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#this final moment surrounded by their friends (family) where they hold each other's hand as the story closes on them
probably-writing-x · 8 months
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The Morning After The Night Before
Conrad x Reader
Summary: Conrad fell in love with you long ago. And, now, it’s finally happened.
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So… what exactly happened last night?
You were sure it was a dream.
No. Maybe you should be thinking of this as a nightmare.
Oh god.
It definitely didn’t feel like a nightmare.
You’d slept with your best friend.
No, no, worse than that.
You’d slept with your family friend.
As in, all of your family and all of his family were staying in a beach house together right now and you’d just slept with him.
WHAT THE FUCK.
You force yourself to eventually open your eyes and take in your surroundings. His bedroom walls, his nightstand, his sheets over your naked form. It’s cold in his room but then again it always is - you’re sure he’s not turned the AC off ever. You pull the sheets a little higher over you and push yourself into the mattress like you’re trying to make sure it’s all real.
Your eyes adjust enough to the light and you take a deep breath, forcing yourself to turn over in the sheets and face in the other direction, towards the other side of the mattress.
Empty.
Was he fucking kidding? He’d fucking left you here? That’s just typical Conrad you know, last night he wa-
“You’re awake,” His voice speaks from the end of the mattress, where he was perched on the foot of the bed.
He’s wearing only a pair of boxers, the muscles of his back contorting as he lifts up a hand to drag through his hair.
“Sorry, I’m normally a pretty early riser but I didn’t want to leave you here,” He explains and the tension in your chest relaxes.
You hold one hand over the sheets on your chest and push yourself up to sit against the pillows behind you, readjusting the sheets once more to make sure you were covered.
“Did you sleep okay?” Conrad asks, clearing his throat a little before moving back into the bed to sit beside you, hands either side of him like they’re not sure where they’re supposed to be placed.
“Yeah, yeah, fine,” You nod a little too quickly, “Um, did you?”
He nods in return but doesn’t speak.
Oh god.
This is awful. I mean this is literally dreadful.
Until last night this guy had been your best friend. He’d been your confidante and your partner in crime. He’d been like the other half of you. And one tipsy kiss had turned to another and another and… well, there was only one way you eventually ended up naked in his bed.
But, damn, it was good.
NO.
Back to reality, this is awful, why is this so awkward?
“Do you-“
“Can we-“
Both of you pause at the same moment and glance at each other for a split second. But your eyes linger there and so do his. His hair is curling around either side of his face, his eyes softer in the mornings. There’s a mark on his shoulder from where your fingers had been gripping him last night. You blush at the thought.
In the same moment, Conrad sees you too. Your hair messy and tangled around your head. Your lips stifling a yawn. And he reaches a hand out to brush your hair back from your neck, his thumb brushing over a darkening mark left by him.
“I didn’t realise I-“
“It’s okay,” You assure him, your eyes watching the way his scan over you.
You move your hands to fix the sheet around your chest, pulling it up underneath your shoulders tightly.
“You know you dont need to do that,” Conrad points out, “It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”
In that moment, despite all of the awkward tension, both of you laugh. And you feel the anxiety relieve a little in your chest, lightening the weight on your heart. He was still Conrad.
“Are you hungry?” He offers, looking at you with eyebrows slightly raised.
“I could eat,” You nod.
“Alright, I’ll be back in a minute,” He returns, pushing himself out of the bed.
He bends down to find his discarded t-shirt from the night before and tugs it over his head, running a hand over his hair. He lends a small smile in your direction and then leaves you alone in the room.
Okay, this was manageable. It wasn’t totally awkward. You could deal with this.
But part of you was terrified that last night was all that Conrad wanted. Maybe he’d changed his mind. Maybe he’d decided you two were better as friends. And you’d have to leave his room and go back to your own and pretend like last night had never happened. Because you’d rather lose him like that than lose him as a friend.
But what if he didn’t?
He hadn’t run off screaming just yet. He’d stayed. He asked you how you slept and brushed his fingers over your skin. He smiled at you with the same warmth in his eyes that he’d had before any of this had happened, warmed even more by last nights events. Maybe he did want this. And you did too.
You check the time on your phone to see that it’s 9:34. Your Mom, Stephen and Belly would be back any time now with Susannah and Jere. They’d all gone to visit a college campus yesterday now that Jere is in the process of deciding whether he wants to go to college or not - your Mom had decided it was a good idea for your sister Belly to start looking too, and Stephen only went because he wanted to compare it to Princeton. Typical.
There’s a text from your sister on your phone.
Belly: We’ll be back in an hour ish, just stopping for gas <3
You respond with a quick text before getting up and rummaging in the closet for a t-shirt to wear. One of Conrad’s jerseys would do.
You pull it down over you and sit back onto the bed, the bedroom door nudges open and Conrad steps inside, slowly pushing it shut again with his foot behind him. In his hands, there is a tray of food. Two glasses of juice, a plate with a single muffin on, and two apples.
“I’m sorry, Mom still needs to go grocery shopping,” He winces a little at the sad sight of food.
You shake your head, “No, no, it’s perfect.”
He leans over just enough and you relieve him of the weight of the two glasses, setting them down onto the nightstand whilst Conrad rests the tray down in the middle of the bed between your legs and his.
Both of you are silent again as he picks up the muffin and breaks it into two halves, handing you the larger piece. You pick at the sponge and swallow the lump in your throat.
“Hey, um,” You clear your throat and take a deep breath, forcing yourself to look at him, “If you, um, well if you regret last night then I completely understand. We’ll just forget it ever happened, move on. Act like we never even kissed. I mean, that’s fine by me. I’m not expecting you to fall in lo-“
“I don’t want to forget it,” Conrad confirms, his eyes glancing up to meet yours, to pierce into you.
“You, uh, you don’t?” You raise your eyebrows, a little taken aback.
He shakes his head.
“I mean, I just thought that you’d think this was too complicated and I-“ You stop yourself, “I just didn’t want to force you into… I don’t know.”
He laughs a little, “(Y/n) I’ve been waiting to kiss you since I can remember. And I’ve been waiting to do that with you since I first learnt what the hell it was. I don’t want to forget that.”
You bite your lip to fight back a smile.
“I don’t care if it’s complicated.”
“You say that now but what about our families?” You shrug your shoulders, “They’re going to have a lot to say, and if this ends then we-“
“Woah, woah, woah,” He sets down the muffin on the side and turns to you, “Why would this end?”
“Come on Con, you’ve never been one for relationships.”
“I don’t want this to end (y/n). This is it. We’re it.”
“Do you really mean that?” You feel a lump form in your throat as if this entire picture could just crumble in front of you.
“I do.”
With that, he lifts up a hand to cup the side of your cheek, drawing you into him. Slowly, Conrad leans in and presses a kiss to your lips, slow but ending all too soon as he pulls away just enough.
“We’re it,” He mumbles again, his lips curling into a smile that matches yours as he leans in once more.
You grip the skin of his shoulder as he kisses you, grounding yourself into this exact moment with this exact boy.
���Maybe we just don’t tell everyone right away,” You comment as you pull back, narrowing your eyes a little, “It’s probably better to avoid all the questions about what we did when they left us alone for a night.”
Conrad laughs, “Okay, okay, it stays between us for now.”
You smile, “I’m going to go take a shower.”
He groans a little as you get out of the bed, his t-shirt hanging around your thighs. You know he’s watching you as you leave, a small smile upturning at the corners of his lips - an inner peace he hasn’t felt before.
Ten minutes later, there’s the sound of a key turning in the lock and the pouring in of the rest of the house all returning. Stephen yells something about needing a piss and clambers up the stairs, followed by Belly yelling at him that she needed to go first. There were multiple bathrooms in this place but that didn’t seem to matter.
A moment after, Jeremiah makes his way upstairs and knocks on his brothers door.
“Are you decent?” He calls, pushing open the door and stepping inside.
Conrad is sat on the edge of the bed, “Hey, how was your trip?”
“You’re oddly cheerful,” Jere frowns, “But the trip was good, yeah.”
“Good, Im glad,” Conrad nods, “So do you think you’ll apply there?”
“What’s going on here?” Jeremiah scans a finger around the room as if looking for clues, “What’s got you so happy?”
“What? I can’t ask you questions?”
Jeremiah’s hand is now pointed at the nightstand, “Two glasses of juice. You had somebody here.”
“Jere I didn’t have anybody he-“
“Then why is the muffin split in half?” Jeremiah practically gasps.
“Will you keep your voice down I-“
Before Jeremiah can say anything more, the bathroom door unlocks and you step out into the hallway, a towel wrapped around you, your hair wet clinging to the skin of your shoulders.
“Hey!” You smile in Jere’s direction, trying to remain nonchalant.
“(Y/n) will know!” Jeremiah points out to his brother, “Did Conrad have a girl here last night?”
You laugh a little and shake your head, “Your brother’s business is nothing to do with me.”
“That doesn’t answer my question,” Jeremiah retaliates.
You roll your eyes, “Leave the boy alone Jere, he’s probably tired. He had a busy night.”
Conrad stays sat on the edge of his bed and feels the beginnings of a smile brightening his face as he drags a hand through his hair.
He’d been waiting for this for forever. For you, for forever.
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itaipava · 6 months
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— champagne problems.
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ft: oscar piastri x reader
wc: 892
genre: angst
tw: none
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oscar looked at his watch in the silence of the train, 10:47 pm, it said. he wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there, but he knew it wasn’t where he belonged. it wasn’t the place he had planned to spend this day that should have been so important: he should be celebrating with the most special person in his life tonight. sighing and his eyes threatening to let out all the emotions he’s been holding back, he looks out the window, trying his best to ignore the sharp pangs he’s feeling in his chest as a new melancholy song starts playing in his headphones.
he didn’t know what he wanted at that moment, whether it was to be alone to understand everything that happened and finally let his heart finish breaking completely or surrounded by his closest friends to try to feel more alive and try to ignore this pain that only increased.
looking at the other passengers on the train, he sees some people looking at the window, a couple holding hands, another couple where the woman is lying with her head on her partner’s shoulder while he holds her hand, and some noisy teenagers on the other who apparently just left a party. each one with their life, their story, their thoughts and feelings… he would give anything to feel like them now.
he thought something was wrong when you showed up that night. his suspicions proved true when you dropped his hand in the middle of dancing to your favorite song, your song; that song the two of you would listen to when you were driving your car and sing at the top of your lungs, him laughing at you as he hummed the song and lightly tapped his fingers on your thigh, that song he played on your first date, that song that seems to have was written to tell your love, that song.
when you walked out the door, you left a heartbroken oscar behind; eyes fixed on the door you left through, shaking hands seeking some support before his legs gave out. in that moment you completely changed your lives, where everything was sunshine and soft smiles, gentle caresses being exchanged at sunset, became an acid rain that burns your hearts, a wound that will never be cured.
he was going to ask you to spend the rest of your life with him that night; he should be surrounded by all his friends and family, but instead he is completely alone, traveling to an unknown destination. oscar opens his wallet and looks at a photo of the two of you that you took on your first date; he runs his fingers lightly over the photo, as if he’s caressing your happy face, and he feels a pang of pain when he thinks about how happy you two were back then. suddenly, the train conductor’s voice echoes, signaling that they are approaching the next station, and oscar is brought back to reality with a heavy sigh.
he feels so stupid thinking about how differently he planned that night. his entire family saw his face fall when you let go of his hand and your smile disappeared, giving way to a look of doubt and melancholy. but he didn’t care about that part now. his heart hurts too much to worry about the humiliation of it all.
he didn’t want to believe everyone when they warned him about you; he loved you too much to let other people’s opinions get in the way of his happy relationship with you, well he thought he had been happy anyway. maybe he should have listened, maybe it would have spared him so much pain and humiliation, he thinks as the train slows to a stop.
he was so nervous writing his speech that night that it had to be perfect. after all, you would remember that moment for the rest of your lives. turns out he was right, but the night will be remembered for very different reasons than he expected. the worst of it was that you couldn’t give him a single reason for your decision, and he couldn’t give you a word in response.
but you contacted oscar soon after that night, asking to see him again. coincidentally, the place you chose was the same coffee shop where you shared your first date. taking a deep breath, he steps through the door, looking around the crowded room for your familiar face. as soon as he sees you, his heart races and he feels like all the air has been stolen from his lungs. as he approaches you, you realize how much his appearance has changed in just a few weeks; his eyes are sunken and lifeless, and his sweet smile can’t be found on his beautiful face. you explain to him why you decided to end things and that you simply weren’t ready for that level of relationship, but you still love him and will always remember the incredible moments you had together. and that the person who marries him will be the luckiest in the world. so you leave him for the last time with a kiss on the cheek - which he still feels a slight tingle when he remembers it every night - and with a champagne problem.
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dark-vader28 · 2 months
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New Girl
pairing: rodrick heffley x fem!reader
summary: Reader and her family are new in town, the heffleys invite them over for dinner as a welcome, blah blah blah, rodrick offers to give reader a drum lesson and makes a fool of himself doing everything in his power to impress you
warnings: swearing? tooth-rotting fluff. pls this is my first fic so im sorry if this is terrible, not rlly proofread
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Your family had just moved in to Plainview, settled in a cozy home on the corner of the street. Once summer ended, you’d attend Crossland High School as a senior while your younger brother, Jake, would be starting 7th grade at Westmore Middle School. You dreaded school, even in the years you lived in your hometown, surrounded by your friends. Now that you were the new girl, you were sure it’d be all the more worse.
Your younger brother, Jake, on the other hand, made company so easy and made it seem like starting a conversation was as easy as knowing your own name. Sure, he wasn’t very popular, but he never went a year without a new friend or even a whole new group. You were sure he’d already be making friends on the walk to school.
While you were staring at your packed bag that you refused to unpack, in denial that your family had really moved, when the doorbell rang, echoing through the still house. Your attention was diverted and you snuck out your room, quietly walking to the railing by the stairs where you could have a clear view of the front door. You crouched down, hoping you wouldn’t be seen as you watched your mother strut to the door. The door swung open and there was a friendly smile waiting behind, holding some tupperware in her arms.
You were watching and listening, hardly moving or even breathing as they talked. The woman at the door, whose name you heard was Susan Heffley, was welcoming your family to Plainview. You heard them suggest a dinner this weekend so they could meet each other’s families; your mother had mentioned yours and your brother’s age which coincidentally were the same as the Heffleys. You let out a groan as your mom agreed to the dinner.
Mrs. Heffley left a few moments later, wishing your mother another welcome with a gentle smile before walking out the door. Surely she seemed nice but having to attend to dinner with a family you didn’t know was a long dreaded thought of yours.
The rest of the week seemed to go slow as you anticipated the inevitable dinner. You were also attempting to accept the fact that you were truly stuck in Plainview now unless you decided to move out and away when you turned 18, but you knew the thought was pointless considering it meant you’d have to be prepared by then.
When Saturday rolled around, you had finally unpacked your bag, trying to be a little more positive about living here. But that was a lie. Truth was your mom hounded you about living out of a suitcase and told you off for not unpacking. Not wanting to get in any more trouble, you hurriedly unpacked that night, throwing a pair of jeans and some shirt on your bed in the process for you to wear to dinner.
It was 5:50 and you were scrambling to finish up the last of your makeup and hair. If there was one thing your dad hated, it was being late, and you would likely be the cause of it. You had postponed getting ready for so long, procrastinating until there were few minutes to spare. You weren’t sure why you cared so much about your appearance, assuming that you would never talk to that family after tonight.
Jake’s fist pounded on your bathroom door, causing you to jump from the unexpected burst of noise. You nearly burnt yourself with the straightener you were holding. You quickly set it down and swung the door open. You were ready to scold your younger brother but he spoke before you.
“Mom and Dad said we’re leaving now, why aren’t you ready?” he asked. You rolled your eyes and pushed him away from the door, closing it.
“Just one more minute!” you shouted from the other side of the door. He knocked on the door a few more times and when you refused to answer, he gave up, grumbling something under his breath as he ran down the stairs.
A minute turned into two, then three, and then it was 5:59 and your dad was knocking on the door. You turned off the straightener and unplugged it, checking your reflection one last time before hurrying out the bathroom.
Considering how close your houses were, your family walked to the Heffley’s house. Right before the clock turned 6:01, your family was at the door, ringing the bell. You heard a few hushed murmurs from the other side of the door before the same familiar face that had come to your house before swung open the door.
Mrs. Heffley welcomed you in, closing the door behind you. A man, who you could only assume was Mr. Heffley, stood next to Mrs. Heffley, extending out a hand towards your father, then your mother.
“Frank Heffley,” the man introduced, smiling politely. He shook your hand and then Jake’s as Mrs. Heffley introduced herself and the littlest brother, Manny, that she held in her arms.
Then, bounding down the stairs comes a boy, somewhere between 11-13. He comes to a stop next to Mrs. Heffley and wears a nervous smile.
“And his is my second eldest son, Greg,” Mrs. Heffley beams. One after another, you all shake his hand, introducing yourselves. “Greg, you and Jake are both in seventh grade so maybe you’ll make good friends,” Mrs. Heffley comments. Jake smiles a little and Greg is hesitant to return the smile, unsure if he likes your brother.
Mrs. Heffley turns to Greg, whispering something private to him while your father exchanges pleasantries with his father, earning a warm smile from your mother. Greg shrugged at whatever Mrs. Heffley had said to him and she frowned.
It wasn’t long before another set of footsteps came running down the steps, this time a tall boy with dark, messed and fluffed up hair, wearing some graphic tee tucked only in the front behind a pair of dark jeans. He looked your age and from the conversation you had overheard earlier that week, you knew he was your age. But… what did that matter? You had no intent on talking to this family again.
“And this is Rodrick,” Mrs. Heffley introduced, not sounding nearly as enthusiastic as she had been when introducing Greg and Manny. The smile she wore seemed fake as she glared and Rodrick and nudged him. He looked confused, shooting her a look before he noticed my father’s outstretched hand. He shook my parents’ hands as we were all introduced once more, thankfully for the last time. You seemed to catch Rodrick’s eye, and your name was the only one he seemed to remember. He repeated your name in his head, making sure it stuck in his memory. The other names faded from his mind as your families walked to the dining table. A few extra chairs had been added to fit your family, which sat on one side as the Heffley family sat on the other. You faced Rodrick with Jake on your right and your mother on your left. This was already the longest evening of your time in Plainview.
Mrs. Heffley was bringing a plate of food as your fathers chatted away. Rodrick, Greg, and Jake were quick to pile heaping amounts onto their plates. You were the last to go for food, not expecting to eat much since you didn’t have much of an appetite that night.
The parent side of the table was lively, laughter filling the air while it was nothing but the tap or light scrape of the metal forks against the plate on your side of the table. Jake didn’t seem to mind, happily eating away at his food, nearly to the point of asking for seconds. You had picked at the homemade food, taking a few bites ever so often. It smelt amazing, almost giving you your appetite back.
But the worst part of the night wasn’t how they were strangers you were having dinner with, or how empty and silent your half of the table was, but rather how you kept finding Rodrick’s eyes. They were awkward glances where you’d both be caught looking at one another and you’d both avert your gaze as quickly as it had been found. It kickstarted your heart every time, sending a wave of embarrassment flooding through you which was shown through in the heat rising to your face. You were praying someone on your end of the table would feel the silence and ease the tension but with every glance you and Rodrick stole, the atmosphere felt heavier.
The buzz from the other side of the table faded, leaving a few painful moments of entire silence before your dad spoke, speaking to Rodrick this time.
“Was that your van outside?” your dad inquired, hoping to spark up a conversation after noticing the deafening silence.
Rodrick stole another look at you on his way to address your father. He nodded, shifting in his seat a little. The silence was beginning to make its dreaded reappearance and in a desperate attempt to prevent it, you foolishly decided to keep the conversation rolling.
“What’s the name painted on it?” you asked, and Rodrick’s eyes had quickly fallen away from your father to meet you.
“Löded Diper, the name of my band,” Rodrick replied proudly. You attempted to repress a smile. The name was ridiculous and it had you holding back a laugh but something about the confidence and the happiness in his tone made you forget the name and brought a grin to your lips.
“A band, huh? What do you play?” you questioned, shifting in your seat, leaning forward so your attention was nowhere but him. His lips curved up into a smile as his movement mimicked yours, facing you. You could see Susan and your mom smile at each other, gushing at how suddenly you and Rodrick were getting along.
“Drums,” he answered, and the other conversations resumed from the parent side of the table. Greg and Jake were silently watching you and Rodrick talk, both shocked that you had even acknowledged him. Jake knew you weren’t one to engage like this upon first meeting someone, especially not with someone like Rodrick. And Greg was sure you were way out of Rodrick’s league, whether it was from a relationship or even friendship standpoint. Greg and Jake seemed to read each other’s minds and started talking, filling the once silent half of the room with chatter.
“I always wanted to learn drums,” you commented sheepishly, breaking the eye contact you had been holding. He seemed to light up at that, sitting up a little taller.
“I could teach you,” he blurted out, rather loudly. Everyone seemed to glance at him for a moment before ignoring it and resuming their conversations. You found his gaze again and a smile crept on your lips.
“Really?” you asked. He nodded, and your smile curved into a smirk. “Well, of course, you’d have to been good at drums to teach somebody. Prove you’re any good and maybe then you can teach me.” He paused for a moment before he chuckled, leaning back in his chair as his once awkward demeanor became cocky.
“No no no, i’d be doing you a favour. And i don’t need to prove anything. I’m a great drummer. Right, Greg?” Rodrick asked, hitting Greg on the chest. Greg hadn’t been paying attention but held his chest where he had been hit as he nodded, agreeing to whatever Rodrick had asked. “See?” You rolled your eyes, your bottom lip slipping between your teeth to hide your smile.
“The poor kid is terrified of you,” you chuckled. You turned to Greg this time. “Don’t take any of his shit.” Greg smiled brightly and Rodrick seemed flustered that you hadn’t taken his side.
“Oh, come on, I’ve never done anything to him,” Rodrick defended. He wasn’t a great liar. You glanced at Rodrick before looking back at Greg, raising your eyebrows.
“Is he telling the truth?” you asked. Greg shot a look at Rodrick before laughing and shaking his head. You giggled. Rodrick’s face was turning red and he shoved Greg again.
“Dude! Deny, deny, deny!” Rodrick pestered, pushing Greg. Another laughter escaped your lips.
“So you admit you were lying!” Rodrick froze, his face dropping.
With the exception of Rod, your side of the table was in a fit of laughter. The other side had stilled, admiring how well you seemed to be getting along despite Rodrick being the butt of the joke. He’d felt embarrassed for a moment but hearing your laughter had a bright grin spreading across his face which eventually broke out into laughter. Your stomach and face started to hurt from laughing for too long and you let a few desperate pants as you leaned back in your seat, arms wrapped around your stomach.
Over an hour had passed and your families couldn’t have been getting along better. Greg and Rodrick had told you endless amounts of stories. You learned about The Cheese Touch and the thought of it made you gag, imagining that moldy cheese sitting on the dirty hot blacktop for years.
You asked Rodrick about his band, which he went on and on about until Greg told him to can it. Rodrick might’ve hit him again if Mrs. Heffley hadn’t glanced over at them and scolded Rodrick.
Nearing the end of your time with the Heffleys, you hesitantly asked Rodrick if he was serious about the drum lesson. Sure, your reason was purely because you had always wanted to learn how to play but it seemed as the night went on, your reason was slipping to wanting to see Rodrick again. You didn’t want to have to wait until summer’s end to be with him. He didn’t seem like the greatest influence and you were already sure your parents weren’t too fond of him, but something about him had you drawn towards him like a moth to light.
The Heffleys were escorting your family to the door, chatter still in the air, when you turned to Rodrick. You swallowed the lump in your throat and prayed your voice would come out normal.
“So… about that drum lesson,” you started, not meeting his eyes, but you still saw the smile tug at the corner of his lips.
“Tomorrow?” he suggested quickly, stopping to face you. You looked up, your brow slightly furrowed. “O-or another day. I mean-” He was blabbering, trying not to sound eager or desperate and a grin stretched across your lips.
“Tomorrow sounds great,” you replied. He relaxed, smiling a little.
“Yeah, yeah, cool,” he mumbled, pretending to sound uninterested. You pushed him gently and he couldn’t hide the smile. You rolled your eyes at him, a light laugh falling from your lips. That sound would be stuck in his brain all night as he lied awake, admiring you and feeling like he had dreamed you up cause he wasn’t sure someone like you could be real.
Your family said their goodbyes to the Heffleys as the four of you walked out the door. You headed home, unable to lose the smile of excitement as you thought about your plans for tomorrow. You were so distracted in your thoughts that you hadn’t noticed your parents talking to you until your brother nudged you to snap you out of your daze.
“Are you alright?” your mom asked worriedly, putting a comforting hand on your shoulder. You flashed her a smile and nodded. “Well, how was your night then? Did you like them?” Then to your father, “I thought they were nice, don’t you think?” Then back to you. “How was Rodrick? I was a little worried he was a bad influence.” If you hadn’t stepped in, your mom might’ve pestered with you questions until the end of the night.
“It was fun. I had a good time,” you reassured. She smiled as you reached your front steps.
When you finally got back to your room, you reveled in the once dreaded house that seemed like a punishment. You were now filled with anticipation, wishing it would be Sunday already so you’d get to see Rodrick again. Your mind hadn’t decided what was so endearing about him. Maybe it was his desperate, miserable attempts to impress you that made you nearly giggle like a school girl or his dark shaggy hair that fell in messy strands. But you didn’t let yourself think about that for too long, saving yourself from falling down that rabbit hole.
As the cool air from your open window filled the room and the pale moonlight danced across your skin, you were coaxed into sleep, smiling as you thought about your night.
Maybe Plainview wasn’t as bad as you had believed it to be.
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a/n: well… first fic ig. i’m sorry if this is complete shit. i just felt like i should post something after having this account for 6 months and posting nothing. there are a few requests in my inbox that i do intend on getting to at some point i promise, im just a little slow with all of this 😭 let me know what you think and if you want more of these!
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heyyy, if you take requests pleaseeee write a Aemond×reader fic, but reader is the daughter of Daemon and Rhaenyra, she is a young woman with Rhaenyras beauty and Daemons behaviour, she was an ally to Aemond when they were children unlike her half-brothers, but after the night he lost his eye they got seprate thanks to going and living with her family in the dragon stone ( i dunno if i am writing this right english ain't my first language) and after some years, they meet each again and the point is she haven't been sending any letters to him and stuff. i know it's long but i would appreciate you writing anything like this😭❤ and pleaseee if you do accept, make it dark Aemond.
I´m so sorry it took me so long to finish this bestie, but I hope you are still interested in it and will like what I wrote<3 Especially with it being spooky season I love writing/reading all the dark fics I can get my hands on!
I will not let you go again
pairing: Dark!Aemond Targaryen x Daemyra´s daugther!Reader
synopsis: “I love you, my sweet wife.” He murmurs into your ear afterwards.
There once was a time where these words would have made you happy beyond believe, but that was a long time ago. And he wasn´t the only person that had changed for the worse.
warnings: dark themes, mentions of non-consensual sexual acts, forced pregnancy, forced marriage, afab reader
word count: 0.9k
His one seeing eye burns through you during the entire dinner. The truth is you have felt his eyes on you from the second you had arrived at the Red Keep with your family. And while at first it was trying to find out who you were and where he knew you from, now at dinner, it glowed hot with either anger or something more carnal, you aren´t entirely sure. As if the tensions between your families hadn´t been high enough already. Every time of the little times your mother and father take you and your half-siblings back to the capital you are reminded once more as to why your mother had took you away to Dragonstone all those years ago. The sparks of dislike that flew between your half brothers and your uncle flew were enough to set all of King´s Landing on fire, but the hate between your mother and her former best friend had the potential to destroy all of Westeros. It comes as no wonder when the meal escalates in a borderline brawl. Jacaerys has always been bad at controlling his temper and your once beloved uncle Aemond gladly took advantage of that. You would like to say you were not surprised by who the once sensitive, bullied boy turned into, but it didn´t come as much of a shock. Before you had been taken away from your former home you had considered your uncle a friend. That was off the table now.  Yet even as you saw this change in him, saw the strength and cold in his singular seeing eye, you would have never trusted him to go this far.
You walk to your chambers after your mother had told you so, in a slow pace. Careful eyes and ears paying attention to the hallways around you. However Aemond still manages to surprise you. His large, rough hand clamps over your mouth to silence you, the other holding you against his body so you don´t even have a chance to struggle against him. Once he has you in his chambers and you are able to whip your head around you truly see him for the first time. Not only has he grown from the sensitive, bullied boy, not only did he have a cold, strong aura surround him, he seemed downright obsessive. In that moment you can see it in his eye… your doom. He walks towards you without saying a word. His movements similar to that of a lion. Then Aemond finally speaks.
“I believed us to be friends. I considered you the only person able to understand me…” He whispers.
“We were, uncle. I was, I do. We could be again.” You take a step back for every step he takes towards you.
“Yes? And how do you propose we are going to do that?” he growls. “You could not even send me a single letter.”
“I tried to. You have to believe me, dear uncle, but my mother wouldn´t let me…” A gasp escapes your lungs when you feel your back hits the cold brick wall.
“I do not believe you. There have been many chances, but it is all alright now. I will not let you go again, now that I have you. You will be mine. Forever.” Aemond´s breath is hot on your ear. As if it wants to burn you.
“I do not understand…” You shake your head at what he is saying.
“Do not worry, sweet niece. You will soon enough.” He cups your cheeks in his hands and kisses you passionately.
The rough kiss is just the beginning of a night that would haunt you in your sleep for the unforeseeable future. Aemond carries you to the bed and makes sure to breed you thoroughly. Making sure that his seed would take, while making sure you don´t get away from him. And he needs to, because you refuse to give up the fight. He knows that if you end up with child your mother would most likely try to make you wed the child´s father and as much as his mother hates yours, how high are the chances she refuses when he shows himself to be willing to. He knows that you know.
And what feels even worse is, that the seven or fate or whatever the one responsible is called, seem to be on his side.
Without any access to moon tea and a guarantee that no one would learn of what had occurred that cursed night, your pregnancy starts to show a few moons later. Your parents are beside themselves and immediately ship you back to the capital. Signaling the start of a long and rather tedious discussion between your families. At the end of which waits a sept and a marriage bond that is about as wanted as the whole pregnancy. Yet you are in no place to speak up. You don´t get the chance to. You should have made better choices if you did not want this, are your mothers only words on the matter towards you. All the while there is the smuggest of smiles securely on Aemond´s as well as Aegon´s faces. You wished you could wipe it off their faces with your fists.
But you don´t do that. You swallow every bad feeling, aside of a few tears during your vows, until you feel entirely empty and cold.
Once you are pronounced man and wife Aemond kisses you so gently, it´s almost impossible to feel his lips on yours and yet it still makes you feel sick.
“I love you, my sweet wife.” He murmurs into your ear afterwards.
There once was a time where these words would have made you happy beyond believe, but that was a long time ago. And he wasn´t the only person that had changed for the worse.
“I love you as well, my dragon.” You reply. The words devoid of any emotion.
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tyb1 · 1 year
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The Proposal
pairing: seth x reader
summary: Seth proposes to the reader.
warning: FLUFF OVERLOAD!!!!
w/c: 1k
A/N: I may make this into a three part series. THE PROPOSAL, THE WEDDING, THE HONEYMOON!
Masterlist
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Everyone was invited to the wolfpack family gathering. It was being held in the woods, lights were plastered around the trees, and the dance floor was made of complete wood from the trees. Tables with pearly white clothes surrounded that oak dance floor, it was everything you could have imagined. 
“Hey (Y/N)? Can you help me hang this lantern?” Seth asked, it was only you and him here for the time being. You were both assigned decoration duty, it was pretty exciting. Seth did most of the work. It didn’t click in your mind that you would be in the woods decoring. You were too blinded by the fact that you were about to experience this grand event. 
You were wearing a simple white silk dress that stopped at your knees. Cute but fancy. You sat back and watched your boyfriend do all of the work. Being the gentleman he was he didn’t allow you to do anything but sit and watch. You didn’t mind,  nothing was more admirable than seeing his arms flex in his white button-down shirt. We’re not going to talk about how his quads look in the brown slacks.
“What do you want me to do?” You hummed softly. 
Seth held the lantern to the tree, “Hold this right here while I go get the hammer.”
You switched places with him, he then jumped down and ran to the table where the tools were. You continued to hum to yourself softly, occasionally looking up at the moons and the stars. It was so beautiful out here, You genuinely loved the fact that we were under the moon.
“You’ve always told me you never believed in fairy tales which is a complete lie”I looked back to see Seth propped down on one knee. My mouth dropped along with the floating lantern. Instantly I could feel tears brimming my eyes.  “This, right now, what we’re experiencing is living proof of a fairy tale. I keep telling people how I fell in love with you but in reality, I didn’t, I walked into love with you. Each step of the way you were there with me holding my hand, not once have you ever thought about leaving me. I wouldn’t be as strong as I am if I didn’t have your love to help me. I’d choose you in this lifetime, the life after this and even if I can’t find you I’ll make sure I do. I choose you and only you. You’re my world, you’re my life, you’re my fresh breath of air. You’re my everything, (Y/N) (L/N). So (Y/N) (L/N), will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
I wiped the excessive tears from my face, “Seth Clearwater, Yes! I would love to marry you.” 
Before he could stand I tackled him to the ground, I could hear the pure joy of laughter escaping from his lips. You both embraced one another as you cried into his chest.
“You have to get up so I can put a ring on it.” Seth laughed, he held out his hand helping you up to my feet. Smoothly the ring went on, it glistened in the night light. It was the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. Seth shoved his hands in his pocket, clearly, he was still nervous about proposing, “It looks better on your hand other than Jacobs.” You held my hand up in the sky in complete. You watched the tiny rainbows dance in the ring. It was more beautiful knowing that it came from the man of my dreams. 
“Wait, so is there a family gathering or not?”
“Oh yeah, You guys can come out!” Seth shouted, Huh, Seth wrapped his arms around me from behind. He grinned into my neck as you watched your friends and family emerge from the woods. Everyone was smiling from ear to ear, you were pretty sure only the boys and Leach heard his speech but that didn’t matter. It was still beautiful.
“Our plan worked (Y/N)!” Sue walked up to you with her arms out, “You’re finally going to be my daughter!! Ehhhhh!” You both squealed as you embraced each other. Leah soon followed as she also embraced you as well. You all had a tiny family moment, Leah was expressing how proud she was of Seth and you couldn’t fight back my tears. She was watching her younger brother become a man, and you, his soon-to-be wife, knew it was emotional as well. 
Everyone continued to approach you, with nothing but pure joy on everyone's faces. Live music started to play swiftly in the background. Everyone began to chat with one another as the party started to gear up. You placed your hands on your fiance's chest, his arms wrapped around your waist. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
He gently placed a kiss on your forehead, “I can say the same.” Seth pulled you in the direction of the lantern that you dropped. “I have one more surprise for you.” He dusted it off, “I know how much you would love for your grandmother to be here to experience this moment.” He handed you a lantern, on it was a picture of you and your grandmother, and on the other side was a picture of Seth and his dad. “It hurts knowing that they can’t be here tonight but they’ll always be here in spirit.” 
Seth pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit the candle that was placed in the middle. You held the lantern dearly to your chest as memories of your grandmother flashed in the back of your head. “You’re an amazing man Seth, she’d love you.” You whispered, you never took your eyes from the lantern, the picture illuminated in the night sky. 
“Come on, let’s tell them about the great news.” Seth grabbed your hand, and he lifted it towards the sky higher and higher until the lantern floated in the air by itself. The both of you watched the lantern float into the night sky. He held you in his arms as you both watched the other lanterns join yours.
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melanieph321 · 4 months
Text
Dominik Szoboszlai x Black Reader - The Cliff
I'm expanding my horizons with this fic. 😜 Hope you enjoy!
⚠️ Warning ⚠️
18+
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Summary Dominik helps Reader overcome her fear of heights.
Enjoy!
You had always been afraid of heights, but today you found yourself at the edge of a cliff, surrounded by your adventurous friends who were all eager to take the leap of faith. The group of you had driven to this secluded spot, nestled in the heart of the mountains, specifically for the purpose of cliff diving. The crystal-clear waters below seemed inviting, but you couldn't shake the feeling of vertigo that gripped you every time you looked down.
One by one, your friends took turns jumping off the edge, their laughter and screams of excitement filling the air. Each dive was met with cheers and encouragement from the group, urging you to join them.
"I just got my hair done!" You shouted in excuses.
No matter how hard you tried, you just couldn't bring yourself to take the plunge.
"Come on Y/N, jump! The water isn't even that cold!"
It was spring break. A time you would usually spend with your family, going to church, celebrating easter. But the last semester at university had been hard for you. You struggled alot but got through it. "You deserved to have some fun." Your friends told you, convincing you to join them on their annual road trip through Hungary. A big mistake, considering you now stood looking down the edge of a cliff, trying to talk yourself into plunging to your own death.
"Y/N?"
Dominik, one of your friends, reclimbed the mountain for his second jump.
"You still haven't jumped yet?" He asked.
"No."
"Well then, last man down is a..."
You were already on your way down, the mountain trail.
"Hey, come on. Don't leave."
You turned back around.  "Dom, I don't care what you tell the others, I'm not jumping."
"Come on, quit being such a coward and jump with me."
"Um... what did you call me?"
Dominik was know for his cocky demeanor. Only a few people, including you, knew that he was a gentleman at heart. But to most, especially the girls on campus, he was a known fuckboy with a lean body to match his arrogant persona.
"I said take my hand and let's do this. Trust me you won't regret it."
You snorted. "I'll definitely regret holding your hand."
"Y/N."
"Fine."
You walked to the edge of the cliff, hand in hand, peering over the edge. The wind whipped through your braids as you gazed down at the water below. You felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through your veins, but instead of fear, you felt a sense of exhilaration. This was it – the moment you had been pushing aside for so long.
"Don't let go." You turned to Dominik, he looked puzzled. "Of my hand. Don't let go of my hand until we hit the water."
He smiled. "Trust me, I won't let you go."
Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes. Domink took the lead, stepping off the edge. All you had to do was follow.
Your arms were intertwined as you hurtled towards the water, the rush of the fall making your heart race. Dominik kept his promise, never letting go of your hand. Resurfacing from the deep, you were met with triumphant cheers and applause from your friends.
"Yes, Y/N! Way to go!"
Dominik swam beside you, grinning from ear to ear. "You did it. You finally jumped."
"Thank you." You said, quite humbled by his kindness.
For dinner you and your friends set up to have a nice BBQ around the fireplace. The cliff was located near a known camping spot, that's where you were planning on spending the night.
"Truth or dare?" Someone suggested. It was well into the night and most of you already had alot to drink. Nevertheless, everyone was up for a classic game of truth or dare.
"I dare you to...," said one friend, "sing that embarrassing song from high school that we all used to hate."
"Truth or dare?" asked another, "which celebrity crush do you have that no one else knows about?"
The group erupted into laughter as you watched each other squirm and giggle through the dares. When it came time for you to choose, you decided to mix things up by choosing "truth".
"Okay, what's your biggest fear Y/N?"
"Heights, obviously."
Heartwarming laugher spread around the fireplace.
"Okay, that was too easy. Here is another one. Who here would you let fuck you like there was no tomorrow?"
In a brief state of shock you let your gaze land on Dominik. To your surprise he was already looking your way. His eyes were deceiving and his expression quite hard to read.
"Um...I don't know." You mumbled, once again praising the lord for your melanin skin. It never gave away your flustered embarrassment.
"You have to pick someone."  A girl named Nelly protested.
"Then I guess I pick you." You hissed
The people around the campfire chuckled, someone of them quite impressed with your rapid answer.
Now it was your turn.
"Nelly, truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to strip naked and run down to the lake for a swim."
It wasn't a dare for Nelly, it was simply a request. She wasn't shy about her body, everyone knew that. She stood, stripping herself naked with cynical cheerfulness. Asking her to run into the lake was your way of getting rid of her for a minute. She returned to the campfire wet haired, skin glistening in lake water.
"My turn." She said, happily accepting the jacket offered to her by one of the boys.
"Dom, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"Which one of us girls would you rather fuck like there was no tomorrow? Be honest."
He gave away a slight chuckle.
The attention was automatically drawn back to you since Dominik received the exact same question you had. Compared to you the questioned hadn't startled him and he would probably give a better answer than you had.
"Well?" Nelly said impatiently. Like everyone else she was eager to hear his answer.
"Well what?" He smirked.
"Who'd you pick, out of us girls?"
"I'm looking at her right now."
Like everyone else's your gaze shifted curiously. However they were all looking at you.
"Me?"
Your attention was brought back to Dominik. And yes, he was in fact staring at you.
"Ohhh, Y/N and Dominik sitting in a tree...." Nelly teseased.
Giggles and laughter spread around the campfire.
"I knew you guys were taking a bit too long up on that cliff." One guy joked. "What were you two doing prior to jumping."
"None of your business." Dominik winked. At last he broke your eye contact. It had been intense, causing blood to rush to your cheeks.
As the night went on and the alcohol continued to flow you somewhat forgot about the silly game of truth and there, that is, until there was a knock on your cabin door far too late in the night.
"Dominik?"
He stood errect in the moonlight, undoubtedly confident to knock on your door at this hour.
"Zayn and Nelly are going off like animals in our cabin, can I stay with you?"
Nelly was meant to be your bunk buddy, now that she had snucked her way into Zayn's cabin, you had an empty bed.
You let him, crawling back into your bed, however, you were startled by the sight of Dominik, pushing Nelly's bunk across the room.
"What are you...."
"There, much better." He said, once Nelly's bed lay alongside yours, making it a conjoined sleeping unit.
"Are you crazy?" You laughed.
"What?"
He joined you under the covers.
"This is so not happening."
"What?"
"This." You pointed to the two of you.
"Y/N, relax. I just don't like going to bed alone. I'm not really used to it if you know what I mean."
You rolled your eyes and pulled the covers over your body. You slept with your back to him.
"Oh, come on. It was a joke."
You sat up, turning to face him. "It wasn't funny, neither was your answer during truth or dare."
He laughed. "What did you want me to do, lie?"
"Please Dominik. As if you've ever been intrested in me."
"Since the day I met you actually."
You frowned.
"Sure, you seemed a bit uptight at first but I thought hey, at least she will be a fun challenge."
"Wow, so getting with me has been a challenge for you, a game?"
"Hey, Y/N. You've got me all wrong. Why is me being into you so hard for you to understand? A guy doesn't make a jump like that twice, unless he is trying to impress a girl."
"You. Impress me?" It was hard for you to understand. "You're telling you reclimbed that mountain to impress me?"
"It worked didn't it? After that you started paying more attention to me, seeing me for more than just a fuckboy."
"I don't only see you as a fuckboy."
"Please, I hear the way you girls talk when you think I'm not listening. How you warn your friends not to fall for my tricks, as if I have any."
You were a bit taken back. In a way this was your first conversation with Dominik that wasn't infatuated with you calling him out for how he treats women. In a way, fueling his already presumed behavior.
"What are you trying to say Dom? That your into me and want me to be your girlfriend?"
"No."
"Oh."
You played with fire. Fire burns.
"I was thinking we could fuck each other like there is no tomorrow. If tomorrow happens to come around." He shrugged. "So be it."
You leaped forward, kissing him, eager to taste him. He explored you in other ways, his hand already finding you under the covers. You could always tell when a guy knew what he was doing or not. Domink knew what he was doing. He found ways to turn you on with gentle strokes, his hands exploring your many curves and creases. He had rolled you over within minutes of taking your clothes off.
"Turn around for me."
"Like this?" You whispered.
"Yes."
He massaged your ass, his fingers moving roughly over your skin. You lay flat on your belly, legs spread. Domink came to you with caution, bending down to trace kissed down the slope of your back all the way to the curve of your ass. You felt his length press against you, he was big, big and ready.
"Lift your hips up for me."
"Like this?"
You stretched out like a cat, offering yourself to him.
He grunted in satisfaction.
A hand slipped between your legs. He drew a vertical line with his fingers, sperating your folds along the way.
"Dom, please." You moaned, your body begging to have him inside you.
He place himself behind you, aligning his cock with your entrance. He then slipped in with ease. You were that ready for him.
"You feel so good." He thrusted into you. Slow at first but the pace increasing rapidly.
Yes. Harder please."
The bed squeaked with his movment, on the verge of breaking the plank. Once again your heart raced with the thrilling sense of free falling. You were back on top of the cliff, ready to plunge to your death. However without the fear. You had no fear, primarily because you weren't diving into the deep alone.
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whitedarkmoonflower · 9 months
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I loved your story with Sihtric. I wanted to ask if you have time if you could write Sihtrics wife being taken by Hestan in season 3, and she gives birth to twins while she is with them. Then Hestan sees Uthred and threatens that he has Sihtrics family, but of course, Sihtric gets his family back.
Kidnapped Part 1
Sihtric x reader
Authors note: dear Anon, sorry that it took me a while to start writing. As it happens so often with me the story just took hold on me and kept going. It was starting to get a bit long, so I decided to divide it and post at least the first part, that is completely ready, before I figure out how Sihtric will get his family back.
Warnings: nothing really serious, bit of angst to lose your dear ones, use of alcohol in distress
Word Count: 2,515
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
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“I am going to find my wife,” Sihtric's face lit up in a warm smile as he spoke to Finan, clutching some flowers in his hands. He hadn’t seen you for months. He could still vividly recall the day he left and how excited he was finally to be heading for a battle after years of peaceful living. He loved you with all his heart, but he was a warrior and had longed for some adventure. He had never expected it to turn into a nightmarish ordeal, with Skade emerging in Uhtred’s life and swiftly turning it upside down in the blink of an eye.
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Now that the witch was dead and you all were back in Winchester life seemingly returning to its normal flow, he found himself consumed with anticipation. He couldn't wait to see you, to hold you in his arms, and to tenderly kiss your swollen belly, knowing that you carried his child. The sheer joy that had overwhelmed him when you had shared the news just before his departure was beyond words. He had kissed you passionately, spinning you around like a madman, laughter bubbling forth from his very core. In that moment, he had wished he could stay by your side, but there was no other choice. Now almost eight months later you were likely nearing the end of your pregnancy. You were carrying his child – the full weight and meaning of this still hadn't fully settled within Sihtric’s mind as he hadn't quite had a chance to fully comprehend it amidst the chaos and battles that had unfolded.
Finan’s infelicitous attempt to mock Sihtric, left him unfazed as he merely smirked at his friend, refusing to engage in further discussion. With a determined expression, Sihtric turned away, hastening his steps towards home. Home – it was a word that made Sihtric’s heart skip a beat and warm up each time he thought about it, keeping him going even in the most desperate circumstances. It represented a dream come true, a place where he belonged and a family to return to. Something he could barely imagine just not so long ago.
His steps quickened as he approached the familiar street, his anticipation building as the house he had bought for both of you came into view. Eagerly, he rushed to the door, knocking with expectation. To his surprise, there was no response. He knocked again, straining to hear any signs of life behind the closed doors. However, the only response he received was an eerie silence that hung in the air. With a mix of anxiety and a racing heart, Sihtric gently pushed the door, causing it to creak open. A tight knot formed in his stomach as he stepped into the cold and desolate house. His eyes scanned the surroundings, revealing dust-covered furniture and cobwebs that had claimed the corners of the room. Sihtric's entire world shattered into countless shards. The house stood empty, abandoned for quite some time. You were not there, and he didn’t have the slightest idea what could have happened or where you could have gone. His hands dropped to his sides, letting go of the flowers he had been clutching. They twirled to the floor. Sihtric turned on his heels and sprinted towards the marketplace, desperately hoping to find Finan still there.
“Finan,” Sihtric called out, rushing towards his friend, and grasping his arm. “She’s gone. The house is empty. She’s gone.” Finan grinned, as his initial instinct was to offer another joke, but the sheer despair in Sihtric’s voice, the anxiety etched across his wide eyes, silenced any attempts at humour. Finan choked back his words and almost bit his tongue, realizing that now was not the time for jesting.
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Finan wanted to be certain, “Could it be that she is out running errands?”
“No, you don’t understand, Finan.” Sihtric responded urgently, his words tumbling out in a rush. “She’s truly gone. Nobody has lived in the house for a while already. Finan, we have  to find her. I have to find her. I never should have left in the first place,” Sihtric's desperation drove him forward, simultaneously pulling Finan towards the stables.
“Hold on, just wait a moment,” Finan tried to stop his friend’s frantic movements, to hold him, “Wait, stop!” he finally yelled at Sihtric, gripping his shoulders tightly and shaking with all his strength.
“Where do you think you are going? Do you honestly believe you’ll find her by aimless riding around with no idea where to even begin searching?” Finan tried to put some sense back in his friends dazed mind. Sihtric struggled to break free from Finan's grasp, but Finan refused to let go. They were nearly wrestling now, when Osferth and Uhtred came running towards them. Not understanding what's going on they stepped between the two friends, trying to pull them apart.
“What’s going on?” Uhtred yelled, holding onto Sihtric tightly.
“Sihtric’s wife is missing,” Finan explained, as Sihtric continued to struggle, unable to articulate his thoughts, his despair evident. It took considerable effort and strength to restrain Sihtric, until he finally ceased his resistance, leaning his forehead against Uhtred's shoulder.
“She is pregnant, Uhtred. She carries my child, and I have no idea where she is or what has happened,” Sihtric whispered, his voice filled with anguish, as Uhtred placed a comforting hand on his friends’ shoulder.
“Sihtric, calm down. First, we need to find out what has happened. Does she have any family? Is it possible that she sought some assistance from her family or friends? Being pregnant and alone can be incredibly challenging. There might be an innocent explanation for her absence,” Uhtred suggested, nodding to Finan and Osferth, who instantly understood what he meant and turned around to disappear in the jungle of the narrow streets, searching for anyone who might have information.
While Finan and Osferth scoured the neighborhood, Uhtred accompanied Sihtric to the tavern. Sihtric slumped heavily onto a chair, his hands supporting his head, not even noticing the ale jug Uhtred had brought him. After an hour or two, Finan and Osferth returned with news.
"We have both good news and bad news," Finan began. “The elderly widow living next to you told us that the pregnancy was not easy. She felt sick very often and couldn’t eat as she was constantly throwing up. About a month ago, she apparently decided to go to her sister, as it was too hard for her to cope alone.”
“The bad news is that her sister came for a visit a week ago looking for her as she had never arrived at her place,” Osferth added.
Sihtric remained seated, his hands buried in his hair, supporting his bowed head. He had heard what his friends told him, but he was simply unable to grasp it. His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse racing with an agonizing mix of fear and desperation. His mind spun with unanswered questions, each one a dagger stabbing at his already fragile state of mind.
Memories of your last moments together flooded his thoughts, taunting him with images of your laughter, your shared dreams, and the promise he had made to you, to come back as soon as possible. Without you, the world felt vast and empty for him, devoid of any meaning.
Sihtric felt tears welling up in his eyes and blurring his vision. Helplessness surged within him, a suffocating sensation that threatened to consume him. Taking a deep breath, Sihtric shook his head and wiped away the tears before anyone could notice. He could not imagine a life without you; there was no alternative. He had to find you.
----------------------------------------------------
It felt like an eternity, but in reality, only two months had passed since your fateful encounter with Heasten on your way to your sister’s place. You had delayed your departure, hoping to wait for Sihtric, but as time went on, it became increasingly difficult. Your belly had grown so big, that even dressing yourself had become a challenge. It was obvious you needed help. With no news from Sihtric in over half a year already, you were faced with the truth that either you were going now on your own or you would never manage it and would be left alone for the childbirth. You had enough money to hire a wagon and a coachman and luckily it was not far you had to travel. Your sister along with her husband and their three children, lived just two days’ journey away from Winchester in a small village near the river.
On the second day of your travels, you noticed a few riders observing you from the nearby hills, but before you could start worrying, they withdrew, and everything seemed to be fine. However, your sense of security was short-lived as a group of warriors abruptly appeared on the road ahead. There was no possibility of escape with a wagon, so your coachman halted, awaiting their approach.
"What cargo do you carry?" a rough voice, tinged with a distinct Danish accent, inquired.
"We are not traders, my lord," you responded, opening the flaps of the wagon's tent.  “I am simply travelling to my sister for the childbirth.” Your pronounced pregnancy was on full display, as you hoped it would dissuade the riders from causing harm. You looked at the man, who had spoken and your heart froze in fear. It was Heasten, the Danish warlord whose path had so often crossed with Uhtred’s and his men. You recognised him from your few encounters at Alfred’s court where he tried to persuade the king that his wife and children wished to accept Christianity and get baptised. It had been a ruse, a ploy to gain Alfred's trust and provide false information about Bloodhair's army. Unfortunately, these encounters had allowed Heasten to recognize you as well.
A cunning smirk crept across Heasten’s face as he fixed his gaze upon you, scanning your entire being from head to toe. His eyes lingered upon your swollen belly and they narrowed slightly, flickering with a malevolent spark, revealing the twisted delight that swirled within. Like a predator sizing up its prey, his gaze became focused and intense.
“Ah, who do we have here!” Heasten exclaimed as the corners of his mouth curled upwards and a wicked grin began to spread across his face, his eyes flaring in mischief, “Sihtric’s little bitch, ripe as an apple!” He approached the wagon, dismounted his horse, and extended his hand in your direction, urging you to descend.
“You know Sihtric will chop you alive into pieces and feed to the dogs, if you lay a hand on me,” you hissed at him, attempting to invoke fear, but it seemed to have no effect on Heasten. His smirk only grew wider.
“First your husband will have to convince his Lord to stay away from the upcoming battle,” Heasten retorted, his voice laced with menace. “Or else, it will be me who carves pieces from your lovely body and sends them to Sihtric.”
“You, there,” Heasten commanded one of his warriors. “Go to Winchester. When Lord Uhtred returns, seek out his oathman Sihtric and tell him what happened today. Tell him, that if he ever wishes to see his wife and his pup alive, he must persuade Uhtred to stay away from the battle Edward – that little weasel of a king – is preparing to fight against Cnut’s army. And if he fails to do so, he will have to choose between the life of his Lord and the life of his wife and child,” Heasten stretched his hand toward you, forcefully ripping away the delicate silver chain that hung around your neck – a gift from Sihtric.
“Take this and present it to Sihtric as a proof that you speak the truth,” he commanded, handing the torn silver chain to the warrior.
------------------------------------------
Uhtred had sent out all his available men to gather information and persuaded Sihtric to remain in Winchester, ready to depart at a moment’s notice should any news arrive.  Sihtric was a complete mess. The mere thought of waiting idly, doing nothing, was unbearable. In a desperate attempt to drown his fear, despair, and overwhelming helplessness, he resorted to the only thing that came to mind—he drank. He hoped it would numb the consuming emotions that tormented him and finally got so drunk, that Finan and Osferth had to carry him back to his room in the tavern.
It was long past midnight when Sihtric awoke to a pounding headache. At first, he couldn’t even recall where he was, but then in a sudden rush, the events of the previous day flooded his mind. He jumped out of the bed still wearing his clothes as his friends hadn’t bothered to undress him. In need of some fresh air, he hurried outside just in time before his stomach revolted and he threw up. Spotting a nearby barrel filled with rainwater, Sihtric plunged his head under the cold water and counted to five before emerging, only to find a man – a Dane – standing next to him. Sihtric instinctively reached for his axe, but the Dane simply shook his head.
“Don’t! Believe me, you want to hear what I have to say,” the Dane spoke raising his hands to show that he held no weapons, while Sihtric watched him warily.
“I have a message for you from Heasten. You remember our dear friend Heasten, don’t you?” the Dane continued, “He sends his regards. It has come to his ears that you are missing something, something very dear to you. And guess what? Heasten has found it.” Sihtric listened with eyes widening in disbelief, his expression shifting from watchful cautiousness to pure fury, though the Dane seemed oblivious to the change and pressed on.
“Listen carefully. If you ever wish to see your bitch and the pup within her alive, you must deter Uhtred from helping Edward. He must not join Edward’s army, nor should he engage in the battle against Cnut. Do you understand, you worthless scum? If you fail to do so or if the lives of your family hold no value to him, then you have a choice to make: Uhtred’s life in exchange for the lives of your loved ones.”
Sihtric stood frozen, rage slowly consuming him, as the Dane’s words sank in. He didn’t want to believe it. He opened his mouth to respond, but no sound escaped. The Dane extended his hand toward Sihtric, revealing something held within his palm. “This is the proof you were seeking,” the Dane smirked, unfurling his fingers, and allowing something small fall to the ground. Sihtric knelt down, his anger mounting, as he picked up the delicate silver chain with a pendant in the form of the sun. He recognised it instantly; the very same necklace he had given you when Uhtred agreed to your marriage, and you had always worn it ever since. Sihtric grunted in rage and quickly sprang to his feet, only to discover that the Dane had vanished.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
221 notes · View notes
zoandreez · 8 months
Text
like babies (part one)
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pairing: ao'nung x omaticayan!reader
summary: it had been two weeks since your encounter with the sullys. turns out, jake was best friends with your mother. (small world!) the family took you in, but it wasn't for long you had to relocate. welcome to awa'altu.
word count: 1.9k
warnings: playful banter, mentions of blood, first half is a script reciting just with a 2nd person insert (you/your pronouns)
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you didn't interject when jake came and told you, kiri, neteyam, and lo'ak you were moving. most of the clan didn't know you enough, anyways, since they had no idea where you came from. so when he told you to get your ikran out of nowhere, you weren't complaining.
as you flew in for landing, jake and neytiri began to yip to get the meticayans attention. the reef people lived in what looked like netted structures, along beaches with baskets and small decretory things everywhere. tree branches hung over each home, tents draped over the netting as you flew closer before landing on the sand. you didn't move for a moment as everyone got off their ikrans and walked towards the meticayan.
"on me." jake said under his breath, walking quicker to keep up with tuk, who was eagerly running up to them.
"tuk," neytiri called, pulling her hand.
the meticayan quickly surrounded you, looking at the strange blue family that stood before them. you looked around at the clan. they had larger tails than us, wider arms built like fins, probably to assist with swimming in the water. you noticed them begin to move out the way as two boys came up.
one of the boys had short curly hair, looking at the new visitors with a greeting smile, which you quickly learned was mockery as the other boy, with braids pulled into a bun, spoke.
"is that supposed to be a tail?" he said, whispering to the other boy.
another girl came through, people moving out of the way for her as well. "enough, roxto. ao'nung." the girl said, glaring at the both of them as she said their names. lo'ak, who had been staring at the girl the whole time, finally spoke.
"hi." he said, shyly. she giggled and looked away, and neteyam looked at you with a knowing glance. you looked away to keep yourself from laughing.
"i see you, tonowari." jake spoke, looking at him. tonowari's mate paced back and forth in front of the visitors, glaring at every single one of us. "i see you, ronal." he said, looking at her as she stiffened. neytiri followed. "i see you, ronal."
you had eventually stopped listening to their conversation, as you looked back to the three kids who had gotten your attention. ao'nung was looking at you, before he smirked and turned to roxto once more. "look at their arms, they're so thin." roxto laughed with him, earning a smack to the head by the girl.
"tsireya, we're just having fun." ao'nung said.
"it's rude. they need uturu, why are you mocking them?"
suddenly, all conversation was silenced as ronal walked up to you. she pulled at neteyams arm. "their arms are thin." she begun to flick at neytiri's tail, earning a hiss from her. "their tails are weak. you will be slow in the water."
she turned to kiri, walking up to her and pulling her hand to her. "they are not even true na'vi."
"yes we are," kiri interjected.
ronal looked at lo'ak and you, grabbing both your hands and holding them up like a trophy. "they have demon blood!"
this announcement made all of the meticayan gasp, some hiss, and majority backing away. "hey. hey! see?" jake shouted and held his hands up. "i was born of the sky people, and now i am na'vi. you can adapt, we can adapt."
you said nothing as ronal put you and lo'ak's hands down. for a moment, her and tonowari exchanged glances, as if they spoke with their eyes. ronal put her head down, and looked away.
tonowari then looked and spoke. "toruk makto and his family will stay with us. consider them our brothers and sisters. they do not know the sea. they will be like babies taking their first breath. teach them our ways, so they do not suffer the shame.." he turned to glare at jake. "of being useless." he looked at ao'nung and tsireya. "my son ao'nung and daughter tsireya will guide your children."
this earned a groan from ao'nung, but tsireya quickly ran to lo'ak. "come and see our village!"
as you walked along the netted, hammock-like floors, you saw people come closer to you to watch you walk along. a woman, with an animal you've never seen before, swam up under where you walked and nudged it. you turned to look, and laughed when you saw the creature. you leaned in to rub its head as it squealed. neteyam pulled your tail. "yo, keep up!'" you rolled your eyes as you stood up once again and began to walk with them.
ao'nung and roxto followed quickly behind as tsireya lead ahead to ensure you went the right way.
after you got settled in, you skipped your first day of training. you were tired, and didn't feel like being babied. you walked along the warm beach before you sat down, laying on your back in the sun. after a few minutes, you drifted off.
"hey.. wake up!" you heard a faint voice in the back of your head as your eyes fluttered open. it was jake. "why aren't you training with the other kids?"
"i don't know, i guess i'm just tired."
jake looked at you, a bit of sympathy in his eyes, before he sat down beside you. "listen, kid. let me tell you something about your mother. jas was a kind soul. she was not with what quartitch was doing. she was determined, and she never let anything stand in her way."
he paused before he looked out to the sea. "now, i know something's up with you. i won't push you for it. but at least try and learn something from them? this is your home now. lo'ak isn't making this much easier for us, neteyam isn't watching him, kiri is in her own world, and tuk is only 8. can you just try?"
you looked at him, before you sighed. "fine." you sat up, balanced yourself and walked with him to the group on the other side of the beach. you arrived just in time, as you saw lo'ak and neteyam whooping in unison as they hopped off the side of their home and dove into the water. hesitantly, you watched before diving in with them.
the water was warm, coral surrounding you as you looked around at the fish, that swam with you. you felt your tail being pulled and turned to look at lo'ak and swim after him. you smacked the back of his head before beginning to follow tsireya.
after a moment, you felt this burning sensation in your lungs. you looked over to see lo'ak and neteyam swimming up already, and you followed suit to catch your breath. under the water, you saw ao'nung look around before he swam up.
"you're too fast, wait for us!" tuk said, when she swam up.
ao'nung looked at her and grinned at the rest of us in mockery. "you guys are not good divers. maybe good at swinging through trees," he continued before getting a light tap by tsireya on his shoulder. you laughed at the interaction.
"what are you laughing at, forest girl?"
"you, fish-lips." that earned an eyebrow raise from ao'nung.
"since you're so cocky, let's see how well you can swim." he dove under water, before pulling your leg, dragging you under with him.
quickly, before your head was submerged, you took a deep breath and swam after him. he was fast, obviously. you weren't going to be able to keep up with him. after a moment, you decided to swim to the side and hide in some coral. ao'nung looked around, and swam up.
"where'd she go?" he shouted over to tsireya.
"i'm not sure."
"maybe she drowned," roxto chimed in and got quickly nudged by neteyam. you silently emerged from behind ao'nung, and tackled him. there was a small crowd of "ooo.." before ao'nung realized what happened.
"what the hell?" he said, before being submerged in water. you quickly swam away, but he yipped. suddenly, a long-necked large fish came from behind ao'nung, and he repositioned himself to quickly catch up to you, pulling you onto the fish. you screamed as you came to shore.
"the fuck is that?" you said, staring at the creature.
ao'nung turned to everyone when he spoke. you glared at him, and watched as he begun to click his tongue more to make another noise. suddenly, four more of the same ocean creatures that pulled you arrived.
"these are ilu. if you want to live here, you must ride." he gestured to the creatures that swam up to the ocean. you and lo'ak exchanged a worried glance, you two were not the best when it came to flying ikran, or riding direhorses. swimming an ilu would probably be way worse.
"you first, forest girl." he gestured his hand out to you to help you onto the ilu. you walked over, and swatted his hand away before placing yourself on the ilu.
"i got it."
"no you don't.. you look like you're curled into a ball. straighten your back, use only one hand to hold the saddle." he placed his hand on your back, and you jumped, turning to hiss at him as he put his palms up, moving away. "fine, do it yourself."
you did as he said, holding the saddle with one hand and squaring yourself out. carefully, you pulled your braid from the back of your head and connected it with the ilu. your pupils dialated.
"feel her. feel her breath, feel her soul." ao'nung said to you, as you looked over to see tsireya giving lo'ak the same speech.
you breathed with her, before leaning forward and thinking for the ilu to go forward. and she was fast. after about a minute and a half of gripping on with two hands, afraid of getting yanked off, she made a sharp turn and you fell off, flying back against some coral. you saw lo'ak ahead of you, flying off as well. you heard a laugh underwater as you turned to see ao'nung swimming up. you followed after, and heard him laughing at you two.
"you hardly lasted a minute, you really are like babies." ao'nung said, looking between the two of you.
"enough," tsireya said. "why don't we take a break?"
"best idea today. my stomach hurts too much from laughing at these two." lo'ak glared at him as he got out of the water. you decided not to follow them to where they were going, and just sat down. you saw kiri far out with her ilu earlier, but she was gone now, you were glad she was doing okay.
staring out into the open water, you didn't even notice ao'nung sit beside you.
"forest people are weird. you and kiri both came out to the beach to stare at nothing but calm water."
you looked over at him and noticed the bruising and bloody nose he had, but decided not to say anything. you had faintly heard jake yelling at lo'ak, so you just assumed the two got into it. you looked back at the beach.
"it's warm on the beach."
"was the forest cold or something?"
"no, but it was wet. so it never stayed warm like this."
"the ocean's wet too, you know."
"shut up, smart-ass."
"if you say so." he turned to look at the ocean with you, before he got up. "you didn't do.. terrible. today."
"what?"
"nothing. later tree climber!" he walked away, shouting that so you could hear it.
you scoffed, and continued to look out onto the water. you smiled a little, but didn't notice it.
you didn't do terrible?
171 notes · View notes
spinchip · 4 months
Text
BEEN THERE ONCE BEFORE AND I WISH THAT I NEVER DIED
Pairings: none Word count: 6500 Warning: Graphic depictions of violence and death. Gore, murder, Ear trauma and limb loss tw
Summary: Zane would do anything to keep the ninja safe.
*
There is a pot of tea between you, sitting in Master Wu's private garden right outside the door to his room, and it’s some sort of oolong blend with a sweet smelling screen hanging over it. Osmanthus flowers float in your cup and you trace their pattern, watching them shift idly in what little breeze this summer day has brought you. The tea is too bitter despite the honey you’d added, over-steeped and thick on your tongue.
There is a sword on his lap, a sleek red sheath and neatly wrapped handles. There are no adornments on this blade, it is plain and unassuming, a tool for its master and whatever that may entail. Master Wu had asked you out here, months after the desperate fight for Ninjago at the corridor of elders (even longer after you had been torn apart by a power that was never yours to hold,) and the rattlesnake smile he’d offered as he’d led you out vanished the moment you were hidden from prying eyes. He makes your tea silently, and he burns it.
He looks at you in a way that makes you bristle, with eyes that no longer see you as human. Your silver skin itches, your tea tastes like ash.
“Do you know what a ninja is, historically?” He asks you finally, his voice quiet but clear over the space between you.
You do not, but you could look it up in an instant. You don’t do that either. He does not expect you to answer.
“They were said to be assassins. Hired blades sent to the house of the lands lord to slaughter them- the last recorded deaths by these assassins was years and years ago, but that was not the end of the era of the ninja. They snuck between the shadows, they pulled their hidden weapons, and they eliminated their targets cleanly and efficiently.” He waits, gauging your reaction. You can feel his eyes sit heavy on where your hands are deceptively calm around your tea cup, assessing, searching for something like he had that day he’d first laid eyes upon you in the frozen pond.
A phantom of a red flashes across your HUD that screams DANGER- and despite how there is no real warning clawing its way across your eyes, you know you should be afraid anyway. Tread carefully, you are in dangerous territory. Do not react. Control.
“Is this a history lesson?”
“Perhaps.” Master Wu murmurs, finding something in your expression with those dark eyes.
“The best way to defeat my enemy is to make him my friend.” You can’t help but say, a parrot of his own words, your eyes calculating.
“And if your kindness is rejected?” He does not skip a beat.
You hesitate, the clink of your cup as you set it down on the table too loud on your ears.
“You are no longer a child, Zane. Your innocence died with the Overlord. The others still have that innocence.” You jerk, the reminder of your death bruising on your soul, but he doesn't handle you with kid gloves, “You’ve killed once, to protect them.” Sensei Wu does not touch his tea, and there is a rising sickness in your stomach, “Can you do it again?”
He draws the blade and it’s blood red, holding it out to you, handle first.
To protect them?
His eyes are dark and there’s a danger there, but he has always been kind to you. Like a father when yours had vanished, warm smiles and encouraging words flashing across your eyes. Visions of fire and blood and death color your head along with it, superimposed on top of your friends and family. You’d do anything to protect the people you love, wouldn’t you?
The sword is a healthy weight in your palm.
---
Police tape surrounds a dilapidated old building, great yellow swathes of it wrapped down the sidewalk into the street and officers at each corner standing vigil over the body slumped half in the gutter and covered by a sheet. News vans line the street waiting for the opportunity to film once the coroner has packed away the gore and it’s mostly family-friendly for the afternoon broadcast. Flood lights and lamps are set up around the premise, little yellow evidence markers salting the earth down the doors of the warehouse and up to the body. Apparently deceptively unassuming, the Mechanics home base is filled to the brim with his lackeys and stolen tech- or, it was.
“I guess the Mechanic got tangled up with the wrong guy.” Kai says breathlessly, spooked as the camera pans over the overflowing body bags being loaded into the coroner's van.
The Commissioner taps the remote to his VCR on his leg anxiously, “You heard on the news already, i’m sure, but we suspect the unsub used a long blade of some kind,” He’s visibly shaken, “A sword, perhaps- the evidence was very…” he makes a slashing motion from his throat, miming blood striping the wall behind him.
A blood spattered window, the killing so brutal a heavy streak of gore laced up the glass, is still visible to the probing crime scene photographer.
The graying man slides a manila folder thick with printed pictures across the table and Jay pointedly pushes it away from himself, looking queasy. You reach out and pick it up with hands that seem to float endlessly away from your body, but you’ve felt like this since stumbling home two nights ago when the moon was full and no one else was awake. You don’t hesitate to open it, staring down at the first photo with mild surprise.
Cole jerks away before steeling himself and glancing back over. The picture shouldn’t surprise you, but it does anyway. It looks so messy. The body in the street can barely be recognized in the photo, too mutilated- the only identifying feature being the mechanical hand resistant to the blades of a sword. The mechanic had been reduced to mince meat, blood seeping up through shredded flesh and broken bones. Blood flows in a river down the stairs of the warehouse, down onto the sidewalk, flowing into the gutters.
“This seems… motivated.” Lloyd grimaces at the image but doesn’t look away.
“That’s certainly one word for it,” The commissioner huffs, “We’ve been calling it ‘unhinged.’”
You flip to the next image. Bodies piled on top of each other, strewn across the room, throats slit and bellies gutted and in one particularly horrific scene brain matter and skull fragments rendering a man unrecognizable.
Your memories of that night are fuzzy and nebulous.
Nya takes one of the photos, “Who would do something like this?”
“We were hoping you knew,” A beat- the man sighs, “The mechanic, he’s hard to keep tabs on. We didn’t really know who his enemies were other than those present, and you all had the most contact with him, but it’s too much to hope you have a lead for us, huh?”
He blows out an explosive breath, “Tell me, does the attack itself look familiar in any way? Anyone who comes to mind who has the capability to do something like that?”
You shake your head, blue boring holes into the eyes of a henchman who died trying to hold his intestines inside his gut, “No,” Your voice doesn't waver, “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
---
Wu touches your shoulder firm and bruising but your skin cant purple under his nails anymore, “It gets easier.”
---
You stand in the threshold of the jail cell, the body in the room covered by a sheet. You had wondered if that really happened, bodies covered up by the police like in television dramas- this is the second time you’ve seen it. It won’t be the last. It’s interesting to know how fiction gets it right, sometimes. Kai distinctly can’t look, turned away, but you haven't been squeamish in a long time. You crouch low, reaching for the edge of the blanket to see, and Nya makes a disgusted noise in the back of her throat when you lift the sheet to look.
This death is far more refined than the massacre you’d investigated this month- A clean cut across his throat, blood coating his sleep shirt and dried to the corners of his mouth. Droplets of red sprinkle his face where he’d tried to breathe through the ruined hole of his throat, coughing a plume of blood into the air that rained down on him as he died. His skin is waxy and his eyes glazed and clouded, he’s been dead for hours- but you knew that already.
Nya coughs, “Can you cover him up, please?”
You oblige, “I was trying to see what Information I could gather.” the sheet falls back over his face, hiding him away. There’s no reason to cover him up, the other inmates are locked in their cells until the investigation finishes and the body is removed. Privacy is a moot point, but maybe it’s about respect.
Lloyd turns away from where he’s shifting through the inmates belongings, “Well, anything?”
“He was killed hours ago. He’s been dead for a long while.” How much to say? “The murder weapon was a blade.”
“Same as the Mechanic.” Jay says from where he’s outside the cell and out of line of sight, the dead body and blood making him sick, “Did Fugi-Dove and him have any connections?”
“Not that we know of.” Nya frowns, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to convince everyone she’s unaffected by this, “Only us. It just seems so weird- He’s a small fry compared to the mechanic, why kill him? He’s harmless!”
“He broke Jay's elbow last week,” You remind her, “He was not harmless. Perhaps he had more secrets than we thought.”
“Who found him?” Cole murmurs, carefully keeping away from touching the crime scene.
“Eight AM guard round,” You answer him, standing up, “The four AM patrol missed him. Both officers were interrogated, but nothing came of it. It doesn’t appear to have been an inside job.”
“The culprit snuck into kryptarium prison, killed a man, and snuck out with none the wiser?” Nya snorts, “This place has gone to the dogs.”
Jay taps his foot impatiently and it echoes down the hallway, “Well, it’s not like Warden Noble runs a very tight ship around here, despite what he wants you to think. How many escaped convicts do we deal with on a weekly basis?”
“So what do we do about this?” Kai asks, frowning at the lump on the ground.
Fugi-dove was half slumped off his bed, his back flush to the ground and his legs still thrown over his bed and tangled up in his bedsheets. He’d been awake when he was attacked, his cheeks bitten to hell as if he’d attempted to scream through a hand sealed over his mouth that only let go once his vocal cords had been slashed through, and in his desperate attempt to stop from bleeding out or drowning in his own blood he’d thrashed himself right to the floor.
“We’ll look at the tapes and see what we can find.” Lloyd answers casually. Darkleys prepared him for death and gore, it didn’t bother him like it should.
“I thought officer Pey told us we were in a blind spot,” Cole points out, stepping out of the cell followed by Lloyd.
“Warden Noble used to be the principle of Darkleys,” the green ninja waits for you to join them on the other side of the cell. You feel cold all over, “And if there’s one thing I'm certain of, the man has eyes everywhere.”
“Does he?” You ask, fingers going numb.
Lloyd nods and locks the cell door behind you, “There will be tapes. He should be here any minute now, Officer Pey says he comes in at 10:00 on Saturdays.”
As if on cue, the Warden appears in a frenzy, tearing into the hallway and bee lining for the cell. He grimaces at the covered up body, “I leave Pey in charge for one night…” He sighs, pushing his glasses up to rub at his eyes, “Great.”
“Good morning, Warden.” Jay greets cheerfully.
“Says who?” The man replies darkly, “The media is gonna tear me a new one. This is going to lower our reputation even more.”
“Let us help you put the culprit behind these bars,” Lloyd offers, stepping forward with green ninja grace.
“I don’t think that’d do any good, he already got out once.” Kai mutters.
The warden graciously ignored Kai’s comment, “I haven't even had coffee yet.” He complains, running a rough hand over his mouth as he glares at the body.
“You had hidden cameras?” Lloyd pushes and the Warden nods, motioning to an inconspicuous looking fire alarm.
“It’s fake,” He tells him.
You walk towards it. A strange sense of doom washes over you, numbness following it. A camera. Evidence. How clearly would they be able to see the killer's face?
“Let me be of assistance,” You offer, casually making it to the alarm first. The moment you manage to open the glorified nanny cam and your fingers close around the USB, you focus a concentrated pulse of electromagnetic energy and wipe it clean. Anything saved to the storage space will have been obliterated, gone, corrupted and unsalvageable. You can feel your hands again.
“How could this have happened?” The warden asks, clicking through the empty USB over and over looking for footage that no longer exists.
Lloyd glances at you, but there’s no suspicion, “Was there anything weird about the camera? Had it been tampered with?”
You touch your chin and try not to let your hands shake, “No, but it was not a very complex mechanism. It could easily have been opened by someone familiar with this type of surveillance.”
“Someone from Darkleys?” Nya suggests.
Lloyd hums in thought, “I don’t know. It’s worth looking into.”
“When did we become detectives?” Jay complains, “Can’t you guys just call us when you need us to spinjitzu this guy?”
“Don’t be a baby.”
Jay pulls a face at that, “I’m a ninja! I shouldn’t have to put up with all this- this blood!”
“Do you know what a ninja is, historically?” you murmur.
No one hears you.
---
There are four more deaths the following month, both somewhat well-known villains with a penchant for collateral damage. The same slashing wounds as the last. Lloyd is the only person in the group who doesn’t look affected by the barrage of gore he’s being subjected to- other than you, of course. He’s reading over the newest police report that’d come their way with a hum, “He’s getting bolder.” He concludes, flipping through the crime scene pictures at the end.
“Bolder?” Cole questions, “It seems to me like he’s winding down. His first kill was the Mechanic and everyone working under him- 16 deaths on that one alone. Now he’s down to one.”
“The Mechanic was messy,” he examines the pictures, noting just how clean the newest death was. Not a drop of blood out of place other than the pool growing under the body, “He was surprised by all the people- he never intended to kill anyone other than their leader, that’s why that kill was so disorganized. It’s why the mechanic was nearly able to escape, before he caught him in the street. The bank barely needed to mop the floor for this one. He’s refined his skill.”
“He left Reflectras sidekick unharmed.” Kai pointed out, “What’s different between then and now?”
Lloyd flipped a picture his way- it’s a still from a grainy security camera. Reflectra is already dead in the photo, her blood turned black on the monochromatic footage. The teen girl she’d been toting around with her was cowering under the teller counter, and standing just outside the blood was a figure dressed in all black. From the girl's testimony, the gray toned lion's mask he wore was red and gold in person, lips drawn back in a snarl that showed off fangs, a thick head of coarse blonde hair coming out of the mask to hide any other possible identifying features.
“He is wearing a mask.” You say, peering down at the picture.
“He’s hiding his face.” Lloyd clarifies before banging out a few words into the computer's search engine, pulling up a street festival that happened two weeks ago and swiveling the computer screen around so everyone could see it, “And it's a new purchase.”
Staring back at them was a picture of downtown Ninjago filled with people, food stalls and other vendors lining the sidewalks as people milled about. Half the people walking the street were wearing the same exact lion mask as their killer, now in vivid technicolor. You could see the stalls selling them- masks lined wall to wall. It seemed everyone was buying them. It wouldn't have looked out of place at all for the murderer to buy it for himself and squirrel it away for his late night acts.
“He killed the Mechanics goons because they saw his face. He doesn’t want witnesses.” Nya connects, “Aimi was only spared because he has a way to kill anonymously.”
“And with a virtually untraceable origin. That mask is everywhere, now.” Jay continued with a frown.
“It’s not a total dead end. We can still talk to the stall owners, maybe see if they noticed anyone strange buying from them.” He navigates to the festival's website, opening up the vendor list.
There are twelve souvenir stalls in total, and five of them are solely dedicated to masks.
You make a surprised noise in the back of your throat, “Saori Sato. I recognize that name. I believe I taught her son when we were working at the school.” You comment, “I have a rapport with her, I should be able to get her to speak with me easily.”
Lloyd accepts your lie with a nod, “The rest of us will work on the others, then. Hopefully we’ll have some luck.”
You don’t go to see Saori Sato. You sit on the rooftop of her apartment complex and meditate. You try to meditate. There’s a peace that’s absent in you, now, that doesn’t let your mind slip into calm like it used to be able to. There’s always a buzzing under your skin, in your wires.
You brought your sword, the one with the red blade.
You sharpen it until your mind stops racing. It’s like a razor blade now, and you imagine the sting it would cause as you run your metal fingers up the sharp side. You can perfectly imagine how blood would drip down it, now. You go home.
Everyone comes up empty, of course, because Saori Sato sold that mask, and you didn’t speak to her.
---
“You seem unphased with the murders.” You say to Lloyd, after the others have gone to bed and it’s just the two of you up, pouring over the case files. When Lloyd goes to bed, so will you.
He shrugs and sips at his coffee- filled to the brim with cream and sugar, “Darkleys wasn’t just about ruling the world in the big picture. They taught us the small stuff too, including desensitizing us to death.”
There’s nothing to say to that, so you don’t respond. You go back to looking over the papers again, pretending to search for an angle they hadn’t considered yet.
“You want to know something funny?” He says with a little laugh, staring down at the Mechanics' torn up body.
“What is it?” You ask.
A darkness settles over the room, thick and viscous. It seems to flood your mouth and fill your chest. Lloyd looks at you with bright eyes that pin you in place, “I checked your roster. I went through all the kids you taught at the school- and I didn’t find any Satos in the class.” he says with a lopsided smile, eyes burning your skin, assessing, searching for something, “Isn’t that weird?”
Your coolant has turned to ice in your limbs and your body feels numb, “Not at all,” You say cooly, “Sato is her maiden name. Her son has his fathers last name, Maeda.”
He finds something in your expression and- his shoulder slump, “Oh,” He says, blinking. “FSM, i’m sorry- I just-”
“It is alright, Lloyd.” You say graciously, “This has been stressful for us all, and you haven't been sleeping. Perhaps you should get some rest.” rising from your chair, you go to his side and help him to his feet. He allows you to walk him back to his room.
“Let’s start fresh tomorrow.”
“That sounds good.” Lloyd allows with an exhausted yawn. He disappears into his room.
---
Everything hurts.
Your eyes are blurred and blocked by another pop up- WARNING! WARNING! DAMAGE- you dismiss the banner as quickly as it arrives, but that doesn’t stop you from miscounting a step and slamming into the stone staircase, all your weight cracking down on the pointed edges. You scramble to hold onto the steps with your working arm before you can go tumbling back down to the bottom, taking a few breaths that you don’t need to take to help center yourself.
Clambering back to your feet, you check you haven't splattered coolant or oil on the stairwell before you continue up. Clean.
Reaching the monastery, you avoid the main gate. Instead, you shimmy up the courtyard wall and slink silently across the roof until you’re standing above your room. It’s easier with two hands, but you manage to swing yourself off the roof by the tiles and onto the window ledge, barely finessing your way inside without causing a commotion or accidentally falling off the cliff face. You don’t collapse no matter how badly you want to.
First things first- you pry up the loose floorboard under your nightstand and stuff the sword and mask inside, sliding the stand on top of the hiding place. You strip the bloody clothes off and grit your teeth as you peel it away from the mess of your left arm, refusing to scream. Not even allowing a whimper. You’ve had worse- this- this is nothing. Loose pants, loose shirt- long sleeve, of course, just in case anyone was up late getting a glass of water.
It’s late enough that even Jay should be asleep, and the empty garage confirms it.
It takes you two hours to knit the delicate machinery in your arm back together, and another hour fitting a new plate cover so nothing would seem amiss. You take the ravaged pieces of your arm up stairs and pack it under your nightstand too, so there’s no chance of evidence possibly being found.
You collapse now, face first on the bed, and not three hours after that you’re shaken awake.
Nya looks grim, “There’s been another murder.”
In your exhausted, near delirious state, you barely manage to catch yourself before you say I Know.
---
It’s cold this time of year, and it shows. The others are bundled up against the incoming chill of the season, coats and scarves worn on top of their ninja suits. You’re wearing a sweater too, but there’s a cold in you that will never be warm. You’re all behind Laughys Karaoke bar deep in the alley while the police guard the mouth of it, refusing to let reporters or curious civilians get a look.
There’s a detective with you, hanging back and allowing you all to examine the scene.
“Who is this guy?” Cole eventually asks, resisting the urge to nudge his face into view.
The detective steps forward, “His name is Killow. Ninjago PD have had their eye on him for a while- he’s been arrested for petty crimes in the past, but from the intel they’d begun to gather he’d joined an up and coming gang and had climbed pretty high in the ranks. They called him the Big Man.”
‘Big” was an understatement. The man was a brick house, every muscle worked until it bulged. It seems his gym habits had helped a little, even if the end result was still the same.
Lloyd examines his throat, “The first cut didn’t go deep enough.” He comments. There's blood splattered all over the alley, obvious signs of a struggle. Trash was everywhere, torn open bags and the big blue dumpster was dented from Killow slamming the assailant into the metal, more chipped bricks and dented cans revealed just how close Killow had come to walking away from this attempt on his life.
That same dumpster with the largest dent was where Killow had dug his fingers into the murderer's arm and torn through it, spraying metal and wiring across the ground with barely a flick of his wrist. No one knew that but you, and you didn’t share it. The area had been scrupulously cleaned.
“He got him.” Kai commented, “He hurt him pretty bad.”
“How do you know that?” Nya questioned.
Kai gestures to his hands, “Look at his nails. He scratched him, and no one is walking away from that unscathed.” Killows nails were broken and bleeding, torn and snapped off nearly at the cuticle with how hard he’d fought.
“It didn’t help him enough,” Lloyd sighs, standing up, “The second cut was vertical, sliced right through the artery from cheek to chest. He bled out."
“Poor guy.” Jay commented, slowly getting used to the sight of death as he frowned down at the man.
They didn’t know who he was, or what gang he was in- if they did, they’d understand why he had to be put down. The Sons of Garmadon was new and already it was strong, the ranks thick with people who didn’t care about harming others if it furthered their own goals. They were excellent at keeping a low profile while they gained power. It doesn’t escape your notice that the detective avoided naming the gang he was part of. Killow was a bigger cog in that machine, but he wasn’t the only leader the gang members looked to. Your research and surveillance had revealed three of the four ringleaders to you- Killow, Ultraviolet, and, a man you had never seen but had heard referenced several times, Mr. E. They reported to the highest ranking member of the gang, the Quiet One. All you knew about her was that she was a woman.
You stare down at his body and feel no sympathy.
---
“Is there a reason you don’t want me in your head?” Pixal asks bluntly one day, once you’ve gone to visit her at Borg Tower.
Once you’d gotten back to Ninjago City proper, you’d dropped her off with her father with every intention of picking her up later. She’d offered to stick around in your mind for a while, and you’d been happy at the idea- but then Master Wu gave you that sword, and things got more complicated. She hadn’t brought it up for the past few months, but each time you left her without a hint of bringing her along, she had certainly noticed. Now it was her breaking point. She stopped you in the doorway with her words, on your way out.
Your heart had turned numb the moment you took the sword from Wu. In another life, you could have loved her like she deserved.
“My feelings for you…” You turn back to the room, to the screen she's projected her image to so she can look you in the eyes, “…Have changed.” you finish hollowly.
She blinks. She’s perfectly still, “I see.”
“Thank you.” You say softly, “For everything.”
There’s a pause as she studies you, “Is this the end? Will you no longer come to see me?”
The part of you that wants her in your life twinges in pain, the first emotion you’d felt in days, “I believe that is for the best.”
You won’t take her down this path with you.
“Goodbye, Pixal.”
“I will respect your wishes,” She folds her hands in front of her, the perfect picture of poise, “Goodbye, Zane.”
---
Humans are so fragile. Ultraviolet liked to pretend she was tough, like she could take hits others couldn’t- but when it came down to it, her throat sliced just as easily as any others. Her hands were coated in her own blood from where she’s grabbed at her throat, but it was too late, and the slice was too technically perfect. Her knees had hit the ground first and she’d tried to twist, searching for something, eyes wild and mouth gurgling with words that couldn’t form around the blood in her mouth. She fell sideways, skin turning even paler than it already was, and then everything had stopped. The sprinkling rain washed the blood off her lips and diluted the river flowing from her neck. She almost looked like she was sleeping.
You stand over her motionlessly.
“Hey!” A voice cracks across the cool night air, and you turn to the side. You’re on the sidewalk in front of a motorcycle store that Ultraviolet had been intending on robbing, in plain sight. Across the street, up the road, is Nya. She’s not dressed in her ninja suit and her hair is down loose, the wet jeans and soaked hair hindering her sprint as she tears down the road to get to you.
You’re moving before you can think, clambering up the front of the store and up to the roof in record time, purposefully doing something that would be nearly impossible in skinny jeans to deter her. You don’t hesitate to race across the roof and leap to the next, jumping down the fire escape to the next alley and slipping through a thin corridor between two buildings. The sounds of the chase fade to nothing as you outpace her, weaving through back alleys and neighborhoods you’d become intimately familiar with that she didn’t know. After ten more minutes of running, you spin around and head straight for the monastery.
Nya wasn’t expecting to see you, or be witness to the next murder- it was raining- she wouldn't have her phone. That’s your only salvation. She didn’t have her phone.
You take all the shortcuts you know, running until your screen flashes with warnings. You recover from any stumbles in a millisecond. You get home in record time, basically throwing yourself into your room and ripping the mask off. Flinging your mask and sword into your closet and stripping off your wet turtleneck, you close the closet door and dive into bed. The blankets get yanked up to your shoulder and you close your eyes, feigning sleep, and wait.
Android stamina will always outpace humans. You beat Nya home.
She shouts for you all the moment she's through the door, throwing open your doors in her haste to get you up and mobilize after the murderer. She opens your door to you sitting up in bed, clearly woken up from sleep and giving her an openly bewildered expression.
You jump out of bed and throw on your ninja suit, joining the others on the porch as you all gear up.
---
You don’t find the murderer. No one else does either.
Kai looks at you, once you’re all home and exhausted after the all night search. Everyone is soaked and ready to go to bed, dispersing with low spirits and tired eyes. Kai stands in the entryway, dripping wet, and he really looks at you.
You give him a questioning eyebrow raise.
“You know you can tell me anything, right?” He says finally, “I won’t judge you.”
“…I know.”
He stares at you, eyes smoldering. He’s in pain. “There’s blood on your collar.” He says finally.
You look down at it- it’s barely noticeable. There must have been a few droplets on your chin that ran down with the water. If you’d been wearing black, he wouldn’t have been able to tell. Your ninja suit is white.
“It’s oil.” You say softly, the patch is just old and watered down enough that you could pass it off for brown.
“Okay.” Kai says. He looks like he’s going to cry.
He looks like he’s afraid of you.
---
Mr.E vanishes after Ultraviolets assassination. You look for him during SoG meetings and you keep an ear out, but he’s nowhere to be seen or heard. The gang is falling apart, half the newer members jumping ship- chances are Mr.E saw the writing on the wall and got out before his neck was next. You could respect that. You might even thank him for it, because if he hadn’t abandoned his post there’s a chance you would have never found out who the quiet one was.
There’s three totally unqualified people at this meeting so far, the members that had ranked directly below the previous three. Their skills were lacking, but their loyalty was rock solid. That was the Quiet Ones main priority after Mr.E’s Irish goodbye. The three were clearly nervous even though they were trying to appear tough- the taller girl even attempting to do tricks with her butterfly knife to appear cool and intimidating. It might have worked if she didn’t drop the blade every other trick.
A door opens and shuts in the silence, the black night outside offering no clue to the newcomers identity. She doesn’t leave them in suspense, though, striding into the light with a stormy expression. She starts talking immediately, taking their names and offering her own.
“You may call me the Quiet One.” She instructs them.
“You’re really the quiet one?” The man says, eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Yes. Is there an issue?”
“None at all, ma’am.” He responds gruffly, dipping his head.
That’s all the confirmation you need. You slide to the edge of the exposed beam you’re sitting on, swinging down by your arms before you drop straight into the middle of the group. Your feet slam onto the table and the things tilts- you hadn’t anticipated it, so you end up going left instead of right. Instead of the single clean kill you came here for, you’re thrown into butterfly knife girl and the scene becomes a lot more grisly. Your stumble gave them time to process your intentions- you relied on surprise. Now this would get messy.
Knife girl stabs you in the chest. Her knife gets stuck. While she’s trying to rip it out of your skin, you sever her hands at the wrist. She screams and doesn’t stop.
The bigger male lunges for your throat and you hold your sword up so it plunges straight through his chest, his own momentum forcing it through muscle and the delicate capillaries in his lungs. That doesn’t stop him and his hands are on your throat- it doesn't do anything, of course, because you don't need to breathe. He keeps squeezing, and your neck strains. He could pop your head off if he tried. Your sword is buried in his chest and you can’t back up enough to get the space to pull it out.
You reach up and fumble for the butterfly knife, ripping it out of your chest and whipping it around to slam it directly into his ear. He howls in pain, releasing your neck to scrabble at his head before you use the knife to slice him from ear to collarbone. He collapses and the sword slides out of his body.
Knife girl has gone silent, bleeding to death from the ruined arteries in her wrists.
The other woman throws something the moment her shot is clear and on reflex you catch it. It’s a throwing knife and dangling from the handle-
You dart it back at her before you can finish understanding the word bomb. She’s not expecting such fast reflexes, so she’s not prepared for the knife to bury itself in her chest.
Then it explodes.
You spin around, preparing for the Quiet One to attack you next-
The door is open, and she’s gone.
The worst part about all of this is that you didn’t recognize her. Running her face through your facial recognition software came up empty too- so did cross checking any and every news outlet, hoping to see her face maybe in the back of a crowd. Nothing.
That could have been your only chance.
---
“I have been in your shoes before, I know this is hard. You must be prepared to do everything to protect them.” Master Wu had said after you had vomited up your dinner the night of the Mechanics murder, “This path will cost you everything.”
“Everything?” You questioned, staring down at the toilet bowl.
“But they will be safe.” He reassures you, gripping your shoulder tightly.
---
You don’t let the two parts of your life overlap. You don’t. The nights you go out, you are a serial killer. The next morning you are Zane, elemental master of ice, the titanium ninja. Zane is not tainted by all the blood and death and gore. Zane is not a murderer. You don’t ever use your sword as Zane, and you never use your shurikens as the serial killer. Everything would fall apart if you couldn’t keep them separate.
As you stand in the palace and the emperor introduces his daughter, your hands twitch for your sword the moment she opens her mouth. The face paint. You weren't able to discover her identity because of the face paint. Caked on so thick that her bare face looked like a completely different woman-
The emperor's daughter Harumi, and the Quiet One. Two parts of her life that aren't supposed to overlap.
“-Zane: The cold and calculating android.” She names you sweetly, voice honey thick. There’s a manic, wild edge to her eyes that the face paint can’t hide.
It makes sense. Her three most trusted advisors were murdered or abandoned her, and their replacements were slaughtered immediately after. The Sons of Garmadon had begun to collapse, fractioning off into smaller gangs with their own leaders. The main faction still had a substantial number of die-hard loyalists who were growing more and more extreme by the day. Robbery, assault, murder- they were wreaking havoc on Ninjago. They even managed to steal the Oni Mask of Vengeance. Now, her eyes slid over to Lloyd and locked onto him. She slipped a new mask on, one that was shy and flirtatious. The Quiet One wanted Lloyd wrapped around her finger.
But Harumi and the Quiet One weren’t supposed to exist at the same time.
Neither were Zane and the serial killer.
Inevitably, though, two worlds will always collide. Maybe the two parts of her and you were never supposed to live separate forever. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken that sword from Wu. Maybe you should have brought it with you so that Zane didn’t have to use his shuriken.
“Thank you for this opportunity,” You say clearly into the cold, cold room. Or maybe you’re the cold one, “I will not let it pass me by.”
There’s blood on your shuriken.
You collect your mask and your sword from underneath the floorboards in your bedroom and run.
They’re safe. They’ll always be safe.
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jpmarvel90 · 7 months
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Don't let me down - Part 6
Masterlist Scarlett Masterlist
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Relationship: MamaScarlett x 16 yr old Reader
Summary: Laura comes for her first family dinner and revelations are made.
Word count: 4250
Y/n's POV:
For some reason, I'm really nervous as we drive back home. I'm in the car with Laura as my family head home together. My leg is bouncing as we drive, and it only stops when Laura reaches over and places her hand firmly on my knee. I look up to see her concerned eyes on me as we wait at a red light. "What's going on in your head?" She asks me softly.
"I'm just nervous. I don't know why." I respond and she smiles at me. "Is it because I'm meeting the parents." She smirks and I roll my eyes at her. "I mean, technically you already met them and cussed them out." I respond and she blushes at the memory. "Ok, I was mad and in protective mode. Sue me." She smiles. I get lost in her eyes for a moment, and the moment only breaks when a horn from behind makes us jump. Turns out, we didn't notice the light turning green.
"Everything will be fine. I care a lot about you Y/n and I want to get to know your family. One, because I want to make sure they are treating your right and two because I want to have a relationship with them like you do with mine. I'm looking forward to finally seeing you in an environment where you're loved and protected." She reassures me. Her hand still resting on my knee. "You always know what to say." I share whilst I take in her profile view. She looks so good when she drives. "It's easy when I'm with you. It just feels natural." She responds, giving my knee a squeeze.
Her hand doesn't leave my leg for the rest of the journey. I am so aware of her touch that I'm trying not to think too much into it. At one point, I gain a bit of confidence and place my own hand on top, intertwining our fingers together. She turns to look at me and her smile grows. Happy in this moment, I rest my head back against the rest and observe my best friend as she drives.
When we pull up to the house. I jump out my seat and goofily open her door and hold my hand out to her. "M'lady." I tease, causing her to giggle as she takes my hand. "Thank you, my knight." She returns playing along. We both laugh at each other, and I pull her towards the front door where Scarlett is waiting for us, a smile on her face.
"Hi girls. Glad to see you made it here safely." She greets us, guiding us through into the hallway. Laura looks around in awe. "Wow. This place is amazing." She gasps as she takes in her surroundings. "How about Y/n gives you the grand tour and I'll get started on dinner." She suggests, turning to take Cosmo from Colin. "Come on. I'll show you around." I direct to Laura.
After showing her the living areas, garden, and bedrooms, I finally take her to my own room. "And this is my room." I state as I open the door. It's still a little bare but Scarlett and I have been doing bits here and there to make it more homely. "I love it. Wait, is that me?" She asks, noticing a photo on my bedside table. "Oh, uh yeah. I love that photo." I respond, rubbing at the back of my neck, a little shy. "Me too. This was such a good day. Look how happy we look." She points out, running her finger over the two of us in the frame. "I'm always happy with you." I mumble, not realising I said that out loud.
My eyes go wide as her gaze snaps to mine. All words leave me, and I can feel the colour drain from my face. "Really?" She asks, taking my hand and pulling me towards the bed. We both sit down as I nod slowly. "No matter what was going on in my life, you were always the light. I don't think I would be sat here today if it wasn't for you." I admit, showing my vulnerability.
I watch as her eyes gloss over, a panic rushing through me at the thought that I've said too much and made her uncomfortable. "I hate that you've ever felt like that. Ever since I met you all I wanted was to be able to protect you. But every time I saw you with a bruise or injury, I felt sick that I had failed." She expresses, tears slowly falling down her cheek.
I reach up and cup for face, rubbing at the falling tears with my thumb. "You didn't fail Laur. There was nothing you could do. But you were the best friend that I could ask for. You were there with me through it all. I can never thank you enough for that. I adore you more than I can express." I share in return.
Her eyes flick between mine, as if she's looking for any lies. Her gaze then drops to my lips. Wait, is she leaning in? Everything seems in slow motion as I match her movements. My heart is beating so hard against my ribs I feel like it's going to explode through my chest. I can feel her breath fan across my face as our lips brush together.
"Girls, dinner's re... oh shit! Sorry!" Scarlett interrupts our moment before any pressure can be place against our lips. Laura and I jump apart from each other like we've just been electrocuted. "I'm so sorry! I should have knocked. I-uh. Dinner's ready. I'll see you down there." Scarlett rambles before disappearing back downstairs. "Well, that was awkward." I say quietly, making Laura laugh. "Good impression to leave with your mom. She's going to hate me." She responds.
I look up to her after a minute and she smiles at me. "We should talk. But I don't want to keep your family waiting." Laura says, making my heart drop a little. Before I can get lost in negative thoughts, I feel a finger rest under my chin, lifting it softly. "Hey! There's nothing to worry about. I like you Y/n, but I want us to talk about this properly. It shouldn't be rushed." She reassures me.
Hearing those words, my eyes widen, and she smirks at my reaction. I can't believe she feels the same as me. She actually likes me! "I like you too Laura. A lot. But I agree, we can talk about this later. Right now, we have to deal with Scarlett." I say, making her laugh. She stands up and holds her hand out to me. "Then let's face it together." She says full of confidence.
I take her hand and we make our way downstairs. I keep my head low as we enter the dining room where everyone is waiting. When I glance up, I see Scarlett looking between the two of us with a face I can interpret. What if she's not ok with me liking girls? Does this put me at risk all over again.
As if she can sense that my panic is taking over, Laura squeezes my hand and pulls out a chair for me at the table. Scarlett silently serves the food and I look to Colin who's watching over with a soft smile on his face. "So, Laura, how did you and Y/n meet?" He asks my best friend. "Well, I knew of Y/n from school, but she was very quiet, so I never really got the chance to talk with her. We didn't properly get to know each other until she joined the soccer team. We hit it off straight away and we've not looked back." She responds, turning to look at me with a smile.
"That's sweet. It seems the two of you are very talented. I couldn't believe the crowd you got for the game today." Colin responds, clearly engaged with the conversation. Laura engages so naturally. She's always had a confidence around people. It's something that I've always been envious of. "I've got nothing on this one. Y/n is our star player and the best captain we've had. Until she joined the team, we could never reach the championships. Now we're State Champions and hoping to go far in the National Playoffs this year." Laura compliments me, making me blush and drop my gaze. "Sweetheart don't be shy. We all saw your talent today." Scarlett chimes in, giving me a reassuring smile.
"I've got a great team. It's easy to be good when you have the players around you." I deflect. Much to Laura's distaste. "We all know that's not true. We're a good team yes. But with you, we're real contenders." She argues. "You seem so much more comfortable on the field." Scarlett shares her observation. "It's where I feel most confident. I know my abilities there and I know how I can support my team. Besides, it's when I'm at my happiest." I respond easily. "Well, most of the time." I correct myself, my eyes glancing towards Laura, who's smirking at me.
We talk a little more about soccer and school. Both Scarlett and Colin seem to like Laura. I mean how can you not. She's the most likeable person that I know. Conversation flows easily and Rose even enjoys grilling the new addition at our dinner table.
"So do you have any plans for college?" Colin asks and Laura nods whilst taking a sip of her drink. "We're hopeful that we might get scouted for a scholarship to a D1 college. It's the only way either of us would be able to go really. It's too expensive otherwise." Laura responds and Colin nods. "Well, seeing how good you both are, I'm sure you'll be snapped up. Do you have a preference to where?" He continues to show interest. "Pittsburgh is our number one choice. Either Pittsburgh or Duquesne. Columbia is our second." She answers easily. "Pittsburgh is ideal though. A small city but close enough to home for me." She shares.
I see Scarlett's face falter as Laura talks. Then I realise that she probably sees the I don't see my life staying here in New York. Going to College was about getting a new start for me. If I could get a full scholarship, I would be in the perfect position to get that new start with a support system. That was way before Scarlett came into my life.
"They are all good colleges. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the both of you. But I have faith you'll get what you want." Colin smiles, before digging into his food once again. There's a more awkward silence that follows and I think Laura feels it too. To comfort her, I reach over and give her knee a squeeze, earning a thankful smile and her hand grasping onto mine.
Once dinner is over, Laura and I clear up as Scarlett cooked. We play out in the garden with Rose for a little bit before Laura has to head home. She says goodbye to the family, and I walk her to the door. She hesitates as she grabs her car keys. "Café tomorrow? We can have that talk?" She asks timidly. I reach out and take her hand. "I'd like that. See you there at the usual time?" I return and she nods.
With a wave of confidence, I lean forward and place a kiss to her cheek, which instantly blush. "Thanks for coming over. I'll see you tomorrow." I say to her, and she smiles. "It was fun. I'm glad you have a safe space now. See you tomorrow Y/n." She responds before heading to her car. "Text me when you're home!" I call after her and she agrees and drives off. Well, that was not how I saw today going, but I can't keep the smile off my face. Until I turn around that is.
Scarlett is leaning against the doorway into the living room with a raised eyebrow. "I think we need a talk." She says with no emotion. I nod slowly and follow her into the kitchen away from the others. I sit at the kitchen counter and stare intently at my hands. God could this be more awkward. "I think we need some ground rules if you're having your girlfriend over, especially if you're home alone." She starts and my head shoots up. "Oh uh. We're not uh. She's not. We're not together." I stumble out, taking Scarlett by surprise.
"But when I walked in you were kissing. Or about to. Weren't you?" She questions, confusion washing over her. "I mean. We almost did and I think we would have had we not been interrupted." I respond and she smiles shyly at me. "Sorry about that." She apologises. "Wait. Are you ok that I like girls?" I question her. I was sure this was going to be a grilling over Laura and I's relationship and being told that it's wrong.
She quickly moves around the kitchen island and stands in front of me, taking my hands in hers. "Oh sweetheart. I couldn't care less. All that matters to me is that you're happy. If you're happy being with women, then I'm happy. If that woman is Laura, I'm even happier." She responds, now taking me by surprise. "Really?" I question, wanting to check she's not leading me on here.
"In the time that I've known you, I've only seen you truly happy when you are with or talking about Laura. When I've observed you together, I see someone who cares greatly for you. As a mother, you want your children to be with people that love and care for them. With Laura, I can see that already. She protects you and that's all I can ask for." She responds, instantly putting my fears at ease. She hesitantly opens her arms to me, and I lean forward to accept the hug. It's weird how much I'm realising my love language is touch recently.
"But how are you not together? I was sure you were but hiding it from me." She asks, leaning back to get a better look at me. "I've liked her for a while, but I never wanted to risk losing her as my best friend. I didn't have much in my life and losing her would have pushed me over the edge." I admit. I can hear the catching of Scarlett's breath at my admission and she pulls me back into her.
"I can tell you now she likes you too. She looks at you like you hung the moon. I hope that things work out for you. But if they don't, I will always be here for you. We all will be." She comforts me. I didn't realise how much I needed that confirmation. That I'm accepted by Scarlett and this family. I've tried to deny how much I need that. But sat here finally getting it, I understand that I need it more than I had expected.
"Thank you." I mumble into her shoulder, and she pulls away, holding me by the shoulders. "What for?" She asks. "For accepting me." I respond shyly. "Oh, my sweet girl. I will always accept you. I'm sorry that you have ever been in a place where you've not been able to truly be you. But whilst you're here with me, I promise you will always be loved for who you are." She replies.
There's a moment of silence as we enjoy this moment together. "I heard her say about a talk tomorrow. What's that about?" She asks and I blush. "It's none of your business." I respond, standing up and walking away. "Oh, come on! Share the gossip!" She calls after me whilst I walk away shaking my head. A small smile on my face. She runs to catch up with me stopping me in my tracks. "Promise you'll tell me how it goes at least?" She requests and I shrug. "Remember I can make 'that talk' very awkward for you." She threatens lightly. "Oh God! Fine! I'll tell you what happens. Jeeze." I give in, continuing to join the others in the living room.
The rest of the evening is nice and relaxed. Weirdly, for the first time, this all feels normal. Like I'm meant to be here. That I'm part of this family. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop, but in this moment, I'm happy.
__________
The next day, I'm sat in the café waiting for Laura to join me. It's gone 8 and I'm worried that she hasn't turned up. Maybe she changed her mind, and she doesn't actually want to be with me. But before I'm able to spiral, I see her rush through the door to the café, her eyes instantly moving to our spot. Her whole body relaxes as she sees me. She's joining me within seconds, reaching out to give me a hug. This hug lasts longer than usual, and I enjoy every second of it. "Sorry I'm late. I got caught in traffic and I was worried you'd think that I was standing you up or something." She explains in a rush. I give her a tighter squeeze before letting her go and indicating for her to sit. "It's ok. You're here now." I reassure her.
We order our drinks and a cake before sitting in silence. We keep catching each other's eyes and pretending we weren't looking at each other. As the waitress puts our drinks in front of us, we both laugh. "We've never been silent for this long." I point out and she agrees. "This shouldn't be awkward. I don't know why it is." She shares. "I guess this 'talk' may change things." I think aloud and she nods. "That's true. Then let's make this less awkward. I like you Y/n. I like you a lot and have done for a while. I never said anything because you were going through so much. I knew you needed a friend more than anything. But believe me when I tell you that I've like you since the moment we were first paired together at practice." She rambles out quickly.
I'm sure my heart skips a beat at her confession and a wide smiles appears on my face. "You're right. I did really need a friend and you were the best I could ask for. But I have liked you for so long too. I used to be so jealous of how easily you got on with people and I just wanted to be your friend, or more. But with my parents, I knew that I would never be able to." I share and she gives me a sympathetic look, reaching out for my hand. "When I could finally join the soccer team, I was so happy that I got a chance to know you and my feelings only grew." I admit and she smiles in return.
"I'm glad that we're on the same page." She smiles, lifting our joined hands and placing a kiss to my knuckles. "What now?" I ask and she thinks for a moment. "I want you to be my girlfriend Y/n. I want to be able to take you on dates and to cuddle with you and watch movies together as more than friends." She responds honestly. It's almost hard for me to believe that this is happening. I want to pinch myself that I'm not dreaming. She feels just as strongly as I do about her.
"I'd like that too Laura. You make me so happy, and I would love nothing more than to be your girlfriend." I respond, matching her grin. "You don't know how happy that makes me Y/n." She tells me, a glint in her eyes. "I think I do, it's probably as happy as I am right now." I respond, making her laugh. "It took us a while, but we're finally here." She states and I nod in agreement. "We're where we're meant to be." I add, earning a loving smile from my girlfriend. Wow, that sounds weird.
"So, how awkward was the chat with Scarlett after I left?" She asks and I laugh. "Not as bad as it could be. I had to promise to tell her how it goes today to save me from an embarrassing birds and the bees talk. Though I think Scarlett is as embarrassed about giving that to her gay daughter as I would be to receive it." I share making her laugh. "She was ok with you being gay?" She checks and I nod. "Oh yeah. She's known we like each other for a while. She's very supportive of you." I inform her with a smirk.
"Really? I thought I had blown it with the glares I was on the receiving end of last night." Laura shares through a chuckle. "I think she was trying to intimidate you. You want to date her daughter after all. But she really does like you. I think the moment you stood up to her that very first time you met her, earnt her respect. You were protecting me and that's all she wants. Her words." I reassure her.
"I think I want to talk to her and Colin. You know, to show them that I'm all in with this and will treat you how you deserve." She admits and I can't help but grin. "Well, that's very cute." I smirk and she rolls her eyes at me. "I'm serious. I'm doing this right. And to that end, I would like to take you on a date. Maybe on Friday evening after school? I can then speak to Scarlett and Colin." She shares and I'm sure my feelings for her just grew even more. "I'd like that." I admit shyly. "Perfect. Leave the planning to me and I'll sort something for us." She says excitedly.
We finish our drinks before deciding that we should probably head off to school. As soon as we stand up, Laura links her hands with mine and we walk out to her car together. Before I can open the door to the passenger side, she stops me and spins me around. Gently she pushes me against the car, our eyes suddenly locked in an intense stare off. She breaks first as her eyes drop down to my lips.
My heart suddenly is filled with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Her hand rises and tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear before resting on my neck. I can feel that her hands are shaking slightly as she cups my cheeks with her other hand. I can feel the warmth of her skin against mine as we both lean into each other. My heart is pounding in my chest as our lips finally meet in a soft and tender kiss.
My eyes flutter close as time seems to stand still as our lips move against each other, exploring new territory filled with curiosity and affection. I feel a rush of emotions flood through me, excitement, joy and a deep sense of contentment. My hands rest on her hips, squeezing lightly, holding her close to me as we rest against her car.
When we final pull way our eyes meet once again, and we can't help but smile. We both know that this is the beginning of something new. Something exciting and something that had the power to change both of our lives. "Wow." I whisper into the small space between us. "That was..." "Amazing." Laura cuts me off, resting her head against mine. "You are a really good kisser." She compliments me. "Back at you. That was like nothing else I've experienced." I share and she smiles, leaning in for a sweet peck. "I've been wanting to do that since we were interrupted last night. Knowing that you felt the same, I just had to kiss you." She smiles.
This time, it's me that pulls her into another kiss. I grab her shirt and pull her closer to taste her lips against mine one more time. "You need to stop doing that or we're never getting to school and that is not the example I want to set to your parents so soon." She smirks. I roll my eyes at her and push her away, but she quickly takes my hand to guide me away from the car door, opening it for me. When she slides into the driver's seat, she rests her hand on my knee and I instantly take it in my own, Placing soft kisses on her knuckles through the whole journey.
When we get to school, she parks up and as soon as she's by my side, she slides her fingers into mine. I look down shocked to see that she is holding my hand. "I'm never going to hide you Y/n. I'm proud that you're mine and I want the whole school to know about it. If you're comfortable with that?" She states, whilst checking in with me at the same time. I nod enthusiastically, and she leans in to steal one last kiss before we head off towards the school entrance. I can't believe that this has happened on a Wednesday morning, but it's the best day I have ever had. I have a girlfriend and I feel safer than I've ever been.
Part 7
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alezangona · 2 months
Text
The Shadow of Khansar (Salaar Fic)
Part 8 - Dawn of a New Empire
Part 7 | Part 9
Note: Slight NSFW I think?
If Varadha was being honest with himself, he didn’t really know how they’d gotten to this point. The last vivid memory he had was of Deva being worshiped like a god in Mahit’s garden. Then the space cleared, leaving him and Deva behind as silence surrounded them like a blanket, unable to voice the emotions bubbling beneath the surface. The stillness continued to unfurl, shrinking and expanding in its journey, till finally they found themselves navigating an unexpected terrain, together yet alone. 
Then came the days of battle, where they had gained and lost so much in the span of so little time. There were many moments of glory that brought the men together in celebration and fewer moments of loss. Those are what stood out the most at the end of it all, where soldiers mourned for their fallen comrades, their will to fight vanishing just as fast as it would reappear when the unquenchable desire for vengeance was reignited by Varadha’s rousing speeches. 
Through many of those moments, Deva was physically next to Varadha, refusing to let any harm come his way. Yet, there was a fragile distance between them that he wasn’t able to give name to. Maybe he could’ve if he tried hard enough, but it scared him beyond measure to even consider it. Not when it had been days since they’ve felt each other… since they’ve held each other. 
So, their army continued to fight. Varadha and Deva continued to stay at a loss for words.
Now they are here, in his father’s throne room: Deva holding his sword to Raja Mannar’s neck. 
Varadha considers if he should be feeling more anger after their earlier interaction where his father expressed his disdain towards Varadha, how he regretted having him as a son, how he was a shame to the Mannar clan. Even now, Varadha knows he should be irritated as Raja Mannar refuses to dignify his presence by keeping his gaze firmly on the fuming outline of Radha Rama, his pride and joy, who stands by the entrance of the hall, unable to act. But at the moment, he feels nothing. So he gives the order and his father’s head rolls to a stop at his feet.
A few days later, the scene would appear in his sleep. He would startle awake and cry as regret consumed him. He would wish that he could somehow rewrite the past. He would wish he could’ve stopped his father from killing the Shouryanagas and that he could’ve preserved the loving relationship they had during the first ten years of his life. 
That was to come in a few days' time. 
Then it would continue to haunt him for the rest of his life.
For now, Deva removes the large bracelet from Raja Mannar’s arm and throws the husk of his father’s body across the room. Varadha doesn’t look, but he hears the corpse thud loudly against the wall. Deva steps to the side, gesturing for Varadha to take a seat on the throne marred by blood. He tries not to think too hard about the squishing sound that envelops him as he takes a seat… or about the barbaric scene in front of him, where so few people were alive to witness this hoax of a coronation. 
“All hail to Khansar’s rightful heir!” Deva’s voice booms through the room as he holds up the thick bracelet. “Your Kartha– Varadha Rajamannar!” 
Varadha hears shouts of joy from his soldiers and friends as they go down to their knees. The only emotion he feels in that moment is relief when he sees that his family is okay, bowing towards him with large smiles on their faces. Then his hand is lifted from its position on the throne and Deva slips the heavy band on his arm. Their gazes catch for a moment, grasping on with steadfast determination, forcing time to stand still. Varadha isn’t sure what Deva sees in him though, because within seconds, he’s also kneeling by the foot of the throne.
The only person who remains standing is Radha Rama, pure hatred oozing from her striking eyes, clouding the room in a dark fog that jostles Varadha to his core. He knows at that moment that he should let his guard execute her. That it would be the only way to quell the tempest that would approach in his future. Except, he’s sickened by the massacre and tired of how alone he feels in a position he firmly believed he wanted just a few days ago. 
So, he continues to stare at her, unfeeling and uncaring as he waits for the inevitable consequences that will follow.
~*~
He doesn’t know how it happens, but within the next few days, the palace is cleaned up so well that there isn’t a trace of blood to be found. Even the streets are spotless, soon filling with the chatter of people milling about in their daily lives, the gore of turmoil forgotten easily. The change in atmosphere is enough to give Varadha whiplash, but there’s no time to ponder it for too long.
Preparations are made promptly for his official coronation. Amidst that and all the meetings with delegates to figure out the logistics of his court and new policy implementations, Varadha doesn’t have time to breathe, much less relax. Even the evenings, where he should technically be free, are spent holed up in a room with Baba and Mahit as they draw up plans for the future of Khansar. 
When he does have time to let his thoughts wander, he thinks about Deva. Deva who he hasn’t seen or talked to in weeks. Not properly anyway. They would see each other during certain weekly meetings, where they would be situated on two different ends of the room, speaking no more to each other than was necessary. Then, Varadha would leave with his team to handle his duties as Kartha, and Deva with his own team to handle matters of national security. 
With how much their army and people admired him, it was a no-brainer to appoint Deva as the Commander in Chief. At least it was to Varadha. The look of disapproval on Mahit’s face made it obvious he believed otherwise. He later approached Varadha telling him it was a bad idea to let Deva hold so much power over the whole of Khansar. His opinions on that particular matter were never brought up again after Varadha’s angry rebuke. 
Finally, a few days after his coronation, Varadha catches sight of Deva wandering in the palace gardens and gives up on maintaining any semblance of aloofness. He pulls on a thin, black robe and makes his way through the wing, a single destination in mind. 
“Why won’t you talk to me?” Varadha believed the question would come out sounding a lot harsher and a lot more annoyed than it did. He just sounds tired.
“You’ve been the one keeping me at a distance for weeks now,” Deva doesn’t even seem surprised by Varadha’s appearance, turning to face him slowly. “So maybe I should be asking you.” 
“I haven’t been-”
“Don’t.” It’s the first time Deva has ever spoken to Varadha harshly, and it’s enough to stop him in his tracks when he hears bitterness layered beneath the word. “Don’t lie to me. You haven’t talked to me or looked at me the same way since that morning.” He runs his hand through his hair, tugging at it in frustration. “I was hoping we could fix it, but you gave me nothing. What was the point of trying after it became obvious that what we had was over? You made it obvious that it was time to move on.” 
“Over?” Varadha flinches harshly beneath the moonlight, the pleasant breeze suddenly unbearable against his skin. Deva doesn’t say anything, staring blankly at Varadha and it infuriates him that he can’t read the thoughts running behind those charcoal eyes. 
Still, the phrase is enough for a sudden barrage of memories to dance across Varadha’s vision. Every moment since that morning, seen in a different light than before. 
Nausea begins to set when he thinks vividly of his coronation ball. It was nothing more than an event Baachi insisted he throw to celebrate their victory and build his network within the inner circles of Khansar. Yet, every time he would jump from conversation to conversation, he would catch a glimpse of Deva sitting in the furthest corner of the room. At first, he was alone more often than not, a relaxed set to his shoulders that signified to Varadha that he was happy not being bothered. 
Then, at some point of the night, there was someone else. They were draped elegantly in a smokey, silver sari, thick hair plaited together in a braid that dropped over their shoulder, a bright red rose tucked into the top. They were introduced to him at some point as Ila, a journalist there to cover the event. Varadha didn’t think much of it then, mind filled with a checklist of duties to complete. But now, he remembered the way the two of them sat together the entire night. The way that Ila waited with Deva till the very end of the party, following him out the door… 
“Moving on as in, you’ve been seeing someone else?” Varadha whispers into the darkness. Deva’s brows pull together. 
“What?” 
“That journalist from the party? Ila.” Varadha can’t control the sharp edge to his voice, his eyes narrowing accusingly in Deva’s direction. “Or if not them, other people? Is that what you’re telling me?” 
“That’s not what–” Deva suddenly sucks in a sharp breath. “Hilarious coming from you when you’ve been attached to Mahit’s hip for weeks now. What right do you have to be mad at me?” 
“Stop it,” Varadha takes a step forward, hands fisting at his sides. “I would never do that. I would never insult what we have by moving on the second there’s a bump in the road. I wouldn’t do that to you because I’m not capable of forgetting you as easily as you did me!” 
They glare at each other, bodies wound tight with frustration as the sounds of night surround them. From far away, an owl hoots into the night, its melodious cry carrying gently in the breeze. Every so often, bats pass overhead, the strong beat of their wings echoing in waves around them. As the crickets chirp, uncaring for the plight of humanity, the fresh, green smell of the garden inhabits the space between them, imploring them to break their silence and join the conversations of night.
“I wouldn’t blame you if you did,” Deva starts, hands tucking into his pockets. “It would kill me, but I wouldn’t stop you from being with someone you deserve. Not when I’ve been a monster… and I don’t regret it for a second, Varadha. When I found out Rudra was the reason you got hurt, I couldn't think beyond that. I told you before and I’ll tell you again– no one is allowed to touch you, to harm you. If they try, they won’t make it a step past me. They both had to die that day.
“Then you came down that morning, and you didn’t know how to react. You didn’t know what to do. I never meant to put you in a position where you couldn't recognize who I was. Where you were scared of me. And I tried, I tried to come talk to you… but you looked at me differently than before and it broke me. I thought it’d be best to give you space, to let you approach me.” Deva shrugs. “You don’t owe me anything Varadha. I have no right to be mad. Regardless, I’m still on your side, I always will be. In whatever capacity you want me.” 
The words ring strongly just as they did that first night between them. It takes all of Varadha’s strength not to drop to the ground. Instead he moves closer to Deva, coming to stand chest to chest, his hand gripping the arm with the tattoo. 
“What made you think I was scared of you?” The incredulity rings strong. “I was taken aback because it’s always been too much for me Deva. Every time I start to believe I know who you are, that I know what your limits are, you do something I never could’ve expected. Every moment from the electrical shock, to Naarang’s head, to Rudra’s death… you go so far for me, and I can’t even begin to fathom why.” 
“You know why.” Deva turns his face up to the sky, begging for strength. “There’s no one else for me but you, Varadha. Your name is carved into every inch of my being.” He brings his hand up to Varadha’s neck, pulling him so close that their bodies finally align, slotting together perfectly. “You are my sun and I am your shadow… I simply don’t exist without you, ra.”
“Deva, I–” Varadha gives in, finally understanding the extent of Deva’s devotion, and reaches up to press their lips together. The feeling of being able to do so after so many days makes his knees quake and within seconds, Deva’s arms are wrapped around his waist, supporting him. “I love you.” He allows himself to say it, to voice the emotion that has consumed him since he was a child. 
Deva’s grip around him turns to vice, a strangled sound leaving his lips as he really looks at Varadha. Then he’s back to where he was before, devouring the taste of Varadha in the cold of night. He refuses to break, hands moving across the planes of Varadha’s body, re-exploring the length of him in fervor, and attempting to melt into him. By the time Deva pulls away, his thumb rubbing gently against his pulse point, Varadha’s pleasantly light headed, choosing to support himself by grabbing onto Deva’s bulging biceps. 
“I love you too, Varadha. So damn much…” 
~*~ 
“There’s a swing in your step today.” Mahit raises a brow at Varadha when he steps out onto the balcony for their meeting.
“What?” Varadha questions, blinking at the man through his sunglasses. “No there isn’t.”
“Mhm, could’ve fooled me.” Mahit doesn’t push him too much though, nodding at the seat across from him. “Anyway, I was going through the Nibandana and am worried that some of these regulations clash against a few of the laws we’re trying to implement. I wanted to discuss a couple of thoughts and concerns I had with you before my meeting with Krishnakanth and the legal team.” 
They spend the next hour diligently looking over any and all issues, cross referencing them with the pages of notes they had taken down, before putting together a file of information for Mahit’s meeting with the legal team. Anand approaches right on time, bringing with him a tray of coffee that Varadha downs all too happily.
“Okay come on, now that we’re done with this, what’s with the sudden burst of energy?” Mahit’s lips quirk up into a teasing grin.
“Is it a crime to be happy, Mahi?” Varadha shrugs, looking away as he feels himself flushing lightly. 
“No, not at all. Not when you look like this.” His eyes sweep up and down Varadha’s form approvingly. 
“Okay, that’s enough of that.” Varadha rolls his eyes and sits up a little, fixing his posture to be less casual.
“Fine, your wish. But I hope you know I’m just telling it how it is. Happiness is a good look on you.” Mahit shrugs casually. Then he notices something behind Varadha and his face brightens even more. “Devaratha! Come, join us!”
“Baba’s calling you Mahit,” He responds dryly, coming to stand being Varadha’s chair. “Something about drafting the trade agreement with the Russian Bratva.”
“We did that already, I thought?” Mahit frowns, pulling out his notes and flipping through them. “Did he say what exactly about them?” 
“No, just that he needed you.” Deva rests his hand on the back of Varadha’s chair and leans casually to the side. Mahit groans, standing up and grabbing the necessary files.
“Fine, feel free to make yourself comfortable. I’ll be back as soon as I’m done with Baba.” Once he leaves, Varadha turns to look at Deva, skepticism written on his face.
“I thought Baba was supposed to have a meeting with the Ghaniyaars today?” 
“He does.” Deva shrugs, coming to stand in front of Varadha. 
“Then what was that about?” He flicks his chin to the side, staring up at Deva in amusement.
“He was getting a little too comfortable with you,” Deva steps forward, leaning down to pull Varadha’s sunglasses off his face. “It was getting on my nerves.”
“Oh?” Varadha observes with open interest as Deva straddles him in the chair, placing the sunglasses off to the side, wrapping his arms around Varadha’s neck.
“Yeah…” Deva leans in, kissing him with teasing nips and licking between his lips. Varadha’s fingers dig themselves into the flesh of Deva’s hips, a low rumble forming in his throat.
“Not that I don’t appreciate this, but he’s going to catch us when he walks back in.” Even as he says it, he doesn’t really make an effort to nudge Deva off. 
“So? Maybe he’ll finally get it into that thick skull of his that you’re mine.” Deva gently bites into the flesh of Varadha’s bottom lip, pulling it out slightly before releasing it. He watches greedily as the skin begins to swell, sensitive to the assault, particularly after the events of the previous night. Varadha meanwhile, swallows hard.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep Deva.” His hands lift higher, making their way to rest under Deva’s shirt, coming into contact with his warm skin. “If you’re going to show him I’m yours, I expect you to do it properly.”
Deva’s pupils darken and without further prompting, he tugs at the gray scarf wrapped around Varadha’s neck, peeling it away to reveal the love bites he had peppered on his skin earlier. He places soft kisses across the length of his neck, coming to nibble gently at his earlobe as he brings his hands under Varadha’s shirt to run his nails over the muscles of his abs. Varadha lets out a sigh of pleasure, tilting his head back against the chair and allowing for Deva to explore his body as he sees fit. 
Deva slips himself out of the chair, getting to his knees in front of Varadha, who acknowledges the action by gazing hungrily at him from hooded eyes. Deva wastes no time in reaching under Varadha’s black dhoti, wrapping his fingers around his hardening cock to pull it out. He runs his thumb over the tip of Varadha’s head, leaning down to blow at it softly and bites back a smile when Varadha twitches with anticipation. 
Deva begins to lick at the tip while his hands pump the length of his cock leisurely. He tightens his lips, inching his way down Varadha’s shaft, pulling back up before going back deeper each time. Soon, he’s bobbing his head at a rapid pace, his tongue exploring every inch of sensitive skin, lapping up pre-cum as the hairs of his beard scratch teasingly across the surface of Varadha’s dick. 
Varadha moans at the feeling, fingers twisting themselves into Deva’s hair as he begins to thrust up into his mouth, impatient and desperate to chase his pleasure. Deva hollows out his cheeks immediately, allowing Varadha to take control and to use him for his own gratification. Deva begins to play with Varadha’s balls, tugging and squeezing, while running his other hand across the skin of his inner thigh. 
“Fuck,” Varadha whimpers, his cock twitching between Deva’s glistening lips as he continues to shove his dick into the warm cavity. “God, Bangaram. You’re the only one who does this to me. You’re the only one who drives me crazy with need.”  
Deva watches from below as the Varadha’s face twists with pleasure. His eyes are closed, lips forming a small O, and chest heaving with aroused breaths. Deva slowly swallows around his cock, savoring the salty taste of him against his tongue as he manages to pull another groan from between Varadha’s lips. 
That’s when he catches sight of Mahit frozen in the room overlooking the balcony, shock painted across his features at the unexpected sight. Their eyes meet and Deva feels a burst of possessiveness overtake him. Instantly, he hollows out his cheeks further, taking Varadha so deep into his throat that his nose touches against his stomach. Two more thrusts is all it takes for Varadha to come crying in his mouth, falling back against the chair and swallowing heavily as he tries to control his breathing.
Deva meanwhile, keeps his gaze fixated on Mahit, swallowing the musky taste of Varadha, his tongue darting out to swipe away at any excess lingering on his lips. Mahit’s eyes snap to capture the gesture, his eyebrows furrowing for a second before he turns to leave the room, the door closing quietly behind him. 
“Come here,” Varadha grabs Deva by the collar, pulling him back into his lap to steal eager kisses. He then buries his face into the crook of Deva’s neck, laughing to himself. “God, I love you. Do I tell you that enough? That I love you so fucking much?”
“I think you could stand to tell me a little bit more, actually.” Deva replies, a burst of happiness exploding within him upon hearing the words from Varadha’s mouth. 
“I’m glad I have your permission, because I’m going to spoil you rotten with those words. I love you, Bangaram.”
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glazemeda · 1 year
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hey there! may I ask for fluff alphabet (m, p, q, w, x) with tighnari, scaramouche, and kazuha! , thank you!
note; hi! kazuha's part will be done separately as he'll have the full alphabet, i hope you like this! tags; fluff, very slight angst, scaramouche spoilers.
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M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?
If you’re able to completely lower his walls, he will admit that he does, in a way. He doesn’t care about the whole celebration, having to get dressed and preparing so many things. Scaramouche just wants to officially promise himself to you, and for you to promise yourself to him.
Therefore, he most likely won’t propose like usual. For him, it’s enough with visiting a beautiful place, or maybe a meaningful one, and promising to love each other for as long as you’re alive. He only wishes for you to stay, to not betray him, so he doesn’t see the need for a wedding, he’d rather stay with you, and just you.
P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?
Scaramouche doesn’t like PDA, the most he’ll do is hold your hand or have an arm around your waist, and that’s only if it’s dangerous or if he’s jealous. It’s not that he doesn’t love you, but with his reputation he’d rather make it seem that way for others, so he doesn’t talk about you either.
He’d rather keep everything in private, in a place where he can relax with you in his arms, or him in yours. He would never let anyone else see him in such a vulnerable state, his soft moments are for you and you only.
Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.
He’s surprisingly good at noticing which topics make you upset. While he used that to insult his enemies and make them lose focus, he uses it to make sure he doesn’t hurt you with his words if he can avoid it.
Scaramouche also stops everyone who’s about to talk about something that you don’t like. He won’t let anyone upset you, much less in his presence. It’s another way to protect you, not only from physical harm, but from verbal and mental one too. It’s subtle, but you’ll eventually find out why he changes topics so suddenly sometimes.
W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.
Scaramouche really likes when you pat his head. He’ll never, ever admit it to you, but it makes him feel warm. If you pay enough attention, you’ll notice how he leans in when he sees you move your hand closer to his head, knowing your intentions, even if he complains.
When he finally breaks and lets himself relax with his head on your lap, please stroke his hair. The feeling of your hands gently, oh so gently, caressing his hair makes him forget hurtful memories. Your warmth, your love, slowly help him heal the cracks in his chest, and he’s able to rest without nightmares or tears.
X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?
He does! But only in private, he feels uncomfortable being affectionate in public, even paranoid sometimes. He has many enemies, and a reputation to uphold, so it’d be better not to hug or kiss him when there are others around.
When you’re alone, he completely changes. Scaramouche likes to have a hand on you, be it holding your hand or having his hand on your thigh, giving soft squeezes when he wants you to kiss him. Cuddling with you makes him feel warm and calm, and he can’t help but feel protected when you hold him in your arms.
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M arriage - Do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?
Tighnari would like it, as long as it’s nothing grand. He’d prefer a comfortable, private wedding with close friends and family, with simple decorations and a nice scenery. A nice little wedding where you’ll promise to love each other, surrounded by nature and people important to you, that’s more than enough for him.
If you’re with him, you’ll most likely have some knowledge about plant symbolism. He’ll give you a bouquet of peonies, waiting for you to realize the meaning behind them. When you look back at him, he’ll take your hand, asking if you’d let him stay by your side for as long as possible.
P DA - Are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?
He isn’t afraid to give you a sweet peck or hug in public, you’re his partner and he wants to do it, the only thing that would stop him would be if it makes you uncomfortable. Tighnari doesn’t brag, but he unconsciously ends up mentioning you pretty often, especially if he’s talking about a topic you enjoy or reminds him of you.
But, he does prefer to keep most affection for when you’re alone. Deeper kisses, more intimate touches, as well as letting you sit on his lap are things he prefers to avoid in public. He doesn’t enjoy being stared at for loving his partner, so he just has to do it in private.
Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.
He’s really good at figuring out if you need or want something! Have you been craving a certain snack lately? He somehow knows, if it’s something he’s seen you eating before, and already got it for you.
And this includes situations when you’re injured. It’s completely impossible for you to hide the pain, even if it’s a scratch, from your lover. It’s better to give up rather than continue acting like you aren’t hurt, that’ll only end up in a pretty long lecture from the forest ranger.
W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.
Tighnari enjoys to have lunch with you. He’ll look for a tree with stable branches and help you up, so you can sit side by side and watch the beautiful scenery as you eat. If it’s a specially nice day, he might end up falling asleep with his head on your shoulder.
And he likes to cook for you! From snacks to full meals, if he has the time he likes to leave something tasty for you. It makes him really happy to see you enjoy the food he prepared. If you compliment his cooking, he’ll thank you with a calm expression, but you can see the way his tail wags.
X OXO - Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?
Yes, he can be very affectionate! As mentioned before, he prefers to keep most touches for private, but even in public he likes to hold your hand and peck your lips. Cuddling, however, is usually kept for when you’re alone.
Tighnari likes when you sit on his lap while he’s working, even more if you softly pet his ears. At night, the two of you spend a good amount of time kissing each other good night. A single kiss isn’t enough, especially if he has to go before you wake up.
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glazemeda 2022
649 notes · View notes
Text
A Vision in White
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TW: Breeding Kink. Smut. Language. 
SUMMARY: Your wedding day has finally arrived, but where you bask in the thrill of being ‘Mrs Cameron’, Rafe is already set for your next step; parenthood.
WORD COUNT: 1700
*REQUESTED*
Anonymous asked:
Hii can you do more breeding kink with rafe ahh that was so good... maybe it's your wedding night and you're both dancing together at the cameron's house and rafe gets so horny he can't stop thinking about putting a baby in the reader lol so he takes her to his bedroom and they fuck and he's all rough but also sweet and keeps dirty talking in her ear and whining and everything 😩😩
*I AM SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT, I HONESTLY THOUGHT I DID HORRIBLE, SO TO HAVE THAT VALIDATION IS EVERYTHING LOL.*
A Vision In White
Everything had gone off without a hitch. The event planner and coordinator made sure of it as they were under close scrutiny of Rose as she couldn’t have her new daughter-in-law be anything but the talk of the wedding season. For that, some of the more gaudy details such as the ice sculpture, currently crying on the deck of Tannyhill, had been accompaniments to what the day truly meant to you. You got to marry the man you loved. After months of waiting and planning, you were finally Mrs. Rafe Cameron. And since the minute you were vowed before all your friends and family, he couldn’t keep his eyes or his hands off of you. And this only worsened after you had begun your first dance as husband and wife. 
The lyrics of the pre-chosen song hummed by you as everyone looked on to you with wonder and awe, even jealousy, to just how in love you two were-completely unaware how vulgar your new husband's thoughts had been that turned the saccharine moment, sultry.
“I cannot wait to get you out of this dress…”
“I spent six months making sure I fit in to it…I’m taking every second-”
“I don’t need to take it off, baby…Just need to get under it…”
“Does the dress do it for you?”
“YOU do…God, you’re so fucking beautiful…” He rested his forehead against yours, “How am I supposed to keep my hands off of you?”
“Who says you have to?” You teased, the ending of this song leading other couples to surround you as you slipped from his grasp and off of the dance floor made up the back patio while you entertained the rest of your guests. 
But as you feigned smiles, all while tormenting Rafe with soft touches and fingers lowering deeper than they should have in public view, but done so swiftly that it was impossible to notice by anyone until a new moment would then distract them. But it wasn’t the way you’d lean over him when eating the cake that drove him manic to touch you or the dirty way your eyes pulled up to him as he’d tower over you, just as they would do when you were on your knees for him. Instead, it would be the sight of you holding his distant cousin, a baby no more than half a year, prompting him to pull you by your wrist and feign ‘needing you for pictures’, before tearing you away from the festivities. 
“Rafe, we have guests-”
“I can’t and I won’t wait another fucking second for you.” The door slammed behind you as you were turned to face it, his fingers making quick work of your dress, a series of criss-crosses making up from a single ribbon that made him groan. 
“Fuck it-” He tore down the side of your dress. 
“RAFE! We haven’t gotten the pictures with my grandparents!”
“I don’t give a shit, I need you…I need to feel my girl-” He was suddenly behind you, his body’s presence against your own pulling a silent forgiveness as he pinned your arms above your head with one hand, pushing you harder into the wall beside the door, as you would feel his cock formed against your ass.
“Another second and I would have shown each of our guests how good you take me…”
“I’m sure my Aunts and cousins would love that-”
“Who knows? Could have taught them a thing or two-” He chuckled. 
“Rafe, we have to-” His hand was on the back of your neck, pulling you towards the center of the room and in the direction of the bed before stopping at its edge. 
“All YOU have to do is take me…Perk that pretty little ass up how you know I like…And let me come inside you-”
“Rafe…” You were tossed onto the bed, the white lingerie from beneath your dress exposed to him as the dress was left somewhere between the door and the bedframe. 
“You know I haven’t been able to get my birth control-”
“And you don’t need it-” Your heart stopped. 
“Are you saying you-”
“I’m giving you a baby. Tonight.” You were pulled to the edge of the bed, your thighs taken against his hips as he was quick to undress. 
“Watching you tonight, I know you’re gonna be such a good mommy…And I’m gonna stuff you full tonight..Consider that your first job as Mrs. Cameron.” He smiled wickedly at the title as you gasped while he bottomed out into you immediately. 
“Shit, baby…you want it that bad already?” You nodded, “You do realize you’re gonna spend our honeymoon wrapped around me stuffed with all my cum, right? Making sure you come back pregnant?” He chuckled as you nodded. 
“Please!” The idea was as euphoric as the feeling he had given you. A child with Rafe was your dream. An entire team of mini Camerons had been your goal, but you didn’t imagine it would be so soon, but you basked in how willing he was to give it to you. And he was. Hard but thoroughly. Somehow, still sweet. 
“I want you to look into my eyes when I come…I want to see the last seconds before you realize what we’ve created…Shit...” He groaned, “But right now, I wanna feel you come over my cock…make it real easy for me to slide in and out, yeah?” You nodded as he would bow closer to you on the bed, 
“Am I deep enough, baby?”
“Never…” You answered as he cocked a brow before forcing your knees to your chest. 
“Yeah? That? Hmm?”
“RAFE-” You gasped as he smirked. 
“Oh yeah…you feel it now, don’t you?”
“So deep…” You groaned, slightly in pain as he would mend this by his thumb brushing over your clit. 
“Eyes to me, baby…I’m gonna get you so fucking pregnant, you won’t be able to walk without feeling me drip out of you-So I’ll have to fuck it right back in there-just to be sure.”
“Rafe! I’m gonna-” His hand wrapped around your breast, taking your nipple between his teeth as he would tug, aware that this was what was needed to pull you further over that ledge. 
“Fuck-” He took sudden hold of your hair until your forehead fell to his. 
“Look at me…” He instructed after a sweet kiss to your lips, his hand coming to a wrap over your throat, “Tell me you want it…Tell me you…tell me what you want-”
“Give me your cum, Rafe-”
“Why?”
“I want to have your baby! Please! I want to give you a baby!”
“Yeah?”
“Yes!” He began to groan, pulling himself back over you as he was as deep inside of you as physically possible. 
“I’m gonna get you so fucking pregnant-” He groaned, yoru nails tearing into his bare arms. 
“Please, Rafe! I wanna make you a daddy-”
“Say it again- just the name-”
“Daddy!” 
“Oh fuuuuuuck!” He moaned into your ear, hair wrapped tightly into his fist as he battered into you. 
“OH Rafe! Oh Shit! Oh FUCK!”
“You feel it, baby? You feel how close I am to giving you my kid? Hmm?”
“Give it to me, Rafe! Make me a mommy!”
“FUCK!” He belted, the final thrusts spilling his seed inside of you as you were set beneath him, a wave of excitement validating the decision you’d made now a possible reality. But the second that he finished, he wouldn’t withdraw. Instead, he just remained, hovering over you. 
“Rafe…we HAVE to get back-”
“I think they’re smart enough to know-” Your eyes widened. 
“My dress! Rose is gonna kill you! She had it flown in from Milan! It took six months-” He would silence you with a hand to your jaw, thrusting slowly into you. 
“Does it look like I give a shit about a dress?”
“You should…because that favorite appendage you have is at risk if she sees what you did to it-”
“Good thing she can’t see what I did to you…” You rolled your eyes before his hand returned to your neck, his cock slowly removed as he marveled at the sight. 
“Oh my God…You made me come so hard, baby-shit…Me entire cock is covered-” But he would return into you, a deep thrust making you gasp. 
“But you have to keep all of it in there for me…”
“We have to do the bouquet toss and-” He silenced you by moving once again. 
“No. Your job is to give me a baby. You’re gonna look os fucking beautiful all round and swollen and-fuck…” He moved again, his cock twitching within as he thought of how you’d appear to him. 
“Rafe…”
“Nuh uh…I liked when you called me ‘daddy’, I think I want you to get used to saying that.” He moved closer to you. 
“Isn’t there a saying about looking good in white?” Your eyes narrowed to him. 
“A vision in white?” He nodded, taking his fingers between the both of you, collecting only a single stripe of your mutual cum and drawing it to your lips. 
“Well, sweetheart. You ARE a vision in white…MY white…” He teased with his cum painted on your kiss, “But I need all of it to stay inside for me. So whatever else you’re needed for out there can wait…Gotta make sure I did my job so you can do yours…Mommy…”
Taglist: @hopebaker @iovdrew @penny4yourthoughts @magnificantmermaid @pickingviolets @lovedetlost @trikigirl271 @maybankslover @slut4starkey @slvtherinseeker @obxiskewl @obxxrxfes @bluesongbird @slut-era @ailee-celeste @rafesbae
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hauntedhokage · 8 days
Text
sins of the father
act II of a lamb's devotion
Priest!Nanami Kento/Fem!Reader and mentions of some Itadori Yuuji/Fem!Reader & of Sukuna/Fem!Reader
summary: things haven’t been adding up, but you trust him to guide you safety and protect you from the evils that may threaten your wellbeing
word count: 1.8k
warnings: MDNI, alternate universe - no jujutsu, unprotected sex, priest kink, mentions of exorcism, description of sexual acts, mentions of a small age gap (around sevenish years, reader is in her early-mid 20’s and Nanami is in his early thirties), mentions of demons, reader has both parents
[masterlist] [nanami masterlist] [ao3] [ko-fi + commissions]
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Of course you weren’t dating Father Kento. Such a notion that you were intimate with a priest, of all people, would be absurd to anyone who thought it. 
You spent more time at the church because you were volunteering your time to help him generate more engagement in town. He enjoyed meals at your home because you were considering theology as a career path now, and he wanted to provide as much one-on-one time with you and his bible as he could provide.
Nobody needed to know what happened behind closed doors. How he was saving you from your sins and temptation, potentially even yourself. You’re sure it’s long past a need for religious validation but instead an infatuation with the priest who was damning himself with every careful brush of his fingers against your skin - each touch softer and more intimate than the last, every look carrying a meaning that you’re afraid to know the secret of. 
The way he had looked at Yuuji was equally concerning, but for different reasons. 
You’d cracked quickly, telling Father Kento about your situationship with your best friend. Not that it was impossible to figure out, Yuuji was the only person you really spent time with outside of your family, but what came after was something you’d never be able to forget. 
Father Kento had asked you for a favor: he wanted to talk to Yuuji. He hadn’t said about what exactly, just to talk but your friend had been avoiding him, and you thought nothing of it. You thought it was a great idea for Father Kento and Yuuji to get to know each other; so one night after working in the bar you’d walked with Yuuji, telling him that you needed to pop into the church on your way home to grab your journal that you’d left by accident. What awaited was a surprise to you both, the Father grappling Yuuji from behind and sparking an actual fight in the church that you stuck close to the altar for. 
Your repeated requests for him to stop hitting Yuuji were ignored, and you were powerless to stop him. You’d never been afraid of Father Kento until that moment, seeing your best friend’s blood on his hands when he finally came to kneel in front of you had you horrified, and you can only watch over his head as he murmurs a prayer for forgiveness as two men and a woman you’ve never seen before enter the church and surround Yuuji. Bloody hands hold your own as you ask who they were and where they’d be taking your friend, questions that don’t get answers as Father Kento stands to tower over you and rests his forehead against yours. 
“Yuuji-“
“Will be okay, little one. It had to be done.”
And then he’d kissed you; it had been the first time in the few weeks that you’d known him that he’d kissed you on your mouth, opting to kiss your forehead or hands to avoid that intimacy - to convince himself that there were still holy intentions behind your connection. His bloody fingers gently hold your cheeks, keeping you in position even as his tongue probes your mouth while the sound of heels shoes on hardwood echo through the empty church. 
“Who’s this, Kento?” It was the woman, and he’s pulling away from you only barely to look at her. Her nonchalance at his proximity should’ve been additional cause for concern, but at this point you’re not sure anything could unsettle you more than you already were. “Clearly important if you hit the kid that hard.”
“This is the most precious little lamb I’ve ever laid eyes on, Ieiri. God’s chosen one, I’m sure.”
Chosen, he’d said. For what, you didn’t know. Chosen by God, something that couldn’t be confirmed or denied by truly logical means but in that moment it made everything feel different. Ieiri didn’t falter, only humming before lighting a cigarette and walking away with an assurance thrown over her shoulder that Yuuji would be taken care of - something that you didn’t understand but hoped meant that he’d be returned to town alive. 
Something that haunts you, as you couldn’t keep your thoughts off of your friend’s health. You’d led him to whatever end that had been, you did that to him. 
You don’t get much sleep.
With the increased intimacy with the priest, he often found himself in your bed - having finally crossed the point of no return that was sleeping with you outright. No more stopping at what you knew was third base, instead he was filling your sinful cunt whenever he had the opportunity with the explanation being that God had spoken to him and that you were chosen to lead his flock to salvation. Your body had been blessed, you were an allegedly holy vessel, but didn’t help you sleep at night. 
Instead you find yourself leaning into the wall beside your bedroom window, your eyes taking in the scene that was your small backyard as Father Kento sleeps unbothered in your bed. You missed your friend, you prayed for his forgiveness - but something in the back of your mind tells you that God likely wasn’t pleased. If God favored you, he’d let you sleep. 
“What are you doing out of bed, little one?”
“Is Yuuji dead?” you ask softly, keeping your gaze fixed on the grass outside your bedroom window as Father Kento sighs behind you. The hands that settle on your shoulders do little to bring you comfort, but you do let him pull you back against his chest. “Please tell me the truth.”
“He’s not dead. He’s in recovery with a friend of mine, you met her in the church. I’ll have her call so you can speak with him.”
“Why would you do that to him? Yuuji never hurt anyone, and you- you-“
“Yuuji was possessed, that demon was doing its best to corrupt you along with Yuuji.” He made it sound so simple, like it made perfect sense to beat your best friend almost within an inch of his life. “I needed to subdue them both, to ensure Yuuji could get the care he needed.”
“I lied to him, to bring him to you like you asked, a-and-”
“And you did wonderfully, little lamb. Yuuji will be okay, and he’ll be thanking you for your actions, I’m sure.”
Father Kento wouldn’t lie to you, you trusted that, so you only nod your understanding while continuing to look out the window. “God has long since forgiven you for your sins related to Yuuji’s salvation.”
“And the demon that possessed him, that was Sukuna?”
“Yes, he’d marked you much like Yuuji had been marked. Likely wanting to prepare you as his next host.” 
“Do you know anything about something called Sukuna?” There was a knowing look in his eye when he’d asked you that question, one that in hindsight you wished you had the mental clarity to question. A lot of things would have been easier if you had asked more questions, you’re sure.
Because your answer was no. You had no idea what a Sukuna was, or why he’d ask such a question while he was still carefully cleaning his cum off of your face. 
“How did you know? Yuuji looked normal to me.”
“You’d been marked by Sukuna. His marking was on your tongue, but it's faded since we started our sessions.”
“When it’s gone completely, will you stop spending time with me?”
“I will be by your side to protect you for as long as you come to me to be your shield from temptation.”
There was so much that felt wrong about that statement, but you only accept it with a nod and let him carefully pull you back and into your bed. The unease over Yuuji’s wellbeing had eased, replaced with unease at the weight of Kento’s statement. He could lose his entire career and reputation as a priest in this town if word got out that he was sleeping with you. He could call it salvation if he wanted to, shielding you from temptation, but it was pure sin and blasphemy. This was behavior you should be removing yourself from, instead you’re letting him push your nightshirt up as his lips trail along the column of your neck. 
You’re arching up into him when you should have been pulling away, begging for more of his touch rather than screaming at him to have some sense of holy dignity as a supposed man of God. But, you supposed, you were just as damned as he was at this point. A life without him seemed empty, given how much time you spent with him these days. A gradual descent into dependency is the road you’d found yourself on, and you were running out of reasons why you should fight it. After what you’d done to Yuuji, there was nobody else for you to get close to besides Father Kento. There was nobody else you’d feel safe enough with to give your body to except for Father Kento, because the Father couldn’t beat himself within an inch of his life and you doubted the mysterious trio you hadn’t seen since that horrible night would attack him like he had attacked Yuuji. 
But if you were to be purely reliant on the father - what was your purpose? What did you contribute to the grander scheme? Were you the little lamb destined to follow her shepherd blindly? Could you do that?
“What’s my purpose in God’s plan?” Your voice is nothing more than a whisper into the dark room, effectively stopping Father Kento from pushing his tip between your soaked folds. You see the confusion across his features in the dim moonlight at your question, then feel his hand cup your cheek as he begins the slow push of his length into your cunt. 
“Your purpose is a great one,” he starts, and you lose sight of him as your eyes fall shut at the stretch to accommodate his size. Internal cleansing like this was done rarely, as the father was trying to preserve what holiness you both had left. Was there any left? After what he’d done - after what you’d helped him do - did holiness exist between the two of you when he’d spilled blood in a church and had various types of sex with you in that same holy structure? 
“You’re a vessel of love, little lamb,” he murmurs into your hair, his fingers gently tracing over your sticky skin as you hum into the dark room. “A vessel of God’s love, and my own.”
That statement doesn’t sit right with you, his fingers ghosting over your jaw as you stare at the wall in an effort to contain any questions you might have. It wasn’t fine, by any means, but you know that these are questions that he won’t answer right now. 
You didn’t think God’s love was supposed to present itself in having sex with a priest, and you’re doubly uncertain of Father Kento’s meaning behind you being a vessel of his love. 
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randomruff · 6 months
Text
Six years... Five Years...
  (Warning: Reader insert and description of mangled and torn body)
She was in bed, covered in her favorite blankets and pelts. Surrounded by pillows, watching the entrance with tired, dull eyes. The pillows had always given her a strange comfort on the mountain...
Like today
A day where she simply felt… numb to it all. She hadn’t left the room much less the bed the entire day, which was strange considering that she used to feel like she suffocating if she was in here for far too long and would do anything in her power to get way as far as possible from the room.
Like she had done many a time before for these last five years…
Five years since they took her from her village, her friends, her home.
her choice in life…
‘No… that’d be a bit false, wouldn’t it?’ she still had many choices, many paths to take. Just not the choice to choose her love.
 Her husbands made sure of it.
A kind, loving yet blurred face appeared at the forefront of her mind, making her heart clench with guilt. It has been six years since she last saw her old master’s son, a compassionate young man with a wonderful dream.
“I want to be a doctor!”
He had declared with kind eyes, the memory of so long ago that now replaced her vision was blurry. Memories from the time before the mountain were quickly becoming less and less vivid.
“Oh? A doctor? What for?”
Petting two monkeys, one a joyful ginger and one a sly black, she was genuinely curious despite asking with a teasing tone as they both tilted their heads at her friend's declaration. She was young then and her only concern was about her garden's crops and flowers..
Zheng smiled brightly; his brown eyes glowing with passion. “To help and heal those who are in need of it.” He replied, kneeling down next to her before grabbing her free hand with a gentle squeeze. His expression softening with affection.
“And to take care of you,” He whispered, placing his forehead on hers. Ignoring the outraged cries of the monkeys before them, he placed another hand on her cheek.
 “You’ve always taken care of me and my family… allow me to do the same for you.” He brought her hand to lips, gently kissing her knuckles with such tender care it made her heart skip a few beats and her face a light crimson.
With a shy nod, she let him hold her for a moment or two. Enjoying the sweet moment of peace with her beloved friend as they simply soaked in each other’s presence and touch.
All the while completely missing the deadly and utterly dangerous glint in her little monkey friends’ eyes.
It was a week after that, her sweet friend went missing… it had taken many sleepless months to find him again but-
It was heartbreaking when they had finally found him, to say the least
She could vividly recall feeling nauseous and scared when she saw the body hanging from the mansion where she worked.…
 She could still vividly see the body mangled and beat beyond recognition, littered with small bite marks and claws as limbs were threating to fall off with how stretched out, they were to the point you could even see bone which were bent in unusual ways that shouldn’t even be possible….
 She could still vividly remember the smell of rotting, burnt flesh that was so potent that she could even taste it…
 She could still vividly remember the feelings of horror, fear, sadness and anger that plagued her for months. Keeping her awake at night, something that her two little monkey friends helped ease. Cuddling and distracting her, however they could, which worked for the most part.
In fact, it worked so well that she didn’t even realize that the bite and claw marks on her dead friend’s body were the same size as her little friend's teeth and claws.
She never did realize the true nature of the monkeys she so utterly adored until it was far too late.
The sound of the bedroom door opening brought her back to the present along with the footsteps of her husbands, which stirred up a strange mix of emotions.. Relief, bitterness…
Comfort
“Peaches?” Wukong called out, adoration and love in his voice as he looked into the pit of pillows she was in.
6 years ago...
The warm touch of Macaque’s embrace made her look up, seeing said demon smiling down at her with joy and affection as his arms wrapped around her middle. Lifting her up into his lap.
She lost a friend…
“Good evening, my loves,” she said, her tone a bit hesitant with an underlying defeat.
5 years ago…
 She didn’t miss the way her husbands lit up her words.
She lost her home...
Didn’t miss the way Wukong’s eyes glittered with realization.
Lost her choices…
 nor the way Macaque’s hold tightened ever so slightly.
By the ones who look at her like she was the most precious thing in the world…
by the ones who treat her with such care and love…
 the ones who would set the world on fire and make sure the flames would never touch her.
“How was your day?”
For she was in a prison of love…
 A Love that is borderline obsession
---------------------------------------------
I'M FINALLY DONE WITH IT YESSZ!!!! *She dances in celebration*
I have legit been editing this damn thing for FOUR HOURS NOW! Way past my bedtime... So if anything feels off or what not blame my phone and sleep deprived mind.
This is a oneshot inspired by an ask of a lovely Au for the Lmk fandom called Twice as Bad or Bad ending Wukong made by our lovely @Semisolidmind. Who btw has some amazing drawings! (Big fluffy monkey bois!)
As always feedback is greatly appreciated and helpful.
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congrats, boot!
“Lucy?”
There’s a puzzled expression that paints itself over his features, forehead crinkling as he picks up the small pair of black booties and dangles them in front of him. He’s seen them one too many times before and while his innate instinct is to smile at the memories they hold, his lips curve downward in confusion. Did he miss something?
He’s sure he hasn’t. Both are doing well in their careers; Tim as lieutenant of Metro, Lucy as detective. Neither of them have brought up the conversation of a change. He’s still in his first year of a new rank, “the boot in charge” as Lucy affectionately described it and she’s in her fourth year as a detective, guiding Aaron through his first year. So why the boots?
He looks down at the bed that’s covered in different sets of baby booties. Unlike the other times where she’s written out ‘congrats, book!’ on a blank piece of paper in Sharpie, this time is different. There’s a pale yellow card in the middle of it all, his name written in cursive in what Tim can only assume is from her ‘special pens’ which are really just a set of Gelly Roll Stardust pens he got her for Christmas because she once told him how much she loved using glitter pens in grade school.
This time, he does smile as he sets down the pair of booties and leans to reach the card. His eyes scanning the front for a moment, still quite unsure what to expect. There are tiny stars that surround his name in gold and silver and he can almost picture her leaning against the kitchen island, brows furrowed in concentration as she focused on drawing the perfect little stars without smudging the fresh ink.
He pulls at the flap to open it before pulling the card out of the envelope. It takes him a second, more than a second, as he blinks completely dumbfounded at the greeting card in between his hands.
HAPPY NEW BABY!
Soft pastels fill the cover with different painted baby items: a teddy bear, bassinet, baby blocks, pacifier, rattle, bib, baby boots, baby mobile, bottle, diaper. It’s a baby card. He knows what it means but at the same time he’s in complete and utter shock because could it be? He wants to call out her name, almost too afraid to open the card to see what it holds but his breath is hitched in his chest and he can’t quite bring himself to speak her name.
So he stands there for a moment, maybe hours though time definitely feels like it’s standing still, just staring at the card because he knows what this means despite not knowing for sure. He can picture it now. Her growing belly, the endless list of baby books that they’ll get through, telling their friends and family, laughing over baby names — the entire journey until their tiny little human finally arrives. Tears well in his eyes as he’s overcome by emotion: excitement, awe, shock, fear, love.
“You really should read it.”
The smile on Tim’s face immediately drops as he turns to face Lucy who’s leaning against the doorframe with a smirk on her lips. There’s a sudden panic that washes over him as he wonders if he suddenly got it all terribly wrong but the expression behind her eyes doesn’t indicate that, she’s just teasing him. He nods, unable to do much else as he finally opens the card to find a: Congrats, Boot!
He laughs because of course that’s what she’d write. He lowers the card to find her standing in front of him holding up a pregnancy test with a grin that reaches her sparkling brown eyes. His gaze falls onto the two pink lines and Tim can’t help but laugh in amazement.
“We’re having a baby!”
Lucy’s giggle fills the room and it’s the sweetest noise Tim’s ever heard. This is everything he’s ever wanted, something he thought he’d never had. Except, here she stands, this absolute ray of sunshine that came into his life to make it better day by day, making every single one of his dreams come true.
“We’re having a baby!” he echoes as his hands find her waist pulling her in toward him. They’re beaming at each other as they hold the other, swaying softly as their foreheads touch. There’s a magnetic pull that draws them even closer as their lips finally meet. She smile’s against him before finally pulling away. 
“So? What do you think of your new role, boot?”
“Best job yet.” 
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