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bucksangel · 8 months

Text

milk and honey

pairing: alpha!Steve x alpha!Bucky, alpha!Steve x artist!omega!reader x alpha!bucky (poly)

word count: 7.9k

Summary: “Are you sure about this, Steve?” Bucky just needs to be sure, needs to know his boyfriend is certain before they try this again. And by the way Steve nods eagerly, he knows this time might be different.

“Okay, we’ll give it a shot”

or - alpha’s Bucky and Steve decide to bring an omega into their relationship.

Warnings: fluff out the assssss, flirting, reader is a little awkward, there are parts where it’s just Steve and Bucky, kissing, omegaverse, bucky is a tease, steve is very fond, handjobs, wet dreams, allusions to sex, 18+

a/n: this fic is dedicated to my heart and soul @buckysbarne

milk and honey masterlist | main masterlist | tip jar

“Hi! How can I help you?” A soft, honeyed voice sounds through the air, flowing up to Steve’s ears and making his skin tingle. He suddenly feels warm all over, and not because of the thick coat covering his broad shoulders to prevent the crisp autumn wind whipping outside from stinging his skin.

Slowly, he turns around, swallowing thickly at the sight before him.

A beautiful, young Omega with eyes that sparkle in the natural sunlight that shines through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her hair is pulled away from her face as best as possible and there are splatters of paint on the apron wrapped around her torso, as well as specks on her fingers. And her scent, oh God, the scent wafting up to his nostrils makes him want to rumble and puff out his chest, lavender and vanilla mixed with something undeniably and uniquely sweet that makes it hard for him to not lean forward and bury his face in the Omegas neck.

“Um, sir?” The Omega asks again, brows furrowed.

“S-Sorry, I, uh…” Steve trails off, clearing his throat. “I’m looking to get back into drawing, and I saw your studio as I was walking back to my apartment and thought I’d come in to see what you have.”

The Omega nods, a bright smile stretching across her face. “Well, I can show you around if you want? Do you have any specific mediums or pencils you were thinking of?”

Steve nods, a smile of his own now etched onto his face. “Yeah, that’d – that would be great. And, um, I don’t really know what I’m looking for. I used to draw with charcoal pencils, but I kind of want to branch out, you know?”

She nods again, her smile widening. “Yeah! Here,” she turns and waves her hand, indicating for Steve to follow her, “I have a bunch of different kinds of paper, and pens, we also have canvases, oh! And paints are over here.”

Steve trails behind her dumbly, nodding along to everything the pretty Omega says and listening to every word that spills out from her glossy lips – and for a moment he wonders if it’s flavored, cherry maybe, then thinks of kissing them to find out.

He doesn’t do that. Of course not. He’s only just met her, yet there’s already just something about her that makes him swoon. She makes him feel alive, like only Bucky can.

Suddenly, though, he’s slamming into her, not having realized she’d stopped in front of him until it was too late. But before she could fall back, Steve reaches for her hips to keep her upright.

The Omega squeals and grasps Steve’s biceps to steady herself. But, even after they’re both back in place, neither one of them removes their hold on the other. It’s silent for a moment, growing tense as Steve stares down at the pretty Omega he’s now holding. And the Omega, this beautiful little thing, is staring back up at him, mouth opening and closing as though she’s trying to find her words.

And after a few more tense moments, she finds them.

“S-Sir?”

“Steve,” he says quickly. “Um, my name is Steve.”

__________

“My name is Steve.”

Steve.

This man, Steve, is still holding on to your hips, and you can’t help but lightly squeeze his biceps, trying your hardest to not let out another squeak. He’s just so… manly. With his big, capable hands, biceps that you can feel through his coat, and his mouthwatering scent - bergamot and patchouli. There’s also an underlying smell of pure Alpha, the aura that surrounds this man would naturally pull any sane Omega in its orbit.

It takes a moment, but you’re able to snap out of your trance long enough to mumble your name. This makes Steve smile, repeating your name softly before squeezing at your hips and realizing, all at once, how little space there is between you two. Some part of your hindbrain wants to whine at the thought of leaving his space, but you pull away, nonetheless.

“Um, I-“ You try to think of something to say, something to make things a little less tense, and when you glance to your right you see a variety of canvases and remember that you’re at work.

“So, uh, were you thinking of any… pencils you might want?”

Steve clears his throat and nods, smiling at you again.

“Whatever you think is best.”

And that’s how Steve bought way more than you suspect he’ll actually use. But just as he finishes paying, you start fiddling with your fingers, swallowing thickly. You want to say something, maybe give him a reason to come back so you can bask in his presence again. And then, a lightbulb goes off in your head.

“I’m hosting an art class in a couple of weeks! And, um, if - if you want to come then I can give you a flyer.”

The smile that Steve gives you is bright, and he starts nodding his head before you even finish the sentence.

“Yeah!” Steve coughs, trying - and failing - to cover up any semblance of desperation in his tone. “That sounds fun.”

You smile at him, your heart beating ever faster. Christ, anyone would think you’d never met an Alpha before. Steve opens his mouth, ready to say something until his phone starts ringing.

His soft sigh is barely audible, grumbling about ‘bad timing.” When he pulls his phone out, he looks up at you with a remorseful smile,

“Sorry, guess I have to go now.”

You shake your head, “No, it’s fine. Here’s the flier.”

“Of course,” Steve says softly, then takes the paper and gives you a wave before turning and walking out of the store.

____________

The door nearly slams open, Steve cringing as he remembers not to use so much strength when nudging the door open with his elbow. But, hey, he has his arms full of art supplies so he can’t use his hands.

“Babe? What’s with all the noise – what the fuck?” Bucky asks incredulously, hands placed on his hips as he stops a few feet from the front door.

“Oh, hey. Do you mind helping me out?” Steve asks with a chuckle, walking further into the apartment and shutting the door with a push of his foot. Bucky sighs but walks towards him with an outstretched arm anyway.

“So,” Bucky says, grabbing a few of the bags and bringing them to the living room. “What’s all this?”

“Oh…” Steve trails off, placing the rest of the bags onto the couch and fiddling with the end of his shirt nervously. “Well, I went to the new art studio that’s down the block.”

“Yeah, I see that.” Bucky laughs, peeking into one of the bags and raising an eyebrow. “Did you buy out the whole store?”

Steve sighs, rolling his eyes. “No, I didn’t, thank you very much. I just want to start drawing again, you know that.”

“I do,” Bucky confirms with a nod. “But I feel like you’re hiding something from me considering you hate oil paints and yet there are several different kinds in here.”

Right then Steve’s heartbeat speeds up, his face warming. And he silently curses himself for being so easy to make flustered. Especially considering Bucky, his mate, can feel through their bond that Steve’s nervous.

“Well, you see-“ Steve coughs, bringing up a hand to scratch at the back of his neck. “I was talking with the owner and she… God, Buck, I think she might be… we’ve been talking about maybe courting an Omega. And I think she could be what we’re looking for. She’s so sweet, so beautiful, just so… perfect. And her scent, oh God. Other than yours, it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever smelt.”

For a minute Bucky doesn’t say anything, his hands return to his hips as he thinks over Steve’s words carefully. After all, they have talked about courting an Omega, they’ve even talked to a few, but none had ever gone far. They just haven’t seemed to find the perfect one for them, so Bucky is naturally a little skeptical. But then he looks into Steve’s eyes, he sees how they sparkle, the way his bottom lip is trapped between his teeth, and the sincerity in his voice just seems to win him over.

“Are you sure about this, Stevie?” Bucky asks skeptically, but he just needs to be sure, needs to know his boyfriend is certain before they try this again. And by the way Steve nods eagerly, he knows this time might be different.

“Okay, we’ll give it a shot.”

____________

Three days later it’s another chilly day, the clouds hanging overhead and the light rain have sucked all the warmth out of the air. The heater in the studio is on low, yet high enough to warm the space comfortably without it being too overwhelming.

Due to the rain and cold, there weren’t many people in the studio. In fact, it’s just you. There have been only a handful of customers coming in today, so you sent your coworker, Tori, to the back so she could study.

And since everything had been organized and cleaned over an hour ago you find yourself sitting at your easel, tongue poking out of your mouth and eyebrows furrowed in concentration. You’ve been here for the last hour, so focused on your painting that you don’t hear the bell ring above the door.

You also don’t hear the footsteps approaching behind you, so you can’t help but let out a slight scream whenever someone taps on your shoulder. Jumping in shock, it takes everything you have to not knock into your easel.

“Sorry, darling, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Comes a voice from behind you, deep and soothing. And you can feel your heartbeat increase further, and not because of the scare. No, this man, clearly an Alpha, has a voice that makes you nearly weak in the knees.

Turning, your eyes widen. The most handsome man stands in front of you, wearing a tight red Henley under a leather jacket. His gloved hands rest on your forearms, helping you off your stool in such a way that you don’t knock over your painting. The man’s hands are huge, able to encompass your entire forearm and then some.

It takes a moment to realize that you’re staring, mouth parted and face flushed as you step back to a respectful distance.

“N-no, it’s fine! I should have been paying attention,” You clear your throat to hide the fact that your voice wavers a bit, but the stranger’s smile lets you know that it didn’t work.

You can’t help it though. His smile, though small, is comforting and kind. His deep blue eyes twinkle with mischief, and you can’t stop the heat rising to your cheeks. His beard isn’t thick per se, but just thick enough to complete his rugged look, something that makes you melt. But you kick those thoughts out of your head to the best of your ability until you’re finally able to speak.

“How can I help you?”

____________

“How can I help you?”

Bucky gets it, understands what Steve was saying about the pretty Omega he thought would be perfect for them. He’s heard only a handful of words come out of your mouth, yet he feels his chest tighten, his heart clenching as he exercises a considerable amount of restraint from encasing you in his arms, pulling you into his chest.

His hands itch to touch you, to run them over your soft-looking skin. And he can’t help the less innocent thoughts that cross his mind, really feeling your body, caressing. And, to be quite honest, these… intense emotions kind of startle him, because the only person he’s ever felt this way with was Steve.

Nevertheless, he follows his instincts, something deep in him knows that Steve was right when he said you’d be perfect for them.

“I’m waiting for my…” Bucky trails off, thinking about whether he should tell you he has a mate or not, then decides against it. If you knew he wasn’t single you probably wouldn’t be open to his advances, and would probably think it’s weird for a mated Alpha to be flirting with you. After all, two mated Alphas aren’t exactly common, and, to be honest, they can be a little intense together.

“My friend. And I haven’t seen this studio before.” Bucky gives you a cheeky smile, trying not to laugh as he sees you fiddling with your fingers, glancing down as though you’re avoiding his gaze.

“I’m Bucky,” He reaches his hand out, letting you slowly put yours in his before he squeezes lightly, rubbing his thumb along the back of your hand.

You give him your name with a squeak, flushed and nervous in a good way.

“It’s nice to meet you, Bucky,” you’re stumbling over your words slightly, and Bucky really can’t stop himself from smiling.

“And it’s lovely to meet you, darling.” Bucky holds his breath, cautiously waiting for your reaction toward the pet name. But it seems like he doesn’t have to worry, because the tiny squeak of delight that spills from your lips confirms to him that you’re, at the very least, open to his advances.

“S-so, um. Did you want to look around?”

Bucky smiles, shaking his head and finally releasing your hand. “The main reason I stepped in here was that I saw the poster in the window about an art class you’re hosting soon. I thought I’d come in so you can meet your new student.”

“Oh!” You smile brightly, wiping your hands along the front of your apron. “I’d love it if you could come! To be honest, I’ve only had a handful of people confirm that they will. I was kind of thinking of canceling, honestly.”

“Oh, don’t do that. There are plenty of people who’d love to come, your business is new so it’s going to take some time for your clientele to grow. Plus, I’ll be sure to tell all of my friends.” While he already hates the idea of other people - especially his unmated Alpha friends - getting personal time with you, he also hates how dejected you sounded about possibly canceling the class.

“Oh, gosh,” Your voice is soft, your eyes twinkling in the bright, natural light. “Well, that’d be very kind of you.”

Bucky chuckles, nodding. “Don’t worry about it, darling. Plus, it’ll be nice to see you again.”

Once again, a small noise from the back of your throat makes its way up and out of your mouth. And he can hear your heartbeat speed up, can see the look of embarrassment clear on your face.

And just as you’re about to reply, Bucky’s phone dings. He sighs, pulling it out and glancing down at it.

“Well, I’m sorry to do this, but I have to go now,” He smirks at you, giving you a wink so slight you’d miss it if you weren't staring directly into his eyes.

You nod, giving him a shy and awkward smile. “No, it’s fine! Besides, I’ll see you at the class, right?”

“Oh,” Bucky chuckles, placing one of his gloved hands on your forearm and squeezing tenderly, “I wouldn’t miss it.”

____________

“Who the fuck was that?” A voice behind you says, and when you turn you see it’s Tori looking exasperated.

“I have no idea,” Your voice is small, still unbelieving of what just happened. Your arm still tingles from where he squeezed. You then turn to look back toward the door, a tiny part of you wishing he’d come back in.

“Why do you get all the flirty Alphas? I want my turn!” Her comment makes you laugh, and you can see a hint of a smile cracking through her faux-angered expression.

“They’re bringing their friends to the art class, maybe you’ll meet one too. Besides…” You trail off bringing your hand up to rub your arm. “Maybe he wasn’t even flirting? I mean, I haven’t lived here long, but a lot of the Alphas that come in here are really nice. Like Steve!”

You were hoping to convince not only her but yourself as well, desperately trying not to read too far into their actions. They could just be friendly, a little touchy but not overbearingly so. Whatever the case, Tori lightly smacks your arm.

“Babe, Steve was flirting with you too.” She rolls her eyes, placing her hands on your shoulders. “You may be shy, but you’re not stupid. They like you! And you need to accept that and go for it.”

“Okay, let’s say they do like me… there’s two of them and one of me. I don’t know if I’d be able to choose between them, especially since I don’t even know them. I wouldn’t want to lead one of them on.” Sighing, your eyebrows furrow, now fiddling with your fingers in anxiety.

Because, let’s be honest, you’re not one hundred percent certain that they were, in fact, flirting with you. Maybe they really are just being nice, maybe that’s how they are with a lot of people. Because Alphas like them don’t like Omegas like you; shy, awkward, introverted, too easily flustered, and so clumsy that there is absolutely no way you wouldn’t embarrass yourself in front of them at some point.

But it’s fine, because maybe they won’t show up to the class, maybe they’ll have to cancel and you can stay within your comfort zone. Change is scary, meeting new people and - possibly - dating them is scary, and you’ve never really been one to take risks.

Maybe that’s why part of you is hoping they’re not actually interested. However, you cannot deny the fact you’re interested in them. But, if things happen you want them to happen naturally, yet from beside you, Tori hums thoughtfully. In the seconds of silence that follows you know she’s planning on meddling. But before you can tell her to please not do that, she claps her hands together.

“Don’t worry about it! I’ll help.” With that, she turns and goes back to the back office, leaving you to stew in your thoughts.

____________

Bucky coughs, clearing his throat, then chuckles when Steve jumps in surprise. One of Bucky’s hands settles on his mate’s waist while looking at the bag of food in Steve’s hand.

“You get everything?”

Steve scoffs, moving Bucky’s hand off of his waist and lacing their fingers together. And as they start walking Bucky can hear his mate’s heartbeat pick up, and he smiles to himself. “Yeah, I did. Now…” Steve trails off, running his tongue over his bottom lip before biting it. Bucky squeezes his hand in comfort.

“How did it go?”

Bucky hums, cheeks reddening as he remembers your sweet voice and beautiful smile. While he is able to steel his exterior and become this suave Alpha, he’s really just a teddy bear on the inside. He craves love, he craves touch. And while he loves Steve with everything he has, he has to admit that, even though he’s just met you, he knows you’ll be able to give him the same feelings Steve does.

“God, Stevie…” Bucky sighs, looking over at his love. “I get it. I get what you were saying about her. She’s just - just the loveliest Omega I’ve ever met. And, I swear to God, I wanted to just wrap her in my arms. She might be right for us, Stevie.”

Steve chuckles, his eyes sparkling with joy at hearing his mate confirm his instinct that you’d be perfect for them. One block later they get to their apartment, go inside, and set the food down on the table.

“So, how do you want to approach her about it?” Steve asks as he grabs the plates while Bucky gets out the food.

“Well, she said that she’s hosting an art class, we can go to that.”

“I don’t know, babe,” Steve sighs, setting the plates down and sitting in his chair. “Don’t you think that would be a little… intense? Plus, it’s not common for two Alphas to be mated to each other, what if she’s uncomfortable with it?”

Bucky nods, grabbing drinks and setting one down in front of the other man. “Well, we’ll just talk to her one at a time then. We’ll go in on different days and get her to warm up to us before then.” At Steve’s pensive sigh, Bucky crouches, placing one hand on the back of his neck.

He knows Steve really wants this to work out. He’s a true romantic, and anyone who has ever met Steve knows within the first thirty seconds of talking to him that Bucky is the love of his life. He also knows Steve sometimes needs more, and it’s become worse the more potential mates they meet. And Bucky will be damned if he doesn’t give Steve everything he wants and needs.

“It’s going to be fine, Stevie.” Bucky then leans forward, placing a soft and lingering kiss on the other man’s lips. And he keeps kissing him until Steve hums against his lips.

“You promise?” Steve mumbles softly, eyes still closed.

“I promise.”

____________

Ever since the day you met Bucky, he’s been coming to your studio more and more. Only buying a few items at a time, some of which you’re pretty sure he’s not actually interested in, though he spends most of his time talking to you. And it’s a give-and-take with the conversation. Sometimes Bucky will ask a question and you’ll ramble for twenty minutes on the subject before realizing and promptly shutting your mouth.

Then there are times when Bucky is more so talking at you. Sometimes you just get so anxious that you get a little quiet, deathly afraid of saying anything embarrassing to the very handsome Alpha who likes to spend his time talking with you of all people.

And it’s confusing. And getting harder and harder to convince yourself that the Alpha has no intentions other than simply getting to know you. Every smile he gives you makes you weak in the knees, the way his eyes crinkle and his nose scrunches just make you want to melt.

Not to mention the subtle touches every so often. Whether it’s by stepping around you down one of the aisles and placing his hand on your waist to “steady you” should you fall, or by letting his hand graze yours for longer than it should when you hand him his bags, he’s gotten steadily more forward, though none of it is unwelcome. And maybe he can tell by each of your surprised yet pleased squeaks you let out whenever he shows off how good of an Alpha he is - including but not limited to doing the heavy lifting when you have to move some products onto the sales floor, bringing you coffee after you offhandedly mentioned your favorite cafe, and telling you about how he’s fixed up his motorcycle from the ground up, wordlessly showing that he’s mechanically and physically capable.

And on the sixth visit, exactly three days before your class, Bucky comes in once more at exactly noon. He tends to come in around your lunch break, knowing that you typically just paint in the studio while slowly taking bites of whatever food you brought. You’re in the back office sorting through some paperwork when you hear the bell ding above the front door. You don’t worry about going out to greet whoever just came in since Tori was there helping out.

You hear her chipper “Hi! How are you?” and for a moment your eyebrows furrow in confusion. Because who could she possibly be talking to that warrants a little too much enthusiasm?

The voice that responds makes your heart beat a tiny bit faster, the low and raspy tone saying something about visiting a ‘friend’. And then it hits you, it’s Bucky.

Another thought hits you mere seconds later, fuck, Tori’s out there.

And just as that crosses your mind you can hear Tori ask him, “So, you’re Bucky, right?”

Before you have time to think you’re rushing out of the back office, doing your best to listen to their conversation as you speed down the hall.

Bucky chuckles, and you can hear the smile in his voice when he responds “Yeah, how’d you know?”

You can also tell Tori is smiling when she starts talking again. “Oh, I’ve heard about you once or twice. My friend is the owner of this place, the one you’ve been flirting with, you know?”

You finally turn the corner and face the pair, Tori’s back to you while Bucky looks back at you. You can’t miss the wide smirk on his lips, his pleased scent slowly pouring out from him.

“Yeah? I’ve been flirting?” Bucky winks at you over Tori’s shoulder, apparently finding humor in watching you get flustered.

“Mhm,” She says, crossing her arms over her chest. “You know, from what she says, I think you like her. And she -” Suddenly she’s being cut off by your hand slapping over her mouth, appearing behind her and grasping her arm with your other hand.

“Okay! That’s it, you have to study!” You snap, glancing up at Bucky’s amused face for half a second before turning Tori around and shoving her toward the back office. “And don’t come out until you’re done with all three chapters!”

Tori huffs then rolls her eyes and trails off, leaving you and Bucky alone. And you feel like you’re on fire, like there’s no part of you that isn’t burning to the touch. Subconsciously your fingers start fiddling with each other, and you can’t bring yourself to look the Alpha in the eye.

“Hey,” He says softly, though still humorous. “It’s okay. She was right, you know?”

You hum in confusion, finally looking up at him even though it takes a lot of willpower to not look away. “What do you mean?”

“I was flirting with you. Is that okay?”

You’re no longer burning up, no. You’re ice cold now. It’s almost as if you’ve fallen into the seas surrounding the Antarctic and everything seems to slow down. Bucky’s been flirting with you? An Alphas been flirting with you? This Alpha? Your heart wants to beat out of your chest and your skin tingles, what are you going to do? What are you going to say?

“Oh.” Apparently, that’s all you can decide on, though you’re snapped out of your haze upon seeing Bucky’s face fall slightly. “No! It’s - I mean, it’s o-okay, if you… you know, are.” Internally you cringe, of all times to trip over your words, it just has to be now.

“Well, I’m glad.” Bucky smiles again, and you find yourself getting lost in his eyes, in the soft gaze and deep ocean-blue hue. A squeak escapes your lips knowing that his fond expression is directed at and because of you.

“I can’t stay long today, unfortunately. But…” Bucky trails off, slipping your hand into his and gently rubbing his thumb along the back of it. “I just wanted to come by and ask if I could treat you to lunch after the class on Saturday.”

“Like… like a - a date?” You ask, voice barely above a whisper. Your head is spinning, and you’re positive that Bucky can tell your nerves are building.

“Well, it doesn’t have to be a date. Even though I’d very much like it to be.” Bucky smiles, giving you his best puppy dog eyes, earning him a soft yet cautious giggle.

Now, you’re not too sure what to do. Over the past week or so that you’ve known him you’ve become enamored with him. You enjoy his company, he makes you feel safe, and the fact that he listens to your rambling with rapt attention makes you preen.

But, you have to take a moment to gather your thoughts. Because mere hours ago Steve had come in asking the same question - though he had suggested dinner.

Steve has also been coming in quite frequently, though he mostly spends time with you as you paint. He comes in first thing in the morning, knowing that your business is usually slower so he can have more of your attention.

He’s not as forward as Bucky is, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t shown any interest. His approach is more careful; lingering glances, not-so-subtly checking you out whenever he thinks you’re not paying attention, the way his gaze drops to your lips every so often whenever you’re speaking to him. Not to mention the way he always compliments your artwork. It’s all so… charming.

His mischievous yet chivalrous persona could pull anyone in, including you. Not to mention, Steve’s bright smile and deep laugh just make your inner Omega want to tilt your head and bare your neck to him.

Interactions with him give you similar feelings when you’re with Bucky, making everything overwhelmingly confusing. Because, like you told Tori, you’d hate to lead one of them on, but you can already tell you’re developing romantic feelings for both Alphas.

And hours ago you’d given Steve a timid ‘yes’ when he asked you out. What are you supposed to do? Suddenly, your lonely inner Omega forcefully pushes its way past all of your negative thoughts and ever-growing anxiety to give Bucky the same answer.

“Okay.” Despite your inner turmoil, Bucky’s bright smile and unfairly cute nose scrunch settle any nerves you’ve been feeling.

“Yeah?” Bucky asks, hopeful.

“Yes, I-I’d love to go on a… date. With you.” This time you can’t stop the way you physically cringe at your awkwardness, though Bucky only seems to find it endearing because he laughs softly.

“Awesome,” Bucky breathes out, giving you the softest gaze you’ve ever received, and the amount of restraint it takes for you to not melt into his arms is astounding. “I have to go now, but I’ll see you Saturday, yeah?”

“Y-yeah! Of course,” Your voice goes a little high. Jesus Christ, why does he have to be so charming?

At that, the Alpha brings your hand up to his lips at the same time he leans forward and presses a lingering, gentle kiss to your knuckles, looking you in the eye all the while. And the squeak that escapes your lips would almost embarrass you if you weren’t having an out-of-body experience.

“Okay, darling.”

Bucky releases your hand, walks back a few steps, gives you a wink, and then turns around to leave, sparing you one last glance before exiting.

____________

Soft. Warm. Gentle.

Everything is coated in golden honey, cotton-candy clouds, an ever-flowing river.

It’s ecstasy, his body aflame as it moves, rocking forward, pulling back, then pushing forward again. His eyes roll to the back of his head, and short and breathy gasps fill his ears as grunts and groans travel up his throat and out of his mouth.

Steve’s eyes open, and the view makes his heart want to stop.

It’s you, with your arms above your head, body bare to him and, wait. Someone’s behind him. The person's strong arms wrap around his waist and his muscled chest presses against his back, and then a metal hand turns his head to the left. And there’s Bucky, his Alpha. Bucky presses a filthy kiss to his lips while the brunette’s hands rest on his hips, aiding in their movement. With a quick smack to his backside, Steve gets back into the action, grinding his hips against your pelvic bone before slowly pulling out. The force of the forward thrust of his hips causes you to shriek, your breasts bouncing wildly as he continues his harsh thrusts.

It takes no time at all for Steve to feel his knot throb, threatening to expand and lock into your sweet pussy as he fills you with his cum. He’s close. Oh so fucking close when you moan.

“Alpha!”

Steve wakes with a gasp, his eyes flying open and heart racing as he tries in vain to cling onto any remnants of sleep, desperately hoping to finish the dream - his first wet dream in a while.

“Stevie?” Bucky appears from his left, walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair dripping from the shower. “You okay, Alpha?”

Steve shudders, the way you sweetly moaned for him, for your Alpha, coming to the front of his mind, and his cock throbs in a rude reminder of his current predicament.

“Y-yeah, I’m, fuck…” Steve trails off, his hand sneaking under the covers and grasping the base of his cock. “I’m good, baby. Just…”

“Just had a wet dream?” Bucky chuckles, walking over to their bed and sitting sideways on it so he can face Steve and run a hand through his already messed-up hair. “I could hear you whimpering from the shower.”

Bucky then flings the covers back, shooing Steve’s hand away from his cock so Bucky can grasp it. “I heard you whining for her, our sweet little Omega. She’s perfect, isn’t she? She’s so small compared to us, bet we’d break her the first time we get our knots in her perfect pussy.”

Bucky’s hand is jerking Steve off in earnest, his grip is tight as he strokes and pulls and flicks his wrist every so often. And Steve is helpless but to let him, to listen to his mate spout filth of how well you’d take them, how sweet you’d be for them, how he’d let Steve be the first to take you. He takes everything he’s given, gripping the sheets tight enough that he’s sure they're tearing, letting his pleasure climb higher and higher by the second.

But what really sets him off is Bucky’s growl, “I had to jerk myself off in the shower just listening to you moan for our Omega.” Steve cums with a shout, his eyes clenching shut, and he’d be embarrassed about how fast he came if it weren’t for the extremely vivid dream he just woke up from.

It takes a few moments for Steve to get his bearings until he’s finally able to open his eyes and meet Bucky’s playful gaze. Steve wants to feel bad about dreaming about you when you’re not even theirs, but he just can’t bring himself to do so. Just thinking of you made him shoot off like a rocket, he doesn’t really know how he’s going to handle actually being with you.

But they hadn’t even taken you on a date yet, and they both get the feeling it might take a while before you feel comfortable enough to give yourself over to them like that. But that doesn’t matter, because Steve is sure that he and Bucky will wait however long is needed for you to feel comfortable like that with them.

“So,” Bucky says with a smirk, bringing his hand up to lick Steve’s cum off of his hand. Steve groans in response. “You feelin’ better about today?”

Ever since they both asked you out neither has gone back to your studio, they didn’t want to make you anxious since they knew they both asked you out and you might get even more conflicted if you saw them again since then. Steve’s been worried. He doesn’t want to back out, God no. He just… he really wants this to work out. And every awful scenario keeps playing in his mind on a loop.

What if you get too overwhelmed with both of them together? What if you turn them down when you realize they’re mated? What if you’re disgusted and don’t even want to be their friend? What if -

“Stevie.” Bucky’s voice breaks him out of his thoughts, and Steve sighs. “Stop thinking too hard, it’s going to be fine.”

“But-”

“No, Steve.” Bucky sighs and gets off the bed, then he crouches down so his face is level with his mate’s. “I promised you, didn’t I? I promised that everything would work out and I’m going to fulfill that promise today. We’re going to go to the class, explain everything to her, and ask her out together.”

Bucky pauses to lean forward and press a kiss to Steve’s lips.

“She likes you, baby. And she likes me. That’s why she agreed to go out with us. It might be a little weird for her since two mated Alphas aren't common, especially since she doesn’t seem used to Alphas flirting with her at all. But, it’s going to be okay in the end. Everything will work out.”

Bucky kisses Steve again, and Steve gives his Alpha a gentle smile.

“I love you, Alpha.”

Bucky smiles back and says, “I love you too, Alpha.”

____________

“Okay, okay, okay,” You mumble to yourself, running your hands down the front of your apron for the hundredth time. “Everything is going to be okay. They don’t know you’re going out with both of them, everything is going to be fine.”

Sighing, you mumble another ‘I can do this’ before turning around, jumping in shock when you see Tori standing in front of you.

“Jesus Christ, Tori! Warn a girl, will you?”

Tori laughs, smirking. “Sorry, I just thought I’d tell you that your Alpha, Bucky, is here with some friends but I didn’t want to interrupt your pep-talk.”

Oh shit, in your panic you didn’t even realize your class starts in less than ten minutes. But then you realize a certain word she used. Your Alpha.

“He’s not my Alpha. He’s just… an Alpha that happens to like me and wants to take me on a date.”

Your eyes widen in horror, because the realization that you’re actually going on a date with him, and, separately, Steve, in just a few hours is hitting you in full force.

Oh God, how am I going to survive today?

Tori pulls you out of your thoughts, literally, by grabbing your bicep and leading you out of the back office.

“Whatever you say, babe. Now, let’s not keep him waiting.”

When you get to the studio part of your store you see him, well, them. It’s Bucky, surrounded by about ten other people, all talking and laughing. Wow, he wasn’t kidding when he said he’d bring all of his friends.

There are about five other people milling about, looking at all the different canvases and paints available for the class. It makes you happy that you had so many people show up, even if most of them probably had to be convinced to come.

There’s just one person missing; Steve. It’s only two minutes from twelve, and you can’t help the disappointment at the fact that he probably forgot or, worse, was just joking about being interested in you and doesn’t actually want to see you.

It hurts you, deeper than it probably should, but you mask the hurt when you get up to Bucky and his friends.

“Um, hi, Bucky,” You say softly, glancing over at his friends all looking at you with knowing smirks.

“Ah!” The Alpha says, smiling widely at you. “Hello, darling.”

It takes everything in you for you to not melt right into the floor, both from embarrassment from having his friends chuckle in amusement as well as his smooth yet low tone directed at you.

You turn slightly to the group of people behind him, all giving you amused expressions and small waves. You wave back at them with an awkward smile, then turn back to the Alpha in front of you. “Um, I… It’s nice of you to come.”

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Bucky winks at you, and you press your lips shut so as to not let out the high-pitched whine that wants to be set free.

After a tense few seconds of silence, Tori appears from beside you. “I hate to break up your moment but it’s time to start.”

“Oh! R-right.” Your heart is racing ever so slightly, but it’s also hurting. Because it seems like Steve really did bail.

That is until you ask everyone to sit wherever they want. Bucky sits at the front, taking the easel closest to you. His friends and the other patrons all sit as well, and one spot remains open, right next to Bucky.

The bell above the door dings, and your head whips up to see the Alpha in question rushing through the door. He gives you a wide smile, and immediately makes his way to the empty seat.

Fuck.

“Sorry I’m late, I got held up.”

“No, it’s - it’s fine!” Your heart rate increases again, and you don’t know how you’re going to survive this class, especially considering Bucky is already giving you a heady gaze.

“O-okay, everyone, let’s get started.”

Surprisingly, the class goes by pretty smoothly. However, the intense stares from both Steve and Bucky, as well as their smirks and Bucky’s occasional winks, make you stutter over your words every once in a while. That would cause Bucky’s friends to snicker and smirk. Though it seems relatively harmless, simply finding amusement in watching you get flustered over flirting with Bucky but not with any malice.

Still, it’s going well.

It’s not until you tell everyone to put down their brushes that your nerves return, hoping that Steve won’t stick around and you can just meet him at the diner he suggested.

But, fate has other plans. Because Bucky’s friends stand and choose to hang around the window, looking at some of your other displayed paintings. The others came up to you with thanks, complimenting your work as well as your teaching skills, all of which make you smile so wide you’d think it’d hurt.

But then they leave, and after the last lone customer leaves, you turn and see, oh no. Fuck. Steve and Bucky are talking, laughing, standing way too close to one another for two people who don’t know each other. You’re standing by your easel still, eyes locked on to them, frozen. Because you have a strange inkling that they do actually know each other, which would mean that they would know you’re going on a date with both of them.

Then why would they ask you out if that were the case?

It takes everything in you not to run away when Bucky turns to face you with a wide smile, Steve turning next and smiling too.

“Hey, darling,” Bucky says, walking toward you when he realizes you’re frozen in place. He stops in front of you, and Steve follows his lead and stands next to him. They look at each other for a moment, Steve nodding his head once before Bucky turns to you and opens his mouth.

But you’re panicking. Because you’ve already decided that they’ve just now found out and are going to cancel the dates and maybe insult you for accepting a date from both of them. Even though, logically, you know they would never say anything even remotely rude to you, your anxiety is telling you that they would. They will. So you take it upon yourself to apologize.

“Guys, I-I am so sorry! I know I shouldn’t have accepted a date with both of you but I really, really like both of you and I didn’t know how to choose because I don’t want to choose between you two because you’re both really nice and amazing and I know it sounds awful that I want both of you when you’re probably not even interested anymore because why w-”

“Darling!” Bucky cuts you off, placing a warm hand on your bicep, squeezing it once, and then running his hand down your arm until he can take your hand in his.

“It’s okay, honey,” Steve says, bringing up a hand to gently turn your head to face him more directly.

“I-It… It is?”

They both give each other another glance while they chuckle to themselves. Steve takes your other hand, slowly rubbing the back of it with his thumb.

“We have something to tell you, darling.” Bucky sighs, then clears his throat. “We… planned this. We didn’t want to tell you upfront because we didn’t want to scare you away, because we really like you too. We’re… Steve and I are…” He trails off, and now his nerves are swirling deep in his stomach. Steve steps in for him though.

“We’re mates. And we know it’s not common, and two Alphas with an Omega isn’t common either, so we didn’t want to be too overbearing by flirting with you together. We’ve been wanting to court an Omega together so we wanted you to get to know us individually so you wouldn’t be overwhelmed because we can be… a lot. We’re sorry we lied.”

By the time they’re done speaking, you think you’re dreaming. No, you’re positive you’re dreaming. They’re mates? And, as Steve said, two mated Alphas aren’t exactly common. Even still, that doesn’t bother you. You’re big on doing what you want as long as no one is getting hurt. And you can understand why they didn’t want to approach you together, because, yeah, even just being in both of their presences makes your heart race and stutter.

But, they both want you? Like, together? They want to court you and maybe bring you into their relationship? It’s been a while since you’ve been in a relationship, and even then it was with a Beta, so you can’t even imagine how dating two Alphas would be.

“Oh.” Smart. Really fucking clever. God, why can’t you just say anything?

“Do you… Do you not want to date us?” Steve sounds disappointed, sad. And the way he frowns makes you mentally slap yourself out of your haze.

“No! I- I do! I just… I’ve never dated two Alphas. I don’t mind that you’re mated, really. I’m just not used to…” You trail off, biting your lip and glancing down, realizing that they still have hold of your hands. It makes your skin tingle, their large and warm hands fill your entire body with fire, and the smile that returns to Steve’s face makes you smile too.

“You’re not used to what?” Bucky asks, squeezing your hand.

“To being wanted this much, I guess.”

You miss the way both Alphas look at each other with furrowed eyebrows, both men frowning now.

“How about this,” Steve says, bringing up his other hand to tilt your chin up to look at him. “We’ll cancel the dates for today. And we can go on one tomorrow, together. All of us. And if you think it over more tonight and decide you don’t want to anymore, then that is okay. But we really do like you, honey.”

Well, you’d never stood a chance against them from the very first meetings, so there’s not really a doubt in your mind that you do want to go on that date, it’s just your anxiety that’s causing you to doubt their feelings.

But Tori’s voice pops up in the back of your head telling you to stop overthinking, to just take a chance. So, that’s what you do.

“O-okay. Tomorrow is good.”

Both Alphas smile, simultaneously sighing in relief at your words. Bucky then releases your hand so he can pull out his phone, unlock it, then hand it to you.

“Here, we’re going to go but you can give me your number so we can talk over more details before tomorrow.”

You do so, typing in your number and watching with dazed eyes as they gather their things to leave. And when they’re about to leave, both men make quick moves of kissing each of your cheeks before retreating with charming smiles.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, darling?” Bucky asks, only leaving when you give him a nod and a wide smile.

“Of course, I wouldn’t miss it.”

tagging: @the-ginger-fairy-artist / @supernovatardis / @perdidosbucky-yyo / @wckedheart / @kandis-mom / @meteorshowercoffee / @wandaneedstherapy / @buckysbarne / @bigcreatorwombatdreamer / @p1ut0smoon / @venusfly11 / @buckybarnesmetalarmswife775 / @the-photo-hoe / @clownsbf / @matsumama / @fandoms-writings / @thornsnvultures / @sadboiabby / @lily-excal / @alright-i-guesss / @blondie-bluue / @loveforreading / @marvel-wifey-86 / @wheezy-stucky / @exposition-belongs-somewhere / @sweater-bee / @stuckysbike / @lovelylittleleigh / @buckyshbic / @starkblackwolf / @caitlink26 / @dreaming-potato / @emeraldfairy23 / @lethargicluv / @perfectlyboring / @glistenuplove / @monicachic13 / @bbellen1411 / @akmenia / @shawnftjacob / @ladyravenclaw / @sadsadbabygirlrob / @hc-kerr / @iamfandomwasted / @sweetmoonlove0214 / @yesprettypleasesir / @duckies16 / @wizardofstories / @emerald-writes / @xonickibaby / @matchat3a

#bucky barnes #bucky barnes imagine #bucky fic rec #stucky #steve rogers #steve rogers imagine #stevebucky #stucky imagine #stucky x reader imagine #stucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x reader #alpha!bucky #alpha!steve #alpha!stucky #my writing

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peachhcs · 1 year

Text

The 5 times Neteyam loved you and the 1 time he said it.

Neteyam x fem!reader

Word count: 15.6k 😳

Summary: pretty self explanatory I think, but the 5 times Neteyam loved you and the 1 time he finally said it 😌

Warnings: near character death, talk of absent parents, gun & knife violence, blood

ITS FINALLY HERE!! THE LONG AWAITED 15k+ fic I took like a week to write 😭 This is cliche but I haven’t seen anyone else do this prompt before. I listened to the people and put this into one large fic, so I hope y’all like it!! The ending is..a little rocky, but it’s what you get after forcing myself to finish this. There is a prologue in this & I wasn’t originally going to include it, but I liked it too much to delete it from the story LOL

If you guys want a Lo’ak version, I have one in the drafts, but idk if that is something y’all want. My requests for fic ideas are open, so send some in if y’all want! Thanks for all the love!! (ps, not quite proof read so if there’s some spelling or grammatical errors my apologies)

MASTERLIST

PROLOGUE.

It was no doubt that you were an extreme pleaser. Growing up as the eldest sibling to your parent’s five, it was your job to stay in line. Set the example. Follow the rules. Be the golden child. It was the whole reason why you and Neteyam bonded so quickly when you met.

He knew how it felt to be the perfect one. You both carried the same burden, the same pressure, the same expectations set by your parents. All you wanted was to please them and get the praise you desperately craved.

You saw Neteyam for a few weeks now. It started one day in the woods when you were out exploring. Foana and Ni`awtu insisted going out into the forest. You knew being the eldest that you couldn’t possibly leave them to their own devices, so you reluctantly followed after them.

That same afternoon, the Sully kids decided embarking on their own expedition. The clan was so large and spread out in nearly every part of the forest that you hardly knew every single person. You knew of the Sully children and their great father Jake, the Olo’eyktan and Toruk Makto, however you did not know them.

Everything changed for you and your siblings that afternoon when Foana wandered off. You had no idea that a certain Sully boy would change the entire trajectory of your life that day.

You were distracted with admiring the beautiful flora that you didn’t even realize your younger sister disappeared. A tiny tug on your tail made you spin around, hissing at Ni`awtu standing shyly behind you.

“Ni, what do you want?” You answered annoyed that she interrupted your gazing. Seeing her little worried features made you scrap any annoyance you ever possessed in the first place.

“It is Foana. I do not know where she went.” The fear laced through the young girl’s voice. Your eyes shot up, now realizing that the youngest sibling was no longer around the two of you.

To make matters even worse, you only brought your knife with you expecting a quick and short trip.

“Ni`awtu, you were supposed to be watching her at all times. Argh.” You pushed past her, beginning to sniff out any possible trails Foana may wandered off on.

“I am sorry, sister. I swear, I thought she was right behind me.” The familiar wobble of Ni’s voice and her trembling hands told you she was close to tears. Sighing, you collected her into your arms.

“Do not worry, it is not your fault. We will find her.” Being the eldest meant you could not be mad at your little siblings for long. You also could not let them take the blame for things—even if it was their fault at times. That was just what came with growing up as the eldest. You took nearly all the blame.

The two of you walked the tree lines, scanning every possible inch for that little rascal. She hardly knew the forest like you, so she couldn’t have been too far. If anything, she was probably cowering underneath a leaf or behind a tree because she did not know where she was anymore.

Your ears perked up when you heard voices ahead. In a quick maneuver, you shoved your sister behind you incase it was a threat. Not many from your clan ventured this far out into the forest by the old shack. It was forbidden by the Olo’eyktan—so whoever was ahead couldn’t possibly be Na’vi.

There was a tiny laugh, though. It caught you off guard and your defenses fell for just a moment. There came another laugh, louder and one you recognized this time.

“Foana.” You muttered and ran ahead through the brush.

When you came through clearing, you grew surprised seeing your little sister playing around with another younger Na’vi girl.

“Y/N, look! I made a friend!” Little Foana sensed your presence and motioned towards the other little girl. She smiled up at you with a toothy grin.

“Foana, what in Eywa are you doing all the way out here? You do not wander away from me or your sister.” Your mom voice came out, loud and booming. The little one looked down in shame realizing she was in trouble.

“I am sorry, sister. I did not mean to. I just..I saw a flying lizard and had to follow it. I found her on the way.” She stuck out a thumb at other girl. Another sigh escaped your lips knowing she must’ve also strayed off her path and probably had people looking for her as well.

“Tuk! There you are! Why did you wander off?” A new voice entered the scene. She raced past you, scooping up the girl in her arms.

“Sorry, Kiri. I found a friend, though.” Tuk pointed at your sister who gave a similar toothy grin and a wave.

“It is okay, sister. Just make sure you tell someone next time, okay? Neteyam, I found her, it is okay.” You didn’t realized there was entire group behind you now. Two boys, no three boys, stood behind you. Two Na’vi and the singular human boy you knew lived around here.

“Tuk, I told you to keep up with us.” The shorter Na’vi boy went past you to ruffle up her little braids.

You hadn’t moved a single muscle since their sudden arrival. You were too awestruck in the way they comforted the girl. Neither of them showed any signs of anger or annoyance that she wandered off. It was so unfamiliar to you—all of that sincerity and comfort to one another.

“Oh, please excuse us. I am so sorry. I am Kiri. This is Tuk, Lo’ak, Neteyam, and Spider behind you.” The girl that came in first finally acknowledged your presence with a warm smile as she introduced what must’ve been her siblings.

“Oh, no need for apologies. I am Y/N. This is Ni`awtu and Foana.” You did a bow of greeting which your sisters quickly followed after.

“It seems as though our sisters have befriended one another. We were so worried when we realized she had wandered off.” Kiri laughed and pinched Tuk’s little nose. You smiled at the affection.

“Yes, us too. I was glad I found them both unharmed.” You pulled your sisters closer, trying to show a tiny bit of affection like the other siblings displayed.

“Let’s just be glad we didn’t need to call dad in. He would have beaten our asses if we told him we lost Tuk.” Lo’ak laughed and then his older brother smacked him on the head. The unfamiliar terms and use of some English words intrigued you. Not many Na’vi knew English besides the Olo’eyktan—obviously being from the sky.

You began putting two and two together. The five fingers of Lo’ak and Kiri. Lo’ak’s use of English phrases you didn’t quite understand. These were the Sully children. The Olo’eyktan’s kids.

“Oh my Eywa, I am sorry. You are children of the Olo’eyktan. It is a pleasure to meet you.” You rushed out, flushed you had not picked up on it beforehand. You bowed again, urging your sisters to do the same.

“Woah, we’ve never been greeted like that before.” Lo’ak snickered and the older boy hit his head again.

“Lo’ak, stop it. Do not apologize. We are Omatikaya as much as you are. It is really our father who gets bowed to.” The older one spoke to you in a kind tone that had your face heating up in a way it had never done before.

“Well, it is still a great pleasure to meet all of you.” He grinned at you. There was something igniting inside of you just looking at his smile. Something you had never felt before.

“Can Foana and I have a playdate sometime?” Tuk spoke to you, her little voice adorable as ever. However, you were unfamiliar with the term she used.

“Playdate means like a hang out.” Kiri must’ve seen your confusion. You quickly nodded.

“Of course, anytime as long as neither of you wander off again.” You joked some, smiling down at your little sister. She grinned excitedly.

“Perfect, you may bring her over anytime or we can bring Tuk over. She has been so excited to start making new friends ever since our parents allowed her to go out more.” Kiri was so soft spoken and so gentle. Her presence alone just made you feel so warm and welcomed.

“You could bring your other siblings, too. You have two others, right?” Lo’ak spoke up more. You quickly nodded, a bit surprised he even knew that. It wasn’t like your family was well known like they were.

“Tsanten and Naria.” You did not miss the way Lo’ak’s face blushed at the mention of Naria.

“Well, bring them all and even yourself, we love the company.” Kiri beamed and you couldn’t help but smile yourself.

You hardly received invitations out often. You were always busy taking care of your siblings, cleaning up, staying in, following your parents’ orders. It didn’t leave much room for fun and going out.

Neteyam was still glancing in your direction. He just couldn’t seem to pull his eyes away from your pretty hair flowing loosely down your back, or the way your eyes lit up when Kiri extended the invitation to you and the rest of your siblings.

He knew of your family through passing here and there. You were the eldest, just like him, yet he never saw you out much. Either you were hidden away in your tent, or out hunting. He knew you were a hunter because Beyral spoke of your name often.

You intrigued him. He liked the way the confusion floated over your face when Lo’ak or Tuk used phrases you didn’t understand. He liked the protective nature you held over every single one of your siblings—similar to him. How you held them close to you. He wanted to know more about you. He wanted to make you smile again because it sent an unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in his stomach that he enjoyed.

He wanted more of you. If only the two of you knew what your future held.

ONE.

Neteyam was protective over everything in his life—his parents, his siblings, and now you. Being the eldest, especially to the Olo’eyktan, it was his job becoming the protector when his father wasn’t there.

He fought off anyone who poked fun at Lo’ak or Kiri for having five fingers. He made sure someone was with Tuk at all times when she went out to the forest. He helped his mother anytime she asked whether it was with food or his siblings.

There was no denying how similar the two of you were. It was what drew him to you. You held the same protective nature as him. You took care of your siblings the same way he did. You understood the burdens he carried because you held them high on your shoulders as well.

It was when the two of you were together that he could let go of everything, even if it was just for a little bit. When the day was done and everyone was sound asleep for the night, tucked safely into their tents was when the two of you snuck out to spend time together.

It was more of a private relationship for the time being. Being the next Olo’eyktan in line, Neteyam knew that if he told people he was seeing someone it would spread like wildfire across the village. People would start talking and they probably wouldn’t ever leave you alone once the word was out. He wasn’t sure if you wanted that on top of everything else and if he was being honest, he wanted you to himself just a little while longer.

His feet worked quickly jumping from tree branch to tree branch. The luminescent forest was his guiding light through the night and he took one final swing to his destination. When he got his footing, there you were right where you met almost every night.

Your back was slumped against the tree and you hadn’t noticed him yet, instead, your gaze was focused on the glimmering stars above. Every time, Neteyam was so in awe of you. He knew how stressed you were throughout the day having to do this and that, so seeing you here waiting for him in the most relaxed state gave him a sense of pride.

“Oh, hi.” You finally noticed his looming presence. The boy grinned, walking towards you.

“Hi, sorry I am late. I had to make sure Tuk was truly asleep for the night.” The sound of your laugh made his heart swell in his chest. He snuggled himself in beside you with his head resting on your stomach.

When you put your hands across his back, all of his muscles finally relaxed. The stress slowly dissipated and everything felt right being in your arms. During the day, he was a leader who held no fear. At night when he was with you like this, none of that mattered. He didn’t have to put on the facade for you.

“She never falls asleep on time. I think she is afraid she will miss out on something. Foana is the same way.” He hummed when he felt your other hand begin brushing through his braids.

“That explains why she is always following Lo’ak and Kiri around.” Your stomach rumbled with laughter again and the vibrations were so calming to Neteyam. If he could, he would have your laugh on repeat.

“Your training, how did that go today?” Another thing Neteyam adored about you was how you never failed to ask him about his day. Any detail he told you, you remembered and talked about it the next night. He had never been listened to like that before. It made everything inside of him feel warm and appreciated like he had a purpose.

“It was okay. I think dad is getting mad at me because I can not seem to understand things as fast as he wants me to.” Neteyam sat himself up so he could look at you properly. His back fell against the tree in the same way yours did, still keeping your bodies close.

“You will get it, do not worry. It takes time learning all the ways of the Olo’eyktan. Your father probably struggled as much as you did once.” You clutched his bicep to give it a comforting squeeze. Neteyam’s gaze fell away to the sky, though. His mind beginning to turn elsewhere.

“Yes, but he was already strong when he fell into the position. He was an adult already. I am merely a teenager still.” He heard you scoff beside him.

“You are just as strong, Neteyam. Do not tell yourself you are not. You are learning and your father just wants what is best for you.” You always knew what to say to him to make him feel better. His gaze finally fell back to you, your gentle gaze making his face blush.

“I think my parents are catching up to the fact that I may be seeing someone.” You giggled, looking away as you changed subjects. Neteyam, however, stiffened up at your words.

“What do you say?”

“Well, I just laugh it off and say I am not. They do not ask much more after that.” He could not read your expression because you weren’t looking at him. He didn’t know if you were upset you had to deny it or something entirely different.

He certainly wished he didn’t have to be so private about his personal life, but he was afraid his mother wound disapprove—not that there was anything to disapprove of you. It was mostly the others in the clan. People would start talking. They would start seeking you out. You would have to start learning the ways of Tsahik, maybe (Hopefully in his mind). He wanted to make sure you were completely comfortable to be put into such a spotlight like he was before anything was really said about the two of you.

“Neteyam? Are you alright?” Your voice snapped him from his thoughts. You were already looking at him when he met your pretty golden eyes.

“Yes, sorry. I was lost in thought.” He gave you a gentle smile to reassure you.

“About what?” You loved to pick his brain though. His expression twisted and he found the need to place his arm around you and pull you closer towards him. Your head fell absently against his chest.

“It is not important.” He had this thing where he would sometimes hide his emotions from you. He did not want to burden you with this one right now.

“I feel like it is, though. I will not make you tell me, but you can if you want to.” Another feature he absolutely adored about you. You never pried, but made it known that he could tell you anything. He squeezed you a tiny bit closer as if there was anymore space left between you two.

“Are-are you..upset that our relationship is not..for the entire clan to know?” He blurted and then avoided your gaze so he wouldn’t see your expression.

“No, not necessarily. I like the privacy.” You answered honestly, but Neteyam wasn’t sure if he believed it yet or not.

“Are you lying?” You sat up more to look at him. He was gnawing at his lip, worried that you were lying.

If he could give you the world, he would. He wanted to give you everything. He wanted to show you off and take you on dates that weren’t in the dark. He wanted to hold your hand and kiss you in front of people so they knew you were his. However, he could not do any of that in fear that someone would be mean to you or say rude things. The entire clan was kind, but there were few who said things when they did not approve. Neteyam only knew because he heard the things people said about his father when he became Olo’eyktan.

He is demon blood. How would he know how to lead a clan?

Can we really trust him with our people?

What does she see in him?

Those children, they are demon blood. Five fingers.

They are not true Na’vi.

He could only imagine the things they could say when he announced his possible chosen woman. He wanted to keep you out of that. He wanted to protect you from it as much as he could.

“No, I am not lying. Why would I lie?” You gave a small chuckle; however, Neteyam was still not eased.

“Right, sorry. You would not lie about that.” He looked down, embarrassed he even thought you would lie to him. A gentle hand cupped his face and directed his attention back to you.

“What is going on in that head of yours? Tell me, it seems to be bothering you.” You observed his entire face and Neteyam was flushing under your intense stare.

He took your hands in his, squeezing gently and blowing out a long breath.

“I want to give you the world, but I can not. I only do not tell people about our relationship because I am afraid they will say things we do not like. I do not want them to hurt you and say things like they do about my father and mother. That is the only reason I have kept us from them. Not because I am embarrassed or anything of you.” Neteyam spilled his entire heart to you right then and there. He watched your face for a reaction and subconsciously prepared for a negative one.

Instead, you just grinned and stroked his hand with your thumb.

“I did not think you were embarrassed of me. I know you have a lot on your mind all the time. You do not need to explain yourself to me. I do not mind keeping our relationship private.” Your head tilted to the side, still grinning.

“I just want to make sure you are completely ready to have every eye on our relationship when and if we tell people. It is a lot of pressure and people will be talking. I do not want to just push you into that if you are not ready.” Neteyam continued.

“I am ready whenever you are ready. You worry too much about me.” You laughed and Neteyam’s head fell against your chest. You cradled the back of his head with a smile.

“So you are sure you are ready to handle it? You can tell me no.” He looked back up at you, scanning your face for any possible secret resentment you weren’t telling him.

“You forget I have thick skin. I grew up with parents who were perfecting my every move. If I can take them, I think I can handle being your girlfriend in public.”

It was then that Neteyam knew you were it for him. You held no fear in your eyes that he seemed to be harboring deep down in his depths. You were ready to be by his side under any circumstance.

He brought your face into his hands so he could pull you forward for a kiss. It was everything he could not say and everything he wanted you to know. The night was young and so were you two in that moment.

TWO.

Tonight was a big night as Neteyam ran around the hut like some mad person. He was shoving Tuk’s toys away, cleaning every single space, forcing his family to be on their best behavior—especially Lo’ak.

You were joining his family for dinner so they could properly meet you. Despite all of his siblings already knowing you, it was his parents who did not have much knowledge about you. It was mostly just name in passing, but one they never asked much about.

When Neteyam told his parents he was even seeing someone in the first place, their reactions were pretty priceless.

“Hey, mom, dad?” The eldest Sully walked into their hut while his parents worked away at their own separate projects. They turned his way at the sound of his voice.

“Yes, what it is ma son?” Neytiri questioned. The boy was flushed and picking at his fingers, unsure of how to even approach the subject.

It wasn’t that his parents were against him dating around, but he had never shown much interest beforehand, so he wasn’t sure how they were going to react now.

“I..I um-well, you see, I met this girl a few weeks ago. She is very kind, strong, intelligent, a hunter. I-I would like you to meet her one night over a dinner, maybe?” He carefully watched for their reactions.

His mother, wide-eyed, looked over at her husband. They exchanged a few glances, probably speaking with their eyes, but Neteyam had no idea what they were silently saying. He worried it was bad things.

“Oh! Yes, yes, of course. We would love to meet this girl. Who is she? Is she Omatikaya? Does she live around here?” His mother stood, embracing him while asking the hundred questions she had. His father sat back with a tiny, proud smile on his lips.

“Her name is Y/n. She is just a few huts down. She is a great hunter and warrior. Beyral speaks of her sometimes.” Neteyam explained your background as best as he could. Both of his parents were beaming widely.

“Yes, I have heard that name a few times before. She sounds wonderful, I am so excited to meet her. I had no idea you were seeing someone.” Neytiri was the most enthusiastic for her eldest. He had nearly reached all of his requirements that would make him one of the People and it was only a matter of time before he would begin looking for a future mate.

Tuk went on all day about her excitement that you would be joining them tonight. Neytiri worked all day preparing a great meal with the help of Kiri.

“Bro, I can’t believe you never told us about dating around with Y/n.” Lo’ak snickered as he helped with some of the cleaning. He earned a slap on his head for that comment.

“Well, it was not much of your business, was it?” Neteyam retorted and the younger brother only shrugged.

“I knew you were sneaking out late at night. I could just never have proof.” Another snicker and another slap. Lo’ak finally let up on his annoying teasing.

“Tuk!!” A little scream broke the boys from their conversation. Nearly everyone in the hut looked over to see a little Na’vi girl run in. Tuk was smiling widely, bringing her friend in for a hug.

“Foana! What did I say?—“ Suddenly, you appeared, grabbing at your youngest sister. Neteyam noticed your other three siblings just behind you. You met his eyes before darting them over to his parents who were glancing your way. Your entire face flushed.

“I am so sorry. Foana begged me to bring her to say hello to Tuk and then..well, I could not leave everyone else out.” You quickly explained yourself in small embarrassment. Neteyam rushed to greet you.

“Tsanten, Naria, what’s up?” Lo’ak happily got up to greet your other siblings. Ni`awtu stood shyly behind your back.

“I am so sorry for them.” You whispered to Neteyam when he was close enough. He only grinned.

“Do not apologize.” He kissed your cheek and then stepped aside for his mother who approached.

“It is nice to finally meet you, Y/n. I have heard many things.” Neteyam watched the exchange, still a tiny bit nervous for his parents approval of you. You smiled, nerves also evident behind your eyes.

“It is so nice to meet you as well, Mrs. Sully. I have heard so many things about you.” You bowed your head using the I see you gesture.

“Please, call me Neytiri. It is so nice to meet all of your siblings, as well.” She grinned again at the other little kids talking with her own children.

“Oh, thank you. They will not be staying, they just begged me to bring them to say hello.” You rushed out, eyeing each one of them to make sure they were being well-behaved in the home of the Olo’eyktan.

“Oh please, we have so much food. They can stay.” Your eyes shot to Neteyam. He only gave you a small shrug, ultimately it being your decision. He figured it would be easier to get your siblings’ introductions out of the way now too.

“Oh, no, you do not have to do that.” You shook your head, but Neytiri was persistent.

“It is no trouble. I insist.” She gently touched your arm. Neteyam could tell you were not used to such hospitality. He also touched your arm and you glanced his way. He nodded, saying if his mother thought it was okay, then it was okay for them to stay.

If anything, it would hopefully keep Lo’ak out of trouble or saying things he shouldn’t if he had other people to talk to that he liked. That was Neteyam’s biggest concern of the night, really.

“Okay, thank you, really.” You thanked Neytiri by bowing your head once more. She grinned and then walked away.

Jake came next to greet you. Neteyam knew you were worrying about him more than anything. He was Olo’eyktan and Toruk Makto after all and it was the most important to get his approval.

“Hello, Y/n. I am glad to finally meet you.” You bowed to him which he did the same back.

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Neteyam watched as you urged your siblings to bow before his father as well. They listened to you, doing as told.

You held such power over the little ones, but not in a bad way. Neteyam wondered if they listened to you more than your own parents. You had told him many stories of you becoming the main parent for your siblings growing up. Your parents were very absent. They were always on hunting trips, so it often left you caring for them. The eldest Sully could tell it wore you down—slumped shoulders, tired eyes, callouses on each of your hands, cuts, and bruises.

“Please, please, come in. Make yourselves at home. Our hut is your hut.” Jake ushered all of you in further. You smiled at him, not quite understanding the phrase, but you knew it was a kind one by his tone and expression.

“Y/n! Y/n! Guess what I did this week?” Tuk grabbed at your arm. You smiled down at her and crouched to her eye level.

“What did the mighty Tuk do this week?” Neteyam smiled at the way you ruffled up her hair.

“I caught my very first fish!” The little girl jumped up and down in excitement.

“That is amazing, Tuk! I am so proud of you!” You squeezed her tightly.

“Tell her how big it was.” Neteyam encouraged. His little sister held out her arms wider than herself. Your eyes widened.

“No way. That is bigger than you!” She giggled in excitement.

“I know! Everyone was so excited for me.”

“I certainly hope they were. That is a great accomplishment little Tuk.” You stood and Neteyam beamed at you. He saw your face flush a bit.

“You know she adores you, right?” He reached up to push some of your hair away from your eyes. You were wearing it loose like usual and some of it was pinned back with little petals hooked into it.

You blushed again. Neteyam loved how he could always make you blush like that.

The night went on just the way Neteyam planned. His parents asked you and your siblings many questions which you all happily answered. Just by the smiles and exchanges, Neteyam knew his parents loved you already which relieved him. He was worried something would go wrong. Lo’ak even managed to keep his comments to a minimal and mostly because he didn’t want to look like some fool in front of Naria.

Later, after helping his mom clean up, Neteyam went looking for you. He stopped short when he saw you sitting with Tuk, Foana, and Ni`awtu. You were playing some game with some sticks with them. There was a large smile on your face as you laughed at what Tuk would say. Even your sister, Ni`awtu, was smiling despite how shy she came off as.

Neteyam felt a hand come around his back. His mother appeared next to him, also watching the scene unfold. The sun began to set and eclipse was near. The forest was illuminating around you four. It was the prettiest sight Neteyam had ever seen—you with his little sister playing her games she always made up.

“She is a wonderful woman, Neteyam.” He smiled, glancing his mother’s way for a moment.

“So you like her?”

“We love her. If you do decide one day, she will make a great mate.” A small wave of relief washed through the older boy. He was so glad his parents approved of you.

Now it was just a matter of telling the rest of the clan. He knew most of them would be as supportive as his parents, but there was always the handful that had something to say. Neteyam would do his best to protect you from those who would say things.

Although, for now he would just enjoy the scene in front of him. He wanted to keep the warm feeling bubbling up in his chest for as long as possible. You were utterly perfect in his eyes.

“Neteyam! Come join us!” Tuk had noticed his presence. His mother squeezed his arm before letting him go. You made room for him to join the circle. The two of you exchanged a glance, knowing exactly what the other was saying.

You were definitely a keeper.

THREE.

Neteyam knew you were an excellent fighter. You were the best in the age group every time you went for trainings. He was always so in awe anytime he watched you skillfully use your bow and arrow to hit the targets on the ground from above. Or, your stealth as you dodged in and out of the trees. He knew he could never be as great of a fighter as you were.

However, with that also came the fear he held every time you left to go on missions. This one in particular was an especially dangerous one. His father appointed you to the head and it even shocked Neteyam a bit when he was told to hang back on this one but you were going.

You sat on the ground between his legs as he worked separate little braids into your hair for you. The only time you ever wore braids was for these missions or when you went hunting.

Neteyam did not want you to know he was worrying and playing every single worse case scenario in his head, so he kept quiet as his fingers worked quickly through your hair. However, his leg was bouncing right beside your head and that was hard for you to keep ignoring.

“Neteyam, are you alright?” You placed your hand over his knee. He realized it was bouncing and quickly stopped.

“Yes, I am fine.” You twisted your head around, pausing his braiding for a moment. The look on your face told him you didn’t believe him.

“Liar. What is wrong? Tell me.” You urged and Neteyam knew he couldn’t keep being quiet anymore.

“I am just worried is all. It always happens when you leave for missions like these.” He admitted, forcing a smile so you didn’t see all of his worry. You frowned a bit.

“You know you have nothing to worry about. I am a warrior. I always have been. When have I not come back from one of these?” Your tone was more of a “duh” tone. It didn’t ease Neteyam’s fear though.

“You never know what can happen, though.” He quickly make his defense. Instead of meeting your eyes, he just continued to work away at your hair.

“I suppose I do not, but you trust me, right? You trust your father. He would not send me into something dangerous.” Of course, Neteyam trusted both of you. It was the Sky People he had no trust in. He had seen them fight and the way they always had the upper hand with their crazy machine guns.

“Of course, but I am even not going. Is that not saying something?” He made a face and you were unsure what to say.

Neteyam finished off the last of your braids. The ends jingled together with the beads he added in. They were some of his own and he smiled at the fact that you two were going to match.

He turned you around and dipped his fingers into the bowl of paint beside his leg. You stayed still as he traced it around your face. He thought how jealous Lo’ak would be that you got to wear the war paint he didn’t on missions.

The two of you were silent. The feeling in the air changed ever since you didn’t know how to respond to Neteyam’s last statement.

You stood to look at yourself in the mirror when your face was done. The blue and yellow streaks went down your cheeks and around your eyes.

“Here, do not forget these.” Neteyam stood with your riding visor. He gently reached up to hook it around your ears.

You never flew with a riding visor, but then Neteyam made you one because he was worried about the wind drying out your eyes. You had happily accepted his very thoughtful gift and ever since then, you never rode without it.

“I am a warrior. I will make it back.” He felt comfort in the way you squeezed his arm. Your gaze was on him with a reassuring expression.

“I know you will. I just worry about you.” He cupped your face into his hands, bringing you towards him more.

“I have been doing this my whole life. I have my transmitter, too, so you will be able to listen in.” You placed the collar just above your necklaces and then hooked the earpiece into your ear. Neteyam remembered how thrilled you were when Jake gifted it you.

“We’re off in five minutes, everyone. Be ready!” Jake spoke through your ear. You glanced towards the opening where others headed out to their ikrans.

Neteyam brought your forehead against his. He closed his eyes, breathing you in and savoring every single detail about you just in case.

“Good luck. Be safe.” You smiled at his Earth phrases and brushed your hand along his cheek.

“I will see you soon.” He brought you in for one more kiss. His lips worked a bit rough like it was the last kiss he would give you. He was worrying that much.

You were the one to pull away, knowing you had to be out there very soon. He leaned into your touch when you kissed his cheek and then hurried out of his grasp. Neteyam hurried outside of your hut to watch you take off.

His dad took the lead as he dove off the cliff first. You were quick to follow, disappearing from his view almost immediately. Others in the clan who stayed behind clapped for the war party. Neteyam’s worry was only piling higher in his stomach, already anxiously awaiting your return.

—

Hours felt like days in his mind as he paced around his own hut. Tuk was in the corner playing with her toys and Kiri eyed on her older brother as he paced.

“Brother, you need to stop worrying so much. You know she will make it back. Y/n is very strong.” Kiri tried reassuring the anxious boy in front of her.

“I know, I know. This mission was a dangerous one, though. Dad did not even let Lo’ak and I go, yet he had Y/n go?” The logic still didn’t make much sense in Neteyam’s head. He wasn’t trying to discredit your abilities, but if you were going, he should’ve at least came along too.

“You have to remember that Y/n has been a warrior her whole life. Even when she was a kid. She was out hunting when she could walk. This is in her nature. Your father knows that and he knows she is a very useful asset to this mission.” His mother piped in from the other side of the hut. He didn’t even known she was listening to the conversation.

“Yeah, what mom said. She’s been fighting like this her whole life. She knows how to handle herself.” Kiri added on.

“Yeah, plus, she doesn’t always need you at her side and call.” Lo’ak had piped in now and Neteyam glared at him. Since when did his whole family become involved in this conversation.

“I am just trying to protect her.” He said in defense to what his younger brother said. Lo’ak just shrugged.

“Ma son, I know it is scary to not know what is happening, but we need to trust the Great Mother and everyone on that mission. They know what they are doing.” Neytiri squeezed Neteyam’s arm for comfort. The boy sighed, but nodded.

As if on cue, people started shouting outside of their hut. In the distance, ikran calls filled their ears. Neteyam instantly knew what that meant—the war party was returning. Everyone in the hut ran outside to greet them and check for any major injuries if any.

Jake’s ikran landed roughly atop the rocky cliff. You flew in not a moment later. The crowds were thick around the edge and it was hard to truly see what was going on. Being as tall as he was, Neteyam still could not see that well past the others trying to get a closer look.

He did not know where you were. You must have gotten down from your ikran, because it’s back was empty and there was no sign of you. Neteyam tried to push through some of the crowd, but it wasn’t much use because no one wanted to move.

“I heard it was bad. Many people were injured.”

“I can not believe he let that little girl go on such a dangerous mission.”

“This was one of their toughest missions yet.”

The words floated around his head as he heard people muttering to one another. He tried not to picture the worst for you. You had made it back, he knew that, but were you severely injured? Neteyam’s heart was practically beating a hole in his chest trying to find you.

Finally, he caught sight of some familiar braids and war paint near the edge of the crowd. He recognized Tsanten and Ni`awtu at your side hugging you.

“Y/n!” He finally was able to break out of the group. He hurried to you, joining in on your siblings’ group hug. He felt the way you clutched the back of his head with one hand and the other held onto his arm with a firm grip.

“Are you okay? Are you injured?” Neteyam pulled back to back to examine your face for any injuries.

Despite the minor cuts and scrapes, nothing looked too alarming to his knowledge. You had a pretty large gnash on your back, but it wasn’t bleeding out profusely or anything.

“No, I am not injured. Just scraped up.” You gave him a tiny smile. He was glad he got to see that again as he cupped your face and placed a quick peck onto your lips.

“Come on, I am sure Mo’at has medicine for these cuts.” You let Neteyam lead you away from the crowds and back to the huts. He sat you down on the ground and then disappeared to find his grandmother.

When he returned he had a handful of herbs, creams, oils, and bandages in his arms. You giggled at the sight.

“I did not think you were much of a healer.” He dropped everything at your side and then kneeled down to your level.

“Well my grandmother is the Tsahik after all. I happen to know one or two things.” Neteyam argued, his lips dancing with a tiny smile.

He gently worked to take your visor off and then wiped away the war paint. He knew you didn’t like to talk about the missions right away, so he enjoyed the comfortable silence between you two instead.

Neteyam’s hands were gentle as he rubbed the special herbs against your skin. You would occasionally hiss when it hurt a little bit more and he would mumble something about how he was almost done and you were doing so well.

He certainly wasn’t a healer like his grandmother or Kiri who had a special hand at medicine, but it meant a lot to both of you when he would heal your wounds for youor, when you would heal his after a long hunting day.

“Many, many people got hurt today.” You spoke after some silence. Neteyam hummed behind you.

“It was that bad?”

“Their machines are just so powerful. We are no match with our bows and arrows sometimes. They had to have known we were coming because they attacked back at us so harshly.” You shook your head some and Neteyam knew there was vivid images replaying in your mind.

“It is so hard to understand why they want us dead. If they were just a bit kinder then maybe there could be more peace worked out.” You continued on with your little rant, frustration becoming set in your body language. Your shoulders fell tense under the Sully boy’s hands.

“You know how hard they have tried with us. Someone always gets hurt. I suppose after all the failed efforts they have no other choice but violence, unfortunately.” Neteyam knew all about the schools his mother once attended in her earlier years. It seemed like the Sky People tried making an effort, but nothing ever held permanently.

“I know, it is just so frustrating. Tsanten and Naria are growing to that age where they will be old enough to go out on their own. I worry for them and what those demons could do to them.” A scowl sat on your face. Neteyam turned you around, cupping your face in his hands.

“I know how terrifying it can be. I worry for my siblings everyday, but you are very strong and you will be able to teach them well.” You smiled, but it didn’t stay for long as you casted your gaze away from him.

“I just wish I was not the one to always do it. My parents pay no attention to them anymore. They are always away. It should not be my job to teach my siblings every single life skill they will ever need.” You pushed yourself up from the ground, leaving Neteyam’s grasp.

He watched you wander to the entryway where you stared at the people moving about outside. Many were still tending to those who were wounded more worse than you.

Neteyam wasn’t a complete open book, but when he was with you, he felt comfortable enough to share the things bothering him the most. You, on the other hand, had a more harder time opening up to him. He knew you trusted him, but he couldn’t pull everything from you. He knew you parents were strict and absent people, always being away, which is why you held so much responsibility and burden. However, he didn’t know much more than that. You always closed it off.

Hearing what you were saying now, though, it was more than what you would usually say. Neteyam got up to join you at the entryway.

“You are right, it should not be your job, but unfortunately it is. You do a great job at teaching them and raising them.” His hand fell against your back. You leaned a tiny bit closer to him while your gaze was on Foana and Tuk a few feet away.

“I worry that they think I am too hard on them, but I am really just trying to help them survive on their own.” In that moment, Neteyam realized something. His whole life, his parents taught him how to hunt, fish, make kills, but their biggest motto was “Sully’s stick together.”

While yes, he was learning things on his own, he was also learning that he wouldn’t have to be alone because his family would always have his back. You did not have that.

You were the one who would always have your siblings’ back, but they wouldn’t always necessarily have yours. You were teaching them to survive on their own, not to depend on one another like he was taught growing up. Independence was a key feature of your family dynamic. Dependence was the key feature of his family dynamic.

“You are not too hard on them. You are doing what you know and hoping they will learn it too. It is a great feature to know you will always be dependable for them. However, you can always depend on me if you ever needed something.” You met his gaze and Neteyam smiled warmly at you.

“Your words are too kind. Thank you, my love.” Neteyam’s ears perked up. He had never heard that nickname before from you. You giggled upon seeing his surprised reaction.

“No, thank you, pretty girl.” He engulfed his arms around your shoulders to bring you into his chest. You chuckled and he knew you didn’t quite understand his nickname he gave you, but it didn’t matter.

He thought that maybe you going out on these missions weren’t so bad as long as he was the one to patch you up afterwards—and he always was going to be the one patching you up every. single. time.

FOUR.

Neteyam ventured out on a day-long hunting expedition with his father, brother, and even your own little brother. You remembered how excited Tsanten was when Jake approached him one night to ask if he wanted to tag along to get some pointers from the older guys.

It warmed your heart to see Neteyam’s family being so welcome to your own. Tsanten didn’t have your dad to take him out like this, so being able to finally go out was like a dream come true for him, especially with the Olo’eyktan.

You had a pretty slow day considering Neytiri decided to take Tuk, Kiri, and your other three sisters out for what she liked to call a “girls day.” She extended the invite to you, but you figured with everyone out of the hut was a great opportunity to get some cleaning done.

With a job that would usually take hours, it only took about two and you were done by noon. Toys were put away; the rug was cleaned; things were put back where they belonged—the entire hut looked spotless.

You ended up venturing over to the Sully residence to see if Neytiri and the girls returned yet. You thought it was empty approaching since it was practically silent until you saw Mo’at sitting near the back grinding some of her herbs together.

She caught your eye before you could walk away. You had never really spoken to the Tsahik before. Most times, you would send your siblings in if they had gotten hurt and waited outside for them. You knew she was a woman of few words despite being so highly respected within the clan.

You bowed to her.

“You must be Neteyam’s…oh what do they say..girlfriend?” The older woman cracked a tiny smile causing you to flush.

“I suppose so, yes. I apologize for interrupting you.” You nodded to her bowl of herbs. She waved you off though, beckoning you inside.

“I come here sometimes to get away when I want to be alone. There is always someone bursting into my hut needing fixing.” You smiled a bit, sitting down beside the older Na’vi.

“I understand. It is always nice to get away sometimes.” She smiled, glad you understood her.

You felt a bit strange being in Neteyam’s home without him there. Ever since the family dinner, you had only been over a handful of times, so being here alone with just his grandmother was definitely different. The usual organized chaos that filtered through his home was replaced with tranquility as the day grew shorter.

“You are a hunter and warrior correct?” Mo’at spoke up again. Flushing that she knew that about you, you nodded.

“Those are very useful skills to have as a Na’vi like you. I am impressed, especially with how much my grandson tells me about you.” She waved her finger around. You were sure that if Neteyam was here he would be embarrassed she had said that.

“Thank you, Mo’at. My parents grew up that way, so they raised me the same.” Your parents had always been die-hard warriors, so it was practically in all of your blood to become just like them one day.

“I do not see your parents around as often as I used to.” Who knew the Tsahik knew so much about your family. You scratched the back of your ear to find some excuse that didn’t sound horrible to tell her.

“They are always on hunting trips. They like to travel a lot.” Not a complete lie, but not exactly the entire truth.

“I see, I see. They always seemed to be very ambitious people.” You nodded. Yes, ambitious was certainly one way to describe them.

“It is mostly just my siblings and I around the hut. They like to take very long hunting trips.” Mo’at nodded once again.

“Yes, Neteyam says that you are the main caretaker of your siblings.” You flushed again. How much was Neteyam actually talking about you when you weren’t around? A lot, apparently.

“That task can be rather daunting, but he says you handle it very well. All of your siblings seem like very respectful people.” She continued before you could respond. You smiled. That compliment meant a lot coming from Tsahik of the village.

“Thank you, that means a lot coming from you.” She grinned at you while continuing to crush and grind away in her little bowl.

“Would you like to try?” She looked down at the bowl. You flushed realizing she was asking you to help grind up her herbs.

“Oh, sure.” She switched places with you and you began doing exactly what she had done. You crushed them down into tiny little bits and pieces.

“This could be your job one day.” Mo’at eyed you as she added in another handful. Your entire face deepened into a darker shade of blue.

“Oh..I do not know about that. Maybe?” You liked Neteyam a lot, but you two were teenagers still. His selection for a mate was still so far away and he would not become Olo’eyktan for quite some time.

“You like my grandson, no?” For a woman of few words, Mo’at seemed to have a lot to talk about with you.

“Yes, I do. He is a lovely young man.” You weren’t sure, but you thought you saw her grin from the corner of you eye.

“I do not know much about..what does Jakesully say..teenage love, but I know my grandson likes you a lot. He talks and talks about you so much. I know it can be scary stepping into that kind of love, but I usually do not steer wrong when I watch my children fall in love. I was not wrong about Jakesully and my daughter.” Hearing all of this coming from Tsahik meant so much to you. You held a lot of respect for the older Na’vi and now she was sitting beside you giving you advice about relationships like you were one of her own.

“Your hunting and warrior skills matched with your caretaking skills would make a wonderful Tsahik one day if that is what happens.” She squeezed your arm and everything in you felt so warm and comforted. No one had ever said things like that to you before and hearing it from Mo’at made it even more special.

“You are too kind. Thank you.” You flushed for the hundredth time in the last twenty minutes. Mo’at grinned once more.

“I know a kind soul when I see one. Eywa would not have brought you and Neteyam together if she was not wanting you two to be together in that way.” Obviously, Mo’at would know best when it came to Eywa. You smiled, glancing back down at the herbs.

Maybe one day this would be your fate.

—

Neteyam returned from his day-long hunting trip exhausted and ready to collapse into his hammock for a long nap. His mother was there to greet him with a kiss to the cheek and to his surprise, his grandmother was sitting inside eating her bowl of food.

“Hello, grandmother.” He bowed to her and she nodded back.

“Hello, my grandson. How was the trip?” Neteyam shrugged some, dropping his belongings to the ground for now. It was as best as it could be with Lo’ak being his usual self plus an added friend along for the ride.

“It was very informative. Father gave us great tips.” That part was not a lie. Jake always gave his sons great pointers for making their kills.

“That is great, I am very glad. I had a nice visit with your Y/n today.” Neteyam’s eyes widened a bit.

“You did? When?” He suddenly worried his grandmother told her embarrassing things about him or exposed how he would talk about her all the time.

“She stopped by here looking for you, I think, but I was here instead. I offered inside and we had a very nice chat. She is a wonderful young woman.” Neteyam couldn’t help but smile hearing that. You were amazing. He was glad to hear his grandmother liked her as much as he did.

“She would make a very wonderful Tsahik one day. She has nearly every skill necessary without even having much training for the position.” Mo’at eyed her grandson. Neteyam’s entire face flushed, but he also felt a sense of pride. You were great at nearly everything, he wasn’t surprised Mo’at thought that.

“Well, I hope one day it will happen. We are still young and—“

“Tsahik knows everything, son. It will happen.” Neteyam watched his grandmother beam at him widely. He flushed once more and then tried to hide the smirk forming on his lips by looking away.

In his head, he knew you were the one for him, but that was never definite. Hearing his grandmother basically confirm it was enough for him. You were it for him. Through and through.

FIVE.

You hadn’t snuck out during the night in awhile. Neteyam suggested it would be a nice way to get your minds off of things and just be with each other for a bit since your siblings were always interrupting or needing something.

Neteyam swung along the oh so familiar path to the tree he had taken so many times before. Eclipse had just begun and every time he was so amazed at how the forest lit up around him. It made Pandora that much more magical.

Like always, you had beaten him to the spot. Except this time, you weren’t alone. Your ikran was perched a few feet away and you had your riding visor on. Neteyam grew suspicious, but you only grinned at him.

“I thought we could go for a ride. We haven’t flown during Eclipse in so long.” You freckles were glowing and Neteyam could see the large smile on your face and your eagerness to fly.

“I did not bring any of my things and I only have my—“ You cut him off by revealing your hands that were hidden behind your back. You held his riding visor in your hands.

“I knew you would say that, so I planned ahead.” Neteyam could only smile at you. You always thought of everything.

“What if we get attacked or something?” Neteyam was still skeptical. He loved riding at Eclipse with you, but he felt under prepared if anything happened while you two were out.

��Nothing will happen, I promise. If it makes you feel any better, I have my bow. Come on, we have not ridden in so long.” You were tugging at his hand and he couldn’t resist your pleas. He took his visor from your hands and smiled.

“Okay, fine. Let’s do it.” He would do anything to be able to make you smile like you were right now. He called for his ikran while you hopped up on yours.

Once you two were both on, you exchanged a glance. There was a playful smirk on your lips as you pushed your visor down. Neteyam grew curious of the look.

“Last one to Ayram Alusing loses!” And then you were off before Neteyam could even process what you had said.

He quickly took off with you already five paces ahead of him. He had no idea how you gained so much speed already while he struggled to even pick up momentum. The wind blew against his face, making it burn some of his skin that was not protected. It was definitely not working in his favor tonight.

“You are losing, Neteyam!” He heard you call from ahead of him. He growled some and focused all of his energy into catching up to you.

He was finally able to catch up to your side. He smirked over at you.

“Who is losing now?” He teased and pushed ahead ignoring the harsh breeze as best as he could.

The two of you soared through the sky, the Hallelujah Mountains just ahead. Neteyam had the lead, but you were just on his tail, literally. If you reached out, you could probably touch the end of his ikran.

You had a competitive spirit, so there was no way you were letting yourself loose to Neteyam. From his peripheral, he saw you creeping up on him.

“You can not win everything, Y/n!” He called over to you, but there was something in your eye telling him you were definitely not losing this round.

He tried focusing through the bond to get his ikran to pull ahead as the first two mountains came up. However, you blew right past him like magic and crossed the imaginary finish like. Neteyam sighed in defeat as you pumped your arms up and down for another victory.

“I told you I would win. You do not win against me.” The eldest Sully still smiled nonetheless, enjoying seeing you so happy. He would lose a hundred times to you to be able to see you as happy and carefree as you were right now.

“My apologies, I should have known I had no chance.” Neteyam held his hands up in surrender. The little smirk continued to dance on your lips as you took off to keep flying around the mountains.

The boy stuck close to your side, the two of you smiling widely as you weaved in and around the large rock formations. You would occasionally dive over the larger branches hanging out to make it a game.

Neteyam felt like his parents where he knew they still snuck out at later hours of the night to do this. It was so thrilling, yet so relaxing at the same time. The breeze had finally died down and it no longer felt like bullets pelting his skin as he rode.

“You want to rest here? There is an open spot.” You pointed up ahead at a clearing in one of the mountain tops. Neteyam nodded and followed you to the landing.

You jumped off your ikran, taking in your surroundings. The entire area was glowing its bioluminescent glow. Each flora, leaf, tree moss, everything was shining bright acting as the light in the dark night.

“That was easily the best ride I have had in awhile. What about you?” You flipped your visor up and turned to Neteyam. In a swift move, he snaked his arms around your waist to bring you closer.

“That certainly was a great ride, but maybe next time you will lose the race here.” He grinned and earned an eye roll from you.

“In your dreams. You may be future Olo’eyktan, but you can never win against me.” You shook your head and Neteyam only chuckled.

“And you may be future Tsahik one day, so that competitive nature may need to die down a bit.” He smirked and your face flushed. You broke away from his grasp to look up at the blue-purple sky.

“Your grandmother speaks of the same thing.” You smiled, thinking about your time with Mo’at a few weeks ago.

“Is that what you two talked about that one day?” Neteyam questioned, always wondering what his grandmother could possibly be saying to you when he wasn’t around.

“She is a very kind lady. She knows what she is talking about.” You laughed some. Neteyam cringed knowing she definitely embarrassed him during that conversation.

“Did she say anything about me?” He had to ask even if he didn’t want to know.

“Oh, so many things. She loves you.” You found a comfortable spot against one of the trees to stargaze. Neteyam joined you.

“Anything embarrassing?” Your tiny giggle told him all he needed to know. He internally face palmed.

“If I told you, it would ruin the fun.” You grinned and Neteyam knew that Mo’at definitely embarrassed the shit out of him. Wonderful.

“Well, I am serious about your future Tsahik fate. Just think, you and I head of the clan one day. It would be perfect.” Neteyam threw his arm around you and you giggled at the image appearing in your head.

The Sully boy pictured it too. It looked very similar to his mother and father right now. You would still be a warrior while also caring for the people when they needed it. He would wear the large feather chest piece and headpiece his father wore—planning hunting trips, war parties, overseeing the entire clan. The future was so close yet so far. He knew it would be before him soon.

For now though, he wouldn’t worry about that and enjoyed the time he was spending with you by his side. It was enough waking up in the early hours of the morning, spending hours on specific skills, he didn’t need to wish it upon himself right now.

“Well, if it does happen, at least the people seem content with your choice of..me.” You giggled at your wording. Neteyam smiled.

“It is a miracle no one has talked much. I think they know my father will be at their throats considering I am their son if they did say anything about you.”

“I knew it would be fine. You worry too much sometimes, you know.” You poked at his chest, making him squirm away from you.

“I am merely just caring about you. It is not worry.” Neteyam attempted to defend himself, but it was clear he had a weak defense.

“You also worry. Do not be afraid to admit it. It is charming knowing you worry so much.” Another grin came from you.

“Well of course I am going to worry and care. It is who I am.” You pulled him back towards you so he could cuddle into you.

“And I love who you are.” You cradled his head, pulling your hand through his pretty braids.

He almost said it. He almost had the courage to tell you.

Jake taught Neteyam the phrase when he once asked what it meant after hearing him tell it to his mother. Jake explained how it was much more intimate than I see you. It was something the Sky People would tell those they cared deeply for.

Neteyam had been wanting to say it you for ages, but he never thought it was the right time. He didn’t know how you would react. Would you freak out? Would you say it back? Did you love him? He for sure loved you, but he wasn’t sure if you reciprocated his feelings that much. He didn’t want to scare you with such a meaningful phrase. It seemed like the right time, but it also didn’t at the same time.

Instead, he nuzzled his head further into you and breathed you in. He savored the way your hair smelled—somehow it always smelled like fresh flowers. He listed to your heartbeat, nearly putting him to sleep. The moment was taking him over. It was complete bliss and comfort being in your arms.

THE ONE TIME HE SAID IT.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

You planned a cute little picnic in the forest for you and Neteyam. He was dragged out of his hut with instructions to keep his eyes closed or he would ruin the surprise. Your grip on his hand was tight as he was dragged through the forest, occasionally knocking his head against a low hanging branch you forgot to push out of the way.

“Y/n, that was the third branch. Where are we going?” He laughed trying to figure out where he was, but it wasn’t much luck considering he was blindfolded.

“Just be patient. You will love it.” You hoped he would love it. You worked to put it together all day yesterday, so if he didn’t like it you’d be damned.

Trusting you, Neteyam kept accepting hits to the head and scratches to the arm knowing it had to be worth it in the end.

When you two finally arrived at your destination, you pulled the cloth from his eyes. He squinted, not used to the bright light, but when his vision finally leveled out, he was in awe of what he saw.

The little clearing had been decorated with numerous vines that wrapped around each tree branch. Flower petals were scatted along the ground. It looked like something from his dreams.

“Surprise! What do you think? A picnic in the forest.” You held your arms out, excitement bouncing across your face. Neteyam was still speechless at the effort that must’ve been put into all of it.

“You did this all for me?” You nodded, leading him further in.

“Of course I did. I had some help from Kiri and my sisters, but you deserve it after all the work you have been doing.” You turned to him, grinning widely. Neteyam cupped your face trying to find the words to express his gratitude.

“You are the best person ever. Thank you, my love.” He pecked your lips and then went to see what you had packed for your picnic.

You joined him on the blanket Neytiri let you use while Neteyam immediately began eating anything he saw. You laughed at his actions.

“Someone has not eaten yet today?”

“Oh, you have no idea. I have been out since the eclipse ended training with my father.” You grinned, glad you could feed him.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

Since it was a spur the moment surprise, neither of you thought to bring any weapons with you besides the knives you always carried. It was a part of the forest only Na’vi went. There was no possible way danger could lurk around the corner or behind a tree.

“If you could come back as anything you wanted, what what you want to come back as?” Neteyam laid across the blanket staring up at the clear sky. Your head was beside his as you laid the other way. Your stomach’s were full of food and now you were just relaxing in the sun.

“Anything?” That was a hard question. There was so many things you wanted to be.

“Anything.”

“I think I would want to come back as an ikran. They are so beautiful and just imagine being able to go anywhere you wanted basically. Flying through the sky with your rider. It sounds like such a dream.” You adored your rides with your ikran and being one would be a whole other level you would want to experience.

“I think I would want to come back as one of the good scientists like Norm or Dr. Max.” Neteyam’s answer surprised you and even himself. Sky People were evil and even some didn’t fully trust the good scientists who stayed behind, but he wanted to know what it felt like to live as human.

His father told him and his siblings countless stories of his time being apart of the Sky People and it always intrigued Neteyam.

“I know it sounds crazy, but my father told us so many stories as his time as one of them. It just seems so interesting to me.” He continued his reasoning when you didn’t respond.

“I understand it. I think it would be interesting to live as them for a day.” It was strange to Neteyam. Sky People could live like his people whenever they chose to, but he could not live like them. There was no science to make human bodies for Na’vi people who wanted the experience.

He got a lot of exposure from Spider, but it wasn’t really the same. Neteyam wanted to see it, feel it for himself.

“I have just always felt human because of my father’s blood. Even though I do not have the five fingers like Lo’ak and Kiri, I still have half of his blood in me.” Neteyam tore his gaze to his hands. His long, thin fingers that were just like his mother’s and Tuk’s.

His parents liked to say he took on more of Neytiri’s genes while Lo’ak gained Jake’s.

“It is okay to wonder and want to feel it, Neteyam. You are half human, half Na’vi. It is good you are curious.” You reached up to caress his cheek and the boy leaned into your touch.

“It just feels wrong, though. The Sky People are demons. They hurt us. Why do I want to wonder more about them?” In a sense, he also felt guilt. He knew how much his mother despised those people and even sometimes Spider because he was one of them. Why should he want to know more when all they did was hurt people?

“Do not feel guilty for wondering. Your father was them once upon a time,” He grinned at your english phrase you used. Him and Lo’ak were definitely rubbing off on you. “And he is a good human. You can still wonder and want to be like them and still be good. Norm and Max are good Sky People. It is your blood, your ancestors. Do not feel bad for wanting to wonder.” Neteyam liked the reassurance you were giving him. He was worried he sounded crazy or something.

He was about to respond when his ears twitched for a second and he suddenly got a random chill across his arms. A faint rustling noise floated into his ears. He quickly sat up.

Normally, he wouldn’t have been so alarmed, but the way his skin started to crawl told him it wasn’t some animal lurking.

“Neteyam? What is wrong?” You sat up seeing his quick change in demeanor.

“Shh, be quiet for a second.” He held his finger to his lips. His eyes bounced around the area you two were in and he grabbed for his knife.

The rustling noise continued and it got closer to where you guys were. Neteyam grabbed your arm, making you stand up with him. His actions were frightening you because you didn’t know what was going on.

“Someone else is here.” He whispered to you. He felt his heart beating a bruise into his chest at the idea of someone else lurking close by.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

A noise and then an arrow was flying just above your heads. You screamed out of instinct and fear. Neteyam’s hand was back on you about to hide behind a tree. When he spun around, two larger hands with a much stronger grip grabbed ahold of the two of you.

You screamed again. Neteyam hit them with his knife causing a minor distraction. He spun away from the prying hands, until four more people emerged from the bushes, large guns in their hands. He suddenly stopped, knowing he couldn’t take them with just a knife.

“Well, look at what we have here. Looks like we crashed someone’s date.” Neteyam knew it wasn’t a true Na’vi by the way they wore full clothes and spoke in english to him. It was Avatars.

The one, tall with a buzz cut haircut, crouched down to be at his eye level. Neteyam hissed at him as he scanned his entire face with his eyes. He held his knife out for defense.

“I heard you talking a few moments ago. You said your father was from the..Sky People. Your father doesn’t happen to be Jake Sully, does it?” With the English Neteyam did understand, he knew this guy was bad and clearly had his dad on his radar.

“Oe rä’ä tslam nga.” (I do not understand you) Neteyam growled out. The avatar looked at him, quirking his eyebrow and exchanging a glance with his accomplices with him.

You continued to struggle in the hands that held a tight grip on you.

“If you tell me where your father is, I’ll let her go.” He nodded towards you. Neteyam only hissed at him once more, knife high, ready to strike.

“Or we can do this the hard way, it’s up to you. You are definitely your father.” The avatar man grabbed Neteyam’s hand. He examined his fingers, raising his eyebrow once more.

“Sure didn’t get his genes though, that’s for sure.” The others snickered around them. Neteyam pulled his hand back, unsure of what to do. If he went for a hit, they wound shoot and he didn’t want that to happen.

His eyes gazed over at you. You met his gaze, the same unsureness resting in your look. If you were scared, Neteyam couldn’t tell because you hid it well.

He couldn’t call in his dad because that would just lead this guy right to him. He was out of any good options.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

“All you have to do is tell me where your dad is and no one will get hurt.” Neteyam thought of an idea.

He slowly raised his hands in means of surrender. The guy looked at him, curious. Neteyam set his knife down by his feet and then slowly moved his hands to where his transmitter sat on his neck.

He pushed into the buttons and began speaking in Na’vi since these guys clearly didn’t understand it as well as he could speak it.

(Let’s pretend this is Na’vi because I can’t translate the entire conversation 😌)

“Dad, we’re under attack, I need help.” Neteyam glanced warily at the man standing before him who watched his moves carefully.

“Neteyam? Where are you?” His dad came into his ear, urgent and worried.

“In the forest where the open clearing is. Avatar men with guns. We’re surrounded.”

“We? Who is we?”

“Y/n and I. We need your help.” The guy wasn’t exactly picking up on what Neteyam was saying which was good. His plan was working so far.

“Okay, we’re on our way.” And then he was out. Neteyam knew two things after that: one, his father was a much better fighter than these guys were. He was Na’vi, he had years and years to adapt. He could take these guys out easily. Two, his dad wasn’t going to give himself up to this guy and if they could defeat him, it wouldn’t even be in the question.

“He is coming now.” Neteyam spoke in english so the guy understood. He quirked his eyebrow once more, almost surprised.

“Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.” The others chucked around them. Behind his back, Neteyam made a small hand signal to you that he hoped you would understand.

Suddenly, there was a screech. You had bitten the arm that was holding you. Neteyam used that distraction to grab his knife from the ground. He went for the guy’s leg.

You wrestled out of the grasp. The others went for you, but being the skilled warrior you were, it was easy to take them out. You swung your leg around, taking one out with your foot.

Neteyam slashed the leg of the guy and went for his gun. His father had taught him and Lo’ak how to use one, so he knew exactly where to go to blow the amo out of it.

He used his knife to slash another one’s arm. It was pure chaos. Blood sputtered every which direction and the others were trying to fire their guns at you two. You were quicker than them, though. You knocked them from their hands and kicked their legs out.

One particular cut Neteyam made went across the entire face of one of the avatars.

“Quaritch, we need to fall back. We can’t take this many losses right now.” One of them urgently spoke to the one Neteyam slashed the leg of.

“I need Jake Sully. I am not leaving without him.” He argued bitterly.

“We’ll come back when we’re better prepared! At least we know they’re close by.” He seemed to finally give in. He called something Neteyam didn’t understand and all of his accomplices began retreating back into the forest where they had come from.

Relief flooded through Neteyam. They were leaving and the both of you were still safe. However, his relief didn’t last for very long.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

He turned to you, a smile spread across his lips until he saw the way you clutched your stomach. Your hands were trembling as they slowly revealed what was happening. Your knife handle was sticking out and blood was dripping from your skin.

There wasn’t a smile on his face anymore. His relief disappeared and was quickly replaced by fear.

“Neteyam..” You sputtered, swaying on your feet. He was quick to catch you before you hit the ground.

“No, no, no, no, Y/n. It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay. Look at me. Look at me. You’re okay.” He was sputtering, clutching your arm and staring at the way your knife was lodged into your stomach.

“Why am I so warm? Is it warm?” Your entire face was losing color by the second. Neteyam, even though he tried not to show it for your sake, was panicking.

“You’re fine. It’s going to be fine. You’re going to be fine. Help is coming. They’re coming to help us.” He knew better than to pull the knife out, but you were practically pouring blood everywhere.

“Am I dying? Is this what it feels like to die?” The blood loss was making you go into shock. Neteyam was cradling your head, trying to stay calm for you and himself.

“No, you are not dying, my love. You are going to be okay. You are not going to die. I will not let you die.” If he had his bow and arrow, maybe he would’ve been able to take down those other guys easier. If he had a better weapon, anything other than a knife then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

You were not dying.

Your breathing started becoming rigid. It was broken into heavy pants and you were sputtering again.

“If-if I don’t..If I don’t make it..Can you-will you take care of them for me?” Your siblings. Neteyam visibly shut his eyes for a moment. How would he explain this to Foana? Who would take care of them if you..no you were not dying.

“Do not say that. You are going to take care of them because you are going to live. My dad is coming. Everything is going to be okay.” It was mostly just so Neteyam would believe himself too. Everything was going to be okay.

His ears twitched and perked up when he heard sounds of ikrans coming. His father’s ikran came into view along with his mother’s. They landed and then rushed to where you two were.

“Dad! Someone put her knife into her. She..she is losing so much blood.” Neteyam’s voice broke that time. He couldn’t hold it back any longer.

“Shit, shit.” Neteyam watched as his dad gently flipped you to your side. Luckily, there was no exit wound, but the blood kept coming.

“I-I do not feel very good. I-I-“ You were heaving at this point. Your eyes were glazing over and your entire skin had gone from a deep blue to an entirely lighter shade.

“Y/n, you need to stay with me. Please, please stay with me.” Neteyam cupped your face, trying to keep your eye contact with him.

“We need to get her to the village. To Max and Norm and Mo’at.” Neytiri had a look of pure horror on her face seeing you like that.

Your eyes couldn’t stay open much longer. The blood loss was becoming fatal. Neteyam began shaking you when he saw your eyelids drift closed.

“Y/n! Y/n!” He was in too much of a panic to even check if you were breathing or not still. He could not lose you. Not now.

“We need to get her to the village, right now. Neteyam! Are you with me?” His father was practically yelling at this point. However, his eldest son fell into what was his own shock.

He did not and could not move seeing your almost lifeless body in front of him. He didn’t process it as his dad lifted you up to his ikran. His mother had to pull him to his feet, trying to snap him back into attention. Nothing worked, though.

All he could think about was you. You, you, you. You were in love. His future woman. His future mate. You were the sister to his siblings. The sister to your siblings. You were their care taker. Who would..who would take care of them now?

He should’ve told you. He should’ve told you the other night on your night ride. It was so close on the tip of his tongue. Why couldn’t he find the courage to tell you then? What if he never got to tell you ever now?

Your body became so lifeless in his arms. Pale skin, gone eyes, blood nearly everywhere. This couldn’t be the end. There was so much life ahead for the two of you. Your future plans. He couldn’t possibly do it all without you.

His mother somehow managed to get him onto her ikran. She flew quickly through the sky after her husband who clutched your body tightly.

When they landed, you were rushed directly to Max and Norm. Mo’at was brought in to give you a heavy sedation medicine so they could pull the knife out without damaging anything serious. It was near chaos. No one but Mo’at was allowed where they were inside the labs.

Neteyam chewed on his bottom lip. Guilt, fear, anger, sadness, everything at once was eating him up inside. He figured he should be the one to tell your siblings what happened, so he did.

Their faces were enough for him to finally break down right in front of them. It should’ve been me. It should’ve been me. It should’ve been me. The phrase repeated in his head like a broken record.

All five of them sat on the ground of your hut hugging one another close. For a moment he hated your parents for not being here in this moment. They had no idea what was happening to their daughter right now.

Neytiri offered their hut to your siblings without hesitation to stay in.

Hours were ticking by it stated to feel like days to Neteyam. There was no word on the progress or your condition. It was merely a waiting game at this point. The knife was lodged deep and you lost a lot of blood.

Everything was perfect until it wasn’t.

Mo’at finally emerged after what seemed like almost six hours where a large group had gathered outside of the lab doors—Neteyam and his family included. All of them deeply concerned about your well-being.

“The knife has been removed. She is stable, but she is sleeping still and will be for a few days.” A tiny bit of relief washed through Neteyam knowing the operation was at least successful.

—

The days went by and you had finally awoken. Once visitors were allowed, your siblings were the first to check on you, of course. Neteyam hung back, a bit anxious and nervous to see you again.

He felt so guilty for what happened. He could not protect you after saying countless times that he would at any given moment. His failure caused him to hang his head low and avoid looking people’s way when he went out.

Kiri, Tuk, and Lo’ak were the next group of visitors. Neteyam still hung back. Maybe it was fear that was holding him back?

Could he possibly look you in the eye again after seeing you with a knife lodged into you? Not really. His fear made him feel upset in a sense. Why could he not face you? You were his love, yet he could not find himself to step foot into the lab.

A few more days passed and eventually the doctors and Mo’at agreed to move you back into your hut for more comfort. Neteyam avoided the entire village that day, in fear that he would see you.

What was wrong with him? One minute he could not stop seeing you and now he was afraid to even make eye contact with you.

It made him feel even more guilty.

One night, he sat outside by one of the drop-off spots. His head pounded and every single thought he ever had was swirling around like a school of fish.

He didn’t feel another presence until he caught sight of his mother sitting down beside him. She had began recognizing his absent behaviors and his avoidant gazes anytime he was around people. She knew how hard this was on her son.

“Have you seen her at all?” She crafted her words gently. Neteyam shook his head.

“I cannot. It pains me and the guilt is eating me alive.” He grabbed his chest like something was actually messing with him in there.

“Well, she is asking for you. She is confused why you have not seen her yet. You should go see her, Neteyam.”

“I can not. Every time I look at her I remember the horrid images of the knife deep in her stomach as the blood seeped through. It was the worst part of everything. I promised her protection and I can not even do that anymore.” He wanted his mother to understand, but he knew she wound not. Not completely, at least.

“Neteyam, this is not your blame. You did everything you could and no one is blaming you. I promise you, son.” Her arm outstretched to bring comfort to her son. She rubbed his back, trying to get him to understand.

“Then why do I feel so, so guilty like it is my fault?” He pleaded for an answer. His mother tried to come up with as best of an answer as she could.

“When you care for someone as deeply as you do, whatever happens to them begins to feel like it is your fault. It is not your fault, though. You take the blame because you think there is no where else to place it. My son, you did everything you could. No one is upset at you or mad or angry. Y/n is not upset with you. Do not think that.” Neteyam’s head hung low.

“I think it will fix a lot of things if you go see her. You will begin to realize this was none of your doing or fault.” Neytiri urged once more and Neteyam knew he couldn’t keep refusing. He had to be mature. He was almost Olo’eyktan and he couldn’t even face his own injured (almost) mate.

“Okay. I will go see her.” Neytiri smiled, giving her son a nod of encouragement.

The Sully boy stood and turned in the direction of your hut. He started bracing himself—for insults? Anger? Sadness? Frustration?

The closer he got to you, the faster his heart would beat against his chest. From inside, he could hear your siblings talking and at times arguing with one another.

He tapped on the wood before pushing aside the flap that covered the inside. Tsanten and Naria looked his way.

“Neteyam! You’re here!” Foana was at his legs, hugging him much like Tuk did. He smiled down at the little girl.

“Hello, Foana. Tsanten. Naria. Ni`awtu.” He bowed before them. Their looks told him they had never been greeted that way before.

In the corner, Neteyam caught sight of your figure. You were sitting upright carving something when you finally noticed his presence in your home.

“Neteyam, hello. Come in, come in.” You urged him in further. He slowly went to you and your siblings filtered themselves out knowing you two probably needed some space.

“You look so much better. How are you feeling?” He questioned taking in your skin that returned to its usual blue shade. You smiled some.

“I am definitely feeling a lot better. How are you?” You took ahold of his hands. The questioned seemed silly to him considering he wasn’t the one who got stabbed.

“I am doing okay. I am not the one who got stabbed, though.” He stifled a small laugh. You rubbed at his fingers and he was just glad to be able to feel your hands in his again, not the lifeless feeling they once were.

“Well, I have not seen you yet, so I was making sure you were okay.” Neteyam grimaced just a bit. He felt guilty for not visiting you sooner, but he just couldn’t bring himself to face you in the state that you were in.

“Yes, I am okay. I am sorry I did not visit you sooner. I..I just felt guilty about all of this and I was being selfish with myself.” His head hung low, ears dropping. You grabbed his chin though, shaking your head.

“There is nothing to feel guilty about, Neteyam. You did everything you could. Eywa gave me life again because she knew my time was not over yet. This was not your fault.” Your words were reassuring. He forced a small smile.

“Plus, you forget how strong I am. I have thick skin. Literally.” You laughed this time. The joke was corny, but it made both of you smile.

You allowed yourself to pull Neteyam closer and he situated himself so his head laid in your lap. He closed his eyes at the feeling of your fingers raking through his braids. It was a familiar feeling he had grown to miss while you were recovering.

“Hey, Y/n?” You turned your attention to the boy in your lap.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.” Neteyam’s heart was pounding, nervous for your reaction. He wasn’t sure if that was an Earth phrase you knew or understood, but he hoped it was.

A tiny smile danced on your lips. You caressed his cheek, leaning down to kiss it.

“I love you.”

The rest of the evening was spent wrapped in each other’s arms.

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starr-fall-knight-rise · 2 months

Text

Filling the Gaps

Author's Note: the story ended around a year ago, but oddly enough there are certain parts of the internet where it hasn't died. Wattpad keeps things alive, and every time someone comments I get a notification. Often this results in me reading my old writing, and I have recently noticed this very annoying gap hat I completely glossed over.

The first time Adam admits his feelings for Sunny we never see the aftermath, and it ticked me off. He admits his feelings and then later they are dating, and a lot of stuff just goes missing in between. I know it was because I wasn't ready or comfortable enough with the subject to write it at the time, but tonight when I got all annoyed, I realized that it's still mine, and I can write whatever and whenever I want.

A lot of you have moved on, but if some of you found this annoying then I hope this helps fix it.

“Are we going to talk about it?”

“I don’t know if I can.”

“If we waited for you to be ready, we might never talk. I don’t want to grow old waiting for you to figure it out, Adam.”

Adam turned towards Sunny, away from the viewscreen, but paused halfway between. His head was down, and from the corner of his eye he could see a part of her body, blue carapace glittering like starlight in the late evening.

He couldn’t see her face.

“Okay, but not here, not where people could walk in.”

He was stalling. His heart hammered in his head. His stomach twisted into knots like his guts had become snakes.

He turned away from her and headed towards the door. He could hear her walking behind him glad that she couldn’t see his face. Had he ever felt worse?

Yes.

That was an unfair question. He had felt worse, but he had never felt like this. There was some special kind of torture in social vulnerability — in confrontation. Adam knew what was coming, ever since their duel in the cargo hold, this inevitability had hung over his head like a sword suspended on a wire.

He had admitted to his feelings for her, admitted them to himself.

And then he ran away.

But even the universe, and a space dragon, could not patch up the cracks in this leaking dam, could not shove the words back in his mouth.

The walk to his rooms were too short despite the size of the ship, and before he knew it he was stepping into a familiar, safe darkness. As the door slid open, soft blue light bloomed from the strip lighting on the floor bathing his personal effects in cool ambience. As the door hissed shut behind him; he immediately regretted coming here.

He had brought her back to his space, to where he slept.

It felt intimate, too intimate.

Unsafe.

As if he was opening the walls of his mind and letting her peer inside.

They were alone now.

He heard her move behind him, and chose to walk over to the window, hands clasped behind his back as he stared out into the nebulae. Nothing could be heard here but for the distant thrumming of the engines.

He didn’t want her to see how nervous he was, how sick he felt, but he knew she could.

His hands trembled.

It felt like embarrassment but somehow much worse. There was anticipation there too, the kind he didn’t want to admit to.

A part of him was excited for this, hoped that something would happen, hoped that this would go the exact place the rest of him hoped it wouldn’t. Even as he stared into the star field, he could feel his own walls dissolving. Thoughts and feelings he had carefully packed away were now impossible to ignore. Hiding behind the appearance of the space dragon was only a temporary fix and now there would be a reckoning.

“Adam.”

Her voice was low and smooth. He had picked that voice for her, a long time ago when she had first been granted the translation equipment, but he could still feel her real voice underneath: a gentle hum that sent vibrations through his ears, morphing to a shiver that traveled down the sides of his neck. He closed his eyes feeling as his body broke out into a nervous sweat despite the ideal temperature of the room.

“Are you feeling okay?”

He laughed, and even to him it sounded nervous, lurching upwards from his throat in awkward sputters, “No.”

He heard her take a seat on the edge of the bed, listened to the blankets shifting as they brushed over each other.

In his mind he could see her poised at its edge. He could imagine the light as it fell over her body. The entire image was penned into his head in such exquisite detail he didn’t need to look at her.

“So, are we going to talk about this?” She said, She sounded so calm, and he wondered how she was doing it. He felt so small all of a sudden, a child compared to her and he didn’t know how to take the sensation back.

“Then talk.” His voice felt tight.

“I’m not the one who needs convincing.”

He closed his eyes. “What do you want me to say?”

“I want us to talk about what is going to happen moving forward. I need to know where this goes.”

His hands continued to shake. “I don’t know. . .I’ve never. . . I don’t know if I can.”

“Why don’t you start with telling the truth. I think we both need to hear it.”

He paced two steps to the right and then two steps to the left, “Why, you already know.”

“You’re not exactly convincing.”

He laughed again, another nervous laugh and turned away from the window, still refusing to look at her. His feet carried him back and forth over the floor in short, quick steps. The walls spun past him. Every time he turned he caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and his heart picked up in pace.

“Maybe I don’t want to be convincing.” It felt like a hand around his throat.

“Why not?”

He threw up his hands. “Because!” His voice cracked. No, not now, not like this.

His eyes stung and his face grew hot and he turned his head to the ceiling.

“Adam. . .”

He squeezed his eyes shut. Every time she said his name it was like being branded, each time a new wave of heat washing through his body.

“Why can’t you say it?”

“Because I’m not supposed to feel like this!” He couldn't stop it, the words tumbled from his lips, and even he could hear his voice shaking. He kept his face pointed up and away.. He wished he could sink through the floor. He wished the window would open up and suck him into space.

He looked at the door.

Could he run again?

He heard her shift behind him, knew she could tell what he was thinking. She always knew.

His cheeks flamed with heat.

“I don’t understand, why can’t you feel like this?”

His hands dropped from behind his back and he turned down to look at them, anything to avoid looking at her. Suddenly he felt distant, detached from his body as he stared at his hands. He never expected this would happen, but now here it was, and somehow he was having trouble comprehending that fact.

“You’ve always supported LFIL, so I don’t understand. Do you find them disgusting? Is that why?”

He took another deep, shaky breath and turned his eyes back to the ceiling, “No! I didn’t say that. Of course I support them , but that. . . for other people, not for me.”

“I don’t get it.” her voice was calm, but he knew her enough to know the undertone of frustration there. Not at him but at his words for not making sense.

He breathed in, but it wasn’t smooth, it stuttered and stammered like his voice, “I know it doesn’t make sense, I know it’s stupid, I know, but it's okay for other people to do it, I support them in what they are doing, but when it comes to me. “I” can’t do it. They are allowed to do it but I am not because if I do it, it would be wrong.”

His voice choked.

His heart clenched.

How must this make her feel? It's okay for other people, but my feelings about you make me feel disgusted. Is that what she would hear?

Would he drive her away, insult her?

Is that what he wanted?

To his surprise, she laughed and he could feel goosebumps erupt over his body at the noise.

“It’s not stupid. Nothing you think is stupid, not to me.”

He felt the emotion then, prickling behind his eyes and nose. He valiantly struggled to keep himself in check, and kept his face turned away from her.

He took a deep breath. “Admitting to this feels like. . . feels like admitting they’re right.”

“Who?”

He flung out a hand in an angry arching gesture trying to make up for the emotion with aggression, “Everyone, everyone since I was young. All of the people on the news who accuse me of it, all the people I grew up with calling me a freak, certain members of my family. If I admit to this they win and I prove them right and I. . .” He dashed a hand across his teeth, teeth gritted in frustration and embarrassment.

“So, let me get this straight. You don’t get to be happy because people you don’t care about would be right?”

He was pacing in circles now, so fast he was making himself dizzy, like he could replace one feeling with another.

“Adam.”

He walked past her.

“Adam.”

He went to go past her again, but that’s when her hand struck out, catching him by the wrist.

“Look at me.”

He didn’t want to. He kept his head turned to the side, but then she reached up a hand touching his cheek and turning him to face her. His skin felt hot, and her hand cool. His heart hammered in his chest. He met her eyes for the first time in days.

“How are you so calm. . .”

Her hand slid down his wrist, catching his hand. “Adam, All of my life I have been a disappointment and a freak and an embarrassment. I have been rejected time and time again, the object of hatred and mockery. I am an expert in handling how you feel right now.”

His chest ached, his tongue caught on itself. “I feel like I’ve missed my window for that. Everyone figured it out early and I. . . I thought I was supposed to be alone.”

“Oh no, it seems I get you all to myself. What a tragedy.”

“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered.

She tilted her head. ‘Well, neither do I, but it can’t be that hard. Idiots figure it out all the time.” her fingers slid between his, four fingers slotting perfectly into place. His hand felt numb. With another hand she pulled him closer.

He couldn’t ignore it now: the feeling rising in his stomach, the way his eyes were drawn to the curve of her cheek, the turn of her neck into her shoulder, the curve of her leg.

Her eyes.

“You know what we Drev do, instead of kissing?”

He shook his head afraid to speak. She pulled him even closer the outside of his leg brushing against the inside of hers. She leaned up and he bent his head down. Then their foreheads brushed against each other. Static erupted through his face and down his cheek. She pulled him to sit next to her, mattress sinking so his leg was pressed into hers. She turned her head, the corner of her mouth and face brushing against his cheek, and then his ear.

The static sensation rushed down the back of his neck and into his shoulder before stopping at his lower back.

His hands fluttered uselessly unsure of where to go and what to do.

His stomach writhed.

Her head dipped and she briefly brushed up against his jaw sending the static into his face and chin.

And then she let him go, pulling away.

He was left, unsteady body buzzing.

Sunny chuckled, “Hmm, interesting.”

“What?” He managed.

“You aren’t dead, didn’t dissolve into a puddle, the ship didn’t explode.” They weren’t touching anymore but he now wished they were. It was getting easier to admit that. “So, is this something you would like to move forward?”

He couldn’t find the words. His tongue still felt thick, whatever part of him which had been holding back still clinging to the tatters.

But where his tongue was tied his body was not.

He nodded.

It was only then did he see the tension leave her shoulders. She took a deep breath.

Had she been nervous too?

How had he missed it?

“Good. I had hoped you would say that."

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gale-sized-hole · 4 months

Text

A short VisGale fic, a sketch of sorts, a concept born of yelling back and forth with @renn-the-rascal, and something I hope to expand on soon. But for now…

Armor

~750 words

“There, can I get you to—“

“Certainly.”

A small exchange, one they’ve repeated every day for at least two tendays, if not more. Sharing a bedroll became sharing a bed, and in that time, Vissenta has relented to let Gale help her with more than just an assuring word and a kiss before leaving. She lifts her arm slightly, relinquishing her grip on the strap of the pauldron to let him take over, securing the piece in place and giving him room to check those down her sides that hold the cuirass.

Like every day for two and a half tendays (because he has counted, every single precious one, if only to feel the shape of that number grow as steadily as his love), they dress to face whatever this quest might throw their way.

But today, it’s not her demons they face, or those of their companions.

It’s not a demon at all.

“With you, I forget my goddess.”

In the stillness of the outer planes, he could hear her every breath, and he heard it catch at his words. And he heard, too, the warmth in her voice, when she answered with words of her own that might have been too harsh otherwise.

“Then forget godhood.”

With her hands free, Vissenta takes the chance to ensure that her hair is pinned up securely; Gale takes the chance to map the small curls that grow askew at her nape, only just covering the jagged, puckered scar that starts at the base of her skull and disappears into a web he’s felt beneath his fingertips, when he cradles her head to melt into her more lingering, passionate kisses.

“I’ll have you as you are.”

He couldn’t quite believe those words; he tried to protest. “Have the best possible version of me.”

She leaned over to kiss him, briefly, and the warmth in her voice turned to fire that burned bright behind her eyes. “I already do.”

“What divine calculus plucked us from the ether,” Gale muses as Vissenta seizes his hands, insistent on helping check that his bracers are secure, “and thrust us together?”

“I’d rather keep the gods out of it,” she says mildly, but her hands tighten around his wrists as she lifts her chin, eyes flicking down to his neck before she raises them to meet his. “After we pay one more a visit, anyway.”

Scars, on the both of them. Scars that, if opened without care, could destroy everything around them.

“You… you’re everything.”

He meant it. He truly meant it. He’d seen her, bloodless, lifeless, as she made the choice to reject a great and terrible thing, a darkly divine right that she foreswore in the face of death.

He could foreswear the same. He owed her as much.

“Is this what being nervous feels like?”

Tucked into an alcove in Stormshore, Gale can hardly look over his shoulder at Mystra’s likeness. He can feel the Weave, pure and perfect, the way open to him at last, and no matter how ready he’s believed himself to be, how long he’s prepared to see her again, he feels woefully vulnerable.

Vissenta reaches up to brush his hair back behind his ear, her fingertips brushing the silver star of the goddess as she does so. “Nervous is good.”

He knows his scowl is unbecomingly petulant. “I hate it.”

All Vissenta does is smile, lifting herself up on her toes to give him a kiss. He feels the slip of her tongue against his lips - always so daring, even sequestered in a temple, and his heart swells with her boldness - before they part, all too soon. “It suits you.”

“Does it?” Gale doesn’t want to let go of her just yet, his knight in all her glorious armor.

She nods, suddenly solemn. “It suits Gale Dekarios.”

“Him again.” Searching her face for the telltale signs of teasing, he comes up short, left only with the sight of heart-aching sincerity. “You’re rather taken with him, aren’t you?”

Nodding again, she cups his cheek in her palm. “What would he want, right now?”

The answer is startlingly quick, shockingly certain. “Forgiveness.”

Vissenta’s smile returns. “I can’t give him that, but…” She tugs at the gold-edged purple kerchief around her neck, pulling it loose, and takes his hand to turn it palm up. There’s just room enough for her to tuck the slip of cloth beneath the bracer around his wrist. “He can have my favor, while he goes to ask.”

#bg3 #durge vissenta #gale of waterdeep #gale dekarios #vissenta x gale #otp: at a great precipice #my writing #gale x durge

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widowwaddles · 1 year

Text

Operation 90 Day (Undercover) Fiancé

Summary: What started as a month-long trip for work, ended with your heart stolen by a certain red-head. But are things really as they seem?

A/N: What started as with me watching the latest episode of 90 Day Fiancé, morphed into this weird love child between Mr and Mrs. Smith and 90 Day Fiancé (aka peak television). The summary is a bit developed, because I didn't want to spoil anything. This started as a one shot, but has the potential to become a series.

Warning: references smut, but nothing in detail

Word count: 2925

Edit for mobile users: I think there is a glitch where some of the last couple of sentences are disappearing, you can read it fully on AO3

Part 2

Your heart races as you navigate through the airport. Your palms start to sweat from how nervous you were. It’s been a few months, but you weren’t prepared for all the emotions you’d feel once you saw her face again. Despite trying to keep a cool exterior, a part of you missed her dearly. You never thought that you’d feel this way about someone you hadn’t known for long, but it seems like the impossible became your new reality. You weren’t too sure how things would go, now since the dynamic has completely shifted, but you couldn’t help but smile in excitement. This was going to be one of the biggest tests of your life.

3 Months Earlier

St. Petersburg, Russia

It was love at first sight, - though considering the current setting - many would call it lust.

You aren’t too sure what attracted you to this bar, especially since you weren’t too familiar with the area. You’ve been in St. Petersburg for about a month on a work assignment. Since arriving, you’ve been completely consumed by your work so you haven’t spent much time outside of your apartment - if it wasn’t for work. Now that you’ve completed your assignment, you were ready to finally explore the city during your last days here. You were ready to let loose and this bar seemed like the perfect place to do so.

черный лебедь, or The Black Swan was a bar like no other. The staff wore black masquerade masks, while guests were given white. After securing the mask on your face, you went straight to the bar. Even though you were done working, you had no plans of getting wasted tonight. You just needed something to take the edge off.

The bar was fairly empty, with most people on the dance floor. Taking a vacant seat, you called over the bartender and ordered your drink. You could feel eyes tracking your every moment from behind you. You ignored it, believing whoever it was would lose interest if you didn’t give them any attention. The bartender returns with your drink, you smile back before thanking them in Russian.

As you go to sip your drink, you feel a sudden presence in the chair beside you. ‘Someone can’t take a hint’, you brought the glass to your lips, face blank as you continued to stare forward. You weren’t going to give this person the reaction they wanted.

Your annoyance started to grow as you heard a heavy sigh.

“I’m starting to think that you’re ignoring me, darling” the strong Russian accent rang through your ears. “I promise that I don’t bite…unless you want me to”.

You froze. A blush immediately floods your face and your heart rate increases. A hand gently grasps your wrist. Tilting your head down, you look at the hand. Your eyes slowly move up the hand, as if following a trail, leading to her arm, and shoulder until you eventually settle on her face. She has an elegant black mask on. Green eyes pierce through yours, the gaze strong, unlike yours - pupils shifting quickly. Desperately wanting to escape from the intense staring match you found yourself in, you took in her other features.

Catching your attention first was her red hair, which pooled at her shoulders. Your eyes lower down until you abruptly stop, diverting them back to your drink - cheeks red. The dress she was in was leaving little to the imagination, but you know you’d have no shame in looking had she not been so close.

“It looks like I have your attention now,” she says jokingly, lips smirking.

You take a deep breath and then turn towards her.

“Can I help you with something?” you ask cooly, clearing your face of any emotions.

She raises an eyebrow, seeing through your facade.

“I’m just looking for good company” lifting an elbow on the top of the bar, and leaning her head against it. “I saw you as you walked in. You stood out immediately, you don’t look like our usual patrons”

“So, this is how you usually greet new customers?” you reply snarkily. “And here I was thinking I was special”

She doesn’t reply but flashes you a smirk, showing that she was secretly enjoying your hard-to-get attitude.

She leans in close to your face, and your eyes close in surprise, thinking she was going in for a kiss. Her lips ghost over yours, before moving to your ear.

“Oh Darling, but you are special” she whispers, your breath hitching the moment you felt her hot breath. “If you don’t believe me… I could always show you” her voice rasps as she pulls away.

And that’s all it took for you to crash your lips against hers. Hands gripping her face, you pull her further into you, afraid she’d disappear. You felt a strong grip on your hips and when she reciprocated the kiss with just as much intensity you knew this was real.

You don’t remember how you got back to your apartment or how long you two went at it, but you felt all of the energy leave your body after having your final high.

The sun shining brightly into your eyes was the first thing to greet you the next day. You groaned before grabbing your covers and pulling them over your head. The lack of resistance from the other side of the bed confirmed your suspicions.

She left.

You weren’t too upset about it though. This wasn’t your first one-night stand and the signs were all there last night. You knew what she wanted the minute she approached you and it wasn’t a relationship. She may have rocked your world but you didn’t know anything about her, hell you didn’t even exchange names.

And maybe it should stay that way. Technically, you do know where she works but something about just showing up there reeks of desperation. No, you definitely won’t do that. It’s time to move on, plus it won’t be long before you can return back home to New York. Smiling, you rise from your bed, deciding it’s time to cleanse yourself from the sins you committed just hours ago. Gathering some clothes to wear today, you find a foreign object in your dresser.

A sticky note.

I’d like to see you again

Call me xxx-xxx-xxxx

-Natasha

Looking back now, you wish you would have thrown the paper out. Calling that number had opened Pandora’s box - you never guessed that things would go so wrong. She should have stayed as a one-night stand.

You didn’t know what to expect if you reached out.

Even from your conversation last night, this so-called “Natasha” didn’t seem like the type to typically do this. Anyone with eyes would agree that she was gorgeous, so you couldn’t help but feel giddy at the thought that you managed to somehow capture her attention.

On the other hand, you felt wary. You had less than two weeks left before you had to return home, so starting a relationship (romantic or sexual) would only make it harder to leave. But then again, how often does this sort of thing happen to you? Less than 1% of the time. Plus if it ends horribly, you couldn’t be too hung up about it because the chances of seeing her again were also less than 1%. You had no plans of ever coming back here again.

Making your decision, you dialed her number and hoped you weren’t making a mistake. Her voice rings out unexpectedly before the first ring could even finish. It was as if she instantly knew that you would be calling now. Before you could question things any further, she asks you out to lunch and you accept. She said she’ll pick you up from your place before hanging up.

It only took you an hour to get ready, most of that time spent ransacking your closet until you found the perfect outfit. You were looking yourself over in the mirror when a knock interrupted your train of thought.

Opening the door, you realized this would be the first time you’d be seeing Natasha face to face clearly…unless she decided her mask would be the perfect lunch attire.

It must have been awkward for her to see you stare so unabashedly, but you didn’t care - you were stunned. She offered a shy smile as her cheeks reddened slightly. This did NOT seem like the same woman you met last night, the seductress. The woman standing in front of you now seemed more human and genuine. Like she actually had emotions outside of lust. And it would be an understatement to say that you were digging it. As much as you did enjoy sleeping with her, you didn’t want to spend all of your remaining time here, in the bedroom.

“Are you ready to go, Y/n?” Natasha asks, looking into your eyes sweetly.

“Yes,” you reply, smiling. Closing your door, you turn back to her - offering your arm. She eagerly takes it before leading you out of the building and onto the streets.

You had no idea where you were going, but you enjoyed the scenery along the way. Natasha has started a lively conversation where you began learning the basics about each other’s lives.

Natasha was in her mid-20s. She studied classical ballet in school and was on track to becoming a professional ballerina when she got injured. Not having any clue what to do next with her life, she stumbled upon the Black Swan and has been working there ever since. You told her how you’re here for work, and not wanting to go too in-depth you steered the topic to your life back in New York. You had gone to school to study psychology, in hopes of being a therapist. After getting your degree, you quickly realized this wasn’t the career field for you. Since then you’ve just been working contract jobs, which allows you to travel and make a good living. You gushed about your cozy apartment and the newest member of your family, Theodore. You rescued him while on a previous job and he’s been the only stable part of your world since then.

You didn’t even notice that you arrived at the restaurant until Natasha stopped walking abruptly. You turned back to her, a confused look on your face.

“We’re here” she smiles, pointing at the entrance.

And so, the best first date you’ve ever been on had officially started and ended before you even knew it. Natasha walked you back to your apartment, holding your hand this time. As you reached the door, you started to get nervous. Should you invite her in? You weren’t ready to say goodbye yet. You grabbed your keys from out of your pocket and unlocked your door. Taking a deep breath you turned back to face Natasha and grabbed both her hands.

“I had a lot of fun today” looking in her eyes and gently squeezing her hands before continuing. “I was a bit surprised to hear that you wanted to see me again, so I was a bit nervous about your true intentions in hanging out today.” She averted her eyes slightly and bit her lip, as if understanding why you would be hesitant.

“But this has gone better than I could have ever imagined” you admit, drawing her attention back to your eyes. “Thank you, Natasha”

Her eyes shined back brightly as if no one had ever thanked her before. Her eyes shifted to your lips and you both started leaning slowly as if being attracted by magnets. Your lips met softly, this kiss having a much different feeling from the ones you shared yesterday. Your hands found her hips while hers wrapped around your neck. Holding on to each other now, not out of lust, but out of pure tenderness. You realized now, that inviting her in would completely ruin the moment you were having. Pulling away and resting your head against hers, you were okay with how your date has ended.

Closing your door, you rested your forehead against the cold surface and shut your eyes. Your lips curled up, cheeks beginning to hurt from how hard you were smiling. You were in deep but you couldn’t help but laugh about it. You wouldn’t want it any other way.

You look out the window somberly, as familiar scenery flits out of sight. You were back home in New York.

Just weeks ago you were counting down the days until you returned and now you couldn’t stop the aching pain in your heart. You miss her…so much. You didn’t think that saying goodbye to her would have been so hard, but the moment you saw the unsure tears in her eyes, you broke down.

After the date, you spent all of your remaining days with her. When you revealed just how soon your final days were approaching, she decided that you would spend time making good memories together. Dates were every day and slowly increased in quantity over time, wanting to cram in as many activities as you could. On the final night, you decided to just stay in and hold each other. She had already come over earlier that day to help you pack, so now you were imprinting your bodies into each other. No tears were shed, not wanting your final night to be filled with sadness. As you kissed, the passion communicated the words you desperately wished to say: “I don’t want to leave you. Don’t forget about me. I love you”

Boarding your plane the next day, you think of the promises you made. She said the distance didn’t mean the end of the relationship and if it was meant to be then you’d find your way back together somehow. You promised to not give up on each other just yet, as you tearfully sealed your pledge to each other with the final kiss.

Sending her a text saying you’ve arrived back safely home. You exited the car and entered the building of your work. You haven’t even had a chance to go home yet, as the meeting to discuss what you’ve accomplished in Russia was urgent. Sighing, you sat in the conference.

The door slams open, and your body jumps up straight in surprise. Heavy footsteps enter the room before a Manila folder is slammed on the table in front of you.

“Agent L/n, you’ve been compromised” as you open the folder your breaths become heavy, and your vision clouds. No, this couldn’t be right. Your eyes flit through the folder, hands flipping through the papers quickly. As your worst nightmare became confirmed, you shut your eyes. Knowing you’d break down if you looked at the contents of the folder again.

“We have a plan, but it’ll require your cooperation. Just think of it as an extended undercover operation” the man says gruffly. Bringing your head up, you look the man in the eye before agreeing.

“I’ll do it, Director Fury. No matter what it takes” you say, voice strong with conviction.

Wiping your eyes, you stand up aggressively - the chair flying back, before leaving the room. The pain in your chest leaves your body shaking, but you ignore it. Never again will you show weakness.

Back in the conference room, Director Fury gathers the folder and the papers you had vigorously gone through. He grabs the photo, slotting it in front of the folder once more before smirking. The Red Room was always a thorn in Shields' side and now he had the perfect plan to take them down. He couldn’t help but thank the person who discovered your true identity.

Present

And now here you are, at the airport, awaiting the arrival of the love of your life. Your body perks up as you see the passengers who’ve unboarded the plane flooding through the gate. It wasn’t hard to spot her, as if sensing your eyes, she looks up and smiles brightly.

You both take off sprinting toward each other before jumping into each other’s arms. You spin in circles before peppering her face with kisses. She giggles, pushing you away slightly before bringing your lips to where they were desperately needed. Pulling away, you grabbed her hands and kissed them. You noticed the engagement ring on her finger and smiled brightly, kissing her hand once more.

Letting her go entirely, you grab her luggage.

“Are you ready to see your humble abode? I know Theo is gonna be excited to finally meet you” you say playfully, extending your free hand to her.

“Yes, I can’t wait to meet my future son,” she says excitedly, grabbing your hand and practically dragging you through the exit of the building.

Your face falters slightly, but she’s too distracted navigating through the busy airport to notice.

“Our 90 days officially begin now,” you say, quickly putting a smile back on your face.

“Yes, it does. Though I don’t think I will be needing the full 90 to know that I want to marry you” she says sweetly, eyes shining brilliantly as she flashes a smile back at you.

And you almost believe it.

You sigh to yourself internally before shaking your head. You can’t let yourself get distracted. Your heart became cold the minute you found out the truth. You can’t fall for the same tricks again.

You only have to fake for 90 days. Then you’d be able to exact revenge against the woman that broke your heart and take down the Red Room in the process.

#natasha romanoff x reader #natasha x reader #marvel #natasha romanov x reader #natasha x y/n #operation90days

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deeva-arud · 2 years

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Background:

As is usual for the majority of vetureyík’shen, Deeva has never left Veturea before attending NRC. Since her father disappeared when she was 2 years old, Deeva was raised by her mother, although she also had to keep an eye on her due to her delicate health. After her mother’s death, Eir, a neighbour and one of the family’s close friends, has been taking care of her.

Trivia:

-Deeva belongs to an original species, called vetureyík (or vetureyík’shen, in plural). They are basically winged creatures with little pointy ears and shorter than humans. Although people nowadays think they are only a legend, actually there are roughly 90 of them in total, and not all of them can do magic. In fact, there are so few magicians among the vetureyík’shen, that Deeva is the first one to attend NRC in almost 50 years. There used to be more of them, but their population was reduced due to a conflict with the humans. Since then, they made sure no human could ever get to them, by completely enchanting a forest that surrounds the mountain where Veturea is located. More about them here.

-Vetureyík’shen can’t use their wings in flying class, since that would give them a great advantage over the rest of the students.

-After many attempts, Azul and the twins convinced her to play the violin at Mostro Lounge. Fortunately for her, they haven’t heard her singing.

-Besides violin, she also plays tagelharpa and a little bit of cello.

-Vetureyík’shen who are born with powers are prone to develop a certain type of magic, which consumes very little of their magical energy. In Deeva’s case is water magic. She can manipulate water at will, change its state or even create it out of nowhere. In contrast to Kalim’s Oasis Maker, the water she summons is not potable. The magic traces mixed with the water could produce an excess of magic in someone’s body, which eventually could damage their health.

-During her first year at NRC she used to wear gloves to avoid any accidents with one of her water spells that she couldn’t control that well. Now she has learned to control it but still wears them out of habit and for aesthetic reasons.

-Even when wearing gloves, her hands are almost always cold.

-She’s bad at taking hints.

-Has a slight accent due to the language spoken in Veturea.

-She makes no sound when she’s walking, something that usually ends up with someone almost having a heart attack when they see her standing next to them. It doesn’t help at all the fact that she can also turn her body into water and reappear in another place. At least that way they can hear her a bit more, though maybe it’s kinda unsettling hearing water running behind you for no reason.

-Deeva doesn’t know how to style her hair, the only things she can do decently are ponytails and braids. Because of this, she usually wears her hair down.

-She used to wear symmetrical earrings until her first year in NRC, when a student casted the wrong spell in one of her classes and disintegrated her right earring by accident.

-Spends the winter holidays at NRC.

-Her mother used to have nightmares, so she used to sing her songs to calm her down. Since her death, Deeva has avoided singing in front of anyone, but recently she’s been trying to change that. So, if you’re really lucky, you can get her to hum something for you.

-Her father was a luthier and, alongside her mother, had an instrument store next to their house. After his disappearance, she continued to make instruments, but for obvious reasons the store eventually closed before Deeva went to NRC.

-Since Deeva’s mother liked to grow plants, there was a room in their house that served as a greenhouse. Currently the room is almost empty as Deeva took all the plants she could to NRC. She enchanted her suitcase with a spell to increase its capacity and put them all inside. She couldn’t let those plants that her mother had cared for so lovingly die. Because of this, her room at NRC is full of potted plants.

-She’s a terrible cook. Please don’t leave her alone in a kitchen.

-Used to be part of the gardening club in her first year. She then changed to the pop music club because, according to her, she wanted to try something new; besides, music has always been her thing.

-She’s usually indifferent to insects, but if there’s something that repulses her, that’d be spiders and cockroaches.

-Due to her albinism, she prefers to be in dimmer places where the light doesn’t bother her eyes.

-Doesn't have good eyesight by vetureyík'shen standards, but her sharp hearing compensates it.

-Since Deeva doesn’t have many opportunities to train her wings during the day, she has permission from the headmaster to use the sports field to fly at night so that she doesn’t disturb anyone.

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland oc #twst oc #Deeva twst #my art #reference sheet remake wooo #her bio is basically the same as the old one. I only changed her unique magic :}#also I took this opportunity to redesign her school uniform hehe

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0li0v3rkill · 2 years

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𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓.

summary: eddie teaches your daughter that she doesn’t have to conform to what everyone wants her to be.

pairing: eddie munson x gn!reader

word count: 663

warnings: none! this is jus lowk projecting tho LOL

author’s note: heavy on the adhd eddie hc here LMAO i hope u guys like it !! i apologize that this took so long i recently started school again </3

read part 1 here (not required!)

my masterlist

you had began to notice eddie and jovi had fallen into some sort of routine as she got older. since she had begun speaking full sentences, it was like they had a little catch-up at the end of the day. the two would sit on you and eddie’s shared king-sized bed, doing some sort of activity together, while telling each other about their day. it seemed tonight’s activity was coloring.

“how was school, baby?” you hear eddie ask. you were sitting in the bath, the water engulfing your tired body in comforting heat. you leaned your head against the rim of the tub, realizing that if you put yourself in just the right position, you could watch them through the open bathroom door.

“it was okay.” jovi replies, picking up a purple crayon and beginning to scribble on the left side of the coloring book you could see them sharing. eddie’s red crayon slows in his hand as he turns to look at her.

“‘okay?’ you usually say ‘awesome,’ or something like that. is everything alright, jov?”

you watch your daughter hesitate, her little lips pressing together in thought.

“i got in trouble today, daddy.” she confesses quietly, avoiding eye contact with eddie. you look at her with soft eyes, wondering how in the world she had gotten in trouble. jovi was a good girl; always offering to help with anything she could, always kind and sweet. it hurt your heart a bit to think of her sitting out of recess.

“what for, sweetheart?” eddie asks, a hand raising to run through her brunette curls comfortingly. jovi places her crayon back in the box next to her, her movements slow and nervous.

“talked too much…” she sighs, her chubby cheeks warming with embarrassment.

you knew jovi loved to talk; it was just one of the many things that she inherited from eddie. you guessed punishments would come with that, too. eddie had told you he was put in detention numerous times for talking in class growing up, explaining that he just couldn’t stop once he started. he talked about how he was seen as a distraction, when he was really just being himself.

“c’mere,” you watch eddie sit up, scooping up jovi’s small form and setting her on his lap. he brushes a curl behind her ear as she leans her head against his chest. “i’m not upset, baby. i know how you feel. i used to get in trouble a lot, too.”

“really?”

“really. it’s just that some people think everyone works the same, so they expect us to act a certain way and get upset if we don’t. you didn’t do anything wrong, jov, you just work differently.”

you smile, watching as eddie’s large hand rubs jovi’s little back comfortingly. seeing the way he treated her made your stomach do little flips, that teenage crush making itself known again.

“don’ like different.” you hear jovi mumble against eddie’s chest as he holds her, and he gasps in his theatrics, of course.

“oh, don’t say that. as hard as it can be, it’s fun being different. it’s easier to find people who really, really love you; because you’re yourself.” eddie’s eyes flicker to your own, a soft smile spreading on his face as he gazes towards you lovingly. you smile dopily, his smile only speeding up the butterflies that were previously settled in your tummy.

“promise me something, baby,” he begins, pulling jovi away from his chest and sticking out his pinky finger to her. “promise me that you’ll always be yourself; that you’ll never let anyone, and i mean anyone, make you act a certain way.”

“i promise, daddy,” jovi says, hooking her pinky to eddie’s own. he kisses the back of her hand to seal the deal. she hooks her little arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder.

“that’s my girl.” eddie smiles softly as he kisses her forehead, his arms wrapping around her in a hug.

taglist <3

@vnusrot @ruinedbythehobbit @saintlessmunson @dark-academia-slut @mysticmunson @unsheath

#「𝗛𝗩𝗡𝗡𝗬𝗦 𝗦𝗙𝗪 !」#eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x reader #stranger things x reader #stranger things #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson x gender neutral reader #stranger things imagine #dad!eddie munson

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lair-of-asmodeus · 3 months

Text

NSFW Facts — OC Edition: Part 2, The Electric Boogaloo

[First part]

🐻 Case 7: Viktor Falkenberg

By far, he has the biggest dick with 10 inches, and yes, it’s thick and veiny.

He also has very little experience with only what his father tells him. But hey, he is aware of the dire consequences of not using protection!!

Though... He does try not to tear his partner apart while doing the deed with his s/o, because he is well aware of how big he is and that he may hurt them in the process.

If you ever decide to get him to a certain level of horniness, make him mad or jealous though, he might just fold you in half on his bed and just.. go at you.

Your loud screams can be heard from behind the door, but he doesn’t care about it. The students around his room are very scared to go in and tell you to keep it down— Well, since almost all the Savanaclaw students are in training, there isn’t that many there.

You scream and cling onto his back while having your nth orgasm, with him hitting your insides, practically rearranging your guts, fucking his cock into your hole.

“Ya like that, huh?!” He screams, silver eyes looking at yours with an ignited passion. “Ya shoulda thought TWICE before wearin’ stuff like THAT!”

“VIK—”

He slams his lips onto yours to quiet you down, roughly making out with you. You can barely keep your eyes open while your juices coats his member.

“I’ll teach ya a lesson ya won’t forget!”

He slams himself down deep inside you as his thrusts grow deeper and your voice cuts off. He fills you up with his warm seed, maybe more than intended. When he pulls away, his cock rests against your hole and he whispers in your ear.

“Should ye dare to wear somethin’ revealin’ as this, especially when there’re pervs around here, I’ll be even rough with ya... Got it?”

You can’t register what he says, but you nod, earning a chuckle from him. He lays down next to you and cuddles you.

When it comes to aftercare, he skips straight to the part where he cuddles you.. for the most of the time. If you’re done doing the deed with him in his dorm or any place where there are more beastfolks around, he may just go to the showers. He will let you get in first though! (Unless you pull him in and continue the ‘fun’~ 😉)

Will do the deed if you are close enough #6, and won’t be afraid to put all that defense into good use. He wants to know who he is dealing with and will initiate the first move if he feels like you are close enough for him to be intimate with you if he has your consent too.

⚠️ NO: Well, he doesn’t like to share his partner with anyone else. This is secretly his turn off... And also piss kink. These are just straight ‘NOPE’s.

👠 Case 8: Sakae Satou

Okay, she has the C cups with a decent hip size. (EXTRA THICC—) Though, she tends to cover them with stylish hoodies and pants unless she is in the mood. If she is feeling in the mood that day though, she may wear tighter and more revealing outfits, but only around her partner!

She keeps herself well groomed. You can’t even find a piece of hair down there! She also finds it gross to have hair down there, but won’t mention it when her partner is.. unshaved.

Despite having no experience, she secretly reads and watches these stuff. She knows a lot of things, what to do and what not to do. (E.g; She will make sure to not let teeth touch you when she gives you oral 🤭)

She is secretly into overstimulation and would like to experience it whenever she can. 🤭

Hugging her slender waist from behind, you push the toy inside her wet pussy while the vibrator buzzes on her clit.

“Mmh! [Name]..!” She moans out, panting. “Ahh! ‘S.. too much!!”

You grin at her expression full of lust, her flushed face and tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She pants heavily while holding onto your wrist. You lean forward to her and look at her pussy.

“You’re basically creaming all over, even the sheets are wet...” You coo at her.

She clasps her thighs together and weakly smacks your face with the back of her other hand.

“Shut up..! ...Ahhh!”

With a slight spasm, she bucks her hips into the air and orgasms on the bed again while the toy inside her falls out. Then she falls down, panting in your arms.

“Your face is really red...” You tease her.

After catching her breath, she punches you.

“Fuck you..!” She says with her middle finger on air.

Will do the deed if you are close enough #7, because if you are a complete stranger and/or she doesn’t see you close enough to be her partner in intimacy, she will avoid you and will spread this to the Magicam.

⚠️ NO: Well, don’t push her into doing things she is uncomfortable with.. :( (And she is not alright with piss kink as well!!)

🦊 Case 9: Yuusuke Hamamoto

Okay, he has six inches with some veins on it. But it’s less girthy and has a small red tip.

Despite not exactly being shaved, he keeps the hair short there.

Not gonna lie, he would probably hurt you a little when he fucks you. Like leaving hickeys, biting your neck, lightly pinching you... You name it! He may also grind his hips to hit more spots inside and even hold your hips and thrust in rough when he loses his cool.

During your ‘activities’, you can try touching his ears. He will just lean into your hand and let you pat him. It secretly turns him on though!!

Your hands instinctively go on his neck and you wrap your arms around it while pulling him closer. As he is balls deep in you beneath the sheets, he makes sure nobody hears anything. But it does make you feel good too. He gives you a soft kiss while pounding you. Suddenly, he halts his movements when he feels your hands around his ears, caressing them gently.

“...Mm.” He hums. “Do it again...”

You look at him in confusion, but you do it anyway.

“Mmh~” He purrs and closes his eyes, savoring the feeling. “It feels good...”

You smile at him as he kisses you again. His dick twitches in you and he lightly pushes it deeper.

Will do the deed if you are close enough #8, and will instantly kick you away and will never speak to you if you attempt to do it and he doesn’t know anything about you.

He isn’t that good at aftercare, but he will definitely help you clean up and will run a bath for you. He’ll let you get in first before going in himself too. Because he may not show it, but he is actually one of those touchy-feely people. He just hugs you from behind and washes your back.

⚠️ NO: He is NOT alright with things like golden showers and marking.

🎀 Case 10: Dorothea Minerva McCartney

She has a pair of B cups, but she tends to wear tighter bras to make it look like A cups.

She is fully shaved down there and always, ALWAYS keeps it clean.

While she may not have any experience in anything sexual and her knowledge is limited to only what she saw in sex ed, she is open to try anything! Toys? Sure, would love to! Outfits? Okay, will try! As long as it’s not something that makes her uncomfortable, she is alright with them all!

What really turns her on though? Cuddles! But like, lewd cuddles where you touch her body in that way. If you see her squirming around a little while you do it, that’s just a sign of you putting her in the mood! She may also touch you as well when you do it, she just can’t help but feel like she can show you how good it feels~

As for aftercare... She would definitely prepare a bath for the two of you regardless of how exhausted she gets. She would also make sure you go first.

“[Nickname]!”

She sweetly calls your name as you lay down on your back on the bed. You hear footsteps and feel the bed creaking a little.

“The bath is ready~” She whispers in your ear and kisses your cheek.

“...” You don’t respond and just look at her in silence. You notice that she has a large hoodie to cover herself, her coiled hair is unusually messy and she looks just as exhausted as you do. Yet, despite this, she smiles at you and sighs.

“I know you probably don’t wanna be disturbed right now, but wouldn’t it be nice to relax after a warm bath?”

You nod.

“That’d be great, Dottie...” You smile back at her and sigh, slowly sitting up on the bed.

“Then let’s go to the bathroom, ‘kay~?”

She takes your hand and leads you to the bathroom.

“Let me know if you want me to scrub your back!” She playfully chirps before leaving the bathroom for now as you sink into the warm water in the tub.

Will do the deed if you are close enough #9, because consent is the key! And she won’t be afraid to use her kickboxing knowledge to good use! :)

⚠️ NO: The thought of semi-public sex scares her and she would instantly reject it when you offer. She would also not like the golden showers and rough sex. :(

🕯️ Case 11: Fleur Dominique

She has C cups (like Sakae) and a round butt. But she tends to wear less revealing things like jeans and turtlenecks (+ an oversized parka) so it’s not too obvious! She also feels embarrassed to expose too much of her body!

She actually doesn’t have any hair down there. And I mean, hair doesn’t grow on that area. She also hates if her partner has body hair, but doesn’t even show it.

She is totally inexperienced and everything she knows is from Sex Education class, and knows nothing about how should she start it so... you’ll need to teach her how to do it.

If you wanna turn her on though, you should start with the neck kisses. She is very sensitive and shivers at even the slightest gust of wind. Hence why she tends to wear turtlenecks!

As you two sit on the couch while watching some romantic comedy, you pull her closer and playfully kiss her neck.

“Ah..!” She quietly moans, but then looks away in shame.

You decide to play with her a little more, giving more kisses to her neck.

“[Name]... C-could you stop, please..? I’m trying to watch the movie here...” She looks at you with a slight tinge of pink on her cheeks.

“Why should I?” You ask with a small smile. “Your reactions are cute... I just wanted to see more...”

“At least wait until we watch the movie to the end, you idiot!”

She smacks your head away and sits up, then covers her neck. You notice her ears are getting red like her cheeks, and she squirms around.

“Fleur...”

“Yes, [Name]?”

You pull her closer again and kiss her on the lips this time while slowly slipping your tongue in. A moan escapes from her lips as you put your hand on her hair and caress her head. She starts to tremble a bit, but slowly lets your tongue in. You start making out with her as she holds your hand.

Eventually, you two separate with a small popping noise and the saliva trail connecting your mouths separates as well. She covers her mouth and her cheeks are flushed in embarrassment.

“...I... haven’t done anything like this... Or felt... Ahh, my head is a mess..!” She utters while looking away.

“We can take this to the bedroom if you want...” You reply and sigh. “Do you want to continue?”

“I-I don’t know... All I know is that there is a weird feeling on my chest and I feel strange... My body feels hot and I feel hot in some.. parts on myself... What have you done to me?!”

You chuckle, clearly amused, and smile.

“So, you feel good now... Right?”

“I don’t know... It’s hot...”

You lean down to kiss her neck again, and she softly moans in response.

“[Name]... Nngh...” You hear her say while slowly putting her hand on your head. She then starts patting your head as you leave more kisses to her collarbone.

“We should probably take this to the bedroom~” You whisper in her ear.

She looks around and glances at her brother who is sleeping on the couch. Then she looks back at you and nods.

“L-let’s go...”

As for aftercare, she will immediately head to the shower to get cleaned herself first. If you want to join her, she will simply push you away until she is done. Then she will clean up the bath after herself and let you in. (Unless you want to initiate another round there... 😳 Then she might let you in... 50/50!)

Will do the deed if you are close enough #10! She isn’t afraid to attack you if you are a complete stranger to her, and certainly isn’t afraid to tell her brother about the matter. So if you even try to get intimate with her without getting to know each other, she won’t be afraid to use violence. (And she is the type of person who is usually against violence!)

⚠️ NO: Oof... A lot of ‘no’s coming from her... But to name a few; golden showers, unprotected sex, semi-public sex, exhibitionism, rope tying and blood sports.

🪄 Case 12: Sorrel Valentino Dominique

[Sorry, I’m not going to drop our dearest magician’s facts until I drop his profile! Please be patient! :3]

#twisted wonderland smut #twst smut #twst oc smut

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love-for-faeries-go-burrrr · 9 months

Text

Mistletoe

Warning: Fluff, Kiss, OC X Rocket, sometime between GOTG & Infinity War.

Peter adored the mistletoe he hanged in a common hall of the Milano, he just loved the idea of getting to give Gamora a cheeky kiss with putting all the blame on tradition.

But Peter also had a devilish idea in mind for his furry best friend. Although it was hilarious for the idea of Drax acting like he would kiss Rocket, and Rocket threatening to shoot Drax in the face, he imagined his half-sister Rose placing a kiss on his flustered best friend Rocket.

It had been sometime since the Ego ordeal, Ego confirming to Peter and Rose that he fathered them. Rose’s mother had committed adultery and this crushed Rose because she grew up adoring the man who raised her, always being told he was her father. Her mother never even hinting that Rose was a child of adultery. Rose was having a rough time handling this information even some time after the event took place. Although Peter in his own was hurting too, Peter hoped that the upcoming holiday spirit would increase joy.

“So…this is a Terran tradition?” Rose asked, puzzled as she stared at the mistletoe above her. Peter standing next to her with a huge smile plastered on his face, “Yep! You kiss anyone who’s under it with you, you have to it’s tradition.” Peter said proudly.

Rose blinked twice at the mistletoe above her, then looked to her half brother and best friend. “Please tell me this tradition does have exceptions for siblings.” She said with a slightly worried face. Peter’s grin vanished as he took two steps forward so he wasn’t under Rose with it anymore. “Ew! Yeah, no kissing siblings!” Peter said adamantly.

“Thank goodness,” breathed out the Princess, worried she would have to kiss her sibling in order to honor his traditions. But again proceeding her attention to the mistletoe again, as Gamora walked by. Peter’s eyes widened, “No No No-”

Gamora’s eyes widened in disbelief when she felt a kiss planted on her cheek, realistically Gamora would’ve pummeled anyone to the ground who did that to her, but her shock was a little too much. She looked at Rose, who was just simply pointing upwards at the mistletoe.

Gamora let out a light chuckle and walked towards Peter, pulling him by his shoulder and whispering in his ear, “You’re really trying to be Rocket’s wing man with this?” Gamora gave Peter a are you sure about this look.

“Okay so like- Don’t do that again, Gamora is off limits.” Peter started as he tried using hand signals to convey that like certain people were off limits, “I am very confused by your traditions,” Rose said sweetly albeit wondering how her life got to this. Simultaneously, Peter facepalmed himself.

~Time Skip~

“Yo Peter what the hell? Gamora said Rose kissed her because of you?” Rocket said walking down the hallway, unaware of the mistletoe he was standing under. Peter rolled his eyes, maintaining his distance between Rocket and the sacred tradition, “Okay to my credit, it was on the cheek.” Peter said plainly. Peter’s eyes landed on a figure behind Rocket, but Rocket too confused by what the hell Peter was playing at, he stopped his complaining and tensed when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He knew that hand, Rose? Rocket looked to his left where a now crouching Rose was, using her left hand to hold Rocket’s chin, planted a delicate kiss on Rocket’s face. It was right between the cheek and lips meet, definitely more tender than the one she gave Gamora. Rocket’s whole body froze.

You would think Rocket was a deer in the headlights, shocked by the sudden kiss and closeness of Rose. Rose smiled sweetly before patting Rocket’s head and continuing on pass Peter, as she said something about following tradition for the sake of her brother.

“What. The. Fuck.” Rocket said, his eyes practically shooting lasers to Peter, who was fawning over what just happened. “They grow up so fast!” Peter said wiping fake tears from his face. Rocket started growling at his friend, but once Peter said “Wow my sister and best bud, can’t wait for you to be an in-law”, all bets were off.

Rose sat next Mantis in the common area, hearing Rocket chase around Peter, threatening to tear him limb from limb as the sound of objects falling and breaking echoed the Milano.

“What are they fighting about?” Mantis asked sweetly. “Oh…I think Rocket doesn’t like Terran Traditions? I just followed through with what Peter taught me about his traditions.” Rose answered, chuckling as she heard Rocket say something about shoving his foot where the sun doesn’t shine if Peter doesn’t explain what an in-law is, as Peter yelled for Drax to save him.

Mantis giggled, having already been confided by Peter about his plan. “Actually I think he’s really starting to like Terran Traditions” Mantis said, her voice dripping with the emphasis of the last two words. Mantis, placing a hand on Rose’s shoulder as a huge smile crept to her face. “And I think you are too!” Mantis exclaimed to a rather confused Rose.

Taglist: @raccoonfallsharder

Here’s a pic of my darling Rose <3

#rocket raccoon #gotg fanfiction #gotg imagine #gotg oc #rocket gotg #rocket x oc #gotg #GOTG fluff #GOTG Christmas #peter quill #guardians of the galaxy

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stillresolved · 2 months

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continued from here. / @wellfell

There are always regrets to be carried. Look the past in the eye for long enough, the pile of regrets will not only grow, but most surely like a cup filled to the brim, it will overflow. And Lamon, although he seldom admits it, is overflowing with regrets. If it is not the person who now sleeps comatose in a hospital tucked into one corner of the world, then it is Robin who tells him it’s his fault, it’s his fault, everything has always been and will always be his fault– there are so many that at a certain point, he becomes numb to it all.

Perhaps it is heartless on his end. It’s his fault anyways so how he feels about it is irrelevant.

This one, however, it stings like a bee sting, even if it’s not meant to be accusatory. If Akina wanted to accuse him of something, she would have done so already. Refreshing isn’t the only taste asperity can bring in.

He tears his eyes away from the sea, looking at her. “I didn’t realize you felt that way back then.” I wish you told me, he should say. No, I wish I realized sooner. No point in taking on or shoving off the weight of the past, is there? “I didn’t hate them either; going to them was my best chance at finding you.” Seeing her, to be exact, without hackling on Robin’s hair tightening nerves. No one would think twice about him almost exclusively hanging out with Akina or about Akina not getting in on the action for once if everyone else was already hooking up with someone else or drunk out of their minds. In Robin’s case it was both.

Her hair, long, black and always shining whether it’s immaculately placed or tousled, makes a curtain as both the sea and her confession roars between them. Was this what she’s been thinking about the whole time? Is this what Akina thought about this entire time when she looks at him? No this shouldn’t be surprising in the least. If anything, it’s what he’s known this entire time– what his younger self was too cowardly to confirm himself.

But he’s not that person anymore. And the Lamon of now doesn’t try to shy away from the guilt that accompanies the truth either.

“You’re wrong about that– me not liking to spend time with you.” He says, quietly, unsurely too. Maybe the sea should drown out his voice. It sounds like a bunch of excuses coming from him. “I liked being around you back then, more so than anyone else. I still do. But back then, I just…Robin, she–” He stops himself. No, this isn’t about Robin. Or about what she made him do because at the end of the day, he did it. He lets go of Akina’s hand and tucks the thick matte of her hair behind her ear. “I wasn’t able to decide for myself what I wanted and who I wanted to be around. Robin knew that and made the decision for me. You ended up hurt because of that– my indecision. I ended up hurting you.”

He bows his head. The sea breeze blows between them. His stomach sinks, an anchor dropped into the bottomless waters. “I’m sorry, Akina.”

#wellfell #resurgam ( lamon. )#( interactions. )#interactions ( lamon. )#( verse: cull the shame. )#HAHAHAHAHA *cries*#is this a...confession 👀👀👀#also nassy i know ur birthday was this week #so uh...HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!#i hope it was a good one <3

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forevermore-quoth-the-kitten · 2 years

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Curse Of Reincarnation 2

Leigh had just returned from work at the bakery, entering quietly as always, and she quickly realized you were on the phone. She paused in the door to take her shoes off to be quiet, smiling as your laughter reached her ears. “Guys! Guys, oh my gosh you didn’t!” who were you talking to- “Mammon oh my gosh, move! I can’t see- ASMO NO!” you shrieked, sounding so happy, and she’d stopped cold in her tracks. It couldn’t be, there was no way- “Lucifer, no, leave the baby alone!” you yelled, sounding upset and she clenched her hands, nails digging into her palms to avoid saying anything. Something must have been said back because you gasped dramatically. “I don’t care if he’s a giant three headed hellhound, and I don't care if he’s supposed to be yours or anyone else's! That’s just a puppy! He’s my good little baby, isn’t he?!” you start cooing, obviously at the hellhound in question, calling him ‘mommy’s baby’. She doesn’t listen to much more of your words, anger filling her ears with static.

Lucifer? Hurting anyone, much less any sort of animal? It was utterly unthinkable. ‘That bastard’ she thought, beyond furious. Her brother would never, meaning he’d been changed. Knowing him, it had to be that bastard’s fault. If even Lucifer had changed, then it meant all of them had. “Damn you Diavolo.” she whispered under her breath before steadying herself and her emotions. “Hey! I’m back from work!” she called, using the silence in your conversation she waited for to call out, pretending as if she’d heard nothing.

“Just a minute, Leigh!” you call back and she quickly leaves her shoes by the door before walking over toward the kitchen for a drink. “Sorry, I had to finish up the call I was on with a few friends.”

“Oh? Who was it? You don’t really talk to anyone from highschool anymore.” Leigh says nonchalantly, forcing herself to act normal, be curious, even as she still seethed.

“Ah, it was actually some of the students from RAD.” you said carefully, trying to be gentle on the topic that still got a reaction from her. She hated how she couldn’t hide her reaction to you about RAD or those demons, she further cursed herself as she flinched.

“Ah, I see. Well I’m glad you were having fun.” you looked relieved at her calm acceptance, a bit pensive but happy you believed her and were growing used to the fact.

“Actually, we were talking and I was hoping that it would be ok since you seemed ok now when i talk about it-’ she froze, horror filling her, water at her lips. “-but we were hoping that they could come over for dinner? They’re really good friends and I’d love for you to meet them. They want to meet you too, I talked about you all the time when I was in the Devildom.” she looked at you, hiding bubbling anger behind a wall of shock. How dare they. How dare they even suggest leaving that wretched place and coming up here!

“The- demons? Up here? That’s a bit hard to believe.” She managed to laugh after a moment, it was weak and nervous, but it was the best she could do to avoid breaking her glass in a fit. You look nervous, but hopeful, so hopeful and concerned for her.

“I know, and I know how you feel, but please. They’re nice, so give them a chance?” You two agreed as very young adults when your parents died in a house robbery while you two were at school that you would never let any man into your house for safety reasons, and other guests still had to be approved by you both before being allowed over. You never quite understood her caution, sometimes why she wouldn’t let certain people over. But magic users were her greatest fear, she’d been found out by several magic users by accident over her many lives and none of those lives ended well. She can’t even imagine what it would be like letting demons into your house. . . but- something else pushed its way through her

“I- well, I haven’t met them, but I guess I wouldn’t meet them until they came over.” she finds herself whispering. “Give me a little time to-” she can’t even finish her sentence, but you’re beaming and too happy to notice the weight to her voice. “Excuse me, I'm headed to my room for a bit.” you look a bit sheepish and guilty, but you nod and she darts out past you. The rushed walk to her room is a blur, only coming back to clarity when she’s leaning back on her closed door. Your friends. You’d just been talking to her brothers- she could see her brothers again? Even if they were different, she needed to make sure they were ok.

It took her a minute to realize she was crying, the hot tears on her cheeks the signal that made it register. “My big brothers.” she whispered to herself before she wiped her eyes and heaved a breath. Diavolo and the royal family were the only ones who could open the portals to the human realm, so knowing him and his arrogance, whatever he actually had planned with the ‘program’ of his, he’d be coming too. “I can do this. I can handle being around him for them.” she told herself before opening the door to go to the bathroom. She needed to wash her face and clean the small wounds on her hands from her nails.

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To Be Continued

Part 1

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darkhymns-fic · 11 months

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Being an angel is pretty inconvenient, huh? (Ch. 4)

As Lloyd and Colette try to figure out their next step, they decide to meet up with their friends. Maybe, with them, they'll find the answer they need. [A Lloyd wingfic]

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving, Raine Sage, Genis Sage, Zelos Wilder, Sheena Fujibayashi, Regal Bryant, Presea Combatir Rating: T Word Count: 8117 Mirror: AO3 Notes: For Colloyd Week 2023, Day 4: Soulmates! Introducing the entire party here because they’re all soulmates. ;D

Once he got older, Genis became way more susceptible to colds.

So, before they arrived in Flanoir earlier this week, Raine made sure that they both were better dressed for the weather; their thick cloaks made from those peculiar Penquinist quills (they had amassed a collection of them, somehow), and a snow hat that covered Genis’ ears while hers was a simple hood, with only a fur trim as any sort of decoration. Mittens were also a necessity, though Genis’ were about a half-size too big.

Either way, he was already sneezing once he got back from his routine food shopping, shivering as the snow piled high past his shins.

He remembered when he didn’t care about the cold at all! And when he used to easily run through the snow and lob snowballs at Lloyd’s face like it was nothing. Is this what happens when one becomes older? Even a slight breeze now made him shiver.

Growing older, but not -growing-, he thought grumpily. He was waiting for that growth spurt any day now!

Still, he would weather the worst blizzard in the world to make sure he didn’t let his sister cook.

“Hey there!” called the innkeeper, waving in Genis from the front desk once he opened the door. “Miss Raine just came in earlier.”

The fireplace from the foyer was already giving the inside that nice, toasty warmth. He was tempted to take off his hat, but the ear flaps gave him a degree of security, even more than his long hair—even if the innkeeper had been friendly to them for a while now. It was hard to break habits.

“Hopefully she didn’t come in with extra groceries,” he said with a sigh. He placed the bags of food on the far side of the counter. “I’ll need the kitchen again for tonight, if that’s okay.”

“Sure, but you do know we offer our meals here…”

Genis shrugged, moving his cloak to let his arms free, feeling the dampness of the snow from his shoulders instantly melt away. “Gotta make sure my cooking skills aren’t rusty.” Besides, this way he could also ensure no one messed with their food, even if the innkeeper was kind. It didn’t mean other guests in the inn thought of half-elves with as much graciousness.

“Well, I’m sure your friend will appreciate the meal! Makes sense to want to whip up something for the occasion.”

This made Genis pause for a moment. Facing the innkeeper, his hat idly began to slip down the right side of his head. “Who?”

“Oh, I believed you knew. Your sister had someone with her…I recognize her, I think. The girl with blonde hair?”

Now, Genis was no longer his twelve-year old kid self. After one whole year, he had very much matured, changed his clothes (slightly), and was no longer as excitable about certain things. He could be as calm and collected as his sister, at least when ruins weren’t involved. He could take this piece of news in stride.

But even he was surprised when he found his legs climbing up the stairs, straight to the second floor and the door on the far right that was his and Raine’s room.

He already saw Colette in the hallway; her stance, the way she idly clasped her hands behind her back, how she tilted her head as she spoke, all of it instantly recognizable.

When she turned, Genis had rushed forward, nearly slipping in his damp snow boots. “Colette! You’re here!”

“Genis!” The girl giggled when he crashed into her for a hug, and both would have gone tumbling down to the floor were it not for Raine gently catching Colette by the shoulders. But with Colette laughing along with Genis, the Professor could hardly find it in herself to rebuke her happy brother.

“We haven’t seen you since catching up with everyone in Meltokio!” Genis finally let Colette go, his grin stretching his cheeks so far, but the ache was good. “Are you still searching for the Exspheres? And where’s Lloyd? Is he with you?”

“If you let Colette speak for a few seconds, she might be able to answer your questions.” Raine sighed, quickly taking off his hat before it could fall to the floor in a soggy mess. “Colette, I figured you’d want to mention it to him?”

“Ah, yes…” Colette moved back a lock of her hair behind her ear, shifting her right boot on the hardwood floor. Small, nervous gestures, the kind Genis hadn’t seen for so long. “Lloyd’s here! Um, Raine’s last letter said you were heading to Flanoir so we wanted to catch up…” She hesitated, eyes flicking towards the door nearby. “And we wanted to talk to you both about something.”

Raine nodded, though she was even quieter than Genis would expect from her seeing their dear friends again. “I am glad you came to us about it.”

“…Am I going to be filled in or…?” With that, Colette jumped a bit, then moved over to the door to give a small knock.

“Lloyd! Are you ready?”

The silence stretched for just a second too long before out came the voice Genis had known for over half of his life. “Yeah, I guess so.”

And even as Colette carefully turned the doorknob, Genis could hardly wait. He pushed on it quickly, feeling the weight of Lloyd’s absence throughout the year, so badly wanting to see his friend again.

“Hey, Lloyd! Does this mean you’ve been sleeping in again?” Genis reflexively teased, preparing himself for an embrace or even a ruffling of his hair—and he’d accept that from Lloyd the most, had missed it more than he expected. But what he saw was an open window facing him that let the snow in and counter any warmth that came from the heaters affixed to the wall. He found his friend kneeling on the rooftop just in sight, letting the snow powder his hair and his wings.

The last time Genis saw his friend’s wings, they had been as blue as the ocean. But now, they blended with the snow far too easily. And—wait. They were different.

“Lloyd?”

And finally, Lloyd turned to face him, a quiet hesitance in his motions, an uncertainty that was unlike him. But, once Lloyd met his eyes, a sheepish grin broke out, highlighting the red flush on his cheeks and the tip of his nose from the cold. He lifted a gloved hand in a wave.

“Heh, it’s good to see you. How are—?”

And then he interrupted himself with the loudest sneeze to echo across the rooftops and, perhaps, the entire city.

Genis was quick to make everyone tea, even when Raine had offered to make it herself. The heater within their room made it possible, and there were plenty of nights where she would brew her favorite herbal mixture herself, complete with lemon, and a few experimental spices to help her stay awake through the night as she assessed their next plans for their own journey.

Her brother was adamant though as he took the clay cups and set about brewing. Colette and Lloyd, who still sat just outside the window, both looked relieved. A year apart certainly didn’t change most people’s expectations of her.

But maybe that was why they thought to come to her first. It warmed her down to her chill fingers. “It’s a curious phenomenon,” she said, her eyes fixated on Lloyd as she and the others sat at a small table. “As if you’re undergoing your own angel transformation. Can you still eat well? Or sleep?”

Lloyd nodded. He sat on a small, curved slant of the roof, his red jacket peppered with so much white, it was nearly dyed in it completely. “I still eat, and I don’t get sick from it either. Sleeping’s hard, but only because it’s not really comfortable to lay down on my back… I always need to sleep on my side.”

Raine gripped her clay cup, the green tea already half-drunk. “And your sense of touch?”

Lloyd sneezed again as if on cue, sniffling. “If you mean I can still feel this cold, then yep!”

“It does seem like everything else is still normal for Lloyd,” Colette added. She was closest to the window, shivering occasionally from a breeze, but never moving away. “At least, it’s not like what happened with me.”

“An effect of his Exsphere…” Raine mused aloud. She looked again towards the window, Lloyd hunched onto the roof as great wings extended from his back. They were exactly like a bird’s, though ornithology was not exactly her strongest subject, so she could not say which species it resembled…

“Lloyd, can you get in here already?” Genis grumped from the table. He folded his arms, back to wrapping his cloak around himself tightly. In front of him were two clay cups, one of them still full. “You’re letting all the heat out!”

“H-Hey! I’d like to be inside!” Lloyd pouted, then turned away as if he was suddenly interested in the view of the snowy city. “I just. Um. Can’t.”

Genis gave a curious blink. “You can’t?”

Lloyd’s only answer was to pout more and stay engrossed in his scenic view.

“His wings make it hard to,” Colette explained helpfully. “We forgot the windows here can be kind of small.”

Lloyd tapped his foot against the roof tiles before giving a groan. “I don’t know how to fold in these wings right! They’re so bulky and dumb!” Then he sighed. “Even if I went in through the front door, I doubt I’d fit. And putting on clothes is such a pain.”

“Yeah, we had to cut holes in his shirt for his wings to slip through,” Colette said with a giggle.

“And it was still a really tight fit!”

Raine could only feel sympathy for these two, to not only endure a fearful transformation by themselves, with no medical help at all, but to know that they will have to live with the consequences of it. Colette had been vague on the details as well when they chatted before Genis arrived. She hadn’t been sure how Lloyd’s wings changed from just pure mana to feathers and bone, only that it had, and how Lloyd suffered from the effects.

She knew, going from Colette’s nervous fiddling with her hands, that it must have been much worse than that. And now, to see them both try to make light of the situation with small complaints.

There was a reason they came here.

“Lloyd,” she said, standing up from her chair and setting her tea back on the table. She reached for her oak-carved staff that had been leaning against the table. “Can I examine them?” She would also feel much better if she could confirm that his wounds had actually healed up like Colette claimed.

Her past student looked at her curiously, and maybe with a little trepidation, but it wasn’t long before he moved to swing his legs to be parallel to the group, with at least his right wing more in focus. Flurries of snow whisked around from the motion, his wings still half-outstretched. How much of its color was from the snow or his feathers?

“Uh, I still can’t really bring them in… Is this okay?”

She nodded. “That’s fine.” Once Raine was closer, she pressed a hand to her chin, leaning forward to examine the structure of those wings. Again, ornithology was not her strongest subject, but she remembered Lloyd’s early mana wings—and the shape was so similar.

She saw his jacket as well, the fabric ripped around where his wings connected to his back. She could see the clumsy attempts at sewing, could already guess that Lloyd had been wearing this exact clothing when his transformation occurred. She held tight to her staff, and performed a cursory healing arte over him, as she used to do whenever he got himself into trouble.

Lloyd moved as the familiar green aura of her arte flowed over him, but she saw no expression of discomfort. There had been some muscle tearing that had not completely healed, but otherwise, she didn’t need to expend much energy. It must be his Exsphere, she wondered.

Still, even after finishing her spell, she couldn’t help but keep examining. “In order for this to function as it is, your anatomy would have changed. The ulna should be here…” Raine pointed near the top center of his right wing, seeing exactly which feathers would connect with the bone. “And you seem to have the right amount of primaries…”

“Uh, what?” Lloyd hedged, looking lost and still shivering from the cold. “So…you’re saying it’s like a bird, right?”

“Did you have trouble flying up here?” Raine continued to ask, already focused on this new subject.

“Kind of… I almost fell right off but I think that’s because it’s really icy up here.”

Raine pondered on this even more, counting the feathers. “Your original wings would have drawn on the strength of your Exsphere, and use your mana to create its form, otherwise it would be impossible to fly. Your new wings must be made of mana as well, except it’s been made physical…or perhaps, permanent is the better word for it. Your body must be constantly emitting more mana…and because of that, it’s altered your body to accommodate this new form.”

Another stare, one that made Lloyd look around nervously. His wings were indeed solid, no longer translucent. But, perhaps she needed to be sure.

“Can I have one of your feathers to study?” she asked.

“T-That’s gonna hurt!” Lloyd quickly countered, his voice raising up a pitch.

“So, does that mean the nervous system also extends to your wings? Fascinating… Or perhaps it’s better to say your mana is a part of that system.”

“Of course I’m nervous! I don’t want you ripping my feathers off!”

“Lloyd,” Genis sighed. “That’s not what she means.”

Though he didn’t look very much convinced, Lloyd untensed his body, giving a small sigh. “I mean…you might get one of these dumb feathers anyway with how they’ve been acting.”

“Oh?” Raine raised an eyebrow.

“We think Lloyd’s wings have been molting,” Colette said from her seat. She got up quickly to gesture at a wingtip. “A bunch of feathers fell off him on the way. See? These ones are new!”

“Colette, don’t say thaaat. It makes me sound weird…”

“Wow, Lloyd. You must really be growing up!” Genis’ tease rolled off his tongue naturally as he also walked up to Lloyd, handing him a cup of tea. “At least drink this so your insides can stop freezing.”

Face red in embarrassment as he turned awkwardly, Lloyd took the cup. His wings raised slightly, arced over him like clouds. They were really fascinating, and beautiful.

She had thought the same of Colette’s wings too, before quickly remembering the pain she endured. Back then, she felt helpless, as if she had to accept the way things were.

“Lloyd, Colette…” she started, catching everyone’s attention. “I am flattered that you came to us for help. But how much I know about the effects of Exspheres and your Cruxis Crystals is only as much as you. Someone like Yuan would most likely be far more helpful.”

“Well, we came to you because you’re a… Um…” Lloyd scrunched his face, one hand gripping his hair. The action instantly reminded Raine of when he was younger, wracking his brain so hard for an answer to her questions. “Um! You’re a scrawler! And you always seem to have really good ideas about complicated stuff…”

“…Did you mean to call me a scholar?”

“Is that not what I said?”

Genis tried badly to hide his laughter with his hand.

“No, you didn’t.” Lloyd had truly taught her patience more than any of her students. “Do you know what a scholar is?”

She could already see he didn’t, yet Lloyd answered her quickly all the same. “No, but…that’s what you told me when Colette was turning into an angel.”

Ah, so he remembered too. Of course, he would.

“Also, Professor…” Colette added, her voice soft. “We weren’t sure it was good to hide something this important from you. And, we missed you both so much, too.”

Lloyd shifted to face them fully again, rubbing the back of his neck. The steam from his cup had long blown away from the winter breeze. “I wanted to hide it, at first…I guess I still kinda do. But, I also wanted you guys to know, if that makes sense?”

Genis was quiet at first before he went over to Lloyd to give him a big hug, arms encircling the other’s neck. “You guys are such dorks. Did you think we’d see you any different? You’re still the same blockhead I’ve always known.”

“Gee, thanks.” Still, Raine caught the smile from Lloyd, one of relief. He hugged Genis back with one arm, though awkwardly with his big wings still making even the smallest movements a struggle.

“I think, still, it would be good to seek out Yuan eventually,” she added. “As the only member of Cruxis left here, he very well may have some answers.” Then she shrugged. “But, if you would like to have some more second opinions…”

A soft meow floated in the room.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Colette’s apology was instinct, as was her hands reaching for a nearby basket that she had placed on one of the beds. “I forgot to introduce you all to Blippy! He was just napping.”

Raine watched curiously as a small kitten poked its head from the basket. Its white paws looked soft as they clung to the rim of the basket opening, golden eyes shining. She couldn’t help but smile. “I nearly forgot you have a new traveling partner with you both. You’re not just naming animals, but taking them in now?”

“Just this one.” Colette gave the little kitty a pet just near the ears.

But Colette had mentioned earlier how Lloyd had gone to save this animal—and how his wings formed right after. How such an event triggered the process, she still couldn’t really identify. Yet that must have been the key.

“Hey, little guy…” Genis cooed as he went to pet the creature. It mewled for more pets, but its bright eyes kept swerving to Lloyd, who stayed seated within the window, his wings framing the archway.

“Hey, Professor,” Lloyd began to ask, his eyes fixed on the kitten. “By second opinions, do you mean…?”

She nodded. “I think you can assume. I know our friends would do all they could to help.”

There were few times Raine had ever seen her student so off-balanced before, to be so unsure. Discovering Colette’s condition, finding out who Kratos truly was; those were the events where she had seen Lloyd so lost. And now, once more, with those wings upon his back. But she knew more support from those that cared for Lloyd would be more important than anything.

“Oh, look!” Colette pointed at Lloyd’s feet. Raine still didn’t see anything unusual until Colette continued. “Another feather fell off. Maybe the Professor could have it?”

“No way the Professor actually wants that!” Lloyd argued, then paused. “Like, really?”

Raine took a moment. “Just as I assumed, it doesn’t dematerialize like the feathers of your other wings…”

Lloyd stared at her with wide eyes, as if she had grown three extra heads. Then with a groan, he bent to pick up the stray feather on the ground, already damp from the snow. He held it out to Raine. “Just take it!”

Raine shifted her staff to her other hand, sighing. “I wouldn’t take it if you were truly that uncomfortable.”

There was red all over Lloyd’s cheeks; from the cold, or from shame? She couldn’t really say. Even with time passed, he still seemed like the rowdy child that would sleep during her class, whose eyes would shine with pride when she complimented his craftsmanship for his woodworking projects.

“I mean…I guess it makes me feel better you’re not weirded out by this then.” The white feather stayed balanced in his hand. “So, I don’t mind. Really. Besides, you’re a scholar. You should have it.”

While Raine suspected he still didn’t quite know what that word meant, she smiled as she accepted the feather. It was warm, made of solidified mana, its energy dancing across her skin. How something so beautiful could have caused so much pain, she thought, and knew Lloyd needed more time to heal.

Hopefully, this was the first step.

When Zelos first saw Lloyd’s wings, he was completely silent.

It must have been just plain dumb luck that both Lloyd and Colette came to Mizuho on another of his diplomatic visits. It made sense why they went here first instead of a place like Meltokio; a secret village should be able to keep one more secret, even if that secret was a giant pair of wings that looked ready to break through Sheena’s paper walls if Lloyd so much as even turned his head wrong.

Honestly, not the first thing Zelos expected when he first walked into the room today of Sheena’s home today. He had also noticed the usually well-hidden wall panel had been half-open, as if someone struggled through it.

“Uh, hey, Zelos?” Lloyd greeted, waving.

“Hi, Zelos!” Colette smiled wide, kneeling on the mat alongside Lloyd, their hands close to one another.

Sheena, meanwhile, was parallel to them, facing Zelos with a grim expression. Also, one of Lloyd’s wings was practically touching the top of her head—the wingtip, specifically. She cleared her throat, her cheeks a little red, but that was it.

Still being quiet, Zelos squatted to the floor, arms laying against his knees so that his hands stayed limp. He stared Lloyd right in the face, squinting his eyes.

Lloyd flinched. “L-Look, if it’s about my—”

With no warning, Zelos reached over with one hand and grabbed at the right wing, pulling it close. “What’s with the costume, bud?”

“Ow! Hey, knock it off!”

“Zelos!” Colette’s hands placed themselves on Zelos’ arm, pushing him gently. “Please, they can be very sensitive!”

“Sensitive? Isn’t this just—?” But Zelos barely got out another word before he was interrupted by a fist to his stomach.

Man, he hadn’t even heard Sheena get up. She certainly got better at being stealthy…

“How is that the first thing you do, idiot?” Sheena growled out. “You’re so thoughtless!”

Zelos hacked and coughed as he tried to get up from the floor, but Sheena’s punch had done a number on his solar plexus. Through the hazy vision of pain, he could see Colette patting away the ruffled feathers of Lloyd’s wing, and Lloyd himself a little red in the face and looking all shades of embarrassed. His other wing flapped slightly, making the paper walls vibrate from the sudden wind.

“Hold on…those are real?” Another cough as he wrapped his arms around his stomach. Did Sheena’s punch just tear a hole inside him? She must have been even angrier than usual…

“We were just going to tell you that!” Sheena’s fists were shaking, but oh, she was ready to deal another hit and his stomach was not ready for that. “Why can’t you ever keep your hands to yourself?”

Zelos was still trying to find enough air to even apologize, but the best he could do was wave an arm, hoping Sheena would interpret that as a surrender and not…the opposite. For the love of Martel, not the opposite. “I…I get it! Just…Oh, I’m gonna throw up.”

Thankfully, he did not throw up. He just needed a few minutes to recover, and soon enough, he was kneeling on a mat like the rest of his friends. His gorgeous hair was a little worse for wear now, and maybe he had to hiccup every once in a while from his trauma, but he was ready to properly greet his friends!

“Sooo what is up with those things?”

Colette made a concerned hum, steepling her fingers. Sheena cracked her knuckles.

“What?! It’s a valid question!”

“No, he’s right…” Lloyd sighed, shifting around to get more comfortable. One far edge of his right wing accidentally knocked askew one of the calligraphy wall scrolls from their hangings. “Agh, dammit.”

“We can start from the beginning,” spoke Colette.

Zelos noted how she was the only one to relay all the events that led up to Lloyd’s new look. How Lloyd had to play hero for a kitten, and how he had been unable to move for days afterward. The transformation had been instantaneous, but not without long-lasting pain. Oh, and he could still fly. Kind of. But he couldn’t make the wings go away at all.

All throughout, he kept an eye on Lloyd, who was pointedly looking at no one if he could help it. And he was doing it while his legs were probably going numb from the constant kneeling.

Zelos’ first question was obvious!

“Where’s this kitty anyway?” He looked around the room, as if it was hiding in the nearby futon, or maybe inside that weird lucky doll that Sheena told him to stop making fun of.

“Playing with the Chief,” Sheena said. He swore he could hear the smirk in her voice. “He loves cats. Can barely pry the two apart.”

That wasn’t fair. Zelos didn’t even get to pet this so incredibly important kitty…

It was clear they had already talked about this with Sheena for a while. Lloyd was still looking uncomfortable, until he then decided to sit cross-legged instead, making his wings bonk against Sheena’s head, against the wall, and against Colette’s back, who went to pat it like she was patting something normal, like his shoulder.

Lloyd’s discomfort with his wings was also not exactly a secret. Zelos could understand the sentiment—except this was worse, wasn’t it?

Imagine if he had to have his wings out, permanently, like those lifeless dolls back on Welgaia. That must have been what Lloyd was thinking too.

“We had people from Mizuho search through the rubble of the Tower of Salvation,” Sheena was speaking, hands placed on her knees. She was the only one sitting properly now, even Colette had to give up, still patting Lloyd’s wings of any aches. "We did that to find any records on Cruxis and their organization. Most of that information was on their machines powered by magitechnology, which were destroyed… But I remember they had a lot of books too, like in those rooms back in Vinheim. There…might be something we can find what to do about your…”

Lloyd scratched his thumb against the back of his Exsphere, still avoiding looking at anyone. “Yeah.”

“You’re already banking that there’s no cure.”

He could feel icy daggers staring into him, usually the warning signs for an incoming slap to the face. But Lloyd flinched, and Colette looked to Lloyd with all the love she felt for him, so apparent in her eyes. Poor kids. After just a year or so into their own journey, something like this had to happen to them.

“I guess if I thought there was, you’d know about it already,” Lloyd admitted.

Zelos chuckled. He planted his hands behind him against the mat, stretching out his back and still trying to find some relief for the fistprint Sheena had left over his stomach. “I did hang around Welgaia a lot when I was working for Pronyma. She usually had one or two angels around, and they always had those same types of wings.” He thought back to the memory, hazy things now. They were better forgotten, but he’d try and recall for his best bud. “Never saw one without them. But, they weren’t exactly all there to want to get rid of them either.”

Lloyd grimaced. “They used their wings too much, so now they’re stuck with it.”

“Yeah. But that was after, like, centuries of using their mana for flight. I think some of them got theirs sooner than others. And you’ve been using yours for, what, a year max?” Zelos leaned forward again, one arm laying on a knee. “Sounds like you were just unlucky.”

There it was. The little frown, the aggravation in Lloyd’s voice that let him know his friend still had it in him. “Thanks, Zelos. That’s super helpful of you. Definitely.”

“I was just giving my perspective!”

“Well, we’re not just going to leave Lloyd to deal with this himself!” Sheena was still a few feet across from Zelos, but she’d be able to close the distance in one fell swoop if she got angry enough. “Cruxis had so many angels, they had to have treatment for some of them in their history if their wings got damaged.”

“But is that the actual reason you guys are here?” Zelos slid through effectively, still watching the way Colette touched Lloyd’s wings. Gently. Carefully. As if they were made of glass or porcelain. She was the only one to have seen them when they were first made after all, so maybe they really were that fragile. “Or is it because you missed seeing the Great Zelos? And you’ve come to seek comfort in my masculine arms!”

Colette didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, yeah! That’s pretty much why we came.”

Even after all this time, Zelos was never prepared for her nonplussed answers. “…Really?”

“Not like that!” Lloyd countered pretty aggressively. Ouch. “I mean…we haven’t seen the both of you in so long, especially with all the work you guys do. And also, because…”

Colette finished for him. “We wanted you to know about this too with Lloyd. We don’t expect you to know the answers, just… It’s important to know.”

Important to know. Zelos internalized those words, given by the one he most admired. If it had been himself subjected to his wings going wrong, he’d have gone off the map and never looked back.

Imagine trusting your friends this much. He still had some things to learn about that.

With a small show of bravery, maybe from her time as Chief, Sheena reached out to grasp hold of Lloyd’s hand. There were a few feathers stuck in her hair, which she must have noticed but didn’t make any attempt to brush off. “We’re always going to accept you, Lloyd. No matter what happens. We’ll still try to find out if there’s some way to deal with this, but I and the entire village of Mizuho got your back.”

“Uh, thanks!” Lloyd blurted out. “I didn’t mean for this to be a big deal…”

“Bud, you got a whole new pair of appendages on your back and they ain’t the glowing kind anymore. It’s kind of a big deal. But, this just means I gotta watch out for you even more! Hugs!”

“Ow, watch the wings! No, don’t touch that!”

Even with Lloyd whining while he pulled him, Colette, and Sheena into a group hug. He meant what he said. He needed to watch out for Lloyd now, and any person that gave him a hard time with his wings was going to have to answer to Zelos. If I had paid more attention back then, maybe I’d have an answer for him, he thought. I should have done better.

Could have’s, would have’s, should have’s. No need to dwell on the past. He could help Lloyd now, as he promised he always would when a certain country hick decided to place his faith in him.

And a little group hug was never a bad thing! But tell that to Sheena’s slap, which sent his cheek burning. Hey, worth it though.

Before Lloyd and Colette would leave on the next stop of their trip, Sheena had pulled Colette aside, squeezing the girl’s hand.

“Colette, was it bad?” she asked. They were outside of the village gates, Lloyd a bit off in the distance with Zelos, subjected to listening to the once-Chosen’s nonsense. The little kitty named Blippy (such a Colette-name, of course) was being petted by Zelos who had insisted he’d be allowed to before they left. “I feel like you skipped out on some details earlier.”

Her friend smiled, but it was a smile that Lloyd had once said was the kind to hide away pain. It didn’t last long though, as Colette let it fall with the sound of the crickets nearby. “There was a lot of blood,” she whispered. “He healed up, but…for a while, I was really worried.”

Sheena had made a promise to herself that she wouldn’t let Colette suffer alone, not after seeing everything that had happened to her. And Colette had their friends, she had Lloyd, and she even had Zelos, the numbskull that he was.

But Sheena wanted to also be useful.

She pulled Colette in a hug, letting the girl rest her head on her shoulder. She had to admit that Zelos had the right idea, that sometimes being able to be vulnerable like this with one another was okay. She felt Colette’s hands press against her back, absorbing the warmth she needed, the calm she needed. Sometimes, she felt so frail that a strong gust of wind could knock her down.

When Sheena stepped back, she then slipped a precious item into Colette’s palm. “Take this for luck,” she said. It was a small wooden charm, its top side engraved with curving letters. “And seriously, come back to us for anything at all, okay?”

Colette gazed at the charm, long enough for the crickets to finish their song, and for the warbling nightbirds to come out. “Thank you so much, Sheena. I promise we’ll come back!”

Yet, there was a part of Sheena, as he gazed at Colette’s smile, that wanted to go with them, that wanted to travel and make sure they would be okay, to watch how else Lloyd’s wings would shift or change. But she knew she had her own responsibilities.

And she knew Zelos felt the same, or why else was he hanging around Lloyd and trying to get the kitty to like him, and insisted to walk them off to the fields and watch them leave, probably until they were nothing but specks in the distance?

Hopefully, the next time won’t be after another year.

Ozette was still in the middle of Lezareno’s rebuilding efforts. It was a massive undertaking, even with Regal’s unending resources. The small town had been built within giant tree boughs, which some had been burnt to the ground by Cruxis’ attack. Sometimes, remains could still be found underneath the wreckage, and the magical fire that had been used had even rendered some of the soil lifeless, which called for massive replacements. It was a hard task, but one that both Regal and Presea were dedicated to.

It wasn’t often he visited, or even could. There was usually so much in Altamira that needed his attention now, including the shutdown of all the Exsphere mines his company had managed. But it was routine by now to check up on both the project and his friend, and he always made time in his schedule for it. Even compared to Altamira’s continuously sunny skies, he had long grown used to the shadowed grounds of the forest, the soft solitude of it, and the mist always in the far reaches of the gargantuan trees.

It was on one of these visits that he saw a peculiar sight above, easier to see against the tree trunks and the dark. The familiar pink glow which trailed stardust in the air, and then the shape of white wings, which tried to flap in sync with the pink. Tried, but did not always succeed.

“You have more company, it looks like,” he told Presea, who had gone to sweep away the fallen leaves over her father’s grave.

She followed his gaze, and the warmth in her eyes made her face glow. A year, and she was regaining her emotions more easily now. But, there was also concern. She had noticed, too.

When Lloyd and Colette descended to the ground, it was with a little trepidation. Lloyd had nearly stumbled to his side before Colette reached out an arm to grab him, all while she carried a basket in the other. The wings on his back flapped, their height reaching past his head.

“Regal! Presea!” Colette called out eagerly, and maybe Lloyd would have done the same if he weren’t still trying to get his wings to stay level and not pull him back to the ground.

“Hey!” Lloyd later joined in. “Uh, guess this is one way to show you… We would have used the Rheairds, but the trees here make it hard to turn in them.”

Even with later explanations, it wasn’t long before Regal surmised what had happened.

“I am sorry you had to go through such an ordeal, Lloyd,” he said, his tone grievous. In the shadows of Ozette’s trees, the fireflies were numerous, casting their glow on everyone’s faces. He saw how one of the insects flitted around Lloyd’s wings, which despite the lack of light, still seemed to shine so brightly in the dark from its white coloring. “I have noticed the angels we fought would have similar wings, but I’m afraid I never delved into why that was.”

“I didn’t really think much about it either,” Lloyd said with a small laugh. “We were fighting them so much at the time. It was hard to think of them as…” He stopped, thinking.

“To think of them as like us,” Presea finished for him. Throughout the past year, she had finally started to age, her height finally reaching past an inch or two, certainly already taller than Genis. “They were our enemies. It was only natural to see them as that and not much more.”

Lifeless enemies. Emotionless. With wings of solid feathers and bones that they were forced to carry, with never a complaint. A year before, Regal had been so bogged down by his own guilt, seeking punishment so deeply to escape any more responsibility, that he could hardly notice the suffering of those people. Enemies or otherwise.

“Have you tried removing your Exsphere?” Regal asked. “With your key crest still intact, it should hopefully be safe to do so.”

A small nervous fidget. Lloyd pressed his right palm over the back of his left hand. “I did. But, it doesn’t make these things go away. I’ve even had it off for a few days.”

“Perhaps it needs to be for longer?” But Regal suspected that maybe they had already considered such an option. “I understand we still don’t know the long-lasting effects of these stones. Cruxis had thousands of years to experiment with them, and we don’t know all their secrets… Except for Yuan, possibly.”

Colette made a sound then, as if finding a hidden connection that she had initially missed before. “You know, the Professor said the same thing.”

“Did she?” Regal smiled fondly, wondering if the next letter he’d receive from her would discuss this very same subject. “Well, seeing as he is the only connection to Cruxis left, it would make sense.”

Lloyd sighed. “I guess so.”

“You would rather not then?”

“Agh, maybe? I… I don’t know!” Lloyd crossed his arms. The fabric of his jacket creaked, particularly from the back of it. Regal could see some tearing, how some of it had been mended, if a bit messily. “I don’t…know what I’m looking for.”

Regal did not want to assume that he understood then what Lloyd was struggling with, but he had a suspicion. Removing the wings would not be a simple matter, and so…

However, Presea beat him to the bunch with a bit more bluntness. “You know you may need to accept the fact that these new wings will be a part of you from now on.”

The fireflies floated around her face; there was only a few changes about her, such as her twin-tails style now just a single ponytail, and her dress now switched for a working outfit—tough overalls and leather gloves and boots that were better suited for all the construction efforts of the Ozette rebuilding project.

She paused, thinking carefully over her next words within the humid forests. “Unless drastic measures must be taken. Is that your worry?”

Colette paled at that but said nothing. Lloyd looked to the side.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said such a thing. It was thoughtless.”

“Ah, no,” Colette quickly answered. “It’s…something we’ve talked about.”

Silence fell between them all, a deep one where Regal felt Lloyd’s struggles and Colette’s empathy, how she reached for Lloyd’s hand with hers, which he gratefully took. The motion had been so soft, both helpless against such a problem and afraid to know the answer to.

However, Regal knew more than anyone how easy it was to let one’s thoughts spiral away into darkness, so he put up an offer. “Would you like to see what we’ve been building?”

Presea saw what he was aiming for, quickly joining in. “We’re establishing the upper foundations and outlining the general shops. We’ve been able to make access to the upper levels of the town.”

Lloyd and Colette turned, eyes catching onto what they meant in the distance. The giant tree root that had once served as a natural walkway had been destroyed in the attack, but it had now been replaced by curving wooden stairs, one that hugged against a tree trunk that had survived Cruxis’ cruelty.

“Wow, it’s already coming along that much? That’s awesome!” Lloyd grinned, eager to see the improvement. Still, there was some hesitance in his eyes. “Um, but is it okay if I…?”

“The workers have their time off for the week, so it’s only me and Presea here to survey the land.” He gestured for them to follow him, then added. “Besides, it’s not all the time I get to catch up with dear friends.”

Presea had already suspected there was an animal in the little basket Colette carried. It was the way the girl held it carefully, how she no longer seemed to trip over every dip (and non-dip) of the ground. When it came to animals, Colette had always been so careful, and always put more thought into her steps.

The first thing Presea saw were the paw pads and how they clutched at the rim of the basket. Then, followed by a soft meow.

“So cute.” Her eyes were drawn to the little creature, watching its head poke up from the basket lid, blinking golden eyes at her.

“Oh, did you want to pet Blippy?” Colette asked. She moved the lid further up in its open position, revealing the kitten with its white fur, its furry face, and its paw pads upturned for all the world to see.

Presea knew this little animal’s story. She snuck a glance at Lloyd, who was seated on one of the giant tree boughs of Ozette that had survived, overlooking the half-completed shops, the cut lumber in their designated spots for the workers when they came back from their time off. His wings stayed folded against his back, their white feathers full and soft.

Blippy pawed at her hands, reached for them. A smile lifted her cheeks.

“You can hold him, if you want.” Colette scooped up the kitten in one hand. How easily it could fit just within the palm.

“Oh…that would be nice,” Presea answered gratefully. “So, it is a boy?”

“Hehe, yeah! You can tell by the fur patterns.” Colette deposited Blippy into Presea’s arms. “We still wonder how he got to that river by himself, if he ran away from his mother or was abandoned by an owner. But he seems to be healthy now.”

Presea heard Colette’s words, like warm sunshine that soothed her skin, but once she felt the kitten’s fur, she was lost. Blippy snuggled into her chest, seeking her out as if she was the safest place to be. She pressed her fingertips against the top of his head and felt a flutter in her stomach.

Lloyd was very kind, wasn’t he? But Presea had always known that. He had gone ahead to rescue this animal with no thought of anything else, because that was who Lloyd was.

The white of Lloyd’s wings. The white of the kitten’s fur. It had to be fate, she thought.

All throughout, she held small Blippy tenderly. She heard the gentle bass of Regal’s voice, mixing with Lloyd and Colette’s own voices. The reconstruction of Ozette was coming along, though it would not be as quickly made as Palmacosta was. These trees were ancient, perhaps dating back to the age of the Kharlan War. Many trees had been burned, and it would take years, perhaps decades, for any new trees to grow up to even a miniscule of their ancestors’ sizes. Still, they would try.

The Ozette Presea knew—that she had grown up with—would never again be the same, secluded village she had known. But not everything had to stay the same forever. Time itself had stilled for her, until, finally, it started to move. Change is inevitable, as Raine once said.

So that is why she told Lloyd, now balancing Blippy on her lap, who kneaded his paws against her pants, “It is natural to be scared.”

They were sitting on the porch of her home, where the once rotten furniture had finally been replaced, where cobwebs had been swept away, where the stench of death had finally dissipated so that she could breathe. Regal had helped her with some essentials, but some pieces, such as the dining table, and the mugs, she had made herself.

She knew Lloyd felt awkward being inside, worried how his wings might upset any fixtures. So they sat together, watching how the sunlight filtered from above, how it was swallowed by the mist.

“Colette is scared,” Lloyd admitted to her. Regal and Colette were chatting with each other now, still looking over the construction. “I know she didn’t want to use her wings yet. She’s worried that this will happen to her too.” He sighed, leaning his head forward to press against his hands. “I don’t want to make her live like this.”

“But Lloyd…have you considered that she still wants to stay by your side? No matter what happens?” She rushed a hand down Blippy’s back, hearing him purr. The sound was magical. “And that maybe she is frightened about something else?”

Lloyd’s wings were grand things indeed. One wing nearly hid him from sight, despite them sitting next to one another. Then he shifted that same wing, looking at her and at the kitten she played with.

“What else would she frightened of?”

“That you will try to unburden her.” She was not entirely sure of that, but she had a suspicion—Colette’s sad eyes, and the longing in them. “That, maybe, you would think she would be better off without you.”

Lloyd didn’t immediately deny it. He turned to stare out into the trees. The soft trill of insects keened through the air. “I was already worried that this journey would be hard on her. Now…” he gestured to his wings. “There’s this to deal with.”

“Lloyd, please believe me when I say this,” she whispered, pressing a thumb against Blippy’s right paw pad. Soft. Bouncy. The silliness of it helped with her words. “You never believed Colette to be a burden, as she herself feared. So why would Colette think that of you?”

The white of Lloyd’s wings was so bright that anyone could find him in the dark. Maybe that’s how Lloyd found this little kitten in the water so quickly.

Eventually, it was time for Lloyd and Colette to go. Presea last recalled how she hugged Blippy very, very gently, hearing his purrs vibrate against her skin. Then, she handed the kitten back to Lloyd.

“Oh! Uh, Colette has the basket…” But Lloyd took the kitten still. Tiny paws reached up to grasp at his wings, managing only to snag a feather, one that was loose and fluttered to the ground.

“He is good to hold, isn’t he?” Presea already missed the fur, the soft beans she had poked, and the golden eyes that drew everything in. “Take care.”

Lloyd held onto the kitten for a moment longer, and in his expression, she found some reassurance.

He just needed to be reminded of it sometimes.

#tales of symphonia #lloyd irving #colette brunel #colloydweek2023 #genis sage #raine sage #zelos wilder #sheena fujibayashi #regal bryant #presea combatir #fanfiction #multichapter #yes this is long the next ones will be late lol

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