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diazevan · 4 years

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8. Where Did Everybody Go? “Don’t Say Goodbye”

Natasha's final wish, is granted, by the universe - it allows Tony, to live, following his sacrifice - he gets the one thing he never thought he'd have, a normal life - from, getting to see his daughter, grow up, all the way, to witnessing Peter and Michelle on their wedding day.

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The energy of the gauntlet channeled through Tony’s arm and sent shockwaves, down his spine.

It was all too much at once.

It felt like he was being torn apart, limb by limb, experiencing every injury he’d ever endured, since the start of time, simultaneously.

He lifted his arm, presenting the stones, to his enemy, “And I—” He cried out, “…Am Iron-Man.”

He brought his fingers together and snapped.

He was welcomed by a blinding, white light, which was ironic, considering all the fairy tales and visions that were recorded, about death.

The pain dissipated, and suddenly, all he could feel, was comfort, like he was enveloped by it.

The light shifted, from white, and a welcoming orange.

He blinked, clearing his vision.

He looked around, quickly realizing, that he was no longer standing, on the battleground.

He wasn’t somewhere new.

The skies and ground stretched on, for miles, perhaps for infinity. They never met, it was a continuous spiral of orange.

It was a new realm, but Tony had seen it before. The space was his old house, well part of it. The gym room to be specific, the boxing ring, was right beside him.

He ducked his head, “What the hell?”

“Hey, Tony,” A voice, he knew all-too-well, called out, “Did you miss me?”

He spun, on his heel.

Natasha was standing, a few paces away, wearing a smile, from ear-to-ear, “You’re an idiot.” She moved, with a slight skip in her step, “An absolute dumbass.”

She broke into a run and crashed, into his chest, tangling her arms around him.

“Nat—” He curled his hands behind her back, “Nat—” He breathed, holding onto her, as tight as he could, “Oh, my—”

“I can’t believe you,” She leaned back, taking his hands, “You know, a long time ago, I wrote a profile on you.”

“Ah, yes –“ Tony chuckled, “Tony Stark, not advised, for the Avengers Initiative.”

“People said the same about me, once,” She smiled, “Now, look at us.”

Tony grinned, “We saved the day.”

“Who’d a thought it.” She raised a hand, pressing it against Tony’s cheek, “I didn’t approve you, for a reason though.”

Tony raised an eyebrow, “What reason?”

“I saw something, in you, that I don’t even think you saw in yourself.” She sniffled, “You care, so much. For Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and now, those kids. Somewhere, under all the front, you’ve always wanted a simple life. I tried to give it to you, but—” She stammered, “The universe needed you.”

“Thank you,” He smiled uncertain, “Thank you for trying.” He let go, on her hands, and stepped back, caught up in his own head.

She watched him, worried, “Tony?”

“Peter’s back.”

She nodded, “I know.”

“He has no idea, what it’s been like.” He shook his head, “He was, the same kid, and seeing him, it felt—”

“Like everything was falling into place?”

“Yeah. All the right places too.” He rested a hand under his chin, “I’m never gonna see them together. My kids.” He laughed, “Oh, the things they’ll do.”

Natasha tilted her head to her shoulder.

“Nat, I think I might have made a bad decision,” He admitted, “I’m scared I’ve made a mistake.”

“Me too,” She reached out, grabbing his wrist, “It was hard to let go.”

“How’d you do it?”

“I tried not to think about it.” She spoke softly, “What about you?”

“I had to.” He shrugged, “This is the vision that Strange saw.”

“He only saw fourteen billion futures.” She pointed out, “Time is infinite, right?”

“I guess, but it’s done.” He scraped his teeth over his lower lip, “For the longest time, I haven’t cared, if I live or if I die, but I didn’t wanna do this, Nat.” He held onto her hand, “I wanna see my kids grow up. See Morgan, go to school. Peter, go to college. I wanna grow old with Pep. I wanna be, in the same old people’s home as Rhodey and Happy, so I can annoy the shit out of them.”

Natasha laughed, but stopped, “You wanna live.”

“Yeah.”

“Everything’s going to be all right,” She grabbed his hands, “I have an idea.”

“What?”

She darted her eyes up, “You know where we are?”

“No, I—”

“It’s called the Way Station,” She explained, “I didn’t know anything about it until I died, but it’s connected, to the soul stone.”

Tony's forehead creased, “Okay…”

“The soul stone is living, it’s aware of the universes, around it.” Natasha said, “It knows what I did, the sacrifice I made, and it’s granted me a wish.”

“That’s—"

“You’re not seeing,” She interrupted, “It owes me, and I know what I’m gonna do, with that debt.”

Tony frowned, “Yeah?”

“I’m gonna give you a second chance.”

“What—” Tony crumbled, realizing what she was saying, “What do you mean?”

“You’re not dead yet,” She beamed, “I can save you.”

“You can’t use it, on me,” He stuttered, “Save you—"

“I can’t do that. It's not within the agreement.” She leaned up, resting a hand on his cheek again, “I wanna give it to you, and everyone else. You’ve fought so hard, you deserve this.”

“Nat—"

“You can’t stop me,” The determination in her eyes, was unfathomable, and he knew he could never turn her down, not when this was her last wish.

He looped his arms around her, pulling her off his feet, in a hug, “Thank you.” He muttered, resting his face against her shoulder.

She stepped back, tears welling in her eyes, “Don’t waste your life.”

“Never.” He smiled, “You’ll be okay, you won’t be lonely?”

“I could never be.” She vowed, “Promise me something?”

“Anything.”

“Remember me.”

He blinked away tears, “Trust me, nobody is ever gonna forget you.” He opened his mouth, "Goo--"

"Don't--" She interrupted, "Don't say goodbye, please."

He nodded.

She smiled, “Will that be all, Mr. Stark?”

He bent down, pressing a kiss against her cheek, “Yes, thank you, Miss. Rushman.”

There was another blinding flash, and Tony was standing, on the battlefield, once more.

He was fine.

His arm was slightly numb but other than that, he was okay.

He stepped out of his suit, letting his stones fall to the ground.

“Easy peasy,” He brushed his hands against his undersuit, “Thanks, Nat.”

Rhodey landed, opening his mask, with teary eyes and a dropped jaw, “What—”

Tony chuckled, rubbing his hands together, “Crying for me, platypus?”

Rhodey stepped over, reaching out to poke Tony, in the chest, “Nah, I don’t like this,” He recoiled, “This is too much, for me.”

Tony held out his hands, “I’m okay.”

“You shouldn’t be okay,” Rhodey’s eyes widened, “Unless, you’re an alien, and I never knew—”

Tony shook his head, “I wish.”

“Tones, this makes no sense, how—”

Tony slouched his shoulders, with a smile, “It was Nat.”

Rhodey’s face dropped, “What?”

“She saved me.”

“What do you—"

A familiar swoosh came overhead, as Peter swung over, landing nearby, “Mr. Stark!”

Tony’s mouth twitched into a smile, “Kid—”

Peter strode over, but it was quickly apparent, that he wasn’t in the mood for a hug. He reached out, slapping Tony’s arm away, “You could have died!” He yelled, “You promised you’d never leave, not for anything! You can’t do that—”

“I’m sorry, kiddo,” He gently pulled him into a hug, resting his chin on top of his head, “I’m fine, I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere, promise.”

Peter cried, “I can’t lose you too.”

He kissed his curls and held him close, “I know.”

“Tony!” Pepper landed, retracting her mask, “How—” A flood of relief washed over her, she looked to Rhodey, who simply shrugged, “Jesus.”

Tony reached out, taking her hand, “We’re gonna be okay, Pep.”

She chuckled, leaning in, to kiss his cheek, “Yeah.” She placed her hand on Peter’s back, “We are.”

Peter stepped back, “We won?”

“Yeah, we won, buddy.”

***

Life went on, for everyone.

Peter and Morgan met, it wasn’t long until they were as thick as thieves, ready to take on the world together.

Peter started dating Michelle, a few weeks after going back to school. Tony loved the awkwardness of it, from both sides.

When Peter, tried to admit his feelings for her, she thought he was telling her, that he was Spider-Man. A confusing mishap, but it worked out in the end, because, from the get-go, neither of them kept a secret from the other.

Suddenly, in a flash, it was the week before Christmas.

Morgan jumped into bed, grabbing her Piglet bear, hugging it under her arm, “Tell me a story,” She laughed, turning to look at Tony.

Tony perched, at the end of the bed, “A story?”

The door cracked open, and Peter poked his head around, “Hey, Tony—”

“Petey!” Morgan squealed, “Come on, Daddy’s telling a story!”

“A story?” Peter smiled, “I can’t turn that down.” He squeezed into bed, next to his sister, who instinctively curled up, over his lap.

Morgan threw her arms up, “Mimi too!”

Tony shrugged, with a laugh, “Let’s just invite everybody.”

Peter leaned to the side, “MJ!”

A door clicked open, and footsteps followed, “Hey—” Michelle stepped inside, “What—”

Morgan shouted, “Daddy’s gonna tell us a story!”

“Oh…” She raised an eyebrow, “You want me to join?”

Morgan nodded frantically, “Yep!”

Michelle chuckled, turning, “Stark?”

Tony motioned his head back, “Come on in, I’m improvising.”

Michelle cackled, “Should be entertaining.”

Tony joked, “Should we call Ned, while we’re at it?”

Peter shook his head, with a chuckle, “I mean, he’d love it, but he’s working.”

“Maybe next time.”

Michelle nudged Peter’s arm, “Budge up.”

Tony noticed that Michelle’s pajamas, had an old print of Black Widow on, the old merch line from before the fall of the Avengers.

He smiled, looking up at the trio.

“Have I ever told you three, about how I met Natasha?”

Morgan beamed, “Auntie Nat?”

“Yeah.”

Peter shook his head, “I don’t think so.”

Michelle held out her hands, “No clue.”

Tony leaned over, “It’s a fun story.”

Morgan bounced, up and down, “Tell it, tell it, tell it.”

Tony smiled, “Okay.”

Morgan rested on Peter’s lap and laid her legs over Michelle’s lap.

“She was the first member of the Avengers, that I met,” Tony started, “It was way before we assembled. It was, around the time of the Stark Expo.”

Morgan grinned, “When you met Petey!”

Michelle turned, “Wait, what?”

Peter waved a hand, “That’s a story for another night.”

Michelle rolled her eyes.

Peter nodded his head forward, “You were saying?”

“She was an agent, hired undercover, by Fury, to keep an eye on me.”

Morgan rocked, “Why?”

“I was being a little stupid, at the time,” He admitted, “I didn’t know, she was a spy. She called herself, Natalie Rushman. I didn’t know, at this moment, that I’d met one of the most important people, in my life.” He looked up, with a grin, “My little sister.”

From that night onwards, Tony told story after story, until Black Widow became Morgan’s favorite hero, and Michelle, did her thesis for college, on Natasha's life.

They kept remembering her, they never stopped.

***

Eight years later, Peter and Michelle were married.

Tony couldn’t see the ceremony, not properly, through his tears. Neither could anyone else, for that matter.

After eating, came the speeches, Tony’s favorite part of any wedding.

Michelle’s parents, went first, followed by May, three hard acts to follow.

Happy raised, hitting his fork, off his glass, “It’s time for the groom’s mentor?” He raised an eyebrow, “Father-figure?” He placed his glass down, “Let’s cut to the chase, here’s Tony Stark.”

Tony wiped his eyes as he stood, “Not sure if I’m gonna top May’s one.”

They all laughed, May jokingly nudged his side.

“Ha,” Tony straightened his back, “Well, you all know who I am, so I won’t bore you with introductions.”

Peter laughed, leaning his head on his hand.

“I, um, I’ve been scratching my head, about what to say today,” Tony rubbed the nape, of his neck, “There’s so much, to say, about my kid.” He leaned, resting his hand against Peter’s shoulder, “Too much to say, in one speech. Jones, too.”

Michelle smiled.

“You’re both amazing,” Tony turned to face them, “No other way to put it. I look at you, and know, that the future, is in very safe hands. Which is strange now, because one of my fondest memories, of Peter, was a few months after we first met.”

Peter buried his face, in his hands.

“He was starting to feel, at home, at mine and Pepper’s place, so he’d thought he’d try and see if he could sleep, like a bat.”

Peter raised his head, “To clarify, it was Batman.”

“Not helping your case here, kiddo,” Tony barked a laugh, “Anyway, long story short, we spent the night, at the Infirmary.”

Peter hid his face against Michelle’s arm, as laughter travelled across the room.

“A broken arm, but an infectious laugh, of embarrassment.”

Tony swallowed, a lump in his throat, studying the faces looking back at him.

“I haven’t known Peter, since the beginning, I can take no credit for that, but we are all family, from every inch of the universe, from among the stars themselves.” He said, motioning to the Guardians, “We prove, that family, is what you make it, and how you love it. The universe is much bigger than most of us thought, twenty years ago. But, mine, was very small, for a long time.” He placed a hand, on his chest, “My fault.” He sniffled, “Then I met this kid, who showed me, how to love life again.”

Peter looked up at him, teary-eyed, with a smile.

“Even when he wasn’t here. You helped me, become a better man, and father,” Tony smiled, “The day, you came back, everything clicked into place. Then, Jones, you came along, and you fit in, from the get-go.” He laughed, “I remember, how giddy, Peter was, whenever he spoke about you.” He turned his attention to the room, “I never believed, in young love, but these two make it impossible to denounce it because you are the real deal.”

People nodded, in firm agreement.

“It can’t go unrecognized, that I would not be standing here, with you all, living this fantastic day, if it wasn’t for Natasha Romanoff.”

Clint met his gaze, with a grin and nod.

“She saved my life, like many of you know, and she gave me this,” He held out his hands, “I owe her, a lifetime. I know, whenever she is, watching over us, she’s telling us all, to drink the night away, and embarrass the hell out of one another.”

The room erupted with laughter again.

Rhodey raised his glass, “To Natasha Romanoff.”

“To Natasha Romanoff!”

Tony raised his, “To the bride and groom!”

“To the bride and groom!”

Peter jumped up, hugging Tony, “Thank you.”

***

Eighteen months later, Peter and Michelle welcomed their first child.

A half-asleep May, and Michelle’s mother, Madeline, woke Tony, who was passed out, on the Infirmary couch, in the Relative’s Room, and they told him, it was time to meet his granddaughter.

He circled, into the room, with a smile, “Hey—”

Peter hopped up, heading over for a hug, “Hey, Tony—”

“Hey, kiddo—” Tony bent down, pressing a kiss in his curls.

Michelle was sitting in bed, cradling her daughter, “Hey, Stark.”

“Jones.” He walked over, “How you are doing?”

“Just a little tired.” Michelle shrugged, “Peter passed out.”

Peter circled the bed, sitting down, “I didn’t pass out, I sat down.”

Michelle snorted a laugh, “Dad shock.”

“I was the same,” Tony reassured him, leaning over to get a look at the baby, “Can’t believe you two managed to pull this off.”

His granddaughter looked up, at him, with wide eyes.

“She’s perfect.”

Michelle moved, “Do you wanna hold her?”

“Of course.” He reached down, carefully taking her, out of Michelle’s arms, “Wow.”

Peter bobbed his head, “He’s already planning ways to spoil her.”

“Ha,” Tony rocked her, “I’ll be looking for cars soon.”

Michelle waved a hand, “You’re a grandparent, you’re allowed.”

Tony looked down, at his granddaughter, “Hey there…”

Peter smiled, “Natalie.”

“Natalie Parker.” Tony’s heart skipped a beat, “That’s a good strong name, and we’re gonna take on the world together.” He pressed a kiss against her forehead, “All of us.”

#whumptober2020 #no.8 #where did everyone go #don't say goodbye #marvel #marvel fanfiction #irondad #irondad fanfiction #tony stark #peter parker #natasha romanoff #michelle jones #morgan stark #tony and natasha #spideychelle #liberty's writing

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twilightprince101 · 4 years

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Please can you share more headcannons with us so I can draw you more fanart. thanks

Apologies for not responding to this right away, guess I didn’t really see this in the inbox. I’ll gladly share some more HCs, but Banon. You should know. One of these days I’m gonna strike back with force 1,000 times stronger than the fanart you give me.

How the Drifters Joined

Each of the members in the Dimensional Drifters joined for different reasons. While sometimes we pick up temporary guests along for the ride for a short while, these guys all vowed to stick around for the long haul.

The Moomin Family: Perhaps the most lighthearted reason of the bunch; they all just want to explore! The Moomins themselves are no strangers when it comes to going on adventures. As for their friends back home, a special ability when it comes to my powers is that if anybody leaves their world, they can return at the exact moment they left. So they wouldn’t be missing too much by coming along. From time to time though they do get homesick, so they go back for short visits.

The Hat in Time crew: Everyone here joined for their own separate reasons:The Child Trio all decided to come along more or less for adventure as well, along with getting into various mischief together. Mustache Girl though, she joined for her own reasons (which won’t be explained... yet.)DJ Grooves was unfortunately in a rut with his movie business. While he was happy in his career, he had begun to run out of ideas, and after so much of getting 2nd in a two person race, he decided to join so he could find some excitement in his life again.Empress, despite having it big with her nyakuza clan, had begun to realize that she had to stop eventually in her clan. Whether due to unforseen circumstances or having an heir, she’d eventually no longer be the head of the clan. Along with the fact that she practically knew nothing else of what to do-as she had only known the metro for her own life-decided to take my offer and come along to show her just what lies outside of the underground she knew for so long.

The Nekojishi Trio: The case here is pretty much similar to how I set up their verse for self-ships. A lot of time has passed since Liao’s death and his spirit had been reincarnated, and with him surrounding a majority of their lives, they didn’t really know much about what to do and how to move forward. When offered a chance to join in, they all decided to take it-at first as a vacation from their duties as gods-but then decided to stay, as this lifestyle of always expecting something new every day was liberating to them.

Morgana: The thing about infinite worlds is that while there are infinite of them, there are also infinite versions of different people as well. The Morgana we encountered was not the main one we know, but instead came from a sort of off-shoot universe where the Phantom Thieves never existed. He took on a majority of palaces solo, ending up getting major scrapes in the process. After we helped him out with a particularly dangerous palace, he thought it was comforting to be part of a group, and decided to join in.

The Spyro Squad: Probably the ones that stuck around the most, and are least-of-all likely to be leaving anytime soon. The Spyro world was the first one I ever traveled to, so while I got my bearings as a drifter they helped me get back on my feet.Elora was somebody who-upon being asked-agreed practically instantly. She had been working on reconstructing Avalar for a long time, and while helping her finish everything up, we slowly fell in love. I probably stayed in the Spyro world for the longest amount of time I’ve ever stayed in a world-over two years-and having already seen what all of the realms had to offer, she wanted to join me in exploring the multiverse together.Spyro, Lindar and Bubba all joined in a little while later. One day Elora was getting homesick while exploring so we ventured back to check up on everyone. Upon hearing the stories we had to share, all three insisted that they join us. Spyro because he wanted some more adventure and wanted to stick close to his friends, and both Lindar and Bubba because they were both practically my father figures at this point, so anywhere I went, they wanted to come with.

Definitely one of my longer posts, but I had this in my head for a while! Gave me a nice opportunity to write everything out. Hope your day is swell Banon, along with everyone else!

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bloodyshadow1 · 5 years

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Wedding in Whitestone: Familial

Crfemslash week day 5 prompt: Family. Don’t have much to say here, more notes at the end. If you like, leave a review, a reblog or a comment please, really makes me feel better as a writer to get feedback of any kind

“You look beautiful,” a voice came from behind her.

Kaylie half smiled without turning around, “you shouldn’t sneak up on someone as nervous as me like that,” she said as she did her best to fix her hair in the mirror. Her short hair was easy to manage, but hard to do things with and she wanted to try something special, if only for today.

“I know,” Scanlan said unworried, “but it's a father's right to see his little girl on her big dad and tell her how proud of her he is.”

Four years ago Kaylie would have laughed at the idea of wanting Scanlan, her father, to be proud of her. Four years ago he was just some silver tongued asshole who had knocked her mother up and abandoned them. Four years ago the only thing she wanted to do was humiliate and kill him, but they were both better people now. He had helped save the world, had showed her how good of a man and a father he could be, and they both learned that love and forgiveness went a lot farther than the songs and stories made it out to be. It had put her on a better path, it had led her to the woman who she loved and loved her, even if Scanlan didn't know it, for that alone she'd forgive him for pretty much anything. “Thanks dad,” Kaylie said turning around and giving her father a hug, growing up she had never known what it was like to have a father's love, turns out it's pretty alright. “I mean it, hearing you say that means more than you know.” Before they could break the embrace she heard sniffing sound, “are you crying old man,” she teased because her eyes definitely were not watering up.

“Yes,” Scanlan said easily, he had learned long ago that lying to the people you cared about led to nothing good and neither did keeping things from them. “I'm just so happy for you, I know we didn't meet under the best of circumstances Kaylie,” both of them tried very hard to forget what led to him finding out who she was, “but the fact that I've had you in my life has made me a better man. I'm not sure if I'm a good man yet, but I'll never stop trying to be the father you deserve, I promise.” Since the battle with Raishan he had never broken a promise to her, and he wasn't going to start now.

“You’re getting their old man,” Kaylie said her voice dripping with affection. “I still can’t believe I’m here though. A few years ago, I was the bastard daughter of a quilter in Kymal who made her living playing flute in a band of rogues and thieves. My only goal in life was to track you down and kill you. Now I’m here, getting married to a high lady and real noblewoman, I can’t say I understand what she sees in me-,” Kaylie stated to say, but Scanlan cut her off.

“She sees someone special and amazing, Kaylie, she sees someone she loves and wants to spend the rest of her life with,” Scanlan assured his daughter. “I know it’s hard to believe how loved you are, I’ve had that problem to, sometimes it’s easier to just run than stay and figure that out,” he said ashamed. “But trust me it’s always worth it to stay, if you’re going to take anything away from me and our time together take that piece of knowledge. I didn’t learn it until a few years ago, maybe my life would have been better if I learned it earlier. Maybe I would have been a man worthy of being your father earlier. But, not more of that nonsense,” Scanlan said offering his little girl hsi arm, “shall we?”

Smiling, Kaylie took his arm, “come on old man, let's go meet my woman.” With that the two gnomes walked arm and arm down the halls of Whitestone Castle until they reached the great hall. Kynan and his riflemen lined the hall like honor guards and opened the door with a smile. They waited five beats until the music started and started their walk down the aisle. Dr. Dranzel’s violin softly sung through the air as it was played deftly by the half-orcs massive hands. The good doctor was doing his best to hold back tears of pride as he watched his two proteges walk to the altar. Esilmere and Kent playing the wedding march along with their boss keeping him in line. Zedd sat with Samson in the front row of her guests, just so Kaylie could keep an eye on them.

When she approached the troupe a few months ago to ask them to play at her wedding she made them promise none of their normal trickery shit. No panhandling or pickpocketing, no swiping the silverware and plates, just a simple easy gig and they’d be paid more gold then they’d ever get pickpocketing and she wouldn’t remind her soon to be sister in law of what happened in Greyskull. She could do things like this as the court bard of Whitestone.

JB Trickfoot and Grog stood on her side as her bridesmaids while Keyleth and Vex stood opposite of them, they were all smiling at her, Grog was crying, and Kaylie did her best to smile back. Pike stood at the altar ready to marry her and her bride to be, looking proud and angelic as always. It was the longest walk of Kaylie’s life, she didn’t want to bolt but her feet sure did, every instinct screamed to run, despite what she wanted, but she managed to get to the end of the aisle somehow. “I’m very proud of you,” Scanlan said kissing his daughter on the cheek before taking his place.

And then Kaylie felt alone up there, even though she had the most powerful people in all of Exandria in her corner. But fear wasn’t logical, even surrounded by friends and family, she was terrified and her heart felt like it was exploding. It seemed like an eternity until Dr. Dranzel started up the wedding march again, and then she saw her, Cassandra De Rolo the Lady of Whitestone and the love of Kaylie’s life walking side by side with her brother. Suddenly, all the nerves were gone and the only thing that mattered was Cassandra. She looked beautiful, a traditional long white gown that hugged her frame in a respectable manner, her long white and brown hair tied back in braids. Everything just seemed okay for the young Shorthalt now that she was here.

It felt like it took forever for them to reach the altar, but at the same time it felt like they were there in an instant. Percival kissed his sister’s cheek and muttered a, “you look beautiful Cass,” before giving a nod to Kaylie and taking his place. He didn’t need to give Kaylie a warning, he given her one already when the engagement was first announced, nothing rude or overtly threatening just a warning from a man who had lost everything and was slowly getting back what he had lost and do anything to make sure no one took it away from him again.

Cassandra ascended the dias where Kaylie and brought their hands together, “You look beautiful Kaylie,” Cassandra said sweetly, she felt no need to pretend to be a stuffy aristocrat, not now, not with her love on their day. Kaylie didn’t even hear much of what Pike was saying, Cassandra de Rolo was the only thing that mattered until Pike said, “the brides have written their own vows, and wish to share them with us. Cassandra if you will,” she nodded to the de Rolo so she could start.

“Kay,” Cassandra started, “I’ve been used my whole life, the Briars kept me as a pet, a trophy, and a tool, Vecna used me as a pawn to hurt the people who love me,” she paused, taking her eyes off of Kaylie for just a moment to look at her brother and her sisters before turning back to gaze into Kaylie’s beautiful brown eyes. “Even after I became the Lady of Whitestone far too many noblemen and far too few noblewomen sought my hand to gain a foothold in Whitestone because of my position,” she said giving Kaylie’s hands a soft squeeze. “After that day where Vecna fell and we died and came back, the world was celebrating or mourning and I felt so alone. You made a stupid joke that you didn’t mean and I took it too seriously. I’ve always had nightmares, ever since Whitestone fell, and after we comforted each other that night and fell asleep in each other’s arms I knew they would come stronger than ever. Yet when they came your voice pierced through them and chased them away. For the first time in six years since I lost my family, I slept soundly despite what we had gone through.”

“I don’t know what happened, but I knew then and there that I wanted to be near you, I wanted to hear you sing, I wanted to know everything about this strange beautiful woman that I had died with, came back beside, and brought my damaged heart to life in ways I never thought possible. I almost ruined us, my pride and my fear almost damned up, but I didn’t realize who I was falling in love with. You serenaded me every night standing beneath my balcony despite me giving you a room in the palace, when I tried to chase you away by telling you the things I’ve done, and you kissed away my tears and scars. I’ve never met someone who was so gentle and understanding Kaylie, despite how much you’re down on yourself you lifted me up. You’re the most amazing and caring woman I’ve ever met Kaylie, I don’t know why you seem so down on yourself my love, but I promise I’m going to spend every day of our lives making you realize how wonderful you are,” she said kissing Kaylie’s knuckles while her gnomish bride was struggling not to cry.

“Dammit Cas,” Kaylie said wiping her eyes on her shoulder of her dress, “I should have gone first, now I’m not going to be able to get through this without crying.”

“It’s okay darling,” Cassandra said with patented De Rolo mixture of sincerity and teasing, “you’re beautiful when you cry.”

“No, I’m not going to let you win here,” Kaylie said, recovering herself. “Cas, I love you,” she said starting to get that bardic tongue of hers to work, “I don’t really know what a girl like you sees in a girl like me, but I’m glad that for once in your life you were stupid and gave me a chance. That night in Vasselheim so long ago, we were brought back to life and I made a stupid joke when we learned that fucking lich was locked away forever. It’s kind of what my family does when we’re about to break, we make sexual jokes that aren’t funny. But somehow that night you came to my room and struck me dumb. I mean who wouldn’t, the most beautiful classy woman you’ve ever seen knocks on you door holding a bottle of wine that cost more than I’d ever make in my life, how could I say no when I desperately needed someone to just make me feel alive. So after a night, after admittedly really great sex,” there were some groans from her dad and Percy and some in the crowd, but there were a lot of laughs. Cass smiled and that was all that mattered, “I kind of expected you to be gone. I was used to being left, I was used to being treated like I was nothing, I was a flutist in a band of misfits and you were a noble lady who lived in a castle, what more could you want for me than a night, or a few admittedly fantastic hours. But you stayed, you stayed in my arms and I never felt so scared that I’d wake up somewhere awful because it was too good to be true. Hell up to maybe five minutes ago, part of me felt everything was just some ridiculous, overly complicated prank because I’m so messed up. But then I saw, in that dress walking down the aisle and all those thoughts went away because even if I had powerful enough enemies willing to fuck me over this badly, I know you wouldn’t do that to me. Cass, I’m a gnome, I’ve always been short and I always will be, but the way you look at me makes me feel like I’m the tallest person in the room. I don’t know where we’re going to go from here, but I know that I want to be your wife wherever we go.”

Now Cassandra’s eyes were watering waiting to kiss her bride to be, Pike, cleared her throat gently to remind them they were at a wedding ceremony. “By the blessing of Sarenrae,” Pike said and her wings of white light burst from her back. “By the Light of Pelor,” Pike nodded to Vex who glowed with a bright white light slightly, “by the wit of Iounn,” she nodded to Scanlan whose eyes glowed purple and a third eye appeared on his forehead. “By their words of dedication and love to each other there can be no further proof of their love., by the exchanging of the rings, ” Pike said nodded to each of them. Cassandra first,“Repeat after me, ‘with this ring, I take you as my wife for the rest of our days.’”

“With this ring I take you as my wife,” Cassandra said placing a band of gold on Kaylie’s finger and giving her gnomish bride a loving smile.

“And now you Kaylie,” Pike turned to her fellow gnome, “repeat after me, ‘with this ring I take you as my wife for the rest of our days.’”

“With this ring, I take you as my wife for the rest of our days,” Kaylie managed to say without looking away from her wife’s eyes.

“By the power vested in me by Whitestone and the Church of Sarenrae, I now pronounce you wife and wife. You may now kiss the bride,” Pike said in a loud proud voice, and Kaylie took the opportunity to dip her wife into the kiss of her life while their friends and family applauded.

When they finally broke the kiss, Kaylie and Cassandra just smiled and stared at each other mid dip. “Hey,” Kaylie said softly smiling at her wife.

“Hey, yourself,” Cassandra said giggling. Eventually she was pulled up and they faced their friends and family, leaving down the aisle hand in hand, ready to face what the world sent their way together.

I don’t really know why I love these two together as much as I do, I just really like the idea of them finding each other after Vox Machina killed them by accident. I also like how they were both missing family members of the main characters that had a hard past and I could see them getting together. Also I forgot about Keeper Yennen and Archi until the story was mostly written, they might have either performed the ceremony or gave Cassandra away, but I think Percy and Pike were kind of the right choice. I hope you enjoyed reading this.

#critical role #cr #cr spoilers #critical role spoilers #vox machina #kayssandra #kaylie shorthalt #cassandra de rolo #kaylie x cassandra #cassandra x Kaylie #crfemslashweek #critrolefemslashweek #critrole #fanfiction #fanfic

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bbclesmis · 5 years

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Daily Mail: The original superhero: An ex-con with the strength of an ox and a passion for justice – Dominic West on playing Valjean in the BBC’s epic new version of Les Mis

Dominic West, 49, is set to star in Andrew Davies' adaptation of Les Misérables

The story written originally by Victor Hugo in 1862 became a hit film in 2012

The French novel is also the longest-running musical in the West End

Dominic says the story's Jean Valjean is the best superhero that’s ever written

He shared his thoughts on the challenge of bringing new complexity to the role

Dominic West walks into the room sporting a huge grin, sideburns, rust-coloured breeches, a scarf that makes him look instantly French... and a sore throat.

‘I’ve almost lost my voice,’ he croaks.

He’s midway through filming the BBC’s epic new adaptation of Les Misérables when we meet, so this is far from ideal. But he’s undeterred.

‘I’ve been shouting for justice for too long,’ he laughs.

Many drama fans will know Victor Hugo’s classic 1862 novel from the popular musical adaptation that has been playing in London since 1985, making it the longest-running musical ever in the West End.

It was turned into an Oscar-winning film in 2012 with Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and Russell Crowe, but this six-part TV series – with no singing at all – goes much deeper into a story encompassing the nature of justice, the misery of humankind and the redemptive quality of love.

Dominic West, 49, revealed the complexity behind his role as ex-criminal Jean Valjean in the TV adaptation of Les Misérables. Pictured left to right: Madame Thénardier (Olivia Coleman) and her husband (Adeel Akhtar), Fantine (Lily Collins) holding a young Cosette, Valjean and Javert (David Oyelowo)

The epic tale focuses on ex-criminal Jean Valjean, his policeman nemesis Javert, and a host of characters they meet on their respective journeys through France between 1815 and 1832.

After being released from prison, where he was incarcerated for stealing a loaf of bread for his starving sister but kept in jail for 19 years for continually trying to escape, Valjean is an embittered man until an act of incredible kindness from a village priest, played by Derek Jacobi, makes him vow to turn over a new leaf.

But he soon discovers that having to show his ex-criminal papers wherever he roams means he’s unable to find work, and finds he’s being pursued by Javert because he’s failed to check in with the authorities after his release.

Six years on, he has become a wealthy factory owner in the town of Montreuil-sur-Mer.

He has a new name, is well regarded as a philanthropist and no one knows his past.

It’s there that he meets single mother Fantine, who has turned to prostitution after being sacked from his factory.

Her daughter Cosette is being brought up by the Thénardiers, a couple of thieves who run an inn, and she can’t afford to pay them.

Valjean promises to look after Cosette for the dying Fantine, but first he must flee from Javert, who’s on his heels.

The action then turns to Paris in 1832, where cholera is rife and the streets are ablaze with anti-monarchy protests.

Valjean and a now teenage Cosette are living there, but both the Thénardiers and Javert are in the capital too.

It’s a dangerous time for everyone, but as well as tragedy in the closing scenes, there is love, redemption and forgiveness.

As the series has been adapted by the king of costume drama Andrew Davies, the man who sexed up Pride And Prejudice and War And Peace, we can expect a lighter touch – as well as more nakedness – than is to be found in the average retelling of the French classic.

Andrew Davies says the musical version of Les Misérables failed to get to the heart of the story, in his version he includes various elements of love. Pictured: Marius (Josh O'Connor) and Cosette (Ellie Bamber) fall deeply in love with each other

The musical, he says, was ‘a shoddy farrago’ that failed to get to the heart of the story, whereas his version will.

‘The story has all those elements of love: romantic love, maternal love, filial and sibling love.

'It looks at those universal themes of how we live a good life.

'But it’s about much more than that.

'We live in a society that’s as divided into rich and poor as the society Hugo was talking about.

'Now, as then, there are people who end up on the streets if something goes wrong.’

Dominic, 49, is cast as the lead character Valjean, a beast of a role that he’s clearly relishing, despite his croaky voice.

‘Jean Valjean is the best superhero that’s ever been written,’ he says.

It’s a very emotional story. I’m in tears all day - Dominic West

‘He’s amazing. If he’s not saving kids or fighting villains, then he’s climbing up ships’ masts to save some sailor.

'It’s a very emotional story. I’m in tears all day.

'Really, I can’t stop crying. I just love this man. He’s such a good guy.

'Usually it’s hard to make good guys interesting so that people really care about them.

'But he’s fighting all the time – not only with Javert who’s on his tail, but also with his own demons.

'The odds are stacked against him, the world is stacked against him, and yet he manages to be a good guy when all the pressures around him are urging him to be bad.

'Our lives are nothing like his, but we are having slightly tougher political times right now.

Ooh la la love triangle!

While the heart of the story is about Jean Valjean and Javert, there’s another intriguing relationship in Les Misérables – between Eponine who loves Marius, and Marius who loves Cosette.

‘Marius is passionately in love with Cosette, but in my version he keeps having dreams about Eponine,’ says writer Andrew Davies.

‘That leaves him terribly upset and feeling like he’s betrayed Cosette.

'It’s not in the original text, but Eponine does keep coming into his room and I thought about how unsettling that must be to a lusty young man.’

Eponine, played by Erin Kellyman, is the daughter of Thénardier, who goes to Paris after losing his inn, but she’s nothing like her thieving father.

She meets Marius when they share the same boarding house and falls in love with him.

Eponine (Erin Kellyman, pictured) suffers unrequited love in Les Misérables as she loves Marius but his heart belongs to Cosette

But he’s in love with Fantine’s daughter Cosette, who as a girl was brought up with Eponine by the Thénardier family but is now, after her mother’s death, the charge of the rich philanthropist Jean Valjean.

‘Eponine’s story is so sad because she tries so hard to impress Marius and he’s not interested at all,’ says Erin, best known for her role as rebel Enfys Nest in Solo: A Star Wars Story.

‘So she resorts to doing what she can to make him happy rather than making herself happy.

'Everyone knows what unrequited love feels like – but not quite to this extent.’

Josh O’Connor, who’s cast as Marius, admits he enjoyed having two beautiful girls in love with him.

‘He’s madly in love with Cosette, but his feelings about Eponine creep up on him.’

Nocturnal Animals star Ellie Bamber, who appears as Cosette, says audiences will see a new side to her character.

‘You see her past a lot more – she’s been through abuse and had to grow up fast,’ says Ellie, who first played Cosette in a school musical.

‘But she goes on a journey, falls in love, confronts her abusers and is a symbol of hope.’

'We’re looking for a hero and he could be that guy.

'I’ve got kids, and I’m at that age now where I don’t want to be a villain.

'It’s much more interesting when people are trying to be good when the world is against them.’

Dominic, whose naked bottom is seen within the first half hour of the show (‘It’s all mine!’ he laughs), says it took a lot of preparation to play Valjean, who is notable for his strength.

‘It took me about ten years to read the book,’ he jokes.

‘I also did a bit of boxing training, which almost killed me.’

The pressure Valjean comes under is mainly created by Javert, played by David Oyelowo, who’s best known for appearing as Martin Luther King in the film Selma.

He first meets Valjean in prison, where he’s astounded by the prisoner’s strength.

Fantine sells her hair, her teeth – and then herself - Lily Collins

When Valjean fails to report to the authorities after his release, Javert is on his tail and some years later mysteriously turns up in the village where Valjean – without revealing his past – has become mayor.

‘Javert is the villain, but while in the musical you see him only in primary colours, in this mini-series we see his many layers,’ says David, 42.

‘When I was offered the job I realised there was an opportunity to bring complexity and dimension to a character who’s largely been marginalised as a villain.’

Andrew Davies says he believes Javert’s obsession with Valjean may have a sexual element to it.

‘He may possibly be in love with him, in a strange way,’ he says.

‘If you think about it, their relationship with each other is the closest either of them has to romantic love in the story.’

Derek Jacobi (pictured) plays a priest who reforms Valjean with an incredible act of kindness

But David admits he chose to see other motivations for Javert’s preoccupation with catching Valjean.

‘Javert sees Valjean as a mirror to himself,’ he says.

‘Javert was born in a prison to gypsy parents.

'He was born in and around criminality, and that’s the thing he’s been pushing away from, obsessively, all his life. He’s trying to kill off that side of himself.’

Dominic says the rivalry between the two characters became easier to understand as soon as they gave Valjean a northern accent and Javert a southern one, playing on regional rivalries that will be familiar to British audiences even if it isn’t authentically French.

‘We had a bit of trouble at first, thinking why is Javert so obsessed with this dude,’ he says.

‘But it all became easier when David started doing Javert in a southern accent and I started doing Valjean in a Yorkshire one, because I’m originally from Sheffield.’

More than anything it’s a study of goodness - Dominic West

The casting was deliberately colourblind, with Adeel Akhtar, who has Pakistani and Kenyan heritage and is best known for his role in Unforgotten last year, as the thieving innkeeper Thénardier and David, whose parents were both Nigerian, playing the key villain.

It may cause raised eyebrows, but David insists it’s time.

‘The thing that’s often overlooked is that we’re taking a 150-year-old French novel and transposing it onto English life,’ he says.

‘We have long striven to make these older texts relevant to a contemporary audience, and this is just an extension of that.’

David and Dominic have been filming in a picturesque cobbled street in Brussels, where much of the Paris action in the series takes place – Paris is now too modern to play itself.

Dominic revealed he prepared for his role as Valjean (pictured as a prisoner) with boxing training

Shopfronts have been aged, satellite dishes and street signs covered up, cars replaced by horses and there’s a market in full swing outside a church with dozens of extras dressed in smocks.

There are even dog carts, which were used to transport goods at the time, being led by Great Swiss Mountain Dogs.

This is where we will first meet another of the key characters, Fantine, played by Lily Collins, the 29-year-old daughter of singer and drummer Phil.

In the musical we see only the end of her life, but here we will see the light that preceded the darkness.

The scene being filmed today shows her walking with friends to a dance, where she meets Felix, played by Johnny Flynn, who will seduce her and leave her with a baby, Cosette.

‘I love the musical, and playing Fantine is a dream come true,’ says Lily.

‘We get to flesh out the storyline we’ve never seen performed before.

'What is just a lyric in a song in the musical takes up an entire episode. We get to see Fantine fall in love and have her heart broken.’

Because of the vagaries of filming – and having to accommodate a stellar cast’s busy schedules – Lily filmed Fantine’s downfall first, before portraying the happier early part of her life.

As a single mother, her daughter is being brought up by the increasingly avaricious Madame Thénardier, played by Olivia Colman, and when Fantine loses her job in Jean Valjean’s factory in Montreuil she’s forced to sell her hair, then her teeth, then herself to make money.

Olivia Colman stars as Madame Thénardier (pictured) who brings up Fantine's daughter

But even that isn’t enough.

‘I did her death scene on my second day of filming,’ says Lily.

‘It was snowing and minus 13 degrees.

'The snow and the cold, the rags and the cobbles all helped me do the scene but it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

'By the end she has no hair and her front teeth are missing; the make-up and costume departments did the most extraordinary job.

'I sent my mum a photo of what I looked like and she said, “Oh God, no mother should ever see her child like that.”

'But being unable to recognise myself physically helped me transform myself, I’m really grateful for it.’

Lily says she had a brief chat with Anne Hathaway, who won an Oscar for playing Fantine in the film, about this tragic story.

‘I met her at a fashion event and she said hello to me. I got all nervous and said, “I’m playing you... well, not you, Fantine.”

She said, “Don’t lose yourself in the role because it can get really tough.” And she was right.

'As an actor I’ve never gone that low and it was hard to cling onto reality.’

The series, like the book, is set in the 17 years after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

The devastation of the battle opens the series in a powerful scene where we see innkeeper Thénardier robbing the bodies of dead soldiers. When he pulls a horse off one corpse to steal from him, the soldier is still alive.

The real Valjean

The character of Jean Valjean was partly inspired by a real-life reformed villain, Eugène François Vidocq, who spent much of his life on the run.

A teenage tearaway who stole from his own family, his early years were spent in and out of jail and he also deserted from the army.

But that all changed when he witnessed the execution of an old friend and former thief.

Les Misérables's Jean Valjean was inspired by real-life reformed villain, Eugène François Vidocq (pictured)

He turned police informer and philanthropist, set up a factory for ex-convicts and even, in 1828, lifted up a heavy cart that had fallen onto one of his workers.

Revered as the ‘father’ of modern criminology, he set up his own detective agency and is credited with the introduction of undercover work, ballistics and he even made the first plaster cast impressions of shoe prints.

His first memoir was printed in 1829 and as well as inspiring Victor Hugo, who is said to have created both Jean Valjean and Javert from Vidocq’s story, he was also written about by Balzac, Alexander Dumas, Edgar Allan Poe, Herman Melville and Charles Dickens.

Thinking Thénardier was there to help him, he demands the name of his saviour.

That man is Colonel George Pontmercy, the father of another of the key characters, Marius.

And in another strand to the story that will be new for fans of the musical who haven’t read the book, we learn about Marius’s upbringing.

Born into an aristocratic family, he is raised largely by his royalist grandfather Monsieur Gillenormand, played by the Harry Potter and Game Of Thrones star David Bradley, because his father is off fighting and his mother is dead.

When his father returns from battle, Gillenormand refuses to allow him to see his son because he’s so disgusted he fought for the rebel Napoleon.

But when Marius – a role taken by The Durrells actor Josh O’Connor – grows up he discovers more about his father and becomes a rebel himself.

‘He comes from a well-to-do background and then he turns into a socialist to fight for the people,’ says Josh.

‘The book is partly about social injustice, but you have these beautiful themes of redemption.’

As the story moves on, we see the characters interlink against the backdrop of a volatile Paris, as Marius falls for Cosette and Thénardier’s daughter Eponine falls for Marius, while Javert pursues Valjean.

‘All of human nature is here,’ says Dominic.

‘Guilt, revenge, injustice, triumph and love – but more than anything else this is a study of goodness.

'It makes goodness interesting and that is quite rare.’

Les Misérables starts tomorrow at 9pm on BBC1.

(x)

#les mis bbc #bbc les mis #articles #Interviews #dominic west #david oyelowo #Lily Collins #ellie bamber #cast #daily mail

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ineverhadmyinternetphase · 7 years

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Steal My Heart (steal my whole life too) 26/28

Genre: Chaptered, fantasy AU, Prince!Phil, Thief!Dan, romance, enemies to lovers, angst and fluff, slow burn (like serious slow burn)

Warnings: some violence, mentions of death (no main characters), dark magic, descriptions of wounds/blood, some hints of sexual scenes (but no actual smut), murder, dangerous situations, stealing/thievery

Summary: Captain of the Royal Guard and Prince of Morellia, Philip Lester has never been given the chance to find love. Instead, he’s run from a system that works to end class differences and improve equality for its citizens. Happy as he is to make the world a better place, Phil can’t help feeling bitter towards his ancestors for making it impossible for him to find someone who will actually love him for more than just his title, and strives instead for a life of justice and doing good - only to meet his match in the King of Thieves, a man who will change everything he once thought he knew in life. Together, they must depart on a quest to save the kingdom, and, in the process, destroy their differences and find their own form of love.

Word count: 240,000+

Updates: Sunday

Thanks so much to @botanistlester for betaing this giant monster, as she’s been super helpful and encouraging with her little comments and endless excitement. We couldn’t have done it without you <3

Disclaimer: In no way do I claim that this is real or cast aspersions on Dan or Phil

For reference, @snowbunnylester is Phil, @ineverhadmyinternetphase is Dan

Hey guys!! Can you believe there’s only three chapters left before the story is done? That’s… insane. Just in time for Elizajane to go back to school, as well!! Julia and I would like to announce, however, that next weekend we’ll be doing a double feature of Steal My Heart, with Chapter 27 going up on Saturday, and the final chapter… the Epilogue… going up on Sunday.

I can’t believe next weekend is our last weekend for Steal My Heart. We’ve given this story so much love, as have our loyal followers, that the idea of no longer working on this story saddens us both. At the same time, we’re so, so happy to finally be able to show you the entirety in it’s completion. Thank you to all who have supported us, and we’ll see you next weekend <3

(AO3 link) (Masterlist)

Chapter 26

Dan had no idea how long they sat like that, against a tree in the peaceful forest with Phil wrapped up in his arms. It was long enough for the sun to continue its slow climb in the sky. Dan watched it like an old friend, glad that being in the forest meant there was no danger of burning or heat exhaustion for being out at noon. He missed his desert, yes, missed the large expanse of sand stretching for miles around him, but there was something so… calm about this forest. It buzzed with life, with birdsong and padded pawprints and the distant calls of deer, or possibly aurochs, Dan couldn't quite tell. Phil would probably know.

Phil lay curled up in Dan's arms, eyes closed and breathing even, though Dan couldn't tell if he was fully asleep. Either way, he was resting, which was all that Dan really needed to know. Phil’s face was smoothed out, all the weathered lines disappearing and making him look younger and more vulnerable. With his eyes shut and his hair flopping everywhere, it was easy to forget he was a Prince, shouldering more responsibility than one man ever should. He looked… relaxed. And free. Dan would have him looking like that all the time, if he could.

The banks of the river were close by, the soft currents of the water a welcome sound. Their little glade remained undisturbed -- Phil had a way of choosing campsites, like he knew where other creatures would avoid. Dan was grateful, because it gave his Phil the time he so desperately needed to rest.

Dan glanced down at him with nothing but fondness in his expression, eyes warm and mouth drawn up in a soft smile. He drew a hand gently through Phil's hair, playing with it, curling his fingers through the soft strands and watching as Phil's face relaxed further still.

Good. This was what Phil needed and deserved, and Dan intended to give it to him until he moved on his own, properly rested for the first time in days.

The sensation of Dan’s fingers running through Phil’s hair only helped him to relax even further into Dan’s arms, shifting just a little bit so that he could press his head further into Dan’s hold. The embrace was the nicest, most relaxing feeling Phil had experienced in a long time, and he didn’t know how he’d gone so long without this kind of comfort in his life, but he did know that he never wanted to go this long without it again.

Eventually, the tense exhaustion in Phil’s body began to fade completely, and even the drowsy weariness of his mind seemed less intense. It was then that Phil felt safe enough to rouse himself from Dan’s arms, turning his gaze skyward rather than nestling into the dark crevice of his thief’s neck.

The sky above was still clear, and the sun was just beginning its slow descent over the skyline. A mere ten hours ago, Phil might have been horrified to see what a waste of the day it had been for him, but now… now, Phil was too relaxed to care. Something about Dan’s comforting touch and soothing words had helped to ease some of the anxiousness that had creeped into Phil’s mind, showing him just how far he’d been pushing his body these past few days.

He couldn’t continue to treat himself this way, not if he wanted to make it home safe to his family, and save his kingdom. Not if he wanted his happily ever after with Dan. He’d needed to rest, had fought against it, but Dan had known better than him.

Phil smiled at the thought. That was surely something he would never tell Dan, in case it went to his head.

When Phil finally pulled himself properly from Dan’s arms, he found himself doing so with a relieved smile on his face that was matched only by Dan’s own. Dan, however, also looked mighty pleased with himself, which left Phil to do nothing more than laugh and roll his eyes.

Neither man had to make the joke that Dan had “told Phil so.” The both knew it without the words having to be spoken.

“How are you feeling?” Phil asked softly, reaching down with gentle fingers to trail the tips down the side of Dan’s bandage. “Does it hurt much?” he asked, needing a progress report now that Dan had spent so much time looking after Phil rather than himself.

"I'm fine," Dan rolled his eyes a little when the first thing Phil did upon rousing himself was check up on Dan. He shouldn't be surprised, though -- Phil had gone nearly a whole day without clucking like a mother hen over Dan, it was bound to return eventually. Dan wasn't even that upset, not now he could see that Phil had truly rested. His eyes were brighter and his voice was clearer, and he looked straight at Dan without looking like he was about to collapse any minute. A job well done, then.

To prove that he really was fine, Dan gently moved Phil's fingers away from his side and lifted up his tunic, showing off the bandages that were still clean with no blood spotting at all. Dan looked smugly up at Phil. "See? No bleeding, the poultice held, and it hardly hurts at all. I told you a day of rest would do us both good."

So maybe Dan was pleased with himself - but he thought he had every right to be. Allowing Phil to push on through his exhaustion would never work. Probably, it would have ended up in both of their deaths, and Dan would never have forgiven himself if he'd missed the telltale signs of Phil's exhaustion.

Phil nodded, pleased, as Dan showed off his bandages and how the poultice had held, keeping Dan's wounds safe for now. The bandage had held the longest of any of the others so far, and Phil wanted to take that as a good sign, so he did.

After the day off Dan had given him, Phil had realized that he needed to stop jumping to the worst case scenario all the time, needed to keep himself relaxed or he was never going to be able to keep his head above water without Dan having to come to his rescue all the time, and one of these days, Phil was afraid he wasn't going to let Dan rescue him. Phil was all too aware that he was often too stubborn for his own good.

"Good," Phil agreed, humming softly as he took in the way Dan seemed able to move a little more freely without wincing or showing any other outward signs of pain. Things had to be getting better, and they'd both clearly been right about them needing just one more day of rest. They had survived it, they still had a good one and a half weeks-ish before the curse would kill Cornelia, and it should only take another five days to get to the palace. They would be fine, surely.

"I'm sorry," Dan murmured suddenly, reaching up to curl one hand around Phil's cheek. "I should have realised how hard you were pushing yourself."

The guilt had been eating away at Dan throughout the day -- even with his injury, Dan prided himself on being alert and aware of his surroundings. Only, that hadn't worked this time. He'd let Phil slip through his net, and Dan vowed never to let that happen again.

When Dan's hand came up to cup Phil's cheek, he brought his attention back to his thief.

"What are you sorry for?" Phil murmured. "It's hardly your fault you didn't notice. I didn't want you to notice, and the last thing I was going to do was allow you to do what you did today," he continued, leaning in and pecking Dan on the lips lightly. "I did my absolute best to hide it from you. So don't go blaming yourself."

"Still, I should have checked," Dan mumbled against Phil's lips, pulling him back in for another kiss. It still felt like too long since they'd been able to be affectionate, snatching only a few stolen moments on this hard journey back to the city.

Dan kind of couldn't wait for this to be over, for a time to come when he could relax with Phil without any pressure, and finally love him without fear. He hoped desperately for that, praying the universe wouldn't snatch anything else away from him before he got to truly enjoy it.

"Although," Dan admitted when he pulled away again, "You are extraordinarily stubborn. I thought I might have to actually tether you to the tree to stop you running off earlier." He grinned a little at Phil, more than relieved that he at last seemed to be better, and was holding a full conversation with Dan again.

Phil merely hummed in reply, too busy kissing Dan to acknowledge the fact that his thief already knew him so well. He loved being able to get lost in this feeling, and he hoped the day never came where Dan's lips on his failed to make a zing go up his spine. He loved kissing Dan, loved it more than almost anything else. It was something that could make Phil feel so many different things, and he wanted to keep that almost secret language between he and Dan.

They had time, yet. Time enough for this. Dan shifted himself until he was standing on slightly shaky legs, pleased when the pain in his side didn't increase. He shuffled slowly over towards the fire and stoked the embers again, stirring it back up as he reached for some of the dwindling supply of deer meat. As soon as they were back in the desert, Dan vowed to go hunting -- back in his own familiar territory it wouldn't take him long to catch something else for them to eat.

Dan standing up and leaving him left Phil alone again. Unable to help himself, Phil pouted after Dan, sprawled out as he was against the tree all by himself because Dan had decided to leave him. Despite knowing that Dan was just moving to stretch and get dinner ready for them, Phil hadn't fully wanted to leave the sweet bubble they'd built around themselves once again.

"I mean, you could have given me some warning at least," he complained gruffly, scrubbing a hand across his face and moving to stand up as well, following Dan to where he'd started to cook the last of the deer meat. They didn’t have much left, what with Phil being forced to use most of it when Dan had been too weak to move and Phil hadn’t wanted to leave his side. “Besides, aren't you tired?” Phil’s brow furrowed. “You've been up almost twenty-four hours now, I'm sure. I can take watch now, you know. I'm truly okay."

Phil was staring at Dan with wary eyes, worried he wasn't taking care of himself now, but also trying to cool it on the mother hen tendencies spiking through him. Dan was doing better. Phil needed to stop fussing quite so much.

When Phil offered to take watch so Dan could sleep, Dan glanced up at the sky, measuring the short length of time to nightfall, and shrugged. "I'm alright for a bit. I'm used to not getting much sleep, and besides, I spent all of yesterday sleeping while you were running around like a mad thing chopping down trees." Dan shook his head, lips twitching. "It feels good to be moving again.”

Dan chuckled, casting an appraising glance over his shoulder at where Phil was still sprawled back against the tree grumbling morosely about Dan having abandoned him. Dan loved being able to laugh over intimate things like this -- being with Phil was more than just pleasurable, it was fun, and Dan hadn't ever had that before.

"Sorry for being the responsible one here and trying to cook," Dan sniffed, turning the meat over to finish up the other side.

"Hey!" Phil complained, and he would have slapped Dan on the arm if he weren't so afraid of accidentally hurting him. As it was, he refrained himself, merely giving Dan a look instead. "Shush it, you.”

Dan chuckled, rolling his eyes. "I'll pay attention to you again in a minute, but you haven't eaten nearly enough and I can't have you getting any skinnier."

Phil settled in next to Dan and leaned into him gently "It's hardly my fault I want your attention. You've brought this on yourself," he teased, enjoying just having this companionship in his life. For the first time ever, Phil had an actual friend. He wondered how many people Dan considered his friends, if any were more than fellow thieves and crooks.

He mused on the thought, and looked down at himself at the skinny comment, unsure where that was coming from. "Hold on. Excuse me? What was that about me being too skinny? You might consider this insult, Dan, but I believe I am far more well fed than you. If anyone could do to gain some weight, it's you," he said, and nudged him. He wasn't lying either, he'd always found Dan to be quite skinny. He loved it, but it worried him in some ways. "I, on the other hand, have probably done myself well on this journey," he said, sniffing proudly with a glint of a teasing smile on his lips.

Dan couldn't help but laugh at the way Phil responded to his teasing, or at how Phil seemed to be having great trouble holding himself back from helping Dan. He leaned against Phil when Phil nestled into his side, loving that such a simple touch portrayed such intimacy below its surface. Sharing a life was coming much easier to Dan than he'd ever expected it to, and it pleased him how well Phil had slotted into his routine.

"Hey, I've heard no complaints from you about my body," Dan answered absentmindedly as he took the meat off the heat and laid it out in two bowls, passing one to Phil. "I meant more that your body is probably used to more nutrition than you've been giving it, and I don't entirely trust you to look after yourself without me watching your every move." Dan winked at him, eyes twinkling.

Phil had to blink a few times to realize what Dan had just said. Never had Phil thought about the shock to his system it must be any time he went on even slightly vaguely long trips where he was forced to ration food and eat far less than he could if he were at home. He'd also just figured it would be fine, have little to no effect, and this time shouldn't be any different. But Phil had never been on a trip longer than a week at most, and even then, a few days in he was eating high and mighty with the rest of royalty again.

But Dan... well, clearly Phil just wasn't going to survive without Dan. His lips automatically curled into a smile, and he laughed as he put more of his weight against Dan, accepting his bowl of food but ignoring it entirely in order to lean in and kiss Dan on the cheek, something he hadn't done nearly enough. Dan's answering blush told Phil he definitely needed to do it more often, and he stared fondly at this thief.

The blush that rose when Phil kissed Dan's cheek was more than Dan was ready for, and he couldn't quite explain it. He scrunched his face up, wrinkling his nose. Such an affectionate touch was so strange and new and just - just sweet in a way Dan had never had before. It was the most innocent of kisses, and it showed that Phil was touching his thief simply because he wanted to, without getting anything out of it for himself.

Dan kind of loved that, if he were honest.

"How would I survive without you," Phil murmured softly, almost dreamily. "I'm not even entirely sure how I made it this long, I must admit," he added lightly, and finally turned to dig into his food.

Dan chewed on his meat thoughtfully, eyeing Phil with a gleam to his gaze. He chuckled, placing a dramatic hand over his chest. "Oh no, what a disaster, I've made a Prince desire me so much that he'll never be able to live without me." Dan's wicked smirk was back in place, sarcasm evident in his tone. "What a terrible thing to have happened. I'm never going to cope."

Phil hadn't gotten but a bite in before Dan was teasing him some more, and Phil almost choked on his food at the sarcastic remark.

"Shut up," he groaned, laughter twisting heavy in his belly until he was just letting free with it, placing his bowl against his knee so he could reach up with one hand and hide his ridiculous looking smile, eyes scrunched up with affection and mirth.

Dan grinned again as Phil let loose his giant, loud laugh, telling Dan to shut up even while covering his mouth with his hand. Dan had come to recognise that gesture, and he knew exactly what Phil was hiding, and Dan had absolutely no intention of letting him get away with it.

"Oh no you don't," Dan playfully growled, setting his own bowl down out of the way and launching himself at Phil. He had enough momentum to knock them both over, and then he was reaching up to tug Phil's hand away from his mouth until he saw the cute little tongue thing he was doing when he laughed. That was Dan's favourite laugh -- when Phil was so free and happy.

"There it is." Dan looked delighted, and he leaned in to kiss the corner of Phil's laughing mouth. "I love when you do that. I'm going to have to make you laugh more often, my Prince."

The last thing Phil had been expecting was for Dan to outright tackle him, and yet the movement only made Phil laugh even harder as Dan pulled Phil's hand away from his mouth.

It was almost like being tickled for how little Phil was able to control himself, stomach literally aching with the force of his laughter, eyes scrunched up so tight Phil couldn't even see while Dan quite literally straddled him to see and feel it all.

"St- stop!" he moaned, still laughing as Dan claimed to love his smile, the way his tongue stuck out when he laughed. Dan kissed the corner of Phil's mouth, and he was finally able to sober up a bit, though he couldn't help snorting with the effort to calm down. The sound made him blush with embarrassment, but Dan only continued to grin down at him, clearly enamoured, for some reason Phil still didn't know.

"Leave me alone," he grumbled, but he was still grinning dopily and he didn't truly mean it. He wrapped his arms around Dan's waist, and used his hold to drag him back down into another sweet kiss.

Phil had never known how amazing it would feel to be loved by someone.

Phil’s hands were light on Dan’s waist, despite the fact that Dan had been throwing his body all around, not wanting to hurt Dan’s rather horrifying cuts that they both knew were eventually going to scar. His fingers lightly traced up the bandaging under Dan’s tunic, though, because Phil couldn’t help himself.

For the first time in a few days, though, their kisses didn’t hold a tinge of desperation and despair. They were nothing but… happy, and that felt better than almost anything else ever could.

Humming as they pulled apart, Phil threaded one hand into Dan's hair to keep him close.

"I guess you must really be feeling better now if you're able to tackle me without hurting, then?" he murmured.

"Yep," Dan answered with a grin, settling more than happily into his new place on top of Phil. "Bandages all holding. No more bleeding. I told you I was doing better."

It was true -- the dull ache in his side was still there, but Dan could tell that the wounds weren't stretching as much. They were starting to heal, probably beginning to scar, and he was relieved at finally being able to move around again.

It was a moment of peaceful clarity for Phil. He could truly stop panicking, now. Dan was moving around far more freely today than he had been even when he first got up, claiming they could leave and head out on their trek back to the palace. Phil could truly relax now, he really could, because the worst was over. The worst was actually over and Dan was going to be okay. His family was going to be okay. They were going to get home, and then, Phil could spend the rest of his life with Dan.

Not done with Phil just yet, Dan wriggled until he was lined up with Phil, elbows on either side of his face. He didn't dislodge the grip Phil had in his hair, though, instead enjoying the warm tugs of pleasure that sent through him as he nestled himself close. He leaned down to kiss the tip of Phil's nose, and then bent to press another greedy kiss to his lips.

He'd never get over being able to kiss Phil whenever he liked, finally able to just relax and enjoy another person. Every single one of their kisses was something new.

"I'm never going to leave you alone," Dan replied in a silky murmur, eyes bright. He gave Phil a stubborn look before joining their lips again, this time taking it slow, coaxing Phil's mouth open with the gentlest of teasing movements.

Phil’s heart stuttered and picked up its pace as Dan leaned over him, lining their bodies up properly so they were face to face and Dan had Phil caged in with his elbows. A small shiver went up his spine, and his eyes closed as he continued to smile when Dan promised he was never going to leave Phil alone again. The words were like a purr, a promise, and made Phil's heart literally sing. The cold metal of the ring on his finger suddenly seemed so much warmer, so much more there. A promise.

Sighing as Dan coaxed his mouth open again gently, Phil moved the hand in Dan’s hair around to cup his cheek instead, and then his neck, just lightly allowing his fingers to trail over Dan's skin as he touched him. His eyes were closed, and he was just… sinking into the feeling of Dan's tongue pressing against his, pressing against him in the gentlest of passes. There was so much in that kiss that Phil thought he would burst with it all.

Phil's other hand settled on Dan's hip, pressed up just under his tunic again, pet just along the bottom most part of Dan's back, because it was soft to the touch and uncovered by bandages. For a moment, Phil just wanted to forget about everything that they had been through, not to mention the fact that Dan was still recovering from a rather horrifying attack.

As they kissed, however, Phil’s breathing began to go a bit more and more unsteady, until his mind was becoming unclear as well with thoughts and desires of where this moment could lead. He had to take a moment to shake himself and gain back control, but he didn’t draw away from the kiss. He wasn’t ready to just yet, wanting to give Dan all of him the way that Dan had given himself to Phil, wanting to allow Dan to take as much as he wanted to, now, because of what he’d done for Phil these past few hours.

Phil was absolutely pliant under Dan, and it sent desire flaring through Dan again. Finally, he was well enough to have this -- to have some control over his actions with Phil, no longer as helpless as a wounded animal and instead able to take back control.

Dan tested himself, stretching out over Phil's body, and was relieved when his side didn't throb in answer. The wounds were truly healing, and Dan had freedom of movement again, finally able to do whatever he liked with Phil.

Despite knowing that the middle of the forest probably wasn't the safest place to be doing this, Dan could hardly bring himself to care -- not with Phil being so agreeable and happy underneath him. Dan could feel fingers exploring under the edge of Dan's tunic, and taking that as a sign that Phil was interested as well, Dan allowed one hand to roam lower over Phil's body, holding himself up with one elbow.

They hadn't been disturbed so far, and it had been days. Dan could be forgiven for his eagerness.

Still kissing Phil, Dan shifted his weight just enough to get a hand under Phil's tunic, and finally gave in to both their desires.

“Dan,” Phil gasped, as Dan’s hands dipped lower. His eyes popped open in concern and needy surprise as his breathing hitched in his throat. “Are you sure?” he asked, ripping his mouth away from Dan’s for just a moment.

Blood was pumping through Phil so fast he could feel his heart beginning to race.

“‘M sure,” Dan agreed, and kissed Phil again.

---

This time had been slower, sweeter, than anytime before. Perhaps it was the feelings and words they’d been able to finally express, or the fact that they were coming back together after both of them had come so close to death, Dan wasn’t sure, but he was left feeling more exhausted and satisfied than ever before.

Pulling the furs more tightly around himself, Dan adjusted his grip on Phil and pulled him in closer to Dan’s chest. Phil’s head was once again buried in Dan’s shoulder, and Dan held him protectively into his right side, as if he were made of glass, and like he was the most precious thing in the world.

"I've got you," Dan murmured softly, running the fingers of one hand in a slow, steady rhythm down Phil's side, to his hip, and back. He released a low, relaxed sigh, and stretched luxuriously. "I've got you, and I love you, my Prince."

There had been something... particularly special about it this time. It was like coming home to be with Dan like that again, a release of pent up energy, but more than that, a release of so, so many fears that had been broiling inside of Phil since the moment he’d rescued Dan from the dragon’s cavern.

Dan had given Phil the chance to see all of him, alive and well, to touch him and appreciate him in all his glory once again.

For a while, Phil had feared that he would never have Dan again, but he had, and it had been glorious and exhausting and amazing all wrapped up in one. For all the sleeping Phil had done that day, Dan had nearly wiped him out.

He lay drowsy in Dan's arms, curling into him as Dan ran an arm up and down Phil's body, a full sweep of his skin.

He'd cried. He'd actually cried, and Dan hadn't made fun of him. Phil had never cried before, but he hadn't been able to help himself when he was all wrapped up in Dan the way he had been. The pleasure had been so intense, it had rocked every emotion out of Phil. He knew he'd gripped too hard a few times, knew he could have possibly hurt Dan, but Dan had gripped just as hard back, like the two of them were clinging to each other's bodies like lifelines.

It hadn't just been about sex this time, though. It hadn't just been about experiencing that pleasure together. Of course the first time they'd had sex had been special as well, but this time had just been so much more. Like reassurance, and a give unlike any other. They'd needed it, or at least Phil had needed it, nearly as badly as they'd needed all the cuddle time they'd enjoyed earlier that day.

"I love you," Phil whispered in reply. "You're my best friend, you know that?" he muttered, drawing small circles against the bandages that were still wrapped all around Dan's torso. "You're my everything."

Dan hummed happily. It felt good to have Phil tracing soft lines against his bandages, relieving some of the itch and irritation there of having something pressed constantly against his skin with no room to breathe. He was cradling Phil against him, and being held in return, and Dan could honestly say that this was the happiest moment of his entire life so far.

"I like being your best friend," Dan murmured in sleepy response. His full day of being awake was starting to catch up with him, and now lying in comforting warmth knowing Phil was safe in his arms was letting his body start to rest. He sighed, softly. It meant more to him than he'd thought, knowing that Phil enjoyed his company beyond just kisses and romantic love. There was a deeper attachment, a connection that allowed them to be entirely happy with each other.

"I'm going to keep you forever," Dan promised in his sleepy, muffled voice.

He wasn't making all that much sense, but it didn't even matter, because he was holding Phil and loving him and that would always be more than enough. "My greatest treasure. You're like my family, Phil." Dan hadn't ever thought he'd want a family again, but Phil -- Phil was making him realise exactly what he'd been missing out on all this time.

Phil chuckled, able to hear in Dan's slurred responses that he was quite tired, and the day he'd spent awake to make sure Phil could get enough sleep had finally caught up to him. He nuzzled at Dan's skin, pressed a kiss along his collarbones, and then sat up a bit so he wouldn’t fall asleep and forget to take care of Dan the way Dan had taken care of him all day.

"You need to sleep, now, only you haven't had your dinner and I'm just not having that," Phil explained as he disrupted Dan, who merely whined at Phil for moving. Phil reached for both of their bowls, and dragged over the now cold food Dan had cooked and abandoned earlier in favor of teasing Phil and then making love to him over to their furs. Phil didn't so much care that it was cold what with the warm feeling currently in his own limbs, and picked at it with his fingers, pressing bit after bit into Dan's mouth to feed him.

Dan allowed it for as sleepy as he was, and Phil watched him with a small grin.

"I want you to keep me forever," he finally murmured in reply to Dan’s earlier statement, and leaned in to kiss Dan's cheek all over again. Dan's answering smile was blinding and sleepy, which in turn made Phil laugh again as he fed Dan one small morsel at a time.

Once Dan's bowl was empty, Phil put it away and tucked Dan back into their small fur bundle, wanting to keep him all warm and safe as he slept under Phil’s watch, this time.

"Sleep now," he reassured him, and watched fondly as Dan's exhaustion took over, drawing him into dream land.

Dan obediently lay down, letting Phil take over being the active one for the rest of the evening. He didn't even complain when Phil insisted on hand feeding him again, honestly too sleepy to complain. It has been a while since Dan last went a whole night without sleep, and while he was used to it, his body seemed to have adjusted to needing more sleep than he thought.

So Dan lay down, let Phil wrap him up in his furs, and slept.

Phil, for his part, spent the rest of the evening eating his own meal and then working on the wood carving he'd been teaching himself. Thoughts of the bridge were gone for now, with Phil knowing he could take care of it tomorrow. Instead, he focused on sitting as a silent sentry watching over Dan while he rested, a slow smile curving his own lips, because things finally seemed like they were getting better.

By the time Dan came around again, dawn was breaking through the leaves of the forest and the birds were chorusing their daily song. He smiled. There was a warmth at his side that assured him Phil was still there, and as Dan rose, he found Phil watching him with a warm smile.

"Morning," Dan croaked hoarsely, coughing and reaching for their water skin. Once he'd drunk enough, he attempted to stand, testing the stretch of the bandages with Phil's assistance, and was pleased to find there was still no more blood spotting. His wounds must be healing well.

Pleased, Dan went to stoke up the fire and work on some breakfast while Phil caught a quick nap to catch up on sleep, and once their meal was finished, and Dan deemed Phil’s nap long enough to at least sustain him for part of the day, he woke his Prince up and treated him to a warm meal.

They shared it as they had nearly every meal since starting this journey, and spoke in soft tones to each other. Dan and Phil couldn’t seem to stop the constant gentle touches to each others bodies either, as they pressed their palms against each others knees over and over again, caressed each other’s cheeks, and occasionally leaned over a time or two for a quick kiss.

It was that craving for deep affection after their night of shared intimacy that was keeping them so bound together, but more than that, the seeming realization that there was no doubt in their minds anymore that they were going to stay together.

Nothing was left to tear them apart. Phil had made sure of that, would make sure of that, and Dan seemed willing to believe him. Somehow, this was all going to work out.

Once breakfast was over, Dan went searching through the final two packs the two had been carrying with them, and he found a long, collapsible staff he’d long ago packed that he often used as a cane if he’d been injured. His mind had been too jumbled the last few days to remember if he’d brought it with him, but he was glad now that he’d thought of it and found it as he grasped it tightly in his hand.

Testing the item, Dan found that it helped indeed. He was able to stand on his own again without leaning on Phil, and he turned a bright smile onto his Prince in reaction

"There we go. All sorted, my Prince." Dan beamed. "Now, are you going to show me the proper way to build a bridge, or what?"

Watching Dan test out his newly uncovered staff was both highly amusing and incredibly encouraging for Phil, who was excited to watch Dan able to walk around on his own again to a certain extent without the support of Phil, which was, by far, the most reassuring thing he’d seen in the past few days.

It meant that Dan really was healing well, if he could lean his weight on an object like that, but also support himself enough to not overly cling to it or struggle to move it across the ground.

Chuckling as Dan suddenly insisted Phil actually teach him how to build a bridge, Phil walked on over to Dan's side and drew him in for a quick kiss.

"I suppose if my thief insists, I can teach him the tools of the trade," he agreed amicably enough, leading them both over to the piles of wood and reeds Phil had made two days prior. He hadn’t yet started on the actual building of the bridge, but that was okay. Phil was certain, now more than ever, that he could not only build this thing without killing them both, but that he could teach Dan how to do so as well.

They got to work companionably, structuring the logs Phil had cut himself together and tying them off with the thick reeds Phil had plucked. Some were too short to work properly, which sent Phil off looking for more, but for the most part, his pile of materials was fairly secure. Dan, for his part, asked infuriating questions purely for the fun of teasing Phil, but for as much as Phil pretended to be irritated with him, Phil was loving every second of it just as much as Dan was.

Dan was back to himself. If there were no other sign of it other than Dan's dry humor and quick banter, that would be enough after the days of incoherent sleep and lack of energy.

The bridge building took most of the afternoon, and yet it went far faster than Phil had been anticipating with Dan able to help him now, especially with the hard work of material gathering almost completely completed, despite the few times Phil had decided none of the reeds he had were long enough for this one chunk of wood, and went scouting for a new one.

By the time that Dan and Phil finished the bridge together, Phil was actually pretty proud of how it looked; each log was pressed together in a nice little pattern with the midpoints of each tied together all the way across by a cross hatch of three reeds each, and up until the bridge was long enough to shove across the river.

Phil stood to do just that, the round side down first, his heart racing with anticipation for this to actually work, and for the bridge to be both wide enough and long enough to keep both Dan and Phil safe as they crossed it. As Phil went to grab the bridge, however, for all of a few seconds, he feared that his strength wouldn’t actually be enough to push it across the river before the water grabbed hold of it, but ignoring the fear in his mind, Phil tried anyway.

He grunted as he shoved the wood across, watching as the river pounded against it and nearly took it from Phil’s grasp, but the wood was too heavy to float that easily the way it was all shoved together, and Phil managed to force the opposite end up onto the other end of the river bank just in time to prevent losing all of his and Dan’s hard work.

“And that’s how you make a bridge,” Phil boasted once the job was done, turning back to Dan with the biggest of big grins spread large across his face.

Dan lifted one brow, trying to keep his face stoical. As much as he'd love to poke more fun at Phil -- it was actually a good bridge. Dan was almost disappointed. He'd enjoyed teasing Phil about ithe last one, poking light fun at him for how many branches and reeds he'd gathered only to make what could barely classify as a raft.

This time, though, Dan had to admit, it was a good bridge.

The logs were sturdy, holding steady despite the heavy flow of the current, and the bridge barely even swayed in place. Dan could already see there would be no fear crossing it. Phil, as ever, had thought of everything, and done a good job of it.

Phil had his arms crossed over his chest, and he was looking at Dan with a smug air about him, proud that now Dan really couldn't make fun of him about his bridge building capabilities. The best part of the whole situation was being able to see on Dan's face that he wanted to poke fun, but there were no words to be said in regards to Phil's bridge this time.

Leaning on his cane, Dan clucked his tongue and said: "Alright, OK, I concede. Good bridge." He turned to Phil with narrowed eyes, pointing a finger at him and looking very much like a crazed old man with his stick. "One thing, though -- you are not allowed to lord this over me forever. And you're going across first."

Phil’s expression fell a little when Dan insisted that Phil wasn't allowed to lord this over him, and he pouted as he uncrossed his arms and glared at Dan. He wanted to say how unfair that was after all the teasing Dan had put Phil through, but then he thought better of it. Slowly, a more mischievous grin tugged at the corners of Phil’s lips. After all, Dan hadn’t listened to Phil when Phil had told him to stop.

"Oh, Daniel," he tutted. "That's hardly fair now, is it? When you've spent all this time teasing me about the crap bridge I had to build thanks to the Duke." He hummed a bit, cocking his head and smiling so wide his teeth showed. "It's funny you'd think I'd let that go."

With one quick movement, Phil leaned in close enough to kiss Dan on the cheek, and then pranced right no by him without another word. Dan was complaining loudly behind him, but Phil just continued to grin as he went to pack up their few supplies left over into the two packs they had left. Phil had even managed to shove the few of their last necessary medical supplies into one of the packs they’d brought with them, not wanting to carry anymore weight than was absolutely necessary.

As Phil packed, and Dan muttered something behind him, Phil wondered briefly if he should do some fishing before they went on their way back home like he’d said he would, and then decided against it.

Fish did not keep well at all, not like other animal meat. Besides, Phil was anxious to finally be on his way. It was almost night. If they crossed now, they could still find shelter before it got too dark.

Once their two packs were completely packed, Phil picked him up and kicked out their campfire, before finally returning to Dan’s side over by their completed bridge, which was still holding steady where Phil had left it.

Dan was still grumbling to himself, looking put out.

"Come now, my thief. If I die crossing before you, well, we'll all know whose fault that was."

"No one is going to be doing any dying, least of all you," Dan grumbled, gesturing irritably at the bridge. "Look at it. It's a fucking masterpiece. Well done, Lester, and all that nonsense, you're the best, can we please just drop it now?"

With another exaggerated eye-roll, Dan gave his cheek a rub, still blushing a little from where Phil had pressed a kiss there. He huffed again when Phil continued grinning at him in that irritatingly smug way, and leaned in to kiss his jaw, giving it a playful little nip. "I swear to God, do not lord this over me."

As Phil had promised, he took the bridge first, not even missing a step as he walked on to it and began to cross. He was still laughing to himself about how put out Dan seemed to be, but mostly he was just gleeful to finally be on the road again.

Once Phil had crossed and proven his bridge’s stability, Dan began to move carefully towards the bridge himself, his cane making little tapping noises along with his padding footsteps. As he set his first foot on the bridge, the wood have a little reassuring creak and then settled. Dan tested it carefully, resting his weight on it, and it didn't even wobble.

Dan would have been grumpy, but he was quite glad that they could get across the river without difficulty this time.

He hobbled his way on across the river, relieved when his side didn't pain him any more than usual.

Dan gave a long-suffering sigh at the triumphant grin Phil sent him as he reached his side, and gave his shoulder a patronising pat. "Yes, yes, well done. If you also manage to find us our tree to stay in again, I'll maybe even give you a reward."

Phil seemed to perk up at that suggestion, as he took Dan's hand and led him on through the trees, after dismantling the bridge again to remove any sign of their passing. Dan wasn't used to leaving a trail behind him, and Phil had pandered to his slight paranoia of being followed so far on this journey.

Admittedly, it was a nice stroke of his ego to have Dan reassuring Phil of how amazing his bridge had come out this time, but no matter how much Dan begged, Phil had no intentions of letting it go. It was the ace in his back pocket when Dan questioned him, the little niggling tease he could use when Dan was being a brat, and Phil felt so proud of himself for proving to both of them that he was actually quite useful in some situations.

"Oh, I can definitely find us our tree tonight," he agreed, excited at the very prospect of sharing that special space with Dan once more, and took Dan's hand as they began to walk again. Dan was sturdy with his stick, able to move without much difficulty at all.

The forest quickly closed around them again, and Dan drew into Phil's side as they travelled through the trees, knowing Phil was much better equipped to face the environment here. They hunted as they went, and while Dan didn’t get to use his lost bow for Phil, he did get to show his dagger throwing skills to catch pigeons. They didn't see a deer, but pigeon meat kept well enough, if not being so tasty.

They hunted a little, with Phil pointing out trails for the two of them to follow, and Phil couldn't help growing excited as Dan pulled out a couple of daggers, showing off his skill with throwing them as he took down pigeon after pigeon. They tracked a honey badger as far north as Phil was willing to go, and then veered back in the direction of their tree when they failed, giggling and shoving Dan around a bit for teasing him.

He almost pulled out the bridge card. Almost. But he spared Dan for now.

By the time they'd found their tree again, Phil was breathless with laughter, stomach bubbling with happiness. He wanted nothing more than the closeness their tree promised them, and grinned as he dragged Dan back and into their special sanctuary.

With their food restocked for the rest of the journey, Dan grinned when Phil suddenly brightened and pointed to a tree. Dan recognised it instantly, even while not being so adept. It was their tree, and was fixed rather firmly in his memory.

"I think I know where to camp tonight," Dan murmured, and followed Phil to the trunk to find the entrance again.

If they were too preoccupied to eat dinner again that night, well, no one had to know.

Dan was a sweet talker, clever and far too good with his hands (his lips, his body...) for Phil to much care, and besides, there was no reason they couldn't have this, shouldn't have this. The intimacy was all of something that Phil craved, brain fuddled with desire, and he gave into Dan easily, felt Dan give in to him back, and took and took and took.

Phil’s fingers were tender along Dan’s bandaged body, tracing small circles against the wrapped skin Phil knew would soon be a scar, a never forgotten memory, of the time Dan had quite literally thrown himself in Phil’s path to save him. Phil didn’t particularly care for that memory, but the reminder that Dan was alive would never hurt.

The bandages, however, had definitely seen better days by now. Phil could see that they were getting old and worn, and they needed a change, so, after sitting up with a small yawn, Phil reached for where he’d tied a knot, and started to undo it.

"I figure it's time for a change, and I'd like to see how your wounds are doing," he insisted when Dan complained.

Dan winced a little when the bandages were unwrapped, not entirely painless yet. They stretched and stabbed a little with the bandages, but the poultice had done its job well. Where once had been three long, jagged open wounds, there now sat only three scabbed cuts, the deepest the width of three fingers. They would scar properly in a couple of days, and join the multitude of scars that decorated Dan's skin.

Phil took a good, long look at Dan’s body once he’d managed to get the bandages undone. The bruising around the three long scratches had finally begun to fade, the angry red marks that had curled their edges finally fading to a duller, faded pink, and the scabbing was just ingrained enough now that Phil was sure it would make way soon for scars. The wounds were still slightly raw enough for Phil to be concerned about Dan being unbandaged or moving around too roughly, but they were definitely better by now.

Gently, Phil reached out for the first time with unmedicated fingers to touch Dan’s skin, the pads of his fingers stroking gently over the scabbing, and taking in the way the heat seemed to burn at him. For a moment, Phil thought he understood a little of Dan’s pain, and he closed his eyes in horror for his thief.

Slowly, as he opened them again and rested the palm of his hand over the deepest of Dan’s wounds, Phil flickered his gaze up to Dan’s slightly wet eyes, and then leaned in close and did something that almost took even him by surprise.

He kissed Dan’s wounds. His mouth pressed against the scabbed over scratches starting from the top of the far one, and all the way down it to Dan’s hip. Dan didn’t move under Phil, which Phil took to mean that this was okay, and he trailed his lips across Dan’s skin to the middle scratch to return up the scratch in the same treatment as the first cut.

Phil could almost feel the tears coming, just from the small movements of his mouth, but he suddenly felt like he needed to do this, like he needed to make his peace with these marks that now littered his thief’s body, and put to rest what had been done to him. He needed to let go of his own guilt at having let this happen, and just love the part of Dan that now showed Phil that he was okay.

His lips trailed down in small fluttery kisses over the third scratch before Phil finally pulled back with damp eyes and stared gently up to Dan, moving a hand to caress gently down the marks.

Softly, he offered Dan a smile.

“They remind me that you’re alive, and I -- I just wanted to remind myself that… it’s over, and you’re okay.”

Dan was completely taken aback when Phil seemingly suddenly leaned in to press little light kisses against his wounds. The pressure was just enough to feel it, but not enough to hurt, and it had Dan tipping his head back with a soft little noise. If it wasn't for their recent activities, he'd probably be rolling Phil over again right about now, but as it was, they were both sated and still recovering, and it was more than enough to have Phil kissing him like this.

Dan met Phil’s gaze with soft astonishment when Phil finally finished and looked up at him. He hadn't been expecting such soft touches, not to something that was soon to scar and mar his skin in the ugliest of ways, but as Phil gave his reasoning, Dan couldn't help but smile back, eyes crinkling up.

"Alive," he breathed, and reached out to touch Phil's cheek, the side his tongue poked out of when he laughed. "As are you, my Prince. I'd jump in front of that dragon ten times over to save you, and I know you'd do the same for me." Dan leaned in, then, drawing Phil close for another gentle kiss to his lips, bestowing as much love upon him as he could. These were scars Dan would be proud to carry, for the first time in a very long time.

As much as Phil didn't like to hear Dan saying he'd do it again, Phil couldn't deny that Dan was right. Given the chance, Phil would have done the same, and he supposed that made them both fools in love. Phil couldn't even care if he was fool; he was a fool for Dan, then that was enough for him.

With tender fingers, Phil walked them along Dan's side, pushed him back over, and hovered gently over him. He gazed into Dan's eyes with the softest look he could manage before he pulled Dan back in for yet another sweet kiss.

He was far too spent for another round, but that didn't mean he wasn't still bursting with affection for Dan, didn't still crave the feeling of Dan's body against his. For all that Dan had been teasing him lately for his eagerness, Phil knew he wasn't the only eager one. Dan might have more experience, but Phil seemed to be dragging something new out of him, and he was proud of that.

He was proud of the way that even now, when both men were exhausted from a day’s hard work and their earlier activities, that Dan’s body still reacted to his by rolling into him, pressing their skin tight to each other. Not feeling the bandages under his chest any longer sent a thrill like none other through Phil, and while he still fully planned to bandage Dan up once again, he couldn’t wait to have this feeling back again.

One day, he’d be able to touch and grab and hold Dan freely, and the fact that that was true, meant everything to Phil.

As he mouthed kisses along Dan’s skin, sucking at his neck lazily for the pure sentiment of comfort, Phil ducked in close. “I love you,” he whispered like it was a secret. His heart was racing in his chest as another tantalizing pair of words danced against his tongue, and, because he was embarrassed and so, so scared, Phil twisted to hide his face against Dan’s ear.

“Marry me,” he requested, and waited with bated breath for the fall out.

Dan's heart contracted and burst at the question whispered against his ear, frozen still for the moment.

Phil had brought the concept up before, but never in such a direct question, and Dan had always answered teasingly, never quite committing himself. The future had always seemed so dim to Dan -- there were so many unknowns. They had to get past the dragon, work out a way for both their worlds to collide, and to join up enough for them to be able to spend time together. Dan needed to be present enough to warn off other suitors, but couldn't reveal his true identity as the King of Thieves to any but Phil's immediate family. It had all seemed so impossible that Dan never truly let himself believe it was a possibility.

But now, here he lay, with Phil in their tree, and everything was ironed out or had a possible solution. There was still much to be fixed, Dan wasn't stupid, but he couldn't help but think they'd got through the worst, and had a plan for the rest.

Breathlessly, Dan let himself picture it -- a life as Dan Howell in the Palace, suitor to Prince Philip, but with a darker parallel life as the King of Thieves who took a new companion at his side. Phil had promised him some time out of the Castle, time in which Dan could truly show him the world.

Their future together hung in front of him, so close, so possible, and all he had to do was reach out and take it.

"Yes," Dan whispered against Phil's lips, and pulled him in tight, pressing a deep, slow kiss to his lips. "Yes, yes," he murmured as he coaxed Phil's mouth open and gently licked into him, sealing them together in the best way he knew.

The wait for Dan’s reply was the tensest of Phil’s life, and yet, as he hid in Dan’s neck, he feared nothing. What left was there to fear with Dan, when they’d been through everything together? The worst that could happen was Dan saying no, not yet, and yet, Phil knew that would not be the case.

So, when Dan pulled Phil back with a chanted mantra of yes yes yes, and kissed Phil over and over again on the mouth, seeming unable to contain himself, Phil was unable to do anything in response except kiss Dan back and laugh against his lips like all of his dreams had come true, because they had. They well and truly had. Phil finally had the partner he’d always dreamed of, and even if their situation wasn’t perfect, it was perfect for them.

It felt like the two were drowning in love as Dan kissed Phil over and over again, coaxing his mouth open with his tongue and kissing Phil with all the love in his heart, slow and deep and sensual in a way that almost got Phil going all over again. They both let out soft, breathy noises into each other’s mouths, as their bodies rolled together, and Dan pushed Phil onto his side.

Phil didn’t even mind, so long as Dan didn’t stop kissing him, and his fingers spread wide against the cuts that would one day scar and remind Phil of nothing other than that Dan had survived long enough to become Phil’s husband.

"Yes," Dan breathed again moments later, and joined his hand with Phil's where their rings sat on each other's fingers, glinting in the bright firelight, and smiled that giant smile of his that had his eyes crinkling up. "I love you too, my crazy, honest, wonderful Prince. Of course I'm saying yes."

As Dan reached for Phil’s hand, Phil let go of Dan’s body willingly enough, and watched as their rings glinted against each other on their hands. Dan’s fingers were slow to lace with Phil’s, and yet it meant everything in the world to him to see their gifts pressed against each other like this after the promise Dan had just given him to marry him.

They were betrothed.

Phil couldn’t stop grinning, and he laughed because he couldn’t help it, wiggling the hand between his and Dan’s bodies to reach up and press into Dan’s dimple, because Dan was grinning too. Phil felt his tongue slip out from between his teeth the way it always did, and even though he hated it, he let it stand just for Dan.

Phil’s eyes crinkled up, and he leaned back in once more to kiss Dan.

“Good,” he said, and maybe, just maybe, they had enough in them for one more round after all.

#phanfiction #iwritephanthings #snowbunnylester #phan au #fantasy phan au #steal my heart

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