw.

”Y-yes.” I barely stutter out.

”Good girl.” He growls as the grip he has on my neck tightens slightly, his other hand reaching down and rubbing my most sensitive spot.

Instantly I scream his name as my body shakes and convulses. Garrick’s arms being the only thing keeping my upright as my body goes limp and my knees give out. I vaguely register Garrick swearing in my ear before his thrusts become erratic and falter, and I feel his release sliding down my thighs as he thrusts in and out of me as we both ride out our orgasm’s. Garrick hold’s me tightly against him as he lowers us to the ground and leans up against the cold stone wall and tucks me under his chin as he cradles me against his chest. His hands caressing my back and legs as we sit under the warm water and catch our breaths. I feel his lips press against my hair before he rests his head against mine, letting the warm water run over us as we enjoy each other’s embrace.

[dragonridersandhighlords]

Chasing Shadows | S I X Bypass

masterlist | CS Masterlist

Summary: Chapter 6 detailed summary that skips over the content warnings from the official chapter.

Notes: 

Warnings: none

Word Count: 415

previous part

The first round of War Games has arrived. Despite the event’s of the previous night that Wrenley tries to avoid thinking about, she asks Xaden to trust Dain with Fourth Wing’s flag. Xaden agrees but only if Wrenley stays on the flight field for the challenge.

The dragons take off to their assigned sectors and Wrenley gets a vision of Jack killing Liam and reaches out to Xaden to save him.

Violet managed to save Liam, kill Jack, and fully manifest her Lightning Wielding signet. When Wrenley sees Dain caring for a panicked Violet, she realizes that now that Violet is 100% the strongest rider, everyone will choose Violet first and vows to protect the friendships she has left.

Reunification Day has arrived and Wrenley has been requested by King Tauri to attend so he may speak to her. She learns that her parents and the King had previously discussed an arranged marriage between her and Prince Halden, and despite her father being a traitor and her bearing a rebellion relic, she’d make a great asset as Queen to keep the marked ones loyal.

She manages to escape the conversation when she accidentally stumbles upon Xaden on the parapet and they speak. Wrenley kisses Xaden and then requests he meet her in her room so they can talk.

Xaden arrives and an anxious feeling catches up with Wren that she begs Xaden to kiss her but her refuses, promising that he’ll stay by her side as her friend while she works through what she needs to.

While asleep, she accidentally sends Xaden the memory of what happened between her and Dain a month ago. Xaden, absolutely livid, is prepared to kill the squad leader but Wrenley stops him before Garrick arrives with news of an emergency full quadrant formation.

Xaden gives Wrenley his flight jacket upon learning she left her’s in Dain’s. He promises that he will never put her in a situation to be alone with Dain again because it was his actions that put her in the last one. 

Wrenley agrees and heads down to formation, avoiding Dain.

Panchek announces that the formation is the beginning of the final challenge of War Games. Fourth Wing’s base of operations is assigned to Athebyne outside of the wards. Xaden plans to bring Wrenley and Violet on his team. 

Dain tries to talk to Wrenley but Xaden steps in, telling Dain to stay away from her. 

Wrenley leaves to pack before heading to the Flight Field.

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