#I did sleep incredibly well though. better than I have in maybe a year | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

teyamsatan · 1 year

Note

This one is a bit smutty...Just a little lol. But !

Okay ! Imagine Neteyam being passed the title as the new olo'eyktan (Just to say that I have no idea when it is done. Like at a certain age or if mate is preg ? I don't know :P)

Him being very very stressed and all. So... they haven't been doing it for a moment (He's not really it the mood). And like one time, in the middle of the night he wakes up with a huge and hard one (He tries to ignore it but of course it doesn't work). He's like really needy and desperate to relief himself but for some reason he refuses to do it alone. Shortly after his mate wakes up because she feels him moving on the mat and hears muffled breathings (panting). And the rest is up to you !

It's kinda kinky haha :× Some slight subby Nete and maybe soft dom in the end :3

Anyways have sweet dreams tonight 💕🌌😴🌙And love your writing ! Muah*

this kinda got away from me hahahah

thank you bby, i really loved this actually! hope you enjoy x

wc: 1.8k words

warnings: smut (p in v, oral - m receiving, squirting, switch!Neteyam, overstimulation, choking) 18+ minors DNI

After some 20 years of incredible rule, it was finally time for Jake to step down as Olo'eyktan. It wasn't that he wasn't capable of going on, it was that it was more and more obvious by the day that Neteyam was ready. He was ready to step in his father's shoes, he was ready to fulfil the destiny that he was born into, that he had worked for tirelessly, every day of his 20 year long life. His father had no doubt in his mind that he would be the best clan leader the Omatikaya had ever seen, a sentiment shared among most of the villagers.

You were incredibly proud of your mate. He was the youngest Olo'eyktan the Omatikaya ever had, and he was more than raising to the challenge. It was an honour to be his mate, it was a privilege watching him be the person you always knew he was, the leader everyone had reason to look up to, the man of your dreams.

Unfortunately, the praise, the title and the status also came with so much burden, so much stress and responsibility, it was hard for either of you to keep up, hard for him to navigate, to find a balance. So recently, Neteyam has been distant and withdrawn, burying himself in work and strategies, being the first one to rise and the last one to sleep. He wanted to be a good leader, and he believed that a good leader should be an example for his people, should be the one that works the hardest, should be the one that continuously strives to be better and do better for his clan.

You barely saw him anymore, much less spent time with him, felt him, touched him, had him. You refused to intervene, though. Neteyam was a well of depth sometimes even you weren't capable enough to swim in, and you knew that when he was ready to talk to you, to let you in, he would. He always did, eventually. He just needed time.

Neteyam was exhausted. Turns out he owed his dad a million apologies for all the times he thought him cold, or unwieldy, or detached from reality or his family. Turns out he was just worried, and stressed and feeling the overbearing weight of so many lives depending on him to lead, to choose, to make the best decisions, and that was no easy task. Neteyam missed you. He felt guilt and sadness enwrap him tightly at the thought. He's always had time for you. You were his priority always, and yet he knew he didn't make good on that recently.

You have always been so in love with each other, so obsessed with each other, so into each other that the rest of the world felt middling and insignificant by comparison. Neteyam could pinpoint the stars in the sky in your eyes, the thrill of tumultuous waters in the colour of your skin, the bioluminescent beauty of Pandora in your eyes, the transcending comfort of the earth in the colour and feel of your hair. You were his world. You encapsulated everything he loved about it, about life, and he loved you, he needed you, he craved you more than he'd ever be able to describe.

The thought of you as he drifted off to sleep led him to dream about you, his mind transposing him to a reality he desired desperately, but which time didn't allow at the moment. He felt you, your taut, lean body writhing underneath him as his hands trailed it hungrily, as his lips claimed your mouth, as he took orgasm after orgasm, the lewd sounds escaping you music to his ears. The dream dissipated slowly, much to his disappointment, leaving him a panting mess, his cock twitching, hurting against his now too-tight loincloth.

"Fuck."

You were fast asleep in Neteyam's arms, your soft, steady breaths the only thing that could be heard in your shared tent. Your ass was pressed snugly against Neteyam's groin, furthering his pain and incessant need to just take you and fuck you until you both passed out in exhaustion, blissfully spent.

The sound of quiet moans woke you up from your dream-filled slumber, wet dreams haunting your mind recently, the only way you got to experience the release you needed desperately. Your eyes widened slightly when you realised the dream spilled onto your reality, and the sounds came from your mate, who seemed like he was in pain. You turned around hurriedly, only to find him sprawled on his back, long slender fingers wrapped around his thick length. The heat you felt within your womb spread like wildfire all within you, awakening your senses and focusing them on him, on his beautiful face contorted in pain, on his pheromones that inundated your nostrils, on the way the pronounced veins running down his arm were more accentuated with the grip he had on his cock, and God, what an incredible sight that was. Your mouth filled with saliva taking it all in, at the memories of all the times his dick made you see stars, at the thought of how he would again tonight, after so long of being without it. He was a god among men, and you had him. You owned him. Maybe it was time he was reminded of it.

"Neteyam... if you needed help, all you had to do was ask."

His moans increased in volume as you wrapped your fingers around him and started pumping him with slow, languid motions. He was rock hard under your touch, white liquid pooling at the tip, and you couldn't help but accept the silent invitation, bringing your lips to it and kissing him softly, throbbing deep inside of you at the way he was coming apart at the seams around you.

"Baby, please..."

"Patience, my love."

You took as much of his impressive length in your mouth as you could, feeling him deep in your throat, eyes watering as the pressure made you gag slightly. You started a slow, purposeful bob of your head, taking your time, feeling every vein, every ridge, every striation of his cock, learning him by heart, imprinting him in your mind. You loved this man, and as much as you loved when he rutted into you like an animal in heat, there was nothing that compared to the thrill of the power that came with seeing him putty in your hands, in your mouth, in you. As the ache you felt continued to rear its ugly head, you let go of him with a small pop and straddled his thighs, aligning yourself easily and rubbing his tip in between your soaked folds, moaning at the contact, craving the way he filled you up in the way only he ever could.

Your synced gasps made your cunt clench around him as you lowered yourself slowly, until you bottomed out, until you could feel him deep in you, so deep that a small bump was formed in your abdomen, that you revelled at, that you wanted him to. You took his hand in yours and placed his palm on the spot, moaning at you started grinding on him leisurely.

"Feel that, my love? Feel how deep in me you are, how good you fill me up? I feel your cock in my guts, baby."

You felt the growl he released deep in your soul, its intensity leaving you breathless, and you allowed the feeling to overtake you, as the atmosphere in the room changed suddenly, and so did his demeanour. Your words snapped something in him, because his eyes darkened so much, you could barely see any discernable yellow in them anymore, and you barely registered the way he grabbed you roughly and flipped you until you were on your back, his cock still buried inside you. You gasped loudly at the way your body made contact with the ground and at his look, feral and untamed, and it would have scared you if it wasn't so fucking hot, so primal and raw, so erotic and so, so necessary. His hand wrapped around your throat and squeezed until there was no air in your lungs anymore, until your head went dizzy, until your insides churned in need.

"You make me fucking crazy. How did I go so long without your tight little cunt wrapped around my cock, huh?"

Without warning, he starts a ruthless pace, knocking you back with every animalistic thrust, keeping you in place roughly by your throat, until your cervix was battered and bruised, until you came around him once, twice, three times. You were crying from overstimulation, from the high of the intermittent asphyxiation, from how his brutal actions were antithetic to his gentle caress of your cheek or the occasional peck on the forehead in between orgasms.

"Neteyam, I can't anymore -"

"Yes, you can, my love. One more. Just one more and then you can sleep. You're doing so well for me, baby."

He brought a hand to your thighs, bringing them over his shoulders and the new angle was allowing him to drag his cock on your G-spot repeatedly, making your vision blurry and your core throb yet again, the familiar feeling pooling in you once more, more acute than any of the previous. His thumb was circling your clit, and the pressure was too much, it was so good, it was heaven and hell, it was everything and not enough.

"There you go, baby, I can feel you squeezing my cock again. You gonna milk me? You gonna be a good girl and take my cum, let me fill this pretty pussy up? Gonna smell like me for a whole week, huh?"

"Y-yes, fuck yeah!"

"You like having my cum drip down your thighs for all the village to see, huh? Like everybody knowing you're getting fucked by the Olo'eyktan?"

Your eyes rolled in the back of your head at his words and you squirted all over your mate as the most intense orgasm you've ever had in your life washed over you, leaving you convulsing around him until your body was limp and your mind blank. He came with a moan, ropes of thick cum painting your pink walls and spilling down your ass and onto the fabric of your mat. He didn't pull out, not for a long time, collapsing on top of you instead, kissing your face and down your neck softly, like a whisper or warm hug. You loved how he was the best of both worlds, how he cherished you, how he always made sure you were ok, how he whispered sweet nothings in your ear, about how amazing you were, about how well you did for him, how you were his world and his brightest star, the love of his life, the best thing that has ever happened to him.

You were both spent and on the brink of sleep when you spoke serenely.

"So... did you only want to become Olo'eyktan so you can use that line on me or...?"

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fun-k-board · 7 months

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Hey, could I request Bi Han/Sub Zero romantic headcannons with a male reader who is his right hand man and childhood friend?

Bi-Han / Sub-Zero with a boyfriend who's his childhood friend

Note(s) : I'm gonna be honest, I don't really like him, but I want to try and be a better writer by writing about characters I don't like. Please, give me critiques on how I wrote him!

First of all, he was incredibly moody as a child already, not exactly of his own volition having a dad like his would ruin any kid, so if you can't handle people who are mean on purpose? You'd have a REALLY hard time getting along with him.

Bi-Han was always brooding, in the corner with a frown, he eats with a frown, sleeps frowning, talks to his brother's frowning, the only time he's ever smiling is either in private or when it's just him and Kuai Liang, but it doesn't happen that often any more after his dad died.

To befriend him, you'd either need to be a part of the Lin Kuei, either born into the clan, maybe the son of one of the lower Lin Kuei members, or found and taken in by the clan, or somehow be involved with one of the Lin Kuei's missions.

It's a long and slow process, but even just talking to him once a day will eventually gain a semblance of trust, it'll be hard to show it, and he mostly does by standing next to you and sometimes agreeing with you, but these things will take time.

By your teenage years, you two began training together, maybe he tends to be a little rougher than other Lin Kuei, and maybe he's broken your nose once, twice, possibly even thrice before, but he did apologise, eventually.

He would confide in you about troubles with his brothers, well, he insists that Smoke isn't a brother and more like a stray even though that's just not true, but Bi-Han would be awkward and reserved about talking with you.

He feels that this isn't your business, and not only that, he feels like you just... Wouldn't get it? While he understands you may have issues of your own, his situation is rather unique.

His troubles mainly consist of Kuai Liang and Tomas upholding tradition, Bi-Han believes that his brothers view tradition higher than him, and even though he's grandmaster, that they don't take his opinions into account.

Of course, this is ludicrous, his brothers follow his every word and typically offer little resistance, though, if you try to tell him that he will just storm off and claim he was right all along and that you don't understand. He'll eventually come to his senses and realise what you said was true, but, won't apologise.

If you agree with him, or at least say you do, he'll murmur a gruff complaint about his brother's and then you'll sit in silence for a while.

By the time MK1 rolls around, he's fairly jaded, he doesn't like talking to his own brothers, he dislikes them a fair amount actually, but he still loves them, or, at least he holds love in his heart for Kuai, he still hates Smoke.

Bi-Han doesn't know exactly what he feels for you, he knows it's not friendship, but at the same time, he's never really had friends before, so, he can't be sure. All he understands is that he values you, and more importantly, your opinion, if you disagree with him it may hurt his pride, but please, stay firm, he comes around eventually, only with you.

He wants to wait for something, that maybe proves you may love him, because when that rolls around, he can fully decide whether to act on his emotions or not.

You most likely accompany the trio to stop Shang Tsung, and you'll most likely be there when Bi-Han betrays the Lin Kuei. Obviously, you choose to stay with him, and, it breaks Smoke and Scorpions heart, they may not have known you too well, but, they knew you were one of the only things that would stop him from going down that path.

In a way, you both failed them that day.

Now, after proving your loyalty to him, you're basically his right hand man and oversee a lot of the clan, you train young and old recruits, you maintain a harsh schedule everybody is expected to follow, you help Bi-Han with whatever he needs, and sometimes need to force him to take a day off.

By the way, he won't let you say his actual name, you always have to either call him Sub-Zero or Grandmaster, depending on if you're on a mission or not, his name is personal to him, a core part of his identity, and, until you're closer, he feels awkward letting you call him Bi-Han.

During this, he becomes even more angry, even more distant, even with you, and it may take pushing, reminding him of your childhood spent together, for him to crack.

He won't come crying into your arms, he doesn't beg for forgiveness or want any, he just sits there, and begins to rant. He rants about how he feels like, if he was a better grandmaster, his brothers would have joined him, if he was a better grandmaster, maybe he wouldn't have joined Shang Tsung, and wouldn't have been tempted by his lies.

You hold a hand to his shoulder, and you confess, you tell him what you think about him, how you feel about his temptation into evil by Shang Tsung, and even though he doesn't want forgiveness, you give it.

And, with permission, you hold his hand. It's a small step, but, it's the most contact you two will have together for a long time.

Now, he gives you small smiles in private, nothing wide, but something so tiny it's hard to differentiate from not having an expression at all, he gives you some time off, more than he gives himself, anyway, and more importantly? He feels himself relaxed around you.

Telling a joke that would once make him scoff and walk away now makes him let out a gruff and amused noise, it's a mix between a laugh and breath of air, and he only does it for you.

Dinners with him are less awkward, when before you would sit in silence, hesitantly taking bites from food. You two now chat quietly about your day, each recruit, and sometimes about each other. You can actually enjoy the food and his presence.

He lets you call him Bi-Han now, not in public, but, when you two are alone, in a hallway, in your rooms, having dinner or breakfast privately, whichever situation calls for you two to be alone, he lets you call him by his name, and, it makes him feel vulnerable. It makes him feel loved.

He's always held your opinion in high regard, but now, it's honestly the only one that matters besides his own, and he does, silently, hope you aren't so tempted by power like he is.

Bi-Han may take longer to kiss or cuddle you than what most would consider normal, he loves you, he knows he does now, but, he's nervous, no, he's afraid. He knows he's a rough man, and he knows how uncaring and even violent he is and can come across as, so, naturally, he tries to avoid the subject. He doesn't want to do anything without your consent, but he's also far too afraid to ask.

It will take you to ask him, you'll need to make the first move, and when you do ask him for that first kiss, he gives you that small, hardly noticeable smile, and you both lean in, closing your eyes...

It's awkward. Maybe you know how to kiss, maybe you don't, but Bi-Han definitely doesn't, and, it shows. He feels slightly embarrassed at how lost he is, but, you two can learn together, and even just telling him, hey, maybe it wasn't the best, but, we can learn together, lifts his spirits an unnatural degree.

For the next week, the schedules become less strict for most Lin Kuei members, and any mess ups are met with less harsh, but still kind of harsh, punishments.

Kissing is basically ingrained into your schedule now, once in the morning on the cheek before breakfast, maybe once at lunch if it's a tough day, and always a peck on the lips at night before bed.

It takes less time to cuddle if you've already kissed before, sure, it still takes a bit long, but, so do most things with this man. Maybe it starts with holding his hand, or, sitting on his bed and talking about things, training gets hard sometimes, so perhaps you're just a bit tired.

You look up at him and quietly ask if you can just lay down for a while, or, maybe you just lay down yourself and wait for any objections, either way, he lets you lay down, and eventually, lays down next to you. Your hands hold each other tightly, your head is resting on his shoulder and it feels strangely perfect, despite how stiff his shoulders are.

This becomes semi natural in your schedule, but only after a long day, cuddling each other until you or him are on the brink of sleep, and then you return to your bed. You two still sleep in separate beds, that's just how he prefers things, no matter how much he trusts you, it's just more comfortable.

I'd recommend cuddling in summer, because, he's insanely cold and the winter is not at all suited for cuddle sessions between you two.

It takes a bit for you two to start calling each other 'boyfriend', not because Bi-Han doesn't consider you his lover, and therefore boyfriend, but because he sort of just assumes that kissing, cuddling, all of that, makes you together automatically, and, he doesn't like announcing his relationships.

It's not like he's embarrassed of you, he seriously isn't, but, you're the only person who sees the vulnerable side of him, and he prefers to keep it that way. None of the other Lin Kuei members, god forbid any one else, deserves to know your relationship with each other.

Dates are rare, extremely rare, you two have major responsibilities within the clan, and, Bi-Han doesn't trust anybody enough for them to run it while you two are away, so, the most date-like thing you'll experience is eating dinner together after every one has had theirs and left.

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blues824 · 11 months

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I need a Male! Reader x Yandere! Vincent, Claude, Sebastian, Undertaker, Lau, and Madam Red in my life! It’d interesting if M!reader were to be extremely cool-headed and always in a dream-like state but aware of what is happening around them and is incredibly smart. They appear sleepy but really aren’t it’s just their usual face. And they’re soul is one in a million that could keep a demon full for years. So to the characters M!reader appears as otherworldly and they are intrigued…

I love Yandere requests for some reason.

Vincent Phantomhive

Poor dear was fearful that you would fall asleep at any point, so it is better to have you next to him at all times. But, he wouldn’t be surprised if you were always sleepwalking, because you lived as though you were in a dream. Well, he may as well be your knight in shining armor, as he needed to protect you.

You could see what he was doing. Ever since he first invited you back to the Phantomhive manor, ever since he offered you that cup of tea. You wanted to wake up, you wanted to fight back, but the poison kept you from doing it. And besides, it would be a far call to say that the Vincent Phantomhive was poisoning you. Even though you were angry, you knew you had to be reasonable. This was your fate now.

Sebastian Michaelis

He had met you when he was going to pick up the young master’s new cane. You were a 19-year-old apprentice, who didn’t seem to have his head back on Earth. The demon breathed in and your soul just smelled so sweet. It was calling to him, to his hunger. Suddenly, Ciel Phantomhive did not have the most craved soul. So, a few days later, he wrote to your master that you were called for by Lord Phantomhive himself, but it was actually him who wanted you there.

As smart as you typically were, you did not see this coming until it was too late. He held you in his arms within the library while the master was busy with his work, and Mey-Rin, Finney, and Bard were all doing their chores. He whispered that you were his and his alone, and you then realized that your mind was steadily growing more and more cloudy.

Claude Faustus

He typically wouldn’t care about just any human being unless their soul called out to him. But, when he saw you in the bookstore, your mind somewhere in some distant land rather than the present, he could hear your soul. It smelled sweet, and fulfilling, and he could sense that there were other demons around waiting to collect it.

He invited you to the Trancy Manor, where he locked you in a room that was isolated so that no one would be able to hear you. He made sure that the other servants were aware that he was the only one who would tend to that side of the house, and because of his status within the household, he was never questioned. Now, without him by you during the day, you spent your days trying to escape all the while acting as though your head was up in the clouds when he checked up on you.

Lau

You were one of Ciel’s servants, and you caught his attention with how you seemed to be living within a dream. You were operating on autopilot, but you were doing exceptionally well. It was because of you being a tiny bit of a distraction to the man that he was not paying attention to the plan that Sebastian had laid out.

The next day, you had found yourself in his opium den. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Ran-Mao had kidnapped you in the night and brought you to where you were now. You were bound in chains, and led up to Lau, where he had you placed upon his lap. You seemed to be a bit too aware, maybe you just needed to go to sleep. It’s unfortunate that you ended up in an opium den of all places.

Undertaker

You had entered his shop by mistake, and he was surprised because he was not expecting any visitors, dead or alive, that day. It caused you both to laugh, and he had you sit down for a bit of tea before you made your way back. He could sense your soul, and he was aware that he wanted it just for himself. After about the third cup of tea that he prepared for you, you finally sensed that it was a bit suspicious. Of course, you were slowly getting sleepy.

In the morning, you found yourself sleeping in a coffin. You were tied up, but it was open. The Undertaker heard you struggling against the bindings, and he let out a bit of a giggle before peering over the opening of the coffin. You weren’t really listening to what he was saying, but you caught something about your soul, and you being the first to make him laugh genuinely with nothing required in return.

Madam Red

You were a servant from the Phantomhive Manor, and when she went to discuss with her nephew about the plans to catch Jack the Ripper, you had caught her attention. She made a comment about how her butler could learn from both you and Sebastian. However, Grelle could see the look of love in her eyes, and she knew her next orders.

The following day, you found yourself locked within a room in Madame Red’s estate. Eventually, the lady had entered the room, specifically the bedroom, where you were staying in. She greeted you with a hello darling before moving on to prepare for the night. You saw the instruments she was using, but you remember hearing her tell Grelle that there was a target that night. You let out a gasp, and you started trying to escape only to be held back by Madam Red herself. She used one of the many syringes full of something with anesthetic properties that put you back to sleep.

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tenshinokorin · 7 months

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TnK's Trigun Fic Listing

Ok now that I've got 15 fics out for Trigun (so far) and at least a couple of those are upwards of 20K and some of them are sequels and followups and ongoing, I thought maybe I should do a proper list of things, to make it easier for people who want to read in some kind of order. I'm terrible about talking up my own work but this is also for my own reference so that's fine, right? ^^; All fics are Vashwood-centric (I will get to Nai in a minute I have a backlog) and ratings vary from Gen to Explicit, though all are intended for an adult audience. This list is complete as of September '23, I will update it periodically as needed!

NB: I'm lucky enough to have gotten fanart for some of these and sometime when my head is not full of mud I'll go in and add links to those where I can. (Or please drop a link in the replies if you are one of the wonderful artists in question!)

THE BIG THREE STORYLINES:

Someday Out of the Blue & I Believe in the Kingdom Come

Trigun '98 canon. Reincarnation fic. The first one is a story I started writing over 20 years ago and quit after a chapter because I was just too heartbroken (and did not know it, but was also too young). Picked it up and finished it this April (2023) after Stampede clobbered me and I fell off the "we don't talk about wolfwood" wagon. The second story is a direct sequel to tie up some loose ends from the first one, and also to indulge my need for a proper happy ending. (I think a lot of folks don't realize Someday has a sequel but it does!!)

Black is the Color and Mysterious Ways

Trimax Canon. Resurrection/Fix-it/Angstmance with a much shorter, sillier, smuttier epilogue. Three years after the end of Trigun Maximum, Vash is having some trouble laying his ghosts to rest. (You may have seen this incredible artwork which has gotten around a bit and boosts the story better than any summary of mine possibly could.) Weird things happened when I was writing this, I don't mind telling you. Mysterious Ways was mostly an excuse to explore some of the more interesting concepts brought up by the first one, but saying anything more would be spoilery.

Eyes of the Storm

(Mostly) Trimax canon. Cryptid Vash AU, slowburn romance, ongoing. When Nicholas D. Wolfwood gets roped into being the new caretaker for the now-abandoned orphanage where he spent his childhood, he soon finds out that his own hidden memories are not the only thing haunting him. (What the fuck is a Typhoon?) Wolfwood, Vash, Livio, Elendira, et al. This is the one currently in progress at six chapters out of ??. Pretty SFW so far BUT NOT FOR MUCH LONGER CAVEAT LECTOR.

List continues with standalone and shorter fics below the cut!

Honeymoon

Generic Trimax/98 setting. Plant Heat, Wingfic, Tentacle Fic, What the fuck is Hay Fever. Wolfwood offers to help Vash out with a personal problem and gets a little more than he bargained for.

Strange Powers

Generic Trimax/98 setting, comedy/smut/potato jokes/fisting with a loaded prosthetic. What if Vash and Wolfwood (accidentally) got really, really hella high?

Hurricane

Trigun '98 Canon.

Vash: Make money? As a priest?

WW: Well. *mysteriously* Not only that.

Vash: (oh my gosh he's a prostitute)

Shortfic. Wolfwood tries to figure out how to offer his services to someone he doesn't really want to be a paying customer. Short and smutty while also demolishing Wolfwood's professional boundaries.

Skin Tight

Generic Trimax/98 setting. The Infamous Red Dress. PWP, Wolfwood needs to be in the Vash Sensory Deprivation Tank, Vash in high heels, the dress gave its life for this fic you should read it and honor its sacrifice. Look. This is just porn, guys. You want the porny fic? This is the porny fic. (just kidding most of them are porny fics but this one is especially so.)

Secondhand Secrets

Generic Trimax/98 setting. Introspective/Vignette/Wolfwood POV. Vash's artificial arm always moves in his sleep, and Wolfwood wonders what he's looking for.

Personal Jesus

Badlands Rumble canon (post-film), Wolfwood has poor emotional coping strategies, hurt/comfort (Wolfwood provides both), first-time. That red hotel minifridge never stood a chance.

A Fool From Any Direction

Trigun '98 Vash's weird horny schtick is a front, and self-respect doesn't save lives. Which is too bad because when Wolfwood finds out what Vash is planning next he's gonna kill him.

Benediction

Trimax but could also be '98; Sometimes being a hero is not all it's cracked up to be. Or maybe Vash is the one cracking up. Hurt/Comfort, Wound Care & Bible Quotes, Noman's Land is a bitch of a planet. Shortfic, feels, non-explicit/no sex.

A Bit of a Tight Spot

Generic Trimax/98 setting. Costume Porn, PWP, No corsets were harmed in the making of this fic. I feel like this one gets missed a lot which is MADDENING because you guys. WOLFWOOD'S DOUBLE Ds IN A CORSET. And like, in a gender euphoria way, not in a comedy drag kind of way (though comedy drag does make a small appearance). I don't know how the good minister tightlaced in cuban stockings while giving Vash a blowjob in front of a mirror in the attic of a whorehouse can get so often overlooked, maybe my title or summary is lacking, but it's one of the hottest things I've ever written and its engagement is just in the basement? When (emphatic baffled hand motions to Nicholas D. Wolfwood wearing a garter like a thigh-holster). Anyway.

The Quick and the Bed

Trigun '98 Comedy, Romance, First Time. The single bed trope. Drunk Idiocy. Wolfwood's vows are in serious danger. (Wolfwood does not have vows.) Readers have let me know that they find this one amusing. Roommates of readers have sent me threats of bodily harm due to badly-stifled hysterical laughter at 3am.

THAT'S ALL FOR NOW MORE STORIES WILL BE ADDED AS THEY OCCUR!

SMALL DISCLAIMER: I'm a full-time working writer and my fanfic is something I give away for free out of love. Please don't copy, alter, plagiarize, feed to AI in any form, fold, spindle, or mutilate. I'm not in the market for concrit, but if you like my stories please feel free to leave me a comment/kudo, download/print/fanbind for personal use, or let other readers know!

#trigun #vashwood #trigun fanfic #tnk fic #trigun '98 #trigun maximum #trigun stampede

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cupids-chamber · 1 year

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— I'M GONNA LOVE YOU, RIGHT TILL' YOU HATE ME GENDER NEUTRAL READER

IMAGINE: Yandere!Twst cast, dreaming of the MC, before they ended up Twst, and even though they searched for them, they couldn't quite find them... now that they've found them.. they can't seem to let you go.. how would they feel when they've learned that there are more competitors for your love.

A/N: I'm gonna call this the dreaming of you au! I have some plans for it.. I had to split this in part, because of tumblr's fucking word limit.

SAVANACLAW / HEARTSLABYUL / DIASOMNIA / OCTAVINELLE / SCARABIA + IGNIHYDE / POMEFIORE

He couldn’t recall when the dreams had first started, it was quite suffocating.. Looking back, he was tired of the same dream over and over again, yet it changed.. Slowly, he watched you growing up along with him, it was as if his dreams mirrored your own life.. And at one point, he believed that these vivid dreams held some meaning, there had to be a reason why he’d keep seeing the same person over and over again… At one point, he even started to believe that you were his.. Someone meant for him.. And as he grew older, he couldn’t help but search for you, wanting to validate his thoughts and imagination, which has gotten rather out of hand over the past few years.

He didn’t even consider that others would have taken interest in you as well, ‘did they see you in their dreams as well?’.. The thought would have driven him wild, had he not been patient thus far, he might have truly lost himself then and there.. However, if he had waited this long, then it wouldn’t have been difficult to wait a bit longer.. After all.. He knew you a lot better than you know yourself.. He just needs you to realize.. That you’re his.. and he is yours…

YANDERE!IDIA, He recalls losing sleep, scrolling through the internet, scattering sources, trying to trace your whereabouts, all to no avail.. he remembered your name, that he heard you say once or twice in his dreams, you'd rarely speak to him... how he wished he could approach you in these vivid daydreams.. but your voice played through his head on loop, like a broken record repeating the same tune over and over again, as he recites the dream he had that particular day... You couldn't imagine his shock when he saw you, for the very first time.. he couldn't help but grow jealous when he inquired about how others had seen you beforehand, maybe he should have taken an interest in the so called magicless perfect beforehand, but how could he think of others, while his mind was so incredibly crowded with thoughts of you..

YANDERE!KALIM, Kalim had been a sweetheart from young, he couldn’t have ever guessed that there may have been an underlying meaning to his dreams.. Until he took notice of its repeating nature, he’d have the same dream over and over again, it was quite tedious.. aggravating even.. However, Kalim was known to be patient, unlike his peers. He was always calm, however one shouldn’t confuse his patience as him being dimwitted, sure Kalim wasn’t the brightest in the box, but he wasn’t an utter buffoon, he knew when something was wrong.. well most of the time.. He questioned the dreams, and the day he did.. He dreamt of something different, still his dreams centered around you as always.. And it was quite consistent, soon the old books on dreams and astrology became quite boring to the young child, he picked up a story book.. an odd story book indeed, he never knew this sort of book was in publishing, none the less it was quite conveniently placed near him, and in its contents Kalim came to learn of an odd concept.. dreaming of your soulmate, and dreaming of someone who was born just for him.. The concept seemed quite outdated and far fetched, but he couldn’t help but believe it! Kalim had always been such a hopeless romantic in such scenarios.. One could argue this is how he was raised, or maybe the book had blurred his thoughts.. Yet, when he first laid eyes on you.. he was sure you were meant to be his!.. Anyone who said otherwise, was but an inconvenience.. Just like anyone who gets in his way..

YANDERE!JAMIL, Jamil had been serving Kalim for the longest time, truly he couldn’t catch a break.. not when he was so.. ridiculously annoying.. even during slumber he couldn’t catch a break, ever since you appeared!, truly at first he resented you more than anything, another pestering source of annoyance, ruining his day and mood, yet he was lucky to have never been able to face you, at least then he could loathe you secretly and remain at peace within himself.. But he began despising his dreams for that same reason, fairly soon.. You were.. brilliant. A change to his day to day life, really.. He couldn’t quite recall how he fell for you, just that he had fallen for you.. Around this time Kalim kept blabbering on and on about a certain person he kept meeting in his daydreams, Jamil was too concerned about himself to spare a single care to his words, until he had heard about an unexpected book he had read.. The contents of which interested him quite lots’... ‘Soulmates, that’s ridiculous..!’ He thought, closing the book and refusing to look back, he couldn't delude himself further, he was above thinking of such childish things, and believing the contents of such ludicrous things. Yet he met you, here on the very school grounds.. He didn’t know how to react, maybe the contents of the book weren't as far fetched as he had predicted, maybe the two of you were predestined…

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fool-inthe-rain · 1 year

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All the Right Reasons

Sirius Black x Potter!Reader

wc: 1500~

Content: Fluff!!!! Angst if you squint. Use of she/her pronouns, use of Y/N. Let me know if I missed anything.

Request: I’m a hoe for Sirius Black and was wondering if you could write a Sirius Black x Potter!reader secret relationship. Maybe some sneaking around and getting found out and James being mad or something but with a happy ending.

Anon I'm so sorry this took much longer than I expected it to. Thank you so much for the request and I hope you enjoy reading!

Navigation

To say they were in love, well, that would be an understatement. The pair were totally and completely infatuated with each other. They did a remarkable job of hiding their intimacy, however. The only other person who knew about the relationship between Sirius Black and Y/n Potter was, of course, Remus Lupin. It’s not like they wanted him to know, but when he walked in on them making out on Sirius’s bed, it was pretty difficult from there on out to hide what was going on from him.

Remus was, unsurprisingly, incredibly supportive of them. Sure, he was skeptical at first. Who wouldn’t be? Sirius Black, best friend of James Potter, and dating his twin sister? Remus made it a point to set boundaries, even though he knew, he didn’t want to hear about it or see anything too relationship-y from either of them. The less he knew the better. The last thing he wanted was to know every detail of their relationship, and have James find out he knew. Remus knew Sirius and y/n better than either would admit, that being said, even though they had been diligent so far, he knew how incredibly unstealthy the two were. James was bound to find out sooner rather than later.

Summer was hard. What with Sirius living with the Potters and all. This was his third summer with them, and his last, as they were going into 7th year and would–hopefully–be graduating. Sirius spent his nights waiting for James to fall asleep so he could sneak into y/n’s room. He was exceedingly grateful that James was such a heavy sleeper.

Sirius was already laying out a game plan in his mind for how he and y/n would get ample alone time during the three-month break. He figured it wouldn’t be much different than last summer, but he still wanted to be prepared for what he liked to call ‘unprecedented changes to the mission’ the mission being their relationship. To his credit, Hogwarts was much larger and much easier to sneak around in, so y/n let him have his silly code phrases as long as it meant they would still be able to get away from James when needed.

They had gotten home late, as the ride from Kings Cross to the Potter’s home was excruciatingly long and boring. Euphemia and Fleamont let them know in the car that come morning, they would be heading out for a small family engagement on the coast. James and y/n were not expected to attend as it was extended family they really had no relationship with. As soon as Sirius heard the house would be free of adults for a few days the gears started turning in his head. When they had finally gotten home, decisions were silently made between Sirius and y/n to just sleep for the night, no sneaking around. They were too drowsy to be careful.

Sirius and James parted ways from y/n and made their way to their shared bedroom only a few doors down from hers.

“Thinking of going out tomorrow with a few old friends from the neighborhood. You game?” James asked Sirius, turning his head to look at his friend.

Sirius smirked from where he was standing, facing away from James.

“Nah mate, you have fun. I think I’m just gonna hang out here, maybe see about that motorcycle I had been telling you about.” He was trying to hide the smile from his voice. This was almost too perfect. Effie and Fleamont would be out, James would be out, and then there were two.

“Alright, well if you change your mind…” James’s sentence trailed off into a yawn. “Godric, I’m bloody tired.”

“Me too.” Was all Sirius could get out before he caught James’s yawn.

James turned the light off and within seconds the pair was asleep. The next morning, as per usual, y/n was up early, in time to see her parents off. James woke up around mid-morning and when the clock hit 12:30, Sirius was still sound asleep.

“I’m heading out for the day. I’ll be home around dinner.” James yelled as he left the shared bedroom, slinging a backpack over his shoulder.

“Mhm, whatever.” Sirius grumbled from under his sheets, sticking one limp hand out to wave away his best friend.

James made his way out the door, offering a quick goodbye to his sister while tousling her hair. When she was sure he had left, she silently made her way upstairs, creaking open the door to Sirius’s bedroom.

“I thought you left?” Sirius once again grumbled in annoyance, if there was one thing he hated more than his family, it was being woken up.

“Oh? And where exactly was I supposed to be going?” y/n snickered teasingly.

Sirius turned around in the bed, enough so he was facing the door. A large smile was plastered on his face as he held the sheets up signaling for her to join him. Of course, she did, when Sirius Black wants you in his bed, you go.

He draped an arm around her waist, running his hand up and down her back as they two just admired each other, and basked in the silence of the house.

“This is nice.” She squeaked out, it didn’t matter that they had been together for almost a year she still got nervous around him.

“It’s exceptional. How lucky we are. First day home and we have it all to ourselves.” Sirius punctuated his sentence with a long kiss to her lips.

The two were so wrapped up in quiet conversation, and each other's eyes that neither had heard the front door open. They certainly didn’t hear footsteps coming up the stairs, but they did hear the bedroom door opening and the loud gasp that followed.

“What the hell are you two doing? Get off my sister!” James was wide-eyed as he stood in the doorway.

The two sprung out of bed, y/n’s chest was heaving from the adrenaline his yelling had caused. Sirius stood slightly behind her.

“I can explain!” Sirius quickly offered.

“Oh, I’d love to hear this! What you bed my sister and then leave her out to dry like every other girl?” James was fuming. “Give me one reason not to punch you right now.”

“I love her.” Sirius shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Y/n snapped her head back to look at him, her eyes wide in shock. They hadn’t said that before. Sure she thought about it, but to hear him say it made her heart swell.

“Okay, can I just say you two with the wide eyes, you look creepily alike so can you please stop with that look?” Sirius deadpanned as if he had just not made an earth-shattering confession.

“You love her?”

“You love me?”

The twins said in synch and Sirius just nodded.

“Of course I do,” he was looking at y/n “I’ve loved you since the day I met you.” His eyes were full of honey and adoration.

“I love you too-” Before she could get in another word James cut her off.

“Okay, wait, lemme get this straight. You guys are dating?”

The couple nodded.

“Merlin’s beard,” James ran his hands down his face a few times, trying to grasp the situation at hand, “How long?”

“Almost a year.” y/n squeaked out, afraid that he would get angry again for keeping it from him for so long.

“Okay, okay.” James sat on his bed.

“And you,” He pointed at Sirius, “Love her?” He pointed at his twin sister.

“Yeah mate, I really do,” Sirius said, nervously playing with the hem of his shirt.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” James asked, a twinge of hurt lacing his words.

“Mate, one of the first things you ever told Moony and I was that y/n was off limits. I thought you were gonna rip my head off!”

“Well I mean yeah if you were gonna use her for a quick fuck then I would be pissed, but you love each other,” he stood up, a mischievous smile playing on his lips, “who am I to deny love!” he cried out with a dramatic flair, drawing them both into an equally as dramatic hug.

“Why are you even home? I thought you were going out?” Y/n questioned when he let go of them.

“Yeah I forgot something, but now I can’t remember what it was.”

James took in the sight before him one more time before picking his backpack back up.

“Oh, young love! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” He left the room and the couple could hear his loud laughter as he exited through the front door once again.

“Well, he took that better than I expected.” Sirius smiled. “Now shall we pick up where we left off?” He got back into the bed, lifting up the sheets the same as he did before.

Getting in the bed she couldn’t hold back her happiness any longer.

“You love me! Sirius Black is capable of love!” She sniggered poking at his sides.

“Oh come off it!” He responded with a smirk of his own.

#sirius black imagine #sirius x reader #sirius black angst #sirius black x reader #sirius black x y/n #sirius black x you #sirius orion black #sirius black fluff #harry potter imagine #harry potter fluff #harry potter #harry potter angst

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cha-melodius · 9 days

Note

A ship of your choice firstprince, please!

A location—(Although I dare someone to send the White House or Kensington, I WILL make it into an AU. I have ideas.) Also if you want a particular historical setting, you can feel free to include a time period too. GO NUTS, please.

Well sheesh, with that kind of tease, I suggest both the White House and Kensington Palace, circa the year 2068.

I look forward to seeing what you choose to do with this! I am certain to enjoy it, whatever it is ❤️

(This was such an intriguing prompt, and I hope you enjoy what I did with it. Also happiest of birthdays to @dumbpeachjuice, who's incredible fic "make me your god" inspired this one.)

The Impossible Soul

(M, 7.2k, read it below or on AO3)

“I shouldn’t let you do this for me,” Henry tells him in the moments before.

“You should know by now that you’re not letting me do anything, sweetheart,” Alex returns. “Anyway, I’m doing this for us.”

“Even though we still won’t be able to be together?”

“I told you, it’s only temporary. Once my mom’s no longer in office, I won’t be in the spotlight. But I can’t leave you trapped here for another four years. I won’t.” Alex cups Henry’s cheek with his hand and brushes a thumb against the corner of his perfect mouth. “Besides, what if I left you here and you forgot about me?”

Henry covers Alex’s hand with his, warm and soft. “Never.”

~~~~~

One Year Earlier

Alex didn’t think he could be surprised by AIDEs at this point, but the ones populating Kensington are really something else.

“It’s a pleasure to have you here,” Prince Henry says, his blue eyes crinkling slightly at the corners as he shakes Alex’s hand.

Alex can’t help but stare. The eyes are the hardest part, or so Nora says. All the Secret Service agents’ eyes have a kind of strange metallic glint behind them. Often it’s not even noticeable, but if you look too closely, it becomes obvious. Prince Henry’s eyes are flawless, though. Just endless, perfect blue. Really, the only flaw Alex can see in this model is that they made him inhumanly beautiful. No real person has lips like that.

Henry’s hand is warm in his, his grip firm but not too tight. Alex forces himself to let go.

“Yeah, thanks,” he says, looking around rather than staying trapped in Henry’s piercing gaze.

Palace servants flit about, attending to all of the gala guests’ needs along with those of the princes and princess. Apparently, it’s a perfect recreation of the palace’s operations from the turn of the century, back before the monarchy was abolished. Now they just keep fake royalty here, like they can’t quite let go of the idea. Alex has never understood it, and visiting hasn’t really helped. Of all the things he’s had to do on this goodwill trip, this is by far the strangest, pretending to hobnob with royalty at a fancy ball like anyone does this shit anymore. Then again, maybe showing off is the whole point, same as it ever was.

It’s not like Alex isn’t used to interacting with AIDEs. The use of Artificially Intelligent Dynamic Entities is still limited more broadly, but they’re common in dangerous or sensitive jobs. The entire Secret Service was replaced by them two administrations ago; their loyalty is never in question, nor their willingness to protect their charges at all costs. Use of AIDEs for entertainment purposes is growing in popularity too, like the Kensington ones. They play the role they’re programmed to without deviation, they don’t need to eat or sleep (though they usually do, to better mimic humanity), they can be abused or even killed without repercussion and, most importantly, they don’t need to be paid.

“I hope your visit to London has been pleasant?” Prince Henry asks with perfectly-tuned amiability. It makes Alex want to push a little, though he knows Nora would tell him it’s a futile exercise.

“Mostly I’ve been spending it in lots of meetings,” Alex says. “Kinda wish I had time to go out and see more of the city.”

“I can understand that,” Henry replies, glancing toward the doors in a way that Alex would call wistful if he didn’t know better.

Can he? Do they let them leave the palace? Probably not. Does Henry want to, though? That would be a weird thing to program into an AIDE that’s supposed to stay in one place.

“I guess you probably don’t get out much, huh?” Alex asks.

Henry smiles indulgently at his bad joke. “Not so much, no. Makes it ever-so-difficult to meet people, you know.”

Alex laughs despite himself. He’s never met an AIDE that was so self-aware. If he tries to joke with Cash about taking a day off, the agent just stares at Alex blankly. “You must talk with a lot of visitors to the palace, though.”

“I do,” Henry allows, taking a sip of his champagne. “Most of them aren’t very interesting, though. All they do is ask what it’s like to be a prince.”

“And? What’s it like?”

Henry smirks a little. “Bloody boring. Not that I can tell them that, you understand.”

“Yeah,” Alex agrees, a little lost for words. Henry is nothing like what he was expecting. “So, what do you want to talk about, then?”

In response, Henry takes a step closer. He smells like fancy cologne, like linens and fresh grass, and something inside him seems to tug Alex closer. “Can I show you something? Still inside the palace, of course.”

Alex’s eyes flick over to June and Nora, chatting with someone he doesn’t recognize—AIDE or government official, he can’t tell—and the Secret Service agents linger at the periphery of the ballroom. He knows shouldn’t leave the event, but honestly chances are no one would notice he was gone. Plus, his curiosity is through the roof.

Henry takes him to a library. There are barricades set up to keep the visiting public to certain areas, but Henry slips past them and Alex follows him. Watches as Henry walks down the rows with a small, private smile curving his lips, trailing a finger along the spines. He pauses and plucks a book off the shelf—Pride and Prejudice, Alex can just make out—and smooths a hand lovingly over the cover.

“I love to read,” Henry says, almost to himself. His eyes flick up to Alex’s, shining brightly in the low light. “All those worlds… They’re incredible, don’t you think?”

Alex doesn’t know what to say. AIDEs don’t read. They don’t dream of other worlds.

“The rest of your… family,” Alex says, diplomatically. “Are they like you? I mean, with the reading.”

Henry laughs quietly and shakes his head. “No. No one’s like me.”

Alex is rapidly coming to that same conclusion.

~~~~~

“There’s nothing special about the Kensington AIDEs,” Nora tells him, sounding more beleaguered than necessary. “We talked to Princess Beatrice for like an hour, it was the same as any other AIDE. Pleasant, but a little vacant. The eyes are a neat trick, though.”

“I’m telling you, Henry is different,” Alex insists. “We talked all night. He’s aware of what he is. He reads and he thinks and he feels. Fuck, Nora, he dreams when he sleeps.”

“AIDEs don’t sleep. Not really.”

“Henry does.”

“Someone just got a little creative with the programming,” Nora says dismissively. “He’s supposed to say those things to make him seem more real. If you went back, he probably wouldn’t even remember you.”

“And what if he did?”

“Alex—”

“What if he did remember me? What if all of it really is real?” Alex presses.

Nora frowns at him. “Then there are some major ethical implications that current AI laws are frankly not prepared to deal with,” she says bluntly. “Look, it’s just not possible. They don’t have feelings, period. He’s just a fancy computer.”

“Fine. Whatever you say,” Alex huffs, mostly because he doesn’t want to have this argument anymore. She’s not going to change his mind, and clearly he’s not going to change hers.

“Promise me you’ll leave this alone. We can’t afford some kind of diplomatic incident because you got a crush on the prince AIDE.”

Alex glares at her. It’s not a crush. “I’ll leave it.”

He absolutely will not.

~~~~~

Cash doesn’t blink—literally—when Alex tells him that he’ll be visiting Kensington Palace again rather than the scheduled afternoon tea with some MP he couldn’t care less about. He sends his apologies with an excuse that he’s not feeling well and heads to the main entrance with the rest of the tourists. He has no idea where Henry might be, but AIDEs don’t take days off, so it stands to reason that he’ll be somewhere acting princely, or whatever he does all day.

Unfortunately, he gets stuck on a tour led by an AIDE with a dirty blonde bob and green eyes who most definitely shows none of Henry’s spark. It’s boring as fuck, and he almost bails more than once, but this place is huge and he’d probably get lost forever before he found Henry. They go past a few rooms Alex recognizes, but there’s no sign of the ‘royal family’ anywhere, and Alex starts to worry. Maybe they only trot them out for big events. Maybe you have to buy a special tour package. Ugh, his mom is going to kill him if he ditches any more events.

“Next, we’ll visit the palace library,” the guide says, and Alex perks up.

This has got to be his chance. Henry had said they were basically allowed free run of the palace so long as they remained in areas where they’d run into visitors during operating hours, and Alex knows there’s nowhere Henry would rather be than the library. Sure enough, he’s reading in a massive armchair by one of the windows, though he gets up when the tour group enters and comes over to talk to them. His face is fixed in a pleasant, bland smile as he looks over the group, until his eyes land on Alex. The flash of recognition is clear, even if he recovers quickly, and Alex’s heart thuds a little harder in his chest.

He lingers toward the back as the rest of the visitors ask Henry about living in the palace and being a prince—exactly as he said they would. He answers graciously, of course, the words so bland and scripted that Alex almost wonders if maybe he hadn’t been drinking too much champagne during the gala. But he hangs back when everyone else files out, and as soon as Henry turns to him, his eyes practically light up.

“You came back,” Henry says, his voice soft with something like wonder.

“Of course I did,” Alex replies. “We didn’t finish our conversation.”

Henry ducks his head, blond hair falling alluringly over his forehead as his cheeks turn pink. The way their bodies mimic human physiology is astounding sometimes. “I suppose we didn’t. Would you care to walk with me in the gardens? It’s a lovely day.”

“Can we do that?”

“Ironically, you’re allowed so long as you have one of us with you, and I’m allowed so long as I’m with a guest,” Henry explains. “Plus, you’re a foreign dignitary. No one will bother us.”

“Sure you wanna be seen with me? My sister would say I’m the furthest thing from dignified,” Alex says, grinning probably a little too broadly.

Henry’s smile slants mischievous as he steps close enough for Alex to get a noseful of linen and fresh grass again. “Maybe I like that about you.”

~~~~

“Have you ever been outside the palace?” Alex asks on his next visit. Nora had given him a look like she knew exactly what he’s been up to when he’d begged off from an official tour of the British Museum, even though he hasn’t brought up Henry again. The fact that she’d found him down a rabbit hole of academic papers about AIDE psychology probably hadn’t helped anything.

“Not that I remember,” Henry answers. It’s rainy today, so they’re ensconced in some kind of parlor with ornate, uncomfortable furniture. The fact that Henry only knows this life is outrageous. Has he ever truly been comfortable? Does anyone even care? “They gave me a basic knowledge of London as a background. I’m supposed to be fond of the Victoria & Albert Museum, but I’ve never seen it myself.”

“That’s fucked up,” Alex blurts.

Henry shrugs. “It’s just how it is.”

“How does none of this ever seem to bother you?”

“It can’t bother me, Alex. My entire existence has been—and will be—only this, and if I allowed any of it to bother me, I’d go mad.”

This does not, in fact, make Alex feel any better about the situation. “Guess I’ll just have to be angry for the both of us, then.”

“I’d rather you weren’t,” Henry says mildly. “It’s no use being upset about my life. Nothing can be changed.”

“Bad idea to tell me something can’t be changed, sweetheart. I fucking love a challenge,” Alex returns. He’s not joking, but Henry laughs anyway. “I’m serious, Henry. You deserve to get things you want, too.”

“What if I said I wanted you not to worry about it? That I want you to be happy?”

“Because you’re programmed to?” Alex counters, letting more bitterness than he means to slip into his voice.

Henry reaches out and slides a hand over Alex’s fist where it’s curled on his thigh. “Because I like you, Alex.”

~~~~

On the last visit he can manage before he leaves London, Alex brings Henry a cell phone.

“What’s this for?” Henry asks when Alex hands it to him. It’s a cheap smartphone, pay as you go, something that Alex can renew the data and minutes on remotely.

Alex frowns at him. He would have figured Henry would be familiar with the concept of phones, but maybe they purposefully programmed him to not recognize it. “It’s for communication. Audio, text, video—”

“I know what a phone is, Alex,” Henry says wryly, interrupting him before Alex can make a fool of himself. “I mean why are you giving it to me?”

“I’d like to keep talking to you after I go home,” Alex tells him, feeling oddly exposed by the question. “If that’s something you’d like, too.”

Henry smiles, almost bashfully. “Yes, I’d like that.”

“I assume you’re not allowed to have that,” Alex says with a nod at the phone.

“I don’t think anyone would consider it a possibility that we might,” Henry muses, “but I’ll keep it hidden nonetheless.”

“Good plan.”

“I’m going to miss your visits, Alex,” Henry says earnestly. “I’ll miss you.”

AIDEs can’t miss things, Alex’s brain supplies, an oft-repeated truism. He feels vaguely sick, leaving Henry here like this.

“Yeah,” Alex croaks, unable to quite meet Henry’s bright blue eyes. “I’ll miss you too.”

~~~~~

“How would you get a site-locked AIDE off the premises?” Alex casually asks Nora one late night at the Residence, when they’re deep in the weeds of polls and projections.

The campaign has been rough; rougher than the first one. Or maybe it’s just that Alex is far more involved in the filthy underbelly of it this time around. The experience has definitely made him question his resolve to go into politics. Then again, sometimes it feels like his only option to make a difference in the way he wants to. These days he frequently gets into arguments about the need for more protections for AIDEs, though right now it feels like a losing battle. They’re not supposed to need protections, that’s the point of them, and no one believes him when he suggests that they might have more in common with humans than previously believed.

It’s been months. Months of texting, and phone calls, and occasional video chats. Months of getting to know Henry—the real him, beyond his programmed backstory. For his part, Henry has seemingly blossomed further with access to the internet. Alex was admittedly not certain that was a great idea, but Henry seems to stay off the darker parts. He watches a lot of Bake Off, apparently. He’s obsessed with some cute beagle account on Instagram. He reads travel blogs and insists that just knowing that these wonderful places exist is enough for him.

Alex doesn’t believe him. Well, he believes Henry believes that, but that doesn’t stop Alex from yearning to show Henry some of them in person. Even something in London would be worth it. Hence, the question.

Nora looks at him like she knows exactly what he’s on about. He’s kept his correspondence with Henry a secret from everyone, but he’s pretty sure she suspects something is up. Him broaching this topic all but confirms that, but he needs the help.

“Permanently, or short-term?” she asks.

“Let’s go with short-term to start.”

Another capital-L Look. “Well,” she says eventually, “I would probably hack into the control system and override the barrier protocols. These systems are self-healing, though. You’d have a couple of hours at most.”

“And what happens if the AIDE was off-site when the system kicked back on?” Alex asks.

“Depends on the program. Possibly just an alarm or something. Most of the time it’s full deactivation though.”

“They kill them?”

“AIDEs aren’t alive, Alejandro,” Nora says pointedly. Alex bites his tongue. “But yes, in a manner of speaking.”

“Fuck,” Alex breathes, wiping his hands over his face. “And to permanently get him out?”

It’s a slip. He’s not dumb enough to think she missed it, though she doesn’t show it.

“Not entirely sure,” she admits. “I’d need one of the tablets they use to control them so I could go into the AIDE’s code. And good luck with that; the companies that make them have some of the tightest security out there.”

“Yeah, of course.”

She turns back to her laptop, and Alex half-expects the conversation is done, at least for now. But then, as she’s typing, she says, “I assume this isn’t idle curiosity.”

Alex sighs. “No.”

~~~~~

It takes nine months from their first meeting for Alex to find a reason to visit London. His mother offhandedly mentions sending someone to some conference he doesn’t really care about, and he jumps at the chance. All he can think about is Henry. Being in the same city as him again. Seeing him. Touching him.

Alex has had time to come to terms with his desire for Henry. Honestly, the bisexuality was easy compared to the AIDE aspect of it. Nora is fond of pointing out that they’re literally designed to be desirable, even the ones not populating what basically pass for sexy amusement parks, but Alex doesn’t just want Henry physically. He wants to spend time with him, to make him laugh and see the crinkle of his eyes not through a phone screen.

Frankly, he also wouldn’t mind a little clarity on the whole situation. To either get incontrovertible proof that Henry is fundamentally the same as a person, or else be reminded that he isn’t, that Alex has deluded himself into believing Henry was more than a machine (a possibility that Nora regularly reminds him of).

On the flight over, Alex finds himself watching Cash, not for the first time. He’s doing a sudoku puzzle, which can’t really be much of a challenge for him. Still, he works on them religiously. Did someone program that into him? Or does Cash actually enjoy doing them?

“Do you like your job, Cash?” Alex asks.

Cash looks up at him, setting his ballpoint pen down—he does the puzzles in pen because he never makes a mistake. He’s got an expression on like he doesn’t really understand Alex’s question, even though it should be straightforward. “It’s my job,” he finally says.

“Yeah, but do you like it?” Alex pushes. “Do you find it fulfilling?”

The tip of his head means Cash is analyzing Alex’s body language. After another moment, he says, “Yes.”

Alex can’t quite hold back a sigh. The answer is predictable. Cash is only saying that because he thinks Alex wants to hear it. That’s what AIDEs do, they anticipate your needs and wants.

“Is that not the right answer?” Cash asks, frowning.

“Don’t worry about it,” Alex says.

He knows Cash won’t.

~~~~~

Henry is understandably nervous about the plan. It is, after all, his life on the line.

“The control system will go down at the very end of the visiting day, so we can slip out with the exiting crowds,” Alex tells him. “It’s gonna look like maintenance, which shouldn’t set off any red flags right away. Between that and the roadblocks Nora’s set up, we should have five hours.”

“For what?” Henry asks.

Alex just grins. “It’s a surprise, sweetheart.”

Henry looks even more human in Alex’s Longhorns baseball cap and hoodie. Soft. Dangerously so. It makes Alex want to do reckless things. Instead, he sets his watch for four and a half hours and reminds himself how high the stakes are. He’s arranged everything just so tonight. No surprises.

The escape goes off without a hitch, and Alex breathes a sigh of relief once they’re making their way through the crowded city streets. Out here, the two of them are completely unremarkable, even with Cash trailing a few steps behind them. Henry seems to take it all in stride, though Alex doesn’t miss the quiet looks of awe that steal over his face as he takes in the city. They stop and get falafel at a food truck. Henry asks to pet every dog they come across. He looks indescribably happy in a way that makes Alex’s heart clench in his chest.

At the back entrance to the museum, Alex pays off the night guard—not an AIDE, thank god, they’re nearly impossible to bribe—and they slip inside, leaving Cash by the door. It doesn’t take long for Henry to catch on.

“You brought me to the V&A,” Henry breathes as he looks around.

It had seemed like the obvious choice, after what Henry had told him. “I’ve never actually been here,” Alex admits.

“That’s all right, love,” Henry says, grinning now. “I know my way around.”

Alex has never been so enraptured by someone telling him about art, but it’s impossible not to be taken in by the passion with which Henry speaks about the sculptures. He tells Alex about Tipu’s Tiger, about Giambologna, about Narcissus and Zephyr and Pluto rendered exquisitely in marble. His programming hadn’t bothered to give him anything more than a general interest; all of Henry’s knowledge comes from reading in the palace library—and now on the phone Alex gave him—and he’s apparently done a lot of it. His programming also has nothing to do with the wonder and emotion in his voice, with the tears that glitter in his eyes when he gets overwhelmed by the experience.

Machines don’t cry over art. They just don’t. Art is supposed to be a fundamentally human experience, which is proof enough to Alex that, whatever he was designed as, Henry is just as human as Alex is now.

~~~~~

In the Santa Chiara chapel, Henry finally pauses and turns his awe on Alex.

“I’ve dreamed of this,” he murmurs, closing the space between them until only inches remain. Alex has to tip his head up to meet Henry’s bright gaze, and his heart thuds hard in his chest. “You risked so much to give this moment to me. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“You deserve it,” Alex tells him, meaning every word of it. “You deserve the entire world.”

“Alex,” Henry breathes.

Alex doesn’t think; he leans up and presses their lips together, a fleeting thing, over before he can convince himself it was a mistake. Except it was, because now he knows the softness of Henry’s lips against his, and he’ll never be satisfied with anything else. Henry’s eyes are wide when he pulls back, his lips slightly parted, and all at once Alex curses his impulsivity. What if Henry thinks that’s what he wants in return, that he owes Alex part of himself for this, when the last thing Alex wants is to take advantage of his programmed desire to please?

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

But Henry presses a hand against his face and pulls him in again, slides their lips together with intention, leaves Alex breathless when he pulls away again.

“You don’t have to do that,” Alex breathes into the silence afterward. “You don’t owe me anything.”

“I want to,” Henry says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “I want you, Alex.”

“You’re not just saying that because you think I want you to?”

Henry laughs a little, shaking his head. “I’ve wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you,” he confesses. “I can assure you, that wasn’t programmed. And neither is this.”

This time, when Henry kisses him, Alex can’t help but smile into it.

~~~~~

They go off-plan. There are two hours left when Alex takes Henry back to his hotel room and presses him back into the bed. Peels away their clothes and kisses across warm skin that feels no different from his own under his lips. Henry gasps and twitches under him as Alex takes him in hand; for an AIDE that was only supposed to staff a museum, whoever designed him really went all out on the anatomy.

“Have you ever done this?” Alex murmurs into the crease of his hip, breathing in the scent of him. Linen and fresh grass and something else, musky and heady.

Henry shakes his head, and relief floods through Alex. It isn’t some virginity kink, ok? He’s just heard stories of how some people treat AIDEs no matter what their jobs are, like they’re free for the taking because they never say no, and he’s glad Henry’s never been in that situation.

“And you’re sure you want to with me?”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Henry nearly growls. He drags Alex up from between his legs and kisses him hard, then rolls them over so he’s on top, straddling Alex’s waist. Slides back until Alex’s cock is pressing into the cleft of his ass and rocks his hips in a way that makes them both moan. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”

Alex is pretty sure he sees God when Henry lowers himself onto his cock, sitting upright with one hand behind him gripping Alex’s thigh and the other splayed over Alex’s chest. Or maybe it’s just that Henry looks like a god, like one of the mythical marble sculptures in the V&A, muscles rippling beneath his skin, but warm and yielding and vibrant and alive.

You’re unreal, Alex almost says, but that’s not quite it. Henry like this is very, very real. Impossible might be a better word.

Henry is impossible, and Alex is impossibly in love with him.

~~~~~

“Do you think you could steal one of the tablets they use to access your code?” Alex asks as they lie together in the darkness. His ear is pressed to Henry’s chest, listening to the steady thud of his circulatory pump—not quite a heart, but not not one either.

Henry’s hand cards through his hair, idly twirling Alex’s curls around his fingers. “What are you planning, love?”

Alex tips his face up to look at him. “Can you?”

“I doubt I can,” Henry answers after a pause, “but the technician responsible for us… he may be willing to help.”

“And you trust him?”

“He’s protected me before. I think he knows about my… differences.”

Alex hums. “How do we contact him?”

~~~~~

What Shaan Srivastava is not willing to do is speak over any sort of electronic form of communication, which Alex honestly takes as a good sign. They meet in a cafe on the other side of London, the day before Alex is set to leave.

“I want to get him out,” Alex tells him plainly. “For good.”

“Mountchristen Technologies puts numerous failsafes into the AIDEs they build,” Shaan tells him. “Trackers. Latent viruses. Kill switches.”

“Can they be disabled?”

Shaan takes a sip of his tea. “I have an idea, but I have no way of implementing it. I’m just responsible for keeping them in good working order. I’m not a coder.”

The hope that flares up in Alex’s chest is dangerous but oh-so-seductive. “I think I know someone who could help with that.”

~~~~~

“This is insane,” Nora tells him. “You honestly think it’s a good idea to pull off some kind of heist from the world’s biggest tech company a month before the election?”

“No,” Alex says reasonably. “That’s why we’re waiting until after. I convinced mom to let me take a trip to London between New Years and the inauguration.”

Nora shakes her head, every movement like a knife in Alex’s gut. “I can’t do this. I won’t. I never should have helped you on that little excursion in the first place, but this is a whole ‘nother level. We could both go to jail for who knows how long. And for what? Because you fucked an AIDE and now you want him for yourself?”

“Fuck you,” Alex nearly shouts. “I love him, asshole! I can’t let him stay a— a slave in that fucking palace.”

“He’s a machine! That’s what he was designed for, Alex!”

“Maybe he was, but that doesn’t mean that’s what he is now,” Alex insists. He holds out the tablet that she has yet to take from him. “Just look at his code. Even I can tell it isn’t like anything else out there.”

Finally, she snatches the tablet from him and jabs at it a few times. Her frown gets deeper. “There’s something wrong with this tablet,” she says eventually. “It’s not displaying things properly.”

“It is.”

“It can’t be, this level of complexity is impossible—”

“He’s writing his own fucking code, Nora,” Alex interrupts. Shaan had explained his theory on Henry’s code as best he was able before Alex left London. “With every one of the choices he was never supposed to be able to make. That’s why it looks like that.”

Heavy silence stretches between them as Nora stares at the tablet, occasionally swiping around and tapping. She chews on her lip. “It shouldn’t be possible,” she mutters, half to herself.

“But it is. He is. Please, Nora,” Alex pleads, not caring how desperate he sounds. “I’ll do anything.”

“Yeah, well. Hopefully it won’t come to that.”

~~~~~

“You need to understand that the changes to his code means that accessing the safeguards is much more difficult.”

“Ok.”

“And I can’t guarantee that this will work. We can’t test it out. Once we shut him down, there’s no way to know exactly what will happen when we boot him back up again. He might come back the same as he is now, but he also might undergo some kind of reset. Even if he retains his free will, he might not remember his life before. He might not remember you.”

Alex swallows hard. “I understand.”

“Does he?”

~~~~~

It takes Alex a month to work up the nerve to broach the topic with Henry. On video call not long after the election, he explains Nora’s plan, how they need to do a full shutdown so she can extract the safeguards like a surgeon. He makes himself explain the risks even though his first impulse is to downplay them. Henry deserves to know, deserves to make the decision for himself. Alex would be a huge fucking hypocrite to take that away from him.

That doesn’t mean he’s required to like Henry’s reaction, though.

“It’s too much risk,” Henry says, a stubborn look on his face that Alex is very familiar with by now. “Things are fine now.”

“They’re really not,” Alex argues. “You’re no better than a prisoner there, Henry. Your freedom is worth the risk.”

“It’s not.”

“Of course it fucking is!” Alex snaps, rapidly becoming frustrated by this argument.

“Not when it could mean losing you!” Henry bites out. He presses his lips together and looks away from the camera, but Alex can see the tears shining in his eyes. “My memories of you—of the museum, of us,” he says eventually, his voice unsteady, “are the only things I have that are truly mine. And you tell me I could lose them… I can’t do it. I’d rather stay here forever.”

“Don’t you understand?” Alex pleads. He wants to reach through the screen and grab him, turn his face and make Henry look at him. “I’m trying to give you the world, baby.”

“I don’t want the world,” Henry says miserably. “Please, Alex. It’s better this way. You may think this is worth it now, but one day you’ll change your mind when you realize that having a secret AIDE lover isn’t exactly compatible with a political career. You’ll want to be with a real person. Someone whose affection you can be certain isn’t just programming. Just… leave me here with my memories.”

Then Henry hangs up on him.

~~~~~

Henry doesn’t answer his calls or reply to his texts, and Alex couldn’t be more miserable. He doesn’t eat and sleeps only fitfully, which confuses his family. Everyone’s still riding a high from winning the election. They think Alex is seriously ill and try to bring in a doctor, but nothing’s physically wrong with him. He can’t tell them he’s suffering from a broken heart like some pining Victorian maiden.

On the fifth day, Nora comes storming into his bedroom in the White House and throws a duffle bag at his chest.

“Pack your shit, we’re going to London,” she says bluntly. “Also take a shower. You reek.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

“It’s Henry.” She waves the tablet in the air, which is still linked to Henry’s code in real time. “Someone’s trying to make changes to his code.”

Alex flops back down onto his bed and stares at the ceiling. “It’s probably just him deciding he’s done with me.”

“God, you’re pathetic,” she huffs, now rummaging through his dresser. “It’s not him. Looks like someone else is poking around, and that can’t be a good thing.”

That’s enough to make him rocket straight out of bed, an icy spike of dread shooting down his spine. “Have you gotten in contact with Shaan?”

Nora shakes her head. “No. He’s radio silent.”

“Fuck.”

“I booked us tickets with your credit card on a flight that leaves in two hours, so hurry the fuck up.”

“Nora, is he—” Alex starts before his voice clips off as his throat closes. He forces out, “Can you tell… is he ok?”

Her expression softens, and she puts a hand on his forearm and squeezes. “For now.”

~~~~~

The good thing about Kensington being a museum is that no one can stop him from just buying a ticket and going in. He’s been here enough times to know his way to the library, at least, which is where he goes first, barely aware that Nora’s following hot on his heels. All he can think about is Henry.

Henry’s not in the library, though, nor in any of the surrounding rooms. Alex stops a palace attendant and asks for directions to Prince Henry’s apartments, which she helpfully provides. It’s a part of the palace that’s not on any tours, but that doesn’t seem to matter. A palace attendant’s directive to be helpful to humans is off the charts, even for an AIDE.

Somehow he’s not expecting Shaan to answer the door when he knocks. Alex immediately shoulders his way into the room, anger and fear an unholy cocktail in his veins.

“Where is he? What going on here?” he demands, frantically looking around. “Henry, baby, where are you?”

“Mr. Claremont-Diaz—”

“Henry!” There’s no answer, and Alex rounds on Shaan again. “Are you doing this to him?”

Shaan sighs, and it forces Alex to look closer, to take in the bags under his eyes and the grim set to his face. “I told you, I’m not a coder, Mr. Claremont-Diaz. I have, however, been doing my best to slow their progress.”

“What’s happening?” Alex demands.

“Someone higher in the company noticed Henry’s unusual code. I’m not sure how. A standard review of the AIDEs in the palace, I suppose. Or your trip out of Kensington was less secret than you hoped.”

Fuck. None of that is good. Alex scrubs a hand over his face, forces himself to take steady breaths and not descend into a panic attack. “Ok, ok. Is he all right?”

“Alex?”

Alex’s head whips around so fast he nearly strains his neck. Henry’s standing in the doorway, dressed in his usual slacks and button-down with a blue v-neck sweater over it. He looks… normal, and Alex nearly sobs in relief.

“Baby,” he breathes, practically throwing himself across the room and into Henry’s arms. He buries his face in Henry’s neck and breathes deeply, and the barbed wire wrapped tightly around his heart loosens a little.

“What are you doing here?” Henry asks, his strong arms wrapping automatically around Alex’s body.

Alex yanks his head back and looks askance at Shaan. “Does he not know?” He stares up at Henry. “Your code is under attack.”

“Ah, yes,” Henry says carefully. “It’s not the first time.”

“This has happened to you before?” Nora asks, and Henry looks at her in shock, like he hadn’t realized she was in the room.

“You must be Nora,” he surmises. “Yes, it has. I might have thought you’d have noticed the effects in my code.”

A look of understanding dawns over Nora’s face, and she nods. “They’re like scars. Fuck. How many times?”

“It’s not important,” Henry says in a way that suggests he’s been doing this for a long time. “The main point is that I can handle them.”

“Fuck that,” Alex spits out. “I’m not letting them scar you anymore.”

Henry closes his eyes and sighs wearily as he extracts himself from Alex’s grip. “Alex, love, you shouldn’t be here—”

“No, you listen, asshole,” Alex snaps, his terror giving way to fury. “You can’t fucking hang up on me this time.”

“I told you my decision, Alex—”

“And what about what I want? Doesn’t that mean anything?”

“Fine,” Henry says shortly, his own temper flaring. “You know as well as I that we can’t be together as long as your mother’s in office and the public’s eyes are on you. So if you still want me in four years, come back and we’ll talk then. You know where I’ll be.”

He says it with a humorless slant to his lips that’s probably supposed to pass as a wry grin, like it’s a joke. Alex wants to fucking scream.

“And let them keep on trying to chip away at what makes you you? Take the chance that they’ll just get rid of you?” he retorts instead. “Fat fucking chance! I’m not leaving the man I love in captivity for four fucking years!”

It takes Henry’s eyes going wide and his mouth falling open for Alex to realize what he’s said. “Alex, you can’t—”

“What, love you? Because I do,” Alex says defiantly. “And I think you love me too.”

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you AIDEs can’t love?” Henry says, his voice wavering as he stares at the floor.

Alex steps close, forcing Henry to look up at him, until their noses are almost brushing. “Yeah, well, I know better,” he says, low and heated. “I also know I’m not gonna want anyone else, ‘real person’ or not. You’re a real person to me, Henry, and that’s what matters.” He raises a hand to Henry’s cheek and swipes his thumb through the tear track streaking it. “You’re it for me, sweetheart. I’m never gonna love anyone like I love you, and no one can take that away. Plus,” he adds, for the first time letting a corner of his mouth tug upward, “you know how annoyingly persistent I am. If you forget me, I’ll just make you fall in love with me all over again.”

Henry lets out a wet laugh and covers Alex’s hand with his. “It won’t take long.”

~~~~~

Seeing Henry shut down is wrong. He doesn’t even look dead, he just looks… not there. There’s no light in his eyes. Alex hates it. Can’t make himself watch as Nora works furiously.

It takes longer than he expected, but eventually she takes a deep breath and mutters, “Here goes nothing,” then taps a big green button on the tablet.

Henry’s eyelashes flutter as he wakes up. He looks around the room, eyes landing in turn on Shaan, Nora, and Alex. He holds Alex’s gaze and Alex stares back as if he could make Henry remember him through sheer force of will.

“Hello,” Henry says pleasantly. “I don’t believe we’ve met?”

~~~~~

Five Years Later

Alex stands at the end of the long driveway that leads to a small bungalow by the sea on a tiny island in the middle of the Caribbean. He’s got a bouquet of flowers clutched in one hand, which feels silly now. Maybe this was a mistake.

He’s kept tabs on Henry and his life after leaving Kensington. From what he can tell, Henry seems happy. He visits the markets and restaurants, knows the locals, and spends lots of time writing. He’s never taken a lover, but Alex doesn’t let himself believe that’s because of him.

It seemed easier, if they were going to have to be apart, to not fill Henry in on their history at first. At least one of them could weather the years without heartache. Alex threw himself into law school, letting nothing distract him. Graduated at the top of his class, got the job of his dreams working for a firm specializing in civil rights litigation, one of the few considering cases related to AIDE protections. He lives a pretty quiet life. No one really cares about what the former FSOTUS is up to these days. And now he’s here, half a decade later, with little more than hope.

Hope, and a wilting bouquet of flowers.

In his darker moments, he’s wondered if it wouldn’t be kinder to Henry to leave him be. Let him live his life. After all, Alex will get old and die, and Henry… won’t. No one really knows how AIDEs might break down over time—their organic-based bodies must, eventually—but their lifespans will surely be much longer than a human’s. In that context, coming back and hoping Henry will fall in love with him again seems nothing but selfish.

Still, he made a promise, and he owes it to Henry to tell him, if nothing else. Maybe Henry will decide that he’s happy as he is, that he doesn’t want the eventual heartache. He owes it to Henry to let him choose.

The gravel of Henry’s driveway crunches loudly under his shoes as he walks toward the bungalow, announcing his arrival as well as any doorbell. When he gets closer, he catches sight of Henry sitting on the porch that faces the beach, a notebook on his lap and a drink on the table next to him. They’d dyed his hair brown after fleeing Kensington, and brown it has remained. He’s still as pale as ever, though; AIDEs don’t tan or get sunburned.

He doesn’t turn at the sound of Alex’s approach, just stares fixedly out at the ocean until Alex stops at the bottom of the two steps that lead up to the porch. Alex’s heart is in his throat when Henry finally gets up and walks to the top of the steps. The smile on his face is warm, fond. Nothing like what he’d left Alex with when they’d parted.

It shouldn’t be possible… but then again, Henry is the very embodiment of the impossible.

He holds out his hand, and Alex climbs up to take it, letting Henry pull him in.

“Hello, love,” Henry says, raising a warm hand to his cheek. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #firstprince #rwrb fic #rwrb fanfic #firstprince fic #firstprince fanfic #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #my fic #chamel's fandom fest

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storiesbyjes2g · 25 days

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3.98 Honeymooners

If last night was any indication of how our year would be, we were in for an incredible ride. I couldn't think of a better way to ring in the new year than pleasuring my wife. The woohoo was so good; we were still stunned well into the next morning. I awoke, feeling foggy, wondering if last night had been a dream. When Sophia came down for breakfast, I didn't even know what to say to her and we ate in silence with this amazing secret looming over us. Eventually, her voice broke the silence, and we began to recover from our drunken-like stupor.

Tartosa was a gorgeous city, and I didn't question how it became the number one location for weddings. From the beaches and shopping to the beautiful landscapes and architecture, it had everything one could want for a perfect wedding. Unfortunately, we married too early in the season to appreciate all the amenities. Not only was it the first day of the year, but also the first day of spring. Looking out at the ocean from our patio began as a delicious treat, but became an evil tease. The water was too frigid to enjoy, and it rained all day. We were both looking forward to spending lots of time at the beach and were disappointed about canceling our main activity. Well...main activity outside of the house, that is. But at least we had the hot tub. It wasn't the same as the ocean, but Sophia had fun with it.

I too had fun playing in the water, heh.

Tartosa gave us another dark, cloudy, chilly day, so we spent the morning and much of the afternoon in bed, talking and playing. What we had between us was more than enough fun, but it would be a shame to spend the week in that beautiful city and not see it. Around dinnertime, we dragged ourselves out of bed and went out. Every corner of the city seemed to be carefully designed as if they wanted us to take selfies everywhere. It's no wonder why it became the wedding capital of the world.

We tried to eat at this nice restaurant we stumbled upon, but they had a very strict dress code. We didn't feel like being fancy, so we went back home and cooked together for the first time! Well, I cooked. She read the recipe. Either way, I loved doing that with her.

The next morning, the soft pitter patter of rain lured me out of my sleep, and I groaned at the idea of spending yet another day inside. I chuckled at how ironic it was that I originally looked forward to spending three days in this very room with Sophia, but now felt trapped. It's not that I tired of her presence, but simply knowing outside was not an option made me anxious.

The mattress felt more level than it should have, so I rolled over and saw Sophia was gone. That's when the faint buzz of the TV downstairs grabbed my ear. Taking advantage of the alone time, I pulled out my phone to do a little scrolling before joining her. I received a message from Dub asking me to call him because he messed up, so I did. I thought maybe they had a fight or something because he slipped up and said something about Maia and Chi Chi, but the real story was much bigger than that. They had just found out they were expecting! Joy overwhelmed me, and I was just about to offer my congratulations, but the fear and panic in his voice stopped me. He didn't call to spread the good news; he needed help to make sense of that reality. Their relationship was so new, it still had the tags on it. Like Sophia and me, they began dating and moved in together within a matter of days. Even though I knew Sophia was the one, if I had gotten her pregnant back then, I would have panicked too. I felt for Dub, but he didn't have all the complications I had. He'd always been 100% positive about his feelings for Maia even when he didn't realize it. I believe the only reason he hesitated in the beginning was because he so desperately wanted to be with her. A baby might not have been the next item on the agenda, but it was definitely on the list. I drew from that to encourage him.

It amused me at how different our parents were, though. He was concerned about what they would say, especially her dad, who allegedly threatened him with bodily harm. My parents would have rejoiced if I had announced they would be grandparents. My dad might have had concerns, but I wouldn't have been afraid of what he'd say. I'd probably run to his house and ask him what I should do, just like Dub did with me. I did my best to encourage him, letting him know that everything would be alright, and he sounded like he was in a better state by the end of the conversation.

I'd been sitting on the bed in my underwear the whole time and realized I was cold, so I put on the onesie Sophia got me for Winterfest. I smiled when I found her wearing hers. Tartosa's houses were gorgeous, with their spacious, open windows and arches that clearly catered to the warm climate.

Dub's phone call weighed heavy on my mind, and I wondered if Sophia could be pregnant. I stopped using protection at her behest when we got engaged, and we've certainly had plenty of opportunities to make it happen. But how would we know? Do we just randomly decide to take a test one day? Wait until it's obvious? Knowing how anxious Sophia was about starting a family, I put it out of my mind because I knew she'd be on top of it. I had a bigger question in my mind, anyway.

When Dub mentioned fearing Maia's father, I felt oddly weird. That was the first time it really occurred to me I didn't have in-laws. I mean, of course I thought about it all during the wedding, the parties, and even the planning, but I thought of it more in terms of her not having parents to celebrate her. I never considered what their absence meant for me. Every couple had a huge llama in the room, and that was ours. Whenever she talked about them, she kept it brief and vague, and I could sense something missing in every sentence. I didn't want to start any trouble, but I had to find out what happened. It was the perfect day for it. We had no plans and were stuck inside. I hoped she was ready to talk.

Links take you to collab posts on @mysimsloveaffair's blog.

#ISBI challenge #sims 4 story #sims 4 gameplay #adolting #adolting gen 3 #luca winston murillo #sophia aguilar #sim spice #I love the butt pic #it looks like he's helping her in the hot tub #but he's really just catching the rain lol #banks collab

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whenihaveyouromione · 1 month

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When I Have You - Chapter 101

Read on Fanfiction.net or ao3 as well.

---

Chapter 101

Rose’s smile filled Ron with so much joy. It was something he was unable to find the right words for. It was just a feeling that made his heart swell and for him to feel things that he didn’t even know he was capable of feeling.

Over the years, Hermione had already pushed those boundaries, his love for her growing every day. But Rose… Rose had completely broken down and disintegrated all those barriers of what he thought he could feel. She’d completely and utterly changed the definition of love for him from the moment she’d entered this world.

And every day, it was something new. Every day, she’d grow and change. She’d do something they hadn’t seen before, learn a new skill. At three-and-a-half months old, she was already showing that she was desperate to be on the move. She wriggled and rolled so much now it was almost difficult to keep up with her. She’d be in one place one moment, and then the next she’d be at the other end of the room.

“She’s going to start crawling soon,” Hermione had said one afternoon as they watched her attempt to wriggle herself towards a toy. There was a brief moment where it looked as if she was trying to push herself onto her knees.

“No, she’s far too little,” Ron had answered, ignoring what he was seeing with his own eyes.

There was a baby book Hermione kept in the living room, picking it up every so often to refer to one thing or another. She did that then, flipping to a page. “Well, it says here they can start crawling from as young as four months.”

Ron watched his daughter, feeling a mix of pride and worry. He was thrilled to see that she was thriving. She was such a happy baby, she ate well, she was active. Sleep was still an issue, but nothing out of the ordinary, he thought. At the same time, the last three and a half months had been the best of his life, and the fastest. He’d watched his nieces and nephew grow, watched how big they’d gotten. James really did crawl around now at tenth months old and he got into everything. Ron had witnessed with his own eyes how nothing in Harry and Ginny’s house was safe from his curious little hands.

But James hadn’t crawled until a month ago. He’d been perfectly stationary and happy to be so.

Rose could at least give them a few more months.

Now, he watched her on her play mat by the breakfast table as he made himself a coffee. She’d long since grown unsatisfied with the restraints of the bouncer that kept her safe, insisting that they put her on the ground.

She smiled at one of the many toys she’d collected in the two weeks since her dad had started working at the joke shop. It moved around the floor, singing, and she turned on her tummy, following it with her eyes.

Her little face warmed him more than any coffee could and he smiled, watching her.

“You’ll make a great Quidditch player one day, Rosie,” he said.

At the mention of her name (or the sound of his voice, Ron hadn’t quite worked it out), her eyes drifted towards him, grin widening.

“Maybe I can teach you how to play young. That way, when you get to Hogwarts you’ll be a superstar.” He smiled at the thought, though he was disinclined to think too far into the future considering he was already bothered by the fact that the first three and a bit months with her were already over. But he’d be incredibly proud if his little girl was to make the Quidditch team in her first year. No one had done that since Harry.

Rose’s attention drifted back to the toy.

“On second thoughts,” he said, “you’ll probably do much better if your Aunt Ginny was to teach you. You’d probably get free lessons and have much better success.”

The thought of his daughter being a great Quidditch player in the future brought another smile to his lips. She was part Weasley, which meant she’d probably be decent, though she’d unfortunately lucked out in the area of having him for her dad. Aside from Percy, who flat out refused to get on a broom, he was probably the least skilled of all his siblings. Hermione insisted he was good and he just let his lack of confidence get in the way, but Ron knew that wasn’t entirely true.

Part of being a great Quidditch player meant you needed to have a lot of confidence. And he didn’t.

James, Ron thought, would walk his way onto the team when his time came. And with any luck, Rosie would not inherit Ron’s lack of confidence and join her cousin (or play against him if that were to be the case).

But he had many years to go before that happened and Ron hoped that time would just slow down a little so his wish didn’t come into fruition too quickly.

She was perfectly happy to play on the floor of their kitchen for the time being.

His watch said ten minutes to five o’clock, which meant Hermione would be home in about twenty. Over the few weeks that Ron had been with Rose and Hermione had been at the Ministry, she’d made a big effort to get home on time. Ron had joked at the time, telling her that she just didn’t trust him to take care of Rose without her supervision. Though, he knew it was more because she didn’t want to miss any time with Rose.

She was incredible, and Ron made a point of telling her that when he could. She seemed so on top of managing parenthood and working and he admired her for it. She gave Rose so much time and attention when at home, and gave her all to her job between nine and five, five days a week.

How she did it, he’d never know.

Ron’s eyes flicked to Rose again, who was still being entertained by the toy. “I think she’ll be surprised to see us home early today,” he commented to his daughter (who he was well aware could not respond to him).

After working tirelessly for two weeks at the shop, he’d — for the first time — taken advantage of being the boss and left at four-thirty. Oswald was proving to be a reliable employee and Ron trusted him and the other girl — Isla — to set up for the weekend.

It gave himself time to actually sit down, drink a cup of coffee, and it gave Rose some additional time to move.

And then Hermione would come home and they’d need to get ready for dinner with Harry and Ginny. What had once been a common gathering had dropped off significantly since they each had children. These days, it was all about routine and being home in time for bed.

He savoured the coffee, drinking it in small sips and reheating it with his wand whenever it got too cold.

He’d just about finished when he heard Hermione arrive via the Floo. He was hoping to surprise her, but there was no way she would not have heard the loud squeal of delight from Rose as the toy nudged her nose.

“Ron?”

“Nice one, Rosie,” Ron said cheerfully. “Remind me not to take you to any surprise parties. In the kitchen!” he called.

A moment later, Hermione came into the kitchen, her eyes flittering from Ron to Rose on the floor. “You’re home,” she said, sounding surprised.

“Yes,” Ron said brightly. “The benefit of being the boss, right?” He grinned as she came over to kiss him.

Her mouth turned up into a small smile. “Yes, very. How was your day?”

Ron shrugged. “Busy. Never isn’t busy. You’d think people would get sick of buying stuff, but nope. Seamus came in today.”

“Oh, that would have been nice,” Hermione answered. “It must be getting close to the baby being born now.”

“Yeah,” Ron said. “Seamus said only a few more weeks.”

“That’s so exciting.” But Hermione didn’t sound excited. She frowned, and Ron realised her attention wasn’t on him.

“What is it?” Ron asked.

Hermione jumped, looking back at him. “Oh, nothing, I just… it’s funny that you ran into Seamus today, and he’s about to have a baby…”

“Why?” Ron questioned, confused as to where she was going with this. He didn’t think it was funny that Seamus had come into the shop, or that he was about to become a dad.

“Well… did you ever hear that Malfoy had a baby?”

For a moment Ron didn’t speak, but then he said, “What?”

“Last November,” Hermione said. “Before Rose. And he never said anything. I mean… we don’t exactly talk, but he didn’t even mention it or anything. Never asked for time off…”

Ron shrugged. “Did you ask?”

“No. I didn’t even know. Not until today, when he mentioned his son in passing. Said that was why he was late. ‘Sorry, my son was sick.’ And that was it.”

Ron shrugged again. “How’d you know it was last November?”

“Because Maia asked him and he told her. I overheard. It just seems strange, doesn’t it? That he didn’t even bother to mention that his wife had a baby. Or didn’t ask for any time off? Wouldn’t he want to spend time with his child?”

At that, Ron laughed. “It’s Malfoy you’re talking about, Hermione. He’s probably hired someone to look after the kid and goes about his business like it doesn’t exist. Isn’t that what Malfoy’s parents did with him? The saddest part in all this is that our Rosie is going to have to put up with a Malfoy when she goes to Hogwarts. He’ll be in her classes and everything.”

Hermione didn’t speak for a moment, apparently incredibly bothered by the fact that Malfoy didn’t feel the need to tell her about his own child. If Ron was being honest, he didn’t actually blame Malfoy. Why would he? It wasn’t like she had told him anything about Rose.

“Come on,” Ron said, “let’s get ready for this dinner and talk about kids we actually care about.”

Hermione seemed to snap out of whatever she was thinking, smiling again. “You know,” she began, “tonight just might take today’s baby count up to three.”

“What do you mean?” Ron said quickly, worried. He tried to do a quick calculation in his head, but nothing came to him. Hermione couldn’t be pregnant again, could she? It had taken them forever to get Rose. And he loved her with all his heart, but he wasn’t quite ready for another kid. Not now. “Are you —” he said, hesitant.

“What?” Hermione almost laughed. “No!” She laughed again. “No, I was talking about Harry and Ginny.”

“What?”

Hermione shrugged. “Well, last year, Ginny was talking about her return to Quidditch this year. She was incredibly excited about going back. She is meant to be going back in March, and March is only a few weeks away. She hasn’t gone to a single training session. She hasn’t been away… only one thing kept her away from Quidditch last time, and that was James.”

For a moment, Ron stared at her, his mouth slightly open. Then he shook his head, partly impressed at how perceptive Hermione was and how ridiculous her comment sounded. She was right, of course. Ginny hadn’t made mention once this year about going back to playing Quidditch, when last year it was all she talked about. She hadn’t been to any practices and Harry hadn’t said anything about her being away. Ron knew that he would have, if she had, because he would have been left looking after James on his own.

But, she couldn’t be pregnant again.

“James is only ten months old,” he blurted out.

Hermione shrugged. “You and Ginny aren’t that far apart in age,” she reminded him. “It’s possible.”

“Yes, but…”

“Well, I could be wrong,” Hermione said.

“But you don’t think so?” Ron replied. He glanced back down at Rose, imagining her at James’ age. She was already showing signs of wanting to move more and the thought of having another baby so soon almost horrified him. He adored his daughter, but he was happy with just her. At least for the time being. A very long time being, he thought.

Hermione seemed to know what he was thinking, for she said, a smile on her face, “Don’t worry, if that’s the case, I’m not going to get any ideas for us.”

Ron looked back at her. “Thank Merlin.”

Hermione laughed.

“Well, I suppose we should go over then. Let them break the news to us…”

Hermione bent down to pick up Rose. “Hello, sweetheart,” she said, kissing Rose’s cheek. “Did you have a good day today?”

“As always,” Ron replied. “She flashes a smile and the customers just hand over their money.”

“So, you’re using her as a sales pitch, then?”

“No. They just see her and they can’t resist.”

Hermione bit back a smile, which meant she wasn’t too upset by it. “When did you last change her? Maybe we should change her before we go.”

Ron thought back to his day. They’d been quite busy, and he remembered at around three o’clock telling Oswald he just needed to tend to Rose for a moment and if he could watch things. But then that kid had knocked over the Skiving Snackboxes, and then Rose had fallen asleep, and then… and then he’d gone home. And not changed her. The last time had been around midday.

Guilt swept over him in a way that he’d never felt before. “Oh, Merlin, Hermione… not since midday. She’s been…”

Rose flashed him a smile, which he probably didn’t deserve right now. How had he forgotten such basic care for his daughter?

“It’s alright,” Hermione said. “I’ll go and do it now.” She left the room, talking to Rose all the way down the hall, leaving Ron to wonder if she was angry with him for forgetting.

He’d never forgotten before. In fact, he’d slid into his routine with her so easily that it had become habit. At busy times, she was strapped to his chest, during quieter periods she was out the back with the toys where Ron could keep watch of her. Every two hours, he routinely fed and changed her. But that kid… he’d caused Ron to forget. After he’d cleaned up the mess and told the apologetic father not to worry, he’d gone back to feed her, because forgetting to feed a hungry baby wasn’t possible, but he’d then just put her back on the charmed playmat while he went to help another customer.

He shook his head, running his hands over his face. He knew Hermione had her misgivings about Rose being at the shop every day, but until today, it had worked well. Now, this just proved that he couldn’t do it.

When Hermione returned with Rose a few moments later, she found Ron sitting on a chair at the kitchen table. She stopped, looking at him, frowning. “Everything okay?”

Ron shrugged, his previous cheerful mood gone now. “I messed up,” he said.

Her frown deepened. “What do you mean? Did something happen today?”

Ron lifted his head to look at her, slightly surprised by that question. What did she mean by ‘did something happen’? Hadn’t she just heard what he’d said about not changing Rose since midday?

He felt lost for words for a moment, before regathering himself. “I forgot to change her,” he said. “I just… I just forgot.”

Hermione was silent, and if Ron hadn’t been watching her, waiting for her anger to set in, he would have thought that her silence was due to being furious with him. But that was not the emotion on her face at all. She looked more confused than anything.

Before speaking, she came to sit opposite him. “Okay, you forgot,” she said calmly.

Ron was completely taken aback by Hermione’s response. Was this the same Hermione who had fussed over every bottle just two weeks ago, he was talking to, or had someone taken her place? His mouth opened, but no words came out.

Seeming to sense his surprise, Hermione continued, “Ron, if I’ve learnt anything since we’ve become parents, it’s that we need to throw out the notion that we need to be perfect for her at all times. She’s fine, isn’t she?”

Ron looked at Rose, nodding. “So, you forgot to change her once. I’m assuming you got busy today and it slipped your mind.”

“It shouldn’t have,” Ron mumbled.

“And you’ve never forgotten before, have you?”

Ron shook his head. “Some idiot kid destroyed the place, and I had to deal with that.”

“So, it’s fine. Honestly. Did you think I’d be upset?”

The truth was, yes, but he was mostly upset with himself for forgetting to do it. Wasn’t that what he’d promised Hermione when they made this arrangement? That he would be the perfect person to take care of their daughter?

Hermione’s voice cut through his thoughts, seeming to understand what he was thinking. “Don’t beat yourself up,” she said gently. “Things like this are going to happen sometimes. And she’s fine. I promise.”

Ron nodded, not wanting to continue the conversation anymore. “Should we go? Don’t want to be late. And maybe you’re right; maybe they do have news to tell us.”

…

Ron knew immediately, the moment he stepped into Harry and Ginny’s house, that Hermione was definitely right. It was obvious the second he laid eyes on his sister that she was pregnant again. He didn’t know how he knew, because she wasn’t showing all that much, and he wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t been looking, but he now couldn’t help but notice the small bump she carried.

And she was rather cheerful, too. So was Harry. They greeted them brightly, ushering them into their living room as if they hadn’t seen each other in months, not just weeks.

Which was still a long time, Ron reasoned. Longer than what they were used to. It wasn’t until he left the Aurors did Ron realise just how much of his time spent with Harry had been at work. If there was one thing he did miss about that job, it was going in and seeing his best mate every day. The laughs, the talks, and the company.

Now, with a kid each and working separate jobs, they actually had to schedule catch-ups such as these, and that was hard.

And it looked like Harry and Ginny were going to have their hands full even more so than what they currently did.

The living room was larger than Ron and Hermione’s, and more open. But even so, it was crowded and filled with many toys, both magical and Muggle, that Ron could guess James never played with.

Harry, much like Ron, had been determined to ensure that his son didn’t miss out on anything like he had. The only difference was, Ginny had not been there to convince Harry that James didn’t need all that stuff like Hermione had for Ron. She’d agreed with him.

Looking at the space, Ron felt grateful for Hermione. Rose had everything she needed and a little bit more, but she didn’t have everything like James did. But, Ron reasoned, James was probably going to have to share his things in a few months, so that was something.

Upon seeing his visitors, James crawled over to Ron and Hermione, grabbing onto Hermione’s leg and using it as leverage to pull himself up. Hermione bent down to pick him up, allowing the boy to nuzzle into her.

Ron beamed at her, feeling a rush of love for his wife and nephew. Hermione had always been good with James, even before Rose was born, and over the ten months of James’ life, they’d developed quite a bond. James adored Hermione and Ron knew without question that Hermione loved the son of her best friends.

It had Ron thinking back to almost a year ago now, when Harry had showed up at their place under the pretense of returning a pen, just to express his fear that his son was going to be left alone if anything were to happen to him or Ginny. They’d assured him then that that wouldn’t be the case, but Ron knew now with the utmost certainty that if anything was to happen to either of them, he and Hermione would take James in, in a heartbeat. And he’d be loved and cared for as if he was their child. Because that was how they both felt about the kid, his tantrums and all.

While Hermione cooed at James, talking to him and making him giggle, Ron extracted a blanket from Rose’s bag — something they carried everywhere — and with Harry’s help, laid it on the carpet of the living room. Things looked different these days on their dinner dates, where their main priority was making sure their kids were set up before they looked after themselves.

Harry brought over some toys and laid them on the mat, and Ron placed Rose on it. She immediately rolled over onto her tummy, stretching out her hand to reach for one of the toys. Harry and Ginny got to witness first-hand her attempt to briefly get onto her knees before collapsing back onto her tummy.

“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said she was close to crawling,” Ginny said, sounding impressed.

“What are you going to do when she actually moves?” Harry asked.

“Put everything up on the shelves,” Ron answered, grinning. “Isn’t that what you had to do?”

“Yeah, luckily for us we had many more months before we were forced to do that,” Ginny answered.

Hermione put a bubbly James back on the ground and he immediately crawled over to where Rose was playing. He sat on the mat alongside her, picking up a block with some letters on it and shoving it into his mouth.

Rose didn’t pay him any mind, more interested in the small bear she’d managed to grasp in her little hands.

“Friends for life!” Harry said brightly. “Just like we always said they would be.”

They watched the two kids play for a few moments, Ron feeling a sense of calm wash over him. Oh, how he loved this life he’d chosen for himself, where the simple joy of watching his daughter and nephew play beside each other made him feel at peace.

It was Ginny who broke the silence. “Anyone care for a drink?”

They answered in turn, and Ginny — looking rather pleased with herself — hurried from the living room to fetch them.

“So,” Ron said, once they were all settled on the sofas, their chosen drinks in hand. He decided he was going to get straight to the point, even if Harry and Ginny wanted to do it differently, “how’s Quidditch practice going, Gin?”

He felt Hermione’s reprimanding gaze on him, but he ignored her. He knew his sister was pregnant, so they may as well have it out in the open now.

“Haven’t been going!” Ginny answered cheerily. “In fact, I’ll be missing another season all together.”

“Oh, and why might that be?” Ron asked, not at all trying to disguise his mock surprise. Hermione whacked his arm gently, but he again ignored her, instead focusing on his sister.

Ginny’s eyes narrowed. “I saw you staring at me when you got here, you know. So you obviously know. How’d you find out?”

“I’m married to someone who notices everything,” Ron said in response, and all eyes flickered to Hermione. She gave Ron an unimpressed look.

“Hermione noticed you weren’t talking about Quidditch anymore,” Ron answered on behalf of his wife when she didn’t say anything. “And concluded that only one thing kept you away from Quidditch last time, so that same thing would be keeping you away this time.” He paused, looking his sister over. “You don’t sound too upset about it, though. Last time you were murderous at not being able to play.”

Ginny shrugged. “Not much I can do about it. It’s happened, we didn’t plan for it, so I just have to deal.”

Ron winced at the admission. “Huh, so another surprise.” He tried his best to control the bitterness that was threatening to escape, though he wasn’t sure he was successful. He didn’t want to be upset with either of them for seeming to be able to have a baby so easily, especially because he had Rose now and having another baby wasn’t on his mind, but he supposed some residue of his and Hermione’s struggles still lingered at the back of his mind.

“Yes, and that bothers you, doesn’t it?” Ginny asked spitefully. She opened her mouth to continue, but to Ron’s utter surprise, it was Hermione who interrupted.

“You remember how hard it was for us, don’t you?” She didn’t say it in a mean way, but Ron was grateful. He saw Ginny close her mouth and go a little red — something that Ginny never did.

“I’m sorry,” she said after a moment. “I did forget for a moment.”

“But, Ron is being rude, too,” Hermione continued, and Ron’s gratefulness vanished. “We’re happy for you both. Aren’t we, Ron?” She nudged him in the ribs.

“Of course we are!” Ron replied, meaning it. “Of course I’m happy. When’s it due?”

“Well…” Harry began, “somewhere towards the end of August or early September. The official date is the twenty-ninth of August, so if that is what happens, Rosie will have a friend at Hogwarts. But who knows.”

“James was early, so this one probably will be, too,” Hermione said matter-of-factly. "Oh, it'll be so good for Rose to have a friend when the time comes!"

"Yeah," Ron added, "otherwise she might be forced to make friends with Malfoy's kid."

"What?" Harry and Ginny said together, looking at Ron with wide eyes.

"When did that happen?" Harry then added.

Ron shrugged, looking at Hermione. "Last November, apparently. Hermione only found out today. He never even asked for a day off or anything."

"Do you think he's hired someone to raise his child?" Ginny asked.

"Most likely," Ron replied with a nod. "That's what I think, too."

"I can't believe it wasn't even in the papers or anything," Harry said.

Ron shrugged. "Probably didn't want to draw attention to himself. The papers haven't been kind to the Malfoys in recent years."

"That's so strange," Harry murmured thoughtfully.

"You said it," Ron replied.

A cry distracted them, and Harry immediately jumped up, pulling a much larger James from Rose. He'd decided that lying across her was the answer to taking the toy she was playing with from her.

Hermione moved to check on Rose, but the cry had been from James, not from his cousin whom he was crushing.

Once it was established that Rose was okay, and Harry gave James a different toy to distract him, Ginny beamed.

"They even fight like best friends. Siblings, even."

"And just think," Ron said, "soon James will have a real sibling to bully. Is he getting a little brother or sister."

"Brother," Harry and Ginny answered in unison, both of them smiling.

Ron looked at Hermione, who was also smiling. It made Ron's own mouth curl up, too.

"Well," he said, "let's hope this one learns to stand up for himself. Because he's certainly going to need it."

Both Harry and Hermione jumped up again, just as James tried to take Rose's toy from her for the second time.

“He’ll be older by then,” Harry said, sounding hopeful.

“And more prone to jealousy,” Ron added helpfully.

Harry picked James up and carried him to a completely different part of the room. He set James on the floor and put some toys around him. “Well,” he said, shoving a toy into James’ hand. The boy took it and put it in his mouth. “Let’s hope that it’s different when his little brother is here.”

#romione #hermione and ron #ron and hermione #ron weasley #ron and hermione fanfiction #hermione granger #harry potter fanfiction #hermione and ron fanfiction #romione fanfiction #harry potter

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maria-de-salinas · 7 months

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Day 10 of @remadoramicrofics - Keyhole

Remus has never been this scared in his life. Not in his time with Greyback, or that night at the Ministry, or his first full moon, when he was five years old. Well, maybe then, but he'd blocked it from his mind, so he wouldn't know.

The moon is rising, its crescent arcing over the thatched roof. The birds have gone silent, the air whispering, withholding its judgment, but he doesn't need it. He bloody well knows its cowardice, walking in on her when she's asleep and can't see him coming. Knows too, that the only thing more cowardly than opening that door, is turning around and leaving again. And so he pulls the key from the inside pocket of his robes, aims it towards the keyhole, and drops it, his hands to stiff to line it up properly.

He tries again, gets it in the slot, half expecting she's changed the locks. She hasn't, but it feels just as wrong, walking in on her like this. Heart beating so hard there's a stitch in his side, he puts the key in his pocket, clenches his hand in a fist, only its so stiff he can barely do it, like when you first wake up.

His hand hits the door, but there's no force in it and no sound. He knifes a hand through his hair, tugs the strands in punishment. Maybe if he's bruised, bleeding, she'd…good lord, what's wrong with him? He clenches his fist and knocks, three times, loudly. Tonks was a light sleeper, she'd hear it.

He doesn't see the curtain rustling upstairs, but he senses it in his periphery, and when he looks up they're fluttering slightly. He thinks, this is it. She'd open the door for him, or she wouldn't.

He remembers her arms, the way she squeezes him from behind when he's cooking. The scent of her skin when he curls against her chest. He's not aware of much when he's sleeping off a transformation, but he knows she comes to him and strokes his back.

He can count on one hand the number of times he's told her he loves her. He'll tell her over and over and over again, when she opens that door. If she'll open that door. Please open the door.

Five minutes pass, maybe ten.

It's the longest wait of his life.

The vibration is faint, from somewhere in the depths of the house; he pictures her coming down the stairs in her Holyhead Harpies t-shirt and frayed pyjama bottoms, her feet bare. She didn't wear slippers, or even shoes unless she had to. Liked to feel the different textures on her skin.

The lock clicks, and he doesn't know how he stays standing; he can't feel his own pulse.

He knows before she says anything, that she's in a burning, blinding rage; her hair goes from red to white to incandescent yellow, and she is fire, she is air, she is the earth itself, and he wants to lean in and let her burn him alive.

"You--"

She raises one arm as though to strike him, or pull him closer. Whatever he is she can't say it, she can only stand in the half-open door and grab at the air, her teeth clenched together. He can see the veins in her neck.

"You fucking…" She takes a long jagged breath, rubs a fist against her eyes; when she glares at him, her irises purple, they're mostly dry. "You fucking leave for four weeks and don't say anything, barely even a patronus…"

He wants to hang his head, but doesn't. Knows that this time, he needs to face her, to see what he's done. The hurt he's caused her.

"Dora," he says, not taking his eyes away from hers. "I did something so incredibly…I was so, so stupid and so--"

"You're so fucking selfish, Remus." She's shouting now, disturbing an owl who's perched itself on a rowan branch. "You've never gave a shit about my feelings."

This isn't true at all, but he knows better than to point it out. "I know," he says, still looking at her. Her eyes change from purple to glacier blue. "I know and I am so sorry."

She doesn't say anything and he presses on, steps closer, so that he's inches from the threshold. He wants to touch her, take some of her anguish and put it in himself, but he doesn't.

"Leaving you was the biggest mistake I ever made," he says, and he isn't faking it when his voice breaks. "And I won't blame you if don't let me in. I just wanted you to know that I love you. I love you more than anything, and I love whoever this is…" He gestures to her belly; it hasn't changed yet, but he knows it will. "I'll be there for both of you, I swear."

Dora is unmoved, and can he blame her? It all sounds so trite...

"You're far wiser than I ever was. Even if you do eat crisps in bed."

Far from softening, her glare is still somewhere north of the Arctic circle.

"I suppose the child will think its funny," he says. "His dad being a wolf and everything..."

Her face is cold fire, hair as white as lightning, arms crossed over her chest, but her eyes flicker towards the door. The wind rustles the trees, the moon comes out from behind a fast-moving cloud and its faint light shows her face, the way the lines of fury slacken. Dora blows air through her lips and pushes the door open wider. Her hair has gone from ice white to the soft orange-red of embers.

He knows he'll be sleeping on the sofa tonight. Knows she'll snap at him for leaving his dishes on the table and his socks on the floor. Knows it'll take something more than apologies and fresh wildflowers to make it up to her. But as he follows her across the threshold, all he can think is that he's home.

#hp fanfiction #remadora #remadora microfics

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wishfulwithwine · 2 years

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Ghost Rider - Five

Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x pilot female reader

Summary:

You lived up to your callsign, Ghost. You hid and then scared the crap out of people in the sky. As an incredibly decorated officer for your age, you were called back to Top Gun for a dangerous mission. Despite your best intentions, the people on this mission - specifically one - would do their best to get you out of hiding, getting you out of your comfort zone of the shadows and into a lively world.

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS 18+. INVOLVES EXPLICIT/NSFW CONTENT. PLEASE DO NOT READ IF MINOR.

Series Masterlist

Picture from Pinterest

When you woke up the next morning to your phone alarm going off - it didn’t feel like normal.

You were warm, unbelievably warm, and there was a weight on you. It smelled musky - but not like damp musk, like sexy and spicy like Rooster’s cologne.

Like Rooster’s cologne.

Shit.

“Why is your alarm set so early?” Rooster groaned, in the sexiest gravely tone you could’ve thought of. You were frozen in his arms.

Shit. You need to get out of here.

“I-I run in the mornings. I need to go home” You said, a bit frantic, trying to get out of Rooster’s massive arms. He had your back pulled tightly into his chest, his arms like weights on your hips. You tried to wiggle out of his arms, but then felt his cock hard against your butt, grinding with your movements, causing you to instantly stop and think of a new strategy to escape.

In your head, you were trying not to panic. Despite the obvious fact that you were freaking out over the fact you had actually slept with Rooster, your whole morning routine was going to be off, and then you’d be off mentally all day, especially when you were going to desperately need the morning routine today to get your thoughts sorted out. Today was definitely not the day to skip your routine.

“You’re too comfortable” Rooster murmured in your ear, his breath hot on your neck, causing you to feel the heat rise in your body.

“I got to go, Rooster” You said.

“No sweetheart, I can be your cardio” He said, bringing his hands to your hips and holding them tightly, bringing your ass flush with his pelvis, as you could feel his large cock pressing against your ass. He nibbled on your ear, causing a burning heat in your core

This needs to be extinguished now. You need to get home, do your yoga and run, and be in a good headspace for today. Get the fuck out of there.

“Bradshaw, I’ll see you later. I need to go” You said, firmly. Reluctantly he sighed, before letting you leave his arms. All but running out the door, you got into yesterday’s clothes, called an uber and went as quickly back to your room.

Luckily, it was still very early, even for the military, so you were able to return to your room and get started on your morning routine without anyone noticing.

Drink coffee. Do 15 minutes of yoga. Go for a run.

You weren’t horribly off schedule, but you’d have to do a bit of a shorter run than normal. Despite not having terrible nightmares for the first time in years last night, you still needed to work out your muscles from last night’s exercise, which also needed the run to sort out your thoughts.

How did you let your walls fall down and sleep with him? How could you do that?

You need to be better with your emotions. You can’t actually be with him.

His cock filled you up so well though… his hands on your waist, his hot breath on your neck…

No, Y/N. You are Ghost.

Remember how badly you felt years ago? Yea. Nope, not doing that ever again.

Rooster waited in class anxiously waiting for you to arrive. This morning was not how Rooster expected - he had plans to buy you breakfast and maybe if he was lucky, some lazy morning sex. Instead, you all but bolted out of his place before he could even offer to drive you home.

God Y/N is perfect. Her tight pussy, her flushed face and breathy moans…

Rooster reminded himself where he was quickly, holding himself together to not pop a boner in the middle of class. Most of the class was already there, so he sat idly listening to Phoenix and Bob’s conversation, although he wasn’t quite paying attention to them.

“Damn Rooster, are you hungover?” Phoenix asked, as she caught him not paying attention and gazing around, looking to see when you were coming. He snapped back to her, and shook his head.

“No, just tired” He lied, shrugging. Phoenix raised an eyebrow at him, before looking to Bob who was suspicious as well.

You showed up, however, and although you two locked eyes for a quick second, before you looked away with an emotionless face, sitting down in an empty seat next to Coyote. Rooster was surprised, watching you talk with Coyote.

Phoenix caught his glance, and smirked slightly.

Something definitely happened.

Before she could say anything, class started with Warlock standing in front of the class instead of Maverick, which didn’t mean good news. Cyclone and Honda sat in the back, watching.

“The uranium enrichment plant that is your target will be operational earlier than expected. Raw uranium will be delivered to the plant in ten days time. As a result, your mission has been moved up one week in order to avoid contaminating the target valley with radiation” Warlock stated, and your classmates looked around, except you. You kept your gaze on Warlock, because you knew, this was just how things went.

“Sir, besides Ghost, Bob and Phoenix, no one here has successfully flown a low-level course” Coyote stated.

“Nevertheless, you’ve been ordered to move on” Warlock stated, nodding to make sure everyone understood there was no questions. Then, Maverick switched places with Warlock.

“We have one week left to focus on phase two. It’s the most difficult phase of the mission. It’s a pop-up strike with a steep dive, requiring nothing less than two consecutive miracles. Two pairs of F-18s will fly in a welded wing formation. Teamwork. Precise coordination of these aircraft is essential to both the mission’s success and your survival. As you know, the plant rests between two mountains. ON final approach, you’ll invert directly into a steep dive. This allows you to maintain the lowest possible altitude and the only possible attack angle. Your target is an impact point less than three meters wide. The two-seat aircraft will paint the target with a laser bull’s-eye. The first pair will breach the reactor by dropping a laser-guided bomb on an exposed ventilation hatch. This will create an opening for the second pair. That’s miracle number one” Maverick stated, and you could feel your gut twisting slightly.

“The second team will deliver the kill shot and destroy the target. That’s miracle number two. If either team misses the target, the mission is a failure. Egress is a steep high-G climb out to avoid hitting this mountain” Maverick said.

“A steep climb at that speed, you’re pulling at least eight G’s” Hangman stated.

“Nine minimum” Maverick stated, and you could hear a few people gulp.

“The stress limit of the F-18’s airframe is 7.5” Rooster stated.

“That’s the accepted limit. To survive this mission, you’ll pull beyond that, even if it means bending your airframe” Maverick said, and you looked back to Cyclone who was glancing away like he was regretful of this mission. Catching your eye, you could see the regret worsen. You took a deep breath, understanding his unspoken words, and looked back at Maverick.

“You’ll be pulling so hard you’ll weight close to 2,000 pounds. Your skull crushing your spine, your lungs imploding like an elephant’s sitting on your chest, fighting with everything you have just to keep from blacking out. And this is where you’ll be at your most vulnerable. This is Coffin Corner. Assuming you avoid crashing into this mountain, you’ll climb straight up into enemy radar while losing all of your airspeed. Within seconds, you’ll be fired upon by enemy SAM’s. You’ve all faced sustained G’s before, but this - this is going to take you and your aircraft to the breaking point” Maverick said.

“Sir, is this even achievable?’ Phoenix asked, asking the question on the tip of everyone’s tongue.

“The answer to that question will come down to the pilot in the box” Maverick stated, looking at Rooster with sad eyes.

You slowly got your things together, while everyone else immediately got up to go practice flying the drill. Waiting a few moments for everyone to file out, you looked over to Cyclone, hoping to catch his eyes.

“Red Sea again?” You asked him, in a flat neutral tone when Cyclone walked over to you. He looked at you with regret in his eyes and nodded, looking down at the floor for a moment.

“I’m sorry” He said, in a genuine tone.

“I signed up for this. We all know that there is risk” You nodded back, when his eyes met yours again, a bit more stiffly, and followed the rest of your fellow pilots.

Rooster had waited for you, but saw your expressions as you talked with Cyclone. For the first time, Rooster saw Cyclone’s face regretful, and he took a breath, looking away, catching eyes with Maverick. Rooster guessed Maverick also saw the exchange between the two of them, and was a bit curious.

When you got into your plane, you took out an old photo, one that reminded you of your past and what you would need to do to execute this mission. Cracking your neck again, you waited for your turn to fly.

You were paired with Fanboy and Payback.

“How’s the target looking?” You asked, flying and getting prepared to bomb away. Nobody yet had bombed the target successfully.

“The lock isn’t working” Fanboy said, exasperated.

“Ok then, I’ll just drop blind” You said, flatly, in a tone that told the boys you weren’t upset, the planes don’t always work when we want them to. You did your best with the math in your head and aim for the target, dropping the bomb, and then getting your plane ready for the steep climb.

“Bullseye! Almost perfect center - damn Ghost!” Payback cheered, before they started the climb behind you.

The pain and weight of the increasing amount of G’s was high.

“Shit, I see Maverick coming for us” Fanboy said, and you just took a deep breath, struggling to just keep remaining uphill.

“Just focus on getting past the mountain, and then we’ll dogfight, alright? We got the bomb done, now let’s get home” You said, and the boys could hear you heave with your breath. Your eyes were fading, as you remembered from past experiences, you took a quick look to the photo on your plane, before pushing to remain awake.

“Fuck” Payback said, as you just made it to the top.

“Follow me, boys, Maverick’s close and we can’t let him get us now” You stated, flying off the straight root to get away from Maverick. The boys didn’t keep up, unfortunately, too dazed from the high G’s and got taken out by Maverick.

When you landed, you took the photo out of the plane, staring at it for a moment before putting it back into your pocket.

Phoenix, Bob and Coyote were next, and between Coyote’s G-Loc and the birdstrike, you were ready to be done with today, thankful when Maverick released you all early. You didn’t feel like being with anyone, so you took yourself to the beach after a quick pitstop at your room.

It was a place that always calmed and grounded you, allowing you to feel secure. Today, however, was not that day. Everyone’s failed bombing attempts and ability to escape Coffin’s Corner, The G’s, and enemy attacks, left your stomach feeling in knots.

“Hey” You heard in the distance, but not paying attention. You were close enough to where Hard Deck was so you figured it was just some drunk patron.

“Hey Ghost!”

Shit. There’s going to be no way to get out of this. You’re on an empty beach and he could easily catch up to you if you ran.

You turned to see Bradley, who was walking quickly over to you. He didn’t seem happy, surprisingly, but it didn’t matter. You had wanted to be alone, so you hoped he got the message when you turned your head to gaze at the ocean, without replying to him.

Standing next to you, he stared at the ocean as well, making small glances at you. You crossed your arms in front of you, hoping the silent gesture would deter him from staying any longer next to you.

“You did good up there. Only one to hit the target” Rooster said, breaking the silence. You still didn’t reply, staring out at the waves.

“It’s been a shitty day, but can we talk? About last night? You ran out this morning before we could discuss anything” Rooster said, looking at you directly. You sighed, turning your head to look at him. He looked emotional, before you decided you’d rather stare at the open sea.

“There’s nothing to discuss” You replied, a bit coldly.

“Nothing to discuss? Do you regret last night?” He asked, shocked. You looked down at your hands, unable to look at him or else you knew your self resolve would crumble under those beautiful brown eyes of his.

“We can’t be anything. We have a mission, and that’s it. We’re coworkers. That’s the most we’re ever going to be. Last night shouldn’t have happened” You stated.

“Yes we can. It’s frowned upon, but it happens all the time. Y/N, look at me” He said, but you ignored him.

“It shouldn’t have happened” You said, stubbornly not looking at him.

“Y/N please look at me” He pleaded softly, and the tone of sadness made you look at him. You instantly regretted it, however, as you saw almost tears in his eyes.

“Today was a tough day, and this is a tough mission, but that shouldn’t scare you from us being together. I really like you, Y/N. Hell, having you in my arms, I realized I could maybe love you, if you gave us a chance. You - God - you’re fucking perfect, from the way you fly to putting Hangman in his place. You’re beautiful and smart and just absolutely perfect” He said, the vein in his neck becoming a bit visible with some red creeping up his neck. You shook your head, making sure you didn’t cry. It had been an emotional and long day, you could give your feelings a break.

“It’s not just because this mission is dangerous, and I don’t need to explain to you why. We’re not going to be together. Ever. So just drop it and leave me alone” You said, facing the water again. You heard him sigh, and watched out of the corner of your eye him making a fist.

“I’m Bradley Bradshaw. You know what everyone teases me about? Not making the moves. Not taking risks. Hangman says I won’t leave the stoop. But you know what? Here I am making a risk for you. For us. Because I believe us is worth every risk” Bradley all but shouted at you. The veins in his neck were popping out and his face was red with emotion.

“No. Nothing is worth that risk” You stated, shaking your head as you tried to not let the tears fall out. The memories of before flooding your heart.

The pain - the overwhelming, drowning pain of loosing the one you love - that no one had told you would be that difficult to overcome.

“I’m telling you, as someone who watched his mother lose the love of her life and become a young single mother, it is better to love than not at all. It was hard for her, really tough, but my mother never regretted it. Not a second did she regret loving my father” Bradley said, tears in his eyes now, as he stared at you, angry and in disbelief that you could think this way.

“I can’t, Rooster. I can’t risk it. I’m sorry” You stated, trying your best not to raise your voice but your actions began mimicking his.

The inability to get up in the morning and realize nothing would be the same ever again. The floods of tears, the shortness of breath, the ache in your throat from the screaming and crying you couldn’t stop.

“Tell me why. Tell me why you want to risk all that we could be? Tell me why you can’t” He shouted.

“I won’t do it again”

You shouted back, before you froze, clasping a hand over your mouth.

Bradley stared at you in shock, his eyes wide, and it took a second before you turned away from him. Wiping the tears from your eyes, you took a big sigh, removing your hand from your mouth and placing it on your chest to calm your heart rate.

“What do you mean again?” He asked, in a low soft tone. You could feel his body moving closer to yours, and you shook your head.

“I think you should leave, Bradshaw” You stated shakily, turning around to look at him once you felt your heart rate return to normal.

“I’m not going to push you to discuss what happened right now, but I’m not giving up on us either” Bradley said, taking you into your arms and hugging you flush against his chest, trapping you essentially. You took a few breaths, relishing in the comfort of his arms and surrounded by his woodsy cologne.

Should you tell him? Should you tell him why you just couldn’t go into another relationship, especially with someone who has such a dangerous profession?

It took a few moments, but you stepped back and out of his embrace.

“I… Goodnight Bradshaw” You said, watching his face look like one of a kicked puppy, as you used his last name again. He nodded.

“Goodnight Y/N” Rooster said, turning around and walking back to the parking lot.

You sighed, bringing you arms around yourself as you walked closer to the water. Sitting on the ground, you brought yourself close enough to the water where the water just barely touched your toes. Tears streamed down your face, memories flashing before your eyes as your mind pulled you back to the past.

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#bradley bradshaw #rooster bradshaw #bradley bradshaw x reader #bradley rooster bradshaw #rooster bradshaw fic #rooster #top gun rooster #top gun #top gun maverick #top gun fanfiction

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ventingfanfics · 1 year

Text

Best Girlfriend

Shuri just arrived at your place, but her coming directly to you is being delayed. Your family is talking her head off downstairs, not that she seems to mind. She graciously interacts with them. The only thing better than coming here to see you is your family welcoming it. A part of you considers half-jokingly saying: Hey, can I have my girlfriend back?

You choose not to, however, and stay laid up on your bed idly watching a Christmas movie on BET+.

When Shuri finally makes it to you, both your faces gleam. You get up to greet her and she gives you the biggest hug, wrapping you up in her love. The kiss you share is even longer than the embrace. For a moment, you believe that all is right with your world. While having someone in your life like Shuri is incredible in of itself, it doesn’t make your life perfect. But it sure as hell makes it better.

“I think you missed me,” she says with a full smile before following you to your bed. She’s so busy watching you that by the time she asks you about the movie you’re watching, you can’t help but chortle. You press one of those buttons on the remote to get more information on the film and she nods, humming inquisitively. It has some of her attention but she’s more interested in you. “So how are you, baby?”

“Happy you’re here,” you said, sending her a sweet smile.

“I know, baby, me too. How was your day?”

You shrug, not even smiling a little bit, the memories of today making your chest woozy. Realizing Shuri can practically see through you, you attempt to relax your visage and laugh at something in the movie.

You feel a gentle caress on your belly and this carries on as you two watch the movie. Then, you shake your head in realization. “I didn’t even ask about your day…”

Shuri chuckles. “I told you, remember? Over text.”

You then remember her mentioning that work was work and that she couldn’t wait to see you, and how she would be seeing her nephew again soon. “Yeahhh, that’s right. My bad, I remember now. Sorry, babe.”

“No worries, baby,” she cooed and kissed your forehead. “Can you come closer though? You’re too far.” She laughs some and without waiting for an answer, she slides you in between her legs, with your back on her front. A sensation trickles through your scalp as she massages your natural curly hair.

“I’m getting it braided,” you mention.

“Ooh, I know it’s gonna be so pretty. Like always.” Shuri’s always complimenting your hair. She’s a fan of every hairstyle you rock.

“You need to start learning how to braid.” You give her a look.

“I will. You won’t even have to get it done from someone else.” She’s about to ask when you’re planning to get your braids when she notices you part your lips. She lets the words die on her tongue and listens to you.

“Babe, I didn’t have the best day today,” you admit. You like making eye contact with her, however, it’s easier to say this while not. “It’s okay,” you chuckle and glance up at her when you notice she goes still. She’d even stopped playing in your hair. Simpering, she slowly resumes her ministrations. “Maybe you need to move in.” Of course that’s a joke, but there’s a reason you say it. “What you experienced downstairs when you came? It hasn’t felt like that here in…all year, basically.”

You add that sometimes you feel concerned about your parents and that you think they should seek counseling, especially one of your parents in particular.

“Is this why you have’t been sleeping?”

“Huh?” She’s slow to speak. “Damn, is it that obvious?”

“Well, Y/N, I know we often stay up all night talking, but even on days we don’t, you’re not getting a proper night’s rest…and you’re not eating that much…”

You sat up. “Who told you that?”

“Your family, baby.”

Your eyebrows shot up. “Oh, really? Did they also tell you that they need help?”

Shuri sighs a bit, looking off to the side. “No. Look, Y/N, baby, this was my first time hearing any of this.” Now she’s eyeing you earnestly. “Is the drama taking a toll on you?” She grasps your jaw when you attempt to avoid eye contact.

“I guess it is. But like you said, we also stay up late too.”

“Maybe we’ll have to change that.”

“It’s how we keep this long distance alive,” you said, looking at her like she’s crazy.

“Yes, love, but I thought you were getting rest on the other days.” She rubs your knee and gives it a small squeeze. “Family drama can be tough. I think you should talk to them. They can already see something is wrong. Tell them where you stand. Give them an ultimatum.”

“It’s funny you say that because I am planning to move soon.”

“With me?”

You’ve discussed your plans to get your own place, and Shuri has offered on multiple occasions for you to live in Wakanda with her.

“There’s no one else I’d rather live with,” you tell her.

“Rather?” She repeats and you laugh.

“You know I would love to live with you, but just let me get settled first.”

She nods. “No rush, mamas. Did I say that right?”

You giggle and confirm that she did. “I’m proud of you!”

After a beat, she kisses your cheek gently. “I promise that things will look up. I’ll be right here to help you through it all. We have to start taking better care of ourselves.” You hug her waist and feel comforted by her chin atop your head. “Can I make a request?” You nod in the crook of her neck and she smiles lazily. “Use your words, mamas.”

“Yes, baby. How can I help you?” Amusement fills your air.

“I care about every little detail about you, so what would make you think I wouldn’t care about your pain?” Her eyes are already locked on you when you look up. You just look back at her, feeling somewhat like a child. “I ask, please, that you let me in. I can’t force you, but you can come to me, Y/N. Even if I’m at the lab.” She rolls her eyes, laughing when you say “Whoa” about the latter. “Please, promise me, princess.”

You look right at her. “I promise. But you have to promise me as well. I care just as much about you and want to have your back always.”

Her gaze is full of affection and conviction. “I’m so lucky to have someone as beautiful as you, who truly cares about me—the person.”

You smile and bring her into a tender kiss that she gladly indulges. Because you’re having a moment, she keeps it chaste. When your lips take a break from each other, you tell her she’s the best girlfriend.

“I’m glad you know this about yourself, Y/N.”

You spend the next minute or so outdoing each other with the compliments, neither of you refusing to back down. You pout when you notice her trying to leave. Her laugh is melodic and she’s quick to press a kiss to your neck. “I’m not going far, my love.” You watch with a furled brow and then chuckle when she retrieves your hair container. She sets it down and smoothly arches a brow of her own, holding up one of the small tooth combs, silently asking for your permission.

“I want to test out my braiding skills,” Shuri says earning a grin.

To her delight you say, “Let’s see what you got. But please, be gentle.”

“Always,” she reminds you. “Can I choose the next movie?”

#shuri x reader #shuri x you #shuri x y/n #shuri x f!reader #shuri fluff #shuri black panther #shuri fanfiction #princess shuri #queen shuri #mcu shuri

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what-is-love-babey-dont-hurt-me · 6 months

Note

if you don't mind me asking, what did you mean when you said "star warriors have a supernatural influence hinted"? i've watched the show twice (granted, i skipped a few eps both times) and i've never quite caught anything like that. maybe i'm misunderstanding, but the other stuff you mentioned is (much to my pleasure!) very popular theory/fanon and it really piqued my interest when you mentioned something i didn't quite recognize.

okay so I took so long to answer this because i really didnt feel like rewatching any of the anime. So the compromise is just me going over a few episodes of note, rather than combing through the whole anime. There is a few things that i definitely have not talked about in this post.

And for reference, I'm mainly using the new Operation HNK sub, not the old sub, nor the dub version, as my main point of reference--bar one notable exception!

So! Star Warriors are strongly hinted to be something with supernatural influence rather than warriors with a simple title.

What exactly do I mean by "something with supernatural influence"? There aren't any better words to really describe it with, as the anime itself is incredibly vague. The general idea is that Star Warrior is something inherent to a person, and that there are some things in the anime about them that can't exactly be explained without calling them "supernatural" to an extent.

The explanation that I see for what exactly a Star Warrior is outside of it being a supernatural thing, is that it is some sort of military rank (usually for the GSA) that is earned. With the possibility of Star Warrior being a earned rank in mind, I will occasionally compare some things against it.

I'm beginning with Ep. 1, with a simple observation.

There are several things that cement the fact that Kirby is a star warrior well before his time reaching Popstar. So, it was not Meta Knight who have him the title.

By a glance, both Meta Knight and the NME Salesman were able to recognize that Kirby was a "genuine star warrior", although Kirby has no symbolism or memorabilia with him that would suggest an affiliation with the army.

Additionally, this is just personal, but I genuinely find it difficult to believe that Kirby would have been granted some sort of military rank. If Star Warrior IS a rank, then it would be a high one because NME is so interested in targeting them specifically (to be covered). ESPECIALLY because he wasn't even supposed to be awake for another 200 years, Kirby can barely speak or focus yet, and because he knew no sword technique until Meta Knight taught him in Ep. 3.

Kabu also refers to Kirby as a warrior that exceeds spacetime, though that could possibly be chalked up to the stasis he was in.

Additionally, On two separate occasions when Meta Knight is looking at Kirby (once in the first ep and another in the 3rd) there seems to be some weird… Connection? Sense? Out of body experience? I'm hesitant to call this any definite proof however because the scene is vague and this has literally ZERO explanation. It could be a supernatural connection between star warriors, or simply Meta Knight Being Weird And Explaining Nothing.

In the racing episodes, there are two notable things

Again, this is no definite proof, but it is INTERESTING with the implications. If Star Warrior's have their own cradles, this heavily suggests that being a Star Warrior is something a person is born with, rather than something that happens later in life. And again, i find it genuinely hard to believe that the GSA would rank infants with that high of a title.

ALSO there is one episode where Meta Knight says that he has been waiting for a "new generation of Star Warriors" or something like that but i do NOT want to find that so. source: trust me bro.

In the second half of this special, there is a scene where Meta Knight has Kirby's brakes cut, Kirby's ship is out of control, and he sleeps. His ship is crashing and he is ASLEEP. However. Before he crashes, he wakes up and uh. Just knows how to pilot his spaceship. Literally, just knows how to do it like an instinct.

Kirby seems just as confused as Tokori about how he got the skip to fly, although Meta Knight seems like he knew this would happen. This is a Star Warrior thing, according to him.

And this isn't any copy ability, either. He just woke up knowing how to fly his spaceship. Furthermore, it seems like Star Warriors mastering control of spaceships is something notable enough that 1. NME is not surprised it happened, like it just happens every Tuesday and 2.Important enough for the Salesman to report to Nightmare.

Also, there is the matter of Kabu. Kabu is a multi-planetary being who is undeniably supernatural, being omnipresent to some degree and being able to fix Warp Stars and give people visions, etc... And Kabu is allied with Star Warrior's specifically, and acts like a hospital to them, as well as a protector, but for nobody else.

Do you get what I mean when I say it is heavily implied now?

And uh. there was one thing that I purposefully left out until now.

In the new version of the sub, Kabu says that there were multiple demon beasts who rebelled against Nightmare, and it is assumed that these rebels are Star Warriors.

I am hesitant to use this as the gatcha card, so I checked out the old sub AND the dub to see what is changed in this scene.

DUB: Said only one creation rebelled and it may or may not be Kirby, though kinda dodgy.

OLD SUB: Said only one creation rebelled and its strongly implied to be Meta Knight rather than Kirby

I have a transcript for all three versions of this specific scene, so you can read and decide for yourself.

THE IDEA OF ALL THE STAR WARRIORS BEING MONSTERS IS SO FUN BUT IT IS INCONSISTENT SO DO WITH IT WHAT YOU WILL. There is one thing I want to bring up though in relation to this.

Dakonyo talks like there are demon beasts who looked like Kirby specifically. And there is at least five other orbs in the anime who COULD have once been demon beasts. So. do with this what you will.

Overall, there's just too many instances for me to brush off and i think everything kinda adds up to make the explanation of "star warrior is a ranked title" seem unplausible.

TLDR: HEAVILY IMPLIED Star Warriors are kinda supernatural.

Also fun fact that I found out while searching for screenshots! Garlude (at least in the new sub) is never referred to as a Star Warrior, but rather a Galaxy Soldier!

#sent to snappy #kirby #hoshi no kirby #kirby right back at ya #star warriors #meta knight #NEVER HAVE ME WRITE A POST ABOUT THIS EVER AGAIN THIS TURNED OUT WAY TOO LONF #AND THAT WAS ONLY LIKE SIX OF THE EPISODES #but yeah. its vague but thats why i say heavily implied lmao

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occasionallyprosie · 3 months

Text

Devotion - Chapter 6: "In A Minute"

Dev reunites with one person from his past, and watches another from afar.

Meanwhile, instead of getting therapy himself, he gives it to his new kids AKA Captain Link, Mask, and Tune.

Read on AO3

First Chapter, Tumblr

"I know you," Ravio said near instantly.

Dev shakily inhaled—a useless habit—and nodded.

Ravio walked over, noticing Tune curled up and asleep with his head in Dev's lap, then his gaze raised back to Dev's face.

It visibly clicked. "Link," Ravio breathed. "Mr. Hero?"

"Ravio." Dev reached toward him and Ravio moved closer. Ravio took his hands but steered them, both Dev's and Ravio's both, to hold Dev's face.

"Look at you," Ravio whispered, studying his face. "You look like I did when we first met. Wrong eye color though, and not pale enough... Why so different?"

Dev blinked and his form quickly changed.

Lately, he had been using a form that better reflected his sword form, or rather a sort of mix between the Golden Sword and the Tempered Sword. He had violet hair that barely reached his shoulders but tied it up in a green ribbon, another green strand wrapping around a bit of hair by his face. He'd given himself a darker tan, one he had when he'd spent months at a time working in his orchard when he was still human, it turned out the sun couldn't tan sword spirits. Then he wore a pale, golden-yellow jerkin over a faded, burnt orange undertunic, the fabrics and style more reminiscent of a dream long ended than his once-favored red mail.

Suddenly, he was paler, still freckled but distinctly paler and those blemishes harder to notice as they nearly faded. Purple hair turned golden blond and a pink streak on the same side as the green ribbon, which remained. Gold and orange became dark green and red.

Ravio smiled almost blindingly. "There you are. How long, Mr. Hero?"

"Over three thousand," Dev managed. "Oh goddesses, Ravio."

Ravio squeezed his hands and pressed their foreheads together. "It's alright. You've done so well, Mr. Hero. You've gone so far. You're so incredibly strong."

Dev couldn't help but let out the small laugh that bubbled up. "Don't do that."

"But it's true. You've lived so long and I can't imagine you just hid from everything the whole time. You've must've saved the world so many times, met and lost so many people, and you're still making friends." Ravio nodded toward Tune's sleeping form. "You're so strong."

Dev closed his eyes and just relished in it. In Ravio's touch, his voice, he committed it all to memory.

"I remember this," Dev whispered. "It was while I was first—After we did the ritual, during that first year or so, right? You disappeared, stopped visiting for a while and I panicked so much. Then you came back and told me about this war and-and all these people you met and you had changed and I was so proud of you."

Ravio smiled at him. "Then I guess I don't have to worry too much about not going back home."

"You will," Dev swore. "I'll make sure of it."

"You haven't changed, Mr. Hero," Ravio laughed. "Not a bit."

Dev chuckled. "Maybe a bit. I don't fight with a sword anymore."

"Oh really? How do you fight?"

"If all goes well, I never will again. I... I've had to, but I don't want to fight anymore. Not myself."

Ravio smiled. "You know, that is different."

He did. He did have to fight.

A battle later that month went south. Mask got hit and downed, and Tune was with him, across the battlefield, desperately trying to protect him. Soldiers were spread thin across it, other displaced individuals fighting for their lives. Ravio would basically be playing wack-a-mole with the monsters, as more kept appearing no matter which he hammered into the ground. Midna was handling herself but that's as far as she could do.

Link got isolated and was getting overwhelmed.

"Dev, no," Fi intervened, her spirit wreathing around Dev's in a way to sort of stop him though they both knew it was ineffective. "We should not interfere."

"I'll interfere if I want to," he snapped at her. "They're going to die!"

She went silent at that.

Link brought tried to parry some attack and was disarmed, the Master Sword flying through the air as Link frantically brought his shield up as his only defense.

A huge, axe-wielding monster was about to break that shield in half, and Link as well. Fear shone clearly in his eyes.

A wall of flames suddenly exploded and Dev was standing between them. His hand held up, catching the giant axe, and looked like golden crystal and unbothered by the sharp blade. He held a fire rod in his other hand and a vicious grin was on his face.

"Don't touch my kit," he snarled and shattered the axe with a blast of magic.

He'd done some practicing since his sprite.

Flames roared around them as he turned to Link, pulling the Magical Sword from his pouch and offering it to him. "Get to the boys. I'll help clear the way."

Link just nodded, clearly a little bit awestruck and there was an odd warmth to his face that Dev couldn't quite place.

Dev burned his way through the battlefield, slashing and burning everything down around him. The bottoms of his fire rod had a sharp stiletto at the end and he used those to take down monsters and usurpers alike. He pulled out his tornado rod to help expand the reach the flames had.

Link made it to Tune and Mask's side, Dev trusted him to keep them safe as he began to thin the herd.

He couldn't let another hero die on his watch. Not another one, goddesses please.

His own magic helped the flames curve around soldiers and allies, shielding them even from the brunt of the heat no matter how close it came to them.

In minutes, the tide of the battle turned and Dev was standing back as the young ones finished the fight in favor of Hyrule. He let out a sigh and was about to return to sword form when he was assaulted.

"Mr. Hero! That was amazing!" Ravio gushed as he appeared beside him, robes torn and clearly exhausted yet alive with adrenaline. Dev offered him a red potion the moment he noticed the blood. "You know, I've said it a thousand times, but you do look like a dancer when you fight!"

Dev laughed lightly, attention flicking across the field to account for everyone as Ravio drank the potion.

"You have, and every time I've said that you should see Cadence," Dev reminded him and Ravio grinned.

"Dev! Ravio!" Link walked over to them, Mask unconscious on his back, arms loosely hung around his neck. "We're going back to camp. You... You know each other?"

"You called him, Mr. Hero," Tune said, half leaning on his sword. He was clearly exhausted, Dev guessed the kid, even for his alleged two adventures, was not used to fighting for hours on end, days at a time.

Dev chuckled. He went over and picked the pirate hero up. "Did he, bunso? I dunno..."

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Ravio declared.

It took no time after he picked the not-quite-a-teenager up, that Tune slumped into his chest. "Y'er warm," he muttered, clearly about to fall asleep.

"That's what happens when you burn things, you tend to be a bit warmer. Proximity to fire and all that."

Ravio snorted beside Dev as Link gave a long, suffering groan. Midna yelled for Ravio to join her and Linkle, and Ravio soon ran off to join the other dark-worlder.

Link smiled at Dev, offering his sword back.

Dev shifted Tune to his back and took the Magical Sword, letting it disappear into his pouch.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine," Link assured, his voice a bit softer than usual as they fell into step. "You know, you're scary when you're protective."

"Hmm?"

"When you appeared. You looked ready to burn the world to the ground... just to protect me," Link explained, looking down. "I don't get it. You also called me your kit."

Dev blinked, then he chuckled softly. "You are mine, you know that? The moment you pulled me from the pedestal, I adopted you. That's just how it works. And... And well, I would."

"You would what?"

"I would burn down the whole world just to keep my kids safe. You, these two..." his Sprite, "I'd do anything for you."

Link looked surprised, but he didn't continue the subject any longer. Instead just falling silent as they headed back to the camp.

"Come on! There's another new person, she's so cool! She knows the same language we speak on Outset!"

Tune dragged Dev through the field of tents, Mask perched on Dev's shoulders.

"We're coming! You don't have to run," Dev teased, one hand on Mask's leg as the kid rested his chin on top of his head.

"Hurry up then!"

"He's always in a rush to meet people," Mask grumbled. "It's weird."

"Maybe, but you're weird for hating them," Tune responded cheerily.

Dev chuckled amusedly. He tagged along and as they finally came up to the mess area where a bright voice was singing some jittery tune alongside the slamming of mugs and stomping of boots.

He knew that voice.

Standing atop a table, shaking and hitting a tambourine, was the girl from his dreams.

Marin.

Dev didn't breathe, he didn't have breath, but even so it felt like his was stolen. Tune laughed and went up to join the singing and dancing, Mask even lightened up a bit in the cheery atmosphere. Dev watched Marin dance on the tabletop, he saw her pull Tune up to join her. He hadn't noticed it before, but the two had similar energy, similar warmth and enthusiasm, they had the same bright smile too. Dev found himself smiling.

She looked happy... He'd let her live this. If she recognized him, then he'd talk, but if not... He wouldn't bring up old wounds, because she was older. She looked to be at least in her twenties and they'd been sixteen when Link--when Dev had washed up on her island.

If it was a dream for her too, then... Then best she live on and forget about some boy she knew in a world they'd never get back.

He was far too old and much too immortal to let her dwell on that.

"Kit," Dev sat down on the castle wall beside the Captain, who glanced up at him, "what's wrong?"

"You know, why do you call me kit?" Link asked, the nickname apparently distracting him from whatever turmoil was in his mind.

"You remind me of a lion, a prideful, protective, ferocious, fierce lion. So kit," Dev gave him a soft look, one that generally got his kids to talk in the past, "what's got your mane in a mess?"

Link rolled his eyes with a soft laugh. "I... I'm tired, Dev. I know you probably wouldn't get it, being an immortal spirit and all, but..." he looked up at the moonless night sky. "How... How am I supposed to keep fighting when I'm leaving them all behind? There's... It's my fault. If I just gave myself over to Cia, this wouldn't be happening. They wouldn't be dead. Everyone around me is dying, Dev," he choked a bit, "how am I... Why can't I save them?"

Dev sighed softly. "I do get that, actually." Link looked at him. "I'm immortal, kit. I'm young in comparison to Fi, she's had many other wielders than you, like Mask and Tune, but I only had one and I existed for centuries before he was even born. I... I helped the royal family for a while, helped raise the princesses, hide the princes, saved the country a couple times by telling the ruling body to use some common sense. I raised those kids into great kings and queens, Link. They all died. My wielder, he died too, bled out in my arms, I half raised him too."

Link was silent.

"Then there was a mage, a long time ago, multiple but that's not the point. This one mage wanted this specific child, two of them actually but more specifically he wanted the Princess. If, theoretically, we had given him that girl, it wouldn't have mattered. He still would have destroyed all of Hyrule and killed its people."

Dev looked over at Link. The teenaged war captain was still watching the stars, but clearly listening.

"If you gave yourself to Cia, it wouldn't end this war, kit. All it would do is make our side lose you, our captain and leader, our friend and ally, our brother." Link looked at him at that last one. "She isn't alone, those monsters wouldn't stop attacking. She has ancient evils on her side, evils that the heroes of the past had to fight off. All that would happen if you gave yourself to Cia, is exactly that. You'd be with Cia. The war would not end, peace would not be won or bought, everything else would continue, they would keep attacking, and you'd be trapped in the heart of it at the whims of a madwoman."

Link flinched a bit, tugging his sleeve slightly. Impulsively, Dev set what was now his signature purple cloak around his hero's shoulders.

"I know it's hard, people are dying around you and you believe you're responsible for saving them." Link nodded slightly to Dev's words. "But this is war, Link. This is bigger than just you, even if Cia is obsessed with you, that's not how this works. Something else would have been corrupted, someone else, Lana maybe, maybe some random mage who decides to raise an ancient evil, something would have happened. Maybe you would've had to travel across all of Hyrule to gather some magical items from dungeons deep in the ground to come back and fight them alone. But I speak from experience when I say the death toll would not have been better. Without the armies to protect them, monsters would've flooded villages, flooded the castle even, or maybe the armies themselves would've been mind controlled and men you know and trust would be turning against you."

Link grimaced. Dev knew he already hated having to kill the men who had willingly betrayed the crown, to kill men who had done it unwillingly was...

"Frankly, there are dozens of other ways this could have played out," Dev continued. "But it played out this way, and when I look at our status, the statistics from battles, how you're managing your men when you're barely an adult yourself," Link flinched at that, "you are doing incredibly, Kit. Better than I would have ever done, even if I were my age and not your age."

Link tugged the cloak more around his shoulders. He let out a long, shaky sigh and silence lingered for a good few minutes. Dev just stayed at his side.

"Thanks," Link whispered into the air. "Thanks Dev."

He hummed softly. "Of course."

Dev crossed his arms as he stood in the entryway of a certain tent, Link was leaning over at table, scarfless. Dev knew that both Mask and Tune were curled up on their bed in another tent with the scarf wound around and over them both.

"You faked them out," Dev said and Link startled, reaching for a weapon only to raise Dev's own sword form against his intangible spirit form.

Link sighed, sheathing the Master Sword. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"The boys are out cold with your scarf around them. You got them to sleep and then left. You know they hate it when you don't sleep too," Dev chided. He moved over to look at the map on the table.

"I have to finish this, and finish that report," Link said as he gestured to a stack of papers on the nearby desk. Dev moved over to it and flicked through them. "I don't have time to rest."

Dev sighed. "Goddesses... you have no idea how often I told myself that."

Link made a confused noise, looking at him.

"Just—When I was younger, I had a lot to do and little time to do it. I was right of course, I didn't have time to rest, but the difference was," Dev placed a hand on Link's shoulder, "I didn't have people who could take my burdens from me."

Link looked confused and Dev chuckled softly.

"Let's finish those reports together and then you need to get some rest. What helps you relax?"

"I... doing things with my hands. Knitting, training, braiding my sister's hair, stuff like that," Link said quietly. He unsheathed the Master Sword and set it out. It disappeared in a slight flash and Dev let himself become tangible and he picked up the reports.

"Well we're currently out of yarn," Dev noted, "and training is absolutely out of the question..." he hesitated and sighed. "Fine. Sit."

Link looked a bit confused but he sat on the edge of the bed and Dev sat down on the ground in front of him. A bit of magic had the papers floating in front of and around him, and he changed his form a bit.

The green ribbon fell into his hand while his violet purple hair grew out to his mid-back. Link startled and Dev combed one hand through it.

"If it helps you relax," he said softly.

Link made a small noise, something a bit strangled but deeply touched. Fingers slid through his hair and Dev worked on the reports, murmuring what he was reading and doing to Link while the young captain braided his hair.

"When'd you have long hair?" Tune asked after a battle.

"Because Link needed to calm down and he said braiding hair helped," Dev answered, cleaning the blood off Tune's face with a rag. "Goddesses, bunso, you either gotta clean up your act or you're joining me for training after this."

Tune grinned. "Can I braid your hair?"

Dev shrugged. "If you want, sure. Not now though. Later."

Tune lit up.

After that, Dev just kept his hair long, usually braided by either Tune or Link, and then he became Mask's practice as the fairy boy wanted to learn how to as well.

It was the nature of all things to end, and war was counted among them.

Dev pulled Ravio into a tight hug, as the merchant was one of the first to go back home.

"I'll see you in a minute," Ravio joked weakly.

Dev wanted to cry. "Bye, Ravi."

"Bye, Link," Ravio whispered, his words unheard by everyone else. "Be happy."

Dev tightened his hug before finally letting go. Ravio squeezed his hands before he gave another boisterous goodbye to everyone. Declaring they'd get discounts if they ever visited his shop.

Then he was gone.

Dev stepped back beside Link.

"You knew each other," Link said.

Dev gave a strained laugh. "You could say that."

Midna had insulted them all on her way out. Marin left with a promise to never forget them.

One by one, everyone returned home, then it was just four three heroes remaining.

Mask did the best at staying strong. Link pulled them both into tight hugs, Tune clung to him but declared that Link would be alright and now Tune had plenty of stories to tell Aryll when he got home.

Mask had quietly told Link that he better take care of himself from now on.

"You hear me?" The little fairy boy glared weakly at Link. "You take care of yourself! You eat every day and sleep properly! We-We—We won't be here to make you do it anymore, so you—You gotta do it."

Link was in tears. "I will, Dev's still here to be annoying. I'll be alright, Sapling. Just—Go home and be happy, okay? Promise me that you'll find something to be happy about."

Mask's facade broke and he was in tears, crying against Link's chest.

Tune stepped away from them and he turned to Dev. He approached and hugged the spirit, and Dev wrapped the young pirate in a tight hug.

"How... How do you and Ravio know each other?" Tune asked, his face against Dev's shoulder.

Dev smiled into the boy's hair as he tilted his head. "I was just like you once," he admitted in a quiet whisper, so quiet that neither Mask nor Link could hear him. "A hero. I was younger than you, maybe even younger than Mask, when I first started."

Tune's eyes widened and he stared at him as he pulled away. Dev gently brushed his hair from his face, keeping eye contact.

"I saved Hyrule so many times, bunso. One of those times, I met this merchant... You may never visit this place or hear of it again, but there's a land called Lorule, and it's the opposite of Hyrule."

"Ravio said he's from Lorule," Tune recalled.

Dev nodded. "He is. But just as Lorule and Hyrule are mirrors, so are its people. Ravio is my mirror, he is my Lorulean counterpart. If you ever saw him without his hood, you would've seen the resemblance."

"But if he's from your past then... He's died," Tune realized. "That's why you were crying."

Dev chuckled softly. He kissed the top of Tune's head before mussing blond hair and dislodging the green cap.

"I've seen a lot of loved ones die, bunso," Dev admitted. "Ravio was one of the first, but he didn't die during my adventures, nor while I was Hylian. He died of old age. That's better than some fates I think we've both seen."

Tune nodded. "You're... you're a hero?"

"Not anymore. Now I guide the hero so they can succeed. If I have my way, I'll never have to raise a sword again... Magic rods are okay though."

Tune laughed wetly and he hugged Dev. "Love you, Dev," he muttered. "Thanks for being my big brother."

Dev hugged the kid as tight as he could. "No, thank you."

They pulled apart and Dev squeezed his shoulder.

"Now go conquer that ocean of yours, little pirate. And tell Aryll and Tetra hi from me and Fi."

Tune nodded rapidly. He hugged Link and Mask one more time, telling Mask he better take care of himself or he'd time travel just to make him do it. Mask had laughed wetly and teased Tune that he better tell Tetra he had a crush on her. Despite the prompt argument, they went through the portal holding hands, only letting go at the very last moment.

Dev spent that night talking with Link and hugging the young hero until he passed out from crying and losing the two kids he adore.

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#linked universe #lu legend #linkeduniverse #legend lu #fanfic #lu warriors #lu wind #lu mask #sword spirit legend #prosie writes #devotion au

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