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bookquotes-20 · 3 years

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……. you just made my whole day 🥺😭💞

Can you please do a fic where kenji, Nazeera, and warnette are all hanging out idk what they’re doing tho probably playing among us 🤷‍♀️ (I really enjoyed For You ❤️)

This has been nearly six months in the making but I promise I never forgot it! I'm sorry for such a long wait but I absolutely ADORED your ask. Sometimes I was in months of writer's block, and other times I wrote more than I thought I could! Thank you so so much for your ask, I really really hope you enjoy it :)) ❤️❤️

Context: The fighting is all done but no Warnette proposal/engagement.

Peace in Your Arms

Juliette smiled at the feeling of soft grass beneath her hand, the blades tickling her fingers. It had been nearly a year since they finally put an end to the Reestablishment, all of it this time. The world had begun to heal, slowly but surely. There were patches of land where the Earth was returning to its prior state. It was on such a patch that they had chosen to host the one year celebration of their liberation. Liberation from a world filled with nothing but pain and strife, where hope was a rarity few saw. A celebration was necessary, a reminder that they were working toward a world where happiness was no longer scarce; that their pain and sacrifice had meaning, was worth it.

Juliette’s smile grew as she watched her friends enjoying the party. Tents had been set up for food, activities, and music. Children raced around playing imaginative games with each other, trying their hardest to pull the adults in with them. Most feigned a weak protest before joining them easily. She couldn’t blame them, the kids’ happiness was infectious.

A brush of warm lips at the base of her neck brought her back to the source of her own happiness. The one whose legs she was nestled between on the grass, whose arms were wrapped securely around her waist, whose chest was pressed firmly to her back, acting as her pillar of support in more ways than one.

She couldn’t hold in the content sigh that flew past her lips as she pressed impossibly closer into his warmth.

“Are you enjoying yourself, love?”

She could hear his smile in his voice but struggled to determine if it came from mirth at her curling into him or if he was simply smiling at her just because. Both made her heart race for different reasons. As he pressed another brief kiss to her temple, she decided she didn’t care. She simply reveled in the feeling of that rare curve of his lips against her skin. She was tempted to turn to face him so she could take in his smile with her eyes as well, but that would mean moving from her current position. And she was quite comfortable there, thank you very much.

“Immensely,” she answered. His arms squeezed her slightly, pleased at the response.

“Do you guys ever turn that off?”

Juliette smothered a laugh as she felt Aaron stiffen in annoyance at the voice.

“Shut up Kishimoto.”

Kenji held up his hands in defense from his spot across from them on the grass. “I’m just saying! Believe it or not, PDA can get annoying pretty quickly for anyone in your general vicinity.”

“Bet you wouldn’t find it annoying if you could get some,” Aaron muttered. Kenji’s eyes narrowed and Juliette shook with silent laughter.

“Behave boys,” she warned lightly. They were all used to Aaron and Kenji’s banter by now, but some days she still worried about it escalating to the point she had to restrict one from throttling the other. They never seemed far from the line between friendship and enmity.

“These two? Behaving?,” Nazeera laughed from her spot next to Kenji. “We’re more likely to see flying pigs first.” Kenji turned to her affronted.

“How dare you! I am not some little kid you have to keep warning to behave.”

She scoffed, “I’ll believe that the day you act like it.” Kenji opened his mouth to reply before suddenly freezing. His eyes went wide and the three of us stiffened in anticipation of a threat. Kenji scrambled to his feet before moving to stand in front of me.

“J, it’s the song. Our song. Come on!” The tension from Juliette’s body seeped out at the disappearance of the threat. She narrowed her eyes at him.

“Are you kidding me Kenji? You scared us half to death!” He held his hand out for her to take while look at me with pleading eyes and a pout that was too adorable to refuse. She sighed and took it, climbing reluctantly out of Aaron’s arms.

Kenji had made it his personal mission to rescue digital copies of what he believed to be the best music of the past world and had insisted Juliette experience them with him. As she listened closer, she realized it was their favorite song playing on the speakers from the music tent. A smile slowly grew on her lips as Kenji pulled her forward to dance.

She laughed as he led her in an energetic choreography that seemed far too planned to be spontaneous. His expressions changed to match the lyrics and beat of the song, further adding to her amusement, and she couldn’t deny she enjoyed his excessive twirling and dramatic pull-ins and pushes as they danced on the grass.

She was grateful for the lightness of the atmosphere and for him. How he was always there as whatever she needed, a supporter, a listener, someone to make her laugh, someone to tell her the tough reality she needed to hear and lend her the strength to bear it. He was one of the few people who never gave up on her and she would be eternally grateful for it. It warmed her heart to see the genuine carefree light that shone in his eyes; they sparked with true happiness.

“Thank you Kenji,” she said as he pulled her in after a round of twirls.

“What for?” He asked with a grin. “Being the world’s best dance partner?”

She shook her head. “For being the world’s greatest best friend.” His grin softened into a warm smile.

“Always, kiddo.” His lips quirked into a smirk. “You’re stuck with me now, whether you like it or not.”

“I love it,” she said pushing to her tiptoes to press a kiss to his cheek. “And same goes to you.”

She saw a faint blush creep into his cheeks and her smile morphed into a grin. “Aww are you blushing Kenji?”

“Shut up,” he muttered, “Stupid J, you can’t do something like that and expect me not to fall in love with you.” I shook my head in laughter at how easily he fell back on that running joke. The pair heard a soft cough behind them, turning to find Nazeera.

“May I cut in?” She asked with a faint smirk.

His eyes lit up. “Sorry J, looks like I gotta— what?“ his eyes widened to saucers and his mouth froze midway as Nazeera stepped in to take my hand for a dance.

She turned to him with her best look of innocence, “Were you expecting something different Mr. Kishimoto?” Juliette’s laughter was barely contained at the satisfaction in Nazeera’s eyes and the shock in Kenji’s.

She heard the music in the background change to a Latin beat as Nazeera led her in a casual salsa. She kept it simple and slowly Juliette picked up the repeated steps and found herself grinning the more she got into it.

“Looks like Kenji made a dancer out of you yet,” Nazeera laughed.

“You know better than most, when that oaf becomes persistent there’s nothing anyone can do.” Juliette replied with a wink. Nazeera’s eyes flitted away for a brief second as a faint pink rose to her cheeks. “When are you finally gonna end his pining and give in to what you both want?” Nazeera opened her mouth to argue but Juliette cut her off with a look. “Don’t even think of denying it,” she warned. “I’m not blind Naz.”

In the last year, her and Nazeera had grown much closer. Aside from Kenji, Juliette would call Nazeera her closest friend. The latter had been wary at first — a lifetime in the world of the Reestablishment created a twisted idea of friendship in her mind, one that was more dangerous than it was rewarding. To Nazeera, friendship had always been a farce, a game of emotions with the end goal of acquiring power and influence. The last year had slowly taught her different. And Juliette was no less persistent than Kenji. Slowly they coaxed her out of the metal shell she had covered her heart in and slipped between its cracks. So much so that Nazeera even acquiesced to the nickname. (She would take it to the grave that the night that Juliette first called her by it, she had cried.) So long as she could return the favor with a nickname of her own.

“One day, I will Jules,” she answered with a smile tinged with sadness. “You guys loosened the bars around this heart of mine,” she said with a playful nudge, “but it still needs a bit more time before such a big leap.” Juliette nodded in understanding. Nazeera had made great leaps forward, but nothing happens before the time it is meant to. Juliette was quiet a moment. “Something on your mind, Juliette?”

Juliette hesitated.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Of course.”

“Do you mind that I ask you to call me Juliette instead of Ella?” The question had been weighing on her mind for a while. She had asked everyone but Aaron to call her Juliette, because that was the her they all knew. But Nazeera too had known Ella, and sometimes Juliette wondered if she’d hurt her by asking her to use the name Juliette.

Nazeera smiled at her. “Ella was the girl I was always looking for. Juliette is the girl who fought beside me and coerced me into a friendship I never knew I needed, but cherish with all my heart.” She squeezed Juliette’s hand. “I don’t mind at all, Jules.” Juliette smiled at the nickname Nazeera she had received in exchange for permission to call her Naz. It was a sign that they were growing, learning to let people past their defenses in a way novel to them both.

Nazeera pushed her back before pulling her in dramatically in time with the climax of the beat. A laugh spilled out of Juliette as Nazeera’s mouth curved into a grin. The two girls giggled and danced and savored the freedom to do so till the song reached its final notes. Just as it did there was another voice speaking up behind them.

“May I finally have a turn to dance with my girlfriend?” Nazeera turned to Aaron and laughed at the tired look on his face.

“Oh relax, I only borrowed her for one song.”“I’m sorry Nazeera, but I can not tolerate that oaf any longer.” They turned to look at Kenji whose eyes were narrowed in a glare at Aaron before turning to us and waving with a goofy smile.

The girls chuckled. Nazeera wrapped Juliette in a quick hug before placing her hand in Aaron’s. “Take care of her Warner.” There was a seriousness in her voice and the look she gave him that Juliette didn’t know how to interpret. Everyone knew how much Aaron cared about her, and she about him. Why the need for a warning? Regardless, Aaron nodded to her in kind. With a satisfied smile, she stepped away and headed off to go deal with her special oaf.

Aaron’s hand wrapped around her own, but rather than pulling her into his arms for a dance, he tugged her away from it towards the forest. She followed with confusion swimming in her eyes. He looked back at her and gave a small smile accompanied by a gentle squeeze of her palm. Trust me.

She smiled and returned the gesture. Always.

For nearly ten minutes he led her through the winding thickets of the forest, occasionally raising her hand to his mouth to brush a kiss across her knuckles. She smiled at the vibrancy of the green surrounding them. Their world really was healing. After so long, there truly was hope.

Finally, Aaron stopped for a second and she followed. Wordlessly he tugged her forward and all thought evaporated from her mind. He had pulled her into the most beautiful clearing she had ever seen.

The patches of Earth they’d been walking on turned to lush green grass. The clearing was outlined by thick, healthy trees, each of which looked old enough to carry stories of a world they’d never known but were coming to see. A creek wound through the bed of verdant, the water startlingly blue and glimmering under the rays of sunlight peeking through the clouds. A waterfall spilled into the creek, water misting all along the top to give them glimpses of a rainbow before crashing into a beautiful white against the rocks at its base.

Her mouth fell open, eyes wide as they take in the beauty of it all. Juliette turned to see Aaron watching her with an expression she can’t quite name.

“Aaron,” she breathed, taking another glance at the wonder around them. “It’s beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” He smiled and extended a hand to her. Still in awe, she took it unsteadily. But the moment her skin touched his, it’s as if her every nerve calmed. The world faded away, all the vibrant hues bleaching to white until all that was left was him. Aaron.

In one fluid motion he placed Juliette’s hand on his shoulder, tugging her forward. His smile widened to a grin when she fell against him at the suddenness. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer still. She looked up to glare at him, but the moment her gaze locked with Aaron’s, all of the bite disappeared from her expression.

She was drowning in a sea of verdant. The hand not on his shoulder floated to his neck, carding through his hair. Every reaction of her body to him is unconscious, pure instinct. Her heart raced in her chest. She wondered if he could feel it through her skin.

It’s only when he began to sway their joined form that she noticed the music around them. Her eyes flitted over his shoulder to see an iPod resting on a boulder behind them.

Just as Juliette opened her mouth to ask where he got the old device, Aaron’s lips are at her ear. “A gift from Kishimoto.” He paused. “On loan of course.” She laughed.

“He let you borrow his iPod? What spell have you cast on my friend Mr. Warner?”

“Your friend is not who I care to discuss, Ms. Ferrars.” Juliette shot him a look. “I didn’t mean it that way,” he reassured. His voice quieted. “Right now, I just want to hold you. To dance with you.”

Juliette softened and pulled his head backward to meet his eyes. She rose to her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. “Of course.”

Aaron’s eyes crinkled at the corners as the smile returned to his face. Her favorite dimple reappearing. She shifted to press a kiss to it. He raised their twined hands above them and spun her, tugging so her back was pressed against his chest and his arms folded across her front. The steady beat of his heart blended with the sweet song that enveloped them.

His lips brushed the shell of her ear as he whispered, “Love?”

Juliette hummed for him to continue. When she was met with silence, she craned her head sideways to look at him. She could hear the hitch in his breath as their eyes locked again. Hear the speed of his heart quicken beneath where her head pressed against his chest. Her hand found his cheek and worry filled her gaze.

“Aaron, are you alright?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know,” he whispered. “I just—“ a sort of desperation took hold of his voice as he spoke. “I can’t breathe when I look at you. Or find the right words to say.” He turned Juliette to face him. One of his arms stayed wrapped around her waist, keeping her close. The other cupped her face with tenderness and desperation. “Ella, I love you. I have loved you most of my life. I love you more than words can express. There isn’t a moment to come where I won’t love you.” His thumb brushed over her cheekbone, wiping away a tear that spilled over. “You are the air in my lungs. The blood in my veins. You are my world. My universe.” Aaron’s voice softened. “I can’t imagine a moment of my life without you.” His eyes never wavered from hers as he lowered himself to a knee. Juliette’s heart froze. Tears flowed freely down her face now as her hand flew to her mouth. “Ella, my love, will you marry me?”

Juliette went still. Deathly still. Struck silent in shock. She watched the hope painted in every line of his face, shining in his eyes, begin to fade into fear. “Love?” He whispered in question. The near break in his voice shook her out of her stupor as she threw her arms around his neck. They fell backwards onto the grass as she pressed her mouth to his. Smiling through the kiss. Tears falling from her cheek to his. “Is that a yes?”

She let out a watery laugh. “Yes. A thousand times yes to everything. To a future with you. To a lifetime with you. Yes to everything with you.”

A dazzling grin split Aaron’s face as he laughed and pulled her to him. His arms wound around her waist and his lips were moving over hers. His head pillowed on the soft grass. Her dark waves falling like a curtain over them. Shielding them from the world in their own private oasis. They had stolen love in a world of hate. They had stolen happiness in a world of despair. Now, they stole this moment from time. As they prepared to steal a lifetime together from the universe.

(Kenji/Juliette's Song: Love Runs Out by OneRepublic) (Aaron/Juliette's Song: Medicine by James Arthur)

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