#I slept through all my work day and woke up feeling quite refreshed to find several politely displeased messages from my boss | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

amerrierworld · 3 years

Text

Such a Messy Affair

this is not a request it’s just me getting this idea out of my head bc I literally can’t stop thinking about Lady D and I can’t get any other work done unless I finish it so here ya go, surprise fic!

Summary: Letting Alcina drink your blood is... messy to say the least

Characters: Alcina Dimitrescu x fem!reader

Word Count: 2,896

Warnings: vampire sssssssssmuttttttt, bath sex, biting, blood drinking, blood kink (you know how it is), possessive!Alcina but she is a softie. PSA: don’t do this in real life I beg you

Offering your own blood for your monstrous lover instead of her cutting through the servants like butter seemed an easy solution at first. You figured, with her pristine and noble behaviour, it’d be a quick and simple activity to do every couple days or weeks. She’d let you recover, eat some food, and maybe spend some time ravishing you while you rested on the bed. That sounded nice.

And sometimes it was like that. Sometimes it was a couple of drops, and she was fine. Sometimes you could still stand afterwards, and there was only a dull throb in your neck for a few hours.

But you hadn’t realized what your offer really meant. You hadn’t exactly seen how Alcina would feed on anyone else, and thus you weren’t prepared for one of the first times where she really, desperately, needed to feed.

It was late one night, and though Alcina barely ever slept, she would always come see you and spend time with you even if it meant she wouldn’t stay to slumber by your side. She had been out and about with her daughters, and when she got back she spent more time in the wine cellar than usual.

You were waiting up for her patiently, but your mortal body didn’t like that, and you had almost drifted off to sleep when the door slammed open. Alcina looked pale, nearly sweaty, and downright feral as she stared at you from the doorway. You knew immediately that she was hungry.

You had barely offered her to drink your blood when she had stumbled into the bedroom, golden eyes flashing red, and you were pushed back onto the mattress, her whole body covering yours in a flash.

You squeaked in surprise as she tugged the collar of your shirt down, smoothing your skin with a trembling hand before pressing her fangs into the tender flesh without hesitation. Before, she’d stab you just a little, leaving a surface level cut, and then suck the wound. This time, she pushed even deeper, mouth growling and moaning against your skin. Your head swam as you felt her draining you.

Then she pulled away, suddenly, and the deep puncture wounds kept oozing blood. Usually, she’d spend her sweet time licking up the last few red streaks, but something told you she wasn’t interested in that tonight.

She yanked the shirt even further down, ripping the fabric, and then her teeth sank into your upper arm, taking you by surprise. A sharp ‘oh!’ escaped you, and Alcina grunted in approval at the sound. Your fingers twitched as they started to feel tingly and she managed to compose herself enough to pull away before your arm dried up and fell off entirely.

She straddled your legs as she sat up, chin smeared with blood and resembling her daughters more than usual. You knew she didn’t place all of her weight on you, because otherwise you would definitely die by being crushed. Instead, you felt her presence on you, a comforting heaviness that made your heart and mind woozy.

Alcina tugged off her gloves with her snarling teeth, and grabbed your waist, shuffling down to your middle and biting right through the fabric of your shirt just above your hip.

Her hands gripped your thighs, keeping them still, reminiscent of how she’d pin you down when she fucked you with her tongue, and you couldn’t help but squirm as something warm that wasn’t blood flooded your core.

Warm blood kept trickling down your neck and soaking the fine silken sheets underneath, but you were both too far gone to notice it. She didn’t drink as much from this wound as the other two, sucking lightly and laving her tongue over your heated skin, and now you really were turned on.

Your hand grabbed at her curled and styled hair, pushing through the dark locks to hold her head as you whined. You would have lifted your head to look at her, to see those hungry eyes stare at you, but you thought a movement that simple would still definitely make you pass out at this point.

You whined in protest as she pulled away, releasing your body, shuffling off of your legs. You heard her heavy breathing, saw her tall shadow in the dim firelight, and knew that in a few moments, the well-mannered, sultry-voiced matriarch would come back to you.

You were sticky down below, nearly embarrassingly so. You weren’t wearing pants, and your underwear was soaked, though now it seemed it wasn’t just the arousal that was staining it.

You raised a hand to your neck, tracing the sensitive and abused skin and pulling away to find streaks of blood along your fingers.

“Oh.. my..” you heard Alcina breathe, “I believe I have turned you into a bit of a massacre, dear one.”

You chuckled weakly, head spinning from blood loss and arousal, and you wished you had the strength to get up and fuck Alcina yourself, but your consciousness was slipping.

“I have to clean you up,” your lover began, hovering over you once more, tender hands reaching to hold you.

You shook your head, “n-no.. don’t have the strength..”

Alcina hesitated, but saw your eyes glossing over, and relented.

“At least let me stop the bleeding,” she murmured. You nodded, and barely registered her pressing fabric or bandages of some kind to all three wounds.

“Oh, I’ve really pushed you this time, didn’t I, sweet girl?” Alcina muttered apologetically as you laid there, limp and nearly asleep. You managed a near-drunken smile and raised your hands to beckon her closer, to hold you.

“Hmm.. don’t mind,” you replied. Her body dipped onto the mattress, tutting at the blood stains, and quickly removed her expensive dress so that you came in contact with glorious, soft and pale skin as she cuddled you. “Sleep?”

“Sleep,” Alcina agreed, and you drifted off.

When you woke up, the world was a little clearer again, and you felt refreshed. You still felt somewhat empty, and weak, but not as bad as before. You were still in the bed, and still covered in dried up blood, but the sheets were changed and you were lying on a large towel to catch any other drips.

“I was going to clean you up while you were sleeping, but I feared I’d hurt you,” Alcina said softly. You saw her sitting at the vanity, in a white silken bathrobe, brushing through her hair.

You sat up slowly, peeling the bandages off of you. The holes had closed up, and there seemed to be no infection, much to your relief.

“I must apologize, I don’t know what came over me,” Alcina said, watching as you inspected the wounds, “I just... I needed...”

“It’s alright,” you said, meeting her eyes with a sweet smile, “you haven’t eaten in a while, and you seemed to be so drained that.. well, I can’t expect you to not be.. ravenous once in a while.”

“Hmm,” Alcina sighed, tapping her fingers on her desk as a servant came in with a platter of food. She helped you sit up and placed it over your lap.

“Eat, my pet,” Alcina said once you were alone again, “you need your strength.”

“You’re not still hungry, are you?” you asked as you dug into the bread and meats you had in front of you.

“No, no,” she waved her hand in dismissal. Then, after a pause, “at least not for your blood, sweetling.”

You nearly choked on your food at the dark tone her voice had suddenly taken on. She stood up and sauntered over to the bed, her robe loosening enough so you could see more of her ample cleavage, but still left you craving more.

She sat down next to you, inspected your body, and her nostrils flared as she looked over the dried blood staining your skin. You kept nibbling on some bread, knowing you face must be flushed.

“You reacted... differently, than how you normally do when I drink from you,” she murmured, her low voice making you tremble. She had impeccable smell, and you knew she would have been able to sense your arousal when she had pinned you down and feasted on you.

You blushed, but managed to say, “you were very... insistent. Like how you are when we’re in bed, and I guess my body just...” you lifted a shoulder and shrugged to finish your sentence.

Alcina tilted her head in thought, and a wide, gorgeous grin took over her face, making you tremble underneath her gaze.

“I’ve had a bath drawn,” she said, switching the topic suddenly. “Let me clean you up? Please?”

You nodded before you even realized it, and she tugged you away from your meal, lifting you in her arms before heading into the bathroom.

She let you undress yourself, slipped off her robe and stepped into the bath, a loud, pleasured groan escaping her as the hot water surrounded her. You blushed, and hurried after her.

Getting into the bath was a workout in itself. You had to hoist yourself up and climb over the edge quite unceremoniously. Alcina caught you before you submerged into the water and let you climb into her lap.

Her finely manicured nails scratched along your scalp, helping ease the tension and making you sigh contently, leaning forward and letting your head drop on the tops of her breasts. A deep chuckle from her vibrated through you, and some of the water around you rippled with the motion.

One of the puncture wounds on your neck had opened up again, oozing a little blood. You only noticed because Alcina had pounced on it with her wicked tongue before you could react.

“I can always smell you so clearly when you’re in the bath with me,” she grunted, “every part of you. Your blood, sweat.. and arousal.”

You whined as her hands wrapped around you tightly, her mouth pressed against your neck. Your back arched, head tipping back, and you grabbed at her hair, now wet and silky from the water.

The blood was already washing off of you from the water alone, but Alcina kept her promise and grabbed some soap and a washcloth, rubbing along your body. Your eyes fluttered, your hips bucked, and you felt like drowning in her touch.

The blood was gone quickly, and the wounds didn’t threaten to drain you dry anymore, but Alcina kept washing your body with a gentle touch. She lowered her head to your neck again, this time pressing soft kisses until you trembled.

Determined not to let her have her way entirely, you yanked sharply at the dark tresses in her hair. You knew how sensitive she was along her scalp, and how much she enjoyed it when you pulled. Her head shot up in surprise and a strained gasp escaped her mouth.

You took the opportunity and lunged forward to kiss her on her lips, slipping your tongue inside with a vengeance.

A hand slid between your wet bodies and cupped your sex without hesitation, and you squealed, your legs locking at the sudden pressure.

Alcina began gently rubbing along your slit, the palm of her hand pressing into your clit, and you held onto her for dear life, gasping raggedly.

“Tell me how it made you feel, dear,” she hissed, “when I feasted on you, when I needed you.”

You squirmed, arched your back, bit your lip and whined as her fingers pressed a little harder, threatening to slip inside but not quite.

“I-I felt..” you began, gasping as her long tongue stroked up your neck to behind your ear.

“I felt.. like I was floating,” you tried again, “like I was swimming in.. in air, and- and you were the only thing grounding me.”

“Oh?” there was a teasing and light-hearted tone in Alcina’s voice, but her grip tightened and you knew she was enjoying this.

“W-with your hands..” you sighed, pleasure clouding your mind, “so strong and holding me down, so I wouldn’t float up all the way to space.. keeping m-me where I- where I belong. In our bed, in.. in your arms.”

Alcina snarled with lust, and pushed inside your cunt with three unforgiving fingers. You cried out, nearly screamed, as she began thrusting relentlessly. The water was already brimming the edge of the tub, and now it was spilling onto the bathroom floor with loud sloshes. You could barely hold on as you clung to Alcina’s neck, letting her one hand fuck you and the other grab your waist as she bounced you in her hold, because you couldn’t find purchase for you feet to move yourself.

She fucked you until you nearly blacked out, the rough pace and your still-sluggish brain making you limp in her grip. All you could do was whine and plead, kissing her neck, her jaw, anywhere you could reach.

With a sharp jab and a curl of her fingertips you came, unabashedly, all over her hand. You couldn’t smell your arousal over the flowery bath oils, but you knew she could, and her breathing was ragged in your ear as she slowly stroked your inner walls, feeling you clench around her.

You could barely catch your breath before her mouth was on yours, hard and sloppy, and you knew she needed release as soon as possible. But it was a bit difficult with the current position you were in. Going down on her would surely end in drowning and your arms were not long enough to reach under the water between her legs.

“Alcina..” you whispered, making her golden eyes focus on you intently. You snuggled a little closer, kissed her chest and practically climbed up her body to meet her gaze.

“Will you... will you touch yourself for me?” you asked, voice timid. Alcina stared into your eyes a moment, and you pressed on, “I wanna see you come undone. Like this. A-and I can’t.. you know.. reach.”

That made her smile a bit, and you brimmed with glee at the sight. Slowly, ever so slowly, her hand dipped underneath the water. First her fingertips would rub against her clit, you knew. They’d tease against the hood and her lips until she was riled up.

You wouldn’t be able to see through the bubbles and water down below, so you kept your gaze on her face. Watched the small lines that formed between her brows as they furrowed in concentration. Her eyelashes fluttering as she pressed a little harder, her lips parting a bit more as she breathed a little deeper.

You bit your own lip, and felt your cunt pulse at the sight. You knew then, when she was hot and squirming, she would ease the hood back and press directly against the sensitive bundle of nerves, making short, quick motions with her fingers until her hips began rocking.

You had seen it all, had delved between her legs with abandon, had used your hands until they ached, and your jaw until you felt numb. But this.. seeing her come undone, seeing it in her eyes and face.. It made you burst with love and lust.

“That’s it..” you urged as the water began sloshing again, and she began working the whole of her arm, “you look so beautiful, Alcina.”

She groaned deeply, head tipping back, revealing a creamy neck that begged to be sucked. If this was how she felt when seeing your throat, you could understand why she had barely any control when feeding from you.

“I’m yours,” you whispered as you leaned forward, kissing her chin and going down her neck, “only yours. I wanna watch you come, so badly, mistress.”

“Fuck.”

You smiled, looked up at her, and kept going, “to know that I make you feel like this.. I really am the luckiest human in the world, hm?”

“O-oh, little one,” she whined, bucking her hips, nearly throwing you out of the bath. You wondered how many fingers she had inside herself.

“Will you come for me?” you asked, sweetly, “will you come for your pet?”

“I just wanna make you feel good,” you purred, losing yourself in your train of thought as you pressed your face in her neck, “I just wanna be of service to you, my lady. Wanna please you.”

With a loud cry that was a borderline roar, Alcina’s arm tensed, fingers rubbing vigorously, and her hips raised out of the water and locked. You were raised out of the water too, and held on for dear life as tremors overtook her body.

You leaned forward and kissed her as she gasped and thrashed about. One of her hands grabbed the back of yoru head and pushed you as close to her as possible.

“Love you,” you mumbled as she fell back in the water again, her arm going limp, “love you more than anything.”

Her chuckle made your head spin, and her hands trailed up and down your back, like they did when washing you. She was still breathing heavily, but the lust and hunger in her was finally sated.

“You’re perfect, sweetling,” she whispered, raising your hands to her mouth and kissing along your palm. You instantly cupped her face and swiped your thumb along her cheekbone.

“The perfect little pet,” she sighed.

A/N: i saw a head canon somewhere that Alcina has a loyalty kink? Yeah I agree :) let me know if you like it~

#alcina dimitrescu #alcina #Lady Dimitrescu #tall vampire lady #hopping on the bandwagon #i am not ashamed #lesbian #wlw #fanfiction #resident evil #resident evil village #resident evil 8 #re #resident evil fanfic #fanfic #merry writes #lady dimitrescu x reader #alcina dimitrescu x reader #lady dimitrescu x you

2K notes · View notes

frankcastleissoft · 3 years

Text

Lover

Frank Castle x reader

Word Count: 4,431

Warnings: angst, attempted rape, conflict/tension, and fluff (( but that’s not a bad thing :) ))

This new life with Frank was very simple. Not much else to be said about it. You both went to work and came home. Day after day, week after week. Simple.

It had been almost five months since Frank had finished off the last of the people responsible for his late family’s death. You could tell it still hurt though. It stung deep in his core. Like there was a ton of bricks inside of his chest, weighing him down. It hurt you too, to see him like that. Work for him was just a way to let out everything he was holding deep inside of him. He worked at a construction site, tearing down an old building. Sometimes he didn’t come home till dark and that scared you.

You worked at a catering company. You would go to the companies and help cook and keep the food refreshed. Cooking was something you really loved to do, so when you were able to get this job it really helped the situation.

The situation:

Frank was dead. And technically you were too. Not really anyone knew about you, but you had to be dead too. Now you both were living in a small, one room apartment.

You would come home around 5:00pm every day. Frank never beat you home. The last five months had been rough to say the least. Your marriage felt like it was hanging by a thread. You hardly talked and there was always this tension between you two. Some days you wouldn’t see Frank at all. He would come home after you were asleep, take a quick shower, find the plate of dinner in the fridge, then go to bed. You always made him dinner. Without fail. Frank loved your cooking. He was always starving when he got home.

And by the time you woke up in the morning, he’d be gone. It gave you this ache in your heart when you woke up and he wasn’t beside you in the bed that was much too small for the two of you.

So you would get ready for the day, then head out the door for work. It was always the same. Unless on the rare occasion, Frank would be dead asleep next to you, breathing heavily. He slept so hard sometimes it made you worry about how intensely he worked.

Work was long today. It felt like everything was ten times harder than it usually was, so you were looking forward to getting off your feet and sipping some tea, while reading a book. The little things meant the most living like this. The air was cool as you walked along the busy, Brooklyn streets toward home. You pulled your coat collar up against your neck, attempting to warm yourself.

After a few flights of stairs, you pulled your keys out of your bag and unlocked the door. You set your things on the table in the middle of the room and put your coat in the wardrobe that was just small enough to fit in the room. You looked around the apartment. The bed was facing you, across from the door and the wardrobe. In the middle a table sat there with two chairs on each side. To the left was a door that led to the smallest bathroom in history. Then a doorway beside the bathroom led to the narrow kitchen. The cabinet space was limited and there was a small oven and only a little bit of counter space. The Fridge seemed to take up the most room. It wasn’t much, but you did your best to make it feel like a home. Flowers on the table— they were dried up and dead now. A rug in the kitchen, a knitted quilt on the bed, and a few books on the nightstands.

You made your tea, then made dinner soon after. Just like always, saving a plate for Frank. You had finished dinner, avoiding the mess, now sitting at the table, reading and indulging in another cup of tea to help you sleep well tonight. Then you heard a key slide into the lock and the door opened. Frank’s heavy boots stepped in, the weight of his feet sounded like he had had a long day too. He placed his metal lunch box on the table, and sat down to take off his shoes.

“Hey,” his deep voice whispered.

“Hey,” you said just as quietly.

He put his shoes by the door, then went to the bathroom to wash his hands. You watched him from where you sat. His dark hair was getting longer and his beard made him look so different. You didn’t mind it though. Your eyes traveled down to his hands. They were so calloused with so many welts and blistered. More proof he worked so hard.

“I wish you wouldn’t work so hard,” you said without even thinking about it.

Frank turned off the water and patted his hands dry. You knew he had heard you, but he pretended not to.

“I’ll heat up your dinner,” you said, setting down your book and heading for the fridge, avoiding eye contact.

As his plate made its way around the microwave, you stared at it intensely, lost in a jungle of thoughts.

You and Frank had met during his massacre in Hell’s Kitchen. One night (or early morning) you were walking home from your dead-end job at a crappy diner, when a strange man came up behind you, sticking a gun against your side. He casually told you under his breath to stay quiet or you were dead. You felt fear spread through your entire body, not one finger left without terror. You continued to walk, the panic making it hard to put one foot in front of the other. But the man helped you out by shoving you along.

“Wha-What do you want?” you managed to crack out.

“I haven’t quite decided yet,” his voice sounded evil and cold.

Your stomach fell through, your heart pounded even harder. You had hoped he had just wanted your wallet, but now it seemed he wanted more from you.

“Come here,” he growled, shoving you into an alley, no one around to possibly help you.

You let out a cry as he shoved you against the wall, your head felt like it could have split against the brick. You sobbed out little pleases and cries.

“Shut up!” the man yelled in your face.

You finally saw what he looked like and you almost wished you hadn’t. He began to pull off your coat with one hand, the other holding the gun at your stomach. You felt paralyzed. You wanted to fight back, to never let this man take this from you, but you just couldn’t. Once your coat was off, he started on your shirt, a white button down, your diner uniform.

“Oh, hello, Y/N,” he sneered, noticing your name tag. “It’s nice to meet you.” His voice echo through your head. You knew it would haunt you if you made it out of this alive.

At that moment, you heard heavy feet scuffing against the sidewalk outside of the alley.

“Please,” you said a little louder, hoping the person would hear you.

“Shut up!” the man yelled again, shoving the barrel of the gun into your stomach harder. And just then, a large man shoved into the man who had half unbuttoned your shirt, knocking him to the ground. You cried harder, relief washing over you. The big man got the gun from the criminal and began beating him with it. Repeatedly and with so much force, you couldn’t help but stare. When his head was much too beat in to be alive, the big man stood up, looking down at his work. You just stood, melting into the brick wall. Both of your breath was rapid and heavy.

“You okay, ma’am?” the big man’s raspy voice echoed in the alley.

You just nodded quickly, almost scared of your hero too. He turned to look at you, his face splattered with blood. This was all too much. You were just coming home from work, looking forward to sleeping for twelve hours. But there was something in his eyes. They were dark, but full of something you couldn’t quite place. Your mind began to fog up and you felt yourself lose control. Then your legs gave out and you began to lose consciousness. You felt strong hands catch you around your waist, then you were out.

It was dark and quiet except for the faint sounds of cars and sirens. You were laying down and staring up at the darkness, a small light illuminated the space around you. When you were fully awake, you shot up, looking around. For a second you thought you had been taken somewhere, kidnapped, but when you saw the man who had saved you, your fear subsided some; but still wary of your safety.

“Hey,” his voice just as gravelly as in the alley. “You’re safe.” He added, noticing your nervous eyes.

“Where are we?” you asked, looking around.

“An old building,” he replied. “You’re safe here.” He assured again.

You took in your surroundings again, lost in your fuzzy brain. Then something struck you, and you looked back at the man sitting on the floor. His face was stained with bruises. Dark ones around his eyes and lighter ones on his cheeks.

“Wait…” you spoke softly. “You’re Frank Castle. You’re The-The Punisher.”

“That’s what they’re calling me.” he said, almost pissed off at the mention of it.

You felt a bit of fear stir up inside of you again, but it quickly settled. He saved you.

“Why did you save me?” you asked.

“I wasn’t going to just keep walking when I heard you were in trouble.” his gruff voice replied.

You gave a slight smile, thinking.

“You’re not like what the news makes you out to be.” you started. “I mean, what you did to that man was pretty… intense, but you saved me. They make it seem like you’ll just kill anyone.”

“I only take out the ones that deserve it.” he said matter of factly.

You grimaced a little at that; you didn’t know how you felt about his morals. But you watched him from where you laid. There was something about him that was comforting. Maybe it was the fact that he had just saved you from something that would have stuck with you forever, or maybe it was that he seemed like he genuinely cared about your well being.

“Where’s my coat?” you sat up, feeling a little frantic. It was something that felt so important in the moment that it made you anxious.

“Oh, I- I didn’t get it. I didn’t see it,” Frank said, noticing your frazzled state.

“It’s okay,” you sighed. It was just a coat.

“Can I go home?” you asked, slightly pulling the blanket off of you.

“Yeah,” he stood up, a grunt of pain leaving his lips. “I’ll walk you back.”

At first you were going to decline for some reason, but then you realized that was the stupidest thing you could do. You stood up slowly, your head still fuzzy from the passing out.

“Here. You can use this.” Frank laid a big coat over your shoulders.

“Oh- thank you.” you said, caught off guard. You slipped your arms in the sleeves that were too long for your hands to poke through.

“Yeah,” he said under his breath.

As you walked home there was silence between you. You wanted to talk to him though. This all felt so surreal.

Then a loud noise, probably a motorcycle backfiring, came out of nowhere. You were still shaken up by what had happened maybe an hour before, so this sent fear through your body. You let out a fearful cry and grabbed onto Frank walking beside you.

“Hey, it’s okay.” He said calmly. “It’s nothing.” He held your wrists, taking your hands off of his arm.

“I’m sorry,” you let out a nervous laugh. “I’m so on edge. This isn’t my average night.”

Frank gave you a smile. His smiles were magic, his eyes smiled too.

“This isn’t too unusual for me,” he snickered. “Except for you.”

That made you smile a little wider. There was something about him. Had you known him for twenty seconds, or twenty years?

“Well, this is it.” You said, taking a step up to your apartment building, now more level with Frank’s eyes.

He stood there, stocky frame, both hands in his pockets.

“You sure you’re okay?” He asked, a slight smile on his lips.

“Yeah, I’m good,” you said quietly, almost blushing at the care in his voice. “Do you want your coat back?” You began pulling your arms out of the sleeves.

“No- you keep it,” he put a hand out in front of you in rejection. “I lost yours, so.”

You smiled again, putting your arms back in all the way. It was quiet for a little while, just standing in front of each other. The city was mild tonight- well, this morning. It had to be 3am by now.

“Thank you.. Frank.” You said his name, really felt the word, nervous what he would think that you used it. Names are weird to say sometimes… when you don’t know the person very well.

He didn’t respond right away, maybe you were overthinking and it hadn’t really been that long.

“—For the coat.” You giggled, holding the front of the coat with one hand like a model.

Frank snickered, shaking his head. “No problem.” He grinned.

The joke hung in the air for a while as an excuse to not leave each other. But then it left and you both stood there in the silence again.

“Good night… uh.” Frank said.

“Y/N,” you replied.

Frank had seen your name tag, but he didn’t want to sound creepy by knowing your name.

“Y/N.” He said back.

The way his voice carried your name gave you this feeling deep in your stomach.

“Good night.” You replied.

He took a step back and you took another step up.

“Be safe.” He said quickly, then turned away, walking back to where you both came from.

The next night, you were walking home from work again. This time with your pepper spray in hand. As you walked, you felt like someone was following you. You became very aware and walked a little quicker. Then you slightly turned your head and caught a glance of the person. You stopped in your tracks. That frame you knew anywhere.

“Are you trying to get pepper sprayed in the face?” You chuckled.

“Not what I was wanting to happen, but worth it just to know you’re taking safety precautions.” You heard a gruff voice say behind you.

You let yourself laugh out loud, turning around to see Frank in a baseball cap and coat. He was grinning from ear to ear too.

It continued like that. He would walk you home every night. “Just for his peace of mind” he would tell you. That made the butterflies in your stomach fly higher. Those butterflies wouldn’t calm down. Even when you were just at home or at work. Frank was all you could think about.

One night you were at the diner, pulling another graveyard shift. You were in the back filling up the salt and pepper shakers. It had been a slow night. The bell sounded, telling you someone had come in.

“One second!” You called, screwing the top back on a salt shaker. Then you went to the front and saw Frank. You both gave each other bright smiles.

“What are you doing here?” You asked, coming out from behind the counter.

“Had the night off, thought I’d pop by.” He shrugged.

“Oh, okay,” you replied, shrugging too, joking like this was a normal thing he did. “Coffee?” You asked, but already started pouring a mug.

“Thank you.” He nodded. “I’ll just wait over here till you get off.” He went over to a corner booth.

“Okay,” you ducked your head, smiling like a fool.

As things progressed in The Kitchen, Frank walked you home less and less. You knew what he was. You knew what he did. It scared you to think about sometimes. There was something so mysterious about him, but there was something rooted so deeply in him that was just simply good. That’s what you saw every time you looked at him. His goodness.

Frank didn’t tell you much about what was going on, he said he didn’t want you getting in the middle of it; you had a couple fights about that. But you knew about Karen and how she was trying to help him. You were thankful for her. That she was helping him in ways you couldn’t.

He told you about his family. You cried. It broke your heart to hear the way he talked about them. His eyes glossy, his voice growing raspier.

Then he got arrested. You were shocked as you watched the news on the tv in the diner.

As the days dragged along, you felt yourself start to think it wasn’t ever going to be what you wanted it to be with Frank. It was hard to come to that conclusion, but you just couldn’t bring yourself to stop caring about him.

One day, you tracked down Karen Page and told her who you were and you both talked for hours. She told you about how she was investigating his case. You told her what you knew about him, it wasn’t much at all, though.

She told you as much as she could about his case. It was nice to have her, you both got along so well.

You kept up with the trial through the news, it hurt to see the way he was handling it.

Then he broke out of jail. That scared you. You didn’t know what he was doing.

Then all of the shootings happened. Everyone was blaming him, and you didn’t know what to believe. Karen was quick to tell you that it wasn’t him and that he had saved her. Those few days you were a nervous wreck. Karen wasn’t answering your calls and you didn’t know what to do.

Then the next night— or very early morning, you were coming home from work. You dumped your coat (the one that was really Frank’s) and purse on your couch and headed for the fridge; you were starving. Then you heard a sound in the corner of your living room, causing your stomach to flip. You slammed the fridge door in fear. Then a figure stepping forward, into the moonlight coming through the window.

“Frank?” you dropped the apple, tears immediately flooding your eyes. “Wha-What is going on?” Your voice quivered with emotion. You noticed is bruised and bloody face.

“I gotta disappear for a while,” he said slowly.

“Frank,” you said again, running forward, into his arms.

This was the first time you two had had any physical contact like this. His arms wrapped around your waist so tightly, you thought he could break your ribs if he wanted to. Your arms were around his neck, your face in his shoulder. Blood was probably staining your shirt, but you didn’t care.

“Do you mind if I wash up a bit?” He asked after you had parted.

“No, of course,” you led him to the bathroom.

That was the last time you saw him. The news said he was dead. Some explosion. It broke your heart.

A few days after the news, you learned it wasn’t true. The experience in your living room when he showed up was heart stopping. You woke up around 11am after another late shift. You shuffled into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee.

“Can I get some of that?” You heard the familiar, gravelly voice say behind you.

You gave him the what-for for scaring you out of your skin. But it ended in tears and gratefulness that he was alive. You had to admit, you had a feeling he was.

He left the next day, saying he had to finish what he had started. You tried to convince him not to, but he was too stubborn.

About a week later, he came back. He told you he had to disappear, go underground. He had changed his name to Pete Castiglione and he said he couldn’t see you anymore since he was technically dead. It stung. It hurt him too, you could see it in his eyes. There was something about his eyes that always had you captivated.

“Frank,” you said quickly as he stood up to leave, after telling you all of this.

He froze.

“What if I came with you?” You knew it sounded crazy, but you felt like Frank was someone you couldn’t live without. You’d known each other maybe a month, but it felt like years. You had a feeling he felt the same way.

He didn’t move, holding his hat with both hands in front of him. You stood up from the couch, turning to face him.

“Tell me you don’t feel like you’ve known me for years, like we were meant to meet.” You said, your face burning with embarrassment as you spoke. “Tell me you want to leave and never see me again. That you could just leave and never look back.” Your voice got caught in your throat.

“Y/N…” Frank whispered, taking a step forward.

“Cause if you tell me that, I’ll let you go. It’ll break my heart, but… I’ll let you go.” You bowed your head, closing your eyes, tears streaming silently down your cheeks. You felt a warm hand grasp your face, so gently. You looked up and was met with those eyes. They were glossy and sad.

“Frank,” You said so quietly.

“I can’t tell you those things, Y/N,” he replied. “I can’t lie to you.”

Your heart sped up as you looked up at him, his thumb grazing your cheek, wiping away fallen tears. You leaned forward, your head resting on his, both of you holding onto the moment with everything you had inside of you.

“I can’t let you go.” You whispered.

“You don’t deserve to live like a dead woman.”

“I’ll be with you.”

“What about your life? Your friends and family?”

“I don’t have any of that.” You told him that your parents were both dead and you didn’t have any other family. And friends were never your strong suit.

“But I—“ Frank continued. “I can’t put you in danger and you deserve so much better than—“

“You deserve to be happy, Frank.” You interrupted. “I know you don’t think you do, but you do.”

He was quiet. Standing there, you in front of him, your hands now intertwined in between you, he was in awe of you. He never thought he would feel like this again about someone. To him, you were perfect in every sense of the word.

“Please, Frank,” You stood on your toes and place a kiss on his cheek. Your lips felt the tear that had run down his lightly bruised face.

“You’re gonna have to start calling me, Pete,” he said, and both of you broke into the biggest smiles.

You jumped up into his arms in the tightest hug. Then you pulled away, looking at his sweet face. You both dove in at the same time with a deep kiss. It was full of so much love you both felt like you could burst into a million pieces.

“You are everything, Frank Castle.”

A few weeks passed and you both decided to get married. It was scary and something that was difficult for Frank, you could tell, and you didn’t blame him. But he loved you, simply and hard, so he knew it was right.

You changed your last name and quit your job and began to live a different life. A life away from the internet and the outside world. It was difficult to have to forget about your old life. More difficult than you thought it was going to be. You moved into a much smaller apartment and left everything of yours behind. You were dead after all, and you can’t take your things with you when you die.

You had contacted Karen before everything. She was the only person Frank trusted and you wanted to make sure she knew that you were both okay. She was so happy for you both.

Now here you were, months later, that honestly felt like years. Frank had distanced himself from you and you had curled in on yourself too. Things were rough. The routine was the same and everything was stuck in a time loop.

Frank had cleared his plate, now taking a shower. You turned on the clock radio for some music while you tackled the messy kitchen. Music was a safe place for you and it was nice to at least have the radio to keep you company. Then a love song came on that you adored. It was one of those songs that you can’t help but sway to. Frank came out of the bathroom soon after it started, but you hardly noticed as you were lost in the tune. You were standing over the sink, washing a plate, swaying to the slow beat. You did notice Frank enter the small, kitchen area, but you were caught off guard when he slowly wrapped his arms around your waist from behind. You were stiff for a moment, but quickly softened into his embrace. You laid your head back against his shoulder as you both swayed from side to side, lost in the lyrics.

“You’re my, my, my, my… Lover.”

You felt Frank’s warm breath against your neck. It was so comforting. His arms tightened around you and you dropped the plate in the dish water, moving your soapy hands to on top of Frank’s. This was everything.

The song ended, it wasn’t long enough. You turned to face Frank, looking into his eyes. His eyes. You hadn’t looked at them and gotten that feeling in so long.

“Frank,” you said with your breath, your hand grasping his bearded cheeks.

You felt his hands grasp your hips tightly, and you both leaned in, your lips pressing firmly against each other. Things got a little brighter as the night went on.

...

380 notes · View notes

teamddixon · 3 years

Text

A New Normal

Summary: Set in the future of the TWD timeline, this story follows Daryl, Y/N and her brother through their journey in the world of the undead. It wasn’t like Daryl to let people in to his heart easily, but it was Y/N’s smiles that had captured him completely, and before he knew it, there wasn’t a scenario Daryl could think of about his future that didn’t have Y/N in it.

A/N: Hi guys, this is my first time writing a fic of our TWD badass, Daryl Dixon. It’s gonna be a long one, and a work in progress. I write because it makes me happy, and I hope it’ll make you happy too. The intro for this fic would be pretty long, and Daryl wouldn’t appear until slightly later, but I thought it would be important to touch on Y/N and her brother’s background since we already know Daryl’s background pretty well. I’m not a zombie apocalypse expert, and neither dare I call myself a TWD expert (I’m not, please pardon me if I get some facts wrong!), so some parts of the story may not be realistic. It is most certainly strayed from the current universe since this is meant to be set in the projected timeline after the eventual season 11, which of course we don’t know yet how Daryl’s narrative would be changed or if it would at all, (or do we?), so this story may or may not make sense after season 11 ends (maybe think of this as a spin off?). I do hope you like it, and don’t mind the fact that it is set way in the future of the universe. As mentioned, it’s still a work in progress and I don’t know how many parts it’ll be. But writing this is extremely cathartic for me so I’ll continue writing for as long as my brain (and my full time job) allows. Comments and feedback are welcomed and appreciated! Please sit back and enjoy this journey with Daryl. :)

Photo is not mine. All mistakes in this are mine, please pardon them.

There aren’t many moments in Y/N’s life where she’d just sit on a spot, completely and utterly at a loss. The camp where she’d called home for the last month was gone – just like that. Along with it, the people she considered her family. When an unexpected rogue herd of walkers stumbled across the cabin, she was out on a supply run with her older brother, Andrew. By the time they had came back, the cabin was in shambles and the smell of the dead overpowered their senses. Y/N stood rooted to the ground in shock behind the bushes, throwing a look of fear at Andrew. Biting back a scream, knowing it’ll give her position away, Y/N looked around, hoping to see a familiar face. A familiar face that was alive. There was none. It was too late for them to do anything to salvage their family, their home. There were too many walkers to take on and honestly, nothing much left for salvation.

Y/N had no idea how long she was behind the bushes watching the dead feeding on mangled bodies of people she once knew. She knew she had to move, but her feet wouldn’t allow. It was as if they were locked in position, trapped in the nightmare of a scene before her. The only comfort she could gather was seeing quite a number of fallen walkers with slash marks on their heads – meaning they had put up a strong fight against them.

“Come on, we got to go.” Andrew’s voice called out, his hand grabbing hers nudging her to move. There was a catch in his voice, although he tried to hide it. Still in shock and tears, Y/N willed her legs to move. Just one foot in front of another, just one foot in front of another. She had to keep her mind focused on what was in front, and to keep her legs moving forward. Y/N followed him, almost in complete auto-pilot.

Without actually knowing how long or how she even managed to keep in tandem with her brother’s pace with her state of mind, he had led Y/N to a spot in the woods where the two of them finally crashed on the hard grounds. Y/N was shaking violently as she buried her heads between her knees. She had no idea if she was shaking because of the nip in the air, or because of shock. A low growl shook her awake from her reverie. She looked up to see a lone walker approaching from the right. Reaching for her hunting knife from her belt holster with her shaky hands proved to be a tremendous task. Y/N finally managed to unsheathe the knife and plunged it hard into the walker’s temple right before its jaw got onto her. She had no idea she still had that strength somewhere in her.

“Are you okay?” Andrew had walked over to her just in time to plunge his machete into the head of another walker that had approached Y/N from her blind spot. “Thanks. I didn’t see it coming.” Y/N mustered her strength and stood up before kicking the walker in its head with a mixture of anger and disbelief.

“I don’t, I cant –“ Y/N finally allowed herself to sob into Andrew’s shirt. While there were only a few people in the group to begin with, she have had time to know them through this shitstorm and had grown to like them like her own family. They were the people she had been moving with for years. They had lost some people in their journey, but they’d never lost all of them entirely before. To lose them all at once was devasting. But all in all, she was glad her brother was there. Andrew was fiercely protective of her, especially in this new world. She wouldn’t be alive and standing today if not for him. All her survival skills, her knife works, hunting and tracking skills, had all came from him. Y/N was not prepared for this world at all. Without Andrew, she would have become one of the walkers a long time ago. But she was a fast learner, and had more than proven her survival skills. Despite all that, she never lost her sense of hope and cheerfulness, that was until that day.

She was thankful for Andrew for giving her the time to grief while he single-handedly took down more than a dozen walkers while she was still in a daze. She felt horrible, leaving her brother to keep her alive knowing he needed his time to process everything too. Andrew didn’t say anything, he just kept her alive.

Nightfall brings another set of danger – the temperature had dipped drastically. Y/N worked with her brother to build a makeshift shelter with leaves and twigs. Andrew had also got a small fire going to provide a bit of warmth. If the walkers doesn’t get to them, the elements most certainly would. Satisfied with the perimeters, lined with makeshift cans and marbles to alert them when any walkers enter the camp, Andrew gestured for Y/N to sleep while he kept watch.

Y/N tucked herself in next to the small fire and tried to sleep. But of course sleep eluded her. Every time she had her eyes closed, all she could see was the grotesque bodies of her friends back in the cabin. She kept your eyes close despite that, hoping to catch at least a little sleep. Y/N knew she would be in no state to fight for survival without rest. Andrew sat next to the fire and finally allowed himself to process the events of the day. Most of the people in the group had been his friends since he was a child. He had grown up with them, went through triumphs and heartbreaks together. Losing them was painful. Losing them and not being able to do anything for them was painful. He looked at Y/N who had now finally fallen asleep and willed himself to stay strong. He couldn’t – he wouldn’t let the same thing happen to his sister. Y/N was his only family left.

Three hours into Y/N’s fitful sleep, she woke up in a pool of sweat despite the night cold. Before this all happened, Y/N always slept like a log. An earthquake could literally be breaking her room down and she would have no idea. But in this new normal, her body had adjusted itself to wake up within a few hours and it had learned to survive on a couple hours of sleep each night.

She saw Andrew throwing logs into the fire to keep it going. Approaching him silently, she gestured for him to sleep while she took over the watch. Nodding his head, he vacated his space before taking over hers. Y/N was on high alert, determined to keep her brother safe while he catch his much needed rest. Andrew had been there for Y/N all her life. She was only a couple of years younger so they were very close since young. This trip was supposed to be a break from work, but instead, they were thrown with an even bigger shitstorm than they could imagine. Y/N almost laughed when she thought about the irony. She would choose to go back to her office job any day over this. Before long, the cackle of the fire begin to diminish as the day broke. Y/N looked up at the skies, trying hard to fathom how this was the very same sky before the world had turned into hell. The sun still came up in the East and the morning birds still sang, but nothing else about the world right now was the same.

Gathering up all of their belongings, Y/N and Andrew set off for another day. They had to find a more permanent shelter, a sturdier shelter than twigs and leaves at least. Stopping by the creek to gather some water, Y/N took the chance to splash herself with the cold water. As the water hit her face, she perked up. Having not had a shower for days, Y/N’s skin was starting to itch and peel. Her feet was swollen with blisters and her arms were filled with dried scabs from all the cuts she sustained while running away from walkers. Y/N looked at Andrew with a longing in her eyes. She needed that shower. Convinced that the area was free of walkers, Andrew gave in and gave her privacy while Y/N washed yourself. He told her he would try to track something for their food today and set off with his bag, gesturing for Y/N to follow when she was done. A smile almost crept up Y/N’s face as she washed away days of sweat, dirt, and walker blood off her body. She hadn’t dared to take her time though. Once she was done, she quickly put on a fresher set of clothes that she had and set out to look for Andrew.

Feeling more refreshed, Y/N tried to put on a new perspective of how life was going to be moving forward. She was determined to continue living, living for the friends who couldn’t. She was going to continue living for Andrew. She didn’t want all of Andrew’s effort teaching her survival to go to waste. Y/N followed the tracks on the floor, hoping to find Andrew soon. No more than 10 minutes into following the tracks, she heard a slight ruffle of leaves to her left. It was so slight it was almost unnoticeable. It can’t have been a walker – a walker would have made a louder noise than that. It was most certainly a person. She smiled and moved towards the direction where she heard the sound from, anticipating to see Andre.

“Hey, did you managed to –“ Y/N’s whispers faltered into complete silence when a tall, crossbow donning man with striking blue eyes, greeted her. The man had his crossbow trained on Y/N’s head. She stopped in her tracks, knife in hand ready to strike.

“Who are you?” The man demanded. Not only was his crossbow trained on Y/N, his eyes were trained on her too.

“Y/N.” She spoke calmly, hand still steady on the knife. While she knew she’d be dead with his arrow before she could attack him with the knife, she weren’t about to go down without a fight if she had to. Y/N looked at the man, trying to download as much details about him as she could. He wore a long sleeves black shirt with two top buttons missing, a pair of cargo pants that were slightly ripped on some parts and his boots carried the obvious evidence of blood and someone who had been out in the open. Y/N tried not to wince as she stared directly into the man’s eyes. Although his hair covered the side of his face, she could make out his stern expression – an expression of someone who had been surviving on his own. But behind all that, she just had a sense, a strange and unspoken sense that he wasn’t a dangerous man.

“Look, I’m just looking for my brother, all right? I don’t mean to walk into your zone.” Y/N explained. “If you promise not to shoot me, I’ll just turn around and be on my way.”

Adrenaline from meeting a lone stranger in the woods had had blood rushing to her ears, muffling her surrounding sounds. As she prepared to turn and leave, the man spoke again. “Behind ya!” That was when she heard it – the unmistakable sound of a walker behind her. As a reflex, Y/N bent her body forward and side stepped, but in her haste to evade the walker, she had missed her footing. Y/N cursed under her breath but quickly regained her posture. She raised her arm, ready to strike, but before she could, the walker’s dead weight had pushed her, causing her to fall backwards on the hard ground, losing her knife in the process. Y/N quickly worked to fight the walker off but all she heard was the hustling sound of an arrow and the silenced growl from the walker. Feeling the full weight of the walker now, she pushed it off and saw that it had an arrow right smack between it’s eyes. Y/N turned to look at the man as he approached the walker. With one foot on the walker’s head, he pulled out the arrow with one swift motion with his free hand. He then turned sideways to look at Y/N.

“That was really cool.” Y/N couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. Seeing that the man had made no move to point his crossbow at her again, Y/N relaxed. She spotted and dug out her knife that had been partially buried during the fall and tussle with the walker.

“Thanks. I owe you.” Y/N gestured to the walker on the ground as she dusted herself off. “What’s your name?” She smiled.

Daryl was immediately captivated by Y/N’s smile and the sound of her chuckles. Earlier when he had heard someone approaching, he was ready to strike, ready to take them down if he had to. But as he heard Y/N’s voice for the first time, he knew immediately that she was no threat. He hadn’t seen or heard another person’s voice for days. But even if he had, there was something about Y/N’s voice and her smiles that enchanted him. Despite the situation the world was in, Daryl was comforted to see a smile that seemed to make him forget everything else.

“Daryl.”

“I’m sorry again, you know, for walking into you.”

“Sorry for ta’ crossbow on ya head.” Daryl nodded his head slightly at Y/N as apology.

“We’re even then.” Y/N smiled again. It was nice meeting someone else in this crazy world of the dead. Something about Daryl had made her feel a sense of comfort and calm, despite just meeting him a few minutes ago. Daryl looked away, feeling his face flushed from seeing her smiles. There had never been anyone who had that effect on him before. Her smiles were a huge contrast to everything he had come to know in the last ten years. He wanted nothing but to remember them.

#The walking dead #daryl dixon #daryl dixon fanfic #daryl dixon x reader #twd #daryl dixon imagine #Twd fanfiction #twd fic #norman reedus #the walking dead daryl dixon #twd x reader #the walking dead x reader #daryl dixon and reader #daryl dixon fanfiction #daryl dixon fluff #daryl dixon x reader fluff #a new normal #badass daryl dixon #badass norman reedus

88 notes · View notes

jincherie · 4 years

Text

TEASER: sunshine riptide

genre: hybrid au, ot7, fluff, animal crossing insp wc: 2.6k

“So in exchange for three months paid stay on the island while you get back on your feet, you will work part-time at the Rabbits Den three days a week, and man the desk in the Resident Services Building on Sundays. Is that okay to you?”

You nod eagerly, the ordeal seeming too good to be true and something you’re afraid will be retracted if you don’t act with haste. Mr Bang returns your motion with a little less fervour, the same kind look never leaving his face.

“Perfect, it’s settled then! We’re glad to have you with us, y/n.”

Something lifts from your chest in that moment, as though you’d been walking beneath the cover of a lead blanket and it has finally slipped from your shoulders. You feel a little breathless, and you know the grin that slips onto your face is stupidly wide. Embarrassingly, you feel salty pricks at the corner of your eyes.

“Thank you so much,” you say, and you mean it. It hadn’t exactly been a well thought out plan, moving here with nothing to your name but your most basic possessions, but you’d just needed to escape and start anew and this… this had been the first opportunity you’d seen. The best opportunity you’d seen. “Really, thank you.”

“You’re more than welcome, young lady.” Mr Bang’s expression grows even softer, if possible. “This is a place people come to find refuge, and happiness. You’re welcome here.”

You clear your throat, turning your head to the side and pretending that you need to cough so he doesn’t see the tear that slips out. You have a feeling he knows, though, as you turn back and find him smiling at you, floppy rabbit ears framing his round face. He reaches out, patting you on the shoulder.

“Now, lets find you a room for the night. I’ll send word to the house I have in mind and make sure they have it nice and tidy before your arrival tomorrow. Sound good?”

It hits you only now how tired you are, more emotionally exhausted than anything, and nod while allowing him to lead you down the hall. That does sound good, actually. That sounds amazing.

O – O – O

You’d arrived on this island in the early hours of the morning yesterday, the late-night ferry the only one that runs to this island on the outskirts of the archipelago. It’s likely due to the fact that the captain is a nocturnal hybrid, and hence prefers to run his business under the cover of night. You hadn’t been able to sleep on the trip over, so when Mr Bang had shown you to the room he was happy to lend you for the night, despite it being barely ten o’clock in the morning you’d passed out the second your head hit the pillow. It was more of a nap than anything, but you suspect that the events of the past few months all caught up to you at once because you woke only for dinner and then fell asleep once more. Mr Bang offered no judgement, and simply left a note instructing you where the bathroom is and where you could find towels so that you could freshen up once you awoke. He also left you a coffee bun in a container, since you’d missed the afternoon tea he held the day before.

You hadn’t even been on this island a day and already the kindness of one of the residents was almost bringing you to tears.

Due to the fact that you’d slept far too early, you end up waking up at an ungodly hour the next day, the day you are meant to be moving in to the sharehouse that Mr Bang told you about. Laying in the bed, nestled in the warmth of the covers and watching as the suns rays slowly begin to stain the ceiling and the curtains in rich marigold, you do your best to get yourself together. You can breathe easy now, any anxiety you’d felt previous now nothing more than an echo in your chest. You feel refreshed, and not just from the ridiculous amount of sleep you’ve had in the past twenty-four hours. There are of course some nerves pertaining to meeting your new housemates, but it’s manageable. You have faith that everything will turn out well. It’s a good feeling.

Mr Bang is kind enough to offer you breakfast, and likely would have pushed you to stay for lunch had you not shown up down the stairs with your baggage already in tow. So begrudgingly, he allows you to head on your way, informing you that your new housemates knew of your arrival and had endeavoured to tidy up as much as possible. You thought it was a little funny he was telling you that—just how messy is the house usually?—but he simply shook his head with a smile that told you the answer would come soon enough.

The island isn’t big, but it most definitely isn’t small. The sun is warm and the air cool with a tinge of salt and sea trailing along the breeze, and the path you walk along that skirts the beach is peppered with sand and the odd shell. It makes you happier than anticipated, because just being out here makes you feel so free. Mr Bang told you that the house where you will be staying is on the other side of the island, past the little cluster of shops and small businesses and perched at the edge of the sand, backing onto a river that flows into the ocean and skirted on one side by a small cliff.

“It’s their own little alcove,” Mr Bang had snorted, a mixture of fondness and amusement evident on his features. “They get up to more trouble than I can keep track of over there, but they’re good boys.”

Ah, that’s right. You’d almost forgotten; your new housemates are a bunch of boys. You hope that Mr Bang is right about their character and you won’t be living in discomfort for the next three months.

The path wound and curved a bit, following the edge of the island, and before long you were walking through a section of light forestry. You suspected the house would be on the other side, and were in the midst of thinking just what it would look like when a small squeak! catches your attention and you halt, almost dropping your bag.

It’s silent, save for the way the breeze caresses the leaves around you. You peer around, eyes unable to spot anything in the foliage. Did you imagine it? It’s a little early in your stay to be going crazy. Hesitantly, you adjust your grip on your bag and resume your trek.

Squeak! S-squeeeak!

No, you definitely heard that. You freeze, having gotten a better sense of where the sound is coming from now and turning towards a large tree smothered in vines of varying thickness and clinginess. For a moment, you don’t see anything, eyes squinting hard—it’s like one of those I spy books you used to rave about as a kid— and just when you think you might be looking in the wrong place, you catch movement.

There, in a cluster of the vines dangling from one of the tree’s thicker limbs, is a tiny creature, all tangled up and squeaking in distress.

“Oh my goodness,” you drop your bag, immediately moving closer. “Poor thing—hold on just a second, bub. I’ll get you out. Promise not to bite me?”

The creature offers a squeak and logically you know it isn’t answering your request, but you pretend it is anyway. Carefully stepping over plants and twigs, thanking past you for wearing more practical boots, you reach where the creature is stuck, dangling just below eye level.

The vines it has managed to get all tangled up in aren’t particularly thick, but there are a lot of them, and it has managed to get a few of its limbs stuck in place. Carefully, you snap a few of the more central ones and ease the tiny thing out, getting a better view of it the more you pull from its body. It’s squeaking all the while, though with much less distress and more of an energy that simply feels chatty. It makes you smile.

“There you go,” you murmur, cradling the tiny baby in your palms and cooing, trying to calm the heartbeat and hurried breaths you can feel racing against your skin. You stroke along its back as lightly as you can manage. “Oh, you’re a little sugar glider! You’re so pretty, such a cutie. Look at your markings, wow… so pretty.”

Almost as though it can understand your praise and is basking in it, it flicks its bushy tail and rolls in your palm, like a cat rubbing against something with its cheek except this little glider is doing it with its whole body. It’s awfully friendly, you note. Perhaps much of the wildlife here is more peacefully accustomed to human and hybrid activity.

“Okay, you’re free now. I’ll stop ogling at you and let you go,” you say, holding your hands up to a part of the tree that isn’t covered in vines lest there be a repeat of the earlier situation. The sugar glider merely blinks, eyes still on you, and doesn’t move. Brows drawn in confusion, you move your hands closer to the tree, “Well, aren’t you going to—oh!”

Faster than you can react, the little thing darts from your hands, leaping to your bicep and scurrying up with tiny claws in your shirt to your shoulder. Once at its apparent destination, it rushes to the crook of your neck and makes itself at home, nestling against you and securing itself with its tail partway around the back of your neck and its little paws clutching your shirt edge. You giggle, still in shock and trying not to jostle it off as you fight the ticklish sensation.

“Okay. I guess you can come with me. I’m not sure if you can stay the whole while, but I’m sure it will be okay while I walk.”

So off you go, bending and retrieving your bag carefully so you don’t dislodge your tiny new companion. You’ve seen a bit of sugar gliders, but the way this one is acting is quite peculiar. If it sticks around until you arrive at the house, you’d love to snap a quick picture because it really is so pretty, so cute.

The trip is faster than anticipated, now there is something else to occupy your thoughts. Before you know it you’re out of the forestry and approaching a large, modern three storey building that is probably just a few yards short of a mansion, nestled between the ocean, the river, and a short cliff-face just barely higher than the roof. This is the place for sure.

The little glider seems to perk up, the closer you get, something that surprises you since it was so quiet you thought it was asleep. With a soft noise, it grabs onto your hair with tiny paws and scurries to the top of your head, likely making a mess of it in the process but it’s so cute you can’t bring yourself to mind. At least it will be an interesting first impression.

As you approach the front door, you think you see movement in one of the windows on the ground floor. You almost dismiss it as you reach the eve, until you catch the hurried patter of feet against hardwood from beyond the door.

You barely manage to blink before the door is flying open, a man with raven curls and two fluffy russet ears peeking between the locks presenting you with the biggest grin you have ever seen on anyone’s face. It’s boyish and cute, a direct contrast to the mature, sculpted features of his face.

“Hello!” he says, and you catch sight of a long, fluffy russet tail whipping behind him and betraying his excitement—not that he was doing much to hide it. “You must be the new roomie! It’s nice to meet you! We’ve been waiting all morning, and one of us actually went to pick you up but… I’m not sure where he is.”

You’re a little overwhelmed but easily recover when he simply keeps looking at you so happily, returning the man’s bright smile. There’s rustling in your hair at the back of your head but you ignore it, adjusting your grasp on your bag. “Ah, thank you. I’m y/n, it’s nice to meet you…?”

The man pulls back, a sheepish look on his face that accompanies a light flush in his cheeks. “Oh, right. I’m Taehyung. Sorry. My hyungs tell me I tend to get a bit ahead of myself sometimes.”

You keep the smile on your face. “That’s okay, we got there in the end. It’s nice to meet you, Taehyung.”

Taehyung brightens, tail curling happily behind him. He opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted from a voice to the side.

“Are you going to make our poor new housemate wait outside all day, Tae?”

The light blush colouring Taehyung’s cheeks deepens, a sheepish laugh escaping. “No. I was just about to invite her in!”

He steps back and reveals the person behind him who had spoken, a tall man with dimples and silvery hair that did little to conceal the large, rounded grey ears atop his head. He seems a little awkward in his stance, like he has more body than he knows what to do with, but still extends an arm in greeting with a kind smile. “y/n, is it? Welcome, please come in. I hope you’ll enjoy your stay here with us, however brief. We’re happy to have you.”

Don’t cry, don’t cry! If you cry now you can never show your face here again. You clear your throat, returning his smile as you step inside and out of the sun, the difference in temperature against your skin immediate. “Thank you, I really appreciate your generosity in letting me stay here.”

“Nonsense,” Taehyung snorts, “Namjoon-hyung has been saying for months we should find someone to fill the spare room, and now you show up on our doorstep! It’s perfect.”

The taller, who Taehyung had referenced as Namjoon, seems a little bashful, his cheeks heating. Does everyone in this house blush so easily? You hope it’s not contagious.

There is movement in your hair again, the glider apparently needing to breathe, and you have your mouth open ready to explain when Namjoon beats you to it.

“Oh, I see you’ve met Jimin already!”

What?

The glider leaps from your head and onto Taehyung’s outstretched arm, climbing to his head before leaping from that too and gliding through the air, all the way around the corner. There is a small clutter, the sound of a light swearword entering the air, and then the ever-familiar patter of feet against hardwood. Another boy rounds the corner, ashy-blond hair tousled and parted by two small grey ears, bushy tail curling behind him.

He skids to a stop in front of you, dipping in a brief bow before rising and shooting you a bright smile. “Hello! Thank you for helping me! I’m Jimin, welcome home!”

It takes all of your willpower to keep the happy tears at bay as you tilt your head back and laugh, already feeling lighter than you ever remember feeling before.

#bts x reader #ot7 x reader #bts fluff #bts oneshot #teaser #sneep peep #bts hybrid #hybrid bts #bts hybrid au #hybrid bts x reader #hybrid au #ah it warms me

566 notes · View notes

heavcnslyre · 3 years

Text

never leave me again — leo valdez x reader

in which you return from years of being missing, only to find that your boyfriend, leo valdez, has been missing as well.

warnings swearing

notes it’s been a few months since i’ve read the books so i kind of just made this my own. also this took me DAYS to write so pls appreciate it w me

events in this are not all canon

masterlist

the scent of camp half blood was familiar— yet something felt different. it had been years since you had smelt it, and being there again brought upon a feeling you couldn’t quite explain. you listened for the familiar ruffle of the trees and the rippling of the lake, but heard nothing. it was silent; eerily silent. it was the middle of summer, yet the camp was still.

although, you had been away from everything for so long, you didn’t actually know if it was summer or not. truthfully, you didn’t even know exactly what year it was.

you inched towards the entrance of camp nervously. something inside of you was scared that you weren’t even going to be let into the camp— but as you read the ancient greek at the entrance fluently and your foot went through the barrier, you instantly calmed down. the familiar atmosphere of the camp was comforting, even if you could automatically feel how different it was.

making your way to the big house, you gathered that it was still early in the morning as you saw the sun peaking out in the east. it was chilly and the grass was wet and suddenly you realized how tired you were. you wanted nothing more than to collapse into your bunk in cabin 18. your cabin was often lively, as it was common for children of hebe to enjoy parties and be social; but you only had a few siblings and you were one of the oldest. they listened to you if you asked them to quiet down, and the environment of your cabin was soothing. you found yourself longing for it on rough nights, and now that you were back, you debated on just going straight there as if nothing happened.

but, you fought the temptation and knocked on the door to the big house. you found yourself anxious for a moment that no one would be awake, but you heard movement from the inside and the door opened seconds later. you looked down and saw chiron sitting in his wheelchair. he looked the same, as you assumed he would. somehow, he didn’t look surprised to see you.

“(y/n). i thought you’d be here today,” he said, moving himself out of the way. “come in, we can talk.”

you followed him to the main table in the house and took a seat across from him. he settled his hands into his lap and studied you. suddenly aware of how you may have changed, you shifted in your seat awkwardly.

“chiron, can i ask...” you said after a moment. “how long has it been? how long have i been gone?”

“a little over two years.”

you sank down in your seat. “oh.”

“do you want to fill me in on where you’ve been, or should i tell you what happened here first?”

“oh, uh— i guess a lot of its fuzzy,” you started. “i was with hera, and she sent me to do... different quests. time doesn’t really feel real, at this point. i never got a break, i don’t think. she sent me places and i forgot a lot about... my life. and everything.”

“do you remember everything now?”

“i remember all of my life before hera— yeah,” you paused, taking it in. “but i don’t remember a lot of what she had me do, or whatever she said to me when i wasn’t off on a quest. that’s why i didn’t know how much time passed, it feels like it’s been three years and three days at the same time.”

chiron sighed. “i get that. the gods have the powers to do whatever they want to time and your memory— but they rarely use the ability. but hera, after all she’s done...”

“why is she so against demigods? after she switched jason and percy for no reason we thought she was done, why did she need to take me?”

“i guess we’ll never truly know her intentions,” chiron said. “i did assume now is when you would return, though. leo valdez is missing.”

you felt your heart skip a beat. leo. he had been a constant in your mind in the past two years that you had been gone, just like how percy explained that annabeth was all he could remember. you had started dating a few months before you disappeared. suddenly you yearned for his warmth, remembering the feeling of his arms wrapped around you. your heart ached for him for years and now that you’re home— he’s gone.

“how... how long has he been missing?” you asked. chiron frowned.

“a few months. after the war ended, he disappeared, basically into the sky. (y/n)... there’s a good chance he didn’t survive.”

you could almost feel your heart breaking, but you knew that wasn’t the main issue at the moment. you took a deep breath to gather yourself. “how’s everyone else doing?”

“it’s been rough, obviously. the prophecy of the seven was fulfilled, which was hard enough on the campers. and with leo gone... no ones sure how to continue. but, we are at peace with rome and some campers are planning on college in great rome,” chiron said, obviously proud. you smiled gently.

“thats... amazing. is everyone here now? piper, annabeth, percy and jason?”

chiron nodded. “everyone is here. it is early, though. i suggest you head to your cabin for some rest, unless you have anymore questions?”

“honestly, i have hundreds. but... my brain is foggy. i can’t really focus on anything right now so, later. later i’ll bombard you with the questions,” you joked and chiron smiled.

“go, get some rest. breakfast starts in about an hour and a half, but you take all the time you need,” you stood up.

“thank you, chiron. it’s good to be back.”

as soon as you slipped into your cabin, you felt at home. you saw your younger siblings sleeping soundly and that warmed your heart to see. they were safe; they were okay.

your bunk was obviously saved for you. there were organized bags of your stuff laying on top, and the sheets were made neatly. you could tell that no one had slept there since you left. the thought of this was bittersweet; you were happy they waited for you but... you couldn’t imagine how worried they all were for you.

the more you thought about it, the more you realized how many people could have been worried for you.

when percy and jason were switched back, everyone seemed to be at ease. the romans and greeks seemed to be getting along, and things were good... for about an hour.

you were walking around rome with leo. the seven of the prophecy had been decided; leo was one of them, you were not. this wasn’t easy for either of you, as you had recently began dating, but you both knew that this didn’t mean forever. cherishing your time together, you walked hand in hand down the beautiful streets of new rome. after a while, leo decided he was going to go check up on the argo ii, make sure it was ready for the quest to come. you kissed him goodbye, and told him to iris message you whenever he got the chance.

before you knew it, camp jupiter was being attacked. and leo was the one behind it.

you ran through the crowd, trying to push towards the ship to see what the hell was happening to leo. but the romans were angry— and you were wearing an orange shirt.

you didn’t know exactly what happened next. one second you were pushing through the crowd, the next second you woke in a bright room, hera standing over you.

thus the years with hera began. she told you that she needed you— and she’d bring you home when you were ready. she brought you places and gave you quests to do, and the more time you spent with her, the more you weren’t sure how much time had passed, and the more you forgot your real life. you were stuck in an endless loop, until this morning, where hera plopped you down right outside of camp half-blood; with a fuzzy memory and a million questions.

you woke up later to an empty cabin. it was obvious people had been in and out of it, and you wondered how everyone reacted when they saw you in your bed. you were just internally grateful no one woke you up.

after getting ready (putting on a new camp t-shirt was so refreshing) you slipped out of your cabin and out into the sunlight. at first, it didn’t register how much time had passed, because everyone was in the dining hall as they would be during breakfast. but, after examining more, you gathered that you had awoken just as dinner was starting, and you had slept all day. you stood back, taking in the familiarity of the buzz of mealtime. as you stood there, unsure on how to present yourself to the campers, you heard your name.

“(y/n)?” you looked forward to be met with the gaze of your best friend, piper mclean, standing by her table, staring at you in disbelief. “i can’t believe it.”

the entire hall hushed as everyone looked in your direction. you were suddenly aware of every little thing about yourself, and you hated the attention. but when piper rushed forward to hug you, you ignored your surroundings and let yourself feel comfort in her hug. it had been so long since you had felt so... loved. after these past couple of years, then the news that leo was missing, taking in the scent and warmth of your best friend was the most comforting thing you could imagine.

piper pulled back from your hug and studied your face. you studied hers as well, noticing everything you could; any change you could find. but, she looked almost the same. she was the prettiest person you had ever seen, and although she seemed slightly older and wiser, it wasn’t in a negative way. “are you okay?”

“i’m fine,” you said. “obviously i’m... adjusting. but, i’m okay.”

“what happened to you? where have you been?” piper asked gently.

“when the romans were angry at us, after leo...” you hesitated and piper’s expression softened. you cleared your throat. “i was attacked, or something. next thing i knew i was with hera and basically did anything she needed. i was so tired, constantly doing work for her. everything i did with her is sort of fuzzy though, just like my personal life was when i was working for her, if that makes sense.”

“hera’s the worst,” piper said. “guess switching jason and percy just wasn’t enough for her.”

you raised your eyebrows in agreement before being approached by annabeth chase, one of your other closest friends, who hugged you tightly. “i’m so relieved you’re alright.”

“back at you,” you said. percy and jason followed close behind annabeth, and you hugged both of them as well. “i can’t imagine things have been easy for you guys.”

“it’s been rough,” jason agreed. “but we got through it.”

your mind went straight to leo, and the four of them obviously noticed. piper put her hand on your shoulder and jason frowned. “hey, i’m sure he’s...”

“no,” you stopped him. “it’s fine. i... i’m really proud of you guys. seriously, saving the world and shit. that’s pretty cool.”

they all laughed which brought a warm feeling to your chest. it was going to be rough without leo, but you adored your friends. you knew they’d be there for you no matter what.

“c’mon, you must be starving,” annabeth said. “plus, i think you have a few more people to chat with.”

annabeth motioned towards your cabins table, where your siblings sat anxiously, watching you with wide eyes. you grinned at the sight and made your way over to the table, only to be met with smiling faces and lots of questions.

weeks past since you had returned to camp. you were settled back in and at ease with everything, but things still felt off. you figured it was just because you were most excited to come back to camp to see leo, but he was gone. and you didn’t even know if he was still alive.

you spent your days training and reconnecting with your friends. they had been through so much, and you couldn’t imagine how painful it was for them. they asked you questions about what you had been up to, but you weren’t able to answer them. you couldn’t remember a thing— it was like the past years had never happened. as days went on you forgot more and more about what you had done.

one morning, you stayed behind to finish cleanup in your cabin. now that you returned to camp, you returned to your position as head counselor. you were protective over your siblings (since you were the oldest), so when everyone was running late for breakfast, you volunteered to finish cleanup.

after you finished making all the beds, you fixed your hair and slipped out of your cabin. when the mess hall came into your line of vision, you paused as you saw a group of campers gathered around something. the scene was similar to how everyone reacted when you returned, and you watched curiously. but when you studied the campers who were grouped together, you realized it was a majority of the hephaestus canon who was standing. your eyes widened and you hurried forward, into the mess hall.

nyssa barrera, one of the older hephaestus kids, looked over at you and her eyes widened. she pulled a few of her siblings back to make room, and you were met with the grinning face of leo valdez.

your leo, standing there, in the flesh.

it took him a moment to see you, but when he did, his expression softened. he visibly relaxed, and his eyes studied your face. you were frozen in your spot and your eyes never left his. he inched towards you, and before you knew it you charged forward to him and threw your arms around his neck. he buried his face in your neck as he held you tightly around your waist. you took in his natural warmth and his vague scent of campfires and motor oil. he rubbed your back as you held him as tightly as possible. you never wanted to let go.

when you finally did pull back, you missed his warmth immediately. in his arms you felt safe, and that was something you had missed with your whole heart.

“are you okay?” was the first thing he asked you, tucking your hair behind your ears. you smiled at the sound of his voice. you didn’t realize how many little things you had missed.

“i’m okay. are you?”

“i’m... amazing,” he studied your face again. “gods i’ve missed you.”

“i’ve missed you too, you have no idea,” you said. your eyes drifted to a girl you didn’t recognize standing awkwardly behind leo. “who is that?”

leo raised his eyebrows and turned around to look at who you were referring to. “oh, this is my friend. calypso.”

“oh!” you said, remembering the story of calypso. “thats... hi! it’s really cool to meet you.”

“you as well,” calypso responded, her voice smooth. “leo talked about you non-stop.”

maybe it was the longing look on her face, or the fact that you had just finally reconnected with your boyfriend, but you moved towards calypso and pulled her into a hug. she tensed, but after a moment she relaxed and hugged you back. when you pulled back, you gave her a warm smile and when she gave you one back, you knew that there was no bad blood between you. calypso wanted to be loved— but she wasn’t interested in leo.

you turned around to find your way back next to leo. he watched you with a fond look on his face, and when you were closer to him, he grabbed your hand tightly. at this moment you made a promise to yourself — you would never lose him again.

chiron ended up coming over to tell people to sit at their tables for breakfast, but leo leaned over to whisper to you, “want to go chat? just the two of us?”

“absolutely.”

the two of you snuck out of the mess hall (although, if anyone had seen you, you doubted they would stop you from leaving). you made your way down towards the lake, hand in hand. you sat down next to each other, leo’s arm around your waist and your head on his shoulder.

“so how did you get calypso off her island?” you asked him after a moment of silence.

“well, i landed on her island a little while ago but i had to leave, obviously. was in the middle of a quest,” he said. “but she was miserable there, so i promised i’d come back to get her. and a few months ago, i landed on her island again, but with a plan this time.”

you listened intently. “and it worked?”

“for the most part. i had to work really hard to figure out a way to make it work, but it did. i just hope she gets a real chance to be happy now that she’s off her island.”

“that’s amazing. you did it against all odds, right?”

he chuckled lightly. “guess so. what about you? what happened to you?” you sighed and sat up to face him.

“i guess i’m not completely sure,” you started. he knit his eyebrows. “i was working with... or i guess, for, hera. but i don’t remember most of what she made me do. i just know i went on quests for her, and time didn’t really feel real. i had no idea how much time had passed when i returned.”

“gods that sounds... terrible,” he said genuinely. you shrugged.

“i got through it,” you grabbed his hand and started tracing lines on it. “and so did you.”

leo hummed and moved his other hand to your cheek. “i always knew you’d come back.”

“i knew you would, too.”

“promise to never leave me again?” you leaned into his hand.

“only if you promise me the same thing.”

#leo valdez #leo valdez x reader #leo valdez x you #leo #valdez #percy jackson x readers #pjo #hoo #toa #calypso #piper mclean #percy jackson #jason grace #annabeth chase #percy jackson and the olympians #hero’s of olympus #heroes of olympus #riordanverse

99 notes · View notes

stxphxn-strange · 3 years

Text

(no) rest for the innocent

summary: Tony wasn’t even on trial, but the jury found him guilty and he couldn’t disagree.

a/n: idk last night i was thinking about tony dealing w survivor’s guilt after endgame (and IW) so i threw this together, tw for mention of death and implied thoughts of suicide

“Good evening, Doctor.” FRIDAY’s warm, pleasant voice always reminded Stephen of home and cinnamon scented candles. “How was your trip?”

“Too long for a meeting that could’ve been handled over email. Or through carrier pigeon, as Tony would say,” Stephen replied as his cloak sailed off down the hall.

He washed his hands carefully, drying them on an Iron Man dish towel that Peter had given them as a joke wedding gift before putting the kettle on.

As the water was boiling, he noticed a covered plate on the kitchen counter. There was an obnoxiously orange piece of paper in front of it, which made Stephen smile. Tony always left him little notes on purposefully electrifying paper, that way they were easy to find.

The sorcerer’s smile only widened as he read the note.

Steph—

I wasn’t sure when you’d be back, but I decided to make you dinner anyway. But not because I’m missing you and wanted to surprise you, I just accidentally cooked too much. You know how that happens sometimes and you just end up with an ungodly amount of chicken parm? Life’s funny like that.

Anyway, I’m in the lab. I had some good ideas earlier and I wanted to start them while I still felt productive. Welcome home sweetheart, and if you go to bed before I do (because you probably will, you responsible asshole you), sweet dreams and goodnight.

Love, Tones

PS— Orange you glad you met me? … don’t answer that, I just couldn’t help it and had to write that down.

Stephen rolled his eyes fondly. “Fri, will you tell Tony that even though he’s not funny, I’m very glad I met him?”

FRIDAY was quiet for a few moments before responding. “Boss says, quote, ‘fuck you Gandalf, I’m hilarious,’ unquote.”

Stephen smiled, heating up his meal before sitting down to eat. He flipped through a magazine while he ate, FRIDAY turning on some soft jazz music as background noise until Stephen cleaned up and left the kitchen. After a refreshing shower, the sorcerer found himself in his most comfortable pjs and slippers as he walked through the house. Stephen wasn’t sure if he was going to bed yet, but he wanted to see Tony (and maybe he wanted a kiss or two or even three).

The music in the lab automatically lowered when Stephen shut the door behind him, and Tony looked up with an expression that could only be described as tired.

Actually, he looked exhausted. Weary. Barely holding himself together. Stephen wasn’t a thesaurus, but very concerned about his husband.

Tony was trying to smile, but he seemed too exhausted to do that and just gave up, not saying anything as Stephen sat beside him.

“Hi.” Stephen leaned over and softly kissed his husband’s temple. “Thanks for cooking for me, you didn’t have to.”

Tony shrugged. “I had a lot of energy earlier, and I accidentally cooked way too much. Maybe it was intentional, you know I’d take any excuse to go out of my way for you.”

His words said one thing, but his tone betrayed him. His voice was brittle, hard, and almost staticky. Stephen thought he sounded like a rusted hinge that was trying not to cry out for repairs… or maybe that analogy only made sense given where they were.

Stephen kissed him again as Tony sat back at his desk, closing his well-used sketchbook. “You alright?”

“Yeah. Tired I guess.” Tony sounded as unconvinced as Stephen felt.

“Come to bed with me,” Stephen offered. “I’ll bore you to sleep by telling you about the meeting.”

Tony laughed hollowly. “That bad?”

“I don’t know how to describe it, but it was a waste of time. Even Wong was bored, and he watches the Antiques Roadshow remake for fun,” Stephen replied. He yawned and leaned against Tony’s side.

“I see what you’re doing,” Tony murmured, trying to be lighthearted. He was just feeling some kind of way right now, he felt serious and was so endeared by his husband that it hurt.

“What am I doing?” Stephen asked, resting his head on Tony’s shoulder.

“Being cute and sweet so I’ll go to bed and let you be the big spoon,” Tony accused. “And maybe I just really fucking need a hug, but… it’s working.”

Stephen shifted and pulled Tony into his arms, holding the mechanic close as he went lax.

“My Boss Is Singing Closing Time Protocol please, Fri,” Tony mumbled.

“Goodnight Boss, goodnight Doctor,” the AI replied, beginning to run the lab’s standard closing protocol.

“Portal?” Stephen asked. Tony was getting better with going through portals, but some days were harder than others. Stephen didn’t know what tonight would be like and opted to ask, selfishly wanting to make sure Tony got some rest as soon as possible.

He was so out of it by that point that Stephen wasn’t sure if Tony registered the question, but he nodded slowly and trusted Stephen to lead him through it and into their bed.

Despite “resembling a sloth clinging to a tree bough,” (Tony’s words) Stephen was intuitive and knew when not to hug Tony. Even when he was asleep, if Tony woke up thrashing or fighting against something in a dream, Stephen let him go.

Tonight was a bit different. Stephen wasn’t brought to the edge of reality by Tony thrashing in their bed or accidentally tangling himself in their sheets, so he assumed everything was fine. That was until the sorcerer hugged his husband closer, still mostly asleep and just following his instinct, and Tony outright begged Stephen to let go of him. He wasn’t quite awake, but Stephen backed off immediately and heard Tony trip over his own feet as he left the room. The sorcerer fell asleep again after that, trying to stop the sound of Tony’s broken plea from cementing itself in his memory. When Tony climbed back into bed some time later, Stephen was stirring a little bit more. Tony hid his face in Stephen’s collarbone and said nothing, his breathing still slightly erratic.

“Sorry if I woke you up,” he mumbled.

“Don’ be,” Stephen replied, his voice unsure whether or not to wake up.

“Will you hold me again?” Tony asked pleadingly, his voice almost imperceptible.

Stephen wordlessly obliged, kissing the top of his head. “Whatever’s bothering you… you can talk to me about it. When you’re ready. And you don’t have to, but I’m here for you.”

Tony nodded. “It feels like too much right now. What I’m thinking about, I mean. I need time to process, I guess.”

“Okay,” Stephen said simply. “But I’m here for you whenever.”

“I know. I love you,” Tony replied.

Stephen began to trace soothing patterns on Tony’s back. “Love you Tones.”

++++

Tony didn’t seem any more rested the next day, but his confident Tony Stark™ pose seemed natural. He’d easily be able to fool people who didn’t know him as well as his family did. So it was a “fake it until you make it” kind of day, and Tony’s energy was on a strict schedule. There was only so much he could take today, and if his teammates wanted to call him selfish then that was their choice.

It would just go in one ear and out the other, especially this late in the day and after brutal team training. Tony was close to skipping the meeting, but a cutting remark in the hallway made him change his mind. Why did they always act like it was breaking news when Tony needed to step back from something anyway? He was just as human as anyone else, and the world was happy to throw responsibilities on his unenhanced, steady shoulders just because he was a natural caretaker.

The arguments about Tony’s quiet, withdrawn demeanor started two minutes into the meeting. Stephen was ready to defend his husband as soon as they got to the conference room, Tony collapsing into a chair and leaning his head against the cool metal of the table.

He didn’t want to talk today, and Stephen didn’t want him to.

“It’s not nap time, Stark.” There was a small hint of fondness in Natasha’s cold, clipped voice.

Tony was already regretting his decision to show up, wishing he hadn’t told Stephen again and again that he was fine. He wasn’t, and they both knew it. Everyone knew it, but Tony knew better than to advocate for himself in front of his… colleagues.

“I don’t even remember what we’re meeting about,” Tony muttered, looking up enough to address whoever was talking to him.

Rhodey took a seat beside Tony, encouragingly patting his back. “You good?”

“I’m fine, Honeybear,” Tony replied. He was sitting between his two favorite people, and that helped him feel a little more grounded. “I just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”

Someone scoffed. “I don’t think anyone’s slept right in months. And don’t say you haven’t slept in years, Stark. We don’t need a story about how everything you’ve ever done has led to years of sleepless nights. We know already. Put it in a book or something and make the team more money so I can have better arrows.”

Stephen was two seconds away from dropping the archer into the Dark Dimension, or flipping a table. He wasn’t sure how to handle the man yet, still taken aback by the rudeness and stupidity of his comment. “Barton, what the fuck—”

“Steph, don’t bother with him,” Tony said. He stood up, forcing his tiredness into a corner and giving his coworkers a confident glare. “Pardon me for giving it my all and being a bit tired as a result. Now I’m going to get an ice pack for my shoulder and maybe a cup of coffee. Does anyone want anything?”

“I’ll take a—”

“Get it yourself, you know where the kitchen is.”

For dramatic effect (and moral support), the cloak landed on Tony’s shoulders and billowed out as he left the room. He returned with the aforementioned ice and coffee, and a mug of tea for Stephen.

“You didn’t have to do that sweetheart, but thank you,” Stephen said appreciatively.

“That’s why I wanted to,” Tony replied. He relaxed a little into his chair, starting to believe he could get through the meeting.

Then, like clockwork, Clint opened his mouth to complain.

“Why did you bring him tea and nothing for the rest of us?” He whined.

“Doesn’t Tony do enough for you?” Stephen asked, innocently taking a sip of his tea. It was his afternoon green tea, made exactly the way he liked it.

Tony was always so sweet and attentive with his loved ones, it warmed Stephen’s heart. The sorcerer stifled a laugh as Rhodey poured half of Tony’s coffee into his own empty mug.

“Thank you,” the colonel said impishly. “Consider the roommate tax paid for this month.”

Tony tried to smile at the old inside joke, but Stephen noticed that it fell flat.

“Are we done with the interruptions? We need to talk about what’s out there. We don’t know if Thanos is the exception or the rule, and—”

Tony stopped listening. Clint’s snootiness was doing his head in, but the idea of another threat, another thing, another colossus he’d have to conquer and survive if his luck had anything to say about it… that was the breaking point.

Tony didn’t have a good relationship with luck. He didn’t really believe in it, but apparently it believed in him. Because Tony was lucky. It was true that he was lucky in meeting his husband, his friends, and his family, but this was a different kind of luck. Tony was intelligent and skilled, shrewd and savvy, and there was virtually nothing he couldn’t do or solve, except for one thing.

He was constantly lucky, constantly cheating death.

And he didn’t realize that he was hyperventilating, didn’t recall dropping his head into his hands. He didn’t recall that he’d just walked out in the middle of the meeting after a minute, didn’t realize that he was home when he opened his eyes.

Tony was home, in his spot on the couch in Stephen’s library. Stephen was sitting beside him, quietly watching a documentary or something like that. Tony was laying down, his head in Stephen’s lap with the cloak draped over him like a blanket. The crimson fabric continued to cling to him as he sat up, further proving Tony’s point that Levi liked him best, but he wasn’t in the mood to banter now. He just appreciated the support and the warmth of his sorcerer and their shared, sentient blanket.

With some hesitancy, Tony leaned over and rested his head on Stephen’s shoulder. They locked eyes for a minute, Tony’s gaze deliriously bright and vacant.

Stephen didn’t know what to say or do to make the man trembling in his arms feel better, but started by hugging him closer and softly stroking up and down his spine.

“I’m sorry,” Tony whispered, lowering his head and hiding against Stephen’s chest.

“No apologies,” Stephen reminded him. “I don’t want or need them, and you don’t have to explain yourself.”

“I have to give a good reason,” Tony said, his voice beginning to shake. “Everything I do needs a reason.”

“Why? Says who?” Stephen asked. He was more thinking aloud, half expecting Tony to leave the question unanswered.

For a while, he did. He just sat, furiously trying to blink back tears and gather his thoughts as Stephen held him protectively.

“Sometimes I think about… things,” Tony began vaguely. “And people. And places. I guess I just like nouns.”

At this point, he didn’t even know if he was trying to deflect or just tell a joke, but his attempt at humor fell flat. He tried to force a laugh, but halfway through it turned into a painful sob. He cried harder with each breath, ignoring the ache in his chest. Tony barely listened when Stephen encouraged him to breathe, but eventually he gave into his exhaustion and listened to his lungs.

His stupid lungs, which apparently were just as stubborn as his brain.

“I can’t keep doing this,” Tony whispered. “I shouldn’t have survived Afghanistan, New York, Sokovia, Siberia, or Titan. I can’t keep cheating death, Stephen. I don’t want to. I don’t want to be lucky and survive when the damage I’ve caused, the damage I claim full responsibility for, has taken so many lives. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt or killed for me.”

Stephen pressed a soft kiss to his hair, feeling Tony’s guit and fatigue as if it was his own.

“I don’t want to do this,” Tony repeated. “I’m probably just spiraling or being needlessly selfish, but I… I don’t know.”

“You’re taking on too much responsibility where you don’t need to,” Stephen said. “I know that’s easy for me to just say from the outside, but you aren’t the only Avenger. It’s about time the team, if you can even call them that, takes accountability for their actions and stops bulldozing you with their problems. You aren’t selfish, Tones. You’re tired and overworked, and you deserve a break. You deserve to breathe, to just exist without feeling like you have to look over your shoulder or justify your every step.”

“I don’t think I know how to even do that anymore,” Tony replied. “And I don’t deserve it.”

“You do,” Stephen argued. “And rest assured I’ll keep telling you that. And I’ll keep telling you how much I love you, because I really do.”

Tony smiled sadly, trying to press himself closer to Stephen if that was even possible. “I love you too.”

He was starting to settle down, soothed by a flurry of soft kisses in his hair and the gentle brushes up and down his spine, when FRIDAY quietly spoke up. She almost sounded remorseful.

“Mister Parker is requesting one or both of you in the lab, whenever it’s convenient,” she began. “And he’s asked me to assure you that it’s nothing major.”

Tony sighed, sitting up again. “I’ll investigate.”

Stephen shook his head. “No, let me. I’ll tell Peter that you’re resting, and he’ll understand.”

“I don’t want him to think I don’t care,” Tony whispered.

“He would never think that. You know how he gets about making sure you take care of yourself, and Peter knows with certainty that you care about him. Our son is much more mature than the Avengers,” Stephen replied.

“I still feel bad,” Tony said.

“I know. I can promise him Thai food if that’ll make you feel better?” Stephen suggested, half jokingly.

“It actually would,” Tony admitted. “FRIDAY, will you schedule a Thai food delivery for 6:30pm please?”

“Scheduled,” she replied simpy. She still sounded apologetic for disturbing them right as Tony was falling asleep, but maybe Stephen imagined that.

The sorcerer stood up gracefully, covering Tony with another blanket as the cloak wrapped a bit tighter around him. “Look after yourself and relax, or get some sleep. No one’s expecting anything from you right now Tones, alright? I love you.”

Tony nodded, a little smile on his face as Stephen kissed him again. “Love you.”

He really wanted to sleep. He actually put effort into falling asleep, which was something he never thought he’d do, and of course sleep didn’t come easily. Sleep never came easily, but the memories did. It was all too easy for Tony to get caught in a thought stream, whether he was planning a surprise, inventing, or remembering unpleasantries. Today he was overwhelmed by guilt, readily convincing himself that he was a selfish failure like Howard Stark and his teammates liked to say. It was too easy to get lost in their ire and wanting to please everyone, and Tony had given up so much of his agency just to try and make other people happy.

It was exhausting, and he didn’t even feel like he’d succeeded at that.

The mechanic started tearing up again as he continued to think in a circular pattern, faintly aware of the Cloak trying to comfort him. It was a sweet, welcome gesture, and Tony let it happen and let himself cry. He was still laying there in tears when Stephen came back in half an hour later.

“Pete says he hopes you feel better,” Stephen said, returning to his spot and pulling Tony close. “And I told him to just go ahead and eat whenever he’s hungry, or when the food gets here.”

Tony just nodded, feeling relieved and supported in Stephen’s arms again. He nodded again, as if trying to shake the unending self-deprecating thoughts from his head, before saying anything. “Sounds good.”

tags: @salty-ironstrange-shipper @stark-strange-love2 @chocopiggy @katninjagirl97 @kitkatfat15 @taruyison @funkylittlebidiot

#tony stark #stephen strange #ironstrange #not endgame compliant #non infinity war compliant #peter parker #ironstrange and spiderson #not avengers friendly lowkey #not clint barton friendly #james rhodey rhodes #tw mention of character death #tw death mention #tw sui mention

65 notes · View notes

obeymebabes · 4 years

Note

hello! seeing a new post from you on my dash always makes me happy 🌸 if possible, may i request headcanons of the brothers (plus solomon if possible bc i love him) with an mc who has really bad sleep problems? like, they have trouble sleeping at night, most of the time going to school with only an hour of sleep. thank you 🌸

Haha thanks love, and man do I feel that. I say as I wrote this at 6:30 am instead of sleeping. :)

Disclaimer: Yes I stay up super late to write HCs. I promise it's okay though. It gives me something to do instead of staring at the ceiling. So any of you who may be concerned, I'll be fine, and thank you for caring. 💕

Lucifer

He knows the feeling.

He hardly sleeps most nights thanks to Diavolo.

What even is sleep?

Upon noticing your very unhealthy sleeping habits while doing his rounds one night, he offered to let you stay in his room for some company.

As much as he didn't want to admit, he didn't like the nights he spent alone.

It would at least help to have someone who has the same issue.

Though he tried to do everything he could to help you sleep, even if it meant sleeping in his bed.

Mammon

Staying in your room most nights, he realized you were a night owl pretty quick.

He tried to talk you into sleeping, not quite understanding why you couldn't just sleep.

Most nights he tried to stay up with you.

That never really worked, he was quick to pass out next to you.

But in those times he desperately tried to stay awake, you both had the most fun.

He would tell you crazy stories and laugh with you.

Eventually it became a habit of him staying up later than normal with his favorite human.

Levi

Another night owl in the group.

Since he doesn't attend RAD and simply does online schooling, he typically stays up late to game.

When he came to the realization that you had trouble sleeping, he invited you to his room to game with him.

He wasn't bothered by your unnatural sleep schedule at all, and never pressed for you to sleep.

Especially since you both had so much fun playing games.

His only requirement being that you did get at least an hour or two of sleep before school, not wanting to be blamed by Lucifer that you hadn't slept.

Despite being shy and introverted, when it came to you, he was happy he had found someone with a similarly. Especially a normie.

Satan

Satan is not one to typically stay up very late. On occasion he will to finish a good book or to go star gazing.

While on his way to go look at the stars, he had noticed sound coming from your room, indicating that you were still very much awake.

Knocking carefully and seeing you were still very well awake, he frowned, unhappy to see you were still up at such a late hour.

Seeing an opportunity to spend time with you, he offered to let you come with him to see the stars.

Once comfortable in the grassy area, he made an effort to try to help you sleep by reading to you.

If you fell asleep he would simply carry you back to your bed when he was finished with the stars.

It became a nightly routine, and he wasn't unhappy about it.

Asmo

This boy needs his beauty sleep, so when he woke up one night to use the restroom and found you awake, he was bewildered.

This was unacceptable.

A precious human like you should be asleep at such an hour.

Taking action, he offered you a few melatonin gummies he had stashed in times of need like this.

You didn't expect him to fall asleep so early on his own now did you?

Despite wanting to sleep to keep his skin clear and glowing, he stayed up with you until the gummies took effect.

The next night called for a skin care routine to nurse your skin back to health from such an unhealthy sleeping habit.

He managed to buy you a thing of melatonin gummies and tried to make sure you slept proper hours to keep you feeling healthy and refreshed.

Beel

Getting up for a midnight snack, he was surprised to see you awake as well.

Feeling guilty that you were unable to sleep, he took his snack and stayed with you until you finally got some rest.

The warmth from this giant heater of a man was comfortable.

Late night munchies also helped.

He tried to stay up to keep you company but was quick to fall asleep with you and food in his arms.

His warmth and coziness did help you sleep eventually.

Night after night he would ask if you needed the company, hoping that he could at least help you feel safer with him.

Belphie

Despite being a master of sleep, Belphie sometimes had trouble sleeping at night.

Since he usually sleeps most throughout the day, it was cha for him to get a full night's rest.

When noticing you were awake, he was pretty shocked, not realizing a human could stay up for such long hours.

Feeling guilty, he asked if you wanted to go look at the stars in the planetarium with him, since it was his favorite spot.

After talking for a while, gazing at the stars above, he offered to use his powers on you to help you sleep.

Taking the opportunity and saying yes, he was quick to work his sleepy magic and had you asleep with him by your side in no time.

Many nights you'd both wake up to Lucifer or Beel finding you curled up together in the planetarium.

~Extra~

Solomon

Despite being a human and knowing the risks of staying up late, he also knew exactly how you felt.

Many nights he stayed up to work on his spells and potions and so on.

Once inviting you over for some practice with studying Devildom's magic, he realized that you also stayed up quite late.

Discouraged since he knew how much he personally hated staying up until ridiculous hours, the next day he went on a search.

Flipping through book after book of spells and potions, he finally came across one that would help.

Just a few simple words and he would be able to help you sleep at a normal time again, if you so wished.

He didn't seem to mind helping you out, he even made plans to cast the spell on himself so he wouldn't keep you up if that were ever the case.

Being the only two humans in Devildom, you both had to keep an eye out for each other.

Even if it means using a little magic here and there.

359 notes · View notes

heyheyheyhaikyu · 3 years

Text

TFF

twenty four - nickname

⚠︎︎𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝⚠︎︎

Kuroo had stayed awake through the night, unable to find sleep as he restlessly imagined how the day ahead would go. How will he react? Does he even feel the same? Questions towered in his mind as he laid awake.

The sun was already beginning to rise by the time sleep finally found its way to him. The few hours he slept in the morning he managed was enough to get him energized and ready to take on the day.

A message dinged on his phone and woke him from his light sleep.

He shook his head with a chuckle, putting his phone down. After a nice shower, he got dressed and headed out to the park. Kenma and Lev already happened to be there setting up a few things.

“Oh, you guys are already here?” Kuroo said as he slid into his secret area.

“I figured you weren't going to be able to sleep last night, so I thought maybe we should get an early start for you,” Kenma said without looking up from what he was doing.

“Honestly, how do you know me so well?” Kuroo sighed and shock his head with a smile.

“Well, it's not like we’ve been friends since we were little kids or anything,” Kenma said sarcastically.

Kuroo rolled his eyes and lightly shoved Kenmas shoulder. “Oh yeah, definitely not.”

“Well, what's your vision, big man?” Lev asked as he slapped Kuroo on the back.

“I feel like its lame, but here.” He showed the two a few photos to get the idea across.

They worked for a few hours, putting lights up, getting blankets and pillows laid down and just getting everything put together like Kuroo had imagined.

“Wow, it's really coming together guys!” Kuroo said excitedly.

“Do you know when Bokuto and Tsukishima are supposed to get here?” Lev asked.

Just as that was said, the two poked their heads in. “What was that about us?” Bokuto asked with a bright smile as he walked over and slung his arm around Kuroos shoulder.

“Nothing interesting, but that’s kinda hard to do about you anyway.” Kuroo nudged with a teasing smile.

“Ah- I'll have you know I'm the most interesting one of us here,” Bo said with a huff and crossed his arms.

“Sure you are.”

Everyone laughed and shook their heads at the twos banter while Bo just rolled his eyes and ignored Kuroo for a few minutes until he forgot about the incident.

It all seemed to be going smoothly. Bo and Tsuki brought a screen and projector to add to the setup. Everything looked perfect and just how Kuroo had imagined.

Since everything was ready to go, the group decided to go get a small meal together. The walk was nice and refreshing. It was nice to be able to really talk to Bo and Tsuki, catching up on everything going on in their lives.

As they were all sitting in the small café, a familiar face walked through the door. Lev and Tsuki were the two that saw him and they tried to discreetly hide and not be seen.

“What are you two doing? You look insane,” Kuroo said with a confused look.

“A wild y/n just walked through the door.”

“Oh shit- umm... just stay calm and try to act normal. Maybe he won't see us and just leave?”

“Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to work.”

*****

Ah, a nice refreshing boba and a sandwich sound so good right now. The past few days have been weird to say the least. Everyone had been just sort of weird...? Honestly, I don’t know what Kuroo has planned, but I can only assume it’ll be... something.

I ordered my drink and sandwich on auto pilot, lost in my head. Once I got my order, I turned to look for an empty table I could yoink.

Across the room sat all of my friends in the corner booth. My head spun with confusion and hurt. What are they all doing here? Why wasn't I invited?

Bo had been avoiding me all day and wouldn’t even talk to me at practice this morning. What if this thing Kuroo wanted to talk to me about was the fact that they all hate me now and don’t what to be friends with me any- No, stop thinking like that, y/n. Just go over there and ask them. It's not that hard of an issue to figure out.

I shrugged off my thoughts from a second ago and walked to the corner they were in. “Hey guys, what are you all doing here?” I shot them a confused smile as I leaned against Kuroo and looked at him, trying not to think too hard about why I hadn't been invited.

“O-oh! Hi y/n,” Kuroo stuttered out. It was clear he was nervous about something.

“Uh hi?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Am I intruding on something?”

“No, not at all!” Bo yelled excitedly, making us all flinch.

“Well in that case do you mind if I join you guys? But if you were getting ready to leave or anything, no need to feel pressured. You guys are obviously up to something.”

“Nono, we just got here a few minutes ago. Please feel free to sit,” he said patting his lap with a smirk plastered onto his pretty face.

I rolled my eyes and pushed him over, sitting on the end next to him. “In your dreams, kitten.” The nickname slipped passed my lips with ease and before I even knew what I had said, everyone was looking at the two of us like:

I glanced up at them after taking a bite of my sandwich. “What’s with the staring, geez. If you guys need me to leave your little secret meeting I can, but just stop looking at me like that,” I said as my forehead crinkled in confusion. I glanced at Kuroo to see him blushing a crimson red.

I thought back over the last minute, trying to pinpoint what happened. Realization struck and I burst out laughing. “Oh, this is about your nickname,” I snickered. “I didn’t even realize I said it, but I also thought I had said it around all of you guys already.” I looked out them and we all laughed.

From there forward, it was smooth sailing. Conversation flowed smoothly and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

I glanced down at my watch and sighed. “Hate to leave you guys so soon, but I have a couple meetings I have to call into from home.” I frowned and started to stand up. “Oh hey, Kuroo, so this “surprise” at the park tonight. What time are you thinking? I'm afraid I won't be free for quite a while with these status report meetings. It might be late before I can meet up. Is that okay?”

“Oh yeah, that’s perfect actually. Just call or text me when you’re on your way.” He smiled and gave my hand a little squeeze before I stood up.

I smiled back at him and ruffled his hair as I said my goodbyes and headed out.

Geez, it's been a long day already and I bet it's only going to get worse. I sighed and walked home. The sky was bright, without a single cloud accenting the vibrant shade of blue.

****

Everyone seemed to relax more once y/n left. The relentless teasing about his nickname and interactions with y/n made him blush a bright red once again.

“You’re so soft for him- it's kinda sickening honestly,” Kenma complained.

“Y/n almost never gives me head pats anymore,” Bo whined.

“Yeah, I think it's pretty clear that you won't have any trouble sealing the deal tonight,” Tsuki said.

“Who really knows? Y/n is an affectionate person and it's hard to really pinpoint what he thinks about you. He’s too good at hiding his emotions towards people,” Bo said as he sipped his drink.

“I’ll never know if I don’t ask, right?” Kuroo said with a smile as he stood up and started cleaning up the table.

“I agree. I'm only saying don’t assume anything too fast or you’ll just end up getting yourself hurt.”

Kuroo nods and after getting everything cleaned up, the group heads out and goes to the store before splitting up and heading in their separate directions.

masterlist || next || previous

☞ Fateful encounters happen all the time. When you find yourself after a bad breakup getting pressured by friends into making an online dating profile, you give in and do it. The fateful encounter to come wasn’t quite what you were expecting though.

A/N: this took a while, but oh well- hopefully it’s not horrible. The party really begins next update😌

taglist: @kookie-doughs @sparklylandflaplawyer @azztronut @channiechanchan @choke-medazai @420-uwu @afire24

#anime #haikyuu x you #haikyuu smau #haikyuu x male reader #haikyuu x reader smau #haikyuu x y/n smau #haikyuu!!#smau #kuroo smau #kuroo tetsuro smau #kuroo x y/n #kuroo x you #kuroo fluff #kuroo tetsuro x reader #kuroo x reader #haikyuu kuroo #kuroo testuro

48 notes · View notes

imagine-that-100 · 4 years

Text

Holiday | Part 16 |

Description of Part 1: Alex Turner x Reader (Female) | You’ve been friends with Alex Turner and the other boys from Arctic Monkeys since you were 13. You never for a second thought that Alex would release a song about you though. From late night phone calls and almost constant texting and teasing, you’ve managed to stay close with him over the years. When a pact is established and a holiday is arranged, life seems to be treating you very well. But a month in LA will either make or break you.

Word Count: 12.2K

Warnings: little bit of self-consciousness but a fuck load of FLUFF

A/N:. I can’t even with this part. It’s just too fucking cute. I really hope you all enjoy it and I would love your reactions please. It’s just too cute I can’t handle it. Taglists are always open. Thank you for reading x

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

| MASTERLIST IN BIO |

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

You were lay in bed with Alex with your head lay on his chest whilst you slept. The warmth from both the duvet pulled over you and Alex’s body heat, meant that you were so warm and cosy, you didn’t want the day to come and ruin it.

But as it happened, sleep wasn’t something that you would be getting for much longer because you felt Alex rub your back in the gentle way that you knew was an attempt to wake you up.

“Y/N/N” Alex stirred you.

Alex wouldn’t usually attempt to wake you up in the morning, but he knew you would love to see the sky full of all those different colours.

When you’d woken up a week ago to find the Instagram post that Alex had shared with everyone, you first and foremost kissed your boyfriend until he begged you to leave him alone. And then you made him promise you that if he saw a sky like that again, he had to wake you up.

When you’d seen the photo, you thought Alex was the cutest being in the entire world. You weren’t yet used to all the cute things he did for you.

All of your previous boyfriends weren’t really the old romantic types, so it was so refreshing and surprising when Alex was being his cute self. The only thing that you were gutted about, with the Instagram post, was that you missed the stunning view outside.

So, you had made him promise you, if he saw a sky as pretty as that again he would wake you up.

And that’s why he gently woke you from your slumber. You hummed in response to him saying your name and you tilted your head up to look at him before you opened your eyes.

You slowly opened your eyes to peak at him and you see he’s already smiling down at you.

Alex quietly says, “Sorry, I just thought you’d want to see the view” and then nods towards the large windows in your room.

You follow his gaze and you’re taken completely by surprise. The sky was littered with beautiful shades of orange and red and the light that was coming into your bedroom made it look like the room was glowing.

It was stunning.

“Oh my god” You say completely astounded.

You reach over him to get a picture of it quickly and Alex watched you with a smile.

He found you so funny.

If he tried to wake you up for anything else or if your alarm was going off for work, he would have been told to fuck off and your alarm would be snoozed until the last second until you had to be out of bed.

So, you now being wide awake and excited about the view was something that amused him a lot. He loved you but you were an annoying when you had to be awake in the morning.

Not that he was any better when he had to get up.

The way the golden light was shining on your skin as you sat up a little to take your picture was something Alex wanted to remember forever. You looked so effortlessly pretty despite just waking up and the fact that you were excited made you even prettier.

You put your phone back down after taking a picture or two and you rested your head in the palm of your hand as you looked at the view. You loved watching every little detail change and it was just mind-blowing that you got to see the scenery in front of you every day.

“That’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen” You say more to yourself than to Alex.

You knew he was still awake as you’re still half lay on his chest, but you don’t expect him to answer you.

He, however, does by saying “I’d say the same, but I’d be lying”

You look to your messy haired boyfriend and smile as you’d noticed he was looking at you, before you looked back to the view. But then it clicked what he meant, and you double took him.

“Wait did you just...” You trailed off with a raised eyebrow.

Alex nodded and you let out a little giggle, “That was the cheesiest thing I’ve ever heard”

“But you loved it” Alex said with a knowing smile and a toothy smile.

“I did. Even though it was a lie” You grin appreciating his compliment but not for a second accepting it.

There was no way you looked good at this moment in time. You’d gone to sleep with your hair in a ponytail that had come loose during the night and after your crying episode last night, you probably had bags under your eyes.

“Wasn’t a lie” Alex tells you seriously.

“Sure Turner. But thank you” You smile at him before dipping your head to plant a soft kiss to his chest as another thank you.

You share a smile before looking back to the view and watching as the sky slowly morphed into a complete daytime scene. There was still beauty to capture but the events of the previous night had left you tired and your eyes craved the rest.

So, you ended up closing again after about 10 minutes of watching the sky. Alex didn’t mind at all though, he ended up falling asleep about 5 minutes after you with his hand in your hair after he’d helped sooth you to sleep.

Alex had walked into your home yesterday after a long day of interviews to find you having a particularly rough evening.

He walked in around 6:30pm and heard The Smiths quietly playing and he immediately knew something was up. Alex more than anyone knew that when you were sad you played your sad playlist and that primarily consisted of The Smiths songs.

Alex took off his jacket at the front door and hurriedly made his way through the house to find you. He found you sat on the settee in your spot hugging your knees with your face hidden from sight as you cried.

He worriedly made his way to you and pried you out from hiding to yourself so you could look to him. You didn’t stop crying when you did show him your face, you just threw your arms around him and started crying into his shoulder.

Alex hugs you back just as tight as you were holding him. He tried his best to sooth you by rubbing your back and holding you tight as your sobs racked through your body.

Hearing you cry like this though really hurt Alex’s heart.

“Baby what’s wrong?” Alex asks you still hugging you close.

You attempt to speak but he only catches a few words of what you were saying. You were pretty incoherent because you were both trying not to cry and also mumbling your words into his neck.

“Love, I really need you to take a few deep breaths and calm down for me” Alex tells you softly, stroking the back of your head.

As you try and take a deep breath though another few seconds of crying starts, and Alex tries his best to quieten them. He carries on soothing you as he can feel your body shaking

“Come on sweet, can you do that for me?” Alex asks once more when you stop audibly crying. “Deep breaths for me”

He feels you nod into his neck and he hears you slowing taking some deep breaths and you slowly start to calm down. You’re still shaky but at least you are breathing through it and Alex knows he’ll have you calmed down soon.

“That’s it honey, deep breaths” He softly repeats until you quieten down.

When you stop shakily breathing in his arms, he pulls back a bit from you so he could see you. He gives you a smile which makes you smile but the tears were still running down your face.

“I’m sorry” You mumble as you wipe your face.

It was at that point that Alex saw that you were quite flushed which was something that happened every time you drank wine. Upon noticing that, he glances to the table beside the settee and saw an empty glass and bottle of Rose.

“Don’t apologise. It’s okay” Alex said wiping the fresh tears from your face.

He placed a kiss to your forehead before asking you in a soothing voice, “What’s wrong?”

“Got myself worked up” You say rubbing your eyes.

“Why? What’s up? What about?” Alex says with worry clear on his features.

“Why do you like me?” You ask him once you regain your ability to speak. Your speech is a bit broken though because you were whispering to try and stop yourself from crying more.

The question takes Alex back completely though. That wasn’t that he was expecting at all.

So even though he heard you he without thinking asked, “What?”

“Why do you like me?” You repeated a little louder, but the sadness still filled your voice.

“Y/N I love you… I love you so so much” Alex tells you tucking your hair behind your ear, before he cups your jaw.

“Yeah but why?” You say, getting yourself worked up a little bit again.

Alex’s eyebrows furrow at that confused, “What do you mean why?”

“Like why me? I’m nothing special at all and you could do so much better” You said between juddery breaths.

Tears were running freely down your face again and you made no attempt to catch them with the sleeves of your hoodie like you had been doing.

“Hey, don’t you ever say that because that’s a massive lie” Alex tells you in a nice way, but he had a certain seriousness to his voice.

He continues to say, “You are literally the most amazing person I’ve ever met Y/N. Everything about you is special”

Your eyes well up again at his kind words but you shake your head. You felt like there was literally nothing special about you at all.

“Yes” Alex nods at you, seeing how you didn’t believe him at all.

“Y/N, you are the happiest person I know, and you brighten up my room as soon as you walk into it. You are so creative with everything that you do, I wish I was half as creative as you and could come up with the stuff that you do” Alex starts on his list of reasons why you meant so much to him.

“Not to mention you are so so beautiful…” He tells you whilst he uses his thumb to wipe your tears away “You are actually the most stunning person I’ve ever met. On both the inside and out” 

Alex continues with the closing statement of, “You are the most important thing in my life, and I love you so much and I’ll never stop telling you that”

“I love you” You say before you fling your arms around his neck again and cling to him for dear life.

He feels you getting yourself worked up again as he can feel you shakily breathing again in his arms, “Darling, where has this come from?”

“It doesn’t matter” You tell him whilst wiping the tears from your eyes, whilst your arms are still around his neck.

“Y/N/N, you don’t get yourselves in these states for no reason” Alex states a true fact as he pulls you away from his body so he can see your gorgeous face once more.

“It’s stupid” You say as Alex hastily wipes away more of your tears.

“Yeah well I’m stupid too. I threw us into the pool with my phone in my pocket, so you can tell me, and it will stay between us two stupid people” Alex grins at you and it makes you laugh a little.

After taking one more deep breath to try and alleviate the tightness in your chest you explain.

“I was just having a few drinks on FaceTime to Y/B/F…” You say, explaining your typical Friday evening when you got home from work early. “And after she went off, I saw something online and it made me upset”

“What was it?”

“Just about Alexa and Arielle… And pointing out that I didn’t have as much going for me as they do… And that you could do so much better. Which is true” You say whilst hiding into his chest again and you take comfort in him hugging you into his body.

“It’s not true at all” Alex tells you bluntly before he kisses the top of your head.

“Do you actually believe that?” Alex asked as you looked back up at him.

“It’s in the back of my head sometimes, before I even read it” You nod as more tears, that were unauthorised, fall from your eyes, which makes Alex’s heart hurt.

“Y/N” Alex cooed before he pulled you into him.

“Please never think that, ever, because it’s never crossed my mind once. I love you for you, and if I was actually brave enough back in the day, I would have never even had Alexa or Arielle because I wanted you” Alex tells you and you can tell he’s being completely serious.

“I’ve always wanted you” He says with no hesitation at all.

You smile at him and he returns it before saying, “You’re my lobster”

You couldn’t help but giggle at his Friends reference. You’d both been casually rewatching it and you’d only watched the Lobster episode together yesterday.

“I love you” You say through your tears.

“I love you too… More than you’ll ever know” Alex offers you a big smile that makes your heart swell.

Alex eventually gets you to a point where you aren’t crying anymore, which you didn’t think was possible but as it turns out, it relied on you speaking about it more. And also, turning The Smiths off helped.

Morrissey was good but depressing.

You’d just unlocked your phone for the first time since you’d abandoned it to cry and you laughed a little seeing what was on your screen. You were an idiot, half the time you got yourself extra worked up for no reason.

You’d pulled up Arielle’s Instagram just to be nosy and you had another flick through it as you started explaining to Alex why you laughed a little just then.

He was sat next to you on the settee and you were tucked under his arm, leaning into him. You looked up to him and told him, “You know it’s embarrassing to admit, but mid-breakdown I was going through Arielle’s Instagram and literally burst out crying talking to myself saying the most stupid things”

You glanced back down on your phone which showed her profile.

You giggled as you admitted, “I think at one point I was looking through it saying, ‘It’s no surprise that Alex got with her because she’s stunning and I’d shag her too’”

You have a little laugh at yourself as Alex says with a little chuckle, “Oh my god, stop”

“I make myself laugh” You laugh before you rest your head on his shoulder as you scroll down her profile.

“Give me your phone a sec” Alex extends his hand to take it from you and you give it him.

“Right look at these instead…” He says, and you see that he’s brought up your own profile.

He taps on each recent photo of you to make it bigger when he says, “You should be looking at this, which is of right now… and there’s no reason for you to be looking at them and crying”

“Look at that” Alex instructs as he brings up a picture of you in your white jeans and a stolen while transparent top of his that you’d unbuttoned a little and tied it around your waist to make it look cute on you. “You look fucking beautiful there… Way more attractive than anything else you’ve just scrolled past on Arielle’s account”

You smile as he says that, but your eyes are fixed on your phone when he brings up the photo from the first weekend that you’d come over on your holiday. It was the one that Miles took of the both of you in your leather jackets and he’d told you both that you looked like a biker couple.

“And look at all that. That us. Me and you. And there’s more Y/N/N…” Alex tells you appreciating the picture for a good few seconds before he carries on.

“Because we are there…” He says tapping off the app. “On your home screen and your lock screen” He says as he locks it and presses the button again to show a cute selfie that you’d taken of the both of you over Christmas.

Alex then gets his phone out of his pocket and shows reminds him that you are on his lock screen and on his home screen too.

“And if you want more proof of my undying love for you Y/N/N, you only have to look at this” Alex tells you hugging you the tiniest bit tighter with his arm that was around you.

As he does that, he pulls up his very secretive Instagram account and that action takes up your full attention. You see that it is a completely private account and that there are no followers, and he only follows 3 accounts.

Your bets would be on your account, Matt’s and Miles’.

But the thing that grabbed your attention most was that the account was full to the brim of pictures of you both together. And there’s hundreds of posts.

Pictures of you holding hands. Stood together. Kissing his cheek, him kissing yours. Kissing in general.

There were a bunch of videos too of you both messing about. As he scrolled through, you saw the video of the two of you jokingly getting off with him on the settee and you knew it was the video that Miles took when you were both trying to embarrass Matt and Miles.

And you also spotted pictures going all the way back to when you were younger. No doubt ones that your parents had dug out over the past few months, but you noted that there were pictures on there of the two of you that were up in his childhood bedroom.

Pictures that had been taken at parties, at their first gig. Loads of different ones of behind the scenes at many gigs over the years and on the bus.

It was just full of the two of you.

And that was the cutest thing you had ever seen in your entire life.

“You see… I completely adore you Y/N/N” Alex tells you as you scroll through the profile.

A lone tear falls down your face as you turn towards him and you have to say, “I love you so much. I don’t know why I’m so emotional about this right now, but I swear I love you the most I’ve ever loved anyone Alex”

“I love you loads” Alex tells you before he kisses you.

You kiss him back but also feel the need to carry on your declaration of love. “You literally make me the happiest I’ve ever been, and I don’t know what I would do without you”

“You’re my everything” You whisper loud enough for him to hear you before you give him the biggest hug.

“Same here baby” Alex says before kissing the top of your head.

But then after a minute he ruins the moment in his charming way.

“I’m not letting you drink wine again though” Alex states which makes you start giggling.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The next few months were amazing for the both of you. Everything You’ve Come To Expect had obviously dropped and it was amazing.

You loved every single song on there and you were so excited to go to the few American gigs you could get too and you found that you loved the gigs just as much watching from the side of the stage as you did being in the pit.

You both agreed that it probably wouldn’t be very safe for you down in the pit anymore because you didn’t exactly hide that you knew or were with Alex anymore. So, in case the crowd held any psycho fans you thought the side of the stage would be best.

With the album dropping though that obviously meant that Alex had to go off and tour with Miles. Something which was hard after spending so much time together but thankfully you weren’t finding it too difficult.

You kept in contact all the time, with FaceTime calls taking place every other day and texts daily just to check in on the other. You were just glad that Alex was having a fab time with his best mate again on tour.

You also were having a fun time having the house to yourself. You could have your music on as loud as you wanted, and you loved every second of it.

You made use of the pool, the music room, the cinema room (which you practically lived in after work), and you had even made use of the gym.

Alex had been away since the end of March and it was now currently the beginning of July you were flying out to meet Alex back home for his UK tour and to see your family.

Y/B/F was picking you up from the airport and you had missed her so much despite only seeing her when she came over for Easter. She had obviously been completely blown away by the house and it was quiet refreshing how you had the time to yourself with her again.

It was like a massive upgrade for you both living together again. Even if it was only briefly.

Unfortunately, she still hadn’t met Miles yet due to him being on tour with Alex across the other side of the world when she was over, so you had arranged a little surprise for her for when you were getting back to the flat.

You’d instructed Alex to call at your Mum’s to get her spare key to your flat so he and Miles could be there waiting to surprise her when you both came back.

Your flight was due in at 11am which meant that you got the rest you needed on the plane and you were ready for the day ahead when you got off the plane. Y/B/F collected you from the airport with no issues at all and as you were in the car on your way back, you discretely texted Alex and told him to wait in her room.

“Okay so I have a surprise for you” You say as she unlocks the door to your flat.

“Oh my god, are you pregnant?” She practically yells and you just knew that the boys would have heard it.

So, you scoff just as loudly with a hint of a smile on your lips when you say, “No, you cheeky cow”

“Sorry I just wanted to guess” Y/B/F shrugged her shoulders defeatedly.

“Well stop before you dig your own grave” You shake your head before you abandon your suitcase just outside your bedroom door.

“No, so I asked my mum to deliver it whilst you were picking me up so I could surprise you with it” You tell her as you turn towards her again and you could see that she was very curious.

“It’s in your room” You tell her because tilting your head towards the room.

You watch her as she walks to her bedroom door and you follow behind her. She says that you didn’t have to get her anything and you just shush her and apologise that the present is long overdue.

 You then watch as she opens her bedroom door and you can see from over her shoulder that Alex and Miles are sat on her bed with their backs against the headboard with their legs stretched out across her duvet.

You heard Y/B/F gasp from in front of you and you saw her hand fly to her mouth. The three of you just started laughing at her reaction and you laugh a bit more when she turns around away from them and says to you, “I was not expecting that”

You laugh and throw your arms around her shoulders to give her the hug that you can see she so desperately needs right now. As she clings to you for a second you smile towards your boys and blow them a quick kiss.

They both blow you one back and you can see that they can’t get their smiles off their faces. They both looked so good. The only thing different about either of them was that your boyfriend’s hair was a longer than when you’d last seen him in person.

“So, you like your present?” You ask your best friend when you release her from her hug.

She laughs a little and says, “Oh I love it. I wanna get right in the middle of that sandwich”

“Get in it then” You tell her as she turns back around to look at both men on her bed again.

She makes her way into the room and you can tell that she will be absolutely ecstatic with her choice of clothes today. She was wearing white jeans with a cropped checked tube top that showed a good bit of cleavage, and she still had her checked Vans on along with her blue denim jacket.

She may not have known Miles was going to be here, but she was definitely dressed to impress. And you loved that for her.

Y/B/F makes her way towards Miles first, going him an excited, “Hey” before she leans in and hugs him.

“Hello, it’s nice to finally meet you officially” Miles grins and reciprocates her hug.

“Likewise,” Y/B/F can’t stop herself from grinning before she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

Then Alex seems to take up her attention. “Turner, looking good as always” She grins towards him and he chuckles.

“Come here you” He tells her offering her an arm for a hug.

You could see that she wasn’t going to turn down a hug from him, so she quickly got onto her bed. Climbed over Miles, pretty much by straddling his legs to get to Alex to give him a hug.

Their hug lasted a good few seconds before she twisted herself around, so she was sat in between them leaning back against the both of their shoulders. She let out a relaxed sigh before she grinned up at you.

“Well goodbye Y/N, dreams are about to come true. Show yourself out” She half giggled at you with a wave.

You couldn’t help but laugh too, along with the boys beside her.

You grab her polaroid camera from just beside you on her desk before you take a quick picture of her sat in the middle of them. You then abandoned the camera as the picture began to develop before you made your way to your man.

You quickly got onto the bed throwing one leg over him, so you were straddling him before you attached his lips to yours. Alex chuckled into the kiss as his arms tightened around your waist pulling your closer to him.

God you had missed him so much.

After a few seconds you pulls away and let your hands go up into his fluffy Prince Charming hair and you adored how long it was now. “I love your head” You muttered as you pulled the strands through your fingers over his face and he chuckles at you being fascinated with his hair.

You absolutely adored it.

“Is your present that foursome we arranged?” Y/B/F says hopefully distracting you from your boyfriend.

You scoff with a bit of a laugh, “You wish Hun”

She and Miles laugh at you then before they fall into quick conversation which leaves Alex to start one between the two of you.

“Pregnant, are we?” He chuckles bringing back up what your rude best friend had suggested.

You laugh and shake your head, “No, the cheeky fucker. I’ve lost weight”

“I was just about to say you look fantastic” Alex tells you and you can’t keep a smile off your face when he says that.

“Thank you” You grin, “I’ve been doing the training that you told me, and I can actually do a proper push up now my arms are stronger”

Before he’d gone away you had joined him in the gym one afternoon where you embarrassedly admitted that you couldn’t do a proper push up, so he’d gone through some of his training with you. He had a punch bag in the room too as he’d gotten quite into it and he showed you things to help build your muscle on that.

You were actually proud of yourself that you’d stuck it out and you actually got somewhere with it.

“My girl” Alex smiles before he leans in and pecks your lips once more.

Once you all get settled into the flat, after you’d all had a good chat and a brew Miles gets up from the settee and announces to the room, “Right come on were off out”

You and Y/B/F look up confused as you weren’t made aware of any plans.

You look to Alex and he confirms, “Big day planned”

“What have you got in mind Miles?” You smile up at him.

“Okay, so first were going to get some lunch from that Cafe you like Al” Miles begins to explain.

“Then we are going bowling, and then later on were having a meal and after a few drinks at the bar, we are coming back here for a piss up. Sound good?” He looks to you and your best friend for confirmation and you both nod eagerly.

“Sounds like were having a double date day” You jokingly say and smile at Y/B/F.

“That’s the idea” Miles then says which makes your grin get bigger and Y/B/F can’t control her smile.

You both have a silent scream on the settee as the boys grab their jackets.

“Come on then” They hurry you and before you know it, you’re off out.

You all ended up having a great day and coming back home for drinks was probably one of the best parts. You may have been a bit bias though because about an hour into the drink you and Alex excused yourselves to your bedroom where you proceeded to fool around for a while.

You were both conscious to keep the noise level down completely which proved difficult because you hadn’t seen each other in so long. But you would say that you’d done pretty well as you’d both quietened each other’s moans

As you lay together cuddling afterwards, just enjoying the others physical presence, the same respect that the two of you had shown for the noise level had apparently been a one-sided thing.

You knew your place had thin walls but god, you were fairly certain that the couple that had obviously moved themselves into the room next to yours were doing bits against the wall. They were loud.

“That was fast” You state with a smirk on your lips as you

“To be fair to them they have been messaging each other for the best part of a year”

You smile at that knowing full well just what they got up to over the phone. “Oh, I know they are filthy. I’m surprised he didn’t cut the day short and bring her back”

Alex laughed at that before a particularly loud noise of what seemed like mutual pleasure emitted from the bedroom beside you.

And it was loud enough that you and Alex had to put the TV on to fall asleep too.

~*~*~*~

Of course, with the boys touring back home, that meant that Alex had to deliver on his promise to Zoe that she could come to a gig. Something which she was very pleased about and very excited for.

You, Alex and your brother had decided that the best venue to take Zoe to would be their gig at Tramlines because Alex’s set was on during the day and it was close to home for you all.

And you were really excited. Firstly, because you were finally going to get take your niece to see a concert and spend the day with her in that environment. And secondly because Catfish and the Bottlemen were headlining the festival and you were so fucking excited.

The people that ended up joining, what was meant to be you and Zoe, was your best friend because she would never turn down a gig, and your brother was tagging along for parental supervision. You knew that he didn’t trust either of you.

Nevertheless, you were all having a great day. Miles and Y/B/F were getting on like a house on fire and didn’t leave each other alone.

You’d caught many a stolen kiss and lingering touches which made you smile. You hadn’t seen Miles like this with anyone before, so it was quiet refreshing to see. And the fact that it was with your best friend made it loads better.

About 10 minutes before your boys were due to go on and you had managed to get Zoe to detach herself from Alex, you pull him to the side and say whilst your arms are loosely hung around his neck, “You’re going to have to tone it down today because I can’t make crude comments under my breath about you on stage with my brother and niece next to me”

Alex grins and raises his eyebrows at you, “You make crude comments about me?”

You smile and begin to explain, “You know in Everything You’ve Come To Expect when you sing about Shadowplay appealing to an ancient impulse”

Alex nods and you continue, “Yeah, well that’s what you on stage does to me. It very much appeals to a certain impulse”

Especially now he’d changed into a stunning teal suit with a black shirt under it. His hair was also really lovely and soft looking today, he had proper long cute Prince Charming hair now.

“Does this mean I’m getting lucky tonight?” Alex asks you cheekily.

“Well, I’m seeing you perform and then later we get Catfish, so I’ll leave you to your own deductions” You say innocently.

You were literally dressed in black jeans and your brand-new Catfish merch, which was like you white one, but this was the new version for the new album. So, it had The Ride’s crocodile artwork on one side and the bands logo on the other, along with the number 7 on your back.

“I love you” Alex grins down at you.

You too grin before you give him a kiss.

“I love you too”

~*~*~*~

The set had been amazing. They had got a 40-minute set which was quite good for the main stage at a festival around 6pm.

They were about halfway done with their set when they had just finished playing Standing Next To Me and Alex had made Zoe laugh from all the weird poses he was doing on stage during the song.

He was an odd guy when he went on stage with Miles. They brought out that weird and wonderful side of the other which was something you weren’t yet used to seeing.

They both put on slightly different personas when they went on stage and you don’t know why Alex was so different when he was on stage with Miles compared to how he was with the Monkeys. However, it was really refreshing to see, and you could tell that he enjoyed every single second he was out there.

You, Y/B/F, your brother and Zoe were watching from the side of the stage. Thankfully you were allowed to stand literally at the side of the stage and not up on the guest list balcony which was just over your heads.

It meant that Alex could send Zoe a little grin or a wave whenever he felt like it. And it also meant that you all had an amazing view.

The crowd was massive, and they seemed to really love both Alex and Miles. You could hear people singing back throughout the whole set which was lovely to witness.

Alex had just taken off his guitar and gave it a stage handler before heading back to the microphone.

“My friends down there in the audience, I don’t suppose you could just do me a little favour“ Alex asks them in his low voice as a runner quickly sets up a keyboard just beside him.

You hadn’t seen this at one of his gigs yet, so you were keen to see what he was pulling out of the bag for the crowd. Some audience participation always made things better.

“When I start singing something could you all help me out with finishing it off?”

“Yeah?” He reiterates to get them to be louder and a roar comes back from them which you can see makes him smile.

“Amazing” Alex grins at them before he moves his microphone stand so it is in front of the keyboard.

He starts playing something fancy first that you can’t place but you know it’s just one of them tunes he does to get himself warmed up. He was a bit of a showoff.

A far too familiar tune then starts playing and you are completely shocked to hear it.

“Is he…?” Your best friend trails off as it's confirmed for you that Alex is indeed playing Let It Go on the piano.

“The snow glows white on the mountain tonight” Alex begins, and he changes the song to fit his own voice perfectly.

You didn’t know he was doing this at all, but you were already loving it and he’d only just started.

Especially when Zoe excitedly turned towards you in her Dad’s arms and excitedly says, “Auntie Y/N/N, he’s playing Let It Go”

“I know” You giggle seeing how excited and shocked she was.

You tune back into Alex to hear him sing, “And it looks like Miles is the queen”

That causes the band, all of you, and the crowd to share a laugh especially when Miles does a curtsy with his drink in hand.

Alex carried on until he gets to the chorus and then the crowd takes over for him. Singing every line back to him until Alex shortens the song a bit by drawing out ’storm rage on’ part. And the audience finished it off with the iconic, “The cold never bothered me anyway”

“Thank you everybody” Alex starts clapping to the loud despite his applause being huge. He then explains to them, “That was for my little niece watching from the sides”

“Hi Zoe” He waves at her and she eagerly waves back to him.

“Does she wanna come out?” Alex asks looking towards you for confirmation.

“Do you wanna go and wave to all the people that have come to see Uncle Alex?” You ask her as she’s in your brothers arms currently.

She nods a little sheepishly, but you make sure to reassure her and that she’s alright.

“They might be a bit loud, but they are really nice I promise” You give her a big grin and her face brightens a little bit.

“Okay” She nods and smiles at you.

“Come on then” You say taking her from your brother because you knew there was no way in hell he would take her out there.

“She’s coming out to say hello” You hear Alex say as you start walking out on the stage with her in your arms.

Never in your life had you regretted wearing boots with a heal more. You were focussing on every step to ensure that you didn’t deck it in front of 30,000 people.

There’s an immediate uproar from the crowd as you walk onto the stage. More than likely because Zoe was the cutest little girl anyone had ever seen and the fact that she was wearing her Anna dress.

“Give them a wave” You tell her as you walk towards Alex.

You wave towards them first and when she follows your actions the crowd gets louder and louder. You look to her and see the smile on her face which is just magical to see.

You can’t help but grin at Alex as you make your way over to him.

‘You’re so cute’ You mouth to him and he grins at you.

He says into the microphone, “Everybody please welcome Zoe to the stage”

There’s another surge of noise from the crowd when he says that, and it gives you goosebumps. How Alex and Miles dealt with this was completely beyond you.

It was magical.

By the time you reached Alex, the runner had taken the keyboard away from him and his mic stand was back in its normal place. He’d also taken off his blazer and put it on the ground beside him just as you reached him.

He gave you a smile and offered to take Zoe from you. Something which she happily jumped at and she leant forward into his arms.

Once you weren’t needed anymore you moved towards Miles who was just at the section of the stage in front of the gap between the strings and the drums. You gave him a hug and a well done before you smiled at the ladies and the lads who performed alongside the boys.

You turned to look back at Alex and Zoe. She hadn’t even noticed you’d moved away from her. She was just infatuated by the sea of people in front of her and by Alex.

She was completely besotted with him. It was adorable.

Once you’d told Miles that both he and Alex were cute for doing this for her you both stood and watched the pair in front of you.

“Do you want to say hello?” You saw Alex grin to her and ask down the mic he’d picked up with his free hand.

He brings the mic to her and she says a “Hello” and then all you could hear was everyone cooing back at her and some shouted hello back.

You faintly could hear her giggle at that through the microphone and she turned to Alex to laugh. He amused her and giggled along to before interacting with the crowd again.

“This is Zoe’s first gig everyone” Alex tells them, and you see that his performing persona has dropped completely.

“Have you enjoyed it?” He asks her with a big smile.

She nods at him and then because she looks like she’s going to say something Alex moves the mic to her again.

He wasn’t expecting her to say, “But you’ve not sang Mardy Bum”

Alex chuckles at that as does the rest of the crowd. You and Miles both laugh too.

You had pre-warned her that she wouldn’t be getting all of her favourites today. But she’d seemed to forget.

“I’ll sing you that one later on I promise” Alex tells her, and you have no doubt he’ll make up for it.

The crowd, however, start to sing it at Alex and laughs before telling her, “Oh there singing it for you now”

Alex lets them get a bit of the way through the first verse before he cuts them off. He interrupts them after ‘When they get to very pleasant side to you’.

“Right enough of that now you lot. Pipe down, pipe down” He grins, taking control back at his own did.

He jokes with them, “I don’t see any AM lined up there, do you? Enough of it”

he shakes his head disapprovingly at them which makes Zoe giggle. The giggle causes Alex’s attention reverts fully back to Zoe again.

“Which song was your favourite from today Zoe?” He asks, fairly certain from what she was wearing that she knows what the answer will be.

“Let it go” She grins at him and your heart melts. She was so bloody cute.

“Shall we do it again?” Alex asks her and the crowd cheers when she nods.

“Will you help me?” He asks her and when she again nods, he then says nodding to the crowd, “We will get them lot out there to help us too yeah”

Zoe grins at him when Alex says, “Okay, are you ready?”

She says an excited, “Yes” and you quickly fish your phone out of your pocket to video this moment.

You never wanted to forget it.

“Let it go, let it go, can’t…” Alex starts singing it before he moves the microphone to her.

Her voice rings out, “Hold it back anymore”

Alex’s grin gets 10 times bigger then when he puts the microphone between them this time as they continue, “Let it go, let it gooo”

“Turn away and slam the door” They sang your heart was so warm in this moment. It was amazing.

“I don’t care, what they’re going to say…”

“Let the storm rage onnnnnnnn” They both sing loudly before Alex moves the microphone to Zoe so she can finish the song off.

“The cold never bothered me anyway” Zoe said with a huge grin on her face.

“Everyone massive round of applause for Zoe please” Alex tells everyone before he kisses her forehead as he puts the microphone back on the stand.

You end your video and quickly put your phone in your pocket before you walk forward to go and get Zoe from him. Alex grins as he turns back towards you and you happily take her from him again and once she’s secure in your arms you go to walk off stage with her.

Alex has other ideas though.

You’d only made it a few steps when he grabs your hand to make you turn back around. You smile at him again as you hear the crowd cheering for him still.

Alex steps forward and cups your face before he leans in to kiss you. You kiss him back but quickly become all too aware of the people around you screaming. And you meant screaming.

It was deafening.

You pull away after a second and smile up at him before slapping his arse teasingly like you normally do, which gets a laugh from Miles and Zach, along with the other band members. You then start to walk off properly this time with hot cheeks.

The crowd was still going mental as you walked off stage which makes you even more embarrassed. However, you make the most of it and get Zoe to wave at them again which makes her giggle when they scream back.

“My girlfriend too ladies and gentlemen” You hear come through the speakers which makes you turn to look at him and you shake your head at him when you again get another cheer.

You thankfully make it back without falling over your own feet and hand Zoe back over to your brother. You all have your full attention on an excited Zoe, which meant that you almost missed when Alex said, “Lads, lads. Pipe down, she’s mine”

He takes up your attention again as his performing persona comes back just as quickly as it left. He’s looking intently at a spot in the crowd that you can’t see because the side of the sage is blocking your view.

But then he laughs over the microphone saying, “Woah mate. I just watched you say to him that she’s fit as fuck”

“She is!” You can hear whoever it is shout back to Alex which makes you and Y/B/F laugh.

Alex laughs again as he replies, “I know she is, but you can’t have her too. I’ve only just got her. I don’t need that sort of competition”

You roll your eyes at him being dramatic. You’d been together almost a year now. He still acts like it was yesterday.

“Did you just shrug and say, ‘she’s well fit’?” You see and hear Alex ask over the speakers, but you didn’t hear the boys say that this time.

Miles cackles through his microphone. And you want to die there and then.

“Mate. That’s nasty that” Alex shakes their heads at them before looking towards you.

“Y/N I love you right. Don’t be looking at anyone else please” Alex pleads, and he dramatically reaches out with his arm as if he has the force or something.

Miles thankfully takes his attention again by saying, “He’s got a leather jacket on too Al. Best watch your back”

You roll your eyes at that statement. You were never going to live the leather joke down. Even Y/B/F was laughing.

“No no no” Alex says with a pained expression as he gives his cue to Zach and James that he’s about to start the next song.

He cues Miles last with a nod and a smile before Alex turns back towards you. He walks a little closer to your side of the stage with the microphone wire dragging behind him.

He stops about 5 meters away from you and looks you dead in the eye and says, “He can’t have you right Y/N/N, because I just sorta always feel sick without you baby”

Alex starts singing yet another one of his songs about you and you can only listen along. “Ain’t got anything to lick without you baby”

When you originally heard this song. You were completely shook.

He’d actually shocked into silence even though he’d pre-warned you it was about you. It was an amazing song though, and despite it being about you it was your favourite, you adored his voice in it.

And the ending was soooo fucking dirty, but he hid it well in his poetic lyrics. But you didn’t miss it. You adored the song in general you just couldn’t believe it was about you again.

That was the best but worst part about having a genius musician as a boyfriend.

Now every time you heard this song you were taken back to many happy memories with him. Primarily being that night where he’d pressed you up against the mirror that was on your wall in your shared walk-in wardrobe and fucked you against it.

You were sure that the mirror was going to break but he didn’t seem to care and neither did you really. You both felt too good to care.

The song held cute memories too, like you both being weirdos and he’d jokingly licked your nose. And another time when you were back home over Christmas and you tried to put your septum piercing back in seeing if you could still get it in or if it healed over.

You were reminded of his fucking tongue and the countless times he’d given you head, which is what the ‘ache in the jaw’ lyric meant. And the time you bought cowboy esk boots and you’d joked that they made you feel like you were from Tennessee.

Yes, you were all for the American stereotypes. But later that day when you’d been breaking them in around the house, he instructed you to keep them on whilst he fucked you.

You loved the song with the whole of your heart and you fucking loved watching him sing it live. Made you hot under the collar every time.

But what made you ten times hotter was him walking to the side of the stage to collect you, just before he sang the line, “Baby we oughta… Fuck”

Alex grabbed your hand and pulled you back out onto the stage earning another cheer from the crowd.

He dragged you both to the middle of the stage before he let go of your hand and wrapped an arm around your waist, so he was hugging you from behind. He made you press your back against his chest, and you could watch as he belted out the last verse, which was the part that held all those memories.

You truly were in heaven now. His voice was so powerful beside you, it was crazy that you got to witness him like that.

You couldn’t take your eyes off him. You just looked up at him beside you as best you could and softly sang along, but not loud enough to distract him.

It was almost like you were starstruck by him. However, only a matter of minutes later you would truly find out what being starstruck felt like.

As soon as Alex finishes singing the last long lyric, he puts the microphone back onto the stand. He then proceeds to dance the both of you back across the stage, as the rest of the song plays out.

Your giggling, feeling a whirlwind of emotions as this happens. You’re having the time of your life, but you did get worried that you were going to fall again.

“The wires Alex” You say as he twirls you around.

He chuckles before pulling you back into his body, “I’ve got you”

You’re both laughing as he carries on your dancing for a few more seconds before he pauses you both near the edge of the stage so you’re looking out to the crowd.

Alex then sarcastically waves to the boys down at the front at the barrier before trying to shout over the music, “She’s mine”

You laugh at him before you ask him, “Which ones were they”

“Leather jacket brown hair” Alex points you in the right direction.

You spot them when they both wave at you and you laugh seeing that they really were your type, so it was no wonder Miles commented on it.

You wave back at that and because you’re a generous person, who also likes to tease her boyfriend, you blow them a kiss too.

Alex scoffs and shakes his head at that though, which makes you start laughing, so he spins you back around to him before attaching his lips to yours. And your taken that much by surprise that you don’t even stop it.

You end up fully getting off with him on stage as they finish playing the song which earns the loudest scream from the crowd you’d heard today. You pulled away all flustered by him and you’re unable to get the grin off your face.

“I love you” You say before you head off back to your hiding spot.

“I love you too beautiful” He says giving you a grin before he heads back towards Miles.

When he reaches his microphone again you hear him say over the speakers, “Sorry about that everyone, feeling a bit loved up today”

He can’t even get the grin off his face when he says, “Doesn’t mean I’m not going to get bollocked for dragging her on stage with me though, ladies and gentlemen”

You laugh but you think he deserves a slight scorning, so you stick your middle finger up at him.

And when he sees you do it, he says, “Don’t stick your finger up at me, our niece is right there”

Zoe was too focused on Alex on the stage to be looking your way, so his argument didn’t stand.

“Do your job” You shout back at him.

“Do my job?” Alex asks pointing to himself and you nod in confirmation.

“Can’t it’s Miles’ song now” He smiles before the crowd start chanting for Miles again.

Alex of course encourages that behaviour and says, “That’s right ladies and gentlemen. Miles. Miles. Miles fucking Kane”

Least he’d got back to his boyfriend now.

The rest of the gig was great, and thankfully, you didn’t make another appearance. It was cute that Zoe couldn’t help but giggle away when she watched Alex dance his way across the stage whilst singing Les Cactus.

It makes all 3 of you adults laugh but it’s Zoe who finds it most comical.

Something that you really didn’t expect to happen though was be completely starstruck a couple of songs before the end of their set.

“Hey Zoe” You all hear someone say.

The four of you look around for who’d said that as it was close by, yet you couldn’t see anyone trying to get her attention around you.

However, it seemed that Zoe had the right idea of looking up, where she found the mysterious voice.

You follow her gaze up to the guest list balcony, where all the important people watched and listened from, and you almost died when you looked up into the eyes of Van McCann.

Zoe waved up at him whilst you and Y/B/F shared a look of disbelief that one of your favourite musicians was waving to your niece.

“Can I come and say hey?” He shouted back down when you looked back up at him.

“Yeah” You nod and offer him a smile and suddenly your heart was in your chest.

~*~*~*~*~*~

In the weeks after you were loving being back home for a while. Alex and Miles had obvious got to go and finish their shows so after a few days with them they were on the move again. But thankfully you’d arranged a 30th birthday party event for yourself which they could come to.

The party had been scheduled for the weekend before your birthday, as you were in LA again for your birthday. The party was a massive success and most of your family and friends that you’d known for years had shown up.

All your old work friends had come and joined you which was amazing but unfortunately your new friends obviously couldn’t make it as it was a long way to travel just for a party.

However, Matthew J Helders III came to your rescue and flew over just for the event which you weren’t expecting at all because you understood that he had little Amelia to take care of. It turns out that Breana had instructed him that he had to come and bring the life of the party for her whilst she stayed with Amelia back home.

The promise was though that to make up for it, when you returned to LA you would be going to hers for drinks before you’d even made it back home. Which you were excited for because Y/B/F was coming back with you for her summer visit.

So, girls’ night was already planned.

Two days after your party though all of the guys, meaning Alex, Miles, Matt, Jamie, and Nick, were flying back to LA for meetings. Which you pried out of Alex what it was about, and you were thrilled to find out that it was to discuss the new Monkeys album.

So, when the time came to go back home you were really excited. For both girl’s night and for the album gossip.

You and Y/B/F had dressed for girl’s night before you even left the UK. You were dressed in a blue and white flowy V-neck dress that reached your mid thighs. The material also came down your arms too, and you loved a long sleeve number.

Y/B/F wore a very nice mini dress which was red with lots of little flowers adorning it. She looked hot. And when Breana picked you both up from the airport you saw that she was wearing a cute flowy yellow sundress.

You could tell when you landed that it had been a hot day and the air was still really humid now, despite it being later on in the day. But you were so excited for what was left of the evening ahead.

When you got back to Breana and Matt’s house, you all said hello to Breana’s Mum who was watching Amelia whilst Breana came and picked the both of you up and Matt was off with Alex somewhere. Probably at your house.

You knew that Jamie and Nick were staying at your house too whilst they were over, so you were excited to have a house full of people, considering it had just been you for the previous four months.

When you all get settled you end up having more of a pampering night than a full-blown drinking party. Breana said that she didn’t really feel like drinking which was fair enough and it also meant that she could give you and Y/B/F a lift back with your cases when you decided to go back home.

The pampering night ended up being more for you than anyone else, you guessed that it was because it was nearly your actual birthday and they wanted to spoil you. Something which you were buzzing about.

You felt like some sort of actress getting her make-up done before they were about to go on set.

Breana did your make up like she did back when you’d last done this and her waters went. She did a softer shade of blue under your eye this time though to match your dress.

Y/B/F ended up giving your hair some beach girls and after you’d given her and Breana the same look with their hair you all felt pretty glammed up. You’d gotten your nails done a few days ago with Y/B/F back home so there was no need to do them this time around.

Before you knew it, midnight had passed and that signified that it was your birthday. You and Y/B/F had a celebratory glass of Prosecco which Breana cracked open for you.

And because she didn’t want it wasted, she let you bring it home with you when she dropped the both of you off about half an hour later.

You were surprised to see that all of the lights in your house were off when you got there. They must have all congregated in Miles’ house for the night.

When Breana pulled up outside your house, she told you to go ahead and unlock the front door whilst her and Y/B/F got your cases out of the boot. Something which you planned on doing and then immediately going back out to help them.

However, when you reached your door you noticed a light though the frosted glass which caused you to furrow your eyebrows in confusion. You pushed the door open after unlocking it and walked inside to see a lone tea light candle in the middle of the foyer.

You walk to it confused as to why it was there until you spot another one just through into the kitchen. Your curiosity led you to follow them through the kitchen into the lounge where they became more frequent.

But once you got into the lounge, you looked up and stopped dead. As you looked through the bi-folding windows and saw that the pool was littered with floating candles and there were loads dotted all around the edge of the pool too.

And you could see your man just being illuminated by the candlelight near the bottom end of the pool.

Daylight had long faded but the candles lit the place back up. And as you walked outside you found Matt and Zack, the Monkeys photographer who had come over for the meetings too, who you looked at with confusion written all over your face.

“We were roped into making an extravagant date for you” Matt informed you with a smile.

“I love you guys” You say with a grin before heading over to Alex who was dressed all dapper in black trousers and a white shirt which had a few buttons undone.

His hair was jelled perfectly back this time and he had left some of it hanging over his forehead in a little curl, which by now he knew you adored. He looked so handsome, cute, and sexy all at once.

You walk over to him and smile taking his extended hand when he offers it to you. He told your hand in his when he greets you.

“Welcome home baby” Alex smiles.

“You’re adorable” You can’t help but tell him as you glance towards the pool which looked amazing with all the candles on it.

Alex chuckled at you before he quickly stole a kiss from you, bringing your attention back to him. “Give me a minute and I might get more adorable” He tells you and you chuckle at him but let him speak.

He takes a breath before he starts, “I love you with the whole of my heart Y/N/N. And I’m so beyond glad we made that stupid pact and we joked about getting over here for so long”

You both share a little giggle at that before he continues, “I’m just so happy that it meant that we’ve been together more than a year now and we’re not just starting out like we were meant to be doing on your thirtieth”

Another little laugh was then shared and as he carried on speaking you couldn’t help but admire the way the candlelight illuminated him. He looked so good tonight.

“It took us so long to get here and whilst the years we spent chatting late at night were fun, I’ve loved having your next to me every night for the past year a lot more... I don’t know about you, but I think it took us so long to get together, that I now don’t ever want to be apart from you again” Alex smiles.

And that’s when it hit you what was happening.

Alex must have seen the look of recognition in your eyes, as he chuckled a little when he started, “So, you bring the girl who I fancied in high school and the girl I write too many songs about, and the woman that I fell so hard in love with”

“I would really really like it…” Alex then got down on one knee in front of you and opened a box with a ring in it as he finished off with, “If you’d marry me?”

Your heart swells at the man in front of you and you nod before you lean down to kiss him, “I love you so much”

You kissed for a good few seconds before Alex pulled away revealing a big smile on his face and you couldn’t help but giggle nervously and smile at him. You then tuned back into your surroundings and heard your friends cheering from over near the house.

When you look, you see that everyone’s there. Matt, Miles, Nick, Jamie, Zack (who now had his camera in hand), Breana, and Y/B/F. You look to them and let out a little giggle before Alex takes up your attention again.

He lifted your left hand and with his right hand he slipped the ring onto your finger. You couldn’t even look at anything but him when he asked you the question, but now looking at it, you saw it was the most gorgeous ring.

It wasn’t over the top, it was just perfect in every way. It had little diamonds around the top of half it and it tied together in the centre with a bigger diamond.

You couldn’t believe you’d just been proposed to. It felt so odd to have a ring on that finger but at the same time, you were so excited it was there.

You don’t inspect the ring much, you just watch as he adjusts it on your finger and then your eyes find each other’s again.

“I love you so much” You say before kissing him again.

Alex says against your lips, “I love you more than you’ll ever know” before he kisses you properly. This time you hear your friends cheering and can see the flashes of Zack’s through your closed eyes this time.

You should have guessed it, but you’d been to shocked and confused. And today’s date made sense to you now you had a clear head. But this was the most adorable thing in the entire world.

You kissed Alex this time with as much feeling as you could put into it because you were lost for words. Your hands came up around his neck and one obviously found its way into his hair.

It was a kiss filled with so much passion and love for one another that you felt like you couldn’t be any happier or more content than you were in that moment. You were in love and you were going to marry the man you’d loved for more than half your life.

You both pulled away from the kiss with massive smiles on your faces before your friends came and gave you both hugs. You separate from each other as you watch your friend come over to the both of you.

Y/B/F gets to you first and almost tackles you back into Alex which makes the both of you laugh.

As it turns out everyone was in on it, and it became obvious to your when you gave Breana her hug. She’d got you all dressed up for the occasion and made you look half decent which you were so thankful for.

You hugged her for a solid minute both just saying things into the others ear about how happy she was for you and also her apologising for her deception. You just told her that you loved her and thanked her for making you look presentable.

When it came to you hugging your boys you wanted to fully burst out crying. You were okay when Alex was speaking to you, probably because of the shock, but when Matt came over to you with tears in his eyes, you were gone.

They really were your little family and you were so thankful they were all over here to witness this.

After you’d done the rounds and kissed and hugged all of your friends, you went back over to Alex and you hugged yourself into his chest. His arms wrapped around you and you relaxed into his touch.

“Have you recovered?” Alex asks you.

You pick your head up and look at him before laughing, “No I’m still so shocked”

“I can tell. You never have nothing to say” He grinned at you.

You look up at him playfully scoff at him before you poke his side which you knew he hated. After he jumped, he shook his head at you and you pout, he chuckles down at you.

“I’m so glad you said yes” Alex grins at you before his arms tighten around your waist.

You smile up at him and admit, “I’m so glad you asked”

“Well you were always coming over here to marry me on your thirtieth anyway, so I thought I’d just make it official” Alex says which makes you laugh and nod.

You then mumble an ‘I love you’ against his lips and then can’t get the smile off your face the whole night.

Everyone ends up staying to celebrate till the early hours of the morning which everyone was more than happy about. You all had a lovely night celebrating, and you loved the fact that you could now say you had a fiancé.

“See you tomorrow guys” You say as the herd of your friends start heading out of the kitchen, where you were all currently congregated, towards the front door.

“No, we’ll see you in two days. And I want my keys please. You can have them back next time I see you” Alex instructed them as you followed them into the foyer.

You furrowed your eyebrows confused but didn’t question it as Miles and Matt handed their keys over to him.

“Where are you going?” You ask Y/B/F as she also heads to the door.

“Oh hunny, I’m staying at Miles’ tonight” She grins at you.

You mirror her grin, “Oh… Have fun”

“I think you’re going to be having the same kind of fun” She says before she sticks her tongue out at you teasingly.

They all each gave you another hug before leaving and it turned out Nick and Jamie were staying at Matt’s for the night, so it was just you and Alex left when you were waving them off.

After they were gone, Alex closed the door and locked it. He even checked the handle to make sure it was locked which you’d never seen him do before.

“Why’d you take their keys off them?” You asked as Alex walked you through into the kitchen.

Alex ushered you to jump up on the counter where you usually did, and he stood between your legs as he told you. “Do you remember what I said we’d be doing all day when you arrived here for your thirtieth?”

“Didn’t we agree last week that we were going out with everyone because they’d still be over?” You ask him, remembering the conversation very well.

Alex smiles before saying, “Yeah, but that’s now the day after instead… Do you remember what we originally agreed to last year?”

“I think it’s coming back to me” You say with the beginnings of a knowing smile greeting your lips and you brought your arms up around Alex’s neck.

“Yeah?” Alex questioned with a smirk gracing his lips.

“Mmhmm” You hummed with a smile. “Think you might have to remind me though”

Alex then grabbed under your knees and pulled you forward so you were pressed up against him, now only just sat on the counter. You wrapped your legs around him and locked them behind his back as Alex caught your lips with his.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Taglist: @the-girl-before @murderousginger @minigranger @turnertable @bastillewolf @slothgiirl @billskarsgard-is-gorgeous @watashi-no-namae-wo-yonde @fookingsummertime @marvel-avengers01 @shibuikelsi @toolateformcrtooearlytoleaveemo @gretavanbobatea @chocolatecig @iamnotjesha @rachaeljayne15 @edgythought @marveious @liviasaugusta @boysinskirts @musicmania100 @he4rtbre4khotel @innocte @beckauhhh @whoknowswhatimeant @tony-starks-ego @tobarmaidswhodontcount @elektranxtchiios @bettyschwallocksyee @alexsvacuumcleaner @cornerstqne @halfofwhatisayismeaningless @juicebox-baby @yousuck-marina @nrldswita @dot-writes @skullag @b-monkeys @babyhoneystvles @timchalamxt @writingismybiggestlove

Other parts in Masterlist in bio x

199 notes · View notes

sammy-gvf · 3 years

Text

We get along (for the most part)

Chapter 2

OC X Lee Bodecker

———————————-

Warnings- a little angst and cursing.

Plot- The local rebel badass girl and Lee Bodecker have had run ins, lets see how it goes, shall we?

Word count : 2,705

MINORS DNI! THIS STORY WILL EVENTUALLY GET 18+. PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS. I DO NOT FEEL LIKE GETTING IN TROUBLE FOR YOU BEING STUPID. THANKS.

CHAPTER ONE IS PINNED ON MY PROFILE!

Sunday morning.

Slowly, I woke from my slumber hoping that I slept through church. Unfortunately, the sound of footsteps coming towards my door tells me differently. Knocking at the door, I hear a quiet voice come through the crack of my door.

“Maggy, are you up? Mamas goin have a fit if you aint up for church.”

That's my brother John, he is always there to wake me up on sundays. He enjoys going to church. I’m not really into it, i usually try to go back to sleep but my parents barely ever let me sleep through church, small town equals gossip. No matter what you do, someone is always talking about you. Sat the wrong way? Gossiped about. Sneezed during church? Gossiped about. Literally anything you do is talked about among the town residents. I was the talk of the town when I was in high school, everyone knew I was sneakin around with Arvin. No one liked it obviously, bein called every name in the book. I didn't care clearly, it didn't bother me or Arvin.

I groan and slowly get out of bed, stretching and looking out of my window. It's a beautiful sunny day in Knockemstiff, I never thought I would ever describe this run down town like that, it's quite beautiful here though. Open fields for miles, I could see why no one would want to leave. I mean in old age, you could just do anything with your land and live off it.

Getting up, I feel my feet hit the cold wood floor of my room. Everyday, I hope I don't get a splinter from the floor so I wear slippers throughout the house. I head to the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. My hair is disheveled and almost out of the bun that I had it in the night before, my eyebrows are out of place and the bags underneath my eyes are prominent. I sigh and splash some cold water on my warm face. I grab my toothbrush and go for it, spitting out the toothpaste and flashing my teeth in the mirror to make sure I didn't miss a spot.

I heard my parents and brother moving around pretty quickly so I looked at the clock near my bed. It's 9:30 am, church starts in about 20 minutes and it takes 10 to get there. Quickly, I put my hair in a low bun, slapped on some powder and a plain lip color, a rose color to compliment my fair skin. Hopping around, I grab a plain flowy blue dress that goes up to about the middle of my thigh and a pair of white keds, quick and simple.

I step out of my room and grab my clutch so I have something to hold while in church, I usually can't keep my hands still. I shut the door behind me and head out to the living room to see everyone quickly eating some toast off their plates in the kitchen, I hop over and steal a piece of toast and bacon off Johns plate and then we are out the door.

Hopping in my dads truck, the ride there is quiet. We don't talk much in my family, only at dinner once and a while and sometimes when my father drinks. Which is only when he is done work on Fridays. I make sure I'm out of the house on fridays, he never stops talking when he is drinking. My parents and I have never been that close really, kind of an unspoken family thing. Mother stays quiet and does her motherly duties as us women are expected to do once we pop out a few puppies. I refuse to be like that.

The ride to church is scenic,open fields for miles and so many animals to look at. I enjoy the breeze coming through my hair but I just wish it was from me driving my car out somewhere I have never been. Like maybe California, it's probably beautiful. I have never been to a beach, as a matter of fact I've never been out of Knockemstiff before. I envy everyone who leaves this place and never comes back. As soon as I can get out of here, I will. I swear on everything I love.

The car stops and I get out, my feet hitting the dirt road below me. My keds are gonna need a cleaning after this. Stepping around the car, I separate from my family and hop around the back of the church to smoke a quick cig before I go through the church doors to act like I'm holy for 2 hours.

Stepping to the left side of the church, I put my clutch on a bush and grabbed a cigarette from the pack stuffed in my bag. Quickly I light it and suck on it as quickly as I possibly can to just get a moment to myself. Looking out into the distance, I always forget that the cemetery is this close to the church. Graves for as far as the eyes can see. That distracted me to the point where I forgot how quick I was smoking and ended up inhaling too much smoke at one time, leading me to cough quite loud. I throw the cigarette on the floor below my foot and crush it quickly.

I hear an oh so familiar voice in the distance as I finish my coughing fit.

“ Ms. Lane, what a pleasure to see you on this fine sunday.” He says, walking towards me with his fingers hooked around the belt loops of his pants.

Same uniform everyday, never fails.

“Say, what are you doin here behind the church all by your lonesome? “ Lee says as he stands next to me, I can smell the tobacco and mint on him the same as I did last night. I look over at Lee with an exhausted look on my face from the coughing fit I just had.

Lee looks down at the ground and a grin forms on his face, sneaky bastard never misses a beat.

“Ms.Lane-” Lee begins to say and I stop him

“Please, for the love of christ call me Maggy. I am not 16 anymore, Lee.” You say as you start to walk past him. He grabs your arm and stops you.

“Maggy Lane, just know I know about your little reputation.” Lee says as he still has you by the arm, kind of digging his nails into your soft skin as you try to pull away a bit.

“As a matter of fact, I was there when you began your little shenanigans. Be careful of how you talk to your sheriff, little lady.” You look at him in disgust as he tries to intimidate you.

“ Also, I told you those cigarettes was bad news, you're lucky I don't stop on over and talk to your pop about your little habit.” Lee says with a smirk on his face. You finally wiggle out of his grip, your arm dropping to your side with crescent shaped marks on your arm. You rub the spots where Lee's fingers were just digging into your upper arm.

Looking up at him, he tips his hat at you and starts to walk away. You spit on the ground near his feet and he turns around on his feet, quick.

“ I hope you know you're a prick, Bodecker.” You spit out at him.

Immediately, you are backed up against the wood boards of the church, both of Lee's arms on either side of your head. Your heart is racing and your breath is hitching. You're frozen.

“Listen to me, you little bitch.” Lee inches closer to your face, your noses almost touching. You turn your head to the side hoping that he won't really notice but he grabs your face and holds it so you are looking him directly in the eyes.

“Your little mouth will get you in trouble, especially with me.” Your breath hitches as he gets closer. Your heart could explode. You were terrified.

“ Lee, church is starting. We better get in there before we miss anything” A voice in the distance yells.

Instantly, Lee lets you go and strides back to the unknown voice.

You stand there with a shocked look on your face, as if you had just seen the devil up close. You were frozen in your current position but as soon as people started going in the building you sank to your feet and sat there for a minute breathing heavily. You fixed yourself up and stood outside the door of the old church, taking a deep breath before going in and finding your seat next to your family.

Church dragged on and on, I felt like I was going to fall asleep. A screaming preacher, so many people in such a small space. Half way through, I got up to go to the bathroom and caught Lee staring at me and he gave me a small smirk. Creep.

Stepping into the bathroom, I look at my face in the mirror. It's still slightly red from where Lee had his disgusting hand around my chin. I pushed on the spot and it felt like it was going to bruise.

“ Fuck” I whispered to myself as I turned my head side to side to look at the red around my lips and on my chin. This is for sure going to bruise.

I splash some water on my face to refresh myself and then I step out of the bathroom to bump into something in front of me.

“Shit, I am so sorry” You say as you back up into the oak door and look at the person in front of you.

“ Oh, no worries hun.” the woman in front of you says.

You look at her quickly as you step aside, sticking out your hand and you say “I don't think I have met you before, I’m Maggy Lane.”

She sticks out her hand and shakes yours firmly, she is a very pretty woman with short brown curly hair.

Thin and very well put together, can't be more than 25 years old.

“ It’s very nice to meet you sweetheart, I’m Ruth Har- I mean Bodecker.” She says smiling as she pulls her hand back from the handshake and puts it back on her clutch bag.

“You the sheriff's wife?” you say as you cock your head to the side questioningly.

“Yes, I am.” she smiles, “ We've been married now for about a year, a very fine man he is.” She says as she steps aside to talk to you for a minute before she steps into the bathroom.

You were shocked, Lee actually was married? He was such an asshole, you didn't think anyone would want him. As you had said the previous night, you would tell his wife if he had called you another pet name but she looks so sweet. He doesn't deserve her. You had just said that assumin he even had a woman at home.

“ Thats nice, say you ain't from around here, are ya?” You say in a little southern drawl, she aint from these parts. You can tell by the way she says certain words.

“ No darlin, i'm from Tennessee.” she smiled “Met Lee out there while I was workin in a bar.” she blushed a bit.

“ Huh, well look at that.” you say as you cross your arms and lean against the doorframe of the bathroom. “ Lee does get out of town then.”

She chuckles and you look at the time, church is going to be over soon.

“ Well, it was very nice meeting you, Mrs.Bodecker.” You say as you turn your back and start walking towards the stairs to go back to the chapel area.

“ You too, darlin.” She says waving at you.

“ See you around” You say as you head back up the stairs.

---------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 2 already? I’m crankin shit out lol

Hope yous like it so far! Dont forget to leave opinons/replys and as always dont forget to like/reblog!

tag list : @ladyfallonavenger

@please-buckme

@youcancallmeishita

@unsentlettersandmore

@angelicbabydolll

@local-spacegirl

@do-not-pray-for-me

@not-another-fangirl

@nerdy-depressed

@buckysdolls

#sheriff lee bodecker #lee bodecker #chapter #the devil all the time #sebastian stan #tdatt fic #tdatt fanfiction #ongoing fic

20 notes · View notes

rainydaycriminalmindsimagine · 4 years

Text

Okay so my friends recently stayed over and we watched Dharma and Greg so guess what.

If you lived through a Dharma and Greg situation with Spencer. Because it's just funny to me to pick him for this situation:

So you met Spencer after finding him on the street

He seemed pretty sad and you just had to know what was up with this attractive stranger

"Hiii. Noticed you pacing with a sad look, something wrong?" You asked.

He seemed to be confused by your need to listen to him but he told you anyways

"All of my friends have started their lives and I'm stuck, alone, depressed and quite frankly irritated by life itself." He said to you.

You nodded. "Alright. Come on." You said grabbing his hand.

He was hesitant to even allow you to touch him but for some reason, he went with it.

You took him to get coffee where you sat down.

"So why do you feel like you're behind in life?" You asked

"Well, I'm a doctor. Supposed to be a genius. Yet I haven't done anything to prove that I even deserve those titles." He admitted.

"Wait back up, how old are you?" You asked.

"30." He said.

"So you just got your doctorates?" You asked for confirmation.

"No. I've had them since I was 18." He said.

"Holy shit." You gaped.

He almost let a chuckle fall out.

"Okay. Here's what you've got going for you: You're still young, you're attractive, you're obviously smart. But you're not living enough." You said.

He rose a brow to your observation.

"what do you mean 'not living enough'?" He asked.

"I mean I can tell that if you're 30 and still worried about being behind in life then you most likely play everything safe. You need to get out more. Live a little, do something spontaneous!" You encouraged.

He pondered before concluding: "Let's go to Rome"

You were now the one confused. "Wait are you asking me to go to Rome with you?" You asked.

"Yep. I don't think I'd let myself actually have fun. So... I need you there to make sure that I'm going to 'live'"

And the next thing either of you knew, both of you were on a plane, no bags, just each other going to Rome.

"If you kill me I'm haunting your ass, just so you know." You declared.

You two chose the plane ride to get to know each other.

You both were the same age, single, you were a receptionist for a lawyer's office, working to become a lawyer.

Spencer told you about his life, working for the FBI, surviving some really fucked up cases. You however seemed fascinated by everything he said.

He found you to be absolutely refreshing.

Even though you were strangers you felt like you knew him for years.

Spencer and you actually had a good time in Rome by the way but something weird happened mid trip

You both fell head over heels.

Maybe you both were living too "in the moment"

Maybe you both were living "in the moment" just enough.

But you both got married.

Spencer woke up on Monday with you next to him, asleep on his chest and his arm over you.

For once in this man's life he actually slept late

Hotch thought the boy had died.

He called him asking if everything was okay and that's when it occurred to him

"Fuck I never told them I got married."

So then he woke you up and asked you to come with him so you could meet the team that you've been hearing about since Rome.

You met them.

And the whole team was deeply confused.

"Spencer who is this?" Morgan asked.

"This is Y/n, she's/ he's my wife/husband." He declared making everyone gape.

"FOR HOW LONG!?" Emily and Garcia asked in unison.

"Just yesterday. Ish. Has it been two days or one?" You asked.

"One." He confirmed.

"I haven't even heard you talk about having a girlfriend/boyfriend much less getting this serious about a woman/man." Rossi noticed.

"We've only known each other since Friday." You said.

Now they were VERY confused.

"Back up back up. You've only known each other for a few days and you both got married? On purpose? No alcohol was made from this decision?" Morgan asked.

"Nope." Both of you replied.

"Conference room please. I need a chair." Hotch said.

"I'll leave you to this--" "This is about both of you, please stay." He said.

You both sat down and you tapped the table listening to them.

"So you actually got married." JJ nodded.

"Yes." Spencer nodded.

"Am I going to see this in the paper or--"

"Unless you read Italian, I doubt it." Spencer said making you chuckle.

"Wait what?" Rossi asked.

"We went to Rome." You said.

After hearing the whole story, it was actually kind of sweet to them.

Garcia of course ran background checks on you and found you to be squeaky clean.

"Okay. So let me just confirm this: you both have thought this through?" Hotch asked.

"Yep." You nodded.

"And you don't have any alternative motives?" Rossi asked.

"Nope. Oh, sweetheart I meant to ask about living situations." You said.

"You can move in with me. If you want!" He said.

"Great because you are literally right next to my job and I don't really have anything besides clothes. And books." You nodded.

"Okay slow your roll kids. How are you able to make these... Massive life choices right now? This quickly?" Morgan asked.

Spencer pondered.

"I guess we bring that out in each other." You said with a small smile.

He looked absolutely smitten and they soon realized there was no going back for you two.

After a week they realized you actually weren't going anywhere

After a month they realized you weren't using him at all

After six months they all came to love you

And after a year they became very confused on how you two only knew each other for two days, got on a plane with each other, fell in love, came back, continued to be married even after a lot of people said it was insane, and you two still had the most successful marriage in the group.

#spencer reid x reader #spencer reid

92 notes · View notes

frostsinth · 4 years

Text

Royal Flush - Pt. 5

Prologue - Part 1|2|3|4 - Art | Art | Art - MasterList

I had this mostly finished, and since interest in the story has picked up and I am very attached to this part, I decided to post it. Call me crazy.

Apologies... I hope you guys enjoy this section... It certainly gave me feelings. I really need to work on some of my other stuff. But these idiots have stolen my full attention.

Stop by my MasterList above to read more stories, and feel free to BuyMeACoffee while you are there. Drop me an ask with thoughts/comments/questions, and DM me if you’d like to commission your own artwork or story. Enjoy!

True to his word… I did not see Grier the following day. I slept restlessly, and woke with the sun. Neither a particularly unusual phenomenon, however the reasoning behind it certainly was. I felt guilty, and torn. Part of me felt as though I had acted too harshly, requesting to see my sister alone. Honestly, until he had said something that was the impression I had been under. Then there was guilt, for having made him upset. It was certainly not my intent. But another part of me was angry that he was mad at me. Who was he to demand inclusion into my private affairs? Who was he to think he could meet my sister, the one light and joy in my life? A quiet voice reminded me that he likely thought he was my intended, so why wouldn’t he? Our families would be joined by marriage soon, and he had openly welcomed me to his…. I didn’t like the sound reasoning of that voice, and chose to ignore it.

I moved almost eagerly to the door at the knock not long after dawn. But had to work hard to hide my disappointment that it was only General Damjan for our promised morning spar. I followed him reluctantly to the training cliffs. Though I did find the match pleasantly distracting; nothing quite like getting the blood pumping in a fight. There was no time to dwell on emotions or regrets in the ring. One had to live in the moment, and for that I was grateful.

But still, I was quickly made aware that I wasn’t at the top of my game when one of the General’s obvious feints landed home. Knocking me solidly onto my backside. His head cocked to the side as he offered me a hand up, big ears flopping.

“Something on your mind, Your Highness?”

I gave a very unprincely grunt, then winced. I couldn’t seem to keep my composure. It was getting harder every passing minute I was here. It made me anxious to think I might be all but completely exposed now. I glanced at the General, but he merely offered me a kind smile. At least I hadn’t managed to offend him, I thought to myself ...Yet.

I took his hand and let him yank me back to my feet. My toe scuffed at the ground while I rubbed at the back of my neck.

“Apologies, General…” I said sincerely, “My head seems to be… elsewhere this morning.”

“You thinking about the King?” I jerked at his words, glancing over at him as I quickly managed to get my composure back up after the slip. Damjan merely laughed. “My turn for apologies. It’s not my place. But I did see His Majesty looking quite… sour, this morning.” A sheepish grin formed on his lips. “Honestly, I was surprised to see him at all. The man is not exactly what I would call a ‘morning person’. Must have had a restless night.”

I glanced over my shoulder, half expecting to see the goblin in question standing at the wall of the ring. Damjan whistled lightly, bringing my attention back to him as he tossed me the waterskin. I nodded appreciatively, and took a long, deep drink from it.

“You know, although he’s always been a... spirited fellow, I’ve never seen the King lose his head quite like… Well,” He dropped off, slapping his big hand on my shoulder. I sputtered slightly, choking a little on the last bit of water I had been in the process of swallowing. “... I think it’s good for him. Having you around.” He grinned again. “Maybe you’ll level him out.”

His words lingered with me as I spent the rest of the day in my empty rooms. I dared to use the bathing room, though I jumped at every little sound. But it was refreshing to finally get all the dirt and sweat from the past few days off. There was only so much a basin of water could do. I found the pools to be surprisingly hot and relaxing, and lingered far longer than I usually would bathing.

An attendant I didn’t know brought food twice during the day, and I thanked him politely both times. He grinned and bounced about eagerly, but said nothing. Otherwise, I was left alone with my thoughts. Of which I had many. Most of which circumvented around Grier. And my sister.

A second restless night had me out of sorts at dawn, shortly after which a lighter knock had me up to find Hibik at my door. He led me to the courtyard, where a fine team of horses was hitched to an extravagant looking gold inlaid carriage imprinted with the Royal Crest. I almost faltered in my step when I saw the goblin King standing beside it.

He turned to me as I approached, his thin lips pursed, his brows pinched. Scarlet eyes looked me up and down, and he crossed his arms over his chest lightly.

“I’m coming.” He declared, his authoritative “don’t-argue-with-me” tone in place before I even had time to open my mouth to formally greet him. “I won’t interfere with your time with your sister. But I will not allow you to leave these lands unaccompanied.”

I considered the armored guard mounting up behind him, settling into their saddles and adjusting their weapons. But I hadn’t the strength to argue; I was already frayed from nearly a week of borderline sleepless nights and day after day of emotional reckoning. I wondered briefly if this was what tortured prisoners felt like; constantly on the edge of breaking, but desperately clinging to the notion that they could hold out. I was glad I had always kept prisoners in my care in good conditions if it was.

I nodded formally to him. “As you wish, Your Majesty.”

He scowled deeper at my words, and climbed into the waiting carriage. I hid my steadying breath with a brief glance around the courtyard, giving an acknowledging nod to the driver who tipped his hat to me respectfully.

The inside of the carriage was favorably dark, but not uncomfortably so, and had wooden seats lined with soft cushions. We sat across from each other against the back wall, and the footman closed the door behind us. The tension settled between us heavily, and the air felt drier for it. I pretended not to notice him glaring at me. A few moments later, we started off.

The sounds of the outside world were muffled, and I glanced through the small curtained windows. Curious despite myself, though I was careful to keep that from my face. Didn’t need to look like an eager child, gawking at the strange lands. It had been dark when I had first arrived at the castle; I hadn’t been able to properly see the outskirts of the city that spread from beneath the mountain onto the countryside. I jerked slightly back as we passed some citizens on the road, not sure if I was welcome to be seen by the general masses.

“The windows are charmed.” Grier told me, his voice bitter. I flicked my gaze over to him as he leaned back. “Sounds from outside are muffled, and they cannot see nor hear us.” His scarlet eyes flicked out his own window. “Commonplace magic for the Royal carriages.”

I didn’t see a need to answer that, and so used the opportunity to lean forward slightly and peer out the window again. Stone walls and colorful stucco buildings passed us by, then we were quickly out to the fields. It seemed the majority of the city really was buried beneath the mountain as the legends said.

“So, my young Prince,” The King said coarsely, finally breaking the terse silence after a long portion of travelling had passed, “Did I foil your plans? Coming along thus?”

I gritted my teeth, steeling what was left of my will, and turned to face him. “I am not sure what you mean, Your Majesty.”

His scowl somehow deepened, pronouncing his already prominent brow. “Well, I assumed you intended to use this “reunion” as a way to flee my Kingdom. After all, why else would you insist on meeting alone?”

Anger wrapped hot fingers around my gut. “As you insist you wish to know more about me, Your Majesty,” I replied, my face flat and my voice cold, “Allow me to inform you that I never go back on my word. If you will learn nothing else, know at least that.”

His eyes flashed. “Oh, my apologies, Your Highness. It would be hard to learn much of anything from a man made of stone.” He cocked his head to the side, wild hair flopping about. “I thought perhaps I had made a permanent crack in it and saw flesh beneath. But I believe now that was a mistake. Though on whose part, I have yet to determine.”

I didn’t justify that with an answer, turning to look back out the window. I thought I heard him huff, and heard the seat creak as he shifted. There was a long, hot silence then, interrupted only by the bounce of the carriage over stones in the road.

“Is it ingrained so deeply in you to hate my kind?” He asked finally, breaking the quiet between us again. “I thought…” I heard him suck in a breath, “I thought perhaps you were different, but the fact that you won’t even trust me to meet your sister leads me down a different trail of thought.”

I had to work to keep the anger from my face and voice. I didn’t look at him, though I knew it was incredibly rude and disrespectful. Part of me wanted to insult him thus. Part of me was just too damn tired to keep up the charade. I wasn’t sure how long we had been riding, but our speed seemed to have picked up. Another hour or two of this, and we should be at the border. I just hoped I could make it there in one piece.

I cut myself back from making an equally harsh retort, and swallowed hard, falling back on courtesy answers. “I apologize if that is how Your Majesty chooses to view-”

“How else am I to view it?” He snapped back, and I had to clench my hands into fists to keep from swinging at him. “What else am I to think, after-” He stopped himself, his voice breaking. The goblin gave an angry sigh, shaking his head. “After yesterday, I thought… I thought we might be… connecting.” I resisted a wince, but felt myself tighten at his words. “I thought maybe…” I saw him shift his jaw out of the corner of my eye. “But then, you switched back, just like that-” he snapped his fingers “-and now I sit across from a statue again, and am expected to be content that he is to be my husband.”

I pinched my lips into a thin line, swallowing my reply as soon as it surfaced to sit on my tongue. My temper was flared, and I was struggling to keep it in check. His words from the previous night came to mind. All his promises, all his assurances. He claimed he would give me time, but as soon as I faltered and showed even a hint of anything that displeased him… And I realized; I didn’t make him happy. The idea of me made him happy. The promise of an exotic husband, a regal ceremony, an evening companion. Not me. Not who I was. Though I couldn’t entirely blame him; for after all, what did either of us know about that person? The sudden understanding stung, and I couldn’t bring myself to reply for another long stretch of silence.

“You really have nothing to say?” His voice was peteringly soft, and I was surprised it sounded more like a plea than an accusation.

I turned my eyes on him, careful to keep them as empty as I could manage. “You seem to have already made up your mind about me, Your Majesty.” I told him, my own voice soft. I wasn’t able to mask it as well as my face; I could taste the fraying at the edges, and wondered if the pain in it was as evident as it was in my chest. “...I am not sure if anything I could say would change it.”

Another long silence. So long I lost track of it, turning to stare back out the window. Trying not to linger on what the future might mean for me and the goblin sitting quietly across from me. Trying not to think about Morgana, or the ache settling in my bones at the thought of seeing her. He seemed to be deep in thought as well, and it was nearly an hour before I heard him sigh.

“I… I just don’t understand why you…” He started, and the hurt in his voice had me glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. He sighed deeply again, shaking his head and leaning forward to cup it in his palms. “These last few days… I thought things had changed between us… but maybe it hasn’t been enough.” He rubbed at his face, then leaned back again. “I promised to give you time. And I am also a man of my word… Patience is… is not one of my virtues, I know. But for you… I will give as much as I can. Please forgive me my lapses.”

The carriage was slowing, and I realized we must have been at the border. Grier momentarily forgotten, I checked the horizon to see the sun nearing its zenith. My heart leapt, and my stomach rolled with anticipation. Not long, I told myself. Not long now until I could see Morgana again. My heart ached, and I felt myself waver. Felt my strength ebb. Gods, I was so tired. I felt so shaky and weak. I was not ready for this. I couldn’t even begin to think what to say... The carriage stopped, and I heard boots coming around to the door.

His hand caught my arm as I moved to disembark. I looked over at him surprised, and I knew my mask had slipped from the way he considered my face. His own looked pained, and I saw him hesitate before his resolve returned.

“Just… can I ask why you wanted to see your sister alone? Can I beg that answer of you?”

I looked down at his hand. “... Because... I know I am not strong enough… And..” I dropped off, surprising myself with the words and the honesty in them. I swallowed hard.

He released my arm, his brow furrowed lightly. “...Not strong enough for what?”

I slowly started to build up the mask again, but felt as though it didn’t quite reach my eyes when I answered.

“... To say goodbye.”

...

I glanced over at Grier, still lost in my thoughts, my hands clasped behind my back. He wasn’t looking at me, speaking softly to the few goblin guards and attendants. Giving orders, I supposed, and I shifted slightly. I couldn’t make out the quiet words from this distance, but it seemed a likely guess based upon the respectful stance the men took before saluting and marching off. The anxiousness sitting in the pit of my stomach didn’t lessen as the King turned, seeming to sense my eyes on him. His face was scrunched, and I wondered for a moment if he was still mad at me. But his scarlet gaze didn’t linger, instead flicking just past me to the road. A breath later, he turned and retreated to the front of the carriage. I could only just make out his shoulder around the corner as he leaned against it. Hardly another breath passed before I realized why he suddenly seemed to be hiding.

“NIKO!” Came the shout, and my heart leaped at the voice.

I half spun to face the road, realizing I had been so lost in my own thoughts I hadn’t even heard the other carriage approach and stop perpendicular to ours a few yards away. But the tiny ball of unbridled joy hurtling at me as fast as her little legs could carry her? I did just manage to see that. Instantly, I dropped to one knee, and caught my little sister’s flying embrace.

She wrapped her little arms tightly around my neck, burying her face against me. Her fluffy and thick untamed curls smelled sweet and were soft as clouds as they brushed against my cheek. I wrapped my own arms around her, squeezing her and swallowing back the tears that suddenly welled in my eyes. Gods, how I had missed her.

She laughed, wriggling in my arms, trying to break free. “Niko! I can’t breathe!”

I released her, my face instantly brightening and a smile splitting it from ear to ear as I leaned back to appraise her. It felt strange. My first smile in days; it made everything feel a bit better. Her grin was nearly as big as mine, and she was bouncing with excitement. I pushed her hair back, looking her over. But she seemed in good health as well as good spirits.

“Hey, little chickadee,” I breathed, running my thumb over her cheek. She leaned into my touch, “It’s good to see you too. Did you get taller?” I teased, tweaking her nose, “I swear you were only up to my knee last time I saw you!”

She laughed, swatting away my hand. Despite her dismissal, she beamed at me eagerly, then a scowl formed on her face.

“Where’d you go, Niko?” She demanded, putting her hands on her hips, “You promised you would only be gone for a few days!”

“Ah,” I shook my head, “Sorry, I should have written. My plans were… changed.”

“Did the goblins capture you?” She asked, and she sounded more excited about the idea than afraid. “Are they holding you for ransom? Do I need to come rescue you?”

I laughed, shaking my head. “No, little chickadee, I don’t need you to come and save me today.”

She seemed a bit disappointed, and I took up her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. Her head cocked to the side slightly. “The court says you got a Treatsy signed with the goblins. And Val says you’re getting married…”

I stiffened slightly, and my smile shrank by a molar or two. I glanced over her shoulder, and saw Gareth standing by the carriage. A deep scowl was set in his face as he jerked his chin to order the soldiers to spread out. Creating a tense circle of goblins and humans around us. I was pretty certain he was too far away to hear us. He seemed to be making enough of a point not to look at me.

“A Treaty, not a Treatsy.” I corrected her gently. “And Valerianus is right, I am getting married.” I told her, forcing the worrying thoughts out of my mind and giving her my full attention.

“Are you marrying a goblin?” She asked, sounding both bewildered and absolutely awestruck.

I laughed lightly again, nodding and dropping my gaze shyly. “Yes, little chickadee. But not just any goblin.” I cuffed her chin playfully, trying to belittle the seriousness of what I was about to tell her. Trying to hide the dread of her impending reaction. “... I’m marrying their King.”

Her little lips formed into a pout. “You can’t marry a King, Niko!” She exclaimed, scolding me as if I were trying to trick her. “You’re a Prince! Princes don’t marry Kings.”

“Goblin Princes do.” I assured her lightly, trying not to let my voice falter.

She considered this, biting her fingernail. “Oh… Ok, That’s fine then, I guess.” I gently pulled her hand away from her mouth, resisting the urge to sigh with relief and feeling altogether lighter for her instant acceptance. “Do you like him? Is he nice?”

I hesitated, the hairs on the back of my neck prickling. Very aware that Grier was probably able to overhear us; in the typical manner of a nine year old, she certainly wasn’t making any effort to keep her voice down. And our carriage was closer than hers. I resisted the urge to look over at him off to my left. I spared him a brief thought, wondering what he was thinking. Wondering if he was watching; though I had little doubt he was. He was far too curious. I glanced down at her hands in mine, and my smile returned.

“... Well, little chickadee, I don’t know yet. But... I think I might.” I brushed her bushy hair back from her face. “...And he’s very nice.”

“Hmmm.” She grumbled, pushing my hands away and crossing her arms over her chest. “Well, he’d better be nice to you! Or I’m gonna beat him up!”

“Morgana,” I scolded, and she faltered as I used her real name, “You can’t just go around and beat people up.”

She snorted, stomping one foot. “I don’t care! If he’s mean to you, I’m gonna-” She stopped at my warning look, then gave a little huff. Scuffing her feet in the ground. “...When are you coming home, Niko?”

My heart stopped at that, and my smile sank away. I swallowed, and scooped her into another hug. I had to close my eyes to hide the wetness welling in the corners. She seemed to sense my pain, as she always did, and her little arms wrapped as far around me as they could manage.

“I’m not, little chickadee,” I told her honestly, “I have to stay with the goblins.”

Her grip tightened, and she buried her face in my neck. “I miss you, Niko. I don’t like the castle when you aren’t there.”

I almost broke at the quiver in her voice. I swallowed hard again, stiffening and slowly pushing her back. I cupped her face in my palms, running my thumbs under her eyes. I could see the dampness there, and it threatened to overflow in my own eyes at the sight.

“It’s my responsibility to the Kingdom to keep this treaty. To keep the peace. It’s my honor to do this for our people. And to do so, I have to stay with the goblins…” I explained to her, dropping off at the end. “...But you’ll still see me,” I managed finally, “... I’ll come visit and-”

“Can I come live with you?” She interrupted, and then started bouncing on her toes in excitement. “Can I come to the goblin castle??”

I hesitated, but a small, sad smile returned to my face. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, chickadee.”

“Oh please, Niko! Please!” She begged, and I could already see her imagination going wild. “It would be so much fun! And then I could make sure the goblin King is nice to you!”

I couldn’t help but laugh. She always knew how to cheer me up, though I knew it was mostly unintentional. Her vigor for life, her smile. That was all I needed to be happy. But my joy was tinged with sadness, as I could see Gareth getting restless behind her. Soon the light of my life would be carted away again…

“And what about our King, hm?” I pointed out. “Who will keep an eye on him if you come to live with me? And on Valerianus? Someone needs to keep our brother from getting a big head.”

Morgana giggled as I fluffed her halo of hair in illustration, pushing away my hand again. Then she pouted, shaking her own head.

“Yeah… Maybe…” Her little brown eyes wobbled as she considered me sadly. “... Father doesn’t talk about you anymore. He acts as though you are dead. I don’t like it.”

I stiffened at that, and had to work extra hard to keep my disappointment and pain from my face. Morgana was too perceptive for me to let even a flicker show. And she knew me far too well for it to be an easy feat.

“... I’m sure he’s just mad at me,” I told her softly, brushing my knuckles over her cheek, “... He’ll come around… You know how he is.”

She didn’t push the issue further, and I saw her glance over towards our carriage. I wondered if she could see Grier there. “... Please, Niko? Can’t I go with you? I swear I’ll behave! You won’t even notice me!”

I sighed heavily, looking at her big brown eyes. “Not yet, little chickadee… But maybe someday. When you’re older.”

She scowled. “That’s just how adults say ‘no’.”

I chuckled, grinning at her and cuffing her chin tenderly again. “Some adults. Not me.” I ran my hand through her hair one last time. “...You can come visit, ok? Once we get everything sorted.”

Morgana considered this, and I saw her eyes dart over to the side again. She had never really seen too many goblins, especially not this close before. I knew she was dying of curiosity. But she must have sensed our time together was short. She chose my company over her own adventuring spirit, and shuffled her feet restlessly. It made my heart hurt.

“... You promise?”

I took her pinky and wrapped it around mine, bringing our hands to my heart. “I promise.” She smiled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand and sniffling. “Now you have to promise me something.” I waited until she was looking at me properly again. “You have to stay at the castle. And listen to Valerianus,... and Gareth. Ok? No running off. No sneaking out.” She nodded. “Morgana, do you promise?”

She sighed, as heavily as a nine year old could, and I smiled. “Ok, ok, Niko. I promise.”

“Princess,” Called the old guard in question over her shoulder.

“It’s time for you to go, little chickadee.” I said, swallowing back the pain in my throat.

Morgana lunged at me, wrapping herself tightly around me once more. She squeezed so tight I thought she might pop out her elbows. I enveloped her in my own arms. Closing my eyes to dam the tears that threatened to break through my defenses.

“Princess, we must be going,” Gareth called again, his voice cold.

“Give them a minute.” Came Grier’s command, his voice sharper than I think I had ever heard it, and I felt the tension of the gathered men grow.

A human soldier stepped forward, eyeing the goblins warily. Looking for all intents and purposes like he intended to take hold of Morgana’s arm to take her back to the safety of their ranks. I shot him a look over her shoulder that had him stopping dead in his tracks. He shrank back fearfully from the intensity of my glare, retreating towards the carriage. The other soldiers shifted, looking more than a little anxious and exchanging uncertain glances. Morgana’s arms somehow managed to tighten more. I scooped one arm under her, slowly standing with her pinned against me still. Curling around her protectively.

“Don’t worry little chickadee, it won’t be so bad.” I tried to assure her, putting everything I had ever learned about hiding my emotions into keeping the sadness from my voice. “And when I see you again, I’ll have dozens of stories to tell you.”

“I’m not a baby, Niko,” She grumbled against me, “I don’t need you to tell me bedtime stories.”

I leaned back, and she did too slowly, meeting my gaze. “Not even goblin stories?” I teased, and saw her eyes flicker with interest.

“... Well… Maybe a few then…”

“Princess!” Gareth’s voice grew to demanding levels. Morgana glanced over her shoulder at him.

“Go.” I told her, slowly placing her feet back on the ground. “... I’ll see you very soon, ok?”

She nodded, her hands lingering on my arms. But then she straightened her back and stiffened her little lips. Putting on the same practiced stoicism she had seen me use a hundred times. It stung to see her hiding herself away. I almost winced in pain at the sight. Turning, she made her way back to the waiting carriage and Gareth. She didn’t quite make it halfway before she glanced over her shoulder at me again, her mask breaking at the edges. I offered her a small smile as well as an encouraging wave... and my mask didn’t break.

Gareth shot me a poisonous look as Morgana climbed back in the carriage, but I chose to ignore it. The soldiers maintained their guarded stances until the Princess and her escort were well underway. Finally, they turned, and with armor clanking, trotted after it.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the carriage, and saw Morgana’s little face appear in the back window. My lips tightened as I saw her place her palm against the glass, and barely managed to give her a tiny wave. I nearly choked as they slowly faded into the distance, then crested over the distant hill and out of my sight.

I didn’t hear Grier come up beside me, but I sensed him there. I wasn’t sure how long we stood, gazing off at the empty horizon. I took long, slow breaths, trying to find some semblance of composure. I heard him shift, and noticed him open and close his mouth briefly. Finally, I dropped my gaze, staring at the ground but unseeing. Pushing back the pain and sadness that threatened to undo me. I didn’t say anything to him, turning and making my way back to the carriage.

We had already been bumping along for a long time before he did finally speak. I stared out the window, my eyes pointed at the countryside flying past but still not really seeing anything at all. I felt like the stone he professed me to be; cold and numb. A statue in the shape of a prince staring off into the distance. I would look right at home in the goblin King’s gardens.

“Your sister seems very sweet…” He offered quietly, “... I can see why you are so fond of her.” I didn’t answer, but felt my teeth clench. “...She could come and live with us,” He said, his voice barely above a whisper, “...If you wanted.” A nervous chuckle fell from his lips. “We certainly aren’t wanting for space.”

“No.”

I barely managed to form the word through numb lips, it was all I could manage in my current state, and knew instantly it wouldn’t be received well. I didn’t look at him, but I could feel his pain as palpably as if I had stabbed him with a knife myself. A few agonizing minutes ticked past after my harsh rejection. Adding more guilt to my already stifling emotions.

“If you still have some misconceived notion that I would wish her harm, or this is all some elaborate ploy, then perhaps you have a deeper mistrust for me than I originally believed.” He had traded the hurt for anger when he finally spoke again, and his tongue was as sharp as any sword.

I didn’t have the strength to answer him, and my eyes never moved from the distant horizon. I wasn’t even entirely sure I was blinking anymore. Couldn’t remember the last time I had drawn in a breath that didn’t feel like I was swallowing fire. I would have winced at his words, had I not been working so hard to become the living embodiment of stone.

He sat in silence for a moment, and I could almost hear his thoughts swirling. Had I been more conscious of my surroundings, I might have noticed the anger and pain fighting for dominance over his features. As it was, I felt only the hollow pit of my own sadness. I didn’t have room for anything else. I didn’t dare move my head, lest my neck snap in my fragile state.

“Do you think I or any of my people would ever hurt a child? Do you really think so little of us?” He came back, his voice quivering with his rage. “Perhaps that’s what the real problem is, hmm? Not some bastardization of a childhood that forgot to teach you how to express yourself or understand your emotions. We disgust you… I disgust you. That’s why you can’t bear to look at me, and flinch whenever I touch you. Maybe you were just starting to get used to it. Thought you could pretend long enough to make it a reality.” It took me longer than I cared to admit to realize he was talking again, so lost was I in my despair. That only seemed to make him madder. “But hey, you did your duty, yes? You’ll sacrifice your own happiness for your people. For your sister. Gods forbid you ever ask for anything for yourself. Even if it would be better for both of you in the long run.”

An icy grip settled over me, and my jaw tightened. “Don’t talk about my sister.” My hands started to shake, and I clenched them into fists.

He scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Oh, I’m sorry. Am I not worthy enough to speak of her? Do I disgrace her memory by even daring to think of her?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Something so perfect as your Princess shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath as a Goblin.” He leaned back, scowling. His words stung and I felt my resolve quivering beneath the surface of my mask. Felt my pretense of stone breaking.. “The poor thing locked away from the world. No friends save for that bastard guard of yours and your lout of a King. But you’d rather leave her with those monsters who would turn her into another statue like you than suffer her my people. What a life you’ve chosen for her. I’m sure she’ll love it, just like you do.”

The carriage jolted over a rock, and I jerked involuntarily. My eyes squeezed shut, but it was too late. Too late to catch the single fat tear that rolled down the corner of my eye. I swore my skin burned as it slid along the edge of my nose slowly all the way down to my jaw. I half hoped he wouldn’t see it, but based upon the sudden tense silence, I knew he had. I raised one hand, wiping it away with shaking fingers. Clenching every muscle in an effort to keep from quivering, but failing miserably anyway. Struggling to push the pieces of my shattered heart back together. I could almost taste his shock, a bitter addition to my palette. The fresh silence rang painfully between us.

“... I… Forgive me… that was too harsh of me.” He murmured finally, his voice thin.

I shook my head, and took a shamefully shaky breath. I clenched my fist, swallowing hard to try and force the composure back onto myself.

“N-No… No you’re right…” I stammered, then clamped my mouth shut and shook my head again. I tried a steadying breath. It didn’t help. “I-I’ve..” I stopped, then tried to start over. “I’ve abandoned her… I’ve f-fail… I’ve failed her.” My voice broke again, despite my efforts. “D-damnit! I just… I just-”

I heard the creak of the worn cushion as he stood, then felt the seat beside me depress. I could feel his heat, could hear his breath.

“You didn’t fail her-” I stiffened at his voice, trying to get my emotions back in check “-You did what you had to do... To protect her.”

I sucked in a deep breath through my nose, and let it whistle out my mouth. Slowly, I opened my eyes to find Grier next to me, searching my face. His heavy brow was knitted, and I could tell he was torn. He must have still been mad at my rejection, but I could see him longing to reach out to me in the way his hands twitched in his lap and how he leaned as close as he dared across the small seat. I stamped the wave of emotions back, swallowing hard and shaking my head a final time.

“...It’s not about you. Why… Why I said… what I said...” I told him finally, satisfied that while my voice was still peteringly soft, it didn’t shake with the weight of my guilt. “Maybe at first I was worried… but…” I stifled a sigh, looking down at my hands. “You’ve… you’ve been…” I struggled, the words choking in my throat. I ran my thumbs over my palms, staring at them to avoid his waiting eyes. “... I feel… I feel horrible…” I had to close my eyes again. “I feel so… so guilty… Knowing that she’s… she’s alone and I… While I…” I purled my hands into fists, so tightly the knuckles turned white.

I jumped as his own hand slid over the fist resting on my knee closest to him. I opened my eyes to look at it. His three slender fingers and long thumb. His grey-green skin. So strange and foreign to me. To everything I had ever known. But the warmth of his skin against mine… I felt my hand relax incrementally, and sighed deeply.

“Damnit, Grier...” I breathed, his name coming unbidden to my lips, and I used it like an anchor. Longing to just… tell him everything. Yet lacking the means to do so... I felt his hand twitch against mine at the sound of his name. I closed my eyes briefly again, before finding the strength to meet his gaze. He watched me quietly. “If it were up to me, I-I... I would take her back with us in a heartbeat…” I looked away from his distressed face, unable to process his emotions as well as my own, looking off to the side of the bouncing carriage, “... But the King would never…”

I dropped off, pain welling in my chest again. This time it mixed with anger, and I felt my jaw tightening stubbornly. I felt the strength leaving me again, felt the edges of my composure cracking once more. A scowl settled on my lips as I tried to fight the numbness and despair that threatened to swallow me whole.

“... You always call him ‘the King’.” Grier pointed out softly, and I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. “Never ‘my father’. Even Morgana called him ‘father’. But I’ve never heard you call him that.”

“If he had ever once been bothered to act like a father to me, maybe I would.” I snapped, then winced at the harshness of my tone. “I-I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to...It’s... it’s complicated…”

He didn’t press the issue, running his thumb lightly back and forth over my knuckles. I watched it, and felt strangely comforted by the touch. Slowly, I began to relax, even letting another sigh escape my lips. Grier shifted a little closer, until our thighs brushed. I glanced over at him hesitantly.

“... You could have put it in the marriage contract,” He mused, “We could still try to make the amendment-”

I shook my head before the words were fully formed in the air between us, stopping him in his train of thought. “The King and Court would never agree to that. Not now… and…” I shifted, looking down at our hands again, “...Despite everything else… he’s still her father…” I swallowed hard, my brow scrunching, “She should have the chance to know him. Make her own opinion without mine smothering her.”

He snorted, seeming displeased at that answer. But he said nothing more on it. Instead, he ran his palm over the back of my hand, then over my wrist, before sliding it back down to my knuckles. I felt goosebumps spread up my arm at his touch, and let out a hitched breath nervously.

“You know… I’m a little jealous of your sister.”

I raised one eyebrow at him, a little surprised at the sudden change in topic. Momentarily distracted from my pain. “...Jealous? Whatever for?”

He gave me a sheepish grin. “Well… I’ve never seen you smile before…Not once… Not even a little one...” I felt my ears grow hot, “I was beginning to think you just weren’t the type… then she appears, and…” His smile grew wider, “And it was like seeing the sun for the first time…” He glanced down at our hands, and I felt him squeeze mine gently. I swallowed, following his gaze. Hesitantly, I turned my fist over slowly beneath his grip, letting him trail along to gently push my fingers apart and trace his over my exposed palm. “... You’re very handsome, did you know that?”

“...You’re just saying that to distract me.” I mumbled after a few incoherent sounds, feeling like my lips just weren’t quite ready to work right. My face scalding hot and my heart racing. ”You like making me flustered…”

His grin returned, mischievous and stretching all the way to those scarlet eyes. “Of course!” He slowly intertwined his fingers with mine. “... But that doesn’t make it any less true.”

I couldn’t find any worthwhile response to that, and so said nothing. I didn’t move, frozen perfectly still in place. Afraid to ruin the moment. Grier seemed content to run his fingers back and forth, tracing the lines in my hand and running along the edges of my fingers. His touch was so light, I almost shivered at it. He trailed up and down my hand, then over the tendons on my wrist. The carriage jostled and bounced around us, but everything seemed to move in slow motion. The only thing I could hear was my blood rushing in my ears. Then I saw him wince, and he sighed, shaking his wild hair.

“... I’m sorry… I’ve been a selfish ass… thinking it's always about me…” He sighed again, “I just thought… You really confuse me, you know?... I never know quite what you’re thinking.”

I worked up enough courage to gently squeeze his hand. “... If it makes you feel better… I-I rarely know what I’m thinking either…”

His laughter rang like music in the air around us, and I felt my blush somehow deepen. “Then it seems we are a good match, my young Prince... “ He mused as his laughter subsided into deep chuckles.

He squeezed my hand back for good measure. I saw his face fall slightly, and knew he had more he wanted to say. I waited quietly for him to sort it out, still feeling raw and restless from my own outburst.

“... I thought maybe you were ashamed of me…” He said finally, his voice shaking, “I got mad because… I thought you were starting to be comfortable with me… but as soon as you thought someone might see us…” He shrugged, lifting up his free hand to rub the back of his neck. “It’s silly, I guess.”

I faltered, looking off to the side. I drew a steadying breath, letting it out slowly. “That’s a good word for it… ashamed.” I wavered slightly, and felt my hand shiver in his. “... I am ashamed…” I felt him stiffen beside me, and I quickly shook my head. “But not of you.”

He relaxed slightly at that, though he still wore the tension in the lines of his face, and ran his thumb over the soft webbing of mine. “...Then what?”

I couldn’t bring myself to answer. My lips quivered, and I tightened them, pursing them together into a thin line. It all came to me then. Fresh and raw and exposed. I couldn’t hide it, couldn’t deny it to myself. It was in the light now, and the honesty burned into every inch of my soul, bleeding pain into each pump of my heart. He continued to rub his thumb lightly back and forth, waiting as patiently as he could muster. The carriage bumped and jerked, and I looked out the window. We were nearing the city borders again, and the sun was starting to dip towards the horizon.

“Nikostratus…” I winced at my name, but turned towards him slightly, still not meeting his gaze. “If you’re not ashamed of me… then what are you ashamed of?”

The numbness spread through my chest, threatening to stop my heart. Slowly, I raised my eyes to meet his. As they did, I felt my composure falter, felt my mask slip. His keen eyes became frantic suddenly, searching back and forth across my face. I saw the understanding light in their depths, and his brow furrowed as it did.

“You are nothing to be ashamed of,” He declared, lifting our still clasped hands together and pinning them against his chest, “Nothing, do you hear me?” I tried to turn away, feeling the emotions welling in my eyes and struggling to keep them from spilling over. But his free hand came up, catching my cheek. “You are a good person, Nikostratus. There’s nothing wrong with you. You deserve every happiness.”

I let out a sad, shuttering laugh, shaking my head. He stilled it with his hand at my cheek. “I’m not sure I believe you.”

“Let me convince you.” He breathed, turning me back to face him gently. “Let me spend our lives convincing you. Undoing whatever tangled knot you’ve wrapped yourself into. Undoing whatever that…” He stopped short, sucking in a breath. “... you are mine now, Nikostratus… and I won’t let you hate something that I love.”

My eyes widened at that, and I froze like a startled deer. I saw him falter in his confidence, as if the realization and weight of his own words hit him at the same time they hit me, but then it quickly returned. He met my stare head on, those scarlet eyes fierce. I almost couldn’t hold his gaze, and would have looked down had he not still had his hand at my jaw. I felt raw, exposed; weak and frayed. I didn’t know what to think. I struggled, fighting against the binds slowly wrapping around me. I began to rebuild the wall fearfully, feeling my features stiffen and harden as I did.

“Stop. You don’t have to do that,” He told me, his voice aching, squeezing my hand in his, still clutched to his chest, “You’re allowed to have emotions. You’re supposed to have emotions… You don’t have to hide them away. Especially from me.”

I faltered at that, and my efforts stilled. My mouth opened and closed a few times, and I finally managed to tear my eyes away from his. He kept his hand on my face though, and after a moment I raised my free hand. Gently laying it over his on my cheek. I hesitated for two heartbeats, counting them out, then leaned into his touch. His skin was so warm. His touch so gentle. I felt him shift even closer, until I could smell the faint hint of sage and myrrh. I wondered if he bathed in it, or just burned it in his own chambers.

“... I’m not…” I closed my eyes, shivering, then winced for having done so, “I’m not… strong enough...” I felt tears burning my eyes again, and squeezed his hand a little tighter. “Dammit… I … I just…” My mouth flapped uselessly.

“You don’t have to speak…” He murmured. “I know I’m… I know I made things more intense…” He chuckled quietly, moving his thumb along my cheekbone, “I know I’m always going to be a bit ahead of you. Especially emotionally… I’ll try not to make things worse, though-”

“You make things better.” I told him, the words spilling from my mouth before I could check them. I cringed, fearing perhaps I had overstepped. Panic rising in my breast.

When I managed to open my eyes again, to search for his across the sudden silence, I found a warm look waiting for me. It breached the numbness settling in my bones, and I took a slow, deep breath. Feeling my tension ease a little more.

“I’m lucky.” He replied after a little while. “I’m so damn lucky… This arrangement could have gone a million times worse… but instead I got you… and…” I felt his hand quiver against mine, and I squeezed it instinctively, surprised to feel it flutter. “... and to think that maybe you might…” He sighed, then his toothy, teasing smile returned. “It’s not quite the perfect happy ending though... I’m still jealous of your sister.”

I laughed weakly, shaking my head. “I’m not sure who’s more of a child… you or her…”

His grin widened at my own quiet teasing, encouraged by my laugh. “Well, it’s hardly fair! She gets more leeway than I do.” He exclaimed.

“She’s nine.”

“She calls you ‘Niko’!”

“...She’s nine.”

“So?”

“She stumbled over the word ‘treaty’ and you expect her to say ‘Nikostratus’?” I felt my lips twitch with amusement.

He pouted. “Common is my second language. If I pretend to struggle with it, can I call you ‘Niko’ too? I feel like she might be pretending. Just to keep up the pretense of ‘adorable little sister’.”

I was happy for the distraction at first, but the reminder of Morgana made my face fall slightly. He ran his thumb back along my jaw.

“I’m sorry… I don’t mean to keep bringing her up.” He murmured. “I see it’s hard for you…”

I nodded, giving a shallow sigh. “... I miss her… but…” I glanced up at him, “... Maybe talking about it… helps.” His smile warmed me again, and I swallowed hard.

“Can I ask why you call her ‘chickadee’ then?”

I curled my fingers around his, pulling them gently down from my face to rest beside our other hands I brought to rest on my knee while they were still clasped. I stared at them for a moment, the corners of my mouth twitching at the memory. I traced my thumbs back and forth over his.

“It’s a type of bird,” I explained softly, “It makes a sound, very unique to it… and when she was little… when she was a baby, she used to cry like that…” The smile stole itself onto my lips. “... chicka-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee.” I sang softly, then shook my head. “I used to come running at the sound. I would tell her… ‘I hear you, little chickadee, I’m coming’ and she would stop crying... I guess the name just stuck.”

“Was it just you caring for her?” He asked curiously, “She had no nursemaids?”

I snorted. “She did… But I wouldn’t let them near her… Not unless I really had to.”

He laughed. “A little over protective of her, no?”

“Always….” I stared down at our hands for a long moment. “She is the one good thing in my life…” I stopped, swallowing hard and shifting, “... Was the one good thing…”

“...Maybe now you can have two?” He finished for me, questioning and hesitant.

I hid a smile with another shake of my head. “I’m not sure I can be so lucky…”

A loud clatter announced our arrival at the castle as the wheels clacked over the drawbridge. I jumped nervously, then dropped his hands. Leaning away with the pretense of looking out the window again. I steadied myself, turned away from him, fixing my posture and taking a long, deep breath. I was intensely glad for the privacy charm on the windows, allowing me to look out without being observed. The smattering of goblin faces that looked up curiously as we passed had my stomach flipping in knots. I wondered what his people thought of him marrying a human prince…

We rolled up to the inner courtyard, where there were far less prying eyes, and I heard the sharp click of boots as the attendant came around. Grier led the way out of the carriage, then up the shallow steps to the castle. Ducking us quickly out of sight into the private halls. He paused there, looking over his shoulder at me as another attendant rushed to bring us a lantern.

“...Shall I bring you to your rooms, Prince Nikostratus?” He offered.

I nodded quietly, glancing at the goblin who darted over with a light. He passed it up to me with a bow, and I thanked him politely. The little thing, hardly higher than my hip, seemed delighted at my words. I watched him excitedly bounce away, curious.

“Goblins love to please.” I nearly jumped at Grier’s voice, and turned to look at him. He smiled, gesturing for me to follow him. “It is in our nature… We live for praise and recognition. Even in its simplest form.” He led the way through the halls, head cocking to the side. “All the staff are already quite fond of you, I believe”

I tried not to blush too deeply at that, quietly following after him. We didn’t speak as he led me deeper into the castle. Though I wasn’t sure if it was from hesitation, exhaustion, or simply a new found comfort in each other’s presence. I assumed it was some combination of the three, but found I didn’t overly mind. My chest was still aching, and my head seemed likely to follow suit soon. I wasn’t sure I could take any more… sharing. But I wasn’t sure I wanted to be parted from him yet either…

He stopped outside my door, standing to the side. I shifted nervously in place, playing with the handle to the lantern.

“I’ll have some food sent up,” He assured me, and at his promise I realized I hadn’t eaten all day. Then he moved as if to leave. I saw him open his mouth to impart a final passing farewell.

“Would you...” I stopped short, stiffening as the goblin turned back to face me. He raised one slender eyebrow at me, and I swallowed hard. “....Ah…” I wondered if there really were beads of sweat forming on my brow, or if it just felt like it. “W-would you like to… to come in?”

The answering grin that filled his face had my own flushing hot. He chuckled, reaching up and rubbing the back of his neck. I was instantly grateful for the break in eye contact as he dropped his attention to the side. He cleared his throat.

“I… I would, of course… but,” He glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes, “I think I should practice that ‘patience’ thing and… and let you recharge. I’m sure you’ve had enough of my ill advised confessions and blundering emotions for one day.” He grinned again, and my heart skipped. “We should leave things on a good note for once…”

I nodded my agreement, instantly feeling foolish and flustered. I reached out and took hold of the handle. Shifting the lantern to one hand.

“...Although...” He added, almost too quickly. As though unable to resist. I froze, looking back at him as he stepped closer shyly. “Perhaps we could… we could, um... end it on an even better note…”

I wasn’t as surprised as the last time as he reached up to catch the back of my neck. I was already bent at the waist to grab the low handle of my door, so he didn’t have to stretch quite so far up to meet my lips with his. The kiss was quick, but warm, and I missed the shape of his mouth as soon as he pulled back. It left my heart racing in my ears. I felt a sudden, pulsing desire, and my palms tingled.

Grier cleared his throat again, rocking back onto the balls of his feet. “Good evening then, Nikost-”

My returning kiss was much deeper, and I found I enjoyed his surprised sputter against my lips as I cut off his departing words. I had caught his shoulder to spin him back to me, and it set him off balance. He stumbled back as I stepped forward, and I pursued him one long step until his shoulders bumped against the door-frame and I could properly curl my body around him. His hands had instinctively raised, and now rested on my chest with a feather light touch. I didn’t let up my kiss throughout the transition, and now, with proper leverage, deepened it as I wrapped my arm slowly around his waist. Pinning him between me and the wall. Savoring the taste of his mouth and the feeling of his lips against mine. My other hand held the lantern awkwardly off to the side, but I was so much bigger than him that I found it didn’t impede me in the least. Half a moment in, and I felt him melt against me, his mouth eagerly responding to the demands of mine.

I kissed him until the need of my lungs finally required me to break away. I drew in a deep breath, our foreheads still brushing together, and I felt his own breath flutter against my cheeks. Slowly, I straightened to my full height, though I lingered with my body brushing against his for perhaps a moment longer than necessary. His red eyes were like dinner plates, and I swore he was a few shades lighter than before.

I couldn’t help but give a small smile at the bewildered look on his face. And saw his eyes widen more at the sight. I winced, the smile fading slightly as I realized it was there. I rubbed the back of my neck, looking away bashfully. I would have laughed instead, yet settled for leaning back over him. He instantly tilted his head, following me. Perhaps expecting another kiss. The thunk of the handle dropping behind him beneath my grip made him jump.

“Good evening… Your Majesty.”

I stepped gracefully around him through the open door, leaving him spinning in my wake. Amused with myself despite the race of my pulse beneath my skin and the spinning lightness of my head. I would cherish that expression of his for the rest of the night. Perhaps the rest of my life, gods willing.

“Oh-ho… It’s ‘Your Majesty’ again, is it?” I heard him breathe, though light with amusement rather than his usual displeasure at the title.

Then suddenly his foot was in the door, propping it open. I looked at him, barely hiding my surprise in my usual mask of stoicism.

“Well, then, Your Highness. Since you wish to be so prim and proper:” A mischievous smirk rolled across his thin lips, and its maliciousness sent a shiver down my spine, “I hope you sleep well, you’ll need it. Because just for that stunt, tomorrow I’m bringing you to meet the Dowager Queen.”

My eyes must have widened slightly, because he took a step back. Still grinning with sharp teeth from ear to ear. With a short, tight and teasing bow, he spun on heel and marched proudly back down the hall. I thought I heard a laugh echo, but it may have just been the terror suddenly drenching me from head to toe.

… Damn it.

...

UPADATE: Part six HERE

#Royal Flush #goblin romance #goblin king #goblin lover #goblin husband #mlm #male x male #monster lover #monster royalty #monster husband #monster boyfriend #terato #exophilia #arranged marriage #slow burn #angst #monster x human

80 notes · View notes