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itspbandjellytime · 1 month

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"The Assistant" [Hailee Steinfeld x Fem!Reader] - Chapter 2

Plot: Y/N Waldorf is fresh out of college and her first job is being Hailee Steinfeld's personal assistant, but what Y/N doesn't know is that Hailee is hiding a huge secret from the general public and from her, as her assistant.

Notes: This is a multi-chapter fic, you can also read this on wattpad under the same username "itspbandjellytime". This fanfic is also going to contain NSFW themes in the near future, so if you're under the age of 18 please don't read this. Thank you! If you haven't read chapter 1, here's chapter 1: Chapter 1

Word count: 2k words

[Y/N POV]

Few days have passed since I've moved from Washington to California for this job and stay with Jackie temporarily, I didn't realize that living with your friend could be this fun. I've never had any roommates or anything when I was living in Washington and studying, well I have Kelly who visits me from time to time but things get a little bit lonely when you're not with people. For my case, not anymore.

Jackie and I spent our days going out to eat, look around the city, and talk about stuff that we needed to catch up on before the big day, which is me starting my job as Hailee's personal assistant. I still like to think that this whole ordeal is a fever dream, cause there is no way in hell or heaven that I got a job as her personal assistant. And of course, I decided to dress nice even though Laura didn't e-mail me about the dress code, I still need to look my best when I am face to face with Hailee Steinfeld. I put on a pair of slacks and a pair of black high heels and a while long sleeve button down shirt, my hair is down and I added some light make up and jewelry to make myself a little bit mature and presentable.

"So how do I look?" I asked Jackie, a smile forms on Jackie's face seeing how well put my outfit is "You look amazing! One more thing." Jackie says, standing up from the couch to roll my sleeves up so my forearms are exposed "Better, you look like a Victorian boy with the sleeves down. And I bet it's gonna turn your boss off." Jackie says, jokingly which I rolled my eyes and gently slapping her arm.

"Jackie, I am not there to turn my boss on." I said, chuckling as I straightened my clothes. I checked my phone and my eyes widened to see that it's already 9:25 am, Laura expects me to be at the building around 10:30 am. I start to panic and pace around to grab the essentials that I needed from the counter top, which concerned Jackie a little bit "Y/N, you good?" She asks me.

"I just realized that it's already 9:25, Laura expects me to be there around 10:30." I explained to Jackie, Jackie walks up to me again and asks me "Do you want me to drive you to the office?" Thank God, I became friends with this woman from stan twitter. If I wasn't friends with Jackie, I'd be living on the street by now. "Please!" I said in a dramatic tone, making us both laugh.

Jackie didn't bother glamming up, since she's just gonna drop me off the building I will be meeting Hailee. Jackie just threw in a pair of sweatpants underneath her old gym shorts and a jacket, she grabbed her keys, phone, and wallet patting my back "Alright, I'm set. Let's roll." Jackie says heading out of the apartment, and I followed suite.

After braving the Los Angeles traffic, and a few road rages from Jackie here and there, we managed to arrive at the building at around 10:25. I wouldn't say it was picture perfect but, at least I am not late. I got out of Jackie's car and stared at the huge building in front of me, I turned around and waved goodbye to Jackie before she headed back to her apartment.

My hands start to shake and my legs start trembling, I can already feel the nervousness rushing through my veins as I look at the building right in front of me. I take a deep breath and proceed to enter the building. I walked up to the front desk with a confident smile on my face, my eyes fixate on the name plate the front desk lady has and back at her "Hi, I am here to see Laura McKinnon?" I said in a costumer service-y voice.

When all of a sudden, this woman came out of the elevator, she's blonde and has green eyes, and is also wearing something that a mix of casual and corporate. She's walking up to me with a warm smile on her face, turns out that woman is Laura "Y/N, it's nice to meet you in person. Miss Steinfeld is already expecting you, follow me." Laura told me as I follow her to the elevator, once we were at the elevator, Laura presses a button that leads us to the 12th floor of the building.

As Laura and I arrived at the 12th building, she lead me down the hallway and made me stop outside the door of an office which I assume it's Hailee's. "Wait here for a while Miss Waldorf." Laura says, as she enters the office. I stood there for at least thirty seconds, and after waiting Laura came out of the office "She's ready to see you now." Laura said with a smile on my face as she left.

I took another deep breath and reached for the door knob, twisting it as I enter the office. Once I was there, I was greeted by none other than Hailee Steinfeld sitting on an office chair with a smile on her face, holy hell she's very pretty up close. "You must be Y/N Waldorf." She says, with that smooth sounding voice that will get me weak on my knees in a matter of seconds but I have to be on my best impression and not say anything out of pocket. "Yes, I am Y/N Waldorf. It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Steinfeld." I said, trying my best to be confident in front of this gorgeous woman.

Hailee smiles at me and chuckles "Have a seat." She said, gesturing towards the chair across her. I walked up to the chair and sat down, my eyes are now looking into her hypnotizing hazel eyes which caused me to twiddle my thumbs under the desk. "So tell me about yourself, I like to get to know people a little more." Hailee said, I cleared my throat and fixed my posture before I start to speak.

"Well I just graduated college a few months ago, I am born and raised in Washington and I drove all the way from Washington to California... And I live with my friend who I met on Twitter because we are such big fans of you." I said, smiling at Hailee hoping to break the ice between us. Hailee chuckles again, this is the second time I made this woman smile already... I think she likes me.

"You're so dedicated Y/N, just what I need for my team. Also how long have you been a fan of me? Just curious." Hailee asks, the smile not leaving her face. I chuckle and smile at her "Well ever since I've watched The Edge of Seventeen, I loved you as Nadine and yeah... Never looked back ever since." I answered as I keep that smile on my face. Hailee nods, leaning back her chair "Interesting, I love that. Y/N quick question, how long have you been staying with your friend?" She asks, leaning in closer to me, resting her elbow on the desk and her chin on the palm of her hand.

"For almost a week now, I am apartment hunting right now and all I can say is that living in LA is kind of expensive." I say, Hailee chuckles as she moves a strand of hair away from her face "I agree, as time flies the rent in Los Angeles gets higher. I don't blame you, this along with New York, are the cities for dreamers so there are a lot of people living here. Speaking of, do you want to live with me for the mean time?" Hailee asks me her eyes twinkling.

I froze for a second, did Hailee Steinfeld ask me if I can stay with her at her house? In Malibu?!? I looked around my surroundings and looked back at Hailee "Are you serious?" I asked her, hoping she was joking or not. "I am being serious, after all I need to be close with my personal assistant and you won't worry about being late. So what do you say Y/N?" Hailee asks me again, this time a warm smile forming on her face. A smile formed on my face and I nod "Sounds good to me, when do I move in?" I ask her, Hailee leans back again and sighs "Well, how does tomorrow sound? We got some serious business to deal with tomorrow." She asks me back, raising a brow.

"Tomorrow sounds good." I respond, smiling at her with pride as I slowly but surely get used to her now "I am glad to be on this journey with you, Miss Steinfeld." I say, Hailee laughs and shakes her head, she stands up from her chair and I follow suite. "Please, Y/N. Just call me, Hailee instead." Hailee said, extending her arm out for me to shake. I grabbed her hand and I felt how soft and smoot her hand is, which made my heart skip a beat, I shook her hand and gave her a stern nod. "Yep, I'll keep a note on that." I said, letting go of her hand. Hailee smirks and winks at me "Welcome aboard Y/N." She said.

After that, I decided to take an Uber back to Jackie's place. I still can't get over all of this happened today, it still felt like a dream and I can't believe that this job will be the one that will probably change my life for the better.

"Wait, you're gonna live with Hailee?!?" Jackie exclaimed as she grabs a bag of chips from her pantry, I smiled and nodded as she sat down next to me "Yeah, insane right? She said that she wanted me to move in with her." I said, still shocked as I grabbed a handful of chips from Jackie. "You are basically living every fans life, and I am jealous! But at the same time proud of you." Jackie pats my shoulder, putting her arm around me as we binged watch Parks and Recreation.

[HAILEE'S POV]

I had dinner with my manager Laura to discuss things after I met my personal assistant, I sit down across her as our food was served by the server. "Hailee, we need to discuss about your bold move of moving Y/N in your house." Laura said, I furrowed my brows at her words, tilting my head in confusion. "What do you mean by that Laura? I am just doing an act of kindness towards my new personal assistant." I said taking a sip of my beverage and putting it down, Laura sighs as she rubs her temples "I get that, I think it's a good idea. I don't have a problem with that, but however... What if she knows about your secret?" Laura says opening up about the secret.

I swallowed hard, looking around if someone is hearing our conversation "Laura, I've known Y/N just today, I rest assure you that she is a trustworthy assistant. And I bet she won't know what I do behind closed doors." I reassured my manager, I have a feeling that my assistant will not be a huge tattletale despite the fact I've known her already after my conversation with her earlier in my office. "Alright, I trust you on this one." Laura told me, chuckling as she takes a sip of her drink. I smiled at Laura, this woman has been my manager ever since I was a little girl, she's like my second mother at this point "Thanks, Laura." I said as we continued to have dinner. Excited for Y/N to move in with me and start to do some serious business together.

#hailee steinfeld #hawkeye #kate bishop #hailee steinfeld smut #hailee steinfeld x fem reader #hailee steinfeld imagines #emily dickinson #emily junk #dickinson #emisue #celebrity imagine #wlw #nadine franklin #fanfiction #x fem!reader

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royallyprincesslilly · 1 year

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Title: Crown For Two {9}

Henry Cavill AU x OFC Xari Thornton

Warning: Mild Cursing, Cheesy Christmas Themes, Fluff,

Words: 8.2k

Summary: Xari Thornton is a travel photographer with a blog and social media that garners some heavy-duty traffic. People tune in to see where she is and what she’s doing there, all in hopes of either living vicariously through her or to plan their next vacation.

Her slogan: “Traveling the path to the most off-beaten places, so you don’t have to.”

Her next stop on her four-destination travel itinerary of “Places You May Never Have Heard Of” is Sandvell, a small European country. When her plane makes an impromptu stop due to bad weather, she has no idea where she is. It feels like she’s stepped inside of a snow globe and back in time in a modern way. It leaves her fascinated.

This bad weather forces her to stay at an Inn, The Beaux, for the night. She explores and meets the friendly locals. One local in particular captures her lens with eyes as blue as the ocean and a jaw that was chiseled from stone. Once they separate, she gets herself into a harrowing situation.

As soon as she awakens, she realizes she’s not in some fever dream, but a palace and the owner of the palace is none other than the local she met before with the piercing blue eyes, His Royal Highness Henry Wellington Leopold Danglishton, First of his name, Crown Prince of Brexendor.

Note: AND WE’RE BACK!!! It’s December again which means we all need a cheesy Christmas romance. 😁 I know this has been gone for a long, long time and I am thankful for each of you who still care about it. As a reminder, it’s going to be fast-paced a bit, and I am gonna overload you with pictures because why the hell not, it’s a Christmas Fic. 😁 Feel free to come by and tell me what you guys think.

As always, thank you all for reading, I appreciate each and every one of you.

If you enjoyed this, please, LIKE, COMMENT, REBLOG!!! ❤️❤️

***NOT Edited/Proofread***

***Interactive***

Previous Chapters: {1} | {2} | {3} | {4} | {5} | {6} | {7} | {8} |

-Y/N-

“Hey you’ve reached Neka. I’m too busy living my life the way I want to and can’t be bothered to answer. Leave a message and I’ll call you back. If I want to.”

You sighed hearing your sister’s very familiar voicemail message.

“Aneka, it’s me. Where are you? I get this place is obscenely huge and there is plenty to explore but pick up the damn phone. Let me know you’re okay.”

You ended the call and sighed again as you made sure you had everything in your purse. A few moments later, you stopped thinking again about going to this thing. Half of you was telling you it was a bad idea and that you should stay away from everything related to this country including its crown prince. However, the other side was traitorous and telling you to run carefree and live by the seat of your panties and take them off for said crown prince.

What’s the worst that could happen? You recognized the question from the carefree and often diabolical devil on your shoulder.

Humiliation and heartbreak are what. The words from the practical and cautious angel on the other side of your shoulder piped up.

You stood there thinking about both sides for a few moments then continued putting items into your purse.

Good girl, live a little, have some fun and get a few orgasms at the same time. Win/win. The devil was on a roll.

It is all fun and games until you get your heart broken by an actual prince who has obligations to be with someone other than you.

The angel’s words were like a gut punch. It was right.

MSG Aneka: I’m sorry RiRi. I’m going to this thing in the park. You should come I hear it’s a lot of fun.

Your sister never ceased to amaze you. She’d found out about the citizen’s Brexenavide on her own and was already in the thick of it. She had no problem going with the flow and having a good time when she saw it could be had. You sighed again, finally deciding to just do it. However, a few minutes after making the decision you scowled remembering who you’d be driving with.

There was something about this Freddie girl that rubbed you the wrong way. Something about her that screamed she was not to be trusted and that included enough to be in the same car. You groaned because you’d long left high school and the petty turf wars of petty bitches behind. You were an adult now who had bills and obligations and checking a rich bitch wasn’t one of them. A smirk spread across your face as you came to the realization that you were happy to rise to the occasion though. After looking yourself over, you divided to change. While your current outfit was cute, one look outside said you needed something warmer.

At that thought there was a knock at your door. When you opened it, you found a honey eyed member of the staff you recognized. She smiled and bowed her head slightly.

“Ms. Xari. I come with a message from Princess Jemma.”

Recognition hit you then, “Tamina, right?”

She smiled wider and nodded, clearly delighted you remembered her.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Come in, please.”

“No need ma’am. This is from the princess. She wanted you to have it for the event today. Her direct message is to wear it and it will ensure no one will be able to take their eyes off of you.”

What the hell did that mean? You reached out to Tamina and took the two garment bags that were lying across her forearms.

“Thank you, Tamina. Please thank the princess.”

Tamina bowed again before walking off. When you turned back into your room you staggered to the bed from the weight of the items in your arms and laid the bags across your bed. Unzipping the first one, your eyes widened at the sight of a chic, and beautiful outfit resting there. The items looked designer, and no doubt must have costed several thousand dollars. Your hand brushed against the shiny leather of the pants and instantly recognized it was high quality. It went perfect with the cropped knitted sweater that rested just atop it.

You didn’t know how Jemma knew you were a sucker for leather pants, but you were busting at the seams to try them on. Every woman needed a great pair of leather pants that made their ass pop. You reached for the second bag and opened it and gasped. A plush fur coat that brought the whole thing together waited for you to touch it. You were so tempted, and that temptation proved to be too much. When your fingers entangled in the fur, you cooed. It was perfect. Leather and fur, how luxurious, you thought.

When in Rome, or Brexendor. Live a little. The angel on your shoulder had a point. Within minutes, you’d peeled off your own clothing and changed into the ones sent by Jemma. Surprisingly they were a perfect fit. The moment you buttoned the pants you sighed. They were made for you. Once you’d pulled it all together, you stood in front of the full-length mirror in the room and surveyed your look from every angle. Every angle passed the test. You looked damn good. For the final test, you dropped down like you were doing the beat drop challenge and kept your eyes on your ass. A wide grin spread across your face.

“Thank you, Jemma!”

You hurried into the closet, remembering you’d already packed the perfect boots to wear with this outfit. When you’d packed, Aneka had made fun of you saying you were going to slip on a patch of ice and break your neck because of them. You didn’t bother telling her it would never happen because no one pays nearly nine hundred dollars for boots that were designed for cold weather in mind with the chance of said boots sending you to your death because they couldn’t hold up. You’d worn these two times before and they’d never failed you.

Standing in front of the mirror again, this time in the knee-high fur heeled boots you smirked. Jemma’s words came to mind then.

“Wear it and it will ensure no one will be able to take their eyes off of you.”

You wondered if Henry would be among those who couldn’t keep their eyes off of you. Memories of the night before flooded your mind and within seconds you were frozen reminiscing of the way his hands felt against your skin, the scent of his breath as he moaned against your ear, the taste of his lips and the intensity in his eyes when his locked with yours. You had to put a hand out to stabilize yourself because the thought of his body pressing on top of yours made your knees buck

With much effort, you pulled yourself back to reality. If you thought about him any longer you knew you’d be on edge all day which you guessed would be akin to torture. There was a nagging feeling inside of you that told you that you’d need to be alert today. After checking your make up once more, you grabbed your purse and phone then made your way downstairs. As you passed by the staff you stopped for small talk, inquiring about everyone’s health and thanking them for all they’d done for you thus far. Each of them looked surprised but more than happy to stop and chat with you.

When you stepped outside into the entry roundabout of the palace, you saw a long line of cars waiting and plenty of bustling bodies still in preparing mode for the departure. You watched the dignitaries load in their cars and pull off one by one. From the looks of all this pomp and flair, you knew this event was much more than just meeting the citizens. Perhaps this was a test of some sorts. You saw the man who’d been introduced as the prime minister do a quick perimeter check, surveying the around area before he looked in your direction. You expected him to get into the car as normal, but he didn’t. Instead, he stared in your direction and the longer he did the more the hairs on the back of your neck stood like your entire being was trying to tell you something about the man.

The feel of someone touching your left elbow startled you.

“My apologies Lady Thornton,” said one of the palace butlers.

“It’s all right.”

“Your car.”

His hand stretched to the left at a silver car with its door open and waiting. Through the window, you could see the woman who’d so eagerly offered herself and her car to get you to the event. You were under no false pretenses about her sincerity in doing so. There was something more to her supposedly kind offer. You weren’t in a hurry to find out just how much more but from the way you’d caught her looking at Henry the night of the ball you had your guesses. You allowed the butler to direct you to the car and see you inside.

As soon as you sat, the woman across from you pasted a smile on her face. It was one of those basic instinct smiles, a smile that housed a thousand lies, and a thousand and one daggers.

“Xari, darling!”

Your eyes widened. It had been a while since you’d been around this level of fake.

“Thank you offering to get me to the event,” you breached.

She smiled wider, if that was possible then leaned closer and took your hand in hers. “No thank you needed, dear. I have always been keen on helping those less fortunate.”

You heard the bells of a boxing match in your head. She’d started round one.

“Wow, um--.”

“What a cute outfit you’ve chosen for yourself. I worried your tastes would be too—tactless for what the Brexendor press are used to, but I am surprised to see tactlessness will be missing from the day, at least in your outfit.”

You cocked your head to the side. How did she manage to make so many insults sound so pleasant? You stifled a snort because thanks to your upbringing you’d been forced to go through debutant classes where you learned everything from etiquette to the art of polite disrespect. It was a southern thing. Those classes had prepared you to deal with the southern aunties, upper class grandmothers and quite a few socialites who thought they were better than everyone else because they had a trust fund and a rotation of cars for every day of the week.

You opened your mouth to speak but the door on the right of the car opened first. First it was your sister, Aneka who ducked inside and sat beside you, then Albee, the man with the pretty eyes from the ball who sat beside Freddie.

“Aneka?”

She looped her arm with yours and smiled. “I thought you’d left already?”

“I was but I got—distracted,” she said coyly smiling at Albee who smirked right back.

“What are you doing in my car, Albee? Though I know yours is far less luxurious than mine I am sure you have your own car,” Freddie cheeked.

Albee didn’t look fazed in the least, instead he smirked and made himself more comfortable in his seat. “Freddie you are aware that we are the same rank, correct?”

“Duchess Frederica,” she retorted through clenched teeth.

Albee scoffed. “Freddie. We’re all friends here, no need for titles. Only those who feel themselves more important than you truly are need to lean on such trivial things.”

Freddie glared at him with one brow raised.

“Since you are offering transport, I humbly accept your offer. Driver, carry on.”

Before Freddie could reply, the car took motion, and she didn’t look one bit happy about it. You and Aneka exchanged glances speaking through them as you usually did. You were tempted to bust out your secret language from when you were kids but didn’t want to come off as intentionally rude. This was a tit for tat game.

“And who are you?”

Freddie’s calculating eyes landed on Aneka, but she didn’t shrink back, Aneka instead raised her brow and put on a sugar sweet smile on her face.

“Aneka, Xari’s sister.”

Freddi’s eyebrow darted upward as she took both of you in. “So there are two less fortunate souls that need our charity.”

“The only thing unfortunate is your dye job. Did you pay for that?”

The fire in Freddie’s eyes sparked and you saw Aneka had struck a nerve. It was after all her specialty.

“Oh don’t tease dear Freddie about her hair. She loves it more than Jesus and little children,” Albee teased.

“Children are disgusting,” she added never taking her eyes off of Aneka.

“Interesting. That is not what I recall you telling the queen just a few weeks ago. What was it? Oh, I do so love children and cannot wait until I can become a mother. I do believe it is my life’s purpose.”

You couldn’t help but snort. Dipping your head to the side to hide in Aneka’s shoulder you snickered.

“I knew I scented fake on you, but I didn’t know it was this much of it,” Aneka added.

“Fake? Are we talking about fake as in your supposed Gucci shoes or perhaps that atrocity you call hair atop your head? That level of fake?”

Aneka lunged forward but your hand across her chest like a theme park ride safety bar stopped her.

“Ri, Aneka began but the look you gave her stopped any further words.

“So your hair is a sore topic? Remember that before you even attempt to go toe to toe with me.”

You could hear Aneka’s teeth grinding. You knew she had it in her to beat Freddie’s ass in record time then step out the car without so much as a scratch on her. However, this was not the place and definitely not the time. You didn’t want to offend the queen or the family especially with the level of hospitality they were currently showing you both.

“Take it easy Freddie. We wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened two Christmases ago. I don’t think the gossip would die down so quickly this time,” Albee cautioned.

The look Freddie gave him could have frozen anyone’s heart, but he didn’t look bothered at all. His smile was bright as he met the challenge of her icy gaze. It was clear that this was normal for the two of them. Either this was a huge scheme between them to dupe the newcomer or the two disliked each other.

“Why am I not surprised that you have found yet another commoner to slum it with. Do you not have any sense of pride or self-worth? Do you not feel them beneath you?”

Aneka made a move to lunge at Freddie again, but you held firmly to her and brought her attention to look out the window.

“Tsk, Tsk Freddie. Where is your decorum? My sense of pride and worth were never in question. Yours however—I can after all say I have never had a lifelong pursuit of someone who didn’t want me in the slightest bit.”

You tucked that bit of information away for when you were alone to dissect it. All conversation stopped and you pointed things out to Aneka. Everything you pointed out Albee took it upon himself to either explain or give backstory to. It was interesting the information he revealed about the country. It was clear from his voice he also loved his home. With every other sentence he spoke, Freddie had a snide remark for. Either it was something to make him look bad or to point out how out of bounds you were to even be here.

Thankfully, the car pulled into the destination when it did because you were quickly approaching the limit to your acceptance and ability to turn the other cheek. You looked at all the things that were set up for this event. Off to the side where the path was fully paved, there were stations set up for snacks, drinks, souvenirs, pictures and a few other things such as arts and crafts. Across the massive open field there was plenty to do. The car rolled past a toboggan area where children and adults were already speeding down the steep slope having a fabulous time. There was even an ice-skating rink that looked like the perfect photo-op to showcase how picturesque this country really was. You caught sight of other stalls set up with games, even child and family friendly park rides and even animals for petting.

“Wow, give me this over a ball any day,” Aneka said.

Freddie scoffed, rolling her eyes, “Gauche,” she hissed.

The car door opened but before Freddie could make a move you slammed it shut again and locked it. You’d had enough.

“I have sat here this entire car ride and listened to your disrespect and belittlement of myself, and my sister and I let you get it all out because I know those who feel threatened the most always feel the need to wail and moan about it so their voices are the ones heard the loudest to distract from how insignificant they truly feel and are.”

Freddie’s eyes blazed. She opened her mouth to speak but you continued, keeping your voice steady. “I wasn’t going to point out your insignificance, but I feel I must now. If you had any respect for yourself, your country and people you would shut your mouth and practice a little thing we call in America and by we, I mean women with mine and Aneka’s hair, call self-restraint and self-love. Because you would truly understand that you reflect upon your country and people. It is very telling of your low intelligence when all you can do is attempt to make others feel lowly about themselves because you put so much value on wealth. This holier than thou act will only lead to one thing in your life, shame and loneliness. Though I think you are fully aware of the loneliness part. You can’t make me feel bad about myself because I know my worth and it is astronomically higher than yours and we both know he sees that.”

Freddie sputtered clearly trying to find the words for a comeback. You gave her a good five seconds to compute but even that wasn’t enough. Poor little Tink Tink, you thought as you unlocked the door. It opened as soon as you did like the driver had been trying the entire time. You didn’t wait for her to climb out you took the initiative and took the driver’s hand and climbed out of the car holding onto Aneka’s hand bringing her with you.

As soon as you stepped out of the car, you caught Henry’s eye. His brows were burrowed and there was a look of concern on his face. You gave him a polite smile and head nod as you rounded the car. Slowly, he brought his attention to the group of men before him. Albee stepped beside you then leaned close to your ear.

“She has fangs,” he whispered.

You smirked, “And my bite and bark are both deadly.”

His smile widened as he tipped his invisible hat to you.

“I like you,” Albee added as the line of dignitaries began moving. “And I can see why he likes you too.”

His voice was lower this time, but it was his words that had you stumbling. Thanks to Aneka’s grip on your arm, it was barely noticeable. Thank goodness too because the press were hungrily snapping pictures of everyone and everything. You and the others stood to the side as Henry, the queen and Jemma shook hands and took the lead in the festivities. Your eyes couldn’t help but follow Henry as he shook the hands of several people while exchanging pleasantries. His smile was wide and the gleam in his eyes said he was genuinely happy to be there and interact with them all.

When you saw him dip down to greet a few children, your ovaries practically exploded. The kids melted and in turn he did too. He played around with them as his mother and sister took over with greeting the adults. The more you watched the more your heart thumped thinking how adorable he looked.

“Romancing the daughters of the dignitaries, Duke Baldrik?”

Your attention turned to a photog standing in front of the three of you snapping pictures. The bright lights blinded you momentarily making you bring your hand to shield your face.

“Ha, not at all, Albee replied with a bachelor perfect smile.

“They look unfamiliar. Who might they be?”

“Honored guests of the crown,” Albee offered holding out his arms for both you and Aneka to take. Once you did, he tipped his head to the photog and began ushering you toward the stalls that were set up.

“Enjoy the event,” Albee called out.

As soon as he was out of earshot, he blew out. “While the press here is not entirely as bad as it is in America, I do have to caution you. Do not underestimate them.”

“Thank you,” Aneka said with a flirtatious smile.

If was clear now that she was into him. Of course, she was, you thought. Aneka liked them pretty.

“My pleasure. The longer you are here the more you will be able to figure out which ones prefer some scandal on top of their news and who truly have the crown’s best interest at heart. Him—scandal fattens his pockets.”

You scanned the photographer from before who was now snapping pictures of Freddie who was now with two other women who looked just as stuck up as she did. She looked to be loving the attention and the compliments she was getting from everyone around her. Figured. Rolling your eyes, you turned your back on her.

“Are you not afraid?”

“Afraid of what?”

“The power she wields.”

“Call me dense because I know nothing of her power. All I see is a sad little bitch.”

Albee snorted and heartily laughed bringing the attention of most around you, even Henry.

“My goodness. You are a breath of fresh air. Would you like me to enlighten you of her power, or the power of her name?”

You looked at a few figurines at the stall smiling at how cute they were.

“Nah, I don’t care.”

“I do. Know thy enemy, Art of War, Sun Tzu,” Aneka butt in.

Albee’s smile widened. “I do think I am going to enjoy this season.”

As the three of you walked around taking in the many activities, that had been prepared Albee told you all about Freddie and her family. He didn’t leave much out including her net worth and the influence her family had in the past. When he told you about her lifetime hope and dream of becoming the queen, you almost laughed. Of course she wanted to be queen. She was clearly obsessed with power and wanted the second highest position in the country. However, when Albee revealed that Henry didn’t seem to be keen on that idea you couldn’t keep a smile off your face. It was short lived though, because it dawned on you then that you’d stepped right into another season of “The Bachelor: Who Wants the Crown”. Rich women would fight to their last press on nail for more money and more power and it was even better if it came with a crown and a pretty hot prince.

From the look Aneka gave you, she was thinking the same thing. You tentatively listened as Albee pointed out the who was who of the group all with backstory. He was clearly well informed from growing up within all of this but firm the way he spoke about the rest of them in comparison to Henry you could tell he harbored no ill will toward him. Perhaps there really were some good people besides the queen and Jemma after all.

Fo the next few hours you, Aneka and Albee explored the park flitting from game to game and stall to stall. Every few seconds you were snapping pictures trying to capture the joy and liveliness that was all around you. Everyone was so friendly you couldn’t help but feel right at home among them. Kids easily approached you to play and sing and show you the ropes of a few local games. Grandmothers with kind eyes happily shared stories and happy memories of previous Brexenavides while offering local delicacies like candied nuts that came in a plethora of flavors that you quickly became addicted to.

Before you knew it, you’d wandered off by yourself with no sight of Aneka or Albee. You wondered if it was purposely done so she could get some alone time with him. Deciding not to go find them, you wandered the area some more until you felt a snowball hit your back. Expecting to see a child, you spun around but found Henry with the evidence on his leather gloves. Your jaw dropped.

“Your highness,” you gasped.

His laugh echoed around you as he approached you.

“Forgive me my lady.”

“There goes that title again. I’m no lady.”

Henry took you in for a few moments. “I beg to differ. I have always seen a lady as one who is refined, polite and well spoken, someone who makes those around them feel valued.”

“And that is me?”

“Yes. Since you’ve arrived, I have overheard many of the maids talking about your kindness to them how you never make them feel less than and how you are always polite, stopping to talk to them as if you care about their feelings.”

“And I take it that is something out of character in Brexendor.”

Henry took a deep breath. “Among my family not at all, but when the palace gets filled with dignitaries and other world leaders, I am ashamed to say yes.”

You nodded and popped a few more candied nuts into your mouth. You tipped the bag toward him.

“Are those what I think they are?”

He dipped inside and came away with a small handful that he tossed into his mouth. The moan he let out was deep and it took you right back to the night before. Goosebumps skirted across your skin making you stand taller as a shiver ran through you.

“Are you cold?”

“Uh—no. I’m all right.”

“I am sorry I got carried away. These have always been my favorite. I remember the first outing my father took me to. He knew I was not looking forward to it and that I was anxious about making a good impression on him and the family. Once I got into the car, he had a bag of these waiting for me. As we drove, we talked about sports, video games and my tutor who I mightily disliked. We ate the whole bag within minutes and by the time we got to the appearance all of my nerves had wilted away. Every outing I went on whether it was with him or without there was a bag of these waiting for me.”

The smile on his face was so warm but it was also sorrowful.

“That’s beautiful.”

He nodded popping another one into his mouth. “Then he died and since—I haven’t had not even one.”

The sadness rolling off of him touched your heart. You wanted to wrap your arms around him and tell him everything was going to be all right. You wanted to comfort him in a way that this open space did not permit. You glanced around and caught sight of the toboggan area.

“How good are you at toboggan?”

Henry scoffed the dusted off his hands. “I am the toboggan king.”

You giggled and rolled your eyes. “Put your money where your mouth is, your highness.”

“Money? Are we betting?”

“Bet your ass we are.”

“My ass? My, my Lady Thornton, how forward you are to think that is up for grabs.”

The look he gave you was a steamy one.

“Is there something else that should be up for grabs, your highness? Perhaps something—harder to—accomplish—something bigger?”

Heat flashed behind his icicle blue orbs as he held your gaze. Henry took a step to you then another. With clenched jaws, he sighed.

“Winner makes the request?”

“Wager accepted.”

The two of you walked over to the toboggan areas. As soon as you approached those around marveled at having him so close. It didn’t matter their age they were all captivated by him. To have that much power, you thought. How was he not some self-absorbed asshole?

“After you,” Henry offered, holding his hand out to an empty toboggan. You smirked then climbed on taking care to use your long jacket to pool between your legs so there would be no unsavory photos later.

Once you were comfortable, you glanced to your left, he was seated in his own toboggan ready and waiting with a boyish excited smile on his face. You wondered when the last time was that he’d smiled like that.

“Last chance to back out Lady Thornton.”

You playfully rolled your eyes. “A lady never goes back on a wager. Are you sure you don’t want to forfeit before you lose terribly in front of your citizens? A true king knows when he is in over his head.”

Henry laughed loudly again and everyone around him giggled clearly catching his excited joy.

“That is true, but I assure you my lady, this is not one of those times.”

You smiled and focused in front of you. Someone off to the side began counting down from four and when you shouted one a pair of strong hands gave you one push sending you down the steep hill. You’d underestimated the hill greatly and your scream said so. Henry laughed then leaned backward. You watched him inch before you, leading by almost a foot. You did the same and smiled when you cut his lead by a few inches. With the bottom of the hill in sight, you needed a last-ditch effort to come out on top. Not knowing if it would work or not, you rocked back and forth hoping it would increase your speed. Instead, it made the toboggan choppy.

All too late, you saw the fist sized rock in front of you. However, it was too late. The slate of the toboggan nudged it sending the back of it forward and you sailing through the air. It all happened in slow motion, and you fully caught sight of Henry coasting into the finish line and to a stop. He stood and held his hands in the air in triumph, but that excitement faded when he saw your current state. You heard him shout your name then come barreling toward you. You braced yourself for the hard impact you knew was coming and tried to prepare for the face full of snow you were about to ingest. When you felt the hard collision, it knocked the wind out of your lungs. You rolled a few times but barely felt any pain.

Finally, when you came to a stop, it took several moments to open your eyes. Atop you was Henry with his face mere inches from yours. For a few seconds, you thought you’d transported back in time, and you were in the garden room with him again. The patches of snow in his hair slowly registered as did the fact that he was calling your name with his hands on your cheek.

“Xari.”

“Did I win?”

Henry’s features softened as he gave you a half smile.

“Not even close.”

You giggled at first, but it got louder and more uncontrolled. Henry joined in neither of you fully registering that you were not alone and in fact in front of dozens of people. Feet stamped to you, and you turned your face shielding it from the patches of snow.

“Your highness, are you all right?”

Reality was colder than the snow you laid upon.

“Ehm, yes. I am quite all right,” Henry said as he stood. “Just doing the right thing and saving the damsel in distress.”

You snorted as you took his outstretched hand and allowed him to pull you up. “I suppose I earned that title. Thank you, your highness.”

Henry nodded, bowing his head ever so slightly. “A pleasure, Lady Thronton.”

“This way your highness,” Henry’s advisor breached directing the way.

As he walked off you took note of Freddie and her friends standing off to the side watching you. The look on all their faces told you that you were now on their radar. A few more hours passed, and you took the time to get to every ride and activity. You wanted to experience it all so you could really write about it later. This event was definitely a must for any visitors during this time of year.

When you ducked into a photo booth, you sighed out taking the time to catch your breath and give your feet a break. Before you could get too comfortable, another body ducked in beside you.

“Ex--.”

Henry’s smiling face stopped you.

“Fancy meeting you here.”

You snorted and shook your head.

“Shouldn’t you be working?”

“Funny thing. I came here fully prepared to work but knowing you are here only makes me want to experience this with you—through your eyes.”

You searched his then smirked.

“So, you’re—hiding out?”

He nodded and you had to laugh then. “Oh, your highness.”

“Every time you say that it sounds so dirty, and it brings my head to very ungentlemanly things.”

You leaned forward and began making selections for the pictures.

“Is that so?”

“Quite so. Is it intentional on your part?”

Shrugging, you looked at him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, your highness.”

His eyes dropped to your lips and within seconds he pulled you flush against his lips at the same time the flash of the camera went off. You both moaned neither pulling away, both intensifying the kiss. His tongue curled around yours making you wrap your arms around his neck at the same time he brought his hand to the back of your neck. He held you tenderly like you were precious but firm not wanting you to slip away. When you came in here, you hadn’t planned on this being a make out spot but now you couldn’t care less about the pictures.

His lips were sweet but cold and his tongue warm and intoxicating. Somehow, he tasted like peppermint and chocolate, and it was now your new favorite flavor combination. Needing to be closer, you sank your fingers into his tresses and gripped. The guttural moan he let out reverberated all over you, hardening your nipples and moistening your underwear.

“Mm, I can kiss you all day every day and never tire of your lips,” Henry whispered.

“All day? However will you get any work done?”

He smiled then kissed you again nibbling your bottom lip.

“I guess I shall not.”

Your eyes met and you saw the truth of his words. How sweet, you thought before you traced your tongue along his bottom lip then his top carefully outlining his perfect cupid’s bow. He didn’t move an inch. When his eyes fluttered closed giving you the most amazing angle of his long lashes, you softly sighed. Henry then claimed your lips pulling you closer to him so your bodies melded together becoming one figure. His lips hungrily kissed you, nibbling, sucking, licking as he pleased not caring where you were or who could happen upon you at any moment.

“Eh-em, your highness incoming. Duchess Freddie.”

McArthur’s voice broke the lustful haze surrounding you forcing you both to reluctantly pull away. Henry groaned his displeasure then glanced behind you.

“I think I have worked enough today. Care to join me on a personalized tour?”

You smiled brightly then took his head. “As you wish.”

“A low growl escaped him, and it sent your heart fluttering ten times as fast. “I do hope you remember those words when I most need them.”

His grin was mischievous, and you made a note to say them again. The list of words and phrases that elicited a sultry reaction was steadily growing and you planned on monopolizing him at every chance. Henry stood and led you out the other entrance to the booth that was opposite where McArthur must have been standing. His steps were quick as he dashed away like it was the scene of a crime. Perhaps it was seeing how you were now wet and wanting him. When he pulled you through a clearing of pine trees, you squealed, your sense of adventure and excitement picking up.

Once secluded behind the trees, he backed you into a mass of them tucking you in the tight crevice there then kissed you again. You eagerly accepted the kiss. He felt too sublime against you not to. His lips dipped to your jaw then trailed to your neck where it was clear he was a man with a plan.

Henry groaned on your neck then nibbled your earlobe, “What are you doing to me, Xari? How have you taken every single brain cell I have and imprinted your face upon them? How have you touched my skin and made it impossible for me to see anyone else doing it? How have you come here and tortured me so?”

You could hear the yearning in his voice. It was overwhelming, making you want to give in completely to him no matter the consequences. You were speechless. sensing this, he placed a chaste kiss at the tip of your nose then took your hand again and led you through the maze of trees. When you emerged, you saw the spread of rides before you just waiting for you both to let loose like children. McArthur stood just at the large Birch a few feet away with his back turned to you.

“Your highness, the queen said she can manage the rest of the event with the dignitaries and the press and princess Jemma said she will take point with the children and citizens. They are both instructing you to play the role of the proper host to out palace guest,” McArthur informed.

You pinched your lips. You knew what a set up sounded like. You couldn’t help but wonder why they were seemingly pushing him to entertain you. Before you could think any further, Henry looped your arm through his and led you across the field. McArthur handed Henry a newsboy hat and a dark scarf to replace his royal blue one he was currently wearing. Once he was disguised, you scoffed because while it gave him a little more coverage you were sure his people knew him thoroughly and would easily spot you. McArthur handed you a large wide brimmed hat that gave you full coverage from every angle.

“To protect your privacy, Lady Thornton,” McArthur clarified.

You smiled as you put it on. “Thank you, McArthur.

A few minutes later you were seated in a ride called Santa’s Sleigh which was similar to those back and forth rocking pirate ships only it was led by the reindeers with Santa in the back.

“Feel free to scream your highness, I will allow everyone to think it is me.”

“I do not scream Lady Thornton, however, if you make it worth my while I will be the loudest in the land.”

You giggled and enjoyed the ride teasing him the entire time. Your interaction was so natural it almost felt unreal. Though he didn’t touch you above your waist, his thigh remained pressed to yours no matter what. By the fourth ride, you’d deduced it was purposely done. Knowing that you couldn’t stop your heart from fluttering. Ride after ride you laughed, joked and teased one another. Ride after ride he made sure to keep some part of your bodies touching. Ride after ride you exchanged flirtatious glances that only increased your body temperature. It may have been twenty or so degrees out, but you were a sweltering ninety-nine degrees.

“This is your favorite ride?”

Henry’s questioning eyes were glued to the carousel that was decked with reindeers, sacks of Santa’s presents, giant boulder like forms of coal, Santa’s mailbox and other notable Christmas decorations. The sun had now set and the lights that bathed the ride made it seem so magical. This entire country was plotting against you here, you thought to yourself.

“Sure is.”

“Then, shall we?”

Like a six your old child rather than a grown ass woman, you scampered toward the ride then walked around it trying to decide the best figurine. It was a tough choice, but you ended up picking a reindeer which had Henry choosing the same one beside yours. Before he climbed on, he took the time to carefully buckle you into the harness tightening the straps as needed. As he did so, his hands touched your waist and hips and from the look on his face you knew this too was purposely done.

“Be careful your highness. You are very close to alerting the outside world to just how horny you are.”

The smirk he wore slipped and his brows furrowed.

“Is that what you think I am?”

His voice was tight btu other than that it gave nothing away.

“Um—isn’t it true?”

His jaw clenched and a scowl fell across his lips. Backing away, he claimed onto his own reindeer but didn’t bother buckling the straps. A cold breeze engulfed you making you feel the bitter coldness for the first time. Had you said something wrong?

The carousel went round and round sending you and Henry up and down, but he didn’t speak at any point. Instead, he held onto the pole while staring off into the distance. You allowed the silence to stretch for a few moments then when you turned to speak to him, you found his eyes already on you.

“Something wrong?”

Henry opened his mouth to speak but shook his head instead. You didn’t believe him. He definitely had something to say but you didn’t push him.

“Why is the carousel your favorite ride?”

You smirked then shook your head. “It just is.”

“Even if it was not obvious you were lying, I would not believe that. Come on tell me.”

“You won’t laugh?”

“I might.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, but your look was met with a hearty chuckle.

“Come on tell me.”

Hugging the pole of the reindeer tighter, you rested the side of your head on it, looking at him. “When I was about 8, I always saw it when looked so—pretty. It was usually the only ride that looked so—magical no matter what time of day or where I went. My father told me that it was a portal to a magical world. He said there was always one sometimes two chosen figures that were spelled to open the portal but only those destined to find it could. So, whenever I saw a carousel, I made it a point to ride it hoping to find the right figure to unlock the portal and take me away.”

The smile Henry wore was an adoring one. “That may be the cutest image ever. An 8-year-old you climbing onto these things hoping it opened a portal to another world.”

You nodded. “My parents indulged me, I was lucky. As I got older, I grew out of the heavy belief there was a magical portal and began to see how beautiful and romantic carousels were and went to realizing that perhaps they were magical after all, but not because of going to another world but how they made you feel and the memories you could make with those who matter while on them.”

You hadn’t meant to spill so much to him. Glancing at him, you tried not to cringe realizing his eyes were glued to you. However, the longer he stared at you the more you felt like jumping off the ride and running back to the maze of trees.

“So how many memories have you made with those who matter on one of these?”

You smirked then shrugged. “One or two.”

His huff made you pinch your lips in an effort to not laugh. “Interesting.”

Making your best innocent face, you turned the question back onto him. “

“And you?”

“I feel like you are the one who will laugh at me here.”

“Why?”

“Because this—this is the first carousel I have ridden with anyone—leisurely, well that was not family that is.

Your eyes widened. “Ever?”

“Ever.”

“Oh my goodness, Henry—am I your first?”

His smile was mischievous. “It would appear so, Lady Thornton.”

You bit your bottom lip then smiled widely. You didn’t know why you felt so prideful. It wasn’t like it was something that mattered or something that reflected on you in any possible way.

“Well, you are my first prince in a magical fairytale country that I’ve been on one of these with,” you began pausing to contemplate if you should say the rest of the sentence. “And this just may be my favorite ever.”

His cheeks flamed and you couldn’t help but smile. Then when his smile stretched bigger than you’d seen, your heart couldn’t bare it. He was too damn cute.

“Mine too,” Henry muttered a little above a whisper knowing that you’d catch it.

If cloud nine was the highest point one’s spirit could reach you were ebbing onto cloud 10. There was no need to speak for the rest of the ride. You and Henry rode it once, then twice but neither of you seemed quite ready to get off. After a fourth go round, the two of you walked around the park taking in the different games and events that were scattered about. You’d wanted to try the skating rink but didn’t want to expose him to the eyes of everyone around due to the openness of the rink, so you opted for other lowkey options for entertainment. You chatted about a plethora of things never remining on any subject long because you had so much in common that always branched out to other topics.

When you saw the actual reindeers, you lost it and scurried over to pet and baby talk them. While they were massive, you couldn’t help but find them adorable. You fed one a carrot and squealed at how affectionate it was. When you turned to make a puppy face at Henry, you found him snapping pictures of you with his phone like it was the most natural thing in the world.

At the urging of the reindeer master, you climbed into the sleigh that was decked out as if it truly were Santa’s sleigh and posed for the professional photos. As they snapped away you looked to Henry trying to coax him into the sleigh with you. It didn’t take long before he climbed in and smiled for the pictures with you. It felt normal to do this with him, normal to be around one another like this. A massive bubble in your chest screamed of caution and reservation so loudly that your head had no other choice but to register the warning.

After a few more photos, McArthur motioned for Henry’s attention which had him jumping out of the sleigh and stepping off to the side where both of them spoke in hushed tones. You prepared to climb down from the sleigh but as you did you happened to glance off to the right where you saw Freddie watching you. The rage and hatred in her eyes could not be missed and for a second you panicked. When you saw her raise a gun in her hand, your eyes widened. Before you could make a noise or move, a loud “pop” echoed through the park. You fully expected to feel the pain of the bullet and braced yourself, unable to move.

Instead, the pain never came. What did unfold was pure chaos. Several loud “neighs” boomed through the air then a forceful jerk. The action sent you hurling backward landing in a crumped heap on the seat of the sleigh. There were screams in the park and you watched the reindeers panic, colliding with each other as if they were fighting. Antlers thwacked together making it sound as if trees themselves were splintering around you. Henry made a move toward the sleigh but was stopped by his protective detail that was now circling him and locking him down, ready to take any stray bullet for him.

Within seconds, the reindeer that was harnessed to the sleigh you were in took off.

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!”

With terror, you watched as the unmanned runaway sleigh bound across the park not caring where it went. Everywhere people dashed out of its way trying to save themselves. All you could do was watch from your scrunched position, holding on for dear life as you prayed this was not how you died.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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shonenkun309 · 7 months

Text

A/N : Yoo! How are you, my sweet potatos? This chapter will be a continuation of the previous chapter. I thought there was no need to postpone the rest of the chapters if they were already ready, so huh. I hope you enjoy your time, Love ya❣️

𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑭𝒖𝒏 ~𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏~ words : 7410

Tags : @just-somehuman @the-bird-and-the-flute @kogasimp1 @callmeklair @colourless-hydrangeas @randomf2p @blackmond11 @girlinthetardis04

Chapters : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14, 15, 16, 17, 18

The sand-covered figure on the bottom of the hourglass remained motionless, their eyes looking lifelessly into nothing. However, as Futaba approached them, they began to move, slowly turning their head towards her.

Futaba pressed her hand to the glass of the hourglass, eagerly awaiting Koga's response, yet to her disappointment, Koga remained expressionless, his eyes focused on something else entirely. Futaba noticed that Koga's brows were furrowed, as if he was irritated or angry about something outside of her view. Still, Futaba decided to ask him what was bothering him, hoping that he would finally respond.

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 19

The shift in their gaze, as well as their face, showed no reaction. It was as though they had no emotion at all. Nonetheless, Futaba held onto the hope that it was truly him and that he could hear her. With this in mind, she didn't give up. She called out to him once more, her voice unwavering: "Koga?" Her determination wasn't met with a verbal response, but Koga's eyes finally met hers, and though they appeared cold and dull, they were undeniably his. Futaba knew this was just a dream, but it was one she wished could become reality.

"Koga...what's wrong?" But Koga continued to ignore her, never once taking his eyes off of whatever he was staring at so intently. Feeling anxious but determined to find out what was occupying Koga's attention, Futaba summoned her courage and turned to look in the same direction Koga was staring at. Despite her worry that she would see something she didn't want to, Futaba raised her free hand and put her palm up to the glass. She then slowly turned her upper body, trying to catch even the slightest bit of information about what Koga was looking at. The tension in the air continued to mount, and Futaba felt her heart pounding in her chest, wondering what she would discover...In the darkness, she recognized the presence of another, the same entity she had encountered in her previous dream.

"Who are you?" she demanded, her voice trembling with uncertainty. But the entity remained silent, as if it weren't present in the same world as them. Futaba was determined not to let Koga suffer any longer at the hands of this mysterious figure. "Answer me," she insisted, her voice rising to a fever pitch as she turned to face the entity directly. "Are you the Tsuchi? Are you the reason for everything that has happened?" The entity didn't so much as move a muscle, but Koga's gaze never left its direction. With Koga's well-being at stake, Futaba stood protectively in front of him, her body shielding his from the entity. "Quite ignoring me and answer my questions." Futaba demanded again, her eyes staring at the entity like a blazing glint but all what she received was just two words "I'm sorry..."

Futaba was caught off guard when the entity finally spoke, its low, soothing voice echoing in her ears. "I'm sorry..." it said simply, sending a shiver down Futaba's spine. But as quickly as the words left its mouth, Futaba shook her head in denial, refusing to believe what she had heard. "What do you mean, you're sorry?" Futaba asked, her voice shaking. "What do you have to be sorry for?" Futaba's frustration with the entity's silence continues to mount, and she begins to lose her patience. "I've had enough of your meaningless apology," she spits, her voice shaking with anger. "I don't want an apology, I want an explanation. Why are you doing this? Why do you hurt innocent people? Why are you after me? What did I do to you to haunt me?" But the entity remains silent, its cold and empty gaze not yielding to Futaba's demands.

Futaba's frustration and anger only deepens at this point, as she realizes that the entity has no interest in answering her questions. "Speak, dammit!" Futaba snaps, her teeth gritted in determination. "Answer me! Answer me, or so help me..." But even as she threatens the entity, she knows that her words are powerless. Whatever the entity is, it seems to be beyond her grasp. All she can do now is continue to stare, her heart racing with frustration and a glimmer of fear, hoping that the entity will finally break its silence and give her the answers she craves..."I have no other choice…" The entity spoke in a near whisper tone that Futaba could only hear.

"Other choice?” “...Everything that happens, everything I do...it's all by force, I'm forced. If I don't do what he wants...then he'll...” The entity said and something appeared in its hand. Futaba looked closely at that thing and discovered that it was a flower...Futaba's voice trembled as she was looking at the flower and spoke to the entity. "Who's forcing you? Why are they forcing you? What'll they do if you don't follow their orders?" Her words echoed through the expanse of the black void, searching for some response from the entity. But the figure remained silent, its gaze fixed on Futaba with a coldness that sent shivers down her spine. "You will know when the time comes," it finally replied in a low, ominous voice. "Fortunately for you... The time is near..." Futaba's eyes widened in horror, feeling the weight of the entity's words sink in. "What does that mean?" she asked, her voice shaking. "What's going to happen?" The entity merely shook its head, it only stood before the no-more-petals flower, its hand outstretched towards the stem of the now-lifeless flower. With a swift, precise motion, it sliced off the top of the flower as if it were a blade cutting through butter. The entity withdrew its hand and the flower stood there, silent and still, as the cut top fell to the ground like snow. Suddenly, the room was plunged into darkness, and everything went black.

Futaba woke up in her bed, her heart racing and her mind clouded with confusion. She looked around her bedroom, the sunlight shining through her curtains, and realized that it had all been a nightmare. She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that it was all just a dream. Futaba looked around, disoriented and confused, as she woke up to the sound of birds singing outside. She sat up in her futon and rubbed her tired eyes, trying to remember the events of the previous night. As her eyes adjusted to the sunlight, she noticed that she was back in her bedroom and breathed a sigh of reassurance. It took her a few seconds to realize that something was amiss. She checked the time and realized that it was already the middle of the day.

Futaba sat up in disbelief, her heart pounding with fear. "It happened again," she said to herself, messing up her hair. realizing with a sinking feeling that she had been forced to sleep again, just like the previous dream. Despite her confusion, she was also grateful that she hadn't been transported to someplace unfamiliar. Futaba's mind raced, trying to make sense of what she'd experienced. "It's not possible that it was all just a dream," she mumbled to herself. "It felt...too real. And that...thing. It was...horrifying." She shivered, her heart still pounding from the terror of the night before.

“Hello!!” Futaba was interrupted from her thoughts by a familiar high-pitched voice, which seemed to come from the other side of her closed bedroom door. She immediately got up and headed towards the door, anticipating who it might be. When she reached the veranda, she found Fukajiro crouched on the floor, gazing closely at the flowers. She was specifically interested in the red camellia, whose petals had completely fallen off, leaving only the flower stem behind. Neither Futaba's nor Fukajiro immediately announced their presence, but instead, an uncomfortable silence lingered between them for a moment.

"You know what, Futaba?" Fukajiro began, her voice high and cheerful. Futaba turned to face her, the surprise still plain on her face. "What is it, Fukajiro?" she asked, unsure of the direction this conversation was about to take. "I did some research on the meaning of that flower," Fukajiro said, gesturing to the now-lifeless red camellia. "And there are two possible interpretations. The first is sacrifice, while the second is the noble death and the loss of one's head in battle." Futaba couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Fukajiro's emerald eyes widened as she looked at Futaba, and for a moment, it seemed as though she were staring right through her. "It means that the red camellia represents the ultimate sacrifice," she said solemnly. "It's a symbol of giving up one's life for a greater cause, for the good of others. It's a reminder of the noble death that comes from fighting for what you believe in." Futaba was left speechless, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of what Fukajiro was telling her. "What? Really?" Futaba asked, her voice trailing off as she tried to process what Fukajiro had just said. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the lifeless flower before her. Fukajiro didn't seem to notice Futaba's shock, her own wide, emerald eyes still fixed on the flower. "You saw the petals falling off, didn't you?" she asked, her tone still cheerful. "It's just like someone losing their head in battle and dying. It's quite interesting, isn't it?" Futaba couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding creeping over her. Fukajiro's words seemed oddly specific, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was some deeper meaning behind them. "What are you trying to say?" she asked, her voice dripping with suspicion.

𝑻𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅 >>>>

#ayakashi romance reborn #ayakashi koi meguri #ayakashi koga #ayakoi #koga kitamikado #ayakashi kuya #arr ginnojo #ayakashi toichiro #ayakashi shizuki #ayakashi oc #ayakashi futaba #ayakashi fanfic

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casspurrjoybell-21 · 7 months

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Pirate Chains - Volume 2 - Against Tides

*Warning Adult Content*

Chapter 1 - Shadow of Doubt - Part 3

Agenor

I was standing by the wheel when a rat came to report to me about a conversation they heard Ace and Nyx talking about. I waited until Ace and I were alone to check about what I heard.

"I heard you spoke to Nyx about the prisoners, Ace."

I felt him tense for a second and then he went back to his usual calm self.

"Aye. He asked me about them."

"I know he asked about them before too."

"Aye Captain. He asked twice before but today I told him it was better if he never mentioned them and he promised to do so. I also reminded him that he was forbidden from going to the lower hull and he didn't seem tempted at all to defy your order."

Well, reminding him is good. I also prefer him asking questions than going down to verify by himself. What bothers me is the fact that he went to Ace, why Ace? Why not ME?

"Captain, since we're on the subject, I wanted to ask if you wanted to treat the prisoners."

"TREAT them?" the idea obviously didn't get my liking at all.

"Aye. Earlier, after talking to Nyx, I went to check on them. Well... Chow's jaw wasn't any better, it looked like it healed but in a bad position. It's probably a lost cause for him, maybe if he broke it again but I'm not sure it could get back straight, especially with the scurvy. And... Ken, on the other hand..."

At the mention of the foul name I started fuming and my anger was ready to build up. Ace checked me with his eyes before he decided to spill it out.

"The second prisoner seems to have an infection. He's having a fever that won't be settled until the rotten flesh on his arm is cleaned. I know he doesn't deserve your kindness but I think we should either treat him or kill him. We don't need a contagious sickness starting on the Martina."

He got my undivided attention with that last part. I took a minute to think about it.

"Alright. First, no one is to go near the prisoners but you personally, Ace. Especially not Nyx. If you need any help take Lou with you. You are to check them again and be sure they don't have an infectious disease. Until you're a hundred percent certain, don't touch them directly, also avoid touching the ground or the walls of the cell. If you have the slightest doubt, we'll throw them both into the sea, is that clear?"

"Aye."

I sighed, then continued...

"If they don't have any dangerous disease, then you have my permission to treat them. I spared their lives already, there's no interest in killing them now. Actually, I think what happened to them sent a stronger message to the other assholes. We'll keep feeding them the usual, if they can't take it or if they're too much hassle we'll get rid of them."

"Aye Captain."

He fidgeted a little around me and I knew he had more to say.

"What is it Ace?"

"Just a small thing.... God, I hate reporting small things like this. It feels childish."

I looked at him and lifted an amused eyebrow.

"Yet too good at it."

He always preferred dealing with the tiny things and sparing me the headache. That suited me too but he felt like reporting this it means that it's still important. So I asked him with a teasing tone.

"So, what's this thing that you don't know how to deal with?"

"It's Nyx."

All right, I was more serious now. Ace knows I don't care about a crewmember's feeling or if they slept well or had dreams or not but when it came to Nyx I had to know every detail. He understood that and I appreciated that.

"Nyx?"

"Other than me, he tried to get others to give him information about our next destination."

"The when and where."

"I doubt anyone satisfied his curiosity though, I think they know better than to talk to him about stuff like that. It's still unclear to them if it would anger you or not so they're avoiding his questions for now."

I sighed and ran a hand in my hair. The food is getting scarce already. Whenever this happens, everyone starts talking about nothing but land this and whore that.

'Once again Nyx, once again, you go for others and not me. Did he think I'd get mad if he brought it up? And more importantly, why are you asking Nyx?'

"He's doing it again, being nosy. Maybe he has the right to know. Ugh. I don't know."

"Agenor, if he's one of us then such information shouldn't be a secret to him. Frankly I don't see what harm is there in telling him such things."

'Harm? Is him knowing our destination and the time of us reaching land wrong?'

Ace felt my uncertainty and added.

"It's only natural for him to ask. Everyone's getting tired of this round and they're all eager to reach land. And my guess is that he's even antsier since he's not used to sailing so much."

Ace was right. But that was not all what's there to consider.

"I don't want him planning an escape, Ace."

"Escape?"

Ace blinked as he obviously never considered that option. He looked around the deck for a minute considering what I just said,and then he returned his eyes on me with a small frown.

"You think Nyx will try to escape?"

"You don't think he would?"

He shook his head a little and shrugged.

"I don't know. But the important thing is what YOU think, Agenor. You know him better."

I nodded.

"I do. And as much as I hate to admit it, I'm not sure he has enough here to keep him from wanting to go back home."

I couldn't prevent the hint of sadness in my voice and I could see it reached Ace as he too looked straight towards the sea.

"I'll talk to him Ace. Things like this don't remain secret anyway, so I'll tell him myself."

He nodded then went back into the hull after he called for Lou. Later during the evening, I kicked the door of my cabin open and walked in. I took off my shirt and started burning a cigarette with the help of a lighted lamp beside the small window. As I breathed in the smoke, I expected to relax. But I didn't. My thoughts were inhabited by that small doubt that was slowly tearing through me. I felt familiar hesitant fingers hold my arm. I turned my gaze to my left and met a curious pair of eyes.

"Hey, everything okay? You look.... worried."

His hand tugged my arm to better check my face. I silently explored his features as I thought about the doubts that refused to leave me at ease. I stood there, debating if I should bring up the subject of our next island. And If I did, should I ask if he wanted to escape or refresh his memory with some threats? What if he never thought about it and starts doing so when I ask him? I didn't know how much time I remained silent. And despite the concern that invaded his eyes, he offered a calming smile.

I felt a nice warmth cloak my heart, a tender feeling that would only visit when he's around. I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around him. Then I claimed his lips in a breathtaking kiss. When I pulled away, his look was the most luscious, eyes with a deep blue color that only intensified with the hint of excitement. He smiled at me and that's when I decided. I buried all doubts away, for only a miserable man would dare to wipe such angelic smile.

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what-the-witch-stuff · 3 years

Text

Landings Through the Grapevine

Chapter 2: Unfulfilled Expectations

Masterpost: here Go to: Ch.1 | Ch.2 |

_________________________

"I have news for you. One good, one bad" Shane said hours after the dance, when everyone was busy cleaning the place up. "Wait! Help me with that table first...Allright. Shoot". Shane grabbed the other side of the table and together they heaved it off the ground to carry it back to Marnie's farm. The path that led to the narrow bridge which divided the forest clearing from the rest of the village, was not large enough for them to carry the table side by side. So Shane volunteered to walk backwards while Riley gave directions. For a few moments Shane didn't say anything but occasionally looked at something over her shoulder. Then he lowered his voice:

"Ok, so...Mr. Darcy" – that was code for Elliott – "has been mingling with my aunt for almost the entire festival and now they both keep looking over at you".

"What?"

"Don't look! I didn't want to say it earlier, because I wasn't sure. But given how Marnie has been really chatty today, I bet she's playing matchmaker again"

"Oh for fuck's sake! What about Elliott?"

"Don't know, maybe he finally figured out that you don't understand his poems, or something"

"Shane!"

„I'm kidding. Don't act so horrified. Also, it's true!"

„No! It's not."

„Okay. Remember the poem he 'gifted' you at the Feast of the Winter Star? What was that about?"

Riley was preparing to answer him in a know-it-all manner but soon realised that she had actually no idea what to say. She hoped her death glare would shut him up for good. Alas, it didn't.

„You can give me the evil eye all you want. I already cringed to death when he started performing it in front of the goddam tree."

„Maybe a few metaphors and references go over my head sometimes, but that's because I never read much poetry before.

„Or maybe his writing is as inflated as his ego"

„Stop! For Yoba's sake, just tell me what's up with him!

„How should I know?"

„Then why tell me?"

"I thought you would want to know these things"

"Well, what does he look like? Does he look upset or anything?"

"Ehm",– at that Shane peeked back over her shoulder, looking rather pained as he tried to awaken his interpersonal skills: "Well he looks like a schmock, so nothing new there. Maybe that's just his –oh shit!"

"What?!"

"He's coming"

"Are you kidding me?"

"Stop! Jesus, Riley have you never been to highschool? You don't look at people you're talking shit about."

"Ok! ok, act natural !"

"You're the only one acting like a headless chicken", he hissed under his breath.

"Well, maybe I would be calmer if you –"

Shane dropped his side of the table. It came to the ground with a soft thud and Riley almost lost her footing from the sudden yank it caused on her side, forcing them to an immediate stop shortly before the bridge. This interrupted Riley's tirade and in hindsight saved her some embarrassment, as Elliott appeared by her side soon after, brushing a strain of hair behind his ear : "Good day, you two. I am so very sorry I didn't get to chat with you sooner. Can I help you with that?", he asked, having seen them struggle but obviously mistaking the situation at hand. Before Riley could even say anything, Shane intervened again : "Glad that you ask!" he said in an overly friendly manner while stretching theatrically and making a face: "My back is killing me! If you don't mind, I'd rather go see if I can help with something else" and with the blink of an eye, Shane and Elliott had switched places.

"You're welcome!", Shane murmured while brushing past her and he was gone. Meanwhile Elliott was getting into position and testing the table's weight while Riley could do nothing but watch him dumbfounded. When he noticed her staring, Elliot winked: "Shall we then?"

"YES! I mean, sure. Thanks for the help", If Riley's face looked as flushed as it felt right then and there, Elliott was gentleman enough to pretend not to notice. "Please, don't thank me! I should have been more involved with the preparations to begin with. I was just so caught up with my newest draft, that I had forgotten all about the dance until a few days ago. Oh, also, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything between you and Shane?", he added, leaning slightly towards her in mock-conspiracy.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it did look like you've been arguing, before I came over. I hope it was nothing serious"

"Ehm... I was just worried. His, eh... his 'back pain' is quite bad, but he didn't want to bother Harvey during a holiday", Riley lied between her teeth, as they made their way over the narrow bridge.

"Poor fellow, no wonder he seemed rather miffed today. But he danced like a champ!", Elliott stated sympathetically.

"Yes, he knows how much it means to Emily and didn't want to let her down"

"See, I was wondering about that a little. I did expect the two of you to be dancing today"

At that, Riley tripped over nothing, looking at Elliott with such astonishment that she almost forgot to warn him about the slight slope the path would be taking, shortly after the bridge.

"Sorry, who?"

"Well, you and Shane….?"

"Huh?"

Elliott then must have come to some sort of realisation, for it was now his turn to look flushed and embarrassed.

"Oh, Let the greater part of the news thou hearest be the least part of what thou believest." he exclaimed ruefully and smiled at her apologetically: " I should have known better than to make assumptions. I am sorry, Riley. It was something I overheard, please pay no mind to it!"

Riley suppressed the urge to ask him if he had been quoting Shakespeare again, as in 5 times out of 7 she had already been wrong. And by now, she had the nagging suspicion that Elliott chose anything but Shakespeare, just to mess with her. Instead, she stammered: "N-No, it's fine! Shane and I are close, but we are just friends...'', and almost Riley would have given into the temptation of adding something like: '...just as you and Leah, if I am not mistaken?'. But she discarded that idea as soon as it came to her. Too obvious. Though Riley was dying to get her hands on any piece of information about what kind of relationship he and the artist were cultivating, she had to be careful. The last thing she needed was the awkwardness of unrequited feelings or the loss of a friendship because of it. However, remembering Shane's assumption regarding Marnie, she continued : "...Though I do believe Marnie wouldn't mind me as her niece-in-law. But neither Shane or I see that ever happening,". She then laughed. But, following her gut instinct, she kept an eye out for Elliott's reaction, who, still dealing with his own embarrassment, couldn't help but wince slightly.

Bingo.

Shane's words were practically echoing in the back of her mind: I bet she's playing matchmaker again.

– ‘Yes she is and you won't like to find out with whom exactly', Riley thought grimly.

To say this was news to her would be a lie, sadly. Last year it had been just a few questions, if Riley was seeing someone, or if she fancied someone from the village already. Before long, Marnie had gotten more obvious about her actual motivation: "Have you met my nephew, yet? Shane. He is from Zuzu-City too. Oh, I need to introduce you to each other, next time you visit."

But said introduction flopped big-time. It had been difficult. Well, Shane had been. But Riley now knew that this wasn't anything personal. She had involuntarily witnessed his downward spiral until the fateful day at the cliffs, where Shane had finally hit rock bottom. Since then he was getting the help he needed and they could manage having a conversation that wasn't ending in a disaster. Nevertheless, as she and Shane clearly never hit it off, Riley thought that Marnie had moved on and was satisfied with talking her up to some other bachelor instead. Apparently, she had been wrong. "Please, do not believe that I usually engage in petty gossip." Elliott exclaimed and Riley knew, if his hands were free, he would probably underline his words with some dramatic gesture: " This is not why I wanted to talk to you. I would never bother you with such shallow conversation!". They finally reached Marnie's farmhouse and were greeted by Gunther and Clint, who were busy sorting Marnie's belongings back to where they belonged. Soon Elliott and Riley were relieved of their task and hurriedly shooed away. "Riley, you did enough! You've been here all day and surely your farm does not run itself", Gunther called over his shoulder as he and Clint disappeared into the house, leaving Elliott and Riley to themselves. „Well, I don't want to keep you from your duties..." Elliott eventually said rather deflated, after some seconds of them just standing there.

„It's fine! Really. I have time to chat."

„Are you sure? I would hate to inconvenience you", though Riley could easily tell that Elliott was just saying that to stay polite.

„You aren't, believe me. What did you want to talk about originally?"

Elliott immediately straightened his posture, his demeanour getting more relaxed as Riley's question offered him the chance to return their conversation back towards familiar territory.

He suspensefully cleared his throat.

"I wanted to thank you, for you have played a significant role regarding my latest draft. Well, draft is a bit much. It's more of an outline, actually."

"Really?!", Riley could not believe her ears. This was like the beginning of some obscure fever dream, where Elliott would finally announce her as his muse and declare his undying love for her…. Totally hypothetically of course, because Riley would never fantasize about such a corny situation! Ever.

"Yes! For as much as I frequent the library, I just recently noticed the marvellous collection of exhibits you have been providing to the museum. I would've never thought for our tiny valley to be such a place of wonder and history! I must be honest, my latest works were getting nowhere and I dreaded starting a new manuscript. I had gotten quite far with my latest piece. But all these treasures have ignited a new spark within me. Now I can hardly put my pen to rest. But I need more inspiration!". Elliott got more excited the more he talked. It was no longer just polite enthusiasm but an almost childlike delight that made his eyes sparkle in a way she rarely got to see on him.

"Oh that's wonderful! But how can I help you with that?" Riley was getting somewhat confused. If Elliott needed more information on the artifacts, he would be better off talking to Guntehr instead. And following that line of thought, Riley couldn't really fathom what Elliott needed of her, to fuel his newfound inspiration.

"It's about this Adventurer's Guild..."

The answer was: absolutely nothing.

"Oh", Riley tried not to sound or even look unhappy about this revelation and Elliott seemed too fixated on his own issues to notice anything, for he continued talking: "I have seen you standing next to that older gentleman, today. What was his name again?"

"Marlon?"

"Yes! He is the guild's leader, I suppose ?"

"Eh, yes, you could call him that."

"I would like to ask him a few questions. I would love to hear some of his adventures. He looks like a man who has many stories to tell. However, I struggle to get a hold of him!

Surely, I tried asking around. But before today, I didn't even know whose company he keeps. I have never seen him in town either, other than during holidays, which is why I had hoped to talk to him today. But shortly after the dance I lost sight of him and he was gone! I could tear my hair out, Riley! That man is like a ghost. How am I supposed to write about fantastic tales of danger, when I have no authentic experience to write from?!" Elliott had talked himself into such a frenzy, that he ended up being short of breath. While he needed a moment to collect himself, Riley used this pause to talk some sense into him.

"Well, you will be happy to hear that the guild building is actually very easy to find. It's right next to the entrance to the mines.", she informed him, trying to push away the feeling of disappointment. "Office hours are between 2 pm to 10 pm. Normally, entrance is only allowed for adventurers only, but technically you would be considered a potential client. And If you really cannot get in, then Clint, Willy and I see Marlon often enough that we can relay a message to him." "Is that so? Thank you so much, I knew I could count on you! I will seek him out first thing tomorrow!". With that he made his goodbyes and hurried back towards the meadow, presumably to find Leah and share his progress with her. She looked after him until his silhouette disappeared from her sight and with a groan Riley decided that it was indeed time to head back to her farm. The gleeful excitement she had felt at the prospect of being alone with Elliott, had vanished to sober disillusion. She wasn't even in the mood to get worked up over the whole Marnie-situation. Therefore, she decided to no longer think about whatever had transpired today. That would be future-her's issue to deal with. When Riley entered the premises to her own farm, the sight of the seemingly endless plot of land filled her with awe, like it did everytime. Proudly, she watched her cows, chicken and ducks peacefully napping in the sun and listened to the faint rustling of leaves above her head, as she finally made her way towards home.

#stardew valley elliott #stardew elliott #stardew valley #sdv fanfic #sdv farmer #elliott stardew valley #elliott x reader #sdv elliott #original female character #stardew valley farmer #elliot sdv

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animerunner · 3 years

Text

Luz’s Not So Great Luck: I am Not the Monster in Your Story

Fandom: The Owl House

Relationship: Eda Clawthorne & Luz Noceda

Characters: Eda Clawthorne, Luc Noceda,

Warnings: Implied Verbal and Physical child abuse, heavily implied past medical experimentation

Summary: One of the first things Eda noticed about Luz was just how many scars she had. The pattern of stitches were hard to miss.

Something doesn't feel right about it but at this point Eda doesn't know enough to articulate what.

Maybe it was just the number of it. Or maybe it was the uneasy familiarity she felt when catching a glimpse of a scar that nearly mirrored her own.

Which considering what that scar was from...it was concerning to say the least.

Notes: Not much else to say here today. Most questions were addressed in the last chapter posting here.

Ao3 Link Here

If you want to read it on Tumblr fic is under the read more:

One of the first things Eda notices about Luz after the fact she’s human is the scars.

It’s hard to miss. From the first time Eda took off Luz’s shirt to try and get her temperature down. The patchwork of scars scattered over the girl’s body stare back at her.

It unnerves her for some reason. Though she can’t entirely put her finger on why.

Maybe it’s some of the locations?

After all one of the scars would be right above where a bile sac would normally be in a witch. She would know since she has a similar scar on her own chest.

However in a human, Eda’s not entirely sure why there would be a scar there.

Humans didn’t have bile sacs right?

Something to worry about another time. She had bigger concerns on her plate.

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

The second time Eda thinks about the scars is after Luz first casts magic around her by accident.

Once she’s got Luz calmed down and asleep her mind flashes back to that one scar. Suddenly everything she had thought she had understood about humans is thrown into question.

The magic and the scar makes her wonder, maybe humans do have bile sacs?

But if they did then why had Luz needed surgery there. Most witches and humans she supposed didn’t need surgery for it. So what gave?

Why did Luz have an almost identical scar to her own?

Why did it feel like there was something sinister afoot?

Maybe the healer she’s going to call can answer her questions. --------------------

The third time Eda is reminded of the strange stitched scars that are over Luz comes when the girl has her first nightmare since arriving on the Isles.

The healer wasn’t able to tell her much on the mystery that is Luz. She had been hapless as Eda was on why Luz had so many scars.

All Eda knows is that there must be some time to the fact Luz can do magic. Though she doesn’t understand it yet.

King’s the one who wakes her up in the middle of the night.

“Luz is having a nightmare I think?”

“You think?” Eda stares at King for a moment. Hoping he just didn’t wake her up at 2 am on a whim.

“She’s not saying anything. Just a lot of miming. But she is sweating a lot and-”

“-she could make herself sick at this rate. Got it.” Eda concludes summoning Owlbert to her side.

The kid had just started getting better. The last thing they needed was for Luz to work herself into such a frenzy that she makes herself sick all over again.

Luz is still in the throws of a nightmare when they reach her room. King’s description had been accurate. The kid was tossing and turning in her sleep but Eda couldn’t hear a sound from her.

Eda frowns before she realizes why. Silencing spell. Well that’s easy enough to fix. Thankfully she hadn’t used up all her entire yesterday.

What she doesn’t expect is the near scream from Luz when the spell is cancelled. Jumping back slightly in surprise for a moment. She catches a few phrases that make her stomach sink further. Before she moves closer and decides a simple spell to wake up Luz is in order.

It’s probably maybe not the best course of action Eda realizes as she draws the spell circle. But Eda’s more worried what might happen if the nightmare is allowed to continue.

The kid’s fever just finally broke three days ago. She really doesn’t know if the kid can afford to be sick again so soon after.

Luz cuts herself off rather quickly as she rejoins the land of the living. Stares up at Eda who had been holding her, not entirely sure what would happen when she came to, for a moment confused. “Eda?”

“The one and only.”

Luz finally wakes up enough to realize what happened and immediately starts panicking. “Oh my god I am so sorry-”

Eda cuts in as the kids' words get more frantic. “Kid breathe. I’m not mad.” A bit concerned about what Luz might be having a nightmare about to begin with that would leave her in such a state. But not mad.

“But I woke you up.”

“King woke me up actually. He noticed you having a nightmare.” Eda said with a shake of the head. “And even if he hadn’t you don’t need to hide them from me.”

Titan knew she was familiar with having her own fair share of nightmares.

“But people don’t like it when I scream in my dreams and wake them up.” Luz says after a moment. She was supposed to be quiet. If she had to have magic then this was the one good thing she could do.

Or that’s what people liked to say to her a lot anyway.

What the actual hell? Eda wondered for a moment. Who were these people that apparently needed a head smacking? You couldn’t control nightmares.

Luz continued seemingly unaware of the growing horror in Eda. “They don’t like being reminded that things happened to me.”

Eda stares for a moment, mouth slightly agape. She is left again wondering what Luz’s story is. The kid had been dodging questions about it since she had finally become well enough to hold a resemblance of a conversation.

For now though she pushes it aside. Luz didn’t need questions. As much as Eda wanted answers that could wait.

“Well it doesn’t bother me. I know all about horrible nightmares.” Eda admits with a shrug. Titan knows how many she had had herself. “You can scream if you need too and if we need to find another outlet for the nightmares. We can look into it.”

“Still I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing.” Luz shut her mouth with a click. Eda realizes she made a mistake a second later. “Kid I just-” Eda breaks off not sure what to say. “I’m not mad. You don’t need to apologize. I don’t know what they’re about but you’re allowed to have nightmares.”

“No I’m not.”

Some part of Eda is growing exasperated. “Yes you are. No matter what other people say you can’t control your dreams. And anyone who thinks otherwise is foolish.”

“Then why does everyone get mad at me when I have them? It’s not like I chose to-” Luz cuts herself off before she finishes the sentence.

Eda raises an eyebrow. “Choose what?”

She’s guessing whatever the end of the sentence is deals with Luz’s nightmare. But the girl just looks away. Refusing to answer her question.

“It just hurts less.” Luz finally just says.

What the actual hell. Willingly muting yourself hurt less? Less than what exactly?

“Well around here you're allowed to let them loose. I know what nightmares are like. I know what trying to bury them is like. Just let them loose okay kiddo?”

Luz looks like she wants to question it but decides finally against it.

Eda knows she’s probably wondering what will happen when she goes back to the human realm. Not that will be an issue for a while. She wasn’t letting Luz out of her sight until she knew exactly how the girl was doing magic. Maybe there was a bit of projection going on. But Eda felt that Luz, whether she would say it or not, needed some guidance.

Guidance that she definitely wouldn’t get back with the humans.

Also there were concerns Eda had just from the fact Luz could do magic at all. And letting the teen back into the human realm without knowing what the story was didn’t sit well with her.

Especially with where some of Luz’s old scars were. --------------------

Eda finally finds out about the story of the scars by accident.

Any plans of Luz returning to the human realm had long been scrapped by this point. Eda’s not entirely sure what happened that caused her to find Owlbert and the door. But whatever it was she doesn’t feel comfortable letting her out of her sight.

Not when Luz has magic that she can’t seem to always control at least.

Luz still hasn’t talked about how she has magic. Eda does know that humans normally wouldn’t be able to cast. And Luz really doesn’t cast that often. Most often it’s an accident.

“Magic just gives me grief sometimes.”

“So you hate it?” Eda asks, quaking an eyebrow. She certainly wouldn’t have pinned that based on the fact Luz seemed comfortable staying on the Isles.

“‘Hate it’ are probably the wrong words. Magic is pretty. I love it when you do it.” Luz slowly admits. “I just, I’ve always been able to do this and no one can tell me why.”

“No one?”

Luz shakes her head. “I accidentally cast my first light spell when I was seven. It’s just been a long downhill mess since.” Her voice cracks. “Everyone looks at me like I’m a freak. And I know it has something to deal with the fact I don’t remember anything before I was six. But I can’t figure out what.”

Woah wait what?

Eda stares at Luz for a moment not sure if she heard right. “You don’t remember anything from when you were five?”

Luz shakes her head. “I know something happened. But everything’s sealed. No one can tell me. No one’s willing to tell me.”

Eda stares at Luz for a moment. A nastier theory starting to form in the back of her mind. She really doesn’t like the possible implications that are lining up here. “Alright, why don’t you tell me what you do know and let's see if we can’t maybe figure something out to help.”

The kid probably knew more than she realized. However, it was obvious that no one had tried to help her before now. --------------------

Eda is right. Luz does remember a bit more then she realizes about her younger childhood years.

It would be more accurate to say Luz doesn’t remember enough to make things make sense. Then it does to say Luz doesn’t remember anything at all of those years.

Though Eda gets the impression she would rather just not remember at all.

Luz does know snippets. Mainly thanks to her nightmares. Men in lab coats. Needles and words she never understood.

There’s more there. Luz occasionally cuts herself off from saying something. However, Eda doesn’t push for more. Obviously whatever Luz can remember is hard on her.

Eda only ever asks one question. “Can you tell me how you got some of your scars?”

Luz hesitates for a moment. "You don't have to answer that if you don't want to kid. I was just wondering."

“The thing is like everything else I don’t really remember how I got them.” Luz finally admits after a second. “I know they’re from back then. But other than that…”

“Nothing else?”

Luz nods.

Maybe that’s a blessing Eda reasons. If these ‘people’ (if you could even call them that) were willing to do all sorts of experiments on young children. Then however Luz got her pattern of stitched scars was not a pleasant one.

“Why did you want to know anyway?”

“Curiosity mainly.” Eda says with a shrug. “I have a similar scar to one of yours on your chest.”

Luz’s scar was smaller all things considered. Which made sense considering this happened when she was a small child. But the location was not that far from her own scar.

She thought Luz would just accept the answer. Instead Luz seems to grow more curious. “Why do you have a scar there?”

There’s a beat for a moment and Luz realizes she may have asked too personal of a question. “Sorry-”

Eda holds a hand up effectively cutting her off. “It’s fine. I should have expected that question, all things considered.”

Of course Luz would wonder why she has an identical scar.

Eda sighs debating for a moment. On one hand telling Luz makes sense. On the other she’s worried what telling the kid about the nastier side of magic is like might do to a witch who is just starting to accept her magic.

Though really she supposes it's only a matter of time before Luz finds out the truth anyway.

“When I was younger, someone cursed me. The why and who to it really doesn’t matter now. Point is it was using my magic and my bile sac against me. So I was given two options. One was to hope to find an elixir and hope in the meantime it didn’t cause too much damage. Or two, since the curse was mainly centered around my bile sac still. Have it removed and have an artificial one put in place thus eliminating the curse entirely.”

“You went with option two.” Luz realizes eyes widening putting the puzzle pieces together.

“Yep.” Eda confirms with a nod. “Bitch of a surgery and I still have to take medicine just like you do. But it's better than the alternative.”

It was better than possibly dying.

“Anyways my scar from back then is pretty dang close to yours.” Eda finishes knowing the question that’s on the tip of Luz’s tongue.

“Oh.” Luz says quietly. “But I don’t have a bile sac.”

Yeah that much was obvious. They would have found it within Luz’s first week. Hard to miss on a medical scan.

“True but I’m guessing in whatever they did to give you magic. Some haphazard attempt at giving you a bile sac like a witch would have happened at some point.”

Oh.

“They were trying to make humans into witches.” Luz realizes what Eda has already figured out.

“Seems like it.”

“But why?”

“That’s the million snail question.”

What did humans want with magic?

Better yet how had they even found out they existed?

If they knew about bile sacs. That suggests that they knew how witch anatomy worked. Or at least enough to know that they needed them to do magic. Which raised a whole other set of questions.

Eda needed to talk to Lilith. Because she really didn’t like where the implications of this might be pointing towards.

“Would finding out why you can do magic help with your unease?” Eda says trying to push the disturbing thoughts out of her mind. And circling back to why they had started talking about this to being with.

Luz frowns for a moment. “Maybe. It could just make things worse.”

Eda hums at that thought. She hadn’t really considered that. “True. But it could also help with your health issues. If we know what was actually done to you.”

“You really want to look into it don’t you?”

“Only if you're comfortable with me doing it.”

It’s a sensitive topic Eda can tell that much.

Luz still hesitates. “I just don’t want you to think of me as differently afterward.” She finally had somewhere it didn’t feel like she was a monster. Somewhere that felt like home. What if-

Luz is surprised when Eda pulls her into a tight hug. Squeezing her tight for a moment. Her tone’s surprisingly soft and gentle when she speaks. “You're not a monster kid. And whatever happened to you, me knowing isn’t going to change my view on that. I just want to help, please just let me help.”

Luz's voice chokes for a second, she feels the start of tears, as she tries to talk again only getting a couple of words out. “But I-”

“Hey no buts.” Eda says. “The only monsters are those freaks that did the experiments okay?”

The fact Luz doesn’t say okay back immediately is telling. However Eda supposes it will take time. She only knows pieces of the story but obviously doing magic had a negative impact.

Convincing Luz to embrace her magic and that she wasn’t the monster in the closet in her own story is going to take time. But Eda is sure that with enough time she can do it.

Something in Luz breaks at that and the tears start cascading fully then.

“Kid?” Eda asks now, more worried than before.

Between a few hiccups and the tears Luz manages to get out. “No one’s really ever said that before.”

Part of Eda feels like her heart’s breaking all over again for Luz. Though this time it's out of a sense of familiarity as much as having known Luz went through that. No kid should ever have to think that. She knows that pain all too well herself. And the grief it causes. She doesn’t hesitate a moment to pull her kid back into a tight hug.

For a few minutes neither of them said anything. Eda doesn’t let Luz go when she speaks again there is a sadness to it with an undertone of fury.

“I’m so sorry kiddo that you went through that. But I promise you you’re not the monster in this story. And you may not realize that now, or tomorrow, but someday you will understand that you're not the monster for something you can’t control and never asked for.”

#the owl house #the owl house fanfiction #toh fanfiction #Luz Noceda #eda clawthorne #mama eda #toh au

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gusu-emilu · 3 years

Text

sometimes I forget (3/3)

chapter three: I only want to be a relief

Ship: Jiang Cheng / Wen Ning

Summary: Wen Ning and Jiang Cheng travel to Dafan Mountain to find the cure to Lan Wangji’s fever. Their animosity results in a very strained partnership, which only becomes more complicated when Jiang Cheng develops the fever too. But along the way, they address the scars that haunt them and find something new in each other.

<< Ch. 1 | < Ch. 2 | Bonus | Art

Post-Canon, Rated T - read on AO3 or on Tumblr below

“You have to take it.” Wondering if he should even give two doses of medicine, Wen Ning placed a hand on Jiang Cheng’s forehead to feel his temperature.

A look of raw pleasure appeared on Jiang Cheng’s face.

Wen Ning jerked his hand away.

Wen Ning stood still for a few moments, unblinking. The memorial in front of him loomed a bit larger, while Jiang Cheng’s hand in his own seemed to shrink.

You’re a good person, too, he wanted to say back. Maybe because he believed it. Maybe because it would simplify his thoughts if he could label this man as good or bad, instead of searching for a name with actual meaning. Or maybe just because it would be cruel to answer with silence.

But in the end, silence was all he returned.

Jiang Cheng’s hand shrank a little more.

He thought of how Jiang Cheng had been furious seeing Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji visit the shrine of Jiang Fengmian and Madam Yu in Lotus Pier, had lashed out at them. Jiang Cheng’s anger had been unjustified, built on a lie, but now Wen Ning could understand it.

If Jiang Cheng really was a good person, that was a thought Wen Ning could grapple with on his own.

It meant something else to say it out loud in these burial grounds, in front of the memorial of his family.

And what about himself? How could Wen Ning accept these words from Jiang Cheng after leaving Jin Ling an orphan, and failing to save Wei Wuxian from his own self-destruction? What position were they in to call each other good or bad, or anything at all?

“Doesn’t matter,” Wen Ning found himself saying, after such a long time that they should’ve forgotten what they were talking about. At some point their hands had separated.

“No,” Jiang Cheng said, his voice trailing off. “It doesn’t.”

* * *

They sat in the goddess’s cave, waiting for nightfall. The sun had lowered in the sky, but it would be many hours until they could harvest the Ever-Frozen Flower’s nectar.

Jiang Cheng had been surprisingly quiet. He was leaning against the stone wall and toying with Zidian with weak fingers, struggling to make a spark, curling his lips every time he failed. While he sulked in between attempts, his eyes rested softly on the medicine Wen Ning was preparing.

Too quiet.

He must’ve run out of things to criticize, Wen Ning thought.

But he couldn’t deny that the space between them felt different. Since summoning the goddess, Jiang Cheng’s combativeness had faded, and a solemnity had slipped between his feverish tremors.

Was the flu affecting his emotions, or had his behavior changed for another reason?

“Jiang Wanyin,” Wen Ning said as he handed over the medicine, as well as a small basin of water and a wet cloth for Jiang Cheng to cool himself with.

Water dribbled down from the cloth as Jiang Cheng massaged it into his forehead. “What?”

“Who told you where to find the cure?”

The cloth paused, covering one side of his face. “The goddess.” He rubbed the cloth on his neck, a little harder than before. “Who else?”

“That’s not what it seemed like.”

“Well, it was.” He swallowed the medicine, then shuddered at whatever foulness it must’ve tasted like.

Quiet but stern, Wen Ning said, “We’re working on this together, you know.”

Jiang Cheng met his eyes, then looked away and dunked the cloth in the basin of water. “I know.”

Wen Ning still felt like he was hiding something, but decided to drop it. If it were important, it would come up again. Several miraculous hours had passed since their shouting match, and Wen Ning wasn’t eager to provoke another one.

Besides, Jiang Cheng of all people should’ve known the dangers of keeping secrets.

Now that the last dose of medicine was gone, Wen Ning stood. “I’ll go to the village at the bottom of the mountain and buy some more. It won’t be as good as my clan’s, but it’ll still help.”

“Don’t bother,” Jiang Cheng said. “I’ll last.”

“We’ll be here for a while. There’s no cold spring to stifle the fever like Lan Wangji has at the Cloud Recesses. You need medicine.”

“I said, don’t bother.”

“I won’t be long.” Wen Ning headed toward the mouth of the cave.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“What’s wrong?” Wen Ning turned around, irritated. “Why don’t you want to feel better?”

Jiang Cheng scowled. He tried to sit up taller, like he needed a better angle to yell at Wen Ning, but he just sank back into a slump. “Maybe I don’t think you should leave!”

Suddenly he looked small. His violet clan leader robes, the silver snake of Zidian, the sweat dripping down his brow, the pink flush in his cheeks. It all seemed to swallow him.

For the first time, Wen Ning realized that Jiang Cheng might have been scared. He was used to wielding power and prowess. Now he could barely hold himself upright. He couldn’t even make Zidian crackle.

If the cure didn’t work, in two sunsets time Lan Wangji—the spouse of another of his siblings—would die. And so would Jiang Cheng. Or, if he was fortunate, he’d lose his cultivation abilities, for the second time in his life.

He wants me to keep him company.

Now that Wen Ning knew, he wasn’t surprised. He just hadn’t expected Jiang Cheng to reveal it.

Something about the knowledge was…ironic.

Invigorating, even, if he ignored the possibility that the cure might fail.

“I’m going to get more medicine,” Wen Ning said.

“Stop doing things for me.”

“Whether I leave or not, isn’t that doing something for you either way?” Wen Ning smiled slightly. He wasn’t sure why, but this whole situation was starting to amuse him. Maybe they had been in this cave for too long.

“After that, I won’t leave Jiang-zongzhu all by himself again.”

“You—” Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened. He looked as embarrassed as Wen Ning had expected, and it sent a rush of satisfaction through him.

“Fine,” Jiang Cheng spat. “At least go to a bigger town than that backwater village, and buy better medicine.”

“I’ll go wherever I want.”

“Tch. Good.” Jiang Cheng crossed his arms, but it must’ve taken too much effort to hold them there, because he let them fall limp at his sides again. He flushed redder. “Please, take your time,” he said sarcastically.

“I will.”

Whatever strange exchange was happening right now, Wen Ning was enjoying it. He needed something to distract him from the grief he felt at the memorial, from the growing feeling of uncertainty about whether they’d find the ice-flower once night fell.

Watching Jiang Cheng try to hold together his crumbling dignity was an unexpected solution.

“Well? Are you going or not?”

Wen Ning nodded. “I’m going.” He strolled toward the mouth of the cave, an unusual spring in his step. “I’m just taking my time.”

* * *

On his way back from buying medicine, he searched through the western forest of Dafan Mountain to find the Ever-Frozen Flower. As he expected, there were only common weeds and wildflowers. Perhaps the ice flower was not visible until the coldest point of the night when it bloomed.

He hoped the flower would really be there.

Finally, night blanketed the mountain, and the goddess’s cave grew dark with somber shades of blue. Wen Ning and Jiang Cheng sat next to each other with their backs against the stone wall. Jiang Cheng was about to light a talisman.

“You d-don’t need to,” Wen Ning said. “You should sleep. I’m fine without light.”

The commonplace medicine from the village was not as effective as what Wen Ning had found on the mountain. This medicine was able to alleviate Jiang Cheng’s headache and soreness, but not the heat burning through his body.

Jiang Cheng had removed his outer robe to cool off. It hadn’t helped. At this rate, his hot breath was going to make the cave float into the sky like a paper lantern.

With a drowsy nod, Jiang Cheng fumbled with the talisman and tucked it back in his robes with shaking hands. His eyelids were heavy, but he didn’t look any closer to deciding to go to sleep.

“You really should rest. You were awake all day and the night before.”

After a long silence, Jiang Cheng adjusted his sweat-drenched robes and spoke, his voice weak and dry. “Do you sleep?”

“I’ll k-keep watch.”

Jiang Cheng rolled his eyes. “Can you sleep?”

Wen Ning paused, surprised by the question. Outside of the slightly invasive remarks of the juniors, it had been a long time since anyone showed interest in what his life was like as a fierce corpse. Everyone was too uncomfortable with his existence to be curious about the details.

“I can,” Wen Ning said. “I don’t need to, though.”

Jiang Cheng shifted his posture. “…Is it any different?”

“Y-Yes, a little.” Wen Ning folded his hands in his lab, gently fiddling with his fingers. “I don’t dream anymore, and I don’t feel any different when I wake up.”

Jiang Cheng looked displeased by this answer. Or maybe he always looked like that. Wen Ning tried to smile and said, “You get used to it.”

Jiang Cheng scoffed. “Right. The way one gets used to anything.”

Despite how sharp his tone was, there was something fragile in his voice. Wen Ning wasn’t sure if they were talking about sleep anymore.

There was no reason for Wen Ning to keep talking, but there was also no reason to stop, so he continued. “At least there are other sensations for me to feel. I can eat and breathe, although I can’t taste or smell. But I can still see and hear the same as I used to.”

As he spoke, Jiang Cheng seemed to deflate next to him. He couldn’t tell if Jiang Cheng’s body was just relaxing or collapsing in on itself. He must’ve really needed sleep. Maybe if Wen Ning talked for long enough, he would drift off.

“Really, all I need is to see, hear, and move. Then I can spend time with people. I can see A-Yuan, and Wei Wuxian, and…” He almost said Jin Ling. That would’ve been a mistake.

The breathing beside him steadied. A sound of slumbering.

Guessing that Jiang Cheng was no longer listening, Wen Ning let his words flow without thinking. “I miss my sense of touch, though. I’d like to feel something softer when I pet Hanguang-Jun’s rabbits.” He sighed. “I used to like so many things. Folding clothes, rolling pebbles in my hands. Feeling the sun at full strength.”

He smiled an empty smile to himself. “I miss the feel of people. Sometimes A-Yuan hugs me. I know what it’s supposed to feel like, and it doesn’t feel like that.” He traced the palm of his hand with a finger. “It doesn’t feel like what it should to A-Yuan, either.”

His mind wandered to Wei Wuxian. Being resurrected in Mo Xuanyu’s body came with its own set of problems for Wei Wuxian, but at least he looked and felt alive to everyone around him. Was alive.

His voice darkened. “I’m sure it’s much better for Wei Wuxian to hug A-Yuan.”

“A-Yuan,” Jiang Cheng echoed.

Wen Ning flinched. Jiang Cheng really was listening.

But if he was honest, that was what he had wanted, wasn’t it?

Jiang Cheng worked his mouth for a few moments. “Lan Sizhui is the only thing left of your clan that you…need.” It sounded like a question.

Where did that come from? With a perplexed tilt of his head, Wen Ning said, “W-W-Well, yes, I think so.”

“Then I…I shouldn’t have said that.” Jiang Cheng’s voice was murky, his eyes downcast.

“Said what?”

There was no reply.

Sifting through his memories of the day, Wen Ning recalled standing the street of the village, the air filled with dust and Jiang Cheng’s scornful words. What kind of descendant doesn’t guard the relics of his own clan?

It had stung. It still stung. Wen Ning could defeat any opponent in battle, but he couldn’t save his clan. Couldn’t even recover their belongings from the village.

He didn’t want to, he realized.

The surname Wen had died with his clan, and he had no intention of restoring it.

That made him feel guiltier.

And what of Wen Qing? What was left of her? No one spoke her name anymore, not even to praise her skills as a doctor. There was no record of her talents and discoveries, for they were all wasted on Wen Ruohan, purposely forgotten by the world. And her breakthrough as the first surgeon to transfer a golden core—well, no one wanted to remember that, either.

They had no legacy. The only people still here to pray that the Dafan Wen found an afterlife were Wen Ning, A-Yuan, and Wei Wuxian. And maybe Lan Wangji.

Although, after visiting the memorial today…

Jiang Cheng would never earn a spot on that list. But the idea of him trying didn’t seem so bad.

Back in the dry yellow streets of Dafan village. A-Yuan is my clan now, Wen Ning had said. It had made Jiang Cheng fall silent, eaten up his disdain, forced him to retreat.

Jiang Cheng also knew what it was like to have nothing left but a child.

It was a pity that he did.

“Go to sleep,” Wen Ning murmured.

Jiang Cheng grunted and closed his eyes. This time he really did fall asleep.

* * *

When Jiang Cheng awakened, he began ripping off his clothes.

“Jiang Wanyin? What’s happening?”

He threw his inner robes to the ground and frantically tugged at his trousers. “I’m burning.” He choked on the words.

Wen Ning jumped up and carried over a basin of water. “Here, you should dri—”

Jiang Cheng dumped the water all over his body, then lost his grip on the basin and poured the rest at Wen Ning’s feet. He finished removing his trousers and sprawled out on the cave floor on his stomach, completely naked, using the wet rock to cool himself.

“I’m s-s-sorry,” Wen Ning said, trying not to look at Jiang Cheng’s bare body. “I prepared the medicine, but I didn’t want to wake you up to give it to you.”

Jiang Cheng flipped onto his back. His eyes were shut tight, and his skin glistened with sweat and the water he had spilled on himself. He spread his limbs farther apart, practically melting into the cave floor.

Wen Ning grabbed a vial of medicine. He knelt down alongside Jiang Cheng, fumbling with the vial’s lid. “Here, I’ll give you another dose now.”

Jiang Cheng opened his eyes, his gaze unfocused. “Tastes bad.” He sounded drunk.

“You have to take it.” Wondering if he should even give two doses of medicine, Wen Ning placed a hand on Jiang Cheng’s forehead to feel his temperature.

A look of raw pleasure appeared on Jiang Cheng’s face.

Wen Ning jerked his hand away.

The expression vanished. Something in Jiang Cheng’s hazy consciousness seemed to recognize that he’d behaved inappropriately, and his eyes darted away.

Wen Ning rested a hand on his forehead again. The look returned. Jiang Cheng’s shoulders relaxed, and his lips parted, a near-silent moan escaping from them.

Warmth.

Without telling himself to do so, Wen Ning slid his hand down to cradle the side of Jiang Cheng’s face. Jiang Cheng closed his eyes and turned into Wen Ning’s palm, until his lips were pressed against the edge of Wen Ning’s hand. He stared at Wen Ning through the corners of narrow eyes rich with pleasure.

Wen Ning almost melted.

No one had welcomed his touch so ardently before. Never like this.

He was a corpse. Even A-Yuan avoided his cold hands.

But Jiang Cheng was hungry for them.

And Jiang Cheng felt hot. So hot that even Wen Ning could enjoy the warmth with his muted senses.

Somehow, the fever did not make Jiang Cheng look sick. It gave him a strange, tortured beauty.

Wen Ning tore his hand away. “Y-You need to take medicine.” He reached for the vial.

“Doesn’t help,” Jiang Cheng groaned. He grabbed at Wen Ning’s hand, but missed.

Wen Ning paused. Slowly, he lowered his arm and let Jiang Cheng take his wrist, heat rushing up his arm all the way to his shoulder. Without breaking eye contact, Jiang Cheng guided Wen Ning’s hand to place it on his collarbone. Jiang Cheng’s chest swelled up and down with deep breaths.

“You’re so cold.” His words were slurred.

“D-Do you…like—”

“It feels good.”

Wen Ning felt dizzy. He pulled his hand away, and Jiang Cheng reached after him with weak arms that he could barely lift. Wen Ning stumbled backward, his head spinning.

“Come back,” Jiang Cheng moaned.

This shouldn’t be happening, this shouldn’t be happening, this shouldn’t be—

“If you drink water and take the medicine,” Wen Ning said, his voice quivering, “I’ll…I’ll…touch you more.”

No! What are you thinking?

Jiang Cheng stretched out an arm limply on the floor toward Wen Ning. He opened his palm. “Okay.”

Wen Ning grabbed the water basin and hurried outside, more to escape Jiang Cheng’s greedy stare than to refill the basin.

When he reached the stream, he dropped onto his hands and knees. Dug his fingers into the mud of the stream’s bank, struggled to steady his swaying body.

After a while, he recovered some composure. He rinsed his hands, then submerged the basin and pulled it up. Looked at his reflection in the sloshing pool.

Empty eyes. Dead grey skin. Black veins.

If he looked hard enough, he could also see the heavy chains that for years had bound his neck and shoulders.

When Jiang Wanyin gets his senses back, he won’t remember you said that. He won’t ask you to touch him again.

Wen Ning should’ve felt relieved.

He didn’t.

At some point he must’ve stood up and then he was back in the cave, helping Jiang Cheng drink water and take the correct dose of medicine. After Jiang Cheng finished the medicine, he lay motionless on his back for a long time. Then he furrowed his brow and stared at the cave ceiling, blinking, as if he were waking up and processing his surroundings for the first time.

Wen Ning waited for a sharp remark. A jab in Jiang Cheng’s tone that would push him and his wayward thoughts back to where they belonged.

Instead:

“Well?”

His voice was clear. Sober.

“Well what?” Wen Ning asked. Had to ask, because it wasn’t possible that Jiang Cheng was waiting for what Wen Ning thought he was.

Jiang Cheng seemed to regret speaking as soon as Wen Ning asked. His gaze darted away. His body tensed.

“…Do you…”

“Nothing,” Jiang Cheng snapped.

Something ravenous surged through Wen Ning’s body. His fists clenched, and he was brimming with agitation, an urge to move, to do anything but kneel here in stillness.

How dare Jiang Cheng dangle this temptation in front of his nose, only to swipe it away and flee with it? He had heard Wen Ning talking before about how he missed the touch of other people.

He knew. He must’ve known what this would to do Wen Ning.

How dare he?

“You still want me to—”

“I don’t!” Jiang Cheng finally looked at Wen Ning, and his face was all angles and panicked fury. He winced, as if shouting had worsened his headache.

Wen Ning pressed his hands onto his knees, gripping them, squeezing them. “Don’t yell at me,” he said quietly.

Jiang Cheng’s lips twinged as if he were about to retort. Then he bit it back and turned to look at the ceiling again.

Everything was silent, except for the roaring in Wen Ning’s ears as he fought to hold himself still.

You’re a corpse. You can’t touch him. You don’t even like him.

Jiang Cheng mumbled something he couldn’t hear.

“What?” There was more urgency in Wen Ning’s voice than he wanted.

Jiang Cheng turned his face away completely. “…Maybe.”

Something leaped in Wen Ning’s chest.

His mind screamed at him not to start, not to go somewhere he was forbidden, but his hand was already pressed firmly into Jiang Cheng’s shoulder.

A heavy exhale escaped Jiang Cheng once Wen Ning touched him. His face tilted a few degrees toward Wen Ning, and now Wen Ning could see the flush across his cheeks, a deep red visible even in the darkness of the cave.

“Is that all?” Jiang Cheng’s voice had all its usual spite, but none if its certainty. “Are—are you scared or something?”

Wen Ning grabbed Jiang Cheng’s jaw and jerked his face toward him. Jiang Cheng’s eyes widened. His breath quivered.

“I think you’re the one who’s scared.”

Jiang Cheng swallowed. “Wen Qionglin.” He almost whimpered the name, his eyes wide and fragile like paper moons.

Suddenly Wen Ning was overcome with an urge to hear his birth name like that.

“Wen Ning.” He slowly released Jiang Cheng’s chin and placed the hand on his shoulder.

“Wen Ning,” Jiang Cheng repeated, like he was tasting the words.

Jiang Cheng’s shoulders were hot. His entire body was hot. Wen Ning rubbed his hands across him in small circles at first, then gradually into long sweeps along his entire torso, down to his hips and out to his biceps, massaging gently, letting the heat trickle into his skin. Jiang Cheng’s eyelids were closed, but Wen Ning could still see the pleasure behind them.

The rest happened in a blur. Fingers at the ties of his robes—were they his hands? Jiang Cheng’s? both?—and then the layers dropped and they didn’t matter anymore, and Wen Ning was lying on top of Jiang Cheng and there were fingers dug in his sides and his face was buried in Jiang Cheng’s neck, and he was so very warm.

Since his death, Wen Ning had started spending a lot of time sitting in the sunshine. He’d bake himself in sunbeams, trying to absorb them like some sleepy cold-blooded monster, imagining that he felt as warm as he did under that same sun during his childhood.

Of course, he never felt that warm.

Sometimes he wished that he could throw a rope around the sun and tug it to the ground so it could sit next to him. So it’s heat would be right beside him and he could touch it. Then the sun would feel the way it used to.

And if the sun felt the way it used to, then, surely, the rest of his life would be back to the way it was. His sense of smell, his heartbeat, Granny, A-Jie—everything. The way it was before the war.

Before the Sunshot Campaign.

Sunshot. How aptly named.

If the war had never happened, could he and Jiang Cheng have been like this in another time?

Wen Ning nuzzled his face deeper into Jiang Cheng’s neck. Jiang Cheng was not as warm as the sun, but he was a person, and that felt even more impossible.

As a fierce corpse, it was just as hard for Wen Ning to touch a person with his bare skin as it was to shoot down the sun.

Especially to touch a person like this.

He lifted his face toward Jiang Cheng’s ear. “Jiang Wanyin?”

“Mn?”

“Do you…like this?”

Jiang Cheng’s body stiffened. He was quiet for a long time.

“…Do you?” he finally said.

Do I?

Wen Ning thought about it. He liked how comfortable he felt.

But this was only happening because Jiang Cheng wanted to cool himself down. If Jiang Cheng hadn’t been burning from the Four-Sunsets Flu, he would’ve had no reason to touch Wen Ning.

He would’ve had no reason to be in the same place as Wen Ning.

Something sank inside him as he realized this was going to end eventually. They would go back to resenting each other, and it would never happen again.

“I think I hate it,” Wen Ning said.

Jiang Cheng shifted his jaw. “I hate it too.”

He buried his face back in Jiang Cheng’s neck. “You don’t hate it enough.”

He pressed his lips into something soft and hot, pulled at it with a kiss, running his teeth over skin. Jiang Cheng sucked in a breath.

He dug this way at Jiang Cheng’s neck, then his shoulders, then his chest, desperately hunting for a spot that would make Jiang Cheng reject him with disgust and shove him to the ground like the carcass he was.

“Wen Ning—” Had he finally done it? “Wen Ning—stop—”

He looked up at Jiang Cheng, who was watching him and frowning.

He waited for the insult.

Jiang Cheng tried to push him to the side. His arms barely had any strength, so Wen Ning just followed the push and rolled himself off Jiang Cheng’s body.

For the first time, the cave floor felt cold.

“We—”

Jiang Cheng pulled his upper body on top of Wen Ning before Wen Ning could say anything. He froze in shock.

Jiang Cheng lowered his lips to Wen Ning’s neck and planted a timid kiss on his skin. He tried to run his hands along Wen Ning’s chest and kiss him again, but he soon fell limp and motionless.

Maybe he was exhausted.

More likely, he hadn’t meant any of this, and regretted starting.

Wen Ning reached up and rested his hands on Jiang Cheng’s arms, gently squeezing him. “You don’t need to do anything.”

“I’m…tired…”

“Then rest.” Wen Ning lifted Jiang Cheng off his body and laid him on the cave floor.

Jiang Cheng struggled feebly. Once his back met the dark rock again, he scoffed. “You didn’t let me finish talking.” The familiar glint of derision was back in his eyes.

“Then what were you going to say?”

He looked away. His voice became wobbly. “I’m tired of…of not…doing anything.” He drew in a breath. “Receiving, and not…” He trailed off.

There was more meaning in those words than could fit in the air between them.

Wen Ning’s gut plummeted.

“I’m sorry,” he said.

Jiang Cheng blinked at him.

There were words he had never said, but had thought about saying for a long time, and they all came tumbling out.

“We never asked if you wanted it. It’s just, Wei Wuxian was begging us. He was so determined to do it, and I saw how much he c-c-cared about you. He said it was the most important thing to you, so I—I helped him convince my sister—"

“I don’t want to hear this,” Jiang Cheng snapped. He sat up. “I get it. You’re not like me.”

They glared at each other, hostile static between their eyes.

“You did everything you were supposed to for Wei Wuxian, didn’t you?” He wrinkled his nose and coughed out a scornful laugh. “His perfect, loyal little servant—”

Wen Ning shoved Jiang Cheng down, climbed on top of him and pinned his arms to the ground.

A nerve had snapped inside him. Resentful energy clawed up his throat.

“I am not Wei Wuxian’s servant.”

A wave of catharsis crashed through Wen Ning. Rushed out of his body with those words.

“Is that all you think I am? Wei Wuxian’s Ghost General?”

Jiang Cheng stopped struggling and fell limp, gaping up at him.

Wen Ning didn’t know what he looked like right now, but he might’ve been snarling.

“If all I am is the Ghost General,” he leaned down to Jiang Cheng’s face, “I could treat you very differently right now.”

Fear flashed through Jiang Cheng’s eyes.

Good. Be scared of me. Everyone is scared of me.

He pressed harder into Jiang Cheng’s wrists like he wanted to drive them through the stone floor. Satisfaction swelled inside him at the sight of the Jiang Clan Leader so frightened, so helpless.

Jiang Cheng’s lips quivered. “Then do it.”

Wen Ning kissed him on the mouth. Hard.

Whatever he had expected it to feel like, he hadn’t expected to feel it so fully, and he hadn’t expected to be kissed back.

Soon their bodies were in a tangle, and Wen Ning had wandered elsewhere, his hands tracing lower on Jiang Cheng’s body.

Jiang Cheng flinched, as if he knew what Wen Ning intended to do. “Stop, Wen Ning,” Jiang Cheng moaned. “Stop, I—I can’t—I don’t want that—”

Wen Ning pulled away.

What do you mean, he wanted to ask. But regret and shame had caught up to him as soon as Jiang Cheng spoke.

He had nothing that a living person would want. It was already a miracle that he and Jiang Cheng had even touched each other. What right did he have to ask for more?

“Okay,” Wen Ning said softly, and settled himself on the floor a short distance away.

Jiang Cheng looked uncomfortable.

Suddenly Wen Ning wanted to sink into the ground and hide.

Don’t you know what you are?

All Jiang Cheng had wanted was to cool himself off, and Wen Ning had taken it as an invitation to be…to be with him like a real person.

He’d never get an invitation like that.

He wasn’t a person. He was a weapon. A tool. He had pushed beyond his utility to Jiang Cheng, and now it was over.

“Are you just going to sit there?” Jiang Cheng said.

“S-Sorry.” Wen Ning stood and walked over to his robes to cover himself. And after that, who knows where he’d go. It wouldn’t be somewhere in this cave.

“What’re you doing?” Jiang Cheng spat out the words, but his voice was hoarse and unsure. “I’m not done with you.”

Wen Ning glared at him. “You never started anything to be done with.”

Jiang Cheng’s face fell. His mouth opened and closed a few times. “I…”

This was all a mistake.

“I don’t think that,” Jiang Cheng murmured.

Wen Ning ignored him and began to sling on his robes.

“I don’t think that!”

“Think what?”

Jiang Cheng collapsed his upper body back onto the cave floor and stared at the ceiling. “How the hell am I supposed to just think you’re the Ghost General?” He clenched his fists. “Do you know how hard I try to do that?”

Wen Ning mindlessly crumpled the robes in his hands.

“Both of you are horrible. You. Wei Wuxian.”

The robes were back on the ground, and Wen Ning was standing over Jiang Cheng.

He scowled and looked away. “You should’ve stayed away from me and Jin Ling if you wanted me to hate you.”

Wen Ning was sitting next to him.

“Did you forget I’m sick right now?” Jiang Cheng swallowed. His voice softened. “I didn’t want to…that…I only…”

Wen Ning lay on his side next to Jiang Cheng, and loathed himself for being there, feeling exposed, desperate. Stupid.

“Just start over.”

Wen Ning forgot which of them moved first, but then again it didn’t really matter—none of this would matter once it was over—and they lay on their sides facing each other, arms around each other, chests gently pressed together, legs slightly intertwined. Warmth embraced Wen Ning once more.

After a while, Jiang Cheng dozed off.

He had asked this at least twice before, but Jiang Cheng would not hear him, so Wen Ning asked again, “Do you like this?”

Jiang Cheng made a low sound that could’ve been a yes or a no. Perhaps it was both. “Warmer now,” he said, half-asleep, his words slurred.

Of course.

Wen Ning had hugged Jiang Cheng so long that his body had absorbed the heat, and now he even radiated warmth of his own. His usefulness was truly used up.

“Sorry.” He moved to sit up. “I’ll let you sleep now.”

Jiang Cheng wrapped his arms tighter around him, which didn’t do much given how weak and drowsy he was, but Wen Ning felt it so strongly that if he had breath left, it would’ve been squeezed out of him.

“Where are you going?” It sounded like a plea.

With trembling hands, Wen Ning easily peeled Jiang Cheng’s arms off him and pulled away again. “I can’t cool you off anymore.” He stood and slowly turned to walk toward the pile of his robes.

“Why does everyone keep leaving?”

Wen Ning froze.

Something had broken in Jiang Cheng’s voice.

His eyes were closed, his cheeks pink and damp. His expression had fallen as if dropped off a cliff and cracked open raw on the ground.

Wen Ning weaved himself back in between the spaces of Jiang Cheng’s body. Put one hand on the back of Jiang Cheng’s head and tucked it below his chin. Pressed his face into soft hair.

“Don’t leave,” Jiang Cheng murmured into Wen Ning’s neck. Maybe he was talking to someone in a dream. Maybe to Wen Ning. Maybe to everyone at once.

“I won’t.”

This time, they both fell asleep.

* * *

In the earliest, coldest hours of dawn, Wen Ning went alone to the west side of Dafan Mountain and found the Ever-Frozen Flower at the center of the forest, glowing like enchanted ice in a patch of blue-tinted weeds. He dripped its nectar into a tiny glass vial and left, not bothering to stay and watch the bloom shrivel up once the air grew warmer.

He wondered when was the last time someone touched that flower.

It would’ve been one of his ancestors. Even with all the knowledge that had been lost, small fragments of his family’s work remained to help Wen Ning.

Perhaps the Dafan Wen weren’t quite dead yet.

He gave a drop of nectar to Jiang Cheng. Once he was strong enough to fly on his sword, they journeyed back to the Cloud Recesses.

They said not one word to each other.

The juniors celebrated their return, welcoming them with cheers and waves, ushering them to the cold springs where Wen Ning let Wei Wuxian feed the drop of nectar to Lan Wangji, and soon Lan Wangji was cured.

No one knew that Jiang Cheng had caught the Four-Sunsets Flu. They didn’t need to.

Next they stood at the gate of the Cloud Recesses, Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian on one side, Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling on the other.

“Thank you,” Wei Wuxian said. He was beaming. “I really can’t thank you enough.”

Wen Ning and Jiang Cheng only nodded. They still didn’t speak, because if they said something to Wei Wuxian, it might have been mistaken as saying something to each other.

Jiang Cheng turned to Jin Ling. “Let’s go,” he said in a low voice.

“Bye, Wei-shishu. Wen-qianbei,” Jin Ling said with a shy wave before following his uncle.

Wei Wuxian smiled, patted Wen Ning on the shoulder, and headed up the stone path back to the Cloud Recesses.

Wen Ning stood motionless, watching Jiang Cheng and Jin Ling walk away.

After a while, his mind wandered. He wasn’t sure what he had been thinking about, but when he came back to the present, Jiang Cheng was standing in front of him.

“J-Jiang Wanyin—”

He scowled. “I hope I don’t see you again.” Then the lines in his face softened, and he looked down. A tint of redness colored his cheeks. “But next time I do…call me Jiang Cheng.”

He turned around abruptly and marched away, his figure all flowing violet robes and angry movements. He pointed down the path and barked something at Jin Ling, then walked even faster.

Wen Ning laughed quietly to himself. “See you next time, Jiang Cheng.”

* * *

Two weeks later, Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and A-Yuan received invitations for a visit to Lotus Pier.

And so did Wen Ning.

That was a surprise.

“The mighty Sandu Shengshou must be feeling especially generous,” Wei Wuxian said with a chuckle as he examined Wen Ning’s invitation.

“I guess so,” Wen Ning said.

Wei Wuxian’s expression turned more serious. “Do you want to go?”

Wen Ning smiled. “I do.”

And so he went to Lotus Pier, by invitation.

The Jiang Clan was holding a martial ceremony and a small festival. It was nothing that outsiders would normally attend, but then again, Wei Wuxian wasn’t exactly an outsider, so maybe the rest of them weren’t either.

After a round of greetings, Wen Ning slinked away for somewhere to be alone.

When he had traveled with A-Yuan to Dafan Mountain to construct the memorial, they had taken plenty of detours, and stumbled into enough festivals for Wen Ning to learn that it was best to keep his distance from crowds.

He found a small pond with cattails, lotus flowers, and a short bridge passing over it. He stood on the bridge and leaned on the railing, watching the dragonflies flittering over the pond, admiring the bustling activities and vibrant colors of the festival a short distance away, listening to music and joyful voices.

Once in a while, A-Yuan would run over to him and show him something. A drum-rattle with a butterfly painted on its small canvas, a spicy kebab that he described the taste of, a red tassel that looked like the one Granny had made so long ago. Wen Ning let A-Yuan buy the tassel for him.

Dusk fell over Lotus Pier, and soon warm lanterns glowed everywhere.

A set of footsteps beside him. He turned. “Jiang Cheng.”

Jiang Cheng nodded. He stood at the edge of the bridge, studying Wen Ning and then scanning the festival. He seemed to have something to say, but his mouth didn’t open.

“Thank you for the invitation.”

“Don’t think too much of it,” Jiang Cheng said irritably. He turned away. “I…have something to give you.”

Surprised, Wen Ning raised his eyebrows and followed Jiang Cheng through a carved panel door into one of the palaces of Lotus Pier, through winding hallways, around corners, until they arrived at another set of doors.

Jiang Cheng opened them. They stepped into a velvety, dimly lit room. It was Jiang Cheng’s living quarters.

Wen Ning waited in the center of the room, unsure of what to do with himself, while Jiang Cheng stepped over to a shelf and pulled something out.

He lifted Wen Ning’s arm and dropped a small tan pouch into his palm.

It was a spirit-trapping pouch. Wen Ning stared at it for a few moments. “What’s this?”

Jiang Cheng kneaded his lips together and looked away. “From Dafan Mountain.”

“Th-The goddess?” In the cave on Dafan Mountain, Jiang Cheng had ordered Wen Ning to leave after he summoned the goddess, and pulled out this pouch. Had he captured the goddess’s spirit to take back to Lotus Pier? Why would he do something like that?

“No, not her.” Jiang Cheng said slowly. He looked guiltier with each word. “I let her go after she talked to me.”

“Then who is it?”

“…You.”

Wen Ning froze.

He let his mouth fall open.

“Wh-What do you mean, me, how is it—”

“It’s a soul fragment.”

The piece of his soul the Goddess Statue had stolen when he was a child.

How can this be?

Suddenly he wanted to throw the pouch across the room, to get it as far away from it as possible.

“How?”

“I didn’t believe it when it happened,” Jiang Cheng said. “I didn’t want to tell you if it wasn’t true, so I…” His shoulders tightened. “So I took it back to Lotus Pier to confirm, and, well, it’s definitely you.”

Wen Ning didn’t know what to say.

“If you want,” Jiang Cheng paused, clenching and unclenching his fists like he was fighting with himself. “If you want, Wei Wuxian can probably do something with it. Put it back in you or something. Make things feel a little better for you.”

“I don’t want it,” Wen Ning said darkly.

He should’ve felt grateful. He had always wished that his soul was complete, that his cultivation abilities were what they should’ve been. Recovering his missing soul fragment would help his spirit be whole. It would help him fight the resentful energy inside him, grant him peace.

But Wen Ning did not feel grateful.

Does he think I need this? That I need to be fixed?

If he was supposed to put this soul fragment back in himself—to make himself more human, he guessed—then what was he supposed to do about his body? What was the point when there was no fixing the rest of him?

This soul fragment didn’t belong to him anymore, just like his living body didn’t belong to him anymore.

He had hoped that Jiang Cheng meant what he said that night, that he didn’t just think of Wen Ning as the Ghost General, didn’t just think of him as a corpse.

That sometimes he forgot, and then Wen Ning could’ve forgotten too.

He’d been wrong.

He handed the pouch back.

“That’s fine, then,” Jiang Cheng said calmly as he took the pouch. “Didn’t think you’d want it anyway.”

“Huh?”

“You seem fine without it.” He shrugged. “But it would be better to ask.”

Whatever had dragged Wen Ning down before, its pressure lifted, and Wen Ning’s spirits rose.

He doesn’t think I need it.

Their eyes met, and a bridge passed through the space between them.

It made sense that he’d say this. Jiang Cheng had something inside him that no one had asked if he wanted.

That was partly Wen Ning’s fault.

His insides churned with a question. “Jiang Cheng?”

“What?”

“On Dafan Mountain, if you hadn’t been so tired, would we have…” He took a step back. He folded his hands and stared at the floor. “Would we have done more?”

The silence gnawed at Wen Ning’s ears. He felt his heart sink lower and lower as he waited.

“No.”

“…Oh.”

Wen Ning turned for the door. “I’ll take my leave, Jiang-zongzhu.”

“It’s not because of that.”

Wen Ning stood in the doorway, resting a hand on the door frame and gazing down the hall, trying not to let himself quiver.

“It’s not because of you.” He heard Jiang Cheng step closer. “I’m just…I’m…” Anger barbed his voice. “I’m not the right man. Barely even a man. I can’t give you anything.”

“What do you mean?” Wen Ning said quietly.

Jiang Cheng’s voice became even quieter than Wen Ning’s. “Why do you think the Jiang Clan doesn’t have an heir?”

“Because every woman has blacklisted you.”

“You!—” He took a moment to steady his breath and lower his voice. “And what do you think is the reason for that? Bad-tempered, loud, hostile—I know what they all say—and on top of that, I…I don’t…desire. Not like that. Not for everything I should.” He sounded like he wanted to hit himself. “A pathetic husband I’d make.”

Wen Ning finally turned back to the room. Jiang Cheng looked away immediately, his jaw and fists clenched, his face red.

“That’s not pathetic.”

Then Wen Ning’s chest knotted with guilt. He felt like he had dirtied a home that wasn’t his. “Did you…desire any of it? That night?”

Jiang Cheng swallowed. His voice cracked. “I did like some of it.”

Maybe it was different for Wen Ning, banished from human touch for years, but he couldn’t imagine how someone would find this a problem. If that was the farthest Wen Ning went for the rest of eternity, he still would’ve been beyond happy.

“Then only doing those things is enough.”

“Enough for whom?”

Wen Ning stood still for a few moments, feeling like he was balancing on a tightrope.

Enough for me.

Except.

The ghosts of the past had built a wall between them, shattering the bridge to nowhere.

They had spent a long time without acknowledging it, but they still hadn’t fully forgiven each other, and it might've been a while until they did. The existence of the other was as much a source of pain as it had the potential to be a source of joy.

Maybe they could be friends one day. But to become something more, to do that again…

It just wasn’t time.

Jiang Cheng’s eyes darkened, as if he knew it too.

“It’ll be enough for whomever you choose,” Wen Ning said. “Maybe…” He didn’t finish.

He left. Tried not to feel anything, wished that his emotions were as dulled as his sense of taste and touch.

“Wen Ning.” Jiang Cheng had followed him into the hallway.

He stopped and turned halfway around.

“…Thank you.”

Wen Ning gave a half-hearted smile. “Please don’t thank me, and don’t tell me you’re sorry, either.”

Jiang Cheng opened his mouth. Closed it.

He nodded and disappeared back into his room.

* * *

That night, Wen Ning left Lotus Pier by himself. He’d meet the others back at the Cloud Recesses.

Sometime.

For now, he just wanted to wander underneath the moon.

Hours later, he found himself back on Dafan Mountain, in front of his family’s memorial. He bowed, then knelt on the ground, stroking the dirt, wondering if he could write a message in it and have it reach his family.

He thought of how he stood here in the sun with Jiang Cheng, holding his hand.

Squeezing Jiang Cheng’s hand like Wen Qing used to squeeze his.

His throat caught.

Why does it have to be him?

He scraped the ground and let dirt wedge under his fingernails. Then he placed his hands on the memorial stone, pressed his face on it. It still didn’t feel like anything.

He tried humming a song from his childhood, but it didn’t vibrate in his chest like it used to.

A gentle pat on his head.

He put his face in his dirt-stained hands and sobbed waterless tears.

If only one person were alive to forget Wen Ning was dead, he wished it could’ve been his sister instead.

* * *

Two days later, Wen Ning received another letter.

The soul fragment has been put to rest.

You are always welcome in Lotus Pier.

Jiang Cheng.

It made him smile.

He carried the note in his robes from then on. Some days it felt like nothing, some days it felt like a deadweight, and some days it felt like a good luck charm he could use when he was ready.

But it always made him feel a little more alive.

* * *

Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, you can be a supportive sibling like Jiang Yanli by liking, reblogging, and visiting me on AO3.

Happy ending bonus scene >

#chengning #ningcheng #mdzs fanfiction #the untamed fanfiction #mdzs fanfic #the untamed fanfic #powered by sufjan stevens #mdzs #the untamed #cql #jiang cheng #ifdchallenge2021 #jiang wanyin #wen ning #wen qionglin #emilu fics #emilu creations

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ka-za-ri · 4 years

Text

Descent Pt. 9

Y’ALL THOUGHT I WAS JOKING WHEN I SAID “ I JUST WANT TO SEE SIMEON [REDACTED] AND [REDACTED] WHILE [REDACTED] AND [REDACTED] ALL THE WHILE MC AND LUCIFER [REDACTED] UNTIL SIMEON IS [REDACTED] OUT OF HIS MIND” I wasn’t.

I’m so, so, so, sorry that this chapter took so long to come out. (シ_ _)シ There was a lot of self-doubt when it came to writing it so it took a little more time before I realized my original plan was the right way to go. I’ve been really excited to write this, so I hope it translated well. Hope y’all enjoy!

Chapter Index and Obey Me! Masterlist: here Ao3 Mirror: Here Part [1] Part [2] Part [3] Part 4: [4] Part [5] Part [6] Part [7] Part [8] Part [9] Part [10]

Pairing: Simeon x Lucifer x Reader, Lucifer x Simeon Genre: REALLY filthy smut Wordcount: 7,400 ish Tags: Threesome F/M/M, Spitroasting, Pegging, rough sex, overstimulation, chastity devices Summary: Desperate for release, Simeon's willing to give you everything, including his body. It's just a shame he's too prideful to do it alone and once again needs to call in a favor.

Plunge

Your kisses were hot enough to brand his skin. Lips, breath, scent, all of it cloyingly sweet and heady. He reached out to brush your hair from your face just so he could kiss you without abandon. Simeon whined when you pulled away from him. He reached out to you but you pushed him back onto the soft covers of his bed. “No.” you told him firmly and placed a finger onto his lips. He kissed the digit reverently before you slid your finger away, traces of his saliva leaving a glistening trail down his chin.

Your fingers found his nipples and pinched them, hard. He cried out in pain, but there was no question that the pain only turned into pleasure as you ground against his throbbing member. He called for you, his throat parched and hoarse from screaming in pleasure. You only giggled and watched him writhe under you. “No.” you reiterated. “Be a good boy.”

And what could he do but obey you? Listen to your every command as you made his body sing and reach highs he had never achieved before. His cock throbbed, aching to be buried within you, he would do anything for that moment to have you fall into his embrace and make sweet love to you. You were heaven on earth and he was so, so close to salvation.

Your hot mouth wrapped around the tip of his length while your hands kept his legs spread wide. He could feel every one of your taste buds as your tongue swirled around the tip of his cock. He clutched onto the sheets below him, his knuckles turned white from the sheer force of his grip. Simeon keened, begged and pleaded for mercy, yet he knew he would get none. Not while you were in control. No, he knew you would pull everything out of him before he got his release, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He felt you hum while you sucked him off, drawing him closer and closer to his climax. Just when he couldn’t take it anymore, you pulled away and waited for him to stop heaving for air. You had the grace within you to let him breathe for a moment before the tell tale buzz of a vibrator was turned on and pressed firmly against his aching cock.

“Good boy.” You purred and grinned gleefully as his screams echoed in the room. “Cum nice and hard for me now. If you do, I’ll let you fuck me.” Your words were more than temptation, they were pure sin and he didn’t give a damn if he fell, just as long as he was with you. His reward was within reach, and the pleasure building within him reached a breaking point.

As pure euphoria washed over his body, Simeon awoke, panting covered in sweat and dizzy from his dream. His fingers were sore from clinging onto the sheets and there was a distinctive sticky wetness that came from his leaking cock that strained against the cage you had placed onto him. He sighed, tugging at it, hoping that it would give him some relief but it only made the throbbing worse. Simeon took deep breaths, trying to focus on something, anything, to get his mind off of the erotic dream he had. With how often he awoke like this since that night, it was almost routine for him to take a cold shower to wash away the sinful thoughts that invaded his subconscious. Most days it worked, but with how intense his nightly visions were becoming, even that tried and true remedy wasn’t enough.

After seeing you so wantonly taken by Lucifer not once, but twice now, the dreams had started to come in. At first, he didn’t think too much about them, after all it wasn’t the first time he ever had an erotic dream. But, when it involved you and what he now knew you could do for him, his nightly visions became extreme. It was all he could think about. Sometimes, the dreams involved Lucifer as well, goading the two of you on he couldn’t hold back anymore and was ready to fuck you out of your mind. However, even in his dreams, he was denied the ability to take what he wanted as his body always jolted him awake the moment he was just about to enter you.

It had been a full week of this torment. Simeon expected to be used to it. The weight of the cage on his cock reminded him of that fateful night and everything you and Lucifer did to him. Never had he ever been so pampered and spoiled, yet left hungry for so much more. It never failed to get his member straining against its confines.

The memory permeated his regular thoughts and crept up on him whenever he least expected it to. He wasn’t even granted the privilege to rub one out when the thoughts became too much anymore. He was cursed to be stuck with the discomfort of not being able to find release. Somehow, after such a blissful night, his life was an eternal hell of constant arousal and frustration. The inability to find any sort of relief only caused him to stress and be more on edge. He was being driven mad with a need and a desire to defile someone he swore he wouldn’t do.

Something needed to be done.

Simeon hated calling in favors, especially when he just finished paying one back. Still, he didn’t know who else to turn to and his fingers once again dialed the number to his old friend.

“Oh, hello. I didn’t expect to hear from you again so soon.” Lucifer’s drawl was as smug as ever when he finally picked up after several rings. “How has your week been?”

Simeon only sighed, he was sure Lucifer knew exactly how his week has been. “I need help.” he deadpanned, unable to deal with Lucifer’s pompous tone more than he absolutely had to.

“So soon? Are you writing a new novel? I must say, I was rather enamored with how you wrote the last few chapters of your book. I could tell exactly what parts you took---”

“I’m not writing a new book.” Simeon cut in, huffing in frustration. “I need help… With… Well…”

“Well?”

“The cage you put on me...” He finished his sentence with a fair bit of shame, hating that he had to admit to Lucifer of all people that he was having problems with being too over aroused all the time. “I… I can’t cum with it on.”

“Oh, don’t you know? That’s the point.” Lucifer’s chuckle incited a fair bit of anger within Simeon, but he managed to keep a level head somehow. “Come on now, surely you didn’t think it was just for show...”

“Lucifer, I haven’t been able to sleep properly for a week.” Simeon hissed. “I need to do something about this before I snap and do something I regret.”

Lucifer hummed, completely seemingly nonplussed about his friend’s reaction. “Hmm, well, that would be a shame wouldn’t it.” Simeon could hear Lucifer shrugging to his phone. “What do you want to do about it?”

“I don’t know, take it off? You have a spare key, right?”

“Oh no, the one key that exists belongs to your dear friend. Last time I talked to her, she told me the only way she’s going to take that off of you is if you promise to take her.”

There was a fair amount of silence on Simeon’s end. Lucifer wondered if the call had been disconnected and was almost ready to hang up before he heard his friend speak again. “I can’t do that.”

“But it’s what you want, is it not?”

“It’s not about what I want. You know as well as I do that this isn’t something I can do.”

Lucifer sighed, almost pitying how Simeon was fighting his urges. “Is your divinity really that important to you?”

“I… I cannot take what is not meant to be mine.”

“Then, if you cannot take, what can you give?”

Simeon blinked, confused at Lucifer’s cryptic words. He knew Lucifer had something planned, as always; and he had to tread carefully to avoid his fall. Still, Lucifer offered him a sliver of hope, and he would be lying if he said his curiosity wasn’t piqued. “What are you suggesting, Lucifer?”

“Oh? I thought you’d never ask...”

He was only two steps away from falling. Though Lucifer couldn’t take those steps for him, he could at least offer a little push in the right direction.

You laid your head on counter of the bar, the cool wood gave your burning cheeks a little reprieve. Most of the night had been spend nursing mixed drink after mixed drink. With one final rather stiff order, you finally felt sufficiently drunk to the point where you didn’t worry about Simeon or what he thought about your relationship with him.

You hadn’t seen him in a week. He hadn’t said a damn thing since everything that happened at Lucifer’s penthouse and you were beginning to believe it was all a fever dream. Lucifer had been right about one thing, Simeon wasn’t the kind of person to tell you what he wanted. It was a constant guessing game and you were tired of giving the wrong things to him. No matter what, he remained steadfast in his promise to not fuck you.

You groaned, sipping your drink and looked over at the bartender. “What do I do.” you whined, hoping to get some advice.

“Ah? What’s this? Relationship troubles?” he asked softly while carefully drying a glass. He looked at you expectantly, waiting for you to explain your plight.

“How did you know?”

“Well, judging by your demeanor and how often you’ve come in the last week, clearly something is bothering you. When you complain about your job, you ask for beer. This whole week though, you’ve requested mixed drinks, I can only assume that what worries you is a little more ah… personal.”

“Asmo, you are too good at your job.”

He giggled softly, putting the glass in its place and picking up a new one. “Well, I wouldn’t still be working here if I wasn’t good at what I do.”

“This is very true.” You nodded, once again taking another drink. “I don’t know what to do… I really like this guy, but I can’t tell if he’s invested in me the same way I am for with him.”

“Well, now that really is quite worrisome, isn’t it?” Asmo stopped you from answering while he fulfilled an order. He chatted merrily with the customer but he did keep an eye on you to make sure you weren’t too far gone. After all, you had offered him a rather juicy tidbit, he was rather invested now in your story. He wandered back to where you sat at the bar and returned to cleaning glasses now that the patron had their drink. “Sorry about that. Why don’t you tell me more about what’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”

Venting your frustrations out to someone who was basically a stranger was oddly cathartic. You started from the beginning, keeping some details vague just to protect Simeon’s public reputation. Even if your story was for Asmo, you never knew who could be eavesdropping. Your tale was interrupted a few times by customers, but luckily it was getting late and most of them were just getting one last drink in before heading home for the night. The interruptions became less frequent and you were able to eventually finish your story along with your drink.

“So yeah… I came up with the idea of putting him in a chastity belt, and now he hasn’t talked to me for like a week and a half.” You pouted and slouched over the bar. “Do you think I went too far?”

Asmo hummed, wiping down his workspace and mulled over your story. It was just as juicy as he thought it would be. Some of the details you mentioned had him getting rather excited, and he was glad for the tall counter hiding his growing arousal. “Well, all things considered, I think you’ve given him as many hints as possible. If he can’t tell what you want at this point, then that’s on him.”

“But how can I tell if that’s what he wants? He won’t tell me anything.”

“Ah, you see, you’re giving him yet another chance.” Asmo chided. He took your empty glass from you and slid over a new drink. “On the house.” He declared with a bit of a wink. “You’ve given me a good story to listen to, it’s only fair that I compensate you properly for it.”

“Thank you...” You looked at the concoction and took a sip. A myriad of flavors and sensations flooded your tongue and you took a moment to savor his creation. The warm burn of alcohol rested at your chest and you mulled over the bartender’s cryptic words. “So, are you saying I should stop giving him chances? What should I do?”

“I’m saying maybe, you should take a chance this time around instead.” He smiled sweetly at you and continued to calmly clean his space.

“Huh…” you mused. His words still confused you, but they did get your mind thinking about how else to perhaps coax him to tell you what he truly wanted.

As if on cue, your phone lit up and a message appeared. You had to rub your eyes and make sure you weren’t dreaming; the alcohol running through your system sure made things seem rather surreal from time to time. When you were sure that the message hadn’t disappeared, you picked your phone up to read what the contents were.

[SMS: cAN YOU cOME OVER NEXT wEEK??? i NEED TO tALK TO YOU??? ]

Seeing Simeon had taken the initiative to finally text you sent an exciting thrill through you. You had seriously thought about drunkenly texting him and demanding answers, but this was much better than your poorly thought out plan. His inability to text was still as bad as ever and you giggled at how silly the serious message seemed with the mismatched capitalization.

“Hm? Now that’s a lovely sound I didn’t expect to hear. Did something good happen?” Asmo leaned over the counter when he noticed the change in your demeanor. It was as if the heavens had heard your thoughts and prayers, hoping he would contact you first. After having poured your heart out to the bartender, there was no way you weren’t going to listen to his advice.

This was your chance and you were going to take it.

“Yeah. He wants to meet up next week. I guess it’s time to take your advice to heart, huh.”

“Indeed. I hope it works out for you.”

“Oh, I have a feeling it will.”

It didn’t feel like the week could go by fast enough. You finally had a reason to visit Simeon again. It was odd how quickly you missed him when you didn’t have a purpose to go to his place. Before, you could excuse your weekly visits as work. Now that his book was complete, you couldn’t find an excuse to see him unless he invited you over. To say you were excited to see his text was an understatement. You had hastily written a reply in your drunken state. The typos made you cringe when you looked at it the next day, but your meeting with him was still confirmed.

Your mind was mostly preoccupied with your visit. The work of your new clients piled up as you spent hours on end staring into space and imagining what you could do to him next. You had pushed him so far the last time you were with Lucifer, you had been sure he would be ready to break and just ask to take you, but that moment never happened.

You might have replayed the events of that night over and over again, trying to figure out where you went wrong. Eventually, you just became frustrated about things you couldn’t change and focused on anything but your upcoming meeting with Simeon. Work was a great distraction and you found you were able to at least throw yourself into that until your appointed day came.

There was no reason to be nervous. You had been to his home multiple times, and with the things that had happened within those walls, you should have been completely shameless. You had an idea of what to propose to Simeon, should he be willing. It was a risk, but one that you were willing to take. It had taken a while for you to come to terms with the fact that there would come a time where you needed to just do things yourself if they were at a standstill.

Regardless of what convictions you had, your resolve wavered when you saw Lucifer open the door. For a moment a bit of anger flared within you. You despised how you were relying so much on this mysterious man to push your relationship with Simeon forward. Though you were grateful for everything he had done for the book as well as the amazing night he orchestrated as a celebration, you couldn’t help but feel a little bitter when you saw him greet you yet again. Simeon hadn’t mentioned Lucifer being present in his text to you and seeing the man threw your confidence off kilter, to say the least.

“Why the long face? Am I poorly dressed?” He raised an amused brow at your involuntary pout.

“I uh… I just didn’t expect you here is all.” You shrugged, trying to brush off the bitterness you felt and walked passed him to get inside. “I wasn’t aware that Simeon invited you as well.”

Lucifer chuckled, already entertained by the energy in the room already. “Well, he asked me for a favor, and it’s very hard for me to resist helping him.”

“Great. That’s lovely.” You deadpanned, taking off your shoes and walking into the common room. You blinked in confusion when you didn’t see Simeon sitting at his usual spot on the couch. “Simeon?” you called out, wondering where he could have gone.

“He’s not over there.” Lucifer leaned against a wall, waiting for you to get your bearings before he finally guided you in the right direction. “Come, follow me.”

He lead you up the stairs and down a hallway to a room you had never been allowed to be in before. Lucifer opened the door and ushered you into the dimly lit room. You let your eyes adjust to the darkness before a rustling noise on the bed in the corner of the room caught your attention. You could hardly believe your eyes at the vision before you.

“He’s lovely no matter what he wears, isn’t he?” Lucifer whispered into your ear, coming into the room behind you and quietly closing the door.

“Y...yeah...”

Simeon squirmed. He disliked having so much attention aimed his way, especially if that attention was while he was dressed so scantily. Lucifer had once again outdone himself in setting up the scene. The sheer lacy lingerie clung to him like a second skin. The thigh high stockings held up by an elaborate garter belt only accentuated his assets. The sheer chiffon thong he wore hid nothing from your sight and you had a front row seat to his cock straining against the cage you put on him weeks ago. When he shifted, you noticed a glittering plug fit snugly into his ass. He was breathtaking in his get up and you could feel your cheeks burning from witnessing such a beautifully debauched scene.

“You see, he’s been excited to show you this little getup this all week long. But he still needed a little help getting the last few details right.” Lucifer explained before he sauntered across the room and put the final touches onto the ensemble.

Simeon shifted to get on his knees if only to make it easier for Lucifer to place the bejeweled leather collar on his neck. The glittering lead dangled in front of him tantalizingly once the collar was securely on. He looked over at you expectantly, his eyes wide with an emotion you couldn’t quite place. “Do… do you like it?”

You nodded dumbly, stepping forward when Lucifer wordlessly coaxed you forward and offered the lead to the collar. It was surprisingly heavy, looking down, you noticed that it sparkled in the dim light due to all the crystals embedded in it. Your eyes followed the lead until you locked gazes with Simeon. He had the most beautiful pout on his face, his eyes wide and his lower lip stuck out, begging for you to kiss it.

You gave the lead an experimental little tug. As soon as he felt it, Simeon obediently got up and trotted over to where you stood. The immense amount of control you had over him was absolutely mind blowing. “I’ve been wanting… to do something like this for a while now.” he admitted bashfully and turned his face to the side unable to keep eye contact any longer.

Taking his chin gently in your free hand, you shifted his gaze back to you. Hearing he wanted something like this to happen only made you more excited. Hopefully it meant that he was willing to open up a little more. It almost made up for the anger you felt at Lucifer’s presence. Though it was upsetting that you couldn’t coax his desires out of him on your own, you were glad he had reached this point at least. “Tell me what else you want out of this.” You commanded, your thumb gently brushed against his cheek as if it could draw the answer out of his lips.

“I want...” He paused, lowering his gaze but your grip on his chin remained firm and he was looking at you once more with a little jerk of your hand. “I want…” Simeon couldn’t seem to finish his sentence and he stuttered once again.

“I can’t give you what you want if you won’t tell me.” You chided softly, tightening your grip on the lead and pulling him down until he was on his knees. Your hand on his chin moved to his hair, gently petting his soft locks before grabbing a fistful and making him wince a bit. “You’ll be a good boy and tell me, right?” You gave the lead a forceful tug, causing his neck to strain and he let out a stuttering breath.

“Y-yes… I’ll be good.”

Your grip loosened enough to give him some reprieve. “And what is it that my precious angel wants?”

“I want you to… I want… Iwantyoutofuckmeplease.” His request came out in a rushed, run-on whisper. Once you pieced together what he said, your cheeks warmed at his candidness. You cleared your throat, trying to reassert the dominance you had acquired. From the corner of your eye, you could see Lucifer had made himself at home on Simeon’s bed. He lounged against the headboard, ready to step in if you needed him. For the time being, he was happy to take a back seat to the depravity Simeon was about to subject himself to.

“Is that what you want...” You mused, pretending to be calm, though your heart threatened to beat out of your chest. Truth be told, you had considered doing something like this after Asmo’s advice, but you never thought Simeon would offer such a thing to you. Well, might as well take what’s given…

You gently pat his head and you swore he let out a quiet coo of content at the affection, though you couldn’t be sure. Lucifer watching everything was distracting you from Simeon’s request. Admitting that you would have never gotten to this point without Lucifer’s help frustrated you and it took away from the potential closeness of the moment if it had only been you and Simeon.

As if he could sense your unease, Simeon spoke up. “I asked him to be here… I trust him as much as I trust you.” He leaned his head into your hand, encouraging you to keep petting him. “Please, use him as you wish.”

You turned to Lucifer and raised a brow, surprised that the CEO of Akuzon would ever agree to be submissive to anyone. The man on the bed only shrugged in reply. “He asked for a favor, how could I say no. Have you seen the way he pouts? But it is as he says, I am at your command tonight.”

The shift in power had your head spinning. Both the men in the room were at your beck and call for the night. The final goal being fucking Simeon until he couldn’t see straight. You pulled Simeon back on his feet and ran your hand down his abdomen to tease the cage that kept his cock bound. He whimpered, bit his lower lip and heaved a heavy sigh. He hoped you would be merciful if he pouted and showed you how needy he was; but it looked like you had no intentions of releasing his cock from its confines anytime soon. Then again, he didn’t think he deserve that sort of sympathy from you, not after what he put you through.

“Well, I suppose I should get to work then, shouldn’t I?” you purred. Having so much authority made you feel drunk and made your mind race all the ways you could take the beautiful man before you. You pulled him back up to his feet and pulled him into a quick kiss, careful to only give him a hint of the passion and love you had for him. “I think I have too many clothes on for what you want, so why don’t you be a good little angel and help me out of them?”

Simeon was more than eager to comply. His fingers quickly flying to your blouse and worked the buttons off. His eyes burned with the same concentration he had whenever he was in the middle of writing an intense scene. He moved like a man on a mission and you were left in nothing but your undergarments quite quickly. “Good boy.” You praised, giving him another brief kiss and lead him back to the bed. “Now, are you sure about this? I don’t want to hurt you if it’s not what you want.”

He nodded vigorously. “I want this… more than anything. I want to give you everything that I have… please take me.”

Your heart fluttered at his admission and your dominance faltered for a moment. “Well, if that’s what you want, how could I ever deny you.” you purred once you had a moment to regain your composure. You looked over at Lucifer who was very clearly in on Simeon’s plan. “Something tells me that know what to do next.”

“I thought you’d never call on me.” He got up from his place on the bed and walked over to a drawer. Once he retrieved what he needed, he beckoned you over and you complied after putting the lead to Simeon’s collar down.

From there, Lucifer helped you get fitted with the harness and made sure everything was on securely for you. He worked methodically, fully invested in making sure you were outfitted properly. When he was done, you needed a moment to get accustomed to the rather sizable strap-on you now sported. The heavy weight of the phallic object felt foreign to you and you half wondered how either of the men in the room dealt with something like this on a daily basis.

The straps of the harness hugged your thighs and your hips, keeping everything in its place so you wouldn’t have to worry about anything slipping when you properly got things going. Idly, you reached down and stroked the silicone dildo hanging between your legs which elicited an amused chuckle from Lucifer. “Who knew my cock would look just as good on you as it does in you.”

You sputtered; honestly, you didn’t know why you were even surprised. Of course he would have done something like this. Looking over to Simeon, you stalled for another moment, still hesitant on whether or not this was something he wanted. But, when he called for you with a needy little whine, you were reassured that this was exactly what he wanted.

“You. Strip. In case I need you later.” You commanded to Lucifer before walking towards Simeon who was waiting so patiently for you.

Giving something for Lucifer to do meant you could focus solely on Simeon. “Come on, hands and knees now, love.” you urged, tugging on the tether to bring Simeon into the proper position. As if he could read your mind, Lucifer tossed you the bottle of lube and you fumbled to catch it.

Now that what he fantasized about was actually happening Simeon was more than eager to show you just how needy he was. His ass swayed gently from side to side as you floundered around with the bottle. It was the first time in weeks he had been touched by another person and everything you teased him with only added to his arousal. Precum oozed out of the tip of the cage, dribbling onto the sheets below. You hoped by the end of the night there would be a veritable puddle of his essence on the bed.

The thong he wore really wasn’t holding anything up. It was a pretty, lacy thing, but utterly useless in practicality. It was easy to just undo the ties that held it up at his sides and toss the thing across the room. Now that you had better access to him, you assessed the glittering plug in his ass. “Did someone spend all week getting ready for this?” you crooned softly, tugging at it gently and drawing out a loud whine from as his tight hole was stimulated.

“Y-yes… I want… I want….” He whimpered, falling to his elbows. He had dreamed about this moment for days on end, now that he was experiencing it, his mind was reeling from all the sensations.

“So greedy.” you chided, tugging at the plug harder and watched as his hole spread and stretch to make room for the toy you were slowly extracting from him.

Lucifer returned to the other side of the bed, fully nude and half hard. He laid back, not even a little bit shameful about how much he was enjoying the scene before him. His friend was so close to falling and accepting his fate, yet he was struggling with every fiber of being. It truly was endearing just how hard Simeon was trying to cling to his divinity all the while being so obscene. The human realm’s temptations were truly marvelous.

The plug released from his ass in a satisfying ‘pop’ and Simeon sighed in content, knowing what was to come soon. You marveled at the impressive girth of the plug before also tossing it to the side. It had served its use as preparation for the main event of the night.

You poured a generous amount of lube down his ass crack, ensuring that he was well covered with the slick substance before you entered him. Just as an extra precaution, you gingerly fingered his hole, slipping you fingers into him to test just how ready he was. He let out a long whine that turned into a moan as your fingers explored him. “Please… don’t tease me...”

“Aww, she’s just making sure you don’t get hurt.” Lucifer reassured, stroking his friend’s hair. He had taken a hold of the leash, keeping Simeon’s head up so he could see every change of his friend’s expression all the while you drove him mad with just your fingers.

“I won’t, I’ve prepared all week for--- ahhhh” His indignant quip was quickly silenced as you pressed the well lubed head of the dildo into him. No amount of preparation could have made him ready for the feeling of being stretched and filled by something so large.

You took it slow, still unsure of whether or not you were hurting him. While it was mesmerizing to see the dildo slowly disappear inch by inch into Simeon, you still worried that it could be too much. You could see Simeon clawing at the sheets below him as he accepted every inch of the phallic toy inside of him. It was so much more than a plug. It filled him in a way he never thought was possible and he nearly forgot to breathe if it weren’t for Lucifer quietly reminding him to relax and take a breath from time to time.

It took a small eternity, but you eventually fit the whole toy inside of him. When you finally bottomed out, he heaved an earth shattering sigh and his shoulders visibly slouched for a moment before Lucifer once again brought his head upright. “Good boy.” You praised, patting his ass cheek lovingly before placing your hands firmly on his hips to keep him in place. He visibly shivered as your hips flexed and gave him an experimental thrust. “You took that so well.”

Simeon only whimpered underneath you, pressing his ass back towards you, urging you to continue. You smirked, unable to get over just how much power you had over him. To know you were drawing these sorts of sounds and reactions from him only added to the high you were experiencing and served to fuel your building arousal. As soon as you started a steady pace, you were quickly entranced at how readily his body was accepting the toy.

It felt amazing to dedicate his body to you. To give everything he had to the pleasure you could draw out of him. The moment you settled on a rhythmic thrusting pattern, he saw you as he knew you owned him as his master, his lover and his god all at once. There was no greater bliss than feeling the toy slide in and out of him, undoing him in spades as it rubbed against his prostate and made him sing.

Simeon keened and wailed, meeting every one of your thrusts by pushing his ass back against the toy. The cum dripping out from the tip of the cage soon flowed freely. He was sure he would have cum by now, but due to the restraints, he didn’t know where his release began or ended. You became bolder with your strokes, fucking him harder with longer, deeper thrusts, making his moans fill the room and bounced off the walls.

“Oh my… so loud...” You mused before slamming your hips into him and making him properly scream. “Lucifer, be a dear and help me gag him, please. It would be a shame if the neighbors heard how dreadfully lewd he’s being.”

Lucifer sat up straight, a smirk spread on his face when he was at last being used for the explicit purpose to further Simeon’s pleasure. He got to his knees and used the lead to bring Simeon’s face to the same level as his cock. “With pleasure.” He said, stroking Simeon’s hair. “Come now, you know what to do with that pretty mouth of yours.”

Simeon was beyond feeling shame. The lust coursing through his veins overran any sense of embarrassment he might have felt. His mouth eagerly opened to accept Lucifer’s cock, lapping at the tip before wrapping his lips around it.

Lucifer groaned, his long lashes fluttering from finally getting a little bit of stimulation. The slack on the lead disappeared as he pulled on the collar harshly. The rough motion allowed his cock to slip all the way to the back of Simeon’s throat, effectively gagging him as you had requested. Hearing his newly muffled moans sounded like music to your ears.

Sensing that he was struggling to take so much all at once, you stopped what you were doing for Lucifer to get comfortable fucking Simeon’s mouth. Once you noticed his body relax and no longer tremble from being so overwhelmed, you went right back to fucking him until he was too exhausted to take anymore.

You got your wish. By the time he couldn’t take anymore, there was a sizable pool of his cum on the sheets and yet his cock still leaked his essence. It looked painful straining against the cage, yet you looked at your handiwork with a sense of pride. Despite all the ecstasy he had felt, he still wasn’t allowed a true climax. Until he said he wanted to put his dick in your cunt, you wouldn’t give him the privilege of release. Glancing over at his face, you saw a mixture of Lucifer’s cum and drool dribbling down Simeon’s chin. The sloppy mess on his face glistened in the dim light of the room. You couldn’t deny, even in this defiled and debauched state, he was beautiful.

You were careful when you finally pulled the strap-on out of his ass, making sure to take your time and memorized every muffled whimper and moan that came from his occupied lips. Lucifer only extracted his cock from Simeon’s mouth when you gave him the permission to do so with a curt nod. He lovingly stroked his friend’s hair, smiling softly. He knew just how close Simeon was to falling, he could feel it. It would only take one last gentle push in the right direction.

Simeon gasped for air, remembering to roll over and avoid the mess he made. He sprawled on the sheets, staring at the ceiling and reeling in the sensations he just experienced. His whole body was sore, it felt like he had gone through a multitudes of highs with no end. He never reached the intense peak of a true climax, but with how much cum was on the sheets, he at least felt some sort of release from what you and Lucifer did. His asshole, though thoroughly abused by the extended fuck session still craved for more.

Even though he had given it all to you, it still didn’t feel like it was enough to satiate his needs.

He had thought he would be free from his desires once he gave everything he had to you; but there was still a hollow ache of hunger that wasn’t satisfied.

“You did so well. That was amazing.” you purred, crawling over to where Simeon laid and kissing him deeply. Your tongue swiped across his swollen lips tasting him and traces of Lucifer before delving into the caverns of his mouth to get more. Your hand felt around for the lead to his collar and tugged slightly on it once you found it. His reacted immediately, intensifying the kiss and tilting his head to give you a better angle. Exhausted as he was, he was still willing to give you what you wanted. “What an obedient angel I have...” You breathed once the kiss was finally broken. “My precious angel behaves so well.”

He stood at the point of no return. He was so close to crossing the line and all he needed was a little push.

“Ah, an angel he might be, you’re still unsatisfied, aren’t you?” Lucifer commented, his voice syrupy sweet as he slipped behind you and took both of your breasts in his hands. You gasped in surprise, having nearly forgotten he was even there while you focused on taking care of Simeon. While you were still gathering your composure, Lucifer swiftly undid the straps to the harness. In no time at all, it fell to the bed with a dull ‘thud’ before he unceremoniously shoved his fingers into your sopping wet heat.

Simeon’s eyes widened, barely believing what he was seeing. He had been so enraptured by his own pleasure he had forgotten about your own. The shame of not pleasing you washed over him and whatever bliss he felt was dashed away as he watched you writhe under Lucifer’s grasp. With how drained his body was, he didn’t have the strength to do anything but hopelessly watch as once again Lucifer was the one who could draw out true pleasure from you.

He regretted asking for help. He regretted trusting Lucifer. He regretted everything as he was forced to watch you moan and whimper for someone that wasn’t him. Even if you owned him and everything that he was, that didn’t mean he had a place in your heart.

Hot tears pricked his eyes as he was witnessed Lucifer’s cock disappear over and over again into your pussy. Your pleasured moans would be branded into his memory. The bliss that was plastered all over your face was something he could never draw out of you. He could feel what trust he had in Lucifer crack and break with every thrust you eagerly accepted. The way you clung desperately to Lucifer as he railed you and the way your moans sounded was so much more raw than anything he could ever elicit from you. As he watched you cry out for a man not him, he felt a burning ember of rage grow within him. He would never be enough, no matter how much he gave.

His cock was prisoner to your whims and your rules. The one tenet he refused to break was what barred him from reaching paradise. The divine celestials seemed droll compared to the temptations you provided him every time he fell into bed with you.

No, no. Stop. She’s mine. She’s MINE. Stop. Please stop.

The hold you had on his lead fell when you came around Lucifer’s cock. He never ceased to bring you to a violent orgasm with how he played your body like an instrument. You couldn’t stay angry with him when he so easily turned you into a moaning mess with little to no effort. For as much as you craved Simeon, he offered an allure that was irresistible. Like a devil seducing you away from your goal, he shook your conviction and made you doubt if Simeon could ever be this good.

“Oh, fuck… Lucifer.” you groaned, shuddering as your body was overtaken by your orgasm. You lifelessly fell forward, your whole body limp and used after such a good fuck. Lucifer wasn’t too far behind and with a few more frantic thrusts, emptied himself within you. The envy Simeon felt when he saw cum that wasn’t his own flood your pussy was absolutely indescribable. How unfair was it for you to own every bit of him, yet he could not stake his claim on you.

The rage within him boiled under his skin and he weakly reached out for you to cradle your listless body while you rode out your high. He glared at Lucifer who only smirked in return. Simeon protectively curled himself around you, holding you close. You let out a whine of protest when you felt your leg brush against the puddle of cold cum on the sheets, but quickly settled into his embrace. He wouldn’t let the devil take you away, no matter how much he tempted you. No, he would do everything to guard you from that sin. Feeling you nest comfortably in his arms, he felt the anger within him subside, if only for a little bit.

Lucifer knew how to read the room and took the hint that he wasn’t wanted, nor needed anymore. As far as he was concerned, his goal had been accomplished. He looked forward to the result of his goading in the upcoming days. All he had to do now was make a graceful exit. Luckily, being the busy man that he was, it was easy to pretend that he received an urgent text from his assistant as an excuse to leave the two of you alone. “It’s been a pleasure, as always.” he said before taking his leave.

You waited until you heard the front door close before you let your body fully relax into Simeon’s arms. “So, was that what you wanted?”

“Yes, all that and more.” he lied softly, burrowing his head into the crook of your neck before the two of you fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

He was a step away from the edge and a this point, he was more than ready to take the fall.

#Obey me! Simeon #Obey me! Lucifer #Obey Me! Fanfic #Lucifer x Reader #Simeon x Reader #Lucifer x Simeon x Reader #my writing #i'm trash you're trash we're all trash

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tams-writeblr · 3 years

Text

Once I’m gone

Rating: M(ature)

Warnings: major character death

Category: F/M (main couple), Multi (side characters)

Fandom: Attack on Titan / Shingeki no Kyojin

Relationship: Mikasa Ackermann / Eren Jaeger | various side couples

Characters: Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackermann, Armin Arlelt, Zeke Jaeger, Hange Zoe, Floch Forster, Ymir, Reiner Braun, Pieck Finger, Historia Reiss, several others will make a cameo

Additional Tags: Modern AU | established relationship | toxic behaviour | Eren suffers from Huntington’s disease and tries to settle his matters before he dies | suicial blockhead Eren | aged up characters (by ten years) | suicide tw | depression tw | mental diseases tw | deathly diseases tw | this is clearly not write what you know, but I’m giving my very best to representate the topics as good as I can | this all basically came to me as a fever dream | you remember Thirteen from House, M.D.? I still have a huge crush on her so this version of Eren is greatly inspired by her <3

Language: English (not native, I’m trying my best you guys)

Stats: ongoing - Chapter 1/15 - Part 2/4 - 1507 of 3652 words

Summary: Eren Jaeger knew for years that he inherited Huntington’s disease from his late mother. When he first notices symptoms on him, his long protected plan, to end his life before reaching the critical state of his illness, awakes. But there is still Mikasa, his girlfriend and the only person in the world he cares about more than about himself, and he can’t leave her alone and grieving. It’s time to find a substitute for when Eren is gone. With the help of a new friend Eren tries to scare away Mikasa while driving her into the arms of someone new.

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Charlatans and Pills - Part 2/4

<<previous

“Hey Mama”, the small, dark haired boy said and pulled his hand towards the woman that sat sunk down on an uncomfortable looking chair.

She didn’t directly look at him, only giving his pulled out hand a small, arbitrary glance and looked up towards the man, standing behind Eren.

“But Carla, Dear”, Eren's father said with a cheerful tone. “Shake at least our Eren’s hand. Aren’t you happy that we are visiting you?”

A thin lipped smile crawled over Carla’s face and her light brown eyes finally found Eren’s glance. “Eren”, she sighed recognizing and rather than just taking his hand, she slipped down her chair and tightly hugged him.

Tighter than Eren would have liked it. He looked up to his father, seeking help, insecure how to behave. She still was his mother, the one that always loved him and guessed every wish from his eyes.

Eren had found out that she was sick, three years ago. Back then they also told him, he eventually would get the same sickness. She often dropped things and so she did on his eleventh birthday with a knife to cut his cake. It fell right on her foot and she had to go to the hospital. After this incident, she never returned to her old self. She behaved strangely ever so often, screaming at his dad for obviously no reason.

But the strangest was when Eren came home from school one day. His father was still at work, he had a small practice in the middle of town, and usually a delicious lunch was waiting for him when he returned home from school. But on this day nothing smelled nice through the house, on the contrary it stank horribly of burned food and everything was full with smoke. Eren found his mother in the upstairs bathroom, her hands were dripping with blood, he had found shards in the kitchen.

“What do you want?”, his mother screamed and held her blood stained hands in front of her face. “Get out! I have to hide from the smoke!”

Puzzled Eren neared his mother. “But Mama, you have to turn off the oven or else whatever's on there will burn even more. Did you cut yourself? Do you need a bandaid?”

“Get our!”, Carla yelled again. “Who the hell are you, how did you get into my house?”

Helpless tears wobbled out of big, green child’s eyes. “Mama”, he whined and ducked away under a roll of toilet paper his mother threw at him. Desperately the boy backed out of the bathroom and ran back to the kitchen where he pulled all knobs of the oven until the red control light went off, then he remembered what his father always had hammered inside his little head: to call him at work, when something was wrong with Mum.

“The number is pinned on the fridge”, he had told him again and again. “I’ll be with you within 15 minutes.” If not at this moment, when should he bother his father at work? Quickly the boy looked for the phone around the smoke filled house, luckily he found it in the living room and not like so often in his parents bedroom. He wouldn’t have dared to walk past the upper bathroom in which he still suspected his mother.

His father indeed arrived within minutes. He found Carla beneath the toilet, sunk down and asleep and immediately called an ambulance. “I’m so sorry”, he murmured again and again while pressing the sobbing and crying Eren against him. “You’ll never have to be alone with her again. Everything will be alright.”

His mother didn’t return home after this incident. His father explained to him that she would now live somewhere, where people could look after her more appropriately. There no knife would fall on her food ever again and she wouldn’t burn any more pans.

But Eren found the place where they brought her simply terrifying. There were only old people. Not old people like his father but really old, probably older than his grandparents. It always smelled strangely and scary sounds came from some chambers.

Eren curled out of his mother’s embrace and his father came to help him.

“There, there Carla, not so fiercely”, he laughed and directed her gently back towards her chair. Then he took place across from her and placed a hand on her knee. “Well my Dear, how are you feeling today?”

Carla looked at him for a long time with a stoic face. At that her left arm twitched permanently. It hit against her thigh and the seating of the chair.

Eren watched the movement hypnotized and flinched when his mother took a deep, loud breath.

“Grisha”, she said with unmistakable joy in her voice. her twitching arm raised and her hand landed accurately on her husband’s. A smile crept towards her lips. “My Dear…” Suddenly she was once again his mother, the pretty woman with light brown eyes and dark hair, sun kissed skin and the most beautiful smile in the world.

Eren felt lighter than before and placed his small child’s hand above his mother’s. She only looked at him briefly, out of the corner of her eyes, before taxing Grisha again. The three of them stayed like this for a while in total silence. Only a far away, old and male voice asked when it was finally time for dinner.

The clearing of a throat crushed the family idly and Eren and his mother heavily flinched.

Carla’s head shot high to look at the creator of the noice’s face. Her own one suddenly started to twitch wildly.

“Mr. Jäger, can I please talk to you for a moment?”, a man in a white coat said. From his father Eren knew that doctors dressed like that.

Grisha got up and agreed with a dark look on his face. “Eren, sit down for so long. I’ll be right back.”

“You are a doctor?”, Eren heard the other man ask when he walked away with his father. The latter didn’t answer, maybe he had only nodded. “Then you must know about the condition your wife is in.”

Eren couldn’t hear more from the conversation. But from the look on his mother’s face, he could tell that her glance followed them.

He didn’t want to turn out like her. What was that for a life? Eren still couldn’t quite understand what was wrong with his mother, but he knew she always forgot things, sometimes even him or his father and that she always flapped around her arms. He didn’t want that, especially not the thing with forgetting. Carefully he took her hand between both of his. “I’m not gonna forget you, Mama”, he said tenderly and patted her hand that was gaunt and wiry. “I promise.”

Carla looked at her boy dumbfounded before pulling her eyebrows into a painful grimace. “Oh Eren, my little baby,” she cried and thick tears wobbled out of her eyes. Fragile and smaller as he remembered her she sat on that horribly uncomfortable chair, her hand between the small palms of her son.

Scared by her sudden burst of emotion Eren pulled his hands away. Two faces, so similar to each other that everyone would see their connection, looked at each other with a mixture of horror and hurt.

When his father returned, Eren asked him to leave.

“Come back soon!”, he heard his mother say softly when Grisha leaned down to her and kissed her.

He promised they would, of course he did. And of course they kept their promise. Eren couldn’t say how many hours of his youth he had spent in that foster home that cared for his mother. The doctors and nurses there did a wonderful job, they deeply cared for his mother, who visibly crumpled infront of her small family’s eyes. She got thinner and thinner and ever more erratic. Until she neither recognized Grisha nor Eren. Sometimes she remembered to have a son called Eren but in her memory he was still a ten-years-old that had broken his arm while wrestling with his friends. That the handsome young man infront of her was her small Eren, she wouldn’t get the idea despite their striking resemblance.

Finally her spasticies became so bad that it became too dangerous to let her eat solid food and she got a feeding tube. From this moment on, things went continuously down hill for Carla Jäger, whose husband was a doctor himself who slowly broke down by looking at her.

Almost exactly ten years after moving to the foster home and a little over 13 years after her diagnosis Carla died on a stormy fall evening. She hadn’t seen her son in four month, he just couldn’t take it anymore.

But losing his mother had broken something deep inside of Eren. Now a full grown man, he knew which fate his mother had handed down to him. But he also knew back than, how he would be reacting towards it, when his time came.

>>next

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Author’s Note: Hey, thank you for coming back to me! I hope you don’t mind when long flashbacks like this are all in Italics, I know they can be hard to read. Just for Context: Carla was 30 when she had Eren in this story and she dies at 51. Can’t have a main character without a tragic family backstory, can we? See you for the next part!

#attack on titan fanfiction #aot ff #eremika #eren jaeger #carla jaeger #grisha jaeger #once i'm gone #once i'm gone chap 1 #once i'm gone chap 1 part 2 #eren jaeger x mikasa ackerman #grisha jaeger x carla jaeger #writers on tumblr #fanfiction on tumblr #fanfiction #fanfic #writing

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drazzilder · 3 years

Text

A Hellish Encounter

By Drazzilder

Chapter 18: Fever

It’s January and it is the first weekend you have been away from Enji for more than a work day. You took the weekend south for Zaheer to relax. He was acting up a bit so you went to the southernmost temple to meditate with him. Enji was a little worried about this but you told him to keep in touch and everything would be fine. You were more worried about to him because right before you left, he coughed a few times in the morning. The man never coughs and you have never seen him sick in the two and a half years you have known him. You try not to dwell on it because you have work to do and you can always teleport to him at any time.

It’s your last day at the temple and it really seemed to help Zaheer. Even though he is a demon, he still needs to be connected to the spirits. Most of the time you just meditated, letting Zaheer have free roam on your mind. Sometimes he would use your body to walk around, other times just observing the spirits. It was really calming for both of you and a great way to help balance the demonic energy inside of you. Enji did text you a few times during the weekend, but he knew you couldn’t answer them right away. He didn’t even text you last night or this morning but you were on your way home so it didn’t matter too much.

“Ready to go home?”

“Yes. I’m feeling much better. Thank you for letting me do this.”

“You are living inside of me; I need to make sure you are happy and healthy. Plus, it seemed to calm the demonic energy somewhat. I don’t feel it trying to take over as much.”

“I know. We both needed this. We should probably do this again; I don’t want it to overtake you. I’m ready to go when you are.”

“Good. I told Enji we would be home this afternoon, let’s surprise him and get there now.”

“Sounds like fun!”

You teleport to the front of Enji’s home to not scare him. That’s when you notice something is wrong. The mail hasn’t been collected for what looks like a couple days, the windows are all steamed up and Sanji is at the front door knocking.

“What’s going on, Sanji?”

“Enji has the flu and I have been trying to help him. I brought him some soup yesterday morning and he was ok but he isn’t answering the door right now.”

“What?! Why didn’t you tell me?” You say running to open the door.

“Enji said you were busy with Zaheer and I didn’t want to bother you.”

“We would have understood. We would have dropped anything we were doing if we knew he was sick.”

Once you open the door, you’re hit with a large wave of heat, like someone left the oven on and open. You follow the sound of the tv to the living room and find Enji passed out on the couch. Tissues, empty glasses, and the bowl of soup from yesterday are all about the room. Enji is only on his underwear, severely sweating and slowly breathing. You rush over to him.

“Enji! Enji! Are you ok?” You place your hand on his head and it’s like touching a hot pan. “How did this happen Sanji?”

“He was fine yesterday! I don’t know what happened. He said not to bother him but I knew better.”

Enji starts to wake up a little at looks right at you. “Rei?” Is all he says.

“God, he is having a fever dream. We need to cool him down, now! I know he is almost naked but help me get him into the tub and we will run to the fridge for ice.”

You grab the top of Enji while Sanji grabs his legs. The entire time you were moving him, he just kept mumbling things about Rei. This worries you so you try to hurry but Enji is heavy even for the both of you. It takes a little while to get his limp body into the tub. You start filling it with cold water and Sanji runs to get ice. When the water touches his skin, it starts steaming up instantly.

“Sanji! Give me everything you got, even the frozen food!” You say while placing an ice pack on Enji’s head. The man looks like he is suffering from his quirk, overheating beyond his normal limit. His skin is flush all over even as the water starts rising. You never seen his quirk do this before and it worries both you and Zaheer. After the tub is filled and almost everything has melted, Enji starts cooling down enough that he wakes up. “What happened?” Is all he manages to say with a weak voice.

“Sanji and I found you unconscious on the couch, you were overheating so we put you in the tub.”

“It’s just a cold….” He says, barely keeping his eyes open.

“Clearly this is not a cold. Your temperature was way beyond your normal limit; you were cooking yourself from the inside. Why didn’t you call or text me? And where is Hina and the kids?”

“I’m the number 2 hero, I don’t need help with this stuff. Hina took the kids to visit her brother, they will be back Wednesday.” He says trying to get up but can’t, his body is too sore from the flu.

“Well, if I didn’t come here sooner, you might have needed to go to the hospital. Don’t be so stubborn. Sanji, thank you for watching him and helping me but I got it from here.”

“Not a problem. Get better soon, Enji.” She says as she lets herself out.

You sit there with Enji laying in the tub until the water warms up to room temperature. With some struggles and protests, you manage to get him up and change his underwear and bring him back down to the couch.

“You know, just because you are a hero doesn’t mean you don’t need to be taken care of. I’m your boyfriend, I will always take care of you and you can’t stop me.”

“I’ve had a cold before. I’m fine.” He says with pursed lips.

“No, you’re not. And like I said before: this isn’t a cold. A cold doesn’t make you overheat like that. No matter how much you tell me to leave, I’m staying till you get better.”

“I don’t nee…..”

“And don’t give me that ‘I don’t want you to see me weak’ speech, you cried in my arms like a baby a long time ago, it’s too late for that.”

Enji just sits there in his blanket, silent with pursed lips. He doesn’t speak while you clean up the living room, wash the dishes and make him some soup. When you walk back to him, he looks like he is still pouting. You place the tray on his lap. “Take the medicine and eat this.” You say in a stern voice.

He doesn’t respond. “Enji, take it or I’ll make you!” Zaheer says while you are standing over him, your eye glowing brighter.

“Fine.”

“Don’t be such a baby about this.”

“I’m not a baby…” he says through gritted teeth.

“Then don’t act like one.” You say back in a sharp manner.

All Enji does to respond is grunt and take a spoonful of soup.

You sigh. “You take care of me all the time, let me take care of you for once.” You say as you sit down next to him. He takes the medication and slowly eats the soup. It’s a couple of minutes before he speaks.

“I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“For…. not telling you I was sick. I let this get out of control, didn’t I?” He says looking at the empty bowl.

“You did. This wouldn’t have been this bad if I was here. All you had to do was tell me and I would have been here in a flash, literally. However, we need to remember that the flu somehow makes your quirk go overboard.”

“I know can be stubborn but I think I met my match.”

“It’s only because I love you.” You say kissing his cheek. “Now, let’s just sit here, rest and get some fluids in you. I’ll get you anything you need, so don’t you move a muscle.”

“What if I need to use the bathroom?”

“You know what I mean.” You say turning to face him and understand what he is asking. He starts looking green and is clenching his stomach. You don’t have time to get him to the bathroom so you empty the waste bin on the floor and hand it to him. He starts throwing up while you rub his back.

“Sorry…” Enji says with heavy breathing, still gagging.

“You don’t have to apologize for being sick, that soup might have been too much for you right now. Do I need to run to the store to get you some ginger ale?”

All Enji does is grumble in response while holding the bin in his lap. It’s a little cute seeming him so helpless. This different then when he is hurting mentally, you can do something about that. But something as common as the flu bringing him down, you can’t do much other than get him soup and medicine. You quickly go to the store and bring home a big pack of ginger ale. You even got bendy straws to make it easier for him to drink lying down. He does eventually lay down, but only because you offer your lap as a pillow. You both watched tv as you rubbed his head and shoulder, keeping track of the time to make sure he is getting enough to drink. You would even force the straw to his lips if he didn’t drink when you told him to. After a while, he does fall asleep in your lap till about dinner time. He tries a different soup you got during the soda run, something lighter, and he does keep it down this time.

“(Y/N)?” Enji says with his head lying on your lap again.

“Hmm?”

“Thank you…” Enji barely whispers.

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you.”

“Thank you.” He says more annoyed.

“Thank you for what?” You say with a silly smile.

“For taking care of me.” he says in a low voice.

“Don’t ever worry about me taking care of you. I love you too much leave you be.”

“I just don’t like asking or accepting help…I’m a hero, I normally don’t need help.”

“You accepted it when you broke down in front of me.”

He sighs “That’s different.”

“How so?”

“That was when I was a broken man, I had nothing left. This is just being sick.” He says as he rolls on his back to look up at you.

“But I still took care of you. It doesn’t matter if it is physical or mental, if you need something I’ll be there, got it?” You say rubbing the top of his head a little.

“You’re right…. I don’t like it but you are right.” He says looking down towards his feet.

“I’m only right because I care for you. Don’t you ever forget that.” You say giving him a quick kiss on the forehead while rubbing his chest.

“Can you promise me something?”

“What?”

“If I’m stubborn like this again, keep pushing till I stop.”

“I was planning on it.”

You let Enji lay there the rest of the evening till it was time to go to bed. He didn’t bother to watch the tv, he just stayed on his back as you rub his chest and stomach, occasionally opening his eyes to look at you. His skin starts to cool as he begins to relax from your touch and the medicine starts working. After a while, Enji slowly finds his way to his room and falls asleep almost instantly. You bring a spare mat into the room, only getting close enough to hold his hand, you don’t want to get sick either. It doesn’t take long for you to fall asleep, knowing Enji will be a little better in the morning.

Next Chapter

#A Hellish Encounter #endeavor x male reader #endeavor #enji todoroki #enji x y/n #enji x reader #endeavor stan #endeavor fluff #endeavor mha

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tricksters-captain · 4 years

Text

FP Jones/Andrew’s Family/Riverdale imagines - Oh Dear Part 35 - Final Chapter - A Sore Goodbye

A/N: This is based on the memorial episode for Luke Perry. Watching and writing this was very hard and I miss him as do many fans and everyone who ever knew him. My characters pain here is almost real as it pained me to write about Fred’s death knowing that we didn’t just lose Fred Andrews, we lost Luke Perry. I hope you enjoy this final chapter of ‘Oh Dear’. It’s been a wild ride and I thank every single reader, liker, etc. I love you all.

MASTERLIST LINK (HERE)

Overall Summary: You’re Archie’s older sister and you have a thing for a certain Serpent.

This chapter: Based on Season 4 Episode 1 - (Y/N) has been living away from Riverdale for two years now. Only keeping touch with her family every now and then but (Y/n)’s brother, Archie, and herself never allowed any Riverdale drama to pull her back to the town which held the man she loved but couldn't have. But the sudden death of her father meant she had to finally return...

Pairing: Reader x FP Jones, Sister!Reader x Archie Andrews, Daughter!Reader x Fred Andrews,

Word count: 8,864

Warnings: Very emotional. Loss of a father. Some strong language. Some smut.

“(Y/N).” His voice was like velvet as his arms snaked around you.

You slowly moved in his arms to face him. Your smile widened as you met his eyes.

“You’ve been gone ages–” Fp’s mouth cut your words short as he kissed you deeply and with a hunger you could feel in the pit of your own stomach.

Your fingers tangled themselves in the older man’s hair within seconds, your hips pressing against his as he held you tightly.

You dragged the man backwards to the bed behind you and allowed yourselves to fall down onto it. FP’s hands rushed to rip the clothes from you.

You let your eyes roll backwards at the feeling of his hot tongue against your neck.

His hands left your body for a moment which made you pout and whine in desperation. The empty feeling didn’t last long as hands placed themselves back against your soft skin; but the feeling was different... Not completely foreign but not him.

Your eyes fluttered open to see Malachai’s face. The air flooded your lungs in a sharp gasp but before you could make another sound, Malachai’s hand trapped your lips beneath it.

You screamed into his hand and tried to fight underneath him but his body felt like a deadweight.

You watched him with wide eyes as he moved closer to your face; his lips and eyes blood red.

You squeezed your eyes shut, feeling his fevered breath against your cheeks, trying your best to mentally escape this.

You finally felt the weight lift from you when you snapped your eyes open and thrashed forward, sending your bedsheets across the floor.

Sweat drenched you.

It took you a minute to realise you were alone in your apartment, not in Riverdale.

You shifted your legs off the side of the bed and rested your elbows against your knees with your head low whilst you tried to slow your breathing.

It'd been months since you dreamt of Riverdale; of FP; of Malachai and that night.

You lifted your mobile from the bedside table and a glaring 4:43am flashed back at you.

It was July so the sun was already rising outside.

You pushed back your curtains and opened your window to let some air into the stifling room.

It wasn’t likely you’d be able to sleep against after a dream like that so you just headed to the shower and put some coffee on for yourself.

You kicked some of the dirty clothes from the night before towards your clothes hamper as you entered the bathroom to cool off and clean the nightmare from your body.

Your apartment was small and you hadn’t been there very long but it was perfect for you. No one had been inside it but you since you moved in so you felt like you truly had a place just for yourself.

You let the water cascade down your body and through the tangle that is your hair.

You thought after all this time why would the dreams be coming back?

The dreams plagued you for weeks when you first left Riverdale but after your first short relationship with some barista that you met in your first town, they’d completely disappeared. They’d only ever come back if you had been heavily drinking but you hadn’t gone out drinking for weeks so why would it happen now?

You managed to waste some time in the shower, clearing your head before you slipped into some clothes and went to get your coffee.

You checked your phone again to see that only 40 minutes had passed so you decided to go through your unopened messages.

Archie had texted you last night asking how you were but you must've been asleep when he did.

You had to admit you missed your little brother, you had always been there for each other even when you disagreed with each other. It was hard for you to stay away from Riverdale when he was arrested so soon after you left but Archie had convinced you to stay away. He always convinced you any problem in Riverdale was smaller than it was in order to stop you from leaving your current life to return to one you didn’t really want.

You contemplated calling him but you knew that he'd be asleep. That boy always tended to sleeping if he wasn’t with Veronica or facing whatever problem Riverdale currently had.

You put down your phone and walked over to your small portable radio to switch it on. Your footsteps pattered around the apartment whilst the quiet music began to fill the space.

You had work today but it wasn't until 8, it was a small bookshop a few blocks down so there was no need for your bike. Still you eyed your helmet and keys and wondered where to go.

You downed your coffee as the idea came to mind then grabbed your keys, heading down to the apartment blocks private garage.

The wind challenged you as you rode towards the smell of the ocean. You inhaled deeply as you pulled up to the sand, slowing down to eventually switch off your engine.

You had travelled all over the U.S. and some of Europe too but you always ended up somewhere near the sea. It was calming and even during these hotter months where the beaches became overcrowded and noisy, you somehow always found the most peaceful area or time to just come and sit.

You fought the urge to go swimming over the couple of hours you sat there due to the fact you knew you'd have to head to work shortly.

“Morning (Y/n).” The son of the owners of the book store was sat behind the counter with an open book on his lap. He was about Archie’s age and was very polite and nice enough but you knew that he held a small crush on you which made it a little difficult to converse sometimes.

“Morning Jeffrey.” You smiled as you passed him to walk into the small staff room to place your bag inside.

“That book for your dad arrived yesterday afternoon while you were off.” Jeffrey hopped off his stool to collect the novel for you.

“Perfect. I wanted to write a note inside it before I sent it to him.” You explained to the boy about why you didn't just order it to your old home. It was that and the fact it was way more expensive to order the book to the house rather than the bookstore.

“Well if you need me to run it down to the mail for you, I’m heading there at lunch?” Jeffrey offered as he leant against the counter, close to your side.

“Thank you, Jeff, but I’ll probably write in it tonight and send it off before work tomorrow.” You passed on the offer which made the boy look a little disheartened but you brushed it off and asked what other orders came in yesterday so that you could start on calling the customers to inform them.

A couple hours into your shift you kept feeling your phone vibrating in your pocket. You excused yourself to use the bathroom and checked it to see it had 1 missed call from your Dad, 3 from your Mom, 2 from Archie and 3 from Jughead.

You called Jughead since his was the most recent number and he answered within two rings.

“Jughead? What the hell is going on? I’m at work and my phone’s been exploding with missed calls from you, my mom and Archie?” You didn’t bother with a hello since the calls seemed so urgent.

“(Y/n)...” Jughead swallowed. “(Y/n), you need to come back to Riverdale. It’s your dad...”

“My dad? What’s happened? Is he okay?” You felt your chest tighten.

“(Y/n), he... He died.”

The words spun around in your head like a marble in a bowl.

“Jughead... Whatever you’re playing at...” You started, trying, hoping, that this was some stupid game or prank.

“(Y/n), it’s true. Archie got the call from the hospital. He was in an accident. The details aren't clear at the moment but––” You hung up as Betty took Jughead’s phone and spoke the truth.

You threw your phone across the bathroom which resulted in your screen cracking but it didn't matter. All that matter was that your dad, Fred Andrews, was dead.

The events that followed were a blur.

Jeffrey sent his mother into the bathroom, an elderly woman with kind eyes and red hair. She found you collapsed on the floor with tears streaming down your cheeks and tried to help you as you gathered the words together to tell her what happened.

The next thing you knew was that you were at your apartment, packing a small rucksack full of essentials with your bike keys in your hand.

The only moment that became clear in your memory of that moment was when you pulled open your closet door to find your old Serpent jacket.

You held the rough leather material in between your fingers as you reminisced your old life. You ran the tips of your index and middle finger over the embroidered snake but only Fp’s face flashed before your eyes.

You pushed down the memories of the Serpents and continued to pack.

You didn’t know how long it took you to travel home. You knew you didn’t follow the speed limits but you didn’t care. You needed to be home. You needed to know if it were all true. Really true.

You passed the old sign at the border of the town and what felt like a hundred different emotions all seemed to hit you like once.

WELCOME TO RIVERDALE

You hadn’t stepped foot into the town in a couple years now. It felt like a whole new place now.

That is until you hit the top of your road where your old home resided.

You pulled up in front of the house and stared up at the front door with tears in your eyes.

Your dad's truck wasn't here.

“(Y/n)?” The door opened whilst you were lost in your head. Archie must've seen you from the window after hearing your bike pull up.

“Arch?” Your eyes met his with the question you didn’t want answered.

A tear fell from Archie’s eye. You immediately rush up the stairs and took him in your arms.

“(Y/n)?” Your mothers voice crept up behind Archie. It was almost a disbelief in her voice.

“Hi Mom.” You wiped your nose and faced her. In that moment, all hatred and betrayal washed away and you just wanted to be a family again.

The three of you held each other in the doorway, sharing the same pain, crying the same tears.

When you finally parted, Archie was the one to notice his friends had gathered outside.

“It’s good to see you, (Y/n).” Betty was the first to greet you. “It’s been too long. I’m sorry this is why you had to come home.”

You could see the pain in Betty’s eyes, the sadness, the sympathy.

“Me too.” You whispered, returning her hug.

Veronica then hugged you and so did Jughead but when Reggie made some comment about how good you looked you decided to leave them be.

You tiptoed up the stairs to your old room. It was just the same as you left it, not that you stayed in it much towards your final few months in Riverdale.

As you sat down on your bed, you looked towards the door, half expecting to see your dad’s head poke around it to check on you.

You heard commotion in the garden. Archie and his friends were all putting seats around in a circle and chatting.

“When things started getting bad with my dad and drinking, my mom would call up Fred... for help.” Jughead’s voice caught your attention as you sat by the window. “And he would drive to the bar, and he would pick up my dad and he'd lay him on the couch. And he'd always stay a little while... just to talk to me... to see how I was doing in school, and... if I'd eaten dinner. He just wanted to know if I was hungry. I always was.” The group chuckled lightly at Jughead’s comment but the story just reminded you of FP. How you looked after FP when Fred could no longer do it...

You wondered what he was doing. How was he handling this?

You mentally scolded yourself for thinking about him when you were Fred’s daughter. You should be thinking about you and the pain you feel.

You heard a knock at your door. It was your Mom.

“I thought you’d want to know about the accident.” She sniffled as she entered.

You nodded your head. You wanted to know if he died in pain, if it was his fault or someone else's, something else’s...

“FP spoke to the Sheriff at Cherry Creek. He knows all the details. I don’t know if I can––” Your mother broke down in tears once again and you found yourself comforting her with a short embrace.

“FP? Why would FP know the details?” You pulled away, a little confused.

“FP is Riverdale’s Sheriff.” She managed to string together. You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. You were almost convinced this was all some crazy nightmare.

“Okay. I’ll be back soon.” You hurried past your mom and down to your bike.

You were at the station within minutes.

It took every ounce of energy you had left to walk through those doors at the station. Your feet felt like rocks being dragged through the mud at Sweetwater River.

The station was busy, people rushing around and talking to one another.

You found yourself outside the sheriff’s office, peering through the small glass window at a man you knew you recognised despite the khaki disguise.

He was on the phone, wrinkles frowned on his face and his eyes were glassy but focused.

You watched him put the phone down and pinch the bridge of his nose. He slid off the corner of his desk and moved around to his chair where he finally became horizontal to you.

His eyes finally lifted from his desk and upon seeing you, the colour seemed to drain from his face. It was as if he’d seen a ghost.

Suddenly, your flight mode kicked in and you turned to leave.

“(Y/n)!” FP’s voice seemed to freeze every joint in your body even though your mind was screaming at you to walk away.

“I only came to know what happened. What happened to my dad.” You couldn't stop the tears rising to your eyes but you refused to let them fall.

“Come... Come inside.” FP held his door open for you and you forced your feet to move in that direction.

“It’s, uh, good, good to see you.” FP seemed almost as nervous as you felt.

“It’s been–– Please tell me what happened.” You couldn’t do small talk right now. You were desperate. You wanted to know if it really were an accident.

“Fred was driving home to Riverdale when he pulled over to help someone's car that was stalled on the side of the road, and, uh... Another vehicle... came upon them way too fast and... He was struck by it.” FP could barely get the words out himself.

You buried your face into the palm of your hands as you broke down once again. He just wouldn’t ever say no to helping someone. And now he's dead because of it.

“I’m so sorry, (Y/N).” FP placed his hand on your back and the electricity almost made you jump backwards but you managed to stay sat.

“I kept dodging his calls. I hadn’t spoken to him in three weeks. I was sending him this stupid collectable book to apologise for my distance and now, now he’s... he’s...” You couldn’t help but let the words fall from your lips.

“Hey. Hey, now.” Fp pulled you towards him and you let yourself engulf in the man. His arms felt familiar, safe and warm. His scent flooded your nose which brought you some peace. “It’s alright.” He tried to assure you but seeing you in this much pain only made his pain worse.

You were even more beautiful than ever. His heart almost stopped when he saw your (y/e/c) eyes shining through the window. Sad but still bright.

“Sheriff?” The door swung open which made you pull away from the man out of habit. “Sorry to interrupt but there's a call waiting for you, sir.” The young deputy recognised you as Fred’s daughter and sent an apologetic look your way.

“I should be going. I shouldn’t be bothering the ex-Southside Serpent sheriff anyway.” You laughed a little trying to lighten the mood but nothing could lighten the darkness inside your chest.

You returned home and found yourself in your fathers closet.

You pulled out one of his favourite shirts and pressed it against your face. You hadn’t even gotten the chance to hug him since you last left Riverdale.

You pulled it on and retired for the evening to your bedroom.

Dreaming of you as a little girl in Pickins park with Betty as you took turns on the father/daughter potato sack race with your dad.

You woke in the morning to your mothers stern voice downstairs. She was clearly on the phone with someone who’d upset her.

You pulled yourself from bed and trudged down the stairs. You held on to the banister as you swung around to see your mom at the end of the hall in the kitchen on the house phone.

Your mother hung up before turning to face you. The irritation she once felt from the call had disappeared when she saw you stood at the bottom of the staircase with your father’s shirt on. You look almost as innocent and sweet as when you were a child, a picture image of you 8 years old in your dad's shirt to go play ball in the garden with your father and Archie came into her mind.

But today you were different to that little girl; dark circles clung to your eyes and your skin seemed to dull in colour. You weren’t a little girl anymore, you were a woman, but it seemed that both of you were desperately wishing times were different in this moment.

“Who was that?” You asked, you didn’t realise how hoarse your voice was until you spoke, it must've been from the crying during the night.

“Your brother. He went all the way up to Cherry Creek to fetch your fathers body.” Your Mom sounded almost as shocked as you felt by the news.

With that, you darted back upstairs and grabbed your cell.

“Archie?” You were fuming as Archie answered your call.

“(Y/n)?” Archie responded.

“Why did you go to Cherry Creek? Why didn’t you say anything? Why have I travelled all the way back to Riverdale just to be alone?” The questions seem to leave your mouth like a flood. “He’s my dad too, Archie. You didn’t think I’d come with you to bring him home? I waited so long to see him and now it’s too late.”

“(Y/n), I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d want––”

“––want to travel hours away to bring dad home? Want to see him as soon as possible?” Your voice broke as tears flowed from your eyes.

“I’m sorry, okay?! I had this nightmare and I left as soon as I woke up. I just couldn’t leave him here. I didn’t want you or Mom questioning or dictating to me about this journey. I’m sorry, (Y/n).” Archie sounded emotional himself. You wondered if he had seen your dad yet.

“What if I get on my bike and come up now? I’ll leave within minutes.” You suggested.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, (Y/n). It’ll take you a few hours to get here and by the time you arrive, we’ll be allowed to take dad and leave. You might as well stay there and make sure Mom’s alright. We’ll be back as soon as possible.” Archie discouraged your idea and as much as you hated it you knew it was best if you stayed and waited with your mother.

You heard the doorbell go off downstairs by the time you hung up the phone and got dressed for the day. You knew you had slept in your dad’s shirt but his scent clung to it so strongly you didn’t want to take it off.

The sound of high heels downstairs gave you an idea of who might have arrived so you weren’t surprised to see Cheryl and Toni in the hallway, embracing your mother.

“(Y/n)! Oh my god! Wait ‘till the Serpents hear your back!” Toni almost ran towards you when she saw you. You hugged the girl back and smiled at how grown and beautiful she’d gotten since you left.

“I’m terribly sorry for your loss, (Y/n), but I must admit seeing your face has made it a happier time for Riverdale.” Cheryl hugged you once Toni finally let you and all you could do was force a smile onto your face as you tucked your hands into your back pockets.

“The girls say they’ve come to ask us something.” Your mother chimed in.

“Actually I’m going to head out and look around town. It feels too heavy in this house without dad.” You admit, sending an apologetic look towards Toni.

“It’s alright. Maybe you can stop by Pop’s later and we can get some food and catch up?” Toni asked,

You just nodded before taking hold of the front door handle and escaping.

Just as you looked up from the concrete floor, leaning against the house door whilst letting out a deep breath of relief, there stood at the bottom of the steps on the sidewalk was FP.

You watched him remove his hat before stepping towards you.

“Are you alright?” He asked, his face full of concern.

“Just feeling a little claustrophobic.” You admitted you felt a little closed in with the visitors this morning.

“I see you kept your bike.” FP gestured to your motorbike on the side of the road.

“She took me all around the country. Broke my heart to leave her here for a while when I travelled Europe. I plan to take her to Italy in the future. I rode a bike there but it just wasn’t the same.” You found yourself talking about his gift to you with ease. It was the first conversation you had that wasn’t about your father.

“Wow, Europe? That’s further than most people from Riverdale get.” FP saw how you gushed over your bike and it made his heart squeeze knowing he was the one who got it for you.

He still couldn't believe you were stood in front of him. When you rode off and out of Riverdale he figured he wouldn’t be seeing you for a long time. Perhaps ever again.

You had grown in more ways than one. He could see the travel helped you find yourself or at least figure out yourself a bit better than Riverdale could ever do.

Even though you looked worn from the news of your father passing, he could see that you were comfortable in your skin, any insecurity you had previously shown was gone or hidden. He admired you from afar.

“How are you? How did you even become Sheriff? Are you seeing anyone?” You couldn’t help but let the last question be spoken aloud.

“Uh, it’s complicated.” His response seemed to answer every question. You noticed his eyes flicker to the Coopers household.

Alice.

“Do you, uh, do you want to get out of here?” You pointed your thumb down the direction of the street as you looked around.

“Um, (Y/n), I––” FP started, tugging on his belt loops with his thumbs as he too looked around but his answer only began to panic you.

“––No, it’s fine. I shouldn’t have asked. Things have changed, I get it.” You rambled on, hugging your arms around yourself as you retreated.

“I’d love to.” FP cut any more rambles from your mouth off.

“Your ride or mine?” You asked, nodding towards the sheriff wagon across the street.

FP chuckled and shook his head,

“Mine.” He made his way to the car, and opened the door for you.

The gesture was so small yet so large. Who was this man now? Has he changed much? His smile hasn’t changed. It never has.

He had his radio on quietly, probably so he wouldn't miss any calls on the police satellite. You tend to be busy as the sheriff of the town called Riverdale. This crazy, surreal like town.

“How’s Red handling it?” Fp asked,

“He, um, he went up to Cherry Creek last night. Arrived this morning to collect my dad. He didn't tell me or our mom. He just went with Jughead, Betty and Veronica and left. Called Mom this morning asking her to sign some paperwork so that dad could be released to Archie.” You stared out of the window as you spoke. The town floated by as if it hadn’t been bothered by Fred’s death.

“He what?” FP furrowed his brow as he looked over at you for a moment. “That boy...” FP started but you finished it with a light chuckle and a ‘I know’.

FP pulled off the main streets of Riverdale and toward the river.

“So, what happened the last time you spoke to your old man? You said you didn’t speak to him for three weeks after that.” FP was careful to poke due to the sensitive topic but for some reason, you felt calm enough with him beside you.

“Nothing. The usual, asking questions where I'm living, if I’m eating, have I met anyone? Have I got a job? But he kept talking about me coming to visit Riverdale now I was a little closer. He kept on about how much my Mom wants to see me and how happy it’d make Archie but... But I just didn’t know how to say that I didn’t want to come back yet.” You admitted honestly.

FP’s car wheels came to a squeaky stop as he pulled into Sweetwater River.

“I know it’s stupid and selfish and I should have come back when he asked. I mean he only wanted me to visit and now it’s too late. Now I can’t... He can’t... He’s not here.” You felt yourself crumble throughout the sentence and FP watched with tears in his own eyes.

“Hey.” He pulled you towards him, hugging you tightly. “It’s not your fault. You had only just got the hell out of here.” FP tried to comfort you.

You gripped onto his shirt as you buried your face into him.

“We all should have spent more time with him. Life likes to play these dirty games with us.” FP could feel the pain radiating from your body.

You seemed so small and fragile in his arms. You felt like the person you used to be right at the beginning of your relationship, when all you wanted to do was look after him and make sure he was alright. Now, he just wanted to make you feel alright.

“I remember when Fred found out that he was having a baby girl. He couldn’t have been more excited and terrified at the same time.” FP laughed softly, “Little did he know that little girl would grow up to be one of the kindest, strongest and damn-near smartest women in this town. Fred knew you were beautiful in and out, (Y/n). He believed you could do anything you wanted to.” FP explained, trying his best to bring some happiness to the memory of your father.

You pulled away slowly to look the man in the face. He took hold of your cheeks and tried to smile but you could see the sadness in his eyes.

“And I can’t believe that little girl grew up to change my life. She used all of her kindness and strength on a hopeless drunk who couldn’t hold down a job.” There seemed to be a hint of regret in FP’s eyes. Not regret for the relationship but perhaps regret that he had dragged you alongside him for so long.

“That man has turned out to be the sheriff today. Ex-king of the Southside serpents and sober. He helped me find a backbone and gave me something to fight for.” You argued with his negative outlook. “My dad must've been so proud to see you as big dog in Riverdale.”

FP lowered his eyes and shook his head with a smile.

“He wouldn’t have been proud much longer if he found out that his best friend had been in love with his only daughter.” FP’s words seemed to fall from his lips in slow motions as you processed what he had said.

You had no control over your body when you found your mouth meeting his, lifting his head back up.

FP didn’t expect the gesture but welcomed it as one hand found the back of your neck and the other squeezed your waist.

Your tongues danced together like two lost lovers had finally found each other again.

You tried to lean forward to press your chest against his but the position of the car seats wouldn’t allow it.

It was the police radio that interrupted you both, a deputy calling for ‘Sheriff Jones’ to return as there was new information on the Fred Andrews case.

You fell apart as quickly as you came together.

You shot your eyes down to your feet as you tried to catch your breath.

Fp stayed silent as he panted beside you.

The car came alive as he cleared his throat, pulling out of the famous riverside and back onto the main road.

You both remained silent until you pulled into the station.

Your skin felt like it was on fire from the passionate kiss but the news about the case overtook your thoughts.

You both rushed into the station and to the sheriff’s office where FP picked up the phone, dialling the Cherry Creek police.

You sat in the rigid uncomfortable chair opposite FP’s desk and bit down on your thumb nail as you waited anxiously.

You sat up in anticipation as FP hung up the phone.

“So?” You asked, your voice was soft, almost a whisper.

“The guy that hit Fred. He turned himself in this morning.” FP informed you, dialling a number on his cellphone.

“So they’ve got him? He’s off the roads?”

“He, uh, he made bail. He’s been released. It’s just how these things go sometimes.” FP could see the anger on your face when he said that the guy was released.

“But he killed my dad.” You felt sick knowing the man who killed your father was out walking around.

“And he’ll get justice for it.” FP said it in a way that you immediately it was a promise than a statement.

“I’m gonna call Red. Go ahead and inform your mother.” FP instructs you and you do as you’re told. Telling her only what you know.

When you returned to the office from taking the call outside, you could see the worry on FP’s face.

“What’s wrong?” You asked,

“Your brother. I think he’s gonna try and take justice into his own hands. I’m trying to get through to Jughead now.” FP held up his phone.

When Jughead finally answered, FP told him everything and Jughead said he’d take care of it.

“Jug will get to him. Archie might be mad but if they get to him first then no one should get hurt.” You tried to be optimistic. You didn’t want Archie starting a fight he might not win. Who knows who this guy is!

FP leant back in his chair and ran a hand over his face the way he usually does when he’s stressed.

“For some reason, it doesn’t feel real.” You murmured as you folded your arms across your chest and moved yourself in front of FP. Leaning back against his desk, standing between his legs.

“I keep thinking that I’ll go home and his truck will be there. He’ll be stood in the kitchen, buried in some paperwork with a beer bottle in his hand. He’ll moan at me for staying out so late and we’ll argue about how I’m an adult. But at the end of the night, he’ll still be leaning in bedroom doorway to say goodnight.” You didn’t realise you were crying against until the salty tears found your lips.

“This town’s not gonna be the same without him.” FP met your eyes with his own glassy ones.

“I didn’t tell him I loved him in three weeks.” You broke.

Fp rose to his feet and his hands squeezed your upper arms as he tried to get you to look at him.

“You didn’t need to say it. He already knew.” FP embraced you once again and you relaxed once more.

“Look, while you were on the phone to your mom, I got a call from Cheryl. She has this whole parade planned for when Archie returns with Fred. A special way to honour him and I gotta be the one to stop Archie from going straight into town. We’re gonna give him a police escort and let the town say goodbye.” FP thought the idea would give you something to look forward to. Something to be apart of.

“This town really loved him, huh?” You wiped at your nose and smiled sadly.

“Yes, they did. Now, if you’ll have me, I’d like for you to ride in the wagon with me out front.” FP knew it was a risky move but he knew you’d appreciate it.

You nodded your head, letting another tear slip from your eye.

FP caught it with his thumb.

The next thing you knew your lips were gently pressing against his.

Fp nor you could fight these feelings. Fp knew that if Alice or Jughead’s mom found out.... His thoughts seemed to disappear when your hands caressed his arms, leading up to your neck.

He deepened the kiss, closing the small space between you by lifting you up onto his desk. He fitted nicely between your legs and you arched your back against him as he kissed down your neck.

You internally rejoiced when you noticed the blinds on the office door were shut. Hopefully prompting anyone who needed to enter to knock.

You straightened back up to reclaim his lips as his hands moved up your shirt to your chest.

“FP.” You whispered, your hands were on his belt buckle but you didn’t make any movements to loosen it yet.

The pain of the past couple days seemed to melt away at the touch of one another. You were like each others morphine.

FP took the hint and yanked at your jeans, pulling them down your thighs to your ankles. You clawed at his belt, hissing when he brought you forward and sank his teeth into your shoulder.

You threw off your top and fixated your arms around the older man.

He could feel your want on the outside of your panties.

A moan escaped as his fingers brushed your sex as he moved your panties to one side.

“You have no idea how much I’ve needed this. You.” FP spoke against your skin as he pressed himself inside you.

You threw your head back for a moment before resting your forehead on the man’s shirt.

Fp lifted you slightly to get a better angle as he thrusted in and out of you.

He felt so good that the world around you seemed to become white.

“Fuck.” FP snarled as you rolled your hips against his.

His name left your lips as you both picked up the pace. You could feel yourself drawing close to climax already.

His hand buried itself in your hair and tugged as you bit down on your lip to stay quiet. Your cheek burned against his with the friction of his beard and the heat from you both.

With your bodies moulded together, the desperation of a release built.

You bit down on his shoulder as you unravelled, throbbing around him which only brought his release closer.

You let go of his shoulder and silently cursed at the wet teeth mark you left on his khaki shirt but you quickly forgot as he pulled his length from you and emptied his seed over your thigh.

He rested his forehead against you as you both caught your breath. You were glad you tore off your shirt as you were coated in a thin layer of sweat.

FP reached over to the box of tissues in the office and began cleaning up his mess.

He looked up from your thighs to catch something he had forgotten about on your shoulder.

A very obvious ‘M’ was scarred in your beautiful skin.

You watched him stare at you with a twisted look of pain. His thumb ran over the mark which made you flinch away slightly.

It was just a horrid reminder of what nearly happened that night. However, you refused to cover it with a tattoo as it also reminded you that you survived it.

You slid off the desk to tug up your jeans and scoop up your t-shirt.

You cringed slightly as you realised what you had done. You had thrown away your dad’s shirt to fuck his life long best friend on the sheriff’s desk.

FP must've noticed your face pale as he asked if you were okay.

You could hear his belt being done up and you muttered a swift apology about his shirt before turning the handle on the door.

“Hey! Wait!” FP called after you but you tried to escape the building as fast as you could.

As soon as you were out the station doors and the warm summer air hit you, you started sprinting.

You ran until your legs ached and when you finally stopped.

You were at the play park.

It wasn’t too busy considering what the day was.

You sat down on an empty swing and took a moment to catch your breath.

“I’m sorry, Dad.” You looked up at the sky as you spoke. You didn’t know whether you were happy he never found out about the affair or sad because all you did was lie to him for years.

The internal conflict you had only worsened the pain you felt.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.” The voice was enough to almost make you groan audibly.

“Don’t think anyone did.” You pressed your lips into a thin line as Alice approached you.

“No. I mean in the park. Of course, you’d come home for your fathers funeral.” Alice looked like she had been crying but her words were stable enough.

You didn't respond.

“I’m sorry for your loss, (y/n). Fred Andrews was one of the best men this town ever knew.” Alice stated.

“Yeah, thanks.” You pushed yourself off the swing and started to stride away from the woman when she caught your wrist.

“Hey, you need anything you let me know? You and Archie are as much family to me as my own.” Alice sent you a sympathetic smile and you couldn’t help but remember all the times you’d play with Polly and Betty at their house.

“Thank you, Alice.” You softened your words before turning to leave again.

“(Y/n)! (Y/n)!” Not long after you left the park you heard a man calling your name.

You faced the direction of the call to see FP shutting his car door to come towards you.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Archie’s almost back.” FP announced.

“We better head to the edge of town then.” You brushed past his shoulder to enter the car.

“Hey.” FP took hold of your wrist and made you look at him. “What happened?”

“I just... I’m wearing my dad’s shirt today. It smells like him. I threw to the side to be close with you and when I picked it up... I couldn’t help but think about how much I’ve lied to him. How many lies I told and how many secrets I kept.”

“Sometimes we have to keep things from others to keep them from getting hurt.” FP’s eyes darkened at the mention of your secret relationship.

“There’s just so much I never said.” You sighed, closing your eyes to prevent any more tears.

“Fred knew all of the important stuff you needed to say. We all kept a few secrets and lied to your old man, that’s the way it is in this town. We can forgive ourselves for it or we can let it turn you into a sour old drunk that can’t even feed his kids.” Fp’s eyes flashed with regret and sadness from his past mistakes.

Your throat was locked shut so you just nodded your head.

“Let’s go get your old man.” Fp opened the car door and you followed.

You didn’t have to wait long on the side of the road before Archie emerged in a hearse with your dad’s truck, driven by Betty and Jughead, behind him.

Fp pushed himself off the front of the car where you both had sat to wait, you lifted your head from his shoulder to watch him stand and raise his hand to slow Archie down.

“Everything all right, Mr. Jones?”

“Everything's good, Red. I, uh, heard what you, and Jug, and the girls were up to, and I wanted to be a part of it. I'd like to give your dad a police escort the rest of the way home, if you're okay with that. He deserves it.”

“Yes, sir.” Archie looked past Fp to you. You smiled as much as you could manage and quickly wiped away any water escaping your eyes.

“All right. Follow me then.” Fp leaving Archie’s side gave you the signal to climb into the wagon.

As you drove towards town, you couldn’t help but hold FP’s hand. He held onto you tightly and gave your hand a tight squeeze here and there when he caught you getting emotional again.

“He’d be so happy to see you home.” Fp told you.

“I know.” You agreed.

That's when the parade became clear ahead.

You smiled as you cried silently to the cheers and appraisal your father was getting.

You couldn’t help but laugh as the Serpents all cheered loudly as you passed. You blew them all a kiss as a thank you.

You didn’t stop crying until you pulled up in front of the house.

All the signs and familiar faces tore at your heart and made you think about how well known Fred actually was.

He changed a lot of people’s lives and you were so thankful he was always apart of yours; as your father.

As Archie exited the hearse, you opened your own door.

You rushed to his side and wrapped an arm around his waist as he approached your mother.

“I couldn't leave him there, Mom.” Archie confessed, taking both you and your mom into a tight embrace

“I know.” Your mom said as she snivelled repeatedly.

“I brought Dad home.” Archie looked between you and your mother. You only smiled and tucked yourself under his arm.

“You did. You sure did. I'm so proud of you. I know he would be, too.” Your mom gushed, Archie pulled her back into the group hug and you all just stayed there for a minute.

Fp watched from a distance as you hugged your family and he knew that things would never be the same in Riverdale ever again. He once thought that when he saw you leaving but now, now he knew that he truly meant it.

“Hey, I found something in Dad’s truck.” Archie parted from the hug and dug into his pocket.

What he pulled out was a photo of you, Archie and your dad. All together. Happy.

You laughed weakly as you stepped towards your bike, pulling up the seat to get into the under compartment.

You put your hand into a small bag inside and out came the exact photo but more crinkled and torn. It has travelled with you always.

“I can’t believe he’s gone, Arch.”

“I know. Me either.” Your brother buried you in his chest and it wasn't the first time you felt like the younger sibling between the two of you.

The funeral didn’t take too long to put together and before you knew it, the casket was being walked towards you and your mother at the graveyard.

You watched your mother press a kiss against the closed casket as she lay her rose on top.

You were shaking when you found the courage to step forward yourself.

You wrapped your arms around the casket and pressed your cheek against the cold wood, letting your tears hit it below.

“I love you, Dad.” You were heartbroken. Here lay Fred Andrews, never to be seen again. Not outside of pictures or videos.

Archie had to be the one to come forward and move you along as the crowd watched with agony in their hearts.

“And now... Fred's son, Archie, would like to say a few words.”

You watched Archie take the podium with more strength than you could even muster that day.

“‘Uh, earlier I was thinking... on the drive over here... how much of Riverdale my dad built... or just fixed up. Houses, office buildings... A bit of everything. He helped build this town. And one day if I'm lucky enough to have a son or a daughter of my own... I'll be able to point to a building or even just a brick in the building, and say, "Your grandpa made that... with his hands."” Archie paused, you smiled at the idea of a little Archie running around Riverdale.

“It's the 4th of July. I remember this one th... it was raining. The fireworks show was canceled, and, uh, I was so bummed, I remember sitting in the backyard just bawling... Until my dad came home with all these fireworks. I mean, enough to burn our house down, you remember that, (Y/n)? Mom?”

You and your mother nodded with a smile as she took your hand.

“And, uh... we lit them in the backyard, it was just... it was the best night. My dad was here for every high and every low. He's the greatest man I've ever known. It hurts me that I never got to say goodbye. That I won't get to see him again or talk to him. But his spirit and his memory lives on... in this town, and in everyone he's met. Fred Andrews will always be a part of Riverdale. I love you so much, Dad.” Archie finished his speech and you felt like you couldn't even move.

You felt horrible that you couldn’t say anything but you could barely get a word out without breaking down completely.

Once the funeral was over and you had returned to your childhood home, you went upstairs and draped one of your dad’s flannels over your shoulders and your dress.

“I miss you, Daddy.” You curled up on his side of the bed and buried your face into the sleeves of the flannel.

Archie could see you from the hall and he considered comforting you but the sight of you so broken was too much for him to bare at that moment.

You knew you couldn’t stay in Riverdale without Fred being there.

You knew you couldn't even stay a week just to stay with Archie.

You had spent so much time in the past fighting to stay in the town but now all it held was memories of your pain.

You returned to your room after what felt like hours, you must’ve fallen asleep at some point as you felt groggy when you finally lifted yourself up to gather your things together.

“You’re not staying for the fireworks?” Your mom appeared at your door.

“I can’t.” You tried to keep yourself composed. “I can’t, Mom. I can’t be here without him. He was always there. Always. When you left, when I'd fight against him, when I left. He was always right here.”

“I understand.” Your mom surprised you with her answer and even more with her hug. She kissed you on the cheek and pressed a smile onto her lips.

“I love you so much. Please don’t be a stranger in the future.” She begged,

You kissed her forehead as she lowered her head.

“I promise I won’t.”

As you moved away, you noticed she had changed and redone her makeup.

Archie was downstairs from what you could see from the top of the stairs and he too was dressed up.

You descended with your mothers hand in yours and your bag in the other.

“We’re about to start...” Archie’s words trailed off when he saw you were holding your bag.

“I’ve got to go. I’ll visit you real soon little brother.” You placed your bag down as Archie watched.

“Already?” Archie pouted,

“I have too. We all have our ways of coping. I can’t move past this if I stay here. I can’t stay here without him.” You were honest with your little brother.

You awaited an explosion but Archie followed in your moms footsteps and simply hugged you.

“Promise me this isn’t the last time I’m going to see you.” Archie whispered against my ear.

“I promise.” You kissed his cheek and pulled away. “Tell the others it was good t see them.” You didn’t want to deal with any more goodbyes.

“I will. You ready?” He turned back to his mom and she said she was.

You didn’t stay to watch them head out to the garden to watch the fireworks.

You put on your helmet and mounted your bike.

As you drove away, you smiled as you saw the fireworks in your wing mirror.

At the end of the road you noticed FP’s sheriff car parked and FP dressed in his usual get up of jeans and a flannel.

“Didn't think you could skip town again without a goodbye.” FP smirked as you stopped your bike.

“How’d you know I’d leave tonight?” You rose your voice enough to be heard over the fireworks.

“’Cause...” He shrugged and swaggered towards you.

“You think you can just smile at me and everything will be alright?” You removed your helmet as you spoke.

“I wanted to tell you something. Something I should have said a long time ago.” Fp only grew closer to you.

“I’m all ears, Sheriff Jones.”

“I loved you, (Y/n). I always loved you. You were this unexpected gift that came into my life and kicked the crap out of the old me. You taught me what it was like to feel again. You were better than any drink I had ever had.” FP began to confess to you. “I know I didn’t deserve you and I know we can never be together in the way I wanted to but those many months of my life with you by my side. My Serpent Queen. They were some of the best days of––”

You kissed the man after hearing the words you had always wanted to hear.

You knew he loved you that time ago but he never said. Never told you.

“I loved you too, FP Jones.” You let your lips part from his slowly as you breathed out the words.

“Keep on fighting. You’re stronger than you know.” FP pressed his forehead against yours as he looked into your eyes.

Those eyes. Those hypnotic eyes.

“Stay out of trouble. Don’t make me come back and kick your ass back into shape.” You half-kidded.

FP sighed and kissed you once more.

“I’m forever yours, FP Jones.” You let the man know as you backed away from him back towards your bike.

He watched you climb back on but before you replaced your helmet he remembered something...

“Wait.” FP pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and as he got closer with a slow jog, you realised it was the polaroid. “It’s your turn to keep it.”

You took the photo without any fight and tucked it into your jacket.

“Look after yourself, Jones.” You brushed your lips against his as you held his cheeks between your fingers.

“Don’t break too many hearts, (Y/n) Andrews.” FP took a step back.

“Can't make that promise.” You winked. The only heart that ever mattered to you was his.

You revved your engine as you finally rode away.

Watching the man only disappear in your mirror as the fireworks only continued.

The End.

AN: That’s a wrap folks. I hope you enjoyed this story and I hope this ending wasn’t too awful for you all. I want to say that I hope all of you are safe and doing well. I hope those who are rioting are staying safe and protecting themselves. This chapter is dedicated to Luke Perry may he rest in peace. Goodnight my lovely readers and thank you once again for reading.

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darling-of-dark · 4 years

Text

Rock, Relasonships and Roses chapter 2

hey everyone I know this is supper late I'm sorry but ill try my best to post chapter three sooner!let me know what you think!

Elain was pushing through the floor mumbling apologies every few seconds for bumping into people. She had been looking for grayson for the past 2 hours with no sight of him.

All of the sudden she felt something wet poor on her head and down the shirt. Beer of course “what the heck” elain said looking at the guy but he was too busy partying to even notice why the beer in his cup was gone. She was about to give up when she saw the back of graysons head as she was walking towards him when she realized the pair of arms around his neck and a pair of lips attached to his. Before Grayson could turn around Elain was already making her way out of the crowd, tears streaming down her face.

~~~

feyre she was sure the whole thing was a dream she reamerd dancing and sing and making eye contact with rhys several times, the whole thing felt like a dream, until some guy knocked her over and it went black and when she finally awoke from her sleep she was passed out on the couch in a room of some sort,rubbing her eyes and the back of her head she looked up and and saw a familiar set of violet eyes staring back at her, the ones that were on the posters off her bedroom walls.

“Oh fuck” feyre said as her pupils diolated

“Good you awake, do you need anything? Water or food? I probably should take you to a doctor or something. Rhys kept asking her questions but she just sat there in complete shock looking at his eyes as big as craters .

“Um… hello what's your name,maybe we should call and ambulance” rhys said and he started to look concerned

“Feyre”

“What”

“ my name it's a … feyre”

“Well feyre darling my name is rhysand, it's lovely to meet you i mean it would have been better in a less dramatic and dangerous way, but still lovely ” rhys said as he kissed her hand “are you feeling alright do you need anything?”

“No i ah think i'm ok, can you tell me what happened because it feels like i'm on punk'd right now alli remember was hitting my head on the ground ”

“Well i can assure you this is no tv show,you where in the crowd near the front of the stage dancing and i saw some asshole push you over, so i stopped and got you of the ground and out of the crowed before people could trample you over and worsen the bump on you head” as soon as rhys said that she felt up the back of her head and hissed at the pain of when her had met the base ball sized bump on her head

“Hear let me get you ice” rhys walked over to the mini fridge and looked in the small freezer compartment grabbing a ice pack out

“Here this should help with some of the pain and swelling”feyre took the pack out of his and moved it to the bump, then quickly removed it

“Is something wrong?” rhys said looking concerned

“ no it's just cold” Rhys took the pack from her head and wrapped it in a shirt from the armrest of the couch “better?” he said as he held it to the back of her head lightly

“Much, thanks” they were close like really close. He was sitting right next to her on the couch facing her arm wrapped around the back of her head, their eyes looking back at each other. Feyre must have been dreaming It was the most intimate thing that ever happened, she thought until she heard baning on the door in the corner of the room

“Hello is feyre in there? Hello? Open the door” Nesta, it was nesta of course ruining her baby sisters big moment feyre thought

“My sister” Feyre stated as she closed her eyes. Rhys got up from the couch handed feyre the ice pack and opened the door to see Nesta with cassian and az

“Oh thank the gods you're okay, I was right I shouldn't have let you and Elain split up,you're practically still a child , I leave you alone for a second and you get yourself into a mess do you know where Elain is?”

“Ness im fine and i'm not a child”Feyre muttered in anger

Ness grabbed her hand pulling her along to the door, on there way down the hall cass yelled to nesta

“Hey sweetheart call me” he said with a wink nesta rolled her eyes and fyre gave her a questioning look .

“Don't ask”

It was a rough day, from the moment Az woke up with a hangover the size of texas and only one cigarette left, he made the tour bus driver pull over to the nearest gas station so he could stock up on cigarettes. On his way out of the gas station he was bombarded with a small crowd of fans all begging for photos, it never stopped the fans the screaming he was sick of it ,

they all where it was fun in the begging but after the third year of touring it was to much.az cass and rhys never talked any more it always ended in fist fights,management worked hard to make it look like they still where the best of friends, the cold truth was they haven't been close in years , haven't wrote their own music in years. Az walked out to a small exit on the side of the stayedem leaning back on the back of the shut door looking up at the sky hearin the soft sounds of the city finally a moment not be bothered by screaming fans or the never ending side glances or backhanded comments from his bandmates, it was just him alone in till he heard the soft sniffling from next to a alley dumpster. He slowly walked over to the dumpster peering to the concrete ground next to it, it was a petite girl sitting in a ball with her head in her knees softly crying. Az didnt know why but he had the urge to pick her up and hold her. Suddenly she looked up at him, her eyes were red and tears were streaming down her cheeks

.“Oh my...um...i'm sorry , i'll just go” she said cheeks burning red with embarrassment, she went to get up from the ground she stumbled over her feet and Az grabbed her waist right before she fell over, Her hands went to his neck and the other to his shoulder.

“No its ok um, are you okay i heard you crying and was just going to make sure you weren't hurt”

“Oh i'm fine physically, it just my heart that's broken, sorry um i'll just go you're probably busy with like superstar things and i just a it's a long story, i'll just go” as she turned to leave her bracelet pulled, it was stuck on his shirt.muttering apologies to each other they both tried to get her bracelet free. After three awkward minutes of the treads being attached to her new bracelet, they were finally apart before Az could ask her a question. She rushed inside the door and ran, leaving him to wonder what the hell just happened.

As Elain made her way down the hall drying her tears she bumped right in to her sisters “Where the hell have you been ?” Nesta asked

“outside”

“What ever we have to go home Feyre hurt her Head and whatever his name was stop the concert to “ make sure she was okay” but if you ask me the asshole probably just wanna sleep with her”“ he did not he’s not like that” feyre said in argument“ yeah whatever let’s just get home”As soon as the sisters got home Nesta made Feyre go into her room to sleep, she still had the ice pack with Rhys T-shirt wrapped around it , she took the T-shirt out of the ice pack I’m pulled over her head i’m pulled on a pair of sleep shorts. She was shocked it smelled good. It smelled like him, God was this the luckiest night of her life it felt like a dream she didn’t wanna wake up from, she climbed into bed I closed her eyes.The next morning fever her pounding on the front door and yelling from outside, she picked out the window to work crowds of people are standing

“what ?” She murmured as she stepped into the living room nesta and elain were sitting on the couch the tmz was turned on the TV A picture of Rhys carrying her to the backstage was blasted with head lines “rhysands secret girlfriend injured last night at the velais concert!” and then a blurry picture of Elain and az standing ousted suspiciously close and a picture of Nesta And Cassian standing at a table backstage Cassian was smiling down at her. The newest head line “The popular band Wingspan secretly dating local velais sisters? Pictures of the couples taken at last nights show”

“What the fuck”

#acotar #writers #nesta archeron #nessian #feyre archeron #elain archeron #elain and azriel #feysand #sarah j maas #rhysand #cassian #azriel

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oh-so-scenarios · 4 years

Text

ᴛʜᴇ sᴇʀᴇɴᴅɪᴘɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ᴛʜɪɴɢs...♠| 07

⤖ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴀs ᴛɪᴍᴇ ғᴏʀ sᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇs? Jᴜɴɢ Hᴏsᴇᴏᴋ ɪs ᴛᴏᴏ ʙᴜsʏ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴅ ᴏғ ʜɪs ᴍᴀғɪᴀ ɴᴇᴛᴡᴏʀᴋ. Hᴇ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇʀᴇɴᴅɪᴘɪᴛʏ ᴏғ ʜɪs sᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴍᴏᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ…ʀɪɢʜᴛ?

⤖ Mᴀғɪᴀ Lᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ Hᴏsᴇᴏᴋ x ᴅᴏᴄᴛᴏʀ Fᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ Rᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ, Aɴɢsᴛ, sᴍᴜᴛ, sᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇ!ᴀᴜ,

A/N: Unedited. Ignore any errors, please! whoa, word count is 8k o.o I surprised myself. I feel like this chapter is pretty okay. Didn’t feel like re-writing it for the 5th time so please enjoy! (Word Count: 8.13K )

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Narrator’s POV:

Y/n sits at a small circular table in the hospital cafeteria. The sun was setting, turning the sky an orange hue. She was given a beautiful view as her table face the huge window. At that moment, Y/n sat with her legs crossed and her lunch sitting in front of her. All she felt was tired. Tired and overwhelmed.

The recent surgeries that have been performed at the hospital were draining. She found herself doing fewer operations but they were growing in length. There weren’t enough hours in the day to recharge and sleep. She felt like she was lacking sleep and the bags making appearances under her eyes was all the proof needed.

The Charity Gala was approaching, making Hoseok grow busy with his schemes. Schemes of which she still didn’t know. It’d been 5 days since she saw Hoseok. Their last conversation being when he scolded her for trying to get information on him. She was also 2 days past the due date for her “assignment” to find another assistant.

She had settled on picking Jennie, but couldn’t muster the courage to ask her. How do approach someone about something like that? Oh yeah! Just join me in this illegal practice for my mafia boss soulmate!

Y/n wouldn’t dare utter such words. Not that she could speak at all. All of the trauma department have been working like crazy. An increase in car accidents has left everyone drained and it seems things have just started to settle. Even Dr. Lee lacked the energy to show his award-winning smile. He didn’t even come on to Y/n like he usually does.

Finding out that Hoseok was her soulmate wasn’t stopping him.

Hoseok hadn’t made any attempt to reach out to Y/n. She was supposed to meet him at the “headquarters” 2 days ago, but she ended up falling asleep the moment she got home. Her eyes snapped open the next morning, expecting a few missed calls or angry text messages. There was nothing.

She was eager to see him again, banter with him or just be near him again. Jungkook wasn’t even replying to her texts, telling her that they were truly busy. She didn’t want to get in their way, so she found that it would be best to not go back to HQ till she was told.

Sleeping with her eyes open at this point, Y/n didn’t notice Jennie take the seat beside her. Her white lab coat hanging loosely off her shoulders. Her hair pulled back into a ponytail. She was bare-faced, not even her eyebrows filled in. Her peach top was ruffled and her white dress pants were the same way.

“I got dressed in the dark.” Jennie finally speaks. Y/n’s eyes slowly move to Jennie, who is staring at the table blankly.

“I don’t remember how I got here.” Y/n croaks, her voice coming out a bit rough. The two then sit in another heavy silence.

“How is Hoseok doing?” Jennie attempted to make conversation. Y/n only shrugged in response. She didn’t have the energy to hold a real conversation. She was running on empty, but there is still a stack of paperwork waiting for her. She threw her head back, ready to cry from the stress weighing on her shoulders.

Jennie stood up from her seat. It was a sluggish movement, making the young woman look like she was ready to collapse.

“Well, I’ll see you later tonight,” Jennie muttered.

Y/n was too tired to catch Jennie’s odd words. See you later tonight? Was she supposed to be hanging out with Jennie tonight? Cause y/n planned to go home and sleep as much as she could.

Snapping out her exhaustion trance, Y/n moved forward to take another bite of her fruit salad, thinking of grabbing the piece of apple that laid at the bottom. She remembered reading something about apples helping people stay awake.

She ate away at her fruit salad, little by little. Her phone dinged from her white coat pocket as she took a swig of her water. She took a look at her phone and felt an exciting knock from the heart.

Hoseok: Doc, you know where to be. Tonight. call JK when you’re done with your shift.

She was ready to celebrate being able to see Hoseok, but her exhaustion came to damper that. Ugh, what work would he have for her? She was so tired! He’ll definitely say something about her lack of an assistant.

She rolled her eyes at just the thought of his disapproving and dark eyes.

After finishing her lunch, Y/n sat in her office for a while; typing away at her computer. She wasn’t watching the clock, knowing that this paperwork was what kept her at work. So she did it, typed and typed till she was sure the sounds of the keyboard would haunt her dreams.

The moment she submitted her paperwork, she folded both arms onto her desk, resting her head on her arms.

“I’ll just rest my eyes.” She muttered to herself. Her eyes fluttered closed and a long sigh left her lips.

~!~

“Y/n!” A voice chimed.

Before fully waking up, Y/n internally groaned. Who is bothering her? Who is waking her? How long had she been asleep?

Her eyes opened painfully slow, spotting the clock on her wall first. After the tired blur wore off, she was able to notice the time.

3o minutes. She had only been able to sleep for 30 minutes.

“Noona?” A different person called this time.

Y/n sat up, her eyes scrunched into narrow slits as she came to. It took a moment for her to process the two people in front of her.

Jennie stood to her left, a smirk on her lips. Though she still looked tired in her eyes. To Y/n’s right was Jungkook who stood in an oversized grey hoodie with distress jeans. Her eyes darted between the two figures, trying to collect her thoughts. The room stayed silent for a moment and Y/n wordlessly stood up from her seat.

“Hoseok wants to see me.” She was reminding herself, “I nearly forgot.”

Jungkook snickered, his lips turning into a tight smile, “Boss had a feeling you were going to fall asleep. You did the same thing last time.”

She slipped off her white coat, draping it over her chair and gathering her things. It was till she had her bag on her shoulder that Y/n stopped to look at Jennie. The two stared at each other, Jennie blinked with a friendly smile while Y/n’s brows furrowed.

“Jennie..what’s up?” Y/n asked her voice still raspy from her brief nap.

“I’m also meeting Hoseok.” She answered simply. Jennie looked towards Jungkook innocently.

“She doesn’t know?”

Y/n gawks at Jennie then stiffly turns to Jungkook, “Know what? Why is Jennie meeting Hoseok?”

Jungkook shrugged and shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie, “Boss got impatient waiting for you to find an assistant--”

“--So he hired Jennie?” Y/n cut off Jungkook’s words. She wasn’t surprised that Hoseok took matters into his own hands, but that he picked Jennie to be her assistant. How much did Jennie know? How long had she known?

“Yup!” Jennie pops the ‘p’ and grins.

“You’re okay with the type of work you’ll be doing?” Y/n was almost whispering now.

Jennie looked confused by Y/n’s question. Jennie wasn’t as stuck up as Y/n was thinking. Hoseok knew what he was doing when he approached her. Jennie, despite her loud exterior, is a secretive and observant person. She learned that from her father who was a lawyer.

When you’re friendly and appear ditzy, people let their guards down. Watch closely and take notes for when you need them.

“Black market work.” She answers simply before walking around the desk to stop in front of Y/n. Jennie was now wearing black leggings with a plain red shirt and a cardigan. She had changed out of her work clothes and Y/n wished she had done the same instead of sleeping.

With her hands-on Y/n’s shoulders; Jennie speaks, “I know it all. Mafia soulmate. Mafia doctor, transplant surgeries and the latter. No need to worry, I know what I am stepping into.”

Jennie sounded too casual for Y/n. The innocent and bubbly gaze Jennie held while speaking about the illegal situation left Y/n feeling uncomfortable. Maybe she’s the only one sensitive to these things. She didn’t reply to Jennie, but walking past her and out her office, hearing Jungkook and Jennie trailing behind her.

“She took that better than I expected.” She heard Jennie mutter behind her.

Y/n really wanted to yell, throw a fit and lecture Jennie for so carelessly stepping into this tight situation. Frankly, Y/n was too tired. She didn’t have the energy to. Her mind was throwing angry and distasteful thoughts, but her body was too tired to execute them.

Y/n would just turn to stare at Jennie in the backseat as Jungkook drove the car. She was making sure this wasn’t a fever dream and was trying to process the situation.

They pulled up to the brick building that had become familiar. While ignoring Jennie’s questions about Hoseok, Y/n followed Jungkook into the HQ with Jennie trailing behind.

They came to the lobby area where the circular table was. The black and whiteboards stood in their regular places. Things were written on them. Y/n didn’t try to read them, but her eyes searched for Hoseok who was present. Everyone else sat at the table, papers spread out among them.

“Y/n!” Taehyung chimed as the others noticed her. She gave a weary smile, her eyes darted around the room to at least look every man in the face. Her footsteps stopped as she spotted an unfamiliar face. Well...not unfamiliar.

She’s seen his picture on the whiteboard before. The artist! What’s his name again?

“Jaehyun!” Someone screams. Oh right! His name was-- oh wait.

Y/n spins around just in time to see Jennie stalk past her to the quiet man at the table. She notices Jennie’s wide eyes and her face turning a cherry red. The other men in the room watch intently.

Jaehyun stands up from his seat, also surprised to see Jennie here.

“Is this the kind of work you’ve been doing?” Jennie hisses at her boyfriend.

He glares at her, “Is this the kind of work you’ve been doing?” He shoots back. Y/n walks over to one of the empty seats at the circular table. She plops down and watches the couple as they aggressively argue.

“How do you think I pay for those fancy dates of ours Jennie? I am doing my best to make a living! It’s still painting! I am still doing art! What are you doing? Black market surgeries? You can’t call me out!” Jaehyun argued back.

Yoongi looked at Y/n for an explanation. The action itself was small. He pointed to the two, who was standing to his right. Y/n just shook her head and rolled her eyes. They bickered back and forth and everyone watched silently.

No one noticed Hoseok who stood a few yards behind Y/n. He glanced at the Jennie and Jaehyun, already knowing the connection between the two. He knew it would make things a bit messy...but those two being soulmates would come in handy.

Then his eyes flickered to Y/n. He could only see her back, but the way she clutched in her seat was a dead giveaway. She was tired. The constant sighing, made visible by her shoulders rising and falling.

He hadn’t seen her in a few days. He wasn’t keeping count but...her absence was noticed. He knew he probably had 30 minutes max before she started to nod off. Work has probably been draining for her. His eyes moved back to Jennie, also noticing her tired appearance.

Hoseok quietly takes the empty seat beside Y/n who notices him immediately. She manages a soft but weak smile.

“You look tired,” Hoseok states as a matter of fact.

She chuckles, “Just say you missed me so we can move forward.” His words weren’t malicious and though they were monotone in some aspect, Y/n understood that. She playfully snapped back at him, giggling quietly. Hoseok didn’t want to admit the small satisfaction he got from the small interaction. Despite her fatigue, she still smiled that beaming smile of hers.

He looks away from her quickly and down at the papers on the table.

“Let’s get started. You can have your arguments after this.” Hoseok stated.

This mission was big. A single error could result in failure and jail. Hoseok hasn’t been caught yet and he doesn’t plan to.

“The Charity Gala is in a few days. There will be famous art pieces, valuable art pieces. There will be some for Art Gallery and others for auction. The goal is the art pieces for the Art gallery. There are four pieces we’re going to swap out. Jaehyun is well known for painting replicas, so he has already done so for all four pieces.” Hoseok began. Y/n shifted beside him, and though he noticed, he didn’t miss a beat in speaking. He wasn’t aware of it before, but now he sees how close their chairs really are. He wasn’t going to scoot away, seeing as it would draw attention. Y/n made no attempt either.

He caught a whiff of whatever shampoo she used while she ran her fingers through her hair. Y/n wasn’t surprised by the plan. She should have known Hoseok wouldn’t just volunteer to be in charge of the Charity Gala. She crossed her arms over her chest and listened.

“The night is set in such a manner; there is a viewing of the gallery, then there is the dinner which will be held in a ballroom. The gallery room and ballroom are only 4-minute walk down a long hallway from each other. After the dinner, the auction begins while others are free to roam back to the gallery if they please.” Hoseok went on explaining.

The time frame in which everyone is having dinner will be when the switch is made. Hoseok thought the plan out well, knowing that art professionals will be at the gala, he decided to put the gallery viewing before the dinner. He wanted the professionals to look and confirm that real works were there. So when the fakes are noticed later, only an outside force could be blamed.

Hoseok wanted to make sure there was no way he could be suspected.

That’s where Y/n comes in.

“Y/n,” Hoseok said. She looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

“You will be my date for the evening.” He informed her. He didn’t even give her a chance to react before moving on.

“You will be my date, you will be by my side. You need to make sure everyone sees that you are with me and I am with you. We need to convince everyone that we are a couple.”

“Why is that necessary?”

“Everyone has to believe I was too distracted by you to take part in anything. The boys will be doing all the physical labor. I will be there for face, so work on not stiffening up when I’m close to you.”

Hoseok expected a retort from Y/n but she only sighed, keeping her arms crossed over her chest. Hoseok to lay out how the fakes would be taken and swapped, along with how Jin would have to do some work with the camera footage.

Y/n was tuning in and out. She was falling asleep while also trying to ignore the fast pace of her heart. She’s gonna be Hoseok’s date? They have to fake being a couple? So skinship? Hugging? Holding hands? Loving gazes-- is Hoseok even capable of such things?

Y/n can’t be sure when she really fell asleep, but her thoughts tapered off and she was sound asleep. Little did she know the room around her had grown still.

Seokjin was talking about everyone’s roles in the mission and just how important timing was. Hoseok sat back in his seat, listening to make sure everything would run smoothly when he felt a weight drop onto his shoulder. He looked up from the paper in his hand and to his left.

Y/n’s head was now resting on his shoulder and she was knocked out. All he was smelling now was the shampoo and light traces of her perfume. He sighed and looked back at the paper in his hands when he realized Seokjin stopped speaking.

He looked up with sharp eyes only to find all eyes on him.

“What?” He called out, thinking there was a problem.

He was oblivious. Jungkook beamed, his feature looking bunny-like while he smiled.

“Continue with what you were saying.” Hoseok orders, looking back down at the words printed on the paper. They went on discussing the plan. It wasn’t much longer till Jennie also clocked out. She rested her head on Jaehyun’s shoulder, throwing her arm around his abdomen and snuggling her face into his neck. Jaehyun seemed unphased by it.

However, it wasn’t like Hoseok’s indifference. Hoseok simply didn’t mind it, seeing as Y/n wasn’t restricting him in any way. Jaehyun was used to Jennie’s cuddling and even welcomed it.

The meeting went on and Y/n shifted a bit, mumbling something in her sleep and somehow finding one of her hands on Hoseok’s thigh. He stared at her hand for a moment before turning back into the meeting.

Once the meeting was over, Hoseok watched as everyone went their different ways. He pulled his phone from his pocket, checking emails and text messages. He glanced up once to see Jaehyun scooping Jennie up in his arms like some sort of prince charming.

“Boss, you guys look cute together,” Jungkook said almost coming out of nowhere.

“We better,” Hoseok scoffed, “we really need to sell it at the gala so--”

Jungkook softly cut him off and shook his head, “That’s not what I meant. I mean you and Y/n REALLY look cute together.”

Hoseok gave a disapproving stare at the younger man but just got a wider smile in return.

“Come hold her head so I can go. Whether you want to wake her up or not is up to you.” Hoseok barked. Jungkook made no attempt to move from his spot a foot away.

“Hyung,” Jungkook’s voice grew softer. He swallowed and took a deep breath, knowing he was now entering the sensitive territory.

“I think you should give it a shot, Y/n has shown what kind of person she is. It’s easy to see that she’s nothing like her. She’s nothing like your mother--”

“Kook.” Hoseok’s voice came out hard, and cold. Jungkook stopped, scared to say anymore to his boss.

“Right! Right! Never bringing her up again! Got it! Sorry about that!” The young man rushed out, walking over to get the slumbering Y/n off Hoseok’s shoulder.

~!~

“You’re expecting me to wear that?” Y/n almost snickered. She stared at the dress laid out on her bed, the box it was delivered in tossed aside.

Both she and Jennie stood in silk robes, hair and makeup done. Y/n trusted Jennie to pick out their dresses, so she sat back and focused on work. Now that the dress was here, Y/n could only gawk at it. It was a beautiful gown and looked expensive, but she doubts she could pull it off.

It was a sleek and sexy dress, form-fitting, with spaghetti straps and that draping neckline that’s been in trend. A slit up the dress looks like it stopped just a bit above her knee and the slight sparkle to the dress was alluring.

It was a rich and deep green, but the slight sparkle only complimented the satin material in which the gown was made of. It went perfectly with the earrings she had on and the simple pearl necklace.

“You don’t like it?” Jennie questioned, looking back and forth between Y/n and the dress. Y/n lets out a deep breath and shakes her head.

“No, it’s a beautiful gown. I’ve just never worn anything like it before.” Y/n answers honestly.

Jennie can’t help the small chuckle that leaves her lips. Since taking the job offer from Hoseok, she’s seen first hand what Y/n meant when she called Hoseok indifferent. The relationship between the two was ...complicated. Y/n often attempted to meet Hoseok halfway. The few meetings they had in the last few days really showed that.

It was either Hoseok couldn’t see Y/n’s attempts or he really didn’t care. But what was easy to see was the heart eyes Y/n had every time Hoseok was around. Even in their arguments, Y/n found herself smiling after.

Hoseok had a charm about him. He was quiet, intriguing and mysterious.

“Well, you’ll be wearing it tonight.” Jennie replied. She moves towards Y/n’s closet where her navy blue gown hung. It was a bit bigger. Not a ballgown, but not form-fitting like Y/n’s. It was a strapless number with lace detailing. She absolutely loved the gown from the moment she laid eyes on it.

Her heels were just as high as Y/n’s. Both dresses would have a small train and seeing how extravagant these gowns were really drilled into Y/n’s head that this event was a big deal. She was too distracted thinking about how she’d have to play ‘couple of the year’ with Hoseok. In front of co-workers and important people. All that while pretending she doesn’t know 1.2 million dollars worth of artwork is being stolen and replaced.

Stopping by HQ just yesterday was shocking for Y/n. She saw the replicas of the artwork and she nearly applauded Jaehyun. They were excellent. Now, Y/n was no art expert but to the untrained eye, the images were perfect reflections of each other. They even made sure the frames were mimicking the ones to be used in the gala.

I am assisting in a theft mission. Was all that Y/n could think. If she thought she was deep in the hole before, she’s practically digging it now.

She grabbed the gown and began slipping it on. It felt even more expensive once the material was rubbing against her skin. Jennie zipped her up, and she did the same for Jennie. Just as the two were finished putting their heels on, Y/n’s phone dinged. Jennie’s phone did the same not even 5 seconds later.

Hoseok: Here.

There was a slight jump in Y/n’s heart as she read the words. When she looked up from the phone, Jennie was already staring back at her.

“Welp, let’s get this night over with.” Jennie almost groaned.

The hammering of her heart was all Y/n could hear. Even as she stood in the elevator, Jennie’s small talk was hard to hear. She nervously played with the thin velvet strap of her purse, staring at her foggy reflection in the elevator doors. Her dark red lipstick was one thing that could easily be made out.

She looked good. She looked great. Amazing even. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Picking up her dress with both hands, Y/n walked out first, already spotting two black SUV’s parked right in front of the apartment building.

You could imagine Y/n’s disbelief when she saw Jaehyun and Hoseok both stepping out of the SUVs. Hoseok’s suit was dark grey, he wore nice black dress shoes and his brown hair had slight blonde highlights in it. His hair was parted to the side and slicked back, putting his forehead on display. His white dress shirt had no tie or bowtie, but it was unbuttoned. Only two or three buttons but it gave him an edge.

As he adjusted his suit coat, his dark green cufflinks shined. They were matching. Jaehyun walked to open the door that led out of the apartment complex. Y/n thanked him briefly before walking right up to Hoseok. Wow, he looked good. She couldn’t help but take in how he looked in that nicely tailored suit. The coat opened with his hands in his pockets. A stance that held confidence and freedom. He looked like he was on top of the world and owned it.

The green cufflinks held her attention for a moment. She probably looked like she was drooling over him. She looked up from his outfit only to catch his eyes still trailing over her body. He seemed to take a second to really look at every part of her. She didn’t miss his eyes lingering on her draping neckline, so basically her chest.

When his eyes reached her face, she tried to figure out what he was thinking. His facial expression wasn’t giving anything away but he looked into his deep brown eyes and thought for a second she saw something new. The noise of cars zooming by and the other noises of a buzzing city was all that could be heard.

What is this tension? The dense and heavy cloud was looming over them. There were so many unspoken words floating around, while one waited for the other to speak.

Say something! Say something you fool! Y/n directed herself.

“We’re matching!” A smile pulls at Y/n lips.

Looking back at her Hoseok is glad to see that overcast of exhaustion gone from her eyes.

“Of course we’re matching, I picked the dress.” He says, moving back to open the door to the car.

Y/n raises her eyebrows, “You picked the dress? I thought--”

“Jennie only delivered the dress to you. I picked and paid for it.” He explains. Y/n gets into the car, and Hoseok follows in, shutting the door.

The car ride was mostly quiet, with Hoseok speaking on the phone to Namjoon, reviewing plans and times. Y/n twiddles her thumb, and was left alone with her thoughts. She was oblivious to the glances from Hoseok.

“Green must be your favorite color.” She said as Hoseok ended his phone call.

He narrowed his eyes at her, “What makes you say that?”

Y/n scoffs playfully, “Come on. I’ve seen you wear green suits. My dress is green, your cufflinks and your phone case are green.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

“You’re right,” Y/n adds, “Green is also associated with the grinch so it matches you perfectly.” She giggles while Hoseok uncharacteristically rolls his eyes.

“Y/n, I really need to sell your role tonight. But if I do anything you don’t like, tell me.”

Y/n nods, “Understood.”

The gala was definitely a big deal. It was held at the banquet hall not too far from the hospital. There were cameras, media outlets, and big names all there in the name of art and charity. Hoseok jumped out the car and the cameras began to flash like crazy. Oh right...Hoseok is like an actual company owner.

How much work does Hoseok really do? It’s okay for him to be photographed? As Y/n was helped out of the car, she looked down at the ground, the camera flashes being a bit too much for her eyes.

Hoseok is right beside her, placing a hand on the small of her back and pulling her close to him. They stroll past all the cameras and light and into the building. Y/n tries her best to seem natural with Hoseok’s hand on her back.

But it felt like the spot he was touching grew hotter and hotter. Her shoulder was pressed into his side and the warmth coming off him was comforting. He wore that same cologne she’s smelt many times.

“Hey, look at me for a second,” Hoseok whispered. Y/n did as he said, meeting a small smile on his lips. She almost gasped. Not a smirk, not a snicker before he messes with her. A real smile, or a real-looking smile.

“Look like you’re happy to be with me,” He said while beaming.

Y/n almost said I am. Almost. The corner of her lips turned up in a smile that didn’t feel so fake. The close proximity of their faces didn’t feel forced. This didn’t feel forced. None of it did.

“So we’re heading to the gala.” She said, adjusting the purse strap that was on her other shoulder. It wasn’t a question, but as if she had to remind herself. The two walked along, Hoseok removing his hand from the warm spot on her back to hanging by his side.

Y/n didn’t need any instruction, seamlessly holding onto his bicep. She liked this. She liked this a little too much.

The gallery hall was buzzing. There were celebrities, influencers, and company executives. It’s a different world for sure. They were able to walk around the gallery for all of 3 minutes before Hoseok was approached. It was some company executives talking about possible investments Hoseok’s company could make.

Hoseok chatted with them a bit, noticed that Y/n was also listening intently. She wanted to know more about Hoseok’s non-illegal work, as well as just how much he works.

“Excuse our rudeness, who is this beautiful lady on your arm?” The Lotte executive said, running his eyes up and down Y/n’s frame.

“This,” Hoseok brushed off Y/n hand and wrapped an arm around her waist, making Y/n face heat up. She grinned at the two men, sticking a hand out to shake their hands.

“This is Y/n L/n, my girlfriend. She is a surgeon for the trauma department at Seoul Sky.” Ugh, his words just roll off his tongue so smoothly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Y/n said. The two older men chuckled.

“We never see Mr. Jung with a woman at these types of things. I just knew you had to be someone special.” The loan company CEO pointed out.

Y/n jokingly pouted and looked at Hoseok, “Not the smooth ladies’ man I thought you to be huh?” I teasing reached up to mess with the collar of his shirt. She narrowed her eyes at Hoseok, and he noticed the taunting gleam in her eyes. She was having fun.

He chuckled, not at her words up at the realization he’d made.

“Every man has to hype himself up to his women, it’s only natural.” The Lotte executive joked.

“If I had a beautiful woman like Y/n, I wouldn’t have tried my best to seem cool!”

Everyone laughed, chatted some more before moving onto other things. This happened a lot. They’d be alone for a few minutes before more businessmen and women approached. The wanting gazes from the women around were annoying, leading Y/n facial expressions to have a mind of their own.

“It’s no surprise you have a girlfriend just as intimidating as you are Mr. Jung.” One woman had said. Tha told Y/n about her facial expression right there and she worked a smile back onto her face. Now with a glass of champagne in hand, Y/n’s eyes darted around the gallery. She caught a few glimpses of Jennie and Jaehyun, who were seriously looking at the art.

Jaehyun was thrilled, clearly going on about the works. At one point Y/n noticed Jimin who was dressed as a waiter. He must have had a wig on because his black hair was now a honey blonde. He wore glasses and kept his eyes down for the most part.

The sigh that left her lips was a mistake, but it was enough to stop the flow of conversation Hoseok was having with some woman who said to be from an Energy Drink company. They all stopped to look at Y/n, and she was unaware, her eyes focused on the further away painting.

Hoseok’s hand, placed securely on her waist, tighten, and his thumb started to caress her comfortingly.

“Are you tired already, baby?” He whispered in her ear. Y/n’s head snapped around to look up at Hoseok, trying not to come off as surprised when she noticed just how close their faces were. All she could imagine was kissing him. His breath fanned her face and his eyes bore into her.

The nickname had been the head turner but the closeness and intimacy were causing her heart to leap. He was too good at this.

“N-no, I’m just interested in that painting over there.” Y/n answered softly. She gave a pointed look towards one of the artworks. Hoseok was going to say something, clearly about to excuse himself from the women around him.

“Darling,” She said quickly, making Hoseok look back to her.

“Don’t stop your conversation for me,” Y/n flashed a small smile, “I will be right over there if you need me.”

Hoseok leans in close and whispers in Y/n’s ear, “Trying to run away from me?” He was teasing her. Y/n smiled, and though others would see it as a couple in love flirting, Y/n was almost snickering at him.

“For my own sanity, yes.” She says quietly. She breaks away from Hoseok, ignoring the cold that surrounded her once his warmth was gone. She walked towards one of the artworks, stopping right in front of it.

Her eyes were on the painting. It showed a woman staring at herself in the mirror of her bathroom, while the sun outside was black, still shining yellow despite the color.

“Jaehyun says the picture is about how good can still come from bad.” Y/n jumps slightly as Jennie comes to stand beside her.

“Oh really?” Y/n takes a sip of her champagne, looking over at her friend’s smiling face. Jennie is looking at the painting still while Y/n stares at her profile.

“The black sun that’s shining yellow is the bad thing bringing out something good. The woman is staring at herself in the mirror but there is no reflection. She’s blind to all things good things, and to herself.”

Y/n looks back at the painting, “I didn’t know you to be so deep.”

She shrugs, “It’s Jaehyun. I don’t find this art stuff too interesting but I could listen to him go on about it forever.” Her smile becomes softer, a fondness twinkling in her eyes.

Both of them didn’t speak for a while before Jennie looked at Y/n. She was hesitant to say what was on her mind. She didn’t want to deject her friend even more. But it was on everyone’s minds. Everyone in the room, even the strangers were thinking the same thing.

“You and Hoseok look really good together.” Jennie voiced. Y/n sighed. There it was. She knew it was coming.

“Of course we do. We’re both dressed up nicely, matching and all that.” She retorted.

“No,” Jennie now holds her champagne glass with two hands, “You two go together. You had me fooled for a moment and I knew you were supposed to be faking it.” Jennie paused again, not sure if Y/n wanted to interject. When she didn’t Jennie continued.

“And you looked really happy.”

“It’s fake.” Y/n deadpanned, making sure to keep her voice low.

“But you’re still happy. Hoseok looked...happy.”

Y/n scoffed at Jennie’s words and took another sip of her champagne.

“Jennie, please stop. Just let me enjoy it for tonight. I’ll be met with the harsh reality tomorrow. I won’t let you trick me into believing there is anything else here.”

“I think you need to stop waiting for Hoseok to make the first move. You go for it. Something small to relay to him how you’re really feeling.” Jennie suggested, glancing behind them in time to notice Hoseok’s brief glance at Y/n.

Y/n downed the rest of her champagne when she noticed a waiter coming by. She placed the empty glass on the waiters’ tray and caught her breath.

“Don’t make it so you’re some girl crushing on him, make him see you,” Jennie added.

Y/n decides not to respond, blankly staring at the artwork again.

The slight jump from her when an arm wraps around her waist was accompanied by a small yelp. She looked up at Hoseok, who was also looking at the artwork now.

“You scared me,” She says quietly.

Jennie wordlessly walks off, going to find Jaehyun.

“I can’t believe you left me with those annoying women,” Hoseok said, his thumb rubbing circles on Y/n hip.

Y/n laughed, “You weren’t enjoying the conversation?”

“Not at all. Those ladies don’t want investments from the company--”

“They want you.” Y/n looks up at Hoseok with narrow eyes.

He changes the subject, “What an interesting painting.” He sounds really intrigued. Y/n went on to repeat what Jennie had said about the painting, explaining the meaning of the black sun and the woman looking in the mirror.

Hoseok stares on in silence, perhaps taking in Y/n words.

“Sounds like something my father would say.” Hoseok huffs a laugh, “Stop looking at the bad! Look beyond it.”

Y/n didn’t want to say anything, excited to hear something about Hoseok’s family. But she didn’t want to be unresponsive.

“Your father sounds like an optimistic man.” Y/n peers into Hoseok’s face.

“Optimistic and trusting.” He added.

Taking a deep breath Hoseok spoke again, “His optimism and trusting character is what killed him.”

Y/n couldn’t stop her mouth from hanging open at Hoseok’s harsh words. She stared at his profile, waiting for him to say something else.

When he didn’t speak again, she looked back at the painting. Why did the painting suddenly look so sad?

~!~

The gala was pretty boring to Y/n. They sat, they ate and wore their fake smiles for all the people who approached them. Hoseok’s eyes were drawn to his phone every few minutes. Oh right, that’s when they were swapping the artwork.

Hoseok didn’t look worried or stressed. Y/n knows if she was in his position, she’d be freaking out. What if something went wrong? What if they are caught? Her blood pressure was rising just at the thought. She sat a large round table with Hoseok beside her. His chair scooted close to hers. They had finished eating and watched as others danced about.

Hoseok took one more glance at his phone, a satisfied look taking over his face.

“Everything went well?” Y/n already knew the answer.

“Yes, everything is finished.”

Y/n nodded, reaching forward for a glass of wine that sat on the table. She had been drinking just a bit. Not to the point of being drunk, but the buzz was there. Hoseok noticed but didn’t say anything.

“I’m going to get some air.” Y/n said quietly and rose up from her seat. The auction had already begun in a smaller room down the hallway. The night was coming to a close. It was a lovely evening and she was thankful that a lot of money would be raised for charity.

But there was a bitter after taste to this happy night. Y/n stood at the large balcony of the venue, staring at the stars that twinkled beautifully. At that moment, she almost felt like crying.

The violins that were sounding from inside made her feel a bit like she was in a drama. A sad one-sided love story that was taking too long to turn around. His touch still lingered all over her. It didn’t feel weird, uncomfortable or strange. It was so familiar and welcoming.

She was desperate to break past that stone-cold wall Hoseok had up. Everyone says be aggressive! Make the first move! But the thought of harsh rejection from Hoseok was enough to leave her unmoving in her spot. The buzz from her wine was really catching up with her now, making her head feel a bit light.

“Aren’t you cold?” Hoseok asked. Y/n jumped, placing her hand over her chest.

“You need to stop sneaking up on me like that!” She exclaimed. Hoseok stood there with his hands in his pockets, his eyes focused on Y/n. She felt a bit insecure under his gaze.

“You did really well tonight,” He said walking closer to her. Y/n leaned on the ledge of the balcony, suppressing the scoff playing on her lips.

“Did I really?” She muttered to herself, just loud enough for Hoseok to hear.

He stands beside her, leaning on the ledge. His whole body faces her while she faces out towards the beautiful garden below them. Maybe it’s the wine, but out of the corner of her eyes, it seems like Hoseok is smiling.

Her heart hummed at his closeness, and just how effortless the conversation was feeling. It’s the wine for sure. They could barely hold a conversation without bickering, now the silence between them was so relaxing.

“Everyone’s eyes were on us tonight. No one will ever suspect me once the fakes are realized.”

“Was everyone looking at us?” She sounded far away as if she hadn’t heard much of what Hoseok said.

“You couldn’t tell? There were eyes on us everywhere we went. People aren’t used to seeing me with someone.”

Y/n looked over at Hoseok, taking in every feature of his face for a short second before speaking.

“I guess my attention was elsewhere, cause I didn’t feel a single eye on us.” The soft tone of her voice was enough to figure out what she was saying. Y/n was too wrapped up in Hoseok to notice a judgmental look or a gossiping whisper. He knew that.

In fact. He’s a liar. He’s lying. Were there eyes on them? Probably? Hoseok doesn’t fucking know cause he wasn’t paying attention either. He was too distracted by...the mission. Right. The mission.

“Hoseok, I have a question.” The wine was giving Y/n confidence, so she was going to go for it.

The look in Hoseok’s eyes was it pity? Curiosity?

“Despite your underground job...you don’t seem to mind having your face in pictures and stuff. Is that safe?” Y/n set her elbow on the ledge and place her cheek on her hand. She started blinking her eyes slowly and gazing up at him.

‘Heart eyes.’ Y/n’s heart eyes every time he is around. At first, he didn’t understand. But now, Hoseok gets it, he sees it now.

“You’re really interested?” Hoseok’s lips turned up into a smirk.

“Yes.” She nods eagerly.

Hoseok bit his lip, a bit hesitant to say anything.

“I work under the name ‘Seok’. The mafia leader is known as ‘Seok’ but there is no face to Seok.” He leans closer to her, his eyes looking around to make sure no one was close.

“Ah! I see!” Y/n chimes a bit too loudly, “That’s smart!” Y/n grows quiet and her eyes widened. So knowing who Hoseok really is...is a big deal!

“And...and that alias was started by you?”

“By my father.” Hoseok’s voice grew a bit cold and Y/n worried that she was digging too deep. She watched Hoseok’s brows furrow and decided to keep digging until he shut her down. The support of some wine glasses made her brave.

“So you took over after your father passed?” Hoseok was a bit annoyed. Not by Y/n but the pity that was dripping off her voice. He hated people feeling sorry for him. His life is his life. He doesn’t hate it, he doesn’t wish he did anything else. He’s fine where he is.

“Yes.”

“I’m sorry about your father passing.” Y/n picked her cheek off her hand and removed her arm from the ledge. She faced the garden and sky once more.

“He died when I was 16, I’m okay now doc.” That nickname again. The wall was being put up again.

Y/n nodded slowly, processing what Hoseok had just said. She realized a little too late that Hoseok’s father dying when he was 16 meant that Hoseok took his father’s position of mafia head at that young age.

“And your mother?” Y/n asked softly, her eyes staying on the twinkling stars. Hoseok’s jaw clenched the thought of his mother. Y/n was too distracted by the beautiful night sky and the shining full moon to notice Hoseok’s lack of a response.

“Tonight was fun,” Y/n starts again, sighing dreamingly, “I’m just waiting for the clock to hit midnight and for the magic to disappear.”

Hoseok raised an eyebrow, wondering if the wine had really gotten to her. Was she just talking nonsense?

“Magic?” He scratches his head in confusion.

“For once...it felt like you didn’t hate me.” She says truthfully. Hoseok stares at her profile, a little caught off guard by how fragile her voice was. Genuine hurt.

“I don’t hate anyone.” He sounded offended. And well that was a lie. He hated two people, but only those two. Hate takes too much energy. Hate? She thinks he hates her?

Hoseok’s face scrunched up in angst, “Doc, I don’t hate you.”

“But you hate soulmates and doctors.” She accused. Hoseok’s face fell into a frown.

“Who told you that?” He snapped.

Y/n rolls her eyes, “What does it matter? I got the message.”

Hoseok was getting angry. She spoke like she had him figured out. He knows he can be cold but...hate?

“What about you doc?” His voice was venomous, “Do you really like me?”

“Yes.” She says strongly.

“You really like me? Or do you like the image of a soulmate? The idea of a soulmate is what you like. I am not the picture-perfect guy you dreamed of, stop trying to put me in that box.”

She looks at him, scrutinizing his face. Hoseok watched her eyes move all across his face, taking in every facial feature of his. Her eyes were big and honest. He couldn’t doubt anything she’d say with a look like that.

“I do admit, I liked the idea of a soulmate. I liked the idea of meeting someone and just connecting instantly and understanding each other.” She said sternly.

“My point is proven.” Hoseok’s harsh tone and disapproving gaze weren’t scaring her. She didn’t back down, still gazing up at his face.

“But I understand now that soulmates aren’t a guaranteed thing. There aren’t fireworks the moment you lock eyes.” She looks down at her pinky, gazing at Hoseok’s initials tattoed onto her skin.

“You were not what I expected. Your lifestyle is frightening and dangerous. You are cold, calculating, hard to read and sometimes scary. You’ve probably killed people and I’m sure committed many crimes. Hell, I sat here and played ‘couple of the year’ while the others robbed artwork.”

“Oh--” A voice said from the entryway. Both Hoseok and Y/n turn their attention to Jungkook who stared on with wide eyes. He wasn’t sure what he had walked in on, but he was hesitant to speak. The atmosphere was heavy and uncomfortable.

“Noona, I’ll be taking you home.” He announced, “Just let me know when you’re ready to go.” Jungkook’s eyes flickered between the two adults, wondering what conversation had happened before he walked in.

“Thank you Jungkook,” Y/n’s voice wavered, “I’ll be right there.” She dismissed him. Jungkook gave his boss a pointed look before turning around to go where he came from.

Y/n sighed, pushing her body off the ledge and standing straight. She smoothed her dress and brushed off any possible dirt.

She looked back up at Hoseok and flashed a sad smile, “Despite all those things. Your lifestyle, your crimes, and your cold attitude ...I still like you.”

Hoseok scoff, “Really?” He was nearly laughing. Not because he found her confession funny, but he didn’t know what else to do. He was rendered speechless.

“Truly.” She confirmed, not daring to look away from him. The smile remaining from his laughing fell slightly. Y/n stepped closer to Hoseok. He watched closely, looking down as one of her hands found his. She held his hand, stretched her head up and put her lips to his cheek. She kissed his cheek briefly.

There were traces of wine on her lips, but she certainly wasn’t drunk. She had her balance. Her eyes were shown to doubt or uncertainty. The same and now familiar shampoo tickled his nose. Her hand held his tightly, it was warm and soft.

Her lips were only on his cheek for all of 3 seconds before she pulled back and let go of his stiff hand. He felt like the side of his whole face was on fire. The skin where she touched had grown hot.

“Tonight was fun. Thank you Hoseok.” With that, she spun around and made her way back inside. Probably going to find Jungkook so she could go home.

Hoseok stood in his spot, trying to collect his thoughts. His incoherent thoughts were being drowned out by the playing of the violins and drums from inside.

...wait. Drums? There weren’t any drums playing.

It was the loud and fast pounding of his heart, overshadowing his scattered thoughts and the violins.

-------

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

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silverhandy · 3 years

Text

House call - chapter 2

Chapter 1 I ao3

Through his career, he’s been to a lot of places of varying degrees of decay, from the long-abandoned hotels subjected to evergoing gang disputes to the city’s garbage dump stretching miles upon miles outside of the city, a sea of trash and metal, often twisted into unrecognizable shapes, piling up into mountains, where every step meant a very real risk of slipping and impaling himself on a rust-bitten shard. Hidden in between were those unfortunate enough to end their journey in a place like this, abandoned by their rivals or hitmen too lazy to attempt hiding a body within the guts of the city. If they had a working car, and almost all of them did, it was way easier to just drive whatever was left of their target and dump it to be devoured by rats and whatever else evolved enough to survive in a place like this. Sometimes they wouldn’t even bother to check if the person they were leaving there was actually dead, hence the reason why he’d sometimes get calls begging him to fish a guy (or lady) down on their luck out. He found himself digging through trash more often than not, futile in his attempts to pinpoint his awaiting patient’s location. When he was starting out, the thought of giving up his search wouldn’t even cross his mind, he’d spend hours looking, even dragging along metal cutters with him, figuring they’d come in handy. They probably would’ve if not for the fact that he often wasn’t even able to find the person who called him, localization data too patchy to give him a solid lead on where he should even start.

After a while, when he established himself and lost some of his rookie idealism, he put in a disclaimer that he wouldn’t go trash diving anymore, no matter the pay. A small step, but even at the beginning he tried to have standards.

V’s apartment was far from Night City’s biggest trash dump, but something about the chaos within it reminded him of that when he switched on the lights. As if the hurricane had swept through the place, some of the furniture was tilted over, a pile of clothes, dangerously balanced on an overfilled laundry basket, threatened to collapse and spill over at any moment. A half-finished box of noodles laid abandoned on the counter, accompanied by a mosaic of pills from a knocked over bottle.

Viktor found V curled up on the floor next to her bed, wearing a washed-out Samurai t-shirt and sweatpants, covers dragged along with her halfway between the linoleum and the mattress. He could barely see her face from the way she was bundled up. V didn’t move upon hearing his footsteps, didn’t even flinch when he kneeled next to her and reached out a hand to touch her shoulder.

The ripper dropped the heavy bag at his side and gently cupped V’s face in his hands, wincing at how burned up the woman’s skin was, and turned it so he could take a quick glance. V’s eyes were rolled far back into her skull. Viktor started to have an idea of what he was dealing with here, has seen the wreckage that offensive hacking can cause many times before. They usually started out slow, identical to a bad case of flu but then, if dismissed, proceeded to stir fry one’s brain until not much was left.

Viktor opened his bag and pulled out a small, remote biomonitor. It took a few seconds to fully calibrate, but eventually, the screen lit up.

‘V, can you hear me?’ he asked, not counting on her to answer. 'I’m going to connect your personal link now and see what’s going on in there, okay?' he reached for her wrist, already feeling her racing pulse, and connected it to the device. While it was loading, Viktor propped it up on the wall and grabbed V to lay her on her back to make the job easier for himself, and pulled out a few small gel-filled Ice-Pax. He knew she probably needed more, but those will have to do for now.

Just as Viktor placed two under her arms and another on her groin, the monitor beeped. He reached over her to grab it and swiftly ran a basic diagnostics program, but save for the things he already knew, it didn’t spew out anything interesting. She was vastly overheated and her blood pressure shot up to a point where an angrily red window kept popping up to inform him of a 72% percent chance of an incoming cardiac event, but he dismissed it for now. Instead, Viktor chose a different angle and ran a more advanced version of the program, letting it comb through V’s frontal cortex and RAM.

‘There’s the rub’ he hummed to himself as the program kindly highlighted the results. He let out a long sigh. If V had come to see him a day earlier, he’d fix it in five minutes and she wouldn’t even notice, but now she’ll be out of commission for at least a week before she can even get out of bed. He’ll have to tell her a thing or two about responsibility, not that she’d listen to him anyway. Patients never did, but it still might be worth a shot.

Viktor typed a few commands to enclose the scrambled code from her RAM and before pulling out V’s personal link, copied her real-time vitals chart onto his interface. After it appeared within his field of vision, he pulled out a worn-out connecting cord that he’s been promising himself he’d replace for ages now and inserted it into the neural port at V’s nape to get a better working field, now that he knew what the problem was. RAM damages were problematic in their very nature but pretty easy to fix once caught, not much of his medical knowledge needed. Viktor simply fired up what ripperdocs tended to call a “palate cleanser” and let it do the work, putting back together what the bug has managed to break.

While the program was fixing up V’s tech, Viktor got to work on her body. Flipping the ice packs, he took a quick glance at her temperature and was glad to see that it had started to slowly go down, followed by her pulse and blood pressure, all three leaving the life-threatening territory. None of them were quite to his liking just yet, but at least now Viktor was sure V would pull through. Reaching into his bag, he eventually found an IV set, but decided it’d be better to move her onto the bed first, sparing himself all the gymnastics with the tubing and cables. Minding the biomonitor still plugged into her, Viktor leaned down to lift V and put her on the bed. She was quite heavy, the dead weight of her limp body adding to the feeling, but he didn’t even break a sweat carrying her. Taking the covers from the floor, he put them on her, straightening the wrinkled material intuitively.

Having done that, Viktor grabbed her arm and carefully inserted the needle. To his relief, it went in on the first try. Glad he didn’t need to poke her any more than necessary, Viktor looked around and realized that V didn’t have anything even remotely resembling an IV stand, but when he looked up, he noticed a small hook, probably remains of a poster frame, conveniently placed over the bed. Stepping up on the edge of the bed frame, he placed the bag there, and after making sure that everything was in place, let it drip. That should do the job, maybe paired up with a shot of dopabenzamine if she won’t improve in the next few hours.

Viktor let out a deep sigh of relief, feeling as if he’s been holding his breath ever since V called. Biomonitor’s estimated time kept shifting but eventually settled on six hours and twenty-three minutes. Viktor nodded to himself and turned around to take another look at the mess that V’s apartment has turned into. He leaned down and reached under the covers to grab the unpleasantly warm ice packs, and throw them in the freezer, wondering if he should clean up, just a little bit. Would V get mad at him for snooping around? Then again, she’ll need a few days to recover and this ever-growing mess around her surely won’t help. Or should he ask Misty? They were closer, he was pretty sure that she’s been over at V’s place at some point.

Maybe he shouldn’t be overthinking this. Just a little bit, he told himself as he gathered the pills spilled on the counter, inspecting the label while he was at it. Strong shit, impossible to get by simply waltzing into a pharmacy. Viktor made a mental note to ask about it later, just to make sure that V doesn’t swallow these like candy. Of course she doesn’t, he reprimanded himself. She’s an adult, a stupid, reckless one, but an adult nevertheless. It still won’t hurt to bring it up, though.

He put it back into the medicine cabinet and returned to the kitchen to deal with the noodles, and since they were on the verge of no longer being edible, he just tossed them into the trash can, along with other unfinished takeout he found in various places around the apartment. He didn’t want to snoop through V’s things, so he just folded the clothes that were sprawled all over the floor and couch and put them in a neat pile. When he was done, the place looked somehow presentable, so he settled on the couch opposite V’s bed.

She appeared to be sleeping, although far from soundly. No longer completely unconscious, she kept tossing and turning, her face grimacing as her recovering brain no doubt served her a concoction of fever dreams.

Just as Viktor leaned down to relax a little, he heard a ping of an incoming text message. He pulled it up

Misty

>that lady from Biotechnica is here to see you again, but you don’t seem to be in, what should I tell her?

>Tell her to fuck off

>I’m at V’s and have to stay for a few more hours, she screwed herself up real bad this time

>oh no what happened>

>I’ll tell you all about it later, I got it covered for now

He fully expected Misty to call him, alarmed, but apparently, he managed to reassure her just enough. He leaned back and closed his eyes, just for a second, but must’ve dozed off at some point, exhausted after over twenty hours without a chance for a shuteye. When he woke, a groan escaped his lips as the stiffness of his neck hit him with full force.

That’s what you get for sleeping sitting up, old man, he told himself as he reached to grab his glasses off the floor. They must’ve slipped off at some point during his nap. Viktor stood up and stretched until he heard his joints crack. Still tired, he rubbed his eyes in a futile attempt to wake himself up and walked up to V’s bed to check on her. When he reached for the biomonitor to check the progress bar and see how long he’s been sleeping, V moved slightly. She opened her eyes and scanned the room, looking right over him, and furrowed her eyebrows. Finally, she looked up and saw Vik standing next to the bed and her expression went from blank to confused.

‘Vik? What…’ V cleared her throat. ‘What are you doin’ here?’

‘You don’t remember calling me?

‘Not quite’ she bit her lip, trying to gather her thoughts. ‘It’s a bit of a blur. I was feeling like absolute shit after that last job, thought I could just sleep it off.’ she said quietly, propping her head upon her elbow. ‘I didn’t expect it to grow into...whatever that was.’

“A neurogenic cybervirus is what that is. Invisible until it starts to fry your brain. You gave me quite a fright.’

“Fuck. I knew something was off about that netrunner, after she...eh, nevermind. Vik..how long have you been here anyway?

‘Uh,’ Viktor took a quick glance at the biomonitor ‘seven hours, give or take?

‘Fucking hell. I’m..’ she looked at him apologetically. ‘I’m gonna pay you back. What’s your house call fee again? I don't remember it being listed…’

‘Nah, it’s okay. I usually don’t do house calls, so consider that a favor. Just promise me that when you feel something’s off after a job, you’ll come to see me right away. There’s a lot of real vile stuff out there and you won’t even know until it gets you. That’s what you have me for.’

‘Sure, dad. You can spare me the lecture' she chuckled. ‘But for real, Vik. Thank you.’

‘No problem, really.’ he grabbed the biomonitor. Four minutes left. ‘You’re gonna feel like you were hit by a truck for the next few days, but there shouldn’t be any lasting damage. I’ll check up on you in a few days and send in Misty or Jackie in the meantime to help you out since I’d rather you didn’t get out of bed more often than necessary. Next time you see me, consider getting that new set of optics and a gun grip. Might save your ass next time someone attempts to do you dirty like his.’

Something akin to a smile appeared on her face. ‘Doctor’s orders?’

‘Doctor’s orders.’

#viktor vector #female v #cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk fic #victor vector #my writing

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