#you are not required to continue going through something that doesn't speak to you

[strangersteddierthings]

"What's wrong?" Robin asks, bumping her arm against his as she joins him leaning against the counter, staring out the front door of Family Video.

Steve doesn't bother to lie. Robin would know, she always does. "I'm not sure wrong is the right word, but it's, it's something."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"Yeah," he says, taking a quick glance around. It's just after 11pm on Saturday. They've got another hour of work before they can officially close, but Hawkins closes down at 9. The store is empty currently, and since they're facing the door, they'll know if someone comes in. "I just don't know- I don't-"

"Gather your words. Speak when you're ready. I'm not going anywhere," Robin says, and it speaks volumes that she didn't call him dingus. Steve's never upset by the nickname, not really, but sometimes, when the conversation is heavy, he can't deal with nicknames. Especially not ones that are meant teasingly now but started as an insult.

"I feel- I feel ungrateful and, like, selfish, because I'm... I'm not happy with Eddie," Steve says, then immediately frowns because that's not right. It's not wrong, either, but it's. "I'm not unhappy with Eddie. I love him. I love him so much, Robin."

"I know you do. It's disgusting."

"And I got into this relationship knowing what Eddie's like. I love him 'cause of those things, not in spite of-"

"You don't have to convince me you love him."

"Right. Right. It's just. It's like, I thought, I don't know, that I wouldn't have to always be the guy?" Steve says, and it's followed by such a long pause that he looks over. It startles a laugh out of him at how much Robin looks like him right now. Confused, brow furrowed and mouth slightly open. That's his perplexed expression, and it's mirrored on Robin's face now.

Well. Not now because he laughed so she's glaring at him.

"Sorry. It was like looking into a mirror for a moment there."

She wrinkles her nose at him and says, "What do you mean 'always be the guy'?"

He lets out a sigh. "I just mean- Eddie's the first guy I've ever dated. And there was, like, unwritten rules when dating girls. Don't give me that face, I already know the rant about straights and their het-ro-norman-whatever-"

"Heteronormativity."

"Yes, that. I know it's bad, working on unlearning it, etcetera, etcetera. Can I just get through this using the words I do have?"

"Yes. Sorry."

He waves off her apology and continues, "So, the unwritten but absolute rules of straight dating. The guy asks. The guy plans the date. He pays, if it's something that requires money. He gets the door, offers his jacket if it's cold, gives the flowers and chocolates on Valentines Day and- sorry. The guy does all that. I do all that. And I just. I want to not, not have to?"

Robin's eyes soften and she gives a sad smile. "Eddie doesn't do those things?"

Steve frowns. "Not- he's done some of those things but it's not... It's never been romantic. Never felt... intentionally romantic. Which is why I feel so ungrateful and selfish. 'Cause Eddie's not a romantic. Not like I am. And I shouldn't expect him to be!"

She frowns. "But you don't expect him to be."

"I mean, yeah. I don't. Which just makes this worse, right? Because Eddie tries. In his own way. And I'm still..."

"What does Eddie do to try?"

"He loans me jackets when I'm cold. And it's- it's like a throwback to the upside down. He'll fold it all nice and then throw it at me full force. Like with the battle vest," Steve smiles at the memory, despite his sour mood.

"That doesn't sound very romantic. That sounds like an inside joke. He could do that same thing while not dating you and it wouldn't be weird."

"Can't an inside joke be romantic?"

Robin nods as she turns, back to the counter so she can hop up on it. "Can be. And I guess if you find get pelted in the face by jackets romantic, that's your kink."

"Why do I talk to you?" Steve groans, and Robin shrugs. "Anyway, I guess I just... I want to be the one taken care of, sometimes, but not just when- God, I'm so selfish, aren't I?" He paces away from the counter, running a hand through his hair.

Eddie's a good boyfriend. He listens when Steve rambles about sports and stats, asking questions and actually engages in conversation. He takes care of Steve when a migraine leaves him all but useless; gets him his meds and water and combs his fingers through Steve's hair softly until it lulls Steve to sleep. Eddie pays attention enough to know the little things about Steve that he doesn't say out loud.

"Not just when?" Robin prompts, and Steve realizes he quit talking.

"Not just when I'm hurt. I want doors held for me, and for him to plan a romantic night, either out or in! And I- I want him to give me his jacket by wrapping it around my shoulders like I do for him."

"I'm going to say something, and you aren't allowed to be upset by it."

Steve nods.

"You have to tell him. Eddie's not gonna know you want these things unless you say so."

He nods again, because he knows that. He does. It's just... "I got with him knowing he wasn't a romantic person. I don't want- I don't know how to say it without making it sound like I want him to change. Or make him feel like he's not enough, or that he's a bad boyfriend for not having done this and-"

"Steve! Jesus, now who's the mirror? It's Eddie. He loves you. He'll listen. Even as you fumble your way through an explanation. A conversation is not the make or break of this relationship."

Steve swallows even though it feels like there's stones piling up in his stomach. A single conversation broke his last relationship, but Eddie's not Nancy.

"Yeah. You're right. I think I'm just... I'm afraid of making Eddie feel that same way Nancy made me feel, when she called us bullshit. I was blinded-sided by it all and I don't, I can't do that to Eddie."

"You won't. 'Cause this situation is different. You love Eddie, and Eddie loves you, and that's real and true. I think it would hurt Eddie more to think there's this whole other category of shit he could be doing for you, but isn't, 'cause he doesn't even know you'd like it, much less want it."

Steve nods as she speaks. It's all true, and he feels less like there are stones in his stomach. "Thanks, Bobbin. I don't- I might give it a few days before I talk to Eddie about it, but I will."

"You better, dingus," she hopes off the counter and looks at the clock, groaning when she sees it's still not midnight. "Think Keith will kill us if we close early?"

"No way. He'd have to cover all our shifts until he can hire replacements. We're too valuable to him to die."

-

@i-less-than-three-you @nburkhardt @skepsiss @afewproblems

#steddie #platonic stobin #my fic #dialogue heavy #steve wants to be woo'd #steve harrington #robin buckley

[drunkkenobi]

Hi bb, ty for the prompt to write my thoughts!

So I can't get on tumblr at work anymore unless I go outside to get good signal on my phone so I have only been privy to what's going on here today from friends on discord. So maybe I'm missing some nuance or the what my mutuals think and I apologize in advance for that but I'm going to speak plainly.

This is the only way Watcher is going to survive.

The view counts have been steady through Mystery Files season 2 but they aren't, like, astronomical. A video with a million views nets a channel between $10,000 - $30,000. Guys. That's nothing for Watcher. They have to pay each of their 25+ employees a salary with insurance and benefits and for everything else their channel requires. Steven said in the video today that a season of Ghost Files costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. I don't think everyone is hearing that part and understanding how much money that is, especially compared to many other YouTubers they watch. I'm not an expert on other YouTubers but I look at the Sims people I watch. They are successful with views in the hundred k range because they are a company of one. Themselves and maybe paying a freelancer to help edit their videos. For one person, the stakes are lower and the potential for profit is higher! Especially for gamers that are filming in their homes. YouTubers like this, making niche content on the cheap, are who is going to make it in YouTube now.

Watcher is none of those things. They have, from day one, wanted to make high quality unscripted content. All of their shows are shows. They aren't just "Ryan and Shane do [thing]" or "Steven eats [whatever]". They are shows, like ones you see on cable TV or any streamer. And shows are not cheap. Unscripted is cheaper, sure, than scripted. But that doesn't mean cheap. Especially not with the sheer production value we've seen on all their shows, in particular Ghost Files (hundreds of thousands of dollars). That is how much something like Ghost Adventures costs, which is on Travel Channel, an actual TV network that puts up all those costs.

So. That's why Watcher has to pivot to survive.

I think it's a great idea, personally. And yes, I am in a position where I can financially afford it no problem, which I know is a privilege! I am very lucky in that regard. And I understand that many people are upset they won't see the boys as easily on YouTube anymore. That is valid! But they have openly said they are totally fine with password sharing and I think that's a great way to cut down on costs for some folks. Also right now there's a great deal on the yearly sub for early subscribers. $40 for a year is cheaper than any streaming service and it doesn't go to anyone other than Watcher.

I understand that people feel hurt and blindsided, but I think Watcher is also feeling this too. They have been so excited about this and being able to make whatever they want without having to worry about sponsors and now they're mostly seeing anger directed their way. Especially at Steven. Steven is not rich. You know who's rich? David Zaslav, a man who is single-handedly ruining Warner Brothers and making himself a billionaire while he's at it. THAT is the kind of person we should be directing our anger at streaming prices and quality of the media landscape at. Not one small business that is just trying to survive so they can continue paying their employees.

And one more thing. I've seen folks saying they'd rather watch more ads than pay and while I get that, that's not going to help Watcher make what they want. YouTube famously demonetizes videos with swears which is why I can't watch a video with DRAG QUEENS without every other line being bleeped and Watcher has been so good about not bleeping their content because they know we would hate it. And YouTube does this because of advertisers. Advertisers only want to appeal to the most broad of audiences so that means not supporting anything slightly left of center. Having to deal with ads sucks from the creator perspective and does not help them in the long run.

Anyway, this is all a bit rambling, but these are my thoughts on WatcherTV. I'm extremely excited to subscribe and make them make more Weird Wonderful World. I hope to see you all there.

#watcher #steven lim #ryan bergara #shane madej

[gauloiseblue]

[TW: rape, non-con, dark]

There's something about stray dog's behavior that speaks König to me.

He'd been kicked around, ridiculed, and left on the cold pavement alone. He had no real house, and had to beg even for a scrap of food. Those were the factors that forced him to grow teeth way earlier—and sharper—than he's supposed to.

He'd held the bitterness in his heart, causing him to despise the weak, the poor who couldn't stand up for themselves. The perfect replica of his past self.

He hated seeing them, he'd even go as far as 'taking care' of them. Letting them know that no one would help them, no one would come to the rescue. Just like what people did to him back then.

He recognizes his contribution to the vicious circle, yet he finds himself helpless as he's unable to break free from it.

Perhaps that's when God decided to punish him for it.

There's a mission that required him to work together with the other team, and met with the reprisal for his bad deed, in the form of a medic.

He didn't spare a glance at her, didn't acknowledge her existence, until she defended her patients in front of him.

One of the missions went wrong, causing the soldiers to be injured by gunshots and a grenade. It was theirs to blame, because they didn't pay attention enough, but she shouted at him, telling him if he'd given them a deserved break, it would've been avoided.

He, of course, was angry at her.

He told her she didn't know anything, that she's hindering the mission. But she didn't flinch, even when he growled at her.

It frustrated him, because even his glare would send his soldiers running. Yet it didn't work on her. The people who's not afraid of him are usually those in power, but she isn't one of them. She's just a mere medic.

He tried to kick her out of the team, but the higher ups told him that there's no one available for her replacement. He also tried to make her quit, but what he did came back around to him, as he received a penalty.

It stresses him out, to the point that he'd overwork himself to distract him from his thoughts.

One day, a bullet passes through his heart and lungs, causing him to collapse on the spot.

In daze, when his consciousness slips in and out, he thinks how he could've easily avoided it. But his body wasn't listening to him, delaying his feet to move back.

In what feels like months, he opens his eyes for the first time after the incident.

What he sees, is a pale light on the ceiling, and a blurry figure by the bed.

And there she stands, just like the angel of mercy.

She doesn't say much, except for telling him to rest, and that he's lucky he survived.

She tells him the same thing for days, before he can muster two words out of his mouth.

Shut up.

And strangely, she smiles.

"Seems like you've recovered well." She responded, "Welcome back."

She continues to nurse him, despite his snarky remarks that she easily deflects. She takes care of him with patience that should've withered away from the moment she joined the army.

It shouldn't have bloomed in front of him.

For the first time in his life, he feels the weight of his guilt on his chest. He could've been kinder, could've been softer, and he would've broken the cycle just like she did. But he chose to nurture his anger—just like his father, and his father's father.

Then again, she could've gotten it easy from the start. Though in his heart, he knew it's just an excuse for his behavior.

The day he's permitted to work again, he left without saying thank you.

At night, he wonders if she'd come to hate him as well. No one would blame her if she does, but deep in his heart, he hopes she doesn't.

Since that day, he has followed her like a lost dog. But he would turn his head away whenever she looked at him.

Sometimes he scoffs at himself for thinking about injuring himself, just so he could receive her care. Yet he couldn't help but panting at her feet, lapping up every little conversation they made. He wants to surrender himself to her, letting her put a collar around him and call him hers.

And it's all because she showed just a little kindness to him.

On lonely missions, or lonely nights, he often imagines what they could be. Living in the suburbs, white fences, and kids. The picture perfect of the marriage.

Until it all shatters on the ground.

It's not his intention to eavesdrop, but he couldn't help but lean in when he hears her voice. She sounds happier, as she shows her friend the ring on her finger.

So he bares his teeth,

And bites.

(One time, her uncle had to put down their dog

Because he bit his children for no reason—

Other than jealousy

He heard the dog whined

on the cold table,

alone, and scared

As the vet slowly pushed the poison

Into his bloodstream

And God, how cruel is it

To put a heart inside of a beast

When all his life

He only knew

How to bite?)

He pants as he presses himself into her, causing her to whimper, as her voice is long gone from screaming and crying.

She must've had no idea of what's coming to her when he called her to his office. The scratches and bruises on his body were enough proof of her gullibility, that she came to him, unassumingly, and trusting.

He had her bent over his desk, smothering her easily with his body as he forced himself into her. She was a fighter, but not strong enough to defeat him.

He had lost his inhibitions, as his back arched for the eighth time, spilling his seeds into her.

And she's lost as well, as her eyes were unfocused, and all her energy had been zapped from her body.

"Leave him." He said, as he drove himself into her once again.

She lets out a high-pitched moan when his cock stretches her open again, filling the room with sticky sounds.

"Leave him and love me instead." He said for the second time, and she cried in pain when he buried himself too deep.

"Love me," He sobbed as he pulled the ring out of her finger, knowing fully well he couldn't replace it without twisting her arm. "Please love me."

Her tears flood her cheeks as she watches him discard the ring from her, before latching his mouth onto her shoulder. Marking her with another bite, drawing yet another blood with his teeth.

He knew she had closed her heart the moment he slammed her on the table. He knew she wouldn't come to love him. But if he's not loved by her, then no one should.

#i wrote this instead of sleeping #i don't know why i wrote this #tw noncon #konig x reader #call of duty #cod #cod mw2 #stray dog behavior as a metaphor of monstrous love #könig x reader #könig cod #i feel like konig is so angst coded that I can't think of happy fics whenever I think of him #or yandere coded #whatever #you get the point

[baldval]

ART DECO PART 2!₊˚⊹♡

characters: valentino x gn!reader

wc: 1.7k

warnings: cursing, canon!valentino (he doesn't mind vox's bad actions towards other people), insanely angsty.

series masterlist!

You're half awake and disorientated. Valentino got up to find out who was at the door 10 minutes ago, and frankly, you're getting worried.

Against your better judgement, you throw on his shirt from the night before and make your way out of the bedroom.

You enter the living room to be met face to face with Vox.

Shit.

You briefly wonder if you can play it off, fabricate a story, tell him it's not what it looks like!

Apart from, it's exactly what it looks like.

Someone from Vox's assistance team saw you and Val enter his room together after the meeting. And now you're here, in his living room, wearing nothing but his shirt. And your shoes are by the front door. And there's a wine glass abandoned on the counter.

There's no getting out of this one.

Valentino wants to scream, yell at you to go back to his room. He wants to pick you up and throw you out of sight, praying Vox hasn't noticed all the tell tale signs. But it's too late. He has.

"Okay. Uh - what the fuck is going on?"

Vox asks the question while looking between the two of you like some sort of cartoon character doing a double take. It doesn't require a genius to figure it out, but he needs to hear one of you say it out loud.

"Listen, Vox-"

"Vox, don't get mad-"

You both speak at the same time, verbally tripping over each other. You've never actually discussed what you'd do or say if you got found out. You both just always naively assumed it wouldn't happen.

You sit down on the edge of the couch, and look at your boss earnestly.

You had earned his respect with all the years you'd been working for him, creating and animating shows for the Vees.

However, you knew it could all disappear.

It would be a lie to say you didn't see it coming, what was true is that you weren't ready for it.

"Vox, I'm not going to sit here and lie to you. It isn't fair. But you can't get mad when I tell you the truth."

"I'll be the judge of that," he mutters sassily.

"Will you come and sit with me, please? The standing is making me nervous. I feel like I'm on trial."

"You might be. I haven't decided yet."

You can't tell if he's joking. He's certainly not smiling.

Vox moves to sit down next you. Val follows, perching himself on the opposite end to give you space. Close enough if you need him, far enough that it won't upset your boss more.

"Start talking," he commands, still confused.

"It's... well I - we - me and Valentino, we're -"

"Together," Val finishes for you. Vox glares at him, and he decides he'll keep his mouth shut for a while.

"Yeah, we're together," you continue. "We have been for over a year. It isn't just sex, or anything. I'm like- in love with him."

It's weird to finally bear this truth after keeping it a secret for so long. It feels wrong, but also refreshing - like a bitter lemon on a hot day.

Vox is scarily silent.

"You're... kidding, right?" he asks, finally breaking through the quiet.

Your silence is enough answer for you as he looks at you incredulously.

"You're so fuckin' naive." He turns over to Valentino. "How can you sit here and act like this doesn't change anything?"

Val tries to speak, but he continues.

"You lied to me, first off. Both of you. For God knows how long-"

"Vox-"

"Let me fucking finish."

You shrink back into the couch, hoping it would swallow you.

"You both lied to me. You broke my trust... and uh, that fucking hurts, actually. And then there's the business side of things. They work for me, they work for the Vees. And, I don't know if you remember, but you are a Vee. That's a conflict of interest."

Val scoffs at him, but then realises he's deadly serious.

"... A conflict of interest?"

"It's against company policy. How am I going to trust you? How is anyone? Information might get leaked. What if I tell you something, and then you tell them?" He points over to you. "And then they tell whoever friends they have, and they post about it on social media, and all of a sudden nothing is private anymore. I. Can't. Trust. You."

Tears are welling up in your eyes quicker than you can control. You're trying to take deep breaths, begging yourself not to cry in front of Vox.

"You do get this is my life right? I get to choose whoever I date," Val whispers.

"Yeah? Well, it's my life. And they're MY worker. And I get to choose whatever I'll do to them."

A choked sob escapes you, and the floodgates open. Fresh, hot tears sprint down your cheeks, landing in your lap.

Vox doesn't care about your suffering, he just wants to punish Valentino through you.

Val can't stand to sit and watch any longer.

"Okay, Vox, that's enough. This isn't fair."

"What's not fair is that two of people I trust the most both lying to my face for a year. That's what isn't fucking fair."

With that, Vox stands up and strides towards the front door, slamming it behind him as he leaves. The minute he's gone, Valentino is wrapping his arms around you, pulling you into his chest.

"It's okay, darling," he murmurs, stroking your hair. "He'll come around. We'll be okay. If we stick together, we'll be okay."

His reassurances are only making you cry harder, sobs escaping you uncontrollably. You eventually exhaust yourself, falling into a restless sleep in Val's arms on the couch.

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

You wake up in bed. You've temporarily forgotten the events of the morning, before it all comes crashing back down around you suddenly. Distantly, you can hear Valentino in the kitchen, talking on the phone. You look around the room, and know what you have to do.

You leave the bedroom with a bag in hand, throwing it onto the ground as you grab your shoes. Val clocks you, and hangs up the phone.

"Can I call you back? Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

He runs over to where you're slipping your heels on, precariously balanced against the side of the couch.

"Honey, where are you going?" he questions, panic washing over him at your frantic state. "Wait, have you packed a bag?"

He's trying to catch your eyes, but you keep looking away, desperate to avoid his unrelenting gaze.

"I'm going home."

A pause.

"... This is your home."

You knew he'd say that. It hurts just the same.

"No, Valentino, this is your home. My apartment is across town."

"You haven't been there in months. All your stuff is here. Baby, talk to me. What's going on? Did Vox get in your head?"

"He has a point!" you shout, trying to pick up your bag. Val gets there first and grabs it, flinging it behind him, out of your reach.

"About what? He's just in shock, baby! He's confused and he feels betrayed. You don't owe him fuckin' anything. Not after everything that he has put you through."

"But I love my job, Val. I can't lose everything I've worked so hard to achieve!"

"You love that piece of shit job? Yesterday you literally had to get up at 6 am just to get here and get yelled at for an hour and a half. Look- I love Vox but he's not a good boss. Hell! I don't even care about that, I just can't stand to see him abuse you and treat you like you're close to nothing. You're better off without him and you know it. You're just too attatched to what you have."

Subconsciously, you know he's right. You're trying to convince yourself he isn't.

"You don't get it though."

"Except I do. Do you think I don't know about Vox's methods? I understand that it's what he needs to do to get the job done, but... I just can't stand him treating you like that."

"You heard what he said! He won't trust you anymore. No one will. Besides, I know it's shitty, but my job is important to me. I can't be forgotten. Known only as an old failed artist."

"Trust me, honey, you're the least likely to be named a failure."

"That's not the point! You're not listening to me. I come from the bottom, I've had to fight for respect every fucking day of my life. I'm finally where I deserve to be. I can't throw it all away for... for love!"

Valentino flinches like you've punched him in the gut. He takes a step back and leans against the kitchen island, trying to keep his balance.

"What happened to 'you and me against the world', huh?" he murmurs.

"I think I got too wrapped up in this - in us. I was stupid to think it could work. We both were."

"I wasn't," he replies defiantly. "I knew exactly what I was getting into. I knew it would be really fucking difficult and I loved you anyway."

"I'm not sorry for loving you," you whisper. "I'm sorry for a lot of things, but never for loving you."

"If you meant that, you wouldn't be giving up."

You turn your head around, unable to look at him any longer.

"This isn't giving up. This is... quitting while we're ahead. If we keep going, we'll just end up having a huge, horrible, public breakup," you stop, and take a deep breath. "I think we were always doomed to fail."

Valentino thinks about the diamond ring that sits in a box in the top drawer of his nightstand. Doomed to fail.

You finally look up at him, and all the air leaves your lungs. You've never seen him look so defeated, so vulnerable. You're the cause of this. And you hate yourself for it.

You pad across the kitchen and pick up your bag from where he threw it, before stopping in front of him.

"I don't regret you, Valentino. I never will."

With that, you stride out of the front door, closing it gently behind you. Val is left, cold and empty, in a room that no longer feels like home.

#hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin hotel imagine #hazbin hotel headcanon #hazbin hotel #valentino hazbin hotel #valentino x reader #valentino hazbin hotel headcanon #cursed cat alastor #hazbin hotel valentino #valentino #the vees #valentino x you #valentino headcanons

[howdoesagrapewrites]

𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐰𝐬 𝐕 ✴️

Taglist: @faespace @baellabass @ejs398

Plot: Imagine being the legitimized bastard of Daemon Targaryen, and having a very devoted family.

Cw: incest/targcest, yandere/lovesick behavior, unhealthy relationships, platonic and romantic yanderes, not everyone is romantically involved with reader, yandere EVERYONE x reader, sexual content, no actual smut, mentions of noncon

>Alicent and her children had been guarding your sleep the whole night, the night of the king's passing

>Aemond saw his mother just observe you while displaying an unreadable expression, he prides himself with being able to decipher people and use it to his benefit, but this time, his mother seemed out of reach to him. If he had to guess, she was attempting to treat you like a pawn, trying to dehumanize you to gain control over the political situation, and she was failing

>For his part, his thoughts while observing you, were much tainted he was watching your chest rise with every breath, examining your boobs and how they would slightly change shape when you laid on your back, much rounder. He would love if his mother and sister left to grope and caress, even just over the cloth, even for just a minute. Just a minute to smell your skin, your natural scent now free of the perfumes you would wear to fit in court

>He would love to have a minute, but he wants a whole life, Aemond is sure not even growing old with you would leave him satisfied, he would look for you again

>He wondered what would you think of him, he has a plethora of fantasies depending on your reactions. The most obvious one, disgust. He would cage you his his arms, hold your wrists with one hand while using the other to rid you of the bothersome clothing, sucking and biting at your neck, then your niples. You resist, but he is able to bring you pleasure regardless, some of your screams turn into moans and by the time he's kissing below your navel and starting to use a finger to play with your slit, your pleas of "no" and "please do not" are almost automatic, you do want him to go down on you, but you continue to chant the words as if to preserve what's left of purity

>But that fantasy would soon get old, he wished to exert power over you, yet have you willingly submit

>If you could only look at him the same way that you used to while consoling him over his lack of a mount

>Helaena was there as well, Jahaera and Jahaerys had been brought by her, but taken to bed by the maids in no time

>Helaena sung intelligible songs while playing with the threads in-between her fingers, for the little audible parts, Aemond heard the songs speak of dragons, swords, fire and blood

>His mother had arranged for Aegon to usurp the throne, he would never say this out loud, he knows his brother is a usurper, but he encourages this, as he wants the strong bastards away from the line of succession as one can be. Better off dead, but that's too much to ask

>Everything was in place, except for the king. Aegon was missing, «of course Aegon was missing» he thought

>Otto wanted to send ser Criston to find him, but Alicent protested it would leave you alone. They went back and forth until Otto said they would entrust Daeron with your guard. Aemond rolled his eye.

>Helaena had left without him noticing, possibly to mother the twins and whatnot

>He was in his mother's chambers, Otto alongside her, discussing the future of the realm. «This is the real small council» he said to himself

>"I will find Aegon, mother" said Aemond

>"That is already taken care of, Ser Criston will not rest until-" Otto spoke

>"He doesn't know where Aegon is, I do"

>"Then speak at once, boy" Aemond grimaced at the words of his grandsire

>"I am not to speak, I am to search, this is matter that requires involvement" he paused "But I want something"

>"We shall send Ser Criston, you will join if he fails"

>"And waste all that time? He may be as well as dead halfway through ser Criston's crusade"

>"Name your prize" Otto replied, breathing defeat in every syllable

>"You will hear it after" Aemond saw Otto arch an eyebrow and open his mouth to speak "Do not worry, I have no interest on the crown, or land, or titles, I would have acted before had been that my goal" His mother urged him to speak, but he had to remain silent, he was sure she would understand

>Him and the royal guard were underdressed in rags to blend in, Aemond wore a cape to cover his silver mane

>He had to endure the obnoxious Cole knocking on every brothel door like he was a lost peasant

>He was very uncomfortable when he found the madam of that one place, staying stiff and shivering under his cold facade

>He thanked the seven you could not see him like that, weak

>Once they found the White Worm, she said the prince would be handed over a ridiculous sum that they bargained

>But before they could leave with Aegon, he remembered something. The White Worm weaves silk through far and wide in the realm. The White Worm who is the paramour of the prince of the city, the White Worm that could have been your mother

>Aemond would order extra vigilance on you that night, while Misarya was known to be a slimy, untrustworthy woman, she had never been known to betray Daemon, or to betray gold for that matter, and Daemon was not going to skimp on you

>He had to say he was anything but surprised when he learned of that idiotic scheme of his brother to leave the city. Aemond imagined he'd waste his small fortune on whores as soon as he arrived, feast with men who are just waiting for him to surrender his better judgement to a glass of wine, then steal whatever is left. He always thought Aegon would likely die with his pants on his knees, possible covered in vomit and other fluids, choking on a chicken bone, or something as meaningless as a cherry pit, his women would steal his gold and he'd die slowly, lonely, pathetically, he had to say the idea did not displeased him too much

>But then, he could only cash his prize if he retrieved him, in one piece no less

>Aegon had returned, being almost locked up in his chambers, and the death of Viserys continued a secret to the world until the preparations for Aegon's ascension were finished. By the third day, the corpse of his father started to stink, he had already been rotting in life, and death was not stopping that. He looked at the king, he found him graceless, he had nothing, he was an absent king and absent father, Aemond would do better if he had the chance

>A couple hours after Aegon's arrival, you had woken up, almost immediately you were taken from your room and (to your perspective) randomly put on another, the maids insisted it was for your safety, and you decided to not waste a breath asking them questions that were for someone else. You wanted to see Alicent, and you wanted to see Viserys

>No one would give you answers, and you had no way of communicating with your family, not your father or even your family in the castle, for that matter, you only had ser Criston as a form of familiarity, not even your usual maids were to be seen anywhere. Even though you did not wish to think of it, it was probably because Aegon had chosen them to place his "affections"

>The second night you were awake and isolated, you commanded sir Criston to come into your room and talk to you, give you whatever detail of information he had. He refused again and again, with excuses of how he answered to the queen only, how he was to the door to protect you, how it was improper

>But he ended up giving in

>He told you all he could say, was that the king had died, and that now a conflict of ink and ravens was arising

>You wept the lost of your uncle, and (awkwardly) ser Criston put a hand on your shoulder, ghosting over it. And he told you to fear not, you were in good hands

>You wanted to believe him, you did

>Back to Aemond, he had come to speak with his mother as soon as he was done arranging your room transfer. He felt accomplished by commanding, especially when commanding for your well-being. Alicent knew what Aemond would ask for, and she had tried to ready herself to hear it

>"I want lady Y/N, wed her to me" he did little to stop the smile growing on his lips

>Alicent could have said many things, but she just asked her son one thing. "Do you understand the consequences, Aemond?"

>He nodded, he did not care, if the consequences of taking you were fire and blood, so be it. Never in the seven kingdoms had existed a more lovely lady, and Aemond was only blind in one eye

>He wanted to marry her before Aegon's crowning, and he had threatened to get the supreme septon to do it in secret if he had to, he was smart, and knew it was just a matter of time before Daemon and Rhaenyra caught wind of everything, and he will not lose you

>Daeron had come to face him, Aemond never thought he had the balls to do it

>Whining about his lack of honor, how he was stealing their cousin, dragging them when she was practically engaged to him already

>Aemond let his anger simmer, he smiled while the boiling blood warmed his body, the delicious liquid reminding he was alive, he lived for the taste of rage, his or from others

>"Worry not, little brother, you can now take your vows as a white cloak, so you can become my wife's sworn sword and stand behind her door when she and I share our bedchamber"

>Daeron reached for his sword, he did the same

>"Uh uh, are you sure?" He teased while Daeron seemed on the verge of tears (sadness, ire, who knows)

>His younger brother simply walked away from him, in shame

>You were losing your mind in confusion, and no tantrums from you were enough for the servants to let you leave your chambers to visit Viserys' corpse

>So imagine your surprise when the maids came with shiny new silks, to dress you for your wedding day

>Two ladies, one named Olivya Swann and one named Celesse Hightower, announced themselves as your new ladies in waiting. They said your measures were needed to confect a wedding gown for you, you refused to strip until they spoke and told you what was going on, you felt bad for them, as they were clearly not the ones to blame for the mayhem

>It took a while, the maids genuinely did not know much, the orders came from above and they obeyed. But it was Celesse who finally broke down. They were sent to aid the preparations for your wedding to prince Aemond

>You had to sit down on the bed, your head was spinning around, now there was nothing to do, you were a prisoner in King's Landing. And it was easy to put two and two together, they were not planning to bend the knee to Rhaenyra, and you were there as a pawn in their twisted game of chess

>You yelled at the women to leave you alone, and despite their attempts to calm you down, you ordered them to go. You knew they would come back later, but you simply could not stand there like nothing was happening

>How could Alicent allow this? If they wanted to marry you to the greens, why Aemond? It was clear you and Daeron had far more in common, and comments were made about betrothing you to him, why Aemond?

>Aemond was cruel, and you could never decipher what he wanted from you, he took pleasure on hurting your family, and you were further perplexed on why would he want to marry a bastard

>Maybe he was being forced to marry you too, it would have made you almost sympathetic if it were not for his previous actions

>You tried to sleep, you layed fully dressed on the bed without covering yourself with the blankets

>You dreamt of nothing, and were awaken once again by the maids looking to measure you

>They came in, and helped you undress as to avoid the measures be altered by the thick of your clothing

>You were sleepy and docile, allowing them to carefully place the meter in your waist, bust, hips and shoulders, they also measured your arms

>Olivya presented you with squares of several luxury fabrics, one stack was several shades of white, and the other was a similar amount of shades of green.

>You did not let the opportunity slip, this would probably be the one choice you would have on your marriage

>You made your ladies show you each and every square of fabric, you took all the time in the world. Finally, the chosen ones were pearl white with emerald and laurel green. The colors reminded you of your dragon, you missed him so much, but the gods only know where he could be, he was too large for the dragonpit and therefore set free, he would have come to your calling once you left with your family, that was what was supposed to happen

>You spent three more days locked away, at least you had Olivya and Celesse now. Celesse came from Oldtown, she was the daughter of Hobert Hightower, you made her tell you stories of Daeron, as you were unable to see him. You fondly smiled when thinking of him, your dragon knight

>Olivya was from the stormlands, but she had been raised in King's Landing, as her uncle was serving in court, and she was brought to keep company to princess Helaena

>You told them of Pentos, then of Dragonstone, you told them of your little brothers, so small and cute, you also told them about dragons, you told them about your home, in all its meaning

>Three days after the measuring, the wedding gown was ready, you were amazed, and wondered how many people had been working in full speed in order to complete such an intricate piece in so little time. There was pearls and little gems embroided in the translucent sleeves, a green dress, a beautiful Hightower green dress

>Celesse spoke highly of your soon-to-be husband, telling tales of his skill with the sword and his intelligence

>Olivya told you you would enjoy married life, that the prince was a fine suitor with "admirable manners"

>You remained silent, luckily, your saddened face was covered by a white veil

>What you saw could hardly be called a ceremony, there was Alicent, Aemond and a septon. You slowly walked towards the altar, and recited the vows you had learned when fantasizing as a little girl, none of your fantasies happened this way

>Like always, Aemond was unreadable, and you did not care to try to read him anymore

>There was no feast, no celebration, nothing remotely similar to the wedding ceremony of a prince

>Like everything around the castle, it was rushed, poorly done and with second intentions behind it

>You struggled to look at Alicent, she was dear to you once, but now you debate whether should you trust her

>During the dreaded wedding night, you expected Aemond to humiliate you, to take you by force and call you names, to degrade you

>Anxiety pooled in your stomach, and your eyes burned as you tried to hold tears in

>But instead, he kissed your hand and laid next to you, not even touching you

>You must disgust him, he was forced to marry you, and he has no interest in you, you thought you found yourself in the position of Rhea Royce

>But you could speak plainly to Aemond, you always had

>"An unconsummated marriage can be easily annulled" you pointed out

>"You don't sound at all aroused with the idea, you appear hardly seductive" Aemond replied

>Aemond sat down on the bed, you copied him

>"I am not Aegon, I found screams for help less than enticing. Besides, you would never love me if I raped you" he stated as if he was talking about his day

>"Who says I love you now?" Maybe you should have not been so bold, but you were

>"We are married, you'll learn to do it eventually"

>"As humble as ever. Then let me ask why I should I love you, and you are free not to"

>"I love you, Y/N" you could feel the scorching heat coming from his eye, the sapphire shone in the candlelight. You were speechless, it would have been hard to believe if he wasn't gazing at you so intensely, he carefully took your hand in his

>"You have not acted as such" was the only thing you thought to answer

>"I am not Daeron" your eyes widen in shame. It is not unfaithfulness, yet shame makes you feel as if it is "But again, you have not treated me like you treated Daeron, have you?" He knew what he was doing to you

>"He never called me a bastard"

>Despite the topics of conversation, you both remained calmed, vulnerable in the cocoon of the sheets, your hand was still intertwined with his

>"Neither have I" he squeezed your hand a little

>"But you continue to humiliate Jace, Luke and Joffrey for it"

>"And I paid with my eye. And with you" you look at him confused after he says that, so he continues "After I bonded with Vhagar, you pushed me away, you never forgave me for it"

>"You never asked for forgiveness"

>"And I will not, not for what I did, but perhaps the way I did it"

>You and your husband talked for what it felt like days, for what it felt like years of lost time

>By the hour of the nightingale, you felt like you married one man and now lay with another. Despite his hardened exterior, you now smile at Aemond the way you did once when you were children

>"We still have time to make this wedding night exciting, my lady wife" he smiled mischievously, you looked at him with slight distrust, hoping he was not expecting sex after all that heartfelt talk "would do me the honor of flying with me?" You smiled

>"Dagahrion is not here"

>"There's plenty of room in Vhagar, I ride the largest dragon in the world"

>"You clearly have not seen mine lately" you teased

>"I suppose we'll have to clear that matter once he returns"

>You dressed up and sneaked into the dragonpit, this kind of mischief made you think of happier days, made you forget about the mess

>You missed Vhagar, she used to be Laena's, and she remembered you

>You rode with Aemond until sunrise, in that moment it was just the three of you. No marriage, no usurpation, no conflicts, nothing but the wind in your faces

>Until you had to come back, and you found the preparations for Aegon's coronation being set in place

>"This is outrageous, disgraceful, illicit! This is simply- this is bullshit, Aemond!" You shouted to him once alone "Aegon will be the worst king since Maegor and you know that"

>"I am not the one who sat him on that throne, don't you shout at me for it"

>"It's true, but you are not doing anything to stop it, Rhaenyra should be crowned"

>"Of, course, then Jacaerys Strong can become protector of the realm" he snickered sarcastically

>"May his father be Ser Harwin, Laenor or the damn mushroom, we are sure he is of Rhaenyra and that is what matters"

>"If he was born of Rhaenyra's husband then it truly would not matter if his sire is mushroom or whoever may he be, he is a bastard"

>"So am I! Appoint me leader of the bastard council If you want, because I will defend his claim to the throne, Rhaenyra is the heir and you and I know Aegon is a depraved drunk"

>"Bastard or not, you are my wife, and I will not argue anymore, you are mine now. And when you are called, I want you pretty and smiling when witnessing his coronation, because your husband says so" you had not even realized when he had caged you against the wall, his eyes burning with rage. No trace left of the man you spent last night with

>"Yes, my prince" was all you said. He nodded, kissed your forehead and left the room

>Your father used to call the court "the nest of vipers" and now you understand, the only way to survive was playing their game

>You called in for Olivya and Celesse. Told them to dress you and arrange you to attend Aegon's coronation

>You were pleasant, smiling when you had to, staying right at your husband's side, one may think of you as tame

>You even let Aemond fancy himself your hero, standing before you when Meleys interrumpted the ceremony

>Rhaenys looked at you, you knew she could not steal you away from this, so in her eyes, you imagined her apology

>You decided you will come back to your family, and so, after Aegon's coronation, you told Alicent you needed to go to the Sept, being so throughly shaken. As Aemond said you needed to be guarded all day long, you asked for Daeron to accompany you. Aemond would have never allowed it, but Aemond was not there, he was with the small council talking about recruiting the loyalty of different houses

>Once in the Sept, after praying, you looked at Daeron, it pained you to ask

>"Do you love me, Daeron?"

>"You are married to my brother, my lady"

>"We know what happened. And I did not ask you that"

>"It is improper for us to talk this way"

>You felt rejected, but once again asked "Do you love me, Daeron?"

>"I do" he bashfully responded

>"Enough to run away with me?"

>"Don't make me choose between honor and love"

>"I fear I have to"

>"Enough to run away with you"

>"Then meet me at the dragonpit at the hour of the bat"

>"Y/N, please-"

>"I will run regardless, but I would rather you are with me"

>You rose from your knees looking at him

>He came closer, your lips were near, but not touching, you could feel his breath

>"Kiss me once we're far away, do whatever you desire then" you say before leaving the Sept

>You decided to wait in the library until it was time to go, on your way, ser Criston asked if he could scort you there, you were reluctant, but skillfully lied and said it would be a pleasure

>"My lady, may I speak plainly to you?"

>"You have my permission"

>"I saw you asked for prince Daeron to accompany you in your prayers. Please don't look for him, he loves you, my lady" he made a melancholic pause, and again, his hand ghosted over your shoulder, his face close to yours "And noble ladies only run away with the knights in tales and songs"

>"I understand"

>Ser Criston's words left you with a strange feeling, he seemed sincere, did he know something you did not? Maybe you should wait before running, maybe you should find a better way to do it

>But you remained firm, and slipped out of bed once Aemond was asleep

>You went to the dragonpit, singing to the dragons, and hoping for Dagahrion to come back, if not, you'd have to leave on Tessarion

>You heard steps, thinking it was the dragonkeepers, you hid

>"Riñaaa~" you heard Aemond's voice, and you feared. You don't know if he would be capable of doing you harm, but you'd rather keep wondering

>His voice kept chasing you, in a mocking tone

>Until he finally found you

>You were a the center, and you felt the gazes of the dragons, but by far the fiercest one was Aemond's

>He pressed you against the wall, his sword unsheathed

>His body was pressed against yours, you felt him practically vibrating with wrath

>"I have wanted you for years, yet I held back, I was patient and devoted, and you run away at the first chance you get" he spat

>"I guess we had a rocky two-day marriage" if you were dying, you were doing it with your head high

>"I should have broke you, but I was a fool" it was all tension, you did not know if he would snap, or when would he, and kill you or gravely injure you

>He grabbed your face with his sword still pressing and threatening to break your skin

>He kissed you roughly, like he wanted to mark you as well as harm you, like he was tasting both heaven and steel

>When you were recovering your breath, you spoke "will you slay me?"

>"I will take you back and treat you like the backstabbing bastard cunt you are, the way I should always have" you knew this was probably the last time you will be like this, unbroken, whole

>You missed him back, tasting all the poison inside him, it was messy, rough, teeth crashing, you took him like he was your last breath. You were just saving courage

>All that could be heard was your labored breathing, Aemond's sword never moving. You felt an ache in your chest, you were scared. You wished for the mother, the celestial mother, the one that never left you, unlike every other woman you had though of as a mother. You wished for your father, although violent and rude, unpredictable and sour, he loved you with his whole heart, body and soul

>Maybe you were just going to make a fool of yourself, you hoped so, that Aemond would just laugh at you

>You took a breath of the second-hand air, smoky and anything but clean, and when your lungs were full, you screamed so loud your throat felt raspy

>"Dracarys!"

>Dragons obey their masters, and Dagahrion was not here, so it would work, supposedly

>The last thing you saw was the startled face of your husband when all the dragons around you spat scorching hot fire and burned both bodies

>Less than an hour later, prince Daeron found your remains. Some dragonkeepers said your voice commanded all the dragons to attack, others say that it was impossible, that it must have been Vhagar trying to kill you by Aemond's command, accidentally getting caught in-between

>The death of lady Y/N Targaryen, daughter of prince Daemon Targaryen, [allegedly] at hands of her own husband, Aemond Targaryen made the dance of dragons a conflict of fire and blood

#dragon jaws #yandere aemond targaryen #aemond targaryen x reader #aemond x reader #hotd fanfic #yandere hotd #hotd x reader #yandere daeron targaryen #daeron targaryen x reader #yandere targaryens

[queenscodex]

Love Languages

Dorm leaders; Riddle, Leona, Azul, Kalim, Vil, Idia, Malleus

Gender Neutral Reader

Headcanons

No warnings

Notes: wrote this before my hiatus, I am not caught up with the story yet(I'm very behind TwT). I still hope you enjoy :]

-

Riddle Rosehearts

Quality time

Riddle is a busy person to say the least. He is constantly swamped with things he needs to do; members to scold, meetings to attend, getting ahead of his studies, etc etc.

Safe to say he doesn't have much leisure :/

So he cherishes those moments of free time, fading from his usual facade of being a hard working student. And Riddle loves to spend those moments with you

Cuddling with Riddle roseheart?

Yes please !

"It's very improper" He would say as he continues to wrap his arms around your waist.

Because he is a busy person, spending time with him needs to be planned in advance unfortunately. But it doesn't really matter how you spend that time, Riddle savors each and every second of it.

But among his favorite ways to spend that time is taking care of hedgehogs together !

He finds something soothing about nursing the little creatures while having his partner there to spend that time with him

He also loves the moments when it's just the two of you away from prying eyes, his focus solely on you and away from the duties that have strained him.

Really, Riddle is happy to spend whatever time he can with you considering his schedule. It can be studying, dates, or something casual.

He's just really smitten for your attention (^▽^)

Words of Affirmation

Riddle doesn't get praised enough for all the work he does! His efforts tend to be overlooked by others and although he claims he doesn't require the recognition, part of him always yearns for your sweet compliments.

He feels his face go red every time

He loves being told 'I love you' the most. It serves as a reminder that there is someone who accepts him despite being painted as the crimson tyrant.

Words speak louder than actions for some, and the thing Riddle wants is to hear you say you love him. Tell him how much you love, that will certainly make his heart beat fast.

It might be simple, it stays with Riddle for the rest of the day :D

Last thoughts: Acts of service; simply pouring him some tea, or organizing his work goes a long way to make him feel loved.

" Please tell me those words again? Your voice is so sweet to my ears, my rose. I love you too."

-

Leona Kingscholar

Physical Touch

Leona is secretly touch-starved, change my mind. You can't

He enjoys the moments he can cuddle with his partner. And it's no secret that he adores sleeping into the late hours of the day in garden, but to the displeasure of the staff

Leona isn't one to explicitly state his emotions and feelings. He would much rather show this through subtle actions that he does not reciprocate with anyone else.

You're his one and only pillow <3

Napping together is a must for him. He likes having you close to him, resting his face within your shoulder or stomach.

Just having your there in his presence is enough to soothe him into some sleep

Although he isn't the fondest of kisses, Leona does like having you within arms reach, being able give you quick kisses whenever.

When you both sleep, he holds onto your hand sometimes <3

And when he holds your hand in public, be grateful this is a rare moment to behold 😤

Physical touches is enough to make his mood better by a lot- a lot of times it leads to sleeping but who are you to complain?

Acts of service

He's a lazy lion. What can I say?

Leona appreciates someone who goes out of their way to make his day easier by doing little things for them- bascally like Ruggies job(expect you get kisses as a reward)

Things like getting him a snack when he's hungry, or helping him clean his room when he's too tired speaks a lot on itself since it's coming from his lover's own obligation and he does appreciate your little acts though he isn't one to voice it out loud.

He'll repay you in lots of cuddling followed by some rest in the botanical garden

Followed by a series of angry words from the staff who attempted to chase you away.

Last thoughts: words of affirmation; Leona always saw himself as the second best. He might roll his eyes at the cute things you say about but it might just earn you some rare flustered moments from the lion~

" You got me lunch? Herbivore, if I hadn't known better you were trying to get my attention."

-

Azul Ashengrotto

Words of Affirmation

Growing up, Azul has only been met with negative comments about himself, usually regarding his physical appearance. He has become insecure of his octopus form and tried to ease that part of hum entirely

But the first time you complimented him on it, Azul swore his heart skipped a beat.

It was genuine and made him feel good about himself despite what others had said him

The compliment itself doesn't need to be anything extravagant, something as simple as praising him for his grades is enough to get him blushing.

Imagine his cheeks burning up your words. "I like your hat, Zul." Boom, tomatoes would be jealous of how red he is.

While he may be far from loving his mer form, your words do a lot to bring him closer to accepting himself.

Physical Touch

Simply holding your hand is enough for Azul to go beet red, but the action also makes his heart flutter knowing his partner is right there beside him.

Actions such as cuddling and kisses are also a way for him to unwind after a day of work.

Imagine, laying in his private quarters in the afternoon, his face resting in the crook of your neck. All the while, incoherent mumbles are leaving his lips, explaining the events that had passed.

Cuddling makes him feel secure and safe, away from the prying eyes of the twins and anyone who threatens to embarrass him. Kisses on the other hand serve as a reminder that someone loves him and trusts him enough to share something intimate

While Azul is very reserved when it comes to physical touches, he soon becomes addicted to your little affectionate gestures.

Even if he becomes flustered in the process, that doesn't hide the small smile that appears whenever you press your lips against his cheek.

Of course, most of this mainly occurs behind closed doors, but being to hold your hand as you walk through the school makes him forget about his insecurities for a moment as he can relish being in the embrace or hold of his partner

Last thoughts: Acts of service; he lives a busy life running the Fish mafia a restraunt. And he falls ever so more in love with you whenever you grab him his pen or bring him food when he's overworking himself.

" Please kiss me once more, you make me forget about the world and its impurities. I am weak to you, my dear."

-

Kalim Al-Asim

Quality Time

Kalim loves to pass the time with his partner. Mundane things such as studying become a lot more fun with his partner there to chat with.

Admittly, the homework become disregarded jn a manner of second, but that's for future you to worry about, this is cuddle time with Kalim !

Like Riddle, Kalim is open to do anything his partner wants to do. He isn't picky, if anything hes looking for excuses to pass some time with his partner.

Sends you a lot of "Can I come over please, I'm really bored" text messages.

Though he isn't picky with how to spend that time, he adores carpet rides. What's more fun than feeling the wind sweep through your hair as you can admire beautiful scenery in the distance? Kalim finds the moment to be a source of distraction and by the end of it he's going to have a big grin

However a lot of time you do spend together is often accompanied by someone meant to overlook Kalim's safety, mainly being Jamil.

Jamil third wheeling, Canon. But don't worry though, Jamil will keep his judging to himself

But mornings are a favorite as there aren't those added pair of eyes and so he can spend that time with his partner alone.

Imagine all the silly things you two can go off for hours in the early morning :D

Physical Touch

Kalim loves physical affection! He would cuddle all day if he could.

Kisses are among his favorites. He especially holds a preference towards butterfly kisses, playfully grazing his lips around your face, laughing in between each peck while holding your face with his fingers. And he becomes so bashful whenever his partner return does the same to him

Hugs and hand holding are something Kalim wants to do all the time, the expression of joy curving his features whenever you open your arms for a hug or invite him for cuddles

Give this boy all the love he deserves <3

Last thoughts: gifts; Kalim spoils you rotten. But the gifts you get him? Treats it as though it was made of the world's most expensive jewels. A stuff animal animal from you or a random gem? You can sure bet that he's gonna hold onto that stuff animal and keep it safe until he takes his last breath.

" Can I kiss you? One more kiss before class, a quick one too! I promise!"

-

Vil Schoenheit

Acts of service 

Vil lives by a pretty busy schedule, he is constantly swamped by things, juggling both highschool responsibilities and that of his professional career. 

He is always on his feet and days can become hectic sometimes. So having a partner who helps make his life easier by just doing little acts makes his heart explode on the inside !

The tasks itself don't even have to be anything tedious. Something simple as grabbing him his shoes, or setting out his makeup products in the morning ready for use, makes Vil's day to day go by much easier. 

It's similar to Leona, in which his partner is doing it because they want to. To Vil, putting in that extra effort shows care and love and his heart flutters by that alone

But his favorite? Bringing him lunch after an exhausting photoshoot. He may be worn out from taking dozens of photos, but seeing you approach him with a smile on your face with a packaged bundle of goods makes that drowsiness disappear 

Vil appreciates all his partner's efforts. And he is sure to repay the favor, doing little things to make his partner's life a little easier to the best of his ability.

Quality time

As mentioned, Vil has a packed schedule. He regrets that he can't spend as much time with his partner as he wishes and thus dates have to be planned ahead of time.

And nothing hurts him more then he has to cancel plans for work. Makes it up to you the moment he gets that free time again. 

Despite that, mornings are easily a favorite time of his. It's a moment he can share with his partner, often spending the time helping each other get ready for the day followed by some face masks.

And when you do those face masks, it is so comforting you may just fall asleep again. 

But Vil really finds comfort in these moments, able to dissociate from the outside world and spend some quality time with his partner 

 Likes to take you to the premiers of his movies as well, taking his partner as his special guest.

Que the wave of fangirls trying to undercover who this y/n is.

Having one-on-one conversations are among his favorites and being able to spend that with someone he cares about makes his heart skip a beat at the thought alone. 

Last thoughts: Gifts; he's kinda similar to Kalim in which he values a lot of the things you get him. Yes, he's use to get some of the top makeup products around the world, but it doesn't compare to the tokens of affection you gift him :]

" Sweet potato, why don't we do something this weekend. I spoke with my managers and I'll be free both days. I heard this new restaurant opened, my treat~"

-

Idia Shroud

Gifts

Idia is pretty inexperienced when it comes to romance which is reflected when it comes to the other love languages.

Physical affection and words of affirmation makes him red in the face and nervous. Acts of service makes him feel awful for making you do things for him. However when it comes to gifts, that's something he appreciates dearly

Growing up, he has only received gifts from his family, rarely from anyone outside that circle. So when his partner suddenly gifts him with a new video game that he had been rambling about, he almost explodes on the spot

The gift doesn't even have to be video games, Idia is grateful for anything you get him, small or big! And when his partner goes through the effort to get him something special for his birthday or anniversary, he almost passes out on the spot.

If it's a stuffed animal he sleeps with it every night, clutching it close to his chest. Denies it profusely when you discovered this

Receiving an item from someone outside his family is rare, but the feeling it leaves is warm and lasting.

Whenever his eyes fall upon the little things his partner gets him, Idia can't help but show off a love struck smile, the memory of his partner handing it to him replaying in his mind.

And he is sure to give you something in return every time too. Though he feels as though it lacks in comparison.

Quality time

Idia has spent most of his time alone, playing video games and watching anime by his lonesome with the exception of his brother passing by from time to time.

And Idia likes it like that, he prefers being alone.

But when he meets you he very quickly gains a new perspective, enjoying all the moments with you. Especially if it's someone who's shares similar interests as him

And just like that, spending time alone feels so gray, something lacking as he clicks over the control buttons. The victory felt pointless without you cheering for him. Anime, while still enjoyable, lacks something.

And from that point on forward, he follows you like a puppy, looking for any way to get your attention and spend time with you

Of course watching Anime with his partner is a favorite as well as playing video games, offering you a seat beside him as he boots up the t.v(even better if it's a game you bought him!).

Even though he is someone that would rather spend his time alone, he will always spare some time for his partner, you're his player 2 after all~

Last thoughts: words of affirmation; physcial touch still makes him uneasy but your voice? Hes so smitten by that alone. tell him he's pretty. That you love and cherish him. I guarantee it would earn you blushes from Idia, literally putty in your hands.

" F-for me? Why? Is today something special- sorry, I didn't get you anything b-but I will!"

-

Malleus Draconia

Physical Touch

Malleus is touch-starved, he has been deprived of romantic affection most of his life. So when he first experienced cuddling, kissing and hand holding, he becomes addicted in matter of seconds

Putty in your hands, and isn't ashamed of it

He always wants to have his hands on his partner in some way, whether it be on your shoulder, waist, or simply holding your hand. Malleus likes the feeling of his skin against your own.

Also to show to the surrounding people that he is in fact your boyfriend and should think twice before making a move on you

At the beginning of the relationship he was a bit hesitant to initiate anything. But he would inch close to you when you're both standing, before finally interlocking his fingers with yours.

Kisses are also among Malleus favorite gestures, the feeling of his partner's lips against his own is something addicting to him. He can never give you enough kisses, often grazing his lips against your skin affectionately at any given point.

The dame applies to cuddling. Holding you in his arms is reassuring to the fae, it's also how he can protect his partner, keeping an eye out for potential dangers

Quality Time

As mentioned, Malleus has spent a lot of time alone. However, unlike Idia(who prefers to be alone), Malleus has always had the desire to spend his time with someone. Unfortunately, due his reputation both as a fae and heir to the briar Valley throne, many students have avoided thus leaving him by himself

That all changes when he finally has someone to call his lover and friend. Malleus becomes glued to your hip, wanting to spend every moment he can with you. Of course, this is not possible so he savors what he can get

The first time his partner suggested they do something together, Malleus had to take a few seconds to comprehend your words.

'They want to spend time with me?' He is truly blown away

Malleus doesn't care how that time is spent, he just wants to be beside his partner and serenade them in love just as you do him <3

Last thoughts: gifts; will this man spoil your rotten with presents? Yes he will. Can you stop him? No you can't. Malleus just loves to spoil his love, he's putty in your hands.

" Child of man, you want to spend time with me? You aren't afraid of me? Hmm, you'd be the first.''

#twisted wonderland x reader #twst x reader #riddle rosehearts x reader #leona kingscholar x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #kalim al asim x reader #idia shroud x reader #malleus draconia x reader #riddle x reader #leona x reader #azul x reader #kalim x reader #vil x reader #idia x reader #malleus x reader #Riddle Rosehearts #leona kingscholar #azul ashengrotto #kalim al asim #vil schoenheit x reader #vil schoenheit #malleus draconia #twisted wonderland

[heartsteellerr]

How they spend valentines with you

Content; 100% fluff, all characters are written romantically, OOC, some characters are written short based on me not knowing how to type/write for them Warnings; GN reader Characters; EVERYONE (Heartsteel, KDA, True Damage)

Indoor dates; Aphelios, Akali, Senna, Yasuo

They choose to spend their valentines day with you indoors; either because they simply prefer it that way, or just want to spend it alone with you ⎯ away from the eyes of onlookers who are desperate for gossip.

Aphelios and Yasuo are introverts at heart, so being away from people is like a blessing to them both. How they'd choose to spend the day with you depends on the current mood they're feeling, for example: wanting to do something that doesn't require much work like watching a movie is one of the go-to's he'd do for valentines. Or on the more rarer occasions where he's wanting to feel genuine and sincere, he'd take some time off idol work to compose a personal song for you ⎯ one that isn't technically sung by him (most likely asked one of their members to sing in his steed) but can be used for karaoke, or background music during dinner.

Akali and Senna are the same as the other two ⎯ both being introverted but also not really? In the pre-tense of it she simply has a hard time getting along with people but would put up some sort of effort when it comes to you. However on this day, she'd much prefer to spend it alone with you. The list on what you would do with her varies on the basics of what most couples do on this day: movies, snacks, dinner, etc. I feel like in a way, Akali would want to spend valentines like how regular couples would ⎯ setting aside her role as an idol.

Outdoor dates; Kayn, Sett, K'Sante, Evelynn, Kai'Sa, Ekko

Kayn and K'sante are the types who'd want to make this day as memorable as he can for you; spending however much money he can offer to spoil you for the whole day. Though I can only imagine for Kayn he'd chooses to spend his money on bringing you to a concert that both you and him have been waiting to attend, whereas for K'Sante he's the type that'll carry all the bags you've bought and take you to a fancy restaurant to dine in.

^ You can also say this would be something Evelynn would also do for you, in terms of taking you out and spoiling you, then bringing you somewhere fancy. She has the power to do so, so why not use it to her advantage, no? At the end of it all you'd both be sitting in a high view building, watching as the city lights coat the streets before calling it a night with sweet kisses and longing words to each other.

^^ Kai'sa somewhat doing the same as what Kayn did, however, instead of just attending 'a' concert ⎯ she'd be giving you tickets to hers and her group's concert instead (i'm sorry idrk how to write for her)

Sett on the other hand is taking you on a walk. Yes, a walk. Varying between places like parks or a walk down the streets ⎯ to taking you on a hiking trip to the mountains. Of course he isn't gonna force you to keep climbing when you're getting tired, but instead of taking a break by sitting down somewhere, he'd continue the walk with you on his back or shoulders. To him it's a win-win situation: You get to rest for a bit, while he continues to walk and show you the amazing view of the place AND technically speaking, this would count as a workout for him, right? I will say at the end of it all, he'd have at least one or two things prepared when the walk is over (your gift).

Ekko is a man who's lived in the street since he was a kid; dealing with hardships and whatnot through out his life already, he'd hope to at least spend one of these days, this day in particular, where he can spend money on you. That's his wish, and with the amount he earns as a Idol ⎯ well, i guess you can say a part of his wish did come true.

A mix between both; Ezreal, Yone, Ahri, Qiyana

In the case of becoming hit stars, and especially being the fans' faves; Ezreal and Yone's schedule are so packed, they have to plan their valentines day to be both indoors and outdoors. For Yone it'd be indoors > outdoors, starting his valetines indoors first because there were still some things he needed to check over before going outdoors with you to spend the rest of your valentines day with him. Ezreal's valentines, however, started off with an outdoor date in mind but then switched to indoors the moment fans caught sight of him and he had to cancel it all ⎯ making him somewhat depressed for the most part because he tried so hard to make this day perfect for you both, but seeing as it was still a day you can spend together, outdoors or not, he's happy as long as he's with you.

^ The same can be said for Ahri, she has plenty of fans who'd want to talk and take pictures of her when she's outside so the outdoor date she had in mind suddenly turned indoor the moment fans caught wind of her activities.

^ As for Qiyana, it'd be similar to Yone but not exactly ⎯ she'd want to spend the day resting a bit longer in bed with you during the start of the day and then spend the rest outdoors; via going to a club or a bar.

#heartsteel x reader #ezreal x reader #k'sante x reader #kayn x reader #yone x reader #aphelios x reader #sett x reader #kda x reader #akali x reader #ahri x reader #evelynn x reader #kai'sa x reader #true damage x reader #senna x reader #yasuo x reader #ekko x reader #qiyana x reader

[axailslink]

I'm proud of her

Shuri Udaku x Dora Milaje reader

Summary: Shuri sees your scars from combat with Okoye

You hiss at the feeling of the hot water running down your back as it hits the newly found scars you bite your lip trying not to make a sound. "Good Bast fucking hell" you hit the wall as you hold back tears Shuri immediately drops her keys and comes to you "baby what's wrong?" The stinging sensation only continues to pass through your body as the water hits the back of your legs which are also covered in scars. The blood runs down the drain with the water but you can see Shuri's worry plain as day "you didn't have a mission today is this from training?" She gently grabs your arm and you hiss this time from soreness "I'll be fine the Dora Milaje doesn't feel weakness" Shuri shakes her head "well you're not the Dora Milaje right now you're my wife and you're in pain" you let go of the wall for balance and start to wash up careful as you let the soap run down your shoulders and back.

Shuri hates seeing you in pain like this she understands it's part of your life and it's something you've trained for but this was ridiculous to her. You can barely move she grabs her keys and stomps out of the house. She could always call Okoye but this was a conversation that could not be held over the kimoyo beads she quickly arrives to Okoye's shared home with W'Kabi. Okoye answers the door with a smile on her face as she speaks to someone but Shuri is not smiling. "General" she nods "Queen" Shuri lets herself in as to not cause a scene in front of the border tribe going about their daily lives outside the home. "My wife came home barely able to move I understand that what she does requires pain but she can't fucking move Okoye." Okoye is taken back she's aware that her methods are a bit much but she cut you where she knew needed to. You need to be prepared for that pain in battle or on any mission. "I'm not asking you to go soft on her I know she can handle it but I'm letting it be known there is a limit to what I'll take and my wife not being able to move is my damned limit." Okoye nods understanding she wouldn't dare argue but she does speak her voice strong and unwavering "I understand my queen but she's also a Dora Milaje warrior her scars are of her own recklessness it happens. I do not apologize for training my warriors the way I always have but I do apologize for these feelings you are having." Shuri nods and grabs her spear "Okoye I am no way doing this out of hate I'm simply curious to know that if these same things were done to you could you not flinch not hiss at the pain?" Okoye watches Shuri as she turns her around and uses the end of the spear on her back gently slicing through her clothes W'Kabi moves but Okoye stops him "I just want to know if she has to go through this pain does every soldier?" "Yes" Okoye nods as she bites her bottom lip Shuri grabs the edge of spear and slashes at the back of her knee not so gently this time with the same amount of effort she's sure Okoye would have used on you in training. Okoye loses her balance for a moment Shuri gives her back her spear and Okoye nods as Shuri grabs her hands helping her up. "Can you walk on that?" "No send her my apologies" Shuri nods "none of that was done in anger that was done in understanding my wife has two slashes like that on the back of both of her legs and some on her back to match. Have a lovely night General." Shuri leaves the house silently.

Okoye watched Shuri grow up and every day she became prouder. To some the scene before them may have been upsetting but to Okoye that display was full of nothing but strength and love. What Wakanda has always been about the reason she became general the reason she wanted to order underneath the throne. "I'm proud of her" she keeps a stoic facial expression as the door closes.

Shuri returns home to find you still in the bathroom no longer showering but struggling to wrap your scars she immediately helps. "Where did you go?" Shuri hesitates for a moment before mumbling "to see Okoye" you quickly turn around but immediately regret it as you feel a sense of pain running up your neck "you shouldn't have gone she'll think I'm weak" Shuri shakes her head "no she actually told me your scars are of your own recklessness I don't think she thinks you're weak I think she thinks you're strong." Shuri turns you around and looks at the green leaves you have crushed in a bowl it causes her to smile. That's what she used to use to help your scars when you were truly younger she was sixteen making Wakanda's new science and you were sixteen begging to join the Dora Milaje. "You know we have medicine" you nod "I like this better it's natural and it stops the bleeding faster hail wakandan science eh?" She smiles and kisses your forehead as she gently puts some in her hands and presses it firmly to a bloodied slash "you do remember this gets you high right?" You nod "once again praise Wakandan science" she laughs and kisses you "oh if I wasn't in pain right now..." You mumble into the kiss she only smiles "give it five minutes you'll forget about the pain."

A/n: yeah I don't even know where this came from this was supposed to be a totally different fic 😅 I'm always going off script.

#shuri angst #shuri imagine #shuri x reader #shuri x y/n #shuri x you #shuri black panther #shuri udaku x reader #Shuri udaku #mcu shuri #black panther #black panther wakanda forever #black panther x reader #black panther imagine #black panther fics #black panther shuri #shuri x fem!reader #shuri x f!reader #queen shuri #shuri my love #black reader fanfiction #shuri fluff #shuri fanfiction #marvel fluff #marvel imagine #marvel #letitia wright x black!reader #letitia wright #letitia wright shuri #letitia wright x reader #shuri x woc!reader

[variousficss]

Bucky Barnes - Set of 2 [part 7]

Summary: silent Bucky.

AN: let me know if you wanna be tagged for the next parts 😊

next>>

Silence. It was never a novelty in the friendship between you and Bucky. When it's a subject you love, you can talk about it for hours and hours, but you also love the silence. The peace of being able to organize your thoughts without anyone interrupting the thousands of things going on inside you. It's not just about being alone; it's about the tranquility of not having to fill the silence with anything else. As you grew up, your family was never a fan of silence. Having a moment to yourself was a luxury in a busy and tumultuous house like yours. Amidst your parents' shouts, your siblings' shoves, and that damn TV that never turned off, you found peace before going to sleep, using every waking second in bed to savor the silence.

Being an adult has various disadvantages, but being able to choose how to spend each moment is one of the positives you like the most. Being with Sam is great, but he can't keep silent, even to save his own life. Between jokes, serious conversations, and teasing Bucky, the captain grew accustomed to always filling the silences.

With Bucky, it's the opposite: he can be so quiet that sometimes you spend hours together without exchanging a word. You don't mind, and if you're honest, you even like it. Being able to be silent with someone and not feel awkward is a blessing. Between whispers and nods in agreement with episodes of "Diaries of a Vampire," you and Bucky have spent six hours without saying a word. Just drinking and watching TV. It's perfection. Too bad perfection doesn't exist. There's a danger that is ignored in silence: it can bring people together, but it can also separate. It can reveal a different kind of care or hide secrets. Keep pain and discomfort hidden beneath the silence.

Being Bucky's friend required attention to these details. To differentiate his silences. The silence when he just wanted to relax with you, the silence when he was angry about something and didn't want to talk about it, the silence when the ghosts of the past came to torment him, and the silence when he was sinking. Sinking into guilt, regret, and self-hatred.

Sometimes, you just want to hug him. Hug him so tight until he asks you to stop. Until he was satisfied. Until the ghosts were gone. But physical touch wasn't something you and Bucky had in common. As your friendship with the soldier developed, you, a person who loves physical touch, hugs, learned to keep your distance. To show your care differently. You remember the first birthday you spent with Bucky and going in for a hug. He didn't shy away from your touch, but you felt how he became absolutely rigid, sensing the slight tremor in his arm. It wasn't something you wanted him to feel again.

Today was one of the days when Bucky's silence didn't signal anything good. He was drinking beer, and his gaze was distant, as if he were in another time. Probably in the past.

"Earth to Bucky," you began tentatively, "is everything okay?"

The soldier looked at you, his piercing blue eyes revealing a vulnerability he rarely let others see. "Just dealing with some demons, Doll," he offered you a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

You hesitated before speaking. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Bucky sighed, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I really don't."

You nodded, understanding the gravity of his words. "You don't have to face it alone, you know? We're friends, and friends share the burden."

Bucky managed a small smile, but he didn't say anything else, just taking another sip of his beer and continuing to stare at the small stain on the carpet.

"You're not a bad person, Buck", you blurted out, and Bucky glanced at you. "I'm rooting for you. No matter what is going through your head... you have me. You better tell those demons to fuck off, 'cause I'm not going anywhere."

Tag list: @almosttoopizza @creat0r-cat @aesthetic0cherryblossom  @cjand10 @sapphirebarnes @nouk1998 @unaxv

#bucky barnes x female reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes x oc #bucky barnes x y/n #bucky barnes fluff #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes #bucky fic recs #bucky fic #fluff bucky #bucky x female reader #bucky x reader #bucky fanfic #bucky x y/n #bucky imagine #bucky x you

[wheels-of-despair]

Worth It | Ralph Penbury x You | Masterlist

{<-Previous} [Forty-Four Days] {Next->}

Summary: All good things must come to an end… right? Words: 3k

Ralph leaned in close and whispered, "We are going to make love in every single room."

"Ralph, that'll take until Christmas!"

"So be it," he laughed.

It took 44 days.

There wasn't really a lot else to do.

Neither of you had any complaints.

When you'd arrived that first day, the skeleton staff had greeted you, taken your bags up to the bedroom Ralph specified, and escorted you to a lovely lunch on the terrace. You ate quickly, both because of the appetites you'd worked up and your desire to stretch your legs after your long journey.

After refueling, you went for a walk around the grounds. This place put the green of the park to shame. Manicured shrubs lined the path winding around the freshly trimmed lawn. The flowers smelled like heaven. A large fountain topped by a cherub squirted water in every direction. There was even a sparkling pond in the distance. You suddenly felt very small… and very tired. The sleepless night, the long car ride, the wonderful lunch, and the overwhelming openness all caught up to you at once.

"Shall we continue with the indoor tour?" Ralph asks with a pathetic attempt at enthusiasm, as the terrace came back into sight. You look over and catch him trying to stifle a yawn with the hand that's not holding yours.

"Of course! Shall we race back to the house?"

He looks down at you with a panicked expression that you have to laugh at. He tries to feign a look of annoyance, realizing you're only playing with him, but you see right through him.

"Maybe you could give me a tour of our bedroom, and then we can call it a day?"

Ralph nods, a few times too many, and picks up the pace. He leads you back to the house and through a labyrinth of doors and stairs and hallways. You make a mental note to never get separated from him, because you could easily get lost in this place and never find your way out.

Finally, you enter a room with a four-poster bed, which Ralph immediately flops on face-first, leaving his feet hanging off the side. You take a second to look around the room, then kick off your shoes and crawl onto the bed next to him. Planting an elbow on the soft bedspread and propping up your tired head, you reach out with your other hand to rub Ralph's back. He moans and scoots closer to you.

"Ralph, if we don't get undressed right now, we're going to fall asleep in these clothes."

He mumbles something you can't quite make out.

"Come on, snugglepup, I'll help you," you offer with a pat to his shoulder, dragging yourself off the bed. Ralph doesn't move. You untie his shoes, which is a little difficult from this downward angle, and pull them off for him. You speak his name, but he still won't move. You grab his ankles and give your best yank.

He yelps and claws desperately at the bedspread, despite the fact that you'd barely moved him.

"Come on," you laugh. "Clothes off. You'll thank me later."

The big baby you married flips over and unbuttons his trousers with a grumble, still refusing to get up. You tug them off by the legs as he lifts his rear, then fold them and set them aside. Ralph unbuttons his shirt as you shed your dress, then you help him pull that off as well.

After what feels like far too long, you're both in your underthings and under the covers, with the intention of sleeping until dinner.

You slept 'til breakfast.

You quickly fell into a most wonderful routine.

You'd wake up when you felt like it, ring for breakfast, and eat in bed. After getting dressed, you'd explore. Ralph led you through the entire house and showed you each room in those first few days, but given your desire to know each room a little more intimately, most of them required a second (or third) look.

You'd decided to bypass the servants' quarters, thinking it best not to invade their space with your marital shenanigans.

The same couldn't be said for Victoria's bedroom.

Or the bedroom of Ralph's least favorite grandmother.

In the early afternoon, you'd have lunch on the terrace, when the weather allowed. When it didn't, you'd spread a blanket on the floor and have a picnic indoors. A nap often followed lunch. It was a lazy kind of life you were living, and you loved every second of it.

You'd eaten exactly one meal in the dining hall. Every clink of the fork had echoed throughout the ridiculously large room. Every laugh bounced back. Every whisper was amplified. From then on, the staff brought your dinner to a cozy room on the second floor with large windows overlooking the pond. You much preferred a tiny table for two over the monstrosity in the formal dining room… although you'd found a better use for that table as you checked rooms off your list.

Ralph had brought his ukulele with him, and liked playing after dinner. You loved listening to him, and cheering him on. You adored the goofy grin he'd get after you clapped and asked for an encore, or quoted your favorite part back to him. He had a talent for writing silly little songs about what you'd done that day. You wished you'd thought to start writing down the lyrics sooner, because you'd both forget everything but a line or two by morning. (Even though most of his lyrics would be deemed inappropriate and scandalous to anyone but the two of you.)

When you weren't sleeping, lounging, or checking rooms off of your list, you explored. You found hidden passageways inside, and trails outside the manicured lawns. There were several game rooms, and an impressively stocked library that you spent a fair amount of time in. There was no room for boredom with Ralph Penbury around. You enjoyed every minute of your time together, even when you were just reading aloud to each other or watching the swans swim on the pond.

You'd heard tales of people spending too much time together. Getting to know each other too well. But you wanted to know everything about Ralph, and he wanted to know everything about you. You'd had a wonderful start, with all that time alone in the park, but you became experts on each other during your honeymoon.

You learned that he liked watching the swans from a distance, but was terrified to get too close, because one had chased him all the way from the pond to the back steps as a child. You learned that he loved wine, but wouldn't eat grapes unless you fed them to him. (You didn't mind this a bit.) You learned that Ralph looked absolutely breathtaking with a beard, but had been hesitant to grow one because of his sister. You learned just how insecure and eager to please he was, and vowed to spend the rest of your life reassuring him and encouraging him to do things that made him happy. You learned what it was like to be so consumed by love, you wouldn't know how to breathe without it. And you hoped you'd never have to.

Ralph learned a lot too. He learned that you loved to hold him as much as he loved to hold you. He learned that you were afraid of mice, but preferred that they were relocated rather than killed. (The staff was not amused at this request, but Ralph adored you for it.) He learned that you hated wearing hats, because your mother had once stabbed you with a hat pin, and you weren't entirely convinced it was an accident. And perhaps most importantly, he learned what it felt like to be loved for who he was. So many of the things he'd always been mocked or chastised for, you encouraged. You admired his musical talents. You loved laughing and talking and playing games with him. Even when you were playing against each other, it still felt like you were on the same side. You listened to him, and made him feel like everything he had to say was worthwhile; you acknowledged every one of his little observations throughout the day, no matter how random, and often had a thought of your own to add. You told him that you loved him no matter what, and he believed you. He truly did.

You adored waking up next to Ralph.

He was always handsome. But first thing in the morning? You didn't think you'd ever get used to this. His eyes seemed lighter somehow, and his hair was always a beautiful mess. His voice in the morning was deep and gravelly, and every time he spoke, you felt it vibrate through your entire body. And he was warm. So warm. Even when you'd drifted apart during the night, you could feel his warmth and know he was still there without even opening your eyes.

But you quite enjoyed opening your eyes in the morning now. No more unhappy groans as Nancy ripped your curtains open and blinded you with sunlight and dragged you out of bed for the early breakfast your mother insisted on. Here, with just the two of you, you could stay in bed all day if you wanted. And some days, you did.

You and Ralph always woke up within a few minutes of each other, as if you could sense that the other needed company. You'd greet each other with a sleepy smile and a morning kiss. Sometimes he'd pull you closer and you'd fall back asleep together. Sometimes you engaged in other activities first. Once, you'd repeated the process until lunchtime, skipping breakfast entirely. That was a good day.

Today was… not shaping up to be a good day.

Ralph woke with a gasp just before sunrise, and sat up straight to catch his breath. Having been jostled from your slumber by his sudden movement, you sit beside him and place a comforting hand on his back.

"What's up, pup?"

He swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"I dreamt that Victoria was here."

You let out a sleepy chuckle. "It could be worse, I suppose." He tilts his head to look at you. "We could've suffered a dream visit from our mothers." He cracks a grin, shakes his head, and lets himself fall backward onto his pillow.

Ralph extends an arm and guides you to him. You rest your head on his chest and drape an arm across him, drifting back to sleep with a smile as he plays with your hair.

A few hours later, a loud rumble rouses you from your sleep. Blinking in confusion, you soon realize it's Ralph's stomach. You lift your head from his chest and look up at him with a grin, but he's staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Ralph? Are you alright?"

He snaps out of it and looks down at you with a smile that doesn't quite meet his eyes.

"I'm fine. Ready for breakfast?"

The bell is rung and the food is delivered. Ralph seems a little more like himself with a full belly.

"What shall we do today, my wonderful wife?" he asks, leaning back against the pillows, fingers laced behind his head. You take this as an invitation to return to his chest, and he quickly drops an arm to stroke up and down your back.

"I don't know, my handsome husband, what did you have in mind?" you countered.

"I think there's a secret passageway somewhere in the drawing room on the third floor that we could look for."

Before you can respond that yes, this sounds like a great idea, you hear the honking of a horn. You look up at Ralph, who shares your confusion. You hadn't heard a thing except wild animals and the occasional chatter from the staff while you were here.

Ralph carefully extracts himself from your grasp and walks to the window, which he promptly bangs his head on. You crawl out of bed and join him as the horns grow closer.

Three cars, packed full of people, are barreling down the drive.

"Victoria?"

"Victoria," Ralph groans.

You both dress quickly and head downstairs. Ralph stomps down the grand staircase, you trail behind, hurrying to keep up with his long strides. You've never seen him this angry before.

Ralph flings the front door open and marches out to meet his sister, who is pointing out things to the friends who are slowly pouring out of the cars like clowns at the circus.

"Ralph, what are you doing here? And what is that on your face?"

You can't hear Ralph's side of the conversation, but you give Victoria an awkward wave when she looks over at you, then lean against the door frame. Soon, a fuming Ralph returns to you and grabs your hand, pulling you back upstairs without a word. You look over your shoulder at the people coming in, and the two maids watching Victoria and her unexpected arrivals with panic in their eyes.

Back inside the bedroom you'd claimed, Ralph slams the door and kicks it with a pained grunt. You sit on the bed and wait for him to collect himself. When he finally turns around, his anger has turned to despair. He walks to you, utterly defeated, and falls to his knees in front of you. He buries his face in your lap, bringing his arms around your hips in a strange hug.

"I'm sorry," he mumbles. One of your hands comes to rest on his shoulder, and the other begins stroking his hair. It had grown considerably during your time here, now that he didn't have a barber around the corner to visit twice a month. You had trouble keeping your hands out of it, now that there was more of it to play with, but Ralph didn't seem to mind at all.

"It's alright, love."

"I had no idea they were coming. Or why they did. Victoria hasn't been here since our 18th birthday."

"It's not your fault, pup."

"My sister has ruined our honeymoon."

"Ralph, we've been here for nearly two months. If things had continued being so perfect, we might never have left."

"That was the plan."

You chuckled, tracing the shell of his ear with your fingertip. He sighs happily, and then his eyes pop open.

"Victoria is going to tell our mothers where we are."

"They were bound to find out eventually."

"They're going to know we lied. There was no cruise. Your mother is going to hate me more than she already does."

"Then I'll just have to love you more to make up for it."

"How are you being so calm about this?" He finally raises his head to look at you.

"Ralph, we're married. What are they going to do, tell us we can't see each other anymore?" You give him a smile, but he still looks worried. You move a hand to cup his jaw, stroking his cheek with your thumb in reassurance. "You are mine, and I am yours, and no one can take that away from us."

You tuck a lock of hair behind his ear, and his eyes begin to tear up. He buries his face in your lap again to hide it. You resume stroking his hair, until he heaves another sigh.

"Time to go home?" he mumbles.

"Home is wherever we're together."

A loud crash comes from nearby, followed by a shrill laugh.

"But perhaps we should return to the city for awhile. Enjoy a bit of peace and quiet," you joke.

Ralph smiles weakly and gives you a nod.

"One more night?"

"Maybe two? I can think of a few rooms we should try to revisit before they get trashed."

This seems to perk him up.

The return trip wasn't as somber as you thought it would be. Ralph pointed out some things you'd missed on the first part of the trip, such as the field of sheep that had once gotten loose and wandered all over the Penbury property. Victoria was still terrified of them. You stored this information for later.

About halfway through your journey, Ralph spotted a restaurant with tiny tables outside. He asked the driver to stop, and you had a wonderful lunch together in the sunshine. One last hurrah before returning to real life, you assumed. You didn't mind. You knew you'd have to go back eventually. London is where your lives were, where your families were. Honeymoons don't last forever. You knew this. But still, you couldn't help but savor every last second of your time alone with the love of your life.

Ralph seemed to have the same idea. He ordered three different desserts to sample, then insisted on coffee. Your lunch had lasted nearly two hours. Finally, Ralph couldn't put off the inevitable any longer. You returned to the car, and the journey continued.

In the blink of an eye, it seemed, you were back in front of Penbury House. Ralph helped you out of the car, and as you stood there stretching your legs, the front door opened and Langley came scrambling out to fetch your bags. Like he'd been expecting you.

Ralph took your hand, and with a sigh, you started up the front steps. When you reached the door, you heard two familiar voices yelling on the other side of it. Your mothers, of course. It seems Victoria had indeed spread the news of your hiding place at her earliest convenience. You'd have to remember to thank her for this.

"I don't suppose you have any other forgotten family properties we could hide out in?" you ask with a smirk.

"No, but I thought we might begin looking for a place of our own tomorrow."

"Tomorrow can't come soon enough," you half-joke, looking up at him with a wink. Ralph smiles and leans down for one last kiss before your honeymoon officially ends, somehow knowing how to make time stand still just when you need it the most. When he pulls away, he tucks a stray hair behind your ear and straightens his lapels, standing tall like he's suddenly acquired the confidence to face your families.

"Well, my darling wife, as we go now to face whatever hell awaits us on the other side of this door... please know this has been the best month and a half of my life, and that I loved you 'til the very end."

"Was it worth it, my dear husband?"

"Absolutely."

#writings of despair #ralph is worth it #ralph penbury #ralph penbury x you #ralph penbury x reader #ralph timewasters

[ssahotchnerr]

I love the concept of aaron’s s/o being able to read him like a book, especially early on into their relationship. it would make his heart melt

i am absolutely obsessed with this idea 🥹 also let’s pretend i totally didn’t read this request wrong IM SORRY

one day you just happened to read him a excerpt from your current read. maybe it was a part you loved, thought was funny, etc.. whatever the case, you just had to share. and what better person to read it to than aaron <3 and even though it's such a small part, he gets so engrossed 🥺🫶🏻 he loves hearing the soft sound of your voice, the way your face pulls into concentration as your eyes dance along the page, the way your lips twitch into a smile if it's a cute lil funny section <333 he loves every second of it.

once you're finished, you go back to reading silently, letting him get back to whatever he was doing previously. but aaron speaks up almost immediately: "read me more" 🥺🥺

hehe you're like his own personal audiobook <3 it doesn't matter what genre is too, he'll listen, solely because he wants to hear your voice and be curled up next to you. but!!! as your relationship progresses the two of you go on bookstore dates to pick out things to read together, the two of you have the longest tbr list <333 i can see him leaning towards classics, while you maybe pick out a romcom, a thriller, whatever you find that seems interesting. and jack will sometimes join too !!! whether it's something like harry potter or a required book for school, it's some quality family time as well as an opportunity to develop his reading skills <3

and aaron LOVES resting his head on your lap as you read to him. the sound of your voice along with your fingers brushing through his hair, more often than not it nearly lulls him to sleep, he can't think of anything more comforting or relaxing. it definitely becomes a nightly ritual, at minimum it's at least one chapter a night.

it's also the best distraction. if he can't sleep, in general or if a bad case is keeping him awake, he'll ask you if you can read to him. :(( he'll find you in your shared apartment, if it's really bad maybe he'll wake you up if you're already asleep, and he gives you a little somber expression and mumbles "sweetheart, would you mind reading to me for a bit"🥺 you, of course, comply immediately. and aaron will most certainly read to you as well if you ask/want a break to rest your voice <3

plus if he has to go away for work, you are absolutely not allowed to continue a book without him >:( so if able, you'll read a chapter or two over the phone 🥰💕

#aaron baby lemme read a book to you 😣 #aaron hotchner #aaron hotch x reader #aaron hotchner fanfiction #aaron hotchner fluff #aaron hotchner imagine #aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner imagines #hotch x reader #criminal minds x reader #criminal minds drabble #criminal minds #criminal minds imagine #criminal minds fluff #criminal minds fanfiction

[rosekeu]

the pit of despair : attack on titan

a/n: this is just a draft.. seeing how this story preforms and how much people like it. im still gonna continue it but i need feeback to see if posting it on tumblr is worth it.

levi ackerman x reader | erwin smith x reader

▬▬ 3.7k words ▬▬

chapter 000 : past naivety - pt.1 " the start of something. "

"Could you please stop yanking on my collar, Mellilla." You smile to yourself, messing around with Erwin was definitely one of your favorite moments of the day, and hearing his father talk about history was entertaining too, but today you had no intention of listening. Erwin, being the observant child he is, was able to take note. As for the nickname, Mellilla, it meant little sweetheart or little honey in Latin. It came unphased to you, your mother started calling you that since you were born, and it just stuck like glue and spread around the walls like a prayer.

"Why are you so jittery?" Erwin turned in his wooden desk, looking at you with an unamused expression while doing so. Your smile only grew wider.

"Erwin, you're not going to believe it. My father and I are going to give out more candy, and he mentioned this time that this location was especially special, so I can't wait!!"Your comments were thrilled with loud joy; your classmates were confused, and you mouthed 'sorry' all around. Erwin doesn't seem to respond to your words at first, but the gleam in your eyes as you speak tells him all he needs to know. His look softens, and a little curve appears on his lips. "Sounds interesting."

"I know, right!"

Your father was a well-known candy maker, and your mother did a little bit of everything. You name it: politics, business, art, teaching, or cooking. She was well-known inside the confines of the walls. People frequently respected your mother's versatility and ability to achieve in a variety of fields. Her wide skill set established her as a respected member of the walls, and she was always eager to provide a helping hand wherever it was required.

"Well, this is our last lecture before lunch, so try to sit still till' then." Erwin responds, taking both of his hands to grip your shoulders and give them a firm squeeze, then returning his attention to his father's explanation at the board. You sighed to yourself, lazily gazing around, attempting to focus but failing miserably. Still, after a time, the lecture ended, and you dragged Erwin, who was still putting his notes in his backpack, to lunch.

"Y/N! Slow down!"

As you both ran through the school corridors, you made it first to the cafeteria, where you had your first plates of lunch. Your wide smile soon disappeared and turned into a mixture of disgust and surprise.

It was bread and the most nasty beans you could ever imagine. Along with a nice glass of water. You glanced at Erwin to see if he had the same expression, and he did, but more subtly.

"I think this is the worst lunch we've had in years..." you whispered to Erwin, trying not to attract attention. He nodded in agreement, his face reflecting the same disappointment. The tasteless bread and overcooked beans made you both gag at the sight. Exchanging a knowing look, silently deciding to bring your own lunches from now on. You looked at the lunch lady serving the food, she's been working here since you started primary school, which wasn't long since you were only in 5th grade.

"Miss, is this our—"

"Yes, dear, food supplies have been taking way longer than they should to get here, so this is all we have for now... be grateful, Mell." You sighed, realizing that the lunch lady was just as frustrated with the situation as you were. It seemed unfair to blame her for the lackluster meal when she had no control over the limited supplies. Nevertheless, you couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment as you reluctantly took a bite of the tasteless bread.

"So, Mellilla, you know I'm going to join the survey corps, right?" You pricked and prodded at your meal. Ever since you've known Erwin, he has shared his dreams and aspirations with you, not only wanting peace for the world but also knowing the truth. Using his father's knowledge to encourage him as well. As much as you admired him, you couldn't help but feel a sense of unease about the decision. It was the most dangerous regiment of all.

"Yeah, yeah, you've told me all about it." You said this as you were holding a gloomy expression. You couldn't help but wonder if it was worth it. "I want you to be part of my squad. You're going to help me uncover the truth. And maybe become my wife..." Erwin mumbled the last part, and you didn't seem to catch it.

"Do you think we'll be able to do that? Sounds hard." You said, holding your head in your palm as you looked at him. He met your gaze and smiled. "I believe in you and myself. I want you by my side to help me reach my dream."

You thought he sounded like an adult, but Erwin has always been that way. Proper speech and decorum were something you really needed to work on. But nonetheless, you thought about joining the scouts and fighting the titans. It wasn't your ideal life, but you couldn't ignore the sense of purpose and adventure that came with it. "I'll have to think about it..."

You both continued chatting as normal, and soon enough, the bell rang. One more class until the end of the day. As you walked to your next class, thoughts of joining the scouts lingered in your mind. The idea of fighting titans seemed daunting, but deep down, you couldn't shake off the feeling of curiosity that came with seeing the sights outside the walls. Freedom...

The hope of being free to explore the world outside the walls was appealing, especially when you considered the wide scenery and unknown wonders that awaited ahead. You were never the most bright child, not like Erwin. He was bright, excelling in practically every subject, notably history and math. You were more artistic and creative, and you often sought solace in your imagination.

Painting, writing, and music were your escape from the hectic world. Dancing, in particular, and music go hand in hand. You liked it, as the town's bands marched about, you couldn't help but join in and dance.

The school day was quickly coming to an end, and you were throwing your bag over your shoulder. As you walk out of the classroom, you notice Erwin chatting with his father at the teacher's desk. You approach him and softly tap his shoulder. "I'm leaving, and I won't be able to see you until tomorrow," you said as he turned to face you.

Erwin nods, and before he can respond, you hug his figure.His father chuckles at the sight. Erwin couldn't help but stand still with a red face. "That's alright. I will be here tomorrow, you can come and see me again." he said.

"I'll miss you!" You sang happily, skipping out of the classroom. Erwin's eyes were glued to you until you turned the corner when you were out of his sight. As Erwin watched you disappear, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

"So that's the girl?" His father asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Erwin nodded, his smile growing wider.

"Yeah, that's her."

"Y/N huh? She's special y'know."

▬▬▬▬▬▬

Opening the door with uncontained excitement, you found your father getting the multitude of boxes ready for delivery. Hearing the door creak, your father's eyes landed on you, a huge smile playing on your lips. "I'm ready, father! I just need to change out of my uniform!" You yelled, hurriedly taking off your school loafers, almost tripping in the process.

Your father laughs, "No rush, Mell. I still need to pack some boxes."

You run to your room, taking off the uniform with ease and quickly changing into a white blouse and a fairly long light blue skirt, matching white gloves, and a blue ribbon for your hair. As you emerged from your room, your father looked at you with pride in his eyes. "You look absolutely stunning, Mell," he exclaimed. "Now we can tackle these boxes together and get them ready for delivery." With a renewed sense of excitement, you joined your father in the task, eager to help him complete the job efficiently.

"Where is this special place, father?" You asked about placing each candy in its designated box.

"Well, it's a surprise for now, Mell. But I can say that you need to be respectful. You'll meet many different people— people that live in conditions you can't even imagine." Your father smiled, but it didn't hold warmth or happiness but a bit of sadness as he continued to pack the candies.

"It's a place where we can make a difference, Mell," he replied. "We'll be bringing joy and hope to those who need it most." As you carefully placed the last candy in its box, you couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion.

The sudden excitement you were feeling all day turned into a pit of uncertainty in your stomach. Your father is now loading the candy boxes into the carriage, and the chaperone is assisting you in climbing up the steps inside. The road was rocky and uneven, but you had packed your purse, which included a spare hair tie, a pen, a bandaid and a short chain with a tiny jar attached. It was empty, but you fantasized about filling it with something important in the far future. You kind of treated it like a good-luck charm.

The road seemed never-ending, and eventually you fell asleep, but your father woke you with a soft shake and said, "We're here."

You rub your eyes and squint, but when you looked at the open door, there was no sunlight shining on it, it seemed dark and gloomy. You wondered if you were still dreaming. You stepped out of the carriage hesitantly, holding onto your father's hand securely. Before you could even question your whereabouts, your father had beat you to it.

"This place is called the underground, where stealthy criminals and blood-ridden murderers live." The tone of his voice holds a seriousness. And you take a step back in fear, your breath seemingly getting ragged.

"However, people who have given their lives and, in return, have been given the bare minimum live here too. Children who have been forced to fend for themselves on the streets, as well as the elderly who have been abandoned." Your father gets on one knee to look at you in the eyes, firmly holding your gloved hands in his. You feel a lump form in your throat as your father's words sink in. The weight of the underground's reality starts to bear down on you, and you can't help but wonder why. Why has society failed these people... and left them to suffer in the shadows?

"Children like you and Erwin were blessed enough to be born into stable lives. These people haven't. They have been left to suffer and struggle, to be forgotten by society. It's a harsh reality that we often overlook, but today we try to offer them hope. With such a simple thing as this." He digs out a lollipop from his pockets and twirls it in his fingers.

"We can bring an even small smile to their faces." You nod, swallowing the lump in your throat. As your father and his team brought the countless boxes into the center of the town, you couldn't help but stare at the surroundings. The houses looked lifeless and dull. Many adults give sketchy glances from their windows and the streets.

But the children seemed to be gleaming with unexplained joy, hurriedly running towards your father's workers and waiting patiently for the sweets. The children's eyes sparkled with anticipation as they eagerly reached out their hands, their smiles contagious. It was heartwarming to see their excitement amidst the otherwise somber atmosphere of the town.

Your lips curled into a gentle smile as you watched the scene unfold, and children were also lining up to you. Silently pleading with joyful smiles for the sweet treats. You opened a box and started handing them out, receiving many thank-yous along the way. This feeling of giving someone a glimmer of how beautiful and good life can be, was something you wanted to feel more often.

As your box ran out, you could spot a kid around your age, if not older, about Erwin's age. He held a scowl, his clothes looked torn and dirty, and he seemed to be keeping his distance from the other children. The boy noticed that you saw him and turned the corner, now out of sight.

Curiosity piqued, and you decided to go find him. You stepped around the corner, and he wasn't there. As if vanishing into thin air. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, you were shoved to the ground, landing on your hands and knees.

You turn your head, and it's the boy you saw earlier. You're now getting a better look at him. He had dark hair, gray eyes, and pale skin, and he had a decent cut on his cheek. You looked at him up and down and noticed the dagger he held in his hand, which made your eyes widen. You stood up, dusting off your skirt, and furrowed your brows. "What was that for?" you questioned, your voice holding hesitance.

The boy doesn't respond, only boring his eyes at you, glancing at every part of you as if he were searching for something. His gaze lingered on your face, and you could feel his intense scrutiny. "Uhm.. That cut on your cheek looks pretty bad... I have a bandage if you'd like." You smile warmly.

Again, he doesn't respond, only tilting his head. "Give me your bag." He states, his voice firm and commanding. You hesitate for a moment, unsure of his intentions, but ultimately hand over your bag to him. As he rummages through it, you can't help but feel a mix of curiosity and unease about what he might be looking for. "You're not going to fin—"

"This doesn't have shit."

He throws your bag on the ground, and you pick it up, checking if all the items are inside. Then, when you look up, he's already walking away. "Hey! Wait up!" You run to him, and he turns to face you, but you're already too close to stop and end up tackling him to the ground.

"Sorry, I just wanted to catch up with you," you said, still panting from the surprise attack. He shoves you off of him. "What's your name...?" You said you were trying to make a conversation but failed as he didn't respond.

"My real name is Y/N, but most people call me Mellilla. You can call me that too." You chuckle, hoping to get a response from the boy. He leans on the wall, sitting with his eyes looking at the dirt. You scoot next to him. You search for the pen in your purse and grab his hand; he rapidly slaps yours and pulls his away.

You can't help but feel a sense of disappointment. "It's to show you how I write my name so you remember... People say I have pretty handwriting, so don't worry!" you said, making a second attempt at grabbing his hand this time he lets you, intently watching your every move. You write down your nickname.

Mellilla ♥

He looks at the name, "Strange nickname for a strange girl."

"Hey! I'm not strange! If anything, you're strange for holding a knife and threatening me." You huffed.

Silence engulfs the atmosphere once again. "Uhm... My father sells the candy you were looking at earlier. I can bring you some if you'd like." You fidget with your thumbs, and he glances over at you momentarily.

"You don't need to say anything! I'll bring you some!" You cheered happily, standing up from your spot and hurriedly running back to your father, who was still giving out treats and talking with some citizens. You managed to steal a pretty small box that held each type of candy. When you came back, the boy was still there, and your smile widened. You came crashing with the box, excitedly sitting next to him.

"So since I don't know which one is your favorite, I brought you one of each!" You exclaimed, quickly explaining each one of them. "This one is my personal favorite... It's a chocolate truffle filled with strawberry cream! IT'S SUPER GOOD!!" you gushed, holding one in your hands.

"You have to try it!!" And the boy grabs the little chocolate ball from your grasp and stuffs it into his mouth. He chews it thoughtfully, and you eagerly await his reaction. You notice his face transform from grouchy to a tiny smile. "See, I knew you'd like it!!"

"Levi."

"Hm?" You said, as you packed all the candies again and pushed the box towards him.

"Levi. That's my name." You made an 'Oh' sound and nodded. "Nice to meet you, Levi," you replied with a warm smile. You looked at him again and noticed the cut on his cheek once more.

"Let me put a bandaid on that, Levi." You offered, and he nodded as he looked at something else. You scooted closer to him, being able to see his face better—a pale, almost ghost-like complexion. It seemed unhealthy. "Do you eat a fair amount?" You asked, peeling the plastic from the bandage.

"Why does it matter to you." he spat, turning his gaze elsewhere. You paused for a moment, taken aback by his defensive response, but not hurt. "Well, it's just that you seem pale, is all."

You gently grabbed his chin to face you, and you placed the small bandage softly on his cut. His eyes never met yours, but they let you examine his face more. Dirty. That's how you would describe it. His skin was covered in a layer of grime, giving it a rough and unkempt appearance. The dirt seemed ingrained, as if it had been there for quite some time. It made you wonder about his living conditions and what he had been through. Dark almost jet black hair, greasy and eyes gray like a dreamy fog.

"All done! Here." you said, taking off the blue ribbon that decorated your hair and wrapping it around his wrist, making a bow.

"So you never forget me!" You smiled, and as if on cue, your father's voice could be heard. "Mellilla! Where are you!?"

"Well, that's my father, I have to go." You stood, shaking off the dirt they had collected on your skirt. He stood up too, his eyes looking at the ribbon you placed on him. Walking away from the alley , Levi right behind you, and your skirt got hung up on the corner.

"Ugh! I'm stuck!"

You yanked on the blue cloth in vain. Levi observed your struggle and pulled out his dagger, kneeling on one knee to cut the cloth. "Oh no... My mother is going to be furious."

You looked at the hem of the skirt, the obvious missing chunk being the center of attention. Levi sighed and handed you the torn fabric, saying, "Aren't you wealthy? I'd imagine you can get this fixed quickly." He said, holding the torn fabric in his hands.

"Well, it's not that simple. I'm supposed to be responsible, you know?" You said, a disappointed look on your face.

"It was an accident." He states.

"I guess you're right... well goobye Levi!" You said running towards your father. And he subtly waved back.

"Tch, strange girl."

▬▬▬▬▬▬

The carriage ride back home was chatty, with all the employees talking cheerfully, and you sat quietly thinking about the boy you had met. "What happened to your dress, Mellilla?"

Your train of thought was interrupted. "Uhh, it ripped as I was running. It got stuck somewhere." You said, gripping your dress anxiously, trying to hide the tear.

As the carriage continued its journey, you couldn't help but wonder if you would ever see Levi again. The memory of his subtle wave replayed in your mind, leaving you with a sense of longing.

'What a weird boy.'

▬▬▬▬▬▬

Levi walked along the dark streets of the underground, a box of candy in hand. His mind was filled with thoughts of the strange girl. Mellilla. He looked at the name written on his forearm, and his brows furrowed.

Who was she?

And why was she so kind?

He brushed his thoughts aside as he got back to his little hideout, expecting to see his fellow friends. The bickering he heard outside made his thoughts true.

"That's not how you play the game, Furlan!" A female voice spoke, followed by a chuckle. "You're definitely cheating!" The voice added.

"Isabel, you're being such a baby." Another voice said ,sounding exasperated. He recognized the voices as those of his friends Isabel and Furlan, known for their playful banter. Curiosity piqued, and he hurriedly made his way towards the source of the commotion.

As Levi opened the door, his friends' faces turned to look at him. Their eyes widened in surprise at his sudden arrival.

"Levi!" Isabel exclaimed, dropping the cards and rushing towards him. "What's in the box?" Furlan questioned.

"Candy."

"Weird.. There's rarely any candy down here. How'd you get it?" Isabel asked, walking beside him to the table. Furlan hummed in agreement. Levi explained that a candy company was giving out free candy and a girl managed to give him a whole box of it.

"Wow, that's so sweet!" Isabel stated as she rummaged through the package, attempting to read each label. Furlan is doing the same thing.

"Did you get her name?" Furlan asked, now opening one of the colorful lollipops in his hands and popping it into his mouth.

"No, I didn't catch her name," Levi lied as he sat on the dirty couch. Making the long sleeve he was wearing fall down to his elbow and up to his wrists. Smoothly covering up the pen marks you had left him. He let out a sigh and leaned back against the couch, his eyes fixed on the blue ribbon on his hand.

"Nice to meet you, Levi." Your smile. He would say it was contagious.

Isabel shrugged and said, "Well, at least we have plenty of candy to enjoy now." Furlan nodded in agreement, savoring the sweetness of the lollipop as they continued to explore the contents of the box.

Mellilla. The strange girl.

let me know if you want to be tagged. and let me know for feedback :)

#attack on titan #aot #levi ackerman x reader #levi ackerman #levi x reader #erwin x reader #erwin smith x reader #erwin smith #aot x reader #attack on titan x reader #fluff #long fanfic #wattpad #quotev #feedback

[worriedvision]

A fresh perspective - Albedo featuring Cyno

So this starts off as Cyno X reader, but it ends with Albedo X reader. Gender neutral reader, angst to fluff if you like Albedo.

--

You got a message from your boyfriend this morning, saying that when you had a free second you could report to him as he needed to talk to you. He didn't say this as the General Mahamatra, but as Cyno. You expect him to tell you something nice, what you didn't know.

When he tells you he's fallen out of love, he does not waste a moment. He explains the situation, that he finds you irritating at all the wrong moments when you worked with him and the relationship only made things worse. When he tells you this, he shares eye contact with you, and you realise his eyes share the same story.

He doesn't love you now. His heart grew brittle thanks to your annoying ideas on how to do his job - the job he has more experience than you did. He found you insulting to work with, he continues to state, before he also proceeds to tell you that you are fired.

You tell him you were an adventurer for the adventurers guild, and he wasn't the only one who commissioned you, and Cyno just stares through you.

This was not a look that scholars got when they were on Cynos radar, this was a look that told you he did not care. He just didn't want to see you around.

Your last commission for the day, as well as the last commission before having your time off (which you felt you didn't want now thanks to Cyno being the one you wanted to spend your time with), was to accompany one of the forest rangers to show them some newer flora.

It was Collei, you were pleasantly surprised by. She was a lovely breath of fresh air, somehow not knowing who your now ex boyfriend was, but she could tell you were out of it. Sure, you did the job well, but the look in your eyes was so fragile.

She asks you what's happened, and you tell her that your boyfriend broke up with you, explaining he lost feelings for you. You stayed in Sumeru after he made things official, and you grew your reputation in Sumeru. You felt like you lost the reason to stay, but you had nowhere else to go.

"Mondstadt!" Collei cheers. "The city of freedom, I'm sure you'd be great! I was there, oh let me tell you about Amber!" She gushes, talking about her friend from Mondstadt.

Eventually, she gets Tighnari to ask him about the process of transferring. He takes a look at you, his gut feeling telling him that you were in dire need of going elsewhere, and he explains that all that was really needed was a polite word with Katheryne explaining you needed a change.

So, a few words in, Katheryne nods before giving you directions and wishing you a safe journey after giving you your pay. She laughs a little when you stare at her dumbstruck, but you don't think too much of it, walking toward Mondstadt to start your new life.

--

"_!" You hear a girl shout, running towards you before introducing herself as Amber. "Ah, I apologise for not speaking to you with the Knights of Favonius approved language." She bows, you laughing before thanking her for such a warm welcome, throwing in a 'Collei said hi'.

"Collei told me about your situation. Mondstadt gonna welcome you with open arms, I tell ya! It's nice getting an adventurer that can withstand difficult weather conditions."

Amber lands up showing you Mondstadt in its beauty for the first day, even telling you that you could have a room at the Knights of Favonius headquarters if you needed it, and you thanked her for her hospitality.

Your commissions were mostly in Dragonspine, which did surprise you considering what Amber told you. Specifically, these commissions all required you to work with the Chief Alchemist.

The Chief Alchemist has the decency to show you how to get to Dragonspine, escorting you as he explains the basics of surviving in the area, before he finally gets to his camp.

He works away, not explaining why you were there, and you find the urge to suggest another way to do some experiments. Perhaps some better organisation, maybe a lower heat, how would cooling this resulting fluid by sticking the bowl into the snow?

You don't let these out, however, watching as his experiments don't succeed.

"Do you have any recommendations?" He asks, looking at you.

You want to say yes, to explain that you thought he might be ruining his experiments by setting things incorrectly, but you shake your head timidly, not even talking. Albedo gets back to his experiment, repeating it and recording any adjustments he made, none of which seemed to work.

Albedo was growing visibly frustrated, inwardly scolding himself for messing up an experiment despite his experience. It must have shown, because you grew visibly uncomfortable.

"...I think it might be better if I leave you to work by yourself, Master Albedo." You explain.

"Hold on." Albedo stops you. "You have worked with the General Mahamatra, him detailing you giving suggestions despite not being asked." You find yourself fearing that this would be another scolding. "I apologise if I made myself unclear, but I requested you given your ideas. A fresh mind can help sometimes, and this is an experiment I have been working on tirelessly."

And so started a new friendship. Albedo reassured you when he wanted you to observe, and he prompted you to give suggestions after he realised you have grown fearful of speaking up when you shouldn't.

You find that you only work with Albedo, and people whittle this down to you being very good with assisting him, and this was true. Surprisingly, nobody seemed to think you two were a thing, and for a while you were happy with it.

When you spent your spare time with him, however, it changed. What really hit hard was the first time he smiled, you remember it so clearly. He had made a meal for the both of you, and he had looked worried that you didn't like the food. When you let out a sound is satisfaction, you open your eyes to apologise only to stop when you see Albedo smiling softly at his handiwork.

Then you realised, your heart was far too fond to be friendly. You started to plan your confession, not being public but wanting to be public with Albedo because you did miss that with Cyno.

Unlike Cyno, Albedo didn't particularly care for other peoples opinions. You knew that, if you started dating, he would be open to it being public instead of being strictly private so it didn't become the centre of a rumour.

Unfortunately, Albedo had the exact same idea. He beats you to the confession, figuring that he was as well telling you how he felt about you after realising it.

When you two are in Mondstadt instead of Dragonspine, people knows you are both dating - it's always the look of happiness you both had every time you walked by each other. The other people that managed to commission you joke about it, before wishing you luck with the relationship.

Of course, Amber hears you got a new boyfriend in Albedo and she's so happy for you! Especially considering your ex-boyfriend really messed you up mentally with the breakup. She writes about it to Collei as well, gushing about how happy you looked now.

Now, Albedo wasn't stupid. He already knew you struggled with your confidence after working with the General Mahamatra being hit hard. Amber approaches him one day, pulling him aside and telling him not to break your heart like your ex-boyfriend did, and that seemed to be the missing piece of the puzzle.

Albedo realises you were once dating the General Mahamatra, and based on his incident reports that you may or may not have seen, you got under his skin over time.

While it broke his heart to know that your heart was torn apart by Cyno, part of Albedo was glad Cyno broke up with you.

Now, Albedo has a lover as well as someone who provides fresh insight from an outsider's perspective.

#gender neutral reader #genshin impact imagines #angst #cyno x gender neutral reader #cyno x reader #albedo x reader #albedo x gender neutral reader #albedo #collei #amber

[scribbling-dragon]

You seem to be having quite a fun time with writing fae Scott, I think his good buddy Pixl should have tea with him and introduce him to one of his horrific redstone monstrosities

Cold Tea

summary:

So, he cradles his cup of tea that is slowly going cold, and takes another sip from it, enjoying the peace while it lasts.

There's a small crash outside his door a moment later, and he spares himself a moment to curse his own thoughts for summoning whatever disaster has just taken place outside of his door.

(ao3 link)

(1,452 words)

The small room he sits in, hardly large enough to be the office that the Guild claims it is, is quiet. It is a peaceful kind of quiet, one that he doesn't often get a chance to experience and enjoy. It is certainly far more enjoyable now, to relax after the lengthy days of stress and mounting anxiety that had become second-nature for him to feel.

So, he cradles his cup of tea that is slowly going cold, and takes another sip from it, enjoying the peace while it lasts.

There's a small crash outside his door a moment later, and he spares himself a moment to curse his own thoughts for summoning whatever disaster has just taken place outside of his door. It can't be Tango, unless he's returned from his trip to Tumble Town exceptionally early. So, to indulge his own curiosity, Pixl stands from his desk and sets his cup down on the edge of it.

Another small rattle comes from the corridor outside his door as he rests his hand on the handle, as though someone has managed to knock over one of the various decorations lining the walls of the hall. Well, there's no time like the present to find out, and with that thought he pulls the door open, peering out into the corridor beyond.

He takes a moment to process what it is, exactly, that he's currently observing, and then another moment on top of that to make sure he doesn't burst out laughing halfway through whatever he decides to say.

"Scott," he greets, smiling down at the fae in question. Scott glares back up at him, mismatched eyes narrowed in irritation. "What seems to have happened here?"

Scott grumbles something he can't quite make out, dropping his head so it rests against the carpeted floor. A dull, muffled sound echoes around them as his head makes contact with the floor.

"Well," he continues. "This certainly reminds me of another time when we were in positions rather similar to this, don't you agree?"

"Shut up." Scott presses his head a little further into the floor, voice muffled as he speaks. "I could have sworn this wasn't here last time."

"I do believe it is a new addition." And probably also something he's going to be blamed for the damage of, if it is at all damaged. Personally, he believes the easily damaged artefacts should be kept in a nice, climate-controlled room where damages like this can be avoided. "Would you like a hand up?"

Scott grumbles a little more, but sticks his hand out towards Pixl anyway, allowing him to grab on and pull him free. He comes away from the encounter rather unscathed, considering how poor the artefact looks in comparison. The metal rattles as he helps Scott pull himself loose from the tangle he'd managed to ensnare himself in.

He frowns at the sorry sight for a moment later, before turning away and hoping he can claim to not hear the disturbance if questioned.

"It's not that I'm unhappy to see you," he guides Scott into his office, shutting the door behind himself with a click. Plausible deniability requires him to not be seen with their most likely suspect. "But I would also like to remind you that we have a really quite nice front door, one that doesn't require you to climb through a window to reach me."

"But where's the fun in that?" Scott asks, already settling in the chair across from his desk. It's the one that the apprentices usually occupy when they're asking for advice on a paper they're attempting to write, or some other normal scholarly activity. Pixl sits back down in his own chair, finding, with some disappointment, that his tea has cooled completely between him getting up and him returning with Scott. He takes a sip anyway.

"There is fun in that because you are not damaging Guild property in the process. Unless you wish to repeat our first meeting again?"

He smiles at Scott over the rim of his cup, watching as he shifts a little in his chair, a small, nervous laugh bubbling up and out of his throat.

"I'm fine." Scott hurries to assure him. "No point in repeating experiences, is there?"

He hums. "Did you need me for something, or are you simply here for a visit?"

"Just visiting." Scott shuffles about in his chair a little more, before simply deciding to swing his legs over the side of the arm of the chair, reclining as though the chair is far more comfortable than it actually is. "Chromia was getting a bit boring, just all the same. You know how it is."

He takes another sip of his tea. It's really not very pleasant, with how cold it is, but he continues sipping at it anyway. "And it's not because you wanted to see me?" He asks. "You know, I'm a little hurt by that."

"Don't be a fool," Scott rolls his eyes, though he smiles when he looks at Pixl. "Seeing you is what I come here for."

"Not the priceless artefacts?" He knows for a fact that several of their artefacts have disappeared around the same time that Scott had paid a visit. 

"You're worth far more than some dusty old book." Scott smiles again, eyes squinting as he looks at Pixl, before his eyes drop down to his desk again. He follows Scott's gaze, finding it trained on one of his smaller doodles. It's a brief sketch that he'd put hardly any effort into, but Scott seems entirely captivated by it.

"See something you like?" He asks.

"Only you," Scott teases, though he doesn't look back up from the drawing. He stays silent for a single moment before he's opening his mouth again. "What is that?" He gestures at the doodle. 

He pulls the scrap of paper a little closer, attempting to remember where the doodle had come from. "Oh," it clicks in his mind. "I was trying to understand something I saw with the Sheriff. Do you recognise it?"

He pushes it back across his desk, towards Scott, so he can get a better look at the small image. It is not one of his best sketches, certainly not something he would present as part of a paper, but it is enough to get the meaning across. 

Scott hums as he looks at it, tilting his head one way then the other, as though the sketch will suddenly pop free of the page and become a three-dimensional structure.

"I haven't seen anything like this before- where did you say you saw it?"

"With the Sheriff. It's deep underground, and certainly not something made by people. Any records found on it called it The Machine, but as far as I was able to tell, it is not a machine in any sense of the word."

"Huh." Scott continues staring at the sketch. "It certainly doesn't look like any machine I've ever seen before."

"It wouldn't." The phantom sound if shrieking fills his ears once more, the sick, slithering sound of the vines of sculk wrapping around each other. "It seemed almost alive, though I'm reluctant to say that it was living."

"Spooky."

"You don't seem to care very much." He responds, raising his eyes to meet Scott's.

"I do!" Scott sits up a little straighter, feet thumping onto the floor as he leans forward, resting his elbow on Pixl's desk. "You have my undivided attention, my dear. Please, tell me your wonderful thoughts and theories on this dreaded Machine."

"You're trying too hard."

"I'm trying hard enough." Scott continues to grin at him. "Come on, tell me what you're thinking, let's see if we can cross-reference this with my own knowledge."

"You said you didn't know what it was."

"And I've said that before and been wrong," Scott rests his chin in the palm of is hand, blinking slowly at him, like a cat. "Prove me wrong, Pix. We both know you love doing that."

"I think you love me doing it more than I do," he chuckles, but he shifts a little closer anyway, pulling the notebook with the few, scattered notes he'd made of The Machine towards himself.

"Oh, certainly." Scott continues to grin at him, only looking towards the notes when Pixl clears his throat.

The theories he has so far, on the origin of The Machine and its purpose, are scattered and fragmented. But he's certain that Scott knows something of use to him…but he can't say that he minds the fae's presence, even if he doesn't have any historical wisdom to impart on him.

His presence is well worth the cold cup of tea.

#juno.writes #this fic has vague links to adaptive nature as well. but they're ignorable #empires smp #empires smp fic #scott smajor #pixlriffs #empires pixl #empires scott #still dont know their ship name! but okay! #empiressmp #empires smp s2 #empires smp season 2 #esmp scott #esmp pixl #weather husbands

[arrieebooks]

Favorite

Precious Weapon Drabble after chapter 8

Pairing : Sierra Six x F!OC (Elle) x Lloyd Hansen.

Summary : Her and Six's favorite things to do after every mission. Quickly, it becomes Lloyd's favorite thing to do too. 

Warnings : Fluff. Teasing. Wholesome Six. Implied smut. Comfort. Tiny angst. 

Word count : 4.5k. 

Author's note : Just about a week after chapter eight. 

***

After every single mission, it's almost the same routine now with all of them.

They all get cleaned up, do a quick debrief, then have something to eat. But, sometimes, Lloyd steals her away and keeps her with him until the morning. When he doesn't, Six has his time with her. 

Though, he doesn't drag her to his room, unless it's already getting late. They usually take their time to relax and spend the rest of their day together, unbothered. Since they never get a break from the missions and the ops. Not even during the weekends.

Six never complains, even when sometimes he gets limited time with her or has to take turns with Lloyd. He's just grateful to be there and truthfully, he's happy that they're finally getting along and being closer than ever. Plus, they all needed this unwritten schedule to still give some space to her.

"Honestly, that movie was horrible." Elle honestly remarks in their home theater, after they've just finished the newest film. It's just her and Six, cuddled up on one huge leather chair together. She's been sitting on his lap comfortably, ignoring the other five seats around them. 

Court lifts his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? I kinda liked it." he softly protests. 

Her face softens and she slowly smiles. "I don't think I've ever heard you say that. You don't normally like anything. It's very hard to get you to like something." she points out. 

He frowns, smoothly brushing her hair away from her face. "That's not true. I like you. A lot. More than that, actually." he truthfully confesses, admiring her facial features closely. 

Her smile widens as her cheeks blushes. It was very rare for him to say anything remotely romantic or affectionate. He's sweet, but also simple and direct. He hates to feed her bullshit, cheesy words so he never does. And confessions aren't usually his thing. When he likes something, he never actually says it out loud.

She still continues to smile and he stares at her with a certain affection and intensity. Her nose scrunches. "Why are you looking at me like that?" she asks with a giggle. 

Six's lips tug into an easy smile as he shrugs. "You just… your smile. It's cute." he quietly admits, touching her cheek.

Elle giggles again, revealing her dimples as she grins. "Yeah, well, I'm happy." she softly replies.

He gives her a proud look, nodding his head. "Good. That's good." 

Her face lights up, suddenly coming up with an idea. "Hey, let's go for a night swim upstairs." she suggests. And like always, he immediately agrees with her. There's nothing in the world that he wouldn't give her just to see her smile again. 

***

Six is an extremely slow swimmer when it comes to swimming with her. He just wants to enjoy the water and relax. 

But as for her, she likes to do a fast lap around their pool, over and over again. She needs to get tired before bed so she can sleep well tonight. Drain her energy in a useful exercise. This is probably the only workout she'd ever willingly do. 

Court stands in the water, searching for her. She's on the other side of the pool, doing another swimming style. "How do you still have so much energy even after that mission?" he plainly asks her from afar. 

She lets out a hearty laugh which echoes through the huge indoor space as she moves to a floating position. "You know I have unlimited stamina, right? I mean how do you think I could put up with Lloyd every day and every night? It requires extra energy." she casually says. 

He frowns, suddenly remembering his absence. "Speaking of, where is he? I haven’t seen him all night." Six asks her, attempting to walk in the water to approach her. 

She shrugs casually, swimming closer to him. "I think he was getting groceries in a different supermarket. I know one that's a little bit further from here." she simply answers, still enjoying the cold water against her skin.

He simply nods as they're both almost close to each other. "He seems different, don't you think? Like something's bothering him. He's been a little distant this week." Six softly points out.

She tries to ignore his observation, knowing deep down what's actually been bothering him. It's been a week since they've both known the truth about her incident in the hospital, behind each other's back. She has been waiting for him to tell her instead, but he hasn't. She's still going to give him a chance, at least until a few more weeks. If he won't, then she's going to do that big secret mission that Denny will assign her to. 

"I don't know. He seemed normal to me." She calmly lies to him and hopes he won't notice at all.

Court finally reaches her, immediately holding her waist underwater as their lips are inches apart. "Okay. It's just a little weird that he has to drive all the way to a different shop just to get groceries. I feel like he's distancing himself because of us."

"I like spending time with you more, anyway." she bluntly admits. 

He frowns, knitting his eyebrows in confusion. "What happened with you two?" he carefully asks.

She quickly shakes her head, not wanting to raise any suspicion. "Nothing. It's just that he's always so needy and clingy. Which is good, for some moments but most of the time, I just want to chill and enjoy our time together. You know, like you and me. We don't have to do a lot of things when we're together and we'll never be bored or unhappy or unsatisfied." Elle honestly tells him the truth. Most of the truth, that is.

Six slowly cups her cheeks and her brown, wide eyes stare up at him. "Our relationships are always going to be different, Elle. You knew that from the start and you liked the balance." he reminds her, gently. 

She gulps, nodding her head. "I know. I just meant that I could just relax when I'm with you. And I like that."

"Well, we still have the whole night. We could do whatever you want." he sweetly offers with a small smile creeping up on his lips.

Her smile stretches wider as her hands wrap around his neck. "Well, what about doing nothing?"

Court breaks into a soft laugh. "Yeah, doing nothing sounds great." he approves.

"Good." she says, tipping her face up to press a quick kiss on his lips as he smiles against her lips. He does that all the time. It's his favorite thing to do because he knows what it does to her. 

He leans forward, deepening the kiss passionately and she opens his mouth for her. His hands pull her in closer while her legs casually wrap around his waist underwater. "What happened to doing nothing?" she asks in between kisses, almost being out of breath.

His hands hold the back of her head as he kisses her possessively, trying to devour every inch of her lips slowly. He's practically almost stealing her breath away from her lungs and she's loving it. "Yeah, fuck that." Six suddenly curses, a small smirk growing on his lips and she could feel it. He usually never curses, except for some heated moments with her when he can't control himself. 

She giggles, pulling away slightly and he quickly catches her lips with his. He nibbles on her bottom lips, not wanting to actually hurt or bleed her. Her hands are already under the water, trying to take his swim trunks off.  "Not here." he whispers into her mouth as she groans softly.

"Why not? We got the place to ourselves. Literally." she argues, making a point since this is an indoor pool for them only. 

Court shakes his head. "Lloyd could walk in." he protests. 

She smirks against his lips, her other hand cups his jaw. "So? Even better. He could watch." Elle teases.

Speaking of the actual devil, the elevator opens from the far side of the room and they don't even stop what they're doing. She knows that it's Lloyd. She had recognized his heartbeat and his footsteps when approaching someone. As much as she'd hate to admit, she knows him inside and out, all too well. And they're almost alike. 

Six breaks the kiss first before turning his head to him. "Hey, how was the grocery trip?" he asks him, slightly flustered from the situation. He's never been caught in the act before with him because they're always doing it in the bedroom only. Yet, he doesn't feel embarrassed at all. He's feeling something else. 

She turns around and smiles up at him. "Hey! Join us in the water." she invites him.

He doesn't answer either of them, instead he frowns while he walks closer to them with heavy footsteps. "No. Elle, get out. I need to talk to you." he demands sternly as she rolls her eyes. He's back to his asshole mood again.

Lloyd sits by the pool bench while she lifts herself up the water, effortlessly and stands up easily. He gets up, gently grabbing her by the arm as he drags her to the corner, right beside the shower room. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he asks her, annoyed.

She shrugs his hand off and crosses her arms against her wet swimsuit. "We were just having a little night swim." she calmly replies.

He scowls, squinting his eyes at her. "What? It's almost ten fucking pm, Elle. We have another mission tomorrow morning. You can't just decide to have a little fun at night whenever you feel like it, especially dragging Six into this." Lloyd lectures her and she sighs tiredly.

She looks at him with disbelief. "Well, I'm sorry that Six and I aren't the type to just stay in our room and fuck all night. We actually do real activities, something that you couldn't possibly understand." she harshly retorts. 

He frowns deeper, trying to figure out what she's implying here. "What does that have to do with this? You need to learn how to separate the mission with our relationships. And you're acting like I'm the one who always wants to fuck. If you never wanted to, you could've always pushed me away. You're way stronger than me, Elle." he points out, his last words are softer. Because if she did, he'd accept it anyway and gave her some space. 

She shakes her head. "Well, I didn't want to. I do… want you still, Lloyd. But I just want us to sit back and relax sometimes. I know that's hard for you so I never asked. I never wanted to push you to do something you hated." she finally confesses to him, hesitantly. 

His eyes look into hers with a certain regret. "I don't hate that. You're very wrong, actually. Well, not entirely, but… I'm still new to all these things. I never even moved in with anyone or even let them sleep on my bed. I am getting used to it though. With you." Lloyd softly admits, even though he hates every second of expressing a single feeling. 

She deserves the truth. Just not all of the truth. He still wants to protect her and her feelings. And sometimes, he feels like she isn't ready for it yet. It does have to do with the fact that she's still new to this whole world of murder and corruption. Maybe, deep down, he's scared that once she's exposed to all that, she'd be different or distant. The agency changes everyone who sinks deep enough into it. It happened with Six and him. After about a year working, they were so distinct and barely could even recognize themselves. 

Her face softens and slightly raises her eyebrows as she steps closer to him. "Fine, but you still shouldn't have stormed in here and interrupted a very heated moment." she softly whispers at his face. 

Lloyd frowns, cocking his head to the side. "No, there's no way that Six would do it in a pool." he argues as a smirk slowly grows on his lips. He knows the man too well but is also aware of the effect she has on him. They both would do anything for her, even though they don't like what they'd be doing. Just to keep her smile linger for a little while and to hear her bubbly, full of life laughter.  

She huffs, rolling her eyes playfully. "Well, I was about to convince him to and then you walked in. So, now I'm officially frustrated thanks to you because we'd be going to bed right after this." she complains to him. 

His smirk turns into an eager smile. "You know I could always help you with that." he offers seriously, his eyes wandering down at her perfect figure in that favorite black swimsuit of hers.  

She scrunches her nose, shaking her head. "No, it's fine. We do have that mission tomorrow morning."

He lifts his eyebrows, scoffing gently. "Oh, I get it. You're turning the tables on me." Lloyd figures it out, smirking to himself, thinking that he's got the upper hand now. 

Elle lets out a soft laugh while she leans against his body, wetting his dry clothes purposefully. He stares down at her as his hands rest on her hips. "Hey, Six, let's go to bed. I'm getting sleepy!" she casually shouts and he immediately listens to her, getting out of the pool.

Lloyd rolls his eyes. "You're not getting away with this, you know that, right? After that mission tomorrow, we'll have the whole evening." he teases her. 

Her lips form into a smirk. "Well, then, I guess it's a good thing that I have unlimited stamina, yeah?" she says and he nods. 

"It's only one of my million favorite things from you." he quickly replies before jutting his chin to gesture at the man behind her. Six is still wet and shirtless, trying to dry himself with a white towel as he stands close to her.

He glances at him, attempting not to look down at his perfectly toned, wet body. "How was the night swim? Good?" Lloyd asks him, in a teasing tone. 

Six nods his head, rubbing the towel on his neck. "Are you guys okay now? I heard you arguing just a second ago." he calmly points out. 

She turns around to him and smiles innocently. "Yeah, you know how we are. Either we're fighting too hard or fucking too hard." Elle boldly states in a casual tone. 

Lloyd is immediately offended, frowning at her words. "Hey, no, we actually agreed to spend more time together instead of fucking too much." A pause. "Actually, do you personally think that we fuck too much?" He asks for his opinion.

Court looks at him, genuinely confused. He shrugs, "Not really. It's not like you guys fuck all day. I think what you're doing now is normal. Not too much and not too little either." he gives his honest opinion.

He clicks his tongue, agreeing with him. "But, you know, if we didn't have all these missions everyday, we would've fucked all day." Lloyd calmly comments. 

Elle immediately grimaces, slapping his arm. "Lloyd! You're fucking disgusting!" she exclaims.

He smirks down at her and chuckles. "Yeah, but you fucking like it." he teases and she just stays silent. They both know he's right. 

Six quietly smiles, shaking his head. "We need to go to bed. Preferably separately. Or else you guys won't be able to keep your hands off of each other for a second." he makes a point. 

Lloyd nods. "Fine. But I'm carrying her." he quickly declares and the men both exchange knowing looks. 

She immediately turns around to him and shakes her head. "No, absolutely not, Lloyd—'' Her voice gets cut off by him grabbing her hips and lifting her entire body over his shoulder. 

She giggles uncontrollably while Lloyd continues to carry her towards the exit. Six follows them from behind, laughing softly at the sight of them. They look happy. Actually happy. 

Lloyd almost smiles, absolutely enjoying this moment and holding her delicately at the same time. 

She's the only source of both of their happiness and vice versa. 

***

Once everyone's all back in the penthouse, they part their ways to each of their bedrooms.

Except for Six and Elle, who decided to have a little night bubble bath in his bathroom. Technically, he offered first. Plainly and innocently. 

After soaking themselves in the warm water while laying down across from each other, she sighs relaxedly. Biting her bottom lips, she tilts her head to the side and smirks at him.

"Guess you broke your own rule, huh? Keeping our hands to ourselves?" Elle teases him, her feet slowly reaching up onto his thigh under the water.

His lips curve into a small smile, shrugging as he stares into her eyes intensely. He rests his hands on each side of the tub. "Never said it was a rule, Elle. Lloyd could join us anytime if he wants. But he did look like he wanted to go to bed right away." Six casually tells her, squinting his eyes as if to remember. 

She breaks into a soft laugh. "Could've told me if you just wanted me all for yourself tonight." she teases him again. 

Court smiles, looking down at her entire bare body in front of him. "I already do." he softly admits.

Elle blushes, attempting to keep their eye contact while she bites her lips again. "You do." she agrees.

He continues to look deeply into her eyes as if he doesn't know what kind of effect he has on her right now. "Are you and Lloyd okay, though?" Six asks her, concernedly.

She nods. "Yes. We are. Maybe we should stop taking turns. You both hate it and I could sense it." she confesses honestly, scrunching her nose and frowning a little. 

Court shakes his head. "We didn't want to crowd up your space, Elle. But if that's what you want—" 

She immediately cuts him off, leaning forward and crawling up onto his lap. "It is. I do want that. You don't have to worry about crossing any boundaries. We're literally past all of that anyway." Elle makes a true point, casually. She's referring to the fact that they're all three who have crossed every boundary possible and nothing weird's ever changed between them.

He softly smiles at her, staring down into her eyes. His hand gently grabbed her waist to pull her closer. "You're right. Always are." Six murmurs contentedly. She tips her head up and connects her lips against his, easily. It's a soft, comforting kiss. Like how they always are. 

From afar, she could hear the door open and the sound of Lloyd's familiar heartbeat. "Six! I got an idea—" he casually walks into the bedroom and cuts himself off as he spots the opened bathroom beside him. With Six and Elle both naked and covered in bubbles inside his bathtub, all over each other. 

They both break the kiss almost immediately. "Lloyd, fucking learn how to knock!" Elle shouts at him, not even bothering to look at him yet. Six just quietly smiles, shaking his head at his inability to knock first. 

He frowns, then proceeds to step forward and stops to lean against the frame of the bathroom door. Lloyd crosses his arms and smirks at them. "It's nothing I haven't seen before. Quite literally." he teases both of them. Court knew he didn't mean to walk in on them but somehow, he's sensing an agenda. There's always an agenda with him. 

She rolls her eyes, staring up at his eyes in anger and frustration. He stopped smirking. He realized how quickly her expressions changed when she looked back at him. But when she was facing Six, she had those heart eyes and she smiled with her entire face for him. She was always so softer when it came to him. Sometimes, Lloyd feels like if she was ever forced to choose, she'd choose Six in a heartbeat. He's aware that he is objectively the better man, but deep down he wishes that she'd still pick him anyway.

His smirk turns into a seemingly kind smile for her. "Oh, come on, Elle. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't know that you'd be in Six's bathtub, naked and about to do—whatever you were about to do. And for the record, none of us ever knock." Lloyd states, making an actual point since again, there are no boundaries between them. 

She sighs exasperatedly, nodding. "Okay, fine. What are you even here for?" Elle eventually asks him. 

He smiles sincerely and nods. "Right, so I was thinking about our last conversation earlier at the pool. We need to spend more time together that's less about, you know, fucking. How about we all read a good book together before bed? Tonight. Right now." Lloyd announces in a hurried tone. He knows that their bedtime is soon and he's very strict with it, especially when there's always a mission the next morning. 

Six smiles amusingly at him, cocking his head to the side. "Not bad. We can try it." he softly agrees. 

She slightly frowns, but eventually gets out of the bathtub casually and stands up in front of Lloyd, bare naked with a smirk on her lips. "Great. I have the perfect book for us." she declares. 

He has to force himself to only look at her eyes while grabbing a clean towel from behind him, on the rack. He tosses it at her and she quickly catches it. She doesn't wrap her body around it. Instead, she wipes the bubbles off and rubs her entire body with the towel, right in front of him. 

He clears his throat, looking away from her. "You could always do this in your own room." 

"Yeah, but you said you wanted to read right now. I'm speeding up the process here for you, Lloyd." she plainly says, bending down to rub her lower parts. "Also you did say that it isn't anything you haven't seen before so." 

He rolls his eyes. "You know exactly what you're doing." Lloyd retorts, looking down at her for a second. His calloused hand rubs his stache while exhaling a breath. He really hates it when she's teasing him and he can't do anything about it. He's too hard on himself sometimes and them, but he needs to be focused and disciplined on the mission tomorrow.

Court laughs softly at both of them. "I'll grab that book she's talking about." he declares as the other man throws a towel at him and he catches it immediately. 

Lloyd nods to both of them, turning around to walk away and exit the bathroom. He just realized something. Six knew exactly what book she was talking about even though she hadn't said anything. He knows her too well. More than anyone. 

*** 

Elle had picked the most twisted book she ever bought for Lloyd.

Well, technically, Six already took a decent book but she insisted that she didn't want that one and proceeded to take another one by herself. She could be very picky sometimes. The men are well aware of that. 

Once they were both dressed in their pajamas, they laid down and relaxed cozily in her bedroom. With Lloyd too, of course. She's sitting up against the headboard, right in the middle of them. Six and her are reading their book they hadn't finished yet while the other man is forced to read her chosen book. 

She looks over at him and the book he's reading for a moment. Frowning, she reaches over to his book and flips the pages until it's from the beginning again. 

"You need to start at page 1. You can't just skip a few pages." Elle bitterly tells him.

He exhales, throwing his head back as he catches her eyes. "Why are we even reading separate books?" 

She huffs, rolling her eyes. "Then, just say it. This isn't working with us. You don't like reading as much as we do. You can't force a hobby, Hansen." 

"I want this to work." he says seriously before frowning at her. "Why don't you? Why are you insisting on not making this work, Elle?" Lloyd presses her for answers, suddenly skeptical of her weird behavior. She's not usually this pessimistic. She's normally very ambitious and optimistic about almost everything in their life. 

She simply shrugs and Six looks up to both of them, arguing again. "I don't know, honestly. I feel like we shouldn't try too hard and just let things flow. We're already good together and there's nothing to repair. I just want you to stop forcing me and Six's favorite things to do on you. We all have our own special things together. We don't need mundane activities to keep our relationship stronger. It already is, on its own." Elle states in a soft, tired tone.

Lloyd slowly puts his book down and smiles up at her. "Why do you always have to be so fucking right all the time?" he finally admits, lifting his head up as his hand wraps around her torso.

Her face relaxes and giggles. "We really need to go to bed, you know. All this arguing has made us almost forget about the mission tomorrow morning." she reminds them both.

Six lets out a gentle chuckle, staring at both of them, admiring silently. "I'll go turn off the lights." he quietly offers, sliding off her bed.

But before he even steps his feet on the floor, the lights immediately switch off and her bedside lamps are automatically turned on. She did that with her mind, almost subconsciously. It has become her habit now. 

She looks down at Lloyd sleepily and he quickly pulls her into a kiss. He bits on her lips, savoring every inch of it as she smiles against his lips. "Sleep. Now." she mumbles to his mouth, still not wanting to let go either. 

Finally, Court gently grabs her arm from behind while he places a soft kiss on her temple. Lloyd and her break their kiss, both laughing softly at each other. She pulls her blanket to spread wider before landing her head on the pillow. 

"Good night." Elle whispers to them, already closing her eyes and shutting off to sleep.

"Sleep well, sweetheart." Lloyd replies, snuggling closer to her breast as he shuts his eyes. 

Six smiles again at the both of them, relieved and satisfied that they're both great again, as they've always been. He wishes that it would stay like this forever. He never wants this to end.

#sierra six #sierra six x reader #the gray man #court gentry #court gentry x reader #court gentry x y/n #sierra six smut #sierra six x y/n #sierra six x you #sierra six x female reader #lloyd hansen smut #lloyd hansen x you #lloyd hansen x y/n #lloyd hansen x reader #lloyd hansen #lloyd hansen x ofc #lloyd hansen x f!reader #lloyd hansen x fic #lloyd hansen x innocent!reader #the gray man fanfiction #chris evans fanfiction #ryan gosling

[calamity-aims]

11 with Thire and Fox?

It's a last resort. Fox doesn't want to do this, he'd rather have Hedge or Remedy or Hemlock - any of the Guard medics - take care of Thire, but there's just no time.

Thire's pulse is already thready, growing weaker. If Fox's armor wasn't red before, it certainly would be by now. He leaves bloody footsteps on every step leading up to the temple entrance.

There are two guards at the doors; they startle at his appearance, then rush forward as Fox staggers towards them. One speaks frantically into an internal comm as the other approaches Fox, hands outstretched for Thire.

Fox jerks back instinctively, tightening his grip on his youngest commander. He's here for their help, yes. But it's hard to trust, after every official request for help that Fox sends has been denied.

Hopefully the actual, physical presence of a dying person is enough to galvanize the Jedi into action.

The Guard steps back when Fox flinches, and opens the great doors. Fox is ushered through into a grand golden hallway, but the beauty of the architecture is lost on him. He just needs to know where the damn medbay is.

Rushing footsteps echo through the halls, and Fox turns to see General Windu barreling towards him, flanked by a small green Mirialan girl and a blueish Twi'lek.

"Commander Fox," General Windu says. Huh. Fox wasn't sure the General even knew his name. He signed all his rejected aid requests with CC-1010, as is protocol.

Surely the General can't ignore an in-person plea.

"You have to help him," Fox says, and then tacks on the final indignity: begging. "Please. I know you don't allocate resources - I know the Coruscant Guard should be self-sufficient, but. Please."

It's worth it. It's worth it to beg for Thire's life. Fox would go down on his knees and grovel if he wasn't bearing the full dead weight of Thire and his armor.

"Of course," General Windu says quizzically, and motions the other two forward. The Twi'lek lifts a hand; Thire is suddenly weightless in Fox's arms.

"We'll take it from here, Commander," she says with a sharp nod, and then Thire's body is drifting after her as she races down the corridor, snapping instructions to the girl. "Barriss, go prepare the surgical suite. We're going to need our reserves of clone blood and-"

They turn a corner. Thire disappears from view. Abruptly, Fox's exhaustion catches up to him and he crashes to the floor in a clatter of plastoid. He'd carried Thire here at a dead sprint; they'd been too far out for a Guard speeder to pick them up in time.

A gentle hand falls on his shoulder, and to Fox's shock, General Windu is kneeling next to him. "Master Che is our best healer," he says reassuringly. "Your man is in good hands."

Fox nods dumbly. It's all he can muster.

The General continues delicately, like Fox is something fragile. "Commander, I have to ask - what did you mean by 'we don't allocate resources?'"

"Is this some sort of trick question, sir?" It's got to be.

General Windu shakes his head, and Fox sighs inwardly. He knows better than to refuse to answer a superior's question, and he knew coming to the Jedi temple would hold some degree of awkwardness, but this-

It's almost cruel.

"Sir," Fox says tonelessly. "Every request the Guard has made for supplies or assistance has been rejected with the response that we, as military police stationed on Coruscant, are not subject to the supply chain of the GAR proper and thus only require the current number of supply shipments."

Which would have been fine, if the Guard had just been military police. Fox would have made it work. But over the course of the war their responsibilities had expanded to include guarding the Senate, accompanying Senators off-world, and taking over any case the Coruscant Security Force could even vaguely link to the war. Which they did, all the fucking time, because apparently clones were just there to do everybody else's job.

Eventually Fox had stopped sending the requests.

"Commander, I assure you, we would never-" the General breaks off, breathing harshly through his nose. Fox tenses. If Windu got angry, he could take it, but with Thire in such a precarious position-

"Commander Fox," Windu continues. His voice is carefully level. "I have not seen any such requests from the Guard."

No. No no no, this couldn't be happening. Fox wasn't a liar. He knew what he'd written, he knew what he'd seen, he-

He has to agree. For Thire.

Fox stares at Windu's left ear and says in a dead voice, "Of course, sir. My mistake."

"No," the general responded, that level voice cracking a bit. "No, Commander, I believe you. And I promise you, we will get to the bottom of this. And we will help your men."

Hesitantly, Fox meets the Jedi's eyes, reads the fierce intent there. It goes against his whole being to trust this man, after all the rejections and rationing, but -

They helped Thire, without even a question. Maybe they could help the rest of the Guard too. And Fox would never forgive himself if he turned down anything that could help his men.

"Yes, sir," he says finally, and Mace smiles.

(ok this one got away from me a little bit)

#thank you for the prompt mikey!! #calamity writing #calamity answers #commander fox #commander thire #mace windu #vokara che #barriss offee