#now i'm reminded a bit of silent forest act 2

[beevean]

Sonic Superstars

Speed Jungle Act Sonic

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic music #sonic the hedgehog music #sonic superstars #music of the day #i don't know why i liked this one so much in the medley that they had released lol #i guess i was surprised by how dark it sounded #while still keeping a samba rhythm #(nvm that in game it gets frequently interrupted...) #now i'm reminded a bit of silent forest act 2

[peacelovepandora]

Angel of my Heart

Jake Sully x Daughter!Reader

this is a part of a series of continuation scenarios following part 1 part 2, and part 3. enjoyyyyy xx.

A gentle gust blew against your long, dark hair. Loose strands swept in front of your face, slightly disturbing your view as you gazed at the sky. At the tender hour before eclipse, the sky darkened, gaining a rich pigment that resembled the skin of a salmon. Tucking a few strands behind your ear, you sighed, trying to slow your breathing as your heart rate began to climb.

"This used to be my favorite time of day," you whispered to yourself, lowering your gaze to your feet.

"Y/N?" a voice called, snapping you from your thoughts.

Aonung, walking steadily against the elastic material that led to your family's quarters, gave you a polite smile.

"Aonung," you greeted, a small smile tugging at your lips, "Hi."

As he grew close, your gaze fell to his hands, noticing his careful grip on a small, woven pouch. Curious, you raised your eyes to his when he reached a stop.

"Oel ngati kameie," he spoke deeply, raising his hand to his forehead before motioning outwards, "How are you tonight?"

"Oel ngati kameie," you replied, repeating the motion, "I'm alright. You?"

He shrugged, lowering his gaze. "Alright," he replied before meeting your eyes, once again, "A bit better now, I suppose."

A familiar feeling, one that you only felt in Aonung's presence, made itself known in your stomach. Your smile widened as you broke from his gaze, looking down before eyeing the ocean.

"I--well, my sister, actually," he began, causing you to turn back to him, "wanted to gift you with this. She said something about you losing the first one you had."

Lifting his hands, he handed the woven pouch to you, spiking your curiosity. Acting gently, you loosened the tie and opened the bag. Aonung watched you carefully.

Before reaching in, you peeked up at him. "What is it?" you teased.

When his shoulders relaxed, and a playful smile danced over his lips, your heart swelled. Raising his eyebrows, he gestured to the bag and answered.

"You must open the surprise to find out for yourself."

A giggle escaped your lips as you looked back down. Once your eyes fell on the small object inside, your heart soared.

"Oh," you gasped, reaching inside and lifting the object small out, "Yes I--my anklet! I lost it when . . ."

As you trailed off, Aonung nodded, a silent assurance that you didn't need to explain further.

The woven accessory, soft against your touch, contained various shades of green--ranging from dark forest greens to lighter, leafier greens. At the ends, dainty green beads dangled loosely.

"The colors," you breathed, turning it over in your hands, "they remind me so much of--"

"The forest," Aonung finished, making you look up and nod, "That was done intentionally."

For a moment, you stared at him silently. Under your gaze, he shifted slightly, looking away before speaking again. "Well, she hopes you like it."

Another smile, wider this time, pulled at your lips. "I do," you replied, glancing down at the gift in awe, "I really do."

Upon hearing your words, Aonung peeked back down at you, his lips briefly turning upwards. "She will be glad to hear it."

"Give her this for me."

Aonung barely had time to face you before you closed your arms around his waist. His eyes widened as he stepped back once, balancing himself as you embraced him. For a moment, his arms hovered in the air, unsure of how to react to your sudden act of affection. However, as he looked down, taking in the sight of your head resting against his chest, he felt something shift internally.

Releasing a breath, he carefully wrapped an arm around your back and placed his other hand on your head.

"Very glad that you like it," he spoke lowly, preparing to rest his head over yours.

However, he halted his actions as his eyes fell on Jake, who had suddenly appeared from behind the hut. Jake, who had initially been looking down, raised his head before freezing. Their eyes met for a split second before Aonung released you, moving as though you'd burned him.

Taking your hands, Aonung patted the anklet a couple of times. "You keep this. My father needs me. I must be going."

Slightly startled, but nonetheless grateful, you nodded gently before sending him a brief smile. The boy lowered his gaze and hurried in the opposite direction, accelerating his pace to a slight jog.

Jake, who had since snapped from his brief state of shock, narrowed his eyes as he watched Aonung flee from your side. Then, after taking a few steps forward, keeping his eyes on the teenage boy, he rested a gentle hand on your shoulder.

When you jumped, Jake snapped his gaze down to you.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he breathed, placing his other hand on your shoulder and squeezing gently, "I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"It's okay," you answered, chuckling dryly as you looked up, "I'm sorry. It's me. I'm just so--"

"Hey," Jake cut in, shaking his head as he turned you, "It's not you. It's never you, alright?"

Sighing, you nodded, fiddling with the anklet in your grasp. A smile ghosted his lips as he cupped your chin for a moment before releasing you. "What did Aonung want?"

"Oh!" you responded, as your lips turned upwards, "Look! You know how I lost my anklet? Tsireya made another one for me!"

Jake's heart swelled at your visible excitement. "Really? Is this it?" he asked, holding his hand out for you to place it in, "Huh, lots of green."

"For the forest," you replied, turning it over in his hand, "See, even the beads match."

Jake nodded before glancing back in the direction where Aonung disappeared. Unable to withhold his burning question, he spoke again.

"And Tsireya couldn't deliver it to you herself?"

"She probably got caught up helping her mom," you answered, gently taking the anklet from his hand, "Besides, I haven't seen Aonung in a minute. It was nice to have a run in with him."

Jake's eyes still gazed past you. "Uh huh."

Finally catching where his mind was at, you looked up at your father. Then, feeling a subtle strike of delinquency, you tucked the anklet between your upper lip and nose. Frowning up, you pursed your lips and crossed your arms.

"Are you gonna threaten Aonung for acknowledging my existence?"

This broke Jake from his thoughts. After his eyes landed on you, he looked you up and down, taking in your comical pose before a smirk tugged on his lips.

"Not unless you want me to," he answered.

When your face fell, the anklet fell from your lips. Jake caught it before it landed, chuckling as he straightened back up. "Come on," he said, nodding towards the hut, "I'll knot this for you."

Pouting teasingly, you edged your way towards the hut. Jake, who had looked out at the water for a moment, did a double-take when he glanced at you. Narrowing his eyes playfully, he reached out, growling threateningly as you dodged his grasp and ran inside. You let out a minor yelp as you ran, making Jake tilt his head back with a laugh as he followed you inside.

"Oh, and for the record," Jake spoke up, settling himself on the floor, "A hug is more than acknowledging someone's existence."

"It wasn't for him," you countered, sitting across from him, "It was for Tsireya. I just asked him to pass it to her."

Raising an eyebrow, Jake didn't bother to hide the skepticism in his eyes. Releasing a sigh, you shook your head before breaking your gaze from his.

"It was harmless, Daddy. I swear it."

Relaxing his face, Jake glanced out the hut one last time, before turning his attention back to you. "Alright, sweetheart," he breathed.

When you didn't respond, he leaned forward, placing a hand over your knee. "Alright," he emphasized, with a tilt of his head.

Looking up, you connected your eyes with his and gave him a gentle smile. He flashed one in return before leaning back.

"Okay," he said, patting his lap, "Which ankle do you want? Same as last time?"

"Mhm," you hummed, "Right one please."

When you lifted your right leg, he took your ankle and placed it on his thigh. Then, handling the anklet with gentle hands, he wrapped it just above your foot and began knotting it. For a moment, you watched him in silence. Then, as the hut suddenly grew darker, your head snapped towards the opening. Outside the wide arch, you had a slight view of the eclipsing sun.

Jake glanced up, finishing his last knot as he watched you carefully. He didn't miss perturbed expression that crossed your face. Finishing with one last pull, he patted your ankle.

"Good to go," he said, grabbing your attention.

When you looked down at your ankle, a small smile pulled at your lips. "Thanks, Dad," you whispered, pulling your foot close.

He watched you for a moment--watched as you tucked your knees to your chest, wrapped your arms around your calves, and placed your chin between your knees. He began to reach out, but stopped himself as he decided on another course of action.

As he stood up, your eyes followed his movements, curiosity overtaking your gaze. He smiled briefly, nodding towards the doorway. Once he sat back down, facing the outside of the hut, his hand motioned you over.

With a quick jump, you raised yourself to a squat before straightening up and walking up to him. However, rather than sitting next to him, you settled yourself behind him, wrapping your arms around his neck and resting your chin on his shoulder. Jake released a breathy chuckle, placing his hands over your forearms and pecking your temple.

"Y/N."

"Mm?"

"You remember what I told you? About letting me know when things are bothering you?"

Tucking your head down, you nodded. "Mhm."

Sensing your hesitance to open up, Jake released a small breath. Shifting his gaze from you, he stared at the sky, deciding it was time to be more direct. "Tell me about the eclipse."

You were quiet for a moment, before a dry chuckle escaped your lips. "You catch everything, don't you, Dad?"

His hand reclaimed its place on your forearm. Turning his head, he spoke closely to you. "Always," he replied, "You're my little girl. It's my job."

As his words lingered in the air, your mind wandered back to the moments before your first death. Being sprawled out on the rock, the blood running down your chest, the devastation in your father's tearful eyes--all things that made your chest constrict.

Recognizing the shift in your mental state, Jake immediately unwrapped your arms from his neck. "C'mere," he instructed softly, pulling you around him, "Let's switch."

Once he plopped you onto his lap, he wrapped his arms around your biceps, engulfing you completely. Closing your eyes, you took a moment to enjoy the feeling of being held. His arms, muscular signs of security, anchored your swirling mind. Then, after a long moment, and a long breath release, you reopened your eyes.

"It was the last thing," you whispered, making Jake tilt his head to get a glimpse of your face.

"What was the last thing?" he asked, rubbing a thumb over your arm.

"Just like your voice was the last thing I heard, the eclipse was the last thing I saw," you whispered, closing your eyes and lowering your head, "It haunts me every time I see it."

Jake's ears folded back as he released a small breath, his mind tortured by the agonizing vision of your dying expression. Then, pulling you closer, he began placing multiple kisses on your head--moving from your hair to your temple to your ear to your cheek. After running a brief hand over your head, before wrapping it back around you, he prepared to respond. However, you spoke up before he could.

"It used to be my favorite time of day--eclipse," you continued, shaking your head as your gaze remained low, "but now . . . every time I see the sun disappear . . . I can't escape it--the unease, the fear, the flashbacks. Every time I think I'm moving past it, eclipse comes and reopens the wound, and it's fresh in my mind every night."

As Jake listened, he quickly made the connection between your ongoing nightmares and eclipse.

If eclipse brings the memories back in a fresh wave every night . . . Jake thought to himself, No wonder she's dealing with these night terrors.

"Every time the sun disappears, I feel as though my return to the Great Mother is among us," you finished, shivering in his arms.

Though he knew your chill wasn't from coldness, for a brief moment, Jake subconsciously rubbed his hands over your arms before wrapping them around you again. Looking up, you stared out to the horizon. Jake processed your words and shook his head, closing his eyes as a searing pain shot through his heart.

"Baby girl," he began, speaking in a hushed voice, "I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. For all of this. It was my fault. It was my job to keep you safe--it still is--and to make sure that nothing in this world hurts you. I'll . . . I'll never forgive myself for failing you the first time around."

Frowning, you turned to face him, cupping his cheek with your smaller hand. "Daddy . . . Daddy," you called, making him open his eyes to look at you, "Not once have you ever failed me. What happened that night was beyond your control. Quaritch was beyond your control. The sky people returning was beyond your control. In those last moments, you and I--" You paused, feeling yourself grow choked up.

Jake's eyebrows creased as his gentle eyes held your gaze. Though he knew that you were the one trying to offer him words of comfort, he could never disregard his paternal instinct to console you anytime you grew dewy-eyed.

Cupping your cheek, he began rubbing his thumb over your prominent cheekbone. However, you quickly removed his large hand from your skin, holding it with both of yours.

Your voice came out as a pained whimper, but you forced yourself to get the words out. "You and I both knew what was happening--what was going to happen," you said, making Jake blow a breath out of his nose and lower his head briefly, "B-But you--"

Cupping your father's cheeks, you forced him to meet your eyes, once again--an action he'd done with you countless times. When he did, you pressed your palm against his chest. "When that realization hit me, and I grew panicked, you gave me peace," you continued, "Because of you, I wasn't afraid to let go. You had the strength to make sure that I wouldn't be afraid to die."

Jake shook his head, eyes filling with tears as he let out a sob. He cupped both of your cheeks before pulling you into his chest, folding his arms around you.

"My sweet girl," he choked, squeezing you against him and running a shaky hand over your hair, "God . . . . God, my sweet angel."

"P-Please don't call yourself a failure, Daddy," you whimpered, squeezing your eyes shut as you pressed into his skin, "It hurts me because you're my heart, and I don't blame you for any of this." A small sob escaped your lips now, though you tried to hold it back. "I'm just so frightened now. Not of dying, or joining the Great Mother, but frightened of losing you again."

Jake let out another breath, wishing only to squeeze you tighter, but restraining himself--knowing that he had the potential to hurt you.

"We share the same fear, baby," he answered, placing his chin over your head, "I can't lose you either. Never again."

Then, after a moment spent in thought, he tilted his head down, placing the pads of three of his fingers against your chin and gently coaxing your head up. When you felt his tender touch, you instantly obeyed his silent command, connecting your eyes with his.

"And you and I--we're many things to each other. I'm many things to you. But 'your heart'?" Jake continued, shaking his head, "I can't . . . I can't let you give me that title. I, alone, don't deserve a title so generous."

Pressing your lips together, you leaned up, taking his hand from your chin and holding it. "Who wanted to take me back home? Who wanted to give it a try, even though I had already joined the Great Mother?"

The tension in his face eased, though the solemnity never left his eyes. His lack of answer was enough for you. Smiling slightly, you placed his hand over your heart.

"It's beating because you demanded it to beat again. You are my heart, Daddy. It is decided."

The two of you held each others' gazes for a long moment. Then, after releasing a breath from his nose, a smile began to tug at Jake's lips. Cupping both sides of your head, he pulled you close and kissed your forehead. However, rather than pulling away, he closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against yours. You mirrored him, closing your eyes, as well.

After a long moment of comfortable silence, you gathered the courage to share another burden with your father--one that you'd been holding for days.

"Daddy?" you whispered, making him open his eyes.

"Hm?" he hummed, focusing his gaze on you.

Your eyes remained closed as you spoke. "Can I tell you something else?"

A minuscule spark of joy spread through him. Nothing made him happier than seeing you let your walls down to him. "Anything that's on your mind, sweet girl."

Pulling back, you opened your eyes. However, you kept your gaze low, focusing on Jake's necklace, rather than meeting his eyes.

"I'm afraid I've brought our family shame."

Jake frowned. "What?" he breathed, beginning to shake his head, "No. No, no, sweetheart, you haven't. What happened might have been beyond my control, but it sure as hell wasn't in your control, either."

"That's not what I mean," you replied, looking away briefly.

Jake's shoulders sunk as his frown eased. "Oh," he spoke, "Then, how do you mean?"

You sighed, feeling embarrassment creep up your spine, swirling around your chest and stomach. "I've lost my connection to the water."

Jake blinked at you. His lack of response made you fumble into a series of excuses. "I-It's just--ever since--I just look at the water and I can't bring myself to--I mean, I haven't swam properly since it all--"

Jake reached out, gently cupping the back of your neck. "Y/N," Jake hushed you, "Y/N."

For a brief moment, he placed a finger on your lips, silencing your rambles. Once you fell silent, receiving the message, he adjusted his hands to hold your chin, gripping it between his thumb and forefinger.

"Sweetheart," he began, looking away briefly as a chuckle pushed its way through his lips, "I swear, I'm gonna get this through that thick skull of yours, if it's the last thing I do."

Your lips parted as you absorbed his words. Jake looked back at you, his pointer gently rubbing against the skin beneath your chin.

"None of this is on you. Absolutely none of it. You got that?" he continued, waiting for you to nod.

When you did, his gaze remained unmoving.

"You sure?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and tilting his head, "I know you can be as stubborn as your mother, sometimes."

"I got it," you answered meekly, keeping your gaze down.

"That was pathetic," he replied flatly, briefly using his finger to tickle the skin beneath your chin, "C'mon, a little more feeling."

A giggle spilled from your lips as you pulled away, gripping the hand that held your chin.

"I got it," you replied, louder this time as you met his eyes with raised eyebrows.

"You gonna stop worryin' that pretty little head of yours about it?"

Embarrassment crossed your face. Leaning down, you shoved your face into his chest. "Yes," you mumbled, feeling him shake as he chuckled.

"Good," Jake answered, a smirk fading from his lips, "Now--hey, look at me."

Jake tried to lean you back up, but you dodged his hand. Then, rolling over, you laid your head against his left thigh, bending your knees and placing your feet down to support yourself. Smiling softly, Jake reached down and cupped your chin with both hands, rubbing his thumbs over your skin.

"Between you and the water," he continued, "you're just dealing with some PTSD."

When your face fell, he released a sigh. "I'm afraid things like this are inevitable, baby. They're gonna happen. But, we can always find ways around them. And, you and I, we're gonna deal with it together. Alright?"

As you looked into his eyes, relief seeped into your veins. Without saying a word, he communicated your safeness with him. With his eyes, he let you know that, even if the Metkayina had thoughts on your temporary disconnect with the water, he would be the first to jump in front of you, guarding every blow before it could touch you.

Nodding your head, you released a breath. "Thanks, Daddy," you whispered, reaching up to grip one of his wrists, "Truly. I can't thank you enough for always being . . . here. For always listening. For caring."

He shook his head. "I don't like that you're thanking me for doing the bare minimum," he answered matter-of-factly, "You're mine, and I'll always be here, whether you like it or not."

"Even if you have to go off, and be Toruk Makto again?"

Jake removed a loose strand of hair from your forehead. Then, he leaned in slightly, raising his eyebrows in the process. "Being your heart is more important to me than being Toruk Makto, angel."

Giving him a close-lipped smile and shutting your eyes, you said nothing in response--fulfilled by his weighted words.

As endeared as Jake was--with your head lying in his lap--he wanted you closer. "C'mere," he rasped, patting his thighs.

Opening your eyes, you gave him a confused look. "I'm here."

"Well, I can't hold you from down there," he retorted, raising his eyebrows as you snorted.

"Hold my face," you sassed, closing your eyes again, "I'm comfy."

Jake tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. A mischievous snarl crossed his face. "Is that so?" he asked, his tone a little too sweet for your liking.

Barely having time to open your eyes, he gripped your midsection and yanked you up. Gasping, you broke into a fit of laughter as he closed his arms around you. It was the same position he had you in earlier, however, his grip was much less relenting, this time.

"I said I wanna hold you," he growled, pressing his face against your twitching ear as you laughed, "You gonna make me pull out the old tricks?"

"Old tricks?" you attempted to hiss, "Please."

"Is that a challenge?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow, before leaning in to blow in your ear, "How much're we bettin'?"

Your eyes widened as you tried to lean away. "No!" you hollered, fighting giggles as you tried to distance yourself from him, "No, stop it, Dad! I'm not five anymore!"

"And?"

He shook his head in your neck, making you cackle as your cheeks burned with embarrassment. However, your embarrassment spiked as a large shadow fell over your face, making you open your eyes.

With your head leaned back, you had an upside down view of Tonowari. Gasping, you leaned up, gazing at your lap as your face blazed with fire.

"Apologies," Tonowari spoke up, unable to hold back his chuckles, "I do not mean to intrude."

Jake shook his head, chuckling with him. "You aren't."

Swallowing your pride, you looked up at the Metkayina chief, preparing to greet him properly. "Oel ngati kameie, Olo'eyktan Tonowari."

Jake looked down at you, pride spreading across his face. Tonowari gave you a fond smile as he took a knee. "Oel ngati kameie, young one," he replied, before turning to Jake, "Oel ngati kameie, Jakesully."

"Oel ngati kameie," Jake replied politely.

Tonowari, then, turned to you, once again. "Are you well, my child?"

Your shoulders sunk as the tension within your body eased. "I am . . . as well as I can be."

Jake ran a hand over your hair as Tonowari nodded once. "I understand," he answered, "On behalf of The People, my children, my wife, and myself, we are grateful to have you back with us."

Your heart swelled at his words. Visibly lighting up, you placed a hand on your heart. "Thank you, sir. I am overjoyed to be back with you all. Thank you for continuing to provide our family with sanctuary."

After nodding again, he replied. "You will always have a place here."

Upon hearing his words, your organs warmed, feeling as though a swarm of glowfish were traveling through your veins. Though Jake was always your primary paternal figure, you couldn't help the pleasure you felt in pleasing the chief of the Metkayina--and father to friends you held dear.

"If you don't mind, may I borrow your sempul for a moment?" Tonowari asked, raising his eyebrows in question.

Turning your head, you looked to Jake. Jake met your eyes, smiling softly before nodding towards the hut. "Go on. I'll be there in a minute."

Nodding, you turned to Tonowari before nodding politely. Tonowari nodded, watching with a smile as Jake helped you off of his lap before you walked into the hut. Before you left his sights, however, his eyes fell to the anklet.

Jake and Tonowari stood up before edging away from the hut. As both men walked, they stood tall--each carrying himself regally.

"She likes the gift Aonung made for her?" Tonowari inquired, making Jake turn to him in confusion.

"I thought Tsireya made it."

Tonowari frowned. "Tsireya? No. She's been working on another gift for your 'ite."

"Oh," Jake replied, turning his gaze forward.

Coming to a stop, Tonowari turned to face Jake. "I am here to check on the child's state--on behalf of my mate, as well. She has experienced something beyond our comprehension."

Pressing his lips together, Jake released a breath from his nose. "Yeah. I know."

Reading Jake's emotions, the chief tilted his head. "Is she struggling?"

Jake looked away, closing his eyes for a moment before answering. "Yeah. A lot. There's a lot that she's . . . struggling to bounce back from--which is only natural. Still, though, I hate seeing her in so much pain."

"It has left her troubled?"

"Haunted. Very."

"Mm," Tonowari hummed, "Well, I will allow you to aid her with her recovery, in any way you see fit. However, do not be afraid to come to us--should you seek other methods. Ronal wishes to assist her in any way she can."

Nodding gratefully, Jake answered him. "Thank you. We will definitely keep that in mind."

The two men gripped forearms, acknowledging one another respectfully, before separating.

"Go on," Tonowari said, nodding towards the hut, "I know you are eager to return to her."

Jake scoffed lightheartedly, glancing back, not denying the chief's words.

"Sleep well."

Jake nodded. "You, as well."

. *. ⋆

hiiii my loves sorry it's been so long. the semester has started so my priorities have shifted. however, I will still write when I can because I need to visit this universe to keep myself sane. so don't fret bc I'm not abandoning you ! all my love ! I hope you enjoyed xx

Taglist : @eywas-daughter @pturnersblog @bombshe77 @faatxma @scryarchives @gamorxa @222krn @ellabellabus07 @perfectprofessorloverapricot @raefoxiegirl @vampxra @itssiaaax @tinkerbelle05 @brittclass-18 @missroro @aisylazzy @leomatsuzaki @joey-hoey @eternallyvenus @mae-is-crazy @nyotamalfoy @mashiromochi @theghostofshadows @httpsplanetmarsdotcom @cmfouatslota77 @laylasbunbunny @fanboyluvr @phxntomx11 @dumb-fawkin-bitch @ellabellabus07 @abbersreads @23victoria @sully-stick-together @uselessbutinteresting @fleursbending @missdreamofendless @prty-poisxn

#jake sully x daughter!reader #jake sully daughter #jake sully #jake sully x reader #jake sully x you #avatar way of water #Jake Sully fluff #Jake Sully x y/n #soft #protective Jake sully

[alj4890]

All Through the Night

A Choices: The Royal Romance Dark AU

A/N Picking up right where we left off in the prologue and delving deep into the Beaumont's part of this storyline. We will also begin to see what some of our other TRR characters are and how they affect this divided kingdom of Cordonia. This is a VERY long chapter since I went into both Beaumont's histories, but I couldn’t find a good place to end their beginning to this storyline, LOL. Hope it doesn’t ruin this for anyone.

@gkittylove99 ​​ @krsnlove ​ @kingliam2019 ​ @texaskitten30 ​ @yourmajesty09 ​ @mom2000aggie ​ @ofpixelsandscribbles ​ @twinkleallnight ​ @lodberg ​ @twinkleallnight ​ @amandablink ​ @neotericthemis ​  @mm2305 ​ @sfb123 ​ @iufilms​​ ​ ​ @tessa-liam @busywoman​ 

Masterlist

Part 1

Outside the Cordonian Palace...

"Home?" Drake asked as he fell into step beside Liam.

"So soon?" The prince smiled at him. "The night is still young. We could check out a club or two."

"Uh huh." Drake shook his head. "Nice try, but I know you, Liam. Where are we really headed?"

Liam's smile dimmed. "I thought about checking on Leo."

"Leo? Why?"

"I'm worried about him. That last argument he had with Father...he hasn't been in contact at all with anyone at home." Liam softly sighed. "He hasn't answered any of my calls or messages."

"Then why visit?" Drake's tone was filled with bitterness. "Some siblings leave without a second glance and don't care how much it hurts you in the process."

Liam winced at the reminder he had caused his closest friend. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to bring up memories of Sav--"

"She's dead now." Drake bit out.

Liam closed his mouth. He knew that wasn't true, but it was the only way Drake could deal with what Savannah had done. Ever since the Beaumont’s appeared that fateful night, the Walker's had been permanently damaged.

He didn't know if there was even a chance for a reconciliation between the two.

Clearing his throat, Liam returned to the subject of Leo. "I can't come down here without checking on him."

"Is he even here anymore?" Drake asked. "I thought he had left Cordonia all together after your father refused his latest petition."

"He did. But through new sources, I have discovered that he not only returned, but has been back for quite some time."

They walked on in silence until they stopped in front of a small townhome.

They stared at the façade where not a single light was on.

Liam checked the time. "Perhaps it is too late to call upon him now that he is part of the human world."

"We can always come back after sunset." Drake offered.

"You don't have to accompany me." Liam placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "I think I can manage to get around down here on my own."

"And leave you alone with not only a Nevarkis but also a Beaumont protecting the streets from your kind." Drake's eyes narrowed. "Fat chance."

Liam shook his head. "Olivia is not going to harm me. And--"

"You can't trust her. I know you think you're little bond you made with her as a kid will keep you safe, but she'll end up just like her family and betray you the first moment she can."

"She's one of my closest friends." Liam argued. "She would never--"

"And as for Beaumont, do you honestly believe he will not seek revenge for what happened to his brother?" Drake snapped. "I'm surprised he has waited this long to make a move."

Liam knew there was little use arguing when Drake fell into this state of mind. With a sigh, he turned away from his brother's current dwelling and began to make the long trek back to the Blackspire Mountains.

****************

Earlier that night, Ramsford...

So many memories...

Maxwell stood in front of the wall of weapons his ancestors had collected over the years.

His hand raised, trailing over the gold kraken near the hilt of his namesake's sword, the very one that felt like an extension of his own arm.

"Here you are." Bertrand grumbled. "We need to discuss the next Beaumont Bash."

The young lord had to summon all his strength to fall into the act that was necessary.

"You came to the right man." He spun around, his movements as smooth as silk. "What would you like me to do?"

"I'm leaving music selection in your hands. Savannah," Bertrand smiled softly, "will be handling the decorations. I will of course be choosing the menu." He held up his many lists of chores. "I want my wife's first ball to be praised by all who attend."

"This will be the Beaumont Bash to beat all the previous ones." Maxwell promised.

"I knew I could count on you." Bertrand hesitated. "Perhaps, is there a young lady you would like to invite?"

Maxwell fought to keep his carefree act in place.

"You know me." He shrugged with a dimpled grin. "It's difficult to find...someone right."

Bertrand patted his shoulder. "You'll find the right person."

Once he disappeared down the stairs, Maxwell allowed his smile to disappear.

The past year and a half had been difficult. Becoming this version of a party loving noble grated on his nerves. He wished that they could go back to what they once were...monster hunters.

The Beaumont Brothers had once struck fear in the Dark Kingdom. The very notion that they had been tasked to bring a creature to justice sent many of them scurrying into the far reaches of the realm. Yet, none could escape them for long.

At least...that was how it once was.

That one fateful encounter with the King of the Dark Kingdom made their entire world turn upside down.

*****************

2 years ago...

"Wait." Bertrand placed his hand on Maxwell's shoulder.

He did a few hand signals.

Maxwell nodded and slipped his sword out of its sheath. He briefly closed his eyes, using his other senses to zoom in on where the danger was. The woods along the outskirts of the Dark Kingdom could be treacherous during the daylight. At night, it was nothing but a death trap to the random lost hiker.

Sensing a presence a little to his right, Maxwell took a few silent steps forward.

Bertrand followed, guarding his back with a crossbow.

"Stop!" A female's voice cried out. "Please, my lords. Help me!"

The brothers froze at the sobs that followed that plea.

"She sounds human." Bertrand whispered. "Could she be lost?"

"This far up the mountain?" Maxwell countered. "Not likely. It's probably another vile fiend hoping to trap her next meal."

"Please." The voice was faint, sounding almost defeated. "Please help me escape."

Escape. That one word meant she was an innocent human, one that would most likely perish from the monsters that resided nearby.

Bertrand stopped Maxwell and stepped in front of him.

Parting the branches of a bush, they saw a woman sitting on the ground. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and her face was buried in her arms. Her body shook with muffled cries.

"Will no one help me?" She repeated over and over.

Bertrand lowered his weapon then knelt before her.

Maxwell remained tense, ready to lop off her head if she even made the slightest movement to harm his brother.

"We can help you." Bertrand reached out and laid a gentle hand on her arm. "Who--"

The brothers jumped back when she lifted her face.

She was a Walker and not just any Walker: Savannah Walker, only sister to the crown prince's right hand, Sir Drake Walker.

The two were the only descendants left of a human family that once centuries ago had made a blood oath to the Rhys. Each generation served as a protector and companion of sorts to the reigning family.

Savannah wiped at her tears. She cautiously rose, then held her hands out to them. "Please. I know who you are and I mean you no harm."

Bertrand had yet to raise his crossbow. His jaw was slack as he gazed upon her.

Maxwell pointed his sword at her. "We received a message asking us to search for a missing human." His eyes narrowed. "Did you send that message?"

She nodded. "Forgive me for lying, but I knew you wouldn't come if you knew it was from me."

Maxwell cursed, his nerves notched to an eleven as his eyes scanned the forest for a possible ambush.

"Why do you need to escape?" Bertrand asked.

"Aren't you the prince's right hand girl?" Maxwell taunted. "No longer enjoying being a vampire's plaything?"

Savannah winced at his insults.

"That's enough." Bertrand snapped. "She needs our help."

Maxwell's jaw dropped. "Surely you don't believe her?"

"I do." Bertrand moved closer to her. "Tell me what is going on."

Maxwell looked up to make certain the sky wasn't falling. Had his overly cautious brother, the very one that made him train hours upon hours each and every day, just defend an enemy of Cordonia?

"Prince Liam demands nothing from me, other than the occasional donation of blood." She sniffed. "He is very kind, but I don't want to remain here." Her warm brown eyes held Bertrand's. "I want to live a normal life, have a family...one that isn't bound to live here."

Bertrand rubbed a hand down his face. She looked so desperate, so in need of reassurance that she could have that dream.

"You're bound by a blood oath." Maxwell reminded her with a shrug. "There's nothing we can do to help you."

"Please!" She jerked her hands back when his sword swatted them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"Maxwell Percival Beaumont!" Bertrand moved in front of Savannah. "Lower that weapon this instant!"

"Have you lost your mind?" Maxwell motioned toward the one that dragged them out of their beds. "Has she cast some spell over you? She's a member of the inner Dark Court. She probably has some signal that will have Constantine and his spawn out here to end us."

"I don't." She cried. "I could never do that."

Bertrand wrapped an arm around her. "We can't help you escape tonight. The blood oath will kill you if you break it without magic." He gently squeezed her close. "We'll find out what must be done and then rescue you."

"We'll do what now?" Maxwell jerked his brother away from her. "We are not prepared to face off against both Constantine and Liam."

"We'll find a way around them." Bertrand hissed. "Regina will know what to do."

"You're involving the witches now?" Maxwell's eyes grew incredulous. "You know they don't take sides."

Bertrand glanced back at Savannah. "I know. But we must try."

He returned to her and softly whispered the plan.

Maxwell watched as her eyes filled with tears again. She nodded, whispered a way to contact her and then impulsively kissed his brother’s cheek.

"Thank you." She squeezed his hand. "I must return before someone notices I'm absent."

She took off, stumbling through the brush, and disappeared from sight.

"We're really doing this?" Maxwell muttered.

"We are." Bertrand vowed. "She doesn't deserve to be imprisoned here for what her ancestors did."

"Everyone is in some type of prison thanks to our ancestors." Maxwell told him as he started back down the mountain. "Some of us just endure our life sentence better than others."

****************

A few weeks went by after encountering Ms. Walker. Bertrand summoned Regina and her coven to discuss how best to help Savannah.

The Guardian, as she was referred to by the younger witches, pondered this problem. Reassuring him that she would find a way, she rose to retire to a guest room.

"Just a minute, please." Maxwell held up a hand to stop her. "Your admirer must never know of this. He'll kill her as well as us if he thinks we plan on disrupting his castle."

Regina stiffened at the word, admirer.

It was no secret that Constantine had fallen in love with her. Years ago, the vampire had made her an offer of marriage. She had been tempted to accept, given that she had lost her heart to him as well. Then tragedy struck and her cousin and her husband perished in a plane crash, leaving their young daughter Madeleine, an orphan.

Regina had noticed that the little girl had inherited magical skills that could be molded into a powerful witch. Knowing that their talent would not be welcomed in the Dark Kingdom, she refused Constantine's proposal and remained in Cordonia. She had raised the young countess to be a witch that would do whatever she could to protect the innocent and needy.

Madeleine had formed friendships with two other noble ladies, completing the coven that would replace Regina on her death. Ladies Kiara and Penelope studied hard, yet were never quite as powerful as Madeleine.

And now the Beaumont’s were asking a favor.

Regina knew she owed them one. Hundreds of years earlier Percival Beaumont had saved the life of her ancestor, Kayden Vescovi. Without him, Regina and Madeleine would not be here today nor imbued with magic.

Madeleine slipped inside.

"Do you really think we can break a blood oath?" She sat down beside her relative. "Blood magic is tricky enough as it is. I can only imagine how much it will take from us to break."

Regina gently patted her hand. "We will do all we can to find a way. Our debt to the Beaumont’s must be repaid."

Madeleine nodded in agreement. "I brought some books along. I'll see if they have anything that can help us."

Regina watched her pixie like cousin slip out the door with a fond smile. It slowly firmed into a frown as she thought of what she had discovered before journeying to Ramsford.

Leo Rhys, former prince of the Dark Kingdom had begun visiting Madeleine in secret. 

She knew she would have to address that once she discovered the type of relationship Madeleine had with the young man. Now though, she was needed to solve this problem for Bertrand.

It took weeks of research, then having to wait upon a waning gibbus moon before a potion could be prepared. Once Regina had placed the bottle sealed with a waxed cork in Bertrand's hand, she had explained what must be done.

"Savannah must drink this and declare herself free from the Rhys' family." She explained. "Then she must force herself to turn her back on them and walk away. It will be painful for her, but she will survive."

"Thank you." Bertrand bowed. "I knew if anyone could help us, it would be you."

She gently squeezed his hand. "If you need me, do not hesitate to call. I will be here as fast as I can."

*******************

That night, the brothers slipped quietly through a gate into the Dark Kingdom. Savannah had told Bertrand that it was their best place to go undetected, given that the guard typically dozed off around the midnight hour.

"How often have you two talked?" Maxwell whispered.

"Everyday." Bertrand replied.

"Everyday?!"

"Keep your voice down." Bertrand ordered.

"She called to pester you everyday over this blood oath potion?"

"Not exactly." Bertrand slinked further into the shadows when they noticed a few people lingering around a town center.

"Then what have you been talking about?" Maxwell prodded.

He wasn't prepared to hear the answer.

"Marriage." Bertrand reluctantly replied

"Marriage? To whom?" His eyes widened. "You're going to marry a Walker?!"

"Yes." Bertrand narrowed his eyes. "She is kind and--"

"She's a Walker. A. Walker." Maxwell stressed. "Enemy to any and all monster hunters."

"She's not our enemy." Bertrand snapped. "For that matter, she says that Liam isn't either. He wants peace between our kingdoms."

"Oh well, that's a relief." Maxwell mocked, wiping his brow. "The word of a vampire is the one thing you can always count on."

Bertrand grit his teeth together to keep from saying something he might regret. He needed his younger brother's support and approval with this decision. He had never had a moment in his life since Maxwell's birth where he didn't have that. He would need it even more so in taking Savannah for his bride. He also hoped that Maxwell would become a brother to her since she was about to lose the only family she had ever known.

Regina had told him to stress to Savannah that breaking this blood oath could also destroy the bond she had with her brother, Drake.

He had done so over the phone, then wished he could be there to hold her as her heart broke over this hefty price.

With a shaky voice, she had remained determined to leave and marry him.

Creeping onward towards the castle, the brothers remained each lost in thought of what the future would bring.

*******************

Castle Rhys, that fateful night....

"Welcome home, my dear Sherry. And Rashad, how was your trip? Successful as usual, I believe." Constantine greeted the cousins warmly.

The two bowed and curtsied before relaxing again.

"It was very successful, your majesty." Rashad sat down in a chair catty cornered to the king's. "In fact, I was able to...."

While the pair talked, Sherry hurried over to hug Liam.

"Sherry!" He swung her into a tight hug. "I didn't think you were returning to us so soon."

"I missed home." She stepped back and grinned at Drake. "How have you been, Sir Drake?"

"Stop that sir mess and come here." He couldn't maintain his frown for long around her after pulling her into a tight hug. "The Blackspire Mountains haven't been the same without you flying about."

Sherry, formally Lady Sherveen Alcantar cousin to the Duke of Domvallier, Lord Rashad Kovak, was a fire-user. She and Rashad were direct descendants of King Dominic and his secret marriage to Sei Rhuka after the death of Queen Kenna. The fire users had decided to marry to protect the true heir to the kingdom and give him a family that would always be ready to fight by his side.

Like their ancestors the two cousins could transform into dragons and were known to fly above the clouds, away from curious humans.

Given their direct descent and blood relationship to each member of the Rhys family, their closeness had been encouraged with each and every generation. Sei had been the one to decree that every dragon born was to devote their lives to keeping their vampire relatives safe.

"Where's Savannah?" Sherry asked. "It seems like forever since I last saw her."

"Sav's been down lately." Drake explained. "Maybe she has been missing you and Rashad." He began to walk away, "I'll go fetch her."

Liam motioned for Sherry to sit with him.

As she lowered herself down, her gray eyes turned silver. A delectable smell seemed to waft from nearby. It fluttered her senses.

"Excuse me a moment, Liam," she pushed her jet black hair back and searched for the source.

It wasn't food she smelled, but rather someone. Possibly the one if she was to go by how her ancestors described finding the perfect mate. Her heartbeat accelerated as the smell became stronger with each step she took.

Then she noticed the guards' bodies lining the second floor hallway.

********************

Savannah said the words necessary after drinking the potion. Her insides became engulfed with flames, scalding her blood of any magic.

"AHH-" she clamped her hands over her mouth to muffle the agonizing scream while boiling tears slipped down her cheeks. A white hot mist began to float up from her skin.

"Savannah!" Bertrand tried to take her in his arms, but was burned upon touching a bare piece of her skin.

"Let's go." She managed to say through painful gasps. "We must hurry. It's almost--"

Her bedroom door flew open. A stunned Drake followed by Sherry walked into the room.

"Sav? What did you do?" Drake gripped his head. "Why don't I feel--"

Sherry stared wide eyed at Maxwell. She could feel the heat move over her body and pooling within her palms. One little flick of a finger would have fire burning within her grasp.

The one I'm meant for is a hunter?

But how could this be? They couldn't--impossible--how would they ever--

"I'm leaving, Drake." Savannah sobbed. "I can't take it anymore."

"What are you talking about?" He staggered against a wall and slowly slid down. "Why do I feel like you have died? That you've been taken from me?"

"I'm sorry." She knelt beside him. "So incredibly sorry."

He passed out from the pain pulsating in his veins.

"No!" Savannah tried to wake him up. "Drake please--"

"We have to go." Maxwell eyed the silver irises holding his own gaze. "Don't make any sudden moves."

Sherry merely nodded.

The three edged around her to the door.

"Who are you?" Sherry asked.

"No concern of yours." He bit out.

"But..."

She had to chase after him.

******************

It had happened in the blink of an eye. One minute, they saw the exit and felt elation at having succeeded. Then a sinister creature flew over their heads. It landed in front of them then threw its cloak back.

Constantine had found them.

"What did you do Savannah?" He snarled. "Why is your brother unconscious? Whatever you did also hurt Liam."

"Sir, I am so sorry. But I can't--"

"You haven't begun to feel sorrow." Constantine held her gaze, then reached out to torment her mind until she was beyond help.

Bertrand knew what was happening and jumped in front of Savannah, taking the hit of Constantine's frightening power.

He fell to the floor with a scream. Curling into a ball, he cried out for his dead mother and then for Maxwell.

Constantine slumped against a wall too, his powers surprisingly weak.

"Bertrand!" Savannah gently touched him and tried to snap him out of whatever nightmare Constantine had thrust him in.

It was no use. Whatever the vampire king had done, there was no clear way to help Bertrand.

"What did you do to him?" Maxwell demanded. "Tell me now before I kill you!"

"Do?" Constantine's voice had grown weak. "I got my revenge."

"No please!" Savannah pleaded. "There's bound to be a way we can end this amicably."

Bertrand’s screams turned to whimpers.

Fighting his own panic, Maxwell picked up his brother and began to back out of the room.

"Wait!" Sherry stepped forward. "I must--"

Liam appeared, causing the hairs on Maxwell's neck to rise.

"Savannah?" He stumbled forward, catching himself against a side table. "What is going on?"

"I'm so sorry Liam." Savannah whispered. "Please tell Drake I love him, but I have to live my own life. Tell him," she glanced back at the man sobbing in Maxwell's arms, "tell him I'm to marry Bertrand Beaumont."

"No!" Sherry shook her head.

It couldn't be. She had lost her heart, her very choice to choose another mate, to Maxwell Beaumont.

"Savannah," Constantine hissed. "If you ever return to the Dark Kingdom, I will kill you for this treason."

Tears continued to slip down her cheeks, her blood had cooled, giving her a new dose of strength to turn her back upon her king and leave all she'd ever known forever.

******************

Maxwell had struggled to get his brother down the mountain. Once back within Cordonia's borders, he had called Regina. No human doctor could help Bertrand. He hoped that a witch could reverse the effects of Constantine's vicious attack.

Regina worked tirelessly along with Madeleine to find a way to cure the young duke. The potions and spells they tried did little to bring him out of his fear.

Savannah never left Bertrand's side. She took care of him, fed him, tried to soothe him when he cried out. She did everything Regina suggested in between their treatments. Maxwell begrudgingly began to soften toward her when he saw that she truly loved his brother.

After a month of this, Regina finally sat Maxwell and Savannah down to offer them one final solution.

"I cannot bring him back." Her eyes were filled with sorrow. "Constantine's power is too strong. The damage is too extensive."

Savannah bit back a sob. "It's all my fault."

Maxwell silently agreed. If she had only accepted her lot in life like everyone else did.

"Bertrand made his choice." He mumbled, knowing he would want him to try and comfort her. "You were his choice."

She blinked back tears. "I won't give up on him."

Maxwell wondered. Hadn't she given up on Liam and Drake? And whoever that girl was with the silver eyes? Why would she remain with a mentally damaged man she had only seen once before and had a few conversations with?

Only monsters fell in love that quickly.

Was she--

"What I can do is give Bertrand a new mind." Regina leaned forward. "It will take years to make it permanent. You will have to slip him potions until the new memories settle."

Savannah and Maxwell sat up.

"New mind? So you can give him what he was before the attack?" Maxwell asked.

"I could, but I won't." Regina explained. "I'm afraid the knowledge of the Dark Kingdom would cause the new mind to never fully develop. His fears are forever tied to Constantine now. What he's seeing in his mind are you both, your parents, and even himself being tortured by the king and other monstrous creatures. It is a never ending slide show of agony."

Maxwell swallowed as stray tears began to fall down his cheeks. No wonder Bertrand screamed his name and their mom's. He thought he couldn't save them.

"Bertrand will never again be a hunter and he must never know that you are still one, Maxwell." She reached out and took his hand. "From the moment I begin the incantation, you all will need to live as a normal human."

"Whatever he needs, I'll do." He promised.

Savannah added her own fervent vow that she would give Bertrand that life.

Regina nodded. "Come. Madeleine and I will walk you through the potions you'll need to secretly give him. Tomorrow, we will begin the process."

******************

Within a month, Bertrand was back on his feet. He was pleased that he would be marrying his fiancée soon. He was content with the sparkling wine his duchy was famous for. He even took great delight in being a part of Queen Olivia's council.

And he believed his younger brother needed something to occupy him.

Maxwell managed to pull off his late nights out as partying instead of monitoring the boundaries between the two kingdoms. Olivia would join him as much as she could to help, but he preferred being alone.

He needed to prefer being alone.

And then, after a few months of proactive policing, he saw the silver eyed girl.

She was returning from an evening out with human friends.

He stepped out of the shadows, blocking her path.

His eyes darted over her, trying to discern what she exactly was. He could usually pick a vampire out of a crowd easily. Witches were not known to live in the Dark Kingdom. She could possibly be a human that Constantine and Liam preferred to feed from. But that didn't seem likely.

Those humans never left the Dark Kingdom.

He knew there were other creatures rumored to live up there. Werewolves could be occasionally heard at night. There were the elves who kept the kingdom wealthy. An occasional troll would slip out to attack a human. A few families of vampires from other nations had moved a long time ago to the only kingdom where they didn't have to live in fear.

And then there were the mythical dragons.

Maxwell had never seen one, save from renderings of King Dominic and his fellow fire user Sei.

The girl stopped, keeping about six feet between them. "Good evening, Lord Maxwell."

He blinked at the friendliness he could hear. "Good evening, umm..."

"Sherveen Alcantar, or Sherry.” She blushed over her stuttering. “ I prefer Sherry."

"Sherry." He repeated. "What are you doing down here?"

"I was meeting with some friends of mine." She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "My cousin is business partners with William Sloane, do you know him?"

Maxwell gave a noncommittal shrug.

"Oh. Well, he was hosting a dinner on his yacht and I, um, went." She lowered her eyes.

"And what exactly was on the menu?" Maxwell asked.

Her eyes flashed at that condescending tone of his. "The usual a multimillionaire would have. Appetizers of caviar and shrimp. A roasted beet and pear salad. Lobster. Roasted parsnips and potatoes. Complete with a dessert of chocolate soufflé sprinkled with powdered sugar and gold flakes."

Maxwell merely quirked an eyebrow.

She huffed in irritation. "Anyway, there is something I think we should discuss."

"Savannah is not coming back. She's married to my brother." He informed her.

"No, that's not what we need to talk about." Taking a deep breath, she let the words finally be said. "You are meant for me."

"I'm what?" His eyes narrowed. "Are you a vampire."

"No." She shifted, raising one of her legs to take a shoe off. "But we are meant to be together." Her silver eyes began to glow brighter. "And I believe you know it."

"I--" was that why he there wasn't a day that passed where he didn't think about her?

She removed her other shoe, sighing at the relief she felt. "I'm a fire-user."

He snorted with surprised laughter. "Right. And I'm really a--"

His eyes widened when she produced a flame in her palm. Winking at him, she produced two more and began to juggle the fireballs.

"That doesn't mean--"

He fell backwards when she turned into a black dragon with silver tipped wings. Smoke curled out of her nostrils as she leveled a humor filled eye upon him.

He stared at the creature he believed was made up.

With a puff of smoke, she transformed back into a human.

A naked human.

"Don't stare." She ordered, pulling out a spare dress that she always kept close at hand from her purse.

He couldn't help it. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Once she was properly covered, she sat down beside him.

"What do we do about our destiny?" She asked.

He didn't know. His world it seemed had truly fallen apart.

******************

He tried to fight it. Maxwell didn't like the fact that he was intended for someone else without any say whatsoever. It seemed that a human couldn't fight the magic or whatever it was when a monster recognized you as their mate.

Sherry began to show up wherever he was whenever he left home. She'd spend a few minutes talking to him, then leave before he could deny they were meant to be.

It drove him crazy. There were times he wanted to accept it. Then there were times he wanted her to never return. Either way he couldn't stop thinking about her. He no longer saw any other woman as being attractive.

One day, he was walking through a park to try and clear his head. It hurt to no longer be able to discuss things like this with Bertrand. He needed his guidance in this. Of course given how he had fallen for Savannah, he probably would have encouraged Maxwell to be with a dragon.

Sherry appeared before him.

He bumped into her. His arms reached out and wrapped around her to keep her from falling down.

She took advantage of his momentum and kissed him.

He had frozen with the feel of her warm lips touching his. Against everything he had was and believed about the creatures that lived in the kingdom high in the mountains, he held her closer and took over the kiss.

Her soft hum of desire drifted up to his ears. Her fingers slipped into his hair. Their warmth was nearly burning. He jerked back at that reminder that she wasn't human.

Sherry's eyes were glowing again as she took deep breaths to calm down.

"Max, I--"

"I have to go." He sprinted away from her.

*****************

Months continued with seeing her like this. He actually found himself longing for her the moment they parted. He still fought against his growing attraction, but would succumb at weak moments to either holding her or kissing her.

Then he began to actually listen and talk to her.

After a year, he finally accepted that they were meant for one another. Once he did, they began to talk of a possible future together.

"Where could we live?" He asked. "I can't live in the Dark Kingdom. After my years of hunting, I'll be killed as soon as I step into the town square."

"I can live down here." Sherry rested her head against his chest.

"Can you?" He nudged her chin up to look into her eyes. "What about your duties to Liam? What about Rashad? Your bond, is it like Savannah's? I can't ask you to do what she did. She suffers daily with missing Drake."

"Mine isn't a blood oath, more of a way of life." She explained. "Liam and I are family." She gently caressed his cheek. "And he is so happy that I've found you "

"He knows?"

"Of course." Sherry laughed. "Liam, Rashad, and I have no secrets."

"And they're fine with you being with a man who hunts his kind?" Maxwell asked.

"We know you don't do it without provocation." She explained. "If you were a sadistic killer going after the innocent, then we wouldn't allow you to live."

"What about Constantine?" His eyes narrowed in concern. "Something tells me he wouldn't be so understanding."

"You're right." She lowered her eyes. "That's why I haven't told him."

"Sherry." Maxwell pulled her closer to him. "Would he hurt you if he found out? Like what he tried to do with Savannah?"

"I'm... I don't think so." She rolled away from him to look up at the night sky. "My discovering that you're my mate wasn't a choice like what Savannah did. And being with you won't hurt Liam."

"Are you certain?" He propped himself up on his elbow.

She sighed. "About us, yes. About the king, no." She finally shared what was worrying her. "Ever since the attack, King Constantine has been acting strange."

"How so?"

"He doesn't spend as much time with our people as he used to. He rarely leaves his chambers. He has begun pressuring Liam to either find a mate or arrange a marriage." Her brow furrowed. "He seems almost obsessed on making certain all possible enemies are destroyed."

"Enemies like me?” He asked. “Olivia?" 

"Yes." She wrapped her arms around him. "He has plans for Olivia. He fears she will extract revenge on him by killing Liam."

"I see." Maxwell rubbed his brow, trying to see a way out of this.

He didn't know if he could protect everyone.

***************

Now...

Maxwell searched his pockets for his cell. He didn't recognize the number but knew that whoever had this number was in need of his hunting services.

"Hello."

"Lord Beaumont?" A cultured voice asked.

"Yes." He hurried into his room when he heard Bertrand and Savannah talking a little ways down the hall. "Who is this?"

"Lorelei Lee." She replied.

"Lady Lorelei." He remembered her from his mother's stories. "How can I help you?"

"My daughter and her friend have got it in their heads to come visit Cordonia." She began. "I'm not certain how long they intend to stay, but I was hoping that I could retain your services."

"For what exactly?" Maxwell asked.

"Protection." She replied. "I have heard through certain channels that the dark prince is beginning to search for a bride." She took a deep breath. "We do NOT want our daughter anywhere near that vile creature."

"I understand." Maxwell replied. "I usually don't do personal security. With my brother retired," he grimaced at that, "it is left up to me to help protect Cordonia's borders."

"My husband and I would be in your debt if you could watch over her in the evenings." Lorelei cajoled. "I've heard that your brother is planning on extending his vineyards. We would be more than happy to invest in the production and distribution of his sparkling wine. Perhaps even let it be the only sparkling wine we serve in our hotels."

Maxwell rubbed a hand down his face. He knew his brother was anxious to succeed. Regina had told Maxwell recently that in order for the spell to be successful, Bertrand had to relax. Gaining not only an investor but also a permanent client would help relieve his troubled mind.

"Send me her information and picture. Call her and tell her that since our family is an old friend of yours, that I've volunteered to show them around. Find out where she's staying and when she plans on arriving."

"Oh thank you, Lord Maxwell. We--"

"I'll also need a contract prepared and signed for all that you offered." He added.

"Yes of course. I'll get everything to you at once."

He ended the call and tossed his phone down.

How had he gone from a monster hunter to a glorified baby sitter?

****************

Later the next day, along Beach Cove, Cordonia...

"This place is gorgeous!" Riley dropped her luggage and darted from room to room. "I can't believe we can afford something like this for our stay!"

Hana was puzzled as she turned about. The two bedroom beach house was not what she had booked for their stay. Knowing they would be here close to a month, she had gone for a plain, simple rental without any view whatsoever.

"This can't be right." She turned toward the agent. "We were going with the home on Fourth Street."

The agent shook her head. "You were upgraded by a Lady Lorelei Lee."

"My mother did this?!" Hana couldn't believe it. "Did she say why?"

"It was meant as a surprise and a sort of welcome she told me." The agent handed her the keys and told her to call of they had any other needs. "Enjoy your stay, Lady Hana."

Riley walked back into the entry hall as the woman curtsied.

"Hold up." Her smile held a lot of humor. "Was I supposed to be doing that this whole time?"

Hana rolled her eyes with a giggle. "No. It's just the custom here when one is related to a noble."

"That is so cool!" Riley dropped into a deep curtsey that made her wobble. "My lady."

Hana laughed while dragging her luggage further into the house. "I suppose I can't banish you to the kitchens since you now recognize my rank."

"I don't know." Riley pointed out the modern appliances. "I might be happier stuck in there."

"I can't believe my mother did this."

"Maybe this is her way of showing her support or make up for not showing it these last couple of years." Riley offered.

Hana paused outside the bedrooms. "I suppose that's one possibility. I would have preferred she simply tell am that instead of doing all this."

"Look on the bright side. Our videos are now going to be even more popular with this backdrop." Riley opened up the doors. "Which room you want?"

Both were master suites with a wall of windows looking out towards Cordonia's sapphire waters. The sun was beginning to set, adding a brilliant orange to the rich blue.

"I call the pink sands one!" Hana dashed into it, quickly throwing her luggage on the bed.

"Hey!" Riley doubled over laughing when Hana's momentum caused her to get tangled up in the straps and be buried under her bags.

The two friends had begun the tradition of claiming beds and rooms from their very first trip. Whoever's luggage touched a bed first, it was then hers for the rest of the vacation.

"Looks like I get the nautical theme." Riley hefted her bags and set them inside.

Her room was tastefully done in blues and whites. A bottled ship sat upon the dresser while a nearby table had an old map of the surrounding area embossed upon it.

She explored the large closet and bathroom, thrilled with the large shower with multiple shower heads to help ease the tension of a long day of filming.

"I don't think I'll ever want to leave." Riley called out. "You think we could just make this our new permanent base of operations?"

"We could ask, but I doubt we could afford it." Hana replied. "Besides, I thought you said all paths lead to New York."

"I say a lot of things." Riley giggled as she dumped her clothes on the bed. "You should know that better than anyone." She began to randomly toss her things in dresser drawers before losing all interest in this one tedious part of traveling.

She left her remaining pile of clothes and decided to check out Hana's room.

It was the same as hers yet themed more toward the beach. Riley bit back a smile at seeing Hana carefully unpack and hang her clothes one at a time. She didn't know how she had earned her friendship when they were so completely different.

She was truly grateful to have her as her best friend. No one encouraged or believed in her like Hana.

"Aren't you going to unpack?" Hana asked.

"I will." Riley paused when the phone on the nightstand began to ring.

Hana stared at it too in surprise. No one ever called them directly at the places they rented.

"It could be the agent." Riley told her as Hana picked it up.

"Hello?" Hana's eyes widened at the voice on the other end. "Mother! I don't know what to say. This is so generous to--who? Lord Beaumont?" She sat down on the edge of her bed. "He did? That is very kind of him, but we usually try and discover hidden gems for ourselves. I--no of course not!" Her head dropped. "I didn't mean to sound ungrateful--I mean--yes, but--yes mam."

Riley lifted an eyebrow when Hana placed the receiver down. "What's up?"

"Mother called upon an old friend of the family." Hana couldn't remember her ever mentioning this family before. "A Lord Maxwell Beaumont, brother to the current Duke of Ramsford, is going to be our guide around Cordonia during our visit."

"Whoa." Riley's brow furrowed. "The entire time?"

"Apparently." Hana's brow furrowed. "I don't know why she would insist on his company unless...oh no!" She dropped her head in her hands.

"What is it?" Riley sat down beside her and gently patted her back. "Hana?"

"I think she's trying to matchmake me to this Lord Beaumont!" Hana cried out. "She won't ever give me a chance to simply live my life as I see fit, will she?"

"He might actually be the kind of guy who loves showing off his country." Riley pointed out. "Even if your mother is hoping you two decide to marry, you don't have to do anything you don't want to."

Hana nodded, feeling her confidence return with Riley's reminder. "You're right. I'm certain I can rebuff any advances he might give."

"Don't rebuff him just yet." Riley teased. "We need to see the hotspots and he might be cute." She covered her face after Hana hit her with a pillow.

The pair fell into giggles once more as the excitement of discovering all that this country had took over once more.

They knew this would be a trip they would never forget.

Maxwell x Sherry moodboard.

#choices the royal romance #liam x riley #maxwell x oc #maxwell x sherry #trr dark au #trr vampire au #leo x made #trr drake #trr olivia #drake walker #maxwell beaumont #olivia nevarkis #leo rhys #prince liam #trr madeleine #trr regina

[1a-imagines]

A knights promise (part 2)

(Knight!Midoriya x reader)

↬Warnings: smut

↬Summary: After finally running away so you can be together, you find travelling isn't as easy or fun as you first thought. Luckily you have someone to take your mind off it.

↬A/n: This is day 18 of the Izumonth collab! You can find the collab post here.

This is a part 2 if you want to read part 1 you can find that here! But honestly, this one is mostly just smut so i guess you don’t really need to read part one. It just gives a bit more insight into their relationship and goals.

Also the art is mine, I'm really nervous to post my art, especially since its kinda old art and my style has changed a lot, so I don't love it. But I drew this awhile back and thought it would go well with this fic since its fantasy izuku. Anyway! Hope you enjoy ^^

↬↬↬↬↬↬↬↬↬↬

You shuffled closer to Izuku's side, half hiding behind him, hoping his body would act as a shield against all the wildlife.

Izuku couldn’t help but chuckle at the way  your nose crinkled up at the new environment.

"Have the forests always been so-..." you paused thinking of the right word to say. "disgusting?” you asked as you stepped around yet another puddle of sludge. Your hands tightened around his arm. The forest was indeed a beautiful sight from the palace windows, but now you were trudging through mud and wet grass, your boots already caked in dirt, it wasn't as enchanting as you thought it would be.

Izuku gave your hands a light pat. “I know you’re not used to these conditions yet, but I think you're overreacting a bit, princess. It’s just a bit of mud.” He giggled at your sour expression. Truth be told he expected you would be a lot more enthusiastic about the whole situation, finally having freedom, getting to date him without worry, travelling to far off kingdoms and learning new things. You had always dreamed of such a life.

Though it seemed you never thought through the possibility that not everything would be easy and perfect.

"Still, had I have known it would've been this bad I would've brought bigger boots." You muttered. So far this whole 'adventuring' thing has had its ups and downs, like yesterday when you both found that hidden waterfall, the water was sparkling in the sun, vines the trees hung low to keep it hidden as flowers bloomed around the edge of the lake. It was lovely, you both got to splash around in the sun, make a campfire and sit under the stars when night came. It was amazing! One of the most beautiful nights of your life in fact. However, walking through blank fields filled with nothing but muddy sludge wasn't so magical.

A yelp escaped your throat when you were suddenly lifted into the air. You instinctively wrapped your arms around Izuku’s neck as he carried your bridal style. With raised eyebrows you turned to the man who held you in his arms. "What are you doing?" You asked Izuku who grinned in response, "The mud is bothering you right? And as your knight it's my job to protect you even from nature!" He declared, you couldn’t help but smile at him.

"You're not technically my knight anymore, I ran away, remember? So I'm not royalty." While his logic confused you, you weren't about to complain that you were his arms. "I'll always be your knight, royalty or not, I'm always going to protect you." His smile melted your heart, like the sun beaming down on an ice cream cone.

You pressed your flushed face into his shoulder, deciding not to reply. He looked so determined there was no way you would win this argument.

He carried you for hours, and with every step he took guilt stacked another brick onto your heart. Weren't you getting heavy for him. Surely he must be getting tired? He was strong, no doubt. He had trained sith the royal guards, as well as in his spare time, for years! But carrying another human in your arms for hours!? Even the strongest of men would tire eventually.

Catching your eyes he smiled at you, silently reassuring you that he was ok. You purse your lips in response, not believing him, you had already asked him countless times if he was tired, you had told him he could put you down whenever he wanted, but it seemed like he was pretty content with you in his arms.

The more he walked the denser the forest grew. It was a nice day, the sun's light caressing your skin in the best of ways, the breeze brought a refreshing chill every now and then, you could have fallen asleep in his arms then and there. "I don't think we're going to make it to the next down by sundown.." He muttered, shaking his head with a sigh.

"Then maybe you shouldn't have carried me so far, we left the muddy field hours ago and you still won't put me down." You giggled, playfully poking his cheek with your finger. . He blinked, a blush coating his cheeks. "I-I just like holding you!"

He was indulging in the fact he no longer had to hide his love and affection for you, carrying his princess in his arms was just another way to show the outside world who you belonged to, despite having passed no people at all. It was more for his own satisfaction.

"There's a cave over there! We can rest there for tonight!" Your voice snapped him from his thoughts. Your finger pointed out to a lake with a waterfall. It was hard to see but there was a small, circular, opening in the rocks of the cliff. "Good find!" He smiled at you as you jumped from his arms and hurried towards the cave, you wanted to make sure it would be safe enough to sleep in tonight. Izuku pouted as you ran off, already missing the warmth your body provided.

He followed you into the cave, it wasn't big

but it was dry and would keep you hidden from the dangers the night brought. "This will do for tonight, from the looks of the clouds over the mountains it's going to rain soon and we don't want to be stuck outside when it does. That would mean more mud." He grinned at you, nudging you with his elbow. You flushed at the jab he made and turned your head away.

What a tease.

You both took off your bags and placed your items down, Izuku went off to collect sticks to make a fire and you began to roll out your sleeping bags. You kicked away all the stones and dirt before placing them down next to each other. You made sure there was enough room for the campfire, you weren't working with a whole lot of space and the last thing you needed was for your beds to catch fire.

You finished your task relatively quickly and decided to walk outside to the lake's edge. There was a small pathway around the water leading to your cave. It was narrow, meaning you both had to shuffle along sideways to get in and out of the cave,

but it also meant the likelihood of others finding or walking into your cave was very slim.

You took your shoes off at the entrance of the cave and sat down, dipping your feet and lower calves into the water. You closed your eyes and leaned back onto your hands, taking in all the sounds of nature. The rusting of tree leaves, the calls of birds singing with each other, the sloshing of the water as you gently kicked your legs.

Izuku found you peacefully becoming one with nature, a smile made its way to his lips. He figured it would be hard for you to adjust to such a big lifestyle change, going from silk sheets and servants tending to your every need to sleeping bags and having to fend for yourself wouldn't be easy for everyone. You certainly struggled with some of it but at times like this, when you were soaking in the sun, and allowing your surroundings to bring you peace he couldn't help but feel pride for you.

You were doing your best to enjoy this new lifestyle, no matter how much of a shock to your system it was.

He left you alone for now and got to setting up the fire, it took about ten minutes to get the fire going, just in time for thunder to roar from over the mountain tops, a cry of war directed to nature.

You walked back into the cave to avoid being caught in it. Izuku handed you some fruit to snack on, he wished he could offer you a nice meal but when travelling, it wasn't that easy.

“Stop pulling that face.” You said as you took the apple from him, and took a bite.

He blinked, looking up to meet your eyes. “W-what?” You frowned, sitting down beside him, the fire crackling before you both as raindrops began to fall from the sky outside. "You keep pulling that face, as though you're afraid you're not doing good enough."

You could read him like an open book. Granted he never tried to hide his feelings from you. He just wanted to make you happy, you must be so used to your lavish lifestyle, but now you're stuck trudging around in mud and living off apples for every meal. He looked down at the ground, his lips parted as he tried to speak but no words came.

"You already know why I left, but allow me to remind you." You flicked his forehead, a way to get him to look back at you. He frowned, rubbing the sore spot on his head. "I left because I want to be with you, no matter where we are. Whether I'm sitting in a palace eating a piping hot meal or in a cave eating an apple. None of that matters to me, what matters is that I have you by my side." Your hand came up to his cheek, the pad of your thumb brushing over his red cheek.

He half smiled at you, there was still some uncertainty despite your words. However, he wouldn’t be Izuku if he wasn't always worrying over all the little details. You chose to be with him, and he was determined to give you the best life possible. Even if he had his worries he always appreciated you trying to reassure him. He was so lucky to have someone like you in his life, someone willing to give up everything for him. He silently vowed to give you the rest of his life in return. He nuzzled into your hand, pressing it closer to his face. “I love you.” he whispered.

“I love you too.” You smiled, brushing some hair from his eyes before moving in as he did to join your lips in a sweet kiss.

What was meant to be a reassuring peck quickly turned into tongues dancing and hands fumbling. A kiss that stole your breath away. Your hands trailed from his cheeks, down his neck to place on his shoulders. He shivered at your feather-like touches that glided across his skin. His hands pulled you forward by your waist bringing you to his chest.

Your head titled as his did, deepening the kiss. You hummed as his tongue traced over your lips, desperate to feel more of you. You parted your lips, getting up on your knees, never breaking the kiss, and shuffling forward until you were close enough to straddle his lap. He felt him smile into the kiss when you sat on him, like he had gotten his way. His skin was already tingling despite the layers of clothes in the way.

Your fingers tangled into his hair, tugging at the locks, wordlessly begging for more. He got the hint, his hands pushing under your shirt and taking it off in one movement. His scarred hands began tracing shapes into your back as you began gasping for air. He pulled back from your lips, teeth gently tugging at your lip as he did so.

When you looked into his eyes you saw them burning with desire and that alone was enough to send a pool of heat to your core. He moved forward again, lip connecting to your neck, his hot breath fanned against your skin sending shivers down your spine, a small hum escaping your lips as you pulled his head closer.

He left marks all over your neck and collarbone, sucking and nibbling at your soft skin. He soon trailed down to your chest as he unclasped your bra and moved it aside. His eager lips attached to your breast, and while his mouth began to suck on your sensitive buds, playing and groping with the mounds of fat as his hands rolled your hips forward. A groan echoed through the cave when he felt your clit grinding against his growing erection. You moaned, taking the hint and grinding against him creating a heated friction between you. The way you hugged him closer, begging for more, how your hips desperately rolled forward to feel more of him, it turned him on so much he could feel the blood rushing to his throbbing cock.

He pulled away from your breasts, his hands fumbled with your pants. He did take a second to catch his breath as he pulled your pants off leaving you only in panties. He took a second to admire your body, hands caressing up and down your sides as his eyes drank you in. "Gods… you're so beautiful. How did I get so lucky?" He smiled, pressing a loving peck to your bare shoulder. He was always so sappy, even now when you were grinding against him.

You smiled, pressing a kiss to his cheek and yanking on his hair. You were desperate to feel more of him, you needed him. He got the hint and pulled off his own pants, throwing them to the side before taking off his shirt. You looked over his scars, pressing kisses to a few of them.

Once you were both rid of all the clothes that kept you apart, he picked you up bridal style, carrying you over to the fur sleeping bags. He lay you down, coaxing your legs apart so he could get between them, your lips locked again, your naked bodies rubbed together, it felt so much better without the clothes in between. He moaned, getting up onto his knees and fisting his hard cock in his hand.

He gave you an expecting look and you crawled forward. You sat back on your knees when you reached him, looking up at him through your lashes, pupils dilated. He smiled down at you, one hand petting your hair as the tip of his cock traced around your lips. "Open up, princess." He whispered and you obeyed.  

He pushed his hips forward until his ball hit your chin, tears peaking at the corner of your eyes as you swallowed his length, the tip hitting the back of your throat. He wiped them away for you, "Suck on it for me princess." He muttered breathlessly.

Your tongue circled around the tip, the salty taste of pre cum hitting your taste buds. You bobbed your head up and down, impatience  making your actions erratic. He breathed out, eyes sliping close as he marvelled in the feeling of your hot mouth around his aching cock. It took everything in him not to start thrusting forward into your mouth, but he didn't want to hurt you.

You grabbed onto his hips for better leverage, quickening your pace. Saliva began to drip from your mouth, onto your bouncing tits. "Mhh, yeah, just like that baby." You removed one hand from his side and slipped it between your legs, his loud moans and words of praise were too much for you, your ever growing heat needed to be tended to.

Izuku opened his eyes to see where your hand had gone, and upon seeing you pleasuring yourself as you sucked on his member got too overwhelming. His head went back, toes curling as he inhaled a sharp breath. "P-princess i'm going to cum!" he let out a strangle moan, his body curling forward as he released his hot seed into your mouth. He panted as you pulled away, cum covered your lips. Your tongue poked out to lick up every drop as you stared deep into his eyes.

His lips parted at the sight of you greedily lapping up his cum. You smiled at his reaction before laying back down on the sleeping bag. He smiled back, crawling over your body. You were far from done.

He connected his lips back to yours, noses clumsily bumping together, he could taste himself on your tongue, it boosted his ego. Your hips began to rock against his, your slick coating his cock as it slipped between your folds. You sighed into the kiss, grabbing at his hair and neck to pull him closer.

His lips started to trail back down your body, this time going further than your breasts. He kissed his way down your stomach, soon his face was between your legs, he could feel your heat, see your dripping arousal. He licked his lips, squeezing your thigh before diving forward. His tongue pushed inside your hole, lapping up your juices, his nose buried deep into your clit.

You gasped, back arching and toes curling when your aching core finally had some attention. He moaned at your taste, sending vibrations down your spine. Your beautiful noises of pleasure bounced off the walls of the cave. Neither of you had to be quiet anymore, there were no guards, no servants, not even family to be careful of, and he wanted to hear you scream out his name.

"Fuck! p-please. Just fill me up already." You mewled. He looked up at you with a grin, pulling away from you as he licked his lips. You'd never seen such an animalistic look in his eyes. It was like a lion stalking in on his prey.

He got onto his knees, grabbing your hips and pulling your forward. He pressed the tip of his cock to your clit, teasingly rubbing it up and down, slapping it a few times. You whined at his teasing before finally pressing it into your hole.

You simultaneously released low groans. Your hands grabbed at the fabric of the sleeping bags as his fingers dug into your hips. A trapped sigh escaped his lips once he was fully in. He gave you a few seconds to adjust as he put your legs over his shoulders and leaned forward so he could grab and hold one of your hands.

"M-move- fuck~ please!" You moaned. He didn't need to be told twice. He began to pound into you without hesitation. Each thrust of his hips made you whimper and whine, you squeezed his hand as the heat in your core grew.

"Mmh~ you're taking me so well. G-Good girl." He whispered, his hips quickening at the sound of your squelching pussy. He moaned, his cock going sliding into deep. As much as his body wanted to throw his head back he fought to keep it forward. He didn't want to miss a second of your expression. You looked so beautiful, your hair falling around your head like some sort of halo. The way you bit your lip, your eyes rolling back as those blissful, slutty moans left your parted lips.

It was all too perfect.

He took his hand from yours, sitting up and changing the position. He bent you over, ass in the air and your glistening pussy on display for him. He moaned at the sight before slipping back inside of you. His hands clamped down on your waist, pulling you back into him. It was so much faster, harder, you were both screaming out in pleasure at the new position. His cock reached new places.

You rolled your hips against him, eyes rolling back into your head as you desperately grabbed for something to hold onto, fearing that you were already about to come undone around him. You felt his hands rub at your ass cheeks, his eyes admiring how perfectly round and plump they were.

He leaned over your body, chest against your back, one hand holding him up as the other moved around to your swollen clit. He drilled into you as his fingers rubbed circles into your clit. His lips leaving small kisses to your bare shoulder in between his moans.

"Oh.. oh, Y/n~ princess." He panted into your ear. "Are you ready to be filled?" He asked, nuzzling your neck with his nose. His toes were digging into the floor as he felt his throbbing cock ach for release. He wanted to stuff you full of his cum as you screamed out his name.

You nodded, moaning out a string of yes's. You pushed your hips back, keeping up with his lightning speed, your breasts bouncing with each thrust. He closed his eyes, back arching as he felt his hot ropes of cum spill inside of you as you cried out his name, your juices spilling over his hand. Your body curled in on itself as the pleasure washed over you.

He fucked you through your orgasms, only pulling out when his cock had stopped twitching.  

You both collapsed onto the fur. He wasted no time pulling you into his arms, hand moving around to massage your hips as he always did. You did your best to ignore the feeling of his cum slipping out of you and dripping onto your thigh.

With a light kiss to your forehead he pulled you to lay on his chest. "You ok, princess?"

You giggled at his concern. "We've done this so many times now and you still worry about hurting me?" His face flushed red, eyes turning away to look at the pouring rain outside the cave. "I-I would never want to hurt you." He confessed.

You took his face into your hand, turning him to look at you. You pressed a kiss to his lips and lay your head back down. "It was amazing as always. Don't worry."

He nodded, both of you laying in silence for a while as you enjoyed the sounds of nature. The calming sounds of rain showering down from the sky, the cackling of the fire that kept you both warm. It was so peaceful. There were no other people in sight, no guards, royals, townspeople. It was just you two, alone, how you both had always wanted it to be.

"You never told me what your mom said when you told her we were leaving." You turned to face him again, resting your chin on his shoulder. His hand ran through your locks absentmindedly.

"She was happy for us. She said she was glad i was following my heart, that i found someone who loves me enough to give up everything they have just to be with me." He smiled, recalling her reaction. "All she asks is that we come back to visit every now and then, and when we eventually find a good home to settle down in, we have to send her a letter telling her our whereabouts so she can come visit us too."

You smiled, it would be so nice to have her visit your home, to be able to cook for her for once. She always took good care of you whenever you went to visit. You couldn't wait to return the favour. "That sounds nice doesn't it?"

He hummed in agreement, the image of you both living in a cottage, somewhere in the forest. Not too far from civilisation but enough to have your own space. No one to bother you, everyday would be peaceful. You could have spare rooms for guests. Maybe a family and pets someday.

"Yeah, that sounds amazing." He smiled, looking at you. His one and only princess, his first and only love.

He couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with you.

#bnha x reader #bnha imagines #mha scenario #bnha scenario #bnha scenarios #mha scenarios #mha imagines #mha x reader #bnha fanfiction #boku no hero academia x reader #my hero academia x reader #midoriya izuku x reader #izuku x reader #izuku midoriya x reader #deku x reader #izuku midoriya imagine #izuku midoryia #midoriya izuku #izumonth collab #midoriya x reader

[gravesofheirscog]

The update ignited my imagination!

1. When we first meet the revenant, he reminds me of an annoying sales manager, because he reduces everything to a broken soul.

Are you talking about vamir? Of course, it's because of a broken soul!

Are you shouting with joy? I'm almost 100% sure that a broken soul is involved!

Are you silent? A broken soul, no less.

2. When we choose the revenant name, I was amused by the moment with the choice of Excess.

"So, what noble name will you give me?"

Ms "of course": Excess

Excess : I think I've made a contract with the god of originality and creativity

3. When can we interact with Dit? When did Carmine start interacting with him and how did it happen?We will sign a contract with him, and he will give us strength? If he is a god, can he be worshipped by performing any rituals on virgin blood (ours)? Would it be possible to build any friendship with him, or at least the relationship of a faithful cultist and a benevolent god? And why, if Deet can manipulate time so freely, is the world still not in ruins?

4. Is it possible to emotionally manipulate Vitaly to create a sense of guilt in front of us and to cultivate a hero complex?

For example, I have a scene in my head.

Background:

Miss is a fragile child who, thanks to this and her acting abilities, plays a child younger than her age, calls Vitaly her brother and constantly shows signs of affection. All in order to create a sense of innocence and naivety, which must be protected. I decided to destroy the Academy day by day, and I interacted with Dit for a long time.

Ms "runs up to Vitaly and silently embraces him"

Vitaly: Something you are some silent today?

ms "still hides his eyes and says in a lost voice": Brother, do you want to escape from here?

Vitaly "pats the lady on the head": Of course, I want this more than anything in the world. But as long as that's not possible, don't worry, soon your big brother will grow up and be strong enough to get us out of here.

MS "brooding voice": More than anything else? "hugs him even tighter and leaves with a determined look"

Ms: Sorry, I have to go. "runs away"

Vialy " thoughtfully rubs his head, but does not attach any importance to this"

The next day.

Ms "runs up to Vitaly in a painfully depressed state and, without giving him time to recover, says:" Brother, I need you to be at the edge of the forest today in 30 minutes. It's a matter of life and death, I beg you, if you don't, something bad will happen.

Vitaly "worryingly": You were bullied again by high school students, do they want you to be there?

Ms "High spirits leave smnenya with fear and determination": Vitaly, please, I can't say. "runs away in tears"

Vitaly, angry and ready to fight, comes to the edge of the forest at the right moment, but there is no one there, before he has time to think about something, he is blinded by the brightest flash of light. After his eyes begin to see something, he turns around and sees the burning ruins at the academy site and a black dot above them that is rapidly approaching him. When the dot comes close enough, Vitaly realizes that it is Ms, but now blood is flowing from his eyes, nose and ears.

Ms "sobbing, talking in a frenzy": Sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn't know it would be like this. He told me he'd set you free, I didn't know ,I didn't know

, I didn't know, I didn't know. "At this moment, black tentacles break out from under the MK and drag it into the dark hole"

Vitaly shudders from the shock of everything that is happening and falls to his knees. Much later, he will add up all the hints and realize that some powerful dark entity has offered the MC a contract for his release. He realizes that he wasn't really at fault in that situation, there wasn't much he could have done. But a heartbreaking sense of guilt will forever settle in his heart.

Of course, in this imaginary scenario, there are a number of assumptions, for example, I do not know if Vitaly wants to escape, if I got at least partially into his character, if there is a forest edge in that academy, and much more. But my imagination persists in painting such a picture.

Ah, your questions always get me thinking! They’re so much fun to answer, so thank you for sending this in!

1. It’s been so much fun to read/see people’s reactions to the revenant. I totally see what you mean about a particularly bull headed salesman! I had a laugh imagining him trying to pawn off crappy used cars to people lmao. 

2. Haha, thanks! Growing up I had a pet clam named Clammy and people had similar reactions lol. 

3. Interactions with Deathe will be coming up in the next chapter, and his relationship/how he met Carmine will be explained as it affects the plot of the original novel quite a bit. You can choose to sign a contract with him, and he will give the MC powers in accordance with that contract. And yes, he is a god (elder god, to be precise) and as the story progresses you can build up a relationship with him. On the topic of rituals, there’s some in-universe debate over this but you will be able to ask him yourself in the next chapter! Also, his manipulation over time is a pretty overarching spoiler so I can’t say anything yet - sorry!

4. The MC can absolutely manipulate Vitalius/Astasus by pretending to be the meek girl Carmine used to be. There’s a few ways I plan to take this, so I hope you’ll enjoy it! Also, I feel like you really understood him well! I really enjoyed reading that!

Thank you so much for your ask!

#ask

[spirit-of-vengeance]

@spxcemuses @mr-mansnoozie @xxstar-bluesxx

Guess who gathered enough mind to finally write her full backstory of Western Verse. Her being a bounty hunter is set in the Wild West time period (1865-1895), there is no current year(s) to set her story in mainly because I don't want to make a mistake messing up the timeline.

Calm before the storm

Her father, Attila a lesser Hungarian noble whom supported the 1848-1849 revolutionary war but after the failure of it he escaped emigrated to America to avoid the Habsburg revenge, soon followed by his brother Gábor. He could save a small amount of his fortune along with his two most important horses: a purebred Lipizzan stallion and an extremely rare Akhal Teke mare. He had settled near a small town, due to his financial situation and education as a noble he established a school with the support and approval of the local church. To quieten his guilt for abandoning his country in its peril, he poured all of his heart into educating children; at least he is still useful in some way.

One day, a group of artists traveling artists, acrobats traveled through the town and the aristocrat fell in love at first sight. She was like the queen of fairy from the folk tales he'd heard in his childhood, she was tall, blue eyes sparkled like light sapphire, long golden brown hair floated ethereally with every twirl. The smitten lord shamelessly courted the the graceful acrobat, determined to know at least the name.

The group had stayed in the town for a few weeks, allowing Attila's and Myra's romance to blossom; after a month she ended up staying with him, just like in true fairytales.

My obsession with angst backstory strikes again

The lord was in love, deeper than poets could express it. Since the loss of his home and country he had found his place in the universe along with the perfect companion by his side. He paid less attention to the school, the church and other public affairs; it wasn't like he abandoned them but became more withdrawn to spend time with the love of his life, especially after the birth of their daughter. She was almost the perfect miniature of her mother, same beautiful hair glinting gold in the sunlight, only her eyes were the brightest emerald green he'd ever seen.

While Myra's heart and aura was as pure as a fairy's; the local church was beyond distressed. They claimed that Attila had completely abandoned helping those in need because of her wicked seduction. When they witnessed her performing for the amusement of the crowd, the 'temptress witch' brand couldn't be lifted. They gathered a few enthusiastic townsfolk whom shared their views and a few morally questionable men whom only wanted a piece of the lord's fortune.

10 year old Karma was awakened from her deep slumber by her frantic father; smoke and yelling blinding her senses as he carried her out of the burning house into the nearby forest so the mob won't find her. He promised her he will be back but he had to return into their home for Myra; he couldn't leave her inside. Karma watched her dad disappear into the flames, the air filled with suffocating smoke and religious shouts for god to smite the sinners. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the spot where her father was gone, waiting for her parents to stumble out of the half collapsed building; but that never had happened. She sat unmoving from her spot, struck staring into the flames then into the ashes as the sun has risen.

Birth of the marksman

Attila's brother, Gábor arrived the next day after hearing the news, he was the one whom found Karma still staring at the ruins in a catatonic state. He couldn't avenge his sibling as it meant endangering his niece and she has lost more than enough.

Gábor expected her to become a soft spoken, reserved lady once she overcame her trauma; that theory was soon abandoned when once he had awoken to his niece practicing with his rifle outside with frighteningly great accuracy. The young girl naturally had an extraordinary aim and after a few long talks, he'd seen the determination burning in her to avenge the murder of her parents. Given by her mother's dance lessons, she was also flexible and capable of many different acrobatic moves; this combined with her aim proven to be a very dangerous combination.

To not awaken suspicion he told his friends Karma was an orphan whose parents were killed by bandits and he had adopted her to give her a family and education. Karma was fascinated chasing greater heights of her skills, this involved reading every possible book about anatomy, marking, engraving the useful spots of the body. Karma knows where to shoot to disarm, to cause a slow death, to paralyze, to disable for life and when it is only a warning: an injury which will heal with time. Along with her accuracy, her drawing speed only can be compared to lightning. Although she prefers/most comfortable with her dual revolvers (model undecided yet), she is still a menace with shotguns, rifles, flintlocks and even bows due to Gàbor's 'A Hungarian is not a Hungarian if they can't use a bow' mindset.

The bounty hunter quicker than death

Karma had her first official gunfight at the age of 18 on the auction. for Vihar (Storm), the filly of her father's horses.

Detailed post about Vihar

She officially entered the bounty hunter business when she was 20 and Vihar was 2, aiming for the most dangerous criminals whom committed the worst acts possible. In her early years after the kill she slit open corpses she trying to find the bullet, surverying the damage it caused and adding filler information to her anatomy knowledge. Of course she didn’t bother burying the bodies, she knew as a woman she has to be extremely vicious above talented to be hired and mutilated dead bodies did send a great message & served as cement for building her reputation. The name Karma wasn't entirely her idea, many thankful family members claimed that karma has came for their loved ones' murderers. Her talent spread like wildfire among the men of law, glad to be rid of the dangerous scum; with careful planning, use of environment and Vihar as backup she had wiped out gangs, not solely focused on individuals.

Unfortunately her reputation summoned an unofficial grand price on her head as well in certain circles; they had tracked her back to her uncle's house. The battle claimed Gábor's life and nearly her sight as her right eye was almost slashed out. The new loss opened old wounds: her not being able to protect her loved ones. She couldn't look into a mirror, the scar a reminder how despite all years of training she wasn't untouchable; after burying her uncle plan to gain control over her psyche already formed.

She took a knife and carefully carved four half circles around her eye to form a crosshair with her pupil being the middle of it. She made sure she kept the wounds open for enough time to scar as visibly as the vertical cut; she wanted a symbol to add to her legend. Excuse my pathetic excuse of an edit, I'm not good in this, nor I can draw.

Now Karma is 25, Vihar is 6, both of them in their peak physical prime; the name Vihar is also symbolic a little, Karma is the lightning to her horse. She is dancing on the thin edge of bounty hunting and being an outlaw as she often takes...side jobs to help people who deserve it and usually that person doesn't have a bounty on their head, therefore it is technically murder.

Local antisocial feral monk & cocky gunslinger feral lady / addition of the AU with the amazing @mr-mansnoozie

Near her uncle's house, Karma had discovered a cave and a grumpy mute monk living in it along with his pet bear. The monk, Sandy eventually became a second uncle to the traumatized angry orphan, he taught her how to move & creep upon someone soundlessly, disappear without a trace, cover her stances and behavior patterns of various animals. Before and after returning from a job she always visits her uncle of choice for a chat; a silent way to prepare him to the possibility of her not coming back. But she always do. She considers Sandy as part of her tiny family, although his...copying mechanisms with his own traumas were a bit strange to get used to; she adapted quite fast, after all who is she to judge with a past like that?

I'm a dead man walking, Hell's at my door.

aka collection of small headcanons

🎯 Her dual revolvers are called Salvation and Damnation because she's dramatic

🎯 Karma has a small sketchbook filled with anatomy drawings for further practice.

🎯 She actually can sing, but rarely does, only to Vihar since she never received positive feedback on it. Her voice is gritty, rugged and deep; definitely not the usual and desired sounding from a woman.

🎯 If her target was an outstandingly cruel bastard and/or one of those whom killed her parents she uses a little psychological torture. After fatally wounding them she starts whistling (for the most terrifying experience wear headphones & close your eyes while listening) as they try to crawl away or beg for mercy. The first time the whistle gets shrill & more intense is when she lazily reloads, knowing she has both the time and the upper hand. The second pace shift is when she aims; she shoots during the last, long drawn out high note.

🎯 This is her only verse where Cindy is afraid, no terrified of fire; during her....26 AU's she's always been associated with fire despite dying in or being wounded by it. In this verse she is more tied to lightning, the scent of smoke is enough to send her into a silent panic attack and despite loathing the cold she will never sit close to the fireplace. Her other deep fears include injuring her hands & sight and losing Vihar. Her horse is the only remaining family member of hers, she can't fail her too.

🎯 Most of Karma's scars, injuries are a result of her standing between Vihar and a knife/bullet/ even a bullwhip when a criminal was smart enough to catch on their deep emotional bond.

🎯 She has recurring night terrors about the night her parents died, she always wakes up in cold sweat; she's sort of used to them. Though, sometimes she still cries but thankfully Vihar is there to comfort her.

🎯 Karma has a special morning stretch routine to keep her flexibility and warm up her hands & keep them steady and fast.

🎯 Due to her dad and uncle she received high quality education

🎯 For the untrained eye, the belt of her hat are simple crosses while in reality, they are inverted crosses to symbolize her stance with Christianity

🎯 Karma's middle name is Emerald, given by her father due to her eye color.

🎯 Karma was first inspired by League of Legends Miss Fortune because that name alone is great but unfortunately she is too pirate coded for a western so I abandoned the relation. Though when Karma is not being the 'Call me a slow reader but I only made it to the Dead part, the or Alive didn't register.' ; her personality is similar to hers.

🎯 Due to her dad, Karma is actually half aristocrat. Not like she cares about it the slightest; the only indication of noble blood is her idle stance. It is an unconscious mirror of how her father used to hold himself: back straightened to almost impossible point, left arm behind it, right hand resting on the grip of in her case, revolver instead of hilt of a sword.

🎯 If given the chance to live a normal life, she would've grown into a captivating, lively young woman, much like her mother but with the aristocrat elegance of her father; finding a suitor who lives up to her parents' and her standards would've been the challenge of the century.

🎯 Her special move is called Dance of Death. This is used as last resort when she's facing more opponents up to 12, as with her dual revolvers she has 12 bullets without reloading. She mentally marks the stances of all opponents, predicts their movement, firing order and possible way of their bullets before whirling out of her hiding place. Each pose minimizes the chance of getting shot, and with each change of movement two bullets are fired, two men drop dead.

🎯 Her accuracy isn't just 'gun goes boom >:D' but a combination of natural talent, endless practice, movement prediction, sharp, quick thinking & analytical skills and different techniques molten together to utilize them all at once

🎯 Her hair is now as long as her mother's, she always keeps it in a single tight braid to keep it out of the way; without her hat and hair down she actually loses some of her dangerous edge.

🎯 The only physical memory Karma has of her parents is her dad's hussar sword she found underneath the ruins of the house, it was protected by a very thick wooden box & a lock of her mother's hair is tied to the grip. She has hidden it in the nearby forest, her thoughts often wander to it along with the wish to wield it.

#🦂 western au🔥| one shot; one kill #🔥headcanons🔥 | secrets of the fire #I can't help myself with the little hungarian details can I? #it just makes me so happy because my country doesn't really get any recognition in media & it feels good to weave the history of my country #into a badass character #I also spent 2.5 hours typing this. my fingers ;-; though totally worth it 😄 #🔥alright to reblog🔥| let the wind carry the cinders

[kongpeople]

full moon | part four

full moon part 4

chapter 1 - chapter 2 - chapter 3 - chapter 4 - chapter 5 (not out yet)

pairing: richie x reader

age of the main characters: 17-18

word count: 3,134 (wow!)

warnings: smoking, cursing, sexual harassment, irresponsible driving

tense: 1st person

abbreviations: y/n : your name

prompts: 97: “ Don’t touch me. ”

music recommendations: goodbye (karaoke) by don’t hug me i’m scared, sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning, midnight in the garden by atli örvarsson

a/n: so many words wow hope you enjoy this long ass chapter! (i could’ve split it into at least two parts but it’s all for you 💜)

(goodbye (karaoke) by don’t hug me i’m scared LOOP ON)

I got through the already broken fence and stepped into the woods with ease. I could see the bloody balloon very well, surrounded by the fields of various trees and bushes, it was almost screaming to get my attention. I heard a subtle crack behind me, but couldn’t dare to get my focus off the flying object. Right away I noticed a big tree that no longer had the feeling of an unkept jungle. Inside the tree was a huge hole, pitch black inside, where probably five grown men could fit. The balloon suddenly stopped and levitated in place. Before I could proceed to overthink anything, a white gloved hand appeared from the tree hole. I watched as it clutched on the dirt, crawling out. When a red pompommed wrist showed, my nerves went loose and made me scream for my life.

I closed my mouth when the light caressing my closed eyes disappeared, and darkness surrounded me. I opened my eyes and just then felt the overwhelmingly intense cologne irritating my nostrils. Sound not hitting me yet, I tilted my head back and looked around. No longer was there a big tree nor the tree hole. Not even the bloody red balloon, but a bushy and disgustingly moist forest again. Looking up, I saw the face of Lucifer himself, Richard Tozier, gazing down at me, saying something in my direction. My hands were on his chest, while his on my shoulders, shaking me subtly. Just then, when all senses hit me, I heard his voice.

“(y/n), (y/n), jesus, do you hear me?” His tone was annoyed but also a bit worried, I guessed. I opened my mouth, trying to spit something out as well as going through everything that had happened. His hands were still clutched on my thin sleeves.

“I, uh, the tree, balloon...” I muttered. Richard’s brows furrowed, as he penetrated my eyes with his gaze, seeking an explanation. “Wait, you followed me here?”

He scoffed. “I found you screaming in the woods, talking about balloons, and you’re asking me about following you?” He’s avoiding the question. His hands finally left my shoulders and I took mine off his chest as well, missing the feel of a leather jacket on my fingertips left behind. I stumbled back and reflected on what had happened again.

“Let’s go back.” He pushed me in the right direction extremely cautiously and began to walk behind me, leading and watching my step.

A minute has passed, and I couldn’t gather my thoughts. The fact that Richard Tozier followed me to the woods hasn’t hit me yet, as the bushy forest disappeared and I was once again at the school backyard.

“Try not to die when I’m gone, okay?” And with that, Richard has passed me from behind, hands in his pockets, with no intention of going back to biology class. His head down and back arched, somehow with grace, he disappeared, once again, leaving me trembling.

(goodbye (karaoke) by don’t hug me i’m scared OFF)

***

“Anyway, we’re going to the shopping center in Augusta, you should come with us, (y/n).” Jane awakes my consciousness once again.

“Huh? Sorry, what for?” Her stare deepens as she raises her eyebrows at me.

“To try on prom gowns.” Jane repeats slowly, visibly not concealing her annoyance with me. “(y/n), you didn’t forget, did you? Prom is in three weeks.” She scoffed. I did forget.

“No, of course not.” I tried laughing it off, but my acting skills weren’t top notch. “Yeah, sure, I’ll go with you. I have something to get in Augusta anyway.”

“Great, so it’s settled.” Emma speaks up. “Wednesday after school, we’ll go by a bus.”

***

It’ll be good to take my thoughts off Richard for a while. Or so I thought, but didn’t realize how far away it would be from Derry. By the time we got there, I was already exhausted. Augusta, being the capital of Maine, population 18,594 as of 2017, has still been nothing compared to Phoenix. I glanced at the flashy, yellow sticky note once again, memorizing the address written down on it. Jane and Emma found themselves trying on the fifth dress since they got in the mall.

“Does it make my boobs look bigger? I think it does.” Jane fixed the corset. “(y/n), what do you think?”

I looked up from the note and murmured. “It’s nice.”

“That’s what you said about the other three.” She sighed.

“It looks very good on you.” Emma helped me out, clearly satisfying Jane with that. I glanced at the hung up clock and cautiously stood up from my spot by the window.

“Hey guys, I’m gonna go grab something from the library real quick. I’ll see you at the restaurant.” Jane let out a silent “oh, okay” and I left.

Leaving the mall, it was no surprise to notice raindrops falling down onto the uneven pavement. Asking around, I got to the destination on my sticky note. The library was extremely cozy. All woody and traditional. It reminded me of my favorite Hollister store in Phoenix.

“Are you looking for something?” An old lady sitting behind the desk uttered in a raspy voice.

“Yes, um, I’m looking for ‘The History of Derry’. Is there a chance I could get it?” I smiled lightly and found myself caressing my unpainted fingernails.

“Just a minute.” She stood up and walked to the nearest wooden shelf. After fixing her glasses and running her finger through the book spines, she grabbed one by it’s headband and handed it over to me. The book was a square covered in brown leather, with black painted words on top. I payed for it and left.

(sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning ON)

“Have a good night.” I exclaimed as I walked out, and concluded with surprise that it was already dark outside. The air was humid and the street lights were dimmed. I hid the book inside my messenger bag, and trying to recall the directions to the mall, I entered the dark maze of grey buildings and narrow alleys. The claustrophobic street opened as I found myself in a dimmed and moist crossroad between abandoned buildings, looking scarier than I recalled. A band of men standing next to their rusting cars, noticed an intruder, being me.

“Hey, where ya goin’, sweet cheeks?” One of them exclaimed as I fastened my pace. They laughed and walked towards me. A four pack of beer flew from behind me, landing in the men’s in front of me hands. I acknowledged that I’m being circled.

“What are you up to so late at night, huh?” He caressed my chin as I turned my head in the other direction, almost tripping over. My brain was frozen in place like a wheel that could no longer turn. I was paralyzed by my own fear. I knew exactly what was about to happen but I could do nothing to stop it. Soon, I would be nothing more than a news story of a young, innocent girl found dead on the streets of Augusta. There was no one here to save me.

“Don’t touch me.” I muttered through clenched teeth. They continued to laugh and circle me tighter, from time to time whispering something to me. Trying to get a glimpse of my predators, I felt dizziness hitting me. They were close enough now that I could see the sick, twisted grins of the two men in front of me. I spun on my heel, only to see that the others had expressions that matched. They would enjoy this. I could see it on their faces.

"I want her first this time Jared," the man closest to me said to one of his companions.

"No fair! You got the last one first!" he replied, outraged.

"Boys, since you can't seem to stop fighting, I'm going to get her all to myself." The oldest looking one said. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision.

"Aw, come on!" the other man said. He came over to me and wrapped around the middle of my body. That one griped me so tightly he was going to leave bruises, not that it would really matter in the long run. "Such a pretty thing," he continued, stroking my face with his fingertips.

"Mmm..." his breathing began to speed up. Quick gusts of hot air were being blown onto my exposed skin. "Now where shall we begin?"

As I was about to shout for help, a violent tyre squeal made everyone jump away from the sound. As the men rushed back, I turned face to face with the familiar, matte black Toyota MR2. As I stared into the blinding lights of the car, the driver doors opened rapidly and a black figure walked out. In the dimmed light, his skin looked paler than ever, his eyes darker than in the sunlight.

“Get in the car.” He spit out as he pushed me towards the vehicle. I followed his command numb headed. Inside the car, I felt a gust of cologne hitting my nostrils. The upholstery was nice in touch and warm. I thrilled to the sensation as I observed a peculiar scene. Richard appeared to be having a staring contest with my predators. As they backed out, he slowly spun on his heel and got inside the car. Trembling, he did an irresponsible maneuver, almost hitting the men, then spun the car around and drove off violently. Holding onto the cup holder as much as I could, I heard a small ‘what the fuck’ coming out of his mouth. I glanced at his tense face.

“You followed me. Again.” I spoke numbly. Richard inhaled sharply.

“I was driving by.” I gaped unimpressed and observed his maneuver.

“You should put your seatbelt on.” He laughed at my nervousness, revealing his teeth.

“You put your seatbelt on.” He scoffed, fixing his grip on the steering wheel. I pushed my back against the passenger seat and stared at the road with no expression, as Richard drove dangerously, earning honks from the cars he has passed.

(sweet dreams (are made of this) by emily browning OFF)

***

“Where in the world have you been?” Jane exclaimed as I got out of the black matte car in front of the restaurant we were supposed to meet at. “We’ve waited for you over 3 hours! What the hell, (y/n)?” As I was about to apologize to Jane and Emma, a voice interrupted me.

“Sorry, it’s my fault.” Richard came out of his matte black car and smiled lightly at the girls, pushing his hair back, and making them gape uncontrollably. “We ran into each other and started talking. I lost the track of time.” He sure knew how to charm anyone. Jane tucked her hair behind her ear and exchanged the smile. “I thought (y/n) would be hungry, so I offered her a meal before a ride home, since it’s already dark outside.”

Jane and Emma looked at each other knowingly and grinned widely.

“No, I mean, of course. We were already leaving anyway, right, Jane?” Emma spit out, to which Jane nodded energetically.

“Yeah, so have a safe ride home, (y/n). See you at school.” She gave me a smile and passed me, giggling with Emma. I glanced at Richard, he seemed to be staring at me this whole time.

“A meal? Really?”

“What? If you’d rather stay with your best guy friends back there, you should’ve said so.” He spit out. “They sure seemed nice to me.” I rolled my eyes in annoyance as I followed him inside the restaurant. We sat down by the empty table with two seats. He handed me the menu. I glanced briefly at it, feeling his gaze on me.

“You know, I’m not that hungry.”

“Still, you should eat.” He didn’t move his stare off me.

“Why would you care?” I put the menu down. He thrilled to the sentence for a while. Before he could answer, a waitress with a punk hairstyle and heavy makeup approached our table.

“Hi there, how could I help you?” She says, swaying her hips and checking out Richard, as if I didn’t exist. He took a look at the menu for the first time and turned to the waitress.

“Cheese ravioli for this lady.” I looked away as he used his most seductive voice. She wrote something down.

“And something for you?”

“A glass of water would be great.” He smiled stunningly, making her blush.

“It’s on me.” The waitress winked at him and left, swaying her hips once again. He concentrated on me at last.

“What if I was lactose intolerant?” Richard laughed at my seriousness.

“Then I’d be in trouble.” He flashed his pearly white teeth at me and I looked away once more. I bit my lip awkwardly. I had so many questions buzzing in my head, none of them escaping my mouth. The feeling of confusion made me scream for a rest. I shouldn’t be afraid of him, definitely shouldn’t show him that. Who is he to me? No one, right. He’s no one.

“Why did you follow me?” A question rolled out of my mouth. His face was expressionless, making it even harder for me to read him.

“I already told you. I was driving by.” Does he take me for a dumbass? His eyes showed no emotions, yet lips formed into a thin line.

“Yeah, sure. Just like that time in the woods, right? You were just...” I crossed my arms. “Passing by.” Whatever he was doing, was not working on me. All of his lies and explanations. Richard smirked, looking down at his hands.

“I guess you could say so.” I scoffed in disbelieve. At this moment, the waitress trespassed our bubble of awkwardness and placed a glass of water in front of him. I gave her a death stare as she left. “You know...” He brought my attention back to him. “You’re so stubborn, why can’t you just thank me and forget all of this ever happened?”

“Listen.” I raised my voice, stern as ever. “I don’t know what it is that you’re doing, but I want you to tell me about Neibolt.” Richard stiffened. “I saw the way you reacted at the party when I said it’s name. I know you can tell me what it is.” His stare was no longer relaxed, brows furrowed and lips still formed into a thin line. “Please.”

He looked away for the first time. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I scoffed at his response.

“You’re kidding me, right? Of course you know what I’m talking about.” I exclaimed, but quickly hushed myself. “I want to know. I want to know what the Neibolt house is and why I’m having these god awful nightmares. I know it sounds crazy... but there’s something that pulls me towards it.” He sighed, as his gaze softened.

(midnight in the garden by atli örvarsson LOOP ON)

“See? Why are you like this?” My eyes widened, brows furrowed. “I tried avoiding you, keeping my cool, but you pulled me inside your world and now, it’s too late.” His tone was soft and vulnerable. Richard looked around as if someone was overhearing. “I want to know you. You seem like someone worth knowing. Every day, I feel like I’m surrounded by people with hard edges and sour faces, but I get the sense that you’re different. Too often people seem to think that they have the answers to everything. Their faces are trapped in permascowls and they can’t be bothered with anything besides their own narcissism. You aren’t like that. You still ask questions. You’re still looking for the answers...” The waitress cut him off, as she placed a plate before me. She smiled once again at Richard, but he didn’t exchange it, still tense. He sighed as she left.

“Weren’t you the one who told me to stay away from you?” I huffed, clenching my fists.

“I meant it would be better if we weren’t friends, not that I didn’t want to.”

I tried gathering my thoughts. Frustrated at not being able to answer him, I looked down at my plate and began to eat the already cold pasta. Did he just open up to me? I couldn’t believe he was the same Richard from school, cold and calm. I heard a chair squeak against the wooden floor as Richard stood up from his seat, hands in pockets.

“I need to go for a smoke.” He murmured and left. I noticed he left money to pay.

After a few minutes I couldn’t stand the tension and left a half full plate. As I walked out, I saw him leaned against his car, a cigarette in his mouth. He threw it out and crushed with his heel. We got in the car and he started the engine. His quietness was intimidating.

“Richard..” I broke the silence. “Please, I need you to tell me about Neibolt.” He fixed his grip on the steering wheel. I noticed he does that when he’s nervous. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

“Back there, in the woods, did you see a clown?” I wasn’t ready for such a question.

“I, uh, I guess. Yes? I think I did. I don’t remember much. I just know I saw a balloon, and when I followed it, it lead me to an old tree with a tree hole in it... Then something started coming out of it.” Richard fixed his grip again.

“Are you doing something tomorrow after school?” His voice was serious.

“No, I don’t think so.” Richard nodded to himself.

“Alright, I’ll show you something tomorrow.” As he said that, the car stopped. He got out the car and walked over to the passenger door, opening them. He leaned over to take my seatbelt off.

“I can do it myself.” I murmured coldly. I pressed my back against the seat, watching as he freezes before me. His side profile was right before my eyes, and I could smell his perfume very well. His jaw clenched as he took a deep breath. Richard backed out, almost embarrassed, and I got out of the car. We were outside my house. He closed the car doors behind me and once again glared at me. I exchanged the look, admiring his beauty. He truly is charming.

“Thanks.” I spit out looking down. I threw him an awkward half smile and proceeded to head home. I turned around at the doorstep and saw him leaning against his car, watching me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I spoke up once again, seeing his dark as night eyes and a hand raised goodbye last time, before closing front doors behind me.

(midnight in the garden by atli örvarsson OFF)

#it #richie tozier #beverly marsh #stanley uris #ben hanscom #bill denbrough #mike hanlon #eddie kaspbrak #pennywise #it 2017 #richie x reader #richie x eddie #reddie #benverly #billverly #bill x beverly #stanbrough #bill x stan #bill x reader #richie tozier x reader #it x reader #stranger things #eleven #mike wheeler #mileven #finn wolfhard #millie bobby brown #beep beep richie #it x you