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librarianandguardian · 2 years

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Because it’s you - Sky x Fem!Reader - Request

Pairing : Sky (Fate The Winx Saga) x Fem!Reader

Words : 1673

Warnings : Fluff, lots of love.

Request by @navyhua: Hi could you do a sky x reader in which they are dating and every little thing that she does he has a flashback of memory he just so in love with her. Also she’s a fairy and sometimes train with the specialists cuz her dad is Saul thank you

Author’s note : Thanks for the request ! Not gonna lie, it was a bit of a challenge to keep it simple yet cute. But I think I got a nice thing out of this. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for being patient :D

Sky is both excited and scared at the same time. When he was younger, his father promised him that Alfea would be the best place to live his late teenages years : wonderful scenery, intensive training program, loads of fun and Saul Silva as his Fencing Instructor. Andreas would be by his side and help him out if he needed help. After all he did go to the same school; might as well take advantage of that, he had said to his son.

Because life isn’t a fairytale, Andreas died not long after his promise, leaving Silva to care for the boy. He already had a daughter of his own, but she mostly lived with her mother, the parents being divorced. Saul had all the space he needed to raise Sky, while still seeing his little girl. The children met a few times, going along rather well, but not enough to stay in contact. That was until…

Sky walked through the gigantic iron gates. The peebles under his feet cracked pleasantly as he took in the sight. A flock of students was rushing towards the tall ivory building, some hugging each other in the grass, while a few shy others stayed in corners. He stood in the center of the court, circling on himself.

I wish he was here.

The clouds covered the sun once in a while. While the crowd passed by him, his eyes caught a young woman walking along the edges of the main entrance. Rolling her phone in her hands, she seemed to search for someone. She looked so familiar… A few seconds passed and no one came for her. With a sigh of defeat, she put the phone in her pocket. Hands in her jacket, her head dipped down to scan her luggages, she closed her eyes and whined. It was kinda cute, the way her frame was drowned with bags of various sizes. She started walking towards the main building's doors, her struggle adamant. The sun shone bright again, as a cloud flew by. He approached her, and as he came in her line of sight, she tripped over the junction between the peebles and the grass, falling.

"Oh my - Are you okay ?!"

After a little growl, she put her face up, revealing her ashamed smile, her cheeks sprinkled with dirt. And then it hit him. He definitely already saw those pretty (y/e/c) somewhere.

"Heeyy Babe. Long time no see. Missed me ?" (Y/N) Silva whispers.

Sky laughs. A bunch of flowers starts to bloom around her, (Y/N)’s earth fairy powers always act up a bit when strong emotions flow through her. Helping her up, he makes sure to take some bags to carry some of the weight. Once on her feet, he brushes the dirt off of her right cheek. They are tinted with red, embarrassed. The sun shines bright, a lingering warmth from summer.

"Still as clumsy as day one. I wonder how you're Saul's daughter sometimes."

She blows raspberries, softly swatting his hand away.

"You wish you had my style, blondie.

-Oh yeah, definitely. "

She looks down at her knee, hurting her a little bit. It had scraped in the dirt. But nothing too alarming. Noticing the flowers, she picks one up, putting behind one of Sky's ears. Wrapping her arms around his neck, her lips kiss his, scratching the base of his hairline. It's always comforting to have (Y/N). She makes things better.

He can't stop thinking : if his father had still been alive, would they have met ? There are so many other things he loves about this girl. Would Andreas have approved of it ?

(Y/N) waves a hand in front of his face. Her other hand holds a fruit salad with a couple of biscuits. Sky got lost in his thoughts. The sun blinds him for a second. They are taking their lunch break on the terrace of the cafeteria.

"You good, blondie ?"

He shakes his head, focusing again, before nodding.

"Yeah sorry. Rough week. I… Sorry, Chef. I'm ready for the next meal of the course."

She gently smiles, planting a kiss on top of his head.

"Got it. Eat up."

He kisses her right cheek. Taking the bowl, he grabs the spoon before taking a bite. God, this strong vanilla aroma and with a touch of citrus…

Sky needed a breather. Never in a million years would he have thought that trying to combine training and extra classes would be so hard. Body aching from a sword fight, he mindlessly went to the main gardens near the Barrier. From afar he saw a silhouette hunched in the sun, sitting on a napkin above the grass. Inspecting furthermore, he recognized a bag he had carried a couple of weeks ago.

"How's the knee ?"

(Y/N) flinched looking up. A bright smile lit her face up.

"Ok ! I'm glad you helped me to the dorms. Thanks again."

He nodded, sheepish. Only then did he notice the fruit salad and biscuits around her. His stomach growled. God damn it. When's the last time he ate ? As if she understood, she motioned for him to sit.

"A friend was supposed to meet with me. But they canceled so… Come on. Take a bite. I heard your tummy rumbling. It's my way to thank you."

Wincing as he sat, the sun was basking them with a gentle warmth. (Y/N) handed him a bowl, pushing an open biscuit box to him.

"Feast, fearless warrior. Thy sword should be wielded by strong arms and a mind of steel."

Sky laughed, surprised but pleased at the food. Not too sugary, not too sour, just refreshing. It was heavenly.

Throughout the 3 first months, they kept that little routine going. Going to the garden, eating lunches, or sweet break meals together. Sometimes, Sky's friend Riven joined. But the funniest time was when the two of them admired the sky, finding shapes in the clouds. Chatting about school, all and nothing. Sky napped while (Y/N) read. It felt good. Normal.

Before Winter break of the 1st year, Saul got custody of (Y/N), offering her and Sky to get to know each other better. And well, they hit it off. After it was a bit weird for the father, seeing his daughter and his surrogate son falling in love. But it wouldn't be fair to get in the way. They didn't grow up together. Their bond bloomed at Alfea. He nudged them towards each other. Seeing what they became, he regretted nothing.

The fences made of foliage rustled. Clouds were darkening the sky. Back to back, (Y/N) and Sky turned their attention to the noise. She was terrified, breathing deeply to steady her steps. He was before her, sword in front of his chest ready to strike. Along in this maze, the two teenagers were tracking down a specialist playing wolf. The fairy-specialist training happened once every two month. The goal was to help students work as a team, help the fairies see what a potential battlefield is and assess their weaknesses.

The noise came closer. Sky extended a hand behind him, reaching for (Y/N).

"You good ? He whispered.

-Yeah."

That was too shaky for his liking. He turned around to reassure her. Unfortunately, the enemy darted around the corner behind him.

"Sky !"

The Burned one decoy launches at them. (Y/N) pushes Sky behind her. Hands at her waist, she casts vines from the ground. They circle the legs of the creature. The specialist gawks at the sight. The fairy throws her hands down, rooting the thin long legs into the ground. She grunts, anxiety poking at her concentration. Her eyes close to focus, she gives space for her thoughts : Could she do it ? How long will the spell last ? Why are the Burned Ones coming back now ? Is her father really okay ? Is this death ?

(Y/N)'s spell faded before Sky could land the blow. The boy got thrown into the foliage nearby, ending the exercise. The other specialist smiled sympathetically. She ran to her teammate, helping him up and out.

"I'm sorry, blondie. I was so scared…"

His eyes were soft. He got up, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"It's okay, I get it. You don't receive field training as a fairy. It's perfectly normal for you to be scared."

She looked away.

"On the bright side, you nearly got it. The only thing in the way was your anxiety. I know it's hard to harness, but here's a tip : I'm here for you. As long as we're together, you have noting to fear. You're strong."

She scoffed, hugging him by surprise. It had been three months since they started dating. He made her stronger, she gave him light. They were here for each other.

She feels a breeze pass her. A slashing sound later, her spell fades and she falls to her knees. Eyes open, her boyfriend smiles brightly at her.

"You did it !"

(Y/N) throws her arms in the air. He puts his sword away and walks to her. The clouds fly away, allowing a stream of sunshine to bask them.

"Yay ! But we did it, blondie."

Picking her up, he spins her. She squeals, hugging him tighter when he puts her down.

"Yeah. We did it."

They exhale, happy to have eliminated the decoy. With the Burned Ones resurfacing, the school had slowly shift into a military field. The mandatory fairy-specialist training had become a weekly thing. The entire day. Restlessly. There are struggles but…

"We're gonna survive this."

They lay in bed, cuddled up in a ball. He's proud of her. When he thinks about his day, her hands roaming his hair, nose nuzzled in his neck, he closes his eyes.

Everything she did today… It reminds of why he loves her so much.

She's cute. She's comfort. She's familiarity.

(Y/N) is Sky's light.

#fate the winx saga #sky x reader #fate sky #sky x fem!reader #request #x reader #imagine

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atlas-of-a-human-soul · 3 years

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Your riven imagine was amazing! Could write about the reactions of the winx and people in school, with a light fairy from earth being with him, please? Anyways, hope you're ok :)

Come back to me (part 1)

Pairing: Riven x reader

=================================

Ever since Rosalind officially took over Alfea, Y/N had felt her hope dwindling. She’s a light fairy, she thrives surrounded by good. The darkness surrounding her is exhausting, bleeding her dry of all positive emotions.

Belief is when there is no reason to hope, when despair sets in, and yet you hold fast to a certainty that it is worth seeking the light, even if you have never seen it.

“I’m not an asshole without a cause. Trust in me.”

Riven is what Y/N believes in. Despite her better judgement, she can’t help it - she does trust in him. Even though he’s gone down a darker path than she could have imagined.

Seeing Riven as Rosalind’s private guard had been tearing her apart, more so when she saw him locking lips with Beatrix.

‘We’re just friends’, she told herself in order to not hate him for his choices. She told herself all of this is for a reason.

“Ugh, why are you staring at those two freaks”, Stella makes a fake gagging sound, drawing attention of Riven.

He glances at Stella, but his eyes are drawn to Y/N. Swallowing thickly, Riven felt his heart sink at the hurt flickering in her eyes. Exhaling through his nose, he locked eyes with Stella again, unable to bear the heaviness of Y/N’s gaze.

“What are you looking at?” Stella narrows her eyes, making Riven roll his eyes.

“I was about to ask you the same. You do know that beauty isn’t transmittable, right? Staring won’t help fix your face.”

Beatrix snickers at Riven’s snarky remark, enjoying the way Stella’s nostrils flare in rage she’s trying to contain. Y/N shakes her head, disappointed by his behavior.

Is there really any of the old Riven left inside that empty shell of his? He barely looks like the Riven she knew let alone anything else.

“Really, Y/N? This is who you swore is the kindest guy you’ve ever known?” Bloom buts in, glaring at Riven.

“I can introduce you to someone so much better”, Aisha adds only making Y/N’s heart ache.

She doesn’t want anyone else. She wants Riven. She wants the guy who’d hold her hand and tell her everything would be alright. She wants the guy who’d written her love notes and called her Sunshine. She wants the guy who made her smile with a single look, but that’s no longer possible. She sees that now.

Blinking fast, her teeth sink into the soft flesh of her bottom lip before she turns around, rushing off to find a moment alone. She needs a place where she can heave, let out the panic of her realization pass through before she loses control and blinds half the school.

She can feel her heartbeat in her throat as tears rush to her eyes. She was his Sunshine, a ray of light capable of shining through the darkness. She doesn’t feel very light and bright anymore. She feels empty and she feels angry and hopeless and bitter about losing him.

After the storms the sunshine returns, and crying is much the same, so she lets it out, she lets it go. She must.

“Sunshine?” A breathless voice freezes her in place with her hand on her chest.

Looking over her shoulder, she finds the perpetrator of her deepest pain.

“There was hope before. Just a tiny flicker.” Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, she sniffles. “Who are you now?”

“I’m still me. I’m still your Riv.” He steps closer but Y/N recoils.

“You’re not the Riv I know. And you’re certainly not mine.” She can still see his hands all over Beatrix and the flashback makes her sick to her stomach.

“I’ve always been yours, Sunshine.” Riven’s voice breaks and Y/N holds her breath with the sound cracking her sanity.

“How is it you see the suffering and choose to make it all the worse?” Sitting down, she covers her quivering lips.

“I’m not trying to make it worse, I swear”, Riven falls to his knees before her, reluctant to touch her. If he saw her recoil from his touch once again, it would kill him. They were never more than friends, but they were more together than couples who actually dated.

“Trust me”, Riven pleads, his fingers shaking as they make contact with her knees. He lets out a relieved sigh once she allows his hands to rest there.

“Trust goes both ways, Riv”, Y/N looks down to his hands, aching to take them in hers yet she can’t. She’s been itching to hold his hands for a long time now, but that would only give way for more heartbreak.

“I’m the inside man”, Riv admits and Y/N’s eyes widen. “I’m trying to find a way to take them down and get Silva out of prison. Sky knows this. Only Sky.” Shaking his head, Riv sighs, “And now you. No one else can be included, Sunshine.”

“Why didn’t you tell me from the start?” She leans in, her breath tickling his lips as their foreheads meet and they close their eyes. The intensity of the moment set them aflame for they’ve never allowed each other the luxury of such intimate touches. Not in a sexual manner, although Riven wanted her in every way, but in a way where the sound of her voice was enough to make his heart flutter. And he never had his heart flutter.

“I told you to trust me.” Riv defends, making her smile.

“You’re an asshole”, she whispers. She can’t help but wonder if he’ll kiss her, finally. The anticipation is mirrored in her shaky lips and she knows she’s so unprepared, but she longs for him.

“I’m your asshole”, Riven’s nose brushes hers and her heart skips at the notion.

Riven’s hand found the back of her neck, quickly pulling her closer until their lips touched and the words ceased. The kiss barely lasted, managing to take their breaths away in an instant. Y/N surrendered to his touch, losing her senses as his lips brought her heartbeat to the speed of light. Her lips tingled, electricity sparking up throughout her body and her hands clutched to his shirt with all their might as if he could slip through her fingers like sand. He’d been wondering how her rosy lips would taste, never quite sure if it would make any impact on him but from the way his hands tremble with her face in them tucked away safely, he knew he has been bested.

“I wish I didn’t have to leave”, he whispers against her lips before pecking them again, drunk on adrenaline her lips caused.

“Don’t leave then”, she cups his face, holding him close. The simple thought of letting him go pains her. “When you’re gone, I’m stuck in darkness.”

Drawing a deep breath, Riven inches away. Using his hands, he brings her hands down from his face, clinging to the softness of her palms for a moment longer. “Even when I’m with you, I’m darkness that’s consuming you. Sunshine, no matter what happens, I’ll always be bad for you.”

Scoffing, she narrows her eyes ever so slightly, “That should be my choice and I choose you.”

“If you cling to me, I’ll snuff out your light. It’s who I am. I’m the darkness to your light, the night to your day. These kinds of loves don’t have happy endings.” Pressing a kiss to her palm, Riven leaves Y/N in deep thought.

Is it true? Is he her darkness? How much light had he taken already? Because even with that in mind, she wished to be consumed by him entirely.

People say the darkness presses in, but that’s not true. The darkness kisses up to your skin closer than a lover’s lips and whispers excitement into your ears. The darkness becomes your best friend, a second skin that’s flattering and cool. The darkness becomes your favorite thing right up until your exits are blocked, then it has no reason to hide.

If it was easy to spot darkness there wouldn’t be a problem, now would it?

How often do you confuse day and night?

“Riven is my darkness”, she realizes and yet she doesn’t care. She’s light enough for both of them. If he is her darkness, she is his light and while the sun and the moon failed to make it work, Y/N decided to prove everyone wrong, Riven included.

PART 3

#riven fate winx saga #riven x reader #riven imagine #riven angst #fate the winx saga #fate the winx saga fic #fate the winx saga fanfic

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bloomvalyria · 3 years

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The Winx Club - Artbreeder Edition feat. Procreate

There has been quite a bit of outrage over the past few days over the Winx Club live action show on Netflix (as there should be), and I saw a couple other versions of this floating around, so I thought I’d take a crack at it! If enough people like it, maybe I’ll try to do some other characters like the boys or something, but we’ll see. This is just my interpretation of the characters, so please don’t take them to heart.

Credit of course to Artbreeder, but also the Winx Wiki and Just Winx Blogspot for the girls’ signatures!

#winx club #winx #winx bloom #winx stella #winx flora #winx musa #winx tecna #winx aisha #winx layla #winx roxy

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imkylotrash · 3 years

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Meeting The Folks

Pairing: Saul Silva x reader

Requests: Student!reader x Silva, where her friends, her roommates find out and help her get him, like help her dress, sneak around and everything? Anonymous And Student!reader x Silva, about how they tell her parents that they are together? It would be even better if her father or mother was like "wait, Silva? Saul Silva? This Saul Silva that...". Anonymous

Tagging list: @grey-girl @anreeixcobra @kingunder221b @lflores2008 @alexiapayne12 @quuenofblacks @quarterback-5 @bitchwhytho

It’s not easy hiding a relationship from the girls. Especially not when you’re dating the head of the army but you manage to do so for almost 8 months before they discover the truth. It happens one morning when Terra is about to go to the green house. You’d never imagine someone being up at 6am on a Saturday so you don’t do your normal check before leaving Saul’s quarters. Unfortunately, the way to the green house leads straight past there so you practically walk right into Terra.

“Was that-” You hush her checking to see if anyone else has decided to take a morning stroll. She looks like she’s about to burst from excitement but stays quiet until you’re satisfied that she’s the only one here.

“Did you just leave Mr. Silva’s room?” she whisper-yells and you’re hoping that Saul won’t come out. The last thing you need is him panicking over the fact that someone knows.

“It’s a secret. You can’t tell anyone. It would be really bad if the wrong people found out,” you warn her hoping she understands that this isn’t one of those things she can just blabber to everyone.

“How long?” she asks. Going against your gut feeling, you tell her a brief summary of how you and Saul found yourselves falling in love.

“Remember when I got promoted to be his assistant? It meant a lot of late nights and difficult discussions. We didn’t plan for this. It just happened along the way. But if Farah found out, I might get kicked out of Alfea. And Saul would definitely be banned from here.” You can’t believe that you managed to keep this a secret for so long and just days before graduation someone finds out.

“I won’t tell. Promise.” She pretends to lock her lips and throws the key away. This definitely won’t a secret tomorrow. You spend the day worrying about Terra and you don’t relax until she’s back in the suite with the other Winx girls. When she sees you, she gives you a not-so-secretive wink making you facepalm yourself.

“Did you guys want to get some dinner?” you ask looking around at the girls. You’d been their mentor when they first arrived to the school but the friendship stayed even after they’d settled in to Alfea.

“Aren’t you having dinner with Sa-”

“Terra!” you yell and she immediately covers her mouth.

“I’m so sorry, it slipped out.” But the damage is done.

“Who is she talking about?” Stella smirks starting to list names of the boys in your year. The only who stays quiet is Musa. When you lock eyes with her, you realise why.

“Don’t,” you mouth to her hoping she’ll understand and she gives you the slightest nod. She must’ve felt your anxiety at Terra almost saying his name and put two and two together. You have no doubt that she knows Terra was about to say Saul.

“There’s also Sander,” Stella says still listing the names of boys not realising she’s looking for the name of a man. Specifically, a man older than any of the students.

“It’s Saul!” you exclaim bending under pressure. You’ve wanted to tell them for so long and now that two of the girls already know, you may as well you say it. You want to be able to talk about him to someone that isn’t him.

“Have you been sneaking around with Mr. Silva?” Bloom asks making you sigh.

“Please just call him Saul,” you say but they all refuse.

“We’re not the ones sharing a bed with him. I’ll stick to Mr. Silva,” Aisha laughs and the rest of the girls nod in agreement.

“I can’t believe that you’ve robbed me of helping you with your outfits for dates, creating little meet cutes between the two of you. We could’ve helped come up with ideas for dates,” Stella pouts adding, “I’m not mad. Just disappointed.” Over the next couple of days, Stella makes it her mission to make up for lost time. She plans all of your outfits, arranged cute little moments for you and Saul all while making sure no one interrupts you. It baffles you just how good she is at this. Saul takes the news of the girls finding out surprisingly well.

“Now that we’re so close to graduation, I don’t see how it’ll make much a difference.” You’re happy he’s okay with them knowing because that makes it so much easier for you to suggest telling your parents.

“You want to what?” he asks almost choking in his food.

“I want to tell my parents. You said it yourself, it doesn’t make that much of a difference now.” You’ve always been close with your parents and it’s been killing you to have to hide this from them. He can’t argue against his own logic so the day after graduation you find yourself on the road preparing to introduce your parents to Saul.

“Are you sure it’s a good idea? Maybe we should wait.” You’ve never seen Saul nervous before and you quickly decide it’s the cutest thing you’ve ever seen.

“They will love you. Almost as much as I do,” you smile hoping you’re telling the truth, “but maybe you should wait outside and let me test the waters first.” He agrees clutching your hand in his. Seeing your parents fill you with happiness even with the knowledge of what you have to tell them.

“We are so proud of you!” your mother exclaims congratulating you on finally graduating. They’re both hold very important positions in your realm meaning they couldn’t get time off to travel all the way to Alfea but they demand to get all the details now that you’re here.

“Well, I do actually have something to tell you.” To buy yourself some time, you grab one of the cookies that your mother has put out on the table and take a few bites. They have enough common sense to let you work up the courage on your own rather than push you.

“I’m seeing someone,” you start and are quickly interrupted by your mother’s cheers.

“We have to meet them! Do you have a picture of them? Or maybe they came with you?” She’s so caught up in the fact that you’re dating someone, she doesn’t wait to hear who it is.

“Mom, I’m happy that you’re happy but you may want to wait until I tell you who it is.” You take a deep breath to calm yourself.

“I’m dating Saul Silva.”

“Saul Silva?” Your mother sits down looking a little pale.

“Wait, Saul Silva? As in Head of the Army Saul Silva? The man who’s killed 13 Burned Ones?” It’s the first time your father chimes in and you can see the confusion on his face. Of course, they both know who Saul is but they definitely didn’t expect you to be dating him.

“The Saul Silva who’s not only Headmaster for the specialists but also the fencing instructor on Alfea?”

“That’s the one,” you say trying to figure out if now is the time to bring him in. He’s probably trying to eavesdrop by the door.

“I can bring him in if you’d like,” you offer to which your mother springs up from her chair and grabbing the fancy platters.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were dating such fine company. The table is all wrong.” That’s your mother in a nutshell. She runs around using her magic to redecorate and move around furniture. Your father remains seated apparently in shock so you figure now is as good a time as any.

“Saul,” you call after opening the door. Immediately, he’s by your side his eyes asking if everyone is okay.

“I think you may be their favourite,” you laugh taking his hand to lead him inside.

“What an honour to have you,” your mother says shaking his hand. Your dad gets up to do the same but he doesn’t let go of Saul’s hand. There’s a little bit of a challenge in your father’s eyes and Saul accepts it. The testosterone is heavy in the air as they try to crack each other’s hands.

“That’s enough,” your mother says signalling for all of you to sit down by the table. They spend the next three hours questioning Saul and his intentions for you. At no point do they mention his age - the one thing you were worried they’d be upset about. It seems that all they really want is for you to be happy.

“Don’t be a stranger now,” your mother says standing in the doorway as you’re about to head home. You wave goodbye one last time before getting in the car.

“That went well,” Saul says acting as if he wasn’t worried to begin with. You roll your eyes but smile nonetheless.

“Just take me home,” you say with closed eyes. Your hand comes to rest on his thigh, a habit you’ve created after driving with him many times.

“Yes, ma’am.”

#saul silva x reader #saul silva gif #saul silva imagine #saul silva blurb #saul silva #silva #fate the winx saga #fate the winx club #fate winx club #winx saga #winx club #fate winx #fate

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gins-potter · 2 years

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Febuwhump Day 5

Title: right through me

Fandom/Pairing: Winx Club/MuRi

Prompt: “let me see”

Warning/triggers: mild depictions of violence

Musa didn’t see the dagger coming right up until the wizard she was fighting slid it neatly into her side.

The breath punched out of her as she felt pain rip through her abdomen but she kept her wits about her long enough to blast him backwards with a sonic vibration attack that would leave him with a headache for at least a week. Riven, oblivious to her wound, swooped in and cracked him over the head with the butt of his sword, knocking him unconscious, then set about securing him and the others they’d incapacitated.

The wizards they’d fought were part of a larger group set on seizing control of part of the Linphean forest and destroying it because they claimed the space was a sacred part of their dark rituals. So they’d been called in to neutralise them and protect the forest at all costs. The group had split up to slowly pick off the outer layers of security before they planned to reconvene and take on the most powerful of the wizards who were protected in the centre of their camp.

Which meant Musa had absolutely no time for this wound.

With Riven busy with the unconscious wizards, Musa kept one hand clamped to her side while she rifled through her pack with the other, finding a bandage and securing it to her injury. She would have healed it herself but she could already feel her powers waning and knew the worst of the battle was yet to come. So she was going to have to just deal with it and keep moving.

She transformed before Riven could turn around and tugged her t-shirt down over her wound, before crossing her arms and trying to appear casual. Riven finished with the wizards and turned around, arching an eyebrow when he took in her vanished wings and return of regular clothing.

“I’m saving my energy,” Musa said in answer to the silent question.

“Alright,” Riven said slowly, not quite sounding like he believed her. But he didn’t push further on the subject, merely asking, “Should we keep going?”

“Yeah, I think we’re clear, we should head to the rendezvous point.”

Riven nodded and they set off together in silence, traversing the leaf litter and tree roots swiftly. There was something not quite comfortable about the quiet between them. When they’d decided to split up, the couples within the group had automatically paired off, and Layla had elected to go with Bloom and Sky before Musa could catch her eye.

Which had left her alone with Riven. For the first time since their breakup and his return to the group.

“So, how’s the apartment hunt going?” she said, in part to break the awkward silence, and in part to distract herself from the pain still radiating from her side.

Riven cast a bemused look at her, but answered nonetheless, “Fine. Be better if it was going faster.”

Musa found it in her to smirk at that. “Don’t love living with Bloom and Sky?” she teased.

“I’m grateful, don’t get me wrong. But they’re… you know…”

Musa did know, and she knew Riven wasn’t being mean. Bloom and Sky were just recently engaged, just so in love, really there were plenty of options to fill the end of that sentence with. And it wasn’t a slight on their friends, but Musa knew what it was like to be around them, and the rest of the couples in their group, when you were painfully single.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Still living with Layla?”

Part of Musa thought that Riven was forcing himself to maintain the conversation, to be polite, but when she glanced at him, he was already watching her with bright, curious eyes. The thought that Riven had grown from who she’d once known him to be brought her up short, but before she could think of it further, her side gave a sharp stab of pain and she had to grit her teeth to keep from yelling out.

“Yeah,” she managed to say, when the pain had finally eased.

“Right,” Riven said quietly, and if Musa didn’t know any better she would have sworn that his feelings had been hurt by her shortness.

“Yeah, we are,” Musa said again with a gasp of breath, not wanting him to think she was brushing him off. “But, I don’t know, I’m not sure how much longer it’ll last.”

“You don’t like living with Layla?”

“It’s not that, she’s just been floating the idea of moving out lately. She’s never lived by herself before, and I don’t think she was ready to after Nabu, but I don’t know, I guess she’s finally ready.”

“What about you?”

“What about me what?”

“You don’t want to live on your own?”

“I’m not too fussed either way,” Musa said with a shrug that sent pain slicing through her abdomen.

“Oh, because I was thinking about finding a roommate. The rent in Magix is insane so if you’re looking for someone…” Riven shrugged it off like the idea was no big deal but Musa had a feeling it really was.

“Do you think that’s a good idea? You know, given everything- oh, fuck, fuck, fuck-” Muse broke off with a hiss and clutched at her side, no longer able to hide the waves of pain that were coursing through her.

Riven, surprisingly, didn’t seem surprised, and merely raised an eyebrow as he crossed his arms. “I was wondering how long you’d be able to hide it.”

“Hide what?” she snapped, bending over with a whimper.

“Whatever the fuck you did to your side. You hurt it back at the fight with the wizards, right?”

“And you just let me walk around in pain, trying to hide it,” Musa hissed at him.

Riven shrugged, the picture of calm, even as Musa thought she might pass out from the pain. “I learnt long ago that there was no point trying to get you to do or say anything you didn’t want to. Besides, I'm not your boyfriend anymore.” Musa wasn’t sure how that was relevant and was about to say so, but Riven had already continued, “So I figured I’d just wait until you couldn’t take it anymore.”

“You’re such a fucking ass,” she yelped.

But they were both distracted when she pulled her hand away from her side and found that her t-shirt had completely soaked through with blood. Riven’s amusement disappeared and his eyes went wide.

“Musa,” he said, all serious now. “Let me see.”

“Screw you,” she bit out. “Forget it, we need to keep going and go help the others.”

“Musa,” he said again and she found herself looking at him. He looked pale and more worried than she thought she’d ever seen him before. “Let me see.”

Despite his obvious concern, she still wanted to tell him exactly where he could shove it, when her knees buckled. The only thing keeping her from crumpling on the ground was Riven’s arm looping around her waist. With one smooth movement, he lifted her into his arms.

“Riven,” she whimpered.

“It’s alright,” he said soothingly, even as he broke into a fast walk, looking for somewhere he could put her down and examine her wound. “I’ve got you. You’re gonna be alright.”

She clutched at his uniform, trying to control her trembling as he found a fallen log to deposit her on. His fingers slipped under the hem of her t-shirt but he paused, glancing at her for permission.

She gritted her teeth and waved him on. “Not like it’s anything you haven’t seen before.”

So Riven pushed her top up and peeled back the bandage, swearing viciously at what he saw. “This is bad, why didn’t you heal this?” he demanded.

“Told you I needed to save energy.”

“No point saving energy if you die in the process.”

The pair glared at each other for a long minute, each waiting for the other to relent.

“I’m calling it in,” Riven finally said. “They’ll have to deal with the wizards on their own, while you heal this and I mix you some hero’s brew.”

“You are such a stubborn ass,” Musa spat, but she seemed to accept that maybe he had a point because she sighed and flattened a hand on her side, light flaring briefly. There were no healing powers in her bloodline so she couldn’t heal the injury completely like Bloom would have been able, but she could do enough to stop the bleeding until she could see her friend. She busied herself with a new bandage while Riven finished talking to the others through the comms device on his wrist. Once he signed off he dug around in the bag, gathering all the ingredients to mix the hero’s brew, a potion developed by heroes to speed the healing process.

Musa watched him work in silence for a while before, with a growing smirk, she ventured, “So, living together, huh?”

Riven’s eyes flicked to her before darting away again, concentrating on his work. “Yeah. Just as roommates, of course.”

Musa hummed thoughtfully, before accepting the cup he offered her, both of them noticing as their fingers brushed against one another. “Could be fun,” she finally said, smile just develish enough that Riven couldn’t help but wonder what he’d gotten himself into.

#mywriting #febuwhump #febuwhump2022 #febuwhumpday5 #febuwhump day 5 #febuwhumpdayfive #febuwhump day five #winx club #muri #musa #riven #i fucking hate this fic title but it's late and i want to go to bed

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charmixpower · 2 years

Text

Rewatching season 1 (and actually paying attention to Sky to figure out what the fuck everyone is talking about): Part 5

EP 21:

Bloom will barely react to near death but will shun herself after a break up, nothing about her priorities are normal

✨⭐ Shine bright like a diamond ⭐✨

Stella should be exhausted from melting all this ice

Daphne is suddenly blue now

Who the FUCK is that voice when she grabbed the crown

"the king and queen of Domino, convinced they lost both their daughters chose to go into exile to grive."

.....I forgot that up to the first movie was planned, yeah them bitches were always ment to be alive huh

If Bloom is about 5'6, and Daphne is more than full head taller than her

Daphne is at least 6'0 ok???

Also blue Daphne!!

"I'm off to find you!" Daphne is alive??? And hiding??? Also Bloom referring to Daphne in third person

This episode has one to the best pre transformation scenes!!! They way they all jump up!!!

I guess we all know if Flora would of passed the bringing life to a desolate planet exam now :)

Tecna should turn her hood into a helmet more often

Musa finally using her focus in combat!!!!

(magical tools like Stella's "sword" and Nabu's staff are called focuses now bc they help focus magic, yes I'm bad at names)

"Isn't there a saying that goes the best defence is a good offence!"

Stella takes only offensive magic and basic magic classes confirmed

Tecna cracking so many jokes about Bloom being a princess

Musa's speaker spells are the best, just under her disco ball spells

I love how Bloom just hits shit when she can't transform, love her

Flora doesn't have any true offensive spells (spells that hurt on impact) she creates plants to attack (which is technically categorized as defensive and I need better names)

Stella: Cool ✨💖

Stella: wait I'm supposed to be mad at you, I retract that cool

Holy shit I didn't realize how fucking big that thing was until now

Bloom being a leader and telling Tecna what to do even while she can't do anything herself...it was ment to be

They could use version of convergence in s1, the mixing of magical spells, but cannot use true convergence, the mixing of raw magic

Stella is being so nice to Brandon for how angry she was

Bloom you are accepting Sky's apology wayyy too fucking fast

He doesn't get that apology accepted until at least the season finale, come on! Cheating is like one of the the biggest dick moves you can make in a relationship!!

Sky really really said "you always said I was your friend and nothing more", trying to put this on her omg, are the writers ok???

Bloom should of smacked the shit out of him for that one 💕💞

Winx club acknowledge that you have two of your male leads starting off as huge pieces of shit, and not just one 💗

"I forgive you" NO TF YOU DON'T

Oh wow this is making me angry at the writers. You had a another perfectly good meow meow in need of a redemption arc and a scene where he confronts the bad parts of himself and you throw it away to let Sky be the prince in shining armor

*ripping Sky out of the hands of the writers* I'll give him consequences!!!! And a character arc!!!!! AND ITS GONNA HAVE BLACK JACK AND—

Hmmmm of course the Sky Riven rivalry needs to be less one sided, to make it more obvious that their both bastards. Add a couple parallel scenes of Darcy/Riven, Sky/Diaspro (if I'm smart enough to do that), to set up Diaspro mind controlling Sky in s3. A few moments of each girl commenting on how Sky can be kinda a dick, a jokingly slightly snide comment about how "at least Riven isn't hiding he's a jackass", make a little Brandon glaring a hole though Sky's head all though out s1 on the top for flavor.....tbh I don't know what anyone was expecting. My favorite characters are Riven and Musa, I like it when characters are kinda bad people and have to learn to be better. Thats fucking god tier

If they just leaned into this angle of Sky being raised wrong and trying to unlearn his worst behaviors but still fucking up royally, with maybe a heart to heart about why he makes these horrible decisions sometimes, I'd like him a lot more!!

Idk in arguments with Bloom it's like he's not allowed to be straight up wrong, it's like none of the girls are allowed to be straight up wrong, cringe. I'm going to hit Sky with a stick labeled "character development" and "flavor" I'll be back

I'm actually going to punch Sky 💕💞, who told you your allowed to be happy rn? Your supposed to be as miserable as Riven rn, go to your corner cheater

EP 22:

Bloom should be way more unhappy about the Knut thing after her parents nearly died lol

Red Fountain castle....these schools are castles

Literally all of the Winx are making eye contact with eachother when Fragona says "the boys will stay here for now", Tecna may be aroace but she loves and supports her allos

OMG ITS HERE

Riven does (1) self reflection

Can he hear Stormy and Darcy talking out side of his cell about messing with his head???? Wait, kids show nvm

Why is Riven reacting so strongly, like he knows this is just Darcy right?

What is that thing??? Is that one of the army of decay but recolored or is that Darcy's original monster do not steal

Riven regains his sense of self with free help from Darcy!

Darcy's illusions...can be touched bestie

"There are many things I don't like about myself but I'm far from being a monster"

Would of loved if you expressed any of this BEFORE this moment

"I have a heart!!!!"

OUGH, MY SON

I'm not crying shut up

Ughh I just wanna give him a hug, is that so bad??

Riven bby understanding that becoming a better person isn't about making people forgive you, and no one owes your forgiveness if you become better

Sky definitely would struggle with that *laughs maniacally*

"I have a few friends too"

Hmmm I mean in the context of "hey I was manipulated and also Darcy was literally in my head" yeah

My meow meow is more pathetic than yours

"hey! Kiddo!" Glad you finally decided to speak up Griffin

"it would of been impossible to guess what their planning"

They tried to kill people. Are we forgetting that?

"I've always been good a picking locks [....] The person hasn't been born yet who can keep me locked up."

And then this trait is never shown again

He just walks out

Griffin got a cooler lock than him lmao

Riven with magic is a fun headcanon exclusively if you don't give him enough to over power anyone, then he has to use his ingenuity—which is one of his best traits!!

Like Riven with enough fairy magic but can't transform and vice versa with witch magic

I think witch magic seems more complicated??? Compared to fairy?? Which would make it more fun to give him bc then hed have to really work to do weird shit

All of this to say:

Let👏Riven👏use👏magic👏so👏he👏can👏pick👏magic👏locks👏too

That's the only thing Riven having magic is necessary for, bc then magic locks CAN keep him locked up and thats just not right babes

Background characters that could of been main characters with designs that pretty number 1, the witch Hecate

Goddamn rocking that light blue and red combo

That chick in the background comes from the same planet as Riven, you can tell by the shonen anime hair

Griffin sounds genuinely scared for Riven

He changed into his specialist uniform...but didn't bring any weapons?? Wouldn't that just be on his suit?

"Is this were it ends? No. You'll never get me."

Riven going from "I'm going to die" to "I'm too spiteful to die" to "the only one that kills me is me"

Salidin remembering that Faragona is a lying liar

I need to think more about thoese twins that work at CT

Bloom????? Are you ok????

She doesn't feel fear apparently

Sky agreed too quickly for how upset he seemed

Icy: NO—! Oh well he chose his own fate

All of the Trix have pretty strong on Riven apparently

"it's the same story as always, your stubborn as a mule" SAY IT MUSA

You'd think that Bloom would have a suit or something rather than her nomral clothes

DID NONE OF THE PROFESSORS HELP MIRTA? HELP???

Stella: So. Your not a prince.

Brandon: unfortunately, no. I'm Brandon, Sky's page

(First a squire, now a page, which...his job description is still bodyguard)

Stella: So Sky tricked Bloom and you tricked me

Brandon: and that changes everything

Stella: maybe, maybe not

Brandon, unlike Sky who attempted to push blame off of himself and instantly apologized, seems to have done the emotional equivalent of rolling over and dying

Man's has given up

Stella should not have enough magic to go on this mission. She should of collapsed after unfreezing Domino Palace

Icy wants to torture Alfea

Knut is a fucking dumbass 💕

The fact that Stella hasn't set him on fire yes is astounding, I wouldn't have enough patience for this

You know, CT is alive but I wouldn't assume the tunnels under it would be too

Why does CT have a personal garbage dumb?

Oh that's why, they have bugs that eat them

"No! Wait! If we attack we run the risk of blowing our cover!" "True. If we kill one the witches will sense it and we can kiss our surprise attack goodbye."

What? Are the BUGS apart of the tower??

These bugs are made of metal what the fuck

Bloom is definitely up there with the girls that can get along fine in a fight without magic, she's so unhinged

I love it when Bloom growls

(no seriously why are these bugs made of metal)

Good afternoon blorbo

There has to be like different tracks one can go into at RF. What ever Riven is in he's clearly the best at it bc everyone is freaking the fuck out over him

Is this an excuse to make all the boys "top of their class" by having them in different sections? Yeah, absolutely. Why?

You should of broken so many bones

Sky is so excited to see Riven, did you to not hate eachother the last time you saw— you know what whatever, this is admittedly adorable

Riven tries to apologize and Sky accepts it before he can even finish

Bloom is even jumping on Riven

Y'all are too nice around here

He's so pointy

EP 23:

Riven, babe, when did you have time to change clothes

This show is so poorly made (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤

Brandon sassing Sky and Riven in quick succession. What ever Brandon is being paid it's not enough

That eye thing is fucking disgusting

"I still can't get over what's happening! I mean....this should of been a normal school year. Instead, were involved in a major crisis and we've got to safe Alfea! And the magic dimension!"

Musa having some very normal thoughts

"Look at it this way. This experience is teaching us so much more than school books could. We're part of historical events. We've had to come up with spells that can never be reproduced! We've got to fight alongside some of the most powerful people in the dimension!"

Tecna being fucking badshit (affectionate)

"you find all that thrilling do you! Well I don't like it at all! I'd rather be safe!!! At home!! With my parents!!!"

Nomral thoughts from a very interesting looking background character (seriously. Spot the main character is weirdly hard in Winx)

Musa: Flora's right!!!! We're like a big orchestra!!!! And each one of us has a very important part to play!!!!

Shut up I love her

Musa: each one of us is absolutely essential

I could write an essay about this moment, I won't tho. Just understand that Musa is perfect and I love her

Musa, Flora, and Tecna rallying the troops fjsndne

Tecna, talking about love: it can't be that bad

Knut: See! Over there is where they hide all their secrets!!

Riven: are you trying to make me homesick?

I—what the FUCK was your home life like to warrant this comment

How can Bloom not recognize her own power????

When Bloom growls >>>>

"most powerful", get swatted aside by Griffin

When did all these background witches get cloaks

Where are the other two teachers??? :(( Where are the other members of staff that I care about so deeply???? Cruel

And they can't teleport off planet?

Anyways

Sky is really dedicated....to everything but taking responsibility for his own actions ꒰⑅ᵕ༚ᵕ꒱˖💙

Hi Stormy, I see you've made it out of the cage

EP 24:

Adults stop being upset in front of the kids

Some of these characters look like normal humans and others are so obvious alien. That's never more clear than when Griffin and Faragonda talk

Griffin and Faragonda are divorced

STELLA WHY DID YOU LET BLOOM LEAVE WITH SKY?!

BLOOM WHY WERE YOU SO ADAMANT ABOUT GOING IF YOUR GONNA GET COLD FEET

Sky is a kind guy™ but he's also a weird selfish inconsiderate person, at the same time. Layers

I now hc that Sky is specifically Codatorta's best student (even tho it should really be Brandon)

Where is Alfea's magical barrier???

The only thing the weird s3 call back had on this was the dedication on maintaining the barrier

Separate then incinerate, guys, come on

What the fuck is Salidn's and Codatorta's relationship?? They seem like they should be related or something.... Son in law maybe?

I WANNA SEE GRIFFIN AND FARAGONA TRANSFORM, AND I WANT TO SEE IT NOW

Brandon: don't be scared, I'm right here with you

Stella: well that's exactly what I'm afraid of my darling prince

Brandon: I want to ask you to forgive me for-

(Brandon runs his hands though his hair when nervous)

Stella: making me believe your a prince when in fact your just a simple attendant

Brandon: yeah

Stella: dont worry about that Brandon, I don't care if your a prince or not. My parents are royalty and it hasn't done then any good, has it!

What is with this show and giving characters horrible undercuts?!

I see people, rightfully, mocking Riven for his stupid hair and not enough people dragging Brandon for this tragedy on his head

Musa: Hey love birds~! What are you doing? It seems we can't leave you alone for a second

Flora: oh leave them alone, they're so cute together

Stella: don't you two have something better to do? *Magic's a pillow at Musa's face*

Musa: HEY!! ARE YOU CRAZY!! I COULD OF GOTTEN HURT!!!

Brandon: Ha! You were three feet off the ground

Stella: Please. Be nice to my friends. I'm the only one allowed to torment them

Flora may be the mom friend of all mom friends, but Stella older sister friend reigns supreme

Sky really said as you wish, sir, did your tutor teach you that

There's nothing quite as cool as Stella teleporting mid battle

This music is so depressing

Magixs is going to have a very strong therepy industry soon methinks

EP 25:

How have they not saved Mirta yet?

Omg Musa is so sassy about helping Mirta

Daphne is so pretty 🥰

I feel so bad for what I wanna do with this scene, but tbh Daphne makes no sense in canon (with the way she just disappears after s1) so I think I'm justified

Bloom how are you breathing underwater

Anyways Charmix should of been it's one transformation

Magic Winx gets a cutesy theme, Charmix would get a more metal one (like the RF theme), and Enchantix would keep the hauntingly beautiful one it has

And suddenly BOOM Charmix transformation

Bloom is BACK BABY!!!

I can't believe they fridged Mirta for a whole season, that has got to be a crime

"don't be silly! I think I'll go for a walk."

Musa is so adorable and obvious about her crush. She tries to hard to not be like other girls, but in reality she's a blushing school girl though and though

Mirta being smug about them lmao

Stella: Riven!!! I think she's coming down!!!

Riven: oh god, oh fuck, I'm not ready—

This has got to be in Sky's top ten list for trauma, just the whole city dead

Tecna: must you always be joking Stella?

Stella: what do you want me to do! When I get serious I think of Bloom and I go nuts!

Tecna will always be bothered by Stella's main coping mechanism

"the children are beginning to show effects of battle fatigue" BEGINNING?!

The chairs are fucking dope, ngl, this is sick as fuck

So much time dedicated to Sky fighting this thing, not enough time dedicated to Sky realizing that being a cheater makes him a fucking dick, cringe fail writers—

Hey Bloomy! Your amazing as always

Bloom absolutely carried Sky all the way to Alfea. This is just a fact

Icy's number one weakness is her pride

FARAGONA YOU LYING LIAR WHY DO YOU NEVER TELL ANYONE ANYTHING

#winx club #winx riven #winx musa #winx bloom #winx stella #winx flora #winx tecna #winx sky #winx brandon #winx timmy #winx icy #winx darcy #winx stormy #winx trix #rus chatters #winx season 1 #rus liveblogs

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volgdemagischewinx · 3 years

Note

Winx couples during corona time, who's the hoarders, who just sleeps all day, who goes out, stuff like that? Flora x Mirta and Riven x Darcy included.

Ok so, I love making headcanons and getting asks. I do. Every single one is very much appreciated. Buuuut I’m actually quite serious when I say the majority of Winx couples just do not interest me. Definitely not enough for me to enjoy making these kinds of headcanons about them. However I do still like this ask and enjoy this general kind of format so what I’m gonna do is answer these just for the ships I do like and put it under the cut so that anyone who thinks they might feel insulted at a ship not being included can just not check and keep living in blissful ignorance:

Tecna x Timmy: These 2 would win quarantine. They’re already homebodies who prefer communicating online, so the adjustment would be real easy. They’d probably set all their friends up with accounts for some MMORPG(or just make one from scratch themselves lmao) so they can still hang out while socially distancing. I can see Timmy being pretty anxious about the whole virus itself so I think Tecna would probably handle the grocery shopping and stuff like that. She’d definitely be inclined to buy in bulk to though

Musa x Riven: These 2 would lose quarantine. It’s not like it would instantly be horrible. If we’re assuming this is all happening at a point in their relationship where they’re living together then they aren’t that couple that fights all the time anymore, but it still wouldn’t go well! They’re both still very prickly and by nature the kind of people who need their personal space and alone time. Being cooped up together would suck big time. They have to take turns running errands cause both are so desperate to just get the hell out of there for a bit

Flora x Mirta: Flora is either the most chill person about the pandemic or the least and I can’t decide which one lmao. She’s a hippie but she’s also been known to be a worry wart in a way that I think could easily translate into anxiety around the whole thing. Either way she would be pretty good at passing the time in quarantine because she just naturally has a lot of hobbies that can be done at home. I’m sure as an adult Flora would grow some of her own food already, and she’d crack down on it even harder to minimize having to go out in public. When they do have to run errands they do it together because they strike me as the kind of couple who enjoy doing that kind of thing. Mirta would have a pretty hard time not seeing her friends as she’s one of the few who’s active social life extends past that Winx/Specialist circle, so she wouldn’t get to see her own homies during the long distance squad activities they all have :(

Aisha x Nabu: They’re both pretty practical people so I think they would be level-headed about it all. No panic buying toilet paper or anything like that. I think how well they’d handle it emotionally depends very much on where they would be living. They’re both very outdoorsy people and enjoy going out. They would hate not being able to go to clubs or concerts, but if they lived in an area where they could easily go hiking or sailing without risking running into too many people they would get by just fine. But if this just happened to hit while they were living in a city with little outdoor space nearby they would have a much harder time. In that situation I could see one or both of them falling into a funk. I think Nabu would be running most of the errands, Aisha doesn’t mind doing them, but Nabu actually really likes the small talk and meeting people that comes with it, so he prefers to do it himself

Darcy x Riven: Honestly, it’s really hard to picture Darcy not living with her sisters so this is really more Riven and the Trix lmao. It would be a Hellzone tbh. I could see Icy and Darcy both being the one that sleeps all day. Stormy would start going feral in no time and break so much shit. I think once they resigned themselves to it it would be a lot of them just zombying in front of the TV. Riven of course, runs the errands. That’s what he’s for after all

#and this is absolutely not meant to be an insult to the ones I didn't include #I'm just picky and need to care at least a little about a dynamics in order to make hc's for it #winx couples #winx headcanons #ask wave #anon

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music-of-melody · 3 years

Text

A Fanatic Heart

Author: @acotazriel

Word Count: 7k

Rating: T {canon-typical violence & language}

Relationships: Riven/Musa

Summary: What if all the Winx fairies were specialists and all the specialists were fairies? What if Riven doesn't realise how he feels for Musa before it's too late? What if he never has another chance again? May be continued into a series.

A/N: So this started out as a simple picture but ended up being an entire universe thanks to the amazing @acotazriel - Skye you have been honestly incredible throughout this all, especially given that I gave you like 3 sentences to work with so all the kudos to you! It has been a joy editing this and being a part of the creative process!

Riven hovered on the balls of his feet as he scanned the forest clearing. The woods were far too silent, with no noise in the way of birds, insects, or even a breeze among the treetops. The forest was waiting, like him. He scowled, feeling familiar eyes on his back but not turning around to face them. The Burned One had disappeared only thirty seconds ago; he knew it couldn’t have gotten far. He took the brief moment of respite to wipe the sweat from his brow as his eyes raked over the stand of shrubs, seeking any and all movement that might betray his quarry’s presence.

A twig cracked to his left and from the corner of his peripheral vision he caught sight of a charging, blackened figure. He whirled and dropped into a crouch just in time for the Burned One’s misshapen claw to swipe uselessly at the air above his head.

It fucking snuck up on him. How the fuck had it done that?

Riven didn’t waste time wondering; instead, he leapt backwards away from the swinging, venomous claws. The Burned One snarled and snapped but still Riven danced backward, drawing his opponent onto the offensive, forcing it to take the lead. After several seconds of distanced swipes, it took his bait and pounced forward—just as Riven anticipated. He timed his own leap to react to the Burned One and took the smashing blow right in the center of his reinforced chest plate.

He smirked even as he staggered two steps backward from the force of the blow. Right where he wanted.

The Burned One was strong, and in the following second Riven focused his mind on that kinetic energy it had imparted on his chest plate. He lifted his hands upward with his palms out and then let forth that same force in a wave of energy, blasting right at the Burned One’s approaching figure.

Riven grinned as the Burned One immediately tumbled backward, heels over scaly head, until it finally rolled to a stop forty feet away. “Thought you’d like that,” he taunted.

It slowly got to its feet, baring jagged fangs at Riven as it straightened to reach its full height. Riven sank into a crouch and raised his hands, palms outward again, and focused on the Cinder at its core.

It charged, screaming its demonic yowl, legs striding faster and faster over the uneven ground. It was thirty feet away and closing fast. Riven’s leg wobbled beneath him, still sore from the wild kick it had landed on him when it had first jumped them from above. At least it hadn’t broken his skin—he wasn’t Infected.

Yet. He reached out with his mind and felt the Cinder as it smoldered within the approaching Burned One—hot to the touch and full of dark energy, friction, and hatred.

Fifteen feet away now, screeching for all it was worth, reptilian feet pounding over the earth as it lunged. Riven drew a deep breath and visualized the Cinder bursting into smithereens.

Nothing.

The Cinder stayed intact and still the Burned One charged. Riven exhaled sharply in frustration and rolled to his right to dodge.

The Burned One spun on its heel to follow Riven’s progress, and he braced himself for the bite of its claws into his left shoulder—

Just as Musa leapt over his head and slashed her staff downward with both hands against its neck.

It screamed again, that horrific squall that chilled Riven to the bone (though he’d never admit it), Musa’s staff splitting into the three sections with which she fought as she charged the Burned One. She was a blur of forest green and ivory, her staff appearing as three pieces or as one when it suited her, leaving no place for her opponent to dodge or avoid the striking metal. Riven watched with satisfaction as she struck its head, its gut, its thigh, and its neck in quick succession. It slumped to its knees in agony, its maw gaping with an unheard scream of pain, and Riven raised his hands again and closed his eyes.

The Cinder beat like a defective heart, seething and bubbling with aimless rage. Riven clenched his fists as if squeezing the Cinder from the outside and Musa raised a forearm to cover her eyes. The Cinder exploded into a thousand fractals of light and energy that ricocheted outward through the forest and faded harmlessly into nothing.

When the reverberation deadened, Riven opened his eyes to see Musa bracing a booted foot against the Burned Ones’ corpse to roll it onto its back.

She jerked her staff upward in the snapping motion that folded the three pieces parallel to each other and lifted her gaze to him. “Thought you were going to take that one down by yourself?” she asked in a mock casual as she sheathed her staff into its quiver on her back.

“I had it under control,” Riven said with a grin as he straightened up. He scanned his body quickly, looking for any tears in his armor or breaks in his skin. Coming up empty, he cocked his head towards the unmoving corpse. “Just didn’t want you to get lazy.”

She huffed a laugh. “Right,” she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, I’d be a real couch potato if I didn’t have to jump up and save your sorry arse every five minutes.”

“I was fine. I could have taken it,” Riven said. One of these days he’d take one down all by himself and prove to Farah he didn’t need Specialist support. Prove to himself that he didn’t need anyone.

“Whatever. Toss me the sampling kit.” She knelt to the ground beside the Burned One while Riven unclipped the small leather pack at his belt. He tossed it to her and she caught it deftly, unzipped it, and withdrew Professor Harvey’s biosampling tackle.

He watched her scrape some of the Burned One’s scorched flesh into a vial and wished he’d paced out his cigs better. Now he was restless and directionless until they could return to camp. “Maybe I’ll just let it get you next time,” Musa said after a long beat. He arched an eyebrow at her. “Once it Infects you and I have to kill it, maybe you’ll see why Farah wants everyone to fight in teams.”

“Yeah, Farah’ll really go for that,” Riven scoffed.

“Farah says mutual trust—”

“It’s not a question of trust,” Riven cut her off. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against a tree trunk with his eyes narrowed. “It’s a question of you doing your job, and me knowing that you’re gonna do your job.”

He’d lost count of the number of times he’d had this conversation. He avoided her frustrated expression and uncrossed his arms to withdraw the small throwing knife he kept in his boot, running his thumb over the blade to test its sharpness. He checked that Musa was still busy with the sampling kit and made another notch in his leather chest cuirass. “That makes nine,” he announced.

She wrinkled her nose. “I thought it was eight?”

“No, I’m counting that one back in the moor for us.”

She huffed another laugh. “Sure, just don’t tell Silva that—I already saw him tally it up in his count.”

Riven shook his head and clucked his tongue. “He really lets getting chosen by a dragon get to his head, doesn’t he.”

Musa laughed, for real this time, her chestnut brown eyes glinting with glee. “You’re just saying that because he’s the only fairy to beat you in hand-to-hand combat.”

“That was a technicality—” Riven had just begun his retort when a loud shout echoed behind them. They both whirled, Musa already jumped up and her staff drawn and ready, studying the surrounding woods for the source of the noise.

“There,” Musa pointed out. In the far distance Riven could just make out a couple of trees that were swaying back and forth in an unnatural motion—not from the trunks, but from the roots. Another cry—this time a feminine scream.

They broke into a sprint at the same time. “I think it’s Flora,” Musa panted as they darted between trees and over shrubs.

“Nah, that’s Brandon’s style,” Riven refuted, thinking of the motion of the tree trunks. “Besides, I got way too good at recognizing Stella’s screams back when she was with Sky—”

Musa shot him a glare, but they both saved their breath as they ran through the woods. They reached the top of a ridge and paused when they caught sight of two Alfea uniforms—one Specialist, one fairy.

Brandon was down, lying on his side with one hand clutching his stomach and the other outstretched in front of him. Stella’s twin swords flashed in the sunlight as she hacked and parried the Burned One in front of her. The ground beneath their feet rippled and rolled like waves on a pond—every time the Burned One raised its arms, it stumbled on the erratic ground while the forest floor beneath Stella remained as steady as a rock.

But she was hurt, too—Riven could see from the way her left arm lagged behind her right, and sure enough, within a few seconds the Burned One managed to knock her left blade from her hand.

Musa and Riven didn’t wait another moment. They charged down the hill, Riven already reaching his palms outward, making sure to stay two steps behind Musa’s staff.

This one was bigger than the one they’d just killed - it towered over Musa’s compact form, although he knew this just played into her strength: speed. She was a flurry of flashing metal and darting green as she dodged the Burned Ones’ swipes and claws.

Riven reached Brandon and crouched on his haunches. “It got you?”

“Fuck me, yes,” Brandon hissed, and pulled his hand away from his stomach for long enough for Riven to see a smear of red blood and black Burned One bile webbing outward from the wound. “Got Stella too.”

“We’ll take care of it,” Riven promised. He rested a steadying hand on Brandon’s shoulder and turned to look back at their Specialists. Musa and Stella had already managed to bring it to its knees, and within a blink, Musa drew back with a powerful swing and leveled the Burned One with a furious strike to its neck. It keeled backward, and Stella raised her right sword with both hands and stabbed it downwards into its chest, pinning it to the ground.

Riven approached, palms outward again, and now—with little danger from the lifeless form—cradled the Cinder in his mind, then crushed it with minimal effort, squeezing his eyes shut as the energy rippling outward nearly surged through them.

Stella let out a slow, rattling breath as the Burned One’s life force drained away. She staggered back, catching her breath, and then immediately hurried to Brandon. In the span of seconds she reached his side, knelt, and rolled him onto his back. Riven and Musa approached as well, Riven drawing forth his first aid kit from the pack at his belt.

“I’ll be okay,” Brandon said thickly. His breath was ragged and both hands clutched at the wound in his stomach. His eyes never left Stella’s. “I’ll be okay.” Riven had the sense that his words were more of a plea than an assurance.

“Of course you’ll be okay,” Stella shushed him as she cradled his head in her lap. “It’s dead, we just have to get you fixed up.”

“And you’re okay, Stel?” Musa asked, running a questioning hand along Stella’s left arm.

“Fine,” Stella answered absently. “Just nicked my wrist, that’s all.” To justify her nonchalance, she extended her left hand out to show Musa and Riven. Her sleeve had torn and there was a line of blood where her forearm met her hand, but it didn’t appear serious.

Riven handed over gauze and healing potions. “Think you can walk?”

“I’ll be okay,” Brandon repeated. “Just give me a second.”

Musa took Riven’s forearm and pulled him backward to give Brandon and Stella space. They watched from behind Stella, handing her additional bandages and tinctures as she tended to her fairy. Within a few minutes, the color returned to Brandon’s face, although he couldn’t hide the pain that flicked over his features when he tried to stand. Riven offered an arm to help Brandon limp back to camp but the other fairy brushed him off. “I’m fine, I’ll just go slow,” Brandon said.

Stella looped Brandon’s arm over her shoulder so she could help him walk. “We’ll see you guys back at camp,” she said. “And thanks for the assist.”

“Yeah—thanks,” Brandon forced out before Stella led him forward.

Musa and Riven watched them walk away for a long beat before Musa collapsed her staff back into thirds, sheathed it, and then ran a hand through her hair. “That was a little scary.”

Riven shook his head dismissively. “I’ve been telling Brandon for weeks he leaves his core too exposed when he fights. And I’ve heard you yourself telling Stella she needs to tighten up her left side.”

She glared at him. “That’s harsh, Riv. People make mistakes—that doesn’t mean they deserve it.”

“I didn’t say they deserved it—and we don’t make mistakes,” he grinned. “We haven’t lost yet. Not with real ones, anyway.” The simulation Burned Ones that they’d faced back when they were still training didn’t count.

“Yeah, but…” Musa’s lips formed a thin line as she stared after Brandon and Stella’s receding forms. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re going to be saying that shit behind my back if I ever make a mistake.”

He hissed an exhale in frustration. “You think I wouldn’t have done the same for you? I’m doing my job, Musa, which means I’m not leaving you on the ground to die.”

“Even if I left my core too exposed or didn't tighten up my left side?”

She threw his words back at him, her tone mocking, and he stopped short and turned to face her. “Fine, you want me to say it? I do. I do care about you. You’re a fucking good fighter and I don’t want anyone else at my side.”

Her mouth curved into a mischievous grin. “So you do trust me.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“That’s what I heard.”

He huffed a sharp exhale through turned-up lips that ruffled his quiff. “Whatever. Let’s just keep patrolling.”

Before he followed her forward, he notched another mark on his cuirass.

===

They returned to camp a few hours later. The first thing they did was check on Brandon in the infirmary tent being tended to by Harvey, and then Musa went to wash up while Riven headed to the mess tent.

He loaded up his tray with as much food as he could fit before looking for Sky in the fairy tent.

“Heard you had a productive morning,” Sky asked from his cot, looking up from the throwing stars he was cleaning.

Riven nodded through a mouthful of stew and puffed out his chest to show the two new notches he’d made. “Told you we’re the best team,” he said with pride after chewing and swallowing. “What did you and Bloom do?”

“Killed three, actually.”

"Bullshit!" Riven exclaimed, but Sky just chuckled and shook his head.

“Ask Silva.” He stood up. “Actually, I’m heading that way, you should come with. He asked me and Bloom to try out his new idea—”

Riven's eyes narrowed, projecting his disappointment as irritation. "What about our debrief hike?"

Sky’s gaze dropped back to his hands and the pile of cleaned throwing stars at his feet. "Can't today—I already promised Bloom I would."

Scowling, Riven picked up his bread. "Right, can't compete with a shag now, can I?"

Sky frowned and glanced back up. "It's not a competition, Riv. I'm just moving our mates time, I'm not bailing so I can get laid."

"Right—you're just bailing and getting laid."

Sky rolled his eyes, set down his rag, and grabbed his cuirass from its hook over his bed and pulled it over his head. “You’ve got a letter, by the way,” he changed the subject and pointed at the desk against the far wall.

Riven lowered his head to his lunch and shrugged, ignoring the spike of inadequacy at its likely contents. "Don't care." Sky fastened the straps on his cuirass with a puzzled expression that made Riven's ears burn. He hated pity, and in his desperation to fill the silence with anything else he spoke again. "It's probably just Dad telling me not to come home next time we get leave."

"Riven..." Sky's tone was so full of unsolicited sympathy that it further frayed Riven's already irritated nerves.

"Read it, I don't care," he said through another bite. "Go on."

Sky finished tightening his chest harness, walked to the desk, and slit open the envelope. "'Dear Riven, you are most welcome at home in two weeks,'" he read, his voice rising hopefully. Riven raised a hand for him to read on, and Sky looked back down at the letter. "'...however your stepmother and I will be on holiday in Melody. You can let yourself in. Write soon.'" He finished, deflated, and dropped the letter back onto the table, at a loss for words.

Riven shrugged to prove to Sky that he didn't care. At least it was longer than his father's usual letters, he thought dryly.

"I'm sorry, Riv.” Had Riven been less peeved then he would have appreciated the sincere apology in Sky's voice. "Let's do our hike when I get back."

"Yeah, sure," he replied dully. "Enjoy spending time with your ball-and-chain."

"She's not my ball-and-chain, Riven," Sky sighed, exasperated as he laced his boots. "She's more than that... she's my lifeline."

Riven made a retching noise in the back of his throat, gagging at Sky's sentimentality, but after Musa’s comments this morning, the comment hit closer to home than he thought it would.

"Right, well, see you when we get back." He left the tent, leaving Riven to finish his meal in silence.

===

As soon as he was done Riven tossed his tray back into the mess tent and shoved his hands into the pockets of his uniform. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he couldn’t help but feel let down by Sky. Sky was the one who’d dragged Riven on these hikes at first, a way for them to have some time to themselves away from the girls, just the two of them like before. Riven had gone along begrudgingly at first but had in the last few months found himself looking forward to them—a chance to compartmentalize and destress with his best friend from the furor of battle and camp life.

And now, Sky had blown him off.

He set his jaw as he paced through camp. He knew that Sky didn’t mean anything by it, but it still niggled angrily in the back of Riven’s brain. He kicked a rock in the path, savoring the sweet agony in his toe because it distracted him from the nervous energy in his mind. He could have that relationship with Musa if he wanted—he just didn’t want to. They were soft, all of them, and if Riven knew one thing it was that the people you trusted always let you down in the end. If you gave them a piece of your heart, it was inevitable that they would crush it.

“What is it?” A voice in front of him spoke and Riven looked up, surprised to find himself in front of the infirmary. Musa looked up at him from where she knelt in Professor Harvey’s herb garden. “Does Dowling need us?”

“What? Oh, no,” Riven said quickly, silently cursing himself. He knew better than to connect the dots that thinking about Musa led to him finding himself arriving at one of her usual haunts. “I, uh— how’s Brandon?”

To his surprise, instead of a simple answer Musa glanced back into the tent, then stood up and brushed the dirt from the knees of her trousers. “Let’s talk out there,” she said quietly.

Riven nodded, falling into step beside her as they paced along the path and out through the temporary barrier erected around their campsite. “Huh, I didn’t know it was bad.”

“It hit his aorta,” Musa admitted, pushing aside the underbrush as they walked vaguely north. “He’s not Infected or anything, it’s just going to take him a lot longer to heal than they thought.”

“That sucks,” Riven agreed. Still sensitive about Sky’s comment, he chose not to offer any more opinions about Brandon’s form—in fact, he regretted his previous remarks. He thought back to his earlier conversation with Musa and cringed. “Stella must be pretty cut up.”

“She definitely feels guilty,” Musa admitted in a low voice.

Riven pressed his lips together, holding a branch out for Musa to walk beside him and not get whacked in the head. “She shouldn’t—it wasn’t her fault. The one they knocked heads with looked like a nasty bugger.”

Musa allowed a small smile up at Riven. “It was—and someone’s being generous,” she teased. “Did Riven grow a heart?”

“Wow, say something nice about a guy on death’s door, and suddenly you’re a saint,” Riven shot back. “Brandon’s a damn good fairy. We need him.”

“Ah, that’s right,” Musa said, her tone dropping from teasing to mocking. “He’s just doing a job.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

“That’s what I heard,” she said again. She drew up short and turned to face him. “Tell me, have you ever trusted anyone?”

He stopped as well, feeling a twist in his gut. He didn’t want to continue this age-old conversation, but for a different reason than usual—he was alarmed that she was upset. He didn’t want one more person to push him away. “Why does it matter to you?” he asked. “Why do you care so much about trust when we should be worried about Burned Ones and Rosalind and fucking psycho Beatrix—”

“Because if I’m just a job to you, Riven, then I can’t do this.”

His lips parted and he stared, dumbstruck.

“If you can’t trust me then I don’t want to do this. I’m going to ask Dowling to be paired with someone else.”

His brain sagged at her announcement, briefly flashing through his life if he didn’t have his Specialist next to him. Having to start over with someone new… someone likely less capable… someone worse. Someone that wasn’t her.

“Musa—”

“No, don’t, Riven—”

An otherworldly scream cleaved the air above their heads. Riven flinched and looked upward in time to see a Burned One drop from a tree above their heads.

Fuck.

He reacted instantly with his training and skittered backward, stumbling at first and then more skillfully as his training took over. The Burned One had missed them in its initial lurch, but it was already upright and snarling towards them as they hurried to overcome the surprise.

“Got a shot?” Riven shouted as he ducked beneath a swipe of its jagged claws. He rolled to his feet and glanced quickly at Musa—thankfully she had kept her staff with her, and it was already twirling in her hands, a blur of metal and ivory.

“Take it,” Musa yelled back, and Riven acknowledged with a quick “Aye!” She was asking him to use his energy absorption powers to take a blow and then reverse the energy back onto it. Riven straightened up and danced backward, taunting the Burned One to prowl forward and away from Musa while she got her bearings. “Come here, you little fuck,” Riven shouted, hoping to distract it.

It lunged and Riven leapt sideways to take the brunt of its force on his breastplate. It struck true and Riven almost laughed in delight as he focused that energy back through his palms, and blasted the Burned One twenty feet backward.

With some breathing room now between the pair and the Burned One Musa charged. Her staff was a spinning twirl of silver and white as she advanced and struck forward as the Burned One pushed itself to its feet. Her staff struck over and over at any exposed areas the Burned One left open, causing it to keel backwards in pain. Musa rained so many blows on the creature that it keeled backward, stunned by pain, and if it had been anything but a Burned One Riven would have felt sorry for it.

Riven advanced with palms out, his mind sharpening on the Cinder at its core. Musa struck out again and again on Burned One while he located that beating mass of rage and hatred. He closed his eyes and focused on it, imagining it bursting into smithereens.

“Now,” he called out, their sign for her to shield her vision, and the Cinder exploded in another blast of light and energy.

The silence that followed the Burned One’s destruction felt more weary than usual. Riven dropped to his knees, cowed by the surprise and viciousness of their sudden fight, and opened his eyes to see Musa shakily folding her staff by hand into thirds before glancing over at him.

“Fuck, they’re getting bolder,” she said, and he nodded.

“Got to be on guard.”

“Luckily we’re ‘the best,’ right?” Musa said with a jittery chuckle. Riven’s lips thinned—they’d been caught by surprise. Only their training had saved them.

“Yeah, the best.” He righted himself, dusting off his uniform where he’d rolled on the mossy forest floor. Despite himself, he couldn’t help replaying Musa’s earlier words from that morning in his head—so you do trust me.

He knew by any other metric that’d be true. Riven finally forced himself to admit it. If Bloom was Sky’s lifeline, then he knew Musa was his. He could call it whatever he wanted, but it was trust.

The thought of admitting it to Musa made his gut twist again. It went against almost everything he stood for, to admit that he was wrong—except for his number one principle: honesty. If that meant admitting to Musa that he trusted her, then that trumped everything.

He opened his mouth.

Musa cocked an eyebrow at him—waiting for his smarmy retort—but before he could speak the brush behind her solidified from thorny oleander to the shape of a Burned One.

His words died on his lips, replaced by a silent scream.

The Burned One struck out at Musa from behind—her staff lay limply in her hand and her eyes were fixed on Riven. On him. Instead of herself and her back and the slim body that he should be defending.

It was like she recognized what had happened before he did. Her chestnut eyes sought his as the Burned One’s claw sank into her back, and he felt her scream on every level—physically, mentally, psychologically—and even fucking deeper than that. He felt her scream in his very bones.

He watched her fall almost in slow motion, her arms raising first in reaction to the pain, the staff falling from her grip and clattering uselessly to the forest floor—then her legs as she pitched forward, knees buckling, and the rest of her body followed, a rag doll to the deep wound from the Burned One’s dagger-like claws.

And her face. Her fucking face. Warped in surprise, with pain glossing over her features in a slice that made Riven feel as much if not more pain than she. His Specialist, in pain—attacked.

She crumpled. The Burned One stood over her body, crowing victory in its nonverbal tongue and still slashing at her body, and Riven felt a fire that he’d never felt before alight in his veins. It spread from his heart to his gut to his extremities, carrying surprise and rage and a loss that he had never before felt in his life.

Musa. It had hurt Musa. It had hurt Musa to the point that she’d collapsed and he was still standing, and he ceased to be Riven—he became a pillar of furor and mania.

It had hurt the one person who had fought by his side the last six months.

It had hurt the one person who was always there when he needed her, conscious or not.

It had hurt the one person who knew him inside out and still chose to fight beside him.

It had hurt his Specialist. His Musa.

He screamed in guttural rage and it felt as though his voice ricocheted through the entire forest.

Suddenly, in the midst of his fury, pain exploded between his shoulder blades. It wrenched through him with enough violence to cut short his cry, and he staggered forward as if pushed by an invisible force. Beneath the anger and passion he felt something else—something kinetic and physical, something fundamentally different about himself.

He fell forward onto his knees and pressed his hands to the dirt, blinking back tears of pain as something huge—something massive erupted against his back, ripping his shirt in half at the back seam. He crawled forward on his hands and knees, seeking to escape the burden on his shoulders, to slither out from beneath whatever-the-fuck-it-was now weighing him down and pressing him against the earth. It had to be a Burned One—another had snuck up on them, and gotten Riven this time, and this was what it felt like to be Infected, to have the venom coursing through his body, paralyzing him—

He wouldn’t be able to help Musa.

The thought made his head fly up and face her, every atom in his body resisting that thought. He had to save her. He fucking had to.

He grit his teeth through the pain and dared a glance behind him. Another yell escaped his throat at the sight—this time from surprise. Indigo talons twice the size of an eagle’s hovered over his shoulders, almost dagger-like in shape, connected with a lighter purple webbing—

He choked as he connected the pain between his shoulder blades with the apparition in front of his eyes.

Wings. He had fucking wings.

Riven fought to regain his breath as he pulled himself to his feet, stumbling a little as he compensated for the additional weight on his back. His shirt and reinforced breast plate fell from his chest but he barely noticed. He had wings.

More than that, he realized—he had power.

He could feel it thrumming through him—where before his magic had been a murmur, now it was a roar. It vibrated against his bones and he could feel it crackling at his fingertips. Power.

He barely had to focus—the only thing in his mind was Musa, collapsed at the Burned One’s feet, and Riven simply raised his palms.

The Burned One took a step backward, daunted by the change in Riven’s appearance. He flexed muscles that sixty seconds ago he didn’t know he had and spread his wings as wide as possible to make himself appear larger and more intimidating.

It recovered from its fright and charged at him in a frantic frenzy, but Riven found his reaction times halved by his normal standards—each swipe of the Burned One he met with a slap of his own hands, swatting it away before it could puncture his skin. It yowled in frustration and tried to clap its hands together around Riven’s torso but he simply ducked, leaving it hugging itself in a bizzare embrace. He closed his eyes—almost lazily—and within milliseconds cradled that Cinder in his mind—He didn’t need to concentrate on his focus nearly as much as before.

He focused that rage and energy onto the Cinder and felt it explode into nothing, from boiling hatred to empty peace, and then he opened his eyes.

It was gone. The Burned One had disappeared but Musa still lay on the ground. He knew she wasn’t in danger of Infection, but like with Brandon’s injury there was no time to waste. He scooped her into his arms bridal-style, and when her head lolled against his chest he felt a plunge of something deep in his chest, near where his wings had taken root.

Musa. His Specialist. He needed her.

He didn’t even know how he knew to take flight, but he just knew. His wings carried him through the forest, low and darting as a dragonfly over the brush and through the trees. His shoulders ached with the exhaustion of muscles weak with lack of use, but Riven didn’t care. He forced himself forward, not stopping until he reached the barrier, and even then he pumped his wings forward until he reached the infirmary.

He landed awkwardly on his feet and barrelled inside, Musa still in his arms, knocking aside equipment and paraphernalia left and right with his wingspan. He didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was the seep of her blood onto his shirt and then the floor, and how he had to stop it.

He had to save his Specialist. The one he trusted with his life.

Professor Harvey straightened up from Brandon’s cot, his eyes as large as saucers as he took in the sight of a winged Riven holding Musa’s limp body. A healing fairy stood in the back of the tent behind him, her jaw agape, gaze locked on the violet daggers of Riven’s wingtips.

Riven lifted Musa towards Harvey as if presenting a macabre offering. They weren’t helping. They weren’t moving. They just fucking stared.

“Help!” he bellowed at Harvey. “Help her!”

Harvey blinked but the spell finally broke. He leapt forward to take Musa from Riven’s arms and the fairy behind him hurried over as well. Riven and Harvey lowered onto a cot, her back and the worst of her injuries facing upward. Riven sank onto his knees and ran his hands through Musa’s hair, then over her face as if he could stroke life back into her. Her face was paler than he’d ever seen—even her lips looked desaturated. Her eyes were closed and looked far too relaxed, as if she was asleep, but he couldn’t think that because that’s always what people said when they d-

He forcibly stopped that thought and clutched at her head. “Musa,” he choked. “Musa, wake up—”

“Riven, I need to get by you,” Harvey said above him. Riven felt a pressure on his right side somewhere unusual and realized that Harvey was trying to lean over Musa through his still-flexed wing. He shifted two steps to the left so he was at the head of the bed, but he felt a hand on his arm.

He looked up at Sky, concern written all over his blue eyes. “Riven, come with me—”

“No,” Riven said, clutching closer to the metal frame of Musa’s cot. “No, not without her—”

Sky’s hand closed more firmly around Riven’s arm. “Riv, you’re in the way—let the healers work.”

Maybe Sky was right—the healing fairy squeezed past his wingspan to reach the supplies above his head—but he couldn’t leave her. It was his fault she was hurt, they’d been arguing—he should have protected her.

But Sky wasn’t leaving him a choice. Silva appeared next to him, and between the two of them they grasped Riven’s upper arms and pulled him from the tent, his errant wings still knocking bottles from shelves and curtains from their rods. Riven’s vision stayed fixed on Musa, dread pooling inside him at how small and frail she looked on that cot.

He didn’t even realize they had dragged him into the strategy tent until he blinked and Silva was snapping his fingers in front of Riven’s eyes to rouse him.

“Riven,” Silva said. “What the hell happened?”

Riven stared at Silva, but he wasn’t really seeing him. He saw Musa, her face torqued in pain, the way her knees and elbows bent as she fell, her brown pigtails splayed out against the earth. His fault.

“Riven,” Sky reached out with a hand and turned his chin to force eye contact. “Riven, are you alright?”

He swallowed thickly and jerked his head downward out of Sky’s grip to stare at the ground. “Burned One came out of nowhere—we killed it, but then there was another—camouflaged somehow. It got M—” his voice caught and he stopped, unable to finish.

“But you killed it?” Sky prompted, and Riven managed a brusque nod. “Musa’s gonna be fine, Riven—she’s hurt but not Infected.”

He screwed his face up at that. Sure, she wasn’t Infected. She was just unconscious with pain and incapacitated for who the hell knew how long, and it was his fucking fault.

“Riven.” He wished they’d stop saying his name. He didn’t want any of them—he wanted to be alone. With her. With Musa.

He felt another hand on his arm and tried to pull it away, but the hand clenched harder, forcing him to look up. Silva stared down at him, expression full of something akin to sympathy. “I know you want to blame yourself, but it’s possible to make no mistakes and still lose. That doesn’t mean you’re a bad partner—it means you are alive. That’s life.”

Riven shook his head, but as he ran the fight back through his head, he found the smallest bit of solace in Silva’s words. He drew a shaky breath and gave Silva the barest hint of a nod.

Silva released his grip on Riven’s arm and nodded back. “Want to tell us how you got those?”

Pushing aside his guilt about Musa meant that the sensations of his body all came roaring back, and Riven grimaced in pain. His shoulders ached at the notch of his wings, his chest was sore from taking the Burned One’s blow, and he felt a general sense of exhaustion from his flight back to camp. “When the Burned One got her,” he said and lifted his gaze to observe the tendrils of purple reaching above his head. “It just happened. I was so angry—and then they just burst out of me. It hurt like hell.”

“Looks cool as hell,” Sky said with a grin, circling Riven to admire the wings from all angles.

“What else happened?” Silva asked, and Riven turned back to face him with a quizzical expression. Silva gestured to the wings. “Anything besides these?”

“Yeah,” Riven said slowly, recalling that thrum of energy that had surged through him. “Power. It was like my magic was twice as powerful and half as easy. I’ve never killed one so quickly. Not on my own.”

Sky wolf whistled in admiration and Riven allowed a small grin.

Then his grin vanished, replaced by a grimace of pain. He stumbled forward and grabbed Sky’s shoulder to keep himself upright as his back muscles wrenched and contorted. A keen of pain escaped his clenched teeth—it felt like his back was splitting open between his shoulder blades. He gasped and sank to his knees, pulling Sky down with him, his legs unable to support him in his agony.

As suddenly as it started, it stopped. Riven stayed on the ground, hands on his thighs, breathing away the memory of the pain. He felt lighter and somehow lesser—more muted. He looked up and confirmed what he’d suspected—his wings had vanished, receding inside him.

“Now that was cool,” Silva chuckled.

Riven grimaced again and used Sky’s shoulder to haul himself back upright. “Does this mean I can go back now?” he asked, looking from Silva to Sky. “I can stay out of the way.”

Silva and Sky exchanged a glance, at which Silva nodded. At the smallest motion Riven immediately turned for the tent flap and hurried forward.

Sky came with him, for which Riven was silently appreciative. Even though he didn’t want to talk, he didn’t want to be alone with his thoughts either, and Sky was his best friend. He would be a silent companion if that’s what Riven needed.

Harvey begrudgingly let Riven back inside and Sky left Riven in an out-of-the-way corner, an agitated but quiet spectator to Harvey’s ministrations. He returned a few minutes later with water and a clean shirt, both of which Riven accepted gratefully.

They waited long into the night, Riven’s gaze never leaving Musa. Sky’s head drooped against his shoulder and he reflected on what his friend had told him earlier, about his Specialist being his lifeline. Fuck, he’d been right.

===

Some color had returned to Musa’s cheeks, but she was still weak from loss of blood and the extent of the Burned One’s claws in her body. Riven only left her side to eat, which Harvey did not permit in the infirmary. The other teams came in at various times to wish her well and congratulate Riven on his transformation. He always hated when they brought that part up. As impressive as it was (so they said), it was without a doubt the worst twenty minutes of his life.

After a few days’ recovery she lay on her stomach with the white bandages still wrapped around her torso while Riven perched on a stool beside her cot, one foot up on her bedframe and the other tucked on the crossbar of his stool. “I’m still mad I’m the only one who never got to see them,” she sighed and rested on hand beneath her chin. “Stella says they wouldn’t have been out of place at a spring fashion show.”

“My wings were extremely masculine, thank you,” Riven said, and Musa laughed hard enough to grimace in pain and clutch at her ribs. They fell silent and Riven ran a thumb along the seam of his trousers, still unable to think back to that time without flinching. “Maybe I’ll learn to control them, but until then I honestly hope you never see them.”

She gave him a bracing smile, and he knew she understood without him having to say it—that if it took Musa getting mortally hurt for his wings to appear, he’d rather never transform again.

She reached her hand out and he took it, thumbing a wide arc over the back of her hand. His Specialist. His partner. His life.

#winx club #fate the winx saga #RivusaRevolution2021 #rivusa week #Day 6: AU #acotazerial #riven x musa #I am so honoured to be a part of this #thank you so much for helping me!!!#riven #musa #rivusa #fan art #my drawing #digital art #this will also be posted on ao3 #myart

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