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wheresmymilliondollarman · 1 year

Note

Hiii! I've discovered your account recently and you can definitely count me as one of your fans! Also I've never saw someone write for book bfs before so that's cool of you to do it ! I really don't know if you take requests but if u don't it's ok! but if you do can I have an Kenjix reader where she's a trained spy with no powers and Aaron send her on a mission with Kenji where she hates him at first but then she gets to know him and fall for him ? (Maybe w/o spoilers for books after ignite me)

how you get the girl

kenji kishimoto x fem!reader

you were never fond of the newest recruit, but after being assigned on a mission with him, your perspective might just change.

a/n: ty for the request!! been wanting to write for kenji, but struggled with a concept, so this is a great idea !! this is more an au thing, not based on a certain timeline in the series, so it should be spoiler free !! there also a hunger games reference in this bc i can't help myself. extra note: thank you for being so patient i had to go on n unexpected hiatus because i got sick then a bunch of stuff in my life is happening right now, so it was hard to write. but i have finally have time again somewhat and i want to get inspo to write <3

word count: 6.8k

warnings: really bad corny pick-up lines, kinda bad description of action LOL, mentions of injuries and blood, take a shot every time reader rolls her eyes

your home lied within the reestablishment for as long as you could remember. your father had stood behind the idea since it first became conceived.

before the reestablishment came along, your family lived in the trenches of poverty. living in a one-bedroom apartment in the unsafest part of the city. most lived the same since the world was slowly deteriorating — counties went hungry, climate change affected natural resources, and the grasp of government control slipped away. it seemed like the end of the world for some, but you were too young to say for sure.

your mother came down with an illness when you were around three. it was unsure of what it was, but it damaged her greatly and fatally. your father attempted to gather the money to see a doctor, pawning items, stealing money, and even asking the government for assistance, but it all became futile. your mother ended up passing a few months later.

your father’s grief and rage at society drove him toward the direction of the reestablishment. they had already been around quite some time, but no one ever took it seriously - another political group with empty promises, they called it. but your father had faith in their potential, he had to, now that he wanted to ensure a better future for yourself. so, he offered his undying loyalty to the group, and they took an interest in that and offered him a low level job.

within years, he worked his way up in power, helped enhance the reestablishment’s control over the world, and soon they were the sole government. many resisted, but the majority resided their fate to them because how much worse could the world get?

overtime, the distant memories of the old world faded and were forgotten by many, including yourself. all you knew and lived was reestablishment life. books, movies, devices, or anything pertaining to before reestablishment life was discarded. you were too young to even remember most of those things. so, unlike others, you never felt like you missed out on anything.

you were trained to be a soldier since practically diapers. the rebellion against the reestablishment was prominent during its early years, so your father ensured you could defend yourself properly if the worse were to come. with your agility and stealth, you were recruited to be a spy for them, infiltrating other bases and spying on the rebellion.

your father now works closely with supreme commander anderson at the capital, but you’ve designated yourself to sector 45, along with warner. he recognized your talent the moment he met you and employed you to his sector. that was how it became your current home.

your father was more than thrilled you impressed the commander’s son, telling you it was important to have their favor. ever since, he’d push the idea of you two, repeating that if you played your cards right, you could become the future supreme commander’s wife.

you felt nauseous at the idea. you would never want to be a second in command helping run a country, much less marry the person who does.

“hey! warner’s calling you into his office.” a voice called out to you.

you snapped out of your daydream, remembering your current location. you stood in the training room, gloves on, practicing your punches onto one of the many punching bags. you tended to zone as as you got more into your workout.

you turned around to face the soldier who had come in for the purpose of recalling a message, “thank you, tell him i will be there immediately.” he gave a curt nod and headed out.

you sighed, you were sure you were about to be sent on another mission to gather data. and normally, you would’ve been up for it, dying to put your skills to use. but lately, it seems the passion has disappeared. it was getting too repetitive for your liking, and you feared the rest of your life would play out the same.

you gathered your belongings, stuffing your water bottle and gloves back into your gym bag, and replaced your sweaty black shirt with a plain gray one.

you procrastinated as much as possible on the way to warner’s office. you are in no rush to head back out into the field or hear warners endless instructions on the mission. for once, you envied the low ranked soldiers. warner never expected much of them, so they were often overlooked and free to do as (possibly) pleased. you were expected to be no less than perfect.

you took a deep breath before knocking on the office door. once warner granted permission, you entered the room, and the first thing you noticed was another person was already there — one you recognized to be one of warner's many men, kenji kishimoto.

‘this is already off to a bad start,’ you told yourself. kenji was fairly new to the unit, joining a bit over a year ago. you never saw him much because of how busy you are, but due to his poor performance, warner had assigned you to train him for a week.

it hadn’t been your first time training a soldier, so you were prepared to follow a routine and help him get the hang of basics. but you quickly learned kenji was going to be a pain in your ass.

first, he was half an hour late to your training, wasting time you could’ve used for your own personal agenda. then, when he showed up, he acted nonchalantly about it. you decided to brush it off and just get the training over with than argue and waste more time. but as training commenced, he started acting condescending towards you. asking if you were sure what you were doing and whether you were the most qualified person to be instructing him. again, you ignored him and remained professional — trying your best to just finish off the lesson without any hassle.

the final straw for you came when you asked him to throw a punch to examine his form and offer critiques. to this responded, “are you sure about that? wouldn’t want to hurt you, sweetheart.” he said haughtily. you just about had it by then.

in a quick movement, you threw a punch to his face, twisted his arm, and flipped him onto the mats. “sorry, did i hurt you sweetheart?” you asked in a condescendingly sweet tone. all kenji does is groan in response.

after, you just stormed off and informed warner he would no longer be in charge of his training. you offered him no explanation and simply walked out of his office. if you hadn’t been so upset, you would’ve slapped yourself for being so careless in front of the commander's son. but fortunate to you, warner had no objections and simply tasked someone else to teach kenji.

however, that wasn’t even the end of your meeting. despite you bruising his face, kenji started to follow you like a puppy. you suddenly would run into him at least once a day. you swore he had to be somehow following you, and pretending it was a coincidence the two of you ran into each other. despite your expertise in the art of spying, you were never able to catch him in the act. you could sometimes feel a pair of eyes on you, but when you turned around, there was no one there.

you told him many times to leave you alone, but that only seemed to intrigue him more. he went from condescending to flirting with you. you weren’t sure which one was worse. you were starting to think the latter because of his awful pickup lines.

“do you have a name, or can i just call you mine?”

“oh god, i’m gonna throw up.”

“i’m going for a walk, would you mind holding my hand?”

“if you get your hand near me, it’s getting cut off.”

“i love it when you talk dirty to me.”

“do you travel through time? because i’ve pictured you in my future.”

“you’re not going to have a future, if you utter another word.”

“let me be the flynn rider to your rapunzel.”

“one, shut up. two, who are they?”

“what! you don’t know the amazing film that is tangled?”

“never mind, forget, i asked..”

no matter your reply, he never seems to get the hint. no, scratch that, he definitely got the hint he just simply did not care. this guy could be hit with a tank, and you were convinced he’d still have some stupid line to say to you.

back to your current predicament, you were unsure why warner would call for kenji as well. you were hoping they were just finishing up a conversation, and you happened to be a bit early. which you kinda doubted because you had taken as long as you possibly could to get to this room.

you walked up to warner’s desk, “you called for me sir?” you questioned. the sooner you got your task, the sooner you can get away from the man next to you.

kenji turns his attention toward you, unfortunately for you, “hey gorgeous, funny seeing you around here.” he says with a stupid smirk accompanying.

“not really.” you spoke bluntly.

before he can speak any more, dumb words, warner clears his throat indicating he is about to speak. “yes i did, and as you can see, i also called kishimoto here because I wanted to speak to the both of you.”

oh no. you weren’t liking where this was going so far, especially since this is an issue needing both of your presence in the room. you prayed he wasn’t about to assign you to train with kenji again. you lucked out last time, but there is no way you would be able to again decline in a way that wouldn’t defy warner. you remained stoic and nod to his words, waiting in suspense for his instructions.

“oh please go on, i’m intrigued.” kenji inquires. warner pays no mind him, nice to see you’re not the only one who does that.

“the reason for that is, i am in need of both of you for a mission in favor of the reestablishment.” he explains, folding his hands together neatly on his wooden desk.

technically, your prayer was granted; you didn’t need to train kenji. no, instead you had to go & work with him on a mission. ‘that’s why they say be careful what you wish for.’

you couldn’t protest and say absolutely not, or you just look like a child throwing a tantrum. it took a good portion of your self-control to keep that apathetic look on your face. but even then, your left eye reflexively twitched in irritation.

“no disrespect to your order sir, but why is kishimoto needed? i can handle myself quite well if you didn’t already know.” you try to reason.

“are you that nervous to be with me?” kenji interrupts smugly. you can’t help but stomp on his foot, even if it is a bit childish, your face neutral, not even sparring a look his way.

kenji yelps in pain, but still remarks, “nice to see your love language has switched from verbal threats to physical violence.”

warner, unbothered by your actions, replies, “i’m well aware of your capabilities l/n. but this task is a bit more dire than your usual requests. i’d prefer if you had a helping hand. plus, kishimoto still needs practice in the field and there’s no better example to follow than you.”

“thank you sir, for the compliment, but-“

“is that an objection to an order, l/n?” warner challenged you, raising a brow. you knew that was the end of it. as much as you didn’t like kenji, it wasn’t an issue worth being on warner’s bad side for.

“no,” you stated defensively, “of course not, sir, i am ready to serve the reestablishment as needed,” you restate your loyalty, but these days it felt like empty words.

“i, for one, have no issue with this request sir. i’m more than willingly to go along with y/n on this secret mission.” kenji proclaims with a gleeful smile.

“great, because the both of you will be departing tomorrow morning.” warner informed, leaning back into his seat. “that will be all,” he dismissed with a wave of a hand.

kenji and you both respectively nodded and turned your backs to walk away and exit his office. once you’re in the hall, your cool demeanor vanquishes and is replaced with a distasteful look. you simply couldn’t believe this was happening. you got partnered with the guy who you heard already had 19 demerits. surely, the world was punishing you.

opposite to you, kenji stood there with a sneaky smile, obviously enjoying how today’s events played out. it only annoyed you further.

“well, well, well,” he begins, “i guess we’ll be spending quite a bit of time with each other. you never know how long these missions take perhaps will be stuck teach with each other for a whole month. wouldn’t that just be exciting?” kenji teases, draping an arm over your tense shoulders.

you rolled your eyes and roughly pushed his arm off of you, “this operation is solely for professional purposes, kishimoto. we’ll be in and out then come back and relay information. then i go back to ignoring you.” you don’t bother to wait for a reply and start the walk to your living, quarters to prepare for your departure.

“i’ll grow on you eventually y/n!” he hollers at you as you venture further down the hall.

you dreaded the events to come the moment you opened your eyes to woke up.

a part of you had hoped your talk with warner yesterday had been a nightmare, but as soon as you saw your packed bag on your dresser, you knew it was your reality.

you hopped in the shower for a quick wash, braided your hair, and suited up in all black attire. you slip your bag over your shoulder and reluctantly walk out your room. from there, you made your way to the weaponry.

at the weaponry, you didn’t see kenji’s face; you had hope there was still a possibility he would not end up going along with you, and he would either be replaced, or you be left to your own devices. you started supplying weapons into your bags and filling the holsters strapped on your body.

“can’t believe you already started without me, angel.” you hear a voice announce from behind you.

you groaned, apparently, it was too much to ask to wish him away. he reminded you of a small insect that just refused to die no matter how many times you stepped on it with your foot.

he doesn’t miss a beat, moving to the spot next to you, “don’t sound too excited, or else i’d start to think you like me,” kenji playfully remarks.

you scoff, “only in your wildest dreams.”

“right you are.” you grimace at his reply.

“can you just hurry up? the sooner we set off the better.” you urge him.

he doesn’t deter from his smugness at your fierce attitude, “if you were so eager to be alone with me, you should’ve just told me, would’ve saved us a lot of trouble.”

you groaned, already sick of being around him. how were you supposed to do this for a day, or even more? “you have five minutes or swear to god i’m leaving without you.” you promised on your way out.

you made good of your word, and waited by the plane for approximately five minutes (you even counted down the seconds in your head). warner assigned a plane for the both of you, with its own pilot, to take you to your destination.

you wait until the last second before you board the small plane to inform the pilot to prepare for take off. not even a minute later, you hear the movement of footsteps rushing towards the vehicle. you try to conceal your look of disappointment when you see it, kenji coming toward you.

you step down the plane to coldly greet him, “you’re lucky you made it, i was prepared to about to leave without you,” you tell kenji seriously. “i suppose i can always just push you off the plane one we take off to rid of you,” you nonchalantly suggest.

he just laughs in response, thinking there’s no way you would actually take off without him, his laughter silences down when you offer no humor in your tone, nor your face. “you are just kidding right?”

you remain silent, and turn your back to board the plane.

“..right?” he calls at you, a hint of worry in his tone. the corner of your lip tugs up in amusement as you walk off.

“wow, this spy stuff is quite boring.” kenji complains aloud. “how are you ever entertained doing this on your own? thank goodness you have me around now. perhaps we can even be some sort of duo, we can even have a cool name - the terrific two? nah. the dangerous duo? eh. oh wait, i’ve got it! mr. and mrs. smith-“

“will you shut up!” you turn your head away to snap at him. you were ready to lose your mind with his absurd commentary for the past hour.

the two of you stationed yourselves on top of a tall building’s rooftop hiding from plain view & your target’s sight. your current target was a supreme commander of another country, one that had indirectly expressed his indifference toward warner, but remained loyal to reestablishment principles. warner believes it’s possible he may have a hidden agenda concerning the reestablishment, and just to be sure, he tasked you to report his activity.

your mission wasn’t anything complicated, the majority of it consisted of keeping vigilant watch and reporting anything of utter importance. the two of you used your binoculars to spy on the commander and his men from above. but you understood why warner had wanted someone to accompany you. there were almost 3 times as many men than what you were used to on your operations. but you weren’t going to admit this to the person next to you.

kenji nods, “you’re right we should skip the mindless comments and instead get to know each other. after all, i’d be real awkward if i didn’t even know fun facts about my future girlfriend,” he makes a hand gesture toward you at the end of his words.

“first off, never going to be your girlfriend. second, this isn’t a date; we’re on a stakeout collecting information.” you reiterate.

“come on,” kenji complains, “these guys have done nothing for the past 2 hours. the only criminal thing that is worth mentioning is that the commander does not pull off purple .”

you scoffed, annoyed, but you couldn’t say he was completely lying. it has been kind of a slow night. the commander stood by his post, watching the soldiers pack shipments meant for other countries & sectors, including sector 45. whenever the supreme commander would leave, either kenji or you would tail him, but it was also a dead end. he either needed to use the bathroom or go to his office to retrieve something. a part of you was starting to wonder why warner would think of this man as suspicious when he seemed as bland as the color beige. it was quite offensive to your spy expertise to be sent on such a mundane mission.

you sigh in defeat, “fine,” you turn to face kenji, “if it gets you to shut up. what do you wanna know?”

kenji places his hand over his chest, making a face of disbelief. “wow, i’ve finally done it, i’ve cracked you. it’s only a matter of time now before you actually start enjoying my presence like most of the female population.”

“i’m this close to pushing you off the ledge right now.” you exclaim, pinching your index and thumb very close as a demonstration.

“well, if we’re gonna be working together,”

he starts, ignoring your threat, “we’ve got to learn more about eachother - you know ,like the deep stuff.”

“the deep stuff?” you repeat suspiciously.

“yeah, like, what’s your favorite color?”

you turn away dramatically, “well, now you’ve just crossed the line,” you say in a light tone.

he shakes his head, “seriously, what’s your favorite color?”

“hm,” you ponder on it for a second before answering, “i like yellow.”

“yellow?” he repeats, unsure of whether to believe you. “you’re telling me, the spy who is always seen in all black’s favorite color is yellow?” he speaks as if the concept is foreign to him.

you roll your eyes for the millionth time tonight, “i wear all black because i’m working, not by personal choice. my wardrobe is actually full of colorful choices.” you admit.

kenji smirks, “so, what color are you wearing underne-“

“anyway,” your speak over him, cutting him off. “what’s your favorite color?” you ask to change focus.

“purple. and not like the purple that supreme commander looks horrendous in,” you hold back a smile at the insult, “more like the shade of purple rapunzel’s dress is.”

you tilt your head, “who’s rapunzel, is she a friend of yours?”

his eyes narrow at you, “a friend of min- she’s only one of the greatest heroines in the disney film history!” he exclaims.

“what about your knee?”

“you can’t be serious-“

that was when you heard it, voices speaking in rushed and commanding tones, getting louder and louder to the point you were able to make out the words without your listening equipment. you recognized one of them - the supreme commander.

“shoot them!” he shouted at the soldiers.

you’d been spotted. and now they were going to start firing.

“kenji get down!”

“what-“

you didn’t wait for him to understand and instinctively jumped onto kenji’s body to bring him down to the ground and avoid him from getting shot.

due to your heroic act, you were unfortunately caught by a bullet and shot in your left arm. you’ve been shot before, but it didn’t suck any less. luckily, the adrenaline coursing through you helped subdue the pain for now, but you know it’s only a matter of time before you were withering in discomfort.

“shit!” kenji cursed in reaction to the many gunshots shooting at you both. you both are currently protected by the small four feet ledge from the building you were grounded on.

“how did they even spot us?“ kenji hollers so you could him him over the flux of bullets.

“i don’t know, but there’s no time for explanations. this ledge won’t protect us for long we have to find a way out of here without being noticed.“

you had a lurking suspicion the commander was given a heads-up on the arrival of two spies. however, it wasn’t a time to investigate that.

kenji began to move from beneath you so he could somewhat sit himself up, still avoiding being hit. his movement caused you to unintentionally hiss in pain when he rubbed against your injured arm; that is when kenji took notice of your wound.

he gently grabbed it for further inspection, blood oozing from the hole of the bullet plunged into your arm. returns his gaze to you. his eyes showing worry, “you’re injured. why didn’t you say anything?” he questions you gently.

he then swiftly untucked his long sleeve shirt for machines and ripped a piece of it from the bottom. then he began to wrap it around your injury and tie it to give it pressure to lessen the bleeding.

“didn’t think there was time, you know, with hundreds of bullets coming our way.”

kenji rolls his eyes. you speak up again before he has a chance to counter, “ok, we seriously need to focus on our plan of action right now. we are way too outnumbered to strike back.”

kenjis nods and looks down in concentration of convincing a plan, and you do the same. you both could maneuver your way down towards the way you came in, but no doubt the commander's men have already begun to circle around the entire establishment. you both could sprint quick enough and jump onto the neighboring building, but it would require some climbing. and with your current left arm in bad shape, could be almost impossible for you to climb a building with one arm, no matter the skill acquired in your training.

do you have to make a decision quick, so you went with the most logical one. “kenji,” you call his attention, and he looks up from his spot, “i have a plan. but..you’re going to have to go without me.”

kenji’s face shifted from concern to confusion. “i don’t understand..”

you briefly explained the small plan you concocted, “with my with my injury , it’s clear i can’t do it. so, it’s better that you go on and-“

kenji doesn’t let you finish. “no. no. that’s not an option.” he protests.

“you have t-“

his hand is covering your mouth in a second, “it’s out of the question. don’t go saying that stupid shit again, got it?“ he sternly tells you, looking you in the eye intensely.

you’ve never had someone be so adamant about leaving you behind. if it had been anyone else with you, they would’ve up and left the moment you suggested it. a warm feeling tingled in your stomach at the thought to kenji caring about you so much.

you’re quite stunned at his assertiveness, so you nod quietly - which is highly out of character for you.

once he knows you understand, he removes his hand from your face, sighing as he does so. “i have a way for us to get out of here unnoticed and safely,” kenji admits. you pique up, intrigued by how he has a better solution, and motion for him to continue. “but you’re really going to have to trust me for this to work, ok?” he says more like a statement than a question.

“ok.” you agree.

while you may not have known kenji too long or even liked him much before tonight, he wasn’t incompetent, mostly, you had enough faith in him to believe he wouldn’t intentionally put you both in harm's way.

kenji takes a deep breath in, and you can tell to ease his nerves. it bubbles up your curiosity more. it must be something quite grand for him to be nervous to do. but then again, it had to be something quite out of the box if it weren’t a plan you could’ve conceived.

“i’m going to grab your hand, and then i’m gonna need you to do your best to not freak out.” kenji instructs carefully to you.

now you were getting anxious; what could possibly make you freak out? generally weren’t the type to scare easily, and you’re sure kenji knew this. but you truly had no other option unless you wanted to be stranded here. the sound of gunfire served over to reminder of your limited time.

you nod in confirmation and hold out your right hand in permission for him to grab. kenji takes a second before he latches his hand into yours.

for a moment, you’re confused. nothing seems to be happening. part of you thought he was going to continue with your plan, but forcibly drag you along with him. you turn your attention toward the other side to check if you were supposed to see something. but again, saw nothing of significance.

you begin to scowl, “kenji is this a joke-“

but when you turn to see kenji, no one is there. right away, you assume he left you and did everything prior as some twisted joke. you were ready to get angry, but then you felt the pressure on your palm. you were still holding his hand.

you looked around again and saw no sign of kenji besides his hand in yours. your confusion was deepening at this point, and you were beginning to think you passed out after being shot and were currently dreaming. you looked down at your interlocked hands, but you didn’t see your hands either. your eyes then moved over to your own body, but again - nothing.

you gasp, “what the hell?”

you instantly panic, not understanding what is happening. you move your body in the hope it would make it visible again, but failed. you try to free your hand from kenji’s, but he firmly keeps it gripped.

“hey, it’s alright, i’m here. calm down.” you hear kenji finally speak from next to you. you feel his thumb rub over the top of your hand in an attempt to soothe you.

you ignore him and attempt to make a list of possible nonsense that would explain the situation. “are we dead?”

“no! just invisible.” he states calmly as if the whole situation were normal. he stands up, forcing you to do the same. he begins to build up a run toward the side of the building. you can’t see either of your bodies, so you do your best to keep up without tripping.

“invisible?” you repeat, “how are we invisible?” it sounded ridiculous saying it aloud, but it was the only “reasonable” explanation for what was happening.

“uh, let’s just say i have a certain skill set.” he says in a rushed tone. you couldn’t tell if it was because he wanted to avoid answering or focus on the task at hand. maybe both.

“that doesn’t explain anything!” you say, waving your other arm around, although you both are unable to see it.

now having reached the side of the building you entered from, you see the ladder that led you both up. kenji wastes no time on stepping down first. you can’t see his movement but can feel yourself being tugged and the sound of his boots hitting the metal.

you follow, continuing to hold his hand as he leads you both down the ladder of the building. “as you mentioned over and over before, there’s no time for explanations. you just focus on getting down this ladder.”

you did as he said (for once) and continued stepping down, with one hand on the rail, in silence. for once in your life, you were speechless.

you both successfully evaded the commander and his soldiers. the invisibility had proven to be true because you walked past them like it was nothing, as they still shot to where they assumed the two of you were still positioned.

there were no words exchanged on the way back to the plane. kenji took the initiative to inform the pilot of your coordinates, so the two of you could be picked up. you felt foolish for being so unprofessional, but you finally evading the danger, your state of shock was brought back.

when the plane finally landed down, kenji had finally returned both of your visible states and then released your hand. you could feel the sweat on it from holding on so long, but you were still reeling in from events to notice or care.

both of you moved to board the plane.

if you hadn’t faced some blood loss and felt incredible fatigue, you would’ve hounded kenji for answers on your way back to sector 47. but as soon as you sat down on a seat, you were out like a light.

the next time you open your eyes, all you could see was white. the ceiling lights temporarily blinded you, making it hard to see your surroundings at first.

you groaned from disorientation and the blinding light. you turn to the sense of touch and understand you are lying on a bed. your vision settled, and you were able to vaguely recognize your surrounding. the long windows, medical supplies, other white-sheeted beds neighboring, faint smell of disinfectant — you were in the medical wing in sector 45.

you knew it was the infirmary from your sector because of the large indentation on the wall from a mishap of yours a few years prior, one of the few times you actually went to a trained nurse instead of mending to yourself. long story short, the nurses really should have de-weaponized you before attempting to wake you up after you’d passed out.

now knowing you were in a dangerous environment, you slowly began to sit up. you used one hand to stable yourself since the other was put into a cast. the aching you were trying to put off the whole mission came in full force.

you looked down at your attire; your first layers of clothes covered in grime and blood were removed. now you were only left in your black shorts and tank top.

not even a moment later, you hear the sounding of the your door opening.

“well finally you’re awake!” a voice says, “thought i’d need to wake you up with true love’s kiss.”

kenji walks up to your bedside, his sly smile never faltering until he takes a glance at your injured arm.

he peers down at your face. he takes a hand and moves a strand of hair behind your ear. your stomach warms at the feeling of his faint touch on the side of your face.

“i thought i’d lost you for a second there, sleeping beauty.” kenji says in a gentle tone.

another reference of his you didn’t understand, but you chose to focus on his other words instead.

you tilt your sore neck, which you regret, in confusion, “what do you mean?”

“you were asleep the whole flight, and when we landed, i tried to wake you, but you wouldn’t stir. i knew something was wrong. my assumption was proven correct because when i examined your arm, your blood loss was almost severe. after that, i just rushed to get here.” kenji explains, his tone a bit somber. you fight the urge to hold his hold and comfort him, then chide yourself for thinking so something so intimate involving kenji.

guess you probably should’ve checked your arm when you boarded the plane. somehow, your bloody arm had gone from the first to the last thing on your mind during the operation.

“and now your facing my dashingly handsome face.” he cockily adds in.

there it is. you don’t even snarkily counter back. for once, you just smile in response. you give in to your urges and grab onto his hand, giving it a soft squeeze, “thank you kenji. seriously, i know we started on the wrong foot, but i’m very grateful to you.” you say sincerely.

kenji squeezes your hand in return, “to be fair, you’re the one who’s made your distaste toward me very clear while all i did was confess my undying love to you.” he corrects with a pout. he places a hand over his heart in fake pain.

your mouth gapes, “what? you’re the one who not only showed up late, but acted like a total douche the first time we met.”

kenji laughs at this sheepishly, “yeah, about that..” he goes to rubs his hand on the side of his neck.

“what?” you question. “don’t leave me hanging.”

kenji laughs, “that first meeting, i wasn’t actually late.” he starts.

you shake your head, “yes you were. i waited there for almost half an hour.”

“i was there fifteen minutes early, waiting by the door. but then i saw you walk past me, not even sparing a glance, and go into the training room.” kenji confesses.

“then why were you so late?” you interrupt impatiently. you don’t remember seeing him there at all, and if he had been there, why didn’t he just go in straight after you instead of wasting your time.

“i’m getting there, angel.” kenji taps his index finger on the tip of your nose. you swat his hand and wait for him to go on.

“after you went in, i was stunned. truly. you were the most gorgeous being i’d ever seen, and you walked around like you didn’t even know it.”

you smack his arm at his dramatic flattery, “shut up, quit playing around and get to the point.”

“am i one to lie?” he asks rhetorically.

you give him a look. “alright, maybe, but it doesn’t make what i said any less true. you are beautiful, and anyone who hasn’t told you that is an idiot.”

you scoff, turning your head away from kenji. you rather him not see the rising redness on your cheeks.

luckily kenji continues without comment, “anyway, after i got a hold of myself, i thought, ‘how was a guy supposed to walk in and face this goddess of a person supposed to be his trainer.’ he can’t, so he does the classic guy move, ‘act indifferent to make yourself seem cooler in front of a girl.”

“so you acted like an asshole….on purpose….because you wanted to be cool in front of me?” you repeat slowly, making sure you understood his stupid plan.

“ok, i get it; it's not my best moment. trust me when i say i realized my mistake as soon as you started kicking my ass like it was nothing. but it actually made me like you more and even turned me on a bit-“

“ok, i think i got it!” you weren’t one to be so easily flushed, but it was hard not to when he was so blunt about affection toward you. even if it was vulgar.

“after that horrible first meeting, i had to get you to like me.” kenji explains, “so i did my best to use my attractiveness and charming persona to seduce you. but, damn, you wouldn’t even bat an eye at my attempts. that only made me wanna do it more.”

you cross your arms over your chest, “so what, you like me because i’m pretty and a challenge for you?” you ask with an aloof tone.

“maybe at the start, but now, everything about you has me captivated. your strength and resilience. the way people undermine you, but you don’t let it stop you from proving them wrong. how to most, you’re uptight and cold, but you actually care more than you’d want to admit. i admire that you want to be the best, but not for warner, for yourself.” your eyes begin to soften at kenji as he describes you so passionately. you didn’t realize observant of you he was.

kenji continues, “hell, even your stubbornness. though, you break my heart a little every time you reject one of my very well thought out pick up lin-“

you don’t wait to hear anymore. abruptly, you sit up and yank him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him down to your eye level. you’re moving automatically as if in a trance, and your sturdy hand reaches the right side of his face. “shut up.” you say in a rushed whisper.

then you kiss him. you actually, willingly, lean in and collide your lips with kenji kishimoto. you like it very much too. and there is no better feeling than the way his lips on yours make your heart race and body buzz with warmth and exhilaration.

everything happened so quick, kenji was frozen in his spot for a good moment - his eyes so wide they could’ve popped out. then, he smoothly regained composure. his face relaxed, now having a giddy grin into the kiss, and slid a hand to the back of your neck, under your hair, to hold you closer.

even though the kiss was a heat-of-the-moment decision, the kiss itself wasn’t heated nor rushed. no, it was almost the exact opposite. your lips were tenderly pressed together, heads titled opposite directions so you fit together in sync.

you move your touch to his covered chest, gripping his plain fitted shirt for dear life, a way to remind yourself that this was all very real.

you’re the first to pull away; part of you already longing for his touch as you did. you felt dizzy, not in a loss of blood way, but in a weightless feeling way. you couldn’t stop the silly smile etched on your face, nor the flushed look that was likely written all over your face. you couldn’t even find yourself caring about it.

kenji’s appearance isn’t much different from yours, but his smile is crooked and screams more of satisfaction and a bit of cockiness. “told you i’d eventually win you over.”

you chuckle and lightly punch kenji’s bicep, shaking your head, “tell anyone, and i’ll deny it.” you threaten in jest.

you tap your lips with your index finger and look up in mock contemplation, “hm. maybe if you explain how you turned us invisible back there i’ll think about a date.” you remind him. you were still owed a great explanation.

kenji grins, “is that all it takes? well, then, i’ve got a hell of a story for you.”

special thank you to @butterflyreads for being so patient and liking my works, hope you enjoy this one <3

#kenji kishimoto #kenji kishimoto x reader #kenji kishimoto x female reader #kenji kishimoto imagine #shatter me #shatter me fanfic #aaron warner #juliette ferrars #x female reader #reader imagine #reader insert

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bettathanyou · 11 months

Note

Hi again!! Ik it's too soon but cedric ×reader fic where shes the shy castle librarian and cedric makes frequent unnecessary visits just to see her bcs she hardly ever goes out? And obv the royal family notices this and starts teasing tf out of cedric to the point he stops visiting her bcs hes a petty mf but she thinks she did something wrong so she visits him at his workshop one day and is all shy and boom! Confession!!!! Thanksss

Thank u sm for another ask!! It feels amazing to have people here in the year of our lord 2023 who still love Cedric.

I apologize for the ask being late, the night I was practically done with it my phone powered down and I made the mistake of not saving my drafts :')

Also your ideas are so gosh darn cute, please keep sending in asks when u can <3

I know this isn't explicitly part of the ask, but I wanted to include the library!reader's first ever introduction to Cedric bc the idea is stuck in my brain and I must write it out, lest my brain be consumed by rot.

Enjoy!!

Cedric x Shy! Librarian Reader~

"Oh, come on.... Please!" You begged, fingers barely touching the spine of the books you need. Against your better judgement, you stand on your tiptoes to give you an extra inch or so for your prize. Your fingertips made contact with the dusty leather binding of the book, and you let out a squeal of joy.

However, the dusty coating of the neglected book made it hard to maintain a decent grip. As you struggle, however, you almost don't notice the way the ladder begins to lean backwards.

With your heart catching into your throat, you rest your body weight firmly against the ladder again. You feel the ladder shake from the sudden movement, but it finally rests "securely" on the tall bookshelf.

Biting your lip out of frustration, you slump against the rickety ladder in a defeated groan.

How am I supposed to reorganize and archive these ancient tomes if I can't even reach them? You grumbled internally, your eyes gazing along the multiple shelves of books you need to work on.

"Well... I suppose I'll just have to find a longer, more stable ladder elsewhere." You sighed, beginning your descent. You get about a quarter of the way down when suddenly you hear a loud snap! as you rest your foot on the next step.

Letting out a silent scream, your grip tightens on the splintered wood before you lose your balance. Your breathing turns ragged, and your heart crashes against your ribcage in fright. You shakily take deep breaths, counting numbers in your head until you've calmed down a little.

After gaining a semblance of composure, you try to think of what to do. However, you quickly deduce that you have no other options; you have to make an effort to climb down.

Cursing to yourself, you attempt to place your foot onto the next step. You try to stretch your dangling leg towards the foothold, but your hip creaks in protest. Letting out another curse of frustration, you ignore the pain and just focus on where you're trying to reach.

In this futile effort, you once again don't notice the subtle way the ladder begins to slide from its place. You feel a shift in momentum as you feel the ladder begin to buckle underneath your body.

This time, you let out a strangled cry as you realize you're about to hit marble flooring from at least a few stories high. You close your eyes as you scream, fully prepared to accept whatever fate lies at the end of your fall.

"I've got you...!" A voice cried out from your right, and you feel a jolt as your body stops mid air. You feel an intense wave of vertigo hit you from the sudden change in momentum, but you manage to force your eyes open.

Below you, the ladder lies ruined in pieces. Your stomach churns as you realize that could've been your fate as well. You swallow hard, thanking your lucky starts someone rescued yo-

Wait.

Panic rushes through your veins again as you realize you're hovering mid air. You dart your head around anxiously looking for the source of your plight. With blurred vision, you see a person in dark purple clothing standing to your right.

Making eye contact, the person speaks again.

"A-a-are you okay? Ar-Are you hurt anywhere?!" The male voice called to you, anxiety racking his voice.

"I think I'm fine...! But, can you put me down, please?" You respond, eager to feel solid ground again.

"Right, o-of course!" The man replies, and with a wave of his hand you feel a force slowly making you descend until your feet touch the ground.

Whatever force that enveloped your body moments ago leaves, and so too does your composure. Your knees wobble, and as you take a step forward you tumble to the floor in shock. You let out a small noise of surprise, and suddenly tears are already falling from your eyes.

Your rescuer scrambles to your aid, slender gloved hands reaching out for you. You keep your eyes glued to the floor, too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"Are you sure you're alright? I can take you to the royal infirmary, it's-"

"I'm fine."

You choke out, your voice coming off more harsh than you intended. You see the man shrink away from you in your peripheral vision, and you feel a pang of regret strike through your heart.

"I-I mean. Thank you, but I'm okay. I'm sorry, I was just... shaken up." Your voice wobbles as if to prove your point, and you pull your arms closer to your chest in shame. You wish you could just disappear in this very moment.

Tears rise again like the tide, but you will them not to fall. You bite your lip, your eyes tracing the marble pattern on the floor to ground yourself.

"Right, of course... My apologies." The man shuffled awkwardly in place, unsure of how to approach you. He didn't want to leave you alone until he was sure you were okay, but he wasn't sure if he was really helping by staying either.

His eyes shift nervously, landing on the heaping pile of splintered wood that once was a ladder. He turned, sighing in resignation as he muttered a spell to clean the mess and rearrange the fallen books.

You watch wordlessly as the sorcerer cleans up, and without thought you feel yourself springing to your feet. You rush to join his side, the blood rushing to your ears.

"Oh, you don't have to do that... It's my mess, after all!" You reassure the sorcerer, holding up your hand in protest.

"Oh, nonsense." The sorcerer waves you off, shaking his head. "If anything, this is the King's mess for leaving it neglected for so long." Rolling his eye, the man clicked his tongue in disapproval.

"This old library was quite the mess long before you; and without a proper librarian, it'll only get worse."

The sorcerer sighed again, dusting off another book before putting it back into its proper resting place.

You smile at the man's care for the forgotten books, your heart melting just a touch. Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to properly introduce yourself, you speak.

"Well, I sure hope it won't come to that. I have more than enough work on my hands already." You chuckle to yourself, bending down to grab the last book on the floor.

"Wait- what?" The man exclaimed as you rose with the book in your hand.

You turn to meet the sorcerer's widened eyes.

"I'm the new Royal Librarian. My name's (y/n)." You smile awkwardly, hugging the book to your chest. You watch Cedric's bright brown eyes swim with surprise, but a smile quickly blooms on his face.

"I'm Cedric; royal sorcerer of Enchancia. It's a pleasure to meet you, (y/n)." Cedric replies, dipping his head to bow respectfully towards you.

"The pleasure is mine, Cedric." You reply graciously, responding with a curtsy.

If we hadn't met today... I don't even want to think about what could've happened to me. You think somberly, your eyes softening as you took in Cedric bowing before you.

Silently, you thank your lucky stars for your chance meeting today; and a tiny seed of hope is sowed within that you'll meet again.

Cedric rises to meet your gaze, and you flash him a genuine smile.

Cedric pauses for a moment, taken aback; slowly, he returns the gesture with a shy smile of his own. It makes his whole face soften, and you feel something stir deep within.

As your smile fades, you take a moment to get a good look at the sorceror.

The last rays of the setting sun reach through the window nearby, casting Cedric in a heavenly rim light. His silvery bangs create a halo around him, with ebony hair neatly combed back. His skin was noticeably fair, with darkened eye bags to contrast against it. You can relate to many sleepless nights yourself, so you find it quite endearing.

His eyes were the color of mahogany, and with the sun peeking from his hair they shone like pools of liquid amber. His face was made up of all sharp edges and angles, but remembering that soft and sweet smile he gave made your skin feel like electricity.

You both soon realized you were staring for a second too long, so you clumsily looked down at your feet in embarrassment.

Cedric fidgets with his robe sleeve, his eyes shifting around the room. After a minute of you both regaining your composure, Cedric speaks.

"You know, you should talk to King Roland about the uh... Incident, today." Cedric scratches his neck awkwardly.

"I-I'm sure if we catch him now, he'll have new equipment for you by this time tomorrow!" Cedric exclaimed, his brows raised in delight.

"But we must be quick about it- once supper comes around he is very hard to find." Cedric mutters to himself, tapping his chin.

He turns his attention to you expectantly, waiting for an answer. His eyes held a conviction you didn't notice until now, and your heart melted just a tad at his thoughtfulness.

You look at the now darkening sky, realizing you do indeed need to be quick.

A part of you just wanted to crawl in bed and forget that today even happened, but you also knew if you didn't get it done now then you'd procrastinate on it until the problem got exponentially worse.

With your decision made, you nod to Cedric in agreement.

"Okay, let's not waste any more time." Your eyes lock onto Cedric's and he gives you a confident nod.

"I like the way you think, my dear. Follow me, if you please." Cedric purred, turning and walking briskly to the entrance doors. Your stomach did a flip from him calling you 'dear', but you couldn't process much before Cedric was already ten paces ahead.

You hurriedly follow along, thankful for his company so you wouldn't have to confront the King alone. You realize you should probably verbalize your gratitude.

"Thank you, Cedric, for joining me to speak with his Majesty. I honestly feel pretty nervous." You say in a small voice, keeping your eyes trained ahead of you.

"Don't worry- King Roland is very adamant about his people's safety. I can't see a reason he'd do nothing about your plight." Cedric replied, his voice confident and holding a tinge of pride for his King.

You feel a little more at ease, and continue walking with your unlikely friend.

You're time in Enchancia was already shaping up to be an interesting one.

-----------------------------------------------

Time Skip Time!~

Let's set the stage <1 year after your initial meeting. I'll do a brief summary of the events that lead to your current day friendship.

After that fateful night, Cedric had made it a point to routinely visit you in the library to perform 'maintenance inspections' on the new ladders installed in the old library. At first, you really were convinced he was a concerned acquaintance- Cedric did witness you almost fall to your death, after all. So you thought some extra precautions weren't much to think about.

However, as the weeks went on, you started to notice Cedric lingering around more. As reading is part of his profession, once again you didn't want to jump to any conclusions- even though in your heart of hearts, you knew Cedric was mainly visiting the library to see you.

Regardless, you had no complaints.

You found out you enjoyed the company, and chatting about your favorite books with Cedric quickly became ingrained into your weekly routine.

Your chats about books slowly became more in depth exchanges, and Cedric's visits transformed into easygoing whole day hangouts; sometimes you two would talk for hours, and other times Cedric would silently assist in your work around the dilapidated library.

His presence was such a common occurrence, you would have castle staff or members of the royal family who would pop in ask if Cedric was with you.

Your eyes shift towards the clock behind you- Cedric should be here any minute. You pick up another book from the stack beside you, hurriedly scanning its contents so you can organize it properly.

You quickly realize in your hurried state this was the book Cedric first recommended to you. It was a fascinating read for sure, and it was shockingly easy to follow even though your magic knowledge was little to none at the time.

You sigh fondly, tucking the book away within arms reach. You try to reach for another book in the pile that needed organizing, but the giddiness of Cedric's arrival was making it hard for you to concentrate.

After a few fruitless attempts to push through, you quickly abandon your work in favor of rereading the book you previously tucked away.

You figure that you could get away with a quick chapter or two before Cedric arrives, so you lay back in your chair with a huff of contentment.

As the minutes tick on by, you realize you're almost on to chapter four, with Cedric nowhere in sight. You feel a seed of unease plant within you, but you give him the benefit of the doubt.

You manage to coax your concentration back to your book, but not without glancing up at the entrance hall every couple of paragraphs.

In the time it has taken you to finish chapter four, Cedric was still MIA.

This worries you. Cedric is an annoyingly punctual man who sticks to his plans very deliberately, unless an important matter comes up. Even so, he would at least stop by to let you know what was happening. Not once in knowing the sorcerer has he ever been this late before, in the already rare instances he was late at all.

You glance worriedly at the large oak doors that led to the outside, your brow creasing with your growing anxiety. Your eyes fall back onto your book, and suddenly the words on the pages all become blurry.

You blink rapidly to regain your focus, but you struggle to maintain it. You writhe uncomfortably in your seat as the worst possible outcomes start shuffling through your mind.

What if he had an accident with his potions? Was he hurt? Was someone else hurt? The questions blazed through you like wildfire, and you feel yourself start to sweat.

Something isn't right, but admitting it felt even more terrifying. You shake your head, trying to block out more doubts about Cedric's safety.

Whatever has happened today, there must be a good explanation. You nodded your head in affirmation, ignoring your gut feeling of wrongness; surely, he would show up tomorrow and you would both laugh about it- whatever "it" was that was holding him up from seeing you.

Your decision to put your faith in Cedric was now made; now the next daunting task was to find something that would adequately distract you until tomorrow.

-----------------------------------------------

Quick POV change to Cedric!

His hand rested on the door knob leading to your dusty sanctum, his stomach churning. Cedric sighs bitterly, the mere thought of one more person asking about (y/n) making his blood pressure rise.

That's exactly why he liked being around you in the first place; it was the few reprieves he had in this castle, no- his life, really. His job was always that of constant strain and humiliation, up until recently. He still wasn't quite used to the newfound respect and acknowledgement, so Cedric wanted nothing more than a place to hide when he was overwhelmed.

But instead of finding a mere hiding spot, he found true solace in your company. Hours felt like minutes, and he truly never felt like none of it was enough time with you.

Yet, it seems like everyone says the opposite- it's all he ever hears from anyyone who's in the same room with him. Even Sofia had started asking incessantly about you! That's when his breaking point was reached.

Cedric sighs in defeat, his head resting against the sturdy double doors to the library. The words Roland said yesterday flashed through his mind:

"C'mon Cedric, you need to tell her how you feel! At this rate everyone except her knows..." Roland laughs, clapping Cedric heartily on the back.

"Your Majesty... May I speak freely?" Cedric asks through gritted teeth, his tight smile feeling more like a grimace.

"Well of course, old friend. Although, I have an idea of what you might say." Roland chuckles, leaning onto the rail of Cedric's terrace.

Cedric huffed in frustration, trying to find out how to word "leave me the hell alone" in a less insulting way. He pinches the bridge of his nose in concentration, trying to regulate his emotions.

A beat of silence passes, then Cedric looks Roland square in the face.

"You manage this kingdom; not my... lo-love life." Cedric cringed as he forced himself to indirectly admit, out loud, his feelings for you; to King Roland, no less. His oldest friend and once greatest enemy.

Roland however, was eating up Cedric's struggle with expressing his feelings. A raised brow was Roland's only response, so Cedric continues.

"I don't need your kingly advice as much as you think I do. So, don't speak to me about (y/n). I will ignore you." Cedric finished in his most confident voice, shooting his friend daggers with his eyes.

"I see, then. Alright, from now on my lips are sealed!" Roland motions a lock and key at the corner of his mouth, and Cedric hums in approval. With the conversation now at a close, they turned back to the view from Cedric's tower.

They both stand in the sun in a moment of peace, both silently watching the sky in their own thoughts. Roland finally turns to Cedric, a peculiar look in his eye that Cedric can't nail down.

"Can I give you a word of advice- not as a king, but as a friend?" Roland asks quietly, the characteristic confidence he carried now replaced with hesitation.

Cedric stared at the ground as he weighed his answer, but eventually he nodded in agreement.

"In matters like these... Waiting for the right moment leads to you losing your chance at all."

Cedric feels his heart drop, and grips the ledge of his balcony until the metal digs through his thick leather gloves.

"I truly do believe you should go for it... I mean, you really have nothing to lose here!" Roland exclaims, a loud laugh leaving him.

Cedric turns to Roland with narrowed eyes.

"What do you mean by that?" Cedric asks defensively, crossing his robed arms around him.

Roland scoffs at the lanky sorcerer in a mix of shock and exasperation. His eyebrows shot up as he stared at Cedric, brow crinkling in disbelief.

"You're hopeless, that's what I meant." Roland shoots back, shaking his head with a weary sigh.

Cedric deflated at the comment, but had nothing to say in response because they both knew it was true.

Now, Cedric stands idly by as he battles within himself to not open your doors. His skin itches from the pent up anxious energy within him, and his mouth feels dry as ash.

"I promise, I'll be back within a week- Just enough time for this gossip to subside. Thankfully, rumors around here seem to change with the tide." Cedric murmurs to the door in front of him, wishing that he was talking to you instead.

A toxic mixture of dread and guilt swirls in his stomach, making him feel sick. He pries his hand from the door knob, slowly backing away from it.

With the last of his resolve, he sharply turns and dashes towards his tower. He already felt winded from the sudden change of pace, but feared that he would turn back if he didn't keep moving.

Finally after trudging up his staircase in exhaustion, Cedric flops on his mattress with a breathless sigh.

Running his hands through his hair in anguish, Cedric stares up at his ceiling in a daze.

"This is going to be the hellish week of my life." Cedric whispered to himself, squeezing his eyes shut in pain.

-----------------------------------------------

Back to your POV! Promise this is the last pov switch, I hope it wasn't too much!

A week went on since the last day you've seen Cedric. The anxiety had been consuming you from the inside out, and increasingly lost sleep was starting to make you a bit paranoid.

Whenever you left your library, your ears would prick up whenever you'd think you would hear his name. You'd crane your neck to catch the gossip of servants and royals alike, trying to not look too obvious.

You had deduced that nothing bad had happened to the sorcerer, and in fact it sounded like he was doing well. But strangely enough, you couldn't find him anywhere you'd look.

With a heavy sigh, you knew that to figure out what was going on, you'd have to be alot more direct than you'd like.

Showing up to Cedric's workshop was the very last plan on your long list of ideas, but this was the only option you had left.

You have gone to Cedric's workshop a couple times, but the idea of going up to his dwelling uninvited and confronting him made you feel viscerally ill. Even so, just waiting in that decrepit library doing nothing but waiting was already wearing thin on your mental and physical health.

Nearing the library's entrance doors, you reach for the knob. Suddenly, the door creaks open from the opposite side. Your heart leaps in your throat as you let out a strangled cry of surprise.

Stumbling backwards, all your mind can go to is the hope that it was Cedric.

However, the flash bright pink and purple satin quickly demolished your hope. The youngest princess of the royal line, Sofia, was staring just as flabbergasted as you from the outside.

The princess recovers first, bowing in apology for scaring you.

"I'm so sorry, (y/n). I didn't know you were there... But it's nice to see you again!" Sophia said cheerily, flashing you a kind smile.

"Y-yes, you too, Princess." You stammer, quickly bowing in respect towards the young teen.

"How can I help you today?" You ask hesitantly, eager to get the princess out of your hair asap.

"Oh, well, I just needed a few books for my homework assignment." Sophia responds plainly, shrugging her shoulders casually.

You resist the urge to sigh in frustration, your focus going towards keeping your tone and facial muscles neutral.

"Are you sure you don't want to use the main library...? I'm afraid the books here are fragile, and many are... Outdated." You glance back at the maelstrom of neglected books behind you in emphasis, hoping the princess will take the hint.

"Oh, that's okay! That's exactly what I'm looking for, actually." Sophia responds sweetly, making her way into the library.

Her heels click softly against the marble flooring, her brightly colored dress giving the dreary place a touch of life.

Seeing her standing there suddenly gives you an idea. Before the princess can wander any further, you call out her name.

"Princess Sophia! Can you help me with what I'm looking for?" You gush quickly, your heart hammering against your rib cage.

Sophia looks at you puzzled, but agrees with a quick "mmm hm!".

"Do you know where Cedric is right now?" You ask tentatively, your body breaking out into a sweat.

"Oh! I just left Cedric's workshop. He should still be there." Sophia stated, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"He even recommended I come see you for the books I'm looking for!" Sophia replies with a cheeky grin, her eyes bright.

"I... I see. Thank you, Princess Sophia. I'll be back shortly after I speak with him." You turn your back before you can hear her reply, bursting through the heavy doors and out into the hallway.

You stand there, processing the information just gleaned from Sophia. If Cedric wasn't hurt, wasn't busy, wasn't away from the castle on an assignment, then there was only one possible reason for his absence.

You.

Your stomach does flips as the realization crashes down on you. Before losing your nerve, your body begins moving of its own volition towards Cedric's tower.

Ascending the staircase leading up to his door, each step brought you closer to a full blown panic attack. You stop to catch your breath, leaning your body against the cool stone wall beside you.

After collecting yourself as meagerly as you could, you stand in front of Cedric's door. With a gulp, you timidly knock on his door.

A few moments pass before you hear familiar foot falls from the other side. Filled with trepidation, you stare at your feet as you hear the door open.

You glance up at widened amber eyes, Cedric standing completely slack jawed at your presence. In any other scenario you would have found it cute, but now it just confirmed your earlier suspicion.

"Hi," you begin, awkwardly waving at Cedric. "It's been a while, yeah?"

Cedric sputters out something in response, but it's so jumbled you aren't sure exactly what was said. You look on in confusion, your heart cracking at a dangerous pace.

"(y/n)... I... I didn't expect to see you." Cedric finally responded, his entire body tense.

"Yes, I did come by unannounced. But I was worried about you- you've been gone for a week." You say bitterly, your fists clenched tightly at your sides.

Your eyes bore into Cedric's for answers, but he shies away with a shameful look written all over his face.

"I know. If you'd like to ah- come in, I can explain everything." Cedric offers, his eyes meeting yours again; this time, there was a desperate pleading look in them that simultaneously made you cave and scared the hell out of you.

With a silent nod, you enter his workshop. The place hasn't changed the last time since you visited, and you sigh in relief at the one familiar sight.

"Would you like some tea? I had-" Cedric gets cut off harshly by your words, shaking your head violently.

"No, Cedric. Just answers, please." You say curtly, wrapping your arms around yourself.

"Right." Cedric slumped, fidgeting with his robe sleeves. You knew that meant he was nervous, but you still kept your guard up for whatever he had to tell you.

"Have you been hearing what anyone has been... Saying lately, about us?" Cedric asks you meekly, his eyes shifty.

"What?" You ask in confusion, the question throwing you off.

"Has anyone been alluding to.. you know..." Cedric gestures his hand towards you, a shade of red overtaking his ears. You feel butterflies flutter in your gut, but you felt too nervous to confirm if you were correct as to what he was alluding to.

You both stand in suffocating silence, your own skin starting to match Cedric's reddened ears.

Cedric coughs, breaking the tension in the room.

"Well, there's been people constantly asking me about you- I mean, us, I suppose." Cedric choked out a self conscious laugh, wringing his hands together.

Everyone has been talking for weeks about if we're... courting." Cedric squeaked out, almost wincing as he said it. "Or when we will be, is more accurate I guess." He added quickly, his voice small.

"I don't understand why that's relevant for why you disappeared on me." You say flatly, your eyes catching his.

You both stare at each other for a moment; you weren't even sure there was a word to describe what you were feeling; and you knew of many. Cedric had an equally complicated look etched on his face, and he sighs while running a hand through his silver bangs.

"I... It's-" Cedric huffs again, turning away from you as you see him rub his eyes in frustration.

Seeing Cedric turn away from you so easily triggered something within you. The long week of being worried, angry, heartbroken, sleep deprived over a man who just seemed to fall off the face of the earth on a whim made you feel like you were spiraling fast into the abyss.

At this rate, your heart that was barely keeping it together now feels like it's being cruelly ripped apart from the seams. A flash of icy pinpricks makes your whole body shiver, and without thinking your voice cuts through the room.

"Is the idea of it that shameful to you? That you can't even look at me?" Your voice breaks, mirroring the brokenness of your heart within you. As the words leave your mouth, you instantly regret them; but even so, you felt like you were compelled to have an answer.

"What..? No!" Cedric whips back towards you, bridging the gap between you in an instant. You go to step away, but Cedric nimbly caught your arms and squeezed them tightly in his hands.

What once only seemed like a dream to be held like this by Cedric, now felt like a nightmare. A lump quickly forms in your throat from the contact, making you go mute. Your eyes are fixed to the floor, and you feel physically unable to look at Cedric anymore.

"(y/n), please don't ever think that to be the truth. I promise you, it couldn't be more opposite...!" Cedric pleads with you, his own voice wavering.

You shake your head in protest, your throat still closed off from speaking. Your eyes started to sting, but you bit down on the inside of your cheek to distract you from the tears forming in the back of your eyes.

Cedric begins to panic as he realizes you are about to shut down completely. He knew that whatever he said next, would determine whether or not any semblance of your relationship could be saved from his stupidity.

"I know what I did was wrong- I'll never deny that. I was stupid, and arrogant, and careless. My ego has always been my biggest flaw, and it seems I never quite learn my lesson when it comes down to it." Cedric spoke swiftly, fighting to keep his voice steady.

You swallowed hard, but still said nothing. You exhale a shaky breath, and against your frozen bodily state you will your eyes to slowly meet Cedric's.

They were slightly bloodshot now, his pupils blown out to max capacity.

"I promise you, (y/n), I have no shame about how much I love you." Cedric proclaimed breathlessly, his breathing ragged. Yet, his tone was clear and steady, and in his eyes you found nothing but truth and a blazing conviction that set you on fire.

The lump in your throat finally began to dissolve, and with a croaky voice you respond.

"Then why did you leave?" You murmured quietly, your hands bunching up in the plum color silk of Cedric's robe.

Cedric lets out a painful sigh. "I suppose in everyone else's mind, they were just trying to help me. But it began to feel like everyone was just turning my feelings for you into a joke. I couldn't leave my workshop without servants giggling under their breath, or the royals trying to ask me questions about you to add fuel to the rumors." Cedric scowled, his face pinched in anger.

You go to open your mouth to speak, but Cedric continues on.

"At first, I did try to ignore it. But it was like no matter who I turned to, they'd inevitably bring it up. It felt like I was being watched, constantly; and I didn't want me, or especially you, to be anyone's spectacle." Cedric's eyes lock with yours, silently begging for your understanding. You could feel his body trembling from underneath his robe, and his usually slouched posture seemed even more tightly bound.

You feel the remnants of your anger leave you, now replaced with empathy for the man in front of you. Your hands gently release from their grip on his sleeves, and Cedric follows your movement. You see his eyes begin to fill with panic, so you rush to take his hands into yours.

His fingers felt clammy and ice cold to the touch; regardless, you squeeze his hands tightly to share your warmth. His eyes search your face in confusion, but a flicker of hope brings the light back to his amber orbs.

"I don't know if I can forgive you just yet," you begin, shooting Cedric an almost apologetic look.

"I'm surprised that the option is still on the table..." Cedric mutters darkly, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, I'd... Rather process everything first, before we would make our courtship official." You say slowly, a small smile blooming across your cheeks.

Cedric stops, his breath catching in his throat. A choked sound escapes him, a broken smile of his own pushing through the disbelief on his face.

"...Are you sure?" Cedric finally asks, his face full of worry.

"I've been sure for about a year now, yes." You reply with a smirk, giving Cedric a knowing look.

"I... I feel so undeserving of your grace. It doesn't feel like it should be this easy." Cedric confesses, his expression heavy with shame and fear as the realization settled in that you returned his feelings.

"Well... It won't be. Not any relationship is. But if this is going to work, you need to tell me when things are bothering you. Not avoid me on a whim." You say sternly, catching Cedric's chin to make him look at you fully.

"Ye-yes, of course. Consider that lesson learned." Cedric chuckled dryly, looking down at you with the softest, most loving look you've ever seen.

You now become acutely aware of how close you both are, and you quickly retract your hand from Cedric's face. Blush was already creeping up from your neck and onto your cheeks, and your whole body felt hot.

"Even so," Cedric spoke, his fingers gently cupping your blazing hot cheek, "I know I need to make this up to you. What do you need me to do?" Cedric's thumb skimmed the surface of your cheekbones, his voice soft but full of eagerness.

You stare up at Cedric dumbfounded for a moment, your brain fried from the intimate contact.

"W-Well, for starters... Never do that again." You blurt out, laughing despite yourself. Cedric pauses for a second, then joins in your laughter. You lean into him closer as you laugh, your arm snaking around his lower back.

"Noted. Definitely noted." Cedric nods, still chuckling.

"And..." You trail off, wracking your brain for more.

"I want us to talk to the King and Queen; they should know that we'll be official. It seems like that's what they've been wanting to hear." You muse, bittersweet feelings arising from your core.

"Yes- I'm sure they'd be delighted." Cedric said wryly, and you giggled in response.

"Ah, but- I think it's also important they know the impact those rumors had, as well. We should tell them what happened." You say somberly, looking to Cedric for approval.

You see hesitation in his eyes, but to your surprise he agrees.

"Yes, I'll tell them what I should've said at the start; Fuck. Off." Cedric enunciated, his eyes glowing with that mischievous look you've come to adore.

You burst out in full laughter this time, and Cedric flashes you a big smile. As you slowly regain your composure, you lay your head affectionately against Cedric's chest.

You feel lanky arms pull you in tighter, Cedric's hands resting perfectly between your shoulder blades and the small of your back.

You return the embrace with gusto, squeezing Cedric's lithe body flush against your own. You inhale his scent, a mix of soap and dried herbs coupled with the musk of old books.

Cedric dipped his head into the crook of your neck, inhaling deeply as well. His breath is warm and light on your skin, and his face rests neatly into the grooves of your body. It was like you both were custom made to fit together perfectly, and it felt like bliss to finally be this close.

"I had only dreamed of this, you know. I never thought that this could be real." Cedric whispers, his lips grazing your neck as he speaks.

"I'm having a hard time believing it myself." You whisper into his chest, your pulse speeding.

"Maybe we should pinch each other, just to make sure?" Cedric pulls away from you, a cheesy grin on his face.

You snicker, but freeze as an even better idea pops in your head.

You try to contain your coy smile, but it was poorly masked. Cedric catches on, giving you a slightly confused grin in response.

"What if we kissed instead?" You squeezed out, almost wincing from the suggestion being said out loud.

Cedric's eyes became saucers, and his red tinted cheeks were almost crimson. The poor man almost looked like he was going to pass out in front of you.

"Ah- I was just kidding, Cedric. We don't hav-" Your sentence was then cut short off by a pair of lips connecting to yours.

You stood frozen for a second, unable to process what was happening. Cedric's hand came up to cradle your face, holding your cheek as if it was the most delicate crystal that could shatter at any moment. His lips were somehow even more gentle, barely brushing against your own.

You feel your body pull towards Cedric, your lips now fully enmeshed together. Cedric's hand trembled against you, and you brought your hand up to still his own. Your thumbs brush against his gloved knuckles, trying to provide him a sense of ease.

Cedric made a low hum in this throat, his face turning to capture more of you. His hunger in turn fed your own, until you both were left breathless. Your heart soared as the kiss lingered, your blood sending waves of fire and electricity throughout your body.

You eventually break apart, your breath uneven and heart skipping multiple beats.

You both look at each other at the same time, Cedric's half lidded lovesick gaze matching your own. A smile curls up from his now slightly bruised lips, and you give Cedric a bashful grin in return.

"Was that how a kiss was supposed to feel?" Cedric questioned in a daze, his voice low.

"Like magic?" You offered, your eyes crinkling as you smiled up at the sorcerer.

"No magic has ever made me feel like... That." Cedric scoffs in disbelief, shaking his head while smiling ear to ear.

"I'm afraid you're an entirely different force all together, my dear." Cedric purred, bringing your hand up to his lips. He gave your knuckles tender kisses, bangs falling into his eyes as he dips his head.

You swear you almost melt right on contact. Since when was Cedric so smooth??

"I'm glad you were there that day I fell from that ladder." You speak softly, your hand tingling from Cedric's kisses.

"Me too- I don't know if anyone else could've caught you in time. Then we never would have met." Cedric says with a bittersweet smile, his eyes lingering on you.

"I think I knew from that very first day we met that I'd fall in love with you." You confess, your cheeks burning like hot coals.

Cedric's entire face softens at your words, his eyes shining with love and adoration. A dopey grin grows on his face, and he starts to turn his head away from you in bashfulness.

You chuckle at his reaction, your hand covering part of your face in embarrassment as well.

You watch Cedric slowly gain back his composure, finally being able to face you again.

"Would you like to join me for dinner? I think we need to make up for some lost time." Cedric looks on at you hopefully, almost giving you puppy eyes to say yes.

"That sounds wonderful, Cedric." You purr, roping your arm together in his.

"Then it's a date!" Cedric whooped, twirling you around in excitement.

Cedric watched the joy unfold on your face, realizing his true goal in this life was to make sure that smile would always be there.

As you spun around Cedric's workshop, you feel more at home than you've ever been anywhere else.

This is it, you thought. This is where I'm meant to be.

#cedric the sensational #cedric x reader #sophia the first #first kiss #confession #cedricthesorceror

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