#tale that's like 'even this will seem normal to you one day' me now to me six months ago as i was howling in pain all the time | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fatuismooches · 4 months

Note

Could you please write about the Harbingers spending time with the reader on their birthdays? But maybe they send what they did with you as a letter to the Traveler like the in-game feature? :D

♡ 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬' 𝐁𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ♡

synopsis: The Traveler naturally expects mail in their inbox whenever the Harbingers' birthdays roll around. However, they didn't expect it to be so... lovey-dovey, and all about you.

includes: all harbingers w/ gn! reader

notes: I've finally finished it! I've been wanting to write something similar to my voice line post for a while, so here it is - the Harbingers sending birthday mail, except they're very down bad for you :3 Includes a letter, a photograph, and attached items with the letter! (Sorry to the Pulcinella fans, I was too lazy to write him in.)

“Home…”

Sender: Pierro

It is my birthday today. Normally, I would have continued on my day as usual, but [Name] had another idea in mind, going so far as to get the Tsaritsa herself to block the door to my office and then dragging me away. It seems they were planning this for a while… The last birthday I celebrated was the year Khaenri’ah fell. What purpose did today serve when my homeland and people were gone? As the years went on, it began to slip my mind and I nearly would have forgotten the date, were it not for [Name]’s question a while ago. I thought nothing of it, but I did not think [Name] would have taken this so seriously.

They knew I would enjoy anything so long as it was with them, yet they had the entire day planned out. Claiming that I needed some fresh air, we walked through the Snezhnayan streets, the normally biting frost a bit warmer than usual. Casual browsing at some new stores that opened up. [Name]’s attempt at starting a snowball fight. And lastly… grocery shopping.

When we got back, they wouldn’t let me help or look. But I could tell from the smell exactly what they were making. It turns out that they managed to make a dish from my home country. I am not sure how they managed to get a hold of this recipe… I must have mentioned it offhandedly and they improvised from there. Of course, it’s not an exact replica, but nonetheless, it tasted delicious. Just for a few minutes, I was taken back to my previous home. That home will never come back, but I have a new one now.

And now the day is almost over. Despite their best efforts to stay awake until the end of the day, they succumbed to their sleepiness, now lying on my lap. They were supposed to read me something they made, but perhaps I’ll find out what that was tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be back to normal again. But that is alright. I still do not believe I deserve a day like today but, if this is what [Name] desires, then I shall not refuse them again. I’ll look forward to the next birthday just as they do.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Pierro and you in it. The Harbinger is seated at a table with a homemade dish in front of him. His giant coat and mask are placed off to the side, revealing scars from long ago. You’re glued to his side, trying to feed him by holding the spoon close to his mouth. Pierro is a grown man, the Traveler thinks, he does not need you to feed him… However, he looks quite content with this arrangement so the blonde won’t question it any further. In fact, he looks as if he’s right at home.

Attached Items:

Ancient Khaenri’ahn Dish [A meal unique to Khaneri’ah that has long been forgotten by the world. Although you clearly struggled to make it due to a lack of experience, even the Traveler can taste how much of your love was put into it.]

Khaenri’ahn Story Book [A book that contains numerous fairy tales and various stories originating from the lost nation, written by none other than Pierro himself, and illustrated by you. Apparently, it was born from you begging him to tell you stories from his home, and eventually, the Harbinger began to write them down so you could read them instead of bothering him so often. However, it made the problem worse as now you bother him to read them to you. How sweet.]

—

“A Day Off.”

Sender: Dottore

[Name] has convinced me to go back to Sumeru with them for a couple of days. I couldn’t care less about this day, but they were adamant about spending the whole day with me, and that they “will not be spending my birthday in a dark gloomy lab again.”

My research has regrettably halted for a bit, but I suppose this was not a bad idea. This was the first time in many years that either of us had stepped foot back into Sumeru - we had not been back since I was expelled from the Akademiya, besides my segments of course.

[Name] and I trekked the same path we used to walk during our studies at the Akademiya. It was a good spot for studying and conducting experiments without any disturbances - that was until they started following me around. They were a nuisance at first… but eventually, [Name] began to help me deconstruct a variety of machines, which was helpful. And then would laugh at me whenever I ended up breaking them.

Ever since I met them, [Name] has always said a lot of strange things, but their most recent comment was that they wanted to drink the blue liquid in the vial I carry around. They think it looks… tropical and vibrant. Of course, I refused them. But I had a feeling that if I didn’t provide them with it, they’d try and get it themselves. I was not interested in having to inject an antidote into them, so I came up with a solution.

I know that I am no chef, but this goes outside the realm of cooking. It wasn’t hard to create a sweet drink that would be to [Name]’s liking with the same color. They were more pleased than I thought and demanded that I make it for them more often. I do not care much for nourishment, but perhaps I’ll try my hand at it more often. They have insisted that I send you some, too. So, Traveler, is it to your liking as well? Even if it’s not, I do not care, so don’t bother telling me.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Dottore and you in it. Despite how much the Traveler has explored Sumeru, they can’t seem to pinpoint the location where it was taken. It must really be a secret place, just for the two of you. Dottore’s mask is on his lap, revealing crimson eyes and scarred skin. You seem to have fallen asleep on his shoulder, as your eyes are closed, though your mouth seems to be agape, perhaps mumbling some nonsense in your sleep. Dottore’s expression is exasperated, but there is a certain fondness in his eyes, one that the Traveler can’t distinguish, or rather, they refuse to believe it. Did the Kamera have an editing function now? Because surely, the photograph must have been forged or something, because there was no way The Doctor could ever have such a tender look in his eyes…

Attached Items:

Strange Blue Concoction [Some kind of legitimate drink that’s the same color as the vial Dottore carries around. According to [Name], it is quite delicious, but would any sane person dare to try anything from The Doctor of all people…? Who knows, these two might be trying to poison the blonde.]

Assortment of Ruin Guard Parts [Parts from Ruin Guards Dottore created and assembled himself. A wide variety of parts are here, including Chaos Cores, Circuits, and Devices. Wait… they seem to all be damaged and broken. Hey, did Dottore just send the Traveler his useless parts?!]

—

“Care For A Show?”

Sender: Columbina

Hello dear Traveler! How are you?~ Today has been such a wonderful day. Why, you ask? Because it’s my birthday of course! ♪ The one day when I have the ability to drag my beloved [Name] wherever I want, with no resistance. Normally they protest for quite a bit, telling me I have a mountain of work to do but, they don’t need to worry their pretty little head about that. ♫ Is it that much of a crime to slack off to spend time with one’s beloved? But oh, that little routine of ours is something that I do cherish.

My dearest [Name] took me to a play. We were among the first to see it, as it was the opening day. You know, they always tell me that as a Harbinger, I should be more conscious of how I present myself. But is it really a problem to sit in their lap instead of my chair? It’s not like anyone can see us all the way up on the balcony seats, hmm? ♬ Moving on though~ The play was quite an interesting story.

It was of an angel who fell in love with a mere human, despite how taboo it was. When the two were caught, the angel had to decide - would she rather retain their purity and remain in the heavens or fall down, stripped of her divinity to be with her human? Well, if you want to see the ending, you’ll just have to come to Snezhnaya and watch it yourself. ♪ But do tell me Traveler, if you were in a situation like that, what would you choose? … I already know what my choice would be.

Ah, but that show was not even the best part! After that, [Name] put on their own performance for me, just the two of us. It was beautiful of course, the way they convey their choice of art is always worthy of praise. But, they always seem to seek my feedback and criticism… they told me they want to keep improving to make me even more pleased but, how many times do I need to explain to them that I already believe their craft is beautiful? Nevertheless, I do indulge them, if only to satisfy my love. Why don’t you take a look at one of our collaborations, Traveler? It is quite good if I do say so myself. ♫

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Columbina and you in it. The lighting in the theater is a bit dim, so your figures are a bit faded but, the Traveler can still make out the two of you. The two of you have separate chairs but, Columbina is practically spilling onto yours, her head comfortably resting against your chest. You seem as though this is normal for you, which it probably is. Wait, is Columbina sleeping? It seems she probably got bored during the intermission… That’s why you specifically chose your clothes to double as a blanket for your wife.

Attached Items:

Music Score [A music score composed by both you and Columbina. The two of you performed it perfectly together as a present to your wife. Of course, it’s bound to be mesmerizing considering Columbina’s participation. So hauntingly beautiful, that in fact, it might end your life before you get to the end… is that an exaggeration? Well, it seems like the Traveler will have to take that risk.]

Pair of Tickets [Tickets gifted to the Traveler and Paimon. There’s no name on it or any expiration date, so it can be used to watch a single play in Snezhnaya for free, with the best seats in-house, so pick carefully. These things are quite expensive, so don’t go losing them now! Otherwise, Columbina and [Name] might ban the traveling duo from the theater…]

—

“An Excellent Day.”

Sender: Capitano

Today is my birthday. However, I have never been very adept at celebrating this day. I realize that it is the norm to celebrate one’s birthday, but I have never felt the need to. Though, ever since I became a Harbinger, my recruits have always wished me well today. Unfortunately, when the bolder ones ask me what I have planned, I have nothing interesting to respond with, always prompting them to urge me to do something… In the hallways, I always hear conversations along the lines of even though being a Harbinger is busy, I deserve to do something nice on my birthday. But in reality, it does not bother me at all. Is it really that strange not to do anything on one’s birthday?

When [Name] found out how I normally spend my birthdays, they shared a similar sentiment and promised to make this one “the most eventful and fun and best one I’ve ever had.” They said that since this is our first year together, they need to make my birthday an excellent one. Although I tried to reassure them they needn’t try so hard for me, they were insistent. However, true to their word, I would say my birthday did end up being an excellent one.

One thing about [Name] is they never fail to teach me something new. In this case, they taught me what it means to celebrate a birthday, and I’d say I learned a lot. As stated by them, there is no exact or definite way to celebrate. It is what you make of it. And they, knowing the kind of man I was, chose the activities accordingly. (There were a few mishaps but everything went well for the most part. It is not customary to break a few knives while cutting cake, so I feared that I may have ruined things, but [Name] reassured me it was normal.)

So all in all, today was an excellent day. However, I am faced with a problem now. What should I do when [Name]’s birthday comes? Should I do the same thing they did for me? But would they think that is low effort and unoriginal? I do not wish to disappoint them. Traveler, do you have any ideas? Also, please ask Tartaglia for me as well. The last time I spoke to him, he tried to ask me for a duel.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Capitano and you in it. The snowy forest terrain looks as picturesque as ever, but what really draws attention is the man and his lover in the middle. Mostly, the Harbinger who has a squirrel or two perched on him, not to mention the few birds that made their nest in the fluff of his coat. And even some cats? Where did they come from?! Well, it’s best not to question it. It’s rather endearing. Rather, one should question how silent and unmoving the Captain is in an effort to not disturb all the animals. Just ignore the deer in the background waiting for some attention too.

Attached Items:

How To Celebrate Your Birthday Pamphlet [A collaboration between Capitano’s Fan Club and [Name]. The fan club loves you immensely because you help to put their long-awaited plans into action. The numerous activities in this guide (blowing out the candles, feeding each other cake, gift giving, lots of affection, etc) were written out by the club and dutifully carried out by you. There were also birthday punches, but Capitano was confused as to why you were tickling him.]

Capitano and [Name]’s Picture Book [Don’t tell anyone this, but Capitano has a tendency to name all the creatures of the forest near his mansion. At first, he went there to train, but decided against it after seeing all the animals around there, because he doesn’t want to scare them away. What he did not expect was to befriend all of them… you came across him one day talking to them after searching for him. How can he tell them apart? Even you don’t know. But this book is dedicated to all of his animal friends, with pictures taken by you of course. So if the Traveler happens to visit Snezhnaya someday, make sure to be nice to these little guys!]

—

“They’re Annoying…”

Sender: Wanderer

It is that time of year again when my birthday rolls around. You know very well I do not care much for this day, but once again, there are always annoyances at my every turn… Both Lesser Lord Kusanali and [Name] always prove to be a thorn in my side on this day. In the past, I usually spent my birthdays under the sakura trees in Inazuma, visiting [Name]. But, things have changed now. I no longer am who I once was, and my relationship with [Name] is no longer the same. They have forgotten me, and our past together… but Lesser Lord Kusanali has forced us to interact again numerous times, leading to our current relationship. Lesser Lord Kusanali always pats my back, saying that time will lead us back to each other… how irritating.

Speaking of her being irritating, she decided to tell [Name] that today was my birthday, a horrible decision. Now, they’ve run all over Sumeru looking for me, until they finally found me in the House of Daena. Panting and gasping for air, all I could hear was them sincerely apologizing over and over for not knowing my birthday. They promised they’d get me a late birthday gift, even though I kept repeating that it was unnecessary. Unfortunately, it has always been hard to get things through their thick skull. All I know for sure is that Lesser Lord Kusanali definitely planned this and that she will tease me to no end the next time I see her…

Still, they dragged me through Sumeru City. According to them, they knew I wouldn’t like anything too fancy, so they brought me to an alleyway. Your typical textbook dark and narrow one. And at the end were… cats. Many of them. [Name] turned to me with a smile and said they bet I didn’t know about this secret kitty haven, and that it was a perfect gift for someone like me. I do wonder if Sumeru’s sun has made them crazy sometimes.

But, this birthday wasn’t as boring as I thought it’d be. So… that’s nice, I guess. Actually, Lesser Lord Kusanali had assigned me a paper to write. A paper on [Name], on my own birthday. She said that she wasn’t going to read or check it, but it was for my sake. How preposterous, right? How would anything like that help me?

But tonight… I feel as though I’ll make some progress on it.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Wanderer and you in it. The puppet is at the top of the ladder in the House of Daena, searching for books (most likely forced to by the Dendro Archon), but your figure can be made out at the bottom. You seem to be waving and beckoning him to come down, so he can have a good time with you for his birthday. Wanderer doesn’t seem very excited about it, but… he will always indulge you, the person he can’t deny he loves. Hmm? Why is he using a ladder instead of his Anemo powers? Well, perhaps the puppet doesn’t like drawing attention to himself.

Attached Items:

Essay Concerning Inazuman Society and Politics [An essay Wanderer has written during his time spent in Vahumana. What, did the Traveler really think he’d send the essay he wrote about [Name]? However, Paimon couldn’t make it through the title page, and even the Traveler struggled through it. But, it seems to be your favorite essay of his, considering all the notes you made in it, not to mention the noodles you drew when you got bored… Wanderer probably scolded you for that but, it’s never in bad faith.]

Tricolor Dango [A plate of dango that [Name] brought for Wanderer as a treat. It seems that they are unaware of his dislike of sweet food… But the puppet did not want to hurt their feelings considering the thought and effort they put into his birthday, so he did not decline it.]

—

“A Lavish Tea Party.”

Sender: Sandrone

Unbeknownst to me, [Name] recently had a variety of sweets from Fontaine imported. It seemed like they tinkered with my bots once again, to get them on their side so I would remain in the dark… they can be such a hassle to deal with sometimes. However, this means that their skills are ever improving, as I’ve been improving my Automatons to be much more complex. As expected of my assistant. Speaking of, they’ve also imported some other things that I’ve been wanting for a while. Hopefully, they’re up to standard this time, or they’ll have to be returned. Ugh, I hate dealing with the Ninth whenever that happens…

Though back to the subject, it seems that [Name] has once again needlessly gone out of their way, since today is my date of birth. Although I don’t like being distracted from my research, and I see no need to waste time just because I happened to be born today, this break that [Name] has prepared for me isn’t too bad. I have not attended a proper tea party in far too long. The fools I have for agents can never set it up correctly.

[Name] is not someone who dresses up very often, but they always make the effort to match their attire with mine. Something that other people should learn from, but alas. Though, I wish they did it more often. Not even the most well-crafted doll could match their beauty. Have I told them that? No, they should be smart enough to figure that out by themselves.

Regardless, I must cut this letter short. After this, I want to work on an Automaton with [Name]. I have held off on it because they have expressed interest in it, and since we are together now, it is the perfect time to work on it. I was expecting them to get huffy at me working today, but it seems that they are pleased to work with me. I wonder why.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Sandrone and you in it. A wide array of treats and sweets are plated on numerous platters, along with ceramic tea cups waiting to be filled with piping hot tea. The surrounding robots are also fashioned in a similar style as her, perfect attire for the tea party, holding additional trays of desserts. (Can these robots eat too?) You’re pouring your wife her favorite kind of tea as you’ve already set her plate, while she sits patiently with her hands folded. Despite Sandrone’s doll-like features, one can see a small smile on her face.

Attached Items:

Instructions For A Perfect Tea Party [Sandrone’s set of instructions as to how a perfect tea party is conducted. Some of the rules seem nonsensical and impossible to many, which is why no Fatui agent can ever live up to the Harbinger’s expectations, as she will not accept anything less than what she desires. However, you are the only person who has managed to fulfill all the rules to a tee, which is one of the reasons she greatly favors you. Sending this list to the Traveler and Paimon is also her way of saying they are never invited as they will never be able to fulfill the rules in a way that satisfies her… how rude!]

Clockwork Toy of Sandrone [A Harbinger toy from Leschots Clockwork Workshop in Fontaine. They seem to have dabbled in making toys of the Harbingers as they said they would, and who better to start with than the machinery genius herself? Of course, Sandrone can point out numerous flaws with the design and components, and probably criticized it heavily to you, but you still seem to love it, because it’s of her! Unfortunately, your wife doesn’t like that very much… why settle for something inferior when you could have it in much higher quality? So the Harbinger decided to make a toy of herself that lives up to her standard. The Traveler can have the faulty one…]

—

“Another Year Passes…”

Sender: La Signora

In the past, I used to be quite fond of birthdays. In Mondstadt, I would always celebrate it with him every year. But after he died, birthdays left a bitter taste in my mouth, and I never dared think about doing anything on this day ever again. How could I, when he was no longer by my side? But today is my birthday again, and I find myself happy. Why? Because of [Name], the person who taught me how to love again. Admittedly, I pushed away the idea at first. But after some more reflection, I decided it wouldn’t be fair to [Name]. The past is the past, and the present is the present. If [Name] wants to make me feel special on my birthday, then who am I to stop them?

And indeed they did pamper me. They always pamper me but, today it was much more than normal. Breakfast in bed, massages, hair brushing, helping me put on my clothes, opening doors for me, fancy dinner and wine after work. I don’t think there was a single moment where they weren’t trying to do something for me. It gave me a good chuckle, which made them embarrassed. But truly, it made me happy. I had… forgotten what it feels like to be cared for on my birthday. It’s a foreign feeling but, I hope that the foreignness eventually goes away after some time.

However, I must tell them that there’s no need to overexert themselves just because it is my birthday. Although I do enjoy the extra treatment, it does neither of us any good for them to fall asleep before the night is even over. But, that’s okay. There is always next year, yes?

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Signora and you in it. You are fast asleep on the Fair Lady’s lap, a peaceful expression on your face. A similar one is on Signora’s, as there is no one else around, and she can let her guard down around you. There are a few of her flame moths scattered around the room as well, a few on the two of you. As her blonde hair spills onto your face and body, one can only guess what she is thinking.

Attached Items:

Tea Break Pancakes [Despite Signora’s history with her home nation, it’s said that she still enjoys the cuisine from there. So, you like to cook her food from there whenever you can. It might not be as good as a professional’s but it provides her a taste of home. A taste of your love, which is her favorite flavor.]

Rose [It’s no secret that roses are Signora’s favorite flower. Beautiful yet thorny, alluring yet dangerous. There are many kinds of roses with all sorts of meanings in this world, but you two have been seen exchanging only one kind - a red one. Whatever could it mean?]

—

“Birthdays…”

Sender: Pantalone

When I was a child, birthdays did not mean much to me. After all, how could one focus on their date of birth when it seemed like life was full of nothing but curses and suffering? It was only another day of working to survive. But when I met [Name], they changed that. With them, the day began to have… meaning. Purpose. It wasn’t anything grand, but they made it special, distracting me from another day of poverty. Even with their meager earnings, they never failed to gift me something, even if it was of little to no value, or not the best quality… I cherished it. No one else had ever thought of me so much. When I look back, every time my birthday came around again, my love for them only grew more.

Now that we are adults, my only wish is to repay their kindness and spoil them with as many gifts as they deserve. However, there are a few issues with this. There are times I find myself more disappointed with the world than usual because it has yet to create something that would be a suitable gift that would be on par with my love for my dear [Name]. However, whenever my spouse gifts me something, their thoughtfulness never ceases to amaze me. How is it that they always manage to gift me something wonderful and touching? When I questioned them about this, they raised an eyebrow and gave me a strange look. It seems that I will not learn their secret anytime soon. How unfortunate.

Not to mention, dearest [Name] gets upset when I spend “ludicrous amounts of money” (their words) on them, especially on my birthday, so they’ve “forbidden” me from doing so today. They are rather persistent on this, and their long lectures and expressions are rather amusing, so I’ll indulge them… for now. Do you think they realize I’ll just spend double the amount the next day? Regardless, birthdays are always well spent with [Name], and I plan to enjoy this one fully, just as I have in the past because they are the one who makes my birthday a day worth celebrating.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Pantalone and you in it. The two of you are taking a walk in Snezhnaya, browsing stores and the like. Even though it is Pantalone’s birthday, he seems insistent on trying to buy out a few stores for you once again… so in order to prevent him from doing that, you’ve hidden yourself in his coat, stopping him from walking properly. The Harbinger seems rather entertained by your antics and your head popping out of his coat… he should make you do this more often. It’s perfect for head pats.

Attached Items:

Pantalone’s Spare Change [As it is his birthday, Pantalone is feeling more generous than usual, so he is sending a bit of funds to the Traveler. There is no need for any repayment, take it as a symbol of the Fatui’s goodwill. (However, it would do good to proceed with caution… this is the Ninth, after all.) Opening it up, the duo expects to see an average amount of money, but instead are presented with a couple of million Mora… if this is what Pantalone is willing to send to the Traveler, how much does he spend on [Name]?! Paimon doesn’t want to imagine the number!]

[Name]’s Guide to Gift Giving [A piece written by you to detail how you always choose the best gift for Pantalone, unbeknownst to your husband. Opening it up, the Traveler is very curious as to how you manage to win over the Harbinger every time, a man who has everything he could possibly want at his fingertips. But instead, only one sentence is written on the paper - “I don’t know how I do it either.”]

—

“Appreciation.”

Sender: Arlecchino

Birthdays were not very much celebrated in the House of Hearth, especially when the former Knave was around. However, that changed when [Name] came along. Years ago, I still remember when they gifted Lynette her first tea cup set. Freminet, a collection of spare parts that he ended up using to make another clockwork toy. And probably the biggest hassle… gifting little Lyney a white rabbit. However, I do appreciate my lover’s efforts. The children always look forward to their birthdays much more now, some even going as far as to drop hints about their desired gift and give puppy eyes to [Name] when the time rolls around. I have to remind my children not to get greedy, and to be grateful for what they already have…

I also remember the first birthday they gifted me something as well. A part of me expected it, considering the way they behaved, but still, it was an… unfamiliar feeling, to be gifted something. And, it was also the day little Lyney and Lynette presented their first amateur magic show to me. Of course, they had much to improve on, but looking back it was a suitable birthday gift, considering how much I’ve seen the two grow now. Needless to say, I appreciate [Name] very much, for what they have given me and my children.

My birthday has come once more, and [Name] is celebrating it as they always feel the need to. Really, even if they did nothing, I would still appreciate it, considering all they’ve done. The sweets they gathered this time were exceptional, and we had a lovely chat, before taking a walk through Fontaine. They say that the flowers that grow in the wild are always the prettiest, especially the Rainbow Roses.

Ah, last of all, if you could do me a favor, that would be greatly appreciated. You have been in Fontaine for a while now, yes? It would be a great help to me if you could point me to some good operas. [Name] and I have watched many in Snezhnaya, however, we don’t often have the chance to watch any in Fontaine, with our work and all. Thank you. And please, do not bore me or waste my time.

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Arlecchino and you in it. You two are sitting in a field in Fontaine somewhere, with Rainbow Roses to the side. One of them has been tucked into the Harbinger’s hair, while you seem to be focusing on creating… a flower crown? Despite the pinkness of the rose greatly contrasting with Arlecchino’s whole dark red, black, and white look, she seems to not mind your antics and waits patiently for you to complete your work of art. Of course, as a Fontainian, she knows very well what Rainbow Roses symbolize, and won’t turn down the physical manifestation of your feelings.

Attached Items:

List of Yummy Hidden Gems [A list of great places to buy sweets from in Fontaine, courtesy of [Name], passed on by Arlecchino. Sure, Hotel Debord and Café Lutece do have some excellent sweets, but there are many hidden restaurants and bakeries that provide delicious treats as well! Do stop by and give them a try. Arlecchino favors many of their products. If one needs a similar list for the other nations, do tell.]

Slice of Birthday Cake [An exquisite slice of cake cut from Arlecchino’s birthday cake. She doesn’t care much for the tradition, but [Name] always buys one anyway as an excuse to treat the children from the House to something nice. You know you shouldn’t spoil them so much, but you can’t help it!]

—

“Splash!”

Sender: Tartaglia

Hey comrade! How have you been? Sorry if my handwriting isn’t the best. I sparred with [Name] for my birthday, and they really roughed me up. Not that I mind, I asked them to go all out. Normally they don’t like fighting with me, because they always insist they don’t like hurting me, but they couldn’t say no to me today. You know, I would like to see the two of you fight. It would be an exhilarating experience.

But anyway, after they patched me up, we took a dive in Fontaine’s waters! You know, whenever I visit Liyue, we often go to cool off in Yaoguang Shoal, but Fontaine’s oceans are so much different. The scenery, the terrain, the greenery, the wildlife… good thing I bought them a waterproof Kamera. Speaking of wildlife, [Name] and I befriended a blubberbeast. [Name] instantly fell in love with the creature, and I feel as though they gave a bit too much attention to it, but, seeing them smile is the best gift I could ever ask for. Maybe I should gift them a plushie of it? However, it is a bit amusing that something that looks as defenseless as that could pack such a punch!

Did you know this, Traveler? Apparently, Romaritime Flowers represent loyalty. [Name] gifted me a bouquet which I was initially confused about since I usually give them flowers instead. But after some quick research, these flowers mean unbreaking oaths. It was a bit ironic really, for I should have gifted them instead as I always swore to be loyal to them, my family, and the Tsaritsa, but it was a wonderful gift. Not to mention the delicious meal they prepared. They’ve been busy researching the best Fontaine recipes for me, so I could make them for Teucer and the others back home, but maybe I should just drag them to Snezhnaya so they could do it instead… I never leave anything but empty plates whenever [Name] cooks for me, but they’ve packaged some for you too, Traveler!

Next time we fight at the Golden House, I’ll bring [Name] along too. Do you think you can hold your own against both of us at the same time?

Attached Photograph:

A picture is included with the letter that has Childe and you in it. You two are under the sea, with a Blubberbeast between the two of you. The creature is nudging you while Childe looks on amused. It seems that it’s been begging for some more attention, food, and head pats. Maybe some tummy rubs too. Apparently, you named it Big Cutie, because well… it’s a big cutie! Unfortunately, it seems to have a little bit of a grudge against the Harbinger because he accidentally attacked it.

Attached Items:

[Name]’s Special Macarons [Rainbow Macarons but with a special twist from [Name]. On the top and bottom of the sweet treat are… faces? Very detailed ones too, with colored hair and eyes! Ah, the faces are none other than [Name], Childe, Teucer, and all of his other siblings! Oh, and macarons of Traveler and Paimon were made as well, how kind! Childe says they’re quite delicious, and he is a great cook, so they must be.]

Freshly Caught Fish [Fish caught by Childe. It seems that the two lovers also went fishing after diving a bit, as one knows how much Childe loves to fish. Sadly, your fishing skills still pale in comparison compared to his and you barely caught anything… That’s alright though! No matter how long it takes, he’ll always happily help you hone your skills!]

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shiggybrainr0t · 4 months

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i was going through @willowser writing tag and reading all their stuff, as one does, and found their response to how bakugo would react whenever you tell him about a creepy guy and it got me thinking….yall know that tiktok trend about the fake Dimitri voicemail 💀 this turned out to be 90% domestic katsuki and only 10% him responding to a creepy guy so I’m sorry 😞

divider made by @cafekitsune 🖤

warnings: one fake creepy guy, comment about abuse and anxiety (not from bakugo)

Whenever you walk inside your shared apartment, you make sure to school your face into one of neutrality. You feel like you should know better than to do something like this, but Denki got this little prank into your mind and said he would give you 3,000 yen if you actually did it and well- who are you to turn that down.

Katsuki is sprawled shirtless on your couch, sweatpants hanging dangerously low on his hips as he snoozes with his arms behind his head. He makes the couch look hilariously tiny, with the way one leg is hanging off the edge and the other is bent just so his torso will fit. You can tell he has just taken a shower by the way his hair is a couple shades darker than normal and sticking about in odd ways. Seeing him there makes you forget about what you were set on doing, and you gaze at his golden form for a minute until you shifting has the floor creaking and one of his eyes opening lazily.

You know that he knew you were here the moment your keys jingled outside the door, but it was you not coming over and immediately plopping on top of him like usual that prompts him to make a grabby hand in your direction, a soft scowl on his face as you continue to stand there.

“Why’re you just standing there?”

His rumbling, sleepy voice breaks you out of your stupor and you continue on your journey towards your boyfriend. Unceremoniously, you drape yourself over his form, making him grunt at the impact even though he was expecting it. It’s muscle memory the way your legs tangle with his, and the way one strong arm wraps around you to grip at the squishy part of your side, all insecurities long lost in the safety of his arms.

His scent surrounds you, the smell of caramelized sugar and his body wash filling your senses, making you wiggle up to place your nose into the crook of his neck. You sniff loudly, giggling when he palms your face to push you away.

“Fuckin’ weirdo.”

After settling, you both bask in each other’s presence for a little while. You’re content to end the evening like this, until Denki’s stupid face flashes through your mind. Nonchalantly, you start to trace little patterns on Katsuki’s smooth chest, saying his name softly. At his responding hum, you start telling your tale.

“You know we have a new neighbor downstairs….” He doesn’t reply, only adjusting his grip on you slightly and raising one blonde eyebrow whenever you look up at him.

“Well, his name is Dimitri and he isn’t from here. He seemed a little lost, and he doesn’t really know anybody yet, so I gave him my number in case he needed help.”

“…..I don’t like where this is going.” Katsuki looks down at you, giving himself a double chin because of the angle. Annoyingly, he’s still gorgeous.

Put on, you sigh and trace “I love you” lightly into his skin. You know he got it, because he buries his nose into your hair and kisses your forehead in response.

“He started calling me a lot, even after I told him I had a boyfriend who could snap him in half-“

“Fuck yeah I could.”

“-and he left me this voicemail that was weird.”

You trail off, and at his raised eyebrows and slight shake of his head saying “well?” grab your phone and pull up the video Denki sent you, making sure the screen isn’t visible and press play.

The grainy sound of a voicemail fills the space, “Dimitri’s” voice starting up quickly.

“It’s Dimitri again. I left you a message a couple days ago. Now here’s the way I work: I don’t like leaving second messages.”

Your boyfriend’s jaw drops slightly at the sudden change of tone in Dimitri’s voice.

As “Dimitri” begins to tell you all his attributes, Katsuki’s face begins to screw up. The list of why “Dimitri” is an amazing guy and why he should be your boyfriend is a long one, and you can see Katsuki becoming more and more irritated as the voicemail continues.

“I’m giving you until 3 o’clock to return my call. I can understand if you’ve got some other issues…like maybe you were abused or you have an anxiety disorder and you’re on medicine for that-“

A warm and calloused hand engulfs yours to turn your phone off. Katsuki gently shoves you off of him, standing up and stretching lightly before turning to you.

“What apartment is he in again?” Your shocked face makes him turn around, quickly putting on some slippers and forgoing a shirt to step out of your apartment and into the hallway.

“I’ll find it.”

He’s already down the hall, bare back tense and cocking his head to the side as he jabs at the elevator buttons whenever you make it off the couch and out the door.

An apartment down, your neighbor perks up when she hears your voice, and goes to peek out her door. Where you are, your hunk of a boyfriend isn’t far behind.

“Kat-Katsuki it was a prank!”

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softsturn · 5 months

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the beach - m.s

⩩ pairing: matt x fem!reader

⩩ summary: matt is caught jerking off to his best friend (inspired by @heartstreet !! full creds to them for this idea)

⩩ warnings: masturbation, handjob, p-in-v, half assed writing at the end.

⩩ a/n: sorry i haven’t posted much, its been so hard to think of ideas. i wanted to make a part two of what i last posted but i literally don’t know how to continue it😭 thank you for all the likes and follows!! pls leave me requests :)

Describing the bond between you and Matt exceeds the simplicity a mere friendship. Growing up, you lived only a few houses away from his, you shared the same schools, and practically every experience was a joint venture. It wasn't just common knowledge; it was an undeniable truth that wherever you went, a blue-eyed boy with brown hair was sure to follow, mirroring your every step like a lost puppy. The invisible tie binding you two seemed unbreakable, preventing you from straying far apart.

Now, at Cape Cod, a destination woven into the fabric of your cherished summer memories, you eagerly await Matt and his family’s arrival. Setting up foldable chairs and towels on the sandy shores, you can hardly contain your anticipation, eager to continue the tradition of shared moments under the sun.

As if on cue, his family strolled towards the beach, carrying an assortment of towels, bags, chairs, and a cooler. Your face lit up with a vibrant smile upon spotting the three identical boys approaching with palpable excitement. They placed their belongings on the sand, and you greeted them eagerly.

Matt's eyes widened noticeably, practically popping out of his sockets as he unabashedly drank in the sight of you. While you maintained your usual level of beauty, his gaze lingered on your figure. Stepping out of your comfort zone, you had chosen a two-piece bikini opposed to a one piece like you normally wore, showcasing newfound confidence in your evolving body. The swimsuit hugged you in all the right places, baring your torso and clinging snugly to your curves. Matt found himself caught in a momentary, lustful gaze, slightly zoning out as Nick and Chris enthusiastically hyped you up in the background.

"You look so good girl!" exclaimed Nick, with Chris joining in laughter, while you, feeling a bit shy, crossed your arms over your stomach.

Coming back to reality from his fleeting thoughts, Matt nodded and offered you a small, genuine smile. "You look..." he hesitated, carefully choosing his words to avoid any discomfort for you. "Pretty," he mumbled sheepishly, prompting a soft blush to grace your face. Matt's compliments held a unique significance, seeming to carry more weight than others, his opinion reigning supreme in your mind.

"Thank you," you replied with a shy giggle, while Nick and Chris exchanged amused glances, furrowing their brows at the subtle dynamics unfolding between the two of you. The unspoken connection, the palpable undercurrent of something more than friendship, was evident to everyone around. Jokes from your parents about an impending marriage and teasing from Matt's brothers were constant reminders of the unspoken truth – you and Matt shared a love that transcended platonic feelings, even if the explicit words hadn't been uttered.

After a few hours under the warm sun, the faint emergence of sunburn and light freckles adorned your face, telling tales of days spent soaking up the heat. Meanwhile, Matt wrestled with his thoughts, a delicate balance between loyalty to your friendship and the desire that threatened to breach inappropriate territories. He harbored a profound fear of jeopardizing the trust you shared or causing any discomfort, acutely aware that losing you was a risk he couldn't fathom.

As you stood, engrossed in gathering your belongings and bending over slightly, Matt couldn't suppress the way his gaze involuntarily traced the curves of your figure, particularly fixating on your ass. His mind danced with forbidden scenarios, imagining actions he both longed for and felt conflicted about. Sensing a warmth spreading through him, he nervously looked away, trying to prevent any telltale signs of his internal struggle.

You straightened up, holding your possessions with a toothy grin, completely oblivious to the subtle turmoil in Matt's mind. "I'll see you back at the house," you said softly. Matt offered a slight nod and joined his brothers in packing up their belongings. As you made your way to your car, your parents loading up the trunk, you settled into the back seat, succumbing slowly to sleep, the exhaustion of the day catching up with you.

Waking up with a groan, you found your parents' car parked by the side of the road in front of the triplets' house, just a few doors down from your own. The plan was to spend the night at their place, a routine that had become usual given your inclination to seek comfort in their home over your own. Extracting yourself from the car, you grabbed your overnight bag, bidding farewells to your parents as you watched them drive away.

Your bathing suit clung persistently to your body, your hair still damp, and the weariness in your limbs yearning for the promise of relaxation. Shuffling into Matt's home without bothering to knock, the unspoken familiarity of years spent together allowed you the privilege of simply letting yourself in. Passing through the kitchen, Matt's parents greeted you with warm smiles as you entered the living room.

There, Matt, Nick, and Chris were sprawled on the couch, engrossed in a movie that you were sure they had seen at least a thousand times. When Matt's eyes met yours, a soft expression played on his face, evident in the effort to maintain eye contact with your face rather than letting his gaze wander.

"Hey," he murmured, and you returned the greeting with a gentle smile, playfully ruffling his hair as you stood over him. "Hey, I'm gonna go shower. I'll join you guys if you're still out here when I'm done." With that, you ventured down the hall, heading toward the guest bedroom.

In the midst of a hot shower, as you washed away the residue of salty water and sand, Matt and his brothers grew disinterested in the movie, dispersing to their separate bedrooms. Collapsing onto his bed with a weary sigh, exhaustion permeated Matt's body. Turning to his phone, he absentmindedly scrolled through various social media apps. Refreshing his Instagram feed, he stumbled upon a recent post you had shared before stepping into the shower.

The post featured a series of photos taken by Nick during your beach outing. One image captured you from the side, accentuating your ass and curves, while another showcased the contours of your cleavage and perky boobs from the front. Although the intention behind the pictures was innocent, Matt's mind became inundated with impure thoughts. Consumed by a sense of guilt, he recognized the inappropriateness of his desires, grappling with conflicting emotions. You were his best friend, and he was acutely aware that such lascivious thoughts were unwarranted. It was more than mere lust; he harbored genuine love for you and a desire to be a person deserving of your affection.

As Matt stared at his screen, a warmth enveloped his body, and he found himself unable to suppress the physical reaction, a boner forming in his pants. He felt conflicted, but it wasn’t like you knew what he was thinking, or doing. Succumbing to the intensity of his desire, he pulled his pants down enough to free himself, his cock springing out of his boxers. He took his cock into his right hand, phone in his left hand, and he began to stroke himself, allowing his imagination to run wild with scenarios that had occupied his dreams. The room echoed with subtle grunts and whimpers as he finally started to release the pent-up feelings that had plagued him throughout the day.

You emerged from the invigorating shower, enveloped in a towel, the sensation of cleanliness and renewal coursing through you. Exiting the bathroom, you ventured into the guest bedroom designated for your night's rest, shutting the door behind you. As you delved into your bag, extracting essentials like panties, shorts, and a tank top, the soft fabrics embraced you once you shed the towel. Nighttime rituals of hair brushing, skincare, and teeth cleaning completed, you settled into the guest bedroom, a sanctuary that had become almost like your own.

The tranquility was fleeting, interrupted by a shiver that prompted a quest for warmth. Rummaging through your bag, you discovered the absence of a hoodie – an oversight that led you down the hall to Matt's bedroom. Assuming he'd still be awake, you envisioned a simple request to borrow one of his hoodies. Little did you anticipate the unexpected scene awaiting you.

Without bothering to knock, a habit formed over years of friendship, you barged into Matt's room, focused on your hoodie mission. "I need to borrow a hoodie; it's freezing—" your words trailed off as your gaze absorbed the shocking sight. Matt, in his bed, his hand pumping up and down his cock, his phone displaying pictures of you. A gasp escaped him as your presence registered, his eyes meeting yours with a mix of surprise and guilt. "Y/N..." he uttered, his phone slipping from his hand onto the bed, his hand movements abruptly halted in the realization of the awkward situation.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry; I didn't think—I should've knocked. I'll just go get one from Nick," you mumbled nervously, ready to retreat. The air hung heavy with the unspoken tension, both of you grappling with the potential ramifications on your friendship. Before you could exit, Matt called to you, conflicted between wanting you to stay and the desire to erase this awkward moment.

"Don't go," he uttered, wincing at his own words, attempting to clarify that he wasn't making advances or asking for anything. You stood there, caught in a surreal tableau, uncertain about how to navigate this unexpected revelation. Blinking in an attempt to regain composure, you voiced a question laden with curiosity and awkwardness.

"Do you... do this often?" your brows furrowed, your gaze drifting toward his needy cock. Matt sighed, grappling with shame, attempting to rein in his emotions. "Jerk off? Or jerk off to you..." he replied, injecting a hint of humor to alleviate the palpable tension.

"Jerk off to me," you clarified, offering a sheepish smile, grateful for his attempt to inject some levity. Matt, in a vulnerable admission, stumbled through an explanation, striving to avoid sounding like a creep. The guilt weighed heavily on him, sensing that he had betrayed the sanctity of your friendship.

"This is the first time—I'm sorry. You just looked so pretty all day, and I couldn't... I don't know," he rambled, his remorse evident. Expecting you to recoil, Matt braced for the consequences of his impure thoughts. Yet, to his surprise, you stepped closer, the bed dipping as you sat on the edge near his legs. Your eyes danced everywhere but on his throbbing cock.

"It's okay; I'm not mad," you reassured, the tension easing with your understanding words. In that moment, you appreciated the side of Matt that could inject humor even into the most awkward situations, and despite the strangeness of the circumstance, a reassuring smile graced your lips.

"You're not?" he asked, confusion etching his face as his gaze reached the end of the bed where you were. The bewilderment stemmed from the expectation of your anger; he believed he deserved your fury. You shook your head, dispelling any doubts that lingered in his mind. "I'm not mad," you affirmed, inhaling deeply before contemplating the weight of your next words. The undeniable truth of their mutual feelings lay bare, an unignorable reality that both had been evading.

"Do you want me to help you?" you inquired, addressing the underlying tension. Matt hesitated, shaking his head in a refusal. Your offer, though tempting, made him reluctant, not wanting you to feel obliged, and questioning his own worthiness of such an intimate gesture. “Y/N… you don’t have to.”

Sighing, you crawled to sit on his knees, his cock twitching right before you, aching for release. It wasn't about obligation; it was about love. You wanted to be the one to bring him pleasure. "I know, I want to," you reassured, meeting his gaze as he deliberated. "Please," he whimpered, desperation evident on his face. Taking it as a signal, you palmed him, your hand trembling slightly as you sought confirmation in his eyes, ensuring every move was met with consent.

As you encountered nothing but longing in his gaze, your hand tentatively began to move, gliding up and down his length. The unspoken revelation that you were not very experienced was apparent to him, and a twinge of guilt crept in as he allowed you to pleasure him. Determined not to make this solely about his satisfaction, he seized the moment, grasping your wrist and redirecting your hand away from his arousal, prompting you to lean forward.

In an impulsive move, he pressed his lips forcefully against yours, his tongue seeking entry, savoring the taste of your chapstick. The kiss bore neither aggression nor softness; instead, it carried the weight of years filled with tension, prolonged gazes, and lingering touches, finally unfurling in this shared moment. Pulling back slightly, he noticed your lips chasing after his, seeking more contact with his lips.

"I want to make you feel good too," he murmured against your lips, his words flushing your face with heat, a wetness growing between your legs. The dynamics shifted, and now it was you yearning for him. His hands found your hips, drawing you closer until you straddled his waist, your clothed pussy pressing against his cock. His fingers hooked into the waistband of your pajama shorts and panties, seeking consent as he looked up at you.

"Can I take these off, baby?" he asked, and in response, you nodded, lifting yourself to allow him to slide them down your legs before resuming the straddled position, anticipation hanging thick in the air.

You took a sharp breath, nerves tingling as you ventured into unfamiliar territory with Matt. As he ran a finger through your wet folds, he licked his lips, captivated by the sight of your pretty pussy. In that moment, Matt would have done anything and everything you asked, he was completely at your mercy. Firmly holding your hips, he allowed your wet cunt to hover over his cock. While his desires tempted him to force you down and make you take it, his deep care for you held him back, especially given the significance of this being your first time.

"Go slow, okay? It's going to hurt a little, but I'm right here," he said. Nodding, you began the descent, wincing as his tip slipped into your enterance. "Oh my god, Matt," you moaned, your words interrupted as Matt leaned up, pressing his lips to yours to stifle your sweet sounds, mindful of his brothers sleeping down the hall.

Gradually, you took more of him in, whimpering at the initial stinging sensation as his cock stretched your tight walls. Eventually, you lowered yourself completely onto him, pausing to adjust to the sensation of him buried deep inside you. "Such a good girl, taking me so well," he cooed.

“Feels so good,” you murmured, the words escaping on a breath as you began to move your hips against him, keeping a steady rhythm. He gripped your hips firmly, and you were sure there would be red marks left behind. His kisses trailed down your neck, lips brushing over your collarbones and shoulders, marking you with purposeful hickeys that finally declared you as his, even though you had always belonged to him.

Slowly, he lifted your tank top over your head, tossing it aside in the room's shadows. "So fucking pretty," he mumbled, his gaze lingering on you through half-lidded eyes. His mouth descended, lavishing much-needed attention on your boobs, kissing and licking your sensitive nipples with devotion. In his eyes, your body was a masterpiece, and he aimed to ensure you knew just how perfect you were. Every gesture was a testament to his worship, eliciting small moans of pleasure as you succumbed to the sensations he bestowed upon you.

"Faster, please," he choked out, a desperate need cracking his voice as he trailed kisses down the valley of your breasts. Swiftly obeying, you quickened the pace, moaning as you rocked back and forth on his cock. Yet, the soreness lingering from your day at the beach made it challenging. Matt noticed, his hands helping to move your hips, orchestrating a rhythm that heightened the pleasure. He began to thrust into you, hips meeting yours, intensifying the sensation.

Throwing your head back, eyes rolling, pleasure consumed you, a knot tightening in your stomach. One of his hands left your hip, moving downward, his thumb expertly circling your swollen clit. Overwhelmed, words escaped you, your mind consumed by him. "Fuck, Matt," you managed to whimper in your love-drunk state, a proud smirk gracing his lips as he witnessed you lost in pleasure, knowing he was the only one to evoke such a response.

"Cum for me, princess," he urged in a whiny, broken voice, his own release imminent. His words triggered your climax, a stream of mumbled curses and whines escaping you as pleasure saturated every inch of your being. Surrendering to the intensity, you abandoned your movements, letting him guide and sway you through the waves of orgasmic ecstasy. His release followed suit, white streams of cum shooting into you, accompanied by his whimpering and grunting.

As the movements ceased, he lay beneath you, both of you attempting to catch your breath. Gingerly lifting yourself off him, a wince accompanied the sensitivity as his cock withdrew from your cunt. Rolling over, you nestled next to him, curling into his side, a lazy hand draped over his waist. His hand found its way to your head, tenderly stroking your hair as you rested against his chest, syncing your breathing with his.

"Get some rest; I'm taking you on a date tomorrow," he grinned mischievously, planting light kisses on your forehead. Raising your head, curiosity piqued, you questioned, "A date?" He nodded, gently pushing your head back to his chest, his fingers continuing to stroke your hair in a soothing rhythm.

"A date. So I can ask you to be my girlfriend," he chuckled, of course Matt wanted to do things right despite having just fucked you dumb. You chuckled in response, appreciating Matt's intent. "Okay, I can't wait to say yes," you declared, both of you closing your eyes, eager for the embrace of sleep and the beginning of this new chapter in your relationship.

#matt sturniolo #matt sturniolo smut #matt sturniolo x you #matt sturniolo x reader #sturniolo triplets #matt sturniolo fluff #nick sturniolo #chris sturniolo #fluff #smut #matthew sturniolo #matt sturniolo fanfic #matt sturniolo oneshot

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roosterforme · 6 months

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How You Play the Game Part 4 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley is torn between hoping for more nights with you and calling it quits now. But he feels too good when he's around you. When he takes you on a late night date after the game, he's convinced you have the same mixed up feelings he does. But neither of you can seem to explain it.

Warnings: Swearing, fluff, angst, and smut (18+)

Length: 4700 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x female reader

Check out my masterlist for more! How You Play the Game masterlist. Banner by @thedroneranger

When Bradley left your hotel room at five in the morning, you were still sound asleep. It took every bit of his willpower to carefully extract himself from the warmth of the bed and your body. The room was dark, but he could still see the outline of your profile as you stirred slightly, and he ran his mustache along your cheek.

The sentiments that flooded his brain and almost escaped his lips were startling, and he rolled slowly away from you, his heart beating a little erratically. He needed to get on the road before the Los Angeles rush hour traffic picked up, but he found himself moving without hurry as he located his keys and wallet.

Why was he doing this? He had two more mornings like this, maybe more if he was lucky. But he should have been doing a better job of keeping his feelings in check. He told himself not to do it, but it was like he had no control at this point, so Bradley walked around the bed and kissed your forehead. "See ya, Ace."

He listened to the sports radio show he normally enjoyed on his drive, but he wasn't really absorbing any of it. Your article and insights were better than this. And when he made it to work, he read your game three article on the New York Times app several times when he had breaks and while he ate lunch. It was no wonder every media outlet wanted to have you writing for them. Your style and like no other, and everyone seemed to see that. Bradley wished your boss acknowledged what an asset you are instead of screaming at you for literally nothing.

Ace: You made it to work on time? Miss you.

"Fuck," he gasped, feeling like someone had hit him in the gut as he stood to throw his trash away after lunch. If he believed this was one sided, it wouldn't have been so bad. If he wasn't getting messages like Miss you as soon as he wasn't with you, he would have probably been dealing with this better.

He knew there were sixteen condoms left. He knew you were as keen to take things to bed as he was. Miss you. But that just didn't seem like all there was, and he already knew there wouldn't be enough time to find out for sure.

Yeah, I made it on time. I miss you too. I'll be back up as soon as I get out of work.

This was going to hurt pretty soon. He should be planning to head back to Anaheim tonight to end things with you. But keeping this entanglement going for the duration of the World Series had been his idea to begin with, and the thought of ending up anywhere except with you when he was falling asleep made him feel uncomfortable.

Ace: My room smells like you again. And I can practically still feel your arm wrapped around me.

And now Bradley was looking at tickets for the game even though it started at five. He would miss the first few innings, but at least he'd be able to get his arm around you again.

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

Your skin was tingling with anticipation, and no matter what you did, you couldn't distract yourself. Bradley was on his way up from San Diego again. He was fighting through traffic to get to you like you were living in some sort of fairy tale with an expiration date. Like he was the handsome prince and the press box was your tower. You snorted as you sat down with your computer and your stat sheet.

It had barely been half a day since he was tangled up in your hotel room bed with you, keeping you warm and secure with his body pressed to the back of yours. It was so easy to slip into a daydream about him, but just as easily you remembered you'd be leaving for Boston and then probably seven more cities before you made your way back to your apartment in New York for a day off.

You just missed a pitch. Bradley wasn't even here yet and you were having a hard time focusing on the game. Everyone else around you was writing and typing away, but you found yourself missing him too much. Then your phone started to vibrate, and a smile spread across your face.

"Hi Bradley," you whispered when you answered between pitches.

"Ace, Baby." He sounded out of breath as if he was trying to get to you as quickly as he could. Butterflies lifted off in your tummy as he said, "I just bought a ticket from a scalper in the parking lot for a hundred bucks since it's already the fourth inning. But now the security guards are looking at me like I'm highly suspicious."

You had to stifle your laughter as you stood. "Where are you?"

"Almost to the green door. Almost to you."

Without another word, you ended the call and grabbed your lanyard. And when you opened the heavy door and saw him walking so fast he was practically running, your laughter bubbled over.

"Ace," he called out breathlessly. "I had to park so far away." Before you could even respond, he had you in his arms, lifting you off the ground. "Worth it," he murmured as his lips met yours.

You wanted to tell him how much you missed him. You wanted him to know how happy you were that he came all the way back up here to you. He kissed you so well, you wanted to tell him you wouldn't stop thinking about him for a minute. But instead you said, "Let's get you inside before you get kicked out of here."

As he carried you into the press box, you could feel the thudding of his heart beneath your palm. You kissed his cheek a dozen times before he set you down. "You better get to work, Ace. The best articles around aren't going to write themselves."

"I'll have an easier time of it with you here," you told him as he grabbed one of the folding chairs and settled in.

"Really? How so?"

"I'll have someone to fetch me food and tell me I look pretty."

"I mean, you do look pretty. You hungry?" he asked as you tried to decipher how many outs you had missed.

"No," you replied, immediately putting your hand on his thigh to keep him in his seat. You didn't want him going anywhere at the moment.

"Alright," he rasped next to your ear. "I'll just be your cheerleader then. You're doing great, Baby. Keep going. Your article is going to be perfect."

You were smiling as he let his arm settle across your back, and the occasional words of encouragement kept a smile on your face. You laughed when he said something completely ridiculous like, "All the old, fat dudes are so jealous of you," as he gestured to Quincy who was sitting across the aisle glaring at you.

"Maybe he thinks you're pretty," you whispered.

Bradley just scoffed. "Not my type. He doesn't have any blue feathers at all."

And when the Padres scored a run, you could tell he wanted to cheer as he bit his knuckle. "Do you absolutely hate that nobody cheers in the press box?" you asked him with a laugh as you recorded the run.

"I think I'm actually getting used to it now. But I'm annoyed as hell that the Padres are winning. If the Angels can even out the series to 2-2, I'll get to spend more time with you."

You looked at him with what you just knew was a giddy grin. "You're annoyed that your favorite team is winning?" you asked as you ran your fingers along his Padres shirt.

"Yeah. Kind of. I'd rather spend time with you than anything else."

You kissed him softly and then whispered, "Stop being sweet. I'm trying to work here."

"You're not trying very hard."

Then you nipped at his lip before settling back against his arm. You wrote a quick paragraph about the Padres' relief pitcher throwing a temper tantrum while Bradley proofread it for you. And then you started to add your stats into the article during the seventh inning stretch when Bradley went to get you a water bottle. He kissed the back of your neck as he eased himself back down into his folding chair.

"I have an idea," he whispered. "Might be silly."

"What is it?" you murmured as you scrawled down a note for later.

He was quiet for a beat, and when he spoke, he sounded much less self assured than he usually did. "What if we stay here after the game ends and you finish your article early? Then I can take you on a date?"

His fingers had stilled on your back as you processed his words. "I've kind of been tricking myself into thinking all the baseball games and nights back at my hotel were dates," you said softly, unable to look at him. It was really easy to get lonely in your line of work, and if you let yourself dwell on it too long, you started to feel like it would swallow you whole. You couldn't have a pet or even any houseplants, much less a relationship. There was no time leftover for dates or falling in love.

But Bradley was making you feel two very different things at the same time. He made you wish you had time for these feelings that were creeping in. And he also made you certain that you'd never feel them again after you left for Boston, so what was the point? You shouldn't be encouraging this. But then you looked at his face.

"Yes. Those absolutely were dates," he confirmed. "And this is one right now. But we could go the traditional route for a few hours? Mini golf and a diner?"

If you were supposed to say no right now, you weren't sure how to manage it. "Okay."

And then he settled back with a satisfied grin, and his fingers started drawing those delicious shapes on your back once again. You couldn't remember the last time you'd been on an actual date, but you were sure after tonight, this one would be the benchmark.

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

"You're a sports writer. Golf is a sport. How are you this bad at it?"

"This is mini golf!" you argued. "It's not real golf! And I'm only doing so poorly because you keep touching me."

Bradley was wrapping his arms around you from behind again, trying to help you line up your shot on the seventh hole, but it was such a lost cause. "Just like that. Don't hit it too hard." As soon as he released you, he could tell it was going to be another awful shot. He watched your neon blue ball soar over to the eighth hole. "You know what? Fine, I'll stop touching you, Ace. You go ahead and show me how good you are," he told you as he went to retrieve your ball for probably the tenth time.

When he carried it back over to you, Bradley grinned at your laughter. The two of you were on a rooftop halfway between Anaheim and Los Angeles, and the night air was just starting to cool things off. After the game ended with an Angels victory, you scooted over to sit on Bradley's lap and he watched you work, offering help as you went. You'd finished your article around 9:30 and submitted it to be published, and then you and he had raced out to his Bronco.

You lined up your shot to try again without Bradley's help, and you hit it too hard again, sending it right back to the eighth hole again. "Okay, fine! I'm bad at mini golf!"

He planted his hands on his hips and turned to get the ball again. "You may as well just let me touch you then, yeah?"

"Yes," you replied, bending to set up your shot one more time. "Just touch me. I like it better when you do."

This time Bradley wrapped your hands around the club and covered them with his. "I like it better, too." He kissed your cheek and helped you check your swing with a long fluid motion, and you both watched the ball roll straight as an arrow until it sank into the cup.

"Hole in one!" you said, jumping up and down and thrusting your club up in the air. "I got a hole in one!"

"It was at least half me," Bradley grumbled as he set his red ball down and sank another one. "See? I'm the hole in one master."

"Sure, Bradley," you said sweetly, and he spent a minute kissing the smirk off your face before someone in the group behind you started to clear their throat.

"We're holding people up," he murmured, and then you tucked your fingers into his jeans pocket and led him to collect both balls.

"Help me get another hole in one, and I'll let you get lucky later," you told him as he dipped down to grab the golf balls. You laughed when he promptly dropped both of them and had to recollect them.

Bradley chased you to the next hole and wrapped his arms around you again, chanting, "Come on, come on, I wanna get lucky." When the shot narrowly missed going into the hole, Bradley kissed your neck and whispered, "It's okay. I'm already getting lucky."

By the last hole, you and he had managed to get three more hole in one shots, and you had your arms around his neck and your lips on his. The city skyline was lit up in the background, and the sounds of traffic even this late were permeating the air around you. But Bradley was absorbed in your body pressed to his and your hips beneath his hands.

"I had fun," you said between heated kisses. "You're going to get so lucky."

Bradley laughed as his hands moved to your ass, and he pushed the apprehension from his mind. Why couldn't he find a girl like this in San Diego? Why couldn't you live in San Diego? You were perfect.

"Didn't you mention a diner that's open all night?" you whispered.

"Let's go."

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

"Apparently it's built out of an old train car," Bradley was saying about the diner as he laced his fingers with yours on the drive there. "Supposed to be good."

You didn't care where he was taking you, because you were having the best night you could remember having in so long. You almost forgot you were on assignment. It was hard for you to acknowledge that you were lonely, but now that you had, you weren't sure how to make it better. Everything was temporary. But that didn't dispute the fact that you and Bradley were in the middle of something, and that this was not anything you normally did. You never, ever told anyone else that your favorite team is the Blue Jays. You never allowed anyone to look at your articles before they were published, let alone help you add notes and proofread them. And that wasn't even touching on the physical aspect of things.

"I think that's it," he said, removing his hand from yours to make the turn into the parking lot. You missed his warmth immediately, but your phone was ringing in your pocket anyway.

Bradley glanced at you as you looked at the screen. "It's Greg. My boss. Should be quick," you assured him. When you answered, you didn't have to say more than his name before he started unloading.

"If this thing goes to seven games, we are likely to lose the exclusives in Boston!" he ranted loudly. "I want you on a flight as soon as you can get out of California."

"Understood, Greg," you said, giving Bradley an apologetic look. But his eyes were wide, and the look he was giving you had your insides in knots. He didn't like when Greg yelled. But he just kept on going.

"I'm just trying to head off a disaster, because if one of these fully online platforms snatches up our exclusive, it will be a fucking nightmare! I'm weighing my options here. I may send Winston out to replace you for the remainder of the World Series so you can start heading east sooner."

"No!" you replied quickly before he could expand on that idea. You were looking at Bradley, heart pounding as you asked Greg, "Aren't my articles doing well? You know my baseball related content always does well."

"Your articles are doing great! They always do great! That's why I need you in fucking Boston!"

You pressed your lips together as Bradley let his hand rest on your knee. "Do not send Winston. I'll see this to the end and then head out."

"First flight you can get! And you better hope this only goes six games, because after Boston, you're going international for a few weeks."

Your stomach lurched as he ended the call. "Why does he have to scream at you?" Bradley asked, looking distraught. He was reaching for you and pulling you onto his lap. "Your work is immaculate."

For a split second, you could picture all of the recruitment emails in your inbox. More piled in every day. "It's just how he works. He's this way with everyone."

"I don't like it at all," he whispered as you came to rest on his lap in his vintage Bronco. Bradley made you feel warm and safe. His mustache brushed along your cheek as he added, "If he thinks you're the best person on his roster to go to Boston for another exclusive and then out of the country, then he should be treating you with respect."

"You heard what he said?" you asked, suddenly clinging to his shirt like he was about to be taken away from you.

"Yeah, Ace. He was screaming at you, Baby. I could hear the whole thing."

You wanted to just curl up right here and go to sleep for the night in this dark parking lot with Bradley's body heat and the steady rhythm of his heart against your palm. Because as soon as he left you at your hotel in a few hours and went back to San Diego so he could go to work tomorrow, you knew you'd miss him terribly.

You forced yourself to say, "I'm hungry." You needed to get out of his car and away from his embrace before you started to cry.

"I'm starving," he said with a soft laugh as he popped his door open and let you climb down. As you and he headed across the parking lot, he reached for your hand and said, "Just know that I think you're better than having to deal with a boss who yells like an asshole for no reason."

You swallowed hard as the two of you were led to a cute booth inside the retro diner. Somehow you just knew this place suited Bradley, and now this aesthetic was going to remind you of him forever. When you slid down into the booth, he went to release your hand, presumably to sit across from you. But you shook your head and pulled him in next to you instead.

When the two of you were left alone with some menus, he wrapped his arm around you. "I always thought people who sat next to each other in a booth looked like idiots," you told him with a grin. "But for some reason I just wanted you over here."

He didn't respond verbally, he just kissed your forehead. And then you listened to him ask the waitress which menu items were the best, and he ordered them all. "I'm hungry. You're hungry. We'll try everything," he whispered.

And then you just settled in. He didn't pull his arm away from you as you told him all about your favorite writing assignments in your surprisingly illustrious career for how young you are. And you learned more about him, too. He waited until a plethora of food was delivered to the table around midnight to carefully slip his arm away from you.

"I really like this," you said softly, unsure if he heard you at first. You were only a little embarrassed by the way your voice shook.

"Me too, Ace."

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

It was one in the morning. Bradley's belly was filled with one of the most delicious meals he'd ever had as he walked you back to your hotel room with his arm draped across your shoulders. When you got to your door, he watched you open up your bag to locate your room key, and his eyes caught on something blue.

"Did you steal the golf ball?" he asked softly, and you looked up at him right away. "Gonna use it to practice in your hotel room?"

But your eyes weren't teasing as you shook your head slightly. "It's my souvenir. From this trip. Something I can take back to New York."

And now Bradley wasn't teasing either. "I wish you could take me back."

You pressed your lips together, and your eyes fluttered close. "Don't, okay? Please."

He took a deep breath and swallowed hard. "Okay."

Without another word, you unlocked the door and walked over to the desk chair and set your bag down. Bradley let the door close behind him as you turned on the lamp. Your skin looked pretty in the soft, orange light as you started to unbutton your blouse. His lips parted as you bared yourself to him, letting your top fall to the floor along with your bra.

He started to stir as he took a step in your direction. You were feeling the same way he was. You didn't want this to end either. You had that golf ball, and Bradley already had his ticket from game one taped up on his mirror. When you met his eyes, he found himself ready to bare his feelings to you.

"Let's fuck," you announced, your fingers on the fly of your jeans. "You wanna?"

He didn't know what to say as he watched you shimmy out of your pants and approach him in just your underwear. "Ace."

You took him by the hand and started to lead him to bed. Then you were yanking his shirt off and working on his pants, but you didn't meet his eyes. And your usual smile was missing. "Let's do this."

"Ace," he repeated, a little softer this time as he gently wrapped his hands around your wrists and stilled your movements. "I don't want to just fuck. I want to do what we've been doing."

You finally met his eyes. "That is what we've been doing. Just fucking."

"No," Bradley replied, pulling your hands away from his body. "That's not it. There's... more."

He watched you cross your arms over your chest, and your voice broke when you said, "No, Bradley, there's not more. Because there can't be more."

You turned your back to him. He waited a beat and then ran his right hand up your arm to your shoulder. When you shivered for him, he whispered, "You react to me. And I react to you. I miss you when I'm at work. I think about you all day long. Maybe you won't acknowledge it out loud, but please, don't say it's just fucking."

You spun around and buried your face against his neck and chest, and he held you tight. "It's not just fucking," you agreed, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry I said that."

Bradley kissed the top of your head. "You're not the only one who wishes things could be different." He coaxed your chin up with his fingers so you were looking at him. "You're not the only one, Ace."

And then you kissed him, and this time when you tugged Bradley closer to the bed, he went with you. Even if you wouldn't say anything else to him, you were showing him with everything you did. Your hands were soft on his face, and your fingers wound slowly through his hair. Your lips were on his cheeks and his ears and his forehead. And Bradley knew he only had a few more of these perfect minutes with you, but he didn't want the desperation to cloud the sweetness. Not tonight.

"Come here, Baby," he murmured, his hands on your hips as you leaned back against the pillows. But you pulled him closer for more sweet kisses, his hands returning to your face.

"No, you come here," you coaxed, and that pretty smile that he missed was back on your face now.

"Here I am," he replied with a grin as you wrapped your leg around his and tried to push his jeans down with your foot. When you giggled he peppered kisses all over your face. "You want a hand with that?" he asked as you continued to struggle with his pants.

"No, I got it," you whispered, reaching down to push them down, and then he pulled them all the way off. Your hands trailed back up along his body, and now Bradley was the one shivering. "I got it," you repeated, looking up at him.

You stole the golf ball. And you let Bradley help with your articles. And he knew your secrets. His thumb trailed along your cheek, and he couldn't stop grinning. "I'm going to call in sick tomorrow."

"Bradley," you whined as his thumb trailed along your neck. "You said the planes wouldn't fly themselves."

He shrugged and kissed your skin where his thumb had been. "I'll let somebody else worry about it tomorrow. I'd rather spend the day with you. If you'll let me."

"Yes," you agreed immediately. "Stay with me."

He sighed against your skin. That's all he wanted to hear right now. "I will. Do you want me to get one of the sixteen condoms, Baby?" he asked softly.

You just moaned his name and ran your fingers along his abs, and eventually Bradley extracted himself from your hands and went to dig around in your suitcase just like last night. When he stepped out of his underwear, he watched you pull yours off as well. Then you sat up and looked at him, the soft light catching on your features as you curled your legs to the side. And it was so much more than just fucking. And maybe part of Bradley wished it wasn't, because it was going to be too hard to face later.

But when you smiled at him, he crawled across the bed and into your arms. And it was a long time before he put the condom on, focusing on his lips on your body and your words in his ears. Then he went slowly, rocking into you at a tempo he hoped conveyed just how fucking much he cared for you.

Your back was arched, chest pressed to him as he held your hands over your head. You laced your fingers with his, squeezing them as you repeated his name over and over. Bradley's body covered yours as he moved in time with you, and he watched you come undone as you came for him.

"It's so much more, Ace," he rasped, his voice broken as you squeezed him. You nodded as you whined his name louder, and Bradley came, too.

Neither of you moved for a long time as he let his cheek rest on your shoulder while you played with his hair. Not many words were exchanged, but the two of you barely went more than a minute without touching each other in some way. When you returned from the bathroom in his Padres jersey, Bradley wrapped you up in his arms, and you let him.

"You're really staying?" you asked quietly.

He kissed you as you settled in bed next to him. "Yeah, I'm staying. I'm yours all day tomorrow."

"Good."

Neither of you set an alarm, and neither of you said anything else. But once again, Bradley fell into the most comfortable sleep with his arms around you and his lips on the back of your neck.

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

I don't want them to hurt. I want them to have fun together while they can. Thanks to @mak-32 and @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 5

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fallingdownhell · 1 year

Text

Genshin Men reacting...

.. to someone talking down on you

Including: Diluc, Ayato and Tighnari

Summary: after a very long day the last thing you expected to happen was to be confronted with some rude person making unnecissary comments. Your boyfriend catches wind of it and just can't let that happen...

Content Warnings: gender neutral reader; canon universe; established relationship; cursing; maybe slighly ooc; people being mean but getting told off; little bit (also mentioning) of bullying (I do NOT agree with anything that this character is going to say!);

Word count: 3.6k words

Please feel free to point out any grammar or spelling mistakes to me! Also, if the format or anything seems off, I apologize but this is my first post and I wrote this on my phone. I'm still trying to get used to all of this.

Ayato

Being with the head of the Yashiro Commission was difficult sometimes. Not because you didn't love him - Archons knew that you did - but rather because of his unique circumstances.

Given the position that he was in, many people had their attention on Ayato which was not always a good thing. He may have been a sweet and caring boyfriend, but only in the familiar surroundings of his estate, where all his servants had been ordered to not speak a word about your relationship.

Because, even though Ayato loved you, he didn’t want it to become public, mainly for two reasons. The first one being that he wanted both of you to be absolutely sure of your feelings for the other before announcing anything. Could you imagine the drama and talk in the town if he were to announce that he had a partner, only for them to be gone within the next few weeks because things just didn’t turn out the way he expected them to? Again, Ayato was sure of his love for you and he wanted you to be together, but he also wanted to make sure that you were certain as well.

His other reason for keeping your relationship under the radar was exactly the topic of attention. Not everyone liked being the center of it, even less if it was guaranteed that you would be the talk of the town for at least the next few weeks if you guys were to go public. He just didn’t wish for you to have to deal with any of that. Not when your relationship was still this new. And if he was being honest, he quite enjoyed the moments of solitude he could get with you like this.

Although, he had to learn the hard way that things could go terribly bad as well, if you keep them a secret for too long.

It has been a less stressful day today, so Ayato decided to go outside for a walk to catch a bit of fresh air and stretch his tired bones. He didn’t bother telling Thoma or any of the other housekeepers, they could handle themselves for a few minutes without him. And if they needed something urgent of him, he was sure he could still tend to it once he returned.

Walking out of the estate, Ayato decided on a whim to make this supposed short stroll indeed a longer one, so he could go to Inazuma City and maybe get himself a Boba he didn’t get to enjoy for a long time now. Maybe he could even grab a special one for Thoma to try and a more... reasonable one for you.

Happy with this idea and a smirk already forming on his lips, he quickly changed directions to the city.

Within an hour, Ayato arrived at the outskirts of the town. People started whispering among themselves, heads turning after him, questioning what he could want here, since he was not exactly a common visiter.

Most people only knew the Yashiro Commissioner from tells and tales, since he prefered to stay in his estate. Only for official gatherings of events did he come to Inazuma City, so what could he want here on the most normal of days?

Ayato didn’t pay it any mind though, as he casually walked up the stairs to where he knew his prefered stall was, but after arriving at the top, the peaceful atmosphere was quickly interrupted by two people arguing. One of which Ayato knew all to well.

“... said NO! How many times do I have to repeat myself?”

Normally, after hearing this, the Commissioner would not hold himself up with trivial arguments such as these. He would simply bring it to the attention of some nearby guards for them to deal with it. But, given that you were involved in this, he just couldn’t ignore it. Abandoning his usual procedure completely, he quickly made his way over to where he heard your voice coming from, able to hear the conversation taking place more clearly the closer he got.

“Come on! Why you gotta be so difficult? ‘S not like you’re already taken, right? So, just come with me and I’ll show you a good time, I promise~”

“Let go of me, you creep!”, you yelled as you yanked your hand out of his grip. You couldn’t remember for how long you had to deal with this insistent jerk already, but you were fed up. No matter how many times you turned him down, he just wouldn’t listen. You tried to be nice about it in the beginning, but you were starting to get annoyed now. People on the streets also started to watch this interaction, though no one stood up for you or wanted to help you, so you just had to take matters into your own hands.

“The Hell do you think you’re doing, you bitch?! I’m doing you a favour, inviting you to my home! Who the hell do you think you are, you worthless piece of -!”

While shouting, the man in front of you suddenly raised his hand. Realising, that he was about to hit you, you couldn’t do anything but close your eyes and just hope that it would be over quickly.

Except.. the expected pain never came. Carefully you opened your eyes again, only to realise that someone else now stood between you and your pursuer.

“Wha- the hell do you want? This has nothing to do with you!”

“Oh, but it has everything to do with me if you’re trying to hurt my partner. I can’t let that happen, now can I?”

You were too deep in shock, so you only realised now that it was Ayato, who was standing in front of you, holding that guys hand by his wrist, effectively stopping him from hurting you. His words however only setteled with you a few seconds later. But once they did, you just couldn’t help but stare at him dumbfounded.

“Your... FUCK!”, the man suddenly yelled, janking his hand out of Ayato’s grasp and then ran from the scene like the devil himself was chasing him. The Commissioner didn’t pay it any mind though, rather focusing his attention on you.

“Are you alright, my dear?”

“Yeah, but... Are you? I mean.. you basically just announced our relationship to the entirety of Inazuma..”

“Don’t think of that now. Let them know, I don’t care. So lang as you’re safe, and by my side, I couldn’t care less.

With that, he slowly pulled you into his arms, holding you tightly, not paying any attention to the staring and whispering bystanders. And he meant what he said, nothing mattered more to him than you and your safety.

________________________________

Diluc

Having a relationship with Diluc was not how you had expected it to go. Of course you had feelings for this man for a long time - otherwise you wouldn't have gone into a relationship with him - but you also went into this expecting him to act like his usual self. All stoic, feelings kept under control, never knowing what he was thinking.

But, as a matter of fact, Diluc was nothing like that over the course of your relationship with him. At least, when the two of you were alone or at the comfort of the winery, where he could trust the people around him. Diluc was very much an affectionate and protective lover, always making sure to communicate his thoughts and feelings with you, even if it was a bit awkward for him in the beginning.

It all came as a surprise for you, but it definetly wasn't an unwelcome one. Naturally, it still took his time until he fully opened up to you, told you everything about him. It was the same for you, since you had to deal with some unpleasant events from your past as well. But you managed to help each other through it together, and slowly but surely, you could say that you were starting to feel happy again. Each day with Diluc by your side made you feel like you won the lottery of life itself.

It was still a rather young night, yet you were already halfway through your shift at Angels Share. You had offered your boyfriend to help him out at the Tavern from time to time, which he reluctantly agreed to, but seeing you work happily behind the counter, glad that you could help out your boyfriend, made him feel relaxed as well. At least, for the time being. He still made sure that you wouldn't be overworking yourself or had to deal with any rude customers if he could prevent it.

But, as always in life, happiness doesn't last forever.

As the night went on, more and more people started to gather at the Tavern, most of them looking for some form of relaxation after a stressful day full of work, or just to casually meet with some friends and have a nice chat over some alcoholic beverages. You were working together with Charles, switching between mixing the drinks and serving them to customers, when the door opened again, accompanied by the sound of a little bell hanging above it, signaling that a new customer just walked into the tavern.

“Hey there, welco-..”, you turned to greet the new face, as you always do, but as soon as you recognised the person, your voice died down and the warm smile you usually had on your face also dropped. It couldn’t be. You really thought that you never had to see him again. You were not prepared for this. Charles, who was standing beside you, picked up on your change in behaviour, but had no idea about anything, so he couldn’t really do anything either.

The guy coming into the tavern took a quick glance around the interior, then decided to take place on one of the stools by the barcounter. “Just get me a glass of that dandelion wine that you guys are soo famous for.”, ha said in a dismissive tone while waving with his hand.

Without so much as a word, you went straight to it, hoping that he wouldn’t recognise you, since it had been so many years since you last saw each other. At one point while you prepared his drink, you could feel that he started staring at you. Trying to ignore it, you continued with your work, willing your hands to stop with the shaking. ‘He is just a normal customer. Just keep breathing, you got this’, you kept telling yourself, hoping that it would help calm your nerves.

“Hey... do I know you from somewhere?”

You froze for a second, hoping that he wouldn’t remember or just brush it of. You didn’t answer as you served him his drink, but it would seem that luck won’t be on your side today.

“Wait.. is that you y/n?”

Now the panic really started to settle in, your eyes widend as you looked at him, which was all the confirmation that guy needed.

“I knew it! And seems that I was right about you as well, seeing as you’re working as a mere server here. Told you you could never make something out of you!”, he laughed as he snatched the drink from the counter.

“Okay, I think that is enough.”, Charles chimmed in, having heard the whole thing.

“Chill, I’m just telling the truth. They never had anything to show for themselves, even when we were younger. And by the Archons, your looks didn’t improve either.” He laughed even more after that last comment and you couldn’t do anything about it. You wanted to stand up for yourself, say something to him, insult him back, really just anything. But you were too much in shock, frozen in place, barely able to process what was happening right now.

“Surprised you’re even still in Mondstadt. I thought you had run of to Liyue or whatever, seeing as nobody here would want you as their partner. I mean, what so you have to show for yourself? Definitely not money or looks. Bet you can’t even please someone.”

“That’s it. Get out of my bar, right now!” You heard his familiar voice, but you were too scared to look up, fearing that you would just be able to see the face of that one person you hated more than anything.

“Huh? Who the fuck are you to tell me what to do?”, the guy spoke as he stood up, trying to intimidate Diluc by standing right in front of him, but your boyfriend wasn’t impressed by it at all. More than anything, he was beyond pissed of with that guy.

“I’m the owner of this Tavern, and I’m telling you now, in a nice way, the get out and never set foot in here again. And if I see you here again, or harrassing my partner again, I promise you, it will not end well for you.” Diluc was speaking in a slow and calm manner, but the hidden rage was easily detectable. Your old bully picked up on it as well, as he went past Diluc and out of the Tavern without another word.

Your boyfriend made sure that he was actually gone, before immediatly making his way over to you and embracing you in his arms. It took a little for you to register but you soon clung onto him like your life depended on it, only noticing that tears were escaping your eyes once his coat was already drenched in them. When you realised that, you shoved him away from you.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to -!” You were interrupted by your boyfriends hands softly holding onto your face, making you look him in the eyes.

“Don’t you dare start apologizing to me. You didn’t do anything. I should be the one saying sorry for not arriving here sooner.”, he said, as one of his thumbs slowly brushed over your cheek, which made you smile a little bit.

“But you came, and that’s all that matters. Thank you, Diluc.”

_____________________________

Tighnari

Your relationship with the fennec fox was a very loving one, but also a very exhausting one. His life as a forest ranger was a very busy one, so he often didn’t have as much time for you as he or you would have wished. Nevertheless, you guys always managed to make up for the lost time, no matter how little you got to spend together.

Tighnari treated you with so much kindness, you could basically feel his love and adoration for you with his every word and action. Of course he still kept his foul mouth, even in your relationship, though you knew that he never had any ill intend. And even if an insult did come out of his mouth, directed at you, he always said it in such a loving way that you just couldn’t get it in any wrong way.

Usually, the two of you would wake up in the morning together, either one of you staying in the others cottage almost every night. It became such a normal occurance for you, you couldn’t even remember the last time you slept alone in your bed. Not that you mind, though. You loved waking up to your boyfriend holding you close to his body, feet entangeld with his own, your face pressed against his chest.

If you were to ever tell anyone how affectionate this fox really was, they would probably just start laughing and call you crazy. Everyone knew Tighnari as this stoic, stern man who puts his research above everything. In reality, you were his number one priority, nothing else. When you thought about that, you couldn’t help the smile that began forming on your lips, while you slowly reached out to softly stroke some stray hair out of his face.

Normally, Tighnari would be awake way before you, but today was one of the rare occaisions where he actually slept longer than you, allowing you to admire his beautiful resting face and relaxed expression.

“Enjoying yourself?”, your boyfriend suddenly spoke, his morning voice sounding a bit rough, but it just made you adore him even more.

“Very much so.”, you answered gleefully, as Tighnari slowly opened his eyes, keeping the eye contact with you.

He looked at you a few more seconds before mumbling a quiet ‘Good morning’, then leaning towards you to give you a small kiss to your forehead.

“We have to get up now..”

“Ugh.. can’t we stay for five more minutes?”, you groaned, not quite ready to get up just yet.

“I’m afraid not. We both have long days ahead of us. The sooner we get all of it done, the earlier we can be back again.”, Tighnari said as he already began to peel himself out from under the covers, dragging you along with him in the process because he knew if he didn’t do that, you would just fall back asleep again.

You both went to your morning routines as usual, grabbing something to eat before you both went your seperate ways to take care of your duties for the day.

You and Nasrin were assigned to patrol the forest today, so you went to find her to discuss how you two would be handling it togehter. Meanwhile, Tighnari was staying behind in the village today, since he had some catching up to do with his research and also work on new doses of medicine for Collei.

Time went by quickly while Tighnari was focusing on his work - surprisingly not being interrupted even once - that by the time he leaned back and allowed himself a small break, the sun was already starting to set, though it wasn’t quite sunfall yet.

He was just about to focus back on his work to get a few more pages done, when his ears picked up on some unusual noises outside. He noticed that it was some distant shouting that he was hearing, by an unfamiliar voice at that, so he decided to check for himself what was going on there.

He exited his cottage and quickly located the source of all that noise by the village entrance. He didn’t think much of it in the beginning - probably just some travellers or adventurers who got lost in the forest again and were now complaining about it - but as he got closer and recognised the person on the receiving end of the shouting as you, he wasn’t as relaxed anymore.

“What the hell was even the point of doing all this if you can’t even secure my goods?!”, the man in front you kept shouting, not letting you get a word in. In all honesty, you were getting frustrated and annoyed at that guy.

Here you were, trying to help him when he was getting attacked by a hoard of fungi in the forest, and he had the audacity to complain to you about not being able to save his goods for him. Not like you were busy fighting those monsters of while he cowered behind you like a little kid.

“Look, as I tried to tell you -!”

“I mean, what is a merchant even good for without his fucking merchandise? How fucking incompetent can you be?”

That was the third time the man cut you of and now you had enough of it. You were about to go of on him as you saw your boyfriend approaching from behind the guy. You knew with one glance at his annoyed face that the guy was in for it, so you just couldn’t help the smirk forming on your lips, which the guy in front of you also noticed.

“What the hell is there to smirk about, you little-!”

“Excuse me, I would very much appreciate it if you could stop talking to my partner like that.”, Tighnari said, very matter of factly.

The guy turned around, still pissed of about the situation. “Oh yeah? Then maybe tell your little, incompetent partner to do their fucking job right, then I wouldn’t have to do that!”

“Oh, so you mean, saving your life wasn’t part of their job? Should they rather have secured your goods, leaving you to fend those monsters of by yourself?”

That shut the man right up. You could see his mouth open and close, again and again, trying to come up with some sort of retaliation, but not being able to find one.

“I suggest that you apologize to them and then get out of my village because I sure won’t let someone as rude as you stay here. And make sure to keep clear of the forest, there won’t be any nightly patrols today.”

Clearly fed up with this whole situation, the guy pushed past you, not muttering another word, as he went on the path that lead straight back to Sumeru City. Tighnari had half a mind to go after him, drag him back and make him apologize to you, but he came to the conclussion that that wouldn’t be worth all the effort.

Instead, he let out a long sigh, than looked back at you.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, just really annoyed with that guy. Honestly, what was even his deal?”

“Some people just see themselves as the center of the universe. Don’t think about it too much.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t. Besides, I think that was pretty cool, how you told him right off. Very attractive~”, you said.

“You Lummox”, Tighnari said as he quickly turned around to hide his red cheeks. You laughed and quickly caught up to him again so you two could start your well deserved evening toghether.

#genshin x reader #genshin impact #kamisato ayato #ayato x reader #genshin scenarios #diluc ragnvindr #diluc x reader #tighnari #tighnari x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin fanfic #ayato x you #ayato x y/n #diluc x y/n #diluc x you #tighnari x y/n #tighnari x you

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bakugoushotwife · 6 months

Text

kinktober day nineteen: hate sex

>>> i’m really taking some liberties with this prompt LMFAOOOOO listen. y’all should just be thanking me this wasn’t a gojo kinktober. leave me be. also this is the first piece since my laptop kicked the bucket so PLEASE ignore the UGLY formatting i will fix it as soon as i get a new laptop.

>>> starring: satoru gojo x curvy!f!reader >>> cw: ghostie gojo jdjdfkgk, bestie nanami, uhh spankings, choking, doggy, prone bone, cream pie, pet names (sweetheart) and mean names (dickhead, asshole) >>> wc: 4.5k >>> event masterlist

everything was perfect. he was a great partner despite all the people that warned you that the special grade sorcerer was incapable of it. he was wonderful and sweet and considerate, even. he brought you lunch at work and took you on wonderfully lavish dates. he texted you constantly and showered you with gifts. you had only been together for a few months, though almost a year of history had led you here. you were happy, proving everyone who doubted your relationship wrong. until you realized that they were only trying to keep you from this reality.

“i love you, you know.” you told him, swinging your intertwined hands between you as he walked you home. this was a truth you’ve known since the relationship was too fresh to say such things, but a truth nonetheless. he hid it well in the moment, but that was the death sentence to a man like satoru gojo. he knew it was only a matter of time—yet his heart stopped in his chest, turning to steel before falling out of his ass. but he made sure his smile never faltered.

“oh yeah? i’ll add you to the list.” he chuckled, poking your side to make you laugh at the stupid taunt. it worked well enough, you didn’t seem to catch on to his avoidance. you didn’t chastise him for not saying it back, at least.

he walked you to your front door like normal. he gave you a goodbye and goodnight kiss like normal, he even smiled so genuinely and told you he’d call you in the morning—just like normal.

but when morning came, his call didn’t. no big deal, you thought, he’s a very busy man. once he gets some free time, he’ll call. but hours pass, and you don’t get so much as a text to apologize or let you know he was going to be late. you keep staring at his contact, debating whether or not you should bother or not for an hour or so. but a text couldn’t be too distracting, so you type something up.

‘good morning! or afternoon now, lol–i missed ur call, i hope ur having a good day!! call me when you can xx’

it doesn’t deliver. you furrow your brows and try it again, but it still doesn’t go through. you move to a different area of your house, thinking it was spotty reception in your bedroom. you try to send the text again—but it still doesn’t send. you try to call, your heart now pounding in your ears. something must have malfunctioned, right? after all your years as friends and these brief months exploring more—he wouldn’t just block you, right?

the phone call doesn’t ring, just an automated voice telling you that that the call couldn’t be completed as dialed. he blocked you. without so much as a hint to why. everything was perfect last night, he was all smiles and laughter, what could have changed? you want to call the only mutual connection you have—ieiri shoko—but decide it’s best not to involve her in the matter between two of her friends. it’s not tasteful and if there’s any chance of this being a misunderstanding, then taking it to your friends is the last thing you want to do. you could maybe ask nanami for advice at work in the morning—you wouldn’t go so far as to call them friends, but he’s how you met the strongest man alive. so he has to have some tips! yes, you’ll talk to nanami about it first thing tomorrow.

talk his ear off about it is more apt if you ask the grade one who merely dabbles in business work. he tried to be polite and listen to the tale—but your first mistake was in dealing with gojo in the first place. there was no advice in the world to fix that amount of stupid, especially if you were looking to get him back. but nanami catches the issue as soon as you recount the tale of your last conversation with the special grade.

“you told him that you love him?” he clarified with a raised brow. based on the judgment that flashes in his eyes, you know that was the wrong move. you huff in frustration.

“you introduced me to him—why would you set me up like this nanakun??” you pout, angrily folding your arms over one another. it’s a shitty attempt to take the heat off yourself, and nanami can appreciate it.

“hardly. he shoved his way in my office and you happened to be in there already.” he rolls his eyes. trust him, he did not want to see more of gojo—and dating his workplace’s secretary only meant that the annoying presence followed him even here. “i strongly advised against it. i knew we would end up here.”

you shoot him a glance, but his unamused face remains unchanging. you ignored everyone’s warnings, choosing the results he was giving you as reason enough for them to be wrong. did he enjoy leading you on and wasting his time? what was the game in all this?

“you shouldn’t have gone after him at all. but you definitely shouldn’t have told him you love him first.” nanami nearly seemed horrified. or what you imagined he would look like when horrified, eyes slightly widened and jaw dropped partially.

you bite the inside of your cheek. you didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. maybe it’s because you knew how you felt for so long. maybe it was just because satoru put you at ease—none of the reasons matter now.

“it’s hard for him to do serious. love is as serious as it gets.” nanami sighs wistfully. you were a nice girl who didn’t deserve to be another name on the list of hearts broken by satoru gojo. for your own good, you should forget all about him and sorcerers as a whole. you would be much better off. but something about that look on your face paired with the fact that he knows satoru has never been happier in his miserable existence makes nanami sigh. “he’s just afraid of committing. the only person he ever loved just up and left him one day. so just…try to let him go. let him come back if he wants—if you want. maybe then he’ll be ready.”

your heart warms at your friend’s words. it was clear he couldn’t care less if things worked out or not, but he wanted you to feel better. you smile softly at his words, “thank you nanakun, i’ll try to…let him go.”

you think you did a pretty good job of that. as time went on, you think you even managed to convince yourself you didn’t want him back at all. if he could just flake out on you—look you in the face and lie—you didn’t want him. no matter how sexy and sweet and strong he was, trust is the most important thing. you keep your head down and work hard, catching up with nanami and learning any updates on your sorcerer that way.

apparently he was casually dating around, but nothing nearly as serious as you. he made sure of that. he hadn’t heard an ‘i love you’ in years, and while he may have thought it at different times throughout the past couple of dates you’ve been on, he hadn’t said it. even thinking it was bad enough. that meant you held an unimaginable and concerning amount of power over him. that meant you could crush his soul into a million pieces. that meant you could ruin him—and he can’t go through that again. the possibility of handing himself over to deep and passionate love was beautiful in theory but terrifying in practice, and the thought of giving in just to lose a second time were odds he just wasn’t willing to gamble with.

so he did it first. if he broke your heart you couldn’t break his.

so why does he feel so bad? so empty? every pretty girl he carted around after that was a weak competitor. they were nice enough, but so shallow and boring—they treated him like everyone else. you were special. you treated him like a person. someone with feelings and dreams and regrets. you asked him questions. real questions that made him think about real answers, nothing surface level like his favorite color or movie. you wanted to know him. and he let you learn just some of his darkest days and you told him you love him anyway. and he ran away from you. goddamn. he’s his own worst enemy.

he shows up with flowers one day, six weeks after you’ve broken up—or he dumped you. it was a normal day until then, but it certainly wouldn’t be after. it was laughably large bouquet, it almost looked like he was struggling to hold it all. your eyes must look like two full moons based off of his amused yet apologetic smile. you have to make yourself stop your smile before it spreads.

“hi…” he said nervously, shifting his weight foot to foot. he messed up—how could he make up for it? “i was wondering—“

“leave.” your shaky voice manages to croak out, quickly looking down at your paperwork. you had to avoid his stare, surely he would figure you all out if he looked deep enough. nanami said to make him work for it.

“flowers aren’t your thing, huh?” he seems undeterred—in fact, he seems emboldened by your reaction. “that’s fine. i’ll leave them here…” he styles them on your desk, sweeping your stapler and pencil sharpener and organizers to the side to accommodate the large vase. you watch him carelessly move things about, forcing you to accept his gift.

“you’re annoying.” you groan, though the flowers are gorgeous. they’re the same kinds you pointed to when you went on a nature walk one time—something he swore he was going to hate but ended up being one of his favorite outings with you. you seemed to have that effect on him.

“i know! one of my better qualities, i think.” he hums happily, chlorinated pools of crystal blue stare at you over the lenses of his casual sunglasses. he traded in the blindfold in hopes of winning you back—he wasn’t above playing dirty, even if he was the reason he had to play at all.

“as opposed to? ghosting?” you raise your brow. he sighs. he doesn’t know what he expected. he knew you wouldn’t fall right back into his arms, but that biting look in your eye makes him wonder if he’s messed things up beyond repair. either way, he won’t go down without a fight.

“yes—that’s one of the bad ones.” he scrunches his nose in distaste. he bends at the waist to lean his elbows on your desk, propping his face up in his hands. “look sweetheart—“

you scoff, leaning back in your office chair with something akin to amusement. you fold your arms over your chest and arch your brow, and even though you are absolutely pissed, you still manage to make his heart skip a beat. “don’t call me that, you fucked me up. or does that it make you happier?”

“you think i’m bringing you flowers for my health or something? i’m trying to apologize!” he whines, tugging a lone flower out of the bouquet and extending it toward you. “i’m an asshole, i know, and i don’t deserve to call you sweetheart—“

“i don’t accept.” you tilt your nose in the air. he swears he can see the hint of a smirk on your lips, and he sighs. you hold the power yet again, but this time he’s going to allow it.

“what can i do to make it up to you? it was a mistake..i see that now.” he frowns, looking down at the pale pink petals brushing against his fingers.

“mm, yeah? i’m sure fucking a bunch of other women helped clear that up.” you look at the flower in his hand too, examining the brightness, the absolute perfection of the petals. it almost withers with the man holding it.

“wh-what?” he blinked rapidly. he hadn’t had sex with anyone—god no, he can’t do fleeting connections, and in his heart of hearts he knew that none of them would fill the void you left behind. but your jealousy…now that he could use. “aw, baby, just say you missed me. i could clear up some things for you too.”

you snarl at the insinuation, even more annoyed that he didn’t deny romping around with other women after dropping you like it was nothing.

“i’m sure you wish you could, baby, but i’m not sloppy seconds.” you take the flower and snap the stem, tossing it on your desk without second thought. he pouts at the gesture, deciding that words were no use on you, he hums. he knows how to handle this.

“no, but you are more delicious the second time.” he sings, and you get up from your desk in frustration. he was so irritating. did he think that he could just disappear on you like that and you’d just forgive him like nothing? you huff up at him, gathering all your stuff and shoving it into your office bag. nanami watches from the stairs—and he’s proud that you’re making gojo work for it, at least.

you stomp out of the office building with all the theatrics at your disposal, and it only makes satoru smirk as he walks after you. god you want him so bad, he thinks. he catches the office door before you can slam it closed behind you, sliding his palm across the wooden panels with a suave coolness. it’s like he has the situation completely under control, strolling leisurely after the little lady stomping and yelling at him over her shoulder. he knows he fucked up, and if you wanted to blast him through the city on your route home, then he’d smile and walk dumbly after you.

your heart was racing. he was still following you—and you knew if he cornered you alone, there would be no denying him. your brain was fighting hard enough to deny him back in the office already. your blood is boiling. why do you want him back so bad? he left you—is sleeping with other women, even, and you're letting him tail you to your house. you shut the door on him, but he just teleports into your living room anyways. you give him a look—not sure what else to say. ordering him out would be futile—as you didn’t want him to and he clearly wouldn’t obey.

he’s smug, sitting on your couch with one long leg crossed over the other one, his arm stretched across the back of the couch like he’s just waiting to put it around you. he stares at you knowingly, but that smirk is driving you insane.

“stop looking at me like that—and get out of my house.” you try meekly, at least you could say you could. your eyes narrow at his unmoving form and he can’t help but chuckle a little bit.

“you’re trying so hard to be mad at me, sweetheart.” he hums, arching a brow in amusement. he bats those long white eyelashes at you like he’s just ready for you to admit the truth and come crumble in his lap.

“i’m pissed, not trying that hard at all.” you scoff and shake your head, tossing your bag on the floor so that you may properly cross your arms at him. “you lied to my face, ghosted me, and now you’re acting like i’m being ridiculous for not accepting your flowers and taking you back?”

he shakes his head, a little nonchalant frown on his face. “you aren’t ridiculous for that—“ he stands and makes his way to you, not even bothering to hide the way he eyes you up and down. “you’re ridiculous for pretending you don’t want to. i could make this allll better if you’d just let me, sweetheart.”

his breath is as icy as his eyes when he leans down, brow arched like he’s asking a question. he is, you realize, he wants to know if you’ll let him.

“i never really slept with anyone, sweetheart. promise. was just trying to get you off my mind. didn’t work—made everything worse, actually. i got what i deserved.” he sighs softly, noting the hesitation on your face but the want in your eyes. he reaches a tentative hand to your face, giving you a soft smile when you let him touch you. “i’m sorry…you’re all i can think about. i just got nervous—i’m so stupid. beyond stupid—“

you smash your lips onto his to keep him from yapping. all he had to do was apologize. really apologize and mean it—but you would still punish him for walking away. you would make sure he could never do it again, lest he’ll never be able to get you out of his head even in death.

his hands grab at your dress, pulling you against his body in one fluid motion. the kiss changes moods entirely. the room feels like it’s buzzing now, his passion felt through the way he moves. he slides over your ass, kneading and fisting the fat with a groan into your mouth. you step into him, backing him to the couch. he grins against your lips like always—his kiss was warm and apologetic, lips hurriedly slotting over yours in an effort to make up for his transgressions.

he falls into a seat, pulling you into his lap with him. he sees your plan, and won’t go down without a fight. he promised to straighten you out after all. but letting you think you’re in charge was adorable, so he didn’t mind to indulge in it. you push his chest back with your own, grabbing his chin in your hand roughly. his back hits the couch and he can’t hold back his little giggle as his hands follow the paths of your body, though a satisfied hum follows at the feeling.

“you are sorry—a sorry piece of shit.” you huff, repeatedly kissing him over and over with all the anger you’ve been pinning up for the past few weeks without him. he grunts lowly, opening his mouth to invite you deeper. you take his willingness as a gift, plunging your tongue in his mouth and making sure yours stays in control. he tastes like honey and cinnamon, and it was a taste you missed more than you let yourself believe.

“pieces of shit must be your type though.” he sasses, standing up with you on his lap. he knows where your room is based on his extensive stays over, it’s nearly muscle memory for him to kick your door open with the point of his shoe, smiling up at you like no time had passed —like no bad blood had resulted from it. he throws you down like you weigh nothing, though he takes a seat on the side. upon hearing you gasp at his words, he scoffs and shakes his head. “don’t even think about it. i’ll fuck it out of you anyway.”

you can’t deny the way your body tingles and warms at his command. he’s usually soft and sweet, just rough enough to satisfy any cravings of yours—but he never struck obedience into your soul. your mouth closes, and he chuckles a little bit at your change. “that’s better. now if you wanna keep poppin’ off with attitude, i’ll get nasty instead of the sweet apology i planned for you.”

you roll your eyes, he was testing it. “don’t tempt me—“ you huff, a little annoyed at how easily your body gives up. you didn’t want to give him the ego boost of obedience, so you give him the attitude requested. “you messed up—i’ll talk to you however I want—“

he sighs and tugs at you, pulling your body at will. he splays you across his lap—long legs hanging over the edge of your bed. your dress is shoved up over your ass, and the tiny string of your thong is drawn back and snapped against the flesh. it makes you squeal a little in surprise, but you would be lying to say you didn’t want more.

“oh i’m a piece of shit, who are these for, nyeh?” he flicks your panties again, the sensation a small pleasurable sting.

“you dumped me—they’re for whoever i want.” you huff at him, even if his jealousy makes your heart warm. he slaps the fat of your ass lightly, humming at the way you jolt.

“yeah?” he smacks your other side, “i didn’t fuck anybody though. knew i needed you.” he spanks the same spot, the sting intensifies so wonderfully and makes your head spin. you can’t help the little moans that leave you with every slap.

“didn’t fuck anybody either, dickhead.” you pant, tossing him a glare over your shoulder. his free hand comes to grab your throat, sinewy warm and soft fingers wrap around your column with a tight grip—though not enough to restrict any airflow, of course. his cock stabs into your side at the sight. he grins brightly, almost sadistic in nature.

“you’re silly.” he hums, squeezing your throat until your eyes cross a little. he hums at you, the vision enough to make him painfully hard, but he always knows when to let up. he slaps your ass in conjunction with his little squeeze. he knows how to keep your eyes on him— repeatedly shaking his head, like he disapproves of you. “so pretty though. but mouthy.” he tsks, giving you a punishing spank to your tender skin. he hums pleasantly at the way your skin breaks a little, his red handprints making their way to the surface. “can’t even accept an apology. what do you want me to do, sweetheart?”

you can’t deny the wetness pooling in that skimpy thong. the stinging through your ass only makes your brain fog worsen, need was the only thing on your mind. he was so strong and sexy, and he was trying to make it up to you. you suppose you could…hear him out. that didn’t mean you were back together.

“fuck me—i’ll make my decision based on your performance.” you purr in his lap, wiggling your branded ass. he groans, you’re going to tease when you look like this? he woulda proposed if you asked him to if it meant you were all his again. commitment didn’t scare him so much anymore. you were as angry as ever and you still smiled when you saw him. you still let him follow you back home to plead his case. even if you didn’t have much a choice, you hardly even put up a fight. and he knew what that meant: you weren’t nearly as angry as you were trying to be.

“oh i’ll fuck you, sweetheart. let’s see if you can take it.” he hums so innocently, scooting you off his lap and onto all fours. he slides your thong to the side, laughing giddily at the sight of your soaking cunt. you definitely weren’t as mad as you were trying to be. “god look at this ocean—i almost feel bad for ya. trying to be such a meanie t’me when i’m the only one that can make it better.”

he wrestles with his pants, pushing them to his knees with haste. precious time was ticking, and stripping completely was a waste of it. he nearly sighs in relief when he frees himself, pumping his length fluidly. you whine at the time it’s taking him to fuck you, wiggling your cute rear and huffing.

“takin’ too long—“ you can’t finish your sentence before you cry out, his cock splitting you open just as you asked for. your walls felt like coming home, and every squeeze you give him was like a warm hug. he can’t believe he denied himself this for weeks just because you said something he’d been dying to hear from someone who meant it his entire life.

“better?” he asks, using your plush hips as his handlebars. this was why you would never be able to move on from him no matter the advice and warnings and every sign in the world telling you ‘no satoru gojo!’ he was just too good, he knew you all too well and your body craved and needed him like water. he fit in your cunt like he was built to, every pump of his cock left you gripping the sheets in an effort to hold yourself up, which you can only do for a few more seconds. “what, too hard? i thought you wanted to be fucked, little one?”

you’re stuck in a silent scream, unable to answer him. you feel like you can feel him in your lungs, his hips absolutely bullying yours. he admires your deep arch even though you’ve fallen forward, your ass rippling into his pubic hair so perfectly he had to reward you with some grunts and groans of his own. he lays over your back, cooing his praises in your ear.

“there she goes, now she’s taking good dick. can’t believe you almost wasted a thong like this— good thing i stay around, yeah?” he shoves your forward just a bit, off his cock and face first into your pillows. you whine at the loss, but he flattens your legs and sits on top of them—squeezing his cock between your thighs and ass, guiding his dick back in. you mewl at the new sensation. how could he possibly be deeper? “awww, that’s a good girl. letting me fuck ya like i hate ya when i’m just trying to prove that i love you too.”

you clench when he says it, moans intensifying as he uses you in this new position. he smirks, you’re adorable. laying there screaming for him with a gorgeously painted ass and a perfect body taking all the force behind his thrusts. “you still love me, sweetheart?”

you nod eagerly, your moans borderline animalistic. “yes—fuck, yes i do, i love you satoru!” you feel him so deeply in your stomach that you can’t keep holding back. it felt like a rubber band snapped as you squeeze around him and cover him with your essence. he keeps going, eyes trained on your recoil and the white ring you left at the base of his cock. your confirmation only drives him crazier, your limp body beneath him taking his increased pace like a champ—little overstimulated moans the only sound he can hear.

“gonna cum in this pretty pussy to show you how much i love you.” he groans, picking your body up in one strong arm to hold you down on his cock. you feel the rush of heat and shudder, the fact he was willing to deal with the consequences of cumming inside alone made you want more of him—until he couldn’t cum anymore. he holds you up, luckily enough— you wouldn’t be able to do it yourself—and places soft kisses to your neck. he hums, enjoying the taste of your skin slightly sweaty and warm from his love. he stays inside you, he can’t bring himself to move just yet, but he sighs in content.

“so…we back together?”

#jjk x reader #gojo x reader #kyleewritesjjk #Kylee’s kinktober event #kinktober #kinktober 2023 #satoru gojo x reader #satoru gojo #gojou satoru x reader #gojo satoru smut #gojo smut

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paimonial-rage · 5 months

Text

obvious - neuvillette

ship: neuvillette x reader synopsis: he can't understand how you always see through him. is he that easy to read? notes: 3k words

Neuvillette didn’t know when he realized it. You must’ve been visiting him for at least a year at that point. Perhaps it was because it was such a small thing, something that most people wouldn’t even raise a brow at. Or maybe it was because he wasn’t in tune with it like most humans were that it took something rather large for it to stand out. Whatever it was, the moment he noticed it, he couldn’t stop noticing every single time after.

He still remembered the day like it was yesterday. Though he often enjoyed the rain, the weather that time around had more of a somber note. It was the day after he apologized to Miss Navia, genuinely apologized to her. All evening it felt as if his stomach was thrown about like the waves of the sea, and when daybreak finally came, he wasn’t much better. He wanted nothing more than to sit out on his balcony in the rain, but duty called and it was to Palais Mermonia he went.

Despite the storm raging outside, work went as normal. New cases were placed on his desk and visits from the Melusines were received. You arrived on time just as you regularly did in the late morning on the third day of the work week. You greeted him before entering and in your hands was a package marked with that familiar Komaniya Express logo. He remembered finding it impressive how there seemed to be no proof of the storm from the dryness of your skin.

He greeted you as he normally did, to which you returned according to custom. But even he could see the nearly imperceptible confusion within your eyes when you took the sight of him in. It made him self-conscious, as if perhaps his clothing were askew. Surely someone would’ve pointed it out before if it were that noticeable. But when concern was reflected in your eyes after, he wasn’t sure what to think.

“Here you go, Monsieur Neuvillette. This particular batch of bottled water is from Mondstadt’s Springvale. It’s from, well, a spring where it’s rumored that a fairy lives. Included is the first volume of the book series, Heart of Clear Springs, which recounts the tale of the fairy and the promise she made with a young boy. Now I don’t know too much about Fontanian opera, but I think this one makes for an interesting story!”

“Is that so?” He asked. “Then I will have to read it for myself.”

You nodded as you first handed him the package, then a clipboard for signature.

“Yes, and tell me what you think. If you’d like me to procure the rest of the series for you, please put an order in with the Komaniya Express.”

“I will be sure to do that,” he agreed as he handed back the clipboard back to you. “Do you perhaps have some time today?”

It became a normal question of his after you curiously asked one time if he could tell the difference between the water you brought him. After that, it became a custom to sample different bottles with him whenever you had the time. It was enjoyable for him to share his hobby with someone else, even if your taste wasn’t as discerning as his.

But when you turned him down with an apologetic smile, he couldn’t help but notice the slight twinge in his chest. Apparently, it was a busy time for the company, so you had a heavy load that day. But even though you were in a hurry, you paused at the door to his office before leaving, that look he noticed earlier back in your eyes.

“I don’t know what happened, but try not to be too hard on yourself, Monsieur Neuvillette. It’s foolish to expect perfection, even from long-lived species like us. So cheer up, okay?”

And with a kind smile, you then bid him adieu.

After you left, confusion sat within him. He had been told more than once that he was a difficult person to read, but you picked up on his mood the moment you entered his office. At first, he thought it could have been because of the Steambird. The case of the previous day stole its front page. But that couldn’t have been it. You told him once you only read the paper in the evening due to starting the work day so early. So what cued you in?

But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that you had always been like that, pointing out his moods. How quick you were to take one look at him and deem the day as a “good one.” Or those times after difficult conversations with Furina you’d kindly reassured him that a relaxing rainy day would come soon. A few times you even brought water from rarer places as a “pick-me-up” from the week before.

Was he that obvious?

It made him wonder how long you had been picking up on his moods. He assumed you were only attempting to make conversation, but remembering back, you were right all those times. The days that you mentioned were good, he found himself able to sleep easily. And on the days you’d try to reassure him, there the rain would come early, but not the enjoyable kind.

You didn’t change following that key visit. In fact, he noticed even more things about you. The days you were able to stay for a while, you did not treat him as if he were a celebrity. You could talk about recent events with ease. You’d ask him questions about recent cases and shows at the Opera Epiclese. You’d even tease him about his interest in the waters of Teyvat. With you, he felt normal, like he was any other person.

Perhaps you stood out the most to him that day a few days after Lady Furina renounced her deityhood and left the Palais Mermonia. She left so quietly it was as if it was never her home for the past 500 years. Words could not describe the emptiness her void left him. All the thoughts of that day swirled within his mind like an unending vortex. Guilt, confusion, pain, regret—nothing could free him from the storm that was his mind.

The day you arrived wasn’t one of your normal. It was the weekend nearing the time he ended for the day. And you had nothing in your hands, not a box nor glass bottle. One look of your face told him you already knew what happened. It didn’t surprise him. It was the headlines of the Steambird for the past few days, after all. You also weren’t a stranger to the more stressful times of the previous few weeks, doing your best to distract him with lighthearted chatter whenever you came by for delivery.

This time, you didn’t smile, nor did you point out his mood. You didn’t distract him with strange happenings on your journeys, nor bring up the news. Instead, with solemn eyes, you apologized for surprising him with such a sudden visit. You said you heard about everything that happened and you… were worried about him. Then you asked something no one else had since, well, everything.

“How are you?”

There were many ways he could’ve answered that question. He could mention the emptiness he felt when passing that vacant apartment at the top of Palais Mermonia every evening. He could chat about how it bothered him how the Melusines seemed to move on too quickly from Lady Furina’s absence. He could even talk about the guilt he still felt regarding that no doubt traumatizing trial he forcibly put her through. But he said none of those things. Instead, he answered truthfully.

“I don’t know.”

And that was the truth, wasn’t it? By all means, he should have been feeling relief. The people of Fontaine were not dissolved in water, nor was Lady Furina left weeping upon her throne alone. He received the power that was rightfully his and became a true dragon once more. It was the perfect outcome, was it not? But that was anything but he felt.

“If you want, you can tell me about it,” you said. At his hesitation, you continued, “Sometimes talking about things with someone else can help you untangle everything you’re feeling inside.”

Were you right? He wasn’t sure. There weren’t many people he found himself opening up to. Such was rather hard as the Iudex. His words were as solid as law. It didn’t help either that he was put on a pedestal by Melusines and humans alike. They could never imagine someone like him could be privy to human emotions like themselves. But you weren’t a Fontanian, were you? And never did you treat him like a god. You saw him as he was, a person. But…

“You don’t need to if you don’t want to,” you followed up. “I do understand that not everything can be said.”

But he shook his head.

“There are so many things to be said that words are failing me.” He let out a shuddering sigh. “I’m afraid nothing can rightfully describe what I feel about the events that have occurred.”

You nodded.

“I can see that,” you replied, seeing truth within his eyes.

And with that, silence unfolded between you both. Though Neuvillette couldn’t quite pin it as uncomfortable, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of guilt because of it. Here you were on possibly your day off and he couldn’t bring it within himself to be a good host. But lost in thoughts as he was, it caught him off guard when you continued.

“I may be sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong, but I can see in your eyes that horrible wrongs have occurred. And you feel guilty over it.”

He looked away as you managed to hit a bit too on the nose. But your words weren’t sympathetic nor accusatory, simply pointing out the truth.

“If I may, Monsieur Neuvillette, I’m sure you know this, but justice is not meant to be a preventative measure. Justice can only exist when a wrong has occurred because it is the job of justice to make things right.”

You then put your hand upon his.

“You may not be able to change the past, but you are the Iudex, the representation of justice in Fontaine. If anyone can make things right, wouldn’t that be you?”

The part that blamed himself wished to argue with you. That it wasn’t as simple as you made it out to be. That try as he may, there was still a chance he might—

“You won’t fail. Everyone knows the kind of person you are. Even if you may make a mistake or say the wrong thing, they will see the truth and intent behind your words and actions. Believe in yourself more, Monsieur Neuvillette. You are a good person. If you just try, they will understand you.”

Was that the truth? He didn’t quite know himself. There were so many things he wished to say to Lady Furina, but how could he after hurting her like that? Wouldn’t his presence only make her trauma worse? But he couldn’t argue with your words. Your eyes conveyed everything you said to be truth. You whole-heartedly believed it to be.

“I have never understood human emotion. Knowing what to do or say has always troubled me, and I know I have hurt people before,” he began with a troubled expression before smiling at you, “But your words give me a bit of confidence.”

You laughed.

“If I accomplished anything today, I am glad it is at least that. You are a wonderful person, Monsieur Neuvillette, and everyone seems to know that but you. Sometimes I find it sad to see.”

He coughed.

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean.”

That evening, you were not bound by the restraints your job put upon you, so you accepted his invitation to dinner. You asked him about the future plans of Fontaine and the rebuilding efforts. He inquired about the missing package you discovered a few weeks back. And when he finally returned back to his home, for the first time in weeks, he was able to sleep with ease.

It was ever since then that something began to change in him. Though he always enjoyed your company, he found himself inviting you to stay longer during your weekly deliveries. He’d even ask if you’d like to accompany him to showings at the Opera Epliclese. Seeing you once a week simply was not enough any longer. When you’d inevitably leave after each visit, he’d be left with a strange empty feeling in his chest.

It most certainly didn’t help that you’d always laugh when he’d ask you to stay as if you seen through him from the very start. Your beautiful eyes would sparkle and a hint of pink would tint your cheeks. You always seemed to know when his eyes were on you, to which you’d always look away in a terrible attempt to hide the small smile upon your lips. You enjoyed his company as much as he enjoyed yours. But it still wasn’t enough.

He decided to tell Furina about it on a day she invited him to tea. The time they spent together was always a delight, much thanks to your words of encouragement. But this time around, his admittance toward wanting you near threw his companion into a state of confusion. Pressed back against her chair with her cup of freshly spilled tea upon the floor and an incredulous flustered expression upon her face, she looked at him in horror.

“Do… Do you really not know?” She asked, doing her best to keep her voice gentle.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand what you mean. Is it… supposed to mean something?” He asked.

Furina abruptly stood with a start and began to pace within her small living room, cheeks flushed and face in hands. After a few moments, she then stopped and turned to him.

“You’ve spent hours with this person, even inviting them to spend time with you outside of work, because you feel lonely when they’re gone and still you don’t know what it means!?” She groaned.

Ignoring the way she seamlessly transitioned back into her hydro archon persona, he couldn’t help but feel a bit sheepish at her exasperation. She knew very well he did not understand emotions, but was this as big of a deal as she was making it out to be? He really didn’t think this was that important of a matter. Was there anything wrong with wishing to spend more time with you?

“I suppose it can be said that I view them as a good friend,” he began so as to fish for the right answer.

But apparently, it was the wrong one, for she went right back to burying her face in her hands, this time while twisting around as if trying to shake off a bug.

“Just how many operas have you watched? Were you not paying attention to any of them?” She accused pointedly.

She finally stabbed a finger into his chest with frustration blazing in her eyes.

“You are in love, Neuvillette. In. Love.”

Needless to say, he left her home that day with much to think about. If she was right—he didn’t doubt her words—what was he to do next? He enjoyed spending time with you, that was true. He always felt a pang of sadness whenever you left. And if he had to think about it more, he found you, well, stunning. The softness of your smile, the sparkle in your eyes—his heart soared when he was the cause of it.

But he couldn’t exactly say if his feelings for you meant he should act on it. There were many things to consider. You weren’t from Fontaine, and your job had you on the move most of the time. As Iudex, he didn’t have much free time either. But those problems paled in comparison to the main problem at hand.

What were your feelings for him?

Such were the state of his thoughts the next time you arrived and accepted his invitation to stay for a bit. So nervous he was with his newfound feelings that he truly didn’t know much of what he was speaking about. His heart was nearly beating out of his chest, and deep down, he was near positive you were looking right through him. You always could.

But if that were the case, why didn’t you seem surprised? Why did you always accept his invitations? Why did your lips curl into that beautiful smile when your eyes fell upon him? Why did a flush color your cheeks whenever he asked you to stay? Why did you look at him like that, like–

“You’re in love.”

His words spoken aloud only registered in his mind when your eyes blown wide and posture froze tense. He didn’t mean to say it, he didn’t mean to speak, but the damage was already dealt. By the way your mouth hung open, it seemed you were trying to find what to say, but no words came. Eventually, you could do nothing more than to hide your face in what he could only assume to be embarrassment and outrage.

As much guilt as he felt for throwing you into such a state, he also could not deny the sorrow that rose up within his heart. He thought you could possibly… But that was foolish, wasn’t it? He didn’t understand human emotions. He knew that. But when you looked at him like that, how could he not let his hubris rise? In the end, he was mistaken. And that mistake would cost him you. He looked away.

“I apologize–”

“Monsieur Neuvillette…”

And just like that, his attention was brought back to you once more. How could he ignore the sound of his name upon your tongue, especially when you called it so softly? And though your hands still covered your face and your eyes seen between spread fingers still avoided his, he could see that you were not upset, nor were you ashamed. Rather, you were completely and utterly flustered as if all along, he had been–

“Am I that obvious?”

#genshin impact #genshin x reader #neuvillette #neuvillette x reader #my writing

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beneathstarryskies · 3 months

Text

Summary: It's been centuries since Ganondorf's victory in bringing Hyrule to its knees. However, victory is lonelier than he'd anticipated. The once great Demon King is a shadow of his former self, drinking his way through the castle's wine cellars and mumbling to himself in the dark. That is until one brave stranger wanders through the castle gates, led by curiosity...Or perhaps fate.

Word Count: 5,002

Warnings: mentions of violence, depression, Ganondorf is a recluse, beauty and the beast AU, might be OOC but i don't care this idea wouldn't leave me alone until i wrote it so here we are, overall it's pretty PG

Taglist: @emmacornell, @actuallysaiyan

In the remnants of a castle once grand but now desolate, Ganondorf wanders the halls alone. Some days he is focused on working his way through the wine cellar, but other days he mutters quietly as he wonders where it all had gone wrong. He’d achieved everything he wanted. He sits upon the throne of Hyrule, the entire realm under his control, yet as centuries pass the emptiness in his chest persists. Even the people of the realm stretching from the deserts of Gerudo to the flatlands of Akkala noticed the grip of the once fearsome ruler lessening. Only occasionally would he exert his dominance again, as though only to remind them he is still present. Even the darkness of his gloom seemed to fade from the landscape as life returned to normal for the people of the realm. Tales of the great demon king who once took over the kingdom are still passed from grandparents' mouths to the eager ears of children, but Ganondorf as they speak of him almost feels like fiction.

It was this sense of safety and curiosity that led you to Hyrule Fields. A thin layer of snow is falling on the landscape as you walk through the fields. Your eyes widen as you see the castle, and the now-empty town surrounding it. The walls are covered in a thick layer of ivy vines, now brown and barren from the cold air. You carefully walk forward, tiptoeing past the gloomy black and red sludge as you pass through the gates. As you explore the once great Castle Town, you remember the stories you’d been told as a child. The horrible stories of a great big demon who took the form of a horrible pig. Every little noise sent your mind into a frightened frenzy, and you were beginning to wonder if staying here much longer was worth indulging your long-held curiosity about the castle.

Ganondorf became aware of the intrusion when he wandered outside of the master bedroom onto the balcony. He looked down to see the tiny form of a Hyrulian woman poking around the old stalls in the market. Every so often he noticed her flinching and looking around as though frightened. Her attention soon turned to the wide doors of the castle. He recognized her intentions almost immediately, and he threw on a cloak to meet her at the door.

When you push open the double doors, you let out a squeak of surprise at the large figure looming at the bottom of the stairs. Long red hair falls in front of his face and glowing yellow eyes stare at you with malice as he growls.

“What are you doing here?” his voice, even as a whisper, echoes through the empty halls.

“I’m sorry,” you stammer as you try to back away. You trip over your own feet and fall backward. Just before you hit the ground, a large hand catches the front of your cloak. Suddenly, your feet are no longer on the ground. Ganondorf lifts you to force you to look into his eyes.

“I asked a question, little one,” he snarls. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness,” you stammer as your hands instinctively come to his wrist, grabbing on in case he drops you. “I thought--”

“You thought the castle to be empty,” he finishes your thought. “Perhaps I have been too kind to your people, allowing them to live too comfortably. My existence having been relegated to folklore and legend, is that it?”

“No!” you cry out, the thought of your kingdom being punished for your stupidity makes your skin crawl and your chest tightens with guilt. “No, it’s just…Me…I was curious.”

“Oh,” he pulls you closer. “Curious? You wish to see my castle?”

His words lull you into a false sense of comfort as you mistake his annoyance for understanding, “Yes, your Highness.”

“I see, little one,” he throws you over his shoulder. “You wish to see my castle and know its secrets. I see…Well, I shall make sure you spend all the time you have left within the walls of this castle.”

He walks you upstairs and tosses you into an empty bedroom. Before you can scramble to your feet the door is being slammed shut, and you hear the unmistakable click of a lock trapping you inside. You crawl to the door, standing on your knees as you bang on it desperately with shaking fists.

“Please,” you call out. “I’m sorry! Please let me out! I’ll leave! I promise I won’t tell anyone I saw you!”

Your cries and pleas fall on deaf ears. Ganondorf closed himself off to emotions like pity and empathy long ago. He ascends the remaining stairs to go to the master bedroom once more. He grabs his earlier forgotten bottle of wine and throws himself into his chair. He throws his head back and finishes the bottle in one long gulp. His heart is racing as he thinks about you. Your pitiful eyes as you tried to explain yourself, and then your tiny hands on his wrist to cling to stability. There’s something about your curiosity and bravery that piqued his interest. He can’t remember the last time someone ventured to the castle.

Your cries and pleas continue for hours until you wear yourself out from exhaustion. You crawl onto the old bed and you begin sobbing until you fall asleep.

_____

Ganondorf awakens when the sun is high in the sky. He has almost forgotten about having locked you away. You on the other hand have been awake since dawn. You’ve torn the room apart in search of some sort of escape. Realizing the king had you locked up tight, you felt a wave of defeat crash over you.

“Damn it all,” you cried out and fell onto the bed with an annoyed sigh. Tears sting your eyes, but you try to hold them back.

You could feel Ganondorf approaching before you could see him. His looming presence was difficult to ignore. He pushed the door open, not feeling even a moment of remorse as he saw your pathetic form on the bed.

“You’re lucky it’s been ages since I’ve had anyone in this castle,” he speaks. “I require a new servant.”

You sit up on the bed, turning to him with a look of indignation.

“Who says I’m trying to become a servant?” you ask. Immediately you regret the question when his eyes begin to glow with anger. He reaches out to grab you by the collar of your dress, and easily he lifts you off the ground just like before.

“The alternative is death,” he growls.

You had no choice but to give in to him. He drops you back onto the bed before turning away. His imposing figure stalks to the door, only stopping for a moment to look over his shoulder at you.

“Start by cooking breakfast,” he says, his voice a perpetual growl.

You don’t know what else to do. There’s not much you can do besides go along with his orders. You go downstairs, and it takes a bit of searching before you find the kitchen. There’s almost no food in the pantries, only a few things you assume he must have gathered on his own at some point, or perhaps those from neighboring villages brought in the goods as offerings. You’re staring up at the shelves trying to plan a meal when his shadow looms over you.

“A farmer nearby brings supplies,” his voice booms through the pantry. “In return, I keep the monsters off his sheep.”

“Why would you?”

He answers your question with another, “What threat does a farmer hold to my rule?”

You don’t turn to him, instead, you reach up to the high shelf where there’s a bag of flour to try to reach it. You expect him to help you, but he doesn’t. He stands back and smirks as you climb up the shelves to grab the bag of flour and start to pull it slowly in the hope you can shimmy it down. Instead, it falls and bursts on the floor.

“Now you have a breakfast to cook and a mess to clean,” he chuckles. “It’s good to see you can keep yourself busy.”

He leaves you alone, and you manage to clean up. Then, you cook a nice meal considering what little you have to work with. After that, he tells you to pick a room and begin cleaning.

The days continue in this manner. You cook and clean in the castle. Occasionally you manage to tease some semblance of conversation from him, if grunts and the occasional sarcastic quip can be considered as such. To your surprise, he’s not cruel to you. He’s just cold, almost apathetic as far as you can tell. You’re mostly kept to your own devices, which is lonely. As long as you do the chores, he doesn’t have much to say.

Considering his indifference, you didn’t think he would put in any effort to stop your escape. Being able to explore the castle on your own for so many hours of the day, it had taken you a week to muster up the courage to try to leave. However, as soon as you passed through the gate gloom hands surprised you and dragged you back to your quarters. If he had known of your attempt to escape, he never spoke a word of it to you.

_____

Ganondorf isn’t accustomed to having company anymore. The centuries have passed, and his former companions have fallen by the wayside. Either having fallen in battle or to the ravages of time. He tells himself he’s a lonely old fool the first time his heart races when you attempt to make casual conversation with him.

His heart pounds even more so when you shyly ask if he misses being in Gerudo Town. Nobody over the years ever had the bravery to ask such a deeply personal question. You were sitting on the sofa by the fire mending a hole in your skirt when the question fell from your lips as simply as asking if the sky is blue. He looked up from the flames.

“What a bold question little one,” he commented as he took a deep breath to prepare his answer. “I miss my sisters most of all, but none of the sisters I knew are living any longer. Those who inhabit that place are now strangers to me as I am to them.”

A pang of sadness hits your chest, “Are there other things you miss?”

“No, not necessarily. The blistering sun and unforgiving sands hold no sentiment except for how they made me strong.”

“I see,” you say and quickly return to mending your clothes.

“You need more attire,” he says.

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

“Ah, but you’re wrong. It is because of me that you are here, therefore it is my responsibility to care for you.”

Your mind feels blank for a moment. Was that kindness? From the mouth of the demon king himself? Before you can say anything, he rises from his seat. He doesn’t bid you goodnight before disappearing. Nor do you notice him locking the castle up like he usually does at night.

The next morning when you awaken, there’s a a pile of neatly folded clothes placed on the armchair in your room. You look through the clothes carefully. Among the more casual pants and blouses, you also find a beautiful gown. The material is soft, emerald green with gold floral embroidery along the hems. You assume it must have been by mistake that he brought something so elegant and beautiful to you. With great care, you hang the gown in the wardrobe, where among the shelves you find a new pair of shoes and a winter cloak.

You get ready for your day, dressing in the new clothes he brought, and then busy yourself with chores. It’s nearly night when you hear Ganondorf stir. Looking to thank him for his gesture, you quickly make your way towards the staircase to greet him. However, the words are caught in your throat when you see him.

He’s dressed in a fine, majestic robe. You recognize the patterns on it as being Gerudo. His hair is tied back, and the red beard that had been down to his chest when you arrived is neatly trimmed back up to his jawline.

“Did you have something to say?” he asks, hoping to put a stop to your wide-eyed gaping. How long has it been since someone looked upon him with awe rather than fear?

“Y-you look nice,” you smile shyly, having forgotten your original intentions for the moment.

“Ah, yes,” he nods.

You look down to the floor again then the thoughts return to your mind. You bounce softly on your toes and your eyes light up.

“Thank you for bringing me new clothes!”

“I told you I would,” he comes down the rest of the stairs and looks down on you but not with malice. “Did you find the gown?”

Your eyes widen. So it hadn’t been a mistake?

“Y-yes, I did! It’s so beautiful.”

“I was hoping you’d wear it tonight,” he doesn’t sound as authoritative as he’d hoped to.

“Oh, sure. I’ll put it on after dinner.”

“No, don’t worry about dinner. Go change now.”

With a short, courteous bow you make your exit. Upstairs in your room, you quickly bathe and then slip into the beautiful gown. Upon inspecting your appearance, you decide a bit more effort needs to go into it if you’re to wear such an opulent outfit. You brush your hair and braid it neatly.

As you set to work on your appearance, you wonder what Ganondorf has planned for the evening. You’ve never seen him quite so…Handsome. He’s all cleaned up and dressed like the true king he is. Surely he wouldn’t go to so much effort for you, would he? No, you tell yourself that’s not possible. Perhaps he’s just having a bit of fun with you. After all, he’s been in this castle by himself for centuries. It would make sense for him to take to a bit of fanciness since he has someone around to share it with.

Somehow imagining him seeing you as more than just a servant makes your heart flutter. You tell yourself you must be insane for thinking this way. Yet, he’s become more than a master to you. You’ve spent long nights sitting by the fire, listening to his tales of times long past. Somewhere among hearing his childhood tales of starvation and heat among his people and witnessing the opulence Hyrule hoarded, you began to understand his anger. Perhaps you couldn’t fully condone his path, but you could understand why he would grow to desire the conquering of the kingdom. You began to see through the dark, foreboding reputation of the demon king.

As you descend the stairs, you notice more light in the castle than you’re used to at this time of night. The grand chandelier in the main hall has been lit along with the chandeliers on the stone walls throughout the corridor leading into the ballroom, as though lighting your path. As you open the large double doors, you see a dining table set up by the large windows looking out onto the courtyard. It’s filled to the brim with fruit, cheese, and dried meats. A bottle of wine is chilled by two glasses. Ganondorf stands nearby, his back straight as he stares out the window with his hands locked behind him.

“Your majesty,” you say to get his attention.

He turns to you, his eyes widening momentarily before his face returns to being neutral.

“You look lovely,” he whispers, almost too quiet for you to hear it. You bow politely.

“Thank you,” you smile.

“I have set up dinner,” he explains. “You asked me once what it was like being the king of the Gerudo. I thought I would show you how I ate then.”

“Oh?” You approach the table, and he quickly pulls the chair out for you. You thank him as you sit down.

“The heat was intense. So, I often tried to eat light yet still filling meals. I ate considerably more than this, of course, but I thought you’d appreciate having more variety.”

“You put this together?”

He smiles as he begins pouring the wine, “Yes, of course. Can’t I do things for myself? Or do you wish to take care of me completely?”

Your cheeks heat up at his double entendre. It takes you a moment to regain your bearings, trying not to imagine what all ‘taking care’ of him might entail.

“I suppose it’s just unexpected.”

He places a glass of wine by your hand, and you hear a deep chuckle from him as he sits across from you.

“Believe it or not, back then I didn’t have many servants. The Gerudo people are prideful therefore believe it or not, they didn’t bow to me like I was a child in need of praise. I was proud to be self-sufficient.”

“I see,” you smile. “So, what is all this?” you gesture to the ballroom all lit up and with a few flower arrangements scattered about.

“I thought you might enjoy a bit of grandeur,” he sighs. “Must you ask so many questions?”

Your cheeks burn as you look down at your plate, “I only wished to know.”

“All in due time,” he answers before beginning to pile his plate with food.

You follow along, taking a bit of all of the offerings. It was a nice, light meal. Leaving you full, yet still energetic instead of ready to fall asleep in your chair. The wine made your cheeks burn and your muscles feel loose. Ganondorf encourages you to eat more if you need more, and you’re surprised by the way he seems to be taking such care of you even though he doesn’t seem the kind to have a caring bone in his body.

After the two of you finish your meals, he takes your hand and leads you to the middle of the ballroom. He explains that he wishes to teach you some of the traditional Gerudo dances. He explains how often in his time as King, the dances would be performed with two women. However, as time passed and the Gerudo became more focused on finding husbands they began altering the steps.

“Women are strong and can stand on their own, but I suppose as time passed they wanted to be more meek to attract husbands,” he explains as he shows you the steps as intended which would see your hips swaying carelessly. “Are you meek?” he asks with a teasing smile.

“For you?” you giggle. “I think not.”

He laughs, surprising you deeply yet thrilling you none the same. Soon he has you pulled close as you perform the steps as he’d showed you. One large hand rests on the small of your back as he guides you to move along with him. The ballroom is large, and it’s perfect for what he does. Every corner is explored by the gentle tapping of your feet, barely out of synch considering the difference in your size.

“Come,” he says as he pulls you closer. He gently guides you to stand on his feet. The weight doesn’t seem to bother him as he holds you as close as he can. He moves the two of you as gracefully as waves across the ocean. There’s a softness in his eyes as he looks down at you, and finally leans closer.

“Are you…?”

Before you can speak, and ruin the moment, he presses his lips to yours. The warmth of his mouth spreads through you, lighting a fire in the pit of your stomach. His hands rest upon your waist and his feet go still as he loses himself to the kiss. Your fingers are small and gentle as they comb through his fiery hair. Finally, the two of you separate. He almost looks ashamed of his actions. He steps away, looking around the room like a wild animal in a cage searching for an escape.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” he whispers. “Intimacy shared when one is bound is a violation.”

“Gan…Wait,” you grab his hand but he quickly pulls away. “I don’t feel that way with you.”

“It matters not what you feel. The truth is unchanged. If I’d not forced you here, then this moment would have never come to pass.”

“No, please-”

“You should leave,” he growls. “Do not look back at this place. Leave me here.”

“Just listen to me,” you plead. “Please, I want to stay!”

“Leave! Now,” he bellows through the halls. “Do not ever return!”

Tears fill your eyes as the sting of rejection fills your chest. You want to open your mouth and tell him how badly you wish to stay. Throughout your time with him you’ve seen him grow from being a reclusive, grumpy king to showing the side of him that’s charming. You’ve found yourself growing more confident and content as well. Despite everything, you seem to have brought out the best in one another. Yet, he’s pushing you away now.

“If you do not leave, I will kill you!” he snarls, the threat as empty as the wine bottle on the dining table. He’d never be able to bring himself to harm a hair on your head.

Without another word, you run upstairs to pack your few belongings. _____

You were surprised by the greeting you’d received when you’d returned home. Your family was delighted to see you. Your mother doted on you for days, having spent the better part of a year thinking you had abandoned the family or worse got yourself killed. You have always been a curious one, after all. After all of your family realized not only were you in good health, but you weren’t going to share what you’d been through it was business as usual. There were chores to be done on the farm, and you were eager to busy yourself with mindless work.

You missed him deeply. It was a surprising turn, even to you. At night when you sat by the fire, you often found yourself asking your family philosophical questions they couldn’t answer all that deeply. In your mind, you could almost hear the way Ganondorf would have answered them. The way he almost seemed to purr in the back of his throat when he sat back in his chair, rubbing his beard, as he considered how to answer your best. You remembered the way his eyes would light up when you’d managed to push a topic he was particularly interested in. His eyes would light up when you would argue with him, confidently asserting your thoughts, as though he was proud of you for being so willing to stand up to him. Meanwhile, you felt suffocated by returning to your old life. Your family are kind people, surely, but they’re also simple in their desires. You missed the thrill of being close to someone who had a worldview so interestingly different from your own who could both challenge and be challenged in exchange.

Yet, you worked. Finding solace and quiet in the familiarity of it all. It was the same thing you’d found yourself doing up until the fateful day you had been at the castle.

Did he know how much the time you spent with him meant to you? Somehow you felt that question burning in your mind for weeks. Maybe if you had told him the truth of your feelings sooner, then he would have never sent you away. If he had known you didn’t feel imprisoned with him, would he have let you stay by his side? Would the budding feelings between you have finally bloomed? Not having the answers to these questions was enough to drive you to madness. And yet…The answers would not come.

Months had passed when the adventurer arrived. His name was Link, and as your family served him dinner he explained his mission. He was to free Hyrule from the Demon King, Ganondorf.

“The Demon King has been silent for many years,” your father said. “Is such a feat really worth laying down your life for?”

“He may be silent for now, but the conquering spirit in him still remains. Hyrule will not be free until he is gone,” Link replied.

“Will peace truly ever return?” your mother asked.

“Yes,” Link said, with an unwavering resolve. “Princess Zelda will take the throne, and restore prosperity.”

As all of you laid down in your bedrolls that night, you had tried to push away the fear. He had made sure you no longer felt like he was your problem, therefore you felt it was in your best interest to pretend it wasn’t. Whether Ganondorf lived or died, should have been of no concern to you.

Yet, the next morning, you rise with the sun. You quickly go check the spare room, and see that Link has already left. His blankets are neatly folded and there’s a small pile of money off to the side.

“No, no,” you whisper to yourself.

You run to the stables and take one of your family horses. You ride towards the castle, praying that you will make it in time to save Ganondorf. Although truth be told, you didn’t know if it was entirely possible.

The sun is shining brightly overhead, the sky a cheerful shade of blue. In the distance, you can see a dark, gloom-filled cloud hanging over the ruins of Hyrule castle. You wonder if Link has already made it there, and is now fighting Ganondorf. There’s a strange conflict brewing in your chest because you understand why Link wants to defeat him. You just can’t stand the thought of losing Ganondorf. You keep replaying that night in your head, and you wish more than anything that you would have fought harder to stay by his side. Knowing you may never get to tell him the truth of your feelings makes your heart sink into your stomach.

As you arrive at the castle, the clouds of gloom have begun to fade. Leaving only rainclouds in their wake that are slowly being pushed aside by the soft breeze. Does this mean it’s over? Ganondorf has been defeated?

You leave your horse by the gate and run past the walls. You see his large form hunched over on one of the balconies. Link lunges with his sword, and suddenly Ganondorf falls. He lands with a loud crash on the ground, sending cracks through the stone from the impact. Link stands at the edge of the balcony and crawls onto the ledge. He points an arrow bathed in divine light down at Ganondorf, aiming for the finishing blow.

“No!” You cry out as you run to Ganondorf’s rumpled form.

“Huh?” Link gasps as he sees you throw yourself over Ganondorf. Your considerably smaller form does nothing to truly shield him, but Link knows you wouldn’t be able to withstand the blast from the light arrow. “Move!” Link calls down to you.

“No! I won’t!”

“Little one,” Ganondorf coughs. “It’s over…Do not…” he trails off when he sees the tears rolling down your cheeks. He can’t remember the last time anyone cried for him, or if they ever had.

“Please, I won’t let you die,” you cry softly and bury your head against his chest. You don’t care about the blood and grime covering him. You feel his large hand on your back, his fingers curling through your hair.

“I’m glad you came, if only so I could see you one last time.”

“Don’t say that,” you whisper. “Don’t speak that way.”

Link jumps down, landing with a thud on his feet, “You don’t understand. I have to finish him. Ganondorf has to die so Hyrule can be saved.”

“Why does he have to die?” you sob as you continue clinging to him, your tears soaking into his tattered clothes. Link looks down, unsure of how to answer your question. Truth be told, he didn’t truly understand himself. Ganondorf had practically been dormant for half a century, and the monsters had slowly begun to fade away.

“It’s fate,” Ganondorf tells you, continuing to rub your back. “Stand aside, little one. Do not weep for me anymore.”

“Ganondorf, I can’t leave you like this,” you whisper. “I love you.”

“Love?” he whispers as though the word is one he’s never heard. He wants to laugh, not at your feelings but at the notion of someone feeling something so gentle for him. “I…I love you as well, but it matters not now.”

You look up, expecting to see Link standing over you. Instead, you see his retreating form. Almost seeming to sense your gaze, he looks over his shoulder. “Make sure he doesn’t give me a reason to seek him again. The two of you find somewhere to go, somewhere far away from here. I will tell everyone he’s dead.”

“Thank you,” you whisper through gentle sobs.

Ganondorf can hardly believe his ears. Had the hero truly decided to spare him? He couldn’t imagine a time when something like this would happen, and yet he knows there’s something he’s never had before…Rather someone. You must be the most precious thing he’s ever held in his arms.

You embrace him again, savoring the beating of his heart and the warmth of him. Still alive, still breathing. He touched your hair, feeling the soft strands between his fingers. When you finally look up at him, there’s a sweet smile on your face despite the tears in your eyes. Then, you lean down to kiss him. His heart soars from the gentle affection.

It would seem fate had something different in store for him this time.

#🌟written in the stars #ganondorf x reader #ganondorf #ganondorf dragmire x reader #ganondorf fanfiction #legend of zelda fanfiction #ganondorf loz x reader

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fatuismooches · 4 months

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fabulam diu oblitus - postlude.

synopsis: The tale of the raven and the sparrow has long been forgotten by most, but some will always remember.

includes: dottore w/ gn! reader

notes: This is the fourth part of this fic, please read the other parts first! It seems that the fairy tale of you and Dottore comes to an end. Follows some of Sumeru's storyline. Warning for death. Angst. Thank you to my mootie @kaixserzz and my all of my dear anons (🎐, 🐓 <3) who kept me inspired to keep writing this fic :3

prelude. first interlude. second interlude. postlude. sequel.

“The raven and butterfly’s happiness continued for much longer. But of course, every creature is aware that nothing lasts forever, and even the lightning in the sky would agree with that statement. All fairytales must come to an end. That was no different for the raven and the butterfly.”

There had been a buzz around the lab lately. Some of the segments had been ordered to leave for a Fatui mission. Which, would have been a normal occurrence, were it not for the place they were headed to this time.

“Sumeru? You’re going to Sumeru?” Your home country had instantly gotten your attention, not only because you haven’t been back in centuries, but also because the segments were never usually dispatched there, instead causing their usual chaos in other nations.

“Indeed. We will see if the Balladeer is able to become the God he so desires to be,” Omega hummed, moving a hand underneath your shirt to record your heartbeat. Ah, that was right. The puppet had stolen the Electro Gnosis to use as his ascension into godhood… and Dottore would be there to see how his experiment plays out. Well, you already had a feeling about how that would turn out.

Moving on to a different subject, although Sumeru was the home you and Zandik were chased out of, you still held fond memories of it. Many happy things happened there for you, so the thought of it made you smile.

“You have to bring back lots of stories for me! And souvenirs! Oh, I would love to see how much Sumeru has changed from all those years ago,” you dreamily smiled. Yeah, your favorite cafe was probably gone by now… but you’d love to see what replaced it!

“Of course. I expect there will be much to say with the God of Wisdom and the Traveler intervening as well,” Omega chuckled, scribbling down something on his clipboard after glancing at the monitor, before fixing your shirt back.

“Your vitals have been better lately,” the segment commented and patted your head, which you happily indulged in. It wasn’t too noticeable, but it seemed like your body was getting even a little bit better. Not much, a little. But that was good anyway. “But run along now. There is much preparation to be done regarding the trip to Sumeru.”

“Okayyyy,” you stretched your words a bit disappointedly, not wanting to leave the segment, but you knew he had a lot of work to do. So instead you settled with pecking him on the cheek which he of course returned tenfold before you went off on your way. You had quite a few segments to say goodbye to, after all! You’d miss them a lot, but, you still had the other segments here with you. And your lover of course.

Surely, they would be back in the blink of an eye. Yes, surely, they’d return just as they always did. You had no reason to think otherwise. And so for the next few days, everything was normal. Time passed regularly. You got through the days as you did with any other.

But one day was different.

You were in your room by yourself, enjoying your alone time. Because as much as you loved being around the segments, you still liked being by yourself too. But all of a sudden, your tranquility was interrupted by literally a bang on your door, which made you jump.

The knock on your door was frantic and loud. Immediately you hopped out of bed to see what could possibly be so important that your door was getting pounded, but when you opened the door there was no one there. You were very confused… how was that possible? This was a pretty long hallway. Even with the segments’ abilities, there was no way they could just disappear into thin air like that.

A bad feeling began to creep up on you, your stomach twisting and turning. You don’t know why, but it just did. But surely you were overreacting. Perhaps… perhaps… actually, you didn’t have any valid reasoning you could think of right now. Maybe though, maybe you should go and check on them. Just in case. You know that they’ll be there, in the lab doing their experiments or perhaps bickering with each other as usual, but there was nothing wrong with double-checking. And then you’ll calm yourself with a nice hug from one of them. It would all be okay.

But you found that your steps were quicker and longer than usual, your breathing heavier than usual. As you got closer to the main lab’s doors, you strained your ears for their voices, anything, something, but heard nothing. You licked and bit your lip that had gone dry, weak legs walking even faster if that was possible, before you swung open the doors, hoping to see those blue mops of hair you so desired to see.

Nothing. The room was empty.

Your footsteps slowed, walking into the room cautiously. It was strange because it looked as if there were people in here just a few minutes ago. Notes that were left unfinished halfway. Beakers that had broken on the floor, with some mysterious liquids soaking the floor. Strange, very strange. And yet no trace of any segments remained.

The bad feeling had grown into something much worse now. Where else? Where else could they be?

Their rooms. You should check their rooms. They were usually there if they weren’t in the lab, doing their own respective work (because their office and rooms doubled as one since they didn’t need to sleep.) So despite how your chest burned, and your legs ached, it didn’t matter if it meant your heart would be soothed and relieved.

You ran as fast as you could, more like you tried to because your illness had really kicked in since your mind was stressing out a great amount. As you clung to the walls, catching your breath, you paid no mind to the random agents who were looking at you funny, nor did you manage to catch their words of “Omega” or “erased” or “gone.”

It took longer than it should have taken you, but at last, you made it to the corridor with the segments’ rooms. You didn’t bother to knock, swinging open the door to Alpha’s room.

Empty.

Beta’s room.

Empty.

Every single room was empty. Fuck, even Zandy’s room was empty. And he was always in there if he wasn’t with you. Your head was throbbing with unease now, your heavy, troubled breathing sounding throughout the whole hallway. Where? Where? Where did they go…?!

“[Name].” A voice sounded from behind you. Spinning around, it was Dottore. Your Dottore! Okay, at least he was still here!

“Dottore,” you breathed a sigh of relief. He would have an explanation for this. “Dottore, where are all the segments? I-I can’t find them anywhere. I mean, I know the lab is really big, but it’s strange for them not to be in these areas,” you placed a hand on your rapidly beating heart, trying to calm it, not noticing your husband’s expression.

“...” The scientist was unsure of how to break the news to you because he knew of the bond you shared with the segments.

“Dottore? Why aren’t you answering me?” He opened his mouth to respond, but paused, seemingly trying to determine the best way to phrase his words. That only worried you more, because he was never one to sugarcoat his words. Your nervousness had returned once more, burning heat from fear creeping up your shoulders. “Zandik, answer me.”

“They’re gone, [Name].” The words took a few moments to settle in, silence overtaking the area for a little bit. But only for a little bit, as your nervous laughter rang out interrupting it.

“Gone?” You repeated. “What do you mean gone? They just can’t be gone. Right? Right, Dottore?” The nervous smile that had etched its way onto your face hurt badly, the laughter mixed with wheezing was painful, but it was all you could do to convince yourself this was a lie.

“Omega has… deleted them in exchange for the Electro Gnosis.” You looked at him blankly, the former emotion on your face gone.

“Deleted? Deleted from this world? From existence?” Your tone got higher and higher as you continued speaking. You didn’t even know Omega had the ability to do that. Or that the segments could be erased in the first place. Dottore just nodded in response.

“But- but why? Surely t-there was another way?” Your voice was on the verge of breaking into tears.

“He wanted to show respect to the God of-”

“Respect? To a God, of all people?” You hissed, bubbles of anger surfacing now through your agony. “He’s a Harbinger, is he not? And he’s stronger than that God! He- he could have easily found another way! He didn’t have to DELETE the segments! Another method HAD to have been possible! Did he even try to negotiate?!” Hot tears ran down your cheeks as you raised your voice at him. It took everything it had in you not to fully scream. You began to pace back and forth, hand covering your already tear-streaked face, whole body shaking. Your husband could only watch.

Dottore wasn’t thrilled with Omega deleting all his segments either, with the endless resources that went into creating them, but what’s done was done. And both the Electro and Dendro Gnoses were acquired. But you? You were on the verge of hysterics. He had never, not once, seen you like this.

You had come to a stop, head buried into your arm as you braced against the wall. Oh, the segments were gone forever. They were never coming back. You could only imagine how they must have been in their last moments. That they only had a few more moments to live. You couldn’t bring yourself to think about what Zandy must have thought in his last few seconds.

And what’s more, the segments had disappeared into… nothingness. There was no trace, no remains of their bodies whatsoever. And although seeing their bodies on the floor would have certainly destroyed you, perhaps this was even a worse fate. Because it was as if they never existed at all. You couldn’t even hold their bodies one last time, or give them a proper farewell. They were just… gone. Oh, how you wished you could have at least been there in their last moments, to provide some comfort, some love, some sense of peace. The more you thought about it, the countless memories with them flowing through your mind, the weaker your violently shaking body became as you struggled to hold yourself up. Dottore instantly noticed and, worrying about your frail condition, walked up to you before you spat out at him.

“Do not come near me.” Out of all the centuries Zandik has spent with you, he has never been on the receiving end of much anger from you. Rather, it was you who dealt with that from him. But this wasn’t just anger. It felt like venom.

“Why…” You pulled yourself up once again before glaring at him with teary eyes. “Why didn’t you stop him, Zandik? You could have, couldn’t you? They didn’t have to die…!”

There was only one answer the Harbinger could provide, even though he knew you would not like it. “It was necessary to obtain the Electro and Dendro Gnoses for the Fatui.” To this, you could only laugh again once more before digging your nails into your palms so hard it hurt.

“I see. I see…” You mumbled brokenly before stepping off to the side, your steps still unsteady and wobbly as you nearly tripped. Dottore once again tensed up, body wanting to move to support you, but the look on your face made him decide against it. You then walked past him, not sparing another look at him before exiting the corridor, tears still silently running down your face. He could only watch you as you left him standing, wondering about many things yet nothing at all.

—

“From that day, there was a drastic shift in the butterfly and raven’s relationship. The butterfly was indescribably hurt by the loss of the other ravens, and could not bear the pain. It was the first time the raven had ever been subjected to such cold treatment by his lover. Usually, it was the other way around. And it seemed like fixing this would not be easy.”

Dottore thought that if he gave you some space, you’d cool off soon enough.

He thought wrong.

You had flat-out been ignoring Dottore since the day the segments were erased. And not just refusing to talk to him. You didn’t even want to be in the same space as him. If he came into your room, you would just leave. As soon as he opened his mouth, you were gone. In order to give you your meds, he had to wait until you were sleeping to slip in, because of the way you were acting. When it was time to eat, he had to leave the meal outside your door, otherwise, you wouldn’t eat. That is if you even took it. The grief made it hard for you to do a lot of things, which made it imperative for him to help, but you didn’t want it. You were distraught, but you were angry too. Why?

Because you truly loved the segments.

Dottore did not. He did not feel the same connection as you did. So he was at a loss. He didn’t know what to do to resolve this. Apologize? No, he suspected even if he did, it wouldn’t mean anything, because you’d know he didn’t fully mean it, and it wouldn’t bring the segments back anyway. Comfort you? You wouldn’t allow him to hold you or talk to you. Il Dottore did not know what should be done.

Omega received similar treatment when finally returned from Sumeru, the Gnoses in hand. Normally, you would be waiting at the entrance whenever he returned from expeditions. This time, however, you were not, which he supposed he should have expected. You didn’t want his stories. His gifts. No, all you needed to know was that he deleted the segments. They were gone because of him, and you didn’t want to see him right now.

Omega was not a human. He was a segment. Though, that didn’t mean that he couldn’t feel emotions. He did - when it came to you. But Omega was a selfish segment. Selfish when it came to a lot of things, you included. And selfishness and emotions do not bode very well, as it becomes… a convoluted mixture.

The segment thinks of himself as a patient man. He knows how to wait, and wait, and wait until it pays off. He can do that for you, too. Wait for you to come back to your senses. After all, they were just segments, right? And the superior one, the best one of them all was still here - him. So surely you won’t be like this for too long.

Just like his creator, he was proven wrong. He learned the depth of your anger a day he tried reaching out to you, wanting to put this whole situation behind. But you certainly didn’t share the same sentiment. It was like any other day, him talking to you and you walking away, but this time he reached out for you. The segment unconsciously longed for your touch, your affection, that was once so commonplace.

But as soon as you felt his fingers brush yours, you slapped Omega’s hand away with a scowl. You didn’t need to say anything. That one action spoke everything you wanted to.

You would never view him the same ever again.

—

“And so the butterfly found themselves drowning and suffocating in grief. Their whole life had been changed, the creatures who helped them through so much were now gone. But that would not be the last of the butterfly’s sorrow.”

You had been giving the cold shoulder to Zandik and Omega for a long time. Considering how clingy and affectionate you were before, they didn’t even know you had it in you. But now, it was as different as night and day. However, it wasn’t as much as it was before, because you still had to rely on them in order to live. Despite how much you didn’t want to, without them, you’d be dead. They were the ones who had to administer your medicine and give you check-ups so your condition wouldn’t get worse (although it already happened after the segments were deleted.) It was funny how easily progress could be reversed. How one thing, one random day, could change everything.

So eventually you had to let them in a bit. Most of the time you just ignored them and rarely spoke. Even during the checkups and shots, you had your head turned the other way the whole time. They would still attempt to talk to you, in hopes you would even grace them with a “yes” or “no” rather than the rare nod of your head. But it wasn’t very fruitful.

Another habit of yours now was that if you weren’t in your room, you were most likely in a segment’s room crying. Especially Zandy’s. Clutching his plushies. Or maybe Alpha’s. Trying to fix up the parts he left lying on his desk. Or Beta’s. Going into his closet to wear his coat. Dottore knew better than to clean out their rooms because you would most likely snap at him again.

You didn’t have much energy to do anything else but lay in your room, blankly staring at the ceiling all day, your head a foggy, grief-filled mess. It did not feel good… you hated the feeling… but what else should you do…? You just wished you could feel the warmth of your segments… the seemingly annoyed but secretly delighted posture of Alpha as you held him from behind. The bitey nature of Beta that didn’t let you go once you were in his clutches. The small, clingy body of Zandy as he cuddled into your body, sweet dreams blessing him instead of the nightmares. But you could only dream about those things now.

Even the regular Fatui agents had noticed this development. The lovey-dovey nature of Il Dottore’s spouse was now reduced to this. You heard them speak about it.

“Have you noticed? Lord Dottore has been far more irritable lately.”

“Oh yeah, both Omega and Prime! I feel bad for those who have to work directly with them…. At least my job is just standing at this door all day.”

“I know. They always were terrifying, but it seems even worse now. Ugh, and now there’s even more work for us since all the segments are gone.”

“Do you know why? Has Lord Pantalone decreased his budget again?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of obvious…” The agent lowered his voice to a whisper. “His spouse, [Name], has been giving them the silent treatment for ages now. Don’t tell anyone this but, I believe that our great Harbinger, Lord Il Dottore… is feeling the effects of this. I’ve never seen them act like this!”

“Is that so? Speaking of, I don’t think I’ve seen them around here very much.”

“Well yes… if you were here for as long as I have been, you’d normally see them all over the lab but, they tend to stay locked up in their room nowadays. And Lord Dottore as well, he doesn’t leave his office much either. Omega seems to take care of much of the outward responsibilities.”

So that was what it was like. You got your answer to if Dottore missed you. You wondered how many people accidentally became his test subjects due to his rising temper because of you. But though it may not have looked like it, not speaking to your husband was hurting you tremendously as well. Because at the end of the day… he was your love, your life. He was your Zandik, the one who meant everything to you. The one who went through everything and anything with you. He was the only one you had… you still loved him, terribly so. Maybe that was a bigger weakness than your illness.

But that didn’t mean you were any less mad at him.

Omega, on the other hand… ah, you didn’t even know what to think anymore… you were so conflicted, it was so hard to even think… when you said you loved all the segments, that included him too. But he deleted all of them… you hated him… but did you love him too? No, you should continue to hate him, he was the selfish one… Zandy was gone because of him… you couldn’t forgive him! So you didn’t forgive him. The days continued the same as always.

Until one fateful day.

Omega was set to head out on a mission. Which was quite unusual nowadays, because ever since the clones were deleted, he couldn’t afford to leave Snezhnaya with all the work that had to be done. All you had heard was that the blonde-haired traveler would be there too, from all the whispering around the lab.

But what did it matter to you? Whether the segment was here or not, it was the same to you. His whereabouts were surely not of concern to you, so you had no feelings on this. Though the night before he was set to leave, he knocked on your door anyway. You immediately pulled the blankets over your face and curled to the side of the bed so you wouldn’t see Omega. The door shut with a click and his boots sounded against the floor.

“Hello, [Name]. I’m sure you’ve heard by now that I am leaving soon. It is another critical mission for the Fatui, and I suspect the Traveler will be there once again.” He didn’t receive a response from you, which he expected. “But I’m sure this is of no interest to you, anyway.” He guessed right, you thought, you didn’t care. However, even after saying what he had to say, he did not leave. A silence overtook the room as neither of you moved or spoke. But then Omega called your name, with another short silence coming after it before he spoke once more.

“I will not ask for your forgiveness, because I know I will not receive it, nor will I apologize, because I believe I took the right course of action. But…” Omega paused, “I still hold you fondly. I still…” He reached his hand out to your covered body but drew it back before his fingertips could brush you.

“I hope we will be able to talk more once I return.” He seemed to wait a few more seconds, perhaps hoping you would stay something, hoping he could at least see your face before he left, but to no avail. All you heard was the retreating footsteps and the click of your door shutting once more. You pulled the blankets off so you could breathe properly again, as you thought about his words.

What should you do? You didn’t know. The segments had passed quite a while ago, and the pain was still fresh in your heart, but Omega… ugh… perhaps, maybe, just maybe, you could try talking to him once more. Only an attempt. If you didn’t like how it felt, you’d stop. And he wasn’t returning from the mission for a few months, so you had ample time to make your decision anyway.

But Omega never returned.

The next few months flew by quickly, and though Omega had not returned yet, you thought nothing of it. Something must have come up that delayed his return. It’s happened before, it probably happened again. That was until you noticed groups of Fatui huddled together murmuring in the lab. As soon as they saw you, they went back to work and shut up their little gossip quickly, which was very strange. Now you really needed to know what was going on, so you decided to silently eavesdrop on the next pair you found. But you would have never thought of the words you heard next.

Omega had been killed by the Traveler.

Omega was dead.

Omega wasn’t coming back.

You would never see him ever again. The realization made your body weak as you stumbled back, having to cling to the wall for support. He was gone… the tears immediately sprang to your eyes, as you covered your mouth to keep your sobs down. Omega killed the other segments. Maybe a part of you should feel glad. But no, all you felt was red-hot grief and pain, as you crashed into the nearest random room, and cried, and cried, and cried.

If you knew that was the last time you would see him, you wouldn’t have acted like that…

You wonder why things had to turn out like this.

—

“The butterfly never truly recovered from their loss, but as they say, time heals all wounds.”

After Omega died, you didn’t have the energy to be mad anymore. You were just tired. Tired of everything. Everything felt like a chore. Though you saw your husband more often now. Since there were no more segments, and Dottore obviously wouldn’t trust even the best Fatui doctors with you, he was the one who did all the usual medical stuff for you now.

Admittedly, his touch felt nice. It felt good. It felt like exactly what you needed right now. Comfort. So you gave in. When he had finished the usual procedure, as he turned his back on you, you reached out and wouldn’t let go of his hand. Dottore stiffened from the contact - it had been a while since you’d touched him so intimately - but you didn’t let go, and only weakly tugged him closer, which he complied to. You couldn’t bring your eyes to meet his, instead blankly staring at his shoes, but he seemed to get the message anyway. Tentatively, he wrapped his arms around you to gauge your reaction, and when he saw no resistance, he pulled you into his chest and held you. You missed this feeling. You missed Zandik.

And maybe you were scared he would leave you too.

Things continued like that for a while. You’d seek your husband out for his touch. His presence. His voice. Anything that would bring you some peace. Though you still remained mostly silent during these times. You just didn’t know what to say. Sometimes you wondered if he was mad at you. Annoyed. Disappointed. You didn’t want to know though. You were content with the fact that Zandik would hold you in his lap even at the wildest hours of the night.

But now, it had been some time since Omega’s death and even longer since the other segments were erased.

You weren’t quite ready to move on, no, not yet, but it was inevitable. Or perhaps you would never truly move on, instead, they would always be a part of you. You’d always carry them with you. But regardless, you needed to try, at least for Zandy. You think he’d want you to try and smile more often. You were speaking a bit more to your Harbinger friends again, and finding some enjoyment in your hobbies. Not to mention your relationship with Zandik was becoming better again. He had still been there, even when your illness and grief had you at your worst, with no complaints. Even though he had nothing to gain from this relationship. Even though you had become someone different. He had always loved you.

But there was still a rift caused by everything that had happened, that you wanted to fix. Because at the end of the day, in this world, you two only had each other. So you decided to talk to him about it. You had a habit of this, just waltzing into his office without knocking, and came upon Dottore who had a small box in his hand, appearing to gaze at whatever was in it, before he quickly snapped it shut at your sudden arrival. You recognized that box. It was the one where he kept his wedding ring in. So he still had it like that after all these years. You pretended like you didn’t see it as he swiftly put it away.

“[Name].”

“Zandik. Are you busy right now?”

“No.” Both of you knew that was a lie. The Second Harbinger was always busy. You knew for a fact he was stretched thin, especially since he wasted so much time taking care of you along with his Fatui duties, which piled up quickly with no more segments.

“Alright… can we talk?”

“Of course.” Zandik had been especially attentive to your words lately. Perhaps because he missed the times you would talk his ear off.

“I want to make something clear.” Zandik looked at you curiously as you took a deep breath. Many possibilities raced through his head.

“I still love you, Zandik.”

Well, he certainly wasn’t expecting that, and you could tell, even though his expression did not betray his thoughts.

“You already know the reason I’m…” Your voice trailed off, not wanting to say the words aloud, but you continued. “But I… appreciate you for staying by me. For all these centuries, through everything. It’s been a… very long time. And although things are different now, I want us to be… happy again. It might not be immediately but… it’s because I love you, Zandik.” You swallowed, at the end, your voice growing a bit softer. Ah, you hoped that wasn’t too sentimental. Zandik’s expression was blank so you couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

“So yeah, that’s all… I guess.” All of a sudden, the silence that followed made you embarrassed, and you wanted to leave there as quickly as possible. “Okay, I-I’ll let you do your work now.” And then you hastily made your exit and left the Harbinger alone, before he started chuckling to himself. He’d expect nothing less from you, his dear, darling spouse.

Though he wonders if you realize time is irrelevant for him. He’ll wait for you as long as it takes.

—

“One thing about the raven and the butterfly that would never change was that they were wholly intertwined with each other. Their fates were one. So even if they happened to go their separate ways, they would inevitably return to one another again.”

It was actually quite scary how fast time flew. From the time you woke up, to marrying Dottore, to the segments passing, to right now… it felt like a blur. You guess, now that your life span was no longer that of a regular human’s, time was starting to skew a bit for you. Well, you were just excited to spend decades more, even centuries with him.

Throughout all the years that had passed since that day, you found yourself falling more and more in love with Zandik again. You suppose that should be normal for a married couple but, it never ceased to amaze you how one man could make you feel like this.

Something that had become somewhat of a habit for the two of you was dancing. Yes, dancing. It had come up during one of your wedding anniversaries. To be honest, neither of you really did or planned anything special for the day. Perhaps there was a bit more kissing along with other affectionate activities, but you two didn’t look at it as something that big. First, because you didn’t want to waste his already precious time, but also because you knew from the beginning the wedding anniversaries would be countless. So every anniversary was more of something you expected, so it was nothing too big to celebrate, especially as people who lived this long… if that made sense. And Dottore… was Dottore after all. Never one to care much for dates.

But on one anniversary you were reminded of how you two danced during the wedding. Your clumsy steps as Dottore guided you through it all, and you wanted to relive that, so he indulged you. And funnily enough, you were a lot better! Your steps weren’t as unsteady and your body didn’t ache as much. Dottore’s feet didn’t get assaulted by yours too much. Even Dottore was pleasantly surprised. It probably had to do with the fact that although you weren’t cured yet, your health had been up on an upward curve. Of course, never the best but, much better than you first were. You were proud of yourself for making it this far.

So now, when you had time, you found yourself rehearsing your steps with him and your husband twirling you around. Perhaps one day you could reach his level.

You found that there were days that reminded you of the Akademiya. Where you could help him with his notes and research like a real assistant would. Obviously, it still wasn’t the best but it was something, and you could see that Dottore liked it. These days often came with you teasing him with embarrassing memories from the Akademiya.

“I still remember when you got motion sickness from piloting that ruin golem, Zandik.”

“For the last time, I did not get motion sickness, [Name].”

“Mhm, sure. If I didn’t drag you out, you would have-”

“That is enough from you.”

You found that there were more days he would take you out into the Snezhnayan winters (you were bundled up to the max) so you could finally see the snow. You found yourself attending your first balls at the Tsaritsa’s palace, as Dottore was now forced to attend himself rather than his segments. He didn’t want to leave you by yourself in the dreary lab so… you were often his plus one, where you spent the evening poking fun at him with Columbina. (You also were the one who publicly took sweets to-go from the parties for him so he wouldn’t get judged.)

And perhaps your favorite memory was when he took you back to Sumeru - yes, to another country - so you could witness the Akademiya Extravaganza festival. He, of course, had no interest in it, but you being you and loving fun things absolutely did. Many things happened, including meeting the Traveler… but that story was for another day.

All in all, you always knew this but, you found that no matter how many years passed, no matter what Il Dottore has done, no matter the amount of sins and wrongfulness he has committed… you were hopelessly in love with him. From the time he was that perpetually irritated but in love student from the Akademiya to his current self, the Harbinger that was a stark contrast to his former self but still possessed you for himself.

Sure, it was a bit lonely at times compared to before, but all the tender moments throughout the years made you happy to have Zandik in your life. Which is why you foolishly thought these times would last forever.

When Dottore told you he was leaving Snezhnaya, and therefore the lab, and therefore you, it jolted you right up from your sleepy daze on his lap.

“What?!” The word came out as a half yell, half-whisper. “What do you mean you’re leaving Snezhnaya?”

“It means I’m leaving Snezhnaya, dear,” he continued on his paperwork (which never seemed to end) as if this was common knowledge. “The mission needs a Harbinger to oversee it, and the task falls to me this time.”

You were devastated. There were times when Dottore only had to leave the lab for a few days to attend to matters in different parts of Snezhnaya. (You spent the time at Columbina’s mansion because oddly enough, she always seemed to be there… how did she manage to shirk her duties so often?) But this was completely different. He would be so far out of reach, for a long time probably too. Foreign missions always took a while. You remember how long you had to wait for the segments to return from them.

“Okay, then I’ll come with you!”

“No, you’re not,” he immediately shut down your proposition. “Missions are still far too dangerous with your current state. You will stay in Snezhnaya, and wait for me to come back.” You knew when he used that tone, things were final, and you hung your head low, all sleepiness gone at the fact you wouldn’t be seeing him for months. Sure, you would be staying with Bina as usual but, you had a feeling it’d be hard to replace the rush of emotions Dottore gave you on a daily basis.

Dottore noticed your dour expression, which he obviously expected, and sighed, setting down his pen. At this point, it was a sort of routine that he had memorized, comforting you and all. Although comfort would never be something he was adept in, years of doing it had let him become somewhat proficient.

“[Name],” he moved his hand to guide your chin up so you could look at him. You were pouting. “These few months, or even less, depending on how quickly the work gets done, will only be a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things. I’ll be back before you know it,” he hummed. Although he certainly was not pleased about leaving you by yourself for so long, such was the life of a Fatui Harbinger. It was at times like these he missed his segments. (Did that sound selfish? Well, he was a selfish man when it came to you.)

A drop in eternity, huh? Well, when he puts it like that, then maybe it would be just a bit bearable. And, when you think about it, he’s waited over four hundred years for you, all alone. So this little challenge couldn’t be too hard, right?

“Alright… I’ll wait for you, Zandik.”

“Good,” he chuckled at how easy it was to win you over sometimes and stroked your cheek. “In the meantime, you can work on the recipe you’ve been vehemently hiding from me and show me when I’m back.” You immediately brightened at that.

“Oh yeah! I promise you’re going to like these sweets better than the ones at the bakery!” You proudly declared.

“Oh? Now that’s a high standard you’ve set yourself to, dear. Are you sure you’re going to be able to live up to it?”

“Hmph, don’t underestimate me. My baking skills have improved over the years!”

The banter always made you two feel like regular humans, despite what you two really were.

—

“The days went by peacefully for the lonely butterfly, but soon that feeling was shattered when they learned of a golden comet’s presence near their raven.”

The days in Columbina’s mansion went by rather uneventfully. Surprisingly enough, she wasn’t home as often as usual. It seemed like the Fatui were really stepping up their business now. You’d have to ask Dottore about that. Maybe the day Celestia is defeated was closer than you thought. But today was a day Bina had some time to indulge in cakes and conversation with you. The chit-chat was mundane but brought a sense of comfort until the conversation somehow ended up with Dottore as the topic. Your friend always liked teasing you about him. Everything was lighthearted and sweet until she idly mentioned his mission.

“I wonder how your Doctor is doing on the mission~”

“Well, I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’s Dottore after all.”

“Mhm, that’s right. I do wonder how he plans to deal with the Traveler though.” The mention of the blonde’s name nearly made you drop your teacup.

“W-What?” Your voice cracked as you implored your friend to tell you more. You were now realizing that you neglected to ask Dottore what the mission exactly was, and he did not reveal the contents as well, probably because he knew you’d freak even more if you knew he was most likely going to confront the Traveler. Columbina looked confused.

“Dear, did he not tell you?”

“No! I- ah, he only told me he has a mission in another nation, I guess it slipped my mind to ask him the details!” You now had your hand clutched to your head and another one trying to soothe your now rapidly beating heart. A naive and very stupid part of you thought it wouldn’t have to come to this, but it already did, so quickly too.

Why were you so particularly scared? It was because all you could think of was Omega’s death by the Traveler’s hand, as well as your fellow colleagues. You knew that Dottore was far stronger than any of them but… you were in a panic. All the worst possible scenarios began invading your mind relentlessly.

“[Name], calm down. Dottore is strong. We do not even know if it will end in a battle or not, but regardless of the outcome, he is smart enough to-” Bina attempted to comfort you before you interrupted her and abruptly stood up.

“I need to go.”

“Go? Go to Dottore, dear?”

“Yes. Yes, I need to see him. I need-” Your words were becoming a jumbled mess from the anxiety this piece of news caused. “I need to see him in person if he’s okay.”

“You do not think you should think about this some more? I suspect the Doctor will not be happy if he sees you there, even if it’s you of all people.”

“It doesn’t matter. If I stay here, all I’ll be able to think about is him.” You could already see yourself losing sleep and appetite over this. “But as long as I can see him okay… even if he’s angry, I can deal with it. Anything is better than being over here helpless!” Columbina watched you silently.

“Alright. Be ready in a few days.” You looked at her in surprise.

“Bina? You’re helping me? You’re not going to… stop me?”

“Dear [Name], I will not get in the way of a decision you’ve made for yourself. If this is what you’ve decided, then it is my duty as your friend to assist you as I’ve done in the past. And perhaps this will teach the Doctor a lesson to stop withholding information from you,” the Harbinger sighed.

“…Thank you, Columbina.” You’d have to repay her sometime later.

—

“The raven and the butterfly found themselves reunited again at long last, and would stay together like that forever.”

It was funny you found yourself back here, your home country. It seems like you two were always drawn back here, despite no longer being welcomed. But that didn’t really matter too much, because as soon as the boat you were on pulled into the port, it was clear that today was not a normal day in Sumeru City.

You were too late.

The fight had clearly already begun, probably only recently too, by the chaotic state of Sumeru. Obviously, it’d be out of order if there were two immensely powerful beings in battle with each other. Maybe, if you were just a bit sooner… but you already had your mind set. Although the Fatui agent entrusted with your safety was ready to head back already, his orders to not let you come to any danger, you just tranquilized him. (It was a courtesy device from Dottore in case he wasn’t near.)

And you ran. Was that a good idea considering your illness? Absolutely not, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Was it a good idea to walk into the middle of a battle? Also no, but you couldn’t shake the bad feeling you had this whole time.

Although it was far away, it was easy to spot the place, as for one there were Fatui swarming the area and also regular citizens running in the opposite direction. Though your lungs were absolutely burning, your knees weak and scraped from tripping, tired from bumping into others, illness flaring up even worse from the added stress and exertion, you continued ahead with only one goal. To see your husband.

Throughout your haggard walking, you thought of the future. You thought of how great it would be to see Teyvat change in the next four hundred years just as he did. And this time, Dottore would not have to witness it by himself. He would have you. It would be amazing, just thinking of all the variety of new inventions and such that would be created! You two would surely dissect them and put them back together for fun. You two would do a lot of things, you think, as you finally made it to the door of the grand building the fight was in. It was already rather damaged, but the door managed to remain mostly intact, so you pushed it open.

Just in time to see the Traveler land the final fatal hit to Zandik, his body landing on the floor with a painful thud.

Your worst nightmare had become reality. But… Zandik told you he’d return to you in no time…

Suddenly, all the will you had before was gone in an instant. You didn’t have the energy or focus to call out his name. All you could do was blankly stare at his defeated body while taking some hesitant steps forward, all while mumbling something incoherent under your breath. The Traveler, despite their exhaustion, noticed you and immediately readied their sword again. But, they soon realized that there was no need for that from the exceedingly dull look in your eyes and the way you tripped over yourself again, landing on the floor, reaching out your hand towards the Doctor. You had to make it to him.

You pathetically dragged your body closer to Zandik, every part of it screaming out in part for you to stop. But you didn’t care. You could take it. After all, you knew the pain would soon be over. The Traveler merely watched you, still a bit on edge for what you could do, but you didn’t care. You didn’t care about anything besides Zandik, so you continued inching your body to your husband before you finally reached him. His body was practically motionless, his face revealed as his mask was destroyed to the side somewhere. When you came into view, a flicker of surprise came across his face but it quickly morphed into one of acceptance.

“You’re not supposed to be here.” You half-laughed at that.

“I could say the same to you…” Your voice had dropped to a soft, defeated one. Huffing and panting, you used your last remaining strength to pull yourself up and kneel, tenderly bringing your husband’s head onto your lap. He did not resist. It wasn’t like he had the strength to anyway. “You didn’t tell me you were going to be here, either.”

“It was not necessary… at the time,” Zandik said, looking right at you the whole time with those red eyes of his. “But I suppose I should have expected this. You never do as you are told, do you?”

“Of course not. But you should remember that whenever I break the rules, things turn out fine for us.” You smiled, and you had a feeling both of you were thinking of the same memories. That time you helped him break into the Akademiya’s library when it was closed, or the time you threw a book at someone for him, or the time you two helped each other on what was supposed to be solo assignments. Or the times you ran away from his needles and medicine, or the times you went behind his back and befriended the others. Those times ended out okay, so this time would be okay too.

Then, the building began to rumble, most likely about to collapse. The battle must have been quite fierce. Although the Traveler felt no remorse for the two of you, their kind heart still couldn’t help but feel the slightest twinge of pity. After all, the blonde had read the notes the two of you left scattered around Sumeru. To think that a relationship could last so long, especially one with the mad Doctor… You noticed their expression before you rasped out a mixture of a plea and demand.

“Why are you still here? Leave us now. I want to be alone with him.” Your words were empty of emotion towards them. There was no point in any hostility anymore, not when you had to treasure the last moments with your beloved. The Traveler didn’t seem surprised by your words, as they nodded and threw the bloodied Harbinger one last glance, before running away with the little fairy. It seemed they knew… you’d rather die here along with him than live without him.

You looked back at Zandik’s face, his once brightly colored red eyes now a darkened hue.

“I’ve failed you, [Name].” Since it was the end of the line now, even a genius scholar such as him had to admit defeat. Dottore thought back to all the times he swore to cure you. He swore he would do it so that you could be who you used to be once more. But he failed. He let you lose centuries of your life and left you in pain for your conscious ones. But you didn’t seem to share the sentiment.

“Failed me?” You couldn’t help but laugh at that, despite the tears that began to run down your cheeks. “Oh darling, you have never failed me. Not once in over four hundred years.” Zandik continued to stare at you because that was all the strength he had to do, so you reached for his hand and brought it to your cheek.

“You’ve loved me continuously for so many centuries, haven’t you? How could that ever be a failure?” You nuzzled into his hand, his own blood beginning to smear on your face, but you didn’t care.

“Your love has changed so much over time. From your prickly and thorny yet beautiful love from the Akademiya. To your smooth and unabashed love now. But your love was unfaltering, to me at least. Perhaps I may be delusional, and I overthink how much you love me. But I think it was real, even though you may never admit it, that is what matters to me. So if you’re thinking about the cure, forget it.” Your hands were shaking and struggling to hold his to your cheek for this long, energy spent, but you continued anyway, even as a piece of the infrastructure suddenly caved in and collapsed on the opposite side of the room with a loud crash. “The cure isn’t what mattered. It was you.”

Zandik thinks you are the only person who has forgiven him. Not even he has. He knows he does not deserve it, but he shouldn’t say that to you now. But he thinks, even at this moment, perhaps it may seem sick or morbid, your beauty still manages to surpass that of any other being in Teyvat.

You thought about the Tsaritsa, who had shown you much love and kindness. You hoped she would finally achieve her goals. You thought about the other Harbingers, the ones who were still alive at least. You would miss them. You looked at your wedding ring. It was still intact. How lovely. Lastly, you thought about Zandik as you looked at him, and he seemed to realize something.

“[Name], reach into my pocket.” You were confused but you complied, wincing in pain a bit but successfully reached it and pulled out a box. It was the box he kept his wedding wing in. Popping it open, you were correct, and still couldn’t help but be a bit incredulous.

“You brought it with you?” You were surprised because a part of you still believed he thought the whole thing was a bit dumb.

“I normally do not but, with the length of the mission, I believed it would be a simple and easy way to be reminded of you.” That was cute.

“Sorry. I guess the good luck charm didn’t work,” you smiled apologetically as you slipped the band onto his finger, to which Zandik scoffed.

“You know very well I do not believe in luck.” You only laughed, though it was mostly drowned out by multiple crashes and rocks falling all around you. Being buried was a fitting end, to be honest. No one else needed to know about the two of you. No one else needed to know your stories. It would be best if the two of you ended up forgotten, lost to time. Then, no one would be able to misunderstand or twist your relationship.

Despite all of the pains that had befallen you, the suffering and hardships, you could happily say you lived a good life. You were happy, so happy, thanks to Zandik. Zandik was what made this life worth living… so this was okay. You would have loved to have been cured and lived out many more happy memories with him but… this was alright. But the time was limited, so this conversation needed to be wrapped up in a way that would satisfy you.

“I love you, Zandik.” You don’t expect any response back because of your husband’s poor track record with saying those words.

The times Zandik has said the words ‘I love you’ have admittedly been scarce and in-between despite the centuries he’s spent with you. It was a grand total of… two times. And both had been said when he thought you were sleeping.

The first time had been in the Akademiya. It had been a while since you two were a couple, and he had yet to say it. You expected that obviously. But one random night, when you two were cuddling and drifting off into dreamland, you heard the three words mumbled into the crook of your neck. It took everything in you not to react.

The second time had been when you had recently woken up from your coma. Dottore was around you constantly, taking so many tests that it made your head spin, and you had to take naps more often than not. And once again, as you were just about to slip off into slumber, you heard the three words whispered as he gently bit your ear.

Surprisingly enough, the third time would be now. Perhaps because he had nothing to lose anymore, as it was the end.

“I love you as well, [Name].” Your eyes go wide for a few seconds before you grin widely one last time, and you give him a look that says ‘I know.’ Zandik watched your eyes flutter shut as you leaned down to his face, and he let himself be enveloped in your final kiss, neither of you paying attention to the shadows cast by the multitude of broken architecture about to fall on top of you.

Let the fairy tale come to a close.

—

“In his last moments, the raven was taken back to a memory from centuries ago. It was a memory where he was truly happy with his lovely sparrow.”

Zandik awoke to a blue sky and a gentle breeze. He blinked, immediately trying to gauge where he was. But then the sound of a familiar voice flooded his senses.

“And you know what this professor had the audacity to say to me, Zandik? ‘Figure it out!’ Like, you’re supposed to be helping me, not writing me off! You’re getting paid for this!” You were lying down on the grass next to him, hands folded as you huffed. “At least I have you, Zandik. Way better than any damn professor.” He blinks at you.

Zandik remembers this moment. It was the day when exams and classes were finally over, and you wanted to relax before helping him with his experiments. And you also thought it was the perfect time to rant about all the professors you had to deal with over the last few months. But soon, you just started bringing up random things that occurred over the term. Zandik couldn’t remember the last time he saw you like this. Donning the Akademiya uniform, so happy and carefree… healthy, strong, like nothing in the world bothered you.

He found himself slightly smiling at how stupidly happy you looked, before reaching out to you. But as soon as merely his fingernails came into contact with you, you began to dissolve right in front of his eyes. Immediately, he stiffened and sat up, again trying to take hold of you but you were no longer there. Zandik’s hands began to shake, and that’s when he realized his surroundings were changing.

The blue sky was now fading away, becoming pitch black along with everything else that was chipping away, ready to swallow him whole into the darkness.

Ah, he understood now.

This was the end.

—

“Finally, the twisted raven met his fate.”

Or so he thought. Zandik woke up once more. Everything seemed normal at first, the blue sky was once again there and the Sumerian breeze caressed his hair. Until he realized there was a sticky substance coated all over his hands.

Blood.

This wasn’t an unfamiliar occurrence for him, after all, he would usually get hands-on with his experiments, but he had an… odd feeling about this. Zandik blinked and all of a sudden, there you were lying on the ground in front of him.

Dead. Coated with blood.

Did he… kill you?

All too quickly, before he could reach out to hold your body or begin to process what happened, he was suddenly somewhere else. The desert.

Zandik laid eyes upon you. What he would usually see was you complaining about the heat while you dug through the ruins. What he saw instead was an Eremite plunging a sword through you.

And again. This time he awoke to you being completely cold and limp in his arms. And again. It didn’t take his brain long for him to understand what was happening.

His victims and test subjects could torture him for eternity, yet Dottore would not feel bothered or a shred of remorse. It would be a useless endeavor. But this? This was the perfect punishment.

His beloved being killed in front of him, by the world, by other people, by natural forces, by his own hands. And for all of the power and knowledge he once had, he was powerless to do anything yet again.

… How ironic, Zandik thought.

—

At last, the tiny Archon closed the storybook.

It had been ages since the events in this tale had taken place. The Fatui were no more, Celestia was gone, the Traveler had long left this world, and Teyvat was at peace. So much time, that the Outcast’s name no longer floated around the Akademiya, now long forgotten. The God of Wisdom herself had gained a tremendous amount of knowledge from all the years that had flown by. And even still, she has not forgotten this story.

Yet, in all of her wisdom, she still cannot hope to fully understand the raven and the sparrow. The Dendro Archon found herself coming back to this tale, trying to comprehend their actions and thoughts. She reads it aloud to herself, draws pictures, and crafts the tale with her own words, yet it only leaves her more lost. Perhaps one day she will understand. But perhaps she won’t. Perhaps no one ever will.

After all, there were only two people who would ever truly understand the bond between the raven and the sparrow.

Zandik and [Name].

An unfriendly and cold scholar and a sweet and caring one.

An immoral villain and an accomplice.

A violator of this world’s laws and a supporter.

A Harbinger and an assistant.

Regardless of those titles, perhaps at the end of the day, they only saw themselves as one thing to each other.

Two people who loved each other as if nothing else mattered.

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saetoru · 1 year

Note

Tee forget rich boy gojo what about frat boy geto ☹️

RULES — GETO SUGURU.

「 SYNOPSIS 」 ⋮ frat boy! geto suguru x reader — 2.0k words — you always break your rules for geto

— contents ⋮ nsfw and 18+ content, fem! reader, fingering, handjobs, unprotected sex, creampie, mentions of fem masturbation, pet names (baby + princess)

— notes ⋮ i’m totally normal about him yup

rule number one of college is never to get involved with a frat boy.

rule number two is if you do get involved with one, you run—except geto suguru makes it entirely impossible to follow either of those two rules.

he’s different, or so you like to tell yourself. he doesn’t even look like the other frat boys. instead, he has long hair that gets thrown into a messy little bun, and he wears those baggy pants that usually look lame—but somehow he manages to make them look so good. but more importantly, he seems to know how to sweet talk his way into what he wants.

unlike the other boys, there’s nothing intimidating about geto, nothing that makes you want to submit and give into his whims because of that predatory grin. no, instead, geto lures you with gentle smiles and saccharine words. and that’s even more dangerous, you think—it’s like that tale of the snake, that faux affection of laying beside you as it sizes you up, until one day, you’re swallowed whole.

you shouldn’t keep coming back—and technically, you don’t. it’s not that you come back to geto…it’s that he chases you down, one step at a time, slow and quiet so that you don’t realize the hunter is hunting. it’s not until your back is pressed against a corner do you realize you’ve been the prey all along.

“c’mon, baby,” he hums against your neck, making you gasp when his teeth graze the skin. he sucks slowly, deliberately, with a smile against you as you squirm under his touch. “i missed you,” he murmurs, “‘s like you’ve been avoiding me. you wouldn’t do that, right?”

“n-no,” you shake your head—which is a lie, and you both know it. but he only chuckles, mumbles out a quiet that’s right against your neck before he’s back to pressing those hot, open-mouthed kisses along your pulse point.

“look at you,” he grins, eyeing you up and down, taking in the cute little top you’re wearing and those high heels that drive him mad. you’re even wearing that lip gloss he likes—the one he loves smeared along his cock…but that’s for later, he thinks. “you look all dolled up, don’t you? ‘s all for me, huh?”

“yes,” you whisper—because you’re weak. you let yourself fall right into his hands, let yourself wander right into the trap he sets every time. “yes, ‘s for you,” you say with a shaky voice, gripping onto his bicep.

geto knows that one text, just one is all it takes. just one i’ll see you at the party tonight, right? and you’re already sifting through outfits and spraying your most expensive perfume. he knows just how to give just enough to make you want to give back tenfold—just enough to make you get used to the taste, yet never enough to satisfy, until you’re starving for more.

“s-suguru, please,” you whine, bucking your hips and trying to rub your clothed cunt against the bulge in his pants. you’re pretty sure there must be a line outside the bathroom by now, and you’re distantly mortified that someone might just hear you moaning his name—but then he kisses your lips once, twice, a third time, and you simply don’t care anymore.

“please what, baby? c’mon, you know i love it when you talk,” he chuckles.

“please, more,” you huff, boldly moving a hand between your bodies to cup his erection and squeeze. he lets out a strained groan, head falling to the crook of your neck as he bucks his hips against your palm, chasing that sweet friction selfishly.

“fuck—you gotta be patient, princess,” he growls, mustering up enough self-control to grab your wrist and move your hand away. his hand moves up to squeeze your cheeks together, tilting your face to meet his eyes as he glares. “think it’s only fair i make you wait as long as you’ve made me, don’t you think?”

he texts you sometimes. sometimes in the morning to ask you if you want coffee, sometimes after class to walk you home, sometimes in the middle of the night just to ask about your day. but you know better—you know how guys like him work, how you’re not the only one, how you’re never the only one. you don’t want to be another girl who cries over geto while he buys another coffee for another unsuspecting victim, and you don’t want to watch him offer that gentle smile, those sweet words, those careful touches to someone that’s not you.

but then your words betray you before you can help it: “no, suguru,” you plead, “need you! need you to fuck me—please, i want it.” you can’t help but beg—because something about him makes you so shameless, so needy and desperate that every ounce of logic and dignity dissipates from your mind.

“you sure? you didn’t seem to want it when you were ignoring my texts—”

“‘m sorry,” you sniffle, “jus’ please, wanna feel you.”

it’s a vicious cycle—every time you tell yourself this is the last time, it’s never really the last time. you manage to ignore geto suguru and his sweet words and handsome smile for just a little bit before he’s dragging you right back in. and you should know better by now—you can atone for all your sins as much as you want, but the devil is always crept up your shoulder, always whispering those tempting words into the shell of your ear. this is the last time turns into just one more time, and then pretty soon, you’re in this same position over and over again.

against the wall, caged by his body as his hands squeeze your hips.

“yeah? can’t get enough of me, can you? is it cause i fuck you so good? can’t find someone else to make you feel like this?”

his fingers have pulled your pants down your legs by now, your underwear halfway down your thighs as he sinks two fingers into your dripping cunt. it feels good—feels so achingly good as he teases your clit with his thumb, ghosts of circles rubbing over the sensitive nub while his fingers curl against your spot. you mewl, legs shaking as you try to stand up straight, as you try to take what he gives you while keeping yourself together. but it’s too hard, and soon, you feel his hand hook under one leg and prop it against his hip, supporting your frame as he works his digits in and out of your cruelly.

“suguru‚ suguru—fuck,” you gasp, whimpering as the tips of his fingers brush against that sensitive spot against your walls, his thumb rubbing harshly against your clit in circles that leave you biting your lip.

no one touches you like geto—you can’t help but come to this realization in the dead of night when your own fingers just don’t bring the same satisfaction. you can’t reach as deep as he can, find that spot as fast as he can, make yourself cum like he can.

“look at you, princess,” he hums, “already such a mess. just think,” he bullies his fingers into your faster, making you squeal, “just think how messy you’ll look when i’m fucking you full.”

those words are all it takes for you to sob—latching onto his body as you roll your hips and cum. your walls flutter around his fingers, whimpering as he fucks his digits into you while you ride out your high. his thumb rubs against your clit until you’re practically shaking against him—’s too much, you want to say…but you know it won’t really make a difference, and your voice fails you anyway.

your slumped against the wall, watching as his hands hastily fumble with his pants, pushing them down his legs as he frees his aching cock. it’s flushed a pretty red, leaking with precum, and stiff in his hands as he closes his eyes and groans quietly when he wraps around the girth and slowly strokes along the length a few times. it’s filthy—the wet sound of his precum smearing along his cock, glistening against the skin as you stare.

you don’t hesitate to replace his hand with yours, feeling the familiar weight in your hands as you fist his cock and drag your palm up and down against the length.

“f-fuck—that’s it baby, like that,” he moans, head falling back against your shoulder, quiet grunts spilling past his lips as you squeeze around his tip. he fucks his hips into your fist, panting against you as you graze your thumb along his slit and pull a small whine from him.

and then you can’t wait—can’t even wait for a second longer as you quickly guide his tip to line up against your entrance, rubbing against your folds and collecting your slick along his tip.

“in—want you in me, suguru,” you beg. he doesn’t argue, doesn’t even think to tease you as he presses his cock to slip past your folds and sink into your heat, the thick veins dragging along your walls and making you gasp.

“so tight, baby—always so tight. prettiest fuckin’ pussy i ever had,” he rasps.

it makes you slightly bitter at the prospect that he’s had others to even compare to you—but then there’s that subtle satisfaction that you’re the best he’s had, the one he can’t get enough of, the one he chases and chases and keeps coming back to.

you know deep down that you’re simply being foolish, that getting his dick wet is not a difficult process for someone like geto suguru and all you’re doing is making it easy for him…but a small part of you likes to think that this is real. that the way his arms cradle you as he fucks into you, that the way he kisses your neck and then your lips, hot and messy and so needy—it’s all because he wants you, and only you.

“feels good—so good, suguru,” you gasp, “‘m close, ‘m gonna…gonna cum—”

“just a bit longer, baby,” he presses a soft kiss to your jaw, moaning into your skin as your walls squeeze around him with a particularly sloppy thrust, “wait for me, yeah? cum with me—j-just gotta feel you cum with me.”

his hips are sloppy, angling into you with practically no rhythm anymore as he chases his orgasm. his thumb finds your clit, rubbing harsh circles that have you sobbing, feeling the coil in your belly tighten and tighten until you’re sure it’ll snap any second.

“‘m gonna cum—fuck, ‘m gonna cum suguru, please—”

“cum for me, princess,” he gasps, and with one more slam of his hips, the brush of his tip against your sweet spot, you unravel, cumming for the second time as you shriek his name.

geto follows right after, his cum hot as it fills you up, as he fucks his load into you, as his cock twitches with every rope he paints your walls white with. your nails dig into his shoulder as you whine his name while he grunts yours, feeling the way he all but splits you open as his cock drills into you sloppily.

it’s not long before his hips slow, a few more shallow thrusts of his hips before he stills and pants into your shoulder, kissing against the mark he’s bitten into your skin. this is the part you hate—the part that fills you up with dread from what you’ve done, the part that makes you realize that every time you let geto suguru get away with using you as a quick fuck, you fall deeper and deeper for that sweet smile and soft laugh.

“c’mon, baby,” he pulls away from your neck, pressing a sweet peck to your lips, “we can go to my room and—”

“that’s okay,” you cut him off, doing everything you can to avoid his eyes, “i was gonna go home now anyway—”

“that’s okay,” he cuts you off, repeating your own words back to you, “you can just spend the night with me.”

and before you can protest, his lips are back on yours, kissing you sweet and slow enough that you can’t help but melt into his arms and give up arguing against him.

#teepods.writings #thirstee!#thirsts.#geto x reader #geto smut #geto x you #jjk x reader #jjk smut #jjk x you #geto suguru x reader #geto suguru smut #geto suguru x you #jujutsu kaisen x reader #jujutsu kaisen smut #jujutsu kaisen x you

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neptunes-sol-angel · 4 months

Text

Alright guys! I finally got that tingly feeling that I should do this kind of love reading. I still didn't want to make this a future spouse reading because I honestly overthink the concept, like "um divorces happen!" or some people just don't believe in marriage, but I thought I'd do something adorable and Christmas related. I hope that you guys enjoy!

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Pile One🎄

Their letter to Santa

Dear Santa, For so long I've been in the darkness, alone with the glass pieces of my heart, thinking that it's better this way for me to be on own. I don't believe in fairy tales anymore and my ability to imagine a world where I can be in love with someone and in that same way be loved back. My mind is splintered to where I flinch the minute someone to me gets close or when they mention a promise, that I without a doubt know they won't keep. Socially, I feel numb, meeting allegedly new people, seems to be a broken record in different physiques. If you could grant me any present in the world, would you change my definition of what I know to be love? Falling away from the stranger(s) that used to be who I knew from head to toe, has damaged my beliefs that I'm worthy of something more. And should you succeed in bringing my love, may they be my most divine contradiction in my life. My love will be someone new, yet possess familiarty in which I'll take pleasure in spending the rest of my lifetime finding all of the ways that we just understand each other. The sound of their voice and the words that they speak will be the fire that warms instead of scorching me. They'll be my rock that I won't have to tip toe around. Right now, I ask for their forgiveness for the person that I am right now, but for every tear that I currently shed to release the pain of my troubles in romance, builds my strength to be the person that really loves again, and the confidence to give my all despite my mistakes in giving it to the wrong people. Don't let my reserved aura fool you, deep down, I'm a hopeless romantic, that will work hard to find any and every single way to give you the world to prove the depth of my feelings for you. The same way that I'm learning my lessons, you are too, we both share that agony of why this has to hurt so much, but it's the bitter that goes along with the sweet to lead us to each other in the end.

Your Christmas Traditions:

Life with your partner could already be luxurious, meaning they gift you with presents on a regular basis that are both as an expression of love and desire to get the things that you want, so Christmas, traditionally, will feel like a normal day. What makes it stand out to you guys as a couple is how you guys seem to always unlock a new level of intimacy around this time of the year. For you or them, Christmas could make some not so good feelings resurface and put someone in a mood. Whatever that may trigger this, it usually leads to a peaceful resolution that doesn't just prolong the tension for another day. It's like getting to the root of the issue that'll eventually lead you and your partner to a place of comfort, understanding, and confirmation that this relationship isn't based on surface level things.

Pile Two 🎄

Their Letter to Santa:

Dear Santa, There's this ethereal figure in my dreams that I keep seeing. Without a doubt, I know that this is my person. And maybe it's not realistic to ask for you to make the time go faster for us to encounter each other in real life, but I really want answers, I'm craving to know this person. Their face alone, is enough to put me into hypnosis. Not knowing what their voice sounds like, ignites my obsession. I've never been a believer of the supernatural, or even a big fan of religion, but this sensation of the person of my dreams that makes me desire to stay asleep, has to be an indication that we're spiritually connected. I know this person doesn't say a word in both their presence of visions in day and night, but I have this clawing feeling that you're what home feels like. To the lover of my fantasies, I know you spiritually, but emotionally, with you, I'll finally have someone that doesn't think my expression of feeling is a foreign language. I could talk to you for hours without getting bored and your nature in every capacity makes me feel that you're out of this world with a love that I'm determined to study and reciprocate. I'm already amazed by how gorgeous you are but indubitably I know I'll be stunned everytime I'm by your side watching you prove to me that magic on Earth is real. You're the breathing proof of it and I can't help but be adored by you and the way that you perceive making the most out of the challenges that you face and conquer.

Your Christmas Traditions:

You and your life partner BREATHE for Christmas. Valentine's day may be special but Christmas is the time that you guys will be all over each other. You guys could go all out this holiday, by buying and wearing matching pajamas, playing board games with each other, watching marathons of Christmas themed movies, maybe you guys have a specific drink like hot chocolate, egg nog, or cookies that you love to stock up on. You guys could also be the type to take a vacation around this time by renting out a cabin, or taking a trip to Disney World. This is normal for you guys and you aren't aware of this jubilant vibe that you have together but it makes others wanting to share the joy you have. Your public presence as a couple during Christmas is the type that will make a person want to use you guys as their mood board or inspiration to daydream about the love that that they'd kill to have. You guys are the power couple in terms of playfulness, affection, and how unique you guys embody your partnership. You could also experience people asking you for advice for how to liven up their own relationships. You guys are just that cute with each other.

Pile Three 🎄

Their Letter to Santa:

Dear Santa, I have a good feeling that the person that I will view as my everything is currently contemplating if there's something that they should change about themselves, but do me this favor homie and give my sweet firecracker this message. You. Yeah you. You know who you are. You are a boss! Walking royalty in this world that's meant to take up space, of course there are gonna be some jerks that want to dim your light, but the people who can't handle how bona-fide and wealthy your aura is, are people who are uncomfortable with the fact that they don't possess the tools to handle the blessing that you are. You were never asking for too much and don't let the grinch or scrooge convince you that you aren't enough. Believe me, I wish that fate would allow me to show up in your life right now, but you're meant to learn how precious your attributes you are. You're a damsel that can save yourself, who is meant to climb into power and achieve many things. I'm currently healing my tendencies of being codependent so that I don't distract you from your prosperity or project my insecurities onto you and make you think that it's you, it's not. Be patient, but don't get rid of how bold you are love or choose sides in how you're capable of being silly and someone with authority. Your strength isn't in your silence, but in your intelligence and maturity to express to others your feelings and what your needs are. You'll always be on top, even on days where you feel like you're at rock bottom. Keep pushing, things will make sense soon. You won't just find me in your happily ever after, you'll find your soul tribe too. And we will ALL match your energy. Trust me. Everything that you think is complicated about you is why we're grateful for you.

Your Christmas Traditions:

You and your life partner share a common tragedy and belief. You guys may have experienced toxicity in your family that inspires the both of you to do things differently with your own family. Christmas time is pivotal for you as a couple, because it influences you to reflect but also to take action on how well you guys do as a household. Your Christmas Traditions could be about trying your best to make sure that there's peace, openess, but most importantly your presence if guys have children together. You could go all out with making sure that they have the best presents, that they have the best indication that they're safe with you guys as parents, and that you make the most pleasant and fun memories that will symbolize how much that not just you and your life partner love each other but making sure that your children know how much they're loved by you.

#divination #intuitive #psychic #pick a card #tarot #spirituality #pac #tarotblr #pick a pile #pick a pile reading #pick a picture #the tarot community #tarot community #love #love reading #love readings #christmas #🎄: 25 days of neptunes sol angel #day eight? i lost track omg

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yyunari · 6 months

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CHESHIRE ! — Nishimura Riki (TEASER)

SYNOPSIS. Y/N Cheshire lived her life carefree. Being the daughter of the Cheshire Cat made her more inclined to not take anything seriously and to just have a little bit of fun in everything she does. Whether it was pulling pranks, sneaking up on people, or making jabs at her friends- Y/N kept a Cheshire’s smile on her face. Because of that, she just couldn’t take Chaehyun Cupid seriously when she claimed that Y/N had a crush on Riki Wonderland.

PAIRING. Kitty Cheshire! Y/N x Alistair Wonderland! Riki

(btw im not shipping kitty and alistair i just based them off the characters)

GENRE. Ever After High AU, High school AU, Fluff, Slight Angst

WARNINGS. bad parental relationship, ooc riki umm, expected word count is like 15k yea ik. long fic.

RELEASING. published!

NOTES. if u haven’t seen ever after high it’s ok u can still read this all u rly need to know is that the students of eah r the children of fairy tale ppl like snow white or cinderella and they have to follow the paths of their parents and stuff Yassssss

After sometime, Riki opened his mouth. “I know I already asked this earlier, but why did you come here? You know, to stargaze.” As if he wasn’t satisfied with her answer.

He was right in thinking that her answer wasn’t what she truly wanted to say, but it just felt awkward to give an exact reason. Her relationship with her mom was something she could barely tell her only 3 friends about, let alone someone she barely considered an acquaintance.

But Y/N knew Riki was a reliable guy; she had heard it often from Soul, Rei, and Giselle. And maybe for once she would let herself put faith into another person.

“I’ll only tell if you tell me why you like stargazing.”

Riki blew out a breath in thought. “Hm… I don’t know if I can give an exact reason for that. I was just bored one day and ended up coming across this place. That’s what made me stargaze, but something about it just felt so comforting to me that I wanted to do it more often.” He answered, a soft smile gracing his lips. “But that’s not exactly a good reason.”

“I think it suits you.” Y/N whispered out. “I’m sure you have your own stresses with being the son of Alice in Wonderland. It would make sense that having a hobby like this to come back to is something you enjoy.”

He pondered on it for a moment. Maybe she was right. He then chuckled at this side of her he had never seen before. “You’re a lot more poetic than you let on. Anyways I answered your question, can you answer mine?”

Y/N considered answering it, she truly did, but as much as she wanted to open up there was the side of her that wanted to keep everything inside. Her mother had always told her that vocalizing your feelings does nothing good and only makes people pity you.

One thing Y/N despised was being pitied. It only reminded her of how her mother referred to her as a ‘pitiful girl’ and how she would amount to nothing.

So she slowly shook her head. “No, I don’t think I can.”

Riki felt himself beginning to sit up to look at the girl. There was something off about her. The way she spoke to him and the way that she carried herself… she wasn’t acting as she always had. Normal Y/N would be more playful and even mischievous. But now, there was a certain sadness in her entire being that seemed to be throwing her off her rhythm. And it only made Riki more and more curious about her.

“Okay, I get it. You don’t have to tell me.” Riki smiled, before continuing. “I just hope it doesn’t take away your chaotic spirit. You know, I kind of like that about you.”

A sigh left Y/N’s lips at his words. “You don’t mean that, Wonderland.”

“I mean every word, Cheshire.”

Y/N could only roll her eyes before slowly evaporating into the night, using her invisibility and teleportation to finally go back home.

Left lingering in the air was her Cheshire’s smile, which disappeared last and left Riki staring at the wisps of where she had sat only moments prior.

Maybe it made sense that Riki enjoyed stargazing. In a way, there was something about him that was made of the stars. No matter what he did, he always seemed to shine brighter than all the others. There was something about Riki that felt that he belonged up in the sky, giving life to the night and adding a certain glimmer to the auras.

Riki had his own place amongst the sky, and she wished she could be like that too. But after speaking to him, maybe there was nowhere she could have her own place in. Y/N could only wait for the day that she could contribute to a bigger picture, and take a larger part in his story. After all, she had always wanted her own place within the stars.

But for now, all she could do was hope she would become more than just the Cheshire Cat’s daughter.

authors note. postinf this after jay noticed me on his weverse live i am not well. anyways it’s coming 🤓🤓 those 10k words sitting in my drafts r waiting to be released don’t worry babies mommys almost done

permanent taglist. @muhwaa @hoori @yizhoutv @ja4hyvn @carayat @one16core @enhacolor @haerinz @soobin-chois @en-boyz @ohmy-fandoms @yjwonz @yunki4evr @strwberrydinosaur @duolingofanaccount @iichaeyj @eundiarys @ineedaherosavemeenow @chaerybae @bubblytaetae @w3bqrl @xiaoderrrr @jaeyunnsworld @rikizm @teddywonss @gweoriz @dimplewonie @jennaissantes (if u requested to be on my permanent taglist and u didn’t get tagged it’s bc i cant see ur acc, but pls dm me if u want to be in it !)

#enhypen x reader #enhypen riki x reader #nishimura riki x reader #enhypen nishimura riki x reader #nishimura riki x you #ever after high #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen riki #enhypen niki x reader #niki x y/n #niki x reader #niki x you #riki x reader #riki x y/n #nishimura riki smau #enhypen nishimura riki #enhypen angst #enhypen fluff

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vampyrsm · 7 months

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‣‣ COR UNUM: CHAPTER EIGHT | KAGUTSUCHI

‣‣ Synopsis: Our tale begins to unravel with secrets spilt from bloodied lips. Beneath the shroud of darkness, the woman known to wear many faces offers you a chance to discover the truth; should you listen to her even if it means you are to die?

‣‣ Main Masterlist | AO3 ‣‣ Pairing: Sukuna x Reader ‣‣ Word Count: est. 5.7k ‣‣ Warnings: Blank blogs & Minors DNI. Dead Dove: Do Not Eat. Set in the Early-Heian Period, trueform!Sukuna, cursed energy usage, body horror, Kenjaku gets their own warning, descriptions of wounds/attacks, threats of violence/death, female reader.

“Show me it again.”

It had been two days since the initial fight with Sukuna, he had disappeared for the rest of the day after the odd way he had abruptly left but once he returned he had an uneasy air around him. He was harsher, a little colder than usual and yet he still did not kick you out of his bedroom at night.

But now, here you were once again. Training with Sukuna. Today wasn’t going to be a fight, but rather he wanted to figure out your cursed technique. He had explained that he was well versed in all things cursed-technique related, he spent hours upon hours researching all the documented ones and even the ones that had been rumoured to exist before he did.

Thankfully Sukuna had allowed you to wear something more suited for training. It was similar to the outfit you wore at the first shrine but instead of the red and white colour scheme, it was purely black. It reminded you of the outfit you trained in as a child.

You stood in the middle of the shattered arena. Someone had been generous enough to move all the rubble and scattered tree bark out of the way so the two of you could train more easily.

You nod your head at his words. Sukuna had been asking you to display your technique without actually using it as an attack, he needed to get the fundamentals of it before you started to apply it to battle.

The familiar flow of your cursed energy is something akin to second nature now, it seeps from your stomach and then through your body to the very tips of your fingers. Your eyes close, only to reopen again to see the snowflakes have been temporarily suspended in the air — slowly falling at a rate much too slow to be considered natural.

Sukuna is frozen too in the slowed world you find yourself in, and you wonder if he could really get an idea of just what your technique was.

You move at a normal walking speed until you’re standing directly in front of Sukuna. He looked oddly reminiscent of a statue when he was completely still like this, all four arms folded over his chest like the intimidating beast that he is. You take the time to inspect him.

The cuts from the fight on his body were also gone, but if you looked closely you could see the very faint white lines where some of the heavier hits had been laid upon him. Interesting. You assumed that his technique was flawless enough to ensure no evidence of weakness was left behind.

You breathe in, blinking again and the world shifts back into place. Immediately Sukuna’s head snaps down to you, blinking as his brain processes just how quickly you moved.

“I see.” He comments, one hand uncurling from a bicep to rub at his chin. “So it’s not what I initially thought. I had assumed you were simply fast, faster than most. But it’s not that, is it?”

You shrug a little, you don’t really know yourself. All you had to go off of was your own personal experience and the comment from the blue-eyed Samurai who told you that it was a technique you inherited from your father.

“No. You don’t move fast at all. You slow down time. Everything around you moves at a much slower rate if it comes into contact with your cursed energy, but to the naked eye it just seems like you’re moving inhumanly fast.”

You have to applaud Sukuna on his deduction skills, he wasn’t kidding when he said he knew his stuff when it came to understanding cursed techniques.

“I think that may be one of the stronger cursed techniques I’ve heard of. You could do anything to anyone before they could react.”

“Including you?” You grin teasingly, and Sukuna’s upper lip curls in annoyance.

“No. Now that I know what your little trick is, it won’t work on me so easily.”

Now it’s your turn to nearly snarl at the man, stepping away from the suffocating presence that follows him around.

“So is that all I can do? Slow down time?”

Sukuna hums, finding his position next to you as you overlook the land beneath the mountains. The sun was slowly setting on the horizon, casting the snow-covered world below in a deep orange. None of the people below knew that a man as monstrous as Sukuna was looking down at them all; watching their every move.

“I think there’s more to it. That’s just the innate technique, there’s definitely room for you to develop techniques that branch off of that.” His eyes glaze over the clouds below. “That’s how all techniques work.”

“What about your technique?” You question him boldly, and Sukuna doesn’t bother to spare you a glance but his lips lift into a slight smirk.

“Do you know the power behind revealing your own technique in the midst of battle?” A shake of your head has that smirk broadening. “It’s a binding vow made with yourself. Reveal your technique to your enemy and it’ll become stronger.”

“But wouldn’t revealing your hand like that just open you up to being countered?” You ask, you were always taught to never let your opponent know your next move. It was baffling to imagine telling your enemy your cursed technique.

“Maybe. But if you’re stronger, faster, you will win.”

“So will you tell me your technique?” You ask again, and Sukuna has the gall to chuckle deep in his chest.

“No. I don’t need to reveal it to you to beat you.”

A silence washes over the both of you, the wind today thankfully wasn’t as aggressive as it had been the last few days. The storm had passed. You feel that same tranquil feeling you had the other day, the warmth from the sun even from beyond the clouds warms your cheeks.

Everything had changed so rapidly that you couldn’t quite believe where you were today. You had expected to die a long time ago, perhaps for your sharp tongue or simply for the fact you disrespected Sukuna far too many times with your actions. And still, the man seems unbothered by your presence next to him. If anything, he had welcomed it since arriving back at his ancestral temple here in the mountains.

Even with the recent coldness he had been exhibiting towards you, he still didn’t push you away completely or kill you simply because he could.

“I’ll be leaving tonight,” Sukuna announces, and you turn your head up to look at him but his gaze remains on the distant horizon. “Only for a day or two. But that means you will be here alone, with Kenjaku.”

You hadn’t seen Kenjaku since the day you arrived, and you had hoped to keep it that way but apparently fate has something else in store for you. The fear you had for the woman was still something you felt deep in your bones but with the discovery of your cursed technique and newfound use of cursed energy — you didn’t feel totally defenceless.

“Don’t provoke her. She likes to make jokes but she means it when she says she’ll kill you.” Sukuna finally casts a glance down to you, the seriousness on his face is enough to have you nodding with his words in agreement that you won’t provoke the woman.

“Good. As for food, there’s plenty in the kitchen. However,” he turns to you sharply, “Do not go there at the hour of the Ox.”

It’s an ominous warning. The hour of the Ox was roughly after midnight when theoretically all the evil things came out to play. Was there something evil, other than Kenjaku and Sukuna, that lurked in the temple? You didn’t want to find out.

“Okay.” You nod again.

“If I come back to find you dead, I’ll make sure to bring you back just so I can kill you myself.”

He didn’t give you the time to work your tongue to form a response to him. His presence next to you was gone almost instantly, his energy fading with each step he took further away from you until you couldn’t feel the familiarity of it when it pressed against your own.

That was nearly twenty-eight hours ago.

You had made sure to comply with his words, or rather, you worked hard to avoid Kenjaku. After you had tapped into your own cursed energy, it was as if the world around you came to life with the amount of residuals that everyone left behind.

You found that Kenjaku specifically had muddied cursed energy, so dense and dark yet with traces of other cursed energy inside of it. As if it didn’t all belong to her. It was disturbing as much as it was confusing, you didn’t want to find out just what her cursed technique was to cause something like that.

Her energy lingered mostly on the opposite side of the temple, often leading to the main entrance. You didn’t care where she went during the day, you only cared that she stayed as far away as possible.

Even now, in the relatively safe confines of Sukuna’s bedroom, you could still sense her just lingering beyond the multiple walls that separate you from her. You had no idea what she was up to currently, but you knew for certainty that she was around. You wondered if she slept, you knew Sukuna claimed he didn’t need to sleep anymore. So was it the same for the woman who haunted the halls of the temple?

You direct your attention back down to the old loosely bound book in your hands, it had clearly been written a long time ago as it was falling apart at the seams. But it still retained all the ink on its page well enough for you to read it, some of the words were in very old Man’yogana.

You had been grateful for the lessons your father had ordered you to take to understand the rich history of Japan. Man’yogana was something you had been able to learn when you were old enough to read and write. It was a simple system but it was essentially just Chinese characters in lieu of the Japanese language.

Could Sukuna speak it fluently? You imagine he had a handful of talents that you had no idea about, he seemed to know plenty about everything so you didn’t doubt that he too could speak multiple languages. Maybe you could prod at him to get him to teach you how to actually speak Chinese, you could only read it—barely.

Regardless, you could mostly work your way through this book with no real problem. Sometimes you’d have to figure it out for yourself what exactly was being implied but it was easy enough once you got a grasp of the basics.

One of the things that was vaguely spoken about however was something called a ‘Domain Expansion’. You’d never heard Sukuna mention anything like that before, but it was often mentioned in books across different ages. It was meant to be a pinnacle of someone’s cursed technique and yet no one had a definitive way on how to use one, or even materialise it.

You wondered what your own domain would be like if you could make one. The books always said that it was directly related to the user themselves, or more specifically, their soul. What did One’s soul look like? Perhaps that was a vital part of knowing how to summon a domain, to know what your soul looked like and to expand it outwards with the help of cursed energy.

Maybe Sukuna would be willing to help you figure that out. You didn't doubt that he could use one, he seemed to have mastered almost everything to do with cursed energy. He was very proficient in his techniques, even if he refused to outright tell you what it actually was.

Another technique you couldn’t quite wrap your head around was something referred to as Hanten; reversal. It was so sparsely documented that you couldn’t help but wonder if this particular book was just the ramblings of a man gone mad trying to understand how cursed energy worked.

The pages displayed no way of indicating just how to use reversal, or what it could even do. It mentioned self-healing, but that was about it. Now you knew for sure that Sukuna could use something like that, if not exactly that, you had seen him regenerate his hand in the flower field as well as survive the two fatal attacks on his body.

The end of that page simply ended with a sentence; ‘With death comes the gratitude for life.’

This would be another thing you ask Sukuna for guidance with. He’d most likely outright refuse to tell you how to do it or what it even was. He seemed to be a more ‘figure it out’ for yourself type of teacher, but you’d dealt with that type of teaching in the past. If Kiso crumbled to your incessant nagging on how to be taught a certain thing, then you have a feeling that Sukuna may eventually succumb to you — or he’d kill you.

Either way. All this reading was starting to make your head ache, you blink blearily up from the pages in front of you to see that the sky beyond the slatted windows had wholly disappeared and instead replaced with an inky black smattered with blinking stars. Time seemed to slip away from you when you weren’t drowning in the presence of a man who occupied the space as if he owned it.

You hadn’t eaten since earlier that afternoon when you managed to slip into the kitchen unnoticed and took a handful of different fruits. It seemed to be the only food readily available to you. You had spied there were some bags stuffed away into a far corner filled with rice, you didn’t want to intrude too much in the kitchen in the middle of the day. Who knows what lurks in the halls during the day.

But now the hunger was getting too much to ignore, you doubt fruit would satisfy the ache in your stomach. Putting the books down in the stacks you had formed throughout the day, you get up and head out of the sanctuary you made for yourself in Sukuna’s room.

The halls are barren, as usual, you don’t feel any foreign cursed energy slinking through the temple. Perhaps you’d get lucky at such a late hour of the night and not encounter anyone on the way to the kitchen. The floor is cold beneath your socked feet, even when you pass by the lanterns that had been lit and recently replenished, there’s a chill that rolls through the building.

You make it to the kitchen without incident. Thankfully. The kitchen itself is illuminated only by a single lantern that sits in the centre of the wooden table that was often used to prepare food. There’s a slither of moonlight that seeps through the partly cracked open window, it stretches across the room and touches your toes as if to greet you.

From there, you work on autopilot to prepare yourself some food. It was an easy task to prepare the rice, wash it thoroughly and find the appropriate tools to help light the fire in the Irori to cook the food properly.

Whilst pilfering through the small storage cupboard for some of the tangerines you had seen earlier that day, you can’t help but wonder how the food even got here in the first place. You hadn’t seen Uraume in a while, not since the previous shrine, so you didn’t think they were here running errands for Sukuna.

That left one other person who was capable of heading into villages to get food. Kenjaku. Did she purchase food or simply take it? You don’t think anyone would have the guts to stop a woman of her calibre from taking what she wants. But still, the thought of her handing over coin in exchange for food seems like such an outlandish image in your mind that it elicits a soft snort from yourself.

“Something amusing, little lamb?”

The sultry voice has your fingers freezing in place, the bowl of rice steaming and billowing the hot air against your slowly burning fingers. The warmth of the thicker kimono you had managed to find was no longer doing anything to protect you from the frigid fear that climbed up your limbs and shackled you in place.

Kenjaku consumes the room whole with just her energy alone, she had no qualms about squashing you beneath the weight of it as if she was simply flexing the power she had over you. You don’t—can’t move to face her, your body fighting itself internally to just move–something, but nothing happens.

Instead, you’re stuck listening to her slowly approaching feet, the geta she wears click rhythmically against the cold stone floor until that suffocating presence feels like it’s wrapping around your throat and holding you uncomfortably.

Her exhale of breath is warm against the bareness of your neck, and your fingers twitched in the cooling steam of the food you were cooking.

“What? Cat got your tongue? Last I heard, you were quite the firecracker. Where’s that voice gone now? Is it because your Master has left you here all alone?” Kenjaku breathes the words against the shell of your ear, the sneer evident in her voice.

“What do you want?” Your tongue manages to roll the words off smoothly, and you feel more than hear Kenjaku’s amused release of breath. She backs away just enough to allow your lungs to expand freely. The uneasy feeling of her energy is still ever present but it’s no longer bearing down on you.

You turn to look at her, and she’s smiling, though the smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Her long black hair has been swept up into a more traditional updo, her kimono is the same one you had seen her in the first time – her elegance is undeniable.

“I want to know what’s so special about you.” She answers your question truthfully, surprisingly, her eyes do a quick sweep up and down your attire before they dart to your covered shoulder. “You see. I’ve known Sukuna for quite a while, and never once has he kept a woman alive for so long.”

“He’s kept you around, hasn’t he?”

Kenjaku’s face splits into an unnerving grin until your stomach twists uncomfortably. “We’re very different from one another. After all, I’m not the one who gets to sleep with the King of Curses himself.”

Her words, whilst erroneous, still have your body set alight. That phrasing alone has heat rushing to your cheeks and the tips of your ears. Is that what everyone thought was happening? That you were sleeping with Sukuna? A part of you believes that if that were true, then it’d be easier to explain why he was keeping you around.

How do you explain to someone that he’s keeping you around because you believe he wants to turn you into a weapon for his own arsenal?

“That’s not true.” You retort once the initial embarrassment bleeds into annoyance. Why was she so scornful towards you? Did she have hate for you because you were simply occupying more of Sukuna’s time? You hadn’t pinned her as being a jealous woman, she didn’t seem the type to busy herself with something as trivial as jealousy.

“No? So he doesn’t let you sleep in his room? He doesn’t let you bathe in the only hot spring still active so high in the mountains? He isn’t giving you special training?” Kenjaku pushes off of the wooden table she was leaning on, once again advancing upon you until you knock into the table with the rice bowl behind you.

Too long fingers wrap around your jaw, sharp nails digging into the flesh of your cheeks before wrenching your head up so that Kenjaku could get a good look at you. “What is it that he sees in you?” She demands in a chillingly dark tone, her energy burns at your skin the longer she holds you.

You had to move. Do something. Anything to get out of the grasp of her cursed energy before something irreversible happened. It was near enough second nature now to tap into your own energy, the extensive yet fulfilling lessons Sukuna had provided you with had allowed you to call on it when you needed it the most.

Kenjaku’s body slows completely to a halt, lips parted as if she was about to say something further to you and the room grows silent around the both of you. Thankfully whatever Kenjaku’s own technique might be, it doesn’t seem capable of keeping up with your own.

You slip from her hand, your hand brushing along the table behind you until you feel the cool steel of the knife you had been using prior. She still doesn’t move when you shift the blade between the both of you, pressing the tip of the knife against the centre of her stomach. It wouldn’t kill her, but perhaps she’d understand you weren’t completely helpless when she cornered you like this.

The knife slips into the skin like butter, slicing past the long kimono she wears as if it were nothing but paper. The blood has not spilt yet, but you can see the minute twitching of her fingers as the pain starts to register. Your window is closing rapidly, you leave the knife embedded in her stomach before crossing to the other side of the room.

Here you watch as time spins to catch up with your actions, your own cursed energy flooding back into your body and Kenjaku lurches forward as if she were about to crush your head. Her spare hand comes down to her stomach, long fingers curling around the handle of the knife to try and assess just what had happened.

You expect her to react, to lash out and attack you in the middle of the kitchen but instead, she turns to look at you. Her eyes are wide, her skin looking just a tad more paler than usual. You caught her off-guard.

“Zen’in.” She mutters the word that turns your blood to ice, how did she know your family name from just the use of your cursed energy? The confusion on your face makes her smile wide once again, her fingers tightening around the knife before she rips it from her stomach in a crude spray of crimson droplets.

It drops to the stone floor with a wet clatter, bouncing once then twice until it stops too far for you to reach if you had to make a dash for it.

“You have no idea what Sukuna has done. Do you?” She laughs the words, and her hand that had been pressed to her bleeding wound moves to reveal the stab wound had been healed. “Foolish, naive little girl. He keeps you around like some sort of pet, and you have no idea what he’s taken from you.”

You truly had no idea what she meant by that. How could you? How could you know what Sukuna had done before he plucked you from your old life?

Kenjaku laughs at your expense once again, dragging you from your slowly spiralling thoughts. Her eyes that were usually narrowed in a fox-like gaze are widened, and the brush of blood along one of her cheeks makes your stomach twist with something like fear. She looked terrifying.

In a split second, she closes the gap between the two of you, pushing aside a stool on the ground in hopes of grabbing you before you slip away. Her hand wraps around your throat before you can react, your head bouncing harshly against the wooden beam behind you. Kenjaku was much taller than you, and stronger too apparently. Her fingers are cruel in the way they tense around your throat until you choke.

“I should kill you where you stand for daring to harm my body.” She snarls, leaning in close enough that you can smell the perfume that sticks to her. It had a soft flowery scent but beneath it was something you had become acclimated to; she smelled like death.

Her free hand drags up along the side of your face, soft knuckles digging into the fat of your cheek before she presses the pad of her thumb into your temple. Her wide green eyes are consumed wholly by whatever manic thoughts are currently bouncing around in her head, the tip of her thumbnail continues to curl inwards until it starts to break through your skin.

“Do you think Sukuna would realise you were dead?” She muses to no one in particular, she clearly isn’t asking you for an answer as she watches the blood that beads at the tip of her thumb before it rolls down along your cheekbone. “I doubt it. Your technique seems easy enough to use.”

The hand that had been pressed to the side of your head moves to her own, her fingers drag along the length of the scar before you watch in abject horror when her fingers curl into an invisible seam. There’s a slick wet sound as the skin continues to stretch until it’s free from its other half. The blood that pours down her face doesn’t seem to phase the woman.

Instead, her grin spreads. The initial rush of thick blood painting her lips a deep shade of crimson before it spreads onto the whiteness of her teeth.

“I think a Zen’in would be—” She stops in place, the hand shifting the top half of her scalp stops just before you get a peek of her brain. She remains in place, but her eyes narrow towards the entrance of the kitchen. “Oh. Maybe another time.”

Kenjaku leans back, uncaring for the blood and cerebrospinal fluid on her face soaking into her kimono, as she runs a finger across the seam on her forehead to ‘re-seal’ it.

“Run back to your sanctuary now little lamb. You’ll find your answers there.”

Kenjaku retreats, but not before she brings the hand that had been clamped around your jaw to her mouth. Her tongue drags from the base of her palm to the tip of her thumb, lapping up the blood spilt from the cut on the side of your temple. She doesn’t say anything else, simply smiles before turning away to slink off into the darkness where she came from.

You take the sudden change of events to leave the kitchen, leaving behind the food that no longer seemed appealing. You had no idea what Kenjaku was capable of, but you didn’t doubt that it had something to do with the brain.

In no time at all, you’re plunged back into the familiar warmth of Sukuna’s room. The hearth was still lit but slowly dimming, you’d have to relight it at some point. But not even the threat of the cold could shake the need to figure out what Kenjaku had meant.

What did she mean that you’d find your answers here? You’ve been alone in this room for a day now, and you’ve scoured through the multitude of scrolls and books until you were convinced there was nothing you had missed. Sukuna had an extensive amount of research into cursed energy and techniques, but nothing was the ‘answer’ you were now currently seeking.

You step further into the room, glancing across the neatly made futon bed that you were planning on sleeping in after you ate something. There was nothing of interest there, and there was none when you took a glance towards the seat where Sukuna often perched each time you slept in his bed.

Twisting on your heel, you find yourself in a similar situation to just the other morning. The large weapon chest that you had wanted to go through remains untouched, you hadn’t thought twice about it after Sukuna had allowed you to train with your cursed energy. It didn’t seem necessary to revert back to weapons when you could use your own energy.

You also didn’t think Sukuna was too keen on giving you access to a weapon just yet, he always ignored your questions at the start if you were allowed to use a weapon despite the fact you won your silly bet during that initial sparring session.

But now, here you stand, looking down at the deep brown mahogany chest. Along the lid are deep engravings of symbols that you don’t recognise, you kneel down to find that there is no lock or latch to ensure that only Sukuna can open it. Perhaps he believed you weren’t stupid enough to snoop through his possessions despite the warning.

You however ignore that warning, pushing up the lid with the heel of your palms until it creaks and opens fully. It hits the wall behind it with a loud thud, a quick gust of air and dust blowing upwards into your face. Inside you’re met with what seems like thousands upon thousands of thin strips of paper; talisman, if the lettering on them was anything to go by.

They seemed to be for suppression, and with the opening of the box came a rush of something you now recognised as cursed energy. But it wasn’t any old cursed energy, it wasn’t even Sukuna’s. It felt so familiar, like a smell you couldn’t quite identify anymore as time went on.

You lean up on your knees just enough to peer into the weaponry box, and you simultaneously feel your heart and lungs seize up in your chest. There was only one object in there. One singular object that you would be able to identify even if you were stripped of your vision and could only feel it with your hands.

It’s a katana in a beautiful black sleek sheath, the handle was also black with gold threads weaved through. If you were to remove it from the sheathe, the steel of the sword would be the sharpest of any weapon with a darkened blade ridge.

This katana was something you had agonised over as a child. You yearned to just hold it. But the holder would never let you.

Your father would never let you.

Your hand moves before you can stop yourself, the handle is cold beneath your fingertips as is the blade guard. The weight it holds is significant, it was made to be slightly longer than your traditional katana — something your father as Shogun had requested to accommodate his swordsmanship.

He was truly a master with a sword, or any weapon for that matter, he moved as if he were made of water. He cut down countless men when he was called upon and as Shogun, he did not change. He was ruthless, a true Samurai warrior.

And here is his weapon, trapped in a box filled with talismans that were designed to hide the energy that seeped from the weapon. You hadn’t realised the weapon was imbued with such strong energy as a child, but now you can feel it. It feels just like your father.

Like a hug from a man who had not seen you since you were a child. His energy seamlessly seeps into your hands, curls around your fingers until it feels natural to hold the weapon in your hand.

There was only one reason Sukuna would have your father's sword.

When they delivered the news of your father's passing, you weren’t allowed to visit his body or his grave. It struck you as odd then but now it makes your stomach churn. When a body was unable to be seen or unable to be buried, then that meant only one thing: there was no body.

Did that mean Sukuna knew who you were before he had killed your husband and taken you captive? How were you so blind to the obvious? He had kept you alive, even saved you from certain death, healed your wounds and then went out of his way to train you. He knew exactly who you were, and what you were possibly capable of.

You doubt he felt any sort of remorse for what he’d done, you doubt a man like him could even feel guilt. Your fingers curl tightly around the handle and the sheath of the blade, the metal of the guard clinking as if it were ready to be released.

That goal you had set for yourself so long ago in the burned-down shrine sits at the forefront of your mind. You will kill Ryoumen Sukuna. Binding vow be damned, you will kill him.

A sliding door behind you opens before you hear the voice of the man whose presence alone brings your blood to boiling point.

“—And when I find out who sent me on a wild goose chase, I’ll have their eyeballs for supper.” The door slams to a sliding shut behind him, and you can immediately feel the rigidity that comes with his energy when he is angry. It was overly hot, a suffocating kind of energy that demanded you down on your knees with your forehead pressed to the floor.

Sukuna doesn’t move however to find out who had sent him out of the temple for a day, in fact, if you didn’t feel his energy so close by then you’d assume he had immediately left the room. But you can hear the expanding of his chest with each breath he takes, you can hear the fabric of the kimono he had worn for the day move.

No. He was most definitely still in the room, and he was watching you – observing, to see what your next move might be. Briefly, you wonder if he is hesitant to approach you. He clearly had a distaste for the weapon now cradled in your hands or he wouldn’t have gone to great lengths to suppress its energy until it was undetectable.

“I warned you.” His voice is no longer dripping in malice from just a few seconds earlier, instead, it sounds devoid of anything defining. And so his warning falls flat against the pain swelling in your chest. You had been sharing food with this man, training in such close proximity that you had momentarily been blinded to what he truly was.

A monster.

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#dead dove do not eat #cw gore #cw dark content #cw violence #tw cannibalism #sukuna x reader #sukuna x you #jjk x reader #banner artwork is official game art for ghost of tsushima made by ian jun wei chiew

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gretavanfleetposts · 7 months

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Fire in the Water: Chapter One

Summary: You had thought dating a vampire would be the most complicated thing you'd ever done. But as it turns out, becoming one is even more complicated. The boys are determined to make your transformation as smooth as possible while each fighting to maintain the relationships they once had and those they now lust for. Author's Note: As always, I'd like to thank the lovely @gretasmokerising for inspiring me and encouraging me and @earthlysorrows for editing and helping me piece everything together/brainstorm Content Warnings: swearing, talk of blood, mentions of death and killing, mentions of sex but no actual sex yet (18+ minors do not interact) Word Count: 9k

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How you had gone about meeting a vampire, you weren’t entirely certain. And how you had gone from simply meeting that vampire to dating him was even more beyond you. But one thing was for certain: you had fallen in love with him, irrevocably.

Maybe you should have been more wary about giving yourself over to him so freely but there was just something about Josh that had pulled you in and kept you there. You had later learned that was his gift as a vampire: he could manipulate moods. It was sort of an unconscious thing, not exactly something he could control. You felt certain it was just him though. That was just Josh. He could light up any room he walked into; of course people felt drawn to him.

He just so happened to drink blood to survive. A minor detail, really.

“You’re not nervous, are you?” he asked from the driver’s side of his sedan. His arm stretched over the center console, letting his fingers wind through yours.

“I’m not sure I could be nervous around you even if I had the good sense to be.”

Josh smiled that typical toothy grin, complete with rosy cheeks and bobbing curls, the one that had ignited your feelings for him in the first place.

“Remind me to coax some good sense into you one of these days,” he joked.

You had heard tales of Josh’s brothers over the months the two of you had been together but this would be your first introduction. Josh seemed equal parts excited and hesitant despite it being obvious they were a large part of his life, having spent centuries by his side. You had to meet them at some point. But you felt far less nervous, at least less so in the department that his worries occupied. You had your own attachment to death, primarily in the way of loss, and while Josh had spent centuries by his family's side, you hadn't been so lucky. Now, it was family that you craved, almost as much as you craved Josh.

“Do you think they’ll like me?” you asked as Josh sped down the winding road shrouded by dense trees and thick forest. That was where he called his home, somewhere in the mountains outside of Seattle where the rain was constant and the clouds did their best to cover the Kiszka family secret.

“I think they’ll love you.” He let his eyes drift from the road over to yours to give you a reassuring smile that he might have needed more than you did.

Like you said, you were no stranger to death. Although, usually when the people around you died, they stayed dead.

You almost couldn't believe your eyes when he finally pulled into the long, narrow driveway and parked just outside of the garage to the home. It was a structure made almost entirely out of glass, the large and likely expensive antique decor visible from the outside. It was no wonder they lived so deep into the woods: less people around to observe their not-so-normal lives through the thin glass walls.

Josh opened the passenger side door for you before you had time to register the sound of his own door clicking open and shut.

“God, your house is magnificent. You really shouldn’t have brought me; I may just move in.” You took his arm as you stood from the car, noting the movement by the front door. A pair of vampires stood just inside looking eager to meet you as they helped one another adjust their hair and collars.

“That can be arranged,” Josh whispered, his lips grazing the shell of your ear.

He led you toward the house, the door opening just steps before you reached it. Inside, you saw the pair you’d watched through the glass, a man and a woman who, to be completely honest, might have been two of the most beautiful people you'd ever laid eyes on.

"Y/n, meet my only non-related brother Daniel and his partner Adele."

"Oh, it's so good to meet you!” Adele greeted you boldly, throwing her arms around you for a quick, tight squeeze. “Always women coming and going but none ever staying."

She was gorgeous, to say the very least. And the man standing next to her paired well with her too, matching her in stature and beauty. They were both tall and lean with dark eyes and dark hair, hers cascading in long waves down her back, his coiled tightly up by his shoulders. And even though you knew how easily they could kill you, they each had twinkling eyes that when cast upon you made you feel like the only person in the room.

"God, you're beautiful," you blurted out. The words never even traveled to your brain until they exited your mouth and you heard them spoken aloud, met with a sea of laughter from the vampires surrounding you. "I'm so sorry," you stammered, "I don't usually say things like that out loud."

"It's fine," Adele said with a wink that had no small effect on you. "That'd be the gift."

"Irresistible," her partner clarified, squeezing her into his side and nipping at her earlobe.

You noticed it right away, just how forward they were. It was hard to ignore. But what was even less subtle wasn't the way his hands clung to her waist, but the way that he looked at her. It was like she was the only thing he saw.

"Just means I'm good at luring humans to their death," she added herself with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"Not that we all don't do just fine," Josh quipped.

“You can call me Danny,” Adele's partner said, looking as though he were going to reach across the space between you to shake your hand. But instead, you found yourself swiftly pulled into another tight hug, feet lifting from the ground easily as he engulfed you.

Before you knew what was happening, he was placing you back down onto the ground, his nose lingering near your hair only for a fraction of a second.

“Fuck, you smell good,” he huffed, pulling back with a smile that only grew as he watched you practically dodge out of his grip and back into the safety of Josh's arms.

“Uh thanks,” you mumbled awkwardly.

They were shockingly without restraint although perhaps it was naive to have expected anything else. And despite the forces in your body screaming at you to recognize the danger you were in, his smile somehow warmed your suddenly cool barrier.

You cleared your throat. "Are you irresistible too?"

This time, he let out a hearty laugh, a sound that was easily one of the more beautiful that had graced your ears in the span of your life.

"No, that’s just my natural good looks,” Danny smiled down at you. “I can see the future."

"Really?" you asked, suddenly intrigued rather than startled.

“It’s subjective,” Josh chimed in. “He can only see the path you’re on while you’re on it.”

“We should stay on this path. I think you’ll enjoy it.” Danny gave you a wink before pulling Adele into his side who let a quiet, “Indeed,” fall from her lips.

It was hard to gauge exactly what they had meant by it, though their looks certainly were suggestion enough at what they might’ve been hinting at. Regardless, Josh seemed to think nothing of it. Their…antics must have been a common occurrence.

"Where's Jake?" he asked, already guiding you down the long entryway that ran into the heart of the house.

"He's…occupied," Danny answered.

"Jake lives in the guest house,” Josh explained, turning back to you. “It's easier for him.”

"What do you mean 'easier'?" Walking and talking at the same time, you took the house in, surprisingly brightly lit and not at all what you had been expecting for a bunch of vampires. Of course, they could walk around in the daylight, the only proof of their immortality being the glittering of their skin beneath the sun. But still, it seemed almost too full of life with the glass and the leafy greenery that surrounded you.

"He can feel people's emotions. Manipulate them too, like I can, but much more powerfully. My gifts aren’t really intentional but he can make people feel whatever he wants. The only downside is that when it comes to feeling everything around him, it can be quite strong, especially when you live with four other vampires who feel things much more intensely than humans.” Josh pushed forward as he spoke, making his way down the hallway that opened into a large kitchen filled to the brim with greenery that survived in the seemingly greenhouse-like room. “The distance helps him quiet his mind a little. Plus, he has women over every night and the volume tends to get…loud. It’s like a brothel in here sometimes."

It was in the kitchen that you met the second brother, having come bounding down an open staircase off one corner of the kitchen looking even more dreamy than the last pair of people you had met.

"Thought I smelled the human." His voice was smooth and even and he wore his hair longer than Josh or even Danny, looking something like a modern-day Jesus who had mastered the art of disheveled.

He was breathtaking, just like the others. Maybe even more-so, somehow.

"My dear, this is Sam."

Josh gestured to his brother standing before you, prompting you to reach your hand out to greet him, hopefully a much more civilized greeting than you’d gotten from Danny and Adele.

"It’s nice to meet you," you said with a weary smile, waiting for something outlandish and over the top. But Sam only glanced down at your hand, making no move to take it. Really looking uninterested entirely. It seemed almost worse than the greetings you’d gotten from the others.

"Better keep a close eye on her, Josh,” he said instead, addressing his brother. “She smells quite good."

Without another word, Sam passed you and left out a door behind you, leaving you with nothing to do but stare at his much kinder brother awaiting an explanation. Although, that explanation didn’t come from the direction you were expecting it.

"You can ignore him,” the disembodied voice said. “He's not always in the best of moods. Likes to make it everyone else's problem."

You turned toward where Sam had left to see the twin Josh had told you about, although he and Josh hardly shared much in the way of resemblance when you took in hair and dress. He seemed like Josh’s complete opposite and a little more akin to the vampires you had pictured back when you were still under the assumption they were nothing but fairytales. And though you felt an immediate pang of guilt stab your gut when the thought filled your head, you couldn’t help it. He was ethereal.

"I'm Jake, the cool one." He outstretched his hand and spoke in a somewhat gravelly voice, like it had been exerted somehow though you weren’t sure that could happen to vampires.

You said nothing as you took his hand, unable to form even a single coherent thought or sentence, quite shamefully. And to your horror, it seemed to bring a smile to his face as you stood there stupidly silent.

"Sorry, didn't mean to make you nervous,” he chuckled. “I can fix that if you'd like."

There was a hint of that same suggestion you’d seen in Danny’s eyes although Jake seemed far better with subtlety. But Josh quickly pushed his twin away, severing the contact of your skin against his far too abruptly for your liking.

"No using your gifts on her unless she asks," he reprimanded his brother.

"Well, sometimes it's involuntary," Jake quipped back, his eyes never leaving yours.

You seemed to remember yourself in the sudden silence and cleared your throat.

"I can regulate my own emotions but thank you." You answered his non-question with a polite smile, hopefully a convincing diffusion of the tension you had accidentally created.

"Oh, humans can rarely regulate their own emotions," Jake teased with a smug laugh.

"Oh, are vampires good at it?" you asked, tone laced with sarcasm knowing fully that vampires were notoriously bad at just that, according to Josh anyway.

It prompted a burst of laughter from the twin, finally dropping the look on his face that read like he maybe wanted to eat you. Or fuck you. It was hard to distinguish on a vampire.

Josh’s shoulders seemed to relax then, like he’d been waiting for some sign of Jake’s approval of you and that had been it. It eased you as well, knowing at least someone in the house approved of you.

"I was explaining to her why you live in the guest house."

"You wouldn't believe how annoying Sam and his emotions are,” Jake rolled his eyes. “Although I must say, your emotions are quite strong for a human."

"Is that bad?" you asked curiously.

You weren’t certain it came as a surprise. You knew your emotions were on the more volatile side, especially since the death of your parents less than a year prior. But Josh hadn’t quite seen that side of you yet; he was a natural stifle, keeping you calm without even meaning to.

"It's interesting," Jake answered rather cryptically. Maybe he didn’t know what it meant.

“It’s fine,” Josh assured you instead, rubbing his hands over your biceps. “Nothing to worry about.”

"Must be a very full house of vampires," you said instead in an effort to turn the focus from you and whatever might have been wrong with you.

"Well, Josh isn't the only one with a preference for humans," Jake corrected with a wink.

"Aren't you worried they'll tell people what you are?"

A smirk grew wide in his face, utterly mischievous and suggestive.

"I can be very persuasive."

"There's a serious lack of morality around here," Josh commented quietly, unaware of the embarrassment threatening color in your cheeks at Jake’s pointed remark.

"You must be hungry!" Danny all but yelled as he and Adele burst into the kitchen with brimming excitement, and then more sternly, "Jake, is she hungry?"

"No, not exactly," he answered with a smug look on his face and eyes that stood unwavering on your face.

"Shame, we're always looking for a reason to dirty the kitchen."

Somehow when he said it, it lost all innocuous meaning and took on something far more suggestive. You were beginning to notice a theme and that theme didn't go unnoticed by Josh either, waving his brothers away with a disgusted look on his face.

"Okay, okay, I'm showing her around before you all freak her out even more," he said as he led you to the staircase Sam had descended from with one final disapproving look for the people gathered in the kitchen.

No one looked exactly displeased with themselves, Danny and Adele turning proudly to one another while Jake opted to give you a wiggle of his fingers as you retreated.

“I’m not sure I was really prepared for…that,” you admitted as the two of you moved further into the house.

“It wasn’t too bad, was it?” Josh asked, leading you by hand to his bedroom down a long, wood panel-lined hall.

“May take some getting used to but no, not too bad.”

It would take a lot of getting used to, actually. They were all so very…forward.

“I would tell you they’re harmless but…it wouldn’t exactly be the truth.”

He opened the door to his bedroom, one wall made entirely of glass and overlooking the treeline while the others were obscured with music and art from all over the world. All over time, too, by the looks of it. In the middle sat a bed that appeared slightly out of place, a bit more modern than the rest of the furniture he had decorated with. It was like he had bought it just for you.

“What is it with Sam?” you asked quietly, fingering through a box of records sitting on a small plant stand that looked like he had yet to sort through.

Truthfully it wasn't his more forward family members that stuck out in your mind as you perused his belongings. It was Sam. He was so different from everyone else in the house, almost like he cast a long shadow over everyone. He was certainly the most mysterious, wearing only his misery on his sleeve. It made you wonder if he had always been that way.

Over your shoulder, you watched as Josh’s entire demeanor changed. He seemed to go stiffer, his lips forming into a tight line before he spoke.

“A story for another time, when he isn’t listening so closely.”

“Are they all listening?” you asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Most definitely,” his smile returned.

You must have made a face because Josh was suddenly pinning you to the mattress on the other side of the room from where you had been standing, his fangs baring themselves slightly and an excited look in his eyes.

“You want to give them a show?” he asked as a mischievous look similar to the one his twin wore seeped into his features.

"You haven't even finished the tour!" you squealed, his lips wasting no time attacking your skin.

"Well, getting to know the bedroom is a very important part of the tour!"

You squealed again against the tickle of his facial hair on your skin, giving in almost instantly to the assault and to his hands.

—

When you woke and took in the early morning light as it just barely broke across the dawn, Josh was the first thing your eyes landed on, serene and silent. Hardly even breathing though he often did so just to seem more human to you.

You slept hot and didn't mind the icy feeling of his skin pressed against yours in the night. In fact, most nights it was the only thing that soothed you to sleep anymore. When he was gone, your body certainly noticed as you laid awake in the dark, antique home your parents had left behind, the air conditioner cranked as low as it could handle to somehow lull you into a mock sense of calm that only Josh brought you.

But the nights he was there, he laid dutifully by your side despite the fact that he didn't need sleep. You'd asked him once how he passed the time but all he had said was something about a few hours not being a very long time when you lived for eternity. It didn't make you feel like the night was any less long. It always felt too long that you had to leave him for slumber. Sometimes you'd fight to stay awake just to spend more time with him. But sleep always won.

He watched you silently as you stretched the stiffness from your limbs and rubbed the remnants of dreams from your eyes, arm shooting over to the nightstand at his bedside to fumble around for your phone in search of the time.

You hadn't slept that long, a measly six hours. But even still, it felt too long to leave him.

“You shouldn’t have let me sleep so long. I could have kept you company.” It was a common argument he had grown used to hearing you mumble in your early morning haze. And he always answered it with a smile and a reason.

“Not to worry, my dear, I know humans need their sleep after sex.”

“I hope we weren’t too loud,” you groaned as his fingers swiped hair out of your eyes, leaving burning trails of memories from the night before.

He was cold to the touch and yet somehow his touch seemed always to scald you. You'd have his fingerprints burned into your skin before long.

Josh let out a laugh with his tongue pressed behind his teeth and his nose scrunched, far too cute at that early hour to be anything close to human.

He was between your legs before you could scold him for laughing at you, his body hovering just above yours like a prize that was yours for the taking if you could lift off the bed and catch him quickly enough.

"You could have been quiet as a mouse and they would have heard anyway," he whispered with his face mere inches from yours, "so no use stifling those beautiful sounds you make."

And just like that, you wanted him again. It was that easy. Maybe that was part of his gift too but more realistically, it was just him.

But your body had other plans, sabotaging your sudden hunger for him with its own. He heard your stomach rumbling before you even felt it and dipped to press a quick kiss to the tip of your nose, already looking far too pleased with himself.

“You sound hungry.” A soft bite to your jaw to punctuate his words send you further into your growing agony.

“Not as hungry as you must be. You haven’t left my side in days. Have you actually eaten anything?”

He pulled back with a toothy grin. “Don’t worry about me. Let’s get you some breakfast, although I think Danny and Adele have already beaten me to it.”

This time it was a kiss pressed to your lips that threatened to keep you in bed, if it weren't for his hands pulling you up out of bed while his lips lingered on yours despite your groan in protest. With only a satisfied giggle, he pushed you out the door in the pajamas he had forced you into the night before and down the steps toward what sounded like a bustling kitchen.

The smell of food cooking finally hit you like a wall at the bottom of the steps. It was there that you took in the sights laid before you: a mess of a kitchen, Adele parked at the large stove top with spatula in hand and large flour-y handprints on the back of her tight jeans, Danny mixing something in a bowl behind her with flour on his cheeks and hands, and a hungover-looking Jake sitting at the kitchen island donning opaque sunglasses and swishing a glass of what looked like dark liquor in his hand.

“Oh good, you’re awake!" Adele exclaimed in a voice that prompted every head to turn toward you. "Food's almost ready!"

Their years without experience in the culinary arts were evident in the portions they had chosen to make, the island littered with various breakfast dishes that no one in their right mind could consume all in one morning.

"I tried to cook but they insisted,” Jake explained plainly, sounding only mildly annoyed as he sipped and observed cooly from behind his sunglasses.

“He’s just upset because we got here before him and kicked him out of the kitchen.” Danny smiled as he finished mixing more batter and passed the bowl to Adele to begin spreading on the hot pan before her.

“He cooks for his humans all the time," Adele explained. "It was our turn.”

God, they were so chipper in the morning, a product of never needing sleep, although Jake somehow looked like he needed some. Maybe he could feel your own fatigue.

"You really don't have to cook for me," you answered, moving to lean against the island as Josh wrapped his arms around your waist to remain close.

Adele flashed another dazzling smile your direction. "Oh nonsense, of course we do."

"Especially after feeling how much energy you expended last night," Jake added without even a glance your direction to see the embarrassment spread like wildfire across your face as he sipped his bourbon like a morning coffee. No doubt he could feel it without needing to look. But you could have sworn that his words were fueled by what sounded like a tinge of jealousy.

"At least somebody in this house got some last night," Josh defended you with a jab at his brother, hugging you tighter to his chest to show that he was in no way embarrassed by your activities the previous night.

"We were trying to be polite-" Danny began to explain while Jake spoke over top of him, "Didn’t want to scare our little human just yet."

Adele's eyes flickered briefly over to the door just off the kitchen that opened out onto the large patio overlooking the backyard. Her smile waned only a sliver before her eyes dropped back to the pan in her hand and as you glanced back to the door, you saw what she must have heard before you: Sam with an annoyed look on his face after presumably being out all night.

The room went oddly quiet when he entered until Danny broke the silence.

"Sam, would you like to help us?"

"I'd rather suffocate," he said simply, his eyes immediately finding yours in the suddenly crowded room.

He was wearing a fitted purple shirt that complimented his complexion well and pants that looked a little more wrinkly than your mother would have ever let you out of the house in. And at his neckline was the only evidence of what he'd been out doing: a small trickle of blood dripping lazily down like it had all the time in the world and no place to be.

"You've got a little-" Jake pointed with his index finger to his collar.

"Fuck,” Sam huffed in exasperation, straining his neck to get a look without stretching the material too far, “I just bought this."

“Such a messy eater,” Jake teased with a smile. “We’re gonna have to buy you a bib.”

He was met with an almost instantaneous glare, a face that could have put the fear of God in anyone it was directed at. But you lacked good sense, and all.

"I can get it clean," you chimed in quietly, almost absentmindedly, a small squeak of a noise that seemed to silence everyone around you more thoroughly than Sam’s looming presence. "I'm not really a stranger to blood stains,” you clarified as eyes turned to you. “Um…do you have a laundry room?"

Sam eyed you carefully, letting his gaze flicker quickly to Josh’s and prompting your own to follow, as if asking for permission despite having already offered. But Josh seemed beyond amused by it all.

"Yeah, he'll show you," he smiled, an indirect order to his brother who had landed his eyes back on your face and for some reason looked furious at the mere suggestion you had made. Nevertheless, he jerked his head in a different direction, signaling you to follow him.

"Don't be too long! Food will be ready soon!" Adele called as Josh released you from his grip to follow Sam down an unexplored hallway to a small laundry room just at the end behind a large set of heavy wooden doors.

It was a rather human-like setup although you weren’t sure what exactly you had been expecting. It made sense that even vampires weren’t immune to the mundane chores that plagued humans. Still, you couldn’t picture the vampire that stood before you, pulling his shirt off to reveal a toned chest that somehow made him look even more god-like, doing his own laundry.

Maybe he made Josh do it.

"You could try controlling your thoughts." His disapproval cut through the silence like a knife.

“I’m so sor-” you began to apologize, fumbling over your words as you averted your gaze in favor of the shirt he had just removed when it dawned on you. "You read minds?" you asked curiously, braving his eyes again.

"Yeah, and yours is quite loud," he said flatly, meeting your gaze almost as if he were daring you to look away.

You did.

"Sorry. I'll try and…think quietly." You cleared your throat and tried not to think anything too embarrassing as you turned your focus to the task at hand. You grabbed a box of baking soda from a shelf above you and let warm water soak into the blood at the small sink in the corner of the room.

"Were you out…" ‘hunting’ you thought, though you didn’t finish that thought out loud.

"Yes."

If you hadn’t seen the resemblance, his succinctness in comparison to Josh’s talkativeness might have been enough to convince you there was no relation between the two boys. He was far less warm, too. That might have been another indication. How they belonged to the same bloodline was beyond you.

“Josh says you and Jake are the only ones not on the bunny diet,” you continued, now trying to distract him from your derailing thoughts which, if his face was any indication, he was displeased by. Not that you had yet seen him looking anything other than displeased. That he wore well.

“It makes you weaker. I figure I’m already going to hell, might as well sin as much as I want.”

He leaned against the dryer, folding his arms across his chest as his eyes dipped to your hands to watch them work.

“Do you kill them?” You weren’t even sure where the question had come from or why your brain had decided it was appropriate small talk with the vampire across from you. Maybe it was morbid curiosity, but more likely some sort of gauge to see how likely he was to snap and kill you right there.

“Do I seem like I have an aversion to killing?”

God, he was intimidating. He was what you had expected when faced with the idea of meeting an entire house of Josh’s vampire kin. Your body screamed at you to be afraid of him. But somehow, by that same lack of sense that probably worried Josh, you were instead only painfully aware of the fact that you were not growing on him by any sense of the phrase.

“I don’t really know…” you answered quietly, and your matter-of-fact tone incited him to roll his eyes.

“Yes, I kill people,” he answered for you, annoyed yet again. “That’s what we were designed for so try not to let it surprise you.”

You nodded and dropped your eyes back down to his shirt again, fully accepting the awkward tension as it washed over you and pursing your lips like it was obvious he killed people. How stupid of you to ask, really.

“Helps if you let it soak in warm water but if you’re in a pinch, scrubbing works too,” you explained, both of you suddenly pretending like he was watching or cared.

He said nothing as you massaged the baking soda into the material gently, the way you had done with countless pairs of cotton underwear in the middle of the night. You imagined what it would be like to wash blood out of your own clothing under these same circumstances, someone else’s blood. Your meal, in fact. It made you wonder if that was in your future, if Josh would turn you.

Josh was strict about the blood he drank, specifically about it not coming from humans. He had explained that animal blood wasn’t nearly as satiating for his kind but that it felt right to him. He had only drank human blood once and quickly found it wasn’t for him. It felt funny to hear a vampire say it but truthfully, you couldn’t picture him hurting someone either, so in some odd sense, it fit. His brothers clearly didn’t have such reservations. You wondered if you’d be the same way, given the opportunity.

"What about Adele and Danny? Do they hunt the way you do?"

It seemed innocuous enough but your question was the final straw for Sam who had been growing more agitated by the moment.

"Are you almost finished? I don't have all day," he spat.

But you couldn’t ignore the irony.

"What an interesting thing for a vampire to say."

You didn’t even laugh at your own joke and that was probably for the best because if looks could kill, Sam was sending you a glare that would have swiftly ended your life.

"Humans are a liability,” he fumed, looking like he was using all of his strength to avoid doing something he would regret, no matter how little he would regret it. “Josh never should have brought you here.”

He stormed out without another word and without his shirt too, leaving you where you stood, sudsy hands and sigh caught in your throat. You felt like an idiot for your failed attempt at making conversation with him. But even more so, you worried that maybe you didn’t mesh well with Josh’s family. You wanted them to like you, desperately so. You had no family of your own anymore and it felt like this was your chance to have it again. To have something again. Every failed attempt with him would feel like another nail in the coffin on your fate that you didn’t want to be as lonely as it threatened.

You finished what you were doing quickly, it was dangerous for you to be alone after all, and returned to the kitchen where a now angry Jake argued passionately with Adele about human recipes and baking times. Danny contributed nothing to help solve the argument other than giggling along and adding in a, “She’s always right, Jake,” at the more inopportune moments, for no other reason than to get a rise out of him apparently.

It was comforting, actually, the bickering. Reminded you of the early mornings with your parents watching them play fight while making waffles for breakfast.

"Don’t let him get to you,"Josh whispered against the shell of your ear when you returned, having heard the entire conversation. They probably all had, actually, but you were trying to save yourself that embarrassment by pretending they hadn’t. Something else that would take some getting used to: the super hearing they all possessed.

"Food is ready!" Adele exclaimed.

She was good at cutting the tension but you certainly hadn’t missed the look she had given Sam when he entered. There was a story there, you could tell. Maybe it was part of the reason Sam seemed so angry.

She handed you a plate stacked high with the pancakes she had been flipping at the stove, Danny pouring a healthy amount of syrup on top as the plate exchanged hands. They seemed unbelievably proud of their work and watched you expectantly as you picked a fork up off the island and took a bite.

It wasn’t exactly a gourmet dish but it was edible, enough to smile and feign enjoyment for the eagerly-awaiting vampires surrounding you. And it seemed to appease.

"Ha! I knew we were better cooks than you!" Adele pointed with her spatula accusingly toward Jake who pushed it out of his face with a wave of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah, why don't you go celebrate."

"Ooh, celebration,” Danny said, suddenly intrigued. “I like the sound of that."

In an instant, his hands were on Adele’s hips, pulling her into a searing kiss that took them out of the kitchen quite quickly, aprons and various other clothing items littering the floor and marking their path down the hallway toward their room. It left you practically speechless.

"Vampires," Jake shook his head and gave you a wink as he began clearing dishes off the kitchen counter.

They didn’t even seem phased by it, leading you to believe that was a common occurrence around here. And rather than addressing it, Josh simply took the plate from your hands and grabbed one of yours now empty to lead you into the dining room just off the kitchen.

“Ruined my perfectly clean kitchen,” you heard Jake mumble as you retreated and chose a seat at the large oak table sitting squarely in the dining room made entirely of glass to give a breathtaking view of the surrounding forest.

"What?" Josh asked with a laugh as he took the seat opposite yours.

"Danny and Adele. They must really love each other." You gave a baffled shake of your head as you committed to choking down Adele’s cooking.

"Well, they are soul ties."

Soul ties: it wasn't something you'd heard Josh talk about before, a missing piece of vampire lore in your catalog.

"What does that mean?"

"Soul ties are like soulmates for vampires," he explained. "Vampires mate for life so when we form a tie with someone, we’re bound to them for eternity. There's some ceremony to it, binding the tie by drinking one another's blood. It's a very sacred thing. The act of drinking for a vampire, it's incredibly profound. But the act of drinking from the person you're tied to, it's the deepest form of intimacy."

You pushed the food around your plate with your fork. "Can vampires only form soul ties with other vampires?"

Josh gave you a knowing smile.

"No, Adele was human when Danny tied with her. It's much stronger when you're a vampire though. For a human, you can resist it longer, the forces pulling you together. As a vampire, it's much harder."

"What do you mean? What forces?"

"Sometimes a tie forms between two people who aren't together. You won't necessarily be instantly drawn to one another but over time, the ability to resist the other person becomes harder and harder. And as a vampire, you’ll grow weaker and weaker until the binding ceremony is performed. You grow to need each other.” He said it with reverence, like he felt its weight. “That's what happened with Adele."

"Her and Danny weren't always together?" You had a hard time imagining the two people you'd just witnessed with their hands all over one another like no one was watching dating other people. And sure, they seemed to be flirty with everyone, yourself included, but there was just no way they hadn't always felt that passion for one another.

"Actually…they weren't." Josh hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Adele was with Sam when her tie with Danny formed."

Suddenly her look and his demeanor made sense. "Her and Sam dated?"

Josh nodded and kept his voice quiet as he continued. "We didn't meet her for a long time after they started dating, probably because he was waiting to form the tie himself. But then, she walked through the door, Danny laid eyes on her, and it became clear why Sam hadn't felt it yet. She tried to resist it for a bit but once Danny turned her, it was too strong to deny."

It dawned on you what Sam's gift was, although it seemed more like a curse when you thought about it now. It was no wonder he seemed like a walking black cloud around the house. He had to listen to their thoughts about how much they loved each other all day, constantly seeing them and hearing them together. It was enough to make anyone miserable.

And you suddenly felt angry for him.

"Why do they flaunt it like that in front of him? Don't they care that he lives here too?"

Josh gave a sympathetic look and shook his head. "It's not really like that. When you're with your tie, and especially after you've done the ritual, nothing else really matters."

You felt the swift sharp sting of worry that he hadn't mentioned soul ties before. And if he hadn't mentioned it before, he likely hadn't felt it before.

"And…have you…" You didn't even want to say it, to speak it into existence and receive confirmation of what you were now terrified of: that Josh wasn't yours to keep. But when you met Josh's eyes as you trailed off into silence, you saw only a gentle smile on his lips.

"No, I haven't felt it yet. But soul ties are situational. You have to be on the right path to form them. And once those paths are right, they can't be unmerged."

"Why would it change?"

"It's just like humans finding their soulmates. You have to be in the right place at the right time, at a point in your life where you're ready to accept that person. It's the same thing, only throw in a bit of the supernatural and it'll do most of the deciding for you."

He gave you a genuine smile, clearly trying to ease your nerves before you had a complete spiral. And truthfully, it didn't put your mind at ease all that much. You liked what you had and at the very least, something had to change to put you on the right path to solidify what you already knew you wanted.

"So…I'm not your soul tie now, but I could be?" you asked, less a question and more clarification to be filed away for your own purposes.

"Yes, it could happen. But it’s not something I want you to worry about. It'll happen when it's meant to happen." He leaned across the table to give you a gentle kiss and another reassuring smile that seemed to do the trick. For now, at least. “Eat. I want to show you something.”

You turned your eyes back down to the plate before you. Maybe, at the very least, Sam could find some satisfaction in the distasteful thoughts you were having about Adele's cooking abilities.

—

When you managed to finish your breakfast, Josh escorted you out into the backyard that was more of an oasis opening into the dense forest surrounding their home than a typical yard. There was the guest house which looked like a small English cottage sitting several yards away from the house and decorated in ivy, tucked neatly into the treeline like it had always been there. And then there was a large greenhouse made entirely of glass, matching the main house that way, surrounded by plants and filled with even more. That was the structure Josh was leading you toward, holding open the door clouded by years of dirt and plants and exposure to the elements.

Inside sat almost every plant native to the northwest coast, all in various states of their life cycles which begged the question of who was taking care of them, who had written the tiny signs that named them all and picked each of the unique planters, some in deep jewel tones blanketing the ceramic, others looking hand-glazed in speckled pots with carved designs. Even the stained glass signs that hung from thick metal wire looked handmade, decorating the inside of the otherwise plain glass of the structure. And stringed lights ran like a blanket across the domed ceiling, looking dusty as though they had remained unlit for quite some time.

“This place is beautiful, Josh,” you marveled at your surroundings, enchanting even in the daytime with the early morning sun glinting off the glass. It set your boyfriend’s skin asparkle, little beams of light dancing across his skin and darting around to ricochet off the walls.

Even in such a mesmerizing place, he stole the show.

“It was Sam's but he doesn't take much interest anymore. The rest of us take turns watering everything now. Sometimes Jake comes out here and reads books to the plants.”

You could picture them all chipping in to keep the greenery alive, each contributing something unique to help the little leaves grow and thrive. Even the plants had a family. It almost made you yearn for their life, digging their roots into soil and sitting, unwavering, watching the world pass them by as Josh and his brothers sat stagnant with them. Living at an entirely different pace than the rest of the world. You’d dig your roots in, too, if you could.

“I can’t stand the thought of you going back to that big house by yourself,” Josh interrupted your rather self-pitying thoughts, diverting your attention to where your roots had once been placed. And so forcefully torn up out of the ground.

“Josh, you’ve been over almost every night for the past two months.” You avoided the obvious to keep from getting more emotional than you wanted to be at that moment.

Your parents had left their house to you, along with everything they had, but Josh knew you had felt stagnant in a different way since their death. You’d quit your job to move back to the place you grew up and take care of their affairs. And mourn. But somewhere along the way, grief had turned to anger, sharp and hot and near constant. It wasn’t until you had met Josh that your demeanor had been thawed…

“I know how much you hate going back in there. I should have brought you over sooner but I wanted to be sure all of this wouldn’t freak you out.”

“There are some things about your brothers that freak me out a little,” you nodded, making your way back to where Josh stood, “but there’s nothing about you that freaks me out.”

He gave you a soft smile as your arms wound around his waist. “You’ll have plenty of time to get used to it when you move in.”

“Oh is that so?” you smiled back at him. “And when did you decide I was moving in?”

“The day I met you, really, but that seemed a bit forward.”

Your smile fell as you realized he wasn’t just being cute for the sake of being cute.

“Wait, you’re being serious,” you breathed.

“Of course I’m being serious,” he grinned, pulling you in at the waist like he was suddenly worried you might run.

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

He chuckled almost nervously and must have second guessed himself at your reaction because his shoulders squeezed upward in a shrug and he gave you a cautious nod before adding, almost silently, “If you’ll have me.”

It wasn’t that you had meant to worry him with your surprise. But you were surprised. It had been so long since…well, since things had gone well for you. You could feel your mind and body slipping into flight mode, the urge to run before the other shoe dropped sudden and severe. But you did want to move in with him. More than anything, you just wanted to be with him, always. He was your happy place and you certainly didn’t deserve him, but better than running was clinging. And you’d cling to him.

Without any words, you crashed your lips against his, solidifying your answer and earning a sigh of relief from Josh as his lips melded into yours. You could feel the smile that grew there, too, sealing itself into the kiss as his body was suddenly pressing you back into a heavy table in the middle of the greenhouse.

God, you were starting to feel like Danny and Adele, never getting enough of each other.

Josh broke from the kiss briefly, letting his lips fall to your jaw so he could speak better. “We’ll get your stuff tomorrow.”

“Uh-huh.” You weren’t paying attention any longer. The only object of your focus was now his lips. And his body. And his hands.

His lips worked lower as he easily lifted you up onto the table, parting your knees to make space for himself in between. You could imagine a life like this, easily. It made sense to you, as much as it scared you to once again have something so valuable. At least this would hopefully be harder to lose.

Your hands worked up into his hair to pull his lips back to yours, the taught curls wrapping around your fingers and engulfing them like even his hair meant to keep you there. And the hum suddenly buzzing through his lips, it vibrated through you. Fuck, you felt insatiable when it came to him.

His pace quickened as the kiss became more fervent, hungrier. He was always so in control but moments like these where your body was calling to him and moans were building in your chest, you swore you felt that control falter a bit. Secretly, you wanted to see him snap, but you knew the consequences of that were likely a bit more grave than just him being rougher for a night. But still, you wanted it. You couldn’t help but try, even, to push him just a tad further, when your hands lowered to the bulge growing in his khakis and your thighs hugged his hips harder. It was all for him, you were all for him-

“Am I interrupting?”

Jake’s voice startled you both, although you moreso, almost jumping out of your skin. You pulled back to quickly adjust your clothing, trying to save a bit of your dignity in the process. Josh, on the other hand, pulled away rather reluctantly, his fist clenching almost too hard around your thigh before he adjusted his pants and turned toward his brother with a singular word spoken more like a hiss.

“Obviously.”

“You’re parked behind me,” Jake said flatly, gesturing behind him to the garage and only glancing at you for a mere fraction of a second.

“You know where my keys are,” Josh answered, keeping his body in front of yours as you fixed your hair and tried to calm the sudden pounding of your heart in your chest.

“The last time I drove your car, it ended with you ripping the steering wheel out and throwing it at me.”

“You got blood all over the interior.”

“I said I’d have it detailed,” Jake defended himself in a tone that suggested he still didn’t see the problem with what he had done. “Anyway, she already said yes, so you have plenty of time for this,” he gestured vaguely in your direction with only his pointer finger, “later.”

You got a rare glimpse of watching Josh teeter on angry, well past visibly annoyed. To be honest, it turned you on and you prayed Jake couldn’t feel it.

Josh sighed, defeated, and turned back to you.

“I’ll be right back,” he promised with a smile unblemished by his previous anger. Never directed at you.

He was gone in an instant, leaving nothing but wind pushing your hair away from your face and leaving you still sitting on the table, now across from his twin who gave you a smirk the moment Josh was out of earshot.

“Oh don’t be embarrassed,” he relented, confirming your fears, “I’ve felt everything there is to feel.”

“It’s not nice to spy on people,” you retorted, crossing your arms over your chest to somehow try and hide yourself from him, fully clothed as you were.

He crossed to you, letting his hand absentmindedly adjust the hem of your shirt and almost causing you to jump at the contact as you watched him, still somewhat surprised by the audacity vampires seemed to have.

“It’s not really spying when you’re doing it in a building made of windows,” he said with a purse of his lips as he let his eyes trail over you, taking you in.

Your eyes darted over to his fingers, still resting at the collar of your shirt, and back to his face.

“Do you always give him a hard time like that?”

“Whenever possible,” he grinned wide. “You know, it was sweet of you, pretending like you liked Adele’s and Danny’s cooking this morning.”

You shrugged, oddly feeling at ease the longer he remained close. Maybe he was using his gifts on you.

“Oh, it really wasn’t that bad,” you lied.

He shook his head and tutted his tongue.

“I watched them make it, I know it was.”

“Well, it’s the thought that counts, right?”

He brought his eyes up to yours and for the first time, you took him in up close, his resemblance to Josh, all of the scars that differentiated him, the warmth in his eyes that mimicked his brother’s but somehow promised a little more danger.

“I don’t know; maybe we should ask Sam. That’s his specialty, not mine.” He smiled softly, moving his hand from your shirt to your hair to tuck strands that had been previously disheveled behind your ear.

It took all your strength to focus on the conversation.

“Thanks for not ratting me out to Danny and Adele,” you answered quietly, hoping to quiet your louder emotions.

His smile grew across his face and he leaned in slightly closer to speak barely above a whisper.

“Your little human secrets will always be safe with me.”

You ignored the beat your heart skipped as he said it in favor of chuckling lightly and giving him an exasperated smile yourself.

“A bit condescending, don’t you think?”

He dropped his hand, letting it ghost over your thigh as it fell back to his side.

“Maybe,” he nodded, dipping his eyes to your knees and letting them rake back up your body, “but I felt your heart flutter so, not exactly incentive for me to stop, now is it?”

And then he was back in the doorway of the greenhouse watching Josh cross the almost overgrown lawn.

“Thank you, Joshy,” he called without another look back your way. “Oh and you might want to pick a different place to do it. I don’t want to have to explain to these poor plants what they’ll have seen. It’ll be bad for their development.”

Josh only rolled his eyes and shook his head, returning to your arms where he belonged.

“Where were we?” he smiled.

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dfortrafalgar · 24 days

Text

I'm Losing You

Having a family isn't always as easy as fairy tales make it seem.

Warnings: Please read chapter 1 for warnings. Additional warning, especially for this chapter, is a fairly graphic depiction of a miscarriage. I discussed the topic of fertility issues and pregnancy loss in the warning passage i wrote in chapter 1, and i meant every word i said.

Taglist: @phsycochan | @mirillua | @augustanna

Chapter 7

[Prev] [Next]

For the first time in a very long time, Law had the day off of work while you didn’t. When you woke up bright and early, however, your husband was sitting in the living space with Bepo at his feet, watching the morning news for your city.

“Mornin’, sleepy head,” he called, his lips quirking upwards in a fond smirk.

You felt a smile form on your own lips. “Morning, my early bird,” you called back, approaching the couch and leaning down to press a chaste kiss to his lips, which he gladly reciprocated. “Why are you awake so early? I thought you’d want to sleep in.”

Law chuckled. “I thought about it, but I wanted to spend the day with Bepo, just the two of us. Sometimes I’m afraid he’ll forget about me because I’m at work so often.”

You laughed. “Aww, you miss your puppy!” Bepo rolled over on the floor, exposing his belly which you gladly leaned down to give a firm few pats to.

“Well, I’m going to jump in the shower and get ready for work,” you stated, ruffling Bepo’s fur between his ears and standing back up to retreat to the bathroom.

You disrobed and turned on the water when a very dull cramping sensation developed in your lower abdomen. You were only two days away from your next follow-up with Dr. Robin, and she did inform you that, in the case that your pregnancy was progressing normally, it is common to feel slight discomfort during certain hours of the day. You hoped that was the case. Hell, you prayed that was the case.

Your morning routine went by without incident, and you gave Law a kiss before leaving for your car and making the drive to your office. You were slightly nervous, however. You had told your closer coworkers and your boss that you were pregnant, but you had been reluctant to describe anything since the original announcement, and especially now after your ultrasound the week prior. You loved your friends, but they were prone to gossip. You had sworn them, very sternly in fact, that you did not, under any circumstances, want the entire office to know about your pregnancy. You still didn’t quite know if they kept their word, but so far it seemed that they had. But now, with constant uncertainty looming over your head like a thundercloud, you definitely doubled down on not wanting to tell anyone.

The dull, slightly throbbing pain in your lower abdomen continued on your drive. You took a few sips from your water bottle to try to distract yourself.

Your shift started as they normally did. You placed your lunch in the refrigerator in the break room, dropped your bag on your desk, and sat down in your chair to boot up your computer.

The cramping sensation increased from sitting. You winced, attempting to adjust yourself in your seat to ease the feeling.

You said good morning to Nami, Ikkaku, and Usopp, and reviewed your project progress with your boss in time to sit in for an hour-long meeting with the clients you and your team were working with. The meeting was long and arduous, and every time you felt the cramps flare up you took a sip from your water bottle. At one point, Nami leaned over and whispered, “Parched, are we?” You shared a quiet giggle.

The meeting ended, you ate your lunch, and left your desk to be watched over by Ikkaku while you used the bathroom. With all the water you were drinking, it was no surprise that you had to go. You pushed your phone into the pocket of your pants, a habit that had developed since getting pregnant eight weeks ago. You wanted to be able to contact Law if anything changed even the slightest bit.

You left your office and entered the women’s restroom located between your agency and the one across the hall. You sighed in relief as the restroom was empty. You hated peeing with other people in the room with you. You entered a stall, locked the door, and pulled down your pants.

You felt the blood drain from your face.

There was a substantial amount of bright red blood in your underwear. It had seeped through the cotton and stained a very small patch in the crotch of your pants, not enough to be noticed from in between your legs, but enough that you were certain the stain would be permanent. Your legs felt wobbly and you sat on the toilet. Your cramps felt significantly worse when you sat, and suddenly the sensation of needing to urinate seemed to dissipate to make room for the painful squeezing in your abdomen.

There was no other possibility.

Your hands began to shake as you frantically reached for your phone in the pocket of your pants. You opened your text with Law, thumb shaking as you tapped on his contact and pressed the Call button.

Please still be home… please still be home… please pick up…

[CLICK]

[Hey baby, what’s up–]

“Law, I’m having a miscarriage,” you blurted. Your voice was already cracking as your entire body trembled.

The line was silent.

[You’re… I’m on my way. I’ll be there as quickly as I can.]

You couldn’t even utter a response as your eyes swelled with salty tears that quickly fell from your cheeks and onto your bare thighs. The cramps were growing more intense with each passing minute.

[Where are you right now?]

“Bathroom…” you meekly uttered.

[Okay, is your stuff at your desk? Can I just ask the receptionist for your bag when I get there?]

You wished you didn’t have to speak. Your entire body was struggling to cope with the heavy bleeding from your womb, the last thing you wanted to do was talk. But you knew Law needed this information. “Yes.”

[Okay, baby hang on, I’m getting in my car. I’ll be there in 10 minutes. Can you hold on that long?]

You couldn’t speak. “Mhm.”

[Okay, okay. I’m leaving now. I promise I’ll get there as fast as I can. I love you, I love you.]

The call was cut out as he hung up the phone to drive to your office.

You were alone once more.

The sight of your blood-soaked underwear was burning into your retinas. The bright red liquid, fresh and new, as if you had simply scraped your knee. This wasn’t similar to a period, exactly the opposite. This blood was as fresh as it could be, fully oxygenated and supposed to be supplying life to the embryo that was supposed to be growing inside of you.

Supposed to be. Everything was ‘supposed to be.’

You fought back a sob as your cramps persisted in waves. Your body was most definitely passing something, but the last thing you wanted to do was think about what exactly that ‘something’ might be.

Your mind was reeling.

You felt dizzy.

Were you breathing? Where was Law?

You placed a hand on the wall of the stall you occupied to settle yourself as your vision grew foggy as a wave of nausea washed over you. Your ears barely picked up the sound of a trickle coming from you and into the toilet. That definitely wasn’t urine.

The cramps continued, like a taunting knife digging into your flesh, ripping your dignity to pieces.

Where. Was. Law.

You tried to think of his face. His gorgeous golden eyes that looked at you so tenderly, his pink lips that curled into a humble smile whenever he saw you, his fluffy hair you loved to play with. You tried to think of Bepo at home, greeting you after your shift with his smile and his tail wagging so fervently it left a cloud of white fur floating through the air in its wake. You tried to think of your bed at home, soft and warm, and how it smelled like Law. You tried to think–

A strong cramp rippled through your womb. You felt another wash of liquid leave your body before hearing a small plunk as something landed in the toilet bowl.

Your stomach churned. You felt a cold sweat ripple up your spine and the back of your neck as your hair stood on end. The cramps slightly improved after the unknown thing exited your body against your will, but the dull throb continued to radiate through you.

You wanted to vomit, but it seemed your body didn’t want to put you through more. The only thing you were faced with was the nausea that rocked you so bad it made your vision fill with black spots.

Were you going to pass out? Oh my god, you were going to pass out on the toilet. You were going to pass out and hit your head and die–

“Baby?!” The bathroom door was flung open. The familiar voice of your savior flooded into the room. “Honey, are you in here?!”

You couldn’t respond. You simply pushed your foot outward under the stall door, enough for him to see the toe of your shoe. You heard him pace towards you, knocking on the stall door with the back of his knuckles.

“Can you unlock it?”

You felt another wave of nausea followed by another intense cramp discharge through your lower body. You whimpered. “I don’t want you to see me like this.”

Law felt his own stomach church. Behind the thick plastic door in front of him, you were doubled over in complete anguish, miscarrying a dead fetus. Law clenched his fist, livid at the world.

“I can’t help you if you don’t unlock the door,” he affirmed, his voice as gentle as it could be. You could hear the wavering in his tone. He was just as petrified as you are, minus the physical pain.

You reached forward with a trembling hand to slide the lock out of its slot.

Law pushed the stall door open.

His stomach dropped like a stone at the sight you were in. He felt his hair stand on end at the sight of the bright red blood in your underwear, the way you were curled in on yourself as you shivered in agony in front of him.

Come on, Law. Your wife needs you.

With a deep breath, Law forced the fear into the back of his mind like he had done so many times over the past eight months. He immediately jumped into action, pulling out a thick wad of toilet paper from the dispenser beside you and using it to line your underwear. Not that it made a difference anymore, but he didn’t want you to be uncomfortable when he brought you to his car.

“I need you to stand up, honey,” he urged. His voice was soft yet laced with a fear unknown.

“I don’t want to…” you whispered.

Law swallowed his own glob of saliva in his throat. “I know you don’t, but I need you to. Keep your eyes on me, you don’t have to look down. Just keep your eyes on me.”

Law had seen a plethora of traumatic instances in his lifetime, especially as a cardiac surgeon. He’s seen people die on the operating table, their chests completely open and exposed in a dire attempt to fix an unfixable heart condition. He’s seen people young and old hooked up to a multitude of tubes, breathing artificially and pumping blood mechanically. He’s seen families cry over the news of their loved ones dying. He’s seen mothers weep over their children.

But this… his wife, weeping over their child, was unlike anything Law had experienced before. For once, he wasn’t the doctor providing the treatment or the bad news. He was the husband on the front lines. His stomach churned. Could he even call it a child?

He carefully pulled you to your feet, constantly urging you to keep your eyes focused on the wall behind him as he pulled your pants up, making sure the large wad of toilet paper was secure in your underwear. Your cramps were still running through you, and your tears were freely flowing down your cheeks like an unrestrained waterfall crashing through a broken dam. You blindly followed as your husband pulled you out of the stall, grabbing your phone from the floor and shoving it in his pocket. He felt his own wave of nausea as he peered into the toilet bowl.

Full of bright red blood, with three substantial broken-apart blood clots standing out among the blood-diluted water. Combined together, the entire clot was easily the size of a lemon. He was sure there’d be more.

He flushed the toilet. You stood as still as a statue, the sound of the flushing causing you to choke out a sob. You wanted to double over, fall to your knees and let the universe swallow you whole, but Law wrapped his arm around your shoulders, holding you up and grabbing your hand with his opposite arm. Your bag from your desk was on the sink counter. If you weren’t in such a state of distress, you would be relieved that you didn’t have to face your coworkers. Law grabbed the bag and opened the door, hurrying you out into the hallway and into the elevator to bring you to the car as quickly as possible.

Thousands of irrelevant questions flooded into your mind. What about your car? What about calling out sick?

“Breathe, baby, breathe for me,” Law whispered, the sounds of your strangled cries echoing through the enclosed elevator that seemed to move as slow as it possibly could to the ground floor.

You tried to follow his instructions, but your lungs were too focused on contracting as rapidly as the cramps in your womb.

You truly thought you were dying.

Law was practically moving for you as he brought you to his car, getting you safely into the passenger seat. You stared blankly at your lap, your cramps now starting to feel numb to you as your mind went completely dark.

“I’m taking you to the ER,” Law stated flatly, turning the key in the ignition. The car’s engine roared to life.

You didn’t respond.

Law kept his mouth sealed shut. He backed out of the parking lot of your office and began to drive to his hospital.

#fem reader #law x reader #reader insert #trafalgar law x reader #x reader #trafalgar d water law x reader #trafalgar d water law #trafalgar law #one piece x reader #op x reader #im losing you

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