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ilalos · 3 years

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Lavender dreams (Anthony Bridgerton x OC)-Part 2/3

Word count: 1.8k

Dances came and went and Grace had saved a dance for Anthony in each and every one of them, but he had yet to ask her for an outing. Gigi supposed he was busy enough trying to get Eloise to go on at least one outing with one of the few men that passed his rigorous check but was it so hard to take her out for a walk in the park or perhaps to have some tea? It didn’t help that she had heard rumors of him meeting actresses every night with unholy purposes, but she held hope for the eldest Bridgerton because every time they danced she felt as if there was no one else on the dance floor with them, and every time they talked he pulled a smile from her even if seconds before she had been upset.

She had had some outings with a couple of gentlemen who were approved by Simon and Daphne, and even if they were fine, educated young men she felt nothing for them. She knew her time was cutting short as it was already the middle of the season and her father didn’t have much time left, but she hadn’t felt anything resembling love for any of her callers. She had, however, started a friendship with non-other than Colin Bridgerton, and this lead Lady Whistledown to speculate about a possible engagement between the pair. The truth was, Colin saw Gigi as a sister at most and she saw him as the brother she never had.

The possibility of Colin proposing was truly daunting to Lady Bridgerton as she knew this union would break Anthony’s heart and could potentially cause a rift between the brothers. She had taken notice of the way her eldest tensed whenever one of the girls read the latest Lady Whistledown and the young couple was mentioned, Colin would always scoff and remind everyone he had no intentions of getting engaged anytime soon but that did nothing to lessen the deep frown in Anthony’s face or his mother’s worry.

Anthony had been visiting the brothel more often in a poor attempt to forget about Gigi and also convincing himself that he would never be deserving of the girl’s love. He knew he needed a wife and he intended on marrying that very season, but the thought of Gigi suffering half as much with his death as his mother did when his father passed, refrained him from accepting his feelings and proposing. Despite his resolve to forget his feelings for her, he continued to dance with her at every ball and party. When they danced he felt as if he could stay there forever, twirling her in his arms and holding her as close as possible; they talked sometimes at these events and felt as if they had known each other their whole lives.

It was the day of the picnic and the Bridgerton family was excited after hearing from the eldest daughter that Lord Watts had informed her and her husband of his intentions to propose to Grace. He was an earl and he and Grace had had some successful outings.

Grace had no objections toward the young man apart from the fact that she bore no feelings for him whatsoever, but given her lack of time to worry on such silly matters, she chose to ignore that in favor of having the wedding her father wished for, and who knows? Maybe their love would sprout once they were married.

When Anthony heard the news he could almost hear his heartbreaking in half, a pain ten times bigger than the one he felt when Siena rejected him. He almost wanted to beg Colin to propose before Lord Watts had the chance, at least that way he would be able to still see her when the couple visited. He decided to skip the picnic and instead stayed at home reviewing the business to avoid having to watch the happy couple celebrating their future union.

The proposal didn’t occur at the event, Lord Watts was there and he did take Grace on a walk but he had made the decision to make a formal proposal at his family’s home the following day so he limited himself to invite Grace, the duke, the duchess, and Lady Bridgerton to his house for tea. The invitation was accepted and the picnic continued without much excitement. The Duke's family left first because baby A was behaving quite fussy and her mother suspected it was due to the unforgiving sun beaming down on them; soon after the Bridgertons left due to a menacing black cloud that darkened the festivities.

Night and storm had fallen upon Lady Danbury’s home when a nervous messenger knocked urgently on the state’s door. Mr. Lock, the butler, had opened the door.

“How can I help-”

“Lord Bridgerton’s carriage was robbed and he is terribly hurt!” The young man had yelled the message hoping the duchess would hear him “Lady Bridgerton urges the presence of her eldest daughter in this uncertain times”

Grace had been the one to hear the messenger’s words and she felt panic take hold of her body. She ran to the door and demanded a horse be readied for her, the butler refused to let her go alone into the rain and advised her to wait until the carriage was ready. At his refusal, she chose to forget decorum and took the messenger's horse and rode it into the storm. The duke and duchess had heard the commotion and ordered the footman to ready the carriage at once.

Grace rode to the Bridgerton household in record time and when she got there she rode straight into the nearby stables, dropped the horse, and ran to the home’s door. Lady Bridgerton opened with teary eyes expecting to see Daphne and let a gasp when instead of her eldest daughter she saw the soaked figure of Grace Gillingham standing at her doorstep.

“Where is he?” That was all the girl said.

“Upstairs, the doctor is seeing him in his bedroom”

The woman barely finished her sentence before the younger girl pushed past her and ran up the stairs, politeness be dammed. She found Benedict passing by Anthony’s door and before she could ask about the man’s condition a pained scream tore through the wood. She gasped as if she felt his pain and fresh tears ran down her cheeks.

“The doctor said his injuries are extensive but not life-threatening” Benedict said it trying to calm the poor girl down but her sobs remained the same, “he said it would take a while, maybe you should go get changed into some dry clothes, surely Eloise can lend you some”

“I’m not leaving this door until I see with my own eyes that he is well”

Benedict only nodded and watched her seat on the floor with her back against the wall, right across the door. Daphne arrived not long after and she too tried to convince Grace to change out of her soaked clothing or to at least drink some hot tea while they waited but the girl refused

“I will be fine” was all she had said through gritted teeth and blue lips.

Hours passed and every once in a while a pained clamor would leave the room, Benedict watched how each sound made a fresh wave of tears fall from Gigi’s eyes. The wait was long and soon Benedict found himself nodding off against the wall, only to be suddenly awakened by the door opening, Grace barely waited for the doctor to exit the room before running inside and kneeling at Anthony’s bedside, taking his hand between hers and looking at his face with relief when hearing taking notice of his breathing and the pulsing of his heart.

“He’ll need lots of rest to properly heal his wounds but he will make a full recovery” the doctor took one look at Grace and shook his head with a smile “Give this to her as soon as you can” he said as he handed Benedict a vial with a yellowish liquid.

“What is this concoction?”

“It will help her fever and lessen her cold symptoms” he explained “If she looks abnormally flushed or agitated, call me immediately”

Anthony thought he had never felt pain as bad as when the doctor had healed his wounds but seeing Grace’s feverish form sleeping uncomfortably in a chair at his bedside hurt more than whatever he felt the night prior. He saw her pale skin and red cheeks that hinted towards a fever, and her labored breathing pointed to a terrible cold, his hand was resting between hers and he marveled at how small they looked around his. He saw Benedict enter the room and questioned him about her presence.

“She rode on a stolen horse in the middle of a storm to be by your side, brother” Benedict chuckled at his brother’s astonished expression, knowing his surprise would only grow “She pushed past mother, entered the house uninvited, sat on the floor in the hallway and refused to move until she knew you were alright” he pointed to her reddened cheeks and continued “She didn’t even change out of her soaked dress until she saw you with her own eyes, the poor thing caught a terrible cold and only accepted to take the medicine and the change of clothes if we allowed her to stay here by your side”

Anthony felt his heart explode with love for the girl, the feelings so strong his eyes glossed with unshed tears. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was to have such an angel loving him so much, and he only hoped he could make her feel half as loved as he felt at that very moment. He had to admit he was angered by her reckless behavior but the love overshadowed his protective feelings...until he saw her being woken up by a sudden fit of horribly sounding cough. He watched as she fought to regain her breath and was ready to chastise her until he noticed the way she looked at him, with so much love and so much relief he forgot what he was going to say.

“You’re awake,” she said simply, processing “You are awake!” Once processed the information had caused her tremendous joy and she jumped to embrace him, only to jump back when she heard his quiet complaint from the pressure put on his recent wounds “I apologize Lord Bridgerton, in my excitement, I seem to have forgotten about your injuries”

“No need to apologize, love” the pet name just flew past his lips, catching them both by surprise “You must go to get some proper rest now, you are sick and tired, we’ll talk later about the poor decisions you took yesterday”

Grace only nodded and without thinking took his hand and kissed his palm before leaving to finally get some rest on an actual bed.

“Fetch the Duke of Hastings for me, Benedict, I have a proposal to make”

PART 3

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Hi! If you’re still following along this story know that I appreciate it :))))) Thank you so so much for reading! I hope you enjoy it

#anthony bridgerton imagine #anthony bridgerton x oc #bridgerton #my writing

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jasmine-tea-latte · 3 years

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(Some of) My Favorite Zutara fics

Warning, looong post ahead!

Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week snuck up on me, so sadly I haven’t had time to properly contribute anything. I’d love to participate next year or maybe even before then (I play by my own rules, folks!)

Still, though. I wanted to at the very least pay tribute to some of my all-time favorite Zutara fanfics that I’ve enjoyed and have inspired me over the years.

(Click here for my post on Self-Love Saturday, where I shamelessly promote my series The Phoenix and the Dragon and share a bit of backstory behind how it came to be in the first place.)

I’ve shipped Zutara ever since Fall 2006, and I have been fortunate to read so many excellent fanfics since then.

Some have made me laugh, others made me sob, others straight up made my heart burn like it was shot full of lightning:

So in honor of @zkfanworkweek, below are 13 of my favorite Zutara fanfics, in no particular order:

~*~*~

Rated G(eneral)/T(een)

Engulfed by Luaburachid

Zuko finds himself engulfed by love.

A sweet one-shot of our favorite firebender discovering how deep his feelings are for a certain waterbender. It’s just pure fluff and always brings a smile to my face.

we hold our hearts in silence by psychedelic_aya

Seventy years later, Korra tries to figure out Zuko and Katara.

Oh, this one is so bittersweet but oh so good. It alternates between flashbacks and Korra’s POV watching an older Zuko and Katara interact. Just… ugh. My heart.

Day 6: Found by SooperSara

When Sokka comes up with an idea to get rid of Joo Dee, Katara finds herself in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se with a tea server she did not expect to meet.

I love a good Jasmine Dragon AU where Katara / the Gaang actually interacts with Zuko while he’s undercover as Lee from the tea shop instead of what happened in “The Guru.” This is so much fun to read, and my only complaint is that it’s not longer.

Celestial by SooperSara

An unexpected dip into the koi pond at the North Pole brings Zuko in contact with the spirits and grants him insight to his destiny. A destiny he isn’t sure he wants.

Another by the talented SooperSara! Actually, you should check out all of her stuff. It’s all so good, and I absolutely adore this one. It’s pretty canon-compliant and the ending… oh, the ending makes me tearbend. Ma’am, I’m still weepy.

this little fuse we lit made something in you by SecondStarOnTheLeft

There's a secret door in the wall of Katara's room. Things go a little further than planned, once she opens it.

What happens when Katara discovers a secret tunnel (secret, secret, secret tunnel, yeah!) that leads directly to the Fire Lord’s bedroom? Reading this fic is like settling down to drink a hot cup of Iroh’s tea – it’s soothing, sweet, and thoroughly warms the soul.

Dancing in the Dark by damagectrl

Post-Season 2 AU: While in Ba Sing Se, Katara and Toph hear a rumor about two tea servers in the lower tiers of Ba Sing Se and sneak away go to investigate only to have their suspicions confirmed. On her personal time, Katara tries to teach herself to dance and fails so badly, a masked man takes pity on her to try to help.

This is one most OGs will probably remember. It’s also one of the first ZK fics I ever read, back when I was a wee lil bb Zutarian! It was originally posted in Oct. 2006 and takes place between “Appa’s Lost Days” and “Lake Laogai.” One of my all-time favorite Bluetara AND Jasmine Dragon AUs. Heck, all of damagectrl’s works are fantastic reads, for that matter. I highly recommend checking them out, especially this classic.

such selfish prayers by andromeda3116

Katara's ambition, so long set aside for the good of others, breaks free and sets fire to her soul. Or, Katara has a vision of her canon future, casts it aside, and becomes a world-changing politician instead.

There’s a reason why this fic is one of the highest rated on AO3, if not THE highest. It does right by Katara and gives her the ending she deserves. 10/10 would recommend.

better than things dreamed of in the forest by catie_writes_things (SERIES)

As a child, Bumi knew: his mother was a waterbender, his father was an airbender, and he was a firebender. Something about these facts did not add up, but it would take him a long time to understand.

Hands down, one of the most heartbreaking fics / series I’ve ever read. The author describes this as the adultery fic for people who hate adultery fics, and it certainly packs an emotional punch in the gut. Personally, I’m not one for the “Zuko and Katara have an affair while she’s with Aang” fics in general, but this one examines the fallout caused by a single night of passion and all of the consequences that stem from it, especially how the ripple effect of their choices impacts everyone. Even though it breaks my heart all over again every time I reread it, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

~*~*~

(More fics, several with high ratings, are listed below the cut)

Rated M(ature)/E(xplicit)

Moonlight and Sunshadow by GrapefruitTwostep

The dragon offered Katara a deal: protection for her family and tribe if she lived with it for a year and a day. And she said yes. Because what other way was there to save her people? But there was more to the dragon than Katara bargained for. An "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" retelling.

A fairy tale AU in which Zuko is cursed to live as a dragon and Katara is certainly no damsel in distress. You’ve probably heard some version of the original fairy tale before that this fic is inspired by, and it’s such a delight to read.

The Blackfish and the Dragon by ama

Katara grew up in the Southern Water Tribe under the tutelage of Hama, the only waterbender ever to have escaped Fire Nation captivity. When Zuko arrives at the South Pole, seeking the Avatar, they are more than ready to defend him. Then one day, the Southern Water Tribe receives a petition for peace, and a proposal of marriage.

One of the best arranged marriage AUs I’ve come across. Iroh is crowned Fire Lord after defeating Ozai, and Katara must find some way to peacefully coexist with her hotheaded new husband as she also finds a place for herself in the Fire Nation.

Confused by thispieceofwork

Zuko stood. "You told Aang you were confused. Are you confused because of me?" Katara was silent, arms crossed in front of her. "Don't make me answer that."

Starts during “The Ember Island Players” where Zuko overhears Aang and Katara’s private conversation on the balcony. This is another fic that will shatter your heart into a million pieces but it’s oh so worth it in the end.

A Heated Exchange by Smediterranea (SERIES)

Katara had not considered herself to be someone who would have earth-shattering sex with a guy whose name she didn’t even know. But here she was, certain that she had never made a better decision in her life.

An AU two-part series of Katara getting familiar with a certain handsome guy who lives down the hall in her college dorm. It’s funny, cute, and cuddling while watching Planet Earth has never been hotter.

Bonus day: Tea Shop by cincilin

"Hello and welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. Today's special is—" he cut himself of with a sharp intake of breath, at the same moment that Katara placed the voice and looked up.

'He has hair.' was her first thought. Then the rest of her brain caught up with her and she started to get up, sending Momo scrambling to hide under the table. Season 2 AU, during "The Guru."

I told y’all, I *LOVE* a good Jasmine Dragon AU fic, and this one-shot checks all the boxes: heart-to-heart conversations? Witty dialogue and banter? Bending match that turns into a makeout and something steamier? It’s got it all.

~*~*~

This was only going to be a list of maybe 5-7fic recs, but well… oops. I also kept the above list to completed works only, just because this post is already long enough.

Several of my other favorites that get honorable mention include:

Thinking Out Loud (WIP)

The Summit (WIP)

Sparrowkeet (Series)

Purr

The Nature of the Blue Spirit

Rhythm of the Rain

Fault Lines

Clarity

Seriously, there are just SO MANY good Zutara fics out there. I had to cut myself off from adding even more, because I could go on and on and on. Much like Admiral Zhao, I have no. self. control.

I love you all, my fellow Zutarians ❤️💙💜 Mwah! Happy ZFAW!

#Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week #zkfanworkweek #zutara #zuko x katara #zuko #katara #zfaw2020 #also i apologize if the formatting is being weird on mobile #it looks fine on desktop but that's tumblr for ya

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crystalirises · 3 years

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The Final Answer (36 Questions AU 9/13)

Pain ;-;

Also robbed you guys of the line “I was speedrunning on a Tuesday night” for the previous chapter.

Ninth part.

REALITY

They settled back to their respective positions, their barely touched dinners left on the table as they curled up on the chair Dream had sat on. A momentary silence hung over the air, though it wasn’t as awkward or as tense as one might expect. They were both exhausted, their heads leaning against each other as they cherished the moment they had together. Their fingers were entangled, the warmth of their bodies mixing in with the other. It was a damning reminder of the cold they had both felt the first few days when they went to sleep, the other not by their side. Dream had gone to sleep the first night, hoping that when he awoke, Fundy would be curled into his arms. He held onto this moment. Fundy had gone to sleep the first night, tears in his eyes as he looked into a room that wasn’t his own. He clung to this moment. It was a fragile and loving peace, one they haven’t had in a long time. Not since the war began, and not since the war ended. Both of them feared to break it, but one of them had to. The tranquility had to end at some point.

“This is nice.” Fundy whispered, nuzzling his face to the crook of Dream’s neck. He felt the blonde shift beside him, a gentle arm wrapping around his form as Dream pulled him closer to his side. His heart pounded painfully in his chest, wishing that he could stop everything and remain in the blonde’s embrace for as long as he wanted. Thepitter-patter of rain echoed from beyond the safety of their little cabin, a world and time away from what they had then and there. Batry squeaked contentedly, flapping their wings on the small perch on the ceiling that they had settled on. Fundy missed the warmth of the home they shared. He missed the nights they used to spend together. He missed the lazy days where he would turn in bed to see a freckled face with beautiful forest green eyes that gazed at him as if he was the world. “I miss this. I miss us.”

“I miss you.” Dream buried his face in Fundy’s hair, laughing as a twitchy ear slapped him against his cheek. Fundy’s hair smelt like sunlight, bits of sand still stuck on the soft red strands. Dream really didn’t understand why Fundy would choose the desert of all places. He always thought that if Fundy ran away, he’d run towards the taiga lands. He had actually checked there first and almost got mauled by wolves. He hummed beneath his breath, content to hold his husband like this for the rest of the night.

Fundy sighed softly, knowing he would have to break the peace. “We should go back to the questions, huh?” He felt Dream tremble beside him.

“… If that’s what you want.”

“Isn’t that what we both want?” Fundy glanced up, nearly hitting his head on Dream’s jaw. He laughed softly, “You hunted me down to Dry Waters for that sole reason, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t hunt you down, Fundy.” Dream scoffed into his husband’s hair, pressing closer as if doing so would make him forget the situation they were both in. He felt a hand swat his shoulder, a playful gesture that Dream hoped didn’t harbor any resentment. He leaned towards Fundy, hoping that the fox hybrid wouldn’t pull away as soon as they resumed the questions. He liked the moment they were sharing. He didn’t want to let go. “I went to look for you… And it’s your turn to ask the next question.”

“Right.” Fundy’s gaze flickered over to the ceiling of the cabin. He recalled the hour before his first date with Dream, his mind had been a flurry of worry as he thought of how he could possibly make it a night to remember. As he paced the restaurant floor, a series of questions flew into his mind. The questions his father had asked his mother… at least that’s Wilbur said. Wilbur loved to change the narrative. “Question 12. ‘If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be?’”

“It’s pretty hard to top admin magic.” Dream murmured beneath his breath, Fundy humming as if in confirmation. Dream wracked through his brain, wondering what he could possibly answer. He glanced around the room, at Fundy… the love of his life. “Maybe… if I could gain one quality, it would be … actually being normal for once.”

“Well, if I could have one ability, I would like invisibility.” Fundy felt Dream’s chest move, a wheeze echoing through the room. “What? It’ll be so much easier to scam and rob people that way. I wouldn’t have to worry about getting caught, ya know?”

"Of course you would pick invisibility. Why am I surprised?" Dream remembered the time he had given Fundy a taste of admin magic. The fox hybrid spent his entire day doing nothing but pranks to anyone who unfortunately got into the crossfire. He would have let him keep a bit of magic if it didn't mean chaos. "Question 13. 'If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?'"

"I'd definitely want to know why my family is the way it is. Like, you've seen how fucked it is right? I have a grandpa who's the 'Angel of Death' or some shit that I don't know about. I have an uncle who probably wants to murder me for being an orphan and another uncle who my ex-husband exiled to fuck knows where." Fundy rolled his eyes as he listed every member he could think of. He wasn't even going to mention the fridge – his supposed grandmother, according to his father. Speaking of, "Then I have a dad who's now a ghost and was probably a fish-fucker. Yeah! I want to know which deity cursed this fucked-up family tree. I love them, Dream you know that. But... I... I don't understand it. I don't know how any of that works."

Dream blinked, his mouth agape in surprise as he stared down at the fox hybrid. He'd never... Fish? Wilbur fucked a— "WHAT?!" Dream couldn't bring himself to even think about it. He pulled Fundy closer to his chest, hoping that he wouldn't wheeze himself to death as he thought about what type of family he was marrying himself into. He's heard about Phil and met his sons, but he didn't know any of them aside from Tommy and Wilbur. He let out a soft sigh, glad that Fundy had chosen to keep their wedding small... By not inviting his family because he didn't want to get murdered at the altar. "You know what, star? I'd have to say that as my answer because what the fuck was all of that?"

"I know, right?" Fundy chuckled, his breath ghosting against the skin on Dream's neck, the blonde shivering at the heat. Fundy couldn't begin to imagine how he'd ever introduce– He curled closer, pressing his face to Dream's neck that Dream nearly jumped. There won't be an introduction. How could he have forgotten? He felt his lips crease into a frown, his hands reaching out to hold onto Dream's waist. An embrace that the blonde melted into. Fundy wished they could stay like that. Fundy moved on, "Question 14. 'Is there something that you've dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven't you done it?'"

"I want to spend one day of peace with you. No obligations. No responsibilities. No wars springing up out of the blue. Just you and me. In this cabin." He would do anything to have that. Dream only ever wanted peace in the Essempy, and he was close to having that. He needed to stick to his plan. He was doing it for everyone, this is what everyone needed. He wasn't doing this just for him and Fundy. It was for everyone. He just needed more time. He'll give everyone the peace and quiet they deserved. He smiled, pressing a chaste kiss on top of Fundy's head. The fox hybrid's tail began to wag. "With everything that's been going on, we never had the chance to do that. Someday, we'll be able to."

"I'd... Love that." Fundy winced at how bitter his voice came out, Dream's relaxed hands reached out to pull him further into the embrace, spooked at the tone in Fundy's voice. If Fundy didn't know any better he'd think the blonde was scared he'd run off. He wouldn't do that. They weren't done with the questions and Fundy wanted to finish what they'd begun. "If there's one thing I wished I could've done... That would be fishing with everyone I loved... Which isn't a long list of people but it would be perfect. You and my dad would get along, Tubbo and Tommy would probably end up drowning while Techno and Phil have their whispered conversations."

"Idyllic. Peaceful. Maybe one day we could all go fishing." Dream looked down into Fundy's beautiful brown eyes, a flicker of light dancing across the irises. There's a questioning look in them, a confusion that Dream couldn't solve quite yet. He reached up, ruffling Fundy's hair a bit. They'll cross that bridge when they get to it. Dream cleared his throat, smiling as he thought about the next few questions. They weren't as difficult. Easy. "Question 15. 'What is the greatest accomplishment of your life?'"

"I've created beings and worlds into existence. I don't think anything could ever top my level of expertise when it comes to creating and designing." As if to make a point, Fundy gestured to the cabin, raising a brow as if daring Dream to argue. They'd both seen the houses Dream makes, and Fundy insisted he built mostly everything in the cabin after seeing... Dream's creative side. Fundy wouldn't even let him into the cabin until it was done. "Can't beat me on that, babe."

"My greatest accomplishment would be gaining admin powers." Dream looked down at his hands, his mind a haze of what he'd actually done to get his powers. George and Sapnap had refused to tell him, telling him it was better that he never knew. He couldn't help but feel worried. What did he do to get such magic? He shook the thought away. It wasn't important. This moment was important. Not that. He could worry about that later. "I don't remember how I got them and I swear to you Fundy, I'm not lying about that. I swear it! You have to believe me on that, I really don't remember how but I might have done something right."

"I get it, Dream. You don't have to explain that." Fundy sighed, knowing that would probably be one of many mysteries that even Dream himself couldn't answer. At least both of them were in the dark about it instead of it being Fundy... By himself. Alone in the dark. Dream might never find the answer to how he got his magic and... Fundy would accept that. "Question 16. 'What do you value most in a friendship?'"

"Loyalty." They both paused, bursting into wheezes and laughs. It was one of the many answers that didn't change. It was the same answer as the one they'd said on their first date. That didn't change at least... Except, this time Dream was alone and Fundy had more friends than he used to have. Funny how change works like that.

"Glad to see we both agree on that." Dream struggled to keep his wheezes in, hiding the pain he felt as he uttered that one word that shouldn't have meant so much to him. "Question 17. 'What is your most treasured memory?'"

"My mom." Fundy's tone was soft, a muffled whisper that almost sounded as if it was but a trickery of the wind. Fundy felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips. Wilbur didn't know but Fundy vaguely remembered what his mother looked like: the soft curls of red hair reaching down to her waist, a gentle voice that soothed his cries, a pair of kind brown eyes that looked at him as if he was a precious treasure to protect. He remembered so little and yet so much. "I remember a little bit of how she looked like. Wilbur refuses to tell me where she is or if she ran off or if she— I don't know. But I know she loved me."

"I would've loved to meet her, she sounds lovely." Dream caressed Fundy's hair, a gesture of comfort. He knew how badly Fundy wanted his mother to still be alive somewhere in the world. But Dream was still confused, was his mother-in-law a human or a fish? "My most cherished memory would have to be our wedding. If I close my eyes I could still remember the ceremony. My dress. Your suit." He doesn't tell Fundy of the nightmares that took over his mind the moment he ran away. The morphed images of a ruined wedding haunting the back of his mind as he so desperately clinged to the life he and Fundy had made together.

"The wedding was fantastic. I wished it was bigger but we couldn't risk my dad." Fundy shook his head, wishing he wouldn't have had to worry about that. "Question 18. What is your most terrible memory?'"

"Dying the first time was pretty terrible." They both shuddered at that, both having had the displeasure of facing Death and emerging back to life. It was an awful sensation, to feel your senses fall numb as the world around you fell into dust. It would be an endless void after a cacophony of noise that screamed into your very being until you suddenly woke up in the bed you'd slept in the day before you'd died.

"Mine would have to be the entire Schlatt Administration. Those were the worst years of my life." Fundy stuck out his tongue, disgusted at the memories of what he had done just to survive in Manburg... Feeling guilty about the sword that was in his inventory.

"Schlatt... Was the worst." They both left it at that, the air tensing at the mere mention of that name. "Question 19. 'If you knew that in one year you would lose all your three lives - or remaining lives - would you change the way you are living now. Why?'"

"I suppose I'd try and get closer to my remaining relatives, it would be difficult seeing as how estranged we are." Fundy let out a tired sigh, "I don't even know how I'd be able to explain you to them without getting both of us killed on the spot."

"So there'd be a need to explain us?"

"What?"

"You'd have to explain to your family why we're married?" Dream glanced down, Fundy struggling against his hold all of a sudden. He let go. "So, we... You and I, we can work this out? We have a chance to work this out?"

"... That isn't the question, Dream." Fundy got up from the chair, backing off into the hall. He heard footsteps follow after him. "You don't have to follow—"

"It's the only question! This is exactly why we're here in the first place!"

"We have 36 Questions left to answer, Dream!" Fundy wanted to tear his hair out. Why the fuck did he accidentally say that? They were getting through everything just fine but of course Fundy found a way to fuck it up. Of course he did.

"Well most of these you already know my answer for!"

"No, I don't Dream! I don't know anything about you anymore! How can I when you’re wreaking havoc to everyone right now?! When you’re out there terrorizing people for Deities’ know what?! And you won’t even tell me what you’re doing..." Fundy began to storm off, pulling the door open as a blast of cool wind entered the room. "Just give me a minute, I need to calm down."

"I told you to trust me! I need you to trust me, star! I just don't know when you'll finally forgive me for this, Funds!" Dream groaned into his hands. He wanted this to be over. He managed to get Fundy home and now he was trying to run away again. "You're leaving again, aren't you?"

"Wha—?!" Fundy looked at him, the rain splattering against his hair as he took a step outside. Dream followed him out, both of them immediately soaked in rainwater. "I'm not running away, I just need a moment to collect my thoughts!"

"What is there to even think about? Will you ever forgive me or not, Fundy?"

"NO!"

They both froze, the word hanging in the air.

Fundy breathed, trying to keep himself calm. "No, Dream. I... I can't forgive you. Not after everything. Do you really think I could ever trust you again? Did you actually think we had a shot here? Dream, we can't—"

"You kissed me."

"What?"

"You. Kissed. Me." Dream couldn't keep the hurt out of his voice. "You kissed me and now you say we never had a chance."

"Dream—"

"We have a chance here, Fundy. Just give me one last—"

"Dream. We can't. I can't." Fundy rummaged through his inventory, taking out the trident he had brought along with him. Dream looked at it, surprised in his forest green eyes. "I wasn't supposed to give you a chance, Dream. I’m sorry I kissed you, that was wrong. I should have never let you into my house. I shouldn’t have led you on like this. I’m sorry."

"Fundy—"

"I'm leaving. Batry can stay until the morning. I'll come back to get him."

"Fundy—"

"Enough, Dream!" Fundy shivered underneath the cool rain. "That's enough."

"We could have our old lives back, Fundy. Don't you want that?" Dream tried to reach for him, his voice cracking beneath the weight of his emotions. “Don’t you want me? Don’t you love me?”

Fundy turned away, a pained smile on his face.

"I have to leave you behind. I know that sounds harsh…” He felt the trickle of rain at the back of his neck, the salty taste of tears clinging to his lips. The trident in his hands felt heavy, beads of water tracing the edges of his fingertips. Fundy closed his face, felt the harsh wind caressing his cheek as Dream's pleas rang throughout the desolate night. His heart ached, a semblance of nostalgia begging him to return to the want embrace of the man he once loved. He wanted to return to the warmth of their home, the light casting shadows down onto the cobblestone stairway. “…but that's the reality. I wish we had our old life.”

A searing pain tore through his insides, a burning want that he needed to quell if he wanted to escape the fire unscathed. "But that shit's impossible. That's just reality." He bit back the sobs that threatened to rise from his throat, tremors running down his spine. He spared a glance at the blonde, a whimper slipping past his lips as those forest green eyes he'd love so much begged him to stay. "I should have told you the minute you came, but you sounded distraught standing out in the rain."

He knew what he had done, presented a silver lining of hope in a whirlwind that would end in demise. He forced himself back, further into the consuming darkness of the night. "And I wanted to let you in, swallow your pain, because that's what I always do." They both needed the closure... But why did it hurt him to leave? To tear himself away from a life he promised himself was dead? He gripped at his chest, knowing he had lied to both of them. "But I made a pact with my friends, under no circumstance..."

He heard the hitch in Dream's breath, the realization of what Fundy had done casted into the unforgiving air. "...should I ever hear out Dream. Unlike you I keep my word." He knew how the story ended, knew it the moment he'd open the door. He felt the shadows cling to his form, beckoning him to make his escape. They were done here. He should go. But he can't. Not like this. He stepped closer despite himself. "And promises I make become my reality. You like to live your life blurring the lines."

Dream did what he wanted, without the thought of what others needed. It was a bitter truth that needed to be said, "Bending the rules to make yourself look better. But all that I wanted was something concrete." Al he had wanted was a life with the man he had fallen in love with. He reached up a hand, the tear-stained cheek cold against his hold. Dream clung to his wrist, a desperation in his eyes that Fundy knew would haunt him until his final moments. "And to know for a fact you are real. What I know is..."

He felt a sorrowful and bittersweet smile form on his lips, agony tearing at his heart, "I still love you!"

Tears rolled down Dream's cheek, his mouth open in silent protest. He couldn't say anything. "That's my reality."

He felt their bodies press close together, their shared heat against the storm made his mind muddled and hazy, "You know..."

He leaned his face closer, his heart thumping loudly in his chest. They shouldn't be doing this. He shouldn't be doing this. But he wanted to. "I'd give anything to wake up with you next to me. You and I spent these years of our lives lost in your lies." He could feel the ghost of the other's breath, their lips a few inches apart. Dream pulled him closer, and for a moment Fundy let him. "Far from reality. And it felt like a dream..." Their lips met, a long and desperate kiss mixed with the taste of salt, lime, and orange.

He pulled away, "'Cause it was"

He felt those shaking and slender fingers try to pull him back, but he was leaving the embrace. The cold stinging the sides of his arms as he finally let go. "Why do I always give in? That is on me to change." He turned around. It was done. They were done. There were hands clinging onto the back of his shirt, not pulling, but there. He knew what Dream wanted to do, pull him into an inescapable embrace until his resolve melts away. He took a shaky step forward, his foot nearly slipping at the cobblestone stairs that led away from their home. He can’t turn around. Not if he wanted to leave. "That's my reality. I can't do this to myself again."

They needed to move on. No matter how much it stung. "I deserve someone who accepts reality."

He felt the cold chill of the rain mix in with his tears, the world engulfed in a monochrome hue without the presence of the celestial lights. What a fitting way to end. Fundy took another hesitant step, raising the trident in his hand. "I can't imagine rebuilding my life with you, constantly on the edge of what I know is true." He could feel Dream’s hold on his back. If he didn’t leave now, he never would. Why did Dream have to make it so difficult? All they needed to do was let go. It was time to let go. "And you would string me along like you always do..."

Fundy laughed, a bitter cry of anguish. He wished he could scream and let the whole world know what they had lost. What’s done is done. It’s over. "Knowing I will never let go."

He turned to pry Dream’s fingers off him, a hollow stare in the blonde’s eyes as their gazes met.

“Fundy…” Dream tried to reach for him again. Fundy shook his head, a goodbye. He raised the trident.

And with a flick of his wrist, he was gone. “FUNDY!”

‘I’m sorry.’

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

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#fundywastaken #fundy #dreamwastaken #mcyt

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thewritingstar · 4 years

Text

To Learn to Love Again

Pairing: Gruvia

warnings: character death..

Hi! im not dead I swear!! any ways i truly apologize for this one.......like i cried........but i hope you enjoy???? (i need to write cute stuff...its coming!)

----

“Someone as vile as you could never learn love, and that's where you lose.”

Those words had haunted her ever since they had been spoken. Her expression didn’t even waver at the tone and she rolled her eyes before plunging a knife deep into their stomach, silencing them for all eternity. The blood leaked out and she was gone before their leg had stopped twitching.

And they were right. She could never love, not again.

She had gone through husband after husband. Finding a rich hallow shell of man who would drop to their knees in a slight second and offer her everything, that was what she had. She collected her debt and when she was done, they would be cast aside in the shadows, divorced and some even left for dead.

That look of numbness, it was cold and brutal and brought a frosty chill down anyone's spine who had happened to catch her gaze, it was always there.

Ring after ring, she tossed them aside or would leave them for an orphanage to pawn off just to feed the hungry children, she had some sort of heart beneath all the smoke and fog inside. They never lasted longer than a month and if so, it could rust off before she could ever say ‘i love you’.

Those words, like fire on the tongue, sick to the stomach and made her toes curl in disgust any time someone uttered them to her. It was all one sided. She didn’t need affection or anyone. She could handle herself but taking ego of a man and all his riches could only fill the hole in her heart for long. She had sold her soul along time ago anyways.

Love. It almost had her laugh. Almost. It was pathetic at this point to even think about it, to even give that hope a speck of light. No, she was far to gone now. There was nothing in this universe that brought her pride or joy. Even the sweet lemon candy she once loved had lost its touch and was just a force of habit now.

-- She clean the knife in the sink and set it aside. Her gaze went out the window as the rain trickled on. Something so beautiful and needed for the world to grow had now become a nuisance, flooding everything in its path and drawing people away than in. But she was fine with that, at least she knew her place.

Even in the pouring rain, she grabbed the umbrella. She once had a bright pink one with hearts that danced along the top but traded it for the dark blue as it seemed to fit her better now. Someday she wished she had it back, but that would be too much. It would bring back more bitterness than good.

She boots squished in the mud and she gave up caring. There was nothing for her now and slowly and slowly she felt herself drifting farther and farther away, wishing she was like the rain. Here for a second, then gone the next.

“Never learn to love.” She clutched the handle, her knuckles turning white.

She could never love any other.

Not any more.

“Thats where you lose.”

And she had lost.

But they were wrong about love. Wrong about her never feeling the highs and lows of what the feeling was. She had been in love before, a beautiful and wonderful love.

Her memory was constantly playing those times, a loop for only her to know. Where she could run through the forest with him hot on her heels and they would lose their breath and slump against the tree. He would lean over her, hiding her from the burning sun under a tree and kiss her cheek, then her neck, then her lips. She could almost taste him. She could almost see the way his eyes glazed over as he took her in and she could feel the blush.

Memories of them fighting bad guys and using their strengths to out number their opponents, she would hug him tight after a victory and they would slip away from the crowds and he would tell her how much her loved her.

The times they spent dancing, humming to their own tunes. She remembers how shy he was when they first started dating but then his confidence soared and he made sure that everyone knew how much he adored her.

Her laughed at her jokes, held her when she was sad and cheered her on no matter what. They were the ones people rooted for.

The feeling of love was always with her and it washed away the years of pain and suffering she endured. He was the one to carry her out of the dark, to love her a full capacity. To make her head be in the clouds even on the bad days.

She knew what love was.

And then it ended just as it began. She had love the tragedy in literature and now she was suffering, the only difference was once the book close, you could open it and start again. This was permanent.

The scream that escaped her lips as she watched his knees buckle to the ground and fall just as he saved her, it echoed through the empty walls of the house they once shared. The blood that coated the fresh fallen snow, stuck to her mind that a broken record player and when she held him in her arm, he gave her a smile.

His head was in her lap and she brushed back his bangs. His chest rising and falling, it stopping faster and faster. Her face was red with tears and anger but all she could see was his dark brown eyes looking up at her. She could tell you the moment when his eyes had lost his soul and turned black.

“You saved me again.” She said and he had enough strength to bring her hand to his lips.

“You were always so beautiful even when you cried.” he whispered just as his eyes fluttered. “I love you.” And she didn’t think he heard her when she said it back.

She had lost the only one she had ever loved. And that next day she still walked down in her wedding dress and cried until the sun rose the next day. That pit of despair and fear crawled back into her slowly, undoing all the darkness he had vanished.

There was nothing stopping her, nothing keeping her going. And when they all came to find her, she was long gone, never to be seen again.

-- Her feet slowed as she stopped at a small clearing in the forest.

The money, the jewels, the riches. None of that mattered.

This life she was living was suppose to be theirs. She was suppose to wake up and see him there. Walk down the path with him at her side and watch as he would make her small sculptures out of ice. He would sit on the counter as she baked and try and distract her. There was so much of the world left to see yet she had lost her universe already.

Her knees hit the group with a thud but she made no noise as she guided her hand to the cold stone that had his name engraved. The only thing that ever made her feel even the smallest speck of emotion was her ring.

The only ring she had even wore was from him, her beloved. And even that had lost its sparkle over time.

“You know Gray-sama…” She thought this was dumb. Talking to a stone, but right now, more than ever, she needed him. “Juvia thought she could do it… she thought she could be okay.” Her lips trembled and for the first time in a while, she cried. “You taught Juvia how to love. How to be a wonderful and selfless person, you did. And its not fair” Another wave of sadness hit her. She shook her head. “The way you smiled and laughed with your friends, you loved everyone.”

“Juvia just hopes you knew how much she loved you.” She sobbed and she could feel the tears burning her cheeks.

There was a silence, like always and she hoped she would wake up from this bad dream and he would be standing there and his arms would be open and she would run to him and never let go. But she didn’t, and she never would. He was her person and she was his.

She sat at his grave, tracing his name slowly and she prayed that she never forgot the sound of his voice or the smell of his clothes. The feeling of his hands and the texture of his lips had faded like a whisper and before she realized what was happening, it was gone.

“Happy anniversary my love.”

The sky above grew darker as she finally managed to walk away, turning around just to feel her heart shatter again. She could never learn to love again, because how could you love someone when your heart had been given up long ago?

And then the minute reset.

Her eyes were blurry with tears as she heard someone call her name.

“Juvia!” She looked down to see Gray in her lap, fear in his eyes as pulled her close.

Her entire memory had become twisted in her mind as she looked around at the battle field then back at Gray. Her tears were full of anger and sorrow.

“Juvia?’ He said worried about that look but before he could finish she had slammed their lips together and pulled him closer to her.

His breath was warm on her face as she pulled away and she looked him in the eyes. they were still the beautiful shade of brown, full of life with pupils blown wide.

“Gray, promise Juvia you’ll never leave her like that again?”

And the look on her face had sent a cold shiver down his spine. He didn’t know that he had just died and their future had played in her mind, but what he did know in that moment was to never leave her because he loved her.

“I promise.”

She had learned to love, but she would be damned if she ever lost. No, not ever again.

That night Gray gave her a promise ring and it shined brightly and her tears and sorrow were soon forgotten.

----

Btw i wasn’t going to add the happy ending but then i thought that yall maybe needed it. Im sorry i havent been posting but now that we are in quarantine, hopefully i can get more going, i have alot planned!!

hope you enjoyed!

#gruvia #gruvia oneshot #gruvia fanfiction #gray x juvia #gray fullbuster #juvia loxar #Juvia Lockser #fairy tail #fairytail oneshot #thewritingstar

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sumeshi-t · 4 years

Text

i would have always known.

who: oikawa, reader

song: turning page by sleeping at last

genre: fluff and a dash of angst

wc: 1020

note: the rain, the cold breeze blowing against my curtain, and twilight's soundtrack led to this. plus, today is a special day for me so 🎉

the smell of coffee in the air, reaching your nose;

the soft sheets beneath your palms; the slight warmth that lingers is a trace of someone who's just gotten off bed;

the first thing you see when your eyes open was the faint light of the sun through the curtains of your new home.

not that being wrapped around your lover's arms was anything far from that.

the space beside you was empty, the memory of last night coming back once you gave yourself a stretch; legs sore, hips bruised, neck and chest littered with the evidence of the battle you surrendered to, yet were scars you were decorated with and were proud to let the world see.

oh, and you were naked as a newborn.

you flip over, only to be met by him, observing you from the doorway, leaning casually with a cup of coffee in each hand.

"good morning, beautiful,"

oikawa mutters, a soft smile on his lips as he approached the bed.

you make space for him, watching as he bends over slightly to place the cups on the bedside table, before joining you.

an arm wraps around your waist, fingers absentmindedly tracing lines across your bare abdomen. you lean back against his chest, taking in his scent far more soothing than the coffee he's made.

you feel his lips move against the top of your head, a kiss and a whisper of 'i love you' made you tilt your head back and plant a lingering kiss on his defined jawline.

"for a minute, i thought everything was just a dream. but it's real... this is real... you are real," you murmur, before taking a sip. the bittersweet taste on your tongue enough proof of the sweetest reality you were living in:

that you were finally, legitimately, spending what might be forever with the man you love; solidified with vows straight from your heart and not even death would be enough to break you apart.

you raise your hand, admiring the golden band and the glimmering of stones around it.

however, the longer he watched, the more oikawa was drawn to the way your chest raised, the way your cheeks became fuller when you smiled, the way your eyes–goddamn, those eyes–they were hypnotic, he was bewitched; trapped in an unbreakable spell.

no stone could ever compete with how brightly your eyes sparkled.

"consider it a dream come true," he teased. you chuckle in response and hit his chest lightly. mornings-after was always so refreshing with him, you see a side of his that he never really shows anybody.

oikawa had always dreamed of a future with you from the very moment he understood what it is–that made him nervous when you were around, that made him want to protect to you, to hold you close, that made him want to touch your lips with his so badly.

it was the you he'd have come home to after winning a game. the you he'd slow dance in the rain with in the garden out back. the you he'd be raising a family with and watch as the children grow. the you he'd admire every wrinkle and graying hair as you both age.

oikawa would do anything and everything to have that.

to have you.

but now, he's here.

"alright honey, time to get up and get dressed. those fuckers promised us a lunch if we even lasted a month of being married," he rolls his eyes as he stands, picking up the empty cups.

you whine, not wanting the morning to end so abruptly. then, a thought comes and it goes flying out your mouth, unable to stop yourself, "will he be there?"

at this, everything stops. however, when you look at your lover, the clear look on his face was a sign of where his loyalties lie–with you.

"i'm not exactly sure, but if he will be, then i guess that makes it better for all of us,"

there was silence, before he leaves the room and heads to the kitchen. you got off the bed, sighing as you picked whichever discarded shirt that was on the floor to put on. you just noticed that it was drizzling, tiny raindrops racing against each other down the glass, beneath the light of the sun.

strange yet perfectly balanced. it was one of oikawa's favorite weathers. somehow, that lunch doesn't seem so bleak.

"babe, you done? breakfast's gonna get cold!" your husband shouts from the kitchen and you skip your way downstairs, turning your back on the window, and on your storm of thoughts. "who are you calling 'babe'? come on, say it, what's the magic word?"

he sighs, but you both knew how proud and happy he becomes when he calls you, "mrs. iwaizumi".

oikawa throws his phone to the cold, empty space beside him. he grabs the nearest pillow and buries his face in it. 'not again,' he chastises himself for having watched a video he took of you from a month ago. when you walked down the aisle. when you passed by him and went straight to his best friend. as if he was just another prop in the background.

unlike yours, his coffee was dark and bitter through and through. the noise of the drizzle muted by the hurricane in his head. the warmth of the sun unable to penetrate the cold iron walls he built around his heart.

it wasn't fair. he loved you first. but you never loved him, not even at a close second.

and the difference was just 11, 204 miles. the difference was that iwaizumi got to you first. and then you could never love him the way he loved you for at least a second.

oikawa picks his phone up once more. "see you guys later!" and then send.

but even then, he misses you everyday. even though he can't stand seeing you happy with someone that's not him, it was enough.

besides, you'll always be what he's living for. what he's been living for all along. he just didn’t have the privilege of being yours.

#haikyuu #haikyuu imagine #haikyuu scenario #haikyuu oneshot #oikawa tooru #iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi hajime x reader #oikawa tooru x reader #iwaizumi hajime imagine #oikawa tooru imagine #oikawa tooru angst #iwaizumi hajime fluff #happy birthday 2 me yay #im 20 now wtf #underratedhq

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lokimostly · 4 years

Text

Polaris (Ch. 9/?)

Loki x Reader, Pirate!AU Word Count: 3,122 Warnings: “solo smut”, injury Summary: Your life has always been set in stone. Born to a wealthy merchant family in the Caribbean, you’ve spent your years as an heiress in the daytime, escaping at night to wander the streets of St. Thomas. Now, on the eve before your life settles into mundanity for good, you discover someone who could change everything– if you choose to trust him, that is.

A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who live in the US and celebrate! I’m thankful for each and every one of you. <3

Chapter One ~ Chapter Two ~ Chapter Three ~ Chapter Four ~ Chapter Five ~ Chapter Six ~ Chapter Seven ~ Chapter Eight ~ Chapter Ten ~ Chapter Eleven ~ Chapter Twelve ~ Chapter Thirteen ~ Chapter Fourteen

All you could do was worry.

Loki’s promise of returning to you only made your anxious waiting worse — was there a possibility that he might not return in one piece? You truly had no idea how difficult the storm was to sail through. The pounding rain against the hull and occasional roll of thunder was a noisy backdrop to your anxious thoughts.

There was no point in picking up your astronomy book again— the constant rocking made the words swim on the page, and you gave up quickly. Everything kept shifting back and forth. You blew out all the candles, leaving the lantern by the door glowing as the sole source of light. It was barely afternoon, but the sky outside the window was dark, with no contrast where the clouds ended and the waves began. You could only imagine what it felt like to be on deck and in the midst of the wind and rain— you didn’t envy Loki. Instead, your stomach churned with worry for him.

After mulling about and putting away any desktop objects that might roll onto the floor, you stripped off your clothes and pulled on your chemise. The trousers were admittedly freeing, but the fabric was stiff. Still, you would definitely be wearing them more often.

You paused with the trousers half-folded over your arm. They were Loki’s clothes, not yours. You shouldn’t be making imaginary plans around him, no matter how small.

A huff escaped your lips. You were thoroughly enraptured by him now, despite your best efforts. Damn him and his honey-coated words, his sharp jaw, sea-colored eyes, his muscled arms...

You threw the trousers into the drawer and dropped onto the bed dramatically, pulling the covers over your body in one angry motion. You glared in the dark.

I could never take what isn’t freely given, no matter how tantalizing you may be.

But you did want him to take you. You could admit that to yourself now.

You flipped onto your back and pulled the covers down a bit, stewing silently and staring at the paneled ceiling. It was driving you mad.

Just once, you wanted to let yourself indulge in him without feeling guilty for it.

You sighed, chewing your lip before reaching between your legs. You needed a distraction from the storm anyways – and nothing else would satiate your frustration. This, at least, you could control.

You exhaled and closed your eyes as you found a familiar rhythm. Memory blended with fantasy as you recalled the feeling of his hands – their careful touch when he held you so securely while dancing. You imagined their gentle caresses trailing over your skin, while his lips whispered sinful praises against your ear. Every way he had touched you, each honey-coated compliment and sinful inference, was ushered to the forefront of your memory to be put to use.

Thunder rolled above you and you forced yourself to ignore the rise of anxiety that it brought to your chest. You thought instead of Loki’s hungry gaze when he’d looked at you in the mirror. The way he’d pinned you against the tree in the gardens – even now, the recollection of his words made you shiver.

how long will it take before I find you in my bed, whimpering in the dark, begging me for the comfort your husband cannot give?

You sunk deeper into the sheets, reaching up to grip your pillow as you let yourself go completely. It was his fingers instead of yours between your legs, his mouth on your skin and driving you to the edge of bliss. Your body tensed, clenched, and shattered.

Your mind slowly floated back to your body as you laid in the dim lamplight, breathing hard. Unknown minutes passed. The wave of endorphins dripped through your veins, gradually giving way to tiredness. Sated, you pushed your hair from your face and shifted further below the blankets, nestling into the safety of the bed. Your hand reached up to rub your face, and you felt the cold metal of your engagement ring brush against your flushed skin.

You pulled your hand away to stare at the garnet. It glowed dimly in the light, like a drop of crystallized blood wrapped in silver. Beautiful in its craftsmanship – like an elegantly tied noose.

An unfamiliar emotion rose in your chest: something deeper than rebellion, cooler than anger. Thor would not be your husband – not if you had anything to say about it. You reached up, pulling the ring from your finger, and set it on the bedside table. Your hand felt almost lighter with the absence of such a heavy emotional weight.

For the first time, finally, you were taking hand of the reins. Your future laid in the direction of wherever this pirate ship was going, and you couldn’t be more resolute about it. The thought made you smile as you drifted off to sleep, lulled by the rocking of the ship and the mingled noise of rain and thunder, oblivious to the storm around you.

Loki moved carefully as he climbed down from the crow’s nest. His hands held tightly to the wet rope as rain pelted against him from every side– going hand over hand, taking a measured breath for every rung. The ship’s violent pitching meant almost certain death for any misstep.

Climbing the rigging up to try and catch a glimpse of the horizon had been utterly fruitless. Loki didn’t want to admit it, but this was chalking up to be less of a storm and more of a hurricane. The waves were growing more violent at every hour, and the risk of keeling over or hitting a reef was running high.

Lightning flashed in the dark clouds. He reached for the next rung and his hand slipped on its slick surface. The deck flew up towards him and he grabbed madly for the rope, catching just enough friction to slow his descent before he hit the deck and crumpled.

Volstagg, standing at the helm with his bear-like arms straining against the wheel, shouted across the deck. “Cap’n! You alright?”

Loki grunted and waved his hand dismissively, resting on his elbows for a moment before standing to his feet. The deck was slippery with rainwater – everything was slippery with rainwater. Loki cursed as he wiped water from his eyes, holding onto one of the posts to keep his footing. The flesh of his hands burned red from the ropes.

He started towards the helm when the ship pitched itself again, and stumbled. Thomas abandoned the half-tied rope in his hand to catch his captain before he fell again.

“Go below!” He shouted over the rain. “We can ‘andle her!”

Loki shook his head stubbornly. Rivulets of water dripped down his face and ran off his jaw– there wasn’t an inch of him that wasn’t soaked through. “I’m alright.”

“You’ve been awake nearly three days,” Thomas insisted. His young face was cast in an earnest frown.

Volstagg handed the wheel off and stepped down, setting his paw on Loki’s shoulder. “Aye, we’ll call should we need you. Get some rest.”

Loki’s hollowed eyes stared at Volstagg for a long moment before he conceded with a nod, letting go of Thomas’s arm. His shoulders sagged with exhaustion as he made his way cautiously across the leaning deck. He ducked his head instinctively when lightning flashed again, followed by a long roll of thunder. His eyes were blurred with fatigue.

Loki descended the wooden stairs and shook his head, wringing water out from his clothes to lessen their incessant dripping before he opened the door to the Captain’s quarters.

There was only a single lantern burning by the door, casting the room in a dull orange glow. Loki looked around. He spotted the vague lump in the bed where you were curled up and smiled faintly, a small laugh escaping through his nose. He’d been afraid that you would be beset with worry – which was a rather indulgent thought, you worrying over him – or feeling sick on account of the ship’s violent rocking. It was surprisingly comforting to him, to see you curled safely asleep in bed. In his bed.

The floorboards creaked painfully loud beneath his feet as he crossed the room, peeling the wet shirt from his body. His limbs ached from the cold. Even though the room was warm, Loki couldn’t stop shivering. He winced as he reached to put the shirt on a hanger, feeling the soreness of his side where he’d hit the deck. No doubt there would be a full set of bruises on his ribcage tomorrow, if they weren’t blossoming already.

He shut the dresser door gently, holding onto the handle when the ship groaned and rocked. Loki’s tired eyes fell to the object rolling off its surface, and he caught it before it hit the floor, holding it up in the light to inspect it.

Your ring.

He set it down instantly like it burned him. It should be on your hand, not set atop the dresser. Why had you taken it off? His mind searched for an answer and found none. He looked down at your face turned against the pillow, hair splayed and eyelashes still against your cheeks in sleep, your left hand noticeably bare. But your angelic expression held no answer.

Perhaps it had merely been uncomfortable to wear for so long… but that answer left Loki dissatisfied in the same way that your response to his question had earlier, when he asked you about the content of your dreams.

Loki reached for the ring and picked it up with a degree of hesitation. He opened the drawer and set it beside the thrice-folded letter, closing the false bottom and pushing it shut. His eyes fell on you again, and he sighed. “Ever you remain something of a mystery to me,” he murmured, reaching down and tucking back a piece of your hair with his long fingers.

The ship rocked, and you shifted in your sleep, causing him to withdraw his hand. The last thing he wanted was to disturb you – and sleeping in the same bed would certainly do that. With an exhausted exhale, Loki turned, walking across the room and collapsing into the desk chair. He pulled the fabric of his jacket mostly over his chest like a blanket, setting his chin in his hand and letting his eyes fall closed. His body ached uncomfortably and he shifted.

“What are you doing?”

Your voice came slow and sleepy from the bed, but it startled him nonetheless, and he jerked. “Erm–”

“Are you sleeping in the chair?” You asked, your voice turning accusatory as you began to wake up. You sat up in the bed, holding the coverlet to your chest. Your hair tumbled over your shoulders, falling into your face before you pushed it away with your free hand.

Loki dropped his gaze. Your white chemise hung from your shoulders, but for propriety’s sake you might as well have been naked. “I…” he couldn’t think of a suitable lie. “Yes. I had no desire to disturb you.”

“This is your bed.”

Loki’s eyebrow twitched. “I know that.”

“You should sleep in it.”

He reached up and rubbed his face, sighing against his hand. “My lady,” he began sarcastically, “I have no intention of impressing myself upon you–”

“I want you to.”

He stopped. Opened his mouth– closed it again. This had to be a dream. He had hit the deck and broken his neck upon impact; that was the only possible explanation.

Loki’s hand dropped slowly and he lifted his gaze, not daring to breathe as he looked at you. His stomach had turned to a flutter of moths. You gazed back at him in the orange lamplight, with a puzzled expression, before it turned quickly to shock, and then a flushed shade of scarlet. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean– I want you to sleep in the bed,” you clarified, pointing to the spot beside you to make your point. “Not– not to sleep with–”

“Right, of course,” Loki agreed quickly, nodding emphatically as heat spread to his own face. He wanted to pitch himself over the side of the railing. How could he possibly have thought that you meant anything otherwise? He cleared his throat, shaking his head a few times, as if it would get rid of his mortified emotional state, and tried to reassemble whatever was left of his composure. “No, I’m afraid not.”

Your eyebrows pulled together in a frown and you glared at him. “Which is it?”

“Pardon?”

“Is it ‘of course,’ or ‘I’m afraid not?’”

“The latter,” He snapped. “I was trying to be considerate. It’s a miracle you were asleep at all, in the midst of a hurricane–” He stopped and clamped his mouth shut. His heart twisted inside his chest as you visibly paled and your shoulders tensed. Your eyes flitted to the paneled window, staring through the dark glass before setting on him again. There was a beat of silence.

“Why are you here?” you began, the coverlet fabric bunched in your fists. “If ... if the storm is truly as formidable as you say, shouldn’t you be up there?”

“I would be,” he admitted. “But my men insisted.” When you didn’t reply, he continued on. “I couldn’t stay awake.” He cleared his throat, raising his eyebrows and gesturing vaguely to his left side. “I fell from the rigging.”

Your reaction was immediate. “Are you hurt? may I see?”

Loki hummed in affirmation and pushed himself up, discarding his jacket and coming around to your side of the bed. Your cheeks tinged at the sight of him half-naked – his lean, muscular figure shouldn’t have surprised you, but you had trouble looking away from him all the same. Captaining a ship obviously kept him fighting fit.

You felt the dip in the bed when he sat down on the edge, raising his arm for you to observe his side.

Your mouth opened in silent shock at his mottled skin, cut in some places and bruising all over. You reached out, touching your fingers gingerly to the discolored ribs.

Loki inhaled quickly through his teeth and you withdrew your hand. “I’m sorry.”

He shook his head and dropped his arm. “No need.” He blinked slowly, losing his train of thought and staring off for a long moment. The quick glimpse you had seen earlier of his exhausted state was much worse than you imagined— he was beginning to shiver, the dark circles beneath his eyes more prominent in the dim light.

You wanted to run your thumb over his cheek and press a kiss there for good measure. Instead, you nudged him with your leg. “You might as well sleep here,” you suggested gently, raising an eyebrow. “Since you made it this far.”

Loki blinked, withdrawing from his thoughts and chuckling. “Was this all a scheme to get me into your bed, little one?” He purred. The tired gravelling in his voice sent a shiver down your spine, and you stuttered. “N-no, I–”

He reached out and put a long finger to your lips, smirking tiredly. “Shh.” He nodded towards the other side. “Move over?”

You obliged, scooting over to the other side so that Loki could get in. You silently mused that he probably wouldn’t have asked you to move if he hadn’t been in his current state. You weren’t certain he could have walked it around to the other side without stumbling.

Loki settled with a sigh, lying on his undamaged side with the coverlet pooled around his waist. You slid below the covers and stared at him through narrowed eyes, watching as he raked a hand through his raven hair. Even beneath the covers, he was still shivering.

You mustered the courage to speak in the dark. “Cold?”

He inhaled, shaking his head against the pillow. “Just damp.”

The ship rocked and your stomach turned over as a crash of thunder rolled above you. You screwed your eyes shut, trying to imagine yourself on solid ground and in your own bed – not inches away from temptation personified. It had been so easy to fall asleep only hours ago…

But Loki obviously had no such trouble. He was completely still, save for his slow, steady breathing. His dark hair fell in curls against his pillow.

Thunder crashed again and an unintentional gasp escaped your mouth. You pressed your hand to your lips, wide-eyed in the dark as the ship rocked again, more violently this time. You tried to swallow your heart and shifted further under the covers. Loki, on the other hand, didn’t make a sound. You had never assumed he would be such a heavy sleeper.

Which, against your better judgement, gave you an idea.

You took a deep breath, and scooted closer– just within reach to feel the warmth coming off his skin, and find some semblance of comfort in the wake of the storm. The familiar smell of rose, saltwater and leather accompanied your newfound proximity to him, and you reached out to tease a strand of his hair into a loop around your finger – soft. Your heartbeat slowed inside your chest, and you closed your eyes.

Then you felt his hand wrap around your wrist.

Your eyes flew open and you stared at him, frozen in shock – he was still turned away from you, one arm reaching over. Not a heavy sleeper, you thought as your stomach dropped. He wasn’t sleeping at all. You waited for the reprimand, the sinful comment, but for a long moment all that met you was harrowing silence.

Finally, Loki drew a breath. “Storms like these make children of us all,” he murmured. His words were slow and careful as he thumbed unconsciously over your wrist, before letting go. “They frighten us more than we would prefer to admit.”

You weren’t sure what to say; you had a feeling that he wasn’t speaking to your actions alone. Thunder rumbled again, and you tensed at the deep vibration.

Loki turned onto his back with a pained grunt, rolling his shoulders against the mattress to find a position that didn’t hurt his side. Then he closed his eyes, sighed, and lifted his hand in offering.

You stared at it in motionless shock for so long that you could feel Loki’s patience wearing thin.

He raised his eyebrows, eyes still closed. “Do you want it, or not?”

You took his hand. His long, calloused fingers completely engulfed yours. It was such a small connection, but you could feel his every heartbeat through his skin, strong and steady. It may have been your imagination, but whenever the ship took an abrupt turn, his grip tightened ever so slightly. The simplest of gestures, and yet it was more of a comfort to you than any of Thor’s words or actions had ever been.

Why couldn’t it have been him? You wondered, before sleep reclaimed you and the sounds of the storm faded away once more.

- - -

A/N: thanks for reading! <3

Tag List (CLOSED):

@neontiiger, @un-consider-it, @jessiejunebug, @nerdypisces160, @lokiisntdeadbitch, @e-wolf-90, @cursedmoonstone-blog, @kikaninchen-2, @bluebellhairpin, @evy-lyn, @midnight-queen-1, @travelingmypassion, @harrybpoetry, @adefectivedetective, @absolutecraziness13, @kumikokagato, @randomfangirl7, @timetraveler1978, @tarynkauai, @arcanethamin, @ornate-ribcage, @julianettedoe, @kinghiddlestonanddixon, @yespolkadotkitty, @befearlesslyauthenticc, @ladybugsfanfics, @thisisaclusterofablog, @groupies-do-it-better, @just-the-hiddles, @quenilla, @amyy-moonlightt, @pandacookieowo, @thatweirdwalangpake, @alexakeyloveloki, @littlemissporter, @yes-captainstark, @justawriterwithdreams, @beautyandflannel, @eyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy, @myoxisbroken, @rjohnson1280, @the-republic-and-face-of-texas, @snapessecretdiary, @sailortaylorfin, @cottoncandy1010, @androgynousdeputyfarmhero, @blackcherry26-blog, @saljstuff, @devilbat, @scarlettghost13, @arch-venus25

#loki #marvel #fanfic #loki x reader #loki x you #loki fanfic #loki imagine #reader insert #loki reader insert #pirate!au #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson x you #loki x oc #loki fanfiction #fluff #whump #smut

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jenonctcity · 5 years

Text

Anchored

[7:45pm]

Lee Donghyuck – Angst

Warnings: Aggressive behaviour. (He doesn’t harm the reader.)

Word Count: 1.8k

Rich-Kids!Au

Request: Anon - fixed marriage with snarky and cold donghyuck only for him to be so angry when you had announced that you were pregnant and you really weren't (you weren't whoring around and neither has donghyuck ever touched you) you were just tryna get out of the marriage since he hates you but he’s just scared.

You’d always known your own destiny. Born into a family that had more money than sense. The amount of businesses your family owned was ridiculous. Of course, you’d been spoilt beyond your wildest dreams since birth by your doting parents. But you’d always had the unfair fate of your arranged marriage looming over your head like a dark cloud ready to rain on your parade at any given moment. All through your teens you would have cute boys approach you with the interest of dating. Only for you to turn them down flat. What was the point in dating someone, potentially falling head over heels in love with someone when in the end you’d just get married off to the son of a family just as influential as your own? You didn’t want the hurt that came with that, so you blocked off any potential love interests. You always knew the boy you would eventually marry was the son to your fathers’ best friend. Named Donghyuck and born a year before you, he also knew of the fate that you wouldn’t exactly call written in the stars for you both.

When you were kids, you would get along well. He was excited to one day marry you and would often refer to you as his princess and would offer you his hand to dance at any balls or functions your families attended. You enjoyed his company and thought that at least you hadn’t been paired up with someone unattractive and creepy. He had even been your first kiss when you had turned 16. You always remember how gentle and soft his lips had felt against yours. Until he turned 18 the year before you did. He suddenly became hostile to you, his attitude turning sour whenever you were in his presence. He would be cold and snarky, often trying to make you look stupid in front of your friends and strangers at the many events you all attended. This brought on a feeling of dread at marrying the spoilt brat. Most people are excited for their 18th birthday. Especially when they have parents are rich and generous as your own. But you woke up the morning of your birthday with tears trailing down your face and a panic attack moving like a hurricane through your mind and lungs. Your dreams of living an easy and happy life shattered as 18 is the age you would become engaged to Donghyuck.

He was present at your party, gifting you with a beautiful necklace that his mother had no doubt picked out and had forced him to give to you. Your parents pushed you into being by his side the whole night until it was finally announced to all your friends, distant family, and people you had never seen before, that in four months’ time you would become a married woman and marry Lee Donghyuck. He faked a smile for the cameras that flashed in your eyes as he tightly gripped your hand. Cries of congratulations echoing in your mind and making you feel sick to the stomach with nerves.

A week later your parents had left the two of you alone in the big dining room of your mansion. The crystal chandelier reflecting light onto the diamond necklace that cascaded down your neck and stopped just above your breasts. It was the necklace that Donghyuck had given you. You’d only worn it in hopes he would be more appreciative towards you. You also had a slither of hope he would see it and start up a conversation with you just to mute the awkward silence you knew would ensue. His expensive tailored suit made him look gorgeous. His dark brown hair -that you knew was a dye job - was swept up to the side, exposing his forehead and giving his already handsome looks a more intimidating look. When you’d stepped into the dining room, he bowed to you, looking you up and down once and pretending that your stunning looks and beautiful dress didn’t affect him. You wore a beautiful floor length down, the crimson colour making your skin glow and making his heart skip a beat. His face stayed stoic all through the meal, his eyes barely glancing at you and leaving a burning feeling of fear at the pit of your stomach.

Is this what you had to endure for the foreseeable future? You couldn’t handle it. Immediately thinking of a get out plan and not executing it very well when you opening your red stained lips and spoke.

“I’m pregnant.” The moment the words left your mouth you felt a sense of dread and regret at the ridiculous excuse you’d blurted out to him. He froze, body visibly tensing and as he lowered his fork and steak knife down onto the table. His expensive cut of steak forgotten about as your words rang through his head.

“What the fuck did you just say?” He growled, glaring at you through his eyebrows. His glower intimidatingly scary as he kept is eyes on you. You gulped, taking a deep breath before feeding into your lie more.

“I’m pregnant with another mans baby. Call the wedding off.” You knew he didn’t have the power to actually stop the wedding on his own accord. But if he told his parents the words you’d just assaulted him with then you were sure they’d pull out of the deal in a heartbeat. Your palms started to get clammy as his silence caused an aura of fright in the room. He scoffed a laugh, standing up from the table and angrily lashing out, pushing everything in front of him onto the floor in rage. You flinched and froze up, staying rooted to your seat as he stormed over to you from his side of the long table.

“You fucking think that will stop them?! Stupid bitch. How could you be so stupid?!” His words cut you like a knife, his voice loud and echoing in the room over the sound of the soft music coming from the speakers. “They’ll still make us marry. But now I’m going to be forced to raise another mans baby.” His fists clenched and he let out a sigh, running a hand over his eyes and rubbing them in stress. “You did this on purpose, fucking slut.” He clearly had no care for the disgusting language leaving his mouth and you had no idea he could have so much malic in his tone. You jaw dropped open at his words, tears flooding to your eyes as you had the internal battle of whether to tell him the truth or not.

“Calm down…” You said softly, your words barely making it past your lips before he flipped out again.

“Calm down?! Calm fucking down?!” He grabbed the arms of the chair you sat in, caging you into the chair as his face got closer to you. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” He didn’t shout or raise his voice, instead his words were quiet but like venom invading your bloodstream.

“Okay I lied. I’ve never slept with anyone…I just thought it would stop the marriage. I don’t want to marry you.” You cleared your throat, finally raising your head to stare him in the eyes. Confidence suddenly striking you. “You hate me. Why would I want to marry someone who does nothing but look down on me and belittle me?” He shut his eyes, his head dropping in relief at your confession. He let out a sigh before meeting his dark eyes with your own. You noticed the red rimming his eyes and the gloss that made the lights reflect brightly in them.

“I don’t hate you.” He pulled away from you, choosing to sit in the seat beside you instead of going back to his seat parallel to you across the table. He slouched, sniffing and giving his eyes a quick wipe in hopes you didn’t see the tears that threatened to spill. “I hate this situation. I thought if I was cold towards you that our parents wouldn’t force us to marry. Obviously, I was wrong.” He huffed a humourless laugh, shaking his head in disbelief at this situation.

“I didn’t hate this until you started being a dick.” Your voice wavered slightly as your confidence wore off. He shot you a look of surprise, his eyebrow raised at your choice of words.

“I didn’t hate it either until I found out the minute that I marry you I’m expected to get you pregnant and take over one of my fathers’ businesses.” He shook his head, his eyes wondering around the room as you let his words sink in. “How can I be a good husband, run a business, and be a loving father at my age?” His voice cracked again, sniffing back his emotions and suddenly finding the chandelier interesting so he didn’t have to look at you. “I didn’t want my work to get in the way of us…I thought I’d have time to be a husband and father before my father gave one of his businesses to me.” He sighed and focused on you again.

“Hyuck…” You reached out and laced your fingers with his own, using your other hand to fiddle with his long fingers. “We can figure this out…our parents love us and if we explain how bad this is making us feel maybe they can switch some things up.” You took a deep breath, lifting his hand to your lips before placing a soft chaste kiss on his knuckles, leaving behind a smudge of red lipstick. “At the minute they probably assume we’re happy with how the arrangement is. If we tell them otherwise then we can maybe figure out how to be happy with each other.” A tender smile made his face glow. You much preferred his face when it wasn’t sending death glares at you. Thinking maybe you could get used to the smiley side of Donghyuck again even after not seeing it for a year.

“I’d like that.” His voice was gentle, a complete juxtaposition of how harsh it was just minutes ago when he’d completely lost his shit. “I’m gonna kiss you now, is that okay?” He bit his bottom lip in anticipation of your answer.

“More than okay.” You blushed, nodding your head quickly. His hand slipped from yours, placing them both on the arms of your chair once again. He leaned in, brushing his nose gently against your own, your lips softly grazing against each other’s before he planted them firmly on you.

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langdxn · 5 years

Text

absolution | sojourn!michael x fem!reader

SUMMARY: Michael’s sojourn leads him onto a different path - the path to wedded bliss.

WARNINGS: Fluffier than a retriever after a bath. Domesticated Sojourn!Michael.

WORD COUNT: 1.8k - the fluff writer is back! Feedback is welcome as always :D

Michael was lost. You found him.

So it made perfect sense to him to help you when you needed him the most.

“Allow me,” he cooed as he walked into the bright white room behind you, but not before he listened to your helpless grunts for a few more moments. The blinding light revealed your elegant silhouette in front of a full-length mirror, trying your hardest to fasten the zip trailing down your back when neither of your arms could reach that far behind you.

His words poured like honey into your ears every other day, but today they made you roll your eyes, knowing full well Michael couldn’t contain his curiosity of what lay behind your dressing room door. You clutched at the dress around you in a vain attempt to conceal the glittering gown hastily draped over your figure, refusing to turn to face him as if ignoring him would salvage the mystery on your big day.

“You’re not supposed to see me, not yet.”

His expensive shoes echoed across the floorboards towards you, you felt his strong hands graze the troublesome zip nestled in the small of your back. His gentle breath ghosted over your neck where you styled your angelic curls to swoop over your shoulder.

“That doesn’t matter, you need help.” Michael held still for a moment, regarding your exposed back as if it were the first time he laid his eyes upon your breathtaking form.

Fully aware of your dreams of a fairytale wedding regardless of your marriage being to the son of Satan, your fiancé politely suggested you wear white on your wedding day regardless of the times you had already consummated your relationship: over the kitchen counter, halfway up the stairs, even out in the woods where you found each other.

———

Your eyes first met over the pine needles and cones discarded by the humid autumn. The woods where he was desperately attempting to communicate with his father just so happened to be your regular walking path. Your golden retriever had rushed off ahead of you, choosing to carelessly dig right through Michael’s ritual circle.

“Barkley, stop that!” You chastised as you breathlessly caught up with your canine companion, your eyes settling on the bedraggled blonde man kneeling in the dirt. “I’m so sorry, he has a real thing for digging at the moment.”

The man was too exhausted to reply, his sunken cheeks clearly malnourished, fresh tear tracks coursing down his countenance and his reddened eyes on stalks; he let slip a dismissive nod without looking at the source of the voice breaking the agonising forest silence. Clumps of dirt rained from the dog’s paws and fell at Michael’s mud-stricken knees, once graced by flawless black denim.

“Are— are you okay sir?” You instinctively crouched closer to the drowsy form, curious concern choking at your vocal cords, unsure you would like the response. You lay a gentle hand on the dog’s head and it calmly ceased its underground mission.

Michael raised his head wearily, laying his eyes upon the woman in front of him, your tousled black curls framing your perfectly bronzed face, a shimmer of highlighter dancing across your cheeks. His eyes dropped to your black sleeveless shirt and jeans, far removed from the brilliant white, angelic figures that tormented him in the last three days.

Perhaps she was sent by my father.

“I don’t know,” he sighed into his grubby hands, thumbs grazing the stubble afflicting his countenance. The retriever huffed loudly as it edged playfully towards Michael, breaking his communication circle and the enclosed pentagram with its innocently reckless paws. Michael’s eyes popped as he watched the circle of pine needles fade in front of him.

You stepped towards him with an outstretched hand, stopping just outside the hastily scratched circle in the dirt.

“Can I help you at all? I don’t live far from here, you’re welcome to come for a coffee,” you offered with a smile from the corner of your lips, nodding towards your dog. “I’m not the best coffee maker but I’m a great listener, or so Barkley tells me.”

My father has finally shown me what to do.

Michael hesitantly raised his hand towards yours, his mud-stained neckerchief draping over his arm. There was no need for tears now, he knew exactly what lay ahead.

———

Michael fastened the zip of your dress agonisingly slowly, determined to savour every precious moment before you were to part again. He raised both hands to reassuringly cup your shoulders, his signal that his duty was done. Gently resting his chin on your shoulder, his breath caught in his throat as he glanced at the vision in white that appeared in the mirror in front of you.

You resisted the devastating urge to look at him in the reflection, determined to salvage some semblance of ‘good luck’ now the groom had already witnessed the bride in her dress on the happiest day of their lives. Dipping into his touch and clenching your eyes shut, you felt his effortlessly beautiful golden curls graze your cheek.

“You look heavenly, my angel,” he hummed under his breath, planting a delicate kiss on the nape of your neck. He couldn’t resist swallowing every centimetre of your appearance in the shimmering summer sun pouring through your dressing room window.

“Michael,” you pressed, “you still haven’t told me what our first dance is.” Your tone was both insistent and quizzical, trying your hardest to avoid his gaze in the dressing mirror in case it gave any signs of what surprise he had in store for the one aspect of the wedding he was entrusted with.

“All in good time, little dove,” he dismissed, determined to keep at least one thing secret from his future wife. Your mind flashed with dread, anticipating anything from his favourite classical pieces to the downright ridiculous Don’t Fear The Reaper he once threatened in the midst of a playful tiff. Had he mistaken your fit of laughter for genuine interest? Would you actually be dancing with your new husband to the unforgettable tones of Blue Öyster Cult? How would you ever live it down?

Suddenly, bounding thuds thrashed the wooden stairs beyond the dressing room, followed closely by the familiar frantic pants of Barkley making his way up.

“Oh no,” Michael tutted as he turned to spot the retriever bursting in with his tongue drooping sloppily out of his jaw, a single rogue strand of drool threatening to trail across the floorboards. “Barkley, you shouldn’t be in here.”

“Neither should you,” you giggled under your breath, scooping up your floor-length dress in a hasty effort to save the garment from the impending canine carnage. Somehow resisting the temptation to turn around and watch the man of your dreams wrangling your four-legged companion, you could hear the sounds of Michael frustratedly brushing stray golden hairs from his velour dress pants.

“Guess I’d better find a lint roller,” he scoffed, directing the dog back out to the corridor.

———

As long as you’ve known him, Michael dismissed your countless cleaning tools as “a waste of our money.” From the hand sanitiser you thrust towards him as you paced through the woods on your first meeting to the endless amounts of bottles he had to tame every time he prepared a candlelit bath for his bride, your Antichrist couldn’t abide your unnecessary products. The clattering of half-empty plastic containers and an ironic mumble of “Jesus Christ” became the telltale anthem to Michael wanting to spoil you after a hard day.

The only products he considered useful, however, were his. His skincare routine lined the sink as soldiers readying for battle on the frontline, organised neatly in order of application. He could always tell when you’d hastily cleaned the bathroom in his absence when he noticed his aftershave positioned ahead of his shaving foam. He’d lost count of the times he used Barkley’s dog shampoo by mistake, cursing the similarities with his high-end bottles and quickly incinerating them in a fleeting rage.

Ever since that day in the woods, Michael insisted on flawless skin and hair. Particularly now he had the love of a beautiful woman, he felt repulsed by the mere mention of stubble — a sign of his weakness.

One drizzly Wednesday afternoon, he stood in the kitchen emptying your shopping bags to find a curious rolling device, holding it aloft with suspicion as he spun it, utterly perplexed. You fought to stifle a laugh at the way he observed the lint roller as if it were an alien invention.

“Trust me, it’ll come in useful. Barkley sheds like hell in the summer,” you joked, playfully jabbing Michael in the ribs before sharing a chaste kiss over the kitchen island.

———

Michael returned to his feet to snake his arms around your hips. You clasped your hands over his, tapping your engagement rings together and breathing a comfortable sigh at the satisfying clink.

You chose his ring, a deep blood red garnet stone on a filigree band to begin a collection of devilishly handsome statements for his digits. In return, he chose your pitch black solitaire diamond, matching your hair. When he presented it to you, you remarked it reminded you of the shade his eyes turn when he gets rough with you in the bedroom. That revelation made you both smirk whenever you caught sight of it, a dirty secret only you two knew.

A curt beep of a sports car horn pipped from the road outside, bringing you rushing back into the moment.

“Ooh, that’ll be Madelyn,” you jumped. “Which reminds me, did her plus one RSVP? I’d hate to be the guy turning down Ryan Reynolds at the door.”

“Don’t worry my darling,” Michael pressed a reassuring pat on your abdomen. “If we run out of chairs, he can sit on Madelyn’s lap and that’ll keep her happy all night. That is, until everybody tries her spinach lasagna…”

A pang of trepidation washed over you as you remembered you left the catering responsibilities in the hands of the Church of Satan congregation. As much as you admired their fervour for your soon-to-be husband and their acceptance of you as his bride, they could be overbearing at the best of times.

Michael tapped his hands on your hips to signal his departure, taking a deep breath to prepare to leave your side. The next time he would lay his eyes on you, you would be walking down the aisle towards him.

“I’ll see you at the altar baby,” he whispered in your ear before turning on his heels as you whimper at the loss of his touch. Hearing his footsteps freeze at the doorway, you smiled to yourself.

“Not if I see you first, Boy Wonder.”

#fanfiction #american horror story #AHS Apocalypse #American Horror Story Apocalypse #Michael Langdon #Cody Fern #Michael Langdon fanfiction #Michael Langdon imagines #AHS fanfiction #Sojourn!Michael

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adventuresoftheordinarysort · 4 years

Text

A List of My Fics (By Fandom and Ship)

Hi all! Thought I’d make a list of the fics I’ve written over the years. I’ve done Kingsman, Witcher, and Merlin.

Merlin

Merlin/Arthur

Protect You Anyway

Merlin accidentally reveals his magic to Arthur. It goes about as well as he can expect. Only Arthur is still furious about the lies between them, and refuses to let Merlin back into his role as manservant. So Merlin requests to be made a knight. If Arthur can't trust him to be a friend, at least Merlin can continue to save his life. Their friendship hangs in the balance, and it is unclear whether they are going to come through on the other side stronger than ever, or broken beyond repair.

Across a Dream

Arthur repeals the ban on magic almost as soon as he becomes king, but things don't really change for Merlin. He knows that if Arthur ever found out about the lies, he'd never be forgiven. So he keeps his magic hidden just like he did before. Then to mark the one year anniversary of the repeal, Arthur hosts a ball. Merlin decides to disguise himself, and go to the ball as Emrys to keep an eye out for his friend. The idea is only partly motivated by jealousy.

Merlin/Morgana

Look Out for Her

Merlin makes a different choice. He teaches Morgana himself. It takes them to a little cottage, and for nearly two years the two of them keep Arthur safe. Together.

Witcher

Geralt/Jaskier

All Unwoven

Jaskier cares for Geralt after they are attacked by bandits. Geralt knows he isn't getting the full story of how exactly they escaped, but Jaskier isn't ready to talk about it yet. But when a bard at a tavern sings a song recounting the events, Geralt gets the full story.

Curse is as Good as A Kiss

Jaskier insults a creature he really shouldn't, but thankfully she is amused by it. In return she grants him a rather interesting gift.

What Happens at the Coast

Before the final trial to become Witchers, the entire class of Witchers is allowed to spend two moths away from Kaer Morhen. It gives them a chance to explore the world around them, and gives them one last chance to back out of training. It is Geralt's turn to explore, and he rides to the coast, and he meets someone.

It’s Been Thirty Years

Geralt and Jaskier have been traveling together for almost thirty years. Jaskier has been flirting with him since day one. Geralt is oblivious to it all. It's really rather annoying.

Navy Blue Isn’t a Color

Yennefer and Jaskier get invitations to attend the masquerade wedding of a royal. Unfortunately, Jaskier slept with the bride several years before, and he is worried about her intentions for hiring him as an entertainer. He brings Geralt for protection, but Geralt doesn't quite grasp the concept on anonymity. A joke goes too far, and Geralt's feelings are hurt. Thankfully Jaskier knows how to make it up to him.

Black Sun Princess

Geralt tells the tale of Renfri to Jaskier, and Jaskier does what he does best. He writes a bop.

That’s Not How Kissing It Better Works

A faerie queen has sex with a human. Almost fifty years later Geralt, and Jaskier have sex. This leads to Jaskier learning something rather interesting about his heritage.

Gen

Friends... Sort Of

Geralt leaves Yennefer and Jaskier alone while he goes on a hunt. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, and chances are they'll kill each other. In the end, it is much worse. They become drinking buddies.

Kingsman

Merlin/Eggsy

Unexpected Inheritance

Merlin inherits a large estate in the Scottish Highlands, completely out of the blue. In order to renovate the property he must leave behind London. Doing so, also means he has to leave behind his daughter Abby's nanny. Eggsy gets kicked out when Dean blames him for a deal gone south, and now he needs a new job so he doesn't spend the rest of his life on Jamal's couch.

Harry/Eggsy

By the Sword and Ring

The last thing Eggsy expects upon being chased out of his village, is to wake up in a nomadic village. Soon he finds himself in a world of magic as he trains to be Lord Hart's battle mage. With war brewing on the border, he is drawn inexorably closer to evil itself.

Eggsy/Jamal

We’re Getting Married

Eggsy gets it into his head to make a quick buck by sending out wedding invitations to local millionaires, and billionaires, and selling off the expensive wedding gifts he's given. Jamal agrees to be listed as the husband-to-be on the invitation. All is going according to plan until Harry Hart RSVPs yes. Then Eggsy, and Jamal are left scrambling to pull a wedding out of their asses.

Might Need Glasses

Eggsy gets a job at Kingsman tailors, but can't get passed the point in his training where he needs to thread a needle. Harry suggests he might need glasses. Jamal has a particularly strong reaction.

One Day

Growing up Jamal and Eggsy always said they would move out of the estate and live together. Maybe in a house made of cheese. Eggsy intends to make it happen.

Harry/Merlin

Why a Toad?

Harry and Merlin’s twenty-seventh anniversary is fast approaching. Merlin knows exactly what to get his husband as a gift this year. It just takes a little adventuring to find it.

A Thief at Hand

The enterprising Dean Baker has started butting into Kingsman territory. While it would be fairly easy for the Kingsman to wipe out his network it would be messy and expensive. So they host a peace summit in the hopes of distributing territory enough to keep Baker out of their hair. In the process, a young thief is traded over to Kingsman.

Harry/Merlin/Eggsy

There Go the Lights

Eggsy is home late because of a rain storm sweeping through London. When he gets home, the power goes out. Thankfully he has Harry, and Merlin to keep him warm.

Devil Makes Three (High Seas Pt. 1)

Merlin was betrayed thirty years ago. Now he has finally caught up with the man who betrayed him, and the crew they worked with. When he gets taken prisoner, his world view is challenged by a young man he meets, and things get complicated.

Getting Back what was Lost (High Seas pt.2)

Merlin has been with the Kingsman Pirates for some time now. His relationship with Harry, and Eggsy is strong. Eggsy wants to give Merlin back a piece of what he lost during his time in the Navy. (You do not need to read part one to understand this part.)

Days of Future Flowers (co-author @anarchycox)

Set sometime in the future, Eggsy's implants and mechanical body parts need upgrades and care that he just can't afford. He does a few shady things and catches the eye of the cops. He runs and eventually hides in a flower shop of all places.

It will be the best mistake of his life.

Roxy/Gazelle

Climbing the Social Ladder (Social Season Pt.1)

Lady Roxy is destined to marry Princess Gazelle’s cousin, a dreadfully boring man. Despite this her visit to the kingdom has been quite pleasant. Except for that dreaded heat.

For the Love of a Country

Roxy is ready to take her rightful place on the throne, now that her grandmother is stepping down. The catch? She must marry first, and there's another woman coming for the throne. Can she navigate the political coup, and emerge with her heart intact? (A Princess Diaries 2 AU).

Roxy/Gazelle/Tilde

A Celebration of Marriage (Social Season Pt. 2)

Princess Tilde was once dear friends with Princess Gazelle when they were children. Although they eventually drifted apart, Tilde can't turn down an invitation to the upcoming wedding of her dear friend Lady Roxy and her old friend Princess Gazelle. However, Gazelle's 'traditional celebration' the night before the wedding is more than Tilde bargained for.

Tequila/Eggsy

A Time-Like Curve

When Eggsy is little he sees a painting in a gallery that looks oddly like someone he knows. When he grows up he learns about Kingsman. An agency of time travelers intent on keeping history from being destroyed.

Eggsy’s First Rodeo

Roxy drunkenly participates in the office's holiday party raffle. Her prize? An all expenses paid trip to a Kentucky Rodeo. She drags Eggsy with her, and as he finds out; Tequila does more than get you drunk.

Merlin/Roxy

The Fire of Winter Nights (ao-author @anarchycox)

English lady Roxy finds herself kidnapped and sold but the people who buy her are very different than the ones who took her. With the new people she finds friendship, hope, and maybe romance with the Chieftain Merlin.

Merlin is very enamoured of Roxy, but he has promised to return her to England come the spring. But each day he knows that it will be harder to let go.

Harry and Eggsy are so desperately in love with each other, and neither says anything sure the feelings aren't mutual.

It is going to be a long winter.

Roxy/Tilde/Eggsy

Tiny Dancer

Eggsy has been out of the whole dancing scene for a while and has very little intention of ever getting back out there. No matter how his friends and mother push him. When Roxy needs a partner for a performance at a charity event, Eggsy finds his good nature leading him back to the stage.

Gen

Bound by Your Word

Roxy runs afoul of a demon-worshipping cult. When she’s caught trying to dismantle the organization, they attempt a summoning ritual. Nothing goes as planned.

#bbc merlin #the witcher #kingsman

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nerdishfeels · 4 years

Text

Victory at a cost

| Dedicated to @magic-in-every-book |

It's been a while since I played the mass effect trilogy, so it was nice to revisit the characters, especially my favourite OTP!

Hope you like it 😊

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

It was unusually quiet at the Purgatory Bar.

A place known for its never-ending purple, pink and blue neon lights, buzzing conversations amongst species and that one asari conquering the dance floor, was now monochrome and resembled the atmosphere of that found in funerals.

The ground floor was packed with all kinds of species: Turians, Asari, Quarians, Salarians, Humans…

They all stood still like soldiers, surrounding the Normandy Crew.

The floor was shrouded in near darkness, save for a single spotlight on a woman’s body, lying motionless on the table before them.

The woman slept peacefully, unaware of the solemn, downcast faces that surrounded her.

Her once shattered armour was replaced with a new, glossy black. The insignia, “N7″, shone brightly on her chest. Her helmet sat beside her head, along with a framed photo of herself in military attire.

Garrus sat alone at the island bar, his back facing the crowd, a glass of hard liquor in his hand.

Joker, who stood at the head of the table, cleared his throat.

“Thank you all for coming. We are gathered her today to celebrate the loss of a legend. The bringer of Peace and Prosperity to our galaxy. Our Commander Shepard.”

Joker cleared his throat again and pulled his cap down over his eyes.

“Commander Shepard started off as a soldier, who earned her rank honourably. A sworn duty to the Citadel, became a life-long purpose to unite and prevent the extinction of all species.”

“The Normandy always felt like home, not just because I was its pilot, but because Shepard brought us altogether. She made us a family.”

“They say that a Captain dies with their ship. Even without her presence, we felt the Normandy die without her.”

“It will never…” Joker trailed off. He made an indistinguishable sound.

EDI patted his shoulder.

“…be the same without her,” she finished.

Joker nodded with appreciation.

“Shepard put everyone before herself till the very end,” Liara chipped in.

“She gave me a chance to live,” Grunt added.

“Hell, she had the balls to cure the Genophage,” Wrex said with a laugh.

“Commander Shepard accomplished what my people could not; Defeating the Reapers. The souls of my fellow Protheans can finally rest in peace,” Javik said.

“She knew how much my name and reputation meant to me. It is because of her that I wear my name proudly. Tali’ Zorah Vas Normandy,” Tali praised.

“Shepard had every right to turn us away. But for the greater good, she put aside her differences and brought us on board. And I'm thankful that she did,” Miranda added. Jacob nodded beside her.

“She was a great leader and a close friend,” Kaiden said.

Joker regained his composure and spoke,

“The Legend of Commander Shepard will never be forgotten. It will be translated into ballads and sang by the worst, drunken voices imaginable-”

“And if Joker is done polishing Shepard’s ass, maybe she’d like to raise a toast and get this party started!” Jack smirked.

On cue, Shepard opened her eyes. She sat up with a wide grin.

“Way to rain on my parade, Jack.” Shepard laughed.

A chorus of laughter followed.

Garrus spun around, a smirk on his face.

“I totally thought I was going to blow my speech,” Joker blurted, his words slurred by his laugh.

“I told you I would have made a great actor in those space operas.”

EDI stared at Joker.

“So, you were not on the verge of tears?” She questioned.

Guilt coloured Joker’s cheeks.

“I mean, I was, when I got into it, but…”

EDI turned away from Joker.

Wrex laughed, smacking Joker on the shoulder.

Shepard stood up on the table. She noticed Avina watching them from the balcony of the top floor. She pointed at her wrist.

Shepard ignored her.

Garrus walked over to Shepard and handed her a drink. Shepard’s eyes skimmed the crowd.

“Thank you for your warm words at my retirement party. Before I let you disappear and have fun, I wanted to commemorate the service of my friend, Captain Anderson. He was no stranger to pain, but that didn’t stop him from completing his duty. He may not have been the best drinking partner, but he was certainly the best captain to have by my side. He will be dearly missed.”

“To Anderson!” Shepard cheered, raising her glass.

“To Anderson!” The crowd cheered before gulping down their drinks.

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

Having stripped out of her armour, Shepard returned to the bar, to find it in full swing.

The techno-music was on full blast and the dance floor was now swarming with dancing bodies.

Shepard grinned, as she saw Joker and EDI dancing awkwardly, whilst not too far away, Jack was throwing moves that attracted a lot of attention.

The rest of the crew were scattered elsewhere; Wrex and Grunt sandwiched in-between four eager ladies on one of the couches, Samara and Javik engaged in a conversation on the top floor and Cortez and Kaiden arm-wrestling, whilst others placed their bets (more were placed on Cortez).

Distracted, Shepard missed Garrus walking towards her.

Garrus let out a long whistle.

“Va Va Voom,” he teased.

Shepard glanced down at her outfit.

The thin straps intertwined into an X-shape, leaving her shoulders and sculpted arms bare. The black, velvet dress moulded over her curves, stopping mid-thigh to expose her legs.

“You know you already get first class seats to this,” Shepard teased back, signalling her body.

“And yet, I want to do a standing ovation, whenever I see you,” Garrus flirted.

He held her hand and guided her to the seat beside his, far away from the blaring music.

“You always have so much to say, but you didn’t join in with the others?”

“What I wanted to say, was for your ears only,” Garrus said.

Shepard blushed.

He turned to the bartender and ordered them drinks.

“So, how does it feel to retire early?” Garrus asked.

“Like losing an arm, but I’ll live. You?”

Garrus shrugged.

“I didn’t expect to feel so light. I love my job, but I guess it was time to settle.”

The bartender placed two sturdy glasses in front of them.

Shepard took a swig of hers.

“Do you remember what I told you before we fought the Reapers?” Garrus suddenly asked.

Shepard smiled. “Of course.”

“You told me that I would never be alone…You know when you were… when we didn’t find any sign of you, it was a dark time for me. It felt like my whole world was consumed by a terrifying black hole.” Garrus spoke carefully, as though keeping the emotion out of his voice.

Shepard placed her hand on his.

“I remember wishing I had gone to Heaven before you did. At least you wouldn’t have been alone.”

Garrus finished his drink down in one gulp.

Shepard held both his hands on her lap, making him swivel to face her.

“You know, when I had to make that choice, I thought of the future you dreamed for us. I could see it so perfectly in my head. Both of us relaxing on a warm, tropical planet, you showing off your lithe arms and legs in your palm tree-styled shirt and shorts-"

Garrus laughed.

“Even if I didn’t live to see that day, I knew I would shape our heaven that way. But it turns out there were no vacancies for us.”

Shepard scooted forward, tracing her hand on his scar.

“I meant it when I said there was no Shepard without Vakarian. I’ve never believed in fate, but you were my calling. Biology can’t manufacture what we have. Pure and unfiltered love.”

Garrus grinned.

“I thought saving the galaxy would be the most fulfilling, but waking up in the morning and seeing you by my side, is far more rewarding.”

Shepard leaned in, bringing her lips to his.

As they kissed, Garrus held Shepard’s hand and slipped something onto her finger.

He gently pulled apart and kissed her hand.

“By the power invested in me, I now pronounce us as Turian husband and Human wife.”

Shepard held back a gasp. She gazed at the engraved band on her ring finger.

The band was thin and ebony black. On top, stood a small, glistening diamond, in the center of an infinity symbol.

“Garrus… it’s beautiful,” Shepard whispered.

“The boys and I went searching for a ring before the battle of the Reapers. After getting Javik’s unpopular opinions on the origins of the rings, I decided I wanted one made from scratch. The band was made from a part of our armours combined. I wanted this ring to signify that our love is eternal and unlike any other.”

Shepard shook her head in amazement.

“Garrus… I don’t know what to say…”

Garrus pressed his forehead against hers and planted her hand on his chest.

“Just say yes. I don’t think my heart can take any more agony.”

Shepard smiled widely.

“Did you even need to ask?”

Shepard cupped his cheek in her hand and kissed him.

Garrus wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer.

“Let’s make some new memories tonight. How about a little tango to celebrate?” Garrus whispered on her lips.

Shepard instinctively retreated.

“Oh no…” She protested.

But Garrus had already dragged her onto the dance floor before she could finish her sentence.

As they swayed, their smiles resembled those on everyone’s faces. The happiness in the Purgatory bar was contagious, creating a rippling effect into the wide galaxy.

For now, a legend has hung up their helmet and suit.

Until next time, when a new hero rises.

Enjoyed this fic? Why not buy me a coffee? :)

#mass effect #mass effect fanfiction #mass effect fic #shepard x garrus #garrus x femshep #garrus vakarian #commander shepard #fanfic commissions

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angelspigeon · 5 years

Text

Hi!!

As you know (or maybe not yet?) Quinton Flynn said Leaisa rights!!!!!!

I couldn’t not let myself jump on that wagon of love and happiness!!

(This thing is actually part of a longer fanfic I will probably put here later because the main plot had been provided by my two Heart moms!! Also, there are two of my headcanons that I may develop later (I’ve nothing to give you lately to be honest) where Lea would be Rapunzel’s cousin and Isa is Intendant of Radiant Garden (so don’t be surprised about this)

Good reading and LEAISA RIGHTS Y’ALL!!!!!

Words : 2197!!

I put everything under the crop <3

Outside, children were already celebrating and you could hear the soft sound of the jubilation. In the Castle, you could also hear everybody rummage around for things to be perfect. It wasn’t every day you would have to celebrate the wedding of the Prince. Well… one of the Lost Princes… This Realm wasn’t very good to keep their Royalty, you could tell it.

Knocks echoed against the door.

“Yeah?” Lea asked while sliding a Moon hairpin in his already tied back mane.

The door opened slightly and in the mirror, he could see Rapunzel jumping on place out of excitation. He smiled back to her and turned to take her in his arms.

“Are you excited?” she asked, hugging him back.

“Sure! I was waiting for this moment since I was five years old! Eh, perhaps before. When you see the man of your life, you know it!”

“Agreed!” she replied with a smile. “I’m happy you have found your loved one so young, and happy to know you’ll be with him. You deserve it!”

Lea didn’t know if it was courtesy or kindness since he didn’t have the chance to know his cousin since long. But he accepted. Who was he to refuse every mark of happiness? And he was thrilled!

So thrilled!

He couldn’t wait. The moment couldn’t come soon enough. He loved Isa since the very start and maybe he made mistakes, maybe they both made mistakes and sometimes would doubt about the love they shared since more than twenty years but in the end, love won.

And soon, everybody would know they were meant to end their live next to each other side. There weren’t more beautiful place in every World he could have visited anyway.

“Are you ready?”

“Are you thrilled?”

Isa’s face was perfectly blank, yet, his fingers were shaking as he slid flowers in the black locks.

“Yes,” he said, to both.

“This would be absolutely amazing!”

“Thank you, Xion,” he said, sliding another flower in her hairs.

Roxas was sat on the large windowsill and looking the celebrities being already organized.

“Do you know when it will start?” he wondered.

“No.”

Lea had said ‘they will come search you’ and more the time was moving, more he was wondering if his lover hadn’t just forgotten him at some point or changed his mind. Though he had left him with Xion and Roxas to change his mind and he wouldn’t abandon Xion and Roxas neither?

Why would he do that?

Isa tried to keep his ideas clear because such a stress wasn’t his kind and he was just mostly afraid to lose him again when all he wanted was to be with him every second of every day of every year. Of course, this couldn’t exactly happen like that but, at least, they could be together every night… every morning.

Isa slid another flower in Xion’s hair though she couldn’t have the same amount of flowers as him. Lea had told him once that he loved the look of the flowers on him and Isa had been heavy-handed on this to make him smile. In her light blue with red veils, Xion was also a beautiful flowers but now…

They glared at each other as if they had the same idea in the same time…

“Roxaaaaas?!” she smiled.

The door opened after a few knocks.

“Sir, are you ready?” the servant asked.

It was getting really late and, truth be told, hearing ‘are you ready’ was quite reassuring. Well… he supposed it was?

“Yes, thank you.”

“The Prince asked that you had your eyes blinded,” the employee explained.

Isa was perplexed.

“If it’s a trap, we gonna end him,” Roxas said.

“Yeah, safe guards braid protection!” Xion added.

“Well… I feel reassured,” Isa replied with a very light smile.

Honestly, he could have handle any danger alone but if that could make the teenager happy to become the safe guards braid protection, he had nothing against it.

He let the servant made him the blindfold and they lead him wherever Lea had planned the events. He could feel Xion and Roxas’ hand in each of his hand.

The breeze was fresh, almost cold and you could tell it was very late. The sound of the water was all around. Not exactly that surprising because the Capital of Corona was only surrounded with water. But Isa would say they were really next to the water. He could also heard Roxas and Xion being aghast. Coming from Lea, he was sure things would be absolutely amazing but there, the only thing he wanted, was to see his fiancé, his future husband and to kiss him as many times the decency would accept it.

“Sir… Welcome to your wedding,” the servant said.

The blindfold fell and Isa could see the Moon beam over the large lake, it shone on a million of tiny mirrors everywhere and wherever you looked, you were surrounded by moons.

Next the biggest one, reverberating in the water itself, there was the man of his life, the man even the craziest dreams couldn’t have offer to him…

Lea.

Decency told him he should walk peacefully along the aisle creating with beautiful blue and red flowers, a long white rug having been unrolled for this and the music asking him.

But he didn’t care about decency and he let go on the teenagers and just ran, literally ran, to Lea, jumping on his neck to kiss him tenderly. Lea was surprised, red like never, his freckles looking like a constellation with such a carnation and he hugged him back.

“I love you too,” Lea muttered.

“You never stop surprising me.”

“Well… I planned to catch you the real Moon and offer it to you as a wedding present but I couldn’t! I tried! That’s the best I could have done!”

Isa wanted to stay serious but he couldn’t do anything else than giggling and look him happily with love making shine his eyes way more than the moon.

“I couldn’t be happier than by marrying you. My Heart is all yours. It always has been yours…”

“My Heart is yours too,” Lea said, kissing him softly, hugging him tightly.

Isa caressed his cheek, a smile on his lips.

And then, a rain of petals fell on them, all in different soft purple tone.

“Ah! Not nooooow!” Lea said.

“But you said you would be married after the kiss!” Xion said while Roxas threw flowers again.

“Yes but… not now! Isa got eager what do you want I’m perfect!”

Isa just softly smiled, looking him. He waited for him to stop talking so he could kiss him again.

“Now?” Xion asked.

Roxas threw petals.

“Not now!”

Isa kissed him again and Lea couldn’t help but laugh against his lips as he moved his hand to them to prevent them from sending more flowers. Not that this worked.

In the crowd, Eugene cleared his throat.

That was the moment Isa realized how crowded it was all around. At this moment, though surrounded by thousands and thousands people, friends include, the only thing, the only one, he could see was Lea. His only Light, the real Sun of his life.

“Ya still wanna marry me?” Lea smiled.

“Obviously.”

“Then, stop kiss me,” he said, taking his hand to bring him toward the altar. “Hm… okay, a last one.”

He kissed Isa, making him smile.

“Wait! Do no…”

A rain of flowers was already falling on them.

This only brought laugh among his family, his siblings and Rapunzel mostly. And still made dance a smile on Isa’s lips so… he couldn’t wish more.

They approached the water and their hands intertwined as the preacher welcomed them. He smiled to them and raised his hands.

“Dear friends and family, people of Corona and Radiant Garden, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of the Prince Lea of Corona and the Intendant Isa of Radiant Garden. As they just had showed it to us, we’re not here to witness a new union but something already here. Something created in the Heart of two loving people. Them who has provided love, support and tenderness since so long will soon pursue their lives at husband and husband…” He smiled tenderly to them. “When you love someone, especially since so long, you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. Such is an impossibility and even a lie to pretend to. Love is fluidity, love grow! You, you were born together and together you shall be forevermore. Love one another, but make not a bond of your love; let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your soul. Sing and dance together but let each one of you be alone… Together, seek from within yourselves the serenity to accept the things you cannot change, the courage to change the things that you must and the wisdom to know the difference. Live each day, one day at a time, enjoying your time together. Find your happiness where you know being it already and may the death be the only thing scattering you apart…”

While he was talking, Isa and Lea could only stare each other, bathed with their love. They just couldn’t wait for more. For that ring sliding at each other finger, for that bond to be unbreakable. Not that they could be torn apart, life already proved so…

The preacher took a beautiful ribbon with a silver Sun in on side and a golden Moon in the other. He tied one hand of the future husbands together. One hand they could hold forever, or at least for the night in such a condition, and also pass the ring to their fingers without problems.

“Sir Isa?” the preacher invited.

“Thank you,” he said to him. “Lea, I never intended to live a life where you wouldn’t be there, today, I’m not here to prove it to you but to the World. I would have married you on a rock lost in the Storm because you’re the only one I need… Well, I grandly accept your babies, too,” he added with a little smile.

“Yeeeeeees,” Xion let out while Roxas smiled.

“If you accept my flaws and my mistakes, I would follow you, wherever you’d go.”

“I love you as you are Isa. If you’re crazy enough to accept my mistakes, my flaws and my presence, gosh, I can’t way to become old with you. You always have been the one. Never doubted. Sorry for when I screwed up things. I wanted you to have everything because you’re my everything. I would marry you every day, if I could.” He leaned slightly in. “But I’m afraid having a Storm would be a little hard.”

Isa smiled even more and fought the need to kiss him. He wasn’t lovey-dovey but here, he wanted hang on him and never let him go…

“The rings?” the preacher asked.

Rapunzel got the honor to bring Lea’s ring and she hugged him tightly while doing it.

“You’re doing awesomely,” she said with softness.

“Thanks!” he replied in a low voice.

Xion was the one approaching Isa and giving him the ring, a jewel intertwining tightly a thin red branch and a blue one and, on the top, a Moon snuggling inside a Sun. She smiled and kissed Isa’s cheek before pacing back.

“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows,” Lea swore, holding tightly his hand. “Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine. I will light your way into Darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.”

Isa nodded slightly and smiled when the ring slid on his finger.

He brought the hand to his mouth to kiss it softly.

“With this hand, I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never be empty, for I will be your wine.” He closed his lips, hesitating to the words coming. But Lea watched him with such confidence. With such love… “I will light your way into Darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine.”

“I’m already your,” Lea smiled.

And even more when the ring slid to his finger.

“Now, by the power vested in me by the Kings of Corona, I hereby pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss your husband,” the preacher invited.

They didn’t need more to kiss each other with all the passion they have for each other. The crowd applauded and cheered, mostly Rapunzel, Lea’s close family and the two teenagers they had kind of adopted with Isa.

Though they had forgot the World, lost in their love for each other.

Though… Lea could notice one thing… He pressed his forehead against Isa’s and kissed the scar before looking toward the teenagers.

“No flowers?”

“Eh…” Xion said.

“No more flowers,” Roxas noted before throwing on them the last petals.

Lea and Isa intertwined their fingers as they were laughing, more or less strongly, to this. Though, Isa opened his free hands, welcoming them for a hug bathed in the love they have for each other.

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ofkleins · 4 years

Text

𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 here and do i have the tea for you . ariana is back on campus , which is surprising considering the threatening note i left them . yes , i know all about how despite outward appearances , her family isn’t as picture perfect as they may seem because of their pride . imagine the tabloids and how the malabanan family would feel for such information to come out , not to mention the reputation of delta because of their actions . at this rate , she is better off staying put in beverly hills , california and living off that $625m family net worth . what’s the point in studying applied economics and management with plans to take over her mother’s abandoned executive position at her family’s company , is it worth it with what i know ? anyways , they may want to continue to be genteel & cosmopolitan because the disingenuous & acrimonious attributes make me want to spill . ( kelsey merritt , remy , eastern ) .

hello again my angels ! it’s remy here with my second bby , miss ariana ! i’ll keep this greeting short since my one over on christian is a bit lengthy , but i’m super excited to write and plot with everyone ! i will admit that ariana’s intro is a bit lengthy because i pay a little too much to details , and i also placed indicators for where the eating disorder trigger warning begins and ends if you choose to skip over that content . other than that , once again my discord is 𝕥𝕒𝕕𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚 𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐚#6936 if plotting is easier for you there , and i can’t wait to get the ball rolling !

trigger warning(s) : mention of drug addiction , eating disorder , and abusive parenting .

full name : ariana bernadette malabanan . nickname(s) : ari , mainly . birthday / age : august 30th , 1998 / 21 . zodiac : virgo . pronouns : she / her / hers . gender : cisfemale . sexual orientation : bisexual . romantic orientation : biromantic . height : 5′8″ ( five foot , eight inches ) . hometown : paris , france . current location : beverly hills , california . nationality : french - american . ethnicity : caucasian and filipina . languages spoken : filipino , english , and french ( college - course level ) .

daniel malabanon’s family immigrated to the united states back in the nineteenth century from their home country of the phillippines . through the decades , despite the trials and tribulations , the malabanon family rose through the ranks of politics and business , with daniel’s grandparents having ten children between the two of them . the malabanon family as they became more influential in american politics was also building their business empire . while daniel’s grandfather was pursuing the levels of politics from law school , his wife was pursuing business , with the dream of someday having her own cosmetics line .

as the decades passed and the malabanon family amassed their meager beginnings to becoming a part of the country’s elite , soon comes grandson daniel , who decides to follow in his father , uncle , and brothers’ footsteps of going into politics . smart in his own right , daniel heads off to the prestigious university of pennsylvania , where he pursued a degree in political science before eventually moving on to law school . of course , the malabanon name was known throughout the country , but daniel didn’t receive any special treatment while he was in college . after graduation , he keeps his head in the books as he gets his law degree from yet another prestigious university ( columbia ) , and it’s in new york city that daniel meets his future wife , wild child of a multi - billionaire named celine duverney .

made up of messy , blonde waves and the liquid courage of champagne while dancing on tables , celine was the youngest daughter of a billionaire family that wanted to enjoy her twenties despite the pressure from her parents . she was determined to live her own life , and even though she was getting what she deemed a useless degree in business administration , that didn’t stop celine from enjoying her life to the fullest . she spent summers on yachts off the shores of a tropical island or would splurge in neiman marcus simply because her professor told her one of her papers wasn’t good enough . while she was in college , celine was a kappa , and it fit the blonde well considering that she was rich , spoiled , and made sure that everyone around her was fully aware that she was getting dropped off at school in a rolls - royce and never ( absolutely refused ) to eat dining hall food .

when it came to daniel and celine’s relationship , the two started dating while daniel was in his first year of law school and celine was a junior . their relationship was a bit of a whirlwind , and they eventually eloped in a simple wedding on the beach in bali the summer after celine’s graduation . little did the couple know , is that at the time , celine was pregnant with their first baby and eldest son dominic . celine decides to be a stay at home mom while daniel moves through the ranks at a prestigious law firm moving from summer associate to senior associate , but daniel wanted to be congressman . a few more years pass , a second baby named naomi is soon born , the family has made the cross country move to california , and daniel is running for congressman of california .

the family settled into a gorgeous home on sunset boulevard .

after running for often twice and getting beat by a landslide the first time around , daniel is elected as senator and celine begrudgingly becomes thrust into the public eye and is under constant scrutiny . the malabanans are newcomers to the world of politics in this sense , as they’re no longer skirting around the edges and waiting to have their chance at all the glory . marriage and children had calmed celine’s wild ways , but when she was twenty - nine and their last daughter , a bright eyed baby they named ariana was brought into the picture , everything changed for the worst .

to naomi and dominic , celine was a wonderful mother . she baked cookies , they hung out by the pool , she helped them with their homework , but as little ariana grew up , she was not the apple of her mother’s eye . the first strike against her was the fact that she was born via c - section due to a complicated pregnancy , leaving her mother with an ugly scar that remains to this day . she was born in paris while the family was on vacation , actually coming two months before she was due . celine was annoyed with being stuck in paris as she waited for her daughter to grow stronger , and that was the second strike against the innocent child . being in the public eye because of her husband’s job made celine quite conscious of all things appearance , and made sure that she and her children never left the house with a hair out of place or a shirt untucked . naomi , the golden child to her mother , immediately began participating in beauty pageants while her dominic followed his calling and focused on academia like the men before him .

little ariana liked to play , and she liked to play hard . she wanted to play soccer in the rain with the other neighborhood kids and roll down grassy hills until her skin was itchy , but her mother ? she wasn’t having any of that . ari was going to be prim , proper -- her back would be so straight a ruler would be jealous , and those soccer cleats her father bought her were thrown into the trash and replaced with ballet slippers . for years , ariana was no longer the only malabanan kid who played with the others in the neighborhood , and she now had a strict schedule of working out , school , ballet , and studying at the tender age of thirteen . when her freshman year starts , though , ariana abandons her mother’s dream and trades the ballet slippers for a pair of cheerleading pom - poms . with her infectious personality and warm smile , it’s no surprise that ariana makes the coveted harvard - westlake cheerleading team .

and while most mothers would be proud of their daughter’s accomplishment , celine was more focused on her daughter’s appearance than anything else . TW BEGINS she limits what she could and couldn’t eat , often making snide remarks when ariana says how much she’s craving her favorite cheeseburger from shake shack or how she had a bit of cheesecake after dinner . celine wakes her daughter up at five in the morning with a hellish personal trainer that makes her run their expansive neighborhood until her lungs are tight and she’s gasping for air . breakfast is smoothies , lunch is only soup , and even then all the good things that ariana craves have been taken out . she has to be skinny -- she has to make her mother proud .

the lack of food during the day leads to binging in the night , tip - toeing to the kitchen with the aid of the housekeeper , who kept a hidden stash in a cabinet her mother never dared to open . binges turn to regret , tear stained cheeks and the horrid sound of ariana hunched over the toilet as she begs to be forgiven for the disappointment she would bring to her mother . it all comes to a head during ariana’s junior year , when she’s gained an ounce of her mother’s affection and dark circles that are hidden beneath luxury concealer , and it’s the annual homecoming football game . dinner consisted of four baby carrots and a bottle of water , and right as ariana is lifted into the air to perform a basket toss , she’s falling -- and she lands on the unforgiving ground with a sneer on celine’s face as she watches behind saint laurent sunglasses .

ariana goes to the hospital and is diagnosed with bulimia , a word that clouds her in a cloak of embarrassment and springs tears in her father’s eyes . celine is uncaring , picking at her hundred dollar manicure instead of caring for the daughter she allegedly loved so much -- at least , that’s what she said when she spoke to the media . ariana is pulled from harvard - westlake , sadly for her senior year , and begins the slow process of healing . her relationship with food becomes healthy again , and she cries when she has cheesecake , her favorite thing in the world , when she returns home . TW ENDS

she makes the decision to head off to college , putting all of her eggs into one basket when she only applies to hollingsworth university . she’s desperate to get from under her mother’s criticizing eye , and to finally be her own person . during freshman year , ariana pledges kappa in hopes that she’d make a dent in her tainted relationship with her mother , but nothing ever seems to work in her favor . she makes it through rush week and becomes a pledge for the society , bouncing on the balls of her feet when she’s chosen on bid day . all goes well until it’s time for a little bit of hazing , but ariana finds herself with the short end of the stick . she has to clean longer , take one more shot , staying awake an extra hour while the other pledges have gone to bed , and being utterly humiliated when her kappa sisters discover that she had an innocent crush on a boy from sigma .

ariana drops out of kappa and goes the rest of the semester stewing in her upset over the pure humiliation she was forced to endure . when the spring semester rolls around , ariana still carries that torch as she steps into the delta house looking for a fresh start , and it’s the society where she remains today . she’s in the college of business and is also a cheerleader , even though most would assume it harbors too heavy feelings , but her constant work in therapy has helped her regain her love for the sport again .

when it comes to ariana’s personality , she’s something of a spitfire . she’s not afraid of confrontation and she can be extremely petty at times . for her positive traits genteel and cosmopolitan , ariana is respectable when she needs to be ( like attending galas with her family or when she debuted at the debutante ball in new york city ) and since her family traveled as well as met dignitaries around the world a lot thanks to her father’s career , ariana is quite sophisticated and she carries herself as such . as for her negative traits disingenuous and acrimonious , it simply means that she will fake the funk sometimes in order to get something she wants . her disingenuous ways especially shows when she’s being petty , and she’ll pretend to not know the full story to either a . confront the other person with the facts or b . gather up as much information as she possibly can . as for being acrimonious , it means that ari is bitter as hell , especially when talking about kappa .

secret .

when it comes to her secret about her family , the malabanan’s are similiar to the kennedy’s in the sense that they’re the ‘ perfect ’ family with no issues , on the surface . in reality , celine leaves daniel frequently and jets off on exotic excursions with billionaires she just met , trying to get back what she lost because of marriage and children . dominic has fallen into a drug addiction he thinks no one has noticed , and naomi is off doing whatever it is she’s doing . despite that , their friends and extended family always gets the perfect holiday cards when the season rolls around and they’re always written as ‘ family goals ’ on either instagram or twitter .

short headcanons :

ariana lives off - campus and in a gorgeous apartment ( minus that ugly blue bed lol ) .

she drives a black porsche panamera , and she originally wanted a ferrari , but she threw a minor fit when her dad said no . eventually , she got over it .

her style ? is literally all over the place . one day she’ll be wearing all black with a leather jacket , another day she’s dressed like a carbon copy of outfits on pinterest , and on another she’s wearing high heels and a midi - skirt . there’s no in between for her , but you better believe that everything is designer , even down to her hair accessories .

she’s most comfortable in her home , and there’s a chance that when she’s home she’s blaring music . she’ll be in a giant shirt with her hair tugged up in a top knot .

her favorite food is a shackburger with cheese fries and a creamsicle float . she is absolutely obsessed with cheesecake in any and all forms .

wanted plots :

i think a roommates plot would be so much�� fun ! ariana can be hella standoffish at times , but she’s probably the best roommate out there .

umm ... 👀 i don’t know about you guys but i’m in love with angsty plots , so i’d love anything like that . whether it be exes , something toxic , or even a friendship that turned sour , i’d be down for all of it .

high ! school ! plots ! i’d really love to explore ariana’s life outside of her struggles , so i’d love to high school boyfriend or girlfriend , crushes , friends , enemies ... anything !

a tag full of desired relations ( which will be updated periodically ! ) can be found right here . i’m also down to go based off chemistry if that works best for you ! i also have a desired relations tag for christian but i forgot to link it !

#eating disorder tw #abuse cw #drug addiction mention #holling:intro

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thecolonelsqueen · 5 years

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Explosion

Read here on A03

Whump.Tober Prompt @whumptober2019

Day 2: Explosion

Pairing: Royai

Collaboration w/@mustangsbigdickenergy

Please Share!

“Have you prepared your vows?”

Newly done nails tightened within his grasp sending a light reminder of their vows since Roy would be the one to pause in front of the crowd for ‘dramatic effect’, especially, if the country would be there to witness the glory of such words between a fated couple.

Words seemed lost to the former soldier, barely comprehending the priests words as he moved through the ceremony, too lost in the eyes of his lady in white. His hands felt clammy, but with every growing second with hers in his, his nervousness faded. There was never anything he’d been more sure of in his life, for as much sand as there was in the ocean so was his love for his Lieutenant. Endless. Overwhelming. A tiny droplet of rain hit his cheek, and for a moment he glanced at the sky wondering if it would rain, before resettling his gaze on his beloved. Nothing could damper his happiness, not even his greatest downfall. Like crickets on a warm summer night, Roy barely heard the officiant when it was time for his vows, too lost in Riza’s deep brown hues. A slight chuckle swept the crowd when he realized they were waiting on him. He cleared his throat, but when he spoke his words were soft and sincere.

“Lieutenant-“ Then, a much softer breath, “Riza.” Because on just this day, he wanted to swear by her name. He spoke her name like a prayer, as she was the goddess he worshipped. “I have walked through hell with you, and somehow I’ve managed to find heaven within your hands. I vow to never let that go, to stay by your side as I always have, until the day we both die. I know not what it is we deserve on this wretched earth, and I care little, because you are my everything and I refuse to live without you. You are the fire that burns within me on my darkest days, keeping me going until the very end.” A heavy exhale left the man’s lips, “I will never stop fighting for you.” Tiny droplets began to sprinkle down from the sky, but the Führer paid little mind. “I will be your stillness when you are shaking, and if you’re falling down I’ll be right there to pick you back up. Through every fight, every late night that tugs at our heartstrings, just know I will always be thinking about how much I love you, because loving you comes natural. It’s the air I breathe, and the ground I walk on. I will not tell you everyday for the rest of my life, not with words at least, but with every breath I take, and every action I make towards you. I will show you my love, and that is my promise to you.”

Hawkeye’s hues never left the Colonel’s, not even when he dared to look up at the sky above because she was transfixed in the moment, forgetting those around them as if in a trance. Corners of those pink lips turned as he mentioned the woman’s name aloud while tears dared to prickle the cornea of the lieutenant’s dolled features; this face wasn’t cheap. Every spoken word he ever said landed inside his future wife’s heart knowing each word was true to the very end.

A small chuckle followed his ending as it was now Hawkeye’s turn to follow. “Colonel-,” it was like they wrote their speeches together, “Roy.” She needed a breath of air to calm the nerves inside that chest. “I stand before you taking another vow not as your lieutenant but as your future wife. I may not believe in destiny but there’s a reason we met once again on that fated battlefield, I saved your life and I plan to continue till the very end,” a deep exhale escaped, “but your life is not mine to take unless you ever became misguided again, for your faults are mine to bare as mine are yours. We’ve slipped through the fingers of death multiple times without caring about the damage done to ourselves but to each other. I promise that I will reign by your side and to continue to cheat death until your life is claimed first because I promised to guard your back through Hell for all eternity. We may be a broken pair but together we fix each other, seeing not only the pure virtues and defeated faults but the whole person behind our sins. My heart fell for you a thousand times over as you burned my biggest burden,” literally and figuratively, “so I promise to help save yours. Our words are never enough as our eyes tell the biggest secret and I know you’ve read all the words by staring into mine. I give you my heart to keep safe so when your caught in the dark or caught in a fray, I will be wherever you are and no matter what you face nothing can break. You once told me to continue my fight for living and I promise to live by that. This is my solemn vow till our souls are claimed by the fire.”

Drops of rain continued falling, pushing everyone from their seats but the pair caught in their words as they remained hell-bent in that destined spot until announced husband and wife. Those who wished to witness the kiss among soldiers attempted to remain but with each passing drop the rain pursued downward, leaving the newly couple to kiss beneath the falling downpour. Rather than a terrible day for rain, this symbolized the perfect day with a beautiful snapshot.

The married couple rushed inside after claiming their vows, attempting to dry themselves before starting the reception, those closely gathered were already in tow with drinks and dancing upon the floor but this didn’t take long for Roy Mustang to join alongside his companions. Hawkeye intended to enjoy herself for one night, allowing that strict nature to disregard behaviors and be among friends as they drank their worries away.

At one point within the night, when it came time to cut the cake, the pair seemed to argue about not smashing the frosting over each other’s face but that became a problem because Riza’s drunken nature decided otherwise. The entire slice of cake ‘slipped’ from the lieutenants grasp and landed upon the surface of the man’s face, Instead of becoming furious, Roy held a devious glint in his hues before chasing after the fleeting woman. “Come on~ Lieutenant.” His voice sang through the audience as he attempted to catch up to his wife who couldn’t keep up the task due to heels and a tightened dress. A slick hand slid around his woman’s waist capturing that fleeting figure tightly against his chest as the other hand held the plate, “I don’t remember dismissing you…” He chuckled before returning the favor of cake smashing.

A quarter filled glass of champagne hung loosely in the hands of the intoxicated Colonel. He’d gone out to the balcony after cleaning himself from the cake smashing and perhaps he’d had a bit too much to drink while alone considering Riza needed to remove the mess from a beautiful dress. Even though the ravenette stood still, his body felt like it were on a ship as he leaned backward against the railing to maintain a solid footing. “Fancy seeing you out here.” The sweet sound of his wife's voice took a moment to comprehend, but there seemed only shock and surprise in his expression at finding his beloved subordinate attaching herself to him when a pair hands slid delicately up the confines of his tux to rest on those shoulders. For a moment, their recent nuptials seemed to slip his mind. “Lieutenaaant~” He scolded softly, brows furrowing. “What if someone sees? They might get the wrong idea...” As he spoke, he reached his hand to touch the lace against her skin. “Then again...this dress is giving me aaaall the wrong ideas.”

“Perhaps I’ll excuse the behavior for just one night,” Hawkeye responded with a chuckle as the male seemed to gasp in an unknown surprise, “You’ve never been so forward Lieutenant…” He mused, reaching out to brush a stray of blonde hair from her pretty face. “I have this absolutely crazy idea…” Mustang smiled, leaning further back against the balcony as he disregarded the half-filled glass upon the railing to place both palms upon his wife’s waist. How often had he dreamed of holding her like this? It felt almost too good to be true, was he dreaming? “Will you marry me? I have this strange feeling I might already be married...but you are far better than any woman I could encounter so I’d much prefer you.”

A small light hearted laugh escaped those perfect dolled lips, brown hues disappeared behind lids during this procedure. “Well~ Who did I marry then?” A hand removed itself from his shoulder to show off the gleaming rock beneath the night sky before both hands slid along the folds of his tux, “I don’t dress up for just anyone sir.”

As the elegantly dressed woman took a slight step back, it allowed for Roy to get a full look of the woman before him. How could he ever have eyes for another? Chocolate hues followed the gleam from the rock upon her manicured hand, seeming to be slowly connecting the dots. “Whoever it is who has married you, surely they are not worthy, my darling Lieutenant.” He leant forward and captured her lips in a kiss, tasting the alcohol on both their lips as he closed the distance between their separate bodies, “You should leave him and run away with me.” The male’s lurious voice spoke as he remained close to the woman’s body with their cheeks pressing gently together so he could whisper those confined words. Once more the Colonel could feel a small chuckle radiate from his beloved as her chest moved against his, “...and if I don't?” She responded.

A response couldn’t be spoken as the male disappeared from the woman’s grasp, a loud noise erupted the venue with the ground giving way beneath everyone who attended the ceremony. As the night was beginning to close, a perfectly timed bomb exploded causing the building to collapse upon itself. Riza could feel the hands of the Colonel rip away from the woman’s waist as they were tossed away from one another, left in a bloody mess of debris.

Sharp tingles radiated through Hawkeye’s mind, she could feel the presence of blood trickling down those perfectly dolled features and onto the pure white dress which was tattered and torn. Every part of the Lieutenant’s body ached beneath heavy breathing as brown hues tried to examine through the dusty atmosphere, voices from others could be heard knowing the alchemist’s inside handled the situation. Coughing erupted from the blonde with each inhale of smoke as she slowly realized someone dear was missing. “Roy…?” She tried to speak through a raspy voice. Riza needed to get out of this mess and find her beloved but the burden of broken debris refused to allow movement, the blonde yelled out once more as she tried to pull herself from the heavy object weighing on her waist with rocks and cement digging into palms in each attempt. The warmth feeling of blood could be felt in the woman's lower portion possibly soaking the ground but she couldn’t be fully sure.

The Colonel watched as his wife was ripped away leaving his thoughts interrupted by a loud explosion. His body was flung backwards by the blast, heavy bricks and debris slammed into his side before landing with his head bashing against a rock causing the entire world to spin. He lay there for some time, a ringing echoing through his head as he stared up at the disappearing sky. The stars that were beginning to peak through reminded him of his darling wife’s eyes, and the way they sparkled when she smiled. He loved that smile. A dull throbbing pounded into his head, unaware of the screams and panic from the guests at his own wedding. “Lieutenant, I seem to have misplaced my champagne.” His vision seemed to be blurry, going in and out of focus as he examined the battlefield. For a brief moment of pure fear, he thought he was going blind again, he tightly closed his eyes and shook his head quickly shaking that already shaken brain even further. When he opened them again, he could see her, even though the world was dizzy. Attempting to ease the panic in his heart at the thought of losing his sight once more, he focused on the present. He tried to sit up, pulling his arm from some rubble as it scraped along the skin tearing away the first layer. For the most part, Mustang seemed unharmed, except his head and a few bruises along his body as this was surely a concussion. He started wiggling his fingers and toes just to make sure everything worked but his head was still spinning, so he moved gently not to cause anymore distress. He reached out trying to touch the beautiful goddess in the distance but each passing moment left her further away. “Lieutenant! Are you injured?” He called out inching his way over to the moving body, hands pushed through the rubble and knees dug along the ground ignoring the slight pain as he shoved through the mess to finally reach his destination.

But the problem was… the woman wasn’t his Lieutenant. It was Winry Rockbell.

Where the hell was his wife?

#fma #fmab #Fullmetal Alchemist #FULLMETAL #fullmetal alchemist brotherhood #roy and riza #royai #winry rockbell #wedding #whumptober2019 #writing #no.2 #lieutenant hawkeye #colonel mustang #riza hawkeye #Roy Mustang

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alwaysmychoices · 5 years

Text

“An Anniversary Surprise”

Synopsis: On the eve of their first anniversary, Liam takes Collins into the city for a special surprise…

Pairing: King Liam x MC (Queen Collins Alexander-Rhys)

Choices Story: Royal Romance

Rating: General

Words: 2388

(Based on this ask)

The sound of the clock filled the city streets, echoing each “ding” and “dong” until it culminated in one unified message of midnight. A full moon illuminated the Capital of Cordonia, every side street drenched in the romance of a European summer night. On one such street, a lovestruck couple wandered hand-in-hand along the cobblestones – a King and a Queen forging towards adventure.

“Liam, where are we going?” Collin’s voice was a whisper against her husband’s skin, her lips gently pressed to his cheek as he led her through his city.

“The point of a surprise is that you don’t know, Love,” Liam’s arm snaked around his wife’s waist. Close was never close enough, not with Collins. In the confines of their royal duty, Liam maintained a respectable space between he and his wife, but in the freedom of the Capital nights, he was just a man madly in love.

The soothing noises of the city formed a symphony for the young lovers. Music drifted down the city streets, disjointed but beautifully meshed together as people celebrated their night in their own respective corners of the Capital. Scents of morning pastries and late-night food and alcohol slipped wafted through the air on a distant ocean breeze. Excitement seeped into the energy of the city as all of Cordonia prepared to celebrate the anniversary of their King and Queen. Tourists had flown in for the occasion, and reporters flocked to the palace gates as they awaited the highly anticipated Festival of Unity. It was a celebration of Cordonian strength and love, and it honored the struggles and triumphs of Cordonia.

The last year had been one of devastation and growth for the small European state. A series of terrorist attacks threatened the stability of the peaceful nation, even taking the life of their former king, and the emotional and financial devastation was evident. King Liam and Queen Collins loved their country almost as much as they loved each other, and their wedding had revered the Cordonian people. Through their love and dedication, they watched as their home grow past their pain and celebrated each victory. It was only natural that their anniversary was as dedicated to their love of Cordonia as much as it was to their love of each other.

The festival was already triumphed as a success, despite the fact it hadn’t occurred yet. Every duchy would represent their people through food, art, music, and dance – forming the cultural tapestry of Cordonia. All Cordonians were encouraged to attend, and security was at its highest as it promised to protect all who called Cordonia home.

The night would end with a ball at the palace, formally celebrating the King and Queen’s first year of marriage. All of their friends were expected to attend, some of them having moved heaven and earth to be there. Featured guests included dignitaries and politicians, both domestic and international. Everyone that had supported Liam and Collins – and some who had not – were invited to ring in a year of their partnership, and it was destined to be an unforgettable evening.

But as the husband and wife wandered through their home city in the privacy of anonymity, it outshone any illustrious ball. Being together was a priceless luxury, and they valued every precious moment.

In their mysterious trek through the night, they passed several people – some full of the same wide-eyed, young love they saw in one another. Few looked past their own midnight adventures to see them, and even fewer recognized them. Those who did were understandably surprised to see their monarchs roaming the streets, and some even gawked at how truly in love the young couple was. None interrupted the couple, allowing them to enjoy their whispered sweet nothings and private affection.

Each door they passed had its own world behind it with people living their own lives, a kaleidoscope of dreams and reality. Several of them were open, spreading their contents to the world beyond. From one, sweet music drifted to Liam and Collins’ ears, and her expression perked up.

“Do you recognize this song?” her excitement was adorably overwhelming. Her emerald green eyes shone back at him, striking as they reflected the night sky back at him, and he could have spent the rest of his life staring deep into them.

“Should I?” Liam feigned ignorance, earning a swat on the arm as his wife drifted out of his embrace. She spun through the city, her red dress dancing around her, and her steps thumped against the cobblestones to the melody.

Collins held out her hand for Liam, issuing a silent invitation. He accepted without a second thought, pulling his wife into him and resting a hand against her waist. Their Cordonian Waltz was as flawless as it was effortless, and they moved with a sense of unity people spent their entire lives searching for.

I have found him

In the arms of my love, I'm flying

Over mountain and meadow and glen

And I like it so well

That for all I can tell

I may never come down again

The faint tune brought them back to a year earlier when they dedicated their first marital dance to this song. Even without the words, the sentiments remained true, and they were amazed to find that it had only grown. This magnificent, world-altering love had taken on a life of its own. It was bigger than everything else – it was bigger than them. But it was born so innocuously, an event of fate. It was just a lingering glance, an awkward introduction, and a bold, reckless decision to give their doomed love a chance.

Back then, they were so young, so naïve.

Collins Alexander had been a waitress in New York City, spending her days in school and her nights working off her student loans. She was responsible and rational, and she had her life planned out. She never took risks, not really, but one night with Liam made her reckless. She dropped everything to follow a man she hardly knew, trusting her heart as it insisted that she’d spent the rest of her life in regret if she didn’t go. But once she arrived, it was clear that she never had a chance. She was a poor student with no title, no prestige, and not a drop of Cordonian blood. Love carried her and comforted her as she endured scandal and disgrace just to stand with the man she loved. Even then, the idea of a happy ending was still too far out of reach to consider it a realistic conclusion to her story.

And tonight, she was waltzing with the love of her life in the middle of the night on a street in a country she’d never even heard about.

Liam never understood how Collins Alexander had done it. It only took one night for him to fall deeply, madly in love with her, and he spent the rest of the social season trying to reason it away – or at least he told himself that’s what he was doing. It was irresponsible to allow her to stay, to give her hope when he could offer her no future. Long before the social season began, he resigned himself to a loveless, politically beneficial marriage. Before he met Collins, he’d traded his happiness and love for the stability of his country, and it was Collins who gave him the dangerous, life-changing idea that he could have both.

There were many nights where he considered setting her free. Watching her squirm and suffer under the bright lights of public attention made his heart ache, and not being able to support her as she was subjected to public humiliation and slander killed him. But something always stopped him from letting her go. It was selfish and bordered on cruelty, but now…

Their love story was born of pain, uncertainty, and risk. To neglect those elements would erase the very foundation of their marriage, but now, all of those devasted, sleepless nights were just a part of their history.

The tragic beauty of their young romance was now tinted through rose-colored glasses.

All that mattered was here, right now. It was the smile in Collin’s eyes. It was Liam’s protective touch on her skin. It was the intimate, coolness of a wedding band on their finger. It was them.

As the song drifted away, Collins and Liam began to sway to the gentle roar of the city. Collins’ head was on his shoulder, her dark curl cascading around them and filling the air with the recognizable scent of her shampoo. Their touch was so familiar it had become home.

“I love you, Liam,” Collins’ soft whisper went only to his ears, a private declaration that no amount of decorum or public attention could take away.

“I love you more every day,” Liam’s truth was palpable, and she fell into the rhythm of his heartbeat in his chest.

“You’re the best decision I’ve ever made,” Collins’ voice was raw, and it struck Liam. His world stood still as the sincerity of her affection weighed on him.

Liam pressed his forehead to hers, having to bend over to reach her eyes at such a close distant. His senses were overwhelmed with her – her smell, her sight, her touch. She beamed under the moonlight, a star in her own right. She moved through his life like a rainstorm, overshadowing the plain day with fervor and unpredictability. At first, it seemed as though her presence had destroyed everything. She decimated his previous commitment to a loveless marriage, but when the storm passed, the rain had enriched the soil and supported growth like never before.

“I pick you, even when you’re not an option,” Liam’s whisper tickled Collins’ lips, and she welcomed his kiss. The familiarity of his taste offered warm, sweet comfort, but passion and devotion lingered beneath their gentle kiss.

They didn’t love each other as much as they did when they got married. They loved each other more.

Liam’s hands found hers, lacing his fingers through hers, and he felt her wedding band against his skin. The Cordonian treasury boosted extravagant jewels, gold, and priceless artifacts, but he would trade it all for the thin band of gold around his wife’s finger.

“No more distractions,” Liam cracked a smile, pulling away but never letting go of her hands. He stepped backwards, pulling Collins with him. Her steps were hesitant as if she didn’t want to leave their tender moment, but Liam persisted.

Collins reluctantly obliged, leaving the bar with the music behind them. Collins liked to think that she knew the city well through her public and private outings, but as they dipped down several side streets, Collins witnessed sights she’d never seen before. It was if the Capital had harbored little worlds within itself, the number of which was infinite. Trying to find them all was like navigating every star in the sky.

Collins was so busy taking in the foreign scenery that she didn’t notice when Liam suddenly stopped, and she nearly ran full-force into her husband. Catching herself, she stumbled a bit and looked around in confusion. Had something happened?

Liam reached into his suit coat, pulling out a piece of silk.

“What is that?” Collins narrowed her eyes as if that would help her figure out what she was looking at.

“A blindfold.”

Collins cocked an eyebrow, insinuating her assumptions without a word, “Kinky.”

“It’s not like that. Now, close your eyes,” Liam commanded, stepping behind her with the silk in hand. Had bossy Liam not been so sexy, Collins may have protested, but instead, she melted into the warmth of her husband as he tied the blindfold around her eyes.

“The Kinky King has returned,” Collins’ fanned herself for dramatic effect, and she didn’t need to see to know that her husband was blushing.

Arm-in-arm, Liam and Collins walked the last block to his surprise. Anticipation was killing Collins, and she could hardly wait to take off the blindfold. This morning, Liam told his wife to clear her schedule for the night for a “surprise.” Collins, still working on the final details of the upcoming festivities, assumed that this meant a private night for the couple in their apartment. In the last few months, Liam had surprised his wife with a romantic, home-cooked meals several times, and tonight, he went all out. With a little help from the kitchen staff, Liam cooked his wife a four-course meal that ended with his treasured baklava. They toasted to a wonderful year together, sipping from the same bottle of wine they’d served at their wedding. It was a lovely ending, and after dinner, Collins was ready to demonstrate her appreciation in bed when Liam surprised her by telling her to put on shoes and prepare for an adventure.

After sneaking out of the castle (with security at a respectable distance), Collins tried to solve the mystery several times, but she continued to fall short. Where could he be taking her?

Suddenly, Liam stopped her at a storefront. Collins could see hints of light beyond her blindfold, but she was clueless as to where they were or why they stopped.

“We’re here…” Liam’s fingers went to work at untying the blindfold, and he watched Collins practically buzz with excitement.

The sea breeze caressed Collins as she tried to identify every clue she could before the reveal. Did she smell something sweet? Or was that the salt in the air?

“One, two, three!”

On “three,” Liam removed the blindfold and presented his wife with his surprise, and suddenly, Collins knew exactly where she was. How could she forget?

“Oh my God,” Collins gasped, her hand instinctively going over her heart as she processed where she was.

Cordonian Café – Home to the Cronut! sprawled across the awning of the quaint café. Patrons had long gone home, leaving the cozy café for the young couple. Several pastries were still laid out, their smell permeating the air and making her stomach growl. In the window, there was a display of cronuts forming a heart. The pastries were fresh enough that Collins could see the steam rise. They’d made the cronuts just for them…

This café took Collins back to a day that felt like a lifetime ago. She’d just met Liam and spent the entire derby trying to earn the Queen’s favor. Her friendship with Hana, Maxwell, and Drake was still in its infancy, and they had all sneaked out of the palace to try cronuts. It was the first of many group adventures. That night, Collins stayed close to Liam, and it was one of many private moments that gave her hope to stay in the competition and fight for him.

Collins turned back to her husband, a tear sliding down her cheek as she whispered, “You remembered.”

“How could I forget?” Liam wiped the tear from her cheek, “I already loved you then.”

“I loved you, too,” Collins ran her fingers through his curly blonde hair, losing herself in his ocean blue eyes, “Thank you, Liam.”

“I hope I didn’t overstate the surprise,” Liam had a sheepish grin, worried that his attempt at a grand gesture missed the mark.

Collins shook her head vigorously, laughing through her tears of joy, “No, it’s perfect, Liam.”

Liam’s smile returned, proud of himself for making his wife so happy, and Collins took a deep breath, sobered by the way she loved this man.

“You’ve given me the best year of my life,” Collins was earnest, and the weight to her words was not lost on Liam. There were a million little moments in that sentence – days of laughter, mornings of hurried good morning kisses and shared coffee, and nights of sweet nothings and pillow talk. There were even more “I love you”s, some said out loud and some not.

This is what it’s like to love someone, Collins thought to herself. She built a life with the man she loved, and even on the darkest of days, it was perfect.

“Best year so far,” Liam insisted, “I have a lifetime of years to make each one better than the last.”

Collins lips brushed across Liam’s, and he caught her affection in his kiss, so soft and gentle that the world almost stopped moving. It was tender and real. It was love.

The cronuts were, of course, delicious. Inside, Collins found their initials etched into the pastries behind the glass, and their plate of cronuts was supported by a bottle of wine. Together, they stayed late into the evening, long after the cronuts had disappeared and the surprise settled. They stayed at the Cordonian Café until they were too exhausted to stay any longer, and after locking up, they moved into a comfortable embrace for their return to the castle.

When the sun rose, they would be King Liam and Queen Collins. Their love story would be publicly celebrated, and all of Cordonia would crowd around to support their monarchs and their homeland.

But tonight, it was just Liam and Collins, and they were in love.

“Thank you for an incredible anniversary,” Collins hummed thoughtfully, “But I hope you know I’ll outdo you next year.”

Liam laughed at the challenge and met her eyes as he stated, “You’re on.”

This is my first Liam x Collins fic in quite some time, and I forgot how much I love them. After writing about their adventures for all this time, it’s so special to be able to write a fic where they’re just in love. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did!

I pulled out my old tag list, and it’s been such a long time that not all of the links work, lol: @octobereighth @theroyalweisme @hopefulmoonobject @youwontlikewherewewillgo @xxrainbowprincessxx @mfackenthal @pens-girl-87 @lizeboredom @pbchoicesobsessed @boneandfur @decisso

#Liam x mc #King liam x mc #King liam #liam x collins #king liam fanfic #king liam fanfiction #liam fanfic #liam fanficiton #liam x mc fanfiction #choices #choices fanfiction #royal romance #the royal romance #happy #cute couple #short story

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vixxiedust · 4 years

Text

The Scholar’s Love Ch. 3

Genre: Romance, Drama, Alternate universe

Pairing: KenxOC

Warning: blood, death

Summary:

He held onto my hand even tighter.

“I will beg Father. I’ve never wanted anything from him my entire life so I believe that he will grant me this marriage.”

It sounded beautiful, almost easy. We could get married and since we already liked each other – something not many young couples could afford – we could have our happily ever after.

part one| part two

Three.

Prince Jaehwan came running to me with a bunch of flowers in his hands. His cheeks were beautifully flushed and his lips rosier than usual. All that running around the garden did him good.

“For you, my dear lady,” he said giving the flowers to me.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” I curtsied and took them.

Throughout our walk he`d see new flowers and he`d run to pick them for me, adding more and more to my bouquet. I`ve never seen a grown man as happy as a child just because he was given the chance to play in the garden. Maybe it was because his own mother, consort Lee, who loved the freshness of spring, so he`d bring her hyacinths every time he visited her. Or at least he told me so.

I saw him dashing through a narrow stone path, servants frantically bowing because he popped out of nowhere and they were caught unprepared. I giggled.

“What is so funny?” he panted dropping more flowers into my already full hands.

“Nothing, Your Highness.”

“I think the amount of flowers is sufficient for now,” he examined my bouquet thoughtfully, “We can now resume our walk.”

These days he came to me a lot. Even if only to pass by when there were too many scholars in the library and it was inconvenient for us to talk.

But sometimes we had chances like this one when royals and concubines would take their afternoon nap, so we could be undisturbed in the garden. In these rare moments I felt like there was no difference in rank or expectations for both of us. We were just two young people courting each other before marriage.

Prince Jaehwan was now walking with his eyes closed basking in the sunlight and I used the chance to study his features. My eyes also trailed on his broad chest. I couldn`t help but wonder what it looked like underneath his robes. Sadly only his wife would discover one day.

“Am I beautiful, Miss Nala,” he asked with eyes still closed, “I can feel you staring at me.”

I blushed furiously.

“Of course, Your Majesty, you are a prime example of what a prince should look like,” I replied trying to keep my cool.

He peeked with one eye. We reached an artificial mountain and we stopped there. The place was shady and chilly but otherwise it gave us some privacy.

The prince reached out and took my hand in his.

“I am serious about the marriage, you know?” he said in low tone.

And I could see that he was. His eyes bore into mine and there was so much intensity in them that they could swallow me whole. But neither his feelings for me, nor mine for him could change reality.

“My rank is too low for you,” I chose my words carefully, “I could be your concubine at most but not an official wife. I don`t want to be someone`s concubine.”

He held onto my hand even tighter.

“I will beg Father. I’ve never wanted anything from him my entire life so I believe that he will grant me this marriage.”

It sounded beautiful, almost easy. We could get married and since we already liked each other – something not many young couples could afford – we could have our happily ever after.

“Once I become a prince consort, I can`t be an official anymore.”

“Yes, you can`t be both,” he nodded slowly, “I was just hoping that… that…”

He seemed to be struggling to find the right words but I knew what he wanted to say. He was hoping that I could make the sacrifice for us. I never wanted to be part of someone`s harem though. I never wanted to deal with household duties and embroidery and gossip. What I wanted was a career, a chance to bring change to the government and possibly a tiny place in the history books.

My father had assured me that when the time came for my marriage, he`d negotiate with my future husband that I continue with my duties as a scholar. But for that to happen my future spouse had be lower rank than ours, someone who`d gladly welcome a wife from a family far more influential than his. One could say that we were preparing to twist someone`s arms but I was thankful to my father for securing my future.

That could never happen with a Prince. I was going to be the one in disadvantageous position. I had to live my entire life just to prove that I was worthy of this marriage.

“My biggest dream is to be an official,” I said hoping that he`d understand.

His full lips twitched and he let go of my hand.

“You will attend the celebration on Friday, right?” he asked instead.

Consort De had just given birth to a healthy boy and our King was overjoyed, so he not only raised our salaries but arranged for a special celebration for his newborn son.

“Well, it`s obligatory,” I smiled.

“I hope to see you there then.”

He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I wanted to tell him so badly that I wished us to be together but it wasn`t possible in this life.

“You will.”

---

It was pouring outside. I picked my brushes and stared through the window. The branches of the nearest tree were swaying chaotically creaking like old bones. The candle on the desk flickered dangerously and I felt a cold gush of wind. It was going to be a bad storm.

“Scholar Ae, I am sorry for keeping you here for longer than intended,” Minister Ha said, “The weather is too bad for you to go out right now. My servants can prepare a guest room for you.”

I stirred uncomfortably at the thought. I knew that Minister Ha was concerned but I was taught not to disturb the elders.

“Please, don`t apologize. It was my honor to serve you,” I bowed, “I have to decline your offer and thank you for your kindness.”

“Are you sure?” he asked look and I nodded, “Well, in this case allow me to prepare a carriage for you.”

That I couldn`t refuse and honestly I was thankful that I didn`t have trudge through the river the main road has now become.

“And one more thing,” the Minister added, “Since the doctor said that I`m much better now and I don`t have to stay at home anymore, you could come twice a week to my ministry to watch me work and assist me whenever needed.”

I drew a sharp breath. I must have looked ridiculous because he laughed.

“You have good knowledge of the classics and your ideas are fresh. You could gain some knowledge from me as well, not only from that old fox Chu.”

“That would be fantastic,” I almost chocked on my saliva, “Thank you, Minister Ha.”

“You`re welcome, scholar Ae. Now hurry up and go home because the storm outside is getting worse and worse.”

I came out jumping merrily almost falling on my ass twice. I felt so happy that I could throw the umbrella on the ground and start dancing in the rain. Even catching the worst cold couldn`t scare me because the gods were smiling upon me. Who said that storms were bad omens? Who said that the sky was crying? I couldn`t wait to come home and tell Adra about it.

I crossed through the courtyard and found myself at the front gate but something didn`t feel right. The sound of the rain mercilessly hitting the pavement wasn`t the only thing that reached my ears. There was a thunder, as powerful as someone`s giant invisible hand was punching through heaven`s doors, but it wasn`t that also. It was the clinking of metal and men yelling right outside. It was the unmistakable sound of sword fighting.

I knew I had to turn back and run to the manor but instead I slowly peeked through the threshold. There were indeed men fighting and I saw bodies on the ground and blood spilled on the pavement trickling into the poodles of water. I dropped the umbrella unable to move.

The carriage which was supposed to take me home was blocked at least 30 feet away from the main entrance and I was positive that I saw a body curled next to it, possibly that of an innocent servant. It was difficult to make out the details in the thick curtain of rain.

Who`d throw such ruckus in front of the home of important official? Who`d cause bloodshed in such obvious manner? There was another thunder and I shuddered. Were they trying to assassinate him? I felt bile rising in my throat and I gagged. But none of them wore the clothes of his servants, so the second group of men wasn`t protecting their master. It seemed like they were totally unrelated to Minister Ha`s people.

Still, no matter who they were I had to come back and warn everyone inside. But then the first lightening struck across the sky and I saw a man lying in a pool of blood at the base of the stairs. And he was looking at me. His lips were moving but I couldn`t hear anything from where I was standing. He had one hand over the wound on his stomach and the other reaching for me. He was holding something in it, something that looked like a leather tube containing a message. He seemed to be pleading to me to come and take it.

I threw a quick glance around assessing the situation. I was no warrior and I didn`t know how to fight. Stepping outside would be dangerous. But from what I saw two people were trying to protect the lying man so desperately. The others were probably after the contents of the tube. Whatever it was, I was sure that it was so important that it was worth dying over and I was a subject of the state who vowed to work for her king and fellow citizen.

I ran from my cover to the man and the minute I found myself outside the raindrops hit me as hard as a hammer. I slipped and rolled down the stairs landing right next to the wounded man. I could feel no pain, only the blood thumping madly through my eardrums and my whole body shaking when I tried to rise on my knees.

The man clasped my hand tightly and I felt the weight of the tube on my palm.

“To the King,” he groaned in pain, “It must reach the King.”

My eyes met his and I could see the dying light in them. Suddenly I felt weaker but I nodded because it`d pain me to let him down.

A body dropped on the ground right next to me with its empty dead eyes staring at me. I tried to scream but the sound was muffled by all that rainwater filling my mouth. I scrambled away from it and then I realized that my way back to the manor was now cut off. There were too many people between me and the gate and I could never push through. I could only run towards the Palace now, even if I knew that my chances were slim.

I rose to my feet right when the second man protecting the wounded got stabbed and fell down. I backed away and I had a good look at the warrior who killed him. He stepped forward noticing me and I quickly took a few steps back.

A lightning struck the sky once again and illuminated everything on the street. I saw the stranger`s face properly and something twisted in my stomach, something that had nothing to do with the bloodshed and the bodies lying around. I had seen this face on a couple of portrait replicas at the library before. I personally took care of them and I dusted them off. It was the face of the Crown Prince. A chill ran down my spine. There was no mistake; I had this face imprinted in my memory too clearly despite never meeting the man before.

He started walking towards me with determination which meant that I was doomed. The last thing I saw before I started running clumsily down the street was the man who gave me the message catching him by the leg and making him stumble. I risked only one glance behind just to see where my pursuer was.

I saw him driving his sword through the body of the messenger. I stumbled and felt backwards. For the first time a sound escaped my lips and I cried out but it came out distorted through the rain. My chest hurt, my limbs felt heavy and I wanted to give up. I was going to die anyway. Crown Prince was a famous warrior and I was less than a fallen leaf he could easily crush with the sole of his boot.

After killing the man, he returned his attention to me. I could probably still try to escape. There was some distance between me and him. I tried to convince myself that not everything was lost but my heart had lost all hope.

And just then, a giant beam of light fell from the sky and hit the roof of the house on the other side of street from Minister Ha`s. There was an explosion and everything went painfully bight. I curled on the ground hugging the tube tightly. Luckily I was away from where the lightning struck so I quickly came to my senses.

I opened my eyes and there was no man left standing. Some of them were crawling slowly like crabs missing a leg. For a second it all went still. I didn`t know whether it was divine intervention but I muttered a silent prayer before steadying myself on my feet again.

And then I ran, I ran with everything I had towards the Palace.

#vixx #jaehwan #ken fanfic #ken scenario #vixx scenario

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