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padfootagain · 5 months

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Hold My Hand Instead of His

Hello everyone!! We're answering a request for my event today!

Here is the first request coming from two anons, actually, who have requested the same tropes: “Hiya! Can I request The Darkling Soulmate AU with an arranged marriage trope? But the reader is meant to get married to someone else? Can have a little bit of jealousy if you wish. Either that or enemies to lovers you choose” and “Hi carooole!!! Congrats for 6k!! I'm so happy when I see you on my TL again i've been following you since 2020 aaaa

I would like to request The Darkling, Soulmates AU and Arranged Marriage please !🫶

I hope you're having a good day and congratulations again <3”

I love this idea of an arranged marriage with someone else ifoeofueuojeji that’s amazing. I hope you like what I’ve written for your request, anon! <3

Hope you all like this. Tell me what you think!

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Pairing: The Darkling x Reader

Warnings: angst, fluff; I’m distorting canon rules of Grisha magic to apply to a Soulmate AU I hope you like it

Summary: You are engaged to the Prince of Ravka, through an arranged marriage, in order to pacify relations between Grisha and otkazat’sya. The issue: Nikolai Lantsov is not your soulmate, and you are torn between duty and love.

Word Count: 3554

The Darkling’s Masterlist – Main Masterlist

What could happen if the world were to be devoured by shadows?

Sometimes, as you laid down at night, staring at the shining stars and moon, you asked yourself this question. Would it be the end? The beginning? The continuation? Would anything change?

You felt a little too lost in your life these days to be afraid of the shadows, of the blindness they carried. If you were so lost, weren’t you alone already?

Besides, these were his shadows. If anyone else could fear the dark because it was his, you felt the opposite.

Your gaze turned from the window to the door on the opposite wall. Why were you chosen to marry the prince anyway? Granted, you were a powerful Grisha, but there were others who could have done it, why did it have to be you?

You knew that Nikolai Lantsov was not your soulmate. There was no wonder about it. As a Grisha, your soulmate would be easy to detect: a simple touch and your powers would be amplified. A surge of power matching the rush of a heart. You had touched the prince before, had felt nothing. It wasn’t him…

Actually, you knew who was your soulmate. You had touched him once, without meaning to. While he was asleep, after a long day spent on a battlefield. You can see it all over again: the dry blood still tainting his forehead, the quiet of his breathing, the calmness on his features. He seemed so innocent then, so different from the man who had used his shadows against the world mere hours before. You remember as well the water you had been carrying to his tent, the reason for your presence in the first place. Because of course, you were a powerful Grisha, but he was The Darkling, a general, a leader, unreachable. You remember, though, the light shiver that shook his frame, the blanket that had fallen from his chest during his sleep. To this day, you didn’t know what had come over you that night, putting down your bucket of cold water, gently holding the blanket to cover his long frame once more. And it was an accident, really, a mere miscalculation of trajectory, when you brushed your fingers against his. And you remember the surge of power shaking your entire frame, making it hard to breathe, igniting every cell in your body. The sudden knowledge of your powers beating in your muscles at the same rhythm as your heartbeat. It was so strong, you could barely control your powers enough to not burn him, feeling flames surging to your hands. You were certain that the warmth escaping through every inch of your skin was warming the entire room. It felt like you could have burned the entire world…

It had taken you a long time to finally accept the truth that was revealed that night: the Darkling was your soulmate. Amplifying abilities could only happen between people bound by true love and fate alike, and that cold night spent on the verge of Fjerda, you had revealed an unbelieving truth. The Darkling was your soulmate. Your one true love.

Even now, you contemplated this fact with a tinge of bitterness. He was the Darkling, and you… it would be absolutely impossible for the two of you to be together. Now more than ever. You had been chosen to marry the prince of Ravka, it would strengthen the Grisha, protect them… you had worked hard to protect your people, you couldn’t abandon them simply because you were being a silly romantic. This wasn’t about love. This was about duty and the need of your people. Besides, it could have been worse. Nikolai wasn’t a bad man, marrying his brother would have been much closer to martyrdom.

These were the words you repeated yourself over and over again, every night since the announcement. And they were sensible and logical, but they did not prevent the aching in your chest, the tears at the corners of your eyes, or the urge to run across the Little Palace to the Darkling’s War Room to tell him the truth and beg him to take you away…

You closed your eyes, the world even darker than before. Against your eyelids, you painted his tall frame wrapped in his shadows, the dark of his infinite eyes, the sot beard on his cheeks. It was useless though, and terribly childish.

After all, how could the Darkling do anything against your union with Nikolai Lantsov? He didn’t even know you were his soulmate…

You didn’t know that he was your soulmate, and it was slowly killing him.

The Darkling looked at you now, dressed in the finest silk the kingdom of Ravka could offer. Your hand resting on Nikolai Lantsov’s arm, gloved in white fabric. He was showing you off, the bastard. He was playing his part in this political plot a little too well, took too much pleasure in parading with you by his side. And you were so unlike your true self. Too pliant, too obedient, smiling too politely. But Aleksander knew who you could be, this other side of you. The one covered with blood, the one burning like the flames ignited by your fingers and palms.

The Darkling was being ridiculous, and he knew it. He had worked too hard to reach this position, over the long hours of centuries, he had crafted his myth, his image, his power, his influence. And Nikolai Lantsov marrying a Grisha was a central part of his plot, it was vital, actually. It was a new step towards the throne…

But you… why did it have to be you?

He was being ridiculous, and he knew it. He had abandoned the idea of an everlasting love such a long time ago. Centuries ago. He had built an armour around his heart, he had grown as ruthless as his shadows, he had grown too determined to be drawn off-course by sentiments.

And yet, as he looked at you now, at the way you leaned against another man, he wanted to destroy the entirety of Ravka and the world beyond too, if need be. He wanted to tear the fabrics of the universe apart, and scream against the night sky.

The Darkling was selfish, and he knew it. And yet, his selfishness was always directed towards the same goal he had been pursuing for centuries, for lifetimes… he could not simply yield now. Of course he wanted you, you were connected by a power stronger than the Small Science he used as weapons and shields. Still… still he couldn’t simply yield, it would ruin everything.

Aleksander remembers, though. He remembers that afternoon, the clouds of smoke rising from the broken earth, the screams, the irony taste of blood in the air. He remembers looking for you, though he didn’t know why his instinct made him look for your frame across the battlefield. And yet, every fibre of his being was screaming at him to find you. He remembers the beating of his heart and his shallow breathing, the pain of his own wounds making his head spin. He remembers catching the colour of your hair there, lying in the dirt, his gaze moving to your closed eyelids… He remembers the sudden fear that shook him, even though he didn’t know why he felt that way. Because you were, of course, a powerful Inferni, he suspected that you were unusually gifted, and yet… you were just a soldier. Why was he so upset? He had seen thousands of people dying, thousands of his soldiers falling… why was it so different now? He remembers the way he had stumbled as he rushed to your side, falling by your side more than kneeling. Your still frame, your peaceful expression, you looked like you were merely asleep. He remembers too well the slow movement of his own fingers towards your throat, pressing against your pulse to feel your heart, and the surge of power that coursed through his frame, ignited his blood, sparkling every cell of his body. Such an overcoming beating of power in his heart, he didn’t control the shadows that sprang from his frame, that gathered from all around the two of you to cover both of your frames. He didn’t control it. He knew at once what it meant though. And his shadows pulsed, at the same rhythm as his own heart and, as he noticed your pulse, as your heart as well.

Two hearts. One heartbeat. Soulmates…

Aleksander looked away, focusing his dark eyes on the drink in his hands instead of your frame. This surge of power he had felt, unbearable, uncontrollable, too wild to be tamed… he knew what it meant, of course. When he was young, and naïve, and stupid, he had spent long decades looking for it. The reason of his failure then was obvious now. You did not exist yet, you were born centuries apart… how cruel the world could be, making him wait for so long, only to snatch you away…

The Darkling was being ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. For longing for you so much it hurt, for seriously considering walking over to you and lie about a need to see you alone, and kiss you in the safety of his shadows, with your back pressed against a wall and your skin under his palms…

But was he so ridiculous? He couldn’t help it, after all. If fate itself had weaved your two lives, your two souls together, how could he simply ignore it?

He could have laughed at himself for being naïve all over again, a boy who longed for a fairer world. Fairness didn’t exist, it wasn’t in human nature. Marriages had little to do with love at all when they involved the royal family. It was about politics, not sentiments.

But then, why did Aleksander felt your numb body in his arms all over again, the weight of your unconsciousness resting on his forearms as he carried you to safety that afternoon, the shallow warmth of your breath against his neck, as you turned to him and looked at him from across the crowd, catching his gaze with ease?

But then, why did he want nothing but to leave everything behind now, everything he had worked so hard on and had lost so much of his own self to reach, at the mere hope of running away with you?

But you didn’t know he was your soulmate. You were unconscious then, when he had touched your skin, you couldn’t feel the amplification held in his bones for you.

He turned around, his back to you now to relieve the temptation to stare at you for too long. The Darkling was patient, but Aleksander was selfish. Would he hold on, or tell you the truth?

The answer came with the breeze of spring and a kiss stolen by the lake.

It came from you, actually. From the feeling of warm lips against yours, and hands on your cheeks, and the sudden knowledge of a truth you had been pushing away out of duty.

You couldn’t do this.

You pulled away quickly, leaving a rather stunned Nikolai Lantsov behind. You didn’t look at him as you spun on your heels, as you ran away across the grass and towards the Little Palace. You didn’t look back as you spotted the Darkling there, under the trees, speaking with Ivan. You were crying, you realised it only because it made their frame a little blur. Still, you aimed straight for the Darkling, who frowned at the sight of you. He dismissed Ivan with a mere gesture of the hand, and walked towards you.

“Y/N? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

You wanted to rush into his arms, but didn’t dare to. Because he didn’t know you were his soulmate, and would notice if you touched his skin…

You were surprised when he held your upper-arm to steady you, though. But he was touching the fabric of your dress, you couldn’t feel the bond between the two of you…

“Y/N, what happened?”

You took a couple of deep breaths. You were being utterly ridiculous. You had fought battles, had killed people, had buried friends… this was a mere kiss, why did it upset you so much?

When you looked up at the Darkling, his expression was unreadable, a perfectly calm demeanour. There was but the ghost of a frown to show that he cared.

Did he care though? He didn’t know…

You couldn’t hold it back any longer. You had to tell him. Because he would probably push you away anyway, remind you of your duty towards Ravka, towards your fellow Grisha, and break your heart for good. And then, perhaps you could accept your arranged marriage with the prince…

“I can’t do it,” you let out in a breath, shaking your head. “I am sorry, but I cannot do it. I can’t marry Lantsov.”

The Darkling’s frown deepened, he leaned a little closer, his eyes searching yours, digging their way into your mind and heart until he could peer right into your soul.

“Did he hurt you? What happened?”

“He didn’t hurt me, he…”

You took a shaky breath, closed your eyes tightly for a moment, trying to release the words and hold back a sob.

“He kissed me.”

When you opened your eyes again, fell back into the gaze as dark as the shadows they summoned, you couldn’t read through them. Aleksander had clenched his jaw, but he was still as unreadable as ever.

“I’m sorry. I can’t do it… I can’t marry him…”

“Y/N, calm down. This is important.”

“I have a soulmate.”

His lips parted slightly, but he remained silent, frozen in expectation. His hold on your arm tightened, it was the only movement he made until you spoke again.

You wondered where your strength came from as you finally confessed the truth, you didn’t think you had it in you. Even if your voice was but a weak whisper, the words were let out, audible and clear, lifting a heavy weight from your shoulders and heart.

“It’s you. You’re my soulmate.”

You shook your head, eyes begging for forgiveness, even if none of this was your fault in the first place.

“I’m sorry. I… one day I touched you without meaning to while you slept, just… just your finger and… I felt it. The amplifying. And I… I didn’t tell you, because I know that you are focused on your task concerning Ravka, that this is not your priority, that you probably don’t even care but… You’re my soulmate. And I can’t marry another man, I simply can’t. I’ll fight as hard as I can, I’ll risk my life, I’ll kill and do whatever needs to be done, but as a soldier. Please… please, help me. Help me not marry him. I cannot marry someone else when I love you so deeply. I am not asking for anything else, I simply…”

Your voice died down as his hold on your kefta tightened, becoming almost painful, the hold unforgiving.

His stare was even more intense now, if that was even possible. You read hesitation in them, something you had never seen before on him…

His eyes fell from your gaze to your mouth, intense and holding you hostage, making your heart jump and crash against your ribcage. When his eyes flickered back to rest on yours, he was out of breath as he spoke.

“I know.”

You could only stare at him, stunned. You could feel your heart shattering…

“Do you remember when you were wounded in the South? About a year ago?”

Slowly, you nodded.

“I am the one who found you, unconscious, lying among the dead. I checked your pulse.”

“Oh…”

The ghost of an amused smile tugged at his lips.

“’Oh’, indeed.”

Slowly, you nodded. Because he knew, and yet he had done nothing to prevent this marriage.

“I thought you didn’t know,” he went on. “I thought it was better that way.”

“Because I must marry Nikolai to help the Grisha?”

But he was too earnest in his answer, his hand slowly rising to your cheek, but he didn’t touch you. Instead, he let his hand hover over your face, close enough to feel the heat of your skin, but still away, unbearably so.

“Because I do not want to have weaknesses. And loving you would turn you into a weakness.”

Again, you nodded, although you were more lost than ever.

“I can’t marry Nikolai,” you breathed again, the tears coming back into your eyes.

“If you do not, Ravka will be endangered, and Grisha more than anyone else.”

You looked down at your feet, the weight of duty too heavy on your shoulders now, despite the strength in them, the endurance of a soldier.

Aleksander could not bear the sight. Beyond duty, your frame was crushed by another burden he knew only too well, after carrying it for so many centuries.

Loneliness…

If he caved in, you would never have to be alone again, and neither would he…

Slowly, he closed the space between your two skins, his hand coming to rest on your cheek, guiding gently your face upward to look at him again. And the power that coursed through your bodies now was so intense, so overwhelming, that you couldn’t help the flames that sparked in the air all around you, and he couldn’t master the shadows that twirled around your frames. Fire and darkness mingled in a whirlwind that covered the world, made you escape from it. It was a strange dance on your features, the burning lights of flames dancing with his shadows in your eyes…

The decision was easy to make.

He leaned down before you could move, or speak, or master your powers again. Only when his lips moved over yours, when you lost yourself in his touch, when he melted under your palms and pressed himself against you, did your powers calm down. You felt the warmth of the sun against your face instead of the heat of flames, the constant light of the distant star painting your eyelids red instead of the unsteady black of his twirling shadows. And there was no thought left to be thought, no breath to be drawn, no duty to cave under. Instead, there was the passion of Aleksander’s kiss, the gentle tug of your fingers on his hair, the tingle of his beard against your soft skin. There was nothing in the world but the two of you, feelings overwhelming, and at the back of your mind, still, the knowledge of immense power waiting to be freed.

When you broke apart, both of you out of breath, Aleksander pulled away just enough to look at you again, to capture your gaze with his, making your heart stutter all over again.

“Do not marry him.”

You stopped breathing altogether as the words passed his lips. He slowly shook his head. His hold on your face tightened a little, he moved a little closer, and his voice was dangerously tempting, almost begging, when he spoke again.

“I can take care of this,” he assured you, his tone sounding like a promise. “I can make him back down. We are soulmates, this is our right…”

“But what about Grisha…”

“Lantsov can marry someone else. He chose you because he had a crush on you, he will get over it and choose someone else.”

“Do you really mean that?”

He smiled.

“We are soulmates. Do you not know the answer already?”

And as you stared at him for a little longer, you did. You knew he meant it. You could see it in his dark eyes, in the tension of his jaw, feel it in the way he held you a little too tight, a little too close, a tinge of desperation searing cracks through his perfect composure.

One of his hands let go of you, and he offered it, palm up and open, an offering of weakness and vulnerability.

“Choose me,” he demanded in a breathy whisper. “I’ll manage Lantsov, I’ll get you out of this marriage. We could be together. We can fight. Choose me. Hold my hand instead of his. Share your heart with me, not with him. Y/N…”

He fell silent as you took his hand, as you pulled him down to kiss him again, passionate and breathtaking.

He smiled into the kiss, he couldn’t help it. Because of your lips against his, because of the love you shared, because of the relief coursing through his entire frame after finally surrendering to the feelings he had held back for months, because of the shushing of its constant loneliness under your palms, because of the power you released into his body by a simple caress…

Aleksander was selfish, after all, and he would have you, if you chose him. He would do without this alliance with the Lantsov family. He didn’t need it. Instead of political leverage, you were now offering a power of his own.

He broke the kiss, held you close to him, rested his lips against your hair. Yes, he would have you. And if need be, he’d take the light out of this entire world, while you burned it to the ground.

#the darkling #the darkling x reader #the darkling x you #the darkling x y/n #the darkling imagine #the darkling fanfiction #the darkling fanfic #aleksander morozova #aleksander kirigan #aleksander x reader #aleksander x y/n #aleksander x you #fanfiction #fanfic #writing

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crvptidgf · 9 months

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𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐭

general kirigan x fem!reader

summary: the darkling arrives to your room late in the night, right after the winter fete

warnings/notes: making out, very slight sexual content 18+, heavily inspired by what could’ve happened with alina and aleksander the night of the fete, book descriptions of the Darkling (?)

requested?: sort of @loversmantra

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You had been waiting in your room all night long. Aleksander had been long gone from the fete, and you soon followed as you jumped at the first chance to leave the Grand Palace. It wasn’t that you didn’t enjoy your time - you really did. The performances were amazing, and you had been incredibly proud of Alina’s progress with her powers; you knew she could do it.

Yet the memory of being in the Queen’s sitting room, pushed up against the double doors as Aleksander’s hands inched up your thighs feverishly didn’t leave your mind the whole night. You clenched your thighs together for what felt like the millionth time that night. You desperately explained your excuse and bid your farewells to your friends before sneaking out of the Palace undetected.

“Can I visit you tonight?” he had asked. He looked around the corridor, holding the door open as he prepared to leave you, disheveled and needy in the Queen’s lounge area.

All you could muster was a nod, too embarrassed to speak under his intense gaze.

Now, you stood in your room with bated breath as you waited for his supposed arrival. Perhaps you were foolish for believing that he’d ever want you - need you.

But you wanted to believe. And so you did. As you waited, and waited, and waited, you began to lose hope. Of course it was too good to be true - maybe that was all you two were destined to be, a quick, silly make-out on the outskirts of a ravishing party.

You scolded yourself as you pulled off your skirts and slippers, unbuttoning your kefta and throwing them atop your dressing screen. Grabbing your white night gown, you fitted it over your head before making your way towards your bed.

Your mind wandered yet again as you reminisced on the night you just had.

His lips were pressed directly on your pulse - kissing, nipping, licking any inch of skin he could reach. Hands were pawing at your hips and waist, lifting your skirt to wrap one leg around his waist before he began massaging into you slowly, gently.

One hand kept you balanced against the door while the other roamed across your bare thigh, getting closer to where you needed him most.

Your collarbone was attacked by kisses as he dragged his teeth along the flesh, earning a satisfied gasp from you.

Suddenly, he stopped.

Voices could be heard down the hallway, footsteps getting tantalizingly close to the doorway you were currently pushed up against. Aleksander’s hand came to press against the door right next to your head.

You stalled your breathing, doing everything in your power to not lean into him, to not roll your hips against his.

You sighed as you wrapped your silk and fur covers around yourself, trying to subdue your disappointment. What did you honestly expect? He was The Darkling. He had things to do, and prettier girls fawning over him. Hell, he had the Sun Summoner at his fingertips.

Yet as you began to close your eyes to drift into an uneasy sleep, a low knock came at your door. It was so quiet that you almost thought you had imagined it.

Another knock sounded and you stuffed your feet into your fur lined slippers before walking to the door.

Unlocking it, you were immediately met with complete darkness, save for Aleksander’s icy eyes piercing through the blackness. He was here. Maybe you weren’t so stupid after all. His domineering aura made you shift in place as you stepped aside to let the leather clad man enter your room.

“You’re here,” you said blindly. What a stupid sentence. Of course he was here, he was unmistakably standing right in-front of you, his dark head of hair being ruffled by his hand as he ran his fingers through it.

“Did you ever doubt that I wouldn’t be?” he said as he raised an eyebrow at you.

Closing the door and locking it once again, you turned to face him. You wanted to lie, to cover up the fact that you were staying up all night waiting for him. Yet as you looked into his intense gray eyes, you just couldn’t.

“A little.”

He advanced towards you, and you suddenly felt very exposed in your night wear. His hand came to grab at yours, holding it tightly. A wave of confidence rushed through you, and you could practically feel your heart rate picking up times ten.

“I’m sorry for leaving so suddenly,” he said as his hand came to rest at the nape of your neck.

Stepping closer towards him, you responded. “You’re here now.”

And with that, you grabbed at his collar as you connected your lips to his, all the desperation from tonight melting into the kiss. Your patience was wearing thin, but knowing him, he wasn’t going to give in easily. Sasha had a knack for pushing people to the edge. His inhuman amount of patience annoyed you at times, but he always made it worth your time.

His hands were on you in an instant, gripping your nightgown, the back of your hair, everything. As his mouth hungrily chased down your neck, you were pushed against the door for the second time tonight.

Gently tugging his hair to unlatch him from the side of your neck, you pulled his lips back up to meet yours in a flurry mess of teeth and tongue clashing together.

You could feel his touch times ten now that you were rid of your kefta and extra outerwear. Everywhere he touched granted you a new set of goosebumps, and as his hand reached up to grasp at your hips, you leaned into him more. There was something so intoxicating about him.

This little midnight rendezvous filled you with excitement. Pulling away from you, he began to speak once again.

“It pained me to have to leave you in there alone, you know,” he muttered against your lips as he heaved you up so you could wrap your legs around his waist.

“Well then make it up to me.”

With your back pressed against the mattress, and his tall stature standing over you, you knew tonight would be a good night.

- - -

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mistiell · 1 year

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Strange Love

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Healer! Reader

Summary: You run a secret clinic out of your home in the woods that surround Duva, meant mostly for Grisha fleeing Ravka. Your house has become a sort of safe house, one that very few know the location of. You’ve helped dozens of families flee the country over the years, but when the Black General find out what you’re up to, you find yourself in a very... unusual situation.

Warnings: Canon typical violence, brief mention of blood, Darkling might be a tiny bit ooc but idrk, sort of one sided enemies to lovers

A/N: I’m planning to make this a series, but I can’t promise regular updates bc I am shit at committing to literally anything lmao. It also depends on how y’all like this concept, so feedback would be very much appreciated!

Word Count: 2.7k

Current > Part 2

You’ve always tried to be an empathetic person.

Your mother, a healer like yourself, had taught you from an early age that every living thing deserves kindness, even when it might not seem that way. She ran a clinic out of your home, though for some odd reason, she forbid you from telling anyone about it. It confused you when you were young — wouldn’t telling people about it help her business grow? — but as you got older, you grew to understand what it was she really did.

It wasn’t a business at all. She had turned your home into a safe place for those who were fleeing the war. It was mostly families with grisha in the family that were either too young, too old, or too sick to fight. She was always so kind, so willing to help. When she passed, you vowed to do the same.

You converted the attic into a spare bedroom, a decent double bed against one wall and a couple of spare cots tucked against the other. You even added a small bookshelf with a handful of titles to make it seem a little more homey. You started offering the families that came to you later in the evening a safe place to rest before continuing on their journey towards the Fold. You aren’t sure how many actually make it through, but you don’t like to dwell on it much.

You’re restocking the pantry when there’s an urgent knock on your door, something you’ve grown used to over the years. You quickly make your way to the door and when you open it, you’re met with three worn looking faces.

“Are you Y/n?” The man asks, sounding just as tired as he looks. He’s got a cut on his forehead and dirt smeared over the right side of his face.

“Who sent you?” You ask calmly. You have a friend at the inn in town who keeps a look out for people who may need your help. You always ask to make sure it was her who sent them.

“Klara.” He replies. You smile and step out of the way to let them inside.

You come to find the man’s name is Rolan, the two travelling with him are his wife and daughter, Nika and Zarya.

“Where are you three headed?” You ask, gently wiping away the dirt around Rolan’s wound.

“Kerch, hopefully.” Nika states, watching you work carefully, “We aren’t keen on staying in Ravka.”

“Nika.” Her husband’s tone is one of warning, one that says ‘change the subject or stop talking’.

“It’s alright.” You assure, setting the now dirtied cloth in the bowl and turn to them with a smile that puts them at ease, “Whatever you say here stays within these walls.”

“I’m grisha.” Zarya blurts, voice small and shaky. The girl can’t be more than thirteen. You see the tears welling up in her eyes and your heart breaks a little for her. Based on how guilty she looks, you deduce that her parents aren’t.

“What kind?” You ask carefully.

“A healer.” She states, trying to wipe away her tears discreetly while her mother pulls her into a side hug.

“That’s one of the best to be.” You smile at her, setting about using your small science to heal her father’s head wound. Your answer would have been the same no matter what she said, but her being a healer makes consoling her a bit easier, “You have the power to help people. Just like this,” You glance over at her to see her watching you with fascination, “See? Not so scary.”

She smiles at you and you smile back.

Once you’re sure they’re all healed, you offer them something to eat and drink. Just as they finish, someone bangs on the door. It startles you all. You’re quick to reassure them that everything’s alright, but you really aren’t sure yourself. You make your way out of the small dining room and towards the front door. Standing behind it and listening through the wood, you pick up four heartbeats.

“Open up! We know you’re in there!” Your blood runs cold as the person pounds on the door again.

You rush back to the dining room, startling the family when you appear in the doorway, “You need to leave. Grab your things.”

“What? I don’t understa—.”

“There’s no time! Grab your bags!” You whisper yell and they scramble up from the table. You help them collect their belongings in record timing before ushering them towards the back door, “Listen to me carefully. When you leave, you cannot come back here. There’s a trail about a mile west of here that will take you back to the village. Go straight to the inn and tell Klara I sent you. She’ll let you stay for the night but you need to be gone as soon as possible, alright?”

“Alright.” Rolan nods, turning to leave with his family before adding, “Thank you. Truly.”

You nod and rush back to the front door once they’ve left. You pull it open, trying to look as casual as possible, though when you spot two heartrenders amongst the four people you’d heard earlier, you realize it won’t matter. They’ll be able to hear your racing heart just as well as you can hear theirs.

“Are you Y/n L/n?” Your attention turns to the squaller in front of you.

“Depends. Who’s asking?” You chance a glance behind her to see who you’d be up against if you fought back. Two heartrenders, one inferni, and one squaller.

You’re fucked.

“General Kirigan.” Your heart drops to your stomach. Saints, you’re really fucked.

“What does he want with me?” You ask, voice steady.

“We’ve had reports of someone assisting in smuggling Grisha across the Fold.” She states cooly, gaze cold and unwavering, “We have reason to believe that our culprit is you.”

You try to think of a way out of this situation. You definitely can’t run passed her. You could try to flee through the back door but really, where would that get you? You can’t take your usual escape route seeing as you had sent that family down it. You’ll be damned if you get them caught. You could flee through the woods, but do you really want to chance getting lost?

Well, you suppose getting lost is better than facing the wrath of the Black General.

Before you have a chance to overthink it, you grab the woman by the front of her kefta and punch her in the nose as hard as physically possible. You shove her backwards, sending her sprawling against the dirt, and take off towards the back of your home, hearing her shout at the others to follow you.

You make it out the back door and start sprinting through the woods, the wind lashing at your cheeks and biting at your forearms where your sleeves are still rolled up. You can hear them getting closer, shouting at you and one another. You can hear your heart pounding in your ears, beating fast and hard.

Until it slows drastically. So drastically that it has you gasping and tripping over your own feet, scraping your face and palms against the ground. The world spins and spots dance across your vision. You try to fight against it, pressing your hands together and trying to raise your heart rate again. You manage to make it back onto your feet, stumbling and using the trees around you to keep yourself upright. You turn and lock eyes with one of the heartrenders, the one that’s currently trying to put you to sleep. He looks surprised and a little horrified by the fact that you’re still standing and you smirk at him, mimicking the position of his hands. You focus on a specific part of his brain, making it release a chemical you know will make him tired while lowering his heart rate and slowing his breathing all at once. He falls to the ground in seconds.

You breathe in a breath of relief as his hold on your body is broken, though it’s short lived. The other heartrender takes his place, knocking the wind out of your lungs and forcing you to the ground. You blink your eyes slowly, gasping as you watch a pair of boots enter your line of sight. The person rolls you over and you find yourself looking up at the squaller. There’s a fair amount of blood trickling from her nose and you note that she looks royally pissed off.

“Fuck you.” It’s slurred and really doesn’t help you, but it feels good watching her face screw up into a scowl.

“Finish the job, Ivan.” The heartrender that’s still standing steps forward and before you can even begin to protest, consciousness slips from your grasp.

—

You aren't sure how much time has passed when you wake, but your head is pounding and your mouth is dry. With a groan, you roll onto your back and press a hand to your head, startling when your other smacks you in the forehead. You peel your eyes open and when your hands finally come into focus, you realize you're in shackles, a metal bar separating your hands to prevent you from using your small science. It's then that your memory returns to you and the panic starts to set in.

You sit up with a gasp, scooting back—despite how much your palms sting—to lean against the wall as you take in your surroundings. The cell you're in is cold, the stone walls and dirt floor doing absolutely nothing to insulate the room. There's a long corridor beyond the bars with more cells on either wall, though they're all empty. There's a large wooden door at the other end of the hall, you assume that's the only way in or out.

You shiver, pulling your knees to your chest in an attempt to preserve your body heat. You attempt to touch your hands together so you can at least warm yourself up, but to no avail. After failing for the fifth time, you huff, wiping away the tears of frustration that have gathered on your waterline.

The heavy door you had noted earlier swings open with a bang, startling you beyond belief. Your eyes blow wide at the sight of the man practically stalking towards you. From the solid black shade of his kefta, you know that this is the infamous General Kirigan. You can’t read his expression, but you’re sure he can’t be happy. One of the heartrenders that had captured you—Ivan, you think his name is—accompanies him. It isn’t long before he reaches your cell, looming over you from your place on the floor.

“So, you’re the woman that’s been smuggling Grisha out of Ravka.” His voice is smooth and confident as he watches you glare at him.

“I have done no such thing.” You state firmly, watching him quirk a brow at you, “I run a clinic. I treat patients and let them stay when needed. What they do after they leave my home is none of my business.”

He’s silent for a moment. He seems to be analyzing you and you wish you knew what was going on in his head.

“I heard you put up quite the fight,” He starts and you wonder where he’s going with this, “You broke Zoya’s nose.”

“So that’s her name.” You smile passive aggressively, “I would apologize, but I’m not one to lie.”

He stares at you curiously. You squirm a bit under the intensity of his gaze, but you don’t seem scared, “You also managed to overpower one of my Oprichnik. The heartrender. Do you remember?”

“The one that tried to sedate me? Yes, I remember.” You huff, glancing away from him, “Listen, if you’re going to kill me, you might as well get it over with.” He huffs a small laugh at your words. It feels a little condescending, even more so when he looks at you with mild amusement.

“I’m not going to kill you, miss L/n. You,” he looks you up and down, “Intrigue me.”

“You’re keeping me alive because I’m interesting?” You scoff and stare at him incredulously, word saturated with sarcasm, “Oh, you really are so generous, General Kirigan.” You shake your head with a wry laugh, “If you aren’t going to kill me, what are you going to do with me?”

He looks to Ivan and jerks his head toward the door to your cell. You watch as the heartrender unlocks and opens it.

“I plan to make you an Oprichnik.”

“You what?” You gawk at him as Ivan pulls you up from the floor. This has to be some kind of fever dream. He must be lying. Maybe he’s planning to make an example of you. Maybe he’s misleading you so you’ll go with him willingly, “Why?”

“I don’t believe I owe you an explanation.” Like hell he doesn’t, “All you need to know right now is that you’ll be staying here awhile.”

“Where exactly is here?” You ask as Ivan takes your arm and begins leading you down the hall, the General falling into line a few paces ahead of you.

“The Little Palace.” Your eyes damn near fall out of your skull. You must have been asleep for days if they transported you all the way from Duva to Os Alta.

They lead you up a spiral staircase and down several hallways. You can’t help but admire the interior design of the place as you go. You’ve heard stories of the Little Palace but you realize now that they’re either grossly exaggerated or don’t do it justice. Whoever designed it has impeccable taste

As you pass people in the halls, they whisper amongst themselves. You make a point of glowering at them until they look away. You don’t intend to be here for long, but you find a bit of amusement watching them squirm under your gaze. You can only imagine the rumours that have formed in the time you’ve been unconscious.

Eventually, you come to a large set of doors with flowers and vines carved into the wood, a theme that seems to be common throughout the whole place. When the General pushes them open, you find yourself walking down yet another hallway, though this one has doors lining either side. He stops you at the fifth door to the right, unlocking the door with a small key and pushing it open. Ivan practically shoves you through the doorway and you shoot him a deadly look, though he seems unfazed. You turn your attention back to the room and find it is nothing like you were expecting.

It’s a fair size, a single bed pressed up against the far wall. There’s a small dresser that doubles as a bedside table against the wall to your left and a bare desk to your right. Just byond the desk, there's a door that leads to what you can only assume is a bathroom. One that you pray has a shower considering the dirt and grime that cakes your arms and face.

“This will be your dormitory.” You startle, and when you turn to look at him you realize Ivan is no longer next to him. You stare at him like he’s gone mad. This has to be some kind of cruel joke, “You’ll find your kefta in the top drawer of your dresser. You’ll be expected in the anatomy room at eight bells tomorrow morning. Until then, you’re free to explore the palace.”

“You’re fucking with me.” You blurt, immediately regretting the words the second they leave your mouth.

He laughs, and for a moment he feels human, “I assure you, miss L/n. I am not ‘fucking with you’, as you so eloquently put it.”

He reaches out to give you the key and you glance between him and the object nervously before taking it from him. You push aside the fact that he just swore in favour of asking, “Then why are you being so… nice?”

“Despite what you may have heard, I am not a monster.” A large part of you doesn’t believe him, sensing he has some ulterior motive for keeping you alive, “I know you don’t believe me, which is fair considering the circumstances.” Saints, can he read minds now? “But I assure you, as long as you do as you’re told, no harm will come to you. Understood?”

In other words, he’ll keep you alive as long as you don’t become a problem. It leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, but you nod, “Yes, General.”

“Good.” He nods back, “I’ll leave you to it. If you need anything from me, find Ivan or Fedyor. They’ll know where to find me.”

You have no idea who Fedyor is, but you nod nonetheless before he closes your door, leaving you alone in a deafening silence. Dropping the key into a little ceramic dish on top of your dresser, you flop down onto the bed, the mattress firmer than the one you have at home. You sigh, rolling over onto your back with an arm thrown over your eyes.

How the hell are you going to get yourself out of this?

#aleksander kirigan #aleksander x reader #aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova #the darkling fanfic #the darkling x y/n #the darkling x you #the darkling x reader #the darkling

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babesiamthemenace · 1 year

Text

I love you

No one requested this, I just needed to get this out of my system before I proceeded as a functioning human. Just a short little piece to break you.

Warning: angst, hurt no comfort, major character death, blood, spoilers for the last episode of season 2

Not my gif Requests are open

“I love you”

Such a sweet phrase had never hurt so much. It permeated the air with such power that the air was sucked from your lungs. All of the sound -the battle going on behind you- quieted. The pit in your stomach dropped at the gravity of his words.

“I don’t want to, but I do.” Aleksander whispered “I love you.”

Your breath betrayed you, coming out in a small whimper. They were words you wished to hear time and time again, and yet, never at all. Tears blurred your vision as your brow creased, trying to stop them.

“You don’t mean that” your voice was shaking, every word coming out slow “You can’t love me.”

Only one of you was lying.

A large hand cupped the side of your face, fingers full of warmth. The rough pads ran over your skin as he pressed your forehead to his.

“I love you.” The dark scars across his face were rough against yours as he nuzzled closer “You are my peace, my only light.” Your noses were touching “I need you like the air I breathe.” Lips ghosted over yours. “You consume my every waking thought, and slide into my sleep.” dark eyes bore into you “You have become my only dream.” His mouth was on yours, pouring out every unsaid confession, every stolen glance, and small touch. You leaned up into him, lips devouring his as your hand went down.

The sword pierced his torso easily. He grunted, keeling forwards into you. You finally let a sob go, the tears springing from your eyes freely. Your legs hit the ground, a combination of his weight and your emotions. The blade was cast away as you fell.

You cradled him easily to your chest, head resting in your arms. Your fingers gripped tightly to his shirt as a small line blackened blood ran from his lips.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” you kept repeating the phrase, voice getting more and more frantic. Tears continued to run down your face.

A weak hand came up and wiped one away, thumb resting on your cheek. One of your hands came up and pressed his palm closer to you, kissing it.

“It’s alright, love.” his eyes had begun to lose focus. “You could never hurt me.”

You choked on a sob, head leaning down to his

“I love you, Aleskander.” A small smile ghosted across his features. It stayed there as the rest of life left him.

Your body shook as you cried into his shirt, unable to look at him any longer. You whimpered against him.

“I love you. I love you. I love you”

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone netflix #shadow and bone fanfiction #general kirigan x reader #aleksander kirigan #aleksander morozova #the darkling x reader #aleksander morovoza x reader #angst #character death #yikes #the darkling fanfic

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wandawxdow · 1 year

Text

Alina Starkov x Aleksander Morozova

fic recs

for you i would ruin myself by fkevin073

a rotten heart by pathrocluss

Like Calls To Like by opheliarose

All The Lonely Ones by i_can_write_in_my_dreams

I’d Never Let You Be Alone by shandy_and_champagne

i should live in salt by larry_hystereks

give you my wild, give you a child by fkevin073

now i’m reflecting light by fkevin073

Vesegda, Always by vuas

The Danger Is (I’m Dangerous) by Ceris_Malfoy

keep the light from passing through by starwarringavengers

You Light Up My World by KrazyKyStHatter

i see the real you (even if you don’t, i do) by Ironblue

#shadow and bone fanfiction #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone ao3 #shadow and bone #shadow and bone fanfic #the darkling fanfic #alina starkov #fic rec #alina x kirigan #alina x darkling #alina x aleksander #alina starkov x the darkling #darklina #darklina fic rec #darklina fanfic #darklina fanfiction

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pinchofhoney · 1 year

Note

Hiii I just found ur blog and I was wondering if I could get:

#3 angst prompt for the darkling? Maybe?

left behind # 200 follower special event

» prompt event » special events masterlist

angst prompt three: “i hate that i was always yours and you were never mine”

gif is not mine, credit to the owner

the darkling x fem!reader

word count: 2.7k

warning: no use of y/n, angst with no happy end, mention of jealousy, mention of manipulation, just get ready to face an asshole

summary: Life had never been fair to you, and you knew it all too well. So when you found yourself falling for the tall, charismatic commander of the Second Army, you couldn't help but wonder if it was just another cruel joke that life was playing on you. But as it turned out, the joke was on you all along.

a/n: hello there and welcome!! i hope you will like what i have prepared for you and stay here for longer<33 don't forget to let me know what you think of this piece 🤗 this is the first time writing for a villain, and i'm a little proud of the way it came out!!

pages that may interest you: masterlist ♡ taglist ♡ who i write for

taglist: @wolfmoonmusic @myladydarkling @alexxavicry

The night was alive with magic and wonder, a sight that never ceased to take your breath away. The sky was a canvas of velvety darkness, studded with countless stars that twinkled like diamonds. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the scent of pine trees and freshly fallen leaves.

But it was the moon that truly captivated you. It hung low in the sky, a shimmering orb of silver light that illuminated everything in its path. Its glow was soft and ethereal, casting long shadows across the ground and painting the world with a dreamlike quality.

As you gazed up at the satellite, you felt a sense of peace wash over you. It was as if the moon held some secret knowledge, some ancient wisdom that could only be accessed by those who were willing to open themselves up to its power.

And so you stood there, bathed in its light, feeling the weight of the world slip away. For a moment, you was suspended in time, lost in the beauty of the night and the breathtaking majesty of the moon.

You find yourself standing on the balcony of the Little Palace, which was an extension of your bedroom. As you look out, you can't help but feel awestruck by the beauty of the moonlit night. Its soft glow fills every inch of your being, almost as if its power is permeating through your skin and into every cell of your body. For some, this moment would be nothing more than a passing experience, but for others, it was a time of wonder and magic.

And you were one of those people.

The Moon Summoner.

Although it doesn’t sound like much, you were quite a unique Grisha. You possess the incredible power to manifest the power of the moon itself, a force that grants you the ability to mend matter and accomplish feats that others can only dream of. Your abilities are almost unstoppable during the night, and you adore the chance to harness their full potential when the moon is at its brightest. With your power, you can illuminate even the darkest corners of the world or shroud yourself in shadows, becoming one with the night and moving unseen through the shadows. No enemy in their right mind would dare to show their face to you during this time of day, knowing that they would be no match for your formidable abilities.

You knew that you possess abilities that are far beyond what most people could ever imagine. The thought of it fills you with a sense of awe and pride, but it also makes you wonder: are you really as important as you believe yourself to be?

You pushed away from the railing and let out a quiet sigh. The cool breeze brushed against your skin, causing you to pull your night robe tighter around your body. Despite being an independent and strong woman, you couldn't help but feel vulnerable when it comes to him.

Is it because he's charming? Has a way of making you smile, even on the darkest of days. Or is it because one look into his dark, mysterious eyes is enough to make you forget about the world around you?

Perhaps it's because you feel important and wanted in his presence. He sees you for who you are, beyond just your power and abilities. He recognizes your strengths and admires you for them. But at the same time, you can't help but wonder if you're just a pawn in his game, a means to an end.

The Darkling.

The name alone sends shivers down your spine. He is a man of power and mystery, with an air of danger that draws you in like a moth to a flame. You found yourself increasingly drawn to him, the mere thought of him sending a rush of excitement through your body.

Every time you're in his presence, you feel the butterflies in your stomach fluttering wildly, threatening to take flight at the slightest interaction. He has a way of making you feel alive, as if every nerve in your body is on fire. Even the nights have become sleepless, as you toss and turn, unable to stop thinking about him.

But it's not just his power that attracts you, though that is certainly a factor. There's something about him, something in the way he moves and speaks, that sets him apart from anyone else you've ever met. He's confident and self-assured, with a magnetism that is hard to resist.

Aleksander was the one who made you feel like you were the center of his world, the one who cared about you more than anything else when you were in his presence. But then, she appeared. The Sun Summoner.

At first, you tried to ignore her, to brush her off as just another Grisha with a unique power. But as time went on, you realized that she was different. She had a power that was unparalleled, a power that made Aleksander’s eyes light up with a newfound passion.

Suddenly, you found yourself pushed into the background, like an afterthought. The attention that Aleksander used to lavish on you was now focused solely on her. It was like she had cast a spell over him, drawing him in with her power and beauty.

A feeling of jealousy gnawed at you from the inside. You tried to push the feeling away, to tell yourself that it didn't matter. But deep down, you knew the truth. You couldn't accept that Alina might be more powerful than you. That her power could bring more help than yours, which in its strongest form only appeared at night.

You had always prided yourself on your unique ability to harness the power of the moon. It had made you feel special, important. But now, with Alina's power shining so bright, you felt like a small, insignificant thing.

You knew that you should be happy for her, that her power could bring great things to Ravka. But every time you saw her standing next to Aleksander, it felt like a reminder of everything that you weren't. It made you wonder if he even needed you anymore, now that he had her.

As another gust of wind blew across the balcony, you cast one last glance at the bright satellite before turning around to head back inside. Sitting down on your bed, you felt a determination settle over you like a cloak. You knew that you couldn't keep ignoring the way you felt about Kirigan. There was something between the two of you that couldn't be explained in words, something that had been growing stronger with each passing day, until the Sun Summoner appeared in the palace.

You remembered the way he looked at you, with that intensity in his dark eyes that made your heart skip a beat. You remembered the way he made you feel, like you were the only one in the world that mattered. And you knew that you couldn't let that go.

Tomorrow, you would talk to Aleksander. You would lay everything on the table, tell him how you felt, and ask him if there was anything between the two of you worth fighting for. It was a risky move, but you couldn't keep living in uncertainty, wondering what might have been.

The night was long and restless, much harder than you had expected it to be. Despite your exhaustion, you couldn't seem to find a comfortable position to lie in, tossing and turning as your mind raced with a flurry of thoughts and anxieties.

You rehearsed every scenario that could arise during your conversation with Aleksander, going over each detail in your mind with meticulous precision. You had planned everything out perfectly, prepared for any outcome, yet your heart continued to pound with a nervous energy that you couldn't shake.

As the hours ticked by, the darkness outside your window slowly gave way to the first rays of morning light. Only then did you finally drift off to sleep, the weight of your thoughts and worries finally taking its toll on your tired body.

But your slumber was short-lived, as you were soon roused from your restless sleep by a knock at your door, signaling the start of a new day. Sitting on the edge of your bed, bleary-eyed and lost in thought, you began to doubt yourself. Was your plan foolproof? Despite your best efforts, your confidence wavered, and you wondered if you were truly ready to face Aleksander.

As you both sat down to have breakfast, the tension in the air was palpable. You could feel Kirigan's eyes on you, but you kept your gaze focused on your plate, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much his recent behavior had affected you. However, you couldn't help but notice how he kept glancing over at Alina.

After finishing your meal, you mustered up the courage to speak up. “I need to talk to you later, General,” you said firmly.

His response was curt, “We can talk now if you want,” but you shook your head, insisting on speaking in private.

Now, you stood outside his office, trying to calm the nerves. You didn't know how to begin this conversation, or what you even wanted to say. Everything you rehearsed in your head last night has been replaced by emptiness. All you knew was that you couldn't keep pretending that everything was okay. The closer you got to his door, the more you felt like turning around and running away. But you knew that you couldn't keep running from your feelings forever. It was time to face them head-on.

You took a deep breath, bracing yourself for what would surely be a difficult conversation. You knocked on the door, and after a brief pause, Kirigan invited you in. The door creaked as you pushed it open and stepped inside, and the sound seemed to echo through the tense silence. Aleksander was seated behind his desk, his piercing gaze fixed upon you. Your heart thudded painfully in your chest, and your palms grew slick with sweat. You tried to steady your breathing, but it came out ragged and uneven.

For a moment, the two of you just stared at each other in silence. You could feel Kirigan's eyes on you, like he was peering into your very soul. You felt small and exposed, like a mouse caught in a trap.

Finally, you found your voice. “I need to talk to you about something,” you said, your words coming out in a rush.

“Of course,” he replied, his voice calm and measured.

Your heart was pounding so hard in your chest that you could barely hear him. You felt your hands start to shake, so you clasped them together tightly, hoping to hide the trembling.

“I don't know how to say this,” you began, your voice barely above a whisper. “But I have feelings for you, Aleksander. I've had them for a long time. I can't stop thinking about you.”

His expression didn't change, and for a moment you feared that he hadn't heard you. But then he spoke, his words cold and distant. “I see,” he said. “And how do you expect me to respond to that?”

The chill in his voice made you feel like you'd been doused in ice water. You swallowed hard, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. “I just needed to tell you,” you said, your voice trembling a little. “I needed to know where we stand.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And where do you think we stand?”

You were caught off guard by his question, which caused you to unconsciously take a step back while looking at Aleksander in confusion. The room appeared to have suddenly become cooler, although you couldn't tell if it was just your tired mind projecting false perceptions. Kirigan subtly tilted his head and kept his dark eyes on you as he waited for your response, showing no intention of saying anything further.

You took a deep breath. “I hate that I was always yours and you were never mine,” you said, the words bursting out of you before you could stop them. “I hate that you made me feel like I was special, like I was important to you, and then you just tossed me aside when Alina came along.”

A look of anger flashed across his face, and you realized that you'd hit a nerve. “You're being ridiculous,” he snapped. “I never promised you anything.”

“That's not the point,” you said, your voice rising in pitch. “The point is that you manipulated me, Aleksander. You made me think that you cared about me, that you wanted me, and then you just... disappeared. It wasn't fair.”

He leaned back in his chair, his expression stony. “Life isn't fair, my dear,” he said. “You should know that by now.”

You felt a surge of anger, and you squared your shoulders. “I thought you were different,” you said. “I thought you were better than this. But I guess I was wrong.”

He glared at you, his eyes blazing with fury. “How dare you speak to me like that?” he said, his voice low and dangerous.

“I'm not going to be your puppet anymore, Aleksander,” you said, your voice steady. “I'm not going to let you manipulate me and use me like you did before. I deserve better than that.”

He stood up, his fists clenched at his sides. “You don't know what you're talking about,” he said, his voice shaking with anger. “You have no idea what kind of power Alina has. You have no idea what's at stake here.”

“I don't care,” you said, your voice fierce.

The tension in the room was palpable, suffocating, as you and Aleksander faced off. The air crackled with unspoken words, with the weight of all the unresolved issues that lay between you like an unbridgeable chasm.

But then something snapped in your head, and you realized who you were actually talking to. This was the commander of the Second Army. The Shadow Summoner. And you were treading on very thin ice.

You felt a sudden surge of fear, but you refused to give way. You squared your shoulders once more and looked him straight in the eye, trying to summon all the confidence you could muster. “You want to banish the Fold?” you said, your voice unsteady. “I'll help. But after that, I'm out of here.”

There was a long pause, and you held your breath, waiting for his response. Aleksander's face was inscrutable, but you could feel the weight of his gaze on you like a physical force. You felt small and insignificant in his presence, but you refused to show any weakness.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low. “You think you can just waltz in here and make demands?” he said. “You think you have any bargaining power?”

You cleared your throat, “I know what I can offer,” you said, trying to sound confident. “I have skills that could be useful to you.”

Aleksander sit down again, his eyes narrowed. “And what makes you think I need your skills?” he asked.

You felt a rush of anger, but you kept it in check. “Because I know what it's like to be used, Aleksander,” you said, feeling a sudden surge of courage. As if playing with fire brings you pleasure. “I know what it's like to be manipulated and discarded. And I don't want that to happen to anyone else. Especially not Alina.”

There was a long pause, and you held your breath, waiting for his response. Finally, he nodded, a small, tight smile on his lips. “Very well,” he said. “You have a deal. But remember this, my dear. You are playing a dangerous game. And if you cross me, there will be consequences.”

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marsconer · 11 months

Text

VERONIKA SOLOVENA X ALEKSANDER MOROZOVA

“ we make each other alive, my darling. does it even matter if it hurts? lets see who hates the best.”

#oc fanfiction #aleksander morozova #the darkling x reader #the darkling x oc #oc: veronika solovena #fic: never let me go #shadow and bone #the darkling fanfic

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thesmokingguns · 1 year

Text

Library Meetings

word count: 1860

rating: PG-13 some very small implications of smut but nothing serious

A/N: never wrote for this fandom before but became very obsessed with The Darkling and needed to purge some of the manic energy from my mind.

The nightmares plagued you since you were young. The Fold, the darkness and terror. Your mothers screams and your fathers attempts to save you. The swirl of darkness around you as the creatures danced through the air in a practiced killing performance. You had run, a small inconsequential thing until light bathed you again. But the few moments you had been in there had changed everything for you.

“Aleksander.” you sat up, calling for him. His name on your lips as you touched them to remind yourself to silence yourself. You shouldn’t make a scene but it was hard at night, when everything was dark to keep yourself quiet. Calling out for the General out of all people was also something you didn’t want the others to hear you do in the Little Palace.

You rose from the bed, reaching for your robe and wrapping it around yourself. The thin nightgown covered by the cream colored robe you wore. The light colors calmed you, gave you a sense of light in all the darkness that you feared. Creeping from your bedroom, bare feet on the stone as you moved towards the library.

You’d go to the library and feel safe there. You knew that being in the .

You had first met him there, having been naive and not realizing that you were entering the general's private space. It was light there and you craved the softness of it, especially after wandering the hallways as you tried to avoid sleep. Picking through books as he watched you from the shadows, waiting far too long before he talked to you. Thinking about the night, it was only a couple weeks ago, made your stomach knot as you followed along the same path.

The night where he had talked to you, smiled at you in a way you hadn’t expected. He talked to you like you were a person, pulling your life story from you and all the nightmares you had. He was surprised at how you had asked about him and when you had touched his hand, laying your fingers over his in comfort you knew he had been surprised at how good it felt.

It had started more. Little things like he would see you in your training and come over to correct you, tell you what to do. Any excuse for him to touch you, you realized. And you started wandering into his library, watching him look up from his book as he pretended that he hadn’t realized you were coming in but always making sure to make you feel welcome here..

And then you had walked in after a nightmare and it had changed everything.

When you had come to him, shaking and terrified he had held you as you cried. The fear you had in you was so raw that it had shocked General Kirigan for the sheer power of it. Amazed that such a creature could hold so much hurt. But he had calmed you down, made you drink a hot drink and settled you on his lap as he read to you. Watching you as you slept without worry for the first time.

The next morning you woke up first, blushing as you realized you were on his lap in the library. The general was asleep under you, arms wrapped around you as you felt the strength in his guard that he never let down. Your fingers had a mind of their own, pushing some of his dark hair from his face, thumb tracing over his lips.His eyes fluttered open, shocked that you were watching him and smiling

“Aren’t you afraid that I could bite?” he teased you but you shook your head, a knot in your belly as his eyes furrowed, seeing that there was something on your mind, “What is it little darling. What’s on your mind?” Your tongue touched your top lip as you felt the flush of embarrassment passing through you.

“I want to kiss you.” You admitted, afraid to lie to him. “May I kiss you, General Kirigan?” you asked, his dark eyes on you as he tried to gauge what you were thinking. Usually your mind went wild and he could see the race of thoughts in your eyes.

“Only if you call me Aleksander.” His hand was cupping your face now, looking at you as you nodded your head at him in agreement with his terms.

“Aleksander.” And you had kissed him, tasting the surprise at how you were pressing against him, lips firmly planted as you tasted your future in his mouth. He had held you against him until there was a knock on the door and he realized what was going on.

He had gotten up, moving to block you as he went to see what was needed from him. You were so embarrassed that you had taken the hidden stairs he had shown you before, coming out in another hall and staying away from him in fear of embarrassing yourself by asking to be kissed again.

You had kissed him two mornings ago and had been too ashamed to go back, feeling foolish and stupid for having a crush on him. You weren’t a high ranking grisha and were new to the little palace, who did you think you were making moves at such a powerful person? And the General had been called away for something so you were safe in traveling to his library now. You could have the sense of him being there without having to run into him.

The door was open and a few candles stayed lit because the servants had habits they kept up, even when he wasn’t around. Your eyes scanned the room, thankful you were alone. Your eyes closed, breathing in and touching your lips as you smiled. You could smell him here and just sensing a part of him made the nerves from your bad dreams start to fade away.

His cloak was thrown over a chair and you were surprised a servant hadn’t cleared it away. Moving to the couch you grabbed a book, looking around and pulling it over you, face rubbing against the fabric and sighing out as you felt like he was wrapped around you. If you closed your eyes just for a second you could sleep for just a few minutes and wake up before breakfast to sneak back to your rooms.

You pulled the cloak around you, tighter as you snuggled up, letting your eyes close and drifting off to sleep.

General Kirian had returned in the middle of the night, he had been expecting to see Y/N but being in a rather sour mood when he saw that Y/N was not there. After the kiss he had expected things to all fall into place. He had given you his name after all and thought you understood how personal that was and how he was opening himself up for you. But instead you had skirted away, hidden yourself right before he was called away.

He exited his room, having just changed into his nightclothes, not like he was going to get much sleep, and froze as he poured himself a glass of wine. Curled up on the couch was his little darling. He smiled as he saw you had taken his cloak, tucking yourself in and making herself comfortable in the space and he loved seeing that you had sought this place out for comfort, disappointed he had stepped away for a moment to change instead of being able to greet you.

He sipped his wine, watching you sleep for a second before crossing over, bending down where you were sleeping and stroking your face. He watched the way your eyes opened, taking him in with that pretty face shocked. But he kept stroking your face as you stared at him, not sure what to say.

“Do you want to come to bed with me, my little darling? It’s much more comfortable than the couch.” Your eyes widened at his proposal and you looked down, suddenly very embarrassed that you had come here.

If you went to bed with him you’d be no better than a concubine at best. The way people would view you would be different. It wouldn’t be what you wanted. But if you turned down the general it could damage your standing with the grisha. He was lifting your head, tilting your chin up to look at him as his face was serious now.

“You’re overthinking.” his fingers were so soft as he touched your face, His eyes looking down at your lips as his fingers slid over them, his tongue wetting his own in memory of what it was like to kiss you. “I just want you in bed to chase away nightmares. Yours and mine. To sleep, my little darling, unless you want something else?” he was teasing you, trying to lighten the mood but you were sitting up, his cloak calling off you as well as his hands as you stood up,

The nerves in your stomach hurt as you paced the room, tugging at your fingers as you chewed your lip, not sure of what to do but knowing you were acting like an idiot and at the realization you stopped, looking at him as he watched you, amused at how in your head you were getting and waiting for you to over share, like you had been doing.

“I don’t want to be your whore.” his mouth opened at that, rising as he walked over to you, his hands on each side of your arms as he rubbed down the material of your robe until he had your wrists in his hand. He was so smooth with how he moved, his larger hands sliding until they weaved between yours and bringing them up to his lips, kissing them as he looked down and over them into your eyes.

“My sweet little darling. I would never ask that of you. I want you as my partner.” you were quiet at his words and he loved seeing the way you looked caught off guard, “Wasn’t it you asking to kiss me the other day? And now I can’t even get you to lay in my bed to help you chase away your nightmares?” he stroked your face as you finally took a breath.

“You really want me?” His heart strings were pulled. Too many people had overlooked you, didn’t see what he saw in you. How special you were. But he would never let that happen again. He wouldn’t let a day go by without making you feel all the love he had for you.

“Yes, very much so.” he was smirking at you, waiting for you as you trembled and he knew that you would say yes to him now.

“Aleksander, I’m ready for bed now.” He smiled as he kissed your knuckles, pulling you to the bedroom. He’d take his time with you. Let you sleep tonight and in the morning. He smiled to himself, in the morning you both would be well rested and ready to take it slow.

#The Darkling #Shadow and Bone #General Kirigan #General kirigan fanfic #general kirigan fan fic #the darkling fanfic #the darkling fan fic #the darkling fan fiction #Shadow and Bone fanfic #Shadow and Bone fan fiction

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crescentcampbell · 6 months

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ROYAL RAVKA UNIVERSITY: To defeat The Darkling, Aleksander Morozova was trapped by the Grisha in a time loop of sorts. Now in Modern Ravka, Aleksander must undo his past mistakes by making Alina Starkov fall in love with him. But with the Grisha having faded into mere legends, Alina's memories gone, it will be anything but easy. Posing as her mythology Professor, Aleksander must try to reawaken his Sun Summoner inn order to restore his people and power back to the land. But someone out there knows his past. Will he outrun the time loop he's been cursed into? Or will he have to watch as history repeats itself again in yet another era? *I used to be ArkStationsLibrary and I changed my penname.

A03 link Wattpad link

She rolled her eyes. “I’m friends with Mal Oretsev.”

He took a sip of his wine. “Schematics. You know me. If you wanted to, I could get you in. As long as you weren’t too precious about where you wanted to go. The world is yours, Alina. All you need do is ask and I can help you take it.”

Alina couldn’t help but be flustered. “That’s awfully kind, Mr---Aleksander. But I want to make my own way, even if it’s harder.”

He snorted. “Admirable, I’ll admit. Stupid, but admirable.”

She seethed at him. “Are you always so impossible?”

“No, but I know a do-gooder when I see one. You practically smell of innocence. I bet you’d taste like it too. The thing is, Luchik, you will get corrupted one way or another. We live in a world where darkness takes a living form, and sucks your soul before you pass onto the next realm. You might as well get whatever you can from this world before it tosses you to the fold.”

“Respectfully, Mr. Morozova, I like to believe that we can embrace whatever light we can get before the Volcra come.”

Aleksander scratched his chin, then chuckled wryly. “How young and naïve you are…”

“And how old and bitter you are,” she returned coldly.

He was looking at her again in that heated way of his. The same way he’d stared at her that first time they’d met at the school. Although he hadn’t been nearly so bold. He got his face dangerously close to hers. Alina’s whole body stiffened. “You know I think you like me old and bitter…” a smug look crossed his face.

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone fanfic #shadow and bone fanfiction #darklina #darklina fanfic #darklina fanfiction #aleksander morozova #aleksander morozova fanfic #aleksander morozova fanfiction #alina starkov #alina starkov fanfic #alina starkov fanfiction #the darkling #the darkling fanfic #the darkling fanfiction #otp: like calls to like

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cannibalizedyke · 1 year

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🗝️aleksander morozova masterlist🗝️

key: ❤︎︎ - fluff, ☁︎︎ - angst, ★ - smut

coming soon!

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angelaestheticbaby · 5 months

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He found love

Summary: Aleksander finally understands what true love is.

Warnings: None I think, just tooth-rotting fluff

A/N: I know I disappeared for a long time, but there's a lot going on. I'm trying to make all the request. I love all❤️

Aleksander and the sun summoner -Alina- were the most loved couple in Ravka. Everyone talked about how cute and strong their love is.

It was until Aleksander met you. You; the dragon queen. You were able to communicate, tame and control the dragons all over the known world.

The first time Aleks saw you, you were training with your dragon. He was absolutely enchanted from then on.

When most people meet someone they are instantly attracted to, their heart races and their palms sweat and their brain turns to mush.

But not the Darkling.

He noticed all of these things and more, but kept his demeanor calm and unruffled. His face was a mask of composure, his breathing slow and steady.

Only one part didn't follow suit, one part that the Darkling's powers and will could not control. His heart was beating so loud he was afraid everyone could hear it, despite the fact that he stood perfectly still.

"Ohh Good afternoon General" you beamed like a sunshine. He couldn't wrap his brain around how someone so powerful could be so kind and pure at the same time. He thought already met the sun, but it wasn't like that all. No, you weren't like that. You were like the brightest star he has ever seen. Full of light on the night sky.

"Hello" he said, as if he could say anything other than that, not taking his eyes off your face for a second.

The way you talked was so genuine, there was nothing artificial, nothing put on. Your voice was like music to his ears, and seeing a smile cross your face was like seeing the sun rise after a cold, dark night.

He could already feel his control slipping, and yet something made him want to hold on, even if only for a moment.

"How are you today?" you asked, smiling.

"I am well" he said, his voice soft and gentle, "What brings you here?"

There was something different about how he spoke with you, something he wasn't even aware of himself. Normally he spoke with such authority and command, like a general issuing orders. But with you his voice was... softer. You saw something flicker in his eyes as he looked at you, some inner struggle that he was fighting. It was almost as if he wasn't as sure of himself, as he always was.

"Ohh just training with Firefly" you pointed at the young dragon which was jumping around the field like the baby he was.

"He needs to learn a bit" you explained.

He felt a smile spread across his face as he watched the dragon. It was a warm, genuine smile, which faded just as quickly as it arrived. He cleared his throat, trying to keep his composure, as he asked.

"Do you need any assistance?"

Suddenly a thought crossed his mind. He could help train your dragon. A simple task, but one he felt he could do. Maybe then you would smile that warm, genuine smile again.

"Well if you want to?" you shrugged. "It'd be good to have company" with a smile, you turned back to Firefly. He could feel his face heat up, and yet for some reason he felt the need to accept your invitation.

"Yes, I would love to join you" his voice was still soft and gentle, and he watched you with a curious expression on his face as he went to your side.

"Good" you grinned. "Here.." you handed him a fish. "I know it's gross, but I'll show you what to do with it" you explained.

You grabbed an other fish from the whistled to Firefly.

"Okay...Firefly! Sit!" you commanded to the dragon. Your voice and the way you told the creature what to do made Aleks's heart race.

He was already in awe of you for being able to command an entire dragon, but the way you did it was like magic. The dragon seemed to listen to you instinctively without any resistance at all.

Once you gave the command he watched as the dragon sat down with a low grumble. And yet you seemed completely unfazed by the dragons size and potential danger. To you it was just... a dragon. Seeing you command a dragon like that made his admiration for you grow even more, if that was even possible.

"Now give him the fish as a reward" you smiled at Aleks. He took the fish from your hand, and the dragon looked up at him instantly. Even if it was just a dragon to you, to him it was still a large, powerful beast. Yet it almost seemed to show some signs of shyness as it looked at him.

As he held the fish out the dragon came closer and began eating it, almost like a dog. He felt a smile spread across his face as he watched, there was something about this moment that made him feel... happy.

"How was it? Isn't it amazing?" you asked excitedly.

"It's incredible," he said as the dragon finished the fish, "To be able to control such a beast, I have never seen anything like it."

He looked at you with a feeling of wonder and amazement, his admiration for your powers growing even more.

However, even as he watched the magic you wielded, something else was catching his eyes. How you looked at the dragon and spoke to it almost like it was a human, with love and compassion. This was something else entirely. It moved something within him.

He knew deep down that he was still with Alina and he loved her. He loved her until that moment with you. When you talked so passionatly about the things you loved he felt like he fell more and more in love with you. Aleks forget about Alina and their relationship. All he knew was you.

He hadn't even noticed that he had moved closer to you, until your arms brushed against each other and your voices grew softer.

He felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck, and his breath caught in his throat.

The feeling of being near you was like a drug, intoxicating him, and suddenly he didn't even remember what he was doing or why he was here. He was so focused on you.

You were his entire focus now.

"Hi" you smiled when he got so close to you that your chest touched. It felt like time moved in slow motion as your chests touched, and suddenly everything stopped.

He felt so many emotions in that moment, fear, joy, confusion, arousal. His heart raced, and yet for some reason he didn't pull away, not now, not ever. He finally said with a voice so soft you could barely hear it,

"Hi, Angel" when his lips gently brushed yours, you made a confident move and pressed your lips hard to his.

And that was the moment he knew; He found true love. He found you.

#aleksander morozova #aleksander morozova x reader #the darkling #the darkling fanfic #ben barnes #ben barnes fanfiction #ben barnes imagine #ben barnes x reader #the darkling x reader #the darkling fluff

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padfootagain · 9 months

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Like Tracing Lines

Hello ! Today, we’re answering an anonymous request for the Darkling : “A Darkling request, please. May I have a Durast artist!reader who's extremely introverted. She just wants to draw in somewhere quite to draw designs, etc. especially she doesn't want anyone to see what she's drawing or who. And it only got worse when the sun summoner came.

You can choose how this goes, as long as it's a happy ending sksksk. I just really want an angst with an eventual happy ending, and I really love your writings Ridjsjsjs”

Thank you so much for your request, anon! I hope you enjoythe fic I’ve written for you!

I hope you all like this cute piece! Let me know what you think!

****

Pairing: The Darkling x reader

Warnings: a tiny bit of angst, hurt/comfort, an awful lot of fluff

Summary: The Darkling has always kept an eye on you, from afar, although he doesn’t admit why. But when the Sun Summoner arrives at the Little Palace, your lonely habits seem to grow exponentially, and he is more and more worried about you.

Word Count: 2074

The Darkling’s Masterlist – Main Masterlist

You don’t worry yourself over the time you spend on your own, nor the fact that your self-isolation has increased these days. After all, people are used to it. You’re introverted, possibly too much so. It’s simply reassuring, to be left alone.

The life in the Little Palace can be crowded, sometimes. For someone as introverted as you, it is often too much. You find solace and peace in drawing, though. Mostly designs, sometimes sceneries, even portraits, every once in a while.

It’s soothing. Tracing lines on paper, forcing them to take shape, adding shadows, adding life. It’s therapeutic, at this point.

Everyone at the Little Palace knows that your drawings are off-limits, though. No one has ever been granted the right to look at them. You keep their beauty hidden for your own eyes; not out of selfishness, but simply because you assume that no one would understand them. Not the way you do.

After all, you see the world through the eyes of a Durast, and a talented one at that. You and David work a lot together, mostly because you are both equally talented and curious about everything. But if his world translates mostly through numbers and long silences, yours bubbles out of your fingers and spills into shapes on paper.

But when Alina Starkov arrived at the Little Palace, a little too eager to make friends, she asked about your drawings. And it would have been fine, because she was new, and couldn’t know that you preferred to keep your drawings to yourself. You closed up a lot more when she insisted, though. And when she started to ask you regularly what you were currently drawing you grew quieter than usual, folded yourself back into a pocket-size version of your own self that you could hide away in your bedroom, in the safety of the Fabricator laboratories, or in long walks under the moonlight, when it was too dark for anyone to be awake.

If people did notice – which you doubt, in all fairness – no one spoke a word about it. You reckon that only a handful of Fabricators care about you enough to notice anyway.

You’re mistaken, though. There is someone else who cares, a little too much to his own liking, even. There is someone who has noticed the way you disappear these days, the way you try to look even smaller than before, to look invisible, avoiding to be noticed.

There is someone else who has noticed, and he is worried.

Of course, he has noticed. The Darkling has been away from the Little Palace for a few months now, fighting battles, planning the next phases of the wars. When Alina arrived, obviously, he brought her home, joining back his War Room, the safe halls he had built centuries before. And even if he shouldn’t have rejoiced at the thought of spending time with you again, he did.

There is something about you, he can’t explain it. Something soothing, something quiet, something… good. The type of goodness he once longed to protect, the kind he had spent a long time fighting for; until the weight of time and suffering darkened his soul and blinded him.

He found back some of the brightness of his earlier days in you, though. Something that made him long for something beyond himself, for something he couldn’t have.

Peace. Quiet. A normal life…

You have grown closer over the past few years, you working closely with him as a Fabricator. You are friends, or even, a little more than that, even if none of you care to admit it.

Of course, he noticed the way you fled, even before him. Only a few days after Alina’s arrival, and you were already spending hours locked away in your room, hiding in the library…

He knows too well what it is to hide, and he doesn’t want you to do so. Not to this extent, at least. You seem frightened, these days, and he can’t have that.

He’s built the Little Palace in hopes to banish fear from Grisha’ faces. He can’t bear the sight upon your features…

When you disappear again, right after dinner, he can’t take it anymore. Instead of heading to his room, he follows you, using his shadows to remain unnoticed. Until you’ve settled in an alcove, in a deserted corner of the library. He remains quiet, out of the light of the small candle you’ve brought along, and he watches you as you take a sketchbook and a pencil out of your pocket. You’ll be drawing, perhaps the moon, the stars, the trees beyond the window against which you’re resting your shoulder now. Perhaps some new idea plaguing your mind. He catches himself before he can hope that you could think of him…

He lets his shadows vanish, slowly, he calls back the darkness to make himself visible. He purposefully drags his feet over the stones to make a little noise, as to not surprise you too much. You freeze as you hear the noise, slowly turn to him.

And he shouldn’t think about the way the light plays with your eyelashes, the way the warm golden light of the candle mingles with the silvery one of the moon to bathe your features in a perfect light. He shouldn’t think, then, about how beautiful you are. About the way he longs to reach out. About how he doesn’t feel so lonely, now that your gaze has caught his. He shouldn’t think about the way you visibly relax as you recognize him. He shouldn’t hope that you like seeing him, here, by your side. He shouldn’t long for it.

And yet, there he is…

“Good evening, Y/N.”

His voice is low, cold, a tone unreadable. As usual. You grin.

“Good evening, sir.”

He chuckles, looks up at you.

“There’s no one else, Y/N.”

He notices the way your breath catches before you speak, but doesn’t acknowledge it. He’s too old to claim such details as victories.

“Good evening, Aleksander.”

You share a smile, the kind brighter than the ones he gives everybody else but you.

He walks closer again, standing by the wall without leaning against it, facing you.

“Is there something I can do for you?” you ask him, closing your sketchbook in a hurry.

But he wasn’t looking at it. He knows better than that.

“You could answer my questions.”

You raise an eyebrow in surprise, but let him continue.

He crosses his arms before his chest.

“Why are you hiding this way?”

You avert your eyes, fiddling with your pencil.

“I’m not hiding more than usual. You know me. I enjoy being on my own.”

“But you usually spend less time alone. Is there something wrong?”

His voice grows concerned, even if it is tainted with its usual coldness, the one that usually makes his emotions unrecognisable. He allows himself to let just a speck of his armour down with you though, just enough to let you guess that his worry is genuine.

You shrug, but his stare is heavy on your frame, making you bend your head and shoulders, and you can’t hold back when he’s like this: presence too strong, almost unbearable…

“I… I’m quite bothered by Alina Starkov.”

He frowns, seemingly puzzled.

“Am I asking too much from you? Are you and David too pressured?”

“No, no, no! That’s not it! It is simply… it’s stupid.”

You’re surprised when he walks closer, and even more so when he reaches for your chin, a tender hold between his thumb and his index finger. You don’t resist when he guides your head upwards, making you look at him, irises as dark as his shadows…

“What is it, Y/N? You can tell me. I’ll take care of it.”

There is something threatening in his voice, a tremor that’s never there when he speaks to you. But he doesn’t speak of you, then. He speaks of what he will do to whoever dares to hurt you…

You smile.

“It’s truly nothing. I’m just… being extra-shy.”

You heave a sigh, but Aleksander doesn’t have to encourage you again, you continue on your own.

“Alina is asking about my drawings. A lot. Too much. She doesn’t seem to understand the word ‘no’.”

You give him a humorous smile, but you seem too fragile for it to be genuine.

He nods, a small frown creasing his brow.

“I will talk to her,” he says, but you shake your head.

“It’s nothing. I’m sure she doesn’t even mean any harm. I’m just… It’s personal, you see. Maybe it’s silly, but it’s like… having someone read your diary or… your mind even. If it makes sense. It’s silly, isn’t it?”

You expect a harsh answer, you don’t know why. Because Aleksander has never been harsh with you. On the contrary, if his tone is always cold, he’s never said anything mean or hurtful to you. His voice is often a little lower, you like to believe it’s even a little warmer… but then again, you like to long for unreachable things.

You’re oblivious to the fact that his voice is warmer when he speaks to you.

The harsh answer doesn’t come. Instead, his fingers slide from your chin to your jaw, up to cup your cheek. His thumb is tender as it strokes your skin. There is a rush of power coursing through your vein because of his amplifying qualities, but you barely notice it, the feeling hidden by your pounding heart and the intensity of his stare.

No matter the butterflies in your stomach, or the rush of your heart, it still feels reassuring, his feathery touch across your cheek. Soothing. Almost like tracing lines on a page.

When Aleksander speaks again, you’ve never heard his voice so soft.

“It is not silly. We all have our secrets, and our own ways to deal with our demons. I will talk to Alina, make sure she does not bother you again. I want you to feel safe in these halls. I do not want you to feel like you need to hide, not here. Not when you are under my protection. Do you understand?”

You nod, although you’re not sure to understand. Not the full extent of his words, at least.

You’re disappointed when his touch disappears, his fingers slowly slipping down the length of your cheek, the pads hanging at your jawline a moment longer, but he reluctantly pulls away, eventually.

“You should rest,” he goes on, his voice colder again, his tone difficult to read, back to its usual mysteries.

You nod, and he turns to leave. You don’t know what comes over you when you call for him again.

“Aleksander!”

He stops, slowly turns to you. There is something puzzled in his frown.

You have no idea where the strength is coming from, but you speak the words anyway.

“Would you like to take a walk? With… with me?”

His puzzle frown turns into a surprised raise of his eyebrow.

“Now?” he asks, and there’s something almost amused in the way the corner of his mouth curves upwards, just a little bit.

“I mean… unless it is too late…”

You fall silent, and he adores seeing you this nervous. It’s endearing.

He shouldn’t let you in so easily. But then again, you look lovely, under the lights of the candle and the moon, and he longs to touch your skin again, no matter the excuse that would allow the contact.

He offers you his open hand.

“Shall we?”

The grin you give him is brighter than any light Alina could ever summon.

And he knows that he is making a mistake as soon as your fingers brush his palm. He knows he is making his own life immensely more complicated that it ought to be by letting you in. He should be focused on seducing Alina Starkov, on looking for the Stag, on planning his wars, on planning his next move against the king.

But then again, your hand is warm against his cold one. Your skin is smooth, your touch reassuring, and you make his heart skip a beat, in a way it hasn’t jumped for decades, maybe even for centuries.

Perhaps, just this once, just for tonight… just for you, he could make his life a little more complicated. Perhaps, just for this once, he could make himself a little weaker, a little more vulnerable… just for you.

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

Taglist : @reg-arcturus-black @wolfmoonmusic

#the darkling #the darkling x reader #the darkling x y/n #the darkling x you #the darkling fanfic #aleksander morozova #aleksander x reader #aleksander x y/n #aleksander fanfiction #the darkling oneshot #fanfiction #fanfic #writing

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finnicks · 2 years

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buried in sunlight

shadow and bone | alina/darkling While Alina tries to settle into her new life in Ketterdam, she finds that Aleksander isn’t willing to let her go. The stag amplifier’s connected them together in a way neither of them had ever bargained for.

[ read here | playlist here ]

#shadow and bone #darklina #darlina fic #darklina fanfic #darklina fanfiction #alina starkov fanfiction #alina starkov fic #alina starkov fanfic #the darkling fic #the darkling fanfic #darkling fanfiction #darkling fanfic #darkling x alina #alina x darkling #playlist #userjaded #my playlist #*mine

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mistiell · 1 year

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Insomnia

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Heartrender! Reader

Summary: When you wake up in the middle of the night to find Aleksander still wide awake, you offer to help him fall asleep

Warnings: Fluff, probably inaccurate use of heartrender powers but I thought it was a cool concept

A/N: I wrote this in one go and did very little proofreading so I apologize for any mistakes

When you wake, the room is still dark, shadows stretching long and distorting the shapes of all the objects in your room. You reach out for Aleksander only to realize he’s not there, the sheets cold in his absence. You sigh and roll over, laying with your eyes closed for awhile before sitting up and swinging your legs over the edge of the bed. You slip your now chilly feet into your slippers but don’t bother putting on your robe, quietly making your way through the darkness toward the faint light coming from the doorway.

You follow the steady sound of his heartbeat and find he’s exactly where you’d left him five hours ago, hunched over his desk with papers strewn about around him. Even from across the room, you can see the tension in his shoulders, hear the frustration in his breath and heart rate. You come closer and he turns at the sound of your footsteps, that line between his brows softening at the sight of you.

You round the side of his chair and he’s already holding his arms out to you, helping you settle wordlessly onto his lap. You rest your forehead against his shoulder and let him trail his fingertips up and down your spine with one hand, the other set steady on the small of your back. You sit there in silence for a few minutes, feeling him relax beneath you, until you finally decide to break it.

“You didn’t come to sleep.” It’s not a question. You would have woken up — if only briefly —had he come to bed for even an hour. He presses a few apologetic kisses to your shoulder.

“I wouldn’t have been able to sleep if I tried, moya lyubov.” He sighs and you pull away, taking his face in your hands. You notice the dark circles under his eyes and frown, brushing your thumbs over the delicate skin there. His eyes flutter shut, the only thing keeping his head from falling backwards being the back of the chair.

“I can help with that, you know.” He opens his eyes and looks at you apprehensively.

“I’ve seen Fedyor and Ivan put people to sleep before and it doesn’t exactly look like a very pleasant experience.” He chuckles and you laugh a little with him.

“There’s more than one way to put people to sleep, Sasha.” He smiles at you, eyes sparkling with mischief and you swat at his chest gently, “Not like that.”

He laughs at the bemused expression on your face before resting his forehead against yours, “Tell me, then. How else can you put someone to sleep.”

“Come to bed. I don’t want to have to drag to there unconscious.” He chuckles again and presses his lips to yours briefly.

“Fine,” he mumbles against your lips, stealing another kiss from you before pulling back and tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, “You win.”

“As always.” You grin, lifting yourself off his lap and leading him towards your shared bedroom.

When you get there, you settle yourself under the blankets while he undresses, finally climbing into bed with you when he’s finished. You let him get comfortable, laying on his side facing you with an arm draped over your waist. You place the tips of your ring and middle fingers gently over his temples, his face cradled between your palms. One thing that’s never failed to amaze him is how soft you are with him. You’re a fierce warrior, of course, but when the situation called for it, you could be so, unbelievably gentle.

You notice him staring at you and smile bashfully, “What?”

“You’re so wonderful.” He whispers, smiling at you lovingly. You wonder for a moment if the lack of sleep has finally made him delirious.

“Thank you.” You press your lips to his forehead briefly before pulling back to smile at him, “Now shush.”

He apologizes through a soft chuckle. The silence that follows lasts all of five seconds before he breaks it again, “Tell me what you’re doing.”

“I’m not sure you’ll be awake long enough to hear it all,” you brush your fingers through the hair closest to his ears, “Besides, it’s really quite boring.”

“You can explain it to me properly in the morning,” he states, smoothing his hand up your spine, “I enjoy listening to your voice.”

Your heart swells so much it leaves very little room for your voice, your reply coming short and soft, “Okay.”

You return your hands to their original positions by his temples and focus on his brain, sensing every synapse that fires as it sends commands throughout his body without him even realizing, “Traditionally, heartrenders lower a person’s heart rate and restrict the blood flow to their brain to put them to sleep,” Aleksander watches you intently, concentration clear on your face, “You already know that, of course.”

“Of course.” He smiles, and you can’t help but smile back.

“But there’s another way to put someone to sleep, one that looks and feels a lot more natural,” You continue feel for what you’re looking for and eventually you find it, “There’s a part of the brain that releases a certain chemical to tell your body that it’s tired. So, if I do this,” You use your small science to stimulate that very part of his brain, making it do exactly as you had explained as you lower your voice, “and lower your heart rate just a little,” He feels his heart rate slow the slightest bit, enough to calm him but not nearly enough to be alarming, “You should fall asleep within the next few minutes.”

Just as Aleksander begins to wonder how long it will take for him to feel the effects, his eyelids grow heavy and fog clouds his mind. He feels your hands slip from his face and he pulls you closer, burying his nose in your hair.

“Thank you, milaya.” His words are soft and muddled with sleep already, and you smile at your victory. He presses his lips to the top of your head once before settling chin over top of it and mumbling, “I love you.”

Your heart flutters at his admission despite the fact that he’s said it a million times before. You smile and nuzzle a little deeper into his embrace, hearing his breathing even out as he finally falls into a much needed rest, “I love you too, Sasha.”

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