Tumgik
#just how much magic is in arthur's heart
darlingeames · 5 months
Text
in 2020 I wrote a little merthur fic in which arthur figures out merlin has magic and his own and they have to talk about it. thought I'd bring it back because I'm proud of it <3
38 notes · View notes
wikipedie · 1 year
Text
The way Merlin is a tragedy disguised as a comedy
25 notes · View notes
heirloommtomatoes · 2 years
Text
colin morgan making merlin’s voice deeper and getting absolutely jacked for season 5 was incredibly cunty of him 
#THEEEE acting choices of all time#watching s5 ep3 and his forearms?????#'so gwen just mysteriously got locked in the kitchens which just mysteriously caught fire?' HIS VOICE IS SO DEEP#AND HES LIKE. BROADER THAN BRADLEY JAMES STANDING NEXT TO HIM LMFAAOO#suuuuuch a good episode#merlin not giving any fucks in s5 is so good#also arthur and merlin's dynamic in this season is soooooo fun and interesting to watch#like they're the most comfortable they've ever been with each other#their dynamic in this season makes the other seasons ALL feel like build up#and this season very much feels like exactly what they are - two best friends who have been singular to each other for a decade#they bicker literally 24/7 and sometimes genuinely angrily argue but it's all from a place of love#and they'll be yelling at each other and two seconds later saying how they'll protect each other or die trying lmfao#married couple energy fr#but at the same time merlin is drifting away becoming lost in his obsession w the prophecy#and finding it harder and harder to lie to arthur about his magic#it's hard to watch bc it's sad but it's acted and done so well that i also can't look away#EVEN WHILE YOU WERE KING THERE WAS MAGIC AT THE HEART OF CAMELOT GO OFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!#screaming crying throwing up etc#anyway <3#merlin#ellie yodels#the episode ending with arthur basically about to fist merlin ..... do NOT @ me for that until u watch the last 30 seconds of the episode#i am kidding but i am also not bc its INCREDIBLY funny
22 notes · View notes
regulusrules · 10 days
Text
We're TRENDINGG for no REASONN just like god DECREEDD, so here are 5 fics that would steal your breath away:
Tumblr media
1. My breaths are run by your compass by regulusrules. [T] [20K+] [post-camlann fix-it] [golden age but merlin stabs arthur in his heart first].
Not because it's my fic and it's genuinely so insane you won't believe it, but honestly, it's the best idea I've ever come up with, even better than the widely beloved my heart is readily yours. For me, it's the perfect continuation of their story, and the most unhinged plot twist you could find in a fic.
2. Half of my soul by @clockwrkpendrxgon. [G] [2K] [MCD] [golden age growing old together]
This fic is half of my soul, or what the poets say. It's so much better as an ending than what they've given us. At least this is filled with such golden love it makes you ache. At least this makes sense.
3. from hearth and ashes, we’re reborn by @remuscariad. [G] [5K] [canon era magic reveal].
This fic is so good you'll be on your knees from it. The prose, the characterization, the tropes used... it will linger in your mind and fester there from how beautiful it all is. And the art in it by @onepeppercorn... stunning.
4. Our broken pieces by @aramblingjay. [T] [10K] [canon era established relationship]
You can pry this fic from my cold dead hands. I will never stop recommending it until it gets the fame it deserves. One of the most beautiful fics ever written about them, and genuinely encompasses their characters so perfectly.
5. gentle as an early spring breeze by @prattery. [G] [2.5K] [canon divergence golden age]
They are alive and in love and we're all living in this fic because it's what they righteously deserved. The way their life was written here and the love between them... I swear this author could write anything and I'd kudos it before even reading it.
[For more recs]
3K notes · View notes
justaz · 4 months
Text
country bumpkin merlin not knowing anything about city life and accidentally courting arthur without knowing
merlin, watching gwen give lancelot her favor: why do you do that
gwen, heart eyes at lance and not paying that much attention to the conversation: so he knows i’m rooting for him
merlin, with an Idea: ah.
gwaine, lover of chaos, pisser offer of nobles and royals alike, ultimate wingman: merlin…you have such lonely lips. shall i introduce them to mine?
merlin, unaware of the game gwaine is playing: so you can steal my breath away? i think not, scoundrel
arthur, crushing his goblet in his hand:
merlin: arthur’s been in a bad mood recently :( i should cheer him up
merlin, remembering when arthur was put out when merlin brought morgana flowers and not him: i know just the thing
merlin, bringing a bouquet of carnations, roses, and tulips and setting them on arthur’s table while he’s eating breakfast: good morning, sire
arthur, trained on flower language in hopes that one day when he was to take a queen he could woo her easily, trying not to audibly choke on his sausage as he reads merlin’s declaration of love sitting in front of him:
arthur, who recently found out about merlin’s magic and was trying to find a way to bring it up, catching him in the act and watching merlin panic to explain himself:
merlin, Freaking: and i swear to you arthur, i have only ever used it for you. my magic is yours. my life is yours. i am yours. i would never do anything to harm you. i have protected you for years and will continue to do so at your side if you’ll have me
arthur, already believing them to be courting, desperately trying to figure out if that was a proposal for marriage or not but tired of being confused and deciding fuck it: here.
merlin, taking it: i…uh…huh?
arthur, watching merlin with hawk eyes and trying to figure out what he’s thinking and feeling: it’s my mothers sigil
merlin, confused as FUCK but is focusing on the fact that arthur is handing him something of his mother rather than a death sentence: my…my lord?
arthur, realizing how scared merlin’s must be about him finding out about his magic and trying to comfort him while also proposing, killing two birds with one stone: i will always keep you at my side, merlin, so long as we both shall live. if you’ll allow me.
merlin, almost collapsing with relief and tearing up, smiling at arthur as if he had parted the storm clouds to allow sun to shine down on them in that moment: of course…of course, arthur. always and forever.
merlin, watching the castle staff rush this way and that: wow. this banquet must be incredibly important
sir leon the long suffering, day one ride or die, one of the original merthur shippers: banquet? merlin, this is for your wedding
merlin, overworked and exhausted: my WHAT? to WHO??
leon, regretting everything he’s ever done in his life that led him to this moment: to…arthur?
merlin, over joyed but also absolutely befuddled: i’m getting married to ARTHUR?????
leon: you two have been courting for the past year or so, have you not?
merlin: i’ve been COURTING ARTHUR?????? FOR A YEAR?????????
5K notes · View notes
Okay time for the PBS Kids essay
Read it under the cut!
:readmore:
In 1968, before there was PBS Kids proper, there was Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. While it came several decades before the children’s block, it laid the foundation for the themes and values present in every facet of the network’s history.
Mr. Roger famously hated children’s programming at the time. To him, it all was droll and useless. But he didn’t dissuade the medium entirely— he saw potential. Potential that led to a few smaller television jobs, and eventually the creation of Mr. Roger’s neighborhood.
Rogers didn’t invent educational TV for children, but he did perfect it. He poured real heart and soul into probably the most sincere, heartfelt program in history.
Honestly, he could have his own essay. The more things you learn about the real man of Mr. Rogers, the more you’ll like him.
Anyway, the biggest thing that makes PBS different is the fact that it earns money through grants, fundraisers, and private donors— not through sponsorships and merchandise sales. This way, PBS Kids can push programming that it feels is important, rather than programming that merely sells well.
This also means PBS is less afraid of pushing social boundaries. Money doesn’t go away when their shows become subjects of debate— and Mr. Rogers took full advantage of this.
For context, this was 1969. The Jim Crow era had just barely, barely ended. Pool segregation was still very much legal.
youtube
Mr. Rogers sharing a pool and a towel with the Black Mr. Clemmons was a pretty big deal at the time— especially on a show made for children.
Rogers was far from the untouchable sacred cow of today. When he was alive, he had a large number of detractors. Let’s just say that scene didn’t fly nicely by everyone.
Just one year after the debut of Mr. Roger’s came Sesame Street.
While Mr. Roger’s was made for all children, Sesame Street had the explicit goal of supplementing the education of underserved communities— especially inner-city Black (and later Latino) children.
While it was made to be accessible to children of all races and income levels, they definitely went the extra mile to make it something special for inner-city Black and Brown kids. (Why do you think it it’s “Sesame Street” and not “Sesame Cul-de-Sac”?)
At the time, a wholesome, sweet show set in a brownstone street was practically unheard of.
Jon Stone, the casting director, deliberately sought to make the cast as rich with color as he possibly could, bringing on a huge amount of Black talent such as Loretta Long, Matt Robinson, and Kevin Clash, as well as featuring Black celebrities as guest stars. Later, the show would expand its horizons, bringing on actors from Latino, Asian, Native American, and many more backgrounds.
White actors were and still are a minority on show.
In addition to letters and numbers, the purpose of Sesame Street is clear: make kids of color know that they’re smart, beautiful, and loved.
youtube
It doesn’t get more explicit than this.
I want to point out this comment because it’s funny
Tumblr media
You’re telling me this bitch isn’t Hispanic???
Tumblr media
Anyway, these two were followed up by Reading Rainbow in 1983. And guess what?
Tumblr media
That’s right. Non-white focus.
These three shows, (along with other, lesser-known programs like Lamb-Chops Play Along, Newton’s Apple, and Shining Times Station (who featured Ringo Starr himself?? seriously how did that happen and why does no one talk about it) and some other nostalgic favorites like Bill Nye the Science guy, The Magic Schoolbus, Arthur, and Thomas the Tank Engine) aired on the new PTV block, which evolved into PBS Kids in 1999, bringing along Between the Lions, Dragon Tales, and many more.
Arthur is another stand-out that I’d like to talk about— it doesn’t have the same racial focus of Sesame Street, but it does focus on different income levels. The characters have various housing situations, from apartments to mansions to no home at all.
It also takes cues from Sesame Street and Mr. Roger’s in regards to talking about tough topics, though as Arthur has a slightly older target audience, it discusses things through stories rather than talking directly to the audience.
Cancer, religion, workplace discrimination, along with current (at the time) events such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina are all discussed on the show.
Another big focus on Arthur is disability. For once, they don’t stick a character in a wheelchair and then pretend he’s not in a wheelchair. A striking number of major characters either develop or get diagnosed with physical disabilities and/or neurodivergences, such as asthma, severe food allergies, and dyslexia, and they deal with them in very realistic ways.
A handful of minor characters have more obvious disabilities, and THANK GOD they go beyond the trite messaging of “disabled people can do everything abled people can do! everyone clap now!”
One episode in particular has the awesome message of “holy shit stop trying to help me all the time— it’s patronizing as fuck. I can get around just fine without you stepping on eggshells and trying to be the hero all the fucking time”
There are sooo many other shows I could talk about, but I can’t write about them all. I’m definitely gonna point out some more standout ones, though.
Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat
Created by Chinese-American woman Amy Tang
Tumblr media
Dragonfly TV
Features a multitude of female and non-white scientists to foster an interest in science with kids in those groups
Tumblr media
Maya & Miguel
One of the network’s first Hispanic-led shows
Tumblr media
SciGirls
I shouldn’t have to explain what the goal of this one was.
Tumblr media
Molly of Denali
When was the last time you saw a show that treated Native Americans as people? Much less a children’s show? 90% of the cast is Athabascan, and the show revolves around Athabascan culture, not shying away from topics like boarding schools and modern-day racism. Most of the writers are also Athabascan, and the show even has an official Gwich’in dub!
Tumblr media
It’s this commitment to real, authentic social justice that makes PBS Kids so much different from its competitors. Could you imagine the Paw Patrol dog looking at the camera and earnestly discussing what happened to George Floyd? I don’t think so— but Arthur talked specifically about it, Sesame Street did an hour long special about race in general, and the network itself made a 30 minute special.
youtube
Disney Jr. could never. (Other than trying to teach colorblindness, of course.)
I’m gonna have to cut this into two parts, since I just hit the image limit
5K notes · View notes
hopelessromantic5 · 3 months
Text
King Arthur happens to be traveling through Ealdor the exact day the citizens decide they’ve had enough of Merlin.
Labeling him too dangerous, they tied him up on the pyre in the center of town.
As long as Merlin had been alive, he’d never seen this pyre lit.
He would’ve just gotten himself out of this situation with his ‘gifts’ if it weren’t for his poor mother.
The villagers would never let her live in peace if he magically disappeared.
No, this was the only way she could go on living, even with a broken heart.
He didn’t fight. He didn’t really hear much of what they spit at him. But he could hear his mother wailing at him, to save himself, to do whatever he must do.
He’d resigned himself to an early death.
Tom, the town representative, started spewing some righteous words at him. New Religion words that didn’t quite make sense to him, but that’s to be expected. He is, himself, a creature of the old religion, if prophecy is to be trusted.
“Do you have anything to say for yourself, serpent?”
Merlin opened his mouth to tell his mother that he loved her, but he stopped short.
In the distance, he could hear a sound.
The beating of hooves on hard, cold dirt.
Visitors were approaching.
It must be fate, he thinks.
As the horses drew closer, the villagers slowly turned their attentions away from him.
Merlin simply hung his head, letting the Earth he loved so dearly decide which way his life would swing.
“What is the meaning of this?”
A calm, steady voice came from behind him. Deep and concerned. Merlin wished he could see the man.
“My lord,” Tom bowed, as well as he could, which was strange.
Upon realization, Merlin’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head, were these visitors noble? They never had nobility stay long enough to make comments on anything, only ever just passing through.
“I asked you a question.” The voice said again, with all the authority of someone who’s used to using it.
“This man is a sorcerer, sire. We were just-“
“What has he done?”
“Sire?”
“What has this man done to call for these extreme measures?” When no one answered him immediately, he rephrased.
“Surely there must’ve been a crime committed?” As if it’s a question.
Merlin’s mother pulled herself out of shock and brought herself forth.
“He did nothing, sire.” She spoke firm and unmoving. She must’ve seen hope in this man that Merlin had yet to lay eyes on. “He’s only ever used it for healing wounds and helping our gardens in the winter. Please have mercy on him, my lord. He is my only son.” Tears started falling as her voice broke. She finally met Merlin’s eyes again and he smiled at her, weakly.
“So this man-“
“Sorcerer.” Corrected Tom. What a dick.
“This man, did nothing but heal you and help you survive and this is how you repay him?”
Again no answer.
The man seemed to gesture at Tom, walking towards the town elder, and bringing him finally into Merlin’s line of sight.
The doomed boy nearly gasped.
Silver and red bled together in the sun, armor and finery melded like roses in white sand.
The man-the lord…the knight? He had golden blonde hair, that shone like it’s own light.
Blue eyes made even more obvious and striking surrounded by unblemished, sun-kissed skin.
“You seem to be leading the horde. Tell me why?” No, answer. “Cut him down.” A command. The stranger’s face was a hard, blank line.
Funny how, even then, he didn’t feel like a stranger. But Merlin was in no state to remember it.
“My lord, I do not think that would be wise. Your father was the one to wage war on magic-“
“I am not my father. Cut him down.”
Merlin swallowed. Uther Pendragon was the only person in his mind that waged the war on magic, that began the purge. Which means this man could only be his son, Prince Arthur.
What a prince he was.
Well, King, now.
No wonder every person in the vicinity practically dropped to their knees upon his arrival. They’d all heard stories of ‘The Just King’ that now reigned over Camelot. Giving whatever he could to his citizens that needed it most, never turning anyone away who seeks shelter. Merlin had heard the same as everyone else. Seeing the King in person now, he was in awe.
“I will not endanger the lives of all who live here.” Tom turns back to Merlin with the lit torch.
Merlin held his breath, but the second Tom turned away from him, the King pulled his sword. It made the loveliest sound as it left the sheath.
The sound of salvation.
Tom had the tip of a majestic blade directed right at his throat, as the King spoke again.
“I said, cut him down.”
The look on the King’s face was one that could kill.
Merlin wondered momentarily why he cared so much.
Finally someone from the crowd stepped forward with a knife and began to cut away Merlin’s ties.
Hunith leapt forward and engulfed her son in a hug, while also somewhat holding his body upright.
He did not want to let go, considering he thought he would never get to hug his mother again. But the entire village was watching them.
As was-
“What is your name?”
It was phrased as a question but spoken like a command. Merlin knew it was directed at him without opening his eyes.
He did, reluctantly, release his mother and turn to the golden King, facing deep blue eyes head on. Never cowering.
“Merlin.”
The King must’ve seen something in him. Something every other person was blind to or chose to ignore, simply because he was a peasant. He took a step closer and Merlin could hear the tiny tink of metal pieces on his shining armor, as he did so.
“Well, Merlin.” He said, as if trying it out for himself. “Seeing as I’ve just given you your life, I’d like to ask a favor.”
Merlin’s curiosity was peaked, to say the least. King’s didn’t ask favors, they took whatever they wanted.
King Arthur did not wait for a reply to continue.
“I’m in need of assistance. And I could use someone with a gift like yours, specifically.”
Merlin narrowed his eyes in minuscule doubt. Doubt of intentions, doubt of his safety.
The King somehow knowing his exact thoughts said
“Of course you would be permitted to come back when you are needed. And when I have accomplished my goal, if you wish, you can leave. I will not keep anyone against their will. I am simply offering.” A small smile played on his mouth. Flush pink lips. He also held up his hands as if to say ‘I will not harm you’.
Merlin’s gut told him to follow this man.
Terrifyingly, his intuition told him to follow this man, practically a stranger, anywhere. Everywhere.
Merlin felt a pull he’s never felt before. In the moment, he assumed it was immense gratitude for saving his life.
Merlin turned to meet his mothers eyes, he already knew what she was going to tell him.
“I think it will be good for you. To get out for a while.” She smiles softly.
“Will you be alright?” He whispered, glancing at the crowd still gathered around an unlit pyre.
“I’ll be fine.” She grabbed him in a bear hug, like she always did. “And if they boot me out, I’ll come find you.”
Merlin sighed into her shoulder.
“Alright.”
When Merlin turned back, the King had turned his eyes to the ground, giving mother and son a moment of privacy.
Merlin was starting to warm to him already.
“Can I pack first?”
King Arthur met his gaze then, doing that half smile thing, again.
“I suppose.” He nodded. “But don’t dawdle we need to move if we want to make it back before sundown.”
“Yes, sire.” The title which usually held reverence and respect, was laced with sarcasm. He didn’t seem to think twice, as he strode away towards their hut to gather his things.
If Merlin had looked back, he would’ve found a fully beaming King looking after him and about six knights with faces of complete shock.
And perhaps, one knowing mother.
1K notes · View notes
wordsinhaled · 1 year
Text
remember in the SECOND EPISODE of merlin when gaius was all, "merlin, i’m sorry but your word counts for nothing because you’re a servant and no one will care what you have to say"
and then merlin came to arthur and arthur was all SWEAR TO ME THAT WHAT YOU SAY IS TRUE and THEN I BELIEVE YOU and then he went to his father and assembled the whole court so that merlin's concerns would be heard, because he shared them
remember when even after not being able to substantiate the claim and firing merlin he still believed that what merlin said was the truth. remember when even after being sacked and sent away merlin came back to warn arthur
remember when arthur was all “my father will never apologize to me for being wrong” and then turned right around and APOLOGIZED TO MERLIN (his manservant!) and ADMITTED HE WAS WRONG. remember when uther was all, you care about some manservant's opinion??? and arthur was all, well yes, obviously, because merlin's a fucking person. remember when arthur saw merlin as a person when all his life merlin has felt different and other and confused about who he is and what he is
and also, again, all of this was in the SECOND EPISODE
remember when in the second episode arthur already showed he'd be a better ruler for albion than uther ever was, even back then when arthur was still so young at heart and had so much learning and growing still to do
remember when this all foreshadowed how he would take (and even ask for) merlin's perspective and advice later, during crucial moments for the kingdom
okay. and also since i'm here
THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT YOU, MERLIN in the first episode (the first episode!!!)
and
the way merlin is all "you have the wrong person" this and "arthur's an idiot" that but as soon as he hears confirmation that arthur is his destiny he's THROWING himself in harm's way (literally) for arthur, he's cheering for arthur in tournaments, he's worrying about him
arthur is the one who started a second confrontation at the marketplace - not merlin. because he was curious about him. because he wanted him in his life and didn't even understand why yet
because he can feel it; they can both feel it
THEY'RE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN!!!! soulmates!!!!!!
okay, and listen. listen
thinking about arthur's journey from anger to acceptance to gratitude once he learns about merlin's magic, and how on some level you'd think that would change their dynamic forever because arthur would feel he could never make it up to merlin for all the ways he'd saved and supported arthur and the kingdom. and maybe arthur might feel that way for a while. but the fact of the matter is that arthur has always treated merlin as more than his manservant. from day one. FROM DAY ONE
merlin would have served arthur for the rest of his life!!! he would have been his court sorcerer!!! okay! he was ready for that! he was ready to see arthur white-haired and wise in his old age and he would have been at his side then still helping him dress even though he doesn't need to anymore, arthur's got other servants for that, and merlin's got other duties now, and arthur would say, shouldn't you be in your tower, dollophead? even while shrugging into the jacket merlin holds out for him, and merlin would respond i should, my lord even while fastening the clasps of arthur's cloak and it would be everything and nothing like old times
god, do you ever just think about THEM and have a whole Situation because... THEY
3K notes · View notes
merrilinie · 4 months
Text
Things I like to think would happen if the Knights and co knew about Merlin’s magic (and merthur):
• “Merlin, can you do the fire trick with the dragon again?”
• “I’m not drying your clothes, Gwaine. You chose to go in the river fully clothed, you pay the price.”
• Merlin making them flower crowns and them bullying Arthur into wearing his
• Everyone asking him if he can make them fly
• Merlin pretending he can talk to the horses and making them think him and the horses are shit talking
• Him and Gwen pretending to do chores together but really he magicked it and they’re just having a nice evening
• Merlin and Morgana having lessons in the forest while the knights what over so none one spits them
• “No, I can’t read minds.” One of the knights, “oh, okay.” *realises they didn’t ask that out loud.* “WAIT-“
• Merlin and Arthur cuddling together at night accidentally and everyone knows because Merlin’s magic is safe now and leaves a patch of flowers under him when he sleeps
• Merlin creating plants with his magic so he doesn’t have to spend so much time gathering herbs for Gaius
• the Knights and Gwen taking this a step further and making a garden of herbs for him and Gaius
• Arthur realising they should have done that years ago and putting the royal funds into it despite Uthers annoyance
• Morgana and Merlin being taught how to fight with swords (even if she already knows a fair bit) so they can protect themselves with something other than magic
• the two of them then teaching Gwen because they both think she’d be an amazing knight
• Gaius having a mini heart attack whenever he hears Merlin and the Knights talking about magic
• them realising he’s insecure about his healing magic because it’s the hardest form of magic and being sure to praise him whenever he does it or any other form of healing
• After Merlin and Arthur finally get together, his magic doesn’t want to leave him alone and so when he does his little fire show for them it instantly goes to Arthur and the others get jealous
• after an attack and Merlin nearly gets hurt, Arthur ‘forces’ his Knights to be sworn to Merlin with Merlin’s staff and so technically, they’re also his Knights and Merlin is a royal
• The druids instantly knowing this and calling him a prince
• the knights going along with it
• After a while the Knights (who know how) begin to teach the Druids things like reading and currency
• everyone teasing Merlin by saying his magic has a crush on Arthur despite the two being together already
• he blushes every time
• Merlin openly enchanting their amour to be stronger and magic proof
• him giving Gwen and Morgana matching necklaces that are also enchanted that they keep hidden
• all of them are so impressed with his power but then they are just straight dumfounded because like… how the fuck did he keep this hidden for so long?
• Growing strawberries once he sees how much Gwen loves them and they are really rare
• tricking the Knights into thinking he can talk to ghost just to laugh at their faces
• Just constantly embarrassed by the Druids cause they see him as a god or, as the knights point out, as a king and the Knights decide that means he’s Arthur’s wife and Queen of Camelot
• Arthur making this worse by saying, “Queen or Consort?”
• Merlin flicking water in his face despite none being near them
I’ll add more as I think of them :)
583 notes · View notes
cowboydisaster · 4 months
Note
Christmas countdown request:
Have you ever sat in a hot tub while it's snowing? It's a magical experience. Your top is chilly, your bottom half is so warm, and if you look directly up at the falling snow it looks like the stars are floating down around you.
Anyway, Arthur should take reader skinny dipping in a hot spring and it starts snowing and they get to enjoy that magical moment while cuddling naked in the hot spring 😁
* ˚ ✦ Nightfall * ˚ ✦
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
pairing: arthur morgan x f!reader word count: 1.9k a/n: OKAY-- i have experienced this and i LOVE it. I couldn't help myself from writing the smut, really. Smut in a hot spring is too good. I'm obsessed with this. warnings: 18+, nsfw, smut, thigh riding, inexperienced reader, cowgirl
cowboydisaster's christmas countdown: TWO days 'till christmas!
christmas countdown┊main masterlist┊rdr2 masterlist
Tumblr media
The breeze is cold against your bare skin, the snow soft against your feet.
“Are you sure this won't hurt?” You ask again, eyes flickering over towards Arthur. He chuckles as he unbuttons the bottom of his shirt, slipping it off his shoulders and letting it fall to the rocky ground. 
“Yes, I'm sure.” He says, amused. 
“Why did we have to wait ‘till nightfall?” You ask, teeth chattering, hand running up your bare arm, over the goosebumps that are appearing. 
“You’ll see. C’mon, darlin, before ya catch a cold.” Arthur whispers, hand on the small of your back as he leads you across the flat rocks, towards an unknown destination. 
He’d wanted to surprise you, had planned this little trip weeks ago. Your horses eye the landscape curiously, not daring to leave the forest and venture out onto the strange, warm rocks. A nervous smile rests on your lips, a slight anxiety resting in your stomach. Arthur doesn’t miss the shudder in your breathing, nor the beating of your heart in your ears. Wishing to quell your hesitation, Arthur reaches for your hand, squeezing it gently in his own.
“You trust me?” He whispers, green eyes searching yours, and you nod. Hand in hand, you both venture across the rock. Arthur smiles for the way you marvel at their heat. The snow melts away from them, and small bubbling puddles of water rest at your feet. You raise an eyebrow, never having seen anything like it. 
“Where are we?” You ask, looking down, seeing more water, ponds and pools of it, hot and steaming. The warm pools are crystal blue, and seem to glow in the pitch black of night. 
“Cotorra Springs.” Arthur smiles.
Your eyes go wide, taking in the beauty and the wonder of the hot springs. Arthur leads you towards a particularly large one, and you study it. The way the water steams, warmed by some forces in the earth, the way the moon reflects in the strangely clear waters, the halo of light that shines out from the circle in the earth. 
Arthur watches your curiosity with loving eyes. He knows that you were very sheltered, and he’s trying to show you as much of the world’s beauty as he can. The wonders of nature are something that he often takes for granted, but not you. Every flower you come across, every landscape and every animal you meet is met with deep wonder and appreciation. Seeing the way you study, how your eyes light up at something new is… enchanting for him.. 
“Is it magical?” You whisper, your eyes filled with stars reflected from the water. You lean down, running your fingers through the spring, pulling away quickly at the warmth. You look to Arthur for reassurance, relaxing when you see him stepping down into the water. 
“Reckon it might just be.” He hums, extending a hand out to you. You take his calloused hand, letting him help you. Your toe meets the water first, and you pull it back, hesitating. 
“S’alright, sweetheart. I gotcha.” Arthur whispers, and trusting him wholly, you step in. 
The warm water envelops you, chasing away the chill that had been sinking into your bones. Arthur sits on the naturally carved ledge in the spring. You hesitate, but he nods– signaling that you’re okay– and you follow.
“Incredible, ain’t it?” Arthur whispers, head tilted back, looking up at the stars. The snowfall combined with the bright stars enrapture your attention, and you stare at the sky, wondering if it’s the snow falling onto your tongue, or the stars themselves. 
“It’s beautiful.” You murmur, brushing your hair back with wet hands, extending them to the sky, catching snowflakes that promptly melt against the warmth of your skin. 
Arthur is sure that in all the things he’s seen, all the places he’s gone, he’s never seen anything as beautiful as you. Your wet hair falls in tangled waves down your back, your smile is brighter than the stars above as you try and catch the ones that sprinkle down to you. The wonder in your eyes. That wild streak in your heart. Arthur could draw you day and night in his journal, and never truly capture your glow, or the way your smile brightens a room, the way your laughter heals broken hearts. 
Sometimes he wonders how you do it. How does someone with so much pain– so much trauma– stay so optimistic? So grateful for life and for people? In all that Arthur endured, all it ever made him was an angry fool. But you. You’re a phoenix. 
Arthur’s hands grip onto your waist, pulling you into his lap, your legs sitting across his own as he holds you wedding-style in his arms. 
“How’d I ever get so damn lucky?” Arthur whispers to you, green eyes laden with emotion. 
Your smile picks up all the cracked pieces of his heart, the liquid gold pouring out from your soul glues it back together.
“Karma.” You answer quickly, “Because good things happen to good people, Arthur.” 
Your legs are toasty warm in the water, but your chest and shoulders shiver lightly in the cold breeze. You cuddle closer to Arthur to make up warmth, laying against his chest. 
“I ain’t a good m-” 
“Shh.” You say into his ear, lips remaining there for a moment, pressing a slow kiss to his cheek. 
“You are a good man.” You whisper, turning in Arthur’s arms to face him, straddling him, “and…” You press a soft-as-silk kiss to his neck, “I love you for it.” 
His breaths grow a little quicker at the contact, and suddenly you become all too aware of the position you’re in.
“Too good to me.” Arthur whispers in between open mouthed kisses to your neck. His hands find your waist, fingers digging into your soft flesh, gripping you tightly. 
You whimper, breath shuddering as he pulls your hips down, grinding your core against his leg. 
“Arthur we’re–” You take a breath, “What if someone comes along?” 
“No one will come along, darlin.” Arthur reassures, thumbs trailing up your torso, pressing circles against your firm, sensitive nipples. 
Despite your sheltered childhood, you struggle none with this. When you were eager, Arthur had shown you– again and again– what you could do to make yourself feel good, to what you could do make him feel good.
“Keep talkin’ to me, sweetheart. Tell me how it feels.” Arthur’s voice is like velvet against your ear, his lips locking on to your lips, your jaw, your collarbone. One of his fingers continues massaging your swollen, pink nipple, and the other travels lower, teasing your thigh, stroking your hip. 
“Please, Arthur.” You whisper, hips rocking gently, waiting for friction.
“Jus’ wanna touch you, sweetheart.” Arthur groans, pulling your hips down against his leg, helping you to rock them, to fuck yourself against his thigh, your warm bodies still half submerged in the spring. The temperature does something for you all on its own. Your breasts are exposed to the cold, only warmed by Arthur’s touch, but your lower half is heating all on its own, and combined with the hot water, it's almost overstimulating. 
“Just like that-” You gasp, head tossing back, hair dipping back into the glowing water. Snowflakes flutter about, landing in your hair, on your face, and your breasts, scattered white specks that Arthur picks up with his trail of kisses. Your hips keep their steady pace, and Arthur continues teasing you, featherlight fingertips trailing down your legs, ghosting over the backs of your knees. 
“Easy, sweetheart.” Arthur’s voice reaches your ears in a strained huff. 
He wants to pull you down onto his throbbing cock, to roll his hips up into you, watch you rock yourself, fuck yourself on his length. He wants to watch those beautiful eyes roll back into your head over and over, wants to hear his name coming from those pretty, plump lips. He wants to mark you, kiss you, make you his. He’s not sure if at heart he's a good man. However, he is sure that you make him a very bad one. His cock is straining against his stomach, and every rock of your hips is rubbing against him, and jesus, he can’t take it much longer. 
It’s selfish, purely selfish as he dips his hands below the water, pulling you up. Your face wrinkles in pleasure when he slides you down onto his cock, and the gesture nearly sends him to heaven. Your soft skin goes tense, muscles tightening, cunt gripping him, pulling groans from his cracked lips. 
The glow of the water shines impossibly brighter, illuminating you. Your face is flushed, your breasts bouncing with every one of your rocks.
“Oh–” You moan, hands gripping onto his sturdy shoulders, “Arthur!” 
“Tell me what’cha need, darlin.” Arthur grunts, squeezing your ass in his hands. 
You reach for his wrist, grabbing it tightly, and shoving it down between your bodies. Arthur smirks against your skin as he nips at your earlobe, sending waves of pleasure through all the pressure points in your body. His thumb makes a steady pace on your clit, and when you toss your head back in pleasure, snowflakes spot your eyelashes. 
“Feel good? Gonna cum for me?” Arthur groans, cock twitching inside you, pushing up into you. You press your chest to Arthur’s, the added stimulation of your nipples against him creating an influx of sensations.  
“Good… Good, there you go.” Arthur praises, feeling the stutter of your hips, noticing the whine of your voice. 
“Cum for me, sweetheart.” Arthur kisses your neck, and your stomach clenches down on him, “C’mon, baby. Cum for me.” 
Your hips stutter, voice growing louder, strained as you rock against him. Arthur curses as your walls tighten around him, squeezing out every bit of self control that he’s clinging on to. Your orgasm works through you slowly, building and building, like a dam cracking before it bursts. 
“There, there, just–” Arthur groans, “Jus’ like that, darlin’. Doin’ so good. I’m– nearly there wit’ ya–” 
You shudder and gasp, fire erupting in your abdomen, spreading over your limbs. A few unrhythmic, upward thrusts and Arthur is there with you. His hips grind up slowly, pumping his cum into you, filling you full as he groans, hands tearing into your hips with their force. He thrusts again, slow, breathing deeply as you both come down. 
“That–” You shiver, sweat clinging to you, cold from the temperature. 
“I know.” Arthur finishes for you, pulling your body against his chest, keeping you mostly in the water for warmth. His arms wrap around you, fingertips trailing slowly up and down your spine as tingles spread through your limbs, little waves of aftershock hitting you now and again. 
Arthur doesn’t pull out, just keeps you in his lap, holding you, kissing your head, praising you. 
The falling snow lands in your hair, and as Arthur looks up at the vast expanse of stars, he's sure you’re one of them. An angel, come down as a star. Something divine, surely.
Tumblr media
taglist: @margofiore @mrsarthurmorgan7 @woman-with-no-name @tillith @luvliewriting @pine4pple-b0i @photo1030 @dudsparrow @holyratrimony @twola @calcarius445 (send an ask to be added/removed!)
571 notes · View notes
darkbluekies · 6 months
Text
Like magic — part 2/end?
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Part 1
Male!yandere x female!reader x female!yandere
Summary: after waking up from a coma like state, you find out that people are dying around you ... and they all seem to have a connection to you
Warnings: death, blood, typical stuff, abusive household
Word count: 5.1k
A/N: I feel that the ending got rushed, but I didn't know what I was going to write! Apologies. And for the moment, this will be the end of the series, but if I ever want to do another part, I will<3
Taglist: @yandere-city2 @svinxie @yumeneji @spitakgini
"Have you ever had a dueling class?" Hedwig asks.
"No, never", you reply nervously, thinking of everything Edmund told you about it.
"It's going to be fine. We're not even sure if they're going to pick you for demonstration!"
"I'm happy that Edmund isn't in this class or I'd be dead."
The mention of his name makes Hedwig quiet.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Hedwig", you say. "I know you don't like to talk about him."
"You seem to like it …"
"What? No! He just annoys me so I can't forget him. He's taken over my brain like a virus."
Hedwig sighs and hugs your arm.
"I don't like him at all", she mumbles. 
You enter your very first dueling class and watch how the professor start to talk about different spells (most you've never even heard of).
"I need two participants", he says and looks around for faces. "Arthur and Y/N, please."
You can feel Hedwig stiffen against your arm. You feel your blood go cold.
"B-But professor-!" Hedwig starts.
"No buts, come up here now, Y/N", the professor demands.
You have no other choice than to step up on the stage-looking plateau. Hedwig watches in horror with her hands clasped over her mouth. You pick up your wand. 
"Professor!" Hedwig tries again, but once again she's dismissed.
You're supposed to protect yourself from a spell you have never heard about before, but since you neither know the spell nor the counter spell, it hits your body like a thousand needles. Suddenly, everything seems to go in slow motion. You're flung against the stone wall. The air gets knocked out of your lungs and your head starts to pound thickly. Everything turns dark.
Hedwig screams and runs over to you.
"Y/N, are you okay?!" she gasps. "Y/N answer, please!" She turns to the professor. "I tried to warn you! She doesn't know any dueling spells! Now look at what you did!"
The professor stands there sheepishly, and Hedwig wants nothing more than to swing her wand and do as much damage as she possibly can.
A few students help Hedwig carry your unconscious body to the hospital wing where your bloody head is wrapped in bandage. You're tucked in under white sheets. Hedwig sits by with tears running down her cheeks. She holds your hand tightly. 
Tumblr media
Edmund sighs and turns the page. Idiocy, all of it. He doesn't want to read about spells, he wants to perform them.
"Did you hear?" a voice says to someone else. "The transfer student in third year got abominated during duel class."
The school only has one transfer student. Edmund shuts the book and flies up towards the Hufflepuff student talking bullshit.
"What the fuck are you talking about?" He asks. "Don't talk so much shit. Spit it out."
They seem to flinch upon seeing him. Edmund's made sure that people know you belong to him.
"The transfer student, she's in the hospital wing", the hufflepuff boy says, ashamed by now.
Edmund feels how his heart stops beating. No way. Not you. He gives the Hufflepuff boy one last glare before running off. He bumps into multiple people on his way, but doesn't stop to excuse himself.
Hedwig looks up when she hears someone rip the door open and run in. Edmund's face is paler than usual and for once, there's something desperate in his icy blue eyes.
"What the fuck happened?" he pants and walks to the other side of the bed. 
"The professor didn't listen to me when I tried to tell him that Y/N doesn't know any spells", Hedwig sniffles without taking her eyes off of you. "She got flung against the wall and must have hit her head really hard."
"I'm going to kill him."
Hedwig sobs and rests her forehead down on your hand. 
“Stop doing that”, Edmund mutters and pulls her head back before wiping your hand. “Your face oil is getting all over her.”
"What if she never wakes up again?"
"Stop talking such nonsense, of course she will."
But he can't help feeling worried.
"Alright, students", the working nurse says, "you cannot stay here any longer, the patient needs to rest."
"I'm staying", Edmund says sharply.
"I'm staying too!" Hedwig insists.
"No, you have to listen to the rules. You can visit miss Y/N later."
They are about to resist once more, but are forced out and the doors close behind them.
"What a prick!" Edmund mutters and starts to walks off.
"Edmund, wait … please", Hedwig sniffles. "Please help me."
He frowns and turns around.
"I can't let that boy get away with it", she whimpers. "But I can't do it alone. Please … help me. Please."
“You want … me … to help … you?” he asks, confused. “Have you lost your little sugar, honey mind?”
Hedwig sobs and shakes her head. “No. Please, Edmund. I can’t do it myself, I don’t have the heart to do it. But I know you do.”
“How would you know that?”
“Don’t lie. I know that you have the tattoo on your arm. Everyone knows who your parents are and what they’ve done.” She snuffles and wipes her nose. “It doesn’t matter if they lie. Everyone knows.”
Edmund hushes and covers her mouth with his hand. Hedwig’s eyes widens. 
“Be silent, will you?” he hisses. “Fine, I’ll do it … not because you tell me to, but because Y/N needs to be revenged — and because I’m fucking pissed.”
“Thank you, nonetheless.” She takes a deep breath. “If you … if you do it, I will make sure to cover it up.”
“Deal.”
Tumblr media
When you wake up, you can feel a harsh pounding in the back of your head, harsh enough to split your skull open. You open your eyes slightly, letting just enough daylight in to be able to locate yourself. The hospital wing. 
Why am I here?
You suddenly remember, and it sends a new painful wave through your brain. Carefully, you sit up and look around, wishing to see Hedwig, but there’s noone. 
Suddenly, a few teachers rush in with a body in their arms. The boy who you had dueled with — Arthur, you believed his name to be — gets thrown onto a bed and covered with a sheet. A shiver runs down your spine. Whatever that was about, you don’t want to be included. 
“Excuse me?” you say hesitantly, gathering the attention of the nurse. “Could you help me?”
“Yes of course”, she answers and hurries over. “You’re finally awake, I’m happy to see that. How are you feeling?”
Dismissing her question, you ask her to bring you Hedwig. And Hedwig you receive, along with the black haired devil. 
“Oh, Y/N!” she shouts in relief and wraps her arms around you. “Oh, how happy I am to see you awake! You worried me sick.”
You hug her back, weirdly scared. You have no idea how long you’ve been unconscious for, or what has happened to you while you were out. Hedwig’s ripped off of you and suddenly, you feel Edmund’s firm, muscular arms around you. He holds your head into his chest, breathing out slowly. 
“I told you that you didn’t want to end up in the hospital wing”, he mumbles and sighs out, cupping your cheeks. “From now on, I won’t let you anywhere out of my sight. Since miss princess over here can’t keep an eye on you, I have to do it.”
“Excuse me?” Hedwig scoffs. “Do you think I wanted Y/N to get hurt? I tried to tell the professor-!”
“I don’t care, halfblood. If I were there, I wouldn’t have let that happened! I would have dueled the damn professor myself.” He turns to you and kisses your forehead. “My dear, Y/N. I will never let anyone touch a hair on your head again, do you understand me?”
You nod, confused. 
“Good”, Edmund smiles and stands up. “What should we do with you now?"
"Are you allowed to leave?" Hedwig asks softly and you nod. She takes your hands. "Let's go eat something. You can sit at my table."
You come with her to the great hall and sit down by the hufflepuff table. Edmund refuses to be seen beside the students wearing yellow and black uniforms and retreats to the Slytherin table. 
“Here you go, sweetheart”, Hedwig says and starts to fill a plate for you, giving it over. “Eat a lot, okay? You have been skipping multiple days now that you’ve been in a coma — or whatever that was. You have multiple days to make up for, eat up.”
“Thank you, Hedwig, that’s very nice of you”, you reply and watch the mountain of food on your plate. 
Hedwig insists on feeding you, as if you were a baby. You don’t mind. After waking up all alone in a foreign room, without any knowledge of what has happened or how long you’ve been gone, being babied doesn’t sound too bad.
The entire hall is glancing at you and you realize that if there ever was the slightest chance of staying single in the public’s eyes, you were sealed to Hedwig by now. 
Your stomach starts to hurt not long after. It has shrunk in size.
“It hurts”, you say and clutch your stomach. “I think I’m going to throw up if I eat more.”
“But … but …”, Hedwig stutters, completely baffled. 
“Hedwig, I love the food, I really do … but if I eat more for now I’m going to puke.”
“I’ll … I’ll save it then!” she says happily. 
She puts the bread in a napkin and puts it in the pocket of her cloak. You’re pulled up from the bench by her arm and taken out into the corridor.
“Let’s go out into the fresh air to get you feeling better”, she smiles.
You nod, following Hedwig wherever she takes you. A fresh wind clears your lungs.
"I hope you know that I'm so happy that you're okay", she says and holds your hand while you're walking, side by side. "I got so scared. You know that I would do anything for you, right?"
You nod again.
"When I say that, I really mean it. Nothing is too much for you.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Hedwig smiles and hugs your arm tightly.
“You should come over to my house someday”, she says. “I would show you so much stuff that you have never seen before. You’re missing out on a lot by being born into a muggle family.”
���I would like very much to go to your house”, you say quietly. “I don’t want to go home.”
She stops. “What? Why?”
“Well … you know … I don’t want to go home.”
She frowns when you shrug awkwardly. You’ve hinted about your home life numerous times, but you’ve never told her the entire reason. Should you?
“Why?" she asks. "Why don't you want to go home?"
"I'm scared that they won't let me go back."
"Nonsense, Y/N. I'm sure that they'll understand."
"No, Hedwig, they won't. They locked me in my bedroom every year to make sure I wouldn't get here. I picked the lock this time. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."
"Are they bad people, Y/N?"
"Well … I don't know. They're not mean but … if I say anything that goes against their rules or their wishes, they punish me greatly.”
"How?"
“You’d be surprised at how creative they are.”
“I see.” She smiles softly and caresses your cheek. “You have nothing to be worried about, I will take you in. You can move into my house.”
“Thank you, but I don’t want to be a bother to your parents.”
“They’re rarely home anyway, they wouldn’t even notice.” She gasps and looks at her watch. “Oh, my God, I’m so sorry, Y/N, I have to go! I have class in five minutes. Please find me after class, we can meet in the library. I love you, Y/N, bye!”
She kisses your cheek and runs. You watch her until she disappears into the castle. The headache returns and you press your palms to your forehead, giving out a small sigh. Did your brain disconnect from the skull in that fall?
There’s too many people around you, too many sounds. You start to move back towards the castle when you’re stopped by a couple of students. They’re younger than you, but smirk like adults. 
“Aren’t you the third year that can’t duel to save your life?” one of them taunts. 
You’re taken aback, not knowing what to respond. They laugh among themselves, enjoying your embarrassment. You glance down at their robes. All from different houses.
Suddenly, their smiles disappear and they fixate on something behind you. You turn around, seeing Edmund with his two minions. 
“Bet you’re feeling tough, huh?” Edmund asks coldly. “Picking on someone that just came out of the hospital wing? Fuck off.”
The younger students glare at him, but listen and leave. You can feel Edmund’s hand on your shoulder. 
“Hey, transfer student”, he says, “you shouldn’t wander around right after waking up from a coma. Did you lose braincells when hitting your head?”
“No”, you sigh and hold your hand on your head. “But it does hurt. A lot. All sounds make my brain pound.”
Edmund covers your ears with his hand, gives you a small nudge in the back with his knee to make you walk. He brings you to an empty corridor and sits you down on the floor. 
“Did you know those kids?” he asks. 
“No”, you shake your head. 
“I knew one of them”, one of his friends says. “Won’t be too hard to figure out who the others are.”
“Good”, Edmund says and sits down beside you, bringing you close to him. 
You frown in confusion as he wraps his cloak around you and puts your face on his shoulder. 
“Let’s rest here for a bit”, he says. “Don’t move. Sleep if you want.”
 The food swelling in your shrunken stomach and the loud noises have brought you back to exhaustion. You find yourself drifting off in his hold. Edmund sits with you, holding you closely. Every time someone walks by, he holds his hand over your ears to make sure they won’t wake you up. His friends chase them off. 
“Of course you had something to do with it”, he hears a voice say after a while. 
“No need to be snarky, Hedwig”, Edmund says without lifting his eyes from you. “I helped you kill that Arthur boy, the least you can do is thank me.”
“Is she okay?”
“Yeah, just tired.”
Hedwig sits down beside the two of you and caresses your hair. 
“We have more to take care of”, Edmund says lowly. “Some embarrassing kids tried to embarrass Y/N. If you can find out who they are, I will take care of them.”
“Sure, it wouldn’t be too hard.” Especially with her contacts.
Tumblr media
Things start to happen the following weeks. People you have talked to or that have been close to you have disappeared from the school or ended up dead in the hospital wing. You have done everything in your power to not blame yourself for the weird disappearances. It has to be a coincidence, you tell yourself. It can’t be your fault.
“Why that look?” Edmund asks and pokes your shoulder. 
You haven’t even realized that you’ve been staring in front ot you, completely missing what the teacher has said the last half an hour. 
“I feel weird”, you whisper. 
“Why?” Edmund asks, confused. 
“Haven’t you realized that people have died or disappeared?”
“I haven’t thought about it too much. It doesn’t interest me.”
“Oh …”
You look down in your lap where your nails scratch at each other.
“Why are you putting so much thought about it?” Edmund questions. 
“I’ve talked to them all … they’ve disappeared or died after they’ve been in my presence. Do you think it has something to do with me?”
“You think everything has to do with you.”
“I do not!”
The teacher scolds you for raising your voice and disturbing the class. Edmund smirks for himself. It stays on until you’re let out of the classroom. 
“Wait, Y/N, can you stay for a moment?” the teacher asks. 
You nod and walk over with Edmund behind you. 
“The headmaster wants to talk to you”, the teacher says. 
“What?” you ask. 
“Why?” Edmund demands to know. 
"It's urgent. Please hurry to his office.”
You give Edmund a nervous glance and hurry out. He follows closely with a cold look on his face.
“What do you think could have happened?” you ask him while rounding the corner.
“No idea”, he responds shortly. “But if they're trying to put you in trouble I'm snapping their necks.”
You can feel him take your hand tightly. You'll end up with bruises, you're sure.
The headmaster's office is dimly lit. He sits behind the desk with a worried look in his eyes. It only makes you even more terrified.
“Y/N, good”, he says and sits up straight. “I have some very serious matters to discuss with you. I see that you brought your friend.”
Edmund looks greatly offended at his title.
“What is it?” you ask carefully. 
“I'm sure that you haven't missed the unfortunate death of some of our students during these last few weeks … and they've all linked with you somehow-”
“Do you think she has killed them?” Edmund bursts out angrily.
“I did not say that. Please calm down. What I am saying is that the murders are linked with you somehow and to prevent more innocent students from death, we'll have to suspend you for a while.”
His words hit you like a missile in your chest. 
“What?” you ask quietly. “Suspend me? I haven't done anything wrong!”
“I know, Y/N, but we need to catch this murderer before he does more harm and with you here, we risk even more lives.” 
“How do you even know that Y/N is linked, hm?” Edmund questions snarky.
“Well, we're not one hundred percent sure, so sending Y/N home will determine if the murderers had anything to do with her or not. You'll take the train tomorrow evening. I'm sorry, Y/N.”
You can't seem to move, wondering if someone has put a spell on you. Your head pounds, and you start to wonder if you're hallucinating, almost hoping for it. Edmund leads you out to the corridor and grabs your shoulders to force you to look at him.
“You haven't done anything wrong, do you understand that?” he asks you harshly. 
You nod carefully.
“I don't want to go home”, you shake your head quickly as tears form in your eyes. 
“You’ll be back soon enough. When they realize that you have nothing to do with it, they have to bring you back.”
But you have to go back, and you know better than to argue with grown ups. Whether you want to or not, you’re on the train the next day, with all your belongings. Hedwig and Edmund are standing on the station, waving you off. 
“This fucking sucks”, Edmund mutters, watching the train leave. 
“I’m so worried for her”, Hedwig says shakily. “I hope that they’re not mean to her.”
“Who?”
“Her parents.”
Edmund stares at her in shock, almost fear. “What about her, parents, Hedwig?”
“You didn’t know?”
“Know what?”
“Y/N told me that they’re creative with … punishments. They didn’t want her to come here … and now that she’s been gone for half a semester, I’m scared what they’re going to do to her once she comes back. She might not be allowed to come back … or they might hurt her.”
“Not on my fucking watch.”
He starts to walk back towards the school.
“What are you going to do?” Hedwig shouts behind him.
Edmund stops and walks back to her with burning, icy eyes. 
“I am going to get Y/N out of that house and you are going to keep killing here”, he says sharply. “Do you understand that, halfblood?”
“Me?!” Hedwig almost screams. 
Edmund covers her mouth with his hand. 
“Shut up”, he orders her, “or else the entire country will hear you.”
She removes his hand forcefully and glares at him. 
“Edmund, I can’t kill anyone”, she hisses. 
“Oh, you fucking can”, Edmund scoffs. “I know you’re not all nice. Don’t even try. You had no problem threatening me on on the quidditch court. You have no remorse when you give me information on the people that I kill. You can do it too, stop pretending to be some weak lamb.”
Hedwig doesn’t answer. 
“Why do I have to keep killing?” she mutters. “Y/N’s gone.”
“Because she won’t get to return otherwise”, Edmund replies. “If the headmaster realizes that the murders really do link with Y/N, she’ll never get to come back — they might even think it was her that killed them … and then she’ll be sent to Azkaban. Is that what you want?”
Hedwig shakes her head quickly. 
“That’s what I thought”, he says. “My friends will help you kill whoever you need to. I am going to go get Y/N.”
“I know the muggle world better than you. Why can’t I go get her and you stay?”
“Because I don’t fucking trust you.”
“I don’t trust you.”
“I don’t care.”
With that said, he walks away, leaving Hedwig alone on the platform. 
Tumblr media
You cry the entire way back. You haven’t done anything, why are you getting punished? It’s not fair. Now you’re getting sent back to your parents while the murderer is still allowed to roam the halls of Hogwarts. You’ll never be allowed to go back. 
When the train stops, you’re met by your parents outside the window. You remain in your seat. They go on board to get you when they realize that you refuse to come out. 
“Y/N, get up”, your mother says coldly. “Stop being childish.”
You don’t look at them, don’t answer. Your father grabs a hold of your arm and pulls you up from the seat. 
“Don’t touch me!” you shout. “I can walk by myself.”
You press yourself past them and walk out on the platform. The entire ride home is silent, but you know that the second the front door closes, you’ll know what hell feels like. And you’re of course right, because the second your father locks the front door behind you, you feel a slap over your cheek. With wide eyes, you back away and put your hand on your cheek. They have never put their hands on you. They have done countless embarrassing and hurtful punishments, but they have never hurt you physically. Not like this. if you weren’t stunned, you’d scream at them. 
“I don’t even want to look at you”, your mother says in disgust and walks into the living room. 
“Just go to your room and stay there”, your father says in the same manner. “I will confiscate all of your ‘magic’ supplies.”
You don’t question them and walk upstairs. The second you close your bedroom door behind you, you break out into sobs. You knew that this would happen at the end of the year, but you had wished that you could have stayed a semester, at least. It’s not fair. 
You sink down on your bed and hide your face in your hands and you sit like that for who knows how long. The sky turs dark and the moon greets you, but you ignore him. You don’t move out of your spot, not even when your stomach starts to growl. 
Suddenly, you can hear a crash from downstairs. Quickly, you stand up and are about to run over to the door, when you remember your parents. You don’t want to go downstairs and show them that the loud sound worried you. They don’t deserve that after what they’ve done. Instead, you cross your arms and lay down in bed, curling up in to a ball with your back towards the door. You shut out the sounds from downstairs, humming for yourself to drown them out. 
When you hear your door open, you’re too scared to turn around. 
“Y/N.”
Edmund? You turn around and see him standing in the doorway, blood dripping from his hair and covering his cloak. He smiles when seeing you, the first genuine smile you’ve ever seen him wear. He hurries over to you and hugs you tightly. You’re smushed against his chest and can feel his hands everywhere. His bloody hands. 
“W-What have you done?” you stutter into his neck while trying your best to push him off. 
“I’m here to save you!” he says. “Hedwig told me about your parents. They won’t keep you captive anymore.”
“What have you done?!”
You manage to push him off. He looks confused. 
“They were being mean to you, Y/N”, he says in a questionable manner. “They’ve hurt you. Your cheek …”
You can’t understand how he can sense a redness in the skin.
“What have you done?” you ask, quieter this time. 
“I’ve killed them”, he says firmly. “I killed them without magic. Just how mudbloods deserve to be killed.”
Your eyes widen. Your body goes cold at the thought of Edmund taking someone's life. It doesn't matter if he thinks that he's doing you a favor, the action itself is enough to make you mortified. You try to crawl back on the bed, but your head hits the wall, trapping you. Edmund grabs your leg and pulls you back, closer to him. 
“Don’t run away from me”, he tells you. “Not now. I came all the way here to help you.”
“How did you even get here?” you sob. 
“My father helped me. Now come here-”
You start to claw at him when he tries to pick him up, accidentally revealing the tattoo on his wrist. You stop dead in your tracks and he’s quick to pull his sleeve down. 
“Hedwig was right”, you pant. “You fucking monster!”
“Monster or not, I saved you”, Edmund reminds you and takes your moment of surprise to his advantage, pulling you over his shoulder. “Now we’re going.”
You start to scream and kick, so he wrestles you down on the floor in the corridor, picks something up from his pocket and pours something in your mouth. A liquid reminding you of Hedwig’s love potion. You cough to try to get it up, but Edmund covers your mouth with his hand and dictates it upwards, so you’ll have no other choice but to swallow the unfamiliar liquid. You feel your body grow numb in a minute. Your eyes are still open, you can still hear, but you can’t move. 
“Sorry for that, Y/N”, Edmund pants and picks you up again. “But you can’t behave. And I need you to be quiet.”
When he carries you downstairs, you can see the bloody bodies lying on the floor with limbs in positions and directions they definitely shouldn’t be in. You want to scream, but you can’t move. 
Edmund carries you out to something looking like a car, but you can telly hat it isn’t. It looks more like a carriage. He has a chauffeur in the front who starts to drive when Edmund has sitten down with you in his lap. The carriage flies, you notice when you spot your roof outside. 
“I’m sorry, Y/N”, Edmund says and brushes the hair out of your face. “I didn’t want to numb you, I hope you know that.”
How fucking could you?
“Don’t give me that look.”
You killed my parents, you swine.
Edmund sighs and covers your eyes with his hand. He soon removes it when he feels water against his palm.
“Y/N, don't cry”, he sighs. “Why are you even upset? They wouldn’t let you come back to the place you belonged … they hurt you. Stop looking at me like I’m the bad guy here. Yes, I killed them but I did you a favor.”
He doesn't say more until the carriage stops outside of a dark house. Edmund carries you inside (where it's just as dark), up a pair of marmot stairs and into a bedroom. You can tell that it's his right away by the moving pictures of dark wizards on the wall. He lies you down on his bed and sit by your side, caressing your cheek until the potion is diluted enough in your blood for you to move. It won’t be fully gone until it has exited your body. You sit up and look around, feeling his eyes on you. 
“Why did you do that?” you ask quietly. “Did you kill all the others too? In school?”
Edmund nods. 
“You fucking creep”, you breathe out. 
Edmund scoffs, but doesn’t answer. “Aren’t you happy I killed them for you? Your parents are awful. They hurt you, they didn’t see your potential.”
“They were my fucking parents …”
“And they hurt you.”
Silence. 
“Your tattoo …”, you say hesitantly. “Why?”
Edmund covers his wrist with his hand, even though his shirt already hides the tattoo.
“What should I have done, do you think?” he asks. “When all around me want me to have it? Say no? And be discarded by everyone? I don’t think so.”
“You’ve sold your soul. You’re a monster.”
Edmund doesn’t answer. 
“Your family hates people like me, don’t they?” you ask. “What if I tell your father that you’re having me here? That his pureblood son is killing for a mudblood?”
“You wouldn’t fucking dare. In that case, he kills both of us, smartass.”
“I want Hedwig.”
“I don’t think you do, sweetheart.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s in on it too.” Edmund smiles. “Face it, darling, your parents would die sooner or later.”
It hits you that you’re an orphan now. You’re all alone. No house, no family … and apparently no friends. 
Tumblr media
You’re allowed to return to Hogwarts a month later. Edmund brings you with him, holding you tightly by his side. 
“Y/N!” Hedwig shouts and runs over to you, hugging you tightly. “Sweetheart!”
You don't move. Hedwig pulls back and looks at you worriedly.
“What's wrong?” she asks.
“She knows”, Edmund says shortly.
“Oh … b-but you know that we did it for you, right? Y/N?”
“You disgust me”, you whisper. “Both of you.”
“Well, too fucking bad”, Edmund says. “You're stuck with us now. Tell anyone and I'm going to bring you back home. You want to stay here, don't you?”
You nod shortly.
“Then behave”, Edmund tells you.
“You'll not have a hard time doing that”, Hedwig smiles sadly and caresses your cheek. “You're such a lovely girl.”
You want nothing more than to wake up from this bizarre nightmare. Why did they have to ruin your magical place?
466 notes · View notes
gaelic-holiday · 1 year
Text
New fic idea: Merlin tells everyone he has magic right from the start, but no one believes him.
Arthur: How did you manage to bring me rolls that are still warm, Merlin?
Merlin: Magic, sire. (with a teasing grin)
Arthur: Haha, very funny, Merlin
Gwen: How did the poultice you gave me heal my father?
Merlin: Magic.
Gwen: You can tell me me the truth, Merlin. I know you're not foolish enough to use magic in Camelot.
Merlin: I really, really am.
Gwain: How do you keep not dying when we run into bandits?
Merlin: I use my magic to protect myself.
Gwaine: Lol, nice one, Merlin.
Leon: Hey Merlin, why are you reading from a book that looks like a book of sorcery?
Merlin: Oh, because I have magic and am studying spells so I can use it better.
Leon, laughing: If you say so, Merlin.
Percival: Hey Merlin, how do you get the fire started so quickly?
Merlin: Magic. Forbearn is a really easy spell.
Percival, laughing: Alright, fine. Keep your secrets, 'oh mystical sorcerer'.
Elyan: And where do you keep disappearing to, Merlin?
Merlin: Oh, just saving Arthur from whatever assasin or magical threat crops up this week!
Elyan, playing along: Oh really? And which was it when you missed going to the tavern with us?
Merlin, completely serious: Morgause sent a swarm of enchanted birds to try and rip out Arthur's heart.
Elyan: You have a strange sense of humour, Merlin.
Uther: And how, precisely, did you survive the encounter you've just described?
Merlin: I used magic.
Uther:...I have no idea why my son seems to like you so much. You're an idiot.
Arthur: Hey, he's my idiot. And my idiot is just the kind of person to joke about having magic to the king of Camelot.
Merlin: Why do you assume I'm joking?
Arthur: See what I mean?
Lancelot, the only person besides Gaiuss that actually knows about Merlin's magic: How on earth do you keep that a secret?
Merlin: I don't. I use magic in front of literally everyone, and no one believes me.
Lancelot: You're joking.
Merlin: I literally use magic to fill Arthur's tub in front of him every day, and he assumes I'm joking about having it.
Gaius, very distressed: Merlin, you really should be more careful with your magic.
Merlin, calls Arthur over: watch this trick!
Merlin, summons a glowing, clearly magic butterfly in front of Arthur: Isn't magic neat?
Arthur, patting Merlin on the shoulder: Like you could ever learn magic, Merlin. Make sure you polish my armor again, will you?
Merlin: Why, do you intend to use it as a mirror?
Arthur: *flips Merlin off and walks away*
Merlin: See Gaius? Perfectly safe.
Gaius:...
Merlin: If it wasn't so convenient for me, I'd be very worried about how unobservant our future king is.
1K notes · View notes
lecsainz · 8 months
Text
MEETING OF FAMILIES
PART ONE
pairings: charles leclerc x fem!reader
request: hii! i loved your one shot "meeting of families" and as much as it is a one shot it would be interesting to have a part 2 with charles asking her out, him being totally a gentleman and their first kiss 🥺
authors note: prob can have errors cause I didn't review, I got a major headache anyways hope u like it!
☆. . . masterlist !
Tumblr media
After the dinner with Y/N's family, Charles realized that he needed to see her again. It had dawned on him that he hadn't even gotten her phone number.
So, like any reasonable person would do, he decided to track down Arthur.
"I need her number," he stated.
"Why?" Arthur asked, teasing his brother as usual.
"I want to ask her out," Charles admitted.
"Just promise not to mess things up, okay? I don't want things to get awkward between me and Carla."
Before Arthur could give him Y/N's number, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell. To their surprise, it was Carla and none other than Y/N herself.
"We came to bring Charles his shirt that Y/N accidentally stained with wine," Carla said, her smile widening as she noticed the exchanged glances between her sister and Charles.
Carla's playful comment sent a slight blush to Y/N's cheeks. She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile that tugged at her lips.
Arthur chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "Well, perfect timing. Charles was just asking for your number, Y/N."
Y/N's gaze flickered to Charles, surprise dancing in her eyes. "My number?"
Charles nodded, trying to sound casual despite the nervous excitement bubbling within him. "Yeah, I thought maybe we could go out sometime."
Y/N's smile grew, and she exchanged a quick look with her sister before turning her attention back to Charles. "I'd like that," she replied, her voice soft and genuine.
"Great!" Charles exclaimed, feeling a surge of happiness at Y/N's positive response. He couldn't help but grin, his nervousness dissipating with her warm smile.
Arthur winked playfully. "Well, since that's sorted, how about you two head out on your date right now?"
Y/N laughed, and Charles glanced at her with a hopeful look. "What do you say, Y/N? Are you up for a spontaneous adventure?"
Her eyes sparkled with amusement, and she nodded, her voice playful. "Sure, why not? Let's do it."
Charles's heart raced at her enthusiasm. "Awesome. Let's go then."
With a casual goodbye to Arthur and Carla, Charles and Y/N headed out into the night. He led her towards his car, and as they drove through the streets of Monaco, he couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and anticipation. The city was alive with lights, and the cool breeze tousled their hair.
They drove through the enchanting streets of Monaco, the soft glow of streetlights casting a romantic ambiance over the city. The cool breeze tousled their hair as Charles navigated the winding roads, his fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel.
Y/N leaned back in her seat, a contented smile playing on her lips. "Monaco is really something else at night, huh?"
Charles stole a glance at her, his heart warming at the sight of her enjoying the view. "Yeah, it's magical. But you make it even more special."
Her cheeks flushed with a blush, and she playfully rolled her eyes. "Smooth talker, aren't you?"
He grinned, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Hey, I'm just stating the truth."
They continued to chat and laugh as they cruised through the city, Charles occasionally stealing glances at Y/N when he thought she wasn't looking. He marveled at how easy it was to be around her, how their conversation flowed effortlessly, as if they had known each other for much longer than they actually had.
Eventually, they arrived at the quaint restaurant Charles had chosen for their date. The dimly lit interior created an intimate atmosphere, and Y/N's eyes lit up in appreciation.
"This place is lovely," she remarked as they were escorted to their table.
Charles grinned, holding out her chair for her. "I'm glad you like it. I thought we could use some privacy."
Y/N winked playfully. "Privacy, huh? Is that your way of saying you're tired of people recognizing you everywhere?"
He chuckled as he took his seat across from her. "Maybe just a little."
As evening wrapped up, their laughter and conversation flowed seamlessly, painting the canvas of a perfect night. The restaurant's soft lighting danced in Y/N's eyes, making them sparkle even more. Charles found himself captivated by every expression that flitted across her face.
As the night drew to a close, Charles paid the bill, and they both stood up from the table. The air was filled with a mixture of excitement and a hint of reluctance as they realized their time together was coming to an end.
Outside, the city lights still illuminated the streets, casting a romantic glow over the surroundings. Charles took a step closer to Y/N, his heart beating a little faster. He wanted to kiss her, but he also didn't want to rush things. Yet, he couldn't ignore the magnetic pull between them any longer.
"You know," Y/N began with a playful glint in her eyes, "I've heard that goodnight kisses are a must after a date like this."
Charles couldn't help but chuckle, feeling a pleasant warmth spreading through him. "Is that so?"
She nodded, her smile infectious. "Mhmm. It's like a rule or something."
With a mixture of boldness and a hint of nervousness, he took a step closer, their bodies almost brushing against each other. "Well, who am I to break the rules?"
His words were barely a whisper as he leaned in, his lips brushing against hers in the softest of touches. It was a gentle, tentative kiss that held a promise of more to come. Y/N's lips were soft and warm, and he felt a surge of electricity course through him.
When they finally pulled back, the air was charged with a new energy. Y/N's cheeks were flushed, her eyes locked onto his. Charles couldn't help but smile, his heart racing with a mix of excitement and contentment.
"That," Y/N murmured, her voice slightly breathless, "was definitely worth the wait."
Charles grinned, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "I couldn't agree more."
The city around them seemed to fade away as they stood there, wrapped in the moment they had created together. And as they shared one more lingering look, it was clear that this was just the beginning of a beautiful journey they were embarking on together.
577 notes · View notes
pendragonsclotpole · 2 months
Text
help, i just got slapped in the face with the existence of WILL. be still my beating heart as i write an essay on this man, will of ealdor
Tumblr media
firstly, i adore the silent and implicit trust hidden in the first joke that introduces will’s character. like merlin’s been aware his whole life that if his secret is ever found out, he will be hunted down and persecuted, but here comes will with a jab that they both inherently understand is a joke in the macabre style only true friends can lovingly master. the smile they share almost immediately gives me ned stark and robert baratheon meeting again in the courtyard of winterfell in season one of got. there’s also something so normal in their interaction that speaks of a familiarity borne from their equal status and years of friendship. i know merlin’s friends in camelot tend to skew to the non-royal/non-noble, but when you tally it up, those closest to merlin often hold some title that’s greater than merlin’s role as arthur’s servant. gwaine is a knight implied to be of noble blood; lancelot, percival, and elyan are also knighted and esteemed members of arthur’s court; gwen is the lady morgana’s maid and close companion long before she is ever queen; gaius is a physician and long time member of camelot’s court; morgana before her betrayal is literally uther’s ward. i feel like when placed among them all, merlin has a tendency to fade into the background offscreen. obviously the audience knows how important merlin is to the overall story given how much of the storyline focuses on him, and the characters regularly acknowledge merlin’s importance to them or arthur, but all of them still regard merlin as merlin the servant from camelot and few of them are privy to the plots we as the audience see firsthand. and even when they acknowledge him for his merits, his role as arthur’s close friend and confidante takes precedence. look at leon’s reaction in the later seasons when merlin is bewitched by morgana. merlin literally makes a comment about plotting to kill arthur and leon barely even blinks before quipping back, “driving you mad isn’t he?” or something along those lines. except for a few instances with even fewer characters, they never get a chance to know him as merlin the sorcerer from ealdor.
will does! and more than that, he got to know merlin as he is without arthur. we all hype up their status as magical soulmates but damn if i wasnt living for how jealous of arthur will seemed to be in this episode. call me crazy, but it makes me desperately headcanon a realistic past in ealdor for merlin, full of hardship and strife, but never without it’s moments of happiness. furthermore, will’s lone appearance in season one shines some real light on the unfairness of the fate that has been bestowed on meelin. the moment that will points out why he’s been so obstinate with arthur really strikes a deep chord. sure it could be just jealousy, but more compellingly, i choose to read it as a deep sense of care for merlin. everyone merlin has met within camelot, (or reunited with in the case of his own mother) has continually pushed him closer and closer to arthur. will presents a crucial exception. he knows exactly who merlin was before camelot, and who merlin is completely separate from arthur.
will is staunchly in merlin’s corner, and that position allows him to identify a key characteristic of merlin’s series’ long arc: his complete devotion to arthur. will even points it out himself: merlin could singlehandedly defend their home if he just used the full extent of his power. merlin doesn’t, and actively chooses not to because of his desire to stay close to arthur. it’s such a small moment, but i think it demonstrates how much of merlin’s decisions become motivated by his desire to stay close to arthur and to always put arthur first, even at a detrimental cost to himself. merlin understands and readily accepts arthur as his destiny, but this acceptance does not come about independently, instantly, or of merlin’s own volition. it does so eventually, but initially merlin sticks by arthur’s side because of the encouragement of everyone around him. “arthur needs you, merlin” or “arthur is your destiny, merlin” or “arthur is a good man, merlin. he has the potential to be a great king, he just needs the right people, merlin.” its codependent as hell.
sure, merlin originally does not tell arthur about his magic because they do not know each other and as far as merlin knows revealing his magic would lead to his death, but eventually the reasoning changes and becomes so focused on doing what’s best for arthur. merlin can’t tell arthur because then arthur would have to kill him and then who would look after arthur or ensure his fate? merlin can’t tell arthur because if arthur chooses to defy uther’s law, merlin is then forcing arthur to turn against his father and how could he look after arthur then? merlin can’t tell arthur because another betrayal from magic would ruin everything and truthfully, he wonders how would arthur react? merlin comes to fear what his magic might do to arthur and what it’s reveal might mean for his place in camelot more than the laws of camelot and their verdicts.
by this logic, merlin is a magical solar system orbiting entirely around the celestial body known as arthur pendragon. eventually merlin cared more about his relationship with arthur and what arthur thought about him than his own life. in retrospect, it’s so sad that will died so early on, because it strips merlin of a person solely in his corner. will’s death is the first in the series’ long pattern of loss that merlin endures and that eventually comes to define him because people either find out about his magic and their knowledge is directly tested against his loyalty to arthur, or he cannot allow them to know about his magic because it will unravel his relationship with arthur.
will, freya, balinor, morgana, mordred, arthur.
also the fact that will covered for merlin’s use of magic in his last moments just adds to the tragedy AND the growing pile of moments merlin could have told arthur about his magic but didnt. and also the fact that will literally died to save arthur. like tell me that just doesn’t prove my point. tell me. will never stood a chance. tell me every aspect of merlin’s life does not get consumed by arthur pendragon.
i’m all for merthur being soulmates, but god the original series is rife with the unbalanced mess of merlin being wholeheartedly aware of arthur’s great potential and destiny leading to some intense devotion and faith that yes, arthur earns and pays back in full measure but can never fully reciprocate because he just does not know anything. by the triple goddess, it can get so toxic. i wish will had lived if just for that. and like the jealousy arthur gets whenever merlin has other people. because i 100% live for possessive arthur and protective merlin dynamics.
170 notes · View notes
pacifymebby · 4 months
Text
Christmas Eve
Tumblr media
Part of my Christmas/2k celebration!!
Also just a side note for Alfie's, I based this on Christmas/Hanukkah celebrations I've been involved in before, I'm sorry if it's not accurate to other people's personal experiences of like mixed culture it's just how it's worked for us in the past... I didn't want to just ignore Alfie's Jewishness
Tommy
🌿Beneath Tommy's cold exterior is a family man, he's just very good at keeping it hidden beneath all those defensive layers... And he believes Christmas is a precious time, a time that should be spent with family... 
🌿And as much as he grumbles about having to host his whole family every year at Arrow House, Tommy wouldn't have it any other way...
🌿So Christmas Eve at Arrow House is a busy day, a day brimming with anticipation, that buzz in the air, expectancy, waiting for loved ones to arrive, the children excited to see their cousins, uncles, aunts...
🌿 And amid the hustle and bustle, the trickle of arriving guests who have come to stay for the holidays, Tommy will manage to slip away unnoticed for a little while... he'd have business to attend to, things he just has to see through before the new year...
🌿 And whilst in the morning his absence is excusable, and whilst in the afternoon you're far to wrapped up in overseeing the last minute changes to menus, to guest bedrooms, to present wrapping and attending to the needs of your excitable little ones, as the evening draws in Tommy's absence will become unignorable...
🌿 But you're not surprised and neither is Ada, neither are any of the wives, neither is Arthur who is supposed to be dressing up as Santa for the youngens but is waiting for his absent brother to phone through...
🌿 Tommy promised to be home early for the kids so you're getting worried. Ada is all eye rolls and Polly is tutting "that fuckin man and his fuckin business..." but you're getting scared that he isn't coming home at all...
🌿 Now the kids are obviously very excited because its christmas eve, so you haven't been able to settle them at all...
🌿 They're running around the house with their cousins playing at being daddy, pretending to shoot eachother, pretending to die and although usually you'd tell them off, try to tell them that thats not what their daddy does, tonight their laughter is so sweet you just let them carry on playing
🌿And their excitement is catching, it's hard to be too fearful when the tree is sparkling and there's frost in the air outside, when Ada and Polly have mixed up fancy gin cocktails and John keeps catching you beneath the mistletoe teasing you, telling you to take your chance whilst your husband's away...
🌿 There's that joy, that magic, that warmth, the family is together, the children are as innocent and as gleeful as you could possibly hope them to be... And in your heart you know that your stupid husbands coming home to you, that all will be well...
🌿 So even though you should be mad at him for breaking his promise and being late really you're just looking forward to him coming home, to throwing your arms around him, to having him catch you under the mistletoe and brush a chaste kiss over your lips before the kids can see you and start making sick noises.
🌿And when Tommy does finally come home the children nearly knock him over, barrelling into him. Your oldest pretends to shoot him for being late and breaking his promise...
🌿 So Tommy pretends he's shot, drops to his knees all dramatic in the doorway, his 'last words' tell your mother I love her very..." and when he closes his eyes and pretends to die the kids all clamber on him and demand that he wakes up... and he does but only because they're tickling him and he can't resist jumping back to life, snatching them up and making them jump and squeal and laugh.
🌿 finally they and him settle down, he says hes sorry for being late, hugs and kisses the children and then you, saying he's sorry an extra time, just to you, hand cupping your cheek as he looks you deep in the eyes, one of those, melt your heart, don't be angry with me, kind of looks
🌿And you can't be angry at him...
🌿He'd be able to settle the children so fast, getting them ready for bed with you and tucking them in. Telling them to be good or father christmas might change his mind about visiting them
🌿 But then seeing their little faces drop and chuckling, "no, of course he won't forget about you, little angels the lot of you, I reckon you're all right at the top of Father Christmas' list eh?"
🌿 "So we'd better get you up to bed eh? He'll be here soon and you'll want to be fast asleep in your beds when he gets here..."
🌿 As you go to follow the children up to the nursery Tommy catches your hand and tugs you back to the doorway, "and where do you think you're going in such a hurry love?" His fingers link closely with yours as he nods to the doorframe above you both, his smirk a little cheeky as you follow his gaze and see the mistletoe dangling above you...
🌿 When you tell him he isn't the first person to try it on with you under the mistletoe that evening, that if he'd been just one more minute late you'd have kissed his brother instead, he chuckles, "well I suppose I'd better make up for all that lost time eh?"
🌿 Closing your eyes when he kisses you, smiling into his lips as he lets them linger, your hand on his chest, you can feel his body heat warming you, his hold feels like home... When you pull away startled by the sound of the children calling for you Tommy pulls you back for one more kiss...
🌿 "Wait, there we go, just one more moment of peace..." he says quietly kissing you again, holding you close.
🌿 The children love it when he reads them the night before christmas, they're almost always half asleep by the time he's finished, your youngest sitting in his lap, drooling on him...
🌿 Watching him stroke their hair and kiss their heads,whispering to them little good nights and "love you"s before the two of you turn out the light and go back downstairs...
🌿He was late because he'd picked up last minute gifts for you, so he'd be trying to send you up to bed before him "go on angel, warm it up for me eh..."
🌿 He's probably so relieved to get into bed with you that evening, he'd wrap his arms around you and sigh, completely content and happy.
🌿Christmas always leaves him feeling grateful for everything he has, getting into bed with you and holding you close reminds him all the more of everything he has, how important you and the children are... He would still be a little preoccupied thinking about the morning, excited to see the children's faces when they see that father Christmas has been, looking forward to the way you'll kiss him when you open your gifts.
🌿Tommy will be the last one who falls asleep that night, he's too busy making the most of the peace, the bristling excitement in the air, just enjoying the feeling of you in his arms, knowing the whole family is together, safe and sound and full of joy. 
Alfie
🐻 Alfie is only be celebrating christmas because you celebrate christmas, otherwise to him its not really a very important day at all. More than that it's "a fuss about nothing!" And a "tiresome inconvenience if you ask me little ziskeit, don't know why anyone bothers with it all..."
🐻 Every year it's always the same... Alfie promises he won't be grumpy this December, he promises he'll try to embrace the Christmas Spirit and be "merry and bright my little ziskeit, that's me, that's your Alfie ain't it, merry and bloody bright..."
🐻 But every year Alfie seems to be more grumpy than the last, grumbling and stropping about every tiny inconvenience, the market is always busier this time of year and he can't go out without bumping into people, getting jostled in the crowds... and his frustrations lead to some very comical rants about Jesus Christ and how he must have been one narcissistic baby to demand such a fuss...
🐻 By Christmas Eve you've just about had enough of his ranting and raving, all his grumbling and stropping, so just when he's about to go off on one all over again you stop him, arms crossed over your chest, face like thunder, eyes so steely and determined as you scold him for being such a grump that he stops dead in his tracks...
🐻 "Alright that's it, Alfred I've had enough!" Alfie can't keep the stunned smirk off his lips, he can't believe his little ziskeit is standing up to him... "Oh? What's this then are you tellin me off poppet? Are you gonna give your old man a piece of your mind?" He just sits down in his arm chair, one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on top of his cane, looking up at you expectantly...  "Well go on then ziskeit, you give your old man a firm talkin too, tell me what a miserable, rotten old miser I'm being... don't hold back my darlin, don't try to spare my feelings eh, do your worst poppet..." it's like he's challenging you, waiting to see what you'll say but you've really had enough... all you want is a cosy, merry little Christmas...
🐻 "Don't tease me Alfie!" You sniff trying to remain indignant, trying not to get emotional as you hold your chin up high, "all I wanted yeah, was one peaceful little Christmas right and you promised Alfie, you promised youd try and get into the spirit of things this year but all you've done all bloody month is..."
🐻 You trail off when you hear him sigh, when you see that warm teasing glow in his eyes, he's smiling softly, watching you as you try to continue scolding him... Then he pushes himself up and walks slowly to you, takes your hips in his hands and guides you a pace into his body, looking down at you, expectantly, patiently waiting for you to be done with your own ranting and raving... And when you trail off and look at him you understand...
🐻 "Now then? Do you reckon you're finished tellin me off now poppet? Reckon your old man might be allowed to get a word in now yeah? Even if he is a mean old grump?" He's still teasing you and your blush is furious as he takes your cheek in his calloused hand and strokes your face with his thumbs, "my my you don't half get yourself in a tizz about these things do ya ziskeit, all this fuss over one bloody day..."
🐻 "Ain't just any day though is it Alf, s'christmas an it only comes once a year an I wanted it to be perfect... Not just for me but for the kids you know..."
🐻 "And it will be my little ziskeit, it will be... You trust me on this yeah, good old Father fuckin Christmas'll make sure everything's perfect..." he says reaching behind his chair for a tatty brown sack, slinging it over his shoulder and shooting you a wink...
🐻 Because Alfie does this every year too... Kids on that he hates Christmas, that he thinks the whole things a big old waste of time... Pushes you to your absolute limits, waiting for the day your fierce but rare temper bursts only to chuckle and pat you affectionately on the cheek before saying something stupid like "Ho Ho Fucking Ho and all that right..."
🐻Because actually he doesn't dislike Christmas as such, he just dislikes watching you get yourself so flustered about what is essentially just one day... He doesn't see the point in how rushed off your feet you get, how worried, how high your blood pressure must sore.. for just one day... A day you couldn't ruin if you tried.
🐻 He would try to help you with things like wrapping presents for the children but he wouldn't be very good at it at all, so it would be obvious who had wrapped what, his presents will hardly even be in the paper and honestly, sometimes you find yourself having to redo his poor attempts at wrapping.
🐻 Your Christmas traditions are mixed with Hanukkah traditions, you light the Menorah together for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, you make donuts together (he fusses over you when it comes to frying them fretting about you burning yourself on the oil) he fills the house with joyous and spirited traditional music and teaches you and the children to play Dreidel (often making a grumbling fuss when he ahs to hand his Hanukkah Gelt over to whoever just won it off him)
🐻 He enjoys the irony of the whole Christmas thing, grins and laughs at himself when he sits down to read his children a christmas themed bed time story. He thinks its amusing because by now he knows it by heart...
🐻 Tells the kids that their father christmas doesn't like milk and cookies, he likes a drop of rum and some rugelach instead...
🐻 He will sit with the kids as they're falling asleep, he'll sing them a low, gentle little lullaby and stroke their little heads, Alfie has a calming presence which settles them, he's like a big soft teddy bear watching over them and when he wants them to settle down and drift off he can soothe their excitement in minutes... And on Christmas Eve he wants nothing more than to see them all settled because he knows that when he goes back downstairs looking for you he'll find you still busy, still fussing... And he wants to make sure you relax and enjoy the most important day of the year "allegedly"
🐻 He'll stop in the living room doorway, his body a big shadow blocking out the lamplight... he doesn't have to say anything to let you know he's there... you're sitting on the floor trying to wrap last minute gifts and make sure everything's perfect... he just tuts at you and shakes his head...
🐻 "Tsk tsk little ziskeit, you're breakin your promises this evening ain't ya... see I don't know if you remember right, well.. you can't possibly remember cause if you did then I'm sure you wouldn't just be breakin em willynilly now would you poppet... do you remember what you promised me this time last year?" You do remember what you promised him but you're determined you won't be admitting that tonight... Alfie however has other ideas.
🐻 He'll beckon you up and over to him with his finger, nod for you to come right up close. Then he'll take your hips in his hands and guide you back a pace, settling pulling you down into his arm chair with him, holding you firmly in his lap, "There we go that's better back where you belong right, that's better... now then where were we? Right... yeah, you were going to tell me all about that promise what you made me on Christmas day last year... weren't you ziskeit..." when you remain silent he chuckles and shakes his head, "oh no no no that won't do, nah... it won't... my darlin ziskeit what you seem to be forgettin right is this... only the naughtiest of naughty girls break their promises right... and on this very important evening even the worst yeah, even the most rotten of young ladies will keep her promises right... cause if she don't yeah well she might just find a lump of coal waiting for her in the morning yeah .. what dya reckon my little ziskeit? That what you want is it? A nasty old lump of coal?"
🐻 "One of these days I'll give you a nasty old lump of coal Alfie Solomons" you flower up at him so sulky and sullen he can't keep the grin off his face because he thinks you look adorable like that..
🐻 But although he chuckles and laughs along, lets you tease him too he still makes you promise that you're going to relax and let yourself enjoy the day too...
🐻 "If you're going to get so worked up about it, I'll call the whole bloody day off..." he will literally threaten to cancel Christmas, he's only teasing but it's a joke he never tires of especially when you start threatening him back, "I'll cancel you in a bloody minute Alfred now get over here and help me with this bloody bird!"
🐻 He will spend the rest of the evening hovering around you, telling you to let him take care of everything (you absolutely won't be doing that) but after another hour he's managed to help you with all the finishing touches and he's coaxing you up to bed...
🐻 "Now come on my little ziskeit, what do I have to do to make you see sense... You know how this works you are the angel who taught me all this madness after all... If you don't go to bed and get your beauty sleep old Saint Nick just won't come... Will he? So poppet, this is my suggestion yeah, just a gentle suggestion yeah, come straight from my heart because right, because I care about you very much and because your old man is getting very very tired... Why don't you an me yeah, why don't we go upstairs now and tuck ourselves up nice an snug in bed because I'm not daft yeah, I know how this works by now... In a few hours time those little terrors will be jumpin on our legs to wake us up won't they...."
🐻 And you know he's right so you give in and roll your eyes and let him take you up to bed. Before you go to sleep you make him promise not to be too grumpy in the morning, he makes you promise you'll relax.
Arthur
🍂 Definitely promised you he would come straight home from work, definitely promised he wouldn't stop in the Garrison with his brothers and the lads from the office...
🍂 Definitely does stop in the pub on his way home... Everyone was in such high spirits leaving that evening and Arthur doesn't want to miss out on the celebrations... Besides, he'll only have one.. and he's got all Christmas to spend with you and the little ones...
🍂 And of course this is Arthur so he doesn't only have one... but he doesn't get too drunk either and he doesn't stay out too late because he loves the excitement at home on Christmas Eve and he doesn't want to miss out on all that fun either...
🍂 So he walks home a little merry and he stops in the garden to build a snowman outside the children's bedroom window. You can hear him scuffling about outside and when you catch a glimpse of him through the kitchen window you roll your eyes... why the fuck did you marry such a big kid?
🍂 But you trust your husband's up to something and you don't want to ruin whatever surprise he has planned for the kids so you shut the curtains and go upstairs to check on the little ones who are brushing their teeth and getting ready for bed. You know they're dragging it out because they're waiting for their dad to come home...
🍂 You sneek outside to try and coax Arthur indoors out of the freezing cold, wrapping your arms around yourself as you whisper to try and get his attention... "Arthur... Arthur bloody Shelby what the fuck are you doing out here come on it's freezing!" And when he hears you he raises his hands in surrender, promising you he isn't drunk... which doesn't exactly reassure you...
🍂 "Eh love, don't suppose you've got a carrot you can spare me eh? For the kids?" He nods to his snowman and you can't do anything but roll your eyes and pretend not to be amused... you are though, you think he's so silly but you love him for it, love him for how much he loves the kids...
🍂 So you give him the carrot and then you drag him inside out of the cold, kissing him and rubbing his arms to try and get him warm... Of course when the lids hear the door close they come running downstairs overflowing with excitement because dad's home "finallyyy!"
🍂 You can't believe how they've shot from being almost settled, drifting off in the arm chair together, to bright as little stars, fizzing up and bubbling over shouting and jumping and tugging on his sleeves when he does his best father Christmas voice.
🍂 Arthur scooping his little ones up in his arms, getting excited with them, winding them up asking them if they're excited for all their lovely presents, asking them what they've left out for Father Christmas...
🍂 But one look at you and the realisation that you're starting to look a little worn out and like you might need your own bed very soon gets him to settle down, gets him to try and calm the little ones again...
🍂 to save himself from your potential frustration that he'd caused such a commotion he'd be trying to charm you into giving him a smile and softening on him again, stealing a kiss from you under the mistletoe and pinching your cheek, teasing you...
🍂 "lighten up my darlin its Christmas eve... Eh you'd better turn that frown upside down my sweetheart or father christmas won't have any presents for you..."
🍂 To try and get the kids into bed he'd do things like pretend he can hear father christmas on the roof, or he'd tell them that whilst he was out he saw something in the sky that looked just like a sleigh... "so you'd better hurry to bed my darlins cause you know what will happen if father christmas comes and you're still awake... Coal! Coal for the lot of ye little rascals..."
🍂 Remembers his snowman outside and tells the kids to look out of their window, "Now you know who he is don't you you little rotters, he's one of old father Christmas's spies... I mean helpers and he's come to make sure you lot are all tucked up in bed fast asleep... So you'd better get yourselves up them wooden hills hadn't you... Come on my darlins chop chop.."
🍂 He's definitely been out last minute Christmas shopping for gifts for you and has to try and slip them under the christmas tree before you see them... He also had to wrap them last minute and he's not wonderful at gift wrapping when he isn't drunk and in a rush...
🍂 When you gather the kids in bed to read them a bedtime story he wants to listen too and climbs into bed with you all... He definitely gets a little too comfy snuggled under the blankets with you all and falls asleep during the story which the children find highly amusing.
🍂 Perhaps the children should leave a nice glass of water out of father christmas this year?
John
🌼 A huge child about Christmas, really he is just a big kid at heart and he's just as excited about christmas as the children... he's definitely not helping to calm them down or get them settled in bed that's for sure!
🌼 Instead he comes home for his work that evening with pockets full of sweets for them and lets them eat as many as they like... Pinching some for himself too...
🌼 Being too sentimental for his own good he hardly stopped in at the pub with the lads, let them "force" one whiskey down him, one which he downed slammed on the table and then announced to the room that he was off home because unlike the rest of them he's a "highly responsible father"... So he was laughed out of the Garrison naturally...
🌼 When he comes home he throws the sweets into the air letting them rain down over the children who dance and jump at his feet, all of the scrambling to catch and father as many as they can...
🌼 All you can do is watch and let yourself get wrapped up in the craziness of it all too... you already know there's no trying to tame your wild little family, especially not when John's talking the lead like this...
🌼 He'll tease them telling him he saw some of father christmas's elves in the garden, that they told him there'll be no toys for the shelby children this year...
🌼 But your children are smart and they know their daddy is just being silly. Which they won't be shy about telling him, pointing at him, giggling and arguing with him, dragging you into the argument too begging you to "tell daddy not to be so stupid!"
🌼 He's really done it now and the children are feral, together they wrestle him down to the ground and threaten him with lots of tickles and other terrors if he doesn't take it back... And of course John lets them win. He can't breath for laughing so hard and neither can you.
🌼 When you finally stop laughing at the mess he's gotten himself into you manage to convince him the children need to go to bed, he'll tell them that actually the elves told him they're waiting for the shelby children to go to sleep so that father christmas can come and deliver all their presents.
🌼 So the children will finally go to bed, they'll leave a wee carrot for the reindeer and a little treat for father christmas too, and they'll leave a little path of destruction for you and John to tidy up once they're tucked up and asleep... One which you inform John he can tidy up by himself... One which you know you'll be tidying up together.
🌼 John, more than the children, will be begging you to read the night before christmas... It's a little family tradition you have been doing since the first Christmas you stayed with the Shelby's and told it to all the Shelby children to settle them when the rest of the family had an emergency meeting. You've always been a little shy to read it in front of John but every year he insists just the same... "Voices and all!"
🌼 When you challenge him and say "why doesnt daddy read it this year?" he just pouts and says "i think mummy does it better what do you think children, doesn't your mummy read it wonderfully..." He has that mischievous twinkle in his eyes, one you can't say no to and wouldn't want to say no to even if you thought you could get away with it...
🌼 So you have to read it and John just gets all cosy with the children, they'd be giggling and whispering with him mischievously the whole time, impossible to settle down until you're kissing them all on the forehead and turning out the lights. Even then you can see them fidgeting and wriggling in the dark, hear them giggling behind the closed nursery door.
🌼 When they're finally asleep and you were ready to go to bed yourselves, John would sneak away to go and make reindeer prints in the snow outside for the children to find the next morning.
🌼 Then he'd come back to find you trying to tidy away his mess... Honestly he'd end up making more mess when he grabs you by the waist and asks to get his hands on his "beautiful, beautiful wife..."
🌼 What can I say the man's got a lot of pent up energy that needs to be used up before he goes to sleep...
Bonnie
🍀 Bonnie's used to a very busy, very family driven Christmas... One which is simple and traditional but chaotic and lively... All the family comes together for Christmas and their little camp practically triples inside as more and more families arrive each day in the weeks running up to Christmas...
🍀 But all the chaos means there's so much extra work to do and even though there's also extra helping hands, between Bonnie being dragged away on hunting expeditions to gather food for Christmas Day and wood for the fires, and you being rushed off your feet with children to mind, presents to make and hide away... Well you and Bonnie have hardly had a second together for days...
🍀 And Bonnie's favourite part of Christmas is getting to spend it with the people he loves - you most of all. He had so many plans for this December with you and so far he hasn't been able to get you alone for long enough to do more than give you a quick kiss on the cheek...
🍀He's longing for Christmas day so that all the fuss will be over and he might sneak you away to give you your presents...
🍀But before that there's Christmas Eve to get through, just one more day and then finally the two of you will get a little peace... And the way you keep shooting him long lingering glances from the steps of your vardo, from by the fire, from where you sit buried beneath your younger siblings and a blanket...Bonnie can tell you're thinking exactly the same as you..
🍀Though he has to admit he does love to watch you playing with the youngens, getting them ready for bed as the sun goes down and they get rosy cheeks by the fire. They're so cute and you're so good with them... It doesn't half make him broody, he can't help but imagine what kind of a mammy you'll be one day...
🍀Every time he tries to come and sit down with you someone steels him away, his dad gives him a job to do, some of the younger lads demand he joins their snowball fight...
🍀And it's that snowball fight that means he finally gets his hands on you... Because when one of the lads clips one of the lassies you've been sitting with on the back of the head with a snowball all he'll breaks loose and all the kids are suddenly picking sides and scrambling to action.
🍀Naturally you're siding with your best friend, against Bonnie and the lads... Which means your competitive streak shines through and challenges Bonnie... Who never backs down from a fight. Its not long before you're tearing through the trees, kicking and throwing snow at him, giggling because you know you can't escape him, and god you don't want to escape him!
🍀So finally he gets his hands on you, wrapping his arms tight around you, pretending he's fighting you to the floor... The chill of the snow as you sink into the drift on your back, the cold prickles all over you but all you can concentrate on is the warmth of his breath on your cheek as he pins you down and locks eyes with you...
🍀 "So this is what I have do to steal a moment with my girl eh?" He teases wasting very little time before he kisses you deep and passionately, that desire to see you become a mammy almost getting the better of him as you giggle and push him off you reminding him it won't be long before the two of you get swarmed by bairns.
🍀So instead he helps you up and walks you back to the fire to get you warmed up, and he uses his own chill as an excuse to sit with you by the fire for awhile, admiring you, falling in love with you a little more as you gather the youngens round you once again to tell them a story as they drink their hot milk before bed.
🍀Later when it's late and most of the littlens are fast asleep, when the musics being played and everyone's merry on hot mulled wine Bonnie finally gets you all to himself, dancing with you by the fire, stealing all the kisses he wants, teasing you asking if you've been good this year an if you reckon father Christmas is gonna visit you.
🍀Cuddling up to you when you're both tucked away in bed, whispering to you about how sweet you looked with the littlens earlier.. boy has baby fever and trust me it gets ten times worse at Christmas.
Isaiah
🐀 Watching the chaos ensuing at the Shelby Manor and listening to John and Ada talking about all the stress of Christmas with the children is making you and Isaiah feel very grateful that you're still young and that this Christmas Eve the only thing you've to worry about is the Garrison running out of drink...
🐀 You've been looking forward to seeing your friends all week having been busy in the shop you work in right until close that very afternoon... Isaiah would meet you at your work to pick you up and in his pocket he's got s gift for you...
🐀 "I was going to wait until tomorrow to give you this but I thought you might like to wear them tonight..." He says kissing your lips and then your neck as he shuts your bedroom door behind you and pushes you back into your room gently. He's being extra charming, the romance of the season getting to both your heads.
🐀He's brought you a pair of divine ruby earrings, they're utterly gorgeous and you can't believe he's giving them to you at all least of all when it's not even technically christmas yet! You gasp, thrilled by the beautiful gift and immediately put them on...
🐀 You're trying to get ready to go out, trying to change into a prettier dress for your evening out but Isaiah has other ideas... he wants to see what you look like when you're only wearing those earrings...
🐀 So you're late to the Garrison and you turn up looking a little less than pristine but neither of you care because youve been sharing a bottle of wine on the walk and you're both ruby cheeked warmed by your drink for the road...
🐀 Spending the night laughing and dancing with all your friends, Finn's managed to sneak away from his demanding nieces and nephews and even Bonnie has managed to come up with an excuse to stay in town a little later than usual rather than heading straight back to the camp to help with the kids...
🐀 You spend all night wrapped up in Isaiah and your love for him... there's something about christmas which still excites you, wakes up your inner child and makes you giddy... all the glowing lights the decorations, the snowfall outside in the street.
🐀 Every time Isaiah catches you under the mistletoe he insists on a kiss, not just a peck but a cheeky, tempting kiss, one which makes your tummy flip and reminds you of what you were getting up to in your bed earlier than evening... one which makes you wish you could sneak off with him again...
🐀 At kicking out time you and your friends all go stumbling out into the snowy street together, all of you feeling drunk and carefree, like big children, Michael and Finn start a snowball fight which sees you all laughing and play fighting in the street, you join Bonnie's team and torment your boyfriend who is only pretending to be jealous... right?
🐀 Somewhere amid the chaos Isaiah snatches you and pulls you into the back of a parked car, it's dark and he's hovering above you in the back seat, your body pushes into the leather seat... when you look up his grin his boyish and ever so cheeky...
🐀 "Oh would you look at that eh... a Christmas miracle..." he teases holding the mistletoe he's stolen from the garrison above your head, pulling you in for an even deeper kiss than the last...
🐀 It's hard not to go too far but after a long while of torturing eachother with tempting kisses you realise you're late for his father's mass and you both go running off hand in hand down the street, finishing the last of the drink he also took from behind the bar at the Garrison.
🐀 You're hand in hand and oh so drunk as you slip into the church and sit in the corner of a pew right at the back, you're giggling quietly to one another, holding hands, propping one another up...
🐀 at different times you both fall asleep and wake one another up and when it comes time for communion you're both giggly, trying very hard to be serious, already knowing that his father is going to know how pissed you are... You're not in trouble though, he just tsks at you both and smirks when he offers your wine, a quiet "not that you need it" and a wink when he sees you practically falling asleep on his sons shoulder.
🐀 Isaiah carries you home through the snow, bundling you up into bed with him, cuddled up under the blankets, unable to stop himself waking you up and stealing a good night kiss from you.. one which becomes so much more than just a kiss...
Michael
☘️ Michael would love nothing more than a quiet Christmas, just you, him and his mum... But that's not how being part of the Shelby family works...
☘️ He spends the run up to Christmas stressing about the journey back to England, he's worried about you meeting his family for the first time... Not because he's worried they won't like you, but because he's worried you will see how fucked up his family is and want to run a mile...
☘️ You arrive at Arrow House on the morning of Christmas Eve, you've travelled through the night through snow and freezing wind, but when your car finally makes it up the long winding drive you're taken back by how beautiful it all is... How grand the house is, how very English it all appears to be...
☘️ You're nervous to meet the family, most of all Polly because you're sure her opinion means more to Michael than anything else in the world. If Polly doesn't like you it's over...
☘️ But everything Michael has warned you about... His cousins schemes and manipulative personality... Well you're surprised to see that you don't see anything like it... All you see is one busy, chaotic house packed full of children and adult men who run around pretending to fight and shoot one another much like children...
☘️ You're completely absorbed into family life from the second the servants take your bags... You're overwhelmed by the Shelby family but you can't say you're not pleased...
☘️ Whilst Michael is jumped upon by his cousin's you're swept up by the women, Ada and Lizzie giggling as they mix you up a gin and tonic and show you their hiding place in the kitchen when they need two seconds peace... Not from their children who are running around feral with excitement for christmas, but from the Peaky men who are apparently more of a handful than the children...
☘️ As the evening draws in Michael wants to steal you away but he can't bring himself to because you're sitting on the floor playing with the children.. Arthur is dressed up as Santa asking them all what they want for Christmas...
☘️ But when he invites you to come up and sit in his lap, asks you if you've been a good girl this year Michael has to intervene and save you from his cousin.
☘️ He coughs and very awkwardly speaks up to save you, asks to borrow you for a minute... Lies and says he needs your help in the kitchen... And this lie is obviously met with smirks and jokes because everyone knows he's just jealous of Arthur's stupid flirting...
☘️ He actually apologises for his cousin, it's just you and him in the kitchen and he looks nervous, like he's worried you're going to run off with Arthur... But when you ask what's wrong he shakes his head, says "nothing... Just promise me they haven't scared you off..." you can't help but laugh at that.
☘️ "What? Don't be daft Michael, I love them and I love you!" And he's very glad to hear that, blushing like a teenage boy because he's gone all out to spoil you this Christmas... There's so many gifts under the tree with your name on them but the gift that's most important is in his back pocket... He was going to save it for tomorrow but now that he's got you alone in the kitchen he realises there's no better time to ask you to be his wife than the present...
☘️ So your Christmas Eve ends in Michael getting down on one knee on the kitchen floor surrounded by carrot peelings...
Taglist
@inalovesrabbits-blog
@cocoaflowers
@zablife
@jomarch-wannabe
@itsghostgirlyo
@marwwfairy
@toddlerbodybag
@everysage
@tommyshelbywhore
@kas3ylovesyou
@kxnnxy
@starrykitn
@call-sign-shark
@only-malala
@galactict3a
@darkcastle167
@liliac-dreamer
@impossibleheartflower
@mollybegger-blog
@vanhelsingsbigtoe
240 notes · View notes
queerofthedagger · 3 months
Text
one thing that keeps me up at night is how, as people have pointed out before, arthur loved merlin simply for being merlin, regardless of magic or destiny etc., but how in some ways, that doesn't exactly apply the same way the other way around now does it?
like. i mean obvious merlin loved arthur for just being arthur, man would have never stuck around otherwise and one may even argue that later on, he actually did put arthur over destiny repeatedly (although i will say i agree only partially with this because why wouldn't he protect arthur above all else, if it's arthur who is supposed to make it happen! that said yes, most of his motivation to keep arthur alive came from arthur being his friend, not some higher calculation.)
thing is. arthur wouldn't exactly know this. arthur in fact in the finale seems to grapple with this a lot, if not most. the idea that to merlin, too, he had been a means to an end, as to so many others, whether in them wanting to use him, or wanting to get him out of the way.
there are very, very few people (gwen, pretty much as the only one alive) for whom arthur was just arthur first, king and destined peace-bringer, prince and first knight etc etc second. and i think if not for the whole, you know, dying business, it would take him a long time to actually, fully believe that merlin was one of them, after all.
which is just fucking heart-breaking, innit.
162 notes · View notes