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mrsrookhunt · 11 months

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What to Expect When Your Lab Experiment Drinks Formula

PART TWO, PART THREE

A continuation (Mini fic Ver.) fic of what I made for Rook, HERE

| Synop.: You and your lab partner make a mistake in your potion, one that comes out looking strangely like it's related to you.. |

Characters: Azul Ashengrotto, Malleus Draconia, Lilia Vanrouge, Floyd Leech, Sebek Zigvolt, (Rook Hunt) x MC

Warnings: Suggestive (Floyd), Angst (Sebek), implied light manipulation (Malleus)

Scroll Farther Alert! There's a narration cut for the second part of each fic after the first portion. Don't miss it! Each ends with fluff. Sebek's is long, fair warning.

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You're trying to make a simple transformation potion, aging up a tadpole to a frog, when you add the wrong ingredient, and use one drop too many on the poor tadpole. The result is a child that looks eerily like the two of you...

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Azul Ashengrotto

"Holy-- great sevens, Azul, is that a child??"

He holds it up a foot away from him, equally baffled.

"Don't ask me! You're the one who insisted on using the wrong ingredients!"

"You were the one who picked those--"

"WAHHHHHH--" The baby flails its arms and fusses at your petty squabbles.

You turn your attention back to the small creature, looking disoriented from being held so far away from any solid ground.

Azul's watching too, as the child seems to scold you both with an oddly knowing glare that could kill.

You've seen that glare before--

"Azul, am I crazy, or does that thing look like you??"

"Weh." It motions towards you as Azul looks over it.

"Gracious, so it does. And it looks like you too. Look at its' nose and eyes."

You come closer to look, but the baby seems intent on having you hold it, squirming out of Azul's hands.

"Ahem, I believe the little one wants you--"

He pushes the wiggly baby into your arms, taking the moment to reposition his glasses, which had slid down with nervous sweat.

"I'll go talk to professor Crewel, there is undoubtedly something he can do about this."

Malleus Draconia

"Child of man! What is that you're holding?"

"Um... it was supposed to be a frog...."

Malleus takes it from you, holding it cautiously. The little baby he holds has soft black hair, slit-pupiled eyes the same color as yours, and suspiciously familiar shorter horns. It coos at him and motions to his horns with curious, grabby hands.

"Whatever we did, we must have touched it at the same time, Tsunotarou... Because it looks like a mix of both of us."

He puts it on the back of his neck with his arms up to support the chubby infant as it grabs at his horns.

"Hm. It's quite cute, Child of man. We can keep it in Diasomnia if Ramshackle doesn't have the capacity to care for it."

You stare on in disbelief.

"It's... its a frog with a transformation potion... we can't keep it, Malleus!"

He frowns, taking the infant down from his shoulders and cradling the small bundle to his chest.

"The potion had birch seed in it. The transformation is permanent; so I don't see a reason to get rid of it."

Malleus smiles, tickling its chubby cheeks.

"There's no way it's totally permane-- Wait. Didn't you have me add some of those ingredients? Did you know this would happen?"

Malleus is suspiciously silent.

"Malleu--"

"I'll go ask professor Crewel if there's a reversal." He sighs, handing the baby to you and moping all the way to the desk.

Lilia Vanrouge

"If you wanted a baby, precious, you could've just asked--"

You nearly slap him. So cocky, when there's a baby that looks suspiciously like you and Lilia on the table where a grown frog should be.

"Sevens, Lilia, this is not the time--"

He chuckles.

"In my defense, I told you not to use a sprig of pine."

You splutter, lost for words and flustered. The baby certainly seems to share Lilia's sense of humor, giggling mischievously at your flustered expression.

You pick it up before Lilia can, determined to barge straight into professor Crewel's office if you had to to get an answer on what this thing was.

"Heh, MC, the baby's smiling at you--" Lilia calls from a distance. You look down and find that the baby is indeed wholeheartedly excited that you're paying it attention, reaching its chubby arms up to feel your face and grab your nose.

"Aww.. so cute," You whisper, blowing a stray breath into its face for amusement.

"I heard that!" Lilia shouts from the table. "Don't go getting too attached now. I'm not raising another child, darling."

"Shush! I'm taking it to the professor right now, you have nothing to worry about."

Floyd Leech

"SHRIMPY, CAN WE KEEP IT---"

Floyd is whirling the baby around in excited twirls.

It's a very cute moment, but you're still baffled at the little creature's existence-- since it very much didn't exist about 10 seconds ago.

"Floyd, I'm pretty sure that's just an oversized tadpole..."

He stops in mock offense, thrusting the baby into your face.

"Does this look like a tadpole to you?? Unless you're suggesting that we both look like tadpoles, in which case, I'm taking offense because this baby looks like us."

He puts it down to play with its tiny legs.

"Look, shrimpy! It's going for a walk--" He pauses to think. "A sky walk!!" And continues to make the little one's legs 'walk'.

While Floyd is busy making baby noises to amuse the child, you're panicking. This potion had birch seed-- an ingredient known to make transformation potions permanent, if you remembered correctly.

"Floyd, c'mon, give it here, we need to take this to profess--"

"NOO we'll keep it!!!" Floyd holds the baby tight to his chest. "It's wayyy too cute!"

You pry the baby from him reluctantly.

"We cannot just keep a child, Floyd, it's not an animal--"

"If you take this one I'm just gonna make another one!!" He cries, moving to grab another tadpole from the tank.

"NO NO NO NO FLOYD--"

"Well don't take my little sea-star then!!"

You sigh.

"I'm almost 100% sure this is permanent anyway, but neither of us are in a position to care for this baby. We might as well take it to the professors and see if they can do something. We can't just hide the fact that we accidentally made a baby for our final project anyway---"

He mutters something about 'could've made a baby other ways, but it had to be the boring way', but allows you to go with the little one, who coos in your ear.

You hear a clatter.

"GET YOUR HAND OUT OF THE TADPOLE TANK, FLOYD--"

Sebek Zigvolt

"Human, explain. Explain----"

The baby bites his finger, which apparently was pointing at it too close for its liking.

"Ouch--! What do you think you're doing, little tyke? Do you think that just because you're an infant that you have an excuse to bite a retainer of the great Waka-sama??"

The baby looks blankly at him.

"You can't scold a baby, Sebek." You scoffed, bouncing the child on your hip.

"Fine! But you still have to explain why this child has my hair and eyes and....-- isn't that your nose?" He looks momentarily horrified as he comes to the conclusion you came to minutes earlier.

"Oh NO NO NO NO MC THAT IS NOT OUR CHILD, TELL ME THAT CREATURE ISN'T OURS--"

"For goodness sake Sebek you're shouting right in our baby's ear--"

"'OUR'?? THAT IS NOT 'OUR' ANYTHING, THAT IS YOUR POTIONOLOGY MISTAKE AND NOTHING MORE--"

He's babbling nearly incoherently at this point, and you have to stop the baby from attempting to bite him again out of what you can only assume is annoyance.

"...I would NEVER have a child with a lowly, magicless human, this CANNOT get out---"

"waah...wEHHHHHHHH"

Sebek stops talking for a moment, ears ringing.

You, too, are shocked.

"Sebek.. if it's not your child then I have ANOTHER auditory atrocity of a person to avoid on this planet."

"..."

"I'm taking it to professor Crewel."

"I think that's wise."

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You/ your lab partner take the child to professor Crewel, who determines that it is in fact a permanent transformation, and that biologically the baby is as much yours as any other naturally born to the two of you.

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Azul Ashengrotto

"Are... you ok, Azul? You've been staring into space for a... ahem, awhile."

The baby crawls around the the VIP Room of Mostro Lounge, bumping into walls. You suspect it may need glasses.

Surprisingly, the baby seems well-tempered, unless you have the misfortune of holding it the wrong way or otherwise inconveniencing it, to which it seems highly irritated.

However, it was one 'just like your father' comment that sent the already figity Azul into an unresponsive state.

"Was, um.. was that too soon?" You ask tentatively.

"..Yes.. yes, I think it was." He responds distantly.

"Azul, it's gonna be ok. We'll figure it out." You get up from the floor to hold his hand.

He meets your gaze, eyes sharp and calculating.

"Yes, of course we'll be fine, how could we not be? Finances are no issue and we could always hire a babysitter and.... well, it's not that. It's just a lot to take in."

"Today's been wild," You agree softly, gently picking up the baby to put it in his lap. "But I'm here for you."

You lean down to the baby's level.

"We're here for you, little one."

Malleus Draconia

"I still CANNOT believe you knew, Malleus--"

You're still squabbling with him pointlessly, even though the damage is already done. You can honestly say you've well warmed up to the baby, and Malleus seems to be doing worse than you on the details, having apparently very little idea how to care for a child other than playing with it.

"I'm sorry, Child of Man. I didn't know it was permanent," He insists calmly, but you don't quite believe that.

You sigh. He can act clueless as long as he'd like, but the overly exuberant smile on his face while interacting with your child says more than words.

He picked up the baby and put it down on his bed, already having sewn little, special pillows for the baby to sleep comfortably with its horns.

"You better be a good dad, you hear me?" You say, less threatening that you thought it would come out.

He beckons you over to the bed to lay down next to your baby.

"I will, Child of Man, I promise."

Lilia Vanrouge

You knock on his dorm room door, baby on your hip.

"So..um.. bad news, Lilia... it's perman-- Are you having a party?"

He shoos out at least 10 members of Diasomnia.

"I know, dear. Unfortunately I didn't realize what you had done in time to stop you. So I was having a little 'last moments of freedom party'. How sad, and Silver was essentially all grown up now.. Well, what's another 16 years?"

You're speechless. You had kind of forgotten that he was Silver's adoptive father.

"I'm... sorry, Lilia, I should've payed closer attention to the instructions and I screwed up--"

"Hush, it's fine. It's not the end of the world."

He takes the baby from you.

"I already brought in an old cradle and some food for our little one, see?"

He points out an old wooden crib next to his bed.

"Wow... you're.. so prepared, and I haven't even thought about that stuff.."

He smiled at you, nuzzling the baby's cheek a few times simultaneously.

"I'll admit, it got me a little excited. I didn't think an old man like myself would get the chance to raise a child of my own flesh and blood. But never say never, I suppose. You have nothing to worry about, precious. What you don't know, I have already experienced."

"...Thank you for being so understanding, Lilia."

"Of course, dear, after all, we're a family now."

Bonus the one stipulation is that you will not and will not ever share the cooking duties with him. Silver makes you swear by it to avoid his own childhood traumas for his younger siblings.

Floyd Leech

You brace yourself for the inevitable flurry of excitement before knocking on Floyd's door.

"WHERE'S MY LITTLE SEA STARRRRRR~~~~" You hear from the other side of the door before the door flies open. You hand the baby off to Floyd, who's more than ecstatic.

"It's permanent," you sigh, hoping he's listening. "We have to take care of the baby now--"

"WheeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEE" Floyd runs back and forth across the small room with the child, making faces all the while.

"Floyd!" You scold, finally breaking his stride.

"Ehh? I hear you, shrimpy, how can I not? It's ok, I have a plan. We'll love this baby with our whole hearts!"

"...That's the plan?"

"I spent two hours thinking of it, do you like it?"

"That child cannot stay here," A smooth voice cuts in. "This room is much too small for the two of us, let alone a third."

"Oh, hey Jade, didn't see ya come in," Floyd remarks casually. "And obviously I've thought of that. The baby will live in Ramshackle, because there's more space. It just needs some touch ups to be babyproof, is all."

"Touch-ups? It needs a whole remodel."

Floyd grins.

"Got an idea, shrimpy. Transfer to Octavinelle! Then the baby can share a room with you and we'll all be nearby!"

"Oh forget it, I'm asking Crowley to help me improve Ramshackle. Until then, you'll have to deal with the living arrangements." You put your hands on your hips and give Jade a look that means you'll raise hell if he doesn't agree to you and Floyd's half-baked plans.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt, so long as it was temporary."

"YESSSSS!!!!!"

Floyd's excitement leads to him jumping on you.

"D'ya hear that, Shrimpy? That means you can stay here too. And we'll be one big happy family."

Sebek Zigvolt

"Sebek?" You gently knock on his door, after having been told he'd been doing nothing but pacing around all evening.

"Sebek," you call again, a bit louder.

The door swings open violently.

"What?? Who dare disturb my-- oh. Human." He ushers you into his room swiftly.

"You still have the child? When does it leave?" He asked quickly.

"It doesn't," You said bluntly, putting down the freshly bathed and swaddled bundle onto his bed.

"Don't touch----! Ugh.. Besides... What do you mean, 'it doesn't'? It's leaving, I will not have that thing associated with the Zigvolt name just because of some lowly human's stupid mistakes!"

If you weren't so exhausted, you would be shouting at a decibel rivaling his own.

"Sevens, Sebek, it's permanent, no way around it. I can't go back in time and change this-! You were the one reading off the ingredients anyway, how dare you blame this on me?" You challenge.

"Ah-ahh.. Well, why didn't you check yourself?? Do I need to do everything for you!?" He crossed his arms.

"No, but you do need to do your task, and competently!"

That seemed to shut him up.

"W-whatever. I cannot be a proper retainer to--"

"Fine. Then don't raise the baby at all, I'll take care of it. I never said you had to involved."

"...I.. Human, I didn't say that." His tone seems to soften. You know he's got the weight of the world on his shoulders in his mind but you still find it hard to excuse his poor behavior.

He sits down next to the baby, picking it up at arms length.

"It's cute, just a bit. But I pity it.. it has even less faerie blood than me."

"Is that the heart of this?" You question gently, knowing it's a sore subject.

"Yes, I suppose so.."

"Sebek. Your heritage doesn't define you, and it won't define our child. You are an amazing, devoted person, and you've worked hard to be the person you are, and that's really all that matters. You have no reason to be upset, or worried. We can make this work, I promise. And I promise that I'll there to help you get through this. That is, if you're willing to."

He sighs, taking your hand.

"I fear I am diluting my sullied bloodline more than it already is. The Zigvolt family works with the royal family as their right-hand consults and guards. It's been that way for generations. But who would want a fae so adulterated with human genetics by their side?"

"I don't think that's true. If you really think that's the case, then why is Silver allowed to train as a protector as well? Malleus and Lilia are equally respectful of you both. You don't have to give up your family's title and honor just because of this."

He stiffens, a proud smile on his face.

"You are right, human! I shall not let this get the best of me. I will raise my child to be as dutiful as me!"

You laugh, relieved that he's warming up to the idea of having a family.

You kiss him on the forehead, giving him a hug that encompasses the baby in the middle.

"I'll work hard at being a good father, I swear on it."

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-June 30th, 2023

-Kaori

3K notes · View notes

shadowtriovibes · 1 year

Text

pt. i: break a sweat

pt. ii: blood, sweat and tears || pt. iii: sweat it out || pt. iv: never let 'em see you sweat

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!MC

Word Count: 5.2k

Rating: E

Warnings: 18+, aged-up characters, explicit sexual content, unprotected PIV sex, dubious safe sex methods, even more dubious interpretations of how the room of requirement works

Summary: sebastian makes the house quidditch team after training all summer. before his first match, you let him talk you into a bet over its outcome that will in all likelihood ruin your friendship. (merlin, you sure hope it does.)

"Speaking of which," you say, leaning out of the hug just enough to see Sebastian’s face. "What prize will you not be winning?" Sebastian lets his hands drop down to your hips as he murmurs, "I have something in mind." You force yourself not to get distracted. "Do tell." "If I win, I’d like to take you to the Room of Requirement after the game," he says, and the way he grips your sides through your skirt ensures you have no way of misunderstanding what he’s suggesting.

Seeing Sebastian for the first time since the end of your sixth year at Hogwarts is quite the shock.

You knew from his detailed letters that your dearest friend had spent the better part of his summer break training for Quidditch tryouts in the fall, frequently flying down to the Poidsear Coast to log hours and hours at their pitch.

Sometimes he would even bring Anne along with him when she was feeling well enough to ride on the back of his broom. He’d convince her to release a secondhand Snitch for him to track down, and while he hunted it down, she worked on the assignments your professors had set to help her prepare for her return to Hogwarts in the fall.

He’d even written to tell you that he’d never felt more confident on a broom, and that if he only got to have one last season on your house team before leaving school, he was determined to make the absolute most of it.

You knew all of this, and yet when you first see him in the Great Hall for the start-of-term feast, you nearly swoon like a Muggle schoolgirl at the sight of him.

The first thing you notice is that he’s taller. Even seated next to Anne at the Slytherin table, you can see his entire head whereas you can barely make out the top of his sister’s. Sebastian had never seemed that much bigger than his twin before, but things have clearly changed.

Then, you notice that his complexion has changed as well. He’s tan from spending all summer training in the sun, his button-down shirt suddenly looking so crisply white against his sun-kissed face.

His freckles, too – there are so many more.

But that could also just be because there’s simply more Sebastian now. His shoulders are broader, his chest wider, and even his hair has grown long enough to brush upwards into a less haphazard style (though certainly not as severe as Ominis’).

It’s as if your boyish Sebastian from the previous school year had quite suddenly become a grown man in just three short months, and you can’t tear your eyes away from the sight of him.

It takes you a few minutes to adjust as you slide into a seat across from him next to Ominis, and based on the look on Anne’s face, she at least knows what’s got you so flustered.

During a lull in conversation about Anne’s return, you tell Sebastian, “You’re looking fit.”

You hope you can casually get it out of the way, and that no one will dwell on it.

“Am I?” he asks with an easy smile.

“I mean physically,” you insist, remaining one step ahead of him. “I nearly mistook you for one of the Beaters for the Magpies.”

“Sebastian could never be a Beater,” Anne interjects. “He’s too much of a show-off to be anything but the Seeker.”

“I’ll be whatever the team needs me to be,” he insists. “I practiced for all four positions this summer, so wherever they want to slot me in is fine.”

“Silly Sebastian,” Violet McDowell calls out from a few seats down, a wicked grin on her face. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you that there are many more positions than just four?”

Your entire end of the table bursts into laughter while Sebastian simply flashes a wicked grin, and you think about using your ancient magic to hurl one of the stacked platters of food in front of you at Violet’s head. (Or maybe you should simply toss her out into the courtyard.)

“Is this how it’s going to be this year?” Anne sighs. “When I left, Sebastian was just an awkward boy with his nose always buried in a book, and now the girls are lusting after him.”

“I’m not thrilled about it either,” Ominis agrees. “He had a big enough head before he was attractive.”

“I think it’s excellent,” Sebastian laughs. “It’s about time everyone realized that I’m the perfect man, and all it took was a little bit of Quidditch practice and one last growth spurt.”

“‘All it took,’” Anne mumbles at the same time Ominis exclaims, “‘Perfect man?!’”

While both his sister and best friend take turns putting dents in Sebastian’s inflated ego, he takes it in stride and sneakily winks at you from across the table when he catches you silently observing, your gaze firmly settled on the sharp line of his jaw.

Sebastian makes a mental note of the fact that you immediately go red. Even if no one else notices, he certainly does.

—

Two weeks later, you and Anne link arms with Ominis to walk down with him to the Quidditch pitch to watch the Slytherin team tryouts.

“Now that I’ve got a brilliant witch on each arm, I suppose I won’t be needing my wand as often to get around,” he teases.

“Please, I know a thing or two about that wand of yours,” Anne replies. “Last year I spent a full month reading books on wandcraft that Sebastian brought me from the library. If I had to guess, I think you can probably ‘see’ more clearly than either of us can. It’s powerful.”

“No idea what you’re talking about,” Ominis demurs. “I’m just naturally perceptive.”

Once you arrive at the pitch, the three of you take seats along the practice bleachers with a few of your housemates, who chat excitedly when the Slytherin hopefuls begin to take the field.

You spot Sebastian quickly, even among nearly two dozen others in green practice uniforms circling for warmups on their brooms. Compared to how big he’d looked at the start of term in just his school robes, he’s huge now – equipped with pads across his shoulders, forearms and shins that accentuate his muscular form.

He’d declined a helmet, of course, because despite his newfound bulk he’s still the same exasperatingly headstrong boy you’ve nurtured a crush on for nearly your entire school career.

“Between us, what do you think his chances are of making the team?” you ask Anne.

“Truthfully?” she smirks. “I think he’ll have his pick of positions, unless Imelda wants to humble him on purpose.”

“Which one would be humbling?” you ask, amused.

“Probably Chaser,” she muses. “He’d be an excellent Chaser, of course, but it’s his least favorite.”

“I’ll bet he becomes a Beater,” Ominis offers. “Without the Dark Arts, I’d like him to have some sort of outlet for his intensity.”

“Fine, then I’ll say… Keeper,” you say, smiling to yourself at your private joke that only Sebastian would appreciate. “Because that way he’ll get to stay in one place the whole game and know that everyone’s eyes are on him.”

—

Shortly after tryouts wrap up, Imelda sequesters herself in the girls’ dorm to put together her official roster and the majority of Slytherin’s upperclassmen start passing around Butterbeers while they settle in to await her decision.

Sebastian is inarguably the center of attention, casually leaning against a table in the corner with Anne at his side. A flock of fifth-year girls crowds around him to listen intently as he talks about the impressive diving save he’d made, capturing the Snitch just feet from the ground.

“He’s going to be insufferable now,” Ominis groans while the two of you watch from across the room. “There’s barely enough room for his ego in this friendship as it is.”

“Come now, we can keep him in check,” you laugh. “Especially with Anne here.”

“It’s really good to have her back,” Ominis agrees softly, smiling to himself when he hears Anne’s voice through the noise, telling Sebastian’s fan club how he’d attempted a similar save over the summer and ended up crashing into a derelict poacher camp.

Huh.

However, before you can spend too much more time thinking about Ominis and Anne, you hear the noise in the room spike as Imelda saunters down the stairs, a rolled-up piece of parchment in her hand.

“Who’s ready to meet this year’s Slytherin Quidditch team?” she calls out, and the entire room bursts into excited cheers.

She starts to read off from her list, allowing brief pauses for applause after each name. You and Ominis snake through the common room to stand by Sebastian. He seems to be perfectly calm, but by now you can recognize some telltale tension lingering in his jaw.

Anne holds one of his hands to reassure him, swaying a bit nervously herself.

While Imelda works her way down the list, the four of you learn that hasn’t been named Slytherin’s Keeper. He’s not a Beater either, nor is he ultimately a Chaser.

“Lastly, your newest Seeker,” Imelda teases as she reaches the end of the list. “...It’s obviously Sallow!”

Sebastian beams brilliantly while Anne pulls him into a tight hug, and Ominis smiles and murmurs his congratulations to his friend, assuring him he always knew he’d make the team.

There are several other girls quick to offer their congratulations as well, but you wait for the crowd around him to thin out and for Anne to escort Ominis to get more Butterbeers before you sidle up next to Sebastian and nudge your shoulder against his.

“Excellent work, Bash,” you murmur. “You put on quite a show at tryouts.”

“Only because you were watching,” he flirts back, and you roll your eyes fondly.

Since the start of term, he’s been relentless with his play-flirting. You resist it as much as you can, but it always makes your heart race when he calls you “love,” or offers to carry your books for you, or even charms little notes poking fun at your classmates into tiny birds that gracefully land on your desk during classes.

(You don’t have the heart to ask him to knock it off, because even though you know he doesn’t mean it, it still feels nice to be the center of his attention.)

“Then I’ll have to come to see you start in next week’s match,” you offer. “Especially if you only play that well when I’m watching.”

“You can be my good luck charm,” he jokes. “Felix Felicis is prohibited, but you’re not.”

“That was awful,” you laugh, but Sebastian just grins.

“Tell you what,” he says after a moment. “We should make a bet on it.”

“A bet?” you ask. “On what, that you’ll win?”

He shakes his head. “Too easy, we’re playing Ravenclaw, we’ll obviously win. I mean something more challenging.”

“You’re clearly confident,” you tell him. “What are your terms?”

He considers his offer for a moment and then says, “I’ll bet that I can catch the Snitch in under thirty minutes. I’ll even let you be the official timekeeper, since I’ll be a bit preoccupied.”

“Under thirty?” you ask skeptically. “That’s nearly professional, Sebastian. Ominis told me most games last at least an hour.”

“I’ve been practicing all summer,” he insists. “Anne would release a Snitch and I’d even give it a five-minute head start, but I never let one get further away from me than the far side of Marunweem Lake.”

“Careful, Sebastian, you sound quite cocky,” you murmur, and you think you see Sebastian’s gaze dip down to your mouth for a split second.

“I am,” he agrees. “In fact, I’ll even let you pick your prize first, for if you win.”

“Alright,” you laugh. “When I win, I want… for you to write my History of Magic assignments for the next month.

“That’s it?” he scoffs. “You could have anything and you want me to write your essays?”

“I didn’t start studying magic with the rest of you lot, and I don’t know a lot of the foundational things that Binns wants us to reference,” you remind him. “You know your history much better than I do, and I need to bump my ‘Acceptable’ up to ‘Exceeds Expectations’ by the time N.E.W.T.s roll around.”

“Love, I would’ve done them for you anyway,” Sebastian says dismissively, and you bite the inside of your cheek to keep from grinning at the nickname. “Pick something fun.”

“Fine,” you reply. “I want…”

You consider your options for a moment, trying to think of something that isn’t either obscene or pathetic. Finally, you have an idea.

“There is one thing I’ve been thinking about,” you tell him, a secret smile on your lips.

Sebastian perks up, leaning in closer. “Go on then.”

“I want you to help me set up Anne and Ominis,” you say carefully, watching him for any signs that he’s about to blow up.

He just blinks at you, bewildered. “What.”

“I think they would be a lovely couple,” you croon. “And I know she’s your sister and you’re, y’know...”

“I’m what?” he demands.

“You’re very protective of her,” you say tactfully. “But we’re all adults now, and I think they really understand each other. I want you to help me convince them that they should give it a chance.”

Sebastian is quiet for several long moments.

“Well,” he finally murmurs. “I would prefer it if Anne never dated anyone so I wouldn’t have any more reasons to worry about her, but I suppose if she must, Ominis is a good man.”

You shout excitedly and wrap your arms around his impossibly broad shoulders, pulling him in for a hug. He easily allows it, fondly pressing his nose to your hair.

“I suppose it doesn’t really matter though, since you won’t win and I’ll never have to aid you in your scheming,” he murmurs against your temple.

“Speaking of which,” you say, leaning out of the hug just enough to see Sebastian’s face. “What prize will you not be winning?”

Sebastian lets his hands drop down to your hips as he murmurs, “I have something in mind.”

You force yourself not to get distracted. “Do tell.”

“If I win, I’d like to take you to the Room of Requirement after the game,” he says, and the way he grips your sides through your skirt ensures you have no way of misunderstanding what he’s suggesting.

“O-oh?” you ask softly, squirming a little in his grasp. “Just me?”

“Just you,” he confirms.

His eyes are dark, and despite the cacophony of the room around you both, he’s focused solely on you.

“And what would we be doing in the Room of Requirement?” you ask softly.

He doesn’t even dignify your question with a response. Instead, he deliberately drags his thumbs across your hips, raking his gaze down your body and back up with a pointed look.

“You mean it?” you ask him quietly. “You aren’t just teasing like earlier?”

“When was I teasing?” Sebastian asks, amused.

“This whole time,” you insist, fidgeting nervously with the laces at the front of his Quidditch shirt. “All the flirting, all this back-and-forth… You’re just winding me up.”

“I’m not,” he says quietly. “I thought about you all summer, love. I missed you like mad, and I sincerely want you.”

Merlin.

Some bold part of you steps a little closer so you can lean in close to his ear and ask, “Are you sure we shouldn’t just go to the Room of Requirement right now?”

You hear Sebastian swallow and exhale sharply.

“N-not now,” he answers. “After the match. I just…”

He doesn’t really have the words to articulate it, but he wants to earn your affection. He has to prove he’s good enough first, that you aren’t making a mistake by letting him finally force your close friendship into something more.

“Alright,” you acquiesce, gently brushing your lips against his cheekbone. “Just don’t get too distracted and fall off your broom, because I actually want you to win.”

“The match or the bet?” he asks in a low voice.

You just take a step back with a teasing grin, and before you disappear into the crowd to find your friends, you murmur, “Wouldn’t you like to know, Sallow.”

—

It’s so many flights of stairs up to the Room of Requirement. You almost feel bad for Sebastian, but not enough to stop relentlessly tugging him up countless flights in the quiet Astronomy Tower.

He must be exhausted already, you assume. While the match itself had only lasted twenty-seven minutes and forty seconds, he spent nearly all of them racing around the pitch alongside Ravenclaw’s Seeker, eyes trained on any flash of light that shimmered like gold.

He’d even taken a Bludger to his right thigh. You’d felt like you were going to be sick just watching it collide with him, but he’d merely dropped a few feet with a wince and sped off again.

Not even a damn Bludger could knock him off his broom.

(As soon as your nausea had dissipated, you’d felt another dizzying wave of sensation take over slightly south of your stomach.)

Just as he’d promised, he quickly caught up with the Snitch near the base of the Hufflepuff student section, landing not-so-neatly in the muddy grass with one arm thrown up in the air. He was evidently clutching the struggling Snitch and beaming so hugely you could see it from your spot in the stands fifty feet in the air.

As soon as Madam Kogawa blew her whistle, the Slytherins had begun to move en masse toward the stairs, preparing to turn their common room into the official site of the year’s first not-so-clandestine party.

You, however, snuck away from the group and lingered outside the team’s changing area. Inside, you could hear raised voices.

“Imelda, you don’t understand,” Sebastian was whining. “I need to go now.”

“There’s a way we do things here, Sallow,” she had argued “I’m the captain, and if I say we’re going to discuss the game before anyone leaves, you stay.”

Sebastian had a few choice words to say to that but ultimately relented, and you couldn’t help but laugh softly while you leaned against one of the canvas walls that lined the interior channels of the pitch. Ultimately, it only took about ten minutes to discuss how everyone could improve – and Imelda’s only suggestion for Sebastian had been to try to find a dryer patch of grass on which to land next time.

Seconds later, he’d burst through the door and started to take off toward the castle.

“Bash!” you called out. “Not so fast.”

When he turned and spotted you, his face lit up.

“You waited for me,” he breathed.

“Of course I did,” you said. “I believe you’ve won a prize, and the nature of it is time-sensitive.”

He looked like an utter rake with that crooked smile on his lips. He was still in his uniform head to toe, his hair even messier than usual thanks to his helmet. He’d even kept his pads on, so when he reached out to take your hand, you felt impossibly small next to him.

“Shall we?” he asks, and then the two of you were off.

By the time you reach the Room and ensure no house elves are present, you’re both out of breath and panting.

“Come here,” you whine, throwing your arms around his shoulders and messily kissing along his jawline.

“W-wait,” he stammers. “Let me get these pads off, and–”

He cuts himself off, making a face.

“I need to clean up,” he tells you, suddenly self-conscious. “I must look like hell.”

“You look obscene,” you reply, dragging your hands down his chest pads. “Which is obviously a compliment.”

He wraps his hands around your wrists to stop you from attempting to undo the laces at the front of his trousers. “Just – just let me clean off first, the prefects’ bathroom isn’t far and I got the password off of Weasley.”

“No, don’t leave,” you whine, and Sebastian is merely a man, he can’t resist the girl he’s been in love with for years when she’s begging him to take his pants off.

“I must smell foul,” he laughs. “You’re – you’re seriously okay with this?”

“Look where we are, Sebastian,” you croon, pressing an open-mouthed kiss to the side of his neck. “Just imagine what you need.”

For your part, you imagine a plush armchair where you can wrangle Sebastian into finally taking a seat, and one quickly spins to life just behind him. You take advantage of his distraction to shove him backwards toward it and climb astride lap.

“It’s the Room of Requirement,” you tease him, straddling his thighs and dragging your nose along his cheek so he’ll tip his head back for you. “If you require something, the Room provides.”

“I require a bath,” he drawls, cursing quietly when you gently bite just over his pulse point. “Quickly, please, Room.”

Sebastian waits patiently while you eagerly strip him of his pads, but the Room doesn’t change.

“I thought you said you’ve taken baths here,” he points out skeptically. “In a huge basin, like the prefects have.”

“I have,” you insist, frowning. “I don’t know why it’s not…”

Then you trail off, your realization making you go red.

“Go on, love,” Sebastian murmurs, sliding a hand up the back of your thigh to lazily palm at your ass underneath your skirt. “I know that face, you’ve figured it out. What’s the problem?”

“W-well, it’s my Room,” you tell him sheepishly. “So it, um… I suppose it defaults to what I require.”

“And what you require,” Sebastian says slowly, “is for me to not take a bath?”

You squeeze your eyes shut, embarrassed.

“I… I suppose the Room must have deduced that I – I like you like this,” you whisper, dragging your hands across his rumpled Quidditch shirt. “And I don’t need to wait for you to clean off.”

“You don’t?” Sebastian asks, his eyes now impossibly dark. “You’d let me touch you just like this? I’m a mess, I’m covered in sweat and mud and probably some blood, even.”

“Don’t care,” you breathe, sliding your hands underneath the hem of his shirt. “I want you now, Sebastian, exactly like this.”

He says some absolutely filthy words under his breath, sitting back so he can strip off his filthy uniform shirt. You can’t get your hands on his body fast enough, hurriedly familiarizing yourself with his sculpted core, broad chest, and strong shoulders.

He’s less of a mess underneath where his shirt had lain, but his skin is still warm and damp with sweat from the match. You want to put your mouth all over him, everywhere – and there’s so much of him to explore.

“I couldn’t believe it when I first saw you like this,” you confess to him. “You’ve gotten bigger since last spring, and so handsome… how did you become a man in just one summer?”

“You think I’m the only one who changed this summer?” he asks with a low voice. “Look at you.”

“What about me?” you ask dumbly.

His hands go straight for your chest, roughly tugging open your uniform shirt with no regard for the longevity of its buttons.

“Here,” he murmurs, his hands cupping your breasts through your thin brassiere. “I can assure you that I noticed where you’ve grown bigger.”

You gasp softly as he tugs down on the cups of your bra until he can lean in and press his mouth to your skin, sucking on one of your nipples and then the other.

“And here,” he murmurs into your chest, his hands returning to the backs of your thighs and sliding up your ass. “You have all these curves now, love, and they’re driving me mad.”

“Sebastian,” you whimper. “Take off my clothes.”

He helps you wrestle your skirt up over your head and tosses it recklessly as far as he can. When you’re left in nothing but your undergarments, Sebastian wraps one strong arm around your lower back and hooks the other below your hips, easily standing up from the armchair to walk you over to the bed you’d hastily imagined into existence.

Once he has you on your back, he tugs down your last remaining garment and leaves you bare and exposed to him, breathless and flushed all over.

“Your turn,” you remind him, even though part of you wishes he could leave the uniform pants on (despite the impracticality).

Once he manages to peel off the last of his clothes, he settles on his knees between your legs and skims a hand up your body, from the curve of your hip all the way up to your cheek.

“Is this too fast?” he asks you softly. “Did I ask too much?”

Your heart aches. Sebastian always stuns you with his sincerity when you least expect it.

You turn your head to kiss his palm and murmur, “No, love.”

His shoulders drop a little, the last of the tension he’d been carrying all week draining from his body. He wants, he always wants so damn badly and he would never forgive himself if he marred your first time with each other by rushing you.

“Can I touch you?” he asks in a hushed voice.

“Please,” you whine, letting your knees fall wide.

(Whether or not the other has ever done this before is still a mystery to you both, and it’s not something you’ll discuss until afterward. But right now, it’s of no importance to you.)

For a while, Sebastian’s hands roam your body without an agenda, acquainting himself with your breasts, your hips, the insides of your thighs. You moan softly when he drags his thumb along your slit, spreading your wetness around until he can easily rub slow circles over your clit.

“How do you feel?” he asks you.

“Good,” you gasp. “So good, Sebastian, like that.”

“Do you want more?” he offers, and you frantically nod, one of your hands fisting the pillow behind your head.

He carefully presses one long finger inside you, glancing between your face and your entrance to make sure you’re comfortable the entire time. One finger quickly becomes two, and when two nearly becomes three, you have to pause and take a breath.

“Enough,” you pant. “That’s enough.”

“Are you sure?” he asks you.

You reach down and wrap your hand around his cock, giving him a few slow strokes while he leaks precum onto your hand and groans helplessly.

“I want you,” you insist. “I’ve wanted you.”

“R-right, yeah,” he agrees, trying to clear his head and focus on the task at hand. “Enough.”

He gently nudges your hand away so he can guide himself inside you, one hand wrapped around himself and the other gently pressing on your inner thigh to keep you still for him.

Underneath Sebastian like this, pinned to the mattress by his hips and hands, he completely overtakes your senses. He’s all you can see, all you can touch — you even taste and smell him.

Masculine sweat. Dark brown eyes. Crisp autumn air. The curve of his collarbone where it meets his shoulder. Woodsmoke. A million tiny freckles. Metallic blood from a split lip. Flashes of copper in his messy curls. Singed pine needles.

Sebastian groans low in his throat as he presses in, his hair falling into his eyes before he frantically brushes it away so he can see you take him for the first time.

Once he’s fully seated inside you, he bends down and presses his forehead against yours.

“Tell me,” he begs, his hand curling gently around the back of your neck to hold you close.

“Tell you what?” you whisper, your lips brushing against his with every syllable.

“Tell me that it feels like this for you,” he practically breathes into you. “It feels like you’re — you’re everywhere, like you’re all there is.”

“Sebastian,” you whimper, and his hips snap against yours.

“Say it,” he growls. “Please.”

“You’re all there is,” you gasp. “You’re all mine, Bash.”

He makes a sound like you’ve sucker-punched him, messily kissing wherever he can get his mouth on you – your cheek, your jaw, your lips. All the while he’s fucking you open with relentless, eager thrusts.

He’s not going to last long, but you don’t expect him to. You just want him to feel good – the two of you have already wasted enough time not doing this, so why delay satisfaction?

You wrap your legs around his hips to hold him against you, rocking your own hips upward to meet him and coax him closer to the edge.

“I’m going to come,” he grits out, grinding into you desperately the closer he gets to his climax. “Can I finish inside?”

“N-no,” you whimper. There’s a potion you can drink to make it safe that takes an entire week to brew, and the batch that’s currently bubbling away at your potions station across the Room isn’t quite ready yet.

“Where?” he begs.

“Anywhere else, wherever you want,” you promise him, your mind quickly tossing out mental images of him spilling himself across your breasts, into your mouth, on the curve of your back.

He pulls out of you with a reluctant moan and kneels between your open thighs, wrapping a hand around his cock to finish himself off. You watch his eyes while he takes you in, seemingly torn between meeting your gaze and staring transfixed at your fingers between your thighs as you get closer to finishing yourself.

“Next time, love,” you murmur softly. “The next time you fuck me you can finish in me, I’ll take it all.”

“Promise?” he asks breathlessly, still an incorrigible flirt even when he’s seconds away from his orgasm.

“Promise,” you whine, spreading your legs a little wider when you catch his gaze lingering again.

You’re so close, desperately rolling your hips against your own hand until you tip over the edge, the rush of your release arching your back before you collapse lazily against the bed.

He shuffles forward and groans your name just before he spills, leaving a warm, wet mess all over your stomach and between your hips. You feel properly claimed – especially when he flops down next to you and immediately tugs you against his chest, unbothered by his release smearing between your bodies.

“You’re amazing,” he breathes into your hair. “Merlin, I love you.”

“You love me?” you whisper against his collarbone.

“Enduringly,” he says.

You rest your cheek against his chest and listen to his racing heartbeat for a few moments before you tell him, “I love you too, you know.”

Just then, the Room starts to rumble.

“What’s going on?” Sebastian asks, urgently peering around for his wand.

He quickly settles and even laughs under his breath when he sees the Room shifting around the two of you to provide a spacious, sunken bathtub in the middle of the room, complete with a luxurious amount of taps that undoubtedly offer an array of bubbles, salts and soaps.

“Oh, now you want to let me clean myself up?” Sebastian drawls. “After you’ve completely worn me out, hmm?”

“It’s more for me,” you giggle. “I can’t possibly sleep like this, but you’re welcome to join me if you’d like.”

As if Sebastian would ever pass up the chance to feel you up in the water.

#hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #my fic #hogwarts legacy fic #sebastian sallow x reader #sebastian sallow x mc #sebastian x reader #sebastian x mc #ominis gaunt #anne sallow #ominis gaunt x anne sallow #(it's subtle but it's there)#unbeta'd we die like men #how do we feel about “bash” as a nickname because it's my favorite 🥹

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lili863 · 1 year

Text

Hunted

Ominis x Reader (You)

Warning: Mature, slightly Nfsw, Minors DNI

Summary: Your underestimation of Ominis puts him in a foul mood and he ready to do whatver it takes to prove you wrong and put you in your place.

Classes were over for the day as you, Ominis and Sebastian hung out in the library, spending time wroking on your assignments and chatting about days.

"I swear Weasly put something in that potion, otherwise it wouldnt have blown up in our faces" Sebastian complained.

"Honestly, Sebastian, I would think you'd be smart enough not to leave your cauldron alone with Gareth Weasly. That boy's a menace, " Ominis stated in amusment.

"Well its not like I can keep an eye on him all the time! Besides I was literally gone for 30 seconds"!

Ominis rolled his eyes "I wouldnt even trust him with 5 seconds"

You huffed out a laugh hearing the two talk before Sebastian turned towards you with accusatory glare.

"Wait a minute. You had potions with me today, you literally sat right behind us. Did you see him doing anything funny? "

You pressed your lips and tried to answer as nonchalantly as you could.

"No".

"Your lying" Ominis calls out.

Your jaw dropped before you tried to defend yourself

"Wha- No! I am not, I-"

Ominis rested his head in palms, almost looking bored.

"Your a terrible liar Y/N"

"You cant prove it" You accused.

Ominis' hands were quick to reach out across the desk, finding your hands immediately before wrapping around your wrist and finding the pulse point. His finger applied a little pressure, making you tense up as you watched the boy's lips tug at the corner.

He sighs with a small smile on his lips "Its sometimes painful how obvious you could be"

You blushed and pulled away, rubbing your wrists where Ominis touched you. "That not fair! I just...have a fast heartrate okay"

Sebastian slammed his palms in the table before Ominis could reply and inched closer to your face with a glare "Y/N I swear if you helped that little twat in getting me detention today I will literally-"

"Okay, okay! I am sorry! I owed Garrett a favor, and he really needed a fwooper feather today so..I may have gave it to him today, at..the exact time you left your cauldron" You vibisbly shrunk in your chair givijg him a nervous smile but all you saw was his eyes twitch and his fists clench up on the table.

"I- I didnt know he was going to put that feather in the cauldron at that moment! I had just managed to get out of Professor sharp ingredients closet without being seen and had to quickly to give it to him so Sharp wouldnt see me. I am sorry. " You apologized sincerely, and upon seeing your face, you noticed sebastian features softened before he slumped down on his chair with a heavy sigh swiping his face with his hands.

"Im gonna fucking kill him " he muttered.

You smiled sheepishly and turned around to rummage through your bag before placing a jar on the table.

"What have you got there?"Ominis asked curiously upon hearing the sound of the glass jar hit the table.

"Lace wing flies for Sebastian" you replied.

Sebastian furrowed his brows in confusion "For me"?

You nodded "Yup. For your troubles. I was in sharps closet anyway and I heard you needed lacewings., he has a lot of them so he wont notice one jar gone. I know your short on them so no need to buy them or make a trip all the way out of the castle to catch them either"

Sebastian tackled you in a tight hug before exclaiming "Ugh your an angel. I take back what I say your forgiven"!

You laughed and pulled away "Least I can do after hearing you got detention today"

Sebastian groaned "Weasly is SO in for it"

"Wait, so not only did you manage to sneak into Sharp closet, but you got out of there with two ingredients completely unseen?" Ominis raises a brow

You shrug, turning towards Ominis "I mean, yeah..it wasn't that hard to be quite frank"

Sebastian raises his brows in disbelief "Wasnt that hard? I literally see him walk in and out of that closet at least a hundred times today! How did you not to get caught"?

You smirked. "You can't catch me. If I wanted, I can disappear so well you won't even detect my presence"

"Is that so" Sebastian smirked in amusment.

You gave a teasing grin and replied "Its a gift".

Ominis began drumming his fingers against the table lightly with an unreadable expression.

He gazed at you as if he could see you, his eyes purposfully moving around and glancing at certain spots within where you were sitting.

You couldnt help but notice as Sebastian began to ramble on about the book he found in the restricted section yesterday.

A hint of amusment evident in Ominis face, he lazily twirled his quill around while gazing in your direction.

What was he looking at? It felt stupid to wonder about that kind of question since he's blind, but the way his eyes moved over you didn't look random, he was purposely studying something about you.

Your eyes soon followed from his fingers up to his face when you slightly flinch at the sight. His own cloudy set looks right back at you as if he can see you.

Somehow you were hypnotized. Ominis eyes were always faced down when talking to anyone so you enver got to look into them this closely.

They were beautiful.

Unable to look away, the two of you stare at each other until Sebastian clears his throat, snapping you out.

"Hellooo, are you even listening"? he asks, looking between the two of you. You answered before Ominis could and continued to talk with Sebastian, now unaware that Ominis eyes were still on you.

Your little statement about being hard to catch caught his attention. Since he was positive, the easiest person to find in this castle was you. He's sure not for others but for him anyway.

Unbeknownst to most Ominis senses has always preceded others to compensate for his blindness. His smell, hearing, and taste were always for sensitive naturally. But what very few people knew, or rather what only sebastian knew was his ability to see and track the traces of magic. Every witch and wizard in this castle had traces that were each unique in its own magical way.

Even without his wand, he could detect the masses of others very easily due to this ability. The traces appeared to ominis in clusters of bright or faint light. Some were dull and hard to catch, while others were bright and easy to see.

Magic folk always had traces even from the simplest charms they performed in their everyday lives.

But you were different.

When you walked into sorting ceremony, he instantly sought it out and found you.

The unique complexity of your magic was too hard to ingore and too bright to look away. It was sometimes warm, sometimes cold, and other times a little dark. But never dull. It was...beautiful.

Just like you.

Even without your magic, your gentle voice always attracted him to you as if you were a siren. Your scent was subtle, but he couldn't get enough of it. And your touch.

They were reassuring in a way that no other touch could make him feel.

Ominis was baffled with your presence at times. He didnt want to admit he needed you every where he went. But he did. He often found himself annoyed or unreasonablely angry if someone asked for your audience or help. You had enough on your plate without these other students asking for unessary favors.

But you being you were always polite. He could hear the smile on your face and the compassion in your voice.

And somehow, your courage to keep everyone safe by fighting poachers or goblins had made him even more awestruck. He's never met someone like you. So kind, understanding, and balanced, unlike him.

You were an angel to those who deserved it or a venamous snake ready to pounce to those who didn't.

He tried to convince himself that that you weren't perfect. Surely you had flaws.

But for goodness sake, even your flaws were perfect. The way you were such a klutz sometimes, your lame jokes that cheered him up more than the funny ones or how you always went out of your way to get him on broom to fly with you.

He was angry with himself most of the days for letting you invade his mind like this. You were all he ever thought about waking up in the morning and going to bed. It was unhealthy and obsessive. But he kept coming back for more as if there wasn't an ounce of displine left in him.

And now, after finding out you possessed such powerful ancient magic, you invaded his senses from left right and center until all he heard, touched, and felt was you.

It was overwhelming and possessive.

Even if you were located in the deepest corner of this castle, he was positive he could find you. Like a moth to a flame.

"Well growing up, I always played hide and seek with my friends, and no seeker has ever been able to find me until they had to give up" you chuckled speaking of those memories with fondess.

Your story brought Ominis back into the conversation as he continued to listen quietly.

"So you're saying if we were to play this little game of hide and seek right now, we wouldn't be able to find you?" Sebastian challenged.

"Oh, with you two? I am positive" You grinned.

Sebastian smirked before looking at Ominis "I dont know. Ominis here is VERY good at seeking people out"

Ominis frowned at Sebastian, not wanting to draw attention to his abilities.

You looked at Ominis and then Sebastian confused "But..Ominis cant see"?

Sebastian chuckled "Oh trust me, he sees more then any of us"

Ominis slightly kicked him under the table to tell him to shut up, but now you were curious.

"What does he mean Ominis"?

Ominis sat up a little at your voice and cleared his throat "Nothing, Sebastian just joking-"

"Ominis here can track people better then any tracker I've ever seen. And you my dear are probably the easiest to track for him, " Sebastian finished cutting Ominis off.

Ominis gritted his teeth, reminding himself to hex Sebastian as soon as they were alone.

You frowned deeply at the claim, a little offended. "What does that mean"?

"It means Ominis here possesses a certain skill set that could help him find exactly where you are in this castle. If I were you, I wouldn't underestimate him, " Sebastian explained giddlily.

"Goodness knows how many times he found me halfway across the castle before I could leave the grounds."

"You mean sneaking out? Yeah, plenty of times. " Ominis rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"How..extactly do you do that, Ominis?" you asked curiously.

Ominis sighed with smile "Nothing to concern yourself with darling"

You narrowed your eyes, his vague reply now definitely offended. They cant just say stuff like that and not give you an answer, especially after you bragged about you never getting caught.

Now you had to know. You prided yourself in your ability to be stealthy. Hell, you even broke into the heqdmasters quarters one day just to ranksak his room for fun. There is no way Ominis can truly find you if you hid. There is no way...right?

And now his dismisive reply only fired you up.

"Say Ominis, how about we play a little game then"? You asked determinedly.

Ominis face shone with amusement "What game would you be referring to"?

He already knew you werent going to let this go.

"A game of hide and seek of course"

He huffed out a laugh and slowly sat up in his chair, now completely facing you.

You were annyoed at his nonchalance but didnt show it.

"Well now that I hear about this ability of your, we simply have to put it to the test" you smiled.

"Is that so"?

You didn't miss the challenge evident in his tone, and neither did Sebastian seem to stay quiet.

Matching his energy, you sat up in your chair as well, facing his foggy eyes with a confidence that you were sure could be felt. "Yes. As a matter of fact, if I left right now and gave you two days to find me, you wouldn't be able to even if I walk right by you in and out of my classes"

Ominis face darkened at your arrogant tone. It was calm, but the kind of calm you see before the storm which you know is coming.

Right this moment, he wanted nothing else but to bend you over this desk and reprimand for taking that tone with him. But he opted to clench his fists until his knuckles were white and think of all things he could do when he caught you.

If it's one thing Ominis wouldn't back down from, it's a challenge. And especially if that challenge gave him the opportunity to witness your humility after he'd beaten you.

You wouldn't ever admit it, but something about the way he was staring at you made you feel something. A little flutter in your stomach that made you clench your thighs at the excitement. You weren't just merely curious anymore. You simply HAD to know if he could ever catch you.

You were quite aware of the effect he had on you. The urge to push his buttons and see how he would react, the urge to challenge him and see far he would go. Ominis was a reserved guy always opting to hide his skills instead of showing them, but you knew he was talented beyond belief and made it your mission to see every one of them whether he liked it or not. It was always the quiet one with the surprises, and you absolutely loved surprises.

"4 hours".

"What"?

"Give me four hours to find you, wherever you decide to hide in this entire castle"

His confidence dropped your jaw and rendered you speechless.

Only 4 hours?!

A little panic was set in your brain at his claim. This castle is huge. And you hide anywhere you want. Was he that confident in his skills?

Ominis grin only widened upon sensing your hesitance. "Is that too long? Very well then how about two hours"?

You almost choked on your spit and looked at Sebastian with widened eyes.

Sebastian couldnt help but grin with excitement. "Oh this is good. This is brilliant. Y/N vs The Ominis Gaunt"

Ominis frowned slightly at the interference of his friend.

This was personal and both you and Ominis knew it.

"Dont you have detention to get to right now Sebastian" Ominis reminded.

Sebastian face fell and groaned at the realization "Ugh, bollocks"

You gave a lopsided smile and patted Sebastian arms in reassurance. "Good luck with Weasly. And try not to kill him, PLEASE"

Sebastian chuckled "No promises"

You shook your head in amusment as you witness him packing his belongings. Before he left the table, he turned towards Ominis with a menacing grin "Go easy on her Ominis, she looks a little scared"

Your hands flew to hit Sebastian in the arm with a glare, curseing him for exposing you.

Sebastian barked out a laugh before grabbing his bag and leaving the two of you in the library. "Have fun you two, oh and Y/N do let me know what happens"

You cursed at him under your breath once again and looked at the clock.

It was almost curfew time, which would leave you no choice but to run around the castle past curfew.

"Ominis, it almost curfew, I dont think we can-"

"All the more fun then" Ominis interrupted.

"Surely you can manage to sneak past a couple of prefects"

You gasped in delight, "Ominis?! I didnt know you had it in you to break the rules like this. Sebastian a bad influence, isn't he"? You teased.

Ominis scoffed at your tone "Thats all Ive ever been doing ever since the day you entered this castle"

You giggled. "Well then, I reckon this will be a much bigger challenge for you then, won't it?"

"Perhaps you should worry more about what I could do if I caught you," he tried to hide the malice in his tone.

Your glared at him ignoreing the goosebumps on your skin "What would I have to be afraid of Ominis? Surely your not referring to yourself"?

A menacing smirk appeared on his face as he sat there, choosing not to reply to your comment.

Ominis knew you were anxious enough already. And boy, was he going make you terrified.

You felt the ominous feeling and stood up from you chair starting to pack your things.

You two had better get a move if you were hoping to finish this game early enough not to get into trouble.

Ominis packed his things up as well and tried his best to hide his anticipation. His mind was racing with dizzying thoughts on how to approach this and how he would catch you.

The hunger of it all was unbearable, and he was grateful you couldn't read his mind.

"Let shake on it then"

Ominis heard the girl say and shuffle towards him. His hand reached out to hers and enveloped them. She shook her hands and attempted to pull away but alas...

He couldnt help it. Just a little taste, he'd convinced himself.

Ominis gripped your hands and tugged firmly, causing you to yelp and crash into his chest.

Feeling his other hand slither around your waist, you looked up at the guy in shock.

Ominis, on the other hand, relished the proximity, which did little to satiate his desire. But he needed to mask it so he didn't scare you off.

Your eyes moved back forth in panic between his even though he couldn't see you

"What are you doing..."

Ominis leaned down to the side of your face, his lips brushing against the side of your face and gliding upwards until they found the tip of your ears.

You gasped at the sensation that made you arch closer to him.

His fingers lazily rubbed small circles on top of yours while you gripped his hands harder and whispered, "What are you doing Ominis"?

Ominis fought the urge to bite your lobes and merely hovered over your ears. "Are you sure you want to play this game with me, darling?"

Your chest was moving erractically no doubt being felt by Ominis pressed against you.

His arms instinctively pulled you in closer if that was even possible, and now all you could feel was his hard chest and the hot warmth that seeped into your skin.

"We could always call it quits if you're too scared." Ominis was slowly losing his self-control. His lips moved slightly downwards to press an open-mouthed kiss against her jaw.

"O-ominis" you whimpered.

Fuck. You couldn't control yourself either. This was surreal to you.

"Yes darling" his breath was heavy on your skin, making you shiver. His hands let go your yours to wrap around his other on your waist and pulling up against him in order to get better access to your neck.

You hands flew around his neck to stead yourself before his lips pressed into your neck harshly.

Whimpers escaped your mouth as he bit your neck and swiped his tongue firmly over the bruise before repeating it. One of his hands ran up your spine before gently gripping your neck and pulling it back to access more skin.

You allowed him before he dove down to your throat with a searing kiss.

Your body jolted when you felt his canines in the middle of your neck now completely at his mercy. Heat was quickly pooling in your stomach, and you could feel his eagerness down there with how closely you were pressed against him.

Ominis concious kept yelling at him to back off before he completely lost it. Anymore of this, and he would truly find himself pushing you on this desk and taking you right then and there.

But fuck, you felt so good.

His lips pressed kisses up your throat until finally they were infront of your lips.

Ominis knew if he kissed you there was no going back.

But you couldn't let it happen like this. Not now.

You tried gather enough self control and shoved him back, which unfortunately pushed you back further then it did him, but nonetheless, now you were facing each other, flushed, disheveled and completely incoherent.

You gulped and pointed a finger straight on his chest "Catch me if you can Gaunt"

At the sound of your determined tone, Ominis grinned widely before taking your finger at his chest turning it over.

He bought the palm up his lips and pressed a kiss.

You swear your poor heart is about explode when he replied " I give you my word..."

#ominis imagine #ominis gaunt #hogwarts legacy ominis #hogwart legacy imagines #hogwart legacy headcanons #hogwarts legacy drabbles #hogwarts legacy imagine #drabble #headcanon #hogwarts legacy #sebastian sallow #ominis smut #ominis x reader

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roohuh · 1 year

Text

Obliviate Masterlist

Ominis x MC

Summary: Over the summer holiday before your final year at Hogwarts you are visited by someone who erases all memory you have of Ominis Gaunt

Fifth Year

Part 1: Mourning the loss of a most beloved Professor

Part 2: Feelings Developed

Part 3: wiggenweld

Part 4: May I Write You This Summer?

Summer Letters

Year Six

Part 1: The River

Part 2: The Man from the Ministry is here to stay

Part 3: Amortentia

Part 4: Dragon Hunting

Part 5:coming soon…

Prolog: an unexpected visitor

Seventh Year

Part 1: Obliviate

Part 2: 💌only the best ones💌

Part 3: His Scent

Part 4: An Undesirable Cure

Part 5: Ancient Runes with Professor Gaunt

Part 6: Confessions in the Undercroft

Part 7: I’m sorry if I lied but I don’t remember.

Part 8: Professor Gaunt’s Afternoon

Part 9: “For you… Anything”

Part 10: Perilous Proposals

Part 11: Detention

Part 12: I Want to Show you Something

Part 13: Ominis Birthday

Part 14: A Visit from Mrs. Gaunt

Part 15: His Bedroom

Part 16: The Headmasters Office

Part 17: Dinner went well…

Part 18: Dinner did not go well

Part 19: Get Up man!

Part 20: Stay with me tonight…

Part 21: Meeting With The Monarch

Part 22: Caged

Part 23: One Week

Part 24: The Death of The Hogwarts Hero

Part 25: A Kind Old House Elf

Part 26: Labor and Grief

Part 27: Resolve Lost

Part 28: Only One Way to Find Out!

Part 29: Escape

Part 30: Home

Part 31: Professor Gaunt’s Morning

Part 32: Your Grave

Part 33: 1/2 Music, Dancing, and Trauma

2/2 Music, Dancing, and Trauma.

Part 34: coming soon…

#ominis gaunt #hogwarts legacy #ominis x mc #ominis x reader #sebastian sallow #fanfic #hogwarts legacy ominis #ominis x you #harry potter hogwarts game #ominis fluff

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sebastianswallows · 10 months

Text

A new family — Chapter 7

— PAIRING: dark!Ominis Gaunt x F!MC

— SYNOPSIS: Ominis gets tired of his family and how miserable life is with them after he graduates. So he follows Sebastian's example for once, and kills them in cold blood. Now that he has the mansion to himself, he discovers he would still like to have a family, but one of his own making.

— WARNINGS: just a whole lot of sweetness 🐍💚

— WORDCOUNT: 1.4k

— TAGLIST: @littletealight @skarathewitch @myrachondria @mrimperio @ssnapsaurus @tarotwitchy-main @hufflepuff-16 @shameless0shenanigans @imaslytherpuff @adoxra

“Yes.”

“What?”

“Yes,” she laughed.

“O-oh,” said Ominis with a smiling stutter. “That… was easier than I anticipated.”

He had no chance to say anything else, because she threw herself into his arms. Her cheek was warm next to his, her grip as strong around his shoulders as his was around her waist, and their legs were tangled on the floor. Their hearts beat together. His eyes closed in pleasure as her scent filled his lungs.

“I would kill for you,” he whispered.

“I know,” she said.

“I think I have. I think when… when I… my parents…”

“I know…”

“It was to clear the way for you. All along, it was for you.”

“You don’t have to kill for me,” she said, pulling back to brush a thumb over his beautiful cheekbones, and smiled. “Although I appreciate it all the same.”

Ominis chuckled and cupped her hand as it caressed him. He held it there as he leaned in close enough to feel her breath, to feel the warmth of her skin against his own, and she closed the space between them with a kiss. A shiver washed over his body at the feeling. He realised at that moment that he didn’t even know what he’d been missing. It was the first touch of real gentleness and love he’d ever felt, and against which the rest of his life would be compared.

He hugged her tight, and turned her in his arms, and sat with her hugged to his front between his outstretched legs when he slid the ring around her finger. It was the perfect fit, something to which he went to great lengths to ensure, taking samples with loose threads while they lay in bed together after reading.

She took the time to admire it before letting him slip it on, and spotted on the inside the engraving he’d asked for: two coiled snakes that filled the space between the beginning and the ending of the phrase Amor vincit omnia.

He used a hand gloved with her gift to crown her finger with it, and tasted with delight the melding of the colour of the gold against her flesh. “It’s warm, like sunlight falling straight on the tongue. And you, my dear, taste sweet.”

“Not as sweet as you, I think,” she smiled, then leaned in to kiss him on the lips, “but let me just make sure…”

When they visited Poppy and Everett and a few of their other friends on Boxing day, they kept the ring hidden beneath a pair of gloves, and only announced their engagement when they went to see her parents. They were sweet to Ominis, if a little deferential — they had never met a Gaunt before, and her telling them that he was ‘not like the others’ did little to ease their fears. Nevertheless, the pair left her family home in a much warmer and more emotional tone than they had arrived.

They kept the ceremony small, with her family and all their friends and a few of their professors invited. It was March by then. They wed on the Vernal Equinox.

Even Sebastian was invited, although he didn’t show — gone on a relic hunt in Cyprus, or so he wrote when he sent his compliments. If she felt slighted by their best friend’s absence, Ominis couldn’t tell. She was sweet and lovely and hung on his arm throughout the day for the ceremony and into the night for the dinner — arranged in the middle of Gaunt Manor’s rose garden — and then they bid all their guests goodbye.

The festivity went on until sunrise, with fireworks and songs and dance and the crystal chime of toasts. They could hear it from her bedroom, where they retreated. It wasn’t the first time they cuddled in the dark, still partly dressed and tired, but tonight had a significance to it that was so great neither of them could even acknowledge it. They kissed, and held each other, and buried their faces in the other’s neck and hair and chest, but did nothing else than cuddle like lovebirds until they fell asleep.

The morning was the more awkward part, once the rush of everything and the bravery of firewhisky washed away, but they just smiled and held each other tighter.

The typical thing to do for a honeymoon, so they’d heard, was to visit relatives. They agreed together not to do that. Ominis’ were few and far away, other branches of Gaunts who were disappointed not only by the mysterious disappearance of his parents and siblings but also that Ominis himself was now no longer eligible to marry any of their daughters. Meanwhile, her parents were… simply understanding of their need to be alone.

So they kept to themselves, and life went on just as before.

“Do I get to call you ‘darling’ now when we have breakfast?”

“You can call me ‘darling’ any time. In fact, I’d rather you did.”

“Really? You don’t think it’s condescending?”

“Why would I? Do you not mean it?”

She laughed. He’d caught her there…

Across the table, she reached for his hand and started playing with his wedding band. After he’d given her hers, she slipped out one day and bought one for him too, surprising him with it that very evening. The inside was engraved with a pair of hands interlinked, rather than snakes, and the inscription in life and in death. A poignant homage not many would read too deeply into, but Ominis smirked when he ran his finger across it.

They kissed before their first breakfast as husband and wife, and after it, and then strolled through the garden among the remains of the party. The guests had left on their own, and they did their best to tidy up, but the lawn was still the scene of some chaos. Birds had descended to pick at the crumbs and a few rabbits, awoken from their winter burrows, hopped over the overturned chairs.

“I have my wand on me, I could disapparate all of it.”

“No need, my darling. The elves can attend to it.”

His head then turned to the left. Still holding his hand, she followed him as he walked toward one of the bushes.

“What is it?” she asked.

Ominis only smiled and pulled her forward. When they got close enough, she saw there was a little grass snake there, brown with a white collar and pale belly. Its head swayed a bit above the ground as it flicked its tongue out. The tip of its tail was curled around a branch just above the ground as if it were holding itself steady.

“Say something to it,” she asked Ominis, hand pressed against his shoulder.

“Wait. He’s speaking now,” he chuckled, crouching to be closer to the snake. “He’s asking why last night was so noisy. He knows this is my property, and he’s complaining.”

Ominis’ laughing voice then turned to a silky hiss, and she was left impressed once again by his gift. It crossed her mind for the briefest second that she need not be envious, as any child of theirs had the chance to inherit it — but she pushed down that impish and imprudent thought before she began to blush.

“What did you tell him?” she quietly asked when he was done.

“I apologised,” he smirked. “And told him I had a wedding party.”

The snake hissed at him again and Ominis replied with what sounded like a pleased and haughty tone.

“Do snakes even know what a wedding is?”

“Well,” he tilted his head up at her with a smile, “I used his terms.”

“Which are?”

Ominis straightened back up and took her hand again. “I don’t think you’d like to hear them.”

“Come on, tell me,” she laughed as they started walking around the garden again.

He seemed to think about it for a few minutes, but it was impossible for him to wipe that smug grin away.

“I said it was our courtship dance. And that we are now mated.”

“So you lied to him.”

“How so?”

“We had our courtship dance long ago,” she smirked. “And we haven’t mated yet.”

“You are vulgar.”

“You like it.”

“Yes.”

“How do snakes court each other?”

“Well, it depends on the species,” he began, his fingers tightened around hers. “Some like to rub against the one they’re courting, or hiss and lick at her sleek body. Some do elegant contortions or dances, presenting themselves…”

“And how do they mate?”

“They curl around each other. Sometimes for hours, sometimes for days… Just lying tightly together in a burrow or among the grass.”

“Oh that does sound sweet…”

“Do you like that?”

“Now who’s being vulgar?” she said cheekily.

“Why?” asked Ominis with an innocent voice. “Do you wish to try it?”

#Ominis Gaunt #hl #Ominis Gaunt fanfiction #ominis gaunt imagine #Hogwarts Legacy imagine #Ominis Gaunt x Reader #Ominis Gaunt x MC #Hogwarts Legacy MC #sswallow;made a thing #sswallow;fanfics #sswallow;a new family

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choicesficwriterscreations · 9 months

Text

CFWC FotW - August 20-26, 2023

Ⓜ️ = Adult/Mature Content 18+ 🔥 = Explicit Material/NSFW 18+ 📱= Text Fics/Edits 🎨= Includes Fanart

BLADES OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

Chosen by Light | Mal Volari x F!MC - @storyofmychoices

CRIMES OF PASSION

Crimes Drabble | Trystan Thorne x MC - @lilyoffandoms

Save it for Desert | m! Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @a-cloud-for-dreams 📱

Take Me Out | m! Trystan Thorne x F!MC - @jerzwriter 🎨

Tides of Change | f! Trystan Thorne x Juliana Grogescu, Sebastian Thorne x Juliana Grogescu - @coffeeheartaddict2 Ⓜ️

IMMORTAL DESIRES

Snow in Crimson, Starlight in Gold (Series) | m! Cas Harlow x m! Gabriel Adalhard x nb!MC - @aria-ashryver Chapter 35: Sink Your Teeth In, Part 2 Ⓜ️

IT LIVES WITHIN

Love by Any Other Name (1 / 4) | Amalia de Leon x F!MC - @professor-abeloved

OPEN HEART

RED CARPET DIARIES

That Boleyn Girl (Part 1/2) | Thomas Hunt x F!MC - @tveitertotwrites

THE ROYAL ROMANCE

Baking Memories | Liam Rhys, Constantine Rhys - @kristinamae093

Black Silk (Series) | Liam Rhys x F!OC, Drake Walker x F!OC - @aussiegurl1234 Chapter 16: The Steer Ⓜ️

Can't Take My Eyes Off You (Series) | Bertrand Beaumont x Olivia Nevrakis - @alj4890 Chapter 3: Olivia's Ballroom

Mosquito | Maxwell Beaumont x MC - @chocopeppermintcake

The Royal Heir's Royal Romance | Drake Walker x MC, Royal Heir x OC - @whatisreggieshortfor

...Sometimes Not (Series) | Liam Rys x F!OC - @ao719 Part 8: Turn a Blind Eye

Through Hell & Back (Series) | Olivia Nevrakis x Anton Severus - @queenmiarys Part 1: First Impressions

Turning the Page (Series) | Liam Rys x F!MC - @tessa-liam Chapter 2: The Sacrifice Ⓜ️

#choices fanfic #playchoices #playchoices fanfic #blades of light and shadow #crimes of passion #it lives within #open heart #red carpet diaries #the royal romance #choices fic writers creations #cfwc fics of the week

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moodyvalentinestories · 10 months

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Direction – Thirty-Two | Hunt x HWU MC (Danielle)

Summary: After finding out that footage of their kiss is all over the internet, Danielle and Thomas see for themselves what damage has been done. Separately.

Words: 1100+

❥ Previous Chapter: Thirty-One ❥ Moodyvalentine’s Masterlist

It was not a blurry photo shot with a phone from far away like Danielle would have suspected. In fact, what was attached to the article Chris was showing her on his phone was not a photo at all but an entire video that revealed much more than a simple photograph would have. Danielle watched it a second time and then a third. She’d felt, in the moment, that the kiss had been much too short but, according to what she saw on the screen now, it had lasted a lot longer than she’d thought. After her fourth watch, Danielle finally scrolled past the video to read the article.

EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE! Actress Danielle Allen and director Thomas Hunt seen kissing passionately on the set of their new movie! Could this be the reason Hunt is back in the director’s chair after so many years?

She scrolled further down and, oh yes, it was bad. Below the first lines of text, there was the photograph of her and Hunt at Sundance, which certainly looked a lot worse now. He had only put his hand on her shoulder when he’d given her some advice about the situation with Anders Stone, and everyone had simply thought it was just a professor who was proud of his student’s achievements, but now…

Danielle knew the next few lines would be speculation about whether something had happened when she’d still been his student, and she was right. The next words were very much not kind towards Hunt, and she really wished she could talk to him right now. But he said he needed time, and considering his life may have just been ruined, Danielle was going to respect that.

“Look, this sucks right now, but we both know what they’re saying there isn’t true. And since there’s no evidence, this might just blow over,” Chris tried to console her.

Danielle cringed. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“What do you mean? We were together when you were at HWU, you wouldn’t have—”

“Oh, no, God, no!” she interrupted him. He was still watching her skeptically, and she sighed. “I never cheated on you, Chris, and certainly not with Hunt.”

Chris visibly relaxed at that. “So what is there to worry about?”

She really had no choice but to come clean about the entire thing now, did she? “Montmartre. We have worry Montmartre to worry about.” He gave her a puzzled look, and Danielle continued, “He’s been blackmailing me, and Hunt, too. There are some… pictures that look like we were closer than we really were, and… especially with this now…”

“Shit.”

“Yes. Shit.”

As if the TMZ article hadn’t been bad enough, Thomas decided to subject himself to something infinitely worse – he opened Twitter for the first time in a few months to see just how much damage this had already done. He was, unfortunately, not at all surprised to see that both of their names were trending. It did not escape his notice that Danielle’s name was higher on the list of trends than his own, but his dwindling prominence was an issue for another day. Thomas sighed, then closed the app before looking at any of the tweets. He did not need to do that to himself today.

As soon as he was ready to put his phone aside for the time being, another call came through. This time, it was his publicist. Thomas was almost scared to answer the call – now, he would have to come clean about the images that were still out there and could turn this entire thing into even more of a PR nightmare than it already was.

“Hello Lena, I’m—”

She immediately interrupted him. “Is it true?”

“What do you think?”

Lena sighed on the other end of the line. “Did you or did you not have a sexual relationship with one of your students?”

“Of course not!” he exclaimed, feeling rather offended that she would even consider that a possibility. “This is... not what it looks like.”

“Well, Thomas, unfortunately it is my job to be concerned with what things look like, so we’ve got a bit of a problem here.”

“I can see that.” He swallowed hard. “And you’re not going to like what I’m about to tell you.”

“Save your breath, I already know about your little problem with Viktor Montmartre.”

“How—”

“I’ve contacted Danielle Allen’s team before calling you and, clearly, she’s got a lot more sense than you do and actually talks to the people trying to protect her image.”

So much for Danielle not talking to anyone about this. But, he supposed, the people she surrounded herself with professionally had always been trustworthy – Montmartre notwithstanding. “I was handling it.”

“Oh, I’m sure you were,” Lena said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You better be thankful the girl seems to have a soft spot for you.”

Thomas furrowed his brow. “What do you mean?”

“She went against the wishes of her team when she went along with the blackmail. Obviously, she was advised to release what she had because, and I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that, she’s got a lot less to lose than you do. And from what I’ve heard, there’s no reason she shouldn’t have done that.”

So much for her team being trustworthy. He couldn’t fault them, though. To an outsider, the way he’d treated her up until a few days ago would certainly warrant not being all too considerate towards him. In fact, had their roles been reversed, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t have taken the easy way out.

Thomas should probably go speak to her. For what felt like the millionth time by now, he told himself it was not solely her fault this was happening, even if it might be less damaging to her career than to his.

“Look, I’m going to keep working with her team and try to figure out how to handle this situation,” Lena said when Thomas didn’t react to her last statement. “Stay off of social media for now, and don’t talk to anyone. If you deny now, and the other material comes out, it’s going to look so much worse for you. I’ll be in touch.”

Just when Danielle got off the call with Ethan, who had informed her of the PR strategy her team had come up with so far – which consisted of her and Hunt keeping their fucking mouths shut – there was a knock on the door. Chris went to open it, and Danielle was surprised to see Hunt standing there. Even bigger was her surprise when he spoke.

“I believe we still have some important matters to discuss.”

Tags: @trappedinfanfiction @oneemofungirl @alleksa16 @hopelessromantic1352 @silversparrow1112 @alj4890 @lilyoffandoms

#hwu #hwu hunt #professor hunt #hollywood u #hollywood u: rising stars #red carpet diaries #choices #playchoices

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gutsfics · 2 years

Text

The Name Of The Game

Chapter One - Goodness

AO3 Link | Next Chapter (N/A) Fandom: Hollywood U Pairing: Thomas Hunt x Avalon Hammond (M!MC) Other Characters: Janey Hammond (F!OC) Length: 7,001 words Rating: Teen Warnings: Teacher/Student Relationship, Canon-Atypical Cursing, Smoking, Implied Sex, Referenced Canon-Typical Blackmail Notable Headcanons: Gay/Transmasculine Character (Thomas)

Series Summary: After being given a full ride to a prestigious film school by a mysterious benefactor, Avalon Hammond moves from Texas to California to try and make it big. Unfortunately, everything seems to go down hill incredibly quickly after an unintended one night stand with a professor before classes start.

Chapter Summary: Barely in LA for a week, Avalon gets invited to a masquerade ball the night before his classes start, where he meets a man. In-Game Quests Used: On The Hunt

A/N: With PB shutting down HWU, I figured it was about time I actually get this finished. I hope you enjoy!

“That’s the last one,” Avalon says with a sigh as he drops the box he’s holding onto the top of a stack. “I hope I remembered everything, I really don’t wanna call you up in a week, crying ‘cuz I left, I don’t know, my really good nonstick pan in Texas.”

“I think you mean my really good nonstick pan,” Janey retorts, glancing up from where she’s trying to assemble some Uskea furniture. “You want good cookware, you gotta buy it yourself.”

He scoffs. “I did buy it.”

“With money from our joint account when we were getting the essentials. And since that money was family money, the pan is staying in Texas with me and the girls. Besides, you and I both know that you’re not gonna eat anything that can’t be microwaved for at least your first semester.”

“Stop projecting. I cook more than you do.”

She flicks a spare screw at him. “Anyway,” she says, overenunceating on purpose, “Since you’re done bringing shit in, you wanna help me with this?”

“Not particularly, no.”

She gives him a withering stare.

“But that don’t mean I won’t,” he says with a sigh, kneeling next to her and picking up the instructions. “Which one is this? The coffee table? Arkelstorp?”

“Bookshelf. Lo- lommarp, I think? Gotta keep your thousand dollar textbooks on display somewhere, why not on some shitty cheap furniture? Hand me that screwdriver.”

“Oh, gross, I forgot about textbooks.” He scrunches his nose. “What does an art school even need textbooks for? Tuition is already crazy high on it’s own.”

“Ain’t you getting a free ride?”

“I mean, yeah, but I wouldn't be needing someone else to pay if it weren’t so fucking expensive. If you hadn’t talked me into doing this, I’d still be at home, taking care of the girls.” He pauses, shifting his attention to the shelf for a few seconds, and then quietly says, “Ain’t too late to back out now, is it?”

Janey sighs and puts down the shelf part, shuffling in place to turn to Avalon. She gently puts a hand on his shoulder. “Listen, I know you miss them. I miss them, too, and I’m going back home in a few days. But I also know that doing this is important to you. You’ve loved acting and making movies since we were kids, and now you have the opportunity to get trained by professionals for free.”

“I don’t know if it’s free, really. It really seemed like he only offered to pay because he’s expecting something down the line.”

“I mean you don’t have to pay money, dumbass. He probably just wants you for a movie he’s producing eventually, or something. Or maybe he wants to be your sugar daddy and this was the only way he could get you to accept.” She turns back to the half-finished shelf. “Either way, I know this is something you want to do. You, getting your class list all figured out- that was the happiest I’ve seen you doing anything for yourself in a while. Dawn and Lily can’t be the only things that make you happy; it’s not fair to them.”

“I know, I just… Can’t I find something in Texas, closer to home?”

“Give it til the end of the semester, alright? You can’t quit before you even start. Besides,” She bumps his shoulder with her own. “Maybe you’ll find a hot guy who treats you right. One you’re confident could make a good stepdad to the girls.”

Avalon blushes and shakes his head. “Absolutely not! That’s not why I’m here!”

“What, you saying you don’t want to bone down with some cute Californian boy?” Janey jabs his side a few times.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to fuck, I just-!” He sighs. “What guy is gonna want some ex-hooker, who’s married with two kids, and is just now going to college? And not just any college, but a fucking film school, even though he’s pushing forty? Even with my wife being a lesbian, that still drastically narrows my already small dating pool.” He waves his hand dismissively. “It’ll probably be best if I just stick to the occasional random hookup to get me through the year, sexually. And that’s if I can find someone here who’s not scared off by me being… well, you know.” He gestures at himself.

Janey gives him an odd look, tipping her head to the side and scrunching her nose. "What, a giant? Or a bear? I thought twinks love bears. Besides, there have been men who have paid a shitton of money just to be with you for a single night, you don’t gotta worry about people not finding you attractive.”

“That was my job, Janey. They had to pay me for that.”

“Yeah, but they chose to be your clients. You weren’t the only gigolo in Gillespie County- they could have gone to someone else. But they didn’t.”

“I don’t think my clients are a good example of people finding me attractive. A few of them were into some gross, messed up shit.” He shudders. “Not the kind of people I’d want to be in a relationship with.”

“The world is big, Ava. Surely there’s a guy out there who thinks you’re sexy and is only into the things you enjoy doing. But, if you don’t wanna look for a guy for yourself, you can always find a girl for me.” She stands up, lifting the shelf as she goes. “Now, where do you want this?”

“Over here, I think.” He gets up as well, helping her move the shelf into place. “Hm.” He tips his head to the side. “It’ll look better once we get the rest of the room set up.” He starts sliding some boxes onto the shelves to make more room. “Arkelstorp next. The coffee table.”

Janey nods and begins opening the box, but before they can begin assembling, there is a knock at the door. “Who do you think that is?”

“New neighbor saying hello, or maybe some missionaries here to offer moving assistance in exchange for us attending church with them on Sunday.” Avalon shrugs. “Only one way to find out.” He tucks some stray hair back into his ponytail and heads for the front door.

Only to find no one there. He leans out, looking up and down the street. “...Huh. Okay.” He turns to go back inside, but a paper- folded and sealed with wax, taped to the door- catches his eye. He grabs it and heads back to Janey.

“Whatcha got there?”

“Letter. I think it’s from the guy who’s funding me. “The Benefactor” or whatever the fuck he’s calling himself.”

“What’s it say?”

“Hold your horses, I’m getting to that.” He snaps the fancy wax seal and unfolds the paper. A ticket, less than a third the size of the paper it was folded in, flutters to the ground as Avalon reads quietly. “Huh. There’s some kinda… charity masquerade ball function thing he wants me to go to. Says it’ll be a good way to get a foot in the door for my career.”

“Ooh, fun! When is it?”

“Um, um, uuuuum…” he picks up the ticket he dropped and inspects it. “Next week. The Sunday before classes start.”

“Damn. Same day I leave.”

“I’m still gonna be able to take you to the airport.”

“Maybe I wanted to go, too.”

“Only one ticket, babe. But he did say you’ll be in first class on your way home, so I’m not gonna be having all the fun.”

“Ooh, first class, what fun. Especially when flying makes you sick.” She wiggles her fingers at him. “You’ll tell me about it after, right?”

“Of course. I love nothing more than making fun of weird rich people with you. But for now,” he puts the letter and ticket on the bookshelf and gestures at the coffee table they were about to assemble. “Shitty furniture.

The rest of the week passes by fairly quickly, with Avalon and Janey sightseeing and hitting up Rodeo Drive to find him a suit for the masquerade.

When Sunday rolls around, and Avalon and Janey arrive at the part of the airport they were told to be for her flight back to Texas, they’re whisked off to one of LAX’s private suites.

“Shit,” Avalon says, turning around the room after the airport employee leaves. “I mean seriously, what the shit. All this and we won’t even be here for more that, what, an hour or two? Rich people are insane.”

Janey laughs and drops her bag on one of the armchairs, then flops down on the daybed. “I’m not disagreeing with you, but you need to lie down with me. This fuckin’ thing is way more comfortable than the bed in your place.”

“I don’t doubt that. Move over.” Avalon moves some of the throw pillows off the bed, then stretches out next to her. “Shit. I think I gotta live here now.”

They share a laugh, then Janey gets back up, poking around the minibar.

Avalon leans over to rifle through a platter of single serving snacks set up on the coffee table. “Honestly, I do not believe in the slightest that all of this is actually free like that guy said. They’ve gotta be, like, keeping track of everything we touch and planning to charge us for every little thing out of place.”

“Well, it ain’t like we ourselves are paying for this. Thank you, Mister Benniefactor, whoever the fuck you are,” Janey says as she pours a craft beer into two cups, toasting to nothing as she hands one cup to Avalon. She lounges back down and they sip their beers in a comfortable silence.

Then, as Avalon opens a bag of raisins and offers her a handful, Janey breaks the silence. “Christ, we’re getting old.” Then she pours a fistfull of raisins into her mouth.

Avalon snorts. “What makes you say that?”

“Us, ten years ago? We would have fucking partied if we had been given a room like this. And here we sit, sharing a beer and eating fucking raisins.”

“Hey, now. Raisins are fucking good. Besides, this is just the pre-party. Once the hookers and my coke guy show up, things will really get going.”

“Wow, a single week in Hollywood and you already have a coke guy? A little early in your career to be going off the deep end, isn’t it?”

Avalon laughs and flicks a raisin at Janey, who catches it after it bounces off her arm but before it hits the bed. “How about this- we get the party started by popping open some bubbly, and then we call the girls? I wanna have at least one phone call with them a day until I’m back in Texas.”

“By bubbly you mean Lacrox, right?”

“Yeah, I don’t wanna be getting wasted in front of the girls. That’s just bad parenting.”

Janey nods in agreement, then tosses him a Lacroix, which he uses to water down what’s left of his beer.

“Christ, you’re insane,” Janey states, watching him. “You’ll fit in good.”

“Fuck, yeah, I will,” he responds. “Okay, no more cussing. Fuck, crap, shit, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Starting now.” He pulls his phone out and dials Janey’s parents.

The conversation with their daughters wasn’t that long, but it was sweet. The girls excitedly told their parents about their day, and the crafts they had made with Abuela Maria, Avalon’s mother, and that they missed them both very much, and that while they were excited their momma was coming home, they wished their daddy was coming home too.

Avalon did his best not to cry hearing that. Instead he promised that he would visit as often as he could, on long weekends and holidays.

They finally hang up when Janey’s father announces it was about time they start getting ready to go, as the time it took to get to the airport Janey would be arriving at would take about the same amount of time her flight would be.

“Hey, before I gotta go, there’s something I have to give you,” Janey says, breaking the silence that fell between them and searching through her carry on. “Fuck, I thought I just had it. I can’t have lost it already.”

“What’s up?” Avalon asks, propping himself up on his elbow. “I should probably be the one giving you something, considering you are my lovely wife whom I am abandoning with the kids for a life of luxury.”

“I think for that to be true, I have to take you to court and make you pay exorbitant fees in child support. Ah, here it is.” She pulls a sleek little box with a ribbon tied around it out of the front pocket of her bag. She settles back down next to him, crossing her legs under herself, and hands him the box.

“What’s this?”

“Open it and you’ll find out.”

“Ah. I thought you might say that.” Avalon tugs the ribbon off the box, then slides the lid off.

Inside is a simple gold chain necklace.

Janey reaches over and takes Avalon’s left hand, sliding the wedding band off his finger. “I know you Avalon. I know the kind of person you are. I know what this ring means to you. I’m not gonna tell you not to wear it, but I think you should wear it around your neck instead of on your finger.”

Avalon looks at the chain in his hands, then at his best friend- his wife- and the golden band she held in her own hands. “...What? Why don’t you want me to wear the ring?”

She shrugs a shoulder. “I mean, you’ve said it yourself. Hollywood is gonna be our fresh start. I think it might be best if we go into that fresh start as best friends instead of husband and wife.” She puts a hand up when Avalon opens his mouth. “Before you say anything, we don’t have to get divorced until you graduate. Those marriage benefits are way too helpful to just drop cuz you’re going off to college. Might help us through it, anyway.”

“Are- are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. I wouldn’t have bought that necklace if I wasn’t.” She takes the necklace from him, placing it around his neck. “Besides, you can’t land a hot twunk if he thinks you’re hitched.”

“I already said--!”

Janey snorts and laughs, interrupting him. “Jesus, I’m fucking joking. But for reals though,” she places a hand on his shoulder. “I hope you get laid. You’ve been way too pent up.”

Avalon frowns at her. “You’re making me want to not give you your gift.”

“Agk, no don’t do that! I’m sorry!”

“Alright, if you promise you’re done being a jackass-”

“Swear to god, I am!”

“Okay.” Avalon reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box.

His gift was in no way as meaningful as hers was, but her face lights up the moment she opens the box and she excitedly swaps her lightning bold stud earrings out for the worm-on-a-strings.

“Oh, these-” she gives her head a little shake, and the fuzzy worms whip and wiggle around wildly- “these are fucking fantastic. I love ‘em!” She pulls Avalon into a hug.

“I fucking knew you would.” He grins, hugging her back.

After a moment, he buries his face against her shoulder. “‘M gonna miss you.”

“Aw, you big sap. I’m gonna miss you, too.”

They hold each other until the airport employee knocks on the door. “Your plane is boarding, ma’am.”

Avalon holds her tighter, not ready to let her go just yet. “You and the girls will be alright?”

“Of course, Ava. Your mom and my parents are there to help me when I can’t handle being a parent by myself.”

“Right…”

There’s another knock at the door. “Ma’am?”

“I think this is the part where you let go of me now.”

“Sorry, I just-” Avalon pulls away. “You’ve been in my life every day for the past eighteen years. I can’t just… Let you go.”

“You’re not letting me go. I’ll still be around, I just won’t be… around, around. Just for a little while. You can still visit home on holidays, or I can bring the girls here.”

Avalon nods, wiping the tears off his cheeks. “Janey, I-- I love you.”

“I love you too, Avalon.” Janey stands up, pulling Avalon to his feet with her. “You’re gonna fucking kill it here in Hollywood. I know you will.”

He grins at her, eyes still misty. “And you’re gonna fucking kill it being a third grade teacher, like always.”

“Hell yeah I will!” She grins back and pats him on the shoulder. “Break a leg, cowboy. I got a flight to catch.”

Avalon slips a Phantom-style mask over his face. It was dark brown and gold, and shared the same curly pattern as was embroidered onto his suit in the same colors. He smooths a hand over his hair and straightens his clothes one last time before heading into the crowded ballroom. He stays close to the edge of the room, unsure of what to do and suddenly very aware of how alone and out of his element he is.

He tugs slightly at the hem of his jacket, feeling very out of place compared to the standard black and white tuxedos all the other men wore.

Without thinking, he makes his way to the bar and orders a whiskey on the rocks, giving the bartender a smile. Once the drink is in hand, he leans against the bar, nodding politely at another man standing at the bar as he turns out to face the room.

He sips his drink in silence, surveying the crowd. He doesn’t realize the other man has gotten closer until he speaks up.

“Forgive me if I’m being too forward, but I must admit I have been trying to figure out who you are since you arrived.” The stranger’s voice is deep, and, while it isn’t exactly warm, it certainly warms Avalon. For a brief second, his eyes travel down Avalon’s body, but he quickly pulls his gaze back to his face.

Avalon suppresses a shiver and smiles cheekily at the other man. “Good luck with that, I ain’t-- I’m not exactly well known. I mean, unless you’ve ever been to the southernmost part of Texas…” He trails off and shrugs.

“I can’t say that I have.”

“If that’s the case, I’m Avalon.”

“Hm.” He furrowed his brow and looked away, thinking for a moment. “A... peculiar name, for a peculiar man. Fitting.”

“Peculiar, huh? Should I be offended or flattered?”

“You are the only man in the room not wearing a plain black suit.” He turns back to Avalon. “To be quite frank, it is rather… refreshing, to say the least.”

Avalon smirks and leans a little closer to the other man. “You know, if you’re going to flirt, I’d at least like to know your name.”

“Flirt? I--” The man cuts himself off, frowning slightly. “...I suppose I was flirting, wasn’t I?”

Avalon laughs, covering his mouth and nose with his free hand. “I’m only teasing. Flirting ain’t-- isn’t really something you can do unintentionally. But you know…” he lets his gaze slowly travel down the other man’s body (god, he’s wearing that suit well) and bites his lip. “I wouldn’t mind if it was intentional.”

“Oh-” The man’s face flushes and he turns away, taking a sip of his drink.

There’s a pause, and Avalon curses himself internally.

The man looks back at Avalon. “I’m Thomas.”

Avalon can’t help but grin as relief washes over him. “Well, Thomas, it’s nice to meet you.”

Thomas nods. “Likewise.”

For a few moments, the two men stand silently next to each other, sipping their drinks and watching the crowd.

And then Thomas speaks up again. “Would you like to dance?”

Avalon blinks, looking at his drinking companion. “What?”

“You seem to be watching the dance floor rather closely. Would you like to join them?”

“Ah, no- er, well, possibly? I would, if this weren’t the first time I’ve ever been to an event like this, or maybe if we wouldn’t be the only two men dancing together...”

“That does put a damper on things.” Thomas takes another sip and looks back out across the room.

Avalon shifts his attention back to the dance floor. Even if he had an appropriate dance partner, it wasn’t like he could dance like this. Couples twirled together in time with the music, a graceful waltz that seemed almost choreographed.

The last time he had danced even slightly similar to this, his daughter Lily stood on his feet, giggling as he spun her around the living room, barely in rhythm.

Just thinking about it made his heart ache.

With the uncomfortable, unintentional clink! of teeth on ice, Avalon is jolted from his thoughts as he realizes he has finished his drink. He returns the empty glass to the bar, shaking his head when the bartender offers him a refill.

Thomas finishes his own drink, and then, after a beat, turns back to Avalon. “Come with me,” he says, offering his hand.

“Oh! Okay…” Avalon hesitates, then takes him by the hand.

Thomas leads him around the edge of the room and through a set of glass doors to a balcony. Once outside, he turns to face Avalon, still holding his hand. “Do you want to lead, or shall I?”

“I don’t know how to dance like this…”

Thomas nods once, wrapping an arm around Avalon’s waist. “Just put your hand on my shoulder and follow my lead.”

Avalon does as he’s told, and the two men begin to dance, keeping in time with the music they could hear muffled through the door. Something about his close proximity with Thomas made him flustered, and he kept glancing down at his feet to make sure he wasn’t tripping over himself or Thomas.

“Look at me.” Thomas says, his voice firm but gentle. “It’s easier if you don’t focus on your feet. Relax.”

Avalon lifts his gaze, looking into Thomas’ eyes.

Thomas opens his mouth as if to say something, but then closes it again.

The song ends all too soon, and the two men let go of each other.

“That was… nice. Thank you for bringing me out here.” Avalon sighs and leans against the railing of the balcony. “You mind if I smoke while we’re here?”

“Not at all.”

Avalon nods and takes a half-finished pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, placing one between his lips before searching for his lighter. “Shit, did I even--” he mutters to himself.

Wordlessly, Thomas takes out his own lighter and holds it out for Avalon, flicking it to life. Avalon looks at the flame, then at Thomas with a small smile before leaning down. As Thomas lights his cigarette, Avalon gazes into his face.

Thomas was an attractive man. This Avalon already knew, even without seeing beneath the black and silver mask he was wearing. But looking at him so closely, so intimately, got Avalon’s heart thumping.

Thomas’ skin was clear, and he had a sharp jaw, with high cheekbones and kissable lips. But his most striking features were his eyes. They were almond shaped, with just a bare hint of crows feet at the corners, and- Avalon didn’t know how he hadn’t noticed this before- they were two different colors. His left eye was a striking blue, and his right a deep, rich brown, both perfectly complimented by the midnight blue of his suit.

He was entirely mesmerizing.

Thomas smirks- god, Avalon wanted to kiss those lips- and pulls the lighter away. “Careful now,” he chides, “Or you’ll burn the whole thing away before getting a single puff.”

“Sorry, it’s just…” Avalon found himself leaning in slightly, the cigarette dangling from his lips. “You have such beautiful eyes…”

Thomas’ face flushes, and for just a second he seems thrown off, but he quickly composes himself. “The same can be said about yours…” Thomas leans in as well. “May I--”

But before he can finish his question, the balcony doors swing open and a few partygoers step out, laughing and chatting. They both straighten up quickly.

Thomas tips his head, gesturing to farther down the balcony where they would have a little more privacy. Avalon nods, and for the second time that night, Thomas takes him by the hand and leads him away.

When they end up nestled together- standing shoulder to shoulder, looking out at Los Angeles from between two potted plants, Avalon realizes that his cigarette has gone out. This time, Thomas just presses the lighter into his hand.

“I’m trying to quit,” Avalon says as he lights back up.

“Oh? How’s that going for you?”

“I mean, I smoke less than I used to. I’m just kind of… picking up a bit because I’ve got a lot going on right now. You know how it is.” He gestures vaguely with the cigarette, drawing abstract shapes with the trail of smoke. “Moving is stressful. I gotta cope with leaving everything behind somehow. Especially because I’m alone in a city where I know basically no one.”

“You know me,” Thomas states, cocking his head.

Avalon lets out a small laugh and smiles at him. “Yeah. I know you.” He bumps his shoulder against Thomas’. He takes a deep draw from the cigarette and sighs. “But… It’s hard. Having to leave what I know. My Home… My family…”

“Do you have a good relationship with your family?”

“What are you, a therapist?”

“Just curious.”

“You know what they say about curiosity and cats.”

“If I remember correctly, satisfaction brings it back.”

Avalon gives another half-laugh. “Shit. You got me there. I guess I can tell you, if you really want to know about ‘em.”

“I want to know about you. I get the feeling this is important to you.”

“You could say that. I mean, how you’re raised does play a pretty important role in who you are as a person. It ain’t- err, isn’t, really interesting though. Pretty fuckin’ bog standard upbringing here. Parents divorced when I was a kid, Dad got less and less time for me an’ my brother as he started replacing us with a new family. Mom moved us to the middle of fucking nowhere to cope with Dad leaving. My brother stopped talking to us as soon as he left for college, and now my relationship with my mom is pretty strained because she wanted me to stay in Texas and live my life how she saw fit.” He takes another puff from the cigarette. “You know, the normal amount of fucked up childhood.”

Thomas nods. “But they’re family, so you miss them?”

“Eh, yes and no. Like I said, I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for them, but that doesn’t mean I have’ta like any of them. It’s really my best friend I miss. I consider her more of my family than most of my flesh and blood. I’m gonna move her out here once I get my career going.”

“Oh.” Thomas goes quiet for a second before asking, “What… exactly… is your relationship with her?”

“We grew up together and were close enough that our parents just kind of… assumed, you know? And what were two queer kids in a town like that gonna do, other than pretend? It wasn’t supposed to last past high school, but I kinda feel like… this lie is easier to live with than the truth, at least back in our hometown.”

“And Hollywood is supposed to be your fresh start?”

“Yeah. I may not love her in the way a man is ‘supposed’ to love a woman, but I care about her a lot. So I came here to try and get a better life for us, one where we can still be there for each other, but we don’t have to pretend to be something we’re not.” Avalon shakes his head. “Sorry, I know this is kind of a lot of information to just dump on someone I just met. ‘Hey, I’m in a fake relationship with a lesbian, wanna have gay sex?’” He rubs his face and lights up a second cigarette, handing Thomas his lighter back when he’s done. “God, I’ve been talking for too long. Sorry.”

“I don’t mind. I asked because I wanted to know.” Thomas touches Avalon’s arm gently. “It helps that you have a very pleasant way of speaking.”

“What, fuckin’... cussing every five seconds? That’s pleasant to you?”

Thomas laughs- and god, what a laugh. “I can assure you that you haven’t cursed that much.”

“Well I’m glad to know I ain’t- am not making a fool of myself in front of a nice city boy such as yourself.” Avalon smiles, then rubs the back of his neck. “I want to know something about you, though.”

“Do you want me to tell you about my own family?”

“It doesn’t have to be that. Just… something you feel like I should know about you. What makes Thomas tick?”

“Hm.” Thomas plucks the half-smoked cigarette from Avalon’s lips and takes a slow drag off of it, then places it back in Avalon’s mouth, fingers lingering against his lips for only a second too long.

Avalon short circuits.

Thomas turns his head away to blow the smoke out, then nonchalantly states, “I used to be a director. I’ve made some movies, been nominated for a few awards. I even won a couple.”

"Wow, that’s pretty impressive," Avalon says, trying to keep his cool from the indirect kiss they just shared. "But what do you mean, used to be? You don't seem any older than me, you can’t be retired already."

Thomas sighs, lowering his head. "To put it simply, I was blackmailed."

"Shit... can I ask what happened?"

He nods, staring solemnly at the twinkling lights of the city. "There was... a man. An old friend of mine. I wouldn't say he was my... partner, but I can’t deny that there was something between us." He pauses, rolling the lighter between his fingers. "He was part of this... boys’ club, you could call it. He wanted me to join-- a bunch of actors, directors, and producers. They would help each other, but snub everyone who wasn’t in their little club. I couldn't stand to be a part of it, so I refused."

"Let me guess, he didn’t like it?"

"Not one bit." He shook his head, then laughed sourly. "He said that if I didn't join, he would out me. The way he would have described it… it would have ended my career instantly, mostly due to certain implications he would have pushed. So, I had his two options: either join his club, and help to ruin an art form I hold so incredibly dearly- or continue trying to make movies by myself, only to have my life and my relationships ruined alongside my career."

"God, that's horrible," Avalon breathes. "I don't know how anyone could be so cruel as to take something as important as coming out away from someone, much less in such a disastrous way."

"Some people just like to make others suffer." Thomas turns back to Avalon, and Avalon realizes just how close he had gotten to him. He straightens himself. "But no matter the crossroads, there is always a third option. As much as it pained me, I retired quietly and he, thankfully, left me alone. I teach now. Even if I can't make films myself, I have found solace in being able to pass my knowledge onto others."

"Do you enjoy teaching?"

"Well… I must admit, some of my students make it... difficult. But yes. I do... enjoy it. Sometimes."

“Do you ever wish you could go back to making movies?”

Thomas sighs and turns his back on the city, resting his elbows on the rail and looking up at the starless sky. “Constantly. It’s so… simple. All I need to do is just let go of what he’s holding over me and the power there will be gone.”

“But it’s not as easy as it sounds.”

“No. It’s like you said, there is safety in the false familiar.”

“Right…”

The two men stand together, silently sharing the rest of the cigarette for a few moments before Thomas speaks up again. “Thank you.”

Avalon blinks and looks at him. “What for?”

“For talking, for listening. I’ve never… told anyone about that before.” He shakes his head slightly. “I don’t know what it is about you that’s made me trust you so easily. I don’t know how to describe it, but there is something almost… familiar about you. Comforting.” He sighs quietly and murmurs, “I think there’s something wrong with me tonight.”

Avalon can’t help but let out a small laugh. “What, you don’t normally bare your soul to near strangers?”

For just a moment, the corners of Thomas’ mouth curl up. “I don’t normally do anything with strangers. There might be something in the air.”

“Do you mean the smog, or the light pollution?”

Thomas doesn’t exactly laugh, but he does smile a bit more. “That, too.” He turns his head slightly, looking at Avalon. He lets out a quiet sigh.

“Something on your mind?”

“I’d like to kiss you,” he responds all too quickly. Then he covers his mouth and looks away. “...I don’t know where that came from.”

Avalon can feel his face flush, and he reaches out and gently touches Thomas’ arm, drawing his gaze back to him. “It’s okay. I’d like it, too.”

“You… would?” Thomas leans a little closer.

Avalon leans in as well. “I would.”

Thomas places his hands on Avalon’s shoulders and gently tugs him down to reach him. Avalon wraps his arm around Thomas, pulling him closer. He places his other hand lightly against the back of Thomas’ head.

His lips were just as soft as they looked.

Before they break away from each other, Thomas’ hand ends up cupping Avalon’s jaw, gently stroking Avalon’s chin with his thumb. When they part, he moves his thumb to Avalon’s bottom lip.

“Goodness,” Avalon breathes, his lip rubbing against Thomas’ thumb. His fingers toy with the strings of Thomas’ mask. “Could I take this off? You can take mine off as well.”

“Of course.” Thomas moves his hand to the back of Avalon’s head, loosening the string on his mask.

The breath catches in Avalon’s chest as for the first time tonight, Thomas’ face comes fully into view. He already knew that Thomas was handsome, but… goodness. That was all he could think. Goodness. Goodness.

“Goodness,” He murmurs again.

“Disappointed?”

He grins, leaning his head against Thomas’ hand, which had found its way back to his cheek.. “Not in the slightest. Are you?”

Thomas shakes his head and gives him a quick smile. Then his expression changes to one more troubled.

“Are you alri--”

“I’m trans.”

“...What?”

“Forgive me, I-” Thomas pulls away, shaking his head. “I really didn’t know how else to say it, but I figured I should tell you in case it changed your answer.”

“My answer to what?”

“Would you like to leave with me?” He asks, simply.

Avalon frowns, confused. “Of course I would, but I don’t understand what you being trans has to do with--”

Thomas gives him a very pointed look, eyebrow raised.

“Oooh,” He bites his lip and looks away before nodding. “It doesn’t change my answer- or how I feel about you- at all, but it is nice to know beforehand.” He looks back at Thomas, giving him an easy smile. “Thank you for trusting me with that. I won’t disappoint you.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

The next morning comes oh so gentle. The sheets were soft, the early sun was soft, his lover was soft.

Avalon reaches out to Thomas’ still sleeping form, gently brushing his hair off of his forehead.

Thomas makes a small noise, burying his face in the pillow and hugging it close for a few seconds before turning back to Avalon, his eyes half open, annoyed, at first, but it quickly dissolves into something softer. Warmer. “Mmh?”

“Sorry, did I wake you?” Avalon asks, quietly.

“Yes.” Thomas tries to push his expression back into one of displeasure, but it doesn’t stick. “Unfortunately, I can’t say I mind it.” He moves closer to Avalon, who catches him in his arms and holds him tight. “It’s… been a while… since I last shared a bed with someone.” His fingers gently drift over the flower tattoo on Avalon’s chest. Right over his heart. “It’s nice to not wake up alone, for a change.”

“Oh?”

He shrugs. “I’ve often found other people to be… inefficient when it comes to getting what I needed.”

“And how did I do?”

Thomas leans back slightly to look Avalon in the face. “Well. I’m still here, aren’t I? I think that alone should be a good assessment of what I thought of last night.”

“Would you have left in the middle of it if it was bad?”

“I’ve done it before.”

Avalon can’t help but laugh. “I’m glad you’re still here, then.”

Thomas hums quietly in agreement before placing a hand on Avalon’s cheek and leading him down for a deep, passionate kiss.

It isn’t until an alarm on Avalon’s phone goes off that they finally untangle themselves from each other. He half stumbles out of bed, trying to get to his pants to shut it off. “Oh, shit, is it that late already? I gotta get going…” He looks at Thomas, face down in bed with a pillow over his head. “I hate to do this to you…”

“No, I have somewhere I need to be as well,” Thomas says, peeking out from under the pillow. “I--” He pauses, searching for the right words. “Will I see you again?”

“If that’s what you want, I can give you a call and we can meet up again once my schedule settles down.” He reaches over and brushes his fingers through Thomas’ hair.

Thomas leans into the touch. “I’d like that. Give me your phone.”

Avalon nods. “Give me a moment, I just…” He taps at his phone, trying to find where the contacts are held. “Sorry, it’s a bit new, I ain’t-- I’m not used to the touch screen yet…”

“Let me.” Thomas takes the phone from Avalon’s hand. He starts to search through the apps, but freezes with his finger hovering above the screen.

“Something wrong?”

“I-” He shakes the startled look off his face. “No.” He quickly navigates to the contacts list and punches in his number before handing the phone back.

Avalon leans down and kisses Thomas gently as he takes his phone. “I’ll call you as soon as I can.” He glances at the clock, the smile fading from his lips. “God, I’m so sorry, but I really gotta go.” He pulls away, tugging his clothes back on before heading for the door. He pauses, his hand on the doorknob. He glances over his shoulder at Thomas, who was putting his own clothes on. “Thank you for last night. I really enjoyed all of it, not just where it ended.”

Thomas glances over and nods once. He wasn’t smiling, but there was something soft in his gaze, curious almost. “Good luck. With your career. This town can be… difficult to navigate. Stand your ground and you will find your place.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you. Again.” He opens the door. “I hope we get to see each other again real soon. Goodbye, Thomas.”

Avalon didn’t have much time to get ready for the day before his first class started. If he hadn’t been wearing a suit the night before, he would have gone straight to the campus from the hotel, but unfortunately he had to make a quick detour home to change.

Thanks to his pit stop, he arrives to his first class of the day a bit later than he anticipated-- right along side the majority of his classmates.

Avalon was fully unprepared to find that the lecture hall was actually an opulent auditorium, one more fitting a theater than a college if only it weren’t for the tables between every row of seating.

Young students mill about, chatting as they find seats with their friends, some bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for the morning, while others seemed to be on second and third cups of coffee.

Avalon moves down the side of the theater, finding a seat near the stage.

Three rows in front of him and a bit to his left, a man he assumes to be the professor of the class sits at a proper desk plunked down in the middle of the row of seats, rifling through papers in his briefcase.

There was something almost familiar about the way the man moves, but from where Avalon sits he couldn’t be too sure. Besides, as far as Avalon knew, white men with dark hair and brown eyes were fairly common in Hollywood. He could think of a few actors off the top of his head that matched that description-- maybe not by name, but he knew the characters they played.

After a few minutes, as the last few students find their seats, the professor gets up from his desk and climbs the stage. The lights dim slightly and the chatter quiets as he takes his place at center stage. He clears his throat, looking out at the auditorium. His gaze glosses across Avalon before snapping right back to him, making direct eye contact. One brown eye, and one blue, he notices.

“Oh, fuck me,” Avalon mutters under his breath.

And judging by the way Thomas’ jaw moves, he quietly says the same.

----