#you're not supposed to talk about how relieved you'll be when it's over

[queerpyracy]

wish we had a social script for when an older relative you don't hate but with whom you do have a strained and complicated relationship is dying. like how am i supposed to talk about this and how are my friends supposed to respond. condolences feel like a burden but that's not anyone else's fault

[cheeseceli]

When your parents don't like them

Pairing: Ot8!skz × Gn!Reader (individually)

Genre: reverse hurt/comfort? Angst? A little bit of fluff perhaps; reaction

Description: their reaction to not having the approval of your parents in their first meeting (established relationship)

Warnings: not proofread; a lot of overthinking and self doubt in most of the scenarios; the length of each story is not favouritsm!! It's just that some scenarios required more details than others

A/n: I should have posted this one a long time ago... Oh well. And I am literally the mix of Han and Lee Know, this would 100% happen to me if I were in their shoes

Bang Chan

‌HE'S SO SHOCKED

‌Parents always love him, so why didn't yours?

‌He believes he took it for granted

‌But he was so sure your family would love him

‌Rethinks everything he said and did

‌And thinks about what he could've done

‌He'll be up all night because of it, you better believe me

"Maybe it's the outfit I was wearing?"

"Chan, for God's sake, go to sleep."

"Seriously though, do you think my clothes weren't appropriate?"

"There was nothing wrong with how you looked baby."

"... So maybe I didn't introduce myself properly?"

"Chan."

Lee Know

‌ He knew he had to talk

‌ But it turns out he was too scared

‌And your parents just aggravated his problem

‌ He'd give only short answers and would only speak when spoken with

‌ Because of that your parents didn't see him as a really charismatic guy

‌ But I swear he was trying his best

"I swear it wasn't as bad as it seemed."

"It was horrible. I doubt any of your parents even know what my voice sounds like."

"You were nervous. I'm sure they'll understand. If you'd like I can talk to them about it."

"Please, don't. The last thing I want is for your parents to think that besides being awkward I'm a coward as well."

"They don't think either of those things. You'll see, you guys just need to know each other a little bit more. They'll love you."

Even with his worried expression, he gave you a small smile "I hope so".

Changbin

‌ You warned him he was getting too close

‌ He was holding your hand, caressing your thigh, hugging you too tight, kissing you a lot...

‌ All the time

‌ And yes, you both were dating for a while now

‌ But your parents didn't really appreciate the attitude

‌ And truly, he thought that by doing that he was showing how much he treasured and loved you

‌ Sadly your parents didn't understand his actions like he planned

"But what was I supposed to do? Stay away from you?"

"Ideally, yes"

Changbin pouted, not even realising it "but I'm your boyfriend"

"They are not used to this fact just yet. Don't worry though, they still have a lot of time to like you. Just wait and see"

Hyunjin

‌ Similar to Chan, Hyunjin didn't expect to be rejected by your parents

‌of course, he wasn't expecting to make the fall in love immediately, but he knew he had some charms

‌and he actually put a lot of effort into impressing them so when it doesn't work he's like

‌genuinely sad

‌And he's scared your relationship might change now that he doesn't have your family approval right away.

"So... About the dinner"

"They are always like this, don't worry"

"How come?"

"I knew they were gonna play hard to get. But don't you stress over it, sooner or later they will realise there is no need to act like it"

"So I can still convince them into not hating me?"

"Why would they hate you? You were really boyfriend material if you ask me"

He laughed, a little bit more relieved "They were kinda... aggressive back there, y'know?"

"Ugh, sorry about that. I swear things will get better"

"You're not mad?"

"Of course not. Why would I be?"

"I thought you'd get sad or something like that since the meeting didn't go that well"

"I'm a bit sad, yeah. But it's not your fault. You did your best. Besides, it won't last that long. It's kinda hard to hate on the Hwang Hyunjin for too long"

He laughed again, openly this time as he replied "I hope you are right"

Han

‌The problem wasn't exactly what he did

‌The problem was that he didn't do anything

‌Literally anything

‌ He'd excuse himself to go to the bathroom to avoid any questions

‌He barely moved besides that

‌After a while your dad even forgot he was there

‌And Han wished he could disappear

"I'm so, so sorry"

"Ji, it's okay"

"I was gonna answer your mother, I swear. But she was looking at me with daggers in her eyes"

"You were just fine"

"Fine? Y/n, your dad sighed in relief after I left the room. They must see me as a loser"

"I'm sure they don't. Besides, you still have a lot of time left to win them over. I know they'll love you"

Felix

‌Your parents loved him actually

‌They just don't think he is fit to be your boyfriend

‌They think that his angel face and sweet personality wouldn't give you enough security throughout your life

‌And Felix wants to prove himself to your parents so badly now

‌He will use his deep voice privilege to try to prove his point

‌He will go to the gym with Changbin until he's "intimidating" enough

‌And he won't fail on reminding them how he has over 60 medals on taekwondo

"How do I look?"

"Great, as always"

"But do I look intimidating? Scary?"

"Lix..."

"But not too scary. I need to look threatening to others but reliable to you"

"You look like someone my parents will like"

"They already like me, but not enough to like our relationship"

"They will though. Soon enough they will appreciate everything that comes along with you, trust me."

Felix smiled and nodded, feeling a certain comfort into your words as you headed to the door

"Just for the record, you do look threatening but reliable"

"Oh thank you. I was going crazy over this"

Seungmin

‌If your parents don't like Seungmin then the problem is on them

‌just kidding

‌Seriously though, I can't imagine why they wouldn't like him

‌And neither can Seungmin himself

‌So he truly thinks that everything was a misunderstanding and that it's only a matter of time until your whole family falls in love with him

‌He will face it like a challenge

"What about we invite your parents to our apartment this weekend?"

"We just saw them less than an hour ago"

"I think we should see them again"

"Did you like them that much?"

"They seem cool. But they also seem to hate me. I need to change their minds"

"What? They didn't hate you at all"

"Your father's glare would disagree. But that doesn't matter that much because by the end of this week they will love me"

"You seem certain"

"Of course I am. I can't have them hating me for the rest of our lives, can I?"

"They don't hate you. They are just... hard to please"

"I'll change this" he faced you with a confident smile "I give you my word"

I.N

‌Kinda clueless

‌Totally clueless actually

‌He can't understand what he did wrong but apparently he did something awful considering your parents disliked him that much

‌Will try to find ways to apologise

‌Will gift them and try to keep a conversation even when you're not around

"Does your mother like flowers? She does, right? Every mother does"

"What are you doing?"

"You said that she invited us to lunch this Friday. I don't want to go see her with empty hands again. Maybe that's what made her hate me so much the first time"

"She doesn't care about those things, Innie"

"No? Then why doesn't she like me?"

"She's just hard to satisfy, you know. But I bet she'll like you in no time. She just needs to get to know you better"

"You keep saying that but I don't know, I feel like that won't happen any time soon. I really want her to approve me"

He had that hopeless expression again, that one that really wanted to change the situation but didn't know how to. You really hated seeing him disappointed on himself.

"Lilies" you said

"What?"

"Those are my mother's favourites. Lilies"

"Oh my God, thank you" he got up and kissed the top of your head lightly, before going to the door of your shared apartment "I'll be right back"

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

Reblogs and feedback are always appreciated! | masterlist

[emyladia]

I want you back... | L. Nr

pairing : lando norris x f!reader

summary : you and lando had broke up a few months ago and you're just now moving on. Or so you thought... 'Cause that was before he decide to text you.

genre : fluff, slightly angst ?

warning : cursing, pretty sure that's all

a/n : I just loooove writting about lando. This is kinda shitty but it was fun to write hope you'll enjoy it ! Anyways taking request if you want.

You were fine, of course the break up has been really tough for you but now you could say it loud and proud : you were over it.

What a lie...

All it took was a damn text for your world to fall into piece again.

"Hey"

It was 3 AM when you screen lit up, and now that single word was making you completly crazy.

What the hell ? Why would he be texting you ? Maybe a wrong number ? Was he drunk ?

Your head was just a huge mess at the moment, that's probably because of that that you decided to answer. You clearly wouldn't have if you were in your plain consciousness.

At least that's what you were trying to convinced you.

"Hey" You text back.

"It's been a while" He answered in less than a minute.

"WTF lando ?" You couldn't help but send, this wasn't making any sense.

He was the one to broke up with you, and he hadn't even try to contact you the past months. Why would he texts you ? And why now when you were finally moving on ?

"I miss you"

You had turn off your phone after this text.

Like what were you supposed to say ? That you too you were missing him ? That in fact you were missing him so damn much it was hurting you ? That you were missing him so bad that sometimes you were calling your male friends by his name ?

You just couldn't answered that.

You were having lunch with your a few friends, yet the text just wouldn't leave your mind.

You had basically stared at it the whole morning.

"Hey, you're okay y/n ?" One of your friend asked.

"Oh yeah sorry I was just lost in my thoughts" You tried to brush it off, chuckling a little.

"You seem a bit off today, no offense but we've barely heard you" Another one of your friend spoke with a concern look on her face.

They were all nodding, as you sighed.

You should probably just told them, theywere your closest friends and it's not like you could keep that to yourself anyway.

"Lando texted me" You blurted out looking down.

A loud silence followed your confession as you saw all their eyes widened in shock.

"I'm sorry WHAT ?" One of them finally spoke.

"Lando in like LANDO ?" Another continued.

And they all followed, throwing questions at you.

You showed them the conversation, way easier and they all gasped at the last text.

"What are you gonna do ? You should probably block him" Your friend said, they seemed tp all agree.

"Yeah I should do that" You nodded.

They were probably right, that was the best things to do. They were the one who had picked you up piece by piece when Lando broke up with you.

You were gonna do just that, blocked him and he would be out of your life forever.

God you were so weak.

When you went home and were about to block him another text illuminated your screen.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that, you're not mad are you ?"

You swear your fingers had just moved on their own.

"I'm not mad, I was just busy sorry" You replied, and you knew you had fucked up, that needed to stop and yet you were encouraging him.

"I'm so relieved to hear that ! How you're doing ?"

Damn why was he answering so fast.

"Just casual life nothing too entertaining, you ?"

"Pretty much the same"

It was gonna be fine, it was a simple discussion between two young adults. Nothing to worry about.

"The paddock feels empty without you" He added.

Shit. This wasn't fine at all.

"Is that so ?" You were kicking your feet like a damn teenager.

"Yeah, can't win a race without you" You knew, and he knew this was border, but to be honest you weren't caring at all.

"Can't win a race at all" You joked, you were giggling. God you've missed talking to him, even for simple discussion like that.

You shouldn't felt that way, or you were gonna end up sad again, but you couldn't help it.

"OFFENSIVE" He texted back, but you knew he was laughing.

You and Lando kept talking for hours, you were smiling at your phone like a maniac.

He was such a good talker, smooth, funny, full of charm.

He knew how to annoy you and how to make you laugh the most. He also knew how to hurt you the most.

You were currently laying in bed, watching 'pretty woman' when you got another text from your ex boyfriend.

"I really do miss you tho"

Here you were again, staring at the screen like it contained the answer to the greatest mystery on earth.

"Lando, stop that please" You eventually texted back after a few minutes.

"That what ?"

"That thing that you're currently doing, trying to make me pity you"

"Is it working ?"

"Lando..."

"Cmon y/n I'm serious, I fucking miss you, every minute of every day"

You were no longer paying any attention to the movie that was still playing on the screen of your laptop.

"YOU chosed to broke up" You remembered him.

"I know I made a damn mistake, and I'm sorry"

"You know what I don't even want to talk you anymore"

"Y/n don't do that"

"I should have blocked you already"

"But you didn't"

You were infuriating, completly messed up by too many emotions at the same time, you were sad, and angry against him, and against you too cause you were so weak for this man.

He was right, you didn't.

"Babe please, I just want you back" He sent you a few minutes later since you weren't answering.

"Should have thought about that sooner, and don't call me that"

"I'd do anything" He insisted.

"Claim me on TV and I'll think about it" You texted saracstically before turning off your phone.

You and lando had never been public, because fans could be crazy at some times and you were finding it absolutly ridiculous to brag on social media that you were in a relationship.

That's why you had said that, that wasn't making anysense. Maybe now he'll understand that this was definitly over.

Or so you thought.

When you woke up your phone was blowing up with notification.

A lot of demands on instagram and hundreds of texts from your friends.

You were so confused until you clicked on the link your friend had sent you.

It was an interview of Lando that he hade just done but the views were already so high. Why would she send you that ?

Everything become clear when right before ending the interview Lando spoke :

"Actually I want to say something before leaving, I used to date a girl Y/n Y/l/n, she was amazing but I messed up with her cause I was a complete idiot... So if you're ever seeing this please come back, I know I've been an asshole. But I really want you back"

What.

In.

The.

World.

Was.

Happenning.

You grabbed your phone and dialed his number immediatly... No answer.

"What have you done ???" You tyepd agressively on your keyboard completly freacked out.

[thinkingaboutbetterdays]

the one. ( adam davenport x reader )

gif belongs to me

"Chase, go away. Now."

You approached the two brothers in the hallway, where they waited for Leo and Bree to join them for lunch.

"Okay..." He glanced over his shoulder as he left.

You crossed your arms, glaring at your boyfriend, who tilted his head. "What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me? We're not supposed to keep secrets from each other."

Adam looked at his younger brother, who was listening nearby, and you turned, seeing Chase swiping his hands, signaling for Adam not to answer. His arms quickly dropped to his sides when you met his gaze.

You glared at the genius who smiled sheepishly before running away. You looked at your boyfriend, who smiled nervously, fidgeting with his backpack.

"When did Leo get a girlfriend?"

The tension in his body left as he exhaled in relief. "That's what this is about."

"Yeah. Why do you have any more secrets?"

"Nope." He smiled brightly.

You narrowed your eyes before deciding he was telling the truth. "Who is it? What's she like? Why didn't he tell me?" You chattered. Your demeanor switched from deadly to resembling an excited puppy, and Adam was relieved that this was the secret you were referring to.

"He swore me to secrecy. He thinks you'll go overboard."

"No, I wouldn't." You looked at the ground, putting your hands behind your back, trying to mask your excitement, but after dating for two years, Adam knew when you were trying to trick him.

"Yeah, you would." He chuckled, placing his arm around your shoulders as you walked. "Remember when he had a crush on the girl from his American history class? You walked by her locker talking about how great he is every morning for a week."

You sighed, resting your head against his chest. "Do I at least get to know her name?" You tilted your head to meet his gaze, a pout on your lips that almost made him crumble.

"Sorry."

You crossed your arms and walked away. Adam chuckled as he caught up to you, wrapping his arms around your waist as he lifted you into the air, making you laugh.

"Sorry, babe." He kissed your cheek. "I took a brotherly oath."

You nodded in resignation. "I forgive you. This time."

Adam smiled as he set you down, and you turned in his embrace to wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him tenderly.

He knew that you would try to find out who Leo was dating. If you didn't, your head would explode with all the questions you needed answers to.

When you started dating, Adam was thrilled with how easily you got along with his family, although at times, it was stressful trying to cover their tracks to protect the secret about their bionics. You knew Leo from around school before you met Adam, and it was Leo who introduced you to his step-brother after he noticed the way you both stole glances at each other.

Whenever Bree had a crush, the house was filled with excited squeals as she shared every detail. But after spending so long trying to impress her, Leo didn't want your excitement to spook Janelle.

It was difficult to keep secrets from you, although he understood the importance of keeping his bionics a secret, trying to stop you from seeing Leo and Janelle around school together quickly grew tiresome.

While waiting for you to meet him for lunch, Adam walked over to where Leo was sitting after saying goodbye to Janelle. After spending a week running interference, he was exhausted and could see how disheartened you were that Leo wouldn't confide in you.

"You know, keeping my bionics a secret is one thing, but lying to my girlfriend constantly is really hard for me. She just wants to know if you're happy. I mean, what am I supposed to tell her?"

Leo patted his shoulder, "I know. And don't worry. I invited Janelle over this weekend to introduce her to everyone."

Adam sighed in relief. "Finally."

"You still need to make sure she doesn't freak out like she did the last time."

Adam nodded, lifting his head when you approached. Leo shook his head when a fond smile appeared on Adam's lips as he got to his feet. He knew how much you cared about them, and after trying to prepare Janelle as much as he could for the onslaught of excitement mixed with wary interrogation, she still agreed to meet his family. And knowing marriage was on the horizon for you and Adam, he thought of you like a sister.

The next day, you were stunned when Leo told you he had invited Janelle over to meet everyone. As he predicted, you were more excited than his mother.

"Her name is Janelle?" You grinned, holding onto his arm. "Ooh, what is she like? How did you meet?" You wrapped your arms around him, swaying from side to side as you squealed. "Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

Leo looked at Adam over your shoulder, who was watching the moment with an adoring smile. "You see? This is why we couldn't tell her."

There was a knock on the door, and Leo slowly approached it.

"Now, remember, everything is cool. Everyone is calm." Leo pointed at you, and you moved to stand next to your boyfriend who was sitting on a barstool.

Adam placed an arm around you with a smile, "He's talking to you, babe."

"I'm cool. I'm calm."

"Really?" Chase raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Because you're smiling like a crazy person."

"Hey!" Adam brought you closer to his chest. "It's beautiful crazy person."

You smiled at your boyfriend, who kissed your shoulder while Chase rolled his eyes, and Bree shook her head in amusement.

Leo opened the door, and when you caught a glimpse of Janelle, you released a squeak before covering your mouth when Leo looked over his shoulder. Adam rested his head on your shoulder, hiding his smile.

"Hey, Janelle. Come on in."

She sent him a small smile as she entered and he closed the door. She looked around the room, and Tasha stepped forward to introduce herself and Donald.

"You've met Bree, Chase, and Adam." Leo gestured to the bionic siblings who waved.

You slipped out of Adam's hold to step forward and shake her hand. "Hi! I'm Y/N."

Janelle smiled, nodding. "Yeah, I've seen you both around school." She nodded to Adam. "You guys are really cute together."

You turned to your boyfriend, "She thinks we're cute!" You turned to Janelle, ignoring the way Leo swiped his hands, signaling for you not to say anything. "I love your name. Janelle and Leo. Leo and Janelle. It's so adorable. You make a really good couple. Not that he talks about you - well, not to me. Apparently, I will get too excited and embarrass him. But he really likes you. I can tell just from the way he looks at you."

"Adam!" Leo gestured wildly in your direction.

"I'm on it." Adam approached you, and Janelle watched with amusement as he carried you over his shoulder.

"We should go shopping together!"

Leo ran his hands down his face as you continued to ramble, and Adam took you to the kitchen. Bree and Chase shared mirthful glances as they followed.

"Way to play it cool." Chase chuckled.

"I am so sorry about her. She gets carried away sometimes." Leo smiled slightly as he stood with his girlfriend.

Janelle giggled, "It's fine. I like her. They're adorable."

Leo perked up, "Really?" He looked over at where you were whispering to his step-siblings while Adam watched with a bewitched smile on his lips. "Give me a second." He gestured for her to take a seat and walked briskly to the kitchen. "She finds it adorable. Come on!" He whispered.

You smiled brightly, and Leo shook his head when you almost knocked him over as you rushed to join Janelle on the sofa as his siblings laughed.

"That's my girlfriend." Adam crossed his arms with a smile as they observed how quickly you and Janelle got along. "My adorable, crazy girlfriend."

Leo shook his head as a smile grew on his lips. Since you started dating Adam, you bonded with his siblings easily. Bree was thrilled to have another girl to talk to, and when Chase talked, you didn't tell him to be quiet like the others - listening intently and taking an interest. It was clear how smitten Adam was with you. Everyone knew that he would tell you the truth about their family soon because it was hard to imagine Adam without you tucked beneath his arm.

You looked at your boyfriend with a smile, and his feet instinctively brought him over to the sofa, sitting next to you. Bree sighed, smiling as she followed Chase and Leo to the sofa.

"How many embarrassing stories have you told her?"

Janelle bumped her shoulder with Leo's as he sat next to her. "None." She sent you a smile that you mirrored, leaning into your boyfriend's chest. "Yet."

"Trust me, there's so many." You giggled.

"And she's not exaggerating," Adam added.

He turned his head when you looked at him and returned the smile you sent him.

"When you get married, I call maid of honor," Bree spoke up.

You smiled at the brunette when Adam placed an arm around your shoulders, resting on the back of the sofa. "Deal."

From the way her brother was looking at you, she knew she wouldn't have to wait long.

[moralesluvr]

hii 💗, i had a request/suggestion, but basically what if the reader (fem!afro-latina.) was a real hothead , had anger issues allat good stuff , really just gets annoyed or mad over the smallest things and she sometimes just lashes out in spanish, what would e42 miles do?

earth 42! miles morales ft. a hothead gf

♡ pairings & aus: earth42!miles morales x hothead!afrolatina!fem!reader ♡ summary: how your bf reacts when you get mad, lash out, etc. ♡ warnings: cussing in spanish, miles just happy to be here fr, i think thats it? ♡ a/n: thanks for your request!! ♡ got a request? | masterlist ♡

miles honestly didn't figure out that you had anger issues like you did until you went out on a date and they gave you the wrong order

you were tight, because you had already waited an exceptionally long time to even get the food + the order was wrong? all your patience literally had been lost along with the meal that you were supposed to have

"puta madre...we ordered that shit like an hour ago!"

"ay, mami, cálmate," miles would tell you, soothing you with a rub to your back or a kiss to your lips, "'s aight, we can go somewhere else if you not feelin' this place."

he def knows how to calm you down. sometimes you'll get mad at him for doing or not doing things but he has to remind you that you really ain't wearin the pants lmao. sometimes it ends up in arguments but he knows that you can't control it and that you only mean well

"miles, tú idiota! limpiar este lío en este momento!" (miles, you idiot! come clean up this mess right now!)

¿con quién hablas así? fix that attitude." (who you talking to like that?)

he can always tell when you're about to go off or lash out, so he always tries to stop you if your anger becomes unhealthy. in public, though, he finds it funny when you curse or express your anger in spanish because usually no one can understand it but him

def def def kisses you to make you be quiet. you're talking/rambling too much? he kisses you to make you 'hush that filthy mouth' (his words not mine!)

he can always count on you to tell someone off if needed though. he likes when you stand up for yourself but if you go too far he'll definitely speak to you about it in private

"mami, you know damn well what you said wasn't right. now go apologize"

and u just slither off all grumpy and go apologize (even tho u probably dont mean it!)

he lets you take all your stress out on him, because he can handle it, and you find it relieving. sometimes he'll settle you down with a smoke or he'll let you literally scream at him bc he's unfazed anyways, you could never hurt his feelings

"you piece of shit." "yeah, princess, that's right-- let it all out."

𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 ☻ thank you for reading!

𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓: @enj4i // @chrissytalia // @chaoticevilbakugo // @motheroffae

𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐑-𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓🕷️: @queenesther996 //@sukunas-slutty-bitch // @c3f21 // @wydney // @rinnyisnothere // @brieryann // @moisttowllet // @Dee-m-cee // @liliummz // @starhrtz // @daisydark // @randomhoex // @solanawrld // @whore4hobie // @tanakaslastbraincell // @simp4miguell // @nyrovi3 // @my3tumbles // @aziulsworld // @enchantingfoxsparkles // @mancerseedu // @cafehyunji // @personofyou // @mcdvsr // @kopiivie // @ellatienesuscosas // @venuswash3re // @calliarlerte // @pr0wlerpunk // @tzuyuzzs // @wisepoetrycheesecake // @clearskiiiess // @d3atht3hek1d // @vienreina // @pixqlsin // @caulifloweron // @aizawassimpblog // @stvrgrl // @zerosinterweb // @ishqani // @mookiebut

𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ✎: @Dee-m-cee // @euphorichappiness10 // @adoree-kaelynn // @mhadnirb // @mmst4rz // @iris-theflower // @fleurrieerecs // @kenlani // @kala2022 // @ilyless // @milesmolasses // @laylasbunbunny // @all444miles // @thecoloredpages // @bl00dsuccker // @evacowan // @popeheywardssecretgf

[lazyalani]

| Shu Yamino × [F!Reader]

| fluff and angst, hurt and i dont know if its comfort, not proofread, i had this for a while now, could not help from writing nijisanji, get the author away from her phone

| Midnight Rain

| Main Masterlist

| Nijisanji Masterlist (Soon)

i broke his heart

"Babe, I think you're supposed to pour it slowly. Are you that hungry?" He chuckles.

You rolled your eyes and continued pouring the ingredient. "I'm impatient and I don't know how to bake."

"That's why I'm here."

"You're no baker too."

"But between the both of us, I think I'm the type to not accidentally poison of our food." He laughs and takes the ingredient away from you.

You huffed and decided on sitting on the stool, leaning your chin on your hands and watching him mix the batter carefully. "You know, I'm thinking you're Sebastian Michaelis from Black Butler sometimes. Are you a secret demon and that's why you can do everything?"

He laughs again and shakes his head, not taking his eyes off the batter. "I think I'd still want to be a sorcerer. You're filling your head with your fictions again. Don't you think it's time to fill it with recipes instead?" He teases.

You let out an offended gasp. "Hey! My fictions are fine here thank you. And I don't need recipes when I don't plan to bake."

"You never plan to, but you always end up doing it." He dips a finger on the batter and tastes it.

cuz

"It's because I get bored." You groaned and swung your feet around.

"Sure, but I think call me when you want to bake yeah?" He brings a parchment paper and a tray. "Come and put these here." He gestures you over and gets behind you.

"Do it properly this time, don't deform it. I don't think we'd both appreciate alien cookies." He chuckles in your ear and helps you form a circle.

"What if I drive these in your mouth right now?"

"I love you, babe."

"Shut up, love you too."

he was nice

The best part of it all was loving him. He was, just him. And it was everything you needed.

he was sunshine

Shu Yamino was ethereal from the first moment you saw him. He was someone unreachable and yet here you are, laughing, smiling, baking, teasing, with him. He was the fun you needed in your dull life. The interesting part, the climax of your story.

He was a big pillar in your life that never wavered. The part you'd never skip, the part you'll always re-read, the part you always come back too, the part you cried for, laughed for, smiled for, ached for, had butterflies in. He was the person in your life that you always knew that was there. He was just always there.

He was the comfort to your everything.

i was midnight rain

But going back to the unreachable part, it seemed like he always was.

he wanted it comfortable,

When it ended it just seemed empty. The conversation seemed blank.

It wasn't as if someone fell out of love or cheated or you had an argument you couldn't come back from. The decision was made from busy schedules. His streaming and work just didn't have time for you anymore. His career wasn't really something you wanted to come in between with.

he wanted it comfortable

Streaming was his passion and you always knew it. You've always supported him in everything especially in streaming. You experienced first hand how he was like when he's happily streaming and how he always talks about how grateful he is to have supportive fans and how relieved he is that another stream went well.

But it was also an issue that you couldn't stay.

i wanted that pain

You just didn't fit right in his schedule and it hurts. More than anyone could think.

It was a personal issue really. Call it selfish but love isn't enough to make you stay in a relationship that doesn't fit you. You didn't want to make him choose between you or his career either. Infact, you made the decision for him to choose his passion, his dream.

he wanted a bride,

You wouldn't call the break up sad either. It was something both of you understood, maturity.

It wasn't happy, not sad, but looking back at it, it was just empty then. Nothing at all. A blank ending. You never regretted it though, never.

That break up helped you grow without him. You couldn't always be dependent on him. You depended on his words, his actions, his sweet nothings, his little gestures, his smile, his laugh, his presence, his comfort.

i was making my own name,

You loved each other very much, but sometimes love isn't enough, no, most of the times it isn't. There are so many factors that just becomes obstacles.

"Babe, I don't think there's an easy road." He laughs at your driving skills on the game.

"Maybe I can find an easy and short one." You insisted and laughed. "I'll beat your ass when I do."

"A shorter way is only harder. Atleast the long road will take you there eventually, but you'll never know what the shorter one gives you first before leading you, maybe it'll even give you a harder time."

chasing that fame

Yes, the longer road will be for the better. It's better to take longer than to suffer in the shorter one.

Ah, even now his every word still haunts you. He was wiser too, huh? Always the one you lean on and always the one giving you advices. Life really wants to make it harder to forget him.

With every decision and step you make, it's always his words echoing in your head. He was always the better one in everything, basically your guardian. Shu Yamino was the perfect, dream boyfriend every lady would want, and that thought alone makes you feel like you aren't worthy enough to come in between him and his career.

He was willing to provide anything for you, and it made you feel like you weren't doing enough for him.

he stayed the same,

Whenever the two of you would meet again in one of your same circle of friends' reunions and hang outs, it was never awkward. Nothing changed about the way he treated and acted around you.

He stayed the same Shu as you knew him to be. Never treated you any less, not too much either. He smiled the same, he laughed the same, he talked the same, he teased the same. It was like you had never broken up at all.

It was clear that you both still loved each other, but it was something that can't be fixed until you've settled your own self. You wanted to prove something to yourself. To be able to stay without worrying whether you're worthy of even fitting in his life.

"I'll wait, I can wait." He held your hand, voice calm, but eyes begging for something.

"You don't have to, go on with your life. Live your dreams to the fullest." You smiled.

You couldn't be that carefree girl who relied so much on her love anymore.

all of me changed like midnight rain

[sroop]

leave it

You didn't really know how to ask a girl out. So you just... did it your own way, I suppose, with your big eyes and open hands. Do you want to shoot deer with me?

Pairing: König x reader

Warnings: very brief, very light mention of past bullying

Summary: at one point in your life, you thought könig would be nothing but a passing character. tonight, you have decided he will be your life partner.

A/N: oops sorry, just a love letter to my fixation at the moment 😟

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When I first met you, I thought you were a dog looking for a bone. The kind of lost mongrel that you see padding along a highway, when you're going too fast to care and, by the time you do, too far gone to do anything. I wrote you off as another boy my age, only thinking he was ready for a relationship.

You didn't really know how to ask a girl out. So you just... did it your own way, I suppose, with your big eyes and open hands. Do you want to shoot deer with me?

Not really, actually, but I'd be happy to make us a dinner with what you bring back. Worked out for us anyway I guess. And even though I thought I wanted someone older, more experienced, you were actually so much more than I thought you'd be. Nervous, yes, but kind and so, so attentive. Always at my heels, happy to please.

Now here we are. You, in the dairy aisle of a supermarket I don't know the name of because I haven't quite gotten the hang of German, with your handwritten shopping list that I've scribbled a few items of my own on. You'll notice soon. Not yet, because you're too busy puzzling out the offered discounts. But soon.

Actually, I don't know why you bother with discounts anyway. You have more money than the army has bullets. Maybe that times two. But I don't say anything about it because I remember the first time we really talked, you told me about shopping with your mother.

It still makes me ache a little to imagine you cutting newspapers up for coupons, afraid not of going hungry, but that your mother would look away when you couldn't add up the right numbers. Of getting to the grumpy cashier who called you slow, every time, that you'd gotten the total wrong. I hate to see little you clench your fists, study harder, grow more and more afraid, get it wrong each time.

I know you are still a little afraid every time we go shopping. And it's ok, I won't tell anyone.

What I don't know is why you hang on. Like sometimes, I think you're even a little relieved when you're deployed. Like the time you were deployed just before my birthday, when we'd just started dating.

You, at my door, flowers in hand. All 6 feet something of you that you hunch over to hide. When you told me the news, you'd said sorry, but I knew from that look in your eyes that you wanted nothing more. War and battle you knew. A girlfriend's birthday, though, was foreign territory.

That's ok too. You came back after all, a month later, and asked me if I still wanted you. Yes, König. I still want you. Besides, you're getting better at all that stuff anyway. Getting better at letting go too.

Like yesterday, when you sidled up to me during dinner and asked, like a child with a Christmas wish, if we could celebrate our anniversary somewhere closer to home for you. Austria. In your hometown, which I never thought you'd want to return to. And as it turns out, it can be quite charming if you have a hulking boyfriend following you around clearing obstacles.

I get the sense that you're doing more than clearing my obstacles, be it the language or the money or the transportation. I sense that you're uncovering old wounds. That's why you came back last night, after I'd fallen asleep, tears on your cheeks and shaking cold hands. I don't know where you went or what you did, but I can smell in your stories the morning after that it was something at your old school. That you chose to tell me about those old bullies because you had chosen to summon them again. Fight nightmares awake instead of asleep.

Did I ever tell you that I'm proud of you? That I don't care what oddness you get up to so long as it means you can live, a day in your life, unafraid? That I only watch you count up unnecessary discounts because I know, somewhere in you, you're still trying to make your mother proud?

I put a hand over your shoulder as you make your way down the shopping list. You're finally seeing what emergency supplies I've tacked onto the end.

Your eyes are big and your mouth is open and there's nothing on Earth more excited than you. You pull your features together in a question, pitched and desperately hopeful.

"Das ist wahr? du bist schwanger?"

I play it off coolly, just a chuckle and a shrug. König, I put my hands in my pockets to hide how they shake. How equally desperate I am for that hope, no less dog than you are.

"If we get the tests, we'll know by dinner."

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thanks for reading!

[theinheriteddutchess]

Nobody Else

Chapter 1

Pairing: Chase Collins x reader

Summary: After years apart, your best friend comes back into your life and you two pick up like no time has passed. Still close as ever. Perhaps a little too close. You're not worried though, you trust him completely, and you know you're the only one who he cares about. Maybe a little too much.

Word count: 4081

Warnings: Non-con, murder, codependency, obsession, gaslighting, manipulation, abuse of powers, child abuse (mentioned), virginity loss, possessiveness, panic disorder, childhood friends, social anxiety, best friends, angst, comfort, abuse of magic, loss of parent(s)

minors dni, 18+, you know the deal

Notes: ok we are setting the mood. Let me know if you enjoyed it💕

〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️

Series Masterlist

You let your hands brush over the soft grass. It's soothing. It's something you do to calm you down. You always have. Ever since your old friend showed you to, when you were upset and couldn't focus on anything but your panic festering inside of you.

Back then your worries consisted of cleaning your room correctly, or not making your teachers angry. Or if your father would come home angry or drunk.

Right now you had other worries. You had never really fitted in here. The old town of Ipswich was, well, old. Old houses, old schools and old traditions you hadn’t grown up with. The people eyed you wearily when you and your mother had moved in.

‘Where's the father?’ they would whisper. ‘Where do they come from?’

Once they learned he was dead, they mellowed. Oh course, your mother didn't want to stay in the place that held so much grief, they said. Poor child, growing up without a father. They didn't know you were relieved he had died. How the cuts and bruises healed on your and your mother's skin. How the mind eased and wasn't alert every moment of the day.

But never completely settled.

You adapted slowly. The house was cozy and you and your mother kept the garden neat. And the town was interesting. In its history, that is. Because everyday life was repetitive. You went to school, your mother started tutoring as a job. You did your homework and shared cooking and cleaning duties with your mom. You tried making friends, but it was like those kids sensed your insecurities, and kept at a distance. There wasn't an outright display of picking on you - maybe it was the knowledge you'd lost a parent that prevented it - but you weren't invited in either.

It was okay when you were young. Preferring to hide in your books and your jigsaw puzzles. But now, as you grew older, it became lonely. And it was less easier to hide it too.

You hadn't just grown in age, but in looks as well and some boys around you started to notice. So it was that one day, after class, one of them approached you when you exited school.

You didn't notice him straight away, too lost in thought about your history assignment due the next week, so when a body appeared in your path, you stopped walking, startled out of your musings.

“Hey y/n,” he started, and you owlishly glanced up.

“Hi..,” you mumbled, a bit confused why he talked to you. He was one of the popular ones.

“So, we have a little party Saturday, and I was wondering if you wanted to come hang out.”

“Hang out.” What was that supposed to mean? “Oh, I'm-,” you struggled with a reply. “I'm not sure…”

“Oh come on. I've never seen you at any parties. You're allowed, right? What are you, about 21 now? Don't need any permission from your parents anymore.”

“No, that's not it.” You were quick to say. Honestly, you didn't know what your mom would think about it. She'd be glad you started making friends. But a boy… You thought she might be a little worried.

“So you'll come then?” he pushed further.

“I don't know,” you hesitated. You wouldn't know anyone there. Not personally anyway.

“Come on, it'll be fun. I can come pick you up if you want?”

“No!” You were quick to shoot that down. You weren't stupid. If you did, you'd be dependent on him. You couldn't just leave if you wanted. No, if you went, you wanted to get there by yourself. Maybe you could borrow your mom's car. If you could convince her.

“I'd rather get there myself.” you'd told him. Then, when you saw his satisfied smile, you realized it seemed like an acceptance. And why not? It was true. You'd never been to a party. And you were an adult.

“Ok.” you tried not to sigh. “Where is it, and how late?”

He wrote down the information in your notebook so you wouldn't forget. You were probably the only person to not know the spot. You walked home, head full of thoughts. What were you going to wear? And what were you even going to do once you were there? But first, convince your mother to let you borrow her car.

She was home much later than you, and by the time she arrived, you had already done most of your homework, and got dinner ready. Giving you a kiss, she gratefully sat down at the diner table.

“I swear, that Pogue boy is getting dumber by the day. I'm running out of ways to try and teach him, because he's just not getting it,” she grumbled, while plating a big portion of food. She probably forgot to eat lunch again.

“Mom, you can't say that…” you scolded.

“Why not? His parents are paying me a small fortune and only because they realize he needs all the time and effort I can put into him.”

You shrugged. You felt sorry for him, you know what it was like struggling keeping your grades up. You had for years too. Maybe Pogue had difficult parents as well?

“I made banana pie for dessert,” you tried to distract her.

“Oh lovely, I'm going to eat a quarter of that,” she joked.

During dessert you pondered how to bring up the party, but decided to jump straight to it.

“Mom? I was invited to a party today.”

“Oh?”

You nodded, focusing on your sugary goodness. “I was thinking of going. It might introduce me to some people.”

She was staring at you silently, you could feel it.

"Where is it?”

“Nearby the woods, I think. I was thinking I could borrow your car so I could leave if I don't like it, and I won't have to wait for anyone.”

She pursed her lips. “You can. Are you going to be careful?”

You nodded eagerly. “Yeah, of course. I just thought it would be good, you know? Be around people, see if anyone could…” you shrugged, be my friend, you had wanted to say.

She seemed to understand, because her expression softened. “Yes, of course sweetie. I'll make sure the tank is filled up.”

“Thanks mom,” you happily said, taking a big bite of the pie in front of you, while you saw your mother pulling the pie dish towards herself to scoop up another portion, winking at you cheekily.

-

By the time the party, or bonfire as the school buzzed about, arrived, you were a nervous wreck.

“You look fine,” your mother assured you.

You checked your appearance in the mirror again. “Are you sure? What if I stand out? Some of the girls kind of dress…more…well more.” You waved your hands around nervously.

“Everyone has a different dress style,” your mother said. “Why compare yourself?”

“Because I don't want them to make fun of me.”

“If they do, just go home,” she told you.

But you knew she was worried about you too. You'd never shown a need to hang around other people. Not that she knew about, anyway. You didn't always let her know everything you felt inside, even if you were close, you didn't want her to worry about you. You just didn't want to be alone your whole life.

You sighed. “Okay, it isn't going to be better than this.” And maybe this thing wasn't going to be something you enjoyed anyway. And if there was a new party after this, you could always dress up more. Maybe go shopping for it.

There had been this cute dress in one of the shop windows that you thought might suit you. Maybe it was fine to take a risk once in a while? By the time you arrived, the party had already started. It was a lot more crowded than you expected. For a moment you sat frozen in your car.

A weird feeling came over you, but you shook it off. You often had that feeling coming over you throughout the years. A weird pressure that wasn't painful per se, but not pleasant either.

It made you alert.

You figured it was your mind playing games with you because of past trauma. It wasn't weird being on edge sometimes. And right now, you were going to face what seemed to be half of the school, and were going to socialize. Willingly.

You took a deep breath and opened the car door.

There you go, another step in the right direction. You had barely entered the inner area, when Aaron popped up next to you, so sudden, he startled you.

“You came? Good. Here.” He shoved a cup in your hand with an unknown liquid. “I'll go get another.” He eyed you, very unsubtly. “You look nice,” he complimented you.

You touched your hair nervously. “Eh, yeah thanks. This is…” you gestured to the surroundings.”...Nice.”

“Yeah it's awesome. We've been coming here for years. We can basically do what we want.”

That sounded not as good as he meant it, probably. “Okay.”

“You're not going to drink?” He asked, eyeing your cup.

You looked at it. “Oh, I'm not thirsty yet.”

He thought you were weird, you were sure you saw that in his expressions. “Okay, well, if you don't want it…” he ripped it out of your hands and chucked it down unceremoniously. “Just tell me if you need anything.”

“Okay, yeah, sure,” you nodded. The fire, the loud music, all the people talking, it was a little much. And that weird prickling sensation, keeping you anxious… You hoped you weren’t going to have a panic attack right here.

“Come on, I’ll introduce you to some people.” Aaron practically shoved you forward. you didn’t know if you liked him. And his friends weren’t much different than him. Now you talked to them, they were exactly how you thought they were, loud, rude and kind of mean.

After a few minutes you excused yourself, pretending you saw someone you wanted to greet. A lie you allowed yourself in these desperate times. You just made sure to go somewhere Aaron and his buddies wouldn’t easily spot you.

You needed to breathe, and all those strangers felt like they were invading your space, bumping into you, yelling next to you, and once in a while the occasional unwanted touch. You walked nearer the trees. Leaning against one of them, you closed your eyes and breathed steadily.

There had been the sight of Sarah somewhere, you sometimes partnered up with her in biology. She’d been nice. Maybe, once you had some quiet, you could try and talk to her? Maybe she wouldn’t mind? Maybe she’d be nice and wanted to talk to you and this party wouldn’t be a disaster. You’d be a normal person, doing normal things.

“Y/n?” a voice startled you.

Your eyes flew open. In front of you stood another young man. Pouty lips, brown hair and blue eyes. He looked familiar, but for a moment you couldn’t place it, you simply hadn’t expected to run into someone you knew.

Your eyes just looked at him, while his bored into yours.

“Chase?” your voice sounded thin, a little unsure.

A grin appeared around his mouth. “For a second I believed you wouldn't remember me.”

“How could I not?”

What a foolish thing to say, not remembering him? The only person who had been kind to you when you were young. Who had helped you when you were afraid. Who soothed you when you were in pain and upset. Who played with you. Taught you.

“It’s been a while,” he replied.

“Yes,” you simply said. It had, about 10 years.You were so young then. He still had a bit of baby fat in his face, but he had definitely grown up. He would be considered attractive now, you assumed. Not that he’d ever been ugly in your eyes. He had been your best friend. To you he had been the greatest person alive then.

“I tried looking for you, but it seemed you disappeared out of nowhere.”

“I- yeah…” you boke the eye contact to look in the distance. “Mom wanted a fresh start. Changed our last names. Changed towns.” You shrugged.

“Yeah, I figured. So did I, Changed my towns, I mean. It’s easier, you know. I don’t want to be reminded of mom and dad all the time,” He mumbled sadly.

You frowned, confused. When he noticed, he was quick to explain. “They died, car crash. Everyone died instantly, but me.”

You gasped, and before you knew it, you laid a hand on his arm. “Chase…I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah, well,” he acted nonchalantly.”Guess we’re both orphans now.”

“Well, no, my mom,” you awkwardly replied.

“Oh, yeah, right, your mom,” he said, but there was a weird tone in his voice. You expected it might be grief.

He stepped closer to you. You didn’t mind, it sheltered you even more from the noisy crowd. 

“How have you been?” he murmured, his eyes on you once again, staring into yours like he was trying to get the information through them.

You sniffed dismissively. “Been the same.”

“Yeah?” he spoke softly.

“Still the same loser.”

“Don’t say that,” he suddenly sounded firm, “You’re not. You never were.”

“Could ask anyone around that old town of oursl and they would agree.”

“Well, they’re fools,” he bit.

You shrugged, and looked away again. “How have you been?”

"Missing you.”

You felt yourself warming. He’d always been so blunt. Maybe that was the reason why you two had been friends. He always felt genuine to you. No need to wonder what he thought, if he only hung out with you out of pity. Chase didn’t do pity.

There had been this honesty between you, this openness. He had been your safe haven 

“What else?”

“Saw my dad. My real one. Gave me a shit ton of money, before he died.”

Your mouth pursed in exeterated appreciation. “Just in time to buy that fancy car you always wanted.”

He grinned “I did.”

You snorted. “Really? Show off.”

“You know me. I like showing off.”

“Still, I’m sorry about him dying too.”

“I’m not. He was a bastard. Only thing he could do for me. To give me what I’m owed.”

You knew it was his hurt talking. Ever since he found out he was adopted, he struggled with being unwanted. It was something you had been struggling with after you moved. There hadn’t been time to say goodbye. Just a note left at the neighbors to give to him. To explain.

It must’ve hurt him.

“I’m sorry I left,” you blurted, changing the conversation “I had no choice. If I had known we were going to leave, I would’ve told you sooner. I would’ve said goodbye."

His face darkened, but it could’ve been the flickering of the fire. 

“You had no choice,” he told you.

You shook your head slightly. “I don’t even think mom had made up her mind until the last minute. She just couldn’t stay there.”

His hand came up to push a piece of your hair back. “It wasn’t your fault.”

You were relieved he didn’t blame you. “So, now you’re rich, you must hang out with all the rich kids.” You tried to lighten the mood.

“Oh yeah, we all speed our cars on the highway and buy designer clothes every day.”

“Wear it once, throw it out?” you joked.

“What, you don't think I look good?” he pulled back so you could check him out.

You smiled. “You always look good.” Of course he did. How could the face of your best friend ever look bad?

He smirked and leaned in. “You look…” but he didn’t get to finish the sentence, because there was some yelling nearby and you pulled away to check out what the commotion was.

“Shit, they’re fighting!” you told Chase after peeking around the tree.

“Let ‘em,” Chase said, near your ear, but you were distracted.

“Should we do something?”

He sighed, and pushed himself away from you. “Or…we could leave and catch up.”

You bit your lip. It hadn’t been that long since you arrived, and you had planned to make some friends…on the other hand, you had Chase. Why did you need any friends, when you had him?

“Okay,” you nodded without too much trouble. “We could go get some ice cream.”

“Ice cream?” his eyebrow raised up comically.

“Yeah, like we used to?” you were a little giddy now. It felt like suddenly all the memories you’d had came to the surface and you basked in the feeling that reliving them gave you. “When I was sad, you took me for icecreams.”

“Well, are you sad now?” he questioned.

“No, of course not. But it will be nice to do something we used to do. Together.”

He eyed you and sighed. “Alright, how did you get here? With someone else? ‘Cause I’ve got my car.”

“No, I came alone. Just follow my car, alright?”

He nodded and you split up to get into your car, and waited until he had caught up to you. The whole trip back into the center of the town, where the shops were, you glanced into the rear mirror to check if he was really there behind you. It felt unbelievable he was here after all these years.

You finally pulled up in front of the tiny store. The owner always closed late, knowing there were hungry teenagers that wanted a snack in the evening and even at night. It was good for business after all. It took no time to walk up to the counter. You picked your favorites, while Chase bought one scoop of caramel.

“Still haven’t changed, sweet tooth” he pulled on your hair playfully.

“Says you, caramel is pretty sweet!” you accused.

“Not as sweet as you,” he grinned and you rolled your eyes.

“Hey, by the way, how long have you been in town? I haven’t seen you before. Or have you only just arrived?” you asked, while bringing your spoon up to your mouth.

“Only recently, a few days.” he told you as he watched your motions like they were fascinating. You closed your eyes for a moment and moaned softly. 

“Gosh, this is amazing. Come on, taste,” you scooped some on the plastic spoon and held it in front of him. He immediately opened his mouth for a taste.

“Yeah, it’s good,” he agreed after swallowing.

“You want more?”

“Always.”

-

After that evening, things seemed to move up for you. Chase was back, you two were friends again and you weren’t alone anymore. Your headaches that appeared sometimes, hadn’t yet. The anxiety you experienced, laying dormant because Chase was near. His presence making you feel secure. Safe. Looked after.

Your mother had been slightly nervous with the thought of something from the past coming back, but at the same time being glad for you that you had your friend back. She remembered how he had been your confident, a safe haven.

Chase on his side seemed a bit chillier, though he tried to hide it, which you blamed on his hurt from you suddenly leaving. You were sure things would settle.

You spent every evening with him now. It hadn’t been a conscious decision, you just naturally fell into the pattern. He picked you up from home to go to school together, and he brought you back. You had lunch together and often he came by in the evening, or asked you to go somewhere. 

Chase made other friends easily and you understood. He was charming and smart. You noticed girls came flocking to him. Even Pogue’s girlfriend seemed enthralled with him.  You could not blame any of them. You, too, thought he was amazing. Difference was that you were strictly friends.

Sometimes you had lunch with him and his new friends. You opened up a bit, since they were nice and Chase was around to step in if he thought things were getting too much for you. 

One thing you weren't as comfortable about was Aaron, who hadn't given up on hanging out with you. After you disappeared without saying goodbye, he hadn't gotten the hint you weren't interested in becoming closer. He kept talking to you, and often tried to start a conversation when he found you alone to get you to agree to go to a party together. You said no. And made a bunch of excuses that you were busy, but he had not yet given up hope. 

“So, what's going on with you and Chase?” Sarah asked you one day when you were working on a project in the hall together. 

“What do you mean?” You answered, confused. 

“You know…” she pushed you playfully. “You two are very close.”

You were relieved. “Yes we are. We've been friends since we were young. I think since we were 6 or 7?”

“And nothing's ever happened?” She eyed you carefully. 

“No, what could happen?” You asked genuinely. 

“Oh, no, yeah okay. I just thought you two might have something going on, “ she backtracked. “But if you don't, I know Kate is very interested, so if you don't mind it…”

“Mind what?”

“Her, dating him. I honestly think she's ready to jump him,” she giggled.

“Oh,” you froze. “Isn't she with Pogue?”

“Nah, she broke up with him last week.”

That was fast. But what did you know? You never dated. “Oh,” you said again. 

“You sure you don't mind?” she asked softly again, watching you carefully. 

“I guess not, no?” You weren't sure if you sounded sure. Honestly, it would be weird to share him. You only just got him back. But you couldn't be selfish. If Kate liked him and he liked her…it was none of your business.

“Alright, I'll tell her.”

You were quiet afterwards, and hoped you covered it up well by pretending to be busy. You were a bit worried though, what if Chase forgot all about you? That nagging headache was back again suddenly, and all you wanted to do was lay down and take a nap. You felt exhausted.

You ran into Chase before you went home. He looked a little coolly at you, but he had his moods sometimes.

“Chase?” You suddenly said in the middle of the conversation. “Do you like Kate?”

His face almost didn't seem like the one you were used to, when he looked at you for a moment, like he was thinking.

“Hmm, well, she is hot.”

Well obviously, you had eyes too. “But you do like her?”

“Hmm maybe? I don't know.”

You giggled nervously. “How can you not know?”

“Maybe I need to check if I do.”

He was being weird, but you didn't understand why. “Check how?”

“Well maybe I should jump into bed with her and see if we're compatible.”

You paled with his crude words. “What? Chase, that's not…that's not very nice.”

He laughed. It sounded humorless. “Aw what's the matter, your innocent heart can't take it?” He calmed down, and suddenly sounded patronizing. “You’re not a virgin still, are you?”

You didn't know what to say. Suddenly you didn't want him to know the answer. 

“You are? Aren't you?” He cheered. “Well,” he said as he leaned down so his face was right in front of yours. “Some advice sweetheart, guys aren't too fond of virgins. At your age it looks a little…pathetic.”

It felt like he had slapped you in the face. You bit your lip trying not to cry, but you might have been doing a poor job. 

“I …” your voice croaked. ‘I gotta go. I've got a headache.”

“Oh, I know you do, “ he laughed softly. 

You looked up at him in confusion. 

“Take a nap. I'll see you tomorrow.”

-

You didn't sleep well that night at all. You just kept thinking of his cold eyes, and the way he spoke to you. You knew Chase could sometimes be a little uncaring to others, but never to you before. It hurt. 

It didn't get better when you arrived at school and saw him sitting next to Kate. Arm wrapped around her shoulder. His eyes connected with yours and then he leaned down to kiss her. You didn't get it. He seemed to smirk at you like he enjoyed upsetting you, but you didn't understand what you did wrong.

Part 2

[moodymisty]

“He was always heavier than his brothers. His armor had to be adjusted three different times to fit him as he outgrew it.”

“His armor might be cold, but astartes run hot; Like their blood is boiling, so beneath that metal chill is the heat from the skin visible on his face and neck. You think if the cathedral was any colder, his hot breath would be visible.”

Our black templar bf is large and warm??? Everyone in the reblogs is talking about sleeping with him, while I’m thinking about how nice it must be to sleep (nap, rest, snooze) with him. That man is a human version of a heated weighted blanket! The cuddle sessions with him must be astonishingly good!!

You're thinking good thoughts, anon. Honestly other than the interface ports, a big ol' space marine would be a fantastic cuddle partner in the cold. But maybe that's just me deluluing.

Also I know writing requests are closed because of my backlog, but I just really wanted to do this. So enjoy.

Warnings: Unnamed Black Templar from this fic/Fem!Reader, Possessiveness, Size difference, General 40kness, A very rough drabble so plz forgib

The wind outside howls, battering against walls much less suited for keeping heat comfortably indoors.

To think, you would now very much prefer to return to the Sigismund's Oath instead of having to face weather significantly more severe than just the cold hollowness of the ship. At least he is of a high enough rank that he's allowed a barracks of his own; You don't know how you'd feel in a hall with ten other astartes.

If you already feel like some sort of prized animal in the brief moments you're around them, you can't imagine how that would feel. Particularly if your only protector had to leave you alone.

Suddenly you look up as the only door opens, teeth clattering against each other. You neck hurts from how tense it's been, toes curled in worn shoes as your body desperately tries to keep the most important parts warm.

He enters, no longer in his armor and now sports the loose cloth trousers and robing astartes usually do when out of their ceramite gear. You can see the scars that are scattered over his skin; An untold amount from both battle and his creation.

You rub your hands together fast to try and warm them, before sticking them between your thighs. He watches with that same stoic, unreadable expression.

"You're cold." He says it so matter of fact, you can't help but purse your lips to avoid smiling. You nod and try to hold back the clattering of your teeth.

"I'll be fine. I just need to get used to it." You'll be here awhile is the assumption, so 'getting used to it' is going to be a necessity.

He walks closer to where you sit on his temporary bed. Important enough that he couldn't remain stationed on the ship until needed, but not enough that he couldn't be relieved of duty a moment of actual rest. For a brief moment, you wonder what he's like in battle.

Coming closer to you he in one fell swoop sits down onto the bed, making you to wobble.

"Come," He says, looking at you.

When you freeze for a moment, he speaks again with more words an a more exasperated tone. "Are you like my battle brothers from Inwit now, and prefer the cold?"

As of late he's becoming a bit more talkative around you- though you suppose 'talkative' might still be a bit of a stretch. Out of the many things, humor was not one of the skills bestowed upon them by his Primarch Dorn's genes. At least from the stories and scripture he's taught you as of yet.

Quickly you shuffle closer to him, and he grasps your arm tightly and pulls you against his chest. You quickly adjust in his lap with your legs pulled closed to you. He sleeps sitting- unsurprising to you given his history- with his dagger in arms reach. You suppose this is the most natural extension of that, curled in an almost upright fetal position.

Other than his interface ports pressing against your skin he is overwhelmingly warm, and within moments it feels like you're barely even cold anymore. Astartes and their blood, you swear it almost feels like it's boiling. No wonder he pays the cold no mind.

His massive hand covers good portion of your upper thigh, as he keeps you held close. His nearly inhuman amount of muscle isn't as uncomfortable as you'd thought it would be, as your shift your hands.

It's comfortable and snug, but you doubt you'd be able to leave now even if you'd wanted to.

Your shoulders relax a bit now that you're no longer shivering, and safely in the arms of your Black Templar, you finally feel like you can fall asleep. Even if you'd been warm, the idea of doing so in an unknown place with the one who'd brought you here no where in sight isn't a good one.

You know that unless they suddenly have need of him, he'll have five hours of sleep. You'll have the same, though unlike him you have to daily, whereas he can apparently stay awake for days at a time. Another odd quirk.

You don't know if he's asleep as it's impossible to tell, but you fall asleep not long after, finally warm and comfortable.

[hauntedhokage]

Could I have an imagine/a little scenario of Madara, Itachi, Sasuke and Hashirama explaining to his son that his wife is pregnant again and that he'll have a little sibling soon? Thank you, I love your posts!

this is so soft i'm- 🥺

notes/warnings: f!reader, pregnancy talk, non-massacre au,

Madara Uchiha

His firstborn has just turned four years old when you become pregnant with your second child. Fatherhood hadn't come naturally like he thought it should have, so he's relieved that he's got three years of practice before he needed to be ready for a second. He was around his son's age when Izuna was born, making him an older sibling, so it felt right. He and his siblings all had a couple years between them (even if the clan elders seemed to forget that).

It's a soft spoken request that he be the one to tell your son about the new arrival to the family, feeling that his duty as a father was to prepare his son for the future. He didn’t know really how to say what needed to be said, so he was hoping for a moment to make itself know for him to take advantage of it. So he takes the boy along while attending to his duties around the village, the boy sitting atop his shoulders until they reach the clinic where Madara needed to get the herbs for your tea and medicines that would help keep you and the baby healthy as your bodies developed.

“What’s that stuff for? Is Mother sick?”

“No, no, far from it.” He supposes now is the opportunity he was hoping for, so he kneels in front of the boy who looked so much like his mother it was charming. “Your mother is pregnant, which means that in a few months she is going to have a baby.”

“A baby!?”

“Indeed, and we have important jobs as the father and big brother to take care of your mother as she grows this new life and to protect her and the new baby when they’re born. You are the eldest son, you will have responsibility over your younger sibling always, and it will be your job to help me train them.”

Hashirama Senju

Your firstborn son isn't even talking by the time you're pregnant with your second child. The village elders think it's wonderful that you're so fertile and healthy after giving birth that you could become pregnant again, Hashirama is stressed out of his mind. He's ecstatic at having another child come into the family, sure, but concerned about how you'll manage two children under two years old while he is busy as the Hokage.

So he turns to his new therapist: his not even year old son. You were fast asleep but the babe was fussy, and he was more than happy to quietly walk around until the infant was asleep in his arms. Only he talked while he did.

"You know, your mother is going to have another baby in a few months," he starts, large hand rubbing his son's back. "You're going to be a big brother, like your papa and your uncle. It's a big job, you've got to set a good example since younger ones copy everything you do. It's kinda annoying sometimes but don't tell your uncle I said that. I'm gonna do everything I can to be a good father, and help you be a good big brother, but you've got to do me a favor and start sleeping through the night. Your mother will need to be well rested so she can give you a healthy sibling, I will need to be well rested so I can take care of our family, and you will need to be well rested so you can fill our days with so much love and joy and grow into a splendid young man."

The child is asleep on his shoulder now, but Hashirama feels like they've made an agreement tonight.

Sasuke Uchiha

Sasuke has to ask Itachi how the news was broken to him. He knew their parents didn't just have a second child and not tell their oldest son, but he needed to know how they did it. Did they just say it? Did they have to explain how babies were made?

And of course, the elder sibling was of no assistance. He apparently didn't remember having a conversation like that with their parents (but Sasuke was certain that Itachi just liked to see him squirm).

Which leads Sasuke to sit on the dock with his five year old son, much like he used to with his own father. The boy is excited to tell him about school, and how he's the best in his class.

"You're not yet a shinobi, but I need to give you a mission," Sasuke starts, a hand atop his son's head as the boy stares up at him. Sasuke giving his son "missions" was not a rare occurrence - it actually was how he ensured that the more tedious tasks got done (like eating vegetables and cleaning up toys). "A pretty big task, your most important mission."

"What is it?"

"You're going to be a big brother soon, so I'll need you to help me take care of your mom and the new baby when they come."

He anticipated the excitement at the news, and was equally relieved that the young boy was excited to be a big brother. What he hadn't anticipated was his son hopping up to go run to his uncle's house, needing advice for how to prepare to be a good big brother.

Itachi Uchiha

He has to get over his own excitement first. He's had so much fun as a father to his firstborn, the last four years being nothing but joy (even when he was running on less than three hours of sleep due to teething, restlessness, or needing to sweep the house three times to ensure there weren't any monsters after a bad nightmare). Two have two children running around, filling his home with light and laughter, was just a dream come true.

He waits until he has the first ultrasound photo, wanting to be as informational about this as he could be since he knew his son would have questions. Then he sits in the grass with his son and asks if the boy would like to see something beautiful. He takes the time to explain the picture in his hands, and that his son was looking at the first ever picture of his younger sibling.

"We'll be doing a lot of preparation for their arrival, and your mother and I will need your help taking care of them when they get here. Babies have a lot of needs."

"I can't wait to meet them." The boy says cheerfully, looking up at his father with a wide smile. "Will you train me to look for monsters like you and mom do for me?"

"When you're old enough, I will."

[redhoodinternaldialectical]

🖤 + ship of your choice?

kissing while crying / goodbye kiss / desperation

I keep thinking "I'm so bad at writing angst and anything upsetting, I hate leaving my stories as anything but lighthearted :/" but then I consistently end up writing angst into everything, including fic chapters that are supposed to be comedic and fluffy so uhhhh lets see how I do when deliberately going for emotional devastation :D !

And since I've been thinking about it lately we'll go with a premise of:

A Jason who knows he's come back from death many times but has no guarantee he'll come back from death again volunteering for a suicide mission and Tim knowing this might be his last chance to confess

There's nothing graphic, but this is all hurt no comfort, angsty as fuck sad shit with an ending that leaves it ambiguous as to whether or not this death sticks. Hope y'all enjoy!

Jason states in a flat, calm tone, "It needs to be me."

They all turn to look at him, their bodies backlit by the glow of the reactor's slowly worsening meltdown.

"What the hell are you talking about," Dick asks, while Tim's blood turns to ice in his veins.

"I didn't survive that plane crash into the meteor. I didn't survive that fall into the ocean. I didn't survive the warehouse. I've been killed over and over and come back from it every time, so if one of us has to die tonight it needs to be me."

"A terrible argument," Damian declares resolutely, standing firm despite his trembling, "We have no reason to suspect that those instances were anything other than circumstance. Random chance and dumb luck runs out. What we need is certainty, and... and Father would bring me back again. We all know it. I can take it."

"I did not come back just to throw another kid to their death! Maybe when you're gnarled and grey and about three hundred years too old to live without a lazarus pit we can talk, but until then I am not about to let you die in my stead."

Damian backs down quietly. He looks relieved, and guilty.

"Then let me do it," Tim demands, trying and failing to sound light and fearless, "Everyone else has had a turn with death, seems a little unfair doesn't it? Hogging all the afterlife experiences for yourselves?"

Jason says with quiet vehemence, "If that's how fairness works, then I will be as brutally unfair to you as I can be."

A long silence stretches between them as they stare each other down. Tim fights to keep the lump in his throat from spilling out into tears and Jason struggles between the need to see himself grieved and the yearning to comfort him and make this all easier somehow.

Finally Dick breaks the silence, "What would you like us to do for your funeral this time?"

"I want to be cremated on the bank of the Ganges with proper rites. Mild preference for a Shaivite or Shakta sect, but I'm not really picky."

And that was it. His fate was sealed.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Tim grabs his hand before he can step into the airlock leading to the reactor's emergency maintenance tunnels.

Jason glares at him, "You aren't stoppin-"

"I know!" Tim lowers his voice to a whisper, "I know..."

"Then what...?"

"I'm sorry if this isn't anything you want, but I can't let you go without saying it. I- I love you. I'm in love with you."

He looks stunned, shocked, almost hurt. Then he kisses Tim fiercely, pressing every bit of affection he can into him with the slim moments they have left. Salt stings their dry lips and they cling to each other with vain desperation until their arms ache.

When he finally pulls back Jason roughly scrubs the tears from his eyes, "Fucking cruel of you to give a dying man something to live for."

"Promise me, please, if you can, if you get a choice, if you're at all able to, please promise me you'll come back?"

"No. I love you more than bread and wine, but my death is mine and I utterly refuse to allow your feelings or anyone else's to sway me in this. However..." Jason's voice grows soft, and he lifts Tim's hand to tenderly kiss at his palm and wrist, "If I am brought back? I swear that it will be you I come back to. I swear that I will give you my heart and everything else you ask of me; this will be the only thing I ever deny you."

Tim grips him tight, squeezing his eyes shut, tears and sweat rolling down his cheeks as the reactor burns itself ever hotter. Then he shoves Jason away, into the airlock chamber.

"I hope it's quick," He knows it won't be, "I hope it doesn't hurt," He knows it will, "I hope you get what's best for you," Just as long as it's not the end you want.

"Goodbye Tim. I love you."

"I love you too. So, so much..."

The blast door swings shut between them.

[pomplalamoose]

DILF Luke headcanons / story draft pt. 3

🍂modern day AU🍂

A/N: we've made it to part 3, people!!! As always thank you so much for reading, I hope you'll like it🩵🩵

part 1, part 2, part 4, part 5

• he doesn't change out of his work clothes

• and as tired as you are, it makes your heart beat faster when he nevertheless starts to get more comfortable

• he removes his tie and loosens the collar of his elegant button down shirt by opening it at the top

• you can't stop staring at his strong neck, at the spot where his collar bones meet, wondering if he'd like to be kissed there

• if he'd let you

• he settles down rather closely on the sofa next to you, spreading his long legs wide

• his thigh is nearly touching yours and you can feel its warmth even through the blanket you're wrapped in

• seriously fighting the instinct to snuggle into his chest, your thoughts are luckily interrupted when he asks what you would like to watch

• even though you were the one to ask to turn on the TV, you have no idea

• it doesn't help that he's now leaning back and drapes his arm over the sofa's head rest immediately behind you

• if you were to sink back just slightly it'd look like he were holding you close

• is he doing this on purpose?

• you feel your face heating up

• to distract yourself, and maybe him as well, you return the question

• what would he like to watch?

• I think he'd be the type to be genuinely interested in documentaries about wild life, natural phenomena and countries far away

• he also enjoys to watch the news and, when he feels like having a relaxed evening, maybe something like old classics in black and white

• though you eventually agree upon randomly switching through TV channels; maybe you'll find something both of you like

• despite not really being into what the every day TV program has to offer, he warms up to whatever is on when he sees you're having a good time with it

• maybe you are embarrassed to make him stop on something you think looks fun

• he wouldn't say anything of course, but you can tell from his raised eyebrow that he's questioning your tastes

• naturally you have the urge to defend yourself and he softens a lot as soon as you start talking in a more animated way

• this way you most likely end up watching a really stupid reality or game show

• if he's being honest with himself he isn't watching TV anyways, his sole focus being on you and you alone

• really, he'd let anything play if it meant seeing you smile but would never admit to it out loud

• at the same time he's very relieved to see you growing more relaxed around him again

• he noticed how startled you were by his behavior earlier that evening

• he feels bad for loosing his nerves and, above all, that you had to be the one at the recieving end of his raised voice

• it made you cry and he can't stop beating himself up about it

• luckily you seem distracted enough to not dwell on it

• hopefully you'll forgive him

• he can't help the sarcastic comment at the expense of the people on TV

• it wasn't supposed to slip out!

• for god's sake, you're not supposed to think he's mean, that's not the impression he wants you to leave with

• so imagine his surprise and joy when you softly giggle in response

• he's smitten

• what a lovely sound

• he wishes to hear it as much as he can and imagines placing his lips on yours to taste your smile

• instead he asks if you're warm enough

• possibly he uses it as an excuse to rub your arm

• you are, in fact, very warm but maybe he'll pull you closer if you pretend not to be?

• the thought alone makes you flush and faster than you can think about the consequences you speak

• "maybe? I think I'm a bit chilly still"

• he's immediately alarmed

• "you are not catching a cold, are you?"

• quickly sitting up he reaches out to touch your forehead and then your cheeks with the back of a hand

• when he decides your temperature is normal enough, he leaves to make you another tea before you can say anything to stop him

• you are a little disappointed but use the time he's gone to text your friend

• it feels strange, wrong even, to not let them know that you're spending an evening, and apparently the night as well, at their house

• they respond immediately

• just like their dad they're SO worried and for a moment their resemblance makes you smile

• they're not even questioning why you're there, just wanting to make sure that you are okay

• you feel loved

• promising that you are, you ask when they'll be back

• there's something you want to talk to them about in person

• when Luke returns it's quiet for a while

• he's watching you closely as you obediently sip your tea, trying to suppress how nervous this makes you

• hopefully he doesn't notice your trembling hands

• "Your hands are shaking, are you sure that everything is okay? Is there something you need?"

• ah damn

• sighing softly you finally gather up all your courage and ask whether he'd mind if you were to scoot just a little bit closer

• he's response doesn't come as fast as you had hoped

• as his silence stretches on you become scared you went too far

• you press your eyes shut, ready to blurt out an apology when he calmly reaches out to put aside your cup, then beckons you closer until you are comfortably tugged into his side

• immediately you realize how wonderfully warm he is and how very nice he smells

• clean and faintly like the herbs in your tea

• in surprise you blink up at him but his face betrays not a single thought

• meeting your gaze he asks if you're comfortable

• you nod and thank him shyly, trying to stay as still as possible; he mustn't know how your heart is nearly beating out of your chest

• you stay like this for a long time

• minutes pass by unnoticed by you, as the only thing you are able to focus on are his deep breaths and his arm around your smaller form

• and yet, lulled in by the TV's soft voices and Luke's calming presence, you slowly drift off, your head sinking to the side until it hits his chest

• you are fast asleep by the time he starts absentmindedly stroking your hair

• you don't tell your friend about what happened that night until you see them again

• and when you finally do, you tell them everything

• about how you felt when you saw their father for the first time

• about how suddenly your heart beat like crazy when he so much as smiled at you

• about how you not only looked forward to seeing them but their dad as well and how he soon occupied every single one of your thoughts

• you tell them about how he somehow frightens you and draws you in at the same time

• that you can't figure him out, despite how fascinating you think he is

• you talk about your car rides home, about how he held your leg tight from the very beginning

• and how horribly afraid you were, when he estranged himself after slightly opening up, that he'd never look at you again

• how afraid you still are

• finally you dare to admit your undeniable attraction to him

• you apologize for what feels like a hundred times

• you should have told them way earlier

• they deserved to know

• your friend obviously needs a while to digest what they just heard and, to your dismay, you can't tell how they feel about all of this

• they admit they don't know themselves but eventually have lots of questions

• the first thing they ask is whether something happened between you and their father

• did you tell him how you feel?

• did he say anything himself?

• did you kiss?

• or... more?

• they seem relieved when you always answer in the negative

• it's nothing personal, they assure you when they ask you to leave, but this is a mess and they need time

• meanwhile Luke acts as if nothing happened, which hurts your feelings considerably more

• your friend doesn't leave you hanging though and soon invites you out for a coffee

• it's been a long while since you met somewhere that wasn't their house

• it saddens you but you understand

• as it turns out you are about to get lots of information your friend doesn't want to give with their father lurking around

• while they still don't know how to feel about the development of your feelings, you aren't the first to fall for him

• far from it; they way it sounds it seems to be a rather common occurrence

• many came before you, some of them even brave enough to confess their feelings

• Luke turned down all of them

• and not only his child's friends but his own acquaintances as well

• he does not want anyone coming close after what happened to his wife, your friend's mother

• and while this is something you had feared and suspected yourself, it hurts to have it affirmed

• your friend's parents fought a lot

• their marriage wasn't a happy one

• but despite how much they pushed back and forth, despite everything, they loved each other

• Luke loved his wife so much

• he never was the same again after she left, guilt and grieve weighing him down

• one evening the couple got into an especially bad fight, worse than the ones they ever had before

• your friend doesn't know what it was about, their father never told them

• nevertheless they didn't consider stopping on their way home to talk it out, instead continuing through the night

• the weather was awful, your friend remembers, cold and wet, with the streets slowly turning to ice

• their parents dispute slowly but surely spiralled out of control

• she demanden he stop the car to let her out immediately

• not one minute longer did she want to stay in his vicinity

• and as angry as their father was, he still respected her wishes; who was he to deny her?

• so he let her go, and still they were raging on and neither of them looked out

• and the streets, empty a second ago, suddenly weren't anymore

• a truck appeared so fast that even if they hadn't been screaming at each other, they wouldn't have seen it coming

• your friend's mother was dead before she hit the pavement

• the responsible driver vanished into the night as fast as he materialized and could never be identified

• Luke blames himself for her death

• of course he does

• it's his fault his child lost a beloved person

• he doesn't listen when others tell him he's young enough to re marry, to love again

• he doesn't allow himself to let it go

• and suddenly everything makes sense to you

• his cold and dismissive behavior

• the calculated small talk and the immediate retreat after

• his refusals to let you leave the house alone as soon as it gets dark outside

• his insistence for you to sit next to him in the front of the car

• his hand on your thigh and the way his grip turnes to stone when you try to iniate conversation

• his reaction when he found you that night not long ago, freezing and frightened on his front steps

• neither of you know what to say after your friend is done telling their story

• eventually they try to explain that they'd be more than happy to see their father in a relationship again

• it's just...whenever someone even so much as tried to show interest he shut it down immediately

• and every time they lost someone in the process

• they don't want to loose you too

• "You're my best friend, please don't tell him about your feelings. I'm afraid I'll never see you again if he breaks your heart."

• they are not angry at you, just afraid

• and they know so is their father

• "He knows he's the reason for my friends leaving, that's another reason for his odd behaviour. He doesn't want to catch their interest."

• your head hurts but you feel lighter now, knowing that your friend is still your friend

• but...don't they think Luke likes you just a bit?

• only a little bit?

• you mean, did he drive their other friends home?

• did he give them his phone number too?

• what about all the presents he got for you?

• did he turn controlling when worried for the others as well?

• did he even worry in the first place?

• oh also: you didn't imagine how he sometimes finds reasons to stay around for longer instead of withdrawing like he used to, right?

• right????

• he called you sweetheart once, that HAS to count for something

• your friend has grown thoughtful

• "maybe you DO have a point, you know"

• they promise to do some investigation and you agree to meet again soon

[kairiscorner]

Can u write a headcanon of a gabriel ohara x stark reader where she has a machine that goes to different dimensions and she meets gabriel in his dimension and they fall in love

OH YES !!!!! i love that what, gabri is the sunshine to reader's grump storm (*´ω｀*)

gabriel o'hara x stark!fem!reader headcanons

if you had tony's personality, i think gabri would've been scared of you at first 😭 blown away at first by how beautiful you are, but when he finds out you're a no-nonsense sarcastic genius, he not only falls harder for you, but calls you 'ma'am' out of fear and respect.

he found the fact you could hop from one dimension to another EXTREMELY INTERESTING, though when you would explain it to him, all he did was smile widely like a dork and stare at you while you spoke.

"you're so pretty when you talk." "were you not listening to a thing i said?" "i was listening... to the way your lips moved... how your eyes fluttered while you blinked, and you–" "that's enough." "w-wait, please, keep talking!"

he's always your right hand man, and when you need something, before you could even finish what you were gonna say, gabri's got you covered already and hands you the tool or machine you need.

he loves teasing you, like all the time. he teases how you'll be grumpy if you don't learn how to lighten up.

"how do you suppose i do that when i'm busy all the damn time." "well, that's why you have me! see, smiling's not hard!" "it is when you have nothing to smile about." "do compliments make you smile?" "it's just empty flattery, i smile as a formality." "that can't be right, you'll look older than you really are if you keep frowning!" "i'll cryogenically freeze myself, there." "but then... i won't be able to spend the rest of my days with you." "who said i wanted to spend them with you?" "okay, ouch, hermosa, alright :("

he says sorry to those you accidentally offend or piss off with your snarky attitude, he's the only thing keeping you from getting assassinated or screwed over by your business partners who might become your enemies one day 😭

he scolds you sometimes for not taking care of yourself, and when you snap at him, tell him you never ask him to care, he just replies to you that he knows you never asked, but he chooses to care about you.

you'd've started falling for him after a long while, seeing him ceaselessly care for you and help you out better than any machine you've ever created and any person you've ever hired. and though gabri fell for you first... you definitely fell harder.

he gets all excited when you tell him to come with you to other dimensions for help, even if it isn't for leisure or hanging out with him, he'll do anything to spend the day with you.

when gabri gets all relieved after you come back to him after a dangerous mission, he gets all nervous, stuttering and stammering about how worried you've made him, and all you do to get him to calm down is hold him close and kiss his lips.

he makes you food when you're too busy with work, he hates seeing you go another hour without eating or drinking water.

he insists you go to bed and actually have a decent, reasonable sleep schedule.

"nena, lights out." "just a few more minutes, i'll finish up here soon, gabe." "ay, no more working, please, you've been here all day. i'll take over for you." "no." "fine, then at least come with me to bed?" "i'll sleep when i'm dead." "...please?" he wraps his arms around your waist and kisses your cheek as he pleads you to come to bed :>

tags !! @binibinileonara @ophanimgold

[imagines-by-a-typical-fangirl]

The One I've Been Waiting For {Part 05 of 13}

Pairing: Billy Hargrove X Older!reader

Word count: 2 K

Summary: Billy Hargrove is just one of the many students you're supposed to help. The last thing you expect from your interaction is that he'll start flirtt with you... Much less that Billy would stir up feelings you'd rather keep hidden. Despite the mutual sentiments that soon enough start to grow, there are a lot of reasons for whatever it is to be left alone, and one of them is your age...

<- Previous part (04)

Next Part (06) ->

{Stranger Things Masterlist}

A/N: In this story, reader is 5 years older than Billy, who's 18.

•••

A Stolen Heart

The warm water helps you relax. The next project is almost over, which means you'll have some free time on the horizon. Your friends left half an hour ago, so your plans are to shower and go to sleep.

Once out of the water spray, you dry yourself and brush your hair before putting the pj's on, lycra shorts, and an old oversized shirt. You're tired as you climb onto the bed, fixing the blankets and getting comfortable, and sleep comes easy.

But a noise startles you awake, dragging you back into consciousness in half a second. You ignore it though, the bed is too warm and comfortable. But the noise gets louder, and a little too close for your taste. So you snap fully awake, immediately taking in the weird thud and sitting up, looking at the window.

All air leaves your lungs when you see a figure crawling through your window. In a fast move, you stand up, taking the lamp you have on the nightstand and raising it above your head. “Get the hell out of my house or I'll call the police!” You yell, walking backward until you hit the wall.

“Calm down.” An oddly familiar voice says, and you furrow your eyebrows, trying to think despite the heavy haze of sleep over your mind. “Where's the light switch?”

“Who are you?” You ask, the moment you recognize the silhouette, only lit up by the dim lights coming from outside. “Billy?”

“Yeah. Put that down.”

“What the hell-” Walking back to the nightstand, you put the lamp back in its place. “-are you doing here?”

“Just needed to see you.”

“Are you insane?” Walking to the door, you turn the lights on. “What do you think you're doing sneaking into my bedroom like that?” Billy definitely crossed a line now, and you can't just let it go.

“You're right I shouldn't have come.” Billy bursts out, suddenly angry, like you never saw before. You're about to ask why he's talking like that when you see it. When Billy turns around, heading to the window, you see a purple bruise on the apple of his cheek.

And it clicks, the pieces falling into place. You know about his father, about how difficult he is. How Billy hates him, and now you know why. Neil did that.

“Wait!” You shout, running to the window and standing in his way. “Wait. What's that on your cheek?”

“Do you even care?” He furrows his eyebrows, moving closer. “Get out of the way, I'm leaving.”

“No!” When he moves to push you away, you hold both his arms, forcing him to stop and look at you. “Billy, please.”

“I don't-”

“Please.” You see it in his eyes, the pain. And it breaks your heart. “Please, B, stay.”

His face changes, it... Drops. The fury is replaced by something far softer. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have come here like this, shouldn't scare you like this, I just...”

“It's alright.” You mutter, taking a better look at the bruise. “Let me get some ice, ok? Then we can talk.”

“Ok.”

“But please, don't leave.” You beg, a hand caressing his chin.

“I won't,” Billy promises and you nod, quickly moving.

Your mind is racing, and your heart is beating fast as you rush downstairs. As fast as you can, you search for a bowl, putting all the ice you have in it and grabbing a dishcloth before going back to your room. You're relieved to find Billy seated on the edge of your bed. Breathing out, you sit next to him, putting some cubes in the dishcloth and making an improvised ice bag.

“Can I?” You ask in a low voice and he nods. Gently, you put the ice on his bruise, trying not to hurt him. Billy's eyes don't leave you, but you try to focus on your task. “Did you get into a fight at the party?” You know the answer, but still, you have to ask.

“No.”

“It was Neil, wasn't it?” There's anger in your voice, and you don't want to dissimulate anymore. Billy nods, looking away from you. “I'm so sorry, B. I really wish I could do something for you, I-”

“You're doing enough.” He says, placing his hand on top of yours. His touch is warm, and part of you wants to shield him from all that. To protect him.

“How?” You whisper, now completely drowning in the blue of his eyes. Billy was never this close, and now you can feel the power he has over you.

“By just being here.” He whispers back, moving even closer.

Sighing, you take the ice off his face, throwing it in the bowl. “I didn't mean to send you away like that, I just... Got scared and thought you came here with other ideas in your head.”

“I just needed to see you. I was going to that stupid party but I found myself driving here instead.” His voice is barely a whisper, but you can hear it clearly because of the silence surrounding you.

“You can go if you want, and then come back here.” You decide to say, but you don't want him to go.

You don't want Billy to go. You want to hold him, close to your chest, until all the sadness leaves his heart.

“I don't wanna be anywhere else,” Billy says, and you close your eyes before wrapping your arms around his neck.

It's a strange sensation, and it takes a while until you even understand what you're doing. But it feels right, even better when he embraces you too, strong arms pulling you closer to his body. “I'm so sorry, B.”

Billy sighs, and you feel his breath on your neck when he does, tickling you a little. But holding him feels good. And being held by him is even better. You never thought you'd feel this way, not with him. But there's nothing else right now. No age, no bad boy reputation. Just Billy, in your arms, and you in his.

Silently, you pull away, taking the bowl and placing it on the nightstand before going to the door. “What are you doing?” He asks in a low voice.

“Turning the lights off so we can sleep.” You simply say before cutting the lights and going back to bed.

“Should I go?” Billy sounds... Vulnerable. And it's obvious that he doesn't show this side of him very often. So you feel honored to see this part of him.

“No.” Lying down, you move to the side. It's a double bed, so you're used to sleeping in the middle. “Won't Neil be angry if you don't go back home?”

“He doesn't care.”

“Then stay.” It doesn't take much time until he moves. Billy takes his shoes and leather jacket off before settling down on the right side of the bed.

Then, you fall silent. You're facing away from him, eyes open. And for some reason you know he's awake too.

“Could you come here?” He suddenly asks, his deep voice filling the room.

“What for?”

“Just come.”

Don't overthink it, you tell yourself. So you take a deep breath before moving, turning to face him and moving closer. And it happens naturally as if you've done it many times before. Billy pulls you until your head is on his chest, his arm around your waist. You're blushing, butterflies flying all around.

But this is peaceful. Calming. His breathing and heartbeat feel like a beautiful lullaby.

“Why did he hit you?” With a hand flat on his chest, you smile to feel the warmth irradiating from his skin.

“Max went out with the kids. I was supposed to go for her but she went back home earlier by herself.” His voice is low, a hand caressing your hair.

“You know this isn't her fault, right?”

“I know.” He sighs.

“Just a little while now. Soon enough High School will be over and you'll be free from Neil. And this town. And whatever else you want to be free from.” Taking a deep breath, you involuntary snuggle closer to him. Billy is warm. And you never had anyone to keep you warm during the night. To hold you.

“I know.” He breaths out. “Thank you, (Y/N).”

“For what?”

“For this.”

Biting your lip, you feel heat spreading through your cheeks. “I'm... I'm glad you came.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm.” Mumbling, you hold back a yawl. “It's a cold tonight and now I don't need so many blankets.”

“Oh, I see.” Billy pulls you closer, pressing you against his body. “A very good reason.”

Giggling, you caress his chest. “Let's get some sleep, Billy Hargrove.”

And you drift off to sleep, surrounded by a sensation you never felt before. Maybe this is a mistake. Maybe having Billy this close will end up in heartbreak. But right now, knowing he's alright after what we went through, is enough. You're happy for him. Even though it may hurt you later.

•••

When Billy wakes up, he can't believe what he feels. It's good, so damn good he wonders if he died on the road yesterday, crashed his car, and somehow went to Heaven.

He's so used to being surrounded by hate, anger, and all of those dark feelings from the moment he opens his eyes that this feels surreal.

During the night they moved a bit, and now they're face to face, sleeping way too tangled up for two friends just sharing a bed. The soft morning light makes her even more beautiful, if that's even possible. Billy looks at her as if she's an illusion, a dream, that will vanish if he moves too much. So, holding his breath, he only caresses her cheek, her warm skin. It startles him a little when a quick, small smile crosses her face. He wonders what she's dreaming of. Whatever it is, it's probably good.

Billy didn't want to fall in love. Ever. He didn't even want to like some girl. Or have someone in his mind that he couldn't shake away. He likes his freedom, he likes having someone new every week. A different face to hang out with, to sleep with. He's a man who has everything figured out. His feelings and wishes, his plans for the future. And not falling in love, ever, was a very important part of his plan.

What he doesn't want to admit is that one of the reasons for that, maybe the strongest reason, is because he fears he'll become like his father. His mother loved Neil, and he broke her heart. So Billy always thought it would be better to keep girls at a distance, only having one-night stands with those who are looking for the same quick relationship.

Billy Hargrove doesn't want to be another Neil.

But, right now, looking at her sleepy face, hair covering half of it before he pushes it away, Billy has an epiphany. It happens slowly at first, then all of a sudden.

He wants a girl after all. Even worse, he wants (Y/N), for more than just one night. Or one day. Or one week. He wants to get to know her, all of her.

And he also figures out he could never be like Neil. Not to (Y/N). For her, Billy wants to be more than a crazy teenager going to parties, staying up late for stupid reasons, and not giving a damn about school. For her, Billy wants to be a man.

It's not (Y/N)'s age that stands between them. It's Billy's maturity. Or the lack of it. It's not that he doesn't have plans for the future. Billy wants to go back home, become a Marine Biologist and find a good job, one he loves, in the place he loves. But he also knows some of his attitudes aren't... Appealing to her, as they are to other girls. They like the bad boy act he puts on, and he's quite good at it since all it takes is to express the rage he has trapped inside him.

But now, he wants her. And being the bad boy isn't enough.

He never thought he'd ever change for a girl. But Billy knows this isn't just about changing who he is, because if (Y/N) didn't like him, she wouldn't be here, in his arms. This is about growing up. And Billy would have to do that sooner or later. He was waiting until he finished High School, or until he finished college, if he ever gets there. But until then, he would party hard, live like there was no tomorrow, no consequences.

But now, there's her. And for her, and her only, he wants to make things different.

Billy Hargrove is falling in love. Fast, and hard. For a guy with his reputation, it couldn't be any different.

He, who stole many hearts, had his stolen. And there's nothing he could do now. It was in her possession, and so it would remain.

@aunicornmademedoit @alexa4040 @goth-cowgirl-03 @nyctophilic0vitnir @minispice-1

[griseldabanks]

For Let Me Count the Ways, 15 for any two characters, of which at least one has not yet appeared in the Foster Family AU, please?

Let Me Count the Ways ask game

Fandom: FMA Characters: Riza and Rebecca Catalina Prompt: "What? I meant it as a compliment."

“So?” Rebecca said, pulling her yogurt and fruit parfait closer and digging in. “How's it feel to know you'll be a mom soon?”

Riza focused on pouring the little cup of creamer into her coffee, watching the white swirl through the rich brown. “I don't. Feel like one, I mean.”

“Mmm.” Rebecca swallowed her mouthful of yogurt, gesturing with her spoon. “My sister said the same thing when she had her first. But hey, at least you don't have to go through all the trouble of actually giving birth, right? My sister was in labor for, like, two days.” She shuddered. “I mean, yeah, kids would be nice, but....”

Riza watched the steam swirling up from the surface of her coffee. “Sometimes I can't help but feel...that maybe we've made a mistake.”

Rebecca cocked her head to one side. “How so?”

Swallowing hard, Riza turned her head to look out the window, watching people passing by. Couples walking arm-in-arm, people rushing along on their way somewhere important...a mother walking hand-in-hand with a little girl skipping along the sidewalk, chattering away excitedly about something and gesturing with her free hand.

“They know everything about having a mother...and I don't have the faintest idea. I'm sure I...what if I...they've already been through so much....” She let out a nervous breath, trying to speak past the growing lump in her throat. “If I'm not everything they need...I'll only be making it worse. For everyone.”

“And what makes you think you're not exactly what they need?”

Riza blinked at the unexpectedly soft look in her best friend's eyes. “What?”

Rebecca winked. “Maybe what a couple of unconventional boys need is an unconventional mother.”

Shooting her an unimpressed look, Riza finally took a sip of her coffee. “And here I thought you might actually give me some encouragement.”

“Hey, I meant it as a compliment!”

“Really? Because here I thought you were just calling us all strange.”

With a shrug, Rebecca scooped up the maraschino cherry on top of her parfait and plopped it onto Riza's saucer, like she always did. “Strange doesn't have to be bad.”

Popping the cherry into her mouth, Riza savored its sweetness as she deftly tied the stem into a knot with her tongue, then stuck her tongue out at Rebecca, stem and all.

Rebecca simply took a dignified bite of her parfait.

“Still,” Riza murmured after a moment, as if there had been no interruption in her musings, “this is the situation we face, and I suppose we'll all just have to try our hardest to make the best of things.”

“So, have you met them yet?”

A smile found its way to Riza's face as she nodded, thinking back over the day when they'd all sat down in Mrs. Rockbell's kitchen to discuss the matter. “Edward is so grown-up already. He's just twelve, but he's taken on the responsibility of raising his brother. I think he's of the opinion that they don't need foster parents at all.

“Alphonse is a dear,” she added, remembering the boy's shy smile across the table at her. “He doesn't talk, but he's very kind. And Edward always seems to know what he wants to say. I can tell Alphonse looks up to his brother a lot. I'm glad they get along so well.”

“And Roy?” Rebecca asked.

“What about Roy?”

“Will he get along with the boys? I mean, we already know you're going to rock at being a mom, but....”

Riza took a sip of coffee, wishing she felt as confident about it. “It's going to take a while to adjust, I'm sure. Originally, we were both thinking it would be a baby....”

Rebecca made a sympathetic sound. Their eyes met, and a whole conversation they didn't need to have again passed by in a moment of silence. After letting that silence settle between them, Rebecca lifted the mood with a deftness Riza always envied. “Still, I bet he was relieved that he won't be changing any diapers.”

“Don't tell anyone, but I'm a little relieved myself,” Riza laughed.

“But Roy,” Rebecca reminded her. “Did he hit it off with the boys?”

Riza couldn't suppress a small smile. “If by 'hit it off' you mean he started bickering like he was twelve himself....”

Rebecca gaped at her. “He didn't! What was he trying to do, sabotage everything you've been working for all this time?”

But Riza was still smiling, thinking back to the way Edward had gone from slouching, unimpressed, in his chair to yelling at the top of his lungs and challenging Roy to a Super Smash Bros. match to settle their differences. She remembered the way Alphonse had smiled for the first time, his eyes dancing with glee as he watched them, even as he half-heartedly tugged on Edward's sleeve in a vain attempt at restraining him.

“I don't know what Roy was thinking,” Riza said fondly. “But I think that's what sealed the deal. I think what those boys really wanted to know was whether we could handle what they're really like.”

Rebecca returned to her parfait with a shake of her head. “Yep. You're all perfect for each other.”

[gothgril69]

Levi Ackerman/Fem!Reader Royalty!AU

Summary: You dream of another life, a simpler one under the rays of the warm sun, where you find love and your brothers live happily.

But you're destined to serve, to be the black sheep of the family and married off to whoever your father pleases because your parents can't seem to harbor any love for you. Your brothers will serve in the war, side by side with their Chevaliers, and you'll be left to pick up the pieces or die trying.

And the one you thought always hated you, will be right by your side to catch you when you fall.

Overall Warnings: themes of sexism, minor character death, angst, depression, minor character death, smut (please check ao3 for all tags)

Chapter warnings: none

Chapter Length: 7.4k

ao3 link

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

You wish you never stood up from your chair. You feel like you’re going to faint where you stand.

You wish this was all some sick joke Theo wrapped Auguste into playing on you and they would walk through those doors and relieve you of all your nightmares, but Levi’s features tell you it’s anything but. His eyebrows are furrowed again in sympathy and you look away to avoid the pity that seems to be the only thing he can look at you with lately in favor of looking back at Hange.

“No,” you whisper.

“We’ll hold your coronation–”

“No,” you interrupt, louder this time. “I can’t. I’m not– Auguste was supposed to– No, this isn’t right.”

“Aeron,” Erwin’s clear voice cuts through the fog in your brain. “Have a seat.”

You don’t object. You take a seat in the chair you sat in before, not bothering to push it closer to the table, and put your elbows on your knees so you can bury your face into your hands. You stare at the parquet flooring below your boots.

“Your coronation will be held in three days time,” Hange starts again. You’re silent, absorbing everything they’re throwing at you. “The people of Mirlenas need a queen to look up to, not a military force. We have a plan on how to get Zeke out of the picture if you’re willing to cooperate.”

You sigh and lift your head, crossing your arms in front of your chest as you lean back in your chair. “Do I have a choice?” You want to help your kingdom, but you never expected to be thrown into something so asinine.

“No, not really,” Erwin states plainly.

“Of course she has a choice,” Levi argues. It’s the first time you’ve heard him sound so strong since he’s come back.

“I don’t see another way of removing Zeke from the throne without her being involved, Levi.”

“She still–”

“I’ll do it,” you interrupt the two men. Whatever it may be, has to be better than what you are going through now; lying in your bed as an almost corpse. You can avenge your brothers, Furlan for Isabel, and prevent yourself from Zeke ever laying a hand on you.

“Aeron, we can talk about it first,” Levi tells you, walking towards where you sit.

You look up at him and frown before standing. “It would be for Auguste and Theo,” you mutter, “for Furlan.” He stops. 

You look over at Erwin and Hange and they both give you a curt nod before going over the plan. It’s complex, full of uncertainties and gambles, but you trust them both. It doesn’t guarantee the safety of Grisha and Carla Jaeger, but it would save both of your kingdom's fates and you’re willing to do just about anything to prevent Zeke from getting his hands on anything he wants.

When traveling to Kaslogon yourself comes up in Erwin’s plan, Levi vehemently refuses. “Absolutely not.”

“Levi,” you try.

“No,” he cuts you off. “Absolutely not. I promised Auguste I would protect you and letting you onto their territory is quite the opposite of that.”

“You’ll be with me,” you try again, “you can protect me.” You look at him with pleading eyes, but you can see the pain in his grey gaze as he looks back at you from how close you are.

“I’m one man,” he states. “I couldn’t protect your brothers, or Furlan. If you died there it would just be another promise broken. Another meaningful life gone.”

“You’re well aware my skills are above theirs,” you argue.

“She needs to attend for negotiations. This is too urgent to wait on messengers, Levi,” Erwin intervenes – you’re grateful for the intrusion. “If we have any chance of sparing the Jaegers' lives we must act swiftly.”

Levi spins to face Erwin, helplessly arguing with him. “We should meet on neutral territory. Navarre–”

“Navarre will want no part in this.”

“It’s worth the effort, do you not think so?”

You stare at Levi, at the way his eyebrows furrow slightly while he practically begs Erwin to compromise – to anyone else you’re sure his frustration wouldn’t be so obvious.

Erwin is quiet for a moment before muttering. “We don’t have time for messengers to come back and forth.” The room is silent. You can feel the defeat radiating from Levi and the sympathy from Erwin as the two stare each other down, silently communicating. 

“It’s settled then,” your voice cuts through the tension. “I’ll be going, and so will everyone in this room.” You walk towards the table and place your hands on the surface, staring down at an updated map of the lands of Mirlenas and where the front lines currently reside – your country has at least held their ground.

Levi curses and walks towards the balcony doors. “I need a moment,” he grits out and the doors slam shut behind him after he walks out.

—

He shouldn’t be as frustrated as he is. He should trust you, trust in your abilities and Erwin’s plans, but Erwin’s a gambling man that doesn’t mind losing nonexpendable people and you’re too stubborn to realize a bad idea. You’re smart, but he can tell you have the need to prove something – he’s not sure if it’s for anyone else but yourself – and he understands the feeling, but this has to be the most idiotic thing you’ve been willing to do.

Levi can’t fathom losing another person in his life even if it’s you, especially not when the two of you have seemed to have made some progress on whatever your relationship is. You let him hold you, found comfort in him, and he was surprised when he enjoyed the feeling of holding you and protecting you; enjoyed knowing you felt protected by him.

Now here he was, forearms leaning onto the pale stone railing of the balcony and trying not to lose his mind at the concept of you going head first into danger. He thinks you’re underestimating Zeke’s abilities and his scheming ways, not fully grasping what the man is clearly capable of, but he wants to believe you’re smarter than that. He’s not sure if it’s worse if you know and you’re still diving head first into the conflict or not.

He doesn’t know what the letter from your brother says, but he hopes Auguste told you not to be stupid.

He also has a feeling your brother has, instead, encouraged you, but you have yet to read it.

He shakes his head as he stares off into the castle gardens – the chrysanthemums have died off, leaving a brown spot in the flowers. Everyone has continued as normal, the servants doing their usual chores to keep the castle grounds in check and Levi wonders if they care about the deaths of his friends or the current state of war they’re in – or if they’re even aware. He spots Isabel tending to a tree growing yellow mimosa flowers and he sighs, knowing this plan has to work for not just the sake of the kingdom, but the people he cares about most. He has to trust you to make it happen.

—

It’s staring at you in the face, begging you to just snap it open and begin reading the perfect lettering you know that’s waiting for you on the page. The blue wax with your kingdom’s emblem on it, unbroken and sitting next to that spot of blood. You beg your mind not to wander on how it got there.

You’re sitting on your balcony chair, the white painted wood being quite uncomfortable even with a cushion under your body, as you stare at the letter from Auguste on your table. The biting autumn air doesn’t bother you despite only wearing a black silk robe over your thin nightgown; it’s the least of your worries. Your legs are drawn up to your chest, balancing your heels on the edge of your seat as your arms wrap around your legs. You want to open the letter, need to open the letter, but you can’t bring your muscles to move. You know as soon as you see the familiar handwriting on the paper that you’ll fall apart all over again, you’ll lose the streak you’ve gained of not crying.

It’s been two days since your meeting with Erwin and Hange – your coronation is tomorrow – and Levi hasn’t left his guard of your bedroom door ever since, remaining insistent that he’s always within your presence even if it’s behind closed doors. You’re grateful for his protection, knowing that his vow to protect your family has been extended to you and has remained even after your brothers and father are gone. He’s the only thing that’s remained static.

You take a deep breath, exhaling loudly as you abruptly reach out for the letter and snap the wax seal with a sudden burst of courage before pausing. You’re so close, so close to just reading those first words on the page, but you can’t bring yourself to do it. You groan loudly, setting down the paper on your table so you don’t wrinkle it.

A knock on your door. “Aeron?” Levi’s voice sounds through the painted wood. “Are you alright?”

No, you want to say. No, you feel like your heart is about to be ripped out all over again. “I’m fine,” comes out instead in a small yell so he can hear you.

He doesn’t respond, but you can hear his feet shuffle a bit before all is quiet again. You look back at the paper and grab it, unfolding it quickly so you can’t back down.

To my lovely Aeron,

Tears are already pricking your eyes, threatening to spill over and down your cheeks as you look up at the moonlit sky in attempts to quell them. You can do this, you tell yourself with a small, shaky exhale.

If you’re reading this, then I apologize with my whole heart for leaving you. You mean the world to me and always will, but I understand if you can never forgive me for leaving you alone on this earth.

He knew. He knew you’d feel unbearably alone, but you can’t imagine not forgiving him for leaving – it was never his fault, never something he would’ve done with malicious intent. He had to have known you would never think ill of him.

I want you to know that you are not alone, and you never have been. I’m writing to you with purpose, to inform you of who to trust when I’m gone and can no longer protect you myself.

Your eyebrows furrow in confusion, but you continue on as you swipe tears away from your face that have managed to escape.

I know going on the mission myself is a risk, but it’s a risk father insisted I make as the next heir to the throne and you must understand I would have never left if that wasn’t the case. You know how insistent the man can be.

But Zeke is an evil man and I could never leave you without protection against him – he will never have you, I assure you. I’ve spoken with Erwin about a way to prevent the marriage and I know you are an intelligent woman that is capable of ensuring your own safety.

I also know you are intelligent enough to know that Erwin was going to be my mate once I was king. A taboo surely, but one that I could not escape from nor would I want to. I can only hope that you find your own once the conflict with Zeke is no longer.

You’re smiling now, tears still trickling down, but despite your sadness you’re happy that Auguste found his true mate before passing instead of an arranged romance. Your smile falls when you realize how Erwin must feel, how devastating it must be to lose your own mate and live on.

I trust him with my life and I hope you will do the same, but I must also tell you something you may not be pleased to hear. You must trust Levi. 

You frown. Not because you don’t trust Levi – you do – but Auguste knows how difficult the two of you can be together. You’re willing to put your differences aside to not condemn yourself to living in hell with Zeke if your brother is telling you to trust him. It seems Mrs. Kirstein may have been onto something.

He is the only one I truly trust to do everything within his abilities to protect you. Levi is an extraordinary man, in battle and in my personal life. The man has more depth to him than he cares to admit and I can only hope you give him the chance to do right by you.

I hope that Theo is still with you.

At this your tears are unstoppable, a small sob escaping you before you manage to slap your hand across your mouth.

If he is not then I apologize for him as well. He loves you as much as I do, dear sister, he was just not a man to express his feelings. Our care for you runs so deeply, second nature to us. You’re our whole world.

You’re strong. You’re capable. I’ve always known you would achieve greatness and I can only hope it comes easy to you. Don’t do anything to endanger yourself if you can help it. Only trust those that I’ve spoken of.

I love you,

Auguste

You set the letter down onto the table so you don’t tarnish the parchment with your tears before pulling your knees to your chest as tight as possible. Your teeth are clenched, your whole body tense as you try to reel in your sobs, but you feel like another one of your walls has been broken down. You know Auguste would have never meant to make you cry, but how can you not when the only two people who had wholeheartedly loved you are no longer with you. They’re simply another addition to the sky, two stars looking down at you with such sadness even through their soft glow.

You aggressively swipe at your face to rid the dampness from your skin and stand up, pulling your silk robe tightly over your body. The stone flooring of your balcony is cold against the soles of your feet as you pad your way inside and straight to your bedroom door, straight to the one man your brother told you to confide in despite your personal feelings. You turn the nob and whip the door open in one fluid motion, clearly startling the man that was leaning against the wall nearby.

“Levi,” you whisper, staring at his wide eyes that are regarding you with such surprise and worry.

“What’s wrong?” he frantically asks, seemingly snapped out of his reverie once he hears your voice ring through the solitude of the night.

“I– the letter,” you stutter. Your hand is still on your doorknob and you know you must look absolutely frazzled with red rimmed eyes and tear tracks on your skin.

He pauses at this, mouth opening and then closing, as he seems to think of what to say. You know he’s a man of few words, at least when he’s not replying with snarky comments back at you – you almost miss those. You stand back from your door, taking it with you to open wide in a gesture for him to come in.

“You’re hardly dressed for my company,” he mumbles, looking down at the ground. Of all the times for him to instate his chivalry, this couldn’t be a worse time.

“Get the hell in here,” you snap, your voice sounding weaker than you intended, but still having the same effect. He walks in quietly and you close the door behind the two of you before gesturing for him to take a seat on the bench at the end of your bed.

Levi watches you pace back and forth in front of him, arms crossed over your chest and your black silk robe flowing slightly behind you. You’re hardly dressed for this meeting between the two of you and certainly not for the chilling breeze that’s flowing through your balcony doors now. He stands for just a moment to close the doors and spots the letter on your table outside. Levi grabs it before continuing his task so it doesn’t blow away in the breeze that’s continuing to pick up outside and sets it down on the edge of your bed. You haven’t even looked up from the ground as you continue to pace back and forth.

“Aeron,” he mutters, breaking the atmosphere that was previously filled with the sound of your footsteps and the fire crackling to his left next to the balcony doors. It seems to work at snapping you out of your train of thought, but only for a moment as you glance up at him and move on to doing something else.

Your silence is killing him. He wonders if it could have been that bad, or if you’re just overwhelmed with your feelings after reading Auguste’s words to you. He sits there patiently as you grab the metal bed warming pan by the fire and stick it in the flame. You don’t move after that, just watching the fire dance in the hearth.

“Aeron,” he tries again.

“I read it,” you mutter, still staring at the fire. He figured as much with the way you were behaving. You look just as empty as the day you attended their funeral. “Do you want to read it?” you quietly ask, eyes finally coming up to meet his own. There’s no tears – you just look tired.

“What would you like me to do?” He doesn’t want to breach your privacy even if it might be easier to understand how you’re feeling. He’d rather hear it from you.

“I don’t know.” You abandon your stance in front of the fire and slowly pad towards him, your robe coming slightly undone as your arms fall to your sides and exposing your décolletage. He averts his eyes until you sit right next to him, his gaze coming up in surprise as you settle the side of your head onto his shoulder. You must be truly exhausted to be leaning on him like this. He doesn’t move, instead acting as your pillar of support as long as you need.

“Why don’t you tell me,” he suggests quietly, his voice barely a whisper in fear of spooking you away like a wild animal.

“Him and Erwin were going to mate,” you sigh. He blinks, digesting the news. Is this what you’re so upset over? It can’t be. He knew they were partners at least, but Erwin never hinted at the two of them becoming mates.

You continue on. “He told me to trust him and… I think I do now that I know that,” you mumble and lift up your head to look at him, your irises swimming with so much hidden emotion. He wonders if you still hate him. “He also told me to trust you.”

You stand up and walk towards the fire, grabbing a mitt off the wall next to the hearth to grab the bed warming pan to let it cool a bit before you stick it under your bed sheets. “Do you?” he asks instead of his real question, thinly veiling his insecurity about your feelings towards him. He never wanted you to hate him.

“Of course,” you reply easily, as if it was second nature. “I trust that you’ll protect me like you did with my brothers. I…” your voice trails off as you turn back to him, remaining your distance as you fidget with the tie of your robe in front of your torso out of nervousness. “I know now that you did what you could. I’m sorry, Levi, for ever saying otherwise.”

He forces himself to meet your eyes now that you’re apologizing. You look so sincere, so sad and sympathetic towards him when he should be the one looking at you that way. The warm light from your fireplace is flickering on your skin, illuminating you in the most ethereal way as you look back at him. He knows you’re waiting for a response, but what can he say to you when he should be on his knees begging for the forgiveness you’ve given to him so easily.

“I never hated you,” is what comes out instead of a thank you, instead of a returned sorry. He needs you to know.

“You’ve said that before,” you sigh.

“I meant it.” Levi stands and walks towards you, his body moving before his mind can catch up. He grabs your hands from the ties of your robes to prevent your fidgeting, looking down at your hands before meeting your eyes. “You’ll ruin the fabric with all your fidgeting.”

“That’s not really my main concern,” you breathe. He ignores your rebuttal.

“I’m sorry for all that I’ve done to you,” he tells you sincerely, holding your gaze so you know he means every word. “I’m sorry that you couldn’t trust me before now, and I’m sorry I couldn’t bring home Auguste and Theo.”

“Levi–”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you when you needed someone to hold you,” he interrupts you. “I promise I will do everything I can to protect you, to ensure your safety above my own if I have to.”

“Levi–” 

“I’m not done–”

“It’s okay,” you insist, eyebrows dipping with sympathy. You gently take your hands back from his own and look down. “I know you mean every word,” you mutter. “I know I trust you because of Auguste’s reassurance on top of my own, but my–” you sniff and turn your head to the side to gaze down at the fire. You’re avoiding him. “My heart has been so torn.”

He wants to be the one to put you back together, to make it up to you and mend your heart when you thought only Auguste or Theo were capable of such a thing. How are you supposed to heal when you’re required to deal with a war you never thought you’d be a part of?

“Let me help you,” he gently pleads, sounding desperate even to his own ears as he practically begs you to let him in. He can’t allow another person around him to fall apart and leave.

“I’ll get there,” you tell him, meeting his eyes to assure him you mean it. “At least I think I will.” You shift your body away from him to grab the metal bed warmer now that it’s cooled off enough to place under your silk sheets. Levi takes it as his que to make his leave.

“I’ll be there tomorrow,” he promises, looking back at you with a hand on the doorknob. He wouldn’t miss your coronation even if he was on his deathbed – he owed it to your brothers as well as you. You set the metal bed warmer back next to the fireplace before walking back to the edge of your bed.

“Thank you,” you mutter back to him, looking down as you begin to slide your silk robe off your shoulders so you can get in bed.

Levi doesn’t stick around to see it fall to the ground.

—

You abruptly wake up sweating, shaking, as you throw your sheets off your body. Your thin nightgown is sticking to every part of you and you swipe the little hairs off of your forehead, panting as you try and catch your breath. The moonlight is casting a soft glow into your room through your floor to ceiling windows, the waxing gibbous soon turning into a full moon that would bless your coronation day. You assumed it would make you feel more calm, but you’re still reeling from your nightmare, Auguste and Theo’s marred faces staring back at you still.

It’s only a matter of a couple seconds after you wake up that Levi is turning the handle to your door and stepping through the frame, eyes wide and searching for any threat that could be lying in wait. “Christ, Aeron,” he breathes, leaning against your doorframe once he sees that there’s no threat, only you sitting up in your bed after waking from a brutal nightmare. “Are you alright?”

“Yes,” you mutter, your voice sounding hoarse, hollow. Your breathing has leveled out by now as you bring both hands up to wipe more hair out of the way and swipe your cheeks free of any tears you may have left behind. You need some air. You stand up from your bed, disregarding Levi’s presence completely, and pad your way over to your balcony doors to allow some fresh air to flow through. The fire has dwindled down to a pile of embers and you relish in the cool breeze that soothes your sticky skin and allows the nightgown that’s barely hanging on your shoulders to flow freely once again.

“You’re going to catch a cold,” Levi’s voice sounds from behind you, closer than he was last time. You glance back to see that he’s closed your bedroom door and stepped inside, patiently observing you from the foot of your bed where he’s taken a seat on the bench.

“I’ll live,” you sigh, wrapping your arms around yourself. Your nipples have pebbled under the thin fabric, but you stand still despite the chill, knowing you’ll have to turn around to grab your silk robe.

Levi stands up behind you and lays your robe around your shoulders, ensuring the fabric falls over the front of your torso as well so you can slide your arms through. “Nightmare?” he inquires gently.

You turn around as you put your arms through the sleeves and face him. “Of course,” you mumble. He’s regarding you with one of the softest gazes you’ve seen on his features and you know he understands what you’re going through – he was the one to witness the events after all. “I’m assuming I wasn’t quiet.” You look down at the ground, embarrassed that he’s even here to observe your disheveled state.

“No, not quite,” he mutters, pausing before continuing, “I have them too.”

You look up at him. “You don’t sleep.”

“I know.”

You frown and move to sit on the bench. Maybe you should start your fire again now that you’ve allowed the chill from the night’s air inside your room. Levi beats you to it, wandering over to the hearth to stack the firewood that’s precariously placed next to it. “Tomorrow shouldn’t be happening. It should be Auguste,” you mumble, staring down at your fingers that have started to fidget again with the fabric of your robe.

“You’re right,” Levi says, his voice coming out strained. “I wish for your sake that it was so you would not travel to Kaslogon.” The fire is roaring with life now, flickering against his features and illuminating him in such a way you almost think he looks beautiful despite the furrow in his brows that tells you he’s upset.

“Levi–”

“I know you’ve made your choice,” he interrupts your distressed tone. “You are capable, fully, and I respect your decision, but I wish you never had to make that decision in the first place.”

“What’s done is done,” you sigh as Levi strides over to your bedroom door.

“Yes, I know,” he mutters. “I now intend to keep my promise this time of protecting you, even if it means my life is yours. I do not regret making that promise.” 

You stare at him, wondering just how traumatized the man must be to devote his life to you. It crushes your soul to observe how broken he is – how broken both of you are – and you wonder if you would be able to stitch his heart back together like Auguste and Theo could always do for you. You wonder if he would try to do the same for you.

When you don’t say anything back he opens your door and steps through the frame, only glancing back to let you know, “Isabel will be here at dawn with Mrs. Kirstein and Mrs. Springer to help you get ready. I’ll be your escort.”

The door closes softly behind him.

—

It’s almost too much to handle as you open your door to allow Mrs. Kirstein and Mrs. Springer into your bedroom as they carry full buckets straight to your bathtub, Isabel following shortly behind with a large bundle of fabric in her arms. The two of you make eye contact when she looks up from the ground, freezing in her footsteps as she takes you in and you do the same.

“Let me hang this before you attack me,” she giggles and you can’t help the smile that graces your features when seeing the young woman’s youthful features light up. You missed her. You allow her to pass and shut your bedroom door, noticing Levi standing guard in your hallway and looking the other way as you do.

Once the dress Isabel brought in was hung next to your floor length mirror, you rushed her and attacked with a strong embrace – one she returned with equal enthusiasm. “I missed you, Is,” you mutter. You lean back and separate from her, grasping her hands in front of you. “I should’ve been there for you more. I’m sorry.”

“No,” she’s quick to speak, barely allowing you to get all your words out. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been there more for you. We needed each other and I abandoned my duties to you.”

“You have no duties to me,” you chide. “The only thing I ever hope for is your genuine friendship, and friends are there for each other just like we will be now.”

She nods, giving you one of her signature bright smiles as a strand of hair falls out from her updo. You tuck the strand behind her ear. “You’ll make a great Queen, Aeron.”

You give her a sad smile and recognize her own on her face as she regards you with such sympathy. She knows you don’t want to be doing this, but she’ll guide you through whatever you need and be there for you until her last breath just like you would for her. “Thank you,” you mumble.

“Aeron!” Mrs. Springer shouts as she exits your washroom. “Now is not the time to dilly dally! We’re running behind schedule!”

You share a look with Isabel and laugh, dropping her hands as you start to take off your silk robe to get prepared to bathe. “I think we have plenty of time, Mrs. Springer. It is hardly after dawn.”

The blonde woman frowns at you with Mrs. Kirstein’s sweet face appearing behind her. “Come on sweetheart, the water will get cold,” she coos at you, as if to coax you into the bath like you’re a kitten.

“I’d like to bathe by myself today,” you tell them, hanging your robe precariously over the stool for your vanity. It’s been a while since you’ve had a quiet moment to yourself in the bath, usually having Mrs. Kirstein bathe you when it felt like such an overwhelming task. 

Mrs. Springer sighs while Mrs. Kirstein and Isabel nod at you and you finally slip yourself inside your washroom, closing the door behind you to give yourself the much needed solitude. You slip off your nightgown, allowing the thin fabric to pool around your feet before stepping out and into the tub next to you. The warm water feels nice on your skin, soothing your aching muscles from tensing up during your nightmares as you slide your whole body under the surface. You close your eyes under the rippling water, allowing it to soak your hair and block out any intrusive noises from your environment. It feels nice to just simply exist in the dead silence, all of your senses numbed so you can’t hear, can’t see, can’t smell, can’t taste anything as you only feel the soothing warmth of the water along your skin. The lavender and oats in a sachet they had added make the water silky and nourishing.

You lift your head out of the water, overwhelmed by the rush of water that flows off of your head and all of the sounds coming back. You press your fingertips into your eyes to rid the water so you can open them, lips slightly parted as you take a deep breath in after holding it for so long. You enjoy the sensation of your senses flooding back into you, feeling alive for the first time since Auguste and Theo left for their dreadful mission. You breathe in deeply, allowing the scent of lavender to calm your nerves – you wouldn’t allow your mind to go there right now. You needed to be strong in front of your kingdom, in front of the people that were relying on you to guide them despite your young age. Your people were not going to wait two years for the military rule to end – the conflict needed to end now.

You rush through your bath to keep yourself distracted from your thoughts, thoroughly scrubbing at your skin to the point where you almost rub your skin raw. The water drips off your body as you stand up, landing below with soft sounds of the droplets hitting the water. It felt good to bathe alone, to feel just strong enough to help yourself and not rely on someone else for such a simple task. Some days had felt hardly worth getting out of bed and now you felt like you could do the bare minimum despite the hollowness of your heart – perhaps you were just growing accustomed to the feeling.

You wrap your silk robe around you and exit the washroom, ready to have them dress and prep you for the day.

“She is in desperate need for a wax,” Mrs. Springer tells Isabel and Mrs. Kirstein right when you walk through the doorway.

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” you state plainly. You were not one to partake in the new trend of waxing. You’ve heard that it’s painful and you found the idea of being perfectly smooth odd, but you suppose you wouldn’t know for yourself unless you tried it. Today was not that day.

“It was merely a suggestion,” she offers, slightly caught off guard by your appearance.

“I do not have a mate,” you sigh, “besides, they will love me regardless of my grooming habits.”

Mrs. Kirstein intervenes before Mrs. Springer can get a word out. “You’re absolutely right. Let’s get you dressed.” You stifle a laugh at Mrs. Springer’s mouth snapping shut.

You didn’t pay attention to what Isabel had been carrying when she arrived, too focused on the young woman herself, but now you’re gaping at the extravagant gown hanging near your mirror. It’s the most gorgeous dress you’ll ever wear in your life, clearly specially made just for your coronation day and you wonder if they began making it as soon as they knew you were now in line to become queen. Mrs. Kirstein takes your robe off your shoulders and you stand still, watching in the mirror as they work on you. Mrs. Springer throws a chemise over your head the moment the silk fabric is cleared, tying a small bow in the front to keep it secure. Isabel ties the skirt support around your hips at the same time, making sure the knot is secure before moving on to your corset that will go under the dress. Its more intricate than normal, the bodice practically glittering with how fine the fabric is. It’s a navy blue, matching your nation’s colours, with silver detailing – it should show through the dress. Isabel pulls it as tight as possible, practically squeezing the life out of you as she does it with a smile. You glare at her in the mirror.

Mrs. Kirstein and Mrs. Springer both grab the dress, carefully guiding it over to you to slide over your head. When they finish lacing it up you practically gawk at yourself in the mirror. The dress has a high neckline, coming up to almost your jawline and contouring your face. It’s a dark blue, just like your corset, but it has silver metal detailing that frames your shoulders and scatters down the front of your dress and the long sleeves. Silver accentuates your breasts and a sheer lace allows your corset and cleavage to peak through the fabric just enough to be slightly alluring. Its form fitting, but the skirt of the dress doesn’t stick to your skin, it flows freely with a slender form.

The three women usher you in front of your vanity where they can primp and prep you for the ceremony. Mrs. Kirstein and Mrs. Springer work on your hair, carefully accentuating your natural hair texture and keeping your hair flowing freely. Isabel does your makeup, but keeps it relatively natural with just blush and a lip tint – she knows your preferences.

By the time they’re done you have little time left until the ceremony where you’ll greet your nation that has gathered close enough to the castle walls for you to address them. From then on you know you have a long evening awaiting you full of entertainment and addressing public officials – all people your brother and father knew well, but not you.

You’re guided in front of the floor length mirror again and your breath hitches – you look beautiful. You resemble a Queen. You hold your head high as you stare at yourself, tilting your head so you can see your hair and makeup. 

It makes your heart ache, desperation seeping into your wishes for Auguste and Theo to be here just so they could witness your coronation. You push the thought away again – you won’t allow tears to ruin Isabel’s hard work.

You see her walk up behind you slowly. “One more thing,” she mutters. She steps in front of you with a tiara in her hands, gently grasping the sides as she raises it to place it on the crown of your head. It’s simple, glittering with small diamonds and a sapphire gem in the center, but the metal encasing them isn’t too intricate. It still must have cost a fortune.

You stare at yourself for a moment longer when she steps away before you turn to all three of them. “Thank you,” you start. “Thank you for taking care of me, and being there for me when I could not be there for myself.” You give them a sad smile, hoping you convey just how much you truly appreciate them.

“We love you,” Isabel says, and you desperately wish to wipe the tears from her eyes.

“We’ll always be here for you,” Mrs. Kirstein mutters softly. 

“We would hug you, but we’ll ruin our hard work,” Mrs. Springer grumbles, and you know that’s her own way of telling you just how much she cares.

You grin. “I love you too,” you laugh. “Is it alright if I have some alone time before the ceremony?”

“Of course,” Isabel says fondly. “Levi will knock when it is time.” You nod and the three of them disappear through your doorway.

You let out a sigh of relief, grateful to be alone before you must put on a face for your kingdom. Auguste was always so much better at it than you. You were hardly prepared to rule a whole kingdom without any formal training at all. You only had the education you were lucky to receive with Auguste when he taught you everything he knew from the regular education he was offered as a male.

You pace your room, completely lost in your thoughts, when Levi’s knock echoes through the room. “Come in,” you address him as you stop to stare at your door. He opens it and suddenly freezes – he’s staring at you with wide eyes. You panic for a moment. “Do I look alright?” you ask as you walk over to the mirror to inspect yourself. You seem fine.

He clears his throat and you turn around. He’s managed to close his door after shaking himself out of his stupor. “You look beautiful,” he mutters quietly – you blush. “Like a true Queen.”

You can feel your cheeks heat and you turn around to look at yourself once again in the mirror. You try to think if Levi has ever given you a compliment before and come up empty. You spin to face him once again when you’re sure the flush of your cheeks has gone away and find him standing much closer, looking down at your small bottle of lavender oil. 

“You forgot something,” he mumbles when he notices you staring. He gestures for your wrists and you tear up at the memory. “What is it?” He’s inspecting your face, honing in on the tears that form on your waterline.

“Auguste,” you mumble, “he um,” you clear your throat. “He was always the one to…”

“I see,” he states, effectively cutting you off, but you’re grateful for the interruption. “I can allow you to do it yourself?” he questions, uncertain of whether or not you’d like his assistance like Auguste had given you.

You gently pat at your tears and Levi hands you his handkerchief, a soft white cotton with the letters “L. A.” stitched in the bottom corner. You dab at your eyes and offer it back to him. “Keep it,” he tells you gently.

“It’s yours,” you state the obvious.

“I know,” he mutters, “I have another. Keep it for now.”

You nod and set it down on the edge of your bed behind you, carefully folding the piece of fabric into a square. You gently offer your wrists to him once you turn back around and it only takes Levi a moment of confusion before he realizes what you want from him. He gently places one drop of lavender oil on each wrist and you smile.

“One more,” you whisper, gently guiding him to place one more drop on your wrists like Auguste had done before. His cheeks flush and he drops the lavender oil on your wrist and you spread the scent to your jaw and behind your ears since your dress neckline goes so high. Levi walks away to place the lavender oil back on your vanity. “I’m scared,” you confess now that there is some distance between the two of you.

“It’s only natural,” he provides, slowly walking back towards you. “You did not have all the preparation your brother received, but you’ll rule just as well.”

“How can you have such confidence in a woman that hardly knows anything,” you mumble, looking down at the ground.

“Because that’s not the woman I see before me,” he sighs and you look up. “You’ve had an education, you’ve been trained for combat, and you know every useful skill there is to know. I can see the self doubt you hold and I know it will soon turn into a strong insistence to prove everyone wrong that has ever spoken poorly of you. You are a stubborn woman.”

“You hardly know who I really am, Levi,” you frown.

“I have lived next to you for nearly half my life,” he huffs. “I think we know each other more than you are willing to admit.” He reaches forward and straightens your tiara on your head, a look that you can’t place in his eyes.

You turn away from him, knowing he’s right, and look at yourself in the mirror. You practice a small smile and notice how it doesn’t quite reach your eyes, but it’s the best you can do in the moment as you try to tell yourself that you’ll be okay. You realize you’re not as alone as you thought you were as you think of Erwin and Hange’s guidance, your companionship with Isabel, and whatever possible friendship is blooming between you and Levi as you glance at him through the mirror. He’s standing by the door, looking down at his hands that are clasped in front of him as he waits.

“I’m ready,” you state confidently.