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justgenshinstuf · 3 years

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Hi! If you're still free for requests, I'd love a continuation of the exploring dragonspine hcs, for (uhhh everyone but let's say) Mona, Diona, Lisa and our new boy Xiao - Anon from the last ask 💛

Yay! Thank you for your request and here you go <3

(for other parts check the “exploring dragonspine” tag)

Exploring Dragonspine pt.3

Mona

She hates every second of it.

In no way is she adapted to such cold. Her outfit obviously is not acceptable for this kind of weather, so she has to wear an ugly big coat provided to her by the Adventurer’s Guild.

She also lacks nutrition, considering her limited diet. Some basic food is obviously provided by the guild too, but eating some dried meat and goulash after weeks and weeks of salads is a deadly strike for your stomach.

And when you are hungry even a simple gust of wind can chill you to the bone, and long mountain camping becomes unbearable on a physical level.

The result is she usually whines and complains a lot. Probably even too much, considering all the problems can and should be solved, but experience is just overall unpleasant. She never gives up though or even falls behind. It’s like she can get fuelled by the irritation alone.

What’s worse, she can in no way carry out her astrological readings. It’s usually too cloudy to see the sky during the night and that’s when you don’t stay in some cave. And in the blizzard it’s often impossible to make out the person standing next to you let alone the stars.

On the sunny days when all is seemingly fine the problem is finding water that hasn’t turned into muddy blocks of ice. But if Mona gets lucky to find a running mountain river or even a small melted puddle it’s truly worth it. She says herself that the pure waters of melted snow are optimal for hydromancy, that’s how it’s done the old-school style.

She finds her new motivation in desire to reach the mountain top. To be able to carry out a long deep reading being so much closer to the stars. For her this experience is worth the suffering.

Diona

Being the one to usually complain about anything and everything Diona surprisingly loves the snow.

It’s usually hard to get her so openly excited about something, but snow crunching under the boots and puffy snowflakes slowly falling from the sky do the trick. It’s like she finally lets herself act like a kid.

She is not afraid of the wilderness of these places at all, her cat instincts fully sharpened, little cat-ears twitching at every suspicious sound. Her survival skills are something to learn from truly.

Snow storms ruin the experience though. Diona is not comfortable hiding in some stupid cold cave for long, so if the blizzard calms down by the nighttime she will insist on moving out and continuing the expedition.

Thankfully she can be a decent guide, using her night-vision. “Haha, primitive ones, you can’t even see in the dark!”

As you can guess, this plan doesn’t work for everyone. And if you don’t want to wander around in complete darkness led astray by the wind and snow, paralysed by sheer cold eating you up from the toes, relying solely on a fussy tiny cat-girl, for SOME strange reason that is TOTALLY NOT obvious, there is a way around it.

It’s possible to calm Diona’s temper a bit by simply making her stay by the fireplace for some time. Add some warm drinks or even milk and some casual hugs and Diona will calmly dose off for a few hours.

How to wake her up to go into the windy nightmare of a trip again? Well, you will have to find that out for yourself. A little tip - Diona actually likes to be carried around (but don’t we all?).

At times, when she gets too tired of trying to keep up with the rest, mind you, much taller teammates, she can simply jump up on your back, no questions asked. So be ready to look out for the claws.

Cats will always be cats.

Lisa

Lisa is probably the least outdoorsy person you can imagine. The fact she agrees to go out of her cosy library is a miracle on itself, but Dragonspine? No one will believe you if you tell this.

The truth is, she has a certain private interest in that place, that she wouldn’t reveal this easily. Maybe it’s something about the ruins of an ancient city buried under the snow and the relics it’s inhabitants left behind? Or maybe it has something to do with Durin’s remains and Albedo’s research? As Lisa likes to say herself: “Every woman has a secret”.

An unaware bystander may get a heart-attack seeing Lisa rock her usual outfit in this weather, walking around effortlessly in high-heals like she’s flowing above the snow. The trick is actually pretty simple, she wears a tiny warming Seelie captured in a little bottle as a necklace.

Being both the laziest and the smartest person in Mondstadt, she finds all kinds of clever ways to ‘cheat the system’. For her, creating some obscure method of battling cold on the go is always a better option than prolonging the trip even for a minute.

Warming potions, gliding potions, energy potions, fire potions, anything you can think of Lisa has a potion for. And even if she doesn’t, it takes her a few minutes max to come up with the solution. “The sooner we’re done, the sooner we come back. I’m not planning to miss my five o’clock tea.”

If you encounter a puzzle, Liza will solve it for you almost instantly. While you waste your time and warmth looking through old books in desperate need to translate some runes or pace around searching for some clues, all the doors open before Lisa and all the magic barriers fall.

It kind of steals the excitement of riddles, so if you like, she might let you solve it yourself from time to time, just don’t make her wait for too long.

She prefers to keep her usual laidback attitude, avoid unnecessary battles, act efficiently and not waste her energy on something not worth her attention. However her maximum productivity is reached when it’s time to return back home from the expedition.

Lisa can actually just use one of her magic tricks to teleport back to the library almost instantly, but it takes a bit too much energy even for such a skilled mage. Besides, she would never leave her sweet little apprentice all alone.

Xiao

One may say he looks too displeased and totally unhappy to be here but you are well familiar with Xiao to know that’s just his resting face.

He is not concerned by the weather conditions in the slightest, not the rain, not the wind, not the sheer cold. It may seem it gets to him at times. “It’s not. Only mortals can be affected by such minor inconveniences”.

He stays as distant as always, following you on the nearest mountain side or silently dashing through the tops of the trees. Sometimes you can’t even see him, but can always feel his presence.

Xiao patiently keeps the watch during nights, hiding somewhere in the darkness by himself. He never joins you or even enters your tent or a cave you chose to stay in unless you specifically ask him too.

Peeking at him from behind while Xiao sits silently by the fire you can sometimes catch a glimpse of him enjoying the warmth and sound of wood slightly cracking.

He never shows his emotions, nor would he admit to have any in the first place. But sometimes he goes deep into his thoughts, looking around the snowy peaks, listens closely to the wind.

Is it sorrow in his eyes? Or maybe longing? Nostalgia? Is he thinking about some long-lost friend? Just don’t let him catch you staring or he will surely disappear again, looking over you from somewhere you can’t see.

“I have no interest in this place. I’m only escorting you on your quest, so don’t even think about asking questions.”

If you try throw a snowball at him, it might end poorly for you. Better try to explain the concept to him first, that is if you care to have your arm intact. He will claim to have no time for such silly things and the usual bla bla serious adepti stupid mortals kind of deal. But if you still want to start a snowball fight be ready for a snowball war, or even a snowball death.

“You are too carefree. Unlike for me, this place can be very dangerous for you. You don’t want to know about all the dark entities hiding below the snow and ice of this place, it bares many secrets and many lost souls. That’s why I’m here. To protect you”.

#genshin impact #genshin headcanons #genshin impact x reader #genshin fic #genshin xiao #genshin mona #genshin diona #genshin lisa #exploring dragonspine #anon request

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deceitfullyanxioussss · 4 years

Text

Must Have Been the Wind

Hey guys! I kinda already posted this on my ao3 a few months ago and just realized I forgot to post it here as well so like, here you go I guess lmao

Summary: Remus goes back to his apartment and wants a nap after a bad day at work. Instead, he finds he is kept up by some very troubling sounds coming from the room above his.Remus decides he wants to help this stranger.

Song fic! Must Have Been the Wind - Alec Benjamin

CW: Cursing, and uh, Remus being Remus ig? Oh, and minor homophobic character (Lemme know if I need to add more)

Proof-read by @queroze, thank you again, even though this was a while ago lol

Remus let out a huff of breath, feeling his tense muscles relax as he practically melded into the couch. The plan was for him to catch a nice nap after his exhausting day at work.

He was a barista at a coffee shop, which usually wasn’t too bad. He liked his job. Often, he even found it relaxing.

However, there can be days that are just the exact opposite of relaxing.

It seemed as though every customer he came across that day woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Oh, and don’t even get him started on the Karens. The Karens were nearly impossible to deal with.

A frown slipped on his face, recounting the worst part of his day. There was a very verbal homophobe who came in today.

Remus was very openly gay and always wore a pride pin on his apron next to his name. He had the unfortunate luck of having to take, and make his order. He probably had to stand there for a full 5 minutes, just listening to his lecture about how wrong gay sex is. Remus was able to shut him up by reminding him of the line behind him.

It didn’t end there though.

A lesbian couple walked in not long later, hand in hand. It didn’t take long for it to catch the attention of this man, who immediately jumped at the chance to pull another 500 slide PowerPoint out of his ass.

The rest of his co-workers decided that he had to be ushered out of the shop. Nothing about getting him to leave was easy though, not in the slightest. He went out yelling and cursing the whole way.

The two girls were very lovely though, they had a nice conversation about the upcoming pride event, and he was more than happy to give them both free refills on him.

So he guessed the day wasn’t all bad, but it still seemed to drag him out as if he was dough under a roller, crunching off of his bones into powder and flattening all his veins against his skin.

Yes, a nap seems like a good idea.

Remus’s eyes fluttered closed, fatigue quickly overtaking his body.

Just then, a sharp, yet muffled noise cut through the serenity of silence.

Some barely-conscious part of his mind gained interest in this sound.

What was that? It kind of sounded like glass. It had murmured through its TV static atmosphere.

The rest of his mind, nearly completely asleep, wordlessly communicated that it was probably nothing, and he should just focus on sleeping.

That seemed to calm his brain enough to settle down.

There was a little sliver of his mind that wasn’t quite ready to let go of the sound yet, though. It kept listening, even if undetected by the rest of the brain. It seemed right to do so, as muffled sounds of yelling and sobbing registered through its cloudy state.

It was then Remus blearily pried his eyelids open and sat up.

The fuck? Remus groaned internally, forcing his body into an acceptable sitting position. Confusion stuck onto his brain like wrinkled cling wrap as he tried to make any sense of the hazy world around him.

A loud thud was heard from the floor above, followed by an emotionally drained cry.

Remus grunted and rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.

For maybe just a split second, his heart felt sympathy for the person, but he was just so tired. It’s not like it was his problem, right? He could just ignore it and go back to sleep.

He flipped over on his side so his head faced the back of his sickly green couch and closed his eyes, trying his best to draw his attention away from the sounds upstairs.

He must have laid there for a good while, trying and failing to push the sounds to the back of his head, his anxiety amping up little by little the longer the crying persisted.

Eventually, Remus let out a loud, guttural sigh and stood up swiftly. He couldn’t just ignore them, he had to help.

Making the decision, he walked towards his coat-rack and hastily tossed his jacket over his shoulders, bee-lining to the elevator.

He silently curses the elevator for being so slow as he restlessly waited for the doors to push open, and when they do he wasted no time getting in and selecting floor 2.

Remus usually enjoyed the tacky elevator music, but he found it only served to tick him off this time around. The music seemed to drag time out even slower and he was already so, so restless.

Ding.

With that, he stepped out and eagerly trodded down the hallways, stopping in front of the desired location. He raised a hand and knocked on the door with little hesitation, the anxious tapping of his foot echoed within the empty halls.

Remus listened with rapt attention through the door, hearing as the person inside scrambled to make themself look even the slightest bit presentable.

He waited impatiently, his gaze anxiously wandering around for some sort of distraction or stimulation. They landed on the grossly patterned navy blue carpet, look completed by the numerous stains that have accumulated over the years. Finding little interest there, he moved onto the walls. The dim, sparse lighting made the colour look like a shit brown. Impulsively, he reached to run his fingers along the many indents that found a home among the distasteful brown. The tactile stimulation instantly captured his focus, and he let the rough surface soothe him.

Remus, too caught up in the stimulation, had forgotten his original purpose of being there. He startled back to reality upon hearing the soft click from the door. He immediately snapped his head back up, being met with a pair of mismatched eyes and a scarred face. This person was looking up at him with what he thought was supposed to be a confident expression. The effect was dampened by his pink-ish eyes, mussed hair, and the pastel yellow sweater he had hooked all the way up to his chin.

Remus gave the other a small wave, just then realizing he had no game plan. Did he just… ask? Did he make small talk first? Should he invite him to his coffee shop for a drink and talk there?

The other reciprocated the wave, smirking. “How may I help you, sir?” He asked politely

Remus cleared his throat, deciding he should just be direct with this conversation. He was never really good at softening his approach anyway.

“Hey, so, basically I heard something shatter and a lot of crying and yelling and I was kinda concerned about it, so I came to ask if you were ok.”

The two men stared at each other for a few seconds before Remus spoke up again. “So, are you ok?”

He heard the other snicker quietly, a gloved hand waving as if to dismiss the question. “Oh, my. That’s ridiculous. Your ears must be playing tricks on you, my dear.”

Remus took notice of how he subtly buried his face deeper into the sweater.

His attention was brought back up as the scarred man spoke again.

“Thank you for caring, sir, it’s very kind of you, but I have some urgent work to get back to. I wish I could tell you about the noise, but I'm afraid I didn’t hear a thing.” He shook his head. “Perhaps it was merely a harsh gust of wind.” He suggested.

Remus let out a quiet sigh, but nodded and accepted the answer.

The two waved each other farewell as Remus trudged back to the elevator.

Remus had been laying down, back pressed hard against the cold concrete of the floor. The chill from beneath seeped in through his spine and into his chest, weighing him down heavily. He just couldn’t stop thinking about his upstairs neighbor.

It had been hours since his last visit already, and the man upstairs was still pacing across his apartment, occasionally he would stop and silence would follow. The pacing always started back up though.

Absent-mindedly, his hands fiddled with the necklace around his neck, running his fingers across the cool, smooth metal.

He just couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, and he wanted to help.

Remus knew that he didn’t have all the facts, and he didn’t really want to intrude on the man’s life. There was a possibility that nothing was wrong, and he was just imagining things. He didn’t want to pester his neighbor with his stupid, false worries.

But what if something is wrong? You saw his puffy eyes. You know you heard those sounds. His mind kept telling him. You can’t just leave him alone, can you?

Remus nodded to himself and for the second time that day, stood and made his way back to the other’s door. More hesitantly this time, he knocked. His raps were slow and unsure as he swayed nervously from side-to-side.

He heard the pacing stop, and he waited, his focus on nothing but his shoes this time around. Then he heard footsteps approach the door and he looked up just as the door swung open.

He was met with the same mismatched eyes, messy hair, and sweater. He didn't forget to take note of the new eye bags and odor he’s sporting with him though.

“Oh, it’s you again.” the nervousness of his neighbor's voice managed to carry through despite the fabric covering his mouth.

Remus ran a hand through his hair and looked to the side. “Yeah.” he chuckled unsurely.

“I just- I’m still worried,” he said, smile falling. “I know you said you were fine, but… I just felt the need to check again. It’s- those sounds- they’re not leaving me alone.” he tentatively looked up into the other’s eyes. “Are- Are you sure you’re ok?”

Remus is pretty sure he saw the scarred side of his face twitch, probably in annoyance he’s sure. He knew it was a bad idea to come back up. He was always such a bother, even to his own family. What made him think a stranger would appreciate seeing his face twice in one day?

“Yes.” the answer cut through Remus’s thoughts and redirected his attention. “I am absolutely positive that everything’s fine.” There was a hint of irritation that Remus desperately wished he didn’t hear.

“Once again, thank you for caring, it’s very kind. Truly. But I really do have some urgent work to get back to. I wish I could help you with the noise, but I didn’t hear a thing. In fact, I’m almost certain it was just the wind. You need to stop worrying so much over such a trivial thing.”

Remus’s body became hot with shame as he shrunk in on himself. He nodded at the man before he sluggishly made his way back.

The following morning, he didn’t even bother with breakfast. Immediately going over to slouch on his couch, he stared back up at the ceiling. It seemed to be a new favourite hobby of his apparently.

He had a lot of time to think about the previous night, about his last interaction with the man upstairs.

There was no way those sounds were from his imagination. He was in a groggy state when he heard the yelling, sure, but surely the pacing wasn't something his ears made up. Surely, the messy hair and puffy eyes weren't something his eyes made up.

His mind carefully brought up the idea of confronting him again, but he quickly winced and scrapped the idea. The irritated voice of the other causing his gut to lurch in a nauseating way.

He was most certainly not going to be looking him in the eyes for a good while now.

He was starting to break through the surface though, right? Maybe he should just call it quits and admit that he can't help.

He couldn't just go back up again, he didn't think he could take the ice-cold, biting irritation again.

Remus sat, rolling the interactions over in his head. Whoever said anything about a letter? A lightbulb sparked, setting an explosion through his body that jolted him up from his seat with a gasp.

"A letter! That's so simple! I don't have to face him again, and he doesn't have to feel as much pressure! I'm a fucking genius!" He yelled, pumping his fists into the air with triumphant gusto.

He rushed over to his desk, brimming with excitement as he began to write.

In Remus's very distinct, messily scrawled printing, he began:

Sup Mr Scarface! (I haven't even thought to ask your name yet lmao)

Listen up nerd! I promise I'm not playing tricks on you when I say this

You’re always welcome to come in

You could stay here for an hour or two if you ever need a friend. We can talk about the noise when you’re ready

But… til then I’ll say it must have been the wind.

Yours sincerely, annoying dude from yesterday ;)

Remus let out a long, pleased sigh as he gave it a quick once-over. He saw many mistakes, but he gave them not even a second glance before he was already out of the door.

He was going to deliver this letter and it was going to be wonderful!

Remus shucked his jacket off and onto his coat-rack upon returning from work the following day. It had been a pretty good day today. No awful homophobes, that's for sure.

Turning his T.V. on for background noise, he moved over to his miniature kitchen. Distantly aware of a news reporter talking about some murder, he got started on his rice and gravy.

Perhaps 10 minutes passed by when he heard a gentle rapping on the front door.

Remus curiously strode over and opened his door, surprised to see the man from upstairs in front of him.

"Oh, wow. Hey there, dude! Didn't expect to actually see ya this soon!" Remus exclaims.

"I, uh, yeah…" the scarred man shifted in place for a few moments, burying his face into his sweater. "If the, uh, offer is still open, I’d love to have someone to talk to,” he mumbled through the thick fabric.

Remus stood and processed the words for a few seconds before grinning widely.

"Of course! Of course! Come on in, my man! Lunch will be done in a bit if you want some!”

The other smiled and shyly slunk into his apartment

"I’d love that.” He said. “Thank you.”

"Not a problem at all! My name's Remus by the way!" He excitedly extended a hand for the other to shake.

Said man looked at his hand for a moment or two before carefully clasping his own around it.

Even more carefully, his shy voice spilled a simple name. "...Janus."

#Demus #platonic demus #romantic demus #Janus Sanders #remus sanders #sympathetic remus #deceit sanders #sympathetic deceit #sympathetic janus #songfic #sanders sides

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blueberrypossum · 3 years

Text

Wounded Lover

I’M BACK!!!

No one tells you how much college takes up your free time but I’m back with my Mud Dogz content (especially Leonard, my boy). I’ve never posted much on Leonard and Nova’s friendship/relationship so this is how they bounce off each other’s personalities!

⚠️WARNING⚠️: There is usage of inappropriate adult words and sexual comments and insults.

(Shoutout to the lovely @ultra-gingerlotus for making me fall in love with the Snow Leopard from the Shiki x Danny reading! Also @greaser-wolf for drawing them on the motorcycle! Go check them out!!!)

“I’m not getting on that if you’re driving.”

“Then I guess you are just like other girls then, huh?”

Nova eyed the ogre in front of her as he once again offered his hand towards her, the motorcycle under him letting low growls of excitement rumble under their feet.

They had planned to go out to eat and get away from the other members of the Mud Dogz, Leonard explaining that the love flying between the couples was making him sick and he needed a little bit of excitement.

The mountain cat looked across the bike with her sunset eyes. She never knew that the ogre yokai had this stashed away, never once talking about it.

“I’ve never seen you ride this and then all of a sudden you have a bike? It’s kind of hard to believe, Leon.”

The feline walked around the bike as if it was an artifact on display, her fingers trailing over the front of the bike as she looked at her reflection.

“You never asked.”

“You never presented.”

The ogre leaned his arm against the handle of the bike and rested his face in his hand, sending a smug smile up towards the feline.

“I mean, if you’re a scaredy-cat-”

“....Scoot.”

The Mountain cat was hesitant at first as she tried to get herself comfortable behind her friend, he boots trying to find their footing as Leonard revved up the beast under them, causing Nova’s tail to spike up in shock.

“Titans above! I get it, it’s a motorcycle! Let’s just get there,” the cat grumbled, her arms snaking around Leonard’s waist.

The leader of the Mud Dogz let out a gruff chuckle at the feline’s reaction as his fingers worked on the handles, the soft paws around him distracting him for a split second before he brought the machine under him back to life.

“Whoa wait, no helmets?”

“No helmets.”

“Oh great, so that’s where you get it from. Nice to know.”

With that comment, Leonard pulled quickly out from the front of the orphanage and sped down the road, the gravel threading under the tires flying up behind them.

Nova let out a loud meow of alarm and tightened her grip around his leather jacket, the wind whiplashing her hair as she closed her eyes against his back. Usually dangerous things didn’t scare her, but she knew what was coming, she could predict what would happen, but not with this.

The ogre rolled his eyes as she shielded herself behind him and took a light left.

“Do you not trust me?” Leonard screamed at her, his voice carrying with the wind.

“I got on the bike, doesn’t that tell you?!”

“A little!”

Nova let out a gust of air as her curled up hands unclenched from his shirt and she opened one of eyes, the wind fluttering between her eyelashes as she took in the traffic around them.

The bridge they were crossing was pouring with life, with other vehicles passing by and yokai’s walking on the sidelines, the city lights sparkling over the outline of each individual. The feline couldn’t contain her gasp of wonderment as she steadily rose herself up to get a better view over Leonard’s hair.

She let the strong breeze push her hair behind her and her claws dug into the ogre as the bike wobbled a little bit, her face snuggling into his shoulder out a sizzle of panic.

“No wonder you have whiplashed hair!” Nova laughed out as she felt her brown hair tangle within itself behind her, more fits of laughter barreling out of her as the chill of the wind settled in her fur.

Leonard couldn’t help but feel beyond warm due to the feline’s face so close to his, even with the wind chilling him to the bone, he could feel the slightest bit of warmth against his neck and goosebumps traveled over his skin.

Her yellow and green eyes shimmered like a sun’s shadow in a pool, the curl of her smile almost causing the sun to set as she turned to look at him.

She was definitely different from most women he had run into. More brash and overly-confident, but he wasn’t stupid, he knew that there was some dark shit buried within the cracks of the mask she wore. But he didn’t push, he didn’t want to push and make her feel uncomfortable, when she was ready, he would be there.

He revved up the motorcycle and a squeal purred against his back as more frightful laughter came from his friend and for once the leader of the Mud Dogz felt the tension in his body go dull. The howls that parted from her mouth would make anyone laugh with her, even causing him to release a chuckle or two as he turned the corner and into one of the multiple towns of side door restaurants.

He parked the machine into one of the parking areas behind a building and he could still hear the upchucks of giggles come from the tabby, her claws brushing through her hair to undo the knots.

“You take all the girls and boys you meet for a ride?” She asked as she flipped her leg over the side and leaned into the bike.

Leonard could help but stare at the feline as she presented herself on the metal bike, her wine colored jacket edged over the black lining and her thighs jetted out from the tight leggings. Her leveled out hair was loose over her face and her bangs waved over her face as she looked up at him, a raised eyebrow motioned towards him to show that she knew he was eyeing her.

“Only those stupid enough,” he replied as he rose from his spot and awaited for the feline to follow him into the busy market, the fresh scent of meats and fried food wafted from the corners of the stores.

The streets that were decorated with food stands were brightened with lined lanterns and the air was warm due to the passing conversations of the animals and plants and the steam from pots and pans.

Nova felt her stomach grumble as her eyes darted between the different food stands, the engrossed horde of yokai buzzing around them as they tried to pick which stand to eat from. As Nova darted over to a stand on the far side to have a natural smoothie, she turned to see Leonard talking with someone, and by his face she could tell it was not a good someone. She quickly grabbed her drink and felt balmy rage hit the roof of her mouth as she caught who he was talking to.

The feline could feel her extended claws trying to push through her fingertips and she shoved them back as she came up behind the female that was talking to him, a slash of ease crossing the ogre’s dark eyes.

“How’s the cut in your ear, snow leopard?”

The white and grey cat yokai turned with a snarl, the long tear in her ear flicking as Nova recalled the fight, the tabby’s claws sinking into the grey cat’s face and then ripping into her small ear and creating the new scar.

The snarl dwelled in her white throat as she sent Nova a cocky smile as she turned herself to face both members of the Mud Dogz, her back up against one of the pillars holding up a snack bar.

“Oh, you’re here, too? I thought you would be off swimming with the fishes,” the female leopard cooed as she rolled her eyes and turned back to Leonard, her eyelids fluttering her sky blue eyes.

“The names Serena, by the way.” She purred, her fingers working to pull her shirt lower as if she had forgotten him knocking her out and giving her a bloody nose in their last encounter.

“Oh because you’re such a saint,” the ogre huffed back as he leaned away from the furry yokai and Nova’s tail flicked back and forth in irritation, her mind seeping with her feral instincts as she almost stalked over to her.

Sunset eyes and sky eyes met in a battle as Nova stood in front of Leonard, Serena only an inch taller than her and she took it to her advantage as much as she could. The sparehire’s in her head looked down at the tabby’s bruised knees that were light against her dark leggings and the pearly cat let out a chuckle.

“Are your knees always bruised? I’m surprised that so many men would pay for it from you.”

“At least someone wants me on my knees. Is it fun being a guy’s target practice?” Nova shot back, her finger pointing to the dark white spot on the snow leopard's shirt and she scoffed, but pulled her green jacket closer as Nova let out a chuff.

Leonard was a little taken aback by the women’s cruel words, as if it was a normal day to insult one another. Well, for Nova it was at least. But he had never seen her like this before, her form almost covering him as if trying to protect him.

Her tail was lowered but the fur stuck out of its ends and her shoulders were risen from their usually slacked posture. As they continued to slap slander at each other, the green yokai realized that if Serena would move to make herself an inch closer to him, Nova would move as well, her tail swishing side to side and her ears going flat against her brown hair.

The ogre didn’t know much about cat conflicts, but he wasn’t blind and he could scent the traction that vibrated between the two.

Nova was being territorial of him.

And Leonard could feel a feverish desire rise over his body as Nova’s tail curled into his chest.

“So, are you here to seduce yokai for your boss or to fight us?” Nova asked, snapping the ogre out of his thoughts.

Serena shook her short hair with a feral grin, as if she was trying to hide the fact she wanted to rip the cat in front of her in two.

“Relax, pretty kitty. I won’t make a scene with you two with the public around, someone here has to have some class.”

The tabby opened her mouth to report back but a strong hand was placed between her shoulder blades and she turned to Leonard, his face now leaning from her shoulder.

“Look, if you want to bother someone, go to the corner, you’ll find yokai’s there that are right up your alley, good-bye.”

Nova let a few snickers carry over to the snow leopard as the snow leopard’s face lit up like a stoplight, her black and white ears going back against her head as Leonard led Nova away.

“What’s up with you making everyone want to kill you?” The ogre grumbled as he took her over to one of the food stands they had chosen.

“Guess I’m just irresistible,” the cat purred, her once agitated tail now calmly swayed back and forth.

“More like irritable.”

“And you love it.”

His hand was still in the middle of her back when he looked down at her, her head barely passing his shoulders even with her boots on. The curve of her smile, the flicker of tease that pounced between her eyes, how she was jealous of Serena, it was a side of her he hadn’t seen before.

It made his heart go rigged in his ribcage as he moved his arm away from her, the warmth and the yearning disappearing as he went back into his own bubble.

Forget it, idiot, she’s just a friend. Only a friend.

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After eating, both of them went back to where Leonard had parked his bike, the once lonesome piece of metal was now surrounded with other types of mobilization. Nova held her fist over her mouth to subside a burp as she crashed onto the bike’s seat.

“Uhhhhhh, why did I eat that fourth taco?" She groaned out as she bent into Leonard’s back as her stomach felt like it was going to bust past her leggings.

“Because you didn’t want to waste it.”

“Stilllll.”

The ogre started up his motor and took things a little slow as he drove from his parking spot and into the silent night of the Hidden City. The once busy streets were now barely rode on and only a few animals walked on the sidelines. The feline’s claws barely tugged on his jean jacket as the food that settled in her stomach made her almost fall asleep on his back, until the bright lights of a car behind them blurred past her eyelids.

The mountain cat turned around to find a dirty jeep speeding up behind them, the figures driving hidden under hoodies that somehow fought against the thrustful wind.

Nova narrowed her eyes as other jeeps started to follow the leading jeep, more hooded figures filling in the seats, and then past the yellow beams she saw the small tufts of white circular ears.

“Leonard, we got company,” Nova choked out as the ogre turned to look at what she was talking about.

“Shit, who is it this time?”

“Well, you did say that I make everyone want to kill me,” she nervously chuckled, and then gave him a nervous smile as he narrowed his eyes at her.

The first jeep was at the edge of the bike’s bumper now and Nova could see the snow leopard clearly now and the snow cat was sending her own confident smirk as the car hit the edge of the bike.

Leonard’s lips were slipping curse words as he sped up, his bike roaring to life as it gave it all it had and went further down the highway, the group of jeeps racing after them.

“Did she really send a whole army after us?!” He hollered as he took a hard right, cutting a car off as he intersected onto another road.

“She sure does want your number,” Nova joked as her grip on him tightened as the wind pushed against her.

‘Oh I’m so going to have a talk with her later,’ he thought as he opened up a secret compartment on the side of his bike.

“Here, take this.”

Nova couldn’t help but gasp as the gun was placed in the palm of her hand and she darted her eyes from him and to the gun.

“YOU HAD THIS THE WHOLE TIME?!”

“It’s for emergencies!”

“HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO REALIZE THAT THIS IS AN EMERGENCY?!”

“JUST SHOOT!!”

Nova let out a hiss of displeasure as she checked the rounds in it and then once he slowed down for the next turn, she flipped in her seat, her body now facing the rows of vehicles.

She took aim and shot at one of the jeeps on the left, taking out two of its four tires and watched as the ruined rubber rolled over in its spot and then caused the vehicle to crash into the side of the bridge, the large explosion giving a wave of heat over them as the chase continued.

“Alright, one down, four to go,” the tabby whispered to herself as she aimed at the next jeep, her eyes widening as she saw them take aim with their own rifles and guns.

“Len! They got guns as well! Bigger ones too!” She screamed to him as she shot at them to keep them from firing at them. The leader of the Mud Dogz let out a growl of frustration and turned the bike into a narrow alleyway, the closest jeep coming to a screeching halt before reversing and faded away.

The feline on the back of the motorcycle let out a sigh of joy as she leaned her back against Leonard’s, her free hand gripping the seat she sat on as they turned back onto a new street, not a jeep in sight.

And then one crashed right next to them, sending both of the friends screaming in shock as Serena’s jeep closed in on them, her handgun taking aim towards them.

��Alright, leader, got any plans?”

“Not really!”

“Okay, don’t wait up for me then!”

Leonard turned to question her but the feline had shoved the gun back into its box and lifted herself up into a crouch and once the jeep got close enough, she launched herself onto the hood of the jeep.

Serena pointed her gun at the feline but she quickly knocked it over, the driver receiving the bullet into his arm and a loud scream echoed through the night. Nova then lifted herself over the mudded window and slammed her boot into the snow leopard’s face, sending the white cat into the back seat.

Nova then punched the driver in his wounded arm and used the chair and the window panel to hold herself up and used both of her legs to kick him out of his seat, the male yokai rolling out onto the street with a thud.

In the span of five minutes the mountain cat had taken over the car and was then turning the wheel to strike the jeep next to her, causing the vehicle to rock and the yokai’s in it to lose the grip on their weapons.

‘I can’t tell if I should confess that I like her or am terrified of her.’

But the ogre swallowed and pulled the gun out she had put back, taking aim to the leftover jeeps and shot into their tires, redirecting the muddy piece of metal over the ledge of the new bridge they were on, the thunderous splash of water the only thing left of them.

They both turned and surprise watched as the last jeep turned off onto a different road as if giving up on the hunt.

Nova sped up until she was right next to Leonard, a smug smirk crossed her face as they turned a corner, the next bridge they would take would have them home free.

“You act like you’ve done this before!” Leonard laughed at her and she shrugged her shoulders with a confident flip of her hair.

“Mess with the kitten, you get the claws!” She joked as she tilted her head to laugh at her own joke and then white paws like snow were over her chest to hold her place.

“Now! Come now!” Serena screamed into a radio she held in her hand.

Both Leonard and Nova turned to see the last jeep come from its hiding place, like a predator staying in plain sight for its prey.

“Leonard!”

Nova elbowed the snow leopard in the face and sped up the jeep, the hunk of metal taking the hit as the ogre’s motorcycle got out of the way.

Nova held onto the wheel as the jeep t-boned in the passenger seat, rocking the car onto its side and then into a roll onto the bridge until it rammed up against the stone railing, the girl’s heads inches away from making contact with the rocks. Serena was pushed into the ground while Nova’s seatbelt held her in place, cuts now sliced into her skin and she had bitten her lip hard enough to cause it to bleed.

She could faintly hear her name being called out but it almost seemed like everything was fuzzy, her vision, her hearing, even the blood that was trickling down her throat was fizzy like pop.

The leader of the Mud Dogz had left his motorcycle on the side of the bridge and was racing over to the wreckage, but had to take cover behind a pillar as the last standing jeep started to fire at him.

The tabby released a groan and spat up a few drops of blood as she felt the spark of flame flicker next to her, instantly waking her to her full senses.

‘Come on, can’t I catch a break?!’

She lifted her hands up, her digits and elbows ached with pain but they weren’t broken as she undid her seatbelt, her arms barely supporting her as her shoulder slammed into the concrete. The snow leopard was motionless next to her and a big gash was bleeding from the back of her head.

The mountain cat grunted as she pushed past the wheel and watched as the fire started to creep around her like a nightmare come to life. Her now stained paw pushed the small roped door of the jeep and crawled her way out, the broken up cement tearing into her elbows and forearms as she made distance between her and the fire.

Leonard had taken out two of the yokai’s, the last of them ever so slightly getting closer with their larger rifles with more ammunition than his small handgun. He turned back to the rubble of metal scraps and raised his eyebrows in horror as the red hands of death started to consume the fire as its own, a barely breathing creature laid in a pile next to it.

Leonard felt strength and courage rise in him as he turned back to his two main targets, giving it all he had so they wouldn’t see her trying to get away from the burning debris.

Nova wheezed in the fresh air into her bruised lungs as she tried to get onto her hands and feet, but a pair of hands engulfed her hair into a bundle and had her rise to her feet.

“Hey, hey! Only my dominatrix can do this!”

“Ugh! Do you ever shut up?!”

Serena dragged the feline out into the edge of the bridge and threw her down, a few strings of hair pulled from Nova’s hair and hung off of the leopard’s nails. The leopard's face was painted with blood from her wound, the only white that shined against it was her fangs that gleamed in the city lights. She bent down and dug her hand into Nova’s skull and pushed her face into the ground, the red liquid dripping onto the side of Nova’s face.

“Y’know, your type always acts like they’re so strong and confident with themselves,” she snarled into her ear, her knee digging into the tabby’s scarred back to keep her in place.

“But we all see that you’re just sad and scared. That when moments like this come all you can do is joke and hope that your charm can save the day.”

“I didn’t know that villains actually monologue like this! What’s next? You’re going to tell me how mommy didn’t love you and daddy left once he knocked her up?!

Serena let out a fake roar and slammed Nova’s head into the cement, the feline letting out a wail, causing the other fight to look over.

In Leonard’s fight the guns had been dropped and there was nothing left but fists and kicks, his knuckles busted and split open, unfortunately the bad guys had gotten a few hits in his face and over his chest.

The snow leopard lifted Nova’s head up towards the ogre with a sinister smile as her nails dug into her scalp.

“Take a long look, ogre, because this pretty face will be at the bottom of this bridge before I’m done with it!”

Nova let out a cargled laugh as she looked up at the snow leopard and then back at Leonard.

“Hey Len, she’s got an extra stain on her shirt. Which goon do you think it was?”

“Really Nova?! Joking now?!”

“Well, it distracted her.”

The mountain cat had wrapped her claws around Serena’s ankle and used it to flip herself over and with her feet now placed into the snow leopard’s stomach she lifted her over her and straight into the gushing river below, the feline letting out angrish cries as she was swallowed by the dark liquid.

Nova rose to her feet and looked at her friend and then to the last standing bad guy, her large eyebrows raised in annoyance.

“Can you, uhh, finish your fight so we can leave?”

The ogre raised his fist and made contact with the yokai’s face, knocking her straight out as he came over to where Nova was limping, his arms barely coming up in time to catch her as she leaned into him.

“Did you know that snow leopards aren’t the best swimmers, so she’ll be at the bottom of the bridge instead of me,” The feline joked into his chest, the dots of blood that were spilled on her face smearing into his dusty shirt.

Leonard pushed her away with his hands on her shoulders and he brushed a few loose strands out of her face and Nova believed that the heat of the crash was making her sizzle like a fryer.

Why was he staring at her like that? The worry that burned in his face was unmistakable as the feline felt like she might pass out due to his comforting touch.

“Are you okay?”

Nova’s tail curled against her back as she couldn’t help but lean into his hand, his calloused and strong hand that seemed to hold her effortlessly. Blame it on all the adrenaline or the loss of blood, but she let him hold her as she finally let the throbbing pulse of her wounds settle.

“Yeah. Yeah I’m fine. You?”

“One kicked me between the legs and I’m screaming on the inside.”

“Don’t worry, your future children will be fine. Somewhat if they turn out like you.”

The mountain cat hissed as weight was placed on her right leg, a long gash on her calf making her come to a halt.

The ogre turned to her and let her go from his hold, only to bend down and wrap his arms around her thighs and throw her onto his back,a smile breaking against his lips as she let out a small mew of surprise as she gripped his shoulders for support.

“You know the bike is only a few feet away, right?”

“You know you’re still irresistible.”

“What?”

“Irritable. I said irritable.”

#rottmnt mud dogz #rottmnt oc #rottmnt loathsome leonard #rottmnt loathsome leonard x reader #rottmnt

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daisy-picking-lady · 4 years

Text

Late Night Secrets

Holy. Crap. I actually wrote something. This took me a while to write, maybe close to a week. My mental health has been hitting me particularly hard as of late to the point it felt too hard to type on the computer and my pen felt too heavy to pick up. But, I DID IT! I want to say thank you to everyone who has continually supported me through my difficulties with both my writing and mental health. You have helped me so much and I am so excited to be finally posting something!

My Thorin taglist is currently OPEN. If you want to be added, I ask that you please send me an ask requesting to be added. It is easier to track that way.

Summary: While camping for the night, you confess to Thorin a secret you are ashamed of – you’re afraid of thunderstorms.

Words: 2479

Pairing: Thorin x Reader

Warnings: None.

Tagging: @anderkri000 @fizzyxcustard @dabisburntnut @musicalmuffindog1410 @moony-artnstuff

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The unwelcomed presence of your discomfort began on a chilly autumn morning. Bofur had casually mentioned spotting some dark clouds in the distance, a thunderstorm likely on its way. It took every fiber in your being not to flinch at the prediction. When you looked up at the sky in hopeful vain that perhaps Bofur’s judgement had been wrong, disappointment – and not victory – struck you right on the face as your eyes landed on the darkened sky. A thunderstorm was indeed coming and by the looks of the clouds, it was not going to be weak.

“Maybe it is headed in a different direction.” Your remark had been more to yourself than to Bofur, secretly trying to use the optimism to quell the fear stirring inside, no matter how false the hope was.

“I don’t think so, lass. You see the way those clouds are moving? Straight forward. I don’t think we will be fortunate enough to miss it.”

Any hope you had left fell to the pits of your stomach and it took everything you had not to retch your recently eaten breakfast.

The rest of the day was spent in anxiety. You looked over your shoulder frequently, trying to determine the distance of the storm. Fortunately, between Gandalf’s navigation and Thorin’s experience in the wilderness, they were able to lead the Company in another direction – away from the incoming weather hinderance, a decision you fully supported. But luck was not with you on this day. In fact, it seemed as though it was laughing right in your face, taunting the absurd secret you bore. Despite Thorin’s best efforts, as the sun was beginning to dip beyond the trees, the storm – or perhaps a new one had brewed, you really did not care – sneakily found its way over the Company. A low rumble of thunder was your only warning before heavy rain began to descend, and they were forced to hasten in finding shelter.

As luck would have it, a contrast to the cruel game it was playing with you today, Gandalf found a cave. Once it was ensured safe to use, the Company started to unpack and settle. A fire was made, bedrolls were set out, and a heart stew was cooked. As everyone prepared their own comforts, you decided to survey the shelter protecting you. Anything to get your mind off the thunder that sounded closer and closer as the minutes passed. The cave was not much. It ran deep but it was small, and a chill filled the air that seeped into your bones. You wondered how long this storm would last. You were so engrossed in your thoughts that you did not hear Thorin approaching or him calling your name. As he gently touched your elbow, a loud clap of thunder boomed over the cave and you pulled back with a startled gasp. It quickly vanished when you saw who had touched you.

“Thorin,” you breathed out in relief.

Worry was etched heavily on his features. “Amrâlimê, you are trembling. Are you well?”

“I am fine,” you lied with a forced smile. “You startled me is all.”

Thorin did not look convinced but he didn’t press the issue. He took your hand. “Come,” Thorin beckoned. “Sit by the fire. You are soaked to the bone, and supper is nearly ready.”

There was not a single protest in you as Thorin led you to the campfire, and if there had been, you wouldn’t say a word. He brought you a peace no other could. The mere touch of his hand made vanish your fears and they became but a distant memory. It was a strange thing, you thought. You have never experienced t his before nor had you ever dared to hope for it – until this journey. Now, you weren’t certain you could go a day without Thorin’s touch or the gentle lock of his gaze. And as you allowed him to sit you down, turning to retrieve supper, you didn’t even hear the thunder rumbling outside.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were hesitant to go to sleep that night. Rain continued to pour in its unrelenting assault, the loud cracks of thunder echoing something fierce in the cave. You were doubtful sleep would even come to you, but you didn’t want your secret to come to light. Not by Thorin, not by the Company. Not even dear Bilbo who had his own fears. It was a silly thing, really. You, a capable warrior, afraid of thunderstorms? No one would respect you if they were to find out. Against your own wishes, you went to bed.

Surprisingly, sleep came to you quite easily. Even as the storm let up, ceasing its downpour and unfriendly noises, you expected to have some difficulty; that your mind would conjure some thoughts and realistic fears they always do that kept you from sleeping. And as you felt yourself beginning to fall into a deep slumber, you allowed a smile to grace your lips as finally the anxiety you had borne all day dissipated. Neither the peace nor rest lasted very long, however. You were abruptly woken by a loud crack of thunder. It sounded as though it boomed right over the cave, making the walls tremble in its wake. You sat up-right with a loud gasp, your heart beating so fast you were afraid it would burst from your chest.

You closed your eyes and tried to calm down your breath, nearly jumping out of your skin at another rumble of thunder. The wind blew harshly outside, forcing cold and wet gust of air inside now and then. There went your sleep.

“Ghivashel?” Thorin quietly called. He sat on a rock in the corner, absentmindedly toying with his pipe which he had long finished smoking. Having not yet been visited by the tendrils of sleep, Thorin decided to stay up for a little while, opting to watch you sleep. He had sensed something was amiss with you and could not bring himself to retire to bed without ensuring your well-being.

You didn’t mean to cringe. Really, you didn’t. Any other night you would have welcomed his rich, deep voice. Not tonight. Any other night than this one, when you weren’t trying to keep your secret hidden, particularly from him of all people. Still, you could not deny the comfort his voice brought you in the midst of the raging storm. Turning your head, you looked over your shoulder at him and offered a small smile. “Hello.”

The slightest hint of a smile tugged at Thorin’s lips. “Hello.” Just as his smile came, it left, and he studied you for a long moment. You weren’t sure what made you shudder – his gaze or the thunder. “You’re trembling,” he said, frowning.

“It’s a little chilly.” It wasn’t entirely untrue. There was a draft in the cave, the harsh wind outside doing no favor in keeping the chill away. You knew Thorin would not believe it. He was too observant for that and knew quite well the cold never bothered you.

“You should sleep. It’s late.”

He was right. The campfire was now dimly burning, signifying it had been some time since it was first lit. You were tired and tomorrow would be a difficult day if you did not sleep, but you simple could not lay down again with that treacherous storm. “I-I think I will stay up for a little while longer.”

Thorin sat silent, continuing to study you. His eyes developed deep in your own and it felt as though he was reaching into your soul. He was looking for something. An answer. You looked away, suddenly feeling shy. Did he know? Did you somehow manage to give away of your secret fear, or was it something else he was looking for? You didn’t know. You didn’t want to know. All you wanted was for this storm to go away.

Thorin was suddenly in front of you, holding out his hand for you to take. You did without hesitation, though you shot him a questioning look as he pulled you to your feet. He merely smiled. “Will you allow me to sleep with you tonight?”

You weren’t surprised by the question. Quite often you two shared the same bedroll and slept wrapped in each other’s arms. The late-night conversations were your personal favorite. Quite frankly, you didn’t think you could sleep alone tonight, so you were more than eager to nod your head in answer. Thorin’s smile widened, and he led you to his bedroll – further away from the cave’s entrance.

The further, the better, you thought to yourself.

As you laid down, feeling the warmth and security of Thorin’s arms wrapping around your waist, a familiar sense of peace washed over you. Any coldness that still nipped at your sin faded when Thorin wrapped you in his coat with him, tucking you tightly against his chest. “This is nice,” you hummed, content.

Thorin’s lips brushed over your temple. “It is,” he agreed. There was a long stretch of silence, nothing but the sound of rain and thunder filling the quiet air. When he spoke again, his deep voice was a gentle murmur. “Why didn’t you tell me you’re afraid of thunderstorms?”

Dread gripped your heart. He knew. You should had known. Thorin was nothing short of attentive. In some ways, he knew you better than you knew yourself. You closed your eyes, gathering what little courage you had to look at him. You could only imagine the disappointment he must be feeling. When you rolled onto your back, you were met with something much different than what you expected: the tenderness he only ever extended to you.

“You weren’t supposed to know,” you whispered.

Thorin tilted his head, running the tips of his fingers through your hair. He found your braid and played with the single tress, admiring the way your courting bead glinted in the dim light. “Why ever not?” he gently probed.

“It’s shameful,” you told him. “I am a swordswoman, trained by the best mentor you could ever find. I am here on this quest to kill a dragon and I am afraid of thunder.” You laughed bitterly. “The mere thought of it is absurd and I couldn’t even keep it a secret.”

“Well,” Thorin began, amusement twinkling in his eyes. “You are not very good at hiding your emotions.”

“What? Yes, I am!”

“Is that so?”

“You don’t believe me?”

Thorin raised an eyebrow. “You were not entirely discreet with your anger towards Kíli the week prior.”

“He deserved it. I lost my best dagger because of him.”

“I do not disagree but glaring at his back the entire day does not disguise your emotions. Everyone knew you were terribly upset with him and Kíli only knew because of Fíli.”

You huffed as you recalled that day. “I was being passive aggressive,” was your mumbled answer.

“And you were quite fearsome. I pity the man who provokes your ire.” Thorin leaned forward and pressed a kiss to your forehead. “There is no shame in your fear. We all fear something.”

“No shame?” You scoffed. “I am afraid of thunder, Thorin. That is a child’s fear. It is cowardly.”

A change fell over Thorin. His face darkened, his once tender eyes filled with adoration as he listened to you speak hardened. His gaze was enough to turn you to stone, and you looked away so you did not have to face him, lest you fall apart under his icy blue eyes. Your secret fear already wracked you with shame, you did not need to see the disapprove of your beloved. “Look at me.” When you refused, Thorin grabbed your chin and lifted your gaze to him. “Look at me,” he demanded. “You will never speak about yourself in that way ever again.”

You frowned. “Thorin—”

“Quiet. I am talking,” Thorin hushed. “There is nothing cowardly about having fears and there is nothing cowardly about yours. It is a hardship we all battle. It is not easy and requires us to muster all of our strength to bear through it. It strengthens us.” Thorin lifted his hand and stroked your cheek, smiling to himself as your eyes fell to a blissful close, leaning further into his touch. “And you, my dear, are exceptionally strong and courageous. There is nothing cowardly about you and I will fight anyone who dares to say otherwise.”

How was a person capable so well taking away your fears and expectations, as unrealistic as they were, and bury them in the ground? It was unfair how Thorin could soothe you; how he could take it all and quell the anxieties within with his eloquent speeches. And they were always true and sincere, spoken from his heart. Suddenly your earlier assumptions seemed so silly. To think you had feared Thorin would be angry with you, to even believe he would lose respect for you as a swordswoman…Now looking in his eyes, the way he held your gaze, the sweet adoration shining in them. Your fear of thunder was no longer silly but you yourself and you could not stop the tears from unleashing as guilt overwhelmed you at your lack of faithfulness.

“Amrâlimê…” Thorin gently wiped away your tears, shushing you in a loving whisper. “Why do you cry, my love?

“I thought…” You took a deep breath. “I was afraid you would be disappointed in me.”

“Disappointed? In you?” Thorin echoed in confusion. “I would never commit such a heinous offense. Why should I be disappointed in you, because of your fear?” You nodded. Thorin chuckled softly and cupped your cheeks, and like before, he took your breath away with the intensity of his gaze – firm and loving, searching the depths of your soul. “No, my love. I am proud of you. You bear this fear like the warrior you are, strong and resilient and you do not let it overtake you. That is true strength.”

“Even if it renders me a trembling mess and unable to sleep?”

Thorin smiled. “You endure through it, do you not?”

“Barely,” you whispered.

“But you endure nonetheless.” Thorin leaned down and kissed you. It was a soft kiss; one meant to comfort and reassure. His lips just barely brushed against yours, short and tender. His way of saying I love you. “I would have you know,” he murmured when he pulled away. “You are not the only one without fears.”

Your eyebrows rose in feigned surprise. “Thorin Oakenshield has a fear?”

“A few,” Thorin admitted. “There is one in particular that keeps me up in the late hours of the night.”

“Really? What is it?”

Thorin grinned. “Being beaten in combat by a particularly skilled swordswoman.”

#thorin x reader #thorin oakenshield x reader #thorin #the hobbit

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sincognito · 7 years

Text

Royal Seduction 4 | Papgore

Pairing: Papyrus x Asgore

Universe: Underfell

Warnings: Previous and Future chapters will have NSWF content, mentions of rape

Overview: The chapter in which brotherly fluff and foreshadowing occurs >:3

A/N: Late fic update is late

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Read it on AO3: HERE

Papyrus refused to raise his head from its position buried firmly into one of the pillows at the head of the bed. He clutched a second pillow tightly to his chest, contorting his whole body to curl around it, hanging from it as though it were the only lifeline he possessed.

The whole day seemed to simply dissolve into nothing but a hazed mixture of pain and exhaustion, oblivious to anything and everything happening around him. He had missed at least two meals, the food growing cold and tasteless as it sat abandoned on one of the nearby tables. One of the maids had attempted to rouse his interest in some of the food items, or at least a glass of water, to no avail. He simply pulled the pillow closer to himself and fought harder to tune out the rest of the world, refusing to speak a word.

He had begun to fall in and out of consciousness, his body aching and tired, yet unable to sleep for such a long period. The part of him that had not quite resigned itself to simply drifting away, was urgently trying to tell him to get up, to simply stay alive, and not allow himself to chance falling down. He was better than that, he deserved better than such a pathetic fate.

It was late in the afternoon when Papyrus finally managed to sit himself up, glaring out of the window at the monsters visible below with no small amount of scorn. It took every ounce of his strength to not fall back onto the bed again, and it took an even greater level of forced motivation to physically remove himself from it, standing on legs that were so weak a soft gust of wind may very well have toppled him over.

On top of the dresser Papyrus found a new set of clothes. He inspected each expertly made piece thoroughly, rather impressed by the promptness with which he had received the clothing items. He managed to dress himself slowly, and he had almost finished when there was a knock on the door, momentarily snapping him from his rather bleak mindset. A guard entered, one of the ones Papyrus had encountered the day before.

The monster stood silently in the doorway, waiting patiently for the skeleton to finish his rudimentary task. Papyrus couldn’t quite piece together why the guardsman had decided to come at that time; he was certain it was too early for the King to have sent for him.

Fortunately, he had near enough finished, taking only a moment to quickly position his scarf back in its rightful place. Reluctant as he might have been to leave the room and brave the rest of the castle, he had little further say in the matter with the rather large reptile obviously beginning to grow impatient, signaled by its rather loud, over-dramatic sighing.

“Where am I meant to be going?” Papyrus still couldn’t quite muster the stamina required to make his voice sound anything but monotone and disinterested. His sockets were still drooped, barely able to remain open, as his expression remained cold and unwelcoming.

“I have been informed that I will be your escort for the rest of the day. You are free to roam around the castle at your leisure, but I must accompany you.” The guard sounded just as unimpressed and irritated by the situation as Papyrus had, the monster crossing his arms over his chest, likely frowning behind his helmet.

“I suppose I should look around,” Papyrus breathed, hooking his thumbs into the pockets of his new slim pants. It was an old habit, one he didn’t care to break - it helped to curb any feelings of anxiousness, giving his hands something to play with without appearing odd, and assisted in feigning a relaxed demeanor.

Only monsters who were completely confident with their strength and abilities ever allowed themselves to appear calm. It was a means of proving to other monsters that they were powerful enough to have no fear. This, however, did not mean they had their guard lowered, it was merely a facade of placidity, used to lure in unwitting monsters and keep at bay stronger ones.

The castle walls were dreary as always, their dull grey cobbled surface having very little features of attraction, and the severe lacking of any form of decor only worsened the deeper they went. The palace was, put simply, mind-numbingly boring. Papyrus couldn’t stand the aimless wandering, the bare walls and the overall emptiness.

He eventually came across the castle’s kitchen and decided it would be far more interesting than stalking the halls for hours upon hours.

The kitchen was perhaps the homeliest area throughout the entire palace. It was warmed by the heat of open flames on stoves and the multiple ovens that produced the simply divine aroma of freshly cooked bread. The counter tops were each coated in a thick layer of flour where some monsters set about kneading more dough, while others were combining various ingredients to make other pastries.

They were all rushing about, carrying trays of food from one place to another, snouting numerous instructions to other monsters as they went. There was a great deal of mess; pots and pans filled with unknown chard meats, and crumbs and spilt liquids making the floor rather hazardous to anyone seeking to remain clean. Worst of all were the piles of dishes that simply sat in the empty sinks, food already firmly crusted onto the utensils and plates.

Oddly enough, the chaotic mess felt somewhat familiar, reminding him of the state Undyne and himself would leave the Royal Guard Captain’s kitchen in after an attempt at cooking.

A wooden bench off to the corner stood out stark against the rest of the metallic appliances and stainless steel workbenches, and Papyrus found himself gravitating towards it. There were a number of drawers below the bench, and when he pulled out one he found it was filled with paper and books.

On closer inspection he found that they were all old recipe books. The papers were all yellowed and the print was faded on the vast majority of them, but the wording was still discernible. He began to browse through them, glancing momentarily at the name of each food, finding nothing of much interest.

It wasn’t until he had reached the final recipe that his interest was piqued. It seemed simple enough to make, especially with Papyrus’ spectacular culinary skills. He wondered briefly why the document had been hidden all the way at the back of the pile as he folded the paper, saving it for later use.

Seeing nothing of further interest he began to silently slink out of the kitchen, taking with him the new recipe. It sounded quite fun to try and create a Butterscotch and Cinnamon pie.

Papyrus and the guard following him continued on their course through the castle. They passed no other rooms of significance and the lanky skeleton quickly began to grow bored with the quiet surrounds. “Is there anything to do here?” he grumbled softly, coming to a stop and glancing back towards the guard.

The other monster thought for an embarrassingly long moment. It was rather poor that even a palace guard couldn’t come up with anything of even the slightest interest. “There’s the Royal Library,” he suggested slowly, evidently still trying to rack his brain for anything he might have missed.

Papyrus, unfortunately, was more of a tactile learner - while he had no doubt about the importance of books, having a fair collection of them himself, he couldn’t exactly imagine himself spending his days cooped up in a small dusty room reading. “Would I be able to see the courtyard?” he was beginning to realise just how desperate he was for the feeling of fresh air on his bones, and while the courtyard was not inside, it was technically still a part of the castle.

They had stopped nearby to the palace entrance; the idea of being so temptingly close to freedom was cruel. Papyrus was positive that if he truly tried he’d be able to escape, although making it all the way back to Snowdin would be an impossibility. Asgore would never let him get that far.

He crossed his arms, mentally cursing as he felt his anger slowly begin to rear its ugly head once again. He wanted to shout at someone, break something, do anything just to let out his spitefully outraged emotions. In truth, Papyrus knew that deep down he was just scared, but he covered it up with anger, with pure unrelenting hatred. It was easier for him to accept being angry.

Before the guard could respond to him there was the distant sound of shouting, and Papyrus immediately forgot about his bad mood. He was quick to move, practically leaping down the hallway, and near enough skidding around the corner in his haste.

“Sans?”

There was a sweeping silence that had immediately taken the place of the monsters’ boisterous bickering. The two tall monsters who had been guarding the the palace reception each spared Papyrus only a fleeting glance, before returning their focus to the small monster who was evidently the cause of the scuffle.

Sans, who had seemed just about ready to tear at the two guards snapped his attention towards his brother, his face changing between anger, relief and mild confusion within a matter of seconds. He moved to step past the larger monsters, only to have his path blocked by a pair of large metal staves. He growled, scowling up at the staves’ owners, his phalanges twitching in anticipation, readying to attack at any given moment.

“No, let him pass,” Papyrus tried to growl in his firmest tone, his voice holding steadfast, refusing to quiver in uncertainty “He’s with me.”

Despite what he thought a reasonable request, the guards still hesitated, glancing to one another and then between the two skeleton brothers. While Papyrus did not hold a rank of great seniority, he was certain that he still outranked a handful of common palace guards. Unless, perhaps, when Asgore had ‘warned’ them of him he had also been stripped of all previous power from his role as guardsman. The thought alone was enough to sour his already bitter mood.

The guard that had been tailing Papyrus stood silently behind him, observing the scene with great caution. He gave a slow nod to the other two armoured monsters, an obvious signal of approval.

Sans simply continued to scowl up at the guards, even as they stepped aside to allow him passage. He shoved his hands back into the pockets of his furred jacket, beginning to stomp towards Papyrus. Once he had stopped before the younger sibling his ire was no longer directed at the other monsters, rather at the taller skeleton.

“Where the fuck’ve you been?”

Papyrus couldn’t help developing his own glare, sighing at his brother’s lack of subtlety and the rather demanding nature of his question. Discussing his whereabouts in front of the numerous monsters surrounding them was far from what he desired. “Come with me,” he growled, ensuring to provide a scowl sufficient enough to ensure his brother knew there was no argument to be made about it. He pivoted around, beginning to stalk away without another word, trusting that if Sans wanted answers he would follow without complaint.

Fortunately, he did as told, following after and quickly falling into step at Papyrus' side. He seemed less than impressed, and rather impatient for answers, furrowing his non-existent brows at him and eying him skeptically as they walked.

The whole journey was made in a almost painful silence, Papyrus reluctant to speak a word - lest his stoic appearance crack - and Sans ensuring to make sure his annoyance was well known through the use of irritated facial expressions, emphasized by his overly dramatic sighs and quiet grumbles. Papyrus couldn’t have been more relieved when they finally reached his room.

He held open the door, allowing his older brother to enter before closing it once more behind them.

The moment the door closed he was assaulted by Sans’ harsh voice, “You’d better have a real good excuse for this one Pap-” he snapped, catching the other off guard with his anger, “I was callin’ ya all day yesterday, so unless your deaf you’ve been ignoring me.”

Papyrus took a moment to contemplate his response. He had long since lost his nonchalant facade, his whole body slouched tiredly and his face scrunched up guiltily. He was certain Sans would have been worrying himself sick over his rather abrupt disappearance. “Look, I’m sorry if I worried you, but there wasn’t much I could do,” before he had the chance to continue he was cut off.

“Sorry? That’s seriously all you can say?” Sans was beyond angry, throwing wide his previously crossed arms “You can’t just say ‘oh I’m going to go to talk to the King’. Y’know, the guy who dusts monsters for fun? Then just decide to fuckin’ vanish into thin air.” He had begun pacing, his hands coming up to rub his skull. “Do you have any idea how stressed I’ve been? You could have been dead for all I knew! Did you not even take the time to consider how I’ve been feeling these past few days?”

Papyrus felt his own anger begin to boil. It seemed as though Sans had come for no reason other than to complain of his own woes, not even sparing a moment to even ask if he was alright.

“No, Sans,” His phalanges were bundled up into closed fists, trembling with how tightly he was clenching them; the pointed tips of his fingers digging harshly into his palms, “I haven’t taken the time to consider how you have been feeling.”

Sans seemed to hesitate in making a response upon hearing the younger’s scathing tone, “But you know what? You’re not the only person who has been living through hell these past through days,” he was hard pressed to keep his voice from cracking, his tone involuntarily wavering from its harshness, “If I could have contacted you I would have, but I’m being held here like some God-forsaken prisoner!” he practically shrieked, “I can’t leave, I can’t talk to anyone outside of the palace, I can’t even walk around without being followed by some guard - and the King - t-the King, h-he,”

Papyrus was forced to pause his rant, his every breath ragged and uneven as his bones shook and his sockets burned with unshed tears. He couldn’t say it aloud, no matter how hard he tried he simply stood there with his mouth agape, choking on the very words. “H-He raped me.” He forced out, looking away, unable to look his brother in the eyes. How weak he must have looked, shaking and on the verge of tears, confessing he’d been forced to mate with another monster against his will, “How selfish of me to be worried about my own life and not consider how you felt about all this.”

“Papyrus, I-” Sans seemed at a loss for words, his expression that of complete devastation and utter pity. Papyrus hated it with ever fiber of his being, despised how pitiful he obviously was, even to a measly one HP monster, “I’m so sorry, i-if I’d known…”

Sans reached forward, gently grasping at his Radius, caressing the bone uncertainly with his thumb in a weak attempt at keeping them both calm. “Shit,” he cursed through clenched teeth, “I’m so, so sorry Pap, I-I shouldn’t’ve shouted at you like that.”

The tall skeleton ignored his rather hypocritical attempt at an apology, a quiet sob escaping him, “I’m s-so scared Sans,” he hiccuped, “I-I don’t know wh-what to do.” Warm crimson drops fell freely from the corner of his sockets; he no longer possessed the pride to hold them back. He tried to move away, but Sans simply tugged at his arm, directing him towards the bed where he promptly pulled the larger skeleton into his embrace.

“It’s okay Pap, you’re okay, we’re going to be okay,” he began to whisper soft words of encouragement, his hand moving from its position on the other’s arm and down to his spine, beginning to rub soothing circles into the sensitive vertebrae.

Papyrus cried, sobbing grossly into his brother’s shoulder as he desperately clung to him, no longer able to show even the slightest degree of restraint over his emotions. Everything hurt, his body, his head, and most of all his soul. It felt good to finally let loose his pent up fear and anger, and it felt even better to have someone so familiar, so trustworthy to share the burden.

When he finally managed to regain some form of composure, Papyrus was once more completely drained, his throat raw and hoarse from what felt like hours of endless bawling. It was hard for him to think straight, his mind stewed by tiredness and melancholy.

He eventually pried himself from his brother’s arms, glancing away rather awkwardly, suddenly feeling rather sheepish after such an embarrassing display of emotions. “Sorry,” he breathed, “I’d hoped to have had a little more self-control than that.” He brushed any rogue patches of watery magic from his face, praying there were no red stains left behind.

Sans simply fell backwards, landing on the mattress of the bed with a soft thump, “Don’t say that,” he sighed, closing his eyes tiredly, “It’s not your fault.” His hand loosely held Papyrus’ arm, lazily playing with the limp appendage.

Papyrus grumbled to himself before joining his brother led on the bed. He rolled over onto his side, facing the smaller skeleton, before pulling his legs closer to his chest and loosely curling his arms around himself. They led in silence, both monsters lost in their respective thoughts. Even as darkness began to creep into the small room they were reluctant to speak, or even move.

“What should we do?” Sans finally asked, voice barely above a whisper.

He couldn’t help chuckling at the question, he had spent countless hours musing over the question in his lonesome. He had no answer that hadn’t already crossed both their minds - there was nothing to do but wait until a better opportunity crossed their path - until then, Papyrus would have to play along, be the good little bitch the King desired. “I’m not sure,” he mumbled back, “But I’ll tell you what-” He stretched out, crawling further onto the bed so he could lay outstretched, “I could do with a good nap.” He was completely worn, and now that his attention no longer dwelled on such a depressing topic, he noticed just how utterly ravenous he was.

“Who are you, and what’ve you done with my little bro,” The shorter skeleton snickered, pointing a finger in mock accusation.

Papyrus rolled his eyes, “Shut up, Sans.”

“Whatever you say, Boss,” he smirked, a certain mischievous glint in his eyes, trying not to laugh a little too obviously, “But, I guess you could say...” Papyrus narrowed his eyes in warning, “… you’re royally fucked-”

Sans only laughed when he was ferociously attacked with a pillow.

#papgore #literature #dragon with a pen #mine #underfell #undertail

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