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whateverisbeautiful · 4 months

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♥️ Ranking Richonne

#24: Family Fun Days (S9E03 & S4E15)

Grimes Family 2.0 has my heart eternally. 🥹 They are the best family to ever grace an apocalypse. And what’s so sweet is during their Family Fun Day in s9 and s4, it truly didn’t even feel like an apocalypse - that’s how much love and joy Rick and Michonne were admirably able to place in their and their kids’ lives. And while the fallen world turned Rick and Michonne into walker-slaying warriors, who they really are to their core are parents. (ours and their kids 😋) So the final Family Fun Day and the first unofficial Family Fun Day are a tie on this list for allowing Richonne to show why they're the greatest parents around...

Starting with the s9 Family Fun Day, one of my favorite parts is when Rick, Michonne, and Judith are walking hand in hand in ASZ. It’s so idyllic and so the type of rewarding happy life these three deserve.

I think back to s5 when Rick and Michonne were outside the gates of ASZ with Carl and baby Judith in the backseat of their car. I love that the leap of faith they took together in coming to this place has now turned into a stable home where they can fully enjoy being family.

I feel like words can’t fully even capture how much I love all this. Their smiles. Michonne cheering Rick on by saying, "come on, daddy." Judith skipping. Rick's countdown. And the way they lift her up and cheer Judith on. Somehow, I never noticed it until this rewatch, but after they lift Judith up, Rick and Michonne say “wow” at the exact same time. Always in sync those two. 🥰

And Rick and Michonne getting to just be parents is the best and so meaningful. After the devastating loss of children, the way Rick and Michonne have risen from those depths of despair and given Judith a beautiful cheerful life is so commendable. And, truly, it speaks to the strength of Rick and Michonne's impact on each other's lives that they can be this healed and happy now.

I’m choked up from just this initial moment and it only gets cuter with each of their activities. It’s clear that this is Judith’s favorite way to spend the day, but make no mistake, this is Rick and Michonne’s favorite way to spend the day too. And I love that Family Fun Days are something they seem to do often and look forward to. (also it's sweet that, throughout the series, we got several indicators that little Judith is a mama's girl 😊)

It was such a joy to see this side of Rick and Michonne, especially knowing we’d only have 2 more eps before Rick’s departure. I love that we got to see Rick just have so much fun as the best girl dad. He deserved to have so many more days like this with his baby girl. 🥲

Also, what I would give to have seen a family fun day that included Rick, Michonne, RJ, Judith, and Carl all together. 😭

The good thing is Rick and Michonne are going to do everything in their power to get home to Judith and RJ, and I have hope TWD's best parents will be able to have plenty more days like this to enjoy with their children whenever the four reunite.

(Side note: Since we're talking Grimes family in this post, can I just say I never understand the complaints about our sweet prince RJ being a regular kid doing regular kid stuff - like ??? To me, it's actually the biggest flex that Rick and Michonne's baby is living a normal life. A whole dang apocalypse hit the earth, and your kid is able to just read comics and ride bikes because, even in the most dangerous possible world, you managed to create some normal (as normal as it can be in that world) stability for your children - What a win. And rather than find him "boring" as a kid under age 10 just living life, I find it heartwarming that RJ Grimes got to be so normal. The mostly peaceful and regular way RJ is living is the very thing Michonne and Rick wanted and fought for. It's the very thing RJ's big brother Carl fought for too. How wonderful that they got what they wanted 🥰👌🏽)

And then the montage includes my absolute favorite visual with the three of them on a picnic blanket all relaxed, with a brief glimpse of Rick handing Michonne a pink flower as Judith seems to notice the way her dad loves her mom. Even in just a .5-second clip of Rick wanting to give Michonne that flower we see yet another example of how Rick so naturally shows love to his wife. 🥰

I love that in s9 especially, Rick was like if y’all don’t know nothing else about me, you’re going to know that I’m head over heels in love with Michonne. And he’s just so good at courting her even in their married era, and I adore how he’s always thinking of how to gift her.

Y’all, everything in this moment (& the deleted picnic scene where Rick expresses wanting more years like this with his wife and kids) gives me so much happiness and peace. Again, it’s so idyllic and tranquil and pretty. I wanted them to live in this moment forever.

The picnic shot is just beauty and I will always cherish it. It makes me think about Carl’s vision in s8, of their family playing hooky. I know Carl would be so proud to see the three of them essentially doing exactly that on this beautiful family fun day. Like this whole montage is truly what Carl wanted most for the three of them. 🥹

To this day, when I see Scott running over while the three are reading, I’m like damn it. 😫 Richonne deserved to have a day to be all about their family and nothing else and Rick and Michonne look like they really do agree with me in the way they both communicate with a wordless look lol.

They don’t want this family time to end, but they know the world is ready to start screaming again. I do like how Rick sees Scott coming but keeps reading tho. Like ‘maybe if we keep reading he’ll just jog past us.’ 😂

Seeing Rick kiss Judith before joining Michonne and Scott is so sweet and so sad because it’s his final interaction with his daughter before he’s taken away for years. 😭

Rick and Michonne again wordlessly communicate upon learning about that murdered savior, and you can tell they’re both disappointed. And I'm disappointed that Family Fun Day was cut short too, but I also was like, I should've known...

But I adore that this scene, which ends up being Rick and Michonne's last time side by side in the present, does not end on disappointment.

Rick is quiet and looking at Michonne, and then he looks away frustrated and stressed, especially because this new development could jeopardize the unity and safety he and Michonne so badly want to build for their people.

It’s so clear how Michonne feels for him, knowing how much they both wanted to have this day to just be. And then the shot focuses on their hands with Rick’s fist clenched to further illustrate his frustration.

But Michonne always knows how to offer Rick the exact right uplifting encouragement and so I love that she then takes his hand. The choreo of it is so good with her slowly sliding her hand into his. It’s symbolic for Michonne to be the one who could most help Rick release his fist, thus release the frustration, and hold onto what matters most.

And, of course, Rick is receptive and holds her hand. He can always receive the positivity Michonne instills in him. And so I love that Rick tightly holds her hand and allows that to be the note they can end on together.

Richonne handholds are always a thing of beauty so I love that their final moment like this ends on that emphasized visual. Even when things fall apart, they’re still in it together. They’re still held together by their love.

Y’all, how do even their hands tell a compelling story? I mean they always have. From exchanging bullets in Clear, to passing mints and holding hands in their canon ep, and this significant final present moment between them. It really does highlight the strength, love, and unity of Richonne's relationship.

It’s also sweet how Rick and Michonne's official romance began with a handhold, and their final moment ends with one too. And while their journey is about to devastatingly take them on separate paths for years, I really feel like this handhold right here actually never breaks.

In many ways, during their years apart, Rick and Michonne still embarked through life as though their true love was still with them, still holding their hand and supporting them because their love is neverending - as noted in both Rick and Michonne's sentiments during the TWD series finale.

(Side note: There’s this interesting contrast I think about - because with losing Lori, part of what made it so painful on Rick is knowing they never got official closure after they grew distant and their marriage fell apart. But then with “losing” Michonne after he was taken, part of what likely makes it so painful for Rick is that their marriage was in such a great spot. Rick and Michonne were so beyond close, happy together, and hopeful for their future just before Rick was taken away. And that’s a unique pain to just be abruptly plucked from the woman you were so longing to spend the rest of your life with. Where the Lori loss featured an element of mourning a clear closed door, the Michonne “loss” is an element of mourning all the doors he hoped he'd open with her. And I’m really curious to see how Rick has been dealing with that type of pain while away in TOWL)

This whole sequence of events in 9.03 is the definition of precious. And the song in the background pairs so nicely with this heavenly time. I love Grimes Family 2.0, and this was like a beautiful love letter to them.

It was a lovely reward for Rick and Michonne after all they've been through in this series. And I just appreciate how much joy was depicted in every moment Rick got with his girls in season 9. (their opening moment in the s9 premiere also gets an honorable mention cuz I absolutely adore it)

So I called this Family Fun Days plural because before Rick and Michonne so adorably had their day as mommy and daddy with Judith, they had another version of a family fun day out in the woods with Carl. And this moment, along with the s9 montage, are my all-time favorite Grimes Family 2.0 scenes.

This one in season 4 is so meaningful because during their s9 family fun day in ASZ they were enjoying merriment in the safety of their community - but here the golden trio of Rick, Michonne, and Carl are traveling while unsure of where they’ll get their next meal or where they’ll lay their head for the night…and yet they smile. 🥹 The levity found in this moment is so important and heartwarming to see.

I love that Michonne was so effortlessly able to be a best friend to Carl and helped him have fun even in an apocalypse. I adore the opening of the scene as Rick talks about resources running low and turns around to see Michonne and Carl adorably preoccupied with their train track competition.

Rick turning around to see Michonne and Carl reminded me of the s9 premiere when the first thing we see of Rick is him opening the doors to watch Michonne and Judith.

I know Michonne’s bond with Carl and Judith means the absolute world to Rick. And I can only imagine how moved Rick would (and will) be to see her bond with their adorable son RJ too. 😭

(Again, I'll never get over the fact that Michonne really carried Rick's child. How extremely beautiful. 🥹And soon Rick is going to finally know all about the son he made with the love of his life. Won't He Do It! 🥳)

I always appreciate that Rick walks over to Michonne and Carl, letting them have the moment a little longer, and the way Michonne playfully tries to win their competition. Carl sharing the Big Cat because "we always share" is also just so sweet.

And, of course, you know I love the way that man Rick is grinning while watching and appreciating this wholesome family moment. 🥰The way he keeps sneaking glances at Michonne as he smiles - I forever stand by the fact that Rick has fallen in love with Michonne by this point.💯

Even despite their circumstances, the three seemed so happy in this moment cuz they’re together the way it was meant to be. And I love that Michonne and Rick both valued giving Carl a good childhood against all odds.

In Carl’s devastating final episode "Honor" he tells Michonne "Don't carry this - not this part," and I always like to think that this moment on the tracks is one of the parts of their journey Carl hopes Michonne holds onto instead. Cuz it was such a beautiful happy moment that cemented the three as a family.

And, clearly, she and Rick did choose to carry the good parts with Carl and even pass it on to Judith as they and their daughter so presently enjoyed a day of fun and games seasons later, where for a few hours they didn't have to be community leaders or fierce fighters. Instead, Rick and Michonne just got to be what they so cherished being - mom and dad. Grimes family forever. 🤍

#richonne #top 30 #number 24 #rick x michonne #reveling in richonne #twd 9.03 #twd 4.15 #twd towl #the ones who live

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avocado-writing · 4 months

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we need a rewrite of the tiefling party where tav can actually convince wyll to join the party and have fun please 🥹

notes: love love love writing for Wyll. he's such a sweetie! Implied bard reader but not explicit.

rating: T, but there will be a spicy part 2 coming up!

The party is lively and your head is swimming from the buzz of attention. That, and the small amount of wine you’ve had: not so much as to dull your senses but enough to make you merry. Warmed with Arkhen’s Hoard you take a break from the grateful tieflings and head out towards the familiar babble of the river. The further from camp you go the quieter your surroundings get, and you’re able to breathe a little more easily knowing there aren’t half a dozen children hanging on your every word. It’s lovely to be the centre of attention because you helped them, but a little overwhelming with all those eyes on you.

Of course, that’s not the only reason that you’ve come wandering over this way.

Wyll sits with his legs crossed on the bank, staring at the way the water dances under the moonlight. He seems at peace, the calmest he’s been since Mizora appeared and sprouted those horns for him; shoulders relaxed, tensionless.

“Wondered where you were,” you say, quietly. You don’t want to make him jump after all. It hurts your heart to see the way that his body stiffens when he hears your voice. Ah: there’s the tension again. Nevertheless, he turns to look at you over his shoulder, an easy smile on his lips - but one with a hint of sadness. You’ve studied his face enough in camp in order to know when he’s trying to hide something. It makes your heart ache bitterly that he would try and hide it from you, though.

“Thought I’d be able to sneak away. Should have known you’d be able to find me.”

You take a seat next to him in the grass. It’s a soft spot he’s managed to pick, not wet from its proximity to the river, but green and lush from its plentiful feeding. You lock eyes with him and press a hand to your chest, mock-wounded.

“Wyll! You make me sound like I’m a bloodhound tracking you down, not someone who cares about you checking in.”

He laughs, and you see him begin to lighten again. When he smiles this time, it’s sincere.

“That’s not what I meant. Apologies. Just that I’m not surprised you know me well enough to guess where I’d end up.”

“Down by the river,” you hum, fingers suddenly itching for the feel of a lute’s strings.

“You’re always singing that, you know?”

“I am, it’s a good song. I’ve never once heard you complain about it.”

“I’m not complaining! I never would, I love to hear you sing. Since I joined you on this journey, my life has been filled with so much music. It’s been wonderful.”

You put your hands behind you and lean back on them, allowing your face to become level with his. He looks into your eyes and, this close, you can see his breath hitch a little when your fingers brush together.

“I could be persuaded to do an impromptu performance, but I’d need my favourite person in the front row to give me courage.”

“I’m sure that you don’t need me for that. Courage is the one thing you couldn’t possibly lack.”

“To be my muse, then.”

You know if you lifted your hand and felt his cheek, it’d be warm.

“Please, Wyll,” you continue, softly. “Please come and join us. Everybody wants you there. Me especially, if I’m being selfish.”

“Ah…” you can see he’s warring with himself. On one side of the argument, he longs to indulge you. On the other side…

“I’m not sure. I think people may find me off-putting.”

You furrow your brow.

“You? The single most charming man I’ve ever met?”

Another flash of shyness over his face. You can tell that he enjoys the compliment, but his self-doubt wins out.

“Perhaps I was, before the horns.”

“Oh, Wyll. Do you think anybody up there cares about those? A group of your friends and people you fought tooth and nail to protect? I know for a fact that Karlach wants to challenge you to a drinking game.”

“That seems like more of a reason to hide! I think she’d drink me under one of the tables,” Wyll grimaces, and smiles when you laugh at his silliness. He seems a little more open to the idea, but still not completely sold.

“I don’t know… just… the children…”

“The children who love you and hang on your every word? Umi won’t stop asking me where you are, and someone needs to keep Mol in line…”

“I doubt even the gods themselves can do that.”

When he chuckles you find yourself reaching out to cup his cheek, running your thumb over the sharp ridge that was raised there when Mizora cursed him. His eyes widen and glaze over before sliding closed, nuzzling into the gesture, soul laid bare to the sweetness of your touch.

“Nobody feels unsettled by you. Nobody is afraid of you.”

His lips fall apart, anticipating the way you reach in to kiss him.

It’s a soft kiss. Lips dancing slowly, a waltz, noses bumping together a little, his horns grazing your hairline. Your heart soars at it.

When it’s over you sit there and breathe together. Sharing the same air, letting your blood thrum through you in an intertwined heartbeat.

“Will you come and join us? Will you come and dance with me?” you ask.

Wyll loses the argument with himself.

“Yes.”

taglist: @ghosti02art @sadandanxiouswtf @yeethaw13 @trappedinlimbo15 @infinitely-kate @dhampling @wereallbrokenangels @tilldeathdonugget

#wyll x reader #wyll x tav #wyll ravengard x reader #wyll ravengard x tav #my writing #request

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knightyoomyoui · 9 months

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NewJeans Hanni x Reader - "What's Your ETA?"

It's really not that obvious who's my bias in NewJeans and what's my recent favorite song of them, right? Righttt? ;)

Your attention was diverted by a ringtone from your phone while you were busy drafting the lyrics for a song you were ready to play for your subscribers as a thank-you present for their support in helping you reach the 500K subscriber milestone on YouTube.

When you took it up off the table, the screen on the ID displayed your friend Haerin's name.

As you read over the lines you've already typed, you swiped the phone to the green button to answer and activated speaker mode.

"Hey Hyerin, what's up?"

"YN! Are you busy?" Hyerin asked with a frantic tone.

Furrowing your eyebrows, you sensed some trouble within Haerin's way of talking at you. "Uhh just writing a song here in my house, not that busy though. Why?"

"Good. C-can you talk to Hanni right now?" Hyerin stuttered because of her uneasiness.

"Why? Is there something happened between the two of you?" You asked curiously. "Sounds like you're nervous, did you two fought?"

"No, I-I mean... we didn't but... I think I pissed her off."

"What did you do then... and wait, what's with the loud noise in the background?" You spotted the only noise barrier that's been keeping you two quite hard to understand each other's words at each other's side of the line.

"Well... I'm at the party with Danielle, Minji, and Hyein. We were invited to perform here." Hyerin explained.

"And why's Hanni not with you four?"

"She said she's not feeling well so we did let her rest." She answered. "And now I'm getting worried for her because that girl's probably breaking down right now of what I've told her."

"And that is?"

Haerin sighed and clicked her tongue, massaging her head. "I reported to her that we saw her b-boyfriend here in the party... and he's flirting with another girl here."

Your blood starts to boil after hearing that information. The emotions intensify as it left distaste on you to learn that the bastard who won Hanni's heart against you still had the audacity to cheat on the most precious girl you've ever met in your whole life.

"How long he's been doing that?"

"More than an hour, I suppose."

"Keep your eyes at them. I'm going to Hanni's house and... say my hi also to the girls."

You heard Haerin passed the message to the other three who were just sitting at the same table together. They exclaimed their greeting at you, making you nod and smile at their adorable voices.

"Got it, oppa."

Haerin took the initiation to end the phone call. You closed your eyes and seethed off the anger rising inside of you as the memories brought you back on remembering those times when he always gets to snatch the opportunity and advantage away from you on winning Hanni's attention to recognize your genuine feelings for your bestfriend. You were a man of sportsmanship. Although it is painful that Hanni didn't end up with you, you tried so hard to accept the fact. You swore to self that you will maintain your attention focused at Hanni every day because who knows there will be a time that despite Hanni has already a man with her, there could be an instance that he's gone and that would put Hanni into a sense of loneliness in the midst of darkness... and you want to be the first person who would come and provide her companionship anytime it may be.

And you were right. It did happen, and it was a perfect time for 'I told you so'. You aren't happy that Hanni had to experience this moment, but at the samd you are relieved and glad that because of what that guy did to her already... you have no other choice but to do your role as her bestfriend and a secret admirer to her: pull her apart from him and do your best to prove her better instead.

Hanni deserves everything that is wonderful in this world, and you are willing to give it all for her as much as you can. This is why you have to do it.

Replacing your house attire with a much presentable casual outfit, you went out of your house and drove your car all the way to the destination which is Hanni's residence.

You parked and hurriedly went to the front door as you knocked slightly aggressive. "Hanni! It's me, YN!"

There was no response. You knocked again, a bit louder in fact, and continued to call her name.

"Hanni! Open the door, please!"

You were having growing suspicions and feeling strange that nobody's responding to your calls so you tried to peek on the windows but it was all covered in curtains, preventing you from the interior.

Picking up your phone, you dialed Hanni's number and waited for it as it rang.

"Cmon... pick it up, pick it up." You said as you tapped your shoes on the ground.

A few seconds after, the profile switches to a timer, informing that the respondent reaches the call. You pressed your phone on your ear and began speaking.

"Hanni! Why are you not in the house?"

"What?"

"I'm here in front of your house. Hyerin said that you're sick. Where did you go?"

"S-so she told you about it too?..." Hanni weakly said. You recognized it immediately what she's referring at.

"Yes, and I came here to check up on you but you weren't here. Where are you now?"

"I just left 3 minutes ago from there." Hanni replied. "I'm on my way to the party."

"Party? Wait, what?" You blurted. "Hanni, you don't need to go there. You have to rest!"

"And what! Just let my boyfriend there flirting along with a girl behind my back?!" Hanni frustratedly complained. "No, YN. I have t-to catch him. I'm going to make him regret what he did to me."

"Hanni, wait. Please, are you serious right now? You're going there all by yourself, and you're even sick right now while you're driving!"

"I'm recovering now! But nothing's gonna stop me from getting back at him." Hanni started to sniff, signalling that she's definitely beginning to cry and it pangs your heart listening to her pain. "I-It hurts... why did he do this to me, YN? I tried to be a great g-girlfriend to him but wasn't... wasn't I enough?"

"Hanni, I understand what you're going through right now okay? Even me dislikes what he did but... again, you're still not in a good condition so far and you're going there alone." You emphatized. "I know you have the girls there monitoring him but I just... let me be on your side like I always do for you, Hanni. I want to join and assist you on this because you mean a lot for me."

Hanni's heart swelled at your sweet and kind words. She smiled a little aside from the cruel situation she's in as of now. "T-thank you, YN."

"No problem, Hanni. Now tell me, do you know the location of the party?"

"i know, it was my former classmate's residence which is a close friend of Hyerin." Hanni said. "I-I'll give you the address."

"Alright, I'll try to catch up on you. Just... when you are already there, don't go there all by yourself. W-wait for me, please. Okay?"

"O-okay."

She ended the call and sent the message directly to you. You sighed heavily and lowered your head as the echoes of her pitiful somber repeats inside your head. It motivated you to help her in this current tough time she's dealing at.

You were about to enter the car when a kid suddenly appeared beside you, tugging your pants.

"M-mister, wait!"

"Oh uhm..." You were taken aback at this kid's presence. "Hey, little one. What is it?"

"C-can you get my kite f-from there, mister/miss?" The kid pointed at the kite stuck in the tree placed in front of a house. "Please... I don't want my mom to be mad at me. She made it for me."

You sighed and tightlipped. You are in a hurry, yes... but still your good-hearted soul couldn't resist a poor kid who is afraid of his parents just because he unintentionally lost a kite that is already meant a lot to his entertainment.

"Don't cry now kid, I'll get it for you." You nodded and patted his head. The kid led you to the tree where his kite is twirled and just swaying there along to the breeze of the thin air.

You noticed that the string were just wrapped around the branch and it's that high for you to reach. You thanked that it was not that hard and too much of a time consuming task for you to do.

Climbing the three, you stretched you body to untangle the string carefully on the branch until you finally got a grasp on it with it's straight form, now back at its fixed condition.

You jumped from the tree and stood in front of the kid. "Here's your kite. You can still play with it." you said as you handed it to him.

"Yehey!!! Thank you so much mister/miss!!!" He cheered loudly and you smiled at his bright mood. You patted again his head and return back to your car.

As you opened the door, you observed that there's a black cat sitting in the roof of your car. You had a staredown with it when it turned its head at you.

You were about to help it go down but it neverminded your kind deed, jumping out of your car by itself.

You just shrugged and entered the car to start driving away.

In the middle of the drive, you removed your focus on the road for a while to switch your music on the radio. It was then you had a glimpse of your gas meter that the fuel of your car is now at a low percentage.

"Oh you got to be kidding me." You groaned.

Fortunately, there was a gas station beside the highway. You went there and refilled you fuel first because obviously you wouldn't like not only yourself taking too much time to reach the party and meet Hanni but also to leave your car there, cause a problem to the other drivers, and have it towed away.

As it got refilled, you thanked the worker and entered your car as you proceeded driving. Remembering Hanni, you contacted her again to get updated. "Where are you now?"

"I'm close. Just a turn at the end and I'll be there now." She answered with a cough after she spoke, confirming to you that she is indeed still not fully recovered yet from her sickness. You felt sorry again for her that she had to go through this and leave her be at peace where she would be rather stay at home and continue resting.

"Okay. I'm on my way now." You stated. Right as you turned off the call, you stopped your car when the other one in front of you did the same, and that's until you realized that you are now in the middle of a traffic.

"BAD TIMING!" You pounded your fist on the steering wheel, causing a honking sound when you hit the horn. Looking back at the time, there's only 9 minutes left before it turns to five in the afternoon. Then, you already knew that you may be a few minutes late since Hanni might have already arrived. You just hope for the best that she won't make a create much of a scene out of catching her cheating boyfriend and that Haerin and the girls would be there to back up her.

You patiently awaited the cars to keep going since you knew that such an annoying circumstance had to develop at the worst possible time when you are in a rush.

There's only 5 minutes remaining in your watch, your desperation urges you to just hop out of the car and run it all the way or just grab a cab through the location instead.

Thankfully, the traffic loosened and the car started to move again, much to your relief but still disappointed that it wasted much of your time remaining.

You successfully made it. The party is still ongoing inside, and you entered the house because luckily there was no guards for you to be questioned if you got any invitation or not.

You went to the backyard and spotted Haerin, Danielle, Hyein, and Minji doing a Super Shy challenge with some strangers, might be their friends you just don't recognize.

As they finished, you called for their names and you drew their attention at you. "YN!"

"Girls!" You exclaimed. "Did you guys saw Hanni?"

"What?" Haerin was puzzled. "Why are you looking for her here? I told you she didn't come with us today, right?"

You facepalmed as you just recalled that she did said that but you never updated her back that Hanni was planning to come in the party.

"Ah shit, I forgot!" You sweared. "So none of you have seen her?"

"YN what is going on?!" Hyein asked, all of them are getting confused now.

"Hanni said she's going here to confront her boyfriend!" Your voice increased, the mix of unknown and nervousness is making you uncomfortable in your stance.

"Huh?!" Minji reacted the loudest. "But we never saw any signs of her around here."

"Then where did she went if that so..." You roamed your eyes around the crowded area as the thoughts only occupied of Hanni attacking your mind in a sense of fear and danger.

"Wait... his boyfriend..." You returned your glances at them. "Where is he?"

"Oh wait!" Danielle exclaimed. "I-I saw him went out of the house with the girl he's flirting with while I was grabbing a food at the kitchen!"

"Then they must be out already, and we lost them..." You slapped your thigh irritatedly as you hissed at your words.

"Wait, unless..." Your eyes sprung up when a possibility just occurred in your head. "Oh no."

"What is it, YN?"

They began calling your name as you quickly ran out of the house while you dialed Hanni's number.

She answered the call. "Hanni. HANNI, WHERE ARE YOU? I'M HERE AT THE PARTY ALREADY. I ASKED THE GIRLS IF-" You paused at your speaking when you heard Hanni crying on the phone.

"Hanni?"

"They were right..." Hanni said between her sobs. "I should've been more aware, now I know why they weren't so okay in their first impression of him..."

She keeps on muttering all her regrets while watching her boyfriend and the girls she's being cheated at kissing beside the house. Hanni is inside the car, sitting on the driver's seat, hands gripping tightly at the steering wheel matched with the intensity of the despair, anger, and dismay she's containing for the sinful act of his boyfriend that she's witnessing.

"Where are you, Hanni? Please, just tell me."

"How could he do this to me... I gave it all, my love... my choice... my trust. I don't know if I could still forgive him, YN."

Her hand starts to hold the stick shift and her feet positioned on the pedal as her lips crunched and eyes dimmed in rage.

You heard an engine revved near at your spot and looked at it.

"YN! THAT'S HANNI'S CAR!" Haerin shouted from the gate, your friends followed you after you began searching for Hanni.

"Yet what I just received in return from him is to break my heart and throw it all in the waste... I'M GOING TO MAKE SURE HE'LL SUFFER WORSE THAN ME!"

She was about to step on the pedal as she screamed in anger when just in time you grabbed her arm, surprising her. You saw that her window is down as you sprinted towards her car.

"Let me go! LET ME GO!"

You opened the car and hugged her instantly. She still tried to force you away from her but the longer you embraced her, the more she starts to calm down and let herself pour all her devastation at you.

"Please, don't. Don't do it, Hanni. You may not deserve what you get, but you don't have to do this. Don't be worse than what he did to you. Let him face the consequences on his own fate."

You helped Hanni get out from the car to allow her breathe some fresh air as you two were joined by Haerin, Minji, Danielle, and Hyein. They gave their friend a group hug to console the heartbroken lover.

Your stare sharpened when you caught the boyfriend and the girl watching the scenario. The girls looked at the direction you are looking at, with Hanni stepping away from the group to finally confront her cheating boyfriend.

"L-look, Hanni... I can exp-"

*SLAP*

The guy touched his aching cheek where Hanni slapped him. "You're done. I'm breaking up with you, and I don't want to see you ever again, do you understand me?", she intimidatingly said with angst.

"H-Hanni... p-please, listen to-"

"She said what she said. Starting today, you stay the hell away from her, you bastard." You grunted as you pulled Hanni back at you again.

Hanni rolled her eyes disgustingly at the girl she's being cheated at before her ex and the girl left. As their figures vanished, she returned on hugging you again as she starts crying out on your body. You stayed there, patting her back to provide comfort at her while your group softly and admiringly watches you two.

"Thank you, YN. I'm sorry if I was stupid to end up with him."

You chuckled and shook your head. "Don't blame yourself. Didn't we all become stupid when we fell in love with somebody. We don't think of the consequences, but rather we look forward at our feelings at first."

"I get it, we just want to try make ourselves oblivious to disregard and escape all the pain we could receive, even though in the end there will always be someone that will enable you to finally wake up in reality to spare you from it... because simply that person just doesn't want to see you suffering any longer." You smiled at Hanni. "You can take it being each of us as your friends including me who also... never gave up loving you." you muttered solemnly at the near end.

Hanni lifted her head and looked at you astoundingly. Her mouth agape, learning that the special boy she's embracing is not only the one who's been very extremely meaningful to her life as her closest friend... but also as the man/woman who was treating her more valuable for so long than what she does, remained loyal and faithful for his/her love to her, even though she didn't picked him/her in the first place and instead chose a bad decision by being with a traitor and didn't cherished all her efforts in return. And that's what she always desired. It's just that she never thought that all of what she's been looking for is already an amalgamation of a perfect lover type... which is you being on her side through most of the times where she needs you.

The girls put up a broadly smile, knowing that you finally got to confess your love for Hanni. Hyerin would never call you right away when they needed a help for Hanni if it wasn't also for that reason.

"Y-you're serious, YN? You meant it?"

You nodded. "I've been loving you for 5 years, 6 months and counting, Pham Hanni. And I never had and will have an intention in my mind that there will be a deadline for me to stop loving you. I just leave it on to my heart that still prefers you as long as I'm living."

Hanni blushed and was touched at your statement. You hugged her again, and she is now feeling your affection in a whole different direction now after your confession to her.

"I know it's sudden and not actually the perfect time for me to do it, but ofcourse I'll give you some time to think about it while you heal your heart." You whispered to her as you caressed her back. "My heart always hurts when you can't let him go because I had this doubt in me that you always deserve better than what he give. I always wanted it to be me, Hanni... but I don't have the control in your life. I'll just be as happy as what you are."

And again, you were the only one who could make Hanni smile in this dreadful day of hers. Her emotions doesn't feel like it weighs her down anymore, because with your presence; everything just helps for her.

It makes her feel amused, complete, and lastly... to be loved uncomparably.

In order to take Hanni home early so she could recover from her increasing health and wait for her sickness to totally subside, you excused yourself from the girls. The girls appreciated their compassion, said you farewell, and advised you to drive safely.

1 WEEK LATER

You were playing the tone of your newly written song in your guitar at the music room of your campus until you officially stopped doing it as you submitted yourself to your bored mood.

Placing down your guitar beside you on the couch, you slumped down and lazily looked around the house thinking of other ways to spend your free time.

An option popped into your mind and you were just hoping that she's also available for today.

You picked up your phone. Your fingertip was about to press down the power button but then your screen lit up, showing the call profile of Hanni, much to your surprise.

Coincidence? You think not.

Smirking at how amazing it was, you answer the call with a large grin in your face.

"Hmmm hey, Hanni how are you?"

"Doing fine but I'm bored right now." She said weakly. It was evident to her voice, but you chuckled again as how the mindset of you both were unknowingly similar. "Really? Because I am too, honestly." You replied. "I was just playing my guitar here and it doesn't please me still."

"Well I'm here building a puzzle and it doesn't help. So I just picked up my phone-"

"Yeah, I did too after-

"I think about you."

Both of you were stunned that you two said the same thing together. You blushed at smiled, with Hanni also reacting as you.

"You know, I find it pretty impressive that both of us were like sharing the same mindset these days."

Hanni laughed at your comment. "Yeah you're right. Well everything has a reason, right? We just have to give it some sense, so maybe... I guess we're just really that specially related."

You nodded, beaming a smile as you agreed at her opinion. "I guess we are."

Both became silent as you let the moment sink in to yourselves, having to hear the voices that belongs to the one that is being held dearly by each other's hearts again which was easily effective to uplift your spirits and lighten up together's moods.

"You're free today?"

"I am. Why?"

"Perfect. What do you say? We can go wherever you like." You smirked at your suggestion. "Just say the words and I'm down, Hanni. "

Hanni didn't think twice about it, it was already a great idea to be with you and she wouldn't hesitate to just let it across. "Well, all I need is you on my side so we can go whenever you like too, YN."

You were glad at her answer. "Just tell me now where are you and what's your ETA so that I could prepare while I wait for you, YN."

It was like every time when you were about to spend your time with her, she tests you how fast you are on preparing yourself to meet up with her...

... and this day might be your fastest so far.

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

You and Hanni were waiting for your orders to be served inside a fine restaurant you two have decided to try around the mall.

While you are watching the movie that is being showed in the TV screen, Hanni distracted you not only by her question but also with her actions.

She rolled up the sleeve in your arm to see your bandaged wrist. "This took me since earlier when we rode your car, what happened to this?"

"N-nothing." You shook your head and gently pulled it away, hiding it back on your sleeve. "Just got into a little accident, wounded in result."

Hanni nodded and patted your hand. "Try to be careful next time, okay? It's good that you applied it first aid already."

You flinched with a teasing smirk. "Ofcourse, I am. I'm a grown up now, mom."

Hanni bonked your head and pouted sulkily. "OUCH! Okay, I'm sorry!"

"No, that won't do." She swayed her head, rejecting your apology.

"Then what should I need to do, huh?"

"Buy me an ice cream." she requested with puppy eyes as she said it with anticipation.

"Pft. Basic." You scoffed, taking out your wallet from the pocket. "Deal accepted."

"No, I'm not done yet."

You slumped your shoulders as you stared at her ridiculously. "What do you want too, missy?"

She tapped her cheek repeatedly as she presented it to you. You were flustered, trying to deny if she's actually requesting the same thing you're thinking.

"I'm waiting, YN... or we're gonna go home very quickly after we eat~"

You can describe any synonym of "terrified" after she said that, prompting you to land your first kiss in her cheek, as there's going to be no way you two would ruin this day just because you chose stubborn and dense at her hint.

"That was as good as I expected." Hanni winked at you before she returned her focus back at her phone, leaving you sheepishly grinning and blushing intensely on your seat.

As your ordered dishes finally arrived in your table, she lead the prayer before both of you started to feat on each other's foods.

You were gonna pick up the fork until you had a glance on your wounded wrist again, and you recalled the question Hanni gave to you according with that... in which you didn't gave her a proper answer.

She must not know. It's for the better, you thought. You had to lure her away from the darkest secret you just made for the rest of your life.

From what you actually did behind the wound that was left within you as a cost of your unforgivable action.

You'll try to keep it with you as long as it requires to be, but if there's a time she learned about it; you already are willing to take all the responsibility to face her with it.

You ate with Hanni and gave her the same delighted yet forced reaction to the delicious taste of each other's food...

...while the guilt of killing her ex-boyfriend three days after Hanni broke up with her by running the car straight towards at him when he was alone walking in the street. You were stalking him for days, searching for a perfect opportunity to do the favor instead for Hanni on what she almost attempted.

You brought his body in your car's trunk and threw secretly on the cliff to dispose him off. That's where you also noticed the wound in your wrist left by him possibly from the struggle he tried to do to fight you back as you were about to leave from the place. All of it lingers in your head while Hanni is just enjoying her meal in front of you, no clue that her current love interest has just sacrificed him/herself to seek for blood in revenge for the guy who broke her heart and made her miserable.

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queermania · 1 year

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(last reblog made me realize something but i didn't want to add it to the post or in the tags because it's spoilery if you've only seen up to s8)

there are a lot of reasons why cas' confession is so unsatisfying to me but one of the reasons i haven't been able to articulate until now is that it kind of.... undoes everything that preceded it? cas gives voice to the thing we've all been watching play out for twelve years and that should feel like a win, it should feel like relief, because happiness isn't in the having, it's in the just being, it's in the just saying, right? but, in saying it, cas removed the being part of it from everything that happened prior. cas' speech made it feel like we haven't been watching two people who are in queer love and who are very much in a queer relationship.

instead, we've been watching a guy secretly pining for another guy who may or may not have secretly loved him back. and that... is not true to the story i've been watching unfold? that only works if i accept the premise that the writers and the actors and the directors and the crew and the editors weren't actually telling a queer love story to the best of their ability the whole time. and i don't accept that! they were telling the story!! it was on purpose!!!

like, the reason dean's confession-prayer in purgatory is satisfying is because it doesn't undo anything that came before it.

Cas? Cas, I hope you can hear me… that wherever you are, it's not too late. I should've stopped you. You're my best friend, but I just let you go. 'Cause it was easier than admitting I was wrong. I-- Ohh. I don't know why I get so angry. I just know -- I know that it's -- i-it's just always been there. And when things go bad, it just -- it comes out. And I can't -- I can't stop it. No matter how -- how bad I want to, I just can't stop it. And -- and I-I forgive you. Of course I forgive you. I'm sorry it took me so long -- I'm sorry it took me till now to say it. Cas, I'm -- I'm so sorry. Man, I hope you can hear me. I hope you can hear me. Okay.

this is dean reiterating everything we as an audience already know because we've already seen it (dean wants cas there and he regrets letting him go and there is nothing cas could do that would make dean actually give up on him). if you replace "best friend" with literally anything else that effectively means "romantic partner" this still works. it doesn't change it at all. this is dean and cas. this is destiel. this is the story i've been watching since lazarus rising. maybe even the pilot.

contrast that with 15x18, however:

I always wondered, ever since I took that burden, that curse, I wondered what it could be? What my true happiness could even look like. I never found an answer because the one thing I want... It's something I know I can't have. But I think I know... I think I know now. Happiness isn't in the having, it's in just being. It's in just saying it . . . I know. I know how you see yourself, Dean. You see yourself the same way our enemies see you. You're destructive, and you're angry, and you're broken. You're "daddy's blunt instrument." And you think that hate and anger, that's... That's what drives you, that's who you are. It's not. And everyone who knows you see it. Everything you have ever done, the good and the bad, you have done for love. You raised your little brother for love. You fought for this whole world for love. That is who you are. You're the most caring man on Earth. You are the most selfless, loving human being I will ever know. You know, ever since we met, ever since I pulled you out of Hell... Knowing you has changed me. Because you cared, I cared. I cared about you. I cared about Sam, I cared about Jack... I cared about the whole world because of you. You changed me, Dean . . . I love you.

this is a different story. it changes everything. and, like, i think that was supposed to be the point, but unfortunately for me it is one of the reasons it doesn't work. why doesn't cas think he can have dean? is it simply because he thinks dean doesn't want him back?? is it because he thinks dean is straight?? like, the fact that i don't instinctively know the answer to that is a problem, and the reason i don't know the answer is because it doesn't jive with the show i've been watching for fifteen seasons. castiel's confession is the conclusion to a different show's run, one where they were actually queerbaiting the whole time and decided to throw the fans a bone at the very end.

but they weren't queerbaiting. they were writing textually queer characters with textually queer relationships.

and so a speech where cas is confessing to being in love with dean even though he thinks dean's straight doesn't really work at any point in the show's timeline for me.

and a speech where cas is confessing to being in love with dean even though he doesn't think dean loves him back in that way doesn't really work at any point past s12 for me, and even within s12 to be honest.

like, the narrative actively starts to fall apart in 13x01 if you don't take dean and cas being in love/in a relationship as a given, but even episodes like 12x10 and 12x19 imply something was already happening with them.

so. yeah.

#deancas #1518 #confession #mp

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bubybubsters · 11 months

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Share (Eris x reader)

a/n: I just feel like writign and i have no ideas. send ideas please. pLus i have almost no life and a bunch of time. Also trying another perspective.... Thanks for voting, this one looked as though it would win so I went ahead and wrote it.

also Eris is high lord

⚠️- none?

word count- 1,955

Y/n's POV:

I sighed pushing the branches blocking the hunting path out the way. Cursing myself wouldn't help anything even though I'd been doing it the past hour. I never should have gone so deep into the woods. Now I couldn't find my way back to my cottage. The branch I was holding slipped from my grasp and slapped my face with a loud twang! A string of curses left my mouth and I blushed as a chuckle reached my ears.

A red haired high fae male appeared, his clothes the color of the forest around us. No wonder I hadn't seen him. He smirked at me, "Such a pretty girl with such a dirty mouth, how shocking."

I glowered at him but didn't deign to respond. His face became more serious and he smiled, "Look there's and inn kinda close, I'm going there. You look like you could use a hot bath and a place to sleep, so put aside your pride and join me unless you have somewhere else to be?"

I thought about it, I really didn't want to admit I was lost but... well I was lost. Besides a bath and shelter was good enough a reason to follow this arrogant male. "Okay, lead on."

He grinned, "As you wish lady, my name is Eris and this is going to be a lovely 9 miles." I cursed in my head, 9 miles? I'd probably already trekked 50+ miles (a/n: fae can do that right?). I followed after Eris and was amazed when it seemed as if all the trees were moving out of his way. Thats when his name hit me.

Eris. As in the high lord? I opened my mouth to ask but he cut me off, "Yes I am the High Lord, no I can't read your mind. To be fair I can practically sense your shock from here though." I stared at his back for a moment.

"Well then my lord, what are you doing out here by yourself?"

He glanced back and gave me a look. "First of all I'm not by myself am I? Second, what happened to the rude girl that curses? And third, just call me Eris please."

I raised my brows, "That 'rude girl that cusses' is still here, she just became slightly more polite. Thank you for your input on my attitude Eris."

I watched as Eris' body shook with silent laughter. "No problem, but I don't believe I ever got your name."

I hesitated, weighing my options. He was my high lord but he might not appreciate what I was doing every day. "Y/n."

Eris stopped so suddenly I smacked straight into his chest, not realising he'd turned around. "The Y/n who saved dozens of villages when my father and I fought? The one who keeps helping with the rebuilding effort by defending the villages from the creatures that come out at night? The person my soldiers can never find? That Y/n?"

I grimaced, he was making my actions seem a lot more vital than they actulaly were. "Yeah, that Y/n." I looked down at the ground, sure soldiers were about to leap out and arrest me.

Instead I felt cold fingers on my chin, lifting my head to look into Eris's amber eyes. He smiled and I gawked at him. "You're not mad?"

He stared at me, confused. "Why would I be mad? You've been helping so much and you always seem to be there when I can't. Even my brothers respect you."

I gawked at him, his brothers respected me? The Vanserra family had a reputation for scorning everything and everyone. “Well if I’m so amazing, why would you send your soldiers looking for me, high lord?

Eris blinked, “Uh because I wanted to reward you. What did you think? That I was going to punish you for helping my people?”

“Well…yes?”

Eris sighed and turned back around, starting to make his way to the inn. “I would never.” I blinked at his back, I’d heard Eris was a considerably better high lord than he father but still. “I- okay thanks?”

Eris laughed, “no need to thank me little fox, you’re the one helping my court afterall.”

As we continued through the woods, I realised the path was getting wider and looked as though more people had been walking here. We must be getting close.

moments later we came to the outskirts of a town. Only a few buildings littered the streets but it seemed to be quite crowded. Eris let me to a run down building in what seemed to be the middle of town. It was the tallest building and had lots of windows. All the lights were blazing but shadows still lurked in corners. Eris led the inside, letting me trail behind him.

When we reached the clerk she looked at Eris and I and recognition flashed over her face. She bowed her head, “High Lord, Y/n; savior of life and defender against evil.”

Eris cast an amused glance back at me and I grimaced at the title the lesser fad had given to me. Eris smirked, full of arrogance and swagger as he said, “we’ll need two rooms or one room with two beds.”

The clerk paled, “high lord, we only have one room left and it only has one bed. We could kick another out for your comfort?”

Both Eris and I said at the same time, “no need, we’ll share.” I glared at Eris as he sent an exasperated look my way.

Sighing I turned back to the clerk, “as long as there’s room for one of us to sleep on the floor.”

Now the clerk winced, “Well… it’s the last basement room and um the smallest. It has a bed and a bathroom, no room for anything else. Deepest apologies my lord and lady.”

I glanced at Eris but he seemed the same as ever, completely unruffled. He smiled at her, “Thank you, we’ll take that room if it’s not to much trouble.”

I stared at him, were we going to share a bed? Because I did not like where this was heading. The clerk sputtered apologies and led us down a narrow, spiraling staircase. We emerged in a dark hallway with a few rooms on either side. She led us to the end of the hall and opened the last door on the left. Eris and I stepped in as she bowed and murmured thanks and apologies.

The room could’ve been a big closet, it had one bed about the length of a single pillow and a small door leading to a small tub and sink. I closed the door as we took the room in and my chest brushed against Eris’ shoulder. We stood on the only floor space available, about as big as a coffee table.

Silence reigned until I cleared my throat and started to open the door, "uh.... I'll just leave you. I can probably find my own place to sleep." Giving Eris a small smile I added, "thank you High lord for leading me to this town."

Eris flashed me his signature smirk, "didn't I tell you to call me Eris?" Not waiting for an answer he continued, "And you're staying, you will sleep in that bed whether you like it or not. Besides if anyone's leaving, its me if you don't want me here."

This male really was the opposite of his father, he seemed to be giving me a choice. "Well then Eris, I'd like to stay and since I don't seem to be in the position to kick you out I guess you'd better stay as well. And I don't care if you've given me permission, Im not kicking my high lord out."

This time when Eris smirked it was feral and very, very suggestive. I glared at him and stalked into the bathroom, "I call bath rights."

Eris's POV:

Eris couldn't seem to stop thinking about Y/n as the sounds of running water filled the tiny room. He sat on the bed, it was small enough that he would have to touch her, there was no way around it. By the looks of it, sleeping would be most comfortable if he cuddled her. Which by the looks of the glare, she did not seem to be remotely interested in.

He still couldn't believe that she was the Y/n that he had thanked many times. She'd saved at least half his people by now. She seemed so fragile when he'd first saw her, despite having at least 10 weapons that weren't hidden.

He jolted as the bathroom door opened and Y/n appeared. Heat immediately rose to his face, she had just undergarments on. She gave him a look that told him not to say anything about it as she set her weapons on a hook on the wall. "I didn't bring night clothes so you're going to have to suck it up and stop staring like an idiot."

Eris gave her the cockiest grin he could muster up, "Don't worry, I usually sleep in my underwear but for you I can do nude." She looked about ready to slap him as he swaggered past her to the bath. When he brushed her shoulder he leaned down and whispered, "You'll be naked soon enough as well."

For the rest of the bath he couldn't get the image of her bright red face out of his mind.

Y/n's POV: (why am i switching back to first person?)

You'll be naked soon enough as well.

Eris's words kept ringing in my head as he bathed. I couldn't help but think of the muscles so clear through his too tight shirt. I sighed, picking at my clothes before stripping so I was naked. Two could play at this game.

As I climbed beneath the covers I turned my thoughts toward Eris' extremely muscled chest so when he came out he would be sure to smell my arousal. It couldn't be missed as I felt my body heat up.

The door to the bathroom opened and Eris appeared with a towel slung low across his hips. Cauldron that chest. He sniffed and his gaze immediately shot to me. Then to the undergarments hanging next to my weapons. His nostrils flared as he climbed into bed so we were facing eachother, lips bare inches apart.

i felt the covers shift as he removed his towel and tossed it over his shoulder. I slowly moved my legs forward and entangled them with his.

Silence settled for a while as we just stared into eachothers eyes, content to be there. I'd made the first move, I wasn't going to make another. And thank the mother I didn't have to. Eris held my eyes as he slowly leaned forward, placing his lips onto mine.

The kiss was soft and tender at first but when I didn't pull away, Eris deepened the kiss so it was desperate and passionate. It felt so good to be kissing this male, it felt right.

Eventually I had to pull away and when I looked into Eris's eyes they were soft and he was smiling at me. A real smile, not a smirk. I leaned forward and quickly pecked his lips and turning around before he could see the blush that stained my cheeks.

But his soft chuckle told me he had caught it. Eris slung an arm over me pulling me into his chest. "Goodnight little fox, sleep well."

I smiled to myself, realising that this was the most comfortable I'd felt since my familys death to Beron's fire.

So of course, that's when the bond snapped into place, ringing in my ears. In my soul.

a/n: think this is my longest fic yet! hope you enjoyed!

#acotar #bubybubsters #acowar #fanfic #eris x reader #eris x you #eris vanserra x reader #eris vanserra #eris acotar #high lord eris #thank u

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shadowynn · 1 year

Text

| death's sweet kiss | two |

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

pairing: hisoka x fem! reader, chrollo x fem! reader (though, it will mainly be hisoka x reader for the first bit)

genre: soulmate/poly au

warnings: some cursing and violence

summary:

hisoka had never been interested in love and you were just another object to be used for his own personal gain. he never planned to get attached, but it's not long before he finds himself in deeper than he ever planned to be.

No one had ever treated him the way you did, and he often fought the urge to keep you locked up and far away from the rest of the world, where he could keep you all to himself.

despite his outward demeanor, chollo has always longed to be loved, and yet, no matter how long he searches, you always remained just out of reach. and then, just when he's given up, you come tumbling into his life in a whirlwind he had never expected.

It’s no wonder Hisoka is so enraptured by you. You’re so terribly pure, it feels as though it’s a sin to think I could ever have you.

wordcount: 8.2k

a/n: i can't make any promises, but updates for this fic should come out fairly quickly in the beginning. i've got quite a bit of this fic written already, though i do have to go back and make some changes and switch to second person, so i'm not entirely sure. but hopefully, you all won't have to wait too long for updates here. thank you all so much for your support thus far, i appreciate it! and with that said, we're now onto the second phase of the hunter exam!

| one | two | three |

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

"What do you think happened to Gon?" Killua mumbled the question through the mouthful of nuts he was munching on before grabbing another handful from the bag you were holding. "Do you think he'll make it?"

"I'm sure he'll be here soon enough."

You and Killua had finished alongside Satoz nearly twenty minutes ago, but neither of you had seen any sign of Gon or his other two friends in the steady stream of examinees making their way out of the swamp. It made you feel slightly guilty for abandoning the boy so quickly earlier, but there was nothing you could do about it now. Not without sacrificing passing the exam yourself.

But Gon's absence wasn't the only one you were aware of in that moment, and it was Hisoka that stressed you out more. You had scanned the crowd of examinees several times over the past few minutes, but he was nowhere to be seen. The thought of him not passing had left you feeling relieved at first; his absence would allow you to put your full focus on the exam, but now it simply made you antsy. If he failed now, you had no guarantee of ever seeing him again and you might have very well lost your only opportunity of ever meeting him.

Any anxiety that had built up, however, quickly disappeared when you finally spotted him coming up the path. It didn't take long for your relief to be replaced with confusion, though, when you noticed Leorio's unconscious body hanging across his shoulder. He deposited the body against one of the trees along the edge of the clearing before settling against a neighboring one to wait.

Gon and Kurapika appeared just a few minutes later, scanning the crowd for whom you could only assume was the man Hisoka had been carrying. Curious to hear what might have happened between the four of you in your absence, you waved the two boys over to where you and Killua were waiting.

"If you're looking for Leorio, he's over near the trees." You pointed over in the direction you had just mentioned. "What happened to you guys though? He was unconscious when he arrived, but I think he's starting to wake up."

"We ran into Hisoka," Kurapika began, "and Leorio couldn't see it was a fight he wouldn't be able to win."

Upon hearing they had chanced a fight with Hisoka, you did a quick assessment over the two. They might have had the capability to become a Hunter, but it was obvious neither of them would stand a chance against someone like Hisoka who was sure to have more combat experience than the two of them combined. You weren't sure exactly how powerful the man was, but you were fairly sure he was even above your own level; his nen far stronger than your own.

Kurapika must have played it safe as he remained uninjured, but you could see the faintest of bruises beginning to form around Gon's neck even before you used your nen.

In all your time wondering about your soulmates, you had never stopped to consider the possibility of you being the one who would have no desire in pursuing a relationship. Seeing the way your parents had been had secured the idea in your head that you would be a perfect fit, while the result of your uncle's rejections had left you worried about being rejected yourself. And while you had contemplated what to do with Chrollo often, you had never stopped to think about treating Hisoka with the same caution and distrust until you saw the bruises along Gon's neck forming the outline of a handprint.

"Hey, Gon, do you mind if I take a quick look at your neck?" you asked, bending down to your knees to get a better look at the bruises before Gon could even accept your request. "Why'd he attack you guys, anyway?"

"Leorio and I saw him kill several of the other applicants who had surrounded him in the swamp, and while I told Leorio our best course of action would be to just run, he wouldn't do it. He might have even gotten himself killed if Gon hadn't come when he did."

"Do you two know each other from somewhere?" Gon asked as you inspected his throat. You were careful in your touch, gently tilting his neck to each side to assess the overall damage while you worked your aura into his body and began speeding up the recovery process. It wasn't nearly as bad as you had first assumed, but your anger towards the incident did leave you fully healing it. "He seemed pretty interested in you and asked about your name."

"No, I've never met him before." Your body tensed up, not at all liking what Gon's questions implied. If Hisoka had asked about you, then he knew. He most definitely knew. "Looks like it was just some mild abrasions, so you shouldn't have a thing to worry about."

"Wow, how'd you do that? It feels better already!" Gon replied, oblivious to the state his words had put you in. He twisted his neck back and forth, amazed by the new ease of the movement. "Do you think you could take a look at Leorio too?"

You paused, the conversation might have begun to turn away from the topic of yourself, but the new one wasn't any better. One glance in the direction Leorio was sitting you noticed how close he was to Hisoka, the latter of whom was currently assessing your small group with a smug smile across his face.

Oh, he most definitely knew.

You stifled the curse that threatened to roll out. You knew you wouldn't have been able to remain invisible for the entirety of the exam, but you had been hoping for a little more time than just the first phase. Now the only advantage you had over him was that your mark was safely tucked away beneath your clothing. He wouldn't be able to prove anything until he saw it and you didn't plan on showing it to him until after you had finished the exam and settled your own thoughts on the matter.

"Sure." You did your best to return Gon's smile, but you knew it didn't quite meet your eyes. And while Gon seemed oblivious to your current state, you saw that both Kurapika and Killua were assessing you more closely. Your reaction to Hisoka had not passed either of them by.

You wanted to stay as far away from Hisoka as possible, but knew it wouldn't matter. Not anymore. Not when you were confident he knew who you were at this point, so there was no reason for you to try and stay hidden anymore. And really, you should have known from the beginning what a useless plan it was. From what you could tell, there was only one other notable nen user beside the two of you, so he had probably picked you out the moment you had arrived at the exam.

“Don;t worry, Leorio, Miss y/n says she can help you.”

Well, if for some reason Gon hadn’t confirmed your name already, he had now. There was no way Hisoka hadn’t heard Gon’s words from just a few meters away and you inwardly cursed him and your bad luck for coming to the one exam he happened to be at too.

“You a doctor?”

You shook your head, trying your best to focus on the task at hand and not the eyes boring into your back. “My parents were though, so I’ve picked up on some things over the years.” Crouching down in front of him, you carefully prodded at the side of his face that was injured, using gyo once more to assess the damage. “It looks much worse than it is,” you murmured, tilting his head to the side as you patched up a few of the internal injuries. Hisoka must have gone easy on him because there were no broken bones or a concussion to worry about. Just a clean hit that would lead to a sore face over the next few days. “So, just try not to get hit in the head again, okay?”

“Well, it’s not like I did it on purpose, you know? At least, I don’t think I did.” Leorio’s face was heating up, whether by how close you were or his embarrassment from being beaten. “I don’t even know how I got beat up so badly in the first place. My memory is so hazy.”

“It would probably be a good idea to not tell him what happened,” Kurapika whispered as you climbed back to your feet, and all three of you nodded in agreement. The farther you all stayed away from Hisoka, the better.

“Excellent work, everyone.” Your conversation drew to a close as the first phase of the exam came to an official close. “The second phase will take place here in Visca Forest Park, so I will now take my leave. I wish you all the very best of luck.” And with his job now done, he made his way back into the swamp they had all just come from.

The gates to the park opened at his leave and you heard the next examiner calling you inside. With a new phase underway, you helped pull Leorio to his feet and followed the rest of the applicants into the gated grounds. It was a significantly smaller group than what you had started with, only around fifty or so applicants now left of the four hundred you had started with.

“Welcome all! I’m Menchi, your examiner for the second phase.” The girl who addressed your group was not quite what you had been expecting. Young, charismatic, and with a soulmark boldly on display beneath the mesh of her shirt, she was the exact opposite of the man who had led you through the first phase.

“And I’m Buhara.” The man behind her was also not what you had been expecting, with a build at least five times your own size.

“Sounds to me like you’re getting hungry,” Menchi continued after Buhara’s stomach growled loud enough to shake the ground near them.

“Not just hungry. I’m famished.”

“Well, there you have it. The second phase of the exam will be,” Menchi paused, drawing out the anticipation, “cooking!”

Cooking?

While just as surprised as the rest of the applicants, you could feel the relief flooding through you. If there was one thing you did pride yourself on, it was your skill at cooking. Your mother had taught you the basics when you were young, but you had really flourished when you had been taken in by your uncle. He had an innate ability to ruin just about anything he touched when it came to cooking, and you had quickly learned it was in both of your best interests for you to take over the cooking from then on.

You understood the complaints held by the other examinees, however. What did cooking really have to do with being a Hunter? Not even your uncle, a Triple-Star Hunter, himself, would have been able to pass a phase like this, but it left you feeling more confident than you had for the first phase. If all you had to do was prepare a meal that would satisfy each of them, then well, you were pretty sure you had already guaranteed passing this phase as well.

But despite your excitement, the majority of the other applicants turned from disbelief to amusement upon learning the two examiners were Gourmet Hunters, and it was pissing Menchi off. You could see where they were coming from, as much as you loved cooking, you had never wanted to center your whole life pursuing it, but you also knew these two were more than met the eye. Not only did they have enough skill to pass the exam at a relatively young age, but there were plenty of natural ingredients that took some level of determination and skill to obtain.

“Today’s required ingredient will be pork. Feel free to use meat from any species of pig in Visca Forest. Once you have acquired your meat, you will use these cooking facilities to prep your pork dishes. To pass the exam, you must create a dish to satisfy our discriminating palates.”

So that must have been what the real challenge of the second phase was, obtaining the pork. And though it did set you a bit on edge, wondering just how hard it would be to obtain, you still felt relatively at ease, confident in your ability to do whatever task they had set before you.

“But we won’t be evaluating on taste alone, so you better take this seriously. Is that clear?”

Menchi’s mood had soured tremendously since the beginning, and you were beginning to wonder if the other examinees’ lack of seriousness from the beginning had just put you all at a serious disadvantage. “When we’ve both eaten our fill, this portion of the exam will be over.”

“Let the exam’s second phase begin!”

With the second phase officially underway, you followed the rest of the examinees into the forest to search for the main ingredient. It wasn’t until you had started parting ways with the rest of the examinees, that you noticed the four boys from the first phase had stuck close to you. Without quite realizing it, you had become a part of their group and had formed a temporary alliance. And though you had no desire forming an alliance with anyone when you had started the exam, you enjoyed the company this unexpected friendship had brought, especially Gon and Killua who were beginning to feel like the younger brothers you had never had. And in the end, you knew having allies could be beneficial. Especially allies you knew you could trust.

“Man, this is way easier than the first phase,” Leorio stated in between his half-hearted effort calling for the pigs. The swelling in his face had gone down a bit, and he seemed to be in a much better mood than he was before.

“I just hope it’s as simple as it seems,” Kurapika replied, mirroring your own thoughts. You had been confident when you had first set off, but after nearly ten minutes of searching, you were beginning to wonder if the phase wasn’t nearly as easy as it was made out to be. And with the mood Menchi had gone into, you didn’t put it past her to make the phase impossible for any of you to pass.

“Hey, guys, look!”

It was Gon who spotted them first, taking off down a hill before any of you could process what had happened. You quickly followed after him, thankful the pigs actually existed, but your relief was short lasting when you finally saw the pigs for yourself.

These were no normal pigs. Standing at least four times the height of any pig you had seen back home and with a snout that looked as though it could pack its fair share of a punch. You could feel your confidence dwindling at that moment, having spent years practicing combat against humans and other nen users, but not anything such as the creature before you.

“Are they chewing on bones?”

The pigs hadn’t noticed your group at first, but upon Leorio’s question, your presence had become known. A split second later, the pig who had caught sight of you first let out a ear splitting squeal causing the entire herd to start charging towards you.

The five of you reacted instantaneously, running away from the herd as quickly as you could. You had thought you wouldn’t be able to run a single step more after the first phase, but you soon realized you could still go quite a bit further when a herd of giant, angry pigs were chasing after you. How you were going to kill one without killing yourself, you weren’t sure just yet, especially once you saw just how far one of those snouts could throw a person.

If you could just get a few moments of peace, you were sure you could think of something. All you had to do was get close enough to create a connection that would allow you to snap the pig’s neck. While you weren’t familiar with this specific breed of pig, you couldn’t imagine them being much different from the pigs you were used to. In order to help hone your ability, your uncle had often sent you to help the local farmers out in slaughtering their livestock. An act you had seen the purpose of - you couldn’t practice it on other humans, after all - but never enjoyed. Even after all the years of training, the ability to end a life so swiftly and easily still frightened you.

Taking a brief moment to assess your surroundings, you noticed the overhang of a branch just up ahead. Darting off towards it, you pulled yourself to safety above the rampaging herd. One of the pigs saw you, however, and ran full force into the trunk before you even had a second to catch your breath. You swore, barely managing to grab a nearby branch to keep yourself from being thrown off.

Upon seeing how the action left the pig dazed, you knew this might be your one chance to act. Jumping down on top of its back, you slammed both of your hands down on top of it. The pig reared beneath you, but you managed to hold the contact just long enough for you to work your aura through its body, feeling the spot you were looking for and… snap.

The pig was cut off mid-squeal, frozen for just a second before the weight of his body left him slamming into the ground. You jumped off before you got yourself smashed, taking a few seconds to let yourself breathe now that the rest of the herd had moved on.

Gon, Killua, and the others caught up with you on your way back to the villa, each one dragging a dead pig of their own behind them. You set up shop at stations beside each other in the middle, but while they each set their pig up to roast, you were the only one to start looking at the rest of the ingredients you had each been given.

“What are you doing?”

“Cooking?”

You looked up from the garlic you had been mincing to see Leorio peering over at your station. You had felt his curious gaze among others for a while now, but had just assumed they were trying to get a few hints and tricks from watching you. All of them, that is, except for one. You had felt Hisoka’s eyes boring into you ever since you had gotten back, unabashedly taking you in from a few stations behind you.

“I’m making sweet and sour pork,” you continued, doing your best to ignore it and thankful you were familiar enough with the recipe and act of cooking to not allow his gaze to distract you too much from the task at hand. “What are you making?” You turned your gaze to his station, too absorbed in your own task to really take a look around you and see what everyone else was up to.

Leorio laughed. “Why go through all that effort when you can pass with just the pig?”

“I like cooking.” You shrugged, unperturbed about putting in a little extra effort when it wasn’t much harder in your mind. And it gave you a distraction from the man who seemed keen in taking in each of your movements from behind. “Well, that, and the fact I’m hungry and it sounds good.” This was also true. Besides the handful of nuts you had shared with Killua after the first phase, you hadn’t had anything else to eat and you were starting to get hungry. Menchi and Buhara never mentioned anything about not being able to sneak a few bites here and there, and you weren’t about to let good food go to waste.

You were grateful you had stuck with it too when the first wave of examiners started turning in their own pigs only to receive negative reviews from Menchi. Either she was just super particular about her food, or she was taking out her anger on them from before. Whatever her reason was, however, you were starting to sweat alongside the rest of them. You may have had some experience in cooking, but you had never had to butcher your own meat before. You had a general idea of which cuts were the best to use, but were still nervous when it came to how your dish would turn out. Just because you liked it, didn’t mean Menchi would.

After each of your four friends had their own dishes turned away, they started coming to you for help. You could feel the gaze of the other examiners beginning to become more frequent as well, trying to mimic your work for their own. You helped them out as much as you could while balancing your own dishes, giving them ideas and showing them how to execute certain processes. But in the end, there was no point. Just as you were putting yours together and gathering the confidence to have it judged, Menchi stood up and addressed you all.

“I’m pretty stuffed, so none of you pass on to the next phase. Exam’s over!”

The fork in your hand dropped at Menchi’s statement, wondering if you had just heard her correctly. Was the exam really over? Had you all really just failed?

The field grew silent at first, just a few murmurings among the applicants checking to see if they had all just heard her right and if she really had failed them all. But once the shock had passed, the uproar was swift to hit. The worst of it coming from an examinee numbered 255, who smashed his entire workstation with his fist in retaliation.

“Say what you want, but you all still failed.” Menchi didn’t relent. Despite how much he and the others were beginning to protest, she stuck to her decision without any hint of wavering. Not even when he went to attack her, causing Buhara to send him soaring through the air.

But despite the uproar he and the others were making in that moment, you quickly realized they were not the real threat. While everyone had focused on Menchi and the other examiner, it was Hisoka who caught your attention.

Whatever interest he had held for you earlier was gone, his full attention focused on the blue haired examiner before him. You could feel the anger radiating off of him, unable to completely conceal his bloodlust behind his suave exterior. He held another playing card in his hand and you were swiftly reminded of the reason he had been disqualified the prior year. But before he could throw it or you could do something to stop him, a voice from an intercom up above interrupted them all.

“Well, that said, it seems a bit excessive to fail every single applicant.”

A giant airship could be seen coming up from behind the villa. With the Hunter Association logo printed clearly on one side, it was clear who the blimp belonged to, but not as to why they had now made an appearance in the exam.

You didn’t have to wait long. Once the airship reached the area directly above you, someone jumped out of the side and landed with a blow that left the whole ground rumbling. Dust went spiraling from the force, but it was impossible for you to hold back a gasp when it finally settled and you saw who was now standing there.

“Chairman Netero?” you questioned, more to yourself than to anyone in particular. What was he doing here?

“You know him?” Kurapika asked.

You nodded. “He’s the head of the exam committee and has been friends with my uncle for longer than I’ve been alive. They used to be a part of the same Hunter group back before my uncle retired, and I think they even took the exam together. He used to come visit us occasionally when I was younger.”

But that didn’t explain why he was here now. You had expected to see him towards the end of the exam, but not now. And the only explanation that seemed plausible was that his appearance had something to do with the fact they had all just been failed by Menchi.

“Oh, I just tend to work behind the scenes,” Netero began once Menchi had introduced him to the rest of the crowd. “I just intervene when little issues like this one pop up. Did you really choose to fail all this year’s applicants based on their general reluctance to challenge the unknown?”

“I’m sorry, sir. I just snapped when one of the applicants insulted the Gourmet Hunters and I made the exam harder than necessary on the rest of them. I feel like I must resign as examiner, so if you will, please let them retake the second phase.”

Your heart soared at Menchi’s request. Were they really going to let you retake the second phase? Did you still have a chance at passing the Hunter Exam?

And with Netero swiftly approving Menchi’s request, as long as she participated in it with them this time around, you could feel the panic from earlier beginning to fade away. It wasn’t over, not yet. You still had a chance to pass, just so long as Menchi’s decision to go boil some eggs wasn’t as impossible as the first dish had been.

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

“Wow, that was a lot of fun!”

“And delicious!” you added to Gon’s statement with a smile of your own before popping the last bit of your egg into your mouth as you made your way back to the airship that had previously brought you here.

Much to your relief, the second attempt had been far simpler than the first. Menchi had taken you all to a place called Split Mountain where you had been tasked with obtaining one of the eggs rooted between the two cliffs that made up the mountain. And though you had slight reservations in the beginning - heights really had never been your thing - Gon had been right. Once you were back on solid ground, the act had been quite fun and the eggs delicious.

With the second phase now completed, Netero gave you and the remaining forty-two applicants a brief introduction before giving you free reign of the ship for the next twelve hours. Gon and Killua ran off nearly immediately to go explore, but you remained behind with Kurapika and Leorio, feeling their sentiments of wanting to relax and eat while you had the chance.

“I just realized they never told us how many phases there are,” Kurapika said as you made your way towards the bedrooms.

“Say, you’re right. They haven’t said anything.” Leorio turned to you. “You know the chairman, y/n. How many phases do we have left?”

You shrugged. “I may know him, but I’m just as in the dark as you are. I only know what snippets I’ve picked up since the exam started. It seems most people have said there’s usually five or six.”

“She’s right. That’s about how many there’s been as long as I’ve been doing this.”

Your body tensed at the voice that spoke up behind you, integrating himself into the conversation you had been having. It was the same man who had tried to poison you earlier that morning and get you out of the exam before it had even started. Tonpa, the rookie crusher.

“If that’s the case, we should probably go rest now. Who knows when our next chance will be,” Kurapika replied, turning back around to follow through with his original plan, but Tonpa stopped your group once more.

“Okay, but I’d be careful if I were you. They only told us when we would be arriving tomorrow, not when the third phase would take place. The last thing you would want would be to wake up and find the third phase had come and gone without you.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” Kurapika milled over his words. While you knew it was just another scheme he had whipped up to see you fail - Tonpa’s body screamed of his real, manipulative intent while there had been nothing but honesty from Netero and his secretary - he and Leorio seemed to be inclined into believing him.

“I wouldn’t worry about it to much. The third phase won’t start until tomorrow morning,” you butted in, fighting a yawn. “He’s just trying to keep you from getting any sleep tonight so you’ll fail the next phase.”

“Yeah, and what makes you so sure? I thought you said you didn’t know anything.”

“I don’t. I just know when someone’s lying, and right now, the only honest thing that’s come out of his mouth is to confirm the number of phases.”

Leorio opened his mouth to dispute you once again, but Kurapika cut him off. “She did know who was telling the truth in the swamp, remember? I think she really can detect when someone’s lying,” he began, head tilting as he took your figure in. “And why would she lie to us now? She did her best to help us pass the last phase, and I don’t doubt she would have passed the first attempt if she didn’t waste so much of her own time on helping us. Why would she sacrifice herself to try and help us pass only to trick us later on?”

Leorio’s face reddened at Kurapika’s words, but he wasn’t the only one. You couldn’t fight your own blush from blooming at the younger man’s praise. You hadn’t thought about how your actions may have prevented you from passing the second phase, nor had it dawned on you until now that those few precious minutes might have allowed you to submit your dish on time.

“You’re right. Good thing you’re with us, y/n.”

“There’s no guarantee my dish would have passed, you know?” you replied once you had all bid Tonpa farewell, doing your best to ignore Tonpa’s frustrations towards you for openly calling his scheme out. You’d have to make sure to keep an extra close watch on him in the future, unsure whether or not he would attempt to retaliate. “I think Menchi was determined to make sure all of us failed, regardless of how any of them had tasted.”

“Are you kidding me? That was delicious! There’s no way she could have turned her nose up at that,” Leorio exclaimed, having eaten the majority of your meal once you realized it had all been for nothing. “Where’d you learn to cook like that?”

“My mom taught me the basics when I was younger, but it really just took lots of practice and experimentation.” You laughed, fighting another blush at his praise. “Maybe once the exam is over, you can come visit me in my village and I can cook for you all. Sort of a celebration dinner for passing the exam.”

You were surprised by how much you meant the invitation. You hadn’t come in with any intention of making friends, but after everything you had gone through and would go through, it felt strange just parting ways afterwards. And while Leorio was still a little iffy in your mind, you thoroughly enjoyed Kurapika’s company, as well as Gon’s and Killua’s.

When the two decided they would be heading straight to bed, you bid the two goodnight and made your way down the hall to shower. You were just as exhausted as they were, and terribly hungry, but you also couldn’t wait to wash off, hating the sticky feeling of the sweat and grime that covered you from the day’s events. And if you showered first, it would give the dining hall some time to clear out before you made your way down there, giving you a bit of privacy and a chance to relax. After a day surrounded by people, you wanted as much peaceful time to yourself as you could get. Especially when you had no idea when your next chance would be.

You sighed when you stepped into the shower, just standing and soaking up the warmth of the water for the first few minutes. Not only did it feel nearly heavenly to finally strip your skin clean, but it also helped to soothe your tired muscles before you had the chance to use your aura and do it yourself.

Once you were clean, you quickly washed the clothes you had been wearing as best you could with what you had on hand. You had another set of clothes in your bag, but they were for more casual wear than actual training, so as long as you set the clothes out to dry overnight, they would be ready for you in the morning. They wouldn’t be the cleanest, but it would still be better than what they were after today, and the last thing you wanted to do was put them back on after finally getting clean.

When you were done, you tugged the oversized sweater and shorts on. Unlike your other shirt with its turtleneck, the sweater left the edges of the soulmark along your neck and upper torso showing. You didn’t normally hide either mark completely when you went out and about in your village, but you did tend to cover the majority of them. While most of the villagers were unable to see either mark, the fear of someone recognizing the spider kept it hidden under a layer of clothes at all times. You didn’t usually mind the outer traces of the web showing like it was now, as no one would be able to tell what it actually was, but today was different. With Hisoka on this ship alongside you, you were afraid of what might happen if he saw it.

It wasn’t just that you were anxious about how he might react to you having two soulmates, but how he might react knowing exactly what it meant. You’d be lying if you said the mark didn’t embarrass you at times, leaving you to often wonder how the universe thought one of them was a perfect match for you. Sometimes you would even wonder if it had been some mistake, some error in the universe, but upon meeting Hisoka, you began to fear this wasn’t the case at all.

You were by far perfect yourself, well aware of the blood that covered your own hands. No matter how much you strove to be the person your parents would be proud of, nothing you did would be able to make up for your past sins. Perhaps no mistake had been made after all, and your relation to them was simply a dark reflection on yourself, showing who you truly were inside.

You didn’t know what you were going to do, only able to use the exam as an excuse to put it aside for so much longer. Sooner or later you would have to come to a conclusion, if Hisoka didn’t end up making one for you. And if that was the case, you needed to prepare yourself for whatever that might be and the rejection that could surely follow.

Sighing, you ran a hand through your hair, fidgeting with the strands until they hid the rest of your mark from view. You didn’t want to go out, not with the way your mood had suddenly soured and not with the threat of running into Hisoka, but you needed to eat. After the way the exam had started, and with no guarantee of food in the future, you needed to make sure you ate and refueled your body while you could.

So, before you could talk yourself out of it, you slipped your fingerless gloves back on and made your way back out into the hall. Dropping the majority of your belongings in the room Leorio and Kurapika had crashed into, you headed over to the dining hall to eat.

There were only a few other examinees still hanging around in the dining hall when you arrived, making it easy for you to spot the one person you had been hoping wouldn’t be there. He was settled in the corner of the hall, empty plates discarded across the table and replaced with a half-built tower of cards. The way his eyes snapped in your direction the moment you entered the hall, all but telling you he had been waiting for you.

You fought the urge to leave and head back to the bedroom, knowing your quick escape would only make things worse for you in the long run. Instead, you shifted the edge of your sweater to ensure the mark was covered and made your way to the buffet table as quickly as you could without giving your nerves away and without another glance in his direction. Your appetite had almost disappeared from the nerves his presence brought, but you couldn’t leave now. You needed to eat and as long as you grabbed something, you could then disappear into some random corner of the ship and eat your meal in peace. There were plenty of benches along the windows in the hallways you could go to, all of which were better spots than anywhere in this room.

Once you had a semi-full plate, you left the room without a second glance in anyone’s direction and wandered around the ship until you landed at a spot far enough away to make you comfortable. Pulling yourself up onto the ledge next to the window, you leaned against the pole behind you and turned your gaze to the world passing by beneath you.

“y/n, wasn’t it?”

You had just begun to relax when you heard the voice behind you a few minutes later. Turning your gaze upwards, you took in the hazy reflection of him in the window and hoped he didn’t notice how his sudden appearance affected you.

He had certainly wasted no time.

“Can I help you?” You tried to keep your voice as even as possible, hoping your attempt at disinterest would make him give up and leave like all the others before.

“That depends.”

Taking your reply as permission, he jumped onto the ledge opposite you, pulling one leg up to his chest while the other was left dangling off the edge. He extended his hand in greeting, which you were quick to note was his left. You debated whether or not to take, fearing he would pull something to get a look at your own mark all the while searching for any sign of his own beneath his bracelets.

“My, there’s no need to be so defensive, sweetheart.” Though he seemed unfazed by your choice of remaining still. “I had you pinned as a manipulator, you know, but who knows, maybe you really are a conjurer. You’re definitely guarded enough to be. It’s simply killing all these little men’s egos. They haven’t quite decided what’s worse, that a young, pretty woman doesn’t want anything to do with them, or that she might just be better than them.”

“And what do you think?” Your eyes narrowed, wondering just what he was trying to get at by this conversation all the while doing your best to stop your cheeks from tinting by the way he had offhandedly just complimented you.

“Oh, the former most definitely. I have no qualms with the fact your talent is miles above the other applicants. In fact, the idea of finding out just all that you can do is really quite exciting indeed.” He smiled, though it did little to settle your nerves, and stole a strawberry from your plate. “Which is why I wish to propose an alliance.”

His words surprised you, leaving you struggling to come up with a response. Out of all the things you expected to come out of his mouth, the last thing you expected was for him to propose an alliance for the exam.

“I don’t need an alliance.” You shook your head, turning your head back to the window unable to hold his gaze any longer. What had prompted him to suggest one? Was it simply a way for him to get closer to you and see just all you were capable of like he suggested, or was it something else? Something more along the lines of believing you were incapable of finishing the exam by yourself. “Nor do I want one.”

“Oh, is that so? Then just why do you continue to stick around those four boys of yours?” Hisoka’s head tilted, tone playfully accusing as he caught you in a lie. “You wouldn’t happen to be in alliance with them, now would you?”

“That’s different.”

His brow lifted, silently prompting you to elaborate, but you were saved a response when your name was called from further down the hall. Peering past Hisoka’s shoulder, you saw Gon and Killua coming down the hall with Netero in tow.

Both boys seemed taken back at seeing you alone with Hisoka, eyes glancing in between the two of you as they approached. You inwardly cursed at your luck, knowing fully well how the situation might look from the outside and the questions that were bound to come later when they caught you alone.

“Mr. Netero said if we can beat him in a game, he’ll make us Hunters!” Gon recovered first, eyes focusing on you as he spoke. “Do you want to play too, y/n?”

“No, I’m okay.” You forced a smile as you shook your head, doing your best to ignore Killua’s curious eyes beside him. Out of the two of them, Killua was the one more likely to question her on just what Hisoka had wanted from her, a question she didn’t have the answer to. “I’m about to head to bed here in a minute, anyways.” Even if you weren’t exhausted by the first two phases, you had no desire to partake in whatever game Netero had proposed. Not when you knew you would have better luck passing the exam on your own than beating Netero at anything.

“Ah, y/n, it has been a while, hasn’t it? I don’t think I would have even recognized you if Goro hadn’t told me you were participating this year. You’ve grown quite a bit these past few years.” Netero smiled at you, unperturbed by whose company you were in, unlike the other two who were still eyeing Hisoka with distrust. Hisoka, on the other hand, paid them little mind, much more interested in your conversation with the chairman. “How is your uncle, dear? I can’t get much out of him these days, all he ever wants to talk about is you.”

Your cheeks tinted, embarrassed by your uncle’s mentions of you. “If he’s not starved in my absence, then he’s doing just fine. Retirement hasn’t seemed to hold much of an impact on him; he can still pack one hell of a punch,” you replied, having felt enough hits from him over the years to know he was just as capable as he was fifty years ago. Even with all your training and your ability to heal yourself in a fight, you had still never managed to beat him fairly in a fight, and yet, he had announced you more than ready to take the Hunter Exam on your twenty-second birthday last fall.

“And you as well, from what I’ve been hearing.” Netero laughed at your statement. “I’m looking forward to seeing just how you do, but for now I’m afraid I will have to bid you good luck and let you get back to your previous conversation. I’m quite eager to see what all these two can do.”

Netero bid you goodbye with a wave of his hand before leaving, allowing Killua one final look between you and Hisoka before following afterwards.

Speaking of Hisoka, you felt your nerves return as the others left, leaving you alone with him once more. He didn’t seem upset by the interruption, and there was a gleam in his eyes that hadn’t been there before, as though something said had caught his interest.

“Well, if all you needed was to ask whether or not I would form an alliance with you, then I believe we’re done here as I hold no interest in one.” You jumped up from your seat, stretching out your muscles in an attempt to loosen yourself up. While you were indeed tired and ready for bed, you were much more interested in finding a valid excuse to get away from him. “Goodnight.”

You turned just in time to catch his movements in the reflection of the window beside you, but not quite fast enough to stop him completely. His hand grabbed your wrist, pulling you back towards him and tugging the collar of your sweater low enough to see the name that resided there.

“My, what an interesting turn of event,” he hummed, brushing the remainder of your hair out of the way. “Seems like our sweet, little y/n has a spider for a mate.”

“And what of it?” You could feel your face getting hot and reached for his wrist to pull it away and cover the mark back up. “I’ve never met him, so if it’s information you’re after, I don’t know anything.”

“Oh, I’m aware.” Hisoka’s reply made you stop, leaving your hand momentarily wrapped around his wrist. “He’s been looking for you for some time now. The fact you’ve evaded him for this long is quite the impressive feat.”

“You know him?”

You couldn’t keep the surprise out of your face. While you were shocked at hearing Hisoka might have met her other mate before, you were just as equally shocked to hear he had been looking for you. Did that mean he wanted you? And while the thought sent a shiver of excitement coursing through you, it was quickly followed by fear. What if he found you? What would happen then?

“Perhaps.” Hisoka’s head tilted, that unnerving smile of his just as present as ever. If he was deterred by the fact you had another soulmate, he didn’t let it show. But based on where this conversation was heading, you were beginning to wonder if he hadn’t known all along. And he had to, right? Because he had known exactly who the man was without seeing the full figure of the spider that laid lower on your chest, a fact that didn't hit you until that moment. “And with the right persuasion, I might just be able to introduce you.”

“And just what sort of persuasion are we talking about?”

“Oh, I’m not too picky on the details. You can start by becoming my ally for the exam and then who knows just what it might bloom into after that. I think I'm beginning to quite like your company, after all.”

You could feel the blush working its way up to the back of your neck, uncertain if he was referring to what you believed he might be. He took advantage of your shock, using his free hand to reach for your left wrist, but you were prepared this time around. Using the grip you still had on his arm, you turned, tugging him hard enough to knock his balance off just long enough for you to paralyze his arm for the time being. Your fingers worked their way up his arm, hitting each pressure point along the joints before finishing with one last jab at the juncture where his neck met his shoulder before letting him go and creating some much needed distance between you.

You expected cold retaliation, remembering what had happened to the others who had antagonized him and readied yourself for his incoming attack. But it never came. His eyes only traveled to the left arm now hanging uselessly at his side before back up at you, all the while giggling.

“It seems my initial guess was correct. You are a manipulator.” You didn’t understand why he was smiling like that, more unnerved by his amusement at the whole situation instead of the bloodlust you had been expecting. “How exciting.”

“You’ll regain full motion of your arm in time for the third phase tomorrow.” You couldn’t keep the shudder from racking through your body at the way he was now looking at you. “As for your proposal, I’m afraid I’m still going to refuse. I don’t need your help with the exam and I don’t need your help in finding him.”

And with one final look, you gathered up your belongings as quickly as you could and took off in the direction of your room, hoping he wouldn’t dare follow and not stopping until the door was firmly shut behind you.

♥♡♠♤♣♧♦♢

taglist: @mandysfanfics

#hxh #hxh fic #hunter x hunter #hisoka x reader #hisoka morrow #chrollo x reader #chrollo lucilfer #anime #soulmate au

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hollow-keys · 8 months

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I saw Wonder Woman #2 today and I decided to read it out of morbid curiousity, so mamma mia, here we go again:

I read Tom King's Wonder Woman so you don't have to, round two (link to round one here).

First off, framing. Yet again, this issue is narrated by the Sovereign, but this time it's narrated to someone. And that someone is Trinity, Diana's daughter that Tom King created. She gets no lines and she doesn't appear on panel, but given the Sovereign refers to Diana as "your mother," there's only one character it could be. First of all, this is Diana's book, it should be told from her perspective. We get no insight from her, nothing from her perspective, she shows even less emotion than in the last issue. This is not the treatment Tom King gave Batman. Second, I do not care about the OC daughter. I do not want to hear about her.

But on to the actual story. So, it starts with Diana on an open field being approached by Steve Trevor, who is acting on behalf of the US government and is telling her to stand down because she can't win.

Look, I didn't think I'd ever complain about Steve Trevor, incredibly basic WW supporting character, being mischaracterised but. Isn't he meant Wonder Woman's staunch friend who pretty much always takes her side? Hasn't he seen Diana in enough battles to know she doesn't just lose? She's fought gods, armies from outer space, the forces of Apokolips, why does he think the US army is beyond her? He's underestimating her for no reason.

And more importantly, because she is the title character, why doesn't Diana seem to care that her long time ally is being a coward?

And why does Diana care about the soldiers wellbeing at this point? Why is she trying to get them to go home with no consequence and no hint of anger about how her or her fellow Amazons have been treated when they've already made their stance quite clear? People are dead! They've already made their decision, you already tried to extend them mercy. Now you fight. The thing about Diana is that mercy is always her first port of call, but when the other side has made their choice she meets them and she does have anger about the injustices they've committed. Here, she just doesn't seem to care.

Also, Diana's nihilism about the ways of men, that they will always "crash upon the rocks" is at odds with her optimism. She knows that humanity contains multitudes, some crash, some don't.

Anyway, the whole issue parallels her fight against the army with flashbacks to her final fight on Themyscira to prove herself worthy of being the Amazon's champion and Wonder Woman. This parallel makes no sense to me. Those fights were completely different.

One is against an army to defend herself and her people from enemies who want them dead, the other is against an ally in a tournament, a battle where no one's in real danger. Or at least, that's how it should be. Usually when this moment is shown, it's a good faith tournament to find out who the most qualified person to serve as champion is, they're all allies who respect each other. Here, the opponent is shown to be hateful towards Diana, genuinely seriously injure her and there's no sense of camaraderie between them.

While Diana and her opponent are trading barbs before their fight, the other Amazon gives her a chance to surrender. Diana responds "Honour is won with swords, not surrender," which is incredibly out of character for her. Yes, there are cases where Diana would consider surrender dishonourable, but it's not an absolute rule. She believes in compassion and peace, which means surrender is sometimes the right course of action. The framing of it as an absolute here does a disservice to her.

Steve Trevor would not fucking say that, Amazons do not fucking act like that and the last panel makes no sense. It's said by present Diana but only makes sense as a continuation of past Diana's sentence. present WW just said "To tell me who I am." with no words before that. To parallel these conversations, present Diana talking to Steve would have had to have said "Neither you nor anyone else has ever earned the right..." in the fifth panel so the seventh panel made sense for both sides. The composition here was thoughtless. Yes this is a nitpick, but details matter. Where are the editors? Sidenote: her mask is ugly.

Anyway, then we get these choice narration boxes from the Sovereign.

It's just. So bad. I want to make it clear that at no point is the Sovereign framed as an unreliable narrator, despite being the villain who's diametrically opposed to Diana. This just appears to be, Tom King's genuine take on things. I would ask if he understands that you cannot believe in peace and do nothing in the face of violent status quo, but I don't have to. Of course he doesn't. And of course he calls her an idiot while he's at it. Remind me, did he ever call Batman anything like that?

We then get more pathetic "Of course I want Diana to win, I'm still gonna serve with her enemies though" Steve Trevor. I should make it clear tho that he's not actually fighting against her, he's just watching the fight and updating Sargeant Steel.

Anyway, then we get a bit of narration that says:

"Infantry. Be it conscripts or... Well it's always just conscripts. If you can't do it from afar...Or with haste... Then get the grunts to rush in close and kill and die in what you will tell their children was a patriotic mission."

Tom King, stop processing your war trauma here. Any one of these soldiers could have stood down, they chose to enforce a genocidal policy. It's on them. Stop framing them as victims who were taken advantage of, they're grown adults who chose to be there.

Anyway. Another caption box from the still-inexplicably-narrating-this Sovereign:

"...And prepared to meet the onslaught of angry men with the grace of a princess born and proven."

I ask this again, did he ever treat Batman like this? Does he ever emphasise Batman's grace and frame him as being above anger? Why does Diana need to be like this?

And now for an unnecessary Macbeth reference.

"For some time the missiles rained down. No man of woman born could have survived such a salvo. But of course. She was neither a man nor born of woman. She was Amazon. Forged first of clay. Then steel."

I don't think this reference makes sense considering the line in Macbeth is a prophecy, a warning that Macbeth missed. But here it's a measure of power. She's powerful enough because she's not a man of woman born, which makes no sense because that has nothing to do with power. I'm nitpicking. Again. I know. But the Macbeth reference is such a shallow attempt at being badass. And as a sidenote, it should say "She was AN Amazon."

"Potty train." "A pup." God this dialogue is so bad. Amazons do not fucking speak like that.

Then Diana smashes a tank with another tank and there are cartoon stars on the impact sight. This is meant to be a serious battle, why are they there?

"Many people lie about your mother. About her family, her origins, her abilities, her wants her needs. Every tale of the great Wonder Woman provides us with more insight into the teller than into their supposed protagonist. They faithfully project their own fears onto her with the aspiration that her legend can ease their daily panic."

So close to self awareness and yet so far. It's so ironic.

"Men in the field, I admire your courage! I honor your service and your loyalty! I do not wish to harm you! But if you proceed... I will... Over and over... Drop a 55-ton abrams tank on your pathetic little heads!"

Again, why does she not seem to care about the violence they've committed against her and her people? Why does she continue to respect them and wish no harm upon them? Where's her sadness, her righteous fury? And the bit where she says she'll drop a tank on their "pathetic little heads" is so out of character and it's such bad dialogue. When Diana makes threats, it's not like that.

Anyway, y'know the flashback fight? Yeah, well, the issue ends with the reveal that her opponent is the Amazon that committed the massacre which kick started this whole thing, which is such a cheap retcon it makes me roll my eyes.

After all this, I think I put more thought into this post than Tom King puts into any of his writing. I hope the next issue isn't bad enough that it inspires me to do this again. I'm tired.

#diana prince #wonder woman #tom king #dc comics #wednesday spoilers #📨

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woltourney · 1 year

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ROUND 1 / SIDE A / POLL 4

Eleutherios (@trans-estinien) v. Katarh Mest (@katarh-mest)

Eleutherios:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Eleutherios, He/Him

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Unsundered Ancient

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. Currently (as of 5.3 onwards) Eleutherios' main job is Dark Knight

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. Eleutherios Azem on Sargatanas, Aether!

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. Have you ever thought "Huh, I wonder how the story of Final Fantasy XIV would change if Azem was never sundered?" WELL DO I HAVE THE WARRIOR OF LIGHT FOR YOU! Introducing Eleutherios! The lovable Azem who spent his days travelling Etheirys, caring for its people, and annoying the Convocation. Until everything fell apart, of course. On the eve of the Sundering, he denounced both the Convocation and Venat, choosing to find his own path to end the Final Days. Paths that didn't involve summoning gods or killing half of the star's population and then some. But Venat and the others had chosen their courses, and fate had been set. Now, Eleutherios should have died when Hydaelyn broke the world. But he did not. Why? Well, because of the timeline splitting in two. When? When a traveller from the future arrived in Elpis to learn the truth of the Final Days, of course. This traveller? Eleutherios himself. Hydaelyn had spared him from Her spell, making him Her chosen, in the same vein as the Unsundered Ascians being chosen to carry out Zodiark's will. Eleutherios believed the Ascians' plan to restore the world to what it once was foolish. Their people were dead. Nothing can fix that. They just have to push forward and make the best of the future they've been given. But his fellow Unsundered couldn't see this, trapped in their ideals of what the star should be. They needed to see it for what it is. But how could he expect the Convocation to do that, when the only one of them who ever seemed to care about the individual lives of the people was him? So someone has to fight for the new life springing up across the star. And thus began his great work. He's risen up to be the Warrior of Light countless times, over and over, for eons. With each Rejoining marking another failure. Time and time again he had to watch as everything he fought for was reduced to ash. Once, twice, seventh. It seemingly never ended. But what choice did he have? If he didn't fight against the Ascians, he was practically working for them by letting them get away with these atrocities. And so he carries onward as he's always done. But unbeknownst to him, this time was different. This time he meets the Scions of the Seventh Dawn. This time he travels to another Shard and manages to prevent a Rejoining. This time he isn't alone to face the second Final Days. This time, everything will finally be ok.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. "Well, I'll be honest with you, I don't mind if I win or not. I just like participating and getting to know everyone! Oh, and I'll promise I'll hold back, for their sake. Though if they're Warriors of Light I'm sure they'll all hold up just fine! But if you want a serious answer about why I specifically should win, then…" [Eleutherios takes a moment to think.] "I should win based off of the fact that I have eons more experience in this whole 'Warrior of Light' business than the rest of them do. I've been at it since the Sundering! Not to say that my many, many years of experience is needed to be a Warrior of Light, or that I'm better than the rest, which couldn't be further from the truth. I think we all stand equal, sundered or not."

q. Anything else you wanna add? a. I have so much more lore for Eleutherios and I had to cut down this introductory essay by a LOT. I'm currently working on an extended version which covers ALL of his lore. If you want more Eleutherios content just send me an ask on tumblr, or scroll through the [#eleutherios (azem)] and [#unsundered azem au] tags! I'm always happy to talk about him!!

Katarh Mest:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Katarh Mest, She/Her

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Highlander Hyur

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. Summoner/Scholar

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. Lamia

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. Katarh grew up in Ala Mihgo, and left to study at the conjurer's guild when she was about fifteen. She lived there happily until the city fell, and her parents were killed. All her sisters survived because they too were in other city states. She served in the battle of Cartenau for Gridania as a healer, but disappeared until one day she found herself right back outside the city gates. No one remembered her. And she had no memory of the last five years. Still, there's always someone in need of healing, and she quickly found herself back at the conjurer's guild, starting over from scratch. She didn't mean to become a hero. Not the first time, and not later on. She discovered the art of summoning after visiting one of her sisters in Limsa (who DID remember her, but had no clue where she had been for the last few years) and switched from being a conjurer to an arcanist full time. Sometimes heroes are just in the right place at the right time, or so she thought. She does it because it's the right thing to do, although she wishes that she could have a bit more time to herself some days. She's middle aged, tired, and cranky. She swears like a sailor (too much time in Limsa.) In her free time, she likes to fish.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. "I've seen some shit. And I'm probably old enough to be your mom. Of course I should win. Have you ever seen the size of the Nepto Dragon I hauled in two years ago?"

q. Anything else you wanna add? a. A WoL can be 45 and still be young at heart

#💎 round one #💎 shout #shadowbringers spoilers #endwalker spoilers

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japhan2024 · 5 months

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💛Smoshblr December Asks Final Day💙

We‘ve done it! We’ve finally reached the end of this lil ask game and also the end of 2023! 🥳 Thank you so much for joining in on this, I truly appreciate it so much 🫶! I wish you a wonderful start into the new year and that all your hopes and dreams for 2024 will come true! ✨💞

But, since the year isn’t quite over yet, I thought this might be a nice time to reminisce a little bit. Therefore, the final question of the Smoshblr December Asks Game:

What are your favourite smosh-related memories of 2023? 💖

(no specific amount required for this one; and you can ofc also include older smosh memories, if you want to 🤗)

Stella!! I'm so gonna miss getting your asks every day in my inbox T_T thank you so much for making this month extra special and festive, it was absolutely wonderful waking up knowing there would be a new one waiting!!! <3

My favorite Smosh-related memory? Well, idk, I read a really great fanfic, but it was a bit out there, a bit too sentimental and unrealistic... it goes like this:

Friendship always wins

The sun scorched the suburbs of Sacramento. The neighborhood looked like if a stock photo had a heroine problem. Bored out of their minds, two sixth graders got grouped together for a school project.

"Here, let me draw some turds on the trash pile."

"I'll add flies."

"Hehehe, yeah that looks better."

The two kids, Ian and Anthony, connected through their shared humor, which ranged from Beavis and Butthead to Home Alone to Southpark, and to whatever was on the internet in that godforsaken time pre-2005.

The oldest one, Anthony, came from a broken home. He had to grow up fast and take care of his siblings and mom. The only times he could really be a kid and fuck around, was with his best friend Ian. Feeling nurtured by Ian's mom and dad, and constantly laughing at Ian's jokes, his happiness was there, with Ian. He could get through working hard, as long as he had Ian to go back to and have fun.

Their nerdy friend group were all into internet humor and Anthony came up with the idea of having a forum for them all to shitpost on and share their creations and collaborate.

But then he got sick. Really sick. He couldn't go to school, had to stay home for six months. He felt so isolated, not seeing his friends, most of all Ian. But Ian showed up at his house with a get well soon card. It was signed by everyone from his class. He could cry, he was so happy with this symbol of friendship. It kept him going the rest of the months. He put his time and energy into coding and learning how to do graphic design.

Smosh was born and it took off. First the website was just for them; Ian, Anthony, and their friends. It had stuff like articles, memes and videos. But soon the whole school was frequenting the site. News traveled outside the school even, and before they knew it, Smosh was an internet phenomenon. After they graduated, Ian and Anthony chose to keep the website going. Just for fun. And they got some money from merch they would distribute themselves.

One day, they saw that one of their videos was pirated and hosted on some new platform: YouTube. That gave them an idea: why not host all their videos there? It was free after all. Being at the right place at the right time, with the right kind of humor and the right kind of raw talent, Smosh was propelled to be one of the biggest YouTube channels there were. They even became the biggest one. However, with success also comes vultures, ready to take everything from you...

A company introduced themselves to Ian and Anthony and promised them the world: give Smosh to us, and you will only have to worry about making videos. We will take care of everything else. It sounded too good to be true. And sadly, it was. For even though at first, Ian and Anthony had more fun than ever, coming up with bigger and funnier videos than ever, they soon found out they were not in control anymore.

Anthony, who had always fought to stay in control of things; his family, his health, his whole life... it was very hard to see his creation being contorted and mutilated into something he didn't want it to be. And he grew to hate it. That hate spread everywhere, even towards his best friend, who kept trying to tell him "man, let's take the losses and be happy we have this job, we could have still been in Sacramento with nowhere to go."

But Anthony had had it.

"Ian, come with me, let's start a new channel, just the two of us."

"Anthony... I can't. It doesn't make any sense business wise. I know it's not ideal, but please, Anthony, stay?"

After years and years of putting his all into the company, Anthony couldn't do it anymore. He quit Smosh, and a shockwave went through the entire fandom that had built around it.

Smosh was still going. But you see, money and power got involved, and Ian and Anthony had lost sight of each other... they tried to hold on, you could see it clear as day, but they were ripped apart by the greed of the soulless company, which is a tautology, if you think about it.

Both guys were heartbroken. Still sneaking glances at each other, but not able to speak. Too much had happened between them.

And then the company went bankrupt and Smosh was in mortal danger. Ian, who had fought to keep the brand alive ever since Anthony left, fought as hard as he could to find someone to buy it, who wouldn't just sell it off for parts like an old car. Luckily, a YouTuber duo who knew Smosh from afar, stepped in and saved the day. Thanks to them and to Ian, Smosh survived. But was it really still Smosh? What was Smosh if it wasn't Ian and Anthony?

In the meantime, Anthony had rebooted his personal YouTube channel and through trial and error found success. Nothing like Smosh, of course, but impressive nonetheless.

Apart from each other, Ian and Anthony persevered. But they were still heartbroken and in need of something. That something was each other of course. And finally, years later, they met again. And they were both surprised. They had both healed and grown enough to see each other and talk freely, like adults. And they were surprised to see how well they still clicked.

It was like they were the same friends they had been all those years ago, but eve better. The slogan they had come up with all those years, finally rang true again, more than it had ever done. Friendship always wins.

And as they reconnected more and more, one faithful day, one of them said..

"what if we bought Smosh?"

And at that moment, their family was no longer broken, they were reunited and Anthony suddenly had a lot more 'kids' to take care of. But he was so happy, so happy to be with Ian again. He was finally fulfilled.

#smoshblr december asks #smosh #fanfic #ianthony

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captain-of-misery · 18 days

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Baneath the Silent Stars

Chapter 1: Mystery Knight

Summary: A mystery knight won the tourney, only to reveal himself as the most unexpected visitor. Prince Aenar Targaryen, youngest brother of King Viserys and Prince Daemon. And the man who crowned Alicent Hightower the Queen of Love and Beauty.

Warnings: violence, mentions of sex, Aenar being a bad dancer

Aemma lives, btw.

Words: 6.1k

Tourneys were never Alicent’s favorite. In fact, she found them quite boring and also disturbing at times. The men behaved like brutes, hungry for a fight and she wanted to run away and hide whenever there was as much as one drop of blood being shed. But she had to be there. As a member of King Viserys’ court and Princess Rhaenyra’s closest confidant, she didn’t just have to be there, but she got a front row seat in the royal box. A blessing and a curse.

But this time, there was one man who stood out. He sat on a dark stallion, wore a grim, black armor decorated with red. And the cape on his right shoulder, like a cloth dipped in blood, was carried by the wind whenever he lunged forward and clashed with his fellow knights. He was as silent as the night and as unyielding as its darkest hour.

“A mystery knight?” Rhaenyra asked. Unlike Alicent, the Princess quite enjoyed watching all those brave men fight.

“It appears so,” Lady Alicent answered. “He calls himself the ‘Knight of Silent Stars,’ but you would know that if you weren’t late. Again.”

“Not like I care. You sound just like my mother when she scolds me,” The Princess Rhaenyra said and as she spoke, the mystery knight unhorsed his opponent. “Seems like he has quite a talent.”

“That’s the fourth knight he has unhorsed so far.”

“I wonder who he might be. Maybe he is rather handsome under all that armor,” Rhaenyra giggled, causing Alicent to release a sigh in response. And there was the reason Rhaenyra enjoyed tourneys far more than her friend.

“That armor has the colors of House Targaryen,” The Lady Alicent stated her observation. “Do you know him? Could that be Prince Daemon?”

“Targaryen?” Rhaenyra leaned forward in her seat, taking a good look at the knight. “He does not look like Daemon, his armor is different too. I have no idea who else that might be.”

“I suppose we shall see then.”

The tourney went on. The crowd cheered as the knights continued to compete against each other. By the commands of King Viserys, First of His Name, it was a grand affair with many great houses and noteworthy representatives present. Still, an event that Alicent would have much preferred to avoid.

But despite her lack of enthusiasm for such unnecessary violence, Alicent watched one man with growing interest. The Knight of Silent Stars. What a curious name. Somehow, Alicent always found mystery knights a bit intriguing. She couldn’t help the wonder that washed over about who he might be. The son of a lord, maybe? Or maybe he is a commoner, that’s why he didn’t dare show his face.

The Knight of Silent Stars unhorsed opponent after opponent and Alicent found herself more and more in awe. He really was silent, true to his name. He never said a word, just kept fighting with grace and honor. No, he was certainly not a commoner. There was something to him, he held himself almost like royalty.

At some point, Alicent began to hope he would win. Finally, there was a knight who fought with honor and respect, truly a rare sight. But there was one more opponent left: Prince Daemon himself. Well, at least now it was certain that the mystery knight and Daemon were not the same person.

Alicent felt a sense of worry. Daemon was never known for playing fair. As the Prince and the knight readied themselves for the clash of horses and lances, Rhaenyra reached for Alicent’s hand, reminding her to stop picking the skin around her fingernails. She hadn’t even noticed that she was doing it.

“The Knight of Silent Stars?” Prince Daemon scoffed, trying to intimidate the mystery knight. “That’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard.”

But there was no answer from the other side and before Daemon could have said more insults, the joust began. Alicent held her breath, her fingers trembling as she watched.

The two men lowered their lances, aiming them at each other before they clashed and Alicent had to close her eyes. She heard the sound of metal slamming against the ground and hundreds, possibly thousands of gasps.

When Alicent finally dared to look, she saw Prince Daemon lying on the ground, cursing to himself in High Valyrian, and the Knight of Silent Stars still seated on his horse. Alicent expected a more violent reaction from Daemon, but it didn’t happen. Perhaps the Prince knew something.

The crowd cheered, congratulating the mystery knight on his victory. Yet, he remained quiet. His first action was to gallop to the royal box on his horse and give the King, his family, and the important lords and ladies a bow. How honorable of him.

And then a wreath of beautiful flowers was placed on the tip of the knight’s lance. He won and now he was to choose his Queen of Love and Beauty, it was within his right as the tourney champion. From behind his helmet, Alicent could barely make out a pair of eyes. First, his gaze landed on Queen Aemma. She would have been a fine and polite choice, but then he looked at Rhaenyra, another respectable choice. He stared for a moment, his gaze shifting for a moment and Alicent could swear she saw his eyes widen.

Oh no. Not me. Please, not me. Choose Rhaenyra or anyone else, but not me.

He raised his lance almost agonizingly slowly, as if he was purposefully torturing all the ladies present, and dropped the wreath on the lap of Lady Alicent Hightower.

Alicent stared at the flowers on her thighs, her mouth and eyes open in shock. It was flattering, really, no one had ever chosen her as their Queen of Love and Beauty. The mystery knight’s attention was a welcomed one and Alicent almost wanted to giggle. However, she knew that everyone else was looking too, her own father included and Alicent didn’t like that.

“Seems like someone has a fan,” Rhaenyra giggled, grasping her friend’s arm affectionately and Alicent’s blush only deepened. She could hear someone from behind saying that the knight made a fine choice. Hopefully, her father wouldn’t be too bothered by it.

Alicent reached for the wreath on her lap, her quivering and bloody fingertips brushing against the flower petals. She finally looked at her mystery knight who was staring right up at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but her lips were trembling. “Thank you,” She mumbled under her breath and it was a miracle if the knight could hear her at all. Still, he offered her a deep bow.

Finally, King Viserys stood from his seat, addressing the mystery knight. “You have fought bravely and earned your victory, Ser. Might we know who you are?”

For a moment, the knight stayed silent, remaining true to his fashion. “I am no Ser,” He said, his smooth, raspy voice certainly causing a shiver to run down every lady’s spine. Alicent’s included. She watched with keen interest, eager to learn the identity of this knight. He crowned her his Queen of Love and Beauty, so of course she wished to know who he was.

The Knight of Silent stars reached for his helmet, his armored fingers attempting to take it off. Thick locks of silver hair poured down to his shoulders and his gaze went immediately to the royal box. He glanced at a beautiful lady of auburn hair and sparkling brown eyes for a moment longer than he should have before finally gracing the King with his attention. “I am a prince.”

The King stared at the knight with his mouth hanging open, his expression quickly turning from shock to joy as he recognized the young dashing man. “Aenar! Brother!”

The King’s brother. The youngest one, not Daemon. Alicent had heard of Prince Aenar before. A few years ago, when the King and Rhaenyra had an argument, the Princess went to the Dragonpit and flew to Dragonstone on Syrax’s back. There her youngest uncle welcomed her with open arms and he made sure she returned shortly and safely, for which Alicent was very grateful. After that, Rhaenyra spent all day talking about him and Alicent almost believed that her friend had a crush on her uncle. Other than that, not much else was known about the young Targaryen prince. No scandals, no rumors, and no nothing. Sometimes Alicent wondered if he existed at all or Rhaenyra made him up to mess with her friend.

It was said that they grew up together, Rhaenyra and Aenar. Of course, Aenar was a few years older than her, but wherever little Rhaenyra went, Prince Aenar followed to make sure she wouldn’t get into too much trouble. The Princess often described her youngest uncle as the sweetest man in the Realm with a slight twist of Targaryen cheekiness.

But how could Alicent know that?

Certainly, she was intrigued by the mysterious Prince, especially after he made her his Queen of Love and Beauty. It didn’t help that he looked into her eyes earlier at the tourney. Gods, even recalling the memory caused her heart to skip a beat. Even from the field, his gaze was as piercing as a dragon’s fire.

Naturally, as it was common during King Viserys’ reign, a feast followed the jousting. A wave of nervousness washed over the young Hightower when she glanced at the empty seat next to her. On her other side was Rhaenyra, who was sitting next to Queen Aemma, followed by the King in the middle, then her father, the Lord Hand, and the other members of the small council.

Perhaps Prince Aenar wouldn't come at all. Maybe he left. Maybe he was currently somewhere else, doing whatever men do after a day of jousting. Men liked to do their own thing and Targaryen men were even worse, Alicent knew that. Prince Aenar was probably roaming the Street of Silk, doing only the Gods know what men are up to there. Alicent didn’t know what that was exactly, only that it was no place for a delicate young maiden like her. She had asked her father about it once, but was met with only a cold, disapproving stare, like the ones he gives her whenever she spends too much time around Rhaenyra or mentions Prince Daemon by accident. Alicent knew better than to ask again.

“My favorite niece!” Alicent heard an unfamiliar voice from behind and her heart was suddenly beating three times faster than it normally would. She watched as Rhaenyra turned to take a look toward the source.

“Uncle Aenar!” The Princess stood from her seat to greet her uncle. “I am your only niece.”

In the meantime, Alicent also stood up, but she kept her gaze off of the Prince. A man with such fighting prowess must be intimidating and fearsome, not someone Alicent would want to anger. But why didn’t he enter through the main doors? Maybe he just didn’t like attention, Alicent would understand that. She didn’t like using the main doors either. Too many eyes, too much attention.

“Well, that is exactly why you are my favorite,” The Prince continued and Alicent could hear the cheerfulness in his tone, still not having the courage to actually look at him. “If I had another niece, I fear your position as my favorite would be under great threat.” He pulled Rhaenyra into an embrace and pressed a kiss against her forehead. “I only jest, dear. The world wouldn’t survive another girl like you.” This time, his voice was softer, lighter, filled with a strange warmth that made Alicent’s stomach flutter.

“And who is this lovely lady?” Aenar asked as he turned to Alicent. Despite what the Prince did at the end of the tourney, this was their first time speaking to each other. Alicent couldn’t recall ever meeting him before.

“My name is Alicent Hightower, Your Grace.” There was a deep blush on her face as she answered, a clear indication of her nervousness around him. She bowed to him, her gaze still fixed on the floor.

“Lady Alicent,” The Prince said and when Alicent dared to look at his face, she saw that he was smiling at her. And oh, his eyes were mesmerizing. Like jade, green with a hint of brown. Alicent almost didn’t notice when he reached for her hand, his touch almost as delicate as a feather. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a small kiss against it while looking into her eyes. By this point, Alicent thought she would faint. Her heart hammered in her chest and her face was redder than the wine they served at the feast.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, my Lady. I hope I didn’t disrespect you today,” He continued with a sweet, charming smile on his face and gently let go of her hand. Alicent wanted to answer, but never in her wildest dreams did she expect to be in a situation like this. First, a handsome young prince wins the tourney and crowns her Queen of Love and Beauty. And if that wasn’t already something out of a fairy tale, he was now talking to her. Gods . He even kissed her hand. She really hoped that her father wasn’t watching. She would certainly receive a lecture after the feast about the importance of resisting the charms of handsome men.

And Prince Aenar was certainly charming.

However, he must have noticed Alicent’s unease. His smile disappeared for a moment, almost as if he was desperately trying to come up with something before he continued. “I am pleased to know that Rhaenyra had someone to look after her in my absence. Tell me, has she given you much trouble? I’m quite sure she has.” In the meantime, they all took their seats with Rhaenyra and Aenar on each side of the young and frightened Alicent Hightower.

“She is a troublemaker indeed,” Alicent said with a polite smile, doing her best to not create an unpleasant atmosphere. But, Gods, she hoped he would not attempt anything dishonorable with her. Targaryen princes are not exactly known for being honorable.

“Did you two form an alliance against me or something?” Rhaenyra whined from Alicent’s other side.

The Prince chuckled in response. “We don’t need to. You brought this upon herself. I remember when Viserys was still a prince and we all lived on Dragonstone. If it wasn’t for me, the dragons would have eaten you.”

“Imagine explaining that to my father. But then he became king, you went to Driftmark, and I needed someone else to drag into trouble. That’s when Alicent came and took over your job.”

“She gets into a lot of trouble, my prince. Some days I can’t keep her out of it. The other day, she was late from a small council meeting because she much prefers to ride her dragon.” Alicent giggled and then she turned to Aenar. She gazed into his eyes and for a moment, she found herself breathless by the sight of those two jade orbs. Again. The smile he gave her was like honey. Sweet enough to charm any lady and Alicent had a feeling that Aenar’s presence would become the cause of much trouble in the future.

“Then thank the Gods for giving us Lady Alicent,” The Prince chuckled again and Alicent could feel her cheeks heat up. “What would my little niece do without you?”

Alicent had no time to answer, not like she knew what to say, but they were approached by the son of some distant lord. “Princess Rhaenyra, might I have this dance?”

The Princess turned to Alicent, giving her an annoyed look before she looked at the man asking her to dance again. “Of course.” And with that, Rhaenyra rose from her seat and made her way to the dance floor.

Anxiety rose in Alicent’s stomach as she was left alone with Prince Aenar. For a minute, neither of them spoke and the awkwardness in the air was so thick they could have cut it with a knife. The silence between them was deafening.

Both Alicent and Aenar returned to their plates, taking a few bites and sipping wine before the Prince cleared his throat and took a deep breath, addressing the young woman next to him. “Do you like to dance, Lady Alicent?”

Alicent’s eyes widened slightly at the Aenar’s question, a part of her hoping that he wouldn’t ask her and another that he would. Her eyes were still fixed on her plate as she answered his question. “I do, my prince.”

“I don’t,” Aenar said and then raised his cup to take a sip of his wine. If he doesn’t like to dance, then why did he bother to ask? “I wouldn’t ask a lady to dance with me unless I was really interested in her. Sadly, I can already sense some eagerness from a few ladies at this dreadful feast.”

“Dreadful? You dislike feasts?” Alicent couldn’t say that she had a liking for feasts either. At least Rhaenyra made them feel tolerable. Well, when she wasn’t busy dancing with some lord.

“Never was much interested in them. While I quite like music, it is too loud. And there are far too many people for my liking. I only came for the food,” Aenar admitted, causing Alicent to chuckle. Maybe he wasn’t so bad, after all.

“The food certainly makes it more tolerable, Your Grace. And it is quite honorable that you would not dance with a lady unless you had a genuine interest in her. Not everyone shares the same sentiment.”

“It is unfortunate, really,” The Prince turned his gaze from Alicent and his eyes searched the room. There were many lords, ladies, and knights present. He took a good look at each of them, taking note of how some of the guests present were staring back at him. He knew why. A Targaryen prince, a man grown. He won a joust and he was handsome. The lords of the Realm are eager to wed their daughters and granddaughters to him for the sake of political advantage. “People in King’s Landing can be so…shallow. I have forgotten what it’s like.”

“When was the last time you were here?” Alicent asked him. “I don’t remember ever seeing you.”

He smiled at her, but there was a hint of sadness in his expression. “Well, I was here when my brother got crowned and before that, when my father died and yours became Hand.”

Alicent immediately regretted her question. And speaking of Hands, Otto Hightower suddenly appeared in front of them, looking quite displeased. “Your Grace,” He greeted the Prince in his usual stern, gloomy voice. “I see you and my daughter have become acquainted.”

“Oh, yes, Lord Otto. I was just telling your lovely daughter about how a follower of the Seven would remain true to their faith in and outside of the Sept,” Aenar said with a broad smile and Alicent couldn’t help the blush that deepened her already red cheeks. Well, this Aenar Targaryen seemed like quite a bold man. She didn’t even pay much attention to what he was saying because only the word ‘lovely’ kept repeating itself in her mind. Right in front of her father.

“You see, my lady,” Aenar turned his attention back to Alicent with newfound interest while Otto Hightower watched and listened. What was the Prince trying to achieve with this? “Many go to the Sept often, some every day, but as soon as they come outside, they go back to sin and dishonor. If they actually believed in the Gods, they would not need to spend half of their lives praying on their knees, begging for forgiveness because of whatever they committed. They would simply live by the teachings of the Seven and behave with honor and diligence.”

Alicent felt something beneath her feet. She quickly glanced under the table and saw that it was Prince Aenor bouncing his leg up and down. By the Gods, the Prince was nervous! Alicent almost chuckled. This was quite endearing and Alicent felt a sense of understanding wash over her. She had her own nervous habit and seeing that such a strong, brave, and handsome prince was trembling beneath the table made her feel a little less alone and a little more normal. But what was making him so nervous?

Otto raised an eyebrow and Alicent couldn’t yet tell if her father was amused or currently trying to make Aenar stay away from her. “I must say, Prince Aenar, you are quite right. However, do you go to the Sept often?”

“Sometimes,” Aenar answered. “As I said, I don’t need to spend my entire day praying.”

“And why is that, my prince?”

“I often see people asking the Gods for help. Instead of working for what they want, they think that the Gods will give it to them if they pray often enough. The only times I go to the Sept are when I want to show gratitude.”

“So you would rather work than beg the Seven for a blessing?” The Hand asked and the Prince only nodded in response. Lord Otto maintained a neutral expression, but Alicent could tell he was impressed by what Aenar said. He was simply too proud to admit it. “We go to the Grand Sept quite often. Perhaps Prince Aenar would like to join us?”

The Prince remained silent, quite obviously uninterested in joining Otto, for which Alicent really couldn’t blame him. But perhaps he would like to join Alicent. The lady was sweet, perhaps a little nervous, but Aenar didn’t mind that. The other ladies stared at him as if he was a prey during a hunt, so Alicent’s more reserved nature was like a cooling breeze during summer. And she was quite comely as well. He was yet to take a good look at her, but Alicent’s doe eyes made his heart beat a little faster whenever she gathered enough courage to stare directly into his.

So it was either both or neither.

Gods damn it, Aenar. You brought this upon yourself.

Aenar smiled, most likely out of politeness and finally gave the Hand the answer he desired. “Of course, Lord Otto. I would be delighted to join you.”

“You honor me, Your Grace. Well, then I’ll leave you two. Enjoy the feast.”

Alicent released a sigh of relief as soon as her father was at a far enough distance. However, she couldn’t help but ask Aenar a small question. “How did you know he is religious? My father, I mean.”

“From my brother,” He admitted. “Daemon has told me much about him.”

Alicent couldn’t say she was delighted to hear that, but then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Princess Rhaenyra motioning for her. “F-forgive me, I think Rhaenyra wants something.”

Prince Aenar gave her a nod and Alicent left to join her friend. While the Prince remained in his seat and was about to happily indulge himself in the contents of his place, he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

“Little brother,” King Viserys said, a warm smile gracing his features. He sat down on Alicent’s chair, giving Aenar his full attention. Being called little brother brought a strange warmth to Aenar’s heart. He missed his family dearly. “You fill my chest with pride. Good job at the tourney today.”

Aenar would be lying if he said he didn’t like his brother’s praise. “Thank you, brother. I was hoping to make you proud.”

“Your return to King’s Landing has been well-received,” Viserys informed his youngest brother. “If you wish to stay, we would be more than happy to have you.”

Aenar nodded, pleased by the idea of remaining in King’s Landing, at least for a while. “I would like that. We have been apart for too long. I wish to stay by your side, brother, and aid you in any way I can.”

“Good,” Viserys said with a smile, delighted by Aenar’s response. He didn’t expect anything less from the prince, knowing he was more dutiful than Daemon ever was. “I could always use more people I can trust. You should accompany me to the small council meetings and then we’ll see if there are any tasks for you.”

“That sounds wonderful, thank you.”

Then there were some giggles, catching the attention of both the Prince and the King. Aenar was met with several pairs of eyes gazing at him, all of them belonging to a group of gossipping women. Aenar couldn’t help but feel uneasy from the attention, but then Viserys turned back to his brother, now with something cheeky in his expression. “It seems like you have caught the ladies’ attention.”

Aenar rolled his eyes, visibly unhappy by the attention. “Yeah, I certainly have.”

Viserys laughed in return, leaning closer to his brother. “Aenar, this is every man’s dream!” It was almost every man’s dream, Aenar thought to himself. Certainly not his.

Aenar never liked whores. Daemon brought him to a pleasure house as soon as he was old enough and he already decided that he would avoid the Street of Silk for the rest of his life. Of course, he was no saint, he had his conquests. Not as many as some people thought he had, but still, Aenar had known a few women in his life, as was expected of a prince.

He liked to work for the ladies and had little respect for those who simply threw themselves at his feet. Of course, he understood why they did it. But the harder he worked for a lady, the sweeter she was.

And Aenar loved sweet women. He’s just never met any worthy of his affections.

“Yours, perhaps. Quite honestly, brother, I would much prefer to take a lady wife,” The young prince admitted and he could see the shock and then the joy on his brother’s face.

“You do? Well, that is a pleasant surprise! Finally, a brother who wishes to do his duty. If you’d like, I could arrange a potential match for you. Or is there anyone who has caught your eye, little brother?”

Aenor’s eyes widened in horror. His brother made it sound like he would wed Aenar to the first suitable lady in a fortnight. “Hold your horses, Viserys, I’ve only just returned. I will keep my eyes open and let you know if there is anyone. I am not in a rush.”

Pursing his lips, Viserys nodded. “Of course. But do let me know if you have found yourself a bride and remember that you are a prince of the Seven Kingdoms. Your lady wife must be of high birth. A maiden befitting your station.”

“I understand. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Good,” Viserys stood and patted his brother on the back. “Now enjoy yourself, Aenar. You deserve it.” The King returned to his seat and Aenar was left alone once again.

The Prince went back to his plate with the hopes of no one disturbing him. He really was just here for the food and, so far, he barely managed to get a few bites. After a minute or two, he reached for his cup and raised it to his lips, taking a sip of his wine.

As Aenar drank, he saw two figures from the corner of his eye. When he put the cup down and looked, he noticed that Lord Jason Lannister was talking to Lady Alicent Hightower, the very woman he crowned as his Queen of Love and Beauty.

Well, shit.

Now Aenar really had a chance to look at her and what a beauty she was. Had he known that Viserys had such beautiful ladies at his court, he would have returned to King’s Landing sooner.

From what Aenar could tell, Alicent was undeniably the most comely girl at court. She had a sweet smile and eyes with a light in them that could melt even the coldest hearts. When he first saw her during the tourney, he almost called the Maesters because his knees started bending on their own.

With or without Aenar crowning her, Alicent was desirable. She was a highborn lady with looks unmatched and as the Prince watched Jason Lannister talk to her, he couldn’t help but feel jealous.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have crowned her. He didn’t think of it when it happened, but now Aenar realized that it would only attract more suitors for Alicent. If a prince of House Targaryen thought she was good enough, then she was good enough for every other man as well.

Of course, it all made sense now. The young maiden seemed visibly uncomfortable by Lord Lannister’s presence and Aenar saw that she was fidgeting with her fingers.

Aenar did like her. Of course, she didn’t know her well yet. But, so far, she was the most promising lady in all of King’s Landing. He couldn’t deny that he was pretty and her nervousness around him was quite endearing. Aenar could also sense some playfulness from her, which only made her more appealing to him.

Tonight, if Aenar had to dance with anyone, it would be Alicent.

He glanced down at his food with a twinge of sadness, then he sighed and stood from the table. He might regret this later.

Aenar walked past the long table and he could swear he saw Viserys and Aemma giving each other a knowing look as he walked to where Alicent and the Lannister man were standing.

The lady was certainly trying to be polite, but Lord Jason had her cornered. Aenar had the displeasure of knowing him, so he really couldn’t blame Alicent for not wanting to be anywhere near him, but the man had a habit of bothering the fair maidens.

Aenar smiled to himself. Now he would become her knight in shining armor, her Prince Charming. For some odd reason, he quite liked the idea.

“And then there was this diamond necklace I had made for my mother-” As he approached, Aenar cleared his throat, cutting off the Lannister Lord mid-sentence.

“Lady Alicent,” Aenar said with a smile and nodded to the young lady.

“Yes, my prince?” Alicent sounded almost relieved to see him. If she had to choose between Prince Aenar and Lord Jason, he wouldn’t hesitate to run to Aenar’s arms. Maybe the Prince was a little grumpy and he was…unique, to say the least, but at least he was respectful and definitely more pleasant than Jason Lannister.

Aenar cleared his throat again. In fact, he cleared his throat so well that he ended up having to cough.

“Your Grace, are you unwell?” Jason Lannister turned to Aenar and asked, his voice having a slight mocking tone to it.

“No, no, Lord Jason. I assure you, I am alright.” Aenar gave the Lannister lord a small, forced smile before finally turning to Alicent, completely ignoring the man standing beside him. “Lady Alicent. Would you honor me with a dance?”

Alicent’s eyes widened in surprise. But…didn’t the Prince say that he disliked dancing? That he would only dance with a woman if he was really interested in her? “I-” She tried to find the right words, but she was too stunned. Did this mean that he had some interest in her? Or was he just trying to help her escape from the grasps of Jason Lannister? Either way, Aenar was her way out. “Yes!” Alicent said with more enthusiasm than she intended and she quickly regained her composure, giving the Prince a proper answer. “Of course, my Prince. I would be honored to dance with you.”

With a smile, Aenar extended a strong hand for her and Alicent gladly took it, leaving Jason Lannister all by himself. Prince Aenar led her to the dance floor and Alicent couldn’t help but once again feel surprised by the tenderness of his touch. As they came to a stop and turned toward each other, Alicent noticed how tall and strong Aenar was for the first time. A man like him could protect her from any harm. The thought was giving her butterflies in the stomach.

Aenar gulped as he put one hand on Alicent’s waist and held hers with the other. Gods, he wasn’t exactly the most graceful dancer. He was tense and nervous, and he did take dance lessons when he was younger, but he found it difficult to feel at ease and truly enjoy himself.

He looked down and saw that Alicent was smiling at him. Strangely, it made him feel a little less tense. The song began and so did their dance. Aenar was clumsy at first, while Alicent moved swiftly and lightly, each of her movements confirming that she was, indeed, a true lady. He tried to match her elegance and, to his surprise, quickly got the hang of it. He silently thanked the Seven for making him a fast learner.

However, the silence between them was slightly unpleasant and Aenar never liked awkward silences, so he began to talk. “I apologize, my Lady. I couldn’t allow Lord Lannister to bore you with…well, himself. The man can be quite egoistical.”

Alicent smiled at his comment, finding it quite amusing. If there was one thing certain about life, it was that Jason Lannister bragged about anything and everything regarding himself. “He certainly is. I don’t know what I would have done if I had to listen to a story about another one of his grand purchases.”

“Pay him no mind. He is not worthy of your attention.” Oh? But perhaps the Prince was?

Her cheeks flushed and she suddenly felt herself becoming a little nervous too upon noticing how close they were to each other. Prince Aenar’s body radiated warmth and strength and even Alicent couldn’t stay immune to it. She wondered how many of the other ladies were watching them, envious of her current position. “Thank you for coming to my rescue, Your Grace. You really didn’t have to do it, I know you don’t like to dance.” She felt grateful for what he had done for her and she felt touched by the gesture.

“Well, you were in trouble. I would be a terrible knight if I ignored a lady in distress.”

“Was I? Lord Jason and I were just talking. I would hardly call that trouble or distress.”

“You mean, he was talking and you were listening and smiling along.” His comment made both of them laugh and Aenar felt his breath get caught in his throat. It was as if he listened to the sound of all seven heavens at once. “Your laugh…and your smile...”

She looked at him, with that same, beautiful smile. Aenar had never seen such light, such magic in his life. “What of them, Your Grace?”

He instantly regretted it. He wanted to say something nice, to compliment her, to make her feel good, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to say it. “Nothing.” As Aenar spoke, the song and the dance came to an end. He could see the slight disappointment in Alicent’s eyes. He knew that he had made some awkward mistakes tonight and he didn’t know why, but he wanted to make up for them. “My Lady.” His cheeks were already flushed and he found it difficult to maintain eye contact with Alicent, partly because he was anxious, but mainly because he felt captivated by her.

“Yes, my Prince?” My Prince . Now that he thought of it, Aenar quite liked hearing it from her lips.

“I just wanted you to know that,” He paused for a moment, looked away and then back to Alicent. “I did see that you were uncomfortable in Lord Lannister’s presence, for which I cannot blame you, but…I-I wanted to dance with you.”

“Oh,” Alicent made a small sound. It was…surprising, to say the least. While Alicent knew she was fortunate enough to come from a good family, she didn’t feel like she was worthy enough of the attention of a prince. “I…Thank you. I am flattered, Your Grace.”

“Perhaps, you would honor me with another dance?” He offered his hand to her again, his smile warm and charming. “I promise I won’t step on your toes.”

She laughed and reached for his hand once more. “I would like that very much.”

#alicent hightower #hotd alicent #alicent hightower x oc #alicent hightower x male oc #alicent x oc #alicent x male oc #aenar targaryen oc

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