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btsmosphere · 4 years

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Crossfire | KTH

Moodboard Masterlist

~summary: The night your life blew up sent you on a collision course with the campus bad boy, Kim Taehyung. Though you were well aware of his reputation, it was his doorstep you ran to when you were bleeding with nowhere to go.

~word count: 5k

~gang!au, mafia!au, college!au, angst, fluff, action, strangers to lovers, friends to lovers

Warnings: swearing, mentions of cheating (warnings apply to each part individually, please read them)

~a/n: this week our gal gets some shit done and comes to a realisation due to Yoongi... also I am once again thanking everyone for supporting this story💜💜love you all,, n for those of you who haven’t heard I’m going to be posting a spooktober story soon so stay tuned...

“I want to help.”

Tae paused in the doorway, a steaming plate in each hand, staring at you with a dumbfounded expression.

“Huh?”

“I want to do something to help, you know, with the plan,” you eagerly pressed on.

“Oh,” Taehyung nodded, but a pout remained on his face as he kicked the door shut gently behind him, “the plan with Shinhyuk?”

“Yep.”

Nervously eyeing him as he shifted onto the bed, you waited for him to speak. Instead, he just passed you one of the plates and began to tuck in.

“Taehyung?”

“Mmm,” he hummed indistinctly, looking up at you, cheeks full of food.

“So… can I help?”

For just a moment, his bewildered stare was all that greeted you and his chewing slowed.

“Mmhmm,” he nodded, as if it was obvious.

“Oh. Okay.”

Admittedly, you hadn’t expected it to be that easy. As you began to eat yourself, Taehyung quickly went back to devouring his own meal without a second thought.

For once, the two of you were inside together during the day as it was the weekend and he wasn’t required for anything except a meeting, which was happening at his place anyway. With him here, you didn’t really need anything else to pass the time, but he had still vowed to bring you some more books soon, given that you had worked your way through the first pile completely now.

After last night, and if you were honest with yourself, even before that, any worry about being around Taehyung had faded away. Not only could you easily pass the time chatting, you very much enjoyed your time with him.

However, once you had both finished your food, it wasn’t long before there was a knock on the door announcing the arrival of the boys and the start of the meeting.

Only four had come as Jimin and Yoongi were out, doing ‘something’. You didn’t ask for details.

Taking the seat furthest from the window, hopefully hidden by Taehyung who sat beside you, you simply stayed quiet for most of the conversation. They didn’t need your input anyway; the plan sounded like it was progressing as well as it could be.

First of all, Jungkook and Namjoon confirmed the first members of Shinhyuk’s group they had managed to pick off, including the leader of a base inside his territory, though the rest were low-level: drivers, informants, dealers, fighters. Not enough to make his gang disappear by any stretch.

Not yet anyway, as Namjoon kept saying in encouragement.

As they resolved to keep digging through rival members, the real challenge was finding an in within Shinhyuk’s immediate circle – the ones who apparently were mainly stationed at what used to be your house.

“All I have is names,” Jungkook sighed, “even though I’m one of them, no one reveals anything about themselves.”

“Even the names might be fake,” Jin reminded him.

“I know,” Jungkook jammed his hands through his hair, “and there’s one – Jintao – he really doesn’t trust me. Makes it difficult for me to do anything. Always has his eyes on me.”

“Y/N can help,” Taehyung cut in then, causing four heads to turn sharply in your direction. You refused to squirm under their glares.

“Tae…” Jin was the first to speak, “it’s dangerous. I’ve been staking out Shin’s clubs and I’ve almost been caught so many times trying to talk to people-“

“She doesn’t have to go out on missions,” Tae reasoned, “a lot of snooping can be done from inside, and since she doesn’t have much else to do…”

“We have access to hackers, Tae,” Namjoon dismissed.

Biting your lip, you looked down. Since Tae had accepted your request to help so easily, you weren’t exactly prepared for this analysis. Perhaps it was stupid to think you would be able to assist these boys.

“She’s just as much a part of this as we are,” Taehyung surprised you with the ferocity in his voice, “she’ll be able to help. And I’ll let her even if you guys don’t.”

Namjoon in particular looked shocked by the younger boy’s unwavering words, but you watched in relief as he gave his assent with a nod, the others raising no further argument.

“What raids are coming up, Jungkook?” Hoseok brought the meeting back on track, prompting Jungkook to relay all the dates Shinhyuk had deals or attacks planned.

You listened as the boys decided which to focus on, though again they were frustrated by their lack of progress. Until Jungkook felt safe again, they weren’t going to counter any attacks, but they could make sure no one would be in the target properties to keep their allies out of danger.

Overall, the meeting left each of you feeling unsatisfied. This war with Shinhyuk was like having an unbearable itch while your hands were tied behind your back. You could only hope their careful preparation would eventually lend them the upper hand when they felt confident enough to retaliate.

With restless minds but nothing to do, Taehyung asked his friends to stay and a movie was agreed upon. As you had observed before, the boys relaxed remarkably quickly, and you were soon laughing with Hobi and Tae as you poured out snacks in the kitchen.

As you collected the packets, Hoseok returned to sit down. You and Tae had barely set foot around the corner when Hoseok let out a yell.

Startled, your head whipped around to find Yoongi standing silently in the doorway, leaning against one side, arms folded and a murderous expression.

“I didn’t see you there,” Hoseok breathed, laughing with a hand over his heart.

Before you could stop it, a snort escaped you, barely choked back, remembering exactly what you had said about Yoongi the night before. Luckily, you weren’t the only one, as you heard Taehyung beside you laughing through his nose, more successful at suppressing the sound.

“I hope there’s good news from the meeting,” Yoongi glared at you two, “I’m going bloody insane dancing around Shinhyuk like this.”

Everyone switched straight back to business mode around you, but you made the mistake of glancing over at Taehyung.

As soon as you made eye contact, neither of you could control yourselves and you had to fight to keep in your mirth. The dark warning glances from the other boys did nothing but fan the flames. Taehyung bit down on his lips as they threatened to break out into laughter; your cheeks ached.

Sinking onto the sofa, Taehyung looked pointedly away from you, shoving his fist into his mouth, shoulders still shaking.

With the tears brimming in your eyes, you didn’t care to listen to Yoongi as he talked about whatever he and Jimin had just come back from. When Jimin came in, a strangled laugh leapt from your mouth before you clamped it shut again, but you had set Tae off again.

The orange-haired boy across the room stared at you both like you were crazy.

“What’s your problem?” Yoongi’s sour face only made it harder to remove him from the ridiculous cartoon stereotype and Taehyung finally broke, guffawing loudly with his head thrown back, before falling against you and clinging to your shoulder, tears running down his face.

Shocked to find Taehyung’s head suddenly pressed into the crook of your neck, your breathless laugh was finally cut off. All you could do was stare down at him with a smile as he pulled himself together, wheezing dramatically the whole time.

At last, he seemed to realise himself and abruptly let go of your shirt. Pulling back, you were face to face for a second, expressions reflecting each other’s surprise, before he closed his mouth and turned back to Yoongi with a flawless poker face.

“Nothing.”

And then you were laughing again.

The prospect of Yoongi almost definitely hating you now didn’t bother you anymore. In the days following the meeting, you had begun to work through the list of names Jungkook had scribbled down of the members of Shinhyuk’s current inner members:

-Gi Beomho- has a Gwangju accent?

-Chaewon/known as Seb

-(Lee?) Minho

-Soonjae

-Jintao

Taehyung had told you his laptop password and you began trawling through the internet for any traces.

Though you were by no means a hacker, one of your friends at college, Jake, had once showed you a few things he knew how to do from his course in computing. Not to mention you were able to stalk someone very efficiently on social media from investigating the hot guy Lisa had seen on the street, or finding Soo’s mysterious girlfriend she refused to introduce to your group.

Now, though, there were no friends laughing around you as you tried to take apart the gang that was living in your house.

After your first afternoon of searching, nothing fruitful came up. When Taehyung had come back in the evening, you were more than happy to abandon the task and join him in your usual dinner routine, falling asleep soon after when you settled down together to watch a film.

But as the days progressed, you became more determined and frustrated in equal measure as you came across few things. You had worked your way through 3 people, giving up only after you had exhausted every avenue you could think to investigate.

Lee Minho took you even longer than the others to rule out, though you suspected from the beginning it was an alias since he shared the name with the famous actor, meaning there was an immense amount of unrelated material cluttering any path to finding the gang member, no matter what you searched.

Slumping back against the headboard, you set the laptop aside and flipped it shut.

Your attempt at working your way through the newest stack of books Taehyung had brought you was much slower than the first time around. Until he came back home, you barely took in the words.

At your side, a notebook containing the few possible leads consistently stole your attention instead.

You had managed to gain access to a couple of police reports on a Gi Beomho in Gwangju, but you would have to verify with Jungkook whether the photo was of the right person, or if you were barking up the wrong tree entirely.

When Tae finally arrived, you anxiously greeted him. Today Shinhyuk had planned his largest attack yet, on a shop that was a front for gang activity, and you knew all the boys had been on standby.

Taking in the scattered books, paper and laptop on the bed, his shoulders slumped.

“Nothing yet?”

“No, sorry,” you confirmed with a sigh.

“Don’t apologise,” he reached out and rubbed a hand along your upper arm to your shoulder. There it lingered, fingers slowly massaging for a moment.

“Were you hurt today?”

In only the short time since he came in, he had only squeezed out a smile once as he tried to reassure you.

At the shake of his head, you felt a knot in your chest release. But he still wasn’t happy.

“So what happened?”

“We didn’t go in at all. It was a lost cause,” he sat on the bed and kicked his shoes off without energy, “he shut the whole place down. It’s done for.”

With another huff, he fell back to lie on the bed. You did the same.

Weighty silence hovered over you both.

You had no idea how long you merely stared up at the ceiling, paralysed, before Taehyung moved. Slowly, he reached his hand out, fingers finding yours. As he intertwined your hands where they lay between you, you simply let your eyes slide shut, squeezing back.

“I know you’ll find something.”

Though you appreciated his support, he said it to assure himself as much as you.

Whether he could see or not, you nodded.

Just then, Tae’s familiar ringtone chimed in the silence. Pulling his phone from a pocket, he held it above him, checking the caller. Deciding it was worth it, he reluctantly pulled his had from yours to push himself up as he swiped across the screen and held the device to his ear.

Sitting up too, you could hear Jungkook’s voice crackling out from the phone.

“Hyung, I think I-I messed up-“

“Woah, Jungkook, what happened?”

“I was in Shinhyuk’s car, and I saw a file in there, he was looking through it, and it had you guys in it! It was labelled ‘bangtan’ and it’s full of information on everyone- I didn’t know he had that, but I just- I panicked, and I stole it, and now I have it but Shinhyuk’s leaving before me and he’ll notice it’s gone and- fuck-“

You caught Tae’s eye as you both listened in horror to the scared maknae.

“Where are you Kook?” Tae demanded, eyes breaking from yours.

“Um, at Y/N’s,” he replied, “the others are just packing away-“

But before he could finish, you had reached over and pulled the phone right out of Taehyung’s grasp.

“Jungkook,” you hissed into the receiver, “there’s two loose floorboards under my wardrobe at the back, they’re pretty quiet to move, can you hide it in there?”

“Uh, yeah,” the boy responded, “thanks.”

You lowered the phone to return to Tae, but suddenly brought it back to your ear.

“And don’t look at any of the stuff that’s already in there!”

“Oh- okay,” the boy sounded startled, but Tae seemed to find your miniature panic hilarious as he took the phone back and hung up.

Saying nothing, he wiggled his eyebrows and smirked at you.

“Oh, shut it,” you ignored the heat rising in your cheeks and shoved him lightly back onto the bed, where he only laughed louder.

“It’s not even- oh you are ridiculous,” you cried as he pulled you down on top of him, only making you turn redder.

In your embarrassment, you tried to wriggle away from him, pushing on his chest, but he grabbed your wrists, bringing you back down, grin ever-present on his face.

“Hey!” you protested, and then, “Ya! Stop! Tae-“

His hands reached down to tickle your sides, and you squirmed away from him again, only to have him follow, ending up on top of you as he mercilessly continued his attack, enjoying himself far too much.

“Ohmygod, ahh, Tae, please, aaaahahaha…”

Struggling, you writhed around, legs kicking out as you shrieked in protest before you finally reached his sides and exacted your revenge. He curled in on himself, giggling and apologising to get you to stop. You did, eventually, only to throw a pillow right at his face, though he easily caught it in the hands he had held up in surrender.

Both collapsing back onto the bed, you turned your head to one side, but you found he was already looking back at you. His laughter had dissipated into a smile which you returned.

“Thanks for helping out Kook,” he said earnestly, eyes boring into yours, “I told you that you would be helpful.”

This time, your heart soared with his praise.

You weren’t hopeful about finding ‘Soonjae’, or anything that could bring him away from Shinhyuk. Having gone through half the list already, the remaining two were the people Jungkook had the least information on.

Trudging through the morning, you were reluctant to take to the computer and be met with more inevitable defeat. Today you felt particularly tired, which didn’t help.

It was strange since you had slept for a long time, waking only after Taehyung had gone, leaving you missing his presence, even if you barely touched him while you shared a bed.

Nonetheless, you found yourself sifting through links and articles online, far from the first page of Google filled with celebrities and international news. With the little information you had on the man, you ended up reading through anything and everything containing the name Soonjae. Facebook profiles, comments on newspaper articles, a GoFundMe page…

Taking a sip of water, you scrolled idly to the bottom of the GoFundMe, which was for a child after all, no gang member, and read the ‘recent’ donations (the most recent being over a year old) and comments. Nothing.

Clicking on ‘show more’, you pulled up the full comment list and scanned through. For what, you weren’t sure. Most donations were small bits and pieces, but among the ones from three years ago, one was a little more sizeable. Along with it came an interesting comment: a woman called Sara was apologising for her ‘previous words’ and wishing the boy well.

You frowned as you read it. Though it was almost certainly unrelated, you were undeniably curious as to what she might have said to target an ill child.

Clicking next on the woman’s account, you decided to try and log in. After employing the password tricks Jake had showed you, you made it. The account had been created the same day as the donation was made on little Soonjae’s page, and appeared untouched since. You supposed this tangent had come to nothing, though you were certainly pleased with your skills after getting into the account.

Closing down the tab, you searched next for ‘Soonjae GoFundMe’. There was the campaign you had already seen, followed by a few that proved to be unrelated as well. You selected ‘next page’ with little hope.

Then something caught your eye.

About halfway down, the name Sara.

Quickly selecting the page, you found yourself on Facebook instead of GoFundMe, but what you found was certainly interesting. It was the same woman from the earlier page. This time she had posted a status:

If anyone on here donates to Soonjae’s fucking gofundme get ready to be cut out of my life XD cheaters don’t deserve your pity

That was certainly interesting. No wonder she had apologised to the boy – it also explained her big donation – probably given out of guilt.

But re-reading the status, you realised she couldn’t possibly be talking about the boy. Unless by ‘cheater’ she meant that he had cheated on a test in school, but you suspected that was not the case.

You clicked on her profile.

Her profile picture showed her holding a little boy that must be around ten, standing on a beach. Flipping through her older profile images, they stopped three years ago. Perhaps she had deleted all previous ones?

Only friends can see Sara’s photos

Only friends can see Sara’s timeline

“Not just friends…” you muttered, getting to work.

Unluckily for Sara, she had used the same password as on her GoFundMe, so you logged in easily.

The first thing you saw was that she reportedly lived in your city: a promising start. Scrolling through to three years ago, you saw only one other post close in time to her attack on Soonjae and his fundraising page:

Sara is feeling: heartbroken X(

That lead you nowhere, so you made your way back up her feed, seeing photos of her son and meals with friends. Few stuck out as anything but happy, all possibly related to the mysterious events of three years ago.

That’s right, delete your fucking facebook. I don’t need to worry about blocking you now XD

Sara is feeling: defeated☹: Just got out of court. Nrs

What was the point in all this? Just to prove something? Well you did, you proved I was right all along

Now you really were intrigued. You needed to find out what was going on, she was definitely linked to a Soonjae in your city, so you had reason to investigate further. Still, as you clicked on the messages icon, you felt very much like a trespasser.

Searching for ‘Soonjae’ at the top, two conversations were pulled up, both from three years ago. One with ‘Park Soonjae’ and one with ‘Help Soonjae’.

First choosing ‘Help Soonjae’, recognising the profile picture as the same image used on the GoFundMe, you read the exchange of messages.

Sara: What the fuck is this?

Sara: I can’t believe you’re pulling the pity card after what you’ve done

Help Soonjae: Excuse me?

Sara: You know what I mean

Help Soonjae: Ma’am, I don’t know you but please calm down. I will block you, this page is only trying to raise hospital funds for my son. I’d thank you to explain how this is ‘pulling the pity card’

Sara: Wait… Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!

Sara: I can’t apologise enough, I thought this was my husband’s page, he has the same name as your son! I didn’t check the page before messaging, I didn’t mean to offend you or your son

Sara: I’ll make a donation to your page to make up for this. I wish your son the best

Read 15:47

And that was the end of that. Wincing with second hand embarrassment, you quickly moved on to ‘Park Soonjae’.

Soon, you realised that the message history was long, but it all ended three years ago. You gave up on scrolling your way to the top, seeing that most messages consisted of ‘I love you’s and reminders to buy milk. The final conversation, however, gave you a lot more information.

Sara: What the fuck is this?

Then followed a screenshot of a GoFundMe page: Help Soonjae win Custody

Sara: You cheated. Maybe you should write that in your description.

Soonjae: Sara, I’ve told you I’m sorry

Sara: And I’ve told you that’s not enough. We are over

Soonjae: I can understand that. I just can’t understand why you want to keep my son from me!

Sara: HOW CAN YOU NOT TELL?!?!

Sara: I never want to see you again, and I don’t want kai to either

Soonjae: How can I make it up to you without going to court? I can’t afford the fees and you know it

Sara: You can’t ‘make it up’ to me. And it’s not my problem anymore if you can afford it or not. I’m blocking you

And that was it.

You wasted no time in opening Soonjae’s profile in a new tab, before taking a screenshot of the messages and logging out of Sara’s account.

Soonjae’s account was indeed deleted, confirming him as the target of Sara’s earlier status update. One search for new profiles under the same name showed no one promising. Your ‘breakthrough’ seemed more trivial now you had taken a step back from it. Without a picture of the Soonjae you had found, you couldn’t confirm if you were on the right target.

You had one last option, and searched for the GoFundMe Sara had sent a screenshot of. At last you found it, though it took a while as it had been declared finished and was from so long ago.

But, once you opened it, it turned out Sara’s screenshot hadn’t included the full photo at the top of the campaign. It had only showed a baby cradled in someone’s arms, but on the site, the full photo extended to show the man’s face.

This time, you did not scroll down.

You just stared.

There would be no need for Jungkook to verify if this was the right man. Those eyes had stared at you before from underneath a hoodie in your own bedroom not so long ago. And the hands that held his son had given you the wound in your side.

“Holy shit…” you breathed, taking a screenshot when you recovered from your shock.

Then you proceeded to scroll down. And it seemed like you had hit the jackpot.

The description had been updated, and the last lines read:

Thanks for the generosity. This page will be deactivated as I have now sourced funding from a private benefactor. Will update those who donated on the court result.

“Tae! Oh my god-“

You froze on the stairs.

On hearing the door opening downstairs, you had presumed Taehyung had returned, but instead, Yoongi stood in the hallway.

“Hi,” he said coolly.

“Sorry,” you murmured, but didn’t retreat back upstairs. Staring back at him, laptop and notebook clutched in your arms, you felt the need to share your breakthrough.

After a few seconds glaring at you, Yoongi moved away down the hallway. Taking a breath, you followed.

“Um, sorry, I thought you were Tae,” you spoke from the door.

“Ok,” came his short reply as he rooted in the fridge.

“Actually, er,” you pushed, making the boy at least turn around and acknowledge your presence, “I wanted to show him something. But… I can show you instead. You know how I was searching up Shinhyuk’s closest members, well, I think I found something.”

His unimpressed face vanished at least a little, and he nodded, taking a swig from the drink he had picked.

“Okay,” you placed the laptop on the island and opened the screenshots you had saved, “so I found this woman’s messages with a Soonjae in the city, they were getting divorced but he couldn’t afford the legal costs to fight for custody of their son.”

Yoongi leaned forwards to read the screen and you stepped aside, worrying your lip. Watching him read, you leaned against the counter to support your tired legs.

“Bastard,” he muttered.

“Pardon?”

“He cheated on her,” he said simply, gesturing towards the screen, drink in hand.

You hummed in agreement and flipped onto the second image.

“He set up this GoFundMe, but see how it says he then received funding from elsewhere.”

“Could be Shinhyuk, definitely,” Yoongi agreed, “I can send Jungkook this guy’s picture-“

“Actually, you don’t have to,” you cut in, “I, er, I recognise him. He was one of Shinhyuk’s that broke into my place.”

“Shit,” Yoongi breathed, turning to take a look back at the man on the screen, “good catch.”

“Thanks,” you couldn’t help but smile, “so… what now?”

Setting his drink aside, Yoongi bent over the counter and opened a new tab, sending the images to his own email, along with a final one of Sara’s details on Facebook.

“I think we have enough to work with. We can use the details for leverage and approach him.”

“Nice,” you couldn’t keep yourself from smiling. Even if only Yoongi was around to see it, you were just proud to have hopefully helped bangtan get another rival under their belt, and get closer to defeating Shinhyuk.

It seemed Yoongi had finished with the laptop, even though he hadn’t yet left the kitchen or even picked his drink up again. Awkwardly, you stepped closer to shut the laptop and slide it off the counter.

Taking a stride back towards the door, you hesitated.

“Well, erm, thanks, I’ll just- yeah.”

“Wait.”

You turned back around, surprised at just how small Yoongi’s voice sounded. Not knowing what to say, you waited as he stood shuffling his feet.

At last he cleared his throat and spoke.

“Listen, I’m sorry for, you know… trying to kill you that time,” he said. His voice was quiet, as if a lower volume would allow him to pretend he never said it.

“Well there’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear,” you chuckled.

“No, I really am,” he spoke stronger this time, actually looking at you, “I know I haven’t been the nicest and-“

“No, it’s okay,” you flashed him another smile, “I know you were just trying to protect Tae.”

He fell silent again for a moment, and you thought that might be it. But something was still on the tip of his tongue and he looked down, one hand coming to scratch his ear.

“I want to tell you I’m happy for you guys. You seem… well, really nice, and I know Tae thinks so too, and I trust him, so… yeah.”

Gulping, he looked up at you, trying to hide his mortification at the barrage of emotion he had just released. You just stared back at him, lost for words.

Maybe he had said something wrong?

“A-and, thank you for doing this work on Shinhyuk’s gang, it’ll really help us. What you did was really impressive-“

“I-I’m sorry,” you finally spluttered out, “what did you mean when you said you- you’re… you’re happy for us?”

Looking back at you, his eyes widened.

“Shit, are you guys not-“

You tried to swallow down any signs of how flustered you were, clutching the laptop tighter in front of your chest. Perhaps he didn’t mean what you thought he might-

“I thought you guys were dating. Shit.”

You couldn’t agree more with that last sentiment.

Just as you opened your mouth, without knowing what you planned on saying, you were saved by the bell. Or rather, the door.

Tae had finally come home. It would be an understatement to say he was surprised to find you and Yoongi together, in conversation too apparently. Hopefully Yoongi had finally quit his tough act and exposed his softness that Tae had insisted you would find eventually.

Yoongi was quick to inform Tae of what you had dug up on Soonjae. Taehyung put his hand on your shoulder, sending you a proud grin that made your heart race as he told you he knew you could do it.

The whole time you were aware of Yoongi watching the interaction, and you excused yourself as soon as you could, leaving the boys to themselves.

Practically running up the stairs, you were left panting as you closed the door to the bedroom. Just one short burst of speed had knocked you out, but that concern barely crossed your mind as you surrendered to the mattress, thinking only of what Yoongi had told you.

He thought you were dating? Ridiculous…

But then why had the suggestion got to you so much? Sure, you shared a bed with the guy, and you enjoyed being with him, and liked it when he held your hand or hugged you…

Fuck.

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kpop---scenarios · 4 years

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Good Enough

Pairing: Byun Baekhyun x Reader

Genre: Idol! AU

Warning: Smut, Mention of Domestic Violence, Miscarriage, Angst, Fluff

Word Count: 15.4k

Summary: Ayn (another y/n) and her friends meet Super M from a contest they win. She's a bit of a disaster but he doesn't care. Even when life tries to keep them apart, it never works.

“I’m sorry…,”you whispered to the man who was supposed to love you, who was carelessly and harshly dragging you along the path to your apartment. You would think by now you would know your limits with alcohol, the one thing you had a love-hate relationship with, but instead you hate yourself every time you get as drunk as you currently were. You should not have drank as much as you did, is what you tell yourself, again. Everytime. You knew it as always. Your body knew it and hated you for it, and so did your equally unimpressed fiance. "I can't do this anymore," he grunts carrying you into your apartment and down the short hall to the bedroom. Soyoung lets out a loud sigh, a sound of frustration and annoyance flying from his tongue, as he practically shoves you on your bed. His tall body, moving quicker than your eyes can in the dark of the room, you watch dizzily as he opens drawers and your bathroom briefly grabs something else, before coming back to stand over you. "Did you hear me?" Grabbing your cheeks and squeezing with one hand the other painfully grasping a breast, making you gasp, before grabbing some stuff from your bedside table. "I'm done." He finishes, walking out of your apartment, slamming the door and leaving your very drunk self to pass out. You wanted to follow him, ask him what you had done wrong now. You were trying to cope, was that so wrong? You wanted to move but your body wouldn't let you, you were frozen to your bed in an unimaginable state of drunken paralysis. Thankfully all the thoughts drowning you shushed your mind to sleep. Before you knew it, a persistent old-fashioned alarm eventually registered, blaring through your ears. You rolled over in your bed, feeling your dress from the night before twist around you, making you frown in confusion. Usually, a night out of drinking with Soyoung leaves you naked and most times sore in the right spot, sometimes pleasantly so, sometimes not. Shutting the alarm on your phone off, you sent a dreary voice message to your fiance sweetly begging for medicine and his special hangover soup. You desperately needed it. You really shouldn't have drank so much, again. Laying back down, phone tossed to the side, you take several slow deep breaths, trying to not throw up the unfortunate amount of tequila you drank last night. Closing your eyes against the dim light in the room, a flash of memory hits you making you touch your jaw knowing that all the pain isn’t from alcohol this time. You struggle to hear the words he spit at you last night in your head, something important, but you just couldn't remember as you drift back to sleep. Ding Your phone wakes you up. Groggily, you grab your phone, checking your conversation with Soyoung, and he's read your message but the reply wasn't from him. Maybe he was on his way? Going to your other conversations, you see it's your group chat with your three best friends. Beth, Maggie and Lisa. [2:43pm] Beth: I can't breathe. Everything smells like Tequila. I want to die. [2:45pm] Maggie: Did I break my foot? Cause it kinda feels like I did. Fuck. [2:49pm] Lisa: So round two tonight!? Let's get ready to paaaarttyyyyyyyy. [2:54pm] Beth: Are you insane? I'm crying tequila tears right now. I cannot [2:56pm] You: Don't be a pussy Bethy. Let's do it [3:01pm] Maggie: I mean.. i'm in [3:05pm] Beth: Fine. But I'm not drinking [3:09pm] Lisa: The fuck you're not. I will drown you in a bowl of Tequila beth. Try me. You knew you could always count on your girls. With a smile on your face, you text your fiance again, letting him know you were going out again tonight, and asked him if he wanted to come out with you guys. Usually when you message Soyoung, it wasn't long before he replied, but now you had been waiting two hours and that was so unlike him. But you weren't going to be that fiancee, you figured he was probably busy with something, even though the nagging feeling in your stomach was telling you otherwise. ** That night as you continued to drown your sorrows in liquor, again, your mind lingered on the fact that you still haven't heard from the person who was supposed to love you and be there for you. The person who was supposed to be your person but wasn't. Thinking back to the voicemail you’d left, well voicemails, plural. And thinking on the obvious smudges on your breast and face, that you’d gotten too used to covering up. "You okay?" Maggie asks you, taking a sip of her drink. "Yeah girl. All good," you say forcing a smile. You weren't okay; not even close and drinking was the only way you knew how to cope and there was a lot you needed to deal with but couldn't. You weren't mentally strong enough at the moment. You struggled internally with whether or not to unload everything on your friends, but you knew they had their own shit to deal with. You couldn't do that to them. "Come on," Beth slurred, slapping at the bar to get the bartender's attention. "Let’s close out and go! Next bar, up!" "Thought you weren't drinking tonight, Beth?" You slur, a knowing smile on your face. "Fuck off." She spits, placing a hundred dollar bill on the counter to cover everyone's drinks. Something the four of you often did. Someone would pay at one bar while another would pay at the next. The four of you finished your drinks, giggling as you walked out of the bar, walking to the next one. While three of you gossip, Beth lags behind, gasping at her phone. "What the fuck are tou foing," You slur, fumblimg your words and stopping the group. "Just shut up and keep walkin," she shoos you away, not looking up from her phone. Minutes later, you reach the next bar, Beth puts her phone away while she has a concerning smirk on her face. Do you confront her or ignore it? You choose to ignore, not wanting whatever it was to possibly ruin the night for everyone. Whatever your uwu girl was up to couldn’t be that bad. Beth wasn't one to stir up trouble or cause a scene. If anything, she likely ordered some more candles from Etsy. You all spent the rest of the night getting drunk and dancing on each other, without a care in the world. Sunday morning you wake up, smelling Tequila everywhere. It was seeping through your pores. Your heart sunk, still no word from Soyoung. So you try to call him again. No answer. You tried again, and again no answer. You didn't understand. What did you do that was so wrong? You spent the entire day going through everything, old texts, playing in person conversations in your head, trying to figure out how you might have fucked up in the last month or so, but nothing came to mind. So now the question you had was, what the fuck was his issue? You knew he didn’t like you showing up at his home unannounced, but at the same time this was past petty. The thought of calling his mother, who did not bother to hide her hate for you physically made you ill, you let your finger hover over her contact a little longer before closing the phone. You tossed it to the other side of your sofa, decisively picking up the remote to look for a movie to watch. Fuck him, you decide, just fuck him. ** After you had finished work on Monday, you still hadn't heard from him. When you woke up on Tuesday, again there was nothing. Everytime you called you were either sent straight to voice-mail or he just didn't answer. By the 3 week mark, you felt as though you might not even be together anymore. Three months later, you had heard nothing from him until your neighbour who was getting her mail had let you know he was out of town filming for a movie. She thought it was quite weird that you didn't know, and honestly, you thought the same but you weren't at all surprised, given Soyoung's past with you. Later that night, you had found out that night that when Beth was intensely looking at her phone, she had been entering a meet and greet with Super M, the band that the four of you were obsessed with. When she had gotten into the top five, she sent a video explaining who she would bring and why, and apparently they liked the way she represented you guys and how real you sounded. She should have told them you were all psychotic and loud because Super M was going to be in for a wild ride. At the four month mark, you still had not heard from him, and actively decided you were single. You took your ring off, leaving it on your bedside table. You didn't know why you tortured yourself like that, maybe you hoped he would walk through your door again one day, telling you that something had happened and he says so sorry before telling you how much he loved you, and would slide that ring back on your finger, telling you that's where it belonged and to never take it off again. Wishful thinking on your part. ** Finally Friday had rolled around, the night you were going to meet Super M. You had a hard time containing your excitement. All day you were a giddy mess, acting like a child who had gotten up early on Christmas morning to find a shit ton of presents. Friday afternoon, you had left work early to make sure you had ample time to get ready for meeting Super M. You unlock the door to your apartment, and walk in, being met with the face of your fiance, or the man who was now your ex. "Soyoung.. you're back?" You whisper, dropping your purse to the floor. "No I'm not. Just wanted to grab a few things.. and my ring." He says, sliding the ring off of your bedside table, and putting it in his pocket. "You're.. what is going on? Where have you been? Why did you leave? I thought we were happy?" You say. "Us? Happy? You're delusional." He laughs. "What? "I ended things four months ago." He deapans, hands in pockets with his feet braced apart. "Well thanks for telling me!" You yell, heart racing. "I did,"He shouts back. "Do you remember the night I dragged your drunk, embarrassing ass back home?" "No.. I had been drinking." You say, your chest tightening at the hurtful words you knew were going to come next. "Yeah you had, like usual. I ended things that night. I'm done. I have an important reputation to uphold and protect, and frankly your alcoholic, large self doesn't fit into it." He sneers. "Not to mention the vast difference in our status. Do you know what it's like being an actor with chances and then having an alcoholic teacher as my fiance? Fucking disaster." "I was coping. The loss of our baby was hard on me." You whisper, as it gets harder to breathe, tears freely slipping down your face now. "You know I've always wanted to be a mom." "Yeah well you losing our child was the best thing to happen to me. Imagine having a child with a low class whore. I can't believe any school would look at you and think you and that body, which is only good for one thing, should teach someone's kid. The universe knows who should be a mother, and you're not it." He continues as if her defense were nothing. "Also tell your friends that having them text me, asking me to check up on you while I'm out of 'town' is just fucking embarrassing." He finishes, sliding the ring into his pocket, and picking up his box before leaving. Tears fall from your face as what he said replays through your head, making you feel even worse. You didn't think that stuff like that was important, so it hadn't occurred to you that he thought that way. He had never mentioned anything to you, or brought it up, at least in so many words. Flashbacks play through yohr head, things he said during sex which should have set off some flags. "Fucking whore. You like getting your pussy rammed by a higher class man?" "Take that dick like the dirty low level slut you are." Did they make you uncomfortable? Sure, a bit but he had always been into dirty talk, so you chalked it up to that. Great to know he was being serious. Why did he have to show up tonight all night? The night that you get to meet one of your favorite bands, and your ultimate bias, Baekhyun. You couldn't look like a wreck tonight, so you dried your tears, took a few shots and put on your favorite song and started doing your makeup. ** A few hours after you were drunk and ready to go. A car outside beeped a few times, letting you know your friends were here. You locked your door, making sure to hold onto the railing as you walked down the stairs, not wanting to trip and fall. "Ladiessss." You slur, getting into the car, throwing your head back on the seat. "Let's go." "What happened?" Maggie asked, turning her head from the passenger seat to face you. "Apparently." You begin, clearing your throat. "Soyoung broke up with me when I was drunk four months ago and I don't remember, I'm in such a lower class than him and that's why I miscarried 5 months ago. Also that I'm a fat whore." You sniffle. Your lips begin to quiver as you remember the words again. You didn't want to cry, you couldn't but fuck it still hurt. "What the fuck." All the girls say in unison. "I've always hated him." Maggie spits. "Seconded." Beth yells. "Third..ed." Lisa partially answers, not knowing if that's a word or not. "Thirded is not a word, but thank you." You laugh as Lisa pulls you in for a hug. "We can cancel with Super M." Beth suggests. "Don't be dumb! Cancel on Super M? Who are you!?" You yell. "We don't cancel on kings. I'll be fine." You finish, taking a deep breath to shake off the sadness. "Are you sure?" Lisa asks, looking nervous that you might actually say yes. "Oh my god, no. We're not canceling." You laugh. "Lets go. I need a good distraction." 20 minutes later, the four of you sit outside the restaurant taking deep breaths. "I'm going to faint." Beth states, fanning herself with her hand. "Fucking Taeyong and Kai.." "Im going to meet Mark and Lucas." Lisa squeals. "Taemin, and Ten, my babies." Maggie groans. "And I'm going to meet Baekhyun. The only man I need." You say, a weird smile appearing on your face. "Fix that." Maggie says, pointing to your mouth. "You are not entering that restaurant looking like you're hiding a gun inside your vag, okay? Serial killer looks stay in the car please." She finishes, opening her door and adjusting her dress. "Less creepy. Got it." You say, hopefully smiling like a normal person. The four of you walk away from the car, your hands shaking as you make your way closer to the door. You felt like your heart might just drop right out of your ass when you walked through the doors. "We're here for the Super M meet and greet." Beth says, showing the man the confirmation. "Right this way." He says, motioning for the four of you to follow him to a private room. Whenever someone had told you they almost died when meeting their favorite celebrity, you never understood. Until today. When you walked in the room, all the guys were sitting at a table, four spots between them opened. Lisa sat in between Mark and Lucas, Maggie in between Taemin and Ten, Beth between Taeyong and Kai, while you sat beside Baekhyun with no one else on your other side. But you didn't care. Yes you loved the whole group, but Baekhyun was your one and you were in heaven. "Hi, im Baekhyun." He says with a gorgeous smile, holding out his hand. "Oh I know. I'm Ayn." You smile, shaking his hand. It was no surprise that it was soft to the touch. "Would you like a drink?" Baekhyun smiles, his eyes never leaving you. Call it crazy, but you absolutely felt something between him and you, and you could tell that he felt it too. "Tequila please." You laugh. "A Tequila fan? My kind of girl." Baekhyun smiles, waving over the waiter. Over the next few hours, you and Baekhyun talked about everything while the two of you took more shots. He asked you about your job, family, friends, ambitions, passions, everything. But you should have known not to drink too much, in order to not embarrass yourself in front of Baekhyun, but when he asked you if you were seeing anyone, you lost it. "I was engaged, but he dumped me when i was drunk, ghosted me for 4 months, told me I was a low class whore who basically deserved to miscarry and that I was fat." You sob. Everyone sits there stunned, mouths hanging open as you sob into a napkin that Baekhyun had given to you. "What an asshole." Baekhyun declares. "Like literally, I want to fuck him up. Who does he think he is? You are beautiful and I'm so sorry for your loss, you didn't deserve that. Where is he? Can I please beat the fuck out of him?" Baekhyun asks, rolling up his sleeves. "You're sweet." You giggle. "Honestly yes, you can beat him up. I hate him." "What's his name?" Baekhyun asks. "Kim Soyoung." You scoff. "That piece of shit!?" Mark asks from across the table. "Man we hate that guy already." Lucas mumbles. "Well there we go, now I have more of a reason to shit kick him." Baekhyun smiles. "But seriously, you're like a 20 out of 10. Stunning." He smiles. Your heart melts as his words replay through your head while he and the others make a plan for the rest of their night. "You guys down to come to the club?" Taemin asks, looking around the table. "Yes!" You all yell out in unison, excited for the next part of the night to begin. As you walk out of the restaurant, you pass through the dining room, where a familiar laugh rings through the room. You look around and see Soyoung sitting there, with a woman sitting across from him. "Wow, Kim Soyoung!" You yell, rage fueling your body with adrenaline. "Already engaged after you only left me 4 months ago?" You ask. "Ayn, stop it." Soyoung hisses. "Who are you?" The woman asks, standing up. When she turned around, your heart sank into your stomach, nausea consuming your body. She was at least 7 months pregnant, wearing your engagement ring. "It's not yours.. is it?" You whisper. "It's only been four months!" You yell. "She's got to be at least 6 or 7 months?" "Im 7 months, and we've been together for 3 years, what are you talking about?" She snaps. Tears fall down your cheeks as you try to piece together what she was saying. So were you the other woman or was she? You were engaged but now you're not, and she was having a baby, and you were not. "She could give me what you clearly couldn't. She's in the same league as me, unlike you. Get over it Ayn, I'm fucking done." "Oh I'm over it. I'm so done with you. Glad a pathetic piece of shit like you is no longer in my life." You say before he cuts you off. "You know what?" He asks, looking around the room. "There's always that one person in a group that doesn't quite fit in, someone they need to make the rest of them look good, that's you and you do a wonderful job at it." He smirks. "You're a miserable person, and a shitty lay. It was hard to feel anything when we fucked, considering you have such a small dick." You smile, Baekhyun grabs you by the wrist to drag you outside while Soyoung shakes with rage. He knew that if you kept going like he thought you would, Soyoung would probably do something that he shouldn't and you'd likely get hurt. "I'm sorry. That just felt so good to say." You tell Baekhyun, now sobering up from all the adrenaline. "It's all good." Baekhyun laughs. "I enjoyed it. Let's get out of here." Everyone climbs in two different vans, preparing to head out of the club. You began climbing when something stopped you and pulled you back out. Turning around you see a still fuming Soyoung, standing there with his fists clenched by his side. "You think you can just say all that shit in front of my fiance and a room full of strangers and get away with it!?" He yells unclenching to grab the collar of your shirt, pulling you against him. "Why are you letting someone who is in such a low class bother you so much? Mhm? Maybe because you're not as high and mighty as you think you are? You're lower on the totem pole than I am." You whisper. Soyoung shoves you to the ground, raising his fist as if he was about to hit you. "I dare you." You say, knowing he wouldn't. "Hey!" Baekhyun yells, jumping from the van and shoving Soyoung back. "I always knew you were a piece of shit, but now you're an abusive piece of shit? Wow." Baekhyun snaps, staring hard at Soyoung, who sighs before walking away. "You okay?" Baekhyun asks, extending a hand to help you up. "I'm all good." You smile. "You sure?" He asks, making sure. "Positive. Let's party!" You laugh, climbing in the van. "She's amazing." He whispers before climbing in after you. ** Walking into the club, all eyes are on Super M as they glide past the dance floor, all of them looking like angels. They all head for the VIP section, which gives a perfect view of the dance floor. After everything that happened earlier with Soyoung, you were ready to forget everything with a few shots before you got lost on the dance floor. You, Maggie, Beth and Lisa all cheer your shots, each time you take one. After three, and a good song was finally playing, you all head out to the dance floor, finding a spot in the middle with an opening to view the VIP room. Your eyes lock with Baekhyun as you begin circling your hips, shaking your ass while running your hands over your body. You watch as Baekhyun licks his lips, his eyes trailing your body, watching you move so effortlessly. He takes a sip of his drink, his body slouched in his chair with his legs spread wide. You can feel yourself becoming more and more horny as you see the outline of his cock growing in his pants. As you continue dancing, you feel a pair of hands slide around your waist and a body press against you. Still looking at Baekhyun you notice his eyes go dark as he sits up, watching you dance with the strange man. He doesn't know why, but the jealousy he felt was coursing through his body. You break eye contact, turning to look at who you were dancing with and if you knew him. You didn't. When you looked back towards Baekhyun he was gone. Had he left? Seconds later you feel the man leave from behind you, being replaced by another body. "You're a bad girl." You hear whispered in your ear. Shivers dip down your spine as Baekhyun grabs your wrist, taking you off the dance floor and towards the bathrooms. He pulls you into the men's bathroom, locking the door behind you, his eyes dark and needy. He grips your shoulders, pushing you against the wall, pinning your hands above your head. “If you wanted to make me jealous, it worked. Since the moment I first saw you tonight, I wanted you." he growled into your ear. His hands reach down to touch your thighs, slipping his fingers under your dress as you spread your legs slightly for him. Baekhyun glides his fingers across your clothed pussy, teasing you. “Please give me more” you whine as you buck your hips towards his already erect cock. “This is going to have to be quick." he smirks, unbuckling his belt and sliding down his pants just enough to allow his cock to spring free. Your mouth watered at the site of Baekhyun's thick and juicy cock. He backs away, letting go of your hands, allowing you to drop to your knees. Your hand barely wraps around his cock, pumping it a few times before you lean in to wrap your lips around it. Just as you reach the tip, a frantic knock comes from the other side of the door. It was Taeyong, and he only had to say one word for Baekhyun to panic and get the two of you out of there. "Saesangs." Baekhyun pulled up his pants, pulling you towards the only window in the bathroom. He sent a quick message to his group chat, letting them know to meet him at the van, asap. "I'm gonna lift you up and the climb up myself." He tells you, looking very serious but you can't help but laugh. "You.. you're going to lift me up? Me?" You giggle. "You're little." "Hey! I have muscles okay? I'm strong. Shut up." He grunts, just barely lifting you. "See." He says, his voice shaky and struggling. "Yeah okay." You huff, climbing through the window. "I can hear you on the struggle bus." You can't hear what Baekhyun's reply was, as you were too busy trying to drop to the ground. "Hurry up." He tells you, watching you dangle from the side of the building. "It's terrifying." You whisper shout. "It's like 4 feet. Get over it." He whispers back to you. "Before I peel your fingers off this ledge." "You do that and I will never give up this pussy." You say, not able to hear his mumbles. Taking a deep breath, you let go, dropping down not very far at all while Baekhyun effortlessly jumps from the window, landing gracefully as usual. Finally you confirmed, he was in fact just CGI and not real at all. There was no way a human could possibly be as perfect as Byun Baekhyun and not be fake. Just wasn't a thing. "Stop staring at me, let's go." He laughs, pulling you towards the van. "Baek we gotta go." Taemin says, rushing him. "Gimme your number, quick." Baekhyun urges. Quickly you write your number on his arm before he climbs into the van. "I'm sorry. I'll text you." He says before the van door closes and they drive off. "What the hell happened?" Maggie asked, walking up to you with Beth and Lisa. "We almost hooked up." You whisper, eyes wide. None of you can believe it, except Lisa. "Well he was watching you all night so I'm not surprised." Lisa tells you, raising her eyebrows. "We'll meet tomorrow for breakfast?" Beth asks the group. You all agree before going your separate ways to head home. Tonight had been a night that you would honestly remember forever. You really didn't have any expectations of Baekhyun to text you. He was a huge celebrity and you were, well a teacher with an alcohol problem. Not quite the catch you should be. When you finally got home,you stripped down into your underwear, hating yourself for wearing such sexy lingerie that no one got to see. You climb into your bed when your phone dings. A number you don't recognize. [3:08am] 4739272943: Hey, I had a great time tonight.. did you make it home? The smile on your face widened. You quickly added his number to your contacts before replying. [3:12am] You: I did, thanks for asking. I'm snuggled warm in my bed. [3:15am] Baekhyun ♡: I wish I was your blanket. Damn. I can't stop thinking about what happened in the bathroom [3:17am] You: Me either. I was excited. [3:19am] Baekhyun ♡: My cock is so fucking hard [3:22am] You: can i come over? [3:25am] Baekhyun ♡: (address) You crawled out of your bed and ran to your closet, putting on a trench coat over your sexy lingerie, and a pair of sexy heels. You rush down the stairs of your building, standing on the sidewalk to hail down a cab. Once you do, you begin telling the driver the address, double checking your phone to make sure it's correct. Sure it probably looked suspicious that you were going to a hotel at almost 4am, dressed like a hooker but if he knew who you were going to meet, he wouldn't judge. But he probably still would anyways. ** You stand outside the room number Baekhyun had given you, taking a deep breath before knocking lightly on the door. Before you could even knock a second time the door swung open, revealing Baekhyun who grabbed you and pulled you inside. "A trench coat?" He asks, trying to hide the smile on his face. "Why don't you see what's underneath before you judge." You say, glaring at him. Baekhyun reaches forward, unbuttoning a few buttons before you let the coat fall down your body, revealing the sexy lingerie you had on. "Yes, wow, good trench coat." He breathes. Baekhyun takes your hand, pulling you into him before pressing his lips to yours. Immediately you as though you’re melting into his lips. His mouth moves along yours, without any hesitation you open your mouth, just enough to allow him to slide his tongue in. Every single worry you had quickly disappeared from your head. Every problem, insult, anything was gone. Baekhyun reaches down, placing his hands on the back of your thighs, giving a little push to signal you to jump up. You hesitate a little, but when he pushes even more you know he won't give up, so you jump up, wrapping your thick thighs around his waist. He walks forward and crashes you against the wall, deepening the kiss while pressing his body against yours. He removes your hands from going through his hair, and instead pinning them above your head. He breaks the kiss, placing small kisses along your jawline before moving down to your neck. You pant as he nibbles at your neck. "Do you want me as much as I want you?" He asks, looking you in the eyes. “Even more" you breathe. Baekhyun sets you down, reaching behind you tk unclasp your bra, your nipples perk as the cold air of his room hits them. Baekhyun bends down slightly, taking a nipple into his mouth, giving it a small tug with his lips. "Fuck." You moan. He smirks as he takes your hand, leading you towards the bed. He lightly pushes your shoulders back, causing you to fall back onto the bed as he stands at the edge. His smile widens as he stares at your thick, beautiful body on display for him, and him only. He climbs on the bed with you, hooking his fingers into your panties, slowly sliding them down your leg. Baekhyun spreads your legs, memorizing every curve and crevice of your body. He licks his lips and smiles as he lays down in between your open legs, your pussy already dripping wet. He lowers his head slowly, spreading your lips open with two fingers before licking a slow strip up, his tongue stopping right above your clit. He moves his it slightly, using the tip to give you a few small kitten licks. Your hands grip the sheet of the bed as you let out a loud moan, your fingers turning white. “Fuck" you cry. It’s been too long since you’ve had someone take care of you. Never having been with anyone since Soyoung. Baekhyun moves his tongue faster, you buck your hips, grinding yourself against his face. “Shit that feels so good" you whine. Baekhyun picks up his pace, moving his tongue in every direction, your orgasm coming fast. “Please don’t stop. Just like that” you groan. Your breath hitches as his hands grip your thighs, steadying himself in-between your legs. “I’m.. I’m gonna cum" you cry, your hands moving from the bed sheets to his head, gathering a handful of hair and gripping it tightly. You move your hips faster, needing to cum now. A few more circles with your hips and you’re met with a delicious release as you cum, a wave of pleasure radiates through your entire body. Baekhyun looks up at you, smirking while he licks your juices from his face. You just lay there attempting to catch your breath as your chest heaves up and down. “Fuck me now” you breathe. Baekhyun's eyes go dark as he stands up off the bed, you maintain eye contact as he strips his shirt off, your mouth practically watering at the sight of his toned stomach. Yout mouth drools again at the sight of his thick cock, standing straight at attention. “It's not going to suck itself” he smirks, looking from his cock to you. A wide grin appears on your face as you sit up and begin to crawl towards him, you lay at the edge of the bed with your head level to his cock and mouth open wide. Baekhyun groans as he slides his cock into your mouth, pushing himself in as far as he can before you wrap your mouth around him. At first he starts out slowly, gently thrusting himself in and out of your mouth. With every pump, his thrusts become harder and faster. Tears begin forming in your eyes as he rams his cock down your throat, it burns, but you love it. “Jesus baby, your mouth feels amazing” he moans, his thrusts becoming sloppy. Almost as quickly as he moaned, he pulled himself out of your mouth, stumbling his way over to the wall. “Are you okay?” you ask, your voice hoarse. “Yeah, I was just close to cumming and I didn’t want to do it yet" he breathes. "You want to cum in my pussy, don't you?" You ask, feeling extra naughty. Baekhyun lets out a deep throaty growl as he stalks back towards you. You scramble to sit on the bed, with your legs clenched, the need for him to be inside of you so strong. “Get up and ride my cock “ he growls. The moment you move, he lays in your spot ready for you to sit on his cock. You move your leg over to one side of him, gripping his cock as you align yourself with him and sink down slowly. You clench yourself around him as you hit the base, your walls stretched. “Your pussy feels even better than your mouth” he grunts. You slowly begin to rock your hips back and forth, getting a rhythm you enjoy. Baekhyun rests his hands on your hips, pushing for you to ride him faster. Your hands reach down to rest on his chest, as you lift your ass up before bringing it back down onto him. After a few minutes you go back to slower thrusts, your clit rubbing perfectly against his pubic bone. Baekhyun sits up, bringing the two of you chest to chest before he slowly brings a hand up your back to grab a chunk of hair and yank your head back, exposing your neck. You let out a small moan as he places soft kisses. He smirks at you before changing his pace and flips you over to your back. He smiles as your legs are in the air and he slowly pumps himself in and out. “Fuck me harder” you beg. “Happily" he says before his face turns from a smile to dark. His thrusts are slow but powerful. He makes you shiver every time he thrusts in, hitting your G spot without a problem. Without a word, his pumps quicken as he consistently rams himself into your dripping pussy. “Play with my clit" you whine. Baekhyun removes a hand from your leg and places it in-between your thighs, spreading your lips and placing his thumb on the exact spot you need it. He begins to rub as he continues to pound himself into you. “I’m not going to last much longer” he pants, his thrusts becoming sloppy again. “Choke me" you cry out. Baekhyun abandons your other leg, wrapping his large hand around your throat, giving it a tight squeeze. A few more thrusts and circles from his thumb, a stronger orgasm than before washes over you, pulsating through your body, leaving you breathless. A few hard thrusts and a few seconds later Baekhyun cums, soaking your walls with his juices. After milking himself, he half collapses on to you, the two of you breathing heavily. You both chuckle as he pulls out of you, laying his equally as sweaty body next to you. Just as you were about to say something, you're cut off by the sound of knocking on Baekhyun's hotel room door. "Shit." He whispered, looking at you with terrified eyes. He mouthed an apology to you before shoving you off the bed, leaving you naked in between the bed and the wall. "Come in." He says, clearing his throat, making sure he was covered. "Hey Baekhyun.." Lucas begins. "I heard some grunting.. just wanted to make sure you were okay?" He says, looking around the room. "Oh yeah, all good. Just working out." Baekhyun says awkwardly. "Naked. It's my naked workout time. Do you wanna join? We can not be naked. Unless you wanna be naked." He suggests. "Nah, I'm good." Lucas smiles, backing out the door. "Don't forget, flight leaves at 9am." He reminds Baekhyun. But he knew and he was trying to avoid talking about it or bringing it up for as long as he could. Lucas closes the door, and Baekhyun scrambles to the side of the bed you're beside. "Guess I should get going." You say, standing up and searching for your lingerie. "You don't.." Baekhyun begins before you cut him off. "It's fine. I get what this was. It was fun, you have to leave and go back to your life and I'll..go back to whatever mine is." You say. "It's fine. I knew this wouldn't turn into anything.. I mean look at the different worlds." You finish. "Are you done now?" He asks. You nod your head. "Finally. Look, I don't want to stop talking to you, or stop seeing you. I was going to suggest making long distance work until I can come back or you can come out there." He says, pulling his boxers on. "If you want." You stand there in your bra and panties with a giant smile on your face, trying to remain cool. "Yeah sure, I could do that." You say, shrugging your shoulders. "Don't sound so excited about it." He says, rolling his eyes. The smile never leaves your face as you walk towards him, wrapping your arms around him, as he does you, holding you close for a few minutes. Another knock at his door breaks the two of you apart, knowing he now has to leave. "You go. I'll wait 10 minutes and then leave." You say holding back your tears. Yes you'd only met yesterday but it already felt like you've known him for a lifetime, things with him were just beginning and now they're ending just as fast as they began. "I'll text you." He says, placing a quick kiss on your lips before grabbing his bag and slipping out the door. Your heart sunk into your stomach at the thought of him getting on that plane and going back to Seoul, but you couldn't do anything. You had zero expectations of him texting you, and you sure as shit weren't going to text him first. Just as you were leaving his room, your phone dings. Your stomach twists and turns with excitement as you see a text from Lisa, telling you where to meet them for breakfast. Thirty minutes later you arrive at the restaurant, after quickly running home to put on some clothes before going. "Why are you so happy?" Beth asks, referring to the giant smile on your face as you sit down next to her. "I'm just in a good mood." You laugh. A very good mood. "Bullshit. What or who did you do?" Maggie asks. "I'm not sure what you could be talking about." You murmur, avoiding eye contact. "You didn't." She gasps. "What?" You ask with an awkward laugh. "You slut!" Lisa screeches, making the other people turn to look at your table. "Oh ky god, what!?" You laugh. "You and Baekhyun fucked didnt you?" Maggie asks. "When would that have even happened?" You ask, rolling your eyes. "You left us at 230am." She says. "Anytime after that." "I may or may not have gone to his hotel last night.." you pause, pursing your lips while they all sit there mouths hanging open. "Girls.. when I say he's big.. I mean he's biiiig." You smile, your facial expressions showing them exactly how big you meant. "Tell us everything." Lisa laughs. Leaning forward, you start from the beginning at the club, and how neither of you could take your eyes off one another. ** "You weren't naked working out last night, were you?" Kai asks Baekhyun, sitting next to him on the plane. "I was. I rather enjoy doing pilates.. naked." Baekhyun says, clearing his throat. "Really? I didn't know that. I also didn't know that you moaned like a girl when you worked out. Is 'fuck me harder' a part of thr pilates workout?" Kai laughs. "Actually it is." Baekhyun says, trying to keep a straight face. "Look, i don't wanna tell you what to do, Ayn seems like a great girl, but she seems to have a lot of shit going on." Kai says. "Just be careful." "We all have a lot of shit going on. That doesn't mean we're any less deserving of someone to care for us. I know what I'm doing." Baekhyun smiles. "Then I'm happy for you man." Kai smiles, closing his eyes, preparing to sleep for the long flight. ** You waited and waited for a text from Baekhyun, but nothing came. You understood when it was a few days, but after a week, you decided it was exactly what you expected. You had actually believed him when he told you it wasn't just a one night stand for him. When he told you he wanted more, that he would text you and facetime you. You knew people got busy and he was an idol but it didn't take too long to send a text, just a hey, how are you or something like that. The more you stared at your phone the more it made you sad that the last thing he sent to you was the hotel address. At least you would always have that night. Sitting in your bed, your blankets are wrapped around you as you scroll through the saddest sounds on your tiktok, tears welling in your eyes. Fuck this hurt. As you scroll, Maggie's name flashes across your screen in a phone call. "Hello?" You sniffle into the phone. "Come out." She tells you. "Beach day." That perked you up a bit. "Okay. Yes." You say, knowing it would be good for you to get out. You wiggle your way out of your bed, put on your cutest bikini and brush your hair before putting it up in a cute bun. You put on a little sun dress and your flip flops before grabbing a bottle of wine and heading to your car. When you're about twenty minutes away from the beach, your phone dings and since no one else is on the road with you, you decide to check it and see Baekhyun's name at the top of the text. He finally texted you! You smile down at your phone as you read the message. [1:23pm] Baekhyun ♡: Hey beautiful, I'm sorry it took me so long to text. Things have been crazy. But I miss you and I can't wait to see you again. Let's plan something soon, okay? You heart flutters, excitement taking over, until panic rushes in instead. You drop your phone when you hear the honking of another car, not realizing you had drifted into the other lane. Unable to get back into your lane in time, you go the other direction, your car crashing through the metal guard, the sound of metal scraping while you cry, trying to pump your brakes but they're not working. Everything happens so fast, one minute you're happy and driving, the next your car plummets into the water, sinking fast. You struggle to take your seat belt off, while also trying to kick out your windshield or even punch out your driver's side window. You can hear the people above, the people on land screaming and crying, begging someone to help you while you cry out yourself, pleading for someone to come save you but now it's too late, your car is completely submerged in the water. You wish you could breathe but you just keep sinking. Sinking. And sinking. Until the world fades to black. ** Baekhyun has his phone right beside him for the rest of the day as he actively waits for your reply. He saw that you read jt, but maybe you were just busy at the moment and couldn't reply, or maybe you were too busy fangirling to reply. Maybe you fainted? Maybe he took too long to text you? It's not that he didn't want to, but for the last week, from the moment he got off that plane, his schedule had been hectic. He had appearances, promotions, rehearsals, shows, and more. He barely had a moment to sit and breathe, eat or think. He wished he had messaged you sooner, just to let you know he was still thinking about you, that he hadn't forgotten. Great, you probably thought he used you for a one night stand type thing. He debated within himself if he should text you again, or leave it until tomorrow and send another message. Looking over at the clock, he decided that since it was so late he would wait to text you again, hopefully this time yielding a reply from you. ** That next morning he woke up, sending you a good morning text, but it didn't really go through. He thought it was strange that his text was green, but it didn't say not delivered. Maybe your phone was off or you forgot to charge it. [3:48pm August 23rd] Hey.. you're worrying me now. Are you okay? Please.. let me know. [11:54am August 24th] Seriously? Come on Ayn. Something, anything would be fine. He was trying to keep calm, trying to not think that you were ghosting him. But by the second week when none of his green texts turned blue and he hadn't heard anything, he felt like he understood now. You weren't interested anymore. You could have at least had the decency to tell him you weren't interested instead of ghosting him. Three weeks went by. Three weeks of him texting you and receiving nothing, not even a goddamn apology from you. This was it. He was done. He was tired of trying, of keeping his hopes up that maybe, just, maybe you'd message him back. ** Three weeks after the accident, you had finally woken up, and you were okay, for the most part. Your body wasn't like it used to be, considering you had been laying down for the last few weeks. Your muscles were weak, your body was sore, your left leg had a bit of a limp and you felt disgusting. This wasn't you. You weren't the girl who cried over her body, but you didn't recognize yourself anymore. When the doctor suggested you try Physical Therapy you were hesitant but Maggie reassured you that she would be there with you through it all. "My phone?" You ask, a few days later while stretching. "They're going to call me today. They're pretty sure they can back everything up." She tells you. Thank god. And they did. During the next three weeks of your therapy, you had four different tech guys working on your phone, trying to get your messages and contacts back but due to all the water damage, it was taking some time. Seven weeks after the accident, you were finally 98% percent back to your normal self, a few large cuts and bruises that still needed healing but mentally and physically you were feeling okay today. Today was also the day you got your phone back, contacts and messages and all. You couldn't wait, you felt terribly guilty for leaving Baekhyun on read like that for so long. You couldn't wait to message him, tell him everything that happened. You turn your phone on, and everything starts rolling in. Messages from Baekhyun, cute and sweet, and then they get frustrated and annoyed, and then he just gets mad. He goes from wondering if you were okay, to telling you that he thought you were different, to him telling you he thought Kai was right about you, and how he should have stayed away, that maybe you were too damaged for him. And then he's done. Your heart sinks but you can sort of see where he's coming from. You haven't messaged him in so long, but if he claimed to have liked you so much, then why didn't he try to reach out to anyone? Try to find out if something has happened to you? Regardless, you send him a text, trying your best to explain the situation in hopes that he understands. He should, who wouldn't? He didn't believe you? What did he mean he knows the truth? You were so confused. You tried to call him, multiple times but unfortunately for you, he denied your call each time. You got the hint. You weren't go8ng to be pushy with him, but it hurt your heart that he was acting like this. You had really liked him and now it seemed like he just wanted one thing from you that night and had no intentions of actually attempting to make things work with you. Just before you're about to walk away from your phone, it dings again, excitedly you look at it, hoping it Baekhyun but it's not. Instead it's from someone you want nothing to do with, Soyoung. Of course he was trying to get back in your life, unfortunately for him, no amount of apologies was going to work to get you to even talk to him. You had his toxic ass once, you didn't want it again. You'd rather get into another accident than deal with him. You turn on your TV, waiting for your show to come back on when an interesting commercial caught your eye. 'Become a teacher in Seoul. Live in South Korea for a year while you teach English.' This was it. This was your reason, besides trying to talk to Baekhyun for you to finally go to South Korea. 'Call 18004738234 now!' Picking up your cell phone, you dial the number with no hesitations. With the year you had, you needed a change in just about every aspect of your life. You were still coping with the loss of the baby you so wanted, despite who it would have been with, as well as your painful departure from Soyoung. Your meeting and falling out with Baekhyun, someone you really and truly could have seen yourself with for the long haul. The car accident, that even though you basically fully recovered, it took something from you and you didn't think you would be able to find whatever it was while staying in the States. "Hello? Yes, I'd like to apply for the job in Seoul. Yes I am a teacher." You smile. This was the change you needed. Three long weeks later you received your letter in the mail, the one telling you that you had been accepted into the teaching position and that you were to fly out to Seoul in exactly 1 weeks time. Squealing, you pick up your phone, making a call to your three best friends and asking them to meet you at your favorite restaurant. "So what are we all doing here?" Lisa asks, margarita in hand. "We are celebrating!" You announce. "Celebrating what?" Beth asks. "I was accepted into the teaching program in Seoul!" You announce, excitement plastered over your face. Beth and Lisa scream in excitement with you, while Maggie sits there, looking concerned about something. "Are you not happy for me?" You ask her. "It's not that. Just what's your reason to go to Seoul specifically? What do you think you'll find there?" She asks. "You know I've always wanted to go there." You say. "Yeah but are you going to see Baekhyun? I don't think that it's a good idea." She states. "What's with you? You were all for it in the beginning, what changed now? What if we're meant to be?" You ask. "You're not meant to be with him, okay? So just leave him alone." She spits, taking a sip of her drink. "What is your issue? I don't understand!" You yell. "My issue is that you're not ready for anything! You've been through alot and you were rushing! So I told him you weren't interested in him anymore." She whispers. (Flashback) Maggie sat beside your hospital bed, holding your hand as the ventilators breathed for you. Her heart ached for you while her mind tried to remain positive. She told herself over and over again that everything would be okay, that you would wake up soon. But everyday, that day never came. One day, she was scrolling through her Twitter when she noticed a DM waiting for her. As she opens it, she sees that it's Baekhyun, reaching out to her about you. Where were you? Were you okay? Taking a deep breath, she told him you were too nice to say it to him, but you don't want anything more with him. You got what you wanted from him and that was it and that you wished he wouldn't contact you anymore. Maggie felt terrible and Baekhyun never replied to her message, but she thought she was helping you, not hurting you. "When did you tell him?" You ask, trying to hold back the tears. "When you were first in the accident." She sighs. "I told him you only wanted him for the night and nothing else." "Wow." You laugh, no humor to be found. "And just what the fuck gives you the right to make those decisions for me?" "As your friend, I felt like it was my duty to help you when you couldn't help yourself. I wanted to protect you." She says. "Where was that when I was with Soyoung? He was so shitty yet you never said anything to me! And here I want to be with someone who is actually good and decent and you do that? Some fucking friend." You snap. "Where were you when he was threatening to hit me? I told you about that. Or when he yelled at me and talked down to me at the restaurant when we were out for dinner, you sat there silently. So don't try and act like you were protecting me from Baekhyun. There was nothing I needed protecting from. I needed you back then. Before he broke me down." You finish,walking out of the restaurant. ** For the rest of the week you spoke to no one. You ignored the calls from Maggie, the apology texts, and the texts from Beth and Lisa telling you to just take it easy on her. She was trying to be a friend. You hadn't planned on ignoring them until they took her side. You knew she was wrong, and so did they but they still took her side. You were over it. Your stomach was excitedly nervous as you boarded your plane. Sitting in your seat, your mind begins to wander, thinking about what you want. This was your chance to find out who you were by yourself. You had finally realized that you had no idea who you were or the woman you were supposed to be. You had always done what made Soyoung happy, bringing yourself down to lift him up, taking his abuse just so he would be happy and you have someone that told people they loved you. You had a hard time believing that you deserve any love because you weren't the smallest woman, the prettiest, the smartest, basically you serent good enough to be loved. But now that you have been alone, thinking about what you want and what kind of life you want you realized something. You deserve all the love in the world. You were an amazing, beautiful woman who was good enough. You were too good for Soyoung, and you were good enough for Baekhyun. ** When you arrived in South Korea, you knew you had a lot of work to do. First you had to find your apartment that you were sharing with another teacher, who had been here for a few months already and would be able to show you the ropes, and get settled in. But you also had to figure out how to run into Baekhyun. You just needed to explain to him what Maggie had done and how you had absolutely no part in it and didn't believe anything she had said. You tried to message him but he had blocked you on everything. Instagram, Twitter, Messaging, this was your only shot and this time you wouldn't blow it. You couldn't. You felt it in your bones that Baekhyun was meant to be your happily ever after. That you endured all you did because it led you to where he was, and where he was, was where you were supposed to be. ** Your first week in Seoul was.. well challenging. Gaining your students' trust, the beginning of teaching them how to speak English, it all started out a little bit rough. But as the time went on things became easier, your students began catching on, they started to feel more comfortable around you and you felt like you were finally home. This was where you were supposed to be, with these students, in this city, doing what you loved. As time went on and you stayed in Korea, you came to love yourself. Everyday you worked on yourself, becoming a stronger, happier version of yourself. Through the first year you were there, you made multiple changes to yourself. You dye your hair, started working out to feel better, even made some friends who you went out with on the weekend. But there was still something in your life that you felt was missing. You hadn't dated anyone. Sure, there were a few guys you'd gone on dates with but for whatever reason they never worked out, or stuck and most of the time it was something about them you didn't like. Or they just didn't fit well with you, or the fact that they weren't Baekhyun. It had been a year since you spoke to him and he still crossed your mind at least once a day. You partially kept up with how he was doing through the tabloids but once it was rumored he had a girlfriend, you left it alone. Even though you'd been working on yourself, you didn't think you could handle it if there was any truth to it. Once your year working was up, you were offered full-time employment with your class, if you wanted to stay and continue to teach. You most definitely accepted it right then and there. That night you went out with some teacher friends to celebrate in Itaewon, which also happens to be a well known place that Idols like to frequent. You'd be lying if you said you didn't hope to even just catch a glimpse of his beautiful face in person instead of on a screen. After taking a few shots, you are dragged to the dance floor by one of the male teachers who you knew had a bit of a thing for you. The attention was nice, you were flattered but you were not interested and he seemed to have a hard time taking the hint that you didn't want anything sexual with him. He spins you around so your back is facing him, his hands on your hips trying to guide them to grind your ass on him. You turn around and tell him again, you're not interested in dancing with him like that, and he gets mad. "Why won't you just return my fucking feelings?" Kyungdo yells, grabbing your wrist to pull you into him. You try to pull your wrist from his grip, but his hand is holding onto you so tightly you can't. "Please. You're hurting me." You whimper. "I'm not interested." You yell. Kyundo rolls his eyes, pulling you away from the dance floor, towards the door to leave the building, when you're stopped with a hand on your free wrist. "She said she wasn't fucking interested." A familiar voice yells, pulling you closer. Turning your head, you see the handsome man you had seen a year ago, his eyes dark, his lips pursed while his face even pissed off, was beautiful. "Mr. Byun. I'm a huge fan. Don't mind my girlfriend, she's just being difficult." Kyungdo says, bowing to Baekhyun who looks less than impressed. "Girlfriend?" He asks, looking at you. You shake your head no. Baekhyun peels Kyungdo's fingers from around your wrist, dropping his arm. "Leave her alone." He snaps, pulling you away from the now annoyed man. "Thank you." You say ask Baekhyun to pull you into a quiet, dark room. "Why are you here?" He asks. "I've been teaching here for a year. They asked me to stay so i'm out celebrating tonight." You whisper. "Fuck." He hisses, pushing you against the wall. "You shouldn't be here. It was easier when you weren't." "What Maggie told you.. wasn't the truth. I was in a coma for 3 weeks.. it happened the day you texted me. She thought she was protecting me." You say, needing him to know the truth. "So you never said any of that?" He asks. "No and I told you I didn't." You say. "I was mad. And confused." He admits. "I shouldn't have believed her." "No you shouldn't have." "I can't believe you're here. I've missed you." He breathes, his face so close to yours. Ring Ring Ring Baekhyun sighs, answering his phone frustrated. "Hello?" He snaps. "Oh hi babe. Yeah I'll come over when I'm done. Okay. Okay. Yeah. Bye." He says, hanging up his phone. "You have a girlfriend?" You ask. "I do." He says, backing away from you. "Shit." "I mean.. old friends can catch up right?" You ask. "And talk." "You're right. Definitely. What's your KKT?" He asks you. You give him your chat ID before hugging and going your separate ways. Not even 10 minutes later he messages you, telling you how much he missed you and how often he thought about you in the last year. [2:43am] You: If I'm being honest, there wasn't a day that went by that I never thought about you too. It might sound creepy but I've been keeping up with you from watching things online. [2:46am] Baekhyun: Oh yeah no, that's not creepy at all. Hahah. It's good to talk to you again and it was good to see you. You look great, minus the creep. Let me know if he bothers you again. [2:50am] You: unfortunately I have to work with him, so I'm sure he will be an issue. [2:53am] Baekhyun: Just let me know and I'll take care of it. [2:56am] You: i will. Good night Baekhyun. [2:59am] Baekhyun: Goodnight, beautiful. ** The next week you took your students out for a walking field trip, and imagine your surprise when you end up running into Baekhyun at the park. Of course, most of your female students start to lose their minds. "Guys, this is my good friend, Byun Baekhyun." You say, introducing them to him. The smile on Baekhyun's face fades away as you mention him as your friend. "Hello! Yes, I am Ms. L/N's friend." He says through gritted teeth. "It's so nice to meet you all." An hour later, Baekhyun had taken pictures and signed autographs for all the children in your class, leaving them beaming on their walk back to school. You can feel your phone buzz in your pocket, and you just know that it is Baekhyun. Opening your app, you were right, he was complaining about what you had called him. [11:13am] Baekhyun: Your friend?? So now we're just friends?? [11:15am] You: Yes we're just friends. Lol. You have a girlfriend, remember. [11:21am] Baekhyun: but still. You owe me. Date, tonight. [11:25am] You: if it's just as friends, i'm all in. [11:28am] Baekhyun: yeah sure, friends. The rest of the afternoon you spent trying to teach, but also trying to plan out your outfit in your head. You and Baekhyun were friends now, and that was good. He had a girlfriend and that was fine, because you were friends. But you didn't want to just be friends. You so wantex more with him. You wanted to kiss him, hold hands, cuddle, have him fuck you. But again, he had a girlfriend. You had to tell yourself that multiple times that afternoon as your thoughts would begin to wander into the dirty neighborhood, thinking about your first time together, the way his hands felt on your body, the way his lips moved against yours, the way your bodys meshed together perfectly. He had a girlfriend. ** That night Baekhyun picked you up in his Audi, playing a song that you'd heard on tiktok quite often, the trend of the men moving to their back seats. Your pussy instantly became wet. He had a girlfriend. "So what's the plan?" You ask, getting comfortable in the passenger seat. "Ice cream?" He asks. With a smile on your face, you nod yes. Who could ever say no to ice cream? As the two of you drive to a stand way out of Seoul, Baekhyun rests his hands on your bare thigh, causing your clit to throb. He had a girlfriend. You could feel his thumb moving, rubbing your thigh in circles. Fuck. You wanted him bad and you wanted him now. "Stop the car." You say, taking a deep breath. "Everything okay?" He asks, pulling over to the side of the highway, parking the car. "You can't do that.. you can't rub my leg like that." You breathe heavily. "You're turning me on and you have a girlfriend." "Am i turning you on? I haven't even done anything yet." He smirks. "Stop it." You warn him, a hint of a smile on your face. "So you don't want me to do this?" He asks, leaning over, placing a soft, sweet kiss on your lips. You feel like you might faint. "N-no." You stutter. "Or this?" He asks, running his hand from your face down over your breasts, to your thighs, stopping at the hem of your skirt. "Fuck." You whisper. You look over at Baekhyun who slouched back in his seat, slightly bucking his hips, showing off his very large hard cock through his pants. You lick your lips as your body begins to move towards him, before your mind even realizes what you're doing. You reach your hand over, rubbing his clothed cock, his head thrown back against the seat, little moans escape his lips. "Shit." He grunts, bucking his hips once again. You reach your other hand over, working on undoing buttons and zippers. Baekhyun helps you by pulling down his pants, letting his cock spring free. It was bigger than you remembered, but just as thick. You get up on your knees on the passenger seat, leaning over to wrap your lips around the tip of his cock, slurping up the pre cum that had been spilling down. You wrap one hand around his length, pumping him while you twirl your tongue around his sensitive tip. "Oh my god." He groans, pushing your head down deeper, making you swallow his cock. You bring your head up, taking a breath before you begin sucking more harshly, Baekhyun's hand remaining on the back of your head, pushing you down. "Stop stop stop." He begs. You lift your head, letting go of his cock with a pop. "I'm gonna cum if you keep going and the only place I wanna cum right now is in your pussy. Back seat. Now." He demands. With a giddy smile, you crawl to the backseat of his car right behind him. Baekhyun sits in the middle seat, his legs spread wide with his cock standing tall, waiting for you to sink down on it. You hike up your skirt, moving your panties to the side while you straddle him, before lining yourself up and sinking down on his cock, stretching out your walls. You pull down your low cut shirt, exposing your perky tits. Baekhyun takes one in his mouth, gently sucking and tugging on your nipple, while you bounce on his cock. "I've missed the way your tight pussy grips my cock." He groans, helping you move your hips to ride him. Baekhyun reaches his hand up, grabbing a clump of your hair, tugging your head towards him, bringing your lips to his. Immediately he slides his tongue into your mouth, deepening the kiss. You quicken the pace, grinding yourself on his cock, your clit being rubbed the perfect way. "Oh god, yes." Yoh cry out, breaking the kiss. "Cum for me baby, cum all over my cock." Baekhyun grunts, lifting himself to meet your thrusts, holding you tightly. The two of you are too distracted and desperate for your orgasms, you don't hear Baekhyun's phone ring, two different times. "I'm.. cumming." You cry out, wrapping your arms around Baekhyun's neck, holding him tight as you ride through your high. He continues with his hands on your hips, bouncing you on his cock as he chases his own oragsm. "Fuck." He cries, grunting as he shoots his cum inside you, filling you up. The two of you sit there for a moment, catching your breath before you hear Baekhyun's phone ringing again. "Pass that to me." He says, his cock still inside you. You reach back, grabbing his phone and with the way you moved you can feel his cock growing hard again inside you. "Goddamn." He groans, thrusting into you again. He looks at his caller ID, and puts a finger to his lips, telling you to be quiet while he answers the call. "Hello?" He answers. You circle your hips on his cock. "Whats up?" He asks. You grab your breasts, pinching your nipples. "Yeah no that's fine." He says, clearing his throat. You let out a small moan. Baekhyun reaches his hand up, covering your mouth while you start to really ride his cock. "Look, they're calling me back. I gotta go." He moans, his hand still covering your mouth. "Bye." He says, hanging up the phone, tossing it back up front. "You're a bad girl." He smiles, pulling you in for a kiss. ** For the next few weeks you and Baekhyun would meet up and nine times out of ten, you ended up hooking up. Everytime before you met up, you told yourself you wouldn't sleep with him again but then he would give you a look, or say something that made you melt and give into him. Of course you felt guilty, but you couldn't help yourself. Baekhyun was like that addiction that you couldn't escape. He was the one thing in your life you didn't want to get rid of. "We need to talk." You say, panting as Baekhyun pulls himself out of you. "Do we have too?" He pouts, laying down next to you, his cock still hard. "Yes we do. You have a girlfriend. We can't keep doing this." You say as he sighs. "I know. I know we can't but I don't want to give you up, and it's not like her and I are really heading anywhere, anyways." He says. "Then why not end it?" You ask. "It's good for publicity." He says, pulling you in close to him. "When the time comes, things with her will be done and then you and I can announce our relationship." He smiles. "Are we in a relationship?" You ask. "I would like for you to be my girlfriend." He tells you. "She's my girlfriend on paper but you're mine in real life. You're all I've ever wanted." He smiles, rubbing his head. "Are you sure you want a low class teacher?" You ask. "I couldn't ask for anyone better." He smiles, holding you even closer. ** Dating Byun Baekhyun was hard. Much harder than you had actually anticipated. He was always busy with rehearsal, if not that then promotions, variety shows, interviews, concerts, meetings etc. The list always went on and on. Of course he did his best to make time for you, but at the moment, his relationship with his girlfriend was at its most important peak, so often you found yourself watching videos of them being out in public together, posing together, featuring each other on their social media. Basically doing all the things you wish he could do with you but is unable to. You did your beat to remain positive but the lack of seeing each other, the secluded dates and whispered phone calls were beginning to be a little too much for you. Especially today, when you checked your Instagram and are mey with a very romantic photo of Baekhyun kissing this girl. A kiss that looks sincere and serious. The next photo he looked insanely happy. Maybe it wasn't just for the press, what he had with this girl. Maybe he had real genuine feelings for her but did also for you and didn't know how to choose. Maybe you should just make it easier for him and end things now, before you get anymore attached because if you do, you will never be able to leave, no matter what happens. You want to take your time with this, really think about it before you make a rash decision. You left your apartment, going for a walk to clear your head instead. As you walk passed an alley, you're pulled inside and pinned against the wall by a scary looking woman. "Leave Baekhyun and his girlfriend alone, homewrecker." She shouts, slamming you into the wall before running off. Startled, you ran back to your apartment, calling Baekhyun immediately. "Hi baby." He whispered into the phone. "I'm done, Baekhyun.. i can't do this anymore. Someone just told me to stay away from you and Hwasa. It's just too much and I can't." You say panicked into the phone before hanging up. You toss your phone on the couch, not wanting to talk anymore to him. Your whole body is shaking as you turn on your shower. Shivers spread down your spine as you undress, stepping into the hot water, trying to calm your nerves. "It's okay." You whisper to yourself, taking a deep breath. Twenty minutes later you're still in the shower, sitting on the floor, knees to your chest when your bathroom door opens and Baekhyun walks in. "Baby. You can't do that." He sighs, taking off his clothes to join you. "I can't do this anymore Baekhyun. And it's not just the girl. It's the secret dates, no being in public, not seeing you. It's too hard." You cry. "I know." He whispers, pulling you up and into his arms, the one place that never fails to make you feel safe and secure. "All I want to do is make you happy, so that's what I'm going to do. I'll get this sorted out okay? You need to talk to me. I can't fix things if I don't know what needs fixing." He says. You knew he was right. But you were scared. "I'm all in. Are you?" He asks. You nod your head yes. "Good. I have an idea." He smiles. "Stay there." He tells you, pulling out his phone. A few minutes later, your phone dings, notifying you that Baekhyun was live on his Instagram account, and you felt nervous. You had a feeling you knew what he was going to do but you weren't sure. If there was one thing that you knew about Baekhyun, he was unpredictable and usually liked asking for forgiveness more than asking for permission. "Hello everyone! How are you?" He smiles. You watch him walk around your living room, answering some of the questions. "You're right. I'm not in my usual place. This is a new place. No, it's not Hwasa's." He laughs. "I actually have something to tell you guys." Your stomach drops. What was he doing? "Hwasa and I were never a couple, really. It was for sales for her new album, our managers thought it was good marketing." He says. "No, I'm not single. Guys, I'd like you to meet the love of my life, my beautiful Ayn." He says, grabbing your hand and pulling you close to him. "She and I met a year and a half ago at a Super M meet and greet. We've recently reconnected and I couldn't be happier." He smiles. You look absolutely terrified. You know Baekhyun stans and they could be vicious, vile and just mean. You managed to peek at the comments, and surprisingly they were mainly positive. 'She's so beautiful' 'What a lucky girl!!' 'I ship it!!' Your heart melted at the fact that people were a tally supporting the two of you, something you never expected to happen. "Thank you for all the kind words but now I have to go and make some calls." He laughs, looking at his phone lighting up with texts from his manager, telling him to call him, now. "You didn't have to do that!" You say, after he ends his live. "I didn't but I wanted to. I never want you to feel less than in this relationship, Ayn." He tells you, making you melt. "But now my manager is losing his mind. I have to go. I'll call you later. I love you." He smiles, placing a kiss on your lips before answering his phone and leaving your apartment. Was this real life? Because it sure didn't feel like it. To think you had gone from Soyoung who rarely wanted to be seen in public with you, to Baekhyun who announced his love for you on his Instagram live, in front of millions of fans, was insane. The difference between a toxic relationship and a non toxic one was amazing and you loved it. ** Later that evening, Baekhyun had called you, asking you to come over because he wanted you to have dinner with him and the rest of Super M. Of course you said yes, they were basically his family and you wanted to get to know them better. You only had to knock once before the door was opened for you by Mark, who had a giddy smile on his face. "Nice to see you again. Baekhyun's in the kitchen..but" He pauses "Do you think I could have Lisa's number?" He asks right away. With a laugh you give him the number he desperately seeked, running off the moment he got it. Walking over to the kitchen, you open the door partially before you hear a conversation you're not sure if you should be interrupting. "She's not good for you Baek." Someone says. "How do you know? You won't even give her a chance." Baekhyun responds. "Kai, i'm sick of this. Back off. I love her. I'm going to marry that girl." "You're going to make her life hard. Harder than it already is. She's damaged goods. You deserve more." Kai says. You know he's right. Even though you've been trying to work on yourself, you're a mess and you likely always will be. Did you want to put Baekhyun through that? Your random mood swings, issues with alcohol, problems with fertility. He probably wanted a family but you weren't sure if you could give him that. "Yeah I know I deserve more. I deserve a better friend who supports me." Baekhyun scoffs. "Don't talk shit about her again. There's nothing wrong with her. Everyone has baggage, everyone has issues, if I didn't want to be there for her and help her through the problems, I wouldn't have bothered. But that's what you do when you love someone. You're there for them regardless if it's good or bad, or you're mad at them or not. Her last relationship was terrible.. she was treated like dirt so yeah there are some problems." Baekhyun says. "But.." Kai starts, before being cut off. "But nothing. You're choosing to see the bad, when I'm looking at the good. She's beautiful, funny and smart. She's got a mouth on her like a sailor and drinks like liquor is going out of style, but she's also generous and courageous and loyal." He tells Kai. This man. This man makes your heart melt. "Im done talking about this. Don't bring it up again. She's my future." He finishes, opening the door to the living room, seeing you standing there with tears in your eyes. "Did you.." he pauses. You nod your head. "Shit. Im sorry baby." He apologises. "I'm too problematic for you." You whisper with a sniffle. "That's one of the many things I love about you." He laughs, taking your hand to drag you into the dining room. The rest of the night was filled with laughter and jokes between you and the rest of the guys. Kai was quiet for most of the night, not actively participating in the conversations. "What's wrong?" Taemin asks him. "I don't think it's a good idea." Kai says, glaring at you. "What have i ever done to you?" You ask him. You're tired of this. You've never done anything to Kai for him to dislike you this much. "I've become quite close to Soyoung, and he's told me quite a bit about you." Kai says. "I didn't want to tell you Baekhyun, but since you're not listening to anything else I guess I'll have too." "Tell me what?" Baekhyun asks. "Ayn here went crazy on Soyoung. He went out with friends one night, and when he came home she had trashed his entire apartment, was screaming and crying and threatened him with a knife. Is that the type of woman you want?" Kai asks. You are still there with tears welling up in your eyes. He wasn't wrong, but clearly Soyoung didn't tell him the full story either. "Do you know why that had happened? Did he tell you?" You ask, your voice shaky. "He said he didn't do anything. You just lost it on him." Kai says smugly. "Hah. Sounds like him." You sniffle. "So I guess he didn't tell you earlier that night before he left he had hit me a few times? Told me that I was stupid and useless and a waste of skin. Said that I deserved to be hit, that maybe it would knock some sense into me." You cry. "Did he tell you that when he came home he tried to hit me again, and that's why i threatened him with a knife? I fully admit to trashing his apartment but I think I had a pretty good reason. Same with threatening him. I was sticking up for my life. Remember there's two sides to every story before you start sticking up for a woman beater." You snap, standing up from your chair. "I'm sorry." You whisper to everyone, hurriedly leaving the room. "You're a piece of fucking work." Baekhyun snaps at Kai, leaving the table to follow you. While he walks away he can hear the rest of the members standing up for you. Baekhyun opens the front door and finds you crouched down, crying into your hands. "Come here." He whispers, picking you up and bringing you to his room. He lays you on the bed, arms wrapped tightly around you as you cry into his chest. "I'm sorry." You whimper. "You have nothing to apologize for." He tells you. "You deserve someone not so fucked up." "I don't want anyone else. Just you. Past and all." He answers. "I don't think I can have children." You say. "We will figure it out when it is time to." He tells you. "I just want you." You fell asleep that night still wrapped in his arms, never have been feeling more safe. ** Over the next few months, Baekhyun had been hinting at a surprise he had for you, but refused to give you any details on it, telling you that you had to wait, that it called for the right moment. Then one morning, he called you at 7am and told you to get ready and be ready by 8am. Today was the day for your surprise. Baekhyun picked you up in front of your apartment, making sure to blind fold you before leaving anywhere. "Any guesses?' He asks, driving to a special destination. "Breakfast?" You ask, hungrily. He laughs. "No baby, sorry." "I don't know." You sigh, waiting for the ride to be over. A little while later the car stops and Baekhuun brings you inside a noisy building. You can hear announcements over the speakers, so you knew it was the airport. "Are we going somewhere?" You ask. "Nope." He answers, taking off your blindfold and making you face him. "Are you ready." He asks. You give him a look before he turns you around and you see your three best friends running towards you. The tears are instant as you run towards them, embracing them all at once. "W-what? How? Oh my god." You cry, holding them all tightly. "Baekhyun set it up." Lisa cries. Letting go of the group, you hug Beth first, then Lisa, leaving Maggie for last. You hadn't talked to her much, since you hadn't left things very good between the two of you. "I'm sorry." She whispers as he hugs you tightly. "I'm so so sorry." "It's the past. It's okay. Let's leave it there." You say, hugging her back. ** That night, the five of you went for dinner at a fancy restaurant and for whatever reason Baekhyun was very nervous. He sat there, his leg shaking as you four girls talked about everything. His mind seemed to be off in space, as he thought hard about something. No matter how many times you asked, he was always telling you that things were fine and that he was just letting you guys all catch up. After you all had eaten, Baekhyun stood up from his seat abruptly, looking you in the eyes as he got down on one knee, pulling out a ring box. You sat there shocked, with your mouth opened wide as your friend squealed and screamed. "Ayn L/N. You are the light and love of my life. Would you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?" He asks. You can't speak, just nod. So that's what you did. You nodded yes a million times, unable to even believe that he had just proposed to you. You got to spend the rest of your life with the love of your life. ** A year later, you're in a room with your best friends, while you wear a big poofy white dress. "Just do it after." Beth whines. "No I need to do it now." You demand. With a sigh, the four of you make the way into the bathroom. They all lift up your giant dress, letting you stick the small test underneath you while you pee on it quickly. "How long do we wait?" You ask, placing the test on the sink. "Three minutes." Maggie answers. Your stomach twists and turns as you wait the longest three minutes of your life. The doctor had told you and Baekhyun to not get your hopes up and that the chances of you ending up pregnant were slim to none. So when you missed your period and felt nauseous, you were skeptical but decided to take the test anyways and now was the moment of truth. You grab the test, turning it over and see two very bright pink lines. Positive. You do your best not to cry, not wanting to ruin your makeup before you get married. "Bride, lets go." You hear from outside the bathroom. Making sure you're okay, you head out, your new friend, and escort down the hall Kai waiting for you. You link arms as the grand double doors open, revealing Baekhyun waiting for you down the aisle while your friends and family fill up the room. "Welcome everyone. We have gathered her today to witness the union of Ayn L/N and Byun Baekhyun." The officiant says. "Before we begin, is there anyone who thinks this couple should not be wed?" You nervously waited for someone to say something but when it didn't come, you told him to continue. "The couple has written their own vows." The officiant says, letting the two of you speak. "I promise to always love you, even when things are bad, to never yell, or leave angry. I promise to always tell you how beautiful you are and hold you when you're sad. But most of all, I promise to always remind you that you are good enough, too good for this world and for me, and I promise to never let you forget it." Baekhyun whispers, holding back his tears. "I promise to always love you, be there for you through the good and the bad and in between. I promise to always support you in the decisions you make, and to always remind you how important you are to me. I promise to be your rock when you need it, your everything." You cry. "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride." He says. Baekhyun pulls you in for a kiss, dipping you down before bringing you back up. ** Later that night, during the reception dance, you slide your test to Baekhyun, leaving him speechless. "Are you serious?" He asks. "Doctors appointment Monday." You whisper, crying again. "Why are you crying?" He asks, pulling you into him. "What if it doesn't stick? What if I'm not a good mom if it does?" You ask. "Baby." He smiles. "It will stick. You're perfect. You'll be an amazing mom, you know why?" He akss. "Why?" "Because you are good enough." For once in your life, you finally believed someone when they said that. You knew Baekhyun wouldn't say it if he didn't mean it. You always have and will be, good enough.

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jamestrmtx · 3 years

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Fairytale Complex - [Undertale | Sans x Reader]

[Gender Neutral, Frisk's Parent Reader | Slow Burn]

Chapter Nine | Dating Tense! (Part 3 of 3)

[First] | [Previous] | [Next]

Your conversation with Undyne goes a similar route as with Toriel's: confronting a stranger in the name of protecting the one you held most dear, as a result ending whatever possible, friendly connections you could've likely formed with her right from the start -- without that complex context placed between you. Seeing everyone as your enemy is draining at its least, but the reward you visualize for everyone ahead makes it all seem worth it. That thought alone provides with strength to keep pushing forward, and even more so when you remind yourself over obtaining a possible happy ending of your very own, were you to resolve this situation with the monsters first.

With that thought in mind, you set the empty teacup down on the coffee table and take a deep breath in, preparing yourself to continue with the conversation. You're already halfway through the most difficult process with Undyne, so backing away now would be useless; thankfully, the tea has enough chamomile in it for you to quell your anger and turn it into sobriety, instead. Of course, that sounds way easier than it is, but -- compared to how you felt when talking with Toriel -- it's a difference as large as the distance between the sky and Earth. Keeping in mind all the kindness and patience you've been shown throughout the process helps with that, as well.

You stand up, continuing with, "I understand protecting the Underground was your priority, but…" You stop to breathe again. "Why… Why would you attack without waiting to see what Frisk had to say? If you were informed enough to know there was a human running free in the Underground, then couldn't you have known they weren't causing any harm, in the first place?"

Despite the tea, its effects and your subsequent calm don't last long. Frustration keeps you from staying in one, sole place without fidgeting, so you let energy out through a composed, back-and-forth pace across the living room. You stop for a second and face down at Undyne, who keeps herself seated, eye meeting with your gaze. "How many of those six souls were murdered, and…" Your breath hitches. "And how many of them were genuine, self-sacrifices? I… I wouldn't be so angry, if you were just honest with me and told me how many human lives were taken away without their honest approval, and exactly how many of them sacrificed their lives for you, in the end."

At the thought of Frisk, still selfless towards plenty of things based on how young they were and the education they received -- both at home and at school -- you keep your posture straight, eager to say more. "And was there really no other solution than taking those souls? If… If Frisk saved your kind without having to give up their own life for it, then why did all this happen? Why… Why did six people have to die before a different solution could come around?" A pause and a sigh help you recollect your thoughts. "Or were they threatening the lives of your kind? 'Cause that makes a lot more sense than simply taking away the soul of the first human you saw, no matter their age, background, or intentions."

Undyne still stays silent for a while even after you're done, eye now cast down at the floor as she frowns and her hands hold onto her knees. "...Well," she says, trailing off with a sigh. "I was only ordered to chase after whatever human I crossed paths with." She lifts her gaze from the floor while a hand toys around with the scales on her neck, distracting herself from you. "It wasn't every day a human would fall down there, so we were eventually ordered to, well... kill whatever human did happen to end there… Indiscriminately." Finally, she makes eye contact with you, frown quivering as she takes another quick pause. "According to what we were told, it had been years since a human last fell down, so when Frisk arrived, I... I just sought after them without thinking twice."

"But if that many years passed by, couldn't your kind look for another solution? If… If Alphys built a new body for her friend out of nothing but scraps, and with two different forms -- mind you -- then... Then couldn't another scientist on similar or equal terms of knowledge have done something about all this? Why wait so long, if… if all it took was a child to find another solution for you?" Your voice breaks and your ire finally snaps with, "Where's your sense of justice? Or does it only apply when it's convenient?"

She notices the change herself, though she doesn't flinch nor retaliate; neutrality is her only reaction as she replies with, "(L/N), in all honesty, I…" Undyne stops, facing down again as her grimace deepens, sorrow dampening her eye. "I'm... I'm not sure how to answer that."

Seeing you've reached a dead end, you glance over towards Alphys, who tries to look away, failing when you call out her name. "What about you, Doctor Alphys? Was there really no other thought in mind other than waiting for the next prey to arrive? Was there truly no…" Your breathing grows scarce, hinting at you losing your grip on the intensity of your emotions again. "Was there truly no other option than for us to be enemies? For your kind and mine to… to simply keep up with the damage our ancestors made and left behind?"

Alphys is shaking, yet you stay unfazed, only lessening your level of intimidation by uncrossing your arms and looking away from her, giving her some space and time to reply.

"I'm n- not sure what to say, either, but… Y- You do have a point." She wrings her hands, her shaking attempting to compose itself through that. "But… As a f- former scientist of the Underground, I wasn't told much over what the rules were. One of the few things that I took part on was in... in creating Mettaton's new body." Her hands unwind, shoulders copying them. "I... I know he was programmed to k- kill humans, but like you mentioned: he was my friend before any of that happened, and so he already had a life and consciousness before I made that new version of him. It- It just so happened that I… I modified a few things so that he could-"

Her words are interrupted as Frisk walks into the living room, still sleepy-eyed. They rub their eyes with the sleeve of their shirt, and a frown presents itself when they take a good look at the scene before them.

"What's wrong?" they sign, expression furrowed.

They take in everything around them, letting their face lose tension when their gaze moves on over to you, encouraging them to approach you. "You're here!" Frisk grabs your hand, taking a look at the time on your watch. Then, they raise an eyebrow, letting you go to continue with, "You didn't go to work today? Or did you leave early?"

You smile, let your guard fall, and bring them into your arms, holding them up. "The streets got flooded, so I couldn't go anymore after lunchtime," you say, kissing their cheek. "How've you been, though? Did you have fun at miss Toriel's new place? I've been here since twelve, but you were sleeping, so I didn't want to wake you."

They grin, nodding as they bring their arms firm around your neck, hugging you close. "I had fun." You tense a little at the sound of their voice despite there being more people besides Toriel, Brenda, or you around; how often selective mutism kept them from saying things out loud in front of other people made their voice a rare thing to hear in public, no matter how small the crowd was. It's only when they're alone with you or people of trust that they have the courage to speak up out loud -- a rare case was Frisk being capable of talking with Bubbles regardless of them having met him only once so far, yet you dismiss that one as them having simply gotten along well with him right from the start, rather than associating it with them truly forgiving you and wanting to defend you, as a result. "A- Are you gonna stay here, then? It's raining a lot!"

"I believe they have no other choice, dear," Toriel intervenes, easing out the tension left from your earlier conversation, still unfinished.

She arrives next to you; a set of clothes are held out in her hands, these neatly folded and accompanied by some soap, a towel, and a roll-on deodorant. "(L/N) was waiting for the skies to clear up, but the rain and the floods have made it near impossible for any of us to leave this house." You set Frisk down and take the clothes, surprised to see a set of pajamas similar to Toriel's clothing style, and even some (men/women)'s underwear tucked underneath all the other items -- and unused based on the size tag still attached to it. "I am not sure if these sizes will fit you, but those clothes are all spares I keep stored away for guests." She lowers her voice and gets closer to you. "The undergarments are new, of course." She giggles, winking at you afterwards. "The bathroom is upstairs, if you would like to shower now."

You inspect the clothes again, frustration simmering down back to calm as you let your shoulders lessen their stress with a sigh. "Thank you, ma'am."

• • •

Barely two months into knowing the monsters, and you're already staying at their place. While Alphys and Undyne are capable of leaving under the current, wild weather at will if they were to take their needed precautions, neither Frisk nor you can step a foot outside without drawing it back in. The streets are a mess of puddles, nature-made swimming pools, and car alarms going off; the scenery outside is close to that of becoming something of a meteorologist's concern and a scientific anomaly, yet the news and every other information outlet available continues to report it as something of lesser concern than what it is.

As you stare outside, Frisk now resting on your lap, you worry over two things: the lost meeting at your office, and the stranded car belonging to Sans's brother. You comb your fingers through Frisk's hair, using that as a means of entertainment from your worries. They're still sleeping soundly, tired out by both finishing their homework and playing with you at the indoor, mini playground Toriel set up for them.

"I'll pay for any damages to your car as soon as this clears up." You direct your words at Papyrus, who stops gazing outside to face you, looking dazed. His mind looks to be somewhere else, though another squint at your appearance makes him snap out of it.

"That is the least of my concerns now, (L/N)." He smiles at you, leaving the window to crouch next to you, couch occupied with Frisk, Sans, and yourself. "I can go look for it tomorrow morning. And as for whatever damages it gets, I am certain my insurance will look over this case! There have been plenty of reports discussing the damages made by the rain, so it is not my greatest worry." His gaze falls on Frisk, a warmer look reaching his face. "Do you want me to carry them back to bed? It's getting late!"

"It's fine-"

"Please, I insist!"

You smile at his persistence, far more endearing than his older brother's. The thought makes you pay attention back towards Sans, who's still showing signs of exhaustion on his body, slumped over to the corner. His eye sockets are closed, dark circles beginning to show under them.

"Thank you." You pay attention back to Papyrus, who takes Frisk in his hold, propping them safe with both arms.

You stand up, ready to help out, yet he dismisses your actions with the words, "Stay and chat with Toriel. I assume you both still have plenty to talk about, don't you? You should take this opportunity to talk with her and the other ladies! Perhaps then, you can leave this place with a different perspective by the time the rain stops."

"I will." You nod and watch him leave, carrying your child up in his arms with seemingly no difficulty. His steps fade as so does his figure, leaving you be with Sans sleeping at the couch, the owner of the house by the kitchen, and Undyne and Alphys standing by the living room. The pair's gazes are occupied on the window, carrying a similar expression to Papyrus's from earlier before.

You don't even know how to start up another conversation with the last one having ended poorly, yet try again by using the easiest route possible: going over to Toriel and asking if she needs help with dinner. You stand up and stretch out, legs numb with how long Frisk had been sitting on your lap. It's only fortunate tomorrow's Friday, the beginning of another weekend.

"Can I help with anything?"

Those are the first words you say as you enter the kitchen, greeted by the smell of boiling vegetables and the sound of a knife against a cutting board. Toriel's next to the stove, cutting some carrots, but stopping to look at you. A smile forms on her face, and she nods once, pointing with her gaze at the potatoes resting on the counter next to hers. "Did Frisk go back to sleep?" she asks, facing back at the carrots again, continuing with her work. "I am amazed at how much energy they have, and how little they want to sleep now that they've seen how many people are in this home. It is only when I insist that they need to rest up for the sake of their health that they do so."

While you're not sure if she's being indirect or not, the goat lady's words lead you to assume one thing, and that's Frisk not wanting to waste time sleeping when at the monsters' home. With you, they went out like a light, going to sleep right when you told them to. Only when there was a full house and when family members came to visit did they break that rule, far too excited over the new faces for them to sleep.

"Papyrus took them back to their room," you reply, reminding yourself not to let your thoughts drift again. "And that's... normal for them, actually." You decide to be truthful with her, following Papyrus's advice. "They usually don't like to sleep when they're too excited about something. Every time my family visits, they're just a big ball of energy and don't sleep until everyone's doing the same." A smile forms at that, a memory from when your ex came to visit Frisk slipping through. "When my, um… ex-husband used to visit, they would stay up late playing games with him. So I guess Frisk feels the same way about you and their other monster friends."

With the potatoes already washed and peeled, all that's left is to cut them and throw them into the pot. You ask her over what size you should cut them, turning your back to her again when you're given an answer. "Is there anything you would like to ask me about, (L/N)?" Toriel asks, speaking in between cuts. "If there is any doubt you have over me, and even over Dreemurr, Sans, and others I know well, I can inform you about it. But as for things that are personal, that is up to them."

Thunder crashes at the nearby window just as you're slicing, finger almost ending up in the same condition as the potatoes, but prevented by your reflexes. The lights go out on par with another loud blast of lightning, plenty more violent than the first one.

"Goodness!" you hear Toriel say.

You follow the sound of her voice to see a sphere of flames held up in her hand; it reveals her face, now furrowed with worry. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alright." You set the knife aside and join her side, following her orders when she informs you there are candles on the bottom drawer beside her. You act quickly, taking them out and lighting them up with the help of her fire magic. "Are you?"

She nods, a gentle look crossing her. "We should go check on the others." Her gaze points back at the drawer, left open. "Could you bring more of those?"

"Of course, ma'am."

You take the emptiest box of the three and follow her out of the kitchen.

Your surroundings are now left pitch dark except for a bright and glowing, blue spear held out by Undyne, Alphys standing next to her. A tall figure holding up a smaller one can be seen near the couch, people who you assume are Papyrus and Frisk based on who's the only one left to find. "Has anyone seen Sans?" Papyrus asks, fret tracing his voice. "He's not on the couch anymore!"

Looking to where he points at, you see he's right. The couch is empty with the exception of your and Frisk's belongings. Not even a trace of him can be seen left around, making it appear as if he's outright vanished from existence, and not even the dim lighting produced by the candles can aid with tracking him down amongst all the people, objects, and darkness laid around.

While others assemble and call out for Sans as they search through all the rooms they could possibly imagine finding him in, you try to come up with a different solution besides that. Him disappearing was more than unlikely considering he didn't have any magic or energy left in him for teleportation, so you rule that out as a possibility and take a moment to observe your surroundings a bit closer. You look at the couch again, as if still expecting to catch a glimpse of him there despite what you're doing right now. But as fate would have it, your keys pop into your mind when you come across the sight of your suit jacket, umbrella, and all other belongings left behind on a corner of the couch, most of these stored away in a bag or left nearby it.

Reminded over what your car keys have attached to them, you go look for them, bumping into someone right as you're about to make it there.

You wobble and -- at the feeling of losing balance -- you act fast. You break your own fall and later grab onto the person to prevent them from falling, though you don't need to do much when you notice their height doesn't reach that much higher than your chest. Add to that your sturdier body helping with breaking the fall, and you've managed to stop the both of you from fully crashing into each other or stumbling to the floor.

You sit down on the couch when you feel you're losing your balance and hold the person upright. You then let go to look through your bag, retrieving the keys and -- along with them -- a small, solar flashlight hanging from it. The light's directed right at the person's face, revealing Sans's, who looks as if caught in a bad deed.

"Are you okay?" You don't bother over bringing up the fact he face-planted right into your chest, nor that his hands gripped tight onto your waist for support; the sheer sincerity of his surprise at bumping into you makes you assume he hadn't done it on purpose.

"I'm, uh… I'm fine." His words are just as spacey as his gaze, and his irises point at the floor for a second, spacing off yet again. "Sorry about that." He sits right beside you on the couch, facing up to meet with your eyes. "I was gonna check up on the ceiling since it's rainin' so hard. Kinda looks like it'll start leakin' soon."

Thunder strikes again, sending the monster back into your hold. His hands grip onto your shirt next as he freezes up in place, just before he can get to reveal the true meaning over his disappearance.

"Are you… Are you scared over this?" You try to push down your amusement, yet are unable to when you see his grip is tight enough to remind you of a cat being frightened.

When another one strikes, louder than the rest, you bring up another question while biting back a smile. "Is it… Is it the noise?" He tenses up even more, encouraging you to bring him closer, his current proximity far different from his attempts at flirting with you. "Sans." You call out his name, attempting to snap him out of it. "What's wrong? You're as cold as ice!"

He doesn't react, though you can feel him shake and shiver under your hold. You look down at him to see his eye sockets are tightly shut. How much he's scooted closer makes him sit on your lap, though his smaller figure helps you with keeping him safe and balanced in your hold.

As you keep him that way, you can only ask yourself one thing:

Would you come off as an insensitive jerk if you decided to tease him over this in the future?

At the sound of a louder crash, the skeleton's unresponsive, caught up in his fear.

...Or would it work best not to take that risk?

For the time being, you hold him closer.

The feeling of everyone's eyes on you surges when you move your eyes away from the skeleton to look around you. In contrast, you see Papyrus and Frisk too busy playing with a candle to notice what's happening, along with Toriel having all her attention on lighting more candles. It's only Alphys and Undyne who take notice, both their faces equally enlightened by what's unfolding on the couch. They look ready to yap their mouths off over the situation between you and the one clinging onto you, yet one sharp look of caution at the two keeps them from saying anything risky about it.

Whether they knew about Sans's fear you didn't know about, and whether he wanted it to be known you weren't aware of, either. For now, you hold him close, trying your best to ignore the women's stares and waiting until Sans snaps out of it. His hold on you's firm and close, needful and impartial as the thunderstorm continues to gain strength.

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mae-gi-writes · 4 years

Text

Behind The Crown (Part One) | Kevin Moon Imagine (The Boyz)

Prince Kevin Moon x Second-In-Command Reader. A Royal Kingdom AU.

Genre: fluff, royal kingdom au, angst

Words: 3K

I love Prince Kevin and I’ve received so much good feedback on Royal Kingdom AUs so I’m planning to make more of them! Enjoy xx

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There is nothing more poetic than a dark night sky dotted with stars twinkling like diamonds to accompany a romantic evening. Unfortunately for Kevin, there isn't much room for romance in his life anymore. Last night had been a flurried exchange of written contracts and verbal agreements between the two kingdoms that reign over the land of Meridia, a promise that their heir would be betrothed to the prince of Meridia to bring the two royal families together as one.

Kevin isn't a stranger to the concept of arranged marriages, he'd been preparing for this his entire life, having been brought up in a household where royal blood and family pride is placed above romance and fluttering feelings of the heart.

The more the date approaches though, the more restless he feels. Something in his heart tugs at him in a manner that feels heavy despite the obvious happiness glimmering on his mother's face, as though all the unresolved loose ends of the world now make perfect sense and work together in harmony.

His eyes roam over the city lights glimmering in the distance, notice the soft glow of the lanterns surrounding the castle walls that seem amber in the dim light of the night. Vines twirl around each and every tower, blooming with the most beautiful array of hibiscus flowers, well-trimmed and maintained by the royal family's gardeners, most probably, and as he feels the wind brush through his raven locks, Kevin closes his eyes and breathes in the soft scent of summer salt carried over from the waves underneath the cliff on which his royal palace stands.

"Your highness."

He doesn't need to glance back to know that it's one of his personal guards, bowing at service. A soft smile creeps over his face, "back already?" He asks in a soft murmur.

The royal guard goes to stand beside him, "I should be asking you that."

"You know why I'm back so early."

"Too much royalty for you to bear?"

Kevin catches a glance of Y/N's features, softened by the shadows cast from the lights behind her, "indeed."

"Did you meet your betrothed?" She crosses her arms over her chest and looks out at the view.

Kevin's fingers bunch over his shirt sleeves unconsciously, "I did."

"Bet she's your type, isn't she?"

"Not funny, Y/N."

"Sorry," she holds her hands up, a playful grin on her face, "ah come on, Kev. It can't be that bad. You knew you had it coming."

"I know, I just wish I didn't have to. This is exactly why I'd rather be born a stable boy sometimes."

"If you were a stable boy, marriage would not have been on your mind."

"And that's exactly what I want."

Y/N nudges him on the shoulder, "wanna go to the cliffs?" She suggests with a wriggle of her brows and for a minute, Kevin contemplates the temptation in his mind.

But then, realizing that he should probably start acting like royalty if he wants to be up to the task, he lets out a sigh instead before hanging his head.

"I can't," he murmurs, "I can't do those things anymore, Y/N. You know that."

"Ah well, I'll just have to find another partner in crime," she tuts playfully, causing him to scowl, "oh no, you're not!"

"You're the one who's bailing."

"I don't have a choice!"

"Whatever floats your boat, your majesty."

Despite the current situation, Kevin can't help but let out a choked laugh. Trust Y/N to make him feel better even in the shittest situations. It had been the first female guard that he'd hired as part of his personal protection squad, much to the protests of his family. To that, he'd stated that women should have just as much right to fight equally in the battlefield lest they wanted to, and Y/N had been grateful that his beliefs seemed to include equality for women. But at that point, his parents had no say in the people that served him and thus had kept shut about it.

The first few weeks in the Meridia Kingdom had unsettled her, for Kevin isn't the most princely of princes. With his easy going manner and his clumsy attitude, he gets himself into more trouble than the normal regular person. It took her some time to adjust herself to the casual way in which he addressed her, taking her more like a friend than an actual servant and in a way, it had brought them closer. Gone was the Kevin that was heir to the throne. Instead, she gets a taste of his lame jokes and his annoying sass, gets to know the softest parts of his heart through vulnerable conversations and the way in which he has so much space and understanding for others, it's surprising he has some left for himself.

So in the moments where the prince himself feels the weight of his responsibility settle over his shoulders --just like right now -- then Y/N makes it a must to distract him, if only for a little while.

"Hey Y/N," Kevin's murmur almost washes away when another wind picks up. Fortunately, she hears him.

"Hm?" She looks over.

He pauses for a moment, taking in the way the moonlight cascades over her face with a softness that renders her so endearing, so youthful, unlike her usual sharp eyes and the tense clench of her jaw. Standing here right at this moment, she looks like she is years younger than she actually is, and something in his heart twists with yearning.

"You're still going to be my guard right?" Kevin asks softly, saying the words carefully, "even after I get married?"

His heart clenches at her sad smile, "well, I guess that depends on your beloved, your highness."

"She doesn't have a say in the people that serve me."

"She will, if she knows that your personal guard is a woman. A woman close to you, no less."

He doesn't tell her that she is right. But even as the wind howls and her figure climbs down the wall, disappearing from the tower, he comes to the realization that what she says is nothing but the truth.

------------

The next days to come are filled to the brim with meetings between the council members of Meridia, dinners and brunches of all kinds with extended family that come from afar to bestow upon the new couple good fortune and a long, happy, fulfilled life. With every day that passes, Kevin's smile gets a little more strained, a little tighter around the edges, his eyes dimming with every second closer to the fact that he will be married in a month's time.

"I'm so fed up of royal lunches and dinners and just about any type of food they can offer me at this point," Kevin can't help but moan as he and Y/N trail along the beach to catch the remaining beams of the sunset, one of the rare occasions where his presence at the castle is not mandatory.

His sandals are forgotten, dangling from his fingers, while Y/N is practically barefoot. Her pant sleeves are rolled up to catch the fresh waves as they lull to the shore.

"You do seem to be getting a little chubby," she lets out a remark, which instantly causes Kevin to look at her with alarm.

"You're kidding."

"Is that--a hint of a tummy I see?" She pokes at his side on cue and the young man bats her away, making her chuckle as she falls into step beside him.

"Did you have a nice chat with princess Delia?" Y/N asks as she kicks at the water with her feet, toes wriggling through the sand.

Kevin shrugs in response, "she's alright, I guess. At least we have things in common, like drawing and music."

"And yet you were badmouthing her."

"You're supposed to be on my side."

"I always am, your highness."

Kevin makes a grab for her elbow so that she looks up at him questioningly, "it's Kevin, to you," his eyes flash with emotion, "none of that Highness bullshit."

"Okay," Y/N's eyebrow is quirked up in amusement, before adding, "your highness."

He scowls in response and she laughs, "okay okay, Kevin."

They walk along the beach for a little longer, watching the sunlight dance across the aquamarine waves lapping up at the sand's edge, glimmering silver whenever its reflection bounces off its surface.

"There's a royal ball tomorrow night," he speaks up amidst the comfortable silence, "Will you come?"

"I always do."

"Not as a guard."

That stops her in her tracks, "I can't do that, your highness."

"Why not?"

His eyes are scorching hers, intent on making her cave when they push against her own mahogany orbs, "I'm your guard, Kevin. Not your--not a maiden. Far from it."

"I'll talk to Mother about it," Kevin urges, quickly swivelling before her so that she has no other choice than to look up at him, at his beautifully refined princely features and the finely shaped lips that he's inherited from the King himself. His orbs, glowing a burnt shade of amber in the descending sun, causes her heart to skip a beat despite her attempts to keep her cool.

"Please, Y/N. It's one of the last days where I'll be free to do as I wish. My last days as prince of Meridia."

She hates how authentically charming he is, how he can easily convince her to bend at his will. He knows his strengths and he plays that to his advantage.

So she has no other choice but to bite down her protests and nod while pushing aside that weird squeezing feeling she has in her chest, the warmth trickling inside her heart at the thought that he might see her as just a little more than a mere guard. He is her prince, after all, and orders are orders.

--------------

Y/N tugs down uneasily at her dress, palms accumulating sweat even though she has been constantly reminding herself that she has been on suicide missions much more life theatening than a mere ball.

What can possibly go wrong? She tries making herself feel better as she gazes at her reflection, nothing right?

"You look beautiful, Y/N."

Glancing back at one of her comrades sitting at the foot of her bed, she lets out a snort, "you could've sounded a little more convincing, Hyunjae."

"I mean it!" Hyunjae argues, "you...you look pretty, Y/N. Have a little faith in yourself."

How can she? She trails her eyes down towards the midnight blue gown she has donned for the occasion -- an older model dated from years ago that she had managed to salvage from the seamstress at the last minute -- with its wide neckline and off-the-shoulder sleeves. The dress clings to her like second skin, before fanning out at the waist in a midnight trail of stars shimmering every time she moves. If one doesn't look too close, the dress looks acceptable. Simple, but acceptable in comparison to the gorgeous ensembles that she'll be compared to at the ball.

Hands clamp down on her shoulders before Hyunjae'a face pops up next to hers. He gives her a reassuring squeeze, "you'll be fine, Y/N. If you managed to slay hundreds od soldiers, you'll survive a ball. I promise."

"Thanks," she bites down onto her lower lip and watches him tease her hair that she hss let loose for the occasion.

"I think I like you better with your hair down, you look more--" he pauses for dramatic effect, "soft. Like a girl. Know what I mean?"

She throws him a punch on his shoulder and he yelps, releasing his hold, "that hurts."

"Sorry, must be the nerves," she flashes a fake smile, before sobering up, "anyway, wish me luck."

"Go get them, girl."

The room is already filled with guests by the time Y/N makes her way over, entering through the side door as The Queen has suggested with a haughty huff --in order to avoid any kind of misunderstandings --and while she isn't really the type to think the worst of people, she is beginning to think that the Queen might have a thorough dislike for her presence.

Trying to blend in with the crowd, Y/N impulsively grabs a glass of wine and settles at the corner of the room, content to watch and analyze people like she usually does. It's part of her job description, after all. The ballroom looks stunning in veils of white and champagne-colored drapes adorning each passing victorian column, long tables with matching white tablecloths lining one side of the wall and peppered in golden flecks. Chandeliers have been wiped clean this morning and are gleaming, twinkling whenever they catch the light beaming down like a golden halo around the room.

"And who might you be?"

The unfamiliar alto causes her to jump slightly, and she turns to see a handsome man dressed up to the nines, in a deep emerald tuxedo and with hooded eyes, a sharply defined nose, and pushed back midnight hair.

"I--uh, I'm no one," she is quick to stutter out, almost backing away on impulse.

"Please," he murmurs, "I mean no harm. I just want to talk."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I don"t think I'd be of much interest to you," Y/N stammers out, panic slowly rising through her, "I--I am really nobody at all and--"

"Would you care to join me for a dance?"

"I--I'm sorry, I don't--" stumbling back into a chest, a yelp dies at the back of her throat when a hand slips around her waist.

"Pardon me, Prince Younghoon. She's with me."

Kevin. Her heart makes a leap of ecstasy. He's close, so close she can smell his scent, can feel his warmth from his hand to the small of her back and it takes everything in her not to combust into a small flame.

"Oh," Prince Younghoon's eyes widened. He steps away and bows, "my apologies, your highness. I was not aware."

Y/N waits until the said suitor is out of earshot before she twists out of Kevin's embrace, "what do you think you're doing?" She hisses.

"I saved you," he replies with a raised brow, "you do not want to mess with the likes of Prince Younghoon. He's got wandering hands."

"And you don't?"

His cheeks flame up, "of course I don’t"

"Prince Kevin!"

A beautiful, fair-skinned woman suddenly appears with a hand placed on Kevin's arm, a suggestive action perhaps. Her face, petite and just as refined as his, boasts of an air of royalty without having to introduce herself.

"Delia," Kevin offers her a wan smile that she returns and the brilliance almost blinds the female soldier, "this is Y/N, she's my special guest for tonight."

"Ah, yes. I remember you mentioning her," Delia smiles before casting her a once over. Y/N tries not to shrink back upon impulse, "would you mind if I steak Kevin away for a few minutes? Mother would like to talk to him about the wedding preparations."

Y/N shakes her head and watches as he is tugged away despite the uncertain look he sends her, before quickly pasting herself against one side of the ballroom, content to watch and admire from afar.

These people, she realizes, aren't from her world. It's like she's looking at them through a thick fogged-up glass, perfect figurines made out of perfect molds. She, in comparison, feels so awkward, like an ugly duckling in a crowd of glamorous swans.

The evening passes by uneventfully and slowly for Y/N, whose eyes can't help but linger over Kevin and Delia's figures as they glide over the dance floor. Her heart scrunches in protest every time he'd smile down at the princess, burning heat crawling through the back of her throat and choking her with its intensity.

Why is he looking at her like that? She asks herself sullenly, why does he look like he's having such a great time when he kept telling her that he wasn't interested in marrying her?

Y/N knows all too well what that familiar prickle is, but it's not like she can do anything about her jealousy. He's royalty and no matter what kind of feelings she might be catching for his majesty are invalid, should be thrown out of the window instantly. It is only going to result in heartbreak, in tears.

And yet, she can't help it if her heart seeks his own. Despite her constant reminders that he is way out of her league, this tiny voice pushes at her insistently like a bratty child.

"Penny for your thoughts?" She jumps, swearing profanely under her breath, only to realize that it's none other than the man she holds dear to her heart himself.

"You seemed to be thinking hard about stuff," Kevin jokes while nudging her shoulder, "what's up? Why do you have that look on your face?"

"What look?"

"Like something displeases you."

Shit, she thinks to herself, before quickly brushing it off, “it's nothing."

Kevin shoots her a pointed look. But when it's clear she isn't about to divulge any of her personal thoughts, extends his arm, "care for a dance?"

"I don't dance."

"You will now," and before she can refuse, he has grabbed onto her arm and pulled her to the middle of the dance floor, one hand pressed to her waist, the other clasping her hand in his.

"Just follow me," Kevin's murmur brushes against her ear. Close, and warm. Suddenly, the ground seems all too unstable and her grip unconsciously tightens on his, all too aware of the multitude of eyes boring into her back as they spin in harmony with the other couples.

"So, I noticed you and Delia are getting along well," she says, voice light so that he won't detect the slight wavering intonation that she wants to imply.

But Kevin is quick to catch on, raising a quizzical eyebrow, "we are," he replies slowly, as if measuring his words, "we don't have any choice, after all. She's going to be my wife."

That hurts her a little more than she'd like to admit.

“That’s--wonderful,” she croaks out, except that it’s not really what’s lingering at the tip of her tongue.

She can feel the heat of his stare, adamantly focusing her eyes on his chest to avoid any type of confrontation. Y/N isn’t sure whether her heart can take it.

“Is it really?” he murmurs.

Y/N eyes glance up, quickly flit back down, “I mean--yeah, it is. She’s your bride-to-be, the one you’ll be spending the rest of your life with.”

“And you’re okay with that?”

Frowning, she looks back up at his face, “of course I--of course I’m okay with that,” she lies through her teeth.

Something shifts in his eyes then, something she can’t quite figure out. But it’s gone as soon as soon as she blinks, leaving her to ponder upon whether she has imagined the whole thing. He doesn’t mention it again throughout the evening, though she can tell that something has urged his mind to be preoccupied since his responses come out soft and barely attentive, like there’s something else preoccupying the front of his mind.

But it’s not until later that night that she understands why.

After their guests have left and his parents have retreated to their quarters, Kevin pulls her outside into the King’s Courtyard, a small garden adorned with exotic flowers of all kinds, and most primarily, an ode to the hibiscus flowers tilted up to gaze at the moon, blossoming in full glory.

“You could have at least let me change before dragging me out here,” Y/N says while tugging her skirts away where it had just gotten tangled in a rosebush. When she is met with nothing but silence, she spares a glance at the Prince only to see his face tilted up, eyes closed, basking in the light of the moon, and softens.

Kevin, as long as she’d known him, had always found solace in nature. Most interestingly, the moon. It calms him down to know that there is a bigger universe far more important than his problems, he states every time she questions him about it.

“Your highness?” she prompts in a soft murmur.

That catches his attention, causes his eyes to find hers. He sighs heavily, “don’t call me that.”

“It’s just for the formalities, no need to be so stingy.”

“I’m not, I just--” there is an evident struggle on his face as he tries to find the words. He bites at the corner of his lips, before looking away with another exhale.

“Kev?” she moves closer, close enough that if she reaches out, she can touch his arm, “what is it?”

It takes a moment for him to find the words. But when he speaks next, his voice is laced with a mixture of pain and emotion, a fragility that causes her own chest to swell in concern.

“Do you think I’m doing the right thing? By marrying Delia, I mean?”

She cocks her head to the side, “I don’t know. Would you call that a choice if there’s no other option available?”

A pause. Then, in a small voice, “sometimes, I wish I could just run away.”

She blinks at him, unsure. Is this the part where she encourages him? Or not?

She decides to stay quiet.

“I--” his chest swells when he breathes in shakily, “--I don’t-- I don’t want to get married, Y/N.”

Another bout of silence ensues and Y/N shifts uneasily from one foot to another.

“Then don’t,” her mouth lashes out before she manages to control herself, which rewards her with Kevin’s shocked face as he faces her with wide eyes.

“Are you serious?”

“If you want me to be.”

“Be serious, Y/N.”

“I am.”

His maroon orbs, almost dark in the dim light of the courtyard, are glistening as though wet with unshed tears as they hold her gaze with an expression so familiar, the same one that he gave her earlier in the ballroom, although god knows what’s going on in his mind right this very minute.

She opens her mouth to say something else-- anything really, to shake off that weird feeling settling over her shoulders -- but finds that words die atop her tongue as he keeps on gazing down at her, features softening and mouth slowly parting to say words that never make it out.

“Would you?” he suddenly blurts out, “run away with me?”

“Wait, you’re--you’re actually considering it? I don’t think--”

But his hand comes up to brush against her cheekbone then, which causes her to fall silent as she swallows thickly and tries searching his face for any indication, any sign of playfulness, for fear that he is just playing.

The tingles that his thumb leaves against her skin has her breath rattle. Suddenly, she can’t seem to move, for fear that doing so will shatter whatever magical air surrounds them, charged with something she can only describe as electricity.

“What,” she’s glad that her voice comes out as strong as she wants it to be, “are you doing?”

Kevin just keeps staring at her with hooded eyes as though he’s dazed, his thumb brushing against her skin, over and over until she can’t stop the blush from rising and she hopes that the darkness is enough to mask her reaction.

“I don’t know,” he searches her eyes, so close that his breath washes over her face, “it just feels right.”

“That is not appropriate behaviour--”

She almost yelps when his other hand reaches down to grasp hers. Looking down at their now entwined fingers, she is pretty sure that her face is flaming red by now, and too embarrassed to look up at the said prince, Y/N bites at the inside of her cheek with her head bowed.

“Look at me,” Kevin urges, “look at me, Y/N.”

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“You--You know you can’t do that. It’s--” her voice breaks then, “it’s not fair.”

He leans in even closer. Their lips are millimeters apart and her orbs flicker up to notice his half-lidded eyes tracing her every feature. Something inside her heart gives a jolt.

“What isn’t?” he breathes.

And then, his mouth catches her own.

Yelping slightly at the sudden sensation of his lips cupping hers in an unfamiliar embrace, her heart almost gives out in her chest as her legs turn to jelly, and she all but melts against the prince’s chest as he untangles their hands to wrap his arm around her waist, pressing her even closer. He tilts her head back with his other hand, cupping her cheek and stroking lovingly at her dewy skin as his mouth slowly moves over hers in a sinuous dance of affection.

He smells heavenly. He tastes heavenly. She can barely breathe, barely think straight, scattered thoughts running around and disrupted by the fireworks and cartwheels tumbling through her chest.

Turning her head away in a weak attempt to escape, she lets out a breathless, “your highness--”

“Don’t call me that,” his lips trace along her jaw to catch hers once more, hand leaving a trail of sparks as it traces her backside in the most sensual of touches.

Y/N can’t help but shiver and return his kiss despite her brain screaming at her that this will only result in heartbreak, and heat rushes down south when a noise sounding like a moan rumbles through Kevin’s chest.

At this particular moment, even though the pair are stealing kisses like thieves in the middle of the night, Y/N can’t feel like everything suddenly makes sense.

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soulmate-game · 4 years

Text

Oneshot #2

What if Marinette had never won the Wayne Enterprises competition?

Well, her and Damian’s meeting would have probably went something like this.

—*—*—*—*—*

The asian-French hero looked down at her palm, where a plain silver ring sat at the center of the long silver chain around her neck. They had done it. Seven years, lots of reversed deaths, way too many close calls, and Adrien was in a wheelchair for the next few months at least. If he ever got back on his legs at all.

That wasn’t even brushing over the painful fact that he was now an orphan by all rights, his mother finally buried and his father rotting in prison. It was the epitome of a bittersweet victory, and Marinette couldn’t stand to stay in the same city as where it had happened anymore.

It wasn’t like she had a choice, anyway. Marinette was the Guardian now, and the fallout of the last fight led to her parents figuring out her identity. That couldn’t be allowed to stick, so she had asked Plagg to erase their memory of the discovery. She knew Plagg didn’t have the best restraint with his powers, but the effects would never wear off and could never be reversed.

Sure enough, they didn’t just forget that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug. They forgot that Marinette Dupain-Cheng had ever been born.

So the Guardian, for she had held that title since her eighteenth birthday, gathered up all her belongings. She emptied her bedroom as if it had never held a child to begin with, sold everything she didn’t need and packed away what she did. She took the Miracle Box with her, of course. And Chat’s ring. He could wear it anymore anyway, and Marinette didn’t have anyone she could trust it to.

Kagami and Luka gave back their Miraculous, too. As did Chloè. They didn’t need to fight HawkMoth anymore, and they deserved normal lives now that the war was over. Marinette was not about to take from them the very thing she couldn’t have.

So she found herself in Gotham City, her hair cut into a long pixie in an attempt to change up her look. She didn’t need people recognizing her, especially since she had no intention of giving up her hero work. She set up a boutique, she already had more than enough of a clientele and solid reputation to keep her in business for at least a few years. She was twenty years old, and the world saw her as a rising star instead of the crashed meteor she felt like.

The Kwamis saw it. Every time they left the Box (and Marinette liked giving them all at least a day or two every week to stretch their legs, so to say), they would see her darkening bags under her eyes and the almost permanent slump to her shoulders. Her bed almost looked brand new even after several months in Gotham.

She closed her hand around the ring for a moment, before slipping it onto her right thumb. The now-familiar coursing energy of Destruction ran over her body like a current of electricity, promising a fatal shock at even the slightest mistake.

Good thing she was a manic perfectionist.

“Plagg, merge.”

The cat Kwami was sucked into the ring, dying it black and giving birth to the green paw on the flat top. Marinette’s already darkened and Gotham-ized Ladybug costume gaining a few spikes, a black leather jacket, her utility belt holding her yo-yo darkened into charcoal gray with green accents and a red-and-Black extendable bo staff. Instead of a domino mask, stylized black ski goggles covered her eyes, the magical glass tinting maroon in the right lighting. The tips of Marinette’s short hair dyed into a dark mossy green.

“Let’s show these Gotham villains that they can’t just toss us around,” she said to the empty air, as if promising to herself that her half-year absence from the hero scene hadn’t filled her skills at all.

(And it probably hadn’t, since she had kept up with her own training regiment during the hours she really should have been using to sleep, but she wouldn’t be Marinette if she didn’t doubt her own skills every now and then.)

With a soft whisper of “cataclysm,” she laid her hand on the metal door that had been slammed shut. It rusted and crumbled away into dust immediately. She wouldn’t let Scarecrow hold her charity gala hostage. Sure, it hadn’t been as extravagant as something thrown by the Waynes, but it was her first gala and had had a surprisingly large turnout. People had fallen in love with their new Gotham celebrity philanthropist.

Surprisingly, she wasn’t alone. Right then, the windows in the rented building shattered, allowing three very familiar masked men to drop in at the three other corners of the room. With Marinette, they made a full square of heroes surrounding the Gotham villain and his screaming hostages.

“Separate,” she whispered, her Plagg-induced accessories fading away to reveal her in just her Ladybug outfit. Her domino mask was replaced by a maroon and black-polka dotted motorcycle helmet with a rose-red visor covering the upper half of her face. She had on matching fitted cargo pants in the same pattern, and a long-sleeved black turtleneck with two large, hot rod red half-circles over both sides of her waist. Calf-High black combat boots with red soles and maroon stripes up the outer edges completed the new Ladybug look. Not including the ever-familiar yo-yo sitting on a thin red utility belt on her hips, anyway.

The three Gotham-native vigilantes observed everything, including the unfamiliar figure in red and black that seemed to be on their side, at least for now.

“Robin,” Batman spoke up. “Red Robin and I will engage Scarecrow. Get the hostages out and administer the antidote for the fear toxin. If we haven’t wrapped things up by the time you're done, come back here.”

The colorful vigilante let out a tsk at being left out of the combat, but knew he would be the fastest at evacuating the victims. They were all under fear toxin and several were having very violent reactions to it, so his no-nonsense approach would be the best match up with wrangling the civilians out of the building.

“I’ll help you,” an unfamiliar female voice crackled over their coms, making the three vigilantes stiffen. “Relax, my suit’s magic patched me in to your frequency. You can call me Ladybird. I won’t get in your way, but I’m not gonna just sit back and watch either.”

“If you slow me down, I’m hogtying you and leaving you for the Commissioner,” Robin warned, her gaze flashing over to the unfamiliar hero right as her ruby-red lips curled up into a secretive smirk.

“Fair enough.”

Batman and Rex Robin rushed into the fight then, seeing as Nightwing couldn’t distract Scarecrow forever. The blue vigilante used their sudden take over of the fight to turn his attention to Scarecrow’s rented goons, and knock guns out of hands.

Ladybird and Robin took over the rest. Working like a surprisingly well-oiled machine, they seemed to know exactly which victim to grab next to avoid getting in the other’s way. Robin noted that Ladybird seemed surprisingly well-versed in handling panicking victims that fought back, easily trapping their limbs to their bodies and carrying them out forcibly yet efficiently. She was also surprisingly quiet, whispering to the more coherent victims and doing her best to keep the evacuation as subtle as possible.

She was equally quick in administering the antidotes that Robin handed out to her, her hands clothed in black motorcycle gloves easily sliding the needles of the syringes into the right arteries without a second of hesitation.

Luckily, they hadn’t had to go back into the fight after getting all the victims rounded up and cured. Ladybird has just finished handing out shock blankets when Robin’s team filed out of the building with an unconscious Scarecrow held limply between them. A few statements and evacuated victims later, and the three met up with Ladybird in a nearby alley.

“Who are you, and why are you in Gotham?”

“Ladybird,” she said calmly, ignoring the beeping in her helmet. She had used her cure discreetly to reverse any physical damage the vigilantes and victims had taken, and hoped they wouldn’t notice until the next day. It had taken her a while to learn how to make the magical ladybugs invisible, but it was a useful skill. “I used to be Ladybug, back in Paris, but Paris doesn’t need heroes anymore. I came here for a new start, that’s it. I don’t plan to get in your way, but don’t expect me to stay out of it when bad things happen.”

“Oh, so we’re just supposed to accept a new vigilante with magic popping up and sticking their noses in our business, are we?” Robin challenged, stepping forward with hostility in every muscle of his body. Ladybird, to her credit, did not even flinch. In fact, even though she was over a foot shorter than Robin, she just straightened up to make the most of every inch of height she had. It was shockingly effective. She petit female could apparently make a very intimidating presence when she wanted to.

“I don’t plan on leaving, so you either play nice or get the nice beat into you,” she said with a falsely cheerful voice. A growl pulled itself from the back of Robin’s throat.

The rest of the BatFam watched with barely restrained tension. None of them were happy about a new, unknown vigilante in town, sure. But Robin was by far the last person they would have chosen to confront the new person.

“I’d like to see you try, shorty,” Robin purred menacingly, a sharp grin overtaking Ladybird’s mouth at the challenge.

“Gladly, little birdy,” She chimed right back. They lunged at the same moment, Ladybird’s hand gripping Robin’s bicep to try and throw him over her shoulder at the same moment that the man’s fist made contact with one of the large spots on her waist.

But before any real damage could be done, a flash of green light erupted around them, surrounding both heroes and separating them with business-like speed. They blinked at each other as they were forced to separate, wondering if Green Lantern had made a surprise visit to Gotham.

But that was not it, they realized, the green was much too dark a shade and proceeded to sink into the skin around their wrists. A mechanical voice sounded in the air.

“WARNING: GAME FOUL. ATTACKS BETWEEN SOULMATES OUTSIDE OF FRIENDLY SPAR ARE PROHIBITED.”

“What the hell—“

“INITIATING GAME START.”

Both heroes’ vision split in half, just as Marinette’s one-hour timer ran out and her transformation dissolved.

“Well. I’m Marinette, I guess. Your soulmate.”

She watched from two different perspectives as Robin’s eyes widened behind his mask and her own star-struck face contrasted starkly with her unaffected tone of voice. Apparently exhaustion saps the emotion from someone’s tone.

“Holy plot point, Batman.”

“I thought we agreed you would never say something like that again, Nightwing.”

—*—*—*—*—*

#mlb x dc #maribat #daminette

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bruhimaunicorn · 4 years

Text

From a Grimes to a Dixon

Paring : DarylxReader

Summary : Daryl falls for Ricks daughter and this follows their story all the way to Alexandria.

Warnings : Fluff. Death ( It’s TWD so).Cursing.implied smut. Violence.

A/N : I do give the reader a certain look since she is supposed to be Ricks daughter. Such as eye color and hair type, but besides that this is still a reader insert!

He doesn’t know how you did it. How you managed to break down every piece of him so easy. Because as far as Daryl knows, he’s the complete opposite of easy and he tried to push you away,but you didn’t let him. Every time he tried, you gave him that look. That deep world altering look. The one that told him you aren’t leaving. You were the first person to make him believe it. Hell, he can’t believe that Lori’s daughter would be the very one to hold him close at night, but you were completely different from her. He knew it from the moment he met you. It’s still so clear in his mind.

It was the first night at camp. Everyone was so tired and scared, but not you. You we’re standing guard on top of Dale’s RV with your dad’s pistol with that same look. It was like you were daring one of those things to come for you or your family. You’d end them. Just like you’re dad taught you. And Daryl didn’t understand why you weren’t cowering with your mother, or hell cowering with Shane. But you didn’t need a man. You were just fine without one. And you had this black cap on, like someone who didn’t want to be seen. Another thing he didn’t understand. You were breath taking. Something Merle did not forget to let you know as soon as he met you. You had your fathers long brown curls, his clear blue eyes, and a body that should have a warning label on it. But you aren’t broadcasting it.

“ Y/N Grimes, Nice to meet Ya’ “ You responded with a grin when Merle had hit on you, holding your hand out for his. Merle shared a look with his brother as if he was going to get lucky with you and eagerly shook your hand, but what neither of the two expected is that you would almost break his hand. You twist his arm out to the side and force him to his knees, coming close to his face “ Talk that way to me again and you’re goin’ to find out real quick what it’s like to sip soup through a straw”. Daryl wanted to stop you, to demand you to take your hands off of his only family, but he didn’t because Merle deserved what you gave him. “ Do we have an understanding? “ You turn your head to the side, something Daryl would find that you learned from your father. That turn of the head? It meant you really, really screwed up.

Merle nodded slowly, the only time Daryl has ever seen him give up a fight, and you release him quickly after you are satisfied. “ I hope you’re not as delightful as this one? “ You ask, Daryl now with a wipe of your hands. Seeing as how you just made a little girl out of his brother, Daryl decides to answer you correctly “ Nah’ “. He watches you search his person as if you aren’t sure about him, but you say nothing about it. “ Y/N ! Come on! “ Shane then calls for you — his watch over you concerning Daryl. Don’t get him wrong, he didn’t know who you are or who Shane is to you or your family, but he didn’t trust it. “ Damn … What a broad “ Merle laughs in his brothers ear as you walk back to your family. Shane meets you with a smile—like you’re his whole world—and Daryl waits for you to return it, but you don’t.

And that made him curious.

—

A few weeks passed by after the altercation with Merle, but Daryl never stopped watching you. You are like drugs to him at this point. Everything you do is just .. strange. You’re a good sister—a great one even with the age gap between you and Carl. He learned Lori had you at 19 and Carl at 28, making you twenty yourself, but you still played with him. He wasn’t the annoying nine year old that Merle saw Daryl as. He’s your best friend. You make him your equal. And you pull your own weight. You hunt, fish, do laundry, and take most of the night shifts without complaint. Most women around camp gripe about everything, but no not you. He wants to know why.

You’re currently talking to, Shane about something he can tell Shane doesn’t like, but you don’t bat a eye at his argument with you. Daryl continue to skin at his squirrel from his recent hunt, but listens carefully to your conversation. “ I don’t remember asking for you to watch after me like I’m some fuckin’ kid! “ You growl at a man twice your size, but Shane doesn’t budge at your anger. “ Yeah—you didn’t ask me! But guess who did? Your dad! “ He points out and Daryl watches your face fall at the mention of your dad. Your lips twitch downward like you want to cry just at the mention of the former deputy, but instead you collect yourself and throw a glare up “ One day that line won’t work for you “. Shane falters slightly from your intensity, but stands his ground “ Yeah—well todays not that day huh? The rules stay the same. No one goes out by themselves “.

If looks could kill, he’d be ten feet under. You don’t continue the argument and Daryl figures you’ll go back to watch, but instead you stalk over towards him. He raises a eyebrow at the sight, but you’re the first to speak “ Will you come hunting with me? Apparently, I can’t go by myself anymore “. Daryl can’t hide his shock, are you actually asking him to come with you? You take his hesitation as a no, but you aren’t accepting it “ Look—I know you like to go alone and I do too,but officer do good over there won’t let me leave the premises without a man “. Tucking the squirrel away, Daryl nods “ Alrigh’. We can go now. Gettin’ real low on meat anyways”. He watches the anger fall off of your face and a small smile appear in its place. You aren’t stupid. Daryl has a whole bag of different rodents that could easily last a week. But he knows you need to get away from Shane. Or maybe everyone.

“ Thanks. I’ll owe you one “ You promise, turning on your heels to retrieve your weapons.

—

The hunting trip was quiet, but you didn’t seem to mind. You didn’t push him to make small talk like every other girl would. The quiet was nice to you. And you didn’t need him to kill for you, if you saw a squirrel you shot it. If there was a rabbit, you trapped it. It was getting close to dark when you both decide it’s probably best to head back, but you don’t seem to want to. You’re walking slower than before as if this was your death march, causing Daryl to turn back and give you a look “ You comin’ ? “. You purse your lips as if it’s a actual question “ Yeah,yeah “. You catch back up to his side , but he can still sense your reluctance. Somethings bothering you. He isn’t going to ask though—that would be weird. But you don’t need him to ask, you just come out with it “ Can I ask you something ?”.

Daryl avoids eye contact, but nods in response. “ Do you ever think about leavin? “. This stalls Daryl in his steps. He never thought you were the type to ditch your whole family. And you aren’t . He knows that. But the question still concerns him “ Why?”. You sigh through your nose as if this subject is tiresome for you “ Don’t get me wrong, I’d never leave my family behind. I’d die first. But—I— I don’t know . Forget I asked ok? “ . You begin to walk again and Daryl doesn’t push you on the subject. He just follows beside you. But he has a feeling it has to do with Shane. The whole situation rubs him wrong. Your dads best friend saves his family from geeks and says it’s what your dad would want, but then looks at you and your family the way he does… And you wanted out.

Just as you both approach the quarry and the group can be seen through the branches of the trees, Daryl stops you “ If Ya’ ever need to hunt again, come find me “.

And you smile at him again with that look, and it draws him in even deeper.

——

He got to know you a lot better with each hunt. He learned about your dad, your first dog who’s name was robber because he use to take your food, how you were going through the academy when everything fell apart to follow in your dads footsteps, and how you are one hundred percent sure big foot is real. “ Big foot? Really? “ Daryl had smirked at you, but you just rolled your eyes at him “ Alright , chupacabra don’t start something you can’t finish “. That was the first time you truly heard him laugh. He wasn’t offended and you weren’t scared to joke with him like everyone else was. He was a person when he’s with you. And it took everything in him to keep that in mind when you’re father came back.

He missed your joyful reunion—off hunting since Shane ironically put you on day shift, and he was happy for you at first. He knew how much you missed him and you were stuck to his hip at every waking moment once he was back in your life. Which caused you to start missing your hunts with Daryl, but he understood. But when he found out about Merle and that your dad had a part in it—he had to dig down deep to not hit your father in his throat. And he managed, but it was agreed that you all would help him find his brother.

And oh what a trip that was.

——

Then the CDC came, and so did the alcohol. You were all smiles at the dinner table as Daryl challenged Glenn to keep drinking, but not partaking yourself as well—your dad use to be a cop. But you knew how to have fun without it. And once you were out of the shower, Daryl found you with the kids and you proved it to him. You’re currently counting to ten as the kids squeal and try to hide whilst Daryl smiles and leans against the door frame. Once at ten, you peel your hands off your face to find him pointing to the closet where undoubtedly Sophia is hiding. You roll your eyes at him and mouth ‘ cheater’ before slowly approaching the closet “ I wonder where Sophia is? She’s so good at all this… I wonder if I should go tell everyone she’s missing! “. Giggles flood from the closet and you rip the door open, causing her to squeal.

You scoop her up and tickle her sides “ I found you! “. The girl in your arms is laughing so hard she’s crying and maybe it was the alcohol talking—but this suited you. You had a way with them. “ Now we’ve got to find Carl! “ You smile down at the girl, allowing her to climb on your shoulders. “ Be my look out Sophia! He’s a sneaky one , my brother! “. She giggles once more and you begin to search the room for your sibling. Daryl once again points out the hiding spot and sure enough Carl’s foot is sticking out from beneath the couch. This time you just wink at him , causing Daryls heart to skip for just a moment and you drop down to grab his little ankle “ Aha! There you are! “.

Your brother screams and tries to kick you out of his grip, but he’s not match for you as you gently drag him out from underneath the couch. “ And now you have to face my rath! “ You scream dramatically, and then tickle his sides as well. He laughs so loud that it attracts the attention of their mothers, who mirror Daryls actions. Your mother smiles at this brief moment of happiness between her children before he kicks at you again and you try to bite his arm “ Y/N Grimes you are a adult! Do not bite your brother! “. Daryl watches your mother go to break up your play fight as Carol follows to collect her child for bed. He wonders what you looked like as a kid. Same doe eyes most likely, but you seemed like the type that caused a whole lot of trouble.

He watches you mess up your brothers hair before giving him a goodnight hug and you then let your mom still kiss your cheek—not ashamed of the affection. Lori now marches a tired Carl out of the room, but makes sure to give Daryl a look of her own. It was the ‘ don’t hurt her’ look and he’s truly never gotten it before. It was strange. He just nods , not comfortable with the fact that they are catching on to how much he’s beginning to care for their daughter, but let’s your smile wipe away all of the doubt “ Did you come to sneak me some? “. He smirks at the second wink you give him and offers you the bottle of whiskey. You take a swig, letting it burn down your throat, before handing it back to him “ My hero “.

You’re joking, but Daryl liked the sound of it. He wouldn’t ever let you know that though. You then sit down on the couch with a content hum before motioning for him to join you. He sits as far as he can from you, but you ignore his awkwardness by putting your bare feet in his lap. He scoffs at you with a buzzed smile, but doesn’t push you away. You were comfortable with him. And he knows that’s not true for everyone around you, so he’d let you do whatever you wanted. He just wanted you near.

Rick would be the one to find you both asleep on the couch, separate, but his hand around your leg protectively. It catches him off guard at first—and he wants to rip you from his grip, but then it hits him. How he always finds you next to him, how you seem to be the only one to calm the hot head down, and how Daryl always watches over you. This wasn’t someone preying on his only daughter, it was love. Even if it was unspoken.

—-

After the cdc, there was Sophia getting lost in the woods. And that was a bad time for you. You cared for the little girl as if she were your own. You were the first one to fling yourself, unarmed, into the woods after her as the two walkers chased after her and when you couldn’t find her—you blamed yourself. This put a weight on you that wouldn’t be resolved until you found her. So, Daryl took on the task with you. But then, Carl got shot and he watched you go pale. The woman on the horse claimed she was just trying to help, but Daryl didn’t want to let you go. He didn’t know it was safe. He couldn’t protect you if he wasn’t there. “ It’s my brother,Daryl! “ You had yelled at him when he tried to stop you, yanking your arm away from him as you climb up on the horse.

You could see he was scared for you, but your brother needed you. Even with Daryl looking at you with sad eyes. This is what’s right. You rode off with the stranger, causing Daryl to curse and kick the dead walker that attacked Andrea “ So fuckin’ stubborn! “. And that’s when everyone started to realize there was something going on with you two.

Even if he didn’t want to admit it.

——

The next morning, after Carl survived the surgery, you waited for Daryl to arrive at the farm. You hope he understands why you had to go—just like he did when it came to Merle. That you can’t live with loosing your brother. “ Boy troubles? “ Maggie asks you, bringing you out of your anxiety filled thoughts. You want to deny the woman and tell her to mind her business, but she did let you all in her house so you decided to just shrug your shoulders. She smiles softly and watches you watch the dirt path anxiously “ I know that look, Y/N”. You still won’t give her the satisfaction of telling her your love life or whatever this is with Daryl, but don’t drop your eyes from the road. Kindly, she sits and waits with you since you’re not up for talking right now. That’s what made you realize that she’s good people.

Once you hear the familiar loud motor, you just about jump out of your skin. He was here. He’s followed by the rest of the group that was still at the highway and you don’t hesitate to go to him. You probably look like a stupid school girl, but you don’t care. “ Hey “ You smile at him as he gets off his bike, but he doesn’t smile back. He just gives you a stare “ Now Ya’ wanna talk? “. Your stomach twists uncomfortably, Daryls never been mad at you before. “ He made it through, he’s going to be ok “ You offer him news, but he turns that down as well. “ That’s great, Y/N . Real great . How ‘bout you go tell Shane all about it “ He spits at you. Your eyebrows knit together at the mention of Shane “ Wha- what are you talking about ? “.

He rolls his eyes like it’s obvious and turns to stalk off in another direction, but you grab his elbow as he tries “ Daryl wait- “. He then yanks his elbow from you and the look in his eyes intimidates you. He doesn’t have to say anything as him harshly removing himself from your touch says it all. He wanted to hurt you. Like watching you leave hurt him. He then continues to storm off and you blink away the tears in your eyes. Thankfully, no one was paying attention to you as everyone was just concerned about Carl. Except for Shane, he was watching the whole situation and took the chance to swoop in. He figures if he can suck up to you, you won’t mind when he figures out a way to win your mom over.

“ You alright? “ He asks, hat in hand like he could make everything better. You just shake your head and give out a cough “ I’m fine- just worried about Carl is all”. Shane knows you’re lying, but let’s you. “ He’s going to be fine. I made sure of that “ He then tells you, playing on your feelings for your brother . You want someone who understands your situation and he was going to be just that. You offer him a smile even though you’re crumbling on the inside “ Thank you”. He points to his cheek like he use to when you were a little girl and you roll your eyes “ I’m not a little girl anymore, Shane “. He just continues to smile “ I don’t care how old you get girl, I still get my kiss on the cheek”. You give him the harmless kiss as you always have and walk off to get some space , but Shane took it as progress and let you wonder off.

Leaving him to plots concerning your father.

—-

The following week, Daryl doesn’t talk to you. He ignores your existence entirely. And you begin to wonder if you imagined all of this. You thought this was going somewhere. That he understood you, but maybe you were wrong. Maybe you were wrong about all of this. And Shane was trying to hang around you more and more, only adding to your agitation. Sure, he was a family friend, but the way he looked at you and your whole family was beginning to creep you out. So, you began to look for Sophia by yourself. Even if you’re dad didn’t like it. You want to be alone. At least when you’re alone, you can hear yourself think. Even if it’s about Daryl…

You hadn’t found much on her whereabouts yet, but you aren’t giving up. Even if it kills you. And that’s what you set out to do, from sun up to sun down that’s where you are and it causes concern within the group. You hear their whispers as you pass by them at dinner, but you don’t care. You can take care of yourself and it’s better than just sitting on your ass like their doing or playing tough guy like Andrea is. The thought of the woman makes you roll your eyes, but she hadn’t hurt anyone so far. So you let it go.

And then the next day the sun rises and begins to set before she does, and it all happens so fast. First, she spots the so called walker and you demand she doesn’t fire as does your dad, but she keeps her aim set. You ignore her though, writing her off as she’s not the biggest concern right now, and you run towards the supposed walker. You’re closest, so you reach the figure before anyone else and you raise your gun on it. “ You gonna shoot me now? “ Daryl rasps at you, causing you to lower your weapon as the guys catch up to you. “ Daryl?!” You now rush to his side as he’s barely standing in front of you, and hold him up. “ How bad are you hurt ?! “ You ask him, your dad coming to help you hold him. “ Why do you c- “ He’s about to be snappy with you before a gunshot rings out, and Daryl suddenly goes limp in your arms.

Your eyes go wide “ DARYL?! “. Your dad is already yelling for help as you have no choice ,but to start moving him as fast as you can. “ Did she get him?! “ You panic at your dad, but he shakes his head no to your relief. “ Just grazed him “. Your shaking as you help drag him to Hershel, who takes it over from there. You have his blood on your hands and just from the look of it, it sends a shiver down your spine. Yes, you know he’s going to be ok, but this scared the absolute shit out of you. He could’ve easily.. This could’ve been a whole different situation if she was two inches to the left in her aim. Andrea now runs in as if she can hear your thoughts, causing a ugly side of you to boil over.

She’s pulling at her hair and holding her chest as if she’s scared. As if this could’ve hurt her. And never in your life have you felt this anger for another person. Dale walks her out of the room as Hershel needs less bodies in the room and you watch as Dale comforts her. As if she’s the one who needs comforting. Andrea finally feels your eyes on her, but it’s too late. You’re already half way to her , arm cocked back ready to punch that scared expression of her face . And you do, you get one really good punch into her mouth before your dad grabs you by your arms and she’s screaming bloody murder. “ What the fuck, Y/N?! “ She’s holding her mouth as blood begins to drip from it.

You thrash against your dads arms as he moves you all outside as inside hershels home was not the place for this to happen. “ Oh— I’M FUCKING SORRY DID YOU FORGET THAT YOU DERSERVED THAT?! THAT HE COULDVE DIED?! “ You scream, the thickness in your voice let’s her know that if you get out of your dads arms she better run. “ SOME FUCKING TOUGH GUY YOU ARE! CANT EVEN TAKE A PUCH! “ You’re yelling at her like a lunatic and your dad has to shove his hand over your mouth to keep everyone from hearing. You want everyone to see her for what she is right now.

But in reality they see you for what you are, a girl in love.

——-

The next days are spent at Daryls bedside, even if he’s still mad at you, and you even sleep at his side in the most uncomfortable chair. Which is what you’re currently doing as ,Carol brings in his dinner. His eyes dart over to the woman and he motions for her to keep quiet. Even if he was upset with you, he didn’t want anyone to wake you. You looked so tired. Carol smiles at your sleeping figure. You deserved it. Besides Daryl, you are the only one that hasn’t truly lost hope in finding her daughter. “ She’s a good one “ Carol whispers to Daryl, setting his food on the table beside him. Daryl just nods, but carol decides to push the subject further “ You know, she punched Andrea that day you got shot“. Daryl gives the older woman a confused look. When did you do this? And why hadn’t you mentioned it to him?

“ Yeah, she was so mad that Andrea shot you. She went ballistic on the poor girl “ Carol confirms, shrugging as if it’s not big deal. No one blames you for punching her. She broke the rules Hershel set and almost killed a valued member of your group. It was justified. “ Can’t imagine her doin’ that “ Daryl mumbles, looking over at you as if he’s trying to. Carol laughs slightly “ You’ve seen the way she takes down walkers, this isn’t too far fetched “. Daryl doesn’t argue with the woman and she realizes she should probably give the two of you some time to rest. But she stops just before closing the door “ You know, the two of you have done more for my little girl, than her father has her whole life “.

And with that she shuts the door, leaving Daryl alone to be with his thoughts of you. He watches you stir slightly in your sleep , moving uncomfortably in the chair, and he realizes how you deserve this bed more than he does.

You did punch someone for him.

——

The next day, you help Daryl move back into his tent. He’s currently poking holes in the net while you tidy everything up for him, but you can feel him staring at you. “ Well I’m going to get out of your hair now. Yell if you need me “ You sigh, getting back on your feet. “ Aye “ He stops you just as your about to leave and you turn to see him still staring at the holes he’s made. “ You’re talking to me now? “ You ask, hand planted on your hip. You watch him nervously toy with the holes before he takes a deep breath “ M’sorry”. You can tell this makes him uncomfortable so you let your anger slip away. He wasn’t good at this and you don’t want to push him into anything.

“ I-it’s fine, Daryl. I get it “ You tell him, your voice showing him just how tired you are. He looks up from the tent to examine your face. There’s bags under your eyes, undoubtedly from sleeping in that chair, and your cheeks are sunken in like you haven’t eaten in a couple of days. “ C’mere “ He pats the spot next to him. You shake your head “ I can’t I’ve got- “. He stops you from rambling your list of duties “ They’ll be fine for an hour. Now c’mon “. You give him a half sigh, knowing how much your needed right now, but give in and lay beside him. He moves his pillow so that you can be comfortable and you smile up at him. He narrows his eyes down at you “ Why are you smilin’”. You just shrug and let your eyes close, his scent filling your nose as you snuggle into the pillow “ Nothing “. You can hear him mumble to himself that that’s bullshit, causing your smile to stretch.

But once he believes you’re asleep, you can feel him pull his blanket over you and brush your hair out of your eyes.

——

From that point on, Daryl made it a point to be near you again. He felt bad how he treated you. You didn’t deserve that. Not for wanting to be with your brother. He was just scared to loose you. But he didn’t have to say anything, you understood him without words. When he would bring food to you at night, or when he would check you for scratches after a search for Sophia it meant I’m here. That he’s not going to let anyone hurt you. And when his hand would graze the small of your back when you looked stressed or when his hand grazed yours when you were close to him, it meant he was checking on you. And you never question him about it, you let him do as he pleases. This is how he shows his love.

But the day did come where it was known that there’s walkers in the barn. And then the day that that Sophia walked out of said barn as one of them, came as well. And you couldn’t believe your eyes. There was the little girl that you had been chasing now for weeks. The little girl who you put on your shoulders just a month ago at the CDC. Your breath caught in your throat as her dead eyes glance your way and it kills you to see her like this. She was just a kid.

The only thing that tears your attention away from the little girl, is her moms cries as Daryl holds her back. You couldn’t even imagine. Your heart breaks for the woman who had already lost so much. This wasn’t what the world was supposed to be like. That little girl was supposed to out live you all. Not this—whatever cruel joke this was.And once Sophia’s second life is sent to an end, Carol runs off in the other direction. And in that moment, you expect Daryl to walk away. That this would surely send him over the edge, but he doesn’t. Instead, he walks over to you and places his hand on your back. Instead he checks on you.

But he would push everyone else away, just not you. He’d bite everyone else’s head off, just not yours. He just made room for you. He let you sleep next to him , even if he wasn’t ready to hold you.

——-

And then the farm fell, and he couldn’t find you. And he’s never been so scared in his life. Not even when his dad use to beat him. This was you. All he could do was yell for you, kill walkers, and repeat. But you were gone. Everyone was gone. His heart is beating a thousand miles an hour, but he can’t accept it. You had to be ok. You’re a fighter. You wouldn’t give up—you wouldn’t leave him. And as fate would have it, he would find Carol who convinced him to go back to the highway. Sure enough, they you were. You were on your knees, holding Carl’s hands as if you were trying to tell him something he wouldn’t like,but as soon as you heard his bike you got off of your knees and ran straight to him.

He barely has time to get off the bike before you’re throwing your arms around him “ Oh god—I thought..I didn’t see you! “. And even though you both hadn’t said anything yet, hadn’t made anything official, he grabbed you as tight as he could. “ I know” he whispers into your hair as he can still feel your body shake against him. “ If anything would’ve happened to you- “. “ Shh”. You press your face into his chest and he smoothes your hair back from your face, catching your fathers gaze. Rick looks over the two of you, but says nothing. He only gives Daryl a nod and let’s the man comfort you.

He’s glad you have someone who will take care of you if he’s not around.

——-

The next seven months aren’t the easiest. Your mom is due any day now and you can’t find a place for longer than an hour before the dead are running you off to the highway again. Food is low, water is low, and game is scarce as it seems the walkers found out that deers taste good. You scoff to yourself as you think back to that time back at the quarry, but do nothing as your stomach rumbles. Your standing guard over your mother as everyone is trying to plot where to go next and she grabs your arm “ You ok? “. She offers you a small smile and return it. Your father and brother haven’t been the nicest to her lately after Shane. Turns out she was having a whole fling with him before your dad got back. And it just put them at odds.

And while you couldn’t understand how she could even touch another man with your dad so recently gone, you didn’t judge. She needed someone in her corner and you’d give her that. “ I’m fine mom don’t worry about me”. She rubs your arm softly “ I’ll always worry about you. That’s what moms do you know? “. You place your hand on hers and try to comfort her the best you can before Daryl waves you over. “ I’ll be back “ You promise her , giving her a small squeeze before joining him. “ Gonna go hunting with your dad. Wanna come? “ He asks, collecting his stuff. Giving him a nod, you look around to keep track of everyone. “ C‘mon” He tugs on your wrist, ripping you from your worry.

You follow him off into the woods , where your dad has already gotten a head start. Both of you are quiet, the world around you the same, and you wonder if there’s any actual game out here. Usually you’d at least hear a frog, but right now ? Nothing. It was odd. Daryl seems to notice the same thing and protectively walks before you, but finds nothing wrong as you catch up to your dad. He’s got a hard expression on his face, as always, and you let him talk with Daryl as it’s obvious that’s what he wants. You don’t mind though.You just walk infront of the two and try to pin point any game whilst they talk about the true next steps.

You can only hear a little of what their saying, but it doesn’t matter as you look to your right and spot a prison. And you knew that this is why it was so quiet. Your dads in mid speech about something when you turn and point to the building. Daryl follows your gaze, but is quick to dismiss it “ Ain’t that a shame “. Yes, you can see the walkers—and there is a lot of them—but you can also see the potential. There’s gates, guard towers, undoubtedly a commissary which meant food, and hopefully a safe place to welcome your little sibling into the world. Rick is already thinking the same as you and the look on his face gives you hope. He hasn’t looked so relieved in such a long time.

——

And it would be a home. Four an entire two days before a ex inmate let the walkers into your walls. And ended up not only killing, T-dog, Possibly Carol, but your mom. As soon as you heard the baby’s cries… There was no doubt. She was gone. Daryl watches your face go pale and his stomach twists as you fall to your knees, mouth gaped open as if you’re trying to find the words. Carl runs to you instinctively and all you can do now is hold your brother tight. You have to be his rock now more than ever. Especially as your dad looses all of his will right before the both of you. Tears poor down your face, but you don’t let Carl see them. He needs you to be strong. Something your dad can’t be right now.

You watch as he runs into the prison, undoubtedly to find your mother’s body for himself and it’s like your life is on auto pilot. That everyone’s moving around you and talking, but you’re not controlling any of it. There’s a gaping hole in your chest the size of Texas- and everyone can see it - but it didn’t matter. “ Hey - hey “ You pull your brothers face up from your chest, his tears pooling from his blue eyes. “ We’re ok. We’re going to be ok “ You promise him. His lip quivers, but you just shake your head at him “ We need to take care of our little sibling now, ok? It needs us to be strong for it ok? “. He’s shaking like he’s ready to stuff his face back into your neck, but you force him to look at you “ We have to do this for mom “.

He nods slightly, but it’s clear he’d be crying himself to sleep tonight. “ We’re going to need formula—fuck do we even have clothes for it ? “ You’re brainstorming your list out loud, looking over your shoulder at Daryl. “ We’ll get sum’. There’s a daycare up the road. Bout’ twenty miles out “ He confirms, his eyes glued on you. You nod and turn back to your brother “ I’m going to have to go- “. “- No! Don’t leave! “ Carl interrupts you, his eyes as wide as the sea. You place both of your hands on his cheeks, wondering just how to get him through this, but you find the words “ I will never leave you, Carl. But this baby won’t make it without food . It won’t even survive the night “. He’s shaking like a leaf , but let’s you go. He trusts you.

You feel like you’re going to vomit, but push past it and force yourself over to Maggie. She’s holding your little brother or sister with a terrified gaze, but you just scoop her from Maggie to let her grieve. Someone should get to. You adjust the squirming baby into the proper position “ H-hi there “. It calms at your voice as if it was waiting for you and you grab it’s little hand, tears forcing their way out of your eyes. “ She’s a girl “ Maggie informs you, as it’s obvious you’re trying to find out by picking at a thin cloth someone gave her. A girl. “ I see “ you force a smile down at your sister “ So you’re here to steal my spot, huh?”. Carl’s now at your side and your comment cheers him slightly “ Y-yeah, she is “. You’re both smiling now, but Daryl can tell it’s all an act. That you’re falling apart on the inside.

And the moment you two reach the daycare, he finds out just how right he is. You’re the first to get off his bike, but as soon as you do you’re chest is heaving like you’re going to be sick. “ Y/N - “ Daryl tries to calm you, but you just rush over to the nearest bush and empty you’re stomach. Daryl runs after you and holds your hair back for you, the only thing he can truly do for you at the moment. He can feel you shake,but it’s short lived as you didn’t have enough on your stomach for it to last long. “ Fuck me “ You groan and give a wipe to your mouth, before turning back to Daryl. Your eyes are now strained,but he doesn’t expect any different. “ I can do this “ He offers, his hands coming to your hips in support. “ N-no. I can do this. She needs me “.

There’s fresh tears covering your red cheeks that say other wise and Daryl has no idea how to make you ok again. You’ve been the one putting him back together again all this time and he’s never even seen you cry. Not once. You’re grabbing at the roots of your hair now, looking to the sky for answers “ How- What do I do now, Daryl ? “. Again, he doesn’t know. His minds screaming for him to help you, but he doesn’t move. What could he possibly do? A sob finally escapes your lips “ Oh God- she’s really gone isn’t she ? What the fuck do I do?! “. And without any idea, Daryl just grabs your face so you’ll look at him. You’re eyes meet his quickly as you have no other choice. He’s inches from your face and you feel his heart beat against your chest. He wants to tell you that’s it’s going to be ok, but that’s not going to be enough. You were smarter than that.

So, he just kisses you instead. Even though you just threw up and your lips are covered with tears, he doesn’t care. He just wants to hold you together. Just like you always do. And he’s never kissed you before—not even with sleeping next to each other every night,but you take it. You let his lips move with yours for as long as he’s willing. And he knows Nothing has ever felt so right. He only pulls away to catch his breath,but let’s his forehead rest on yours. Oh, how you take his breath away so easily. “ I-I don’t know, Y/N. But we’ll figure it out “ Daryl finally gives you an answer.

You trust his words and hope to God this will all work out.

——

Months go by as obstical after obstacle presents its self, but Daryl was right. Together, you both figured out how to make it ok. Through the governor, through the fear, through Andrea and Merles deaths, and even through welcoming all of the governors people into the prison. You made a way. And now the prison is thriving. There’s running water now and plenty of food. A place for baby Judith to grow and for Carl to remember how to be a kid again. He even has a friend. Your days are full as you have plenty of people to care for now, which put you as a prime member on the council. But all of the responsibility does keep you and Daryl separate for most of the day.

You aren’t a big fan of that, but it made the nights something to look forward to. You’d always get back to your cell last, since you try to squeeze in a kiss for Judith at night, but Daryl always waits up for you. Tonight’s no different as you quietly open the curtain to your shared cell, giving him a small smile “ Hey stranger”. He looks up from a book with a smirk of his own “ S’that what I am now? “. He moves to the edge of the bed, motioning for you to come his way. “ Let me check Ya’ “. You let him do as he pleases and smile as he checks you for scratches. He knows you haven’t been outside the gates in over a week. Once you’re in the clear, you turn to face him and he raises an eyebrow at your shirt. Completely forgetting that Judith spit up on you, you laugh down at your shirt “ I’m so tired I completely forgot”.

He smiles— How precious you are sitting there with puke on you. You smile back and move to change your shirt, revealing your back to his gaze. He traces your back , his hands gripping the bottom of the bed, and you pay him no mind. This is one of the ways you show him how comfortable you are with him. And no, he’s not good at all of this. But he does notice all the little signs you give him to reassure him. Like how you’re fine undressing infront of him. And he’s never touched you in that way, but you let him know with these little actions that when he’s ready he can. “ Oh- shoot” You gasp, when you’re dragging your jeans off of your legs. Daryl automatically locks his eyes on your leg where a large bruise is forming and he’s quick to help you.

“ It’s ok , I’ve got it Dare “ You insist, hopping slightly as you try to pull the clothing off of you. He ignores you, moving forward with his instinct to take care of you and helps you tug them off “ Stop bein’ so stubborn”. You grab his shoulder for support “ You’re the one to talk “. He grumbles something at you, causing you to smirk, before he tosses your jeans to the side. His eyes drop back down to yours once he does, and you wait for him to come back at you with your usual playful banter, but it doesn’t come. And then it hits you, that even though there’s only light by candle, you can see how un-easy he is. And not because he doesn’t enjoy his view— He loves it actually. But having you this close? Without clothes?

You offer him a smile, this didn’t have to turn into that. “ Hey, lets go to bed “ You offer, completely content with having him next to you tonight. You pull a shirt over your frame and lead him to your bed, but you can tell he’s upset with himself. You can always tell when he’s upset because he won’t hold you. Sighing, you sit up on the mattress “ Daryl, it’s fine.Really “. You can practically feel him roll his eyes at you. “ Not fuckin’ fine “ He groans, turning on his side and leaving you alone for the rest of the night.

———

The next morning, you wake up alone. Which isn’t surprising since this is how it always happens, but it feels different after the small argument— or whatever that was last night. Mentally, you groan at the situation, but get up and begin your day anyways. Just cause you had a fight with your boyfriend doesn’t mean the walkers will stop for you. Tossing clothes on, you shove your M9 into your waist band and exit the cell to find Carol holding Judith. You smile at the sight of your sister and it’s clear she sees you as she squeals for you. “ Every time “ Carol laughs, offering you the girl. You accept her into your arms and Judith places her hand on your mouth. She does this every time now knowing you’ll make pig noises and bite her hand, just like your mom did with you. You grant her wishes and she giggles at you.

These little moments you cherish more than anything, but you have to give her back as you have to get to your list of many things to do. “ You ok? “ She asks once you are free of the baby. Nodding, you move towards the perch to leave, but stop as you wonder why she’s asking. She tilts her head slightly, like she was a caring mom “ Daryl was in one rare mood this morning is all. Wanted to make sure you two are good “. You just shrug at the woman you consider family “ We’re all good, Carol. Thanks for asking though “. You can feel her gaze on your back as you exit the cell block. He must be in some mood for Carol to warn you like that. You brace yourself for it as you walk towards Beth who is currently cooking something Daryl killed yesterday. Her boyfriend is there with her and you offer them both a smile as you approach “ Morning “.

Beth smiles in return, but obviously has the same thoughts as carol did. You choose to ignore it and pick at the deer meat that’s already cooked “ You coming on the run today? “. Zach nods eagerly, trying to sneak his own piece like you just did “ Yes mam “. You smirk at his choice of words and leave the couple to begin picking off the walkers at the wall. They’re starting to look overwhelmed so this would be task number one of the day. Maggie is already picking some off as you join her, but it doesn’t take long for you to notice she’s wearing a frown.You know she’s scared that she might be pregnant. She hasn’t told you, afraid of your reaction because of what happened to your mom, but you could tell. There’s just a certain look. “ Anything you want me to pick up for you on the run? “ You ask hoping she will confide in you, shoving your knife into a walkers head. You pull your arm back and continue the same action two more times before , Maggie looks at you.

You can feel her looking you up and down, before she groans “ How do you know?”. Smirking, you continue to assault the walkers “ You know I grew up with cops right? For god sakes, my dad was the sheriffs deputy. I got pretty good at reading people “. She’s glad you aren’t mad at her, but grabs your arm to stop you so she can have your full attention “ After your mom- “. You stop her by holding her hand that she grabbed you with “ Maggie it’s fine. I’m fine “. She’s searching your eyes for any sign you’re not fine, but you squeeze her hand for effect “ You and Glenn are married. I expect you to have my nieces and nephews “. She laughs as you clearly want cute little Glenn’s running around and that she’s definitely your family. It seems to relive her of her stress and you go back to picking the line. She follows your lead and shrugs to herself “ Maybe you and Daryl can give them someone to play with? “.The idea makes your heart feel warm, but you don’t respond to her.

After last night, you don’t know if that’s something he’d want for the two of you.

——-

When it came time for the run, you gave your dad and Carl a hug before finally coming face to face with Daryl. He’s currently filling up the bike with gas, but you know he can sense that your near. He just doesn’t want to face you. You believe he’s mad at you, but truly he’s just embarrassed about the whole situation. He doesn’t understand how he could have you infront of him like that, but not act the way he wants to. You fold your arms over your chest and you debate asking Zach for a ride, but it would just make this all too obvious. Daryl then drops the cap to the gas and you reach to help him, but he’s quick to make sure you can’t. You furrow your eyebrows at him. Is he really being childish ? Your lips purse and leave him to his assholeness.

Your half way to Bob and Tyreese before he’s finished with his task and calling for you “ Aye “. You turn to find him giving you a questionable look. You never rode without him. “ What? You obviously don’t want me around “. This catches Bob’s attention, but he thankfully gives y’all privacy. He narrows his eyes at Bob before you, and then rolls his eyes for you to see “ Fine! “. He swings his legs over the bike and starts it up, obviously telling you to ride with them instead and you can feel your stomach twist uncomfortably. You can feel your face drop as well, but Bob comes to your side to try and defuse the situation “ Hey, you can sit with me! We’re playing the alphabet game “. As much as you appreciate Bob’s easy going ness , right now you can’t imagine spending the next thirty minutes listening to the stupid game.

But you would. And the run wouldn’t put you in a better mood either. Usually, you love getting out of the prison even if it was just for a little bit. But that was mostly because of getting alone with Daryl. Yet, you do your job and search the stocked store. You’re in the hygiene aisle tossing soap and other necessities in your bag, but stop when your eyes land on the pregnancy tests. You debate on grabbing one for Maggie, but as you grasp one in your hands you can feel eyes on you. You know exactly who they belong to and roll your eyes mentally, deciding to just shove it in your bag and move on.

You move onto dry goods and grab a couple of jars of baby food before you hear Bob yelling for help. Your eyes widen at the sound and you rush towards it to find him pinned under a shelve.There’s a walker under it as well and you quickly try to pull the shelf off of him, groaning as you need help “ Anybody!! “. There’s loud foot steps heading your way, but they aren’t fast enough as Bob screams in fear. Daryl finally reaches you and the two of you attempt to free the man, but then you start to hear the groans. And light is starting to appear from holes in the roof. “ Daryl! “ You point out, causing him to try and lift even harder. Finally, you feel as it’s moving, but then a walker falls through the roof and the whole store descends into chaos. Daryl has to rip you away from your task as a walker gets too close to you and you slam into a near by shelf. Daryl quickly sends a bolt into its head and you have no time to catch your breath before another one staggers towards you. You push off of the shelf and shove your blade as hard as you can into the top of its head, kicking it back as soon as it’s life less.

Daryls quick to grab you again and push you towards the middle of the store, but there’s too many and you’d both have to kill at least six of them before being able to go any further. Thankfully, you can see Zach and Tyreese helping bob so this is your prime objective. You stand back to back with Daryl and begin your assault, coating yourself and the floor in various fluids. And as is if this wasn’t bad enough, you can now see a helicopter trying to fall through the roof. Daryl obviously notices too, but the two of you are getting backed up into the exact spot it’s going to fall. “ Daryl! Y/N! “ Glenn yells, clearing a path for you . You rush to take it and Daryl is right behind you.

And then you see it, Zach gets bit and there’s nothing any of you can do but run.

——

That night you waited on Daryl to come to bed. He wanted to be the one to tell Beth about Zach, so you granted his wish and gave him the space to do so, but what you didn’t count on was him getting stopped by your brother on his way back to you. Daryl was just leaving Beths cell, a distant expression on his face, and Carl knew it all to well. Daryl begins to head back to you, not realizing your brother is watching him, but stops as Carl stands infront of the perch “ I need to talk to you “. Daryl nods up to your cell “ In the mornin’. Need to talk to Y/N “. Carl puts his hand on Daryls shoulder “ It’s about her “. Daryl raises a eyebrow at the kid, but follows his lead to just outside the cell block. Carl paces slightly before announcing his reasons for stopping the hunter.

“ I wanted to say thank you for bringing Y/N back safely.. I heard it was really bad “. Daryl gives your brother a nod, but waits as there’s obviously another reason he pulled him aside. “ And- I saw what was in Y/N’s bag and I need you to know that if she is.. if she’s pregnant that it’s going to be ok. I think she’ll be a great mom “. Daryl looks your brother up and down as if he has two heads, but remembers you stashing a test in your bag. Obviously you aren’t pregnant, but looking at the hope in his eyes made Daryl wish it was true. “ She’s not. T’s for someone else “ He explains, the kid infront of him slumping slightly at the news. At this moment he looks just like you. “ Well, that’s cool too I guess “ Carl accepts. His lips are pursed slightly, but he lets the idea go. Carl begins to leave Daryl to go back to his task, but stops just to tell him something Daryl needs to hear “ You make her happy you know? And I think you’d make a cool brother in law. Even if she’s not pregnant “.

The kid smirks at the taller man and leaves the hall way to probably go hug you goodnight. You two have a nightly ritual after all. Even with Carl getting older, he never misses it. Most nights, Daryl would listen from the hallway as you let him lay on your shoulder. You’d tell him that you’re proud off him and that it’s ok to miss mom too. And that you’ll never leave him. But Daryl wonders would he make a great brother to Carl? The whole conversation leaves Daryl second guessing everything. He eventually climbs the stairs to over hear your nightly ritual. “ I told Daryl that he’d make a cool brother in law “ Carl confesses as you rub his back, just like mom use to do. You smirk down at him “ Oh yeah? You want him to be your brother now? “. He can hear Carl laugh softly, but not at any harm to Daryl.

“ Dad said you’re happy with him. That Daryl is a good man. I just wanted him to know that it’d be kinda cool to have him be one of us “ Carl explains to you and you can feel your heart swell at his words. Never before has Carl liked any of your boyfriends. Ever. “ He is one of us “ You agree, but Carl seems to have a different opinion. “ He has to propose first, stupid “. You send a fist into his shoulder “ First off, I will and can beat your ass Carl. And second, it doesn’t really work that way anymore. Family isn’t defined by a ring or a piece of paper. Especially since I’m pretty sure the aliens dropped you off on our door step and we were just too kind to leave you there “ . Carl laughs at your threat and punches you back, but doesn’t miss the fact that you consider Daryl family already.

“ So you don’t want a ring? Just dating is fine with you? “ He asks after the two of you call a cease fire. You shrug slightly, not ever really giving the idea any thought “ I don’t know. I feel like Daryl and I are good. He can give me a ring if he wants and if he doesn’t I’ll be ok. I know where we stand and that’s enough for me “. Carl seems to be confused on all of this, but is glad you know what you’re doing. “ Relationships are really weird “. Hugging him goodnight, you give a kiss to his head“ You’re not wrong,Grimes. You’re not wrong “. He leaves you to find his bed and you begin to lay down, only to sit right back up when Daryl enters the cell. He looks so tired, eyes straining to stay awake, but you resist the urge to hug him. There’s still a weird feeling in the air.

He looks your frame over before setting his things down , not really giving you a idea of what is going through his mind. “ How’d it go with, Beth? “ You ask quietly, not really knowing what else to say. His shoulders roll “ Went fine “. Mentally you want to skip to the part where everything’s good and that all this in between won’t matter. He looks over his shoulder at you, noticing that you let your hair down and that you’re scrubbed clean, and remembers the girl he met that day at the quarry. The girl who never treated him like anything other than good. It makes him sigh. God, he hated disappointing you. Those doe eyes of yours search his for any sign of a white flag, he notices. You didn’t want to fight. You just wanted him. But it’s hard for him to accept. His doubts are miles long, but you seem to always make it through them.

Shyly, you creep off of the bed and hug his back tightly to prove this point. No matter the argument he tried to put up earlier, you know his heart. Your hands smooth over his chest and he can feel you place a kiss to his back , ever so careful in your movements. His eyes close tightly in response. Always so careful with him like he’s something special. All the demons in his mind scream otherwise, but feeling your head rest on his back seems to melt them down somehow. “ I know this is all new for you, but I want you to remember that all I’ll ever need is you. You can be mad at me for the rest of my life— god willing it’s a long one— but you’re going to have to accept that. You’re my family”. Your kisses continue “ I’m never going to let you go, even when you push me away “. Your words promise a future to him. And for the first time he can feel how bad you want him to be apart of it. That you’re going to be with him and only him.

“ Just tell me that’s all you want. That you’re in this forever with me “ You ask of him. And this is the first time you’ve ever asked him to confirm his feelings for you. And fuck, he never realized how this must be for you.That he’s never asked you to be with him. That you’re just supposed to love him without any confirmation given. He slowly grabs your hands and holds them close, hoping his touch feels just as right as yours does “ Yeah, I want that “. You smile against his back, content in this alone, showing him that you have no ulterior motives. That you’ll have him in every way and never leave. “ Can we go to bed ? “ You ask , but don’t leave his grasp. He can hear a small yawn escape, but he doesn’t give you what you want.

Instead, he turns around and smoothes your hair out of your face resulting in you grinning at him like you’re just eating up any affection he’s willing to give you. And it feels good to have someone look at him like that and mean it. He places his hand on your side, slightly grabbing it so you’ll come closer, and you gladly take his hint. You take the opportunity to kiss him and he can smell the vanilla wafting off your skin, drawing him into your lips even more than before. This smell always makes him feel like he’s at home. But, you pull away all too soon reminding him of your wish to sleep. And he can’t explain what you did to him by pulling away from him, but he quickly pulls you back to him. You raise your eyebrow at him, but don’t have a chance to question his actions as his hands find your hips and he’s quick to grasp at the skin that lays beneath your shirt.

Your eyes fall to his hands as the trace their way up your ribs and you notice his eyes asking for permission to remove the shirt that stops him from continuing. You remove the item without hesitation— as far as your concerned you’re his. And no, you didn’t have a ring or some piece of paper, but you would only be his for the rest of your life.You let the item fall without care and in the candle light, he counts all the little freckles he’s never noticed before. He traces them with his finger and this night would end with him finding every one of them.

—-

Every night after would be similar, until the prison fell and once again he’d loose you. You’d be know where to be seen, but he’d have to abandon the prison without you. Luckily, you got out with Michonne, but neither of you knew about each others where about. And it scared you. Days would pass by before you even caught up with your dad and brother, and while that was a joyous reunion, they could see the sadness in your eyes. You didn’t bother to talk a lot, only when needed, and it felt like you were dying inside. It was the unknown that killed you. Daryl wasn’t any better as he tried to provide , Beth with safety, but it wasn’t a life she wanted.

She hated sitting in the middle of the Forrest, eating snakes and she was quick to let Daryl know that, but he wasn’t much of a chatter box either. She wants to push him to admit he misses you and that he’s upset about the way things happened, because he’s just acting like none of it happened. And she eventually does, hitting him like a curse word with your name “ Y/N would hate to see you like this! She would be right in your face telling you to suck it up! But you don’t care right?! You don’t care that she’s gone! That Maggie’s gone! “. “ Don’t say her name! “ He would yell at her, but Beth wouldn’t let up. He needed to believe that you’re alive again. That this wasn’t all truly over. “ Why not, Daryl?! Huh? She’s out there and we’re sitting in the Forrest like bait! “.

Luckily, your family wasn’t pushing you the same way. They gave you your space and you still gave Carl the attention he needed, but you are just going along with whatever they choose. And eventually it would be terminus that they set their sights on, after your dad had to kill that man in the house you were holding up in. You don’t know what to feel about terminus, but they seemed to think it’s where everyone else would’ve headed.

Daryl would see the sign too, but it would be without Beth as she had been taken already. He was with a new group now, but it wouldn’t last. He was just surviving at this point and hoping Beth was right. That you were out there and waiting for him. And as fate would have it, he’d find you that very night. Just not in the best of situations. You were sitting around the small fire with your dad and michonne, listening to their small talk when a man would come behind you all and aim weapons at your heads. You thought this was it. That this was how you were going to die. And all you could do was look to Carl as he was pinned to the ground beneath an older man. Rick would look to you and his son in fear, but it’s Daryl that stops the scene playing out to escalate.

“ Wait— wait! “ He pleads, revealing himself from the woods causing your eyes to go wide. He briefly makes eye contact with you as the man behind you grins and grips your neck tightly. The leader of this little group would hear him out for a moment before proceeding to call him a liar and sick his men on him, causing you to scream for them to stop. You jerk in the man’s grip, but it was of no use. He grazes the knife across your skin like it pleased him and your dad was sickened at the sight, but you don’t let out any signs of fear. You needed to be strong. If you were all going to die, Carl’s last picture of you shouldn’t be crying and begging for your life. His knife would trail down your shirt as he makes it obvious he would do more than just kill you and it’s then that, Rick bites a huge chunk out of the leaders neck.

You take the opportunity to send your head back into the mans face and it sends him stumbling behind you , before picking up a large rock that was next to your foot. He looks from the rock to you “ And what do you think you’re going to do with that? “. He doesn’t think much of you, but his night would be sent to an end as you bashed his brains in with it. You let the rock drop as you finish your task, his blood covering your hands, but you don’t let it faze you as you turn to find Carl still in the grips of one of them. You’re ready to attack him, but your dad holds out a hand. He wasn’t able to kill your captive, but he would make sure to kill Carl’s. Michonne comes to your side as she holds you protectively, but you quickly rush to Carl when he’s free.

He runs to you on instinct and you accept him gladly as he’s trembling “ I’ve got you. You’re ok “. You can only rub his back and shield his face as your dad finishes off the man , the terror of the night truly at its peak. Michonne is quick to join you as you notice Daryls slumped form against your vehicle and Carl gives you the ok to go to him. You run to him and once you get to him, you’re searching him all over. Your hands come to his face, finding a forming black eye and a busted lip, but he doesn’t let you fret over it “ M’ ok”. Instead, he worries for you “ Did he hurt you ? “. He attempts to check you, but you just push his hands away and hug him to your frame.

He thinks briefly back to the time at the highway, but this was different. Men had tried to kill you. To take you away from him. You’re holding him like he’s a security blanket this time. He tries to hold you in return and give you the affection you need, but he couldn’t give you his all at the moment. “ I thought you were gone “ You whisper for only him to hear. You’re shaking against him and he realizes you must be crying, truly showing your love for him. And it’s in that moment he realizes he’s never told you he loves you. That you could’ve died without hearing those three words. “ Hey “ He whispers, bringing your teary eyes out from his shoulder. “ M’here now. S’ok “ He promises, but your lip is still trembling.

“ Don’t leave me again. Promise me. Promise me I’ll never have to live without you again “ You demand even if you sound like a child. He nods at you as he’s never seen you so panicked. “ Say it “ You demand again. He can’t believe how bad your shaking and he’d tell you anything to make you feel ok again. The fact that you were held by that man and were faced with a fear bigger than death, but you only cared to hear him promise you he’d never leave is all he needs to finally tell you. “ I’ll never leave you again” he promises grabbing your cheek so you’ll calm down “ I love you “. He expects you to be surprised as you always are when he shows you this type of love, but you just nod your head at him and lean your forehead against his “ I love you too “. There was no hesitation in you and it made this all worth it.

You don’t leave his side that night and eventually fall asleep on his chest, causing your dad to smile from Daryl’s side. Daryl looks him up and down for an answer, but Rick just shrugs “ Haven’t seen her sleep in days “. Daryl doesn’t respond to his friend, only rubs your back instead. “ She’s good with you, you know? I trust you with her life “ Rick continues making sure to acknowledge his approval. “ I almost got her killed “ Daryl objects, referring to the group of men he had been traveling with. Rick scoffs as if it’s complete lunacy “ Would you have been with them if you knew this was the outcome? Would you willingly put her or us in danger if you knew ?”. Daryl shakes his head no “ I didn’t know they were looking for you. They talked about some guy who killed one of theirs and I was just with them until.. “.

Rick throws his hand up as if this proves his point “ Exactly. Daryl I know you. She knows you. You’re not them “. Daryl has a hard time believing his words, but Rick grabs his shoulder to emphasize it “ You’re my brother, Daryl. I know you”. Daryl nods in return, agreeing with him. He then tosses his water bottle to Rick for him to clean the blood off of his face. “ We should save it “ He begins to disagree, but Daryl nods back to the car where Carl sleeps. “ They don’t need to see you like this “. Rick then splashes his face and tries to rid of the substance before you wake up and see him. After, he looks back to Daryl and bluntly asks “ You going to marry her ? “.

Daryl isn’t caught off guard by this question as he already felt that way with you, but it’s obvious Rick wanted him to make it official. “ If that’s what she wants “ He responds. Rick grabs his shoulder again “ I want to walk her down an aisle. She deserves that “.

—-

Terminus would then come and once again, you’d have to face being ripped from Daryl , but this time you fought. You fought hard. Now being reunited with your family and even some new faces, you slaughtered your way through the madness of the place. It would be a hard day, but you’d all make it through. And once outside the fences, you held Daryls hand proudly. Sure, now you had no plan and no where to go, but you had him. And that was enough. Carol eventually revealed herself to be your savior and everyone took her in a happy hug, but she would have a even bigger surprise for you.

She led you all to a small shed where Tyreese would reveal himself, holding little Judith. You couldn’t even believe your eyes. Carl and your dad told you she was gone— that walkers had gotten to her, but there she was. You rushed after her as did your dad and brother, but you were the first to hold her. She grins at you and automatically puts her hand on your mouth, but you don’t grant her wish as you have tears pouring down your face. Carl is right at your side as he grabs her foot, but you pass the baby to your dad as he truly needs to hold her at the moment. You couldn’t even imagine the pain of thinking you lost a child. You and Carl both happily cry over the baby as your dad extends his arm for the both of you. And this made the following days bearable.

You’d then find a priest in need of help , who’d invite you to his church and give you a safe place to rest your heads for the night. Everyone found their own places to rest as the sun began to set, but you sat outside where you could take a moment to catch your breath. Carl soon joined you, but he just leans on your shoulder instead of trying to make small talk. He seemed to always know when to talk and when to just sit in silence with you. Just like when you were younger. And whilst you thought he just wanted your company, really he was just keeping you busy whilst Daryl and Rick took advantage of the fact that there is a real live priest in their finger tips. And no, Daryl isn’t planning on some big event in the middle of a apocalypse, but he wanted to give you the chance to have your father walk you down the aisle.

It doesn’t take much persuading to get Gabriel to officiate the wedding, seeing as he was just about itching to redeem himself for reasons unknown to you all yet. Now all you had to do was say yes. Daryl began to walk to ask you the very question, but Rick stopped him by sliding something in his hand. Daryl looks to his hand where a small silver band is and he questions it. “ It was her moms, should fit her “ Rick explains, his eyes far away at the moment. Daryl just nods and continues to exit the church, but stops as your still sitting on the steps. You’re sitting with your brother, a tired expression on your face, but you seemed to have a small smile even with the fact that there’s barely any food or water.

Carl looks up as he notices, Daryl and gives him a nod before leaving your side. You watch your brother leave and don’t think too much of it as , Daryl takes his place. “ I was thinking we should go on a run “ You tell him. His eyes graze your neck where there’s small bruises from where that man had held you and you can tell he doesn’t like the idea. “ I’m not asking you for permission “ You smirk, pushing his shoulder slightly. He catches your hand and holds it in his own, smirking slightly his self “ Later “. You let him make that decision, but question it “ Got a hot date or something? We can go now before we loose the light “. Your choice of words is ironic. “ Mhmm “ Is all he replies with, making you narrow your eyes at him. He’s being vague and he knows your about to give him that look, but he just nods to the left “ C’mon “.

You follow him out to the empty field beside the church, holding his hand as he leads you to a non specific spot. You shiver as the wind blows for a moment, but look to Daryl as he’s obviously brought you out here for a reason. And his eyes are far away at the moment as if he’s thinking back to a different time , but he snaps back to reality “ I’ve got sum’ to give you “. He digs into his pocket , bringing the item out before placing it in your hand. Your eyebrows raise as you open your palm to find the silver band, noticing it’s your— was your mom’s. You can tell by the date initialed inside. And you can’t help, but think of all the times she’d play wedding with you and let you wear it as your dad would be your groom. He watches you blink away the tears and you look away from him “ Why are you giving me this? How did you find it? “.

You’re trying to fight the urge to cry as this band means more to you than your own life. “ I want you ta’ wear it “ He answers, so calm and steady in his words. You snap your head back to him , wanting to make sure you heard him right “ Wear it ? “. He nods, wiping the tears from your face “ Marry me “. You examine his face, your hair blowing in the breeze and those blue eyes questioning his actions “ You don’t have to do this. I told you , you’re all I need “. And that’s why he wanted to do this. You never asked him to be more than who he is or demand he change for you. His hands grab your shoulders “ I want this “. You close your palm on the ring and look up to his eyes “ Are you sure? “. He makes a humming noise to assure you before placing the ring on your finger his self.

Finally, a smile cracks on your face as you examine it on your ring finger. He doesn’t know how much having this ring means to you and for him to give it to you? It heals your heart a little more. It made you feel close to her. “ Then— yes, I’ll marry you “ you agree. And while you believe this all he has up his sleeve, you happily kiss him until your lungs demand air. You don’t miss the happy smile on his face, but you don’t have time to appreciate it as your dad and Carl make they’re presence known, little Judith already squealing for you. You turn , Daryl’s hands never leaving you, and you wonder how they seem to know what just happened. They have big smiles on their faces and you think they were watching, but when your dad hugs you and asks you “ You ready? “ you realize there’s been a whole lot of plotting behind this proposal.

“ Ready for what? “ You ask him, before turning back to Daryl who doesn’t give you the slightest hint.

——-

And that day, would be the best day you’ve had in years. Rick would walk you down the aisle and tell you how happy your mother would be right now, Carl would grin at you from Daryls side and mouth to you ‘ Loser ‘ , Judith would throw fake flowers that Gabriel had found, And Daryl would gladly say ‘ I do ‘ even though you can tell he gave Gabriel a weird look when he asked him to. The guy just rubs him the wrong way. But it was perfect. That night you’d both go out, finally taking the time to go on that run, but as soon as you two were out there and alone, you’d gladly push him against a car you found. “ I believe you owe your wife a wedding night, right? “ you’d whisper to him, already yanking his vest down his arms.

“ I believe I do “ he’d agree and kiss you hungrily. And you’d both laugh— finding the back seat of the car as good of a place as any . You felt like a teenager sneaking around again, but this time you were with the one you loved. He’d kiss you and leave marks down your chest with an “ I love you “. And you both spend the next hour showing each other how much. You’d tell him the same once it was over, smiling as you lay on his chest. His lips find your head and you’re enjoying him playing with your hair when you hear it. Daryl sits up automatically , looking out the window as a car drives by without a single thought of the two of you. And you’re relieved, but Daryl seems to recognize it. “ That’s the people who took, Beth ! “ He explains, shoving on his clothes. You do the same and climb to the passenger seat.

And if he knew how this would end, he wouldn’t have chased the car…

—-

The two of you ended back up in the streets of Atlanta, fighting not only walkers, but some guy who steals from you and then later needs you to save him. Daryl doesn’t want to save the kid after all he’s done, but you ignore his attitude and attempt to help the guy out from underneath the shelf. Though you’re not strong enough, and the walker gets through the door to end the poor guy, but Daryl finally steps in and sends a bolt into its decaying head. Once he’s safe, he reveals his name and at the sound of a car outside it’s found out that he knows where Beth is.

It turns out they were both being held in some hospital, and that would be your next destination, but first you’d all have to escape the building without them seeing you first. Your first to exit the building, seeing as Daryl needs to keep watch on Noah, and all too suddenly your hit with said car that you all were trying to escape. Daryl’s eyes go wide as you bounce off of the car and hit the pavement, your eyes shutting as soon as your head lands on the concrete. Instinctively, Daryl tries to run out to you, but Noah stops him. He’d explain that the hospital has a doctor and that this would be your only chance to survive something like that, but he couldn’t wrap his mind around watching you being taken.

Noah realizes who you must be to him and tries to walk Daryl through the next steps to save your life.

And this would include getting your father involved.

——

“ Tell me something, Y/N “ Your mom smiles at you as you help her peel the potatoes in hershels kitchen. You don’t look up from your task, but hum in response so she knows your listening. “ Do you remember, Jake ? “ She asks, causing your peeling to stop. “ Jake? The kid from around the corner “ You question, vaguely remembering the kid that use to pick on, Carl. She nods, popping a slice of cucumber in her mouth “ I’m surprised that’s all you remember about him. Seeing as you beat the poor guy so bad he had to get ten stitches in his head “. You grin to yourself as you think back to that day. You were walking down the street to retrieve the boy from his friends house, but it’s when you heard his cry that you began to run.

You’d find him surrounded by some of the neighborhood kids as they watched your brother getting kicked in the side repeatedly. Your eyes went wide and you pushed by the kids his age, only to push the teenager off of him. “ Y/N ! “ Carl yelled as you would proceed to climb on top of the guy, and lay punches into his smug face. Luckily, your dad would be pulling down the street in his patrol car and stop you before you could break his nose, but he’d end up with ten stitches anyways. Shane would grab Carl as your dad tried to make sense of the whole situation. Why would his sixteen year old daughter beat a guy only two years younger than her ? “ Next time I catch you around my brother, I will make you wish for sunlight you little shit! “ You’d scream from your fathers arms, the guy holding his head with a scowl on his face.

“ Watch your mouth! “ He’d hiss down at you, but you’d just glare up at him. “ Where were you ?! Both of you ?! “ You’d yell at both of the officers, as your brother has blood dripping from his nose.

You grab a slice of cucumber yourself and wonder why she’s bringing it up “ I felt like I had to be his protector , you know? That morning he’d heard the two of you arguing. Just like you had the past weeks and I felt like seeing him getting hurt more— I wanted to stop it “. Lori nods at you, the statement causing guilt to cover her face, but she goes back to the reason she’s bringing it all up “ Daryl looks at you the same way. Like he’s your protector “. Your lips purse and you find yourself thinking back to the hunter, but your mom continues “ You’re different around him “. You’re about to slam her with an argument as you believe she’s criticizing you, but she holds her finger up at you “ Don’t you look at me like that. You look just like your dad “.

You let the urge drop as told, but would defend Daryl if she dared to say anything bad. “ I didn’t mean anything bad by it— I think you’re happy with him. And I like that he takes care of you. One day, I won’t be able to and it gives me peace that you’ll be ok”. What was she talking about? “ Don’t say things like that “ You mumble, not liking the turn this conversation has taken, but she suddenly grabs your hand so you grasp the reality of her words.

“ Fact is, Y/N. One day, I’ll be gone. Your dad will be gone. And in this world that can happen so quickly. I know you’ll take care of your brother, but I need to know someone will take care of you. So, be good to him. Don’t ever doubt him— not even when all the odds are stacked against it “ She advises you, her face full of regret like she had failed her own advice.

Beth watches you stir in your sleep and holds your hand, hoping you can feel her near you. You looked so different from the last time she saw you , hair longer and bruises littering your skin now, but it makes her smile to see the wedding band on your finger. Daryl must’ve found you. She had been right. “ I don’t know if you can hear me, Y/N, but I just want you to know I’m not going to let them hurt you. And that I’m here “ She tells you, just in time for Dawn’s footsteps to echo in the hallway. Beth would then scurry to the floor and pretend to have no interest in you, but Dawn always seemed to see right through her.

“ You knew her, didn’t you? “ She asked, sitting next to you on your bed. Beth kept a straight face, not to let anything slip, but it seemed to answer her question. “ She looks strong, we can use her. What was she good at ? “. The question reminds her of the fact that you had once told her that you were going through the academy before all of this, but there was no way she’d give that information to Dawn. Your fate would be sealed. Luckily, for both of you the next day would bring your salvation. And you’d never forget that moment. Beth would push you in the wheelchair towards your family, causing relief to show on their faces, and you’d grip her hand to warn her to be careful. You couldn’t protect her in your state and you could feel the anger radiating off of the girl.

She squeezes back, but your attention then falls on Daryl. He’s watching your movements like a hawk as , Rick and Dawn discuss how this will go down. This could end very badly and he knows you can’t even get up to defend yourself, but you try and smile for him. “ One of mine, for one of yours “ Is declared, and it’s decided you’d go first. Beth rolls you as far as she can before it’s taken over by someone you don’t know the name of, but it’s short lived before your lifted from the chair by your dad. He gives you a relived look before passing you to, Daryl and you have to lean on him to keep from falling.

And just as it’s Beth turn, Dawn announces she wants Noah too, causing Beth to shove a pair of surgical scissors into her chest.

And on reflex, Dawn sends a bullet into the girls brain.

——

After Beth’s death, it seemed like all you could do was loose. Starting with Bob, then Beth, and then Tyreese. It was killing the group slowly and it didn’t help that there was no food or water in sight. But you’d all push through, you had no other choice. You’d been through too much to die now. And when you all stash away in the first barn you see, the message couldn’t be more clear. You take the time to sit in the hay and shut your eyes for just a moment only to have your small moment interrupted by Maggie. She plops beside you and you offer her a squeeze to her shoulder, telling her in no certain words that you’re here for her. She tries to give you a smile, but you know it’s hard for her right now. “ You look awful “ You joke, eyeing the dirt on her face. You seem to always know what to say to her and she retorts “ Oh yeah? Have you looked in the mirror lately ? “.

You don’t have to look to know you look weeks past a shower “ I know, it’s hard to be this hot “. This earns a genuine laugh from Maggie and you catch Glenn’s thankful nod from the corner of your eyes. You return the gesture as Glenn talks to your husband. “ So hows married life treating you? “ Maggie tried to keep the conversation going seeing as it’s better than thinking about how empty her stomach is. You eye your wedding ring and let a tired smile stretch across your lips “ Well, I spent my ‘ honeymoon’ getting hit by a car and I’m pretty sure I have a permanent bruise on my ass, but between you and me ? I wouldn’t change a thing “. As if Daryl knows you’re talking about him, he looks over his shoulder to check on you. He watches you chat with Maggie and attempt to keep her in a good mood even though you’re fighting to keep your eyes open. He admires your strength, especially in the coming days.

You’d limp your ass from that point on with a smile and still find the strength to tote Judith, but even you have your limits. And thankfully, just as your about to pass out from borderline exhaustion, Aaron reveals himself to the group with promises of salvation. And god help Daryl when he saw the way you held Judith when you felt the urge to protect her from the strange man. To a strangers eye, you looked like a mom protecting her small child. And in a sense you are Judiths mom. But, Alexandria proved to be true and little by little he saw you begin to relax. Daryl didn’t really feel the same way, but didn’t turn you down when you suggested he shower with you. You took his hand and lead him through the house everyone was hold up in still, earning a grin from michonne. “ I think everyone is asleep by now “ You tell him, locking the bathroom door behind you. You can tell he’s still on edge about this whole place and you don’t blame him, but you just wanted time to be with him without any of the outside world on his mind.

“ Hey “ You smile and place your hands on his waist. He offers a small smile back “ Hey”. There’s a small moment where you two just enjoy looking at each other while the water heats up and in the silence you could see a life for the two of you here. One where Judith could grow up, where Carl could sleep with both eyes closed, and where death wasn’t something you all had to be afraid of. And of course that was a life Daryl wanted to give you, but he couldn’t be sure this was where it was going to happen. “ Come on, join your wife in the shower and lets pretend my dads not in the other room “ You let out a smirk, ridding yourself of your clothes. He follows in suit before he watches you bask in the hot water with a peaceful smile. He wonders how you’re just so sure about this place, but joins you instead of asking. You hum in content as he wraps a arm around your frame and his eyes trace down the wet curls that cling to your back “ This place is going to be good for us “. Daryls eyes narrow at the back of your head “ Whys tha’ ? “.

“ It Just has to be “ You simply put. His free hand moves your hair to the side of your neck and he softly rubs your shoulder “ If it’s not? “. And like the grimes you are you reply “ I’ll make it “. You’re dead set on this being a home for those kids, but he doesn’t realize that it’s for you too. You lean your head back onto his chest and reveal those blue eyes of yours “ I know you’re skeptical and I don’t blame you, but I want this to work. I need this to work “. Just by the look on your face, Daryl knew he had to make sure this worked. Your face then twists the way it does when you’re thinking about something too hard and Daryls beginning to question the real reason you need this to place to work. “ I have to tell you something “ You sigh, turning in his arms so that you’re facing him. Whatever you have to tell him doesn’t seem to upset you much which gives Daryl a sense of relief, but when you cup his face in your hand he knows you’re trying to soften the blow.

He knows you well enough to know your tactics. “ Spit it out “ He urges you, causing you to smile softly. “ Ok.. ok, but just promise me you won’t freak out “. He gives you no such promise, but you expect as much “ You remember about six weeks ago when we got stuck in that wine cellar ? “. His eyebrows knit in confusion, of course he remembers. He can’t exactly forget the sight of you on top of him with a wine bottle in your hands. “ Yeah ? “ He questions you, trying to figure out what you’re trying to spell out for him. There’s flashes in his memory of your laughter and moans, but what did that have to do with anything? “ Well— uhm “ You didn’t know exactly how to tell him. You’ve never had to do this before, but this is what you get for thinking just one time without protection wouldn’t catch up with you. “ Y/N “ He gives you a impatient look. “ You’re going to be a dad “.

Everything clicks together in the hunters mind and he realizes why you’ve been trying so hard to stay positive. His eyes search your face before dropping to your stomach and then back to your face again “ Are you sure? “. He watches you nod “ Took three tests. I’m sure “. He tries to think when you disappeared to take a test, but it’s not what he needs to be concerned about at the moment. He watches you drawl your bottom lip between your teeth and it’s a rare sight to see you nervous. He vaguely thinks back to the prison when Carl thought you were pregnant and could only imagine how happy the kid would be now to be a uncle. “ Daryl? “ You bring from his thoughts, obviously wanting some type of reaction.

But he can’t find the words just yet. All he can see is that girl you were on top of the RV. The one who drew him in and could have any guy she wanted, but choose to love him. He doesn’t know how he got lucky enough to marry you let alone be the father of your children. “ You want this right? “ He finally asks. You’re now the confused one “ Of course I do. Loving you is the best thing I’ve ever done and this baby is a result of that. How could I not? “. There’s no mistaking the small smile that appears on his lips after hearing those words and you let a relieved smile of your own come through as he leans his head down on yours “ I love you “.

“ I love you “ You repeat before your lips reach his and the next moments are spent blissfully in the same fashion that created your child.

—-

You waited some time before announcing the news to your family, but after everyone adjusted to this new life you decided it was time. It’s not like people weren’t guessing it by now since Daryl pulled out a whole other level of protection on you. If you moved, he moved. And when Spencer had the nerve to hit on you, it took all of two seconds before Daryl put him on his ass. Alerting everyone that something had to be up. So, you gathered your loved ones around after dinner one night and held Judith happily on one hip “ I’ve actually got some news for you all “. This catches everyone’s attention and you smile back at Daryl who has a hand on your hip “ We actually have some news “. Your dad looks you up and down before setting his glass down, a curious smile on his face.

You have the feeling he already knows just from that look, but you say it aloud anyways “ We’re having a baby “. Smiles spread through the room, but it’s Carl who speaks first “ Really?!”. You nod at your little brother who wasn’t that little anymore and he excitedly rushes to hug you. He’s almost eye level with you, but you can still sit your head on his own “ It’s about time! “. This earns a laugh from your husband and your loved ones line up to congratulate you both. Your dad is next to hug you and you can see the tears in his eyes “ Oh dad “. He gives you a sappy smile before pulling you into his larger frame “ I wish your mom could see this “. You cling to his shirt as it brings tears to your own eyes, but you hold them in. This was supposed to be a happy moment.

“ You’re going to be a grand pa “ You laugh lightly into his shirt at the sound. Grandpaw Rick sounds so silly. Especially since you saw him bite some guys neck out. He reluctantly pulls away to laugh at the name, his eyes flickering to Daryl’s “ You two are making me feel old “. He then proceeds to hug Daryl as well and you couldn’t deny how right this all felt. Michonne is the next one to hold you and place a hand on your stomach even though there’s no bump there yet “ I was wondering when you were going to say something “. Maggie joins at your side and the three of you begin to talk about baby names as the guys seem to congratulate the father. But all Daryl could do is nod as they did, his actual attention on you as he watched you bounce Judith on your hip whilst you seem to glow at the idea of baby names. He never thought this would be his life. A girl like you was never supposed to fall for him and give him a family.

No one ever stayed long enough to show him he deserved a night like this. Only you did. You pushed past all of his walls and all of his defenses to bring him to this very moment. And Daryl was never one to believe in fate or soulmates, but as you stood there and managed to feel his eyes on you and give him a smile, he knew that he was wrong. It was typical of you to prove him wrong though so he shouldn’t be surprised. It was the Grimes in you.

But if he thought you were special and the most hard headed grimes he ever met, he had another thing coming when you’re daughter was born…

#DarylDixon #TWD #Y/N #Reader #Daryldixonfanfiction #fan fiction #the walking dead #zombies #love #daryl dixon imagine #daryl x oc #daryl x you #daryl x y/n #norman reedus #oc #imagines

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awkwardpenguinproductions · 4 years

Text

Anchor Point

Part 1 of the Dragon of the Yuyan

Read on AO3 | Series Masterpost

Someone asked me to post my Dragon of the Yuyan series on Tumblr as they were unable to access AO3. So here we are. I’m going to try and put a Read More cut after the first paragraph or so, let me know if this works or doesn’t work and I’ll adjust accordingly.

–––

Zuko has never been this hungry before. The scary thing is, he can’t really feel it anymore––his stomach has ceased sending shooting pains through his gut, has stopped gurgling and roaring in demand for sustanence. He can feel weakness nipping at his limbs like eel-hounds on the hunt, and his firebending grows weaker by the day.

He’d thought he'd been hungry when he’d missed three meals in a row after Azula had locked him in a closet when he was eleven. No one had realized that he was missing until dinnertime, and then Father had commanded him confined to his chambers without dinner in punishment for not taking the initiative to free himself--never mind that the door couldn't be opened at all except from the outside, and Zuko's fireblasts weren't yet strong enough to blow it open.

He hadn't slept that night, tossing and turning in his bed as his stomach growled fiercely, cursing Azula and promising himself that he'd never get caught like that again. The next morning, Uncle had met him at the training yards with a bowl of okayu, and Zuko had been so hungry that he hadn't even cared that he was eating food meant for babies and sick people.

He'd thought he'd been hungry then.

He knew now that that had been a simple inconvenience.

When he'd been dumped in the northwestern mountains of the Earth Kingdom, it had been early spring, his burn had been fresh and agonizing, and Zuko had known absolutely nothing about surviving in the wilderness. But desperation makes for quick learning, and by the height of summer, he was hunting and foraging enough to at least maintain his firebending, if nothing else.

Now, though…

It's miserably cold, and it feels like it's been raining for years. Zuko is soaked, and shivering, and hasn't had a successful hunt in two weeks. Anything he might forage is rotten with the wet. Sometimes the rain comes down as hard little pellets that sting his skin, and in the morning the forest shines with the coating of ice. Winter is a looming terror, but at this point, if something doesn't change, Zuko won't live long enough to see snow for the first time.

There is nothing for him here. He should move on while he can still move.

Walking is agony. If he tries to think in terms of distance, in terms of miles, he feels like curling up on the frozen ground and waiting for death, so instead he thinks in terms of getting from one tree to the next, in terms of putting one foot in front of the other. Exhaustion weighs on him, and his limbs shake.

Somehow, he makes it out of the forest, and face to face with the sea. He toys with the idea of simply walking into the water until it covers his head and letting La do with him what he will, until he spots a ship.

It's too far out to see him, and his inner fire is so smothered by the cold that it's barely embers in the yawning pit of his stomach, so he wouldn't be able to signal it. But he can follow it, and see where it makes port. Maybe he can beg or steal some rations to keep starvation at bay.

The ship (a Fire Nation Ironclad, which fills him with equal parts terror and hope) steams only a few miles north and docks at the foot of an enormous fort. Pohuai Stronghold, whispers the Crown Prince part of his mind. Supply and troop depot for forces stationed in the Earth Kingdom. If anywhere was going to have food, it would be this place. Now to get inside…

A road, a komodo-rhino-driven cart, and Zuko is hunkering down behind a crate in silence as it carries him past the three massive walls that he never would have managed to scale in the state he's currently in. Once the cart lurches to a stop, he manages to slip out and into the shadows without anyone seeing him, and creeps around until he finds a storeroom. It's full of uniforms and other clothes, and Zuko promises himself that once he finds some food, he'll return for some clothes that might actually keep him warm, instead of the ragged silk tunic and trousers he'd been dropped off in. He does snag a sack to carry whatever rations he manages to find.

The next storeroom contains weapons, and Zuko helps himself to a brand new utility knife and a blade-maintenance kit, since his dagger from Uncle has grown dull from months of being used to dress his kills. He eyes a pair of dao broadswords, but food is more important right now, and he moves on.

Finally, he finds the dry rations. It takes everything he has not to grab the nearest box and stuff his face, but he's already spent too long here and he needs to leave before he's caught. He fills his sack with three days worth, knowing that in his state, that amount will last him at least a week, and retraces his steps back to where he found the clothes.

But someone else finds him first.

The arrows thunk into the wall behind him through the sleeves of his tunic, pinning his arms without even scratching his skin. Zuko drops his sack in surprise and tries to pull free, but the risk of losing his only clothing with winter barreling down on him like a stampeding komodo-rhino is not one he wants to take. More arrows sink into the wall along his sides and legs, until Zuko can't move at all.

His heart races, and he can feel his scar pull as his eyes go wide, watching the five archers closing in on him. Zuko wonders if they'll return him to his father, to be dumped in the Capital Prison to rot or be killed outright for disgracing the Fire Lord and the Royal Family with his weakness, or if he'll be dumped back in the wilderness to starve or freeze to death. He has no doubt that the Fire Lord wants him dead, he's just so useless and pathetic that it's not even worth the effort of killing him himself or ordering his death. He looks at the five broad-headed arrows pointing at him, and a tiny part of himself thinks finally.

But they don't loose. The arrows slowly drift down to point at the floor, as the archers seem to actually look at him for the first time. One archer, a woman, actually loops her bow over her head and shoulder to free her hands. Her expression is hard as she makes signs and symbols that mean nothing to Zuko, but apparently have meaning for her comrades. One of the other archers, a young man, nearly drops his own bow in his haste to reply, his expression incredulous. The woman flings her hand at Zuko in a clear expression of "well look at him!", gritting her teeth at the young man who glares right back. The archer in the center of the formation, literally in the middle of the conversation, holds up both hands to stop it. This man is obviously the leader, as both the woman and the younger man subside immediately. The leader directs a hard look at the younger man, his hands moving furiously as he signs, then he turns to the rest of the archers and moves his hands some more. The woman looks satisfied, and the other two archers nod. Rope is produced, and Zuko is efficiently freed from the wall and trussed up like a Summer Solstice komodo-chicken before he can really register what is happening.

The archers take him to a room in the tall center tower of the Stronghold, empty except for a table. Zuko is forced to sit on one side of the table, flanked by a pair of archers, while the leader sits across from him, the woman standing at his right. The younger man is sent out of the room, and returns within a few minutes carrying paper and a writing set, which he sets in front of the leader before taking his place sullenly at his leader's side.

The leader writes something on a piece of paper and slides it across the table for Zuko to read. From his expression, Zuko thinks that the leader doesn't expect him to know how to read. Granted, Zuko hasn't seen a mirror in about six months, so he thinks it might be a reasonable assumption.

My name is Toshiaki, Troop Commander of the Yuyan Archers. Who are you, and how did you get into the Stronghold?

Zuko should've known. The Yuyan Archers are legendary throughout the Fire Nation for their skills, not only in archery but in all manner of stealth arts. He opens his mouth to reply, but the words stick in his throat as his scar burns and Commander Toshiaki is replaced with a vision of Father reaching out to him. He cringes back, only to jerk away when one of the Archers flanking him puts a hand on his shoulder. The dark iron walls, lit by red lamps, turn into the brig of the ship that had taken him out of the Fire Nation, and the hand on his shoulder turns into that of one of the sailors that had pushed him out of the tiny cell he'd spent the month-long journey in. The ropes binding his wrists turn into the metal handcuffs he wore when he was taken off the ship and dumped in the wilderness. His vision darkens as his breathing speeds up.

He comes to laid out on the floor of the room, the woman Archer and one of the other men, younger than either Commander Toshiaki or the grumpy one, peering at him worriedly. His head pounds, and his mouth is drier than the Si Wong Desert. The Archers seem to understand this, as the woman holds out a canteen. Zuko grabs it and hugs it to his chest, taking small sips and keeping his eyes fixed on the Archers in case they try to grab it from him. They back off, joining the two other Archers against the wall behind where Commander Toshiaki is still sitting across the table from him. Nothing else has changed, except that now there's a small bowl of okayu and another of applesauce placed beside the single sheet of paper that the Commander had written on, as well as a second writing set.

The bribe is obvious, but Zuko doesn't care. All of the water he's sipped in the last couple of minutes comes back to his mouth as he looks at the two bowls, and his hands shake as he reaches for the okayu. The first taste is pure enlightenment, and Zuko has to police himself brutally to avoid simply shoving his face in the bowl like an animal. He barely makes a dent in it before he has to stop, but he already feels steadier.

He picks up the brush and writes, My name is Zuko. I snuck in on a supply cart.

The hairless eyebrow Commander Toshiaki raises is eloquent in its skepticism, but the youngest Archer creeps up behind his commanding officer, reads over his shoulder, and when Commander Toshiaki turns to him with his mouth a flat line of annoyance, nods and signs rapidly. Commander Toshiaki blinks in surprise, then turns to Zuko with renewed interest. Zuko immediately shrinks back––experience has taught him that interest in him is not always a good thing.

Commander Toshiaki writes again. How old are you? Where's your family?

Thirteen, Zuko writes, then shakes his head and crosses it out, remembering that his birthday is in early autumn, and it's now the cusp of winter. Fourteen. And gone.

That he knows for certain. The entire reason he's even in this situation at all is because Father wanted to get rid of him, and his outburst in the war room and his weakness in the dueling arena gave him the perfect opportunity. Zuko doesn't know if he's been declared dead, or is simply being allowed to fade into obscurity, but either way he can't imagine anyone in the Royal Family looking for him. Uncle might, but then again, Zuko disobeyed him as well when he spoke out in the war room. Maybe Uncle's just as angry at him as Father is. The thought tears him even worse than the knowledge that Father hated him enough to leave him for dead like this. Azula is undoubtably exalting in the knowledge that she is now the Crown Princess.

Commander Toshiaki doesn't look surprised, merely resigned. The youngest Archer grins broadly, while the woman shoots him a sympathetic expression. The commander writes again.

You look like you could use a place to crash for a while, and it appears that we have some holes to plug in our security. How about an equal exchange? Food, a safe place to sleep, medical care, clothes appropriate for the weather, and education in our ways, for help finding and repairing security leaks, and eventually enlistment?

Zuko remembers Uncle trying to teach him pai sho, and informing him once with a tinge of repressed frustration that he "never thinks things through". But he's thinking now, and he can't really see any other options but to take the Commander's offer. It's either this, or prison for theft, or simply being booted out to freeze to death. And if he's perfectly honest with himself, he's always admired the Yuyan Archers, who are historically non-benders but still manage to be absolutely amazing to the point that any sane firebender would think twice about taking one on. If he can manage to learn even a little bit from them before they get tired of him and kick him out, he'll be so much better off.

He doesn't even bother picking up the brush again, but simply looks Commander Toshiaki in the eye and nods solemnly. The Commander nods back, and the youngest Archer grins broadly before gesturing to himself and making a sign. Zuko's pretty sure that he's trying to introduce himself, but as much as he admired the Yuyan Archers back when he was younger, he was never able to study their hand-language (only soldiers stationed here at Pohuai Stronghold get to learn it, and they're sworn to never teach it to anyone else). All he's able to do in return is shrug.

This doesn't seem to deter the youngest Archer, but the Commander holds up a hand to stop him. He then writes, It's getting late, and I want the base doctor to examine you before she goes off duty. We'll begin your instruction in our language tomorrow morning, after you've had a good night's sleep. Finish the okayu, and then we'll go.

Zuko needs no more urging, and slowly empties the bowl, barely stopping himself from licking it clean. It takes forever, and the grumpy Archer is scowling fiercely at him the entire time, but Zuko has endured over twelve years of Azula smirking at him, and is not at all phased.

After an awful examination by the Chief Medical Officer of the Stronghold, made so simply because it's been over six whole months since anyone touched him (and the last significant touch Zuko can remember is Father setting his face on fire), Zuko finds himself handed a stack of clothing and directed to a cot in the back corner of the dormitory where the Yuyan Archers are quartered. The young Archer, whom the CMO had called Kai, has his bunk right next to Zuko's, and accompanies him to the men's bathing room. They scrub down together in silence, and Zuko would feel incredibly awkward about it if he wasn't so damn tired. His stomach is full for the first time in weeks, and all he wants to do now is scrub himself down, have a good hot soak, and put on clothes that aren't filthy and ragged and so wet that they suck the heat right out of him. He and Kai share the ofuro, with the older boy keeping a respectful distance, until Zuko nearly falls asleep and Kai chivvies him out.

They get dressed, and Zuko can't stop stroking the simple hemp cloth, thick and warm but so soft. The silks he'd been dropped off in had obviously been grabbed from his wardrobe before he'd been removed from the palace, probably by a well-meaning servant, but they'd done very little to keep him warm, and had torn at the slightest touch of a tree branch. Hemp cloth is usually worn by commoners and soldiers, and for good reason––it's incredibly durable, if you take care of it right, warm in cold weather and breathable in hot. Zuko is never ever wearing silk again.

Kai practically has to drag Zuko back down the hall to the dorm, where he collapses on his cot with a sigh. Someone drapes a blanket over him, and he rolls in place like a catgator until he's wrapped up in it like an eggroll. He can feel Kai and the other Archers laughing at him, even if he can't hear it, but he gives exactly zero fucks, and is asleep between one breath and the next.

★ | Next

#atla #atla fanfic #awkpenproductions presents #dragon of the yuyan #part 1 anchor point #full text post

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ftcoye · 4 years

Note

congrats on 200 followers!! I'd like to request Wen Qing/YanLi ,, u know just some soft lesbians. To be more specific lmao, could you write a soft reunion of sorts? Thank youuuu

[Ao3 Link.]

“Um… excuse me?” Jiang Yanli turns, and there is one of the youngest disciples. Recruits have been coming in and she hasn’t been able to acquaint herself with every single new member of the Jiang sect, but she’s met this one before. The second youngest shidi of the current boy, a quiet little boy that turns a furious red every time she so much as looks at him.

(It makes her think of other young shidis, lost to the Wens and their slaughter, and her heart aches.)

“Yes?” she asks, smiling and trying to seem welcoming, and right on cue his cheeks burn. “How can I help you, shidi?”

She’s still coaxing them to call her shijie – A-Xian remains the only one to call her such, even though she wishes he would call her jiejie. Her shidi doesn’t look at her, his hands curling uncertainly in his purple robes, staring at the water from the corner of his eye. “Um…” he says quietly, “There’s… someone asking for you…”

That’s a surprise. She frowns, just a little. “Do you know who?”

He shakes his head. “A lady… she said she was your friend.”

Ah. Such a thing explains why he hadn’t alerted her brothers, if it was a woman. But… who…? Yanli tends to make friends wherever she goes, but she typically remains primarily surface-level. Not because she does not care about them, nor that she has not desired to make true friends, but…

It is an unfortunate habit, and family has always come first.

“Thank you for telling me,” she tells her shidi sweetly, giving him a smile. “I will greet them.”

He bounces lightly from foot to foot, anxious. “Should… should I escort you…?”

Yanli wishes that she knew him well enough to draw him into her arms – were he one of the shidis from before, one of the members of her sect from before all were slaughtered, she would have, but… it is best to not think of that. Instead, she shakes her head. “No, I will be fine,” she says, seeing him relax a little. “But…” Yanli taps her finger on her chin. “Aren’t you supposed to be practicing archery right now?”

He pales and then his face blotches red, clearly having not expected her to stay on top of the training schedules. “I- I- I’ll go do that right now!” He stammers, bowing and sprinting off as she does her best not to giggle.

She doesn’t quite succeed, but at least she manages to hold it in until he’s out of earshot.

Now, to see her visitor. Yanli ponders over it as she heads to the front, wondering who it could be. If it were someone from one of the larger sects, whom she had known at Gusu, perhaps, there is no reason they wouldn’t announce their name and be properly escorted in. But someone who did not declare herself as such, and was waiting for Yanli alone…?

Yanli is not unintelligent, and given those she would have counted among friends, and those who could have reason to keep quiet about and yet come seek her out regardless….

“Wen Qing,” Yanli greets her as she approaches, and the hooded woman looks up. She looks… absolutely awful. Her cheeks are hollow from hunger, her hair a mess from what Yanli can see, her robes and cloak dirty and torn in several places.

“Jiang Yanli,” she says, and then her eyes widen and she fumbles. “Or… forgive me, I-“ They are not equals anymore, Yanli realizes, but it matters little to her.

She steps forward quickly and takes the other woman’s hands in her own, giving them a gentle squeeze even as Wen Qing jerks and swallows, but lets them stay. “Jiang Yanli is fine,” she tells her gently. “I am glad to see you.”

And in fact, she is – she would say it is glad to see Wen Qing doing well, but she is clearly not, so Yanli will have to be content with the simple matter that she is glad the other woman is alive. There were so many deaths in the Sunshot Campaign, on both sides, and she is achingly glad that Wen Qing is not among the fallen.

Wen Qing swallows sharply again and then she is gripping Yanli’s hands right back, a fierce determination in her eyes. “I am here to beg for your help,” she says. “It is my family.”

Oh, no. Yanli can’t help the concern that swells up in her, even more than before. “What happened?” she asks, and she gently tugs on Wen Qing’s hands, taking a step back and intending to pull the woman with her – but she remains rooted to the spot, gaze steady.

“They’re disappearing,” she says, intent and unwavering. “Murdered or taken – I don’t know which. My cousin’s son and his caretaker, our grandmother, were the most recent.”

Yanli’s brow furrows very slightly. “But… Lanling Jin said they were just going to contain the cultivators,” she says. In hindsight, she realizes with a lurch of guilt, they were very, very vague and that would most certainly contain the woman before her. She should have spoken up, then – should have asked for Wen Qing and Wen Ning to be put underneath Jiang protection, as well as anyone they needed to bring with them.

Wen Qing pushes forward. “Lanling Jin lied,” she says. “It isn’t just cultivators – it’s every Wen, no matter how young and no matter how old.” Her lip curls slightly. “Nor do I think they are simply containing them.”

It is a blow – it is a terrifying blow, a terrifying thought. If Lanling Jin has lied about only cultivators… Between Jin Guangshan and Wen Qing, Yanli knows who she will trust more. It is not even slightly in question. She squeezes Wen Qing’s hands and nods fiercely. “Yes,” she says, even though Wen Qing had never actually asked a question. “Of course I will help.” Surely, even if Lanling Jin is lying, the other sects do not know…!

A horrifying thought strikes her, then. “Your brother?” Because they are a pair, and yet he is not here!

Fortunately, Wen Qing relaxes just a little bit at that and shakes her head. “Don’t worry,” she says. “He’s fine. We thought…” She grimaces a little. “If he approached with me, we would have been directed to your brother, instead.”

In truth, it makes sense – Yanli is unwed, and for a strange man to be requesting an audience with her, even if he is accompanied by a woman, when that woman will not in turn identify herself either… no, they likely would have been directed to Jiang Cheng.

Yanli wishes she could say that Jiang Cheng would have heard them out, would have listened to them, but she knows her stubborn little brother and he may not have.

He will listen, though, to her.

“Is he in town?” she asks. “Should we get him?” Yanli cannot imagine they are far apart – were this the situation, she doubts she could leave her brothers, even if it was what made sense.

“Actually…” Wen Qing glances down, and then she pushes forward, holding Yanli’s hands and being gentle as she does so, moving them a few steps. Yanli does as she is directed, taking a few steps back even as she is confused. “A-Ning, you can come out.”

There’s a splashing noise from under the dock, and then Yanli’s mouth drops open as Wen Qionglin steps out from underneath it, the water shallow enough that it comes up to his shoulders when he draws himself up fully. He reaches out, grabbing hold of the dock, and hauls himself up, arms trembling slightly but managing it. He’s completely soaked through, his robes and hair completely sodden as he drips all over the pier, but that doesn’t stop him from giving a bow. “Lady Jiang,” he greets, voice soft, and Yanli is completely flabbergasted.

“How- How long were you under there?” she asks. “Why?”

Wen Qing looks at her, relaxed enough to give her a slightly unimpressed look. “I wasn’t going to leave him behind, not when this is going on,” she says, which is exactly what Yanli had been thinking but moments earlier so she’s not going to argue with that. “But it’s not like there’s anywhere else to hide here.”

She is, again, not wrong, but Yanli is an older sister too and so she instinctively goes to fretting. “Oh, you must be so cold! I’m sure some of A-Xian’s robes will fit you – and some of mine will fit you as well, Wen Qing. Please, come with me.”

“Thank you,” says Wen Qionglin softly. Wen Qing lets go of one of Yanli’s hands to offer the other to her brother and he takes it.

They make an interesting trio, as they walk through Lotus Pier. Yanli, holding hands with the exhausted, hollow-cheeked and dirty Wen Qing, who holds hands with the dripping wet Wen Qionglin. It is both fortunate and unfortunate that not all of her shidis are at practice. Unfortunate, because it means they witness this event – it cannot stay quiet, and it will spread quickly.

Fortunate, though, because Yanli stops the first disciple she sees. “Gather up a few other disciples,” she tells him. “I need two baths drawn up in my room, and someone to fetch some of the pork buns from the kitchens, please.”

“Lady Jiang,” Wen Qionglin says, in a polite-but-protesting manner, and Yanli throws her best ‘I am your older sister and you WILL listen to me’ look his way, which she typically has very little need to practice. Fortunately, practiced or not, it is enough to make him stop, and Wen Qing snorts.

“Thank you,” she says instead, and Yanli turns a smile upon her, squeezing her hand.

“Of course,” she says, because there is no question about her doing such.

They stop by A-Xian’s room before they reach her own, and Yanli leaves the door open as she steps inside the messiness. It is a little worrisome, in that while A-Xian has always been messy he has never been… like this, and she worries greatly for both her brothers every day. Still, he has clean robes put away, and she plucks some out for Wen Qionglin to wear. Her brother is maybe just a little taller, so they should fit him well.

Without even thinking about it, she takes Wen Qing’s hand again when she shuts the door behind her, and leads on.

Her shidis are good – they work fast, probably scampering as fast as they can, and the three of them are slow. Yanli has never been a fast walker, and Wen Qing and Wen Qionglin do not seem to have the ability to move quickly. She wonders how long it has been since they properly ate or rested, and the thought sends a pang through her.

Either way, it means by the time she has led them to her rooms, her shidi are just finishing up. They bow quickly. “Is- Is there anything else you need, Lady Jiang?” the older one asks, eyes wide as he glances at her two companions.

“Could you tell Sect Leader Jiang to meet me here?” she requests, and he nods, both of the children off like two arrows, hurrying as fast as they can without running.

Yanli smiles at their backs, but Wen Qing is the one who speaks up. “You have rebuilt this place well,” she says, her voice soft.

Ah. Yes. “Thank you,” she says. She sets A-Xian’s clothes on her bed, going to her wardrobe to pull out some clothes for Wen Qing as well, and then ensures that both the towels and her privacy screen are at hand, should they need the latter. She moves quickly – the baths are steaming, and they should get in while they are warm.

“Is there anything else I can get for you?” she says, as she shows them where her shidi have set up tea and pork buns on the table.

Wen Qing shakes her head. “Thank you,” she says, and she seems to struggle with her words. “I… You’re doing a lot for us. Thank you.”

Yanli abandons decorum and draws her into a tight hug. Wen Qing is surprised, but then hugs her right back, just as fiercely. “You have done a lot for me as well,” she says simply, quietly, her mouth right by the other’s ear. “What are friends for?”

When Wen Qing pulls back, she is perhaps a little misty-eyed – Yanli allows her her pride and does not comment. “Friends,” Wen Qing agrees as well.

“Thank you, Lady Jiang,” says Wen Qionglin, watching the two with a smile on his face, and he bows again. Yanli would hug him, but he is very, very wet right now.

“Jiang Yanli is fine,” she tells him, and though he nods, she doubts he will call her such immediately. It will likely take more persuasion. “I will be right outside. Let me know when you are finished.”

And with that, she leaves them to it, shutting the door behind her and then leaning against the wall next to it with a slight sigh. This will be… difficult, she thinks. Quite hard, and yet… can she do anything else?

A-Cheng rounds the corner. “Jiejie,” he says, and his eyes are narrowed, angry with concern as he reaches out for her hands to hold them. “Are you alright? Who did you bring here, what’s going on?”

She loves her brother, in his angry care, his fierce comfort, and when she wraps her arms around him he doesn’t hesitate to hold her back. “It is Lanling Jin,” she says, because it is probably the best place to start. “They have lied to use, they…”

A-Cheng squeezes her, careful but firm. “Tell me everything,” he says, and Yanli does.

#wen qing #jiang yanli #yanqing #qingyan #wen ning #wen qionglin #mdzs #nessarinthegay

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tcthetouch · 4 years

Text

@mapleviewstarters

𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑, 𝚜𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚢 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚔 – 𝚜𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑 ... 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝚍𝚘𝚐𝚜 .

『 nicole kidman. forty-eight. cis woman. she/her. 』 oh heavens, is that CORA WHITWORTH from FAIR LANE i see roaming around mapleview? minnie may’s always calling them -DECEITFUL & -MATERIALISTIC. i happen to think they’re not that bad! they’re a pretty cool FORMER MADAM, CURRENT... “ACCOUNTANT” and every time i’ve seen them, they’ve always been +NURTURING & +RESOURCEFUL. i hope i see them around again! 『 may. 21.est. she/her. 』

did her parents name her after cora taylor ? no, kae and i just decided they’re dumb enough to name all their kids ‘c’ names. did i, trying to come up with ‘c’ names, name her after cora taylor ? yes.

background

triggers: prostitution (anything triggering that often goes with it is either very very skimmed over or not mentioned at all), pimping, possessiveness (is that the right word to use)/implied abuse?, drugs/briefly mentioned accidental fatal overdose (but if it makes it better the dude sucked)

honestly ? the triggers may imply there were worse things that happened in cora’s life, but... no. the worst thing that happened in her life was being born to the whitworths. not because they were like... jerks. but because they named everyone ‘c’ names. THAT’S THE REAL TRAGEDY IN THIS STORY.

Also. The first half of this intro is :\ a downer :\ but the second half is * thumbs up emoji * * money emoji * like the tone change is AMAZING.

Anyway, on the topic of the Whitworths, they weren’t bad parents! But they also weren’t stupendous parents! They were just largely… not around. So where Clara filled the love she wished to get with… flowers, Cora was like “I will try to fill mine with validation from external forces and… I don’t know, maybe adventure? Probably not.

Also scorpio sun, taurus moon bc astrology?? Ugh we luv it.

So she was decent. But she was bored. She wanted to do something interesting, not just mope around in their small town with the very few subcultures they had.

When she was 18, she decided that the small town life was simply Not For Her. much like my boy stephen crane, she wanted to actually study humanity. She packed up, of all places she could’ve “studied humanity,” she chose Washington, D.C.

But… you see… when you don’t have funds, a consistent source of income, or… really anymore than $20… you’re gonna study humanity SO WELL. Like, she was so set up to really study and experience humanity!

Let it be known… her parents obviously weren’t awful enough to be like “yes, go stay with questionable figures! you reap what you sow!” - no, they just… forgot!

A few people who she did not know offered a couch for the night. It was through various experiences among these folks, along with some general strange advice, that Cora realized she could enter a silently booming industry: sex work. The people she stayed with were usually very familiar with where the nearest red light districts were, some familiar with how to best tell undercover cops from regular johns. So she took this into serious consideration. She was still young – it seemed like a viable option, right? Easy money!

Turns out… it wasn’t! There are some strange people out there, aren’t there?

However, it did temporarily provide enough funds for Cora to rent a dingy little apartment. Until this one night when a man brought her back – but instead of proposing sex, as was obviously expected, he proposed a different idea: she join his ‘club.’ There’d be more protection, the pay would be even more lucrative, she’d have somewhere better to live within a matter of months… so, god, dear god, it didn’t take much thought for her to take him up on the offer.

Of course, he was a pimp. So… you know, things weren’t actually much better, but the clientele were richer! He didn’t lie about that part!

After around a year of captivity being pimped, this man took further interest in her as she became one of the more popular choices amongst his girls. He simply couldn’t let the star only be had by rich clientele! Yes, he slept with plenty of his girls, but she became favored as he began treating her as more of a girlfriend (with a creepy age different) who… you know, he still pimped out!

Being ‘closer’ to him was both advantageous and detrimental. Advantageous in that she witnessed more of the business side and various clients were rejected, detrimental in that… having to spend so much time with him, he introduced her to a world that was even worse. In spite of where she’d been for so many years by that point, she never really thought of drugs or gambling or anything else the underbelly provided other than sex work. But he introduced her to that side.

I’ll go easy on this, but… drugs. Period.

After another year of what seemed like something inescapable, now made worse, the best possible thing happened: he overdosed.

Y’all, we’re mostly out of the downer part of the intro!

With the money she’d gained being one of his stars, as well as that extra money he offered to keep her near, she knew what she had to do. Like… after a while, but we can skip that probably three-month-long gap: start her own brothel!

Using the money she’d received, she rented out a cheap empty building in one of the cheap red light districts. As far as most were concerned, what was once a bar was being converted into a nightclub. Which was, of course, a lie. A good front.

On the verge of bankruptcy by the time it was ready, she was most certainly desperate! But, lucky for her, one of the girls from her old pimp’s bordello followed her in. Soon enough, word spread amongst the community she’d once been so distant from – soon enough, her “nightclub” was filling up.

She would always have to pay thanks to the dead pimp, in a way. Had it not been for him and for how possessive he’d become, she wouldn’t have had a single clue on how to actually run it. And while she was still rocky at first, she gradually became better and better until she was on equal footing with other madams or pimps and was able to gauge clientele just as well.

In addition, had it not been for him, she wouldn’t have realized what was missing! Condoms were provided and deemed a necessity (although, to be fair, it wasn’t as though she knew everything that happened behind doors), the rooms that existed within the “nightclub” were listened to as well as possible to prevent violence (but rooms in other places? hotels, houses? nothing could be ensured, only hoped for - and hoped to be reported if anything happened so the client could be turned away), etc., etc. Ultimately, her girls were more her surrogate daughters – no matter how close or distant in age – than her paychecks.

But lmao she still took a hefty cut of their pay – a whole-ass 55% – less than what her pimp took, but still a LOT for performing no actions. And ss the brothel became more and more popular, that was SO DAMN MUCH. Just per WEEK, really!!

Everything was going so well!! For ten years, the brothel ran with minimal police interference. There were attempts at take-downs, but the brothel began to work like a well-oiled machine – true proof became rather difficult to find.

Until it wasn’t. Until they were clearly closing in. Until Cora was barely getting out by the skin of her teeth. If she and her girls were arrested… not only would they go to jail and all, but all of that money and all of that time? Wasted.

So she handed the keys over to the first girl who would take them – luckily, the girl she would never tell the others was the star (but… the others knew). Her official excuse? She was returning to North Carolina due to a family emergency (one that didn’t exist). If she just randomly fled, she’d certainly be guilty!

Catching word that Clara had wound up in Mapleview, Cora decided to lie low in the small town herself.

And yes, I made the TikTok meme real. Yes, she’s an “accountant.”

Only not really, she doesn’t use OnlyFans. Whenever she’s “commuting” to that place accountants work… she’s in some one town or another in the mountains, scouting talent. will there be a “nightclub” in mapleview soon?? actually probably not bc it’s so small. but one nearby?? YES!!

Old habits die hard!

But May, she may’ve been able to live off of the madam money for a few years, but it must’ve run out by now?

You’re right! I’m currently doing more research into this, but some years ago, she bought out and now owns a nightclub in Asheville!

But May, isn’t that a little far away to be there everyday? And what about her plans? And why would she still have to say she’s an accountant if being a nightclub owner isn’t taboo?

She has hired a manager she trusts greatly and goes down there to oversee things in person perhaps only twice a week! The manager reports to her!

The manager also knows of her plans and aids her in scouting talent! And she does have dirt on the manager as a backup!

And, considering what the club will be turned into, it’s best to keep it mum!

Honestly there are some other things I want to say, but I just remembered Tumblr’s read-more feature broke :)

tl;dr

(consult trigger list! much lighter in this portion but jic!) born to whitworths who weren’t awful parents but also weren’t stupendous parents i think they just sometimes forgot they were parents! decided to pull a stephen crane and go “study humanity” instead of like… go to college or enter the workforce… wound up in d.c. without much money. ppl in the sus districts were like “omg stay with me! s2g nthn creepy j offering a hand!” which was mostly true! some were like “sex work is lucrative.” she was like “omg ur right.” a young cora became a streetwalker. around 21, one of the johns was like “hi im not actually a john im a pimp do u want to be pimped it’s really cool.” and she was like “omg ya.” but he was pinocchio :\ that being said i feel like i shld mention that while this particular sex work wasn’t necessarily clean, guy at least made testing a thing. some years pass and he’s like “ur great im gonna act like ur my gf and that i’m the only person in ur world but also u still have to sleep w these guys bc i do love money.” good thing about that was that she overheard some of the business talk. bad thing was that he sucked and also liked even seedier things. some years go by and seedier things kill him tho! now catch cora, late 20s or early 30s idk, being like “well with this money… oh wow i have an idea.” was like “gonna convert this cheap empty place into a brothel i mean nightclub.” was almost broke after that but one of the pimp’s girls was like “wait i’ll come along!” soon had a lot of ppl. soon became successful and was actually as humane as a brothel cld be!! evaded the police narrowly, but evaded them. they started rly closing in at one point tho so she was like “oh no family emergency in nc here my best girl i mean u, girl, u r now in charge idk how that works my pimp just died.” went to mapleview. is an “accountant” and by “accountant” i mean that tiktok meme only more extreme bc she’s being a talent scout. old habits… die hard…

personality/misc.

if this bitch ain’t able 2 make her own way,,,, idk who is. (after moving to dc bc u kno financial status in boone wasnt awful or anything) real rags to riches story. benjamin franklin wld be so proud. she found the way to wealth.

probs sleeps on silk sheets covered in rose petals??

tbh tho?? absolute contradiction. manages 2 care a lot and also not care at all. rly depends on where the person stands. rly depends on the relatability. wld probs be a good mom but has no plans of becoming one!!!!!!!! too busy being an accountant!!!!!!

what,, is trust?? what,, is love?? (baby don’t hurt me)

i’m flying by the seat of my pants rn i suddenly got v distracted but!! maybe more will be added when tumblr FIXES ITS DAMN SELF.

connection ideas:

well we got the rest of her siblings over on the npc page and honestly w how different it seems clara and cora turned out,,,, wld be so curious 2 learn wtf everyone else is doing. r they being normal or r they also wilding??? j in different ways??? (0/2)

i’m hesitant to say someone she’s a parental figure to bc honestly,,, those exhaust me sometimes ahfdslk,,, but!! u kno what someone she’s ironically a good influence on (0/2?)

she got a mostly friendly front but bitch!! someone she’s a bad influence on!! (0/2)

some current or past flings (any gender, but keeping age in mind, past wld be like 43+ pls,,,current like 40+?) (0/?)

if anyone lived in boone, some old friends from boone (0/?)

if anyone lived in dc, some ppl she knew in dc (0/?)

also always up for brainstorming or j working off of chemistry!!

feel free to like this or hmu if you’d like to plot !

#mapleviewintro #cora .#cora | intro .#IM SO SORRY THIS IS SO LONG AND THE READ MORE IS BROKEN IM SO SORRY.#IM VERBOSE.#also i feel like i shld make it known somewhere that i spent. most of the day yesterday researching this career so i can get it as #right as i can w/out having firsthand experience and that's j 2 say. if i ever fuck up. i am deeply sorry.

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ironspiidey · 4 years

Text

Good Intentions

Hey dudes, so my MH has been awful lately and I’ve been struggling with alot. @cagestark was there for me these past few days and helped me feel so so much better.

I cannot thank you enough for letting me rant and not making feel dumb so as a thanks my brain created this.

WIS work in progress

"Anthony Edward Stark!" Pepper growls as she walks into his lab.

Tony ignores her and keeps soldering the circuit board

"Don't ignore me! I've had just enough of you." Pepper stops in front of him, tapping her foot in irritation on the tile floor.

"Whatever it is, I didn't do it. "

"Tony."

"Okay if I did to it, it wasn't my fault. It was Rhodey's idea!"

"Don't bring my fiance into this. This is all your fault and your going to be fixing it. I was hoping without my help but at this rate your going to need me and Natalie and maybe even Bruce."

That made his eyebrows raise in curiosity " You and them? What the hell did I do?"

"This is what you did." Pepper tossed a StarkPad across the countertop.

Tony lifted his head and put down his tools as he pressed play on the video on screen.

"Brucie man I don’t know what to tell you. I’m a lone wolf and no cute, sweet omega will change that!" Tony took a drink of his scotch.

Bruce eyed him curiously for a moment "Not even your sweet, cute intern?"

Tony gave him a pointed look "I don't what it is about me and Peter but drop it. He's a kid. I’m supposed to be his mentor."

"Supposed to? So that means you DO have feelings for him. Nat owes me 20 bucks."

"You betted on this?"

"Not the point. So, you do have feelings for him?"

" That isn’t the point. Regardless of how I feel, even if I didn’t mentor him since he was 14, Peter does not need an old wore out superhero for a boyfriend."

"And now I owe Bucky 20. Tony, don't you think you should let Peter make his own mind up? He's not 14 anymore."

"No, you’re right. He isn't 14. He's 19. A college student. I only just convinced him to take his second year at MIT. If I say anything he's going to try and get back in NYU to be closer and the universe has done enough to stall and fuck with his future. Peter deserves the best and I sure as shit aint it." without another word, Tony downed what was left of his scotch and headed for the door.

"Tony you don't have to bolt out of the room."

"I do if you’re going to keep bringing up Peter because I'll be blue in the face until you get the fact it will never ever happen between us."

"I won’t say another word, just sit down."

Tony eyed him suspiciously

"What? Okay on one condition. You grab me a beer."

Tony rolled his eyes but walked over to the bar, pouring himself another then grabbing Bruce his beer. Just as he tossed it to the other man Natalie came storming into the living room.

"What the fuck Stark?!"

Pepper paused the video. "Get it now?"

Tony sighed "I don't know what you want from me Pep. You know as well as I do, I'm better off by myself."

"No. You’re afraid. Just like you were afraid of being happy with me. Then when you were afraid of being a father. Who helped you through that Tony?"

"Pepper..."

"Who was it Tony? Tell me."

"Peter okay!" Tony stormed off

"Don't you dare walk away from me!" Pepper followed him "When are you going to wake up Tony? You've changed and become more of the decent man I knew you could be and as much as I am loathe to admit it, that is because of Peter. You have a chance here, to finally be with someone that is your equal and you’re going to ruin it if you don't get your head out of your damn asshole!"

Tony swallowed. "I fucking know okay? but just because Peter is great for me doesn't mean I'm great for him."

Pepper sighed "If you didn't make him happy, he wouldn't have been crying on Bucky's shoulder for the past week. If you don't do something soon, he may just sweep Peter up himself."

At that Tony's head whips around and gave Pepper a pointed look. "Your bluffing."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Why would I bluff about that? Friday? Can you project the living room feed from last Tuesday, around early evening?"

"Of course."

A projection appears on the left wall facing Tony of the living room of the Avengers wings.

"Good god Bucky. I was so fucking dumb."

"Peter no, not even close." Bucky walks over to the window where the younger man was standing. "Stark will always be Stark and if he isn’t ready for commitment that has nothing to do with you."

"But you weren't there. You didn’t hear him. How casual he sounded."

"Not that I'm defending him, but he didn't know you were there, maybe just maybe he was putting up a front to Banner?"

Peter sniffed. "I don't think so, Bruce isn't like that. He was annoyed that he was being pestered about us and made it noticeably clear it would never happen. So instead of being a stupid lovesick teenager, I'm a stupid lovesick adult."

Bucky squeezed Peter's shoulder. "Don't talk like that. You're not stupid. He is. You’re a catch Peter and if he can't see that well that's his loss."

“I don’t see how any of this-“

"Show us 4 days ago same room, same time." Pepper cut him off.

"God now he's ignoring me Bucky!" Peter paced back and forth across the room

"Will you please sit down? your making me nauseous." Bucky gestured to the couch across from the chair he was currently in.

Peter sighed as he practically threw himself down on the couch. "Ignoring me. Bucky he never ever does that. "

"Tony ignores everybody at least once a week."

"But not me." Peter pointed out. "He found out I heard him. he must have." Peter's voice started to break the end.

"Pete c'mon that's probably a coincidence."

Peter glared at the super solider "Yeah because Tony would randomly ignore me for the first time in 4ish years days after I heard him say he would never ever be with me no matter what."

"Now your exaggerating. Peter you guys were literally snuggling last week during movie night. He wouldn’t do that if he wasn’t interested."

"Well clearly not interested enough."

"Okay. Ready for the next one?"She asked as the clip ended.

Tony rolled his eyes "Haven't you shown me enough? I get it. Peter is hurting but that doesn’t change a thing."

"Exactly my point, this last one though, with any luck will pull your head out of your ass. Ready?"

Tony looked at her in confusion. "Fine."

"Okay Friday, show us Movie Night, 7pm."

"Okay guys ready?" Steve asked, standing in front of the room scanning to make sure everyone was here.

"No, Peter and Tony aren’t here yet."

"Yeah well it was about time that Tony would start ditching again." Clint said as he grabbed some of Nat’s popcorn.

"I'll go find Peter, one sec." Nat handed Clint the bowl and headed down the hall. Returning a few minutes later with Peter trailing behind her, looking for a seat.

"Don’t even think about it Peter." Clint grinned, stretching out like a cat on the sofa which made Nat roll her eyes.

"I can move him if you want Peter." Nat said, leaning towards his legs.

Before Peter could respond, Bucky padded the cushion next to him on the loveseat "C'mon over Pete."

Peter smiled and nodded, "Thanks but I’ll just sit by Buck." Nat raised her eyebrow but said nothing.

"Okay we good? Can we start?" Steve asked, started the movie and quickly sitting down when no one objected.

Bucky laid his arm down on the back of the coach, whispering something in Peter's ear which made him giggle. Peter looked to the door for a few minutes before his shoulders sagged and he leaned into the other man as he got comfortable. Smacking his flesh arm and gave him a look at whatever Bucky had said, his voice lower than the movie.

Tony squinted at the feed even after it stopped. After 5 minutes of him being silent Pepper spoke up.

"So?"

"Tony?"

"Tony!!" Pepper practically shouted

He shook his head and turned to her. "Uh sorry what?"

"Did that perhaps hit a nerve?"

"Nerve? No. "

Pepper just looked at him for a few minutes, it was clear he needed a few moments to process what he just saw.

"They use nicknames now?"

Pepper rolled her eyes "That's what your taking out of this?"

"Bucky never called Peter by anything other than Little Spider or Parker... And what’s with Peter calling him Buck?"

"Well I think its best I just leave you to brainstorm why your love interest is calling Captain Americas ex-boyfriend nicknames." Her heels clicking as she crossed the room heading for the elevator.

"Wait Pepper. What was the point? how is this anything to do with me?"

Pepper turned from her spot in the doorway “Well if you didn't hide out in here and yes that’s exactly what you were doing. Peter would have been snuggled up to you instead of the super solider."

"That’s what he was looking at, he was disappointed I wasn’t there!" By the time Tony spoke again Pepper was long gone and he was left to his own devices.

"Fri?"

"Yes Boss?"

"Lock down the lab, we need to work that last video and amplify the sounds while lowering the volume of the surround sound. "

"Activating Do not Disturb protocol, Keep current exception list of Ms. Potts. Rhodey, Mr. Banner and Peter?"

Tony sighed. "Since when have you referred to him as Peter? Who added him to the exception list without my permission?"

"Would you rather i refer to him as Petey? Petey Pie or perhaps Spiderling?"

Tony chuckled. "Peter is fine. How did he end up on the exception list?"

"As per my programming sir. The algorithms showed you and Peter have an active role in each other’s lives, physically and online. It was only fitting to add him to the list. Should I remove him now that its changed?"

"Changed? " Tony questioned his AI

"Peter has not been in the lab or Avenger corridors at the same time as you in the last week, you haven't contacted each other online either. There seems to be lack of interacting in the last week. "

"Who is on Peter's exception list?"

" Ms. Widow, Ned Leeds, Bucky Barnes and yourself Sir."

"Ms. Widow?"

"As per Peter's instructions I was to refer to his contacts as Ms. Widow, Ned Leeds, Bucky Barnes and Tones."

Tony felt a smile creep up on his face at Peters chosen nickname. "No nickname for the super soldier?"

"Negative Boss. Shall Peter stay on your protocol?"

"Yeah but change Rhodey to Platypus and Peter to Petey Pie. It has a ring to it doesn't it?"

"It does sir, very fitting for him. Shall I alert to Ms. Potts You’ve made progress?"

"Don’t you dare. Now back to amplifying the sounds excluding the movie please?"

"Yes sir."

#winterstarker #wis in progress #wis #pre wis #pre starker #tony is an ass #peter is sad #bucky gives good hugs #good intentions #fic for cage #cage is queen #fucking love her #fanfic #wip #wis wip #my fanfic #ironspiidey writes

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rosesandlavendertea · 5 years

Text

Relationships in TPN

I really like how Kaiu Shirai has depicted Ray and Emma’s current relationship with Norman. Yeah, they still love him and are glad to have him back, but there is still a certain level of detachment, and the way the author has gone about writing it is amazing.

See, the thing is, they’ve already grieved him. They are ecstatic that he is not really dead, but they’ve had two years to get over this loss. They’ve spent two years going through their own trials together that he is not a part of. They have developed their own views on how the world works because they’ve been in completely different circumstances.

Norman is angry and bitter and has developed quite a messiah complex due to his own experiences since Grace Field. We already saw hints of said complex back then, but nothing compared to now. We also always saw his desire to protect his friends, no matter the cost, but back then, he was willing to listen to Emma’s opinions. He trusted her judgement because he knew she balanced him out (also, he’s in love with her, but we’ll get back to that), but now he completely goes with his own opinions and morals, without even stopping to pay attention to what others may think. Yeah, he already did that back at Grace Field (escape arc), but still: genocide? Seriously, dude? I knew his moral compass was set firmly to to chaotic neutral/neutral good and, but that’s kind of messed up.

Back then, it was Ray going over Emma’s head and Norman being her supporter, but that dynamic has changed. They’ve gone from a group of three close individuals who grew up in the same environment but had differing ideals to two close partners and a close friend whom they’ll never see the same because they spent two years thinking he was dead and when they do see him alive and well, they find out he’s been planning genocide. That kind of changes a person’s perspective on someone.

Ray was slightly detached from his friends growing up because his experiences were different. He spent his childhood watching his siblings be led to death and not being able to do anything about it. He shouldered the burden of the knowledge of the true nature of their world alone, and while he loved his friends dearly, he matured in a way that they didn’t. When he finally got to go through the same experiences as the rest of his peers,for the first time in his life he got to be on equal footing with those he loved. You can see it with how open he is with his family after the escape arc compared to how closed off and cynical he was before.

And that brings me to Norman’s views about his friends. The thing is, he didn’t get to grow alongside the rest of his family. He didn’t even get to grow alongside his new peers because he set himself firmly as the ‘boss’. He purposefully detached himself from the people surrounding him to create a ‘God’-like image. He isolated himself and didn’t get to experiences any true bonds with anyone for two years. Yeah, he had Zazie and the others, but he was also guarded, even with them. He most likely held onto the memories of his closeness with Emma and Ray, dreaming of the day he can save them all from the hell they are in, but that is also a problem. As he didn’t grow with them and share in their lives for those two years, they stayed firmly in his mind as the children they were back in Grace Field; he didn’t see them as people who had had hardships as he had. He may have had the knowledge of their struggles due to basic reasoning, but never truly reconciled that knowledge with the image of them he retained. That’s a problem because he doesn’t see them as equals anymore; he sees them as two children he needs to protect, going over their heads because he believes that they won’t understand, that they don’t have the same maturity that he does.

Even his feelings for Emma are problematic right now because of that view. To him, she is still that beautiful, bright, innocent girl that he loves and feels the need to shelter and protect. He has spent the last two years loving that image of her, but he hasn’t been with her to let that love grow for the young woman that she is now. His feelings are like food that’s been left out for too long: they’re stale, sour and out of date; they no longer apply to who she is. So, his feelings for her are a little bit toxic because he doesn’t see them as equals, and a big part of relationships is understanding and equal-footing. Plus, she doesn’t feel the same way about him: as I said earlier, she’s already grieved him, meaning she’s distanced herself from him. She never really loved him like he loved her and now there is an even bigger gap between his feelings for her and her feelings for him because of that distance. He spent the last two years being like, 80% sure that she was still alive and holding onto the hope that they’ll one day be reunited and that she may eventually love him the same way (also toxic, might I add), stunting his emotional growth while she was out there in the world creating new connections, new relationships with the people around her instead of holding on to a person who wasn’t there.

So, yeah. I was not intending to write this much, but I get really into character analysis and basically, I really like the subtle way the author has gone about depicting this strain on the Emma-Norman-Ray dynamic, and I hope to see more interesting stuff from an analytical point of view in the future. (Also, firm Rayemma shipper here because I love the relationship built on mutual trust and understanding they’ve built. It’s implicitly known that they are partners by everyone around them and that is so completely awesome. Furthermore, they are the Dumbass Duo and I love that dynamic. That scene where they were seriously talking about breaking Ray’s leg: perfection.)

TL;DR: Kaiu Shirai is a god, Norman can suck my dick, though I still love him, and Rayemma forever.

#ray tpn #tpn ray #tpn emma #emma tpn #tpn #the promised neverland #tpn spoilers #ynn #Yakusoku no neverland #ynn spoilers #long post #rayemma #tpn norman #norman tpn #if you plagiarise this i will whoop your ass #i spent a long time on this #character analysis #i should create a subaccount for this kind of stuff

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gins-potter · 4 years

Text

the bars that separate us

the discordix winx club server i’m in is doing a weekly writing prompt so here you go *gestures vaguely*

prompt: we've both been arrested and we're stuck in the same jail cell we won't be bailed out until morning so you might as well tell me your story.

Riven heard her arrival long before he ever caught a glimpse of her. Propped uncomfortably between the humming magical bars and the rough stone of the back wall, he revelled in the complete silence of the Magix City police station he was currently confined to. They must have had a quiet night because he was the only current occupant of the some dozen cells that made up the hallway.

At first he didn’t even recognise the noise for what it was. But eventually they were close enough, and he realised it was the approaching roar of many, many people, and judging by the noise level they were all congregating around the front of the police station. Suddenly the volume ratcheted up another notch, becoming so loud that even in the bowels of the station, Riven began to hear snatches of what had to be the voices of paparazzi and fans.

“- here over here-”

“-what happened tonight-”

“-oh my god-”

“-how will this affect-”

“-what have you got to say for yourself-”

“-love you so much-”

The volume ticked up again for a moment before ceasing altogether, and Riven wondered idly if one of the officers had placed a sound muffling charm on the door.

When they finally did bring her in, Riven had to admit that his first thought was that she certainly didn’t look worth the attention of the screaming paparazzi outside, nor the four officers as well as the captain of the station who were escorting her to the cell adjacent from Riven’s own. She had pretty, delicate features, but wore no makeup and her hair was scraped back into a messy knot. Not to mention she was tiny, having to be near a foot shorter than Riven, and wore only a hoodie zipped haphazardly and baggy, grey sweatpants.

“Got you a bit of star power to keep you company, Ghatrif,” the captain grunted, taking the magically reinforced cuffs off the girl’s wrists.

The girl, who could be no older than Riven himself, scoffed something unintelligible and threw herself down onto a bench that he knew from experience was hard as a rock.

“Did you need anything, Miss Zhensheng?” one of the officers asked eagerly, but the girl ignored him and slumped further down on the bench, propping her sneakered feet up on the bars that separated her cell from Riven’s.

“I’m sure Miss Zhensheng will be fine until the morning when a justice fairy will be available to deal with both of them,” the captain said, his hard glare sliding from the girl to Riven, who silently held his hand up in the universal ‘What? I’m innocent’ gesture.

Another of the officers bit her lip before reaching up to whisper something in the captain’s ear. Immediately his face twisted in annoyance.

“No, you can’t have her autograph. Now go, you’ve got work to do.” He shooed the four officers out, and closed the door firmly behind him, leaving the two of them to each other’s company.

“Quite the fanclub you’ve got there.” Riven couldn’t help the words that slipped out, nor the snide tone that he said them in; his friends were always telling him he had no filter, and that it was probably the reason he was always getting into fights. The way Riven saw it, he won most of the time, so there was hardly a problem.

The girl, who had turned to watch the captain leave with narrowed eyes, abruptly looked back at him, their gazes meeting for the first time. Something, be it her face or her last name, tugged at Riven’s memory but he couldn’t place where he might know her from. Letting any traces of curiosity fade from his expression, he raised an eyebrow, silently prompting her to speak.

Rather than say anything however, she merely flipped him off before shoving her hands into the pockets of her hoodie as she looked away again. The action from the pint sized girl surprised Riven enough that a chuckle escaped him. A muscle in the girl’s jaw popped but still she said nothing.

Since she clearly had no interest in conversing with him, Riven felt no obligation to cease staring at her, deciding to pass the time by pondering on where he might know her from. The school for specialists Riven had attended had been all boys but he didn’t think she’d been a student at the local school for fairies either, he was sure he would have remembered her. Riven wasn’t much for watching television or movies so he didn’t think that’s where he’d seen her, and with the septum ring hooked through her nose and her fierce eyes he didn’t think she was a member of royalty either.

Riven worked as a Guardian for the dimension so it was very possible he’d saved her on one of his adventures - or misadventures as they sometimes turned out to be - but somehow Riven didn’t think it was that either. There was something hard about this girl, a tough exterior that begged for anyone to fuck with her and endure the (probably painful) consequences. He couldn’t imagine her as the kind of damsel in distress he regularly encountered.

Apparently sick of his staring she slowly turned to look at him again, something dangerous in her expression. It only made Riven want to push her further to see what would happen.

“Can I help you?” She spoke slowly, her voice low and husky, wrapping around Riven like an embrace, and as she did he knew instantly where he knew her from.

“You’re that singer. Maia.”

She cocked her head, seeming not to know what to make of him. “Musa,” she finally said.

Riven clicked his fingers, “That’s it.” He dragged his mind back over everything he had ever heard about this girl, Musa. “What would a media darling like you be doing in a place like this?”

His words had the desired effect because she hissed out a breath. It was well known that Musa Zhengsheng was far from a media darling as it were, in fact Riven was sure some well meaning fan out there had documented every run in Musa had ever had with the paparazzi. He was even more sure that that list would be as long if not longer than Riven’s own rap sheet.

Musa bared her teeth in a shark-like smile. “Destruction of property.”

Another shred of information came back to Riven. “Bet your label loved that.”

Musa Zhengsheng had made a very recent, very public, and very controversial split from her record label, and had been only too happy to show her contempt for them in subsequent interviews, accusing them of stifling her creative license. Riven had scoffed and rolled his eyes when his friends had discussed the juicy gossip with clear interest but had secretly followed the story himself. Musa had played a concert the eve of the news breaking, and Riven could still remember shivering as he watched a clip of her spreading her arms and singing unapologetically to 100,000 adoring fans “No one can be just like me any way.”

Watching the clip, Riven had believed her then, and looking into her fierce, dark eyes now, he still believed it.

Sitting in the cell she stared into his eyes unflinchingly. “Good.”

Riven’s lip curled in distaste as he found admiration and irritation running through him in equal parts. There was no doubt she was a force to be reckoned with, but there was also no uncertainty in his mind that the morning would bring an overpaid lawyer and manager to bail Musa out for what would become a night of mere inconvenience and performative rebellion. Riven in the meantime would be left to deal with whatever punishment the justice fairy deemed appropriate for him.

“So, that’s it then? Just a fun way to say fuck you to your old record label.”

Musa surprised him by blinking and looking away first.

“Yeah,” she said, voice sounding thick. “Pretty much.”

Riven jolted in surprise and realisation. “But it’s not, is it? You’re full of it. That’s not why you’re here at all.”

Musa sat up swiftly and pushed up from the bench, pacing around the cell restlessly. “‘Course it is,” she said briskly, refusing to look at him. “That’s exactly why I’m here.”

He scoffed, unwinding his legs so he could stand and approach the bars. “Bullshit.”

Musa turned on her heel and stomped up to the bars. “Fuck you,” she spat, looking livid, and despite her short size, Riven found himself glad for the magic separating them. “Who are you? Some loser who’s probably got a rap sheet a mile long and doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself? Who are you to judge me or think you know me? You don’t even know me.”

“I know that after tonight you’ll go back to jet setting around with your rich friends, not a care in the universe, raking in the money with that pretty, little voice of yours.”

“You don’t even know me,” Musa said again, but this time Riven swore he saw a flicker of hurt in her eyes.

She turned her back on him but didn’t move away, instead sliding down the magical bars until she was sitting on the hard ground. Riven watched her do it, not feeling quite so badass, nor so justified in his anger, before sinking to the ground as well, propping his back against the bars. The floor was cold but Musa’s back was warm against his, a fact that he tried to ignore.

“My best friend’s fiance died a month ago,” Musa said bluntly, breaking their impasse. Riven blinked and turned his head to try and catch a glimpse of her face, but she remained looking forward. “I had weeks left of my tour and I felt like the worst friend in the world that I couldn’t be with her through it all. I only had a few concerts left so I asked if we could reschedule them so I could come home early. But my fucking label wouldn’t have it, thought it would make them look bad. Well, I hope they look downright shitty now.”

“Please tell me the destruction of property charge was for smashing up their offices.”

Riven couldn’t see her face, but he thought maybe she was smiling as she said, “Nah, my revenge on them was not letting them make money off me anymore. I was up for contract renewal with them and they actually had the balls to send a first draft over. I ripped it up, danced on the pieces, then set them on fire.”

Riven couldn’t help but grin at the mental image. Then he realised something. “So if it wasn’t their property you destroyed, then who…”

“I finally got home tonight, and went straight to my friend’s place. I had to get her out of there, it was too full of memories of the two of them, but of course there was a million fucking people waiting outside. I can handle it when they come for me, but my family? My friends? Fuck that shit. So when one of those bastards shoved his camera in her face and asked how she was coping with her fiance’s death, I fucking lost it. I- well, let’s just say that camera is not going to be taking pictures anymore.”

“Good. Lowlife deserved it.”

“Maybe. But now my friend has to spend another night without me.”

“You’re a good friend, Musa, and she’ll know that.”

She didn’t answer for a beat, and when she did, all she said was, “So, what’d they get you for?”

Riven heard it for the clear attempt to change the subject that it was, and didn’t push her anymore. Instead he sighed, staring across his cell as he tried to figure out how to tell the story without coming across as totally lame. “B&E.”

“Oh yeah?” Musa asked, still sounding morose. “Get anything good.”

“No,” Riven said glumly, then sighed again. “My best friend, we came up in foster care together for a while before she was adopted out. The only thing she has left of her birth family is this necklace. When she broke up with her asshole ex she left most of her stuff behind at his place because she just wanted to get away from him. He gave back some of it, but the fucker knew how much that necklace meant to her and he’s been holding it over her head ever since, trying to get her to get back with him.”

Musa made a disgusted sound low in her throat. “Psycho.”

“Basically. She tells him there’s no way it’s gonna happen, she’s met someone new, nice guy, and she’s finally happy, so of course he decides he’s not handing it over then.”

“So, you thought you could break in there and steal it back for her.”

Despite himself, Riven smiled. “Something like that. And failed miserably. It’s uh-” he coughed uncomfortably. “It’s been a while since I’ve done something like that, I was rusty.”

“Still pretty noble though. I’m sure your friend appreciates the effort.”

“Nah, she’ll probably smack me over the head when I get out of here, and call me an idiot for good measure.”

Musa gave a surprised cackle of laughter. “I think I’d like this girl.”

Riven chuckled. “Probably. She’d like you too, probably more than she likes me.”

He felt a finger poke his side, and he glanced over his shoulder to find that Musa had scooted around and was looking at him.

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry I said you were a loser who didn’t care about anyone else.”

“That’s alright, I told you that you were a stuck up rich girl with no problems.”

“Truce?” Musa asked, sticking her hand through the bars.

Riven took it and shook, enjoying the flare of warmth at the feeling of her skin on his. “Truce.”

#winx club #winx club fic #musa #riven #winx club musa #winx club riven #musa/riven #musa x riven #riven/musa #riven x musa #winx club fan fic #winx club fanfiction #mywriting #muri

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korora12 · 5 years

Text

Ladybug Week Day 5 - AU

Day 4 Day 6

Word Count: 7169

“So what are we thinking?” Ser Schnee asked. “Long-lost aunt?”

Doubtful, Crescent Rose said, the spirit’s voice echoing in Ruby’s head. My ties to the Rose lineage aren’t what they used to be, but I don’t remember ever knowing this woman.

“Crescent Rose doesn’t think so,” Ruby repeated for the rest of the room’s sake.

The woman in question was presently lying unconscious in a guest bedroom in Beacon Castle, Ruby’s home, with the entirety of the Summer Rose Court gathered around her. She looked almost exactly like Ruby did, only aged by about a decade. Her style of dress was strange, though, unlike anything she’d ever seen someone wear. She wore no armor, but her cloak was made of a fabric so strong that nothing they did could tear or rend it, and yet Glynda assured them it wasn’t enchanted. Most bizarre of all, though, was her weapon. Ruby had thought it was no more than a poorly designed spear, but Nora had immediately recognized it as a weapon she’d called a gun. Though even she’d remarked on how it’s design was unlike any gun she’d seen before.

“Perhaps she’s traveled here from the future?” Penny suggested.

“Everything we know about how the world works says that would be impossible,” Glynda assured her. Yet, despite saying so, she was the only one not giving Penny a strange look for suggesting such a thing.

The woman began to stir. Her eyes blinked open; silver, Ruby noted, another point of familiarity. Her eyes traveled slowly around the room, still half-lidded and groggy. “Is this an intervention?” she muttered. “I swear I’ve been taking it easy on the cookies.” Then her gaze landed on Ruby, standing close to the bedside, and stopped moving. She blinked a few times, rubbed her eyes as if to clear the sleep from them, then suddenly shot upwards.

Weapons were drawn, but when the woman made no further movement beyond slowly raising her unarmed hands, Ruby ordered them to relax.

“I don’t suppose anyone could tell me where I am?”

“You’re in Beacon Castle,” Ruby answered, summoning as much royal authority as she could. “My home. A portal opened in my garden, and when we arrived, you were passed out on the ground. Care to explain who you are and where you came from?”

The woman met Ruby’s gaze unflinchingly. “My name is Ruby Rose.”

A soft “Oho!” came from Penny’s direction, but Ruby refused to break eye contact with the stranger.

“Would I be right to guess that your name is also Ruby Rose?” she continued.

Blake answered before Ruby could. “She is Rubilacxe Rose, Queen of Vale and Surrounding Territories. Attempting to impersonate her is a serious crime that could earn you the death sentence.” She had positioned herself on the opposite side of the bed, so that when the stranger faced Ruby, she had to turn away from Blake.

The impostor didn’t react to her presence, nor even turned around as she addressed her. “You must be Blake, then.” She made a wordless sound, more a whine than anything else, and flopped back down on the bed. “This is the last time we take a cleanup job from a mad scientist. I don’t care how well he pays.”

Looks of confusion were traded generously around the room until Weiss opted to pick up the trailing end of the, apparently two-way, interrogation. “You still haven’t answered the Queen’s question. Where are you from and why did you enter the Castle Grounds without permission?”

The impostor propped herself up with her arms, not quite sitting, but no longer laying either. Ruby noted that she was acting very casual and unconcerned, despite being surrounded by a dozen armed people currently holding her captive. “Does the name Eltanin mean anything to you?”

The name sounded very vaguely familiar to Ruby, but she couldn’t say why. Fortunately, Ozpin was there to save the day. “I believe there’s a small settlement far to the northwest, near the edge of the Kata territories, by that name.”

“Huh,” the impostor said. “Well, that’s not where I’m from. Me and my crew, we live on a ship called Crescent Rose; I’m it’s captain.” Crescent Rose bristled in her mind, indignant at sharing a name with a mere boat. “We pick up work here and there to get by; we’d taken a cleanup job for this scientist named Arthur Watts. One of his labs had been destroyed by an explosion, so we were supposed to cart the wreckage off to another location for him to rebuild. Of course, Watts is the kind of guy who thinks impossible is for people with less than three doctorates, so we probably shouldn’t have been handling anything there without radiation suits and ten-foot…” she cocked her head to the side. “What are those grabby things called that let you pick up stuff from far away? I’m blanking on their name right now. Whatever, it doesn’t matter, mistakes were made, is my point.” She hummed for a moment, staring off into space in thought. “The last thing I remember was finding a piece of Watt’s tech that looked to still be in one piece. Then everything went white and I woke up here.” She returned her gaze to meet Ruby’s. “Was there a small, black box nearby where you found me?”

“Nope,” Yang answered. She and Blake had been the only ones with her when they’d found the impostor. “Just you and your gun.” She pointed at Nora, who still maintained a firm grip on the weapon.

“You’re claiming to have been teleported into the castle grounds against your will?” Glynda asked. “That kind of magic is far beyond the work of any but the strongest of mages. Furthermore, we’ve already confirmed that you came from beyond this plane; you can’t claim otherwise.”

By which she means I confirmed it, Crescent Rose said.

The impostor shook her head. “Not magic, science. And I’m not just from another plane; I think I’m from another universe altogether.” She paused. “Erm, that might not be the best explanation. How should I put this?”

Ruby wasn’t following the explanation anymore. Firstly, magic was a part of the world that could be studied by science the same as anything else, but the impostor seemed to consider them separate things. Then she claimed to be from outside the plane of Vale, yet not from another plane? Was she claiming to be from the void between planes? Only spirits were supposed to be able to survive there.

Fortunately, Glynda seemed to be following better. “You’re referring to the multisystem theory?” she asked.

The impostor brightened. “Maybe? What is that?”

Glynda nodded. “It’s a mostly disregarded hypothesis that there could be other planar systems, or universes, beyond our own. With enough of these universes, you would expect to see some similarities or repetitions between them.”

“That’s close enough,” the impostor replied. “I’m not claiming to be the queen, but I am Ruby Rose. My crewmates are Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao-Long, and if I ended up here, the others probably did too.”

Ruby shared looks with the three women in question. “There were three other portals opened at the same time as yours, but they were further away.”

“One of the portals opened inside the Curia,” Glynda added. “The wizards informed us that a crystalline golem came through it, which they’ve taken into custody for now. One of your friends?”

The impostor – no, the other Ruby – nodded. “That’s probably Weiss.”

Ser Schnee turned to leave the room. “A golem? I should like to see that. I’ll be taking the Knights Auffallend to the Curia, then. The wizards aren’t set up to hold prisoners for long. Your Majesty.” She bowed, then left.

“Right,” Ruby said, still trying to wrap her head around the situation. “We’ve already sent soldiers out to the other two locations, but we won’t hear back from them for a while. One portal opened in the western desert, and the other a bit closer, but to the south.”

“No offense to your soldiers,” the other Ruby said, finally sitting up properly and throwing her legs over the side of the bed towards Ruby. “But the moment my crewmates wake up they’re going to disappear. Especially Blake. If we want to find them, we’ll have to go ourselves.”

It was a refreshing change of pace to watch Blake sneak up on someone else for once. She moved with all the grace and stealth of a panther, every movement exact and silent, not even stirring the air as she placed the bone-white blade of her hand scythe against Ruby’s doppelganger’s neck beneath her cloak. Blake pressed against her back, mouth to her ear. “You’re still our prisoner. You don’t get to go anywhere without permission.”

Ruby’s counterpart didn’t even flinch, instead grinning mischievously. “Are you going to tie me to the bed, then, Blake? I hope you make the others leave before you have your way with me.”

Ruby tried to hide the blush that rose to her cheeks in response to the images her response conjured. Blake seemed equally distracted, which the other Ruby also noticed. In an instant their positions were switched, Blake pinned to the bed with the other Ruby’s arm at her neck. She was grinning as she taunted, “Unless you’d rather me be on top?”

Ruby grabbed her counterpart’s hood. “I might be able to accept that you’re some alternate version of me.” With a slight boost from Crescent Rose, she pulled hard enough to send her flying across the room. “But that doesn’t mean you get to flirt with my fiancée.”

The other Ruby stumbled, missed her step, and landed with a crash against the wall, sliding slowly to the ground. “Fiancée?” she muttered, sounding slightly dazed and looking like her worldview was in the middle of being redefined.

Ruby wondered, with everything that had happened today, if she had a similar look on her face.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Despite the potential risks involved, Ruby had ultimately decided to let this Captain Rose accompany them to the Southern Forest to investigate the opened portal. Her Majesty rode atop Celica, one of Yang’s sand dragons, sharing the saddle with their prisoner, who claimed to have never ridden a horse before. Jaune and Penny rode alongside the queen, with Blake taking up the rear. The rest of the court were either investigating the other portals or had remained in the castle.

Blake’s position gave her a good vantage point on the prisoner. The woman’s weapon had been returned to her and she now carried it slung loosely across her back. Ruby seemed to trust her, and they were heading into grimm territory, so it was best for everyone to be armed.

Blake still wasn’t sure about her story. The idea that she came from a different world with different physical laws, that nonetheless produced similar people, seemed completely bizarre. And yet, it would explain many of her strange traits. Her looks could be chalked up to coincidence, and knowledge about the court members was hardly a secret, but that wouldn’t explain her lack of reaction upon discovering Penny was a robot. Not to mention her aura, or lack thereof. Her soul was quiet, nearly impossible to feel. Even when they’d been on the bed together, close enough to share breath, Blake had barely felt a glimmer from the silver-eyed woman. Her lack of spiritual presence was unsettling, especially in light of her significant physical presence.

Which is to say that she was certainly cute enough to be Ruby.

Blake rode a bit closer, letting her keen ears drop eaves on the pair of lookalikes.

“How weird,” Ruby was saying. “A whole species of living crystals? It’s hard to imagine.”

Captain Rose shrugged. “Yeah, well, Weiss is still Weiss. You’ll see when you meet her.”

“Is that it, then? Two kingdoms of humans, Vale and Vacuo, plus faunus and materia?”

“There’s one more intelligent species,” the captain said. “The qedem are shapeshifters from the planet Mistral. Most of them can look human, but their natural form looks like a big lizard crossed with a bat.”

“Like a dragon?” Ruby asked.

“What’s a dragon?”

Ruby patted their mount. “Like this guy, but bigger and with wings.”

“They’re a little bulkier, but otherwise you’ve got the idea.” Captain Rose began waving her hands about, as if trying to paint a picture in the air. “They’ve got feathers and scales and can range in size from small dog to large horse. My world’s Ren, Nora, and Pyrrha are all qedem.”

The thought of Nora having the bulk and destructive capabilities of a dragon was a bit terrifying, Blake was unashamed to admit. She did her best to scrub the image from her mind, grateful that they wouldn’t be meeting any time soon.

“Oh,” the captain continued, “and I guess there’s proteans too; that’s what Yang is. Proteans are technically human, but one of their parents is a qedem who was in human form when… well, when they began.”

Blake tried to picture what that would look like. Would Yang be covered in feathers? Scales? Would she have wings growing out of her back? Or would both parents appearing human mean that she would look completely human too? The concept of heredity wasn’t very well understood, so Blake could only make guesses until she finally met her. If she even existed, she reminded herself.

“Your world sounds really strange,” Ruby said.

“Mine does?” Captain Rose sounded incredulous. “At least we don’t have spirits and magic portals.”

“Exactly!” Ruby exclaimed. “You have no magic! How do you manage to get anything done? Especially with the grimm everywhere.”

“Technology.” Captain Rose swung her weapon around her torso, pointing it at the forest ahead of them. “If we get the chance, I’ll show you what this bad boy can do.”

Ruby looked over the gun, a gleam visible in her eyes, even from the poor angle Blake sat at. “I look forward to it. Does he have a name?”

“A name?”

“Of course. A proper weapon deserves a proper name.”

“I used to name my weapons, but it made it harder to upgrade to new ones.” She didn’t name her weapons? How un-Ruby-like. “Now I just name ships. Does yours have a name, then?”

Ruby patted her glaive, where it was strapped to her mount’s side. “Yup. This is Little Thorn.”

Captain Rose chuckled. “Thorn, huh? The perfect weapon for a Rose. Mind if I borrow it?”

“Go right ahead,” Ruby offered.

The captain raised her weapon aloft. “Then from here on out you shall be known as Iron Thorn.” She lowered the weapon, adjusting the strap so it once again hung on her back. “He’s got a brother back home who I’ll call Bright Thorn.”

“You have to treat your weapons right,” Ruby lectured. “They’re like your children, but as long as you do right by them, they’ll never let you down.”

“I know something about that. Speaking of children,” Captain Rose said, changing the subject, “and their various prerequisites, you mentioned that you were engaged?” she briefly turned to meet Blake’s gaze, probably noting how close she’d ridden. Blake drew closer still.

“The wedding is scheduled to take place next week,” she said. “Your arrival has been interfering with the preparations.”

“Blake,” Ruby chastised, “please play nice.”

“So soon?” Captain Rose asked. “You two have known each other for a while, then?”

“A little over a year,” Ruby answered. “I would’ve been okay with waiting a bit longer, but, well.” She shrugged. “Politics, you know?”

“Being Queen sounds like a tough job.”

“It is.” Ruby sighed. “I think I envy you a bit. One ship sounds a whole lot easier to run than a country.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” the captain disagreed. “Keep everyone safe, keep everyone fed. Same thing, really, just on a smaller scale.”

The pair’s moment of commiseration, powerful despite its brevity, was suddenly shattered by several loud screeches. Mounts were halted and weapons were drawn; everyone recognized the soul-piercing scream of a grimm about to attack.

They were well into the forest at this point, trees surrounding them on all sides. A perfect place for an ambush, if one had the smarts to make use of that. Which grimm usually didn’t, unless someone was controlling them again.

The first of the grimm dropped from the trees ahead of them. It was a large beast, monkey-like in shape but at least seven feet tall. A loud crack split the air and it went slack, already fading as it crashed into the ground. Blake’s eyes were drawn to the source of the sound. Captain Rose had slipped off the back of the sand dragon and was standing with her weapon against her shoulder, pointed up into the trees. Three more cracks signaled the fall of three more grimm, these ones not even leaving the trees before they died.

Despite herself, Blake was impressed. A skilled longbowman with enchanted arrows would still have difficulty making those shots. Blake wasn’t sure how much was the weapon and how much its wielder, but it was indisputably effective.

“You’re from around here, Blake,” Ruby said, joining her counterpart on the ground. “Do you know what kind of grimm these are?”

“They look like beringels,” she answered, “except I’ve never seen beringels with wings before.”

The rest of the grimm attacked as one. Leaping from the forest cover, they circled the group on wings too small to hold their bulk.

Blake was suddenly too busy staying alive to give more than the least amount of attention to her companions. She caught glimpses of Jaune, sticking close to Ruby and keeping grimm off her with his shield, and Penny, wielding a pair of identical swords and tearing through the grimm like they were wet paper. Even the impostor Ruby was holding her own, proving just as lethal in close combat as she was at range.

A pair of beringel swooped through the air at her. She ducked low, letting them pass overhead, then turned and launched her chain-scythe into the side of the nearest one. It struck deep, lodging itself in the creature’s ribcage. She was being pulled along as it flew, slowly arcing itself upwards. She moved with the momentum, launching herself into the air and swinging around until she was above it. A sharp tug brought her down on its back, and Gambol soon found its mark in the creature’s neck. It fell to the ground, fading even as it plowed through the dirt.

Blake looked around as she landed, trying to locate the other one that had attacked her. When she found it, she froze. Even if she could move, there was no way she would make it in time. Instead, she was forced to watch the scene unfold as if in slow motion.

Penny was in the thick of battle, taking on all comers and showing no hesitation as she fought multiple foes at once. Jaune and Ruby had stayed close together. Crescent Rose’s power was leaking out in small bursts, allowing Ruby’s semblance to keep most of the large creatures at bay using bursts of wind laden with rose petals. The few who got through were quickly struck down by either Crocea Mors or Little Thorn. Captain Rose, however, had ended up separate from the rest of the group.

One of the beringel, perhaps the one who’d attacked Blake moments ago, had flown up high, hiding itself in the shadows of the forest canopy. These grimm could move remarkably quietly, the movement of their wings barely registering even to her sharp, feline ears. There was no way the captain could hear it as it came down behind her.

“Ruby!” she shouted in warning, already knowing it would be too late. It raised a giant fist above its head, ready to bring it down on its target. Blake’s breath was caught in her lungs, wrapped around her chest and squeezing her heart.

Then, in an instant, the creature’s head was severed from its body. Smoke poured from the gaping hole, steadily traveling down its body as it faded away. Wreathed in the dissipating cloud was a woman with a familiar face. A few minor features, like the shade of her skin, were different, but the overall resemblance was undeniable. It was a face she’d seen in mirrors and pools of water; it was her own.

“You should really be watching your back, Ruby,” the woman, the other Blake, said.

Captain Rose whipped her gun around, pointing the end of it over the other Blake’s shoulder. Another loud crack and another beringel fell from the sky. “How can I,” she retorted, “when I’m so busy watching yours?”

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Between the addition of a new fighter and the beringel’s slowly decreasing numbers, the grimm soon made the decision to cut their losses and flee. Total casualties: zero. Or negative one, since they’d managed to find Blake during the battle.

Ruby Rose, Captain of the starship Crescent Rose and voted Best Girlfriend in Two Universes by the only person whose opinion on the subject mattered, was overjoyed to see Blake alive and unharmed. She’d been doing her best to hide it, but she’d been worried ever since she’d woken up.

Her worry eased further when they returned to the castle to find Weiss and, before long, Yang equally safe and sound. The two Weisses couldn’t have looked more different, and boy was it weird to see Weiss as a human, but the Yangs could’ve passed for twins, despite their age difference. She had already overheard them whispering about swapping outfits and both feared and anticipated whatever hijinks awaited.

With the four of them reunited, Ruby had hoped that returning home would be as simple as flipping a switch. Unfortunately, it seemed this universe was no more generous than her own. The black box had come through with Weiss and had been returned to her when the human Weiss, Ser Schnee, had picked her up from where she’d come through. Unfortunately, all attempts to activate it had resulted in complete failure. At Glynda’s recommendation, they’d returned it to the wizards of the Curia, allowing them to study it in hopes that their magic could do what Ruby’s jiggery-pokery couldn’t.

That left the four of them with nothing to do for over a week, none of them allowed outside the castle walls unsupervised for numerous reasons, mostly to do with their appearances resembling important political figures. Ruby was about to go mad from boredom when the day of the wedding finally came.

She really wasn’t sure what to think about it. The wedding of Ruby Rose and Blake Belladonna. It wasn’t something she’d given much thought to, her relationship with her own Blake still too young to be going down that rabbit hole. And yet here she was, a guest at her own wedding, getting a glimpse of what might, someday, be.

Although she suspected her own wedding wouldn’t ever be so grand.

The ceremony was being held outdoors, in the courtyard opposite the royal stables. The castle gates had been propped open, allowing anyone, even commoners, to enter and watch. Humans and faunus intermingled peacefully, an event, Ruby had been told, that was unfortunately rare of late. Seats of honor were reserved for delegates and representatives of the surrounding lands and neighboring planes, as well as close friends and family. Ruby scanned their faces, but aside from the members of the Summer Rose Court, she recognized few of them. There was Oobleck, an old co-worker of hers from Beacon and a librarian and researcher in this world, but she’d already met him while staying in the castle. The same went for Port, another member of the castle staff. She thought she spied Coco, unsurprisingly dressed like a noblewoman, talking with a much less well-dressed Velvet, as well as the less pleasant sight of Cardin Winchester, looking like a clergyman, of all things. Far outside the castle walls, all throughout the city, sounds of music floated through the air. Everyone was celebrating the Queen’s marriage.

Ruby and her crew hadn’t been given seats of honor, and instead were swaddled in heavy, identity-concealing cloaks and standing amongst the common masses. Ruby kept looking around, trying to spot any more familiar faces in the crowd. Was that the mayor of Evernight she spied?

The sound of trumpets signaled the beginning of the ceremony. The main doors of the castle were flung wide open, and out stepped Queen Rubilacxe Rose. She was dressed in a shining white suit of plate armor, trimmed in gold and etched with images of roses twisting about it. Underneath was a wine-red shirt, the tails of which reached down to the backs of her knees, and black pants. Atop her head was a crown of silver molded in the shape of roses, a single red stone sitting front-and-center, embedded in a crescent moon. At her side, his arm wrapped around hers, was Taiyang Xiao Long.

As inappropriate as it would be, Ruby nonetheless felt the urge to rush over and greet him. She hadn’t seen her own father in person in over a year, not since she’d left Vale. Sure, there were video chats, but bandwidth was expensive and unreliable so far from the rest of the galaxy, so such conversations were unhappily few.

Instead of rushing over and ruining the wedding for everyone, Ruby instead took the time, as the duo made their way down the aisle, to imagine herself in her counterpart’s shoes. They didn’t look comfortable. Ruby had imagined what her wedding day might look like when she was younger. She was usually wearing a dress in those daydreams, sometimes a suit, but always cloth. Metal armor looked so uncomfortable. Yang had a set of power armor she used to battle grimm with, on the rare occasion she wasn’t piloting a ship to fight them. Ruby had tried to fit in it once, and the attempt had done nothing good to her body.

What felt like an eternity later, but was in fact only a few minutes, the father/daughter duo finally reached the table where Ozpin stood ready to officiate. Her father bowed deeply to the Queen, then took a seat nearby. Then the trumpets sounded again, and a second pair exited the castle.

All eyes in the courtyard were on Blake. She was gorgeous, though Ruby would admit to being biased about the matter. She wore a dress so long that a young faunus girl followed behind her to lift the end off the ground so it didn’t trail through the dirt. It was two-toned; the bodice was white, with a low neckline and thin straps in lieu of sleeves. It was decorated with patterns of stones that glistened when they caught the sunlight and stretched past the waistline in loose loops and curls. The skirt, bell-shaped and made of overlapping layers, was dyed a purple so dark it nearly looked black. She didn’t wear a veil; instead, she had a crown of her own, this one made of actual flowers. Roses were woven together by their stems, each a shade of golden-yellow that matched Blake’s eyes, save for a single red rose near her left ears. An intricate braid interwoven with strings of polished wooden beads trailed down her back.

Ruby’s breath was caught in her throat the moment Blake Belladonna of the Southern Forest walked through the castle doors. At her side, her partner inhaled sharply. Ruby spared a moment to glance over at her girlfriend. It wasn’t awe that held her in place the way it did everyone else.

She turned back to the soon-to-be princess, trying to figure out what had set her partner off. Walking the bride down the aisle was a man Ruby didn’t recognize, dressed in fur-lined robes and possessing a pair of horns jutting out of his auburn hair.

“Do you know him?” Ruby whispered.

“That’s Adam,” Blake responded in the same hushed tone.

Oh. Adam had been Blake’s abusive ex-boyfriend. While Ruby still didn’t know many details, she could imagine how strange it would be to see such a person handing her alternate off at her wedding.

“I guess they have a different relationship in this world,” Blake muttered.

Ruby drew close to her, threading their fingers together and bumping shoulders. Blake squeezed her hand in response.

The couple of the day were united at last. Like Tai, Adam bowed to the queen and retreated to his seat, though Ruby noticed his bow seemed a bit shallower than Tai’s. Ozpin began the ceremony, speaking loudly enough to be heard all throughout the hushed crowd.

“We are gathered here today to witness the union of human and faunus. But more than that, we witness a union of love and commitment that has withstood countless tests.”

He continued on in the same vein, referencing events that Ruby had been told about but not witnessed and praising the couple for their feats. The speech was full of politically-aligned language with heavy emphasis on themes of strengthening the kingdom and unifying the two species, and seemed to say very little about the women actually getting married.

If Ruby had to guess, she’d say the two brides weren’t hearing a word of it, tuning it out in favor of each other’s presence.

Vows were exchanged, promises to support each other and to support the kingdom, and then Blake was anointed with rosewater and welcomed into the royal family. Finally, rings were exchanged. Queen Ruby placed a silver band on Princess Blake’s hand, then received a gold one in return.

Moments before the two could kiss and seal the deal, a piercing screech split the air and tore a portal open overhead. In an instant, the confusing swirl of emotions churning in Ruby’s stomach settled into something more familiar. Through the gap in space, Ruby saw a formless ocean of reds and blacks, twisting and gyrating to an ever-present song of rage and violence. A single massive claw gripped the edge of the portal, and an equally-sized grimm mask soon followed. It had the approximate shape of a deer’s skull, with sharp teeth and a brace of antlers that wound together as they plunged skyward, all tangled and intertwined like branches of an ancient tree, complete with tendrils of ivy and patches of moss hanging off.

Expectant cheers instead came out as screams of terror as panic drove the crowd into a frenzy. And yet, despite the pushing and pulling of people trying desperately to be anywhere except where they presently stood, a path was cleared between the royal couple and the woman Ruby had spotted in the crowd earlier. Her hair was black and her dress red, decorated with gold lining and glass jewelry. A pair of curved swords were strapped cross-wise on her back.

“For shame,” the woman said, her silken voice somehow perfectly understandable despite the panicked screams filling the air. “Lord Ozpin, you forgot the most important part.” She held out her hands palms up, and flames began to pour forth from them. “You didn’t ask if anyone has reason to object.”

The queen turned to her betrothed, stealing a quick kiss and sealing the deal. Then she tore the cloth off the table they stood at, revealing her and Blake’s weapons underneath.

She seemed to have the situation under control, so Ruby instead chose to focus on her crew, who were having a hard time staying together as people jostled them from all angles.

“I can’t see a thing in this cloak,” Weiss complained. “What’s happening?”

“Trouble,” was all Yang replied.

“Finally.” Weiss threw off her cloak and drew her blade in a flourish. “Who are we fighting?” She sounded excited. Spending so much time with Yang, Weiss was starting to pick up parts of her personality. “Oh,” she said as she turned her face to the portal above. “How did I not notice that?”

“From what she’s told me,” Ruby said, “the queen should be able to handle that on her own. We’ve got other fish to fry.” Though the alpha grimm had managed to catch everyone’s attention, other portals were opening throughout the courtyard, letting hordes of smaller grimm through. Ruby whipped Iron Thorn out from under her own heavy garments and chambered a round. “It’s time to repay our hosts for taking care of us for so long.”

Yang leapt high in the air, the heat from her armor activating burning off her extraneous outer layers, and landed atop a grimm moments before it could sink its teeth into a crying child. The rest of the crew followed her example.

The battle was intense, spilling out of the courtyard and into the city at large. Still, Ruby and her crew played their part, killing grimm and saving lives wherever they could. When everything was over, things had turned out better than expected. Casualties of the attack were few, and deaths even fewer. The alpha grimm had been cleaved in twain by the queen when she turned her glaive into a giant, glowing scythe, though not before it did significant damage to the castle walls, and the rest of the grimm were either driven off or killed.

After the all clear was sounded, Ruby and her crew retreated to the castle foyer, tending their wounds and trying not to draw attention to themselves. Most of the wedding crowd had been funneled inside after the attack began, letting the castle’s magical defenses tear apart any grimm that tried to step foot within, and many still remained.

The queen was making the rounds, talking softly with people, calming the worried, and generally being present and visible. When she reached Ruby’s little corner, where the four of them sat leaning against a pillar, she stopped.

“Thank you for your help today,” she said.

“Of course,” Ruby responded. “Did you get the woman responsible for all this?”

“Unfortunately, no. She managed to escape during the battle.” The queen sighed. “We figured something would happen today. Between the recent change in grimm behavior and the appearance of mutants, like those flying beringel from the forest, it seemed likely someone was controlling the grimm again. If they were going to attack, today was a likely day to do it.”

“It would’ve been nice to have a heads up,” Blake said, “if you saw this coming.”

“Sorry,” the queen said, and she did look genuinely apologetic. “You guys were kind of an unexpected addition to the situation and I didn’t want to put more on your shoulders than you deserved.”

“I understand,” Ruby assured her. “Sorry your wedding day got ruined like this.”

“Oh, pshah.” The queen waved her hand through the air. “This wasn’t the real wedding. Today was for the city and the nobles. We have a more private ceremony planned for the day after tomorrow, friends and family only.” She hesitated a moment, then continued. “You guys have more than proven yourselves to be friends today. If you’d like to stay a bit longer, you’d definitely be invited.”

“Sure,” Yang said. “It’s not like we’ve got anywhere else to go.”

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you guys about that.” The queen was fidgeting, a sign of anxiety that Ruby shared with her. “Today’s been so hectic I haven’t had the chance to say anything yet, but late last night the we received a message from the Curia. They’re pretty sure they can open a portal back to your world. I’d understand if you wanted to return home as soon as possible; we could do it tomorrow, if you’d like.”

Ruby shared glances with each of her crewmates, finding a general consensus in each of their looks. She stood from her spot and bowed at her waist. “Your Majesty, we would be honored to attend your wedding. Home can wait a little while longer.”

x-x-x-x-x-x-x

As promised, the second ceremony was a smaller affair. It was held in the throne room, with chairs that Blake and her crewmates were actually allowed to use this time. Most of the people present were court members, and the rest had been filled in as to their existence, so there was no need for heavy, identity-concealing clothing this time. Blake recognized most of the people present, either from having met them here or having met their counterparts in her own world; the only exceptions were the blonde boy with a monkey tail who sat next to Velvet and Coco on Blake’s counterpart’s side of the aisle, and a freckle-faced boy sitting next to Ruby’s uncle Qrow on the queen’s side.

This time the local Blake, now a princess (and wasn’t that an entertaining thought) was dressed in something that resembled a tuxedo. She wore a white shirt with puffy sleeves and silver cufflinks, as well as a black vest and trousers. Atop this was a black, fur-trimmed half-cloak that hung over her left shoulder and was held around her neck by a silver brooch. She entered first, accompanied again by her Adam.

Blake had wanted to talk her about that, to pull her aside the day before and ask all the questions spinning through her head. But when she’d tried, the words wouldn’t come out. The plan was to leave the next day, so her chances to try again were slowly dwindling away.

All unpleasant thoughts were blown away the moment Ruby, the other one, the queen, stepped into the room. Her dress had short sleeves and a neckline that ran along her collarbone. The bodice had been fitted tightly, so that it perfectly hugged the curve of her waist. The skirt was relatively thin, though still big enough to leave a trail, and the whole thing was dyed a deep red that darkened to black as it reached the bottom. Thin gold bracelets adorned each of her wrists, which paired with a tight, matching necklace. The simple outfit belied the elegance with which she wore it. Blake was unable to tear her eyes away from the sight of her walking down the aisle, though she maintained enough clarity to reach out blindly and grasp her girlfriend’s hand.

There was no bowl of rosewater this time, just Ozpin, Ruby, and Blake. “We’re gathered her today to celebrate love,” Ozpin began. “Today we forgo speeches about politics, interspecies relations, and the strength of the kingdom, and instead find joy as two people who love each other dearly make the promise to continue together until the end. Ruby, Blake, if you two would join hands.”

The princess raised her right hand, the queen her left, and the two wrapped their pinkies around each other’s.

“Ruby,” Ozpin prompted, “your vows.”

The queen nodded. “I wrote mine down, because I knew I’d be too nervous today to remember everything I wanted to say. But then I lost the paper I’d written it on, so I really hope I get this right.” She cleared her throat and began. “The first time I saw you, you stood with such confidence and certainty that if you’d told me you were royalty, I would’ve believed you. I’ve often thought since then that you’d make a far better queen than I could. But fate has made me queen and I can only make you my princess. As queen I’m supposed to say that I have to put my kingdom first, but I can’t. Your love means too much to me; I would throw everything out for your sake. If everything and everyone displeases you, then we can run away together and live our lives in secret. I vow to stand by your side, wherever you go. I vow to support you, in everything you try. I vow to love you, when I’m old and gray and can’t remember my own name, I’ll still remember you.”

Then it was the princess’s turn. “I never expected any of this,” she said. “Not even in my wildest dreams. You’ve made me the happiest person in the world, Ruby Rose. You did this, not as the Queen of Vale, but as yourself. I didn’t think much of you at first, but I’ve never been happier to be wrong about someone. I can’t promise you that our life will be easy; the tasks ahead of us are daunting, to say the least. I wish I could whisk you away to some tiny cottage on a lake, where we could live out the rest of our days in quiet bliss. But you’ve chosen to live your life on the difficult path, and I will love you forever for that. That’s not a promise, it’s just a fact; at this point, nothing could make me love you less. A vow is meant to be kept, a decision made every day for the rest of our lives, so I vow to stay. I vow to never run away from a problem that can be faced head on. I vow that whatever struggles may come between us, I’ll address them alongside you, as your wife.”

Blake found her gaze latched to the royal couple and unable to move. She couldn’t bring herself to look at her girlfriend right now. The words her counterpart spoke weighed heavily on her ears. She wondered if anyone else here really understood the depth of what she was promising. To never run away, when that was all she was good at. She tried to picture herself saying those words to her own Ruby, but she wasn’t there yet. Marriage is supposed to make you into a whole new person; if this Blake could keep her vows, then that would certainly be true for her. No wonder they say marriage is terrifying.

With both vows completed, the ceremony drew towards its close. Ozpin picked up a long span of soft, white rope and began winding it around the couple’s hands and wrists, until the two were completely bound together by the cord and a single, clasped pinky. As he tied the final tie in the knot, he declared, “With this I pronounce you wife and wife. You may kiss.”

Finally, Blake was able to look away, her gaze drifting to the side. Golden eyes met silver, and Ruby lifted their joined hands and pressed her lips against Blake’s hand. Blake returned the kiss in kind. A mixture of emotions ate away at her, bafflement at the absurdity of her situation, confusion about the emotions she was confronted with, and no small amount of love for the woman at her side.

Tonight they’d party and tomorrow they’d return home, but for that one moment there was only the two of them. Blake’s stomach settled a bit at the thought.

“I love you,” she whispered, just loud enough for Ruby to hear. She’d never said it before, but the moment she did she knew she meant it.

“I love you too,” Ruby whispered back.

#rwby #ruby rose #blake belladonna #ladybug #ladybug rwby #ladybug (rwby)#ladybugweek #Summer Rose Court #fanfiction #my writing #The Last Frontier #space au #Ladybugweek2K19

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robininthelabyrinth · 5 years

Text

Eyestealer 8 - ao3 link

Fandom: Naruto Pairing: Senju Hashirama & Senju Tobirama (mostly gen, hints of other relationships)

Summary: Hashirama really doesn’t approve of the thoughtful way his father looks at his younger brother’s bright red eyes. He’s sure it doesn’t mean anything good for anyone.

He’s right.

——————————————————————————————

"What's going on with the Uchihas?" Tobirama asks one day, only a little while later. "It almost feels like they've been avoiding us recently."

"I have no idea," Hashirama says, and patiently endures the moment or two of additional‎ scrutiny before Tobirama believes him.

Apparently his credibility on all things Madara-related is not the best. He can't really blame Tobirama for his skepticism, either.

"I wish I did know," he adds, pouting. Madara even missed their monthly meet up. It happened fairly frequently - missions, clan business, whatnot - so he isn't worried or anything, but he would like an explanation.

"You might yet get your chance to find out," Tobirama says dryly. "Your friend is approaching Senju lands alone."

"Madara? He's - what? Really? Here? He never comes to find me!"

"He is this time. Go talk to him."

Hashirama is out the window before Tobirama can remind him to take paperwork with him or something equally awful.

“Madara!” he exclaims, leaping down from one of the trees into the clearing Madara has paused in – on Senju lands, technically, but not so close that he can’t quickly retreat if someone catches him trespassing.

Normally, this would be when Madara rolls his eyes and mutters something about demonic sensors – he’s very impressed with Tobirama, as is only right – but this time he doesn’t.

“Hashirama,” he says instead, quite seriously. “We need to talk.”

Hashirama lets himself hope, just a little. “About peace?” he asks, smiling.

“No. It’s about…well, your mother’s infidelity.”

“I’m going to kill you now,” Hashirama says, still smiling.

“What? Wait, no, that’s not how I meant –”

Hashirama eventually concludes that Madara probably didn’t mean to say whatever it was he’d been intending to say quite like that.

“You fight terribly when you’re feeling guilty,” he tells the man currently buried under several feet of tree roots carved with chakra suppressing seals. “I’m still considering whether or not to, I don’t know, rip your arms off or something. That was very rude.”

“…how’d you get the seals onto the roots and still move the roots?” his friend’s somewhat muffled voice replies.

“I use the Mokuton to carve the seals into place after I’ve already moved the roots, but don’t try to distract me. How could you say something like that? After…”

That’s what really stings. Back when they were friends, Hashirama told Madara about his mother – how beautiful she was, how happy, how brave – and how their father had beaten her down until she thought she was so much less than she was, how he’d accused her of any number of things, unfaithfulness most of all, and used those accusations as justification to take away more and more of her freedom until she sought the only exit she felt was left to her.

How dare Madara say something like that, when he knows how much it reminds Hashirama of that pain?

“Maybe you’re under some sort of mind control,” Hashirama muses. “I could try to shock your brain back to normal…”

“Don’t do that! No shocking! You might have mastered raiton, you ridiculous over-achiever, but I don’t trust you of all people near my brain, medic or no medic. I just – stuck my foot in it, okay? It happens. Now let me up.”

Hashirama just sprawls out further on the roots. “My entire clan would probably tell me to kill you right this instant. Aren’t you the one insisting that we’re mortal enemies now?”

“Not anymore I’m not.”

That’s enough to get Hashirama’s attention. “What do you mean?”

“Let me up, and I’ll tell you.”

Hashirama rolls off the roots and steps back. "Talk."

Madara very carefully extracts himself and stands. "I said that badly, and I apologize," he says, bowing formally. "I...uh...I'm not sure how to start saying this."

"I'm fairly sure that anything will be better than calling my mother an adultress," Hashirama says, his voice dry as dust. "I can't believe that was your first choice on how to start this conversation, Madara, really. I'm good-natured, but no one's that good-natured."

"Clearly," Madara says, but he looks properly abashed.

"Now, what’s this about?"

Madara takes a deep breath. ‎"Your brother. Tobirama."

"Yes...? Are you questioning his sexual fidelity as well? I must say I mind that much less, given that he's not married. Or even dating anyone."

Actually, now that Hashirama thinks about it, is that normal for a seventeen year old? Izuna certainly seems to have a woman hanging off his arm every time Hashirama spies him from a distance.

Madara makes a face, half-irritation, half-distress. "No, it's not that."

Hashirama’s quickly losing patience with his otherwise normally very straightforward friend. "Just spit it out already!"‎

"He's got the Sharingan!"‎ Madara exclaims, then promptly looks mildly shocked at himself.

…oh.

Hashirama feels a great sense of calm settle over him. It feels remarkably similar to horror. "And?"

He doesn't want to sacrifice his best friend to save his brother. He doesn't, he doesn't, doesn't, doesn't -

(But – for you, anija, anything, and how could he promise any less?)

Madara blinks, taken aback. "Wait. You know?"

"He's my brother. Of course I know," Hashirama says, still caught in that horrible calm that precedes and permits cold-blooded murder. "More importantly, what are you going to do about it?"

And how many people have you told? How many more people have to die to keep a secret I never wanted?

"I mean, that's actually what I've been struggling with," Madara says, and laughs a little, running a hand through his hair. He hasn't noticed Hashirama's mood yet, so Tobirama's lessons on concealing killing intent are working. Hashirama's not sure if that's a good thing or not. "Normally we deal with this by offering an adoption, but I don't think that applies here."

Hashirama pauses. "...what?"

A little of the murderous rage cracks and chips away. That's not what he expected Madara to say at all.

"I mean, obviously -"

"No, wait," he says, holding up his hands. "The Uchiha deal with this through adoption? How can that possibly be an acceptable solution to your clan?"

"Well, you know," Madara says, suddenly awkward again. "Whatever the circumstances of his conception, he's still a cousin, right? It's not his fault."

"His...conception?"

Madara blinks owlishly at him. "Yes? That's why I started with that, uh, unfortunate comment about your mother."

"You think someone from your clan raped my mother," Hashirama says, the pieces clicking together - Madara's strange behavior on the riverbank and his words today.

The Sharingan is a bloodline limit. Of course.

If you didn't think it was eye-stealing, the only other explanation is an unsanctioned child born of the bloodline - an illicit affair, or, given the state of affairs between Senju and Uchiha, more likely a rape. Even if Hashirama's mother was the sort to be unfaithful, there was no way any Uchiha that had successfully seduced the wife of the Senju clan head into a clandestine relationship would fail to report the situation to their own clan head.

"Well, yes. How else could he have gotten a Sharingan?" Madara asks, frowning. "I mean, there's the obvious, of course, but even if I thought your brother was the sort to go in for eyestealing, which for all that demon lacks the most basic understanding of morality I really don't, I checked. For obvious reasons, we keeps extremely close track of everyone in our clan, alive or dead, and it’s clan protocol to prioritize disposal of eyes over retreat, even if you’re ultimately forced to abandon the corpse. Our records indicate we haven't lost any eyes to thieves in nearly two decades."

It's extremely tempting to let Madara keep his illusions‎. But - adoption -

No one is taking Hashirama's brother away.

(We have to take care of it, one way - or the other, Izuna said that day by the river, and he meant death. The Uchiha can abide eye-thieves, if they must, but another possible progenitor, another source of the Sharingan for children unnumbered? Never.)

If Madara was anyone else, Hashirama would kill him now, knowing that he's been keeping his suspicions to himself.

But - it is Madara.

His best friend, his brother by choice, the other half of his soul.

Hashirama owes him an explanation, at the very least, and maybe even a chance to propose a solution that won’t result in the death of one of Hashirama's most precious people by his own hands.

"More like a decade and a half," he says, and that old bitterness twists his lips into an expression he knows doesn't fit well onto his face. He's done so well with his vow not to be angry - happy or sad, yes, but not angry, not bitter, not malicious and bullying and like his father - that he sees shock on Madara's face at the sight of it. "If you want to be specific."

Madara is frowning, though; he still hasn't put it together.

"Tobirama is an albino," Hashirama tells him gently. "And my father's true-born son."

"But - the Sharingan -"

"He wasn't even old enough to be talking properly when Butsuma did the transplant," Hashirama says, and watches the understanding crash into Madara's face. The horror, of course, he expected that, but also - pity? Sympathy?

How strange. Everyone knows how the Uchiha feel about eyestealers.

"Are you saying," Madara says, very carefully, as if every word had a terrible weight to it, "that your brother has had a fully activated Sharingan his entire life?"

"Everyone knows stolen Sharingan don't go quiet; only born Uchiha can deactivate them," Hashirama says, puzzled by Madara's seeming non-reaction to the issue of theft. "So – yes? Obviously?"

Madara looks sickened. "All those battlefields, all those years...how does he sleep?"

"Oh, huh, are the nightmares related to the Sharingan?" Hashirama asks, abruptly distracted. He’s always had a bit of an issue with focus and Madara knows well how to exploit that, but this seems like a sincere question on his friend’s part. "Of course! That would explain why they're so vivid – what? Don't look at me that way!"

Madara has an extremely good judgy face.

Hashirama holds up his hands to ward it off. "In answer to your question, he came up with a timed-release jutsu that induces a state similar to a coma for the times it gets ‎particularly bad."

"Are you serious?"

"Apparently actual sleep is trickier to mimic? I don’t know, he says he’s working on it. And anyway, he doesn't have battlefield nightmares all the time; sometimes he gets stuck re-living, I don’t know, every breakfast we’ve had for the last four years.”

(“We need to have more variety at breakfast,” Tobirama said with unusual fervor that particular morning, clutching at Hashirama’s lapels with clenched fists and staring up at him with bloodshot eyes. “Rice with miso is all well and good and I know we both like it in the morning, but the table was endless and every meal was the same as the last, stretching out into infinity…I think I might have seen one of the hells of the afterlife, anija. I think I saw hell, and it was breakfast.”)

Madara scrubs at his face, still looking horrified. “Of course. It’s always on, recording the mundane as well as the battlefield...I can’t even imagine. All those horrible council meetings! Stuck in your brain! Forever!”

Hashirama nods. He’d always acknowledged his brother’s perfect memory to be a curse, even before he’d found out it was from the Sharingan.

It’s fun to see someone else realize it, though; their village elders always seemed to think that because it was an asset it could have no downsides whatsoever.

“This is a disaster,” Madara says after a few moments more of contemplation. “I’d thought…a cousin, you know, that’s something; I could do something with that. But a thief?”

Oh, look, there’s that feeling of murderous calm again.

He really doesn’t want to have to kill Madara. Not ever, but certainly not before they’ve even had a chance to build their village together, the dream Hashirama’s never given up on.

(Anything, anija.)

“…I’ve decided that I don’t like it when you’re quiet,” Madara says after some time has passed with Hashirama struggling with what to do. “Please say something.”

There’s nothing to be said.

“Anything will do,” Madara adds.

“I murdered my father in front of the Senju clan elders.”

That…wasn’t what he’d planned to say.

“…not that. Definitely not that. You what?!”

Hashirama shrugs.

“I mean – I thought – I heard that…well, you know…”

Of course Hashirama knows.

Only the elders saw it happen, but rumor spread like the wind. Everyone in Fire Country by now knows – or think they know – that Tobirama murdered his own father in the middle of his own clan compound where he reasonably expected to be safe.

Opinions are generally split as to whether Hashirama forgave his brother's actions because he’s a soft-hearted idiot or because he was secretly in on the plan.

“Genjutsu,” Hashirama explains succinctly. He didn't need to explain that part in detail, not to an Uchiha. “The whole table, so when they compared notes afterwards, they all reported seeing the same.”

“…oh. Uh. Huh. I mean…you did...Wow. I don’t even…I can't even imagine...I assume Butsuma was planning something particularly grotesque, then? What was it?”

“You really don’t want to know.”

“Right. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess it involved my clan somehow, and probably your brother, too.” Madara shakes his head in disgust. “That man’s hatred for all things Uchiha was outsized even for your clan…why are you telling me this now?”

Hashirama certainly hadn’t mentioned it before, not even when Madara had hinted around the subject a few times right after Hashirama had been named Clan Head and all those rumors were flying around.

“Because sometimes I get the feeling that you forget that I'm a shinobi, too,” Hashirama says honestly. “I'm not actually as nice as you keep telling yourself I am.”

Madara blinks owlishly at him. “What are you talking about?”

Hashirama sighs. “You’re right. I killed my father to protect my brother. Why mention it? Because of what we’re talking about right now. You do realize that if anyone found out about what Butsuma did, your clan would be duty-bound to kill Tobirama for eye-stealing, right?”

From Madara’s expression, he’d been so focused on the horrors of an always-active Sharingan that he really hadn’t thought about it.

“Not to mention the rest of my clan as an example, even though all of the people who actually did the deed are already dead – in fact, even more so because they’re all dead. You’d need revenge on someone, after all, and the only valid scapegoat would be either me, in my role as clan head, or maybe all of us. Even if you couldn’t convince the samurai to join in, the Hyuuga would get over their dislike of you in a second if it meant the eradication of a noble clan that steals eyes.”

Madara’s eyes are growing wider by the minute.

“And even if I agreed to defame my mother’s name so that you could claim Tobirama was your cousin, he would never agree to join your clan, and I’d never agree, either,” Hashirama continues, because Madara might not have thought about this but he has. “They’d kill him in a second if he went – he’s killed too many of your clan to live peacefully there. But not agreeing to go means your clan will demand his head, or at least that he be castrated, to make sure there’s no chance of any new non-Uchiha wielders of the Sharingan. Isn’t that right?”

Madara’s mouth opens, then shuts. He doesn’t deny it.

“So, that’s why I told you.”

“I get it,” Madara says, and at last, at last, he finally seems to. “Our friendship or your family…it’s the same choice I made.”

“I picked you, that day by the riverbank,” Hashirama reminds him. It’s always going to be a little bit of a sore spot that Madara didn’t do the same, even with the tentative truce they now have between them. “I picked peace, or the possibility of peace. I still do, every day. I don’t want to pick anything else. But…it’s Tobirama.”

“Your last brother.”

“Yes.”

Madara is quiet for a moment. “We can try to think of something,” he finally says, his voice low and serious. “But, if we don’t…I guess this is it, isn’t it? We’ll have to fight for real. To the death.”

“I’m a shinobi!” Hashirama exclaims, putting his face in his hands. He doesn’t want to see Madara’s expression right now. “How many times to I have to say it? Shinobi! Not a stupid noble samurai! Don’t you get it?”

“What do you –”

“Madara, the plant with the white flowers growing to your left is called water hemlock; if its roots enter your bloodstream from any direction, your central nervous system will immediately start shutting down, and a single squirt of its sap into your eyes will render you instantly and very painfully blind. The red berries hanging over your head are jequirity beans; a single pinprick can be fatal, and even just inhaling its dust can cause liver failure. That purple flower by your feet is aconite; even skin contact can be enough to stop your heart. We put it on our arrowheads when we hunt wolves.”

Madara is gaping at him.

“Do you understand now?” Hashirama asks. He might be crying. No, he’s definitely crying, with snot and everything. He doesn’t want to kill his best friend. “I might be friendly, I might be good-natured, but I’m a shinobi. I don’t fight fair. If you push me to pick between you and my clan, really push me, there’s not going to be a fight. You’re just going to be dead.”

“…oh.”

“Yes, oh,” Hashirama says, sitting back up and crossing his arms over his chest. A pout is not the correct expression for the moment, but it’s what he’s got; he really doesn’t want to make this choice. “Did you think wood was the only thing I could manipulate?”

Madara mirrors his gesture. “It’s called the wood release!”

“It’s a metaphor!”

“How come you haven’t poisoned my whole clan, then?!” Madara shouts, glaring.

“What sort of monster do you think I am?!” Hashirama shouts back.

Madara looks at him suspiciously. “…you didn’t think of it, did you?”

“Never occurred to me for a minute,” Hashirama admits, his shoulders going up by his ears. “Besides, it wouldn’t work anyway; I’d need to get someone inside your compound to carry the seeds to the appropriate place. I can’t grow something specific like that out of nothing.”

Madara gestures very pointedly at the plants he is very carefully edging away from.

“Tobirama’s idea,” Hashirama says meekly. “He sews poison plant seeds into the hems of my clothing so I can use it wherever I am as a last resort. The Mokuton really is much better with wood than anything else – I can just summon that.”

“That brother of yours is a menace,” Madara says, then holds up his hands when Hashirama glares. “Don’t you poison-plant me! I meant it as a compliment. He’s…creative.”

Hashirama retracts the hemlock stalks that had started reaching for Madara’s arms.

They sit in silence for a few more minutes.

“What now?” Hashirama finally asks. “I know your clan sometimes permits outsiders to have a Sharingan, but my understanding that’s only in cases where it was a gift.”

“Yes. There’s no provision for eyestealers – though your brother didn’t steal them himself, which might make a difference.”

“To you, maybe. To your clan?”

“…hn. No. They might extend forgiveness under certain circumstances, but never to an enemy of the clan.”

“I really don’t want to kill you.”

“I’d really prefer not to die,” Madara says dryly, eying the plants with a newfound respect. Then, reluctantly, he says, “There is one possible solution.”

Hashirama looks at him.

“If – if your brother wasn’t an enemy of the clan anymore –”

“Say the word ‘marriage’ and I go back to trying to kill you.”

Madara chokes. “What? No! I meant peace. Our peace. The one you're always banging on about.”

Hashirama blinks. “Our village?”

“Yes!”

“You think…? I thought you said your clan would never go for it!”

“And that’s the problem with that as a solution,” Madara says, groaning. “Some of my clan could be convinced, maybe, but the most powerful ones still don’t want peace, and I'm in no position to simply overrule them.”

“Then a large number of your clan will be dead at some point sooner rather than later,” Hashirama says, not without sympathy. “I mean, what’s the other result here? Imagine if we did get into that fair fight to the death and you did kill me. Even then all you’d get is a pissed-off Tobirama in charge of the Senju armies.”

“…and possibly armies of the dead.”

“And possibly armies of the dead,” Hashirama agrees. He’s not sure what Tobirama will resort to if Hashirama dies, and he’s sure Tobirama’s private list of forbidden jutsu well exceeds the ones Hashirama knows enough about to ban. “Not to mention I’m pretty sure he’d break his vow not to actively use his dojutsu if his goal was to avenge me.”

Madara winces. “Great. That’d be just what we’d need. Though we do have something of an edge on countering Sharingan techniques, even if…ugh, he’s copied every single thing he’s seen my entire clan do on the battlefield, hasn’t he?”

Hashirama smirks. “You’re the Sharingan expert, you tell me.”

“Always active, I can scarcely even contemplate it. My clan has a traditional sleep jutsu, by the way, to help deal with Sharingan nightmares; I can teach you.”

“That would be great,” Hashirama says, enthused. “Maybe Tobirama will be less grumpy if he got some more sleep.”

“You realize you can’t kill me if you want me to teach it to you.”

“Oh. Right. Hmm.”

Madara snorts. “To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised he survived at all,” he says. “The chakra requirements of a Sharingan is steep, and his is activated all the time. Why doesn’t he cover his eyes?”

“He does, sometimes, but it never occurred to us that his chakra issues were tied to his eyes before we learned he had the Sharingan, and by then it was habit to leave them uncovered. It would've been strange to suddenly start.”

“…you didn’t know?”

“Senju don’t look Uchiha in the eyes, you know that. And it’s not like Butsuma ever said. I only figured it out, you know, after your eyes…you know. Then.”

“I’m glad you killed your father,” Madara says, oddly passionate. “I’m really glad.”

Hashirama nods, tickled by the sight of Madara working himself into a rage over Tobirama’s well-being, something he’d never expected to happen even in the daydreams where they successfully established a village together. His prickly brother and his even more prickly friend…that was a yelling match just waiting to happen.

He'd give a lot to see that yelling match come to pass.

“This might be enough to help convince Izuna,” Madara finally says. “He’s Tobirama’s rival – the idea that Tobirama’s taking it easy on him? He’ll hate it.”

“Tobirama isn’t –”

“He’s deliberately not using the Sharingan.”

“Well, I mean, he wouldn’t have used it against anyone else anyway?” Hashirama tries.

Madara rolls his eyes at him.

“To be perfectly honest, Izuna should be more worried about Tobirama normally,” Hashirama says, shrugging helplessly. “He’s just about done developing another new jutsu –”

“Another? Already?”

“He works on them in sequence, I think. He says the new one is good enough to beat the Sharingan.”

“And he’d know, too,” Madara says, scowling. “Given that he has a set to test it on.”

Hashirama winces. “How will irritating Izuna help get us to peace?” he asks instead. “You didn’t say.”

“Izuna’s one of the strongest proponents against us accepting your offers of peace,” Madara explains. “He thinks it’s a trap designed to lead us all to our doom –”

“Classic Uchiha understatement, there.”

“Shut up. If he realizes that he’s only alive because Tobirama is holding back, he might be convinced – a number of the others might be convinced – that peace and a joint village is the only alternative to utter catastrophe for our clan anyway.”

“True,” Hashirama says thoughtfully. “I mean, it really sort of is? Even putting aside his regular set of new jutsu, Tobirama’s making progress on his Susanoo and I know that as soon as he’s got that down, he’s planning on using it to find a way to get through to Izuna’s, and…what? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Madara’s back just straightened like he’d been hit by lightning and he was staring at Hashirama like his hair had suddenly lit on fire.

Hashirama checks, but it hasn’t.

“Okay, seriously, what?” he asks. “You use the Susanoo all the time, it’s not that weird.”

“Hashirama, you idiot!” Madara hisses, looking like he has a headache that could only be relieved by punching Hashirama a few times. “The Susanoo isn’t a skill associated with the Sharingan. It’s associated with the Mangekyo.”

Hashirama blinks. “I – know? But isn’t that just an evolution of the Sharingan?”

“Yes!”

“So…?”

“You just told me that Tobirama didn’t kill your father. Then who did he kill?”

Hashirama blinks again. “I’m not following. Tobirama’s killed lots of people, you know that.”

“No, that’s not…no!” Madara grits his teeth. “I’m going to tell you something that you’re going to forget as soon as this conversation ends, okay?”

Hashirama nods obediently.

“The Mangekyo is activated by the guilt causing the death of someone you care about.”

Madara and Izuna both developed theirs shortly after Tajima’s death – and they’d fought like furies before that, desperate to ensure he made it back from the battlefield alive.

“…oh.”

Seems like Madara really was the right person to talk to about what he did to his father.

“Yes, oh. So who did Tobirama kill?”

“No one.”

“Hashirama –”

“No, really! He’s just an idiot!”

Madara stares at him.

“I mean, for a genius, he’s an idiot,” Hashirama explains. “And you know me, I know what I’m talking about. He considers himself responsible for the death of one of our brothers, but he didn’t actually kill him, directly, he just – failed to get there in time. He blames himself.”

Madara scowls, but nods reluctantly. “I’ve heard that causing death by negligence can work, sometimes. But still – your other brothers have been dead as long as I’ve known you. Are you telling me that that white demon developed the Mangekyo before I developed the Sharingan?”

“Uh.”

“No, don’t tell me, I might scream. How are his eyes still intact? The Mangekyo is degenerative.”

“It’s what?!”

“I mean, I suppose he must not use it often, and it’s the use that compounds the effect, but –”

“What do you mean, degenerative? What happens? How quickly?”

“Still, you’d think, after that many years the damage –”

Hashirama grabs Madara by the arms and shakes him. “Answer my question! What will happen to his eyes? To your eyes, you idiot, you use the Mangekyo all the time, what are you thinking -”

“Everything powerful comes with a downside,” Madara says, scowling. “Except maybe your Mokuton.”

Hashirama rolls his eyes. “I’m going to turn into a tree one day if I don’t die first, stop avoiding the subject. Are you saying that you’re going blind?”

“Stop shaking me! Yes, blindness is the end result, but it happens fairly slowly even if you repeatedly use the Mangekyo, and I’m sorry, did you say you turn into a tree?”

“Not for a while yet. This is more important!”

“Have people in your clan turned into trees before? Are there Senju tree-people out there somewhere?”

“Madara. Focus. Tobirama uses his Mangekyo for experimentation; I don’t know how often he’s using it. I’ll have to tell him to stop at once.”

“Probably a good idea,” Madara agrees, looking disturbed, though Hashirama’s unsure if it’s due to the idea of someone using the Mangekyo for experimentation purposes or if he’s still hung up on the tree thing.

(One day Hashirama will tell him that Senju legend has it that the walking ancestor trees supposedly remain conscious for centuries, trapped into unmoving forms, but he thinks now is probably not the time.)

Besides, it’s unimportant! Tobirama’s eyes degrading because of his use of the Mangekyo, on the other hand –

“Oh, that explains so much,” Hashirama says darkly, already planning on grabbing Tobirama under his arm and ruffling his hair until he begged (glared) for mercy. “His eyes are always needing healing; and here I thought it was just sun damage or something from his original condition. Ugh! I’m going to smack him! Hours and hours of work and he could have just not used it –”

Madara’s hand shoots out and grabs Hashirama’s around the arm, holding it almost painfully tight.

Hashirama looks at him, surprised to see that Madara’s face has gone pale again, his dark eyes intensely focused on Hashirama. “Madara? What?”

“You heal his eyes?”

“Well, I mean, it’s a joint effort,” Hashirama says, unsure of where Madara’s line of questioning is going. “He does his share of the work. It still takes hours and everyone’s chakra is a mess at the end and –”

“Hashirama, shut up,” Madara says. “No, wait, don’t – how exactly do you heal them?”

“By instructing the cells to repair themselves beyond their usual capabilities,” Hashirama says blankly. Madara’s never cared about the technicalities of healing before; he seemed to subscribe to the ‘glowing green hands make me feel better, details unimportant’ perspective that most shinobi have. “It took us forever to figure it out and it’s an absolute pain to do – it’s not just usual muscle or bone degradation, which is easy enough, but rather the ocular nerve itself that’s coming to pieces, and worst of all the chakra pathways around it are collapsing at the same time. The collapse of one feeds off the other…it’s complicated to explain. We basically have to reconstruct them both entirely from scratch each time, and trust me, you haven’t met stubborn until you’ve met a nerve cell that thinks it should be dead. That’s why it takes both of us, me providing the chakra and strength of will and Tobirama having the control and precision to operate at such a small level –”

And it usually takes Hashirama (guiltly) accessing Tobirama’s Rinnegan for an extra boost, too. Such a pain, and so easily avoided – it’s not like Tobirama uses his Mangekyo most of the time anyway, and never in battle, which means it should be easy for him to just stop –

“You’ll have your peace.”

Hashirama stares at Madara again. His heart starts beating very fast. “What?”

“You’ll have your peace,” Madara says again. “My clan has been trying to figure out a way to slow down, much less reverse, the degradation of the Mangekyo since forever – even if your version is only a start, even if it only works on him, our medics will still want to learn as much from it as possible. Even the most recalcitrant elder will trade peace for that possibility.”

“Are – are you serious? For healing, of all stupid things?”

“I’m very serious.”

“You’re not just lying to me so that I let you go without poisoning you, are you?”

Madara smacks him.

“Awww, Madara, you know I didn’t really mean it…”

“Go back to your clan, Hashirama,” Madara says, leaping to his feet. “I’ll go to mine. Give me – two weeks, let’s say, and send another offer for a peace conference at a neutral location. This time, we’ll come.”

Hashirama follows Madara’s example and springs to his feet. “I will,” he promises. “Two weeks!”

#senju hashirama #uchiha madara #senju tobirama #my fic #eyestealer

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