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ridestomars · 9 months

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GIRL U WANT – S. HARRINGTON

𖥻 summary: steve harrington is in love with his coworker, y/n, and max mayfield can't stand how annoying a lovesick steve is. 𖥻 pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader 𖥻 warnings: y/n is used!! it's kinda told from max's point of view. idiots in love (obv), max and steve have a little sister-older brother relationship. bad grammar ig. not proofread (yk the deal). 3k-ish words.

💭 liv's thoughts: look at me rewriting my wip list works. this is another one that has been sitting on my docs page for ages, and i finally got the courage to fulfill it. i hope you guys like it!

DO NOT INTERACT WITH THIS WORK IF YOU'RE UNDER SIXTEEN.

“Look at you with your mouth watering, look at you with your mind spinnin'. Why don't we just admit it's all over? She's just the girl you want”.

People say patience is a virtue, but Maxine Mayfield begs to differ.

She doesn't believe in that "good things come for those who wait" crap, because nothing nice ever came her way for just standing there until something happened. The only thing she got from waiting around was a terrible yearning sensation of what could have been if she wasn't such a wimp. That is why Max doesn't exercise the righteous quality of patience, preferring her natural impulsiveness instead. Her restlessness is just too precious not to be used – Seventeen magazine insists on telling her that it's just a thing Aries girls do.

Her effort usually pays off, but when it doesn't, there is nothing better than a "fuck you" to tend the wounds. Rejection is always a possibility, but being disappointed because of it isn't, and with time, you learn how to deal with the negative responses… despite that, Max likes to consider herself too persuasive to ever be declined.

But she has to admit that her intrinsic sense of fearlessness can make her a little insensitive when it comes to people's fear of rejection because, to her, it's just all so simple. Though she tries to be understanding, others' stupidity can become a bit too much for her to handle, and she almost always finds herself on the verge of scolding them for their inability to be bold. It was like when she first started dating Lucas: she had a very serious talk with him about his embarrassment to complain about his wrong orders to the servers because he fears being met with a rude attitude – she still walks up to the workers to point out that his order came with pickles when he didn't want any, but just because it's him.

For some time now, Max found herself in an annoying situation. Over her boring vacation evenings, she began visiting Family Video a lot, and began picking up on something that grew to be infuriating: Steve's and Y/N's constant bullshit. Their (initial) quiet pining was cute, at first, because it made her feel like she was watching a real-life rom-com, with an exciting "will they or won't they?" plot line… reminiscent of the late-nights where she would pretend to be asleep on the living room couch to catch the new Cheers episode, to see if Diane and Sam would finally get together. Yet, as the days passed and their never-ending coyness appeared to only grow stronger, her hopes started to falter. In fact, the situation began to get so obvious that it started to get on her nerves. Big time.

She was an observer, and easily noticed the lingering looks as they talked, one getting distracted by the other's lips, or the way their brows furrowed when attempting to flirt. Or the jealous blush that dusted over Steve's cheeks whenever he saw you talking to a good-looking customer. And then, whenever you weren't at work, she hears his grumpy huffs that turn into infatuated sighs as soon as you walk through the door, apologizing for being late. It wasn't hard to miss your affectionate words about him when he wasn't around, as if talking about your co-worker would make his absence more tolerable.

What was sweet, quickly turned into tiresome when the instances of you two almost kissing turn into a daily thing. She can't count the times when she caught Steve leaning his face closer to yours, taking the courage to make his move, but right at the last second… the plan totally backfires. You either bump heads (Max physically cringes whenever she remembers the scene) or too distracted, ended up turning away from the other. Either option brought a burning ache to the chest.

The blatant crush you have on each other followed Max everywhere she goes as if she was doomed to hear about it until the end of times. Steve was never necessarily reserved about his infatuation – although it seemed like everyone knew about it, except the one person that should –, and since he gives her rides everywhere, she found herself listening to him babble about the gorgeous gleam in your eyes and your shiny hair. The guy sees you as something sacred, and yet… he never admits that he actually likes you, despite the fact that you are all he ever talks about.

To him, you are a piece of heaven on Earth, the person who understands him the most and makes him feel good about himself, among other incredibly elaborate platonic compliments.

Max knows Steve is pretty much the most idiotic guy to ever exist, but he isn't stupid. It's obvious that he just doesn't want to admit his feelings because, if he does, he will have to do something about it, and being blind to the fact that you feel the same, he doesn't want to risk it. If things went wrong, his heart wouldn't be able to take it.

The only question roaming Max's head is: he is secure, but at what price?

It all makes days like today even more unbearable.

They have been sitting inside Steve's burgundy BMW for almost five minutes now, with the clear window closed, the A/C turned up to maximum speed, and Madonna's 'True Blue' playing on the radio. After their arrival at Family Video's parking lot, Max had asked for a minute, just one fucking minute, to fix her shoelaces and Steve used it as an opportunity to daydream as he stared out the windshield. His eyes were set ahead, and she didn't need to look to know who he was staring at.

This was starting to get depressing.

"Steve," Max calls, as harsh as ever. "Stop".

As if he had just been electrocuted, Steve turns his head to stare at the fifteen-year-old. Eyebrows furrowed and nostrils flared, he defends himself, "But I'm not doing anything".

"Exactly, you moron," she grumbles. "You gotta tell her".

'No more sadness, I kiss it goodbye. The sun is burs-', Max interrupts Madonna by turning off the radio, stopping any possible distractions.

It's clear that Steve doesn't like where this is going, because his face contorts into that sour annoyed look that makes her take a deep breath. This is going to be difficult.

"Tell what to who?" pretending to be clueless, he purses his lips, but his eyes don't lie, quickly drifting back to Y/N's figure. There was no escape now, not with Max's sharp gaze bearing down on him.

"You're so full of shit".

"Hey! Language, Maxine," he reprimands, "I honestly don't know what you're talking about".

"You're in love with her," she motions to his co-worker who was still blissfully unaware of the car parked outside.

And her words rang as an absurdity to him.

"Max, for the love of-," his protest is interrupted by the girl and the know-it-all tone he hates so much.

"Steve, you're so into her it's ridiculous," her blue eyes narrow at him, hardening her expression. He scoffs, crossing his arms as he looks in the other direction, trying not to give too much away.

They stay like that for a few seconds, with him staring out the window, refusing to take part in the discussion, and Max glaring at his blushing, conflicted face.

But then, he breaks.

"Fine," Steve breathes out, "I mean, I'd make out with her… like, platonically, you know?"

The word comes out as if he had just remembered it existed, and Max doesn't buy it for a second, "You can't make out with someone platonically, Steve".

He takes her harsh delivery with a contemplating face, letting it all sink in. It wasn't groundbreaking, but it did break his argument, and he finds himself agreeing with what she had said… and he gets a grip.

"Why am I listening to a thirteen-year-old?" he mutters, in disbelief. Huffing, Steve turns back at her, already gripping the door handle, "You know what, smarty-pants? I gotta work".

"I'm fifteen, Harrington! And we're not done!"

Max trails behind him as he gets out of the car in a hurry, stepping heavily into the pavement. As Steve bursts through the glass door with the girl in tow, they catch the attention of everyone inside Family Video. He gives you and Robin an embarrassed smile, stepping onto a random aisle, trying to hide from the curious stares.

From the corner of his eye, Steve realizes that he still hasn't gotten rid of the stubborn girl, so he gathers the cluttered tapes and organizes them, in a failed attempt to avoid Max's inquisitive look. Moving the Pretty in Pink tapes around, the redhead crosses her arms, still staring.

"You should learn a thing or two about that movie, you know?" she says with a quiet voice.

"What are you talking about, Mayfield?" he asks with a defeated sigh, clearly getting annoyed by her.

"Duckie didn't do anything about his crush on Andie, and had to settle for being her best friend in the end," she spells it out for him, "While she got to make out with Andrew McCarthy. Arguably more good-looking and charming than Jon Cryer".

Steve rolls his eyes, but the situation does ring out an alarm at the back of his mind. What if… no, let's not go there. "What are you trying to say, wise-ass?"

"I'm saying," she continues, not willing to let him take a breath, "Are you truly willing to miss your shot? Stop being such a coward and go for it!".

"You talk as if I actually have a chance".

There it is.

This was what she wanted to hear.

"Steve, the girl is almost putting up a bright sign saying 'Go for it! Ask me out, you idiot!'".

Drifting his eyes away from the tapes he was organizing, Steve watches as you laugh at something Robin had said. His gaze softens as he contemplates the scene, his hesitancy quavering every time the sound of your laughter reached his ears. This time, seeing the longing look in his eyes made a gentle, sympathetic feeling grow inside Max's chest, so different than the impatient annoyance she was so used to.

"Look, Steve," her green eyes droop with friendly warmth. Though she might say that this is such a rare sight, that is what he sees every day when he talks to her. "I'm just saying what I noticed, and even if I'm wrong, which I'm not, by the way, you gotta take this off your chest. This is your chance!".

Staring down at her, he can only blink. Her encouraging words are settling in his mind, screeching as they do so, and he wonders… the gears inside his head spinning out of control, smoking everything so bad he almost can't see anything. Steve feels a bit out of breath.

But, impatient as always, Max keeps going as if she hasn't just collapsed all of his plans to stay in your friendship's comfort zone. With the wisdom that few possess, she continues, "I know you're still hung up on your Nancy-heartbreak and everything, but you're standing in your own way on this one, Steve. I can't tell you what the future holds, but I'm sure that you'll feel a lot better after you tell her about it".

His intentions to continue ignoring it all are crumbling to dust inside him right now and her words make him feel defenseless, too vulnerable to continue disregarding his own fear of possible rejection.

"That doesn't make sense," he scoffs, though his voice is soft and quiet, "Why would I want to do something like that if I don't know what the outcome is? She might just turn me down, and I don't think I could…"

Eyes drifting back to your breathtaking figure behind the counter, he stops himself before finishing the sentence. His face lit up with an astonishing expression of realization. Steve lets out another defeated sigh… maybe Max was right.

With a knowing smile, she tells him, "Because you know she's worth it".

xxx

Steve has had his head in the clouds ever since his little chat with Max earlier and could barely concentrate on having any work done throughout the rest of his shift. It didn't help that he also couldn't escape the sight of you from any corner of Family Video, and had to take several breaks until closing hours to avoid his head from exploding.

Pacing back and forth inside the employee's break room instead of helping you put everything away (not exactly the top priority on his list right now), Steve tries to muster up even the slightest string of courage to talk to you about his feelings.

Now, on top of being an absolute wimp, he can also add useless when thinking to his list.

He takes a big breath as he replays what Max had said, and almost unconsciously, snippets of Billy Joel's 'Tell Her About It' start echoing with it. The combination was able to help him make an outline of everything he'd like to say to you.

"I like you. I don't want the chance to slip away. It's okay if you don't feel the same. I just wanted to say something before it's too late", he mutters to himself, still walking in circles. "If yes, then, ba-ba-bam, charm her up. If heartbreak, retreat. I'll be fine. Fine. Just fine. A-okay".

Steve feels the same rush as he felt before going to his High School basketball matches, and he can only hope that the results will be far more positive. He takes another deep breath, shaking his arms before he walks over to the door. His fingers touch the door handle, cool under his fingertips. This is his chance. The store was closing, there were no customers around, and Robin had left early for band practice.

Let's do it, he thinks to himself.

Determined and possessed by a sense of overconfidence, Steve snaps the door open, letting it hit the wall with a loud noise. The sudden movement turns your attention on him, and he can feel his cheeks burning bright under your gaze, his faux bravado trembling below the warmth of your eyes. The quizzical look you gave made him question his own ability for the dramatics.

"It, uh, got stuck", he offers an embarrassed smile.

Good. Already starting with a lie.

"Yeah," your expression turns into amusement, "it gets jammed all the time".

The kindness in your voice makes him feel a little better about himself, maybe he wasn't being such a fool in front of you. His heart started to thump inside his chest, blood pumping in his ears like thunder as he walked closer to where you stood, just behind the big counter. With an intense gaze set on your face, he watched as your eyebrows furrow in his direction again.

"Is there something on my face?" you lift your hand up to your cheek, wiping it off in a hurry.

"No! It's just-," he interrupts himself, suddenly realizing that this script wasn't supposed to go this way. What is he meant to say now? Under your expectant gaze, it's not like he can think of anything intelligible. "It's not that".

"Oh, okay," breathing out, seeming relieved by the information, you bring your hand down. With a voice that dripped with curiosity, you ask, "Why we-were you staring, then?"

Steve feels so stupid now that he can only blink down at you, his head getting fuzzy by that cute look in your eyes and the way your lips quirked up, stifling a smile. Yeah, he's a goner.

Before he could actually think about what he was saying, he hears the sound of his voice echoing through the empty video rental store, "I don't wanna be a Duckie".

"What are you talking about?" you laugh out loud, though it's clear that you're not laughing at him. His words took you both by surprise, and he couldn't expect any other reaction.

"Sorry," Steve apologizes, chuckling along, "I didn't mean to say that. What I wanted to say was… well, by the look on your face I think you already know".

Again, he just blurted it out without reflecting on it first. But it was justified.

For the first time, he saw something different in the way you looked up at him. Maybe it was just him being impacted by Max's words, but Steve swears that he has never seen that mellow tenderness gleaming in the color of your eyes before… or at least, he had never noticed it like this. He feels like an even bigger idiot now for not realizing it sooner.

"Know what?" your question comes as a sign of your unawareness of his new understanding, and it makes a sweet smile grow on his face.

"I like you".

The three words come out in a far more relaxed way than he had originally imagined his confession to be. Clearly, his realization made a wave of true confidence wash over his body, putting him back in his element of ease. And to say it out loud was a relief like no other.

But when he was met with no answer, just that shocked look on your face, his smile faltered.

"It's alright if you don't feel the same," he reassures, "I just… I didn't want to keep waiting around, wasting more opportunities by never telling you how I feel, because if you feel the same, I really don't want you to get away just like that. And uh- I don't want to be just your friend, but it's fine if you-"

"I like you too", you talk a bit louder than him, interrupting his train of thought, without any remorse. "I, uh- never said anything because I thought you didn't like me back".

He is still, like a statue in front of you, processing the information.

And it seems like an eternity before he cups your face, the palms of his hands resting warmly over your cheeks. His long fingers graze against your temples, and just the feeling is enough to ease your hammering heart, but as he leans closer to your face, you can feel your own breath ricocheting against his lips.

Steve stares at you through half-lidded eyes, as if he is waiting for your go-ahead. And it's only when you softly nod up at him that he presses his mouth against yours, letting his lips wrap around your bottom lip in a soft, loving peck. His mind was misty with increasing thoughts of you, your candy-flavored lips, and the smooth texture of your cheeks, along with the feel of the roots of your hair on his fingertips. You were breathing in each other in your kiss, and your breath came faltering against the other cheek. It was truly world-shattering, something you had never felt before in your life.

As you slowly, and almost reluctantly so, pull apart, Steve feels a small chuckle bubbling up in his throat. Seeing your amused expression, he smiles.

"We have so much time to make up for".

LIKES, REBLOGS AND FEEDBACK ARE APPRECIATED! steve masterlist | main masterlist | navigation ── hey! wanna talk? leave me a message after the beep. currently accepting requests for steve and eddie.

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#liv talks about stevie #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington

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kimbappykidding · 1 year

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How Seventeen act when they like you but your dating one of their members

Scoups - Makes sure your boyfriend treats you right

"Hey is that your phone again? It's been buzzing like crazy" Scoups called to Jeonghan. "Yeah it's y/n. We got in a fight so I'm just avoiding her for a bit to make her sweat" Jeonghan replied dismissively. Scoups frowned "what was the fight about?". "She was mad because I was late to her family dinner but I told her work might run over". "You told her in advance?" Scoups asked. "Well no but she knows how work is! I can't exactly drop everything just because she wants me to meet her parents". Scoups sighed and picked up Jeonghan's phone before throwing it to him. "Ow!" Jeonghan cried but Scoups didn't react "call her back or at least text her and tell her you need some space. Don't ignore her it's childish". "But I have nothing to say to her until she apologises". "Look I'm not going to tell you what to do in your relationship but y/n doesn't deserve this. You know she's been having a hard time lately and she's not a mind reader. You could've told her the dinner was on a bad day and rearranged or asked me to get you out early. You know I would’ve let you go for something important" Scoups told him. In response Jeonghan rolled his eyes "I thought I had immunity to your leader lectures?". "You usually do but not when you're treating a nice girl like y/n badly. If you need some time to cool off just tell her that so she stops worrying!". Jeonghan sighed but he unlocked his phone "if you think she's so great maybe you should date her" he muttered.

Luckily Jeonghan was focused on his phone so he didn't see Scoups reaction. How he froze caught off guard and his face filled with a sad wistful expression. "I would if I could" he said to himself and walked from the room.

Jeonghan - Hangs around you a lot even though it hurts him

You spotted Jeonghan across the room and gave him a huge smile that almost floored him. “You came!” you cried rushing to hug him and Jeonghan nodded “of course I did! Did you really think I’d miss your first art exhibition?”. You smiled at him bashfully “thank you...I was really nervous about Joshua not being able to come so you being here really helps. Knowing there’s atleast one person here that likes me and doesn’t think I’m a failure is comforting”. Jeonghan almost laughed at how ironic that was.

The second Joshua started dating you Jeonghan's heart sank. He knew of you through friends and was the first member Joshua introduced you to. Jeonghan had very strong opinions about you and knew a lot about you compared to the others. Everyone thought Jeonghan was so involved purely because he was so close to Joshua. They all thought it was the typical protective best friend making sure the girl was good enough but it wasn't totally like that. Sure Jeonghan used that excuse but mostly, he just liked seeing you. You were good company and could always make him smile even on the longest more tiresome day. He found you so beautiful to watch and he liked being around you. He told himself you were just good friends and he didn't feel anything more but the times when he felt longing seeing you wrapped up with Joshua or even worse the sharp jealous feeling he got seeing the two of you kiss...he knew couldn't deny it. So he just chose to ignore it and carried on being close to both of you. He'd never ever do anything to cause you or Joshua any upset, so he just ignored his feelings and loved you silently.

Thinking of all this Jeonghan smiled “ow come on it’s not just me, I’ve seen tons of people admiring your work and you’re insanely talented so don’t sell yourself short”. You smiled again “thank you...it’s actually been quite fun but I’ve just been nervous the entire time. My mouth keeps going dry but I don’t want to leave my post in case someone comes and wants to speak to me”. “Well why don’t I go and get you a drink?” Jeonghan asked. “Really? You’d do that for me?” you asked and Jeonghan nodded “I’d do a lot more y/n” and he meant it. He’d do pretty much anything for you.

Joshua - Super super super nice to you

When Seventeen heard Jun had a girlfriend they were all thrilled, a bit amazed but mainly happy. The8 finally convinced him to invite you to one of their parties and when you turned up Joshua was stunned. You were the most beautiful person he’d ever seen and he had to admit you and Jun looked amazing together but it didn’t just stop there. Joshua loved your personality and found your sense of humour similar to his own. The more he thought about you the more he realised you were his ideal type, you even spoke English for heaven’s sake! When Joshua found out you were from Scotland he thought he’d die right there from your accent and he soon invented reasons to spend time with you like helping you learn Chinese.

You were fluent in Korean, English and Japanese but of course wanted to learn Chinese so you could speak to your boyfriend in his home tongue and Joshua offered to go to the lessons with you. No matter how inconvenient or how hectic his schedule was he met you outside the building, stay for the two hours and then drive you home afterwards.

He’d just gotten home quite late from a study session with you in preparation for an upcoming test when Jeonghan caught him sneaking in. “A bit late isn’t it?” he called and Joshua smiled awkwardly "I was out with y/n". "Isn't that like the third time this week? Man are you dating her or Jun?" Jeonghan joked. "It's not like that..." Joshua started when Jeonghan smiled "I know it's not but...you do help her out a lot. Like when she was moving apartments and Jun was away in China. You dropped everything to help her, even cancelling that date with Iris you'd been after for so long. There's something there right? You like her". Joshua blushed "I...just want her to be happy okay? If that's with Jun then that's fine with me". Jeonghan nodded "you're nice enough that I believe you, just don't get in too deep yeah?". Joshua nodded "I won't” but he had a sinking feeling when he said it. He knew he was already way past that.

Jun - Can’t even be near you

Jun didn't realise he liked you for a ridiculous amount of time. He just knew whenever he walked into a room and you were there he had to leave it.

Especially if Hoshi was also in the room because if the two of you were acting cute or worse flirty then his body would malfunction. The first time he saw Hoshi kiss you he was stunned and had a vivid reaction to it. That kiss ruined his mood for days and he found he couldn't be around you without thinking of it. So he just avoided you, if you were invited over he'd be out. If there was no getting out of the occasion he'd leave the room if you entered or stay as far from you as possible. He didn't speak or even look at you if it could be helped. Not even when you sought him out, confused why the funniest member of Seventeen had never even uttered a word in your presence. Hoshi just shrugged and told you Jun was quite introverted so you let it drop and moved on.

You didn't think of Jun much after that but he thought of you, often. Like tonight, you were across the room from him by Hoshi’s side in a beautiful outfit that had taken Jun’s breath away. Scoups had told him he just had to stay an hour and his eyes kept going from you to the clock. He was only halfway through and he had no idea how he was going to cope. “Hey you okay?” The8 said appearing next to him. Jun nodded “yeah why?”. “Nothing just isn’t that like your 3rd drink?”. Jun shrugged “so it’s an open bar”. The8 nodded “okay just checking...I’m going to head over to Hoshi, Mingyu and y/n. You want to come with?”. Jun didn’t even hesitate “i’m good thanks” and finished his drink reaching for the fourth one. The8 nodded “okay well text if you need anything” and walked away.

Jun watched him join you and how you smiled and chatted to him. Hoshi hung an arm around your waist and Jun sighed heading for the door. He’d come up with some excuse for Scoups later but right now he just had to get out of there.

Hoshi - Always acts up more when you're around to show off

Like your boyfriend Wonwoo you were more reserved and didn't speak too much in group settings but that just made Hoshi even more curious about you. He was comfortable in social situations and so he did everything in his power to get you to pay attention to him. He'd yell, jump around and provoke his members but if he got even a smile from you he considered it all worth it.

That’s why Hoshi always suggested everyone play a game when you came over. It gave him the perfect opportunity to interact with you or even in exceptional circumstances like tonight be put on the same team as you. Hoshi was sat beside you and sure Wonwoo was on your other side but this was still his greatest dream. So he was louder, more charismatic and the most dramatic he’d been in a long time. Which the members caught onto.

"Does anyone else notice Hoshi is louder when we have company?" Seungkwan asked. Dino nodded "yeah, I think he likes the attention or something". Scoups shook his head, he knew exactly the reason why Hoshi acted the way he did but there was no way he was going to out his friend like that. "Hoshi just likes people" he shrugged and hoped the members wouldn't notice how his eyes were glued to you, even at this very moment but all you could see was Wonwoo. Hoshi liked a challenge but this might be one he couldn’t win.

Wonwoo - Listens to everything you say

"Eugh I have no idea what to get y/n for her birthday!" Dk cried and Wonwoo looked at your boyfriend quizzically. "Come on you must have some clue, what have you got so far?". "A card" Dk said and Wonwoo frowned "that's it?". Dk frowned “I made it myself...she's really hard to shop for okay! She never tells me what she wants so I’m really stuck". Wonwoo nodded "didn't she just move into a new apartment?". Dk nodded "yeah so?". "So...she probably doesn't have a lot of things yet, maybe you could get her something for her new home?". "Like what...a microwave?". "I was thinking something more sentimental, like a nice houseplant or a plaque she can hang somewhere, she's always talking about how she forgets things so maybe you could get her a chalkboard or something organisational". Dk nodded "yeah that's a good idea thanks Wonwoo".

Wonwoo nodded pleased when he saw Dk seemed to think that was the job done. "But you know you have to get her more than that don't you?" he asked. Dk sighed "like what!". Wonwoo resisted the urge to scold him and instead carried on "well some baked goods are always nice, what about that cupcake shop she likes so much?". Dk paused "what shop?”. "The one around the corner from her work? The one she always brings you a brownie from". "Ow yeah I could get her a cake from there, maybe chocolate".

Wonwoo paused recalling you didn't like chocolate cake "or maybe something fruity considering it’s summer". Dk nodded "yeah good idea! Also maybe some wine?". "Well y/n's doing that detox thing right so many not alcohol, what about flowers?". "Yeah! Now which one is her favourite again". "I'm not sure but she likes blue right? Why not some bluebells?". Dk smirked "Wonwoo you are a genius! I think you know my girlfriend better than me " and he rushed from the room. Wonwoo nodded feeling sad "yeah maybe I do".

Woozi - Makes a song about you

Like The8 you were very fashionable and always looked good so you were pretty much destined to be a muse for a song. Sure enough it was one of the first things Woozi thought about you and initially, he judged you on it.

He cast you off as a conceited idol only bothered about their image but the more he got to know you the more he realised he was wrong. You were also very kind, intelligent and funny. With each realisation Woozi got angrier and angrier because it became impossible for him to deny his feelings for you. When he couldn't take it any longer he just barricaded himself in his studio and poured his heart out into his music. It took him nearly 3 days of almost constant work but he ignored all his members' calls and worries and kept going. When it was done he felt like a weight had been lifted. He still cared about you but now he had a physical outlet for it. The members and company all loved his song and it was released on the next album. Every time Woozi performed it he thought of you and every time he sang those words it was you he was singing to.

Once an interview remarked on how beautiful and emotional the song was and asked where it came from. Everyone looked to Woozi who said it came from his own life experience. Some of the members laughed “but you haven’t even dated anyone!” Hoshi cried. Woozi shrugged “you don’t have to date someone to fall in love” and all the members woahed thinking it was another line but it wasn’t. Woozi meant every word.

Dk - Tries really hard to make you laugh

Dk would've been obsessed with you even if you didn't have one of the most specific senses of humour ever. You were very cool and had a punk vibe to you which Dk was immediately attracted to...but you were dating Woozi so of course he never intended to act on it. However when Woozi proudly announced you were very hard to make laugh and only he could do it, Dk took that as a personal challenge.

He began making it his mission to make you not just smile but laugh too. He tried everything, all his usual material, the seal joke, the being loud, the moving weirdly but nothing seemed to work. Then one day after he made a really corny dad joke you burst out laughing. Dk looked around stunned but nobody else was there. It was just the two of you but you were definitely laughing. You held your sides "that joke was so bad but it really got me". Dk grinned "you like that? Well there's more where it came from" and he launched into several similar jokes which provoked the same reaction. "Stop it you'll make me crack a rib" you smiled at him and Dk grinned "fine but now I know what material you like I'll be repeating this often" and he meant it.

Dk thought you looked beautiful when you laughed and he wanted to bring out that happiness in you whenever he could. So he vowed he would, he might not be able to date you but he could always make you smile and that was almost as good.

The8 - Makes sure your boyfriend looks good enough to be with you

The8 and you were friends before you started dating Mingyu and while that slightly bothered him he knew he truly had nobody to blame but himself. Mingyu had seen how great you were and done something about it while The8 was still busy overthinking the whole thing.

So The8 never got his chance with you but he still cared for you and showed it in numerous ways...like making sure Mingyu always looked good. It wasn’t a hard job by any means but you had a similar fashion sense to The8 and loved to take couple photos. You once confessed Mingyu didn’t dress up as much for said photos and that you wish he did. So The8 offered to help Mingyu with his wardrobe and took him on a shopping spree picking out lots of items he knew would look good on Mingyu AND that you’d like. He hyped Mingyu up and told him he should wear them on his next date. Mingyu was very flattered and agreed to buy the items very enthusiastically.

The8 supposed some might’ve thought him stupid for helping the boyfriend of the girl he’s interested in but he didn’t see it that way. He saw it as helping two people he cared for and so he was happy knowing the two of you were together. If he couldn’t date you he was just pleased someone like Mingyu could.

Mingyu - Cooks your favourite meal “by chance”

Mingyu was not the type to “steal” one of his friend’s partners. He knew given his looks a lot of the members thought he could easily do that to them but he wouldn’t and with you he doubted anyone could steal you away from Seungkwan. The two of you had been together for years and you were so in love with him it would’ve been nice to see...if Mingyu didn’t also have feelings for you.

So this was all to say he wasn’t cooking your favourite meal for any long-term goal. He just knew there was nothing better than a good home-cooked meal after you’d been on tour so he offered to help Seunkwan make it and of course the boy agreed. Mingyu did all the shopping, prepping, cooking and plating and then gave Seungkwan the credit. Mingyu didn’t really mind, he just wanted your first night back home to be good and hoped his cooking might contribute to that.

You showed up while Mingyu was still cleaning the kitchen so he saw your reaction when Seungkwan said what you were having for dinner. You got so excited and happy. You confessed you hadn’t been eating properly and couldn’t think of anything better. Mingyu smiled seeing how happily you tucked into the food and then excused himself so the two of you could be alone.

15 minutes later Mingyu heard a knock on his door and opened it to find you standing there. “Hey do you have a sec?” you asked and Mingyu nodded letting you inside, inwardly cursing himself for not tidying his already clean room. You smiled at him “so I just wanted to say...I love Seungkwan but I know he’s a terrible cook and so there’s no way he made dinner. You’re the only one who can cook this well here so I know it was you and I want to say thank you. I really appreciate you doing this for him”. “I didn’t do it for him” Mingyu said and then froze at your reaction. “I did it because you’re our friend y/n” he said quickly with a fake friendly smile and you immediately relaxed. “Thanks Mingyu that’s so sweet! I’m really glad we’re friends”. Mingyu nodded “yeah me too, now get back to him!”. You nodded and with one final smile disappeared back out of the door. Mingyu sighed wondering why he put himself through all this but he knew why. Seeing you happy made it all worth it, even if it wasn’t with him.

Seungkwan - Invites you to absolutely everything

Seungkwan hated himself for liking his best friend’s girlfriend but he couldn't seem to help it! Every time he was around you he fell deeper and deeper and even though he knew he should probably be avoiding you he found he couldn’t. So as he was getting ready for his parents’ anniversary party his thought were firmly on you and if he should’ve told Vernon he’d invited you. As if reading his thoughts Vernon paused “erm why did y/n just text me asking if there’s somehwere she can park her car?” Vernon asked. Seungkwan paused “ow didn’t I tell you? I invited y/n tonight”. Seungkwan held his breath waiting to see Vernon’s reaction but Vernon just shrugged “cool, I mean I figured it would just be your family and a few close friends but if your family are happy...”. Seungkwan nodded “yeah I mentioned it to them and they said it’s fine. I haven’t seen y/n in ages...and of course it’s been a few days for you too so I thought it’d be nice. “Didn’t you see her like 5 days ago?” Vernon asked. Seungkwan nodded “yeah but that was only for 2 hours cus she had to rush off to work”. Vernon smirked “I think you just like seeing my girlfriend” he joked and Seungkwan laughed loudly before quickly leaving the room.

He went outside for some air and of course saw you parking up. You got out, not spotting him and started struggling with the present in your hand. Seungkwan rushed over to help you, he caught it just as it fell out of your hand. You gasped before smiling “Seungkwan! Thank you so much, you just saved my life”. Seungkwan smiled “y/n you didn’t have to get my parents a present!” but you just shook your head. “Of course I did! I couldn’t just turn up empty-handed”. Seungkwan shook his head before noticing what you were wearing. You had a blue suit on and looked beautiful. Seungkwan struggled to speak but when he got it together he smiled “y/n you look amazing, is that a new suit?”. You looked down “this? No I’ve had it for years but never had a special occasion for it so figured I’d wear it today”. Seungkwan was just about to tell you it was a good choice when someone called his name.

He turned to see his sister and waved. She came over and began scolding him for missing the party when she noticed you. “Ow, hello” she said and you smiled back. “This is y/n” Seungkwan said and his sister nodded “ow y/n! Seungkwan’s told us a lot about you, he’s very fond of you”. You smiled “aww that’s so sweet i’m very fond of him too” and you lightly squeezed his arm. Seungkwan blushed but you didn’t notice because Vernon had appeared. He waved to you and you waved back “sorry please excuse me, I can see my boyfriend” and you rushed away into Vernon’s arms. Seungkwan watched with a sad expression on his face and his sister sighed “so that’s the girl you’ve been in love with for years huh?”. Seungkwan was going to argue with her but then he decided not to. “Yeah” he nodded “I know i’m pathetic”. His sister shook her head “not at all! I know it hurts now but we can’t choose who we fall in love with so there’s no point beating yourself up about that...but the good news is she won’t be your only love. You’ll fall in love again and someday this will just be a distant memory”. Seungkwan nodded “I hope so”. “I know so” his sister smiled linking their arms “now let’s go enjoy this wonderful night for our parents” and they walked inside together.

Vernon - Acts very awkward around you and stumbles over his words

Vernon never really got crushes. He just wasn’t the type of person to fall in love easily and it almost never happened based on sight but with you it did. Dino came home with you one day from dinner and Vernon felt this immediate attraction to you. It was so unexpected Vernon didn’t know what to do with the emotion and so he was awkward around you every time. You’d been dating Dino for over a year by this point but still Vernon blushed if you made eye contact with him and felt like his legs were turning to jelly. So when you accidentally mistook him for Dino he almost lost his mind.

It was Halloween and the whole group had gone to Scoups’ for a costume party. Vernon was having a good time watching all his members get drunk when he felt some arms around his waist. He naturally tensed at the action but he got even more rigid when he heard your voice. "I've been looking everywhere for you! How about we sneak away and..." you whispered in his ear when you finally saw his face. "Vernon!" you cried moving your hands from his body. "I'm so sorry I thought you were Dino, are you wearing the same costume?". "Erm no he's Luigi and I'm Mario...I mean I'm Mario and he’s Luigi. They're different...". You nodded "ow right, well I'm so sorry for grabbing you! I promise I had no idea, you know I’d never presume to touch someone like that”. Vernon “of course I know you’d never grab someone...don’t worry i’m not offended and not just because I know you, I can’t imagine anyone would ever be angry with you. Or if they were as soon as you spoke to them they’d get it and forgive you so erm don’t worry” he said wincing. You laughed “thanks Vernon! You having a good time?”. He nodded “yep” feeling really warm all of a sudden “nice outfit” he said noticing you were dressed as Captain Marvel. You grinned “thanks! I don’t watch every Marvel film and I know you’re a big fan so that’s probably sacrilege but I watched Captain Marvel and loved it so Dino suggest I come as her”. Vernon nodded along “that was a good idea it suits you...I mean you look like her, well not really because she’s white and blonde but you don’t look weird in the outfit or anything”. You laughed “that’s exactly what I was going for, not weird” you joked and Vernon laughed along awkwardly.

“Hey y/n” someone called you and turned to see Dino waving at you across the room. “There he is! I’m gonna go see where he’s been for the last half hour, you wanna come?”. Vernon shook his head “no I’m yes thanks. I mean i’m okay....good. Thank you”. You smiled “no worries, see you later” and walked away. Vernon let out a big breath once you’d left, feeling as if he’d just run a marathon or something. He loved talking to you but found it terrifying every time.

Dino - Challenges your boyfriend all the time

Dino isn’t naturally a mean person but sometimes his ego gets the better of him and he couldn’t resist dragging your boyfriend Scoups a little. It’d be about anything really, when he gets the choreo before him, when Scoups had a big birthday coming up or when he was beating him in a game...

Dino finally hopped out of his hiding spot and shot Scoups’ avatar killing his final life. Dino’s team all cheered and he was the loudest one out of all of them. “What do you think of that hyung?” he called “told you I was going to beat you didn’t I? Well look at it now!”. The others all laughed as Dino continued to strut around and celebrated his victory.

Later on Scoups approached Dino when he left the room to get a drink “hey Dino can we talk for a second?”. Dino was slightly unsure but then he remembered you and his cockiness returned “erm sure but only if it’s really quick”. Scoups nodded “don’t worry it will be. Have I done something to offend you?”. Dino frowned “what makes you say that?”. “I don’t know I just feel this weird tension between us lately...I might be reading too much into things but I just wanted to mention it so I can apologise if I have upset you in any way”. Dino immediately felt guilty for laying into Scoups so much and he shook his head “no you haven’t. I’ve just been a little down lately and I think I’ve been taking it out on you so it’s me who should be sorry”. Scoups frowned “why what’s going on?”. Dino sighed “I just...all of you have such good partners and I don’t sometimes it makes me feel a bit jealous. I want that, I see you and y/n together and how perfect you are for one another and I...just get weird. I’m sorry...” he started but Scoups shook his head “it’s okay, I know it can be lonely sometimes but don’t worry you could find someone like that and even if you don’t you’re a great guy with so many friends and people who love you. You don’t need anyone to complete you or cement your success in life. You’re that person. Okay?”. Dino suddenly remembered all the adoration and love he felt for his hyung and nodded “yeah I understand, thanks Scoups that's just what I needed”. Scoups smiled “anytime, now let’s go back inside. I left Jeonghan alone so he’s probably manipulated everyone into choosing him as the winner and they walked back in together.

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alatushours · 16 days

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☆ CRYSTALFLIES, feat. xiao — he didn’t ask for much, just to spend precious time with you.

contents. gender neutral reader, fluff, rewritten + reposted from wp. inspired by xiao’s 2021 birthday letter. ♡ word count. 648

notes. welcome to the day 2 of the loving xiao hours event! or if you stumbled upon this on accident, welcome too <3 this is a rewrite of the xiao oneshot i wrote + posted on my wattpad (link in about on pinned) back in 2021! omg the old version was so cringey and xiao was super ooc so i hope this is better, i hope you enjoy <3

spring had sprung in liyue, and you were enjoying the lovely weather. golden leaves fluttered along a gust of wind as you sat next to the statue of the seven at qingyun peak, looking down at the natural scenery below.

swinging your legs over the edge of the floating platform, you gazed towards the mountains beyond, lost in your own thoughts.

it had been a few days since you had seen the guardian yaksha, and somehow you found yourself missing him. you were pretty sure he only tolerated your presence whenever you were around him, but over the past few months you had found yourself taking a liking to him. he was aloof but silently caring, protective, and certainly quite handsome too.

his voice echoed in your head, the way he always said he didn't care a bit for mortals, but you had a sneaking suspicion that he enjoyed your company.

as you whispered to yourself, a sudden gust of wind blew past, and xiao appeared before you. his arms were crossed, a look of slight concern in your eyes. "you called my name?"

"oh!" you hadn't realized that you had said his name in your ramblings. "sorry, i was just thinking out loud about some things and i suppose i must have said your name on accident… sorry for disturbing you, i know you're busy."

embarrassed, you started to pick up your things, getting ready to head back to liyue harbor. "i was just about to leave anyway, haha…"

"wait, y/n," xiao called after you. "don't leave, you didn't bother me at all. in fact…" you turned back around, curious, and found the adeptus standing in front of you with his hand outstretched. a small velvet pouch lay open in his palm, full of beautiful sparkling crystalflies.

"i, uh, had nothing to do today," he started quietly as you stared at the crystals in wonder. "so, i decided to find a crystalfly for you… to put in your hair. i thought that… it would look nice."

you smiled, taking the pouch from his hands as he continued. "before long i had caught more than i expected… i hope you do not mind." he turned away, about to leave, but you grabbed his wrist.

"xiao, these are beautiful. thank you so much!" your smile was like the sun, and he looked away, blushing.

"there's no need to thank me, i was just repaying your kindness." his voice wavered, but he continued, "i do not care much for birthdays or other mortal celebrations, and i do not wish to be around large crowds of people. just spending time with you is enough."

your mind wrapped around on particular word in his sentence. "wait, birthday? don't tell me… is it your birthday today, xiao?"

the yaksha coughed into his fist and turned away, face flushed, before nodding.

you squealed. "why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"i suppose there was never really a reason too…"

you took his hands, feeling even more excited than you were before. "well, you should have! i'm really glad you came to me today, xiao. i know you probably find me tiresome, but i really enjoy your company. i want to help you with whatever you might struggle with. so don't be afraid to come to me if you need anything, 'kay?"

xiao sighed, but it wasn't one of exasperation. "i don't require your assistance, but i appreciate your concern. however… if you want to visit the inn more often, i wouldn't be against it."

you laugh, "i guess i'll hold you to that offer then!"

as the sun began to dip into the horizon, you invited xiao to sit with you, asking him to weave the crystalflies into your hair. "i don't really need to go to the harbor until tomorrow morning," you tell him, "so why don't we just spend some time together?"

end notes. i hope you can tell the improvement LMAO but anyways xiao was the first character that i received a birthday letter from (i started on april 9 2021) so he has always held a special place in my heart, if you can’t already tell <3 please look forward to april 13th, when i’ll be posting the next one!

#໒꒰՞ ܸ. .ܸ՞꒱ა mari writes !#✶ xiao hours : an event!#day two: 2021 letter <3 #xiao x reader #xiao fluff #xiao genshin impact

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axcel-lucci · 3 months

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Support

Trafalgar Law x reader (fluff? Angst??)

A/n: it's currently 12:47, idk why but I can't sleep lol. Prolly because I need to write 200 word essay for mon- oh wait, that's today.

My masterlist

Upon the crew hearing about their captain's plan of infiltrating dress Rosa and possibly die in it, they were totally against him to the point that NO ONE entered the navigation room to drive the sub.

So they just... Floated around for the time being.

Law was getting frustrated more and more as he packs his bags and orders the crew to do as he says, if they don't, they get dismembered.

It doesn't matter though, the crew was willing to get their hearts taken away than their captain being away for good.

The crew's scribe, (y/n), is entirely unaffected by the news. In fact, they support him.

Not because they don't care, but because they know that he won't die. He can't.

(Y/n) has always been distant and cold to the crew, it's just something they got used to as their mannerism since their work as a scribe is rather gruesome and even tiresome.

Them and Law work closely together, usually for reports and documenting.

Law was grumbling to himself in his room after having another argument with the crew about his plans, he heard someone knock on the door.

"If you're going to convince me to stay, dream on because I am standing my fucking ground!" He yelled out of frustration

"How rude, captain." He heard their voice, slightly muffled by the door.

"Oh... It's you... Come in..." He muttered before seeing them open and close the door behind them.

"Look, captain. Find a common ground with them... Do you know how annoying it is when you guys scream? I can't do my work properly" they scoffed

"I know... It's just..."

"Captain." They called as he looked at them, "they're worried. They're just worried for you. Assure them you'll come back, give them something to hold on to. It's not practical, sure, but... It's the only way for them to let you off. Give them a run down version as to why..."

(Y/n) knows the reason, of course they do considering Law vents to them a lot in the day as they work together.

He sighed softly, "it's just... I don't want them to see me weak..."

"Captain... Your past is not a weakness, if anything, bearing yourself open to them is a sign of strength. You are willing to open yourself to the people you protect... Maybe then they'd realize that it's alright. That you'd be alright..."

Law seemed to think it over just a bit before getting up from the bed with a grunt, "you're right..."

"I'm always right."

"Yeah, yeah... Whatever... But still... Thanks..."

They nodded slightly, "you're welcome."

After that, he told them the run down version, sure a few tears were she'd, but the crew finally allowed him to leave.

So much for being a captain.

But in the end, Law is able to leave for punk hazard while (y/n) and the others stay at Zou.

It was hard for a couple few days with no contact from their beloved captain, but when the news finally reached them, they were overjoyed.

Of course (y/n) was no difference, but they just knew he'd be alright. As if they're proud that he's THAT strong to face the man he vowed to destroy.

Once Law was back into the crew, everyone showered him with tears and even a few threats were made that if he does that again, they'd have no choice but to chase him.

(Y/n) only shakes their head at the childish remarks, but then again, this is now Law's only family since then. A found family.

Once they were alone, (y/n) and Law finally had a peaceful talk without the snots and tears of the crew.

"That was tiring..." He muttered

"I can tell... That... Strawhat kid, he's gotten stronger since we last saw his scrawny ass, huh?" (Y/n) says with a slight amusement.

"True... He has gotten stronger... But he's still so annoying." Law grumbled

"You speak as though that kid didn't help you achieve your goal, no?"

Law could only chuckle, "yeah... Right."

Silence fell between them as they admired the beauty of Zou's forest.

"Say... (Y/n)-ya..." He called as they looked at him, "wanna watch the fireworks with me? I heard they'll set it up for tonight."

"What a selfish request, but since it's the captain's special request, I cannot refuse."

It made him laugh a bit.

It felt... Good to Law... To be able to laugh again... He looked at (y/n) with such adoration that he didn't notice they were calling him, "what...?" He muttered as soon as he snaps back.

"Daydreaming? Seriously dude? Sheesh..."

"My bad"

"Yeah, sure"

....

"Everyone's here, huh?" (Y/n) hummed softly as Law powered up his devil fruit and transported them somewhere excluded.

Shachi and Penguin saw him do this and knew his plan. Actually, they were actively looking for the two as soon as they disappeared into somewhere.

"Ooh, fancy." (Y/n) hummed softly, "clear view of the sky."

Law nods slightly, "hey... Uh..."

"Hm?"

Law looks back at (y/n) as they stare back at him with wonder

"Don't be mad, okay?"

"Uh... Sure...?"

The fireworks set off, momentarily replacing (y/n)'s attention to watch the colorful bursts of different elements in the sky resulting into blasts of colours.

"(Y/n)..." Law called as they turned back to him.

And with a blink of an eye, as well as Law letting his instincts take over, he grabbed her tightly and pressed his lips against theirs as if they've both done this before.

(Y/n) couldn't help but melt into the kiss softly and kiss him right back.

The background noise of others cheering and the fireworks blasting off into the dark sky was now just a muffled mess as the two had their attentions on one another as the kiss eventually deepened before pulling away for air.

The both turned away, embarrassed at what just happened while panting breaths.

They both eventually looked back into each other's eyes, before laughing softly at how absurd the situation just has been.

"I... Wanna do that again..." Law muttered

"Oh yeah? What's stopping you?" They smirked

"This long ass speech I prepared"

"Oh wow. You came prepared? Let's hear it."

He could feel himself laugh again before composing himself, "(y/n)... This may be cheesy or corny but... Ever since I met you and worked with you, I can't help but feel comfortable and lightheaded in a good way... You're always there for me... You... Support me... I can't thank you enough for that... It may be a shallow reason but... Will you be my partner...? Hopefully for life...?"

They smiled at him and kissed the tip of his nose, "fine... That speech was long as fuck."

They both laughed eventually.

#random #night thoughts #trafalgar law #law x reader #trafalgar law x reader #one piece #law x y/n #trafalgar d water law #trafalgar d law x reader #trafalgar law x y/n

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rise-my-angel · 9 months

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Heart of the Great Wolf

10 - The Sanctity of Children

Pairing: Jon Snow x F!Baratheon!Reader (Slow Burn), Robb Stark x F!Baratheon!Reader

Length: 13.1k

Warnings: angst/hurt comfort, slow burn, pregnancy, discussions of pregnancy and child birth, funeral and character death, child death and child illness, allusions to past emotional child abuse, panic attacks, mentions of warfare, smut, p in v, execution

Notes: Things are heating up in this war campaign so strap in. Previous Chapter Here, Series Masterlist Here.

The memory you had of turning fourteen years old was full of such an odd series of events that you hadn’t understood for a long time. Being in King’s Landing at that time was getting to be tiresome, it had been a year and a half since you had been in Winterfell, and in that time you found yourself in some hot water. Or at least, hot water for a girl like yourself who never opened up to a soul. You had been writing boundless letters to Jon and Robb both but it was reading one from the former that had punched you in the gut.

It didn’t say anything egregious other then a line near the end telling you he missed you. At fourteen you read that way too many times as a lightness in your heart settled in. Your father at one point had come into your room to ask what you were still doing up and you came way too close to him finding what you were reading, shoving it under your covers before he could see it. Insisting that you were just restless and couldn’t sleep yet before pulling it back out when he shut the door.

Smirking to yourself, you would wonder if he would be impressed with how much you had improved with a sword. You had also wondered if the ward in their father’s care would make fun of you or not though. The Greyjoy’s small rebellion lasted the better part of two months but it had taken your father away from you and into the sea to destroy the Iron Fleet, leaving Lord Stark and King Robert to sail onto the Iron Islands and end things swiftly. Part of the surrender deal was Balon Greyjoy’s last living son was to leave with Lord Stark and serve as a ward.

Robb had mentioned he had an attitude but that he couldn’t really blame him, instead he had sympathized with struggling to fit in. That was a year and a half ago however, and you wondered between the now three of them if whatever skills you had acquired would look like a joke to where they were now. Your cousin Joffery, the eldest child of the King, had told you it was stupid for girls to play with swords and that no one would ever want to be with an ugly girl who would fight too.

You had wrote to Jon all about the fight you got into with him for that one, how you had been lectured heavily by your father despite the fact that the most hurt he got was being knocked into the mud after a bit of a scuffle. Jon had gotten you harder far more times just training you in the basics. You had hoped he wouldn’t have changed his mind, wouldn’t think you were stupid like your cousin did. You hoped with a childish intent that he may have thought about you like you were him.

But he was already sixteen and no doubt had found far more girls his age, and far prettier ones at that to fawn all over him. You hadn’t even bloomed yet, according to your handmaidens no boys his age wanted to be with a silly girl who wasn’t even a woman yet. It was a strange feeling, and you had no one to talk to about it, you wished your baby sister had been born years earlier so she could at least read and write to you about it.

But you hadn’t gotten to fester in such a new, and first time crush for long. It was the middle of the year when your father told you. He said that at your age, you should expect to have your womanly blooding come to you soon and it was important you do not share that with people. He was strict when he sat you down in his office, telling you without room for question, “Do not come to anyone except for me. Not your uncles, not the guards, not your handmaidens. You tell me and keep it to yourself otherwise.”

He hadn’t said why, nothing about when your mother explained the process to you made it sound like a dirty secret. She said all women go through it, why was it to be kept hush you didn’t know, but you knew you were to listen. He wasn’t a man with much will to bend the rules, your father. So the day you woke up having bled through the night, you intended to keep that rule.

Leaping out of bed at the shock before you remembered what it was, you wrapped a thin overcoat around you to cover the bleeding nightshift, bending under your bed to grab a blanket you knew was kept there to hide the sheets before anyone came in. Only when you unravelled the blanket, one of the older handmaidens had walked in. “Oh gods be good, congratulations child.”

You narrowed your eyes but she walked right past you and stripped the sheets from the bed as you stood in frustrated protest. Glancing up to you she looked at your attire, “Get dressed child, you cannot visit the Queen like that.”

Your eyebrows raised and face twisted in confusion, “Visit- why?”

There was barley a chance to speak before she was shoving you to the other side of the room to get dressed. You had been the only girl the Queen could try to dote on for a while, previous she hadn’t had Myrcella yet and even now she was only two years old. Trying very hard to whip you into shape as a proper highborn lady of the court and always finding ways to make it so.

Unbeknownst to you, she had informed your handmaidens that when you bled for the first time, they were to send you to her. Using the guise of your mother not being here, so she would be the only to steer you into womanhood.

As you walked into her quarters, you could see little Myrcella on the bed. Her blonde hair grew long and quick as her mothers, done up at that moment into pretty ringlets on the side of her head as she played with an array of toys spayed out in front of her. The Queen herself looking far more immaculate then you ever could hope to be, but there was a kindness on her face that at the time, you didn’t have quite the right level of skill to sniff out if there was a degree of falsity in it.

Strangely enough, in those days, the kindness was genuine. Just not the agenda that came after.

Sitting you down at the chair across from her writing desk, she offered you some water. “The first can always be a bit difficult, if there’s a lot sometimes you may even feel a bit woozy.”

You shrugged a shoulder as you glanced between your glass and the Queen, “It wasn’t that. Just more...” as you trailed off she tilted her head in question before you finished. “I didn’t think it would be painful.”

The Queen was sympathetic, but the smile on her face was one of much greater knowledge. “Wait until you birth a child.” You could recall when your mother gave birth to Shireen, the only sounds heard in the entire castle were her yells and cries and yet when it was over she castle was still so quiet all could be heard was Shireen after.

Coming up to her bedside, she ran her hand over Myrcella’s hair with a smile of love that was rare. “She was a little easier, but Joffery was a whole new kind of pain.” Your brows narrowed as she so easily fussed with nothing in particular on her daughter who let it happen. “I laboured a day and a half just bringing him into the world, sometimes I screamed so loud I thought Robert would hear me even in the Kingswood.”

Taken back, you looked at her in question. “He was hunting?”

That fondness on her lips faded away into something less comforting, making her way over to you at the desk and sitting in the seat next to you. “Robert prefers to leave the birthing to me, and he takes his men out to hunt and kill and only returns when the labouring is all over. Like a trade of commoners, he gifts me pelts and trophies, and he in return is gifted a baby.” You felt an odd discomfort in your stomach, you would never describe your own parents as even remotely in love but not once did your father flee while Shireen was being born. “Not that I wanted him there, I had an army of midwives, Grand Maester Pycelle, and I had my brother. The midwives tired to tell him he couldn’t be in the birthing room, and he just smiled. Asking which one of them proposed to keep him out.”

A fondness in her eye trailed off as she looked at you, a more cold and stoic expression that was becoming more common on you here then the days you first arrived. “Your husband will show you no such devotion.”

Looking up at her, there was an innocent heartbreak in your eye that while she did not speak of it, she understood the life in the making. Cersei was a woman who loved her children with the only goodness in her heart that she had, and yet she knew you rarely got anything from your own parents. Not having met your mother but she could only imagine the kind of woman that marries Stannis Baratheon isn’t as much warmer.

You said nothing, biting down on your tongue as you looked away. “You will not be a Queen, my dove, but you are still a highborn lady and that means we are raised to have a very specific place and purpose in the world. Your red flower means that you have become of age that you can take up that mantle, marry a high lord and your new duty is to have his children for however long he has use of you.”

Your father didn’t even live on the same Island as his wife now, and she hadn’t been healthy enough to give him a living son in the years between your birth and now that Shireen was born. Was that all marriage was to them? Was that all it would be to the King and Queen once the woman in front of you stopped being able to have his children?

“You will marry a high lord, find yourself dragged to a new home you know nothing of and have his children because that is what ladies like us are to do. You don’t have to like it, but that is why they need us.”

Finding your voice, you spoke up with indignation. “Pardon me your grace, but you make it sound like it’s foolish to even consider trying to find a husband that would make me happy.”

A flash of something in her eyes passed once more. Leaning forward to brush a wild strand of hair from the front of your face. Impossible to recall now, but still a young girl, there had been a time when the Queen still had a place in her heart for you. Her tone was quiet, as if to hide form her daughter who couldn’t possibly understand her at that age. “I know you’re smart enough to see me and Robert for what things are. I tried to love him, and for a while I think I even did. I wanted it to work so badly in the early years, but it never came to be. We never shared a moment, an inkling or even any real softness that I dreamed of.” Your name came softly from her lips, “Women like us do not get to have such things.”

Sitting there, your hands rung together in your lap as your jaw clenched. An unfairly charming smile and long black curls that flashed through your recently blooming mind. Were you just stupid children that would never last? Would you see him again one day and he’s turned as cold and uncaring as the Baratheon men you were raised around were? Why did that hurt so badly?

“The more people we love, the weaker we are. We’ll do things for them we know we shouldn’t, play the fool to make them laugh, lie to keep them safe.” You tried hard to not think about how you lied to your father about where you got all those cuts and bruises, worrying that he would be mad if you told him the truth.

That Jon had started to teach you because you both just wanted to do it, wanted to spend time together. He wanted to teach you, and you wanted to learn but perhaps your father wouldn’t be as forgiving to such actions as Ned Stark was when he finally caught you. So you lied, wanting to keep him safe.

“You will be wed off, have your husbands children, but you should love no more then them. We have no choice but to love our children and that way the men in your life will never be able to hurt you. Not in here.” Her hand gently resting over your heart, like she had already seen a future for you that you were not privvy too.

It was that night that your father called you into his office, telling you, “Pack your things now, come dawn I’m putting you on the first ship to White Harbour, and from there you’re to stay with Lord Stark in Winterfell.”

You stammered, the idea wasn’t horrid but it was out of nowhere with no explanation. “How long am I to stay?”

“Indefinitely. I’ve send a raven to Lord Stark and he’s been informed that you are to remain in his care until further notice.”

Further notice, was two years at it turned out. Two years of spending time with the Starks, the new younger growing litter of Stark children, and finding yourself increasingly flustered by how much more mature that dark and curly haired boy had grown, filled out, and had a much deeper rasp of a voice then when you saw him before.

It was just over half a year before you returned to Kings Landing when he kissed you. He was taller, and much more mature by that point at eighteen, and your nearing sixteenth name day heart wasn’t sure it understood the tension between you until that night.

A game of hunting and hiding in the woods with all four of the eldest of you, it was late into the night and rain had been pouring down when he snuck up and dragged your back into his chest. Still playing the same and ignoring the strange beating in your heart you tried dashing off still, but Jon was strong and tossed your back against a tree.

You had no idea what he was doing until Jon had already begun to kiss you. All memories of Cersei telling you that your husband would never be a man who loved you left you that night, because even as a teenager, you knew that Jon kissed you like he already did.

But you were not two people who would become like your parents, or the King and Queen. No, you were just two best friends who spent from that day until departing on the Kingsroad in a love that you were never allowed to have. The world wanted you to be like them, and they married you off without the care of what came with it.

Your father didn’t care if you had a loveless marriage, because being in one was not part of your duty.

But as you walked through the ruins of Harrenhal the morning before now, it seemed like the moral of the men was only raised by such an announcement that stemmed from love. Word travelled fast that you were with child, and you couldn’t escape the words of congratulations and brimming air amongst the men with a “I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner, knowing how much our King keeps you locked away all to himself at night.”

The Greatjon was loud, but none of the following laughs were at you. All was a laugh with you, that it may not be a fight, but that the men found some ease of mind in the clearly good news.

Even as you departed, leaving Roose Bolton and his men to hold Harrenhal, there was a genuine feeling in his tone as you shook hands to depart. “I dare say, your grace but being with child suits you.” He chuckled when you raised an eyebrow in question. “It’s been a number of months since we’ve seen the King calm in anyway, and longer since you’ve actually smiled.”

Giving a small one at that moment, he then pointed to Grey Wind not far from you. “I think that one knew before even you did. Quite possessive wolves are known to be.”

Your husband would show you no such devotion the Queen had said, and yet the sheer amount of time Robb spent keeping you by his side with a hand somewhere on your person or stomach told you that if this wasn’t love and devotion what would that actually be like in the real world?

For Catelyn though, it was a struggle. It seemed like most of the major developments in your life with her son were in times of grief. Bran laying in bed unconscious after falling from a tower? You and Robb marry. Her husband is beheaded? The North declares Robb their king and you his Queen. And now, rumours that her youngest sons were dead and that her own father had passed away? You and Robb announce you are pregnant. You knew she wanted to be happy for a grandchild, but so much of it was written in blood.

A blood that seemed to be felt through more then just her, except that the other children’s blood that was spilled now allowed itself to fester and taint with dissent. Lord Karstark was becoming an increasing problem. Agitated, bloodthirsty and unwilling to temper his tongue even as he walked beside you and Robb. “We’re at war. This march is a distraction.”

Robb’s voice was cut with an edge as he didn’t spare the man even a glance. “My grandfather’s funeral is not a distraction.”

“Are we riding to battle at Riverrun?” At a no, he titled his head. “Then it’s a distraction.”

You could feel the anger growing in Robb, but he kept his cool as he was so skilled at now. “My Uncle Edmure has his forces garrisoned there. We need his men.”

Gods he had no idea when to stop, throwing both of you onto an edge that was bordering on insubordination. “Unless he’s been breeding them, he don’t have enough to make a difference.”

Robb stopped, forcing the man to look at him with a harshness in his face. “Have you lost faith in our cause?” Lord Karstark trying to argue he has faith in revenge, Robb narrowed his eyes. “If you no longer believe-”

Karstark raising his voice, you stepped forward to stand closer at Robb’s side with a tensity that he seemed to sense right away. “I can believe until it snows in Dorne, don’t change the fact that-”

Your voice came out more angry then you expected. Taking the man right off guard as he looked more wide eyed to your rageful ones. “Lord Karstark, I think your King has made it clear that you are stepping out of line. Out in the open is neither the time nor place for your ire, and it is not welcome either way.”

A hand came to rest on the small of your back as you continued. Your voice stern and face unblinking as you did so. “You may be free to see the funeral of your king’s own grandfather as a distraction, but you are not with the freedom to insult the man you’ve sworn your sword too.” Opening his mouth to speak, but he wisely chose to close it once more, noting the judgmental eyes of some now looking at him get reprimanded like a child.

“Your grace-”

“Where should we take the fight to, my lord?” You couldn’t see, but it took quite a bit of restraint for Robb to not smirk at how flabbergasted Lord Karstark looked. “You want a fight, tell us then, where and how should we take the fight to satisfy your bloodlust? How long after that battle do we spend waiting for you to get impatient for another? War is not battles and blood, it’s about knowing when not to fight and to stand and wait as your told.”

You felt an anger inside of you that felt like is was bordering on unhealthy, but the sheer hubris to stand in front of his King and tell him so uncritically what he thinks is a mistake would not be allowed. Robb was more then capable of handling Lord Karstark alone, but what kind of wife, a Queen were you to stand there and allow it to happen?

“I believe you had duties to attend to, my lord.”

Robb’s tone was firm, and nothing short of a command to leave. Both if your eyes watching take off as you glanced to each other before he pulled you around more to face him. “He’s only going to get worse, and I’m going to have to handle it when it does.”

Finding his eyes you could see the conflict of what was running through his head. Lord Karstark was going to rant and rave until he explodes and Robb isn’t going to shy away from serving justice that is deserved. “He’s forgetting it’s not a lord he’s speaking too, I think.”

Robb ran his hand around your waist, stretching is thumb to run at what he could reach of your stomach. “And I think if we couldn’t win this war, the Lannisters wouldn’t be trying so hard to run and hide from us. Lord Karstark thinks wars are only won if we find a fight everywhere we go, and yet I can’t even get close to meeting Tywin Lannister on the field of battle.”

You smirked, “Which says a whole lot more about your skill then it does his, if you ask me.”

Looking to the others eyes for a moment before Robb huffed, looking out to the camp before leaning back into press a kiss to the side of your head. “Do me a favour, and take it easy for now.” You tilted your head ready to protest but he had the charming audacity to kiss you before you could speak. “That was an order, my Queen.”

Raising an eyebrow, you gave a tiny curtsy which pulled a loving smirk from his lips. “As your grace commands.”

It was resting that you had found yourself approaching Catelyn. The look in her eye as she turned her head to see you, the conflict in them was tragic. Flickering to your stomach before turning back to the task at hand, only to drop it with a regretful sigh onto her lap. Your name coming calmly off her tongue, “I should apologize. I’ve barley said a word to you since Robb told me.”

You calmly walked around where she was sat at, finding your own space on a mostly flat rock to face both partially at her, partially to the camp around you. “I didn’t come here to ask for that, I came here because you’re in pain and it hurts to see you in so much of it.” Shaking your head, you bit your tongue before sighing. “I don’t think I’ve seen you like this since...”

Since the first time you came across her like this, now only a second child was added to the grief. Sitting the woodwork in her lap, she ran her fingers across part of it as the waver in her voice fought to stay down. “Rickon was so upset when I left. He was too young, his father and sisters left and then me and then suddenly it was only him and Bran alone without us. I don’t even know if Luwin ever told him why we had all gone either. And Bran-”

“He understood.” Her eyes were wide as they darted up to yours. Finding a fading memory back when this all was so much more simple. “When Robb and I left, he understood. He was worried, trying not to be scared in front of Robb. But not mad. Not upset. He knew you were all gone fighting for each other.”

Whatever solace she found in that gave her enough to swallow the pain. A tiny smile that didn’t reach her eyes Catelyn once more traced over the working. “Part of me wonders if I should be used to making these by now. If I did one for Bran and Rickon each, I might just be good enough to do it with my eyes closed.”

You leaned forward, pressing your forearms across your knees as you thought to Bran in that bed, how devastated she looked at his side and now all this time later the gods saw fit to test her resolve again.

Gazing over the details, you missed that Catelyn was glancing at your stomach. So far no major signs of change, but it wouldn’t take long for you to show she knew. “I made one once even before Bran’s fall.”

Looking up to her with a question in your eyes, you could see something not quite the same as the grief of now and then, but something a bit more conflicting that sat heavily inside her. “It was many years before that. One of the boys came down with the pox.”

A weight in your chest fell. You had told her of the nights none knew if Shireen would even make it, she was a baby when she caught the Greyscale and your mother was terrified it’d kill her before it had even a chance to spread. You knew too well what a mothers fear of her child with such afflictions.

“Maester Luwin said if he made it through the night, he’d live. But it would be a very long night.” Lost in the hazes of a memory as if she was looking down to one of the boys right before you as she relived the fear in her throat. “I sat him with, all through the darkness. Listened to his ragged little breaths, his coughing, his whimpering.”

Not knowing this at all, it must have been far earlier then you’d ever stepped foot in her home. “Which one was it?”

Catelyn paused. Looking at you before peeling away to look beyond with a burning bright blaze of shame waving off of her very person before she spoke. The words low and struggling to find the same emotions as before. “Jon Snow.”

A coldness flooded your veins, and your eyes gave it away without hesitation. Catelyn, it seemed, found no strength in the moment to look you in the eye anymore as a tear in her voice only served to rip away at your chest until she found your heart and plunged the blade right through.

“When Ned brought that baby home from the war, I couldn’t bear to look at him. I didn’t want to see those grey stranger’s eyes staring up at me. So I prayed to the gods, take him away. Make him die.”

You didn’t look at her back, you felt bile rise in your throat and plummet back down to your stomach at the words. Searching so far back to your mind, only finding the ten year old that you met on your first day in the North, one that was as curious of you as he was healthy. And yet...

“He got the pox. And I knew then, I was the worst women who ever lived. A murderer. I condemned this poor, innocent child to a horrible death, all beacuse I was jealous of his mother. A woman he didn’t even know.”

Her conflict didn’t match yours. Hers was with guilt, yours was in a horror that made you feel as ill as you had that first day you arrived, the kind of horrible twisting poison that sent you fainting to the stone floor of their home. Only you had nothing to see then, now, you only saw the face of the one you watched disappear for what neither of you knew would be forever.

“So I prayed to all seven gods, let the boy live. Let him live and I’ll love him. I’ll be a mother to him. I’ll beg my husband to make him a Stark and be done with it, to make him one of us.”

“And he lived.” It was a shock any sound came from you at all, you watched nothing but a woman who treated him as a stain on her own family, the pain that caused him to see himself with a self loathing for his own existence. A denial of any love that caused him to think the only life he’d find was shut away at the Wall until his death.

“And he lived. And I couldn’t keep my promise, and everything that’s happened since then. All this horror that’s come to my family, it’s all because I couldn’t love a motherless child.”

Comfort her was the tiny whisper of reason, she deserves to hear something from you but as you felt your hands shake in their still hold, you could only see him. You could only see Jon in the ice and snow instead of having a place at his families side. Instead of being able to stand next to his brother right now with the same respect that everyone have Robb.

Instead you could see him out in the cold, dressed not in black, and with those that did not look to be any Night’s Watchmen you’d ever seen look like. He didn’t even look as you last saw, hair longer and more wild, older and stronger looking with just as much conflict as you’d watched him be forced to feel living with the very woman next to you.

In an instant though, that image flashed to something else, flashing to a bright red hair, a pretty face and a look on her that you knew from your love with him in secret only out in the open. Something that was free, and pretty, and wasn’t a burden to him the way your position always was.

You felt sick. You couldn’t sit here and see this, you didn’t understand what your eyes were even showing you nor did you hear Catelyns concerned call of your name multiple times before you stood up. What you were seeing in flashes made no sense until they all came to something that you and him never had together. Something that you’ve had since him, but were never allowed to truly have with Jon but with this pretty hair of red.

Were you walking through the camp or alone in the woods you wouldn’t even have known at that point but this wasn’t like the dreams that came to you in the dead of night these were as real as the green around you. In a second that moment, that intimacy that made you want to cry was back to elsewhere with him.

Somewhere high made of ice, looking beyond the sights and just as a kiss was to taunt your vision it was like you both looked at each other. You saw him as clear as anything, and it was like he saw you to, sending him back in a shock before it all disappeared in a flurry.

Your heart raced as you stood near the edge of the camp before finding a small pool of water. Kneeling in front of you as you ran the liquid over your face and tried to wash away the sights of what just happened behind your eyes and the loud booming words Catelyn just spoke to you of.

Two hands grasped you, sending you flipping around in an erratic startle only to find the soft blue eyes of Robb as he gently grasped the sides of your face. Him muttering your name pulling you close as your hands hovered above his chest. “Hey, hey, what happened?”

Your mouth parted and eyes wide but you had not a single clue what just happened to you, and you had not even the words to begin explaining it. You just shook your head as you finally reached up to hold his face as he did yours. This you knew, this sight you recognized and the warm soothing nature of his voice, comforting touch and a face you’d seen every single day for two years that looked at you with the love you gave him.

Robb tried getting something from you, but your mind raced and spun and needed to be reminded where you were. Ground you in your life. Leaning up you pressed your lips against Robb’s and a calm washed back over your body. Simmering your nerves and veins as it all settled into the pit of your stomach before finding a home in the life you and Robb were creating together.

This was real, and you had to keep it that way. Not whatever images and nightmares and dreams were being thrown at you for so long now, you didn’t understand what they were and as Robb’s kiss was soft and coaxing, he pulled back to run his thumbs over your cheeks. “Tell me we’ll love him, our son, tell me that we’ll both be here to love him.”

Robb narrowed his eyes before something dawned on him instead, “Him? You think it’s a boy?” His hand running flat over your stomach and it finally pulled a calmer breathe of a laugh from you. He took one of the news, and was steering you to whatever could calm you down easier.

One shoulder shrugging you found the back of his neck to wrap your hands around. “Mormont says it’s why I’m so erratic lately. That it could only be the influence of a hot tempered Stark man doing that to my insides.”

Robb looked at you, and not that he would tell you in this state, but he had a chat with his mother later on about what on earth she had said to you. Little could she suspect what that would spiral towards.

In this moment though, Robb pulled you up to rest your face gently in his neck. “We will love him, together. It’s not just you and me now.” He massaged the your stomach in such a soothing manner, voice low only for your ears. “It’s us. All three of us, now and always.”

You two stayed there for a little while, him calming down whatever had just happened to you. That was until Greatjon found you. His loud, booming voice, causing laughter from both you and Robb, as well as the small group of other Umbers passing with him.

“Now that’s our King. Ready to give the lass a whole litter of pups before she’s even had the first one.”

Coming into Riverrun was likely the most North you had been since this war had begun. It was also the calmest place it felt, the river behind the castle was calm and felt untouched by the wars ravaging around all. The castle stood mighty, looking unlike most of the places you had been in years. The fields and ruins, or surrounded by small structures to serve as battlements in your more early campaigns.

It felt much like what the traditional castles sounded like in Shireen’s books. Tall but reasonable, not build heavy for a warmth like Winterfell, or immaculate and impressive that was the Red Keep and certainly a far from Dragonstone.

Riding next to Robb, you glanced at him with a curious gaze. The man in question catching you looking away with a small smile. “What is it?”

Shrugging as you looked him over, “It’s just hard to imagine you here, back then I mean. It feels like the longer I know you the more like a Stark you become.” Many of Catelyn’s children took attributes of her family strongly then that of her husband. For a long time, only two of the Stark children didn’t look anything like her, one for obvious reasons, but as you stood by Robb’s side you saw so much more of his father in him.

Perched tall on his horse, his hair lush and the diminishing light as summer had ended last year turned the colour to a darker brown then it’s highlights of red. Facial hair on him just as dark and well groomed but sat thick in a way you know your mother would’ve disapproved of for you. Eyes were bright reflecting off the water but they were full of a heavy responsibility that had you yearn to look at them even more. Perhaps this was just what pregnancy did, but lately it was like Robb was trying to look particularly handsome to drive you crazy.

Only realizing when he raised an eyebrow did you realize he said anything, shaking your head with a naive, “Sorry, what was that?”

He rolled his eyes with a smirk, “So, I listen to you but all you do is look at me like a piece of meat.” His grin at your playfully offended face spoke volumes of cheek. “I said I was only born here, I don’t even have any memories of growing up outside of Winterfell. From what I’ve heard about Dragonstone, you certainly don’t look like you grew up there.”

Maester Cressen used to say it was no place to raise a child, and in ways he was right. Built by Valyrians said to have done so using arcane blood magic, it was a sharp contrast to much of the kingdoms of Westeros. It was easy to envision Aegon and his sisters riding their dragons to plot out the conquer of a land that didn’t belong to them from the seats of volcanic rock that made the air smell of salt and brimstone. You certainly did not fit the image of belonging there.

“I don’t think anyone wants to grow up there. It’s dim and depressing and I’m fairly certain if I showed you my childhood room, you’d ask me why my father raised me in a dungeon cell.” You both chuckled lightly. The early days in your first visit to Winterfell, once you were back on two feet you had found yourself riding all through that of the wolfswood with he and Jon, you always surprised how far the North seemed to go unencumbered by dangerous terrain.

As the castle drew near, the only ones of your army that remained with you was that of Robb, Catelyn, and Brynden. The other lords would be given their stay once the family departed to the lake for the funeral. Edmure Tully awaited the arrival, causing a brief moment of looks shared between three of you in pause.

None of you had discussed it, but you all had come to the same conclusion as to what had happened, but that would be a situation for later. You could feel an annoyance inside that had you shaking your head to rid of. Where would this war be right now, had the instructions been followed as specifically directed.

Edmure greeting his sister in a quiet embrace, noting only two of them were here.

Lysa Arryn had been a headache. She closed off access from the rest of the kingdoms, keeping the Knights of the Vale rooted and untouched. No amount of bargaining from Robb had done any good and Brynden has discussed that many men within the Vale armies would side with him were it not for being under the control of Lysa. And now it seems, she didn’t bring herself back to the world of the sane to attend her fathers funeral, or let her son that of his grandfather.

Much of the funeral was quiet. In what you think was unique to the Tully’s instead of taking place spread out an a sept to be cremated or embalmed, the oils and stones were placed onto Hoster Tully before his body was spread out respectfully in a small boat, and doused in gentle oils.

A brazier was lit on the dock over the water as it drifted off. On the docks stood by the brazier was Brynden, near the back was Catelyn, then Robb and yourself. Watching from their own spots were a various number of people all there to see their lord off.

In the middle, Edmure held a bow. Hoster Tully’s only son, and heir to Riverrun it left him both as proper lord and the charge to light the boat to send him off in peace. The first time he missed, you glanced up to the sky. There was a slight breeze that he was aiming just off enough to steer the arrow as a miss.

The second time he did missed, you narrowed your eyes as it continued to drift further away without his work. Everyone stood in silence as he paused, taking a third shot and you know this might have been the worst time for it, but there was a slight awkwardness about the situation that had you and Robb, like you were two teenagers again, glance at one another with a smirk trying desperately to hide itself and failing.

Three times of misses and eventually the boat carrying Hoster off would reach too far and there was just a second of childishness between the pair of you that had you both looking down at the side sight of Catelyn’s firm gaze. You both grabbed the others wrist, as he almost unnoticeable pulled you just a bit closer to his side.

Brynden had to take over. Grabbing the bow from his nephew and looking up to gauge the winds, and with one simple shot, the lit arrow plunged into the boat and the fire spread out in an instant. A calm relief over the family as they watched until it was no longer within their sights.

For a brief moment, looking at that of boats and fire, you wondered how close he came. How close of a call to a much more hellfire version of this image did your father come to at the Blackwater Bay. Who you unnervingly thought, were the ones who didn’t make it and you had no knowledge of? Was it just your father that survived and the rest of the men you’d seen over and over again as a child were gone?

The words had mentioned that of green flames and wildfire. As the ceremony ended, you hadn’t even realized how you had reached across your chest to hold at your other arm, and noticed even less that your nails had dug into the skin enough to begin to bleed.

A crowd had gathered in the main hall, some of your men as well as that of the River Lords, on your way in Brynden had noticed your arm. Beckoning you over to the side as Robb glanced down with narrowed eyes. He said nothing, but kept an eye on you sat up on a small table as Brynden carefully wrapped up your arm.

You hadn’t looked up to the processions a single time as they all spoke, keeping a harsh eye on the trickles of bleed soaking through the wrappings. You hadn’t at all noticed how hard you were digging them in to that degree. Edmure standing near the middle, spoke of his actions in the recent move against the Lannisters.

The smallfolk were grateful, and in front of the majority, Robb allowed him the moment in the sun to explain his actions with a patiently controlled stare. “He crossed the river to give battle and we routed him. Maybe four hundred Lannisters killed, another hundred taken prisoner. The Mountain was lucky to escape with his life. They’ll think twice before picking another fight with the Tully’s.”

Brynden could see how much your jaw clenched trying to keep something burning inside of you. It wasn’t just a plan for Robb, it was a strategic manoeuvre to trick Tywin’s forces that Edmure had overstepped on. Did Robb say something? It was hard to tell but judging by the slight knowing smirk on Bryndens face as he tied off your wrappings, it was not a message Edmure was receiving.

“I will not stop until they have their justice. This I swear to you.” Glancing over briefly, Robb’s eyes landed on you before turning to the crowd. “I need to speak with my family.”

The gruff man nodding you over, giving you a light hand getting your two feet off the table as Robb outstretched an arm, bringing you over to his side. His own gaze reaching up to your arm, running over the bandage with his thumb and looking to you with a silent narrowed expression. You gave a tiny shake of his head, that clearly he wasn’t going to just accept as your shrugging answer.

The hall empty save for those Tully and Stark, Edmure begun to step forward to speak. “If I may nephew, I encountered a situation with one of my lieutenants at the Stone Mill, which may have some bearing-”

As your jaw clenched, and Robb reached down to gentle run his hand across your stomach it was Brynden who spoke up. His voice frustrated and exasperated as you felt. “Why don’t you shut your mouth about that damned mill. And don’t call him nephew, he’s your King.”

Edmure looking more casual then the tension radiating inside the room like he couldn’t feel it in the air, “Robb knows I meant him no disrespect-”

“You’re lucky I’m not your king I wouldn’t let you wave your blunders around like a victory flag.”

Robb was seeking your eye that was trained pointedly on his chest as he could feel you boiling up before him. Edmure did not make your frustration any easier, and the complete lack of comprehension only made Robb more angry and spiteful. But he kept it together, especially since you were the one right now having trouble with it, he took up that mantle.

“My blunder sent Tywin Lannister’s mad dog scurrying back to Casterly Rock with his tail between his legs.” Your eyes flew up, meeting Robb’s as he ran his thumb over your stomach firmer with a warning in his expression to calm your nerves. Brynden could see the words ready to spill from Robb’s mouth at any moment the longer Edmure spoke. “I think King Robb understands we’re not going to win this war if he’s the only one winning any battles. No, there’s glory enough to go around.”

“It’s not about glory.” Robb’s voice was not quite a shout, but it was loud and lecturing and caught Edmure off guard. As Robb moved to step forward he let his hand slid to the small of your back, gently keeping you within his touch as he narrowed his eyes at the man. “Your instructions were to wait for him to come to you.”

“I seized an opportunity.”

He was quiet and calm, and you were thankful he was better at this then you right now. Perhaps he was the only thing keeping you in your head. “What value was the mill?” Edmure explaining that it was the Mountain garrisoned across from it. “Is he there now?”

The man still hadn’t gotten it. All three of you in the room understood except so far, for Edmure who almost went back to being proud of his last minute scheme. “Of course not. We took the fight to him, he could not withstand us.”

Robb almost hissed at him as he narrowed his eyes at his uncle. The blue a much darker as his touch on your was firmer. You beside him with eyes sharp and cutting into him with something silent that was just as unnerving. “I wanted to draw the Mountain into the west, into our country where we could surround him and kill him. I wanted him to chase us, which he would have done because he is a mad dog without a strategic thought in his head. I could have that head on a spike by now.”

He seemed to pull you closer as he had stepped closer, as you gently grasped onto the arm your body was partially turned to face. Robb’s tone was like whisper but the distant look in Edmure’s eyes told him that he was starting to understand. “Instead I have a mill.”

Flickering between his own uncle, then to his King and Queen, he hesitate before speaking, this time much more uninspired by his hubris. “We took hostages. Willem Lannister, Martyn Lannister-”

You turned now to face him entirely as well. Only your voice went from rageful silence to offended volume that spoke louder then Robb’s quiet intimidation. “Willem and Martyn Lannister are fourteen years old.” A disgust that two teenage boys could be considered hostages, when boys barley younger then that, boys who were the King’s own brothers, were hostages and now found themselves dead.

Robb looked him in the eye. “Tywin Lannister has my sisters. Have I sued for peace?” Edmure answering a dejected no, “Do you think he’ll sue for peace because we have his fathers brothers great grand sons?”

Another no as you raised an eyebrow at him, “And how many men did you lose?”

You bit your tongue remembering the number of bodies found at Harrenhal as he answered you, palm pressing into your forehead at the image still. “Two hundred and eight. But for every man we lost, the Lannisters-”

Dropping your hand you stepped towards him, voice echoing off the walls as the image of the bay on fire tried painting yourself in you mind. “We need our men more then Tywin needs his.”

Edmure stammered, finding none on his side as the entire plot to keep the Lannister forces away from Blackwater Bay was ruined. His simple job to follow his King’s instructions would have kept those very men from being pushed back into the west. Instead, they were chased out early, and it wasn’t a far ride east to get to King’s Landing where Tywin finally sat with the power of the crown at his fingers.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Robb had no more mind for this, “You would have. Right here today at this gathering if you had been patient.” Brynden commented with his own voice laced with irritation as he looked to his own nephew that there seemed to be a lack of patience around here. Robb nodded to the man, “We’re done for now.”

The halls were quiet, not many roamed the castle that day and the ones who were there quietly did their duty or gathered together to mourn their loss. Much of Riverrun seemed to exist with large windows, letting in the light that looked out onto the greenery of one side or the Trident on the other.

Not much space was there in the shadows, but down an empty hall Robb turned to gently rest your back against the stone, a small pillar keeping your vision from being spotted as he gently grasped your cheeks and leaned in to gently press your lips together. Your hands reached up instantly, finding his neck to run your nails over as he kept his own kiss soft, almost comforting that helped melt your tense muscles into his.

Pulling back he pressed your forehead against his as he spoke in a low murmur. “I’m not telling you to not be angry, you have every right to be.” Another gentle kiss to your forehead, “But we will come back from this, I promise.”

Looking up, the ease of going from King to just your husband always surprised you. The way he could give you that soft look that was boyish and sweet instead of powerful and commanding. “I know we will.” Sliding a hand back down to run through the facial hair at his jaw before nuzzling there and pressing a kiss to the scratching surface. “You’ve won this war all on your own so far, I’m not going to let one man’s mistake ruining that now.”

He smiled, also looking much more boyish. “My wife is that confident, is she?”

You kissed him one more time before running your hands down to press gently against his chest, feeling his heart beat under the thinner material. “I told you, you were born for this.”

Narrowing his eyes playfully he nudged your nose with his, “Thought you said I was born to be lord of Winterfell.”

Looking up at him, you felt yourself lean back casually against the wall, pulling at him to come closer and join. One hand pressed against the stone beside your head, the other running across your waist, his eyes narrowing at the fact that he couldn’t just tease the skin by your hips. Not even letting you respond he playfully bunched up one side of your dress as he smirked. Leaning in closer.

“As much as I like you in these pretty dresses, I finally found something I hate about them.” Pressing a kiss to your neck and one right below your ear as he whispered into it. “Harder to touch you whenever I want if you’re always this covered up.”

Breathing out a laugh, you pulled him in for a kiss that you both smiled into as you ran your hand through his curls. For a little moment you two felt so normal, just a husband and wife sneaking a moment together late in the day instead of being the King and Queen with too much weight looking at you like it’s your fault it was all thrown onto you.

Robb gently holding your jaw to lean up more towards him as he crowded you closer to the wall, he would deepen it just a tad bit more each tiny sigh of need you gave into his kiss. Never pushing too far, but enough to keep you chasing his lips everytime he pulled back. And each time he gave in and kissed you right back.

Grey Eyes and Black curls travelled far closer then he had been in years and yet still so long away that you may was well existed in different worlds. The gods were trying desperately to tell him something, he was sure of it. High up on the wall, there was a moment it truly felt like you saw one another. Like your eyes locked in shock to see the other’s gaze on you before the image shattered with a blow of cold wind.

He didn’t know what they were saying, but he was starting to think that it was a message to stop lying to himself. The longer he trekked with them, with her, the more obvious it became how this had to work as long as he could keep it up. Then in moments like now, where he was so close to being able to trick himself into thinking this was normal, that it was fine, and that he wanted this, he would see you.

He could see you, feel you as if you were there and before his eyes and when the world returned to him, it was all a lie. It was pretending to be someone that didn’t exist and lying to himself about ever wanting this, or even being okay with it. And even worse, he had a feeling that you’d see right through how much he was lying to himself right away.

He was lying to every single one of them about his real intentions, and yet the lie you’d care about was the one he was telling himself. And the gods taunting him with images and sounds and feelings of you was just one big sign after the other that pretending to be one of these people, pretending like he hadn’t tricked himself into forcing an affection onto her, was just that.

Something had been trying to guide him onto what felt like the right path since he came to the wall, and with each passing day it felt like that something was warning him that lying to himself about being this, being one of them and being with her? It was trying to tell him, that was the wrong path and he knew it.

Jon didn’t however, know what seeing visions of you had to do with the rest of it.

The boys were around the same height, and clearly brothers. Dress them in the same clothes and one may think they were identical. On your person was a full skin of fresh water, and food sat down next to you by Olyvar, who was as good as your squire these days as Robb’s in honestly.

They were short for teenage boys, kneeling down they eyed you as the slightly more wide eyed one stepped forward before the other reached an arm out. “Martyn Lannister, right?” Your eyebrows raised at him, who now looked at you with a suspicion.

“How do you know?”

You shrugged one shoulder, “Older brothers are usually the more protective ones.” Looking over them both, they were slightly covered in grime but nothing else stood out. “They haven’t hurt you at all, treating you well?”

Willem nodded, but Martyn paused, looking at the things with you. “No. Unless your here to poison us.” The boys seemed to not be able to figure out how to feel about you, on one hand you knew you were the on the side that warred against their family, on the other hand you were knelt by their cell bars with food, water, and a calm and collected attitude towards them.

Narrowing your eyes at them impressed, you picked the skin up and gestured to him with it. “Smart. You’re in a cell, you’re being held captive and your familiy’s enemy comes down offering drink.” Using your teeth to yank the cap off, you took a sip and swallowed it down before reaching through the bars with the rest of it.

Slowly reaching, Willem took it with a gentleness and a nod as you found the energy to give him a little smile as he said, “Thank you.”

Tilting to the food beside you at Martyn, “Trust me a little more now, or am I going to be leaving you boys a little less food to prove your safety.” The boys were too innocent to be Lannisters, sharing a little look and with a nod from Willem of please, Martyn approached.

His hand reaching out before pausing mid air, looking at you with doubt. Blinking slowly, you grabbed parts of the food, sliding your fingers through the bars until he took it on his end, doing the same until all but their actual plate sat with them. Willem speaking through a mouthful. “Thank you.”

Martyn narrowed his eyes, “You’re Robb Stark’s wife.” You gave a gentle nod as he looked to his brother before turning back. “Is it true? What they say about him? That he can turn into a wolf at night?”

It was difficult not to smile, there was a childlike wonder in the boys eyes as they looked at you. In a way, you didn’t think that was incorrect. Something wasn’t the normal state of things, the way he could control Grey Wind like he was somehow part of him. “Is it scary if I say yes?” Willem didn’t hesitate to nod, a soft laugh leaving you a the look in his eyes. “They do call him The Young Wolf afterall. Such a name doesn’t just come out of nowhere.”

Martyn spoke up this time, “And does he really eat the flesh of his enemies?”

Oh it had been a long time since you heard that whisper about him. You bit your tongue to not smirk not wanting to give the boys a scary impression. You mostly came down here to offer food and water, and to ensure an answer Robb’s inquiry that they hadn’t been mistreated in their capture.

“I wouldn’t worry about that. Lion cubs aren’t in a wolves diet.”

You had only just gotten up when Martyn jumped up and over to the bars. “Is he going to kill us? They all say that Robb Stark kills every Lannister he finds.” Swallowing his own nerves down you looked at him softly. When you were that age, you weren’t worried about anything more then not embarrassing yourself too much in front of the boys. But they were here.

Tone much softer, more quiet but a sincerity you knew perfectly well you could tell them the truth on, “The King in the North does not punish a son for his fathers sins. For now, you two will remain here, but alive, and unharmed. I promise.”

They both looked to you, a relief in each their green eyes. Martyn shouting, “Thank you for the food...your grace.” You nodded once and turned from them. Quietly telling the guards you’ll send for them to be able to bathe in the mornings before departing.

Pulling you up onto his lap, Robb slowly begun to pull of your shift, his own shirt tossed off and his breeches undone as he carefully slid the sleeves down your arms. “I’ve sent word to Walder Frey, we agreed moving the wedding as soon as we can.”

Letting him pull it up off of you, he gently tossed it onto the pile with his own as he flipped you onto the bed, slowly dragging your underwear as he paused to eye the growing wetness between your legs before climbing back up to hover over you. “It’s the least he can do, Edmure. I understand to the people it was important,” your hands begun to run through his hair. “But we don’t win wars fighting the small battles. He led a small battle, and it led to my father losing a bigger one.”

Smoothing a hand down your side before he ran it over your stomach, he pressed a gentle kiss to your lips. “He’s barley made a move since then, hasn’t he?” Shaking your head solemnly, Robb leaned down to capture your lips more firmly this time.

His other hand cupping the back of your neck to keep you leaned up partially against him, slotting himself between your legs. Muttering through his barley held on ability to leave your lips for more then half a second, “We have to be more careful,” Kissing down the length of your neck, they were nibbling and light despite his beard leaving burns in it’s wake. Burns he learned you adored the feeling of it. “Tywin in Kings Landing, we have to watch out for each other. Especially now, especially with this.”

His mouth leaving sloppier kisses down the middle of your chest until he reached your stomach, hovering over as he looked with a heavy gaze. As if he couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to have such a thing. There wasn’t even much there yet, a small bump that only Robb could see in moments like this but it didn’t matter.

His son was in there, your son. A sight which for two years seemed like a distant fantasy only dreamt up in the luxury of your short time in Winterfell. His blue eyes were bright almost like there was water hiding behind them as he pressed one more gentle kiss to the skin there. The tenderness of a father to his infant before he lunged back up.

One arm moving around your back to press your body into his and the other wrapping back behind your neck to seal you in a kiss. His teeth bit more roughly at you, opening you up for his tongue before he groaned. Feeling your hands gently reach between you to pull his cock free. Face twisting up in a sneer at your hand wrapped around his thick length, hardly letting you stroke him before reaching between you to snatch your hand.

Leaning up with blazing eyes as he looked down at you his own chest heaving as he looked you over, your wet cunt so close to his cock, the very start of a bump at your stomach and your chest that was turning as sensitive as your neck.

His free hand reached up, slowly dancing along your skin until he grasped at your breast, tightly groping and watching your head throw back at the instant spark of pleasure in your veins. “Is this the baby?” Leaning down you squirmed at his hot breathe over your nipple, “Making you this sensitive for me?” You swallowed heavily, nodding only to arch up with a cry as his teeth bit down as his fingers pulled at the other. His teeth gentle, but he yanked and tugged with a more sturdy force before grinding his cock along your soaked folds.

“Robb, please,”

Your vision spun around, Robb kneeling you up on your hands and knees. One hand roughly running through your hair, pulling it to the side as he bit along your ear. His knees spreading your thighs out more until you felt his cock slide between them. “There’s my good girl, letting her husband do whatever he wants with her.”

Your lungs heaved, your chest felt like it stung and no doubt you’d have a barrage of new colours surrounding them and your neck come morning. “I’m yours, please, anything you want...” He slid in with no resistance, his own groan buried in your neck at how slick you were so fast.

Taking all of him in one thrust as you cried out, arms shaking from the stretch and pressure inside of you. Pushing deep, he looked down at you with his hands tight on your hips, pounding forward as he pulled you back onto him.

The way Robb would flip, how earlier you both leaned against a corridor wall kissing sweetly like teenagers, and now he had you bent over in front of him like you were the whore he paid and he the brute to use you for his own cock. But worse was how you’d let him, how much you wanted him to treat you like meat in bed, because outside of it you knew a truly loving man was behind it.

It was as if this was the only times you had. Robb would keep you at his side, a hand on you at all times but he preferred to only ever have you in a bed. A long drawn out event leaving you both breathless and thoroughly spent. As his cock fucked into you now, one hand dancing between to rub and tug at your clit the same way he fucked against the sensitive part of your walls.

You moaned and cried and had no knowledge if you were speaking words that even made sense other then his own name as pleas. The first time you both came, he spilled deep inside of you as you were kept as much on his cock as possible, the second he painted your cunt and upper thighs completely as you shook from your second orgasm, that had you shake.

Carefully draping the sheets over you, Robb had turned you on your back, him on his side as he kissed you so sweetly, murmuring whispers of gentle praises and love as you came down when the knock came.

He pulled the sheet up on you as much as possible and wrapped it slightly behind you as he pulled you up to his chest, arm wrapped around your front and splayed his large hand over your stomach as he told them to enter.

What you didn’t expect, was his squire there rushing out there had been an incident. Somewhat had happened, and Lord Edmure and the Blackfish required both of your presence in the main hall. It was quite late, throwing on enough to cover the both of you as he led you to the sight.

Standing there, Robb stood partially behind you. You both seethed, your insides shaking in disgusted horror at the sight. Willem and Martyn Lannister laid dead, mutilated as they they had been forced out of their cell and into their deaths.

You couldn’t stop seeing the slightly awe inspired boys that had thanked you so kindly after you just showed them some kindness of your own. Edmure stood with Brynden with their own more controlled reaction, and poor Catelyn sat to the side like she couldn’t decide between looking at them once more and breaking entirely.

The rage inside of you was burning. Out of all the things he could have done, he chose the most horrific path of betrayal he could imagine. Robb’s voice was rough as he spoke trying to keep it even. “Bring them in.”

Tearing your eyes away from the sight, their eyes still wide open as they died in what must have been such fear to watch five men walk in led by Lord Rickard Karstark who had none of the decency to look ashamed. Robb looked to Brynden asking if that was all, getting a confirming nod in return. Your teeth gritted as you looked at them with no reason to hold back your contempt. “It took five of you to murder two unarmed squires?”

Lord Karstark looking to you with a fire in his own eyes that you wanted to burn out. “Not murder, your grace. Vengeance.”

Robb was never as intimidating as he was standing beside you with an energy that could strangle with how heavy and intense it was. “Vengeance? Those boys didn’t kill your sons. I saw Harrion die on the battlefield, and Torrhen-”

“Was strangled by the Kingslayer.” Karstark trying to justify what no one could. “They were his kin-”

“They were boys,” Robb’s voice echoed in such an angry roar to them it vibrated through your bloodstream. The men said nothing, and he spat out “Look at them.”

Lord Karstark nor his men behind him had any courage to do so. Instead he looked to Catelyn and did anything he could to pretend he was justified. “Tell your mother to look at them. She killed them as much as I.”

Catelyn, who had released Jaime Lannister once he had already been brought back from the escape that killed Torrhen. You didn’t buy it, and neither did Robb. “My mother had nothing to do with this. This was your treason.”

Yelling back at his own King like he had the right after what he’d done, made you feel like you were ready to knock the man into the floor. “It’s treason to free your enemies, in war you kill your enemies. Did your father not teach you that boy-”

As Brynden knocked him to his knees with a hit to the gut, you also felt yourself step forward on your own before Robb firmly grasped you around the waist. Tugging you right up to his side as you partially faced one another. “Leave him.”

Slinking his head up like a snake that never knew when to stop. “Aye, leave me to the King. He wants to give me a scolding before he sets me free. That’s how he deals with treason, our King in the North.”

You looked up to Robb as he did you, your eyes both with the same understanding that had him holding onto you so tightly. His hand almost coming around to your stomach, he looked down to you. Full knowing you were telling him exactly what he was thinking. “Escort Lord Karstark to the dungeon. Hang the rest.”

Finally you both looked away from the other, back to the spineless lot of them as one plead a pathetic case. “Mercy, Sire, I didn’t kill anyone, I only watched for the guards.”

Looking at his men Robb was confident and unwavering. “This one was only the watcher. Hang him last so he can watch the others die.” The man pleading the entire time as they were escorted out until Edmure closed the door, sealing you all back in the quiet with the murdered boys.

“Word of this can’t leave Riverrun.” Robb refused to let you pull away from him but slid his hand up to run soothingly over your back as he felt the tension shimmer down a bit. Edmure continuing, “They were Tywin Lannister’s nephews, the Lannisters pay their debts. They’ll never stop talking about it.”

Robb rightly refused the notion. “Would you make me a liar as well as a murderer?” Taking all of the responsibility on his shoulders as King, and men like Lord Karstark had the audacity to question his authority.

Edmure tried to suggest a compromise. “It wouldn’t be lying. We will bury them and remain silent until the war is done.”

Robb looked to him, his own anger trying to keep at bay. “I’m not fighting for justice if I don’t serve justice to murderers in my ranks. No matter how high born. He dies for this.”

Catelyn stood, trying to come to a sense that neither you nor her son would agree with. “The Karstarks are northmen. They won’t forgive you for murdering their Lord. Spare his life, keep him as a hostage.”

You managed to pull away, your hand pressing against your forehead as you exhaled deeply as you walked to the window. “That’s the solution, he murders two innocent boys and commits treason and his punishment is to what? Keep him here and hope that sends a message?”

Catelyn looked to you but found nothing to plead with just as she did the choice in her son. “They are loyal men to us, we show their family kindness and they will continue to fight at our side-”

You turned in place. Leaning against the window with your arms crossing over your chest. The boys right in your eyeline when you were the one to tell them they would be safe here. “Show too much kindness people won’t fear you. They don’t fear you, they don’t follow you. We can’t show that kind of mercy for this.”

Robb looked at both his mother and uncle with no room for question. “I’m not fighting for a free North if the kind of people I fight with are traitors and child murderers. Lord Karstark committed his crime and he knows his judgment for it. His men choose to stay they will not be punished for his crimes, but if they leave then it’s their choice as well to break their oaths to our House.”

“And their vow to their King.”

Your eyes met and in that silence, Robb watched as you nodded once. He was right, and you would stand by it. “Come the first light of dawn, bring him to the courtyard and I will execute him myself. That is my decision, and my decision is final.”

The bodies were taken from the room, and the remaining Tully’s left as well. Your back had turned to the rain pouring onto the river out in the dark when you felt Robb wrap his arms around you, pulling you back into him. “I need you to watch that temper,” Your eyes narrowed but he kept you firmly in his loving hold. “It’s not good for you, either of you to be this angry. You leave that to me, I want you calm and healthy.”

You sighed out, the sizzling anger still there but you didn’t want to risk anything harming your boy. Your hands found Robb’s pulling them to lay over your stomach. “You’re making the right choice. We can’t just fight a war to win, we have to fight and prove the kind of people we want to be in the process. And that out there is not it.”

His head leaned over yours, running his nose down the side of your hair gently. “You shouldn’t come. To the execution.” You tried to protest but he continued. “It’s my crime to punish, not yours. You shouldn’t have to bear the weight of my choices and theirs, when you’re in this state.”

Robb allowed you to turn in his arms. Your hands finding the sides of his face as he found your waist, running his hands up and down them. “My place, is by your side, my king.” Robb sighed out deeply, but his eyes were thankful. “I will not have these men judge you but not me for serving due justice. Your actions are mine to stand by, and I will stand beside you on this in here and out there.”

Leaning to press his forehead against yours, the weight of a love only the two of you could provide at that point was palpable. Leaning down, Robb kissed you once more.

The rain continued into the morning, refusing to let up as if even down here the gods understood the weight of the actions. Not many were present for it, not many needed to be. Two men bringing Lord Karstark out to the still dark court, Catelyn, Edmure, and Brynden to the side as witnesses with the few scattered who dared show, and on the main steps stood Robb, and by his side, you.

In every punishment there was a protest to do it with mercy or kindness, but you had shown those boys kindness and they were not shown mercy in response. Justice was justice and what kind of rulers were you and Robb if you showed that kind of mercy to lawbreakers.

Standing before him, Lord Karstark looked unashamed. “The blood of the First Men flows through my veins as much as yours, boy. I fought the Mad King for your father. I fought Joffery for you. We are Kin. Stark and Karstark.”

Robb didn’t blink even as the rain poured down. “That didn’t stop you from betraying me, and it won’t save you now.”

Like he was the lecturer when two children’s blood drenched his veins, he spoke. “I don’t want you to save me. I want it to haunt you for the rest of your days.” He looked to you, only to find the same expression as the man before him.

A voice full of ire as Robb commanded. “Kneel, my lord.”

His sword, strong and unsheathed as you held its holding. Robb holding the high sword, blade pointed to the ground with both hands on the hilt. Knelt over it slightly as he spoke his judgment. “Rickard Karstark, Lord of Karhold. Here in sight of gods and men, I sentence you to die. Would you speak a final word?”

A man with nothing to be shamed for blaming Robb for actions that were not his, and yelling of a justice he brought on himself. Your eyes blazing with a fury and Robb’s with an anger that fed his delivery of a Just King. “Kill me and be cursed. You are no King of mine.”

Robb gave one powerful slice, and it was over.

The only person to follow his rage out of the court, was you. His arm pulling you close and as soon as you both got into private, you let him take that rage out on you once more. You both needed it, and right now the only peace was found in the other.

Peace, and a gentle hand in the quiet of your bedroom running over your stomach with yours covering his much larger one. Nothing of Riverrun had brought any good to you both, but at least in this quite bubble, there was still a family that had nothing but love and promise surrounding you.

#jon snow x reader #robb stark x reader #jon snow #robb stark #game of thrones #asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #jon snow x you #robb stark x you #jon snow imagine #robb stark imagine #game of thrones imagine

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greenteabelle · 5 months

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orv au based on one thousand and one nights where kim dokja is the sacrificial bride of his town to be wed to the kingdom's tyrannical king yoo joonghyuk .

kdj is used to being alone . ever since his mother left without a single word after she was accused of dabbling in the dark arts , he's left to bear the scrutinising gazes of the villagers . rumours circulate in whispers , though he hears them all the same , accusing him of inheriting his mother's curse because why else does he have that strange gloominess surrounding him ? he becomes an easy target for bullying , but he never goes down quietly . after all , he has fought better with words .

because if one thing is for certain , kdj is observant . he will listen to their self-righteous words and hear their venomous secrets , take in their luxurious robes and see what they try to hide , endure their beatings and find their weakest spots . no matter how badly he aches nor how suffocating his heart , he finds the right words and strikes where it hurts .

and once they throw the first punch , well , it's self defense is it not ?

and kdj is resigned to his fate . he doesn't expect to find kindness in others , for life as a mundane citizen in a kingdom constantly on the brink of war makes no room for generosity .

but he meets good people .

yoo sangah who sneaks him bread for breakfast every morning ;

han sooyoung who throws him stolen books from the scornful librarian ;

lee hyunsung who defends him when the fights get too rough ;

jung heewon who offers him a place to hide when running is the only option .

so kdj is content .

until one day , the village head wants to rise higher in the ranks of nobility , and secretly makes a deal with the party that opposes the supreme king . the laws of the kingdom mandate that the king's bride must be chosen by the council of nobles , so they scheme to find a bride who can remove the king once and for all .

so the village head thinks of kdj , rumoured to have inherited his mothers dark arts , and offers him up as a sacrificial bride .

before kdj can even try to escape , he's drugged and whisked away to the supreme king's castle .

when he wakes up to the glint of a blade aimed directly at his throat , kdj does the only thing that comes to mind in his desperation to see another day .

"let me tell you a story , before i go . "

momentarily stunned by kdj's bravado , yjh allows it with cruel amusement .

so kdj just talks .

he tells him the story of a gamer who is thrown into an apocalyptic world where death comes knocking at every moment . he rambles on and on , scrounging every nook and cranny of his brain to glean each detail to bring the story to life . as each hour passes , yjh slowly lowers his sword and sits back to hear the story .

and just as the first slivers of sunlight start to break over the horizon , kdj says this :

" and that is the end of the protagonist's first life . "

" ... first ? "

" yes, your majesty . "

" how many lives does he have after this one ? "

" one thousand more . "

the corner of yjh's lips quirk up slightly , though kdj doesn't dare to call it a smile . it's obvious that the man has seen through his plot , though he doesn't comment on it .

" to a thousand nights of our marriage , then . nothing more , nothing less . "

then night after night , kdj is brought to yjh's chambers to continue his story . their interactions begin to bleed into daylight , as yjh seems to gradually integrate kdj into his life . he gets to know lee jihye , commander of the royal guard , lee gilyoung and shin yoosung , caretakers of the beasts etc. and he grows attached to them .

for some unfathomable reason , yjh even allows kdj to contact his old friends .

as each day passes , kdj gets to know the elusive king a little more . their banter never gets tiresome , and it is always a delight for kdj to see a glimpse underneath that cold mask he hides behind . he starts to genuinely care for him .

perhaps a bit too much .

so when the deadline of their marriage arrives , kdj makes a decision .

" ... and that is the end of my story . "

" kim dokja , why won't you look at me ? "

" why are you doing this to me ? "

" doing what ? "

" doing such cruel things to me . i have no more stories to tell , meaning that my time , no matter how delayed , is now up . today is the date of my execution , yet you still look at me as if I were your most prized possession , when I no longer hold any value . "

" your stories do not equate to your value , kim dokja . "

" do you mean for me to believe that you will continue to keep me by your side even when I have no story left to tell ? "

" why would you believe anything else ? "

" my story is finished , what other story is there left for me to share ? "

" then , my beloved , perhaps we shall write our own story . together . "

#omniscient reader's viewpoint #orv #kim dokja #yoo joonghyuk #yoo sangah #han sooyoung #lee hyunsung #jung heewon #lee jihye #lee gilyoung #shin yoosung #alternate universe #au #ok this was an old idea i had like 2 years ago but never got around to writing it #i don't think i even have the abilities to do it justice LMAO #so here it is on my third day back on tumblr #thank you for reading

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retnym · 1 year

Text

WORLD TOUR- .04

"Don't call me that."

We’re still in Germany for a few more weeks, having two other shows then moving on to the next country. During this time Jace will be hanging around us. Once we leave he has to go back to college. He’s been taking me on small dates like dinners and little shopping sprees. Well, it was more we walked around, I don’t like people spending money on me. I really just enjoy the company. And this company won’t last long once the distance becomes too much once again.

I might as well keep him around to get my mind off the stress of touring though. It also bothers Tom that he’s around so it’s a plus in my book. Bill, Georg, and Gustav have been hanging around him as well. It’s been a week and a half since our second show. These are a little spaced out only because there was supposed to be another but the building it was in got shut down. I couldn’t tell you why but it did.

Since the boys hang out with Jace, I’ve been with Johanna during that time. They only hang out with him when Tom isn’t around though so it’s a rare occasion. Some bro-code they have they can’t all hangout together.

Weird.

Tonight we’re going out to dinner together. Even Tom will be there. It’s a night to just relax and be around each other. These shows will be tiresome and this is about to be a crazy time.

It’s a casual but formal dinner so I dressed in a black silk dress that has a slit on the leg that starts from the top of my thigh all the way down. Silver heels to match. I was currently waiting for Jace to pick me up, I kissed Springroll goodbye and decided to wait outside.

I live with my aunt for the time being. I thought about getting my own house but since I travel so often there’s no point. My cat will stay with my aunt until after the Germany shows then I’ll pick her up and she’ll travel with me on the bus.

Pulling out my phone real quick I check the time. It’s 6:13, Jace was supposed to be here 13 minutes ago. It’s a good thing I wasn’t the one who made the reservations. He’s been doing this every day. He’s late to come to get me for everything, always having an excuse too.

I still haven’t given him an answer on us trying again but he seems keen on getting me to be his. I’m going to make him work for it a little longer though.

A horn honks from down the street and I step down the stairs of the porch as his car pulls up near the mailbox. I wanted to wait for him to get out and open the door for me but we are running too late to be dramatic about opening a door. Getting in with a huff he immediately drives off before I even buckle my seat.

The car ride was short, his driving being a little crazy as he swerved around other cars, almost running a few lights and signs. My hand never un-tensing. His one hand was on my thigh and the other was on the wheel.

Once we came to a stop, I got out of the car as fast as possible. “What’s the rush?” He laughed, slowly getting out of the car. I tried forcing myself to laugh too but it came out almost like a croak. “We’re late, Jace. They’re waiting for us.” I don’t even wait for him to catch up with me, I’m already at the doors to the restaurant.

“Reservation?” A man who looks like he’s in his younger 20s asks me. “Oh, Kaulitz?” He nods, motioning for me to follow him. Jace was now behind me, he never sped up he kept the same pace. It frustrated me a tiny bit but what can you do?

“There’s Jo!” I smile, waving to her. It looks like she just got out of the bathroom. She returns the favor and walks over to me. She was wearing a dark green velvet feel dress that had long sleeves but her cleavage showed and it looked amazing. She pulls me into a hug and we continue to follow the guy to the table.

“There she is!” Georg grins, high-fiving me. Bill scoots over and we sit next to him. Johanna was next to Gustav. It was a curved booth, so it went Georg, Tom, Gustav, Johanna, Bill, me, and then Jace. I was right across from Tom. He was on his phone, no surprise there of course.

I couldn’t stop myself from looking at him though. His dreads were down and it was weird seeing him without a hat. Before I could think too much Jace had taken my hand and I smile up at him and then join the conversation with the others. They were all wearing button-ups and nice pants. Nothing too fancy but it was something.

We started drinking right as the food came in. It was just the appetizer so we didn’t even feel a buzz with our drinks yet, that’s when I tapped my spoon on the glass earning everyone’s attention. My eyes flickered between Johanna to Tom who automatically looked up my way.

“So, I have been meaning to bring something up.” I laugh awkwardly, now with everyone’s eyes I began to feel a little nervous. Biting at the dead skin of my bottom lip and taking a deep breath I continue. Even as a performer, I get extremely nervous with complete silence.

Also, something on my mind has me suddenly confused with my thoughts.

“Um, we all know Johanna is a pretty good photographer. She’s also very organized. Unlike most of us.” I adjust the top of my dress, letting go of Jace’s hand to wipe the sweat onto my dress but it doesn’t help wearing silk. “I want her to be our personal photographer, along with managing certain things for us. Helping us get interviews, ads for products, speaking for us over the phone, things like this that we’re too busy for.” I explain to them, glancing at her who nervously stared at the table. Her leg was bouncing up and down, I could tell from the way her body is shaking slightly. “That’d be amazing.” Bill was of course the first to speak up and I let out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “I think it sounds like a good plan.” Gustav shrugs, smiling at Johanna whose eyes lit up like stars.

“What do you think, Tom?” Bill asks his brother and Tom was playing with his piercings, jumping from the sudden attention his way. “I don’t think it’s a bad idea. We do need it.” He points out and we all look at him like he’s crazy. “What?” He gives a look.

“No negative input?” Georg chuckles. “Why would I?” He asks and a few of us deadpan, his eyes lock with mine and he finally seems to get it. “My comments go to you, not innocent bystanders.” I roll my eyes at what he said but then Jace says something. “But I do?” Tom just presses his lips together awkwardly before going onto his phone. I cough to get the tension to just go away.

The night ended up getting better as we ate. We all started drinking even more, except Jace who we all decided was going to drive us home. The others got dropped off by other people because they knew they were going to drink.

Let me tell you, we were having a blast. Laughing loudly as we ate, telling stories and jokes with each other.

Since it was getting pretty late I order my last shot and beer. Quickly taking the shot I went to grab the beer but Jace stops me. “You might want to slow down.” He places a hand on my lower back but I shake my head. “I’m enjoying myself.” I went to take another sip but Jace takes it from me completely. My face scrunches in confusion along with a little irritation. “Give it back, Jace,” I mutter going to take it again. “Drink water at least.”

“I have been. Just give it.” I please with him. “[Name].” He warns but I slide the cup back my way. “[Name]-” “You’re not my boyfriend,” I whisper, bringing it up to my lips he tries to grab it and it spills on my chest, sliding down my dress. I gasp, standing right up and climbing over him. “Woah, what happened?” Bill laughs.

I just ignore him pushing myself over Jace’s lap which was quite difficult in a dress and with the small amount of room with the table. I’m sure I was giving Georg and Gustav a show. “I’m sorry.” He says, trying to help me but I push him back. Speeding off to the bathroom even though I’m stumbling a little bit he stays behind me. “Wait, slow down.” I try to continue walking but Tom… I mean Jace grabs my wrist right as we're outside the bathroom. The music played loudly so even if we argued no one was to hear. I don’t really care though, I’m drunk off my ass.

“Babe, I’m sorry.” I slam myself accidentally against the wall, standing up straight. “Don’t call me that.” I put a finger against his chest.

“We aren’t dating. You left me.” I shove him with every word. “I know, I know.” He whispers, his face looking a bit blurry. I slowly blink, forgetting exactly what I was saying but I keep running at the mouth. “You announce how you feel and then next I’m nothing to you. Sleeping around with all those-” I cut myself off with a cry and his face contorts again and it’s Jace once more. “What? That- I didn’t.” He looked confused and even when drunk I can realize where I messed up. “You’re a dick. You had a girlfriend for a month and you’re back to me?” I hide my face in my hands and he pulls me into a hug.

“I’ll always love you, that’s why.” He kisses my head and I close my eyes.

Why did I say that?

Shorter of a chapter but this is kind of getting more into you and Tom as the chapters go on. It's still a slow burn so figuring everything out might take a minute.

#tom kaulitz #bill kaulitz #georg listing #gustav schäfer #tokio hotel #x reader

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wobster109 · 2 months

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Dr. Ratio and Aventurine would have ✨sparkling✨ chemistry

First things first: are they in love? As of Penacony 2.0, no.

(But the potential is there.)

To begin with, what sort of person is our esteemed doctor? Lots of people online say that he'd be angry with someone like March, but in my opinion I can't see it being true. She's no genius, and he probably finds it tiresome to try to teach someone who's just not getting it. But that's an impersonal sort of irritation. She wasn't born a genius, and he wouldn't do something so pointless as to begrudge someone their birth. He wouldn't dislike her for who she is or what she stands for.

I believe that he reserves his scorn for geniuses who fritter away their genius. People like Ruan Mei who have the intellect, and spend it creating cat cakes and Scaracabaz while caring about no one. To some degree, Herta and her Simulated Universe too, researching the Aeons while showing complete disinterest in the humans aboard her space station.

Look at his own research: solving a planet's energy crisis! Curing a previously incurable illness! Teaching! It's all very noblesse oblige of him: a life of service, despite his insufferable attitude.

Aventurine is clearly brilliant, what with having won a gamble against Fate. One does not simply get lucky against Fate—you must engineer your hand to outwit Fate itself. (Those of us who play Genshin—we saw how hard Focalors had to work for it!) Knowing who he is, who he was, where he's come from, and what he's made himself into, Ratio understands that nothing Aventurine does is ever frivolous. It's all deadly serious, and deadly. The foundation for respect is there.

But at the same time, all that gambling and social schmoozing? The risk, reward, and hanging by a thread? It probably baffles our blunt, direct Dr. Ratio. It's completely foreign to him, a way of thinking that he'd never choose and cannot fathom. I imagine they'd be at odds with each other.

So, you've got begrudging respect and a hint of fascination.

All it takes is one breathless, death-defying adventure together to make it kindle.

The more tenuous direction is the other way around: would Aventurine even take notice of Dr. Ratio? Sure, the man's beautiful as a statue with an intellect to match, but Aventurine's surrounded by powerful IPC officials. Probably a bunch of brilliant minds too. Aventurine's a man of many so-called "frrriends" and no friends—perhaps, to him, Ratio is just another useful, but ultimately disposable, tool.

Or perhaps not. There are a few traits that might endear our Doctor to a world-weary gambler.

Sincerity - Ratio is blunt, direct, and cannot be bribed. What he says is what you get. Might be a nice change of pace for Aventurine, who's more used to the kind of conversations he has with Himiko, where they dance around each other and their meanings are implied.

Stability - Aventurine's had to fight for everything he has, including his life. What if he's offered a place to stay (he's already crashing in Ratio's hotel room after giving his own to Trailblazer), or perhaps whatever price of his freedom paid. Perhaps simply the promise of a dependable ally. Would he turn into a puppy, roll over and offer up his loyalty?

Noblesse Oblige - This is a bit of a stretch, but the IPC doesn't really take on projects for the sake of doing good. Ratio's entire modus operandi seems to be for the betterment of all peoples. It's as foreign to Aventurine as social schmoozing is for Ratio. Perhaps Aventurine finds it fascinating, interesting, or even a bit noble.

This is all speculation, but. . . part of me believes that HSR wouldn't make them roommates of happenstance for nothing.

In closing, I leave you with this bizarre consumable—what could it mean? Only time will tell.

#spoilers #honkai star rail #aventurine #hsr aventurine #dr. ratio

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ayameric · 2 years

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Total Khaos | W. Maximoff

YOU DO NOT HAVE PERMISSION TO REPOST MY WORK UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE.

Summary: You and Wanda had been dating for a little while, but the witch was becoming a little impatient about meeting a certain friend of yours.

Also shoutout to @lis-likes-fics for the inspiration on the symbiote character idea!

Wanda Maximoff x Fem!Symbiote!Reader

Main Masterlist

WC: 2710 - Based on request 'I'm sorry you had to see me like that'.

TW: None really, mentions of violence and eating people, slight ass grab.

You and Wanda had been dating for a few months now, and you were still relatively new to the team. So, Wanda and the rest of the Avengers were still getting to know you a bit, but it felt easier with the Sokovian.

She had similar life experiences to you; the pain and suffering you had both endured had allowed you to both connect emotionally and develop a relationship. In reality, you knew from the moment you laid eyes on her she was bound to find a way into your heart eventually, her deep green eyes and luxuriously silky brown hair in contrast to her light milky skin, you were completely enamoured.

Unfortunately, so was Khaos.

See, you were a two for one deal. What appeared to most was just you, but you also happened to co-habit your body with a symbiote named Khaos. A relative of Venom, you were helping to clean up the mess that was caused in San Francisco when you and the symbiote you’ve come to love/hate met.

Since then, you had both been on the run from the laboratory that had once housed the alien, until the Avengers found you and offered you sanctuary and a job. But because you were new, you had yet to go out on your first mission, and only some of the team actually knew of your ‘condition’.

Wanda did not.

She had heard, but had never met your slimy companion, as you had warned Khaos to stay away until you felt ready for the two to meet. You were afraid that your overly enthusiastic and violent friend would scare your new girlfriend away, and after everything you had been through in your life, that was the last thing you wanted to happen.

However, you were quite unaware of just how keen Wanda was to see your powers. It seemed as though everyone but her had seen your abilities, and she was feeling somewhat left out and untrusted. She had even brought it up to you, but you had assured her that it was nothing to do with her and that it was entirely Khaos you were concerned with, to which the symbiote growled in your ear.

You and Khaos had quite the odd relationship, but you had come to respect each other. Therefore, Khaos was understanding of your want to keep her away from Wanda, but she too was growing tiresome. It seemed that it was only you wanting to keep the pair from meeting.

“Why is it even important?” You asked playfully, only for Wanda to groan.

The pair of you were sparring in the gym, having been assigned partners for the day. The room itself was empty and relatively quiet, aside from the echoes of your conversation and the punches Wanda landed on the punching bag that you were holding for her.

“Because! It’s a part of you and I feel like you’re hiding it from me!” Wanda told you, somewhat breathlessly as she halted her assault on the bag. You couldn’t tell, but Wanda was getting pretty frustrated, as was your roommate.

“Yes! She is right! Stop hiding me from her. I promise, she will love me!” The symbiote yelled in your head, and you squinted at the volume of her voice.

“I’m not hiding her from you, Wanda! I’m just-“ You trailed off, loosening your grip on the bag and letting your gaze fall to the ground from your girlfriend.

“-You’re what?” Wanda asked, desperate to get some sort of real answer from you.

“I don’t know!” You said exasperatedly, throwing your arms up in the air. You did feel guilty for hiding Khaos from Wanda. “I’m worried you might see the real us and it might…scare you off?”

Wanda’s face softened at your confession, hearing you trail off and a sense of vulnerability in your tone. She dropped her stance and stepped close to you.

“Y/N, baby. Nothing could ever scare me away from you.” Wanda told you tenderly. Despite only being together for a few months, it was clear you two were meant for each other. You had yet to drop the big ‘L’ bomb, but it was looming. But this whole ‘Khaos meeting Wanda’ thing had put a little dampener on your relationship as of late. “I know you’re afraid, but please, I meant what I said when we started dating; I want all of you.”

You couldn’t help but smile at her confession, getting somewhat shy under the woman’s gaze and feeling your cheeks flush. You reached down and grabbed at Wanda’s wrapped hands, taking them into your own and squeezing gently. Maybe it is time for Wanda to see all of you, and Khaos wasn’t that bad, right?

“I am very polite!” Khaos tried to help sway you over. “I promise I will behave.”

“Maybe I’ll let Khaos meet you, but I’m making sure she behaves.” You told Wanda, and she smiled at the admission. “She can’t be that bad-“

As you were finally thinking it would be a good idea, the gym doors burst open revealing a dishevelled looking Clint.

"Sorry to break up whatever romantic moment you guys are having, but we have an emergency in DC. Cap wants us all ready and at the Quinjet in ten minutes.” The archer told you, nodding briefly before rushing off.

“Shit, duty calls.” Wanda deflated slightly, letting go of your hands.

“This is my first mission.” You realised in a quiet tone, staring off blankly. Wanda looked at you and she felt a sense of pride swell in her chest.

“You’ll do great.” She told you sincerely, but Wanda also had a moment of realisation. A mission would mean she’d get to meet your other half. She’d finally get to see Khaos. Part of Wanda felt bad at wanting to meet the symbiote so badly, but out of pure curiosity and a little bit of jealousy that everyone else had met her. But Wanda had been vulnerable with you, about her powers and everything, so why weren’t you?

The mission was supposed to go one way, in and out, minimal fuss and casualties. But of course, things never went to plan for the Avengers.

You were told to hang back, observe a little and help if needed, as the team were still cautious about you letting loose an alien on the battleground. Khaos was getting antsy, and you could tell containing her was going to be particularly difficult.

Hydra agents were opening fire on a highway in D.C, and had taken hostages. The situation had escalated in the time it had taken you all to get there, and it wasn’t exactly going to be an easy first mission. Natasha was initially instructed to stay with you, as she had experiences with dealing with people that had very angry and violent alter egos. However, Bruce was back at the compound, so you would be filling in for him.

But as things got worse, Nat had to dash off, and couldn’t ‘babysit’ you, so you were told to hang back. They couldn’t risk you rushing around unsupervised, they had no idea how Khaos would react.

Wanda was also preoccupied, trying to shield civilians and get them to safety off the bridge. You were still in the back of her mind though, but she could only hope you were safe, and that Khaos would protect you.

But even you were getting a little annoyed, hanging back and watching your friends rush off to save the day. You felt useless.

“We should be helping them! Not standing here like a fucking idiot!” Khaos roared in your ear, and you smacked the side of your head in hopes of getting her to shut up. You were still sat on the Quinjet that was around the block, wearing your tactical gear but not using it.

“I know! I know! But- we were told to stay here.” You argued back, standing up abruptly and beginning to pace around the aircraft.

“Fuck it, just let me take control! I can handle these tiny mortals!” The symbiote tried, and you were beginning to give into the urge. It was like a scratch beneath your skin that you couldn’t itch until you gave up your body to the alien.

You remained silent for a moment, before groaning.

“Fine! Let’s go.” You gave in, and Khaos exclaimed in excitement as her slimy navy skin began to take over your body and engulf it. It wasn’t long before you stood at a terrifying size and height, large white eyes and a snarling mouth.

“Finally! Time to feast!” Khaos screamed, before pounding out of the jet on all fours to rush to the action.

In fact, you got there in seconds, the alien leaping in the air and pouncing on top of a car with an almighty crash, letting out a roar that would strike fear in any soldier. It caused your teammates to turn around and look at you with wide eyes, expecting to see a much smaller looking Y/N.

“Y/N?!” Steve yelled out in shock, as Khaos snapped her head to look at the tiny man. Her tongue hung out of her mouth as she snarled into a wicked smile.

“Captain Rogers, I’ll take it from here.” The symbiote instructed, bouncing over the captain, Natasha and Clint, and bounding toward the group of Hydra agents taking cover behind cars across the freeway.

“Khaos, don’t!” Natasha tried, but it was no use. The symbiote pounced on an unsuspecting Hydra soldier, and swiped a large fist at him, sending him flying off the side of the bridge. The rest of the soldiers began to fire as their teammate screamed, but their bullets did nothing. Khaos began rampaging, using her skin to form tentacles to rip the weapons from the agents, and keep them suspended in the air as she attacked.

“Khaos, no eating!” You warned her as she threatened to dangle one into her large jaw, which snapped shut at your chastising, tossing the man aside.

“No fun.” She grumbled, continuing her assault on the small army.

The rest of the team were taking out stragglers, and Steve had called on everyone to regroup. Wanda was quick to come flying round, using her powers to lower herself down onto the tarmac.

“What’s going on?” She asked out of confusion, looking around. This wasn’t part of the plan.

“You’re girlfriend’s gone crazy!” Clint yelled in frustration, pointing to the current carnage Khaos was unleashing.

Wanda’s eyes followed his finger, and went wide at the sight of a now nearly ten foot slimy alien slicing through Hydra agents.

“Th-That’s Khaos?!” She asked in shock.

“What were you expecting?!” Natasha yelled back, everyone worried that they wouldn’t be able to get Khaos back under control.

There weren’t many agents left, the symbiote having made quick work of them, so the team knew it was time to step in to calm the beast. A lullaby, as Natasha called it. But this wasn’t Bruce, or the Hulk. This was a much bigger, angrier, and stronger alien that hadn’t really seen much of before.

“Khaos, come on, that’s enough!” You tried to rope her in, but she had been in storage for a long time, and she was letting out all her frustration on these assholes.

“Is this not cathartic?! They deserve this!” Khaos defended. “Remember what they did to Wanda!

It was a low blow, but that ignited something in you, an anger. Hydra were cruel, and you weren’t going to let them hurt Wanda again. Feeling the change in your tone, Khaos laughed wickedly and continued the onslaught. Unrelenting, the symbiote took no mercy on the soldiers, no matter how many grenades and bullets they fired.

“Y/N!” A voice called out from behind you, one you both recognised. One you loved. Khaos snapped her head around, after taking out the final standing Hydra goon.

“Wanda?” The alien questioned, watching the witch step cautiously around the wreckage to get closer to you. She was walking with a hand held out slightly in front of her, almost defensively.

Despite her name, and her violent nature, Khaos cared for Wanda as much as you did, and seeing her almost look in fear at you made her feel bad. Khaos didn’t feel bad very often, if at all. The beast seemingly calmed at the sight and sound of your girlfriend, and the rage inside you subsided at her tone.

You wanted to call out to her, but she wouldn’t hear you. You really just wanted to hold her.

“Khaos? Whoever! Look,” Wanda was finally a few feet away from you, lowering her arm. “It’s over. They’re gone. You did it.”

Wanda was broaching you as calmly as possible, and the team knew that she would have the best chance at talking Khaos down.

“Gone.” Khaos mumbled, looking around briefly at the bloodshed she had caused.

“Yeah, all gone. You did a good job.” Wanda smiled at you, and despite the clear worry in her eyes, you knew she was being sincere.

“It’s nice to meet you, Wanda.” Khaos changed the subject, turning her attention back to the Sokovian and kneeling slightly.

Wanda titled her head slightly and smirked.

“It’s good to meet you too, Khaos.” She greeted, taking a tentative step closer to the alien that towered over her, even kneeling.

“Finally, Y/N does nothing but think and talk about you,” Khaos informed her, and Wanda tried not to blush at the admission. “I can see why she does. You are a beautiful creature, Wanda.”

“Thank you, Khaos. But I think it’s time for me to see Y/N, now.” Wanda told the creature, and she grumbled again.

“But we have just met!”

“I know, but we can talk properly back at the compound, but I need to make sure Y/N is okay.” Wanda smiled sweetly, and Khaos snarled, mumbling that ‘she’s fine, but okay’, before relinquishing control back over to you. Her skin began to disappear, before a completely fine looking you stood in front of Wanda.

The exchange of control was always quite weird, nauseating at first. You stumbled a little at the height adjustment, looking around briefly to see just how much damage your friend had caused before your eyes settled on your girlfriend in front of you.

“Hi Wanda.” You greeted sheepishly, but the witch didn’t respond. Her face was emotionless for a moment, before she stepped forward and pulled you into a tight embrace, immediately burying her head in your neck. You reciprocated quickly, pulling your arms around her waist and holding her tightly.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Wanda mumbled into your neck, making you chuckle.

“Me and Khaos are always okay.” You admitted, and Wanda pulled away from you, but still remained in arms reach. Your gaze dropped for a moment, realising that you had let Khaos have too much control. A sense of shame and embarrassment washed over you. “I’m sorry you had to see me like that.”

Wanda furrowed her brows, confused at your emotion.

“Why? Y/N, I told you. No matter what, I will never leave you.” Wanda admitted, grabbing your hand like you had earlier that day. “You let me see all of you, and Khaos is a part of you. Don’t be ashamed of it.”

“I can’t help it, I- I just don’t want to scare you away,” You looked at her with glossy eyes. “I can’t lose you Wanda.”

Wanda’s smile wobbled slightly, seeing you get upset always did that to her.

“I will never, ever leave you. I love you.” Wanda told you seriously, and your face softened into a smile at her.

“I love you too.” You closed the gap and pulled Wanda into a sweet kiss, a short peck on the lips, but you both got lost in the moment. The kiss deepened as you swiped your tongue across Wanda’s lips, which parted and granted you entry. Sure, kissing here was probably weird, but you needed this. The kiss was sweet until Wanda grumbled, parting from you quickly and pulled away.

“Y/N, did you just grab my ass?” Wanda smacked your chest, and you looked shocked at the accusation until you realised, rolling your eyes.

“Khaos!”

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#wanda maximoff fluff #marvel #fxf #mcu #wanda maximoff x you #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff fanfiction #wanda x you

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mischiefmanaged71 · 1 year

Text

In This Moment (1/?)

Summary: A single moment can spark a magnificent change in a person’s life.

A/N: Peaky Blinders au, Ewan Mitchell (OC) x fem! reader

Shuffling through the papers in the stack in her hand, Y/N swung through the crowd of people in the office. The bustle of the morning prior to the next big job had many resources on hand, including herself. Y/N was working closely with Ada who was back in London on several agendas, including a more exclusive topic of certain figures of interest to Tommy and the Shelby’s business. She desperately missed her close friend, after all, being surrounded by the crowds of men consistently became tiresome. Having someone to talk to and relate was a different company than what the Shelby boys offered in their rowdy and explosive natures. Their tenacity and attitudes were something she had grown used to over the many years of knowing the family.

That very morning she received a call from Arthur, requesting her presence in the office at Tommy’s behest. It was probably an update, she suspected. Or something of the sort. She arrived early, peering around at the busy crowd so wandering about seemed the opportune moment. Polly’s door was creaked open slightly, giving her view into the person sat at the desk. An excited laugh escaped her as she knocked on the door, peering into the doorway at Ada sat with her son, Karl, in her lap.

Y/N crashed into Ada’s shoulders, hugging her tightly “Ada! You didn’t tell me you’d be in. What’re you doing here?”

Polly smiled at the interaction as she overlooked her papers once more, a puff of smoke leaving her lips.

“It was about time to get out of the house. Thought I’d bring Karl back for a visit too since things have calmed.” she replied, brushing her son’s hair back.

Y/N smiled warmly, caressing the boy’s cheek as he looked up and grinned at the familiar face of his aunt. Growing up on the same street as the Shelby’s meant chaos, fun and a many other things that couldn’t have been good when pairing five children. Although all different ages, Y/N felt she could hang around with the Shelby’s as one of their own. Precisely as to why including her in the family business wasn’t a second thought.

“It’s great to see you.” Y/N nodded, “Lord knows we need more women around here.” earning laughter from both women. Karl clapped his hands in response.

“Busy morning? Earlier than you usually come in.” Polly pointed out, glancing up from her desk.

Y/N exhaled a breath, leaning against the desk, “Yeah, a few jobs to take care of. Arthur said Tommy’s got something for me. Not too sure what.”

“If you’re not too busy later, maybe we could have dinner together?”

“I’d love that.” Y/N smiled, her eyes drifting to the large window peering into the office space. Her attention fell on an individual standing to the side, out of the chaos. He had a straight posture, hands tucked in his pockets in a relaxed manner as he watched the room attentively. She ran her eyes over his blonde hair, these deep blue eyes somewhere far off where she wanted to gaze into. Her heartbeat picked up, the sound of it drumming in her ears. Y/N noted his strong jawline and appreciated it as the muffle of conversation bled into the background of her mind, overcome with a sudden interest in this stranger.

Ada’s voice brought her back, “Y/N?”

She furrowed her brows, returning her attention to the ladies “Sorry, did you say something?"

“Ada was just telling us about the lovely weather they’ve been having in London.”

The women shared a look before Ada continued, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “A bit distracted there?” peering through the window.

“No-I, uh.” a breathy laugh escaped her mouth. She was saved by a knock at the door brought their attention away as Arthur stood there, an expecting look on his face.

“Morning ladies. Hope I’m not interrupting.” he winked, “Tommy’s ready for ya.”

Y/N sighed, bidding her goodbyes to the ladies before following Arthur out. “Since when are you Tommy’s errand boy?”

“I’m not. That’s simply for your benefit.” he tugged his arm around her shoulders at the teasing smirk on her face, “Only the best for our, Y/N/N.”

“Of course.” she grinned, “Wouldn’t expect any less treatment from you lot.”

Arthur laughed, relaxing his arm as they crossed to the doorway, holding the door open for her. She sent him a grateful smile, passing through the doorway to Tommy’s office, the man himself sitting at his desk. The door shut behind the, as Arthur left.

“Good, you’re here.” Tommy noted, standing from his seat. Her attention drew to the other figure in the room, the stranger she had her sights set on. He was dressed in a similar fashion to the other men around; a dark coloured trouser, shirt and tie, with the matching coat for the cold Birmingham mornings.

Her mouth parted slightly, particularly at the beauty of his features up close and the mellow blue eyes that stirred something her chest. Y/N smoothed her expression out and appeared neutral as she focused back on Tommy.

“It has come to my attention there have been occasions where your security has been in question.”

She nodded, not exactly reading into where Tommy was going with this.

“Arthur and I have come to a decision over it and we came up with a solution.” He gestured to the other man, “This is William Adler,” he gestured, “I’ve hired him to be part of your personnel.”

She remained silent for the moment, running it over in her mind as her thoughts came to a halt at the proposition.

“Right. That’s one, then.” she replied, glancing between the men. She stepped forward, folding her arms across her chest “What exactly is Mr Alder being hired for?”

“Anything you need, Mr Adler will handle it.” he clapped a hand on Will’s back, bringing the man’s eyes back to Tommy.

He nodded, “If its any reassurance, not my first job in protection.”

A look of intrigue crossed her face before Y/N stepped to the side with Tommy, as she whispered in a hushed tone, “You didn’t think to ask me beforehand about this?”

“It’s for your benefit, Y/N. Adler will follow you around, keep you safe from those that wish to do you harm. Which is far too many when you’re a part of this family.” he nodded.

"I know, Tommy. You and Pol have done a lot for me, but don't you think you should consult me first before making decisions like this?"

"This is your safety we're talking about. I won't be arguing with you on this. Leave it." He sent her a curt look that silenced her next words. She nodded.

“If you have any problems, tell me and I’ll fix it.” patting her arm as he stepped to his desk. A puff of smoke left his mouth as he gestured to the door.

“I’ll allow you two to be acquainted. You’ll be spending a lot of time together.”

“Morning, Tommy.” Y/N nodded, still stunned on this inside as she managed a facade of decorum. Walking to the door, only to be met with Will’s taller stature holding the door open for her. She bowed her head to hide the blush forming on her cheeks, murmuring a thanks that she hoped he could hear before exiting Tommy’s office. Her heart beat faster in her chest as her thoughts ran amuck, the tread of his shoes thumping behind her.

She swallowed, forming a sentence “I’m uh, Y/N.” formally introducing herself. The amusement on his face caused her to cough shakily, “You already knew that. Uh-it’s nice to meet you, Mr Alder. I hope I didn’t offend you at all, I was simply surprised.”

“Will.” he replied curtly, studying her face.

“Sorry?” she turned to him, a soft look on her face as she held onto his words. His voice was a melodic sound she could listen to forever.

“You can call me Will.” a smile tugging at his lips. “And it’s fine. I understand.”

“Right.” she smiled bashfully, “Sorry about that.” she gestured behind her at Tommy’s office.

“Tommy is mostly blunt. He’s the boss and...well, he makes all of the important decisions around here. Mostly without oversight.”

“My apologies for disrupting your routine, Ms. I understand its not conventional, but I believe Mr Shelby has your best interests in mind.” he dipped his head to look at her.

“It appears so.” she blinked, shaking her head to continue walking down the corridor, “No, I uh-I’m sure we’ll get to know each other very well. Tommy should have just asked and...”

“If you ask me, I think we’ll get along just fine.” he turned his hands in his pocket as they arrived at Polly’s office. His back was to the window, while Y/N was in the frame. He leaned down, his breath brushing her ear, “A bit of advice.”

Y/N felt her whole body freeze in anticipation, her blood pounding in her ears as she felt breath escape her.

“You can see through the window from both sides.” he glanced down at her with a coy look, a smirk tugging at his handsome face. Y/N’s mouth parted, staring up at him with this wonderous look before she shock back into her reverie, inhaling a sharp breath. She had glanced between his eyes and full lips for far too long to be considered appropriate.

“I-I’m to see Ada off.” she breathed, a shy smile as she brushed past him to Polly’s office. The door swung closed behind her as Y/N stared at the women who looked back with expecting looks.

“What?” she deadpanned, breathless for the moment as she brushed her hair back. Her hands fell to her waist as she failed to push the thought of the man from the forefront of her mind.

Polly smirked at her dishevelled demeanour, sharing a knowing look with Ada as she tapped her pen, “You’ve got an interesting situation there.”

“Did you know about this, Pol?”

The woman shook her head, watching the exasperated expression on Y/N’s face stretch with her furrowed brows.

“What happened?”

Y/N folded her arms, wetting her lips “Your brother has assigned me my own personal guard.”

Ada smiled, her eyebrows perking up at the man leaning against the pillar outside the office, his eyes averted to the crowd once more. “What’s the problem then?”

Y/N refused to answer, nodding her head back to the window as she glanced at his side profile. Her heart swelled at his perfectly sculped bone structure. There was this effortlessness to his whole demeanour and look that enraptured her attention unlike anyone had before.

“The way I see it, this is good for you. You’re always working too hard. Having the help will do you some good.” Ada paused, “And it doesn’t hurt that he’s handsome too.” laughing at the devastated look on Y/N’s face.

“Don’t.” She held a hand up at Ada, glancing back at his profile through the window. Even his side profile was stunning.

“Pol?” Y/N turned to the older woman, looking for reprieve.

She waved her hand, “I had no idea he would do that. And you know you’d better listen to Tom, lest he grow upset with you. Or worse, he’ll stop you from working altogether.”

She folded her arms, staring at Ada’s enticed expression. The woman was finding far too much delight in Y/N’s reaction.

“What? I don’t see why you’re so distressed. We both saw you eyeing him earlier.” Ada followed.

Y/N folded her arms, “Exactly. Spending almost every waking minute by his side. Do you know what that’ll do to me?"

“Make you less miserable?”

Y/N choked out a laugh, “I’ll make a right fool of myself, Ada. This is not something I anticipated.”

“Now you’re just being dramatic.” the woman chided.

“You know me so well.” she narrowed her eyes.

“It’ll be fine.” Ada replied, grasping her hands, “This is a reassurance for us all. To know that you’re safe when we can't be there. It's a reassurance that'll set us at ease."

Ada would be right in that sense. Tommy meant well, it was just the methodology behind it that put Y/N off. She would have to learn to adapt and exist within this man’s presence. Even given the fact she felt she would buckle at the knees with a single look.

“Do tell us how it goes.” Polly replied, a smirk on her face.

“I’ll be sure to tell you all about it.” Y/N regarded, moving back toward the door where her new protector patiently awaited her return.

How her heart was going to rule with the effect Will had on her was in question for sure. She would do what Tommy wished for his sake.

Oh, what trouble would come with the sway of one’s heart.

Anything could happen.

#ewan mitchell #aemond #peaky blinders #ewan mitchell x reader #x reader #peaky blinders au #in this moment series #tom bennett #tom bennett x reader #world on fire

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inqorporeal · 1 year

Text

Guys (gender neutral, affectionate), I am begging you to please stop leaving comments on fics that haven't been updated in a bit asking if they're abandoned.

No work is truly abandoned. Unfinished works live on in the writer's mind, sometimes fondly but sometimes they lurk in the dark corners. We know they're there. You may think you're reminding us that they exist, but believe me: we know. We know. They surface every time we have a spare moment, reminding us of their existence, that we haven't given them closure.

Sometimes there's a reason we stopped work: maybe the skill to finish it was beyond us; maybe we realized we didn't like the corner we wrote it into and the potential ending dissatisfied us; maybe the IP we're writing in no longer brings us joy; maybe we decide there's something of higher priority to focus on; maybe real life is getting in the way. There's millions of good and reasonable explanations for it. And yet even when we provide these explanations, people come back, over and over.

Well yes but-?

But what about this other-?

So why not-?

Why can't you just-?

I just want to know-!

Stop. It's tiresome. You're not the first to roll into out ask boxes. You won't be the last. You're not special for digging up an obscure fic and thinking we forgot about it. I know more than one writer who has orphaned or straight up deleted fics because people wouldn't let them lie, like Frankenstein digging up corpses in a graveyard hoping to create new life.

Before you ask if the writer intends to continue the work, check the comments; check the writer's notes; check their social media to see if they have already answered your question. And if you want to encourage them, instead consider telling them what you like about the fic; it comes across as much less pushy and demanding than "do you plan to continue this? is it abandoned?"

We create for ourselves first, and the readers second. We do not exist purely to create content to be consumed. Being treated like we do is tiring and contributes more to our burnout and the death of our work than you might think.

With all sincerity,

A tired writer who wishes they had the spoons

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moosemonstrous · 4 months

Text

(don't mind me cannibalising my own bits from before 😳)

Ghost Rider Pacific Rim AU - build your own nightmare

Yegor Ivanov is in charge of security on a large, well-appointed quasi-military base housing twenty thousand people – mostly J-techs and their families, but also a sizeable assortment of soldiers, scientists, medical staff, relief workers and support crew. It’s the most stable job he’s ever had. The general populace is just so grateful for the giant robots he deploys to fight the ever-nastier demons crawling out of the Breach, he barely has to pay any attention to the actual security part of it. His subordinates haven’t reported a single issue they couldn’t deal with themselves in years. His approval makes or breaks people’s careers. He has the respect of the international leaders for keeping Hong Kong off of their priority list. Somehow, in this beautiful, messed up world he managed to carve himself out an existence most people can only dream of. It doesn’t come without its share of headaches, though.

He has been pretty careful in building his strike team. He has the final word on every new ranger. He’s been saddled with a Stark from the very beginning, but while the current one is prone to sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong, there is a definite advantage to working with someone who can handwave away what would usually be weeks of financial advisory committees. That seems to be the balance of things – trade a tiresome but overall manageable personality defect for a fantastically useful professional benefit. If nothing else, Yegor is good at dealing with tiresome personalities.

Brooks is barely an effort – military history, some very helpful connections in the underground and, for the defect, as-of-yet undefeated idealism. He can't be trusted with the more... sensitive issues, but tends to stick to the point in meetings, which is why he usually leads on the tactical debrief. This, like most things, backfires as soon as Cho gets involved.

“We’re talking about positioning,” Brooks says. “We’ll get to the hindsight part later.”

“Not if you’re going to point fingers like that. I can’t tell for sure until I get the hide, but drone footage shows the scales opening under pressure, here, let me—"

“Gentlemen,” he interrupts before their argument devolves any further. “Before Mr Reyes loses consciousness, if you please.”

Reyes startles from where he’s been daydreaming in his seat at the table. Every now and then, when the light hits just right, his damaged eye seems to reflect it, like some sort of a nocturnal animal. Like he doesn't give Yegor enough creeps as it is.

There are vanishingly few advantages to having Reyes on the team, but Yegor only has himself to blame for this. Most of the old guard making decisions around Hell Charger’s fate ten years ago have either died or retired into obscurity; other than himself, there is scarcely anyone left to confirm whether the similarities he’s seeing are truly there or just a product of his imagination. Even the way he shreds the label off the bottle of water in his hands, a perfectly common nervous tick, or the way he fidgets like he can’t wait for the meeting to be over – everything is just a little too close.

Not to mention his uncanny overnight progress with martial arts. Or the way he used the chain to choke out a Cat-4 demon. The chain that, as far as anyone can tell, he never had any training with.

Eli was always so fond of his garrotte.

“Sorry,” Reyes mutters, and looks at the wrapper confetti in his hands like he’s only just noticed it.

“As I was saying,” Brooks shoots Cho an impatient glance, but if Cho can be relied on for anything, it is to switch his focus to the weirdest thing in the room and Reyes certainly matches that description. “The last three attacks confirm we need to shorten our approach time. The demons are clearly prioritising civilian targets over a head-on fight with the closest hostile. The jaegers were too spread out, and until the core replacement program gets going we don’t have the speed advantage.”

“I get that,” says Danvers. “But what you’re proposing gives us very little space to react without running into land.”

“Where the jaegers outperform a demon every time,” Brooks points out. “As proven yesterday – even a rookie like Reyes can catch one when the water only goes up to your knees.”

Yegor didn’t truly believe all of his problems would be solved by putting the kid directly in a line of fire, but some part of him is still disappointed. It’s like the universe conspires to ensure at least one Reyes is always a thorn in his ass, and removing it risks perforating a goddamn artery. On one hand, Razorback slithering right past Eden Assassin and making a beeline for the coast is certainly bad news – Yegor has by now learned not to underestimate it when the beasts develop new strategies. On the other, he can’t pretend he wasn’t hoping it will make a short work of Hell Charger before the others caught up to her. On one hand, he’s sure to get the credit for taking a risk on a new ranger and saving Taipei. On the other, the new ranger has so far evaded several ways his removal could be considered innocuous and if Yegor gets any more direct in his approach, someone will notice. Cho has already made him his new fixation, and Stark is like a dog with a bone – it was a mistake to play the hardass card with him to start with. He’s less likely to be helpful now that he’s fallen for the sad orphan routine. Yegor has been making too many mistakes around Reyes, and that on its own is also familiar.

“We have to run this by other Shatterdomes before implementation,” he says, mainly to head off further squabbling. He nods at Brooks. “Work with Reyes on his ability to follow a direct order until we get a confirmation.”

“That’s unfair,” Cho rallies to his pet project’s defence again. “What was he supposed to do, let that thing hit the pier?”

Amadeus Cho is a thorn all of his own. Yegor stopped worrying about him months ago, when it became clear that there was indeed nothing tying him to Banner’s untimely demise. This much interest in not just The Charger but her pilots, though... “Mr Reyes is present to defend his choices, if he so wishes.”

He could, too. Any ranger at the table would likely do the same thing – throw themselves at the danger instead of staying clear of it when told, like a functional human being. If either Yegor or Brooks were to really press the matter, at least one of the pilots would acknowledge it, and he isn’t looking to initiate any feelings of solidarity. Of course, in this one thing Reyes is more obviously like his father than like his uncle – he doesn’t run his mouth at every opportunity. If he spoke up, Danvers or Summers would try to assert their dominance, which would inevitably lead to an argument with the twins, who have been keen on preserving their lone agent status despite the circumstances. Yegor could use the resulting hurt feelings without looking like he has a stake in the game beyond what can be expected. Instead, Reyes merely shakes his head, further convincing everyone that he’s a harmless newbie rather than–

What is this kid, exactly? More than a liability – he’s a threat. Yegor panicked once already, hoping to engineer a tragic accident, and only ended up making the problem worse. He needs to keep a cool head about this. Reach out to Chau, maybe, see if he’s noticed any mutilated bodies showing up on the island. Refresh the surveillance kit so he doesn’t have to rely on Barton for everything. And put a better face on meanwhile – Hell Charger stopped Razorback from barging right into the coast, where it would’ve decimated the ground troops in a blink of an eye. The press is going to want in on the new hero, which will only make the whole situation that much more complicated. You can’t quietly remove someone whose mug is on every news report for a week.

Yegor doesn’t buy for a second that Reyes turned back up in Hong Kong after a decade purely by accident. Not when he’s clearly trained in all of Eli’s favourite moves. Not when he isn’t asking any of the obvious questions, like he already knows what the answers are.

Not when his mask slips sometimes, and he looks at Yegor like he’s only delaying the inevitable to watch him squirm.

(in the highly probable event this doesn't come across clearly, Razorback managed to slip past the jaegers and would've hit a beach if Robbie didn't react. He was ordered not to engage, bc that was the agreed tactic and the others were only minutes away. For ~some reason~ he decided to catch himself a demon instead.)

(yes it is my experience that 90% of any major operations is meetings that could've been a quarter of the time if people stuck to the point, Amadeus would be my enemy at work. I've also cut out his entire aside about ecological impact of trying to curtail urban run-off so that will probably show up elsewhere in a good time)

#ghost rider pacific rim au #robbie reyes #yegor ivanov #watch a man with a guilty conscience work himself into paranoia in real time

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soraviie · 1 year

Note

At some point in this new life of yours, you've slipped into a parallel dimension where everything looks like as you know it but doesn't act like it. Because how come you're walking side by side with the love of your life and the air is shrouded by a frigid silence. How come, out of all the people in the world, it is the wall-like bodyguard, Kwang-min, that is urging you to talk?

"Sir, perhaps you should listen _____________ out?" he suggests, trailing slightly behind as he escorts you both back to the car.

"If ___________ wants to say something, they can tell me so much themselves."

His answer by now is nothing short of expected but still you can't concel the flinch that comes hearing the sharpness of his tone. Naturally, receiving such a curt reply Kwang -min, the teddy bear of a man and your most favourite of all the Jimin's bodyguards turns to you, expectant. But...Jimin started it.

"Please, tell Mr Park that I have nothing to say to him. I'd find a spider infested wall crack a more pleasurable company than I do of him."

From the corner of the eye, you can see how unkindly Jimin's eyes glimmer underneath the neon-lit streets. His jaw is ticked and he stalks forward, clearly mad out of his mind. Admittedly, calling him with such distant title outside of bedroom activities was a low blow. Still, you've grown obstinate about this whole thing and every single interaction with this annoying, aggravating, extremely complicated man has been grating your nerves to a pulp.

"They said—"

"I heard," Jimin interrupts with an irate hiss. "Thank you, Kwang-min."

Even the well-meaning bodyguard gives up.

Nearing the SUV you weigh on your options. Spending another intensely silent ride with Jimin at the end of a tiresome night of pretending everything to be alright was exhausting already to think of, so when he grabs the handle of the door, you linger back, letting Kwang-min run into you.

"Are you alright?" he asks you concerned but you brush his anxiety away, easily faking a smile. You've been doing a lot of those.

"Just fine. I think I'll take the taxi instead."

Immediately, sweat makes fine beads on top of the poor man's forehead. You know as well as he while he's technically employed as Jimin's bodyguard, Jimin himself would personally chew off his head if anything should happen to you. Or at least he would have. Now...with a sad feeling washing over you, you fully realize that now you're not so certain anymore.

"That's not safe," his mouth makes a diplomatic suggestion while the eyes plead. You know that look.

Years back, in the right dimension if you will, he used to give you that look as you came bouncing back home from your "unsupervised dates with yourself" a.k.a. you broke Jimin's rules of not going out without a bodyguard. When the news broke of him dating, it was a massacre, not a literal one thankfully, and he'd been worried sick about you. You don't know what Jimin told Kwang-min that one time he'd caught you sneaking back home with a lollipop in between teeth and clearly with no bodyguard in sight but since then the kind-hearted giant had lived in sheer terror. Regardless that after marrying Jimin, the public had calmed down a bit, you were more than certain they would rejoice hearing that there were problems in the paradise. That there was a possibility of your husband not loving you anymore.

"I'll manage," you shrug, fiddling carelessly with the ends of your thin jacket. A bit cold for the night but it looked the best. Tonight the duty called and you had to hold your husband's hand and smile for the cameras. Some kind of movie premiere not that you gave a fuck. If only they knew you'd both go back home and head straight into your separate bedrooms, not exchanging a single word between here and there.

Needless to say, it'd been deathly quiet in your home.

"Please consider," poor Kwang-min looks close to tears but you really can't stand any more of this anger.

"No, I—"

"____________ get in the fucking car or help me God," Jimin suddenly growls, the decisive wrath in his tone cutting any and all debates you could have had. A moment passes where both of you simply glare at each other but in the end, begrudgingly but still, you relent.

As expected — silence.

Listlessly, you gaze out of the tinted window until a sneeze rips out of you.

"Bless you," comes your husband's quiet greeting and you nod in acknowledgment of it. Koreans didn't typically use "bless you" but you suppose after all these years of being together, something has rubbed off on him and as nothing follows this small interruption of the ongoing cold war, you disregard the small phrase being anything else other than force of habit he'd picked up from you.

You close the doors to your bedroom with a deeply miserable sigh, sensing an itch at the back of your throat. Just what you needed. When the tepid knock trembles your door, you're in the middle of trying to get the zipper open at your back and occupied by the task, you forget to tell him to fuck off.

"Come in."

Changed into his homewear, Jimin slides in, holding a steaming mug. Your favourite mug in fact. Though his expression remains impassive you can smell the concontion he's holding in his hand. Honey, ginger, lemon. A medicine for an oncoming cold.

Wordlessly, he sets it down onto the nearby desk.

"Thanks," you bid, suddenly meek.

"Do you need help with that?" he croaks, suspiciously raspy, pointing at where your fingers still try to reach for the damn zipper.

You nod and turn your back to him, every nerve in your body jolting with repeated flashes of anticipation. It was some new-age blouse your stylist had thrust onto you. The woman was nuts and you never met her outside those times where you had to make a public appearance but in this moment you praised her choice of clothing. Just the faintest of brushes of Jimin's fingers has you reeling, wholly grasping how isolating the dragged out fight had been for these past two weeks. You hear him suck in a breath as inch by inch your back is revealed. As if you hadn't fucked raw every other day.

"Done," he coughs awkwardly, taking a step back and you hold the shirt so that it doesn't slip away entirely.

"Thank you."

In the low light his eyes catalogue through a variety of emotions. It's so much to consider, too much and you see him swallow, gaze flickering unsurely all over your face. In the end he settles on simply wishing good night.

"Love you," he adds, in the still moment between where the door is open and shut, half-glacing at you over his shoulder.

yeah I kind of outsold with this one

#bts x reader #bts angst #bts drabbles #bts drabble #jimin angst #jimin x reader #jimin x you #jimin x y/n #file/picture series/jimin #jimin scenarios #bts scenarios #jimin drabble

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thewayofthemandalorian · 2 years

Text

nothing new - oneshot

Pairing: Dieter Bravo x F!Reader

Rating: M

Summary: After helping him with yet another breakup, your already fragile friendship with Dieter Bravo nearly reaches its breaking point.

Word count: 5,164

Notes: I’m back a little bit early! This idea came to me the other day and I wanted to write it ASAP. There is angst in this and Dieter’s a shitty friend, but he makes up for it. In this version he’s not an actor but a trust fund baby, but is still a mess.

This fic is cross-posted to AO3 under the same name and my taglist can be found linked in my bio as well as my masterlist which is linked below.

Warnings: Loneliness, angst, friends to lovers, food mention, alcohol mention, jealousy, swearing, bad friendships, arguments, kissing, reference to sex, reference to drugs

masterlist (main) || masterlist (dieter bravo)

“Why would she break up with me, though?” Dieter asks, shoveling a massive bite of ice cream into his mouth. It’s four in the morning. You’ve been in crisis mode for the past six hours. It seems like your job is saving Dieter from crisis and not his best friend most days. After four years it’s getting a bit tiresome. But you do it all the same. Even if he never does the same for you. It’s not about that.

You know exactly why Anika Novik, his girlfriend of the past–you rack your brain–six months (Dieter’s personal record since college, where his longest relationship had been a whopping ten months), broke up with him. It’s the same reason all of his girlfriends and boyfriends break up with him, or he with them. You’re not going to tell him why, not wanting to rock the boat. “Did she say why?” you ask instead.

Dieter shakes his head and grabs a Kit-Kat from his pocket. Breaking it, he puts them in his bowl of ice cream. Well, there are other, more self-destructive ways that Dieter can and has dealt with breakups. Lord knows you’ve seen all of them. You should be grateful that he’s eating his feelings and not snorting them or fucking them away like he has in the past. “She said I needed to be more sensitive. Whatever the fuck that means.”

You hold your tongue, knowing exactly what Anika means. Dieter’s not known for being the most… tactful of people. Especially when it comes to his partners. You know he’s just looking for a connection, that you maybe shouldn’t be this hard on him, even mentally. But sometimes he’s even been not so sensitive towards you.

It’s been an odd friendship that you and Dieter have. You’re always willing to drop everything for him because he’s usually a good friend when he puts in the effort. Usually.

You look at the time and sigh internally. “I’d love to stay up and chat more and figure out the mystery that is women’s minds, but I have to be at the courthouse in like four hours.”

Dieter rolls his eyes. “Of course you do. You and work.”

You have no idea what the fuck that means. “Yes, Dieter. Not all of us are trust fund babies.”

Dieter pushes himself off his chair. “Okay, you go sleep or do whatever it is you need to do. I’ll take care of everything here and head out.”

You narrow your eyes. He’s never taken care of anything in his life. But you’re too tired to make that argument. Shuffling off to bed, you know it’s not going to be easy getting to sleep. It never is when Dieter decides to show up. You can go days, full weeks even, when he doesn’t contact you. At first, he’d been on you all the time. Claiming to be best friends and everything. But as time’s passed, you’re beginning to realize more and more that you’re the backup friend. The failsafe in case no one else wants to deal with his ass.

For all the liveliness Dieter Bravo has, he sure has a knack for making you feel lonely when you’re with him.

It’s an endless cycle with him, a revolving door of being ignored or looked over for extended periods of time and thinking that you need to drop his ass like so many of your other friends have suggested. But when he does remember, when he does deign to talk to you and hang out with you, he makes you feel like the greatest person in the world. Most of the time.

You don’t know what to do. But this has been your life for six years. Since senior year of college. Always the life of the party, even then. The two of you have been in each others’ lives ever since; he even helped pay for your law school degree. And it wasn’t long before you noticed his revolving door of partners. You don’t know if it’s because you planted yourself firmly in the friendzone and made him perfectly aware, but he never once has hit on you or suggested that you try the whole dating thing with him. And then he would disappear or only interact with you when he felt like it. When he didn’t have anyone else to talk to.

And you’re a giver. You have been since you were a little girl. Having a need to please everyone. You give and give and give and give until you have nothing left. And Dieter is a taker.

You hear the door shut as Dieter leaves.

When you get up a few hours later, the kitchen is as exactly as you left it.

- - - -

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury –”

Buzz. Buzz.

You attempt to continue in your closing statement. “My client, Tara Potts –”

Buzz. Buzz.

You glance at the Assistant District Attorney, who is also your friend and can clearly hear your phone. She shakes her head. Keep going, Jen mouths, giving you a thumbs up.

The buzzing in your pocket stops. And then it starts again. Sighing internally, you just hope that no one else can hear it. And that it doesn’t try to jump out of your skirt’s pocket.

Once the jury has been sent to deliberation, you pull out your phone. You have twelve new texts and three missed calls from Dieter. Jesus Christ.

“Heyyyy,” he says when you call him back.

You’re not in the mood. “You know not to call me when I’m in court,” you snap. It’s the one rule that you have that’s hard and fast. You’re still the most junior attorney in the firm, you need to prove yourself. You’re glad that Jen, the ADA and partner in the firm, is also a long-time friend.

“Cool your jets, ace attorney,” Dieter chuckles. “Was just going to see if you wanted to go to that new bar that opened up tonight. We can be each others’ hype man. I’m ready to go on the prowl again.”

You hold back your sigh. It’s been over a week since you last saw Dieter. You try not to miss him when he’s too busy to talk to you. “Isn’t it a bit too—?”

“Too soon?” he interrupts. “Anika didn’t love me. And I didn’t love her. I thought I did. But maybe that’s why she ended things. It wasn’t meant to be.”

You refrain from reminding him that he’s said that about his last seven partners. “I guess. It’ll have to do with the case.”

You also don’t know if you can stand being Dieter’s hype-woman. He never hypes you up in the way that you want or need him to. Never talks you up the way you talk him up. It always ends the same. Maybe tonight will be different though.

You almost believe it.

“That’s a yes, right?”

You exhale. “Fine.”

Boundaries are something that come easy to you when it’s other people. You’re able to establish them well, firmly setting them in place. Once upon a time, it had been the same with Dieter. But he’s not a person who’s been told many times in his life. And then there’s the other thing.

You’ve been in love with him for the past year. And you know if you move out of your self-imposed friendzone, it’s only a matter of time before he drops you.

Jen would tell you to dump his ass regardless. She and Nikki, the paralegal for the firm, have both made their opinions of your ersatz friendship with him very clear. “He’s using you, babe,” Nikki had told you over cocktails last week when you had vented to them at happy hour. “You’re like his own personal emotional support toy.” She frowns. “I don’t know where I was going with that. You know what I’m trying to say.”

You had frowned. “It’s not like that,” you argued. Your argument was weak, even to your ears.

“Yes! You won’t regret it.” You already do a little bit. Because he won’t even consider you. You know that’s partially your fault. But even if he does, it’s only a matter of time until your novelty will wear off as a prospective partner.

You spot Jen across the foyer. “Hey, are you busy tonight?” you ask, falling into step next to her.

“Family thing with my cousin, why?”

Playing cool, you shrug. “No reason. Just wondering.”

Her eyes narrow at you. “You have that look. The ‘I just talked to the dumbass and he got me to do something for him’ look.”

She’s too smart for her own good. “He’s not a dumbass,” you say.

“No. Just an asshole who’s using you. What is it this time? No, don’t tell me. I need to go into this vacation calm and collected.”

Can’t say you blame her. “It might be different this time,” you say.

Jen gives you the look she reserves for the very dumb witnesses and defendants taking the stand. “Girl. You’ve been saying that for the past year. Possibly more.” Changing tacks, she says, “Listen. It sucks. He sucks. Friends are supposed to build each other up not make you feel like shit. You’re amazing at defending the innocent. You’re so good with putting others first. But it isn’t selfish to put yourself first every now and again.”

You absorb her words. “Have a good weekend with your cousin,” you say.

- - - -

Your uber pulls up at the club at eight-fifteen. As always, you’re here first. Dieter will either be right behind you or be hours late or forget entirely. You snag a table and order a whiskey sour. Something tells you you’re going to need it.

Nursing your drink, you take in the crowd. It’s probably too early to get a definitive vibe of the crowd. Most folks probably won’t come until later.

Jen’s words from earlier stick in your brain. It wouldn’t hurt to re-establish some boundaries. You can tell him how you feel. How lonely you feel in his presence. How you feel like the failsafe, the backup. The afterthought. And if he doesn’t like it, well then too bad.

Easier said than done.

As you’re ruminating, you feel a pair of eyes on you. Glancing across the room, you see a man at the bar. He’s cute. Tall, dark hair, the beginnings of a beard. He catches you watching him watch you and he raises his glass to you. You return the gesture and he makes his way over to your table.

“No woman as pretty as you should be drinking alone,” he starts.

Your face warms. “I’m not alone,” you counter, gesturing at him. “But also I’m waiting for my friend.”

The man frowns at your pinched expression at the mention of your friend but he doesn’t know you. “Well, I’ll keep you company until he shows up. Unless I’m way out of line here. You’re well within your rights to tell me to fuck off.”

You laugh. “I am a lawyer so I’d do it in legal jargon.”

“Cute and smart. You got a name, or should I just call you Ally McBeal?”

You laugh and tell him your name, and he’s about to tell you yours when Dieter arrives. “Hey,” he says, his voice hard.

“Oh, hey, Deet. This is…” you gesture to the man sitting in what’s supposed to be Dieter’s seat.

He looks between you, sensing something off. But he’s not going to say anything to this woman he just met. “Matt. You must be the friend.”

“Yeah. I’m the friend.”

What’s got him in a mood tonight?

“Well, Ally, it was nice to meet you. You, too, dude.” The man gets up from his seat, pushing a napkin towards you.

Dieter takes no time in taking the seat that Matt just vacated. You pick up the napkin and fold it over and over again. “What’s wrong with you?” you ask.

“That guy is a perv.”

You scoff. “Dieter, I’m a lawyer. I think I would have picked up on that if that were the case. He was just keeping me company while I was waiting for you.”

“Yeah, guess you don’t need my help hyping you up,” he mutters. And it stings.

Dieter’s needy. Always has been. You could be the peacekeeper, the placater, but you remember Jen’s words. “That’s why we came here, right? So you could go on the prowl. Never said anything about me not going on the prowl either. Also, I need to talk to you about something.”

A waiter comes to the table to take Dieter’s order. “A double whiskey. Neat.”

You remember Dieter when he was a good friend. And you miss that time in your life. “Dieter.”

His eyes land back on you. “Yeah?” The waiter comes back with Dieter’s drink and his eyes wander around the room again, landing on a girl sitting in the corner with a group of friends. “Holy shit.”

“What? What is it?” Fearing the worst.

Dieter turns his attention back to you for the briefest of moments. “That’s Kate Grimley. She’s the perfect girl for me,” he proclaims. “Could you imagine her and I as a power couple? Her showing up on my arm at events?” His eyes glaze over at the image he’s presented. And for a second, you’re glad that you and he don’t have a chance.

“I don’t think that’s the best reason to ask someone out. I hardly think she’d want to be a trophy.”

Dieter waves you off and takes a drink of his whiskey. “Yeah, right. She’s the perfect girl for me. What did you wanna talk to me about?”

You’re not going to sweep it under the rug, not going to bottle it up. “Never mind. It’s nothing. Why don’t you go talk to her?”

Goddammit.

He nods and, taking his whiskey with him, goes over to the girl’s table. Leaving you alone. Again. He seems to hit it off with her pretty quick. He doesn’t need you to be his wingwoman. Ordering an uber, you close your tab and look down at the napkin in your hands. It has writing on it you notice. A phone number.

You put it in your purse and slink out of the club without so much as another glance in Dieter’s direction.

On the ride home, Dieter’s text tone goes off. Where’d you go? :(

For the first time in your friendship, you leave it on read.

- - - -

Over the next few weeks, you only answer Dieter’s texts here and there. You keep avoiding his requests to hang out, claiming to be busy with a case. It isn’t a complete lie. It’s Jen’s case, but you’re pitching in as well. And in your down time, you hang out with Jen and Nikki and begin to prioritize yourself.

One day when you’re cleaning your apartment, something you’ve put off for a while, there’s a knock on the door. Turning off your audiobook, you go to the door, looking through the peephole. It’s Dieter, holding two Starbucks cups.

You sigh and open the door. The vacuum had been on just a second ago so he knows you’re here. “Hey.”

“Did I do something?” he asks. “You barely talk to me anymore.”

Opening and closing your mouth several times in quick succession, you flounder for an answer. “I’ve been busy with work, you know that.”

“No, don’t give me that bullshit. I miss my best friend and we hardly hang out anymore. We used to all the time.”

A lump forms in your throat. You thought this version of Dieter had been gone. The version that cared about his friends beyond just using them. “I’m sorry,” you say and then immediately curse yourself. You have nothing to apologize for.

“It’s all good. I know you’re busy with becoming the best attorney LA’s ever seen. Doesn’t mean we can’t chill in the down low.” He holds up a cup. “Brought you your favourite.”

He sits on the couch with you, and you chat about things that aren’t deep. “How are things going with Kate?” you ask.

Dieter grumbles something and swirls the coffee around in his cup. “She’s too busy to date at the moment. She’s going to let me know when something in her schedule clears up, though.” He takes a sip and says, “I don’t think she realizes what she’s missing out on. She’s giving me the run-around.”

You rub your eyes in annoyance. “Try giving her the benefit of the doubt. She didn’t say no. She said not just now.”

“Yeah. Maybe you’re right. It’s only been a few weeks. And she’s still responding to my texts and everything.”

He leaves shortly after that, having to go to a board meeting. As you return to your cleaning, you find the napkin that has Matt’s number on it. Fuck it.

Hey, I know it’s been a while. It’s “Ally McBeal.”

The three dots pop up almost immediately.

A week later and some more strong communication with Dieter, you find yourself at a cafe with Matt. You didn’t tell Dieter about this. He doesn’t need to know. Jen knows all about it though.

Dieter presses the call button, strolling down the sidewalk, eager to tell you his news.

The ringing of your phone interrupts your story. “Sorry, I’m just going to see who it is.” You pull the phone from your purse. It’s Dieter. “Not important. They can leave a message.”

A minute later, your phone rings again. It’s Dieter again.

“If you have to answer it, that’s okay. Don’t let me keep you from anything,” offers Matt.

You shake your head. “It’s fine.” You press the decline call button and put it on do not disturb as well. “What were you saying?” you ask

Dieter frowns as the call is suddenly dropped. He’s just about to try again when he sees you in the window of a coffee shop. You’re smiling at something, someone. God, your smile. He doesn’t deserve you, he really doesn’t. He doesn’t know how you put up with all his bullshit. Maybe that’s why he’s felt you pulling away some in recent weeks. It isn’t jealousy, he knows that. Perhaps the inevitable has finally come. You’re tired of his shit. But he still wants to tell you his good news, so he walks into the cafe.

And sees you sitting with the perv from the bar. He doesn’t like it. Doesn’t like the way that this dude is looking at you like you’re something to eat.

“Hey.” He makes himself known.

Reluctantly, you turn in your chair. “Dieter. What are you doing here?” You lace your voice with enough for him to intuit that you don’t want him here right now.

“I…” Dieter stalls, thinking of something to say. “I need you to come with me right now.”

You balk. “I’m kind of busy right now. Can it wait?”

Dieter shakes his head. “It’s urgent.”

Matt, ever the gentleman, steps in. He knows exactly where your friend fits into all this. Knows what neither of you want to admit to each other or yourselves. “It’s cool. I have to get back to the office soon, anyway.”

Before you can say anything, Matt stands, leaves a twenty on the table and offers you a tight smile. Silence falls between you and Dieter for a full thirty seconds.

“What the fuck, Dieter?” you ask. “What was so important that you needed to interrupt my date?”

Dieter knows he fucked up. It was a low thing to do. But he doesn’t know what came over him. It’s a new sensation, one he can’t describe.

“Well? It better be a damn good reason,” you prompt looking expectantly at him.

Dieter’s mouth goes dry. You’ve never dressed like this for him before. “I… uh… Kate finally got back to me. We’re going out on Saturday night.”

You blink slowly. “You mean to tell me that you broke up my date, with a perfectly nice guy, to tell me that you got a date with a girl you just want as arm candy?”

Dieter blanches at your cold, seething fury. He fucked up all right. “Well, uh, when you put it like that…”

You scoff, grab your purse and walk out of the cafe, into the park where you hope you can evade him. He’s quick on your heels.

“Will you just hear me out?” he asks.

The laugh that escapes you is bordering on manic. “What is there to hear out?” you ask.

“That guy is bad news.”

You shake your head. “You just don’t want to admit that you’re jealous. You’re jealous that your failsafe is paying attention to someone else and you don’t like it when all the attention isn’t on you.” You’re so right, Dieter realizes. And so wrong at the same time. He doesn’t know what you mean when you say that you’re a failsafe. But he is jealous. Of what, he doesn’t know. But he doesn’t have time to explain himself. “You’re a dick, David.”

In all the years you’ve known him, you’ve never once used his government name when addressing him. If you’re using his real name, you must be livid.

You turn on your heel and walk away from him. Leaving him behind.

- - - -

Dieter calls and texts and sends emails and messages and every sort of modern method of communication. You don’t respond to any of them. He knows he fucked up with you. On more than one count. But he can’t figure out what it is that you’re so mad about. Sure he broke up the date, but he had a bad feeling about Matt. Something he still can’t put his finger on. The jealousy, too.

Still, he can’t focus on it for too long because he has a date to get to.

He meets Kate at an up-and-coming restaurant. She’s dressed in a nice black dress, her makeup done and her hair down in waves. She’s pretty, but she’s not on your level of pretty.

Over appetizers, Dieter struggles to find something to talk about. It’s always so easy to talk to you. Or at least it was.

It hits him like a ton of bricks as Kate talks about something he has no interest in. It’s you. He wants you. He likes you.

“...hear a thing I just said?” Kate asks.

Dieter blinks. “What? Sorry. Um. I’m going to be honest with you, Kate. You’re really nice and you’re hot as fuck but I don’t think this is going to work out. I’m sorry.”

Kate frowns. “Hang on. This whole thing was what you wanted. You kept asking me and asking me to go out with you. And now you don’t want to?”

“Something like that, yeah. It’s not you, I promise.”

She scoffs. “Whatever.”

Dieter waves down the server. “We’re done here,” he says, handing over his black card. Leaving a hefty tip, he says to Kate, “I promise, it isn’t anything to do with you.”

Kate rolls her eyes and says nothing.

Hailing the nearest cab, he tells the driver the address of your apartment. He needs to see you. Needs to make things right. Tell you everything.

The knock on the door comes just after eight-thirty. You ignore it. The knock comes louder.

Going to the door, you see that it’s Dieter. “Go away!”

He’s not giving up that easily. “Please just let me explain everything.”

Against your better judgment, you open the door. “Fine. Come in. And I reserve the right to kick you out at any time.”

Dieter follows you into the living room, sitting on the couch. You look at him, half-expectantly half-annoyed. “I’ve been an asshole,” he starts.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” you grumble.

Licking his lips he continues. “I was on my date with Kate earlier tonight and I realized something. The entire time, I wanted it to be you. You were right. I am jealous of Matt. I’m jealous that you were spending time with him and not me… on a date.”

You can’t be hearing this right. “Dieter, what are you saying?” you ask, managing to keep your voice level.

“It’s you. It’s always been you. And I know that… you don’t want to go down that route, you just want to be friends, but—”

“I’m in love with you, you idiot,” you interrupt him. You don’t sound happy about it, though.

Dieter’s heart jumps into his throat. “Then why—why were you on a date with that guy?”

You scoff, your eyes hard and shiny with unshed tears. “Because I’m trying to move on from you. You have such a revolving door of partners. As soon as you’re bored with someone, you drop them or make them drop you so that you can move on to the next shiny, new toy. Dieter, I don’t think I could handle it if you did that to me. You already treat me like a failsafe.”

There’s that word again. “What do you mean by that, exactly?” he asks, dreading the answer.

“You…” Your voice cracks and you try again, all the things you’ve kept bottled up inside of you spilling out. “You only call me up when you need or want something and everyone else is busy. I’m the failsafe. And sometimes you’re such a terrible fucking friend to me. You take and you take and you take and you take. You never give, you’re always taking advantage of my giving nature. The only time you give is when you want something in return. You’re an asshole.”

Dieter doesn’t defend himself, doesn’t try to deny what you accuse him of. He just listens and takes it. Because you’re right. Of course you’re right. Taking a deep breath, he says, “I know. You’re right. And I’m so, so sorry I treated you that way. I’m sorry you had to deal with that for so long. I’m sorry for how I’ve dealt with my feelings and how you’ve had to witness and be at the receiving end of those.” His own voice is trembling. He’s lucky that you even have allowed him in and haven’t kicked him to the curb long ago. It’s a sign of your kindness, he thinks.

You sigh. “Thank you.” It isn’t forgiveness. It’s too soon for that. “I’ve been in love with you for a while and I’ve kept my distance because I know you’re just going to get bored with me. I’m nothing new, nothing exciting.”

Dieter shakes his head. “That couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s true that I’ve dropped people like hot potatoes when a relationship has run its course. I’m not denying that. But I like you. I’ve never gotten jealous of anyone else before. I’ve never… yearned for someone’s company like I yearn for yours. I just don’t want to come across as overbearing.”

You swallow. “Then why do you go weeks without contacting me?”

“Because… I don’t want you to realize that I’m not good. But you figured that out already. Please tell me what I can do to make it up to you. I know it’s a mountain to climb, I know that, but I want to be a better man. I want to be with you.”

You consider it for a long minute. “I forgive you,” you say to his immense relief. “But you need to work to show me you mean it and I’ll decide if I can trust to be with you. But it can’t be an empty promise or a meaningless gesture.”

Dieter nods. It’s the least he can do. And he’s going to do that and more. “Yeah, okay,” he murmurs. A beat passes. “Can I… can I kiss you? Or is that asking too much?”

You sigh. “All right.” Getting up, you cross the short distance to the couch. Cupping his bearded cheek with your palm, you lean in and press your lips to his.

It’s chaste but with a modicum of heat. Dieter breathes your name and looks utterly wrecked by the little kiss.

“I mean it, David. If you mess this up, you’re gone,” you say.

He smiles. “Understood. You’re stuck with me, I promise.”

- - - -

Eighteen months later

True to his word, Dieter is stuck with you. It took a lot of effort and work on his part to prove that he was serious about you and serious about changing. He’s made it clear that he hasn’t changed just for you.

Six months after you had your discussion, Dieter had still continued to hold up his end of the bargain. He wasn’t doing it out of obligation. He was doing it because he wanted to become a better man. To be with you and to make amends. His first order of business was to start attending therapy to figure out why he behaved the way he did. He’s made some real improvements with himself.

And now, a year later, you and he are still going strong. Your relationship is new and exciting everyday. He isn’t even remotely bored with you. Dieter loves waking up with you and spending his time with you and experiencing new things with you. He can’t believe it took what it did to get here. That it took being on the brink of ruining everything to realize what it was he truly wanted, who he truly wanted. The first time you came together was like the first time all over again. Magical and right and everything he’s ever imagined it being. And it’s like that every time. Regardless of how many times (and it’s been many, many times).

You’re on even, solid ground now. More equal in your give and take with him. And it didn’t take long for you to remember how considerate and kind he is.

He wants to spend the rest of his life with you. He never once has thought of you as a prize to be won. Not some trophy. You’re his best friend. The person he loves most and would do anything for. It dawned on him not long after your discussion why none of his relationships ever worked. He was waiting for the right person. He’s had the right person right in front of him the entire time and he’s so glad that he realized it before it was too late. He’s never once taken you for granted ever again. Sure you have little fights and squabbles here and there, but it’s always the two of you against the issue you’re facing and you’re always able to overcome it. When you’re together with him, it’s like you can overcome anything.

You had been afraid that you would be nothing new to Dieter, that he would quickly toss you aside, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. You’re exciting and fun and completely you. Everything he’s always wanted. And you never doubt it for a second.

The End.

--- taglist in reblog

#dieter bravo x reader #pedro pascal #dieter bravo #the bubble #the bubble movie #my fic #my writing #pedro pascal fanfiction #pedro pascal character fanfiction

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