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#plus i have a six hour work shift tonight
luveline · 11 months
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𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 | 𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧
When Eddie asks you on a date, you don’t believe it. He probably meant as friends, right? Spoiler alert — Eddie wants to be more than friends, and he’s willing to prove it. [4k]
fluff, slight hurt/comfort, fem!reader, plus-sized!reader, reader feels undesirable, kissing, obligatory ‘don’t be cruel’ scene, eddie calls you pretty like ten times, requested here
𓆩❤︎𓆪
Eddie has one of those smiles that screams trouble. Every time he looks at you with that smile he might as well have "I'm gonna break your heart," written across his forehead in tandem. 
You sneak a glance at him across the atrium. Eddie’s paused bussing tables to talk to a patron, his customer service voice in play with a matching smile. It isn't the one you mean, but it's bad enough to make you flush red-hot. You cross your arms over the bar, regret it for its stickiness, and let your head rest against the crook of your elbow. 
You've been working together for a long time now, almost six months, and he's your favourite coworker hands down. He cleans up after himself, he brings snacks that you never accept (lest you look like the greedy chubby girl you worry everyone expects you to be), and he talks to you like a real person.
It's horrifying and it's not fair, but being fat means that sometimes guys don’t want to look at you. They don't want to be in the same room with you, and you can tell; they avert their eyes, or simply don't talk to you directly.
You've never had that feeling with Eddie. He meets your eyes, unflinching, and he sends you one of those pretty smiles and you think Fuck, because he should've been a movie star, he has the cheekbones for it, or a rockstar like that band he's always raving about. He'd have a slim LA girl on both arms, no doubt about it. 
He likely wouldn't waste his time with you. 
Not someone pretty as he is. Sometimes he'll lean over and expose the flat stretch of his stomach, his v-lines and the dark trail of hair peeking above his jeans, and you feel acutely miserable 'cause you know you'll never get to touch him. Workplace crushes suck. 
"Hey, are you okay?" a voice asks, a hand dropping against your shoulder. 
You pull yourself up quickly. Speak of the devil, Eddie stands beside you with his hair tied away from his face. He looks more entertained than concerned, his smile unfortunately genuine. 
"I'm fine," you say, stepping back. His hand falls away from your shoulder. "Sorry, just tired." 
Eddie leans into your space, squinting. You freeze up, but he's only checking the time on the clock behind you. "Gotta tough it out. Still an hour and a half 'til closing." 
Which means there's more than two hours of your shift left. Your face must show how unexciting that is —Eddie laughs, warm and quiet, and gives your hand a squeeze. 
"You'll live," he promises. "Are you busy tonight? Maybe we could go get pizza or something." 
"What, nobody else is available?" you ask. 
His head juts back a touch, put upon shock. "And why can't I ask you? I like you and I like pizza, that's a good combination. And even if you don't like me that much, you like pizza, right?" 
You know —you know, you do— that Eddie doesn't mean it as a slight. This isn't some thinly veiled insult on how you look. Why wouldn't you like pizza? Most people do, but his comment twists itself into an evil inky ball in your chest anyways, thick and hot as tar. 
You shake it off. 
"Who says I don't like you?" you ask, steering the conversation away from food altogether. 
His smile gets somehow better, which is to say worse. You're being punished for something, a childhood wrongdoing or a future crime, perhaps. Nothing else could warrant the mental torture that is being so close to him while he looks the way he does. 
"Good. Good, then we should get pizza. It's a date," he says, nodding. 
Morgan the shift manager calls for him to stop distracting you, though the Hideout is abandoned tonight, and there's nothing to distract you from. Eddie stands at full height, with a soldier's salute. "Yes, sir. No more lollygagging." He turns to you when you laugh, and you share a secret smile. 
He and Morgan disappear into the back of house. If you strain your ears, you can hear Eddie complaining about having to keep his hair in a bun, as it's totally against what he stands for, dude, it's stifling his self expression. 
"Count yourself lucky I don't make you wear a hair net, kid," Morgan says.
You turn back to your sticky bar, numb. It's a date? Did he mean, like, an actual date? A romantic date? 
Not a chance in hell. It's a colloquialism. Nothing more. 
Despite yourself, you stare into the silver reflection of a beer tap and try to liven up. You fix your hair, check your teeth, dig a lip balm out of your apron pocket and scratch the corners of your mouth just in case. The entire time you're heckling yourself about delusions. Eddie Munson doesn't like you. He's had a girl come around once or twice, and she'd been everything you're not: slender, confident. You'd wanted to dislike her, but she hadn't done anything wrong. There's no crime in being desirable. 
For the remainder of the night, you man the bar and serve the occasional patron. It's a Sunday night, so most stick to light beer or soft drinks. The live entertainment says goodnight and the Hideout empties like an opened floodgate. You clean the bar, Eddie buses the tables, and the kitchen staff turn on the radio and get to work cleaning. Soon, you can smell cigarette smoke and reheated mozzarella sticks. 
You wander into the kitchen to help. 
"Hi beautiful," Leon says, one of the cooks, "you want something to eat?" 
"No she does not!" Eddie says, helping the dishwasher Marcie with her last round of plates. Suds drip down to his rolled sleeves as he waves his hands around. "We're going to get pizza." 
"Yes!" Marcie says, delighted. 
"Where are we going?" Paul asks, another cook. 
"We," Eddie says, pointing at you and then himself, "are going to Marletto's. Yeah?" 
You startle when you realise he's asking you. "Oh, sure. Anywhere you want." 
His head bobs up and down, pleased. He goes back to his dishes. "Anywhere I want," he murmurs to Marcie, though he's saying it for everybody to hear, "hear that, Marc? I'm spoiled." 
You wipe down a few counters, label some leftover iceberg lettuce and put it back in the fridge. It's easy work, made better by the camaraderie of your coworkers, but you can't settle down. Your heart races at what's to come. "It's a date," is starting to feel less colloquial now Eddie's dissuading the other from joining you. That's how that works, right? He wants to be alone with you.
It might not mean anything. Maybe Eddie needs something from you he doesn't want the others to know about, like money. Maybe he wants girl advice, finally chasing that pretty girl who drops by sometimes. Or boy advice —there's a guy who comes around too, tall and blond and handsome. 
There's a logical solution. Any other girl would hear the word date and take it at face value, but you aren't them. You're you. You can't remember the last time somebody looked at you with desire in their eyes, if they ever have. High school was a shit show and work isn't exactly a hub for romance. Eddie joining the team here is the most excitement you've ever had in your life, for all his gentle squeezes and teasing elbows, his inside jokes and his tendency to burst into an air guitar solo at any given moment. He's a cheeseball, and you like him. It sucks. 
"Hi, are you ready?" he asks, coming out of nowhere. You're kneeling down near the lockers tying your shoelaces. 
It is a horrible position for him to see you in. You can't imagine what you look like, but you know it won't be pretty. You spring up with your shoelace untied still and smile weakly. "Yeah, I'm ready." 
"You need help with that?" he asks, eyes on your shoe. 
You burn with embarrassment. "I– no, I–" 
Eddie kneels down on the floor and reaches for your shoe. He ties it quickly in a double-knotted bunny-loop and pats the side of your ankle when he's done. When he looks up at you, you're in the middle of hoping a natural disaster will occur and put you out of your misery. 
He smiles at you from his position. Does he ever stop? 
"Cool," he says, standing up. He grabs his coat from his locker and doesn't bother closing it. "Let's go! I'm starving, man, Leon needs to mess up more often so I can steal the rejects." 
You follow him in a daze. Through the lockers and out of the kitchen, waving goodbye to the lingering closers and a grimacing Morgan. You aren't looking forward to seeing him again tomorrow. You're more than sure he'll have something to say about workplace fraternising and general dawdling. 
"You okay for us to take the van?" he asks. 
Eddie's given you rides home before, and what felt awkward before has lended itself to a familiarity. You nod your agreement and cross the small parking lot out back, your breath rising in the cold night air. 
Eddie pulls open the passenger door of his van with a strong-armed tug. 
"Been meaning to get the latch looked at. I'd rather it have trouble opening than trouble closing, though, so that's a plus." 
He waits for you to climb the short step and sit before he closes the door. 
“All limbs inside the ride?" he asks. 
You laugh. It comes out weird. You kind of sound like you're being held at gunpoint. 
Eddie gets in the van and makes small talk as he starts the engine and pulls her out of the lot. Your mind isn't there, exactly, or rather it's too close. You want to think about your answers but instead you're worrying about how you look while you say them. You're worried about the seat belt around your stomach, and the way you look from the side. Being around Eddie makes you more self-conscious than usual. 
Marletto's isn't the best pizza place in Hawkins but it's open until three AM. You and Eddie take the first empty booth you come across, and the agony of ordering in front of someone else begins. 
"Meat feast for me, obviously," he says, pulling off his jacket. 
The cracked vinyl seat beneath him crunches with his movement. You dedicate yourself to staying still. 
"I'll get a margarita," you say, glancing between him and the menu for his reaction.  
"Didn't take you for such a bore," he teases. "Drinks? Sides?" 
"Just water will be fine." 
"Are you sure? I'm paying. If you wanna take advantage of me, now's the time."
You shake your head, pushing your cold hands under your thighs. 
Eddie frowns. "If you're sure…" 
He gets up to track down the register. You sit there, wondering why you agreed to this, what possessed you, why you could ever think this was a good idea. You don't wanna eat in front of him, you don't know what to say, he's looking at you like everything's normal but this is so not normal, this is the opposite side of the spectrum. 
Eddie returns with your water and a coke, all smiles despite your clear nerves. 
He puts the drinks down and clambers into the seat with a leg folded underneath himself, his elbows halfway across the table. He looks you straight in the face. 
"That guy just looked at me like I was crazy. I'm hungry, sue me. Three orders of mozzarella sticks is a normal human thing to get, right?" 
"Three?" you ask. 
His hand reaches toward you. If your hand were there, he'd likely squeeze it roughly as he sometimes does, like a playful scolding. "I'm hungry," he repeats. "I didn't get any lunch on my lunch break. What's the point in that? Just sat down in the locker room thinking about it. It was actually worse than working." 
"You should've had Leon make you a burger. He's always offering." 
"Always offering you, maybe. The rest of us gotta fend for ourselves." 
"That's not true. He asks Marcie, too." 
"Yeah, well, Leon's a sucker for pretty girls." 
You look down at the table. 
"I got enough fries for both of us, I know you didn't want any sides but everyone wants fries. I won't be sharing the mozzarella sticks, so if you want some you better speak now." He raps the table with his knuckles. When you look up, his face softens. "Well, alright. Maybe I'll share them with you. I'm a sucker, too." 
"What's that mean?" 
"What?" 
"You know what," you say. 
Eddie crosses his arms across the table. His hands and arms are pale, the ink of his black tattoos stark. You could draw them without prompting, that's how often you've fallen into his trap. When he crosses his arms like this, his biceps bulge up a little bit, emphasising the pretty curves and ridges of his arms and the hints of greeny-blue veins hiding under his skin. He tilts his head toward his shoulder, his limp curls dragging against the table. 
"It means…" he says, holding your eyes, a gentle smile playing on his lips, "that you're pretty. You're so pretty, I'd do anything you asked me to." 
You flinch. You pull your numb hands from under your thighs and cover your stomach with your forearms, glaring at the table between you thoughtlessly. 
"That's cruel." 
"What?" 
"That's cruel, Eddie. You're being mean," you mutter.
"I–" Eddie stammers. "What? I'm just trying to tell you how I think about you– how I feel. I'm sorry if you don't wanna hear it, I'm not trying to be mean." 
Hurt creeps into the lines of your face, your eyebrows pulled down and the starts pulled up, your lips pursed. Heat bursts in your throat as a molten lump takes shape there. You don't trust yourself to speak, but you have to. 
"I thought you were my friend," you say quietly. 
"I want to be more than that." 
"You're making fun of me." 
"No." 
Eddie reaches across the table again. There's nothing for him to grab so he spreads his fingers and presses his palm flat. He ducks his head to meet your gaze. His eyes are ridiculously big, the black of his pupils blown and leaching into his dark irises until they're almost indistinguishable in the fuzzy lighting of the restaurant. 
"Come on," he says quietly, "when have I ever done that to you? I mess around, but I wouldn't say shit like that unless I meant it." His fingers lift off of the table. "I mean it. I think you're beautiful." His voice takes on a raw quality. 
You bite the tip of your tongue, fully frowning now. "I don't believe you," you say. 
"Why not?" he asks, frowning back. 
"Because I'm– I'm– I'm fat." You hate yourself for saying it out loud. 
People hate that word. Usually, if you admit to it, there's a rushed response. No, you're not. Pretty friends talk you down, loved ones wrap an arm around your shoulder and harp about puppy fat or big bones. 
Eddie doesn't do either. He sits back in his seat and smiles hesitantly. 
"Why's that a bad thing?" he asks. He shakes his head at himself. "I mean– I'm sorry, I should've said you aren't, you aren't–" 
"No, I am," you say. 
"You're so pretty," he says again, in a rush. "I don't care what size you are, I really don't. I just think you're beautiful and I wanted to ask you on a real date but I saw you and I couldn't wait anymore." He wraps his hand around the neck of his coke bottles and pulls it towards his chest. "Shit, I've made a huge fucking mess of it." 
You lean forward. Your body doesn't know what to do, the whiplash of hurt smothered by his enthusiastic, sincere compliments.
Why's that a bad thing? means more than anything else he said to you. 
"You really think I'm pretty?" you ask timidly. 
"Drop dead," he says. Hope flickers behind his eyes. "Morgan pulled me aside on my second week, you know that? Said if I didn't stop staring at you he'd put me in the back for the week." 
"He did put you in the back," you say, confused. 
"Exactly." 
Oh. You raise your head properly. Eddie's watching you, just you, obviously waiting for you to speak. The hope on his face is clear as day now, his lips parted, the tiniest peek of his tongue on display. 
"You promise you aren't messing with me?" you ask finally. 
"I promise." He holds his hand out, palm up. "I swear." 
Your heart a hummingbird, you take your hand from your waist and put it carefully in his. His fingers curl around yours like a prince, the tip of his thumb rubbing over your knuckles slowly, half an inch at a time. You exhale out of your nose as goosebumps race up your arm. 
He looks like he has more to say, but the pizza and all his sides arrive. You spring apart like teenagers, blood rushing in your ears. The server unloads his tray.
"Alright guys," he says, looking down at you both with a knowing smile. "Anything else I can get you while I'm here?" 
Eddie sneaks a look at you that holds way too much meaning. "No, I think we're alright." 
There's a tiny, awkward silence. You busy yourself with unfolding a napkin over your lap, not sure what to say to bridge the gap. 
Eddie takes the plunge. 
He slides a basket of mozzarella sticks at you. "Pretty girl privileges," he says.
You feel insecure eating in front of him, but the sheer ferocity of his compliments discourages any shame. He thinks you're pretty. He held your hand like it was made of glass and he got put in Hideout jail for staring. 
"I think you're handsome, too," you say. 
Eddie almost chokes on a handful of fries. "Shit," he says, swallowing roughly, hand thumping at his chest. "Thank god for that. I mean, of course you do. My devilish good looks are hard to resist." 
He's not wrong. 
Getting put on kitchen duty isn't half as bad as Morgan seems to think it is. Eddie kind of likes it, the noise, the chaos, the heat. Plus, he can steal fries hot and fresh out of the basket. He's only burned himself once. 
"What're you in for?" Leon asks him.
"Staring." 
"You're a freak, Munson, you know that?" 
Eddie shrugs. "If your girlfriend looked like mine, you'd stare too." 
"Uh-huh." Leon grabs up a spatula to flip a burger, pink meat down and brown side up. Fat sizzles dangerously. Neither man flinches. "She ain't going nowhere." 
"You don't know that. Some rockstar might blaze through here and snap her up. Who would I be to stop her? She should be a trophy wife, she's a stunner." 
"Christ," Marcie says from across the room. 
"How the fuck can you hear us?" Eddie asks. Over the sound of the overhead spray and the sizzle of the burners, Marcie must have superpowers or something. 
"Uh, 'cause you're fucking yelling," she says. 
Eddie looks to Leon for some defence, but Leon agrees. "You are super loud." 
"You would be too–"
"If I had a girlfriend as pretty as yours," Leon says, audibly grouchy. "I know." 
"Don't be jealous that I got there first." 
"How is this fair? You get in trouble and I'm the one punished." 
Eddie blows a big breath out of the corner of his mouth, one of his shorter curls dancing away from his warm face. Ridiculous. They're all awful, and jealous, and nobody wants him to be happy. "Losers," he mumbles. 
He's kidding, mostly. He knows that everyone is actually very happy for the both of you. How could they not be? Eddie's happier than ever and you've turned to mush. It's his favourite thing in the world. 
He thought you were pretty before. These days, you're gold dust incarnate. You see him and smile like you've been waiting for him, no more nervousness (which, he found out, was down to a raging crush on him) (he walked on air for days), no more shying away from his touch. Eddie puts a hand on your shoulder and you don't tense; you melt. Butter in the sun. 
It's glorious. 
And sure, Eddie ends up in the brig a lot. He 'hovers' apparently. So what? He'll say it again, if any of these guys were in his shoes, they'd fall victim to the same compulsion. 
He waits for an opportunity to arise, four dinner tickets and a dishwasher disaster, and sneaks away as silently as he can manage, creeping out of the kitchen and to the bar. You're busy pouring a beer and don't notice him until the customer's left and he's wrapping an arm around your waist. 
"Eddie," you scold lightly, leaning forward to accommodate his weight against your back, "come on. You might actually lose your job." 
"They can't fire me. I'm the best bus boy ever." 
You turn your face to look at him. Eddie wants to put you on TV, you look that sweet. 
"No, you're awful, you," —Eddie interrupts you, leaning down for a quick chaste kiss— "distract me, and you," —he steals a second— "don't actually bus tables when you should," you finish, disjointed. 
He brings his hand to your soft cheek, stroking a badly behaved baby hair back into place. You go lax like he's some kind of quick fix drug, and your eyes contain a tenderness that makes his chest ache. He covers his heart with his hand. 
"You're awful," you murmur. 
He takes your face into both hands slowly. One cups your cheek, and the other slides behind your ear. He pulls your face forward and down toward his chin, his lips by your ear. You smell amazing. His eyes close on instinct.
"A little. It's not my fault. You're just–" 
"So pretty?" you ask. "Yeah, you've told me." 
"I have, have I? Have to let me tell you again." He kisses the skin before your ear, more a press of his lips than anything. "You're beautiful," he mouths. 
You shiver, but ultimately end up planting your hands against his chest and ushering him away from you. 
"Stop it. I mean it! We're in public, at work, and you're gonna mess me up." 
"I want to mess you up," he says easily. 
"I know you do." 
Eddie sighs, agonised, but heeds your warning. "Alright," he says, squeezing your shoulder in goodbye. You smile and squeeze his elbow in return. It's your new thing, silent conversation in fond touches. 
He's a couple of feet away when the urge to turn back is too much. He jogs back to your side, gets his hand behind your neck, and kisses you with enough pressure that your lips part underneath his in shock. He adores the side of your neck with his thumb one sweeping stroke at a time, his nose digging sliding against yours as he inches in further, and further. The dizzy pleasure of your lips can't be understated. Eddie fights back a kiss-ruining smile with all he's worth. 
"Sorry," he says, pulling back. Your lips shine and you blink, dazed. "Sorry," he says again, leaning in to kiss them dry. 
You laugh quietly, a breath against his cheek, and he's a goner, dropping pecks all over your pretty face until you're giggling and sinking into his arms. 
"I really am sorry." He punctuates with a kiss under your jaw. 
"No," you say breathlessly. Your hand twines loosely in his hair. "You're not." 
No, he isn't. He's never felt less sorry for anything in his life. 
𓆩❤︎𓆪
thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please consider reblogging, it helps more than you know!! <3 
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thatanimenerd101 · 1 year
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Kirishima X female reader
⚠️ Warnings cuteness and pregnancy involved
Word count 1.2k
Time taken 2 hours and thirty minutes
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GIF not mine
Today was shit.
When you got home you had to be quiet, your boyfriend was still sleeping. He worked a double shift yesterday at Fat Gum’s agency. So you knew he needed the sleep. You peeked your head into the bedroom and he was sound asleep. Eji’s red hair in his face as he was snoring quietly. Slowly, you crawled into bed trying not to wake him up.
“Mhmmm. Princess your home.” He rolled over to hug your waist.
“Hi baby, did you sleep well?”
“Like a rock.” He chuckled. As he opened his eyes he gave you his signature smile.
“Good.” You smiled back at him and looked down at your left hand. A simple white gold band with a small sparkling red stone.
He sat up and held your hand. “If I’m being honest I thought you’d say no when I asked you.”
You looked up at him. “Eijiuo, I would never say no to you. I’m just remembering the day you popped the question.”
One year ago
It was springtime.
Kirishima was so nervous. With a box in his pocket of the red and black suit.
“You nervous kid?” Fat Gum asked him in the lobby.
“I’m scared she’ll say no.” He replied.
“Red, you’ve been dating her since high school, almost six years. I’m positive she’ll say yes. Plus I already paid for the photographer. So hurry up and go to the park before she gets there.”
Kirishima smiled and looked up at his mentor.
“I’m ready to ask y/n to be my wife!”
An hour later
Holding flowers in his hand he waited for you at your usual spot. By the garden.
“Hi Eijirou!” You waved.
“Hey!” He waved back and eyed you up and down. A beautiful red dress with a sweetheart neckline, a small black jacket on your shoulders. You looked gorgeous.
“I got you these.” He gave you the flowers, your favorite.
“Aww babe, you didn’t have too. But I have to ask, why are we so dressed up?”
He rubbed his neck. “Well, I made reservations at a restaurant for us but it’s high class so you have to be dressed up.”
“I had a feeling, but why are we at the park?”
“Because y/n I have to ask you something.” He took the flowers out of your hand and set them on the beach.”
The photographer was nearby, waiting for the perfect moment.
Kirishima reached into his pocket as he got on one knee. “Y/n l/n, everyday I wake up and realize how lucky I am to be with you. You’re such a beautiful young woman and I’ve wanted to ask you this since graduation but it was far too soon. So y/n will you marry me and become my wife?”
Your jaw dropped for a second. His face was gleaming with confidence, and a large smile across his face. “Yes eiji I will marry you!”
Present
“I still can’t believe the wedding is next month.” You looked at your soon to be husband.
“I know, but may I take you out to dinner tonight?”
He always asked permission before doing something.
You smiled. “Anytime babe!”
As the two of you were getting ready you had a sudden urge to vomit. You ran to the bathroom, you never ever got sick. When you did it was at least a week. So this was odd. But then it hit you as you were puking your guts out. Your three monthly period were almost two months.
“Babe! Are you okay?” Your fiancé asked. He looked at you and wiped your face with a washcloth.
“I need you to run to the store and grab a pregnancy test.”
He looked at you with confusion. “Uhh babe you're on the shot. You can’t possibly be pregnant.” He then smiled. “Unless it’s the point one percent you are! Go lay on the couch. I'll cook dinner when I get back!”
You’ve never seen that man run out the door like that. He had a little pep in his step.
At the store he couldn’t find the tests. How hard could it be to find a stick you pee on? Well for Kirishima it was hard.
“Excuse me, can you help me find a pregnancy test?” He asked the clerk at the front desk.
She was busy reading a hero magazine and looked up.
“It’s you! Red Riot! Oh my goodness I’m a huge fan of yours!” She was wearing a red riot shirt. Great, a fan girl who's gonna tell the press before we know the truth.
He chuckled. “Thanks but I really need that test.”
She shook her hands. “Oh my goodness I’m so sorry I’m just a huge fan. Here’s your pregnancy test.” She took the cash and handed him the little box.
“Let’s keep this on the down low okay.”
“Only if I get your autograph.”
He sighed but gave in.
“I’m back! How does sushi sound for dinner? I picked up your favorite!” He found you on the couch watching tv.
You looked up at him. “Thanks babe but I’ll pass, I'm not hungry right now.” He handed you the test and thee minutes, you had your answer….inconclusive.
“Well shit. I have no idea.”
“I guess you have to call the doctor in the morning.”
“Eiji we are not ready to be parents. You’re an upcoming hero and I just started a new job.” You began to pace around your shared apartment.
“It’s okay honey, nobody is ever ready. But regardless of the results I’ll be there to support you.”
One week later.
The test at the office was negative, at least the first one was. The second one was positive.
“Congratulations Ms. L/N!”
At home you told Kirishima the news. He jumped and hugged you tightly.
Three weeks later
A simple white gown.
A simple tuxedo.
Words were exchanged.
“I do.” You said to your now husband.
8 months later
You and Kiri were snuggling in bed, just finishing the final touches on the nursery. His hands were on your swollen belly.
“Little baby, I love you so much.” He kissed your stomach and then kissed you.
“We still don’t know their gender. Our little one likes to play games.” You giggled.”
“You should rest, doctor wants to rest. We just did a lot of work in the nursery.” You rest while I pick up some more diapers.
Today was the day when the baby was born.
September 30th, cries were heard from your newborn baby girl. Her lungs were definitely working.
You were on so much medication you were knocked out after hearing her cries.
“Here you go dad.” The nurse handed Kirishima his new daughter in a little pink blanket. She helped him adjust his arms to support the new baby.
Ten years later.
“Mommy, daddy! Look! I got an A!”
“Good job pumpkin! I’m so proud.” You took her school hair bows out of her hair and replaced it with a pink one. Her long red hair was just like your husband’s.
“Daddy!” Your daughter ran to your room.
“Woah! You did such a good job!” He patted her on the head. “How about we get ice cream?”
“Mommy! We are getting ice cream!”
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bloody-psycho-love · 1 year
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In the Midst of Conflict
Summary For “In the Midst of Conflict”: Five to six years have passed since the five of them have attended Night Raven College. Lilia Vanrouge and Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia had changed their friendship into a romantic relationship. But how will they navigate said romance when Malleus takes the throne after his grandmother disappears? How will Alex deal with being an outsider in the Briar Valley? Will their romance survive and flourish or will it wilt and crumble from their hands?
Co written by @eternity-forevermore and myself, @bloody-psycho-love!
Night Two
Alexandria knelt down on one knee and bowed to show Malleus Draconia the respect that he very much deserved. Her right hand was on her heart. It was the way that she was taught to respect, honor, and show her loyalty to the King of Spain at the time. But this time, it felt proper. It felt right. "My allegiance and my loyalty are with you. And only to this group. No one else shall receive it unless they are welcomed by you and Lilia."  Malleus felt as if he were the luckiest fae in all of Twisted Wonderland with how many people (humans and fae alike) were willing to be by his side until the end of their fighting days. With their honest and sincere words, their expressions of twinkling eyes and expressions of seriousness, the Prince's worries evaporated. Gone. It was as if they were never there to begin with. "Thank you. For your allegiance and for your kind words. You may all stand up now." Seeing them like that was oddly fitting. But he wouldn't want to do that to him while in the throne room. This was something that was supposed to be for his eyes only. No one else was worthy of this but this group, Yuu and a few select others.
Being helped up by her lover, Alex wordlessly pushed off any kind of particle that flew in the air. "What should we do now?"
Lilia pondered for a moment, humming out loud, until he glanced outside, noting just how dark it had become.
"Perhaps we should go to bed?" He suggested, "It will become rather late, soon. And we have to leave in the morning, I do believe."
"I do think that is a good idea," Sebek answered, "So that we can have enough energy to move. After all, we're on the edge of Briar Valley, so it would take a good while to reach the capital where Her Highness resides."
Silver nodded, "Yeah, and so we can be better prepared for any surprises that may come our way."  "But it's not too terribly late," Lilia says, "We can fit in another game," a devilish smile, "Should Malleus and Sebek like to join us. But only if they want to- if not, I suppose we should turn in early for the night."
Inwardly sighing, Alex did her best to keep her inner thoughts... well, inner thoughts. "I do like Lilia's idea. Playing a new game. But perhaps we shall take shifts in watching over the cottage just in case?" Until someone else agrees on this, it would hang up in the air. There was complete silence until Malleus had nodded, voicing his agreement. "Yes. I agree with the human. However, who should go first?" Were there going to be any volunteers? If there were, it would most likely be Sebek if they knew him at all. Then again it could change. After all, who knew what was going to happen tonight? If it was an awful idea, they could just do something else.
"I can go first," Lilia offers, "I've been without sleep for many hours before, so it shouldn't be hard."
"I can take the second shift," Silver says, nodding. 
"I'll take it with you, Silver," Sebek replies, "Otherwise your narcolepsy could leave you vulnerable."
Silver didn't comment on it, instead of nodding. He disliked the fact that he would randomly fall asleep at times without warning, but it would be a good idea to have Sebek there. Plus it could help keep him awake, and make it less dull.  "That works," Lilia says, "Off to bed with you all. I'll wake you both," a glance to Silver and Sebek, "when the time comes."
After hearing of her lover being awake for long periods of time without any sleep, Alexandria became worried. What did he mean by that and why was he saying that in a peppy tone? Should she accompany him just in case he ends up passing out? No. She needed to trust him on this. Lilia Vanrouge knew his way around a patrol. He wouldn't have become a general without knowing this. Nodding, she would only take her leave after leaning down and giving Lilia a peck on the cheek. "Please stay safe, mi tesoro," She said as she left the room to go up to one of the guest rooms. Would she be allowed to go sleep in his room? If she wasn't, she was going to do it anyway.
Malleus Draconia nodded as he turned his heel and trusted the two knights and general with the patrols. They're experts in this, so there was no worry or concern from him whatsoever. Going to his room, he closed the door behind him gently. Nothing and no one was going to get passed those three for certain. There was a reason that Lilia Vanrouge was his guardian. His grandmother was not one for flawed judgment when it came to his protection.
"No worries, my love," Lilia responds in kind, "I will make sure nothing shall befall on this family, that I do swear."
He looked over at Silver and Sebek, "Now hurry on along now, children," a smile, "Otherwise when it's your turn, you'll be terribly tired."
Silver and Sebek made blank faces, nodded, and then left for their respective rooms. They may have been adults, but they still consider Lilia to be a father figure.  Lilia looked to Malleus and Alex, and tilted his head to the side, "If you need anything, I shall be right outside. Please do get enough sleep, my kindred."
Both Malleus and Alex turned their heads in the tilting fae's direction and nodded their heads in unison and confirmation that they heard him. When they had left the room and went into their respective rooms, both had the opposite thoughts. Malleus Draconia entrusted the protection and safety of the home to him while Alexandria was worried about his lack of sleep. But he could pull it off. General Vanrouge has pulled off many things that would have been impossible for others to even process, let alone comprehend and react to. There was no wonder that the Queen had entrusted him with the lives of many others. If they were to have met during his days as a war general, she most likely would have been imprisoned by him or worse. Going to Lilia's room, she closed the door behind her gently. Undressing, she was now in her underwear and nothing else. His clothes would have been too small for her to wear and Alex didn't quite know Malleus well enough (nor Silver nor Sebek) in order to ask him to borrow his clothing.
Malleus simply closed the door behind him (yes, he is in his own room) and changed into some nighttime clothing with the snap of his fingers. As he went to lie down in his bed, his eyes closed. However, his ears were open to any and all noise that would be in the cottage. Being on the edge of Briar Valley was a fool's errand for most if not nearly all.
Once everyone had left, Lilia made a quick trip upstairs. He didn't take too long- simply grabbing the surveillance items. In a few minutes, he was outside.... At the top of the cottage. Lilia didn't think he would ever have to walk through the door at the end of the hallway of the hidden stairway, but then again he didn't think he would ever be in this situation- bringing his entire family back to the cottage and then staying there for the night. 
He had a bird's eye view, especially with the aid of the magic stones.  Old habits kicked in, and soon Lilia was in tune to his surroundings, from every little pixies and fae that flew and roamed around these parts, to every doe, fawn, and bear that made their home. This part of the forest was always quiet, thankfully, but one can never know when it will be the day that someone dares to venture out in the area. 
And Lilia prayed that he would never have to end another being again, if he could help it. 
-
The hours passed, and soon enough the sky was starting to become brighter- but only ever so slightly. It was still dark out, and the sun would likely not come out for another two hours. He supposed it was time to wake up Silver and Sebek, so he did. He went through the door, and down the stairs, until he came upon their rooms, waking them up individually.
Once the two were out and awake, Lilia led the two (albeit sleepy) men towards the hidden staircase, through the hall and then up to the rooftop, where the platform was. 
"Alright boys, here are the items. I'll leave you to it."
And without any further elaboration, Lilia left. 
Silver and Sebek looked at each other, and furrowed their brows. 
"What even is this place?" Silver asks, as he looks around, "Was this hidden passage always here?"
"Don't know," Sebek replied, "Malleus only showed me the hidden passage yesterday- before he announced his succession to the crown."
"...Well then."
The two took a seat, looking over the things left for them.
Soon enough, Alexandria had fallen into a deep slumber. Within her dreams, there was her and Lilia. The lovers were peacefully dancing in formal and pure white (wedding dress, white and green suit and all!), laughing at each other's whispered jokes after they had spoken their vows of undying love to each other. Sharing a passionate kiss between one another all the while being celebrated for their marriage. Malleus, Sebek, Silver, and two women were there to celebrate with them. A general would want a huge celebration, right? But not General Vanrouge. That was what the reception was for! Right now, it was just family and friends. Dancing with the few others at the wedding, cutting a cake together. What more did a woman her age want besides safety and security? 
At the same time, Malleus barely dreamed. Yet when he would do so, he would dream of his childhood. Of all of the happy times with baby Silver, small Sebek, and Lilia as his guardian. As his father figure. Warmhearted, loving, compassionate. Yet he was stern and strict when he needed to be. What more could a child of his stature and age ask for? Sure, Lilia's cooking was as abysmal as ever. But it was nutritious and healthy for growing boys such as themselves, at least according to Lilia. Although he was dreaming such a lovely, heartfelt dream, his ears had kept out any unfamiliar noises that were indicative of a stranger in the cottage.
Hours passed, and soon the sun rose. Silver and Sebek spent the majority of the time talking about the past and whatever else they could come up  with, while keeping an eye on the things. 
"Do you remember how we leave?" Sebek asked, unsure of how to get down, "I think Lilia had us climb the tree," Silver replied, "I don't understand why they never built a ladder- ah, wait. I found the ladder."
And lo and behold, there was a ladder at the edge. 
"Why did-"
"Let's not question it, Silver." 
The two got down, and entered the passage, curiously glancing at the walls. 
"You said Malleus allowed you inside?" Silver asks, once taking note of the doors, "What were they?"
"Just offices, nothing much to them. There were a few magical artifacts- they looked expensive. "
"Ah, I suppose that makes sense now... Why they didn't let us up here."
"...What do you mean?"
"Sebek, you broke the window once."
"...Right."
The conversation dwindled down as they came to the end of the staircase, Sebek casting the magic that Malleus had shown him earlier.
They then entered the living room, the house still as quiet, save for the noise coming from the kitchen, the waft of coffee permeating throughout the room. The two decide to enter the kitchen to see who it was.
Having woken up a couple of hours before sunrise, Alexandria had gotten dressed in the bedroom where her and Lilia were resting. Having found some eggs, a few potatoes, olive oil, and tomatoes, she had decided to make a hearty breakfast to help them all feel rested. The coffee was already hot and ready in cute coffee cups on the dining room table for everyone should they wish to drink some. Coffee that had some dollops of cream and milk in at least one or two of them with the cream and milk chilled a little bit so that it didn't go bad. The sizzling and sauteing of the vegetables was adorned with the cracking of the eggshells as the hearty smell of pan-fried potatoes had filled the kitchen and dining room. As they were being cooked in the pan, she had decided to add some salt and pepper for taste as well as some olive oil. Because she was making a big pan full of pan-fried potatoes, vegetables, and eggs, she decided to add some sliced tomatoes as well. The more vegetables to balance it out, the better. If Alex had more time, she would have also made some chocolate fried churros as well! But they would have had to head out in the early morning. While doing all of this, she was singing a lullaby to herself: Cielito Lindo. It always soothed her and put her mind at ease when she was focusing on cooking. Her long mane of midnight black hair was in a higher bun so as to not get any in the food. It was good to know what to do with a few hair clips, hair ties, and an old fashioned hairbrush. It could be used as a curler if need be! Yes, she was wearing the clothes from yesterday. But it wasn't as if she had brought anything else to wear. 
Malleus was still asleep in his bedroom, but would slowly rouse from it as soon as he smelled something being made. Was he out of his room yet? Not by a long shot. But he was fully dressed with just a snap of his fingers. Normally he would have only used it to assist him. But they were in a bit of a time crunch. Taking a book from the shelf, he turned on the magical lamp that he had used when he was younger and began to read.
Silver and Sebek entered into the kitchen, the full scent of food activating their hungry stomach. As if on cue, their stomachs growled. They glanced at each other, then back to Alex, slowly walking over to her to see what she was making. They made sure to make their footsteps loud and heard, as to warn Alex that they were no- as to not completely surprise her. 
"What are you making?" Silver asked, curiously. He stood right next to Alex, watching how she sauteed the vegetables, his mouth nearly watering as the sight of cooked food. Usually Silver would forgo breakfast, but he'd already been awake for hours, alongside Sebek, so naturally they craved food.  "You made coffee?" Sebek asks, glancing at the cups, "May I have one?" A cup of coffee might do him some good, especially after the shift of surveillance. And truth be told, Sebek liked coffee, although contrary to what one may think, Sebek liked his coffee on the sweeter side. Not too obscenely sweet, just enough to rid the bitterness of coffee.
Alexandria answered, "Oh, this? This is called huevos rotos. It's a hearty breakfast back in my home country on Earth that helps us wake up for the morning." That was when she had begun to describe the process of how it was made, where it was first made and how to properly make it along with the cream and the coffee. The milk was an essential ingredient to help lighten the color of the coffee so that it could be enjoyed without the harsh bitterness. Of course if they preferred it to be bitter, then they wouldn't need to add cream or milk. "Of course! Both of you go grab your coffee el leche! It'll help you both wake up for the journey to Briar Valley." Alex instructed, putting some more olive oil in there to help the pan-fried potatoes, vegetables (tomatoes, mushrooms, bell peppers and caramelized onions), and eggs don't burn on her. "Grab your pans as well from the dining room table! I'll give you your serving here in the kitchen!" 
By the time she was ready to serve, Malleus had put his own book away. Walking towards the door, he had opened it with a gentle hand, softly pushing it out of the way. Making his way downstairs, he could only follow his nose for the scent of breakfast that was being made. Once he had made his way into the dining room and the kitchen, he had to admit to himself that his mouth was watering. Internally, he was relieved that another day could go by without the wasteland that was Lilia's cuisine.
The two nodded, grabbing the necessary items and bringing it over to Alex so that they may get served. Once they received a good amount of food, they took their place at the kitchen table, Sebek helping himself to some of the coffee, adding more milk and sugar to it to achieve a tan color. 
Silver took a bite of the food, surprised at the taste. He's eaten similar back in Night Raven, but home cooked meals often were better than what's made in a cafeteria. He glanced at Alex, and once having caught her attention, he simply gave her a thumbs up and nodded.
When Malleus entered the room, Silver and Sebek gave a small bow, with Sebek saying, "Good morning, young master. I do hope you had a pleasant sleep."
She smiled and nodded when Silver had grabbed her attention. It always felt good to her heart when someone liked her cooking. After all, food was one of the main sources of life. What was the point of eating it if it didn't taste good at least? When was the vampiric fae going to be here? Was he going to sleep in today? Was he still up and about in some secret part of the cottage? Oh well. He'll come when he wants to eat. Turning the knob off, she would go ahead and get her own coffee, going to sit down at the table next to Silver.  "Greetings, Silver and Sebek," Malleus replied, picking up his pan. Going into the kitchen, he was given his bigger portion of food before giving her his thanks. Sitting down in the end chair, he had then proceeded to drink his coffee with a bit of creamer and milk. What was the flavor of this creamer? Was it regular cream? What some would call vanilla or hazelnut? Either way, it was a unique sweet taste to him that he enjoyed. Not too overpowering, but sweet enough to smell and dissuade the original bitterness.
"Father is a bit late, isn't he?" Silver speaks up, halfway through his meal. 
"He is," Sebek realizes, "I don't think he's often this late. Perhaps he slept in?"
Silver sighed- it could have been possible. He didn't know when was the last time his father had gone to sleep before this. "I'll go check up on him, then."
And so he left, Sebek eating his food. Faintly he could hear Silver's voice from the hallway, straining his ear to hear them- but from the sound of it, it looked like the fae hadn't gotten enough sleep these past few days.  "Belated morning, everyone," Lilia says, as he emerged into the kitchen, his voice husky and low, "I hope everyone is well." Lilia looked around, and saw Alex and the food, so he walked over to her, getting as close as he could, and said in a whisper, "Ah, this breakfast looks delightful."
Malleus had wondered if his guardian had grown too comfortable with life at Night Raven College. Perhaps that was why he was getting up late. Then again, the sleep fatigue could have finally gotten to him. He nodded at Silver as he continued to eat his breakfast. Who knew that human food could be this delicious? The tomatoes added a certain flavor that he couldn't describe. It also made for great coloring!  Alex almost leapt from her spot as she was in the middle of scooping up her portion with the spatula as she squeaked out, "Lilia, mi amor, you almost scared me out of my wits!" She exclaimed, barely managing to get the portion into her pan. "Please grab a pan from the dining room table. I need to get you your portion..." As she had gotten done with getting her own portion, the immortal went to give her lover his portion and the last bit of the huevos rotos so that it wouldn't get wasted. It was then that they thanked him for the compliment on the food.
"Apologies, love," Lilia says, receiving the food with grace.  "Though I'm always appreciative of the food you make, please do be aware."
Lilia took his seat, making sure to choose one where there would be an empty seat for his beloved next to him. 
The breakfast was dealt in comfortable silence. The food that Alex ate was eaten quickly, almost none left over by the time that breakfast was done. Once everyone was done, Silver and Sebek excused themselves, going to their rooms to finish packing.  "We ought to finish up preparation too," Lilia suggests, "Though I think we're fine, but it couldn't hurt."
"I'll do my best to be more aware in the future," She muttered, kicking herself for not being more careful of Lilia's surprise. Of course he was doing that as a way to test if you could anticipate someone coming at you. This time, she was too preoccupied. Therefore they had failed at their task. What was relieving was that not an ounce of food was not wasted and the coffee was mostly drunk. Putting their dishes in the sink, she then turned on the faucet to rinse out the dishes. Going back for the others, their speed walking had proven to be effective. Once the dishes were rinsed out and washed to the best of her abilities, they grabbed a rag to dry them off with. When that chore was done, it was then that she sped walked to Lilia's room. As he had said, preparations were needed for the trip to Briar Valley. 
Malleus had already finished with his packing since he had mostly done so manually with little magic for assistance. The more magic he used, the more blotted his stone became. They didn't need an overblot at a time like this. Everything from his wardrobe, drawers (mostly souvenirs that reminded him of the magicless child of man that wandered into his life one day) and night stand. So there wasn't all that much for him to have packed. Well except for all of the books as well as some of his paperwork. Nobody besides his family must know about it. His broom was standing on the side of his bedroom wall, waiting to be taken. Taking both his luggage and his broom, the Prince made his way out of the room and would wait in the living room.
Sebek and Silver went to the living room once they were done, only bringing a small pack or two for the journey- everything in the cottage was made for them when they were teenagers- not grown men. So all they could bring were merely the items that they had brought with them to the cottage. 
They saw Malleus in the living room, the two bowed their heads to him in deference. 
"Young master," Sebek says, "I hope you're prepared for the journey."
"It'll be brief, but nonetheless, it will be best to be prepared as much as one can be," Silver replies. 
Lilia walks into the room, carrying a sizable suitcase- its contents couldn't have been much more than anyone else's. Lilia never needed to have much, after all, and his short stature meant he could have more space for other items- like snacks.
"I am." Only two words had come out of his lips as he addressed the two young knights. His only hope was that the people would welcome him back into the capital. But he knew the truth. Most were too afraid of even approaching him, let alone speak to him. Everything should be alright now. There were no worries or concerns to be had... Well, the Prince (soon to be King) shouldn't be worrying about that at this second. What was to be thought about was the journey. Hopefully the winds have calmed down now. 
Alexandria was the last one to come out with two small suitcases since she didn't pack much as all. This was going to be her new life now since she had been a nomad for most of it. Though it would be strange settling into Briar Valley, they were sure that they were going to meet new people and possibly be friends with them, yes? Snacks? Well those were almost nonexistent. Her diaries and journals? All of those were there along with her spells, potions, and other alchemical formulas. Simple hygienic items? Yes. Hair products? Check! Razor? Also check! The immortal had already double and triple checked to see if she had brought her dagger and crystal ball before coming out of the room.
Lilia looked around, and once he made the mental note that everything was in order, he began, "Alright, it looks like we should depart now. I know a clearing where we can take off, so follow me."
The old fae led everyone out of the house, making sure that it was all locked and secure. He then led everyone on a faded trail (though when was a trail never faded?), and after a few minutes of walking, there was a clearing. 
Though it wasn't a clearing per se, as wild flowers have begun to sprout, making the area akin to a field, it was still a suitable place to take off.  "Here, it should be good," Lilia says, preparing his broom.
Alex and Malleus nodded as they would follow Lilia out of the cottage and onto the worn trail. It truly felt as if they were going on a journey after their first pitstop. The wild flowers in the small clearing field filled her with a sense of calm as she sauntered over to go get ready onto Lilia's broom. Alexandria could fly just as easily as the rest could. So why did she never bring a broom? Simple. She didn't have a need for one for the longest time. Her two legs and feet were all that was needed for her previous life. Also her broom broke for some mysterious reason, but we don't need to talk about that- But now they would need one for this place. For the first time, she was going to be visiting this mystical place. Where she would be living for a long time. Her heart raced at all of the opportunities and possibilities of someone that she knew being her tour guide. 
His stomach had billions of microscopic butterflies stuck as a wave of anxiety gradually grew before dissipating once more. What were these sudden floods of emotions? Besides from him becoming King. Maybe he was just nervous about going back. That was all. Of course! That's all it was! However his face would never betray him in the most vital of times. His aloof nature was always front and center and so it shall remain. Preparing himself, he had gotten onto his broom and went into position to sit on it.
Soon, everyone was air-bound. It was a rocky start, but the ride became smoother as time went on, with the occasional turbulence. It didn't take terribly long to get to the castle, but it was not like it was a short ride either. At some point Lilia dispersed some of the snacks around in order to keep everyone's energy. 
By the time they arrived on castle grounds, it was only barely past noon.
"Finally, our feet have landed," Sebek sighed, "I don't know how much longer I would've been able to endure." 
Silver looked at his blot stone, noting how dark it was becoming, "Indeed. We should take it easy for some time before we use some magic, in case." "Welcome to the palace, love," Lilia says to Alex, with a smile on his face.
The turbulence was expected at this point. But her instincts had told her to hold onto her lover's waist still. Who knew how bad the winds could get in this place? When they had made the short pitstop, the tall immortal woman almost devoured her snacks within several bites. Did her own breakfast not satiate her hunger? It wasn't as if any of the group was going to criticize or judge them for it. Once they were back in the air again, their body almost leaned onto Lilia's. But they knew that he was strong enough to be able to handle their weight. The next thing they knew, the castle of Draconia was in bird's eye view. Her gray eyes widened as they glistened, almost wanting to cry at the beauty of its' gothic architecture. Landing on the ground, they shook off their tears by blinking them again. Digging out their wand, they took a look at the stone. Luckily for them, theirs was fine. A bigger smile had spread on their face, a joyful smile, as they thanked Lilia for the ride. "It's beautiful here," They whispered, musing about life in the castle.
At the same time, Malleus had looked at his wand after being the last to land on the ground. His lime green gemstone had darkened some, making him glare at it. Within a millisecond, that darkened expression has gone away into his original aloof expression. He sauntered towards the group, keeping quiet about his wand. Malleus had too much on his mind to worry about what might happen. Putting his wand back in its proper place, his strides helped him catch up with the group in no time. Leading the group alongside Lilia, they had made their way to the front entrance, opening themselves up to the world of the royal court.
"Be prepared," Lilia warns, a hand on the handle, "The court may not be so welcoming to newcomers."
With that, he pushed the door  open, the hinges creaking loudly the more and more they were pushed. 
"Come right on in, kindred," Lilia calls out. 
The group did, and upon entering, they realized they entered from a side entrance- fae and human servants out and about doing, doing their tasks for the day. They were in the ballroom it seemed, from the looks of it. Tables and chairs were being set up, and none of the workers glanced at the group, likely too focused on their task. 
There were a few glances here and there, but no one dared come up to the group nor acknowledge them fully. 
"Should we head for Her Highness' personal quarters?" Sebek asks, looking around. While not his first time in the castle, it was the first he'd ever had to consider talking to the ruling Queen. 
"No," Lilia replied, taking the lead, "Her Majesty should be aware that we're here at a moment's notice. First we should prioritize getting our bearings, then meet with Her Majesty, should she ask for it."
"I see," Silver replies, curiously looking around as well, though he stood tall. 
"Come along now- the faster we get our bearings, the faster we can get to the heart of the matter," Lilia says, taking the group further into the castle. 
It didn't take long for them to find a servant in high enough ranking to escort them to their rooms,  though it did take long to find said rooms.  Silver and Sebek went off to their respective rooms, as did Malleus. 
"Would you want to share a room, beloved?" Lilia asks, in front of one of the doors. There was a vacant room next to his- should Alex prefer to have one by herself.
She nodded in understanding as she braced herself for the future onslaught. Entering with the group, she ended up being behind by only a little bit since she still wanted to look at the architecture. Whoever designed and built this place was a master at it! Not to be distracted by that, she ended up pinching herself. After the pinch, their attention switched back to the group. They were just grateful that they had entered from the side entrance instead of the main entrance. Although these doors looked all the same to her, she'd have to memorize the building. Despite the glances, she managed to press on. Just blend in and everything will be fine. Well... Blend in as much as they could since they kind of stick out with their cape of black hair, gray eyes, human blood, modern day clothing and ochre skin much like the mellow-brown that had bathed the forests at the cottage. As soon as they were led to their rooms, she saw that Malleus had immediately gone into his own bedroom. Looking back at the kindred soul that was her beloved, her unpainted lips parted to speak, "I would prefer to do that, yes." Not only was she unfamiliar with this building and this land, but it would have been safer in the long run just in case someone were to hunt her down for being something that she couldn't control. Going inside, she set her belongings down before sitting down in the first available chair. The building was massive and that was just putting it lightly. Due to all of the walking that she had to do just in this building alone (and keeping up pace with the others), her feet had ached in her boots. Perhaps they weren't the right kind of show to wear. Then again, she went through worse in her own childhood. So this was a childish thing for her to complain about.
"Very well," Lilia responds, opening the door and allowing his beloved in. 
The room was rather basic- the walls were a dark shade of green, the bedding as well. In fact, the entire room was in shades of dark green, black, and gold, and some slight purple- in the colors of the queen.
"Looks like there is a lot of natural light in here," Lilia comments, setting his baggage in the ground, now exploring the place.  "Do you wish to rest up, love?" Lilia then asks, taking a seat on the bed, "I think Her Highness would like to check in, but whether or not you want to attend with me is entirely up to you."
Although the room was basic, it still had this aura of mystery and safety. That was all she needed in order to stay here. The natural lighting helped with making this space a comforting sight. "Do you know if this castle has a garden? I would very much love to go see it." For some reason, flowers had always filled her with a sense of serenity. Especially if they were roses. The colors of the room represented the Queen well. It was to be made obvious even if she had not met her yet. The colors somehow came together well. The greens, black, gold with a touch of dark purple. Alex was still trying to process all of this. Her physical body was here. In a castle. In the Draconia castle no less! Was she meant to meet the Queen of Briar Valley? That was only an honor that was bestowed to only the most powerful and elite of individuals. But if Lilia considered her as such as his lover, then who was she to deny him? Eagerly, she stood up from the chair and took the place on the bed right next to him. So what if her feet had hurt? It was worth it. It was worth being right beside him... Her treasure, her beloved. Her everything, her world. "I can rest later. If I'm to be more competent as your kindred, then I must meet her and make a good impression."
Lilia smiled, "I see. We should go meet her once I finish packing."
Lilia didn't elaborate, but with the use of magic, he opened both of their suitcases up, taking out its contents. He opened the drawers, and organized everything in- clothing in one drawing, while items in the other. He did it with such finesse that his blot stone did not noticeably get much darker. 
 He then walked over to Alex, and grabbed her hand, "Do be careful when meeting her- the woman is lovely, but you need to show that you're trustworthy first."
It looked like he didn't want Alex to be worried about the use of magic, especially after such a long trip via broom.
With his help, she was pulled from the bed with dignity. Their hands being interlocked together were two puzzle pieces that were meant to be put together. "Of our manners...," She murmured, repeating after him. In her brain, it quickly became a mantra to keep her focused on the task at hand. The reassurance that Lilia was quick to give her had always had a hold on her. She firmly believed that no one except for his family and friends were allowed to be able to feel this kind of warmth from him. Selfish? Yes. She knew that very well and wouldn't delude herself into thinking otherwise. The fact that the halls were more barren only enhanced her focus as her grip became slightly tighter. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was to ground herself. That was the main task at hand right now. Everything was going to be okay. As they walked closer and closer to the Queen's quarters, her confidence would gradually reach its peak. However it was in a cool, sensible fashion.
Soon enough, after many twists and turns, they arrived right in front of the Queen's door. 
Knocking in a pattern, Lilia allowed himself in, as if he knew the Queen would let him in regardless. 
Lilia brought Alex in and guided her to the front of the desk, whereupon the Queen looked up from her paperwork, her golden eyes staring at the two of them. Her expression remained blank, but her hands moved ever so slowly, as if she was taking note of every little detail. 
"General Vanrouge," she begins, in a low voice, "Introduce us."
With a smile, Lilia did. 
"Your highness," a bow, "This is my beloved, Alexandria Gonzalez-Garcia, an immortal human."
At the word of immortal, the Queen's demeanor shifted, her face softening. 
"Pleasure to meet you, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia."
She brought her hand in front of Alex, as if waiting for her to take it and shake it.
Upon raising her hand to shake the Queen's hand, she internally gulped. ...Has anyone else besides her gotten to shake the Queen's hand? Well, there would have been a few that could do so realistically. Her justification was that her brain was going haywire from seeing the Queen of Briar Valley face to face. However her neutral, polite expression had held it all in. Her grip was firm, but gentle so as to not offend the Queen. In her experiences, offending royalty had never gone well. There were no exceptions to be had for that. It was a hard rule that everyone had to abide by no matter their rank in society. Was she allowed to look into her golden eyes as she was now? Was she the type who wanted her to bow before her? "Your Highness, it is an honor and a privilege to meet you." Okay, so far so good. This was the first step and they weren't even done with that. She was sure of it. Being a daughter of a noble family herself, Alexandria knew a couple of things about etiquette and manners.
"And an honor to meet you," The Queen says cooly, removing her hand, "Lilia has told me little about you, all praise however."
The cold facade that the Queen upheld was slowly melting away, as she looked at Alex more keenly, then to Lilia, "I was told that you two, Malleus, and the boys just recently arrived."
"That is so," Lilia replied, nodding. 
"You came rather quickly to my office too," The Queen drawled, leaning back into her chair, "Not even Malleus has come to see me yet."
"Apologies about that, your highness," Lilia says, "I'm sure he'll want to meet you soon. He does care a lot about you, after all."
"I sure do quite hope so," she sighs, but regains her composure, "Certainly, the two of you must be famished after such a trip from- what I take it- the cottage? Would the two  of you like to join me for lunch here?"
"I wouldn't want to impose-" "You're not imposing, General Lilia," the Queen then glanced over to Alex, "Besides, I do wish to learn more about your beloved. It is not often that I meet an immortal human. What say you, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia?"
As she saw the queen remove her hand, so too did she as it laid upon her side. However intimidating the Queen was, it would have been more disrespectful to look away from her gaze. Her charcoal gray eyes followed the regal woman as she then spoke to her beloved. "If you wish for it, then I shall make it happen, Your Highness." Alexandria agreed, a smile easing itself onto her mature features. Dimples were shown as well as slight crinkles at the edge of her eyes. This was an opportunity of a lifetime and she wasn't about to waste it! She was fortunate enough to have remembered to bring her golden glass eye along with her so that she could change out her smoky gray one. Perhaps the Queen wished to know about her life? Even if it was a little bit? To be truthful, she was thrilled to have someone care so much about finding out more about her as Lilia was when they had first met. Vil and Jamil were curious about her, yes. But they never quite went the distance such as her lover did.
"Take a seat, then, dear," the Queen says, gesturing to the seats in front of her. 
Lilia did as he was told, and once Alex did the same, the Queen called for someone over. It was a simple servant, and in foreign tongue, she talked to the servant, who understood it all and left. 
"I've let them know to bring more food for the two of you here," The Queen says, "Now, Alex, I'm quite curious- how did you meet the likes of Lilia?"
The Queen brought her hands together, looking expectantly at Alex, hiding her smile behind her hands. 
"I could-" "General Vanrouge, I would appreciate to hear Miss Gonzalez-Garcia's version of events. You," a glance to Lilia, "Have only given me the barest of bare bones. I want a full story- for it can't be so simple as you claim, General."
As if on cue, her stomach had growled. Apparently she was more hungry than she had thought. No matter. The Queen already had someone bring over some food. The food that was brought over for a simple lunch was quite delectable! The servants in this castle really knew what they were doing when they made this traditional dish. However, her story had to come first. Clearing her throat, Alexandria parted her lips to speak of her version of events.
"From the beginning...," Her husky, deep voice reverberated in the room as she would begin her story from when she had come to Twisted Wonderland. Before that, she briefly spoke about her background, detailing how the fae that promised and gave her the immortality she had now told her that she could never see her family again. Not her parents, not her younger brother. Nor any of her descendants. If that were to be broken, her immortality would be gone and she would die. But at least her family was saved from those who persecuted them. Before then, her family were a noble family back on Earth in the late 1500's (in the early 1570's up until the early 1590's) when her family were wrongfully accused of witchcraft and then were persecuted by the crown as well as the people of Spain. 
From then, she had to develop her magic in order to survive as well as forage and lead a nomadic life. Traveling everywhere on foot or by broom in the dead of night so as to not be spotted. There were times where she was on the brink of death from being stung and poisoned. Ironically, being stung for as many times as she did helped her body build a resistance (and eventually an immunity) towards poison. Throughout that time, she had also refined her sword fighting skills to offer herself some way of being able to fight back. Meanwhile she would periodically check on her family via following them to make sure that they were still living in the best of conditions. Well, in the best way that they could. Her diaries and journals even documented her own alchemical discoveries along with making some formulas and potions to help her have more versatility in her inventory. 
As for meeting the likes of Lilia, there was a magical stone that she had interacted with while she was being chased from the town that once welcomed her for her fortune-telling and health potions. Out of desperation, she had grasped it. Suddenly she was no longer on Earth, but in twisted Wonderland. In order to blend in and protect herself, she had to come up with a new identity and move to the Land of Pyroxene. Since her magic had become powerful enough to sustain her through finesse and practice, she would look for some kind of magical school to shelter her. She had never heard of Night Raven College before. Falling asleep, Alexandria had awoken out of a coffin and into the school of Night Raven College. 
Giving the headmaster her fake identity of Athanasia Vita (Eternal Life), she was then assigned to the Scarabia dorm by the Mirror. It was day one of her classes that she was to meet Lilia Vanrouge. 
At first, they would just be acquaintances. However, their relationship quickly grew into something more once they found that they both had common ground with each other referring to age. Signing up for the Pop Music Club (Light Music Club) and taking over the part of the drummer when Kalim (a boy that was a part of a powerful merchant family back in the Scalding Sands) ended up being sick, their bond had strengthened. It was when he had saved her from the likes of two students who wished to court (and possibly use for their own selfish gain) her. Lilia Vanrouge had even taught her how to properly play video games as well as introduced her to more board games than she could ever hope to have seen in her life.
There were pauses in her story as she had to stop in order to catch her breath to stop herself from breaking. The earlier parts of her background were almost too much for her to say as she had never spoken of it to anyone other than a few people at Night Raven College, Vil and Jamil included. The images of people howling, screaming, and yelling out for their family members would always be in the back of her mind no matter what she tried to do. Once she was calm, Alex would go through with telling her of her life story and how Lilia had met. Had she told him about this? To an extent, yes. But for the Queen, they felt as if they had to tell them just about everything. But not about the glass eye that she seemed to have silently caught onto when she had looked at her lover. The glass eye hadn't moved one bit or a natural glow to it unlike the human eye that was intact.
The Queen listened intently, taking a sip every so often from the tea that was brought in. She made only a slight facial expression- a hint of sorrow once she found out how she had obtained her immortality, but softened upon hearing how Lilia and Alex truly met.
When Alex finished speaking, the Queen spoke up, "Thank you for telling me your story- I can't imagine how difficult it was to recall the tragedies that you had to go through, but I'm glad things have gone for the better."
The Queen then moves back, moving so that she could open one of her drawers. 
"Take this, dear," she pulls out a small pouch, clearly having an item within it, "It's a hair clip, but it will change into a small weapon the moment you press the small button on the side. It'll take some magic, only a small amount, to take the shape of a suitable weapon. Lilia has told me about the brooms- so hopefully this hairpin shall not break, but worry not if it does." 
"Ah, right," Lilia says, glancing over to Alex, "I've talked about your situation about the brooms with Her Majesty, I do hope you'll forgive me."
"I am rather curious though," The Queen speaks up, "You did not remain as Athanasia Vita- why is that so? I'd assume it would have been better to integrate into this world as Vita since the records are created." She glanced at some paperwork to the side, "Though I suppose I understand the sentiment of your true name, say- if you wish, I can conjure some documents for you if you have not done so?" 
She looked expectantly at Alex, hiding her face behind her hands, her golden eyes intimidating.
Hearing the Queen's voice and having her sympathize with them was all that mattered at that moment. She quirked up an eyebrow at the drawer, wanting to see what the Queen had to offer her. Once a pouch had been taken out of the drawer by the Queen, her curiosity had reached its peak. What was-? Her eyebrows rose as their eyes widened. Their lips parted, but no words came out. Closing them, Alex swallowed their saliva before attempting to speak once more. What came out was, "I- Thank you." She was shocked. Almost overwhelmed by the kindness of the fae Queen. If people feared her, then they were fools for doing so. Then again, the Queen didn't have to do this at all. The only thing they wished for was to have this done far sooner. Looking over at Lilia now, she could only grin and chuckle breathily. "...Love. You don't have to apologize for everything," She leaned over as her hand touched and gently gripped his hand as she continued, "It's a good thing that you've told her. Otherwise, you would have had to use up some of your magic taking me everywhere on your broom." As the Queen of the fae addressed her once more, the human turned her attention towards her once more. Speaking of documents, it would be lovely if she could have some as Athanasia Vita. As much as she preferred her original name, the false identity was put into place in order to protect herself from any perceived threats. As for why they didn't remain as Vita? "That was due to me being more comfortable with being out in the open due to certain supportive people. But for the future, yes. I would prefer some documents as Athanasia Vita." In private, her original name would be used. But out in public, the false identity would be used since there were going to be threats that would persecute their loved ones if their true name came out.
"Alright then," The Queen says, "I'll talk to the headmaster of Night Raven- he would surely have some documents remaining, and I'll supplement the rest, but if he does not, I'll make everything from scratch. It will make you an official resident of Briar Valley as well, so residing here with General Vanrouge should not pose a problem." The Queen then pushes the pouch towards Alex, and then says, "Are there any more questions that you would like to ask of me? I'm afraid I would not have much time left in the near future," a glance to the side, "...Considering the circumstances and such. Though you can always leave a letter, and I will be sure to send a correspondence in return during my free time, if need be.”
Alex readily accepted the pouch that was pushed towards her, grabbing it from the desk. She needed to be sure to thank her for her generosity and kindness. So many questions, so little time. "I do have one," They said, sitting up straighter, "Would you be watching us even if you've run out of time?" A peculiar question indeed. But given the circumstances in which the Queen was in, Alexandria thought that it was fair to ask. After all, she could feel her own family watching over her at her time of need. Right now, Malleus needed that more than ever.  After unpacking everything and enjoying his leisurely time outside in the garden with a book, his thoughts lingered to his Grandmother. Was she still here? If so, then he must seek her out. Putting a bookmark in his book, he then closed it, standing up as he called over a servant. "Lead me to my Grandmother," He commanded in a stoic tone. However, what was underneath that voice was something calling out to reunite with his family. He didn't know how much time she had left and he truly wanted to spend some time with her. The time that it took them to go there was not but a few minutes. The Prince was let in by a high ranking servant. Nodding at them, the servant had left to attend to their duties. "Am I interrupting something, Grandmother?" The younger horned fae inquired, only wishing to meet with her for what may seem like the last time.
The Queen, who was just about to answer Alex's attention, shifted her attention to her grandson, a smile breaking out on her face. 
"My dear, you're not interrupting anything," She said in a soft voice, "I was just merely chatting with General Vanrouge and his beloved Alexandria. How have you been, dear?" She looks over at the seats nearby, and gestures to it, "Take a seat, child. You just had a long journey after all."
Lilia smiled, "Always so caring for your grandson, Your Highness. It is a blessing that only we bear witness to such kindness." "Is that so?" She tilted her head, "No matter. There are some things of importance I need to discuss with Malleus, but if I'm correct to assume that both you General Vanrouge and Miss Gonzalez-Garcia are close confidants, then you may be allowed to be here to listen, and give console if appropriate."
Unable to resist such an expression from his Grandmother, he smiled back softly as he silently took the seat beside his Grandmother. "It was a restless, yet tiring journey, Grandmother. Lilia had guided us to the castle with finesse and ease," He answered with the confidence of one who knew the General well. As far as he knew, Lilia had responded appropriately. No matter. The fae Queen's grandson confirmed that they were indeed close confidants. "General Vanrouge would never settle for anything less than the best for himself and for us all." 
This conversation so far has answered the immortal's question. Perhaps there was more to it in their culture. It wouldn't hurt to take a listen into their conversation. Her left hand was still on Lilia's right as she kept quiet, careful not to interrupt the Queen and her grandchild.
Malleus Draconia had a tendency to hyperfocus and listen to his elders. This was no exception, especially with his own relatives. His Grandmother was the highest authority in all of Briar Valley. So her words always held deep meaning to him with the topics that were at hand. The coronation. The issues with the economy and the nobility. Of course the nobility always had something to complain about when they were bored out of their minds.
Now about the coronation, he already had some foods in mind such as the main course. "Venison steaks. This kind of meat would be popular with the elite and nobility. The pairings of fruits such as our forest berries would be good with them as well as rich sauces. Next would be a dish that is stuffed with foods from our own kitchens, of course. A roasted bird with stuffing." As he continued to list the foods, Malleus had begun to note the reasons behind why he had wanted these foods to be at the coronation. These were foods that he was personally fascinated with along with the cuisine from the Scalding Sands. The aroma and spiciness would give it a new and refreshing flavor never seen and heard of. For the desserts, there were going to be fruit-based pies that were served with some custard and sweetened cream along with some puddings. His personal favorite, ice cream, would also be there. It was something that the children of men had called "sorbets''. The beverages were already set in stone like the red wines, fruit wines, coffee, teas from all over Twisted Wonderland. 
Lastly would be the flowers. His personal favorite was one that was an uncommon flower but had meant so much to him. The White Amaryllis. The selection of flowers included green roses, white amaryllises, succulents, olives, hidden lilies, and the green lisianthus. While they would blend into the environment, they also represented him and his personality as well as his past, current situation, and his future. The last flowers that would be in the middle would be the Dracaena Fragans. It represented financial and career success along with peace and good fortune.
From Alex's perspective, there was only amazement and awe. In her own family, they had never planned this far out with special occasions. Malleus must have read about these while at Night Raven College or while speaking to one of the three members that always accompanied him. Then again, these all could be traditional dishes that are native to the Briar Valley. She unconsciously caressed her kindred's hand while listening in on the conversation between Malleus and his Grandmother. Once in a while, they would give the General side glances and small, almost sheepish smiles. Although he wasn't that much older than them, they still had a long way to go with expanding their knowledge.
The Queen smiled, her fangs now noticeable. "My, you had considered this all before, haven't you? Either way, this is good. I'll see what we can do here in the comfort of our kingdom, and see what we may need to import from the neighboring nations and lands. And I'm assuming you already have flowers in mind, so I'll gather a florist and have them talk to you about it. I do believe we have a party coordinator on hand, though I do urge you to keep in mind the costs. Should it be too expensive and full of glamor, the nobility may see it negatively and think you're out to deplete the treasury, but should you do the  bare minimum, they may think that you're rather cheap." She adjusted her posture, sitting up straighter, "This will be like a test, my dear. After all, it is the nobility who are hard to please yet they are the ones who are the pillars of this nation. They may be a nuisance, but they play a role in our society, so we need to strike balance. So, I do hope you'll be able to find that sweet spot."
The most important flowers and foods were going to be the venison, sorbets, and the flowers that represented the family well. But there was one problem. How was Malleus supposed to find that sweet spot to appease the nobility and elite of the Briar Valley? This was a difficult task to accomplish seeing as they would scrutinize just about everything he did to begin with all because of their reputation. He didn't want to drain their treasury or insult them by only bringing the bare minimum. If this was a test, then it was a stressful one. However, it was most likely surmised that it was to see whether he was worthy of the throne or not when she ended up passing. With that, he could take out some of the flowers and small desserts that would be there. The sorbets would be staying as well as the main course. When it came to balancing funds and budgeting, Lilia happened to be better at that than he would. Turning to the elder vampire fae, he asked, "What would be your input on this? My Grandmother and I wish for this coronation to go well with the elite so that they may continue to support the Draconia family." His gaze darted between the General and his betrothed, gauging what their answers would be.
"Hm," Lilia hummed as he thought about it, "It would be a good idea to, in fact, have two options for both dessert and main course, that way they don't feel limited in their choices, even though it's limited. Decoration, I believe that minimal decoration would be optimal- since there is the saying "less is more"- each table can have a small vase of flowers, and for around the ballroom, a large vase of the larger flower types would be a good idea. Banners as well- I believe we still have the ones during Her Majesty's coronation, we would just need to hire seamstresses to repair whatever need be.”
Lilia looked straight at Malleus, "After all, there are many nobles, so the prioritization would lay with the food. We need to ensure that we have enough food to feed them twice, and should there be any food leftover, the servants may have it." He then paused, as if another thing came to mind, titling his head and stroking his chin, "There is also entertainment. We need musicians and bards to come play, and we may only commission the expert players. Hiring newcomers may prove to be damaging to both us and them should they make any mistake during their performance." Though as a light bulb went off in his head, "Oh, but then in that case, perhaps Jazz players would be best. Granted, we may need to hire out of kingdom, but jazz music is rather well at concealing any mistakes," a frown, "but since many do not know the wonders of jazz music, they may not welcome it."
It seemed that there was much more thought to put into a coronation other than food and flowers. Honestly, this was a bit exhausting. But this wasn't the worst he's had to endure. So he would rather take this over whatever happened with Grim at the college. His left hand curled into a fist, his gloved knuckles almost turning white. Furrowing his eyebrows, Malleus was deep in thought about what he wanted and trying to balance out both the Queen's and Lilia's suggestions. 
After a few minutes of pure silence after Lilia's response, he suddenly spoke up while looking in the direction of his supervisor, "Yes. I will agree with Lilia. For now, we will only commission the experts. A small vase of flowers will do and the banners and be repaired by the seamstresses. Some of the desserts may be put back as they will only add excess to the coronation. The sorbets and custards will stay as well as the venison and roasted bird," Malleus cleared his throat politely before continuing, "The expert musicians and bards may come up with something new and original in order to keep with our traditions as well as, as the humans say, mix it up. Such as new renditions of some of our folk songs for example." 
Now that his caretaker mentioned it, jazz would be good. Perhaps they could do their best to compose new pieces that incorporated some of those instruments? But what would they say to this? That he had no taste in music?
During this entire time, Alex had been in deep thought herself, keeping silent as to let the others speak on matters that were unfamiliar to her. An epiphany had just come to her! What if she sang for the coronation? While not having as much experience as someone from here, she still had a soothing voice! If she could learn the pieces with a tutor and freshen up on her singing, then it was possible that she could do it!
"Love," Lilia turns to Alex, "What do you think?  New eyes and perspective may offer valuable input. You came from a nation that worked similarly- have you ever witnessed a coronation?" 
After all, humans had more coronations than the fae did, since they lived far shorter lifespans. It would make sense that the humans traded out their kings often, as death came easily for all. But then again, there was a chance Alex didn't get to see one due to her circumstances.  "I do agree," comments the Queen, "New eyes offer new wisdom."
Malleus spoke once more, agreeing with the two. 
When all eyes were on her, she felt the pressure. However she was used to this kind of thing. "What if I was the one to provide a voice while at the coronation? I could sing both types of genres just as long as I freshen up my skills with a tutor. The ancient languages will take a while, so I would have to sing in the languages that I know. The coronation would have to have a balance of being well-prepared without being too garish. Too minimal is no good either. It would be insulting to their status and it would be a waste of time. The less support you have, the more likely it is that you'll be overthrown. We would need blacks, greens, purples, gold, and red to flourish as well as to represent the family colors." The music would have to be the right mix of upbeat and mellow in order to delight, amuse, and entertain the elite while they talked to each other about whatever they wished to speak about as well.
In between these topics, she would tell of examples where the nobility had thrown tantrums and rebelled against the royal families for not providing them with whatever they wished during their parties. Accusing them of insulting their family name and of wasting their time with fools. There were plenty of examples that she could go off of just based on her parents' stories of their time at these lavish parties. Gossip was the hobby of the day and rumors ran amuck between the elite. Almost no one could truly be trusted unless you scoured for them yourself. Balancing the food, flowers, music, decorations, and the atmosphere were some of the most important things to do when it came to a coronation since it sends the nobles and the elite a message saying that you take them and their opinions seriously. 
At the end of the discussion, Malleus, to say the least, was amazed at the knowledge that she had about coronations and about the nobility in general. Then again, the Prince didn't know her as well as Lilia did.
"Thank you for your wisdom, Miss Gonzalez-Garcia." The Queen then looked to her grandson, and then Lilia, "What do you think of her voice, General? I believe you're the only one who could've heard her range to the fullest extent, am I correct to assume?"
Lilia nodded, "I can attest to her voice. She adapted pretty well to Common as well, and sounds identical to a native. I don't believe it would pose too much of a problem for the singing to be done in Common, as long as she is properly trained to sing the way we do." "Thank you, General," she looked back to Alex, "Are you sure you would want to do this? I'm sure the musicians would like to meet with you in order to practice for Coronation- which will eat away at whatever free time you would have."
After a moment of careful consideration, she replied, "...Only if you are confident in my ability to sing. But yes, I would like to do this." It was official. Alexandria was going to be a part of the entertainment at Malleus' coronation. Although everyone in the room had approved of this, they had a sudden rush of adrenaline pumping into their heart and into their body. Their heart was practically pounding with how hard it was beating. It had been a long while since she had sung in front of a crowd. Five to six years ago to be exact. If everyone believed in her, then it'll be a success, right? Possibly. Still, she had stood up tall and made her decision as clearly as any who were determined to help their loved one succeed in their career. His expression had long since gone back to its' neutral state of aloofness.
"I believe that those are all the matters, then," The Queen says, getting up."Business is done here, for you lot. I'll be taking a break, and after this, I won't be able to talk to any of you, except Malleus, until after the coronation. Do be well. " 
Lilia, Malleus, and Alex gave their farewells and left, the Queen slumping over her desk. The coronation was going to be a big deal, after all. She needed to make sure all went well. 
And so began the preparations. 
--
It had been a few days, and it was Coronation day. The day began early, preparations coming to completion. Then the actual coronation came- Malleus walking down the long walk, nobility on both sides of the ballroom, eyeing and scrutinizing every move that Malleus made, until he finally came up to the throne, wherein the Queen took of the crown off her head, Malleus kneeling down, the crown then being placed on his head. 
Cheers were heard, and the festivities began. When it came for Alex to sing, everyone was enchanted by her voice, whispers amongst the fae about the particular human.  Even more whispers came about when Lilia came to hold her hands at the end of her act, when the festivities were coming to a close. 
At the end of it all, it looked like the nobles were satisfied with the Coronation, many introducing themselves to now King Malleus. 
It had been a long day indeed, and it wasn't until late night did anyone get to sleep. 
-- 
A week had passed, and things were running smoothly, Lilia in the guestroom with Silver and Alex- with Sebek and Malleus missing. 
"I wonder why they're missing," Lilia says openly, "It worries me. Do you have any idea, Silver?"
Silver shook his head, "It was as sudden to me as to you, father. I don't have the faintest idea why he and Malleus would be gone together. Sebek didn't have time to tell me of the matters either." 
Lilia glanced over to Alex, "What say you, love? Any theories about their whereabouts?"
"Ah, you may be right. Her Majesty was unable to produce more heirs, as the same for Malleus' parents. It would devastate Briar Valley should Malleus pass with no heir- the entire court would be in shambles trying to crown another king." Lilia huffs, grabbing one of the scones off the platter, "There is only a few other dragon fae out there, and the materalis no longer exist to provide their aid." 
"The materalis?" Silver asks, glancing over to Alex to see if she knew. 
"Ah," Lilia begins, "On record, they're supposedly a race of demons that gained holy powers, and had a particular way of reproduction. Only firstborns were materalis, and any following children would be the same race of the other parent. But due to an incident with one of them, they're pretty much dead to this world. Not much else is known about them, so it's possible some are alive, but I wouldn't count on it." 
"But you said aid?"
Lilia nodded, "It was said that they only needed the blood of another to reproduce- so marriage or even close contact is not necessary." 
"I see."
"There aren't many marriageable candidates," Lilia sighed, eating another scone, "There is a small kingdom west of here that have many great witches, though wealthy, they do not carry  much influence. I hear their Queen is mad, too."
"There aren't many fae here that are also dragon fae- either too old or too young, and fae in general have a hard time reproducing with each other," Silver comments, grabbing the cup of tea.
"Indeed," Lilia then looked to Alex, "Say, what were the customs with your nobility in regards to marriage? I'd imagine they were similar, no?"
--"There are only a few candidates," the former Queen says, showing Malleus a small thin folder, "There is the Aiza family to the West- they offer their firstborn daughter. Then we have the Cervantes, their offer similar. And lastly the Zorras and Raine families, both fae here. They're young, but old enough to be wed. Not many options, unfortunately."
She felt the gaze of the human man bore into her with confusion. All she responded with was a shake of her head. In her world, they were merely called demons and nothing else. Of course, that was the result of Christianity having to fit everything into a neat little box of good vs. evil. Especially when that was not how the world worked at all. A wealthy family full of witches who had a Mad Queen. Was that familiar to her at all? No. Although there were plenty of Mad Kings, Mad Queens were rare on Earth, only referenced in a negative light. Not discussed with an iota of respect of humanity like the kings were. Hearing Lilia and Silver speak of this only made her more concerned for him in his older age as well as Malleus and Sebek's family. What were they going to do about this? These materalis... They sounded even more mind-bendingly powerful than the demons from Earth. How was that even possible? This topic had her so twisted up and befuddled that she hadn't dared to touch the scones and the tea until now.  Malleus frowned as his eyebrows furrowed. He expected there to be few and far between for eligible candidates and he was right. The pressure was mounting on his shoulders with each passing second and it would only get worse for him here. "If I may have the folder, Grandmother?" He needed to look at these for himself and decipher them to see whether they had meant well with their marriage proposals. Whichever were more likely to benefit them, he would choose. For his own sake. For his Grandmother's sake. For the sake of his people and Briar Valley itself.
Lilia noted her look of confusion, "I suppose there is no materalis where you're from? I'm not surprised, though at the same time, I am. The only thing we know about them is that, a reason for their decline, was that this world was rejecting them, because they were outsiders to this world. Perhaps they never made it to your world, or the same fate befell them." Lilia waved his hand left and right, "In either case, it would be futile to speak of them any further, as they no longer walk on this world." 
"Is that so?" Silver quietly comments, "They sound like an interesting sort.  A shame that they couldn't really live here. Night Raven would look different if they could."
Lilia only shrugged, "If there were any alive, they would likely be very different from their predecessors."
--
Sebek peered over Malleus' shoulder as he opened up the folders, showcasing all the marriage candidates. 
There was Cyrille Aiza- two photos were included in her folder. A detailed picture of her as a child, and a messy sketch of her as an adult- as if the sketch was done in a hurry. There wasn't much information about her, other than the basics- such as that she is 25 years old, knows a decent amount of magic, and that she has her own personal knight. The sketch wasn't even colored- only did the portrait as a child showcase her tan skin and blonde- almost white- hair, and sparkling blue eyes. Sebek faintly remembered that the Aiza family had divine right, and the proof of it was their bejeweled eyes. The only notable difference was what may have been tattoos on Cyrille- oddly looking like those that belonged to a particular tribe of snake beastmen that had their territory between the Briar Valley and Aiza Domain.
The second profile was that of Lamia Cervantes- Sebek remembered her- him? It was Jack's roommate back in Night Raven, the clearest difference being that Cervantes was a man in Night Raven, whereas here they were a woman. Other than that, they looked exactly the same. "Cervantes," Sebek mutters out loud, "They were a classmate of ours."
"Is that so?" The former Queen questions, "The Cervantes family is a notable cheetah family from the Sunset Savanna- usually they have their daughters be guards in the Kingscholar family, but it seems like they had too many daughters this time around." She leaned back in her chair, and wondered out loud, "I wonder what a child of a cheetah beastkin and fae parentage would look like...?"
Sebek ignored the comment, and continued to peer over Malleus' shoulder- the remaining two being the  Zorra and Raine. Both candidates were fae. 
The Zorra family presented Silvia Zorra, a fox fae. The most notable thing about her was her fiery red hair, and how old she was- only 30 years old. 
The Raine family had Aurora Raine, a fae with blonde hair and green eyes. She was only a few years younger than Silvia. 
Sebek wasn't surprised though- many fae often married young, usually in their 20s, though with the exception of soldiers and generals, since it was likely that soldiers and generals would die, so there wasn't much pressure on them to marry young. Though, as often as fae married, they also divorced, usually after a few children have been conceived. 
It was a peculiar tradition.
King Draconia had indeed recognized Cervantes from just her photos alone. He may have not seen her much, but he had an excellent memory just like his Grandmother. Indeed they may have had many offspring this time to offer them up to a powerful suitor in the future. But that was his own train of thought. The Zorras and the Raines had not had a glimmer of a thought in his head as their applications were looked at thoroughly. 
Finally after a considerable amount of time in silence from Malleus, he had chosen. But what was this? Two applications? Cyrille Aiza and Lamia Cervantes? That was quite peculiar. Uncommon, but hey, it's happened before. "These two would be most beneficial to the crown, Grandmother. Especially Cyrille Aiza," He remarked, pointing his left index finger down at the photo. "Cervantes is also a consideration. In the case of the Draconia family's numbers being low, I will pick these two to marry." Both at the same time? Malleus, you-you sly dog! (No, no. Just joking. Or was I?) He also didn't need to have the court in an uproar over fae divorcing fae. Malleus preferred if his mates stayed with him for the rest of their lives. Dragons were naturally possessive that way. Also desperate times called for desperate measures. His Grandmother would understand this situation.  At the same time, Alexandria had looked over to her lover now, confirming his answer. "Yes. They would be called demons in my world. Chased out, persecuted. Hunted for sport. Just as I was for being a witch." Their willful ignorance was going to be the death of them someday. There would have been calls to exterminate their kind just because of their species due to religious extremism. Unfortunately Earth has had that problem ever since the word was conceived many eons ago. Her frown had only deepened as her eyebrows furrowed, anger flashing in her eyes for a mere moment before snapping out of it.
"Is that so?" The Queen's mouth curved to a smile, "Taking after your ancestors, aren't you?" With a hearty laugh, she took the two. "We could have a Crown Princess selection, if you only want to choose one and see which one is better fit, but if you intend to marry both, or have one as a concubine, that is a different matter entirely."
"Human and Beast-kin don't live as long, though," Sebek replied, "You would end up a widow at some point, young master. You will have successors, surely- for they will inherit your longevity, but your wife or wives will need magic to extend their lifespan, despite already being mages themselves. The Draconia lineage will live on, but at what cost sir?" 
Sebek only spoke up because he saw the same thing happening to his parents already. Sure, he didn't see them often due to their occupation, but whenever he had the chance to see his parents, his mother was still full of life, while his father was aging and becoming frail. At best, Sebek's own father had only a few more decades in him, more should they employ the aid of magic. And what then? His mother greatly loves his father- no doubt, she will never marry unless she manages to find his reincarnation. 
"That is a good point," The Queen responds, "And I was almost in such a relationship- but this I will say- for if Malleus truly loves them, then these women will go to their grave loved. But if not, then it shall be no one's loss except for these children. And it is often the children who will bury their parents- not the other way around." 
"I suppose," Sebek replies, but still worried. 
--
"A pity," Silver replies. 
"Indeed it is," Lilia replies, his hand reaching for Alex's gently, "Wars and hunts because they're different. Such fights have been fought on these lands for similar reasons, but we're closer to peace than before." 
Silver took a sip of his tea, "I wonder whom the young master will marry. Hopefully she will be an exceptional woman."
"One can only hope."
"I choose them both." Was Malleus just being selfish and wanting more and more? Yes. Did he deserve to be so? Why, yes. Yes, he did. His ancestors were correct in breeding with other species to have their family line survive. He wouldn't be here if not for them. "I would have to have Lilia's assistance. If they need magic to live longer lives, then so be it," Malleus declared, his lime green eyes fiery with determination, steadfast in his decision. 
He has chosen, therefore it was absolute. If he and Lilia had to make an immortality potion to have them drink, then so be it. His future children will be having their parents either way. There will be no burying anyone in his family. Not anymore. Malleus had already lost so much without knowing it as a child. Besides from Lilia, he had no parents and he had gotten to visit his own Grandmother only twice. Twice before now. Even then, he felt as though his Grandmother didn't have much time left. Inside this dragon was a scared young man only wanting the warmth, the love, the touch of a family. Silver, Sebek and Lilia were all wonderful. There was no replacing them. She agreed with the father and son, gripping Lilia's hand almost impossibly tight. Alright, breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. As she performed some breathing exercises, her grip had become looser, turning rough into gentle.
"I'll let both families know, then," Maleficent says, pulling out some paper and ink, "We'll have to arrange rooms and somehow invent these immortality potions to ensure their longevity. We would also have to discuss the marriage ceremonies and such, and child rearing, since their main purpose is to further the Draconia line." She paused, and let out a sigh, "We would also have to tutor them so that they may take over some duties afforded to the crown. The Aiza child may be knowledgeable, but I've heard questionable things about that one. The Cervantes child may be knowledgeable due to her association with the Kingscholar family, but she is not royalty, at least  not yet."
"They're of age, your highness?" Sebek says, confused. 
"Ah," Maleficent nods, "Indeed they are, but compared to my age, they are just small things. The same goes for you Sebek- since you're the same age as the Aiza child."
"I see, your highness." 
--
"We're here, love," Lilia whispers, "We're here for you. Say," a small pause, an attempt to see if Alex was calming down, "We can walk through the garden later on and smell the flora. Would that be pleasing?"
Silver just sat there, unsure of what to do. All he could do was see his father comfort Alex to the best of his ability.
"...I-I would like very much. Please...," She murmured back to Lilia. That conversation had triggered memories that were unpleasant to say the least. There was no intention of her becoming angry like that. What if she hurt her kindred by accident? What would she do if that happened? He may be strong, but he was also older than her by 250 years. Well, 2 years in terms of human age. So it wasn't that much of a gap. But that shouldn't matter. "...Silver may come along too. If... he wishes to," She continued, swallowing her saliva in an attempt to wet her throat.  After seeing Sebek's and Maleficent's expression of worry and fatigue, he now wondered if it was a good idea to marry the two of them at once. It would cost them a lot in educating them as to catch them up with the laws, traditions, and culture of the fae in Briar Valley.  The goal was to further the Draconia line, yes. But at what cost? Maybe Sebek was right. But the fae had a strange and confusing tradition regarding divorce and his heart wouldn't be able to take that kind of heartbreak. In terms of the age gap, there was practically none since he would have only been about a decade older. Well, that age gap was a bit of a stretch. Were they even mature enough to be eligible to marry him? "I-I apologize for this, Grandmother. I did not mean to make this complicated for you."
"Alright," Silver says, "The garden is nearby." He gets up, Lilia following suit. Lilia gently pulled Alex from the couch, attempting to guide her to the door. It was going to be a slow process, but it is certain that a fresh breath of air was greatly needed. 
--
"No worries, my dear," Maleficent replied, "It would not be complicated. They can be taught at the same time. You mentioned that Cervantes was there at NRC, correct, Sebek?"
"Indeed, I did. She was a year older than us. I don't remember much as to what Jack said of her- but I do remember that she was a smart person, one who could negotiate very well. In fact, she was a competitor to Ashengrotto, who was known for his contracts."
"A smart woman then," she says, pleased, "I would assume the same for Aiza. If not, well, she would already know of her duty, being a royal just like us. No doubt, Aiza would have been sent to another bachelor, Malleus. We're her best option. As for Cervantes," a pause,  a moment to think, "Well, who knows. She would have been considered to become a guard, soldier, or perhaps a close knight for the Kingscholar family. Life for her would have been greatly different, in her case. Even then, you likely would have seen her in the school halls- she's a familiar face." 
"She's right, young master," Sebek exclaims, "If they are not mature, then pray tell, what would that make me? They are the same age or older!"
Maleficent raised a brow at him, but remained silent.
Malleus now looked at Sebek with a raised eyebrow. Was he implying that due to their age, they were not mature? Anyone could be mature at any age. It all came down to perspective, emotional and social maturity as well as the development of their brains. Age never meant much once you had become someone of age to do anything you desired. There were barriers kept when you were younger for a reason. 
Looking over at his Grandmother, his eyebrow went back to its original state as he nodded, "Yes, I remember Cervantes. I trust your judgment for both of them, Grandmother and Sebek."
They had let themself be pulled off from the couch, almost dragging their feet while being led by father and son out of the room. Being inside that room with that topic of discussion was more likely to deteriorate their mental state than it already was at the moment. Due to them dragging their feet, it had taken them up to fifteen minutes in order to get out of that room and to the garden. The only reason it didn't go for any longer was due to Alex picking up the pace while holding onto Silver and Lilia tightly. Looking up after having gazed at her feet for fifteen minutes was a transition of stone to one from a new world. Her eyes widened as they twinkled, her brain temporarily wiping any bad memories that she ever had. What spell was there to make those disappear??
"I'll make haste in calling for them. Aiza should arrive first, and Cervantes will take a few days up to a week, depending on the mode of transportation," Maleficent says, already drafting up the letters for both families, "There is also the knighting ceremony to do, but I trust you and your personal knights to handle that." 
"Knighting ceremony?!" Sebek nearly jumps out from his chair, "No worries, your majesty, I will handle this graciously alongside Silver!" 
Maleficent stared at Sebek before breaking out into a smile, "I'm sure you will, Zigvolt." 
-
"We're here," Lilia says slowly, "At the gardens." 
"There's various types of flowers," Silver says softly, looking around, "Dahlias, Lilies, Poppies, Marigolds- any and all sorts."
The two waited with worry and angst, hoping that Alex's condition would improve. 
The nearby pixies flew in close, curious to what the trouble was. The slight bell chimes of their voices indicated they intended to do something, only Lilia knowing what they had said. Whatever it was, it was clear they were trying to help.
"Yes, Grandmother. I shall perform the knighting ceremony without error," Malleus declared as he rose from his chair. Aiza was going to be quick to arrive while Cervantes would only take up to a week. That was fortunate. It was almost as if they were going to be here in their time of need. "Sebek. Could you go retrieve Silver? He will be needed for the knighting ceremony," His deep voice resonated from within the room without him needing to project. Turning to his Grandmother now, he then asked, "Is there anything else you would need from me before I go?” He would need to get everything that was required such as the sword.
Blinking in and out of reality, Alex's head felt foggy, almost as if she were in another plane of existence. Her chest came up and down with every breath she took, quietly inhaling and exhaling. It was suddenly that pixies had flown to examine her face. As they spoke to Lilia about what they were intending to do, she blinked away some tears as her head shook. Shit, shit, shit! She had to snap out of it! She couldn't be doing this right now! Not with her now living with Lilia and the others! This was supposed to be a good day! As her stomach lurched and she felt as if she were to spiral, her eyes opened. Were those... bells that she heard? What could be chiming those at this time? In her confusion, the pixies took this as a chance to go scour for some flowers. In their quickness, they had picked out some marigolds, poppies, and lilies for her to have in her hair. But wait! Why not all of them?? Won't that make them happy again? As the pixies came back, they had begun to pick up strands of Alex's hair, accidentally brushing up against her skin and scalp. Her body flinched as her lips quivered. That wasn't the sound of someone crying. That was the sound of someone holding in their laughter!
"I'll take care of the tutoring and rooming for the women," Maleficent waved off, "The knighting ceremony shall be done tomorrow. It'll only include the knights. Nobility and lower class are free to view, but that is all. We need not to worry about food or entertainment, only the decoration is all." 
She then looked up at them, and said, "That is all. You are free to leave, the both of you." 
Sebek nodded and got up, waiting for Malleus. Once he got up, the two left. 
-
Lilia smiled, noticing her stifled laughter, "I'm glad you're well now, love." 
Silver smiled as well, though kept mum. 
The pixies all cheered in glee when they noted the positive shift in demeanor, now chattering more, the sound of bells increasing more. They fluttered around Alex more freely now.
Malleus only nodded as confirmation for him hearing what his Grandmother told him. As he was leaving his Grandmother's quarters, his thoughts were at a standstill. All he could think about right now were the candidates that he had chosen. Cyrille Aiza and Lamia Cervantes... He only knew of Lamia, but he had never met her in person. The Aiza royal family were heard of by his Grandmother for certain. But by him? No. All that mattered now was that they were to be betrothed to him and him only. After all, he was their best option into having a life of power, luxury, and security.  After getting her stifled laughter out of the way, Alex had to take a few breaths to calm herself down. "...What had happened to me," She asked, slightly worried about his choice of words. That she was well now? What was going on that made him concerned for her wellbeing? Did she do something wrong?
"Say, where would Silver, Lilia, and his beloved be?" Sebek wondered out loud, walking right next to Malleus. 
It wasn't until he walked by one of the grand windows that showcased the garden nearby did he see Silver, Lilia and Alex outside. 
"Young Master," He stops walking, "They're outside- should we join them? Her Majesty did say we needed to discuss the knighting ceremony with Silver, after all, and it would be a good idea to hear the opinion of Lilia and his beloved."
--
"You were unwell," Lilia explains, "As if something was tormenting your soul. Silver and I were worried about your well-being, and thought it would have been a good idea to get you outside for a fresh breath of air." "Indeed," Silver inputs, "Your face looked pale, and you were clenching your fists rather tightly. It seems like the pixies were able to improve your mood."
Looking in Sebek's direction, he followed directly behind to see what was outside of the window. "So it would," He muttered, leading the way to the garden. Although it seemed as if from their body language alone, the immortal woman had been through something terrible. Was it a good idea to bother them right now? Malleus was concerned after all. Perhaps it would be better to check on them first before asking about the knighting ceremony. Meanwhile outside, Alexandria nodded her head in understanding. So she was going through whatever that was due to what had happened. "I see. I'll have to thank you two for bringing me out here and to the pixies for helping me out of my dark state." A weak smile accompanied with her slumped shoulders meant that she was a bit fatigued. But sometimes that was life. It hits you with those bad thoughts and pixies have to help you out of that dark place.
Sebek walked over the trio, hearing the last part of Alex's sentence. 
"Are you alright, Miss Alex?" He asks, looking around, realizing the pixies that were nearby. The pixies replied, and Sebek understood.
Lilia supplemented more info, "Alex was feeling unwell in the guest room, so Silver and I decided to take her outside for some fresh air."
"Good to know," Sebek replies, "I don't know what I'd do should Lilia be overtly worried for your being. I'm not very good at consoling people, you see."
"Where have you been?" Silver asks, trying to change the topic- it probably would be best to change the focus from Alex to something else. 
"Oh, we have a knight ceremony, Silver," Sebek says, "We have to do it tomorrow, and have to organize all the decorations and such." "Was that all?" Lilia asks, gently grabbing ahold of Alex's hand, "I don't think you two would be gone for so long just for the knighting ceremony."
The King was silent during the conversation. There was nothing to say when all was already said and done. The pixies had already told Sebek as well as Lilia. So saying anything would be all for naught. There were times when Sebek had meant well, but he would end up unknowingly touching a sensitive subject and that was right now. Luckily for him, Silver was there to change the subject. He was sure that the lady would've rather not have been a focus of attention for such a touchy discussion. However, the young knight was doing his best to not do it so much, so he had to give credit where credit was due. Chuckling, Malleus offered a small smile to his supervisor. "I will do my best to see that it's not too long." 
The immortal human was grateful for the change of topic. Anymore talk about it and her mind would have gone back to that dark place, rendering the pixies' treatment all for naught. The touch of her lover was all it took (plus the pixies' help) to help her pull it together again completely. The caress of his thumb against the back of her hand filled her with the warmth of that of someone that was safe and secure.
"Should we walk through the garden?" Lilia asks, "The sun is still high up, and it would be a waste to not walk through the garden on a lovely day like this."
"Indeed," Silver replies, "The flowers are in full bloom, and it is only during this time that the pixies are the most active. We can talk about the knighting ceremony after dinner, how does that sound?" Sebek refrained from pouting, but nonetheless agreed, "I suppose that's a good idea. A moment to rest is always good. Who knows when the next moment of tranquility will be."
"Agreed," Malleus said, having stood there listening to the conversation the whole time while thinking about the women that were coming. Was it a good time to speak of that? Probably not. So he would do what he did best and keep that to himself. The pixies were also fun to talk to.  "Please. There's much more to explore here than just the flowers," She spoke up faintly, getting herself up. Stretching her legs would do her some good. Perhaps a training session with her sword? That was what the dagger basically was that was handed down to her from her ancestors. Kneeling down, she gazed at a peculiar looking black flower. What species of flower was this? The petals were as delicate as glass with the sprouting middle a gold and white. Was it native to this particular part of the world or was it imported here?
"Perhaps there is more to explore than just the flowers, but that doesn't mean we can appreciate it less so," Lilia replied, looking at Alex. He followed her line of sight and noted the black flowers, "Oh, I haven't seen these sorts before. I wonder if the Queen brought them in from  other lands."
Lilia kneels down, taking a closer look at the flower, "It doesn't seem to be dangerous."
"I don't think it would be a good idea if we pluck flowers from the Queen's garden, father," Silver says, "It's already enough that the pixies gathered some to ease Alex. Besides, just because it doesn't seem to be dangerous doesn't mean it may not be so." "It reminds me of hollyhock," Sebek says, glancing at the flower, "Though I've never seen them in black."
Silver may have been right. Just because she was curious about this flower didn't mean that she was going to be plucking it out of the garden. The pixies already did so much for her and she didn't want to have them do it anymore. Plus the former Queen would be a bit irritated with them if they touched the flowers. Getting up from her kneeling position, she turned to face the vines that covered the stone walls. Was that the former Queen's doing or was that nature taking over? "Hm... This is new...," Muttering to herself, she sauntered over to the thorny vines to have a good look at them. Were these rose vines perhaps? 
That black flower wasn't there earlier when he had gone out to the garden. Perhaps his Grandmother had it imported from some foreign land because she adored it. What if it had some kind of rare ability that was unheard of from this species of flower? An ingredient needed for a special kind of potion? He would have to ask his Grandmother about the black flower that was in her garden. Going ahead of the group, his gaze was faced towards the animals that were in the bushes. The squirrels that were from the forest were now here. How lovely, how cute. They were brave enough to leave the forest. Did they know that he was the new ruler of Briar Valley?
"Could be that the land finally realizes there is a new rule," Lilia comments, getting back up, "At  least, that is what it's said through the ancient times. That the land knows change has happened, and will react accordingly- I think I read somewhere that coronation often brought bountiful harvests for some time. Whether that is because of the coronation or just a placebo, I don't know." 
"We should begin exploring the garden, should we want to do anything else later on," Silver suggests, looking around, "I feel like we have little time on our hands, for some reason."
"You felt it too?" Sebek asks, "I wonder if it's because we just got here."
Silver shrugs, "Who knows." "Very well," Lilia steps forward, "Let us explore the garden for a small bit. Once we're satisfied, we can go look elsewhere to entertain ourselves."
The natural order was changing because of the coronation... If that were true, then that meant that it was the beginning of a new era. Placebo or not, the passage of time always meant that change was inevitable. A bountiful harvest would do some good for the people of Briar Valley right now. The food shortage had taken a toll on their economy and it needed to be brought back up. 
But what else should he do to bring back up the economy for his people? There was a matter of foreign affairs as well. He already knew about the nobility and the elite secretly ruling the Valley. Going to sit down on the ground, Malleus began muttering to himself. There were to be no shortcuts in life and his career as a new ruler was proof of how far he had gotten in life. Of course, he had an immense amount of privilege in his position considering that he was born as a royal. 
When curious little Alexandria's hand hesitantly touched the vine, her index finger was poked. Hissing in pain, she quickly pulled away from the vine. Bringing her finger to her mouth, she began sucking away at the blood that had dripped from the finger and onto the ground. After moments of sucking the blood out of her wound, she brought it out to see that it was still bleeding. Bleeding but slightly less so. Bringing it to her lips once more, she sucked out the rest of the blood until it had stopped bleeding. 
Once it stopped bleeding, she would look elsewhere and find some exotic berries in a special bush. They were a dark purple, small and round with a noticeably hard and smooth surface. These berries looked as if they could be fake somehow. Were these too from a distant land unknown to them at this very moment? Or were they just some berries that she hadn't seen in a while? There were some like this back in the Land of Pyroxene when she had first lived there under her false identity.
"Love, are you alright?" Lilia asks when he saw that Alex pricked her finger on the vines. 
He followed her line of sight to the dark berries, "Ah, those berries.  I think these are merely common berries." He picks one of them, examining it, "Well, they're rare here, hard to cultivate because of weather and such, so they grow more commonly elsewhere. I suppose the environment here in the castle grounds is just suitable enough to grow them." 
Sebek took a closer look, confirming what he said, "I believe Jack once mentioned these berries. I forget their name, but apparently they're rather popular from where he's from. They make many products that mimic its flavor, from what I recall."  "Is that so?" Lilia mused, eating one of them, "On the sweeter side, but I can see why it'd be popular."
"Yes, mi tesoro. I'm alright. I just pricked my finger on a thorn...," She replied, still staring at the berries whilst casually fanning her finger. Her fingertips' nerves were screaming at her for her stupidity, thus it had begun to bleed once more. Damn it! Now she would have to go inside in order to get supplies to disinfect and dress the wound. This was just after she sucked on it to make sure that it stopped bleeding! Curse this moment! Trying to ignore it to the best of her abilities, she observed the berries some more. "I was wondering where these were from.. I've seen them before in the Land of Pyroxene. Just when I was moving there from another town," She mused, half speaking to herself while the other half was replying to the three men that were with her at the moment.
"I see. I understand," Lilia grabs ahold of her hand, using a bit of magic to heal the minor wound, "I wouldn't be surprised if Pyroxene was the ideal environment for them to grow and thrive in. Rather different from here, our Briar Valley." 
"Should we head inside..?" Silver hesitantly asks, not sure of the next course of action. Alex's wound was better, but should they remain outside longer or head back inside?  "You lot can head back," Lilia responds, "I'll stay here with Alex should they wish it so."
Malleus had gotten up by then from his spot on the grass of the garden in order to head back inside. He may need Silver and Sebek in a moment to speak about the knighting ceremony. They needed to know what to do about the decorations and what colors they needed them to be. What kind of flowers (if at all) needed to be present during that time. If the young knights wanted to follow, then they would be doing so already.  As she felt the wound heal, the nerves had stopped aching and yelling at her. Thank goodness for that abundant magic. Well, not exactly abundant. But it was quite the vast amount of magic that Lilia had. "Yes. Don't you two have to speak to Malleus about something important?" They questioned, now looking in their direction.
Silver and Sebek followed Malleus, with the intention of discussing the knighting ceremony. After all, it will be a public display of their undying loyalty to the crown, so they need to perfect it as much as they can. 
"Something important? Do you mean the knighting ceremony?" Lilia questions, looking at Malleus' figure as it was leaving, "Or perhaps the matters we mentioned in the lounge? About marriage?  He hadn't brought it up, though."
"Both. Though primarily, I was speaking of the knighting ceremony.", She grinned at him, now relishing (a little bit) about how they were all alone. A little shaken up from the incident in the guest room, the group in the garden all at once had made her anxious. She was still good at masking it so that the others couldn't detect it as easily. But now that she was alone with Lilia, Alex felt more comfortable letting down her guard a bit more. The incident was as unavoidable as it was humiliating for her. But there was nothing they could do. So the best thing to do was to move on.  As Malleus heard the steps of two pairs of feet, he kept his steady pace into his bedroom, letting the two knights in first. As he came in and closed the door behind him, he gestured to the bed. "Please sit. We need to speak about the knighting ceremony for you two." He sat down in the chair that was facing the bed, gazing at the two of them. Almost boring into their souls.
"The knighting ceremony," Lilia's voice softened, "I can't believe my sons are about to become royal knights. It's as if it was only yesterday that they were children, prancing around in the fields." Lilia dramatically touched his forehead with the back of his head, exhaling loudly to exaggerate the passage of time. The act didn't last long, for he then asked, "Ah well, what did you wish to speak about in regards to the knighting ceremony?"
--
Sebek straightened his back the moment Malleus stared right at him, feeling his heart race, as if he was going to be caught in a web.  Silver on the other hand remains nonchalant.  "The knighting ceremony," Silver says, "Right.  What do we need to do for it?"
A light fit of laughter trailed from her chest and ripped out of her lips. It reverberated in the air as she clutched her sides. This melodramatic fae... If she truly thought about it, she would have done (somewhat) the same if her brother had been able to grow up in a better environment. "Y-You don't...," She breathed in between fits of girlish giggling and chuckling, "...need to be so dramatic about it...!" It took her a moment to truly come back from the tears she had to blink away from her deep bellied chortling. Still holding her sides, she cleared her throat, "How exactly does this knighting ceremony work exactly? What is involved in it? What will the men have to do after the ceremony? What duties do they have to fulfill?" She had so many questions that Lilia could answer. However it just wasn't in her best interest to ask them all at the same time.  "Decorations as Grandmother said. We do not have to worry about anything else. The nobility and lower classes will be there to watch. Food and entertainment is not needed," Malleus listed. What should the colors be? Black, green, gold, and purple? Should they spruce it up with different colors this time? But different colors had different meanings attached to them and in Briar Valley, colors in nature truly mattered.
Lilia smiled, "I am glad my exaggeration brought you a smile, beloved. As for the ceremony," he thought about it, eventually coming to an answer, "It is where Malleus will stand before the throne, and the knights will swear their loyalty before him. Silver and Sebek both swore their loyalty before him, so I would assume that they will lead his personal guard. Others will have to be accepted into the personal guard, though I'd imagine the majority shall be the knights that once belonged to her Majesty."
He thought about it more, trying to recall the last time the knighting ceremony happened- it only occurred every so often, and the last few ones Lilia had missed since he wasn't able to attend them. 
"So what exactly happens is that the knights present themselves, and Malleus swears them in. Only a small number of guards are chosen, so perhaps only 10 individuals will be present to be knighted, excluding Sebek and Silver. Once all is said and done, the new personal guard shall take official residence somewhere in the palace, close to the King's quarters as extra precaution. The ceremony itself finishes, and people are free to intermingle- regardless of status, though people remain in their circle nonetheless."
Lilia gave a smile, "I do hope that answered your questions, love."
-
"Shades of green, obviously," Sebek answers, "They're the colors of our nation."
"Purple and gold may do well," Silver replies, "They compliment the previous Queen well, and surely they will suit you as well, Young Master."
"Oh!" Sebek clasps his hands, "As for decoration, perhaps swords with flowers at their handle? I do think that would look elegant." Silver nodded, "We can also hang up shields that showcase Briar Valley's emblem."
Nodding along with their answers slowly, Malleus had thought of what the throne room would look like with those kinds of decorations. It would look elegant, sophisticated, classy, and most importantly, significant. These two had good taste, he'll admit that. "Excellent. We will have it done by tonight," Malleus replied, his expression one of satisfaction, a small smile appearing in his features. "Would it be too gauche to add extra flowers to the frames of the door?"
They nodded, their smile intact. In fact, her brain had managed to spin such an image as to almost embellish the visage of Malleus knighting both Sebek and Silver in a room full of Briar Valley residents. "Thank you for the brilliant visuals, mi alma. I have been to only one in my life," Confessing this was a bit embarrassing. However, doing that in front of Lilia Vanrouge felt a little bit worse. But why was that? She needed to give herself some room to make some mistakes. Perhaps her age was getting to her after all. Over 400 years of nonstop running truly exhausts the brain. "...I believe it was when a relative of mine was being knighted by the King of Spain himself." Her left hand's index finger and thumb cupped her chin as her right hand laid as a prop on her left arm.
Seeing that he had held himself back, her heart couldn't help but beat a little bit faster. If only her family were still alive... If only they could meet him and see how loving and considerate he was... "Mi amor, please. Come closer. You're not going to hurt me." She held out her right hand to invite him to close the distance between them both. Seeing his hesitancy, Alexandria would be the one to close the distance, getting closer to him. Once she had closed the space between them, they felt comfortable enough to speak once more, beginning the story. 
"My father told me of him and my mother attending the knighting ceremony with me in her arms. I was in between trying to sleep and trying to see what the fuss was about," She cleared her throat, "Anyway, let me continue. It was either one of my uncles or older cousins being knighted. My family was honored to be a part of the crowd that were seeing this. Due to this, my family were elevated to high ranking nobles. We had authority. Respect.  It was a lovely time for my family and I. It was as if we had been blessed by Yahweh himself..." Her eyes shined in the sun, a blissful smile on her face with her teeth showing. "A few years later, my baby brother was born. He was named Alfonso..." 
Her father was an honored and respected man of his caliber and in his field of expertise as a Knight himself and her mother a Countess of the royal court. They were granted those ranks by the King and Queen themselves after their family's services in the wars that had come before she was born. 
During Silver and Sebek's discussion on whether the nobles would stand a chance against him and them, Malleus was silent. He had taken all of this information in like a sponge. Only if that sponge had an excellent memory and could memorize just about everything said as well as the body language, tone, fluctuation of said tone, etc. Then it was agreed that the minimal amount of flowers would be on the frames of the door. No more, no less. He was still trying to please his people after all.
"Yahweh," Lilia softly whispered, "I suppose that is the name of a higher entity of yours?"
In the world of Twisted Wonderland, there was not much need for many gods- they existed, but their followers were few and in between. Many looked up to the Great Seven, but not the same way as a god to follower- more similar to an idol to a fan, in any case. 
-
"Is that all then?" Sebek says, "If so, we should probably tell the coordinators about it- so that they may quickly set the preparations."
"Though, isn't it a bit too soon?" Silver inquires, furrowing his brows, "I feel like only one day of preparation is too little time."
"Nonsense," Sebek replies, "We should not underestimate the former Queen- if she says we can make the preparations quickly, then we can."
"I suppose, but nonetheless..." Silver's voice trailed off, still unsure, but he no longer objected. 
Perhaps there was a small ounce to Silver's words, but in either case, Sebek was right- perhaps the former Queen had something in mind or perhaps she had the most efficient coordinators- whichever was more true, was yet to be seen.
She nodded, going on to describe who, what, and how he works as a higher entity. Yahweh was the Jewish people's version of God and what it meant was literally, "He Brings into Existence Whatever Exists." The Jewish people had preferred the Old Testament over the New one since it was more faithful to what their belief system was. He had led the Israelites to paradise and thus he was worshiped as their God. 
The topic changed from Yahweh from if he had ever met her family. If he thought about it just a little bit, then they would surely accept him based on his rank alone! "They would have loved you so much after seeing how well you treat me! You would've already been a part of the family! A big celebration would have been held in your honor... My younger brother would have looked up to you as a big brother. Would've wanted to be just like you. An honorable general serving the needs of others in the name of your kingdom..." Her voice had a more dreamy tone to it, almost blissfully unaware of the reality that she was in at this moment. 
Perhaps it was better than the bad memories she had after she had such precious ones of her family.  Malleus understood Silver's worries about the time crunch. But he had faith in his Grandmother. She knew how to pull off last minute events from what Lilia had told him. If he didn't have such faith in his supervisor or in his grandmother, then he would have never been here. There was no respect to be had with a lack of trust. With no trust, there is no love. "We shall see. For now, we follow the words of my Grandmother. That is all." For now, the conversation was over. There was nothing else to talk about with the decorations. Though he had thought that it would've taken longer to decide what the decorations were going to be. It was a bit... unnerving just how easy this was. His Grandmother would have never made it this easy without a catch. Neither would Lilia.
Lilia smiled at her words, "I would've liked to meet your family, love. I'm sure we could have gotten along just well." He didn't dare break her out of the daydream. 
Gently, he guided her back into the castle, "The sun will begin to set soon, so let's head back inside, alright?"
--
Silver and Sebek nodded at Malleus' words. Once Malleus indicated the end of the conversation, Silver and Sebek both got up and gave their farewells. 
It was about to be supper soon, and the two knights could not afford to miss a meal. 
Neither could the King, for that matter, which is why the two beckoned for their King to follow them. 
Before they were King and knights, they were friends and family. 
--
The day went by quickly, the coordinator doing everything in their power to make sure that the event goes without a hitch. Servants shuffled around, Sebek and Silver giving a hand. Within hours, many humans and fae alike managed to make the throne room come to life with all the lovely flowers of various shades, the shields and swords, and the chairs for the knights that were to be sworn in. 
Since there was no food nor consideration of entertainment, it went easier than thought, as Silver and Sebek managed to go to bed on time without much trouble. 
The next day came, the sun now high up in the sky, and now it was the day. 
Lilia dressed himself in his general attire, having to stand next to Malleus throughout the ceremony. Silver and Sebek wore the traditional knight attire typical for the Briar Valley, in the shade of dark green with golden accents. All three had their swords to their sides, though the same could be said for the new knights that were to be sworn in. There were many of them, perhaps around 15 men in total- both fae and human, though mostly fae. It did them well to come in early. 
Though, that did mean that nobles and commoners were beginning to notice, gathering in early by the few, their numbers only growing as time went on. 
By the time the ceremony was to start, the room was full, the only space available being the only space around the throne where the King and his knights were. 
Truly, it was a great sight to behold- the sun peeking through the throne room with enough light, the flora practically glowing despite its deep shades, and the glistening of the swords and shields that were polished for such an event.
Alexandria was guided back into the castle by her lover as she daydreamed some more about the predicament she would have had if her family were still alive and well. The dreams that she would have during that night were more than enough for her to wake up rested the next day. That daydream truly did wonders. Well, so did telling Lilia a little bit about her family. 
When the sun had risen, peeking through the curtains, she was already up and was getting dressed. Since she didn't have any formal clothing that wouldn't make her stand out, she had asked some of the maids and servants if they knew of anyone that would let her borrow or rent any clothing.
After that escapade, she was in a Victorian dress. It had a minimal amount of ruffles with the outer layer being black while the under layer was more of a dark berry. Simple, yet oh so elegant. Having a little gold and black hat that accompanied it, she only had to put on her corset and white linen. Putting them all on in order (as she remembered it), next came the stockings. These were the more old fashioned ones with a garter and hose. Finally, there was the light makeup. When everything was done and ready for her, she had a small breakfast. Arriving at the throne room and being one of the first ones, she had a front row stand to everything that was about to happen.
Malleus had observed the coordinators doing their best with the time crunch that they had. From what it was going to look like, they were doing well. With the preparations done within the night, he told them all to take a rest and head to bed. 
The next morning, Malleus was in his royal clothing accompanied with his crown and a few rings that were small and slender in nature. Obsidian jewels were the highlight of the outfit as well as amethysts and emeralds with the bands being a clear golden. Black was customary for the knighting ceremony as well as to show his status as the King of Briar Valley. His royal outfit was mostly black with golden outlines, dark green, and purple adorning his royal outfit. The shields that were placed on the wall just above the throne, the flowers on the door frame and hanging on the bases, the banners that his own Grandmother had used (pristine and pressed to look as new as possible)... They were all going to be a part of his legacy. 
At last when enough people were there to witness the Knighting Ceremony, it had begun. With the sword in his right hand, he would make his speech of how these two were by his side ever since he was a young fae, protecting him when times called for it. Of how they had gone above and beyond just protecting him as bodyguards, but of how they had earned his trust and respect as fellow people of Briar Valley. He would then dub both Silver and Sebek, touching the sword to both of their shoulders, now declaring them Royal Knights of the King's forces.
It didn't take long to knight the others- 15 men in total, a few minutes at most for each. Every single one declared their loyalty with the most sincerity that they could muster.
It quickly finished, Malleus giving a small bow towards the kneeling knights, and then sitting on his throne, dismissing them. 
The families of the knights rushed forward to their family members, crying out in joy that they were selected. Other knights got together and cheered. 
Lilia stood proud, wiping away a nonexistent tear. Truly, his boys have grown up so much.
But something felt amiss. 
Lilia glanced around, looking, searching whatever could it have been. Everything seemed to be in order, until he noticed the dark shades of blue in the back. 
A foreigner. 
Lilia walked over to Sebek and Silver, and said, "Say, boys, do you recognize them?" Pointing with his chin towards the person. 
It took a moment, but only Sebek recognized them, realization dawning upon his face. 
"I do believe that is the betrothed of Malleus, sir Lilia." 
Silver glanced back at Sebek, "Betrothed? You never mentioned this. You knew she was to come?" 
Sebek nodded, "Indeed, though I expected her arrival later." 
Lilia sighed, "We should let Malleus know- he'd want to know either way. Quick, or else she may change her mind." 
Sebek nodded, and went over to Malleus with the news. 
Lilia shook his head, "I'll be returning to Alex. I wish Sebek and Malleus told us sooner about this." 
"Agreed." 
"You should escort the woman to the king in any case. I think Malleus would like to meet them soon." 
"Understood, father." 
So he did, Silver spotted the same dark blues and approached the woman. He walked with stride and confidence, at least until a figure stopped him in his tracks right before he was about to talk to the betrothed. 
"I am Rosamund," the knight says, "And you are?" 
"Silver," he replies, "Knighted to the king as you saw."
Rosamund nodded, "Then you're aware?" 
"Yes."
"Very well," the woman scowled, but she pulled the other woman close. She too was in a bad mood, but didn't comment on anything. 
"She is Cyrille Arbolis," Rosamund states, "Though you may recognize her as Aiza."
Silver gave a small bow, "Allow me to take you to our King." 
"Alright." 
Silver began to walk, the two women in blue following closely behind him, until they were in the line of sight of the King. 
"Sir, I do believe this is them," Silver gestured to the women, Cyrille walking forward and pulling her hood down, her blue eyes staring intently at Malleus.  "...Your majesty," was all Cyrille said.
Malleus's lime green irises had almost glowed in the throne room although there was light from within the curtains. The beautiful blue eyed girl with blonde hair from the application that her family had sent his Grandmother was the princess due to her eye color. Or at least that was what she had told him. Then there was the knight. Rosamund Cervantes... The both of them looked quite exquisite in his eyes. But he was curious about something. Weren't they supposed to arrive a few days later? "How did you two come to be early?" The King asked, his voice even with amusement. He swore that he sensed someone from within the crowd that was a foreigner besides Lilia's betrothed. At the same time, his heart threatened to burst from his chest. Oh, yes. They were destined to be together forever. However, that did not mean that he could force them to marry him right this instant. Ethically and morally speaking.  When their General approached them, they grasped his hand softly, keeping a firm grip. Leaning over, she whispered, "Should we leave? It seems as if the brides have arrived earlier than expected..." It was a bit awkward to be peeking in at them when this felt more like a private moment between the King, the Princess, and the Knight. The Knight was a cheetah beastman... How interesting to note. She'd never seen one like her before. Then the princess... There were plenty of attractive blonde haired, blue eyed ladies in the court of the King of Spain. However, Cyrille was strikingly exceptional, even compared to the ladies of back then. There was just something about her that made Alex want to comfort and embrace her tightly. To tell her that everything was going to be alright. The princess must have been anxious standing in front of Malleus like this.
Rosamund's mouth twisted into a smirk, almost laughing but didn't. 
"The Queen of Aiza," Cyrille begins, "Was rather confident that you would accept the proposal, so she sent us a day after the letter was sent." 
Sebek looked at Cyrille harder- the sketch shown didn't showcase  the complexity of the white  tattoos that contrasted against her tan skin. Her arms were littered with many tattoos, and Sebek faintly recalled the tribe nearby, middle of Briar Valley and Aiza domain. 
Last time he heard of them, they had called themselves People of Arbol. 
But... Surely, the people of Arbol wouldn't dare take in a princess, would they? 
Rosamund stepped next to her, "I am Rosamund Cervantes, of the Soldati Famiglia. I'm sure you heard of us." She gave a little bow to Malleus, feeling his gaze on her, "I am Cyrille's knight, have been for more than a decade. Should you take her hand in marriage, I'll extend the same courtesy to you, your majesty."
Rosamund's amber eyes stared right at Malleus' own eyes, and she only smiled. She took a step back, right behind Cyrille, dutifully. 
"Would it be the best time to know your answer, your highness?" Cyrille asks, "Or have you already sent a letter to... the Queen of Aiza?" 
-Lilia shook his head, "It's fine, love. Besides, everyone else is watching." He gestured to the rest of the crowd, who all were whispering about the ordeal.
Raising an eyebrow at Rosamund, he stayed silent as the Knight spoke. A smirk. Something must have been truly hilarious if she were to do that. What that was he wasn't about to find out right now. None of this was remotely entertaining for him. Not at all. 
The white tattoos seemed familiar to him since he had studied them before in a book that Lilia had wanted him to read for some kind of test. But it sounded like this Queen had some guts if she was that confident that he would have accepted her proposal so soon. She was lucky that he had done so or else she wouldn't have had an alliance with Briar Valley. "I have heard," Malleus replied. In a way, it was insulting to him that the Queen had the audacity to think of him as an easy target.
Somehow there was some tension between him and the Knight. However, being King was never going to be that easy. He would just have to accept that some would never approve of him. Especially those among the nobility. It was just their pesky fear speaking.
Looking directly at Cyrille now, he would give her his direct answer. "I have already done so, yes," So he had already accepted her hand in marriage just by approving the application. Sending it was just the nail in the coffin. There would be one more that should arrive within a week. 
Miss Gonzalez-Garcia was uncertain about what was transpiring right now. Everyone here seemed a little too entertained by this fiasco. She placed her right hand upon his as her fingers on her left hand were intertwined with his. But all she could do was watch.
"Is that so?" Cyrille says, disappointment apparent in her tone, "I suppose I'll have to get settled in then." 
"Looks like it, your highness," Rosamund replied- the honorific clearly foreign to her mouth. 
"Then all I ask is for your hospitality, King Malleus," Cyrille ignored Rosamund's words, "And hopefully all ends well for the both of us." 
It was rather clear that Cyrille didn't quite want to be here. 
Rosamund butted in, "Your Highness, if you could, please do escort... Princess Cyrille to a room, where she may rest. We had arrived early in the morning, you see." She looked over to Cyrille, who only glared at Rosamund. 
"Ah," she looked back to Malleus, "That is, if it wouldn't trouble you at all, your highness." 
Silver stepped up, "I can be of service. King Malleus, if I may?" 
--
Lilia carressed Alex's fingers, watching the scene unfold. 
He was privy to more information- the Soldati Famiglia. An underground organization that dealt with illegal dealings, especially with the ore that made the Aiza Domain prosperous. 
Thus, Cryille Arbolis of Aiza and Rosamund Cervantes of Soldati belonged to different factions that were the enemy of each other. 
An odd duo indeed.
So far, this Queen sounded as if she were rude and incompetent to boot. It was expected that some sniveling royal would offend the Briar Valley's Draconia family. But to have this done to him on the first day of his ruling was nothing but aggravating. On the outside, Malleus was calm, stoic. Composed. But on the inside, he was seething. Did this foolish Queen not know just how much of a gift her daughter and the Knight she had pushed out of the door were? "Yes, Silver. If you would please." His voice never betrayed his emotions, but the feeling of screaming was tempting. This test was turning out to be a challenge so far. Was he making his Grandmother proud with this? Only time will tell...
Their throat tightened, swallowing their saliva to make their mouth and throat wet still. The silence from their end as well as Lilia's were deafening. The audience whispering, giggling, and pointing were not helping matters at all. Nothing about this was good at all. Was the Queen this desperate to have an alliance with Briar Valley that she would push these women out of the door? Perhaps it was the best choice for that kingdom, but this Queen sounded so...so...cruel. The poor princess didn't even look like she wanted to be here!
Silver nodded, and gestured to the women to follow him. 
They complied, and left the throne room. Silver didn't know where their rooms would be- though it shouldn't be hard to find since Cyrille was to be Malleus' betrothed. 
Once they were out of earshot from the throne room, Cyrille and Rosamund finally began talking. 
"A shame he didn't reject," Cyrille says, sighing rather loudly, "I didn't want that horrid woman to get her way."
"Indeed," Rosamund replied, "Perhaps we shouldn't have agreed to-"
"Rose, do not finish that."
"Alright, Cy." 
"Besides," Cyrille huffed, "You would have done the same if it was Isidore."
Rosamund kept mum, looking away from Cyrille. 
"Be like that, then," Cyrille huffs, walking faster to catch up with Silver, "Say, where are the escape routes here?"
Silver was taken aback, and glanced at her curiously. "I beg your pardon?"
"The escape routes."
"I'm afraid I know of none," Silver replied, pausing once he reached the hallway where everyone was, "Besides, our rooms are here. I believe yours will be right next to Malleus' room."
"And what about Rosamund's?"
"Hers will be next to mine."
Cyrille didn't look to please, but knew better than to say anything else. 
"Alright then," she walked over to her supposed room, only giving a brief look to Malleus door, making a sour face, "Rosa, come here. We'll be in my room for the meanwhile."
Cyrille headed right in, leaving Rosamund out. 
"Don't mind her," the cheetah beast-man says. "She's been having a hard time adjusting- it was only a week ago that we were within the territory of Arbol, content with our lives, when the official heir to the Aiza domain came in, demanding Cy's presence." She had a small smile, and continued, "It was her sister, who needed her aid. The moment we entered Aiza territory, their mother's forces came upon us and forced a deal."
All Silver could do was nod, now having  a better understanding of the situation. 
"I'll leave you to it, good day, Silver."
Silver took his leave the moment the door closed behind Rosamund, returning to the throne room. 
He noticed Malleus' foul mood, but didn't comment on it, instead just standing next to Sebek. He didn't want to add fire to the flame. 
-- 
Lilia saw the entire debacle, and while he would have liked more drama, he decided it was enough. 
"Pardon me, love," he calmly says to Alex, giving her a small peek on her cheeks, "I shall divert attention away from them, so be prepared."
He moved away from Alex as gently as he could, and sauntered up to Malleus, and as loudly as he could, "Your highness, I do have but one question to make- when and where will the hunting games take place?"
Lilia smiled even more when the topic changed so quickly amongst the nobles- there hasn't been a hunting game since the coronation of Maleficent. And with the new changes within the land, there was bound to be many prey roaming around and about, taking advantage of the abundant flora.
Was his foul mood that easy to detect? Then again, Silver had known him for many years. If it wasn't obvious to him by now, then it was a lost cause. The moment they were away from the throne room, his mood had only worsened until his supervisor had mentioned the Hunting Games. Turning his focus away from the sudden arrival of his betrotheds, the atmosphere in the room had become lighter. As to where the Hunting Games will take place... "They will take place in the near deep forests of Briar Valley in seven days time," King Malleus announced, almost staring down at his supervisor from his throne. But this was not out of superiority. He's just that tall. So tall that one would make the mistake of it looking like he's trying to intimidate Lilia. 
Alex had let go of the General, entrusting him to divert attention. It worked effectively, seeing as how the nobles amongst the crowd had reacted. The whispers became louder as they discussed amongst themselves as to how to properly prepare for the Hunting Games coming up. While she wouldn't participate, she would just watch from the sides. Maybe then she could work on her sparring skills with her dagger/sword. 
But one would not partake in the Games. One that was more massive in both physique and in height, intimidating and almost unapproachable in his demeanor. Anyone could point him out by his height, dark (almost night) blue hair, pale ivory skin and startling golden eyes. The horns and ears had made it apparent to the others that he was only half fae, but that the other half was that of a demon. The people of Briar Valley had thought of the doctor as being a kind soul for taking this delinquent in when he was young. But the amount of scars on his body would tell you a different story. The only way he had made it to being a part of the Royal Court was due to his father being a famous surgeon within the Court. At least, that's what the people of Briar Valley will tell you. He was well-known and well-respected for his accomplishments and the amount of lives saved within the Briar Valley. But he was only known by the name Dr. Zima.
Sebek and Silver finally took note of the presence that seemed to cause tension, their eyes landing on Celeste Zima. The two of them never quite formally met him, but they've heard rumors about him and how he once was. Yet, seeing how Malleus hadn't done anything, neither did the two knights. 
Lilia also took note, "Ah, there he is. Celeste Zima, the Chief Inspector," he turned to Alex, "If I may caution you, do be wary around him." Lilia cast another glance at Celeste, "He was always the troublesome sort- whether he is naturally like this or because of his environment, I don't know, but he can be a dangerous individual if he wanted to be."
Lilia gathered that perhaps Celeste wouldn't do anything to cause much trouble, but that would only be a given should the lad have grown out of his ways- and Lilia didn't have enough knowledge to say that he did or not, so Celeste remained an enigma that he needed to figure out.
What would someone do when there were eyes on them? Normally they would slink back into the corner like a weak little worm. But Celeste? Oh, he revels in these kinds of situations. The more mayhem he causes, the better the outcome for him and the more embarrassing it is for their father figure. Was it childish? Yes. Was it absolutely foolish to make the new King of Briar Valley furious at him? Yes. But would it be worth it? It's possible. So when about four to five pairs- no... even more pairs of eyes were on him, he could only grin. Finally, he would speak in his deep voice, "Aw, what's this? Am I displeasing everyone here?~ Tut, tut. And I thought this was an event in which everyone could be an audience..." His voice naturally projected, thus echoing off of the stone walls. His grin vanished, his expression almost sad. But all he was doing was mocking the others for gazing at him as if he were a beast.
Alexandria hastily turned their gaze away when the half demon grinned. For a moment, she thought she had seen the elongated canines in that dark grin of his. Instead, they had preferred to look upon their lover's stern expression. Hearing Celeste speak for the first time was...haunting. But it was so in the most malicious of ways. It was as if it was an indicator of how aggravated the soul was for having to be around the fae populous in general. What did this person have against fae anyway? 
As for King Draconia, his frown only deepened as his eyebrows furrowed, his gaze almost glaring daggers into the half demon's soul. If he were to cause any sort of fuss, his royal knights would be the first to escort him out of the event. No one should have to endure this from anyone. There was no exception to him or from him. Whether they were in the royal court, a noble, a commoner, or a foreigner, this harassment was uncalled for. Leaning towards Sebek and then Silver, he whispered for them to watch for Celeste. Should he do anything as simple as breathing, he is to be escorted out of the throne room.
Sebek and Silver nodded their heads. While they didn't think to escort Celeste out for simple breathing, they did agree in silence to escort him the moment he would become a nuisance to others. It didn't help that his presence alone was already so aggravating towards the others in the room, even to Malleus himself. 
Lilia glanced over to Malleus, a tad worried as to how he was acting. But he stayed with Alex- Malleus had Silver and Sebek with him, but should something happen in general, Lilia hoped that it was within his power to prevent or act upon. 
--
"Cy?"
"Yes?"
"I'm hungry."
"...."
"Very hungry."
"Go outside then. A few hours by myself won't kill me. If I need you, I'll summon you."
"Thanks, Cy."
Alex had the temptation just to cover her own ears due to how progressively provocative and antagonistic Celeste had become. Was he pushing these people to their limits to get attention? What exactly was his motive? Was there something going on in the background of his life?
"Is this because of my presence? Or merely the fact that I'm half fae? We all know that the fae despise breeding with other species..." That smug, menacing grin had never left his face. The whispers only became louder amongst the nobles as they spectated this interaction between them and the Chief Inspector. Good. Get these people stirred up in their despicable shoes. When the King had scolded him, his hands went up with him being in a surrendering position. "I do apologize for the inconvenience, my liege." With that, his mayhem had come to an abrupt end. However, this was only the beginning... Malleus's foul mood had come back with a bitter vengeance, his hands gripping the arms of the throne as if he were going to rip them off. "Celeste. This is your only warning. Quiet down or you will be escorted out," His tone was even, collected. Authoritative as a proper King should be. When he saw that Celeste had sat back down in his seat and apologized, his mood had fluctuated back to one that was more calm. When they said that he was a troublemaker, they definitely meant it.
Sebek felt uncomfortable- he was half fae, and hearing Celeste's words packed a punch. He looked over to Malleus nonetheless. Sebek may not seem bright, but he was smarter than he let on (though unintentionally). 
After all, Cyrille was human. Any children born from a union between Malleus and Cyrille would be like him- half fae and human. If Celeste had said that in mind, then Sebek supposed that he did a good job at choosing his insults. 
Nonetheless, he stood tall and on guard, as did Silver. They kept a close eye on the half demon, worried as to what he'd do, now that all the attention is on him, despite the promise that he would calm down. 
Lilia, on the other hand, only held his beloved's hands. He wanted to jump in, escort the troublemaker himself, but he shouldn't- couldn't- for if he did, it may seem like he was ignoring Malleus' authority, which would not bode well for Malleus in the future. 
He was pleased that Malleus had it under control. 
-- 
Meanwhile, Rosamund took it upon herself to explore the palace grounds, keeping to the walls in an attempt to stay out of sight. If anyone would see her, they would assume the worst- think that she's a proper demon of sorts. The best case scenario would be mistaken for being a distant relative to the Draconia line, but Rosamund doubted that. 
She eventually found the garden with all the plants, pleased to have found an area with lots of sunlight.  "Food from the sun god," she says quietly, settling down in an open area. Her entire being took on a green hue as closed her eyes, basking in the sun.
While Celeste had seen the spectacle that was the King's supposed bride(s) coming in to introduce themselves, that insult was not targeted towards them. If anything, he didn't know much about the identities of said bride(s) at all. One of the few (many?) good things about Celeste was that he didn't make many assumptions offhand when someone was a different species than him. Unless they were faes. Then he was absolutely a bully about it. That insult was more so directed at himself as opposed to other half-faes. He knew that they despised him partially because of that. His reputation covered a large part of that, but still. The implications were there. The attention was still on him, which was good enough for him. His father always did tell him that he was a bit of an attention-seeking little rat after all. Might as well keep up with it. 
When Alex had turned back to see the half-demon, he was sitting back down in the chair. The chair creaked a little under the half-fae's weight, but that was alright. As long as Celeste stayed far away from her found family and her beloved, then it was going to be fine. Turning to Malleus, Silver, Sebek, and then finally at her lover, she worried for them all. Sebek because that insult being slung at someone could potentially harm them in various ways. Psychologically, mentally, spiritually. Squeezing Lilia's hand, they hadn't realized until now that they hadn't taken a single breathe out. Exhaling quietly, they had to make sure that they were breathing by placing their right hand upon their chest. Feeling that their heart was still beating, they relaxed their shoulders. 
Since Celeste had sat down and made his "promise", Malleus had made sure to have guards keep a watchful eye on the half-demon to make sure that everything was still right in the world. His reputation had perceived him well and it looked like his troublemaking ways hadn't gone away. Not entirely. There were rumors that he used to be much worse than before with the potion incident. It involved sending his instructors to the infirmary with some of the students being scarred temporarily. The whispers had continued for a little while until Malleus had determined that the event was finally over. After all, the main event had been done for a little while now. He needed to tend to some matters that his Grandmother left behind.
The rest of the ceremony went without a hitch, thankfully. Sebek and Silver didn't need to do anything other than stand guard- no doubt a large part due to Malleus' rather imposing figure. 
And thus, the next course of action was dinner, or more aptly, a small dinner party to celebrate the arrival of Cyrille and her knight. 
This time, it was Sebek who had to call upon the two, as everyone was already situated in the dinner room, waiting for them. 
He came to the door, and knocked. Once. Twice. Then thrice. 
It took a moment, but then finally Cyrille opened the door- albeit only partly. 
"What is it?"
"We're celebrating your arrival, Princess Cyrille," Sebek replies, "So your attendance is mandatory."
"Tsk," Cyrille glances to the side, "Need I to dress up?"
"That would be best, please."
"...Alright. Just a moment."
Cyrille closed the door, and Sebek could faintly hear the conversation between the two women, followed by a disgruntled groan. A few minutes passed, and finally the two came out from the room. 
Cyrille came out, adorning a plain green dress. It was still in Aiza fashion,  but the green seemed to compliment her much more than the blues of her kingdom. And her eyes even seem to take on a more green hue... 
Rosamund came out dressed all in black, attire befitting more of an assassin than a knight. Otherwise she didn't seem much different from before- though Sebek swore her eyes looked a tad different. Perhaps it was just his imagination..?
Nonetheless, Sebek guided the two into the dinner room, where everyone was at. There were a few chairs empty, notably those right next to Malleus- which meant that the two would have to separate for the time being.
They took their places, and it was all quiet. Until Lilia spoke up. 
"Say, Rosamund was it?"
A nod. 
"How is it that someone from the Soldati family came to be acquainted with the Aiza?"
"Ah," Rosamund glanced at Cyrille, "We both ran away from home."
"Oh?" This piqued Lilia's interest.
Rosamund gave another glance to Cyrille, who only nodded, as if giving her permission to continue. 
"I'm only a few years older than.... Princess Cyrille. We both had run away from home for personal reasons, and ended up in a chance encounter in the Arbol territory, where we were both taken in."
"Is that so? And you remained there?" Lilia questioned. 
"We did," Rosamund admitted, "We only returned to the Aiza domain upon request from Princess Sarai."
That was news. There was only ever one daughter publicly announced. 
"Princess Sarai?" Sebek asked, "I thought there was only one princess?"
It was Cyrille who spoke up, "The Queen didn't approve of me- hence why I left home. She took advantage of my sister's plea for help. If not for her plea, then no one would have been sent."
Cyrille looked at Malleus head on, staring right at his eyes, "So please do forgive me if I act out of place, because I am. I was not raised like royalty for a considerable amount of time, I hope you understand. Rosamund much less so, considering her history with the Soldati family."
"No worries," Lilia spoke again, "It is a great opportunity to get to know the two of you better, is it not?" Lilia glanced around, waiting for a response. 
Just before anyone could reply however, the servants brought out the food, the smell absolutely heavenly- it was a soup from a foreign land, a zuppa toscana. Though, it was clearly just an appetizer, something before the big meal that was yet to come.
When the dinner party was getting started, Celeste had already left to go back to his duties. He surveyed the garden beforehand to make sure that everything was in order before his duties as Chief Inspector would continue. Inspecting the hospital rooms, equipment, the workers and many other things for major discrepancies. Making sure that everything was prepped and set up to properly perform surgeries. 
Once everything had been ready with everything being clean to its fullest, then the doctors and nurses (as well as residents) could begin working on their patients. The workers that had cleaned the equipment themselves were under the careful, scrutinizing eye of Celeste Zima whom they were all scared of. And for good reason.
While the dinner party was getting prepped up, he had watched over everyone in the throne room to make sure that no more people were going to be a nuisance. While the dinner party was getting set up, King Draconia would take his place at the end of the long table. Of course, his brides were to sit on both sides of him which was to be expected. But for now, those seats would be empty. It was then that everyone would become situated at the table with him, sitting in their assigned seats.
Once Sebek had come back out with the two guests (well, not really, but you do get what I mean, right?) of honor. Cyrille had clearly looked disgruntled with this, which had made his heart sink a bit. Did she not already like him? Was there something wrong with him? Did he do something wrong by accepting the application? Had he made a mistake? 
The silence was rather deafening, but luckily, Lilia had broken it once more. Always the conversation starter and always the more extroverted one. He observed the conversation, studying Rosamund's and Cyrille's facial expressions. What did they think of all of this besides the obvious? There was more to it than this after all. 
The more he listened to their story about running away from home, the more he had felt terrible for the both of them. Her mother had thrown away someone who was truly a marvel of a living being. But when he had heard about there being two princesses, his eyebrows shot up. Two princesses? So did the Queen lie to him about Cyrille being the only child in her application? Shortly after he felt Cyrille staring right at him, his expression turned neutral as he turned his head to face her. Understanding the situation much better now, he nodded his head. 
Before he could speak any further, the appetizer had arrived from the kitchen and onto the table.
Rosamund was the first to dig into the soup, as if she was like a starving dog.  She finished long before anyone else could finish their soup- even Cyrille, who was just as famished as the knight. 
"'I take it, you enjoyed the soup?" Sebek asks, only halfway done with his. He truly didn't know what to say, but felt obligated to say something. 
"Hm?" Rosamund looked up, finally setting the spoon down, "Oh, yes. It's pretty good." 
Cyrille only glanced at Rosamund, as if she was disappointed in her. 
"What was your reason for leaving home, Rosamund?" Lilia asks, looking right at her. Perhaps he had picked up the fact that Rosamund wasn't all that she had seen. 
"Oh, I got tired of hiding," Rosamund nonchalantly replies, "I was good at what I did, but what's the point if I can't show it?"
"And what is it that you do, besides being a knight?"
"One, I'm no knight," Rosamund scoffed, "and two, pray that you never have to know."
"...Rose, it's not very hard to say that you were trained in the Soldati family." Cyrille looked at her with a blank expression, as if such conversation was normal. 
"But that takes away from the mystery, doesn't it?"
"Rose." 
"Fine, fine."
Whatever tension there was, it left as quickly as it had come. Despite being older of the two, Rosamund wasn't as serious nor did she try to be- in fact, it seemed to be the opposite.  It was clear that Rosamund intended to lift Cyrille's mood, and it worked. 
"The issue is more complex than that, but," Rosamund leaned back into her chair, "There is no use telling it. It's been more than a decade and half since they had transpired, and I would rather not relive it, if I can help it."
There was another lull in the conversation, allowing everyone to finish up their soup. The servants took note of this, then brought out the next meal. 
Pork chops with rice on the side.
Alex was taken aback a bit when she saw Rosamund eating as if she hadn't ate good food before. What did they feed them at that palace? Or were they not fed at all? They had only ate a little bit of the soup as she was taught to do many centuries ago. After all, there were still many courses to go and she wanted to save enough space for this. How was Lilia able to make conversation with just about everyone that he had met? Goodness knows that they wouldn't have been able to do this as easily. Not even with the skills that they were taught as the daughter of a Countess and a Knight. As for the pork chops, they would only take a few bites of that as well. Better to eat a little bit than to not eat at all. Her stomach wouldn’t have been able to finish all five courses. Not without having some sort of issues with it afterwards. 
Malleus couldn't help but smile at the sight of one of his brides enjoying the cooking made by the servants. There was hope yet that the two of them might get used to living here for now on. But there was something that contradicted the first thought in his mind. What if Cyrille had run away from the castle? What if, what if, what if? Was that all he could think about? Why not let himself dine on the cooking done by the faithful servants?
Cyrille notably ate a small amount of food, eating slowly to enjoy the flavor much longer. Yet, again, Rosamund  finished through the food quickly, as if there was a void in her stomach. It didn't help that there was no more sunlight, otherwise the need for human food wouldn't have been so great. 
Again, it was Lilia who posed another question, "Princess Cyrille, do you intend to stay here?"
Cyrille only stared at Lilia for a moment, pondering what to say. 
"For the meanwhile, yes. Though I do request that I can take a leave soon- or at the very least, send a letter to my guardian in Arbol. He was not made aware of the arrangements, and I would like to let him know that I'm not dead."
"I'm sure Malleus can come up with an agreement," Lilia smiled to Malleus, "What is your guardian's name?"
"Noé," Cyrille responded, "He raised me for a decade. I consider him my father, if anything. I have a brother through him- Isidore. Rosamund is rather fond of him, you see. I think she'd like to return as well."
"Interesting," Lilia replies, "Well, I do wish you luck in regards to that."
"Thank you, sir...?"
"Just call me Lilia, Princess Cyrille."
"Then you should just call me Cyrille. I'm no princess, anyways."
"Alright then, Cyrille."
The tension was still here, but notably had lessened. Perhaps things were working out...?
The tension in the room was quite palpable with Cyrille and her beloved. Again, they had noticed that the General had a tendency to prod and poke at some peoples' personal details. It would make just about anyone uncomfortable to have to witness this. In the end, Lilia was doing something while everyone else was sitting here like ducks. Sitting ducks. However Cyrille had brought up something significant having to do with her circumstances. She had a guardian named Noé and he wasn't notified at all. Good God, he must have been worried to death about her! If she were in her shoes, she would have looked for a way out as well! 
Malleus nodded as Lilia had smiled at him. He was levelheaded enough as a person of his stature in order to agree to Cyrille's terms. They were fair and reasonable. Being stuck in an unfamiliar place and being trapped in an unwanted arrangement would make anyone want to escape the castle. 
The more he heard the conversation and Cyrille divulge details about her situation, the more he understood. "I will allow you to write the letter to your guardian and have us send it to him. In due time, you will be here in the castle, safeguarded by the Royal Knights and the Draconia family." 
So she was not a princess and the Queen had lied to him. While not the main focus of discussion, it should be addressed at some point. The penalty for lying in a state of affairs like this was lethal for anyone due to how much power and influence the Draconia family had in Twisted Wonderland.
Cyrille almost wanted to jump from her chair in glee, but kept her composure. 
"Really?" She says, her mouth nearly twitching into a smile, "Then thank you, Your Majesty. You're far more accommodating than my blood kin."
Rosamund nearly wanted to laugh, but held it in. Despite her carefree nature from earlier, she kept a neutral expression- only possible from her training in the Soldati family. 
A shame she couldn't be allowed to remain in the family. 
The dinner went without much interruption this time- perhaps Lilia was done with his round of questions and was satisfied, but that didn't mean that Silver and Sebek, and perhaps everyone else for that matter, were satisfied. 
But it was clear that Cyrille and Rosamund were done with their conversation, not wishing to expose more of themselves than need be- the rest of the dinner went with an awkward silence. 
At the very least, Cyrille and Rosamund were now a tad more comfortable in this strange and unfamiliar place.
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Wardlow Kinky Smut
Original Charter and Story Idea by: @cuzimacomedian
Warning: 18 years and Over Only Please
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Michale Wardlow was fucking pissed, today had to be one of the worst days he had in a while. That’s why her was at this shit bar drinking overpriced tequila that he was pretty sure was expired. “Fuck it,” he thought as he downed another shot. He was here for two reason. The obvious one was to get drunk. The second was Donna.
Donna was his fuck buddy, and hopefully more if he would stop being such a bitch. She was curvy and thick; just the way he liked it. He didn’t need a size double zero breaking in half under him. Donna was different too. Her hair was dark with purple ends and her makeup was heavy. She dressed in almost all black, ripped jeans, and obscure band shirts. Always pretending she was a stupid bimbo, but that wasn’t who she really was. Donna was smart and passionate about the things she cared about. Plus she rode his dark hard and liked doing things he previously thought was only done in porn. Yes he was obsessed with her. That’s why he knew she was going to walk in that door any minute for an after work shift. He flagged down the bartender ignoring her flirty eyes and asked for 2 shots. By the time they were dropped in front of him Donna was sitting next to him. Before saying hi she takes both shots. They used to spend hours at this bar pretending they weren’t going to go to each other places and rip each other clothes off. Now no words were needed. He throws down a 50 and walks Donna to a cab to get driven back to his place.
She lays out on his king size bed. “How do you want to play tonight,” she bats her eyelashes and makes her voice sound innocent.
Michale grabs her hair and pulls her up before roughly Kissinger her, that is his answer. Donna knows exactly what he wants. She gets on her knees and pushes his pants and underwear down.
She takes his semi hard on and puts the whole thing in her mouth. Donna puts her hands behind her back. She can feel him growing as she works him. As he grows he starts to fuck her face. Her eyes tear up and he his thrust get even harder as her mascara runs down her face. Donna thinks she might have to pull away, but he takes his cock out of her mouth. He smacks her across the face with it before grunting. “Get up. And. Get naked.” Donna does what he says as Wardlow kicks his pants, underwear, socks, and shoes off and than list his shirt over his head. “Play with your pussy.”
She sits on the edge of his bed and spreads her legs. Her one hand pinched and teases her nipples, the other plays with her clit. Michale jerks himself off at the sight. “Who do you belong too?”
For a second Donna thinks she won’t reply, but than she sees the need in his eyes. “You.” He gives her a hard look that makes her gush and ruin his bed cover. “You Sir. I’m your filthy little whore.”
“That’s right. Your my whore and whores like you deserved to be fucked hard.” He watches as Donna starts to fuck her own hand. “I said play with that cunt not fuck it. Get on your hands and knees now.” He climbs behind her, one hand rubs her ass. “Count out loud.” His hand leaves and than comes back spanking Donna.
“One.” He smacks her again. “Two.” He goes back and fourth between each cheek. “Three…Four…Five.” Smack Smack Smack SMACK. “Six…Seven…Eight…Nine…Ten.” Handprints cover her ass. Donna feels herself being flipped over, she watches as Michale spits in her pussy before filling her up. He doesn’t ease in. His thrust are hard and powerful. Her legs wrap around his hips and fingers claw into his shoulders. Wardlows one hand grips her into her waist the other wraps around Donnas neck. He plays with the grip sometimes she doesn’t feel his hand other times she gasping for air in between moans.
“You better fucking cum or your not getting anything.” He thrust into her two more times before his back arches and he cums.
Donna can feel his his hot load and moans when it leaks and runs down into her asshole. That’s when her body starts to shake uncontrollably and she has to squeeze Michael as close to her as possible when she cums.
Wardlow rolls off of Donna and catches his breath before leaving the bedroom. He comes back in with a glass of a water and a wet washcloth.
“Drink Honey.” His voice is deep but holds tenderness. As Donna drinks Michale takes the washcloth. He gently wipes her face and than
In-between her legs. He takes the glass and puts it down on his night stand throws the washcloth on the floor.
He lays back in bed and grabs Donna from behind spooning her. Before they both fall asleep he whispers “thank you” into her ear.
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lovelyaces · 2 years
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Stitches
tasm!peter x med student reader
hi ! so this is my first fic ever... i don't know if i will actually write anything else but i am liking how this scenario i had in my head for weeks worked out. also i definitely went overboard with the word count...
i hope whoever stumble upon this likes it ! 💙
You were racing through the crowded street near the hospital, in fear of being late. Had you ever been late ever ? No. Have you always sprinted your way so that you could respect your 10min-early rule ? Absolutely.
Being a 3rd year medical student was not the most relaxing thing. Your chiefs wouldn’t even notice your tardiness, with you and your fellow classmates being like ants to them, but your own strictness was the bigger issue.
Tonight was your first night shift and you were scared to bits. Everything seems so urgent and life threatening during the night. Plus staying up late wasn’t your thing either, so this evening was not placed under good odds.
However it was also exciting because in a way it’s a responsibility that very few experienced. You felt like a grown up, a shitless scared one, but still a grown up.
After changing into your hospital uniform, delicate blue pants and shirt with your lab coat, and chatting with some of the nurses in the ward, you sat down in front of the computer of the ER. You and a 4th year guy called Max were the students on duty tonight, your role being to assess and interrogate every incoming patient.
So far, you had six patients, stable and waiting for other senior doctors to see them. You might even be lucky with a calm shift, you thought.
As soon as you had said that, as if the gods up there heard your thoughts and wanted to test you, you heard sirens blaring through the distance.
You quickly stood up and grabbed the stethoscope from your desk. Panicking, your mind was racing with every acronyms, every constants, every checklists you could think of. Max seemed weirdly calm and collected, making you even more worried. What the hell were you doing here ? Couldn’t you just have chosen architecture ? How was he so calm ?
In no time you were swamped. A dozen of inpatients arrived, all talking about a bridge collapsing in Brooklyn. An old lady you were examining kept on saying that she was fine when her bleeding skull was telling a different story. She grabbed your forearm and stopped whatever you were doing
“My grandson is on the bridge. I…we were on our way to the movie theatre when the bridge collapsed. The paramedics…they took me away from him. I need you to find him, I need to know if he’s okay”, she pleaded.
“Ma’am i need you to lie down and stand still for me please-”
“You don’t understand, he’s 6, he’s afraid of the dark-”
“I understand and I will get his name and try to look him up on the computer okay ?” You offered while smiling kindly to the old lady. “Now I need you to please look to your right so that I can stitch you up alright ?”
After stitching her up, and checking with Max to see if he had everything under control, you went to the computer and typed Elliot Hartford in the database. Your heart dropped for an instant when the blank screen showed up. You couldn’t tell the old lady that right now. Hopefully he will be brought a bit later in the evening and you will then tell her the good news.
Hours passed and the rush became less frantic. You had a ton of paperwork to do and still four patients to discuss with your superiors. That should keep me up for the next 2-3 hours, you thought.
Feeling in control again, you opted for a small beak out in the fresh air of the night. Putting your jumper on, you stepped outside the ER and relished in the calmness of the place. How could life be so chaotic and noisy, and four hours later, so peaceful and tranquil ?
While looking up at the sky from your bench, you noticed a silhouette in the dark, no scratch that, two silhouettes. It looked like a man holding a child in his arms. Immediately, you sprung up on your feet and walked towards them.
“May I help you ? Are you hurt ?” you said to the bigger man whose figure you couldn’t quite describe in the dark.
“Very kind of you but I am perfectly fine, you see, I am on a mission : to reunite this gentleman with his grandma”, said the man with a soothing voice. He was looking at the child in his arms. Suddenly, you remembered the old lady from earlier :
“Hey little guy, could you tell me your name ? I think I saw your grandma earlier.”
“Elliot” the child answered, still staring at the man.
“Elliot Hartford ?” The child nodded. He didn’t seem to be badly hurt, just a couple of cuts and bruises that would be easy to take care of.
You then looked up to really take the man’s appearance in. Your eyes grew at least three times bigger. In front of you, standing on his two feet, was Spider-Man. The real one with his iconic, yet questionable, spandex suit.
He caught your struck out gaze and decided to properly introduce himself.
“Hi there… I am Spider-Man.” he said putting the child down and offering you his hand.
“Never would have figured.” you answered playfully, yet embarrassed to have been caught staring. You shook his gloved hand while still looking at him.
“Well you know, I really blend in, so that’s on me” he added with a small chuckle.
You quickly inspected him, the med school student in you taking over, and quickly noticed a large cut on his side.
“ You’re hurt.” you stated. “Would you please stay here while I bring Elliot to his grandma ? It will just take two seconds.”
You took Elliot by the hand and lead him inside. Once settled by his grandma’s side, you left him in the good care of Max and rushed outside again, only to be met with an empty parking spot and no Spider-Man to be seen. A rattling sound made you look to your left. Spider-Man had just fallen down after what seemed to be his web fluid stopped working.
“Were you trying to swing away ?” you asked, dumbfounded.
“Would you believe me if I were to say a raccoon just fell ?” he answered embarrassed.
“Not in the least.” you answered flatly. You weren’t upset, a grown man could deny medical care, but you were definitely irritated. It just seemed rude on his part to leave like this even tough you asked him to wait for you.
“Sorry…” he looked at you though his mask and you could hear the sincerity of his words. “I just don’t want you to waste your time on me, I barely have a scratch.”
“You have a cut deeper than the Mariana Trench, you clearly need my help.”
“First of all, aren’t doctors supposed to downsize things to make you believe you are fine ? Second of all, it is not my first rodeo and I can take care of myself perfectly fine. So thank you for your time but I need to leave now.”
And with that he shot his web to the wall, when your brain decided that your next best move was to grab his ankle as he began to swing away.
“Get your cute spandex ass right back here, I will take an oath to protect and treat my patients and you sir, are by every definition of the term a patient of mine.
“Did you just call my ass cute ?” he asked surprised, while making his way back to you.
“I might have but that’s beside the point. Look I get if you’re worried about me revealing your identity or the other patients loosing their mind over the fact that Spider-Man is in the same ER as them. So here’s my offer : you stay here and I will open that door that is used for deliveries, I will treat you in this room so that no one can see you and I still get to fix that ghastly cut of yours. Do we have a deal ?", you were handing you hand for him to shake.
“Are you secretly a business major ?” he asked, and by his tone you were picture him smirking. “Because that’s like a college level you have in negotiating.”
“Always prepare for dealing with butt-headed patients, that’s med school 101.”, you chirped in.
“Alright, how is insulting me going to help your case ?”
“How is refusing free and professional care going to help you heal ?”
“God you like to have the last word don’t you ?” He laughed while shaking his head. “I accept your offer because I sense that otherwise you may track me down everywhere I go.” He took your hand and shook it. The spandex was cold and rough against your own frozen fingers, but the gesture sent sparks through your body.
“Finally !”, you said excitedly. “And by the way, you are grossly overestimating my amount of free time. Stay there and do not even think about running away mister.”
“Yes ma’am.”
Max was busy with what was left of his patients, when you told him you had to leave for a few minutes. You expected him to ask why or question your behaviour but he did nothing of the sort. Great, you thought, guess I won’t need my whole speech after all.
You took a stitching kit and discreetly made your way to the deliveries room. You tried to open the door as quietly as you could. Only problem, it wouldn’t budge. You then tried to put your whole weight on the door and pushed. The door open suddenly, in a loud clacking noise.
“So much for being discreet huh ?”Spider-Man said, looking at you with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Might I remind you not everyone has super strength ? I’massuming you do have super strength right ?”
“Yep.”
“Perfect. Well, welcome to the best room the hospital has to offer.”, you said while walking back to retrieve the stitching kit. “If you could please lie down on this stretcher.”
The boy made his way to lie down when you remembered he was still in his suit.
“Huh actually… I am going to ask you to remove the top half of your suit, if it’s possible and okay with you ? You can leave on the mask and I will look away while you do so.”
You were flustered. You shook your head to try to make the feeling go away. Pull it together Y/N, you don’t know anything about this man, you began reasoning internally, and he is like any another patient…except he isn’t. He is a freaking superhero for heaven’s sake.
“You’re okay over there ?”, you heard the man of the hour say.
“Yeah, sure…I’m fine.”
“You spaced out for a bit. You realised you don’t know how to do a stitch ?” he tried to joke, to lighten up the situation. He succeeded in a way, making you laugh briefly before beginning the real medical work.
“So before I patch you up, I need to ask you questions alright ?”
“Sure, ask away.”
“Alright : name, surname and date of birth.”, you asked while preparing your instruments to stitch him up.
The room stayed silent and you looked up at him to see why he wasn’t answering you. With only his mask and suit pants on, he looked odd, unbelievably cute and definitely hot, but also odd.
“You do realise I can’t answer that right ?”
“Why couldn’t…”, and then it struck you. “Ooooooh, yes ! Sorry, sure… no yes i get it. You obviously can’t reveal your identity. Sorry… force of habit.” You rubbed your hands together out of pure embarrassment.
“No worries. I can answer the age part tho. I am 26.”
“Oh.”
“Disappointed ?”
“No not really, more like surprised. I couldn’t say how old you were, so I wasn’t expecting anything but still surprised.”
“Do I get to ask you questions too ? It seems totally unfair that I am the only one being interrogated. He was talking with his hands, making up for the lack of expressions from him wearing a mask.”
“What did you think I was going to do when I offered to treat you ? Me massaging your shoulders and bringing you Mai-Tais ?” you said laughing. Picturing the scene made you laugh even harder.
“Uhhhh, don’t temp me, that would be amazing. But more seriously, where are we standing on the get-to-know-you part ?”
“Well, you can. Not sure I will answer each time but you can always try.”
“Challenge accepted.”
“Now I really need to ask you the basic questions tho. I can’t start to stitch you up before that.”
After having every information needed, and spraying antiseptic on his wound, you began to numb his cut with your anaesthetic. You were focusing on his cut. It was deep but linear, making it not too difficult to sew.
“Alright, I am going to do the first stitch. You’re okay there ?”
“Yep, totally.”, he was looking at his cut and then made eyes contact with you. You stayed like this for a brief second before quickly looking away.
“Remind me again how did you get this ?” you asked while stitching him.
“It’s nothing really, I was helping with the collapsed bridge thing and I guess I must have scratched myself while going through some broken car window.”
“Yeah, it’s nothing then. A typical Friday night injury.”
“Are you always this sarcastic ?”
“I am. Some even say I might compete with Chandler’s level.”
“Oh wow. That’s a real compliment. Now that I think about it, I didn’t even getyour name earlier.”
“Y/N, Y/N Y/L/N.”
“A pleasure to be stitched up by you Y/N. I might be wrong but you seem a bit young to be a full grown doctor. Which year are you in ?”
“3rd year. It’s nice to know I don’t look old and settled in my ways yet.”
“Hummm, the jury’s still out about settled in your ways.”
“Heyyy take that back, not nice !” you exclaimed in your best faux-hurt voice.
“I’m kidding don’t worry.” he was full on laughing at your child-like pout. “I would never insult someone whose hands are holding needles in my skin.”
“Smart move.”
The room fell silent. You could only hear the sound of both his breathing and yours.
“Earlier you said it wasn’t the first time you were hurt. How do you normally take care of your wounds ?” you asked tentatively.
“I usually manage alone. I learn to stitch them up. It’s not nearly as good as your technique but it’s something.”
“You never had them infected afterwards ?”
“Luckily no. It seems my immune system is off the charts too.”
“Clearly being Spider-Man has its perks. How long have you been in the suit ?”
“Since I was 16. It seems a lifetime ago.”
“Oh wow. Was the hardest part of the job then ?”
“Hummm… I would say the fact that I always have to hide part of my identity. I’m never truly honest with people since I either hide my non superhero side or spider-man.”
You stopped to look at him. Even though you couldn’t see his face, you could sense his sorrow, so you went ahead and placed your hand on his and squeezed it lightly.
“I am sorry.” you offered. It was lame but it was the best you could come up with.
“Don’t be, it’s a choice I made. It was hard at first but you know, I got over it for the most part.”
You finished stitching his wound while replaying the conversation in your head. Was he lonely ? Did he need someone that didn’t care about his other identity ? You interrupted your train of thoughts when he grunted out of pain.
“I’m sorry, did I hurt you ? I’m nearly done.”
“It’s okay.” he answered with a strained voice.
“And… we’re done !” you said, cutting the last thread.
“Beautiful work, a million times better than mine anyway.” he chuckled.
“Thanks, you’ve been a great patient too, hence the nice stitches.”, you smiled.
“ I thought I was a butt-headed patient...”
“That you are, but you are a very still butt-headed one.” you said laughing.
As you collected the rest of your medical equipment, you looked at Spider-Man and said
“Alright, you’re free to go. Try not the stretch your wound too much. After 10 days you should be okay enough to remove your stitches by yourself. I assume you know how to do that.”
“Indeed.”
“It was nice meeting you. Thanks for bringing Elliot in by the way, it was nice-”
“Actually I have a last question to ask you...”
“I am all ears.”
“Would you mind...I mean you can say no for sure but I was wondering...Would you mind giving me your number ? Or your hospital pager number ? Is that a thing ? Just so that I can know if you’re on call or not, you know... if I ever need stitches again. I don’t want to go back to my wobbly ones.”
He was unbelievably cute, flustered and scratching the back of his neck. It was a funny scene to witness : spider-man being all shy and looking at his feet.
“Sure. Odd request but given how talented I am with stitches, can’t say I don’t understand.” You wrote your number on a random piece of paper found in your pocket. You handed it to him.
“There you go. If you ever need help I’m here. And not only stitches. Some say I do a marvellous therapist as well.”
“Multitasking I see... I can’t thank you enough Y/N.”
You were both outside again. The sun was beginning to come up. Looking up to see his masked face, you really wanted to hug him. He did make your night shift more bearable. But you opted for a handshake : “No problem Spider-Man. Now go before the day shift catches me hanging out with NY best defender. I have paperwork to do.”
He laughed one last time before adding “See you around Y/N.” And with that he was off, swinging away from the hospital.
“See you around Spidey.”
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bokutokita · 2 years
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t h e r e g u l a r : ten - me when the
♡ series masterlist
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Between the stress from the group project situation, the fear of failing class and the constant stress from school, the last thing you needed was to clock in and serve college students overpriced coffee until 9pm. But maybe being around your fun coworkers would actually be a bit of a pick-me-up. You walked into the back waving hello to Atsumu as you passed. Once you got there you saw Fukunaga putting on his apron and approaching the computer to clock in.
“Hey bestie,” you say calmly with a strained smile.
“Sup’ dude?” he says with his back facing you. “Are there any updates to the group project situation?” You start tying your apron and slide the hat on to complete the ensemble “Dude… you have no idea.” 
Fukunaga turns around and gives you a mischievous grin “Oh my god, this is gonna be a great shift isn’t it?” You respond with a cackle and a lazy nod, then just before you can add anything Akaashi walks into the backroom.
“Hey guys, sorry for not greeting you earlier, I was catching up with Kita. Just checking what’s been done and what hasn’t,” he sighs and looks down at the clipboard in his hands, you recognize it as the schedule for the day. “So it’s just gonna be the three of us closing tonight, but Atsumu is here until 7:00PM. I’m gonna have him do some closing tasks once we all clock in.” He takes a pause. “Y/N, I’m gonna put you on bar, I’ll take drive-thru. Fukunaga you take the register, can I trust you to behave?”
“No,” he laughs and bites his lip in an ironic fuckboy-esque move. You can’t help but laugh, knowing that behind his silly jokes are genuinely good intentions to cheer you up, even though they may come out as incredibly immature.
Akaashi looks at him completely unamused. “Didn’t think so,” 
“Sorry boss, I’m in a silly goofy mood.” Fukunaga says in a very serious tone, and you can't help but laugh harder.
Akaashi now looks at him with a mix of confusion and disgusted disappointment, shakes his head and sighs. “Yeah, whatever, let’s just… Have a good close tonight guys. Sorry I’m so tired, classes have been hell. But I know I can trust you to not burn down the store at least.”
You and Fukunaga give each other a glance, then turn to look at Akaashi again. “Nevermind. I don’t even know why I said that,” he mutters, annoyed, as he turns around and walks to the floor, leaving you and Fukunaga giggling as you trail behind him.
---
It’s been 3 hours since you clocked in, a pretty relaxing shift so far thankfully. Not too many people had come in, giving Akaashi a chance to work in the back as you and Fukunaga handled yourselves. Currently you’re cleaning around to kill time, well. You *were* pretending to clean while you showed Fukunaga the insane email you had received that morning. 
“This dude got fucking bodied. Owned. L plus-” 
“-plus ratio I know! That professor had no chill, I kinda feel bad for the guy” you interjected. “But he hasn’t reached out to me yet, it’s been… what, six or seven hours since I received that email and the guy has been MIA.” “Bro I would rather be put into an Amazon box and shipped to Antartica than ever show my face on campus again after that email!” Fukunaga responded with a laugh. “I know he’s an asshole, he’s been an asshole, but if I’m being 100% honest I think he doesn’t deserve this. I don’t think anyone deserves this actually” he finished with a scoff.
You look down at your hands.“... He was a real asshole” You turn around to start cleaning, for real this time,  “Yes, I do feel kind of bad for him, but… He didn’t even give me a chance to explain myself and my situation with this class, and before you even say anything- I know I sound like a broken record, I know I’m not the best student in terms of lecture-based classes… But I really would’ve tried for this project, I just wish I could tell him that, I guess”
Fukunaga got quiet for a second and whispered “Shit dude, you might get to do that sooner than you think.” He tapped you on the shoulder and pointed at the register, and the sight made your stomach turn.
“Y/N, could I please speak to you.”
♡ a/n: two posts?! in one night?! both with written parts?! ig you could say i love spoiling my readers mwah mwah mwah
♡ a/n: this is very exciting!!! i promise I will make the next few chapters more screenshot heavy :3
♡ a/n: ALSO AAAHHHH CLIFFHANGER!!!! i believe next chapter is gonna have a big (if not fully be a) written part so strap on your seatbelts bc these two are finally gonna talk, YAY
♡tag list♡ IF YOU ARE ON BOLD I CAN'T TAG YOU:
@missalienqueen @silverkoushi @ysatrap @sana-li @lightyagamami @cvlliesstuff @acatstalkingyou @winunk @mirikusashes @vincentvangoose @kookie-doughs @polaris-song @thechaosoflonging @goopycookie @celestair @gabixiio @levylovegood @mariyeahh-reblogs @aspenss @a-little-pebbl @yutaeminnie @eitelle @trashy-simp @3pk1s @minawants @bimboing
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harpyhottie · 2 years
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Horror Connoisseur // Eddie Munson Fic
Uh so myself, like many others, have an Eddie Munson hyperfixation because I cannot consume media in a normal manner. So enjoy ig.
Eddie Munson x femreader
Word count: 3k
1/?
Summary: Your friends went off to college after graduating, leaving you behind in Hawkins to work a lame job while still living at your parents house. Your mom didn't let you borrow the car for your shift so you're dreading the walk home until your last customer offers you a ride home.
Warnings: profanity
You tapped your fingers against the counter at your job. As a graduate, it was decided that you had to start pulling your own weight if you weren’t planning on leaving for college anytime soon. Your graduation party was weird, you could only fake smile and agree so many times when your aunts, uncles, neighbors, and parents’ friends told you that it wasn’t too late to send in an application for the semester. So you were in that weird existence of having the freedom of the world yet were still living with your parents. Even though you were an adult, you were still at the mercy of whether your mom decided to let you borrow the car or not. Unfortunately for you tonight, she chose no, and you were dropped off for your six hour shift at Family Video, where neither Robin nor Steve were scheduled. To make matters worse, there was no ride back home as your younger sibling had a basketball game. You got out of work at 9, but this was basically light-years away. Rolling your eyes, your current task was to reorganize the returned tapes pile. What a nightmare.
Hours passed as you begrudgingly put movies in alphabetical order on the shelves, something that didn’t need to be done but boredom drove you to desperate measures. It was unusually slow this shift and you glanced at the clock. 8:26 pm. Freedom was so close. The handful of customers today were just the usual suspects: kids with too much time on their hands, young couples who couldn’t decide on a movie, and parents that were looking to distract their children during sleepovers. While you were excited for the shift to be over, there was still one problem that was on your mind; you still had to walk home. While this wasn’t a particularly difficult task, it was a particularly cold day. Plus the sun had gone down hours ago and the sky was lonely without its moon. You’d have to walk close to the streetlights for safety. You were regretting playing Nightmare on Elm Street on the store T.V. 
Deciding to be brave, you just sighed and accepted your fate. So what if you were murdered? It’s not like anything else was going on. Your inner monologue was interrupted by the booming of a shitty car speaker. The headlights of the vehicle shined through the front door and you were too wrapped up in your thoughts to even look up as the bell door jingled. Feeling weird that you were just idly standing by, you decided to make it look like you were doing something productive. You planted yourself by a shelf and pretended to work, counting down the seconds that the customer would leave and you could stare at the wall again. But out of the corner of your eye you spied on the man standing in the horror section. His face was concentrated as he thumbed through numerous titles. Your eyes lingered on his rings, then his curled hair, then the familiar vest that he wore. You knew him! Eddie Munson! You had a class with him, 3rd period science, you sat in front of him. Were even paired with him for a project that you ended up doing 70% of the work for. But he was funny, you remember, super funny. And his smile was genuine. But then he heard he wasn’t walking at graduation yet again and he stopped showing up in the last month of the semester, which was a shame because you didn’t see him at any other point at school. 
Just then, the music blared on the T.V. as Krueger showed his ugly face yet again in a jumpscare. Startled, you jumped and wiped out the romantic comedy section while yelling.
“Fuck!”
Oh nice going you moron. Immediately you were flustered for acting like such a spaz. 
“Uh, you need help?”
“No, no, it’s all good.”
“Dude. There’s, like, a shit ton of movies on the floor.”
Your face was red with embarrassment. Usually you were able to skate by for shifts but you were jumpy for some reason. Your body was nervous for something that your brain had not yet recognized. He set some tapes on the counter as he came to the rescue. It was always so awkward to see a classmate out of school, especially one you weren’t friends with. Should you say hi? Should you ignore the fact that you know them and delete them from your memory, effectively acting like they never existed? The second was your go-to and you were going to just nod in acknowledgement as he helped you then go in the back room to scream silently. But he was not going to let you do that.
“Hey, I know you,” he said with a grin while pointing at you. “Yeah, yeah, Science! With that dipshit Mr. O’Connell. Damn I do not miss that school. But am I right? I’m right.”
You nodded. Why was he deviating from your personal script! You already planned out what the interaction would be! He’d silently help you, you’d ring him up and then you would prepare to fight for your life walking in the dark, most certainly screaming and crying the entire run home. He stared at you for a moment.
“I never forget a face, but I kinda do forget names, what was yours again?”
You told him and he then nodded and slapped his forehead.
“Damn, I was close! Didn’t mean to erase ya from my head. Think all the pot is finally rotting my brain,” he said as he pantomimed blood oozing from his ears as you giggled. You finished cleaning the tapes and took your place behind the counter to check him out, both literally and figuratively. He was taller than you remembered and his rings clacked against the counter as he rested his hand, the other subtly fixing his hair. His sleeves were rolled up to expose the tattoos on his forearm. Hot, you thought.
“So, you a connoisseur of horror as well?”
You scanned his stack of movies. The Shining, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Thing. Yep, he was definitely a connoisseur of horror. You shrugged and waved your hand in a manner that said ‘kinda.’ 
“So what’s your favorite flick then?” 
He folded his arms and leaned towards the counter, both elbows touching the surface. He waited for your answer, a slight smile forming. Honestly, he was making you more nervous than any horror movie ever could. 
“I don’t have one.”
“You don’t have one?! Lies. Everyone has one or they’re lying.” He rolled his eyes as you scoffed. 
“I’ll get an answer out of you one day,” he said, swiping up his tapes and heading towards the door. “Holy shit, it’s cold. Might be a blizzard coming up.”
Your heart dropped. Great. 
“That sucks! I have to walk home in this shit.”
He went to leave then stopped and turned around with a confused look on his face.
“Wait what? Walk? Out there?”
You nodded and told him about not having the car today but waved it off as being totally fine.
“Dude! It’s cold as hell out there. Or, uh, hell isn’t really that cold but you know what I’m saying. You’d have to be stoned to think you wouldn’t die of hypothermia or something.”
You told him you brought a jacket and gloves.
“Pshh. No way am I letting a former classmate of mine walk home. I’ll drive you.”
You froze. In all your years of life a boy had never offered to drive you home. This was earth-shattering. This was jaw-dropping. Your parents would die twice if they saw the guy, the accused satanist slash high school dropout roll up to your house with the music blaring and you jumping out of the passenger seat. Not only that, but just the thought of riding with this guy was making you sweat standing in the ice cold store. It was a scenario that not even the fates could have foreseen. But, you were game. Just half an hour you accepted that you might die on your walk home. If you were going to die, you would almost certainly want your last moments spent in the arms of Eddie, the freak of Hawkins.
“But I still have 20 minutes left of my shift.”
“Cool, that’s a 20 minute smoke break. I’ll be outside,” he said as he exited the store. For a couple of minutes you were expecting him to drive off. He’d laugh to himself as he pranked you, remembering the hopeful look on your face as you accepted his offer. But he didn’t. He just…stayed there. You saw him through the frosted doors take a cigarette out of his pocket and saw the glow of the flame from the lighter. Then you began to panic.
Fuck! Fuck! You were going to get a ride from a guy and you weren’t even sure how to act. Your social battery was pretty much shot. He’d have to lead the conversation. What would he even talk about? Oh god, what if he talked about some girl and you had to just sit and listen. Oh god, what if he asked if you had a boyfriend. Now you were circling around the back room, head in your hands until you stopped for a moment. Let’s calm down. Boyfriend? Girlfriend? Chill dude, you just talked to him for 5 minutes and you’re sure he’s in love with you? Delusional. Let's be rational. He’s just a guy, innocently offering a ride. A ride to you, a girl, who has never had a boyfriend or even a boy interested in you and you’re going to be alone in a car with him in the dark and okay now you’re panicking again. Chill.
Your internal meltdown actually ate up a bit of time. The clock read 8:51 pm and you decided that the store could survive being closed a couple minutes early, especially after your manager complained that the foot traffic stopped after the sun went down. You finished up the housekeeping and switched off Elm Street with a middle finger. Fuck you Freddy. You went to your locker to retrieve your things and eyed yourself in the mirror next to the bulletin board where Robin and Steve had requested the day off. You fluffed your hair a little. The stupid hairspray you decided to gamble on was a total waste of $8. Quickly, you put a bit of gloss on your mouth but not too much because what if he wondered why your lips were randomly shiny. For extra measure you put another piece of gum in your mouth to extra smell like spearmint. Actually it was kind of overpowering but nevermind that, just put on your coat and stop staring at yourself in the mirror before he really does leave. 
Locking the door to the store, you turned around to find the guy giving you a ride, even preparing a funny little quip to say to him. But he wasn’t there. His car wasn’t on either. You felt a little spooked. 
“Eddie?” You said cautiously. The only explanation was that he was kidnapped by someone while waiting for you. You weren’t built for that kind of guilt upon your shoulders. As you walked around his van, he jumped out and screamed. You screamed as well and hit him with your bag as he braced against his car while laughing.
“Oh that was, you should have seen, oh wow.” 
You put your hands on your hips and stared at him expectantly. 
“Oh okay fine, I’m sorry. Except I’m not.” 
“With an apology that sincere, I have no choice but to accept.” 
He opened the van door and motioned you inwards. Then he climbed into the driver's seat and scrambled to pick up the trash, a bit embarrassed. Fast food bags, candy wrappers, cans, even a hot dog laid bare on the floor.
“Sorry, uh, that’s my emergency hot dog for uh, when I get too hungry,” he said before flinging it into the parking lot. 
“But your emergency hot dog?!” you yelled as it rolled numerous times.
“It’s okay, I know where it is, one of many excuses to come back here.”
You weren’t sure if that was a hint or something but it made you quiet and stare straight ahead. You’re. In. His. CAR. Stay calm, cool, and collected.
“So what kind of tunes are you thinking? I’ve got many moods. Like angry, angry, and angry.”
“Hmm. I like angry, but angry is really calling my name.” He chuckled at your response.
“So it does, so it does.”
A bit of the ride was driven in silence while the music played. You could tell he’d glance over at you but you didn’t dare return it. His confidence was so alluring and the way he was looking at you felt so not platonic. You heard odd things about him but you were also thinking odd things about him that you felt if you pondered on for more than a couple of moments he’d somehow read your mind. 
“So why are you so nervous? Is it me? I mean I get it.” He continued to drive at an obscene speed and when you told him your address earlier, he assured you that he knew where it was. But 3 missed turns said otherwise and you didn’t really feel like correcting him. 
“Like, the hell are you supposed to do when the town pariah offers you a ride? It’s gotta be weird. I wasn’t thinking you’d accept. Usually girls try not to talk to me, which, understandable. I’m utterly insufferable.” You both laughed as he finished speaking. You debated diving into your personal life but it felt comfortable enough to say.
“My friends actually stopped talking to me after graduation. They’re all moved into university. No post cards, no calls. They’re all busy. So it’s nice to be talked to, even by the town pariah.” You decided to be a little more bold. 
“And girls run from you? Why? You’re like,” you fumbled the delivery a bit but tried again.“You’re totally good looking and funny! So what if you’re considered a weirdo. It’s even lamer to conform. You have your own style.”
He stayed silent for a bit, trying to think about what to say. Maybe you were a bit too bold.
“Wow. You totally want me!”
“No that’s not what I said!” you said laughing while burying your face into your hands. You kinda walked yourself into that.
“No you definitely want to ride the Eddie rollercoaster, well get in line baby. The park closes at 10 pm.” You rolled your eyes as he rambled on. You slapped him on the shoulder and he rolled down his window as he drove slowly through a neighborhood.
“I’m a wanted man,” he sang mockingly to the houses as you shook your head. A porch light came on.
“Oh hell,” he said as he sped out of the area, an old man opening his front door and shaking his fist towards disrespectful youth. Eddie turned up the music so loud that it blared, effectively disrupting the rest of the neighborhood and sang along. You looked at him with your ears covered and screamed along with him. 
After a bit of driving around, you checked your watch, noticing that it was nearly 10:30. Your parents definitely thought you were dead. 
“Not to spoil the fun but I’ve gotta get home or else my mom is gonna freak.”
“You break my heart, it’s shattered into a million pieces.”
“Yeah yeah. By the way, you passed my street so many times. You said you knew where I lived!”
“Oh I do, maybe I just wanted to have a conversation, I’m lonely you know.”
“So your solution was to kidnap me? That’ll hold up in court.”
“Maybe don’t get in the car with a stranger.”
“We’re not strangers!”
“Oh right, I forgot that you’re madly in love with me.” 
You groaned in exasperation. You were out of clever retorts, he drained you of all of them. He turned the music way down as if he were anticipating you to yell at him to do so. The van creaked slowly towards your house and he put it in park. You looked at your house, confused by the lack of lights on. You were expecting your dad to fly out and berate you then take one look at Eddie and berate him too. But there was none of that, and then you remembered that they would be staying out of town with your sibling since the basketball game was actually a tournament. Which meant that you could stay out with Eddie. Or if you really wished, he could come inside. But you had enough of feeling nervous for one night and could use a breather. Beside you, the seat shifted as he put his arm on the back of your seat. He subtly checked you out while he thought you wouldn’t notice.
“No really, I’d love to sit in your driveway all night while you stare silently at your house. Not creepy at all.” 
You shot him a dirty look as you opened the door and were shocked that your legs felt like jelly and hoped he didn’t notice. You cleared your throat and thanked him for the ride home and he waved his arm as if to say it was no problem. 
“Honestly, it was the... coolest night I’ve had in a while. My friends don’t really talk to me much either; the whole dropout thing doesn’t mix well with college students but whatever. I got all these movies to keep me company. Better yet, call me if you want to be lonely together. Oh and don't think that you're getting out of the horror movie question.”
You closed the passenger door and waved goodbye to him. He scrawled a phone number onto a wrapper and passed it to you. A part of you wanted to fake crumple it up in front of him but you didn’t. You smirked as you walked down the path to your house and unlocked your door, safe and sound. Taking a big sigh, you flopped onto your living room couch face down. You smiled again because you realized that you had a reason to talk to him again. The both of you were so enthralled in conversation that you never rang him up for the tapes and he left without paying. So much for the store inventory tomorrow, you had the day off anyways.
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coffeewithcalypso · 2 years
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Took this week off work because I just needed a break. Kind of cheated myself on doing it on a four day work week but whatever. Plan is to try to balance relaxing with projects that need to be done.
Yesterday was kind of a bust?
- I went to the Restore place to try to find a closet rod and a screen door but they didn't have either which is always the gamble I guess
- Went to Lowe's which feels like I didn't do anything because it was just a pick up order but did technically get everything I needed
- FIXED MY FRIDGE! I'm very excited about that one. The tubing for the water dispenser has been busted for months. I fixed it in like ten minutes thanks to a YouTube video I found. Love having cold water again
- On the relaxing side I slept in, gave myself an hour in the morning to read and do a tarot pull and enjoy my coffee, and had a massage and saw a friend in the evening. And technically got everything on that day's list done some of it just didn't pan out. And my garter belts came in and they're gorgeous*
Today is not going as well though. It was supposed to be outside which would mean getting up early to beat the heat but it was supposed to rain by 11AM. Which is right now and it's not raining. Still I shifted my days so today is an inside cleaning day but again it's 11 and I haven't started. I have read and relaxed and enjoyed my coffee and I swear I'm getting up after this. Hoping to
- get all the damn clothes off my bedroom floor
- Actually scrub and clean the master bathroom
- Finish organizing my vanity
- Rearrange the furniture and hang a few things in my bedroom so that room is finally fully finished
- Possibly move onto other rooms after
I'm meeting up with some friends for wine around six. Plan is to treat myself to sushi delivery after and resume cleaning tonight.
Then outside stuff Thursday.
- Need to test some outside outlets
- Replace some string lights
- Stain a fence
- Clean out a gutter with a plant growing in it
- Replace some floos lights except I didn't buy the bulbs so that won't happen probably
- Repot some plants
- That night go get some ear piercings with a sister and watch Dune with her
And finish cleaning stuff Friday hopefully
- Namely a deep clean of the other rooms
- Install the closet rod I ordered that should be here by then
Having a house is hard my dudes
*love the garter belts do not love that they have that "fat girl look" on me. You know the one, just a smidge too tight, clearly pulling the tummy down in the front, clearly not sitting flat. The look every plus size "we're so inclusive" ad has. It feels like it's a specific look but maybe that's just me. I would love for once in my life to have a body that actually reflecting my eating habits
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goodygetgoing · 13 days
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14.03.2024
Mind Shift
My mind has been overwhelmed with tasks, unmundane things, events, etc. for the last few weeks. I'm poof. Burnt-out. Unorganized. Plus, I found out I'm allergic to Brazilian nuts (so good, BTW). I'm not deathly allergic, but I had bumps all over my body and itching everywhere. I kept eating it for a week too 😪. Besides the point, my skin is really paying for it even now (it's been three weeks).
This evening, I climbed on my desktop and realized I missed a mouse and a keyboard. I looked at my Google calendar and realized I hadn't done time blocking in a while. I had been writing it down before on paper, but it isn't as accessible as it is on the internet. So, I decided to update my calendar. Here's how I organized it.
I made six main calendars:
1. Daily Duty (morning routine, drop-offs, pick-ups, cooking time, home chores, and everyone's schedule on my time)
2. Shift Work (times I work, and pay days)
3. Me Time (gym, facial massage, reading)
4. Appointments/Payments (everyone's appointments, payments for house, car, etc.)
5. Family Time (birthdays, events, dinner dates, etc,)
6. Creative Work (social media related)
After putting all the information, I noticed that I can squeeze time for writing, or for gym, or even for a light walk. Reading can be done at night before bed. Even drinking my 2-3L of water goal can be done. With that realization, I do have time for things that are irrelevant to others but are important to me. The small stuff matters to me. Speaking of small stuff, sleep is very important, and that task is hard to do. So, my main task right now and every night is sleep. Cheers to six hours of sleep tonight. Hopefully. Good night!
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eruanna1875 · 4 months
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The Lost Boys (Guidesman, C1)
Chapter Six: Burdens to Bear
C1 on Tumblr: First - Previous - On to C2
~~*~~
Night had long fallen by the time they stood back from their work. Boards were nailed. Hinges were fastened. The door was mended and set in place, and not the smallest mouse would slip over its threshold now. The only light remaining came from the stars and the lantern. The moon was hidden behind the trees.
“There,” exhaled Wirt, wiping his brow. Despite his breathlessness, he seemed to smile a little, as if in satisfaction. “Finished.”
“Yep!” Greg grinned, his frog under his arm. “You guys finished fixing the door, and Birdie and me finished getting up our candy trail. See?” And he held out a handful of little sweets, about seven or eight of them all together.
“Th-that’s great, Greg.”
“Indeed,” the Woodsman nodded. He looked the door over. Then he looked his two workers over. “You both have well-earned your rest this night.”
“But I don’t wanna rest!” protested Greg as he stuffed his candy in his pockets. “We’ve gotta get going!”
“Wh—go? What do you mean, go?”
The Woodsman gave Greg an odd look. “The hour is late, little one. Have you no wish to sleep? To rest until the morn?”
“Well, I’m not tired! Neither is Birdie! Besides, Wirt wants to get home to see Sara the Bee!”
Wirt scowled as suddenly as a gasp, clapping a hand over his brother’s mouth. The red in his cheeks showed up clearly in the lantern-light. “Now’s not the time to talk about Sara the Bee, Greg!” he hissed.
An even more curious look crossed the Woodsman’s face. But he made no remark. A man has a right to his own secrets, he decided silently, granting him this privacy, even as young a man as this. Sometimes. Amusement sparked in his eye. And I think there’s no malice in this particular sort of bee.
“Well, boy,” he said aloud, “your brother seems willing and ready to set forth now. What of you? Do you wish to wait the night?”
Wirt huffed, still flushed, then looked up with some consternation. A moment’s meeting of gaze. Then his colour began to fade back to normal, and, as his eyes dropped again, his thought turned speech.
“Well… well, weirdly enough, I’m not really that tired either. A-and we do wanna get home as soon as possible!” His head cocked. “Plus, if we get going now, it’ll be easier to get out of range of that wereling, if it comes back.”
“And he won’t be able to follow our candy trail again!”
The Woodsman studied them, uncertain. “The night is dark.”
“And you’re shiny,” declared Greg, patting the lantern, “cause you’ve got your light!”
The Woodsman jerked the lantern away quickly. Then, he glanced back. He found Greg blinking, and Wirt staring, at his sudden reaction. Perhaps he’d acted too quickly. “I… do indeed,” he muttered, a bit self-conscious, as he lowered the lantern again.
But he still had courses to take, or not take. Deliberating, he turned the lantern toward his own face, gazing into its light. It would illumine their path. And with his axe, they need not dread any creature they might encounter. Still, a journey through the night would take precious time that he would have used to grind more oil—and that, he needed desperately.
His eyes looked from the dear light to the two brothers standing before him.
No. I will not let them remain lost a minute longer than can be helped. This must be my burden to bear.
“Very well,” he sighed, “if you are both decided—”
“Yes!”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“—then we will go tonight.” He began picking up the few remaining boards as Greg celebrated. He gestured Wirt toward the toolbox, and heard him shuffle over. “The two of you will stay in the main room and rest while I fetch a few things from the mill.”
When he rose, the Woodsman found the boys waiting for him. He started for the door, but paused. Turned. Fixed a firm eye on them.
“I want you both to be sitting there when I return.”
“Y-yes, sir,” said Wirt, the toolbox shifting in his grip.
“I’m not sure if Birdie knows how to sit, but I can teach him!” And his frog croaked agreeably. Then Greg reached up and turned the knob.
With a nod, the Woodsman followed the lad inside, with Wirt coming on behind. The door did not creak as they closed it.
~*~
“Wait, so where is it we’re going, exactly?”
The glow of the lantern passed through the trees, throwing shadows on everything.
“There’s a town north of here. We should reach it by morn tomorrow. Until then, you must keep your eyes sharp, young man.”
“What? Why me? Why not both of us?”
Small creatures rustled in the branches, and red eyes peered out.
“You are the elder child. You are the protector, and of you both, it is you who must guard against the Unknown, and keep watch for the Beast. It is your burden to bear.”
“Uhh… r-right, yeah… got it.”
The eyes fled away. Others took their place.
“Do I get a burden?”
One set of footsteps faltered, as if a pang had struck the walker’s heart. “You, little one?”
“Yeah, if you and Wirt get burdens, I wanna have one too!”
A little silence. Then an old man’s voice was gentle in the dark of the night. “You look after that frog. Give him a proper name. That is all the burden I hope you need ever bear.”
“Okay!”
In the broken black, two lost boys talked of frogs and names and renamings and all confusion. Their guide talked of nothing. But he listened to everything. They four stole like specters down the darkened path, and the half-moon above watched the lantern closely as it passed through the Unknown.
~~*~~
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ahnsael · 9 months
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I think the status of my job just took a turn in my direction. The other graveyard manager put in his two-week notice yesterday, then called in sick last night. Even if he really was sick and finishes out his two weeks, we’re already down another manager who is taking some time off. We are desperate. So I doubt they fire the guy who has covered graveyard for seven years when most other graveyard managers last less than six months (we re-hired one that lasted two weeks, and the second time he was with us I was an hour into my shift when I realized I hadn’t seen him since  minutes into the shift -- he won’t be rehired again).
I’m not sad about losing the other manager. Not only is it a good thing for my continued employment, but he is kind of a jerk.
What I am sad about is losing one of my coworkers to another shift. But inall honesty, it’s best for both her and the casino. For the first time ever, Graveyard is the most highly staffed of any shift.. There are nights when there are five of us, and we’re relieving swing shift which has a bartender and a manager, and that’s it. That shift needs her more than I do. Plus, she has really struggled with graveyard hours. Her body just couldn’t really adjust to the schedule.
But I will miss working with her. She is scheduled off tonight for her transition to swing, and I’m trying to change that. I am supposed to take her to the DMV in the morning and was planning on going to the DMV from work. If she is not there, I have to drive out to California to pick her up and then backtrack to the DMV, which would add about 30 miles to my morning driving. I’ve been giving her rides to/from work since her car was first damaged, then finally fixed, only for her to have her plates pulled due to expired registration.
She has told me to pick her up tonight whether she is allowed to work or not. If not, she will just hang out in the casino for eight hours. I will tell the bartender not to serve her any alcohol (I don’t want her going to the DMV drunk), and we may have a farewell breakfast with her, me, and our grave bartender. So I may or may not have had her on my shift for the last time. I’ll still see her for 30 to 45 minutes on days she works and I come in for graveyard, but I’m gonna miss the fun we had joking around.
She scared the HECK out of me twice by sneaking up on me and just waiting for me to turn around to see her right in my face. I told her I WOULD get her back. I failed EVERY SINGLE TIME. Until this morning, and I wasn’t even trying to do it. I had accepted defeat. We decided to have one last after-shifter drink together (since even if she works tonight, no drinks before DMV). But we had one this morning. And she was just sitting there and while we were talking and having a good time, I could see she wanted to gamble a little. So I broke a $20 bill and then came back and walked up to her machine on her right (I had been sitting on her left) and put $5 into her machine. It freaked her out. She was expecting me to come back on the same side. All of a sudden she has this arm in her eyesight putting money into her machine. I GOT HER BACK AND WASN’T EVEN TRYING! It was a proud moment for me. I didn’t need to get her back twice since she got me twice, just once was enough.
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postjentacular · 1 year
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Day 2 of @kinkuary 2023: Gloryhole
No Guts, No Glory Chapters: 1/1 (963 words) Fandom: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Percy Weasley Characters: Draco Malfoy, Percy Weasley Additional Tags: Glory Hole, Blow Jobs, Infidelity, Draco Malfoy is a Little Shit, Kinkuary 2023 Series: Part 2 of Kinkuary 2023
Summary: There is, if rumours are to be believed, a cubicle in the men's on the fourth floor of The Ministry where, at a certain time on a certain day, one can get their cock sucked – no questions asked.
Read on AO3 or below the cut.
There is, if rumours are to be believed, a cubicle in the men's on the fourth floor of The Ministry where, at a certain time on a certain day, one can get their cock sucked – no questions asked. It's Wednesday night, seven hours into a twelve hour overnight shift and I'm on my knees with my nose squashed against a chipboard wall and struggling to even wrap my tongue around the head because he's not sticking it through far enough – so it's safe to say that the rumours are completely and utterly true.
This guy isn't a regular; my regulars have the basic courtesy to get themselves nice and close for my mouth. Regulars, ha! A good nine times out of ten it's just the one, the same cock that appears through the hole. I'm not complaining, said cock is relatively good: decent size, not overly girthy, always clean, and he chokes back the most delicious moan when I swallow him to the root and bury my nose in his ginger pubes.
Yeah, ginger.
And no, not that one. Granger has a mean right hook which I have no intention of experiencing again. The one from Magical Transportation. Every Wednesday night for the past six months he’s turned up at my hole like clockwork, but tonight it’s gone two am and he’s not shown. He is in, I saw him skulking around the coffee machine earlier, sniffing the swill as if he’s too good for it; plus, my cock-sucking skills are certainly more than enough to keep anyone interested, so where the fuck is he? I'm tempted to go find him and ask.
Fuck it’s not like I have anything, anyone, better to do. Sometimes you've just gotta Gryffindor-up and go get what you want, and here's the thing: he knows it's me and thinks he's clever enough to keep his own identity hidden. He doesn't know that I know he knows. Former Head Boy Weasley might have got the family smarts, but discreet he is not – although neither is he smart enough to have planned what to do should I turn up at his office door. 
“Running late?” I ask from the threshold of his office. He stammers and turns a bright red. Told you he lacked discretion. “Only,” I continue, “I thought we had a meeting?” I swipe my thumb across my bottom lip and watch him hungrily track it. He’s still just sitting there, gaping like a grindylow. “My mistake,” I wave him off and turn around. I get about two half steps before he calls me back with a hissed ‘Malfoy’.
I turn back and give him a convivial smile.
“Maybe we could, could have the mee- meeting now? Here?”
I’m a depraved shitbag who gets his kicks from anonymous blowies at work, but even I draw the line sucking him off while his wife and kids wave cheerily from the framed photos on his desk. I shake my head, “You want a meeting, you know where I’ll be.”
Ten minutes later I’m back on my knees, waiting, and I hear the door swing open. It’s quickly followed by the slide of the lock in the cubicle next to me and the whoosh-thunk of trousers and belt hitting the tiled floor. The cock I've been waiting for slides through the hole, more than half hard.
Usually I’m on it in seconds, there’s no need for foreplay, a swipe of my tongue across the head and then I swallow it down; we both know what we’re here for so why pussyfoot around? Not tonight, though. Tonight I leave it sitting there, sticking out from the wall untouched until it's raised to full mast. After about a minute and a half he gives it a jiggle, a little wave for attention. Thirty seconds later he clears his throat. All-in-all he lasts no more than three minutes before he starts to pull it out. I halt him with a tsk. It takes another tsk for him to put it back where it belongs. I make him wait a minute more before I swipe my thumb through the bubble of pre-come on the head. He tries to thrust into it but I pull back silently. Once he stills I run my thumb over the same spot and this time he doesn’t move. I reward him with a peck on the shaft.
He gives a little groan and then swallows the noise; he gets another peck, this time just because. Then I wrap my lips around my teeth, hollow my cheeks and just go for it. 
There's a fine line between function, finesse, and ferocity and I weave between them like a fucking queen. Nobody leaves Draco Malfoy's hole less than utterly fulfilled – no matter how much of a prick they've been. He likes it fast, I like to be fucked in the face, what else do we need? Sure, the shitbag part of me wants to pull off, leave him spurting into thin air, or better, with a well deserved case of blue balls; but what can I say, I'm greedy and I never say no to what I want. And what I want is to choke on it. I push down till he's buried in my throat and hold myself there nostril-deep in his pubes unable to breath as he empties himself with a muffled groan. When I pull off I don't let him leave, not until I've lavved every last inch clean. 
His soft cock disappears back through the hole it came from and I hear him tucking himself away, zipping his fly, tightening his belt. “I expect you on time next week,” I warn hoarsely, although I know there’s no need. He’ll be there, and he’ll never be late again.
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spencersawkward · 3 years
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*concussions and confessions//spencer reid*
summary: a near-death experience encourages Spencer to admit his feelings for his best friend, even at the risk of ruining their relationship.
pairing: Fem!Reader/Spencer
content warnings: oh boy there’s a lot. i’ll start with the nonsexual ones-- choking (again, not sexual), blunt force, violence, some angst. ok time for the fun ones-- unprotected penetrative sex, masturbation, sex dream, oral (male receiving), slight dirty talk, creampie. lmk if there are more that i missed! 
word count: 5.4k
A/N: hi omg so i actually combined two requests for this bc i loved the concepts and i didn't wanna do one and not the other. i hope i do both of these justice hehe thanks for sending them! also sorry if the unsub scene sucks-- i don’t usually write that way, so i tried my best. 
request(s): omg if you need ideas for baby spence can you do a one shot where he's the girls best friend (she's not in the bau) and they are in love but neither of them admit it and he is really hurt in a case or almost dies or something traumatic and only when he gets back they confess their love... and then have sex 😏 ive been thinking about this concept alot 😌
can’t stop thinking about baby spencer (like s2-s4) & his girl best friend losing their virginity to each other... can you write a one shot on this please?
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"when are you coming back?" you ask over the line. you're lying on your bed, legs in the air while you talk to your best friend. it's been a long day for you, but a longer day for him. it's always a longer day for him. 
"you know that I don't know the answer to that question." Spencer's voice is soft as he attempts to keep quiet. he's two hours ahead and, despite the fact that you're both night owls, the person he's rooming with tonight isn't. 
"I know, but there's this Korean film festival that starts tomorrow and I was hoping you would be here to translate for me." you examine your nails while you talk. Spencer lets out a disappointed sigh. 
it's only been a few days since he left, but it's been a week since you last saw him and it feels like a long time. whenever he's not at work, you two are joined at the hip. ever since you first met a few years back at a poetry convention in DC, it feels like he's the only person who understands you. which is weird, because you couldn't be more different as individuals. 
"you should bring one of your other friends." 
"bold of you to assume I have other friends." you joke. Spencer chuckles to himself and your heart flutters. you love his laugh more than anything in the world. 
"I thought that was just me." he says. 
"oh, it is just you," you reply flatly. "I was trying to make you feel better."
you can practically feel Spencer smiling through the phone. although you tease him pretty frequently, he's sometimes able to get in his own shots. it's what makes your friendship interesting.
"hey," you add before he can say anything more. "how's the case going?" 
Spence starts to detail the whole thing, and you listen intently, the timbre and smoothness of his voice comforting you as you slip beneath the covers of your bed. you like the way he enunciates his words, his strange manner of speaking, because it lulls you to sleep. 
you know he's talking about horrible things, but something about the sound comforts you deeply. when he's not around, you're wishing you had it bottled up. 
he lays out their profile as it stands, and you fall silent. it's getting pretty late and you have to be up early for work tomorrow, so it would be a good idea to get some real rest. plus, Spencer needs to sleep, too-- even though he probably won't. 
you remember times when he'd call you at three in the morning, his mind whirring as he played chess against himself and asked if you wanted to hang out so he could teach you how. you hate chess, but of course you said yes; you'd been head over heels with him since your first conversation.
eventually, you feel yourself start to drift off. you don't even really know what he's saying; all of it blends together until you're laying there, one cheek pressed to the pillow and the receiver against the other. 
"Y/N?" he says your name abruptly and your eyes, which have been slowly drawing shut this whole time, fly open. 
"yeah?" 
"go to bed."
"what? no, I'll wait until you're done." you shift. 
"I could hear your breathing change." 
"then why didn't you just hang up?" you giggle. he goes silent for a moment and you wonder if he cut out, but then he responds. 
"I wanted to say goodnight." 
it's like a cage of butterflies is unleashed in your stomach. you wrinkle your nose as you get nervous. god, you miss him. things would be so much better if he was back. not like he'd be in your bed even if he was, though.  
"then say goodnight." you prod. he lets out an awkward little sound. 
"now I can't because you made it weird." 
"how did I make it weird?" 
"I don't know, you just did." he's so clumsy, your face heats up. you want to keep talking like this until morning.
"goodnight, Spence," the words sound reluctant, but you try to cover it up by teasing him further. "see, was that so bad?" 
"oh my god, Y/N--" he tries to sound exasperated. 
"no goodnight back?" you raise an eyebrow even though he can't see you right now.  
a lengthy silence again. "goodnight."
"that's what I thought." before he can protest, you end the call, settle into the covers. moonlight beams on the walls of your apartment, and you start to think about your best friend. about all the nights spent curled up on his couch with two bowls of popcorn, his ramblings about how much he loves his job and him asking about yours. 
he's a great listener. every time you talk, he nods along like he's hanging off every word. it's nice to feel heard that way, to have someone care. and he's fun to hang out with, too. you've met his team before and they all talk about how hard it is to get him to go out, but they don't see the same side of him that you do. 
Spencer is nerdy and cute and kind and sensitive. he makes you feel special. he's everything that you've ever wanted in a person. but it's not like it would matter, anyway. he hasn't really shown interest in any girls-- much less you. even if he did, you're scared of ruining the friendship. 
the fallout of not having him around at all... it would destroy you. and something, even if it's torturous, is better than nothing. 
which is why, as you sit there and remember being around him, your fingertips creep below the comforter. a familiar routine, they move over your stomach, until they reach the waistband of your panties. for a moment, you hesitate. it's wrong. he's your best friend. but he doesn't need to know that this is how you handle the ache he puts between your legs. 
as your index finger slides down your slit, you feel the wetness already forming. Spencer's hands, his mouth. the thought of his lips pressed to yours while he fucks you, holding your body like it's delicate. 
you don't know exactly how it would feel because you've never had sex, but you want to find out with him. he's never done it, either. you don't care; all you need is to have him inside of you, to see how he looks when he's on the edge. 
your mind wanders to the image of him parting your legs and rolling his eyes into the back of his head. the sensation of him filling you up. falling apart. 
you slide a finger inside, gasping at the way your walls tighten and your imagination runs wild. that tongue, lapping and making you squirm, your fingers twisted in his soft hair. he's so sweet; his attentiveness would make your legs shake. you want to look into his eyes while he does it. 
you add a second finger, curl them and brush over the most sensitive part. the pressure of his hips grinding into yours. your body curves up at the way you start to finger yourself, the other hand stimulating your clit. it's almost overwhelming, the way his name tumbles from your lips over and over. 
you've never wanted someone so badly in your life; he belongs in your bloodstream. the sounds he would make in your ear before finally cumming and collapsing on top of you, spent. you want to tire him out and then do it all over again. 
you're greedy on the edge, indulging in every single image of him you can conjure up, every dirty thing you'd say. finally, you feel yourself fall, the orgasm intense as you bite back groans of pleasure and work through the high. it's amazing. 
you sit there, panting, feeling your heart beat in your chest. some things can't leave your head, they're so sinful. and the worst part is that you don't regret it in the slightest. 
...
Spencer can feel his pulse practically leaping against his throat as he makes his way through the empty warehouse. he should have waited for backup; he knows he should have, but it's too late now to go back and change things. 
he clutches his gun, pointing it in front of him while his eyes flicker wildly across the space. he's moving between enormous aisles stuffed with crates, not knowing who else is around. they said the unsub brought his newest victim here-- Spencer came first because was closest to the site-- but he hears nothing aside from the uneven rhythm of his own breath. 
every step is careful. he's thinking about how close the rest of the team must be. based on their distance from the station, they should arrive within six minutes-- but that doesn't account for the time it takes to put on their bulletproof vests, to get to their cars. 
truthfully, he doesn't know if he's going to have to do this on his own. and that scares him the most. 
there's no point in worrying. he swallows the lump in his throat and presses his back to one of the crates. there's a scraping noise a ways off that causes him to freeze. because of the echoes of the warehouse, the origin is indiscernible. he doesn't breathe, eyes darting between each of the openings into the aisle. 
after a minute of pure silence, he peels himself away and turns to head back out. 
and that's when the sound of wood cracking against bone startles him; he hears it before he feels it, but it's obvious when he crumples to the floor. like knife points pressing into his brain at all angles, the shooting agony in his skull. 
he starts to clutch at his head, only to be yanked off the ground by a meaty hand and thrown against the side of a crate. 
"fucking feds." the guy is enormous. gargantuan. he keeps his arm across Reid's throat, pressing down enough to restrict his airway. but Spencer can't even concentrate on the guy's face further than its rough outlines. his vision is going in and out, fuzzy at the edges from the blow to his head. 
he definitely has a concussion. 
"I..." he trails off. the huge FBI logo on his vest is a dead giveaway. 
"all alone?" the unsub has breath like rotten fish, spits each word into his face. "I won't even need my gun." 
Spencer's head lolls to the side and he catches sight of his own weapon lying helplessly a few feet away. there's no way he could get to it in time, even if he got out of this guy's chokehold. 
he tries to think of a way to talk himself out of this; after all, their profile said he'd be more susceptible to negotiation, but that's kind of hard to do with someone's forearm slammed against your trachea. he presses harder and Spencer sees stars. his glasses hang almost off the bridge of his nose, centimeters from falling to the floor. 
he starts to realize that he's going to die, defenseless and alone, in a warehouse. at the hands of a man who kills women because his Viagra doesn't work. but this doesn't incite the kind of panic Spencer always predicted he'd feel. the lack of oxygen in his brain causes him to go delirious. 
he misses home. his mom and his old house, even though things were hard. he misses Y/N, his team members. he wishes his team was here; he should have waited for them. he should have told Y/N how he feels. now she's never going to know. 
Reid is so out of it, he doesn't even notice the pressure being relieved from his throat until he collapses on the ground. the unsub falls, too, his cheek smashed by the force of the abandoned wooden plank. 
it's hard to tell what's happening until Reid lifts his head to see Morgan standing above him, preparing to handcuff the criminal.
"kid," Spencer never thought he'd be so glad to hear his voice. "what happened?"
...
you practically crash into Spencer's apartment the next evening, flinging your body through the front door with your spare key. 
"Spence?" you call out from the entryway. everything still looks the same, but when his colleague, Penelope, called you today to tell you that Reid had gotten a concussion after a run-in with an unsub, you rushed here as soon as you could. 
"in here." he calls from his bedroom. you don't hesitate, your feet carrying you there. you've been anxious all day; he didn't call last night or even text like usual. you were on the verge of panicking when Penelope called. 
of course, you knew that was the risk with Spencer. he knew the risk, too. his life would always be in the balance when it came to the cases, but he'd gone through so many at this point, you weren't thinking about it. if you did, you wouldn't be able to focus on anything else. 
when you walk in, the first thing you see is Spencer laying in bed in his silk pjs. there's a stack of unread books on his bedside table. his glasses sit on top. he's just laying there with his eyes closed. 
"oh my god." you mutter, dropping your bag on the floor and walking over. he opens his eyes with a slight smile. there's a purple bruise forming across his throat, light but definitely there.  
"hi." 
"what the fuck happened?" you ask the question you've been wondering the whole way here. 
"he hit me with a plank." Spencer explains, the phrase coming out like he's still confused about it. "I'm fine, just a mild concussion and a bruise because he choked me." 
you take a second to assess if he actually means that he's okay, or if he's trying not to worry you. he stares at your expression for a second. 
"Y/N, I'm really fine." 
"you don't look fine." you gesture to the fact that he's laying in bed. 
"my body is sore, but nothing's wrong with me. I just can't look at screens or read." this last part makes him much more melancholy, it seems. you reach down and ruffle his hair playfully. 
"sounds like a nightmare." 
"it is." he cracks up. 
"I'm glad you're okay." you sigh. your heart rate has slowed to a reasonable pace now that you know he's fine. Spencer gives a ghost of a smile, and when he pats the empty spot on the bed beside him, you kick off your shoes and climb over his body to sit down. "so... did you guys get him?" 
"the unsub?" he turns his head to look at you. something is in his eyes that you can't read. "yeah, he's in custody. we saved the girl he abducted, too." 
"well, aren't you a hero?" you grin, pinching his arm. 
"ow!" he flinches. "don't hurt the patient."
"oh, so now you're injured?" you giggle softly. his smile fades a bit, gaze trailing from your face to your legs. it isn't lustful or anything, more like he's taking in your existence. it still makes your heart flutter. 
"I wasn't really a hero, anyway," he sighs. "I got knocked down before I even found her." 
"oof." you wince. 
"yeah, it's sort of embarrassing. I went in by myself and--"
"you went by yourself?" you clarify, turning to face him. of course he did. 
"yeah." he avoids your gaze. 
"Spencer, I work in a stationery shop and I know you're supposed to wait for backup." you deadpan. he snorts, staring straight ahead at the wall. his hair is flat in the back from where he's been resting it against the headboard. 
"he would have hurt her if I had waited." he explains. your heart softens a bit at this. you know Spencer has a problem with saving people; sometimes he doesn't think things through. but you know that it's only because he cares. 
you smile gently, appreciating what a beautiful person he is. you don't understand how other people don't see him how you do. your hand reaches for his suddenly, and you find yourself snuggling into his shoulder. 
Spencer doesn't usually like touch, but he welcomes this, dropping his own head to rest on top of yours while you both stare at the wall. his silence feels heavy, more than it usually does, and you wonder what he's thinking. 
"I'm really glad you're okay, Spencer." your tone is low, like it's a secret. 
"you already said that." 
"shut up." 
"you care about me." he sing-songs with a smile, and you know he means it in a friendly way, but you don't care. it brings warmth to your cheeks. 
"whatever. you care about me, too." 
he lets out a slight chuckle. "when I started to black out, I thought of you." 
your heart leaps, even though the reason is pretty dark. "oh, yeah?"
"mhmm." he hums. 
"nobody's ever told me that they thought of me in their last moments of life before." you tease. there are so many things you'd like to say, but know you can't. he smells like himself and coffee beans, his skin warm beneath the silk of his pajamas. 
"I'd hope not."
"anything in particular?" you wonder aloud. 
"what?" you feel him tense beneath you, and that's how you know there's something he's not telling you. 
"were you thinking about anything in particular?" 
"someone's full of themselves." he jokes. you smack his arm.  
"humor me." more than anything, you want to hear his thoughts. you know you're reaching, but you don't care. 
"just..." he pauses, the next words coming out almost too quietly to hear. "things I never got to say to you." 
"like?" now you're intrigued. 
"no way." he laughs and you groan, turning and realizing that you've both sunk deeper onto the bed and are now practically lying down. 
"c'mon," you prod. you've flipped onto your side while you watch him, his eyes directed at the ceiling. "what if you'd actually died?" 
Spencer gives you a look, and you wish you could snap a picture of his face. the gentle features, the warmth in his eyes. he stares at you differently than before, and it makes your stomach flip again. "I, um." 
you start to trace your index absently down his forearm, where his sleeve has incidentally gotten rolled up. his skin is soft. you know that this isn't a friendly thing to do, but something inside you craves his touch right now. you almost lost him; you can't imagine how horrible that would be. 
"I wanted to say that I--" he gulps, muscles in his shoulder tight beneath your cheek. "well, I care about you, and I... I really love you." 
it's not the first time he's said it, obviously in a platonic sense. what affects you is that he's acting like it's a big deal. 
"I love you too, Spence." you smile softly. his chest rises and falls faster, his face tensed. 
"no, I mean--" he turns onto his side, using the action to distract from his own nervousness. he holds your gaze and you forget how to breathe as he speaks. every syllable is serious, but you note his fingers fidgeting at his side. "I'm in love with you." 
it's like all the air in the room has been sucked out. you swallow, unsure of how to react at first. you don't believe what you're hearing, simply because it doesn't make sense. you've been friends for a while, now, but Spencer has never made a move to ask you out or acted like he wanted anything more. 
your heart swells. 
"you're in love with me?" the words even feel surreal on your tongue. he takes it as rejection.
"I shouldn't have said that, I'm sorry." Spencer rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands, his expression turning to a cringe. he's about to sit up to hide the red in his cheeks, but you pull him back down by the shoulder. 
"not so fast, crazy boy." the corners of your mouth are turning up into a grin. you can't help it; every nerve in your body is alive. Spencer loves you. he feels the same way. 
when he sinks back down onto the mattress and sighs, preparing to say something that rescinds the statement to erase any awkwardness, you grab his face and turn it to yours. you don't kiss him, only force him to look. 
"I'm in love with you, too." 
his eyebrows fly up in surprise. "r-really?"
"yes." you nod. 
he takes a second to process this. you see about five different expressions pass over his face, each one reminding you of how earnest he is. and it's absolutely adorable. 
"well, that's good, isn't it?" he clarifies. you pretend to think on it. 
"I'd say so, yeah." 
he smiles. a genuine, rare one that makes your veins feel as if they're full of glitter. you're on Cloud 9. 
"can I kiss you?" you ask him quietly. he seems surprised at this, too, like he never thought you'd want that, but then nods eagerly. 
you close the gap between you on the bed, holding his jaw in one hand while the other rests on his forearm. your lips meet softly at first. he's cautious, scared of pushing you away. he hasn't kissed many people before. but he's good at it, letting you take the lead. 
there's no way to adequately describe kissing Spencer. every bone in your body turns to mush, immediately craving more contact. you slide your tongue across his full bottom lip, and he lets you in. his affection is the most loved you've ever felt. because sure, you haven't had sex, but you've kissed people before. 
never like this. 
one of his hands goes up to wrap around your forearm tenderly before he shifts to lie on his side. you wrap around each other, turning the kiss into a full-body embrace as you breathe in. you want more. your leg swings over his torso so you can pull yourself closer, and he groans into your mouth when your pelvis presses against his. 
the kiss gets more heated, his hands carefully but hungrily traveling down the curve of your waist. you flip so that you're straddling him without breaking any contact. 
you don't really think about the way your hips begin to rock against his, your pussy involuntarily working for friction. there are so many happy chemicals in your brain right now, you giggle against his mouth when his body bucks up into yours. he groans. 
"Y/N..." he breathes softly. his hands move from your waist to your thighs, afraid to dig his fingertips in. 
"what?" you sigh, licking over his bottom lip again. he moans at the way you keep grinding on his erection. 
"I wanna--" his eyelashes flutter when he gasps. "I wanna touch you." 
"do it." your palm is resting tenderly against his cheek. he responds by finally holding you down, sliding his body up a bit to grind against your center. you whine. "touch whatever you want, Spencer." 
his cock twitches in his pants and you push the hem of his shirt up while he uses one hand to massage your tits. the voracious, curious nature of his attention makes you sigh, touching his stomach. he feels perfect beneath you. 
soon you're grabbing at each other without any regard for grace. he's so horny, he's pawing at whatever he can while you do the same to him. the kissing gives way to straight panting while you look at each other. 
"can I suck your dick?" you whisper. Spencer's eyes widen. you've never seen him nod so fast. 
you press your mouth to his one more time before inching down his body, sucking on his clavicle, then his stomach. careful to avoid the purple marks on his neck. he watches you intently, memorizing the details of this moment for later. when you reach the waistband of his pants, you peek up. he strains against the material. 
your mouth drops open and you draw your tongue over the clothed bulge, maintaining eye contact. Spencer throws his head back. his voice is high. "oh my god, oh my god." 
you smirk, licking it again. he clenches his jaw. "I'm gonna c-cum if you don't--" he tries for words, but he's mewling and moving against your mouth. you pull at his pants, hooking your fingers in his boxers and bringing them down, too. 
Spencer bucks into the air when his cock hits his stomach. it's big, precum leaking helplessly out of the tip while he whines. you want him now. 
"wow." you smile. he stares at you, tensing his stomach as you wrap your hand around his length. he's trying to keep quiet, but as soon as you spit on it and start to pump him, his head falls back into the pillow. 
you draw your tongue up the underside, paying special attention to the veins, reveling in his reactions. he looks like he's ascending to heaven when you start to suck on the first couple inches.  
"o-oh, fuck..." he keeps moving his hips off the bed for more, so you sink down further onto him, hollowing your cheeks and moaning. "Y/N..." 
you groan in response, feeling yourself get wetter with every sound he makes. you can't believe this is happening, the way he threads his fingers loosely through your hair in an attempt to touch more of you.
he tries to keep his eyes open while you suck, but they squint with pleasure. he's a mess for you, shuddering gently when you take nearly all of him into your mouth. 
before he can cum, you pull your mouth off of him with a satisfying pop. Spencer moans. 
"was that okay?" you ask carefully. this is the extent of your sexual experience, and you want to do more with him, but you aren't sure how he feels. your best friend stares back at you like you've turned his world upside down. 
"y-yeah," he replies. his face is flushed. "definitely okay."
he's throbbing, occasionally twitching against his stomach as he waits for more stimulation. you eye him carefully. 
"what do you feel comfortable doing?" your voice is smooth. "we can stop now, if you'd like." 
"I--" he chokes on the word. "I don't wanna stop." 
"do you want to have sex?" you ask. Spencer bites his lip, whines. 
"mhmm." 
"I wanna do that, too," you breathe out, straightening up and pulling your shirt over your head, unclasping your bra, before getting to work on your shorts. you know you're practically dripping. he's been more vocal, but you feel like you're going to implode from the desire. "but I need to tell you something." 
"what?" he tugs your arm, coaxing you back to him and touching you greedily. you giggle as you kick your shorts and panties off somewhere in the room. both of you move like awkward teenagers. 
"I'm a virgin." you say. 
Spencer frowns. "really?" 
"yeah," you lick your lips. "so you need to be careful." 
"o-of course." he blushes, getting nervous again. "you know I'm a virgin too, right?"
"I know." you smile. he returns it sweetly, and the commotion of your bodies slows for a moment. you're so happy, you could cry. 
"what?" he breaks the comfortable silence. 
"I'm excited," you shrug. he's got his hands on your waist, rubbing his fingertips over your skin. then you remember something. "wait, are you allowed to have sex with your... injury?" 
"it's fine." he reaches up and kisses your throat with an urgency. 
"did the doctor say that?" your eyes roll while he sucks on your neck. he groans and pulls down on your waist so that your stomach presses against his cock. he ruts. 
"second opinion from me." he pants. you tap his cheek playfully, move up his body until your core brushes him. he whimpers when you reach between your bodies and grip his length in your hands. 
"you ready?" your voice is low. Spencer squeezes your thighs, eyes moving between your tits and your face. 
"yes." he sighs. you position it, slicking him in your pussy while he wraps an arm around your waist and moans for more. your chests are pressed together, looking into each other's eyes while you slide him into you. 
you have to go slow, the intrusion causing your jaw to drop. you don't breathe. he's got his eyes rolled into the back of his head.  
"Spencer." you whimper, dropping your head onto his chest when he's fully inside of you. his fingers rub patiently over your back. 
"are you okay?" his voice is laced with a moan, trying to resist thrusting. 
"yeah, just a second." you wiggle a little bit to test the boundaries. it hurts, but it also feels good. your clit is begging for more pressure, so you start to roll your hips. Reid moans loudly. 
"Y/N..." he whimpers. "don't stop." 
"you want more?" the need in his voice makes you hornier, and you increase the pace, despite the slight pain. you're so wet, he slides in and out without much effort. 
"so-- much more." he's gasping, hands on your thighs as he watches your naked body writhe on top of him. he's never been more aroused in his life, spurred on by your scent and form and the tightness that keeps clenching around his cock.
he understands why people love sex so much, now. he wants it every day, wants to fuck you in every position and pleasure you. the sounds you release in his ear, whines and praises, he would do anything for more. walk to the ends of the earth to feel you cum on his cock. 
his hand finds your ass, squeezes it. 
"this feel good, Spence? fucking your best friend?" you talk dirty and he twitches. you're always so sweet, the words coming out of your mouth for him are going to send the genius into a tailspin. 
"mhmm," he holds you down so that he can thrust up. speaking at all is a struggle with the way he's feeling. "perfect." 
you start to say something else, but he hits a certain angle and you let out a quiet yelp, hips jumping at the pleasure. "I'm gonna cum." 
Spencer gets a rush of relief because it's taking everything in him right now not to absolutely lose it inside your pussy. he's hanging on by a thread. "me, too." 
you use your position on top to stimulate yourself. both of you chase your orgasms roughly, the rhythm you created degenerating into clawing excitement. 
"cum inside me, Spencer." you beg him. it sounds like you would do anything to feel it, that sensation that you've never experience but have always imagined. and Spencer, his own head foggy with ecstasy, nods and opens his mouth to let out a loud groan. 
"Y/N, fuck fuck fuck-- I'm--" he shoots his load inside of you, rutting wildly and letting his head drop onto the pillow while he pants. you can feel it. strange, lovely jolts of his seed spreading. your hands, which have been resting on his shoulders, tighten and you reach your climax. you flutter around him, both of you still moving to ease the intensity of the high. 
it's remarkable. you're crying out, having the most mind-blowing orgasm of your life. you never thought your first time would be like this. but you're glad it is, muscles tightening and releasing with the mixture of emotions. 
you collapse fully, him still inside. 
neither of you speaks. his heartbeat thuds against your ear, and you hold onto him like letting go would be the end of the world. you can't believe you could have lost him. you don't want to think about it. 
"sorry I came so fast." Spencer apologizes breathlessly. you can feel his cum dripping down your entrance when he slides out. 
"I don't care." you mumble. both of you stay there for a while, his heartbeat changing to a pace that reminds you of genuine excitement. like a hummingbird. 
"we can try again, sometime." he offers. you lift your head to rest your chin on his chest. his skin is flushed, pupils dilated, hair messy. such a pretty boy. 
"we should try multiple times." 
he gives you a cheerful smile, and everything starts to fall into place. you took each other's virginity. "Y/N?" 
he likes to say your name, and you love to hear it. "yes?" 
"are we dating?" the bluntness of the question makes you giggle. you don't hesitate. 
"yeah." 
“good.”
taglist (lmk if you wanna be added/removed!): @reidsconverse @voidsfilm @xoxomgg​ 
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hentaimommi · 2 years
Text
Bar Nights | Dabi x Reader
Warnings: drinking (obvi), boss/worker affiliation, death/murder, straight smut (with a plot)
A/N: I'd say this is based in the US, plus a little bit of dark content. darker than my usual-ish, no yandere tho. also this was SO long I didnt edit it oopsie sorry
It was getting late; around three-am late, to be exact. I sat freshly cleaned shot glasses down on a towl, then moved to the end of the bar. The new hours had me messed up, some of my day shifts worked into doubles which turned into night shifts, making me leave around three or four in the morning.
Walking into the back break room, I grabbed up my purse and keys. Then I proceeded to open my bosses door, to say goodbye. When I did, I found he was asleep at the desk. I giggled a bit, seeing Dabi so tired. It was odd a man so young was running the bar. I was the youngest mixer but that was average. To be twenty-three running a night bar was very, very odd.
Still, I walked over and put my jacket I had in hand over his shoulders and turned off the lights to his office. I needed sleep before my next shift, which was at seven the next night. Usually I catch the young clubbing crowd, which means a lot of fruity mixes.
My apartment wasn't but a block away, so leaving Dabi resting, I decided to head out. Immediately I regretted leaving my jacket. Not because of him, but damn. "Shit its cold." I whispered to myself, the hot air from my breath creating a steam effect. Hurriedly, I went up the six flights of stairs it took to get into my penthouse like apartment near downtown, just on the outskirts of the commotion.
Deciding I needed immediate rest, I plopped onto the couch, and passed out.
Waking up to the sound of my three thirty alarm, I realized I had slept twelve hours in my living room. Deciding it was time to get up and do a little self care, I stepped through my kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee. I then went over to my stereo, where I shuffled through my phone to find the perfect song to begin my shower/getting ready regimen to.
"Call Me" By Blondie began playing whilst I got undressed to shower. After that I threw on some black pajamas and drank the rest of my coffee. My phone began to ring, to my surprise it was my co-worker, Kurogiri.
"Hey, tonight is no uniform night according to Dabi, so dress how you feel. Just thought I'd call and let you know before your shift." I could hear glasses clinking in the back, people talking. Was it really that loud? "Oh, okay, thank you. I had no idea. Dabi fell asleep on my shift last night, poor guy." I began prepping my fingernails for black polish, pushing the phone to my ear with my shoulder.
Kurogiri chuckled with his signature deep voice, "Yeah, I saw your jacket on his desk this morning. Wondered what that was about, he told me he woke up with it on!" I too laughed, "I guess I'm just a bad ass bar tender. What can I say? Anyways, I'm gonna get ready for my long night, thank you Kuro!" He mhm-ed me, then hung up. I was surprised he wasn't too busy to call, but more surpised I didnt have to wear a uniform.
When picking my outfit I went for more of an all black look, mostly because all I owned was that color but also so nobody could see if I spilled a drink. A simple cropped turtle neck paired with a pair of black cargo pants, and my favorite platformed docs to match the vibe. After doing my hair and makeup, I put on a second jacket do my walk downtown wouldnt freeze me.
My the time I arrived to the bar it was fluttering with people, families, friend groups. Kurogiri seemed to handle busy moments well though, not worrying about any of the people around him. I headed to put my things away and he greeted me with a wave.
Entering the break room, I sat my things down, then decided to check on Dabi before I headed out to assist Kuro. Opening his door, he was busy on his laptop set up, overthrows raising when he noticed me. "Ah, princess. What brings you back here?" My face flushed more than I noticed or cared to admit, the office smelled like the cigarette he had been smoking.
"Oh I was just wondering how you feel. Last night you seemed pretty tired." He looked up at me, shutting his laptop. "Yeah, I guess you could say that. I slept pretty well, though, I was rather warm. Wonder why.." His thumb grazed his chin dramatically and I giggled a bit. "Whatever don't mention it. Just don't pass out on me tonight, I might need you." He cocked a brow and grinned, "Needing me, huh?" I rolled my eyes and covered my face. "Oh stop it. I'll be on shift if you need me."
Kurogiri greeted me as I began picking up drink orders and charging people, he said he always enjoyed watching how fast I worked. Customers in and out. Kuro left around ten, leaving me to pick up the messy drunks of a Saturday night bender. Particularly one man, who stayed at my bar until one, when he decided to speak.
"You're a pretty girl, huh?" I froze, half a rag in a glass turned with my back to the man. I sighed. Old drunks were the worst. I turned to face him, "Guess so, sir." I then began cleaning off counters and discarding used fruits and salts. He followed me to the end of the bar, making me tense up. "It's rude to not ask a paying customer what he wants to drink.." He slurred. I sighed, throwing a rag over my shoulder.
"What do you want to drink, sir?" I asked, now leaning closer to him. That was a mistake, as he gripped the top of my shirt and jerked me up over the side of the bar. "You." I began to freak out as he pulled me closer, screaming for Dabi and kicking around. Dabi appeared around the corner, rushing over behind the man, hitting him in the back of the head.
He dropped me but Dabi didn't stop, he continued to hit him, with no resistance. I ran to to the other side, pulling his fist away from the bloody corpse, watching as the anger in Dabi's eyes faded as he looked into my own. "Jesus fucking christ Dabi, he's fucking dead!" I combed my hair back, sitting into my knees. Dabi did the same. I wasn't scared of him, but I was scared of the silence.
"I-Im sorry. But he was touching and I just, I don't know. Fuck, what do I do?" He leaned his head back, pushing his palms over his eyes. I thought for a moment. "We hide him." He looked at me in a little shock, then nodded. "Thank you." I pushed my head into his shoulder and told him it would be okay. Then I turned off the opened sign, and came back to Dabi, plus the dead man. He was a scrawny old man, nothing more. We both picked up one side and brought him around back. His head was bashed in, but Dabi's knuckles were busted and bleeding. After we threw him into a dumpster out back, Dabi called Kurogiri, who said he could deal with it.
When we headed back in, I immediately went to Dabi's office and found the med bag. He followed me loosely and lit a cigarette. "Hey, could you not smoke? I'm about to clean your knuckles dumbass." I rolled my eyes, pulling out the alcohol pads and bandages. "Okay princess." He ashed the bud out on his desk, putting his palm in my hand. I gently began cleaning the wounds, watching Dabi make no sudden movement to the pain.
Once it was bandaged, we sat adjacent to eachother. "Thank you, for that." I spoke. He waved his hand off slightly, "Don't mention it. Scumbag touches my princess and expects to get away with it? Fucking degenerate." I nodded then looked up. Our faces were rather close, yet I was having a hard time deciding what he wanted. Luckily he showed me moments later, when he kissed me softly. I realxed into his touch even though I knew it was wrong, thankful he had stayed awake tonight. He was so warm, it was hard not to fall into his arms when he pulled me closer, into his lap.
My legs hung over the sides of his chair, while his hands went up my back, pulling me closer. I could feel it- the hardness below me, sitting comfortably on his hard cock. My mind wondered how he could be so horny for me after killing a man, but our lips never disconnected for me to ask.
Finally when they did, his lips made their way down my neck, letting my airy moans fill the small office space. "You're such a good girl, (F/N). Sitting perfectly still on your bosses lap, begging for more." My hands rested on his shoulders as my face turned hot. "Y-You did say I'm your princess, so.." My head tilted as his mouth met my nipple through the fabric of my shirt. The sensitive bud was sandwiched between his wet lips, played with by his tonuge. His large hands gripped my ass, forcing me so I couldn't pull away, even if I wanted.
"That indeed you are." He whispered. I kicked my shoes off, leading him to do the same and begin pulling my pants down. There wasn't much talking as he drank in my body, his hands exploring each new surface as he sat me into his chair and sunk into the floor below me. He looked at me like I was prey as he softly kissed my inner thighs, leading all too close to my soaking wet pussy.
His mouth gently sucked my clit through my panties, his hands toying with my breasts as he moaned into me. His hand snaked around, pulling my wet panties off, exposing my swollen clit.
"Dabi, you feel so good." He darkly moaned as he pulled down his underwear to put his cock over my clit. He softly rubbed his pre-cum soaked tip over me, teasing me softly. "You have no idea how many times I've imagined you like this." He then pushed his cock inside, taking up each bit of space I had. We sighed together once he was all the way in, his hands pushing my arms just above my head.
"Don't scream, princess." I was confused until he started thrusting, realizing just how wet I had been, just how desperate for my own boss. His cock filled me up perfectly, hitting each spot as I moaned into his shoulder. His moans were perfect, we both filled the open space with nothing but sounds of pleasure and excitement as he fucked up into me.
Eventually I became close, he noticed, too. "Fuck, you get so tight when you're gonna cum on my cock. Let me give it to you, please." I nodded as my face heated, knowing we would cum together. His abs flexed hard as he came inside of me, my own body convulsing into his arms, as he wrapped them around me to become closer.
He pushed all the way inside once more, then kissed my forehead. "(F/N), you're so perfect. So, mine."
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booksarelife-stuff · 2 years
Text
our secret moments in a crowded room
Jily (James Potter/Lily Evans), minor Wolfstar (Remus Lupin/Sirius Black)
My entry for the September Jily Challenge! @jilychallenge
Prompt: I tripped on the red carpet and you caught me
Partner was the amazing @kates836! Thank you for being an amazing partner!
In a fake PR relationship with Severus Snape, Lily can’t help be distracted by the real person who has her heart. 
Word Count: 4,077
Read of Ao3     Masterlist
The car took a sharp left and Lily tried to stabilize herself so she didn’t touch Severus, who was sitting beside her. She made eye contact with Mary, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Mary shot her the millionth apologetic look.
Lily glanced back down at her phone, just in time to see a reply to the picture that she had sent of her in her dress.
Ahdjsfhkjdsf I can’t breathe. How dare you send this to me right before I walk out on the red carpet.
She smiled widely down at her phone.
I don’t know how I’m going to function with you that close and can’t do anything about it.
She smiled faltered for a second, because yeah, that was truly going to be torture for her too.
I’m about to go out. I can’t wait to see you.
Lily bit her lip before typing a reply.
If you think this dress looks good on me now, wait until you take it off.
The message bubbles appeared instantly and Lily’s smile turned smug.
You shouldn’t have said that. I’m going to think about it all night now. Love you
Love you too
She locked her phone and handed it to Mary, who would be holding all of her personal items for the rest of the night. Severus sighed deeply beside her and Lily tried not to roll her eyes.
If Lily had it her way, she’d be arriving with a very different date. But Lily didn’t have a choice. What the studio wanted, the studio got. Including a semi-fake relationship with her co-star, Severus Snape.
They had just finished filming the final season of their wildly popular show, The Hollow Hour. The show definitely didn’t need this kind of press to be successful, but Lily still didn’t have a choice in the matter, considering she had already booked a leading role in another one of their shows.
On-screen, Lily and Snape played Tara and Gideon, characters who had been in love since they were children and fighting in a war where they possibly wouldn’t make it out. Off-screen, Lily could hardly stand the presence of Snape.
It didn’t start out that way. When they’d first met, Lily had thought he was pretty cool. The show had been her first big break, as she had only done television guest appearances before then. Snape had a few movies under his belt, one of which was super popular. Their friendship had started out as his kind of giving her direction when it came to the whole fame thing.
Then, it got a little invasive. He would just be in her trailer, coming in without knocking. He started asking for more date-like hangouts. His disgusting political beliefs started coming out through their conversations and his apparent hatred for their co-star, Remus Lupin because he was openly gay. And he started acting as she owed him something, especially since the show took off.
The rumors had started before Lily realized that Snape was the creep that he was. People saw them pining on screen and going out for the occasional drink after a long day when Lily could still stand him and suddenly, people thought they were in love.
It had been a real nuisance in Lily’s life. Every interview, she tried to squash the rumors, whereas Snape would encourage them. It didn’t help that the show got popular, like really insane amounts of popularity. The character shipping took a sharp left turn into people shipping them.
Snily, they called them. From fanfiction to edits and art to covers of glossy magazines. It was everywhere. No matter if Lily was doing interviews from one of her movies, they would ask about Snape.
And since Lily was some sort of a masochist, she knew exactly what the fans thought of their relationship. They thought Lily denied the relationship because she was very private about her life, and Snape would never say it outright because he wanted to respect her but also wanted the world to know that she is his.
It didn’t help that Snape had accumulated a very dedicated fanbase. Like worship-the-ground-he-walked-on kind of dedication. To the point where Lily would get occasional death threats because she was “hurting him by denying their relationship.”
They never seemed to believe Lily when she said no, much like Snape and their studio. Lily couldn’t flat out deny the relationship in interviews anymore until after the final episode. It made her want to dry heave.
The car was slowing, and Lily could hear the buzz of fans and reporters. They were in the queue now for the red carpet. Mary unbuckled and twisted around in the seat, doing a final check of Lily’s hair and make-up.
Lily smoothed down her green satin dress, her legs bent awkwardly to not crease the dress and also not puncture the fabric with her stiletto pumps. Lily’s after-party dress was hanging up in the back, but Lily didn’t know if she was actually going to attend.
It had taken her a long time to feel beautiful at these types of events. Being considered plus size in this industry felt like a death sentence, especially since Lily refused to play the “funny fat friend” or anything like that. But she felt good tonight, especially with the way it hugged her curves and the bit of cleavage showed.
Severus looked like himself, just in a suit. His greasy hair was covered in dry shampoo and tucked behind his ears. He turned towards Lily and smiled like a cat who got the cream.
“We could make this real, you know?” he said, for probably the millionth time. “You and I would work.”
Lily tried not to crinkle her nose in disgust. “Severus,” she said. “You know I have no interest in that.”
There had been many times where Lily wished she could speak her mind and rip him a new one, but she could not get branded as a diva. So, she played off these uncomfortable moments with a laugh and polite words, even when she was telling him no for the millionth time.
She saw the corner of his lips turn down in a slight frown and averted her eyes to stare straight ahead.
The voices outside got louder and suddenly the car was stopping. Mary jumped out of the car quickly as Lily unbuckled. Moody, Lily’s driver, and bodyguard, also got out quickly to open Lily’s door.
She had to take Moody’s hand to step out. She wobbled when she shifted her weight to her high heels but quickly corrected herself. She was going to have blisters for weeks after tonight. Mary appeared from the other side of the car, hands already straightening Lily’s dress.
They were covered from the cameras here, so no one saw Mary make sure Lily’s breasts were firmly taped into the dress. The low cut of the dress required her boobs to be placed perfectly and one slip would probably cost Lily her career. That’s why Lily had Mary, her best friend since they were children and who now worked as her PA. The back of the dress was practically nonexistent and her long auburn waves tickled her with every movement.
Mary quickly batted away one of her dark coily curls that snuck out of its bun before giving Lily a once over.
“You look gorgeous,” she said, smiling. “He’s not going to want to take his eyes off of you.”
Lily gave her a real smile and a quick hug before stepping away to get around the car where Severus was surely waiting. She already had her red carpet smile on and tried not to pay attention to the up and down look Severus was giving her.
Severus reached out his arm to escort Lily, but Lily walked past it. They said they had to arrive together, not actually walk together. Mary let out a snort of laughter as she followed Lily out to the carpet—to walk with Lily but hidden away.
The lights were blinding as Lily walked out on the carpet. Cameras flashing every second, people yelling questions at her. Lily was now a pro at this, after so many years of practice. The screams intensified, signaling Snape was now making his appearance.
Lily moved slowly down the carpet, making sure her smile stayed in place. Towards the end of her walk, Snape did sneak up on her, wrapping an arm around her waist taking extra care to let his fingers drag against her bare skin. She fought to not recoil away from him.
She smiled and laughed though she wanted to push him away.
The entrance to Royal Albert Hall was full of reporters and cameras. Lily never really minded this part of the red carpet because most of the time it was just questions like “who are you wearing?” or the occasional fun game with whatever fledgling media company had weaseled reporters in.
Lily was heading towards the first available reporter, a young woman who was smiling widely as Lily approached. But a familiar head of dark curls caught her eye, and she couldn’t help the way her attention turned immediately that way.
It had been six weeks since her boyfriend of three years had touched her. Six weeks since she had felt the indentation of him next to her in bed, felt his warmth, had him within her fingertips.
And James looked so good, it made Lily want to pull him away and find the nearest secluded spot. The way his tailored suit hugged the angles of his body, the body that she knew like it her own.
She could feel her heart start pounding in her chest, and she hoped the cameras weren’t picking up the way her hands were shaking.
“Lily Evans!” the young reporter cheered. “How are you on this fine evening?”
“I’m doing great,” Lily said, smiling and resisting the urge to look at James.
“So, you arrived with rumored beau and co-star, Severus Snape,” the reporter cheered. “Care to confirm anything?”
Lily fake laughed. “We just carpooled. Better for the environment.”
The girl’s face tightened a bit, but the reporter knew better than to press.
Lily answered her questions with ease. Who was she wearing? Did she feel good about her role as a presenter? What was she going to do after the final season of The Hollow Hour?
Once the interview concluded, she turned to go to the next reporter.
But there was James, looking at her with a slight smile on his lips. His dark brown eyes did a quick once over of her, appraising her every curve quickly. And goddamn, he wore his glasses instead of his contacts, reminding Lily of the quiet moments in her flat where they were tangled together, his glasses pushing into her face. His normal frizzy curls were more defined thanks to whatever hair product his stylist made him use. His brown skin was as flawless as ever, glowing in the camera flashes in the fading day.
It couldn’t have been more than a moment where their eyes met, but it was enough to thoroughly distract Lily to the point of missing the small bump in the carpet. Her shoe caught and the sensation of falling happened before she felt strong arms catch her.
“Are you okay?” James asked as Lily’s world steadied in his arms, the concern in his eyes.
Lily felt her cheeks redden, both from the embarrassment of tripping on the red carpet and the fact that she was in James’s arms. She nodded but when she stepped back, her right shoe gave out.
She moved away from James’s arms, but took his hand, their fingers clasping each other, to keep her balance as she lifted her dress up to see the heel completely snapped off.
“Well, that’s great,” she said with a laugh. James laughed with her. She wobbled for a second and James’s hand grabbed her side to steady her, his fingers making her burn.
Lily couldn’t help but smile softly at him as Mary appeared, getting on her knees in front of Lily, urging her to turn slightly. She let go of James’s hand and used his shoulder to keep her balance as Mary undid the straps on Lily’s shoes. Mary, who was definitely getting a raise after this, took off her own black kitten heels and gave them to Lily.
She was now several inches shorter and her dress dragged a bit on the ground, but it was better than no shoes at all.
“I owe you my life,” Lily told Mary, who smiled in response. Lily didn’t miss the way she gave James a glance and then a teasing smile back to her. She turned back to James. “Thank you so much.”
“No problem,” he replied. “I’ll see you around?”
She wanted to say that she would see him tonight, preferably with no clothes, but she just smiled and nodded in response.
As she let go and James stepped away, the last thing on her mind was the cameras catching every moment.
~~~
To Lily’s detriment, her manager had called Mary to tell Lily that she had to be seen at the after-party with Snape.
Lily tried not to recoil at Severus’s hand on her lower back as he led her to the after-party. The cameras were blinding against the darkness of the night, but Lily let herself be led into the venue, Moody doing his best to push back against the raging crowd.
The venue only had a few selective members of the press inside, but it was little enough that it put all the celebrities at ease. There was no real food, just snacks because seeing your favorite movie star get sloshed would sell magazines and get them trending on Twitter.
Lily’s stomach growled. She couldn’t remember the last full meal she had.
Severus kept a firm hand on her back. She smiled and laughed at the right times as they talked with winners from the night. A live band started and Lily’s ears rang with the loud music. She kept knocking back glasses of champagne because at least the buzz would take the edge off the hungry looks in Severus’s eyes and make her not recoil when he tried to whisper in her ear.
Her saving grace came in the form of Remus Lupin somewhere south of midnight.
She came back from the loo and purposefully walked away from where she knew Severus was waiting. The alcohol was thrumming through her veins, and she felt light. Her shoes—or Mary’s shoes—had been kicked off long ago, and she was stumbling through the crowds of famous people.
Remus stood at the picked-over snack table, probably looking for any scraps of leftover chocolate. He had been Lily’s co-star since day one and her favorite to boot. Severus hated him, mostly because Lily liked him more, but also because he was openly gay and in a long-term relationship with the model, Sirius Black, who Snape also hated.
Remus had been the reason she and James met. She also knew that where Remus was, Sirius wasn’t far, and if Sirius wasn’t far, neither was James.
And she wanted to see James more than anything.
“Boo,” she said, poking Remus’s side. The man jumped, almost dropping his chocolate-covered strawberry.
“Bloody hell, Evans,” he said. Lily laughed, already feeling better. She clumsily picked up a biscuit and took a bite.
“How’s your night been going?” she asked. Remus let out an amused huff.
“Same old, same old,” he said. “You?”
Lily didn’t respond and Remus laughed, knowing exactly how her night had been going. They grabbed a few more snacks and Lily proceeded to follow him, hoping that he would lead her to the person she needed to see.
James was sitting at a table across from Sirius, and Lily’s heart immediately started beating rapidly. His suit jacket and tie were gone, just leaving him in his tight white button-up. The top buttons were undone, hinting at his chest that Lily knew better than the back of her own hand.
The sluggish haze of the alcohol in her system reminded her of when they first met. It had been at The Hollow Hour season one wrap party, and Remus had invited James and Sirius. He had caught her eye from across the room, the curly black hair and glasses were a dangerous combination for Lily, especially with the dark jeans that had hugged his very nice arse. She was so nervous that she had had to take a shot before she walked over to have Remus introduce her.
She had taken him home and when she woke up in the morning, recovering from the best sex she had ever had in her life, she found him making breakfast for her.
He stayed the whole weekend.
Then they texted non-stop and started having dates, sitting in Lily’s apartment with take-away and cheesy movies.
And here they were, three years later, hopelessly in love, and pretending that they weren’t because her stupid television show needed promoting.
It hadn’t been meant to be a secret for so long. In the beginning, they just wanted to figure each other out without all the press breathing down their necks. It’s just how it all happened.
It wasn’t like the important people in their lives didn’t know. Their parents and most trusted friends did. And they already decided that once the whole thing with Snape stopped, they were going to go public because they wanted to move in together and finally go on real dates.
Lily saw the way he perked up when he saw her. A small smile on his lips, his shoulders moving back. There was a moment when Lily could have sworn that there were no other people in the room until someone bumped into her.
She slid into the booth beside him, not caring about how dangerous that was, especially when their legs touched.
“Hey,” he said, his deep voice tugging at her in a way she missed while he was gone.
“Hey,” she replied. She could tear her eyes away from him and she didn’t know if she wanted to, either.
“Bloody hell,” Sirius said, not even jarring the couple. “Get out of here before you start shagging on the table.”
James raised his eyebrows in question, which Lily answered with a smile. He reached down for his pockets.
“I’m texting Moody,” he said.
Anticipation pooled in her stomach and as she grabbed another biscuit to eat because it was something to do, her hands shook. James placed his hands on Lily’s thigh and she couldn’t think of anything else until he leaned over and told her that Moody said it was all clear.
Even in her drunk state, she located her shoes and practically sprinted to the back door where Moody was waiting.
There were a few paparazzi pictures taken as Lily quickly hopped into the back of the SUV and Moody got into the driver’s seat. He handed her her small bag that had her phone in it that Mary had been carrying. She was too excited to even get her phone out as Moody did two laps around the block before pulling right back into the same spot.
The second James jumped in and the door was closed, Lily was on him. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him to her, meeting their lips in a deep, but sloppy kiss. Lily kicked her legs up onto his lap and pulled him down as laid down the best she could in the back seat. James laughed a little against her lips, causing Lily to pull away and laugh too.
“Next year, we’re going to this together,” she said, opening her eyes to see him in whatever light that shone in from the windows. She got flashes of his eyes and his wide smile as she sat up, still keeping her legs on her.
“Absolutely,” he replied, pressing a light kiss to her lips. “And we’re going to still traumatize Moody on the way home.”
Said man let out a snort. “No, I’m getting a divider.”
Lily barely remembers the rest of the car ride and getting to her flat. All she remembers is the taste of James’s lips and the feeling of his hands on her.
~~~
The blaring noise of a phone call is what made Lily wake up. She jumped violently, kicking James in the process, who let out a pained groan as Lily disentangled herself from him to be able to reach her nightstand to turn off the god-forsaken ear-splitting sound.
Her hand smacked into the nightstand, but her phone wasn’t there. She realized it must be James’s.
She nudged him and he groaned, but she could feel him move around in the bed. Finally, it stopped and James spoke.
“Hello?” he fell silent. “What are you talking about?”
Lily, who was already falling asleep again, opened her eyes at his tone and suddenly, he was shaking her.
“I’ll call you back Sirius,” James said as Lily sat up.
He hung up the call and threw his phone down on the bed. He tugged at his hair as Lily watched him with wide eyes.
“They know about us,” he said.
“What?” Lily exclaimed, reaching for his phone.
She typed in the passcode and saw the million phone calls from his manager and publicist. She opened Twitter, and right there, trending number one, was a still of James’s arm around her when she broke her shoe.
"Lily Evans, caught in a love triangle."
"Actress Lily Evans and actor James Potter are rumored to have left the BAFTA after-party together despite Evans arriving with Severus Snape."
She clicked on the first article while her stomach soured.
"Lily Evans and Severus Snape have long been rumored to have been dating, but last night’s events have seemingly squashed the rumors for good."
The article went into detail about the rumors between Lily and Severus, before finally getting to last night.
"James Potter, actor, best known in his role on the popular historical drama "Mountainside Valley', was able to catch Evans on the red carpet when her shoe broke. The footage from the cameras that were rolling by the pair has been released.
According to sources, the two are familiar with each other. Lily’s co-star, Remus Lupin is both friends with Potter and is even dating his adoptive brother Sirius Black, so we can speculate that they have met before. Based on the videos, they do seem to be familiar with each other.
What really solidified the relationship between the two actors comes from an unknown source who attended the after-party. 'She sat next to him and then a few minutes later, they left.'
Fans seem to be having a lot of mixed reactions to Evan’s alleged actions.
@snapewife45346 wrote: 'ALL LILY HAS EVER DONE IS HURT HIM. HE NEEDS TO LEAVE HER ASS FOR GOOD!!'
@snnnily394 on Twitter wrote: 'i don’t think it’s true. She would never do that to him.'
@taraisgod wrote: 'They have never said they’re in a relationship, you all are just projecting. Let her be happy!!'
@mountainbaddie wrote: 'Evans UPGRADED'
Lily set down James’s phone, unable to do anything else. She met his eyes and took a deep breath.
Her gut reaction was that it sucked. It sucked that they didn't come out on their own terms. The studio was probably pissed, or maybe they thought the bad press was good press.
But as she looked at James, sitting beside her on his side of the bed, the bed he only rarely got to occupy these days, she realized that maybe it was a blessing.
“We could deny it,” James said, a frown tugging at his lips. “Say that we’re best friends if you think that’s what the studio would want.”
Lily shook her head. “I don’t want you like a best friend. I don’t want to deny myself of you anymore.”
He smiled, soft and sweet. Lily yanked the bedsheets off of herself and crawled over to him, straddling his legs. She was only wearing a pair of knickers and one of his t-shirts. His hands immediately snuck up the shirt and caressed her hips, his thumbs teasing her panties.
“Joint statement?” he asked, as Lily leaned in. She kissed him soundly.
“In a minute,” she said, kissing him again.
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marvelhero-fics · 3 years
Text
Snowman
Series - Chapter One
Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader
Summary: You’re a HYDRA assassin that’s worked closely with the Winter Soldier, to each of your dismay you’re reunited with Bucky after the blip. 
A/N: I haven’t posted in like 300 years, but I hope you guys enjoy this new series! This follows parts of TFATWS so expect spoilers! (Also I’m sure all the Russian is absolutely wrong, if you’d like to correct it please send me a message!)
Word Count: 1,815 (future chapters will be wayyy longer)
Snowman Masterlist || Full Masterlist
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New York
2023
“So tell me about this-” the therapist looked down at her notes briefly, “(Y/N).” She finished.
Bucky paused momentarily, “No.”
“James, for these therapy sessions to be effective, you need to open up to me. I can’t help you if I don't know what’s wrong.” His therapist responded, laying her pen carefully on her small notebook.
Bucky thought for a moment, taking in the ambience of the room. What would he even say about (Y/N)? He hadn’t seen her in years. Bucky was kicking himself for accidentally bringing her up in his session last week. “I- uh-” he stammered, shifting his weight on the couch, “I met her in 2011. At least I think it was 2011. Date’s get kinda fuzzy sometimes, with all the cryo.” Bucky’s hand pressed against his head, feeling dazed as he tried to think back. “It was at the big HYDRA base outside of Moscow. We had to go on a mission together-” he was cut off,
“Did she work for HYDRA?” Dr Raynor interjected.
“Yea. She was an assassin too. She went by the alias the Viper.” Bucky pretended not to notice his therapist tense up. Anyone who knew anything about HYDRA knew who the Viper was. She was one of the most prolific assassins after the Winter Soldier.
“Tell me more about when you met her.”
“We were instructed to take out a terrorist organisation forming against SHIELD. Which was ironic because we were working for a terrorist organisation. But at this point SHIELD was being run by HYDRA and they couldn’t risk any slip ups, so they put 6 assassins on the job. HYDRA usually didn’t have their assassins working together, we were all too volatile. But we had to take out over 70 people in one night. It was (Y/N), a few assassins from the Red Room, and a few agents that HYDRA had trained personally, and me.” Bucky stopped.
“Where was (Y/N) trained?”
“At a secondary facility run by HYDRA. She was trained from a really young age. It’s all she’s known.” Bucky seemed somber. But his therapist continued,
“What happened on the mission?”
“Nothing. It went exactly to plan. The targets were taken out and we all left without a trace. But (Y/N), she- she kept trying to talk to me, or get to know me. I was the Winter Soldier. No one in their right mind ever tried to ‘get to know me’.”
“Why do you think (Y/N) did that?”
“She told me she was bored.” He replied bluntly.
Moscow
2011
The poorly lit conference room was filled with a myriad of assassins and officials. The only illumination came from old LED lights hanging from the concrete ceiling. The mossy green paint on the walls looked as if it hadn’t been patched up in years. The only new-ish part of the room was the large, oak conference table, surrounded by black, leather seating. It was difficult not to notice the red HYDRA symbol holding a spot on almost every piece of clothing in the area.
“TITAN terroristicheskaya organizatsiya, formiruyushchayasya protiv nas. (TITAN is a terrorist organisation forming against us.)” Kuznetsov spoke, “Izbrannyye budut otpravleny segodnya vecherom v Ukrainu dlya vypolneniya postavlennoy zadachi. Uberi ikh. (The chosen ones will be sent to Ukraine tonight to complete their given tasks. Take them out.)”
That was all it took. You stared at the file in front of you. You had read through it multiple times, going over every single name, every single skill set your targets had. You were more than certain you could complete this job on your own. But you had no choice on the matter.
Your eyes darted around, taking in the faces of the assassins that were to accompany you on your mission. Two youthful females, dressed in black leather sat next to each other. The older, grimacing woman behind them was Madame B., the head supervisor of the Red Room. You moved your gaze to the two agents in dark green uniforms and red, soviet berets. Neither looked particularly menacing.
You finally landed on the last assassin. His dark hair fell like curtains around his face. Gloomy blue eyes searched their way through the room. His sharp jaw seemed tense through his stubbled cheeks. He was large, extremely built. Covering his frame was an amplitude of black clothing and gear.
“Play nice.” Your mentor spoke softly over your shoulder, breaking you from your train of thought.  
“I always do.”
~
Your padded snow boots ripped through the thick snow covering the ground. The six of you had hiked your way to the set point on your GPS systems, the clouds of snowfall covering your vision held the illusion that there were absolutely no structures nearby. A large helicopter had dropped the group a few miles out from the hideout to ensure nothing was compromised. The trek was in utter silence, fighting against the harsh temperature in mid February.
The waypoint became closer on your map, a tiny building slowly appeared in your vision against the foggy downfall. It was a small, wooden cabin. Everyone hustled their way through the unlocked door. It was barren, it held no furniture, no blankets, no means of any life. There appeared to be a few doors that led to small, empty rooms. The entrance only held a small fireplace, filled with old cut down logs that had been eaten by bugs.
The group quickly dispersed, you headed to one of the rooms alone, throwing down your belongings onto the floor. The bag you carried was mainly filled with weapons and ammunition, along with a very warm sleeping bag. You knew too well you wouldn’t be sleeping tonight, but you would need the extra heat for now.
There was no chatter anywhere in the house. Your mission would begin in 6 hours. Everyone was likely putting together their artillery. You decided to cozy up in your navy sleeping bag for a moment of comfort.
Someone had lit the fire in the lounge. A warm, orange light crept through the cracks in your door. The ambiance was strangely calming for a shitty cabin in the middle of nowhere.
Snow continued to fall against the tiny glass pane of your room. You weren’t a fan of assassinating in the snow. It was low vision, harsher climates, and it lessened the ability to move. Snakes weren’t creatures of the cold. Conveniently you’d been grouped with someone who called himself ‘The Winter Soldier’. I’m sure he loves the cold, you thought.
You’d heard a lot about him. Everyone had. He was the perfect assassin. He never failed a mission, his body didn’t reject cryo, every form of enhancement HYDRA had used on him had been a success. He was what every assassin had aspired to be.
Without thought, you grabbed the glass bottle laying next to you and walked off to the room the Winter Soldier had claimed for the night.
“Privet (Hello)”. You announced, pushing his door open with a creak. His head didn’t turn towards you. He sat on the floor, the sound coming from him indicated he was sharpening knives.
“Khochesh' vypit'? (Want a drink?)” You asked, motioning the bottle towards him.
He stayed silent for a moment. Finally he turned, looking up at you from his position on the floor. “What is it?” His dark tone asked back. The amber light from the fire crashed against his features. His strong jaw was covered with a dark stubble, his brunette hair tucked behind his ears. His most obvious feature was the hauntingly blue eyes that sat in sunken sockets, he looked drained.
“It’s vodka.” You stated, honestly. You were surprised to hear he wasn’t Russian, he sounded… American?
“You’re drinking before a mission?” He queried.
You shrugged. “Alcohol doesn’t freeze.” You sat down next to him. “Plus it takes the edge off.” A faint clinking noise announced as you placed the bottle on the floor between you two. He stared at you for a moment, before quietly going back to his knives.
“Wanna play 20 questions?” You interrupted the silence.
“No.”
“What about truth or dare?”
“I’m not 14.” the soldier replied, his eyes not leaving his handy work.
“How old are you?” You shot back,
“Why are you trying to get to know me?” He dodged your question.
“I’m bored.” You shrugged, taking a deep swig of the vodka. “And by my calculations,” you peered down at your watch, “we still have 3 hours and 27 minutes until the mission starts.”
He gave a shallow sigh, “93.”
“What?”
“I’m 93. How old are you.”
“93?! You were born in 1917?”
“Mhm. How old are you.”
“25. You look great for 93.” You chuckled.
“You look old for 25.” He jabbed back. His knife sharpener still grinding across a 6 inch blade.
“You flatter me.” You replied sarcastically. “So what’s your story? How’d you make it to 93?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Why would I ask if I didn’t want to know?”
Bucky looked over at you. “I’m telling you, you don’t want to know.”
“C’mon old man,  I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.” You smirked. He once again, went back to his knives. It almost seemed as if he was trying to threaten you, pulling out larger knife after larger knife.
You huffed, opening your mouth to speak, “I was born in Hungary to a drug abusing mother, and an absent father. I was kidnapped and sold to HYDRA when I was 6. I was placed under the care of the Kraken. Not sure if you’ve met him, he’s this large guy-”
“I’ve met him.” Bucky stated, interrupting your spiel.
“Right, well, he trained me for years. Eventually HYDRA got involved again and I was tested on, experimented on, messed with, ya’ know, all that fun stuff.” You explained.
“Are you enhanced?” Bucky asked, almost as if he was actually interested.
“Yea. I have this whole snake venom trick. It’s great for up close combat. The experiments really should’ve killed me though. But maybe that’s what makes us so good-” Bucky looked over at the woman next to him, her bright eyes stared back at him as she spoke “ya’ know, the best assassins are the ones living off borrowed time. Because we’ve met death before, so we’re not afraid to do it again.”
Bucky quickly grabbed the Barrett M82 rifle next to him, his metal arm making faint whirring noises. “I’m going to scope out the base.” He stated bluntly. And with that, his large black boots walked him out the bedroom, and out the door.
You let out a faint sigh, creeping back to your room to sort out your weapons. You were sure it was something you said that scared him off. I guess at 93 you have to be living off too much borrowed time, you speculated. You absentmindedly set up your pistols, your mind not being able to wander from the Winter Soldier. Maybe annoying the Red Room girls would get your mind off it.
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