#better than that it was a proper happy ending and we couldn't have asked for more | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thedepthsoffandomminds · 4 months

Text

Episode 5 - The duel

Masterlist

Jack Dawkins x fem reader. Belle's older sister.

Once home from stealing the ambergris Jack dropped onto his bed, he knew he should grab some sleep whilst he still had night to do so but his mind was elsewhere. Lifting his hand up he looked at the back of it, the spot where you had patted him three days ago. He was sure he could still feel the softness of your fingers, as if they had burned into his flesh. There was something about you that he couldn't put his finger on. Your sister Fanny was simple, just as every Mayfair girl was supposed to be. Belle was a rebel, utterly fixed on her end goal, but you, oh you. You were utterly proper in every way, trusted by your parents entirely. In his eyes a proper lady, yet you were unwed long after it was expected for young women. Maybe it was the distinct lack of suitable men in the colony? Jack had heard Sneed talk of you a while ago, he was sure his colleague was not good enough for you.

Jack sat up again, dropping his legs over the side of the bed. He needed to get these thoughts out of his head. There was no way he could ever be anything but a friend to you. Still, perhaps you were already too far engrained into his mind, and somewhere else. He tried to convince himself he only had a professional interest in your condition.

*_*_*_*

"You've been moping ever since Dr. Dawkins ruined our dinner. Come on. Up!" Fanny grumbled at her sister pulling the blinds up at the window and letting the sun blast through the room.

"Close them now. Immediately." Belle grumbled.

"No, there'll be none of that." She huffed. You walked into the room and sat across from Belle

"Are you feeling any better?" Fanny asked you as she perched on the edge of the sofa.

"Yes, she's completely cured. Close the curtains." Belle quipped.

"I am well, Fanny, thank you." You reply with a sweet smile.

"I have a gift to lift your spirits." Fanny turned her attention back to Belle.

"A guillotine?" You giggle.

"Better. A painting made with these very hands. It's the story of us. Our journey here, a house, a kangaroo."

"What are these?" Belle asked finally sitting up

"Tree trunks. I keep seeing these in my dreams. I'm rather drawn to them." You glance over at the painting, your lips press together to stifle the laugh.

"So, there's no story of us. Fanny, we're as much prisoners here as we were in London society." Belle said. You tap her leg with your book.

" Dr. Sneed is here for you." Your mother says, walking into the room. Fanny Jumps up instantly happy.

"No not you, for Belle."

Belle groaned.

"Sister, come on now, Rainsford is a perfectly handsome man with good intentions. I'm sure of it." You say.

"Then why didn't you marry him?" She quips back at you.

"He wishes to take her shooting." Your mother interjects.

Belle sighed and stood, "This is an endless world of bogglingly-stupid dinner parties, men boasting all night, and pretending, somehow, against all evidence, they're cleverer than us." She groans

" They are. That is why they're in positions of power." Fanny bites.

"Fine. And stay at home all day, painting hideous scenes of trees."

"Belle!" You raise your voice at her

Lady Jane rushes to Fanny's side, "I'm sure she didn't mean to say those things, Fanny. She's not well, darling." You laugh.

"Would you draw the curtains, please?" Fanny says falling back on the lounge sofa.

You shake your book and head back to your room, it was cooler in there than the parlour and you were surrounded by your most favourite things.

Walking in you feel that pinch once more in your chest. Dizziness starts to take over your brain so you rush to pull your dress and corset from your body before lying down on your bed. These episodes were coming much more frequently these days.

An hour or so passed when Belle slammed into your room, rousing you from the sleep you had taken in your armchair.

"Marriage, he has proposed marriage!" She huffed.

"Well, you could do a lot worse. He has that money coming to him, I'm sure you could convince him to stay here if you wished it." You say.

Belle sat on the edge of your bed, curling her legs below her.

"But he is just so-" she screws up her face, "he gave me nutmeg instead of a ring."

"Belle, my sweet sister, he is a man, you can rule him and get whatever you want." You remind her and she grins at you before leaving again.

You rest your head back and look out at the gardens. "Y/n sweetheart," your mother walks in moments later and you sigh.

"Yes mother."

"You have been spending time at the hospital with your sister? What do you both do there?" She asks.

"we fold bandages and read to the patient's mother. Belle is never left alone with any of the doctors, though it seems Sneed has taken note of her. She may be married in months and you'll have only one disappointment for a child." You say.

"I wish only for you to marry, so you might have the joy of running your own home."

"And now I have the privilege of marrying a man who loves me and not worrying about our stations." You say and turn away from her. With a huff she leaves you.

Alone at last you read your book as the sun reaches it's highest point and slowly drifts down again. A beam of late afternoon sun makes your room glow. You weren't sure when day turned to night but the sun had gone making way for the moon to shine in its wake.

Your attention is caught by Fanny bringing in a silver tray and placing it on your table.

"Are you feeling any better?"

"I'm not hungry, Fanny." You say not turning away from your book.

"Look, I've drawn you a picture." She shows you the painting with more porngraphic trees.

"Thank you. I will eat it cold." You offer to her. Seemingly satisfied with your answer she leaves once more. Just as the door closes you hear the creak of your balcony door opening.

"Hello." Jack said now standing in your bedroom.

" Have you completely lost all sense?" You ask standing from your chair.

Jack realises that you are in your night dress and has to stop himself from looking at you.

" Quite possibly."

"You should not be here, if you are found you'll be flogged, Please go." You keep looking to your door.

"Do you know about Strabismus surgery?" He asks.

"what? My sister would know better." You remind him.

"You don't know what it is?" He takes a step closer to you.

" It's the realignment of the eye." You announce.

" See? I knew you'd know. Would you happen to have some medical textbook that might..."

"Yes. Stay here. Actually, no. Come, I've got valuable items in here." You joke.

" You gonna eat this soup?" Jack picks up the bowl and spoon.

"No, apparently not." You laugh.

"What's that you're holding?" Jack looks at the painting.

"Apparently, a tree. This way." He gives you a knowing grin, raising one eyebrow. "Fanny needs to be married."

Jack enjoys the sound of your giggles. You show him down to our father's library happy that your parents were out for the evening. Jack follows watching you move so freely through the house. He couldn't stop himself from looking at the shape of your body as you reached up to check through the medical books.

"Ah, here we go." You flip open the book and start reading. "It was first performed in the 1830s by John Homer Dix. The surgeon needs only three instruments, a fine hook to elevate the conjunctiva, a bent probe to isolate the tendon, and scissors for opening up the conjunctiva."

"Pictures. I need pictures." Jack asks.

"Yes. Here." You turn the page and jump down to meet him att he desk, Jack slides closer to your shoulder to look at the pages.

"It is so dangerous." You whisper,

" Yeah, but you love that, don't you?" He smiles cockily. The look in his eyes catches your breath and you have to refocus your attention.

"Can you do it?"

"Yes. Maybe." You both look back at the book. Your eyes flick up to him.

"It's important for both of us that we clear the air about what transpired." You begin, "there were words between my sister and yourself, but that is not my concern."

"It is not?" He asks, face far too close to yours.

"Jack, you should know that I would be happy to read any word you may need." You hope he understands what you're trying to say.

"y/n, should it be in your voice I would listen to all the words written in the world." He whispers back to you.

" Doctor Dawkins," Belle stood in the door way, causing you both to jump back from each other, "I admit that I said things in that moment that I now regret. And I'm equally sure that you said things that now, in the cold light of day, you wish were..."

"What on earth is all the racket down there?" Fanny's voice cuts Belle off. You both step out into the hall, leaving Jack in the library.

"Are you feeling any better, sister?" Fanny asks seeing you.

"Yes, fine, much better."

"See, you eat, and you are well again. You've had eight turns this past month. I do count them." She calls down. Belle glances to you.

"I am fine, Fanny, Go to bed, sister." She turns and wanders away, "right we need to dress, Jack wait for us by the road." You order everyone.

"what is that awful smell?" You say walking into the hospital.

"Fagin." Jack replies too quickly.

"It smells like ambergris." You say.

"Like what?" He veins ignorance though in his mind he is impressed by your knowledge.

"Will you wait?" Belle stops you both. "Are you going to apologise to me or not?"

"No. What for?" He glanced between you both.

"For the way you spoke to me."

" I was hurt. And I'm sorry if I spoke to you abruptly." Jack replied. You gesture to Belle to go on to the theatre room and turn to Jack.

"I don't know how to talk to women. I've never really had to." He admits to you.

" I am similarly rarely interested in anything a man has to say. And she forgives you."

" Good. Though it isn't hers I long for." He steps closer to you. "Don't invite me to any more stupid dinner parties. Your lot will never accept me."

"Why would you want them to accept you? You have no idea how boring we all are." Your voice is barely a whisper.

"Not all of you."

You feel his breath on your face and your mind whirls with wants you had never had before. Hatty clears her throat behind him and you both follow her into the room. You stand to the side and watch Jack and your sister work, occasionally speaking the words from the medical journal when needed.

At last the navigator is placed in the ward, a bandage across his eye. You turn to Jack,

"Do you think it worked?" You ask him.

"We won't know until we remove the bandages." He sighs.

"Belle go home, I'll be along shortly." You say to your sister, she nods and leaves. You follow Jack back the operating theatre to help him clean away the equipment.

"At Government House, I heard your sister say that this was your eighth attack. What did she mean by that?" He asks, you can see in the strained raise of chest that he had been wanting to ask for some time.

"She imagines things." You try to push away the question.

"y/n?" He tries again.

"What the navigator said, did that sound true for you?" You deflect his questions. He sighs but indulgies you.

"It was the greatest day of my life when I got promoted to sublieutenant. They gave me my own bed. I'd never had my own bed before. And my own room." The two of you sat down against the wall, shoulders touching.

"Must be wonderful to be at sea. Travel the world." You look into his eyes.

" It was. It was the best and the worst of times. I saw all kinds of things I didn't even think were possible. Wild animals and festivals. In Hong Kong, I saw this giant paper dragon with fifty people under it and as they moved, this dragon appeared to dance and breathe fire. It was quite amazing." When he finished talking he looked back to you and saw your eyes had closed, your breathing evened out. He sat beside you, arms resting on his knees and just looked at you. The thought of seeing you this way each night, being this close to you, if not closer danced around his mind. The scent of your soap drifting into his nose pulled him closer to you. Knowing this would likely be the closest he would ever be with you Jack settled himself back, bending his towards yours and closing his eyes.

*_*_*_*

"Lady y/n" Sneed's voice shook you both awake, you lift your head from Jack's shoulder. "I can scarce believe my eyes. I insist you return to Government House immediately and we will discuss this later." He shouts. You laugh

"If you wish to stay in your current role, Sneed you will not speak to me again." You point at him before storming from the room.

Having returned home you sit in the parlour with Belle and your parents. Gaines is talking over city ordinance and you are purposely ignoring them.

"The most exciting news. There is to be a duel in town." Fanny shouts excitedly as she came running in.

" Don't be silly, duels are illegal." Belle replies. "Not necessarily." Your father says absentmindedly.

"I rather think it might be over moi. It does eliminate one possible suitor, but what does one wear to a duel? Black is foreshadowing, but green?" Fanny muses

" Who is involved?" You ask.

"Sneed and Dawkins." She claps her hands. You and Belle look at each other and stand, immediately running to town. Belle went after Sneed who was walking down the street whilst you ran into the hospital. You shove open the theatre door where Jack is fiddling with a sword and Fagin talks to him.

"You idiot! You absolute dunderhead!" You shout, chest rising heavily below your corset.

"At last! Someone who sees what I see." Fagin laughs.

" What were you thinking?" You ask angrily. If he wasn't so angry at Sneed and frightened about the duel he might have been impressed by you.

"I am tired of being treated like some mangy dog." Jack bites at you.

"You are not a mangy dog." You lower your voice, "And he is an idiot for treating you like one. Apologise and withdraw. Please." You hold his free hand in hopes it would drive the thought into his mind.

"And bow down to his arrogance? No. And I'm not going to kill him, I will barely scratch the pompous git. Don't worry, I spent ten years in the Navy. I am a master with the sword." His arrogance grates you.

"Good. Because it is pistols, pistols at dawn. And he is a master shot." You say getting too close to him.

"Oh."

Fagin slips from the room.

"are you a good shot?" You ask.

Jack tilts his head to one side and lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "Well, I know which way to point it."

"You had best learn, swiftly. Or please withdraw." You ask again.

"Y/n, I can't-" you don't let him finish his sentence. Instead you storm out meeting Belle by the carriage.

"Any luck?" She asks and you shake your head.

"I might have one more idea" you say.

*_*_*_*

"Cease this immediately!" Your father bellows over the morning wind. Just in time to stop the two doctors from firing their pistols. "I'm told, rather unsportingly, that this town cannot survive without its two surgeons. Lower your weapons." He eyes you and Belle pointedly. "Now, the rules are very clear. In circumstances such as these, the seconds must assume their place." He finishes. You roll your eyes.

The men argue amongst themselves with all but your father and priest trying to stop it all. Finally they decided to continue. Fagin and Smales are given the pistols. You move yourself beside Jack as they take their ten steps. Your hand gripped his as the shot is fired. Neither man is hurt and you feel your breath come back to you. A voice cries out and you all realised Sneed had been hit in the leg.

He is rushed to the hospital and placed on the operating table. The morning crowd had already gathered in the stands and the Prof had downed his apron.

"What we have here, is a man injured in his quest for honour. He is also my Head Surgeon and will replace me in the future," he Sighs, "For this reason, it requires the steadiest of hands, as I attempt the very dangerous procedure of amputating his leg, a foot above the knee. Now, if you'll just bite down on this." A roll of leather is placed in Sneed's mouth but he spits it out, grabbing Jack's arm.

"Help me."

"Half an hour ago, you wanted to kill me. This does beg the question, "What would you do in my position?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

"I will give you your job back. I guarantee it. Just please, don't let him amputate." He begged. Jack looked back at Belle who discreetly poured the either onto a cloth.

"Yes. Here, Prof, let me wipe your brow." She starts dabbing at his face before pressing the cloth to the Prof's nose and mouth. He keeps over.

" Apologies, gentlemen, there will be no show today. As you can see, the professor is overcome with emotion." Jack explains to the men.

"Later today, we'll be amputating Spencer Shaw's arm, which will be more exciting. Come back for that." Hetty added.

" Now, I assume you will be maintaining your strong stance against anaesthetic?" Jack laughs.

" Give it to me, damn you." Snned growls.

"Thank you, Hetty, I won't need you on this one. You can tend to the professor." Jack calls back to the nurse. She steps up to him.

"Three trained professionals are in this room. One is the patient, the other is me. And one is a complete fool."

"Yes. Quite possibly." He agrees, glancing over to you and Belle. "I'm sorry, I can't remember. Which leg am I cutting off again?" He says to his colleague on the table.

"Dawkins..."

" Surely, you're not removing his leg." Belle asks

" No. Just removing bullet, unfortunately."

" If it was me, I'd be shaving off his eyebrow." You say from the side of the room. Jack meets your eyes, scalpel in hand ready to operate. A new thought enters his mind and he hands it across to Belle, "You make the first incision." He says and walks toward you. Every step is calculated and he reaches you swiftly pulling you in by the waist, one hand cupping your jaw. Your breath catches as he presses his lips to yours. Belle shakes her head and begins the operation

Episode six

@fandomfan-102

#jack dawkins x y/n #the artful dodger x reader

58 notes · View notes

hotchners-wifey · 3 months

Text

Save Her

Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader, Platonic!BAU x Reader, Morgan!Sister Reader

A/N: Helloo yes i know it's been a while since i've updated something but life has taken a turn so, i had this idea while on the way home from work. So sit back relax and enjoy. Y/F/F means your favorite flower. these might also be two chapters a day type of story

Summary: Y/N has a past she's never told anyone about, she was involved in some heavy things when she lived in England with her Aunt and Uncle. Things she thought were murdered along with her best friend, things she thought went missing with her boyfriend. Things that followed her to Quantico, Virginia.

~Next Chapter

Warnings: Cursing(once), talk of death and near drowning

________________________________________

Five days before Y/N disappears

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Y/N's POV:

Being an FBI agent wasn't easy, but having no significant other outside the job made it so much better. You never have to worry about missing date nights, but after a while it gets lonely. But as I said this business isn't easy, I'd rather be alone than have to curse someone to live with my inconsistent schedule. Emily, JJ, and Penelope on the other hand do not like the idea that I like being single.

"Come one Y/N, you never want to go out with us." I nod keeping my focus on my computer, "There's a reason for that Penny, you all know I hate parties." JJ cuts in before Penny can respond. "But it's not a party, its a club. There's a difference." I look up from my computer to give her a sarcastic smile, "Oh really? I didn't know that." Emily cackles at my sarcasm, "Y/N just come with us, please?" I sigh.

Looking back at my computer in defeat, "Fine, I'll go out with you guys tonight." Penny squeals in excitement and happiness which catches the attention of Spencer, Morgan and Rossi as they walk into the Bull Pen, "What's got you so excited Mama?" Derek asks, she rushes over to him and hugs him. "Y/N said she'll go out with us tonight." He looks around her at me surprised, "Really?" I rolled my eyes and turned back towards my computer.

"Oh there's no need to get so hostile Y/N/N, you're gonna have so much fun tonight." I sighed, "Now you of all people know I hate parties Derek." He smirks and walks past me, "Whatever you say, Katara." I sigh and hang my head. "I thought I asked you to stop calling me that Morgan. That only happened once." He laughed loudly at that. "What only happened once?" Spencer asks, just as confused and the others. "When we were younger Y/N binged Avatar The Last Airbender and thought she was a water bender, and the next time we went to the pool she thought she could control the water, so she jumped into the deep end knowing she couldn't swim and I had to save her from drowning." Emily burst out laughing and I turned away in shame. "And to remind me of the most embarrassing moment in my life, my parents and siblings decided to nickname me Katara." Emily couldn't stop laughing while the others had slight smiles and smirks, I cracked a smile and looked at the clock. "Alright it's time for me to head home since I've been peer pressured into leaving the comfort of my home tonight." Penny rushes over to me. "Wait we're coming with you because we have to make sure you have the proper attire for the club tonight." I sigh and nod as Penny runs back to her office to grab her stuff. Emily and JJ grab their belongings off their desk and we walk to the elevator and wait for Penelope to return from her office. When she gets back we get into the elevator and down to the garage. JJ and Emily get into their cars and Penny and I get into mine and we drive to my apartment. ________________________________________

Time Skip to arriving at your apartment building

________________________________________ When we arrive I can see the shock on Penny's face, "Woah I completely forgot how fancy this place is. You're so lucky to have rich family." JJ and Emily join you both at the entrance and we're greeted by the doorman George. "Miss Y/L/N good afternoon." I smile at him "Good afternoon George." "Would you like me to grab Benny, Alex and Drew to drive you and your friends cars to the garage?" I shook my head. "Not at the moment George we're only going to be here for a few hours but thanks for asking." He nods and holds the door open, "Well just give us a call if you change your mind Miss Y/L/N." I smile and walk through the door, "You know I will George." Emily and JJ look shocked by my apartments fanciness. "Y/N you have door holders and chauffeur's. Next you're gonna tell me that there's a dining lounge on the roof." I laugh. "Of course not." I turned towards the elevator, "It's on the 10th floor." I smirk knowing her jaw is on the floor and walk towards the elevator and they follow. I press the number for my floor and just listen to the sounds of the elevator. When the doors open we walk down the hall until we reach my front door. I stop in my dead tracks, in front of my door is a bouquet of Y/F/F, with a note in blue ink that reads. "See you soon."

There's only one person in this world who knows what my favorite flower is and he's dead, right?

#spencer reid #emily prentiss #aaron hotchner #criminal minds #derek morgan #penelope garcia #spencer reid x reader #fem reader #jenifer jareau #david rossi #criminal minds fanfiction

53 notes · View notes

missscarletrosesett · 11 months

Note

Can I ask for Yandere Tokito twins hc? If not just Yandere Muichiro! Thanks if you do

Summary: Yandere Tokito twins and Yandere Muichiro Hcs.

Warnings: Mentions of blood, death, emotional abuse, obsessive and possessive behaviour, and forms of manipulation.

Note: Here’s another overdue one. I'm sorry it took so long. I hope you don't mind if I did both.

Tokito twins

(In this they both live and Muichiro keeps his memories)

You three are childhood friends and have a very close bond. You were the glue that held them together.

Your guys’ parents think you three were so cute together. I mean who wouldn't?

Whenever they would squabble, it would always somehow end up with you getting in the middle of them while trying to calm them down.

Mainly Yuichiro.

Time skip to when the demon finds the cabin and attacks you and the twins.

Yuichiro jumped in front of Muichiro in order to protect him, but that resulted him in the loss of his arm.

While you? You just sat that petrified of the scene in front of you.

After help arrived things seemed to get better.

With the help of your care and the Ubuyashiki’s, Yuichiro was going to live.

After Yuichiro made a full and healthy recovery, he decided it was best to stay on the sidelines. (As much as he hated it) and watched as Muichiro trained his hardest to become a Demon Slayer.

You and Yuichiro cheered him on from the sidelines.

Not long after that Muichiro became a Hashira.

Speaking of Yuichiro and Muichiro. You've noticed that they've become more possessive over you, and never let you stray far from their sight.

At first, you thought it seemed from the worry of losing you because you three thought of each other as family.

Oh how wrong you were.

At first, it started out as wholesome worry.

Then it turned into guilt-tripping, restriction to the outside world, and more.

They would try and coax you with small little acts of affection and gifts, trying to make you see there was no reason to go outside.

Simple but sweet things.

Do not get me started if they catch you trying to escape.

If Yuichiro catches you trying to escape, he will drag you back with him and start emotionally abusing you.

He would call you unflattering names, calling you ungrateful and so on.

He would leave you alone for days without the proper care and nutrients you needed to live.

Then he would come back and start acting all sweet with you.

If Muichiro found you trying to escape, at first he’ll gently try to coax you into no trying to escape, but if that doesn't work, it'll get harder than it already needs to be.

He’ll threaten you and yell at you much like Yuichiro, even giving you the silent treatment.

But he won't even last a few hours before begging for your forgiveness.

Poor baby

He can't stand the thought of you being scared or angry with him.

If you do somehow manage to escape, it won't be very far

The farthest you'll get is maybe close to a small town, before being dragged back by most likely Muichiro.

That's when you realized you were never going to leave their line of sight.

“Come on, let's get you home, where it's safe.”

Muichiro

We all love him, but he is ruthless as a yandere.

RUTHLESS.

Same scenario as for the twins, you were childhood friends with the twins.

After the Demon attacked you guys, you and Muichiro were the only survivors, having Yuichiro sacrifice his life in order to protect you two.

Muichiro experienced Memory loss but for some strange reason he remembered you

You were happy that your best friend remembered you, of course, but you couldn't shake the feeling that he changed somehow.

He felt different, and not the good kind.

After he became a Hashira, he invited you to his estate, which you happily accepted.

As time went on, you noticed that your visits became longer and longer, sometimes even you having to stay the night, until you couldn't even step foot outside his estate.

You couldn't even remember what the outside world looked like.

He would act like his old-normal self around you, but if you ever did something he didn't like or approve of, he would revert to his cold-hearted, ruthless self.

And if you try escaping, good luck, getting caught will be your worst nightmare

He couldn't care how much begging and pleasing you were doing. He would drill it into your head.

You would stay by his side, like old times.

He would achieve his goal no matter what, even if he has to spill your own blood.

“Why do you insist on escaping? How troublesome. Seems like you still haven't learned.”

#yandere headcanons #demon slayer headcanons #kny headcanons #headcannons #yandere tokito twins #yandere tokito twins x reader #yandere yuichiro #yandere yuichiro x reader #yuichiro x reader #yandere muichiro #yandere muichiro x reader #muichiro x reader #yandere #demon slayer x reader #kny x reader #character x reader

287 notes · View notes

uollop · 1 year

Note

Okay so that Eriks fic of the reader’s daughter clutching onto him wailing and crying and the reader not recognizing him has my heart is pieces. I’m here to humbly get on my knees and beg for a continuation of some kind. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.

(SPOILERS) Where?

Content: SPOILERS for Trigun 98 & Stampede, Fem! Reader, angst with a good ending

Word count: 1.6k

Notes: Ask and you shall recieve! I had two anons ask for a happy ending so I will oblige! Hope you enjoy!

Previous Part

Eriks wasn't stupid by any means. When he saw that little girl running towards him on that day in the market, he knew who she was immediately. He could never forget that child's smile, and it helped that she happened to be holding a toy that he had bought for her a long time ago.

When she latched onto his leg, crying, calling him "daddy", he felt guilt settle in the pit of his stomach. He had never wanted to leave her behind. To leave you behind. When he realized what he had done to Knives, though, he was terrified that something similar would happen to you and Iris. So he left, making sure his coat was in a place where you could find it. He knew it wasn't a proper goodbye, but he figured that it was better than nothing.

As Iris cried and held onto his leg, he realized you weren't with her. He nervously began to attempt to gently pull his daughter off of him. He wasn't sure where you were, but he wasn't sure if he could keep his composure- or his secret identity- if he saw you.

"Iris!" He heard your voice in the distance. God, how he wanted to relish in the sound of your voice for a moment, but he knew how much you cared for this girl and, with how loud she was being as she called for him, he was certain you'd find your way to the two of them soon.

"Daddy!"

"Iris... Let go, please." He whispered as the child looked up at him and shook her head, hugging his leg tighter, "I found you! Mommy will be so happy-"

"Iris! Leave that poor man alone..!" There it is again, that voice of yours, but much closer this time. Eriks' breath hitches, his head immediately lowering so that he didn't have to look at you. He wasn't sure if he could handle seeing your face right now as tears already began to fill his eyes at the sound of his daughter's sobs.

He felt you pull Iris away. A lonely feeling washed over him as he felt his daughter's hands leave his leg. "Mommy, let me go!" The child screamed as you pulled her away. With every cry, he felt his guilt worsen. Maybe it had been the wrong idea to leave the two of you behind.

He was about to turn to leave, finding it would be a good idea to get out of here before he gave into her cries, when he hears footsteps coming towards him. Iris quickly clutched onto the front of his shirt and began to cry again, "I missed you! We both missed you! When are you coming home?"

Eriks could feel his heart shatter at her words. The urge to wrap his arms around her and hug her, tell her that he's sorry, tell her that he wanted to come home was so strong. He stares at the girl for a moment before he sees your hand begin to reach for her again.

"I'm sorry, sir... She lost her father. It's been-"

"It's okay," he cut you off quickly, slowly embracing Iris, "losing a loved one is... hard." Being able to hold his daughter was one of the things he had missed the most while he was off parading around with a new identity. Another thing he missed, though, was you. He slowly brought his eyes up to look into yours, his heart sinking a bit when he finally sees you.

You looked so tired. Dark bags had sunken into the area under your eyes, but he couldn't help but admire how you looked. He loved you so much, and looking at you right now made his repressed emotions sing with a need to comfort you.

When you look into his eyes, the face you make has him thinking for a moment that you saw through his new identity. That you knew it was him. A part of him desperately wished for you to call his real name, but you stayed silent.

"I'm sorry you lost your father," Eriks continues as he rubs his daughter's back, "I'm sure he... I'm sure he cared a lot about you," he looks back up at you again, trying to hide the strain in his voice "about both of you."

He heard a soft 'thank you' escape your lips as you reached forward, taking Iris by the hand and pulling her away again. Erik's guilt worsened as Iris began to scream and cry again. He quickly turned and began to walk away. He had to, before he did something stupid.

That night, he was restless. He stared up at the ceiling, his mind swirling with ideas of what to do. He had made up his mind about halfway through his walk to his current residence. He was going to come back home. He just had to figure out how to go about it. Should he do something grand or something subtle? Something lighthearted or something serious?

Would you be upset? You should be. He wouldn't blame you if you were. He reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out a necklace that sat around his neck, his wedding band resting on the string. It was one of the only mementos of his past that he allowed himself to keep.

As he stared at the ring, his desperation to see you grew. He was going to go to see you. Now. He had already told Lina and her grandmother before they went to bed that he was going to be leaving. The two of them had helped him freshen up. A quick shave and a haircut and he was already starting to look like his old self again. It felt weird seeing himself look like Vash again instead of Eriks.

He quickly gathered what little belongings he had and made his way out of the house. He knew the way to your home by heart. It was a small place that you two had built together. He knew exactly where it was.

It took about an hour for him to arrive. It was well into the night by now. Would you be asleep?

He stood in front of the door for a moment, contemplating whether or not this was a good idea. He glanced through the window, seeing that there were still two seats at the table. Now, though, instead of the highchair that he remembered, there was a third chair with a booster seat.

He had missed two years of his daughter growing up. He had missed her first steps. He had missed her second and third birthday. He looked through the window for a moment longer before the lights suddenly flickered on. He sees you shuffle into the kitchen, your form enveloped in something. Was that his coat? He watches as you glance at the table, before you move past it and grab a glass to fill with water. He watches you move quietly. He hadn't seen you in so long, anything that you could do right now he would still find beautiful.

You turn and walk towards the table, sitting down and placing the glass on the wood before hugging the jacket closer to yourself.

He couldn't wait anymore. Seeing you hug the jacket like that when he was right here made him even more desperate to embrace you. He moved back to the door, rapping his knuckles against the oak quickly. It takes a moment before the door opens, your tired form appearing in the frame as you rub your eyes.

"What the hell do you want-" You cut yourself off as you look into familiar eyes. You examined him for a moment before your brows furrow. "Ugh, I'm dreaming again," You groan as you attempt to close the door. Vash quickly grabs the door before you can shut it fully, pulling it open again as you blink in surprise, looking at him again. He didn't know what he should say, so he just gave you a soft smile. He hoped that was enough.

At the sight of his smile, your heart skips a beat. You let go of the door and reach up to cup his face, your hands resting on either one of his cheeks as you stare at him.

"Vash...?" You ask carefully. He nods his head slowly, moving his hand up to yours, rubbing his thumb against you knuckles. You blink again before tears start to well up in your eyes.

"Is... Is it really you? I'm not dreaming?" You asked as you pulled his face closer to you, fingers tracing the mole under his eye. He simply continues to look at you as his own eyes begin to wet. He nods his head again and you let out a mixture between a laugh and a sob.

"Say something, please! I need... I need you to tell me that this is real."

He looks at you for another beat before he leans into you hand on his cheek, "I'm here, my love. I'm home."

Another strangled laugh-sob leaves your mouth as you pull him into a tight hug. You buried your head into his shoulder as you cried, holding him as if you were worried he would leave again. You stayed like that for a while, holding him and sobbing as he stroked your hair and shushed you. You pulled away from the hug after you were sure that this was real and that he wasn't going anywhere. You cupped his face again, pulling him into a kiss full of two years of love that he had missed.

You two spent all night like that, kissing and hugging and crying. Two years without each other was far too long.

In the morning, you have Vash gently wake up Iris. When her eyes opened and she saw her father, she let out a squeal of delight, leaping out of her bed and wrapping her arms around him. Similarly to you, it seemed she couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry as tears flowed down her cheeks despite her giggling. Vash smiled as he was finally able to give his daughter a proper hug, holding her tightly against him as he started to tear up a bit.

It felt good to have a full family again.

Masterlist | Ao3

Previous Part

#trigun stampede #trigun x reader #trigun #trigun vash x reader #vash x reader #vash the stampede #vash the stampede x reader #vash trigun #eriks vash x reader #eriks trigun #eriks x reader #trigun 98 #tristamp

175 notes · View notes

yakuzacanons · 6 months

Note

Hiiiii!! Could I possibly ask for the boys reaction to their S/O being pregnant (if you're comfortable with that)? Your writing is so good aaahhh fuelling my Ryuji brainrot

CRACKS KNUCKLES yes I'm down for some sweet adorable fluff. Also Ryuji brainrot never ends, does it lol. Sorry for the delays, this one took a while. Enjoy!

Kazuma Kiryu

Has the calmest reaction of all the boys. Is quite happy to be having a child of his own. Pretty prepared for what's to come and generally remains calm throughout. Is noticeably more gentle when hugging you.

Majima Goro

His initial reaction: "I'm gonna have a kid?!". His reaction following that: "I'm gonna have a kid!! Hell yea!". Nervous as hell, maybe more so than you, but also just as excited. He's gonna go tell Saejima right away too.

Saejima Taiga

A mix between Kiryu and Majima's reactions. He's happy, frankly overjoyed, at the prospect of a family but he is worried. He hopes he can be a good father and a good partner to you in the process.

Akiyama Shun

Honestly, he's kind of like "Well... that was going to happen at some point". He's not against the idea of kids so don't take it personally if his reaction is kind of middling. It's honestly just something he expected to happen eventually with a long term partner. Takes it entirely in stride but is nervous deep down.

Tanimura Masayoshi

Surprised but isn't shell shocked. If anything, his reaction is to start getting serious about his work and finances. He'll start caring more about his health too and say stuff like "I gotta do better if I wanna be a good dad!". His dedication is admirable.

Ryuji Goda

Probably has the loudest reaction of all the boys. He is EXCITED. Ryuji doesn't seem like a family guy but the thought of having a little kid running around just gets him happy, he can't explain it. Maybe it's just because he loves you so much. Hope you're ready for an Omi celebration too.

Nishikiyama Akira

Openly nervous about it. He is excited by the prospect of having a family but he has a lot of worries as to whether or not he should. A lot of it has weird ties to his own childhood and Kazama. He'd never fault you for it as he knows this is something he has to deal with but you'll catch him mulling over it now and then.

Daigo Dojima

Overjoyed. There's no other word for it. Out of all the boys, Daigo is the one that's always actually wanted a family ever since he took over the Tojo Clan. Unlike Ryuji, he'd keep the celebrations private with you as he sees this time as deeply intimate for the both of you.

Mine Yoshitaka

Calm on the outside, panicking on the inside. Mine honestly never had expectations for romance let alone having a family but now that both are happening, it's one of the few times he's genuinely had no idea what to do. He'll compose himself pretty quickly though. Would help you design one fabulous nursery for the baby.

Tatsuo Shinada

Kind of freaking out about it. How's he going to support a family? How does one even have a family? How are babies made? The man's brain is emptying as we speak. Once the shock subsides, he's happy though. Shinada thinks babies are adorable, even if he has no idea how to change a diaper or anything.

Ichiban Kasuga

Similar reaction to Ryuji. He's kind of like "Hell yea, I'm going to be a dad!". Doesn't know what he's doing but also doesn't care. He's just excited to be on this journey with you. He'll be the most doting partner during your pregnancy.

Tianyou Zhao

Despite his laid back attitude, he reacts super sweetly to the news. He'll just hug you and smile. Words couldn't really express how he feels. Would cook you anything you crave during your pregnancy.

Joon-Gi Han

You'd think he might react badly but he's actually kind of relieved to hear he'll have a proper family. He's been on his own for so long that the idea of familial bliss felt like a fantasy. Out of all the boys, he'll be the first to start suggesting baby names.

51 notes · View notes

wiltedkyinn · 8 months

Text

his favorite girl (Mason Thames x f! reader)

warning; mention of weed(everytime i write celeb! reader i have to make them a stoner), mentions sex jokes, motorcycle mason !!, cliffhanger😭

will have a part two !!

world count; 1k.

synopsis; when you and your boyfriend, mason. Who's a fellow actor on How to train your dragon, get caught on a date by fans. How are you going to answer to the question at the premiere?

•

Me and Mase are finally going out. We see each other almost 24/7 already, due to working on the same movie. While we spend an ample amount of time, it doesn't feel the same as going out. When we're alone, its the most happiest times of my life. Seeing his shy smile every time i look at him for what he deems too long,(i dont think i could never look at him just for a couple seconds, his beauty would take me hours to see and understand it fully.) The way he holds on to me, such passion that makes me believe that that would be the last time we hold eachother. His eyes glints when his talking about his next scene he's doing. The way his ears turn a blush red when i make a suggestive joke. i cant ever get enough. he's like my addiction, feeling an all time high with him.

While we agreed to go out, we couldn't dress up much. not trying to bring more attention then we have already. i opted out for a off the shoulder neckline crop top , with a deep red base color with black skulls on the front. for my pants are black men cargo pants. pairing the outfit i wore my black air force 1's with five bracelets and two dainty one on the other hand. I also layered a (f/c) necklace it had a M carved in it, gave by mason on my birthday, put together with a sun necklace. Glueing on my lashes and doing a simple black smokey eye, i brushed on a small amount of primer,foundation, concealer and bronzer to add warmth. i heard my music quiet down with a quick ding! i looked over at my phone to see a message notification, loml👩‍❤️‍👨.

loml👩‍❤️‍👨

Outside ml, u ready?

read at 9:48 pm.

ab to be

come inside, its fine

read at 9:49 pm.

i heard the front door open, i turned down my music to hear his footsteps better. i soon heard him open the room's door. i quickly saw his blonde curls and his dorky smile. "hey my gorgeous girl," he walked towards me and planted a kiss on my head. i hooked my hands on the back of his neck and look up. more then happy to give him a semi-proper kiss. "hey handsome." i look lovingly in his eyes. he kisses my nose, "you look amazing (name)" he smiles and pulls away. i finally take an actual look at him. he wore a red hoodie and his black cargo pants.

"i think you stole my outfits" i playfully narrow my eyes at him. "hm? but im the one ready, so you stole my outfit." he chuckled at the end. Jesus he is so gorgeous, he's more than perfect. beyond it, in all actuality. he noticed you staring at him more then needed. his shy smile took place of his equally as handsome square smile. "what? do i have something on my face?" his voice was squeaky, pointing more to the fact he has nervous. i giggled at him, i would never get tired of him.

"so wheres everybody?" he asked, he didnt really see my family a whole lot. "ma and my stepmom are out on a date or something, my brother is with my grandma. so its just me and the cats and dogs" i shrugged. "they left you alone?" he quirked an eyebrow. i got up and rummaged my bed. "yeah it's whatever" i found it, the slim black battery that has shango labeled on it, on-top a cartridge fulled with wax. i sat back down a took a hit. i pulled out my hand and silently asked if he wanted to hit it. he thought about it then took it. "mase you dont have too." feeling scared of pressuring him. he coughed after exhaling the last bit of smoke, "its okay, im a big boy" he joked.

i brushed my hair one last time before being happy with the results. "okay im all done." getting up once again and stretching my back to pop it. i grabbed the cart again and inhaled a big amount. exhaling it and coughing a little. mase thought this was funny. i didn't. "girl" i put up my hand and give him a "mean girl" look. he did the same, "girl.." swinging his hip. i grabbed his hand and started to walk out of the room. him complying easily, letting me lead and guide.

i grabbed the keys and locked the door before returning my hands back into his. in full veiw i saw his jet black glittery motorcycle. he handed me a helmet. a light pink with hello kitty sticker and he put his on, a vibrant red with a spider man sticker on the side. he gripped your hands on his waist keeping a semi slight grip on him. he giggled and held your hands before revving and soon riding the roads with winds whipping against the helmet. you ease your grip and lay your head on his shoulder. feeling contempt and safe with him.

he soon stopped by the park, step one to his plan. He had made chocolate strawberries, a small bouquet of flowers, and a bowl of your favorite fruits. you look at the set up breathless, then turned the attention to mason. i pull him into a hug while giving more then generous sum of kisses everywhere on his face. "mason this is so thoughtful, i cant describe how grateful i am," you say into the side of neck. nuzzling more into him, suddenly wanting to smell him.

"its the least i can do for my favorite girl" he says back, kissing the side and top of your head.

#x reader #fluff #miguel cazarez mora #the black phone x reader #mason thames #mason thames x you #how to train a dragon 2 #how to train your dragon #romance #part one #his favorite girl #Mason thames masterlist #celeb reader #weed reader #fem reader #mason x fem reader

77 notes · View notes

swearyshera · 9 months

Text

Unused ideas

My notes app had so many different ideas that didn't make it onto the blog, so I thought I'd put them here and talk about why they didn't get included. A little 'bonus content', if you will.

They're in no particular order, just how they were when I opened it.

Catra sorry but afraid to commit. Adora also afraid This was a bit too general to make it into a particular scene, but I did like the idea that they're both afraid to take that big step and ask for/accept love. I think it got touched on, but I couldn't really find a good opportunity to outright say that.

Adora has nothing real. Catra in heart: I finally know what's real, it's me and you. One of numerous rejected ideas for the Heart scene. The notion of Adora not having anything real (Angella not really being her mom, Light Hope not really being a proper guide, She-Ra not even really being the hero she expected) was a cool idea, but I covered it back at the beginning of season 5 and it just wasn't a strong enough motivation to carry through to the finale.

Mara: You're afraid of being hurt. Adora: Course I'm fucking afraid, I got hurt before This was from the 'you're worth more than what you can give to other people' scene. I loved these lines, but by the time I got to that scene, it was clear the story was about so much more than just admitting her feelings to Catra, it was about the idea of allowing herself a happy life in general.

Dryl is like IKEA If I hadn't thought this up after the episode that took place in Dryl, I would have absolutely done this. We just never went back.

Finale is Catra proposing for real - I can't live without you/A world without you is no world/Love yourself because I do/What's the point in creating a world where you can be yourself if you aren't there too? Various rejected lines and ideas for that 'don't you get it' scene. They just weren't as good as what you ended up seeing.

This is the point of you - to love and to be loved. That's all any of us ever asked This one was also for that scene, and played on Adora's repeated asking of "What's the point of me". It's a great line in isolation, but it didn't fit with the others around it

Wanna fuck?/I've gotta save the universe first We ended up with a toned-down version of this, because there's undercutting the tension and there's undercutting the tension. Yup, there are even times where I reject the cruder lines!

Entrapta has a birth mark. Hordak knows. Another one on the slightly cruder side, but I couldn't really find a place that this worked. Maybe next time...

(On Prime's ship) Glimmer accuses Catra of being like SW and that's why Catra decides to help. "You're not perfect yourself, Princess"/"Wow, you can tell Shadow Weaver raised you" In hindsight, this just looks like it's unnecessarily harsh. I get what I was aiming for, a point of reflection for Catra that she may be going down the wrong path, but now I look back, I'm glad I didn't include this.

Corridors - Glimmer: It would be nice if you apologised for being a bitch to me/Catra: That would imply I'm sorry about it This one would have fit a lot better than the above idea, but the two of them bickering whilst fighting was funnier.

And that's the unused stuff! Would you have liked to see it in the blog? Happy that it didn't happen? Let me know!

104 notes · View notes

ky-yk · 1 year

Text

out of time (kmj x f!reader)

genre: angst w/ a happy ending || word count: 1.9k author's note: i'd like to thank myself for making a playlist that's been creatively inspiring me recently and for being able to turn trauma into clout ANYWAYS hope y'all enjoy this one mwamwa

"okay, how're we feeling about this?"

you give yourself a once over in the mirror before turning to your sister for her opinion.

"i mean, it's giving date, you know?"

"really?" would she think so?

"it does. it looks great, but riddle me this: why are you trying so hard to look good?"

because i want her to see how much i've grown. how much...better i am than before. "because why not? you know me, i'm always dressing to impress."

"alright..." your sister trails off, giving you one last look that went unnoticed before going back to her phone and scrolling through her reels.

you grabbed your purse, double checking to see if everything you needed was there ("okay: wallet, id, charger, tissue...earphones alright i'm set") and made your way out the front door toward your car.

the drive was quiet with nothing but the hum of the engine and the weeknd's out of time filling the void. being the introvert you are, you enjoyed times like these. the world's too noisy, anyways; it was nice to let your thoughts run wild.

god, i can't wait to see her again. it's been, what, 3 years? since we last saw each other?

i wonder how this'll go, though. we haven't had a proper conversation in ages, coupled with the fact that i'm more of a listener than a talker, i just hope today will be fun.

but what if the conversation dies? good lord i'd rather shrivel up and die than have that happen--then again, though, we're friends: awkward silences should be comfortable. wait--are we friends? she said we could stay friends after the break up but everything i've heard from her has been secondhand; she never tells me things. she's also not obligated to tell me things anymore anyways but...the thought that i might not mean as much to her as she does to me still stings...

before you knew it, you'd arrived at the mall. shaking away all those thoughts, you got out of the car and started making your way to the mall entrance, all the while texting her.

y/n: heyy just arrived, wya?

min <3: yoo, im just at the music store. meet me here?

y/n: geurae, see ya soon!

with purpose in each step, you pocketed your phone and made your way over to the store where you both agreed to meet up. as you pulled up to the front, you caught a glimpse of the girl through the glass window with a racing heart. you've always imagined how your first meeting after so long would go, but nothing could've prepared you for the overwhelming weight on your chest seeing her in real life again -- even if it was just the back of her head.

you must've been shooting lasers at her skull because at once, she turned around and saw you. her eyes widened before a smile took over her whole face, turning her eyes into little crescents.

still as gorgeous as ever.

you returned the sentiment before you both started walking towards each other, meeting at the entrance of the music store. she opened her arms up, inviting you into a hug that ended right as it started. you tried to mask your disappointment at the fact you couldn't settle in and give her a proper bear hug when she pulled away and looked at you.

looked down at you, that is.

"my gosh, y/n, even after all this time you're still giving me neck problems!"

you looked back up at her, mouth wide in mock offense before you went in for the punch. "yah, watch it, kim minji."

"i'm kidding, im kidding! you know i missed you."

so did i.

"so, have you eaten yet?" minji asked, curiosity lacing her deep voice that still manages to have you swooning.

"nope. what about you?"

"nada. let's grab some lunch?"

"geurae."

walking in step with each other, you both started looking for possible restaurants that you both liked and also didn't dent your wallets. you settled on a cute little cafe that was pretty empty. you held the door open for her, which she then thanked you for.

"go find us a seat while i order."

"alright, i'll have a--"

"croissant and iced chocolate, right?"

"yeah..." i drink coffee now though.

even with all the free tables, you decided to take the one farthest away from the entrance. you took the couch seat so that you could put your things down beside you and stare from afar.

okay, you're doing good so far, y/n. just don't fuck this up and you'll get your girlfriend back. the small talk is small talking, it's not awkward, it's just like old times!

while you waited for minji to return to your table, you pulled your phone out and started scrolling through your instagram. you browsed through people's stories, giving them a once-over before clicking to the next one, until you reached minji's finsta account.

you found the account a long while after your break up. hesitant at first to shoot a follow request, you ended up asking for one to which she accepted a few days later.

once you made it in, you felt just a little bit closer to her again. she posted every second of every day about anything and everything: her favorite boy group, family troubles, and a potential crush.

when you first saw these stories, and every viewing afterward, you always exited the app, jumped up, and found something else to do. we're not together, so who cares if she had her eye on someone else? you'd always reason out. over the months, the ache in your heart started to weaken every time you'd see one of these stories, the promise of "if it's meant to be, it'll be" that you held so tightly onto stopped leaving callouses on your hand.

nonetheless, you still gripped on. every mention of her crush that resembled you even the slightest bit made you hold on even tighter until the next story.

out of the corner of your eye, you saw a tray being set on the table. you looked up at minji as she moved to transfer the food, hoping she could see the adoration that lingered in your eyes. you gave up, moving to help out instead when you saw that the tray's contents had just been unloaded onto your table. you pouted a little bit, taking your phone out to take a few pictures before putting it down and getting ready to dig in. as you ate, you and minji caught up on your families, friends, and new opportunities.

("wait, you're the new director of photography for your magazine? that's amazing, y/n!"

i was hoping you'd be proud of me; you were the one who pushed me to do this, is what you wanted to say.

what came out was a shy smile as you went to pick at your croissant instead, muttering a small "thanks, min.")

you talked about almost everything...except the new (old(?)) apple of her eye.

"so, has anyone caught your eye recently?"

you hesitated to ask for a plethora of reasons: she's your ex, and part of you didn't want to know the answer. then again, she was your friend too. don't friends talk about this stuff? you reasoned out.

she looked a little surprised, eyes wide and all, before she cleared her throat and started acting bashful. "i'm guessing you've seen my stories?"

"they're kinda hard to miss."

"yah!"

"i'm kidding! kinda. anyways, who is it?"

"why do you want to know?" she asked embarrassedly. because i want to know who i'm up against, i want to know if i'm better...i want to know where i fell short. "because we're friends, aren't we? i wanna know!"

"alright, alright. um...you know pham hanni?"

how could i not? she's the batch's ace: amazing singer, songwriter, all around artist, not to mention, extremely pretty.

she's everything i wish i was, is what i would've said.

"oh, i'm familiar with her, yeah," is what came out instead.

minji then stared going on about the details: why and when she started falling for the viet artist, how they got to know each other, and whether or not she stood a chance.

"i'm really confused because i feel like she's been sending me hints, but at the same time, i don't want to assume, you know?"

throughout all of this, you noticed how expressive and excited talking about the girl; how her eyes would light up just thinking about her. you thought the sight would make the rope around your heart tighten.

instead, you felt it loosen. like you were being set free.

you knew she was in good hands.

just not yours.

"well, what hints has she been dropping?"

"you know how we're both into music, right? that's how we got close?" you nodded. "every time she sends me song recommendations, they're always love songs. i mean, last time, it was would you be so kind? by dodie," you chuckled at how loud and rushed she'd gotten. "that's got to mean something, right?! tell me i'm not delusional."

months ago, you would've easily given in, telling her she was out of her mind. seeing her this happy, though? you had to be honest, especially after all those moments she filled you in on.

"well, from my expert opinion, i feel like you should go for it," you said without a single ounce of malice. you missed seeing her smile, regardless of the cause.

that, and you saw the vision.

you two kept talking about anything and everything until a certain hime cutted-girl approached your table. you looked up and saw the object of minji's affection. eyes wide, you greeted her hello. she returned the greeting with a bright smile. just like me, huh? she chose well. across from you, you saw minji beet red and covering her hair with her face.

"oh, are you guys hanging out?"

"yeah, but i was just about to leave, actually," you saw minji's eyes widen out of the corner of your eye as you stood to leave. "duty calls, you know?"

"so i've heard! congrats on that, by the way, you deserve it."

"thank you, hanni," you nodded in acknowledgement. "well, i'll leave you guys to it. the little mermaid's just come out, you guys should go watch it!"

"we just might. see you around, y/n!" you waved back at them, sending minji a look that held everything you were feeling before shooting her a wink and a smile and walking away.

the walk back to the car was quiet. as you switched on the ignition, your phone connected to the car immediately and started continuing where you left off with out of time before getting so rudely interrupted by a message notification. you picked your phone to read what it said.

min <3: i'm sorry our lunch got cut short, y/n, but i hope you had fun! i know i did hehe

you chuckled at the message.

y/n: no worries, min-ah. go get your girl! i'm happy for you.

you replied to her message before going into your contacts.

minji: thank you, y/n. know that i'll always be rooting for you. fighting!

a small smile took over your face as you put your phone down to drive off.

Say I love you, girl, but I'm out of time Say I'm there for you, but I'm out of time (no) Say that I'll care for you, but I'm out of time (hey) Said, I'm too late to make you mine, out of time (ah)

#🐻 — ky writes #girl group imagines #newjeans #kim minji #kim minji x reader #newjeans imagines #newjeans x reader #newjeans minji

143 notes · View notes

finanmoghra · 1 year

Text

Charming Irishman

pairing modern!Finan x reader

summary an irish pub opens in front of your flower shop, and you can't resist that charming irish who owns it.

warnings smut, finan in general

word count 4.1k

gif credit

a/n guys english isn't my first language and i've never wrote smut in eng, so forgive me for any mistakes, i tried my best. also i suck with small talk so maybe things will happen "fast"

It's a typical thursday at Winchester, you are heading your way to your flower shop as you always do in the mornings. That street is so habitual to you by now, the tiny coffee shop, the record store, the stationery shop, and oh, that irish pub of course. That place used to be a lot of stuff until 4 months ago when some men bought the place and open an irish pub right in front of your shop. You don't talk like it's an annoyance, everythings is quiet as usual for a pub during the day, but you're not so sure about the night.

The thing is, a month or two ago, a dark-haired man walked into your shop, with a smirk on his face, you have seen him around, principally that smirk, you noticed that he worked at the pub but when you first heard his voice with the strong accent you assumed that he was the owner. At the first time, he asked for your help to buy some flowers for his sister, whose were moving back to the town, he explained in an attempt to start a conversation, you suggested him pink roses and while you prepare the bouquet, he introduced himself as Finan, and as you assumed, the pub owner. You had a samll talk before he left.

Two weeks after that, Finan started coming over every week, usually on thursday, like today, and you always have his order almost ready by the time he shows up. You two got along very easily, he was all flirty over you, politely, however. You started to have longer conversations as the weeks passed by and was in one of those that he explained why the same order every week. His mother was struggling with some problems and when he showep up at the family dinner with flowers for his sister, he noticed that she got a bit emotional, so now he takes 'em every week to cheer her up. You couldn't resist thinking he's such a sweet guy after that, even though you try not to give attention to his flirts, you can't deny that you enjoy his company, he has been saving you from boredom and entertaining you on monotonous days, as he casually shows up on days other than thursdays.

The hours fly by and when you realise, you're hearing the front door bell ringing and a familiar figure walk in.

— Hi Finan, it's been a time since I've seen you. — you say with a little smile on your face.

— Hey Y/N! Did ya miss me? — you could tell that damn smirk was on his face even if you weren't looking.

— Miss your jerk face? Never. — yes, you did miss him.

— I'm gonna take it as a compliment. — he winked at you — Sorry about my absence, it's been a busy week.

— St. Patrick's Day, I presume.

— Yeah, we have some weeks until then, but as an irish, I have to make a proper celebration, ya know. — he tapped his fingers at the counter while looking at you — And talking about pub stuff, ya should come for the happy hour tomorrow.

As consistent as his visits on thursday, it is his invitations.

— I'm gonna think about it. — you say as you finish the bouquet, you won't admmit but you always leave some things to do when he arrives so you have more time to enjoy his company.

— C'mon, ya always say that! Ya have to meet the pub and the boys wants to know ya better!

The boys whose Finan is talking about are, Sihtric and Osferth, who both work with him, and Uhtred, they're Finan's best friends who he is always talking about. You kinda know them from seeing around but never really talked to them.

And, he's right. You always says the same thing, but in your defense it's been a bit hard to resist all these flirts, and you fear getting closer to him and ending up with a broken heart. You're sure he's a sweet, kind and cool guy, but also he seems to be quite womanising as well.

— I swear I'm going to think about it. — a smile grew up on your face as you realise he got puppy eyes

— Really? — he asks.

— Really! — you roll your eyes although you're smiling to him.

You two got engaged into a conversation and don't even see the time passing.

— Damn it! I'm really late, I have to go now. — he says after having a look on his watch.

You were ready to say something when he gets close and pecked you in your cheek. — Bye, lady. — he says as he walk away.

You could feel your cheeks getting warm and you froze but managed to say something before he leaves.

— You may see me tomorrow.

He didn't say anything but you know he was wearing that smirk.

Finan's visit at your store is not the only constance in your thursdays, actually you reunite with your former roommate and best friend, Ealswith, at thursday's nights. You two meet when you were both on college and had started living together after some time, it's been a while since you two live separetely, but you two still really closer, thankfully to the girls' night.

You two were really enjoying the night while having some wine and snacks, listening to music and soon that topic came up.

— He came over today, as usual, invited me to go to the pub tomorrow, I said I was going to think.

— As usual. — Ealswith mumbles.

— Stop it. — you smack her arm — And he kissed me before leaving. At the cheek! — I say before she get too excited.

— C'mon! You should go, really. You can no more act like you don't like him, it's so obvious.

— I cannot go! You know it.

— I know what? By the way you tell me, he's into you! And he wants to know you better out of your workspace.

You start to argument but Ealswith cuts you. — Don't say you afraid! You need to stop assuming things, maybe he's all flirty because he likes you.

— I- argh.. — you hide your face in your hands, you know she's right.

— Hey, hey! Look at me. Tomorrow you will close the shop, go to your home and I will meet you there to help you get ready, I'm going with you so if anything goes wrong or you don't feel well, we go home, right?

— Don't you think he's gonna find it, I don't know, weird to bring someone?

— I'm pretty sure he will understand you not going alone, and hey, maybe you can set me up with one of his friends. — she winks at you and you both start laughing.

— Okay, alright then.

So as planned, Ealswith showed up at your house to help you get ready as you were too nervous, it took a while but you could finally decided what to wear. It was nearly 6 p.m when you asked for a cab and it didn't take too long to arrive so in a few minutes you were at the pub.

You could feel your hand a bit shaky before walk in, but Ealswith noticed and hold it 'til you calm down.

You entered the pub and looked for that familiar figure, you couldn't find him but you managed to find Osferth, who waved at you and called Finan's attention to you.

— Hey Y/N! Are ya really here? — he greets you, laughing a bit

— I told you would maybe see me today!

— Don't blame me for being surprised. — You rolled your eyes at his answer, still smiling. — Ya brought a friend, hi!

You intruduce her to Finan and after that he takes both of you to their table, and properly presents you to the boys.

— What do ya ladies would like to drink? — he asks as we are all settled down.

— Just a pint, it's good. Right? — you turns to Ealswith and she nodded.

— One more round then! — he says to the waiter close to our table.

— It's good to finally meet you, Y/N! If you didn't work here in front I would think that Finan made you up. — Sihtric says and makes Uhtred and Osferth laughs and Finan roll his eyes.

— Yeah, it's nice to have an opportunity to see if everything Finan says about you, it's true. — Uhtred takes part.

You can ser Finan's cheeks a little bit red and you smile at this. — Well, I hope he have only said good things about me. — you answer kinda shy yet.

— Trust me, not a single bad thing. — Uhtred says.

— Except from you never accepting his invitations. — Osferth says and Finan smack his arm. Poor boy.

— It's good for you all to meet Y/N, and it's good for me to finally see the face of the mainly topic of our talks. — Ealswith says and you can feel the blood rushing to your cheeks as it get warm up.

— Hope you've heard of us too. — Sihtric winks at her.

Anyone who passed by your table would think you were all friends for years, you got along easily and the night was being so fun, you were really enjoying their company.

After some time, you and Ealswith excused yourselves and headed the way to the toilet.

— God! He's so into you, more than I've thought. — she exclaimed at the moment you were out of their sight.

— Do you think? — yeah, you noticed how he looked at you since you arrived, but you didn't want to assume something.

— You know I say this because I love you, but stop being a fool! He fell down for you, I can say it for sure by what his friends said.

You couldn't argument with her, the signs were there and you have to admit that this is all you have wished for.

On the way back to the table you told her to go ahead and you were just back her. You stopped at the bar and asked for water, and while waiting you felt someone approach, you prepare to deal with a drunk guy who's trying to get along with some woman, but actually you feel chills when you heard that voice.

— May I say ya look stunning tonight?

— I would appreciate it, yeah. — you smile as you turn to him. You may be dreaming about that voice and smirk for days long.

— It's everything alright? — Finan asks.

— Yeah, just needed a bit of water before going back. — the bartender hands you a glass of water and you thanks him.

— So, what ya think? — he points to the place.

— You did a good job here, it's a nice place for sure.

— I'm not even going to ask about my friends 'cause this is something for Ealswith to answer. — we both shared a laugh.

— She and Sihtric got along very well, I see.

— Don't blame her, he can be very persuasive.

— So does she.

You two spent some time talking alone, just sharing things and getting more closer to each other.

When you two decided to go back to the group table they were all laughing of something.

— What's happening? — Finan asks as he pull a chair for you on his side.

— We were just telling Ealswith about one day after we started here and you crossed the streets so many times trying to get a reason to go to Y/N's shop. — Sihtric answers, still laughing.

— We're surprised you didn't notice him, Y/N! — Osferth says. — Otherwise I think you'd be scared of him.

— Good I didn't notice though. — I reply laughing at Finan.

— Alright, alright, stop talking about me.

You got a bit lost at the conversation when he stretched his arm across your chair and you could feel his fingers running through your undressed shoulder.

It was nearly midnight when you and Ealswith decided to go home. You said goodbye to the boys, saying it was nice to meet them and on the way out, Finan decided to go along with you.

You were at the pub entrance waiting for the cab Ealswith asked for, you could feel Finan catching your hand into his, he pulled you closer to say:

— It was a good night.

— Yeah, it was. — you said with a low voice just for him to hear.

— Hope we can repeat it, or maybe just the two of us. — he winked at you.

— I would like that, for sure.

You two were getting really closer when Ealswith call you out. — Y/N! It's here.

— See you thursday. — you smile at him, you walked away but turned back when remember something. — I almost forget it. — you handle him your shop card, but at the back you've written your personal number.

He catched it and you didn't think so much before approaching just to peck him in the lips for a few seconds before leaving.

— This woman will drive me crazy. — he speaks to himself when you've already leave.

Another week just started, you spent your weekend betwen spending some time with your friends trying to keeping up with everyone's lives and chatting with Finan. The last part taking over your weekend.

Things were getting a little bit more serious since you kissed him goodbye on friday and you allowed yourself to be open to a possible romance. Finan's flirty personality stayed the same, he would do it at any chance it was given to him, and you like it, it's good to feel that somebody wants you.

You were talking to your friend, Aethelflaed, on the phone about Finan and you jumped when you heard the sound of the door bell thinking that could be him but you turned around and saw a boy with curly hair into your shop.

— Morning! How can I help you?

— I'm Aethelstan, I'm here for the assistant job, we've talked on the phone. — the boy says, a bit shy.

— Oh, right, Aethelstan! I'm sorry I was a bit distracted. — you shake hands with him. —You've mentioned you are studying biology, am I correct?

— Yes, you are.

— So I think the flower stuff is gonna be easy, I just need to show you some other things and then you can have your first day here, and at the end of the day we discuss if everything is going alright.

The kid learnt the things pretty well, that was good because it's been a busy day so far.

You were checking some things at the computer when you saw a familiar figure at the other side of the street, he had just arrived, it seemed.

— Aethelstan, I'm going out quickly, pay attention if someone comes in. — you say a bit loud as the kid was at the back of the store.

You crossed the street before he get into the pub. — Finan,hey! — you call his attention.

—Y/N, hi! — he comes closer to hug you quickly.

— I just wanted to ask what are the plans for St. Patrick's day?

— So ya're planning to come?

— Only if it's seems cool enough. — you give him a smirk

— I won't say more than this, but if ya come ya gonna experience the best party of your life.

— I don't know if I believe, but I'll give you try.

— You should bring Ealswith! — you jumped when you heard Sihtric, he showed up from nowhere. — I'm sorry I have to steal your man but we got work to do.

You felt the warm on your cheeks after he called Finan "your man", but you didn't say anything, actually you liked it.

— See ya later! — you hear Finan says before being dragged by Sihtric. You blowed him a kiss before he entered the pub and then you went back to your store.

It seemed that an eternity have passed before friday arrives. It was a busy week and you barely saw him, even on thursday, he came but was in a hurry.

It was a good week, although. Aethelstan really helped you, you just found out that he and Finan are neighbors, they both live at the same building. The poor boy had to listen you talking about Finan a lot during that week, especially when Ealswith and Aethelflaed came.

You were actually doing nothing but counting the hours for you to go home, and Aethelstan noticed it.

— You know you can go home and let me finish stuff here, I can close the store.

— Are you sure of this?

— Yeah, it's not a big deal, you can trust me.

He was right, it was not a big deal.

— Okay then, thanks Aethelstan! See you monday.

It didn't take long for you to arrive at home, of course you had decided your outfit during the week, you were only waiting for Aethelflaed and Ealswith to come so you could get ready. Once the girls arrived and you all got ready, your home was a mess after this, you took a cab to the pub.

The pub was more crowded than usual, you notice that once you arrived, but it wasn't hard to find Finan as he and his friends were at the same place as the last week. You greeted everyone before getting a seat at his side, you introduced Aethelflaed to them and also met Uhtred's fiancé, Gisela, she was a kind woman, you hope you get more chances to hang out with her.

The night was going really well, you and the girls have danced a lot, you ordered too many green drinks, that you weren't sure of what it was, you were all having fun, there wasn't a moment when someone wasn't laughing. You felt really happy between them all, it was good feelings that you have made new friendships like them.

Things went a little wild when Finan intercepted you on your way back from the toilet and took you to his office upstairs. He closed the door behind you, his arms now rounding you.

— Oi! Calm down, my dear. — you said, not knowing exactly how to deal with him so close to you.

— I cannot, not when ya are out there being so beautiful, I can't stay away from ya anymore. — you feel chills when his hands squeeze your waist, pulling you closer to him

— You don't need to. — you gave him a smirk, but it didn't last too long as he got even more closer and catched your lips in his.

You felt breathless, it was even better than you thought, his lips were soft but rough over yours. His hands sliding down on your hips, it was a sign that things were getting hotter. When both of you were running out of breath, you could feel him break the kiss but leading the way of his lips to your neck. You gasped with the sensation, he sucked that point behind your ear.

You could feel his hardness against his trousers as he grabbed your arse, you started to feel the need to get rid of your clothes and when you took your hands to Finan's shirt he took a step back. You didn't understand why he would do that.

— Look, I really want ya, but I'm not doing in the right way. — he could see your confusion. — I didn't plan for this to happen here, so what ya think about going home with me, uh?

— I don't want to look desperate, but please, take me home. — you kissed him before you two settled down and go downstairs. You found Aethelflaed on the way and told her where you were going before leave.

The way on the cab was.. something. His hands running through your thighs all the way to his home, you were glad it was close. As soon as you entered at his flat, he pinned you on the door, kissing you hunger than before. He picked you up, your thighs now almost undressed under his touch as he leads you to his bedroom.

— Ya have no idea how many times I've thought about ya, about your lips against mine. Ya are such a dream, Y/N. — he says as he laid you on his bed, making sure to touch every inch of your body.

You pulled him closer enough to whisper on his ear. — And you have no idea of how many nights I dreamed about you touching me like this.

He kissed you hard, hands undoing the zipper of your dress and soon you were only wearing a black lace matching underwear. The look he gave you made you feel like you were burning inside.

— It isn't fair that you are all dressed yet. — you said running your fingers through his, still dressed, chest.

— This won't be a problem anymore. — he smirked at you as he started to unbutton his shirt. It didn't take so long until both of you were only on your underwear, you not so much as he took your bra off, sucking on your breasts, before going down on your body, starting to run his mouth on your inner thigh while playing with the laces on your panties before taking off.

You let a moan out when his lips pressed on your sweet spot, he went dived onto you, sucking on your clit, making you feel like you were in heaven.

— Finan, please, more! — you groaned when you felt his finger rounding you before enter you. You couldn't control your moans, praising him as his fingers curved inside you, hitting that spot. You couldn't contain your hands from pulling his hair when you came on his mouth.

You only had time to take a deep breath before Finan was all over you, kissing you breathless, your taste on his tongue. He parted the kiss, smiling at you as he brushes your hair off your face.

— Are ya ok? For another one?

— More than ok! — you answer laughing.

He took a condom from his trausers, rolling on and soon he was back over you. He kissed you as he was slowly entering you, and both of you were groaning loudly. His name leaving in between your lips like you were praising him, the sound of your hips colliding getting louder as he slammed into you. He was relentless, hard and fast on you, your nails scrapping his back, your thighs gripped his hips making he going deeper.

— Fuck, Finan! — you groaned loudly

He flipped you, now you were on top so you started riding him, rolling your hips over his causing to hit your spot. He grabbed your arse and you layed down over him, meeting his lips again, going up and down on him, now with his hands controlling the rhythm. You felt you were close so you started moving faster, soon you were clenching around him, moaning his name as he came right after you.

He slowly pulled out of you, and you fell at his side, breathless.

— That was... I don't even know. — you say between breaths, laughing with him.

— I'll be right back. — he kissed you on your cheeks before getting up, he pick up his boxer and then disappear into some door. He came back with a towel on his hands and get on the bed again. — Now let me take care of ya.

You were already sleepy but you smiled at this.

After he clean both of you, he pulled you so you could lay on his chest, his arms holding you close and all you could do was relax.

— Ya're too good to be true, mo grá. — he left a kiss on your forehead before fall asleep with you.

#finan x reader #finan the agile #modern finan #modern tlk au #the last kingdom #tlk #tlk fandom #mark rowley #modern tlk #tlk fanfic #finan the last kingdom #reader fic #tlk au #finan imagine

176 notes · View notes

vacancy-virtues · 4 months

Note

Please write a part 2 of Indulgence 1? I can't stop reading it it's just so good

Greetings anon!

It is a thrill to know Indulgence #1 has been popular, and I did do an additional part to this one particularly for another ask.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy and thank you for your patience!

XXX

#1.75- "Bringer of Happy Endings"

Villain couldn't believe the night before happened the way it did. They almost didn't want to believe it in fear of disappointment, yet when the morning light illuminated the piles of clothes the two discarded through their night and the sleeping form of Hero beside them, Villain had no other choice but to believe.

There was a chill in the cabin. The embers of the fireplace still barely crackled its last bit of life in the quiet room. After they untangled themselves from Heros embrace, their feet met the cold hardwood below. A shiver to shoot up their spine. They made their way to the bathroom to freshen up, and as they washed their hands, noticed the carnage Hero left behind on their neck.

Various bruises, from either Heros hand or their mouth, littered their skin and trailed down to their collarbone and shoulder. The flesh was tender from the attention, particularly around some strategically placed bite marks just on the nape of Villains neck which would be harder to hide. How were they to explain all this when Villain got back to headquarters?

"Fuck, Hero..." Villain hissed quietly as they inspected the bruising.

They donned a fluffy black robe, and after starting a pot of coffee, took a seat at the desk. The document they'd been working on was still open on their idling laptop, sentence stopped mid-way from the bombardment of last night. They scanned over it and couldn't help but chuckle at the stark contrast of the bitter words on the screen compared to the sweet events of only a few hours ago. Villain started a new document, labeled only as 'Plans'. A pair of arms encircled their waist not long after they started, and Heros chin rested on their shoulder.

"Still writing about me?"

"Not in the way you hope, but yes."

"You didn't get this cabin to work," Hero hummed, placed a gentle kiss on Villains tender neck. "You came here to get away from me."

"Clearly, I failed in doing that. So, now I have to work."

"Why?" Heros arms tightened. "Am I really so terrible that you'd rather scheme than stay in bed with me?"

The statement irked Villain, yet they didn't move away from the other like they'd done last night. Villains hands hovered over the keyboard, their eyes fixed on the empty document, but their mind focused on Heros words and closeness. Headquarters at least knew where Villain was, but it would be highly unlikely Hero had the same graces with their role as bringer of happy endings. It only hurt more for Villain to know they would never have one of their own.

"Did I say I want to work?" A hand reached to hold Heros wrist. "I have to. We have to, because we are predisposed to this. I've been tired of this for months, and it's why I didn't come back. But now you're here and I have to work up a plan for when you tell everyone you found me. Everything starts over again, as usual."

There was a long moment of silence. Hero didn't say anything, and Villains hands went back to the keyboard with a defeated sigh. Not only were they tired of the routine they were always stuck in, but they were tired of the hurt knowing it would never change. They knew better than to allow themselves to wallow in it, and so they tapped Heros hands around their waist.

"Now, could you let go? There is no point in making plans if you're watching over my-"

"Sidekick took my place."

"...What?"

"I brought them on to show them how to be a proper hero in the event something happened to me, and..." Hero took a deep breath, arms still draped loosely around their waist.

"Last week, something did happen. Some of your people brought down a building-"

"Good for them," Villain interjected with an subtle, but approving nod.

"Not the point," Hero chuckled, a smile in their voice. "I had to get out through the sewers. Instead of immediately getting back to the scene, I... hid, just to see what would happen. It barely took them a day to decide I was dead after not being able to find the body."

It seemed absurd to Villain, almost to the point they got angry. For someone of Heros status, their prestige, how could it be so easy to write off such a mundane death as factual? Villain was clearly offended on Heros behalf, but they stayed mostly silent as they listened to Hero, unsure of what they were hinting at with all this.

"Did... you plan this?"

"In a way, no, but I'm glad for how it turned out." Hero nuzzled their head against Villain with a soft sigh. "Sidekick is doing a fine job at the hero work. I'd even say they are getting more popular than I was when I started."

"I find that hard to believe..." Villain said with biased disinterest. "How did you find me?"

"I like to think I know you better than you think I do." It had been years, afterall. Villain could only imagine what Hero knew about them.

Villains hands clenched above the keyboard as they processed the nearly unbelievable information given to them. It had been such a long time since Villain allowed themselves to think about what it would be like without the scheming and plotting against Hero. How better their life would be if they didn't spend sleepless nights figuring out how to subdue the Hero again, only to expect a follow-up fight the next week. How good their life could be without the expectations of the roles they upheld for so long. It would either be the most surprising truth Villain ever heard, or the most dastardly plan Hero has come up with yet.

"Then... what do you want from me?"

"You. Have I not been clear? I've wanted you for so long yet never figured out how to make it happen until now. Villain, don't act like I don't know how you've wanted this as well..." A hand tugged at the knot on Villains robe. "You certainly showed me last night~"

"Don't, it's too cold out here," A hand fell onto Heros, and stopped their tugging in a second. Villain intertwined their hands and could feel Hero relax from the bit of tension they carried. With a sigh, Villain closed their laptop, and turned in Heros embrace to face them. Villain ran chilled hands up Heros chest to settle on their shoulders.

"Bring me back to bed."

Villain could hear the smile in Heros hum while they kissed. Feel the relief in the arms which enveloped them and carried them back to bed. See in every brief but focused gaze between breathless kisses of Heros truthful nature. It felt too good to be true, but so did their lips against Villains tender neck, yet they were undeniably there.

And now, Hero was undeniably theirs.

#hero x villain #villain x hero #writing #my writing #indulgence series #i hope you enjoy!

25 notes · View notes

featheredadora · 1 year

Note

hello! hope you're having a nice day

i have been interested in keeping a pet canary for a bit, but i don't know about any good care guides for them, do you perhaps know one? (it's aight if you don't or if it's too much information to write)

Hi there!

I think canaries are wonderful and really sweet little birds, so it is nice to hear people appreciating them!

That said, I'm afraid I don't really have a specific guide to point you to, sorry! I remember before I got Sunshine for my nan I spent a few months reading just a ton of different guides about canaries (I found it quite overwhelming combing through so much info tbh) but that was more than three years ago now, so I don't really remember which resources I found particularly helpful.

In any case, if you are interested in some thoughts from me personally, I've put some stuff beneath the cut:

In terms of info I have from my personal experience (you might already know all of this, sorry), a lot of the care is not dissimilar to other kinds of birds. Sunshine eats a diet of canary seed mix, superfine pellets, and a range of veggies (he in particular likes to have a piece of tenderstem brocolli clipped up every day. But he also loves romaine lettuce, and chop made from kale, peppers, carrots etc).

Cage-wise, the bigger the better, with an emphasis on length over height - but super important to get very small bar spacing, because canaries are so small that there is a risk of them getting their heads stuck otherwise. Lots of natural perches of differing widths too, and I would personally include a flat perch as well, for variety.

But my experience with Sunshine has also been different from my other birds in lots of ways too! My other birds like to stay out of their cages basically all day, whereas Sunshine prefers to stay in his cage for the bulk of the day. He asks to be let out (usually just a couple of times a day) and will then fly and play around the room for a while, but he then returns to his cage and is happy to play about in there for a bit.

In terms of toys, I have heard that canaries 'don't really play with toys', but this hasn't been my experience with Sunshine. He needs lighter, easier toys though - his favourites are a string of sola wood discs, a paper pinata toy, and a willow ball stuffed with crinkle paper which he likes to pull out.

I've also found that his nails grow a LOT faster than my other birds, so we take him to the vet for a nail trim every few months (if you can do this yourself at home, that's probably better, but Sunshine gets super stressed out if ever we try to grab him). Oh and one last thing, he LOVES having baths. More than any other bird I've known. Annoyingly, Sunshine refuses to use a proper bird bath and will only use his water pot (so I have to clean and refresh it multiple times per day), but I would still say getting a nice little bath for your friend is important!

So yeah, sorry I couldn't be of more help! As with any bird, the best possible advice I can give is to get them registered with a good avian vet for their regular check ups, and also to make sure your house is bird proof (safe for them during out-of-cage time, but also safe from items which could give off fumes, like spray deodorant, candles, most non-stick cooking stuff, etc).

This ended up being both super long, and super basic, sorry! But in any case, thank you for giving me chance to talk a bit about Sunshine (who I love and adore), and I hope you and your future little friend will be really happy together!

#asks #somebodytolove31 #birblr #canary #usual disclaimer here of I am just some guy who likes birds #but I hope this was maybe a little helpful or interesting!

75 notes · View notes

aebi12 · 9 months

Text

"Resentment" - Chapter 3

Summary

He is the cause of her sufferings. He took her dragon, her betrothed, and her father. Now, he will also take away her future by having to marry him.

With so much history and bad blood between Rhaena and Aemond, their forced union has everything to fail, except that the proximity will make them discover that perhaps they have more in common than it seems.

AU - the Greens win the war.

Masterlist with previous chapters

____________________________________________________

Hiiiiiiiiii! I know I said Sunday, but hey that was just a few hours in this part of the world so...

Enjoy!!!

Also I'm battling with a nasty flu right now, so I'm sorry if there are mistakes :(

______________________________________________________

“Welcome to King's Landing, Lady Rhaena,” the Dowager Queen greets politely.

Rhaena looks away from the stoic prince and clears her throat so she can reply, "Thank you, Your Grace."

“I trust you had a good trip”

"I had," she nods, "Although I admit it was a long one and I'm happy to finally be in my ancestral home, and to be received by such honorable company."

The words come out more easily than she expects, empty courtesies she's practiced all her life that seem to make a good impression on the queen, who looks at her in surprise at first, before finally offering her a smile.

“We were looking forward to see you”

Beside her, Aemond chuckles, and Rhaena can't help but glance in his direction, though his gaze is fixed somewhere in the empty courtyard.

“This is my son, Prince Aemond,” the queen continues, her posture anxious as she regards the man, her lips pursed into a snarl that seems to denote sudden nervousness.

At the mention of his name, Aemond tilts his face and his eye meets Rhaena's again. For a moment, a brief moment that fills her with terror, she thinks he's going to come over and say something, but in the end, he just gives her the slightest nod and refocuses his gaze in the courtyard. Rhaena sighs, relieved, and hears Alicent sigh as well, though hers seems to be more out of frustration.

"Mother!"

Daeron's interruption saves her from having to address Aemond. The young prince, indifferent to the tense moment shared, approaches Alicent and places a kiss on her forehead before standing next to her.

“My son,” the woman smiles at him with obvious fondness, “Thank you for bringing Lady Rhaena back safely.”

“My mother is relieved every time I return to land from riding Tessarion,” Daeron comments with amusement, looking at his cousin, “Are you feeling better?”

"Are you sick?" Alicent asks, watching her expression.

“I just felt a little under the weather because of the trip,” Rhaena is quick to reply, shaking her head, “I'm not as used to dragon riding as my cousin.”

"Probably you are just hungry," Daeron says with a shrug, "It is been many hours since we've had food."

"Yes, yes, you are right" Alicent nods, "It is pretty late, we should go inside and have a proper dinner."

“If I may,” Rhaena curtsies, and walks back to the carriage, opening the door and extending her arm to Morning, who deftly climbs up to wrap around her shoulders.

The young woman returns to her hosts and suppresses a smile at the stunned look of the Dowager Queen, who takes a couple of steps back, clearly avoiding getting too close to her dragon.

“This is Morning,” she says in an affectionate voice.

"I didn't... I was not aware that your dragon..."

The queen clearly doesn't know how to go on. Morning roars in her direction, barely a playful roar, but one that makes the woman close her eyes for a moment. The sound seems to draw Aemond's attention, who this time focuses his gaze on both the creature and its rider, gazing at their proximity with what appears to be a mixture of curiosity and disapproval.

“I couldn't leave her in the Vale,” Rhaena explains, “Do not worry, though, my queen. Morning knows how to behave"

“I vouch for that,” Daeron nods.

“Fine, then…” Alicent still sounds reluctant, but she finally makes her way up the stairs to enter the palace.

The place is still as foreign to Rhaena as it was the first and only time she had visited it. The many passageways, corridors, and stairways open before her almost like a stone maze, softly lit by the torches on the wall.

Perhaps because of the hour, few are the nobles they run into, though they all look curiously at Rhaena and the dragon. None, however, makes a move to approach the dowager queen and the princes, limiting only to greet the royal family silently and respectfully. Since her relatives don't stop either, the girl follows them until they pass a wide courtyard and enter even wider corridors that she thinks she has walked in her last visit.

"You must excuse me," it is Aemond who speaks, when they stop in front of a double door, "Lord Lannister in waiting for me"

The prince offers no further explanation, just glances at his mother before turning his back on them, and walking the other way.

"My son is quite a busy man," Alicent says with a forced smile, "I am sure you know he is the Hand of the king."

“I am aware,” Rhaena nods, internally relieved by the absence of her betrothed.

"I am sure you'll have more opportunities to… get to know each other, later on"

The prospect gives Rhaena goosebumps, but she hurries to follow the Dowager Queen to the rooms.

“I thought that a family dinner would be the most suitable,” says Alicent

Rhaena briefly surveys the room, patting Morning, who growls at the smell of food.

"May I ask you, Queen Alicent, to bring appropriate food for my dragon?"

“Oh, sure, sure,” the woman frowns and calls out to one of her maids, “Raw meat, I guess?”

“That will do,” Rhaena nods.

The maid rushes to comply, and Rhaena decides to remain standing without approaching the table yet, afraid that her dragon will wreak havoc so close to the food, though she accepts a glass of wine from Daeron.

“I apologize, Lady Rhaena, for the haste with which we requested your presence in the capital,” Alicent begins.

"I admit it was quite a surprise when Lady Jeyne broke the news to me."

“I imagine so,” the queen nods absently, sipping from her own cup, “but keep in mind that we made this decision with your interests in mind, and the future of House Targaryens, of course.”

"Of course"

“After all, it is in the realm's best interests that the traditions be upheld,” Alicent continues, “You are a Targaryen, just like my children, it is only logical for you to join your lives and perform together your duty to the kingdom.”

Rhaena can't help but wonder if her words are meant to convince her or herself.

“I am honored to be able to join your… son,” she replies, hesitating at the last moment, not daring to say the kinslayer’s name out loud.

At her words, Daeron watches her with open curiosity and Rhaena thinks she sees the beginning of a smile on his lips. Her heart stops for an instant, scared that he'll mention his mother her outburst from a moment ago. Her cousin, however, lowers his gaze and remains silent.

"You must be aware of the painful circumstances that the king and his wife experienced just a couple of weeks ago"

“Tragic news for the kingdom”

“A loss we deeply feel. We hope that in the near future we will have more auspicious news to celebrate."

The queen doesn't say more, but from the way she looks at Rhaena, she can understand what Alicent isn't saying. The same thing Lady Jeyne had told her. That, from the moment she married the prince, it would be her duty to provide the kingdom with a royal heir.

The maid enters the room with a metal tray, and Morning appears to sniff at the food, for it flies off Rhaena's shoulder, who rushes over to the terrified young woman and takes the tray from her hands.

"Thanks," she says, offering her a half smile, "I'll take care of it from here."

The maid hands her the tray and quickly steps back. The dragon follows Rhaena to the end of the room, eager to eat.

“Here you go,” she tells her with a smile, whispering reassurances in High Valyrian.

"Please join us, cousin."

Daeron offers his hand, and Rhaena walks with him to the table. It is when she is finally sitting down that she realizes how hungry she is.

For several minutes they eat in a pleasant silence that is finally interrupted by the prince who talks to his mother about matters that Rhaena does not pay much attention to, her gaze going from her food to her dragon, who has already devoured all the meat and flies lazily in her direction.

“You must be exhausted,” Alicent says once they finish dessert.

“I am, Your Grace,” Rhaena admits.

“Cyndi, show Lady Rhaena to her rooms,” she orders the young maid who brought the dragon's food, “And don't worry, you will find there everything you need.”

“Thank you, Your Grace,” Rhaena stands up and curtsies, “Cousin Daeron”

"Cousin"

Rhaena calls out to Morning, who climbs onto her neck, then follows the maid down a long hallway to the last room guarded by a knight who bows to her before opening the door.

"Would you like me to run a bath for you, my lady?"

"Yes, please"

The young woman leaves, and Rhaena takes the opportunity to examine what will be her new room.

Your new prison, that little voice sounds in her head, but the girl ignores it as she walks through the huge space.

“It's a lot bigger than the one we had in the Vale,” she says to Morning almost in a whisper, “but not nearly as pretty.”

Rhaena goes to the only window and draws the curtains, being disappointed to find her new view will be that of a stone courtyard. Sighing, she closes them again and thinks bitterly of the beautiful mountains that were the first thing she saw every morning when she woke up.

As Morning flies to the comfort of the fireplace, Rhaena goes to the small sitting room, where a couple of sofas, and a small table have been placed. On top of that, there is an empty shelf except for a book which upon inspection turns out to be a copy of The Seven-Pointed Star. Rhaena stifles a giggle, wondering if the Dowager Queen had deliberately placed it there.

Cyndi, her maid, returns and helps her out of her riding clothes after setting everything up in the tub.

"That will be all, Cyndi, you can leave now"

Once alone, Rhaena lets out a soft moan of satisfaction as the hot water immediately relaxes her sore muscles after so many hours of travel. Closing her eyes, she massages her body and inhales the delicious fragrance of roses that perfumes the water.

For a few minutes, just a few minutes, Rhaena feels completely satisfied.

Until her mind – her treacherous mind – reminds her of her reality.

Her imminent marriage.

No.

It's not exactly the idea of marriage that she dislikes, after all, Rhaena had made the trip to the capital practically accepting the idea that she was going to marry her cousin. She just didn't expect said cousin to be… him.

Aemond Targaryen.

Your mother is dead. Vhagar has a new rider now.

The memory comes back to her as vivid as that night all those years ago, and Rhaena shudders.

Even at that time, when they were all children, the presence of her cousin had been frightening to her. The cruelty of his words, the clear satisfaction and arrogance on his face at having accomplished his feat, the ferocity of his attack… Rhaena shakes her head. She doesn't like to think about that night. She doesn't like to think about everything that followed. She doesn't like to remember her role in it.

Rhaena leaves the tub and dries her body with the linen towels Cyndi has left for her. In her bed, a simple white nightgown awaits her. The young girl rushes to put it on and crawls under the covers, wishing she could fall asleep right away, which of course she doesn't.

This could be one of your last nights sleeping alone.

The desperation is so great that she has to get out of bed and begins to pace the room, pacing back and forth as she contemplates her options.

Options. What options? A hysterical giggle leaves her lips. She has no choice but to comply. It's not like she can escape her fate. There is nothing waiting for her. She cannot return to the Vale and put Lady Arryn at risk. She can't go to Baela, who is just another guest of her cousin Alyn's. She has no other allies, only enemies surrounding her.

And the main of them all was going to become her husband.

The prospect terrifies her. Why him? Why precisely the source of all the misfortunes in her life? Why should she marry a criminal? Rhaena places her hand on her chest feeling her heart pound violently.

It had been all too easy to pretend to the others that she was the dutiful bride they expected her to be, but now, in the solitude of her room, she really begins to process what it will mean to marry the one-eyed prince. To marry the man who had killed Lucerys. And her father. The man that he had terrorized the Riverlands… to allow him to touch her

“Gods,” she whispers into the void as she thinks of what awaits her on her wedding night. The thought of a crippled Aegon sharing her bed had been tolerable. To have to let the kinslayer, violent as he was, take her, was repulsive.

“Don't worry about it yet,” she tells herself, looking at her reflection in the mirror. If the gods were merciful, she would still have time to enjoy her solitude, and get used to what would happen later. If the gods were merciful, her cousin's actions had only been motivated by the war between their families, “We are no longer at war. There is no reason to fear him. He's just a man."

A man who had simply ignored her and had not exchanged a word with her. Maybe he wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe…

She knows is just wishful thinking, but she clings to that idea to calm her mind and she returns to bed, forcing herself to repeat her thoughts like a prayer until she falls asleep.

***

A knock on the door wakes her up the next morning.

Morning, who has climbed onto her bed at some point, growls next to her.

“Come in,” Rhaena says hoarsely as she throws off the covers and stands up.

“Good morning, my lady,” Cyndi greets, “The queen has requested that you join her in the Throne Room.”

“Oh,” she replies, confused. She had hoped that the Dowager Queen would want to have breakfast with her, “Do you know what the reason is?”

"No, my lady, but…" she seems to hesitate, "The order was given to the entire Court"

Rhaena's stomach turns, and the girl bites the inside of her lip nervously.

"Thank you. Help me now, please”

The maid starts working on her hair while Rhaena eats some fruit from a tray Cyndi has brought with her.

"How early is it?"

"It's quite late, my lady," says the maid, "It's been hours since the royal family had breakfast."

Rhaena nods. She must have been a lot more tired than she imagined for her body, used to waking up at dawn, to lose track of the hours.

When the girl finishes fixing her hair, Rhaena goes to the closet and examines the dresses that have been left for her. To her relief, she discovers that none of them are green, but are all shades of red and black with House Targaryen motifs.

“This will do”

Once she's ready she goes over to Morning and pats her, “You stay here. It will be better not to terrify the entire Court”

The dragon snarls, but she makes no attempt to follow as Rhaena heads for the door.

As they proceed through the corridors towards the Throne Room, the young woman is aware of how different the Red Keep looks from the last time she visited it. On that occasion, almost all the decoration motifs had been related to the Faith. Now, different mats, paintings and the Targaryen emblem could be seen.

“Lady Rhaena Targaryen”

The Kingsguard announces her arrival, and opens the doors to the Throne Room, the huge roomthat had made an enormous impression on Rhaena, especially with the crude sight of the Iron Throne.

The members of the Court seem to make way for her, and Rhaena strides forward to the foot of the throne, where the Dowager Queen stands once more with Aemond Targaryen.

“Lady Rhaena,” greets Alicent Hightower

"My queen"

The woman smiles at her before taking her hand and motioning for her to stand next to her son.

Rhaena swallows, feeling her breath hitch as she moves to stand next to the prince, albeit at a safe distance.

Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine, she repeats to herself as she clasps her hands over her belly. Against her better judgement, her eyes drift to her cousin and her heart skips a beat as she meets Aemond's piercing gaze. For a few seconds they both simply observe each other, her cousin's face a cold mask that she can't read. Even so, she can't break contact, though she doesn't know if out of fear or because an unexpected and rebellious little part inside her drives her not to show weakness in front of him.

"It is my great joy," Alicent begins, managing to release Rhaena from her momentary outburst, "to announce to you the betrothal between my son, Aemond, and the Lady Rhaena Targaryen."

A murmur of voices runs through the room, the many eyes of the noble lords and ladies focusing on the couple. Rhaena tries to keep her calm mask and continues to listen to the queen.

“The wedding will take place two moons from now. And although circumstances do not allow us to celebrate as expected, we will have a tournament in honor of the couple."

Rhaena can swear that Aemond tenses beside her, but this time she doesn't dare look at him, instead focusing her attention on the Court's reactions, who seem buoyed by at the prospect of a tournament.

“May the Gods bless this union,” Alicent finishes. The Court murmurs in approval and the Dowager Queen approaches them. “Well, now it's official,” she says with a smile, “I trust that…”

"If you'll excuse me," Aemond interrupts his mother, "The Council awaits me."

Her cousin, Rhaena thinks as she watches him stride away and without answering the congratulations of the noble lords, always seems impatient to get away from her.

And she can't be more than relieved for it.

“Did you have a good night sleep?”

"Yes, quite a restorative one."

"Good. Come, I want to introduce you to your new lady-in-waiting."

"Will I have a lady-in-waiting?" she asks, amazed.

Ladies-in-waiting were generally reserved for the queen and princesses. She had never had one. Not even in the Vale.

Of course,” Alicent replies as if it were obvious, “You can have as many as you like, but since you don't know anyone yet, I thought I'd select one for you.”

The dowager queen descends from the stairs of the throne and approaches a young woman with light brown hair and a heart-shaped face who is wearing a striking yellow dress decorated with seashells who is clearly waiting for them.

“This is Marianne Westerling,” says Alicent, “your new lady-in-waiting.”

“It is an honor, Princess Rhaena,” she greets, curtsying.

"I am not a princess," Rhaena corrects, causing her to blush and look down, "Call me Rhaena, please."

Marianne Westerling nods and Alicent chimes in, “Lady Westerling will help you adjust to Court. I trust that she will do a good job accompanying you”

"It is an honor, my queen," repeats the young woman

Alicent seems satisfied with her response, "Now I must leave you, other obligations require my attention."

Offering them one last smile she heads towards the double doors.

"I am sorry for the confusion with your title, Lady Rhaena," Marianne hastens to say, still flushed and clearly flustered.

“No, no, please call me Rhaena,” she says with a smile.

“Rhaena,” Marianne says with a smirk, “what do you think of the Court so far?”

"I haven't seen much," she admits, "and I haven't been here in years."

Last time, she thinks, she had been in this very room to defend Lucerys's claim to the throne of Driftmark. That time, her father had beheaded a man and they had all ended up participating in a dinner that had ended in a fight.

“Well, I think you are going to like it,” Marianne comments cheerfully, “Queen Ellyn has taken it upon herself to make Court quite enjoyable for all of us who live here.”

"Enjoyable?"

"Yes, there's always something to do," she replies, "Tea parties, dances, bards, the usual."

Rhaena, for some reason, thinks about her life in Pentos. The city, vibrant, colorful and full of spectacles, had been her home for the first ten years of her life. There, too, the girl had been happy with all those distractions.

"How is the queen?"

Marianne blushes again and Rhaena sees the sadness in her eyes, “I haven't been able to visit her yet. The maesters say that she cannot receive visitors and that she must rest, poor thing. Of course, there have been rumors about her condition, but I try not to listen to them."

Rumors? Rhaena is tempted to ask what those rumors are, but she holds back. Marianne, as friendly and sincere as she appears, has been appointed by Queen Alicent. Nothing assures her that she is not her spy.

"May the Gods give her a speedy recovery"

“That's right,” Marianne nods vehemently, “So, Rhaena, where do you want to start?”

It takes the girl a minute to realize that her new lady-in-waiting is waiting for her instructions on how to proceed, “Well, I wish I could get to know the palace better. I have no idea where each room is located”

“Yeah, sure, so…”

But Marianne doesn't go on because an elderly woman, amazingly holding a pug on her lap, approaches them.

“This will be fun,” Marianne whispers in her ear.

~~~

"So, how is she?"

“Surely, brother, there are more important matters to discuss than my betrothed's appearance,” Aemond replies dismissively.

“Surely,” Aegon agrees, “but such matters don't interest me at the moment. I try to remember our cousin, but I can't,” the king frowns, “I do remember her sister. A total beauty"

Aemond decides not to answer. He has no interest in starting a discussion about the physical appearance of his cousins.

“I think she is quite pretty,” Daeron chimes in, “and she's very nice and polite.”

Aegon chuckles and Aemond restrains himself from rolling his good eye at him, though he snorts in disbelief.

"Clearly our brother does not agree with you"

"I don't see why he would, he hasn't even crossed a word with Rhaena," the younger replies.

"What? None at all?" Aegon looks amused and orders the cupbearer to refill his wineglass, "Why not?"

“I am a busy man,” he answers simply.

Busy running your kingdom, he thinks sourly as he fiddles with his Valyrian steel dagger.

"Still, aren't you curious about your betrothed?" the king continues pressing for answers, even though he knows his younger brother doesn't enjoy the topic of conversation, "I mean… you're going to have to bed her."

Aemond looks at him scornfully. As if Aegon had ever really cared to know any of the women he shared his bed with, "You are well aware that this is a mere political union."

“One that might as well be pleasurable,” he retorts. When Aemond makes a dismissive gesture, the king laughs and adds, “Well, if you're not interested, you can always send her here with me. I will gladly fulfil my duty for you."

“That is a very tasteless comment,” Daeron retorts, “You are a married man.”

"Yes, with a woman I won't be able to touch from now on"

"You should show more respect for Ellyn, she is your queen and wife"

This time it's Aegon's turn to dismiss his words, “You spend too much time in mother's skirts, little brother. Tell me, have you already visited the Street of Silk? If you haven't, I can arrange that…”

"Enough," Aemond cuts him off, "He is just a boy."

“He is nineteen years old, he is no longer a child. He is quite a bit older than you were when I helped you solve your little problem."

Aemond's hand closes dangerously around his dagger, his gaze fixed on his older brother, who seems utterly oblivious to the enormous effort the prince is making to keep from throwing the weapon in his direction.

Luckily for Aegon, his mother enters the royal chambers at that moment, and he rushes to put away his dagger.

“Ah, dear mother, ever so opportune,” Aegon greets, “is it time to sedate me again?”

Alicent seems surprised to find all three of her children in the same room, her eyebrows raised slightly, as she makes her way to her eldest son's bed, tea in hand.

"Drink, Aegon," she commands.

The king doesn't even protest, but rather drains the contents of the cup and makes a face.

"What are you doing here?" she asks looking at her younger children

“We were discussing the matter of the betrothed,” it is Aegon who answers, though his voice begins to slur, the milk of the poppy clearly kicking in, “I was telling my brothers that…”

But he doesn't finish what he is going to say because he is overcome by sleep. Alicent signals for the maester to enter, surely to tend to his brother's wounds, and Aemond seizes the opportunity to leave the room.

"Aemond, wait."

His mother's voice makes him stop.

"Mother"

"Have you talked to her yet?"

Aemond does not have to ask whom she means.

"Why should I?"

"Because she is your betrothed," she replies as if it's obvious, "You can't just ignore her."

That is exactly what Aemond intends to do.

"Why not, mother? You said yourself that I wouldn't have to see her daily, that we could keep our activities separate."

Alicent shifts uncomfortably, fidgeting with her rings, “That's not what I meant. I didn't want to…” the woman sighs, “The Court has welcomed her with open arms, the noble ladies seek her company and…”

Aemond restrains himself from responding as he wishes. Of course, the Court loves her. They're all a bunch of hypocrites throwing daggers at each other's backs. Rhaena does the same with her polite words and her apparent compliance about their marriage, showing them just what they want to see.

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"It does not reflect well on your character that you do not show any consideration for her"

Oh yeah. Again, the mention of his character, of his damaged reputation.

“The entire court knows it's an arranged marriage,” he replies, “why should I pretend otherwise?”

"Courting her for bit wouldn't hurt," she replies, “She is a naive young woman and she is alone in the castle. The fortress can be quite a lonely place despite the many courtiers within it."

Aemond opens his mouth to reply, but catches himself when he takes in Alicent's expression, her brown eyes seeming to glisten with unshed tears and not looking at him, but lost in her memories. The prince wonders if perhaps his mother is projecting her own experience onto the figure of his wife-to-be.

"What do you want me to do?" he asks, defeated, when his mother finally looks up at him and places her hand on his chest.

“For you to try,” Aemond nods and Alicent takes his hand, squeezing it, “And Aemond? Do not disappoint me again"

***

His mother's words echo in his mind as he leaves his brother's room and walks without knowing exactly where.

Although he has promised to try, it is not in his nature to recite poems or offer flowers, so all he can think of is to talk to her. That will have to suffice. After all, it's what his mother has insisted for days that he do.

"Where is Lady Rhaena?" he asks a maid, who seems utterly terrified when Aemond stops her in the hallway.

"In the garden, my prince"

Aemond balls his hands into fists. Of course she is in the garden.

The young man walks towards it with a determined step, and paces through the corridors full of trees and bushes in which several noblemen walk. The prince ignores them all and is about to just give up when he finds her.

Rhaena Targaryen is sitting on the edge of a fountain adorned with the statue of the good Queen Alyssane, sheltered from the sun by numerous trees and, as always, in the company of her dragon.

The scene fills Aemond with sudden annoyance, his good eye once again observing the ease with which the creature coils around her neck. Rhaena lifts her hand to her muzzle and offers her an apple, giggling in amusement as the animal snarls.

Pathetic.

“You treat her like a pet,” he says disapprovingly once the distance between them is closed.

Rhaena tenses immediately upon noticing his sudden presence, and Aemond finds it even comical how she immediately stands up and takes a couple of steps back.

"I beg your pardon?"

“I said you treat her like a pet,” he clucks, annoyed at having to repeat himself.

"I am quite aware that a dragon is not a pet, cousin."

"My prince"

“What?"

"You will refer to me as my prince, prince Aemond or my Lord"

Rhaena seems to take his words as a blow because a faint blush stains her cheeks and Aemond is aware of the angry glint in her eyes. Her dragon, who seems to notice her rider's discomfort, snarls in his direction. Aemond looks at the creature dismissively and chuckles.

"As you wish, my prince"

Her hostile tone of voice, so different from the one he has heard her use so far with his relatives, briefly surprises him and causes him even more dislike.

“You should leave her with Tessarion's caretakers. Keeping her by your side will only make her grow disobedient and not developing her abilities to the fullest."

“And I guess you offer your advice based on what? Your experience with the egg you had that never hatched? With raising a dragon since birth?”

Her answer hits him like a bucket of cold water. Her allusion to his incapacity for not having had a dragon linked to him from the cradle causes anger to flow inside him. Her smirk as she strokes her poor excuse for a dragon drives him crazy.

“I knew you were a fake,” he hisses, moving closer and glaring at her, “I knew all that kindness was just a well-trained mask.”

"Or maybe," she says, holding his gaze defiantly, "I am only kind to those who deserve it."

"And your betrothed is not worthy of your kindness?"

"No, not of my kindness"

"Of what then?" he asks, taking another step towards her, coming dangerously close to Rhaena and feeling her dragon's breath on his shoulder.

"My rage," she replies calmly, almost unruffled, though Aemond notes the rapidity in which her chest rises and falls from her labored breathing, "My revenge, even."

"Rhaena, I couldn't find the…"

A female voice interrupts them, breaking the tension between them and causing Rhaena to step back as a brown-haired young woman Aemond thinks he recognizes from Court makes her appearance.

“Oh, I…I'm sorry, my prince,” she says with a quick curtsy, “I didn't know you were here.”

“It is okay, Marianne,” Rhaena soothes her, “we should go, Lady Redwyne is waiting for us.”

Rhaena doesn't wait for the girl to respond, instead she grabs her arm and drags her in the opposite direction.

______________________________________________________

Next chapter probably on Thursday.

Let me know what you think so far :)

Tags:

@qyburnsghost @niocel @ammo23

#aemond targaryen #aemond one eye #ao3fic #prince aemond #aemond fic #resentment #aemond kinslayer #rhaena of pentos #rhaena targaryen #forced marriage #dragons #aemond fanfiction

33 notes · View notes