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keerysquinn · 11 months

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Wherever You Point To I’ll Find ~ Steve Harrington x Chrissy Cunningham

Nobody expected a budding romance between Steve and Chrissy when they were invited on this graduation road trip. But, as the two spend more and more time together away from the pressures their families, they just might find that they’re the perfect match.

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Tags: modern au, road trip, mutual pining, fluff, angst, discussion of mental health and body issues, eventual smut, adult themes and swearing throughout

Word Count: 8.7k

A/N: Perhaps the best part of writing this chapter was the bit that came afterwards when I got to hear @quinnkeerys read it out loud and react to it in real time. This chapter has some of my very favorite bits of the story in it, and I hope you all love it as much as I do <3

In the morning, the group ate a quick breakfast at the hotel before checking out and loading up the car. They had a long drive to Cincinnati ahead of them once they factored in the two hour detour to the World’s Largest Rocking Chair since Eddie insisted that it wasn’t a real road trip if they didn’t see the World’s Largest Something, and they wanted to get on the road as soon as possible so they could combine that detour with a stop for lunch.

Of course, getting Eddie out of bed early enough to stay on schedule meant that he was not ready to face the day when they got in the car. Soon enough, he was dozing off in the backseat, and Nancy fell asleep cuddled up next to him. The silence in the car was deafening, and it only left Chrissy to obsess over every little interaction she’d had with Steve.

It was bad enough that she'd fallen asleep on him the night before, and it only got worse when they'd left the hotel. Steve had put his arm on the back of Chrissy's seat when he'd turned to back out of their parking space, and she'd come close to swooning. She felt like a silly little school girl with a crush, and it was embarrassing. She'd just graduated. She should be over obsessing about this kind of thing by now.

But every time she'd talked herself down from the blushing mess that she'd become, Steve smiled at her as he offered her the aux cord or asked her if the air conditioning was too cold for her, and she was right back at square one again.

She was considering pretending to fall asleep just so she could avoid looking at him when he spoke up.

"So, Jason Carver, huh?"

And just like that, her butterflies were gone. Instead, she could feel the anxiety eating away at her. That horrible, gnawing feeling that appeared whenever anyone mentioned him or wanted her to talk about him. She'd gladly spend the rest of her days as a giggling idiot, embarrassing herself in front of everyone she met if it meant that she never had to hear that name ever again.

"I will literally give you every last cent in my account if you promise to never bring him up around me," she told him. She started picking at the frayed edge of her shorts and avoided looking away from her lap.

"Bad breakup?" he asked.

"Among other things."

"I'm sorry. I won't bring it up again."

"Don't be. It's not your fault . . . You know, he never had a nice thing to say about you."

Chrissy regretted bringing up Jason's opinions of Steve immediately. There was no reason for him to know about that, and now she was going to ruin any chance she had of things ever not being awkward between her and Steve all because she didn't know when to shut her mouth.

"I barely remember anything he said," she told him in an attempt to backtrack and erase her last statement. "I tended to tune him out when he got like that, and you're very obviously nothing like he said you were anyway. He just wasn't your biggest fan."

Steve huffed out a laugh and shook his head.

"He was always like one of those yappy little ankle-biting dogs," he told her. "Just loud and annoying and so desperate to make people pay attention to him. I never really liked the guy either, so whatever he said about me doesn't bother me. If he needed to try to bring me down to make himself feel better, it says a lot more about him than it does about me."

"So you're not mad at me for bringing it up?"

"Not even a little bit."

Chrissy was finally able to relax for a minute. She let out a sigh as she turned slightly to look out her window.

"I wish it was that easy for me to just not care about what other people thought of me."

She said it quietly enough that she didn't know if she was saying it to Steve or to herself, but he still heard her.

"It'll get easier for you now that you're hanging out with the right people."

"You think so?"

"I know so."

She offered up a small smile. Maybe he was right. Maybe being on this trip and spending her time with people who didn't expect a certain image from her was exactly what she needed to start brushing the harsh words off her back.

"Since talking about that is off the table, I have to ask," he started to break the silence. "How did you and Eddie start hanging out? I've come up with maybe half a dozen theories and none of them seem plausible."

"He never told you?"

"All he's ever said is that you were one of his little lost sheep, and you ended up being his favorite of the flock. Whatever that even means."

Chrissy stifled a laugh.

"That sounds like something he'd say," she replied. "And honestly, it's not even that inaccurate."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. It was maybe a little over a month into my freshman year, and auditions for the first play of the year were after school. I stayed after my last class ended and went to the drama room to get started on my English homework while I waited for auditions to start. Eddie came in and found me sitting on his throne with my nose buried in my copy of A Midsummer Night's Dream. He immediately pointed out that I was sitting in his spot and that most freshmen were smart enough to avoid the school freak. I was terrified."

"You were?" Steve asked. "I can't imagine being scared of him."

"Well yeah. That's because you're you, and you know him. I'd barely been at the school, I'd never met him before, and I'd already seen him give three speeches while standing on top of his table at lunch. He was the most intimidating of all the upperclassmen to me. So I'm just stammering and trying to explain that I didn't know it was his spot, and of course, he could tell that I was scared. When he really realized it, it was like a switch flipped. He sat down on the armrest and his whole demeanor changed. Made some comment about how I was shaking like a little bunny rabbit and asked me to scrunch up my nose so he could get the full effect. Used the overdramatics that I'd seen in the cafeteria to make me laugh until I was at ease around him. Once he could tell that I wasn't afraid of him anymore, he told me that he guessed it was okay if I sat on his throne for the time being, but if he ever caught me there again, he'd pick me up and move me himself.

"I didn't even realize that he was part of the drama club until auditions started. We were paired to read together a couple times during the auditions, and the director kept commenting about how we had this natural chemistry that she hadn't been expecting.

"When the auditions ended, I couldn't get a hold of either of my parents to come and pick me up, and none of my friends were in the drama club, so Eddie offered me a ride. After that, we were cast opposite each other as the sort of leads in the play, and the rest is history. We've been practically inseparable ever since."

“So, he essentially adopted you?” Steve asked.

“Kind of?” she said with a laugh. “Adoption feels like the right term. I consider him and his uncle as family at this point, and I’d like to think that they feel the same way. I know that our friendship makes no sense to anyone looking in on it from the outside. We’re so different, and we traveled in completely opposite social circles for the entirety of high school. On paper, this friendship shouldn’t work, but Eddie is the only person I’ve never felt like I had to hide the real me from. He’s the big brother I never wanted and the best friend I’ve ever had.”

“That’s actually kind of sweet. I’ll be sure to tease him relentlessly for it.”

“Be prepared for the most overly dramatic reaction you’ve ever seen from him then.”

“I don’t think he can get any more over the top than I’ve already seen him. You forget that I also spent four years in high school with him, and I saw many many lunchroom outbursts over the years.”

“Oh yeah? During the first play my junior year, one of the new freshmen assumed that Eddie and I were dating because of how attached at the hip we were all throughout rehearsals. After opening night, the kid asked him if he was going to take me out on a special date to celebrate our performance. When he asked the kid what he meant, his response was that obviously we needed to celebrate as a couple for putting on such a good show. He spent maybe fifteen minutes running around backstage making vomiting noises and moaning about how he could never date his sister. I was laughing so hard that I started crying, and Eddie yelled that the kid was tearing his family apart. It’s one of my favorite and most ridiculous memories from our friendship.”

“Wait. People actually thought you two were dating?”

“You know how Eddie is. Personal space has no meaning to him, so he’s always been an affectionate and physical best friend. Lots of hugs and sitting practically on top of each other and hanging off of each other for no reason. He was my ride home every day until I started driving, and even when other friends tried to make plans with either of us, Sunday afternoons were always specifically reserved for us to spend time together. It’s always been an unwritten rule of our friendship. Put all of that together, and I can maybe see why people thought that there was something more going on there. Plus, when he first started flirting with Nancy, I had to spell it out to her that we weren’t a couple, and he was actually into her. She was convinced we were seeing each other, and she’s maybe the smartest person I’ve ever met. And, for the record, half the school thought Robin was your girlfriend for similar reasons until one of the football players cornered her in the bandshell before one of the games and asked her how she bagged Harrington. She yelled that you two were platonic with a capital P, and then threatened to shove her trumpet up the nose of the next person who insinuated that you two were into each other.”

Steve choked on his laughter, and Chrissy felt a little sense of pride that she could get that reaction from him even if she was just repeating something that one of his friends had said. And with Steve laughing, she couldn’t help but laugh along with him.

Their laughter woke up Eddie and Nancy, and the group decided that they were close enough to the World’s Largest Rocking Chair that they could find somewhere to stop off for lunch before finishing the last little bit of the drive there. Nancy pulled up an interesting looking diner up on her phone and directed Steve on which way to go.

It was only once they were inside the diner and being led to their table that Chrissy realized the seating dilemma. Up until this point, they’d sat at open tables or outside where she’d still have some semblance of personal space no matter who she was sitting beside. But this time, they were given a booth. Eddie slid in on one side and pulled Nancy to sit down beside him leaving Chrissy no other option than to sit beside Steve. Normally, this wouldn’t have been an issue for her. She could share a booth with a friend like that easily. She’d done it with Eddie anytime that they went out with the other drama club kids, and she’d done it with other cheerleaders during many different hangouts. But Steve was different. With the beginnings of a crush making her already feel so incredibly awkward around him, the idea of being trapped between him and the wall with no escape route both scared and excited her.

She slid into the open side of the booth, and Steve followed after her. Their knees bumped under the table as he took his seat, and Chrissy felt her heart skip a beat. She busied herself with staring at the menu in front of her in the hopes that finding a decent lunch option would be enough of a distraction from being this close to Steve that she could act normal.

She shouldn’t have been worried though. She was sitting across from Eddie, and her best friend was always up to something that would keep her from dwelling on whatever she was wrapped up in for too long. This time, he was very enthusiastically ordering a drink off of the kids’ menu and making sure that this was allowed even though he was in fact a twenty year old man and not a six year old.

“What’s so special about a Shark Attack?” Chrissy asked after their waitress had walked away with their menus to place their orders.

“You’ll see when it gets here,” Eddie told her.

She didn’t have to wait very long because the waitress returned shortly with their drinks. The only visual difference that she could see between her glass of ice water and the drink in front of Eddie was that his drink also had a tiny plastic shark sticking out of the ice and floating on top.

“Oh, I get it,” she said. “It comes with a toy and they make it look like it’s crashing out of the water.”

“That’s not the best part. Just watch.”

Nancy and Steve shared a look and an eye roll as Eddie carefully lifted the shark out of his glass and started softly singing the Jaws theme song, but Chrissy was captivated. Eddie plunged the shark headfirst into his drink as he made the accompanying shark attack noises, and the grenadine that was hidden in the shark’s mouth spilled out into the drink turning his Sprite red as if it were the ocean and the shark had just attacked someone and spilled blood.

As soon as she realized what was happening, Chrissy started giggling. She’d never been allowed to order anything like that when she was a child. Her mother always said that anything like that on the kids’ menu had too much sugar, so she had no idea that’s what was to expect from Eddie’s drink. The performance that he put on only enhanced the experience, so she couldn’t help but laugh.

Eddie was beaming at Chrissy, happy that he’d been able to pull such a reaction from her, and normally, Nancy’s attention would have been on the two of them as well. How could she not be paying attention to her boyfriend when he was making a spectacle of himself? This time, however, she found herself glancing over at Steve, and she found that he was entranced by Chrissy, too. He was just sitting there and watching her with this goofy smile on his face, and the inkling that she’d had the night before about there maybe being something starting between them only grew stronger.

Truthfully, it was the first time that Steve had looked at Chrissy that way. Maybe he didn’t notice it before because he was laughing just as hard as she was back in the car, but she was absolutely beautiful when she laughed. She scrunched up her nose, her shoulders shook, and her smile was maybe the biggest he’d ever seen it. If he could, he thought he’d maybe spend every moment with her trying to get her to look that happy for as long as he knew her.

He pulled himself away from those thoughts as quickly as he could though. She’d just implied that her last relationship wasn’t exactly the greatest, and from what she’d said when Eddie brought up making herself a dating profile, it didn’t seem like she was ready to get herself involved with anyone else right now. He didn’t even know if what he was feeling right now was attraction. All he knew was that the little voice in the back of his head was telling him that he’d never grow tired of seeing her smile.

After lunch, they made it the rest of the way to the World’s Largest Rocking Chair. Unfortunately for Eddie, there was no actual way for anyone to sit on the chair, so they had to be content with just taking photos of themselves posing in front of it.

“All I’m saying is that it wouldn’t have hurt anyone if you guys had let me try to climb up there myself,” Eddie pouted once they were back in the car.

“Except it would have hurt someone,” Nancy told him. “Specifically, you when you fell and broke every bone in your body, and I refuse to explain to your uncle why we had to cut our trip short and bring you home in a full body cast.”

Eddie didn’t have time to retort because it was at that moment that someone cut them off in traffic, and Steve had to slam on the breaks. Chrissy tensed up and braced herself for the yelling. Whenever anything like this happened when she was in the car with Jason, he spent the next five minutes honking his horn at the person who cut them off and yelling about how they needed to get their head out of their ass and learn to drive. The reaction to the offense always scared her more than anything else, and she was ready to fold in on herself until she could calm herself down from it.

But the yelling never came. There were no loud noises, and Steve didn’t lean on the horn for an extended period of time. His only reaction was to mutter something under his breath about the driver being a jackass before checking to make sure if everyone was okay. Nancy and Eddie were fine in the backseat, but when he glanced over at Chrissy, she was wide-eyed and stiff as a board.

“Are you okay?” Steve asked.

Chrissy nodded slightly.

“I thought you were going to yell,” she said barely above a whisper.

“I’m not gonna yell,” he said as he reached over and placed a comforting hand on her knee. “I promise.”

At first, she seemed to tense up even more under his touch, but after a moment, he felt her relax as the tension left her body.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked her again.

She nodded again, and he squeezed her knee slightly before withdrawing his hand.

“Thank you.”

Her voice sounded so tiny, and Steve couldn’t tell if it was because of the car that cut them off or whatever it was that was going on inside her head. He just knew that he never wanted her to look that scared around him ever again.

From the backseat, Nancy and Eddie shared a pointed look. They’d have to discuss this when they had a little more privacy. Neither of them could deny that there was some sort of electricity buzzing in the air between Steve and Chrissy, and Nancy was very interested in figuring out what was going on.

The rest of their drive to Cincinnati passed without any major incidents, and the group was able to enjoy their dinner at a normal hour. After they were done eating, Nancy mentioned something about them passing a cute little ice cream shop about five minutes before they made it to their dinner spot, and they should head back that way and get some dessert before heading to their hotel for the night.

Nobody was going to turn down ice cream - even Chrissy who could be content with a single scoop of plain vanilla if they didn’t have any low fat options - so they piled back into the car to head over there.

Once inside the ice cream shop, Eddie made a point of asking for samples of the six different flavors that he was interested in trying just so he could be sure that he chose the right flavor.

“What are you gonna get?” Steve asked Chrissy as he nudged her with his elbow.

“I don’t know. Probably just vanilla.”

“Nope. Absolutely not.”

“What do you mean nope?” she asked with a small giggle. “You can’t dictate my order.”

“Plain vanilla is too boring.”

“But I like plain vanilla.”

“C’mon, Chrissy. You’re on vacation. Live a little.”

Chrissy scanned the ice cream case in front of them. Nancy still had to order before it was her turn, so she had a little bit more time to change things up if she really wanted to. A few flavors stuck out to her, but she was a little overwhelmed by the options. Add in the fact that her mother would be losing her mind over her even thinking about choosing something so rich, and it was going to be a difficult decision to make.

“Okay, then what are you going to get if you know so much?”

“Mint chocolate chip. It’s superior to all other flavors.”

“You go before me then. Give me a little more time to decide since you’re forcing me to change my order.”

“I’m not forcing you to do anything. I’m just trying to be a good influence and get you to enjoy your vacation to the fullest.”

Chrissy waited behind Steve as he ordered his double scoop cone of mint chocolate chip, and when it was her turn to order, she chose a single scoop of salted caramel pretzel in a cup. Steve was right. It was her vacation, and she was allowed to have a little treat if she wanted. They had so much planned for the next day that she’d burn off all the calories from this ice cream and then some, so there was no way her mother could get mad at her for a small indulgence.

“That’s not vanilla,” Eddie pointed out when Chrissy sat down at the table that he, Steve, and Nancy were already occupying.

“I know.”

“But you always get vanilla,” he continued. “I’ve never seen you get anything other than plain vanilla.”

“I’m on vacation,” she said with a small shrug of her shoulders. “I’m living a little.”

Steve smirked and nudged her with his elbow.

“Oh, you hush,” she said as she giggled and nudged him back.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“Yeah, but I know what you’re thinking.”

“I’m just glad you listened to me is all.”

“You know,” Nancy started, “it makes sense that Steve would be the one to get you to try something new. He’s kind of an ice cream expert.”

“He is?”

“Oh yeah,” Eddie continued. “He’s even got the little uniform to prove it.”

“What am I missing here?” Chrissy asked.

“You don’t know?” Nancy asked before turning her attention towards Eddie. “How have you never taken her there?”

“Completely slipped my mind. Usually, we just hang out at the trailer or the school. I’m only ever over there when I need to go to the music store or we’re bothering Steve. There’s no other reason to be there.”

Steve groaned. “Do we really have to talk about this?”

“Absolutely, we do,” Eddie replied. “I mean, we’re in an ice cream shop. I can’t think of a more appropriate place for us to be talking about this.”

“Can someone please fill me in on it then?”

Steve looked up at the ceiling and let out an exasperated sigh.

“Do you remember that ice cream shop in the mall?” he asked her.

“Kind of? I can’t say I’ve ever been there, but isn’t everything sailor themed with super dorky puns for the flavor names?”

“Scoops Ahoy. I kinda worked there for the last year.”

“Well, that explains why the other cheerleaders wanted to spend so much time there.”

“And you didn’t go with them?” Nancy asked.

“I don’t really eat a lot of sweets.” Chrissy stared down at her hands in her lap. “And I always figured that there was no point in going if I wasn’t going to be buying anything, so I skipped those hangouts.”

She neglected to add that the main reason she didn’t go to most of those hangouts was because of the things she’d heard from both her mother and Jason about spending time at the ice cream shop. Jason had always been more subtle in his cruelty, but whenever Chrissy had mentioned that the girls were planning on getting ice cream after a game, he’d always had something to say about how it was fine if the other girls wanted to do it, but questioned if Chrissy really wanted to have to have an extra work out session over something as silly as a little S. S. Butterscotch. Even if she had been thinking that it was maybe okay for her to get a treat, his comments always left her feeling undeserving.

Steve was too busy being grateful that Chrissy had never seen him in that goofy sailor getup to realize how quiet she’d just gotten. It wasn’t that he was embarrassed that he had worked there. He’d gotten over that a while ago. Now it was just some job that he’d had to suffer through and was glad to be rid of it now that he’d finished his last shift there. It was just easier for people to still think he was cool if they hadn’t seen him as an ice cream-slinging sailor, and part of him hoped that Chrissy thought he was maybe just a little bit cool.

Those hopes were dashed the second she spoke again.

“So, who has pictures of Steve in uniform, and when can I see them?” she asked.

“Absolutely not,” Steve replied. “You have to earn the right to see those pictures.”

“And how would one go about earning that right?”

“For starters, you could give me a taste of your ice cream,” he said as he reached for her cup. “Which only seems fair since I’m the one who convinced you to get something interesting.”

Chrissy moved to hold her ice cream out of his reach. “I don’t think so. If you wanted to try a new flavor, you could have gotten something other than mint chocolate chip.”

“But what if I wanted my favorite flavor and to try something new?”

“I mean, Eddie had like six different samples before he made his decision. You could have done that, too.”

“C’mon. Just one little taste and maybe I’ll let them show you one picture.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist to pull her closer to him on the bench seat that they were sharing in an attempt to be able to reach her ice cream better. Having him hold onto her like that caused her brain to short circuit, and by the time she realized what was happening, he’d already stuck a finger into her cup. Just before he was about to stick his finger in his mouth, she grabbed his wrist and accidentally made him swipe the ice cream across his own nose instead.

“I am so sorry,” she told him through her giggles. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

Part of her thought that maybe she should go and grab him some napkins or something, but she couldn’t will herself to move. His arm was still wrapped around her waist keeping her pressed up against his side, and the part of her that was harboring a crush on him wouldn’t allow her to get up.

Eddie started to say something, but he was cut off by Nancy gripping his thigh under the table. She shot him a look in an attempt to silently let him know that she wanted to see how this was going to all play out.

Across the table, Steve still had his arm wrapped around Chrissy, and neither of them were making any moves to do anything about the ice cream smeared on Steve's face. Chrissy could feel her face heating up from the intensity of the eye contact that they were making. It would have been so easy for her to just wipe it off his face herself, but she couldn't bring herself to cross that boundary. Which only made her start to think that she was being ridiculous. What boundary was left in this situation when he was still holding her so close? She was making things so awkward by not saying anything or moving, and surely, he was going to avoid her for the rest of the trip.

On the other hand, Steve was starting to think that Chrissy's silence meant that she was uncomfortable. He'd made things awkward by trying to steal her ice cream, and she was too polite to tell him off. She was probably sitting there thinking he looked like an idiot with that smear on his nose, and that's why she couldn't tear her gaze away from his face.

Steve's arm retracted from its spot around Chrissy's waist, but she didn't even have time to register that she missed it because he had chosen to wipe away the ice cream by lifting up the bottom of his shirt to use it as a napkin. Seeing the exposed skin of his chest had her thinking about him half-naked again, and she was trying very hard not to think about that as it was.

To keep herself from staring, Chrissy got up from her spot and went to grab some napkins. As he watched her rush away, Steve couldn't help but think she was desperate to put some space between them and the awkward situation he'd created.

But, when she came back to the table, she sat right back down next to him like she had been before. She handed him a couple napkins, and then produced a second spoon for her ice cream. She scooped up a little bite and held out the spoon for Steve.

"You really don't have to do that," he told her.

"I know. But I feel bad that I essentially shoved ice cream up your nose, so I think I can spare a little taste. Just this once."

Steve thanked her and took the spoon. As he ate what she offered, he promised himself that he'd do whatever it took to get Chrissy to joke around with him like that again.

"Can I ask you what's maybe a weird question?" Steve asked Eddie once they were alone in their hotel room for the night.

"Sure. What's up?"

"This morning, I brought up Jason in the car just trying to make conversation with Chrissy, and she was really vague and weird about it."

"That wasn't a question. That was a statement."

"I just wanna know why. She said it was more than just a bad break up, but she wouldn't go into detail about it. And then there was that whole thing in the car where she was afraid I was going to yell. I never wanna do anything that makes her look that terrified, you know? And I promised her that I wouldn't bring him up around her again, so I figured that I could maybe ask you about it instead."

Eddie paused in the middle of getting changed and let out a deep sigh.

"Listen," he said as he sat down on the edge of his bed. "I care about Chrissy more than I care about pretty much anyone else, and the last thing I want is for her to be scared or relive any of that bullshit, but it's not my story to tell. If she doesn't want to talk about Jason and her relationship with him, it's for a good reason, and you've gotta respect that."

"I just . . . I know you won't share all the details, but I just want to know if there's anything I can avoid doing to make her feel safe . . . Did he hurt her?"

"I told you. It's not my story to tell." Eddie got up from his spot on the bed and moved to lean against the bathroom door in an attempt to put some distance between them. He ran a hand over his face trying to wipe away the frustration he was feeling over whether he should tell Steve anything or not. On the one hand, if Chrissy hadn't wanted to talk about it with Steve, it was pretty clear to him that Steve didn't need to know the whole story. Nancy didn't even know the whole story, and Eddie typically told her everything. This was different though. He just couldn't break Chrissy's trust.

On the other hand, Eddie watched the way Steve and Chrissy played around together. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her laugh as hard as she did with Steve in the car that morning, and he could tell that these questions were coming from a place of genuine concern and not a need for gossip. So while he couldn't tell Steve the full story, he could talk about the details that he was involved in and hope that gets the point across.

"You remember how I always said that Jason was a Capital A Asshole? And how you always thought he was annoying and too focused on impressing the basketball guys over actually being a decent person? Well, take all of that and everything you assumed I was exaggerating about and make it at least fifty times shittier. He's worse than any of us ever imagined, and I didn't do anything about it because I made a promise to Chrissy that I'd stop fucking up my life on her behalf.

"So, when you ask me if he hurt her, all I can say is that I know he never laid a hand on her because if he did, I would have thrown that promise out the window, and Jason would have spent his senior year in a full body cast. But that doesn't mean he didn't put her through it, and that doesn't mean I didn't turn a blind eye to a lot of things because she told me that she could handle him on her own. And I really can't say anything more than that without betraying Chrissy's trust, and that's something I'll never do."

Steve stayed quiet after that. As much as he wanted to ask more about what Chrissy had gone through, he knew that he was dangerously close to overstepping a boundary, and he'd rather not piss off Eddie right before he was supposed to share a room with him. But he couldn't resist asking one more thing.

"So she wasn't scared of me in the car?"

"No. It wasn't you. I'm pretty sure it was just the situation. Besides, if she was scared of you, I don't think she'd have done whatever it is you two were doing with that ice cream."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh huh. Sure. 'Oh Chrissy, you have to let me try your ice cream. Let me just pull you up against me so you can feel how muscley my arms are.'" After impersonating Steve, Eddie switched positions and raised his voice in pitch to mimic Chrissy. "'Oh Steve, I'm ever so sorry that I turned your nose into a booger sundae. Let me sensually feed you a bite as an apology.'"

Steve grabbed a pillow from the bed that he was sitting on and hurled it at Eddie's head.

"That's not what happened and you know it. And it's not like there's anything between us anyway. We just met."

"Keep telling yourself that, Stevie," he said as he tossed the pillow back. "But I know what it looks like when you're into someone, and I definitely know what it looks like when she's into someone, so I'm pretty sure I can tell when the two of you are blatantly flirting in front of me. Do with that information what you will."

With that, Eddie ducked into the bathroom to leave Steve alone with his thoughts. He was certain that he hadn't been flirting with Chrissy. They were just a couple of buddies messing around with each other. That's all.

But no matter how much he wanted to believe that, he couldn't deny that there was a part of him that wanted to spend more time with her. That wanted to be the reason that she was smiling just like she had been earlier that evening. There was something special about her, and he was eager to learn more.

The first stop the next morning was the Newport Aquarium, and despite his best efforts, Steve was still fixated on what Eddie had said the night before. It didn't help that Eddie had dragged Nancy off to do their own thing the second that they were inside. He told himself that he was only going with Chrissy because it would be rude to leave her to wander the aquarium alone when they could easily walk around together. That was the only reason.

But then he saw the way that her face lit up when they walked into the jellyfish gallery. The lighting in the room bathed her in this purple glow, and he had to stop himself from staring at her while he was supposed to be watching the jellyfish.

That's what Chrissy was doing anyway. She wasn't gawking at Steve like an idiot the way he felt like he was staring at her. He pulled out his phone and took a few sneaky candids of her without her noticing. He knew that he was supposed to show her every photo that he took of her immediately. That was the deal they'd made anyway. She had to approve of every photo, or they had to be deleted. Those were the rules.

But he didn't want her to decide those pictures weren't worthy of saving. Not right now when he was in awe of how one person could be so beautiful. So he pulled Mister Fibbley out of his pocket and took a picture of the tiny squirrel with the jellyfish, pretending that he'd never been focused on Chrissy at all.

When he stepped around the same jellyfish enclosure that she was looking at, Chrissy waved at Steve through the glass before sticking her tongue out at him. He feigned offense before mimicking her expression, and he felt something grip inside his chest when she started giggling and making more funny faces at him. Who knew that Chrissy Cunningham was such a dork, and who knew that that was exactly Steve's type? Both of these were revelations to Steve, and he was starting to think that maybe what Eddie had said the night before wasn't as ridiculous as he'd originally thought.

He didn't know how to deal with that though. The last thing he wanted to do was make a move on her if that wasn't what she wanted and Eddie was wrong about her being interested in him. That would lead to the most uncomfortable road trip of his life, and he'd had enough of those with his parents over the years.

But he could talk to her and joke around with her. He could let her pull him around to the different exhibits and go at her pace to keep her company. He could just enjoy getting to spend time with her on her terms. And, if Eddie was right, and she was interested in him? Well, that was just a bonus.

When they'd made it through the aquarium, they separated to look around the gift shop. Steve had pretty much determined that there was nothing he wanted to buy there when he looked over at Chrissy and saw that she had the biggest smile on her face as she was looking at a small gator plushie and wiggling its paws back and forth. He watched her play with it a moment before she left it abandoned on the shelf.

The next thing Steve knew, he was at the checkout counter buying the plushie for her. He wasn't entirely sure why, but he thought that maybe he could express his interest in her in subtle ways like that, and if she was open to what he was doing, she could make the first move.

When they got back in the car, Steve passed his souvenir bag over to Chrissy.

"For you."

He watched as she pulled out the plushie and her face lit up again.

"You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to."

"Thank you. That was really sweet of you."

"Don't mention it."

He thought he could see a little bit of a blush starting to grow on her cheeks as she grinned down at the plush and wiggled its little paws again, and he smiled to himself. He thought that maybe he could be content with just being the one to make her look that happy. For now.

The next stop on Nancy's itinerary was Loveland Castle. She was hoping to explore a little, and Eddie figured he could use it as inspiration for a future campaign. Chrissy just wanted to find a shady spot to relax and enjoy how nice of a day it was, and Steve offered to keep her company. They planned on making the drive to West Virginia that night, and he figured he could take the time to relax since he'd be the one doing the late night drive.

The two found a tree to sit under, and Steve sprawled out in the grass with Chrissy sitting beside him. He just looked so peaceful laying there with his eyes closed and his arms back behind his head that she couldn't resist taking the opportunity to snap a couple candids for him.

As she was taking her last picture, Steve opened his eyes.

"Oh, are we taking candids now?" he asked.

"Just a couple. I hope that's okay."

"Doesn't bother me. It just means that I should probably take a couple of you."

"You don't have to do that. I don't need more pictures of myself."

"C'mon, Chrissy," he started as he sat up. "How are you ever gonna have a decent Bumble account if you don't have any pictures for it?"

"Fine. But I still get to choose which ones get deleted, okay?"

Steve nodded before pulling out his phone. He took his first picture a little too early and caught Chrissy mid-stretch.

"I wasn't ready yet!" Chrissy said as she moved her hands to cover her face. "You have to delete that one."

"They're not candids if you're posing for them though. Just trust the process. Relax and ignore the fact that I'm here."

So, that's what she did. She ignored Steve and played with her phone. She leaned back and looked off into the distance. She tried to be relaxed and calm and casual and cool and everything that she thought she should be in pictures. She let Steve work his magic.

But, with every picture that he took, Steve couldn't come up with a good reason why he was doing this. There was something special about Chrissy. She joked around with him and made goofy faces. She had the best smile, and she was so easy to talk to. She was beautiful, but she was so much more than that, and the idea of some other guy getting to experience all of that because of pictures he took made him sick. He wanted to be the one to make Chrissy blush, and with every picture he took, he felt a pang of jealousy echoing in his chest.

"Can I see them now?" Chrissy asked, biting down on her lower lip.

Steve hesitated. He hated that he did it, but he hesitated. Even in the photo where she was stretching, she was maybe the most beautiful person he'd ever seen. He didn't want some other guy seeing these. He knew it was selfish and wrong of him the second he did it, but he lied to her.

"I don't know," he replied. "I don't think they turned out very good. They're kind of blurry. I just dont think I'm very good at catching just the right moment, you know? But we can try again later if you want."

"That's okay," she said as she stared at her lap. "I understand."

And maybe if Steve wasn't feeling so guilty about lying to her, he would have seen the way her face fell.

He might have said that the pictures were unusable because they were blurry, but in Chrissy's mind, she knew the real reason. She just didn't photograph well. She could hear her mother's voice in the back of her mind telling her that she didn't have any good angles, so there was no point in trying. No picture of her would ever be good enough, and Steve was too nice to tell her the truth. He only said they were blurry to protect her feelings.

As much as she hated those thoughts, they stayed with her, and she stayed quiet. As her mind played tricks on her and attacked the very little self-confidence she had, she didn't speak much throughout dinner, and she spaced out in the car afterwards.

Nancy and Eddie had fallen asleep in the back seat, and Steve was focused on the road, so that left her to stare out the window alone with her thoughts and the musical theater playlist that she'd convinced Steve to let her put on playing softly in the background.

"You're really quiet over there. What's on your mind?" Steve eventually asked her.

"Nothing."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

She had pulled out her phone and flipped through her camera roll. With every single picture of herself that she saw, the voice in her head got louder as it pointed out every single imperfection - real or imagined. The voice in her head didn't care. It just wanted her to feel as small and insignificant as it knew she was.

Steve glanced over at her and noticed what she was doing. He also noticed that she looked close to tears, and that nearly broke him. He didn't know what was going on in her head, but he knew it couldn't be good from the look on her face. He wasn't stupid. He noticed how quiet she got after he'd taken her picture earlier, and he noticed how quiet that she'd been since then. More quiet than she usually was. And he had a feeling that it was probably his fault. The guilt from earlier resurfaced, and he knew that he had to do something to keep her from crying. So, he did the only thing he could think of. He unlocked his phone and passed it over to her.

"Open my camera roll and then open the favorites tab," he told her without looking away from the road.

Chrissy was hesitant, but she followed his instructions and was surprised to find that all of his recent favorites were of her. There were a handful of the photos that he'd taken outside of the castle, but there were also a bunch of photos she hadn't realized he'd taken. Ones of her all throughout the aquarium. One of her laughing at one of Eddie's stupid jokes. Just a bunch of tiny moments that he'd wanted to preserve.

"If it isn't already obvious, I lied earlier," he told her. "There was nothing wrong with any of the photos I took of you, and I'm sorry for whatever my lies made you think. I just hated the idea of you asking me to delete them, and I really couldn't stand the idea of another guy seeing them. That doesn't justify what I did, but you deserved to know the truth. It was a dick move, and I'm really sorry. You can text whichever ones that you like to yourself and delete them off my phone if you want. And you don't have to save your number or anything if you think I'm a jerk. I'll understand if you don't really wanna talk to me anymore after that."

Chrissy stayed quiet as she flipped back through Steve's favorites folder again. She tried to see herself the way that he did, and while it didn't fully quiet her mother's voice, the fact that Steve liked the way she looked enough to consider pictures of her his favorites helped to make it a little quieter.

"So you don't think I look terrible?" she asked.

"Terrible? How could anyone ever think you look terrible?" he asked. "You're beautiful, Chrissy, and anyone who's ever made you feel otherwise is clearly blind."

"For the record, I don't think it was a dick move," she said after a moment. "It's actually kind of sweet."

"Oh yeah? Does that mean you've got a bunch of photos of me that you haven't shared yet?"

He glanced over at her and noticed that she'd started blushing again. He'd never get tired of having that effect on her.

"It's fine," he told her. "Keep them to yourself if you like. I'm starting to think that maybe dating apps aren't really my thing."

"It's the same for me. Who needs 'em?"

"Yeah, who needs 'em?"

The pair shared a smile before Steve turned his full attention back towards the road, and Chrissy went back to looking at Steve's camera roll. She sent herself every single picture that Steve had saved of her. Maybe if she looked at herself through Steve's eyes, it might be a little easier for her.

She was about to tell him that she was saving her number in his contacts when she realized he was softly singing along to the song that was playing - "Her Voice" from the Little Mermaid stage musical - and she whipped her head around to face him.

"How do you know this song?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"You're singing. And maybe this is me making a silly assumption, but I really didn't think that the Steve Harrington was a musical theater guy. Especially a musical theater guy who knows a song that only appears in the stage adaptation of a Disney classic."

"I had this nanny as a kid who was really into musicals. I don't remember most of the stuff she played for me, but she was really into The Little Mermaid, and I guess this one song just kind of stuck? It just sounds nice." He shrugged. "Maybe a more important question, but why don't you ever sing along? Someone who's passionate enough about musicals to have created their own musical theater playlist definitely seems like the kind of person to sing along to said playlist in the car."

"Oh, I'm not much of a singer. I love musicals, but I'm not really the kind of person to be in them."

From the tone of her voice, he could tell there was something else going on there, but he didn't want to press her any further. He could ask her more about that another time.

When they finally made it to the hotel, they woke Nancy and Eddie up, and the group made their way into their separate rooms.

Nancy was back asleep almost as soon as she climbed into bed, but Chrissy stayed up for just a little bit longer. She found herself scrolling through the photos that Steve had taken of her again, and she couldn't help but smile. She picked her favorite of the ones that he'd taken at the castle earlier, and she posted it to her instagram account. No long and wordy captions. Just a single smiling emoji surrounded by hearts.

Just as she was about to set her phone down, her screen lit up with two notifications. The first let her know that she'd been followed by the account of one Steve Harrington, and the second let her know that he was the first to like her photo. She bit her lip in a smile as she sunk down into her pillows, and she fell asleep thinking that maybe the little voice in her head was wrong. Maybe she really was beautiful.

#cheerscoops #harringham #steve x chrissy #chrissy x steve #my writing #wyptif

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hopeymchope · 2 years

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What do you think is the reason why Sayaka disliked Homura even back when she was still Moemura? I will admit that sayaka had good reasons to dislike and distrust Homura in the PMMM anime because Homura was acting quite callous and overall pretty shady, but why did she dislike her so much even in the older timeliness?

I want to open by saying: I don't think Sayaka has come off as being too harsh towards "Moemura" in the timelines we've seen. Certainly in the Magia Record game storylines we've seen with both of them, they seem to get on relatively fine? I guess it might be a little snippy at times. Hence: "relatively." But even so, it's not too bad? Maybe you remember some examples better than my brain can pull out right now.

The biggest example of this sort of Anti-Moemura tension that I can remember is from the main PMMM series when Sayaka's just instantly dismissive of Homura when Moemura tries to straight-up just tell the group what Kyubey is hiding. And I could go off on a whole tangent here about why that scene bothers the crap outta me... but I'll save it for the end of this post and put it under a cut. I go off-topic too much as it is in these answers. :P

Okay, so why does Sayaka instantly shut Homura down when Homura is just telling her the truth (and pretty gently at that)? Why is there that undercurrent of snippiness between them at times? My instinct is: Probably jealousy? Moemura quickly gets close to Madoka and seems to "replace" Sayaka as Madoka's closest friend. Sayaka's known Madoka longer, so that's gotta sting. Plus, y'know, the yuri undertones are strong with this show. Could be a little bit of "jilted lover" layered in there.

So I think that's the crux of it. But I confess that, to me, the most awkward relationship among the "Holy Quintet" is actually the one between Regular/Edgy Homura and Mami. Those two... even before I got to see Rebellion, I was reading the manga spinoffs and thinking, "Wow, they don't like each other very much." At their very cores, they are diametrically opposed forces. Mami is largely selfless whereas Homura is largely focused on selfish desires. Mami is always doing her best to look past her regrets and make the most of what she's got even when things are tough, whereas Homura refuses to be satisfied with fate's design and is a pile of regret and angst. And then the two of them going at each other in that amazing Rebellion battle felt like a big payoff to that tension.

Fair warning: I’m now gonna go off on a side rant about why the scene/timeline where Sayaka just instantly shuts down Moemura's truth-telling just bugs the crap out of me. :P lol

The short version is: That scene makes zero sense if you think about it for one minute. It's pretty obviously just a quick-&-dirty patch to wallpaper over the question of "Why doesn't she just tell them?" Urobuchi would've been better off showing us some bad consequences as a result of just telling them up-front... but in fairness, I suspect he knows that. I think he probably went with this hyperfast/full-of-holes way to say "Nah, wouldn't work" due to the time constraints of the medium. So I kinda get why it needed to be this way. I just wish we could've handled it more smoothly.

Anyway: Why do I insist that Sayaka's instantaneous denial of there being any possibility of Homura telling the truth make "zero sense"? Because they can literally just agree to ask Kyubey. That's all it would take to clear this up - a single, short conversation. Low effort, high return. I seriously doubt the entire team would just refuse to even fucking talk to him if Homura were to say "Why don't you just talk to Kyubey?" or something to that effect. That'd be ridiculous.

So yeah, literally just ask him about it! History proves that he won't even deny anything! He may avoid sharing information or imply things that aren't true without ever saying them, but he doesn't outright lie. That's kind of a major character trait for him/them.

In a perfect world, there would've been time for us to see that conversation play out, and then show how directly sharing that knowledge is ultimately still disastrous for the team. But hey, whatevs. I understand that we were working within the confines of a 13-episode series which — at the time — had no reason to assume it'd be expanded upon.

#pmmm #puella magi madoka magica #homura akemi #sayaka miki #asks #anon #mami tomoe

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separatist-apologist · 2 years

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Hi! Hello! before I forget, i wanted to ask you if you can write that no plot, smutty one shot of Auden and Saoirse tomorrow! i'm only sending it tonight because i don't want to forget tomorrow!

You know how you wanted a polite 4k fic centered on smut? Welcome to 14k words of OOPS ALL PLOT (with smut obviously but there is plot here). ANYWAY- some gore. Sorry, these people are violent.

Training. Saoirse sneered at the thought even as she dressed herself. Surely Alexander could have come back from Day to teach her how to use a blade. It was hardly a useful skill given even as she laced up those pants, her parents were all but interviewing males for her to marry. Finn got to choose but a princess of Spring? She’d marry whoever the High Lord thought was best.

Saoirse was bitter about the entire thing. Her brothers weren’t drowning in her same expectations—Alexander could walk away from being High Lord after years of being groomed for the position, all so he could marry Lucien Vanserra’s daughter. Not Saoirse. She couldn’t go to the city like Finn and sleep with whoever she liked. She could hardly walk the grounds without a sentry following after her. What did her parents imagine would happen? That she’d be abducted? Who would dare?

With a sigh, Saoirse sat at her vanity, pulling a black ribbon from the corkboard on the wall that held them. With nimble fingers, she quickly braided her hair off her face, tying the end neatly just the way her mother would want. Even with a knife in her hand, people wanted to see beauty. Except Auden, she supposed. Brooding, scowling Auden who was forced to come weekly all the way from Night Court, seemed to sneer every time she joined him with a ribbon wound in her hair.

What did he know about it? Males could do as they liked, be who they wanted. Saoirse pulled her boots up to her knees and tucked the white of her shirt in quickly before making her way down the steps of the county estate her father chose to live in. They had homes dotted all over Spring, including an absurd palace in their biggest city and still this was where everyone felt most at home.

Everyone but her. Saoirse had always been the odd one out, the person who didn’t fit. She didn’t like living so secluded from the world, would have preferred to be in the thick of it all, surrounded by people. To have friends that hadn’t been pre-selected for her, where she could just go and find anything in the world she might want. She’d begged Alexander to let her join him in Day Court and though Ivy had tried to intercede on her behalf, her father wasn’t willing to concede any more of his children without a mating bond firmly snapped in place.

Saoirse sighed loudly, twisting her neck to look up at the cheerful sun. She hardly felt that optimism, she reflected, kicking a rock across the grassy lawn. The training rings were set apart from the house, past the stables on the flattest part of the acreage. Constant sparring had worn the fence lined circle to little more than dirt though daisy swayed cheerfully just on the other side of the posts. The armory was massive, as big as the stables though instead of friendly horses hoping for a treat, it was filled with every sort of weapon someone could want.

Saoirse knew she ought to prize the Spring steel inside, but Auden had given her a curved Illyrian blade weeks before and she brought it with her everywhere. It was small enough to hide beneath her skirts and sharp enough she was certain it would kill a male, even without a tip coated in ash. She had it strapped against her hip as she came up on the ring, annoyed to find Bastien and his band of losers hanging around. They weren’t fighting though she knew they’d trained among the warbands when they were younger. All males did in Spring. It was a right of passage to make it out alive.

Unlike the sentries, who were given a proper education, the courtiers sons got to camp in nice tents and were kept far from any real danger. When they graduated, they became officers automatically, as if the blue blood in their veins somehow made them decent leaders. Saoirse very much doubted Bastien could lead a unit of males into battle. Not with his perfectly manicured nails, anyway.

He saw her coming, his amusement over whatever he and his cronies discussed fading into feral delight. “Look who it is,” he called, his blue eyes flashing. Saoirse had to force her feet forward. He wasn’t allowed to be out here. Her father had made it perfectly clear that when she was training, the rest of the males needed to vacate.

“Go back to the estate,” she spat, earning nothing but laughter from the five of them. Bastien shook his head, blowing windswept blonde hair out of his tanned face.

“Is that any way to speak to your future husband, princess?” he demanded. Saoirse hated when he said that. There was nothing between them despite how hard his father was pressuring hers to make an official engagement. Bastien, just like his shitty father, were more interested in shifting the magic of the High Lord to their own family rather than hers. Saoirse had no desire telling Bastien that the next High Lord would hardly be a Lord at all. The magic had skipped Finn, settling into Alexander until he abdicated. Did they not see Aine, parading about the house as a bear? Did they not understand what that meant? Finn and Saoirse had all the usual magic one might expect from powerful parents but nothing else.

“You know you need to leave,” she reminded him, letting her anger seep through. Bastien pushed open the gate, gesturing for her to step inside. Saorise couldn’t hesitate, not without showing the weakness he expected to see. His eyes weren’t on her face but the dagger on her belt. Like a lot of the males in Spring, they resented the Night Court presence and the Illyrian Auden coming so close to her. She heard the way they spoke of him, of the hissed words they spat. Half-breed bastard.

“How is training going with the brute?” Bastien asked when she stepped inside, flinging his arm over her body to snap the gate shut. “I’m surprised he hadn’t dragged you off to the forest to rut you like an animal. Isn’t that what their kind does?”

Saoirse swallowed her revulsion. It wasn’t the words that made her feel sick, but the way Bastien said them while his friends leered from the gate. As if they were interested, too, in the prospect of dragging her off. As if the only thing that kept them from doing so was the fear of what the High Lord might do if he caught them. Bastien was already far too close, his larger body looming. He did it purposefully, a show of his own power.

“I’m going to tell father of this,” she threatened. The immediate mocking of his friends laughter made her cheeks heat with embarrassment.

“As if he’d believe you,” Bastien crooned. “Perhaps he’d appreciate our efforts to bring his difficult daughter in line. Your behavior is shameful, out here alone with some strange, deformed male. Some people think you like his attention.”

“Afraid you won’t wed a virgin?” she sneered, stooping immediately to Bastien’s level. He looked as if she’d slapped him. It was hardly a requirement, though she was certain a man like Bastien would demand it though he was hardly chaste himself. Some males seemed to think female virtue lay between her legs.

“You know, I would never touch an unwilling Lady,” he began. “But as you’re training to fight like men, perhaps you ought to learn what happens when you speak out turn to your betters. After all, this is equality, is it not?”

“What are you—” Bastiens hand collided with the side of her face with such force it knocked her to the ground. He’d struck her without warning. Saoirse’s cheek stung from the blow, her eyes filling with tears. Breathless, she turned to look up at him. For one shining moment, it was clear he imagined himself a king. “Get up, Saoirse,” he crooned. “Fight me like a male.”

She didn’t move. Cool darkness wrapped gently around her neck, whispering a soft refrain. Would you like to see him die? The shadows whispered.

Her eyes went wide as Auden landed behind Bastien, wings flared, eyes burning with cold, icy rage. He didn’t speak as he grabbed Bastien by the back of his fine blue tunic. He seemed as if it were nothing to Auden when he flung him roughly across the lawn. Bastien sprawled face first in the grass, screaming as he went. Auden’s dark boots stopped just in front of her, one hand resting on the sword over his shoulder.

“Don’t kill him,” she whispered, accepting his hand pulling her to her feet. “It’ll cause so much trouble.”

Auden clenched his jaw, eyes sliding from her face back to Bastien. His friends had all drawn swords, waiting for Bastien to say the word. Saoirse backed up when Bastien stalked forward, slamming into Auden’s hard chest.

“You dare put your hands on me half-breed?” Bastien screamed, not daring to re-open the gate. “You hit a lady,” Auden snarled, his voice so furious, so cold, that even Bastien fell back a step. Saoirse swallowed hard. She had no doubt that if she'd asked him to, he could have wiped Bastien and his friends off the face of the earth with hardly any effort. Her mother had told her the Illyrians training was brutal and many died before they ever completed it. Auden was a Carynthian warrior, meaning he’d not only finished, but he finished as the best.

There would be no more fighting. Her father appeared a moment later, his own rage apparent from the claws poking from his hands.

“Oh no,” she whispered. She knew how this was going to go.

“The beast is out of control!” Bastien told the High Lord, pointing his finger to Saoirse. “First he strikes our women and when we try and defend her, he attacks us, too.” Tamlin was only looking at her face, skin rippling with the effort it took not to shift. Behind her, Auden stilled. She waited a beat from him to defend himself, to call Bastien a liar. She looked up, her outrage mounting.

“You’re a liar!” she screamed. It was a test, then. Bastien had said her father would never believe a word she said. Auden hardly helped himself, standing silently, half bathed in shadow. “Get. Out.” Tamlin demanded, never taking his eyes from the shadowsinger. Auden hesitated, his eyes finding hers. “Tell him,” she pleaded but Auden shook his head.

“It’s better this way,” he murmured, flapping his wings. He took back to the sky before she could scream anything but “COWARD!” after him.

“Back to the house,” her father snarled. Saoirse flung open the gate so hard the wood rattled. Bastien smirked, watching her walk past with taunting blue eyes. I told you so, they seemed to say. Saoirse swallowed her fury, vowing she’d repay Bastien for this the moment her fathers back was turned. She winnowed, Tamlin just behind her.

“Training is finished,” he called after her retreating back. Anger was mounting in her chest, threatening to bubble up and spill around her. “If you want to learn to use a sword, one of the courtiers sons—” “Like Bastien?” she demanded, halfway up the steps. “Is that what you were going to say?” Her father’s lip curled over his elongated teeth. “One of our own will teach you.” Saoirse turned her back and continued up, halting at the top of the landing. “I don’t want any of them.” “What happened today was unacceptable!” her father raged, furious with the wrong person.

“It was Bastien who struck me!” she screamed back, letting go of her rage. “He is always lurking, always making the most vile suggestions of what he could do to me and you allow it because his father is one of your generals! He was supposed to stay out of the training rings and he disobeyed! But of course you believe him—”“I suppose he threw himself through the yard?” Tamlin demanded.

“He deserved it,” she replied, her hands shaking. “I wish Auden had done worse. I wish—” “Don’t say it,” Tamlin warned, swallowing hard. “Don’t you dare say it, Saoirse.”

“You take everyone's side but mine!” she screamed, reaching for a vase of flowers at the top of the steps and hurtling it towards him. Her father didn’t move, wincing when the pottery shattered on the wall behind him. Pretty roses slid at his feet, their petals scattered against the white and black checked marble floor. “I am just a doll for you and mother to dress up while you decide on a husband for me!” “I will deal with Bastien!” he tried, his tone softening. “Saoirse, that’s not true—”

She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. “I hate you.” Tamlin stumbled backwards as if she’d hit him. Saoirse didn’t hate her father. She loved him. She was just so, so angry with what had happened and her father was the easiest target. She stared at him for a moment knowing full well she ought to apologize.

“I’m sorry you feel that way,” he finally offered. It was all he said before he turned his back to her and walked away, leaving her miserable and sad at the top of the steps. If she’d been a better daughter, she would have gone after him and begged his forgiveness. Instead, Saoirse plodded miserably to her bedroom, slamming the door so loudly the windows rattled in their pane.

She rubbed her eyes, turning in a full circle on the plush, cream rug. She was still angry with no outlet. She’d hurt her father and would almost certainly hear about it later from her furious mother.

Set on the pale pink of her pillow was a neatly folded note. Saoirse blinked, crossing the room and all but ripping it open.

I am no coward.

She laughed out loud, not from amusement but irritation. Taking it to her desk, she scrawled back a response.

Prove it.

She sent the note back with a flick of her wrist, her burning anger strangely soothed. Saoirse walked to her vanity, examining the dark, purpling bruise around her green eye. It would be gone by morning, she knew. And still, it was perhaps the first marring of an otherwise perfect face. She stared far longer than she ought to, enjoying how much harder it was to notice she was pretty. Perhaps she could be taken seriously then.

A rough knock on her door drew Saoirse from her thoughts. Finn didn’t wait for a response, stepping in with a disapproving stare.

“Get dressed,” he told her.

“Or what?” she demanded. He rolled his eyes.

“Are we all to be your enemy today? You’re lucky mother was in the garden during your little blow up. I think she would have put you over her knee like a child if she heard your tantrum on the stairs.”

“Have you come to chastise me, then? Taking Alexander’s place as eldest brother?” she sneered. Finn offered her another roll of his grassy green eyes.

“Hardly, sister. I’m merely suggesting you apologize to father for the ugliness of your words. Now. Get dressed, unless you want to miss the whipping of a courtier's son.” Saoirse sat up straighter. “He’s going to whip Bastien?”

Finn’s eyes gleamed. “Did he truly hit you? Or are you covering for the Illyrian?”

“I would never,” she swore. Her and Auden were hardly friends…or she thought, anyway. His fury still lingered in her memory alongside his friendly shadows offering her retribution if she’d wanted it. He’d been willing to take the fall, to be the bad guy to keep her from imagined trouble.

Finn’s smile was positively wolfish. “It’ll be nice to see his family taken down a few pegs. I’m tired of listening to him brag.”

“Will you wait for me?” she asked suddenly, walking towards her armoire. “Walk down with me?”

“I am still your elder brother, am I not? I’ll be just outside the door.”

Saoirse felt immense relief knowing she would have to make that walk alone. Shedding her clothing quickly, she pulled on a pretty lilac gown she hoped screamed purity and innocence. The males of the court would be furious with this show of power. Punishing a high born male at the word of a female was never done. Not in Spring. Bastien would be out for blood, would never admit he’d done a thing wrong.

Saoirse shook out her hair, foregoing another ribbon to let her blonde curls hang loosely down her back. Just as he promised, Finn waited just outside, one hand resting against the fine green fabric of his tunic. “Ready?” he asked her.

Saoirse nodded, though nothing could have prepared her for what awaited her. Bastien’s arms were tied with ropes against large stakes in the ground, forcing him to kneel at the entrance of the stables. He was shirtless, revealing large swaths of golden, untouched muscle. Her father was rolling his sleeves to his elbows, a black whip coiled around his shoulders. His sentries stood guard while Bastiens father Seb stood trying to reason with the High Lord.

As both her and Finn approached, the sentires looked at her with appraising, almost pitying eyes. They believed her, at least. They weren’t the sons of courtiers but rathers the best males the surrounding lands had to offer. Their loyalty was to her father and his family, not the spoiled bastards who made up his court.

Seb spun when he saw her. “Tell your father, girl. Tell him how the Illyrian attacked you like the brute he is.” “Your son struck me,” she replied, half shielded behind her brother's larger body. “And threatened to drag me off into the forest.”

“My son is a well-bred male. He would never,” Seb hissed.

“You call your princess a liar?” Finn snarled, his usual, placid face rippling with rage. Claws slid from behind his knuckles, the threat clear.

“It should concern you she is protecting an outsider,” Seb spat, his disgust plain. Saoirse’s words failed her in that moment as she imagined what it might be like to protect Auden. He wouldn’t have allowed it—he would have walked himself to her father wordlessly, accepting punishment without so much theater.

“Your son has no honor,” Saoirse finally offered as both her father and Finn looked down at her. “I would never lie to protect a violent male.” “Perhaps you have been struck stupid by the cock—” “Watch your mouth,” Finna warned as her father snarled softly behind his General. Seb snapped his mouth shut, perhaps considering his future in Spring Court. There were few places he could go that weren’t tainted by her family’s presence. Since Alexander had married Day Court’s heir, he’d managed to link Spring not just with Day, but Night and Autumn, too. Lucien Vanserra’s reach was long—he might poison any potential place Seb might try and flee, leaving him penniless and homeless.

“I didn’t hit her. Father,” Bastien pleaded, looking over his shoulder as Tamlin unfurled the whip. “She’s a liar.”Seb merely jutted his chin in the air, blue eyes flashing. He didn’t believe her and yet he would stand aside so his High Lord could exact justice.

“Apologize to my daughter and I will spare you a whipping,” Tamlin offered. Saoirse swallowed.

“I didn’t hit her,” Bastien cried. Seb closed his eyes, shaking his head softly back and forth. Beside her, Finn slid his hand into her own.

“Ten lashings, then,” Tamlin offered. Bastien pleaded until that first touch of the whip sang against his skin. A bright red welt oozing blood turned his pleas to screams. Saoirse never took her eyes off him, watching with the same grim determination as her father. Finn turned his head, face paling even as her hand never left hers. Bastien would heal in a day or so, the evidence of his punishment gone though Saoirse thought the effect would linger in his mind. Perhaps, she thought with a curling moment of pleasure, he might abandon his plans to marry her.

“C’mon,” Finn tugged at her hand when her father, dripping with sweat, counted out that final lash. Seb went to his son, knife in hand, to cut the ropes. “You don’t want to be the first thing he sees.”

The sentries parted, letting her and Finn slip back to the estate relatively unnoticed. Saoirse would have liked for him to have seen her, for Bastien to know that he couldn’t act with such open impunity. He’d been wrong…and perhaps so had she.

Finn retreated up the stairs but Saoirse remained in the foyer. When her father stepped in she launched herself against him, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I’m sorry,” she told him, burying her face in his shoulder. “I didn’t mean what I said.”

Tamlin’s arms slid around his daughter, one hand rubbing gently over her spine.

“I know you didn’t,” he replied, his voice heavy. “I’m sorry you felt I didn’t believe you or your own value lies in your face. You are allowed all the same freedoms of your brothers, Saoirse. If you want to join Finn in the city, you have my permission to go.”

“Really?” she breathed, pulling from his arms. It was a massive concession and though Saoirse was an adult, she was still living in her fathers home, subject to his rules.

“Just…consider a Spring Court male,” Tamlin asked, his expression tight. “You don’t have to go all the way to Day Court to find a respectable male.”

Saoirse didn’t bother reminding her father that Alexander had only gone to Day Court because Ivy was his mate. She very much doubted he would have found the hot, humid climate there to his liking had it not been for her. Still Saoirse was elated, practically brimming with excitement at this new found freedom.

Lounging in her bedroom that evening, Saoirse imagined what it might be like to just leave. She could start in Day Court under Alexander’s watchful eye, make a few friends…slip off somewhere else. Somewhere colder, somewhere darker. Maybe the Vanserra’s could introduce her to Winter Court. Yvette seemed nice and princesses needed to stick together, didn’t they?

Laying in bed wearing nothing but a pale green night dress, Saoirse shivered when a cool breeze poured through her open bedroom windows. Thunder seemed to rumble in the distance, making everything seem darker when it ought to still be bathed in a pinkish dusky glow.

Cold wrapped around her bare legs, moving slowly up her body. Saoirse knew that feeling. Eyes closed, she listened for the distinctive flapping of Auden’s wings. His shoes touched the floor so lightly she might not have heard him had she not recognized the friendly touch of his shadows.

“Coward,” she whispered when the windows closed softly, trapping the pair inside.

“Should I have fought the High Lord for your honor as well?” Auden’s deep, cold voice sent another skittering up her spine. She opened her eyes then, taking in his massive form standing in her pretty, feminine room. He hardly belonged among the pastels, maring the pinks and greens with the whispering dark rolling of his golden brown skin. His shadows left her, curling over his toned, taut body to watch, perched on his shoulder.

Saoirse swallowed. He was the first male who wasn’t one of her brothers to ever stand in this room. “You came all this way just to defend your honor?”

She remembered him at Alexander’s wedding. He’d cornered her in the library, had dragged his knuckles over her cheek and told her we couldn’t stay away. Was that why he’d come? He felt pulled?

“I came all this way to see you,” he replied simply, hazel eyes gleaming beneath the soft fae lights overhead.

“Are you going to drag me into the woods?” she asked without thinking. Auden’s eyes flashed dangerously, eyes tracking her as she sat up, legs dangling over the side of the bed. He turned to his shadows and without a word spoken, they scattered, vanishing through the walls.

“Why would I do that?” he finally asked, carefully stalking forward until his knees nearly touched the end of the bed. “You’re exactly where I hoped you’d be.”

Saoirse’s courage failed her when he sat beside her, the mattress groaning beneath his weight. Auden could not have been more different from the golden warriors of Spring Court. His wings were tucked tightly against his body as though he thought the sight might frighten her. He was everything she wasn’t, from the blue black of his short hair to the darkness he radiated without even trying. She thought he might drag her down with him to a place even the sun’s rays couldn’t penetrate.

Saoirse felt a gut deep pull, as if her fingers were tied to strings. Unable to help herself, she reached for his wing and slid her finger over the edge. Auden shuddered, eyes closing. “They’re soft,” she said with surprise. She’d imagined them to be tough or leathery.

“And sensitive,” he added, unfurling them until they were partly cocooned between them. “My wings don’t frighten you?”

She snorted. “Do I look so easily frightened?”

“No,” he agreed. “But you do look like the sheltered, pampered princess of Spring.” It was his turn to reach for her, his fingers trailing through the curls of her hair. He pressed a thick, buttery strand against his nose and inhaled, unaware of how the sight personally thrilled her.

“Not for much longer,” she replied, her voice shakier than she would have liked. “Father is letting me leave.”

Auden’s hand slid over her jaw, thumb caressing her cheek. “And where do you imagine you’ll go?” “Winter?” she asked, eyes finding his. He shook his head no.

“Night,” he murmured. “Where you belong.”

“What do you know about where I belong?” she replied, bringing her face closer when he gently pulled.

“I can feel it. Can’t you?” Auden’s eyes were questioning, looking for something. Saoirse shook her head no, catching the miniscule flash of disappointment over his features. It didn’t stop him from brushing his nose against her own.

“You are a creature of starlight,” he told her, lips touching hers as she said it. “I’ll prove it to you.” She meant to ask how. She swore all she wanted was to talk to him, even when her lips found his own. It wasn’t her first kiss, not by a long shot. It might as well have been, for the fire it immediately lit in her stomach. Saoirse reached for him, fingers curling around the back of his neck as she moved closer, suddenly desperate for a male she’d sworn only that morning she hardly liked. Now it was Saoirse crawling in his lap and deepening the kiss while Auden let her, arms grasping her tightly, hands sliding up her bare legs though never quite touching where she wanted him.

Auden tasted better than he smelled, like pine and cold snow swirling over a dark sea. When he slid his tongue against her own, Auden wasn’t the only one who groaned—she’d been looking for this her entire life. Saoirse was needy, practically desperate for relief. She ground against him without thinking about the action, grateful when his hips rose to meet her with a protruding hardness.

Auden broke the kiss with a loud exhale of air, eyes wild. “Starfall—it’s tomorrow. Come with me,” he all but begged. “Let me show you my home.” Saoirse nodded, swallowing hard. She’d have agreed to anything at that moment. “Okay. Starfall.”

She had no clue what that was. Auden slid her body off his so he could stand, adjusting himself before going to the window. He turned to look at her, brow furrowed.

“Tomorrow.” He left before she could agree, leaving Saoirse frustrated and strangely empty without his presence.

The next day was hell. It wasn’t just the courtier's sons that seemed bound and determined to punish her. The daughters, few as there were, had decided shunning Saoirse was the appropriate punishment for not throwing Auden under her fathers whip. It didn’t matter that they, too, hated how entitled the males of the court could be or how they were expected to remain virtuous and chaste for some future husband. She’d betrayed one of their own for an outsider, which made Saoirse a problem.

She had to pretend she didn’t care when in truth, Saoirse very much did care. The ladies were her circle in Spring Court. She’d confided in them, had vented among them. To see them choose Bastien was just one more reminder than she didn’t belong. No one liked Bastien. They just hated Night Court more.

When it became clear her only options were to grovel to Bastien or spend the afternoon chasing after Aine in the garden, Saoirse stomped back upstairs. Auden would return for her that evening to take her to Starfall, whatever that was. Saoirse was certain of two things, if nothing else—she needed to look immaculate and she wanted to do far more than just kiss him. In order to make that happen, she’d need to make herself into the kind of female he couldn’t ignore. While Saoirse had no experience in seducing a male, she did have experience in dressing up. She spent the early part of the afternoon in the bathtub, scrubbing her body until it was practically raw only to slather in it softly scented lotion. She was grateful the bruise from the day before was gone, only a distant memory lingering at the edge of her mind.

It wasn’t unusual to see her with a made-up face or perfectly curled hair and when Saoirse went down for dinner, no one spared her a second look. Saoirse shoveled food as quickly as she could, unsure if Starfall would have an eating component. She also didn’t think Night Court wanted to see a princess of Spring among their ranks. She didn’t know why the animosity between their courts existed though she suspected it had begun long before even her father was born. Saoirse had no intention of worsening those tense relations.

She dug out a midnight blue gown from the back of her dresser. She’d never technically worn it—she’d once been promised a trip to Winter Court with Alexander and had gone out hunting for the perfect outfit, only for him to leave without her as he so often did. The sleeves were sheer, tapering to a point in the middle of her hand while the dress itself flowed like icy water, glittering softly beneath the light. She left her neck and hands bare, hoping the dress would be enough. For Spring born Saoirse, to wear no jewelry—not even on her ears—was akin to stepping out naked. The ladies never went out without their necks dripping with some priceless jewel, their fingers coated in rings, their ears screaming of wealth.

Saoirse didn’t know the fashion of Night Court and didn’t want to seem as if she bragged.

She was sliding on her shoes when she felt the cool greeting of his shadows. “I’m starting to think they like you better than me,” Auden murmured, crawling through her open window with a silent grace. He didn’t tuck his wings against his body this time. Saoirse was grateful for it, even when one of them slid a stack of paper and books to the ground. Her room wasn’t built for someone with a wingspan and certainly not one as large as his. She’d seen Elyn and Nyx and though they had the same dark wings, they didn’t seem quite as massive as Auden did.

“Maybe they crave a little sunlight,” she teased, watching darkness slither back to his shoulders.

“Starlight,” he corrected as he looked her up and down. “They crave starlight.” Saoirse tucked a curl behind her ear, unsure how to respond to that. He’d never said so many nice things to her, had never looked at her like she hung the moon before. She couldn’t resist rising up on her tiptoes, intending to kiss his cheek. Auden turned his head quickly, capturing her lips with his own.

She almost suggested they just stay. His mouth was so warm and sweet, his body somehow radiating heat despite the cold that seemed to lurk around him. Why not invite him into her bed? Surely he’d agree, she reasoned.

Auden was the voice of reason, stopping himself just as he’d done before, all with that same tenuous control. She wondered what it would take to snap it entirely. “I reserved a private balcony,” he said, his voice gravel.

“Do your parents not know about me?” she asked, immediately regretting her words. What was there to know? What even was she? He’d kissed her twice, that was hardly a promise. Auden offered her a calloused hand, half gloved with a gleaming blue siphon. He wore seven altogether, dotted over his body. What happened if he took them off?

“Do yours?” Auden interrupted her thoughts, unaware of how she was picturing him naked. “Or do they think you’re up here sleeping?”

“I’m sure they don’t worry about you defiling me,” she replied, too breathless for her liking. His hazel eyes darkened.

“They should.” Auden didn’t wait for whatever witty comeback she might have served up, sweeping her into his arms and walking back to the window. “Are we flying?” she asked when he gingerly perched in the window sill.

“Just far enough to winnow,” he replied, taking to the sky without a word of warning. Saoirse’s stomach dropped violently. She had to suppress a scream and bury her face into his chest, eyes screwed shut. It seemed to last a lifetime, though they were airborne only a few minutes before the crush of the winnow came.

Saoirse opened her eyes to rising mountains in the distance, capped brightly with snow. Even in the dark she could see them, set against the yawning mouth of a dark violet river. A city bustled far beneath them, dotted with hundreds of lights. The streets were packed with people, all looking skyward while anyone with access to a roof or a balcony—like them—sat and chatted, waiting for what was to come.

“Is this where you live?” she asked, turning to find closed, glass double doors.

“It’s my apartment,” he agreed.

“You don’t live with your parents?” she asked. It was odd to find an adult male all on his own.

“You wouldn’t either if you heard them,” he grumbled, gesturing for her to sit on the long, pillow lined couch.

“Mean?” she guessed. Auden chuckled.

“Loud,” he clarified. “And still very in love. They’re mates.” “Oh. Mine too,” she offered, sitting exactly where he’d asked her to. Auden dropped beside her, reaching for a thick, dark blanket to drape over her lap. “Mine go out to the woods, though.” “My mother’s mother was from Spring, at least partly. I’ve ah…heard of the rituals,” he replied. Saoirse was certain he hadn’t though she didn’t dare admit what, exactly, her father and mother got up to each year. Like her siblings, she liked to pretend she didn’t know.

“You’ll have to see it for yourself this Spring,” she offered, well aware of what she was asking. It was absurdly bold given just how little she knew of him. Auden knew it too, his eyes leaving the dark, starless sky overhead to look sharply at her.

“You participate?”

“No,” she admitted. “I don’t want my first time to be like that but—” A hush fell over the crowd, making her words seem louder by comparison. Saoirse saw the way he watched her, caught the heat in his gaze when he realized what she was offering up. It didn’t matter, in the scheme of things and yet in Spring, at least among the ladies, it did. Saoirse would be damned if she made her body the hypothetical property of some future male.

“Look,” he murmured, directing her eyes upwards. Blinding, beautiful light streaked over the sky like a shooting star. There was just the one, and then another and another until the sky was filled with them. Saoirse watched the lights of the city wink out until they were bathed in only starlight. Auden slid closer, his arm draped over the back of the sofa until she was tucked beside his chest.

“They’re not technically stars,” he murmured, his breath tickling the back of her neck. “But the spirits of our ancestors migrating.”

“Where do they go?” she asked, watching as one fell from the sky and splattered softly on the black iron balcony.

Auden shook his head, dragging a lock of dark hair against his forehead. “No one knows.” Saoirse stared, mouth open, until the music began in the streets. She could see people on other balconies dancing and swaying, their laughter occasionally louder than whoever played beneath.

“Do you like it?” Auden asked, brushing her hair off her shoulder. “I do,” she admitted, wondering where those souls were going. “And me…do you like me?”

She turned her head to assure him that she did. It seemed it didn’t matter. He reached for her face, fingers curling in her hair, and pulled her for another kiss. It wasn’t sweet, though none of them had been but this was practically desperate in its intensity. There was something she was missing, something he was trying to communicate to her if his wandering hands were any indication.

She’d never been so alone with a male before. Even yesterday, Auden had been in her room for a total of ten minutes. Now, though…now she was in a completely different territory. No one was coming to rescue her, assuming she even wanted to be. Saoirse didn’t think she did.

“I can’t stop thinking about you,” he told her, dragging his mouth away to pepper bruising kisses along her neck.

“Really?” she asked, arching to offer him better access. His hands skimmed the sides of her body, rising and falling as if he could somehow feel the skin beneath.

“For months,” he admitted, the confession gravel against the loud, lively music happening around them. Saoirse tried to think back on those months, of his scowls and sneering words, training her as though she were a burden on his time.

“I thought you hated me,” she told him mere seconds before his hungry mouth was on hers again. His hand tangled in her hair, wrapping it through his fingers to pull until she was gasping, nails raking down the back of his neck.

“I like you far too much,” he told her, nose nuzzling her own. “When that bastard hit you I…” his eyes promised a kind of violence she couldn’t fathom. It should have scared her, should have sent her running away. Despite his hold on her hair, Saoirse reached up, kissing him as sweetly as she could, considering his tongue immediately invaded her mouth for a taste.

Auden pulled back, releasing his grip to hold her face, “Who do they plan to marry you to?”

“So you can kill him?” she replied, breath hitching in her throat.

“Yes,” he agreed. “That’s exactly why.” “There is no one,” she assured him. Only you, her mind added, though she didn’t dare say that out loud. Auden let go of her face, sliding down her body until he was kneeling in front of her.

“Good.”

Auden ducked beneath her gown, licking the side of her thigh until she was shivering, not from cold but from desire. So slowly, Auden pushed her dress up over her legs, pooling the fabric at her waist so he could see her.

“I’m going to taste you now,” he told her, hooking his finger in the band of fabric covering the most intimate part of her. Saoirse could only watch, the light from the stars blocked by the large span of his wings. It was as if they were in their own world, totally hidden from everyone else. She nodded, unable to take her eyes off him. He never fully undressed her, perhaps considering that anyone could look over. Maybe he thought it would slow him down.

All that was forgotten with the first glorious touch of his mouth against her cunt. She whimpered, eyes finding his. Auden’s eyes practically rolled back in his skull. She wasn’t a total prude—her fingers had found their way between her legs more times than she could count. His mouth blew all of that completely out of the water. He offered her only one moment to breathe before he descended again, his tongue lapping like a wild, desperate animal. Her heart pounded a brutal, snapping beat in her chest and Saoirse, unable to do anything but grip his hair to anchor herself, let him sweep her legs up over his shoulders.

Auden dipped his finger into her body, swearing softly against her skin. She bucked, tightening around the intrusion until his hand and mouth worked in tandem. What had she been so afraid of, she wondered? If sex was even half as lovely as his tongue, Saoirse hoped he fucked her just as soon as he was done.

Saorise’s legs clamped around his face, holding him in place as she came. She had to press her hand over her mouth to stay silent, her body bowing off the couch as if pulled by strings. She fractured, her blood replaced with racing molten heat. She could see nothing but bright green stars behind her eyelids.

As Saoirse came down, Auden joined her, pulling her against his body until they were both sitting on the hard rough surface of the balcony.

“Stay with me tonight,” he asked, kissing her before she could agree. Saoirse didn’t know how she would leave at all.

She knew one thing, though.

She didn’t want to return to Spring.

AUDEN:

Fuck, fuck, fuck. Auden paced the rooftop of his apartment long after Starfall ended. Saoirse was asleep in his bed wearing his clothes, tucked into his bed. A better male wouldn’t have left her, would have stayed if only to convince her not to leave. He’d never considered himself a good male, in his defense. Now, though? He ran a hand down his mouth as he considered his options. How long before the High Lord of Spring came looking for his daughter?

“I can hear you screaming across the city,” Nyx complained, descending from the night sky with a bored expression. “Care to explain what Tamlin’s daughter is doing in Velaris?” “Did you tell your father?” Auden asked his best friend, looking over Nyx’s shoulder. Nyx scoffed.

“Did you?”

Auden scowled. Of course he hadn’t. Nyx blew out a loud breath. “This isn’t a good look for us…not with our history of stealing Spring Court princesses…”

“She’s my mate,” he told Nyx, rubbing his hand over the black jacket he still wore. “I thought after tonight…” “She doesn’t feel it?” Nyx questioned curiously. Their parents were all mated, a rare thing according to legend. Not one of them had one. Not until Auden had been sent to Spring to train Saoirse. He sometimes wondered if his mother hadn’t guessed somehow when she offered him up. All Auden knew was one minute he was stomping towards the ethereal blonde and the next he was on his ass, dazed from the near violent snap she clearly hadn’t noticed. He’d tried avoiding her, tried keeping his distance and when all that failed, he’d tried kissing her until she was breathless with want. It was clear she felt something.

“No.” Admitting Saoirse was unaware of the bond made him feel like a failure somehow.

“Then take her home.” Nyx knew as well as Auden that whether Saoirse came willingly or not, Tamlin wouldn’t see it that way. Not after what had happened with his aunt Feyre. It wasn’t his fiance this time but the daughter he had much more claim to. “I won’t tell dad.”

Nyx owed Auden a million secrets not to rat him out over this. Still, Auden offered his friend a grateful nod, well aware that Nyx was right. If Saoirse didn’t know, he had no claim to her. He could tell her but that risked driving her away before she really got to know him. Auden would have preferred death than never putting his face between her legs again.

He dropped back to the balcony, stealing quietly into his apartment to join her in bed. If he wanted to get her back unnoticed they’d have to leave now. Dawn was mere hours away. Auden shook her gently, brushing long, golden strands of hair off her face. Saoirse’s eyes fluttered open.

“You’re awake,” she murmured, shitting in her pretty blue dress to sit up. Auden nodded.

“I need to get you back before your father declares war against my court.” It was a bad joke, one she didn’t smile at.

“Now?” she asked him, eyes big and wide in the dark. Auden nodded.

“Now,” he agreed. Saoirse was shaking her head, hands sliding over the stiff jacket he still wore.

“Not yet,” she whispered, reaching for his pants. “Not until I even the score between us.”

Auden’s mind went blissfully blank at the implication. Too late, by the time rationality returned, to stop her. She’d gotten the buttons on his pants undone and had her hand wrapped around the base of his half hard cock. He’d only just managed to temper his arousal. What would he do now?

“You don’t…ah…” What was he saying? Saoirse rubbed the tip of his penis against her pillowy soft lips and Auden decided she very much did need to take him into her mouth. He thought he would die if she didn’t.

“You’ll tell me what you like,” she murmured, her words reverberating up his shaft. It wasn’t a question but rather a command.

“Open your mouth,” he groaned, head tilted back when she did exactly as he said. Auden pushed just the head into her mouth, not wanting to gag her. As it stood, her little hand just barely closed around him. The sight filled him with masculine satisfaction though he’d never admit it.

“Suck,” he murmured, raking his fingers through her hair. Saoirse closed her lips around him, letting her wet, warm tongue swirl over him until he was gasping. He couldn’t help thrusting, shoving himself deeper until her hands flew to his bare thighs in warning.

“Stroke me,” he begged, grabbing one of her hands and cupping it over the rest of his length. “Just like that.” Auden would have given anything for the bond to snap together between them, for her to feel exactly what he did. He was panting, somehow so incredibly close to the edge despite the rather sweet way she was sucking him. There was a passion to it—Auden could see from the way she watched that she was memorizing this moment. She’d only get better with time until she knew the exact way to put her tongue and dig her nails.

He considered, his ogasm built in his shaft, that she didn’t need to learn anything at all—the mere silken heat of her particular mouth was enough. He groaned, head thrown back, eyes unable to leave her head bobbing over him. She wasn’t the only one committing the act to memory. Had anything ever been as erotic as her mouth wrapped around his cock?

Auden came roughly, his whole body shaking as he spilled into her mouth. Saoirse squealed with surprise though she blessedly swallowed it. Auden pulled her to her feet, kissing her without thinking, praying to the Mother above that finally Saoirse would feel that same twang in her chest.

She didn’t. Instead, Saoirse held his face in her hands. “Can I see you again?” As if he could stay away after that.

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow night.”

Every night, he wanted to say. Auden swallowed the words and pulled his pants back over his hips. Taking her home when he felt like she already was…that was torture. She didn’t belong among the twining rose vines that covered her family's palatial estate. She belonged with him in Velaris, in the city of starlight.

Saorise leaned out her window to kiss him, smiling sweetly. “Tonight,” she reminded him, as if he wouldn’t be counting the hours. Auden nodded before taking to the skies. There was too much risk he’d damn them all and snatch her away. He could think of hundreds of places in the Illyrian mountains he could hide her that Tamlin would never find. It was Rhysand he needed to worry about. Forcing a mating bond on an unwilling female was a crime in Night Court and he couldn’t expect any leniency just because Rhysand was his uncle.

The problem, he thought once he returned, was him. He didn’t know how to court a female. He’d never been overly romantic, had never been the sentimental type. He figured he had centuries for that and as he came up, spent more time honing his skills in the bedroom. Now he had not just a mate, but a mate who was a princess, and Auden felt woefully unprepared. What did you get the female who already had everything? How did he cause that snap on her end?

After trolling the city for some small token—he picked up a pair of drop earrings shaped like stars—Auden decided on the most obvious course of action. Sex. It was selfish to hope, but Auden thought fucking her might simulate a potential frenzy, if nothing else.

He paced his living room for the rest of the day, desperate for the sun to set so he could dash off. He ignored a message from his mother inviting him to dinner, vanishing back to Spring. He’d never thought he’d like the sight of that ugly ivory manor like he did. Saoirse was waiting in the window sill, ethereal in her beauty as she scanned the night sky. Auden couldn’t help but smile when he saw her.

“Miss me?” he asked, kissing the tip of her nose.

“Yes,” she agreed, sliding out of his way so he could join her. Auden presented the little black box the moment his feet touched the ground. Saoirse lit up, pulling the purple ribbon and setting it neatly on her vanity. She touched the earrings as if they were precious and infinitely fragile. “These are beautiful.” He only shrugged, pleased she liked them. Instinct yawned in his chest at the recognition he’d pleased his mate. “You got these for me?”

Who else did she imagine him buying jewelry for? This was a first for Auden. “Yes. I thought you might like a little starlight in this place.”

Saoirse sighed, her pretty face falling in memory of something he hadn’t been part of. Perhaps he ought to leave one of his shadows here to watch over her. Auden couldn’t decide if that was a violation of her privacy or not.

“Is that all you wanted?” she asked him, coming closer in another of her short little night dresses. Auden was so soft for this female.

“I came to defile you completely,” he murmured, considering that he was the thing of Spring Court nightmares. A winged monster, a thing of nightmares coming for the pretty princess.

“Not here,” she whispered, glancing towards the door. “There is a ball downstairs…we might be caught.”

Auden hardly cared. “Where, then?”

Saoirse looked towards the open window. “Have you ever been to the woods, shadowsinger?” He had no intention of fucking his female for the first time in the forest. It was too animalistic, not to mention just as risky.

“Come back to Verlaris with me,” he whispered, lips pressed against her forehead. “Back to my bed.” Saoirse shivered in his grip. “Okay.”

This time, Auden climbed out of the window first, wings flared out around him as he held out his arms. Saoirse didn’t hesitate despite her fear, carefully stepping into his grip so he wouldn’t see what lay beneath the gown.

“You’ll learn to like flying,” he murmured, taking her to the sky. Saoirse kept her eyes open, cheek pressed against his chest to watch the estate vanish beneath them. Auden put Saoirse out of her misery, winnowing before she could change her mind. A moment later they were back on the balcony. Saoirse went to the balcony, peering out over the city with fascination.

“You live here?” she asked breathlessly. Auden nodded, secretly pleased she loved it. He had no intention of living in Spring. Already he was considering a bigger space, someplace nicer…the kind of place a female might want to live permanently. He wanted to tell her about his plans, wanted to include her in them without freaking her out.

It was hardly selfless, the way he guided her back to his bedroom. Saoirse sat politely on the edge of the bed, hands in her lap. “Are you going to undress?” she asked, her words a delicious taunt. Auden smiled darkly, pulling his tunic over his head. He tossed it to the side of the room, running his hand over his flat, muscular chest.

“I’ll do anything you want,” he all but purred. Saoirse nodded, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Take off your pants,” she whispered. He moved slowly, inhaling the sweet scent of her arousal perfuming through the room. Auden kicked off his boots, hoping he looked suave and not desperate. He was desperate…not that she needed to know that.

Pants gone, he stood before his mate utterly naked for her approval. Saoirse was rubbing just beneath her breast absently as if the bond was chafing her. That gave him hope. “Now you,” he replied, wanting to see her pretty body completely barred to him. Saoirse reached for the hem of her dress, pulling it tentatively over her long, thick hair. It, too, joined his clothes on the floor. Auden sucked in a breath when he realized she’d put nothing on beneath. Every inch of her was perfection.

“Come here,” he ordered, immediately placing his hands against her breasts when she was close enough to touch. Her skin was soft, nipples hardening beneath the pads of his fingers. “You’re beautiful, you know?” he murmured, ghosting a kiss over her mouth. Saoirse’s eyes fluttered shut, hair falling thickly down her back as she arched her neck. Her hand reached between them, pumping his cock slowly.

Using his penis like a leash, Saoirse stepped back until she was pressed against the bed frame again. Auden laid her back, taking a moment to admire her laying against his black sheets. That was the moment his self-control utterly shredded to ribbons. He crawled on top of her, covering her mouth with his own. He needed her, needed to taste her, needed to be buried deep inside her. Auden spread her legs, rubbing the head of his cock against her soft, already slick folds. Saoirse hooked her leg over his hips, raising her body to meet each simulated new thrust. Auden didn’t have to ask what was happening with her—he, too, was feeling it too. Saoirse gasped, eyes flying open. She clawed at his bare back.

“More,” she breathed, her words half prayer, half erotic curse. “Auden, I need more—” “I know,” he groaned, kissing her again, his tongue sliding against her own. “Fuck, Saoirse.” He ought to have slowed, dragged things out. He couldn’t, not when she was rubbing her wet cunt against his shaft.

“I need you,” she begged, trying so hard to get him to slide inside her. She was too tight—he was sure he’d hurt her.

“You’ll wait,” he growled against her neck as if he were in total control. He wasn’t. Auden was dying, utterly desperate and needy just as she was. To pull back, to remove his cock from the source of heat it was twitching to be inside took herculean effort. He was determined there would be no pain associated with this first joining, one a long line of couplings assuming he did everything exactly right.

She smelled just as good as the night before and tasted even better. It was easy to get lost eating her, bolstered by the sounds coming from her mouth. Saoirse raised her hips, her fingers clutching his hair to push him closer, to keep him from taking his tongue off her clit.

Auden had put himself between her legs to prepare her, not to feast. He supposed he could do both, working two fingers at once in an attempt to offer her some stretch. Getting in a third finger was harder despite how wet she was and Auden wanted to pull his hand out entirely and replace it with his penis. He could feel her heart fluttering in the walls of her body, pulsating rhythmically as she ground her hips against his face.

Auden pumped, pulling his fingers apart until he had her at capacity. If Saoirse felt any pain at all he couldn’t tell, though he had to assume she was enjoying herself given the scream that slipped from her throat as she came. He lived and died by that sound, was desperate to feel her come around his cock, having just tasted it on his tongue.

“Tell me if I hurt you,” he murmured, lining himself up against her. Saorise wasn’t listening—her eyes were closed, back still arched as she worked to come back down. The sight filled him with more than a little masculine pride. Auden’s wings flared wide, an instinct born of centuries of Illyrian males trying to impress their females with their wingspans. Saoirse didn’t know and certainly didn’t care how large his was and still he felt the urge to show her all the same.

Her eyes flew open the moment he pushed himself in an inch. It was hell, holding himself still, to fight the urge that begged him to slam the rest of the way in. He needed to claim her, to bathe her in his scent so there would be no mistaking their bond. Mate, his blood roared. She was his just as surely as he was hers. Saorise reached for his arms, digging her sharp nails into his skin.

“You’re fine,” she assured him softly, looking between their bodies in the dark. He wondered if he could see their joining. He could only see her beautiful face, flushed from her orgasm, hair a wild, golden halo around her head.

Bolstered by her words, Auden went slow, sliding inch by inch until he was flush against her. Saoirse wiggled once he was in, still watching his face. “It doesn’t hurt,” she murmured, tightening her body purposefully around him. Auden groaned, dropping his head against her shoulder. “I just feel full.”

“You are full,” he replied, well aware of how large his cock was. She didn’t know—for all Saoirse knew, he was actually quite small. He’d tell her later, he decided, when he wasn’t being driven to madness. Auden pulled from her body only to thrust back in, relieved when a breathy oh fell from her lips. When he pumped again, Saoirse was ready, hips rising to meet him. It was better than anything he’d ever felt. He felt green again, fucking his first female and hoping he was good. Auden was in danger of coming far too quickly in his excitement. As he pumped, he distracted himself, thinking of each new maneuver he was working on in training. It worked. Saoirse continued to rise upwards, chasing another orgasm while he stalled in the middle.

It was the time he needed. Saoirse came again, tightening around him to a near painful degree. She was a second skin, heat radiating in a way he’d never felt. She was wet, practically gushing and when Auden came, he didn’t hold back either. The sound that escaped his lips was hardly elegant–more strangled than anything. He collapsed, unwilling to pull himself from her, arms wrapped around her body.

“Give me five minutes,” she murmured sweetly, her lips pressed against his shoulder.

“Five minutes for what?” he replied, searching her face for any hint she’d felt a snapping between them. Saoirse’s eyes opened, greener than he’d ever seen them. She looked happy…radiant, even…but no bond. His stomach plummeted.

“Five minutes to catch my breath so we can go again,” she told him, kissing his skin. Auden’s disappointment threatened to crush him and for a moment, he could barely breathe. How could she not feel it? He reached in his chest, pulling softly. Saoirse gasped a little though there was no other awareness. He swallowed.

She could feel it, even if she didn’t know what, exactly, she was feeling. That soothed him a little, though just barely. Auden nodded, kissing her sweet, swollen mouth.

“Five minutes.”

SAOIRSE:

Saoirse had thought Auden would come every night after they had sex. He didn’t. After bringing her home, Auden didn’t return for nearly a week. Saoirse was going out of her mind at the absence. She cried more than she cared to admit with each passing day, growing moodier as time went on. Had she done something wrong? Had the sex been bad?

A darker thought crept into her consciousness one night, waking her from near sleep. Perhaps that had been all he wanted. Sex was casual, right? He didn’t owe her anything, had made her no promises. In fact, all he’d ever said was that he wanted her. She’d given in, foolishly thinking it meant something when Auden was just another male interested in what he couldn’t have. She saw it all the time. Saoirse had never thought it would be her on the receiving end of some males disinterest. She’d seen how he looked at her. Had she just imagined his affection?

Privately grieving, Saoirse was also forced to face down Bastien for the first time since the whipping. Their eyes met across the dining room table at breakfast midway through that week and though Bastien was laughing with his group of friends, she saw the hatred lurking just behind the placid blue of his eyes. Saoirse didn’t feel guilty—he was the one who'd lied, not her—but she did feel uncomfortable. He’d be out for retribution, having been humiliated by the High Lord like that.

It didn’t take long for Bastien to find her. Saoirse only had so many places in the palace she liked to hide. Trying to banish Auden from her mind, Saoirse had gone out on the grounds with a book, far enough the hilly countryside blocked the estate from view but not so far her father or brother wouldn’t hear her scream. Bastien dumped her from the hammock she’d been swaying in, sending her sprawling to the ground.

“Did you not learn your lesson the first time?” Saoirse hissed, scrambling to her feet.

“Can I not say hi to my future wife?” Bastien replied, leaning absently against a tree. A baldric of knives were strapped over his silvery tunic and Saoirse wasn’t stupid. It was a subtle threat.

Saoirse laughed. “My father gave you permission after he untied you?”

Bastien’s eyes flashed. “He was about to before your little performance. I admit, he’s not as keen as before but you underestimate how important my father and his forces are to the High Lord. Give it time, Saoirse.”

“I’m surprised you’d want such a disobedient wife.”

Bastien grinned. “All wives need to be broken. You’ll come to find I can be quite forceful.” “I’m well aware of your force,” she snapped. “Your father may be fine marrying unwanted females but my father will never agree if I say no.” “We’ll see, Saoirse,” he replied, his confidence nerve wracking. Bastien sauntered off while Saoirse stayed, reassuring herself that if her father would let his heir and eldest son abdicate for his Day Court wife, he wouldn’t make her marry Bastien, either. He wasn’t a tyrant or married to the thought of nobility. Her own mother had come from the outskirts of Spring in a village that barely had one hundred residents.

Saoirse tried to track him down but her father was gone to the border, leaving Finn in charge as he’d taken their mother with him. Finn promptly put their fathers crown atop Aine’s head and let her—in the shape of a bear, no less—sit atop his throne while he danced around like a court jester.

Saoirse played along, pretending to be various courtiers for Aine to menace until she was sweaty and exhausted. She’d all but forgotten Auden and her hurt as she walked back up the steps for her bedroom. Saoirse yanked it open, already undoing the buttons to her dress. She flipped on the light where Auden was waiting, wings flared outward to make him seem larger than he was. Saoirse froze as something painful snapped roughly in her chest. It was like looking at him for the first time. Had she ever truly seen him before that moment? Shadow swirled around him, rolling from his shoulders darkly. He was vengeance. He was night incarnate, death made real. Everything about him ought to have frightened her. Auden took one step towards her before Saoirse raised a hand, her heart pounding a frantic thumping beat.

Mate. Did he know? Could he feel it? Auden’s eyes were carefully guarded, his face carved of icy stone.

“You’re back.” It wasn’t what she imagined her first words to her mate would be and yet Saoirse couldn’t help herself. He’d wounded her. Did he even care?

“I had to go to the Illyrian training camps,” he explained without an ounce of emotion. “I came here the moment I could.”

Saoirse didn’t say anything. Auden cocked his head, allowing a piece of his dark hair to spill against his face. “I missed you,” he added softly. She felt a sharp tug in her chest and Saoirse gasped, rubbing against her ribcage. Auden’s eyes went wide just as hers narrowed. He knew. She’d felt the same sensation right after they’d had sex the first time though hadn’t understand what she’d felt.

“You feel it,” he murmured, his relief obvious. “Cauldron boil me.” Saoirse exhaled. “How long…?”

“Since that first training.”

Months. She meant to yell at him for it but Auden had closed the distance between them for a kiss she could hardly argue with. It was the nicest kiss they’d ever shared–his lips moved against her own as if pouring his relief and gratitude into the world.

“I’ve been so afraid…” he murmured, hands cupping her face. It was impossible to imagine Auden afraid of anything. She swallowed hard, wishing she’d felt it sooner, too. She only nodded.

“I feel it now,” she replied, rising on her tiptoes to kiss him again.

“Leave with me,” he all but begged. “Come to Night Court, we’ll find a home—” His words were interrupted by the swinging of her door, shoved open so roughly the knob bounced off the back wall.

“I fucking knew it,” Bastien murmured, sword already drawn. “You’re not as stealthy as you think you are, half-breed.”Auden was unarmed though Saorise thought that meant very little. She wasn’t taking chances.

“FINN!” she screamed as Auden stepped around her, wings flaring to hide her from view.

Finn arrived the same time Seb did.

“Drop your sword,” Finn snarled, pushing past Bastien just as Seb. Seb’s face curled with delight when he saw Auden, defensively posed in Saoirse’s room.

“Sweet little liar,” Seb crooned. “Shall we offer you the same punishment?”

“Put your—” Saoirse screamed when Bastien turned, ramming his sword through her brother's gut. Finn groaned, reaching for the frame of the door as Bastien yanked the bloodied blade out of Finn’s body. Realistically, Saoirse knew Finn would survive but to see her brother felled in their own home, to watch his knees buckle as he collapsed while blood pooled at his feet, made her sick.

“If you put your hands on her, you will regret it,” Auden warned when Seb stepped forward. His blue eyes gleamed, hopeful the Night Court warrior might give him a reason to start an all-out war.

“Don’t touch him,” Saoirse warned Auden, well aware of the politics now surrounding them. The General of the Spring Court just stabbed the acting heir to the throne. Seb reached for her and Saoirse let him.

“This is treason,” she reminded him.

“Is it, princess?” Seb countered, eyes drifting to Auden behind her. “It looks to me as if you’re conspiring with the Night Court to bring down Spring…again.”Saoirse scoffed. “Father will never believe that.”

“No? Not when he sees the body of his dead son and the daughter who stood by while her half-breed mate stabbed him to death? She’d say anything to protect him.”

Finn wasn’t dead though he was curled in her room, face paler than she’d ever seen. She understood the threat well enough. “Don’t hurt him,” she whispered. Auden shifted behind her, wings rustling before he recoiled them entirely.

“I’ll take his place,” Auden said without hesitation. Bastien scoffed.

“I want to see the princess whipped,” he retorted. Seb yanked Saorise to the hall where Aine was waiting, half hidden behind a tall column. Their eyes met and Saoirse, taking advantage of the quiet squabbling between the general and his son, whispered, “Get Alex.” Aine took off, darting out of grip when Bastien lunged for her. She shifted midair, leaping from the banister to the floor below before vanishing into the night. “FUCK!” Bastien exploded.

“She’s a little girl,” Seb reminded his son, following Aine’s steps to the foyer. His boots tracked Finn’s blood across the marble and Saoirse, certain they’d turn around and take his head for trying to intervene, though she might be sick. “The sentries will catch her before she can leave.”

They underestimated how fast Aine was. Alex would come, with his brute strength, wearing the face of their father, and end the violence before it ever had a chance to start.

Sentries greeted them at the door, their faces wide with surprise. Seb stepped in front of Saoirse, who tried her best to plead with nothing but her eyes. He’s a liar! She screamed silently as Seb began detailing her supposed plan to help Night Court bring down Spring.

“Where is Lord Finn?”

“Dead,” Bastien replied. Saoirse couldn’t help the sob that escaped her throat as she lunged for Bastien.

“I’ll kill you!” she screamed, struggling against Seb’s hold on her body.

“Restrain the princess,” Seb ordered. No one stepped forward, hesitating. It was Auden that made them unsure, that made them wonder if perhaps she hadn’t lied. Auden remained utterly still, as if they weren’t assessing his large wings and the darkness that typically leaked from his pores. His shadows had vanished, taken to some part of the estate to watch.

The sentries stepped toward, binding her wrists with heavy, rough rope.

“And the beast,” Seb demanded. Auden held out his own wrists, staring down the nervous male responsible for restraining him.

“If you let them touch her, I’ll kill you all,” Auden threatened softly.

“He won’t,” Saoirse assured the trembling man. “He doesn’t mean it.”

“I do,” Auden disagreed. “I don’t give a fuck about your High Lord.”

“Clearly, as you’ve killed his eldest son,” Seb sneered. Saoirse’s anger spilled around her.

“You stabbed him!” she screamed, struggling against the rope.

“Secure the estate,” Seb ordered. “No one goes in or out.”

The problem with soldiers, of course, was their willingness to obey orders. The sentries cleared out with one last look at her, clearly wondering if they were doing the right thing. Seb dragged Saoirse closer to the front door, pulled wide open against the cool night. She looked up at him, wondering what his long-term plan was.

“My father is going to kill you for this,” she whispered. “Your father is already dead,” he replied. Saoirse’s knees shook, dragging her attention to a future without Finn, without her parents. She was hyperventilating. “The magic of this land will pick a new family…a stronger family.” She would have laughed, had it not been for the strangled grunt behind her. Bastien had stepped behind Auden, sword raised, and plunged it in his back. He’d caught one of Auden’s wings, pinning it against his back. Bastien twisted the blade violently, shredding the delicate tissue before ripping and stabbing. Auden groaned, knees buckling just as Finn’s had done. He reached for her but Seb wrapped his arms around her body and literally hauled her out of the estate.

“Kill him,” Seb ordered as Saoirse screamed, writhing desperately. Everyone was dying, she was the only one left. Could the great Mother witness this sort of carnage and truly reward Seb’s family with the authority to govern the land? Or had someone else already ascended, some nameless nobody that was currently making their way for the estate, unaware of the coup taking place? She wanted to scream at them, to warn them to turn back. Start over somewhere else.

Saorise dragged her feet in the earth as the poles at the mouth of the stables. What was wrong with her? She wasn’t just anyone. She was the High Lord’s daughter and Seb couldn’t beat that out of her. Saorise snarled, her skin rippling for the first time in years. She’d set aside her shifting when she’d come of age. She, like Finn, had never been as strong as Alex or Aine. Now, though? Saorise knew she was evenly matched with the General, at least.

Silvery fur and jet black claws padded at the earth. She was big, though somehow the smallest wolf in their family. Her snout came to Seb’s chest. He, like his terrible son, had the muted strength that came with the blue blood running through his veins but he was no match for her. Not like this. Not when the wildness overtook her. She didn’t need Alex to help her.

“Would you like a head start?” she asked, watching him withdraw the sword hanging at his belt.

“Take the whipping, Saoirse, and you can stay princess.”

“I haven’t tasted blood in so long,” she told him, ignoring the offer to pad forward. The wind rippled over her fur, bringing a flurry of unfamiliar scents with it. Someone was coming though she didn’t dare look up and see who. If she took her eyes off Seb, even for a moment, he might stab her in the back, too.

“You’re all teeth, princess. You forgot but I’ve known you since you were a baby,” he murmured. “You don’t taste blood because you’re too frightened.”

She took a step towards him, feeling the shredding of the bond in her chest. Auden was dying. A snarl ripped through her and Seb, so confident she’d never hurt him, paled. She could scent his fear, his uncertainty. He’d banked on tying her up and whipping her into submission, into seeing his plan come to fruition.

“Are you sure you killed the High Lord?” Saoirse asked, reading his mind. “Where’s the magic you’re so certain of.” She didn’t give him even a moment to respond. Saoirse launched, back legs springing and teeth snapping for his throat. Something sharp and white hot pierced her stomach. Saoirse was tempted to shift back to her Fae form and inspect the wound and knew if she did, he’d kill her, too. She heard screaming and snarling in the distance and prayed to the Mother above Auden had somehow gotten the upper hand on Bastien.

Saoirse’s teeth snapped against Seb’s throat, tearing the tender flesh despite his knife piercing her ribs again and again. She tore though it wasn’t enough. The General was prepared and Saoirse, despite her training, was no match. He flung her body from his, sending her sprawling to the lawn not as a wolf but a badly wounded female.

She groaned, fingers sliding between her gaping flesh. The ground beneath her shook violently and something cool touched her face.

You’re going to be okay, Auden’s shadows murmured. Giant, flaring wings blocked the moonlight over head and when Saoirse twisted, she saw not Auden, but a face eerily familiar to his. Not her mate, but his father, joined by the unmistakable violent, starry eyes of the High Lord of Night.

Where is Auden? A thundering voice ripped through her mind, picking through her memories with very little care. She could hear the sound of swords being drawn, of a fight between the sentries who had failed to keep the Night Court out.

Kill him, she begged that voice, watching the talon gripping her mind pull up Bastien stabbing Finn, stabbing Auden…stabbing her. It’s a coup.

There’s no need, it seems. The talon retreated as darkness swept over Saoirse’s awareness. Someone was lifting her upwards, holding her against a chest that smelled familiar.

“Daddy?” she murmured, catching his tanned, golden hand.

“Hold him,” Tamlin ordered. Saoirse turned her head as the High Lord of Night stalked forward with a feline smile. The winged, warrior male behind him watched with a cruel smile, his red siphons glimmering in the dark.

“Your daughter…she…” Seb’s words choked in his mind. The High Lord crouched beside him and Saoirse couldn’t help but delight at his bugged out eyes rippling with fear.

“She humiliated you,” Rhysand crooned, gripping the General’s face in his hands. “Made you look weak in front of the High Lord you hate.”

Seb couldn’t speak. Behind him, another winged male—Azriel, the shadows whispered—dragged a bleeding and bruised Bastien. He tossed him to the ground beside his father before stalking back to the house, hands coated in blood. Rhysand released his physical hold on Seb, his expression one of disgust. “You’d kill children to see yourself in power?”

Saoirse could feel the wounds in her body knitting though not fast enough to let her twist out of her father’s arms.

“Alexander,” Tamlin called. Saoirse couldn’t track where her eldest brother came from. It seemed as if he appeared by magic though she was sure that wasn’t right. Alex’s face was coated in blood, staining the tips of his hair and ruining the white shirt he wore.

“Father,” Alexander murmured, reaching for a fistful of Seb’s golden hair.

“Kill him.” Saoirse turned her face against the sound of his head being separated from his shoulders. Alexander had torn it—a blade had not been necessary.

“I can find his co-conspirators,” she heard Rhysand’s voice murmur.

“Why would you help me?” her father replied, striding forward with Saoirse in his arms.

“Given my nephew and your daughter are mates…” Rhysand’s silky voice stopped her father in his tracks. “It seems prudent our courts work together. Let me help you.” Rhysand sounded almost apologetic in that moment, his words less taunting and more cajoling.

“Mates,” Tamlin murmured with a heavy sigh. He’d been down this road before. Saoirse opened her mouth to explain but her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.

A voice chuckled softly in her mind. He’s not mad. Go to sleep, little princess.

She meant to argue. Saoirse swore she did.

And yet, her eyes closed of their own accord and Saorise fell asleep.

AUDEN:

Waking in Spring was an experience Auden hoped to never replicate. Soft rain pattered gently against the open window, dragging with it a cool, lilac soaked breeze. He shot upwards only for his mother to soothingly try and lay him back down.

“Bastien,” he said by way of greeting, flexing the wing on his back.

“He’s dead,” she murmured, brushing damp hair from his brow. Auden vaguely remembered that. He’d been so close to death when that golden wolf arrived. “The High Lord’s son dispatched him.”

“And Saoirse?” he demanded. He’d felt their bond fraying in his chest, though couldn’t be sure if it was because he was so close to death himself or she was hurt, too. He’d been crawling for her when his injuries overwhelmed him. “Where is she?”

HIs mother glanced towards the closed door. “Waiting.” Teal eyes glimmered with a mixture of worry and amusement. “I thought we were over the near death experiences.” “It was hardly my intention,” he replied, sitting upwards once again. His chest was bare and though he felt some soreness against his wings and back, he was certain those wounds were little more than scarred memories. “She’s okay?”

“I’ll let her tell you what happened,” his mother offered, tucking a piece of auburn hair behind her ear. She smiled, cupping his cheek in her freckled hand. “A mate, huh?”

“Did you know?” he couldn’t help but ask. She’d been the one who offered him up to Saoirse all those months ago. She smiled, practically glowing with affection.

“No one can predict these things…but a Spring Court mate is practically your birth right.” Auden blew out a breath. Sending his shadows for help had been a quick, last minute decision and it had clearly worked if his mother was here. “Is father mad?”

“Surprised,” she assured him. “How could he be angry? Besides…Saoirse is perfectly lovely despite her unfortunate father.”

He watched his mother cross the small room he’d been given, pulling open the door for Saorise. She was sitting in the hall with a large bear napping in her lap. He’d seen that dark furred creature before—Aine had taken the form to get their brother. Saoirse scrambled upwards, leaving Aine asleep where she was. She offered his mother a polite bow before replacing her.

“Your father wanted me to remind you that he would like you to keep the door open,” Gwyn murmured to Saoirse, eyes glittering with amusement. Saoirse nodded though this second his mother turned her back she snapped the door shut. “The door—” he began, not wanting to cause any more problems with the High Lord but Saoirse launched herself across the room, arms wrapped tight around his neck.

“You’re okay,” she breathed, kissing his cheek. “When they brought you up here, I thought you were dead.” “It would take a lot more,” he lied. In all honesty, it wouldn’t have much more than Bastien had given. Still, Saoirse didn’t need to know that. He had no intention of putting her through that fear ever again.

“Alexander killed him,” she murmured, sitting beside Auden on the bed. “I didn’t see but…” Auden nodded. “Is Finn okay?”

“Yes. He’s downstairs if you want to see him. He’s been showing everyone his brutal new scar. I think he’s hoping it will help him with females.” “It probably won’t hurt,” Auden admitted though he had no interest in any female but the one sitting nervously beside him. “Is your father angry?” “He says he’s not,” she offered with a heavy sigh. “But with Alexander off in Day Court and now this…I think he’s starting to wonder if any of us will stay and take his place.”

There was still Finn and Aine, though Auden didn’t mention either. “And you?” “You said I could leave with you,” she reminded him, her voice barely more than a whisper. “Your High Lord already gave his permission. Did…have you changed your mind?”

“No,” he breathed, his relief immense. “We could leave now if you like.” Saoirse, of course, did not like the thought of climbing out another window and vanishing. Ever the good, dutiful daughter, she made sure to see her parents while Auden pretended her mother wasn’t quietly laughing with his own. He was certain they’d somehow known ahead of time and orchestrated the entire thing purely for their amusement. His father watched from across the room, arms crossed against his chest and eyes narrowed to slits. Auden wasn’t the only one suspicious. He had to promise Tamlin to allow them to visit, which clearly bothered Rhysand, though he said nothing. Perhaps he imagined a future in which his daughter might end up in Spring. After all, Selene was becoming lovelier by the day and Tamlin still had a son left that might snatch her away.

It wasn’t until the majority of Saorise’s things were packed up in a trunk and the female herself had said her sweet goodbyes that Auden could relax. If she was leaving, it meant she intended to accept the bond. He left her things on his balcony, walking her through the apartment she’d been in more than once for a strange tour. He lived very spartan, didn’t care much for things. Saoirse’s green eyes swept over each new space so at odds with her own home and bedroom.

“I’ve been looking for a bigger place. A home,” he added, not bothering to mention he wanted a home with more than two bedrooms for the children he very much hoped she’d want one day. Saoirse smiled.

“Can I help?”

“You can take it over, if you want,” he replied. “Build something, even.” Saoirse nodded. Auden panicked as he realized what he was asking and Saoirse, eyes ever sharp, asked, “What’s wrong?” “I meant to get a ring,” he admitted. He’d been so flustered during their separation, trapped up in the Illryian mountains with his uncle, that he’d raced directly to see her instead of taking his time. He hadn’t expected the bond to immediately snap, either.

“Oh,” Saoirse replied breezily. For a Spring court princess, she sure did love flouting tradition. “There’s time for all that. I was thinking, in the six seconds before we both nearly died, that I’d like to accept the bond after the wedding.”

His heart stopped in his chest. “Oh?”

She nodded, tucking a blonde curl behind her ear. “It feels romantic, I think. A honeymoon of sorts except instead of sightseeing—” “I’ll fuck you until you can’t walk?” he replied softly. Saoirse’s cheeks darkened.

“Yes. Exactly that.”

“Just like that?” he questioned. Saorise smiled, arms tangled around his neck.

“I’ll leave the serious brooding to you, hm?” she teased, touching the tip of his nose with her finger. “And you’ll leave the fun and the party planning to me.”

“Deal,” he agreed, kissing her softly.

It was far better than he ever could have hoped for.

#oops all plot is similar to an upcoming fic titled OOPS ALL CASSIAN #but thats written entirely from cassians POV #anyway acotar next gen #i didnt MEAN to write plot #just a little backstory #and it got away from me

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dgcatanisiri · 4 months

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We did get that PS5, and I dove in to Star Trek Resurgence, managing to burn through its story. It does help that it's a Telltale style choice game, so it's shorter to account for the choices.

I'm pleased about this game in general, because I definitely wanted one of these for a while, that I think that the format works well for Star Trek in video games, and I think it's a good standalone story that non-fans could enjoy all the same.

Obviously, as a Trek fan in general, I recommend it, but I am going to throw up a cut for spoilers if anyone is going to seek it out.

I like the use of the Tkon as antagonists - they're among the many underutilized ancient civilizations in the franchise, I think the only other significant time they've appeared since they were introduced was the Q Continuum trilogy, featuring the fall of their civilization dovetailing into the antics of Q's history. So worth revisiting in general, and nifty to see them in action.

I genuinely enjoyed all the characters - Rydek and Diaz are interesting protagonists and it's fun to see their journey. The reason I burned through the game as I did was because I was interested in see their story go through to its conclusion.

On a writing level, I do understand the story choice to put Diaz in the position where he can end up functionally dead, but I was disappointed that my game ended with him not getting a happy ending, and that getting a happier ending involves sacrificing Edsilar.

Speaking of Edsilar, she probably was the standout of the NPCs. Especially with her alternate view on Trill joining. She's the kind of character I absolutely want to see in further Trek adventures, be it a sequel or screen.

I do have to give some knocks to Bedrosian, though, mostly because I think she fails to really accept the reality of being a Starfleet officer, though I'm sure that there's some allowance to be made on her suffering as she does in the course of events. But her resignation over saving the Tkon crystals is one of those things that feels like her putting her personal feelings over the oaths of a Starfleet officer - blind destruction is not the way of Starfleet. Again, I offer some concession about her having been traumatized, probably in a position where she really shouldn't be fit for duty, but the crisis forces her back on her feet early. All the same, it's a character critique I have.

Honestly, I think my biggest complaint really is the whole plotline with Miranda as a possible romance. I mean, we have NO concept of her as a person before she dumps the "I want to be with you" on Diaz all of a sudden, and then you get like one scene afterwards before she's bioformed by the Tkon.

Admittedly, I'm always opposed to heteronormativity in general, so there was never going to be me jumping on board this attempt at romance, but... I had no reason to take that step, and never really felt like the story gave me reason to be invested in the idea of Miranda and Diaz.

I was also kinda disappointed that Chovak and Urmott were kinda non-entities in the course of things - Chovak felt like he should have featured more in Diaz's story, and Urmott in particular should have had more to do, because he functionally disappears between the crisis at the Starbase and the confrontation with Captain Solano. It kinda makes it all the easier to tap Westbrook for first officer, and then makes his complaint about Westbrook getting that promotion come across as petty jealousy instead of a genuine concern.

Still, in the overall scheme, I consider these minor issues and, again, I enjoyed this game. I would eagerly pick up a sequel, and not just because I want more Star Trek video games. Or, if not a direct sequel, then something else in the spiritual successor vein.

It's a good way to start off my PS5 gaming.

#dg rambles #dg talks video games

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hospitalterrorizer · 5 months

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diary72

11/22-23/2023

wednesday - thursday

friendsgiving was great, a really lovely time.

lots of stupid jokes, my friends made tacos and mac and cheese, which were really great, my cookies were very popular, everyone loved that they were gooey. i feel good about that. a friend reheated them in the microwave, he seemed to be intensely satisfied. i feel a little disgusting, i guess, i feel like i overate but i don't think i ate that much, in actuality. i felt really ill this morning, somehow. anyway it's 4 am, now, 4:30 actually, so llike, i need to hurry up.

but i have a couple thoughts. one group is about this crazy thing that happened with my gf's brother tonight, she video called him on insta, and had him talk to one of our friends, one of the people she knows from school, about movies, they're both guys who like joker, taxi driver, tarantino, you know, hoping they could bond on that and that their different approaches to these movies/ways of understanding would give them some kind of friendly conversation and something to bond over. ultimately, she would like her brother to be less lonely, i think. instead of doing the normal thing, which means taking our friend's word that he likes joker, that he thinks the ending of once upon a time in hollywood is something crazy and that it works really well, despite what it seems like it would be (can't comment but i haven't seen the movie (i am not too curious either i suppose (is that shitty of me to bring up here, like i am washing my hands of investment? (ultimately i am not invested in that film, or tarantino, but i am invested in my friend, and i like that he likes it, or i am glad he sees something in it, and what he sees in it is interesting enough, to me))), instead taking these statements as like, him finding ways to fuck with him, the brother so defensive assumed everything was fake, and that everything was some scripted thing where we fuck around with him. he got majorly pissed and like, blew up at our friend, saying things like how he and his gf must be awful people, because people who are friends with us are only ironic and bond over shitting on things exclusively. hating on things is only sometimes a bonding activity. there's a lot of stupid, awful stuff, a lot of stupid awful people, open discussion about these things should be something people bond over, joined not in hate or spite but in a kind of knowledge, not in like, oh this person totally sucks, but like, oh yeah that's obviously stupid, and then being able to move past it, or laugh at it. mostly just laughing at it, those things as they come up over and over. either way, the conversation was totally bizarre and ended shortly after. he then continued to dm my gf, after the call ended, about how i have no balls (i don't know why it turned to me in that way).

anyway, there is something insane about something he said, in particular, that he is actually the most sincere person ever, and that everyone we know (especially me, i think) is an insincere snob/hipster. something about that defensiveness, and the way he really just goes there and says that, it makes it feel like he really is not sincere. i dunno, people who always go after sincerity as their thing, that they are sincere, real, and it's everyone else who is giving you bullshit, who is being cruel, are usually people who have the most to lose when people realize what actual bullshitting looks like. her brother will sit and talk about how he's so old, while being a year younger than me, that we are such bad people, people who haven't lived at all, things of that nature, constantly creating reasons for him to be an expert, someone worthy of respect, and direct access to truth. people who feel that need are likely the biggest charlatans you will meet, i think. it's common among men, it seems like. people who deign to condescend to you and tell you what real partying is, when you're going to raves, because that's "young person stuff".

anyway, he is not a sincere or even kind person really. he tries, though, i can respect the trying, sometimes he even is. i can't hate him totally, i feel massively bad for him usually, he doesn't seem happy, the structure he tries to imagine, that he knows more, that he has the most to say and offer about "life" (so strange that is, people who seem to want to know a lot about life and spit lessons out at you in rapid succession, the endless greeting card platitudes, about what means anything, and how to be meaningful) is just there so he can not feel totally worthless i suppose. i feel bad. he has been actually nice to me. i essentially don't like that he thinks i am some kind of demon, i guess, but a lot of people who feel like they are extremely good people seem to have that kind of reaction to me. something about people who see themselves as super-moral, or having access to that morality, and to good, and even to actual intellect (as i suppose i always have to be stupid, evil, led by satanic forces, it seems) in these constructions, her mother, now her brother, seeing me as some kind of idiot demon that disagrees with them because of intellectual, emotional, and moral, failings.

the second thought of the night was a random one, about "infinity" (i promise, i think, i hope this is a good promise, i am making, that this is not some shit like, where someone smokes weed and asks about what colors you see for real or whatever). i was really just thinking about how capital doesn't actually skew towards infinity, that it needs to be profoundly finite, that growth of numbers is valuable because it can read as displacement of things, a trickling of values and objects through a matrix, dispersing say some value, like gold, into many times what it should be, inflationary processes not skewing us towards having an actually truly infinitely wealthy person, but instead, eyes more set on indexes of resources, cornering markets, caps on the possible and the strangling of activity. i am only thinking about this, because i have this friend who is so into capital as infinite growth, i guess, and it gets on my nerves. it's not the actual mechanism of capital it feels like. it's an irrational turn away from the infinite, the limitless, it's a limiting factor, it says, here is all the wealth in the world, share it, as it inflates, the wealth's dispersion only skews back into the objects we weigh it against, or something, i don't know enough to say for certain. what i am trying to get at i guess, there is no infinity of gold bars, or gold nuggets even, it's fantastical at the jump, it cannot be reached, and it's not a really exploratory or exciting desire to want to get there, to that impossible amount, it is instead the goal of capital to keep itself close to its chest, to always trade upwards, not towards infinity, but downwards of it, scoops up more into its arms, away from everywhere else. infinite wealth would mean impossible to trace, or to manage, capital is irrational management, not that the "i want it all for myself" thing is irrational, in this situation we find ourselves in (greed breeding greed), but from the jump it doesn't feel like the way to be, i suppose. there's elements of cruelty, it's unnecessary at a certain point at least. anyway i feel i am missing my original point, which is that the climb to higher values is constantly about less elsewhere, it never balloons into the catastrophic realm of the impossible, where things might begin to actually happen (people think of infinite money stuff as actually possible even, not that my friend is one of them, she is far more connected to reality that lunatic crypto people are who want the world's economy to crash to reveal that money is so fake that everyone can have all of it all the time and that people will decide to work in starbucks because they love it so much), but the fact that it's real, it seems good to have some kind of thinking put towards this issue, and to probe at what constitutes the infinite or the limitless (or as near limitless as possible).

the only answer, from a person like me i guess, is that it would not be a humanist notion like "freed humanity" but the removal of these restrictions, the restrictions being these values/valuations, i guess, and these exact methods of accrual, a simple example i remember, someone scalping tickets, vs. simply buying them to attend the concert, the scalper has capital now, and is acting with intent to accrue, increase, move higher, by upcharging something sold out, someone going to a concert, is simply going to have sunk their money, seeks no return in terms of money, they have lost, basically, in terms of capital, while scalpers might make many times what they spent. this accrual does not go anywhere but tighter arms to the chest, it seems, no great burnoff of money. this is why vegas is so evil, broadly, because it's not where money is truly burnt off, it's where, with no transformation, everyone is in business to flip coins into some astronomical amount, everything becomes capital, if you see it right here, so instead of really being about losing, wasting, as an ex-friend put it "so bataillean," (i forget the exact words, she likened it to potlach, something about sacrificing money) it is really a way of laundering everyone into the class that exploits, chance now exploited, labor still abused (the dealers, hotel staff), and so on. it is a sanitary process, rather than exposing money as worthless and a plaything, it becomes a desperate process where you are turning tokens of value towards greater numbers, simply because they could be, a businessman without business, the accrual exposed as what it always was, the lonely and fearful march to absorb as much as possible, passively, with as little investment as possible, to live life without any burs, between you and your environment, to be a totally alien object passing through.

a miserable fate, a miserable world.

also, i know i am not the most clear, it's 5 am-ish and like, i need to read more, these are thoughts passing through my head about where we are at, and what my friend says and that it strikes me as so wrong, almost painfully shortsighted of what is a more complicated and heart-rending process/series of event.

anyway. i am tired. i still need to wash my face and stuff so like,

byebye!!!!!!!!

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asoulofatlantis · 2 years

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Would anyone like to know why Celis is that fired up and fighting against Van and who is supposed to be a brother/friend/partner to her? Yes? Well... me to. I have honestly no idea what the hell is going on. If you look at the last trailer it is possible that Celis is dead set on killing Van, because he has a devil inside him and for some reason Rion does not agree with her and thus sides with Van? But it seems very weird for me that two Dominios who have been working together forever would suddenly fight each other. Celis fire here seems rather out of control too. Maybe... is someone controlling her or something?

In the last trailer it looked like in the scene were Elaine and Van get killed by Crinson Grendel, they get eventually saved (likely after the time turning) by Swin and Nadia. In this scene, as we see Vans burning car in the back, this is likely the situation were they get attacked in that tunnel after the car was attacked and they have nowhere to run. Which means that Shizuna is going to save them here. Question is, will it be that, whenever we turn back time for whatever reason, the Genesis like “calls” someone for help or does Shizuna on her own show up, maybe even in time before someone dies?Questions. Many Questions.

A lot of people are sure, that the fact that this fight was put into the trailer, is proof that he is Nadias supposedly dead brother. He could just fight them because of the garden... but that would be too easy for Falcom, really. Plus, we like to redeem people, as you all know. If Nadias brother was never dead, that would relieve Swin of one of his biggest sins - even tho we know Nadias brother wanted him to kill him and basically let him do it, to save the boy.

Pay close attention here! Underneath those whitish, half transparent scenes (that we know from the trailer) is a clock moving forward. It is likely, that this is the moment were Agnes has to realize, that to save the world and maybe multiple peoples lives, she has to turn back time to the point were she first actually did it, because of the fact that the time-changing, likely has caused some issues that made things worse then they were when Elaine and Van were killed. If we are lucky, that actually wasn’t the first time we turned the time back to and we can prevent even those two from dying, but you will see that the chances aren’t as high as one thinks...

We have here what looks like a final battle between Van, Elaine, Agnes and Crimson Grendel and as you can see, both Van and Elaine are alive and kicking here. But we are obviously in some sort of otherworldly space... so I wouldn’t put my money on this being a good sign just yet. Agnes, by the way, was badass-strong in this scene it looked like she could somehow repel one of Crimson Grendels attacks here.

What we have here is an immensely fast forward way of showing is the trailer backwards as in turning back the time. This scene were I paused (by accident, really, as this is moving so fast you can hardly see anything) is the scene were we see Feris friend in the reflection of her eyes.

And this guys, looks like Van walking into the light. We have a simular picture of Elaine from the Mini-Ost, while the song “At the end of ones final hour” is playing. So... not sure if that won’t be the first time Falcom kills of their protagonist ^^’ The theory is, with the information we have now, that when Elaine and Van get killed by Crimson Grendel, Agnes jumps in and turns back time to save them - likely unconsciously but its likely that scenarios like this will happen multiple times, leading to multiple possible timlines, all building up on this one change, that likely caused some sort of disturbance that is possible leading to the Spriggans ultimate downfall - among others, really. It doesn’t look to good for Swin either, sadly. At some point, Agnes has to realize that her turning back time, caused all the trouble and pain, so she is forced to turn back the time one more time to were it all started and leave the situation there, the way it was. That would mean letting Elaine and Van die. Now the question would be, who would kill Crimson Grendel if Van is dead... but if Agnes by her timetraveling possible finds out who is behind the shards, she could do that maybe without fighting - tho that would be rather lame ^^’

Now... in any case, this is Falcom, guys and there is a part 3 of Kuro definitely in planing or even already in the making, so we will likely get Van back eventually, as we always do. Just like with Rean back in CS4, it might take some magical mumbo jumbo and lots of teamwork and character-growth, but it will be done. I mean, Van is a freaking devil. He should be somewhat immortal. So don’t lose hope just yet. Also... I could be wrong.

See you guys soon, when I watch the stream and will live-react to someone else playing Crimson Sin. So I will be going in blind and... well... without understanding a single word that will be said XD But that leaves some surprises for when we actually get the chance to play it ourselfs.

Lets pray to the shipping-gods and falcom and aidios and lets hope that the ending will be so desperate that Rean, Estelle and Lloyd well have to come to our rescue in the next game ;P

#Crimson Sin Mona reacts

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crimmycram · 2 years

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Oh fuck the weather and the hearts section… i really want to know more too 😅

Ok last ask from you we're finsihing this yayyyyy

Also Luke's name. Is not going to change. Sigh. I thought I wouldn't get attached.

Ask Game

🌩️ LIGHTNING - are they scared of lightning?

Ira - no

Melika - yes

Crevan - yes

Luke - no

💧 DROPLET - random angst headcanon

Ira - I'd imagine by the end of the summer she wouldn't want to go back home again, because she likes Immorafiel more and she doesn't want to let go of the connections she's made and she's not good at keeping long distance relationships stable and her parents are probably going to be mad that she didn't actually push Luke to forgive them and connect to the family again and--

Melika - *insert pressure of being the oldest daughter + being the oldest cousin overall + being gay in a religious family*

Crevan - it gets so so lonely being tossed around in time

Luke - he's going to develop soooooo much paranoia and attachment issues by the end of this

❄️ SNOWFLAKE - do people consider them cold? if so, what made them this way?

Ira - yes, they just tend to be less social with people they don't know well

Melika - no

Crevan - yes, he can't really afford to get attached

Luke - yes, he doesn't open up really well to new people the first time they interact with him so they tend to assume he's just Like That

🌪️ TORNADO - what is the biggest change you've ever made to them? how have they changed from their original version?

Ira - he was originally 13, also the entire plot was different when I first made him, also he originally moved fully with Luke because their parents died

Melika - she used to be the middlest child among her cousins but then I decided to make her the oldest and then it all started spiralling from there

Crevan - he used to be actually willing to leave his situation when he realised how messed up it was, now he's just in denial about it being bad

Luke - he used to be secretly part of a cult that assigned people an animal but secretly brought them to actual experiments to turn them into those animals/hybrids and he also dragged Ira into it by accident when they moved in with him, you know maybe I'll actually start working on that story at some point too but not any time soon

🌈 RAINBOW - what advice would they give to their younger self?

Luke - "you should ABSOLUTELY pick a fight with your parents whenever they complain about you wanting to major in english"

Other three aren't getting answers for this, they're still kids

🔥 FIRE - do they have any self destructive tendencies? what habits do they have that hinder them from becoming their best self?

Ira - major lack of self confidence

Melika - a major inability to handle stress, horrible at setting boundaries

Crevan - actively attempting to drive other people away

Luke - everything going wrong at any given moment ever is His Fault because he is responsible for Everything Obviously

☁️ CLOUD - a soft headcanon

Ira - he has a scrapbook with photos of his friends

Melika - she makes friendship bracelets

Crevan - give him a blanket and hold him in your arms and he'll fall sleep Immediately

Luke - he started growing out his hair at some point after moving to Immorafiel

🌟 GLOWING STAR - what do they think about when they look at the night sky? is there someone they want to star gaze with?

Ira - yes, he loves stargazing by himself

Melika - yes, she intends on gathering all her friends together so they can all stargaze together one day

Crevan - no, he doesn't even like looking at the night sky, it's too big

Luke - he's never really done it, he wouldn't know

🌠 SHOOTING STAR - if they could make any wish with no repercussions, what wish would they make?

Ira - pet tarantula, at least at the start of the story, things aren't so complicated for them towards the start there

Melika - she would just really really really really really like Adam to forget about her and Leave Her Alone

Crevan - just let him go back to his time PLEASE

Luke - no one interrogate him about anything related to his life ever again because it's really none of their business

☄️ COMET - what do people assume about them? are they right?

Ira - they assume he likes spiderman a lot because of his spider web pattern clothes, that's wrong he just likes spiders

Melika - well she's muslim so theytend to assume a lot of wrong things, other than that they assume she's calm and timid, and oh how wrong they are

Crevan - creepy stalker type of guy that shouldn't be trusted, maybe they're right about him being untrustworthy but he very much isn't stalking anyone most of the time

Luke - quiet introvert guy who'd rather not ahve to interact with too many people, and they're right

I'm not doing the heart section because I'm bad at thinking of those stuff SO

#pleafy :D #asks #ask game #the immortal's field

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scarlettriot · 3 years

Text

Along for the Ride PT 1

Pairing: KirishimaxF!Reader

Summary: A drunken mistake had you marking the little Plus One box to your snobby cousin's wedding. Kirishima told you not to worry, if you couldn't find a date, he'd go with you. When the wedding gets moved up, there's absolutely no time to find a date and you're now about to be traveling to America with Kirishima on a private jet no less, dreading having him meet your rude and impossibly arrogant family.

Contains: Kirishima and Reader both come from very well-off families. Plus-Sized Reader. Fluff. Hurt/Comfort.

Warnings: Kinda smutty for a minute. Minors DNI. Drunken Sex. TW: Manipulative Family Relationships. TW: Body Image Issues

A/N: This story has been rolling around in my head for a while now. I might rewrite this and repost. Or I might just post the whole thing soon. I dunno yet. It does get smuttier.

Word Count: 4,974

"What's up with Y/N?"

Eijiro stepped out of the locker room with a towel slung over his shoulder and made his way into the kitchenette where Mina was chugging a bottle of water before getting back to her patrol. His eyes were trained on their mutual friend out on the patio, pacing.

You had your phone pressed to your ear, the high neck of your hero costume unzipped to your collarbone and he noticed your gloves discarded on a chair.

"No clue." Mina shrugged. "She got back from patrol and she noticed a bunch of missed calls from her mom. She's been out there, flailing on the phone for the last fifteen minutes now."

The three of you had met in your second year at UA when you transferred into their class and were quickly accepted by their little squad of friends. You were a bit quiet at first but quickly found comfort in the group. Eijiro had grown especially close to you when you both interned with Fat Gum.

Late nights traveling on the train back to school, a few close calls while helping patrol, and days spent playing cards while you both healed up in the hospital left plenty of time for Eijiro to get to know you better than most. It was how he knew you had a pretty bad relationship with your family, why you hated returning home for the holidays almost as much as you hated any and all forms of tomatoes.

He considered going out there just to see if there was anything he could do but before he had the chance, you were sliding the glass door open. "Oh, good, you're back." He offered you a bottle of water for your throat that he assumed was sore after that argument. "I- um- can I borrow you for a second? Alone?"

Mina snorted a laugh. "If you guys wanna bang it out on the counter you can just say so. I gotta go to work anyways."

Eijiro threw the towel at her as she left the room leaving you two alone. "What's goin' on?"

You hoisted yourself up on the countertop while he leaned against the fridge. "You remember my cousin's wedding that's happening this winter?"

He nodded. He vividly remembered the both of you getting waste a few weeks ago when you were filling out the RSVP and accidentally marking 'plus one'. Then you ran around trying to find White Out but he'd told you if you didn't find a date or have a significant other by the time of the wedding, he'd just go with you.

You argued that your family was bat shit crazy, had more money than they could spend in their lifetime and because of that, they were among some of the rudest people you knew, and you didn't want Eijiro or anyone else around that.

The thing was, Eijiro already knew that and was still okay with going. He came from money too. A lot of it. His family was just more welcoming than yours, the wealth never really going to their heads. But, he reminded you that he'd ran into enough people like those in your family that he knew how to handle them. You finally agreed to let him accompany you, leaving the plus one box checked but the name line blank.

"Well, my cousin just found out that surprise, she's pregnant! And, obviously, she can't have a wedding while seven months along so they've decided to move the wedding up to this weekend."

He nearly choked on his own spit. "This weekend? As in four days from now?"

"Yup! Saturday at 4 in the evening. Oh! No one's supposed to know she's pregnant either. So, I'm just supposed to compliment her on how flattering her dress looks, how thin she is," Your hands strangled the water bottle between them, "And I have to find something flattering to my figure because my mother has seen me in my hero outfit and she's so glad I wear a mask because if anyone knew her daughter ran around looking like I do, well, it'd ruin her!"

You massaged your temples circling back to the actual point, "Anyways, I just wanted to bitch for a sec and let you know you're off the hook since four days is just a little short notice and I told her my plus one wouldn't be able to get the time off that fast."

He pushed off the fridge. "Well, wait, hang on! I'm not letting you go in alone to deal with them! Hell no! You need backup!" You looked almost taken aback by his abruptness, "Yeah. I can work this out. Is the wedding at the same place it was supposed to be or has it moved?"

"No, it's still that fancy lodge in California. I was planning on leaving Friday morning and then coming back either Sunday night or Monday morning since my mother insists I go to their brunch the following day. But, Eijiro, I already have this weekend off..."

"Denki owes me a favor or twelve. He's supposed to be off this weekend too, I'll just see if he can cover me."

"And if he can't?"

"Then..." He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead, "Y/N, am I feeling warm to you? I think I might be starting a fever!"

You folded your arms, shaking your head, "Thought you said lying isn't manly."

"Technically, correct. But, what would be real unmanly is for me to let you deal with your family's bullshit all alone." You watched him closely, "To be honest, I'm sure we could just explain you had a family thing come up and asked me to come along for moral support. I don't really think anyone would think twice about it. Hell, you took a few days off to console me when my turtle died suddenly!"

"Eiji, you refused to eat."

"And you brought me my favorite dumplings! Same thing!"

You might have shaken your head at him but your arms opened wide. The telltale sign you wanted affection. He walked forward, consuming you in a tight hug. Your arms latched around his neck, face buried in the hollow of his throat. "You're the best."

"I just do what I can."

>>><<<

You should have canceled. Instead of Eijiro faking sick to get out of work, you should have faked it with your mother so you didn't have to go in the first place. You crumpled to the floor of your bedroom in pure frustration amidst the twenty or so outfits and dozen pairs of shoes you'd thrown out of your closet trying to find something that your mother would deem appropriate.

It wasn't your fault you had a fuller figure. You worked out, ate right, not to mention your job kept you very active, and yet your, hips, ass, and breasts were by no means subtle.

Your mother had also insisted on the dress being floor-length and modern, "Do try not wearing all black. It's a wedding, not a funeral. And, get your hair looking natural, please." And, just like that, 70% of your wardrobe was out the window!

"It's open!" You called from the floor when the doorbell rang.

"You really should lock this." Mina tutted, walking through the door with a bag full of takeout.

"I do. At night."

"Honey, it's 9 PM."

"Night like bedtime."

Mina just rolled her eyes and walked into your tiny kitchen. "I see the dress hunt is going well."

"I actually figured it out!" You got off the floor, careful not to step on a heel as you made your way to the pink haired woman, "I'm just gonna go in my birthday suit. I figured, my mother made my body technically therefore she can't disapprove of it. Because, you know, she's never done anything wrong in her life!"

Your best friend snorted out a laugh and passed you the take-out container stuffed full of stir fry. "you're a wonderful person, you know that?" You loved the fact Mina didn't even have to ask what you wanted.

"If you'd just move closer to work then you could pick it up yourself and I wouldn't have to bring it to you."

"Too expensive." You declared after a mouthful. "You pay almost twice as much as I do per month and I just don't see the point. I have damn near the same amount of space you do for half the cost!"

You adored your small one-bedroom apartment. It was perfect. Right above a bakery that you visited each morning after your run and a little balcony that provided you with the most stunning view of the sunset.

"You and Kiri, I swear." Mina just shook her head and curled up with her food on the loveseat. "I thought he'd end up with the biggest house out of us all the moment we started making that real Pro money. You've seen his parent's house. It's massive! You could get lost in that place!"

Eijiro's place was barely bigger than your own. He lived in the same condo he had since you'd graduated UA, claiming it was perfect for him in each and every way. But, you knew that he donated a sizable amount of his paycheck every month to charities, the same as you. With savings to spare, neither of you saw the point in hoarding it and therefore the small condo was all he could afford with what he actually kept.

"Just don't understand how a guy that big can live in such a tiny little space. At least with you, it's you know, physically feasible."

Eijiro's bedroom was barely large enough to fit the king-sized bed the man needed to sleep comfortably and even then, his feet were dangerously close to dangling off the bed. And, as if the man's ears were burning, your cell phone went off under a pile of discarded shoes.

Shark-E: Figured out your dress situation? If not, I'm just gonna pack like ten different ties and hope for the best.

You: Yeah! I totally did! I'm just gonna wear this birthday suit I got and call it a night.

You chuckled at your own joke all over again. Watching the grey ellipses appear and then vanish, appear and vanish again. After a third time, you took pity on the man.

You: Joking, Ei. I still don't have it figured out but Mina's over so, hopefully, she can help.

Shark-E: Gonna give me a damn heart attack! Seriously, I wouldn't put it past you just to see the look on your mom's face. Tell Mina hi and good luck to you. I vote the dress from the Hero Gala two years ago.

You: Hi from Mina. Can't. Too much boobs.

Shark-E: You take that back right now! There is NEVER such a thing as too much boobs!

You chuckled to yourself, putting your phone down, and then finished off the last of your delicious dinner, thinking about the dress Eijiro mentioned.

You wondered if maybe there was a way you could make the thing work but it was so very low cut. So much tape had been used to make sure no slips happened but damn was it worth it! The beaded bodice with the sparkling long sleeves, gods, how you loved that dress.

"I'm inclined to agree with our shark boy. You're busty, who gives a damn. You looked hot as hell in that dress."

"My mother, that's who. As much as I'd like to not give a flying fuck what she thinks, for some dumb reason, I do. On top of her telling me that the amount of cleavage I would show would be vastly inappropriate for a wedding, she'd also say the way it hugs my hips makes them look too fat."

Mina rolled her eyes. "She's such a piece of work." Pushing herself up, she held her arms out to you, wiggling little pink fingers for you to take. "Come on then. Let's get you sorted."

"What about that one you wore to the charity art thingy with Kyoka last winter? The one with the silver top."

"Silver is too close to white." You called out from within your closet.

"What! Not true!"

"You know that. I know that. Every person with two brain cells knows that, which is why most of my family does not know that."

"Fine..." She whined and started sifting through the opposite end of your closet. "Oh, what about this?" Mina waved about the blue and green plaid skirt that made up your uniform from your middle school days when you lived in America. "Please try this on. I'm begging!"

You were pretty sure it wouldn't even go over your thighs anymore.

"It's got a better chance of fitting you!"

Mina threw it at you anyway. Slipping off the sweats you wore, somehow, someway, you were able to tug it on AND get it zipped, barely. It no longer covered your ass but you still enjoyed the way it swished around when you wiggled your hips.

"You could be fulfilling so many people's fantasies right now." Mina mused.

You pulled the skirt off and sweats back on, throwing the former back at her. "Yeah, you can take it and go fulfill Hanta's fantasies if you like. Not like I've got anyone to impress." You pulled down a dress you bought on sale a year ago but Mina was quick to dismiss it.

Too puffy, she said and then held up one that was from Momo. "I needed to get it shortened and I don't have time for that now."

"Wait..." She hummed and dropped the Momo dress. "I know what it should be!"

Mina hurried through the closet, grumbling about not finding it. "Just tell me which dress and I can tell you where it's at."

"It's that one you got for grad night and then you got sick and couldn't go!"

"Mina, Mina I can't wear that! That's actual vintage, not like, made-to-look-vintage!"

"But it's so elegant and has that off-the-shoulder sleeve thing. The wedding is at a damn sky lodge! It'll look so pretty in the snow! Ah! Found it!"

She yanked up the long, elegant gown from the garment bag you'd never removed it from. There wasn't a single wrinkle in the burgundy fabric. It looked just as beautiful as the day you found it in that second-hand store, on a mannequin with gaudy stage jewels that you just had to buy so the look was complete.

You ran the back of your hand over the velvety fabric, soft to the touch. "It'll be too tight now. If I was the same size I was at graduation-"

"Bullshit!" Mina cut you off with a dismissive hand, "You've got hips now. We aren't 18 anymore! It's not like it's some clubbing dress. And I bet no one would say a damn thing about your figure if they knew how easily you could crush them with those thighs!"

A smirk tugged at the corner of your lips. Without quirks, you gave every single one of your classmates a run for their money in hand to hand. Most were fairly easy to beat. You could usually take down Eijiro in about five or six minutes and Katsuki in half the time. Funny enough, it was Ochaco that gave you the hardest time.

"I'll consider it. But help me find something else just in case."

>>><<<

It was another two hours before you finally agreed on an a-line, empire waist green and gold number that had been the bridesmaid's dresses for Tetsutetsu's wedding. Mina thought they were a crime the first time they had to wear them, she had no idea what you were thinking.

That's why the moment you were preoccupied with trying to find yet another dress for the Sunday brunch, Mina pulled out her phone.

You: DO NOT, under any circumstances, allow Y/N to wear the green dress. She's bringing two because she can't decide. Red is the winner!

Jaws: Aw, come on. If she likes it, let her wear whatever she's comfortable in. She'll be under enough stress already.

You: Kirishima, it's the dress from Tetsu's wedding. The one that looks sparkly baby food.

It took him a second to respond.

Jaws: Alright. Understood. I thought you guys looked good but damn, she hated that dress.

You: We all did.

Mina looked at the message chain again and couldn't help but asked, "Are we just gonna ignore the fact that you and Eiji are flying all the way to America, last minute, to attend a wedding together, even though you're not together?"

"We've flown to the states before."

"For work!" She sat up eagerly. "This is different, Y/N! This is a date and not just a, like, casual date but a wedding date!"

You poked your head out of the closet. "No, it isn't. This is a friend helping another friend who stupidly mismarked an RSVP." You corrected very plainly but Mina wasn't one to give up so easily.

She whined, dragging out your name, "You guys have been doing this thing for ages. Why do you have to be so stubborn about it all!"

"What's that supposed to mean!"

Mina started ticking off points on her fingers. "He was the first person you opened up to at UA. You saved his life when he was busy saving Katsuki's life second year. You spent all that time interning together, became sidekicks together. Went to America together for three whole months, ALONE, and you honestly expect me to think there's nothing between the two of you!"

The truth of it all was simple really; 17 year old you had a massive crush on Eijiro Kirishima. He was sweet, always listening to you, providing comfort when you needed it, and always encouraging you to push your limits. He was bright and honest, a little slow in the head from time to time but that made him all the more endearing.

He was also head over heels in love with Katsuki Bakugo.

It was why you never made a move. Never spoke a word of the feelings you harbored. You didn't dare to cross that line with him because you couldn't ever hold a candle to the explosive man.

In the three years Eijiro and Katsuki spent together, your brain finally started registering Eijiro as just a friend, nothing more, and certainly nothing less. You thought your heart had followed suit but it was becoming more and more apparent that wasn't the case. Because the night he showed up at your door, tears in his ruby eyes, every lock you put on your heart broke open.

The same way you couldn't hold a candle to Katsuki, Eijiro couldn't hold one to Izuku. You knew exactly what he was feeling even if you never intended to tell him. Too overcome with fear. If Katsuki came back... that'd be it. Eijiro would go back and you wouldn't even blame him!

Still, the redhead consumed a decent chunk of your heart though, you couldn't deny that after the three months you spent together in America, gathering intel on a smuggling ring, living in the same apartment. The groggy, 'good mornings' when his voice was still scratchy with sleep, hair falling in his eyes. The late nights bandaging wounds and killing cheap bottles of wine while watching terrible American reality shows.

It was those bottles of wine that did you in on your second to last night in America. Supplying you with courage and draining your sense of reason, allowing you to crawl onto his lap, into his arms. You could still remember the pressure of his lips on yours, those sharp teeth gently dragging along your lower lip.

Scared hands tracing the curve of your ass before taking handfuls to squeeze. The laugh that came from you was unlike anything you heard before, something so genuine that you couldn't reproduce.

How it felt when he lifted you up and took you to his bed, laying you down taking his time removing your clothes, and watching with awe as you pulled away his own. The way he looked over top of you, his hair a curtain of red around you just before you closed your eyes, gasping while he filled you.

You also remembered the guilt that crept into your head during the wee hours of the morning, the doubt that was louder than the snores coming from behind you.

It made you slip from under his massive arm, gather up your clothes from his floor, you tucked the blanket around him, and pressed a kiss to his temple before padding out of the room.

You told yourself you'd talk to him about it if he brought it up, but he never did. Not the next morning, or night, not on the plane ride back home, nor anytime since. It was a memory you'd hold close to your heart, one you wouldn't let slip away or share.

"There's nothing there, Mina. We're just good friends is all." You lied with a smile on your face, something that had become surprisingly easy to do.

If only you knew that Mina saw right through it. That Mina already knew the truth of it all.

>>><<<

It was nearly one in the morning when your phone rang. The goofy picture of Eijiro with face half painted at a festival a few years back never failed to make you grin.

"It's a little late." You answered by way of greeting.

"Don't pretend like you were anywhere close to sleeping, you little night owl."

Chuckling at the nickname that had followed you since high school, "What's up, Eiji?"

"I was going over flights. You said in the office that you wanted to leave on Friday?"

"Yeah. I have patrol tomorrow and I didn't find any flights after 6 PM so, Friday is the earliest."

He was quiet on the other line for a moment. "Yeah, you don't have patrol tomorrow, or work at all for that matter."

You sat up a bit straighter in bed. "Um, yes I do."

"No, you don't. I called Mina, asked her if you'd mind taking that shift for you and, since she knows what's happening, she agreed the extra day for travel would do you some good. So, she's covering you tomorrow then you're off work until next Wednesday. As for me, thanks to all that overtime I put in when Denki, Kyoka, and Hitoshi got married, the three of them are splitting up my days so I have until Wednesday too."

Eijiro sounded impossibly proud on the other line, you could almost see the smirk on his face. "You've got this all planned out, don't you?"

"And a bag nearly packed. Just need you to tell me what ties to bring."

"Gold, burgundy, and black."

"Thought your mom said no black for you?"

"She said no black for the wedding. She said nothing about black at the brunch!"

You couldn't wait to put on the tea-length dress that had been a favorite for years. Satin with a lacy top and, best of all, pockets.

He let out a rumbling laugh that fell off into comfortable silence as you laid back in your bed, lights still on, the room still a mess. You tapped the speaker icon and laid the phone on the pillow right beside your head, listing to the various sounds of Eijiro moving around.

A door creaking open, a hanger clattering against another, and a zipper. "And just like that, I'm all set."

"Don't forget your passport or hero license."

"I have one in my wallet and the other in my backpack."

You swiped up on your iPad, off Netflix, and going to google, lazily searching through flights. "So, did you find any good flights since you've clearly been looking?"

Another chuckle, "Eijiro, why are you laughing?" More stifled giggles had you sitting up in bed again. "Just tell me a site you were on. They're just flights, what's so funny?"

"There isn't a site."

"You said you were checking flights."

"And I was... on my family's jet."

"Eiji! No! No, no, no! That is supposed to be for their business or hero things! My stupid cousin's wedding is neither of those things!"

"Relax, Y/N. My family has multiple and they don't have any business trips planned right now anyways. I already cleared it with my mom. Seriously, I just mention your name and she's likely to let me have it for a whole year at least. Plus Todoroki's is back up in working order so the agency is covered too."

Damn, why'd he have to be so good at planning from time to time! You'd completely forgotten about the second jet his family had. Always opting for the larger one since the few missions they needed it for required them to bring fifty or so heroes along.

"Besides, if we fly private, we can land at an airstrip closer to the venue and won't need to drive four hours on top of a ten-hour flight."

"Alright, okay, thank you but, let me take care of the rental car, please. It's the least you can let me do."

"Deal. I just have one more question for ya."

"What's that?"

"Wanna leave tonight?"

You nearly dropped your damn iPad in shock. "Eijiro! What the fuck has gotten into you! It's the middle of the night!"

"I'm excited!" He boomed, "I haven't had a vacation in months!"

"I hate to break this to you, buddy, but this isn't going to be a vacation. You really shouldn't get your hopes up. This isn't going to be a good time with laughs and fun memories... my family, they just, they aren't those kinds of people."

"But we are." He stated matter-of-factly. "If they want to have sticks up their asses then let them! We'll have a good time on our own, laugh and make fun memories! So, what do you say, Y/N? I can be at your place in fifteen. I just gotta put shoes on and grab my keys..."

"Wait, hang on. Are you forgetting that we need someone to, oh, I dunno, FLY THE PLANE! Actually, we need two someone's, can't forget about a co-pilot!"

He hummed happily and you rubbed your temples. "You, you have a pilot and a co, don't you, Eiji?"

"Mhm! There is a company we use. Two can be at the hanger in an hour and every hour after that. I just have to make the call and get the flight plan approved which will be done before I even get to your house."

There was literally no reason to say no. You had mostly everything packed, nothing you needed to get from the store, all you had to do was put on pants and pack up your hygiene bag and you were ready too. Maybe getting there quicker and getting the whole thing over with would be better than staying home dwelling on everything.

"Better put your shoes on."

The glee in his voice, that was enough to make this whole thing worth it, "I'll see you soon."

>>><<<

Eijiro reached into the backseat and plopped a bag down on your lap the very moment you were buckled in. "Had to make a pit stop." He explained.

"It's after two in the morning, where'd you have to..."

"Just open the bag and don't complain."

You found it filled to the brim with all your favorite snacks.

"I'm sure the plane will have a bunch of snacks we can raid but I know for a fact they don't have these." He held up a pack of cookies and creme flavored pocky that had been his favorite for as long as you'd known him, quickly followed by your favorite flavor too. You also found a massive bag of gummy worms and jolly ranchers.

"So, what you're telling me is our teeth are going to rot by the time we land? Not that I'm complaining."

You ripped open the bag of ranchers knowing that was what he'd go for first and sure enough his hand dove inside just as he pulled away from the curb. You could hear his dangerously sharp teeth biting through the rock candy like it was nothing while you still rolled one around your mouth.

Eijiro asked you about the resort you'd be going to, wondering if you'd been there before or what other stuff you guys could do when you weren't dealing with your family. "I figured we could fly back Monday night or Tuesday morning, you know, just play it by ear in case there was anything else we wanted to do."

More than anything, you wished you could just leech a little bit of that excitement from him. The glimpses of his smile you caught as you drove under the street lights made your heart ache.

"What?" He asked with that wide smile of his. You'd been caught staring, red-handed.

"I, uh, I just don't know what to tell you."

You could see the subtle change of his grin, watch as it softened and his hand came to rest on your thigh. "Hey, it's gonna be fine! And if we run into them while out doing stuff, you can just avoid them or hide behind me!" At least hiding behind Eijiro is an easy thing to do, damn mountain of a man.

His thumb slowly brushed back and forth. "'S gonna be okay. I'll beat 'em up if they're assholes!"

You snickered at his Katsuki impression and let the drone of the radio fill the air around you both. Enjoying the silence the rest of the way to the hanger with Eijiro's hand atop your leg.

#mha #bnha #kirishima x reader #kirishima x y/n #eijiro kirishima #kirishima smut #mha x reader #mha x y/n

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