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#//He IMMEDIATELY chills his temperature the moment she’s taken off his hands; no matter how uncomfortable it is to make the sudden shift
dutybcrne · 2 months
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Kaeya’s body temperature is constantly running cold, more than even the average Cryo user’s body. It’s partially because of his own anxiety constantly thrumming through him and making his Vision act up some, but also because he’s come to really dislike warmer temperatures and will do whatever to ensure he doesn’t feel them.
#hc; kaeya#//Only ever shifts his temperature back to a more regular one when 1) Klee tries to warm him up#//Bc she hugged him or held his hand and got reminded of how cold he constantly was#//And begged him to let her use her Vision so he wouldn’t become a Kaeya-popsicle#//He IMMEDIATELY chills his temperature the moment she’s taken off his hands; no matter how uncomfortable it is to make the sudden shift#//Or 2) Addie happened to notice and started chiding at him to warm up; esp if she heaps up blankets onto him. Esp considering how he’d bee#//after Diluc left; freezing damn near everything. Kae knows he can never say no to her; feels bad making her fret abt him so much#//But also bc he’s mildly terrified she’ll get Diluc involved if he refuses/doesnt warm up on her terms#//And the LAST thing he wants is Diluc using his Vision anywhere NEAR him outside a battle where he can be distracted from it#//Its just a visceral reaction he has; would just end up making himself colder in the process of counteracting it#//And possibly give Diluc Hella frostbite too. Which he RLLY doesn’t need to add to the grievances Luc has in him#//There is also 3) his significant other complains he’s too cold#//He hates having to hear it bc he’s either torn between forgoing physical contact w them for a bit#//Or having to warm up so they can be cozier; he really doesn’t like Either option#//Tends to do the latter w/out being told after the first time; won’t actively complain; but he does feel uneasy making the shift for them#//They just better make sure to hug him extra tight in that case; to help take his mind off it all#//He’ll be okay with a nice middle ground of either easing up the coldness to a Certain degree and/or blanket buffers btw him & his s/o tho
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talkfantasytome · 3 years
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PART THREE PART THREE PART THREE. I will sell my kidneys, organs, my stupid heart for a part three in the vacation Nesta and Cassian. Time for Cassian to put on his moves and maybe Cassian POV? I love simping cassian as much as I love a sexy Cassian.
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Combining also with this one:
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There's also another ask for this, but it didn't specify part 3, so I will be doing a part 4 to answer that one. XD
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Read on AO3
Cassian didn't give a fuck.
Not a single one.
He couldn't care less how obvious he was being. Not when the woman in front of him was happy to entertain.
It didn't matter that they were at different tables, supposedly engaged in separate conversations. No, so long as they maintained eye contact, they were in their own world, and no one else mattered.
It had been bad enough that afternoon, seeing her lounge by the pool so close to where he and his brothers were swimming. Book in hand, yet clearly not making a dent in it. She was too busy glancing up at something.
At what, specifically, he couldn't be entirely sure - those damn sunglasses. But, he had a feeling that her eyes met his a few too many times to be a coincidence. He sure as hell hadn't been able to stop himself from looking over at her continuously throughout the entire hour she sat there. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad luck that had her leaving before the rest of her friends.
He felt his eyes darken as her lips wrapped around her straw, holding her smirk as she took a sip of her cocktail. His breathing went ragged when she licked her lips and his heart all but stopped when she then bit down.
He was going to die.
This woman, with her storm cloud eyes and sensuous mouth, was going to be the death of him, and he hadn't even gotten her name.
Cassian was just about to stand up and do something about this situation when the redheaded girl next to his death pointed excitedly behind them and the three girls all stood up and made their way over to the railing of the deck, looking out to the ocean.
Smart girls, to bring their things and drinks, because not a minute later their table was taken by two couples, and suddenly Cassian didn't care much about his seat.
"Look at that, from best to worst seats in the house in thirty seconds flat," Rhys sighed, leaning back against his seat.
Cassian laughed and stood up, his brothers' eyes following him.
"Where are you going?" Az asked.
"To go find where the best seat is now." He winked at his brothers and then walked toward where the girls stood, taking in the back of his lady death's dress for the first time.
It was a fact. She truly was trying to kill him.
Because where the back was supposed to be, it was essentially just all skin. All smooth, perfectly golden-tanned skin. He couldn't stop himself from imaging running his hand across that back, down her perfect little ass, and resting on the thigh just beneath, right around where the hem of the dress brushed. And shit, was that dress short in exactly the right way, showing off long legs that would wrap so perfectly around him.
Oh, he was so screwed.
A smart man would stop walking. Would pivot, grab a drink, and maybe find a girl that wasn't likely to be the end of him. Someone safer.
It was safe to say that, tonight, Cassian was not a smart man.
Not as he, instead, counted his blessing that she stood to the left of her friends, instead of remaining in the middle. And certainly not as he settled himself against the railing next to her, purposefully keeping his eyes on the horizon.
She stiffened beside him, also refusing to look directly at him, but he had a feeling he knew who had taken the spot beside her.
"Beautiful view," he noted.
"It is," she agreed. "And you just missed the whale."
"The whale?"
He could see in his peripheral that she nodded. "Well, its tail. And it was pretty far out, but it was clearly a whale's tale that came up out of the water and then splashed back down. Like it was waving at us."
A smile tugged at his lips at that comment. "I'm sure it was." He finally felt her shift, her gaze landing on him, so he turned to look at her, unprepared for what he found.
Yes, he'd already seen those blue-grey eyes, tantalizing and taunting as she'd sipped her drink, but now they were something else as they assessed him so thoroughly he felt as if he were naked and needed to cover himself.
Still, he held her stare, putting on a lazy, cocky smile. "I'm Cassian," he offered, resting one arm on the railing as he studied her. The way her pupils dilated as she looked at him, how her eyes shifted just slightly at the comment, or how her mouth twitched for the tiniest second upward before she schooled herself again.
"Nice name," she replied, her own body mirroring his stance.
"Surely not as lovely as yours." He'd leaned in slightly to say the words at a lower register, and regretted it almost immediately when the woman practically cackled in his ear.
He winced as he pulled away, and the girl's face seemed to soften at that. "I'm sorry," she sighed, covering her mouth with her hand. "I was just expecting a better line."
Cassian couldn't help but chuckle slightly. "So, you spend at least five minutes taunting me from your table, only to insult me when I finally come up to talk to you. How's that seduction technique working out for you?"
"I'll tell you in the morning." She smirked up at him, her eyes lit with amusement. "I'm Nesta."
"Well, I wasn't wrong then." He smiled down at her, risking a step closer, sliding his beer down the railing with his arm.
A wicked gleam flashed in her eyes, even as she helped in bridging the gap with her own step. "No, looks like I was the only one with too high of expectations."
"Oh, I'm sure I'll exceed them in many other ways." Her breasts were just barely brushing his chest, so Cassian moved, one final step, so that their bodies were all but pressed against each other, knowing exactly what she would be feeling.
A soft gasp escaped Nesta's lips, an accidental slip up from the cool exterior she'd been presenting. But she didn't let it deter her.
"Perhaps I have a problem expecting too much," she rasped. "How do you know I haven't made it impossible to even meet them?"
His eyes widened at the challenge, but Cassian's lips only fell into a half-smile he was sure would drive her crazy as he leaned in, bringing his mouth once again to her ear. "I guarantee I'll find a way." He felt Nesta's body sway into him slightly, as if her instinct was to melt into his touch, and he let his free arm wrap around her waist to steady her as she attempted to pull back to quickly. "Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?"
Cassian watched as Nesta's cheeks flushed with pink, his heart racing at the sight. His arousal building enough to keep him from feeling triumphant at rendering her speechless. Mostly.
A loud round of laughter broke through their silent staring contest, causing both Nesta and Cassian to snap their heads toward the sound, and he finally noticed the group standing near them. It appeared that Rhys and Azriel had finally worked up the courage to go talk to the two girls they'd been eyeing all day, and the four of them were engaged in conversation together.
Nesta stiffened at the sight, taking a small step back. Not enough to pull out of Cassian's arm, but enough to allow the breeze in, chilling Cassian slightly despite the tepid temperature.
"Nesta!" the redheaded girl suddenly called, turning to look at them both. Nesta quickly pivoted in his arm, facing her friends and his brothers, and it made Cassian feel empty, to lose her gaze and focus. "Come join us! We're comparing favorite bars!"
Sighing, Nesta started toward their friends, laying a hand over Cassian's on her waist, letting him know to keep it there and walk with her. He was certain muscles loosened that he hadn't realized he'd tensed at that touch.
"Why on earth would you be comparing bars?" she asked skeptically.
"Rhys and Az live in Philly, too!" the girl almost identical to Nesta, but with softer lines and a clearly younger face explained.
"I'm Rhys, by the way," his brother standing to that girl's right offered, violet eyes focused on Nesta for a moment. "And this is Az." He motioned to their other brother, who was standing between Nesta's mini-me and the redhead. "Since Feyre darling didn't mention that."
The girl - Feyre - rolled her eyes, but Nesta offered him a small chuckle. "Nesta," she said, in a tone that said she knew it was obvious. "Feyre, Gwyn, this is Cassian. Cassian, this is my little sister Feyre, and one of my soul sisters, Gwyn."
"Younger!" Feyre corrected.
"And little. You are shorter," Nesta teased, grinning at the girl before turning back to Cassian. "Do you live in Philly too, then?"
Cassian couldn't help but smile as it all hit him. "Yeah, I do."
They lived in the same city. Or close enough to it.
And suddenly everything changed.
@generalnesta
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paisley-print · 3 years
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Near The Water’s Edge:   Chapter Four
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After fleeing your abusive husband, you find yourself in the small coastal town of July, North Carolina. Soon you meet Frankie Morales, Air Force Veteran and single dad. As the two of you grow closer, you begin to let go of your past and learn to love again. That is until a strange man shows up in town, and you ’re forced to choose between your safety or the safety of the people that you love.
Inspired by the novel “Safe Haven” written by Nicolas Sparks.
Series Master List
Frankie Morales x Female Reader Rating: 18+ / Heavy adult themes eventual smut. Trigger Warnings: Domestic Abuse, Mentions of death, PTSD, anxiety, mentions of police case, police.  Word Count: 
Note: Another heavy chapter, but things will let lighter as the chapters go on. Enjoy the first half of the beach day. 
Tag List:@qytyy @winter-fox-queen​​​​ @sherala007​​​​@inkededucatednnerdy @quica-quica-quica​​​ @hnt-escape​​​ @giizhkens-cedar​​​@heythere-mel​​​ @toomanystoriessolittletime​​
The ride passed in comfortable silence, the three of you listening to the radio and Lucy looking out the window at the cars in the next lane. All Frankie could think about was how nice it was to have someone else there to spend the day. He knew Lucy must have been feeling the same way, since he hadn’t seen her so excited about a beach trip in a long while. 
He appreciated how patient you were with her; it was something he noticed even on that first day. The way you refused help until you knew she was alright. That moment had stuck with him more than anything else. 
The memory of what Will said earlier surfaced in his mind. He shifted in his seat and glanced at you. Yes, you were beautiful. Strikingly so. A woman who could walk into a room and turn every head in the place; both men and women alike. Of course Frankie had been taken with you. He tried to suppress it, scolding himself whenever he was alone in bed at night and found his thoughts wandering.... 
His only goal right now was to be your friend because he cared for you and knew that you needed help. He wasn’t sure what kind of help, but he sensed that you were alone and at some point in your life something very bad had happened to you. He wouldn’t pry though, he would wait until you were ready to share. 
-
The beach wasn’t too packed; it was still early in the season and  the tourists hadn’t moved into their summer homes yet. The boys had done an oddly efficient job at setting everything up. When Ben and Will got into a little spat about how to sink the umbrella into the sand , Frankie simply rolled his eyes and continued to spray Lucy with sunblock. It made you laugh, they all seemed so comfortable with one another. 
The day was hot and everybody seemed eager to get into the water, everyone except you and Frankie.  You had bought a bathing suit at the store, intending on going in... but somewhere during the car ride you changed your mind. 
“You can go in if you want,” you told Frankie “I don’t mind just watching.”
He shrugged, “I don’t normally go in either.”
Then just like that the two of you were suddenly alone, both woefully unprepared for any sort of conversation.
You thought of something quickly, filling the silence “the marina was packed today.”
“Yeah, It’s always like that on memorial day. Most of the summer too, be prepared for the restaurant to start getting busy.”
“I prefer it that way. It makes the shifts go faster. So I’ve been meaning to ask, what exactly do you do? I assumed you owned the marina?”
He paused for a moment. “Uh, technically I do. It was a wedding gift from my parents. An uncle had died and left it to them. I think they just wanted to get rid of it, but I have an office manager that does all the upfront stuff….. normally I just work on repairs.”
Married. That wasn’t what you were expecting, but still no ring. “Did you go to school for that?”
“Kind of. I had training for planes, but you would be surprised just how similar the two are.” You gave him a look. He glanced at you and laughed sheepishly. “What?”
“I’m sorry, did you say planes?”
“Yeah”
“You fix planes?”
He smiled and crossed his arms, trying to seem much cooler than he actually was. “I fly them too.”
“You fly pl-....do you take constructive criticism?”
He laughed, “Of course.”
“Lead with that next time.”
He looked at you skeptically. “How am I supposed to lead with that, exactly?”
“You say, hi my name is pilot Frankie …..” 
He shook his head, grinning. “Morales,” he informed you. 
“Hi my name is pilot Frankie Morales, nice to meet you.”
He played along, “but how will I know if people actually like me for me, or they just want me to take them for a ride in a plane?”
You shrugged “it's tough being a celebrity, I don’t make the rules.”
“Oh yeah, celebrity, that’s me,” he said sarcastically. 
You kicked at the sand with your foot. “Also I liked you before I knew you had the coolest hobby in the world. So, you know that you can trust me.”
He glanced over at you and immediately noticed your smile. He had seen you smile before, but they would never quite reach your eyes. This one, he could tell, was real. He opened his mouth to speak when, in the distance, a wave crashed and Lucy squealed with laughter. Both of you turned your heads to look.
“Will Lucy be okay out there?” you asked. She had on a life vest and was being supervised in the shallows by the rest of the adults. Santi was holding onto a boogie board Lucy used to keep herself up. 
“Yeah, I know they seem like idiots but they are good men.” Frankie reached into the cooler to grab a bee and popped the cap off with the bottle opener. “Do you want one?”
You shook your head, “No thank you, but I’ll take a water bottle if you have it.” He set his beer down in his cup holder and reached into the cooler again. The bottle was freezing cold when he handed it to you. Perfect for a sunny day.
You wiped the condensation off on your dress. “Can I ask you something? It’s okay if you don’t want to answer.”
“Yeah, sure,” he said, taking a sip of beer. 
“Lucy’s mom is she….? Are you two still….? I don’t mean to pry, I guess I’m just a little confused.”
“You and I both,” he said with a sigh. “I’m married but we are not together anymore, haven’t been for a few years.”
“Oh,” you said simply, not finding any clarification in what he told you. If anything, you had more questions, but you didn’t want to push. Besides, it didn’t matter anyway…. you couldn’t, you were married as well. “Does your family live in the area?”
“Nope, they live up north. Katie never really knew her family. She grew up in the foster system and was bounced around until she enlisted at eighteen. It’s just me and Lulu now, and the guys when they find the time to travel here.”
“I’m sorry,” you said honestly. “It must be hard not having your parents support.”
He shook his head and took another sip. “I expected it, even when I was younger, it seemed as though they were only interested in keeping me alive.” He looked down and started to peel off the sticker on the bottle as he spoke. “They are both doctors, mom is an archaeologist and dad an engineer. He actually helped design parts of the international space station…. I think they valued their careers more than anything else... they still do. The only time they ever came down to see Lucy was right after she was born, aside from that it’s usually a phone call on a holiday and a card with money in the mail.”
Although he tried to play it off as if it were just another part of life, you could see that it still affected him deeply. For a moment you thought about reaching out to take his hand, but you stopped yourself. “It really is their loss, they are missing out on two wonderful people.”
Frankie adjusted the baseball cap on his head, a sheepish little smile playing on his lips at the compliment. “Well, thank you. Lucy and I could say the same thing about you. You’re great with her.”
You glanced back at the little girl. She was smiling happily as Ben pulled her along on the boogie board. “I think little girls need to be protected, but not only that - they need to be seen and heard. She is already so independent and fierce. I can see how you encourage her to be her own person and not fit into any one mold. That’s important for little girls to learn.”
He laughed, “Yeah, she definitely gives me a run for my money, that's for sure. She can already repair an engine better than most men I know.”
A large gust of wind came through and took hold of the multi-colored beach ball beside you. Both you and Frankie sprang from your seats to race after it. The thing was fast, and you could not stop it from crashing into the waves. You noticed just how much cooler it was near the water’s edge. Although the temperature outside was sweltering, the Atlantic still held that winter chill. Both of you stared at the ball as it bobbed up and down with the tide. 
Frankie waved it away with his hand and squinted in the sunlight. “It’s fine, it’ll probably just float down the beach to another family or something.”
You smirked at him “or choke a poor dimwitted sea turtle to death.”
He paused and shot you a pretend glare, then took off his hat, dropped it in the sand and reached for his shirt. 
You giggled “no, no I’m joking. I got it.” You said, starting to strip down to your bathing suit also.
“Well, you gotta be faster than that,” he said, half jogging to the water.
You slipped off your dress easily and ran straight past him into the waves. Frankie was not far behind. You two were pushing against the tide as you reached for the ball. Fingertips just barely brushed against the plastic before it slipped a couple more inches away. This left just enough time for Frankie to swoop in and grab it.
Your stomach hurt from laughing so hard “hey!”
He shrugged, “I’m sorry that I care more about the environment than you.”
You splashed him with water playfully.
-
The two of you swam for another fifteen minutes, chatting about the town and volleying the ball back and forth. Frankie pretended not to see the way the droplets of water clung to your skin and sparkled under the sunlight. When he noticed the little lace pattern on the bottom of your swimsuit, he knew he had been staring for too long and forced himself to look away. The very last thing he wanted to do was scare you away, or make you believe he had some sort of ulterior motives to helping you. 
You both dressed again before walking back up to the chairs. When the two of you returned, the group had already come back from swimming. They were passing around Tupperware full of fruit while Santi was starting up the tiny little grill he had brought. 
“You guys really don’t play around for beach days,” you mentioned to Frankie. 
“I tried to warn you,” he said with a smirk. 
Will had Lucy thrown over his shoulder, carrying her easily with one arm. “Has anyone seen Fry?”
“I’m right here!” Lucy’s little voice drifted out from behind him.
Will started turning, pretending to look for her “Fry! Fry! Where are you!”
Lucy was hardly able to speak through her fit of giggles, “I’m behind you!”
He put her down on the sand, pretending as if he had seen her for the first time. “Jesus Fry! You scared me!”
“Lulu,” Frankie said, “come here so I can put more sunscreen on you.” Frankie took the bottle from the bag and sprayed her again, making sure to get her ears and the tops of her feet as well. He sprayed some in his hands, and Lucy scrunched up her nose as he applied it to her face.
Watching the two of them together made you smile. You were reminded again just how different Frankie was from your husband. David would have felt emasculated by having to take care of a child. If he had attended today, you would be sitting beside him silently the entire time, only getting up to fetch him a beer.
“Do you want some?” Frankie asked, and you were suddenly snapped right back to reality.  
Even though you weren’t threatened by a burn yet, you figured it would be a good idea. “Yeah, thank you.” You offered him your arms, then the front of your legs.
“I used to be terrible with remembering sunblock until I got sun poisoning in Iraq, god never again.”
“Iraq?” you asked, and turned so he could get the backs of your legs.
“Yeah, with the air force” he told you, assuming you already knew. 
Breath hitched in your throat as he brushed your hair over your shoulder. You cringed at the feeling of the warm sunscreen hitting the back of your neck and jerked away. It was enough for the others to notice. You laughed and lied quickly “damn horse flies hurt when they bite. They say you should wash off the bite with soap to get it to stop the swelling. Is there a bathroom here?”
You sounded believable. Becoming an expert liar had been the only thing keeping you alive for so long. 
Frankie felt horrible. He didn’t quite know what he had done to trigger you, but he knew it was something. “It’s pretty far, I can walk with you-”
You shook your head, a wide smile still plastered across your lips. “Nope, I just need a direction.”
Santi jumped in quickly. “That building when we first came in, near the tennis courts.”
You nodded and started forward, tears stinging at the corners of your eyes. Why was this happening right now? You were fine a moment ago and now you felt as though you couldn’t catch your breath. You shivered, remembering the feeling again and putting your hand on the back of your neck to stop it.
A soldier…. it made sense. You were too stupid to have seen it, the nicknames and the holiday...... 
Thankfully, they were single stall restrooms; you pulled the door shut and locked it behind you. The bottom of the floor was disgusting and filled with wet sand. You lifted yourself up onto the counter and sat, trying to calm down. A soldier, a soldier, you kept repeating to yourself. It was too similar. The anger, the potential for violence…. just like your husband. 
You placed your head in your hands, and suddenly you were back in New Jersey. It was a bitter February, snow still on the ground. You were in your bathroom hiding as David raged in the living room and screamed at his coworker on the phone. A little boy had been killed by his father weeks ago. David was assigned to the case. When the trial came, the jury found the man innocent and let him walk free, even though all the evidence pointed to him as the killer. It was an embarrassment to David and the entire homicide unit
“God fucking dammit, y/n! y/n!”
You pulled yourself up on shaking legs, straightened your dress and walked out. David was red in the face waiting for you. “I thought I told you to call Comcast, did I not?”
“They said that they could get someone out here Wednesday because of the snow-”
He took the television remote and threw it at you as hard as he could; he aimed for your face but it hit your shoulder instead. The plastic connected straight with your collarbone. You doubled over in pain, holding it as it throbbed. He stalked up to you and you moved back, the fear evident in your eyes.
His voice was teetering on the edge of lunacy as he screamed at you.
“I give you a simple fucking job to do and you can’t even get it done. You’re a lazy fat fucking bitch.” he shoved you hard but you manged to keep standing. “Spend all day sitting on your fucking ass while I have to go to work for the both of us! I need the television because I need to see the news coverage of the fucking case! You knew this! Or would you like me to get fired and the both of us live on the fucking streets!” He shoved you again, and you fell against the stone fireplace. Your hands came up to shield your face as he picked up the remote and hit you with it repeatedly. It caught your lip, busting it open. 
You didn’t care about the blood, all you could think about was the gun still holstered in his belt. You got the television fixed the next day-
“Summer?” 
You stood quickly and wiped away the tears from your cheeks, pretending like nothing was wrong. “Yeah?”
“Are you alright?” 
It was Frankie. 
You shook your head and smiled in the dingy plastic mirror in front of you. “Yeah, why?”
He could hear that you had been crying. He pushed on the door but it was locked. 
You didn’t like that at all; you slipped off the counter and sat on the floor, against the door. Bracing it closed with your body “I’m fine-”
“You’re crying-”
“No, I’m not I- I get allergies and that horsefly hurt. I am such a baby I’ve always had a low pain tolerance-”
“If it’s something that I did -”
“Nope, it’s nothing that you did. I’m fine, I’m really, really fine I promise. I just got overwhelmed and needed some air. I’ll be back in a few minutes, and you guys can eat without me. Don’t let me hold you up.”
Frankie wasn’t convinced, but he didn’t want to force anything. “Would you like me to save you a plate?”
“Yes, please.”
You could hear his footsteps start to retreat and relaxed a little. 
“Summer?”
“Yeah?”
Frankie was about to say something, but he thought better of it. He figured it was better to let you have your space now.
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badwolf-winchester · 3 years
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Ancient Bloodlines
Pairing: Loki x Emy Nightstar (OC)
OC Summary: Emy is the newest Avenger. She specializes in Magic and close range attacks/ weapons. Her heritage is unknown to her as she was left at an orphanage door step when she was a young girl with only the memory of her name. She goes by her nickname Emy but has never told anyone her full name as its a reminder of her being abandoned. Emy can see through any illusion and Magic no matter how powerful they are or how strong the magic is and is unaware of this. Her powers include Telekinesis, Elemental Control, True Sight (as stated above) Enhanced healing and Shifting (she wont discover this till much later in the story). She loves to read, listen to music, play violin, sing, and draw.
Story Info: Takes place after infinity wars. Tony and Natasha are alive Steven comes back from the future after giving back the infinity stones. Vision is alive and living with Wanda in the tower. Thor and Loki live in the tower with the rest of the Avengers and for the sake of the story Himedall is alive and living with the rest of the Asgardians on earth in New Asgard (you will find out why later)
One last thing: Please do not repost my work on any other site or social media, however reblogging on here is fine. I work hard on all of my fanfics and it’s disappointing when people take my work as their own. I am the creater of all my OCs such as Sora Nightstar, Emy Nightstar, and Lithium Nightstar. My inbox is open for any and all requests as i am a multi fandom writer. Let me know how you like the story and i will do my best to answer any and all questions. As always i encourage any and all feedback as it helps with my writing. I hope you all like it!
The Beginning
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They say that your parents are there to teach you the rules of the world, but what happens when you have no parents? Who will teach you then? The world is cruel but people are crueler. Ive learned this first hand when the person i trusted most in this world left me on the door step of the St. Trinity’s Orphanage. I was 9 when my mother told me she didn’t want me anymore and i guess I couldn’t really blame her. I mean who could love someone who couldn’t control the powers that grew with each passing year. Someone who started fires out of thin air when they had nightmares, conjured whirlwinds when startled, unfurled earthquakes when angered, spring forth rain showers when sad, and levitate objects when riddled with anxiety. I will never forget that day for its seared into my mind like its own person brand echoing with every beat of my heart. A monster thats what she called me, her own flesh and blood was a monster in her eyes, and i could see the relief when she ran from the solid oak door finally rid of the burden she had to put up with throughout the years. An abomination she cried as she reached the cobblestone sidewalk eager to be rid of me and by the pace she was going at i could tell she had more spring in her step than on the walk over from the bus we exited from. Unnatural she bellowed as she disappeared around the corner a ghost of a smile springing from her lips as she disappeared. These where the last words i would ever hear from my mother, if thats what you would call her.
Emy’s POV
Tonight was just like any other. Crisp cold air submerged the city in a blanket of dark and silence while it settled into your bones. I never minded the cold in fact I welcomed it, it reminded me of the cabin i found one year after running away from one of the many abusive foster homes i was forced to stay with. I’ll admit it was one of the times I was able to avoid the social workers for longer than a week and the happiest I had ever been in my life up until i was captured by Hydra. When I had a flair up with my powers, which usually ended up being fire, i would immediately get sent back to St. Trinity’s but this time i ran before they had the chance to toss me aside. The staff there used to place bets on how long i would stay with a family, they would joke saying i was cursed or jinxed but i knew the truth, no one wanted me. Once the parents found out about my abilities I was sent packing. I was labeled as a flight risk and a danger to others which only deepened my anti socialism.
Walking through the streets of New York i pull my dark purple jacket on and my dark brown hair in a pony tail as I get closer to my destination. Because i don’t feel the effects of the cold weather Tony, being such the dad figure he is, has made it his priority to make sure i still wear one just incase so here i was walking home in black ripped up jeans, a black v neck T-shirt, black and purple checkered vans and a light weight dark purple jacket. With my headphones in my ears and “I like it heavy” by Halestorm blasting I make my way to the place i call home, Stark Tower. Walking through the front doors i make my way past the receptionist who always greets me with a bright smile. As I walk towards the elevator I give her a small smile back and a head nod. After entering the elevator and pressing the button for the penthouse I start to reflect on how i got here.
By the time i was 15 Hydra found me in that cabin and took me away. I went from hopping from family to family to being used as a science experiment, constantly being poked and prodded just so they could get a reaction out of me. As a child my powers where very unstable mostly flaring up with my emotions, its no wonder that Hydra caught wind of me its not like i was hiding it very well or more so that i couldn’t hide it. They tried to wipe my memory to gain control of me “a blank slate” is what they wanted, but for some reason, they failed as I wasn’t susceptible to their conditioning methods no matter how much time i spent in the chair. However, I could tell they were scared of me I could see it in their eyes. This didn’t last long though as they used what they called their perfect weapon code name Winter Soldier to beat me into submission. After that first meeting that left me with a broken arm and a fractured ankle i started to obey, since then Ive met the Soldier a couple of times but if he remembers me he dosent let on and I dont blame him, he has been in that chair so many times Im genuinely surprised he can even remember how to walk. He is stronger than the others as most of the other test subjects had turned to vegetables after the 4th mind wipe, he was on his 10th the last time i saw him with Hydra.
Another test was done on me and this one was different. They used a teseract? If thats what they called it I can’t be sure nor did I care all I could feel was pain like as if someone injected lava in my veins. After they injected me I started screaming after a while I couldn’t even hear myself anymore, my throat was so sore and horse from the constant roar of my agony I just wanted it to end. How long was I out for? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Days? Years? They didn’t keep clocks there or at least not in the dungeon like cell they had me in. When the fire faded i was left with this numbness and after further tests I realized that I was immune to fire. I can literally stick my hand in fire and i will be left untouched and unscorched. They did the same test with freezing temperatures to see if they could subdue me at least in some way. I must have been out longer than just a couple of days as during the tests i didn’t recognize any of the Doctors. In that moment I realized something, if they were trying to contain me then something must have happened to the soldier. It was time to plan my escape.
Back in my cell i could hear footsteps approaching me and then stop short. One of the scientists frantically trying to talk some sense into someone just out of my line of sight. “She is immune to anything we throw at her sir. We have done every test we could there is nothing left for us to do.” One of the goons in a lab coat stated to what i assumed is a higher up. “Bolden If her powers keep growing at the rate they are it could be days in which she will be unstoppable and with the soldier gone we dont have anything that can keep her in line. She broke Mandy and Rays arms the last time we tested her. She is getting too strong.” Brining a hand up to his chin the higher up Bolden stepped out of the shadows and looked at me with deep interest before he turned to looked at the man and scoffed. As he walked away i felt a cold chill ran down my back as I anticipated what was to become of me; I knew it was nothing good i had already broken their rules. His next words only confirmed what I feared. “ Its simple. Break her spirit or kill her Doctor. And when i say break her i mean in anyway means necessary.” His sadistic laugh is the last thing i remember before everything went black.
Its been 2 years since i have escaped and now I’m living in the avengers tower. I don’t remember what happened after that night in my cell its all a blur of red, screams, and gunshots. When i woke up next i was in a 6ft crater where I was being held captive without a scratch on me. Trees were uprooted and fallen over as if a bomb went off. Luckily the Avengers showed up not long after me waking up and took me to their base where i met Directer Fury. With his permission and 24/7 surveillance provided by Tony Stark via FRIDAY and training sessions to get my powers under control i was allowed to join the Avengers and fight for good. Little did i know that by agreeing to this I would end up in the path of a certain God or Gods who were also taking residence at the tower.
With the sound of a *ding* the elevator shook me out of my mind and back to the present. As i exited the elevator I pulled my head phones out of my ears and was instantly met with the sound of Tony losing his mind. “Where did she go? She knows she can’t be out this late. She could be taken again! Its 5 minutes past her curfew!” Rolling my eyes I roll my headphones up and shove them in my pocket and round the corner. “Tony it takes 5 minutes to get from the lobby to the penthouse calm down. I bet she will walk through that door anytime now.” Came the sweet voice of reason of none other than Pepper Potts. “I’m Home.” I said in a deadpan voice as i walked by the couple only for Tony to stand up and intercept me by placing a hand on my upper arm. “Where did you go and why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?” I looked at him and raised an eyebrow pushing his hand off me. “Tony its Wednesday. I have training with Strange on Wednesdays and I had Friday alert you as I was leaving but you were in the lab with Bruce.” Not sure what to say next Tony mumbled a small apology. “Sorry I was just worried about you. I know you are grown enough to make your own choices as you are 25 but I just want to make sure you are safe. How was the training with The Wizard?” Sighing and shaking my head just wanting to go the library and read I decided to just let it go. “Strange is a hard ass that much you already know. It wasnt bad actually I think I’m warming up to him. I didn’t spontaneously throw him to the wall when he snuck up behind me as i was going over the ancient texts so i call that improvement.” I said sheepishly while side stepping around him. “I’m gonna go to the library now and grab some light reading before bed you guys have a good night.” With out waiting for a response I quickly made my way towards my new destination only to have Tony saying something about guests in the house but I ignored him.
Pushing open the library door I make my way to the poetry section to grab my usual copy of Edgar Allen Poe that I read before bed. As my had reached for the spot i knew i put the book in i find that its not there. “Wait what? Where is my book? I know I put it back here before I left for training so where did it go?” Frustrated I stomp back over to the entrance and rip open the door ready to go on a murder spree while shouting down the hallway. “CLINT! You better give me back my night time book or I’m breaking all your arrows again! No one reads in this tower but me! How stupid do you think I am!?” Straining my ears I listen for any type of movement but was met with dead silence. After a minute I finally hear movement through the vents coming from the west part of the tower and I take off sprinting. Sliding around a corner I barely miss colliding with Steve and Bucky who look like they were on their way back from a mission. Offering a quick apology before I continue my pursuit I hear Steve yell “Hey! No running in the tower!” Not faltering in my hot pursuit of the Hawk thief I continue to zip through the tower ignoring the Captains words until i was almost to the vent that lead to the 2 level family room. Using the railing for the steps leading down to the family area to give me more height i jumped as close to the vent as possible and conjured my signature Scythe to slice through it while twisting in the air kicking the vent free and off its track. A shocked and terrified scream resonates from the vent as the culprit falls to the ground with a thud and a grunt. I landed in a crouched position and slowly straightened to my full hight. “What the hell Emy?! When did you learn to do that?!” Clint yells as he sits up rubbing his left shoulder that he landed on. I started stalking towards him with the blade of my scythe scrapping across the ground as i went while giving him a death glare. “Give me back my book Barton.” At the mention of his last name his head snapped up to me fear replacing the pain from his fall. “Oh shit last name not good.” Scrambling up on his feet he turns and runs towards the common room that connects to the elevator with me hot on his tail and my scythe trailing behind me in my right hand.
“Shit shit shit shit shit shit SHIT!!” He yells as he makes it fully to the room only to fling forward as i jump and kick his back tired of all the running. Twirling my weapon around I place it at his neck sneering at him. “I will not ask you again.” I said placing pressure on his neck with my blade. Sensing a fast moving object coming from my left from the kitchen I move my head back 3 inches as what looked like a hammer flew by me embedding itself in the wall. Turning my head slowly in the direction of the flying object, I confirmed it was indeed a hammer that was thrown at me. Irritation flared through me as i released Clint from the end of my scythe and turned fully to the kitchen to face my attacker. There stood 2 men that i did not recognize, one tall oak of a man with blond short hair, blue eyes and tan skin in blue jeans, a red T-shirt ,and grey jacket. the other shorter man made me stare at him and faultier for a second as he was so different from anyone i have ever seen, dark blue skin covered his entire body with darker almost black symbols and piercing red eyes, long black hair with black jeans, a green dress shirt and black jacket. Tearing my gaze away from his own curious one i looked between both men before i clenched my jaw letting my irritation settle back in. “Which one of you threw that hammer.” I said venom dripping with every word. “Whoa its ok Emy thats just Thor and Loki they are the asgardian Gods that live here in the tower part time when they are not in Norway.” Clint said standing up quickly. Not moving from my position i narrowed my eyes and flicked them over in Clint’s direction. The ground started to shake as my irritation and annoyance grew to anger remembering what i was doing before being interrupted by the Gods. Throwing his hands up in surrender he then quickly reached into his back pocket and retrieved my book. “Ok ok dont blow a fuse Em.” He said while tossing me my possession stopping me from causing an earthquake. Catching it in the air with my left had I inspected the book to make sure it wasn’t damaged before I let go of my scythe, with a wave of my hand it disappeared back to the pocket dimension I keep it in then looked back at Clint as the tremors stopped. “Touch my things again and i will be wearing your guts like my mom’s pashmina.” I said to the thief before walking out of the room and disappeared down the hallway not giving the Gods a second glance. As I entered my room i could hear a silky voice ring out from the kitchen. “Well isnt she interesting.”
Part 2 coming soon
@nickkie1129
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silvermoonflowers · 3 years
Text
Moonflower Act IV
Priestess!Reader x Demon!Bucky
Summary: Just a cute little date between you and a handsome demon
Warnings: Lots of fluff, James being a relentless flirt, and the Reader being a bit feisty
Act III
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You smiled happily as you pulled out a tray of freshly baked cream puffs from the stove.
Everybody, except you, was out for the day. A High Priestess from the Moon Temple had arrived and asked Nicole to come over so she could help her out with her spiritual powers. Although you wanted to be with Nicole so you could assist her too, the High Priestess gave you a sharp reprimand about performing your duties first. Meanwhile, Sam and the others were in a meeting with the King (for knights only apparently), leaving you the only one at the residence.
Oh well.
So far, you haven’t sensed any bad omens and there weren’t reports of demon sightings. You would’ve taken a walk to see Emily, but at that moment, it began to rain heavily. Great, just great. You glumly sat in the kitchen for a while before your eye caught a jar of flour. Since you didn’t know how long it would be before your family returned, you thought you would make some pastries as a welcome home gift for them.
As you waited for the pastries to cool, your mind began to wonder back to a certain demon.
You were still a bit wary of James due to his true nature. And you only saw him a few times, with those meetings being short and somewhat cryptid, which still mystified you. You suppose it because he was a demon. He probably didn’t want to stay around without a knight or demon hunter noticing him and then trying to kill him. 
And yet…
You sighed. In spite of his true nature, James was certainly beautiful and charismatic. His deep, smooth voice did wonders to you and you longed to be in his arms again. Just being with him gave you so much comfort in a world filled with grief and suffering.
I wonder if my family is alright if I let James stay at our house?
You frowned deeply. That was one of the few things that was in your mind all week now. No matter how much you wanted James to stay with you, you knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Because of so many past incidents, you and your family were distrustful of all demons, whether they were noble or not. But all James had ever shown you was kindness, which made you change your mind a bit. You ran a hand through your hair in frustration.
Now was not the time for confusing thoughts. 
You swiftly turned to a cabinet, intending to get a large plate to put the cream puffs on when the temperature suddenly became cold. That was surely a sign that a demon was going to appear. But the chilling presence was more comforting than threatening, which made you know who it was. You shuddered from delight as he made himself known.
“My, my what a sweet scent,” James purred as he leaned against one of the walls.
You didn’t turn around at first. Instead you took your time to get the plate. You weren’t actually ready to face him yet. 
“James, hello...you could’ve knocked, you know…” You muttered as you pushed aside stacks of small bowls and small plates.
There was a chuckle. “Hello to you too, my dear Priestess. And I would, however it’s raining. So I’d rather not get myself wet.”
“Yeah...true...well..umm...w-what the - hey!” When you turned around, your face began to burn with embarrassment almost immediately.
James had already grabbed one of the cream puffs and was casually munching on it. However, that wasn’t the only thing that made you seethe. Now that you met him again, but this time in broad daylight and without a cloak covering him, you could clearly see what he was wearing. He was wearing rather tight clothing, which made you wonder how he could move in them considering how muscular he was. Well, his shirt must’ve been that tight, since he didn’t bother to button up, exposing his well-built torso to you. 
You huffed. He had to have done that on purpose.
“J-James, I don’t mind if you eat the food, but you should’ve asked first!” You hissed as you tried so hard not to look at his chest.
James merely smirked at you as he took another bite. “Sorry dear, they just look so delicious. Do you need help by the way?”
“Oh no...thanks, I’m fine…”
The audacity of him...first he entered your home, (no, you weren’t counting the first time since he was there to save Nicole) while revealing his torso to you and then he took a pastry without asking you first. Well...James was a demon, so being mischievous was not uncommon to him, but still…
“Alright, if you say so. Do you mind if I take another one then, please?” James grinned, revealing a pair of sharp teeth, a hint of his true nature. You narrowed your eyes at him. But it wasn’t so much of his demonic features scaring you. No, he would never hurt you. It was more of the fact that he was teasing you.
“Yeah...well...whatever,” You mumble as you set the plate down and began piling the rest of the now cooled cream puffs on it. “But you better not eat them all. Save some for the family, too!”
“Thanks,” He purred as he plucked another pastry from the plate. “You’re such a doll.”
At the affectionate nickname, you nearly dropped the plate in shock. You had to bend down awkwardly in order to balance the plate. Thankfully, neither the plate nor the pastries fell to the floor. But now you just realized that you made a fool of yourself in front of James. His snicker obviously confirmed that.
“Wow Priestess, you sure are clumsy~~” “Shut up!” In your frustration, you threw a cream puff at James. He caught it with ease while you scowled. You didn’t mean to throw the pastry at him. You just wanted to get rid of James’ teasing smirk off of his beautiful face. 
“Another one? Aww thanks~~”
You sucked in a breath while setting the plate of pastries down a little too hard on the table. Why were you even acting irritated in the first place? You did want to see James again and your wish was indeed granted. Even if he did come into your house unexpectedly...
It was probably because James was practically shirtless that threw you off.
“James,” Your shoulders sagged a bit. ”...I’m sorry for being...mad at you just now. I really am glad to see you, you know..”
“Nah,” His voice suddenly became soft. “I think I went too far in teasing you.”
“I-it’s fine…”
There was now an awkward silence between the two of you with you clasping your hands together rather tightly and James finishing off the pastries. The rain was the only sound that filled the silence. You hoped James wasn’t too upset with you because of your fiery outburst. 
“S-So, uhh...y-you want some...t-tea?” You wanted to cringe at how much you were stammering, but James didn’t seem to notice as he nodded.
While you prepared two cups of jasmine tea, you kept sneaking glances back at James who was now staring off into space. Now would probably be a great time to start an actual conversation. 
“So…” You trailed off for a second before the words came into your mind. “James…you need me for something?”
He smirked. “I just want to see if you’re alright, my dear Priestess~” You blushed. “Oh well...thank you. I’m glad to see you’re alright too. So w-where do you uhh live?” It may seem like a strange question, but even demons had to hide somewhere.
“Ah, I actually live in an inn not too far from here.”
“You’re okay with living among humans?” You looked at him incredulously while handing him a cup of tea. It’s a wonder for him to be staying at a place where both mercenaries and demons hunters would often hang out.
He shrugged. “It’s better to be there than to be at my...uh...old home?”
You weren’t even going to question what James referred to as his “old home” as you already had the dreadful idea of what it was. 
“However, the owners do know that I’m a demon.”
“What? How?”
James gave you a rather sheepish grin. “Let’s just say I accidentally revealed my true form to the owners when I saved them from a close encounter with a demon. But the owners don’t seem to care about that though. They just endlessly thanked me for saving them. They promised to keep it a secret and let me stay at their place for as long as I want. I kinda felt bad that I was staying there for so long. So I decided to get rid of any demon that came too close to the inn, even though the owners insisted that I don’t have to.”
“Oh, that’s nice. But what about the mercenaries?” 
James scoffed as he took a sip of his tea. “You mean the ones who are so arrogant and are only doing it for attention than actually helping their fellow humans? I don’t even come near them. All they do is constantly brag about their victories and demand for more money. It’s irritating as hell.” 
You let out a giggle and then quickly pursed your lips. But more giggles erupted. You had to set your teacup down so the drink wouldn’t spill on your dress. The way James looked so grumpy was such a contrast to his handsome, charismatic self. His eyebrows were furrowed and his lips formed a cute pout. However, he did have a point about certain mercenaries. You had only fought alongside them at least three times and all three times nearly ended in disaster. Two of them even demanded for yours’ and Nicole’s hand in marriage, much to your family’s chagrin. 
As you recovered from your giggling fit, you heard a teacup being set down. You looked up, only for your eyes to widen. James’ chest was suddenly right in front of your face. When did he get so close to you without you even noticing?
Your eyes trailed down to his abs. Oh, his abs looked nice enough to touch. And damn, those dark pants really are tight on him. But before you could look any further, a cold hand tilted your chin.
“Ah-ah, eyes up here.”
There was a twinkle of amusement in James’ blue eyes and you felt both shy and a bit of fury rising within you. Shy because of what you assume is James going to kiss you and fury because of how relentless he was in teasing you. How long was this guy going to make you blush?!
His hand slid up to your cheek and stayed there. Then his long fingers began to gently caress your skin and you had to bite your lips from letting out a breathy sigh. The sensation was cold, so cold, and yet...so nice.
“I have something for you,” James’ voice was a mere whisper now. His hand disappeared from your cheek as he pulled out a small box from his pocket and gave it to you. The box was wrapped in what seemed like expensive gift paper and it was pretty lightweight. 
“W-what is it?” 
James only smiled. “Open it.”
You set the box on the table and unwrapped it. A gasp left your throat when the gift was revealed. It was a beautiful ring and a very expensive one at that. The band was made out of rose gold. Resting on top of the band was a shining diamond, surrounded by crystalline petals that appeared to be in the shape of a moonflower. A moonflower ring. The same ones that you saw whenever you and Nicole visited the jewelry market. You swallowed hard before turning to James, whose smile grew.
“Oh...J-James...thank you. But...how can you afford it? This is really expensive -”
James winked at you. “I’m a demon, remember? I can summon money out of thin air.”
Yeah, but for a price… You thought bitterly as you remembered trying to save someone who was foolish enough to make a deal with a demon. But James definitely wasn’t that cruel to do something like that…
“Oh, James...thank you so much.” You closed the box and held it close to your chest. “But you didn’t have to…” You didn’t know why, but you felt bad that James bought something that cost so much.
“Oh, come now, dear Priestess,” James said in a low voice as he took a step closer to you. His hands slid over your shoulders and pulled you into his bare chest. With your cheek pressed against his cold skin, you nearly fainted. Dammit, just why was James so handsome and sultry?!
“This gift is a symbol of my love for you. So I hope you enjoy my gift. Please, cherish it forever.” At the word “love”, your heart nearly skipped a beat. You felt James press a kiss to your forehead, making you blush even more. “Thanks for the tea and pastries, doll.”
Then just like that fateful night from before, James took a few steps back, never taking his eyes off of you. But this time, you took a step forward, your free hand outstretched towards him. He smiled and brushed his fingers over your hand before he took one last step into a shadowy corner.
“I’ll see you again, my dear Priestess.” Before you could say something, he disappeared. For a while, you stared at the spot where he disappeared, with your face burning hot and the box clutched tightly in your hands. 
“Hey, we’re home! Boy, is it raining hard!” Sam called out from the main corridor, startling you. “Oh what’s that sweet scent?”
You quickly hide the box behind a shelf before going into the corridor to greet your family. 
“Welcome back, everyone!”
                                                                             *~*~*
There was only darkness when the demon entered the old mansion. But he didn’t mind. The darkness felt like home to him. It’s a relief from the annoying sunlight that had peeked out from the clouds now.
“Master,” he called out. “I have returned.”
Footsteps echoed and in the sliver of sunlight, another demon appeared. He looked much more ancient compared to the one who stood before him.
“Welcome back,” his master said. He then frowned rather deeply. “However next time, use the mirror to enter through here. You don’t want to get the attention of the humans, do you?”
The demon scoffed, but then shook his head quickly when his master gave him a look of disapproval. 
“So...” the demon began when his master continued to stare at him.  “I’ve done it.”
His master’s normally cold expression lightened. “Oh? Good. Very good.”
The demon could see the eagerness in his master’s eyes and he couldn’t help but feel a bit prideful.
“Then your next task is to try to find a way to get as close as possible to the Priestess and her sister.  But remember, you must be very, very subtle about it. The slightest mishap and it could be your downfall. Then when they truly put their trust into you, kill them both. Ran’s lineage ends with their deaths. The Kingdom of Larissa will finally be ours.”
Already tasting the glory of victory, the demon smirked and gave a rather mocking bow to his master. “As you wish.”
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nemir · 3 years
Text
𝕤 𝕡 𝕝 𝕖 𝕟 𝕕 𝕚 𝕕
✞——————❆——————✞
» pairing; haurchefant greystone x rhen {my wol}
» word count: 6k!!! EXACTLY.
» content; mutual pining, mixed messages, adult themes,
» an; written over the course of a few days while listening to Kiss from a Rose by Seal on repeat fjgdkljd (also huge shoutout to the Haurchefant I've been hanging out with, you're an inspiration to us all)
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"Curse the twelve for this weather! It's too damn cold." A viera woman pushed her way through the front doors of a stone building at Camp Dragonhead, giving little care to the volume - and tone - of her voice. She shivered once inside, pulling the large hood from her cloak back off her head. Jet black ears sprang up immediately, to which her hands lifted to smooth out her choppy black hair. "Right. Where is he?"
The sell-swords and infantrymen who were keeping warm by the fire inside blinked, heads tilting. "Er … Who, ma'am?"
The woman balked. "What do you me--" She stopped herself short and let out a short breath. "Pray, forgive me. My name is Rhen Hrafna, I'm looking for Lord Haurchefant Greystone. Is he in?" She crossed her arms beneath her cloak, the tiniest hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips; one that nobody would be able to see unless they were up close.
"M-my lady! Our deepest apologies!" The men and women who stood suddenly straightened their backs and saluted, and the ones who remained seated bowed their heads in both shame and reverence. "He's stepped out for but a moment! I-is there anything we can do for you in the meanti-"
"Leave." A single word. It was curt and blunt, but it wasn't filled with malice or meant to cause harm. It was a simple request, as made evident by the viera's smile. The infantrymen took it as an order, and all let out a breath of relief. It meant they were able to go to the mess hall to eat and kick their feet up for a time. A short time, as peace was not something the Highlands knew much of, but it was welcomed nonetheless. "And please," she spoke as they filed out, passing by them as she made her way further into the room, "only return if it is an absolute emergency. Important Scion matters, and whatnot." Rhen rolled her hand in a nonchalant circle, to which some of the infantrymen snickered and rolled their eyes but nodded in understanding all the same, and finally Rhen was left alone.
It wasn't for long. As she hopped up onto the long desk that stood at the far back of the room and leaned forward with her palms pressed into the solid wood, the front doors opened again letting in a blast of cold winter air. "Best to keep bundled up out there, my friends! The wind is blowing something fierce!" A tall elezen man had come in and quickly closed the door behind him. His silver-blue hair tumbled out from his helm as he pulled it off, giving his head a single shake before turning around to a near-empty room. "Ah."
"Lord Haurchefant." Rhen remained on the desk, her legs crossing at the knee. "Braving the weather, I see? And what, pray tell, was so important that made you late for our meeting?" She was teasing him, of course. Even if she could keep a serious tone, her face would give it away in an instant.
"If it isn't my favourite champion! I do so sincerely apologize for the delay, and I hope you are willing to forgive me. It was not very noble of me to keep a lady waiting - especially one as important as you." His lips grew into a long, thin smile, brilliant blue eyes practically glimmering beneath the lights. He strode across the room, arms opening wide as he drew closer to the viera woman. "Could you find it in your heart of hearts?"
"Hmm... I'm not so sure, my Lord." Rhen's head canted to the side, her own grin growing to match his. She pressed a finger to her chin and tapped it a few times, "Perhaps," she started, noting his crestfallen face, "a hot cocoa will do the trick? You look as though you could use one, too." When he was within reach, she opened her own arms and pulled him into a warm - albeit slightly awkward due to his armor - embrace. "I've missed you." Her voice was soft, evidently content and feeling at peace in this moment.
“As I have missed you! Every time you leave the camp, I start wondering when I will be graced by not only your presence, but your shining and beautiful face again. It pains me so, to see you leave through those doors, you know.” His voice was friendly, not as deep as one would imagine upon first looking at him. It was jovial and bouncy, and it was clear he could make anyone smile, or break them out of a sour mood with just a few kind words. Haurchefant was sure to give her an extra squeeze before pulling away, resting his hands on her elbows as he got a good look at her. “Just as beautiful as the first day I met you. Right! Let’s get some of that cocoa going, eh?” He pulled away completely, still beaming at Rhen, then quickly turned on his heels and hurried through the door that led to his private stores.
✞——————❆——————✞
“Halone preserve me.” His words were hushed and quick as he sank back against the door. His hand lifted, wrist pressing to his forehead. What was he going to do? He had always been shameless in his flirting with the Warrior of Light - he didn’t exactly keep his feelings a secret. But… Did she know? Was he too forward just now, with his words and his actions? No, he couldn’t have been! She’s the one who welcomed, and even initiated, the embrace! Did that mean she felt the same…? “Pull yourself together, man!” His hand dragged down his face, and he let out a long breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “There is no way she could… She would ever...” He stopped himself and shook his head. “Hot cocoa. Right.”
“Why didn’t I kiss him.” As soon as she heard the door shut behind him, Rhen’s expression dropped and her hands immediately shot to cover her face. She let out a long groan of frustration, kicking her feet a bit off the side of the desk. “Gods dammit, Rhen.” Her hands fell back down to her lap and she sighed. She was getting ahead of herself. Sure, she could have kissed him. But would he even want that? Did he even have feelings for her? But the way he spoke to her… No, he talked to everyone like that didn’t he? Well, perhaps not everyone, but surely - “Ugh!” She hopped off the desk and started pacing up and down the length of the desk, arms crossed under her chest. Was she really in any position to develop feelings, especially for one with whom she worked so closely? It could potentially become a conflict of interest, and Rhen knew she wouldn’t hear the end of it from Alphinaud… not to mention Tataru would have that rumour spread faster than one could say ‘Hydaelyn’. No, no. Best to put the thought to rest. For now.
Finally, the water was ready and he carefully poured the water in. He gave each mug a good stir, then lifted each mug and held one out to Rhen. “For you, my lady.”
As if on cue, the elezen pushed his way through the door with two tin mugs in one hand, the other holding a sack filled with powder and a small jug of milk. His usual, friendly smile was plastered on his face and he seemed no different than he had before he walked into his store room. “Shouldn’t take too long, now! Just need to boil the water.” He moved fluidly across the room, retracing the same steps he had taken many times before on occasions just like these, be they with friends, random adventurers, and even on his own. He dropped the supplies on the desk, moved to the hearth to grab a small black cauldron which he brought over to another room which held a small fountain of water. He scooped some in, and with ease, carried it back and hitched it onto the short chain that hung right above the fire. Soon enough the flames were licking the bottom of the cauldron, and a small bit of steam rose from the lightly bubbling water. In the meantime, he set to prepping the mugs, spooning out generous portions of the cocoa powder into each, followed by a good splash of milk.
She took it with a smile. “Thank you.” Though it was hot, she cupped the mug with both hands, thankful for the warmth it provided her. The stone buildings of the Highlands, which were respite from the freezing temperatures outside, did not do well in terms of insulation and there was always a chill, regardless of how long a fire had been going. She moved closer to the hearth and sank down onto a bench that had been haphazardly pulled up by the infantrymen earlier on. Rhen lifted the mug closer to her face, taking in the smell of the decadent cocoa before blowing softly at the rim and taking a small sip. “Mmmn.. Delicious, as always.” Her head turned slightly, “The best hot cocoa this side of Ishgard. I could never have a better cup.”
He beamed in response, taking a small sip of his own. “Oh, you flatter me so.” He leaned back against the bench, resting his arm against the top, his fingers just inches from Rhen. It took everything he had to resist the temptation to reach out and gently stroke her back. “But if you insist. I’ve had a lot of time to practice making it. Not to mention countless cold and thirsty knights.” His eyes darted from her to the warm glow of the fire. “I couldn’t be happier, knowing someone as splendid as you, enjoys such a simple little treat.”
The viera scoffed, “Please. I’m not that special, Haurchefant.” She turned herself slightly on the bench, facing the knight a little better now. “I’m just an average adventurer.” Those words would hit a chord with him, and she knew it. It was said on purpose, as she loved how passionate he got when it came to her. It made her heart skip a beat, and her stomach turn in welcoming anxious knots.
“Average?! There is nothing average about you, Lady Rhen! You are malms above average! Imagine, the Warrior of Light, Hydaelyn’s chosen, arguably the most important member of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn being just average!” Here it came. That passionate, near heated retort. He nearly spilled his cocoa with how animated and excitable he got. “The things people would do to be included, or even acknowledged, by you and yours! Why, I had to pinch myself after I met you the first time! I could hardly believe that someone I had heard so much about, someone who had beaten primals, waltzed through my door!” His free hand had lifted to his head, a finger and thumb pressing against his temples. “The… the very notion that you, after all you have done, would think you are av-”
“Haurchefant.” Rhen hadn’t expected this much. She had no idea he’d take it so personally. “R-really, you don’t need to go into so much! A lot of what I’ve accomplished is because I haven’t done it alone, or even by mere coincidence! Luck, even.” She leaned her shoulder against the bench, looking up at him bewildered, one hand pressed to her chest.
“No! Rhen, you don’t-” He stood up, and took one step before turning slightly so his back was to her. “I mean.” A deep breath steadied him. “You truly are splendid, Rhen Hrafna, and that is something I will not argue.” He glanced to the hearth again, his hair falling over his eyes in such a way that blocked them from Rhen’s view.
She sighed, and reached out toward him. “I appreciate your kind words, really, I do. They… they mean a lot to me.” Her gaze was still steady on his face, though struggled to read it. She took a moment to ponder her next words carefully, sipping at her still-hot cocoa. “...You-”
“I apologize for my outburst, my lady.” He hadn’t meant to cut her off, but the silence was killing him. “Ah, but I forget myself. You came here to discuss important matters regarding the Scions, correct?” He turned back around to face her and sat down on the bench once more, that usual smile on his face. Truly, he wasn’t himself without it.
Rhen bit her lip, looking away for a brief moment, then retracted her hand the moment he turned around. “You’ve nothing to apologize for, Lord Haurchefant.” She shook her head, and returned the smile. “But, yes,” her body shifted slightly, “that is why I came here. It… really isn’t anything terribly important. Alphinaud just wanted me to relay some information, catch up with how things are progressing here.”
“Ah! The young Master Alphinaud! How is the lad? Chipper as always, I expect!” Haurchefant let out a chuckle, “As for how things are here, they are the same as ever, I’m afraid! The occasional threat, but nothing we haven’t been able to handle I can assure you! I trust things are going well over in Ishgard? You had an audience with Ser Aymeric, didn’t you?” It was time for Haurchefant to shift his body, though it seemed a bit more tense, more stiff.
“Yes, that’s right.” Rhen sipped her cocoa, “He was gracious, and a very kind host. I can see why he’s held in a relatively high regard. I look forward to meeting with him again, and hopefully working together toward not only rebuilding Ishgard, but reestablishing an alliance. They would prove to be an incredibly valuable ally. Alphinaud is still there, actually.”
“I see.” His words were uncharacteristically short, and lacked the usual vim and vigor. “It seems you have your hands full. To be expected, of course.” He nodded once before bringing the mug to his lips to take a long drink. “I…” the knight started to speak, and Rhen tilted her head, waiting for him to finish. “I hope you still remember your friends,” the word was stilted, “back here at Camp Dragonhead. While there isn’t much more you are able to do for us - not that we wouldn’t appreciate any help, of course - I… these halls would feel empty without a visit from you, whenever you are able.”
She felt herself recoil. Friend. There it was. The word she had been dreading. So, that’s how he really felt. She inhaled from her nose, sharp and short. “I could never forget you. All of you,” she added. “You have done much for me, and for the future of all Eorzea, Lord Haurchefant. Don’t discredit yourself and your accomplishments.” Tentatively, she reached a hand out and pressed it on top of his. Skin meeting skin sent a jolt through her body, and she wanted nothing more than to curl her fingers around his, squeeze his hand tight and confess everything, here and now. She would give up everything, if it meant being with him. “Politics are slow-going. It’s not as if I’ll be meeting with Ser Aymeric day after day, night after night. Things need to be put into motion, to pass through… I will have plenty of time to come back here.”
“But surely he set up accommodations for you in Ishgard?” Haurchefant hadn’t meant for the words to be bitter, but Rhen felt the bite, and pulled her hand away. Desperately, silently, he begged himself to remember the warmth and how it felt.
“Well, yes.” She blinked, confused by his reaction. “But it’s just a free room at the inn, nothing fancy.” Her hand curled around the tin mug again, no longer hot to the touch. “In fact it was your father, Count Edmont, who offered me private chambers in his home.” Her brow lifted, “Are you going to take up issue with that, too?”
“Father did? Well,” he chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, running the thought through his mind, “no, I don’t have a problem with that, my lady. You will be well taken care of and safe at Fortemps Manor.” And he would know where she was, Halone forbid anything happen. “My apologies. I am merely looking out for you and your safety.”
Rhen’s tongue clicked. “It is fine.” Finishing the rest of her cocoa, she pushed herself up from the bench and moved to the desk, resting the mug on top. “I do believe that was all we had to discuss.” She didn’t turn back to face him, and instead kept staring straight ahead; she didn’t want him to see the tears that were stinging the corners of her eyes.
Haurchefant sighed. “For the time being, yes. It is late, my lady. While I am sure the comforts of House Fortemps are calling, I would feel better if you remained here for the night. That blizzard has surely only gotten worse as the night progressed.” He, too, rose from the bench and made his way to a door off to the side, leaving his mug on the bench, ready to prep a room.
“... Thank you, Lord Haurchefant. That would be greatly appreciated. I’ll take but a moment to contact Alphinaud and let him know.”
✞——————❆——————✞
Haurchefant had the right idea. All through the night, Rhen could hear naught by the wind whipping and whistling around outside, rattling the single-pane glass windows. She was incredibly thankful for the hearth that had been lit in her room as she curled beneath the heavy dodo feather quilt. Still, sleep eluded her. She had been fed - it was a quiet and rather awkward dinner - the room had been set, and Haurchefant had even drawn a hot bath for her to help ease the chill. He even remembered that lavender helped her sleep, and had a sachet of it resting atop her pillow. Perhaps that was why.
The creaking of the door caught Haurchefant's attention, and he spun on his heels. He squinted in the low light, "My lady?" He froze in his spot, unsure if it was just a trick of the wind or if the Warrior of Light was really standing there in the doorframe, in nothing but a silk robe and cloak. "What are you doing out of bed?" He blinked, and remembered stubbing his toe a few minutes prior, "Ah- I hope I did not wake you? I was simply… cleaning up, and managed to catch my foot against the bench." He waved a hand, trying to brush the small lie aside.
Her mind was racing. Something had seemed so… off about Haurchefant tonight. At first, he was his usual eccentric self! It was a relief to see, especially after dealing with the stuffiness of the Holy See. But as their conversation went on, it was as though something happened, and he just changed. The only thing she could pinpoint was when the topic turned to Ser Aymeric, but surely… No, there was no reason why Haurchefant would get so upset over that. Rhen pushed herself up in the bed, pulling her knees to her chest. This. This is what was keeping her from resting.
Down the hall and through the door, Haurchefant remained in the main room, resting on the bench next to the hearth, elbows on his knees and his hands together. Why did he let himself lose control of his emotions like that? It wasn’t like him to get so… irrational. Yet, something about the way she spoke so highly of Aymeric - it was to be expected, of course, he was indeed a generous and kind soul, but… Haurchefant gripped his own hands tighter together. “Gods dammit…!” He cursed, and pushed off the bench again, this time his foot connecting with the heavy wood. He grumbled out - of course this would happen after he had changed into more casual, comfortable clothes. He bit his lip, trying not to make too much noise.
A moment passed, and he opted to pace about in a circle, keeping close to the hearth. He didn’t know what to do and for the first time in a long time, Haurchefant wasn’t feeling like himself. On one hand, he was so incredibly honoured and proud to be a friend to Rhen, the illustrious and sought-after white mage. His chest swelled when he spoke of her, or heard others speak her name and of her glorious deeds! But on the other hand he felt almost selfish, like he wanted to keep her all to himself, run away together where nobody could find them. Alas, he knew that would be impossible. She had her duties, as he had his own and it wouldn’t be in either of their characters to just leave that all behind. Not after they had both spent so long and worked so hard to get to where they were. They both had people who relied on them. He sighed, “... as I rely on her.” His words were whispered into the darkened room, hushed and barely audible.
“I need to talk to him.” Rhen spoke aloud, to herself. She needed to be clear of any doubts, any worries. Even if it meant losing him, Rhen needed to tell him everything that was on her mind, everything she felt, and ask him what happened, why he was acting that way earlier in the night. She threw the covers to the side and slipped out of the large bed. Her feet touched the cold stone, and her toes curled, but she pushed through how much it bit into her skin. She grabbed her cloak and tossed it over her shoulders before leaving her room. “I wonder…” She wandered down the hall, first stopping at Haurchefant’s private chambers. Before knocking, she pressed an ear to the door, listening for any sort of noise. Nothing, not even the crackling of a fire. She knocked regardless and pushed open the door, peeking through the small crack. “... Haurchefant?” She whispered into the darkness, but could see nothing. There was no response, no ruffling of sheets or soft sleepy grunts. There wasn’t even a shadowy lump on the bed to mark his presence.
She sighed and moved on from his room, sure to close the door as she left. Where could he be? Surely, he wasn’t called out for some sort of nightwatch? In the middle of this storm? She frowned; if he had, there would be words in the morning. The viera continued to tiptoe her way down the hall, peeking through various doors until she came to the end of the hall. The next door would lead to the main room. Suddenly, she found herself nervous; she didn’t know what she wanted to find on the other side. If he was there, would she be able to go through with this? Rhen bit her lip and opened the door without anymore second thoughts. If she was going to do it, she just had to do it.
"No, I just couldn't sleep." She stepped into the room, arms crossing over her stomach, to keep herself from shivering but also as a way to keep herself grounded. Her head turned slightly to the left, using her one good eye to peer and squint into the slowly darkening room. "... Is your foot alright? Do I need to heal-"
"No, no, thank you. Nothing is broken or bleeding, and I've handled much worse." He chuckled lightly, and for a moment all the tension between them was lifted. They both felt as though they could breathe easy again, but when the room got quiet and neither of them spoke, everything built up from the evening returned. It was thick, and nauseating. "But, you must needs get back to your room where it is warm! You'll end up sickly if you stay out here, threadbare and in the cold. I would hate to be the one responsible for the delay in Eorzea's saving!"
But as he moved closer to usher her back to her room, the moaning wind outside picked up whipping the door wide open. The pair of them lifted their arms to cover their faces, both letting out a sharp gasp as the penetrating cold hit them. "S-stay there, I'll get this." The blizzard was strong, blowing in the snow that had accumulated in front of the door inside in drifts, small pellets of ice mixing into the mess. But Rhen hadn't listened, and was already ahead of Haurchefant, bare feet leaving tiny footprints in the snow in her wake. He clicked his tongue but didn't dare try to argue. Instead, he moved at her pace and they reached the door together, using their combined strength to fight against the wind and push the door shut, latching it and keeping it barred shut with a thick plank of wood.
Rhen could feel her feet burning from the snow, and her lungs felt as though they were on fire. It took her a moment to come down from the slight rush and jump away from the snow, moving back toward the hearth, which the fire within nearly died completely and was now just a burning pile of embers. "That… wasn't my most prudent decision."
Haurchefant watched her, a sympathetic smile on his lips. He considered Rhen his charge, and even if his developing feelings drove him to overreact or overthink, her and her safety was his first priority, above all else. "I shall take you back to your room." It was a statement, and he wasn't going to give her much room to say no, as he was by her side in an instant and picked her up bridal style, the long train of her cloak and robe tangling together and draping over his arm.
He did as he was instructed, though hesitated for a split second, and sank slowly onto the bed next to her. He wasn't sure what to do with himself; his feet were planted firmly on the floor in case he needed to spring back up, but his torso was twisted slightly. His arms he kept low, hands resting on the tops of his knees, fingers drumming against them. "Rhen? Is everything alright?"
She made to protest, but found herself unwilling. So she let him scoop her up without a word, and rested her head on his shoulder, arms wrapping around him. If she could have just this moment and nothing else, she would be satisfied. "Don't feel like you need to rush." She murmured, unsure if he'd even hear her, but when she felt his pace slow she smiled.
“What were you doing wandering about so late?” They had made it back to her room, and Haurchefant was letting her down on the bed. He reached around her and pulled the cloak from her shoulders to hang it back up. “I can’t imagine such a strong, world-saving viera like yourself would be kept up from some howling wind and a bit of cold?” His head turned slightly, stealing a glance at her from over his shoulder.
Rhen sighed; she knew this would come up. There was a fleeting moment where she thought that maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t have to bring it up, that she could just forget that she was going to open her heart entirely to him and just leave things how they were. But then, how long would she be able to keep it up? There was always the chance that it would be too late, and she knew it would be something she'd regret her entire life. "Come, sit beside me." She motioned to the bed and shifted, pulling one leg up to lay it flat against the mattress, turning so she would be able to face him directly.
"Do you care about me?"
Haurchefant's expression twisted, a mix of confusion and surprise. "Of course I do! You're my dearest friend! What would possess you to think I don’t?"
"Haurchefant, you aren’t listening. Do you care about me?” Rhen leaned forward, taking his hands in hers. Her eyes were wide, brows turned upward as she waited for him to understand, to respond.
The elezen was silent as he processed the question, his eyes staring down into hers, searching the mismatched grey hues. He felt her thumb drag along the top of his hand, and he blinked. “Wait, you don’t mean…”
Rhen inhaled deeply, and nodded. “I do. Haurchefant, I… That is to say--” She was stumbling over her words, finding it hard to concentrate over the pounding in her chest. She chewed her lip for a moment before continuing, “When we first met, you were kind and your words were… Well, a bit much if I’m being honest. But, they were flattering all the same, and it was refreshing to hear.” She saw his lips part as he went to speak, but she shook her head, wanting to finish before he said anything. “Over time, I found myself thinking of you more often, how I wished you could be on this journey with me - physically, with me, about how I couldn’t wait to come back to see you here… and I found myself starting to wonder if the words you said, all the compliments… If you truly meant them.” She could feel her cheeks growing hot by the second, and she dropped her gaze, opting to look at their hands.
“Rhen…” Haurchefant tilted his head to the side slightly, still watching her intently. He licked his lips and lifted a hand to her face, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers before cupping her chin to tilt her head back up. “Halone, forgive me for taking so long.” He whispered before closing the gap between them, pressing his lips to hers. It wasn’t forced, or rough but gentle, and what one would expect from someone like Haurchefant. He could feel her body tense for just a moment and was about to pull away when he felt her melt into his touch, her hand squeezing his, fingers curling together. He didn’t want this feeling to end.
For months he had been thinking of her nonstop. Since the moment he first laid eyes upon her, he knew she was special - and not just because of her deeds, her title. Just, her. She was plaguing his thoughts, not that he was complaining. At night, he dreamt of her, of moments like these and moments that would make brothel workers blush. Anytime the doors opened to his office, he would snap his head up in the hopes of seeing her walk through. There wasn’t a time he wasn’t worrying about her, and her safety. The relief and butterflies he would feel when he did see her were beyond compare, and unlike anything he could describe.
And right now, in this moment, he didn’t need to speak a word of that; she knew. All it took was that one kiss, which neither wanted to stop. Rhen’s arms lifted and draped over his shoulders, bending so her hands could comb through his hair. He complied, and leaned forward slightly, his own arms moving in to grab her from the waist and lift her slightly and pulled her into his lap; he could feel her smiling against his lips. The kiss deepened as Haurchefant dared to pry his tongue against her lips, begging entrance. She complied and their tongues met. His fingers dug into her skin slightly, and a shiver ran down Rhen’s back. “You have no idea how I’ve longed for this moment.”
✞——————❆——————✞
Daybreak. The sun was streaming through the single-paned glass window, flits of dust drifting lazily about. The fire in the hearth had long since died, no longer even smoldering. Rhen stirred, the sheets rustling slightly. Slowly and sleepily she blinked and pushed herself up onto her elbows. It took her a moment to gain her bearings before she looked around at the room; right. She remained at Camp Dragonhead because of the blizzard. That would also mean…
“Lay back down.” Haurchefant’s voice was muffled, his face buried into the pillow. He was peeking up at her with one eye, the corner of his mouth visible and turned up in a soft smile. He lazily lifted an arm and curled it around Rhen, dragging her back down to the bed. “Mmm… splendid.”
She giggled and wiggled about slightly, getting into a comfortable position, turning just enough so they were facing each other. She buried her face into the crook of his neck, leaving a trail of kisses down from his jaw. “Good morning.” Her arm draped over his side, fingers tracing gentle and soft lines up and down his back. So it hadn’t been a dream… good. She smiled and let out a content hum.
“And a good morning, it is!” Haurchefant stirred a bit, allowing Rhen to get comfortable before wrapping his arm back around her, holding her close. He was basking in this feeling, in this moment. “I trust you slept well?” His lips pressed to her forehead in a tender kiss. His legs, as well, shifted slightly so as to entangle their bodies even more. He wanted to feel as one with her, and he wanted to stay just like this forever.
Rhen nodded, “And you?”
“Best I’ve slept in ages.” Another kiss to her forehead.
“Haurchefant?” She paused for a moment, and he grunted in response, “What does this mean for us?”
He pulled back slightly so he could get a better look at her face. His expression was gentle and soft, the sweetest and most sincere smile pulling at his lips. “Well, if you would rather keep this a secret and never speak of it again, I would understand. I would be terribly heartbroken, I won’t lie.” He chuckled, and pressed a finger to her lips when he saw she was about to speak. “But,” his expression changed slightly, still sweet but a little more serious. Blue eyes shone in the sunlight. “Rhen Hrafna. Would you grant me the highest honour of staying with me, by my side, as not only my dearest and most cherished friend, but as my partner?” The arm that was around her moved, hand grabbing hers and pulling it up to his lips, “Say you’ll be mine.” He kissed her fingers, each one individually, and so delicately.
“Haurchefant Greystone.” She was beaming, her cheeks red and warm, “I am the one who will be honoured to call you my partner. Forever, and always.” She could feel the tears begin to prick the corners of her eyes, but this time they were of joy. Of a sweet relief, feeling all the weight finally lift from her shoulders. “I am yours, and I always will be.”
“Those words… They are music to my ears. You’ve made me the happiest man alive on this day, you know!” Haurchefant laughed, and it was like a chorus. It was joyful, radiant, filled with love and life. He pulled her in close once more, tightening his grasp around her in an embrace. “This feeling… this excitement. Ahhh, it’s splendid!” Haurchefant took a deep breath and let out a long, happy sigh. His other hand, burdened by being under Rhen’s frame, moved slightly to absently stroke her hair.
“That’s a bold claim, my Lord.” She teased, and the pair chuckled. “But I’m glad. Truly, I couldn’t be happier!” Her hand pressed against the middle of his back. “Long have I waited to hear you say those words, and to hold me just like this.”
“As have I, Rhen. I have dreamt of moments just like these. You’ve never once left my thoughts.”
“I guess that means we’ll be staying in bed a bit longer then?”
He hummed in response, “Please… just a bit longer.” He kissed her again, softly.
“Anything for you.”
16 notes · View notes
marvelousstevetony · 3 years
Note
If you’re still taking prompts can you do “mission in the rain” for stony with sick steve?
I’m going to apologize in advance, anon, for being so late to answer this, and also for how... not great this is. Tbh, this is a mess, but I’ll post it anyway🥲
Thank you for the prompt, though! Hopefully I’ll get back into the flow of writing soon!
----------------
“See this,” Tony starts, “this is why I don’t trust Fury.” He’s stomping the ground like a petulant child, arms folded over his chest even though he’s wearing the armour, illustrating just how sulky he is. In addition, the glare he’s sporting almost makes Clint’s arrows seem harmless, and Steve can hear the sharpness in his voice, even over the loud drumming of the rain.
���Tony—“
“I mean,” Steve is interrupted before he has to say anything else, “this was supposed to be easy. Get in quickly, then get the hell out even faster.”
Steve sighs. It’s not like he’s disagreeing with Tony, no, quite the opposite actually. But moping never does any good, so Steve takes a deep breath and continues walking.
Tony is right, though, he thinks. Although Fury hadn’t presented them with a lot of details about the Hydra facility, he had told them that it had recently been abandoned and that all they’d have to do was look it over and hopefully gather information about their new base.
Turns out it wasn’t abandoned, and as soon Tony and Steve had entered the building, they’d been ambushed. Tony had already started cursing Fury when he took out the first Hydra agent, and though none of the agents were particular great fighters (compared to Iron Man and Captain America), there’d been a lot of them.
They’d taken all of them out, but definitely not as easily as if there’d been more than the two of them. ‘That won’t be necessary,’ Fury had said. He might’ve changed his mind if he had known Tony would leave the facility with a malfunctioning armour and no way for them to get away. The car they’d driven there in had been blown up pretty quickly, just like the rest of all the vehicles.
As soon as they’d finished the group of assassins off they’d contacted Fury and the team, but they were a few hours out. The Hydra agents had called for reinforcement when they realized they were losing, but the two Avengers had escaped before a new lineup showed up. There’s no chance of going back, though, and with no other choice, they’d set off on foot.
And that’s how the two of them ended up in the middle of nowhere during one of the worst rainstorms Steve can recall since waking up in the 21st century.
Tony huffs exasperatedly, and steps in a puddle with great force so it splashes.
“They’ll b-be here s-soon,” Steve says, teeth clattering. He’s trying to stay optimistic, but it’s hard, especially with the severe pounding in his head and the full-body chills.
“Yeah, right,” Tony grumbles. “They probably stopped for donuts on their way… Are you cold?” He asks when Steve shivers violently next to him.
“N-no,” Steve replies, but even to him, it sounds unbelievable.
Tony snorts, but he’s tired and his body is achy all over. He doesn’t have the energy to call Steve out on his shit this time, so they continue walking in silence, the only sounds coming from the heavy rain, Steve’s teeth rattling and Tony’s puffs of air from keeping up with Steve’s pace.
At some point, they reach a road on the edge of a forest where Tony’s almost certain that Hydra wouldn’t find them. He just wants to sit down, if only for a few minutes. The suit’s not too heavy, but it’s broken and there’s nothing to lighten the weight, so after walking for miles, Tony could use a break.
From the looks of it, Steve could too. His posture is sloppy, shoulders hunched forward, head ducking low as if to avoid the rain hitting him in the face.
Coming to think of it, Tony’s happy for the suit, despite the slightly increased weight. Although he isn’t wearing the helmet, it keeps his body dry, and that… that can’t be said about Steve’s uniform. The red, white, and blue suit is drenched all the way through. The colors are darker than normal, and it clung even tighter to Steve than it usually does. Tony wonders why it isn’t waterproof, or at least somewhat water-resistant. On the other hand, maybe it is and is simply not able to compete with the tempestuous downpour.
“Don’t you think it’s time for break?” Tony asks, and Steve casts him a questioning glance. “Hydra wouldn’t find us in there,” Tony says and nods at the forest.
Steve looks like he might just argue and say that they should just continue walking. But then he eyes the woodland and sighs. “You’re r-right,” he stammers. “I g-guess there’s n-no real reason to k-keep walking. They’ll f-find us s-soon.”
They settle beneath a tree with large leaves, somewhat shielding them from the rain. Not that it really matters, Steve’s soaked anyway.
They both let out a relieved noise when they slump back against the trunk of the tree, and Steve takes off his cowl, revealing a blond mop of hair that’s just as wet as the rest of him.
They catch their breath for a few minutes, and Tony’s almost starting to relax a bit. Next to him though, Steve’s entire body shudders. He curls into a ball, hugging his knees close to his chest, jaw visibly shaking.
“You can’t seriously tell me you’re not freezing, Steve,” Tony says, but it soft and in no way mocking.
“I’m okay,” Steve forces through clenched teeth. “They’ll b-be here snf! s-s-soon.”
Sighing, Tony rests his head back against the tree, letting his eyes slip shut. He could probably fall asleep, had it not been for the raindrops that hits him right on his closed eyelid every once in a while, making him flinch.
Steve, on the other hand, definitely isn’t on the verge of dropping off. When Tony cracks an eye open to look at him, he’s still trembling violently, but now he’s also scrubbing at his nose and eyes, and at one point he’s overtaken by a harsh coughing fit that leaves him gasping for air.
Tony frowns at him with questioning eyes. Steve either doesn’t understand that Tony was trying to wordlessly ask him if he was okay, or else he just doesn’t want to answer, because as soon as he catching a glimpse of Tony’s face, he looks away and leans forward to rest his forehead on his knees.
Tony, who lost all sense of time long ago, doesn’t know how long they sit like that before he hears the reassuring sound of the Quinjet. When they get on board, Fury and Hill are there, alongside Natasha, who greets them with a sympathetic smile that somehow still manages to be very smirk-like.
“Damn, Steve, you look like a drowned rat,” she states, and it’s not like either of them can argue with that; he’s dripping, leaving puddles after him everywhere he goes, and his hair is clinging to his face like a leech. “There’s spare clothes in the back,” she says and throws a thumb over her shoulder. Steve mumbles a quiet thanks as he leaves, his boots making squeaky noises whenever he takes a step.
By now, Tony’s stepped out of the suit, which, despite its broken parts, kept him surprisingly dry. He winces, however, at how much time he’d spent on upgrading it, only for it to be destroyed a couple of days later. Oh well, he thinks then. It’s not like he doesn’t like having an excuse to work in the lab for a few extra hours.
Although he’s not wet, and not particularly cold wither, Nat offers him a blanket, which he wraps around his shoulders. “He’s really quiet today,” she mumbles as she casts a glance over her shoulder.
Tony hums in agreement. “He’s tired. So am I.”
“That’s reasonable, I guess.” Nat offers a small smile, but her face falls, eyebrows twisting into a frown, as soon they hear the sound of Steve’s gravelly, throat-scraping coughs from the back of the Quinjet. “He seems a little more than just tired, though.”
“Probably,” Tony concurs when Steve comes into sight, now clad in a dry pair of sweats and a Stark Industries hoodie. His hair is still drenched, though, and his for all that Steve’s face is concernedly pale, his cheeks are still flushed from the cold. He’s dragging his feet towards them, slowly, with his shoulders hunched, and Tony think that he must be every bit as exhausted as he looks. “You okay?”
Steve draws in a long breath. Tony waits to hear him say that he’s fine, just like he always does, but when all Steve does is sigh heavily, Tony is immediately alarmed.
Even though it’s nearly imperceptible, Tony does notice, of course he does, that Steve is swaying slightly as he takes the final steps towards them. Ocean blue eyes are unfocused when Tony searches for them with his own, looking glazed over and weary.
Natasha moves nervously when Steve still hasn’t answered and shoots Tony a look. “Steve?” she prompts, and Steve snaps his head to the side to looks at her, but he instantly squeezes his eyes shut as his breath catches.
“Okay,” Tony says, getting to his feet. “You should sit down.” Placing his hands on Steve’s elbows, he guides the blonde to a seat and sits down in the one next to him. Natasha is quickly at his other side and rests a delicate hand of his shoulder.
“So… definitely not okay,” she concludes.
“Sorry,” Steve murmurs, jaw tight. “I-I don’t… I just got dizzy for a minute there. I’m sorry, I think I’m okay now.” Despite saying that he’s okay, his voice is distant, and he still hasn’t opened his eyes.
Tony can feel the tension in his body as he put a hand on Steve’s back, and just moments later, he senses the way Steve is trembling. “Shit, Steve, you’re shaking!” Tony gasps, and if to prove him right, Steve gives a full-body shudder.
Natasha cups the super-soldier’s face and grimaces as she touches the scalding cheeks. “He’s burning up,” she announces, directing the words at Tony, who is now also cradling Steve’s face.
The difference in temperature must feel heavenly to Steve, because he melts into the touch and lets out a sound that’s somewhere between a sigh and a moan.
“Damn,” Tony mutters under his breath. “Guy’s hotter than the sun, in more than one way.” Natasha rolls her eyes, and Tony smirks slightly at her dismay. “Jarvis, give me a rundown of Cap here, please.”
“Certainly, sir,” comes the British accent. “Captain Rogers is currently running a temperature of 103.7 and climbing. Additionally, I detect an inflammation of the respiratory passages. Although I am not programmed to be medically enlightened, I believe Captain Rogers is showing symptoms of influenza.”
“We need to get his fever down,” Natasha says and Tony gives a stiff nod. “I doubt we have anything on the jet that’ll help, but I’ll get him some water.”
Tony nods again, then sighs when he turns back to Steve who is still pressing in face into Tony’s palm, eyes closed and mouth hanging slightly open. He’s also still shaking like a leaf, huddled in on himself with his knees hugged tightly to his chest.
“Steve?” Tony says softly, brushing his thumb over a cut on Steve’s cheek. He gets no response. “Steve, you with me?” He tries again.
Steve opens his eyes slowly and looks at Tony. His are glassy, face is pinched in discomfort, and he looks like he needs about forty-eight hours of sleeps, but at least he isn’t unconscious, Tony thinks.
“Hey, sunshine” the brunette whispers and forces a smile, smoothing a hand over Steve’s hair.
Steve must detect the worry, because he suddenly looks so sad and, in a way, guilty. “I’m sorry,” he croaks. “I’m… I—"
“Shhh… Don’t be sorry, honey. We’re home soon, okay? Then we’ll get you feeling better.”
Steve is looking directly at him with a confused expression, like he didn’t hear a word Tony just said, when Natasha reappears behind Tony with a bottle in her hand.
“How is he?” She asks, sitting down and unscrewing the cap as she holds out the bottle for Steve to take. He eyes it for a couple of seconds, then accepts it with sluggish, shaky movements and brings it to his dry, cracked lips.
“He’s completely out of it,” Tony sighs, and when Steve doesn’t object, Tony figures it’s as much of a confirmation as he’s gonna get.
Natasha, who is known to be the most stoic Avenger, is now decidedly worried. Her mouth is a straight line, and the crease between her brows is deeper than Tony has ever seen it. “Steve,” she says softly. When he lifts his head slightly, she gives him a small smile and brushes a stray strand of hair away from his forehead. “Hey there, soldier.”
Steve’s lips curl just enough to make the weak smile visible. “Hey… I’m—“ Suddenly, Steve is taken over by a harsh, throat-scraping coughing fit that leaves him gasping for air and clutching his chest. “Sorry.”
Tony rubs a comforting hand up and down Steve’s spine as he regains composure. Natasha just shakes her head at him and says, “It’s okay… How long have you been feeling like this?”
“I… I’m not sure. Not long,” he adds when both Natasha and Tony sigh. “I snf! I was fine during the m-mission, but then it just hit me all at once.”
“Definitely the flu, then,” Natasha confirms. “I guess you’re on super-sick-super-soldier duty tonight, Stark.”
“Yeah, I think this one is in desperate need of some TLC,” Tony says, shuffling closer to Steve to let him rest his head against his shoulder. Steve settles in close, his warm breath tickling on Tony’s neck as he lets out a tired yet please sigh. His eyes have slipped shut again, and his body is slowly going slack against Tony’s, melting into the caring hold. “I don’t mind, though,” he mumbles into Steve’s damp hair and places a gentle kiss in there, too.
Natasha smiles fondly at them; cuddled up in the small seats, Steve’s larger body curled into a ball with all his weight against Tony. “I’ll handle debrief,” she says, and Tony’s expression softens immediately with gratitude. “You focus on getting that one,” she looks at Steve, “back to full health.”
“I’ll get him feeling better,” Tony assures her, looks down at Steve whose breath has evened out, and smiles warmly as he kisses Steve’s temple.
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themetaphorgirl · 4 years
Text
get out of your head
(a drabble in the Spence Blake AU)
----------
Alex rubbed her temples and sighed in exasperation. It didn’t matter which class she was teaching or what the assignment was, she always ended up with at least one paper to grade that was just completely abysmal.
She heard soft footsteps behind her and looked down at the clock on her desk. It was getting late, but still not quite Spencer’s bedtime yet. “Hi, dearest,” she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. “What are you up to?”
Spencer shuffled a little closer, hovering. She couldn’t quite see his face in the dim light; her desk lamp was enough for her work but not enough for the whole room. “I don’t…” he started to say, but he broke off midsentence.
She took off her glasses, setting them aside on her desk, and leaned back to turn on the lights. “Tell me what’s wrong, my darling,” she said, tugging him close and tucking her arm around his waist. “You’re not interrupting anything, don’t worry. I need a break, anyway.”
She expected him to tell her that he was hungry, or he needed some help with his homework, but to her shock he dropped his cheek against her shoulder. “Mama, my whole body hurts,” he whispered.
That set off a few alarms. She sat up and pulled him closer, pressing the back of her hand against his forehead. “You were fine when I picked you up from school today,” she said. “But you are pretty warm.” She brushed his hair back. “You’re just not feeling good?”
He shook his head. Alex pushed her chair back and stood up, keeping her hands on his shoulders. “Go lie down on the couch, okay? I’ll be right back,” she said.
She got the thermometer from the bathroom, and stopped long enough to get Spencer’s favorite blanket from his room. He’d been sick a few times since she and James had brought him home, but so far it had been little things- coughs and colds and stomachaches. This was new territory.
Spencer was curled up in the corner of the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest. Alex tapped his shoulder lightly. “Sit up for just a second,” she said. He obeyed, his eyes half-lidded, and she set the thermometer in his ear. It chirped, and she checked the readout. “Oh, you certainly do have a fever, don’t you?”
She set the thermometer on the end table and sat down beside him, pulling him onto her lap. “You got my blanket,” he said, his little voice thick and raspy.
“Of course I did,” she said, draping it around him. He hugged it tight, pressing it against his cheek and burying his nose in the soft fabric. “I’m going call Dad and see what he says, okay?”
He nodded. Alex took a moment to cuddle him close, leaning her cheek against the top of his head. He was shivering a little bit, and it worried her.
She dug her phone out of her pocket and pressed James’s number, and he picked up on third ring. “Hey, love,” he said, his voice warm. “I’m running a little behind at work, if you two want to start dinner without me-”
“Spencer’s sick,” she interrupted.
She heard a slight rustle in the background, as if he was quickly closing whatever he was working on. “That’s your agent voice,” he said. “Is it that serious?”
She looked down at Spencer half asleep against her shoulder, his lashes dark against his pale cheek. “He was fine when I picked him up from school, but he just came into my office and told me everything hurts,” she said. 
“You take his temperature?”
“A little over a hundred,” Alex said. “I checked just a minute ago. I swear, James, he was fine just a few hours ago.”
“Oh, that sounds like it’s probably the flu,” he said. “It tends to hit kids really hard really fast.”
Alex bit back a sigh and absently kissed the top of Spencer’s head; his soft hair smelled faintly like baby shampoo. “Is there anything I can do for him now right now?” she asked. 
“Other than sleep and staying hydrated, not much,” James said. “I’ll see if I can wrap up a little faster here and come home. And I’m off work tomorrow, I’ll stay home with him. Is he awake right now?”
Alex glanced down. “Are you awake?” she asked softly. Spencer nodded. “Do you want to talk to Dad?” He nodded again. Alex set the phone to speaker and held it closer to him. “Here he is, James.”
“Hey, kiddo,” James said. “Mama says you’re not feeling very good.”
“Yeah,” he croaked, sinking more heavily into Alex’s arms. “Everything hurts, Dad.”
“I know, I know,” he said. “Is your throat sore?”
“Uh-huh,” he said, quiet and miserable. 
“I’m going to leave work in just a little bit, okay?” James said. “Don’t worry. You’re going to be fine, it sounds like you just have the flu. Just rest, and if you start feeling worse, you tell Mama immediately, all right?”
“I will,” Spencer said. 
“Okay, good,” James said. “Hey, Alex? I’ll leave here as soon as I can. Don’t worry about anything else, just stay with him.”
“Yeah, absolutely,” she said. “Drive safe. I love you.”
“Love you both. Give him a hug from me.”
Alex set the phone aside and held Spencer a little closer, his cheek pressed against her collarbone. “Do you feel better knowing Dad will be home soon?” she asked. He nodded, his face half-hidden behind his blanket. She ran her fingers through his hair. “I’m going to get you some water, and we’ll just stay here and watch a movie till he gets here. How about that?”
“Yeah,” he rasped.
But she didn’t try to move. He gripped the front of her shirt, his small shoulders twitching with fever chills. The warmth of his fever bled into her skin, and the fight-or-flight triggered in her chest. 
It’s just the flu, she told herself sternly. Nothing serious. He’ll be fine.
The intrusive thoughts crept in, locked-away memories threatening to betray her, and her arms tightened around Spencer until he made a tiny squeak of protest at her fierceness. She relaxed just a little, pressing her cheek to his, and she willed her breathing to settle. 
She wasn’t going to lose this child. She was being an idiot. Everything was fine.
--------------
James lingered in the doorway. The TV was still playing a movie, but neither Alex nor Spencer were paying attention to the screen. He slept in her arms, his head resting against her chest and his blanket tucked around him. Alex ran her hand slowly up and down his back, her cheek pressed to the top of his head.
After a moment he approached her quietly and kissed her temple. “Hey,” she said, rousing from her reverie. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I didn’t want to wake him,” James said. He sat down on the edge of the couch and touched Spencer’s forehead, then ran his hands lightly along his cheeks and the sides of his neck.
Alex leaned her chin on her hand. “What’s the diagnosis, doc?” she asked.
“Pretty sure it’s the flu,” he said. “It’s that time of year, it’s probably going through his school wildfire.” He rubbed his thumb along Spencer’s jaw. “Poor little kid.”
“What do we need to do?” Alex asked. “Should we take him to the emergency room?”
James grinned. “Darling, you have an emergency room doctor at your beck and call,” he teased. “One child with the flu is nothing for me.” She bit her lip, averting her eyes as she busied herself with adjusting the blanket that didn’t need to be fixed, and his smile faded. “Alex. He’ll be fine. We’ll keep him home from school for a few days, let him eat all the ice cream he wants for his sore throat, make sure he rests. If he’s worse in the morning, I’ll call in a few favors and get him taken care of.”
She didn’t look at him, and he squeezed her upper arm. “Alexandra, get out of your own head,” he whispered. “It’s not the same. I swear to god, it’s not the same.”
He knew what she was thinking. It used to be that something like the flu would be a crisis, a red alert situation, heralding another hospital stay and more tests and holding their breath until they knew they still had a little more time.
Alex swiped at her eyes with the heel of her palm. “I don’t want to let him out of my sight,” she said, half smiling ruefully as her breath caught in her throat. “Just in case.”
James leaned over her and kissed her gently. “Let me take him for just a little bit,” he said. “I picked up dinner, it’s on the kitchen counter. I’ll get some medicine in him and put him to bed.”
“I can do that,” Alex objected.
Spencer shifted a little bit, his nose scrunching up. “Hi, Dad,” he said, rubbing his eyes.
James’s heart melted. “Hi, buddy,” he said. “How bad are you feeling right now?”
“Real bad,” he whispered. “All my muscles hurt.”
Alex leaned her cheek against the top of his head. “Yeah, all your muscles hurt?” James said. “I’m sorry, kiddo. I bet that feels pretty awful.”
Spencer nodded, cuddling closer to Alex. “Do you still think it’s the flu?” he asked.
“I think so,” James said. “I brought some medicine home for you, let’s get some of that in you and get you to bed.”
“I can go to bed on my own,” Spencer said, his eyes half-lidded.
That was the biggest problem they kept coming back to. Spencer was always trying to do things on his own, without any help, even if he needed it. But if he chose to come to Alex, if he felt safe enough to fall asleep in her arms- maybe they were making more headway than they realized.
“Sure, you can go to bed on your own, buddy,” James said. He picked him up gently, making sure to keep the blanket with them- there was no way Spencer could possibly sleep without it. “Alex, go eat. I’ve got this.”
“James-”
He adjusted Spencer against his chest. “Don’t argue, Dr. Blake,” he said. “And don’t worry.”
It didn’t matter- she was going to worry anyway. But he could at least try.
----------
Alex pulled her hair up in a ponytail. “You’re really sure he’s okay?” she said.
“I’m sure,” James said patiently. “He took his medicine, and he’s been asleep every time we’ve checked on him.” 
She sat crosslegged on her side of their bed, her book still closed in her hands. “Do you think I should stay home with him tomorrow too?” she asked.
James kissed the top of her head. “Go to work,” he said. “I can handle him while you’re off saving the world.”
“If I’m-” she started to say, but she paused.
“What’s wrong?” James asked.
“I think Spencer’s crying,” Alex said, setting her book aside.
“I’ll get him, don’t worry,” James said, and he was already down the hall before she could do or say anything. She pressed her fingertips to her temples and stared blankly down at the floor. 
James returned in a few minutes with Spencer in his arms. “Here, go cuddle with your mama, I think that’s going to help both of you,” he said. 
Alex gathered him up on her lap, kissing his warm cheek as he huddled against her, his shoulders hitching in faded little half sobs. “Don’t cry, dearest,” she consoled. “You feel terrible, don’t you?” 
“I don’t want to be sick,” he said, his voice wobbling
She ran her hand up and down his spine. “Would it help if you slept with us tonight?” she asked. 
He hesitated, and she could see the conflict written all over his face. They’d talked about this before during family therapy sessions- about how he was used to fending for himself, about how the lack of stability in his young life left him unsteady and adrift, always waiting for the other shoe to drop. 
She cradled his fever-warm little body against her and kissed his temple. “Get out of your own head, baby,” she whispered. “Take a deep breath. It’s okay. Everything’s okay.”
After a moment she felt him begin to relax, nestling into her. “I want to sleep with you and Dad,” he said.
“I think that’s a good idea,” James said. “That might help you sleep better.” He grinned, running his hand over Spencer’s hair. “Even if you kick.”
“I don’t kick,” he protested sleepily. 
He drifted back to sleep quickly, settling down between them with the covers pulled up around his shoulders. Before long he rolled over onto his stomach, his arms curled into his chest and his head resting on the pillow beside her, and Alex kept her hand on his back. She could feel him breathing, deep and slow and steady, and that was the reassurance she needed. James slept on Spencer’s other side, cuddling him between them, his breath catching on the verge of snores. Eventually she dozed off, reassured by Spencer’s warm little body curled up beside her, and hoping that he could sleep soundly knowing she and James were beside him.
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midnightspunisher · 3 years
Text
vice president macbeth/kennedy assassination au sneak peak
this has been rotting in my brain for the past year. i’m almost done with it and i wanted to share a few pages of the beginning with tumblr under the cut. anyway thank you in advanced for reading <3 feedback is appreciated!!!
A forest sharpened in front of me, and I could’ve sworn it looked exactly like the one behind my childhood home in the Midwest, but it was not the same. It’s different. Fog hovered all around me, covering the path I needed to follow. The sky darkened, the sun set quickly in the east. Too quick to be real. Suddenly, it was midnight; there were owls hooting, the rustling of leaves. The temperature dropped at least ten degrees, and I was shivering. I hugged myself for warmth, and I felt the cotton of my button up against my fingertips. 
“Macbeth!” someone yelled from my right, and my head whips in the same direction. In the darkness, I could make out Senator Banquo’s shadowy figure. “This way!” 
Intrigued, I walked towards him, distantly wondering why he was here with me. When he saw me catching up to him, he took the lead and walked ahead. Where was he taking us? 
“So foul and fair a day I have not seen,” I shouted to him. 
“How far is it?” he yelled back. My brows furrowed in confusion - was he not the one who was leading me? 
I didn’t even notice when he stopped dead in his tracks. Carelessly, I walked right into Banquo’s back, yet he barely budged. I didn’t phase him. “What is it?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. His eyes were glued ahead, focused on three figures emerging from the opposite end of the clearing we found ourselves in. I stood beside him, squinting, trying to make out who they could be. The fog was overbearing. 
“Who are you?” Mike questioned, loud enough to echo through the woods. 
The figures stayed silent, glaring at us. “Tell us who you are,” I said then, shaky yet firm. 
After a moment, the shadows walked closer to us, revealing themselves. I sucked in a breath and took a step back. Three familiar men illuminated in the middle of the clearing, all looking at me, beaming. I didn’t know why; they were American enemies. Hitler stood in the middle, Stalin on his right, Mussolini on his left. 
They should be dead. 
“Macbeth,” Hitler spoke, his accent thick. Chills ran down my spine at the sound. 
“Senator,” Mussolini said. 
“Vice President,” Stalin said. 
“President,” Hitler said. 
Taken aback, I said, “What?” 
“President Andrew Macbeth,” Hitler mused, smirking. “A king.” 
“That’s not -” 
“No, it’s not,” he agreed. “You’ll wish it was, though.” 
I stared at him blankly, trying to understand. When I went to ask him more though, my mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton. There wasn’t much to think about, I could always run when Kennedy’s term was over. But could I really be the President? 
After brief silence, Banquo asked, “What about me? What will I be?” 
Hitler cocked his head to the side, his eyes flickering from me to him. “Lesser than Macbeth,” he decided. “And greater.” 
“Not so happy,” Mussolini started. 
“Yet much happier,” Stalin finished. 
“You will not become anything more,” Hitler assured. “But your sons…” 
Banquo looked rather pleased with his future. How could he be so happy with barely anything? Why wouldn’t he want anything more for himself? 
Why wouldn’t I?  
“My sons,” Banquo repeated dreamily. 
“Sons?” I asked sharply. 
Banquo had no children. 
The fog emerged again, and the three dictators started walking back into the shadows. “Wait!” I called after them. “Stay! I don’t understand!” 
Before they completely disappeared, Hitler Nazi saluted at me, and then he was gone. 
Banquo and I stayed firmly planted side by side as the sounds of the forest settled in again. Suddenly, it was as if I was standing in the middle of a fire, and the flames were licking me up, making it hard to breath, scorching heat overcoming me. 
“Do you believe them?” Mike asked. He still looked like he was riding some sort of high. 
“Do you?” I countered. 
How do you believe the leader of the Nazi party when he tells you that you’re going to be President of the United States? 
“President Macbeth sounds like just the man I want running our great nation,” Mike winked. 
“Thank you, Senator,” I muttered. 
Banquo was the first to disappear out of thin air, next was the clearing in front of us. When the trees started fading away, my eyes snapped open, waking me up from the dream. Immediately, I sat up, sucking in sporadic deep breaths. I nervously glanced around the bedroom, letting my sight adjust to the moonlit objects. I made out the fireplace across the room, the loveseat, the dresser, the bureau, the closet door, the light fixture hanging in the middle of the room, and Evelyn, sleeping next to me. Not for long. 
“Ev,” I whispered, gently nudging her. She didn’t move. “Evelyn, wake up,” I said, rougher this time. 
“What?” she mumbled. “I’m sleeping, Andrew.” 
“I had a strange dream,” I pressed. 
“That’s nice, dear,” she sighed. 
“Banquo was in it, and we were in a forest -” 
Evelyn rolled over towards me, looking rather displeased. Even in the darkness, her face was easy to make out: her pointed nose, her thin lips, and her squinted brown eyes, trying to make my shadow out too.  “Can’t this wait until the morning?” she asked. Her long black hair was sprawled all over the pillow.
“No,” I stressed. “Mike and I were in a forest, and we arrived at a clearing; then suddenly, Hitler, Stalin, and Mussolini appeared in front of us -” 
“Oh, Jesus Christ,” she said, sitting up finally. She reached over to the night stand and grabbed her cigarette case. 
As she fumbled, I continued, “And they were prophesying about our futures, listing off my past and present titles. And future.” 
The glow of the lighter illuminated the room momentarily. “Future?” she said, the lit cigarette between the lips. 
“Hitler said I was going to be president,” I blurted. Admittedly, it did sound preposterous when I said it aloud. 
Evelyn sat quietly for a minute, emotionless, pondering on what I said. I looked away from her, the details of my dream quickly fading from my memory. It couldn’t have meant anything, it was just a dream. Kennedy was a fine president, and the public loved him. I could never reach those heights. In fact, I pitied the man who would have to in another year. 
She moved the cigarette away from her mouth, breathing out smoke. She waved it in my general direction, and I scooped it from her to take a drag. “Do you want to be president, Andrew? Is this your way of telling me?” 
I shrugged, passing the cigarette back to her. “I’ve never thought about it.” 
“I think I would be a good First Lady,” she said. “And I think you could make a good President, too.” 
In the darkness, I reached out and grabbed her hand. “My dearest partner of greatness,” I chuckled.  Still, I couldn’t picture it well. “The only way I’d ever end up president was if Jack died.”
“You wouldn’t run?” 
“I don’t know,” I paused, thinking about it. President Macbeth. It had a nice ring to it. She raised her eyebrow, but said nothing else. “Should I?” I asked then. 
“What am I supposed to say, Andrew? I can’t drive your whole political career for you,” she scoffed. “I need you to think for yourself sometimes.” 
“I just don’t know.” I ran my free hand through my hair. 
We both sat in silence for a while afterwards, darkness consuming both of us. I tried to rationalize it: Jack wouldn’t have ran with me if he didn’t think I could do his job in a worst case scenario, and the worst case scenario was sudden death. I couldn’t stop imagining it. Eventually, I felt Evelyn squeeze my hand before releasing it, pulling me back down to Earth. “You never know what could happen,” she said then, matter-of-factly, dabbing the cigarette out in the ashtray on the end table. She laid back down, but still was looking up at me. “Go to sleep, you have a busy day tomorrow.” 
Carefully, I laid back down too, staring straight up at the ceiling. Within minutes, Evelyn was sound asleep. However, I feared it would take me a bit longer to fall asleep even if I did at this point. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Hitler’s face flashing before me. It wasn’t comforting in the slightest. 
I couldn’t be the president. I was fine with just being the vice president. I still had power, but it was an easier job, and I didn’t really know if I was up for more responsibility or not. Not only that, but Kennedy was most likely going to run again, and by the end of eight years, I wouldn’t be up for it anymore. Even if I wanted to, Jack wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Someone would have to kill him before that happened.
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boymeetsparadise · 4 years
Text
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masterlist
contains and mentions: female reader x jung hoseok/ female reader x kim taehyung.
>language, break ups, angst, anxiety, brief mention of a loved one’s passing, alcohol, children. exes to strangers au, (please let me know if i missed anything)
Word count: 2k
an: i had the sad music playing, its one of those moments.. this came to mind and hopefully you all enjoy! angsty hobi? tragic but sign me up! (◠‿◠)
listened to while writting: 2 soon - keshi
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A weary sigh left your lips as you toed off your shoes, a soft nudge to close off the door as your hair fell down your back from having been up all day. A late night at work and you finally had the weekend to look forward to, it dawned that your energy wasn’t the same as before. You worked from home most of the time unless it was a big project or a mistake had been made, then you’d spend hours away from home. Rare but dreaded. 
The small apartment was quiet as the soft patting of your tired feet on the wooden floors brought back life. Bag set on the dining table, you looked over into the kitchen as the under cabinet stove hood glowed into the dark home, leftovers waiting. You opted to eat it at room temperature, trying to keep the silence aside from the soft drags of cutlery.  Washing dishes could wait until the morning as you made sure the windows were properly locked around your home. 
The soft thuds of clothes hit the floor before you let out another sigh. Arms around yourself, massaging your sore neck before changing and letting the soft, cool material of your pajamas welcome you even further. Doors and wooden floor panels softly creaked before you slid into bed, another sigh as you stared at the ceiling, dinner finally settling. You reached over to your phone on the nightstand, mindlessly scrolling through your social media. Looks like a high school acquaintance got married, double-tap, and type out a quick congratulations with excessive emojis. Your cousin posted a selfie and she looks breathtaking, double-tap, and comment that you miss her. You continued for a few more posts, catching up on the people around you. A tired yawn and you were giving in to sleep. A small stretch and click of the phone, you turned over, a small smile on your lips. 
Only a couple minutes in before your eyes shot right open. Your phone was on low volume but the vibrations had it motoring across the small table. Probably a late-night telemarketer as you couldn’t quite recognize the phone number. A spam risk? You pressed the accept button, whispers ready. 
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“Hello?” There was a small gasp.
“[Y/n]” and then a small sigh of relief.
You sat up in bed immediately, shock and confusion written all over your face.
“Hoseok?” You whispered, questioning whether or not it was really the voice. 
“Yes!” He sighed, “It’s me..” He bit his bottom lip as his index finger mindlessly circles the finish of the glass bottle. To him, it felt so good to hear your voice again and he thanked his angels above for remembering your number. 
You sat up in bed, wide awake with a sudden pang in your heart. Silence followed as you tried to find the words to say. There wasn’t any- so serious yet awkward as it used to be so easy to talk to one another.
“Long time huh?” Hoseok let out a nervous chuckle as he adjusted his phone. “How have you been?”
“I’ve been..” You paused, and quickly pulled away to glance at the time, what was going on? “It’s two a.m, why?” 
“It’s late I know. But I just had to call. I had to just hear your voice again.” He pleaded. You rolled your eyes, he wouldn’t know that though. 
“But why?”
“Can’t I just call to catch up?” He played casually.
“No.” You snapped at his attempt as your mind began to wander at his intentions. 
“I couldn’t sleep. I thought I should call you.” He confessed.
“It’s been-”
“I know how long it’s been.” He cut you off. “But you were always the best remedy.” 
You sighed, his words sending another chill down your spine.
“I tried to hard to find your number, I thought you would’ve changed it.” Silence. “Relieved that I’m not blocked.” He tried to chuckle but failed awkwardly. You don’t tell him that you just unblocked his number about a year ago because the missing contact name confused you. 
“Let’s just talk.” He licked his lips, adjusting in his seat. “How are you? How’s your dad?” He tried, hands shaky. 
“He passed last November.” You deadpanned.
“Oh…” Hoseok felt a wave of guilt. “I’m sorry.”
“I am too.” You’ve missed a lot Jung Hoseok.
Another moment of silence followed. 
“...Cut to the chase Hoseok” You ran your free hand through your hair again, looking over your shoulder, “Why’d you call?”
“I think you know why [Y/n]..”
“ I don’t know anymore.” You paused. “You don’t call someone up at two am after you haven’t been able to do so for over three years.” 
“I’ve missed you. And I’ve realized how much of an idiot I am.” He played with the bottle some more.
“You had three years Hoseok.” You stared off into the distance of your dimly lit room, the moon shining in through a small crack in the curtains. 
“And I regret not calling sooner.” He let his head fall, tears burning his eyes.
“Have you been drinking Hoseok?” 
“Would that matter?” He cocked a brow.
“Considering you could never be honest with me when sober, yes.” For a moment you felt like you had gone back in time, a younger you picking up the phone because she had yet another fight with her boyfriend and he called to apologize like always. At three am as his lips slurred the truths he wished he would say while sober, but you knew that already.
You’d believe every word and then he would stumble to your place, pebbles at your window before you let him in, embracing each other as you sat on your roof, looking at the sky.
“I’ve changed.” He rubbed his eyes, drunk sincerity in every word he spoke. “So much.” He sighed. “And I’ll never be sorry enough on that it took me so long to do so.”
“It shouldn’t have taken years.” You shook your head. “I’m sorry but I don’t see the point in tonight’s-”
“Can I come see you?” His voice was shaky. “Just this once, please? I have so much I want to say.” Another desperate sigh, “And I want to do this face to face.”
“Hobi-” You shuttered from letting his old nickname slip.
“You still stay in the same place right? I’ll be there in 15.” He downed a prepared shot, eyes wandering for his jacket- ready to head out. You took a deep breath, a soft cry could be heard across the hall.
“Hoseok stop.” You swung your legs off the edge of the bed, the anxiety making you fidget. 
“Let me stay the night. I’ll leave in the morning, I swear.”  He tried to convince you and himself, his mind blocking out sounds that weren’t you. “Just let me be in the same space as you. Please?”
“You had time Hoseok.” Pity in your tone, you continued, “You won’t remember this in the morning.” Too distracted to feel the movement on the other side.
“I can come by in the morning if I can’t right now... How does nine am sound?” He bit the inside of his cheek, avoiding your pleads. “Would that be fine?’
“Listen-” 
 “I can pick up your favorite muffins and we can talk over some coffee-” Hoseok tried.
“Hoseok.” You repeated, tears ready to slip at any moment as he heard the crack in your voice, his heart breaking with it. 
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you. Trust me I tried so hard to forget. To move on. But I couldn’t. I can’t.” Another heavy sigh. 
“Stop it.”
“Just a bit of time, please. I know it isn’t fair of me to ask this of you. I’ll always be that selfish but I can’t help it. I have to ask for more. I’m sorry.”
“You missed so much. I’ve-”
“Please. At least let me see you for the last time.”
“Three years.” You reminded him, it hurt so bad. 
“I know.”
Another silence. Memories of you two flashed in your mind. Moments of joy and love now hurt so much, pushed away to the depths of your mind, buried underneath new ones.
“I have to go.” 
“Please don’t hang up.” His voice broke.
“I have to. Please don’t call again.”
“I’ll call every day. I’m serious.” He spoke, his free hand rubbing at his burning eyes. “I want another try at us. I’m tired of the games I played. I’ve changed and I’ll prove that [Y/n].”
“Don’t do this.”
“Don’t you love me anymore?” Hoseok’s vision went blurry. “It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, true love will always come back to one another.” He tried to reason as the grip on his phone tightened.
“I don’t love you anymore.” You jumped right in, cutting him off from rambling any further, teeth clenched. “Don’t start spewing your bullshit when you’re the one who walked out on me Hoseok. We could’ve had it all but you fucked up. I got tired of waiting and hoping. Obviously this isn’t true love if it took you this long to realize. I found my happiness Hoseok.” 
You were bitter. Fed up. You sat, heavy breathing, the man who once gave you butterflies was now asking for pity and forgiveness as if that wasn’t a constant in your time together.
“You don’t mean that.” Hoseok pleaded. “Please.”
“I do and you’re drunk Hoseok. Bye.”
“[Y/n]-” 
“You’ll find someone one day, and you’ll thank me for this.” Your eyes fluttered shut as you pulled the phone away. 
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Hoseok’s lip started to quiver, his calls were always enough and now you were here ready to hang it up for good. 
“Baby?” 
Hoseok raised his brows, eyes wide with confusion. Was there someone with you? Should he hang up? 
“Sorry love, I tried my best to put them back down to bed but I think someone misses their mommy.” Your lover pouted as he made his way over to you. He avoided mentioning he’s been awake since he heard you come home, the muffles of the other line peaking his interest.
Hoseok let his tears fall like an overflowing sink. He recognized that voice. The voice of someone he once considered an old friend, now calling you baby. Did you have a child?
“It’s fine.” You took your head with a slight grin, taking the infant in your arms as he sat down next to you. The smalls cries halted as they recognized your motherly scent. “Why hello little one.” You coo’ed, finger softly stroking the tiny plump cheek.
“Did you miss me?” Your face lit up with joy as the tiny infant stared back at you, mouth round as they let out soft coos.
“Wow that’s so interesting, tell me more!’ You smiled as Taehyung sat right next to you stretching to see the interaction between you and his child, heart bursting.
Hoseok listened to the entire conversation, a pain in his chest. Your voice full of love and excitement. You meant what you said. You had found your happiness. 
Taehyung looked over to your phone, forgotten on the bed, the screen lighting up momentarily- Hoseok hung up. He sighed, relief washing over him. Hopefully- he heard everything. “I’m so proud of you.” He softly spoke against your temple, inhaling your perfume and leaving a small kiss. 
“For what?” You knitted your brows before looking back at the child in your arms.
“Everything you do.” He smiled, not ready to admit to his eavesdropping. “You amaze me every day. You’re so strong and such an excellent friend, lover, mother, human being. I love you and our little family.” His eyes now teary as he looked down at your ring finger- the diamond still shining even in the dark. “I just think I should remind you any chance I get.” He shyly smiled before looking away. 
Heat spread across your cheeks as you stared at him for a good moment, taking in his appearance. His honey toned skin looked absolutely mesmerizing in the moonlight as his dark waves bounced with every movement. His hand came up to stoke your child’s hair before they enveloped his thumb in their small hand. The small interaction had you bursting at the seams. 
“I love you too.” You smiled before giving him a soft kiss, a smile on your face  now focused on the child before you. A very heavy sigh you didn’t even know you were holding escaped, happiness was this very moment.
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“She...” [name] stared off into space, struggling for word, bringing the bottle to his lips. “How could he do this? ” He threw his head back, taking a swig. His best friend and the love of his life. The word ‘mommy’ rang through his head. 
She was right, a lot can happen in three years and he had just realized how long that time really was. He bit down on his lip, drawing blood. He hated himself completely as the bottle rested on his lips, another swig as it burned the fresh punctures. 
Silence filled the messy room, bottles and cigarette buds littered the floor as he looked through his photo gallery, fresh tears landing on an old photo he took of you. You both changed and this time the roads didn't cross. His phone calls always set everything right. He promised himself to call again one day. 
 “I may hate this now but I hope I find what you have [y/n]. Then maybe I’ll thank you.”
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Harada Special Completed! Working on an AO3 account. Until then, enjoy the smut I bring to you from Tumblr! Sano x OC based on rp I am in on discord. There is no IC bases for the smut. Just for fun. I was also encouraged to make it into a series. Bad Saito mum. XD
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NC 17 M RATING NSFW SMUT EROTICA writing.
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Sanosuke slid the door open to her room with his foot, squeezing through the cracked frame, carefully making sure he didn’t get Midori’s head hit in the process. She clearly had way too much to drink, and was a bit of an emotional mess. Sanosuke could instantly tell that Midori did not drink often. It was a good thing she didn’t if she got like that. Skillfully, he closed the door behind him with his foot again while continuing to hold the mumbling mess that was Midori. However, his Hakama got caught in the door frame and he tripped. Dropping her legs and holding her head, he barrel rolled on the ground and ended up on his back, with her on top, her legs between his. “That was close..” Sano signed, looking down at the top of Midori’s head. “Let’s get you to bed shall we?” He whispered, letting his hand rest on the top of her head. “Don’t go around drinking with anyone else if you get like this..”
Midori breathed in loudly while shifting her position, her hips rolling on his pelvis just right to awaken someone. Her hands moved to his chest, pushing herself up so she could look down at him. Pink hair curtained the two of them in their own little box around their faces. “Why not?” Midori asked, replying to his question with curiosity. Her cheeks were red from the rise in temperature, and not only from the booze. There were a few reasons Midori never really liked to drink. One was because she was an emotional mess. Happy one minute then crying the next. The other.. well... she got really horny. She never had issues containing herself.
Sanosuke had not expected Midori to wake up, and her new position was spelling trouble, especially when her hips seemed to rock back and forth from being unbalanced from intoxication. The drunk look she had in her eyes, and her heavy breathing was making little Sano twitch. “Ah.. well.. Some men might take advantage of you. The Shinsengumi would not -” 
“You mean you wouldn’t?” Midori cut him off, lowering her face so it was closer to his, the pink hair still curtaining their faces. “What if I wanted you to? Would you then?” Midori asked in a lustful voice, moving a hand up to have her index finger touch the bottom of Sano’s bottom lip and dragging it across slowly.
Sanosuke was taken back by this new Midori on top of him. He had never heard her speak like this, and tried to chalk it up to just being drunk. It also excited him greatly. He loved a woman that could take the initiative. “Mi-chan.. You’re drunk and you don’t know what you are saying… Let’s get you into bed.” 
Midori did not back down for a moment, even when Sansouke sat up and moved her off of him. “All the girls tonight were talking about you and your skills. I..I want to know.” Sanosuke didn’t respond while taking out the futon, starting to set it up. 
Midori watched Sanosuke, who was putting the finishing touches on the laid out futon. He stood up, and came over to Midori, bending down so he was eye level. “I’m happy that you would ask me. I’d rather you be sober and ask that question again Mi-Ch-.”
Midori snaked her arms around his neck pulling his face down to hers. She had caught him off guard with the kiss, and it was a heated one. She crushed her lips against his, her eagerness showing. It was true. Midori had only been with one man before. Her late husband. However, he was more often with other girls than her, and it was rare when they celebrated their marriage together. When they did.. He was so drunk it was a surprise that Midori even became pregnant. When she heard the women talking about Sano and how he was ever since the first welcoming party, Midori had been curious ever since. Midori broke the kiss, looking at him with pure lust and want in her eyes. “Do not make me order you to do so.” Midori joked, giving him a playful smile before devouring his lips once again.
Sano tried to say her name between kisses. It came out more as mumbling. The harder her lips crushed against his, the more Sano was willing to indulge her in her asks. It wasn’t long before Sano found himself raising his arms and wrapping them around her waist, pulling her up onto his lap, not hiding his excitement. Midori let out a soft moan against his lips when she felt his excitement poke her through the kimono. This only made Sanosuke pull her hips down harder on his, thrusting his hips upwards so that she could feel it more. His hands began to undo the Obi at the back of the Kimono, letting it loosen the fabric. Sanosuke was finally able to break the kiss, his chest heaving up and down to get air back into his lungs. He rested his forehead on her shoulder, his hot breath tickling her collar bone. Midori shivered at the chills that ran down her spine. “If we are doing this, we are doing this proper. I hope you are prepared for the Harada Special.” Sanosuke used his teeth to scrape against her neck, getting excited shakes from Midori. Her nails dug into the backs of his shoulders. Sanosuke grabbed onto her tightly, lifting her up while he stood. Midori wrapped her legs around his waist to keep herself up while Sansouke destroyed her lips with excitement. Soon Midori found herself with her back on the futon, and Sansosuke removed his top. 
Midori removed her arms from around his neck, finally breaking the kiss and allowing for much needed air for the two of them. She ran her fingers down his chest, nails dragging along the skin. Sano took a sharp breath in, sitting up so he was standing on his knees. Golden eyes looked down at the pink haired girl, her fingers exploring his chest, tracing the outline of his muscles. Midori took her time, red eyes following her fingers movements. Down the pecs to the sides. From the sides she trailed her fingers downwards, before moving over each ab. She was stopped by the bandage he had wrapped around his waist. That was until she tore it off, ripping it in the process. 
“Oi oi..” Sano let out a chuckle, using one hand to untie his hair. “Careful now.. Don’t break me before you try me.” He joked, golden orbs watching Midori’s face change and twist with excitement when her fingers passed over his stomach muscles, and the scar that he had across his belly. When Midori reached the top of his Hakama, she froze and wondered. Throwing all caution to the wind, she had asked for this from him. She could feel her loins pulsing with excitement so much, she could feel it in her thighs. Midori didn’t want to be left hanging to dry. She was scared, but also excited. She wanted to know how it felt to have an orgasm, and at the same time she didn’t. She worried what Sanosuke would think if he knew. Midori mentioned before that she didn’t understand what the girls were talking about, but she did not tell Sanosuke that she had never had an orgasm in her life. 
It was if Sanosuke had sensed her hesitation, bringing one of her hands up to his lips, kissing the fingertips. He looked down at Midori, his eyes asking for her to confirm once again that she was ok with proceeding. If there was one thing Sano was not, was someone that took advantage of a woman.
Midori bit her bottom lip, red eyes looking up into Sanosuke’s golden ones. To show him she was ok with proceeding, she moved her hands to her Kimono, pushing one side off her shoulder. She was stopped by Sanosuke’s hands when she went to pull the other one down. “You’ve ordered the Harada Special. I’m here to serve you..” 
Sanosuke was entertained by the reactions Midori gave off. She wasn’t lying when she said she didn’t understand. The slightest touch from him seemed to almost send her over the edge. Just thinking about what she would be like when he began to touch other places made his cock even harder.
Sanosuke pulled Midori up and sat back himself. Midori was now straddling his lap, and immediately Sano went to work on her neck. Soft kisses, nibbles and bites. No matter what he did, when his lips or teeth made contact he could feel her tremble. It was even better that he could feel her loins pulsing against his own. There was no hiding how turned on she was. Sanosuke smiled, fisting a hand into her hair and pulling her head back, making easier access to the spot between her collarbone. 
Midori could not do much other than allow Sanosuke to do what he wished. Her body was giving in to his touch. His fingers that fisted in her hair controlled how much her neck was exposed and when. His other hand was rubbing her calf before slowly reaching up, taking his time on her hamstring. Whenever he got even the slightest bit close, Midori's hips would lift towards his hand. "S-Sano..suke." Midori moaned out.
Sanosuke smiled against her collarbone. “Yes?” He whispered, moving his hand up the center of her body, starting at her belly. The obi was barely hanging on. Twisting the fabric between his fingers, he pulled on it, dropping it to the side. The kimono fabric shifted, exposing more of her skin, but still kept hidden other areas on her chest. His hand went back to where it left off. For a tease, he ran it under her Kimono, and so gently over her breast and nipple, getting excited gasps from Midori. Pushing the side of her kimono she began with further off her shoulder and further down her arm, Sanosuke went to the new area, brushing his lips over the newly exposed skin.
Midori moved her arm, letting the kimono fall straight off the side. Half of Midori was exposed to Sanosuke, and she was excited. Every time he touched her, be it his lips or his hands, she let out excited gasps and small moans. She was loving the attention he was spending on exploring her body. She couldn’t get enough of it. It turned her on so much to feel like he couldn’t get enough of her. Sanosuke pulled the other side of the Kimono off, leaving Midori fully exposed to his eyes. Lifting her up, he placed her down on the Futon. One hand went straight to work on her nipple, while his mouth took hold of the other one. 
Arching her back towards his face, Midori covered her mouth with the back of her hand, her face red, and her moans loud. She didn’t know she could be so loud. The way his tongue flicked and circled her nipple sent jolts of electricity through her body. She felt more drunk from the pleasure Sanosuke was giving her than the actual booze itself. When his hand travelled south from her breast, Midori’s legs clamped down on his hand as soon as his fingers reached her clit. Her hips circled and she pulsed hard against his hand. “Ohoo… You’re quite sensitive..” Sanosuke chuckled, giving a smile, trailing a path down to where his hand was with his tongue. 
“S-Shut up!” Midori’s tone was annoyed, and soon changed the moment his tongue began to flick and lips began to kiss her clit. She let out a loud moan, muffled by the back of her hand. What he did shocked her. She didn’t know it was even possible for a man to do this to a woman. Sanosuke was highly experienced to Midori. Her back arched and her hips tried to get away from his mouth. His hands were holding her pelvis down and in place, not allowing her to run. Midori’s hips began to move unconsciously against his mouth, begging for more. Sanosuke obliged, removing one hand holding her down to slide two digits inside Midori, curling his fingers upwards so he could tease her g-spot. Her eyes went wide, and her moans became louder, and she became wetter.
It felt like fireworks went off inside of her entire body. At times she held her breath as they went off, her face becoming super red with a few tears sneaking out. Sanosuke didn’t stop his rhythm, and it felt like Midori went on for minutes, her moans never stopping.When the fireworks finally felt like they ended, Midori moved her hands to run through Sano’s hair, her hips continuing to move and circle despite his face and hands not being there. Sano had removed his face from between her legs, trailing kisses back up to her face.    
Midori flipped them over so she was now on top of Sano,a surprised look in his eyes. He didn’t expect her to take the reins. He had no complaints though. She looked gorgeous on top of him nakid, pure ecstasy in her eyes. His hands massaged her hips. “Now that you’ve got me what do you plan to do with me?” Sano teased, his hands moving to rub her thighs. Midori, still feeling the electric shocks of her first orgasm, moved so she was lowering herself between his legs as her hands made work of removing his Hakama tie. Now she was face to face with his member, pre cum oozing from the tip. She noted it looked different from what she had previously seen. Sano had extra girth that her late husband did not, not to mention additional skin. Midori used her fingers to slowly move the skin up and down before licking the tip with her tongue.
Sanosuke took a sharp breath in, having not expected her to go down on him. Sitting up, his hands immediately went to grab her long hair, holding it behind her head while she put him in her mouth. Sanosuke let out a groan, grinding his teeth hard to stop himself from thrusting  hard into her mouth. The last thing he wanted to do was to scare the girl.
Midori found this particular act to be enjoyable. Before with her late husband it was hard, and she didn’t like it one bit. To her, having that extra skin made her mouth slide much easier up and over his head, then back down again. Her mouth was small, and Sano was massive. At least more so than her late husband. It was also easier to suck, and suck hard. “Midori!” Sanosuke gasped. Midori pulled her mouth off and looked up at his face, concerned she might have hurt him. Instead all she saw was his red face with pleasure written all over it. Sanosuke brought her face up, crushing her lips with his. Midori crawled up, forcing Sano to lay down on the Futon. Once she was on top of him, she broke the kiss, and positioned herself so she was rubbing herself up and down his shaft, now allowing him entry. It was warm and soft, and Midori got more turned on the more she rubbed against it.
 
Sanosuke groaned, his hands moving to her hips to help guide her. He wasn’t one that was often teased, and it excited him to see this side of her. What else was she capable of? He wondered, pushing his hips up so her clit could grind harder on his shaft. Sanosuke watched all her reactions. The way her face twisted when a good spot was hit, the way her legs began shaking when the rhythm was steady. He wondered just how much she could go, and for how long. It only made him get harder at the thought, and the urge to test it out.
 
Midori continued to grind on his shaft. She could feel Sano pushing up as well, and the harder it grinded, the more excited sounds that came from her. She placed both hands on his chest to hold herself steady, her hips rocking faster and harder. Sanosuke never looked anywhere but her face, his lips twisting into a grin when she began to shake on top of him, her fingers trying to fist into his skin. He enjoyed how vocal she was. “Enjoying yourself?” He asked.
Midori breathed heavily on top of him. Her loins pulsed and throbbed hard against his shaft. Her entire body shook, and when she shook and her hips moved to a certain spot, they jolted, as if she was still orgasming. Midori nodded her head, taking deep breaths to calm herself. “I.. uh.. fuck..” 
Sanosuke smiled, sitting up and cupping her face with his hand, his other moving to hold her around her waist, devouring her lips. As he got up, his slick shaft moved downwards against her. When he felt the tip touch her opening, he thrusted up into her. Midori’s eyes went wide, moaning into Sano’s lips. He stayed still for about 10 seconds, letting her get used to his size before he began moving his hips. Breaking the kiss, he leaned his forehead against hers, changing up between rocking his hips, and circling them. Sano didn’t enjoy rushing.
Midori was something else, he thought. It was like no one had touched her properly. The thought of this drove Sano even further in wanting to make sure every inch of her was touched. After all, he promised the Harada special, and he was going to make sure he delivered on every aspect. Midori’s moans were coming out sounding like she was begging for the same over and over. Sanosuke didn’t refuse, learning much about the way she liked to be touched already. It wasn’t hard for him to see exactly what she craved.
Midori was in the clouds. She never thought such feelings were possible sexually for a woman. It was like he knew exactly how to move, and what to touch. She was thankful this was happening at the pleasure house where they were celebrating a victory, and not the temple where it was not allowed. No one would pay any attention to the cries of a man and a woman having sex in this place. “Sanosuke… I…” Midori tried to speak through her shakes. Sano found this to be amusing. “Nani? Don’t hold back.” He said, her legs beginning to tremble. Not expecting Her insides to grab a hold of him tighter than he thought they would, Sano had to bite his lip to stop himself from releasing. “Fuck..” Sanosuke grabbed her hips with both hands, stilling her movements. It was a close call for Sano.
 
Midori breathed heavily on top of him, taking big breaths in and letting them out her mouth, trying to calm herself. She could not touch him enough, her hands moving up and down his arms, his chest, his shoulders, and his back, her lip quivering as if she was cold.
Sanosuke took a few deep breaths of his own before flipping Midori over and onto her back, staying between her legs. He felt her legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer into her and deeper. Sanosuke answered her ask, pushing up to the point her hips lifted up off on the ground, and she was holding herself up by her legs around his waist. As soon as Midori felt Sanosuke thrust inside from the new position, it was as if the entire clit went on fire. When he thrusted in, his shaft ran up and down the entire g-spot. When he thrusted out, her clit would drag along his shaft on the outside, making for a wonderful experience. Whether Sano ment to do it intentionally, or if he had no clue, she wasn’t sure. All she knew is that she really liked this position. 
Sanosuke could see the joy written all over face, and he couldn’t help but comment on it. “You really like that?” He asked, stopping his movements to watch her face as she moved her hips herself up and down on his shaft. Sanosuke only got more turned on with Midori. It was a first for him to have someone beg him for more just like she was. It only confirmed his earlier suspicion of no one having touched her properly, or allowed her to explore to find out. It was now spilling out, and he did not mind the visuals that came with it. It was the first time she was making such faces and noises, and they were for him and him alone.
 
Midori had rode herself to her own orgasm, Sano smiling. She never did answer his question. “H..Hai.” She answered truthfully.
Sanosuke wasn’t expecting her to answer so forwardly. This pleased him, and he bent down to place kisses along her neck. “I’ll reward you for your honesty.” He whispered into her ear, starting to move his hips at a slow tempo at first, before moving to a medium one. Sanosuke couldn’t help up but to sit up on his knees to grab her hips and stop them from moving. The way her breasts bounced, the way she looked to be in pure bliss, and the way his name rolled off her tongue got him right where he needed to be. He started thrusting into her fast and hard, feeling her tighten around him tightly. 
“Fuck.. Midori!” Sano said through gritted teeth, pulling himself out to release his juices outside of her, his hand helping with the rest of the release while he laid his head on her chest, his breath hot and heavy, his chest heaving. 
Midori’s own breathing resembled that of Sanosuke’s, reaching her hands up to run them through his red locks as they both breathed in the sweetness that was air. Sanosuke laid down on his stomach beside her, not removing his head from her chest. Midori laid there trying to process what had just happened. Tons of first were hit on her sexual list that she never thought she would experience. Experiences that other women spoke about and Midori wished to feel. As she ran her hands ran through his hair, she could feel his breathing soften and steady itself. “Sanosuke?” Midori asked, trying to see his face without moving too much. She got no answer. “Fell asleep?” Midori asked, awaiting an answer. Again nothing from Sanosuke. “Guess it doesn’t really matter..” Midori started. “Arigatou Sanosuke..I will never forget tonight’s experience..” she whispered, not wanting to wake him. What she didn’t see was the smile on his lips as he spoke. He only pretended to be asleep. “Let’s do it again.” He said, making Midori jolt from getting scared. She gave his arm a smack before asking, “What? N-Now? Didn’t we just...” She said nervously, not sure if she could handle any more. Sanosuke lifted his head up, looking down at her red eyes with his gold ones. “Those faces you made.. Don’t show any other man this. They are for me only..” He said in a deep tone that caused shivers to run down Midori’s spine. “And.. what if I say no?” She asked, her hands holding the sides of his face. Sanosuke smirked in response, moving his face to the side to plant kisses on her wrist, holding her hand with his. “Then we aren’t leaving this room until you agree.” 
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Text
Summer of Smut: July 6th - Nighttime skinny dipping
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Make the moon jealous of our love
Pairing: Napoleon/OC (Elaine)
Rating: Explicit 
Word Count: 1539
Playlist:  Philip Wesley’s piano album Dark night of the soul
Challenge by:  @voltage-vixen  
Also available in ao3 (user xsycamore)
Tags: Vaginal sex, Outdoor sex
Summary: Out in the fields, the hot summer day has turned into an equally hot night. There is a lake nearby. Napoleon’s got an idea. 
The azure of the water turned into brilliant silver where the moonlight touched the surface; all of it as if saved for the two of them alone in that hot summer night. It was a beautiful sight and a beautiful thought to hold into mind – that’s it, if Elaine could think of anything else than how absurd all of it was.
“I can’t believe you!”
Her hands were wrapped around herself even if she wasn’t cold presently – just the thought of the temperature of the water made her shiver enough.
What made her shiver even more though, was the sight of Napoleon taking his shirt off.
“Then don’t believe me. But we’re still going in.”
She turned her back on him. Surely, he would give up when he saw her not following, right?
The rustling of clothing stopped. She peeked behind her shoulder and gasped when she felt Napoleon’s arms coming around her in a strong hold. He moved his fingers on her waist, slightly tickling her, all while leaving kisses on her neck.
“What’s the matter Nunuche? Tell me, please. Are you feeling unwell?“
When his movements stopped, she bit on her lower lip, caressing his hands that held her in a tight hug from behind. “It’s going to be cold… and I’m not quite good at swimming…”
She heard his chuckle right above her ear, wishing that she could just walk off in that moment and put an end to the embarrassment, because surely he found it funny that this was the reason, because-
“Is that so? Don’t worry about that.”
He turned her around to face him, slightly gripping her shoulders. In the dark she could make up his smile just about right, as assuring as she always remembered it. He moved closer, her breath fanning over the place where his unbuttoned shirt was revealing his naked chest. He kissed her forehead, his hands slipping under her arms and on her back, where they found the ties of her dress.
Before she had the chance to protest, his voice came to reassure her.
“You’re not going to be cold. You just have to trust me. And it doesn’t matter if you can’t swim well, you just have to hold tight onto me. Got that?”
His hands were working on their task, layers of clothing falling down in a familiar gesture. Napoleon noticed that she was quiet; he could tell that she wasn’t against the idea all that much, but he still had to make sure she is comfortable enough.  He repeated himself, “Got that?” as he pecked her forehead again.
She went on the tips of her toes and grinned against his mouth, before kissing him. “Got that. I would do anything as long as it’s with you.”
Napoleon smirked. “That’s more like it. Let’s get rid of those, then.” He shrugged off his shirt and moved down on his pants, discarding them in shortly. The moment he was all done, he could see that Elaine has taken off her underwear. The sight of her, illuminated by the faint moonlight, standing bare on the stone beach of the lake – it had something divine about it, Napoleon thought. He let his mind wander for a second more; the creature of his dreams that was in arms-length, just how happy he was to share this moment with his lovely Elaine?
“Napoleon, you’re staring…”
He sighed, more at himself than anything, and came closer, taking her hand. He led her closer to where the water met the shore in small, almost still waves; the moment her bare feet touched the wet surface beneath, she took a step back, making Napoleon stop on his tracks.
He looked back at her, chuckling. Then in a flash, he leaned down and placed a hand behind her knees, another behind her nape and soon she was scooped up in his arms. The tiny shout that she let out was quickly replaced by laugher as the thrill made her secure her hold around his neck. He went in, flood rising up on his knees and sending chills on his skin that were welcomed in the hot night. Soon the level of the water reached Elaine’s rear and she whimpered at it, unintentionally sinking her nails into Napoleon’s neck.
“Is it too cold?”
“It’s…not that bad actually.”
Napoleon nodded, considering it a good place to stop going deeper for now. He made slow circular motions, letting Elaine’s body float in his arms around. Soon she threw back her head, leaning into the swing that he made for her. She chuckled again, “It’s good. I’m really starting to relax here…”
“Mm. I can tell.”
She closed her eyes for a moment; when she opened them again, she was facing the night sky – thousands and thousands of stars and the moon among them; not a proper half; not full and not a sharp crescent – something imperfect about her and her faint light made her just right for tonight.
“It’s beautiful.”
Napoleon moved his gaze between Elaine and the object of her statement; then he leaned down and pressed his lips on the place where water met her bare breasts.
“You’re beautiful. Are you still cold?”
She let go one hand from his neck to caress his face; her wet fingers on his still dry face were making the touch even more sensitive. “Only a little bit.”
He sank his face lower, his mouth went below the surface as he sought more of her. His lips grazed her nipple; they parted to take it in and suckle on it, a few air bubbles escaping from the corners of his mouth. He heard her moan sweetly.
He straightened up, feet holding him strongly at the bed of the lake as he looked at her; the silver of the moon caught the spark inside his eyes and turned it into something mischievous. His chin was dripping when he moved to capture her lips again, hands ready to change position, his voice dropping low.
“Do you want me to warm you up?”
Elaine held her breath, realizing the meaning of his offer, then released the air from within her lungs, “Yes,” she nodded, “Yes. ”
Everything that came after resuming the kiss was a blur and the feeling of Napoleon’s hands guiding her legs to lock around him; she moaned so much into his mouth when she first felt him entering her that he matched it with a grunt of his own.
Napoleon stayed like that for a bit, taking a note of her sounds. “Comfortable?”
She nuzzled  into him, trying to get friction between their bodies, “Mmhm…How about you? Can you move?”
His hands roamed her back and reached down to her ass, getting a good hold of it.
“You weight nothing in the water. I can keep you right where you are forever.”
She felt her face burning, body squirming around because of embarrassment but also because it already felt like forever.
Napoleon lifted her ass up until only the tip of his cock remained aligned with her holds, and he buried his face into her flesh. Even damp, her hair still carried that scent that he was so used to catching around her. So used to having it close to him.
He was brought back from his daydream by a whimper coming from her - immediately reacting to it, he moved her body back down, pelvis meeting her abdomen. She moaned out in delight and it was enough to keep him going. It felt just so right to please her. His charming little love.
She soon found her peak; the chanting of “Napoleon, Napoleon,” breaking the otherwise silent night – the lack of a familiar echo reminded them that they weren’t behind four walls and somehow it sent a certain thrill in their veins.
The night was theirs. Hurrying would be bad taste, and he knew it, oh but the way her core was pulling him tightly, already chasing after another orgasm, was he stronger than lust?
“ ‘Leon, please, with me, please…”
Not quite.
She entangled her fingers into the hair of the back of his head, pushing him against her neck, a gesture that always meant bite me and always made him lose his mind; but it was her near-scream that cut the air as he made his final push. The way his nails were cutting into her skin could only match of the way his fangs met her flesh. Grinding her hips into him, she found her culmination just as Napoleon stilled inside her, filling her to the brim with his love.
He swept his tongue over his fangs, but even after sliding them off her flesh, he kept nibbling on the now fading wound softly, almost missing the taste already. “You’re so good, Elaine.”
She smiled, humming sleepily against him, “And you have the best ideas. Sometimes.”
“Sometimes, huh?” he shifted his hips a bit, making her groan as he turned around in the water so now they could face the moon now. It bolded Elaine’s features enough to make up even the blush on her face, and there was not much to do else than to kiss her once again.
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hello! I was just reading your work Taken, and i love the idea of Tommy rescuing the reader! Could you please do something with Tommy saving the reader from drowning? If not, that's okay!! No pressure =)
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Drown - Thomas Shelby x Reader
We love a bit of angst!
Taglist: @tranquility-or-chaos @captivatedbycillianmurphy
*****
"Let me go, please!" you yelled again, trying not to cry. Hysteria was rising in your chest, and it was taking everything inside you to keep it down. You knew one day you'd die for Thomas Shelby, but that didn't make it any less terrifying.
The man holding your restrained arms just laughed, and continued to haul you along the dock. Your feet dragging against the wooden planks seemed extraordinarily loud in the silence of the bright and otherwise peaceful morning.
You tried a different approach, "Tommy will come for me. I know he will!"
"That's the point, love."
You thrashed against your captors, "He'll kill you! He'll kill you all!"
"Oh, shut up! You'll be at the bottom of The Cut soon enough." one of the men grunted, and ended the conversation.
Panicking, you could do nothing but watch as sacks of rocks were added to the ropes at your ankles. One of the men tied one of the bags around your wrists. You were on the ground, so you were saved from the weight of that for a few brief moments.
"You're making a mistake. Don't any of you understand? You've signed your death certificates for you and your families." you warned, hot tears finally spilling over. You didn't think you were special enough to warrant that kind of revenge, but you knew Tommy would be blinded by rage at your loss. He'd do anything to avenge you. Anything.
You were then suspended over the edge of the dock. One hand on the front of your shirt was all that kept you from falling into the icy water.
"Tommy is just one man. What can he do against all of us?" he asked, smiling and gesturing to the rest of his crew.
You found the vile man's eyes and said simply, "Thomas Shelby has the devil inside him. With my death, you will unleash it."
The next thing you knew was the punch to the chest from the temperature of the water. Proceeding that was the dragging weight of the rocks tied to your body, and the burn of the ropes at your ankles and wrists. Finally, the thud of the weights hitting the bottom of the river sent a jolt through your frame.
Bubbles and silt swirled around your body, but you fought desperately to see the surface. The last thing you wanted to see, if it couldn't be Tommy, was the rays of sunlight striking through the cloudy river.
With the shock of being thrown in, you hadn't managed to take a deep breath. You'd only been under water for a short time, but you were already struggling not to inhale. If you did that, it would all be over.
You were going to drown.
---
Thomas sprinted down alleys and roads, taking the fastest route possible to get to you. Those bastards had sent Tommy a perfectly horrific note, which of course let him know exactly where you were but with no time for a rescue. The words burned in his mind:
'She won't last as long as your medals.'
Gun drawn already, Thomas ran down the dock and began firing at anything that moved. He'd slain more than half of the rival gang before they even knew what hit them.
The Devil had arrived.
Blood made the wood slick, and soon there was a messy fight. Tommy roared in anger, knowing he didn't have time to waste with fighting but was unable to stop it sooner. More shots were fired, and more bodies hit the ground.
Just then, a car screeched to a stop and two violent angels hopped out. Arthur and Michael ran forth, guns blazing. The enemy was no match for the Peaky Blinders.
"Cover me!" Tommy yelled. He threw his gun and coat aside, clutched his cap in hand, and dived into the frigid water.
---
Fuck. You had to inhale! Your body was convulsing with the effort of holding what little oxygen you had.
You were trying to refocus your mind when you noticed through the sunlight that the water was turning red with the unmistakable sign of blood. You involuntarily gasped, and immediately began choking as water shot into your lungs.
'This was it. This was how you died.' you thought as your vision turned to black.
---
Unbeknownst to you, Tommy dived in just as your eyes shut. He swam down to the bottom, and cut your bindings with the razors in his hat. Swiftly, he kicked off the riverbed with you in his arms. He had no time to lose.
"Tommy!" came Michael's voice once he breached the red tinted surface, letting him know it was clear. A second later, the three men pulled you onto the dock.
"Come on, Y/N, come on! Breathe!" Thomas begged, placing his hands over your chest and pushing. He did this several agonizing times before you began to cough up the water in your lungs.
"Fuck!"
"She'll be alright, Tom."
"That's it, there you go!"
"Y/N?" Tommy said softly, shivering with cold. His clothes clung to his skin, and only added to his discomfort.
You couldn't speak, throat stinging from coughing. You just began to cry, and pulled Thomas close. Both of you were chilled to the bone, but absolutely relieved to be with the other.
Tommy grabbed the coat he discarded earlier, and wrapped it tightly around you. He, too, was cold, but not nearly as much as you were. Your fingers and toes tingled as the blood began to circulate again. Thomas' body heat and the rising sun sped up this process.
"Let's get you two home." Arthur said, sounding more gentle than you'd ever heard before.
You didn't even remember the drive back. All you could focus on was trying to warm up, and Tommy's arms around you. You hadn't realized how cold you'd been with the threat of drowning looming in your head.
"Let's have a bath, yeah?" Tommy suggested, still shivering himself. He refused to take his coat back, and so remained in his freezing clothes.
You nodded, and followed him into your shared room.
"Thank you." you told him hoarsely, shrugging off the coat finally. Your throat still stung, but it was better now.
"You don't have to thank me. I would come for you in any situation, no matter what." he admitted, kicking off his soggy shoes. Tommy's love language was definitely not verbal, so you knew he really meant it when he said these sort of things.
"I love you." you padded over to him, still stiff with cold.
"I love you."
With the bath filling with hot water, you began to undress each other. You couldn't hold onto any warmth with your clothes soaked in freezing water. Even naked, you would warm up faster.
You knew this wasn't the time for these kind of thoughts, but the sight of your boyfriend naked never failed to astonish you. He was so breathtakingly beautiful that it was hard not to just stare at him at any given moment.
"In you go." he said, knowingly distracting you and taking your hand. He then helped you to step into the giant tub.
You couldn't restrain the moan that spilled from your mouth at the first touch of hot water. It felt so heavenly, that you wanted to jump in.
"Come on, move over." he chuckled. He helped you to shift to one side as he then got in himself.
With some rearranging and some spilled water, you were nestled against Tommy's chest. Both of you sighed with relief as the water helped soothe your cold limbs. You didn't really want to stay in more water, but it was so cozy that you couldn't find it in you to get out.
Eventually, the water became tepid. Only then did the either of you move. The next step was nice, fluffy towels.
To your delight, one of the maids in the house had lit a fire in your room. You took Tommy's hand in yours and pulled him over to the floor in front of the fireplace.
"We're gonna stay right here." you told him, snagging a blanket off the bed before flinging yourself next to him.
He smiled drowsily at you, and wiped some water off your cheek with an index finger. Tommy simply answered, "As you wish."
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ratonnhhaketon · 4 years
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Revenge is a Fool’s Game (Chapter 1)
Read on Ao3 | Next Chapter
Summary: Born to two Assassins in the Colonial Brotherhood, Eleanor Price was destined for great things. That is, until the disaster at the Davenport Homestead leaves her family in hiding and her parents' pasts long forgotten. She is determined to find and kill the men responsible for her father's death, no matter the cost. Revenge may be a fool's game, but Ellie plays to win. And the prize might just be a blossoming relationship with the boy training alongside her.
A/N: This is the completely rewritten and revamped version of my previous fic involving Connor and my oc Eleanor Price, Iron. Same characters, different plot, a lot better writing. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!
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Chapter 1 - The General Store 
The city of Boston was bustling despite the chilling winter that was beginning to slowly come to an end. Civil unrest had been getting heavier during recent days and everyone could sense that something big would happen if it was not taken care of. 
The general store was particularly cold that day, and the occasional burst of frozen air that would rush in with a customer trying to escape the harsh temperature outside was especially chilling. The only sounds occupying the small building were light murmurs escaping the back room and the steady brush of a broom across the front room’s floor. 
The door to the store opened, and a boy about 14 walked in. He wore tan clothing, made of some animal hide, and was donning several weapons. As he pulled the door closed behind him his amber eyes wandered to the girl sweeping the front of the store. She spared him a small glance at first, before looking back up in wonder at him. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn’t know where to start. 
He seemed just as unsure of his presence as she was. 
Before he had a chance to speak, a woman exited the back room and walked behind the counter. She had on a typical pale pink dress with a white apron tied around her waist. Her hair was twisted up underneath a bonnet, with only a few curls sticking out around her face. “Can I help you, sir?” She spoke up in a sweet tone. 
The boy walked over to the counter and pulled a pouch of coins and a piece of paper out of his pocket. “I need the items on this list.” 
The woman picked up the list and read it over. “Yes, well.. we can get you the tool, pitch, and nails. Lumber is hard to come by these days, as our supplier seemingly vanished.” She poured out some of the coins and counted them before giving the pouch back to the boy. “Now, where did you want these delivered?” 
“Our wagon is just outside, by the statehouse.” His voice was smooth and calm, like each syllable was carefully thought over before speaking. As he walked towards the door he and the girl shared one final glance. 
“Eleanor, come help me gather these supplies.” The woman behind the counter spoke up. The girl gave her mother a quick glance to acknowledge what she had said and immediately turned back towards the door. The boy had left in a flash. 
Begrudgingly, she propped her broom up against the doorframe and followed her mother into the back of the store. 
Fifteen minutes and a few splinters later, all of the ordered supplies had been packed into crates and boxes and were ready to be delivered to the boy’s carriage. Ellie and her sister, Peggy, were tasked with the job of moving the supplies while their mother stayed back in the store tending to customers. 
When they returned through the back door of the store, Peggy noticed their mother deep in conversation in the front room. 
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” She spoke up with an uncertain tone. The two girls quickly hid around the corner of the door frame to further listen-in on the discussion. 
“Not really, no, but I have faith in the boy.” A familiar voice that they knew belonged to Achilles Davenport responded. “He has a lot to learn before he is ready, but he is showing signs of improvement each day.” A gruff sigh. “Have you considered talking about The Creed with the girls?” 
“Absolutely not.” Alice spoke up a little too quickly.
“Alice, don’t you think the girls deserve to know what really happened to their father? You cannot keep telling this lie in hopes-“ 
“No, Achilles, listen to me!” She cut him off. “I can’t go back to that life, I can’t put my girls in danger like that!” A few seconds of silence before Alice spoke up again, this time in a much quieter voice. “I can’t relive what happened to James-“
A gunshot rang out on a street very close to the store, stunning her into silence.  
The two girls peeked out from behind the wall and Peggy spoke up with a very concerned tone. “Mother?!” 
“Girls, make sure the back door is locked and the curtains are drawn over every widow.” The girls wasted no time in retreating back out of sight to the back room of the store. 
“The Templars are behind this.” Achilles spoke in a serious tone. 
Alice’s head whipped back over to face him. Her jaw was tense and there were tears forming in her eyes. “How do you know?”
“I saw Haytham with my own two eyes.” Alice felt her heart drop at those words. 
“He is in Boston?” The older man only replied with a nod. “Oh god, no..”
“Go and keep your family safe. I have matters to attend to.” He turned and started to walk towards the door, with Alice following close behind him. 
She opened the door and held it open for him. “Safety and peace, Achilles.”
He gave her a nod and a light smile. “To you as well.”
~~~~~
It had been nearly a week since the horrible events in Boston had conspired. After finding out that Haytham had orchestrated the massacre Alice had felt nothing but stress and worry.  She was constantly checking the town around her while outside of the store or their home and had started carrying a small knife on her person for self defense. 
Eleanor and Peggy were left alone in the store for the time being, as Alice was on her way back from helping a customer bring their order to their home a few buildings down the street. 
As she was walking back she noticed a familiar figure open the door to the store. Tall, dark hair tightly pulled back, and donning a long black cloak with red accents and numerous weapons slung around the torso. Alice felt her heart shoot up into her neck as she realized who the figure was. 
He had finally found them. 
After grabbing handfuls of her skirts and hoisting them up, she ran the rest of the way down the road and practically ripped the door off of its hinges as she bursted into the building. Her daughter and the man immediately forgot their conversation to turn their attention towards her. “She’s actually not in at the mo- Oh, mother! Are you alright?” Panting and out of breath, Alice only nodded in reply while desperately swallowing down gulps of air. “Well, this gentleman here was actually looking for you.” 
She stood up straight and let out one final ragged breath. “Darling, could you give us some privacy?” 
“Oh, uhh, of course! Absolutely.” The girl quickly disappeared into the back room, making sure to shut the door behind her. However, that didn’t stop her from pulling her sister from her work to listen in to the conversation through the wall. 
“Well, you found me. I’m surprised it took you all this long, considering we never even left the northern colonies. So, are you here to kill me? Take me hostage? Throw me in front of a firing line like you did to all those poor citizens last week?” 
The man looked at her with a puzzled expression. “Alice, I.. I’m not here to hurt you. And I had nothing to do with the massacre, I only read about it in the paper and wanted to make sure you were all okay. What are you talking about?”
Alice crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a stern look. “Your mentor and his associates were behind it.” 
“I swear on my daughter’s life that I am not lying to you.” 
Alice felt her blood begin to boil and heat creep up her face. “Shay, I’m sorry but I have not seen you in seven years and suddenly you show up, hoping everything will just be fine and that I will just suddenly trust you? You killed my husband and then went silent up until now. This whole time I thought something had happened to you, or that you had gone off and gotten yourself killed.” 
“Alice-“
"You have some nerve showing your face to me, Shay Cormac!"
"Alice, please!" She let out a huff before looking at the man in front of her in the eyes, anger still present on her face. Shay sighed before continuing, "I tried to get him to go with the three of you but Haytham.. had other plans. I had to watch him get shot in the back." Alice looked away and tried to blink back the tears that threatened to fall. "I never wanted to hurt anyone in your family, you know that." 
“Shay," Alice spoke with a shaky voice. "Have you been keeping in contact with Haytham?” 
“No. The last time we spoke was after.. everything at the Homestead. I was angry at what he did and we had a falling out. I haven’t received word from him in years.” 
"So how do you know where we’ve been but he doesn’t? A man that smart would know to send scouts searching."
Shay let out a breath before answering. “He.. did. But the report was sent to Fort Arsenal and we made a deal. I will make sure no harm comes to his son as long as he does not harm any of you. That was actually the last conversation we had before he took his leave to Boston.” He put a cautious hand on her arm and, when she didn’t recoil, he relaxed and rubbed his thumb over the soft material of her sleeve. “I know you’ve all done just fine for yourselves for this long, but if you would allow it I’d like to be there for you if at all possible. I owe it to you for being absent this whole time.”
Alice thought over the idea for a moment before nodding. “What exactly did you have in mind?”
“Anything you need, I’ll provide for you. Money, supplies, weapons, you name it and I can get it.  
The younger of the two girls pulled her sister by the hand away from the door and into the middle of the room, earning a surprised “Hey!” from her older sibling. 
“I have an idea, but I need your help.” She looked at the closed door quickly before continuing. “I want the key to the study.” 
Peggy looked at her with wide eyes. “What? Ellie, are you crazy?! It’s off limits, you know we can’t go in there.” 
“Come on, please!” Ellie shot back with pleading eyes. “Don’t you want to know what mother is hiding from us? Especially after the weird conversations she had with Achilles and this Mr. Cormac out there now?” She sighed, “What if it’s information about father’s death?” 
Her sister let out a huff before nodding. “I suppose. But if we get in trouble it’s your fault!” 
~~~~~
The girls knew that Alice kept all her important keys together on the same ring. The store’s front and back, house, and study room keys were always in the same place. Locating them was not difficult, but acquiring them without their mother noticing was. 
When they returned home that night, Alice slipped the keys into her cloak after unlocking the door. 
Alright, now just to get it away from her.
She crossed the small room to the fireplace and immediately got to work on getting a fire started for the evening. As she worked the two girls shared a knowing look, signaling that they were going to try and execute their plan before the night was over. 
After a few minutes of work the room was lit by the orange glow of a fireplace and the house was warming up. Alice finally shed the thick cloak she was wearing and slung it over the chair by the door. “Girls,” she called into the sitting room where her daughters were seated by the fire. “I’m going to start supper. It should be ready in about 30 minutes or so.” 
The girls nodded at their mother before she disappeared into the kitchen. After waiting a minute or so to make sure she was preoccupied, Ellie made a beeline to where Alice had left the cloak. She fished the keyring out of the outerwear’s pocket and flashed it to her sister. Peggy looked up, gave her a knowing smirk, and set off for the study down the hall with Ellie following close behind her. 
Of course, all three of the keys looked the same so they had to try each of them to find the correct one. After getting the door open, Ellie stepped in cautiously and looked around with a look of wonder. The room had two tall bookshelves completely filled to the brim with old books as well as a large desk with chairs on either side. 
Peggy glanced out the door of the study and down the hall before speaking in a low voice, “Just hurry up and grab something.” 
Ellie approached the desk in the middle of the room and picked up a large red, leather-bound book and opened it. Peggy walked over and peered over her sister’s shoulder to read the first page of the book with her.
“What do you two think you are doing?” Alice’s angry voice ripped them from their thoughts. 
The two girls shot back from the desk, terror written all over their faces. Ellie immediately tried to hide the worn out book behind her back. “We-uh, I…”
“It was her idea!” Peggy shot an accusatory finger towards her sister, earning a hard smack to the shoulder. 
Alice approached them menacingly and snatched the book out of Ellie’s grasp before placing it down a little too aggressively on the table next to them. “Haven’t I told you girls that this area is off limits?!” She turned to look at the girls, anger and worry raging in her green eyes. “The information in these books is not for the two of you to be learning. It could cost you your lives.” 
Ellie straightened her back and looked her mother in the eyes. “What are you hiding from us? I heard your conversations with Achilles and Mr. Cormac. What really happened to our father?”
Alice’s voice shrank and her threatening posture fell. “Girls, please.. we’ve been over this.”
Ellie felt tears start to glaze over her eyes. “No we haven’t! We deserve to know what truly happened to him! To our father!” As she grew increasingly upset she felt tears start to steadily roll down her face. 
Peggy stepped forward next to her sister and spoke up. “What if something happened to us. Wouldn’t you want to know who was responsible?” 
Alice looked down at her feet and struggled to find the right words. “I..” A frustrated sigh. “Yes. Yes, I would.” She walked over to the door and gestured for the girls to exit the room. “Go on. We have a lot to discuss over dinner.”
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lady-agni · 3 years
Text
Little Bird _ Ch 4
CH 1 // CH 2 // CH 3                            AO3 // FF
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CHAPTER 4 : SECRET GARDEN
SUMMARY: AU. A haunting in the Higurashi Shiro: A tragic event... and Kagome is forced to move in with her legendary grandfather. But the moment she steps into his Shiro, is when the haunting begins... and what’s with the silver statue in the garden?
PAIRING: InuKag
GENRE: Horror, Romance
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Last time:
Nope! Nope, nope, nope! She was not going back in there. Even if it was cold outside.
She turned back to the handsome statue as she contemplated. Kagome took a tentative step towards it, nervous that it would somehow come alive with a flurry of growls. She reached out slim fingers and spread them over it’s chiseled chest, feeling the warmth radiate off it again. So strange, she thought.
The growling did not return. So she made up her resolve and slid down it’s length, cocooning herself between it’s billowing pants and closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around herself and leaning her head on it’s leg. She’d rather sleep out here she decided. Surprised at how warm she was becoming, the comforting temperature and the sounds of the night lulled her to sleep.
Bliss.
Pure and utter bliss.
‘Wake up.’
Kagome scrunched her brows and turned to her side, ignoring the voice in favor of her peaceful sleep. It’d been days since she slept this good. No nightmares, no hauntings, just a calm steady serenity.
‘Wake the hell up!’ A voice growled out.
Jolting awake, Kagome drew back and with owlish eyes, stared at the silver statue shining in the growing daylight. Her forearm was raised defensively before her, just in case.
Just in case what? Kagome looked around as the haze of sleep left her, registering the fact that she had left her room last night and that she had fallen asleep in her grandfather’s garden. Come to think of it. She had completely missed dinner, and her stomach was twisting painfully because of it.
Wait, what was that? A voice had woken her up. She glanced back at the long haired silver statue, it’s grim face of a man looking past her.
That’s it, she was completely losing her mind. Either that or maybe she had formed it up in her sleep. That had to be it. She’d chalk it up to it being a voice from her forgotten dream because there was no way in the world she was thinking that voice had somehow come from the statue. Like if it was alive… or something.
“Kagome!”
She quickly turned to the sound of her grandpa’s voice, the dew from the grass wetting through her clothes. “Grandpa!”
He must have been worried. She didn’t show up for dinner and she wasn’t in her room. How would she explain this?
Her grandfather called out for her again. “I’m over here!” She waved her hand as she got up, wondering if he’d see her wherever he was. Kagome spared the statue one last glance, gray eyes gazing over it’s handsomely angry features before making her way back to the shiro. ‘Strange,’ she thought, as she passed through an open white fence that was almost swallowed whole by overgrowth, ‘I can see my room directly from here.’
She was halfway there when her grandfather finally found her. “Kagome!” He greeted weakly, hands clutching the front of his fluffy coat to stave off the morning chill. “I’ve been looking for you all night!”
“I’m sorry,” she said honestly, pulling him in for a big hug, her torso bowing over his short stature as he returned the gesture. “I didn’t mean to worry you.”
“You missed dinner,” he said as he pulled away, holding her face in his hands as his face wrinkled with worry. “Breakfast is ready. And you’re still wearing the same clothes! What were you doing?” He pulled away to study her appearance, horror crossing his features, “did you sleep out here all night?”
“Hah,” Kagome laughed nervously, bowing low and clapping her hands once in front of her, “I was perfectly fine,” she lied. “Let me just freshen up and we can eat.” She managed to peek at him through the curtain of her hair and noticed him give her a skeptical look, before he nodded and walked away.
“Be quick girl.”
When he finally left, Kagome turned to stare at the open shoji screens of her room. It was eerily dark inside, the far wall with the sliding doors leading to the rest of the household were virtually unseen. She really didn’t want to go in there. Those glowing red eyes, the gnashing yellow teeth… her heart quickened at the thought. A nervous sweat pricked her skin, and she squeezed her hands close and then opened them a couple times to steel herself. Despite the cool morning air, her face and neck flushed hotly.
She had to do this, her clothes were in there. With a deep breath, she rushed inside. Quickly, she turned on her desk lamp, located matches in the drawer and lit the lantern on her floor. With swift movements, she closed the shoji screens that led to the garden and changed. Then she hurried to the closest bathroom to freshen up and met her grandfather for breakfast. Luckily, the whole process was met without incident. With great relief, Kagome thanked whatever Gods were looking over her and dug into her meal.
“So,” he grandfather started, startling her out of her thoughts. “You slept outside?”
Kagome blushed from embarrassment at being caught. How could she explain what had happened to her without sounding completely crazy? That the minute she stepped into his shoji, a voice had been following her, plaguing her without mercy. He’d probably send her to get therapy, and quite honestly, maybe she needed it.
She sighed, “I couldn’t sleep.” Well that wasn’t exactly a lie, yeah, she could go with that.
Gramps seemed to understand, his face softening as he reached out for her resting hand, giving it a little supportive squeeze. “This old man has lived a long life my dear. You can speak your troubles here.”
Suddenly emotional, Kagome fought to blink back the sudden rush of tears. This was the worst week of her life, and the unwavering support moved her. She swallowed the sudden lump in her throat, her family's faces passing through her mind as she turned her hand to hold his in return. “Thanks Grandpa.” They exchanged sad, small smiles until Kagome could bare it no longer and took a long sip out of her orange juice.
She needed to change the subject before totally breaking down in front of him. She could only expose that sorrow in solitude, refusing to burden him - or anyone for that matter - more than she already was. “So,” she started as she swallowed her emotions bitterly, “those statues in the garden.”
“Ah yes,” he seemed to brighten immediately, “those statues are full of history!”
Kagome laughed at his enthusiasm, thinking about the long haired sculpture who’s sharp face she remembered in detail. She took a bite of her fish after dipping it in some sauce. “I’ve never seen that tall one before. Is it new?”
“Tall one?” Grandpa looked confused as he spoke behind a napkin. “Ah! You mean the dragon on the pillar near the east side!”
His granddaughter frowned. “No… the one near the koi pond after the fence. It’s got long hair,” she brushed her fingers through her own, grabbing the edges with her finger tips for emphasis. Then lifted said fingers and flicked her index nail, “claws,” Finally, she reached over her head and motioned with both hands, “and pointy ears.”
Grandpa choked on his food in the middle of her description. Kagome felt the blood rush out of her face as she watched him clear his throat and look at her, clearly bewildered. “Kagome… dear-”
She laughed, not knowing what else to do, “I must have dreamed it up!” She scratched the back of her head and smiled demurely. “So,” she scooped the last of her fish and rice, “tell me about that dragon one!”
He seemed to not notice the change in conversation, brightening again to finally have someone to talk to about the historic sculptures in the center garden. Kagome listened with a bright smile as she pondered why grandpa had no idea about the seemingly angry, handsome statue in the back, and about why she was being terrorized while he seemed to continue living blissfully in his shiro.
That second night passed without incident. The movers had arrived and she left her boxes in the hallway, refusing to enter her bedroom. Kagome avoided her room until it was inevitable. and finally subjected herself to sleep. She kept the shoji doors to the garden open, watching the slivers of moonlight shine on the otherworldly statue in the distance, bringing her a strange sort of comfort until she finally succumbed to her exhaustion.
It was the middle of her third night that something woke her from her nightmares - something of normal occurrence since her family had passed.
She had taken a new habit of sleeping with the screens open. The sight of the silver adonis brought her some much needed comfort, especially since it was the only night since her family’s passing that she slept without the plague of nightmares.
Sounds she could scarcely describe woke her. She sat up in her futon as she looked out into the night shaded garden. As if in a trance, she stood and walked onto the damp grass. Kagome followed the gruesome sounds; screeching, ripping, roaring, and cawing. Her body seemed to walk of its own accord, walking over garden bridges, streams, and ponds. Somehow she had opened more screens, walking through the shiro and to the edge of the property. She stared into the woods unblinking as she witnessed creatures she could never begin to describe course through the air in a horde, then descending to the ground somewhere in the dark where she could not see.
Before she could fully awaken, one noticed her and diverged from the group. It turned in a loud sickening crack, then headed straight for her. This seemed to waken Kagome from her daze as she stumbled back, a forearm raised in feeble defense. The creature had more eyes than Kagome could count, it’s sharp toothed jaw agape as it lunged for her.
A scream left her as she fell to the ground, just narrowly escaping what she assumed could have been the end of her life. The hoard disappeared, and a guttural screech roared behind her. She turned on her back as a grotesquely huge serpent lunged at her, claws like a hawk protruded from its slithering body and snatched her arm, digging in deep and pulling it away from her chest as it opened its jaw, fangs leaking with a smoking liquid, burning through her clothes as she raised her free hand and yelled. She didn’t know what happened. One moment her life had flashed before her eyes, utter terror, and then the brightest light blinded her. All sound and movement screeched to a maddening halt. And the world was no more.
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